Bookouture Blog Tour for A VILLAGE THEATRE MURDER by Katie Gayle

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I just LOVE the Julia Bird mysteries, and I especially enjoy how Julia is an intelligent, middle-aged woman who loves her dog! This one took place during a community theater production and anyone who knows me knows how much I love community theater! Hard to believe this is the 7th in series; you do not need to read them in order and each can be a stand-alone.

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

Here’s the scoop:

Book Description:

There’s nothing quite like a night at the theatre. But Julia Bird is expecting a night of sweeping drama, not an onstage murder!

At the end of Berrywick’s amateur theatre’s latest production, a shot rings out amongst the rapturous applause. But when Julia Bird peeks through the curtain, she sees lead actor Graham is lying still on the stage, his co-actor Oscar looking down at his prop gun in shock. She knows that Graham has been murdered, but with nearly everyone in the village helping with the play, anyone could have tampered with the props. And why was a beloved family man the target?

Graham’s wife Jane collapses in a puddle of tears as Oscar is comforted and led away from the stage. But days later when Julia spots prim and proper Jane kissing Oscar, she wonders if the grieving widow’s tears were fake. Graham served Jane divorce papers the day of the tragedy – was he killed before he could spill the beans on his wife’s affair, and sully her perfect reputation?

Meanwhile, the aptly named director, Roger Grave, wants the show to go on. The play is up for a local award, and this might just be Roger’s big break. But when failed actor Hector is not assigned the lead role he assumed he’d get, the mood among the cast quickly turns sour. Could Hector have killed Graham out of jealously for the leading role, Julia wonders?

Then another member of the crew is found dead and Julia discovers there’s a dark secret at the heart of Berrywick’s local theatre society. But who would kill to protect it? Can Julia find the murderer before it’s curtains for another victim?

A totally gripping, charming cosy mystery set in the English countryside. Fans of M.C. Beaton, Faith Martin and Betty Rowlands will absolutely love the Julia Bird Mysteries.

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 made their debut in the cozy mystery genre. Both Gail and Kate live in Johannesburg, with husbands, children, dogs and cats. 

https://www.facebook.com/ KatieGayleWriter

https://twitter.com/ KatieGayleBooks

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Katie Gayle here: https://www.bookouture. com/katie-gayle

Buy Link: (NOT affiliated with BBNB)

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0DGQL9HZFsocial

You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you’ll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

A Map to Paradise by Susan Meissner

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I LOVE the writing of Susan Meissner, so I was excited to see that she had a new novel coming out this month. This was an interesting and engaging story, set in Southern California during the McCarthy era. I always love Ms. Meissner’s characters and how they change over the course of a novel. I find her stories always end on a note that, while not always happy, is affirming.

Here’s the scoop on this one. I got mine through Net Galley – thank you!

1956, Malibu, California: Something is not right on Paradise Circle.

With her name on the Hollywood blacklist and her life on hold, starlet Melanie Cole has little choice in company. There is her next-door neighbor, Elwood, but the screenwriter’s agoraphobia allows for just short chats through open windows. He’s her sole confidante, though, as she and her housekeeper, Eva, an immigrant from war-torn Europe, rarely make conversation.

Then one early morning Melanie and Eva spot Elwood’s sister-in-law and caretaker, June, digging in his beloved rose garden. After that they don’t see Elwood at all anymore. Where could a man who never leaves the house possibly have gone?
 
As they try to find out if something has happened to him, unexpected secrets are revealed among all three women, leading to an alliance that seems the only way for any of them to hold on to what they can still call their own. But it’s a fragile pact and one little spark could send it all up in smoke…

Bookouture Blog Tour for MURDER AT THE LOCH by Dee McDonald

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I really enjoy this cozy mystery series with Ally McKinley – a middle aged detective and owner of a B and B in Scotland. They are well-plotted and remind me a bit of Katie Gayle’s Julia Bird mysteries which I also enjoy. As someone who is firmly in middle age myself, I really like when the protagonist is around my age, intelligent, capable, and strong. And extra points if they love dogs!

This mystery kept me guessing until the end. I wish that these novels were made into a BBC mystery series!

Thank you for my copy and opportunity to take part in the tour.

Book Description:

Meet Ally McKinley: dog lover, guesthouse owner and accidental detective, as she tackles her next case in the beautiful Scottish Highlands!

