Death on a Monday Night by Jo Allen - #BookReview #BlogTour

 

Becca Reid had slunk out of Wasby Village Hall into the gathering dusk like, she thought, a timid wild animal creeping about in the undergrowth. It was rare that she felt the need to be so furtive. On the contrary, she was in the forefront of every gathering, because there was always something to be done and she was one of those people who always seemed to end up doing it. On this Monday night, her sense of community notwithstanding, she'd been desperately keen to skip the monthly meeting of the Wasby Women's Institute and stay at home with a cup of cocoa watching Arsenal on the telly, but civic duty had won out. It would have been cowardly to stay away, and she was no coward.

***

An ex-convict. A dead body. A Women’s Institute meeting like no other…

It’s an unusually challenging meeting at the Wasby Women’s Institute, with local resident and former drug-dealer Adam Fleetwood talking about his crimes and subsequent rehabilitation…but events take a gruesome turn when prospective member Grace Thoresby is discovered murdered in the kitchen.

The case is particularly unwelcome for investigating officer DCI Jude Satterthwaite. Adam was once his close friend and now holds a bitter grudge, blaming Jude for landing him in jail in the first place. To complicate things further, the only thing keeping Adam from arrest is the testimony of Jude’s former girlfriend, Becca Reid, for whom he still cares deeply.

As Jude and his colleague and current partner, Ashleigh O’Halloran, try to pick apart the complicated tapestry of Grace’s life, they uncover a web of fantasy, bitterness and deceit. Adam is deeply implicated, but is he guilty or is someone determined to frame him for Grace’s murder? And as they close in on the truth, Jude falls foul of Adam’s desire for revenge, with near-fatal consequences…

A traditional detective mystery set in Cumbria. 

***

As a member of the Women's Institute myself I was really looking forward to reading this book. I am extremely glad that I did as I enjoyed it very much indeed. The murder takes place during a meeting of a village WI, and the author did a great job of creating the atmosphere and sometimes confined feeling of a small village.

This is the eighth book in the series featuring DCI Satterthwaite but it worked very effectively as a stand alone novel. It is unusual for me to begin a series so far along but I very much wanted to read this book, and therefore, broke my self-imposed rule of only reading a series in order. Having said that I enjoyed this to the point that I intend going back to the beginning of the series to read Death by Dark Waters.

The descriptions of rural Cumbria were exquisite. I was not at all surprised to find that the author lives in the Lake District. I went to the Lakes on a school trip in my teens (ahem, that was some time ago) and I have longed to go back ever since. Reading this book has reignited my desire.

The characters were very well portrayed and believable. Jude is a great main character and his relationship with those around him well depicted.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery.

SBN: 979 8440889293

Publisher: Independently Published

Formats: e-book and paperback

No. of Pages: 296 (paperback)

About the Author:

Jo Allen was born in Wolverhampton and is a graduate of Edinburgh, Strathclyde and the Open University, with undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in geography and Earth science. She's been writing for pleasure and publication for as long as she can remember. After a career in economic consultancy she took up writing and was first published under the name Jennifer Young, in genres of short stories, romance and romantic suspense. She wrote online articles on travel and on her favourite academic subject, Earth science. In 2017 she took the plunge and began writing the genre she most likes to read -- crime. Jo lives in the English Lakes, where the DCI Satterthwaite series is set. In common with all her favourite characters, she loves football (she's a season ticket holder with her beloved Wolverhampton Wanderers) and cats.

And Then There's Margaret by Carolyn Clarke - #BookReview #BlogTour

 

It takes effort to hate the things that make you unhappy. Like cold winters, rude people and when it comes to world problems that'll never end, government corruption. I spend more time hating and being angry than I do smiling. I could go on, but what I really mean is, I strongly dislike these things just as much as being called the M-work by some young, toned, Gwyneth Paltrow look-alike with perfect breasts and a soft voice that adds a touch of sweetness to obvious condescension. Now there are those who might see this word as a courtesy, a sign of deference or respect, but in my world, ma'am is what you call someone you think is simple and safe. Old and inconsequential. Unless I become the Queen of England, don't ever call me ma'm. It's dismissive and ego bruising.

