In 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley’s father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Lady Blythe awaits who will ultimately be crowned king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known.
No sooner has Everard Hume lost his father, Lord Wedderburn, than Lady Hedley arrives with the clothes on her back and her mistress in tow. He has his own problems–a volatile brother with dangerous political leanings, an estate to manage, and a very young brother in need of comfort and direction in the wake of losing his father. It would be best for everyone if he could send this misfit heiress on her way as soon as possible.
Drawn into a whirlwind of intrigue, shifting alliances, and ambitions, Lady Blythe must be careful whom she trusts. Her fortune, her future, and her very life are at stake. Those who appear to be adversaries may turn out to be allies–and those who pretend friendship may be enemies.
“A masterful achievement of historical complexity and scintillating romance sure to thrill readers with its saga of love under siege.”— Booklist, starred review
“A deeply atmospheric story of faith, love, and sacrifice that is as captivating as it is enthralling.”— Sarah E. Ladd, bestselling author of The CornwallNovels
“Marked by majestic Scottish scenery and a memorable trip to Edinburg, The Rose and the Thistle is a delightful historical romance set during a tumultuous time.”— Forward Reviews
Christy Award-winning author, Laura Frantz, is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century, and writes her manuscripts in longhand first. Her stories often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Proud of her heritage, she is also a Daughter of the American Revolution. When not at home in Kentucky, she and her husband live in Washington State.
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot
on the A CROWN FORGED BY VICTORY’S CONSEQUENCE by Marlayna James & Aaryanna
Abbott Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out
my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About The Book:
Title: A CROWN FORGED BY VICTORY’S CONSEQUENCE (The
Blackened Tablet Series, #1)
The Blackened Tablet Series is an epic fantasy quest story
with corrupt politics, wondrous magic, and illicit encounters in a supernatural
world where no one is safe.
Three hundred years ago, the sacred tablet granted by their
god, Jezabet, turned black, and eight kingdoms broke free, plummeting into the
bottomless sea. There was no warning, and no one knows why.
Now, a strange illness plagues Aldersward. Crowned Prince
Aedyn’s sisters, Achelle and Annora, his father, and countrymen are desperate
and grief-stricken. All hope is lost…
Until someone dreams, and Aedyn leaves behind his mistress
and his betrothed to cure their nation. He enlists his friends; a brazen
playboy, a gentle strongman, and an ancient mentor. Together, they set out on a
perilous journey-few believe they will survive.
This isn’t a fairy tale-s3x becomes currency, murder is
ordinary, and love doesn’t conquer all.
Everyone loves a hero-good triumphs evil. But few dare to
question how victory ripples into consequences. Explore this exciting concept
in the Blackened Tablet Series.
About Marlayna James:
Marlayna
lives in Canada where she writes romance, erotica, women’s fiction, and
fantasy. She loves video games, TV, reading, and writing.
About Aaryanna Abbott:
This is
another of my pen names. For every pen name, I use a different part of who I
am. I imagine this is how she looks.
What’s this
part of me like?
I was a
daddy’s girl. The very epitome of spoilt.
I love to be
wild and crazy—experience everything the world has to offer. I’m adventurous
and my carefree disposition is contagious.
I’m loyal to
a fault and don’t care what expectations or labels society has bestowed upon
me. I believe one’s truth is more valuable than anyone’s perception.
This part of
me writes for escapism—to be free of my mundane day to day and live in a
magical world almost as real to me as earth. Except in my imaginary world, I
control all things and it pleases me to no end.
