Paradise Prison

PARADISE PRISON

BY FAITH MORTIMER

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Release Date: 7^th January 2017

Series: Dark Minds #4

Publisher: Topsails Charter

Following an almighty row, Gillian stands up to her abusive boyfriend. The consequences are horrendous and far-reaching.

Terrified, she flees her home, seeking anonymity abroad while coming to terms with the outcome of her actions.

In Portugal, Gillian meets Harry, a yachtsman. Needing crew for his Atlantic Ocean-crossing she applies for the job. Half-way into the journey, after confessing to her crime, Harry offers her refuge on an uninhabited island in the Caribbean which he says he owns.

Confused and depressed, Gillian imagines this is the answer to her problems. She needs time to lie low and consider her options; confront the authorities or live in obscurity? Harry is offering the perfect hiding place…or is he?

When things start going horribly wrong, she asks herself if she is alone on the island. But maybe the biggest question of all is why she gets the gut feeling Harry wants to keep her there at all costs?What happens when she says … no.

BUY LINKS!

AMAZON UK

AMAZON US

ABOUT FAITH MORTIMER

Faith is a British author dividing her time between Hampshire, England & Cyprus. Since 2005 she turned her hobby of writing into a career. During childhood, she dreamed of writing novels which readers would love, & spent many hours writing short stories which she read to her sisters. Born in Manchester & educated in Singapore, Malaya & Hampshire, England. Amazon Top #14 author rank for mystery, #27 mystery, thriller & suspense, #55 literature & fiction #5 bestselling author on Nook Books. Faith's books have made the Kindle Top 100 Paid List numerous times.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FaithMortimer.Author/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FaithMortimer

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2967303.Faith_Mortimer

Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/105949740968880690288

Website: www.faithmortimerauthor.com

GIVEAWAY!!!

1^st Prize – Ecopies of all 4 books in the series

2^nd Prize – an ecopy of the book

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4be03017209/?

My Review

This book really has you on the edge of your seat, the kind of psychological thriller that I enjoy; more mind games and control than blood and guts. The author is skilled at building up the suspense and making you wonder at the start if the victim might just have another agenda. The ending wasn't at all what I expected and it's the kind of story that you can't stop thinking about long after you finish it. Can thoroughly recommend.

5/5

The Phantom Tree

                                                                                 
                                                                                 

“My name is Mary Seymour and I am the daughter of one queen and the niece of another.”

Browsing antiques shops in Wiltshire, Alison Bannister stumbles across a delicate old portrait – supposedly of Anne Boleyn. Except Alison knows better… The woman is Mary Seymour, the daughter of Katherine Parr who was taken to Wolf Hall in 1557 as an unwanted orphan and presumed dead after going missing as a child.

The painting is more than just a beautiful object from Alison’s past – it holds the key to her future, unlocking the mystery surrounding Mary’s disappearance, and the enigma of Alison’s son.

But Alison’s quest soon takes a dark and foreboding turn, as a meeting place called the Phantom Tree harbours secrets in its shadows

About the author

 Nicola Cornick is a historian and historical romance author. She studied at London University and Ruskin College Oxford and works for the National Trust as a guide at the seventeenth century hunting lodge Ashdown House in Oxfordshire. Her award-winning books are international bestsellers and have been translated into 26 languages.

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My Review

A few years ago I had the pleasure of visiting Sudely Castle and discovered that Katherine Parr had a daughter Mary with her new husband following King Henry's death. When I found out that the child more or less disappeared and nobody knew what happened to her, I thought at the time that it would make a good story. Nicola Cornick has taken that premise and boy has she written a good story! I loved the time slip element and Alison's quest for her son. The past and present are skilfully interwoven, just as the author mingles fact and fiction. it is all credit to the author that time travel seems almost credible as sometimes it can hinder the story rather than helping. I read this book in two sittings and I think I have just discovered a new favourite author. I loved how it all came together in the end even if it did make me cry too, a brilliant book!

5/5

Caught between two worlds

CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO WORLDS

BY JUNE MOONBRIDGE

Genre: CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Release Date: 1^st February 2017

A vacation on the shores of the Egyptian Red Sea was Veronica Blake’s long lasting dream.

But dreams turn into nightmares. Controlling boyfriend Peter complains and embarrasses her frequently in front of everybody from the start. A trip to the ancient sites turns into a disaster. But the salvation comes in the form of the mysterious Nicholas, a blue-eyed man she remembers from the hotel.

Deep in the Sahara desert Veronica encounters a totally different way of life. She desperately seeks the truth about everything that happened. Alone and afraid of her new written future she finds consolation with Nicholas, the only man she’s left to trust.

