Posts Tagged ‘historical’

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I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the MISS AUSTEN INVESTIGATES: THE HAPLESS MILLINER by Jessica Bull Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours.

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Check out my review and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

MISS AUSTEN INVESTIGATES: THE HAPLESS MILLINER

by Jessica Bull

 

 

Pub. Date: February 27, 2024

Publisher: Union Square Co.

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 368

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Find it: Goodreadshttps://books2read.com/THE-HAPLESS-MILLINER

 

A witty, engaging murder mystery
featuring Jane Austen as an intrepid amateur sleuth—the first in a series.

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Jane Austen—sparkling, spirited, and incredibly clever—is suddenly thrust into
a mystery when a milliner’s dead body is found locked inside a cupboard in the
middle of a ball. When Jane’s brother Georgy is found with some jewelry
belonging to the deceased, the local officials see it as an open-and-shut case:
one which is likely to end with his death. Jane is certain that he is innocent,
and there is more to the murder than meets the eye. Her investigations send her
on a journey through local society, as Jane’s suspect list keeps on growing—
and her keen observational skills of people will be put to the test to solve
the crime and save her brother. 

Featuring the same lively wit, insightful social commentary, and relatable
characters that have made Jane Austen books into perennial classics, this first
entry in the Miss Austen Investigates series is perfect for anyone who
enjoyed The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl or other historical
mystery books based on real people, as well as fans looking to add to their
Jane Austen collection.

 

 

MY REVIEW

I was already in my 30s when I finally jumped on the Jane Austen bandwagon. I read as much as I could get my hands on. When I had an opportunity to read about a younger version of Jane and it was a cozy mystery, which is a category I love, I had high hopes it would give me an authenticate character as Jane and all the fun and quirkiness of a cozy mystery.

I wasn’t disappointed. The going was slow at the beginning. There were a lot of characters, many that I recognized, and I had to get accustomed to Jane as more of an amateur at sleuthing. Once I got comfortable it was all great fun. There was a huge list of suspects and many false leads. That made figuring out the culprit harder for me and I was eager to find out who it was. Sped through this in one reading and will be watching for the next book in the series. It should be fun to see what kind of mystery the author drops Jane into next.

4 STARS

 

 

About Author Jessica Bull:

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Jessica
Bull
grew up in
southeast London, where she still lives with her husband, two daughters, and
far too many pets. She’s addicted to stories and studied English Literature at
Bristol University, and Information Science at City University, London. She
began work as a librarian (under the false impression she could sit and read
all day), before becoming a communications consultant. Miss Austen
Investigates: The Hapless Milliner is her debut novel.

Twitter | InstagramTikTokGoodreads | Amazon

 

 

 

Giveaway contest ribbon promo label prize. Vector giveaway banner badge design template

 

1 winner will receive a finished copy of MISS AUSTEN INVESTIGATES: THE HAPLESS MILLINER,
US Only.

Ends March 5th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

2/19/2024

Kountry
Girl Bookaholic

Guest Post/IG Post

2/20/2024

Two Chicks on
Books

Guest Post/IG Post

2/21/2024

@stargirls.magical.tale

IG Review

2/22/2024

Kim’s
Book Reviews and Writing Aha’s

Review/IG Post

2/23/2024

anitralovesbooksanddogs

IG Review

Week Two:

2/26/2024

Country Mamas
With Kids

Review/IG Post

2/27/2024

@dana.loves.books

IG Review/TikTok Post

2/28/2024

Two Points of
Interest

Review

2/29/2024

Confessions Of
The Perfect Mom

Review/IG Post

3/1/2024

FUONLYKNEW

Review

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Murder in Masquerade (A Lady of Letters Mystery)
by Mary Winters

 


Murder in Masquerade (A Lady of Letters Mystery)
Historical Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – London, 1860
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (February 20, 2024)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593548787
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593548783
Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C5V8FY7P

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Extra, extra, read all about it! Countess turned advice columnist Amelia Amesbury finds herself playing the role of sleuth when a night at the theatre turns deadly.

Victorian Countess Amelia Amesbury’s secret hobby, writing an advice column for a London penny paper, has gotten her into hot water before. After all, Amelia will do whatever it takes to help a reader in need. But now, handsome marquis Simon Bainbridge desperately requires her assistance. His beloved younger sister, Marielle, has written Amelia’s Lady Agony column seeking advice on her plans to elope with a man her family does not approve of. Determined to save his sister from a scoundrel and the family from scandal, Simon asks Amelia to dissuade Marielle from the ill-advised gambit.

But when the scoundrel makes an untimely exit after a performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto, Amelia realizes there’s much more at stake than saving a young woman’s reputation from ruin. It’s going to take more than her letter-writing skills to help the dashing marquis, mend the familial bond, and find the murderer. Luckily, solving problems is her specialty!

