Wherever You Will Go is book one of the brand new series by Fran Clark. Having read and enjoyed her previous books, I thought I’d give this one a go to see if the contents was as intriguing as the title. To find out the answer to that, check out the blurb and my review below… The book is available now.
Blurb
Her husband vanishes. The answers lie in 1940s London, where secrets surface and the truth comes at a devastating cost.
Essie is consumed by fear. Far from their Caribbean island, her husband has disappeared, leaving her alone and adrift. As her worry grows, their dreams of a shared future slip further away. Determined to uncover the truth the young bride travels to post-WWII London, armed with only a single clue.
In the city’s shadowed streets Essie uncovers betrayals that shake her to the core. The man who promised her forever has buried secrets that threaten everything she believed about love, trust, and herself.
Will this search lead Essie to the man she loves, or are her dreams about to be shattered?
Wherever You Will Go is a poignant tale of resilience and self-discovery, set against a vibrant backdrop. Perfect for fans of emotive historical fiction and stories of hidden pasts.
Embark on Essie’s unforgettable journey—grab your copy of Wherever You Will Go today!
Review
Self-discovery is a key element within this vibrant book. Essie in a psychological way, is an interesting character. Fran Clark has captured her state of being consumed by fear and weaving understandable reasons for this as her life story, rather well. She really captures the emotions in a character that can be easily empathised with. There’s war and she’s been badly betrayed and it has had an effect.
The book holds a lot of hope as Essie goes through a journey of self-discovery and finds out she’s stronger than she first thought. What she uncovers as she embarks on her self-imposed mission to discover more about a bride, is quite an adventure in itself. This coupled with how Essie is feeling and impacted makes it all the stronger read.
Historical events and hidden secrets and life events weave beautifully together, creating a compelling, emotive story that not only sets the backdrop for the series, but readies you for the next one and a desire to discover more…
Be seduced into Egypt with this intriguing tale of past and present and history of the country and between the characters colliding. Discover the gorgeous cover, the blurb and my review below…
Blurb
The Golden Hour is an epic dual timeline story which interweaves glory-seeking desert archaeologists, priceless treasures, Nefertiti’s tomb and the decadent cabarets of WW2 Cairo with restless expat lives in bohemian Beirut.
Archaeologist Lucie Fitzgerald’s mother is dying – she’s also been lying. As her home, the ‘Paris of the East’, Beirut, teeters on the brink of war in the ‘70s, Polly Fitzgerald has one last story to tell from her deathbed. It’s the story of her childhood best friend Juno and their life in 30s Cairo. Lucie travels home to be with her dying mother and discovers the truth about her family, Juno’s work and their shared search for the greatest undiscovered tomb of all – Nefertiti’s.
From the cities to the deserts, this transporting and moving story of a lost generation transformed by war is a study of great love and sacrifice in all its forms, the perfect novel for fans of Santa Montefiore, Lucinda Riley and Victoria Hislop.
Review
The Golden Hour has a rich, lush setting that goes with the evocative cover. The plot goes across a dual timeline, flowing seamlessly linking past and present together, showing symbolism and hidden meanings along the way.
Lucie, in 1975 is called back to Beirut because her mother, Polly hasn’t long to live. She hopes that Lucie will take care of the stud farm. She also has one rather big secret to tell… Lucie is an archaeologist researching Nefertiti’s tomb. This links past and present together. Polly also used to be in Egypt in 1939 with Juno, who have a complex friendship. There is a bit of common ground in their upbringing, on top of being able to see their passion for ancient Egypt. Like Lucie, they also had a desire to see what they can uncover in Nefertiti’s tomb. Their story starts to compellingly unfold in Luxor, Cairo.
In the background of unrest, tension and war looming, a remarkable friendship, love and secrets weave through the richly drawn plot. The passion for Egyptology of Kate Lord Brown comes across in the book with lots of detail, but not overly done as it leaves you feeling swept away with it, rather than bogged down in it.
The Golden Hour is intriguingly seductive and one to savour.
For a crime book set in Leeds, look no further than Chris Nickson. I’ve had the pleasure to review a few of his books now and they’re so captivating that you want to read more and there are plenty to choose from… No Precious Truth is the start of a whole new series for Chris Nickson, where history and thriller weave in and out together and merge.
Blurb
Leeds, 1941. As the war rages across Europe, Police Sergeant Cathy Marsden’s life since she was seconded to the Special Investigation Branch has remained focused on deserters and home-front crimes. Until now.
Things take a chilling turn when Cathy’s civil servant brother, Dan arrives from London with a dark secret: he is working for the XX Committee – a special MI5 unit set up to turn German spies into double agents. But one of these agents has escaped and is heading for Leeds, sent to destroy targets key to the war effort. Suddenly Cathy and the squad are plunged into an unfamiliar world of espionage and subterfuge.
