Two Heads Are Better Than One

Joe Mason Series #3

David Leadbeater

Publication date: 13/4/23

Publisher: Avon Books

SYNOPSIS

When Joe Mason agrees to transport a priceless gold basin to its new owner, the ex-MI5 operative arrives only to find the recipient dead – brutally murdered in cold blood. To catch the killer, Mason must uncover the relic’s secrets.

But he’s not the only one with an interest. The Guild of Night, a dangerous and vengeful cult, is determined to bring the Church to its knees – and the basin holds the power to do just that.

In a frantic cat-and-mouse chase across the country, Mason battles to unravel the conspiracy before devastating power falls into the wrong hands.

For the Guild of Night will protect itself at all costs, and its members have secrets they are willing to kill for…

But, in Mason, have they met their match?

Fans of Lee Child, Clive Cussler and Dan Brown will love this high-octane action-adventure thriller.

MY REVIEW

Wow this is an absolute non stop action packed read!

Roxy’s new business venture brings together a particularly able security team who safely transport relics between owners. Their current assignment sees them arrive at the destination to find the recipient tied to a chair and being badly beaten. They can’t leave the item with him, and the sender has also been badly assaulted and is in hospital. It is up to them to find out what is significant about this item.

Their investigations lead them on a literal treasure hunt towards the treasure of the Temple of Solomon and the actual Ark of the Covenant. But, there are another group after the same thing and they are helped by highly trained mercenaries….

I found this book extremely interesting. As well as the action, of which I’m a huge fan, there is a lot of history around the Knights Templar and the Freemasons; not to mention the Tabernacle, the Temple of Solomon and the Ark of the Covenant.

Absolutely loved it and I’m delighted to see the author has a substantial back catalogue for me to read!

Many thanks to Avon Books for sending me a copy to review ahead of publication. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David Leadbeater has published more than 50 novels and sold over a million Amazon Kindle e-books. He has now signed for a major publisher – Harper Collins/Avon Publishing, who released the first two books of the brand new Joe Mason series in 2022 – The Vatican Secret and The Demon Code – to be followed by two more in 2023 – The Midnight Conspiracy and The Babylon Plot. His books include the chart-topping Matt Drake series. The first part of his Relic Hunters series won the inaugural Amazon Kindle Storyteller award in 2017. For a chronological reading order of the Matt Drake, Alicia Myles and Disavowed series’ please visit his website.

http://www.davidleadbeater.com

Join him on Facebook for news and paperback giveaways: davidleadbeaternovels

The Matt Drake series should be read in the correct order as detailed below.

1. The Bones of Odin

2. The Blood King Conspiracy

3. The Gates of Hell

4. The Tomb of the Gods

5. Brothers in Arms

6. The Swords of Babylon

7. Blood Vengeance

8. Last Man Standing

9. The Plagues of Pandora

10. The Lost kingdom

11. The Ghost Ships of Arizona

12. The Last Bazaar

13. The Edge of Armageddon

14. The Treasures of Saint Germain

15. Inca Kings

16. The Four Corners of the Earth

17. The Seven Seals of Egypt

18. Weapons of the Gods

19. The Blood King Legacy

20. Devil’s Island

21. The Faberge Heist

22. Four Sacred Treasures

23. The Sea Rats

24. The Blood King Takedown

25. Devil’s Junction

26. Voodoo Soldiers

27. The Carnival of Curiosities

28. Theatre of War (Tenth Anniversary Novel)

29. Shattered Spear

30. Ghost Squadron

31. A Cold Day in Hell

32. The Winged Dagger

The Joe Mason series:

1. The Vatican Secret

2. The Demon Code

The Alicia Myles series should be read as follows:

1. Aztec Gold

2. Crusader’s Gold

3. Caribbean Gold

4. Chasing Gold

5. Galleon’s Gold

The Disavowed series should be read as follows:

1. The Razor’s Edge

2. In Harm’s Way

3. Threat Level: Red

For more information go to: http://www.davidleadbeater.com

Kate Forster

Publication date: 13/4/23

Publisher: Aria Fiction

SYNOPSIS

A cosy romance novel set in an English manor by the bestselling author of Starting Over at Acorn Cottage.

