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‘The Egyptian’ by Layton Green

June 23, 2011 By 4 Comments

 

After the success Layton Green has had with his first novel ‘The Summoner’, get ready for the next action packed adventure for his character, Dominic Grey.

‘The Egyptian’ is due for release on August 27th 2011, initially as an e-book only, but with plans for a paperback edition to follow a little later down the line.

I have already started reading the ARC copy, which Layton kindly forwarded to me and will be publishing my thoughts about it, a little nearer to the official release date.

For anyone interested in reading some great cult fiction, full of intrigue, hard-hitting action and suspense, then watch the events page, where details of a great double offer on both books, will be be announced soon….

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Synopsis taken from the author’s advance reading copy information

At a mausoleum in Cairo’s most notorious cemetery, a mercenary receives a package containing a silver test tube suspended in hydraulic stasis.

An investigative reporter tracking rogue biomedical companies is terrified by the appearance of a mummified man outside her Manhattan apartment.

A Bulgarian scientist who dabbles in the occult makes a startling discovery in his underground laboratory.

These seemingly separate events collide when Dominic Grey and Viktor Radek, private investigators of cults, are hired by the CEO of an Egyptian biomedical firm to locate stolen research integral to the company’s new life extension product.  However, after witnessing the slaughter of a team of scientists by the remnants of a dangerous cult thought long abandoned, Grey and Viktor turn from pursuers to pursued.

From the gleaming corridors of visionary laboratories to the cobblestone alleys of Eastern Europe to a lost oasis in the Sahara, Grey and Viktor must sift through science and myth to uncover the truth behind the Egyptian and his sinister biotech – before that truth kills them.

 

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Salley Vickers At Buxton Festival 2011

June 19, 2011 By 2 Comments

Salley Vickers, who I was first introduced to, when I read her bestseller ‘The Other Side Of You’ (review to be published here soon), will be appearing at the Buxton Opera House, in the dramatic and picturesque Peak District, on July 16th 2011, at 10:30am.

This appearance is part of the much larger Buxton Festival , which runs from July 9th-27th 2011, with events taking place at various locations around the town. There is something for everyone in this diverse and wide-ranging festival, from opera and literature, to walks and cookery demonstrations.

Salley, will be speaking about novel-writing past and present and discussing her latest book, ‘Aphrodite’s Hat’, which is a collection of stories about love and the geography of the human heart.

This is a ticketed event, at a cost of £10 per adult, with a half price concession for under 16′s and bookings can be made direct with The Opera House.

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‘Aphrodite’s Hat’ by Salley Vickers

This Title Is Available From Amazon

 

A wonderful collection of stories from the much-loved Salley Vickers.

The stories in this long-awaited collection by Salley Vickers all deal with psychological aspects of love: love given and withheld, love craved and lost, love met and disappointed; the differing shades of loves between friends, between parents and children, between children and other adults; love even, in one case, for a pet.

Psychologically acute, sharply written in lucid and often witty prose, these stories, set in Venice, Greece and Rome as well as London and the English countryside, take us into the complex geography of the human heart. Sometimes joyous and humorous, sometimes melancholy and poignant, this collection confirms Salley Vickers’ reputation as one of our most subtle and engaging writers.

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I know that, unless you live in this neck of the woods, or are heading up to the festival, then the journey is probably going to be the prohibitive factor for this event.

This is exactly the case for myself, but I would really love to hear Salley speak about her work, as I am quite ‘getting into’ this style of astute writing about the human heart and psyche, at which Salley is such an inspirational exponent.

I love everything about the sound of ‘Aphrodites Hat’, from the title and cover art, to the content of the many and varied stories, all revolving around a single central theme.

This is a definite for the reading list!

 

 

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A Date With Ann Granger …

June 3, 2011 By 6 Comments

 

I know that I haven’t given you folks much notice, but I have only just noticed that Ann Granger will be appearing at Cotswold Bookstore, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, on Saturday June 11th 2011, from 10.30am.

Having lived in many different parts of the world, Ann Granger is now based permanently in the Oxford area, handy for this latest book signing mission, in the heart of the lovely Cotswolds.

