Monthly Archives: October 2021

Joffe’s Halloween boosters – argh … check behind you …

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Joffe is delighted to share ANGEL’S FINAL PROBLEM? a brand-new mystery in Roger Silverwood‘s bestselling series:   meet Detective Inspector Michael Angel. An old-school policeman who sometimes rubs his colleagues up the wrong way. He’s got his flaws, but he never gives up on a case and he always gets results . . . until now?
Has Bromersley’s maverick DI finally gone too far?   Find out in ANGEL’S FINAL PROBLEM? Half price for launch, only 99p / 99c for a limited time — don’t miss out.

In FORBIDDEN DESIRE  by MAXINE BARRY,  Electra Stapleton has no time for romance. She is totally dedicated to her career as a world-class orchid grower. But nothing  prepared her for the utterly gorgeous Haldane Fox entering her life.    Little does she know, Fox is a man on a mission. He is determined to retrieve his father’s priceless stolen orchid — an orchid that Electra believes her own father grew himself. . .   £1.99/$2.99

AND WHAT ABOUT THIS FOUR BOOK BOX SET  by MAXINE BARRY  –  Read Oxford mysteries and romantic suspense for a very reasonable price. 99p/99c

Halloween News Flash

 

 

A Halloween without some good, thrilling reads isn’t really Halloween, is it? So this weekend, put on your scariest mask and settle down with Detective Mike Nash.

Detective Mike Nash thought that moving back to Yorkshire from London would give him a quieter life. Little did he know . . .   Two skeletons are discovered in Lamentation Tarn, a mountain lake.     Detective Mike Nash and his talented team have little evidence to work with, until a surprising discovery prompts them to contact law enforcement agencies in Eastern Europe.

WHAT LIES BENEATH is the first novel in Bill Kitson’s Detective Mike Nash series. CUT-THROAT, book 13 in the series, is now on pre-order — hurry hurry.

 

Joffe tells Frost Magazine that it is no secret they love crime fiction and  know you do too. Therefore, they’re delighted to let us know about a brand-new award: The Crime Fiction Lover Awards 2021  

Nominations are open now and anyone anywhere can submit their favourite books and authors of the year

Nominations close at noon on 10 November 2021. You can nominate using this form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf9FOJBODHSHFGaaw-ihjNfAoyC2NHgyq4YI_YIVpOAhaRH5A/viewform

If you don’t have a nomination in mind for each category, worry not, you can just skip to the next one. More information about the awards can be read:  here.

Should I Wear Floral and other poems of Life, Love and Leaving by Di Castle, author of the glorious Grandma’s Poetry Book

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Di Castle’s latest poetry book takes a gently humorous look at life, love and leaving over the last twenty years. Not content with focussing on the personal: family birthdays, weddings and funerals, Castle takes takes a flanking look at landmark events in our country .

It’s Just my Age struck a chord, and will with many people, and not just this poem,there’s a cornucopia on offer here, with Denise A Horn’s illustrations capturing  the flavour of the poem perfectly.

Christmas is coming, Margaret Graham is getting fat and will be fatter still after all the eats and excitement, and trust me, I will be prying into this review copy along the way, for a giggle, or perhaps a thought provoking moment.

Should I Wear Floral by Di Castle is a perfect stocking filler for a friend, or how about a piece of sanity for yourself.

Available here

The Nightingale Shore Murder by Rosemary Cook author of The Crimes of Dr Gramshaw, and very good it is too

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What an extraordinary piece of detective work by Rosemary Cook, author of The Crimes of Dr Gramshaw.
Florence Nightingale Shore, the goddaughter of the famous nurse, grew up in a Victorian family that found itself mired in controversy and scandal. She became a respected Queen’s Nurse who worked for five years in France from 1914 and was decorated for her heroism in WW1.
Tragically, on her return to England, Florence was murdered on a moving train – a classic ‘closed room’ murder mystery in a railway carriage. In spite of the best efforts of the local police, Scotland Yard and famous pathologist Bernard Spilsbury, the crime was never solved …
This book tackles the key questions in the case: who was the man in the brown suit? What was the significance of the unloaded revolver? and did the Arlington burglar have a sinister reason to burn all his clothing? The book also identifies a new suspect for the murder, amonst the shadowy characters surrounding the crime …
Fascinating, as unputdownable as The Crimes of Dr Gramshaw. I think Rosemary should become a private detective…
 Available:      The Nightingale Shore Murder by Rosemary Cook

