The House of Twisted Shadows by J.H. Mann - #bookreview #blogtour

The first snow flurries danced in the breeze as Amelia Tremayne stepped out of her red Austin-Healey sports car and strode towards Tyler House. Her skin prickled at the sight of a building she had spent ten years trying to forget...

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I am required to make it clear at the beginning of my reviews that I received this book for free from Rachel's Random Resources. 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 HOUSE ON THE EDGE

 A DAUGHTER DRIVEN TO OBSESSION

A FORBIDDEN LOVE

Winter 1962. Amelia Tremayne has spent the past ten years in London trying to forget the lonely clifftop house where her father was killed. Tyler House was built shortly before the Second World War on Cornwall’s stormy coast by a wealthy German outsider. Its most unsettling feature is a vast glass dome that bends the light, casting twisted, elongated shadows across the walls.

Amelia’s father, Douglas Tremayne, a noted historian, was researching a controversial book about Tyler House’s Nazi origins - and its links to powerful figures in the local community.

As Amelia begins to uncover the truth about her father’s death, she is pulled into a web of buried secrets - and into a forbidden love that could destroy everything she holds dear.

INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY

My Review

This book is an exciting story which I enjoyed reading.

The main character, Amelia, is obsessed with Tyler House, her childhood home in Cornwall. However, Tyler House is creeping closer to the edge of a cliff.  Ten years prior, her historian father was murdered there and Amelia believes the manuscript that he was killed for is hidden somewhere in the house.

In some ways, Tyler House was the main character in this book. It has a dark history, and an eerie, brooding presence. Within its rooms and hallways, secrets are hidden. The author did a fabulous job of describing the house and its rapid decline into the sea beneath. 

The author skillfully brought his characters, setting and story alive on the page. He knows exactly how to create atmosphere, from the decaying house through to the heavy snowfalls which isolated the village. He portrays the sense of isolation and captivity really well.

This novel is full of suspense and tension and kept me turning the pages. It is well worth reading and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a suspenseful mystery with some eeriness thrown in.

Book Details

Publisher: Dark Spider Books

Formats: e-book (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages: 344

Series: Part of the Wild Cornwall series

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

J.H.Mann is an award-winning journalist and writer living in the South West of England. His second novel, The Echoing Shore, was a Yeovil Literary Prize award winner and the Adult Fiction Winner of the 2025 Selfies Book Awards at the London Book Fair. His third novel, The Silver Tide, has just been shortlisted for the 2026 Selfies Book Awards. He has strong family links with Cornwall. His novels are inspired by the many stories told by his mother and father and his own experiences as a shore-based volunteer for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). He lives with his wife, Nicola, and their lively whippet Patch.

You can also find him at:

Author Website

Facebook

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Tik Tok

My Other Blog Posts of Based in Cornwall

The Cornish Rebel by Nicola Pryce

The Letter by Ruth Saberton

A Mother's Hope for the Cornish Girls by Better Walker

The Vanishing Act by Jo Jakeman

Don't Look Away by Rachel Abbott

The Rescue by S.L. Rosewarne

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

(all opinions are my own)

The Other Killer by Heidi Field - #bookreview #blogtour

 Standing on the pavement outside the prison is a rush like I haven't felt in twenty years, like someone's been standing on my chest for two decades and they just stepped off...

***

It has recently come to my attention that I must make it clear at the beginning of my reviews that I received this book for free from Zooloo's Book Tours. 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

You can change your name. Change your life. But someone knows exactly who you are.

Twenty years ago, Mason Tucker was tried and convicted as the teenager who helped lure young boys to the serial killer known as the Pied Piper of Peasedale. After serving his twenty-year sentence, Mason is freed and hopes to remain invisible while he rebuilds his life as an adult, hoping to become a man he can be proud of. A new town, a new flat, a new job and a new purpose.

But living with secrets is challenging, and protecting his anonymity, the woman who stood beside him, and her child becomes impossible when the past pushes back. Hard. Within days of his release, Mason suspects he’s being stalked. He’s threatened and twice attacked. He never imagined being outside would be more dangerous than being in prison. The police aren’t an option. One headline will destroy him.

Someone wants him punished, not redeemed, and as danger closes in, you will never suspect where the next threat comes from.

My Review

Although this book is the third in a series, it also works brilliantly as a stand alone novel. In fact, the author was on the blog last year talking about her first book in this series, The Other Boy, and I reviewed the second book in the series, The Other Mother. Both that and this latest book are excellent and very well worth reading.