In the tradition of C. S. Harris and Anne Perry, a fatal disaster on the Thames and a roiling political conflict set the stage for Karen Odden’s second Inspector Corravan historical mystery.September 1878. One night, as the pleasure boat the Princess Alice makes her daily trip up the Thames, she collides with the Bywell Castle, a huge iron-hulled collier. The Princess Alice shears apart, throwing all 600 passengers into the river; only 130 survive. It is the worst maritime disaster London has ever seen, and early clues point to sabotage by the Irish Republican Brotherhood, who believe violence is the path to restoring Irish Home Rule. For Scotland Yard Inspector Michael Corravan, born in Ireland and adopted by the Irish Doyle family, the case presents a challenge. Accused by the Home Office of willfully disregarding the obvious conclusion and berated by his Irish friends for bowing to prejudice, Corravan doggedly pursues the truth, knowing that if the Princess Alice disaster is pinned on the IRB, hopes for Home Rule could be dashed forever. Corrovan’s dilemma is compounded by Colin, the youngest Doyle, who has joined James McCabe’s Irish gang. As violence in Whitechapel rises, Corravan strikes a deal with McCabe to get Colin out of harm’s way. But unbeknownst to Corravan, Colin bears longstanding resentments against his adopted brother and scorns his help. As the newspapers link the IRB to further accidents, London threatens to devolve into terror and chaos. With the help of his young colleague, the loyal Mr. Stiles, and his friend Belinda Gale, Corravan uncovers the harrowing truth—one that will shake his faith in his countrymen, the law, and himself.
ADVANCE PRAISE
“[An] exceptional sequel . . . Fans of Lyndsay Faye’s Gods of Gotham trilogy will be enthralled.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Victorian skulduggery with a heaping side of Irish troubles.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Charismatic police superintendent Michael Corravan is back in a gripping sequel about the mysterious sinking of the Princess Alice. Odden deftly weaves together English and Irish history, along with her detective’s own story, in a way that will keep readers flipping pages long into the night.” —Susan Elia MacNeal, New York Times bestselling author of Mother Daughter Traitor Spy and the Maggie Hope series.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Read an exclusive interview with author Karen Odden
Even as I did so, I heard the twins, Colin and Elsie, their voices raised as they talked over each other—Elsie with a sharp edge of frustration, Colin growling in reply. Odd, I thought as I pushed open the door. Since they were children, they’d baited each other and teased, but I’d never known them to quarrel.
Colin sat in a kitchen chair tilted backward, the heel of one heavy boot hooked over the rung. He glared up at Elsie, who stood across the table, her hand clutching a faded towel at her hip, her chin set in a way I recognized.
“Hullo,” I said. “What’s the matter?”
Both heads swiveled to me, and in unison, they muttered, “Nothing.”
They could have still been five, caught spooning the jam out of the jar Ma hid behind the flour tin. Except that under the stubble of his whiskers, there was a puffiness along Colin’s cheek that appeared to be the remnants of a bruise.
Colin thunked the front legs of the chair onto the floor and pushed away from the table. “I got somethin’ to do.” He took his coat off the rack—not his old faded one, I noticed, but a new one—and stalked out the door, pulling it closed behind him.
I raised my eyebrows and turned to Elsie. She grimaced. “He’s just bein’ an eejit, like most men.” Her voice lacked its usual good humor; she was genuinely angry.
Jaysus, I thought. What’s happened? But I’d give Elsie a moment. “Where’s Ma?”
“Went down to the shop for some tea.” She stepped to the sideboard and moved the kettle to the top of the stove. The handle caught her sleeve, pulling it back far enough that I caught sight of a white bandage.
“Did you hurt your wrist?”
She tugged the sleeve down. “Ach, I just fell on the stairs. Clumsy of me.”
The broken window and Colin’s abrupt departure had been enough to alert me to something amiss. Even without those signs, though, I wouldn’t have believed her. I knew the shape a lie took in her voice.
“No, you didn’t,” I said.
Her back was to me, and she spoke over her shoulder. “It’s nothing, Mickey.”
I approached and took her left elbow gently in mine to turn her. “Let me see.”
Reluctantly, she let me unwrap the flannel. Diagonal across her wrist was a bruise such as a truncheon or a pipe might leave, purple and yellowing at the edges.
I looked up. “Who did this?” My voice was hoarse.