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Photo Attributed To Ave Maria Moistlik

Ann is a prolific crime writer, with her latest book: ‘Rack, Ruin and Murder’, being the second in her latest series and featuring her newest characters Inspector Jess Campbell and Superintendent Ian Carter. If you are into cosy crime fiction novels, then this is definitely the author for you.

Moreton-in-Marsh, is a quintessentially idyllic English village, in Gloucestershire and at the very heart of The Cotswolds, with Cotswold Bookstore being a focal point of the village, based as it is, right in the centre of the High Street. it sounds as if the folks there have negotiated some great deals with the publishers of ‘Rack, Ruin and Murder’, so if you want to be one of the first to get a copy and meet the author into the bargain, then drop in and be sure of a warm welcome. Make a day of it and explore some of the other fantastic places nearby, in this, one of the most beautiful parts of the country.

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‘Rack, Ruin and Murder’ by Ann Granger

This Title Is Available From Amazon

‘The discovery of a dead body shatters the tranquillity of a Cotswold village in Ann Granger’s second Campbell and Carter mystery.

When old Monty Bickerstaffe finds a dead body in his drawing room it comes as a nasty surprise – the first of many. Monty lives alone in a crumbling Cotswold manor house and the last thing he wants is the police sniffing around his property. Not that he has anything to hide…

The identity of the corpse and how and why it was left in Monty’s home remain a mystery. The locals swear they’ve seen nothing unusual and Monty’s relatives claim they’ve never set eyes on the stiff before. But Inspector Jess Campbell is convinced that someone’s lying and, with the help of Superintendent Ian Carter, she must dig deep into Monty’s family history to reveal the shocking truth…’

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CRIMEFEST …. Read The Latest

April 25, 2011 By 4 Comments

 

Following my earlier event posting, I have just checked back on the site information for this years ‘CRIMEFEST’ event, being held in Bristol UK, from Thursday 19th May 2011 through to Sunday 22nd May 2011.

Great news for all you Peter James fans out there, as he has just been confirmed as a participating author at the event.

He is due to make two appearances, firstly as a panelist, in a discussion titled ‘Born To Be Bad: The Nature Of Evil’, on Friday 20th May 2011.

Then, on the following day Saturday 21st May 2011, in a one-to-one, 50 minute interview, with fellow novelist Peter Guttridge.

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This Title Is Available From Amazon

This will not only provide a great insight into the popular British crime writing success story, that is Peter James, but also coincides with the release late in May 2011, of his latest book ‘Dead Man’s Grip’.

This is the seventh assignment in the series featuring his popular character Detective Superintendent Roy Grace.

Synopsis From The Author’s Site:

I WANT THEM TO SUFFER, AND I WANT THEM DEAD …

Carly Chase is traumatised ten days after being in a fatal traffic accident which kills a teenage student from Brighton University. Then she receives news that turns her entire world into a living nightmare.The drivers of the other two vehicles involved have been found tortured and murdered. Now Detective Superintendant Roy Grace of the Sussex Police force issues a stark and urgent warning to Carly: She could be next.The student had deadly connections. Connections that stretch across the Atlantic. Someone has sworn revenge and won’t rest until the final person involved in that fatal accident is dead.

The police advise Carly her only option is to go into hiding and change identity. The terrified woman disagrees – she knows these people have ways of hunting you down anywhere. If the police are unable to stop them, she has to find a way to do it herself. But already the killer is one step ahead of her, watching, waiting, and ready …

 

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Meet Crime Writer … Mo Hayder

March 5, 2011 By 6 Comments

I know that posting UK centric events, may be met with some criticism from followers of, what is now an internationally viewed blog. I do however, endeavour to highlight internationally known authors, who will typically be appearing at a venue, in order to promote a new book. Thus, I hope that the content about that new release, will be relevent to most, if not all my followers.

Best selling British crime writer, Mo Hayder, will be appearing at Watersone’s, Staines store, on Monday 18th April 2011, at 7pm, where she will be talking about and signing copies of, her latest blockbuster ‘Hanging Hill’.

