MÂTOWAK: WOMAN WHO CRIES by Jolene N Butler @cluculzwriter #Canada #Mystery #TuesdayBookBlog

Mâtowak: Woman Who Cries by Joylene Nowell Butler
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Three Point Five Stars.

Mâtowak: Woman Who Cries is a murder mystery set in Canada, and is a sequel to “Broken But Not Dead”. The book opens with a murder scene of Leland Warner a former Minister of National Defense. During Leland’s life and political career he built a long list of enemies and it quickly becomes a high profile case.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Corporal Danny Killian is given the case, he’s a native Haida aboriginal, whose wife was recently murdered, which gives him an emotional tie to Leland’s wife Sally.

Sally Warner has suffered enough; miscarriages, a still birth of a daughter and the death of two sons eighteen months ago, and now she faces life without her husband too. However she cannot be dismissed as a possible suspect.

The book is written from alternating points of view of both Sally and Killian with added character’s own thoughts in an aside to the reader. The plot builds the suspense with suitable twists. Throughout we see a side of Canada described by culture and racism which adds to the atmosphere of the story-line.

There was room to shorten some of the dialogue into more natural everyday conversations, especially where the police procedures were being described, I expect most crime readers or TV viewers of crime have a good notion of what goes on and some of the details felt a little unnecessary, or repetitive.

My review is based on a free ARC pre final edit in return for an honest review.

View all my reviews on Goodreads

 

Author Joylene Nowell Butler is on tour this month with MC Book Tours featuring her new novel, Mâtowak Woman Who Cries, being released Nov. 1 by Dancing Lemur Press L.L.C.

You can follow Joylene’s tour schedule HERE for excerpts, Q&As,  chances to win copies of her book and more.

A murder enveloped in pain and mystery…

When Canada’s retired Minister of National Defense, Leland Warner, is murdered in his home, the case is handed to Corporal Danny Killian, an aboriginal man tortured by his wife’s unsolved murder.

The suspect, 60-year-old Sally Warner, still grieves for the loss of her two sons, dead in a suicide/murder eighteen months earlier. Confused and damaged, she sees in Corporal Killian a friend sympathetic to her grief and suffering and wants more than anything to trust him.

Danny finds himself with a difficult choice—indict his prime suspect, the dead minister’s horribly abused wife or find a way to protect her and risk demotion. Or worse, transfer away from the scene of his wife’s murder and the guilt that haunts him…

 

Mâtowak Woman Who Cries is available in eBook at the following sites:

Amazon.ca 

Amazon.com

Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C

The print copy is available at: 

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com.

 

When Joylene’s father died in 1983, she wrote her first full–length manuscript to channel her grief. The seven-year process left her hooked and she began Dead Witness within a few weeks of finishing Always Father’s Child. Today Joylene is the author of three suspense novels: Dead Witness, Broken But Not Dead, and the steampunk collaboration Break Time. While she’ll admit being published didn’t fix all the wrongs in her life, she wishes her parents had lived to see her success. Dead Witness was a finalist in the 2012 Global eBook Awards. Broken But Not Dead won the 2012 IPPY Silver Medal and its sequel Mâtowak Woman Who Cries is due for release November 1, 2016.

Joylene lives with her husband and their two cats Marbles and Shasta on beautiful Cluculz Lake in central British Columbia. They spend their winters in Bucerias, Nayarit, Mexico.

For more on Joylene and her writing, visit her website and blog then connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and her Amazon Author Page.

 

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FRIENDS WE HAVEN’T MET by Kaitlyn S C Hatch @faunawolf @PublishingPush

Friends We Haven’t Met is a contemporary novel set in London around the residents of a block six flats. The book opens with pieces from them all as un-named characters, then as the book evolves we are told their names and more about each of their lives and how they interact as neighbours.

Chelle works in the local supermarket, her partner Darren drinks heavily and has hit her. Namisha lives alone with her baby after her husband walked out, she is depressed and lonely. Hester is an older woman with a son who worries about her. Darcy is from Calgary, Canada and shares her flat with two students. Tim is devastated and heart-broken after a recent relationship break-up and Gian Verdi is forced to downsize and doesn’t want to be in his flat.

