Tag Archives: Blog Tour

The Devil’s Porridge Gang by Colin Garrow

by in #amreading, Blog Tour, Book Review, Damp Pebbles Book Tour and tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

4 Stars from me

Set at the time of the moon landing, this is a brilliant suspense-filled children’s thriller!

As well as having an inspired title, there are some wonderful characters contained within the gang members and indeed their enemy – the Wormleys…

A tale of simpler times, full of some wonderful nostalgia that will lift this from being a children’s mystery novel into appealing to an adult readership from this period of time. Anyone who recalled being of a similar age during the moon landing will no doubt fall in love with this book.

This book offers the perfect mix of mystery, intrigue, mild peril and childhood friendship.

#TheDevilsPorridgeGang @colingarrow @damppebbles #damppebblesblogtours

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Blurb: In a town where nothing happens, a gang of kids uncover a kidnapping plot.

In the days following the excitement of the moon landings, a group of criminals plan to kidnap the son of a Government rocket engineer – but they don’t expect a gang of kids to get in the way…

Sam Todd dreams of adventure and longs for something exciting to happen for him and his friends. When he and the gang try to add a touch of excitement to their lives by stealing empty bottles from a pop factory, they are easily caught. But the consequences lead them back to the factory where they begin to uncover a villainous scheme.

THE DEVIL’S PORRIDGE GANG is book #1 in this Sixties adventure series.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/colingarrow

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

Website (adults): https://colingarrow.org/

Website (childrens): https://colingarrowbooks.com/

 

The Terror Within by Linda Regan

by in #amreading, Blog Tour, Book Review, Damp Pebbles Book Tour and tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

4 Stars from me

This is a beautiful example of how to build tension!

Hats off to Linda Regan who has essentially written this entire book around one scene – it’s a brilliant concept and artful mastered.

The Terror Within is my first introduction to DCI Banham and I will be looking out for the previous books as I would love to read the backstory. Well, I think, to be fair it sounds pretty damn gruesome!

My only niggles throughout this book related to the internal dialogue from DI Alison Grainger – her ‘do I, don’t I, oh Banny, I love his little curl‘ got on my wick!

Ignoring that, this is a solid and superbly constructed hostage scene with a wonderful amount of ever tightening peril and tension – I loved it!

My thanks to the wonderful Emma from Damp Pebbles Blog Tours who rescued my ARC which was virtually unreadable! The woman is a saint.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Blurb: CAN THEY SAVE THE HOSTAGES BEFORE TIME RUNS OUT?

Just as DCI Banham and DI Alison Grainger are about to get married, a policeman is shot and all officers are urgently called to the scene.

Banham, a trained hostage negotiator, rushes to the street when he hears his friend, PC Martin Neville, has been injured and taken hostage, along with four others. As Banham tries to negotiate, things go from dangerous to critical, with PC Neville is in a life-threatening condition.

Meanwhile Grainger, having been left at the altar, defies orders and is working on the case from the CCTV room. When the pieces begin to fall together, she finds herself in a deadly situation. With time nearly up, the demands of the hostage-takers are yet to be met and lives remain at risk…

DCI Banham returns in the latest heart racing novel from critically acclaimed author Linda Regan. This fast-paced and gritty thriller is perfect for fans of Lynda La Plante and Kimberley Chambers.

About Linda Regan:

Linda is a successful actress, still best known for her portrayal of April, the sweet yellow-coat, in the BBC award winning comedy Hi-De-Hi. Other programmes she has appeared in include: The Bafta nominated Channel five series: Harry and Cosh, The Bill, London’s Burning, Minder, Gentle Touch, The Knock, a Lynda La Plante series: Framed, to name but a few. Also many films, a season with the RSC, and many good theatre roles. To date she has appeared in nearly a hundred commercials.

She has been writing all her life: short stories, radio, fact and fiction. Her first crime novel was published in 2006, and her subsequent novels have all received excellent reviews.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Linda_Regan

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

Website: https://lindareganonline.co.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/linda.regan.01/

I May Kill You by Keith Dixon

by in #amreading, Blog Tour, Book Review, Damp Pebbles Book Tour and tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

4 Stars from me

I finished this book gutted that Ben Buckland is an ex-policeman, I’d love to read a series involving him as a lead copper.

The story centres around Peter our serial killer – who has taken the time to write to 713 people to let them know that he might kill them, and Ben Buckland, disgraced ex-cop who is determined to catch the killer.

Ben is a great character and I enjoyed that he was the centre of a kind of neighbourhood watch group, appointed by all the old ladies in his block of flats who seemed convinced he was definitely still a policeman.

