Tag: books

The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong

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The Curse of Penryth Hall is a wonderful compilation of genres rolled together in a terrific dark murder mystery with a heroic female heroine and a handsome sage set in gothic times. There are hidden past secrets, curious characters with dashes of intrigue and magic and of course a bit of romance all rolled into one. You will think you have won the lottery with this story!

Ruby Vaughn works at a bookstore in Exeter who has been asked by her co-worker to bring a box of books to a man in the woods. He is no ordinary person, and she is not allowed to look into the box. She knows this place and is hesitant to go because there is someone there, she would rather not see. 

But she goes and meets this seer whom she immediately dislikes. She then goes to visit her best friend, Tamsyn who lives in Penryth Hall with her now husband Edward Chenowyth. She and Tamsyn have not seen each other in years due to a bit of a falling out. Upon meeting Tamsyn’s husband, she immediately takes a dislike to him He is gruff and treats her friend badly. Convinced to stay the night, Ruby soon regrets the decision.

Suddenly she awakens to church bells ringing. She finds out that someone has died and the bells which have not rung for years mean a previous curse has been renewed. Then she discovers the dead person is her friend’s husband Edward. What? Can this be true? A curse?

Now Penryth Hall is thrown into chaos as there seems to be two sides, those who believe he was murdered by someone and those who believe the curse has killed him. Enter the handsome soothsayer Ruan Kivell who is convinced the curse has come back and will kill again. Ruby feels someone murdered the man because he was nasty. But then the doctor tells them that not only was he poisoned but after he was dead, he was stabbed.

Now it is up to Ruby and Ruan to investigate the death even though each believes the death was caused by something different, and Ruby herself seems to be a target! Who would want to kill her and is there really a foolish curse? As the town awaits the next death, it seems all are suspects!

As the investigation continues, the one person who seems to have a reason to kill Edward is her dear friend Tamsyn. But would she try to kill Ruby too? Haste is a necessity now as clearly someone else will die. Can Ruby and Ruan agree to disagree and find out what is really going on in this small town? Is this a crime or a curse?

The Curse of Penryth Hall will keep you enchantingly engaged throughout the mysteriously engrossing story!

Thank you #Net Galley #MinotaurBooks #JessArmstrong #TheCurseofPenrythHall for the advanced copy.

The Fiction Writer by Jill Cantor

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The Fiction Writer was an amazingly surprising and intensely mysterious page turner which you don’t want to end. For those who have read Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier or a fan of the author, you will have won the lottery with this one! Even if you are new to du Maurier or Rebecca, not only will you completely enjoy the story, but the Rebecca tease will have you reading this book as well.

Olivia Fitzgerald is a very down and out writer. Her first book was a moderate success, her second, Becky, a new take on the book Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier did not sell very well at all. Now, she not only faces writer’s block trying to piece together a new story but has an unhappy agent who she thinks will drop her and a boyfriend of many years who has decided to move out. So, she now sits paralyzed in her life with only her new pet goldfish to keep her company.

But that all changes when she gets a call from her agent about a job in Malibu, California as a ghostwriter for a billionaire named Henry Ashwood who lost his wife in an accident last year. He specifically asked for Olivia to write a book about his grandmother who he claims was the actual writer of Rebecca and du Maurier stole it from her. Now, there have been a few others who have claimed this, but none could prove it. He says he has his grandmother’s diaries and insists he has the proof. The only caveat, he has requested she sign a non-disclosure agreement. But the money he is offering her is too outrageous to turn down, so off Olivia goes to write the story, even though she only has written fiction in the past.

But once there, she soon discovers inconsistencies in Ash’s story, and these mysterious diaries don’t seem to exist. Ash’s housekeeper hates Olivia even though she has no idea why. Olivia thinks she is in love with the mysterious billionaire. Her visits to the mansion go from wonderful to terrifying. Her own book, Becky seems to be some sort of catalyst to Ash, and she has no idea why. As Olivia begins to learn more about his grandmother, she seems to accidentally discover that perhaps his wife who died accidentally was murdered. Why does he really want her here? The longer she stays, the more she realizes something is wrong and she needs to get away. 

As Olivia fights to find the truth, she suddenly discovers she herself is in danger because of her questions. And when she agrees to go to a Gala with Ash, well…let’s just say that is the final straw. But will she be allowed to leave? Has she discovered too much?

The Fiction Writer is truly a unique take on a beloved gothic novel, modernized for today’s world with flawed characters and anxiety ridden twists and turns.

Thank you #NetGalley #ParkRow #JillCantor #TheFictionWriter for the advanced copy.

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose

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Well, the maid we all love and adore, Molly Gray is back in The Mystery Guest. With the charm and heart from the first story, The Maid, we are again excited to learn what she has been up to lately, as well as a bit of her backstory, with her loving and forevermore gran, Flora, her teacher of all things. Molly has come a long way since we were first introduced to her, but she continues to be the honest, thought-provoking, sensitive, intelligent woman we have grown to treasure.

Since we last read about her, Molly has been promoted to head maid at the prestigious yet infamous Regency Grand Hotel, living with her boyfriend Juan in her gran’s apartment. Juan is away visiting his family when of course, another death occurs.

J.D. Grimthorpe, a famous mystery writer is about to make an important announcement about himself, and he has chosen Molly’s hotel to make the statement. Although he has not written a book in a very long time, it is the hope of his fans that he will tell them he is coming out with a sequel to his bestseller from years ago.

