Books Reviewed

Reviews of books, audiobooks, etc…

Bookouture Tour for Murder at a Christmas Market by Fliss Chester

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I love Fliss Chester’s Maddie Penrose series, so I was excited to get this holiday story. In this one, poor Maddie gives out meat pies and one recipient dies from poisoning! Can she figure out who did it? And why?

Here’s the scoop:

It’s winter in Cornwall and Maddie Penrose – amateur sleuth extraordinaire – is baking up a storm for the village Christmas fair. All is merry and bright… until there’s a murder!

Maddie Penrose has been head-to-toe in tinsel, organising a delightfully cozy Christmas market. She’s just whipped up a fresh batch of mince pies and is serving them at the opening when stallholder Steve Granger pops one in his mouth… and instantly drops dead.

Determined to clear her name, Maddie must find out who poisoned the pies. It quickly becomes clear that many stallholders at the market had a motive to kill. Could it be grouchy Ruby, whose tea blends Steve mercilessly copied and sold as his own? What about Daisy from the dairy – she isn’t pleased Steve was selling Cornish cheese to rival hers. And local butcher Connor Davis has an axe to grind too… has he been plotting to handle more than just Christmas turkeys?

But who would go as far as poisoning a mince pie? Maddie is starting to get closer to the truth when there’s another murder, this time in the village bakery. Can she unravel the clues before the killer strikes again? Or is she next on their list…?

If you love amateur sleuths and cozy festive mysteries then you will adore Fliss Chester’s totally gripping novel, perfect for fans of Fiona Leitch, Faith Martin and Agatha Christie!

About the Author:

Fliss Chester lives in Surrey with her husband and writes historical cozy crime. When she is not killing people off in her 1940s whodunnits, she helps her husband, who is a wine merchant, run their business. Never far from a decent glass of something, Fliss also loves cooking (and writing up her favourite recipes on her blog), enjoying the beautiful Surrey and West Sussex countryside and having a good natter.

Thanks for my copy and for having me on tour!

Bookouture Blog Tour for The Hot Chocolate Hotel by Donna Ashcroft

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This was a fun romance, with a little bit of spice. It’s the second book in the Honey Haven series. I always love a book with fun characters and happy endings! Can’t wait to see what the next installment holds.

Thank you for my copy and for making me part of the tour!

Here’s the scoop:

Lacey Dupont is usually out Christmas shopping in London at this time of year and would normally be careering down Oxford Street laden with perfectly gift-wrapped packages. But this December, her heart is in shreds over her cheating ex and she’s driving her little red car to the Scottish village of Honey Haven to get as far away from him as possible.
Scott McRae, owner of The Hot Chocolate Hotel, is there as she tumbles through the door of the first hotel she can find when her car breaks down. Only, his gruff exterior isn’t exactly welcoming, even if the steaming mug of cocoa he offers her is. Her inability to pay for her room doesn’t exactly cheer him up. But he’s low on staff and high on festive chores. And she’s more than willing to work for a place to stay until her car is in action again. If they can keep it under wraps, that is. Because the last thing Lacey wants is to be found…
As festive preparations bring the two closer together, their chemistry starts to hot up faster than the mulled wine they’re dishing out to guests. The two lock eyes over the fairy lights they’re delicately draping on the tree, any unpaid hotel stays long forgotten – and everything else, for that matter.
But when the hotel’s heavy oak door swings open and Lacey sees who’s burst in with the flurry of snow from outside, she knows that life in this little chocolate-box Scottish village is about to come to a screeching halt.
Will Lacey end up lonely this Christmas? Or can the magic of the season melt even the hardest of hearts?

About the Author:

Donna Ashcroft

Donna has had sixteen books published in total. Four have been in the Amazon top 100 and one even made it to number seven in the UK and US Kindle charts, another made it to number one in the UK, US and AU free Kindle charts. She was also shortlisted for the RNA Debut Romantic Novel of the Year in 2019.

She lives in Hertfordshire, with her own romantic hero, two grown up kids who pop in occasionally and two grumpy cats. She loves a happy ending and is never happier than when she’s escaping into a romance novel or movie.