I found the opening chapter quite confusing, not knowing which faceless character was talking, but once the author gave us names and small details to attach to those characters the book became easier to read. I enjoyed the little additional bits of information each chapter that dropped into the story line and the ending gave hope for most of them.

 

Book Description

This is a tale of six strangers living in a London apartment building, their lives & struggles unnoticed between them until they begin to intertwine.

A young man grieves, a new mother finds herself abandoned by her husband, a middle-aged menman lives in fear, an elderly woman longs to tell her son the truth, a student from Canada carries around guilt that she tried to run from by moving to London and an aging Italian immigrant feels abandoned after the death of his wife.  Depression, fear, anxiety, loneliness, guilt and grief – all human experiences that can either divide or unite us.

Each chapter is broken into six narratives of the occupants of a single floor of an apartment building in London.  In the first chapter we don’t know the names of any of the characters, just as they don’t know the names of one another, we are only introduced to their personal worlds.

As each narrative continues, the details of the personal trials of each character come to light and the characters begin to reach out to each other in various ways.  Ultimately, even the most cold and distant character is met with compassion.

This book explores how we are interconnected through the characterization of six strangers who, on the surface, think they have an apartment block in common and nothing else.

Find the book here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Meet The Author

Kaitlyn Hatch has been writing since before she could spell. She’s a contributing writer to publication on Medium.com, as well as having kept her own blog since 2008. 

In addition to writing books, Kait keeps a blog, runs a podcast, does graphic design and makes art, which is why she calls herself a creative polymath. 

Originally from Calgary, AB, she lived in the UK for six years where she gained citizenship and a strange amalgamated Canadian-English accent. She can’t say where in the world she’s living now, but ‘home’ is with her wife, Gretchen, and fur-child, Delirium. 

http://www.kaitlynschatch.com

Twitter @faunawolf

 

Rosie’s Avid Readers #RBRT The Outlander by Gil Adamson #Canada #Bookreview

Rosie’s Avid readers are people who like reading and have a book to tell us about, they are the voice of a friend who says ” I just read this book….”

Avid reader’s thoughts

An adventure in the Canadian outback at the turn of the last century.  The sense of loneliness in this vast countryside is well accentuated with very few characters as well as wonderful descriptions of the scenery.  A good read.

Book Description

In 1903 a mysterious, desperate young woman flees alone across the west, one quick step ahead of the law. She has just become a widow by her own hand. Two vengeful brothers and a pack of bloodhounds track her across the western wilderness. She is nineteen years old and half mad. Gil Adamson’s extraordinary novel opens in heart-pounding mid-flight and propels the reader through a gripping road trip with a twist — the steely outlaw in this story is a grief-struck young woman. Along the way she encounters characters of all stripes — unsavoury, wheedling, greedy, lascivious, self-reliant, and occasionally generous and trustworthy. Part historical novel, part Gothic tale, and part literary Western, The Outlander is an original and unforgettable read.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

We welcome recommendations especially from non-authors for this feature, and would love to hear from anyone who would like to leave a comment and follow the blog.

Seventh Mark Part 1 by W.J. May

Seventh Mark – Part 1 by W.J. May

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Seventh Mark Part 1 is a YA paranormal fantasy set on the west coast of Canada in the town of Port Coquitlam. Rouge Riding has recently moved here with her foster parents and at 17 she’s about to enter her final year of High School. Whilst out jogging at dusk she meets a super hot mysterious guy in a cemetery and can’t stop thinking about him.

The next day Rouge heads to school to pick up her timetable and get her bearings, she bumps into Grace who instantly takes her under her wing befriending Rouge and inviting her to the senior class pre-school party.

A Saturday job at an eclectic bookshop in town has Rouge discovering a very old book which her boss gives her as a gift, but it gets forgotten in the teenage rush of new friends and the party, but when Rouge comes face to face with a fearsome creature in the woods it’s Grace’s mysterious brother Michael who comes to her rescue.

