YvonneWin Number Six!
I can’t believe that this week sees my sixth ‘First Reads’ Giveaway prize, from Goodreads. Especially as I enter so few of the competitions these days, after making the difficult and conscious decision, to only go for books that I really, really want to read!
This signed and beautifully dedicated paperback edition arrived in double quick time, direct from author Gwyneth Williams, so thanks to her and of course, the lovely folks at Goodreads for hosting the giveaway.
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LAST STEP
How does a seemingly nice middle-class, middle-aged, professional woman come to be involved in murder in one country only to have it follow her back to another country?
Why does her eclectic mix of acquaintances and interests intrigue the police of these two nations so much?
What is it about their mother that, when called upon, her daughters are so willing to bend the rules?
Can friends be trusted?
An intercontinental intrigue that will have you laughing, sighing, and surprised by the end of it.
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GWYNETH WILLIAMS
After a long and successful academic career, Gwyneth decided to finally write her first cozy mystery-detective novel. She always had it in her and has several more up her sleeve that will be made available before long, to the world of mystery readers.
Although she very much enjoys mysteries, she feels indebted to all the women writers of her youth who inspired her so much. Her own taste in reading has been, and still is, very eclectic. She may love both the more traditional detective stories and the later thrillers, particularly but not exclusively by women, but one must add that she truly adores plunging into the first-class humorous novels that were so characteristic of British writing in the 20th century and are still being published today.
Gwyneth has, throughout her career, won several awards for her work for equality and justice for all, particularly for women, as well as for her contribution both to the recognition of women immigrant writers in Quebec and to the recognition in the rest of Canada of current literary currents in Quebec.
She enjoys films and has a special affinity for old-fashioned cinema with stars such as Ida Lupino, Peter Lorre, Humphrey Bogart, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Eve Arden, Steve McQueen (no.1), Sidney Greenstreet, and so many more. Those were the days when women were strong and knew how to defend themselves.
She’s also a great cook, very much in the French and Italian styles but also likes to resuscitate old English recipes and share Welsh recipes inspired by her mother and maternal grandmother.
In fact there are not many things that Gwyneth refuses to enjoy, so she hopes you will find the same enjoyment in her writing.
Fans mean everything to me. Writing for pleasure is extremely satisfying but having readers enjoy my work and want to read more is just wonderful and means so much to me. I love the interactivity and always look forward to hearing from, and writing for, fans!
Catch up with all Gwyneth’s news at her website
Like Gwyneth on Facebook
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…Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house during the last week. Be warned that Mailbox Monday can lead to envy toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
Mailbox Monday now has a permanent home, where links may be added each week. So why not stop by, leave a link to your own Mailbox Monday post, oh! and don’t forget to leave a comment for our three new joint administrators, after all, we all like to receive them … ‘Mailbox Monday’
Leslie of ‘Under My Apple Tree’
Serena of ‘Savvy Verse & Wit’
Vicki of ‘I’d Rather Be At The Beach’
This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!
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Congratulations on your latest Goodreads win, Yvonne. I enjoyed reading about the author and share her love of old movies – my favorites!
Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas,
Mary
Hi Mary,
We too, enjoy some of the classic films, although hubbie prefers the westerns and I would rather watch a good horror film.
I can always remember scaring myself senseless as a teenager watching ‘Whatever Happened To Baby Jane’ with Bette Davis. Her eyes seem to bore right through you and her voice was menacing enough to have me running for cover!
The same goes for Peter Lorre, in fact I think he was much the scarier of the two!
Seasons Greetings to yourself and your family and I hope that 2015 is a good year for you:)
I haven’t heard of this one before. Enjoy it.
Hi Serena,
A brand new author and a debut novel, so I wish Gwyneth Williams all the success in the world with ‘Last Step’. It sounds good to me!
Happy Christmas and all Best Wishes for the New Year.
Enjoy your new book!
Thanks Laura. I hope that you too received some great new reads, I shall be hopping by shortly to take a look:)
Seasons Greetings to yourself and your family. I hope that you have an enjoyable Christmas and a Very Happy New Year.
Congratulations on the win. It sounds good. I like Ms. Williams enthusiastic attitude. Happy Reading and Merry Christmas.
Hi Martha,
It is always a good feeling to be on the receiving end of a win, isn’t it?
The paperback copy I receieved directly from Gwyneth Williams, was beautifully and thoughtfully inscribed, with a personal message.
I am always grateful when an author recognises the worth of the promotion and exposure they might receive from the blogging forum and I am certainly looking forward to reading ‘Last Step’.
Have a fantastic Christmas and all Best Wishes for a happy and healthy 2015.
Congrats on your win! You have been very lucky with Goodreads giveaways 🙂 Sounds like an exciting read! Enjoy & happy holidays.
Hi Lucy,
I think that with the Christmas holidays upon us, there have been very few giveaways I have fancied reading of late, although I do scan the list on a daily basis.