This book begins with the release from prison of Mason, also known as the Peasedale Accomplice. He has served twenty years and now wants to live quietly, with a change of name and anonymity. However, within days he realises someone knows about his past and he is being stalked.

The chapters, which are all told from Mason's perspective, flit between past and present. This enables the reader to understand how he was drawn into such wrongdoing in the past. The present day chapters demonstrate to the reader that although he has had a hard life in prison, he shows a level of naivety of life on the outside. Whilst he truly desires to help youngster, Kenny, I couldn't help but think that it would end badly for Mason, whilst truly hoping that it wouldn't.

The author tells her story very well. It is full of twists and turns and kept me gripped from the first page to the last. She knows just how to drag the reader in and how to keep them enthralled. I found myself constantly wanting to get back to this book when I wasn't reading.

She understands her characters well and thus portrays them with detail, understanding and compassion. I was really moved by Mason's story and his desire for a second chance at life. He is a character that will stay with me long after the book is finished.

This is an exceptional series of books which I highly recommend. That said, there are times that this novel is dark and graphic, and readers should be prepared for this. It won't suit everyone and if that is you then I would give this one a miss.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1970840629

Publisher:  Tule Publishing Group

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  344 (paperback)

Series:  Book 3 in The Peasedale Wood Killers series

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

Heidi Field was raised in the beautiful countryside of the South of England with her parents and her two sisters. In her twenties she was a freelance Sports Massage Therapist. She achieved a Degree in Zoology at the age of thirty and then went on to raise two boys and became the stepmother of three more young children. She still lives near her family home with her partner, their Great Dane and the children that have yet to fly the nest. 

In her early forties Heidi completed a Masters in Creative Writing at Winchester University. She entered the course hoping she would become a children’s fantasy writer and left with a burning desire to write contemporary mysteries and thrillers. 

Heidi wanted to put relatable people in extraordinary situations, challenge them, push them to their limits and watch them fight for their sanity. The Other Boy is her first novel.

You can also find Heidi at:

Author Website

Bluesky

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(ARC and media courtesy of Zooloo's Book Tours)

(all opinions are my own)

Books I Have Read This Month - February 2026

 

As we near the end of winter, the only thing keeping me going is the thought that spring isn't too far away.  When I see the crocuses popping up their glorious little mauve coloured heads, it fills my heart with joy as they promise that spring is just around the corner.

Of course, the other thing that has kept me going through this grey, wet February is the books that I have read.

The Heart-Shaped Box by Lucy Kaufman

This novella was a quick and excellent read.  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

Fireflies in Winter by Eleanor Shearer

I felt very privileged to have had the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication.  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

The Resistance Knitting Club by Jenny O'Brien

I have read that the author of this book wrote it as it combined two of her greatest pleasures – reading and knitting.  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

The Man Who Wore All His Clothes and Other Stories by Allan Ahlberg

This is a collection of very funny stories. The humour contained in both text and illustration are very well done and it made these stories come alive.  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

The Other Mother by Heidi Field

This book made for fabulous reading.  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

Less by Patrick Grant

This is a fabulous book written by The Sewing Bee's Patrick Grant. It discusses over consumerism and is quite the wake up call. My review will be following.

Love Struck by Ally Bloom

This was a tense story line. Review to follow.

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

This is one I'd been wanting to read for ages. It's set in a Jewish/Black neighbourhood. It made for excellent reading.

Women Without Men by Shahrnush Parsipur

My review of this book about Iranian women will follow.

The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer

Written with a dual timeline, this book kept me hooked throughout.  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

Little Secrets by Victoria Goldman - #bookreview

Anna Kendall was guilty

The words on the lift mirror are as crimson as fresh blood. As I trace each letter slowly with my finger, the writing leaves a faint sticky residue on my fingers...

The Blurb

Welcome to the true-crime controversy that’s divided the media for the last twenty years. To discover the truth, we need to delve back into the past…

THEN: In June 1999, the last five prisoners at HMP Panbrook were killed just before the prison closed its doors for the final time. Anna Kendall, the nurse accused of their murders, died before the case went to court. Her motive and guilt have never been proven.

NOW: The Panbrook Prison Hotel is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Hotel manager Madeleine Batten is determined to discover what happened there twenty years earlier. But as the prison’s dark secrets are gradually exposed, danger lurks in the shadows. And someone is determined to keep the truth locked away.

