Category: Guest Posts

#BlogTour: The Mine by Antti Tuomainen (@antti_tuomainen) @OrendaBooks #TheFinnishInvasion

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the-mine-cover“A hitman. A journalist. A family torn apart. Can he uncover the truth before it’s too late?

In the dead of winter, investigative reporter Janne Vuori sets out to uncover the truth about a mining company, whose illegal activities have created an environmental disaster in a small town in Northern Finland. When the company’s executives begin to die in a string of mysterious accidents, and Janne’s personal life starts to unravel, past meets present in a catastrophic series of events that could cost him his life.

A traumatic story of family, a study in corruption, and a shocking reminder that secrets from the past can return to haunt us, with deadly results … The Mine is a gripping, beautifully written, terrifying and explosive thriller by the King of Helsinki Noir.”

I am delighted to welcome you to my stop on The Mine blog tour and day two of my stint on the Finnish Invasion blog tour (if you missed it I featured a brilliant Q&A with Orenda author Kati Hiekkapelto yesterday, which you can read if you click here).

Regular visitors to damppebbles will know how much I love a guest post (I love a guest post!) so today I have a fabulous post from The Mine author Antti Tuomainen to share with you. Without further ado I’ll hand over to Antti…

Family Matters by Antti Tuomainen

I have just published my third novel in the UK called THE MINE. (It is my fifth novel altogether.) THE MINE is a crime novel, of course, but it is also a family story. It tells the story of a father and a son, a journalist and a hitman. In the beginning of the novel, the father returns to Helsinki, his and his son’s hometown, after having been gone for thirty years.

That set up – the father and the son – was really how THE MINE got its start. It is also something that is common in all my novels. Close relationships, I mean. Looking back, I’ve always written about close human interaction in one way or another – husband and wife torn apart in The Healer, brothers on different side of the law, mother and son in Dark As My Heart, and so forth –  and I’ve always began building my novels through characters and their dilemmas. And of course, the secrets they keep from each other.

And this is where family comes in. Who are we closest to? Who do we most remind? Who do we most love or most hate or both? To make a story as dramatic as possible, the stakes have to be high. THE MINE, then, presents two men, sharing the same blood, from different stages of life. One is young, one is older. One is on the side of ‘good’, one on the side of ‘evil’. Of course, the further along we get in the novel, the more the lines blur.

(They are, in a way, brought together by a mine. It should be said that the actual mine in the novel, while fictional, was indeed modeled after a very real and very catastrophic actual mine in northern Finland. There was a sort of a mining boom in Finland a few years ago and at this time a huge nickel mine in the north was opened. It was, and continues to be, an utter disaster from the beginning. When it was revealed how the business got its start, how it involved politicians and business people in a highly questionable manner and how phenomenally huge was, and continues to be, the tax-payers’ bill I felt I had to ask a few questions.)

The son in THE MINE is a journalist. A question I have many times heard is that if I see myself in him since I did some journalism between being a copywriter and a full time writer of novels. (I do see a slight resemblance in some things, yes, at least when relating to the business of writing.) But for some reason I’ve never heard the question: “Do you see yourself in the father, the sixty-year-old lonely hitman?” I find this strange. Because, obviously, I do.

This doesn’t mean that I approve of what the father is doing: going to work means, to him, killing folks. I don’t think that’s an acceptable way to spend your days. But he is in a very recognizable human situation with the people he feels closest to. They both are. And THE MINE shows these men at crossroads. They are more alike than they would like to admit. They are obsessed. They take pride in their work, and how good they are at it. They stop at nothing, and it costs them. They try to do good, but in trying, they hurt other people. They miscalculate, misbehave, misunderstand. They try their best, they really do. Finally, they are willing to do whatever it takes in behalf of each other. They’re family. I can relate to that. I can understand how their family matters to them, as mine matters to me.

***

Thank you very much for such a wonderful guest post, Antti.  I have a copy of The Mine on my TBR and I can’t wait to read it.  I find your description of the father, the sixty year old lonely hitman very intriguing. And, of course, I adore translated crime fiction!  Watch this space for a review coming your way soon.

The Mine by Antti Tuomainen was published in the UK by Orenda Books on 10th October 2016 and is available in paperback and eBook formats | amazon.co.uk | amazon.com | Waterstones | Goodreads | Orenda Books |

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antii-tuomainen-225x300Finnish Antti Tuomainen (b. 1971) was an award-winning copywriter when he made his literary debut in 2007 as a suspense author. The critically acclaimed My Brother’s Keeper was published two years later. In 2011 Tuomainen’s third novel, The Healer, was awarded the Clue Award for ‘Best Finnish Crime Novel of 2011’ and was shortlisted for the Glass Key Award. The Finnish press labeled The Healer – the story of a writer desperately searching for his missing wife in a post-apocalyptic Helsinki – ‘unputdownable’. Two years later in 2013 they crowned Tuomainen “The king of Helsinki Noir” when Dark as my Heart was published. With a piercing and evocative style, Tuomainen is one of the first to challenge the Scandinavian crime genre formula. Antti Tuomainen’s latest novel The Mine will be published by Orenda Books in 2016/17.

Author Links: | Twitter |

#BlogTour | #BookReview: What Remains of Me by A.L. Gaylin (@alisongaylin) @arrowpublishing

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what-remains-of-me-cover“People don’t need to know you’re a murderer.
They just have to think you could be…

June 1980: 17-year-old Kelly Lund is jailed for killing Hollywood film director, John McFadden

Thirty years later, Kelly is a free woman. Yet speculation still swirls over what really happened that night.

And when her father-in law, and close friend of McFadden is found dead – shot through the head at point-blank range – there can only be one suspect.

But this time Kelly has some high-profile friends who believe she’s innocent of both crimes.

But is she?

I am absolutely delighted to be closing the fantastic What Remains of Me blog tour today and it’s publication day too!  A very happy book birthday to A.L. Gaylin and the folk at Arrow Publishing.  I have something very special to share with you to mark the occasion; a character profile of the main protagonist, Kelly Lund.  I don’t think I’ve hosted a character profile before and this one is going to be hard to top as I absolutely adored Kelly!  Over to A.L. Gaylin…

Character Profile; Kelly Lund

Kelly Michelle Lund

Age: 17 and 47

Occupation(s)
High school student;  “Creative Consultant,” Sarabelle.com

Shown in 1980 and 2010, Kelly Lund is the daughter of Rose and Jimmy Lund and the twin sister of the late Catherine Lund, who died at 15 of an apparent suicide. The defining event of her life is the 1980 murder of Hollywood director John McFadden, of which she is ultimately convicted, spending 25 years in prison for the crime.

Kelly Lund in 1980:

Still mourning the untimely death of her glamorous fraternal twin, whose broken body was found at the bottom of a canyon two years earlier, Kelly is a lonely high school outcast at 17. She lives in Hollywood with her divorced mother, Rose, a former B-movie makeup artist who now works behind the cosmetics counter at I Magnin — and who desperately tries to keep Kelly away from the fast crowd of movie star children  her doomed twin used to spend time with. Rose’s worst nightmares come true when Bellamy Marshall – daughter of movie legend Sterling Marshall – befriends Kelly, introducing her to John McFadden’s son, teen actor Vincent “Vee” Vales, as well as a world of glamour, drugs and danger.