Liberate Yourself this Christmas with Liberation Cocktails

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It is not possible for me to recommend Liberation Cocktails enough. I am not usually a fan of ready made cocktails because I think they taste artificial. Not so Liberation Cocktails. Whether from a bottle, can or keg, they taste delicious. I would definitely buy Liberation Cocktails for myself or a friend, but mostly for myself. Treat yourself this Christmas. Cheers! The Pornstar Martini is my favourite.

Celebrate Christmas in style this year with Liberation Cocktails’ curated collection of giftsets, pre-mixed bottled cocktails and party paraphernalia. Carefully crafted by Liberation Cocktails’ expert mixologists, all blended cocktails are made using the highest-grade spirits as well as the finest, fresh and quality ingredients. So, whether you’re in need of the perfect gift for friends and loved ones or looking to host the ultimate Christmas get-together, Liberation Cocktails has you covered this festive season.

The Liberation Cocktails Christmas collection is available now and can be ordered online at https://liberationcocktails.com 

Espresso Martini Gift Box, 75cl bottle with Premium Cocktail Shaker

£37.50 (NEW)

Free from additives and artificial ingredients, Liberation’s delicious, new and expertly blended Espresso Martini bottle is made with overproof craft distillery vodka, Rainforest Alliance single estate coffee, silky hazelnut liqueur, Madagascan vanilla, and cane sugar. The pre-mixed bottle is priced at £22.50 but is now also available in a premium giftset, complete with a cocktail shaker and classic martini glass for the perfect serve this Christmas at £37.50.

cocktails, cocktails in a can, pornstar martini

Pornstar Martini Gift Box, 75cl bottle with Premium Cocktail Shaker

£37.50 (NEW)

 

To tantalize the tastebuds, pop open a bottle of Pornstar Martini, made from the finest ingredients and ready to drink when you are. Carefully blended with overproof craft distillery vodka, Brazilian lime juice, Madagascan bourbon vanilla, Ecuadorian passionfruit and sugar cane, this showstopper is bound to impress at any Christmas gathering. Priced at £22.50 for a 75cl bottle or £37.50 within a striking giftset alongside an accompanying cocktail shaker and martini glass – the new launch is the perfect present for cocktail lovers!

 cocktails, cocktails in a can,

Liberation Cocktails 4 Can Gift Pack 

£20.00

 

For letterbox gifting and to make a friend or colleague feel extra special this Christmas, the Gift Pack contains four iconic and delicious mixologist grade pre-mixed cocktail cans (200ml) including 1 x Espresso Martini, 1x Pornstar Martini, 1 x Pisco Sour and 1 x Gin Garden to accompany any celebration. Whether you’re gifting from afar or on the hunt for the ultimate stocking filler, the Gift Pack is designed to be compact, portable and can be personalised with a bespoke gift message at checkout.

Liberation Cocktails Party Kegs, 5L keg

£99

 

Make this Christmas one to remember with these impressive 5 litre party kegs. Whether hosting a Christmas party at home or for those looking to spoil someone special with a unique gift, the kegs promise a celebration like no other.  Available in four flavours including Espresso Martini, Pornstar Martini, Strawberry Daiquiri and Gin Garden, each containing 33 mixologist grade cocktails and filled with festive cheer, the pre-mixed joy is any cocktail fan’s dream.

