The Rune Stone (Dr DuLac series Book 3) by Julia Ibbotson

 

The Rune Stone  (Dr DuLac series Book 3)

A haunting time-slip mystery of runes and romance

When Dr Viv DuLac, medievalist and academic, finds a mysterious runic inscription on a Rune Stone in the graveyard of her husband’s village church, she unwittingly sets off a chain of circumstances that disturb their quiet lives in ways she never expected. Once again, she feels the echoes of the past resonate through time and into the present. Can she unlock the secrets of the runes in the life of the 6^th century Lady Vivianne and in Viv’s own life? Lives of the past and present intertwine alarmingly as Viv desperately tries to save them both, without changing the course of history.

For fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, Christina Courtenay.

(for A Shape on the Air) “In the best Barbara Erskine tradition …I would highly recommend this novel” -Historical Novel Society

(for the series) “Julia does an incredible job of setting up the idea of time-shift so that it’s believable and makes sense” – book tour reviewer

“Dr Ibbotson has created living, breathing characters that will remain in the reader’s mind long after the book is read … The characters are brought to life beautifully with perfect economy of description … fabulous!” – Melissa Morgan

“A rich and evocative time-slip novel that beautifully and satisfyingly concludes this superb trilogy. The story is woven seamlessly and skilfully between the past and the present and the reader is drawn deeply into both worlds.  Her portrayal of the 6^th century and its way of life are authoritative, vivid and memorable” – Kate Sullivan

Purchase Links - http://myBook.to/TRS

The Rune Stone is the romantic mystery story of a runic inscription found in a country churchyard and the chain of circumstances it triggers, events that disturb the lives of Dr Viv and Rev Rory. Echoes of the past resonate through time to the present, but can Viv unlock the secrets of the past for the Anglo-Saxon Lady Vivianne and for herself before it’s too late?

This extract from my book The Rune Stone is a scene where Viv’s old friend, wildly extravert Tilly, arrives to tell Viv some interesting news about a television film she’s making about their rune stone, and sees Viv’s little daughter Ellie who she adores. Rory is just leaving but Tilly grabs him in her flirty good-natured way.

“Wow! Am I allowed to hug a man of the priestly persuasion?” Tilly looked Rory up and down appreciatively as he stood in the hallway of the rectory, in his clerical gear, ready for Wednesday prayers across at the church.

“Well,” Rory said solemnly, adjusting his dog collar, although Viv noticed the amused glance he gave to her crazy friend. “Only if you put my daughter down first.”

Tilly gave little Ellie a big kiss on her head before reluctantly handing her back to Viv. “You gorgeous extra special person. Oh, sorry, I meant Ellie, not you, Rory.” She clasped her hands to her ample bosom. “Although of course you too, Rory! I mean …Oh, I’m all of a fluster now!” She fanned her hands in front of her face. “Woosh!”

Viv laughed and Tilly opened wide her arms to envelop Rory in her embrace. She kept hold of him and patted his broad back as Rory glanced in mock desperation over her shoulder at Viv.

“OK, OK, Tilly. Enough.” He disentangled himself and drew back, running his hands through his thick curly dark hair.

“Gosh, is that like hugging God?” Tilly giggled. “Hmm, rather too sexy for God, I think.”

“If I didn’t know you better, I’d be a bit worried for my husband,” Viv grinned, handing a wriggling excited Ellie back to her Godmother.

“Oh, you scrumptious little thing. I could eat you up,” Tilly cooed, “Um, Ellie I mean, not you Rory. Although … hmmm. One very sexy priest there! But hey, Viv, sweetie-pie.  Hang on a minute.” She peered at Viv over Ellie’s growing thatch of curly auburn hair and pouted. “You mean you’re not jealous? So, I’m not the tempting siren I thought I was?”

Viv shook her head with a smile and reached up to kiss Rory goodbye.

“Sweet,” Tilly said, head to one side and closing her eyes. “Still in love after all this time!”

Rory winked at Viv and disappeared through the front door. Viv closed it gently behind him. “Only three years. You make it sound like we’re an old married couple of pensioners!”

“Oh, but if I could go three weeks of relationship bliss, I’d be a happy woman!”

“But you are a happy woman, Tilly!”

Her face fell. “Seriously, I could do with a better track record with men. It’s great at first, every time … then woops, goodbye!” She followed Viv into the kitchen. “Be honest with me now. D’you think I should lose some weight?”

“Tilly,” Viv said and realised she sounded like a school-marm, “You are lovely just the way you are.” She filled the coffee maker and took a couple of mugs from the cupboard above the counter.

“I love you just the way you are!” sang Tilly in a strained falsetto as she jiggled Ellie who roared with delighted laughter and clapped her hands to Tilly’s chest. “And this is one beautiful happy baby. Viv, you are one lucky, lucky lady.”

Viv grimaced. “Yes, I know. It hasn’t always been easy, but yes, I am.” She poured out the coffee, plenty of milk and sugar in Tilly’s, and put the mugs and a plate of home-made flapjacks onto the wooden tray. “OK, let’s go through into the drawing room, and sit in comfort to talk about the television stuff.”

“Drawing room! Hey, get you!”

“Sorry, yes I know. But it’s always been called that.”

“I know. I’m only teasing, aren’t I, little sweetie-pie Ellie?” She turned to Viv and swapped the baby for a mug of coffee. “You know, I want one of those.”

“I think you need a man first.”

 

The Dragon Tree (Dr DuLac book 2) by Julia Ibbotson

 

I'm very excited to be able to share with you a guest post today - please welcome Julia Ibbotson, the author of Dr Dulac series, who is talking about the island setting for her book, The Dragon Tree.

