#ADGIFTED all thoughts and opinions are my own, I choose books and authors on the genre of murder mysteries and crime, this is my favourite genre to read.

MURDER AGAINST THE ODDS by Janice Frost

”Hard-hitting and realistic-feeling story. Frightening. Really enjoyed it.” Aileen

A TOTALLY GRIPPING CRIME MYSTERY FROM BESTSELLING AUTHOR JANICE FROST.

The early hours of a freezing January night. Special Constable Jane Bell is at the end of a busy late shift when she’s called out to investigate strange noises in a local park. She finds a wailing new-born baby girl dumped in a plastic storage box.

That same night Detective Steph Warwick attends the murder of coach driver Bernie Gore, whose battered body is found in a narrow alleyway.

The last thing Jane wants is to lock horns with Steph Warwick once again. Then vital evidence emerges linking Bernie Gore’s murder to the abandoned baby. And Jane has no choice but to alert the sharp-tongued detective inspector.

If they are to solve Bernie’s murder and track down Baby Elsa’s mother, the two women must bury the hatchet and learn to work together.

Matters become even more complicated when a prime suspect emerges — with close links to Jane’s family.

This unputdownable mystery full of twists is the perfect read for fans of: Angela Marsons, Joy Ellis, Ruth Rendell, Helen H. Durrant, Rachel McLean and Michael Hambling.

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT JANICE FROST:

“This book has opened my eyes . . . I feel like I have lived in a bubble living in the mountains in a small town.” Chelsea A.

“Well-written, twists and turns aplenty and with a credible cast of characters but with a vicious, intense and emotional storyline.” Ruth G.

“A decent follow-up with the return and growth of several characters.” Donna B.

MEET THE DETECTIVES
SPC Jane Bell is forty-five, a widow of three years following the premature death of her husband, Sam. She has two grown-up children, Patrick and Norah, who are pursuing careers in London. After Sam’s death, Jane makes some changes to her life. She downsizes from their large family home in the country to a cottage in Lincoln.

DI Stephanie Warwick is thirty-five. She left school at eighteen and worked in a bank before joining the police force. She is haunted by her ex-boyfriend, Cal. He attempted to kill her twelve years ago, and murdered her best friend.

ALSO BY JANICE FROST
WARWICK & BELL SERIES
Book 1: MURDER AMONG FRIENDS
Book 2: MURDER ACROSS THE LINES
Book 3: MURDER AGAINST THE ODDS

THE COMPLETE MERRY & NEAL MYSTERIES
Book 1: DEAD SECRET
Book 2: DARK SECRET
Book 3: HER HUSBAND’S SECRET
Book 4: THEIR FATAL SECRETS
Book 5: DIRTY SECRETS
Book 6: MURDEROUS SECRETS

STANDALONE NOVELS
THE WOMAN ON THE CLIFF

JANICE FROST – Author Bio
Janice was born and grew up in West Lothian, Scotland. After completing an English degree at St Andrew’s University, she moved to London where she lived for ten years doing an assortment of jobs. Her passions are reading, writing and walking in Scotland and the Lake District. She lives in Lincolnshire with her husband and two sons.
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My Review a new author for me, and I was surprised from the 2 perspectives of the story, while it clearly gives the reader a wider scope of what is going on, or different opinions of the storyline, I did find it difficult to grasp at first. Some of the character development I’ve missed as this is my first book to read in the series, and I could of learnt more starting from the beginning. However I was pleasantly surprised by the nuance of coercive control and addiction and abuse being on the story, it was handled well and described well. Though maybe some would see it as preachy, and condescending. Overall I enjoyed the book and how it was written, I would recommend it, but it does need time devoting to it, to absorb yourself in.

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This last month I’ve bought some more books, one is a follow on from a book I got for my birthday last July, so it felt like a natural progression to get it, and the other is a bit of fun.

