Wednesday 30 November 2016

Cover Reveal & Giveaway - Penhaligon's Attic by Terri Nixon




PENHALIGON’S ATTIC
BY TERRI NIXON
COVER REVEAL TOUR!!
Genre: Historical Saga
Release Date: 01 December 2016
Publisher: Piatkus Books

1910. Anna Garvey arrives in Caernoweth, Cornwall with her daughter and a secret. Having come from Ireland to take up an inheritance of the local pub, she and her eighteen year-old daughter Mairead are initially viewed with suspicion by the close-knit community.
Anna soon becomes acquainted with Freya Penhaligon, a vulnerable girl struggling to keep her family business afloat in the wake of her grandmother's death, and starts to gain the trust of the locals. As their friendship deepens, and Freya is brought out of her shell by the clever and lively Mairead, even Freya's protective father Matthew begins to thaw.
But when a part of Anna's past she'd long tried to escape turns up in the town, she is forced to confront the life she left behind - for her sake and her daughter's too . . .

BUY LINKS

Amazon US Ebook

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ABOUT TERRI NIXON

Terri was born in Plymouth in 1965. At the age of 9 she moved with her family to Cornwall, to the village featured in Jamaica Inn -- North Hill -- where she discovered a love of writing that has stayed with her ever since. She also discovered apple-scrumping, and how to jump out of a hayloft without breaking any bones, but no-one's ever offered to pay her for doing those. 

Since publishing in paperback for the first time in 2002, Terri has appeared in both print and online fiction collections, and is proud to have contributed to the Shirley Jackson award-nominated hardback collection: Bound for Evil, by Dead Letter Press.

As a Hybrid author, her first commercially published novel was Maid of Oaklands Manor, published by Piatkus Entice (a digital-first imprint of Little, Brown) in 2013. The paperback is published by Piatkus Books. The two further books in this series: A Rose in Flanders Fields and Daughter of Dark River Farm are published by Carina UK (a digital-first imprint of HarperCollins)

Terri's self-published Mythic Fiction series set in Cornwall, The Lynher Mill Chronicles, is available in paperback and e-book.

Terri also writes under the name T Nixon, and has contributed to anthologies under the names Terri Pine and Teresa Nixon. She is represented by the Kate Nash Literary Agency. She now lives in Plymouth with her youngest son, and works in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Plymouth University, where she is constantly baffled by the number of students who don't possess pens.


Twitter: @TerriNixon






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Tuesday 29 November 2016

Blog Tour - Review & Giveaway - Be My Baby by A.L. Michael


I am so pleased to be taking part in the Blog Tour for the final book in The House on Camden Square series - Be My Baby by A.L Michael. This series has had everything brilliant characters, romance and has been so much fun to read. 

So let's take a look at the book, read on for my review and then there's a chance to enter a giveaway!

About the book:

Two’s company…

If you asked Mollie whether she struggled as a single mum, she’d have to cover her daughter’s ears before answering. Surrounded by friends, watching Esme grow into the sassiest eleven-year-old in North London, and building her name as TV chef Mollie Makes, Mollie’s never been happier. Well, that’s what she’d tell you. But as her best friends pair off, and Esme starts getting into trouble at school, Mollie wonders whether life would be different – not better…but easier – with a team mate.

Three’s a crowd?

But Esme’s dad, Jamie, would be the last man Mollie would team up with. After all, he made it clear eleven years ago that he wasn’t interested in playing the family game. So when he suddenly reappears, Mollie can’t believe her eyes. And soon, she’s got to ask herself the hardest question yet: she knows she can succeed as a single mum. But what if her daughter doesn’t want her to?

Links:



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My Review

I have thoroughly enjoyed The House on Camden Square series. So I was eager to read Be My Baby but also sad that it would be the end of the series too!

