Left on the Shelf

Amazon US

About the Author

In his own words: I’m a man. And a pretty old man as well. I studied languages at Nottingham University a long time ago and then lived and worked in France and Switzerland before going to work in Italy for seven years. My Italian wife and I then came back to the UK with our little daughter (now long-since grown up) where I ran a big English language school for many years. We now live in a sleepy little village in Devonshire. I’ve been writing almost all my life but it was only 13 years ago that I finally managed to find a publisher who liked my work enough to offer me my first contract.

I started off writing romances but after 28 of them, I knew I wanted to try something different, and so the first of the Armstrong and Oscar cozy mysteries, Murder in Tuscany, was born three years ago. I’ve been having a lot of fun ever since getting to know the dynamic duo (and introducing them to people all over the world). These books are cosy crime [a genre I didn't even know existed when I started writing them). They are murder mysteries, but not gory, over-violent stuff, but stories designed to exercise the brain of the reader and to put a smile on their face. Maybe it’s because there are so many horrible things happening in the world today that I feel I need to do my best to provide something to cheer my readers up. My books provide escapism to some gorgeous locations all over my beloved Italy.

You can also find the author at:

Murder on the Farm by Kate Wells

Facebook

My Other Blog Posts Featuring Cosy Crime

The Wonderland Murders by Millie Ravensworth

How Not to Murder Your Ex by Katie Marsh

(ARC and media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)

(Bookshop.org affiliated)

Monday, 3 August 2026

The Novel Detective by Teresa Dovalpage - #authorQ&A #blogtour

In her metafictional mystery The Novel Detective (Soho Crime, July 2026), author Teresa Dovalpage steps directly into the pages of her own story. In this candid Q&A, she discusses ghosts, the underground secrets of 1980s Havana, and what happens when a mystery writer becomes her own protagonist.

The Blurb

A metafictional mystery set in Cuba past and present about a writer returning to her long-lost hometown, seeking the truth about two suspicious deaths.

2020: Teresa, a Cuban-born mystery writer now living in America, gets an unexpected call from her childhood best friend, Estrella, inviting her to Havana. Estrella is determined to get answers about a case that has haunted them both for decades: the purported murder-suicide of a teacher and a student at their high school. Though Teresa doesn’t quite understand why Estrella is taking the story so personally, she’s along for the ride—as she always wanted to write a novel about this case.

1980: Fourteen-year-old Teresita, bespectacled, awkward and mystery novel–obsessed, is “nosy, but not a tattletale.” She knows who’s been skimming off the top of the amphetamine stash in her mother’s pharmacy, which teacher keeps cyanide in his cabinet at school and that their classmate Yoyi is sleeping with their English teacher. Over the course of one fateful day, Teresita gets closer than ever to learning the “Truth of Life”—her catchall term for the intricacies of adult existence—even if it means coming face to face with death.

Directly inspired by the author’s own childhood in Cuba and adult life in the United States, drawing upon the tradition of Latin American magical realism, this is a resonant tale at once personal and universal, full of nostalgia, candor and danger.

Welcome to the blog Teresa.

Q In the 1980 timeline, Teresita is obsessed with finding the “Truth of Life.” What does that phrase mean to a fourteen-year-old in Havana?

A Teresita is at that awkward age where she’s no longer a child, but not yet an adult. For her, the “Truth of Life” is the secret code that adults use to navigate a world that she finds full of contradictions. It’s about understanding why a classmate meets with a teacher in a “tunnel of love” and discovering how enjoyable (or icky, as it turns out to be) it is to kiss a boy for the first time. Plus living in 1980 Cuba, she needs to understand how the world actually works once the revolutionary anthems stop playing.

Q The book is described as metafictional. How does your perspective as a real-life mystery writer influence the way the fictional Teresa approaches the investigation?

A It adds a layer of creative self-consciousness. The adult Teresa is investigating a crime while thinking about how the case would work as a literary plot. She’s analyzing clues like a mystery writer, looking for hidden reasons and character arcs, even as real-world Havana throws her curveballs that don’t fit into a neat three-act structure. It’s a story about a writer investigating a detective story, which allowed me to play with all the tropes of the genre.