There’s something amiss with Grace and Michael, strange whispering and finishing of thoughts, but Rouge can’t get over a familiar pull and feeling of comfort which she gets from Michael, it’s a shame his adoptive father Caleb seems so cold and dismissive.

Now I really liked this book, I sat and read it in one sitting and was disappointed when it ended. I’m a Twilight fan and I will admit it made me think about that series a couple of times, but in a good way. I think it may be a book to love or hate, I liked the sizzle of romance and I thought Grace a bundle of troublesome fun, It will be interesting to see how the series pans out.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

View all my reviews on Goodreads

The Serenity Stone Murder by Marianne Jones

The Serenity Stone Murder by Marianne Jones

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Serenity Stone Murder is a cosy murder mystery set in Thunder Bay, Canada. Louise Gagnon, a retired teacher and her friend Margaret Brodie are travelling to Thunder Bay to attend a women’s retreat.

The retreat workshop takes place in the local church rooms, but Margaret finds it’s not really her thing. There is a shocking murder of a local casino manager, a man with few friends and plenty of enemies. He’d offered to buy the church gardens to help the churches finances and build a car park for the casino.

Margaret and Louise start some amateur super-sleuthing when they hear more about the people who were linked to the casino and the anger the proposed new car park caused amongst local members of the church. Their nosey investigations don’t go unnoticed and more than once they put themselves at risk.

A good quick easy read and I enjoyed all the Canadian food and scenery.

This review is based on a free copy of the book given to me by the author via Split Tree Publishing.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, Amazon.ca

View all my reviews

Hawk’s Gift by Mary M Forbes

Hawk’s Gift by Mary M. Forbes

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hawks’ Gift is a historical romance set in Canada in the late 1800’s. We first meet Damien Larocque as a boy who witnesses the death of his parents on the same day in 1860. He is Metis a member of one of the aboriginal people of Canada.

In 1881 he is in Winnipeg. Now a grown man he finds himself bidding $1000 to rescue a young lady. Roberta Taylor is a reporter. Head-strong and ambitious she wants to interview Big Bear, a leader of one of the indigenous Indian tribes who is currently refusing to move to a reservation. He’s holed up in Montana and Roberta’s brother pays Damien to take his sister to meet the Indian Chief.

Roberta has a knack for finding trouble and is a source of confusion, contradiction and frustration to Damien. She blows hot and cold and wants answers in a way any reporter does. He’s determined to teach her a lesson as well as make her understand what the White man is doing to the land and it’s people.

This book is a great way to learn about the history of the time from less famous battles between the White man and the Native people and to hear about such events as The Riel Rebellion of 1885 and The Frog Lake Massacre. With it is a feisty romance between two great characters.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

View all my reviews on Goodreads

Mystery Book Tour Day 9 #MysteryNovember The Body on the T by Mike Martin

Welcome to Day 9 of The November Mystery Book Tour.

Today our guest is Mike Martin and his book The Body on the T

Where is your home town?

I was born in St. John’s, Newfoundland at the very eastern tip of North America. I lived there for most of my early life and then moved to Ottawa, the capital of Canada in my 30’s and have been there ever since.

How long have you been writing?

Like many writers I am also an active reader and have always been so. I had two older sisters who were teachers so they encouraged me to read early and often. They dragged me along to the library every week and I could pick and choose my books. As a result I grew to love reading and admire writers. As soon as I could I started writing, trying very poorly, to imitate my favourites. But I kept at it in one form or another until I finally got a little better. I have now been writing professionally for about 20 years. I have been a freelance writer, a ghost writer, an editor and a publisher. I started writing fiction about 5 years ago.

What is your favourite sub-genre of mystery?

I’m a traditional mystery kinda guy. I like the old stuff like Agatha Christie but also some of the more modern classic type detective mysteries like Donna Leon. In fact, my Windflower series draws some inspiration from Leon’s use of food and culture, although Venice is a long ways away from Windflower’s setting in small town Newfoundland. I also enjoy some thrillers and some cozy mysteries, although I tend to shy away from cats, knitting and southern comfort.

Where is your book set?