Will she ever accept the truth she seeks, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Will she be able to find a way back to the life she was forced to leave behind?

BUY LINKS

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01NAQ25FR

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NAQ25FR

ABOUT JUNE MOONBRIDGE

June was born in June and she always loved the moon.

She studied economics, and quickly realised she hated it. She started to write in high school and was criticised by her teacher. Stubborn as she is, that didn't stop her. Under different pen names, she had stories published in magazines, and then went on to publish three books.

After having two children, and learning that her second child has autism, she married their father and carried on working. Work and family life left her with little free time. But the desire to write didn't die. When life somehow sorted itself out, she decided to write a novel in English…

For what happened then, re-read the second paragraph, third sentence...

Facebook: www.facebook.com/JMoonbridge

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JMoonbridge

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13887820.June_Moonbridge

Google+    https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JuneMoonbridgedreams

LinkedIn:    https://si.linkedin.com/in/jmoonbridge

Blog: www.junemoonbridge.com

Penhaligon's attic

Penhaligon’s Attic

TERRI NIXON

Published 1^st December

Paperback Original | £8.99

                                                                 
                                                                               

A close-knit Cornish fishing village is divided by the arrival of a troubled young widow. What is Anna Garvey running from, and is she all she seems?

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 . . .

About the author:

Terri Nixon was born in Plymouth in 1965. At the age of nine she moved with her family to Cornwall, to the village featured in Daphne du Maurier's Jamaica Inn – North Hill – where she discovered a love of writing that has stayed with her ever since. Her first commercially published novel was Maid of Oaklands Manor, published by Piatkus in 2013. She has since published two more novels in the Oaklands Manor trilogy: A Rose in Flanders Fields and Daughter of Dark River Farm.

My Review

This book tells the story of two female protagonists, Freya Penhaligon and Anna Garvey, whose lives overlap when  Freya runs her grandmother's bookshop, Penhaligon's Attic and Anna comes to the village to take over the running of the local pub.
The setting of the book in a Cornish fishing village at the end of the nineteenth century really captured my imagination as the characters spring to life. When Anna arrives, bringing with her secrets of her own, a new chapter starts. There are hints throughout the book as to what this secret is but I'm pleased to say I was still surprised by the ending. I thought I'd worked it out and then there was a further twist which worked well and explained everything neatly.
The author is skilled at taking the reader with her for the journey. The only point at which I felt the book lost pace was when Freya leaves Cornwall as a child before returning many years later. Much more could have been made of this part or alternatively if it doesn't add much to the narrative then it could have been dropped or mentioned in flashback.
All in all, wonderful location and characters and a story that stays with you. A lovely, romantic read.

4/5

Stroud book festival

November 14th 2016

Inspired by the Bewdley Book Festival earlier in the year, I knew that this one would be another event not to miss. Firstly it was on my doorstep and secondly it promised an evening of historical fiction with two fabulous local writers, Dinah Jefferies and Kate Riordan.
In an intimate setting with seating for an audience of around fifty, there was a lovely atmosphere as Kate and Dinah both talked about what is most important to them - location. This really resonated with the audience especially since the writers' locations are completely different to each other. Kate is inspired by old houses and took a house at the top of Leckhampton Hill as the inspiration for her book. Dinah meanwhile has set her books in more exotic locations of the far East. It was interesting that after writing her first book, The Separation, set in Malaya ( now Malaysia), she then set her subsequent books in locations which had also changed their name. 'The tea planter's wife' is set in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, 'The silk merchant's daughter' is set in Vietnam, which was formerly part of Indo Chine and her new book out in February 2017 is set in Rajasthan which used to be Rajputana.

Dinah Jefferies

Dinah was asked why she sets her books in the Far East and gave a wonderful description of being a three culture child, having been brought up in Malaya until the age of nine when the family came back to England. Whether it is a search for something left behind, a longing to belong in a different culture to that of either of your parents or simply because it makes a good setting, at any rate her readers are grateful for taking us on the journey with her. It was amazing to discover that Dinah hadn't visited any of the other countries before writing about them, which just goes to show what wonderful research she does.
Kate preferred to take a different view. Whilst she takes care to research detail as background to her books, she doesn't do a lot of research. After all, as she says, she is writing a work of fiction not a social history and so aims for capturing a flavour of the period rather than overloading the reader with too much historical detail.

Kate Riordan

There was a gasp of horror from the audience as Dinah spoke about the editorial process and admitted that she had to cut around 49,000 words from her first novel. It was a lesson well learned as she is much more rigorous in planning the structure of her books now. A tip which seems to have worked. In the end, both authors admitted that paradoxically it has got harder and harder to write the next book rather than easier as you might expect. Let's just hope that both of them mange to finish their next work in progress without too much soul searching.

