Mailbox Monday

CMash November 7, 2016 2 Comments

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now hosted on its own blog.

According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Click on title for synopsis via GoodReads.

Wednesday: CAT IN THE FLOCK by Lisa Brunette from Author/PICT
Thursday: BEHIND CLOSED DOORS by B.A. Paris from Personal Purchase
Saturday: CARDIAC by Jeffrey Monaghan from Author/PICT

2017 Challenges

CMash November 6, 2016 3 Comments

WooHoo….I am so excited!!!!

As some of you may remember, I LOVED the yearly Challenges. And having returned from my lengthy LOA, this was something I have been waiting patiently for. And today I just signed up for my first 2017 Challenge!!!!!!

2017 Mount TBR Challenge Sign-Up

Hosted by Bev at My Reader’s Block

January 2017 will kick off the fifth year for the Mount TBR Reading Challenge and I don’t seem to be getting those mountains moved at all. Despite the fact that I hope to have knocked 150 books off of my 2016 Mount TBR by the end of December, there are still whole mountain ranges lined up and down my hallway and in my back room waiting to be conquered. As fast as I read ’em and get them off the stacks, my bookaholic ways help me replace them.

So, once again, I plan to concentrate on reading primarily from my own books in the coming year. And you’re invited to join me in knocking out some of those books that have been waiting in the wings for weeks….months…even years.

Challenge Levels:
Pike’s Peak: Read 12 books from your TBR pile/s

Book Review, Giveaway, Partners In Crime Tours, Showcase

OLD WOUNDS by Giacomo Giammatteo (Review, Showcase & Giveaway) ~ PICT Presents

CMash November 2, 2016 1 Comment

Old Wounds

by Giacomo Giammatteo

on Tour November 1, 2016 – January 3, 2017

Synopsis:

Old Wounds by Giacomo Giammatteo Gino Cataldi loved three things: his wife, his son, and his job as a cop. Cancer took his wife. Drugs have his son. And Gino is pulling desk duty, suspected of killing a drug dealer.

Every night he dreams of a chance to make things right. That chance comes when a high-society woman is brutally murdered, her body parts spread all over town. The investigation quickly hits a dead-end…until a late-night caller with too much information contacts Gino. Between the mystery surrounding what she knows and his penchant for helping women in trouble, more than Gino’s curiosity is aroused. He only hopes she’s not the killer.

MY REVIEW

5 stars

I became a fan of this author after reading MURDER TAKES TIME, A BULLET FOR CARLOS, MURDER HAS CONSEQUENCES, and OLD WOUNDS didn’t disappoint. Matter of fact, I think he outdid himself.

OLD WOUNDS has palpable suspense with murders, blackmail, political corruption and big money. Once I started reading, it was hard to put down.

The author introduces the reader to multiple suspects and the evidence that Detectives Gino Cataldi and Tip Denton are working with, which gives the reader the opportunity to try and solve the case. However, as the story progresses, I kept changing my mind as to who the real murderer was, and when it was revealed and what the motive was, I was totally surprised. Didn’t see that one coming!!!

Riveting and engrossing from page one to the last word! A read so captivating that I lost track of time and my surroundings! It felt that I was part of the investigation, trying to figure out the mystery before the characters did, which I didn’t even come close.

Another outstanding book by a master storyteller! Giacomo Giammatteo does it again!

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery
Published by: Inferno Publishing Company
Publication Date: September 2016
Number of Pages: 425
ISBN: 9781940313108
Series: Redemption, Book 2 (Prequel to Necessary Decisions)
Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

Read an excerpt:

Chapter 1

A Surreptitious Meeting

Houston, Texas

Barbara stared into the mirror and practiced her line. She wanted the recording to be just right—after all, it would be the last time anyone heard her, if things didn’t go well.

She pursed her lips and said, “My name is Barbara Camwyck. If you’re watching this video, I’m dead.”

Barbara rehearsed it a few more times, then thought about how her life was about to change. All the shit she’d been through would finally pay off.

She slipped on a comfortable pair of jeans, turned sideways to admire herself in the mirror, and then stepped into the closet to select a top. Something light, as it promised to be another unusually warm day for January. She decided on a cream-colored wrap top, one of her more expensive casual blouses.

Sometimes subtlety worked best, but this top would work better today, especially with the sliver of skin peeking out at her waist.

Barbara reached up and pulled a pair of Giuseppe Zanotti Crystal-Embellished sandals from the shelf in her closet. They would be the perfect complement. She slipped them on, stepped back, and smiled.

She then went to the kitchen. As she brewed tea she thought about her life. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t done well for herself, but doing well and 7 million dollars was different; in fact, doing well and 7 million dollars was another stratosphere. And if her blackmail scheme went as planned 7 million was exactly what she’d have.

She poured the tea, and then made a call, careful to use the burner she had purchased for just such an occasion. It had gotten to the point where a disposable phone was almost a necessity—nothing more than another monthly expense—at least in her current line of work.

A woman with a smoky voice answered the phone. “Hello?”

Barbara kicked her open-toe sandals up on the coffee table and said, “It’s Barbara. I’ll be ready in a few minutes. How long will this take?”

“Stop by on your way. It won’t take me more than a few minutes.”

“And you’re sure it will work. I can’t afford to have this fucked up.”

“It’ll work. Don’t worry.”