Be My Baby pulled me straight back into Evie, Chelsea and Mollie's lives and it was like seeing old friends again. The first chapter made me smile and showed Mollie's personality brilliantly. I couldn't wait to read Mollie's story and find out how it would all end.


The friendship that the girls share is lovely and this book aswell as the entire series captures this perfectly. A special mention has to go to Esme I loved her character she really helped bring the story to life. Mollie and Esme have a wonderful mother, daughter relationship that was a joy to read.


My attention was kept throughout and I managed to read it pretty quickly. The story was full of what ifs that made me think about how people's lives can change in an instant. There is also the theme of second chances and being brave even when you feel scared. A.L. Michael really has written a beautiful story about friendship, love and family. I have to admit I had tears in my eyes as I finished this book. Although definitely happy tears!



Be My Baby is witty, fun and very heartfelt!

Five stars from me!

Thank you to A.L. Michael, Jenny at Neverland Blog Tours, HQDigitalUK & Netgalley. This is my honest and unbiased opinion. 


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If you get chance here are my reviews of the first two books in The House on Camden Square series below.




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About A.L. Michael


A.L Michael is a writer and workshop leader from North London. She has a BA in Creative Writing with English Lit, an MA in Creative Entrepreneurship and is starting an MsC in Creative Writing for Therapeutic Purposes. She likes learning and hates essays.

She's a fan of cheap wine, expensive chocolate and still wants to be a secret agent when she grows up, but she'll settle for lying on the page.

Links:




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GIVEAWAY

Goodie Bag with 'Healthy Mollie Approved Treats' Inc Baking Goodies & more!
UK only, sorry

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Sunday 27 November 2016

Review - An Off-Piste Christmas by Julie Houston

About the book:

The last thing Harriet Westmoreland wants is Christmas away from home, particularly when skiing, snow, heights and freezing her backside off are on the menu. While her own family, together with her best friend Grace's, are soon whizzing down ridiculously high and scary mountains in the fashionable Italian resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo, Harriet is stuck in the remedial class on the nursery slopes unable, it seems, to remain vertical.

Tired of trying to stay upright in the dunces' class, Harriet decides to overcome her fear of heights and take her bruised body off to explore the refugios in the magnificent Dolomites above Cortina. And maybe catch a glance of George Clooney, rumoured to be in town... But what happens next triggers a totally unexpected avalanche of events which proves that, for friends Harriet and Grace and all their families, Christmas really is a time for little miracles...

Buy here

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My Review

The characters in this book really come together to make an entertaining story. There are quite a few characters but they have varied personalities so pretty quickly I could tell everyone apart. This group of people have been in previous books by Julie Houston so it might be worth reading her other books first. However I didn't feel like I was at a major disadvantage from not reading them.

The story moved quickly and kept my interest pretty much all the way through. There were a few twists and turns to the book that I didn't see coming. The setting was lovely with just the right amount of detail given. Just like Harriet I'm not a big fan of snow and heights so I felt for her character. Although to be honest it did actually sound quite fun! I loved all of the characters even with their flaws. They were well written and the writing was witty and charming.

Four and a half stars from me!

An Off-Piste Christmas is fun, festive and enjoyable!

Thank you to Julie Houston for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion. 

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Review - Christmas under a Starlit Sky by Holly Martin

About the book: 

Step inside a beautiful winter wonderland where love, laughter and cosy nights by the fire will make this Christmas one to remember. 

Neve Whitaker loves managing the Stardust Lake hotel. She gets to work alongside her wonderful family and she’s spending Christmas on the most enchanting, snow-covered island in Scotland. So why is her heart so heavy this festive season? 

It might have something to do with the gorgeous actor Oakley Rey, the man she finished with before he left for California and the man she loves more than anything. With Oakley’s career in Hollywood soaring, Neve is convinced she’d only hold him back. She had to end it with him – at least that’s what she keeps telling herself. 