Amanda Cox is living in New York with a non-committal boyfriend and a student loan that threatens to crush her. That is, until she enters a raffle for a manor house in the British countryside of Northumberland – and wins…

MY REVIEW

This is a lovely read, set in a small village just outside of Newcastle.
When Amanda loses her mother to cancer, she travels from her rented apartment in New York to England to live in a mansion her mother won in a raffle. It was quite obvious from the start that Amanda was no random winner. Amanda arrives, bringing sunshine and positive energy, and helped by Simon who has been hired to tidy the garden. He has his own story to tell.
Bonds begin to form between Amanda and Simon, the old lady who owned the house and various other full of life characters who all benefit from Amanda moving to the manor.
As the old lady’s heartbreaking life story resulting in her becoming a recluse is told in flashbacks, it becomes clear what Amanda is doing in England.
Such a heartwarming read, which had me in tears a number of times, but overall a happy story of the importance of family and friends.

Thanks so much to Ayo at Aria for inviting me along on the blog tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kate Forster is a best-selling author of Starting Over at Acorn Cottage, The Perfect Retreat, Finding Love at Mermaid Terrace and many more books that she would want to read herself, so she wrote them. When not writing, Kate loves hanging out with family, friends, and her dogs. A dedicated houseplant lover, Kate also enjoys outdoor gardening and is the founder and moderator of one of largest online women’s writing support groups on Facebook

By Laura Jane Williams

Publication day: 8/6/23

Publisher: Penguin

SYNOPSIS

This isn’t one love story. It’s two.

Becca Calloway is calling it: she’s ready for Mr Right, and she’s ready now.

She even goes as far as to hold a manifestation ceremony for him – and when she receives a text from her ex five minutes later, she knows it’s a sign.

The problem is, she doesn’t know which way it’s pointing…

Should Becca reply and reignite things with her old flame Mike? Or delete and block, moving forward with the new man in her life?

Becca has one choice, with two ways this could go. And in Lovestruck, you’re about to see them both…

MY REVIEW

I loved this book so much I didn’t want it to end! 

Becca, set up her hairdressing business 5 years ago with her male friend Carlos. Now she is 35, she is desperate for a husband and family so she organises a manifestation ritual on the summer solstice, asking the universe to provide Mr Right.

Just after the ritual finishes, Becca’s phone buzzes with a text from her ex boyfriend who moved to America 6 years ago. She hasn’t heard from him since he left. Is this a sign from the universe? Should she text back or ignore him? Surely one text can’t make much of a difference to her life?….

But it does! The book then splits into two ‘sliding doors’ storylines, one where she does text back and one where she doesn’t. I loved following both storylines and wondered if the ending would be the same for both. Was Becca’s destiny already set out no matter which path she took?

Absolutely brilliant. There were a few clever nods to each timeline within the other one. A great cast of supporting characters too. This is the second book I have read by this author and thoroughly enjoyed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura Jane Williams (she/her) is known as the queen of the meet-cute. She is the author of six novels and a novella.

The rights to Laura’s international bestseller Our Stop have been sold for television, and her books have been translated into languages all over the world.

She loves romance, being a parent, and lifting really heavy weights.

Find out more about Laura on http://www.laurajaneauthor.com, or on Instagram as @laurajanauthor.

By various authors

Welcome to the Blog Tour organised by Black Crow PR to support the publication of this limited edition box set of 7 books. You can buy your set from http://www.bigfinish.com

Check out the other blog tour stops for reviews on the other books in the set.

ABOUT THE NEW LIMITED EDITION HARDBACK BOX SET

Big Finish to publish Blake’s 7 Novelisation Box Set for anniversary

Big Finish Productions, the audio production company and publisher best known for its range of Doctor Who audio releases, is to publish a stunning limited set of Blake’s 7 hardback novelisations. Blake’s 7: Origins is due for publication on 27 March, 2023, marking 45 years since the original broadcast of the first season’s final episode.