Over the next few months, Kelly becomes immersed in this new world, while discovering the many dark secrets that lurk beneath its glittering surface. After a falling out with Rose, Kelly goes to live with her father, Jimmy, an injured stuntman who is addicted to alcohol and painkillers.  The many things Kelly learns during this time, and the changes she goes through because of them, result in the death of McFadden.

After she is convicted of the crime, Kelly makes the mistake of smiling, ever-so-slightly, outside the courtroom. Captured on film, the chilling expression is dubbed the Mona Lisa Death Smile in the press, and Kelly becomes a near-mythic villain, covered as a dead-eyed teen killer with a chilling smile.

Kelly Lund in 2010:

Five years after her release from prison, Kelly is living in the wilds of Joshua Tree desert with her husband, Shane Marshall. Shane is Bellamy’s younger brother. He was only 10 years old when John McFadden was murdered, but was the only member of his family to correspond with Kelly while she was in prison. They had a prison wedding, which was covered in the press. Shane is a photographer and Hollywood photo archivist, while Kelly writes fake profiles for a hook-up website for would-be adulterers. She maintains a close, secret relationship with a local eccentric – a chainsaw artist who goes by the name of Rocky Three.

Estranged from Bellamy, who has made a career as an artist based on a shockingly negative depiction of herself, Kelly witnesses yet another sea-change in her life when Sterling Marshall is killed, in a similar way to his dear friend John McFadden. A suspect once again, cryptic, closed-off Kelly is now forced to unravel the mystery of both murders as she learns the truth behind her relationships, myriad family secrets – and herself.

***

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There was something about this book that really got under my skin.  I was completely smitten with it; the flashbacks to 1980s Hollywood, experiencing the underbelly of the glitz and glamour, the manipulation and the deceit.  Which was all centred around hapless Kelly Lund, now one of my all time favourite fictional characters.

I love the idea of the good girl turned evil, but does Kelly Lund fall into that category?  I think that’s exactly why she’s so appealing to me.  You just don’t know! From the early chapters you start to ask yourself, did she do it?  There is definitely something ‘not quite right’ about her, but murder?  I spent the entire novel chopping and changing my opinion; yes she did, no she didn’t.  What a rollercoaster of a read!

I found Kelly’s friendship with Bellamy an uncomfortable read at times.  Kelly’s neediness was quite intense but I guess that’s the way many teenage girls are with their friends (maybe it reminded me of my own BFF when I was 17 and that’s what made me uncomfortable!).  Their relationship was very defined with Bellamy as the confident, self-assured leader and Kelly the follower, the wannabe.  Living in the shadow of her deceased, more glamorous twin sister.

Would I recommend this book?  I most certainly would.  I read this book in 24 hours which, for me, is very fast.  I was completely gripped and entranced by Kelly’s story and the detective within me became obsessed with figuring out whether Kelly committed one murder, two murders or none at all!  With great twists and turns along the way, a clever crime novel which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Four and a half stars out of five.

I chose to read and review an ARC of What Remains of Me.

What Remains of Me by A.L. Gaylin is published in the UK by Arrow Publishing on 1st December 2016 and is available in paperback, eBook and audio formats | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | Goodreads | Arrow Publishing (Penguin Random House) |

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al-gaylinAlison Gaylin’s first job was as a reporter for a celebrity tabloid, which sparked a lifelong interest in writing about people committing despicable acts. More than a decade later, she wrote and published her Edgar-nominated first novel, HIDE YOUR EYES.

She’s since published eight more books, including the USA Today and international bestselling Brenna Spector suspense series, which has been nominated for the Edgar, Anthony and Thriller awards and won the Shamus award.

She lives in upstate New York with her husband, daughter, cat and dog.

Author Links: | Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook |

#BlogTour | #GuestPost: Hell is Empty by Conrad Williams (@Salavaria) @TitanBooks

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hell-is-empty-1“Private Investigator Joel Sorrell is exhausted and drinking hard, sustained only by a hopeful yet baffling note from his estranged daughter, Sarah.

An SOS from an old flame whose child has been kidnapped gives him welcomed distraction, but the investigation raises more questions than answers.

Then comes the news that his greatest enemy has escaped from prison with a score to settle.

With Joel’s life and the remnants of his family at stake, any chance of peace depends on the silencing of his nemesis once and for all. But an unexpected obstacle stands in his way…”

I am delighted to welcome you to my stop on the Hell is Empty blog tour.  Hell is Empty is book three in the excellent PI Joel Sorrell series, written by Conrad Williams.  And it’s publication day today so a very happy book birthday to Conrad Williams and all at Titan Books!

Now I have a confession to make, I’ve only read the first book in this series (that’s Dust and Desire if you haven’t come across Joel Sorrell before).  But I do have Sonata of the Dead and Hell is Empty on my TBR and I can’t wait to read them.  Dust and Desire is such a fabulous book and you can read my review by clicking here.  Dust and Desire also features on my recent top 20 all time favourite crime books post for #TBConFB.  You can see my other nineteen choices by clicking here.  Anyway, enough of my waffling!  I’m delighted to have a guest post from author Conrad Williams to share with you today, the topic of which is anti-heroes.  Over to Conrad…

The anti-hero

We all do and say things that are sometimes cruel and hurtful, perhaps even damaging, even though we perceive ourselves as essentially being good. That means our heroes and villains in literature should too. I don’t believe in evil. Evil acts, sure. But not evil people. I like a knotty, chewy protagonist with layers. Joel Sorrell is vulnerable but also capable. He’s someone who can be pushed only too far before he cracks. He doesn’t react well to stress. And, of course, he’s a potty-mouthed individual who relies on drink a little more than is good for him. In his first outing, Dust and Desire, I wanted to pit him against a ‘baddie’ who is also vulnerable. This person – the Four Year Old (aka Wire) – is driven to find the person who ruined his mother’s life (ironically, by doing what he thought was the right thing). But he is young and wet behind the ears. He has trained his body to look like that of a man much older, but his brain and his behaviour are undernourished things. He has committed violent acts that have also damaged him. No person can kill or maim and not be affected by it, certainly not a teenager. When Joel and the Four Year Old finally meet, I wanted their confrontation flavoured with tragedy. I was very pleased when Publishers Weekly recognised this in their review: ‘The suspenseful face-off between Sorrell and Wire carries an unexpected charge of pathos.’

In Sonata of the Dead I introduced Joel to an amoral writers’ group called the Accelerants who have never really gained any kind of experience. Perhaps they travelled a bit in their gap year. Perhaps they had a summer job. But that’s about it. A cossetted, privileged type who nevertheless recognises their own failings as people who want to write what they know… but know nothing. And so they force experience. They steal cars. They shoplift. They play chicken on the motorway. Idiots, basically, trying to justify their so-called lives and their so-called fiction. When they start getting picked off, one by one, by an unseen and unknown killer they quickly go to pieces despite this obviously being quality grist for the mill. You wonder if a writer from an earlier time –  Graham Greene, Ernest Hemingway, Harper Lee – might have turned such an experience into gripping material. But not the Accelerants. This kind of pressure can only have one outcome.

