Book Review; Finding The Source by Joan Livingstone

 

Today, my bookaholic friends, I am reviewing a cracking mystery book, this time with a cold case. Read on, my friends and find out why I think this is  a book well worth reading.

Blurb

A homeless man. His murdered mother. A book could be the clue.

Isabel Long’s next case begins during a chance encounter with a homeless man, who says he was 12 when he found his mother murdered in their home.

Abby McKenzie was a well-liked seller of vintage books who owned a store in the hilltown of Dillard. That was 43 years ago and the case was never solved.

One obstacle is that several of the suspects are dead, including an avid book collector, a former town official who stalked her, and the man who last saw her alive. Another is that, once again, Isabel must deal with Dillard’s police chief, who ran interference in her other cases.

But that doesn’t deter Isabel nor her mother Maria, her partner in solving crime. She just needs to find the source who will unlock this case

Review

Joan Livingstone is an author new to me but I can assure you I will be seeking out more of her books. Obviously, not having read the first seven books in the serious, I was wary of not being able to understand the overall series arc. This was not an issue as the author gives enough you get a feel for the characters. 

I loved the premise of a daughter and mother investigative team, an unusual combination in crime fiction. This added something to the plot and their relationship sparkled. I also liked the fact the main character, Isabel Long was a reporter turned private investigator meaning she had background knowledge she could use in her quest to solve the cold case. 

All the characters are well rounded and they have depth. Even knowing little about their backgrounds, I was still able to warm to Isabel and her mother, and got to know them well enough that I would like to read further books in the series. 

The investigation is hindered by the fact that the murder was 45 years ago but this did not deter our sleuths. Though not an on the edge of your seats mystery, the plot line was strong and kept me reading. I would highly recommend this book.

I was given. copy of this book as part of the Reading Behind the Lines Blog Tour. At no point was I asked to provide a positive review and it is based on my reading, and enjoyment, of the book. 

Joan Livingston is the author of novels for adult and young readers, including the Isabel Long Mystery Series, featuring a longtime journalist who becomes an amateur P.I. solving cold cases in rural New England. Finding the Source is the eighth book in the series.

Joan draws upon her own experience as a longtime journalist in Massachusetts and New Mexico to create Isabel Long, a sassy, savvy widow who uses the skills she acquired in the business to solve what appears to be impossible cases. She also relies on her deep knowledge of rural Western Massachusetts, where she lives, to create realistic characters and settings.
Links to Buy

Amazon USA – https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Source-Isabel-Long-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0F8JLJ5CW

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Finding-Source-Isabel-Long-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0F8JLJ5CW
Website and Social Media Links

WEBSITE

www.joanlivingston.net.

SUBSTACK

https://joanlivingston.substack.com/

FACEBOOK

www.facebook.com/JoanLivingstonAuthor/

INSTAGRAM

www.Instagram.com/JoanLivingston_Author

GOODREADS

www.Goodreads.com/Joan_Livingston

THREADS

https://www.threads.com/@joanlivingston_author

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Tweets by joanclivingston

BLUE SKY

https://bsky.app/profile/joanlivingston.bsky.social

That is it for another week Bookaholics. Meet me back here for another great post soon. Until then, keep reading and keep writing. 

Book Review: Death at a Shetland Festival by Marsali Taylor

 

Another cracking book for you to read my Bookaholic Friends.

Blurb

Crowds are gathered for a concert at Shetland's renowned folk music festival when there's a shocking discovery - international folk legend Fintan Foley has been stabbed backstage.

Sailing sleuth Cass Lynch and her partner DI Gavin Macrae are in the audience and must untangle a complicated case where nothing is quite what it seems. Cass soon discovers that Foley's smiling stage persona concealed links with Shetland. He'd worked here in the 80s, the days when oil brought wealth to the islands.

Has a long-buried secret risen to the surface - and will it make Cass a target for a cold-blooded killer?

Review

You always know when you start a Marsali Taylor Book you are in for a fabulous read. This one did not let me down. It starts off gently, describing the festival and really setting the scene; this is important for the plot. When the action starts it is non stop. Setting is extremely important to this book and it is described beautifully. I could imagine myself at the festival and found my toes tapping as the songs were described. I love the way the Shetland folk songs are used as chapter titles. This adds to the overall atmosphere and atmosphere there is in more ways than one. The plot held my interest as did the characters, all of whom are integral to the storyline. They are weaved in perfectly and all come across as real people. I found myself reading this way past the sensible time to put it down and first thing on waking up. The sign of a good book. Despite the fact it is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone. 