 Cocktail Cruiser

Prices start from £120 for half an hour and 16 cocktails

 

The Cocktail Cruiser from Liberation Cocktails brings the party straight to your doorstep and no gathering is too big or small for this four-wheeled mixology cruising machine. Serving up delicious mixologist grade cocktails including Aperol spritzes, mojitos and martinis, the Cocktail Cruiser also offers a resident bartender, glassware and garnishes! Whether you’re planning an alfresco get-together, Christmas party or a corporate event, guests will enjoy free flowing cocktails on tap, on the go and without any hassle. So why not mix it up this Christmas with the ultimate Insta-worthy celebration?

 MERRY CHRISTMAS!

https://liberationcocktails.com | @liberationcocktails

Margaret and Dick take a trip to Settle, which ends much like most of their trips – quietly

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Margaret and Dick went to see relatives who were having a few days near Settle., North Yorkshire.
‘Oh lovely,’ said Margaret. ‘It’s a bit like a day out in a charabanc.’    Dick said, ‘No, we’re going in the car. Let’s toss to see who drives, and who sits in the back between Rosie and Polly.’
      Things grew tense. Margaret drew the short straw. She put on her sea sickness travel bands, took a pill, and settled down in between the two dogs, on the back seat. Off we went, with Sally the Sat Nav being bossy and telling them  how to get out of their own road.    Margaret doesn’t like sitting on the back seat. Margaret feels sick and dizzy going along roads with curves. A friend’s father used to say the a road is like a woman, its beauty lies in its curves. Margaret didn’t like her friend’s father after that. Curves are her enemy.
       The road to Settle is curvey. The dogs whinged. They always whinge in the car, while Margaret got busy telling Dick that there was a roundabout coming up. Dick said, ‘Stop talking. It’s big. How can I not see it?’
        Margaret whispered to herself, ‘Well you didn’t see that roundabout 25 years ago, and that was big too.’
That time Margaret shouted just in time.   A narrow squeak like that shakes a girl. Dick doesn’t understand, so Margaret doesn’t explain,  yet again, because she is too busy waiting for the next junction, the next roundabout, when her warning will be needed. And still the dogs whinge.
        It is a very pretty road. It takes 90 minutes. Margaret was not feeling very well, the dogs were still whingeing, Dick was fed up with Margaret helping him to drive. At last they arrived. Such a treat, a lovely lunch, a glass of wine, and suddenly Margaret didn’t mind that she had drawn the short straw for the drive back. because driver Dick had to have water. Sparkling water, but still water.
       Then a nice walk with the dogs, and the rellies. Dick and Margaret walked a little ahead at one point. Margaret told Dick of the taxi ride from Newcastle to Bowness. where she and her group would start their Hadrian’s Wall  Walk. It was a big taxi and took the six walkers, the taxi driver (of course) and the guide.
       Margaret’s friend asked how Margaret’s broken shoulder was these days, with its pins and plates, and wotnot. ‘Are there any lingering problems?’ she asked. Margaret told her that the only problem was that she had to wear a big bumbag, not a rucksack, because she didn’t like anything pressing on the top of her shoulder – it hurt.
‘I even wear a floppy sort of sports bra, that doesn’t pull on the shoulder.’ Margaret said. Her friend asked, ‘Is there any point in wearing it, if its floppy,’ Margaret said, loudly she realised later. ‘ Well, yes, or else I’d have to tuck the little dears in my waistband.’ There was a sort of stricken silence in the taxi. Even the taxi driver stopped talking. and he hadn’t seemed to draw breath since they left, so busy was he chatting.
      As Dick and Margaret walked along this very lovely lane near Settle, Dick said, ‘Please tell me you did not say that?’
      Margaret said, ‘Dicky, I cannot tell a lie: indeed I did.’ (much in the way of George Washington to his father.)    Mr Washington praised George for his honesty. Dick sayid, ‘You really should stop talking more often.’
Margaret sulked. as they walked along, in silence.
Today Dick looked at the photos that the rellies had sent. ‘My word,’ he said. ‘Look at your round shoulders.’
‘I was busy telling you about the taxi ride, and leaning forward, earnestly,’ said Margaret.
‘Even so, best to straighten those shoulders, and stick out your chest.’ Too late he realised they were almost back to the taxi and the waistband.
Of course, Margaret had to say it again. Well, one does, doesn’t one.