As you say, I have been very fortunate with my selections just recently. This winning lark could get to be very addicitive:)
Much of my ‘Want To Read’ list and Giveaway entries are from either the murder / mystery, or suspense / thriller genres, so ‘Last Step’ sounds like a winner to me!
Have a fantastic Christmas and all Best Wishes for the New Year.
CONGRATS, Yvonne.
I haven’t won anything from Goodreads in a while. I used to win all the time, but then again I don’t think I have requested any books in their giveaway section. 🙂 That most likely is the reason. Tee Hee.
Merry Christmas, Yvonne, and thanks for all your support this past year with all my sad events.
Elizabeth
Silver’s Reviews
My Mailbox Monday
Hi Elizabeth,
You mean to say that your taste at winning hasn’t got you addicted to checking the Goodreads giveaway list each day?:)
Given the past few weeks I have also had with family and friend health issues, I am definitely wishing both of us a much better 2015, even though that may be a forlorn hope!
Have a peaceful Christmas and I hope that your recent time away has refreshed you a litlle. I am always here if you need to talk.
Seriously? Another win?!! I think it might be time for you to start playing the lottery as well! Congratulations. 🙂 This book sounds very good and I look forward to hearing more about it. The author sounds like someone I would enjoy very much, too.
My only purchase was another short story by my Danish blogging friend.
The Woman Behind The Curtain by Dorte Hummelshøj Jakobsen
Hi Kelly,
I can go for several days without finding a book promotion that I really want to read, but the times when a good book is featured , are so satisfying, (much more satisfying than being simpy able to download freebies from the many sights which now offer them, although I generally tend to stick to NetGalley), even if I don’t always win!
Let’s face it, we are now bombarded with so many freebie offers, that most of us need never buy a book again and still not be short of a good read 🙂
I really must get hold of one of the Dorte Hummelshoj Jakobsen books, they do sound so good and you keep recommending them to me. I checked out her author profile over at Goodreads and came across her story, ‘The Charity Shop’. This book features the obvious charity shop and also a librarian turned detective, as one of the main protagonists. Given that this is the ultimate combination of good things to find in a story, maybe this one would be a good place for me to start!
I wish yourself and your family all Best Wishes for Christmas.
While I’ve enjoyed the majority of Dorte’s writing, I do know you aren’t as fond of cozies and The Charity Shop features characters from her Cozy series. I think, too, that you prefer full-length books to short stories? If so, you might prefer to start with her “Anna Märklin’s Family Chronicles”. Just for future reference. 😉
Merry Christmas, Yvonne!
I have to say that I am quite engaged with all of Dorte’s books, judging solely on the available synopses of course.
‘Anna Marklin’s Family Chronicles’ does sound by far and away, more like one of my usual preferred genres, so I may well be tempted. However one of the short stories would give me a taste of Dorte’s style of writing.
Maybe I’ll just add them all to my list and pick one when I have a slot in my reading schedule.
Thanks for taking the time to steer me in the right direction.
Have a great Christmas 🙂
Congratulations on another win!
This book is new to me. I hope you enjoy it!
Hi Vicki,
Thanks Vicki. I do seem to be on something of a roll right now, although I am sure that can’t last forever!
The synopsis for ‘Last Step’, is definitely intriguing, as it is literally all questions, so not much of a giveaway about the storyline. I would have to keep reading on, just out of a morbid interest to know all the answers (you could call it sheer nosiness of course!). 🙂
Have a great Christmas!
Congrats on the Goodreads wins … what fun! Have a joyous Christmas Yvonne and a safe, healthy, happy holiday break.
Hi Sheree,
I am definitely making the most of the ‘freebies’ whilst they keep coming my way, because when they dry up, that will no doubt be it for months and months! I already hardly need to worry about books for the rest of my life, the house is literally full of bookcases which are bulging at the seams! I still can’t resist taking a peek at the giveaway list at the end of each day though 🙂
I hope that yourself and all your family enjoy a peaceful and Happy Christmas.
Congrats! on your win, it looks interesting and have a great holiday!
Hi Mary Ann,
Thank you so much for all your visits during the year. Your comments have always been much appreciated and your opinions valued.
Wishing you and yours a Very Happy Christmas.
Well done on yet another win. The kind of book I’d enjoy, its been a while since I’ve read a good, intriguing murder.
Seasons greetings to you and yours, here’s to some good reading in 2015.
Thanks Tracy, although I am not too sure exactly how much longer my winning streak can last for! Just making the most of it whilst I can 🙂
I have been reading quite a run of murder / mysteries lately, although my reviews don’t reflect this, as I am so far behind with them! ‘Last Step’ does sound very intriguing, so I am looking forward to discovering who has been murdered and what the mystery woman had to do with it!
I would like to say that my New Years resolution amongst other things, would be to get on top of my review schedule and have less reams of copious notes lying around my office, however I am not convinced that it is ever really going to happen, so perhaps I shouldn’t voice the thought aloud.
I hope that yourself and the family enjoy a peaceful and Happy Christmas, it looks as though the sun will be shining down on us, here in the south 🙂