HOW TO BUY

Amazon

SOCIAL MEDIA LINK

Author Facebook Page 

WEBSITE LINKS

Website 

Amazon Author Page 

That's it for another week Bookaholics. See you all again soon. Until then keep reading and keep writing. 

Book Review: Hunter's Secret by Val Penny

 

Blurb

Detective Inspector Hunter Wilson is called to the scene of a murder. DCs Tim Myerscough and Bear Zewedu found a corpse, but when Hunter arrives it has disappeared, and all is not as it seems.

Hunter recalls the disappearance of a dead body thirty years earlier. The Major Incident Team is called in but sees no connection – it is too long ago. Hunter is determined to investigate the past and the present with the benefit of modern DNA testing.

Tim has other problems in his life. His father, Sir Peter Myerscough, is released from jail. He, too, remembers the earlier murder. There is no love lost between Hunter and Sir Peter. Will Hunter accept help from his nemesis to catch a killer?
Hunter’s own secret is exciting and crucial to his future. Will it change his life? And can he keep Edinburgh safe?

Review

This is the sixth book in Val Penny's series about Hunter Wilson, her Edinburgh based Detective. Often by this stage series can become formulaic but Penny has avoided this with a tense thriller, which brings Hunter's past squarely into the present. The book is well written with a storyline that engrosses and holds the readers attention throughout. From the opening flashback to the final denouement, the story takes us through numerous twists and turns, enough to keep the most hardened crime aficionado happy. As a crime lover myself, I enjoyed it immensely. Edinburgh is brought vividly to life and having been there countless times I say this with authority. I enjoyed getting to know Hunter more deeply, almost seeing inside his psyche. Another excellent thriller from the pen of Val Penny.

Author Bio

Val Penny has an Llb degree from the University of Edinburgh and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer but has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store.

Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories,nonfiction books, and novels. Her novels are published by SpellBound Books Ltd.

Val is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud and lives with her husband and their cat.

Links

Website - https://www.valpenny.com

Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Val-Penny/e/B07C4725TK

Author Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/valerie.penny.739

Author Twitter Page @valeriepenny

Author Instagram Page https://www.instagram.com/valerieepenny/

Book Review: Death in. Shetland Lane by Marsali Taylor

 

Hello, Bookaholics, I am absolutely delighted to be part of the book tour for Marsali Taylor's latest book, Death in Shetland Lane. I am a great lover of this series and I was very much looking forward to reading this one? Did it live up to expectations? - read on to find out.


Blurb

Days before the final Shetland fire festival, in broad daylight, a glamorous young singer tumbles down a flight of steps. Though it seems a tragic accident, sailing sleuth Cass Lynch, a witness at the scene, thought it looked like Chloe sleepwalked to her death.

But young women don't slumber while laughing and strolling with friends. Could it be that someone's cast a spell from the Book of the Black Arts, recently stolen from a Yell graveyard?

A web of tensions between the victim and those who knew her confirm that something more deadly than black magic is at work. But proving what, or who, could be lethal - and until the mystery is solved, innocent people will remain in terrible danger...

Review

I can categorically state that this, the latest book, did meet my expectations and then some. Taylor has crafted a story that had me hanging on to every word - I would expect nothing less from this consummate wordsmith. It is well plotted with a storyline that surprises, intrigues and leaves the reader breathless. Yes, I know it's a cliche, but one I use proudly. From the opening historical prologue to the final page the tension is played out well. Cass as a character continues to grow and yet she si the same old Cass; someone who feels like an old friend. The other characters are well drawn and believable bringing their own unique slant to the overall narrative and mystery. Of course, Shetland, sailing and boats are characters in themselves. All of these are portrayed well, allowing a glimpse into life both on the island and on the sea, without overwhelming. One is allowed a glimpse of these in a way which educates those who know little about them but without the rider feeling they are out of their depth. Please excuse the pun. Bring all this together and you are faced with a cracking read which will not disappoint. I can highly recommend it. 

Marsali Taylor

Marsali Taylor grew up near Edinburgh, and came to Shetland as a newly-qualified teacher. She is currently a part-time teacher on Shetland’s scenic west side, living with her husband and two Shetland ponies. Marsali is a qualified STGA tourist-guide who is fascinated by history, and has published plays in Shetland’s distinctive dialect, as well as a history of women's suffrage in Shetland. She's also a keen sailor who enjoys exploring in her own 8m yacht, and an active member of her local drama group.