A half hour later, Barbara exited the 610 Loop and found her way to the dingy barbecue place where she had arranged the meeting. It was not a place she would frequent, but for today it worked perfectly; neither one of them would be recognized.

She leaned forward and adjusted the rearview mirror so she could fix her hair. Afterward, she applied lipstick, looked in the mirror again, cleared her throat, and then started the video.

“My name is Barbara Camwyck,” she said. “If you’re watching this video, I’m dead.”

Barbara finished recording, straightened her blouse, then spoke into her mic and said, “Okay, I’m going in now.”

She opened the car door, got out, and walked into the restaurant, thankful it at least had air conditioning. From the looks of the outside she had wondered. Half a dozen people stood in front of her, a sign that maybe the food was good. Or maybe it’s just cheap.

Camwyck craned her neck, scanning the place until she found the person she was searching for, sitting at a table near the back, in the corner. At least they followed directions. Camwyck needed that table so the mic didn’t pick up unnecessary sounds.

She weaved her way through a mob of sweaty construction workers, careful not to touch them, and not daring to inhale the odors until she passed them. She pulled a chair out and set her purse in the seat next to it. “It’s been a long time,” Camwyck said.

“Not long enough.”

Camwyck smiled. “Not interested in pleasantries? Good. Let’s get right to business.”

“Business? That’s what you call this?”

The comment drew another smile from Camwyck. “I guess in your world they call it leverage, but I see little difference. Blackmail or leverage. It’s all the same in the end.”

“Let’s discuss leverage then.”

Camwyck pushed a thumbnail drive across the table. “You know the terms. I have all the proof I need. After you pay, you’ll never hear from me again.”

“Remind me of the amount.”

“I’m surprised you’ve forgotten. It’s an easy number to remember. Seven million.”

Camwyck ignored the scoffing sound prior to them speaking. “Easy to remember doesn’t mean easy to arrange—especially in cash.”

“I’m certain you’ll think of something,” Camwyck said. “You’ve always been creative.”

“It will take me a while.”

“That’s fine,” Camwyck said, “But if we don’t do this within the next month, I may have to resort to other means.”

A waitress walked by and stopped at their table. “Ya’ll need to place an order at the counter. Then they’ll get you a number.”

“Thank you,” Camwyck said, and stood. She tossed two twenties on the table. “Order what you want. And you can keep the drive to inspect. I have the original.”

“One more thing,” the guest said, scooting the chair closer to the table. “If you try to come back on me, I’ll make sure it’s the last thing you do.” A pause preceded a glare. “You understand that, don’t you?”

“I understand,” Barbara said, “but you don’t have to worry. Seven million is enough for me. Once we conclude our business, you’ll never hear from me again.”

“If you try—”

“I won’t,” Barbara said, and she exited the restaurant.

As she walked across the parking lot, Barbara punched a number from the recently dialed list on her phone. She’d have to remember to delete that when she was done. “Did you get it?”

“Perfectly. Good sound and good video.”

“Good. I need a copy, but I want the original hidden where it won’t be found.”

“Not a problem. I’ll call when it’s done.”

“No. I can’t know either. If I don’t know, I can’t tell anyone.”

“However you want it,” the man said.

“Good. I’m throwing this phone away now. In the future, if anyone calls you from this number, or from my regular number, ignore it. In fact, run! If I need you I’ll make contact the same way as the first time.”

“Good luck.”

“Thanks,” Barbara said. “I’ll need it.”

Author Bio:

Giacomo Giammatteo is the author of gritty crime dramas about murder, mystery, and family. He also writes non-fiction books including the No Mistakes Careers series.

When Giacomo isn’t writing, he’s helping his wife take care of the animals on their sanctuary. At last count they had 45 animals—11 dogs, a horse, 6 cats, and 26 pigs.

Oh, and one crazy—and very large—wild boar, who takes walks with Giacomo every day and happens to also be his best buddy.

Catch Up with Giacomo today on his Website 🔗, Twitter 🔗, & on Facebook 🔗!

Tour Participants:

Visit our tour hosts for reviews, guest posts, interviews, and some amazing giveaways!

There’s a Giveaway!:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours for Giacomo Giammatteo. There will be 1 winner of one (1) $50 Amazon.com Gift card & 5 winners of one (1) eBook copy of Old Wounds by Giacomo Giammatteo. The giveaway begins on October 31st and runs through November 17th, 2016. Plus visit the tour sites for additional giveaways!

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Giveaway, Showcase

DOGS AND THEIR PEOPLE by Barkpost (Showcase & Giveaway)

CMash November 1, 2016 Leave a Comment

ABOUT THE BOOK

From the humans at BarkPost comes the first official BarkBook, DOGS AND THEIR PEOPLE: Photos and Stories of Life with a Four-Legged Love, which Putnam is excited to publish on October 18, 2016. We are SO excited about this title and hope that you will be, too! Please let me know if you’d be interested in featuring this book and partnering for a giveaway around the holiday season.

A collection of community-sourced and never-before-told anecdotes, stories, photos, and intimate insights, DOGS AND THEIR PEOPLE captures the depth, spirit, and power of the extraordinary bond between humans and their pups and spotlights more than two hundred unique and remarkable dogs. Some are celebri-dogs (oh hello, Tuna Melts My Heart and Crusoe the Celebrity Dachshund) while others are just making their debut (like Putnam publicist Katie’s Newfoundland, Hank, on page 228!); some will make your heart ache while others will make it soar; and others simply look dapper in color.

