If you read me, you know I LOVE cozy mysteries, and I especially love those that take place in the past. This novel is a perfection combination of mystery, the “roaring 20’s” and fun! It is Book 1 of a 2 book series, but it can be a stand alone title. It reminded me a little bit of my favorite Rhys Bowen character, Georgie, from the Royal Spyness mysteries. Love the period – love the fashion – love the characters! I know you will love it, too!

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

Book Description:

Everyone in 1920s London knows the Honourable Cressida Fawcett: fiercely independent (though never apart from her little pug Ruby), lover of martinis and interior designer extraordinaire. She’s solved many crimes of fashion… so how about murder?

Cressida Fawcett is heading to the English countryside for a weekend of cocktails and partying at her friend’s glamorous mansion, the location of a recent diamond heist. But just hours after her arrival, Cressida is woken by an almighty scream. Rushing to the landing, she looks down into the great hall to find a trembling maid standing next to the body of Harry, the friendly young chandelier cleaner.

Everyone believes Harry’s death was an accident. But as Cressida examines the opulent hall and the beautiful grounds, she thinks something darker is afoot. Why clean a chandelier in the early hours of the morning? And who overheard Harry boasting about coming into unexpected wealth? A small piece of torn silk found near the body has Cressida looking at the guests’ elegant clothes with fresh eyes…

The short-tempered Detective insists that she keeps her curious nose out of the investigation, but it’s Cressida who realises the stolen diamonds were hidden in the sparkling chandelier. Convinced there is a connection between the theft and the murder, the case takes a sinister turn when a guest is killed in his sleep after a brandy-fuelled night of cards. With everyone unable to leave, can Cressida’s sharp eye for detail catch the killer before another life is taken?

An absolutely gripping and utterly charming 1920s murder mystery packed with wit, glamour and intrigue. The perfect whodunnit for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Downton Abbey!

Author Bio:

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.

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I’m so happy to take part in the blog tour for this fascinating piece of the Golden Age of Hollywood: Big Red by Jerome Charyn. I loved the real life characters in this story and how Charyn captures that most incredible of times in Hollywood. Rusty’s voice is full of wit and pep and I loved getting the story through her lens. I did not realize that Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles had a relationship and I also did not realize that Rita Hayworth’s early life was so tumultuous and sad. This was an interesting look at life in the 40’s in Hollywood – a time that was actually less golden than it is remembered. Highly recommended for those who enjoy this genre. Thank you for my copy and for making me part of the tour!

SYNOPSIS: It’s 1943. The Germans rule Europe, and the moguls rule Hollywood. Attendance is better than ever. Not even radio can compete with the Saturday matinee. The heart of America has become Hollywood Boulevard. And Rusty Redburn, a feisty lesbian visionary who works as a lowly servant to Harry Cohn at Columbia’s publicity department, lives right on the boulevard at the Hollywood Hotel.

Harry is worried about his biggest star, Rita Hayworth, who has moved in with the “Boy Genius” Orson Welles. He’s never had a star before Rita arrived. He schemes to have Rusty pretend to work as Rita’s private secretary while spying on her. Rusty is far more clever than Harry Cohn. She worships Orson and Citizen Kane. And thus the story begins.

Nothing will last, neither the war, nor Harry Cohn, nor the marriage of Rita and Orson. And it’s Rusty who tells their tale.

BIG RED is Jerome Charyn at his very best and promises to consume both Hollywood cinephiles and neophytes alike. 

Here is Charyn’s website so you can learn more about his amazing and varied books: http://www.jeromecharyn.com/

BUYING LINKS: Amazon, Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble (NOT affiliated with BBNB)

But wait! There’s more! A Giveaway!! For ONE US OR CANADA ONLY WINNER:

We have a great package of goodies, including an autographed copy of BIG RED, a tote bag with the great cover (which was designed by Ed Sorel), Rita Hayworth sunglasses, popcorn, light-up smartphone charger (with either the book jacket or an image of Rita) and a Shalimar sample, Rita’s favorite perfume.  The package will be served up in a red box mailer packed with red tissue. 