***

Marriage and midlife can be difficult. But when you add a controlling, manipulative, and self-absorbed mother-in-law into the mix, things can get worse—much worse. Toxic even. Especially when Allison Montgomery’s beloved father-in-law, and long-time confidant, George, passes away and her mother-in-law, Margaret, ‘temporarily’ moves in.

From rearranging the furniture and taking over the kitchen to embarrassing and undermining Allie at every turn, including funding her daughter’s escape and throwing hissy fits in public, Margaret turns Allie’s life upside down.

Allie bounces between a sincere desire to be supportive of her grieving mother-in-law and the occasional, intense urge to push her out the nearest window. Feeling annoyed, trapped and even a little childish, Allie struggles to avoid a complete meltdown with help from her fearless and audacious best friend, a plan for reinventing herself and, yes, a few glasses of Chardonnay. Can Allie survive her mother-in-law, all while navigating through the trials and tribulations of midlife, the anxieties of parenting adult children, and a twenty-two year-old marriage? Maybe…

***

From the very first page of this delightful book we get a glimpse into the life of the main character. Allie is a peri-menopausal woman who is juggling her job as a primary school teacher, family who rely on her and the effects of her beloved father-in-law passing away. Throw into that mix a cantankerous mother-in-law, and it is easy to engage with Allie's character.

The majority of this story focuses on the relationship she has with Margaret. It has clearly been difficult prior to the death of Margaret's husband but when she comes to stay the problems between them surge. Margaret is rude, antagonistic and quarrelsome with Allie, and I admired her ability not to retaliate but attempted to be understanding of Margaret's grief. 

Although Margaret is portrayed as a harridan and, as a reader my sympathies lay very much with Allie, it was also easy to assume that there was more to Margaret's character than was at first obvious. I think that Margaret was such a successful character because many of us have known a version of her.

There were several very funny elements in this book. In particular, I laughed when I read the following passage. For context, Allie has decided to become a children's author, and having written her story very quickly and emailed it to several agents she immediately says:

I anxiously checked my inbox for replies. Nothing. Oh, the pressure. The pressure of waiting to hear from an excited agent wanting to represent me was unbearable. Seconds later, I hit the refresh button. Still nothing. They must all be on lunch, I reassured myself."

This is a heart-felt novel, written with humour and sincerity, and I enjoyed reading it very much.

Carolyn will be back next month with her top books to take to a desert island. Watch this space!

ISBN: 978 1684339938

Publisher: Black Rose Writing

Formats: e-book and paperback

No. of Pages: 258 (paperback)

About the Author:

Carolyn Clarke is the founder and curator of https://henlitcentral.com/, a blog focused on ‘life and lit’ for women over 40. And Then There’s Margaret is her first novel. She has been an ESL teacher for over sixteen years and has co-authored several articles and resources with Cambridge University Press, MacMillan Education and her award-winning blog ESL Made Easy. 

(ARC and all author info courtesy of the publisher)

The Wilderness by Sarah Duguid - #BookReview

 

Isabella, the elder of the two girls, rows the boat. At her feet slumps a brown canvas rucksack containing several half-litre bottles of water, four chocolate bars, two homemade cheese sandwiches wrapped in foil and a Thermos flask filled with instant soup: they needed at least one thing that was hot. The rowing is hard work. Noticing her sister is losing strength, Sasha opens a chocolate bar, breaks it for them to share, but Isabella can't let go of the oars, so instead Sasha feeds it to her in little chunks.

"Is that better?" she asks when the chocolate is finished.

"A little," replies Isabella.

***

When Anna and David receive a phone call late one evening, their lives are upturned. Within minutes, they are travelling to the west coast of Scotland, preparing to care for two young sisters, tragically and suddenly orphaned.

It's a beautiful place, the heather is in bloom, the birds wheel above the waves, the deer graze peacefully in the distance. But the large granite house is no longer a home for the girls, and Anna knows she can never take the place of their mother. Then David invites his friend to stay, to 'ease them through' and Anna finds herself increasingly isolated, with everything she - and the girls - once knew of life discarded and overruled by a man of whom she is deeply suspicious.

***

This highly evocative novel is narrated from the perspective of the main character, Anna. She is an interesting character, a childless woman used to living in the city and suddenly finds herself living in the middle of nowhere, trying to raise two bereaved teenage girls following the death of their parents.