About Mary Winters

© Julie Prairie Photography 2016

Mary Winters is the author of the Lady of Letters historical mystery series. She also writes cozy mysteries under the name Mary Angela. A longtime reader and fan of historical fiction, Mary set her latest work in Victorian England after being inspired by a trip to London. Since then, she’s been busily planning her next mystery—and another trip! Find out more about Mary and her writing, reading, and teaching at marywintersauthor.com.

Author Links: Website / Blog / Facebook / Instagram / Goodreads

Purchase Links – AmazonB&NBAMBookshop.orgPowell’s BooksHudson Booksellers

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

February 20 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW  

February 21 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT

February 21 – Jane Reads – REVIEW

February 22 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

February 22 – fundinmental– SPOTLIGHT

February 23 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW

February 23 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

February 24 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

February 24 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW

February 25 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT

February 26 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

February 26 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

February 27 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

February 28 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

February 28 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT

February 29 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 1 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

March 1 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

March 2 – The Mystery of Writing – REVIEW

March 2 – Review Thick And Thin – REVIEW

March 2 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

March 3 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

March 4 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

March 4 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

 

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for The Spinster, The Rebel, And The Governor organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Charlene Bell Deitz will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Spinster, The Rebel, And The Governor

by Charlene Bell Deitz

 

 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis

Move over Susan B. Anthony. There’s an unsung woman asking for the vote 224 years before you, and murderous rebels and bigoted gentlemen can’t prevent spinster Lady Margaret Brent from wielding her power to defend Maryland settlers from plunder and obliteration.

Lady Margaret Brent, compelled to right wrongs, risks her life by illegally educating English women, placing her family at risk. She fights to have a voice, yet her father and brothers exclude her from discussions. Worried the kings’ men may know of her illegal activities, she flees to the New World where she can enjoy religious tolerance and own land, believing she will be allowed a voice. Once in Maryland, she presents cases in provincial court where she’s hired as the first American woman attorney, but there she uncovers perilous actions, prompting her to build a fort to shield those within from being murdered. Can Margaret Brent’s integrity and ingenuity protect Maryland from being destroyed?

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Their cousin Cecil, the second Lord Baltimore, addressed the men. “I’ve spoken of colonization before. You’ve listened politely, but your loyalties remain with your king and England. I understand, as do mine.”

“Then you’ve no need to speak more of this.” Edward said.

“But I do.” Cecil narrowed his eyes.

Richard said, “You forgot something rather important, my friend.”

Cecil hesitated.

“You must consider the king’s act that restrains the popishly bred from going beyond the seas and the punishments for those who assist.”

Giles looked up from the map. “Popish—the hell. King Charles can’t even bring himself to say Catholic.”

“Silly. Everyone but those of us who are says ‘popish.’” Margaret now waited for her father to reprimand her, but he said nothing.

“A serious point, my friend. Dangerous times, indeed,” said Cecil. “King Charles’s wrath increases and will come down on those who refuse to conform to the Church of England.”

Fulke shut his eyes a moment before saying, “You’re a kind gentleman, sir. But if you pursue this, you will certainly lose everything you and your father have acquired. Even your mentioning this to us puts you in jeopardy.”

“Every second of every day puts us all in jeopardy. Today and the weeks forward, your family may suffer destruction beyond your imagination.” He took several paces then stopped and studied each of the men. “Please, friends, decide to take my offer. It takes time and special negotiations to arrange a safe passage for you. Remember, a most disagreeable mood has overtaken England concerning passengers who refuse to take the oath of allegiance and acknowledge the king’s supremacy. We need to be clever so as not to be entrapped.”

A tap on the door stopped the conversation. Mary glanced at her father, then rose, and opened it.

Pursell stood waiting to be acknowledged.

“Yes?” said Richard.

“Sir, supper will be served within the hour, and also there’s a man at the back door. He’s asked to speak with you.”

 “Cecil, good friend, will you join us in a late supper?”

“It’s past time for me to be on my way to Ilmington. Please consider what we’ve discussed. I’ll send word where we may engage in a private meeting.”

“Pursell,” Richard said, “have Dary see Lord Calvert’s carriage and horse are brought forth.”

Lord Calvert strode to the table. He placed with great care what must have been his cherished map on top and slid the stack into a burgundy, embossed leather folio. Gathering his cape and hat and in good cheer, bowed his farewell.

Her father squinted at his servant. “Tell me, what brings this fellow to our door at this hour?”

“He says his name is John Coates, sir. It seems a young girl saw Lady Margaret talking with his son earlier this afternoon. His son has gone missing, and the sheriff has found a dead man.”

