Cathy has been reading The Forever House by Linda Acaster
The Forever House by Linda Acaster
Carrie and her late husband, Jason, have made a career out of renovating houses to sell on. Carrie thought this last house was meant to be their forever home although Jason had other ideas, and Carrie was determined to finish the renovation despite people pressuring her to sell. Her son and his family live in Australia and, although they Skype regularly, the only person within striking distance is her very stylish, career orientated sister-in-law, Louise, who can’t understand why Carrie is carrying on with the renovation.
While removing wallpaper in one of the bedrooms, Carrie discovers childish drawings and numbers pencilled on the wall, a message and evidence of an old bolt that disturbed her deeply with its sinister implications.
‘My mind filled with ragged numbers climbing the corner of two walls. Had the edge of the wallpaper been teased back to complete the drawing unseen? To hide it? What for? Why not draw on paper, on a blackboard? Didn’t the child have one? This was a detached house with a large garden, not a back-to-back terrace with merely a yard. People of some substance would have lived here.’
With only so much manual work able to be carried out at one time, Carrie decides to find out as much as she can about the previous occupants of her house. The more she uncovers, it seems the likelihood of any kind of happy ending grows less and less.
Carrie’s investigations drive the story, and it wasn’t quite was I was expecting, so the more I read the more invested I became in finding out what actually happened in Carrie’s house. Written well with a well put together plot and fleshed out characters, The Forever House is an enjoyable and intriguing read albeit with an undertone of tragedy and sadness.
Book description
A chilling discovery. A sense of foreboding. They say I’m obsessing. I’m not.
Resisting family pressure to sell the too-big house Carrie and her late husband began to renovate, she is determined to carry through their shared project to prove she can manage alone.
And she can, until a discovery beneath old wallpaper chills her to the bone.
As her need to know more becomes all-consuming, Carrie’s family fears she’s tipping into irretrievable obsession. Can she be dissuaded, or must she take that final step?
Sherry has been reading The Forever House by Linda Acaster.
The Forever House by Linda Acaster
This book was interesting but a little confusing. The main character seemed to leap to many conclusions without much in the way of evidence before she did. AS I read, I actually said out loud a few times, “This woman is whackadoodle.”
I enjoyed the story for the most part, but there were things left hanging at the end that I wanted explained. As a reader, I want all the questions answered especially if it seems there is not going to be a sequel.
The premise of the story was intriguing and the fact that the main character was so strong in her opinions and actions made the tale pleasurable. The beginning was slow. The character spent a lot of time removing wallpaper and drywall and inspecting the room she was renovating. I got a little annoyed at how long that took and the amount of detail conveyed. Some readers may enjoy that kind of slow build, but personally, I am all about getting to the action.
Once we got to the action, things moved quicker and I enjoyed the pace of the story from about chapter four or five on. The way the protagonist made leaps of logic was interesting and when she went to the police after visiting one particular man made me scratch my head as to how she came to the conclusion that led her there. It was precipitate at the least and a bit crazy at the most. I confess, I was kind of stunned—which may be what the author intended. LOL
I’d have liked the writer to give us closure on the sister-in-law and what was going on there. We got good closure on the main story, but I was disappointed at the plot points left hanging.
This one has me torn. They were a lot of good points in the story but there were also a number of things that bothered me. I am going to have to give it 3.5 stars.
Book description
A chilling discovery. A sense of foreboding. They say I’m obsessing. I’m not.
Resisting family pressure to sell the too-big house Carrie and her late husband began to renovate, she is determined to carry through their shared project to prove she can manage alone.
And she can, until a discovery beneath old wallpaper chills her to the bone.
As her need to know more becomes all-consuming, Carrie’s family fears she’s tipping into irretrievable obsession. Can she be dissuaded, or must she take that final step?
Robbie has been reading Billy Bean’s Ghost by John York.
I chose to read this book because I was attracted to the blurb which made it sound like a fun and light hearted read. I was not disappointed. Although this is a murder mystery novella it is told in a delightfully enjoyable manner.