In Hell is Empty, Joel finds himself up against a person who he thought was a friend, but is in fact a gun for hire. Joel is also digging into a cold case from the 1980s, concerning a killer who pushed construction workers to their deaths as the skyscrapers they built scratched at the London sky and blocked out the light for those living below. It was interesting to press Joel into situations such as this to see how he reacted, but also for him to have to deal with the fallout of besting people who – but for a moment of greed or bad judgment or desperation – find themselves doing questionable acts with deadly consequences. Capering in the background of the three novels is someone much worse than all of these characters, the kind of cartoon villain readers perhaps feel more comfortable with. He has no redeeming features whatsoever. He commits atrocities. I felt the narrative arc needed this, at the end – a classic good versus bad scrap – white versus black, after so many pages of what I hope is seen as subtle grey shading.

***

Thanks for such a great post, Conrad.  I’m even more excited about reading Sonata of the Dead and Hell is Empty now.  Sounds like Joel is getting in even more trouble than he did in the first book of the series!  Keep an eye out for reviews of both books coming your way soon.

Hell is Empty was published in the UK by Titan Books on 29th November 2016 and is available in paperback and eBook formats | amazon.co.uk | amazon.com | Goodreads | Titan Books |

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Conrad Williams was born in 1969. He is the author of seven novels (HEAD INJURIES, LONDON REVENANT, THE UNBLEMISHED, ONE, DECAY INEVITABLE, LOSS OF SEPARATION and DUST AND DESIRE), four novellas (NEARLY PEOPLE, GAME, THE SCALDING ROOMS and RAIN) and two collections of short stories (USE ONCE THEN DESTROY and BORN WITH TEETH). He has won two major prizes for his novels. ONE was the winner of the August Derleth award for Best Novel, (British Fantasy Awards 2010), while THE UNBLEMISHED won the International Horror Guild Award for Best Novel in 2007 (he beat the shortlisted Stephen King on both occasions). He won the British Fantasy Award for Best Newcomer in 1993. He won another British Fantasy Award, for Best Novella (THE SCALDING ROOMS) in 2008. In 2009 he was Guest of Honour at the World Horror Convention. He edited the anthologies GUTSHOT, which was shortlisted for both the British Fantasy and World Fantasy Awards, and DEAD LETTERS (forthcoming from Titan Books). He is an associate lecturer at Edge Hill University.

He lives in Manchester, UK, with his wife, three sons and a monster Maine Coon.

Author Links: | Website | Twitter |

 

#BlogTour | #GuestReview: The Seven Trials of Cameron-Strange by @JCalumCampbell | @Lizzy11268

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51OdMmjfv3L._SX322_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg‘Fox stepped swiftly through the door. There was an audible click. And there came the sound of a bolt sliding into place. What follows is the stuff of nightmares…’ Just when the bereaved and troubled Dr Alastair Cameron-Strange rediscovers his life on the other side of the world, the British authorities track him down. They recruit him on a mission which takes him to the farthest reaches of New Zealand, to Xanadu with all its grotesque gargoyles, chief among them Phineas Fox, the American business tycoon whose baleful eye is on the White House. There s something not quite right about Mr Fox, and Cameron-Strange, with the help of the beautiful Nikki, is determined to find out what it is. He survives six ordeals, but will he survive a seventh?

I am delighted to welcome you to my stop on the The Seven Trials of Cameron-Strange blog tour.  The Seven Trials.. is book two in the Cameron-Strange series written by ‘doctor turned author’, James Calum Campbell.  I would like to wish James and Impress Books a very happy publication day.

I am thrilled to be hosting my very first guest review as well! I thought I would start with blogging royalty (as you do!) so today the incredibly talented and very lovely Liz Barnsley of Liz Loves Books shares her thoughts on this exciting thriller.  If you haven’t already, please do check Liz’s blog out – it’s superb, her passion for books and authors shines through.

Over to the lovely Liz…

This is actually the second novel featuring Dr Cameron -Strange and it was an interesting read for me, a very different feel to the narrative within an imaginative and clever thriller that is pacy and engaging.

I had not read the first book – but that didn’t honestly impact on my reading of this one – and I have to say that our main protagonist here was a fascinatingly compelling character, with an intriguing background and set of idiocies if you like. The novel has a Bond feel only not quite, the subject matter is very topical in a lot of ways and the possible “bad guy”, well, I’ll leave you to find out that for yourself. But Phineas Fox – how perfect is that? Yes I know but sometimes you are just immediately wanting to know the person behind the title…

James Calum Campbell has a great way of writing that draws you in, I liked how the plot played out, with an opening that made you just want to know – then taking us back to see how we got there. This is one of those novels that is gripping but not perhaps in the usual ways.

I loved the medical angle it allowed for some beautiful layers to the story, for me this was a fast and satisfying read and one that would certainly bring me back to this author again.

Solid storytelling here. Recommended if you’d like a thriller with a different angle.

***

Thank you Liz.  I can’t wait to read this one for myself as it sounds fascinating.

The Seven Trials of Cameron-Strange by James Calum Campbell was published in the UK by Impress Books on 1st November 2016 and is available in paperback and eBook format | amazon.co.uk | amazon.com | Waterstones | Impress Books |

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Photography by Whyler Photos of Stirling www.whylerphotos.com

James Calum Campbell was born in Glasgow.  He read Medicine at Edinburgh, and practised in Papua New Guinea, Queensland, and Auckland, where he was Clinical Head of the busiest emergency department in Australasia.   He now divides his time between Scotland and New Zealand.

Author Links: | Twitter |

#BlogTour | #GuestPost: Her Last Breath by J.A. Schneider (@JoyceSchneider1)

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unnamed“A chilling psychological thriller about a woman caught between two men…

Mari Gill wakes to horror in a strange apartment next to a murdered man, and can’t remember the night before. Accused of murder, she feels torn between her husband, a successful defense attorney, and a mysterious, kind man who wants to help.

Can she trust either of them – or even her friends?

Detective Kerri Blasco battles her police bosses believing Mari is innocent…but is she?”

I am absolutely delighted to welcome you to one of my most eagerly anticipated blog tours of the year, Her Last Breath by the incredibly lovely J.A. Schneider (or Joyce to her friends!).  Joyce has very kindly written a guest post to share with you today but before we dive in with that, I wanted to share again the post Joyce wrote for my #damppebblestakeover series which ran earlier this year.  Joyce wrote a wonderful piece asking whether writing is really just self-analysis in disguise; you can read the post by clicking here.

Today though, I have a new post to share with you and it’s another corker.  Over to you, Joyce…

What, really, is the best escape?
by J.A. Schneider

Too often, we all feel stress – and if it’s not stress it’s boredom, the everyday mundane jail cell. Stress or boredom are the bookends that squeeze much of our lives, but what to do? Dream of a more perfect love or help with financial problems or escape to exotic locations?