First one for Fun, is Cursed Britain A History of Witchcraft and Black Magic in Modern Times

The definitive history of how witchcraft and black magic have survived, through the modern era and into the present day

Cursed Britain unveils the enduring power of witchcraft, curses and black magic in modern times. Few topics are so secretive or controversial. Yet, whether in the 1800s or the early 2000s, when disasters struck or personal misfortunes mounted, many Britons found themselves believing in things they had previously dismissed – dark supernatural forces.

Historian Thomas Waters here explores the lives of cursed or bewitched people, along with the witches and witch-busters who helped and harmed them. Waters takes us on a fascinating journey from Scottish islands to the folklore-rich West Country, from the immense territories of the British Empire to metropolitan London. We learn why magic caters to deep-seated human needs but see how it can also be abused, and discover how witchcraft survives by evolving and changing. Along the way, we examine an array of remarkable beliefs and rituals, from traditional folk magic to diverse spiritualities originating in Africa and Asia.

This is a tale of cynical quacks and sincere magical healers, depressed people and furious vigilantes, innocent victims and rogues who claimed to possess evil abilities. Their spellbinding stories raise important questions about the state’s role in regulating radical spiritualities, the fragility of secularism and the true nature of magic.

This one is from the writer of The Forager’s Calendar, a seasonal guide to Nature’s Wild Harvests. So it felt natural to get this A Spotter’s Guide to Countryside Mysteries

Discover the mysteries of the countryside in all their pleasure, intrigue and beauty… Ever wondered about the masses of twigs in bare-branched trees that look like abandoned nests? Seen fuzzy red balls on roses? A stranded pond on a hilltop? Or even considered the shaded ways we walk along? One of Britain’s best-known naturalists, John Wright here introduces us to the natural (and unnatural) mysteries of the countryside, giving us the tools to identify Witch’s Broom, Robin’s Pincushion, Dew ponds and Hollow Ways, and also their histories, how they come to be, and where to find them. From the enormous to the truly tiny he illuminates the oddities that pepper our countryside and the pleasure of spotting and understanding them. Beautifully illustrated, practical and entertaining, this is for anyone who has wondered what is that? or simply longs to get outside.

One of Britain’s best-known naturalists, John Wright here introduces us to the natural (and unnatural) mysteries of the countryside, giving us the tools to identify Witch’s Broom, Robin’s Pincushion, Dew ponds and Hollow Ways, and also their histories, how they come to be, and where to find them. From the enormous to the truly tiny he illuminates the oddities that pepper our countryside and the pleasure of spotting and understanding them.

#ADGIFTED all thoughts and opinions are my own, I choose books based on genres and authors I like.

Dive into London’s most dangerous crime scene — the River Thames. Here we have DIVE by Jon Barton.

A police diver whose obsession with the job has made his home life implode.
A high-flying detective recently thrown out of the CID.
A case that could get them both killed.

Police diver David Cade lives by a simple rule: pull out the bodies and move on. Naomi can’t abide that. Her whole career, she’s wanted to fight the good fight. But circumstances have sent Naomi to the Marine Police.

Then they discover a dead girl, bloated and broken on the surface of the Thames. And then another.

Each time David pulls a new body out of the water, he fears it’s his estranged fifteen-year-old daughter Lex. She’s gone missing after they had a fierce argument and hasn’t been in touch since.

The dead girls all have the same nightclub stamp on the backs of their hands — the same one David’s daughter had the day she disappeared.

A briefcase is discovered in the same stretch of water, and suddenly the higher-ups at CID, including Naomi’s rival, Detective Chief Inspector Shannon Baines, start showing an interest.

Clearly something big is happening.

David and Naomi must work together if they’re going to solve the dead girls’ murders and find Lex. Then they uncover something that will threaten to blow the case apart — if it doesn’t get them killed first . . .

MEET THE DETECTIVES
David Cade is an experienced frogman, satisfied to lose himself in diving in the river. But his obsession with the job has caused his home life to implode. He wants to be part of his daughter’s life, if only he could figure out how.