Blake’s 7 debuted on BBC television in 1978 and quickly developed a cult following of fans eager to enjoy the exploits of Roj Blake and his gang of rebels in their battle against the sinister Federation. Considered far ahead of its time, it ran for four series, and helped influence much of the science fiction we see on our screens today. 

Now, for the first time, the complete first season of Terry Nation’s classic sci-fi adventure series will be published as a collection of brand-new hardback novelisations, featuring lavish photos and artwork, and released as a single hardback box set limited to just 1,500 copies. These books will not be available to buy separately.

Each adaptation comprises two stories from the TV series and has been written by a well-known sci-fi author, including Una McCormack and Paul Cornell. 

The Way Back/Space Fall by Paul Cornell 

Cygnus Alpha/Time Squad by Marc Platt

The Web/Seek-Locate-Destroy by Gary Russell

Mission to Destiny/Duel by Jacqueline Rayner

Project Avalon/Breakdown by Steve Cole

Bounty/Deliverance by Una McCormack 

Orac/Redemption by James Goss

“Our wonderful writers bring their talent, imagination and wit to these new novelisations.” Says Producer and Commissioning Editor Peter Anghelides. “Each of them already has an impressive track record as a novelist, not to mention a wide range of other writing in prose and other media. And they are all big fans of the series — our very own ‘Blake’s 7’ for this unique collection.”

“Unlike conventional novelisations, which tend to be written before a TV show or movie has been completed, these are all informed by the available reference materials, 45 years of the show, and the inventiveness of our authors. Where appropriate, we’ve stayed faithful to the original series. The Nation Estate very helpfully allowed us to see original drafts written by Terry, some hand annotated, to reference as the origins of the TV show. Along with BBC filming, camera, and rehearsal scripts, those early drafts have informed these brand-new novels for all thirteen episodes of that first season. And with Redemption as the conclusion of Terry Nation’s original fourteen-story run, it’s the first time that any of the second season has been novelised!”

MY REVIEW OF BOOK ONE: THE WAY BACK / SPACE FALL By Paul Cornell

I loved watching Blake’s 7 in my youth so I was delighted to have the opportunity of joining the blog tour for the publication of this new limited edition box set.

I am reviewing book 1 in the set, brilliantly written by Paul Cornell who is an experienced and extremely talented writer. Check out the author info below.

We join Blake where he is living and working in the tech department of the Dome of London which is home to millions of people and designed to allow them all to lead peaceful lives. The medication constantly fed to them sees to that, as well as the memory blocking therapy. This is why Blake has no idea why he is so famous in the community. They must be confusing him with some other Roj Blake.

However, following 36 hours without the drugged food and water, his memories start to resurface. 

Terrified of what he may become, the administration who run the Dome set up false accusations, he is found guilty and sent on a prison ship destined for a penal colony on planet Cygnus Alpha.

Blake is not going to simply accept his fate.

I’ll not spoil the story, but I will say I was completely immersed in Blake’s story. It was quite a short book which I devoured in a couple of hours and will be reading book two now, by a different author.

ABOUT PAUL CORNELL

Paul Cornell started out writing Doctor Who fan fiction, went on to write Doctor Who novels, audio plays and comics, and, having won a BBC contest to get a play on TV, worked his way up through shows like Casualty and Holby City to become the fan who got to write for the show itself.

He went on to work on other TV series like Robin Hood and Primeval, to write two seasons of his own CITV show, Wavelength, and to break into comics, writing for Marvel, DC and 2000AD on such titles as Captain Britain and MI-13, Young Avengers, Wolverine, Knight and Squire, Batman and Robin, Action Comics, Demon Knights, XTNCT and Pan-African Judges. He created Saucer Country for Vertigo and This Damned Band for Dark Horse, and has new creator-owned projects in the pipeline.