Recent retiree Ally McKinley has stepped out with her puppy Flora for a walk by the loch in the tiny village of Locharran, taking a break from running the cosiest little guesthouse in the Highlands. But Ally’s peace and quiet is sunk when she and Flora find the body of a mysterious woman floating in the water…

Before she knows it, Ally finds herself wading into the middle of a new investigation. Who was the mystery woman and why was she killed? Her enquiries take her all over the village: from the corner shop and the nearby hotel to the turreted castle, home of local earl Hamish Sinclair where preparations are underway for his upcoming – and much gossiped about – wedding.

The body in the loch soon has the rumour mills buzzing. But then Elena, the earl’s new bride, is also found poisoned to death the morning after her marriage! With two deaths to investigate, the police appear to suspect almost everyone in Locharran, even Ally herself…

Determined to uncover the truth and clear her name, Ally finds poison at the home of one of her suspects and thinks she might be on the right path to solving both murders. But with a killer on the loose in the Scottish Highlands, can Ally unravel the clues before the next person in a watery grave is her?

A completely addictive Scottish cosy mystery from bestselling author Dee MacDonald. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Clare Chase.

Author Bio:

Aged 18, Dee arrived in London from Scotland and typed her way round the West End for a couple of years before joining BOAC (forerunner of British Airways) in Passenger Services for 2 years and then as a stewardess for 8 years.

She has worked in Market Research, Sales and at the Thames TV Studios when they had the franchise.

Dee has since relocated to Cornwall, where she spent 10 years running B&Bs, and only began writing when she was over 70!

Married twice, she has one son and two grandsons.

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDeeMacDonald
https://twitter.com/dmacdonaldauth

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Dee MacDonald here: https://www.bookouture.com/dee-macdonald

Buy Link: NOT affiliated with BBNB

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0DF2KCVKBsocial

The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner

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I love the writing of novelist Jennifer Weiner so I was thrilled when I was offered this title through her publisher and Net Galley. This was a story of two sisters who hit it big in the music world, but then a terrible accident destroys everything they have. These two, Cassie and Zoe, could not have been more unalike: one beautiful and self-centered and attention-seeking, one shy, gifted, and wanting to stay out of the limelight. This story is a bit heart-breaking, though I loved the ending. What rings true throughout, as it often does in Weiner’s work, is that you should not be judged by how you look, but by how you are inside and your actions.

Here’s the scoop:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner comes The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits, a deeply moving novel set against the glitz and chaos of early 2000s pop stardom. Equal parts heartfelt family saga and behind-the-scenes look at fame, this is a story about sisters, secrets, and the power of second chances. 

Cassie and Zoe Grossberg were thrust into the spotlight as The Griffin Sisters, a pop duo that defined the aughts. Together, they skyrocketed to the top, gracing MTV, SNL, and the cover of Rolling Stone. Cassie, a musical genius who never felt at ease in her own skin, preferred to stay in the shadows. Zoe, full of confidence and craving fame, lived for the stage. But fame has a price, and after one turbulent year, the band abruptly broke up. 

Now, two decades later, the sisters couldn’t be further apart. Zoe is a suburban mom warning her daughter Cherry to avoid the spotlight, while Cassie has disappeared from public life entirely. But when Cherry begins unearthing the truth behind their breathtaking rise and infamous breakup, long-buried secrets surface, forcing all three women to confront their choices, their desires, and their complicated bonds. 

With richly developed characters, a nostalgic nod to the pop culture of the 2000s, and a resonant tale of ambition, forgiveness, and family, The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits will captivate readers from the first note to the final encore. Whether you’ve followed Jennifer Weiner for years or are discovering her for the first time, this book is a must-read for music lovers, fans of sisterly dramas, and anyone who cherishes a great story of second chances.

The Secret History of Audrey James by Heather Marshall

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My friends over at Random House offered me a copy of this novel to review via Net Galley and I thought that it sounded like something I would enjoy. Well, I didn’t just like this novel, I loved it! I really, really loved this story, the characters, the plot, everything about it. It’s only January but it will probably be one of my Top Ten of the Year! One of my favorite things is that there is a page of sheet music at the end (even on kindle!) so that you can see the song the protagonist composed (I play the piano so I was really into this).

The Secret History of Audrey James by Heather Marshall

On sale February 25, 2025

More about The Secret History of Audrey James:

Northern England, 2010. After a tragic accident upends her life, Kate Mercer leaves London to work at an old guest house near the Scottish border, where she hopes to find a fresh start and heal from her loss. When she arrives, she begins to unravel the truth about her past, but discovers that the mysterious elderly proprietor is harboring secrets of her own.