Naomi Harding is held accountable after three of her colleagues are killed during a raid she was leading. Her punishment is to be side-lined to the Marine Policing Unit, or ‘frogmen’, whose main aim is to dredge up dead bodies from the Thames and pass them on to the ‘real’ police.

JON BARTON
Jon Barton is a London-based screenwriter with ten years’ experience as a dramatist, writing continuing drama for the BBC, and new work for young people. His theatre work has been produced onstage at major London venues, including The Old Vic and The Almeida, with screen work under option at Northern Ireland Screen and Netflix UK. An experienced creative writing tutor and freelance editor, Jon works as a copywriter, edits for The Literary Consultancy, and teaches for City Academy and Iconic Steps. When he’s not writing crime fiction, he’s running, walking, and bingeing podcasts.
BOOKS BY JON BARTON
· DIVE!
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MY REVIEW totally new author to me, so new energies, and imagination to pick up from them. See if they gel. I see they are a screenwriter so I have high hopes. The story telling is from a few different character perspectives which is unusual, most just write from one,or classic observational style. Kinda slow to grab you at first, but it’s a first book so needs to be heavy on description of characters. Perhaps now they are fully formed, these characters could live on in a new series, as the book really comes alive once they work together!! Standalone book, but now they are established I think they could go far as a duo. I’d definitely be up for reading more. May of been a slow start but it ended high octane and the pace quickens.

Stepping into Yule makes me think of the Traditional New Year and things we would like to improve upon. So I bought 3 books to help me along my journey. Here is Book One – Lunar Living by Kirsty Gallagher.

After hearing Kirsty’s interview on Cathie Dunlop’s podcast, if you have Podbean (free app) find it Here, I knew I had to try this book. It goes hand in hand with our Yoga Journey too.

You can buy yours Here

Are there certain days when you feel overly emotional for no apparent reason? Do you have days when you feel exhausted, close to burn out and like you want to hide away from the world?

Lunar Living could be just the answer that you are looking for. Working with the constantly changing phases of the moon helps you to understand yourself like never before, to realign everything in your own life, to understand when you need to rest and self-care and when you need to shine and make things happen. Living back in tune with this natural flow and taking care of you and your needs, even if that’s just twice a month will make the biggest difference to how you feel, act and react the rest of the month.

LUNAR LIVING WILL HELP YOU TO:

• Feel empowered to make big life decisions

• Understand yourself better

• Tune into your natural cycles

• Improve your sleep, mental health and relationships

• Live a happier, more intentional life

A beautiful hardback, complete with a blue foil finish, this is the perfect toolkit for understanding the moon and the effects it has on us. Lunar Living helps us to work with the moons phases to understand the ever-changing landscape of our emotions and the inner world of our purpose, goals and dreams and tune into this deeper wisdom to make profound shifts in our lives. If you’ve ever felt stuck, meaningless, overly emotional for no apparent reason or want to come back into alignment with a natural cycle to help you to move forwards in life and achieve your dreams and goals this is the book for you.

#ADGIFTED All thoughts and opinions are all my own, I deliberately choose the genres and authors I want to read.

The Raven’s Mark Christie J Newport

THE RAVEN’S MARK by Christie J. Newport

Meet Detective Beth Fellows in this brand-new mystery from Joffe Books Prize winner Christie J. Newport that will have you gripped from start to explosive finish.

A brutal murder.
A raven tattoo.
A twisted killer has returned.
And Detective Beth Fellows cannot fail again . . .

Detective Chief Inspector Beth Fellows is thrown into the biggest case of her career: the brutal murder of Rose Danes. She quickly realizes Rose’s murder is linked to a cold case she investigated two years previously. The victim, fourteen-year-old Celine Wilson, survived but now languishes in a coma.

Both girls were branded with the image of a raven.

The only lead is a vague description and a first name, Simon.

Beth’s convinced he’s the killer. Especially when she receives a mobile phone containing one sole contact, Simon — and a warning to tell no one.

Then a key witness is kidnapped and Beth finds herself in a race against time to stop the killer before he can kill again.

She’s breaking all the rules to play his game. But will it be enough?