With the fate of the country and the war in the balance, failure is not an option, and Cathy must risk everything, including her own life, to stop a spy.
Review
Immersion into wartime Leeds is easily done with this book. Chris Nickson captures the mood and the social and political landscape well. Readers, through this book, walk side by side with the main protagonist, Cathy Marsden. There’s understandably fear in the air and around every corner, especially on the clearest nights, in case the Luftwaffe fly over and take perfect aim. There’s fear of the male family members being the next casualty or worse, death! The sense of fear that must have been felt in such uncertain times is captured enough that it can be felt.
Cathy Marsden, in the midst of the war, has been seconded to Special Investigation Branch. Her brother in the meantime is trying to capture a German spy, believed to do untold damage to essential factories.
History and Thriller are merged rather well to make an exellent start to a new compelling series.
The Dead Will Rise in an unexpected way. This is a Simon Westow mystery that will transport you to a time in history to the grim, dark streets of Leeds, where crimes need solving by the unlikeliest of duos. Check out the blurb and my review below to find out more…
Blurb
Thief-taker Simon Westow is used to finding stolen goods, not stolen bodies . . . Can he hunt down those committing crimes against the dead in Leeds?
Leeds. April, 1824. Wealthy engineer Joseph Clark employs thief-taker Simon Westow to find the men who stole the buried corpse of Catherine Jordan, his employee’s daughter.
Simon is stunned and horrified to realize there’s a gang of body snatchers in Leeds. He needs to discover who bought Catherine’s body and where it is now. As he hunts for answers, he learns that a number of corpses have vanished from graveyards in the town. Can Simon and his assistant Jane bring the brutal, violent Resurrection men who are selling the dead to medical schools to justice and give some peace to the bereft families?
Review
The cover isn’t the only evocative part of this book. The descriptions of the streets is too and is for the senses as he describes the sites and smells in a way that transports your mind to 1824, Leeds. It sounds almost an idyll, but lurking around is quite the opposite. There’s a rather brutal mystery to be solved. Bodies are being resurrected in the name of medical science. The subject seems well-researched with a time in history and fictional plot weaving succinctly together.
Simon Westow is aware of body snatchers (the infamous Burk and Hare in Edinburgh come to mind), but had never seen anything like that in Leeds, until now…
Simon and Jane make a formidable team. After a bit of complication, they take on the case. It, however puts extra pressure and strain on their relationship as time goes on. There’s been a lot of trust between them, but now its fragile and is hanging in the balance.
The Dead Will Rise is full of twists and history that will have readers turning the pages to see what’s coming next and how it ends.
The Intrepid Steps of John Ruffam By Robert Ferguson
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Cover pic showing Scott’s Monument, Edinburgh
Walk up the steps to Sir Water Scott’s Monument and immerse yourself in the intrepid steps of John Ruffam, along the way, discover just how powerful art is. Life an culture and more… are linked together in this novella that packs a punch. It’s great for if you like Life-stories, Edinburgh, Art, Triumph Over Adversity and perfect for Reading Groups.
Find out more below in the blurb and then my full review below. The Intrepid Steps of John Ruffam by Robert Ferguson is a book you won’t want to miss nor underestimate in its storytelling nor in just how far-reaching it is.
Before I move on, I’d like to make you aware of something amazing happening. This book is raising money is supporting Spirit Aid. A charity founded by famous actor David Hayman, currently starring in Death of A Salesman in UK theatres and has been most recently on tv in The Paradise and Taboo. Spirit Aid reaches out to vulnerable children in need across Scotland and abroad to provide vital resources. You can check out more after my review more about the charity. I also have a link for how you can buy The Intrepid Steps of John Ruffam by Robert Ferguson.
Blurb
The Intrepid Steps of John Ruffam is a deeply introspective novella that follows the extraordinary life of John Ruffam.
From a young age, John’s passion for art and his connection to the past shaped his journey of self-discovery and resistance, growing up in foster homes, enduring physical and mental abuse, and finding solace in his artistic pursuit.
The narrative weaves together historical connections, karmic balancing, and a unique bond with painted figures from the past.
John’s encounters with Edinburgh’s gothic Scott Monument become symbolic of his search for identity and meaning.
When John is injured in a war, losing his legs, his resilience shines through as he learns to walk again with prosthetic limbs. His near-death experience reveals a vision of his loved ones, urging him to take the steps towards his destiny.
The Intrepid Steps of John Ruffam is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged novella that explores themes of strength, self-discovery, and the power of art.
Review
From the very beginning, The Intrepid Steps of John Ruffam is intriguingly thought-provoking and starts to become an immersive read, before becoming increasingly deeply immersive as the story goes on.