Her descriptions of her situation, her emotions and her environment are tangible, and I could feel her sense of isolation. Not only is she miles away from her own family and friends but her husband also withdraws as Anna observes him come increasingly under the influence of Brendan, an old friend who has imposed himself upon them.

This is a book that sucks the reader into its splendid prose. It is elegantly written in a tight and lyrical manner, and the author has used her words carefully in creating a scenario which, to Anna, feels claustrophobic and intense. For her charges, Sasha and Isabella, the rugged landscape is the norm but in Brendan's presence it becomes feral and dangerous.

This is a remarkably accomplished novel which I found to be thought provoking. It is a powerful, slim volume which has much to say about grief, love and how we might react when the life we know is completely upended. I highly recommend it.

ISBN: 978 1472229885

Publisher: Tinder Press

Formats: e-book, audio and hardback

No. of Pages: 256 (hardback)

About the Author:

Sarah Duguid grew up on a farm in North Lincolnshire and now lives in London. The Wilderness is her second novel.

(Thank you to Tinder Press for gifting me with this book.)

Desert Island Books with Victoria Goldman

Hello and welcome back to Desert Island Books on the blog. I am thrilled to have Victoria Goldman joining us this month.

Victoria's recently released debut novel, The Redeemer, has received rave reviews. You can read my review of this fabulous book by clicking here. 

Victoria is a freelance journalist, editor and proofreader. She was given an honourable mention for The Redeemer in the Capital Crime/DHH Literary Agency New Voices Award 2019.

So, Victoria, how do you think you would get on if you were stranded on a desert island?

I think I’d be OK initially, as I’m used to working on my own from home – and I’d love to live by the sea or ocean (as long as it’s not too stormy). I’m fairly practical so I reckon I’d work out how to build a shelter and whatever else needs to be done. But … I’m not sure I’d survive without internet access for very long, and I would miss interactions with other people (especially my friends and family) after a while too!

Destinations of a Lifetime by National Geographic

If I’m stuck on a desert island with nowhere to go, this doesn’t mean I still can’t travel in my head. And it sounds like this book would do the job. A different destination each night and then I can start again. I love the natural world and enjoy looking at photos of different places. During the first lockdown in 2020, I watched several online webcams around the world, especially those in zoos, as a way of escaping the house (virtually).

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

I’d like to say this is a book that I’ve read hundreds of times, but it’s been sitting on my Kindle for years and I’ve never read it, despite really wanting to. It’s 944 pages so would certainly keep me occupied. I’d need the paper version though. (And now I need to find it on my Kindle and start reading it!)

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

This is a book that makes me smile and makes me think. It’s a book about love and loss, and about the passing of time. One of my favourites that I could read again and again.

Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

This psychological thriller is a masterclass in plotting, characterisation, setting and suspense. Though it may be a little disturbing to read if I’m alone on this desert island!

How To Be Brave by Louise Beech

This is one of the books I recommend the most. It’s about courage, hope and survival – and I’d need plenty of that if I’m stranded on a desert island. One reason this book is special to me is that it reminds me of a book I started writing around 10 years ago but never finished, loosely based on the story of my great uncle who died in a submarine attack at Salerno in Italy in 1943. Louise’s book is beautifully written and tugs at the heartstrings.

Billy Summers by Stephen King

A few years ago, I decided I would re-read all of the Stephen King books, as these were my favourite books in my teenage years, but I didn’t find the time. I now think I’d like to read something I’ve not read before, and, if I’m stuck on my own, also something that isn’t too creepy. Billy Summers is 400+ pages, so meaty enough to last a while. 

Papillon by Henri Charriere

Here’s another book I read as a teenager. This would be a reminder that life could be worse, as Henri Charrière was locked away in a brutal penal colony for 13 years. It should hopefully make me feel better if I’m stranded on a desert island (as long as it’s a safe one).

The Dandelion Years by Erica James

I tend to read dark fiction – horror, crime fiction and thrillers. But I suspect that I’ll appreciate a feel-good read. When I read and reviewed The Dandelion Years in 2015, I wrote: ‘What an amazing heart-wrenching story and beautifully written book. Over the last few days, I have cried at, laughed through and shared the memories of Saskia and her family.’ After reading this book, I visited Bletchley Park, where one thread is set. So this book carries memories of family outings too.