HOW TO BUY

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Shetland-Lane-Sailing-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0BNDHKVRF/

SOCIAL MEDIA LINK

Author Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/MarsaliTaylorAuthor/

WEBSITE LINKS

Website - https://www.marsalitaylor.co.uk

Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Marsali-Taylor/e/B0034PACI8/

That's it for another week Bookaholics. I hope you enjoy eh book as much s I did. See you all soon, but until then, keep reading and keep writing. 

The Christmas Fair Killer

Hello Bookaholics. I’ve a great in store for you today.

I would like to start by saying thank you to the publisher Severn House for the ARC of this book.

Amy Patricia Meade is a new author to me but I like cozy mysteries and as this had a literary and culinary theme, I was sold. I am so glad I found both the book and the author and I will be reading more of her books. I like the lighthearted fun but it is also a strong mystery.

The premise of the book is that the body of a young actress is found in a trailer for visiting Thespians at a Christmas Fair. The main character, Tish Tarragon has been hired to cater for the cast and crew of the production and, on finding the body, is catapulted into solving a murder. There is intrigue and red herrings aplenty and of course all those involved have a backs Tory and secrets to hide. All this, taken together, leads to a well written story which made me want to keep reading. There were laugh out loud moments. So, why four stars  instead of five. For me, it was a little slow to get going and I felt much of the first chapter was taken up with describing the literary name for various sandwiches and meals. I would have liked the storyline to start a little quicker. However, that may just be me and it soon picked up and the book rattled along. A great read which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Whilst this book isn’t out at the time of writing, you can preorder it and I would recommend that you do.  Well worth reading.

See you soon with another great book review. Until then, keep reading.

Covering all things Covers

Good afternoon Bookaholics. I'm going to ask a question of you today - Do you judge a book by its cover? I know the saying goes that you shouldn't but I'll be honest and say, I usually do. If the cover doesn't catch my attention, then I usually give the book a swerve and move on. I'm a firm believer that the cover has to attract in order for a reader to take the next step and pick the book up and spend time in reading the blurb on the back. I believe we humans are fickle creatures and we know what we like.

However, as an author, I have to shove all personal feelings aside and step inside the mind of the reader. Or do I? As well as being a writer of crime, I am also an avid reader of crime books and certain covers attract me. I know what covers I expect for which genre or sub genre and, I can absolutely guarantee, so do most other readers of crime. I cannot, however, even begin to imagine any designs for my own covers. I may be able to plot a good story but when it comes to images my brain does not function in that way.

With regards to covers I one hundred percent believe that it's best to call in the experts. My cover, designer Cathy Helms of Avalon Graphics, is truly brilliant. She's got my work spot on. When I told her my next book was set in Dundee and New Orleans she came up with the cover above. Dundee is at the bottom and New Orleans at the top, all in glorious gold, purple and green with mist effect,  which suits the book down to the ground. I could never have come up with this but now I see it, I know it's perfect. Cathy is a visionary and can work magic with the little I give her. It fits in with the branding for the rest of the books perfectly. 

Book Description

Faced with the horrific murder of two Father Christmas's, DI Shona is hurtled into the centre of another deadly spree by a killer who will stop at nothing . With no clues and a rising body count she is shocked to find herself not only investigating in Dundee but also, New Orleans and the Louisiana Bayou. As the body count rises higher than the sticky Louisiana heat, Shona joins with her American colleagues to stop a serial killer in their tracks before Christmas is ruined forever. What, and who, could possible link these cities other than one grizzly murder after another.

Killer's Curse will be released in November. You can find out more and preorder your copy now

I hope you love the cover as much as I do. I hope you love the book even more. 

Thanks for tuning in, Bookaholics, I will be back soon with more news, views, help and assistance from the world of books, reading and writing. Until then, keep reading and writing.

The White Feather Killer by R.N. Morris

Good morning Bookaholics. Today, I bring you a review of a superb historical crime book. 

This is my first foray into reading R. N. Morris but I can assure you it won’t be my last. Although this is the fifth in the Silas Quinn Mystery series, it works beautifully as a stand alone book. In this book, Quinn finds himself in a somewhat awkward situation as the Special Crimes unit, which he headed up, has been closed down. This leaves him with no team and at the beck and call of a rather unpleasant colleague. This being World War 1, all those not joining up are handed white feathers, the universal sign for cowardice. When a young woman is murdered, with a white feather found in her mouth, the police are quick to arrest someone. However, Quinn feels the white feather is significant and continues the investigation. 

Morris is an outstanding writer and this character driven narrative is superb. Quinn is a well rounded character with a burning desire to see justice done, often to his own detriment. The plot is gripping. Just when you think everything is worked out another corner is turned and off it goes again. I truly loved this book and I am off to buy another in the series. If you like authentic, character driven, historical suspense, I would say this book is a must buy. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07QFSCCNQ/

I was given a copy of this book from Severn House Publishers via Netgalley. I was not at any time asked to write a positive review. My review is based on my reading, and enjoyment, of the book. 