CARIADS’ CHOICE: OCTOBER BOOK REVIEWS

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Freya Kennedy’s In Pursuit of Happiness,  reviewed by Carol Thomas

This standalone novel shares the Ivy Lane setting introduced in The Hopes and Dreams of Libby Quinn. The community spirit continues, and there is the bonus of a catch up with previous characters. It took me a little time to get into the book and to warm to the heroine, Jo, but I’m glad I gave her a chance as she blossomed as her journey progressed. I enjoyed the Irish setting, and I loved Lorcan. Jo is a writer, and some of her success seemed easily won, but then this is a happy, feel-good read with a theme of believing in yourself and having the confidence to take risks and follow your dreams. You don’t have to read The Hopes and Dreams of Libby Quinn before this novel, but I recommend you do as it is a fabulous story!

 

Morton S Gray’s The Truth Lies Buried, reviewed by Jane Cable

In Carver Rodgers, Morton Gray has created my kind of hero; a damaged fighter who battles his own demons with increasing conviction. He and his incredible wooden house in the middle of a forest are so beautifully drawn I could actually see and feel how it was to be there and it is no surprise that lonely and grieving Jenny falls for this potentially difficult man.

But this isn’t just a love story, there is a mystery to solve too, one that goes back to a long-forgotten link in Carver and Jenny’s pasts, and it had me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happened.

 

M L Rio’s If We Were Villains, reviewed by Evonne Wareham

If you’re a fan of Donna Tart’s The Secret History and/or Shakespeare you might like to try this one. If it grabs you, it’s a compelling read. In the hothouse atmosphere of a select American college for the arts, seven elite theatre studies students immerse themselves in performing Shakespeare (lots and lots of Shakespeare, heavily quoted). The close knit group share and exchange a heady, swirling mix of friendship, love, hate, rivalry, lust, passion, violence, excess, and eventually murder. The story sweeps the reader along in an intense and sometimes ambiguous journey of mystery and questions. Oliver Marks, newly released from prison after serving ten years for murder, reveals to the detective who arrested him what really happened that night down by the lake and in the weeks that followed. Who was the victim, who the villain – and where did blame for the tragic events really fall?

 

Jenni Keer’s The Secrets of Hawthorn Place, reviewed by Kitty Wilson

 I loved this book. It’s a dual-narrative with both the Victorian and contemporary elements captivating me and thoroughly pulling me in. The characters were really well-drawn and as a reader, I quickly fell in love with them all, screeching when Molly was spending time with Harrison and willing her to get back Acacia House. The use of two Art and Crafts houses on the Dorset and Norfolk coasts as the setting also really appealed – I adore William Morris – and I found Molly’s method of travelling between the two, quirky and endearing. Who wouldn’t love to make such a marvellous discovery? The book was fast-paced, indeed it had me racing to get back to it, and I loved watching all the characters grow. The author writes both strands of romance in an insightful way, indeed she covers a range of human experience with a deft but empathetic touch, and I felt true satisfaction as we reached the resolution and saw how Percy’s life had panned out and the decisions that Molly and Rory make. This novel has it all, romance, history, mystery and magic, all told in a light-hearted style that makes this a beautiful easy and satisfying read.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Garfield Conspiracy by Owen Dwyer Book Review

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I have to admit, I thought The Garfield Conspiracy sounded weird. I did not think it would be a good book. More fool me because: wow. What a masterpiece. This is a blisteringly original novel, filled with glorious prose that you want to file away in your memory bank and fascinating historical facts. It’s a modern novel haunted with ghosts from the past. This novel is intelligent and thought-provoking. Give your brain a fun workout and read some Owen Dwyer. Just perfection.

the Garfield conspiracy , owen dwyer

A burnt-out writer is visited by the characters he is researching while writing a book about the mysterious assassination of US President James Garfield.

