Book review: The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter [blog tour]

I was obsessed with Ally Carter's heist and spy novels 10-15 years ago, so when I saw that she had a festive crime release coming up, I was VERY excited to check it out. And it didn't disappoint. It had her telltale fast-paced storytelling as well as a murderous plot twist and a delicious budding romance!

Book review: The Cat Who Cracked a Cold Case (Conrad the Cat Detective #3) by L T Shearer [blog tour]

As a lover of both cats and murder mysterious, it was inevitable I'd fall head over heels in love with Conrad, a calico cat who is the companion of a former police detective and a clever investigator in his own right. I first read their adventured in The Cat Who Solved Three Murders and was thrilled when I saw that they were continuing in what is already the third instalment of the series: The Cat Who Cracked a Cold Case.  

Book review: Haunt Your Heart Out by Amber Roberts [blog tour]

Cosy season is here! 🍂🎃🍁 I'm thrilled that small town, autumnal reads have taken over the book community because it's been my personality for the past few decades (yikes, that's making me sound – and feel – old!). From witchy reads like Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood and Spell Bound by Gretchen Rue to cosy crime and even cosy fantasy (I'm looking at you, Travis Baldree) – I'm loving all of it. And now I've discovered another type of book that falls into this category that has stolen my heart: the spooky season romance.  

Book review: Spell Bound (Phoebe Winchester #2) by Gretchen Rue

At the end of last year I randomly picked up a copy of Something Wicked by Gretchen Rue and it was everything I wanted from a witchy romcom. The story was set in a very quaint town (think Gilmore Girls' Stars Hollow), it had fabulous characters (which included a fluffy feline wringing its way into the protagonist's life), and an intriguing murder mystery to boot. The book screamed adorable and I was absolutely hooked. Needless to say, I was thrilled when I learned it was part of a series and the second novel would be out in the UK just a few months after I read the first.  

Book review: Bookshops & Bonedust (Legends & Lattes #0.5) by Travis Baldree [blog tour]

I have to start by admitting that high fantasy isn't for me. I usually don't pick up a book if it's set on other planets, has big battle sequences, and centres on creatures with names I've never heard of before. But I met author Travis Baldree at MCM Comic Con last year – and not only was he the absolute loveliest human being, he also completely sold his first novel, Legends & Lattes, to me as it sounded so incredibly cosy. Needless to say, I picked up a copy of the book almost immediately after and I'd been anticipating the prequel, Bookshops & Bonedust, ever since I turned the final page on the first one. 

Book review: It Always Snows on Mistletoe Square by Ali McNamara

I can't believe it's been 10 years since I devoured my first Ali McNamara book with Step Back in Time – and what a delightful journey it's been. From Letters From Lighthouse Cottage and From Nothing Hill With Four Weddings... Actually through to her novels set in the fictional Cornish town of St Felix, such as The Little Flower Shop By the Sea (still my absolute fav!) and Cornish Clouds and Silver Linking Skies. Her books have whisked me away all over the UK, with different characters all with their own unique stories to tell. But one thing has always been consistent in her books: a touch of magic. Combine that with the festive season for her first Christmas novel, and you've got something truly magical. 

Book review: From Cornwall With Love (The Cornish Cream Tea #8) by Cressida McLaughlin [blog tour]

Ever since I had the pleasure of spending a summer holiday in Cornwall a few years ago, I've become obsessed with this beautiful part of England. And I cannot thank Cressida McLaughlin enough for continuing to give me my Cornwall fix. Every time I'm craving a Cornish read, a new one by her hand is just around the corner. In the last year alone she has published The Cornish Cream Tea Holiday and The Cornish Cream Tea Bookshop, and while her latest release – From Cornwall With Love – has a different title and cover design, I was delighted when I found out that it's another charming addition to her Cornish Cream Tea series. May it continue!

Book review: Morgan Is My Name by Sophie Keetch

Arthurian legends seem to be the latest slice of fictional history that's getting reinvented (after fairy tale retellings and Greek myth reimaginings) and I love it. I've always been fascinated by this lore thanks to Disney's The Sword in the Stone and the very cheesy but hugely entertaining BBC series Merlin back in the late 2000s. Morgan Is My Name by Sophie Keetch is, you may be able to guess, the story of sorceress Morgan le Fay. But rather than portraying her as the anti-hero, which she so often is, in this novel we hear her side of the story. And it's not as black-and-white as we've always been led to believe.

Book review: The Green Gardening Handbook by Nancy Birtwhistle

Watching the Instagram stories from Great British Bake Off champion Nancy Birtwhistle for practical cleaning tips and easy recipes is one of the favourite parts of my day. Who knew you could clean oven racks with tough food stains by leaving them overnight in damp grass? Or that you can create your own laundry detergent with ivy cuttings from the garden? Her knowledge is incredible and we are so lucky that she is sharing all her wisdoms with us. Nancy's advice is simple to follow, cheap and, most of all, green. Meaning that it's much better for our planet. And after focusing her first few books on tips for a greener house – in her latest one she turns her hand to gardening.

Book review: The Murder Game by Tom Hindle

I do love a good murder mystery. Whether is a classic Agatha Christie or a contemporary tale, such as The Thursday Murder Club or The Marlow Murder Club, as long a clever whodunnit. Tom Hindle's A Fatal Crossing was one of my favourite new discoveries within the genre last year, and the author's second novel is even better. In The Murder Game he takes readers to a classic setting: a group of people are "stuck" in a remote country house when one of them is killed. With motives and opportunities galore, who was the one to do the awful deed? 