Celebrating the Year Just Gone

As we start the year as writers we tend to look to the future. What will the year bring? What will be writing? What projects have we got planned? We often forget to look at what we have achieved so that is what I am urging you to do today. We are always growing and developing, both as a people and as writers. If we look at what we have done this can help us to move forward.

As writers we can often be despondent about our work and our achievements. We feel like we don't measure up or are not as good as others. We should be celebrating our successes whatever they may be. Take NaNoWriMo as an example. There are a number of writers celebrating because they reached the finish line. However, some will not have reached that Goal. Celebrate what you have done. Be it 10, 20, 30 or 40 thousand or even a thousand words, that is more words than you would have written if you had not been doing NaNoWriMo. You are that many words closer to completing your book.

As I look back over the past year I was genuinely astonished that I have completed 4 books and had short stories in 3 anthologies. This started with Power Packed Book Marketing in March, Killer's Cut in April, The Dagger's Curse in September and Killer's Crew in November. What a year and definitely worth celebrating. It has been non stop with conferences attended, speaking at conferences, speaking engagements, book signings and meeting readers. I signed a publishing contract for a series of young adult books and have an idea for another series. In short it has been a fabulous year, full of fun, laughter and writing.

Although the year has not ended yet I think one of the best ways to end Book Week Scotland was when Killer's Countdown was given an award. That, and the fact readers are enjoying my books make me a very happy writer indeed.

When taking stock of the year just gone it helps us to make decisions about the year ahead. Knowing what I am capable of has made me realise what I am capable of if I try. It has given me encouragement to achieve even more in the coming days and months and on into the future. If you are a writer I would encourage you to do a similar exercise. You might be amazed at what you have achieved without even knowing it.

Goodbye for now my Bookaholic friends. If you would like to buy signed copies of any of my books as Christmas presents then you can do so from my website. I'll get them out first class the day I receive the order. They make great stocking fillers as well.

You can also buy them from Amazon on the links on the right, Kobo, Nook and CLC Bookshops

See you soon my Bookaholic friends. Until then keep reading, and writing. Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Book Review: I'm Travelling Alone by Samuel Bjork

Today I am excited to bring you a great new voice in the Nordic Noir genre.

I love Nordic Crime and I was looking forward to reading this book by debut author Samuel Bjork. I was not disappointed. What a brilliant book. The story line is taut, the writing, draws you in and the plot is excellent. As this is the first book in, what I hope will be, a series, Characterisation plays a large part. Bjork excels in this area. Each character is different and has a distinct personality and speech pattern. This makes it easy to differentiate between them. However, the main character, Mia Kruger, is exceptionally well written. She is complex, multifaceted and haunted by demons form her past.

In this book Mia is dragged back from the brink of suicide by the lure of one, last, dark case. A serial killer is murdering young girls and leaving them with a note around their neck, "I am Travelling Alone." This description alone had me wanting to read more. From the first word to the last I was hooked and could not put this book down. I would say that Samuel Bjork is an exceptional new voice in Nordic Crime and definitely one to look out for. The book is atmospheric and sets the scene for the novel well.

A definite highly recommended from this very satisfied reader. If you like crime books then do not miss this one.

I was given a copy of this book from Amazon for review purposes. I was not expected to provide a positive review, and my review is based on my reading, and enjoyment, of the book. PLEASE NOTE the book is not published until July. It is available for preorder via Amazon.

That's it for another Bookaholic day. See you all again soon with another great book. Until then, what are you waiting for, get reading. 

A Winter Murderland by Juliet B. Madison

Today I’m pleased to welcome fellow crime author Juliet B Madison back to my blog to talk about A Winter Murderland, her recently released DI Frank Lyle novellas collection.

Can you briefly sum up A Winter Murderland for those who haven’t read it?

Juliet:  It’s winter and DI Frank Lyle, along with his team, are hoping for a crime-free season.

DS Thomas Fox feels threatened after a chance encounter with someone from his past. Can he and his boyfriend, James Lyle, deal with the emotional consequences of both the encounter and a revelation it forces Thomas to make?

John Cassidy is found dead. As DI Lyle and his team investigate they uncover sinister secrets and darker motives as they are drawn into the unfamiliar world of pharmaceutical malpractise and the minefield of murder by prescription.

A Winter Murderland also includes two DI Frank Lyle short stories: Wishing on a Star and The Dare.

