#BlogTour City of Drowned Souls 
                           (Elisenda Domènech Investigations)
                                    by Chris Lloyd 

Today I am part of the City of Drowned Souls blog tour. I have read all three books of the series so far and will post the summary and a short review of each one below. However, I would like to start by talking about the series as a whole.  

Chris Lloyd brings Girona to life and his characters jump from the page pulling us into their world.

The horror of the crimes the team have to face is in stark contrast to the beauty of the city in which they are committed. Half way into the first book  I found that I could wander through the blend of traditional architecture and new buildings that make up streets of Girona, the delightful aromas of the local dishes on offer tantalising my taste buds. The distinctive thrum of the river flowing through the city a comforting sound, the shadow of the cathedral offering a reprieve from the midday sun... that is how vivid and memorable the authors descriptions are! 

What I absolutely loved from the word go was that these are not books for lazy readers. To begin with, you need to work at remembering the names of the characters and the places as the books are all set in the Catalan city of Girona. Once I'd got to grips with that, and it wasn't hard, it just required a little bit of concentration, I fell in love with Elisenda and her city. 

The crimes are macabre and shake our team of investigators to the core, challenging them to their limits... and us along with them. We never know more than the team investigating, although there are times when the author allows us to make a judgement moments before we turn the page and find the team have reached the same conclusion. 

Truly gripping, the stories twist and turn as we gasp in terror at the evil in the world, grind our teeth with frustration with the obstacles bureaucracy and public apathy cause and sigh with relief when Elisenda and her team take the criminals down. 

If you like crime fiction, you will love this series! 

                                                                      City of Good Death 

A killer is targeting hate figures in the Catalan city of Girona – a loan shark, a corrupt priest, four thugs who have blighted the streets of the old quarter – leaving clues about his next victim through mysterious effigies left hung on a statue. Each corpse is posed in a way whose meaning no one can fathom. Which is precisely the point the murderer is trying to make.


Elisenda Domènech, the solitary and haunted head of the city’s newly-formed Serious Crime Unit, is determined to do all she can to stop the attacks. She believes the attacker is drawing on the city’s legends to choose his targets, but her colleagues aren’t convinced and her investigation is blocked at every turn.


Battling against the increasing sympathy towards the killer displayed by the press, the public and even some of the police, she finds herself forced to question her own values. But when the attacks start to include less deserving victims, the pressure is suddenly on Elisenda to stop him. The question is: how?


This book will make you question yourself.
When people who have caused nothing but harm are being murdered, is it still a crime? 

As Elisenda, who isn't without her own troubles, is pulled deeper and deeper into the killers mind, you find yourself thinking over everything that you know, trying to put the pieces together on the board, hoping to solve the crime too! Sorry to disappoint but you won't!! The city's legends, the corrupt mind of a killer, the elaborate staging of the bodies and the prejudices of the average man on the street all come together to create a mystery that even the most genius of minds would struggle to solve. 

The author captures the hustle and bustle of Girona perfectly, the combination of the traditional and the new that is currently changing every city in the world. The residents going about their business, alongside the tourists who come to absorb the traditions, perfectly written.

My favourite quote, which I see as incredibly relevant to us all today is, 

"That's what our man is feeding on," Elisenda commented. "The pettiness of people who'd describe themselves as normal."


                                                    City of Buried Ghosts 

Still recovering from the tragedy that hit her team, Elisenda takes on a new case. Except it’s not new. On an archaeological dig by the coast a body is uncovered, seemingly executed with a spike thrust through the base of the skull – an ancient tribal ritual. It soon becomes clear that this body is neither ancient nor modern, but a mysterious corpse from the 1980s.

 Assigned to the case along with her team, Elisenda soon uncovers a complex world of star archaeologists, jealousy and missing persons. They find a dark trade in illicit antiquities, riddled with vicious professional rivalries. And even though she’s staying close to the crime scene, Elisenda is also never far from enemies of her own within the police force. 