In the meantime, he’d also achieved his ambition to become a novelist, first having two SF novels, Something More and British Summertime, published by Gollancz, then starting the Shadow Police series with London Falling, The Severed Streets and Who Killed Sherlock Holmes? at Tor.  Then he went on to create the Lychford series of rural fantasy novellas for Tor.com Publishing, who also published his autobiographical horror novel, Chalk.

His short fiction, sometimes featuring the character of Jonathan Hamilton, an out-of-uniform soldier in a parallel world where the ‘great game’ of European espionage continues into space, has been published in Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, Interzone, The Daily Telegraph, The Times and at Tor.com. He’s also written for George R.R. Martin’s Wild Cards short story anthologies.

He’s the creator of Bernice Summerfield, a Doctor Who companion from the novels who for twenty years now has had her own spinoff line of books and audio plays.

He lives in Gloucestershire with his wife, a priest in the Church of England, and their toddler son, Thomas. His interests include cricket, matters Fortean and Kate Bush.

Sarit Yishai-Levi

Translated by Gilah Kahn-Hoffmann

SYNOPSIS

A mesmerizing novel about three generations of women who have lost each other—and the quest to weave them back into a family.

An immersive historical tale spanning the life stories of three women, The Woman Beyond the Sea traces the paths of a daughter, mother, and grandmother who lead entirely separate lives, until finally their stories and their hearts are joined together.

Eliya thinks that she’s finally found true love and passion with her charismatic and demanding husband, an aspiring novelist—until he ends their relationship in a Paris café, spurring her suicide attempt. Seeking to heal herself, Eliya is compelled to piece together the jagged shards of her life and history.

Eliya’s heart-wrenching journey leads her to a profound and unexpected love, renewed family ties, and a reconciliation with her orphaned mother, Lily. Together, the two women embark on a quest to discover the truth about themselves and Lily’s own origins…and the unknown woman who set their stories in motion one Christmas Eve.

MY REVIEW

I’m delighted to be posting my review as part of the blog tour, and my thanks as always to FMcM Associates for sending me another fabulous translated fiction book to review. Translated Fiction is now one of my favourite genres.

Set mainly in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

I was absolutely immersed in this book; from the story of Lily, the baby girl left on the steps of a convent and brought up by the nuns, to Lily’s daughter who feels unloved and unwanted by her mother. Is history repeating itself? Lily lost her first baby, a baby boy, when he was just a year old and is so traumatised she is unable to move on from her pain. Her daughter, her husband, her whole life is suffering.

Lily’s daughter has suffered her own pain as her beloved husband unceremoniously dumps her when she travels to Paris to be with him. This leaves her in a state of deep depression, as she moves back to live with her parents in her old childhood bedroom.

Without giving too much away this book covers the traumas of three generations of women, all suffering, and looking for answers, forgiveness and ultimately happiness.

It is a difficult read at times as themes of loss of a baby, attempted suicide and depression are involved but they were sensitively written. I don’t feel at all depressed after finishing it, but actually quite uplifted. I feel the book shows the positives in letting go of the past, forgiveness, and moving on with life without hanging on to the past. 

I also enjoyed reading about the Jewish culture.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarit Yishai-Levi is a renowned Israeli journalist and author. In 2016 she published her first book, The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem. It immediately became a bestseller and garnered critical acclaim. The book sold more than three hundred thousand copies in Israel, was translated into ten languages, and was adapted into a TV series that won the Israeli TV award for best drama series. It also won the Publishers Association’s Gold, Platinum, and Diamond prizes; the Steimatzky Prize for bestselling book of the year in Israel; and the WIZO France Prize for best book translated into French.

Yishai-Levi’s second book, The Woman Beyond the Sea, was published in 2019. It won the Publishers Association’s Gold and Platinum prizes and was adapted for television by Netflix.

Yishai-Levi was born in Jerusalem to a Sephardic family that has lived in the city for eight generations. She’s been living with her family in Tel Aviv since 1970.