All three books in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series. The Walker on the Cape, The Body on the T and now Beneath the Surface are all set in small communities on the southeast coast of Newfoundland.

Introduce the readers to Winston Windflower.

Sgt. Winston Windflower is a Cree from Northern Alberta. He is an officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and as part of a national police service he gets posted all over Canada. For the last couple of years he has been in Grand Bank, Newfoundland and although he is a complete outsider he has been welcomed warmly into the community. He even finds himself a girlfriend who just happens to own the local café where Windflower can indulge his hearty appetite.

What incidents break up the peace of this part of Newfoundland?

Crime happens everywhere. It’s just more visible or more newsworthy in big towns or cities because there’s more reporting. In Windflower’s part of the world there is also a tradition of smuggling, back to the prohibition days, and an undercurrent of illegal activities that are often visible but ignored by the general populace. And there are always the deep human emotions of envy and lust and greed and anger that bubble to the surface. Sometimes people die as a result.

Tell us about Grand Bank, what type of town is it?

Grand Bank is an historic seaside town that has been in existence since the mid 1600’s, first as an inshore fishing station used only in the summer. Over time the population increased and it became a year-round settlement, primarily for English and Scottish immigrants. Grand Bank’s great claim to fame is as the home of the famous Grand Bank schooner whose vessels were built at the port. Its’ claim to infamy is as the rum-running capital of the southeast coast of Newfoundland during the American prohibition days. Today it is a quiet, almost semi-retired community with a few locally based businesses and a seasonal tourism industry.

What are some of the delicious foods that Windflower liked to eat?

First of all Sgt. Windflower likes to eat, a lot. That’s good, because food is almost a character in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series. He likes barbequed steak, medium rare with a special spicy dry rub. He likes Newfoundland rabbit, also known as hare, braised or in a stew with pastry on top. He likes fish, lots of fish, from pan-fried scallops to baked salmon to sea trout to cod tongues. If you want to know about cod tongues, a Newfoundland delicacy, you have to read the books. And of course Windflower loves, just loves peanut butter cheesecake. He would do almost anything for it. No, he would do anything for it.

Tell us about the TV interest in your book series.

This is very exciting news!! In September I signed an option agreement with Producer Heidi Lasi  for the television and film rights to the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series. Heidi Lasi is an award winning film and television producer who discovered one of my books and contacted me about buying the rights. We had discussions over a month or so and finally reached an agreement. Talks are underway with potential partners, showrunners, funders, broadcasters and investors. So now we are putting together a Windflower package – a TV pilot, or at the very least a few scenes from a possible show, as well as some screenplays, to pitch to broadcasters. I will be a creative consultant to this process and I will keep you and your readers up to date on the process.

 

Where can readers find out more about you?

http://www.beneaththesurface.co

Twitter @mike54martin

You can follow Sgt. Windflower on Facebook at        https://www.facebook.com/TheWalkerOnTheCapeReviewsAndMore?ref=hl

Buy links for The Body on the T

Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Body-Winston-Windflower-Book-ebook/dp/B00F1K0WT8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411560417&sr=8-1&keywords=THE+BODY+ON+THE+T%2C+MIKE+MARTIN

 

Amazon UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Body-Winston-Windflower-Book-ebook/dp/B00F1K0WT8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411560476&sr=8-1&keywords=THE+BODY+ON+THE+T%2C+MIKE+MARTIN

Mike has a Goodreads giveaway in place to win 5 copies running until November 21st

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/113083-the-body-on-the-t

 

Good Deeds Challenge Year 2 Week 22

Welcome to my second Year of Good Deeds, a challenge I set myself during April 2013. I decided to do at least one Good Deed a day for a whole year, now I an into my second year.

During my week I’ll also being updating you on My Kindness Challenge which I’m also doing. I read about a new challenge to make the world a better place to live in. “Speak Kind Words, Receive Kind Echoes” see the inspiration on  The Kindness blog . During my learning process I’m donating money to charity for my slip-ups to make me work harder to achieve results. I earn no money from any of my book reviews, so having little to spare should focus my mind.