Thank you, Victoria, for sharing your choices. You have chosen a good range of books - something for every mood.

If you are an author and would be interested in taking part, then please get in touch by emailing me at leftontheshelf1@gmail.com.

New Releases for August 2022

 

Summer is the perfect time to grab something refreshing to drink, a book to read and a chair to sit in the sunshine.

Here are ten great new releases for August. Enjoy and happy reading.

My Thirty-First Year (And Other Calamities by Emily Wolf

On her 30th birthday, Yale-educated Zoe Greene was supposed to be married to her high-school sweetheart, pregnant with their first baby, and practising law in Chicago. Instead, she's planning an abortion and filing for divorce. Zoe wants to understand why her plans failed--and to move on, have sex, and date while there's still time. As she navigates dysfunctional penises, a paucity of grammatically sound online dating profiles, and her paralysing fear of ageing alone, she also grapples with the pressure women feel to put others first. Ultimately, Zoe's family, friends, incomparable therapist, and diary of never-to-be-sent letters to her first loves, the rock band U2, help her learn to let go--of society's constructs of female happiness, and of her own.

The Bookseller of Inverness by S.G. MacLean

A gripping historical thriller set in Inverness in the wake of the 1746 battle of Culloden from twice CWA award-winning author S. G. MacLean. Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Andrew Taylor.

After Culloden, Iain MacGillivray was left for dead on Drumossie Moor. Wounded, his face brutally slashed, he survived only by pretending to be dead as the Redcoats patrolled the corpses of his Jacobite comrades.

Six years later, with the clan chiefs routed and the Highlands subsumed into the British state, Iain lives a quiet life, working as a bookseller in Inverness. One day, after helping several of his regular customers, he notices a stranger lurking in the upper gallery of his shop, poring over his collection. But the man refuses to say what he's searching for and only leaves when Iain closes for the night.

The next morning Iain opens up shop and finds the stranger dead, his throat cut, and the murder weapon laid out in front of him - a sword with a white cockade on its hilt, the emblem of the Jacobites. With no sign of the killer, Iain wonders whether the stranger discovered what he was looking for - and whether he paid for it with his life. He soon finds himself embroiled in a web of deceit and a series of old scores to be settled in the ashes of war.

Hello, Goodbye by Kate Stollenwerck

Fifteen-year-old Hailey Rogers is sure her summer is ruined when her parents tell her she has to spend a few days a week, every week, helping her grandmother, Gigi. Although Gigi only lives across town, Hailey never sees her and knows little about her. But Gigi is full of surprises—and family secrets. Throw in the gorgeous boy down the street, and Hailey’s ruined summer might just be the best of her life.

Then tragedy strikes, lies are uncovered, and Hailey’s life suddenly falls apart. After unearthing clues in an old letter written by her great-grandfather, she takes off on a road trip to solve the family mystery with the only person she can trust. In a forgotten Texas town, the past and the present collide—and Hailey is forced to choose what she truly values in life.

Isaac and the Egg by Bobby Palmer

A young man walks into the woods on the worst morning of his life and finds something there that will change everything.

It's a tale that might seem familiar. But how it speaks to you will depend on how you've lived until now.

Sometimes, to get out of the woods, you have to go into them. Isaac and the Egg is one of the most hopeful, honest and wildly imaginative novels you will ever read.

Is This Love? by C.E. Riley

J's wife has left, and J is trying to understand why. How could someone you loved so much, who claimed to love you once, just walk away? How could they send divorce papers accusing you of terrible things, when all you've ever done is tried to make them happy?

Narrated by J in the days, weeks and months after the marriage collapses, and interspersed with the departed wife's diary entries, Is This Love? is an addictive, deeply unsettling, and provocative novel of deception and betrayal, and passion turned to pain. As the story unfolds, and each character's version of events undermines the other, all our assumptions about victimhood, agency, love and control are challenged - for we never know J's gender. If we did, would it change our minds about who was telling the truth?

The Light Among Us by Jill George and John Dirring

Elizabeth Carne was clearly a remarkable woman whose contribution to Cornish society, geology and the world of banking and commerce has been admirably woven into this well-researched historical novel. It is a story which truly needed to be told and provides an insight to both Elizabeth's life and to those of her contemporaries in Cornwall during the 19th century.