Berlin, 1938. Audrey James is weeks away from graduating from a prestigious music school in Berlin, where she’s been living with her best friend, Ilse Kaplan. As war looms, Ilse’s family disappears and high-ranking Nazi officers confiscate the house. In desperation, Audrey becomes their housekeeper while Ilse is forced into hiding in the attic. When a shocking turn of events embroils Audrey in the anti-Hitler movement, she must decide what matters most: protecting those she loves, or sacrificing everything for the greater good.

Inspired by true stories of courageous women and the German resistance during World War II, The Secret History of Audrey James is a captivating novel about the unbreakable bonds of friendship, the sacrifices we make for those we love, and the healing that comes from human connection.

So who is Heather Marshall and why is she not already on my “bestie” list?? I had not read her earlier book, Looking for Jane (but obviously need to). She lives with her family in (or near) Toronto (why do some of most favorite authors live in Canada? Do I need to move there? Trilby Kent and Elinor Florence, what do you think? I literally thought that everything I loved related to literature was in the UK but now I need to reconsider). At the end she says she is working on a new novel about women’s mental health historically in Canada – sounds intriguing!

If you love reading WWII stories with a past/present timeline and interesting, strong female characters, don’t miss this one!

Thank you, Random House team, for my copy!

HTP Blog Tour for Nothing Ever Happens Here by Seraphina Nova Glass

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I’m here today as part of the HTP winter blog tour, dishing about a new suspenseful thriller: Nothing Ever Happens Here. So, of course, a lot IS happening in this novel, from murder to missing persons to kidnappings to stolen items. There were a lot of characters and a lot of motives and it definitely kept me guessing. I kept thinking as I read that this would make a good limited series on Netflix. My challenge while reading was keeping everyone and their motives straight, but overall this was an edge-of-your-seat thriller!

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

Nothing Ever Happens Here

By Seraphina Nova Glass

On Sale: February 11, 2025

About the Book:

“A charming cast of characters, a twisty mystery, and a diabolical killer make Nothing Ever Happens Here impossible to put down. A riveting page-turner with a sly sense of humor.” —Robyn Harding, internationally bestselling author of The Haters

Nothing ever happens in small towns…

When Shelby Dawson survives a harrowing attack that should have left her dead, she tries to move past it—for herself, and for her family. Fifteen months later, with the help of her best friend, Mackenzie, she finally feels safe again in the snowy Minnesota town she calls home. But when an anonymous note appears on her windshield bearing the same threats her attacker made, Shelby realizes that her nightmare has only just begun.

As new evidence surfaces, and a group of well-meaning senior citizens accidentally makes the case go viral online, the situation quickly goes from bad to worse. And with suspicious accidents targeting those closest to her happening all over town, Shelby can’t shake the feeling that she’s being watched. Fighting to stay one step ahead of disaster, she finds herself asking the question on everyone’s lips: Who attacked her that night?

But Shelby isn’t the only one with questions. Mackenzie’s husband, Leo, vanished without a trace on that terrible night, and over a year later, no one knows why. Until a deep dive into his finances reveals a history of debts, mismanaged funds, and hidden accounts—one of which is still active. Their suspicion that Leo is still alive only complicates things further, though, and when another person connected to Shelby goes missing, she’s caught in a race against time before her attacker becomes a killer.

About the Author: 

Seraphina Nova Glass is an assistant professor of instruction and playwright in residence at the University of Texas, Arlington, where she teaches film studies and playwriting. Her novel On A Quiet Street was nominated for an Edgar Award, was a New York Times Summer Read, an Amazon Bestseller and Editor’s Pick, and also featured in the Boston Globe and Bustle. Publishers Weekly has named her “a writer to watch.” She’s also an award-winning playwright and holds an MFA degree in dramatic writing from Smith College and a second MFA in directing from the University of Idaho. She is a proud dog mom and loves to travel the world with her husband. She resides in Dallas, Texas.

Buy Links (NOT affiliated with BBNB):

HarperCollins: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/nothing-ever-happens-here-seraphina-nova-glass?variant=42521060835362 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=9781525836725&tag=hcg-02-20 

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nothing-ever-happens-here-seraphina-nova-glass/1145581324?ean=9781525836725 

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/everyone-knows-something-a-thriller-original-seraphina-nova-glass/21448569?ean=9781525836725 

Social Links:

Author Website: https://www.seraphinanovaglass.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seraphinanovaglass/ 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8061717.Seraphina_Nova_Glass 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seraphinasnovaglass/ 

HTP Blog Tour for Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff

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If you read my blog, you know I LOVE the writing of Pam Jenoff. She writes amazing stories of resilience and resistance in WWII with strong female protagonists. I loved this story, which had parallel tales in two time periods (my favorite structure for a historical fiction narrative!).

