Fear the Darkness, Becky Masterman

In her world you’re either an amusement, useful or in her way.

Retired FBI agent Brigid Quinn may be stalking sixty but she can still take down a man half her age. Brigid’s Tucson based PI business is humming along, as is her marriage to Carlo. The Quinns have just lost Brigid’s sister and Brigid made a promise to take in her her niece, Gemma-Kate in that event and that could be the worst mistake she ever made. 

Within days of the girl’s arrival one of the family pets has fallen ill, Brigid investigating the case of a young man drowned in suspicious circumstances is concerned. She confides in her friend Mallory that the girl may have a little too much of the Quinn dark side about her but Brigid isn’t feeling quite like herself either. 

Unbecoming, Rebecca Scherm

Julie is from California, scraping a living restoring antiques in Paris. Grace is from Garland, Tennessee, she’s a wife and a thief. Grace became Julie after her husband and lover were arrested for looting a local country estate but it goes deeper than that. 

On the day that the boys are paroled, Grace is terrified that one of them will find her French bolt-hole and come to collect the treasure she absconded with, a treasure she no longer has. How far will she unravel before any survival instinct kicks in.

As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust, Alan Bradley

Flavia De Luce has been dispatched to Miss Bodycotes Female Academy in Canada and what a strange place her late mother Harriet’s alma mater is turning out to be! Several girls seem to have gone missing and Flavia, being Flavia finds a somewhat charred dead body on her first night at the academy. 

Bradley’s usual mix of humour and scientific knowhow are here along with Flavia’s introduction to the wider world beyond the ‘safe’ haven of Bishop’s Lacey.

New for 2015

A new year and a fresh start and fresh projects are popping up all over the place. Book four is almost finished, I'm working on a standalone (short story at the moment but it could become a novella) new books to read, a new website (which should be ready for launch in February) which will contain, video reviews amongst other goodies.

In the mean time enjoy these new releases!

Moriarty, Anthony Horowitz

Days after Holmes and Moriarty have fought and fallen to their deaths at the Reichenbach Falls, two men arrive to identify Moriarty’s body. Inspector Jones, a student of Holmes’ methods has been sent by Scotland Yard. Frederick Chase is an agent with the Pinkerton Detective Agency and he brings disturbing news. One of America’s most ruthless criminal masterminds was about to join forces with Moriarty.

Jones and Chase work together to stop the mysterious Clarence Devereaux but they are thwarted at every turn. Jones’ life may be in more danger than he knows as he and Chase plunge deep into the murky waters of London’s criminal enterprise. Can the pair stop a man hiding in plain sight or will they fall prey to Moriarty’s would-be successor.

Changes

As regular readers know I've not been as active on the blog lately. Writing has taken over and book four is shaping up nicely, I'm also getting a website up and running as it became obvious that the things I wanted to expand into are too complicated to handle in a blog.

I am also looking into doing some book talks via FaceTime and posting some audio reviews on the website. The only review for this month is Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz, enjoy.

Stone Wife, Peter Lovesey

A bungled robbery that turns into murder gives Superintendent Peter Diamond and his team a case that is positively Byzantine. 

The murder victim was a Chaucer scholar and the piece he was bidding for ‘the stone wife of bath’ has taken up residence in Diamond’s office and Diamond isn’t enjoying her company. 

While he is chasing up suspects and weighing motives, DS Ingeborg Smith volunteers to go under-cover to finger the likely gun supplier. A risky operation, made riskier by the actions of one of her impulsive colleagues.