The Teens’ Guide to Navigate Emotions by Ethan Wells

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Mr. Wells reached out to me about his new book and shared a copy. I liked this book with lots of exercises and tools for the young people in your life, your own teens included! It’s not meant to replace therapy but to provide some thoughtful activities and exercises for teens.

Here’s the scoop:

Many teens appear fine on the outside.

They keep up with school, show up for their friends, and answer “I’m good” when anyone asks. Underneath, something else may be happening. They feel overwhelmed, stressed, or stuck in their own thoughts, but they may struggle to put it into words and don’t always know what to do with it.

The Teens’ Guide to Navigate Emotions was created for this exact moment. It doesn’t lecture, it doesn’t label, and it doesn’t ask teens to explain what they’re feeling first. Instead, it gives them something they can use on their own, in their own space, at their own pace.

Inside, teens will learn how to:

  • Calm Overwhelming Thoughts – Simple tools they can use when their thoughts start racing or emotions feel overwhelming
  • Handle Stress in the Moment – Short, guided exercises that can help them reset and work through difficult moments
  • Make Sense of What They’re Feeling – Reflection prompts that help them understand their emotions without judgment or pressure
  • Build Confidence and Self-Esteem – Practical exercises for developing a stronger sense of self and feeling more comfortable in social situations
  • Work Through Anger and Frustration – Strategies for recognizing intense emotions and responding to them more intentionally
  • Strengthen Communication – Tools for expressing thoughts, feelings, needs, and boundaries more clearly
  • Build Practical Coping Skills – Useful ways to handle anxiety, overthinking, stress, and other challenges as they come up in everyday life
  • Feel Less Alone in What They’re Going Through – Relatable real-life examples that remind teens they aren’t the only ones dealing with difficult emotions

Created for ages 12-18, this 340+ page guide combines relatable explanations and real-life examples with 40+ CBT-based exercises and tools, including guided activities, action steps, and reflection pages. Teens can use the book independently or with support from a parent, caregiver, educator, counselor, or other trusted adult, giving them practical tools they can return to whenever they need them.

Me again!

(Just a note that CBT stands for Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, which primarily focuses on how your thoughts can affect your feelings and consequent actions).

This is a hefty book of over 300 pages and I’ll be gifting it to our school’s wonderful Student Support Clinician.

Thank you, Mr. Wells, for sharing your work with me!

About the Author:

Ethan Wells is an author passionate about helping teenagers better understand their emotions, build confidence, and develop practical skills for navigating life’s challenges. Inspired by his own experiences growing up, Ethan often reflects on how much he would have benefited from having access to the kind of emotional guidance and support he now hopes to share with others. That perspective inspired him to create resources that make emotional well-being feel more approachable, relatable, and manageable for young people.

Through his writing, Ethan aims to turn complex emotional concepts into simple, engaging, and actionable strategies that teenagers can apply to their everyday lives. Drawing on evidence-informed approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), he focuses on encouraging self-awareness, emotional resilience, and personal growth without overwhelming readers with complicated terminology. His hope is that every teenager who picks up his work walks away feeling a little more understood, a little more capable, and better equipped to handle whatever life brings their way.

Kevin Andrade’s IN FOR A DIME (available in print, Kindle, and audio!)

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I’m shouting it out today for first installment of the Jake Hansen mysteries: In for a Dime.

Here’s the scoop:

When private investigator Jake Hansen investigates a missing accountant and two million dollars in stolen funds, the trail points to political corruption, organized crime, and a conspiracy that reaches from City Hall to the Los Angeles underworld.

Jake Hansen thought he’d finally found solid ground.

When a missing insurance executive disappears alongside two million dollars in stolen funds, what begins as a straightforward investigation quickly unravels into something far more dangerous.

Joined by retired NYPD detective Pete Mills and former ex-con Lamar Wagner, Jake discovers the missing money is only the first piece of a much larger puzzle.

Then it gets personal. When Sophie’s past catches up with her, the investigation stops being just another job. As the lines between the case and his chosen family begin to blur, Jake realizes that uncovering the truth won’t matter if it costs him the people who put him back together.

Packed with sharp dialogue, truly unexpected twists, and a cast you’ll want to follow long after the mystery is solved, In For a Dime is a crime thriller that delivers both a satisfying investigation and characters worth coming back for.