Just as the case seems to become clear it is blown wide-open by another horrific murder. Elisenda must fight her personal demons and office politics, whilst continuing to uncover plots and hatreds that were long buried. How far will she go to solve the crime? Is her place in the force secure? And can she rebuild her life?


A remarkable second installment in the series, this book finds Elisenda and her team battered and broken. Will they be able to pull themselves together enough to investigate another horrific crime? 

After reading A City of Buried Ghosts I wasn't sure the author would be able to create another story with as grisly a crime, with as breathtaking a backdrop... but Chris Lloyd does not disappoint. If anything, you will find yourself falling even more in love with Girona and your emotional ties to Elisenda and her serious crime unit will strengthen as despite the fallout of the first book they battle on. 


                                                  City of Drowned Souls

When a child disappears, the clock starts ticking Detective Elisenda Domènech has had a tough few years. The loss of her daughter and a team member; the constant battles against colleagues and judges; the harrowing murder investigations… But it’s about to get much worse.

 When the son of a controversial local politician goes missing at election time, Elisenda is put on the case. They simply must solve it. Only the team also have to deal with a spate of horrifically violent break-ins. People are being brutalised in their own homes and the public demands answers. 

Could there be a connection? Why is nobody giving a straight answer? And where is Elisenda’s key informant, apparently vanished off the face of the earth? With the body count threatening to increase and her place in the force on the line, the waters are rising… Be careful not to drown.

Book three is a masterpiece! The characters and the city of Girona are old friends and I quickly found myself immersed in yet another ghastly criminal investigation with more twists, spins and undercurrents than the river running through the city. 

Elisenda, who by the way I would very much like as a best friend, finds herself forced to face her guilt and the visions that haunt her whilst investigating a crime that strikes painfully close to home.

If you think that this time, you might just get there before the team do... well, you'll have to read it and find out. 

Oh and the epilogue will blow your mind! 

Get your copies here:

City of Good Death

City of Buried Ghosts

City of Drowned Souls

Follow Chris Lloyd on twitter

                                          Mary's The Name
                                            by Ross Sayers 
                                                 Blog Tour

I am so excited to be part of the Mary's The Name Blog Tour! Not only do I get to share this amazing book with you all ( review further down the page ) but I also have a guest post from the author.
So without further ado, I'll hand over my blog to the wonderful Ross Sayers! 

I thought I might share some of my ‘firsts’ with Anna’s lovely readers!

First time I had something published: August 2013. 
Octavius Magazine (sadly no longer with us) chose my story ‘Late Kick-off’ for their second edition. This was such a thrill, having never seen my name in a contents list before! My story was told from a wee boy’s point of view, and I’m still using child narrators to this day in Mary’s the Name. I was particularly surprised when I found out, as my tutor at Uni at the time had said the piece didn’t work and I needed to rewrite it. Creative writing can be so subjective, always worth remembering!


First time I won a writing competition: July 2015. 
Cargo Publishing (also no longer with us, I must be a curse!) ran a competition, asking people to respond to the cover of Nicholas Hogg’s Tokyo with a piece of writing. My little story won, and I received a signed copy of the novel. I hadn’t thought I would win, of course, and I had already bought a copy! It was a great feeling though.


First time I signed a publishing contract: May 2016.
I met with Cranachan in late April to discuss the novel I submitted, then titled ‘The Portree Kid’. In May, I signed to published the book in February 2017. I was over the moon. All the work I’d put it over the previous year had paid off. I was going to get to call myself an author. Fair to say, February 2017 seemed so far away at the time…


First time I held my own book in my hands: December 2016. 
I met with Helen from Cranachan at Coffee on Wooer in Falkirk, to read from Mary’s the Name at ‘Wooer with Words’. I didn’t hear much of what she said at first, as I knew she had a copy of the book in her bag and all I wanted was to hold it! Funny thing is, it wasn’t the huge moment you’d think it would’ve been. I’d already seen the cover, the back cover, and a PDF of the inside. Add to that, Helen and my friends looking at me as I held it, really I just felt a bit awkward! My friends and I ended up going on a trip to Oban that night, and I could barely put it down. It may not have made me emotional, but I didn’t want to let it go!