AJ Aberford

Publication date: 14/3/23

Publisher: Hobeck Books

SYNOPSIS

A colleague in need
Superintendent George Zammit is persuaded to go to Sicily to investigate the disappearance of his superior’s niece.
There, George discovers a city overshadowed by the mighty Mount Etna, a huge volcano perilously close to a major eruption that would have disastrous consequences around the world.

The magic of volcano
George finds the volcano not only provides unlimited energy, but has long been worshipped by an ancient and mysterious cult, which believes it has the power of renewal and rebirth. Strange priests and monks wander the volcano’s flanks and the old volcanic tunnels, risking the wrath of Mother Etna to keep its secrets safe.

Unlimited power, unlimited wealth
The dark forces of organised crime have captured the green energy of the volcano and grown rich on the profits. Others have noticed this deep source of wealth and they gather to plot and scheme to take a share of their own. Rival organisations play their cards, leaving George trapped between the warring factions.

George enters a world beyond his control
In his quest to find the missing girl, George, and his unlikely allies, find themselves caught between the forces of nature, superstition and organised crime. It is time for a hero to step forward and risk all to take on all these competing threats. Can it be George? And how does he learn an important lesson about trust and loss?

MY REVIEW

What a fabulous setting for George Zammit’s latest adventure! 

Although this is the fourth book in the Inspector George Zammit series, I had only read book 1. That gave me sufficient background on George and his relationships with his boss and his family. Books 2 and 3 are on my kindle and I’m looking forward to reading them soon. This book 4 can be read as a standalone, but trust me you will want to read more!

In this book, George is sent to Sicily by his boss who’s niece has been kidnapped. He wants George to keep an eye on the local police who don’t appear to be doing enough to find her. Silvia is a marine biologist and has not been seen for a fortnight since protesting with a group of activists against fracking on Mount Etna.

The tension and pace increases throughout the book as Etna appears ready for a major devastating eruption, spitting out ash and larva and causing tremors as she rumbles away. Most of the action centres around, on, and inside Etna or ‘mother’ as the locals call her.

The prologue begins with someone being held in a dark cavern and being passed food down by a rope. That certainly got me hooked.

Another action packed, brilliantly plotted read to add to this fantastic series, with plenty of colourful characters.

Thanks to Rebecca and Hobeck books for my E-arc and for having me along on the tour. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

AJ Aberford has enjoyed a varied career, having been both a corporate and banking lawyer, owning and running a private investment company and founding a leading Yorkshire craft brewery. Changing direction again, he is now the author of the Inspector George Zammit crime and thriller series.

AJ Aberford still keeps his house in Yorkshire, UK, but lives primarily in Malta, which is the inspiration for the Inspector George Zammit series. Upon moving there, he soon became enthralled by the culture and history of the island that acts as a bridge between Europe and North Africa.

Malta’s position at the sharp end of the migrant crisis, as well as the rapid growth of its commercial and offshore-financial sectors, provide a rich backdrop for his writing. The culture, politics and geography of the southern Mediterranean continually throws-up surprises in this fascinating part of the world, nothing is ever what it seems, with the lines between right and wrong often blurred and twisted.

AJ Aberford is married and has two grown-up sons, as well as grandchildren. He is a keen cook, an adventurous traveller, a cyclist and is currently writing the sixth book in the Inspector George Zammit series. The Inspector Zammit series is published by Hobeck Books https://www.hobeck.net/

Helen Rolfe

Publication date: 16/3/23

Publisher: Orion

SYNOPSIS

Sun, sand and secrets at the bay!

As a kid, Nina O’Brien spent all her summers at her grandparents’ cabin by the beach at Stepping Stone Bay. Long, sunny days full of fun and laughter with her best friends, Leo, Adrian, and Maeve, her friendship with Leo slowly blossoming into love. Until one fateful night changed everything for them all…

Twelve years later, Nina must return to the bay to renovate the old cabin and pass it on to a new owner. But not only does Leo still live in the cabin next door, he works at his family’s boathouse right there in the bay. As they begin to work through their differences and what happened all those years ago, can Nina really walk away from him twice?