For fans of Michael Connelly, Robert Crais, Dennis Lehane, and James Ellroy, In For a Dime combines smart detective work, escalating suspense, and a team of unlikely partners who are as compelling as the mysteries they unravel.

About the Author:

Kevin R. Andrade is the author of the Jake Hansen Mystery series, including Ten to the 405 and In For a Dime.

A Mexican American raised in Ohio, Kevin earned degrees in English and Political Science from Bowling Green State University before building a career as a speechwriter, music journalist, travel writer, and novelist. He has lived in Los Angeles, Mexico City, Boston, and New York City, experiences that continue to influence the authentic settings, dialogue, and characters throughout his fiction.

Before writing novels, Kevin crafted speeches for politicians, interviewed music legends, and explored destinations around the world as a travel writer. Those experiences taught him that every person has a story worth telling, a philosophy that continues to shape the characters and investigations at the heart of the Jake Hansen Mystery series.

Thank you to Penny at Author Marketing Experts and the author, Mr. Andrade, for sharing this title with me!

Spotlight on LEGALLY BLIND by Cathy Donald

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I’m shouting it out today for a new title that my friend Penny at Author Marketing Experts told me about: Legally Blind.

Thanks, Penny!

Here’s the scoop:

What if doing the right thing meant defending someone you could never forgive?

Justice isn’t always as simple as determining guilt or innocence. Sometimes, the hardest battle is deciding whether someone deserves a second chance.

In Cathy Donald’s Legally Blind, defense attorney Chelsea Turner faces that very dilemma when she’s assigned to represent Joel Radebe, a man accused of murder. But Joel isn’t just another client. He’s responsible for the bombing that killed Chelsea’s father when she was a child.

Although Joel was convicted, imprisoned, and later granted amnesty, the damage to Chelsea’s family remains. Now, decades later, he’s facing a new murder charge, and Chelsea must set aside her personal history to confront a troubling possibility: What if he’s innocent this time?

Set against the backdrop of South Africa, Legally Blind weaves a murder mystery with the emotional weight of a daughter torn between loyalty to her father’s memory and her responsibility to seek the truth.

When justice and forgiveness are two very different things, how do you decide what’s right?

Author bio:

Cathy Donald is a South African novelist and former medical doctor. After qualifying in medicine in 1984, she practiced in both rural communities and urban private practice, most recently running a women’s health practice in Somerset West.

Alongside her medical career, she wrote scripts, music, and lyrics for amateur dramatic productions, particularly for schools and youth groups. She has since published multiple novels, many of them set in South Africa and centered on family, resilience, and the moral choices that shape people’s lives.

Her novel The Silence of the Shadows received the Jury Prize at the Milan International Literary Awards in 2022.

Learn more at www.cathydonald.co.za.

Amazon: https://bit.ly/4ibfeiR

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/238336660

Bookouture Blog Tour for My Child Is Gone by Nicole Trope

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Today’s novel is a solid suspense story – sort of a slow burn as each character reveals themselves and their secrets, bit by bit.

I enjoyed it and it kept me guessing. Nicole Trope is a great writer and is a master at suspenseful pacing.

Thank you for my copy and for having me on the tour!

Here’s the scoop:

It was meant to be the perfect family trip at a house by a lake, miles from anywhere… until five-year-old Gus disappears. Did he wander off into the empty fields? Or was he taken by someone close to home?

The mother: I never wanted to come on this trip but my sweet son Gus is so excited to see his cousins. My ex-husband Kyle is here, and his new fiancée. We’re all playing happy families until my beautiful little boy goes missing. My heart is broken. And the accusations start…

The new fiancée: I carefully apply my lipstick, ready to make the perfect impression. My husband-to-be thinks I’m excited to be a stepmother. But when I watch him with Gus, the darkest part of my heart wishes it was just the two of us – that Gus didn’t exist.

The uncle: My wife and teenage daughters think we’re in the middle of nowhere to spend time with our extended family, but I know why we’re really here. And I’m not the only one with secrets. Then Gus goes missing. We’re all exposed. And I don’t know who will survive the truth coming out…

An absolutely addictive psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat and racing through the pages. Perfect for anyone who loves Andrea Mara, Shari Lapena or Claire Douglas.