This is a chargeable, ticketed event, although the admission fee of £1.00, is redeemable against the cost of the book, purchased on the night.

For full event details, or to secure your ticket on-line, please click here.

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This Title Is Available From Amazon

Synopsis

What if you found yourself divorced and penniless? With no skills and a teenage daughter to support? What if the only way to survive was to do things you never thought possible, to go places you never knew existed …These are questions Sally has never really thought about before. Married to a successful business man, she’s always been a bit of a dreamer. Until now. Her sister Zoe is her polar opposite. A detective inspector working out of Bath Central, she loves her job, and oozes self-confidence. No one would guess that she hides a crippling secret that dates back twenty years, and which – if exposed – may destroy her. Then Sally’s daughter gets into difficulties, and Sally finds she needs cash – lots of it – fast. With no one to help her, she is forced into a criminal world of extreme pornography and illegal drugs; a world in which teenage girls can go missing. Two sisters intent on survival. Until one does something so terrifying that there’s no way back …

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Mo Hayder:

Left school at an early age, then held down a host of varied jobs, both in the UK and Asia, where she was an educational administrator and teacher of English as a foreign language.

She has an MA in film from The American University in Washington DC and an MA in creative writing from Bath Spa University UK.

The beautiful City of Bath, my own home city, is where she and her daughter, have now made their home.

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‘Hanging Hill’, is Mo’s fourth stand-alone novel, although she is best known to myself and many others for the series of five books, featuring her character, Detective Inspector Jack Caffrey.

Yes! my ‘To Be Read’ pile is really so vast, that I have all of her books in there somewhere, just waiting to be discovered and read, although whether I will ever find them together, so that they can be read as a series, remains to be seen.

I guess that ‘Hanging Hill’, will be destined to join it’s counterparts, just as soon as it is released in April 2011.

However, if you just cannot wait that long, why not cross over to the site of my fellow blogger Nikki-ann, where she has already posted a great review!

 

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New Title Out March 2011 … ‘Love And Marriage’ by Patricia Scanlan

February 23, 2011 By 4 Comments

After avidly devouring ‘Apartment 3B’, by prolific Irish author, Patricia Scanlan, I was excited to find out that she has a new book due for release, in March 2011.

This excitement was, however, subdued somewhat, when I learned that ‘Love and Marriage‘ is the third volume in a trilogy and I have neither read, nor in fact own, either of the previous two volumes; ‘Forgive and Forget ‘ and ‘Happy Ever After‘

Now I have to seriously think about increasing the size of my TBR mountain (something which I vowed not to do in 2011) and acquire all three volumes, to read in sequence, as from reading the synopsis, it is unclear whether ‘Love And Marriage’ will stand up to scrutiny as a separate entity.

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‘Love And Marriage’ by Patricia Scanlan

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Synopsis: Available from Amazon:

When love flies out the window married life can be hell. With an unplanned baby on the way, a newly-wed daughter whose marriage is already in trouble, a teenager who won’t eat and doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with her, and, hiding secrets from each other, Barry and Aimee are on a rocky road.

When love flies in the window ex-wives can cause a lot of trouble. And Marianna is going to cause as much trouble as she possibly can to make sure that her former husband is not going to waltz down the aisle with his new love. Families in crisis, passion, tragedy, and the healing powers of love…

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It is just going to have to be done, isn’t it? Three more small books, can’t make that much difference to the pile … really!!

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Meet Crime Writer Ann Cleeves…

January 23, 2011 By 8 Comments

Successful British crime writer, Ann Cleeves, will be appearing at Topping & Company Booksellers of Bath, on Thursday 17th March 2011, at 8pm (doors open at 7.45pm).

This is a chargeable, ticketed event, although the full cost of admission can be redeemed, when purchasing a copy of Ann’s latest book ‘Silent Voices’, on the night. Ticket cost is £6 on the night, or £5 if you book in person at the shop before the night.

Click here for further details.