Her eyes, blue as mine, stared back. “Mickey, don’t look like that. It was dark, and I doubt he did it on purpose.”
“Jaysus, Elsie.” I let go of her, so she could rewrap it. “Who?”
“I don’t know! I was walking home from Mary’s house on Wednesday night, and before I knew it, twenty lads were around me, fightin’ and brawlin’, and I jumped out of the way, but one of them hit my wrist, and I fell.”
“What were you doing walking alone after dark? Where was Colin?”
She gave a disparaging “pfft.” “As if I’d know. Some nights he doesn’t come home until late. Or not at all.”
Harry’s words came back to me: “Out . . . as usual.”
I cast my mind back to my own recent visits. Colin had often been absent, partly because he’d been working on the construction of the new embankment, but that had ended in July. So where was he spending his time now? And where had he earned the money for his new coat?
We both heard Ma’s footsteps on the inside stairs.
“Don’t tell Ma,” Elsie said hurriedly, her voice low. The bandage was completely hidden by her sleeve. “She has enough to worry about. Swear, Mickey.”
Even as I promised, I wondered what else was worrying Ma. But as the door at the top of the inner stairs opened, I had my smile ready.
Ma emerged, carrying a packet of tea from the shop. “Ah, Mickey! I’m glad ye came.” Her face shone with genuine warmth, and she smoothed her coppery hair back from her temple. Her eyes flicked around the room, landing on Elsie. “Colin left?” The brightness in her expression dimmed.
“Just now,” Elsie replied. Their gazes held, and with the unfailing instinct that develops in anyone who grew up trying to perceive trouble before it struck, I sensed meaning in that silent exchange. But before I could decipher it, Elsie shrugged, and Ma turned to me, her hazel eyes appraising.
“You look less wraithy than usual.” She reached up to pat my cheek approvingly. “Elsie, fetch the preserves. I’ll put the water on.”
“I’ll do it, Ma.” I went to the stove, tonged in a few lumps of coal from the scuttle and shut the metal door with a clang. As Elsie sliced the bread, I filled the kettle and Ma took down three cups and saucers from the shelf.
The tension I sensed amid my family derived from something drifting in the deep current, not bobbing along the surface, driven by a single day’s wind and sun. Something had changed.
Karen Odden earned her Ph.D. in English from New York University and subsequently taught literature at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She has contributed essays to numerous books and journals, written introductions for Victorian novels in the Barnes & Noble classics series and edited for the journal Victorian Literature and Culture (Cambridge UP). Her previous novels, also set in 1870s London, have won awards for historical fiction and mystery. A member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime and the recipient of a grant from the Arizona Commission on the Arts, Karen lives in Arizona with her family and her rescue beagle Rosy.
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (December 13, 2022)
Length: (400) pages
Format: Hardcover, Trade paperback, & eBook
ISBN: 978-0764239502
Tour Dates: December 5 – December 19, 2022
BOOK DESCRIPTION
When all of Venice is unmasked, one man’s identity remains a mystery . . . 1807 When a baby is discovered floating in a basket along the quiet canals of Venice, a guild of artisans takes him in and raises him as a son, skilled in each of their trades. Although the boy, Sebastien Trovato, has wrestled with questions of his origins, it isn’t until a woman washes ashore on his lagoon island that answers begin to emerge. In hunting down his story, Sebastien must make a choice that could alter not just his own future, but also that of the beloved floating city.
1904 Daniel Goodman is given a fresh start in life as the century turns. Hoping to redeem a past laden with regrets, he is sent on an assignment from California to Venice to procure and translate a rare book. There, he discovers a city of colliding hope and decay, much like his own life, and a mystery wrapped in the pages of that filigree-covered volume. With the help of Vittoria, a bookshop keeper, Daniel finds himself in a web of shadows, secrets, and discoveries carefully kept within the stones and canals of the ancient city . . . and in the mystery of the man whose story the book does not finish: Sebastien Trovato.