Q We meet Teresita’s childhood best friend, Estrella, in both timelines. What role does she play in pushing the story forward?

A Estrella is the ultimate catalyst. While teenage Teresita is the observer, Estrella is the one who takes things personally, gets into fights and acts out. In 1980, she’s the rebellious girl joking about the school’s “mustard and ketchup” uniforms and doing Santería ceremonies to attract a boy she likes. In the modern timeline, she’s the one who pulls Teresa back to the crime scene and asks her to find out what really happened. Every detective needs a partner who provides the emotional stakes, and for Teresa, that’s always been Estrella.

Q Teresita knows some dangerous secrets, like who is stealing amphetamines in the pharmacy where her mother works and the affair between a teacher and a student. How much of this was a reality for students in Cuba back then?

A When a society is highly monitored, the underground thrives. Growing up, things like black-market jeans, diverted pharmacy supplies, inflated grades, and banned Beatles songs were just part of daily life. We had a saying back then: “Whatever is not prohibited is compulsory.” I wanted The Novel Detective to capture that exact tension. Behind the facade of perfect socialist behavior demanded by teachers like Irma, absolutely everyone had a secret they were desperate to protect.

Q What do you hope readers take away from your specific blend of Cuban nostalgia and atmospheric mystery?

A I hope readers see that nostalgia isn’t always sunny. You can miss the place you grew up while still acknowledging the shadows that lurked there. I wanted to portray a Havana that is still beautiful, but one that is also crumbling and facing immense shortages and hardships. Ultimately, I want readers to walk away feeling like they’ve spent time in the Manzana de Gómez, both as tourists in a luxury hotel, and as students who know exactly where the “tunnels of love” lead.

Thank you so much for being on the blog today, Teresa.

Book Details

ISBN: 978 1641298285

Publisher: Soho Crime

Formats: e-book and hardback

No. of Pages: 333 (hardback)

Purchase Links

Bookshop.org

Amazon US

About the Author

Teresa Dovalpage is the author of fourteen novels, four collections of short stories in English and Spanish, and four theatre plays. Her Havana Mystery series, published by Soho Crime, began with Death Comes in through the Kitchen (2018). Subsequent novels include Queen of Bones (2019) named by NBC News as one of the ten best books by and about Latinos of the year; Death of a Telenovela Star (2020); Death under the Perseids (2021), and Last Seen in Havana (2024) which Sarah Weinman praised in The New York Times for exploring “how familial bonds can fray, yet manage to hold steady, across the decades.” Last Seen in Havana was also an Amazon Editor’s Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense. The Novel Detective is a metafictional mystery inspired by the author’s own childhood in Cuba and adult life in the United States.

You can also find Teresa at:

Facebook

Instagram

(media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)

(Bookshop.org affiliated)

Friday, 31 July 2026

Books I Read in July 2026

As we wave goodbye to July, I am looking back at the books I have read this month. It has been a good month for reading. I guess the heatwaves we've been experiencing have meant that some days it has been too hot to do anything but sit and read.

How has your reading been this month?

Mothertongue by Alex Morgan

This memoir by autistic author, Alex Morgan was a 5 star read for me. You can read my full review by clicking here.

The Santorini Writing Retreat by Eva Glyn

I enjoyed reading this so much and the review will be up as soon as I can find a gap in the blog diary. It loosely follows on her previous book, The Dubrovnik Book Club, and you can find the review here.

House of Twisted Shadows by J.H. Mann

This book is an exciting story which I enjoyed reading. You can read my full review by clicking here.

The Freshman Parents by Ko Porteous

This was a wonderful book to read and I enjoyed every page. You can read my full review by clicking here.

Indie in Disguise by Katie Clapham

This is a delightful book aimed at both girls and boys who enjoy imaginative play. You can read my full review by clicking here.

Wedded to Her Enemy Knight by Lissa Morgan

Lissa Morgan is my favourite author of this type of historical fiction. You can read my full review by clicking here.

Be Patient by Tilly Rose

This is a memoir which is well worth reading. The review will be coming very soon.

Fiona and the Forgotten Piano by Kate DeMaio

This is a lovely middle grade novel which I enjoyed reading and is about an eleven year old girl who hates her piano lessons. You can read my full review by clicking here.