We flail, but what to do when immediate help is needed to feel better? What beats anything that comes out of bottles and lasts only briefly?

Books. The best sanity savers.

Reading will lift you from the mundane or troubling to the marvelous. Reading will transport you to other worlds, to characters you’ll either love or loathe or who will terrify you – but they’re really all your friends, see – because they’re the magic carpet ride to “outta here.”

Once, on a Paris sidewalk, I saw a family: wife, husband, and two pre-adolescent kids. The husband was yelling at his kids, who were sulking/sassing back, and the wife who was getting ignored was crying, “But this was our dream trip! We saved for this! Why are you all ruining it?”

The inevitable shrinking. It happens a lot.

I walked on, hoping that poor woman had a book to run and hide inside to help her calm, lose herself in a favorite romance, or a thriller whose heroine was in much worse straits than she was. I pictured that woman hopefully getting under a pillow with a flashlight and her favorite old paperback, telling the world to just go away, re-losing herself in that wonderful story she’d been reading.

So much for “dream trips,” or dream this or that. Mundane reality lurks everywhere.

Some people reading this know that I’ve traveled a lot, studied in other countries, gotten into some pretty wild-sounding situations (got arrested in the Soviet Union for spreading anti-Soviet propaganda – ha! I have a gift for getting into situations). And okay, many have asked about that, it’s in my Goodreads profile. And what I hear, mostly, is “Oh, that sounds so amazing, so interesting and fascinating.”

Well yes, it was…interesting to see those places, have those experiences, if only to tell you later about them.

But honestly, a field in Russia looks no different from a field in Connecticut, where I live.

And that castle in France so gorgeous on a poster, in reality is freezing eight months of the year and has lousy plumbing.

Reality, what a concept – it really, really often translates into ‘’the inevitable shrinking.”

Just give me a room, a quiet corner on a cozy couch and a wonderful book; that is where I’m happiest.

Because the best adventures take place between the ears.

That’s really your happy place. Your best place to grow, too.

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This is such a good read!  I haven’t had the pleasure of reading a J.A. Schneider novel before (Fear Dreams is on my wishlist) but I will definitely be making a beeline for her books in future.  There’s something about this book and I can’t quite put my finger on it, but, gosh….it sucked me in!

Mari Gill wakes to a bloodbath.  Thankfully it’s not her blood but that of a naked man lying next to her on the bed with a knife in his chest!  Maybe she shouldn’t be so thankful after all.  Did she kill him?  Surely not!  Mari, in a panic, spirals into a chronic asthma attack.  Unable to breathe, she crawls through broken glass trying to escape the horror before her, before being taken into the strong arms of her saviour and given resuscitative breaths. With no memory of the night before, confused and scared, Mari is arrested for murder.  Her soon to be ex-husband is a top attorney and is determined to clear his wife’s name.  But Mari is torn, two men competing for her attention whilst all she wants to do is try and remember what happened that night.  Kerri Blasco is on her side and firmly believes in Mari’s innocence.  But who else can Mari trust?  And I mean, really trust…?

Blasco and Brand are brilliant characters.  I particularly loved Kerri Blasco with her strong determination but gentle approach.  I’m not normally one for romance in my thrillers but the relationship between Blasco and Brand is so well done that you don’t really notice that they’re a couple.  I also loved Mari Gill.  She’s so suspicious of everyone around her.  I didn’t need to spend time working out who the killer was as Mari did all of the detective work for me.  So often, when reading a crime thriller, you want to shout at the characters and say ‘for goodness sake, are you REALLY going to do that..?’ (similar to a horror movie, ‘now why have you locked all the doors when you know the killer is inside the house with you’…) but there was no need with Mari.  She was more suspicious than me!

The plot was intriguing and drew my attention throughout the book.  I was on the edge of my seat for a large proportion, particularly for the closing chapters.  There is a cracking twist which I certainly didn’t see coming.  Joyce’s writing is punchy and without faff, just the way I like my books.

Would I recommend this book?  I most definitely would.  I’m excited to read Fear Dreams now, which is the first book in the Detective Kerri Blasco series.  It’s a compelling read driven by intriguing, interesting characters.  A brilliant plot with a fabulous twist to knock your socks off!  Brilliant!

Four and a half stars out of five.

Many thanks to J.A. Schneider for providing me with a copy of Her Last Breath in exchange for an honest review.

Her Last Breath by J.A. Schneider was published in the UK by RGS Media on 21st October 2016 and is available in eBook format | To buy from amazon click here | Goodreads |

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J.A. (Joyce Anne) Schneider is a former staffer at Newsweek Magazine, a wife, mom, and reading addict. She loves thrillers…which may seem odd, since she was once a major in French Literature – wonderful but sometimes heavy stuff. Now, for years, she has become increasingly fascinated with medicine, forensic science, and police procedure. Decades of being married to a physician who loves explaining medical concepts and reliving his experiences means there’ll often be medical angles even in “regular” thrillers that she writes. She lives with her family in Connecticut, USA.

Author Links: | Twitter | Facebook | amazon.com | Website | Goodreads |

 

 

#BlogTour | #GuestPost: Dancers in the Wind by Anne Coates (@Anne_Coates1) @urbanepub

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51spunndbkl-_sx324_bo1204203200_“SHE IS HUNTING FOR THE TRUTH, BUT WHO IS HUNTING HER?

Freelance journalist and single mother Hannah Weybridge is commissioned by a national newspaper to write an investigative article on the notorious red light district in Kings Cross. There she meets prostitute Princess, and police inspector in the vice squad, Tom Jordan.

When Princess later arrives on her doorstep beaten up so badly she is barely recognisable, Hannah has to make some tough decisions and is drawn ever deeper into the world of deceit and violence. Three sex workers are murdered, their deaths covered up in a media blackout, and Hannah herself is under threat.

As she comes to realise that the taste for vice reaches into the higher echelons of the great and the good, Hannah realises she must do everything in her power to expose the truth …. and stay alive.”

I am thrilled to welcome you to my stop on the Dancers in the Wind blog tour and let me tell you…this is one fantastic book.  Dancers in the Wind is author Anne Coates debut thriller novel and I for one hope there is a lot more to come.

To celebrate the publication of Dancers in the Wind (which happened on 13th October 2016) I have a brilliant guest post from Anne Coates to share with you today.  Anne has written a fascinating piece which gives an insight into one of the many processes a book goes through before it reaches publication.  What a skill to have!

Gamekeeper turned poacher?
How editing and abridging books has informed my own writing

While I have been writing most of my life, I have also been an editor and an abridger of both fiction and non-fiction. This started with my staff job on Woman’s Weekly and Woman & Home and, after I went freelance, with Reader’s Digest (books) and Orion for their Compact Editions series and as a fiction consultant for a part-work.

I had to undergo training at Reader’s Digest – they have very specific rules and guidelines – and have worked for them for most of my freelance life. Every year they had a huge lunch party in London inviting publishers, agents, authors and celebrities. The first year I was invited I felt like I was the recipient of one of Willy Wonka’s golden tickets!