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About Author Charlene Bell Deitz:

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Charlene Bell Dietz lives in the central mountains of New Mexico. She taught kindergarten through high school, served as a school administrator, and an adjunct instructor for the College of Santa Fe. After retirement she traveled the United States providing instruction for school staff and administrators. Her writing includes published articles, children’s stories, short stories, and mystery and historical novels

 

Author Links: Email / Website / Twitter

Purchase Link

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Murder Under A Honey Moon:
A 1930s Mona Moon Historical Cozy Mystery
by Abigail Keam

 


Murder Under A Honey Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Historical Cozy Mystery
Historical Cozy Mystery
12th in Series
Setting – On the RMS Majesty ocean liner in the Atlantic
Worker Bee Press (February 19, 2024)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 250 pages
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BZM4YVF4

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Mona Moon and her new husband, Robert Farley, Duke of Brynelleth, are on their honeymoon at last. They have just boarded the RMS Majesty ocean liner. The couple are looking forward to visiting Robert’s ancestral English home, Brynelleth, and then off to Paris before winding up on the Italian Riviera. After a romantic evening of dancing until the wee hours of the night, Mona and Robert discover their suite has been ransacked and Mona’s jewelry, supposedly secured in their stateroom, has been stolen.

Mona is horrified, as some of the jewelry belongs to the Brynelleth Estate and were cherished pieces of Robert’s mother. The ship’s crew searches the ocean liner, and a gold brooch turns up in a bartender’s cabin. It is the same bartender who served Mona earlier in the evening. The only problem is the bartender has been murdered and the rest of the jewelry is still missing.

 

About Abigail Keam

Award-winning author Abigail Keam writes the Mona Moon Mystery Series—a rags-to-riches 1930s mystery series, which includes real people and events into the story line. “I am a student of history and love to insert historical information into my mysteries. There is an addendum at the end of the mystery to give more information. My goal is to entertain my readers, but if they learn a little something along the way—well, then we are both happy.”

Miss Abigail currently lives on the Palisades bordering the Kentucky River in a metal house with her husband and various critters.

THE MONA MOON MYSTERY SERIES

1930s Historical Mysteries

Murder Under A Blue Moon I

Murder Under A Blood Moon II

Murder Under A Bad Moon III

Murder Under A Silver Moon IV

Murder Under A Wolf Moon V

Murder Under A Black Moon VI

Murder Under A Full Moon VII

Murder Under A New Moon VIII

Murder Under A English Moon IX

Murder Under A British Moon X

Murder Under A Bridal Moon XI

Murder Under A Honeymoon XII

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest / Amazon / TikTok

Purchase Links –   Amazon –   Barnes and Noble –  AppleKobo

AWARDS
2010 Gold Medal Award from Readers’ Favorite for Death By A HoneyBee
2011 Gold Medal Award from Readers’ Favorite for Death By Drowning
2011 USA BOOK NEWS-Best Books List of 2011 as a Finalist for Death By Drowning
2011 USA BOOK NEWS-Best Books List of 2011 as a Finalist for Death By A HoneyBee
2017 Finalist from Readers’ Favorite for Death By Design
2019 Honorable Mention from Readers’ Favorite for Death By Stalking
2019 Top 10 Mystery Novels from Kings River Life Magazine for Murder Under A Blue Moon2
2019 Honorable Mention from Readers’ Favorite for Death By Stalking: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery
2019 Top 10 Mystery Novels from Kings River Life Magazine for Murder Under A Blue Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Mystery
2020 Imadjinn Award for Best Mystery – Death By Stalking: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery
2022 Finalist in Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Finalist for Best Historical Category – Murder Under A Full Moon
2022 Finalist for the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award for Best Historical Category – Murder Under A New Moon
2022 Death By Chance: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Finalist for Best Cozy Mystery
2022 Top Ten Mystery Novel by Kings River Life Magazine for Murder Under A Bridal Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Mystery
2022 Top Ten Mystery Novel by Kings River Life Magazine for Murder Under A British Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Mystery

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

February 19 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – SPOTLIGHT

February 19 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

February 19 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

February 20 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT  

February 20 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

February 20 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

February 21 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

February 21 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

February 21 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

February 22 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST

February 22 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER GUEST POST

February 23 – Books to the Ceiling – SPOTLIGHT – PODCAST

February 23 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

February 23 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

February 24 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

February 24 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

February 25 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

February 25 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT 

February 25 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Welcome to my stop on the LIGHT AND AIR by Mindy Nichols Wendell Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours.

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Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

 

LIGHT AND AIR

Author: Mindy Nichols Wendell

 

 

Pub. Date: January 2, 2024

Publisher: Holiday House

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 218

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Find it: Goodreadshttps://books2read.com/LIGHT-AND-AIR 

 

It’s 1935, and tuberculosis is
ravaging the nation. Everyone is afraid of this deadly respiratory illness. But
what happens when you actually have it?

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When Halle and her mother both come down with TB, they are shunned—and then
they are sent to the J.N. Adam Tuberculosis Hospital: far from home, far from
family, far from the world.

Tucked away in the woods of upstate New York, the hospital is a closed and
quiet place. But it is not, Halle learns, a prison. Free of her worried and
difficult father for the first time in her life, she slowly discovers joy,
family, and the healing power of honey on the children’s ward, where the girls
on the floor become her confidantes and sisters. But when Mama suffers a lung
hemorrhage, their entire future—and recovery—is thrown into question….