But this book isn’t just about the dogs; it’s about celebrating the crazy, consuming, unconditional love we feel for them. It’s about the songs you’ve made up for them, the hugs you’ve given them on bad days, and all the outfits that—let’s be honest—you forced them into. It’s about the lightness they’ve brought to our lives just by being there—and having smushy faces. We hear you, dog people; this one is for you.

BarkPost is the mastiff-sized media outlet for all things dog. By creating original (and heart-warming, and goofy) content for dog people, BarkPost helps dogs share their stories with the world using the power of humans. BarkPost is part of Bark & Co, the New York-based startup dedicated to making dogs and their people happy. Since launching in 2012 with BarkBox, a monthly box of funny toys, treats and chews that you can’t find together anywhere else, the dog-obsessed humans at Bark & Co have shipped more than 25 million products to date. The company has since expanded in recent years with a goal of getting the backs of dog parents for everything – creating its own products, experiences and entertainment with BarkShop, BarkLive, and BarkPost.

BOOK DETAILS:

Hardcover
Published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Publication Date: October 18th
Pages: 288
ISBN 9780399574269

PURCHASE LINKS:

THANKS TO MADELINE AT PENGUIN/RANDOM HOUSE,
I HAVE ONE (1) COPY TO GIVE AWAY.
OPEN TO US RESIDENTS

FILL OUT RAFFLECOPTER ENTRY FORM BELOW

GIVEAWAY ENDS NOVEMBer 18TH AT 6PM EST

WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY RAFFLECOPTER AND NOTIFIED
VIA EMAIL AND WILL HAVE 48 HOURS TO RESPOND
OR ANOTHER NAME WILL BE CHOSEN

a Rafflecopter giveaway

YOUR JAVA SCRIPT MAY NEED TO BE UPDATED
IF YOU AR EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY
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DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.

ADDENDUM

I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am an IndieBound affiliate. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

Mailbox Monday

CMash October 31, 2016 3 Comments

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now hosted on its own blog.

According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Click on title for synopsis via GoodReads.

Friday: THE FANTASTIC BOOK OF EVERYBODY’S SECRETS by Sophie Hannah from HC/PICT
Friday: THE VISITOR’S BOOK by Sophie Hannah from HC/PICT
Saturday: CROCK POT MEALS by Lisa Ryan (Personal Purchase)

Book Review, Giveaway, Providence Book Promotions, Showcase

SAMANTHA by Andrea Kane (Review, Showcase & Giveaway) PBP Presents

CMash October 28, 2016 1 Comment

Samantha
by Andrea Kane
on Tour October 2016

Samantha by Andrea Kane

Book Details
Genre: Historical Romance
Published by: Bonnie Meadow Publishing LLC
Publication Date: October 18th 2016
Number of Pages: ~418
Series: Book 2 in “Barrett Family Series” (You won’t want to miss Book 1, My Heart’s Desire, either!)

Don’t Miss Your Chance to Read Samantha! You can purchase your own copy at Amazon, at Barnes & Noble, AND add it to your reading list on Goodreads!

Synopsis:

Lady Samantha Barrett wondered if her imaginary hero would ever become real. Of course, he must be devastatingly handsome and just a bit dangerous. Now, her coach is filled with a collection of Gothic novels and her head with romantic notions as she eagerly leaves her brother’s country estate for her first London season. Still unsophisticated and too innocent by far, Samantha is ill-prepared for the hypocrisy of the ton or for the formidable stranger who crosses her path—a stranger she is sure must be the man of her dreams…

Remington Worth, the Earl of Gresham, is reputed to be anything but a hero. He is, however, intrigued by the fresh, young Lady Samantha. At sea, Remington had been a brilliant captain. To help save his country, he has accepted the Crown’s commission to become the most deadly and loyal covert agent, posing as a notorious womanizer and blackmailer. His latest mission is to investigate the mysterious disappearances of England’s prized merchant vessels. With an iron will, he will allow no one to get in his way or touch his heart—until Samantha.

MY REVIEW

5 stars

Caveat: My genre of choice, for as long as I can remember was Mystery/Suspense and Gereral/Current Literature. Never Historical Romance. But there was something that piqued my curiosity, after reading the synopsis, of this book. I was also intrigued, since I had recently read another book by this author, a Psychological Thriller titled THE MURDER THAT NEVER WAS, which I really enjoyed.

This is the 2nd in a series but read as a stand alone.

Samantha, having become a woman, is looking forward to being introduced at the first season of aristocratic balls. And being a romantic, hoping to meet her “hero”. The moment she saw Lord Remington Worth, she knew that they would wed, except that notion was the furthest thing from his mind. She didn’t know that he held many demons that he fought. But her personality, warmth, determination and love would eventually make him see what is truly important, and that is love.

I absolutely loved this book! The plot is fluid. The characters likeable. From Ms. Kane’s storytelling, I felt that I was transported back in time. A well crafted Historical Romance with plenty of suspense.

Ms. Kane has written a total of 14 Historical novels and I plan on reading all of them!! Kudos Ms. Kane, you succeeded in convincing me that this genre will be added to my favorites!

Read an excerpt:

In walked the man of her dreams.

Samantha stared, transfixed, as the vision stepped directly from the pages of her latest gothic romance into the noisy, smoke-filled tavern.