The Anniversary by Andrea Bajani

This slim book of just 144 pages is quite remarkable. Translated from Italian by Geoffrey Brock, it tells the story of the narrator's estrangement from his parents. You can read my full review by clicking here.

Vengeance is Mine by Michael Wood

I highly recommend this for lovers of mystery/thrillers. You can read my full review by clicking here.

Ghosts by Dolly Alderton

This was a wonderful book to read and my review will be up very soon.

The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer

I finished this one late last night so no review up as yet. It was a fun read which I enjoyed.

(all opinions are my own)

Thursday, 30 July 2026

A Strange & Terrible Wonder by Nichole Louise - #coverreveal

I am so excited to be part of the cover reveal for this book today. Let me tell you a little about the book, which is due for release on 18th of August...

The Blurb

𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐞, 𝐝𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐤𝐞’𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝗪𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞, 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭, 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝’𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐲. 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐨 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞. 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡...⁣

⁣Blending 16th century science, occult, and the impacts of early colonialism, A Strange and Terrible Wonder by Nicole Louise, reimagines what became of the Lost Colony. Look for it on August 18th!⁣

Nicole Louise

You can find Nicole at:

Instagram

Bluesky

(media courtesy of Xpresso Book Tours)

(all opinions are my own)

Mothertongue by Alex Morgan - #bookreview

1968

Everyone but me wants to go to the Moon. Sometimes, instead of reading to me at bedtime, Mum tells me a story about Rupert and Jiminy, two imaginary mice living under our shed who dream of being astronauts...

***

I am required to make it clear at the beginning of my reviews that I received this book for free from the author. I have not been paid for doing this and all opinions are my own. I am Bookshop.org affiliated, which means I earn a very small amount of money if you buy from there using my direct link. Although I include purchase links to Amazon, I am not affiliated with them. I include them to make it easy for you to navigate to them if you so wish.

***

The Blurb

A memoir about growing up in Scotland in the sixties and seventies with undiagnosed autism

Is it ever too late to discover your authentic self? Alex Morgan always felt different, she just didn't know why. As a child living above the family's Edinburgh dress shop, she learned from her mother that the world was filled with monsters - her father chief among them - and dreadful things could happen at any time. To stay safe, she spent almost sixty years trying to blend in, hiding her fear, pretending to understand and be like other people.

Then, exhausted and stuck in bed with Covid, she took an online neurodivergence test and came face-to-face with the real cause of her difference: she was autistic.

How had she and everyone around her failed to realise? Which parent did the crucial genes come from, and how could this new understanding help her build a better life? With unflinching honesty, Alex chronicles her journey to unravel how autism shaped her family's story and her own.

Along the way, she details the condition's history, causes and the diagnostic process, where decades of misogyny, combined with females' conditioning to conform, have left so many women undiagnosed. Studies suggest there may be 700,000 in the UK alone, many mislabelled with anxiety, depression, OCD or bipolar disorder and mis-medicated accordingly. Women struggling to play the part expected of them by society, with no idea of the actual issue.

By revealing what it feels like to be an autistic child, teen and adult - and recounting how she cast off her neurotypical mask - Alex demystifies a condition whose impact on women has been tragically underestimated.

My Review

I am ashamed to say that prior to reading this wonderful memoir, I knew very little about autism. It just hasn't crossed my path in life and, thus, has been a gap in my understanding and knowledge. However, having now read this book, I have a much better understanding of the subject, and in particular how it might affect women.

The author bravely sets out her life experience of living with autism. Undiagnosed until she was in late middle age, she had spent her lifetime pretending; trying not to be noticed, trying to appear neurotypical, and masking her every move.

Working as a journalist for many years, the author has written her book with skill. It is engaging and makes for compelling reading.

I think her journey to diagnosis will aid some readers in making more sense of themselves, as the author did. Her step-by-step narrative of self-realisation, along with sourcing the help that she needed, will aid some readers in seeking diagnosis and help themselves.

This is a brave and candid account and I greatly admire the author for revealing so much about herself and her family. For myself, I found the book to be informative and it has given me a greater understanding of the world of autism.

This book is well worth reading and I highly recommend it.