Light and Air deals tenderly and insightfully with isolation,
quarantine, found family, and illness. Set in the fully realized world of a
1930s hospital, it offers a tender glimpse into a historical epidemic that has
become more relatable than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As Halle tries to
warm her father’s coldness and learns to trust the girls and
women of the hospital, and as she and her mother battle a disease that once
paralyzed the country, a profound message of strength, hope, and healing emerges.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

 

 

Enjoy this peek inside:

Excerpt from Light and Air / Text copyright © 2024 by Mindy Nichols Wendell. Reproduced with permission from Holiday House Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. 

 

CHAPTER ONE

 

September 1935

 

The doors of the small white schoolhouse burst open. Children spilled out into the golden afternoon like bees whose hive had been disturbed.

 

The oldest boys came first, shoving and scowling. Most of them were headed home to help in the fields. Getting out of school early didn’t mean nearly as much to them as it did to Halle, who tumbled out the door arm in arm with Thelma, her best friend.

 

Halle squinted up at the brilliant blue September sky and grinned. It was the kind of blue that made you feel very small but also very hopeful. Taking a deep breath, she filled her lungs with the fresh, sweet air. She couldn’t wait to get home, fly through her chores, and then spend the rest of this perfect afternoon outside pretending it was still summer.

 

Jennie and Fran, two of the other fifth-grade girls, caught up with Halle and Thelma.

 

“Don’t forget to bring your paper dolls tomorrow, Halle,” Jennie said. “So we can make more clothes for them at lunch.”

 

“I’ll remember,” Halle promised. Jennie dreamed of becoming a dress designer and liked to practice by making paper doll clothes. She especially loved dressing the dolls Halle’s mother had made; she said they looked more like real girls than store-bought paper dolls. She called Mama an artist.

 

“Too bad you won’t be here, Thelma,” Fran said, trying to keep a straight face.

 

The high school classes Papa taught ended at three thirty, but he stayed late every day grading papers and preparing for the next morning. The boys who attended his school didn’t get out early for farm chores; they either skipped school altogether on harvest days, or they simply dropped out after eighth grade. Papa had lots of opinions about this. He believed everyone needed a high school education at the very least.

 

“You bet you will,” he said.

 

His stern words, aimed at Halle, felt like a blast of icy wind. But his sharp blue eyes barely grazed her as they focused on Mama. Halle saw them take in Mama’s pink cheeks and trembling hands as she smoothed the hair off her forehead.

 

“You need to help out more around here, Halle,” he said. “Your mother is not your servant.”

 

“It’s fine, Graham,” Mama said quickly, putting a hand on his arm. “Halle helped me with the applesauce earlier. She does plenty of chores. You know that.”

 

A look passed between them. Papa frowned, then nodded slightly, turning to wash his hands at the sink.

 

Why does he always do that? This was between Mama and me. It had nothing to do with him. Halle set her lips in a firm line to keep from saying something that would upset Mama, but inside, she seethed.

 

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About Mindy Nichols Wendell:

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Mindy Nichols Wendell taught writing and pedagogy at SUNY Fredonia for
many years, where she served as the Director of the Composition Program. In
2019, she received the prestigious State University of New York Chancellor’s
Award for Excellence in Teaching. Mindy lives in Western New York with her
husband, Steve, a retired teacher. She is located not far from the ruins of the
J. N. Adam Tuberculosis Hospital, the inspiration for LIGHT AND AIR.

Website | Twitter (X) | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

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Giveaway contest ribbon promo label prize. Vector giveaway banner badge design template

 

1 winner will receive a finished copy of LIGHT AND AIR, US Only.

Ends January 31st, midnight EST.

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Tour Schedule:

Week One:

1/15/2024

#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog

Excerpt/IG Post

1/15/2024

Lady Hawkeye

Excerpt/IG Post

1/16/2024

Kountry Girl Bookaholic

Excerpt/IG Post

1/16/2024

YA Books Central

Excerpt/IG Post

1/17/2024

Two Chicks on Books

Excerpt/IG Post

1/17/2024

Fyrekatz
Blog

Review

1/18/2024

A Blue Box Full of Books

IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post

1/18/2024

@anitralovesbooksanddogs

IG Review

1/19/2024

Avainbookland

IG Review

1/19/2024

Kim’s Book Reviews and Writing Aha’s

Review/IG Post

Week Two:

1/22/2024

@enthuse_reader

IG Review/TikTok Post

1/22/2024

NewBookCatsREADS

Review/IG Post

1/23/2024

100 Pages A Day

Review/IG Post

1/23/2024

Lisa-Queen of Random

Review/IG Post

1/24/2024

Country Mamas With Kids

Review/IG Post

1/24/2024

Confessions of the Perfect Mom

Review/IG Post

1/25/2024

FUONLYKNEW

Excerpt

1/25/2024

two points of interest

Review

1/26/2024

One More Exclamation

Review/IG Post

1/26/2024

Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Review/IG Post

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Welcome to my stop on the THE SELKIE’S DAUGHTER by Linda Crotta Brennan Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours.