I haven’t read the book as yet, but I believe it includes your NaNoWriMo piece?

Juliet:  Yes, that’s right Wendy. I’m really very proud of Prescription for Murder. I had to do more research than normal as I had to find out about pharmaceutical practise and prescription drugs, including ones which contraindicate one another. Cathy Goddard, the palliative care pharmacist where my mum works, was incredibly helpful and her husband, Tim, features in a cameo role as a paramedic (his real life profession)

Do you think DI Frank Lyle learns anything new as a result of this investigation?

Juliet: I don’t think he learns anything new police procedure-wise as he’s already an experienced detective, but he learns about prescription drugs and gets an insight into more of the darker facets of the human psyche.

Why did you include short stories in this collection?

Juliet: Originally the first novella, A Murder-Free Christmas, was to be published separately, but I decided to put two novellas together. Wishing on a Star is a story set in 1977 when James, DI Lyle’s son, is only six. The other story, The Dare was published in the Shadows & Light charity anthology to promote the work of Women’s Aid and to raise awareness of the more subtle aspects of domestic violence. James is sixteen and it’s a kind of emotional maturity coming of age tale (although not legally coming of age as no one turns eighteen).

I understand that DI Lyle is a big fan of Joan Baez and his colleague, DI Redfern, is into Bruce Springsteen. Do your characters’ musical tastes reflect your own in any way?

Juliet: When it comes to a character’s preferences in matters like music, reading matter, gastronomic tastes and even sexual tastes I think a lot of the author’s personal preferences do tend to creep in. Yes, I do admire Joan Baez and have seen her live twice. The fact that she is still doing live performances at the age of 73 shows incredible resilience. How many X factor winners will we remember even a year from now? I suspect that there is probably quite a bit of you in DI Shona McKenzie as well.

I know from previous interviews you’ve done that you enjoy reading crime fiction, but what’s the last book you read that wasn’t in the crime genre?

Juliet: I’m currently reading “My Life”, (David Jason’s autobiography), which I’m really enjoying.  I’m a huge David Jason fan and I think that DI Frost was the best part he played. I learnt a lot from watching that series and paid homage to the airing of the first ever episode in my last novel Best Served Cold. David is one actor I would love to meet.

Do you think DI Lyle & DI Frost would get on?

Juliet: On a personal level maybe, But DI Lyle would definitely be a straight man to Frost’s constant flouting of procedure and rule-breaking. I think he would really disapprove of Frost’s methods. They both get results in different ways.

Do you think that the crimes DI Lyle investigates will change as you move the series closer to the present day?

Juliet: There will ALWAYS be murderers, but yes, I suspect he will start to investigate things like Internet crime and identity theft as time moves on.

What’s next for DI Lyle & his team?

Juliet:  Another investigation involving people and drug trafficking, murder and corruption. I haven’t gotten very far with Dead on Arrival yet though.

Would you be prepared to share a short excerpt from A Winter Murderland with us?

JULIET:  Here’s a little bit from Prescription for Murder

Jean crossed the street and pressed the intercom button for Cassidy’s flat. The receiver crackled but there was no response. She swallowed hard.

“Mr Cassidy, are you alright?” she called. Ashbeck City Council paid Cassidy’s housing benefit direct to his bank account on a fortnightly basis and she came to collect. He had once been a lecturer at Ashbeck University, but about a year ago he had had surgery for a heart problem and not worked since. It seemed wrong to Jean, he was only in his early forties after all, but, she reminded, herself, when had life ever been fair?

There was still no response. Jean gave a glance at the leaden skies, before another tenant came out and held the door open for her.

“Thank you Mr Sakura,” she said, “Have you seen Mr Cassidy lately?”

“Not for a couple days, Miss Leyton,” he bowed respectfully as was Japanese custom.

“Alright, thank you.” she watched the Japanese walk across the road and down the street before ascending a flight of stairs to Cassidy’s apartment.

She knocked on the door, but there was no response.

She hated to invade a tenant’s privacy, but she had a need.

She unlocked the door and went in, calling his name. As she approached the door to the lounge she smelt an overpowering stench of decay. Almost afraid she pushed open the door and went in. She had not gotten more than two steps inside when the reason for Cassidy’s lack of response was made shockingly clear. Cassidy was slumped in the armchair, a bottle clutched in his hand. His dead eyes stared past her at nothing.

                                                                                                                                                                                             

Where can my readers get their own copy of A Winter Murderland?

JULIET:  You can buy A Winter Murderland here

Thank you Juliet. It was a pleasure to have you on the blog today and to find out more about your latest book. I wish you and all the readers of Bookaholic a very Merry Christmas