Peter is a reluctant, quirky and at times reluctant killer – his depth of knowledge of books was fabulous, a very nice touch from the author which put my in mind of the Michael Wood books.

Overall this is a great premise for a story, the relationships that Ben has – with his ex-wife, daughter, ex-girlfriend etc all add a nice dimension to his character. Although I can’t help feeling he brings some of the bad stuff onto himself…

Book Blurb: Serial killers are secretive animals. They keep their deeds to themselves and hope never to be found.

But there’s a new man in town—a killer who warns people in advance he’s going to kill them, then does it, in a variety of unusual, even bizarre, ways.

Ex-policeman Ben Buckland wants to catch this man not because he’s on the list… but because his 15-year-old daughter is. And that’s just not fair.

Especially when the killer has sent out warnings to several hundred people…

 

Killing Pretties by Rob Ashman

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4 Stars from me

Killing Pretties does exactly what it says on the tin but with an unhealthy mix of swinging, torture, lies and corruption thrown in!

I would have loved to have seen the faces of the author’s friends and family when they first read this book…

Khenan Malice is a superb character, flawed as hell and happy to operate by fair means or foul.

I have to confess that my favourite characters, however, were actually the Kaplans. They were so incredibly messed up and yet somehow managed to find each other – as an aside, that is something I’ve always found fascinating in general, how do the likes Brady/Hindley, the Wests etc find their ‘kindred spirits’?

Kelly Pietersen’s character was a good one, I look forward to reading more about her in future stories – she was a slower burn for me than Malice but I liked her by the end and thought they made a good pairing.

Elsa was fabulously awful throughout the story. She oozes sexuality and knows it and uses it, is obsessed with power and appears utterly devoid of any empathy for others. Why she was this way never really came to light. Damian, however, was a sad and broken individual who at times was almost likeable and certainly the more relatable of the two. It felt as though with a different upbringing – and had he never have met Elsa – he could potentially have led a normal life.

The pottery was a wonderful touch.

Are we all just two steps from madness?

My thanks to BOTBSPublicity and Rob Ashman for letting me take part in this blog tour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blurb: Detective Sergeant Khenan Malice is a rubbish ex-husband, a crap father but a damned good detective. It’s a shame he spoils his only redeeming quality by being a bent copper.

Detective Kelly Pietersen joins the team to help find a missing woman. But she has a secret…

Damien Kaplan is a leading criminal barrister and a keen amateur potter. He also happens to be a serial killer with a chilling approach to creating his art. He’s married to Elsa, though she considers him more of a possession than a husband. She controls those around her using sex and procures men and women for her husband to play with but only after she’s finished with them first.

Killing Pretties is his passion, having sex with them is hers. It is difficult to say which one is worse.

The missing woman brings all four crashing together – an incendiary mix that doesn’t end well.

Rage and Retribution by Lorraine Mace

by in #amreading, Book Review, Damp Pebbles Book Tour, net galley and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

4 Stars from me

There is a lovely little moral dilemma running through the core of Rage and Retribution – the question of whether two wrongs make a right.

In the story, we soon learn that there is a person ‘Nemesis’ who is enacting revenge upon rapists, so far so good right… However, Nemesis has taken the act of retribution to its darkest edge and, much like in Retriever of Souls, Lorraine Mace leads us into some very uncomfortable, brutal and graphic scenes.

I’m a bit on the fence regarding my opinion of DI Paolo Sterling – most of the time I like him but there isn’t just something about him that rankles a little. Dave however seems like a top guy whereas the rest of the team seem 50/50.

There are some interesting little subplots throughout the story which add depth to the lead characters making them more real.

Overall a very interesting take on ‘can two wrongs make a right’ within a fast paced race to unearth the culprit.

My thanks to Lorraine Mace and Damp Pebbles for letting me be a part of this blog tour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blurb: Can two wrongs ever make a right?

A man is found by the side of a canal, comatose and brutally attacked.

It quickly becomes clear that someone is abducting men and subjecting them to horrific acts of torture. After three days they’re released, fighting for their lives and refusing to speak.

A councillor is accused of fraud.

Montague Mason is an upstanding member of the community. That is until he’s publicly accused of stealing the youth centre’s funds – an accusation that threatens to rip through the very heart of the community and expose his best-kept secret. But how far would he go to protect himself?

Two cases. One deadly answer.

As the two cases collide, D.I. Paolo Sterling finds he has more questions than answers. And, when torture escalates to murder, he suddenly finds himself in a race against time to find the killer and put an end to the depravity – once and for all.

30 Days in June by Chris Westlake

by in #amreading, Blog Tour, Book Review, Damp Pebbles Book Tour and tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

4 Stars from me

Super creepy and loads of tension – 30 Days in June is a book that you will struggle to put down.