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Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

 

THE SELKIE’S DAUGHTER

Author: Linda Crotta Brennan

 

 

Pub. Date: January 2, 2024

Publisher: Holiday House

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 208

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Find it: Goodreadshttps://books2read.com/THE-SELKIES-DAUGHTER

 

A cozy, richly imagined fantasy where a young selkie girl must save her
family from a vengeful king.

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Brigit knows all the old fisherman songs and legends by heart: sea goddess,
warriors, and people who are not quite human. But Brigit also knows the truth.
It’s evident in the webbing between her fingers–webbing that must be cut.
She’s the daughter of a selkie. A truth she must keep secret from everyone.

But there is another secret growing in the village. A terrible one that will
invite the wrath of the Great Selkie, bringing storm, sickness, and death. To
protect those she loves, Brigit must find a way to Sule Skerrie, the land of
selkies, to confront the Great Selkie and bring the truth—all of it—into the
light.

Like sitting by a warm fireplace, The Selkie’s Daughter is an
imaginative fantasy, steeped in Celtic mythology and set in Nova Scotia. Debut
Linda Crotta Brennan has crafted a magical portrait of a brave girl coming into
her own. Perfect for fans of mermaids and Studio Ghibli-esque stories.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

 

 

 

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Excerpt from The Selkie’s Daughter / Text copyright © 2024 by Linda Crotta Brennan. Reproduced with permission from Holiday House Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. 

 

1

 

I swim as selkie on the sea.

And when I’m far and far frae land,

My home it is in Sule Skerrie.

 

The wild wind keens across the spruce barrens, rattling the windows of our cottage on Finn’s Point. Shivering, I splay my hand across the cutting board. Newborn veils of skin, blue-­pale and tender, connect my fingers.

 

Cousin Alys sharpens her knife against a stone, tests the edge, then, satisfied, turns to me. I kneel and hide my face in Mum’s woolen lap, breathing its com-forting smokiness.

 

Mum strokes my hair. “Ready, Brigit?”

 

I nod, though my insides roil. Mum’s hands are fully human, why not mine? Why should I be marked and not Mum?

 

At the last second, I try to jerk away, but Alys grips my wrist like a vise. Her blade comes down.

 

Pain sears me. I suck in my breath and my vision narrows. Clinging to consciousness, I focus on the wind, throaty with alien voices. My blood pulses out, a salty sea washing away my otherness, flooding across the cutting board, pinging into the metal basin set on the floor.

 

Mum’s thighs tremble. She could never bear to cut me. “Sorry,” she whispers.

 

That doesn’t stop my dread. We both know that now I’m coming into womanhood, no matter how often Alys cuts the webbing away, it will return. Or at least, that’s what the old tales say.

 

When both hands are done, Mum takes my elbow and guides me into the rocking chair, tucking a blanket over my knees.

 

Alys bandages my hands with a poultice of yarrow and spoons willow tea into my mouth. I lean my head back, weak as a spawned-­out salmon.

 

“Thank you, Alys.” Mum offers her a wooden spoon she carved from driftwood. It has a fish handle with glittering chips of oyster shell for scales.

 

Alys recoils.

 

The spoon clatters to the stone floor. A bit of oyster shell spins out, skidding to rest at my feet. Instinctively I reach to rescue it. Gasping, I pull back, cradling my hands, cringing in agony.

 

Alys’s nostrils flare. “What would I do with such a bauble in my good plain house?”

 

I stiffen. The brittle old barnacle! Her house doesn’t deserve anything so beautiful.

 

Mum picks up the fish spoon and sets it gently on the table, her mouth a tight line. She goes into the keeping room at the back of our cottage and returns with a stiff salted cod from our shoulder-­high stack.

 

The villagers gossip about why Da’s nets are so heavy laden since he married Mum, but he’s just a better fisherman than any of them, certainly better than Alys’s husband. Or her pimple-­nosed son.

 

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About Linda Crotta Brennan:

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Linda Crotta Brennan is the author of many picture books,
including When Rivers Burned, named a
Notable Social Studies Trade Book by the CBC and NCSS and an Outstanding
Science Trade Book by the NSTA and CBC. She holds a master’s degree in Early
Childhood Education and has worked as an instructor for the Institute of
Children’s Literature. Linda is an active member of SCBWI. The Selkie’s Daughter is her debut novel. She lives in New England.

Website | Twitter (X) | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

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1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE SELKIE’S DAUGHTER, US Only.

Ends January 31st, midnight EST.

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Tour Schedule:

Week One:

1/15/2024

Kountry Girl Bookaholic

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1/15/2024

YA Books Central

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1/16/2024

Two Chicks on Books

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1/16/2024

Lady Hawkeye

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1/17/2024

#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog

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1/17/2024

@dharashahauthor

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1/18/2024

GryffindorBookishNerd

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1/18/2024

Kim’s Book Reviews and Writing Aha’s

Review/IG Post

1/19/2024

@anitralovesbooksanddogs

IG Review

1/19/2024

The Momma Spot

Review

Week Two:

1/22/2024

FUONLYKNEW

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1/22/2024

Jaimes_mystical_library

IG Review

1/23/2024

A Blue Box Full of Books

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1/23/2024

One More Exclamation

Review/IG Post

1/24/2024

@froggyreadteach

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1/24/2024

Lisa-Queen of Random

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1/25/2024

Country Mamas With Kids

Review/IG Post

1/25/2024

Confessions of the Perfect Mom

Review/IG Post

1/26/2024

two
points of interest

Review

1/26/2024

@enthuse_reader

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

TheStarandTheStrangeMoon copy

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We are thrilled to share The Star and the Strange Moon this week. Read on for more details and my review!