Here’s the scoop:

Last Twilight In Paris

By Pam Jenoff

On Sale: February 4, 2025

About the Book:

“A fast-paced and vibrant wartime tale of holding on to love against the odds and learning to fight for the truth.” –Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Daughter

A Parisian department store, a mysterious necklace and a woman’s quest to unlock a decade-old mystery are at the center of this riveting novel of love and survival, from New York Times bestselling author Pam Jenoff

London, 1953. Louise is still adjusting to her postwar role as a housewife when she discovers a necklace in a box at a secondhand shop. The box is marked with the name of a department store in Paris, and she is certain she has seen the necklace before worked with the Red Cross in Nazi-occupied Europe —and that it holds the key to the mysterious death of her friend Franny during the war. 
 
Following the trail of clues to Paris, Louise seeks help from her former boss Ian, with whom she shares a romantic history.  The necklace leads them to discover the dark history of Lévitan—a once-glamorous department store that served as a Nazi prison, and Helaine, a woman who was imprisoned there, torn apart from her husband when the Germans invaded France.
 
Louise races to find the connection between the necklace, the department store and Franny’s death. But nothing is as it seems, and there are forces determined to keep the truth buried forever. Inspired by the true story of Lévitan, Last Twilight in Paris is both a gripping mystery and an unforgettable story about sacrifice, resistance and the power of love to transcend in even the darkest hours.

About the Author: Pam Jenoff is the author of several books of historical fiction, including the NYT bestseller The Orphan’s Tale. She holds a degree in international affairs from George Washington University and a degree in history from Cambridge, and she received her JD from UPenn. Her novels are inspired by her experiences working at the Pentagon and as a diplomat for the State Department handling Holocaust issues in Poland. She lives with her husband and 3 children near Philadelphia, where she teaches law.

Buy Links: (not affiliated with BBNB)

HarperCollins: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/last-twilight-in-paris-pam-jenoff?variant=42640819388450 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=9780778307983&tag=hcg-02-20 

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/last-twilight-in-paris-pam-jenoff/1145679315?ean=9780778387794 

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-department-of-stolen-heirlooms-original-pam-jenoff/21476022?ean=9780778307983 

Social Links:

Author Website: https://pamjenoff.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pamjenoff/ 

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/213562.Pam_Jenoff 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pam-Jenoff/1216746581800099 

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/PamJenoff 

Thank you for my copy via Net Galley and for having me as part of the tour!

New Zealand: A Novel by Lance Morcan

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I’m throwing the spotlight on this title today, in part because for today and tomorrow (Jan 12 and 13, 2025) it is FREE on Kindle! What?? Yes, you read that right. FREE!

New Zealand: A Novel spans almost 500 years and covers the respective discoveries of New Zealand by Pacific Islanders and Europeans. From the outset the two stories are interposed. It starts in the 1300’s with the departure of Islanders from Hawaiki in search of land far to the south.

The hardy, brown-skinned people who arrive here first call themselves Maori and they call their new home Aotearoa – land of the long, white cloud. The fascinating, eventful and sometimes violent lives of descendants of those first arrivals are traced through the centuries until the arrival of Europeans aboard Captain James Cook’s bark the Endeavour. Cook names the new land New Zealand.

Maoris call the white intruders pakeha. Their arrival heralds a clash of two vastly different ideologies as European civilization collides head on with indigenous culture.

The misunderstandings, tension and bloodshed that follow are relayed as seen through the eyes of one of the Endeavour’s youngest and most engaging crewmembers, Surgeon’s Assistant Nicholas Young, as the vessel embarks on its historic circumnavigation of the country.

Amidst the life-threatening challenges Nicholas faces at sea and on land, the young man finds true love when he meets Anika, a beautiful Maori princess who steals his heart.

About the author:

Lance Morcan

New Zealand novelist and screenwriter Lance Morcan is a prolific author with more than 35 published fiction and non-fiction books to his credit as well as several screenplay adaptations of his work. A former journalist and newspaper editor, he regularly writes in collaboration with his son James Morcan, and their books are published by Sterling Gate Books.

The father-and-son team’s published books include the new release horror Silent Fear (A novel inspired by true crimes) and the bestselling historical adventures White Spirit, Fiji: A Novel and Into the Americas. They also have several series including The Orphan Trilogy, an international thriller series, the globetrotting action-romance series The World Duology, and the controversial non-fiction franchise The Underground Knowledge Series, which includes Genius Intelligence and The Catcher in the Rye Enigma.

Several of their books have been regular visitors to Amazon’s bestseller lists over the years.

An additional non-fiction title they’re especially proud of is Debunking Holocaust Denial Theories, which was written in collaboration with Holocaust survivors to document the genocide.

