Book Giveaway - Danger at the Cove

GIVEAWAY PRIZE:

Two winners: one (1) hardcopy and one (1) paperback copy of Danger at the Cover by Ashley Weaver.  Click here for my review.

Book Blurb: "Renovations on Tregarrick Rock Hotel are
coming along, and Evie Mead thinks they just might be done by opening day. Then one of her sister Margot’s old Hollywood friends, Louise, arrives unannounced—and expecting VIP treatment.

Evie has half a mind to tell Louise to find other accommodations, but Margot pleads with Evie, saying that Louise—despite her upbeat and demanding attitude—is grieving her recently deceased husband. Evie pities her, and besides, the sisters need help. A simple rewiring project has resulted in a major overhaul of the hotel, and they’re way over budget. The small life insurance policy left to Evie by her own husband is gone, and they are desperate for funds. Margot believes that Louise, a marketing guru, can put the hotel on the map and give it the boost it needs.

But when a member of the hotel staff is found dead, and then another murder follows, the sisters’ plans crumble before their eyes. Who would do such a thing—and why? In a rollicking adventure involving a shipwreck filled with buried treasure, a dashing and mysterious Australian named Randy, and old rivalries stretching back to far before Evie and Margot ever set foot on the island, it’s all hands on deck to find the killer—and save the hotel."

Entry for giveaway lasts until Friday August 29th 6:00 p.m. (MST).  U.S.  entries only please.  

I will be shipping the book to the winners.

How to enter:

*** First, you must be an email subscriber to this blog***

All entries are to be in the comments for this post.  ALL ENTRIES WITHOUT AN EMAIL ADDRESS ARE DISQUALIFIED.

I will accept entries for this giveaway until 6:00 p.m (MST) on  Aug 29, 2021.  I shall notify each winner via the email address you provided to get your mailing address and have the prize sent directly to you.  If I don't hear from you in 3 days, I will select another winner and notify them.

IF you are an email subscriber of this blog, you only need to leave a comment with your correct email.

BECOME an email subscriber of this blog if you aren't already and enjoy the celebration of all things mystery and suspense.

2021 BARRY AWARDS PRESENTED

The Barry Awards, voted on by the readers of Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine, were announced on August 5, 2021. This is to help you discover new talent and books for your to-be-read pile!

Best Mystery/Crime Novel

  * Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby -Winner

  ° The Boy from the Woods by Harlan Coben 

  ° The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly

  ° And Now She’s Gone by Rachel Howzell Hall 

  ° Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz 

  ° All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny

Best First Novel

  * Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden -Winner

  ° Deep State by Chris Hauty 

  ° Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March 

  ° The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman 

  ° The Eighth Detective by Alex Pavesi 

  ° Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel 

Best Paperback Original

  * Turn to Stone by James W. Ziskin -Winner

  ° When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole 

  ° Monkok Station by Jake Needham

  ° Hide Away by Jason Pinter 

  ° Bad News Travels Fast by James Swain

  ° Darkness for Light by Emma Viskic

Best Thriller

  * Eddie’s Boy by Thomas Perry -Winner

  ° Double Agent by Tom Bradby 

  ° Blind Vigil by Matt Coyle

  ° One Minute Out by Mark Greaney

  ° The Last Hunt by Deon Meyer 

  ° The Wild One by Nick Petrie

Review - An Unexpected Peril

I began with the first book in this series.

1. A Curious Beginning (click here)

3. A Treacherous Curse (click here)

4. A Dangerous Collaboration (click here)

5. A Murderous Relation (click here)  

Now we have the sixth entry in the series with an interesting premise.

Author: Deanna Raybourn

Copyright: March 2021 (Berkley) 346 pgs

Series: 6th in Veronica Speedwell Mystery series

Sensuality: Period references to mature material

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical amateur sleuth

Main Character: Veronica Speedwell 

Setting: 1888, London England

Obtained Through: Netgalley

Book Blurb: "A princess is missing and a peace treaty is on the verge of collapse in this new Veronica Speedwell adventure.