But just before he is going to make the announcement, he keels over and dies. It is soon discovered that someone has poisoned him. Now, Molly’s new maid-in-training, Lily is frightened because she thinks it’s always the maid. But Molly has faith that with a bit of investigating, the Regency Grant Hotel will be exonerated.

As Molly’s frenemy, Detective Stark once again is put on the case and of course eyes Molly suspiciously, Molly knows she did not kill the man. But unfortunately, Molly has a deep dark secret. When she was young, she and her gran had worked as maids for the Grimthorpe household, and it did not end well.

As she flashes back to that dreadful time, she begins to remember more about what happened when they worked for the mysterious writer. But clues of his death are sparse and when she sees her dear friend Mr. Preston doing something illegal, well her head begins to spin.

As Molly tries to put the clues together, realizing Grimthorpe was not a very nice person and anybody could have wanted him dead, the suspects begin to add up and she must find the killer before it ruins the reputation of her wonderful hotel.

The Mystery Guest is sleuthing at its best, and our Molly is as sweet as honey as she brilliantly and true to herself discovers the truths behind the dead man. Cannot wait to see where Molly goes next!

Thank you #NetGalley #BallentineBooks #NitaProse #TheMysteryGuest for the advanced copy.

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice by Alison Rose Greenberg

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Sometimes, timing is everything, but in Maybe Once, Maybe Twice timing is heartbreaking. The story follows the joys and sorrows of a woman who has three great loves in her life. Her dream to become a singer/songwriter, and two relationships which somehow keep falling to pieces. The story is told by jumping in time backward in age to now explaining how all these second chances have come to fruition and the risks involved in each decision she makes.

Maggie finds herself at a pivotal point in her life. She discovers on her 35th birthday that she may not be able to get pregnant, something she really wants although there is no man in her life, and she certainly can’t afford any help in that area. Oh, and her music career is in the dumps. Her only salvation is she and her best friend Garrett have always said if they were not married by the age of thirty-five, they would marry. Which for Maggie is very pleasurable as she has secretly loved her him since they first met. Yes, they have had their ups and downs over the years and yes, they have not seen each other in a while but she knows he’s coming to her party, and she knows she can make everything all right.

So, when they finally meet up, Maggie is devastated to learn Garrett is engaged to be married to someone else. Especially after he gave her an amazing kiss at the party! Heartbroken she begins to look back at their relationship as well as her first love, Asher whom she met at summer camp who was also the first person to break her heart.

But when Garrett invites her to his engagement party, which turns into a nightmare with them confronting each other, she realizes she can’t continue like this. So, she decides to look up Asher, an actor and is surprised at what she finds.

As they reconnect, and with his help realizes she is on the edge of fame, Garrett makes an unexpected announcement. So does Asher. And someone from her past she hates has come back to haunt her. Overwhelmed by all of this, she must decide what she wants knowing she will hurt them both.

Is there a true love of your life? Can there be two? How do you break someone’s heart knowing this could be the end of the relationship. How do you decide to finally, for once worry about yourself instead of all the others. How does she finally find the happiness and peace she needs.

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice is a funny, emotional rollercoaster of falling in love, memories and learning to let go. It’s about being strong for yourself and others, not ever realizing you can be able and still be in control of your own life as you reach the top of the mountain.

Thank you #NetGalley #St.Martin’sGriffin # AlisonRoseGreenberg #MaybeOnce,MaybeTwice for the advanced copy.

Plot Twist by Erin LaRosa

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Plot Twist is a sweet love story about a romance writer who has lost her mojo on love and can’t write, who proceeds to fall in love with her best friend’s brother, an actor who comes from Hollywood royalty, but does not only not want to act anymore, but is facing a sober life and is afraid of letting someone else down. In this charming plot, they discover not only each other, but themselves.

Romance writer Sophie Lyon gets very drunk one night and declares live on social media that she has never been in love and with her next book due in weeks believes she is a wash-up. Except the next morning when she is sober, she discovers she is now a media star. What has she done?

Dash Montrose, Sophie’s landlord as well as Sophie’s best friend Poppy’s brother sees her in a panic. An expert at social media, he tells her he can help create a platform where she could share what she feels if she will help him write a speech he needs to make at a ceremony in honor of his father, a Hollywood legend.

So, Sophie decides to go back to her former exes and ask the question why we broke up and document said answers on social media as the clock ticks towards her deadline. Dash who has his own crisis going on is learning to be sober. He has not told anyone in his family this as well as the fact he does not want to act and would prefer to live a simple life creating pottery while he is still learning how to live life clearheaded. Sophie’s problem is a terrific distraction as well as her being great to look at and fun to be with.

As Sophie visits her exes and discovers the good the bad and the ugly, she begins to realize she perhaps may have a problem with commitment. While this is happening, Dash is trying to figure out how to tell his family, who will not be pleased with his news that he was in a rehab. You see, his parents are all about the fame and being the perfect family.

But attraction gives in, and Sophie and Dash proceed to become friends with benefits. Of course, neither wants to tell Poppy because they know she will lose her mind! In the meantime, Dash seems to have a stalker who threatens to blow up his life by informing the media of his secret.

Everything explodes in their faces all at once and neither of them handles the aftermath very well. Is it possible for these two people who clearly love one another to admit their feelings when one of them can’t commit and the other is afraid to commit?

Plot Twist has strong messages while being a delightful, heartfelt story with twist and happy turns which will keep you rooting until the end.

Thank you #NetGalley #CanaryStreetPress #ErinLaRosa #PlotTwist for the advanced copy.