But now she has a secret she’s struggling to keep, and when Oakley arrives on Juniper Island determined to win her back, Neve is thrown off balance. Will Neve’s fear of having her heart broken again push Oakley away for good, or is it time for her to take a leap of faith? 

Buy here

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My Review

I loved Juniper Island from reading Christmas under a Cranberry Sky so I was looking forward to going back there in this book. Even though this story has characters from the first book in the Town Called Christmas series it can be read as a standalone.

The characters in this book were lovingly written and I felt like I was a part of their world. Both Neve and Oakley were strong characters. I have to say that I had my head in my hands a few times over some of the situations that Neve got herself in. I was definitely invested in Neve and Oakley's relationship. I really hoped they would get their happy ending.

Adam and Ivy were also a great addition and I really enjoyed their interactions. The promise of something happening between Luke and Audrey was lovely to see. Also catching up with Gabe and Pip from Christmas under a Cranberry Sky was perfect too!

I really enjoyed Christmas under a Starlit Sky it really is an uplifting story. My attention was kept throughout from the descriptions of Juniper Island to the people who live there.

Five stars from me! 

A beautiful story and amazingly romantic! 

Thank you to Bookouture & Netgalley for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion. 

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You can read my review of Christmas under a Cranberry Sky here

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Friday 25 November 2016

Blog Tour - Review - Zero by Matt Brolly


I am very happy to be taking part in the Blog Tour for Zero by Matt Brolly. Let's take a look at the book and then you can read on for my review.


About the book:

No crime will go unpunished.

It is the near future. A zero tolerance policy results in the death penalty for all crimes, no matter how minor.

When a judge is kidnapped, and a ransom note demands the release of all prisoners awaiting execution, kleptomaniac Detective Inspector Kate Swanson is put on the case.

But soon her boss also disappears. Under increasing pressure from her superiors, and caught between the security services and the growing social unrest, Swanson must race to find a man whose murdered wife and daughter link the missing men.

Can she find him before it’s too late?

Buy Links


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My Review

It's been a while since I read a crime or a thriller so it was great to be asked to join the blog tour for Zero. I always enjoy the twists and turns of these genres so what did I think...

One of the main things I loved about DI Kate Swanson is that she is a flawed character. This definitely made her all the more realistic. Both Swanson and Keane are intriguing characters and I enjoyed their interactions as they put the clues together to solve the case. It will be great to read more books in the series when they are released and get to know the characters even more.

I really enjoyed the crime and dystopian mix in this book. The idea is intriguing and it made me think about what it would be like to live in a society that would implement zero tolerance. The way the zero tolerance policy is carried out is brutal and I liked how information regarding the policy is slowly revealed throughout the book. Evidence is uncovered piece by piece but Zero grabbed my attention and held it. At times I couldn't put the book down as the pace increased and I wasn't sure which way the story was going to go.


Zero is intriguing and dark with a great dystopian twist!

Four stars from me!


Thank you to Canelo & Netgalley for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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Zero was published on 21st November by Canelo price £3.99 as an ebook.


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About Matt BROLLY

Following his law degree where he developed an interest in criminal law, Matt completed his Masters in Creative Writing at Glasgow University. He reads widely across all genres, and is currently working on the third in his Michael Lambert thriller series. Matt lives in London with his wife and their two young children.
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If you get chance why not follow along with the rest of the tour


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Thursday 24 November 2016

Blog Tour - Excerpt - Stuck with Me by Cassandra Piat



Stuck With Me
By Author: Cassandra Piat
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Tour Date: November 24th, 2016

Blurb:

Molly, known for her unflagging optimism and constant cheeriness, is thrilled to win an all-expenses paid vacation to Mauritius. She packs her camera and a few colourful bikinis and can’t wait to have some fun in the sun. Little does she know there’s a catch.

Adam is a journalist on assignment and his mission is to test Molly’s optimism and see how far she can be pushed before she breaks. Surely it can’t be that hard?