Billy Bean is a young man who has been disappointed by life. His father died in a nasty work accident when he was young and his mother is over-bearing and a bit clingy. Billy flung himself into his music and piano playing as a way of dealing with his grief over his father unexpected death. When he failed to gain acceptance to a well known music school, he’s life fell apart and he spiraled into a depression. He undertook tertiary training in finance and is working as a bank teller at the beginning of the story. He finds the work mundane and unrewarding, but it pays his bills and allows him to live in a small apartment attached to a large and empty manor house.
In exchange for a reduced rental, Billy is responsible for looking over the house on a weekly basis to ensure there are no issues that require attention. The house is creepy as most of the furniture is covered with sheeting and some of the rooms are locked. Billy discovers a beautiful piano in one of the rooms and is drawn to it. He succumbs to temptation and starts playing the piano. Before long, Billy starts hearing a voice in his head asking him for help.
Naturally, Billy thinks he is having some sort of break down and he seeks medical assistance from a newly establish psychiatrist, Abigail Applebee. Gradually, it becomes clear to them both that something strange is going on in the manor house and the pair set out to unravel the mystery together.
I enjoyed the character of Billy Bean and felt sorry for the disappointment he had suffered. He was a kind soul and just needed a break to come out of his shell and show his true colours. His romance with Abigail, who sees past his shyness to the lovely person inside, is sweet and feel-good.
Abbie and Billy’s romance and the unravelling of the mystery of the mysterious voice go hand in hand and lead to a lot of personal development by Billy. His relationship with Abbie, who has been neglected by both her parents her whole life, gives him a new perspective on his own relationship with his mother and he comes to appreciate how much she cares for him. Abbie also helps him to take a step towards reigniting his musical career by performing for his mother and her neighbours.
This is an entertaining book and the author’s style of writing is interesting and enjoyable. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy a lighter styled mystery story.
Billy Bean lives alone in the small attic apartment of an old, unoccupied mansion. His cheap rent is subsidized by an agreement to watch over the place while the owner is away. A bank teller and chronic introvert, Billy’s life is one boring, mind-numbing day after another. Since the age of four, at the exclusion of all the normal social interaction of activities other children his age enjoyed, he worked toward becoming a concert pianist. But, at age 18, after the horrific death of his father and then a rejection from the San Francisco Music Conservatory, Billy had plunged into a deep depression. He no longer felt the passion, the drive, or the need to play the piano, so he quit. During his weekly inspections of the old mansion, Billy discovers a treasure, a beautiful Steinway concert grand piano. He is so inspired by the magnificent instrument that he tentatively begins playing again, but there is a slight catch. Each time he plays this marvelous piano, he hears an imploring voice inside his head. The mysterious voice compels Billy to visit psychiatrist, Abigale Applebee, who agrees to help him sort out what kind of mental health problem he’s experiencing. They soon discover the voice is not the result of a psychosis, but rather something far more sinister. Led by the voice, Abby and Billy unexpectedly uncover the horrific secrets of a long-forgotten cellar below the house. But who is going to believe them?
Remnants is book #6 of the Brandon Fisher FBI crime series and can also be read as a stand-alone novel.
The story is set in the state of Georgia. The prologue opens with a man in search of his next victim at a shopping mall in Atlanta, where we read about his quick ruthless snatch-and-grab of a young man.
Chapter one introduces us to FBI agent Brandon Fisher, his boss Jack and his co-workers Zack and Paige. They’ve been called to Savannah by Lieutenant Pike after human remains were found in a river. Evidence suggests the limbs are from three different victims; the feet, hands and skin have been removed.
Recent rainfall may have disturbed the place where these bones had been buried. Further disturbing evidence suggests the perpetrator is copying ancient Mayan sacrificial techniques. A local man is reported missing; investigations highlight questions about his work and social routine. The team believe they have a link to several cold cases of other missing men. Just what has missing banker Stanley Gilbert been doing on Friday afternoons?
I’ve not read any of the other books in this series, so the writer’s style was new to me. The main action is interspersed with chatter between the FBI team about their various relationships. This was a weaker part of the book for me with rather clichéd storylines. The call of the job puts paid to Valentine’s plans for both Brandon and Paige, whilst Jack has his own demons from a past case.