Lance’s first solo-authored novel, a historical adventure-romance titled New Zealand: A Novel, was published late 2024. Spanning almost 500 years, this novel covers the respective discoveries of New Zealand by Pacific Islanders and Europeans. From the outset the two stories are interposed. It starts in the 1300’s with the departure of Islanders from Hawaiki in search of land far to the south. Researching and writing this epic was literally half a century in the making for Lance who described the task as “A labour of love that spanned 50 years.”

The Morcans’ production entity Morcan Motion Pictures has a number of feature films in early development, including adaptations of Silent Fear, Into the Americas and White Spirit.

The Day after the Party by Nicole Trope

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My friends at Grand Central Publishing sent me this suspenseful read and I read it this week as it published 1/7. Marriage issues, infidelity, friendships, birthdays, and amnesia combine for a taut, suspenseful thriller.

Highly recommended! Thanks for my copy!

The perfect birthday or the perfect nightmare?

Katelyn smiles at her husband and friends, gathered to celebrate her thirty-sixth birthday in their beautiful home decorated with fairy lights. But the next day Katelyn wakes up shaken and terrified in a hospital bed…

She doesn’t remember the sweet taste of birthday cake icing, or how angry her best friend was at midnight, or the terrible things her husband said. She doesn’t remember the party at all.

When she asks her husband what happened the night of the party he says ‘nothing’. But her blood runs cold at the way his voice lilts slightly. The way it always does when he is lying.

Did someone at the party harm her? What is her husband hiding? Or did Katelyn herself do something terrible?

About the Author

Nicole Trope went to university to study Law but realized 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 Children’s Literature.

The idea for her first published novel, The Boy under the Table, was so scary that it took a year for her to find the courage to write the emotional story. She went on to publish a further five novels in Australia before joining Bookouture in 2019. She is a USA Today and Amazon bestseller in the USA, UK, AUS and CAN.

Gaelic & Garlic: A Boston Love Story by Mike Bernard

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I’m shouting it out today for a new novel by local-to-me writer Mike Bernard: Gaelic and Garlic: A Boston Love Story. As someone with a full Irish father and a full Italian mother, this one spoke to me!

Completing the Boston Irish Belt Trilogy along with Dorchester’s CROSSING THE SAGAMORE and Southie’s THE CROSSING GUARDS, comes Charlestown’s GAELIC & GARLIC: A Boston Love Story.

Among the most overlooked ethnic problems in the country was the division between Irish and Italians. Historically two of the poorest immigrant communities, they clashed on everything from jobs to housing to politics. As rivals, both were always treated with suspicion and fear. No Italian boy would ever bring an Irish girl home to dinner, and the Irish were even less welcoming.

When East Boston’s Antonio Domenicio Riccardo Maximilianus PrestiDiGiovanni meets Charlestown-tough Margaret Katherine Philomena Coventina O’Shaughnessy (for a combined total of 39 syllables!) they have no idea how their lives are intersected. Richie and Mary Kate both live in a world where things should have been – but one simple decision changed the whole trajectory of their lives.

GAELIC & GARLIC is a heartwarming and hilarious story about discovering love when you least expect it, and finding comfort in family and traditions.

Family.

It’s what makes us different and what helps us stick together. We’re Italian first and foremost. Or we’re Irish. Or English. Or Spanish. Or Asian. Doesn’t matter. Whatever it is, to the outside world we’re loud and boastful and clannish and full of ethnic pride. But the truth is, we’re bonded by the best and worst of ourselves. The devotion, the blind faith, the disappointment, the ball-busting, the insanity, the passion – we’re the sum of all of it and that’s why we hold each other close. It’s family, and families are tricky. There is so much there that can flatten us, knock us to our knees and then help us rise and stand tall. If nothing else, we have each other, because when it really matters, families stick together. No one stands a chance if they’re alone.To the Irish and Italian in all of us.

Sláinte and Alla Salute!

Mike Bernard

About the Author:

Mike Bernard is a multi-optioned screenwriter and author. His work has been recognized internationally in the Academy Nicholl Fellowship, PAGE International Screenplay Competition, NANTUCKET FILM FESTIVAL and Los Angeles Screenplay competitions. His ‘midlife crisis’ writing career began when his children and his money went off to college – checks made out to Loyola University Maryland (x2) and Assumption College respectively.

Mike is a graduate of Providence College and Boston College High School. He resides on Cape Cod with his wife Michele.

He spends his summers losing to someone twice his age in Pickleball, and his winters aimlessly roaming the aisles of Home Depot.