What happens when Molly meets the hilariously cantankerous Adam and finds that she can’t seem to shake him? How will Adam successfully complete his task when faced with Molly’s beautiful smile, quick wit and curvaceous body?

As they bicker their way around the island, Adam and Molly realise that there’s more to each other than meets the eye. An unexpected friendship develops between them which soon turns into much more. But what will happen when Molly learns the truth behind Adam’s trip to Mauritius?

A heartfelt, funny and touching story about life, love, and trust.

Buy the Book:



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EXCERPT

“OUCH!”

I jumped in my seat, swivelling in horror towards the stranger sitting next to me. “Oh my God! Please tell me I didn’t just pinch you!”

His scowl was quickly replaced by a chuckle when he saw the look on my face. “If you wanted to get my attention, you could have just talked to me, you know.”

“I’m so sorry, not to mention totally embarrassed, but I was actually meant to be pinching myself,” I said, feeling like a fool.

“And pinching yourself is something you do for fun?” 

“No!” I giggled, my face flushing. “I won this trip in a photo competition and I guess I’m having a hard time believing that it’s actually real. I mean, just imagine – me, Molly Malahan, from Perth, Western Australia, flying off to Mauritius! Totally surreal – so I was pinching myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.”

“Well, Molly Malahan from Perth, Western Australia, I duly confirm that you’re not dreaming,” he said solemnly, stroking his arm and wincing.

I hid my face behind my hands and groaned in embarrassment.

“I’m only kidding, it didn’t hurt,” he said, laughing. “Well not much anyway . . .” he added teasingly.

He was friendly and easy to talk to, so we chatted until I finally heard my flight being called.

“Oooh, that’s me!” I exclaimed, jumping up in a flash as he watched me, looking amused.

“The plane won’t leave without you, you know?” he said, grinning.

I beamed back at him. “Well, I’m not taking any chances!” I chuckled as I waved over my shoulder and practically ran to Gate 3 where we were boarding. 

I stepped onto the plane and as I looked around me, my face broke into an ear-splitting grin. I was finally on my way. I glanced at my boarding pass and made my way down the aisle to row fifteen. After putting my bag into the overhead compartment, I slid into the window seat, sighing contentedly.

I was gazing out the window when I felt someone hovering over me. I turned to see a tall, extremely good-looking guy scowling down at me. Although I was rather taken aback by his less-than-friendly expression, I pretended not to notice and greeted him with a welcoming smile.

He grunted what I guessed was a greeting in reply and turned his attention to the overhead compartment, putting his things inside without another word. I peeked up at him out of the corner of my eye. He looked really familiar. Had I met him before? I had no idea. He was in his mid-twenties with short jet-black hair, bushy black eyebrows framing a pair of silver-blue eyes, high cheekbones and a chiselled jawline housing a five o’clock shadow. He was catch-your-breath sexy. As his sullen gaze met mine again, it finally registered. 

“Oh my God! You’re—”, I exclaimed, before stopping in mid-sentence when I realised how impossible that was. I mean, as if Ian Somerhalder, the actor from The Vampire Diaries, would have been travelling in economy class.

“No, I’m not!” he snapped, slamming the overhead compartment shut. “So don’t bother telling me how much you love Damon, what a great couple Damon and Elena make and blah, blah, blah.”

I stared at him in surprise. Okay, so he wasn’t Ian Somerhalder – but whoever he was, he needed to lighten up big time.

“Erm . . . well, no. Actually, I was just going to tell you that your fly’s undone!” I said, pointing to his trousers. There! Take that, you grumpy hulk of gorgeousness.

His head swung down, and just as quickly jerked back up again. “How droll,” he drawled sarcastically, as he – and his perfectly well-zipped-up trousers – slid into the seat next to me.