My Review

I have been fortunate enough to read and review all of the books written by this talented author. Her previous novels, The Redeemer and The Associate form the Shanna Regan Murder Mystery series, which are well worth checking out. You can also find my reviews of these books by clicking on the respective titles.

Little Secrets is an exciting mystery set in The Panbrook, a former prison which has since been converted into a luxury hotel. In 1999, Anna Kendall was accused of killing five of the inmates when she worked there as a nurse. The narrative switches between Anna (then) and Madeleine (now), the hotel manager in the present day.

It was a story that had me gripped as I tried to work out what really went on. The author does a great job of making the reader question the narrative - was Anna really guilty of the murders? Is it possible that someone else killed these men? Why is Madeleine so anxious to find the truth? Anna has committed suicide before the case comes to trial, which the police took to be a sign of her guilt.

For the tenth anniversary of the hotel opening, the hotel owner throws a special weekend party with only specially selected guests and staff present. As the hotel manager, Madeleine is there to ensure everything runs smoothly. However, it doesn't take long before the reader begins to question whether she has her own agenda in place.

There were several layers to this story, which are only revealed as the plot moves forward. There were a number of twists and turns, and when the reveal at the end of the book arrives, I can honestly say that I hadn't seen it coming!

I thought this was a fantastic novel set against an unusual background. I enjoyed reading it very much. The author brings to life the setting, plot and characters extremely well. The story is tense and suspenseful, and made for engaging reading.

I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a good, slow burn story which you can become completely immersed in. It made for great reading and I already can't wait to read what this author might produce next.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1739695453

Publisher:  Three Crowns Publishing UK

Formats:  e-book and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages:  344 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

Victoria has been a freelance journalist, editor and proofreader for over 25 years, with specific expertise in consumer health and science communication. She is Freelance Health Editor for Bupa. She also writes for several consumer and pharmacy magazines on a regular basis.

Her debut crime novel, The Redeemer, was shortlisted for Best Debut Crime Novel of 2022 in the Crime Fiction Lover Awards 2022. The sequel, The Associate, is the Editor’s Choice Winner of Best Indie Crime Novel of 2023 in the Crime Fiction Lover Awards 2023. 

She has a BSc. in Biomedical Science from King’s College London and an MSc. in Science Communication from Imperial College London.

She proofreads and copy-edits fiction and non-fiction (including memoir). For more information about her writing, editing and proofreading work, please click on the links. 

She is a member of the Guild of Health Writers, the Medical Journalists’ Association and the Society of Authors. She is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) and The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi).

She was first runner up in the DHH Literary Agency New Voices Award 2019 with an Honourable Mention for The Redeemer.

You can also find Victoria at:

Author Website

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(ARC and media courtesy of the author)

(all opinions are my own)

Hive (Madders of Time 1) by D.L. Orton - #bookspotlight #blogtour

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Death of a Dancing Queen by Kimberly G. Giarrantano - #bookreview

 

Starla Wells lit a cigarette and slipped into the shadows. She pressed a spiked heel against the brick exterior of the building, and her bent knee revealed a slender thigh and a garter belt with a tiny dagger tucked underneath...

***

The Blurb

After her mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Billie Levine revamped her grandfather’s private investigation firm and set up shop in the corner booth of her favorite North Jersey deli hoping the free pickles and flexible hours would allow her to take care of her mom and pay the bills. So when Tommy Russo, a rich kid with a nasty drug habit, offers her a stack of cash to find his missing girlfriend, how can she refuse? At first, Billie thinks this will be easy earnings, but then her missing person's case turns into a murder investigation and Russo is the detective bureau’s number one suspect.

Suddenly Billie is embroiled in a deadly gang war that’s connected to the decades-old disappearance of a famous cabaret dancer with ties to both an infamous Jewish mob and a skinhead group. Toss in the reappearance of Billie’s hunky ex-boyfriend with his own rap sheet, and she is regretting every decision that got her to this point.

Becoming a P.I. was supposed to solve her problems. But if Billie doesn’t crack this case, the next body the police dredge out of the Hudson River will be hers. 

My Review

I have heard it said that this book is similar to Veronica Mars. I am not familiar with this television series so can not compare. What I can tell you is that this is a very good book and I enjoyed it immensely.