Much of the investigative work relied on Nadia, a data analyst from Quantico, who is super-efficient. This left the team in Savannah running between leads, interviewing suspects and working with the local police force. The Mayan sacrifice angle was interesting, I would have liked this to have a larger part to the storyline; I felt it could have added some more plot twists and tension to lift this to a real edge of your seat thriller.
When multiple body parts are recovered from the Little Ogeechee River in Savannah, Georgia, local law enforcement calls in FBI agent and profiler Brandon Fisher and his team to investigate. But with the remains pointing to three separate victims, this isn’t proving to be an open-and-shut case.
With no quick means of identifying the deceased, building a profile of this serial killer is more challenging than usual. How are these targets being selected? Why are their limbs being severed and their bodies mutilated? And what is it about them that is triggering this person to murder?
The questions compound as the body count continues to rise, and when a torso painted blue and missing its heart is found, the case takes an even darker turn. But this is only the beginning, and these new leads draw the FBI into a creepy psychological nightmare. One thing is clear, though: The killing isn’t going to stop until they figure it all out. And they are running out of time…
Author Bio
CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international best-selling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.
Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.
Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.
She currently lives just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada.
Set in the late Victorian era in the claustrophobic environment of a sailing ship, this dark tale of passion, blackmail and murder is intensified by the onslaught of a savage storm and the threat of mutiny. The inevitable shipwreck must be investigated by an honest coroner, Frederick Blake, who arrives on the Isle of Wight, seeking the truth although thwarted, apparently, by government intervention. While Blake is ably assisted by Mr Rennie, a canny Scottish journalist, we read of the true events on board the Irex, in parallel to the investigation.
After a false start when the newly built craft set out from Greenock in Scotland, Captain Will Hutton had to return the ship to port, due to the badly laden cargo of iron pipes. Eventually they were able to set sail for Rio de Janeiro with a sound crew and three unusual passengers. A married couple, George and Elizabeth Barstow, were Salvation Army missionaries, while the third passenger, Edward Clarence, a strange, arrogant man. Captain Hutton and many of his crew were captivated by the young Elizabeth Barstow, but as Clarence bribed the crew to do his will, Hutton felt increasing antipathy for him. The weather on their voyage went from bad to worse throughout the Irish Sea, and in the Bay of Biscay they were forced to return to the south of England.
Frederick Blake is expecting a straightforward case of a wreck caused by the Captain’s error since the surviving crewmembers report Will Hutton’s irrational behaviour and obsession with Elizabeth Barstow, but why have two survivors disappeared on the island and who is the mysterious Mr Thornthwaite who has turned up to interfere with the enquiries?
This tortuous tale is effectively described with excellent characterisation and I could not decide whether I wished to read more of the investigation or to return to the stifling atmosphere on board ship. Perhaps slightly long-winded in places, this thrilling story based on a real shipwreck with an exciting twist is well worth reading.
Book Description
In the harsh winter of December 1889, the sailing vessel Irex leaves Scotland bound for Rio de Janeiro. She carries three thousand tons of pig iron and just three passengers for what should be a routine voyage. But Captain Will Hutton discovers that one of his passengers hides a horrifying secret.
When the Irex is wrecked off the Isle of Wight six weeks later, it falls to the county coroner, Frederick Blake, to begin to unravel the events that overtook the doomed ship — but he soon finds that powerful forces within the British Establishment are working to thwart him. Locked in a race against time and the sinister agents sent to impede him, he gradually discovers that nothing aboard the Irex is what it first seemed…
Irex is an atmospheric mystery, set in a rich Victorian world, packed with intrigue, twists and colourful characters — the spellbinding first novel by Carl Rackman.
About the author
Carl Rackman is a British former airline pilot turned author. From a naval military background, he has held a lifelong interest in military history and seafaring. His life spent travelling the world has given him a keen interest in other cultures, and he has drawn on his many experiences for his writing.
Carl’s writing style can best be described as the “literary thriller”, with a flair for evocative descriptions of locales and characters. Complex, absorbing storylines combine with rich, believable characters to create immersive worlds for the reader to explore.
Carl is married with two daughters and lives in Surrey, United Kingdom. Irex is his first novel, published under his own company, Rackman Books.