Book review: Death Comes to Marlow (The Marlow Murder Club #2) by Robert Thorogood

Seniors solving murders seem to be all the rage again these days. While, of course, it's always delightful to return to the classics, such as Miss Marple, I do have a particular weak spot for more contemporary characters. I'm a BIG fan of Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club series (see my reviews for books 1 and 2) – and I also thoroughly enjoyed Robert Thorogood's The Marlow Murder Club, which introduced Judith Potts sleuthing away. In the sequel, Death Comes to Marlow, the 77-year-old puzzle-whizz has returned, alongside her friends Suzie and Becks, and a whole new cast of eclectic Marlow residents.  

Book review: The Cornish Cream Tea Bookshop by Cressida McLaughlin [blog tour]

I've been in such a Christmas romance mood with my books lately (in fact, I've accumulated over ten new festive reads in the last month alone...) and Cressida McLaughlin's wonderful novels set in the picturesque, fictional village of Port Karadow always hit the spot for me. And none as much as the latest addition to her Cornish Cream Team series, which is all about a new book shop that has opened up in town. Combining a love of books with a festive setting, makes for the cosiest of reads to curl up with on a dark and cold afternoon (hot drink of choice optional, but very much recommended). 

Book review: The Empire by Michael Ball [blog tour]

Michael Ball is a legendary British musical theatre performer. Well-known for originating the role of Marius in the London production of Les Miserables, playing the titular character in Sweeney Todd, and taking over the role of Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera, he's now turning his hand to writing. The question on everyone's mind, of course, is whether he is a quadruple threat (adding writing to his list of talents), or if he should stick to performing on a physical stage rather than creating one within the pages of his debut novel The Empire.

Book review: The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill [blog tour]

With the amount of murder mysteries that have come out lately, it feels like we're in the second golden age of detective fiction – and I am all here for it. I've found a renewed love for Agatha Christie, and I'm thrilled that more and more 'locked room' style whodunnits are being published to continue to feed my addiction. This year alone I've had the pleasure to read The Maid by Nita Prose, Miss Aldridge Regrets by Louise Hare, A Fatal Crossing by Tom Hindle, and now The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill. My interest for this book was first sparked by the striking cover and title, and after the turning the final page I am glad that I can say that the story fully lived up to my high expectations.

Book review: The Cornish Cream Tea Holiday by Cressida McLaughlin [blog tour]

For years I read little besides contemporary women's fiction novels. The cute and cosy kind, set in the idyllic English countryside with a woman looking for a drastic change in her life and moving next-door to a gruff but dashing man. Hilarity – and romance – ensued. But over time my reading tastes changed (perhaps a case of too much of a good thing). Thankfully, after a break of a few years, the romcom bug has finally hit me again. I've been on the look-out for the perfect read and Cressida McLaughlin managed to fill that hole in my life (and then some) with her latest Cornish adventure.

Book review: One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke [blog tour]

There are few authors whose books I instantly move to the top of my to-be-read list when a new one is released, but Lucy Clarke is one of them. Ever since I read her debut The Sea Sisters back in 2013 (nearly 10 years ago now, wow!) I've been a big fan of her writing. She perfectly blends atmospheric travel writing with mystery and intrigue; transporting the reader to an exotic location while keeping them on the edge of their seat.

Book review: Reputation by Sarah Vaughan [blog tour]

If I see a new book coming out by author Sarah Vaughan, I'm instantly interested – no matter what it's about. I already thoroughly enjoyed her women's fiction novel The Art of Baking Blind (and even interviewed her about it), but was absolutely blown-away by political courtroom thriller Anatomy of a Scandal (for which I interviewed her again) – which is launching as a TV-series on Netflix next month. Yes, it's that good that even Netflix wants in on it. Needless to say, I am thrilled to be a part of the blog tour for her latest novel: Reputation, which is coming out on Thursday. 

3 new must-read murder mystery books for Agatha Christie fans

I'm not sure why there is a bumper of new book releases on the third Thursday in January. Perhaps the publishers have unanimously decided we all needed a pick-me-up during this dreary time (and they're not wrong). Either way, earlier this month more than a dozen new books were published that have been on my much-anticipated list of new releases for 2022 – and three of those were murder mysteries that are perfect reads for fans of classic Agatha Christie whodunnits. 

Book review: The Maid by Nita Prose [blog tour]

Happy New Year! I took a break on here during the holidays as I was with my family in the Netherlands for over a month, away from all my books, but I'm back now and ready to get stuck in. I've only been in the U.K. for two weeks but I was so excited about all the new books that were waiting for me (both upcoming releases and those I bought online in the end of year sales) that I've already raced through four incredible new reads, including The Maid. In 2021, I got really into murder mystery reads, and while they were mostly of the classic Agatha Christie style variety, Nita Prose how done a fantastic job creating a compelling contemporary story with this 'cosy crime' vibe.

Book review: Meet Me In Another Life by Catriona Silvey [blog tour]

Sometimes I'm in the mood for a straight-forward romance, at others I enjoy racking my brains over a good old-fashioned mystery. Meet Me In Another Life is all that and then some; love story, sci-fi, family drama, mystery, all wrapped into one stonkin' good read.