The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly Book Review

Posted on by

The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly Book Review

I always get excited when a new Michael Connolly book arrives. I also love the characters Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch. As a team they are brilliant and so interesting. The Dark Hours is a tightly-wound thriller which reaches an explosive and satisfying ending. Another triumph for Michael Connolly.

A brazen and methodical killer strikes on New Year’s Eve and LAPD Detective Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch must join forces to find justice for the victim in a city scarred by fear and social unrest, in the new thriller from the #1 Sunday Times bestseller Michael Connelly.

There’s chaos in Hollywood at the end of the New Year’s Eve countdown. Working her graveyard shift, LAPD Detective Renée Ballard waits out the traditional rain of lead as hundreds of revellers shoot their guns into the air. Only minutes after midnight, Ballard is called to a scene where a hardworking auto shop owner has been fatally hit by a bullet in the middle of a crowded street party.

Ballard quickly concludes that the deadly bullet could not have fallen from the sky and that it is linked to another unsolved murder – a case at one time worked by Detective Harry Bosch. At the same time, Ballard hunts a fiendish pair of serial rapists, the Midnight Men, who have been terrorizing women and leaving no trace.

Determined to solve both cases, Ballard feels like she is constantly running uphill in a police department indelibly changed by the pandemic and recent social unrest. It is a department so hampered by inertia and low morale that Ballard must go outside to the one detective she can count on: Harry Bosch. But as the two inexorable detectives work together to find out where old and new cases intersect, they must constantly look over their shoulders. The brutal predators they are tracking are ready to kill to keep their secrets hidden.

The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly is available here.

 

Christmas Gift Guide 2021: Top Picks

Posted on by

The Polar Express Gift Set is the perfect gift. Brand new for 2021, it  includes a mini-hardback version of Chris Van Allsburg’s enduring Christmas classic (made into a move in 2004 starring Tom Hanks), plus a writing set for children to send their letter to Santa, write thank you notes after Christmas or even write their own future Christmas classic – PLUS – a gorgeous tree decoration based on the sleigh bell from the book – and if you didn’t know already, only those who truly believe in the magic of Christmas will hear the bell ring!

We loved this. It is so cute and clever. It brings the full experience for total Christmas joy. A must-buy.

Available from Waterstones and Amazon.co.uk

Next Up is…

BiGDUG’s LiTTLEDUG Workstation.

toys, gifts, Christmas, presents.

This is a brilliant toy for children. It will keep them entertained for ages. It is well-made and great to help with development.

BiGDUG, the world-famous storage expert, has brought back – by popular demand – the LittleDUG Workstation. Just in time for Christmas, the LittleDUG Workstation is the ideal gift for all budding engineers, DIY gurus, decorators and builders, so they can get stuck in to DIY just like the adults.

 

The workstation comes with a mini tool set, including a spanner, socket spanner, hammer, screwdriver, pliers and a vice. With over 60 pieces included in the bundle, the BiGDUG LittleDUG Workstation will be sure to keep the busiest of hands full this festive season.

Suitable for Children aged from three years, the toy workstation is just £19.99 and is great to develop fine motor skills too.

Available here.

Next up is something for the adults. We LOVE this gin. 

Why not give a truly spirited gift this Christmas, with a beautiful bottle of Single Estate Spirit from Ramsbury?

Single Estate simply means that the complete process from field to bottle takes place on the Ramsbury Estate in Wiltshire. It sows, grows and distils the primary ingredients itself. Operating a true grain to glass approach, everything from the estate is used in the production. Making its offering among the most sustainable spirits sold in the UK.

The award-winning spirits will be a sure-fire winner for Christmas gifting for friends and family that enjoy a premium pour.

gin. christmasRamsbury Single

Estate Gin £33.50, 700ml, 40% ABV

A crisp, full-bodied London Dry Gin combined with quince grown on the estate, classic juniper, citrus, woody angelica and spicy cinnamon.

The result is a London Dry Gin with a modern twist, complex but balanced. Enjoy in Ramsbury’s signature G&T, with a slice of green apple and a slice of lime.

Awards: SIP Platinum Award 2021 and SIP Consumer Choice Award 2021

www.ramsbury.com

For the perfect stocking filler: we love this apron with pockets from CookSmart. It is adorable and well-made. 

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

Posted on by

 

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

Posted on by

 

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

Posted on by
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

Posted on by

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

Posted on by
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

Posted on by

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.