He had arrived… her long-awaited hero.

It mattered not that he was a total stranger to her… nor that he patronized so seedy an establishment as this… nor that he pointedly displayed an ominous-looking knife handle from the top of one muddied Hessian boot. All that mattered was his towering height, his thick black hair, his uncompromising jaw, his piercing gray eyes. And that dimple… it was just where she’d always known it would be; in his left cheek. It flashed briefly as he nodded a greeting to someone, then vanished into the taut lines of his face.

Yes, it was irrefutably he… the hero of all her fantasies.

Breathless and eager, Samantha watched as he carelessly swung off his great coat, shaking rivulets of rain from it with swift, purposeful strokes. Simultaneously, he surveyed the room, his cool gaze taking in the shoddy furnishings and seedy occupants in one enveloping glance.

He moved forward, commanding and sure, coming closer to where Sammy sat… close enough so she could see the drops of water glistening in his raven-black hair, causing the ends to curl a bit at the nape. He seemed to be looking for someone.

Instead, he found her.

Dark brows raised, not with instantaneous, adoring surrender, but with decided, disapproving surprise.

Without hesitating, Sammy flashed him a smile, drinking in his splendid, chiseled features and exciting, leashed power. He was just as she had imagined him… no, better.

Her heart tightened in her chest as he approached her.

“What despicable cad deserted you here, little one?”

“Pardon me?” Sammy blinked in confusion.

With apparent disgust, her hero scanned the room. “You needn’t feel ashamed. Just tell me what unscrupulous blackguard accompanied you to such a place, then abandoned you.”

“Oh, nothing like that, sir.” Sammy assured him brightly. “Actually, it was I who spotted this establishment from my carriage window and chose to stop here. Given the circumstances, it seemed the best place…”

“The best place… to what?” He looked censuring now, his gray eyes chilling, stormier than the skies that heralded tonight’s downpour. “Is this your idea of an evening adventure? If so, you’ve either lost your way or your mind! Tell me, have you looked about you? I seriously doubt that you have, else you would have bolted. And, thankfully, it seems that these low-lifes have yet to spot you as prey. Had they done so, I assure you that your elegant gown would have long since been tossed up over your foolish, beautiful head!”

Sammy sucked in her breath. This wasn’t at all the way she’d envisioned their first meeting.
Following her hero’s icy, pointed gaze, she surveyed the dimly lit tavern, trying to see what was upsetting him so. True, the tables were a bit shabby, even broken in spots, and the pungent smell of gin… mixed with some other, unrecognizable foul odor… permeated the room. And, she had to admit, the occupants of the tavern did need to shave… as well as to bathe. Still, they’d shown no signs of harming or even approaching her; so why was her hero hinting at violence?

“I don’t know what you mean, sir,” she confessed, bewildered. “Despite their rather coarse attire and unpolished manners, the gentlemen here have made no improper advances toward me. They are merely enjoying their spirits and each other’s company.”

The stranger gaped in utter disbelief.

“Gentlemen?” he managed. Leaning forward, he lowered his voice to a muffled hiss. “Sheltered innocent, what you see are pickpockets, highwaymen and drunks… and an occasional murderer or two.” He straightened, emphatic and fierce. “This is Boydry’s… as unsavory a pub as they come… not the bloody Clarendon Hotel!”

“Really?” Samantha was finding it very difficult to share the intensity of his tirade. She was too busy drowning in the hypnotic spell of his towering presence. And, after all, he was only trying to protect her… the foremost duty of a true hero.

“If such is the case, then why are you here?” she asked, half-tempted to stroke the hard, uncompromising line of his jaw. “You don’t appear unsavory to me.”

His dimple flickered in response. “Don’t I? That is only because you don’t know me.”

“No… but I’d like to.”

He blinked. “You’d like to…”

“Oh yes. Don’t you see?” Sammy leaned forward, making an animated sweep with her hands. “It’s as if Mrs. Radcliffe had penned it; a young woman alone… darkness… danger.” A pause. “Of course I would have preferred a castle turret to a tavern…” she gave a philosophical shrug, “… nevertheless, you’ve arrived… and you’re exactly as I pictured you.”

“You have lost your mind,” he muttered.

Author Bio:

Andrea Kane is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of twenty-seven novels, including thirteen psychological thrillers and fourteen historical romantic suspense titles.

With her signature style, Kane creates unforgettable characters and confronts them with life-threatening danger. As a master of suspense, she weaves them into exciting, carefully-researched stories, pushing them to the edge—and keeping her readers up all night.

Kane’s beloved historical romantic suspense novels include My Heart’s Desire, Samantha, The Last Duke, and Wishes in the Wind.

With a worldwide following of passionate readers, her books have been published in more than twenty languages.

Kane lives in New Jersey with her husband and family. She’s an avid crossword puzzle solver and a diehard Yankees fan. Otherwise, she’s either writing or playing with her Pomeranian, Mischief, who does his best to keep her from writing.

Connect With Ms. Kane on Facebook, Twitter, & her website.

Tour Host Participants:

Take a minute to stop by some of the other blogs in the tour! They have exciting features, reviews, and special giveaways!

Enter for a Chance to Win!

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Providence Book Promotions for Andrea Kane and Bonnie Meadow Publishing LLC. There will be 5 US winners of one (1) eBook copy of Samantha by Andrea Kane. The giveaway begins on September 28th and runs through November 3rd, 2016.