Anne has brought us some great new characters of the crime solving world and ‘Silent Voices’ is the latest case for DI Vera Stanhope, who we were first introduced to in 1999.

So successful is this character, that Brenda Blethyn has been cast to portray her, in the forthcoming television adaptation, which has already been extended from one to four installments, before it has even reached our screens.

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‘Silent Voices’ by Ann Cleeves … Synopsis:

Buy This Book From Amazon

When DI Vera Stanhope finds the body of a woman in the sauna room of her local gym, she wonders briefly if, for once in her life, she’s uncovered a simple death from natural causes. But a closer inspection reveals ligature marks around the victim’s throat – death is never that simple.

Doing what she does best, Vera pulls her team together and sets them interviewing staff and those connected to the victim, while she and colleague, Sergeant Joe Ashworth, work to find a motive. While Joe struggles to reconcile his home life with the demands made on him by the job, Vera revels being back in charge of an investigation again. Death has never made her feel so alive.

And when they discover that the victim had worked in social services, and had been involved in a shocking case involving a young child, then it appears obvious that the two are somehow connected. Though things are never as they seem…

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About The Author:

[Read more...]

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New Title Out February 2011 – ‘Death Of A Chimney Sweep’ by M.C. Beaton

December 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Just to whet your appetite a little more, after getting your copy of ‘Agatha Raisin And The Busy Body’ signed by the author, M.C. Beaton, on November 13th 2010, you can now look forward to February 2011, when the 27th Hamish Macbeth mystery ‘Death Of A Chimney Sweep’ is revealed.

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Buy This Book From Amazon

Synopsis:

In the south of Scotland, residents get their chimneys vacuum-cleaned.
But in the isolated villages in the very north of Scotland, the villagers rely on the services of the itinerant sweep, Pete Ray, and his old-fashioned brushes.
Pete is always able to find work in the Scottish highlands, until one day when Police Constable Hamish Macbeth notices blood dripping onto the floor of a villager’s fireplace, and a dead body stuffed inside the chimney.
The entire town of Lochdubh is certain Pete is the culprit, but Hamish doesn’t believe that the affable chimney sweep is capable of committing murder.
Then Pete’s body is found on the Scottish moors, and the mystery deepens. Once again, it’s up to Hamish to discover who’s responsible for the dirty deed–and this time, the murderer may be closer than he realizes.
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About The Author:

It’s so difficult to keep up with all the women who make up Marion Chesney.

She has penned under at least 7 pseudonyms and is a popular and extremely prolific writer, topping at least 200 titles under her various guises.

Marion was born in Scotland in 1936 and has always demonstrated her love of the written word, working amongst other things as a buyer of fiction for a Glasgow bookshop and a newspaper reporter and editor. She now divides her time between her homes in the English Cotswolds and Paris, France.

As herself, she is widely acclaimed as a leading author of historical romances, but it is as M.C. Beaton, that she is probably most well known to us, for her two best loved characters of Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin.

Hamish is a fictional police officer, who serves as the town of Lochdubh’s detective, in  a series of mystery novels.

Agatha is a retired, middle-aged, public-relations agent, who moves from London to the Cotswolds. Here, she solves murders, Miss Marple style until, later in the series, opening her own detective agency.

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I know that February is still a way off, but by clicking on the book image, you can pre-order your copy now, then relax and wait for it to arrive.

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Wannabe A Writer We’ve Heard Of?

October 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

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Following my earlier post, expounding the virtues of Jane Wenham-Jones, as resident columnist, in the free monthly book-lovers magazine ‘Book Time’, I thought that I would follow through on her success with her best selling book Wannabe a Writer? for all you wannabe writers out there, with the news that there is a sequel due for publication on 18th October 2010, in which Jane will help you to get yourself noticed, gain maximum column inches and airtime and create an online buzz for your books and projects.

Synopsis of:- ‘Wannabe A Writer We’ve Heard Of?’

This entertaining follow-up to the successful Wannabe a Writer? is an essential read for every author and would-be best-seller, whether established or debut, self-published or still dreaming of the limelight.