ADVANCE PRAISE
“This lyrical dual-narrative historical from Dykes (Set the Stars Alight) dives into the histories of Venice, Italy, and Venice Beach, California.”— Publisher’s Weekly
“Introspective, surprising, and achingly beautiful.”— Booklist starred review
“Dykes’s pen is fused with magic and poetry. Every word’s a gentle wave building into the splendor that is All the Lost Places, where struggles for identity and a place to belong find hope between the pages of a timeless story.”— J’Nell Ciesielski, bestselling author of The Socialite
“Luscious writing, authentic characters, and an ending that satisfies to the core of the spirit, this novel is another winner from Amanda Dykes.”— Heidi Chiavaroli, Carol Award-winning author of Freedom’s Ring and Hope Beyond the Waves
Amanda Dykes’s debut novel, Whose Waves These Are, is the winner of the prestigious 2020 Christy Award Book of the Year, a Booklist 2019 Top Ten Romance debut, and the winner of an INSPY Award. She’s also the author of Yours Is the Night and Set the Stars Alight, a 2021 Christy Award finalist.
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot
on the ARMADAS IN THE MIST by Christian Klaver Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out
my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About The Book:
Title: ARMADAS IN THE MIST (The Empire of the
House of Thorns #3)
The Black Shuck’s forces gather just
beyond the mist . . .
Captain Justice Kasric knows how
complicated family can be. The escalating Human-Faerie war has scattered and
wounded her siblings and transformed her parents beyond recognition. After
narrowly escaping yet another dangerous clash, fifteen-year-old Justice has had
enough. She’s determined to defeat the Black Shuck, the mysterious leader
controlling the Faerie invasion of London, but if Justice hopes to stand a
chance at victory, she’ll have to do the impossible: reunite her family and
lead them against the looming Faerie Armada.
With her mother and brother at the
helm of the enemy fleet, and the prophesized Seven Virtues slipping out of
reach, Justice more than has her work cut out for her. Even if she can save
England, the cost may be higher than she’s willing to pay.
Christian
Klaver has been writing for over twenty years, with a number of magazine
publications, including Escape Pod, Dark Wisdom Anthology,
and Anti-Matter. He’s the author of The Supernatural Case Files of
Sherlock Holmes series, but has written over a dozen novels, both fantasy and
sci-fi, often with a Noir bent. He’s worked as book-seller, bartender and a
martial-arts instructor before settling into a career in internet security. He
lives just outside the sprawling decay of Detroit, Michigan, with his wife,
Kimberly, his daughter, Kathryn, and a group of animals he refers to as The
Menagerie. He’s also a part of the Untitled Writer’s Group based in Ann Arbor
for the past decade or so with a bunch of equally starry-eyed dreamers and social
misanthropes.
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot
on the MOTHER OF THE RIVER by Emily McPherson Pre-Order Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check
out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
Inspired by traditional Irish
Mythology, Mother of the River tells the story of a 17 year
old girl in search of her missing mother when she stumbles upon a forgotten
legend.
Ianthe was only six years old when her mother vanished and the strange statue
appeared in the river near her home. Now, eleven years later, the statue stands
as a memorial and a place where Ianthe often visits to tell her mother about
her life. But when an old acquaintance returns to town and suggests the statue
isn’t just a statue, the presence of a mythical creature comes into question,
and Ianthe begins to wonder what really happened all those years ago.
With her best friend Fintan by her side, Ianthe searches for a lost legend and
discovers fantastical dangers, family secrets, and the magic of Ireland. But
finding the myth may not be enough to mend the past. And finding the truth just
may threaten her future.
May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been, the foresight to know
where you are going, and the insight to know when you have gone too far- Irish
proverb
Emily
McPherson is an author for young adult readers with several fantasy projects in
the works. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, she strives to normalize
seeing characters of the rainbow on the page without harmful stereotypes. She
is an Irish dancer with a slight obsession with mythological creatures. She
lives in Connecticut with her husband, son, and – the real mythological
creatures – her two rescue pugs.