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Visit Providence Book Promotions to Join in & Find More Great Reads!

REVIEW DISCLAIMER

This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.

DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review.

No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.

ADDENDUM

I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am an IndieBound affiliate. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

Book Review, Giveaway, Interview, Partners In Crime Tours, Showcase

THE TROUTBECK TESTIMONY by Rebecca Tope (Review, Interview and Giveaway) PICT Presents

CMash October 26, 2016 1 Comment

The Troutbeck Testimony

by Rebecca Tope

on Tour October 24 – November 23, 2016

Synopsis:

The Troutbeck Testimony by Rebecca Tope A huge funeral for Windermere’s popular resident, Barbara Dodge, is taking place and florist Persimmon ‘Simmy’ Brown and her new assistant, Bonnie Lawson are busy compiling wreaths in preparation. There’s word of a series of sinister dognappings occurring in nearby Troutbeck and whilst taking a walk up Wansfell Pike, Simmy and her father, Russell, stumble on a dog, strangled to death – it’s not long before Simmy reluctantly finds herself caught up in a murder investigation…

MY REVIEW

4 stars

I recently read THE CONISTON CASE, 2nd in this series, so was delighted that I had the chance to read the sequel, THE TROUTBECK TESTIMONY, #3 in this series. And I was not disappointed.

Persimmon Brown, florist, finds herself unwillingly in the midst of another murder mystery. Plus having her father go missing and the kidnapping of dogs.

Ms. Tope’s writing is fluid, as is the suspense, which made this reader not wanting to put this book down to see how it was all related. And was quite surprised when it was all pulled together with an ending I never saw coming.

Rebecca Tope is now on my cozy mystery “authors to read” list. Totally enjoyable and highly recommend this author if you enjoy Cozy Mysteries! An entertaining read!!

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery & Detective, Cozy
Published by: Morrow/Witness Impulse
Publication Date: October 2016
Number of Pages: 384
ISBN: 9780062567468
Series: Persimmon Brown #4

Grab a copy of The Troutbeck Testimony on Amazon 🔗, Barnes & Noble 🔗, & Add it to your TBR list on Goodreads 🔗!

Read an excerpt:

The first anniversary of Persimmon Brown’s opening of her florist shop in the Lake District had almost coincided with Easter and an explosion of spring flowers and blossom. Wordsworth’s daffodils performed to their greatest strength and pussy willow attracted hosts of honey bees who had failed to notice that they were meant to be in terminal decline. A month later, on the first long weekend in May, walking along a sheltered footpath to the west of Troutbeck, Simmy – officially Ms Persimmon Brown – could hear an energetic buzzing and murmured ‘something something something in the bee-loud glade’ to herself. Not Wordsworth, she was sure, but somebody like Yeats or Hardy. She would ask her young friend Ben, who knew everything.

The sun was warm on her shoulders; the light so clear that she could pick out numerous fast-growing lambs on the fells far above the village. Every weekend throughout the coming summer, she promised herself, she would get up at first light and go for an early walk. The anniversary had been a time for resolutions and one of them was to make much better use of the natural delights that surrounded her.

She felt an almost pagan euphoria at the burgeoning landscape, vibrant with flora and fauna at the start of another cycle of life. Her mother would say it was a mark in Christianity’s favour that it had been clever enough to superimpose all its biggest rituals onto far more ancient moments in the natural year, with Easter an obvious example.

There was now a bonus Spring Bank Holiday that Simmy was savouring with complete abandonment.

The late morning, with a sunny afternoon still ahead of her, brought feelings of richness and privilege that were almost shameful. But she had earned it, she reminded herself. The winter had been grey and protracted, interspersed with a number of unpleasant adventures. She had been repeatedly drawn into events that demonstrated the darker side of human behaviour, forced to confront far too much reality.

Now that spring had arrived with such a colourful crash, she was determined to shake all that off and concentrate on her flowers.

The plan for the day was to meet her father, Russell Straw, for a long-promised fellside walk after a modest lunch at the Mortal Man. The full walk, along Nanny Lane and up to the summit of Wansfell Pike – and back – was easily four miles in total, with some steep sections of stony path. ‘By rights, we should go across to the Troutbeck Tongue at the same time, but that’s rather ambitious,’ Russell conceded.

‘I shall want some fortification first,’ Simmy had warned him. ‘And if there’s the slightest risk of rain, I’m cancelling the whole idea. Neither of us is fit enough to do anything rash.’

There was no suggestion of rain, the sky a uniform blue in every direction. It was, in fact, the most perfect day for very many months and Simmy was duly thankful for it. Her father would bring water, map, and dog. She would provide a camera, mobile phone and two slabs of Kendal mint cake.

The fells above Troutbeck were stark, dramatic and uncaring. There were barely any flowers or trees adorning them, other than the tiny resilient blooms that crouched underfoot. More than happy to accommodate her father’s wishes, Simmy nonetheless preferred the softer and more moderated lower levels.