It is said there are seven stages in the art process: Inspiration, establishing, Uncertainty, Gauge, Sophistication, Achievement, Judgement.
These are all cleverly broken down into chapter headings and weave in and out of the story, linking all to the main character, John Ruffam’s life. It’s ingenious how the threads all intermingle and weave together making a fascinating and intriguing plot.
Each chapter begins with an insightful sentence about the process of art, indicating the book is well-researched and a lot of thought put into it to then have it link to the rest of the plot.
It starts with a young woman’s waters breaking at the National Art Gallery in Edinburgh and becomes emotional from there, with certain events happening. The author shows something good can happen from something sad. The Scott Monument becomes quite the focus for John Ruffam, so much so that he goes to Princes Street Gardens and draws it and his work gets noticed at the age of 10 years old. Just when all is having a warm feeling of positivity, tragedy strikes again, creating an immense twist, this time to John Ruffam not long after he’s joined the army in his teenage years. What happens to him next is life changing. This period is written with respect, sensitivity and skill. It gives the reader increasing hope for his life through immense struggle and small wins and a whole lot of determination to keep living, keep going and do life to reach your goals. The end of the book is equally thought-provoking and heartfelt, showing just how influential and inspirational art is. Whether its Rembrandt, like in the story who you admire or someone else, there’s no getting away from the power of it.
The Intrepid Steps of John Ruffam mixes what’s real and what’s fictional into a compelling story that may well stay with you.
Buy Link and About the Author Link
You can get your copy of The Intrepid Steps of John Ruffam here: Amazon You can find out more about the author here: Alloa Advertiser Interview
More About The Charity – Spirit Aid
You can find out more about Spirit Aid, headed up by David Hayman in the link below. He runs operations in Scotland (it’s heart), Palestine, Afghanistan and Malawi. The charity works to make a difference to those people’s lives affected by poverty, neglect, abuse, lack of opportunity, humanitarian crisis, war by clicking into the official website: Spirit Aid Feel free to donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/SpiritAidLimited
The Pearl Button Girl Book 1 of Children of Birmingham By Annie Murray
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
The Pearl Button is the latest book by Annie Murray. It’s the first in a new set which follows the Fletcher family in industrialised Birmingham, with all the grit and warmth readers have come to expect. It gives me great pleasure to start off the Pan Macmillan blog tour with a review. Discover the blurb and review below.
Blurb
Annie Murray’s The Pearl Button Girl is book one in the Children of Birmingham series, starting in Victorian Birmingham and following the trials and triumphs of the Fletcher family.
Working at the local pearl button factory, Ada Fletcher is doing her best to make ends meet in trying times.
When tragedy strikes and her siblings are taken to a workhouse orphanage, Ada is saved from a similar fate by her neighbour, Sarah Connell.
But the roof over Ada’s head doesn’t come without a price: the Connells have too many children, not enough money, and Sarah’s reliance on drink means that it isn’t long before Ada needs to escape.
Determined to be more than just a factory girl, Ada embarks on a journey to reunite with her siblings. But in a teeming industrial city, will she be able to find long-lost family as well as a home and life to call her own?
Review
A new family and situations written in true Annie Murray style she still keeps to showing a family’s trials and tribulations of their life. This time it’s in a button factory and no matter how hard Ada Fletcher tries, she still faces such hardship and loses her siblings, Elsie, Dora, John, and Mabs to the workhouse. Her troubles don’t stop there as she embarks trying to find her family and create a new life.
Set in industrialised Birmingham, you get the sense of the hard times which some families came up against. The Fletcher family feels like it was a well researched creation of Victorian times when you aren’t living or working in a grand house. Through the Fletcher family, you’re skilfully shown the other side of society and how grim it could be. There’s also a sense of how people try to help where they can, even when their lives aren’t too much better with their own troubles and strife and that’s rather heart-warming.
There are elements of hope and Ada is such a well-drawn character that you want something good to happen to her. There’s also warmth in Sarah Connell, but you can see she’s got her own family to juggle, although takes in Ada anyway and tries to accommodate her, you can feel her hardship and the toil it takes on the family as well as Sarah herself. She’s quite a complex character with a busy homelife and one that she is struggling to cope with. which adds interest in her and her home as well. Sarah brings some compassionate feelings, but ultimately the desire is for Ada to be setting up a new homelife in a safe place and for something to happen so her future turns around for the better.
The Pearl Button Girl won’t disappoint and is sure to delight fans of Annie Murray. It’s a story I recommend and it’s great getting into the grittiness, hardships and plight of a new family.
Find out who else is on the blog tour below, thanks to Chloe Davies at Pan Macmillan for inviting me and sending a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review. Please note, I am not affiliated to any company.
Bookmarks and Stages by Lou 