He’s a refreshingly different hero,
definitely not young and six-packed, but…
Retired reporter Jake Scott knows a
thing or two about exposing the truth and unmasking frauds. Unfortunately, he
walks a fine line between helping and interfering in investigations. Homicide
Detective Dani Perez, with whom Jake has a shaky personal relationship, doesn’t
always appreciate it, but he can’t seem to help himself.
The affable and shrewd, yet old
fashioned, Jake is hot on the trail of a case when a body discovered in a bog
and three suspects lead him to the doorstep of The Guardians of Truth, a shady
organization with an opportunistic and charismatic leader. While the
organization purports to offer everlasting support to its followers, Jake
discovers just the opposite is true.
Now Jake and an insider, Cassie
Wright, want to expose the leader and protect his followers from financial ruin
or worse. Their harrowing quest isn’t without peril, as one will disappear and
the other will be forced to fight for survival.
If you like your heroes to be, well,
like you and I, the second book in the Jake Scott Mystery Series will draw you
in and have you wishing you could dive in to help.
About Barry Finlay:
In 2009, Barry Finlay went up a
mountain as an accountant and came down as a philanthropist. After over thirty
years in various financial roles with the Canadian federal government, he took
his life in a different direction and climbed Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro at age
60 with his son Chris. The climb and their fundraising efforts to help kids in
Tanzania changed his life in a number of ways, including the start of his
writing journey. He wrote his first book, the popular Kilimanjaro and Beyond: A
Life-Changing Journey with his son in 2014.
He followed that up with the
hilarious travel memoir, I Guess We Missed The Boat, and then The Marcie Kane
Thriller Collection was born. Barry completed his debut fiction book, and the
first in the series, The Vanishing Wife, in 2014. His next novel, A Perilous
Question, was released in May 2016. His political thriller, Remote Access, was
released in April 2018. That was followed by a novella, Never So Alone, in May
2019. The fifth book in the Marcie Kane Thriller Collection, The Burden of
Darkness, was released in May 2020.
Each of the thrillers has a
socially relevant theme, and has achieved Kindle bestseller status.
Now, he’s introducing a new
character named Jake Scott in what will undoubtedly be a new mystery series.
The first in the series, Searching For Truth, was released in 2021.
Barry’s books have received
multiple literary awards and he was named to the Authors Show’s list of
“50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading” in 2012. In 2013, he
received the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee medal for his philanthropic work
in Africa. He lives in Ottawa, Canada with his wife Evelyn.
Sign up for Barry’s newsletter at
his website and receive a free download of An Interview With Marcie Kane.
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE YEAR OF THE BEAR by Douglas
J. Lanzo & Ambassador International Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my
post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
A remarkable story of a bear and the
coming-of-age journey of a teenage boy.
Thirteen-year-old Jason is on the
cusp of manhood, striving to fi nd his place at school and at home—especially
after his mother has abandoned them and his father is left to deal with his own
anger. When Jason and his father encounter a bear while out hunting, they shoot
and kill it, not realizing that they have left a cub without its mother. When
Sasquot of the Penobscot Tribe, a part of the Bear Family, discovers what they
have done, he decides that Jason needs a lesson in caring for God’s creatures.
Thus begins a year that Jason will never forget as he begins to care and train
the cub in order for it to survive. As Jason forms a bond with the bear, he, in
turn, learns valuable lessons for life.