In today’s celebrity-driven world, self-confessed media tart Jane Wenham-Jones, takes us on an uproarious ride along the publicity trail from getting the perfect promotional photo to choosing clothes to wear on TV.

With anecdotes from Jane’s own numerous media exploits, Wannabe a Writer We ve Heard Of? is packed with tips and tricks to help you get yourself noticed, gain maximum column inches and airtime and create online buzz for your books and projects.

Offering advice and insights from writers, journalists, publicists and celebrities who’ve been there and done that, this is the ultimate guide for anyone longing for fame and success. Includes contributions from Joanna Trollope, Richard Madeley, Tracey Emin, India Knight, Shazia Mirza, Kelvin MacKenzie, Lucy Mangan, Katie Fforde, Joanne Harris, Helen Lederer, Peter James, Carole Blake, Stanley Johnson, Sue Cook, Carole Matthews, John Hegley, Carol Midgley, Sam Leith, Lisa Jewell, Giles Coren, Robert Crampton, Tim Dowling, Mike Gayle, Marina O Loughlin, Suzanne Moore, Sir Roy Strong and Erica Wagner Foreword by Jill Mansell.

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I Know It’s Not Fiction..But I’m Hooked On Noah Charney

September 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I know, I know….. This new title by Noah Charney isn’t fiction, but having read and reviewed ‘The Art Thief‘ and carried out some research on ‘Art and Crime’, I am fascinated by Noah Charney and his work in the field of art crime prevention and detection.

His new fiction book ‘To Catch The Devil’, is still in the pipe-line……

Teaser for TO CATCH THE DEVIL

During the Second World War, a young Allied Monuments officer intercepts a coded message that suggests that the Nazis are hunting for a lost relic in remote, occupied Slovenia.  The officer crosses into hostile territory in order to reach the relic before his Nazi counterpart, but fails to find it.

Decades after the war, the officer, now a retired professor, returns to Slovenia to resume the search.  He disappears.  This is the story of what happened next.

What begins as a missing persons investigation in the fairy-tale mountains of Slovenia quickly leads to a twisting treasure hunt through a constellation of the effects of belief in the supernatural, art theft during the Second World War, the occult origins of Nazism, and a shocking revelation about the historical proof of the existence of magic.

Meanwhile….

Noah has written another non-fiction blockbuster, which is due for release in October 2010, and which is now available for pre-order.

Buy This Book From Amazon Now

Synopsis:-

This is the gripping story of the world’s most coveted and most frequently stolen art treasure that reveals the underworld of criminal art dealers, crooked collectors, forgers, and Austrian double-agents in Nazi-occupied Europe – and examines the history of art theft and the politics of art in war.

Jan Van Eyck’s “Ghent Altarpiece” is on any art historian’s list of the ten most important paintings ever made. Often referred to by the subject of its central panel, “The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb”, it represents the fulcrum between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. It is also the most frequently stolen artwork of all time. Since its completion in 1432, this twelve-panel oil painting has disappeared, been looted in three different wars, been burned, dismembered, copied, forged, smuggled, illegally sold, censored, attacked by iconoclasts, hidden castle vaults and secret salt mines, hunted by Nazis and Napoleon, prized by The Louvre and a Prussian king, damaged by conservators, returned as war reparations, used as a diplomatic tool, ransomed, rescued by Austrian double-agents, and stolen a total of thirteen times.

In this fast-paced, real-life thriller, art historian Noah Charney unravels the fascinating, sometimes bizarre and dramatic stories of each of these thefts. He chronicles the “Ghent Altarpiece’s” 600 years of near constant movement, tracing it as it passes through the hands of some of history’s most famous figures, including Hitler and Goring. With its theft in the Second World War, and the subsequent Allied hunt to rescue it from destruction at the hands of the Nazis, the quest to save this one painting became a race to save the treasures of civilization.

Charney also explores psychological dramas that lurk within the history of art crime, and the ideological, religious, political, and social motivations that have led many men to covet this one piece of artwork above all others. “Stealing the Mystic Lamb” will mesmerize readers interested in art, war, and the art of deception.

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