This explained her morning stroll, taking a zigzag route from her house to the hostelry along lanes that had been colonised by humanity, with gardens and houses taking their place in the picture. The bees at least agreed with her. Azaleas and rhododendrons were in bud, reminding her of her startled surprise at the vibrant colours, the year before. Not just the natural purples and pinks, but brilliant orange, deepest crimson and a wide array of other hues shouted from gardens all over the relatively balmy area around Windermere and Ambleside. Even the wilder reaches of Coniston boasted spectacular displays. Aware that it might be foolish to expend energy on this pre-walk stroll, she nonetheless felt the need to exploit the sunshine and the flamboyant floral displays. It was semi-professional, too – she ought to be apprised of the full range of seasonal blossoms in gardens, in order to echo and embellish them in the offerings she stocked at the shop. Flowers were her business, and any lateral information she could acquire would always come in useful.

Her father was waiting for her at the pub, sitting at an outside table on a lower level, with his dog. She kissed the man and patted the animal. ‘Is he going to cope with such a long walk?’ she wondered. It was a rather ancient Lakeland terrier, officially named Bertie, but mostly just called ‘the dog’. His forebears had failed a purity test, it seemed, and poor Bertie had found himself rejected as breeding stock and consigned to a rescue centre until eventually rescued by kindly Russell Straw.

‘Oh yes. And if he doesn’t we’ll have to carry him.’

‘When did you last take him on a jaunt like this?’

‘About eighteen months ago. We’ve been waiting all this time for you.’

‘Dad! That’s ridiculous.’ In spite of herself, she laughed. ‘Poor old chap. He won’t know what’s hit him. His feet will be sore for weeks.’

‘Not a bit of it. He spends all his time digging up stones. His feet are as tough as iron. He could easily outwalk both of us. Now let’s get on with it. I want to set off by one at the latest.’

That gave them forty-five minutes to eat a hearty pub lunch with beer to wash it down. ‘We shouldn’t walk on full stomachs,’ Simmy remarked. ‘We’ll get a stitch.’

‘Better than trying to do it empty. We need the food to give us stamina.’

‘At least we’ve got the weather for it. And listen to those birds!’ A pair of collared doves cooed at them from an overhead wire, the gentle three-note song a backdrop that Simmy always loved, despite the blatant lack of musical variety. Her habit of feeding garden birds had attracted another pair of doves to her own little patch, a few hundred yards from the pub, and she had grown used to waking to their call, imagining that they were deliberately asking her for some breakfast.

Russell cocked his head. ‘They’re not native, you know. They’re quite recent immigrants. I mean recent. I was about ten years old when the first ones settled here. The BBC put them in a medieval radio play by mistake not long ago. Lots of people wrote in about it.’

‘Well, they’re very welcome as far as I’m concerned.’

‘I agree with you. I also like grey squirrels, even if I get lynched for saying so.’

She laughed again, after a wary glance around. In Troutbeck, the red squirrel was verging on the sacred and the grey accordingly considered devilish. Anyone overhearing Russell was liable to take exception to his views. But nobody at the neighbouring tables was reacting. Nothing could sully her delight at the carefree afternoon ahead with the best of all possible fathers. It took a lot to disturb Russell Straw – but then a lot had happened in recent times, and his daughter had certainly caused him some worry over the winter. His wife was the powerful half in the marriage, leaving him to contented pottering and sporadic researches into local history. They ran a somewhat eccentric bed-and-breakfast business in Windermere, in which Angie Straw broke a lot of rules and earned a lot of profound gratitude in the process. Her reviews on TripAdvisor veered from the horrified to the euphoric, depending on how much individuality her guests could stomach. She was a capricious mixture of old fashioned and hippy, refusing to use guests’ first names unless they insisted, and cheerfully producing full breakfasts at ten-thirty, if that’s what people wanted.

‘Let me just pop to the lav and then we can be off,’ Russell said. ‘Mind the dog, will you?’

She took the lead attached to Bertie and nodded.

The sun was as high as it was going to get, and the afternoon stretched ahead of them with no sense of urgency. The sky remained an unbroken blue.

The views from the summit of Wansfell Pike would be spectacular. At least two lakes would be visible, and any number of fells on all sides. Russell knew the names of most of the main landmarks, and had a map with which to identify others. Simmy had only a rudimentary and theoretical knowledge of any of it.

Bertie whined and pulled annoyingly. ‘He’ll be back in a minute,’ Simmy told him. ‘Don’t be silly.’ Dogs were generally annoying, to her way of thinking. So dreadfully dependent and needy all the time. It had come as a surprise when her parents rescued this little specimen, and even more so when Russell developed such a fondness for it. To Simmy’s eyes, the animal lacked character, which Russell insisted was a consequence of his harsh life, full of betrayal and confusion. ‘He just wants everything nice and peaceful from here on,’ he said.

Which was generally what he got, apart from a never-ending procession of B&B guests, who mostly patted his head and then left him alone.

‘You were a long time,’ she told him, when her father eventually returned.

‘I know.’ He was frowning distractedly. ‘I overheard something, outside the gents, and I have no idea what to make of it. I kept out of sight for a minute, just in case they didn’t like the idea of anyone hearing them.’

‘Oh?’

‘Two men talking. It sounds a bit wild, I know, but I think they were planning a burglary.’

Author Bio:

Rebecca Tope is the author of four murder mystery series, featuring Den Cooper, Devon police detective, Drew Slocombe, Undertaker; Thea Osborne, house sitter in the Cotswolds and now Persimmon Brown, Lake District florist. She is also a “ghost writer” of the novels based on the ITV series Rosemary and Thyme.

Q&A with Rebecca Tope

Welcome!