Marcus is an unusual character and I found him a little hard to truly like most of the time – but I guess that stems from the catalogue of horrors that have formed his life.

When, 30 years after a serial killer first strikes, someone calls Marcus by his old name, he is ricocheted back into the past and immediately fearful for his life. However it seems that the depraved – and patient, right – serial killer wants to play a game first.

I couldn’t help but feel sorry for ‘Marcus’ and his family – they well and truly went through the mill didn’t they!

Marcus meets some eclectic ‘allies’ along the way as he struggles to fight the serial killer who almost took his life 3 decades before and for the month of June the clock ticks down to a final confrontations – but who will survive?

30 Days in June is a compelling read with a steady pace – albeit with a rapidly building tension – with a satisfying ending.

My thanks to Chris Westlake and Damp Pebbles Blog Tours for letting me be a part of this book tour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blurb: On the 1st day of June 1988, the residents of south Wales were thrown into a state of panic when a married couple were brutally murdered in their own home. The killer, nicknamed Spartacus by the media, did not flee the scene immediately; instead, he stayed to carve Roman Numerals onto his victims’ chests.

This was the beginning of a month-long killing spree, each murder taking a step closer to home.

Seventeen-year-old Jeffrey Allen was to be the final victim, on the final day of the month. Instead, he became the only survivor, and the only real witness. The killings ended as suddenly as they began. Jeffrey relocated to London, changing his name, and his identity, to Marcus Clancy. His past life became merely a dark secret.

On 1st June 2018, 30 years to the day since the first killing, a mysterious figure refers to Marcus by his old name, through closing lift doors.

Is Spartacus back? If so, has he returned to finish what he failed to do thirty years ago?

And so begins 30 days of terror for Marcus Clancy, culminating in dramatic fashion on the final day of June.

30 DAYS IN JUNE is Chris Westlake’s third novel, and his first crime thriller. He is currently writing his second crime thriller, and is on schedule to have it completed in 2020.

Dead Wrong by Noelle Holten

by in #amreading, Blog Tour, Book Review, BOTBS Blog Tour, net galley and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

5 Stars from me

Just like the stonking debut ‘Dead Inside‘ from Noelle Holten, ‘Dead Wrong’ does not disappoint.

After reading Dead Inside I remember thinking I wish it featured DC Maggie Jamieson more, and in Dead Wrong I got my wish!

This is a fresh and exciting police procedural with a twist – a serial killer has been convicted and is in prison – so how can his freshly killed victims only just be appearing now?

Dead Wrong has a clever storyline and a whole bunch of dead ends and red herrings, it is very nicely plotted.

Raven is a beast of a character – he and Maggie together had overtures of Lecter and Clarice for me which was a nice touch.

Enjoy discovering how Maggie thinks and how she sets about proving that Raven is the killer – it’s a bumpy ride but you’ll love it.

Congrats to Noelle for another great read – made all the more enjoyable as she is such a lovely person to interact with on twitter!

My thanks to @nholten40, @0neMoreChapter_ and @BOTBSPublicity for letting me be a part of this epic blog tour!

Blurb: The serial killer is behind bars. But the murders are just beginning…

DC Maggie Jamieson’s past comes back to haunt her in this dark and gripping serial killer thriller.

Three missing women running out of time…

They were abducted years ago. Notorious serial killer Bill Raven admitted to killing them and was sentenced to life.

The case was closed – at least DC Maggie Jamieson thought it was…

But now one of them has been found, dismembered and dumped in a bin bag in town.

Forensics reveal that she died just two days ago, when Raven was behind bars, so Maggie has a second killer to find.

Because even if the other missing women are still alive, one thing’s for certain: they don’t have long left to live…

Two Years After by Paul J Teague

by in #amreading, Blog Tour, Book Review, BOTBS Blog Tour and tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

5 Stars from me

I raced through this nasty little psychological thriller from Paul J Teague! The pages virtually turned themselves while I did my best to hold on and enjoy the ride.

Poor Rosie, what a time of it she has had – how fortunate for her that her job has remained open… What lovely new friends she has made at work – with the exception of deliciously creepy Mr HR Manager of course.

Really can’t praise this enough, fabulous escapism at its finest with a fast pace, intriguing storyline and an unpredictable ending.

Loved it.

My thanks to BOTBSPublicity and Paul Teague for letting me take part in this blog tour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blurb: An unsettling psychological thriller with a chilling twist…

A shattered life. A tortured mind. A return to work that becomes a living hell …

When Rosie Taylor returns to work after a long recovery from a tragic accident, she can’t believe how much things have changed for the worse.