Billie Levine is an excellent character and highly likable. She is 25, feisty and has attitude. She is a Jewish Private Investigator who has taken the business over from her retired grandfather. She lives with him, her brother, David and her mother. Between them they are sharing the care of her mother who has Alzheimers. However, they are struggling but cannot afford to have her cared for in a dedicated facility. This aspect of the story was sad but I suspect that it is a situation which many readers will be familiar.

There is a great plot to this book too with a mystery that Billie is trying to solve.  She is trying to locate a missing young woman who is fascinated by true crime. In doing so, she also gets involved in investigating the murder of another young woman years before. The author brings both strands of this story together really well and I was completely gripped by it.

The story involves a Jewish gang and a skinhead Nazi mob. There was so much going on in this book that it made for fast paced and fascinating reading. It was definitely a book which made me play the 'just one more chapter' game which kept me up past my bedtime.

There were many secondary characters all of which were well portrayed. There were many but I did not get confused by them at any point as the author does a great job in bringing both characters and plot together.

I am thrilled that this is the first in a three book series. I am looking forward to spending more time with Billie.

 If you like the sound of this book you might also enjoy The Redeemer and The Associate both of which are by Victoria Goldman. The title links will take you to my reviews.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1915202420

Publisher:  Datura Books

Formats:  e-book, audio and paperback

No. of Pages:  344 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Bookshop.org

Datura Book Publications

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Waterstones

About the Author

Kimberly G. Giarratano is an author of mysteries for teens and adults. Her debut novel, Grunge Gods and Graveyards, won the 2015 Silver Falchion Award for Best YA at Killer Nashville. A former librarian, she is currently an instructor at a SUNY Orange County Community College and a reviewer for BookPage. She is also the chapter liaison for Sisters in Crime. 

Born in New York and raised in New Jersey, Kim and her husband moved to the Poconos to raise their three kids amid black bears and wild turkeys. While she doesn’t miss the Jersey traffic, she does miss a good bagel and lox.

You can also find Kimberley at:

Author Website

FaceBook

Instagram

BlueSky

(book and media courtesy of the publisher)

(all opinions are my own)

(bookshop.org affiliated)

Reading Roundup for November 2024

 It is almost time to hang up the Advent calendars as December begins on Sunday.

November has been a good month for reading, and I have read some lovely books. Also, it has been a busy month on the blog with six spotlight posts, five read along posts, twelve book reviews and a guest post.

How has your November been? Have you read many books? Anything that you would recommend?

Books I Have Read This Month

Little Wing by Freya North

I absolutely adored this book. My review of this is all written and it will be up as soon as I can find a space. 

The Red Tunic by Kate Wiseman

I so enjoyed reading this book and it had me gripped from the very beginning. You can read my review and find out more about the book by clicking here.

Secrets in the Water by Alice Fitzpatrick

I love a book about hidden secrets and there are plenty in this novel. You can read my review and find out more about the book by clicking here.

The Wives by Valerie Keogh

I have liked everything that I have read by Valerie Keogh. This was no exception and I enjoyed every page. You can read my review and find out more about the book by clicking here..

The Folly by Gemma Amor

Anyone who follows my blog regularly will know that I do not read horror but I made an exception for this one.  You can read my review and find out more about the book by clicking here.

The Box by Jo Linsdell

This is a charming book that young children will love. You can read my review and find out more about the book by clicking here.

Gone With the Penguins by Hazel Prior

This book is the third in a trilogy and having not read the first two did not spoil my enjoyment. You can read my review and find out more about the book by clicking here.

A Little Christmas Spirit by Susan Buchanan

If you are looking for the perfect Christmas read then you need look no further than this book.  You can read my review and find out more about the book by clicking here.

The Scandalous Life of Ruby Devereaux by M. J. Robotham

Ruby Devereaux is an outstanding character and one that I will not easily forget.   You can read my review and find out more about the book by clicking here.

Happiness by Danielle Steel

This was chosen by my book group this month. Unfortunately, it just wasn't my cup of tea.

The Foyles Bookshop Girls' Promise by Elaine Roberts

This book is set in London during World War One and is wonderfully atmospheric. You can read my review and find out more about the book by clicking here.

Skyfleet: March of the Mutabugs by Victoria Williamson

This book which is aimed at a middle grade readership is full of action and adventure.  You can read my review and find out more about the book by clicking here.