A Child of the East End by Jean Fullerton

Life in Cockney London was tough in the post-war years. The government's broken promises had led to a chronic housing shortage, rampant crime and families living in squalor. But one thing prevailed: the unbeatable spirit of the East End, a tight-knit community who pulled through the dark times with humour and heart.

Drawing on both family history and her own memories of growing up in the 1950s and '60s, as well as her working life as a district nurse and local police officer, Jean Fullerton vividly depicts this fascinating part of London - from tin baths, to jellied eels, to tigers in a Wapping warehouse.

Where the Sky Begins by Rhys Bowen

A woman’s future is determined by fate and choice in a gripping WWII novel about danger, triumph, and second chances by the New York Times bestselling author of The Venice Sketchbook and The Tuscan Child.

London, 1940. Bombs fall and Josie Banks’s world crumbles around her. Her overbearing husband, Stan, is unreachable, called to service. Her home, a ruin of rubble and ash. Josie’s beloved tearoom boss has been killed, and Josie herself is injured, with nothing left and nowhere to go.

Evacuated to the English countryside, Josie ends up at the estate of the aristocratic Miss Harcourt, a reluctant host to the survivors of the Blitz. Awed as she is by the magnificent landscape, Josie sees opportunity. Josie convinces Miss Harcourt to let her open a humble tea shop, seeing it as a chance for everyone to begin again. When Josie meets Mike Johnson, a handsome Canadian pilot stationed at a neighbouring bomber base, a growing intimacy brings her an inner peace she’s never felt before. Then Stan returns from the war.

Now a threat looms larger than anyone imagined. And a dangerous secret is about to upend Josie’s life again. Her newfound courage will be put to the test if she is to emerge, like a survivor, triumphant.

The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz

Releasing in paperback this month.

The Oppenheimer triplets have been reared with every advantage: wealth, education, and the determined attention of at least one of their parents. But they have been desperate to escape each other ever since they were born.

Now, on the verge of their departure for college and so close to their long-coveted freedom, the triplets are forced to contend with an unexpected complication: a fourth Oppenheimer sibling has just been born. What has possessed their parents to make such an unfathomable decision? The triplets can't begin to imagine the the power this little latecomer is about to exert - nor just how destructive she'll be to their plans . . .

The Potteries Girls on the Home Front by Lynn Johnson

March 1911: Betty Dean needs a job and somewhere to live, and eventually, a husband - according to her mother. Sent into service at Stowford House in Cheshire, where the days are long and the work is gruelling, Betty's dreams of making something of herself seem even further away.

But soon she is forced to return to The Potteries, carrying with her a dreadful secret which could leave her reputation in tatters.

Could WW1 bring new opportunities or will Betty run out of options?

A new job on the trams throws her a lifeline. Meeting fellow tram girls Connie and Jean brings the joy of friendship, even if Betty struggles with having to keep secrets from her new pals.

When Duncan Kennedy, a shy but charming soldier, enters Betty's life, it seems that she may finally find love. But opening herself up isn't easy, and when he leaves for the front, she finds herself alone once again.

As the Great War rumbles on, Betty's life in The Potteries is full of its own battles...

A heart-breaking WW1 saga that fans of Pam Howes and Nancy Revell will love.

(header photo courtesy of Thought Catalog/Unsplash)

While You Were Reading by Ali Berg & Michelle Kalus - #BookReview

 

Bea Babbage would have killed to be any of the ladies sitting neatly in a row in front of her. Eliza Doolittle, Elizabeth Bennet, Rachel Chu, Nancy Drew, Aibileen Clark. Each of these women lived boldly between the pages of the books nestled in the towering oak bookshelves she had come to know so well. Bea still remembered the first time she laid eyes on Cassandra's family's library. Her heart had panged with jealousy, then desire. She'd been desperate to explore its grand oak bookshelves, which spread across every wall and reached up to the high ceiling. And after she and Cassandra became best friends, that's exactly what she did most weekends, until they left their hometown of Dunsborough for university in Perth. It was something else being back in this room after all these years, as Cassandra's maid of honour.

***

Words are messy. Love is messier.

 

Meet Beatrix Babbage, a 29-year-old dog-earer of books and accidental destroyer of weddings. After ruining her best friend's big day, Bea relocates to the other side of the country in search of a fresh start. But after a few months, life is more stagnant than ever. Bea’s job is dead-end. Her romantic life is non-existent, and her only friends are in her books.