Book Review: #Victorian historical mystery #psychological thriller #seafaring tale
Irex is Carl Rackman’s debut novel, and in terms of creating a feeling of doom and tension in totally bleak surroundings, this author succeeds too well!
Set in the late Victorian era, the story alternates between the maiden voyage of the steel hulled, tall ship Irex, and the investigation into the causes of its wreck and the fate of the survivors amongst her passengers. The settings: The Firth of Clyde, the North Atlantic and the Isle of Wight – all in late winter with unceasing rain, snow and sleet.
Will Hutton, a good and decent married man, has been chosen to captain Irex on this voyage, the ship carrying a cargo of three thousand tons of pig iron to Rio de Janeiro. Hutton has decades of sailing experience, having served on such ships since he was a boy. In addition to the cargo, there are three passengers on Irex: Salvation Army missionaries George and Elizabeth Barstow and a mysterious man of means, Edward Clarence. Captain Hutton’s developing relationships with each of these passengers is a complex subplot, more so when he discovers that one of them hides a horrifying past and none of them are who they seem. The unending storms preventing Irex from making headway on her journey and an early death of a crew member foretells an ill-fated voyage. Lack of sleep, his physical attraction to Mrs. Barstow, challenges to his authority and blackmail all threaten Hutton’s ability to save his ship and challenge his sanity.
Irex wrecks off the Isle of Wight six weeks after sailing from Scotland, and a county coroner, Frederick Blake, is sent to the island to hold an inquiry into the cause. The inquiry is compromised from the start by the existence of a mole within the procedure, and with a disturbing lack of information and witnesses, Blake finds he himself must unravel the events dooming the ship, as well as the character of the crew and its passengers, to reach a finding. When he discovers that powerful forces within the British aristocracy are working to impede his investigation, he is more determined than ever to find out what actually occurred aboard Irex.
The atmosphere of this mystery is exceptional and the author’s attention to detail, especially in the chapters dealing with the voyage and the sailing of such a large ship, show an incredible depth of research. The ship, its crew, and their responsibilities are finely delineated – as a sailor myself, I appreciated the descriptions.
The author has created a rich Victorian world and spun the tail with colourful, unforgettable characters, weaving in intrigue and mystery. When the truth about Clarence is revealed, the plot unveils a deeper depravity – for me a light bulb moment.
My only complaint is the slow pace at which the plot unfolds. The book is dense, very dense, and there were stretches that could have been shortened significantly without affecting the content. I truly wanted to digest it all but wanted more to get to the resolution!
Mr. Rackman is an exceptional writer and this is a superb first outing – a psychological thriller, a seafaring adventure, and first rate murder mystery. I look forward to his next book.
Book Description
In the harsh winter of December 1889, the sailing vessel Irex leaves Scotland bound for Rio de Janeiro. She carries three thousand tons of pig iron and just three passengers for what should be a routine voyage. But Captain Will Hutton discovers that one of his passengers hides a horrifying secret.
When the Irex is wrecked off the Isle of Wight six weeks later, it falls to the county coroner, Frederick Blake, to begin to unravel the events that overtook the doomed ship — but he soon finds that powerful forces within the British Establishment are working to thwart him. Locked in a race against time and the sinister agents sent to impede him, he gradually discovers that nothing aboard the Irex is what it first seemed…
Irex is an atmospheric mystery, set in a rich Victorian world, packed with intrigue, twists and colourful characters — the spellbinding first novel by Carl Rackman.
About the author
Carl Rackman is a former airline pilot with interests in seafaring and mysteries. His reading is multi-genre – historical, sci-fi, fantasy and techno – but psychological thrillers are prime. He started writing in 2016 and Irex is his first novel. He lives in Surrey, UK.
Judith has been reading Girl In A Golden Cage by Lucy Branch
#RBRT: GIRL IN A GOLDEN CAGE by LUCY BRANCH @lucyBranch11 #BookReview #CrimeThriller
Title: Girl In A Golden Cage
Author: Lucy Branch
Published: 2016
Started: 19th December 2016
Finished: 31st December 2016
Girl In A Golden Cage is about Francesca Milliardo as she discovers she has an extraordinary and supernatural talent. She visits her rich father in Milan, and enjoys a life of glitz and glamour – a refreshing change from her home in the UK, but slowly begins to feel more unsettled.