First time I signed a copy of my book: January 2017. 
Helen and I visited Levenmouth Academy in Fife to do a mock launch of Mary’s the Name. As we were leaving, Helen asked the teachers if they would like an advanced copy of the book. They said yes, then asked for me to sign it. I knew I was going to have to sign it eventually, but I wasn’t quite prepared! I sat looking at the title page for what felt like an age, not really sure what I was doing. My hand was genuinely shaky, as if I was graffitiing the book. Hopefully I’ll get used to it soon!

By the time you’re reading this, I can add First time my book was released. I can’t wait for everyone to meet Mary, and I hope you enjoy!

I would like to say a huge thank you to Ross Sayers for his guest post, for inviting me to be a part of the blog tour and for sending me a copy of Mary's the Name. 



Summary 

An eight year-old girl and her granpa are on the run...
"When me and Granpa watched James Bond films, he told me not to be scared because people didn't have guns like that in Scotland. That must have been why the robbers used hammers." 
Orphaned Mary lives with her granpa, but after he is mixed up in a robbery at the bookies where he works, they flee to the Isle of Skye. Gradually, Mary realises that her granpa is involved. And the robbers are coming after him - and their money. 

My review 

To say that I loved this book would be an understatement. Mary stole my heart from the very first and as the story progressed, so my fondness for her grew and grew.  

Ross Sayers has somehow managed to capture the essence of an eight year old little girl perfectly! Mary is smart, feisty, kind, loving, weird ( in only the best ways ), innocent, vulnerable and yet so incredibly strong. 

The whole story is told from Mary's perspective, so we see everything through the eyes and thoughts of an eight year old girl. The genius lies in how we, as adults get to see more than Mary does, how we understand more than her innocent self, and see, before she does, the storm clouds in the horizon. 

Mary and her granpa's relationship is beautiful, touching and so real. I loved Mary's logic, her thought process and the reasons she makes the decisions that she does are so clear and based on the self preservation of a young child not wanting to get into trouble and yet her awareness of consequences is that of a much older child. Her friendship with Grace is again perfectly done... from the "best friends" declaration to the small injustices that seem to a child unforgivable offenses, Ross Sayers captures the vulnerability of a new friendship delightfully. 

The local dialogue helps to transport the reader to the Isle of Skye and brings the island and it's inhabitants to life. I could see the row of colourful houses, feel the spray of the cold sea water on my skin, hear the seagulls cries and smell the sea air and the fish and chips from the chip shop. 

Mary's the Name made me laugh out loud, hold my breath in anticipation of what the next page would bring, and cry ugly tears. If you are looking for a powerful emotional story, then grab yourself a copy and prepare yourself to meet Mary, who will stay with you long after you put the book down. 

I received a copy of Mary's the Name in exchange for an honest review.


Follow Ross Sayers on twitter

Buy the book here : Amazon 
                                    The Book Depository 

Here are the rest of the stops on the tour below. 

                                     Playlist For A Paper Angel                                                                                           by Jacqueline Ward 

Today is my stop on the Playlist For A Paper Angel Blog Tour. I loved the first book in the series, Random Acts of Unkindness and couldn't wait to catch up with DS Jan Pearce and find out what happens next in her story. 

To begin with, I have the privilege of sharing with you author Jacquiline Wards top five crime/detective books. 

Top Five Crime/Detective Books
1. Apple Tree Yard by Louise Doughty
2. Disclaimer by Renee Knight
3. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
4. Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
5. Just What Kind of Mother are You? By Paula Daly

Summary:
One child found, one child missing – what's the connection? DS Jan Pearce is still searching for her missing son. When she finds a little girl, Elise, alone in a pram in a busy town centre, she must unravel a mystery that takes her to the edge of her emotions. Then another child, Dara Price, goes missing. Lisa Connelly, Elise's mother, has been forced into a life of prostitution and has been leaving her little girl alone. Her gangland boss is holding her prisoner but she wants her little girl back.
Jan finds herself balancing her search for her son with finding Dara. Her right hand man, Mike Waring, is on another case so she and her temporary partner, profiler Damien Booth, must solve the puzzle and find Lisa before time runs out for Dara. Playlist for a Paper Angel is the second in the DS Jan Pearce series of novels and is the sequel to Random Acts of Unkindness.