September 14th – Dark Gothic romance is Jane Godman’s book Echoes in the Darkness, Day 14 of Romancing September. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5Hk

Am putting together plans for my next tour, this one will feature mystery books and their authors and will take place in November.

September 15th – Laura E James featured in Romancing September today with her book Follow Me , Follow You. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5xp

A school morning and I’m getting to know my new set of children that I listen to as they practise their reading. This year I have twins amongst my group, luckily they are not identical.  Donated a series of books to the school for their library that I had finished reading. Have been and bought a load more books again today, taking full advantage of the sales going on.

September 16th – Mary Forbes joins us on the Romance tour today with her book One Dance With A Stranger, Mary hails from Canada, it’s so great meeting all these people from across the world and bringing them together. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5yC

Getting lots of interest for the November Mystery book tour, busy sending out Q&A sheets and creating pictures to use on Twitter. I enjoy the challenge and the skills that I am learning from this task.

September 17th – Monica La Porta is the featured author on Romancing September today with her book The Lost Centurion, set in a stunning Italian landscape it mixes paranormal with hot romance. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5Er

Am off out to dinner this evening with friends, a rare treat, and it’s another good deed opportunity as it’s my turn to drive.

September 18th – E.L. Lindley is chatting about her book Dare To Lose today on Romancing September. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5DE

What a 24 hours! The blog is SO busy at the moment it’s truly wonderful, thank you to everyone who reads and reviews book, signs up for tours, comments and shares posts and tweets and everything else you do for me.  So here is a little something back for anyone going through an anxious and stressful time at the moment and with children in the Uk off the University this month, I know there will be a few Mums out there in need of a little TLC, firstly why not circle the date of your birthday on every month of the calendar and give yourself a little treat once a month for a whole year. Plan out what you could do, it could be time out for yourself, meeting with a friend, 15 minutes meditation, buying a new book randomly in a genre you don’t normally read, anything, but give yourself a well deserved treat.

Have been helping out my dearest friends with some support at their own emotional times. Plus recommending books for them to read. If you want to read them too, try these, get them in paperback, you’ll want to flip back through them too often to read on Kindle.

You Can Heal Your life by Louise Hay

Heal Your Body/New Cover: The Mental Causes for Physical Illness and the Metaphysical Way to Overcome Them by Louise Hay

Next watch this video on Tapping or Emotional Freedom Technique http://eft.mercola.com/

September 19th – Today it was the turn of Rock Chick Nicky Wells and her book Fallen for Rock on the Romancing September Tour. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5DR

I’ve been out buying more books as gifts for people. Still at bargain prices.

September 20th –  The Dating Game by Susan Buchanan was our book on the tour today. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5CO

Have been delivering a birthday present for my Dad this morning, it’s his birthday tomorrow.

Romancing September #RomancingSeptember – Day 16

Welcome to Day 16 of Romancing September Across The World Tour. Today our guest is Mary M Forbes. Catch up with more from Mary in a few hours with the second part of our tour when Stephanie chats to her.

Where is your home town?

In the isolation of Northern Saskatchewan I grew up on a farm, even going to a small country farm school. Think ‘Little House on the Prairie’ and it was similar to the way I grew up. I had my own horse and although we were as poor as the proverbial ‘church mouse’ and couldn’t afford anything, I always felt I was more fortunate than others. They may have a bike – but I had a horse. We also had fantastic meals and could eat as much as we wanted.

How long have you been writing romance?

My attempts in writing went as far back as when I was a teen. I read avidly and would create my own stories. Then real life, children, husband and work intervened. I seriously started writing again in the mid-1990s after my kids started growing up.

What is your favourite sub-genre of romance?

I like most, but my favourite is historical romance. I have always been fascinated with history and love researching. Sometimes I get caught in a trap and just keep researching, forgetting to write the story. Events in history always create ideas and eventually the story just falls into place.

What is Emily’s background?

Emily grew up on the streets of Toronto rather than suffer the indignities of foster parents. She hates the disadvantages life has dealt her and the filth she is forced to live in.

Why is Wade in jail?