About the Author:

Nicole Trope went to university to study Law but realised the error of her ways when she did very badly on her first law essay because, as her professor pointed out, ‘It’s not meant to be a story.’

She studied teaching instead and used her holidays to work on her writing career and complete a Masters’ degree. In between raising three children, working for her husband and renovating houses, she has published multiple bestselling novels. She lives in Sydney, Australia.

Bookoututre Blog Tour for A Body at the Bakery by Lucy Connelly

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The Mercy McCarthy cozy mysteries is SUCH a fun series, so I was thrilled to see there was a new one out: A Body at the Bakery. In this installment, Mercy stumbles across a murdered baker and friend, and works to solve the mystery before another murder occurs.

Always a fun read, you can read any of these stories as stand alones, but reading them in order is more fun!

Thank you for my copy and having me on tour!

Here’s the scoop:

St. Patrick’s Day in Shamrock Cove has brought out countless Irish flags, streams of green bunting, lots of good-natured cheer… and the body of the local baker.

One of Mercy McCarthy’s daily haunts is the patisserie at the heart of Shamrock Cove’s main street, run by her good friend Paisley. The enticing aroma of rich chocolate and perfectly baked sweets is a treat she can rarely resist. She never expected that her pastry run would turn deadly.

Following the breadcrumbs with her trusty canine pal, Mr. Poe, Mercy freezes in terror when she stumbles across the lifeless body of Paisley’s ex-husband, John. All fingers point to Paisley, but Mercy is determined to prove her dear friend’s innocence.

John’s cousins refuse to help Mercy’s investigation just as a suspicious stranger starts lurking around the bakery. Mercy is worried that Paisley could be next, so she enlists the help of her neighbours to catch the killer before another body turns up at the bakery. With her friends at her side, Mercy is sure the case will bqe a piece of cake.

Then another devastating murder happens in front of Mercy’s own eyes. With the St. Patrick’s Day parade just around the corner, can Mercy catch her killer before another innocent bystander at the bakery becomes toast?

An utterly compelling and totally Irish cozy mystery. Fans of Agatha Christie, Carlene O’Connor and Faith Martin will absolutely love the Mercy McCarthy series!

About the Author:

Bestselling author Candace Havens has published more than 25 books. Her novels have received nominations for the RITA’s, Holt Medallion, Write Touch Reader Awards and National Reader’s Choice Awards. She is a Barbara Wilson Award winner. She is the author of the biography Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy and a contributor to several anthologies. She is also one of the nation’s leading entertainment journalists and has interviewed countless celebrities from George Clooney to Chris Pratt. Candace runs a free online writing workshop for more than 2000 writers and teaches comprehensive writing classes. She does film reviews with Hawkeye in the Morning on 96.3 KSCS, and is a former President of the Television Critics Association.

Bookouture Blog Tour for The Poison Pen Murders by Dee MacDonald

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Dee MacDonald has done it again with her latest Ally McKinley mystery! I love this series and I appreciate how well-paced and well-plotted these mysteries are. Here’s the scoop on the latest one:

Anonymous letters, a years-old mystery and… a dead body? Ally McKinley is on the case!

Ally McKinley might be the owner of the cosiest little guesthouse in the Scottish Highlands, but she also has a reputation as an amateur detective! So when a threatening note drops through her elderly neighbour Juliet Munro’s door, Ally is called in to investigate. But what first seems like a nasty prank soon proves lethal, when the very next day, Juliet is found murdered…

Her faithful dog Flora by her side, Ally soon learns that more than one woman in Locharran has received a poison pen letter. And though locals’ lips are sealed over coffee and cake, Ally skilfully unlocks the old Locharran mystery that connects the recipients: they were all rumoured to be involved in the death of a young woman called Marie McKay. Is someone trying to stamp out Marie’s killer? And if so, who in Locharran is not who they seem?

A faded photo of a little blond boy with pale eyes has Ally on the right track, but when a woman’s scream shatters the village’s gentle calm, can Ally sort through the secrets before the post delivers another murder?

Fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Clare Chase will love this totally addictive and cozy mystery set in the beautiful Scottish Highlands from bestselling author Dee MacDonald.

About the Author:

Dee MacDonald grew up on an isolated farm in the Scottish Highlands. An only child, she’d often get fed up of reading and listening to a crackling radio, so her mother encouraged her to draw and to write ‘wee stories’, which she’d sew together into little books.