 January 1889. As the newest member of the Curiosity Club--an elite society of brilliant, intrepid women--Veronica Speedwell is excited to put her many skills to good use. As she assembles a memorial exhibition for pioneering mountain climber Alice Baker-Greene, Veronica discovers evidence that the recent death was not a tragic climbing accident but murder. Veronica and her natural historian beau, Stoker, tell the patron of the exhibit, Princess Gisela of Alpenwald, of their findings. With Europe on the verge of war, Gisela's chancellor, Count von Rechstein, does not want to make waves--and before Veronica and Stoker can figure out their next move, the princess disappears.

Having noted Veronica's resemblance to the princess, von Rechstein begs her to pose as Gisela for the sake of the peace treaty that brought the princess to England. Veronica reluctantly agrees to the scheme. She and Stoker must work together to keep the treaty intact while navigating unwelcome advances, assassination attempts, and Veronica's own family--the royalty who has never claimed her."

Veronica is highly intelligent with a sharp tongue and wit that is put to the test in this book.  Stoker (Mr. Ravelstoke Templeton-Vane) is her sleuthing partner.  He is cranky and reclusive but perfect for her.  Journalist J.J. Butterworth has a small role in the story and is becoming a regular supporting cast. Baroness von Wallenberg is the Princess's Lady-in-waiting and the chancellor, Count von Rechstein guide Veronica through the myriad of details in her role as princess and add to the story.

There is the princess's disappearance, Alice Baker-Greene's murder, and the dangers of posing as the princess that gets more dangerous as the investigation continues.  The plot has plenty going on and the pacing picks up after all the setup for the story is in place.  

Another fantastic killer reveal and tense show down.  Love the climaxes in this series.  The wrap-up provides closure and a nice surprise for Veronica and Stoker.  

There was a good bit of setup before the meat of the situation.  But once I was in the heart of the story, it was an absorbing read.  I liked Veronica disguised as the princess and everything she went through.  Even though the story takes place entirely in London, the fiction country of Alpenwald becomes so real that at times I felt the story partially took place there.  Excellent story and mystery, for the motive was slowly uncovered until things clicked into place.  If you enjoy historical mysteries, this is top notch like all the books in this series.

Rating: Excellent - Loved it!

Book Giveaway - The Kaiser's Web

GIVEAWAY PRIZE:

I have some extra hard copy books, so I am going to give one away here and there.  This week it is The Kaiser's Web by Steve Berry, hardbound book.  Click here for my review.

Entry for giveaway lasts until Friday August 20th 6:00 p.m. (MST).  U.S.  entries only please.

  

I will be shipping the book to the winners.

How to enter:

*** First, you must be an email subscriber to this blog***

All entries are to be in the comments for this post.  ALL ENTRIES WITHOUT AN EMAIL ADDRESS ARE DISQUALIFIED.

I will accept entries for this giveaway until 6:00 p.m (MST) on  Aug 20, 2021.    I shall notify each winner via the email address you provided to get your mailing address and have the prize sent directly to you.  If I don't hear from you in 3 days, I will select another winner and notify them.

IF you are an email subscriber of this blog, you only need to leave a comment with your correct email.

BECOME an email subscriber of this blog if you aren't already and enjoy the celebration of all things mystery and suspense.

Review - Poppy Redfern & the Midnight Murders

During World War II, the Germans conducted mass air attacks against British industrial targets, towns, and cities, beginning with raids on London that was systematically bombed by the Luftwaffe for 56 out of 57 days and nights.  Overall eight months (247 nights) of bombing all over England never accomplished the surrender Hitler wanted.  

Underground stations sheltered as many as 177,000 people during the night. In the worst single incident, 450 were killed when a bomb destroyed a school being used as an air raid shelter.