Not only is there a new HR guy in charge, everybody’s fighting to keep their job and there are some new recruits with very unusual habits.

Rosie needs this job.

Social services are threatening to take her child, she’s struggling to recover from mental illness and if she doesn’t bring some money in fast, she’ll lose the house.

But somebody at work has got it in for her and she’s struggling to hang on to what’s left of her shattered life.

Two Years After is an unsettling psychological thriller which will have you looking over your shoulder next time you go to work.

Author Bio:

Paul Teague writes thrillers, sci-fi and non-fiction books.
Writing as Paul J. Teague, he is the author of the Don’t Tell Meg and Morecambe Bay trilogies as well as several standalones such as Dead of Night, Now You See Her (with Adam Nicholls) and So Many Lies.
Paul is a former teacher, DJ, waiter and BBC radio producer, presenter and journalist.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaulTeagueUK

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

Thriller website: https://paulteague.co.uk/

Avenge the Dead by Jackie Baldwin

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4 Stars from me

It was great to catch up with DI Frank Farrell again – I last encountered him in Dead Man’s Prayer.

DI Farrell pushes the boundaries of ‘messed up cop’ to the absolute limit but I found that made me root for him all the more.

He is a complex but doggedly driven character who just never seems to give him (except on himself) and that drive and determination means that he pursues the culprit to the bitter end – no matter what.

Avenge The Dead has a clever and multi-layered storyline and Jackie Baldwin’s knowledge of the area and the legal profession really give this book an edge of credibility.

My thanks to @JackieMBaldwin1 and #damppebblesblogtours for letting me be a part of this stonking book tour! I feel honoured to be in such great company.

 

Blurb: Sometimes murder is the only way to get even… 

Four friends with dark secrets. One killer out for revenge.

DI Frank Farrell and DS McLeod are tasked with investigating the brutal murder of a defence solicitor’s wife in Dumfries.

It’s been over a year since they left the town after an investigation robbed them of a dear friend. But now they’re back and must find a way to move on.

When the son of another defence solicitor is murdered, a strange tattoo etched on his body, the case takes them into darker, more disturbing territory.

It leads them back into the past – to a horrific fire in a cottage that took a woman’s life, to four friends harbouring dark secrets – and finally to a killer waiting patiently for revenge.

#AvengeTheDead #DIFrankFarrell @JackieMBaldwin1 @0neMoreChapter_ @KillerReads @damppebbles #damppebblesblogtours

About Jackie Baldwin:

Jackie Baldwin is a Scottish crime writer. Her debut crime novel, Dead Man’s Prayer, was published by Killer Reads on 2nd September 2016. The second in the series, Perfect Dead was published on 15th June 2018. For most of her working life, she has been a solicitor specialising in Family and Criminal Law. She later retrained as a hypnotherapist. Married with a grown family, she recently moved from Dumfries to East Lothian.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackieMBaldwin1

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

Website: http://jackiebaldwin.co.uk/

 

The Harlech Beach Killings by Simon McCleave

by in #amreading, Blog Tour, Book Review, Damp Pebbles Book Tour and tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4 Stars from me

This was my first introduction to DI Ruth Hunter and I found her to be an easy to engage with lead character.

Having recently holidayed in Wales it was easy for me to conjure up images of the area and found this added to the atmosphere of the book.

I feel the need to go back and read book one to find out more about Hunter’s need to re-integrate with the police and her team – there’s clearly a great back story here.

Her partner Nick is an interesting character, classic alcoholism and a dangerous vendetta – what’s not to love?

All in all a good read with the promise of more to come in the next book it the series!

My thanks to Simon McCleave and Damp Pebbles for letting me take part in this blog tour.

Blurb: A murdered millionaire. A brutal drug operation. Can a detective with a haunted past stop the next assassination?

Detective Inspector Ruth Hunter is still struggling to deal with her stress. So when the body of a businessman washes up on a secluded North Wales shore, the former London cop is anxious to prove she can lead the local investigative team and nail the killer. But as she digs into the dead millionaire’s business affairs, DI Hunter discovers a disturbing link to an infamous Merseyside drug lord…

Tracking down clues alongside a hot-headed partner, she worries his private vendetta could seriously jeopardize bringing the gangster to justice. And between botched raids, tight-lipped suspects, and a slew of cold case murders, she’s sure the criminal mastermind must have corrupt police officers in his pocket…

Can Hunter take down the mobster before he orders a highly personal hit?

The Harlech Beach Killings is the second book in the gripping Ruth Hunter Crime Thriller series. If you like chilling police procedurals, true-to-life characters, and psychological twists, then you’ll love Simon McCleave’s page-turning thrill ride.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/author_simon

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

Website: www.simonmccleave.com

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