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TSATSMHardcover2

The Star and the Strange Moon

Publication Date: November 2023

Genre: Historical Fantasy

From the author of A Witch in Time comes a haunting tale of ambition, obsession, and the eternal mystery and magic of film.

A vanished star. A haunted film. A mystery only love can unravel…

1968: Gemma Turner once dreamed of stardom. Now the actress is on the cusp of obscurity. When she’s offered the lead in a radical new horror film, Gemma believes her luck has changed—but her dream is about to turn into a nightmare. One night, between the shadows of an alleyway, Gemma disappears on set and is never seen again. Yet, Gemma is alive. She’s been pulled into the film. And the script—and the monsters within it—are coming to life. Gemma must play her role perfectly if she hopes to survive.

2007: Gemma Turner’s disappearance is one of Hollywood’s greatest mysteries—one that’s captivated film student Christopher Kent ever since he saw L’Étrange Lune for the first time. The screenings only happen once a decade and each time there is new, impossible footage of Gemma that shouldn’t exist. Curiosity drives Christopher to unravel the truth. But answers to the film’s mystery may leave him trapped by it forever.

Get it Here!

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MY REVIEW

There’s been many a time when I sat down to read a book and didn’t look up until I finished it. Even ones as long as this one at almost 500 pages. I did have to stop reading it at one point to run an errand and quickly picked it back up when I returned. I was hooked. So hooked.

The synopsis was so intriguing. An actress, Gemma Turner, vanished during the filming of a movie in 1968. Flash forward to 2007 and film student, Christopher Kent, obsessed with finding out what happened to her after the simple act of seeing her picture on a wall drove his mother over the edge to insanity. And a secret screening of Gemma’s last acting role in L’Etrange Lune that takes place once every 10 years. Yes, it intrigued me.

As you can guess, the story jumps back and forth in time. First I’d be immersed in Gemma’s life and then I’d be immersed in what happened when she vanished and then I’d be immersed in Christopher’s present life and then his past.  That’s how this story was told and each time the story jumped to another character and time I’d be anxious to return. And that happened EVERY time with each era and character I was reading. And that’s why I couldn’t put it down. That and the fact the many character’s were so interesting, so genuine, flaws and all. Especially Gemma and Christopher. The author wrote her words and breathed life into them. I cared what happened. Felt their sorrow, their angst. How could I not.

In the hours I spent reading The Star And The Strange Moon I felt like I was transported into a fantasy world, a tragedy, a horror story…… a love story. What a fabulous feeling it was.

5 STARS

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About the Author

Constance Sayers headshotTSSM

Constance Sayers is the author of two best-selling novels: A Witch in Time (Hachette, 2020) and The Ladies of the Secret Circus (Hachette, 2021), the latter receiving both a Publishers Weekly and Library Journal starred reviews. Her work has been translated into six languages and her third novel, The Star and the Strange Moon will be published by Hachette on 11.14.23. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society, and her short fiction has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net.

She received an MA in English from George Mason University and a B.A. in Writing from the University of Pittsburgh. She lives outside of Washington D.C.

Constance Sayers

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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The Buffalo Butcher: Jack the Ripper in the Electric City
Robert Brighton

 

Publication date: October 8th 2023
Genres: Adult, Historical

Has Jack the Ripper returned?

Summer 1901, and the great Pan-American Exposition welcomes the world to Buffalo, New York—Queen of the Lakes . . . the Electric City. Eight million visitors throng the bustling boomtown—all of them looking for a good time.

While the Pan-American blazes bright, in its shadow lies a zone of darker pleasures: the Tenderloin District, a rabbit’s warren of saloons, brothels, and ask-no-questions hotels. In this sprawling vice quarter, fully as large as the Exposition itself, fairgoers can indulge their less innocent appetites.

As heat and swarming crowds choke the city, the bodies of prostitutes begin turning up, slashed and mutilated by a pitiless hand—their flesh carved with strange symbols. Their gruesome murders are a final indignity worked on once-hopeful young women.

Some say the killings are the work of the Devil himself. Others hint that the Whitechapel Murderer, Jack the Ripper, has crossed the Atlantic to resume his bloody career. Yet the city’s power brokers—afraid of any publicity that would harm the Exposition—turn a blind eye to the victims.

As the bloody summer wears on, only one thing is clear: it’ll be up to the working girls themselves to stop the carnage. And in The Buffalo Butcher, five of them will stand together to confront the killer . . . and to reclaim their humanity.