Book Details

ISBN: 978 1919254920

Publisher: Thorn and Haw Publications

Formats: paperback

No. of Pages: 296

Purchase Links

Amazon US

About the Author

Alex Morgan was diagnosed as autistic in 2022 at the age of fifty-eight. She is the founder of theautisticwoman.co.uk, the UK’s only comprehensive online autism resource written by an autistic woman, and blogs @theautisticwoman on Substack (links below.)

Alex spent almost forty years as a writer, sub-editor and editor on everything from women’s magazines to national newspapers. Her first novel, Tandem, won the 2013 Hookline Novel Competition judged by book groups from around the UK, and she co-authored A Practical Guide to Camping, published by White Owl in 2022. Mothertongue, which was shortlisted in the Northern Writers’ Awards, is her first work of narrative non-fiction. She is currently working on her second novel.

You can also find Alex at:

(ARC and media courtesy of the author)

(all opinions are my own)

Tuesday, 28 July 2026

Indie in Disguise: Stylist-ing and Other Jobs by Katie Clapham and Illustrated by Emma Farrarons - #bookreview

Indie woke up feeling fabulous. She put on: star-shaped sunglasses, a dress over a top under a jacket, three necklaces and the fancy socks...

***

I am required to make it clear at the beginning of my reviews that I received this book for free from the publisher. I have not been paid for doing this and all opinions are my own. I am Bookshop.org affiliated, which means I earn a very small amount of money if you buy from there using my direct link. Although I include purchase links to Amazon, I am not affiliated with them. I include them to make it easy for you to navigate to them if you so wish.

***

The Blurb

Meet Indie, a girl who loves imaginary play, in these full colour illustrated stories – perfect for encouraging independent reading for children aged 5-7.

Hilarious, playful and perfectly true to both imaginary play and family life, this is the first title in a sparky chapter books series for newly independent readers.

Indie is a little girl with a big personality – and quite the flair for the dramatics! What job will she roleplay today? In these four stories, Indie takes on four very important jobs: a librarian, a cleaner, a dentist, and even a stylist – star-shaped sunglasses at the ready! But these jobs are never easy. Indie's dentist chair (balanced backwards on a skateboard) isn't particularly stable, and when Mum doesn't look like Mum anymore in her big floppy hat and fur-trim gloves, Fashionista Indie ponders... Is there such a thing as TOO much style?

The adventures continue in Indie in Disguise: Astronaut-ing and Other Jobs.

My Review

This is a delightful book aimed at both girls and boys who enjoy imaginative play.

Based on the cover alone, it would be easy to assume that this early reader chapter book is aimed at girls. However, I think boys would enjoy it just as much.

The opening story, Indie the Stylist, is followed by Indie the Cleaner, Indie the Dentist and Indie the Librarian. Indie is an adorable character, full of enthusiasm and trying new things. Children will be able to engage with her character very well.

It has been nicely illustrated by Emma Farrarons. Children will enjoy following the illustrations alongside reading the text.

It is full of humour and is ideal for children aged around six to eight years of age, depending on their reading ability. Any child who enjoys playing dress up will love this book.

I can't wait to share it with my grandchildren. I think this would be perfect for sharing as well as for early chapter reading.

Book Details

ISBN: 978 1529522099

Publisher: Walker Books Ltd

Formats: e-book and paperback

No. of Pages: 64 (paperback)

Series: First book in a planned series

Purchase Links

Bookshop.org

The Tour at School (Because You're the New Kid!)

Vinted

About the Author

Katie Clapham is the co-owner of independent bookshop Storytellers, Inc. with her mum. Picked by The Bookseller as a rising star, Katie was also named Best Young Bookseller at the British Book Awards. Katie is the author of acclaimed teen comedy Three Girls (UCLan, 2022), and The Missing Bookshop (Stripes, 2019). She lives by the sea with her husband, daughter and dog, where she writes the popular Substack newsletter, Receipt from the Bookshop, as well as working in the bookshop.

You can also find Katie at:

Instagram

My Other Blog Posts Featuring This Author

(ARC and media courtesy of the publisher)

(all opinions are my own)

(Bookshop.org affiliated)

Monday, 27 July 2026

10 Ten Exciting New Releases Coming in August 2026

I am looking ahead to August and some of the lovely new books due to be released. I've limited myself to just ten which have caught my eye. Do any of these look like something that you would like to read?