Review:
I read this book in four hours, I picked it up at 10 pm one night, thinking I'd read a couple of chapters and couldn't put it down until I finished the last page just before 2 am. It's that good! From the first page the action begins and it picks up pace through out, my heart raced as Jan and her team raced against the clock to find the missing little girl, terrified of what would pan out. 

The story is told from two perspectives, we meet Elise's mum very early on and the balance between the reality of what is going on in her life and how the police are conducting their investigation is written beautifully. I love the new character introduced in this book, Dr Damien Booth, a profiler, who helps Jan Pearce see things in a whole new way. 

One of the things I love about this author is that she doesn't sugar coat things, the crimes are horrific and she tells it like it is. Honest, raw and at times heartbreaking, Playlist for a Paper Angel is a brilliant read, one that I just can't recommend enough. 

Information about the Book

Title: Playlist for a Paper Angel (DS Pearce #2)
Author: Jacqueline Ward
Release Date: 27th December 2016
Genre: Crime Detective Fiction
Publisher: Kindle Press
Format: Ebook

                                 My Favourite Novel of 2016

I read 29 Fiction books in 2016. I loved so many of them, but have decided to give a shout out to my absolute favourite, Foxlowe by Eleanor Wasserberg! 

I had the joy and privilege of meeting the author Eleanor Wasserberg at a book event in Sheffield. She is incredible! She read from Foxlowe and despite me knowing exactly what was going to happen and when, I still got chills. Foxlowe is the author's debut novel and believe me when I say, it's sublime! In fact, don't take my word for it, grab yourself a copy and find out! 

                                                                 Foxlowe by Eleanor Wasserberg 

Green lives at Foxlowe with the family. It's not a conventional family but lost souls from all over, gathered together, blindly searching for something different, something more. The family has it's own rules, it's own ways and to be a part of the family requires blind obedience, a dedication of mind, body and spirit. 

This is a story of a cult, of brainwashing, of abuse, and the lasting effects it can have, especially on the children who grow up knowing nothing else. With chilling sentences like,

"The children are the easiest for the Bad to slip in to, they must be watched."

this harrowing story will break your heart, and chill you to the bone.

Dark, creepy and disturbing Foxlowe and it's inhabitants will haunt your thoughts for a long time after putting the book down.

                                    Her Husband's Lover 
                                        by Julia Crouch 

Utterly and absolutely brilliant!!

Louisa Williams needs to start her life over. Her children are gone, victims of the car accident that was caused by and that killed her husband Sam. She has suffered severe injuries, ones that took long months of rehabilitation to recover from, and scars that will stay with her forever.

Sam warned her not to try and leave him... but she never thought he'd harm the children!

And now, Sophie is making her life a misery. Sophie was Sam's girlfriend, she's pregnant with his child and wants the life she believes she is owned, the life she believes she would have had, if Sam had survived.

This book had me on the edge of my seat from the very first page. It got under my skin, had me guessing, and feeling so uncomfortable! I raced from page to page, chapter to chapter, desperate to find out if my inklings were right ( I'm not telling you if they were or not, you need to read it yourself before I divulge a single thing! )

My blood ran cold as the truth seeped off the pages and into my consciousness. Every time I had to put the book down - real life can annoyingly get in the way of reading time - I couldn't stop thinking about the story. Scenes would play over and over in my mind, and I'd start to imagine what could possibly be around the corner.