To enter, please leave a comment either on my blog or on my blog’s Facebook page. I will use random.org to generate a number and that numbered comment will be the winner! I will reach out to the winner to put them in touch with the publicist so they can get their prize. Please enter by 9/30!

I’m happy to be part of a suspenseful and captivating tour for WHEN WE WERE INNOCENT, a story of WWII and modern day. While I read, I kept identifying with the main character and thinking “What would I do if I were in her shoes?” This was a one I could not put down and kept thinking about afterwards. Highly recommended! Thank you for my copy and for making me part of the tour!

Book Description:

You love your father with all your heart. But what if he’s not who you think he is? What if he’s kept an unforgiveable secret from you his whole life?

Libby Trent believes she knows the difference between right and wrong.

But everything changes when she finds out about a man named Hans Brenner, a Nazi who escaped Germany after the Second World War. A war criminal who has lived his whole life in hiding.

Because the man suspected of being Hans Brenner is Libby’s own beloved father.

The sweetest, gentlest man she knows. Who raised her alone, who lives in her family home. Who cares for and watches over Libby’s own children.

When Libby finds a secret box in her father’s bedroom, she knows it might contain evidence. But does she dare open it, if it could prove her father guilty of the most heinous crimes in history?

Because if she finds evidence, she won’t just have to choose between right and wrong, she’ll have to choose whether to betray her own father…

A totally heartbreaking and powerful story about a daughter’s impossible dilemma and the darkest of family secrets, perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Amanda Prowse, and Diane Chamberlain.

Author Bio:

Kate Hewitt is the author of many romance and women’s fiction novels. A former New Yorker and now an American ex-pat, she lives in a small town on the Welsh border with her husband, five children, and their overly affectionate Golden Retriever. Whatever the genre, she enjoys telling stories that tackle real issues and touch people’s lives.

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I’m excited to share about this new novel about Ona Judge, a slave of Martha Washington. It toggles between the past (Ona’s story) and the present (Tessa’s story). I really loved Ona’s story and voice and all the historical details that were woven in. Based in fact, this was a story that I was never taught in school.

Highly recommended!

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

Book Description:

New Hampshire, 1796. “My name is Ona Judge, and I escaped from the household of the President of the United States. I was the favored maid of George and Martha Washington, but they deemed me a slave and thought me property, and I hear ten dollars is offered as reward for my capture. Now I must write the truth that I have lived, and tell my story…”

Chincoteague, Virginia, present day. Rain soaks Tessa Scott as she runs from her car to the old, vine-covered property she has been called to survey. She’s too busy to accept a new job, but doing this favor for the grandmother of her childhood sweetheart delays a painful decision she must make about a future with her controlling boyfriend.

But when Tessa finds a tattered journal carefully hidden inside the house’s ancient fireplace, the tragic story of how Ona was ripped from her mother’s arms to live and work in the palatial Mount Vernon, and the heart-shattering betrayal that led her to risk her life and run, has Tessa spellbound. Could discovering this forgotten scandal at the heart of her nation’s history force her to confront her own story? As she races to reach the final page, will anything prepare her for the desperate moment when Ona’s captors find her again? Will it inspire Tessa to take ownership of her own life and set herself free?

A completely heartbreaking tale of love, loss and redemption, based on an astonishing true story from the founding of America. Perfect for fans of Before We Were Yours, Marie Benedict and America’s First Daughter.

Author Bio:

Suzette D. Harrison, a native Californian and the middle of three daughters, grew up in a home where reading was required, not requested. Her literary “career” began in junior high school with the publishing of her poetry. While Suzette pays homage to Alex Haley, Gloria Naylor, Alice Walker, Langston Hughes, and Toni Morrison as legends who inspired her creativity, it was Dr. Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings that unleashed her writing. The award-winning author of Taffy is a wife and mother of two teens, and she holds a culinary degree in pastry and baking. Mrs. Harrison is currently cooking up her next novel…in between batches of cupcakes.