“Fans of classic, enthralling
adventure (and I’m one) are in for a rare treat.”-Josh Lieb New York Times best-selling and Emmy Award-winning author of I am a
Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class
President
About Douglas J. Lanzo:
An award-winning and featured
inspirational author published in Vita Brevis Press’ bestselling 2021 poetry
anthology and Café Haiku’s upcoming 2021 Fifth Poetry Anthology and featured in
WestWard Quarterly’s Winter 2021 issue, since 2020 Douglas’ poetry has found
homes in thirty-eight literary publications across the U.S., Canada, England,
Wales, Austria, Mauritius, India, Australia, and The Caribbean. A graduate of
Harvard College and Law School, where Douglas enjoyed writing editorials for
The Harvard Crimson and articles for various other Harvard publications, he has
published professional legal articles throughout his career. A General Counsel
by day and writer by night, Douglas resides in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with his
wife and twelve-year old identical twin boys, fellow published poets, enjoying
nature, traveling, biking, tennis, and chess.
Death on a Winter Stroll (Merry Folger #7) by Francine Mathews Format: eARC Source: supplied by publisher via Edelweiss Formats available: hardcover, ebook, audiobook Genres:holiday fiction, mystery Series:Merry Folger Nantucket Mystery #1 Pages: 288 Published bySoho Crime on November 1, 2022 Purchasing Info: Author’s Website, Publisher’s Website, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Book Depository, Bookshop.org Goodreads
No-nonsense Nantucket detective Merry Folger grapples with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and two murders as the island is overtaken by Hollywood stars and DC suits.
Nantucket Police Chief Meredith Folger is acutely conscious of the stress COVID-19 has placed on the community she loves. Although the island has proved a refuge for many during the pandemic, the cost to Nantucket has been high. Merry hopes that the Christmas Stroll, one of Nantucket’s favorite traditions, in which Main Street is transformed into a winter wonderland, will lift the island’s spirits. But the arrival of a large-scale TV production, and the Secretary of State and her family, complicates matters significantly.
The TV shoot is plagued with problems from within, as a shady, power-hungry producer clashes with strong-willed actors. Across Nantucket, the Secretary’s troubled stepson keeps shaking off his security detail to visit a dilapidated house near conservation land, where an intriguing recluse guards secrets of her own. With all parties overly conscious of spending too much time in the public eye and secrets swirling around both camps, it is difficult to parse what behavior is suspicious or not—until the bodies turn up.
Now, it’s up to Merry and Detective Howie Seitz to find a connection between two seemingly unconnected murders and catch the killer. But when everyone has a motive, and half of the suspects are politicians and actors, how can Merry and Howie tell fact from fiction?
This latest installment in critically acclaimed author Francine Mathews’ Merry Folger series is an immersive escape to festive Nantucket, a poignant exploration of grief as a result of parental absence, and a delicious new mystery to keep you guessing.
Excerpt
The first weekend of December had been Meredith Folger’s favorite time of year for as long as she could remember. People often say that about holiday traditions, of course, but Merry was convinced that nowhere on earth was the winter solstice heralded with such enthusiastic conviction as during the three days of Nantucket’s Christmas Stroll.
Anticipation started to rise all over the island in late November. The day after Thanksgiving, crowds gathered at the head of Main Street for the ceremonial lighting of the massive ever- green tree that shed its glow throughout the darkest hours of the year; the following weekend, Santa would arrive at the end of Straight Wharf by Coast Guard cutter. Waving from the back of an antique fire truck, he’d follow the Town Crier and a drum section of grade-school kids who’d been practicing with Ms. Benton the music teacher for weeks, parading up from the harbor and winding through town. Everybody standing on the curb—islanders, tourists, daytrippers—would fall in behind and follow the truck with guttural cheers. Eventually Santa would be enthroned next to the lighted town tree and take requests from a long line of children. This was what gave Christmas Stroll its name. It had been going on for half a century now, and although imitated by towns all over New England, Nantucket’s weekend remained unrivaled. People who loved the island arrived each year by land and sea, from all over the country and the world, to celebrate.
Over time the holiday had morphed into three full days of permission to wander amiably around town with steaming cups of cheer and weird hats, bells jangling from the ankles of elf booties. Over ten thousand tourists crowded the sidewalks of downtown. The shops and restaurants were full. People laughed freely and called jokes to friends across the brick sidewalks and paused in the middle of the morning to sit on available benches. They bought things they didn’t need, simply because they wanted them, then gifted them to others without a thought.