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About the Author:

Cassandra Piat
Bio:
Cassandra Piat is a part-time English teacher and a full-time disorganised mother and housewife. She spends her life trying to remember not to forget the 101 things on her things-to-do list, but seems to fail spectacularly most of the time! Whenever she has some free time she’s either with her head in a book, watching a romantic comedy or writing her own romantic comedies. She is a huge fan of rom-com movies and chicklit books. She loves books that make her laugh and leave her with a warm and happy feeling. Some of her favourite authors include Cecelia Ahern, Jill Mansell & Judith Mc Naught.

She lives in Mauritius with her husband, who prefers TV to books, and her three children who keep her on her toes and don’t leave her much free time to sit down and write.

She published her first book What’s it Gonna be? in December 2014 and Stuck with Me is her second novel. She loves writing stories that take place on her beautiful tropical island of Mauritius and sharing the island life with her readers. She is currently writing her third book in her head and hopes that she will soon have time to get it down on paper.


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Visit all the Tour Stops:

Grass monster - Twitter Blasts
Kristin's Novel Cafe - Book Promo/Social Media Blasts
Book Lover in Florida - Book Promo/Author Guest Post
Rae reads - Book Promo/Excerpt Post
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Jena Books - Book Promo Post/Author Guest Post
Hello...Chick Lit - Book Excerpt Post
Authors & Readers Book Corner  - Book Excerpt Post
BFD Book Blog 
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My favourite festive treats & a giveaway to win a copy of Christmas at the Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson

As we are well into November and getting closer to December I thought I would share some of my favourite festive treats. Along with the chance to win a copy of Christmas at the Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson. Which is being kindly provided by Harper Collins. 

So let's take a look at this heartwarming story. Then you can read all about my favourite festive goodies and lastly enter the giveaway! 

About the book
Becca Fletcher hates Christmas so much, she’s considering getting ‘Bah Humbug!’ tattooed on her forehead. She has her reasons for being Little Miss Grinch; Reasons that make this the very worst time of year for her.

Now, though, she can’t avoid her version of ho-ho-hell – because she’s travelling to the Comfort Food Cafe to spend the festive season with her sister Laura, and her family. She’s expecting mulled wine, the smell of pine trees, 24-hour Christmas movie marathons and all kinds of very merry torture.

But little does Becca know that the Comfort Food Cafe is like no other place on earth. Perched on a snow-covered hill on a windswept bay, it’s a place full of friendship; a place where broken hearts can heal, and a place where new love can blossom. It’s a place where Becca’s Christmas miracle really could happen – if only she can let it…
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You can see my review here

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One of the best things about Christmas is getting to spend time with family and friends. Although food definitely comes second with me. We never go overboard with our supermarket shop but it's always nice to have a good selection of yummy goodies!

The usual snacks like crisps, nuts and chocolates always go down well. I have to say that baking is one of my favourite things to do especially on Christmas Eve. It's always a lovely activity to do with children too. Definitely a good way of keeping them occupied if they are getting excited about Santa coming!


My favourite things to bake are Gingerbread Cake, Sugar Cookies, Rice Krispie buns and Rocky Road.



What are your favourite festive treats that you like to have over Christmas?

Do you bake for Christmas? 

If you do feel free to share your recipes.

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If you would like to enter to win a copy of Christmas at the Comfort Food Cafe please do so using Rafflecopter below. 
The giveaway will end on the 29th November. The winner will be selected at random and then contacted by email. Please note this giveaway is open to UK only entries, thank you!

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Wednesday 23 November 2016

Blog Tour - Extract - Rules of the Earth by Wendy Cartmell







RULES OF THE EARTH

BY WENDY CARTMELL

Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Release Date: 10th June 2016
Publisher: Costa Press

Sgt Major Crane is out of the army, out of a job and definitely out of sorts. So when DCI Anderson throws him a lifeline, Crane grabs it. A young girl has been found, dazed, bruised and mute. As Crane and Anderson try to find out what happened to her, another girl is found. But this time she's dead...