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Thank you so much for having me as part of the tour! If you enjoy cozies with fun, female amateur sleuths, this is a great choice!

Book Description:

Julia Bird’s picturesque Cotswolds life is everything she’d dreamed of. Until, that is, she discovers a dead body in the library…

Julia Bird had imagined the quiet of rural life would be soothing after years in the city, but she finds she can’t just sit still.Determined to throw herself into village activities, she joins the library just in time to attend a talk by celebrated local author Vincent Andrews.

Charming, devilishly handsome and talented, Vincent teases the crowd with a reading from his forthcoming novel. Set in a village bearing strange similarities to Berrywick, with characters the audience start to recognise, Vincent hints of dark secrets to be revealed, to gasps of outrage from the room. The meeting ends in uproar, and, just hours later, Vincent’s dead body is discovered behind the bookshelves…

As one of the last people to see him alive, Julia feels morally bound to help the police investigate. With her trusty Labrador, Jake, at her side, she decides to do her own sleuthing and quickly discovers that Vincent’s personal life is messy, his finances are in disarray and his book sales are declining. But most of all, remembering her neighbours’ faces at the book reading, Julia wonders if one of them could have lost the plot enough to kill…

As Julia interrogates the suspects, she walks straight into another scene of murder and mayhem, and realises Vincent’s manuscript is now missing. There’s someone out there who’s deadly serious about keeping their secrets unpublished. Will Julia be able to stop them, before anyone else gets hurt?

Brilliantly twisty, this completely thrilling cozy mystery is perfect for fans of M.C. Beaton, Helena Marchmont and Clare Chase.

Author Bio:

Katie Gayle is the writing partnership of best-selling South African writers, Kate Sidley and Gail Schimmel. Kate and Gail have, between them, written over ten books of various genres, but with Katie Gayle, they both make their debut in the cozy mystery genre. Both Gail and Kate live in Johannesburg, with husbands, children, dogs and cats. Unlike their sleuth Epiphany Bloom, neither of them have ever stolen a cat from the vet.

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If you read me, you know I adore the writing of Susan Elia MacNeal and her Maggie Hope series. I assumed this was the next in the series — and I was wrong! This is a standalone title, telling the story of mother-daughter spies in Los Angeles who work to uncover Nazis who are trying to build a following in America. I almost could not believe this was based on fact, but it is. I found it fascinating and, not surprisingly, well-written (as all Susan’s novels are). However, what I can not let go of is that, while I was reading, I found so many parallels to today and kept thinking about how easy it would be for all this to happen again (or could it be happening now??). The most stark image in my mind from this book is that the people who were really heinous/racist/horrible were actually quite charming and friendly on the surface. Lovely people in lovely homes that were welcoming and helpful to Veronica and Vi. It’s a reminder of how the biggest villains don’t necessarily look like the ones in the movies. They may look like the people next door.

Thank you for my copy through Net Galley. This will most probably make my “Best Books” list for 2022!

Description

A mother and daughter find the courage to go undercover after stumbling upon a Nazi cell in Los Angeles during the early days of World War II—a tantalizing novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the Maggie Hope series

“A stirring standalone thriller . . . Susan Elia MacNeal’s page-turning prose is as entertaining as ever—I was riveted from beginning to end.”—Kate Quinn, author of The Alice Network

June 1940. France has fallen to the Nazis, and Britain may be next—but to many Americans, the war is something happening “over there.” Veronica Grace has just graduated from college; she and her mother, Violet, are looking for a fresh start in sunny Los Angeles. After a blunder cost her a prestigious career opportunity in New York, Veronica is relieved to take a typing job in L.A.—only to realize that she’s working for one of the area’s most vicious propagandists.