Wade is drunk when he catches his wife in bed with another man. After listening to Alan Jackson’s song – a hole big enough to drive a truck through – he decides to make a hole in his house by driving a truck through it. He is charged with a DUI and driving a semi into a residential area. Fortunately his brother’s efforts to pin ‘attempted murder’ on him doesn’t stick. It causes a major rift in their sibling relationship though.

Does Emily have an ambition?

Emily wants to get out of the squalor plaguing her life. She will do anything to create a clean, peaceful life even posing for ‘Night Dreams’ – a men’s magazine.

What’s stopping Emily and Wade getting together?

Emily has no interest in the exciting, chaotic life a country singer has. She is trying to escape from a roller-coaster life and feels Wade’s brother, a politician, can give her exactly what she needs – an orderly, calm and especially clean life. Emily wants security. Love doesn’t matter.

Are there lots of sexy rugged cowboys in your book?

No. Wade is so dominating as a character it’s hard to imagine anyone as sexy or rugged. He seemed to demand full attention.

Tell us what you are working on at the moment.

I have just finished the first book in my ‘sweet romance’ Crystal Ridge series – Never Pick a Pretty Woman. I have outlined the next Sophisticated Cowboy and hope to have it done by Christmas. Then the third and last book of the series This Princess Wears Cowboy Boots will be available in the summer of 2015. I am also working on a more complex book titled ‘Seraphim’ – which is a story of abuse and death (grieving). It is Delaney’s journey in finding trust and love again.

Where can readers find out more about you?

Readers can visit my website and blog – http:marymforbes.wordpress.com.

I am also on Author Central – http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002UUEK4U;

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marymagdelineauthor;

Twitter: -https://twitter.com/maryauthor;

Pinterest – http://www.pinterest.com/marymforbes/

and Goodreads: – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3170035.Mary_M_Forbes

Find out more about Mary from Stephanie Hurts blog and all our Romance writers http://stephanie-hurt.com

Beneath The Surface by Mike Martin

Beneath the Surface by Mike Martin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Beneath the Surface is the third book in the Sgt Windflower mystery series. The book is set in Newfoundland, Canada, and taught me so much about the area and the people. I found it fascinating and it had me grabbing my atlas to pinpoint St. Johns, Grand Bank and Marystown. Sgt Winston Windflower is a Canadian Mountie and the book opens with the body of Amy Parsons, a local rowing champion.

Windflower is returning to Grand Bank and Sheila his girlfriend, is coming home after a serious car accident. There are few police officers to police the vast area and thoughts of serious crime rarely reach this outpost. Houses are left unlocked and tourists are welcomed, the biggest threat is from speeding motorists and Moose on the roads. So when it looks like Amy Parsons was murdered and then a second body turns up, there is a need to step up the policing in the area.

There follows a slow and relaxed mystery involving Russian gangsters, Chinese immigrants and the seedy world of escort agencies, drugs and human trafficking. This is all mixed with interesting details about life in this part of Newfoundland. Windflower is a Cree Indian descendant and it was great to hear about his daily traditions and I liked his Uncle Frank who was a dream weaver.

Windflower works with other police departments and becomes under pressure with his senior officer. The clues are found and new evidence is revealed that will shock the police force. On top of this he has to deal with a local strike at the fish plant and is suffering from disturbing dreams of his own. Windflower is a respected officer, but finds himself in a difficult situation when he speaks his mind over a sexual harassment issue.

The mystery was good and the background setting of Newfoundland was very enjoyable. We join Windflower for many meals full of local and traditional delicacies. I also enjoyed learning about the indigenous people of the area and the every day lives of the people who currently live in this peaceful part of the world. There were small parts of the book that I felt were too much, and dragged the story on, for instance too many meals were described. There is also an over use of “He said/she said” during most conversations. If there are only two people in the dialogue the reader can easily follow the ping pong of replies without every “Said Windflower/ Sheila said” A few teaks and this book would be a good solid 4.5-5*’s.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com or Amazon.ca

View all my reviews on Goodreads

Mike will be joining us on th blog tomorrow as out guest author, do come back and find out more about him and his books.