Meeting one of the authors I mentioned that I’d cut his novel. He and his wife exchanged a glance and I cursed myself for being an idiot. Then his wife said, “It was amazing. Try as we might, we couldn’t see what you’d cut out.” And that is what abridgers aim for – a shorter book where the reader can’t see the joins. Needless to say I was chuffed to bits.

Memoirs are often easier to cut as authors tend to give too many people their back-stories which are mostly superfluous. If my eyes glaze over during my first readings, it’s a sign that something needs to be cut.

The effect this has had on my own work is that I write succinctly.  This was a perfect style for my short tales with a twist and flash fiction but for my novels I have had to learn to expand and develop both characters and narrative.

My first draft often reads like a series of disconnected scenes and I rewrite and rewrite until I’m satisfied everything works. Even so mistakes can get through – even for the best writers. In Mill on the Floss, the dog changes sex halfway through the book!

Timelines are so important. When abridging a book, I probably read it at least six times and probably am more intimate with it by the end than the author. I found a plot flaw when working on Anna Karenina that would probably (and has) passed most people by. Plus another well-known author had an eleven-month pregnancy in her novel.

But just in case you think I am getting above myself, I realised recently while writing the sequel to Dancers in the Wind, that I’d included a real event, which had actually happened the year before Death’s Silent Judgement is set. It made me think of the biblical quote: “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged… Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?”

So please forgive any logs of my own making – although I am sure the pros at Urbane Publications will have eliminated them.

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This is a very enjoyable novel which I devoured in the space of 24 hours.  No scrap that, it was more like 7 hours which for me, is super speed reading.  I couldn’t put it down.  Once I became immersed in Hannah and Caroline’s tale, I was hooked!  Before starting this book I wasn’t sure what to expect.  The cover suggested murder and violence but the title…didn’t!  I now know why the book is called Dancers in the Wind and I feel a little silly.  It all fits perfectly!

Freelance journalist Hannah Weybridge is working on a feature to coincide with the release of a television documentary featuring young prostitute, Princess and new copper on block, DI Tom Jordan.  The interview with Princess opens Hannah’s eyes and she hears things about life on the streets that she would prefer not to.  With DI Jordan it’s clear to see the sparks fly but Hannah is far too professional to make anything of it.  And DI Jordan has enough on his plate trying to solve the murder of a local prostitute. When the body of a second girl is found Tom is suddenly aware that the first murder was not the work of an overly frisky punter but something much more sinister.

Hannah meanwhile is getting on with her life, having forgotten all about the prostitute and the cop; she has a six month old daughter to care for and being a single mum she needs the phone to ring with more work.  But instead of the phone ringing, the doorbell rings late one night.  On her doorstep Hannah finds the badly beaten body of Princess, she’s barely alive.  Against her better judgement Hannah gives the girl shelter and cleans her up.  But what has Princess brought to Hannah’s door?  Are Hannah and her baby daughter safe? And will those responsible be held to account for their actions, or are they beyond the reach of the law…?

One of the things that stood out for me in this book is the fact that the main protagonist is a  journalist rather than a detective or PI.  She’s not really an investigative reporter either, she’s just a normal mum trying to do the best for her baby daughter.  That appealed to me and I found it refreshing (surely I’m not growing tired of my grumpy, addiction riddled cops…am I?).  Granted, DI Tom Jordan does feature quite heavily but he is by no means the star of the show.  This story belongs to Hannah and Princess (AKA Caroline).

It’s a gritty read and in some places quite shocking.  My attention was held from the opening chapters to the very end.  Once I’d finished the book I felt quite bereft and wanted more (there is a sequel on the way – no pressure, Anne Coates!).

This is another read where you suspect pretty much every character at one point or another.  I always enjoy books which use that formula as I’m always keen to hone my detective skills.

Would I recommend this book?  I most certainly would.  Brilliant characters with heaps of mystery to keep you guessing.  A thoroughly enjoyable and absorbing read.

Four and a half stars out of five.

Many thanks to Liz Barnsley, Urbane Publications, NetGalley and Anne Coates for providing me with a copy of Dancers in the Wind in exchange for honest review.

Dancers in the Wind by Anne Coates was published in the UK by Urbane Publications on 13th October 2016 and is available in paperback and eBook format | amazon.co.uk | amazon.com | Waterstones | Goodreads | Urbane Publications |

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annecoatesFor most of her working life in publishing, Anne has had a foot in both camps as a writer and an editor, moving from book publishing to magazines and then freelancing in both.

Having edited both fiction and narrative non-fiction, Anne has also had short stories published in a variety of magazines including Bella and Candis and is the author of seven non-fiction books.

Born in Clapham, Anne returned to London after graduating and has remained there ever since. In an attempt to climb out of her comfort zone, Anne has twice “trod the boards” – as Prince Bourgrelas in Ubu Roi when a student and more recently as a nun in a local murder mystery production. She also sings periodically in a local church choir and is relieved when she begins and finishes at the same time – though not necessarily on the same note – as everyone else. Needless to say, Anne will not be giving up her day job as an editor and writer.

Telling stories is Anne’s first love and nearly all her short fiction as well as Dancers in The Wind began with a real event followed by a “what if …” That is also the case with the two prize-winning 99Fiction.net stories: Codewords and Eternal Love.

Anne is currently working on the sequel to Dancers in the Wind.

Author Links: | Twitter | Website | Blog |

 

#BlogTour | #GuestPost: PsychoAnalysis by V. R. Stone (@VRStoneAuthor)

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41ylscawpol-_sx311_bo1204203200_“A serial killer who wants to quit. A detective struggling to keep his personal life out of a murder hunt. And a celebrity psychiatrist facing an incredible challenge. Three damaged individuals, linked by their traumatic histories. They’ve chosen very different paths. Now those paths are about to cross.

Sarah Silver is a hedge fund manager – from Monday to Friday she makes a killing in the markets. At weekends, though, she hunts men, not profits. Martin White used to be a brilliant detective. But his family, judgement and self-control are deserting him. And Karl Gross has sold millions of books on serial killers. However he’s a controversial figure in the medical community.

Can Martin keep it together and catch a killer who commits almost perfect crimes? Is Karl capable of unravelling Sarah’s psyche and putting an end to the killing? Or will she disappear when she realises that the hunter has become the hunted?

PsychoAnalysis is a psychological crime thriller that explores the grey area between good and evil.Why would a woman kill for fun? Can she be understood? Can she be stopped?”

I am thrilled to welcome you to my stop and the first stop on the PsychoAnalyis blog tour.  PsychoAnalysis is V.R. Stone’s debut novel and crikey, it packs quite a punch!  I’m excited to see what V.R. Stone has in store for us in the future.

Today, not only do I have a fabulous guest post about why V. R. loves a violent thriller, I also have my four and a half star review of this BRILLIANT serial killer thriller to share with you.  First of all, here’s V.R.’s incredibly honest guest post:

What kind of grown man sit alone in a room, making up stories about serial killers?

My earliest childhood memories involve a chase: hurrying out of my parents’ restaurant and down an alleyway; abandoning my den-building at a friend’s house when my father discovered our whereabouts; watching cartoons in a women’s hostel; and my mother screaming “he wants to take my children” as Dad caught up with us.