Overnight, Veronica is exposed to the dark underbelly of her new home, where German Nazis are recruiting Americans for their devastating campaign. After the FBI dismisses the Graces’ concerns, Veronica and Violet decide to call on an old friend, who introduces them to L.A.’s anti-Nazi spymaster.

At once, the women go undercover to gather enough information about the California Reich to take to the authorities. But as the news of Pearl Harbor ripples through the United States, and President Roosevelt declares war, the Grace women realize that the plots they’re investigating are far more sinister than they feared—and even a single misstep could cost them everything.

Inspired by the real mother-daughter spy duo who foiled Nazi plots in Los Angeles during WWII, Mother Daughter Traitor Spy is a powerful portrait of family, duty, and deception that raises timeless questions about America—and what it means to have courage in the face of terror.

This book publishes 9/20/22

I didn’t realize that William Kent Kreuger wrote a mystery series with Cork O’Connor as the protagonist. I really enjoyed reading this one and will get it for my husband for the holidays for sure! My first in this series but it won’t be my last! Thanks for my copy through Net Galley!

Description

The latest in the New York Times bestselling Cork O’Connor Mystery Series from the “master storyteller” (Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author) follows Cork in a race against time to save his wife, a mysterious stranger, and an Ojibwe healer from bloodthirsty mercenaries.

The ancient Ojibwe healer Henry Meloux has had a vision of his death. As he walks the Northwoods in solitude, he tries to prepare himself peacefully for the end of his long life. But peace is destined to elude him as hunters fill the woods seeking a woman named Dolores Morriseau, a stranger who had come to the healer for shelter and the gift of his wisdom.

Meloux guides this stranger and his great niece, Cork O’Connor’s wife, to safety deep into the Boundary Waters, his home for more than a century. On the last journey he may ever take into this beloved land, Meloux must do his best to outwit the deadly mercenaries who follow.

Meanwhile, in Aurora, Cork works feverishly to identify the hunters and the reason for their relentless pursuit, but he has little to go on. Desperate, Cork begins tracking the killers but his own skills as a hunter are severely tested by nightfall and a late season snowstorm. He knows only too well that with each passing hour time is running out. But his fiercest enemy in this deadly game of cat and mouse may well be his own deep self-doubt about his ability to save those he loves.

From “an author who never disappoints” (Bookreporter), this is another gripping and richly told addition to a masterful series.

I’m shouting it out today for this awesome new novel, which pulled me in and kept me thinking right up until the ending. I loved this one! It’s a rather unique story, with a story within the story. I loved the strength of the main character and her growth over the novel. It’s a bit mystery, a bit romance and overall, a great pick!

Thanks for my copy via Net Galley!

Description

A stylish and suspenseful historical page-turner following an up-and-coming journalist who stumbles onto a web of secrets, deceptions, and mysteries at a popular new literary magazine–inspired by the true story of CIA intervention in Cold War American arts and letters.

“The Lunar Housewife is wonderfully entertaining and slyly subversive. Caroline Woods pens a story that will linger in the memory!” —Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Alice Network

New York City, 1953: Louise Leithauser’s star is on the rise. She’s filed some of the best pieces at her boyfriend Joe’s brand new literary magazine, Downtown (albeit under a male pseudonym), her relationship still makes her weak at the knees, and the science fiction romance she’s writing on the side, “The Lunar Housewife,” is going swimmingly. But when she overhears Joe and his business partner fighting about listening devices and death threats, Louise can’t help but investigate, and she quickly finds herself wading into dangerous waters.

As Louise pieces together rumors, hunches, and clues, the picture begins to come together–Downtown‘s strings are being pulled by someone powerful, and that someone doesn’t want artists or writers criticizing Uncle Sam. Meanwhile, opportunities are falling in Louise’s lap that she’d have to be crazy to refuse, including an interview with America’s most famous living author, Ernest Hemingway. Can Louise stand by and let doors keep opening for her, while the establishment sells out and censors her fellow writers? As her suspicions and paranoia mount, Louise’s own novel “The Lunar Housewife” changes shape, colored by her newfound knowledge. And when Louise is forced to consider her future sooner than she planned, she needs to decide whether she can trust Joe for the rest of her life. 