Costumed carolers sang on street corners. Tourists took selfies in front of window boxes and beneath mistletoe balls. A few of them found someone to kiss. They jostled each other good-naturedly, butting armfuls of colorful bags, as they trailed down the streets in their red and green Stroll scarves.
In lucky years, it snowed.
In less fortunate ones, it rained.
This year, the forecast was for Windy and Gorgeous.
Uniformed members of Merry’s police force would be up early and out on Main Street Saturday morning with sawhorses, barricading the heart of town against vehicular traffic. They’d stand in the crosswalks and near the sundial planter that sat right in the middle of the cobblestoned street. The Garden Association decorated the urn each year with fresh greens and red bows and tiny white lights. The police were there to maintain order and most of the Strollers were orderly, except for the occasional drunken jerk who vomited without warning on the uneven brick side- walk. Merry had observed the rhythms of Stroll her entire life, she reflected, and usually it never got old.
But this year, she was clenching her teeth and grinding her way through the holiday. This year, she was struggling to find the Joy of the Season. This year, she barely had time to care.
This year, she wasn’t merely another happy reveler hiding mysterious boxes on the top shelf of the spare bedroom’s closet, the scent of vanilla and cloves in her hair. She wasn’t pausing to rub pine or spruce branches on her early morning walks, so that the resinous oil lingered on her fingertips, or losing track of time while she snapped pictures of festive window boxes. This year, she was the Nantucket Police Department’s chief of police. And Christmas Stroll, to be completely honest, was shaping up to be a royal pain in the ass.
Francine Mathews was born in Binghamton, New York, the last of six girls. She attended Princeton and Stanford Universities, where she studied history, before going on to work as an intelligence analyst at the CIA. She wrote her first book in 1992 and left the Agency a year later. Since then, she has written thirty books, including six previous novels in the Merry Folger series (Death in the Off-Season, Death in Rough Water, Death in a Mood Indigo, Death in a Cold Hard Light, Death on Nantucket, and Death on Tuckernuck) as well as the nationally bestselling Being a Jane Austen mystery series, which she writes under the pen name Stephanie Barron. She lives and works in Denver, Colorado.
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot
on the THE DREAM HEIST by Christina Farley Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out
my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
“A high action adventure with
swoon-worthy romance and a mystery that will keep you turning the pages all
night long!” — Beth Revis, New York Times bestselling
author
Your dreams are no longer safe…
Eighteen-year-old Aria Hale loves her
job at her father’s dream therapy company where she enters dementia patients’
dreams to save their memories. But when their lab is ransacked, two technicians
are murdered, and her father is kidnapped, everything changes for her.
Determined to find her father, Aria
and her friends embark on a harrowing hunt across continents using the dreams
of their enemies to guide them. But this dangerous journey plunges her into a
world she never bargained for: deception, intrigue, and even love. As she races
to save her father and hunt down her enemies, she soon realizes she’s in fact
the one being hunted. And her dreams are the greatest danger of all.
In the vein of Inception meets The
Bourne Identity, THE DREAM HEIST propels readers into a
fast-paced adventure that will send them racing to the very end.
About Christina Farley:
CHRISTINA
FARLEY is the author of the bestselling Gilded series, THE PRINCESS AND THE
PAGE, and THE DREAM HEIST. Prior to that, she worked as an international
teacher and at a top secret job for Disney where she was known to scatter pixie
dust before the sun rose. When not traveling the world or creating imaginary
ones, she spends time with her family in Clermont, Florida with her husband and
two sons where they are busy preparing for the next World Cup, baking
cheesecakes, and raising a pet dragon that’s in disguise as a cockatiel. Visit
her online at ChristinaFarley.com.
CONNECT WITH
CHRISTINA
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Christina’s Newsletter: Exclusive access to videos, writing tips, giveaways and
book updates: https://tinyurl.com/ypb9pm9a
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