From my understanding, Girl In A Golden Cage is the sequel to A Rarer Gift Than Gold, which I’m only just realising now. I haven’t read A Rarer Gift Than Gold, which, according to Amazon, is about Abigail Argent, a skilled craftswoman, who can enhance the beauty in metal sculptures. She discovers her craft is linked the art of alchemy, and uncovers a dangerous secret.
Although Abigail features in Girl In A Golden Cage, I don’t think I’ve missed out, despite not reading the first book. Francesca is a new character, and we explore the seemingly luxurious and wonderful Italian through her eyes – not Abigail’s – and watch her gradually uncover her father’s deception.
There are lots of Italian references (obviously) and a lot of artistic language and description. I didn’t really understand these parts – I’m not a very artistic or multi-cultural person, but I am confident Branch knows what she’s talking about. Amazon lists some of her achievements, such as studying at University College London, The Royal College of Art and Victoria Albert Museum and being a restorer of public sculptures and historic features.
My favourite aspect of this book were Francesca’s “out of body” experiences; they were supernatural, but not scary. While I don’t believe in “out of body” experiences in real life, I think it’s a fascinating subject to write fiction about, and made the storyline enjoyable.
While I liked the character of Lorin, I thought his motivations for involving himself Francesca were a little predictable. I didn’t feel that their connection was “real”, despite Francesca believing she was in a genuine and trusting relationship.
Also, I’m not sure what genre Girl In A Golden Cage is meant to be – it’s very difficult to pin down. There’s suspense, but it’s not wholly a mystery novel. There are some violent moments, and criminal activity does crop up, but I don’t feel like there’s enough to classify it as a crime novel. If anyone has any suggestions as to a genre which best fits this book, I’d be glad to hear them.
For me, the main let-down of Girl In A Golden Cage was a little too much unnecessary dialogue and the subsequent description of speech acts (e.g. he said/she said). I’m a strong believer in not overusing dialogue (or obvious narration) to convey basic information. For example (this is not lifted from the book, but an exaggerated example), I prefer to interpret a speaker’s body language, for instance, based on the way they speak and the character traits that have already been assigned to them, rather than a descriptive line of dialogue such as: “I am very annoyed” said the man, in a frustrated tone of voice, folding his arms and scowling.
On the whole, despite not reading A Rarer Gift Than Gold, I managed to enjoy Girl In A Golden Cage and thought it was a good book, although I can’t put into words exactly why that is!
Star Rating: 4/5 Stars
A Rarer Gift Than Gold is available to buy as an e-book or paperback from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com.
Girl In A Golden Cage is available to buy as an e-book or paperback from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com.
Book Description
She has an eye for detail but can she see the truth? Making decisions is not one of Francesca Miliardo’s strengths so when something mysterious starts unfolding in her father’s mansion in Milan – it’s no surprise that she’s unsure what to do. Francesca dreams of becoming a star in the contemporary art world and she has all the right connections, though what should be a summer of fun is turning out to be anything but.
Crippling migraines have always been a burden, now strange happenings are making her question whether they really are a curse. It’s not the best time to fall for someone, but who could resist a man with wolf’s eyes? Knowing who to trust is vital when those closest to you are suddenly not all they seem. It’s the time in Francesca’s life to make some hard choices: follow her own path or step into somebody else’s story.
About the author
Lucy Branch’s fiction has been featured on Radio 4, Timeout London and The BBC World Service. She is an expert in the conservation of public sculpture and has worked on some of the UK’s highest profile projects including Nelson’s Column, Eros and Cleopatra’s Needle. She studied at University College London, The Royal College of Art and Victoria Albert Museum. Her knowledge and passion for the art world is poured into her fiction which she weaves together with myth, conspiracy theory and fantasy.
Eclipse Lake is the latest book from popular author Mae Clair. To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of romance, but I enjoyed this book because the romance had a good dash of mystery thrown in.