From those events, it would seem that we have a pretty traditional story, a ‘trope’ as us writers would refer to it, of a battered wife and a violent man. But real life is often more complicated.

Yes, my father had a temper, but a glare or a few words were usually all it took for him to assert his authority. I don’t recall him laying his hands on any of us. He was prone to outbursts, but would often cool down after a short period. He wasn’t a teddy bear, but he certainly wasn’t a psychopath either. And my mother… well, she’s a worrier and has suffered from mental health problems. I can certainly imagine, though, that my father, perhaps in a rage, had threatened to take her children away, perhaps back to Turkey, where we’d be harder to retrieve.

My parents married only 6 weeks after meeting, sold my mother’s house and bought a restaurant. The pressure of running a failing business did not help their relationship, which imploded in spectacular fashion – a whirlwind romance that spawned a tornado. And the break-up happened when I was four years old, around the time a child starts to form lasting memories.

Now, three decades later, I’ve written a thriller featuring a successful woman who kills men. And she’s being chased by a detective whose marriage is falling apart.

That, for me, demonstrates the essence of inspiration and the desire to write stories. My novel is very different from my life and my characters are very different from anyone I know. And yet, if you rearranged the pieces, turned a few things upside down, you’d get me, my life, my family and my desires.

I enjoy a wide variety of stories – novels, films, TV dramas – but the ones that stay with me, that really suck me in… well, they’re invariably violent and would typically fit into the crime genre. The Silence of the Lambs, The Sopranos, Danish/Swedish TV show The Bridge, American Psycho – they’re the ones I return to, that influence me.

Why? I think it stems from those early experiences – the combination of peril and happiness. Making a den when we were ‘on the run’; watching cartoons with the children of battered women; having parents who wanted me but were trying to take me away from each other. I suppose my early years were something of a rollercoaster of fear and happiness – so now rollercoasters and fear make me happy.

And despite my father’s personality flaws, there were many things I loved about him. Yes, he was tough on us, but he was tough on others, including the man who tried to rob his kebab shop and found himself up against a wall with a knife to his throat. Dad was something of a wild man, who did what the hell he wanted to – a rebel, an anti-hero. Until he developed a rare, incurable type of cancer that slowly killed him.

Maybe he’s the reason I’m drawn to characters who use violence or the threat of it to get what they want. And that’s probably why I’ve written a thriller, rather than a mystery. I’ve never been one for ‘whodunnits’. I don’t want to see the killer identified at the very end – it’s them I want to watch or read about, to try and understand, all the way through. In a game of cat and mouse, you might find me rooting for the cat…

I also love strong female characters, though, like Saga Norén in The Bridge, or “The Bride” in Kill Bill. Tough women who stand up to men, and can kick their arses – or chop them up – when they need to. It doesn’t take much imagination to figure out why they appeal to me.

So, when you’re looking at me, a grown man who writes about serial killers, and there’s that combination of pity and bewilderment in your eyes… well, maybe you’ll still think I’m a little crazy. But at least now you know why. And where would you prefer me to be? Sitting alone in a room, making up stories? Or out on the streets, lurking in the shadows…

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When I first read the blurb of this book it gave me goosebumps.  What a story!  There was no way I was going to pass up the opportunity to read it.  And I’m so glad I did as this is a brilliant serial killer thriller with everything I enjoy in one novel.

Sarah isn’t your average, everyday serial killer, oh no!  First of all, she’s a woman and second, she doesn’t fit into any of the traditional stereotypical profiles.  Oh, and she WANTS to stop hunting and killing gorgeous young men.  So she seeks the help of infamous celebrity psychiatrist, Karl Gross.  But Karl has his own plan for Sarah and his own twisted fantasies.  Another of Karl’s patients, DI Martin White is put on Sarah’s case alongside fellow detective, Phil Burton.  But it’s just the two of them versus a clever, accomplished killer.  Will they be able to stop Sarah before she kills again?  And is Sarah really the most dangerous one…?

This is such a great story which I devoured in a few short sittings.  I loved the female serial killer angle, the psychology aspect and the incredibly damaged detective (really, those three things are all I want in a book!).  The three main characters are brilliantly written and I particularly liked Sarah.  The book reminded me a little of American Psycho (even before I got to the nod to Patrick Bateman) but the level of violence is substantially less grizzley in PsychoAnalysis (don’t get me wrong though, this book contains a fair amount of violence).

The twist towards the end was completely unexpected which was a thrill.  The plot moved at a good pace and my interest was kept from start to finish.  I just wanted more!  I was a smidge disappointed with the end as it seemed to come too quickly.  I would also like to see more of Martin White but get the feeling this book is a one off and we won’t be seeing DI White again (shame).

Would I recommend this book?  I most certainly would, I blooming loved it.  Thrilling, exciting and edge of your seat stuff for all fans of serial killer fiction.

Four and a half stars out of five.

Many thanks to V. R. Stone for providing me with a copy of PsychoAnalysis in exchange for an honest review.

PsychoAnalysis by V. R. Stone was published in the UK by Silverwhite Press on 14th October 2016 and is available in paperback and eBook format | amazon.co.uk | amazon.com | Goodreads | To watch the book trailer, please click here |

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41fm7przzel-_ux250_ V.R. Stone loves crime stories – The Silence of The Lambs, The Sopranos, American Psycho, Pulp Fiction, Shutter Island – movies, TV shows and books featuring cynical cops, femmes fatale, gangsters and serial killers. Thrills, twists and violence – that’s what he craves. Give him a well-crafted tale featuring compelling characters on the wrong side of the law and he’ll be a happy man.


He really does have an unhealthy fascination with people getting shot, stabbed and strangled. But he doesn’t have the guts to set up a protection racket in his leafy London suburb, rob a bank or follow you home at night. So he sits alone in a room making up stories.

When he’s not busy with that, he works in the City of London and spends time with his very patient wife and very impatient children.

Author Links: | Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads |

 

#GuestPost | #BookReview: Ward Zero by Linda Huber (@LindaHuber19)

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I am thrilled to welcome Linda Huber back to the blog today to celebrate the release of her brilliant new book Ward Zero on 1st October 2016.  Linda has written a piece about the shocking scam she used as inspiration for Ward Zero.  It’s heartbreaking to think that so many elderly people fall for this heartless con.  Over to you Linda…

The Grandchild Trick

Several years ago, I was watching a popular consumer programme on Swiss TV. As well as giving us info about the best kind of toothpaste, and how much nitrate is in which kinds of pre-packed salad, they uncover conmen and their scams, so it makes for interesting watching. And one report had my ears sky-high…

It was about an old woman, and she had lost most of her savings. Why? Because someone had called her on the phone, and when he said he was a distant relative in need of a cash injection, she believed him.

I was gobsmacked. Firstly, that anyone would have the temerity to target an old person in this way, and secondly, that the woman had fallen for it. Not only that, she’d gone to the bank, withdrawn a huge amount of money, and given it to him. Personally. By the time her family realised what had happened, the cash was long gone.