A wonderful evening and a pleasure to meet two fabulous writers.

Me with Dinah

A year and a day

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From the author of My Map of You

Welcome to a city where wishes are everywhere

For Megan, a winter escape to Prague with her friend Ollie is a chance to find some inspiration for her upcoming photography exhibition. But she's determined to keep their friendship from becoming anything more. Because if Megan lets Ollie find out about her past, she risks losing everything - and she won't let that happen again . . .

For Hope, the trip is a surprise treat from Charlie, her new partner. But she's struggling to enjoy the beauty of the city when she knows how angry her daughter is back home. And that it's all her fault . . .

For Sophie, the city has always been a magical place. This time she can't stop counting down the moments until her boyfriend Robin joins her. But in historic Prague you can never escape the past . . .

Three different women.

Three intertwining love stories.

One unforgettable, timeless city.

'Think love, laughter and tears all shaken up in a Prague snowglobe. Just fab'

Biography

Isabelle Broom was born in Cambridge nine days before the 1980s began and studied Media Arts at the University of West London before starting a career first in local newspapers and then as a sub editor at heat magazine. Nowadays, when she’s not writing novels set in far-flung locations, Isabelle spends her time being the Book Reviews Editor at heat and walking her beloved dog Max round the parks of north London. Oh, and she does a lot of laughing, too. Her debut novel My Map Of You, published by Penguin Michael Joseph, is out now, and her second book, A Year And A Day, will follow in November.

If you like pictures of dogs, chatter about books and very bad jokes, you can follow her on Twitter @Isabelle_Broom or find her on Facebook under Isabelle Broom Author.

My Review

This is a wonderfully evocative book which takes you on an unforgettable journey to Prague. The descriptions are pictures painted with words so that the reader sees the city through the eyes of three women who are staying at the same hotel. We are gradually allowed little glimpse into the lives of the characters to discover what brings them to Prague. There's a little bit of magic woven into the stories as the characters open up to reveal their hopes and fears. I guessed one of the character's stories but just couldn't see how it could work; cleverly the author adds a twist but the real skill is in the telling of the story. This is a beautiful winter read and as a direct result, Prague has now been bumped up my list of must-see destinations. In fact, it would be the perfect book to take as my guide.

5/5

Candidate for Murder

Book Description for Candidate for Murder :

It’s election time in Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is not a pretty one. In recent years, the small resort town has become divided between the local year-round residents who have enjoyed their rural way of life and the city dwellers moving into their mansions, taking over the town council, and proceeding to turn Deep Creek Lake into a closed gate community—complete with a host of regulations for everything from speed limits to clothes lines.

When the political parties force-feed two unsavory mayoral nominees on the town residents, Police Chief David O’Callaghan decides to make a statement—by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s German shepherd, to run as mayor of Spencer!

What starts out as a joke turns into a disaster when overnight Gnarly becomes the front runner—at which point his political enemies take a page straight out of Politics 101. What do you do when you’re behind in a race? Dig up dirt on the front runner, of course.

Seemingly, someone is not content to rest with simply embarrassing the front runner by publicizing his dishonorable discharge from the United States Army, but to throw in a murder for good measure. With murder on the ballot, Mac Faraday and the gang—including old friends from past cases—dive in to clear Gnarly’s name, catch a killer, and save Spencer!

Buy the book:   Amazon

Author's Bio:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries. The twelfth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series, Candidate for Murder will be released June 2016.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with Lauren: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

Book Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/OvCB5VnQlmU

Giveaway:​

Prize: ​

Win a Fire Tablet, 7" Display, Wi-Fi, 16 GB (Open internationally) Winner will be person to use #Vote4Gnarly most often

Giveaway ends Sept 24.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/ZGVmY2Q0NGU2OTBiMzdjYjBmZTVlNzRkM2UzMjU3OjIwNQ==/?

My Review

If you're a cosy mystery fan then this series is the one for you. With all the political controversy around the world at the moment,this book made me laugh as my favourite character, Gnarly the dog, runs for election. Compared to the other candidates, Gnarly should win by a length but in politics they don't play fair and Gnarly sees his reputation in tatters. Can it be salvaged? Can a dog, even as brilliant as Gnarly actually be mayor? In the process, we find out the secrets of the others, secrets that they will do anything to protect.
Of course there is a more serious side as murder is involved.
I loved the way that the book switches from the serious to the plain silly - how many kittens did Gnarly rescue being one of them. It also casts a rather unflattering light on the media and distorting the truth but it's all told in Lauren Carr's inimitable style. I enjoyed the last book of hers but this one is just as good.

5/5