The story takes place mainly in the small town of Onyx, which lies on the edge of Eclipse Lake. As you might suspect, it has some dark secrets, and one of them is the troubled past of widower Dane Carlisle, owner of a successful security company. Dane left Onyx under a cloud fifteen years earlier and now wants to reconnect with his older brother Jonah, a park warden. He returns to Onyx with his adopted teenage son, Jesse, child of his wife. The reader is quickly ensnared in the enmity between Dane and his brother, who can’t forgive Dane for failing to return when their mother was dying. Adding to the tension is Roy Harland, sheriff of Onyx and father of Brenda, who disappeared around the time Dane left Onyx. Harland has always thought Dane has something to do with her disappearance.
Romance rears its head with the arrival of Ellie Sullivan, world-traveling nature photographer, whose latest assignment brings her to Eclipse Lake. Her first encounter with Dane is contentious, but as things go, she finds herself overwhelmingly attracted to him. Jesse also finds puppy love with Paige Taggert, daughter of the town’s deputy and quickly becomes enmeshed in the lives of the teens of the town, all of whom are super nice.
The mystery begins when a rain storm reveals the skeletal remains of the sheriff’s daughter, and Dane’s past comes back to haunt him.
The story made me think of Lake Wobegon, “where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.” Dane is the strikingly handsome, super-rich, clean-as-a-whistle man, Ellie is the beautiful young woman, and Jesse alternates between mature, rationale adult and whining teenager. I know this is the traditional format for a romance but the characters are a little too good to be true. The sheriff, who brings the real tension to the story, is one dimensional.
What does ring honestly is the relationship between the brothers, once close, now bitter. The resentment of Jonah comes through loud and clear, as the various facets of their lives are shown to be complicated by the past.
This is a fairly squeaky-clean romance with an unexpected ending to the mystery of the who killed Brenda Harland. This saved the book for me, the non-romance reader. It’s well-written and -plotted, which are the hallmarks of the author and undoubtedly why she has so many ardent followers.
I would have to recommend this book to any die-hard romantics.
Book Description
Small towns hold the darkest secrets.
Fifteen years after leaving his criminal past and estranged brother behind, widower Dane Carlisle returns to his hometown on the banks of sleepy Eclipse Lake. Now, a successful businessman, he has kept his troubled past a secret from most everyone, including his seventeen-year-old son.
But memories in small towns are bitter and long.
Ellie Sullivan, a nature photographer for a national magazine, has a habit of ping-ponging across the map. Her latest assignment leads her to Eclipse Lake where she becomes caught up in the enmity between Dane, his brother Jonah, and a vengeful town sheriff. When freshly-discovered skeletal remains are linked to an unsolved murder and Dane’s past, Ellie is left questioning her growing attraction for a man who harbors long-buried secrets.
About The Author
A member of International Thriller Writers, Mae loves creating character-driven fiction in settings that vary from contemporary to mythical.
Wherever her pen takes her, she flavors her stories with conflict, mystery, suspense and a hint of romance. Married to her high school sweetheart, she lives in Pennsylvania and is passionate about writing, old photographs, a good Maine lobster tail and cats.
Discover more about Mae on her website and blog atwww.MaeClair.net
Into The Shadows is a romance set in Dingle, Ireland. Lily Crossways recently found a ghostly figure in the background of a beach photo she’d taken whilst on holiday. Lily swore the beach was empty when she took the photo, yet Lily is convinced the woman needs her help.
The draw to return to Dingle is so strong that Lily sets out for Ireland once more. She begins showing around her photo and finds she opens a Pandora’s box of suppressed memories.
David’s sister has been missing for several years, searches have been fruitless, but when Lily shows him the photo, he can’t believe his eyes. At first he thinks it is a hoax, but Lily wins him round and they begin a new search. Their digging also opens old wounds which link Lily’s family to Dingle and more than one person needs to face their past before they can move forward.
This is a light easy read in a lovely setting and the paranormal thread was an interesting storyline, I wasn’t quite convinced with Lily’s character leaping from a shy introvert type to a strong adventurous leader and all round heroine, perhaps she just hadn’t found her passion in life and Dingle was meant to be her true life path? Recommended for lovers of Irish themed romances.
Arriving home from a short holiday in Dingle, Lily Crossways makes a staggering discovery – on one of her photos taken on ‘Inch’ beach, a woman’s desperate face is staring directly at her. Yet Lily knows she was alone that day on the beach.