England trained average citizens to assist during such air raids, which is what this main character does.  Charming and feisty Poppy Redfern stumbles into murder in this exciting new World War II historical mystery series from critically acclaimed author Tessa Arlen.

A little late to the party on this book, but better late than never! I meant to read this sooner, but just got around to it.

Author: Tessa Arlen

Copyright: Nov 2019 (Berkley) 320 pgs

Series: 1st in Woman of WWII Mystery series

Sensuality: innuendo mostly, nothing gory

Mystery Sub-genre: historical mystery, amateur Sleuth

Main Characters: Poppy Redfern, WWII Air Raid Warden 

Setting: 1942 England during WWII

Obtained Through: Library

Book Blurb: "Summer 1942. The world has been at war for three long and desperate years. In the remote English village of Little Buffenden, Poppy Redfern’s family house and farmland has been requisitioned by the War Office as a new airfield for the American Air Force. As the village's Air Raid Warden, Poppy spends her nights patrolling the village as she tries to ease her neighbors’ fears about the “Friendly Invasion” and what it means to their quiet way of life.

 When two young, popular women who were dating American servicemen are found strangled, Poppy quickly realizes that her little town has been divided by murder. The mistrust and suspicion of their new American partners in war threatens to tear Little Buffenden apart. Poppy decides to start her own investigation with the help of a charismatic American pilot and she soon unearths some chilling secrets and long-held grudges. Poppy will have no choice but to lay a trap for a killer so perilously close to home, she might very well become the next victim...."

Poppy Redfern is level headed and a determined young lady with a sense of duty who looks like Katherine Hepburn. I loved her right away. Lieutenant Griff O'Neal of the American Army Air Force is the potential romantic interest. Alice, Poppy's grandmother, is a darling-but old fashioned and doesn't like Poppy being an air raid warden.  Jasper, Poppy's grandfather, is a spitfire in his late seventies and he is a commanding officer in the local home guard.  

The first little bit is Poppy finishing training in London, but the rest is set in Little Buffenden. The small town is perfectly rendered and you feel the gossipy environ with its small town suspicions of the Americans at the nearby base. The sense of isolation permeates, too.

The plot of girls being murdered in the middle of the night and the insistence that it has to be the American pilots meant to aid in defending Britain's skies is a good premise.  The atmosphere of the town really heightens this tension.  The pacing was steady and kept me glued to the pages, anxious to read on.

 I love the harrowing killer reveal and this delivered beautifully. Tip of the hat on that score! Great wrap-up and the hint of adventures to come in London.

I am partial to fiction books set in this time period. But, that also means I can be a little picky about them as well.  This book excelled on all counts. Rich characters, compelling mystery, delightful writing style with atmospheric touches, and a hint of romance.  I am already turning to the next book in the series. I highly recommend.

Rating: Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend. 

Here is an actual reporting about the blitz from 

a reporter on the scene.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiW_yYOm2e8

Mystery Fill-in-the-Blank Game 8/2021

Let's play a game this week! 

I am going to list partial titles and you try to fill in the blanks. All the books are by the same author, which is a clue. At the end of the titles, supply who the author of these books was.

You are on the honor system playing this, try completing this without the aid of the internet.  In a few days I will supply the answers and you can post how many you got right in the comments.  I did this in a very low tech sort of way :-)

1) A _________ for Death

2) A ________ to Murder

3) A __________ Justice

4) __________ and Desires

5) The _______ Tower

6)  The Murder _____

7) ___________ Causes

8) The ________ Patient

9) Death in ______ ________

10) Cover Her _______

The Author of all these books is: _____ _________

1) A Taste for Death   2) A Mind to Murder  3) A Certain Justice  4) Devices and Desires  5) The Black Tower  6)  The Murder Room  7) Unnatural Causes  8) The Private Patient  9) Death in Holy Orders  10) Cover Her Face 

the Author of all these books is PD James.