John Grebble is Gone by Peter James

John Grebble wakes up to discover he’s been declared dead. His bank account is frozen, his car repossessed, and his entire existence erased. Someone wants him gone—permanently.

Within hours, his world unravels. His debit card is declined. His car is towed away. His office locks him out. The police treat him like a criminal. According to every system, every database, every official record—John Grebble is no more.

But John is very much alive. And as he tries to uncover who could have pulled off such an elaborate erasure of his identity, he realises this isn’t just a mistake—it’s personal. Someone with intimate knowledge of his life has gone to extraordinary lengths to scrub him out completely. And this is just the start…

In this gripping short thriller laced with dark humour, Number One Sunday Times bestselling author Peter James asks: can John Grebble uncover who would go this far to destroy him before it’s too late?

Invitation From a Dictator by Rory Clements

ON THE EVE OF WAR, A ROYAL GUEST IS LURED INTO HITLER'S DEADLY WEB . . .

Munich, 1937. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor have arrived in Germany for a historic meeting at Hitler's mountain retreat.

But recent attacks by ruthless Communist band, Red Freedom, has brought fear and bloodshed to the area. As brutal as the Nazis, their next targets are Edward, Wallis and the Fuhrer himself.

Detective Sebastian Wolff is charged with their protection, but the conflict between his job and his politics becomes even more complicated when Wolff realises who is behind Red Freedom: Ulrike, his first love and the mother of his son.

Radiant as the Stars by Elaine Elinson

In April 1911, Jews escaping pogroms are fleeing to America, but 20-year-old Anna Reader, full of fierce conviction, is headed in the opposite direction—back to the Ukrainian shtetl from which her family fled six years earlier. She has decided to join her radical cousin Chava in the Jewish Labor Bund on the eve of the Russian Revolution, leaving behind her work in a Chicago sweatshop and the lover who jilted her.

Her warm reunion with her cousin is tainted by political intrigue. Anna is not fully trusted by the Jewish radicals she grew up with in Ukraine. She is given minor tasks, while Chava’s assignments become more dangerous. The threat of betrayal is constantly lurking. When Chava is arrested and imprisoned, Anna’s efforts to rescue her cousin further alienate her from her Bund comrades. When she is threatened with arrest by the Tsarists, Anna is undone, fighting for survival in a strife-torn land.

A Thousand Painted Hours by Barbara O'Neal

In the shadow of the London Blitz, artist Elsie Turner clings fiercely to her canvases, refusing to let war dim the colors that define her. The bombs test her nerve, but the struggle also stirs memories of her golden youth in India and of the long-lost love of her life.

The daughter of a British civil servant in the Himalayan station of Nainital, Elsie crosses cultural divides to forge an unlikely bond with Tanveer Singh, a Sikh prince with hopes, dreams, and far-reaching ideas. What begins as shared sketchbooks and stargazing becomes first love and a secret correspondence. When Elsie’s father is summoned to England, Elsie is severed from the world she knows―and is determined to preserve it through both her art and a connection with Tanveer that endures through the most tumultuous years of their lives.

Across four decades and two continents, Elsie navigates a journey from lush colonial India to war-torn London, amid landscapes of beauty, protest, and peril. As past and present collide, the most impossible choices and sacrifices are yet to be made in the name of love, war, and survival.

Perfect Moments at Duck Pond Cottage by Della Galton

When two best friends decide to share their wedding day, what could possibly go wrong?

Jade is over the moon to be tying the knot alongside her best friend, Sarah, at the stunning Bluebell Cliff Hotel in Dorset—a venue where no detail is too small and no expense is spared in the pursuit of perfection.

But as the big day draws closer, so do the complications.

A long-lost relative, a troublesome brother, and some wildly unexpected animal antics all threaten to derail the brides’ dream celebrations.

With emotions running high and chaos around every corner, their perfect day begins to unravel.

Can love and friendship hold everything together when it matters most?

The Stray Dogs by Ruth Hogan

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but Desmond and Leona are about to find out that it's never too late to start living your dreams . . .

Since his marriage ended, Desmond Leaks has been stuck in rut. But living alone does have some upsides - for one, there's no one to tell him that he's 'not allowed' chocolate spread on his toast.