Who is she, is she even real, and why has she appeared to Lily?
Unable to let the woman go, Lily makes the uncharacteristic decision to leave behind her safe world in England and return to Dingle to try and find her. Her search eventually leads her to cafe owner David Carson, this woman’s brother, who hasn’t seen his ‘missing’ sister in five years.
Lily must now convince him to trust in her, taking bold steps to prove herself to him, and together track down his sister before it’s too late.
Yet are either prepared for the hidden secrets they are about to uncover in their earnest desire to find her, and the impact it will have on those they love?
About the author
where I loved nothing more than writing stories into my special A4 lined exercise book.
I remember my English teacher reading out one of my stories to the whole class and encouraging me to keep writing. Later in life, I went on to study creative writing at evening class.
My favourite place to write is in my lounge when the house is quiet and my kids are out (though have learnt to write around noise!).
I have always been an avid reader from the first moment I could read, and some of my favourite authors are Kate Moreton, Santa Montefiore, Philippa Gregory, and Nicholas Sparks to name a few. Any book that grips me, will always pull me in.
Around writing and family life, I also work part time as a Teaching Assistant at a local primary school, every day encouraging the budding talent of our future writers.
I’m married, and we have two gorgeous children. I’m loving being in my 40s and highly recommend it!
My other passions include photography, travelling and pencil drawing. I ran my own photography business for a few years and had my photos exhibited.
I’ve been fortunate enough to visit many countries around the world, yet Ireland still remains one of my all time favourite countries. What an amazing world, full of God’s beauty and creation, we live in…
Whether I am writing stories, photographing or drawing, everyday men and women with all their amazing complexities will always fascinate and inspire me.
Book Review – Regicide: Peter Abelard and the Great Jewel
Regicide begins with a description of a historical event: King William of England, known as William Rufus (1087-1100) died after being struck by an arrow while he was hunting in Normandy, shot by a person unknown. His younger brother Henry succeeded him with such great haste that murder was suspected, but never proven.
The real story commences in 1119, when Hilary (a person who did exist), a traveling teacher, sometime poet and clerk in Holy Orders, is let go from his position as a tutor to the daughter of the Lord of Beaugency, after she dies of St. Anthony’s fire (ergot poisoning, common in France and Germany at the time). Taken by cart with his books and papers to the Loire River, from where he could go by boat to Orleans in search of a new position, he spends the night at a riverside inn. There he meets John of Muchelney who buys the impoverished young man his dinner and afterwards plays dice with him. When Hilary loses, his debt is discharged by his obligation to take a bulky pouch to Count Fulk of Anjou. The next morning, Hilary finds John horribly murdered and fearing himself in danger, eschews the boat and quickly begins the many days’ walk to Orleans and then Chartres. Still feeling himself followed, he goes on to Paris to consult with his old tutor and Master, Peter Abelard, in the hopes of some direction as to what to do.
When he and Abelard read the contents of the pouch entrusted to Hilary, they realize that it is part of a conspiracy to overthrow King Henry, a message about who benefitted from the death of William Rufus, and about the Great Jewel of Alfred the Great, which had been missing since 1066. Despite the fact the contents puts Hilary in the crosshairs of both sides of the debate, he nevertheless feels his vow to deliver its contents is unbreakable and Abelard decides to help Hilary fulfill his promise.
The author weaves many historical characters in and out of this story – Heloise, Fulk of Anjou, Walter Tirel, Hugues de Payen – as our pair travels as far as Jerusalem in search of Fulk, then returns with the rejected pouch contents to present to King Henry as a sign of goodwill. Death follows them, and the reader is treated to the Tower of London, along with a mass of other historical details.
The story reminded me no small amount of the adventures of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Peter Abelard is the philosopher, deep thinker, orator and teacher, while Hilary, his student, is the grounding and querying sidekick.
I loved the history around which this novel is woven – that of the Anglo-Saxons – and I found the detail captivating. However, because of this detail, the book must be read slowly to absorb everything and I found myself doing some online searching of the history. It also varies from slow and ponderous exposition to scenes filled with action and tension. Luckily there was enough of the latter to keep me going!