Do you draw from personal experiences and/or current events?
To some extent, yes I do. In ‘The Troutbeck Testimony’ I describe a walk up Wansfell that a friend and I did shortly before I started writing the book. We did get slightly lost in boggy ground, just as Simmy and her father do. In other stories, I have included occasional references to current events, but they can sometimes be a bad idea. It makes the novel quickly seem dated, and I prefer to keep the precise chronological time rather vague.

Do you start with the conclusion and plot in reverse or start from the beginning and see where the storyline brings you?
Almost always, the latter. Only three or four times (out of over thirty) do I have any idea of the ending. In ‘The Troutbeck Testimony’ I simply started with the walk, and told myself the story. The theme of ‘dognapping’ was there from the outset, but that’s all.

Are any of your characters based on your or people you know?
A complex and basically unanswerable question. All the characters come from my imagination, and that surely means that aspects of myself appear in them, in one way or another. I’m a very ‘instinctive’ writer, which is really saying I don’t think very hard about this sort of matter. The characters are thoroughly fictional, which is to say they’re not very similar to living breathing human beings.

Writing routine?
The great majority of my working days follow the same pattern. I get up at first light, walk the dogs around my fields, and then settle down to write 1000-2000 words. This generally takes under an hour. I might check emails once or twice during this time, as well. The rest of the morning, I am generally still at my computer, dealing with ‘business’ aspects of the job, as well as contacting friends, organising trips, buying books, playing games.
In the afternoon I go outside for ‘gardening’. This is often cutting down thistles, lopping trees, cutting firewood or mowing grass.

Tell us why we should read this book.
Simmy Brown is an appealing character, and her young friends Ben, Bonnie and Melanie are every bit as enjoyable to read about. Anyone who likes dogs will be engaged with the story. There is added interest from Simmy’s parents, who are rather quirky. The local landscape forms a beautiful backdrop – the English Lake District is the setting for all the Simmy Brown books.

Some of your favourite authors?
Lee Child is firmly number one. Lesser-known Victorian writers are much loved by me. George Gissing, Arthur Morrison, Sabine Baring-Gould, Eden Philpotts, Fanny Trollope – and more.
Contemporary favourites are Kate Atkinson, C.J.Sansom, Donna Tartt.

What are you reading now?
‘The Whirlpool’ by George Gissing. Written in the 1890s, it gives a comprehensive picture of a group of very well-rounded characters and their concerns.

Are you working on your next novel?
Yes, I am over a third of the way through ‘Peril in the Cotswolds’. This is the 15th in my very popular series set in this small and highly individual region of England. Thea Osborne, house-sitter, is now Thea Slocombe, married to an alternative undertaker. She hopes her new life will see an end to the violent and mysterious crimes she has so often encountered. But her hopes are unfounded…

Favourite hobby?
I have recently become very enthusiastic about antique auctions, and go as often as I can. As a result, I also find myself selling items at car boot sales. Another spin-off has been a return to stamp collecting, which was a great passion for me over 50 years ago.

Favourite meal?
Takeaway Chinese.

Thank you for stopping by CMash Reads and spending time with us.

Catch Up with Ms. Tope on rebeccatope.com 🔗 or on twitter at @RebeccaTope 🔗.

Tour Participants:

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Guest Author, JKS Communications

JKS Presents: THE KILLING GAME by The Black Rose (Showcase & Interview)

CMash October 25, 2016 Leave a Comment

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Killing Game: A seductive story about corruption, sin, lust, and redemption The series opens as Ives Andrich, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the FBI, is confronted with investigating the woman he has waited a lifetime to find. Because of her more than accurate novel about an Italian crime lord, the Bureau, against Ives’ wishes, asks for her help in infiltrating the internal organization of the nation’s most nefarious Mafia don. When the Bureau’s plan fails, and she becomes dangerously entangled in the private life of the United States’ most wanted criminal, Ives tolerance for Bureau mishaps vanishes. No holds barred, he puts everything on the line to save the woman he loves in the first book in The Killing Game Series, a suspense thriller series by The Black Rose.

BOOK DETAILS:

Series: The Killing Game Series
Paperback: 504 pages
Publisher: Andrich Publishing (August 22, 2013)
ISBN-10: 0997947411
ISBN-13: 978-0997947410

PURCHASE LINKS:

THE BLACK ROSE

The Black Rose is an author, photographer, and filmmaker. Born in Chicago, she currently resides in New York with the love her life, her Hokkaido Dog, Kuma. She began writing at the age of seven and dabbled until she woke up one day and simply had to write a novel. She has two 5-Star reviewed novel series.

She categorizes her writing very directly – interpersonal relationships: people’s feelings, thoughts, emotions, and the intimacies between two people that truly love each other despite the circumstances surrounding them. “I write about love, honor, and doing the right thing, even when it seems disadvantageous, even when it’s not the popular path to take.” She sees her writing as a gift from God, and appreciates and learns from her stories.

Her writing passion stems from her immense love for art, which began with drawing at age five and moved into oil painting by age eight. Her love and study of photography soon became a professional passion, and she spends hours photographing and laying out her book covers. Her photography can be found at theblackrosenyc.com in the Photography section. Readers can also find on the site “Privé with The Black Rose” to showcase behind-the-scenes insights into her writing, novels, characters, photography, and films. She films and produces her book trailers, and will soon produce short films (details coming on her newly created website thepenandthesword.com dedicated to screenplays, film, book trailers, book adaptations).
Connect with THe Black Rose at these sites:

Q&A with The Black Rose

Welcome and thank you for stopping by CMash Reads.