Maeve has finally returned home to face the past. Her eleven-year-old son, Jonah, loves the sea, unlike Maeve who is terrified of it. But she knows she can’t keep Jonah away from the sea or the truth forever..

A heartwarming and uplifting story about second chances and facing the secrets of the past. Perfect for fans of Philippa Ashley, Holly Martin and Ali McNamara.

MY REVIEW

This was an absolute delight to read.

12 years ago, an accident occurred devastating a close group of friends resulting in most of them leaving Stepping Stone Bay and their memories behind.

Now they are back and gradually facing their demons. Nina has come back to fix up her granddad’s cabin as he needs to sell it, knowing the love of her life she left behind, Leo, still lives in the cabin next door.

Maeve moved away with her family to Canada but they are also now back. Maeve now has an 11 year old son, Jonah, who loves being near the sea and helping Leo in his surf shop which he runs from the boatyard. Unfortunately Maeve is terrified of the sea and won’t let Jonah near it.

There are romances to rekindle, and even perhaps a new one to begin. But will it all end in happily ever after for everyone? Will Walt go through with the sale of the cabin or will the happy memories it holds prove too strong to let it go?

I was glued to the pages and I thoroughly enjoyed this emotive read set by the sea where I could almost smell the salt in the air.

Thank you so much Ellen at Orion Books for sending me a copy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Helen Rolfe writes contemporary women’s fiction and enjoys weaving stories about family, friendship, secrets, and relationships. Characters often face challenges and must fight to overcome them, but above all, Helen’s stories always have a happy ending. 

Location is a big part of the adventure in Helen’s books and she enjoys setting stories in different cities and countries around the world. So far, locations have included Melbourne, Sydney, New York, Connecticut, Bath and the Cotswolds. She also loves creating village settings or places with a small-town feel and a big sense of community.

Born and raised in the UK, Helen graduated from University with a business degree and began working in I.T. This job took her over to Australia where she eventually turned her attentions back to the career she’d dreamt of when she was fourteen. She studied writing and journalism and wrote articles for women’s health and fitness magazines. Helen began writing fiction in 2011 and hasn’t missed the I.T. world one little bit… in fact she may just have found her dream job!

To learn more about Helen, find her at: 

http://www.helenjrolfe.com

Rosie Green

Published in ebook 18/2/23

SYNOPSIS

When you suddenly find yourself loveless and penniless, how on earth do you make it through?
An emotional but ultimately uplifting story of one woman’s struggles to get by, and the special someone who brings hope and happiness to light up her world…

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3GYGH5X

MY REVIEW

5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

I became a big fan of Rosie’s writing after doing a blog tour, and have read every book  since that first blog tour! I will read the whole series at some point, which I am looking forward to enormously!

This one is just as good as I have come to expect from Rosie. Immersive writing, interesting characters I got to know really quickly, cute children, a dog and a few characters you love to hate! 

When Jen’s boyfriend of 8 years takes her out for a posh meal, she is convinced he is going to propose. She is gutted when he actually wants to break up with her. He asks her to move out of his house with their 6 year old son, Luke.

Jobless and with very little money, Jen struggles to make ends meet in the flat she is renting. Her finances go further and further downhill, but she refuses to ask for help, even though her parents are well off and she had a very privileged upbringing. She wants to prove she can stand on her own two feet.

Embarrassed by her lack of money and credit card debts which piled up after a drunken night of online shopping, she lies to her friends about her situation and has to lower herself to ask her sister for a cleaning job with her cleaning company. She wants nothing more than for her son to be happy, and fed. 

But all is not doom and gloom. After all, this  is a Rosie Green book. 

I was hooked from the beginning, read it in one sitting, and was desperate for a happy ending for Jen. The situation Jen finds herself in is no doubt worryingly similar to many people at the moment, struggling to pay their bills and feed their families. 