Richard Todd, an award-winning writer, is outwardly successful but inwardly plagued by uncertainties. Worst of all, he can’t seem to write any more. When a bright young editor, Jenny Lambe, arrives on his doorstep to work with him on his latest book, about the assassination of US president James Garfield, his life is sent spinning off in a new direction.

 

President Garfield was killed by Charles Guiteau, who was tried and hanged for the murder. But was he acting alone, in July 1881, or was there a more sinister force at work? Richard hears Guiteau’s voice in his head, and as his relationship with Jenny deepens, he is visited by other characters from the assassination drama – including Garfield himself, his Secretary of State James Blaine, Republican senator Roscoe Conkling, Conkling’s mistress Kate Chase Sprague, and the investigating police officer, Detective McElfresh. Are they helping Richard to solve the mystery surrounding Garfield’s murder – or pushing him further towards the edge?

 

A remarkable, disturbing portrait of a middle-aged man torn between his carefully constructed life and new adventures which may beckon, in the present and the past, from one of Ireland’s most exciting emerging authors, and based on original research into a little-known period in US history.

 

 

About the Author

 

Owen Dwyer is a prize-winning short-story writer who has won the Hennessy Emerging Fiction Prize, the Silver Quill (twice), the Smiling Politely Very Very Short Story competition, the South Tipperary County Council Short Story competition and the Biscuit Fiction Prize, and has had stories published in Whispers and Shouts magazine. His previous novel, Number Games, was published to glowing reviews by Liberties Press in 2019, and follows The Cherry-picker (2012) and The Agitator (2004). Owen lives in Dublin with his wife and their three children.

The Garfield conspiracy is available here.

Why Laser Hair Removal Should Be Done During The Festive Season?

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Festive seasons mean getting into a lot of happiness and enjoyment. You will be having quality time with your family and friends. A lot of pictures would be clicked while enjoying. You want to be a picture-perfect person during the festive season too. But you are worried about how to get time to share or wax to get rid of unwanted hair when you are already running busy. 

Are you thinking about the best option to remove unwanted hair? It is laser treatment. Let’s understand why you should have it this festive season? Here are the reasons below: – 

To Say Goodbye To Irritation:- The fact cannot be ignored that nothing is annoying than having the bumps or irritation which occur because of shaving done in a rush to be available at the festive season’s party. You probably have already been running quite busy and that is why you do not get enough time to follow the needed guidelines for shaving. 

Going with the laser hair removal treatment means you will be having the much-needed smoothness irrespective of the area of the body. You would not have to worry about the irritation which can happen because of shaving or waxing. 

Spend Your Special Time Enjoying Festivals:- We wait for festival season holidays all year long. Now, it is here. But you might not be able to enjoy the fullest if your body is not hair-free. Moreover, festive seasons mean you would be having a lot of business. You might have to accomplish a variety of tasks during the holiday. You might have to do a lot of present shopping, decoration, gift wrapping and so on. 

You might not get enough ideal time to get your underarms or legs to be properly shaved. In this context, laser hair removal treatment is an ideal option to have. Talking about the average time, this treatment probably needs 30 minutes. And the best thing is you will be having excellent results. It means you just need one treatment while having the holiday season. 

Do Not Waste Your Hard Earned Money On Razors:- Your money is precious and you should not waste it on things that do not give you expected returns. Have you ever thought about how much money you might have spent on shaving or waxing every year? Whether it is your shaving cream, razors, or waxing, you need to understand that you would not be having long-lasting results spending on these tools. 

Going with laser hair means you will behave to spend a particular amount of money only and you will be enjoying long-lasting results. It could be said that you would be saving a lot of money in the long run. Moreover, during festive seasons, you may get excellent discounts as well. Therefore, you should treat yourself in the best way.

Conclusion – 

Find the best doctor near you to do this treatment and enjoy festivals to the fullest. Your life depends on the good decisions you take.

Collaborative post.