On Writing and Reading:
Do you draw from personal experiences and/or current events?
Most definitely! I think some of the best stories are based on personal experiences. That is the common denominator to which people relate. Personal experiences can be very intriguing if told with the right spin. In fact, the way The Killing Game series began is exactly how it happened to the heroine of the series. A man, I did not know, approached me in a small public library and enquired if I would write a book about illegal sports gambling and the mob. Thirty days later, I had. As it is said, “Truth is stranger than fiction.” My novel The Yugoslavian, is based on the disintegration of Yugoslavia and the siege for Sarajevo in the early to mid-1990s. That war so affected me that I had to write about it.

I have often categorized my writing as the non-fiction, fiction. The basis for my stories can involve current events and how these events affect the main characters. I find that if I have something to say about a current event, the least offensive way to express myself is through my stories. It is not my intention to offend anyone with anything I write, only to reveal how I see things as an alternative point of view, which, hopefully, is accepted as just that and respected.

When starting to write a story, do you start from the beginning and see where it takes you or do you know what the conclusion will be and plot in reverse?Sometimes yes and sometimes no. If a specific scene is playing in my head, I write it. It might be at the beginning of a story, or it might be at the end. I usually know where a story is going from start to finish. If one day I feel inclined to write a death scene or a love scene, I write that. However, since my stories have developed into series, I mostly write from beginning to end.

Are any of your characters based on people that you know?
Yes, in part. I have met and know some interesting and intriguing characters. The more people you meet, the more real life human traits you can add to your characters. There is a catch, though—to capture anyone’s actual personality, you have to listen to them when they talk. You have to hear their stories and ask questions when appropriate. By doing this, you better understand their thought processes and then you can incorporate those thought processes into your characters to make them more believable.

One of the greatest compliments I receive is when someone reviews my stories and says, “I know these characters” or “I’m worried about this or that character! I can’t wait to see what happens next!” By these comments, the reader has accepted the characters into their family, so to say. That only happens by creating believable characters that readers trust. And when they trust your characters, they trust you as an author.

Your routine when writing? Any idiosyncrasies?
I don’t have a particular routine. I’m always writing because my mind is always reviewing my stories. I sit down and physically write as often as I can. But since I spend so much time thinking about my stories, when I do get to my computer, the story flows quickly (sometimes faster than I can transcribe it) so all that psychological reviewing pays off.

I do have one habit; I sleep with my iPad next to my pillow. I often wake up in the middle of the night and make a few notes to myself (or sometimes write an entire chapter) and email what I wrote to myself for incorporating into a story the following day.

Any Idiosyncrasies? I think all writing is idiosyncratic by nature. In a way, it’s a bit odd to want to display your personal experiences and innermost thoughts for others to read. Writing is so permanent versus speaking your thoughts, which often are forgotten by others rather quickly.

Tell us why we should read your book?
Despite all the personal experiences and interjections of my opinions, my books are great escapist entertainment. But at the same time, they are educational as well. I work very hard to make the storyline complete and comprehensible while introducing my readers to the different situations my character’s experience. My characters and the situations they endure are relevant. Their feelings are significant to humans in general. We all have needs, wants, and desires, and for each of those, there is always an opposition. Most readers will find something in my stories that hits home with them.

Are you working on your next novel? If so, can you tell us a little bit about it?
I’m always working on next novels. The next novel to come out will be the fourth book in The Killing Game series. I think most readers of the series imagine the next book is a direct continuation from book three, The Lost Days. I’ve thrown in a little twist I hope readers will appreciate. However, it is still the continuation of the story of Ives Andrich (the romantic hero), Special Agent in the FBI, and how he manages the situation he is faced with in finding Allina, his wife, who is presumed to be dead.

The next novel titled The Last Hope, will fill in the blanks to some unanswered questions and give more detail to what Ives will face in the future as well as provide reasons as to why this current situation has happened to begin with.

Who are some of your favorite authors?
Most authors from The Bible are my favorites. But my absolute favorite author from that immensely excellent book is John, the Apostle. My favorite two books from it are The Gospel of John and The Book of Revelation. In more contemporary fiction, my favorite author would be Harper Lee.

What are you reading now?
Always rereading The Bible because there is so much to learn from it.

Whether it’s bad or good, I don’t often read other authors work. I mostly read for research. My latest studies have been on the Roman Empire and about the occupation of Eastern Europe by the Ottomans, both for future novels.

Fun Questions:
Your novel will be a movie. Who would you cast?
From the performances I’ve seen recently, I am a bit partial to Henry Cavill as a match for Ives Andrich. Not so much because he might resemble the character physically, but because of the emotions he has portrayed in some of his performances, especially in the series The Tutors. I really don’t know whom I would cast for the heroines or the villains. I need to do more research on actors of today.

Favorite leisure activity/hobby?
Spending time with the love of my life, my pup, Kuma. Despite being work related, I enjoy photography and spend a good amount of time designing my book covers and creating book trailers. One day, I hope to return to painting.

Favorite meal?
My taste in food is quite simple. I most enjoy poached wild caught fish with steamed vegetables. However, my mainstay and all-time favorite is not a meal but a beverage—whole milk.