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Extract

Prologue

It was stifling inside the black hood and he was sure the pointed top was wilting in the heat; just as he was. The smell of the blood in the chalice was making him feel sick and, if he was honest, the last thing he wanted to do was to drink it. But the humiliation of not joining in the ceremony was probably worse than taking a drink. Just.

He and his fellow supplicants formed a semi-circle around an altar, upon which lay a young child: she was very much alive but drugged to keep her quiet while the bloodletting took place. Her long blond hair was in dramatic contrast to the plain black shift that she wore. Her face was white, lips flesh coloured and only the faintest rising and falling of her chest indicated that she was breathing. On the back of one hand was a needle that fitted snugly into her vein. Attached to the needle was a small plastic tube that allowed her precious blood to drip out into the chalice. She could have been asleep, instead of unconscious. Around her were placed seven candles, six black and one white, their flames guttering and smoking in the hot fetid air.

Normally children were banned from attending these rituals, the only exception being the Satanic baptism, which was specifically designed to involve infants, and such a baptism was taking place in the basement of a remote house in the dead of night. It was a ceremony deemed to be necessary to override any Christian or other religious ceremonies that the child may have been subjected to before joining the Satanic Church. He wasn’t so sure it was necessary himself, but then all the churches had their rules, didn’t they? He guessed it was no different to a Catholic first communion or a Jewish Bar Mitzvah and so he’d decided he may as well play along. Let’s face it he had nothing better to do that night. And as he was moving soon, he’d thought he’d better make the most of the last meeting he would be attending.

As the chalice was passed to him he muttered the rite: Cursed are the lambs of God for they shall be bled whiter than snow.

Taking the tiniest of sips but still gagging on the foul taste of the blood, he just about managed to swallow it instead of coughing it out and spraying it all over the child. Thankful that he’d managed to get through it, he passed the cup to the next in line. To be fair, the group had tried to adhere as closely to the ritual as they could, using the rules described in the Satanic rituals, or dramatic performances as they were sometimes called. They followed the suggestions of the clothing to be worn, the music to be used and actions to be taken. It was said that the pageantry and theatricality was intended to engage the participant’s senses on all levels. He could relate to that, for apart from the blood, the rest of it was definitely working for him.

All the males wore black robes and hoods but the young women were encouraged to make themselves attractive to the males present. As a result he was surrounded by a surfeit of black leather and rubber, long shiny thigh length boots and even the odd whip or two. Everyone wore the sign of sulphur around their necks. The intent of the women to stimulate sexual feelings amongst the men was exciting and he couldn’t wait for the bloody ceremony to be over, so they could get on with the really interesting part, the part that started once the ceremony ended.

The Church of Satan smashed all concepts of what a ‘church’ was supposed to be. It was a temple of indulgence, where one could openly defy the temples of abstinence that had previously been built. Rather than an unforgiving, unwelcoming place, as so many of the church’s built by religions that worshiped God were, theirs was a place where you could go to have fun. It was a religion based on self-indulgence, of carnality (of the here and now instead of the there and then), and, most importantly to him, of pleasure instead of self-denial.

At last the final person drunk from the chalice, the welcome sound of the bell ringing nine times rang around the room, signalling the end of the ceremony. The formal part over, it was time for the only reason he was there. It was time for the fun to start….

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ABOUT WENDY CARTMELL

Wendy Cartmell is the author of the Amazon #1 Bestseller STEPS TO HEAVEN. She lives on the Costa del Sol with three mad dogs and her even madder husband. She inherited her love of reading from her parents and discovered her ability to weave a good story at Reading University, which she attended at the tender age of 40.

After several failed attempts at writing in various genres, Sgt Major Crane, a military policeman, knocked on her proverbial door and the rest, as they say, is history. All 8 Crane crime thrillers are published by Endeavour Press, as well as the Emma Harrison mystery trilogy, set in Reading Young Offenders Institution.



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GIVEAWAY

The book is free during the tour so grab your copy from AMAZON today!!!

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