As with all of the Duck Pond cafe books I have read so far, I would recommend this one. Looking forward to the next book in the series now.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rosie has been scribbling stories ever since she was little. Back then, they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by ‘the baddies’. Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger involved at all – unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love.

Rosie’s Little Duck Pond Cafe series of novellas is centred around life in a village cafe. Each book can be read as a stand-alone story. Her latest, Kind Hearts & Carrot Cake, is a heart-warming tale about one woman’s determination to cope in the face of heartbreak and financial disaster, and how a problem shared can be the best way out of the nightmare. ‘Clara’s Secret Garden’, the first in a trilogy telling Clara’s story, was published in August 2022, and ‘A
Winter Wish’ and ‘Clara’s Christmas Magic’, followed. Look out for ‘The Cheesecake
Challenge’, out in April 2023.

Rosie has also written a full-length, stand-alone book, ‘Snowflakes over Moondance Cottage’, a heart-breaking but ultimately uplifting tale filled with the joy of the season.

Follow Rosie on Twitter – https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green88

Sarah Steele

Publication date: 16/3/23

Publisher: Headline Review

SYNOPSIS

‘For a moment she closed her eyes and imagined she was perched on the diving board at the Piscine Molitor, the sun beating down on her bare shoulders and the sound of Parisians at play beneath her. All she had to do was jump.’

1941. Darkness descends over London as the sirens begin to howl and the bombs rain down. Devastation seeps from every crack of the city. In the midst of all the chaos is a woman gripping a window ledge on the first floor of a Baker Street hotel. She is perched, ready to jump. And as flames rise around her, she is forced to take her chances.

1997. Amy Novak has lost the two great loves in her life: her husband, Michael, and her first love, music. With the first anniversary of Michael’s death approaching, Amy buries herself in her job as an archivist. And when a newly declassified file lands on her desk, she is astonished to uncover proof that ‘Agent Colette’ existed – a name spoken only in whispers; an identity so secret that it has never been verified.

Her discovery leads her to MI6 ‘godmother’ Verity Cooper – a woman with secrets of her own – and on to the streets of Paris where she will uncover a story of unimaginable choices, extraordinary courage and a love that will defy even the darkest days of World War Two . . .

MY REVIEW

I absolutely adored The Schoolteacher of Saint-Michel ​so I was very excited to get chance to review Sarah’s new book as part of the blog tour.

What a phenomenal book this is. A reminder of all the brave men and women who risked their lives to spy on the Germans during WWII. Based on true events and set over a dual timeline of 1941 and 1997.

Amy’s husband has died, leaving her to bring up their daughter. She has also lost the ability to play the piano, the first love of her life, but having had to give up a promising career as a pianist she is now in a role as an archivist which she adores.

When the latest classified documents are released by the government, Amy is drawn to a document mentioning Agent Colette. So little is known about this woman many thought she was a myth. Who was she and what was her story? With the encouragement of her boss, Amy begins to investigate the life of this remarkable woman, uncovering the story of a woman who saw an opportunity to help the resistance by befriending the Germans.

The story Amy is uncovering is played out in the historical part of the book which I found both fascinating and heartbreaking. Agent Colette was an extremely brave and strong woman.

I cried buckets at the end! Such an emotional ending. I absolutely loved this book. I couldn’t put it down I just had to know if Amy would find the ending of Agent Colette’s story. It is definitely going to stay with me for a long time.

Huge thanks to Rosie at Headline for my gorgeous copy of the book and having me along on the blog tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR – in her own words

I am the author of THE MISSING PIECES OF NANCY MOON and THE SCHOOLTEACHER OF SAINT-MICHEL. 

NANCY MOON was inspired by my own love of vintage fashion and dressmaking, with some vicarious travel thrown in, and takes the reader on a tour of the glamorous hotspots of Europe in 1962. 