Peppered with cameos from real life luminaries such as Truman Capote and James Baldwin, and full of period detail and nail-biting tension, Caroline Woods channels 1950s New York glamour as Louise’s investigation brings her face to face with shocking secrets, brutal sexism, and life or death consequences. Deeply researched and propulsive, The Lunar Housewife is a historical thriller rich with meaning for modern readers.

I am so happy to tell you today about this wonderfully evocative new novel: The Thread Collectors which is currently on tour. I loved this story, told in different voices, and its characters.

Here’s the overview:

Author Bios: 

SHAUNNA J. EDWARDS (top) has a BA in literature from Harvard College and a JD from NYU School of Law. A former corporate lawyer, she now works in diversity, equity and inclusion. She is a native Louisianian, raised in New Orleans, and currently lives in Harlem with her husband. The Thread Collectors is her first novel. Find her on Instagram, @shaunnajedwards.

ALYSON RICHMAN (bottom) is the USA Today and #1 international bestselling author of several historical novels, including The Velvet Hours, The Garden of Letters, and The Lost Wife, which is currently in development for a major motion picture. Alyson graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in art history and Japanese studies. She is an accomplished painter and her novels combine her deep love of art, historical research, and travel. Alyson’s novels have been published in twenty-five languages and have reached bestseller lists both in the United States and abroad. She lives on Long Island with her husband and two children, where she is currently at work on her next novel. Find her on Instagram, @alysonrichman.

The Thread Collectors 

Authors: Shaunna J. Edwards and Alyson Richman

ISBN: 9781525899782

Paperback Original 

Publication Date: August 30, 2022

Publisher: Graydon House

Buy Links: Not affiliated with BBNB

HarperCollins.com 

BookShop.org

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Books-A-Million

McNally Jackson

Social Links:

Alyson Richman – Author Website 

Twitter: @alysonrichman

Facebook: Author Alyson Richman

Instagram: @AlysonRichman

Goodreads

Shaunna Edwards 

Facebook: Author Shaunna Edwards

Instagram: @shaunnajedwards

Goodreads

The blurb says it is “unforgettable” and it truly is! Thank you for my copy and for making me part of the tour. If you enjoy stories of the Civil War era, don’t miss this one – based on the authors’ family histories!

I enjoyed Megan Goldin’s The Night Swim so her publicist sent me a Net Galley link for her latest book, Stay Awake. Friends, believe me when I say:

This is the suspense novel of Summer ’22.

I loved, loved, loved this twisty read and I was trying all along to figure it all out. I love a book that keeps me up at night and that I can’t wait to escape into, and this was it!

That’s it from me – no spoilers! You can thank me later…

Description

A murder she doesn’t remember committing. A killer she doesn’t remember meeting. Megan Goldin’s Stay Awake is an electrifying novel that proves memory can be deadly.

Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a taxi with no idea where she is or how she got there. When she’s dropped off at the door of her brownstone, a stranger answers—a stranger who claims to live in her apartment. She reaches for her phone to call for help, only to discover it’s missing. In its place is a bloodstained knife. Her hands are covered in scribbled messages, like graffiti on her skin: STAY AWAKE.

Two years ago, Liv was thriving as a successful writer for a trendy magazine. Now, she’s lost and disoriented in a New York City that looks nothing like what she remembers. Catching a glimpse of the local news, she’s horrified to see reports of a crime scene where the victim’s blood has been used to scrawl a message across a window, similar to the message that’s inked on her hands. What did she do last night? And why does she remember nothing from the past two years? Liv finds herself on the run for a crime she doesn’t remember committing. But there’s someone who does know exactly what she did, and they’ll do anything to make her forget—permanently.

A complex thriller that unfolds at a breakneck speed, Stay Awake will keep you up all night.