Fans of Helen Fields, Nadine Matheson, Helen H. Durrant, Noelle Holten, Rachel MacLean, Caro Ramsay and Dorothy Koomson will devour this page-turning crime thriller.

ABOUT THE DETECTIVE
Beth is no stranger to violent death. When she was four, she witnessed her mum’s murder. The killer was never caught and that injustice is what propelled her to join the police. Now everyone Beth loves is placed in the firing line as she goes head-to-head with a ruthless killer.

Author Bio CHRISTIE J. NEWPORT
Christie is woman living in Northumberland. Since developing a rare illness as a child, Christie found reading and creating stories to be an escape. In recent years Christie has honed her skills through courses and various opportunities. Writing crime and psychological thrillers set in her home city is her passion. It’s always been her dream to witness someone lost in the pages of her creation. Christie won mentorship and guidance from Nadine Matheson and Harriet Tyce.
Christie is the winner of the first Joffe Books Prize for Crime Writers of Colour. Her debut, which was unanimously received by the judges, will be out autumn 2022.
BOOKS BY CHRISTIE J. NEWPORT
COMING SOON!
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My Review immediately I confess I wanted to read this book solely because I saw the title, it drew me in straight away. Once again I’m stepping away from authors I’ve read before and trying another new author. I’m floored to see that this is a debut book and not an established author, as this book has a hook immediately!! It’s pace is amazing, a guarantee heart racer as you turn the pages. Very descriptive but in a good way, unlike some that describe things when they clearly don’t need that much attention. Absolutely incredible, this is one author to keep an eye on, you are in for a treat with this book!!

#ADGIFTED in exchange for a review, I  get to read the book. All opinions and thoughts are my own. I choose books and authors I know I will enjoy.

THE CASE OF THE VANISHING CONMAN an absolutely gripping, escapist murder mystery.

In a city where the police are in everyone’s pockets, there are few people you can trust to find the truth. Enter Vijay.

True-crime author Montri is shot in the leg by a masked gunman, and it’s obvious to everyone who’s responsible. The subject of his new book: the notorious Khun Pleum, who rules Bangkok with an iron fist.

Except the man in question swears his innocence.

Investigator Vijay is hired by Pleum to clear his name. At the same time, Pleum’s wife learns from the book that her husband has a mistress. She also hires Vijay to find out who it is. Vijay needs to pay off a debt to a loan shark, and so he agrees to take both jobs.

Then the publisher is found shot dead.

This book has a lot to answer for . . .

Vijay needs to act fast if he’s to stay one step ahead of the game. And stay alive.

Fans of Vaseem Khan, Shamini Flint, Colin Cotterill, Tarquin Hall, Alexander McCall Smith or Gretta Mulrooney will be hooked by this addictive character-driven mystery set in steaming Bangkok!

MITHRAN SOMASUNDRUM
Mithran was born in Colombo and grew up in London. He studied chemistry at Sheffield City Polytechnic and then did a PhD in electrochemistry at Cranfield University. After completing his studies he went to Thailand to work in an electrochemistry lab and, other than a 3-year spell in Japan, has been there ever since.
His short stories have appeared in The Sun, Inkwell, Natural Bridge, The Minnesota Review, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, and The Best Asian Short Stories 2017, among others. One of his stories was shortlisted for the Bridport 2017 Short Story Prize. His first novel, The Mask Under My Face, was published in 2021 in Singapore by Kitaab.
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My Review A new author for me but after hearing that other readers of Greta Mulroney have enjoyed reading these books, I have to have a go. Why not, it’s always nice to add new authors to your itinerary.

What a wild ride, I never imagined how stressful, nerve wrecking one book could make you, like a pure white knuckle ride. Juggling 3 cases hired by gangsters and their wife, this detective has his work cut out for him.

Told from the detective’s perspective which is fast paced, and adrenaline inducing, their are so many plots your head will spin, but in a good way. Certainly more complex than a lot of murder mystery books. Did end quite sharply, but maybe that’s just my opinion.