Then, over the next several months, there was an absolute rash of such crimes – old people were contacted, mostly on the phone, given some sob story about a friend or relative, and asked for cash. A horrifyingly large number of them fell for it, and the newspapers started calling it The Grandchild Trick.

The conmen/women were clever – they manipulated the initial conversation in such a way that it seemed to the old person that this was someone who knew all about the family. And of course, so many older people are lonely, vulnerable, only too pleased to chat to a friendly voice on the phone…

It’s such a cruel scam, and unbelievable as it sounds, it’s still happening. Nowadays, fortunately, banks are watching out for it, and if an older person arrives and demands a large cash sum, the bank will inquire further. But that doesn’t help if the victim uses a cash dispenser…

The sheer audacity of it fascinated me and a shimmer of an idea for a book started in my head. How did the conman plan his attack? How would he persuade his victims that he knew them? How would the victims react? What kind of older person would fall for this?
And then – where would be a good place for the conman to find his victims? In a hospital, yes. What if…

And that was the start of Ward Zero. It’s the story of Sarah, who arrives home expecting to go on holiday with her foster mum, then finds herself in the middle of a con trick centred around the local hospital. Before long, Sarah’s life is in danger…

My crime info for this book came mainly from Switzerland, while my hospital info came from my own jobs as a physiotherapist in Scotland and Switzerland. The book is set near Manchester, England, where friends live… it was a pretty international project! And it was very nearly finished, when early this year I discovered that someone I know was almost a victim of The Grandchild Trick herself.

It’s a small world – and a dangerous one.

***

Thank you, Linda.  It’s not on the same scale at all but I remember being very upset to discover that my grandfather (who is no longer with us) had fallen for numerous charity scams of a similar ilk. People turning up on his doorstep requesting money for ‘Feed the Garden Gnomes’ and that sort of thing. Heartbreaking that people could do that really.

As well as Linda’s brilliant guest post I have my review of Ward Zero to share with you today.  But first the cover and blurb to whet your appetite:

51qagdtl-al“Horror swept through her. Had she been buried alive?

On Sarah’s first visit to see her foster mother, Mim, in Brockburn General Hospital, she is sucked into a world that isn’t what it should be.

Someone is lying, someone is stealing. And someone is killing – but who? With a grieving child to take care of, as well as Mim, Sarah has to put family first. She doesn’t see where danger lies – until it’s too late.

If you think you’re safe in a hospital, think again.”

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First off, I love that cover.  I think it’s creepy and it gives me the heebie jeebies. Which meant I had high expectations for Ward Zero, also my first Linda Huber read.  I am delighted to confirm that those expectations were well met and I can’t wait to make a start on Linda’s other books.

Petra and her young daughter, Frankie are in a panic.  Having suffered a number of strokes, Wilma, Petra’s grandmother, is ensconced in hospital for the foreseeable future. That however doesn’t stop the rent from being due.  Thankfully, Petra has taken on the majority of Wilma’s affairs including paying her rent on time.  But there’s no money.  All of Wilma’s savings have gone.  Just vanished!  Whilst visiting Wilma in hospital, Petra bumps into Sarah and her foster mother.  Sarah recognises Petra immediately as Petra’s daughter has also spent time in her foster mother’s care.  By being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Sarah is unwittingly thrown into a tale of deceit and murder.  The bodies begin to pile up, but can Sarah work out who the ‘con artist turned murderer’ is before it’s too late…?

I love books where everyone you meet along the way ‘could’ be the killer and this is one of those books.  Who would be so heartless as to steal the life savings of the elderly hospital patients?  The guy who works in the hospital bank?  The incredibly secretive staff nurse?  Oh there are plenty of suspects.  I did manage to guess who the killer was before the reveal but Linda Huber’s writing kept me on my toes.  You make an educated guess at the suspect, only to be convinced otherwise a few pages on!

This book had a lovely family feel about it; a real ‘them versus us’, ‘good versus evil’ which I really enjoyed.  It’s a strange thing for me to say on this blog but the family feel gave the story warmth and a sense of camaraderie.  I really liked Sarah and was cheering her on all the way.

The closing chapters were creepy and I was on the edge of my seat, wondering whether Sarah would manage to escape her predicament. I was drawn into the story and was fascinated to see where the plot would go.

Would I recommend this book?  I would. It’s a jot gentler than my usual reads but it was very enjoyable and I’m keen to move Linda’s previous books to the top of the TBR.  I enjoyed Linda’s writing and characters and look forward to reading more soon. 

Four out of five stars.

Many thanks to Linda Huber for providing me with a copy of Ward Zero…the Dead Ward in exchange for an honest review.

Ward Zero…the Dead Ward by Linda Huber was published in the UK on 1st October 2016 and is available in eBook format | amazon.co.uk | amazon.com | Goodreads |

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LindaHuber

Linda Huber grew up in Glasgow, Scotland, but went to work in Switzerland for a year aged twenty-two, and has lived there ever since. Her day jobs have included working as a physiotherapist in hospitals and schools for handicapped children, and teaching English in a medieval castle. Not to mention several years spent as a full-time mum to two boys and a rescue dog.
Linda’s books are psychological suspense novels, and the ideas for them come from daily life. The Paradise Trees and The Cold Cold Sea were traditionally published in 2013/2014 before she self-published The Attic Room in 2015 and Chosen Child in early 2016.
Ward Zero, her fifth book, was inspired by a Swiss TV programme and a hospital in the UK…

Author Links:  Amazon UK | Amazon US | Facebook | Twitter | Website | Blog |

#BlogTour | #GuestPost: Lazy Blood by Ross Greenwood (@greenwoodross) @Bloodhoundbook

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519ztcao6ol“Did you make friends at school?
Are they still your friends now?
Do you trust them?
Will is on his way to prison. His life is a mess, but who is to blame?

Set over thirty years, Lazy Blood is a dramatic tale of the endurance of friendship, the frailty of life, the drama of love and how they can all be ruined by broken people, random events and idle choices.”

‘THIS BOOK WILL BLOW YOU AWAY.’ – White Books

‘FUNNY, SHOCKING, SAD.’ – Reader’s Select

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to my stop on the Lazy Blood blog tour.  I have a fascinating guest post from debut author Ross Greenwood to share with you (I do love a guest post!) so without further ado I will hand over to Ross…

People in Prison

I began my book over five years ago and felt I had a good idea; it just lacked a little drama. With the birth of my children I placed it in a drawer where it gathered dust. I took a job as a Prison Officer in our local jail to pay the bills and ideas abounded. Eventually I had to finish it.

One of the main things that surprised me about prison life was it wasn’t what I expected. I thought it would be a cross between Bad Girls, Screwed and Porridge, but the truth was different. I believed the prisoners would all be criminals and getting what they deserved, but as with many things in life, the lines are blurred.

Obviously there were career criminals, but the majority were normal people who had done crazy, stupid or impulsive things. What I quickly realised was that being sent to prison was something that could happen to anyone. We all have our ups and downs and make mistakes, or do things we later regret. Sometimes they can have far-reaching consequences.