And for Leona Lennox, a fresh start might just mean she can finally open that rescue centre for abandoned dogs she's always dreamed of. That's if she can learn to let people in occasionally - and accept help.

Take this Desmond guy, he's so nice that he's offering to get his old band back together to play some fundraising gigs for the rescue centre. If only Leona could say yes, just this once . . . The Stray Dogs might actually be decent, right?

The Paris Seamstress by Catherine Law

Torn between love and duty, and a fierce need to protect…

Paris, 1940

For young, lively Murielle, working in the heart of Paris as a seamstress is a dream come true. She loves the bustle of the city, but as the War progresses and new restrictions for Jewish people appear, she begins to realise how quickly her world is changing – and how, soon, she may lose those cherished freedoms.

Her best friend Zoé has always lived a smaller life. Still reeling from an incident from many years ago, she’s already used to being on her guard. But as the Occupation tightens controls on everyone, Zoé knows she must find the courage to stand up and protect the people she loves.

When the two women come across a fallen English pilot, they don’t hesitate. As they put their lives on the line to help the airman escape, their friendship bonds are truly tested. For a chance of happiness, Murielle and Zoé will have to make an impossible decision — one that will demand the greatest sacrifice of all…

The Midwife by the Sea by Jo Bartlett

When midwife Hope Masterson arrives in Cornwall to start her dream job by the sea, she’s ready for a fresh start and a chance to make a real difference to the lives of the women and babies she cares for.

Working between St Piran’s hospital and the community midwifery unit of Port Agnes, Hope quickly finds herself drawn into the lives of her patients and colleagues. From dramatic deliveries and joyous newborns to heartbreaking struggles with infertility, she is on hand to share in all the hopes, worries and incredible love that motherhood can bring.

But Hope is carrying a secret that could change everything – and she faces an impossible dilemma.

Should she reveal the truth and shatter the lives of those around her, or protect the fragile happiness of the family she’s only just found?

As friendships deepen, romance blooms and emotions run high, Hope must decide whether some secrets are better left untold… and what it truly means to belong.

A gorgeously heartfelt, uplifting and unputdownable story of love, family and the many different paths to motherhood, by Top Ten bestselling author Jo Bartlett.

The Curse of the Saltmarsh Girl by Clare Marchant

The dark marsh stretches around Margery. She can hear the sound of her mother’s voice, crying. Or is it the wind…? Will she get out of here alive?

1665: When Margery arrives in Saltmarsh looking for her mother, she finds silence, secrets, and backs turned.

But she is not the only thing that has arrived. As the Plague falls on the village, leaving almost no man, woman or child alive, rumours circulate – about a demon dog, about lights floating above the waters, about voices in the dark… And about a girl, one who has brought a curse.

With Margery’s mother missing, it becomes clear that these remote, desolate marshes are about to become the most dangerous ground she’s ever stepped on…

Now: A beautiful young opera singer named Angel Bailey has arrived in Saltmarsh. She’s there to visit her adoptive brother, but she’s also running away. Because, after years of longing to know where she came from, she’s received word from a woman claiming to be her sister, saying their birth mother’s dying wish is to meet the child she abandoned.

But when Angel becomes fascinated with the story of another mother and daughter, and a centuries old curse on the marsh, the land beneath her feet is about to shift forever…

A Fatal Love by Louise Tregar

Following Ruth Ellis' long-awaited posthumous conditional pardon in July 2026, never has there been a more compelling moment to revisit the woman behind one of Britain's most enduring legal cases.

It is Easter Sunday in 1955 and a young man lies face-down on the ground covered in blood. A woman, blonde and petite, stands over him with a gun in her hand. This is the story of Ruth Ellis as never told before...

As Ruth awaits her trial in Holloway Prison, she recollects growing up in England during the Second World War and the events that led to the death of her lover, David Blakely.

Meanwhile, Kitty Carrington - the assistant to Ruth's trial lawyer - tries to forge her own path through the male-dominated legal world of the 1950s and ensure that Ruth receives a fair trial.

Navigating secrets, betrayal and a broken justice system, Ruth and Kitty try to take control of their own lives and narratives. But do we ever really know the full story?