THE SCHOOLTEACHER OF SAINT-MICHEL is set in occupied rural France in 1942, and the story of Lucie Laval and her pupils is one of hope and courage in time of war.

My third novel, THE LOST SONG OF PARIS, is a story of love, loss and bravery that begins with the declassified WW2 file of an MI6 spy operating in occupied Paris.

Although I originally trained as a classical musician, writing has always been my passion, and I am never found without a notebook on my person, in case of that unexpected moment of inspiration. I am usually found in the cafés of Stroud, my home town in beautiful Gloucestershire, or walking the local hills with my dog.

For lots of photographs charting my love of vintage fashion and all things home made, as well as the stories behind my stories, do follow my Instagram and Facebook pages @sarahsteeleauthor, or catch me procrastinating on Twitter at @sarah_l_steele.

Head to my website to find images of the originals patterns made by Nancy: https://www.sarahsteeleauthor.co.uk

Inspector George Zammit series book 1

AJ Aberford

Published: 19/7/22

Publisher: Hobeck Books

SYNOPSIS

An unwilling hero

Inspector George Zammit, of the Maltese Pulizijalikes a quiet life, keeping his head down and avoiding trouble. But when he investigates a body floating in the waters of Valletta’s Grand Harbour, he soon finds himself entangled in an international criminal plot which leads him on a perilous adventure. 

A powerful crime family

Natasha Bonnici is part of a sophisticated Italian crime family whose attentions turn to the oil riches beneath the Libyan desert, where they encounter Abdullah Belkacem, a Libyan militia leader with big ambitions. Nick Walker sells his Maltese online gaming company to a shady purchaser and finds himself at the centre of Europe’s biggest money laundering operation. 

Troubled waters

Set against a backdrop of the world of oil smuggling, the turmoil of North Africa and the seemingly unchecked corruption in the Southern Mediterranean, their paths all collide, with disastrous results.

MY REVIEW

AJ Aberford is a new author to me, but being a Hobeck author I knew I would be in for a fantastic read. And it was!

We meet Inspector George Zammit who works in the Immigration department of the Maltese Pulizija as he has been called out to investigate a body in the Grand Harbour. George likes a quiet life and he enjoys the odd pastry! His wife is proud of his achievements and makes it known. She enjoys a bit of attention.

When his son is almost killed in a motorcycle accident carrying a satchel containing drugs, George manages to get involved in a web of illegal activities from money laundering to people trafficking and spanning countries from Malta to Libya. As an honest policeman, finding himself sent to Libya and ending up face down in a car park in the middle of a violent gunfight was not his life’s plan. In fact he hardly ever left Malta before his superior sent him to Libya.

This is a brilliantly plotted fast paced crime thriller which is jam packed with great characters and plenty of action.

Very highly recommended and I can’t wait to read book 4 for the upcoming blog tour. I will definitely be reading books 2 and 3. 

Thank you Rebecca at Hobeck for sending me a copy to read.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

AJ Aberford has enjoyed a varied career, having been both a corporate and banking lawyer, owning and running a private investment company and founding a leading Yorkshire craft brewery. Changing direction again, he is now the author of the Inspector George Zammit crime and thriller series.

AJ Aberford still keeps his house in Yorkshire, UK, but lives primarily in Malta, which is the inspiration for the Inspector George Zammit series. Upon moving there, he soon became enthralled by the culture and history of the island that acts as a bridge between Europe and North Africa.

Malta’s position at the sharp end of the migrant crisis, as well as the rapid growth of its commercial and offshore-financial sectors, provide a rich backdrop for his writing. The culture, politics and geography of the southern Mediterranean continually throws-up surprises in this fascinating part of the world, nothing is ever what it seems, with the lines between right and wrong often blurred and twisted.

AJ Aberford is married and has two grown-up sons, as well as grandchildren. He is a keen cook, an adventurous traveller, a cyclist and is currently writing the sixth book in the Inspector George Zammit series. The Inspector Zammit series is published by Hobeck Books https://www.hobeck.net/