Then Bea stumbles across a second-hand novel inscribed with notes. Besotted with the poetic inscriptions, Bea is determined to find the author . . . and finds herself entangled in one hell of a love quadrangle.

***

Bea was a delightful character to meet. She is funny, quirky and a little bit obsessive, and this book was good fun to read. I could identify with her determination to identify the author of the notes in her book, and even more so, her love of books. Neither did I work out who the writer of the notes was although I was partly in the right area.

I enjoyed immersing myself in the Australian setting and in meeting the people who were part of Bea's world. I thought the notes which went back and forth between her and her cleaner were delightful.

This light hearted and fun read would make an ideal holiday or weekend read.  I borrowed it from the library, and I am keen to now read their earlier novel, Book Ninja. I feel another trip to the library coming up. 

I adore books which are about books and this one hit the nail very firmly on the head.

It has been co-authored, and I am very curious as to the logistics of how they have accomplished this. Perhaps that is a question for another blog post?

ISBN: 978 1471178009

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Formats: e-book and paperback

No. of Pages: 384 (paperback)

About the Authors:

Ali and Michelle are Co-authors, founders of Books on the Rail, professional Book Ninjas and best friends since they ditched play time for writing club in primary school. 

Their first two novels, The Book Ninja (2018) and While You Were Reading (2019) have been published and enjoyed around the world, and The Book Ninja has been optioned to be made into a film. Their third novel Fancy Meeting You Here was released in December 2021 and is available as an audio book in the UK.

When they are not writing books, Ali is a copywriter and Michelle is a primary school teacher. They both live in Melbourne with their respective families and colour-coordinated bookshelves.

(author photo and bio. information from the authors websitehttps://aliandmichelle.com/)

The Redeemer by Victoria Goldman - #BookReveiw

 

She scurries across the rain-drenched grass. Stone missiles bounce off her shiny black boots, spattering mud on her burgundy coat. One hits the side of her head, knocking her grey beret askew.

I shift on the wooden bench under the sycamore trees and lean forwards, Willing someone, anyone, to help her.

Anyone but me.

"Pig. Ham. Bacon butty," yell the two youths behind her. Whipping up the grass with their trainers, they close in on her like two wolves targeting their prey.

***

After witnessing a racist incident in a small Hertfordshire town, journalist Shanna Regan uncovers a series of threatening fake commemorative plaques. Each plaque highlights someone's misdemeanour rather than a good deed.

Delving deeper, Shanna discovers these plaques are linked to vigilante killings spanning several decades, with ties to the local Jewish community.

As her search for the truth becomes personal, Shanna puts her own life in danger. Can she stop the next murder in time?

The Redeemer is a compelling, thought-provoking murder mystery debut, featuring themes of prejudice, identity and heritage, revenge and redemption, and secrets from the past.

***

I enjoyed this very much and was delighted to be introduced to the journalist, Shanna Regan. It is a debut novel which has depth and meaning and I lapped up every word.

At the heart of this fabulous story is a murder mystery which twists and turns throughout the entire novel. It is a 'who done it' in essence and I did not anticipate who the culprit was prior to the exciting reveal.

There are some serious themes threaded throughout the book. It explores the human need for justice, identity and belonging. It does not shy away from the subject of antisemitism and tackles it head on.

It is set in a small town in Hertfordshire amongst a thriving Jewish community. It was the perfect backdrop for the author to explore the culture, traditions and beliefs of the community, and she does so with realism and empathy.

Shanna was an excellent character. She is well portrayed, as are the secondary characters, and everyone was realistic and believable.

It has been well written and appropriately paced. I highly recommend this novel. In Ms. Goldman we have a new voice in crime fiction and I very much hope that it will not be long before we are able to read more of Shanna Regan.

ISBN: 978 1739695415

Publisher: Three Crowns Publishing UK

Formats: e-book and paperback

No. of Pages: 336 (paperback)

About the Author:

VICTORIA GOLDMAN is a freelance journalist, editor and proofreader. She was given an honourable mention for The Redeemer in the Capital Crime/DHH Literary Agency New Voices Award 2019.

Victoria lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and two sons. The Redeemer is her first novel.

(Thank you to the author for the advanced PDF of the book)