If you like psychological thrillers then this book is a must read. It's one that will haunt you for a long, long time!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Isbn: 9781472206671
Publisher: Headline
Publication date: January 26th 2017

                                                     Blog Tour
                               The Puppet Master by Abigail Osbourne 

Today is my stop on The Puppet Master blog tour and I'm delighted to share my thoughts on this marvellous and at times terrifying tale with you all. 
                                    
                                      Summary
Manipulated by fear and love…could you cut the strings and take back control?

Billie’s hiding from the world, believing it to be the only way to take control of her life as she lives in fear of the man who nearly destroyed her. But what she doesn’t realise that
she’s exactly where he wants her; isolated and afraid. A chance meeting with budding journalist Adam sparks a relationship that could free her from the terror that controls her. But will Adam be able to see the real Billie buried under her terror and pain?

Adam knows exactly who Billie is and is determined to expose her and get justice for the lives she ruined. But first, he needs to convince her to open up to him but as unwanted attraction and feelings blossom between them, Adam is forced to realise that all is not as it seems. Most of their lives have been unknowingly governed by the desires and needs of someone who considers himself their master. He has influenced and shaped them for years, meticulously weaving a web of lies and control around them. Can Billie and Adam survive the betrayals in store and cut the strings that bind them?

One thing is for sure. The master wants his puppets back – and he’ll do anything to keep them.

                                        Review 

I read The Puppet Master in one sitting, I foolishly thought I'd read the first chapter before bed and ended up staying up until the early hours devouring chapter after chapter until utterly exhausted - both physically and emotionally - I reached the last page. 

I love how the book switches from Billie's point of view to Adam's and then we also have the mystery and intrigue from the diary extracts that crop up occasionally. 

From the very first pages we can sense Billie's fear and pain. What we don't find out immediately is why she is afraid, the author makes us fall in love with her first, and then breaks our hearts as we delve into her tragic past. My heart raced as I found myself engulfed in an emotional battle. Frustration, fear, loathing, despair and heartache combined to make me want to step into the book and throttle a character or two! 

The Puppet Master will take you on a turbulent ride, with numerous twists and turns and will have you clinging to the edge of your seat. 

I feel I should warn of some triggers, rape and child abuse are part of this story and although nothing is too detailed or included unnecessarily, some people might find it difficult to read. 

A brilliantly written debut novel, I can't wait to read more from this author!

Information about the Book

Title: The Puppet Master
Author: Abigail Osborne
Genre: Adult Romance
Publisher: Self-Published

Format: Ebook and Paperback
Publication date: 30th August 2016

Goodreads Link

Amazon Link

Author Information

Abbie was born in the Lake District and has moved all around the UK since then until she met her husband at University. She lives with him and their two crazy cats in the West Midlands. She is a Needs Assessor for students with disabilities and has her own book reviewing blog called Many Books, Many Lives. Even though she did English Literature at University it wasn't until she started reviewing books that she realised how much she loved to write. The Puppet Master is her first novel but it certainly won't be her last.

You can follow her on @Abigail_Author or @MBequalsML.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

                                                      Foxlowe 
                                         by Eleanor Wasserberg

On stepping into this  book you will find yourself immersed in a gripping tale of family, of fear, of growing up the Floxlowe way... and it's repercussions. 

Green lives at Foxlowe with the family. It's not a conventional family but lost souls from all over, gathered together, blindly searching for something different, something more. The family has it's own rules, it's own ways and to be a part of the family requires obedience without question, a dedication of mind, body and spirit. 

We have the founders, Richard, Libby and Freya, then the adults and last and very much least, the children, Green, Blue and Toby, they are the ungrowns.

This a story of a cult, of brainwashing, of abuse, and the lasting effects it can have, especially on the children who grow up knowing nothing else. With chilling sentences like,
The children are the easiest for the Bad to slip in to. They must be watched. 
this harrowing story will break your heart, and chill you to the bone.

Dark, creepy and disturbing Foxlowe and it's inhabitants will haunt your thoughts for a long time after putting the book down.

One more thing,
the ending... I was not prepared at all! 

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

isbn: 9780008164089
publisher: Fourth Estate
publication date: June 2nd 2016