An important new novel by Robert Brighton, acclaimed author of the Avenging Angel Detective Agency™ Mysteries.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

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A NOTE TO THE READER:

From Author Robert Brighton…

Eight million people—about one in nine Americans—came to Buffalo, New York, to see the “Pan.” The cynics thought it was nothing more than yet another bloated world’s fair. But most found the Electric City to be an expression of all that was good and hopeful: the unity of North and South American nations, the triumph of Man over Nature, and the advent of the modern scientific and engineering marvels that would herald a new century of peace and prosperity.

We can debate which camp won out, but one thing is certain. The assassination of President William McKinley in the Pan-American’s Temple of Music drew a curtain forever over the promise of the Pan— and left Buffalo with a bitter legacy that is remembered even today.

The Buffalo Butcher also takes us into a darker side of bright, up-and-coming Buffalo, then the nation’s fastest-growing city. We visit the back alleys of the Tenderloin District, a large red-light zone in the heart of downtown, where most anything was tolerated by city officials and police, so long as it stayed put. Hundreds of brothels and low-end dives huddled together in the Tenderloin and existed—for the most part—on the exploitation of young women who often had no other good option.

It’s an unflinching and sometimes hard-to-bear story of the real evil that walks among us, the warped and wicked who prey on the vulnerable, and how they work their black magic. I could not turn away from that part: If you’re looking for a ‘cozy mystery’, this ain’t it—I had to tell the story in a way that would do honor to the victims, and without any sympathy for the devil.

Yet, I think, Butcher it is also a story of friendship and love, decency and honor, and perhaps most of all courage, among a group of outcast women confronting loneliness, condemnation, shame, and loss. The masks come off in The Buffalo Butcher, and while as always I hope you’ll find it a good read, I hope too that you’ll find the story as touching as I did—even if a little spooky.

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About Author Robert Brighton:

Award-winning author Robert Brighton is an authority on the Gilded Age, and a great believer that the Victorian era was anything but stuffy. In his Avenging Angel Detective Agency Mysteries, Brighton exposes the turbulence of the era – its passions, dreams, and disasters – against a backdrop of careful research on the places, sights, sounds, and smells of the time.

When he is not walking the streets in the footsteps of the Avenging Angels, sniffing out unsolved mysteries, Brighton is an adventurer. He has traveled in more than 50 countries around the world, personally throwing himself into every situation his characters will face – from underground ruins to opium dens – and (so far) living to tell about it.

A graduate of the Sorbonne, Paris, Brighton is an avid student of early 20th Century history and literature, an ardent and relentless investigator, and an admirer of Emily Dickinson and Jim Morrison. He lives in Virginia with his wife and their two cats.

Website / Goodreads / Instagram / Pinterest

 

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Once Upon A Christmas Castle organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Virginia Barlow will be awarding a a free copy of Gamble of Hearts to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Once Upon A Christmas Castle

by Virginia Barlow

 

 

Genre: Historical Holiday Romance

Synopsis

Lady Rosalind Chatham journeys with her family to Weston Castle to wed an ancient earl on Christmas day. Yearning for true love, she falls for the duke, her stepfather’s cousin, while preparing for her nuptials.
Lady Rosalind entrances the Duke of Weston. Concerned for her future with the tempestuous earl, he can’t afford to get involved. The fines and scandal will be too great for a man of his wealth and power.
When the truth comes to light, and he almost loses her forever, he finds he cannot afford to give less than his whole heart.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Careful not to make a sound, she sat on the window ledge and slipped her feet out the window. Turning to face the interior of the room, she inched her hips over the window ledge. She slipped on the ice, frozen to the brick outside the window, and slid down faster than she intended, cringing when the silk of her day gown ripped.

Panic gripped her like a cinched corset. She did not fear falling. No. The fine sheen of terror covering her brow appeared out of fear she might wake the earl.

Catching the edge of the brick where she lay against it halfway between her bosom and her waist, she sucked in a deep breath, conscious she must present a sight with her skirts bunched up and wedged between her and the window ledge. Her white pantalets and silk-stockinged legs dangled as she maneuvered her hands so she could drop to the ground. Thank the gods no one wandered the flower gardens beneath her to see her unladylike display.

Her prayer of gratitude stopped dead, and she received the shock of her life when a large pair of hands caught her about the waist!

She froze in terror, not daring to breathe.

“Lady Rosalind, how unexpected of you to drop by like this.” The duke’s deep voice laughed at her as he held her still.

She swallowed her cry of surprise and choked. God, what Cousin Lucius must be thinking about her right now.

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About Author Virginia Barlow

I have always loved reading romance novels. I used to sneak into my mom’s room as a young girl and read them while she was gone. As I grew older, my reading and tastes expanded to sci-fi, dystopian, paranormal, and fantasy.

 

I considered becoming an author in my late twenties but as a busy mother with toddlers, I didn’t have the time nor the energy.