If you like historical fiction and an alternative and intriguing story of an ages-old mystery, and you don’t mind the occasional slow pace, then Regicide is a book for you.
This review is offered as a member of Rosie’s Book Review Team. I purchased this book for review.
Book Description
England, 1100. King William Rufus is killed with an arrow on a hunt. Rumours start immediately that he was murdered. Nineteen years later in France, Hilary the Englishman is dismissed from his position as tutor when his student, Alys, a young girl with whom he has fallen in love, dies of fever.
Turned out in the street Hilary meets a strange man offers to buy Hilary a meal if he does him a favour. He gives Hilary a pouch of silver, and a message to be delivered to Count Fulk in Anjou. But by morning the man is dead, and the crows feasting on his body. Fearing he will be accused of murder, Hilary flees. But he owes a debt of honour to deliver the message. Hilary knows only one man can help him. His former teacher, the brilliant Peter Abelard.
Much has happened to Abelard in the years since Hilary knew him. Although he may not be the man he was, he comes to the aid of his former student, deciphering the message….A message about the death of King William Rufus all those years before. A message about who benefited from that death and about the Great Jewel of Alfred the Great… a jewel which rested in the crown used at the coronation of kings, but has been missing since 1066. Hilary and Abelard’s journey will take them through France, England, and Jerusalem as they race against time to save their own lives, and the fate of the monarchy. For there is a mysterious Saxon claimant to the throne.
About the author
David Courtney Boyle, 1958-, is a British author and journalist who writes mainly about history and new ideas in economics, money, business and culture. He lives in the South Downs. His most recent public role was conducting an independent review for the Treasury and the Cabinet Office on Barriers to Public Service Choice, which reported early in 2013.
His book Authenticity put the phenomenon on the business and political agenda. His previous books The Tyranny of Numbers and The Sum of Our Discontent predicted and fermented the backlash against target culture. Funny Money helped launched the time banks movement in the UK.
More recently, he has been writing about why organisations and public services are so ineffective, working with the New Economics Foundation and NESTA on a series of publications about coproduction, and publishing his own solutions as The Human Element. This argues that organisations have abandoned human skills in favour of numerical targets or IT systems, which frustrate the business of building relationships and making things happen.
His history books usually have a business or economic dimension, including Blondel’s Song (UK) and The Troubadour’s Song (USA) about the imprisonment and ransom of Richard the Lionheart. His 2008 book Toward the Setting Sun tells the intertwined story of Christopher Columbus, John Cabot and Amerigo Vespucci and their race for America in the 1490s. His 2010 book, Eminent Corporations with (Andrew Simms) has introduced a new genre, the mini-corporate biography, launching the idea of corporate history as tragedy. His recent book Broke has launched a public debate about the plight of the middle classes.
He has been the editor of several journals including New Economics and Town & Country Planning. He is a fellow of the New Economics Foundation and has been at the heart of the effort to develop co-production and introduce time banks to Britain as a critical element of public service reform. He has been closely involved in their Clone Town Britain campaign and writes about the future of volunteering, cities and business. He edited the Foundation’s publications New Economics, News from the New Economy, and then Radical Economics from 1987-2010.
David helped found the London Time Bank, and was co-founder of Time Banking UK. He has been a candidate for Parliament of the United Kingdom. He was editor of the weekly Liberal Democrat News from 1992-1998.
His bestselling books for Kindle have mainly been about history, including Alan Turing: Unlocking the Enigma, Peace on Earth and Unheard, Unseen.
Book reviewer and garden enthusiast. Updates from my Hampshire garden. Usually talking about books and plants. People do not forget books or flowers that touch them or excite them—they recommend them.
Book reviewer and garden enthusiast. Updates from my Hampshire garden. Usually talking about books and plants. People do not forget books or flowers that touch them or excite them—they recommend them.
Book reviewer and garden enthusiast. Updates from my Hampshire garden. Usually talking about books and plants. People do not forget books or flowers that touch them or excite them—they recommend them.
Book reviewer and garden enthusiast. Updates from my Hampshire garden. Usually talking about books and plants. People do not forget books or flowers that touch them or excite them—they recommend them.
Rosie Amber 