Dangerous drivers are easily sent to prison as a car accident is such a violent incident. For example, people texting and looking up to see they had lost control and hit someone else. Clearly stupid, but that person wasn’t a criminal before that moment, and suddenly they have ruined someone’s life. They need to be punished and being sent to prison is appropriate, but it can ruin their lives too. Jobs will be lost, mortgage payments missed, children will be bereft as well as the stigma from friends and family. The ripple effect can be breathtaking.

Drink was often a factor. A fight that got out of hand and the person pushed, falling over, banging their head and dying was a story I heard numerous times. One minute you are ticking along, the next you could be staring at ten years.

The other side of the coin is those who never stood a chance. Some had parents who were dealers or burglars and they got involved in the family business. They never knew a sense of right and wrong. Are they criminals and victims? Others got hooked on drugs and the need to satisfy those urges overwhelmed any reasonable part of their personality.

Finally, there are the innocent. Surprisingly few protested at being victims of the legal system. However, even though we probably have the most transparent and respected legal system in the world, it would be extremely naïve to believe it is infallible.

Prison is an unnatural place and, despite what the papers would have you believe, is far from cushy. For every one of us the act of being locked up and having our freedom taken away is one of the worst things that can be done to us. There is a sense of waste and life ticking by without you. The choices we take for granted are removed.

I wanted to include some of these themes in my book, told with an insight that many will hopefully never experience.

I also wanted to make people laugh at the vagaries of life and tell a tale of people dealing with what life throws at us, both good and bad. The message through the book is the people we choose to be friends with at school often follow us through life. Over the years the places we are born and where our families live will often pull at us. It is often where we are most comfortable. Familiar roads, welcome memories and friendly faces all aid our well-being. Coming home can be peaceful and give an opportunity to re-build and heal. It can also destroy us.

I hope you enjoy Lazy Blood.

***

Thank you very much for this interesting piece, Ross.  It’s as close as I hope to get to the inside and workings of a prison, I have to say!

I am delighted to have a review copy of Lazy Blood on the #terrifyingTBR so look out for a review on damppebbles in the near future.

Lazy Blood by Ross Greenwood was published in the UK by Bloodhound Books on 4th September 2016 and is available in eBook format | amazon.co.uk | amazon.com | Goodreads | Bloodhound Books |

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unnamedI was born in 1973 in Peterborough and lived there until I was 20, attending The King’s School in the city. I then began a rather nomadic existence, living and working all over the country and various parts of the world.

I found myself returning to Peterborough many times over the years, usually when things had gone wrong. It was on one of these occasions that I met my partner about 100 metres from my back door whilst walking a dog. Two children swiftly followed. I’m still a little stunned by the pace of it now. It did make me want to set my novel in Peterborough though.

This book was started a long time ago but parenthood and then four years as a HMP Peterborough prison officer got in the way. Ironically it was the four a.m. feed which gave me the opportunity to finish the book as unable to get back to sleep I completed it in the early morning hours.  Connect with Ross via Twitter @greenwoodross or his website.

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#BlogTour | #GuestPost: Dead Man’s Prayer by Jackie Baldwin (@JackieMBaldwin1) @KillerReads

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Dead Man's Prayer (1)Ex-priest DI Frank Farrell has returned to his roots in Dumfries, only to be landed with a disturbing murder case. Even worse, Farrell knows the victim: Father Boyd, the man who forced him out of the priesthood fifteen years earlier.

With no leads, Farrell must delve into the old priest’s past, one that is inextricably linked with his own. But his attention is diverted when twin boys go missing. One twin is recovered in an abandoned church, unharmed. But where is his brother?

As Farrell investigates the two cases he can’t help but feel targeted. Is someone playing a sinister game, or is he seeing patterns that don’t exist? Either way, it’s a game Farrell needs to win before he loses his grip on his sanity, or someone else turns up dead.

Welcome to my stop on the Dead Man’s Prayer blog tour.  I was over the moon to be asked to participate in Jackie’s tour as DMP sounds a stonking read!  I can’t wait to get started on this one, once the #terrifyingTBR becomes a smidge less terrifying!

I am delighted to have a guest post by Jackie Baldwin to share with you today.  When Jackie suggested writing about what drives her to explore crime, I was thrilled.  It’s a brilliant post, very suited to damppebbles and I love it.  Over to Jackie…

What Drives Me To Explore Crime?

As a child I attended our local Convent School and developed the perception that there was good and there was evil. The world was cast in these certainties. There was no room in this scheme of things for much in the way of grey areas.

As a newly qualified solicitor I ended up practising criminal law. In Scotland, if you are in private practice you are always acting for the defence as all cases are prosecuted by the Crown. Almost immediately, my certainties crumbled. I discovered that, for the most part, criminals were weak, inadequate individuals who made kneejerk decisions in difficult circumstances, rather than intrinsically bad people. Many of them were likeable and desired to change but found it difficult to break free of old patterns of behaviour. As Duty Solicitor I would be locked in a cell with clients who had allegedly committed a wide spectrum of crimes but strangely, I never felt threatened. I strongly believe that you can’t view a criminal without also viewing the context within which they operate. Many of my clients had traumatic upbringings with one or more abusive parents. Most of them had serious substance abuse issues. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the majority of low level crime is due to people trying to scrape money together for a fix or becoming aggressive and losing the rag when on drink or drugs. I believe that many of the addicted people I came across were effectively self-medicating for anxiety and depression. Of course, there were exceptions. Once every few years I would come across someone who made the hairs on the back of my neck prickle a warning and knew that I was in the presence of something dark and ugly.

As a writer I feel that crime is a fertile area to explore. Committing a murder is breaking a taboo. It tears down the gossamer web of society we have wrapped round ourselves to feel safe. This can only be restored when the murderer has been caught and punished. In the old days when detection rates were low and punishment functioned as both deterrent and retribution there was the public spectacle of the hanging. Then, as detection rates increased and society evolved, punishment retreated behind high walls and more complex needs had to be balanced such as retribution, deterrence and rehabilitation.

In that sense, every crime novel is like a quest. Every resolution brings a feeling of release. I am particularly drawn to the psychology of crime in fiction. In real life crime can be swift and brutal, apparently random and motiveless at times. In fiction, I like to understand the internal logic of the villain. People are complex. Often our motivations are buried deep in our unconscious mind and hidden from us. One psyche can consist of many different parts. In damaged people these parts can be in opposition to each other, fighting for supremacy in a subterranean, hidden war, in which the outward explosion of violence can signify a battle lost.

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Thanks again, Jackie for this insightful piece.  I can’t wait to read Dead Man’s Prayer so look out for a review coming your way soon (hopefully)!

Dead Man’s Prayer by Jackie Baldwin was published in the UK by Killer Reads on 2nd September 2016 and is available in eBook format (paperback to be published in December 2016) | amazon.co.uk | amazon.com | Waterstones | Goodreads | KillerReads |

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Photo credit to Kim Ayres

Jackie Baldwin is a Scottish crime writer and former criminal lawyer. Dead Man’s Prayer is her debut novel.

Connect with Jackie via Twitter @JackieMBaldwin1 or Jackie’s Facebook Author Page.

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