Later, in my fifties, I decided to give it a try and have enjoyed every moment of it since. I recently signed my fourteenth contract and am doing my happy dance as I type this. My husband of forty-one years is my greatest support as are all my kids. Most of them are grown and carving out lives for themselves. They are the beat of my heart and with every grandchild, the rhythm gets stronger. I enjoy every moment of my life.

 

Social Media Links: Twitter / Instagram / Facebook

TikTok / YouTube / Website

Buy Links: Amazon / B&N / Goodreads / BookBub

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Book Details:

The Mark of the Salamander by Justin Newland
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  246 pages
GenreHistorical Fiction and Magical Realism 
Publisher:  The Book Guild
Release date:  September 2023
Content Rating: PG-13 +M. Mild sex and cruelty. Mature themes.

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Book Description:

1575.

Nelan Michaels is a young Flemish man fleeing religious persecution in the Spanish Netherlands. Settling in Mortlake outside London, he studies under Queen Elizabeth’s court astrologer, conjuring a bright future – until he’s wrongly accused of murder. Forced into the life of a fugitive, Nelan hides in London, before he is dramatically pressed into the crew of the Golden Hind. Thrust into a strange new world on board Francis Drake’s vessel, Nelan sails the seas on a voyage to discover discovery itself. Encountering mutiny, ancient tribes and hordes of treasure, Nelan must explore and master his own mystical powers – including the Mark of the Salamander, the mysterious spirit of fire.

THE MARK OF THE SALAMANDER is the first in The Island of Angels series: a two-book saga that tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era.

 
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Author Guest Post
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My latest historical fiction novel, The Mark of the Salamander, has just hit the shelves. It’s the first title in a two-book series, The Island of Angels, which tells the epic story and secret history of England’s coming of age during the Elizabethan era.

This is blog is about the title, namely The Mark of the Salamander. 

First of all, what is a salamander? Well, it’s a spirit of fire.

In Medieval times, Paracelsus, the great Swiss alchemist, identified the four beings or spirits of the elements. While the salamander is the fire elemental, gnomes inhabit the earth, undines swim in the waters of the oceans, and sylphs are air spirits.

As a spirit of fire, the salamander is a lithe creature that occupied the other world, and so would only be appear to be seen those who had the eyes to see them. Just like the other three elemental spirits, the salamander had healing properties, and had to those it attended, it gave the power of foresight, and of insight into the future.

Fire is fascinating. It lives, it’s alive. At the hearth, it warms, and yet it destroys. It melts, it smelts, and it cleanses. It houses the phoenix who rises from the ashes, it begets new birth, and yet Hell is full of the stuff.

It’s the living fire, the fire that we breathe that’s inside the air, the flame of life and living.

And there’s a ruby salamander mentioned in the novel. The idea of it came from this image of a ruby salamander pendant. Gold filigree set with rubies, it was recovered from a Spanish galleon off the coast of Northern Ireland some years after the Armada. So, although it was probably not part of the treasure taken by Drake from the Spanish ship, the Cacafuego, the fact that it was a salamander gave me the idea to use it in the novel.

What about the mark, the mark of the salamander? What’s that?

Well, I got the idea from the Ancient Greek myth about the warrior Achilles. The legend goes that his mother dipped him into the River Styx to make his entire body invulnerable, except for the part of his foot where she held him—the proverbial Achilles heel. That was his identifying feature, in his case, his weakness and ultimately, his destiny.

In a similar way, Nelan, the hero of my novel, is born with three wavy lines beneath the middle finger of his right hand. That’s the mark of the salamander. That way, his supernatural powers, such as clairvoyance, ESP, and telepathy, can be identified with a physical feature, an actual mark on the body.

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Meet the Author:

JUSTIN NEWLAND’s novels represent an innovative blend of genres from historical adventure to supernatural thriller and magical realism. His stories explore the themes of war and religion, and speculate on the human’s spiritual place in the universe.

Undeterred by the award of a Doctorate in Mathematics from Imperial College, London, he conceived his debut novel, The Genes of Isis (Matador, 2018), an epic fantasy set under Ancient Egyptian skies.

The historical thriller, The Old Dragon’s Head (Matador, 2018), is set in Ming Dynasty China in the shadows of the Great Wall.

The Coronation (Matador, 2019) was another historical adventure and speculates on the genesis of the most important event in the modern world – the Industrial Revolution.

The Abdication (Matador, 2021) is a mystery thriller in which a young woman confronts her faith in a higher purpose and what it means to abdicate that faith.

The Mark of the Salamander (Book Guild, 2023) is the first in a two-book series, The Island of Angels. Set in the Elizabethan era, it’s an epic tale of England’s coming of age.

His work in progress is the second in the series, The Midnight of Eights, the charting of the uncanny coincidences that led to the repulse of the Spanish Armada.

Author, speaker and broadcaster, Justin appears on LitFest panels, gives talks to historical associations and libraries and enjoys giving radio interviews and making podcasts. Born three days before the end of 1953, he lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.

connect with the author:
website twitter ~ facebook instagram pinterest bookbub goodreads

 
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THE MARK OF THE SALAMANDER Book Tour Giveaway

 

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.