As an adult, her working life took her all over the globe as an air stewardess, into the world of TV, where she worked in Market Research and Sales, and then into hospitality, running B&Bs for over ten years.

After first finding her love of writing as a little girl, Dee became a published author of cosy crime and women’s fiction in her seventies. She lives by the sea in Cornwall with her husband, and has one son and two grandsons.

Thank you so much for my copy and for having me on the tour! And please please please, keep creating more Ally McKinley mysteries, Ms. MacDonald!

Blog Tour for: Going to Summertime by Kaaron Warren

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I’m shouting it out today for a new, kind-of-creepy tale by Kaarom Warren: Going to Summertime.

Here’s the scoop:

Every suburban street holds secrets and ghosts, but Summerland Place holds more than most. The team from The Red Mullet Hair Salon head to Summerland Place to explore the abandoned houses there, on a prepaid, enter at own risk, explore every nook and cranny team building exercise. They are welcomed by the charismatic Milton, who runs the tours through the cul-de-sac he grew up in. They find houses filled with malevolent ghosts and tragic ones, with memories of family trauma and family meals. All come out changed by what they see, and what it triggers in them. Some will be lost in Summertime, a euphoric state of mind. Georgia, owner of the Salon, thinks she is stronger than any of it. She has no past trauma, no secrets; some would say no heart. She didn’t expect to fall in love. Every instinct tells her not to. And yet she is drawn into the disturbing world of Milton and his mother, as she feels the seductive draw of Summertime ever stronger.

Author: Kaaron Warren
Genres: Dark Fantasy, Horror, Paranormal
Tags: all books, Coming Soon
ASIN: B0HHFYS9KY
ISBN: 9781965740156

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Meerkat Press

Bookshop.org

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About Kaaron Warren:

Shirley Jackson award-winner Kaaron Warren published her first short story in 1993 and has had fiction in print every year since. She has published six multi-award winning novels: Slights, Walking the Tree, Mistification, The Grief Hole, Tide of Stone and The Underhistory, and seven short story collections, her most recent being Calvaria Fell, with Cat Sparks, from Meerkat Press. Her stories have been shortlisted for the World Fantasy Award and the Stoker, and appeared in both Ellen Datlow’s and Paula Guran’sYear’s Best anthologies. Her writing podcast Let the Cat In showcases ideas, objects, and inspirations

Thank you for my copy and having me take part!

Bookouture Blog Tour for MOLLY IS MISSING by Samantha Hayes

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I’m here for the tour of this super suspenseful read of a missing girl and her mother who wouldn’t give up searching for her.

Fast-paced and twisty, this one kept me engaged right up through the final page!

Here’s the scoop:

It’s every mother’s worst nightmare…

Kim arrives early at the school gates, bursting with excitement to see her daughter, Molly, after a week-long history trip. Shy and a little anxious, time away from her loving parents is a big deal for Molly – but the emoji-filled texts Kim’s been receiving all week prove her daughter has been having the time of her life. But when the bus pulls up, Molly’s seat is empty. Her teachers say she never went on the trip…

As the search for Molly begins, distraught Kim feels like the police are dragging their feet and the school is acting a little too defensive. And with each precious day that passes, the secrets that bind Kim’s tight-knit community begin to unravel. Why isn’t Kim’s best friend by her side? And why is her husband acting so shady?

Nothing matters to Kim but bringing Molly home safe. With nowhere to turn and no one left to trust, only Kim can find her. And she’s running out of time…

A totally unputdownable psychological thriller that will keep you up all night reading. Perfect for anyone who loves Freida McFadden, Andrea Mara, and Jeneva Rose.

About the Author:

Samantha Hayes grew up in a creative family where her love of writing began as a child. Samantha has written over twenty thrillers, including the bestselling titles Date Night and Until You’re Mine . The Independent called her writing ‘fantastically written and very tense’ while Good Housekeeping said ‘her believable psychological thrillers are completely gripping.’ Samantha’s books are published in multiple languages and in her free time, Sam loves painting watercolours, going to the gym and swimming. She has three grown-up children and lives in Warwickshire.

Thank you for my copy and for having me on the tour!