Books I Am Currently Reading

Casa Paradisio by Francesca Scanacapra

My Beloved Monster by Caleb Carr

Ink Ribbon Red by Alex Pavesi

The Fellowship of Puzzle Makers by Samuel Burr

10 Ten Exciting New Releases in December 2024

 

There are some gorgeous new releases coming next month and here are just ten that have caught my eye...

A Christmas Surprise in Pelican Crossing by Maggie Christensen

Beyond Treats: Revolutionary Dog Training for Lasting Behaviour Change: A Story-Based Force-Free Compassionate Dog Training Guide by George Tran

The Silver-Haired Sisterhood by Judy Leigh

A Short History of the World in 50 Failures by Ben Gazur

Reach for the Stars by Maxine Morrey

Stuck in Second Gear by Carmen Reid

The House of Echoes by Rachel Crowther

A Better Tomorrow for the East End Library Girls by Patricia McBride

The Girl in the Window by Diana Wilkinson

su

A Series of Rooms by A J Barlowe

Happy Reading!

The Dark Wives by Ann Cleeves - #bookreview #blogtour

 

Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope looked up from the teenager's scrawl.

"It's got today's date. Chloe must have written it this evening."

The manager of the children's home was faded, dusty. He had grey hair tied back in a ponytail. He seemed well out of his depth."

***

The man’s body is found in the early morning light by a local dog walker on the common outside Rosebank, a care home for troubled teens. The victim is Josh, a staff member, who was due to work the previous night but never showed up.

DCI Vera Stanhope is called out to investigate the death. Her only clue is the disappearance of one of the home’s residents, fourteen-year-old Chloe Spence. Vera can’t bring herself to believe that a teenager is responsible for the murder, but even she can’t dismiss the possibility.

Vera, Joe and new team member Rosie Bell are soon embroiled in the case, and when a second connected body is found near the Three Dark Wives standing stones in the wilds of the Northumbrian countryside, superstition and folklore begin to collide with fact.

Vera knows she has to find Chloe to get to the truth, but it seems that the dark secrets in their community may be far more dangerous than she could ever have believed possible.

***

This is book eleven in the well known Vera Stanhope series.

If you are a fan of Vera from the television series, I recommend reading the books as there is much more insight into Vera's thought processes, and how she approaches her cases and staff in her own inimitable way.

In this book Vera and her team are investigating the murder of a care worker in a children's home, as well as a missing teenager. There is also a new member on the team, Rosie who at first struggles to fit in and find her place in her new job.

The pace of the book was steady to begin with as the author spends some time setting the scene and laying out her characters. However, it quickly picks up pace and has some surprising plot twists. I was totally unaware as to who the murderer was throughout. It was suspenseful and there was much to keep me guessing.

The Northumberland setting was beautifully portrayed. There was also some local folklore woven into the story. For example, the titular Dark Wives are a set of standing stones in the local area and they had their own part to play in the story.

I found this a compelling read. I have not read any of the earlier books, although the television series is essential watching in our house. Not reading the earlier books did not hinder my enjoyment of this one and it works perfectly well as a standalone. 

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys police procedural, crime and suspense novels. Enjoy!

ISBN: 978 1529077742

Publisher:  MacMillan

Formats: e-book, audio and hardback

No. of Pages:  384 (hardback)

About the Author:

ANN CLEEVES is the author of 37 critically acclaimed novels, an international bestseller translated into over 20 languages worldwide. In 2017 was awarded the highest accolade in crime writing, the CWA Diamond Dagger. She is the creator of popular detectives Vera Stanhope, Jimmy Perez and Matthew Venn, who can be found on television in ITV’s Vera, BBC One’s Shetland and ITV's The Long Call respectively. The TV series and the books they are based on have become international sensations, capturing the minds of millions worldwide.

Ann worked as a probation officer, bird observatory cook and auxiliary coastguard before she started writing. She is a member of ‘Murder Squad’, working with other British northern writers to promote crime fiction. Ann also spends her time advocating for reading to improve health and wellbeing and supporting access to books. In 2021 her Reading for Wellbeing project launched with local authorities across the North East, and in 2022 she was awarded an OBE for her services to reading and libraries. 

The Dark Wives, is her 11th Vera novel. She lives in Northumberland where the Vera books are set. You can find Ann on Twitter and Facebook @AnnCleeves.

(book and media courtesy of Random Things Tours)

(all opinions are my own)