The Dragon Tree  (Dr DuLac series Book 2)

A haunting medieval time-slip

Echoes of the past resonate through time and disturb medievalist Dr DuLac as she struggles with misfortune in the present. She and Rev Rory have escaped to the island of Madeira on a secondment from their posts, yet they are not to find peace – until they can solve the mystery of the shard of azulejo and the ancient ammonite. Viv’s search brings her into contact with two troubled women: a noblewoman shipwrecked on the island in the 14^th century and a rebellious nun at the island convent in the 16^th century. As Viv reaches out across the centuries, their lives become intertwined, and she must uncover the secrets of the ominous Dragon Tree in order to locate lost artefacts that can shape the future.

For fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, Christina Courtenay.

(for A Shape on the Air) “In the best Barbara Erskine tradition …I would highly recommend this novel” -Historical Novel Society

(for the series) “Julia does an incredible job of setting up the idea of time-shift so that it’s believable and makes sense” – book tour reviewer

“The idea of being able to ‘feel’ what happened in the past is enticing … The sense of the island is really wonderful … Julia brings it to life evocatively”  – Joanna Barnden

“an engaging and original time-slip novel that keeps the reader turning the pages…the characters are authentic and the mystery is neatly woven between the centuries … seamless time transitions” – Melissa Morgan

Purchase Link - http://myBook.to/TDT

Madeira: an island setting for The Dragon Tree

What do you think of when you imagine a love story set on a tropical island? Sunshine, heat, turquoise sea, golden beaches? Holding hands along the seafront? Shaped hotel swimming pools, beach bars, cool cocktails?

But The Dragon Tree is a novel of love stories and mystery that intertwine through history, and if you take a look at the image on the front cover you’ll see, beneath the pictures of the women whose lives interweave, a different reflection. Not a hot sexy beach, but a hint of storms  and dark skies. Love stories all have their ups and downs, that’s what makes them gripping page turners, and The Dragon Tree is no exception! But does love survive and flourish in the end? We always hope so.

Madeira, its setting, is certainly a tropical island: sun, sea, and … well not golden sand! There aren’t sandy beaches around Madeira’s glorious coastline (only a couple of imported ones), but there is certainly dramatic scenery, because of its volcanic origins. The vertiginous cliffs drop straight down into the sea, with rocks and volcanic ‘sand’. Its beautiful scenery changes dramatically from the pretty seafront to the vast craggy mountains of the volcanic centre that tower above.

The volcano that became ‘Madeira’ rose from the seabed through the waves some 5 million years ago. Its recorded history has woven through peace and crisis right through from its discovery in 1419, through its own darkness to the island of beauty and relaxation we see today. It has a fascinating history.

So, it became an obvious location for me to set The Dragon Tree, a story of turbulence and secrets and mysteries, against the backdrop of heat and sunshine, love and pain. It was the right place for me to tell my tale of two women reaching out across the centuries to Dr Viv and her ‘hot priest’, Rev Rory.

When they fly in to the island, Viv is looking out of the window of the aircraft – or trying not to! – as it swoops like a bird over the sea, close above the waves, its wings seeming to touch the water. Or the cliffs. Her first wary impression of it is “the sharp golden light on the sparkling deep blue sea and she could almost feel the heat haze rising from the rugged cliffs that appeared to climb steeply up from the edge of the water. She could make out the white painted houses with red tiled roofs clustered closely up every gorge, clinging to the very edge of the radiating ravines that slashed through the towering mountains up into the clouds and the heart of the volcano.”

 

Viv has issues. She knows that her late parents spent one of their final archaeological ‘digs’ on the shore of the island and she has a treasured artefact from them in her memory box, an ammonite fossil, that has become almost a talisman. She is also suffering the aftermath of a horrible miscarriage and is not terribly happy to go to the island with Rory for his secondment for a year. It’s supposed to be a rest and recovery time after the trauma. But it doesn’t turn out at all as expected.

 

She explores the island and its history, trying to make sense of the mysteries, but all the time she’s haunted by something that involves the ammonite. The mystery deepens as her discoveries unfold. Amidst the glorious tropical setting of the present day there is not only love to discover but something much more unsettling: fear.

 

Our feisty heroine determines to discover the secret that lies buried in the island’s history even though it may be a danger to herself and her loved one. There is something about the ammonite and the characteristic blue tiles (the ‘azulejo’) that is pulling her into a connection with a 14^th century young noblewoman who is shipwrecked here with her lover and a 16^th century rebellious nun who falls in love with a poor fisherman.

 

How are they connected to each other, and to Viv? And what do they want of her?

Unravelling by Helen Forbes

"I propped up the photo of Mum on my bedside table, and I tried to sleep. It was hopeless. For the first time in years, I wanted her. I needed her. I lay there and imagined I could feel her skinny arms around me, her voice whispering all the broken promises, all the lies. She'd get better. She'd come home. She'd love me forever. She'd never leave me".

Unravelling by Helen Forbes is a gripping psychological thriller, a story of grief and obsession, dealing with issues of mental illness, stigma around it, abuse of vulnerable people. 

There are two main storylines, tightly intertwined, with the third, distinct voice adding their narrative.

We meet Kate, who works in a care home and detests her job. She was brought up by her grandparents, as her tragic young mother was a patient of the old Craig Dunain hospital. Her classmates used to taunt her that her "mother's up the hill and round the bend".

Kate's dreams are haunted by The Craig. When two bodies are discovered in the woods surrounding the asylum, it becomes a catalyst to a chain of eerie revelations and dramatic events.

Kate's mother Ellen died when she was a child. Does the forest hold the secret to her death all those years ago?

"My mother's life, and her death, when I was a child, were surrounded in secrecy. For years, I'd pestered Gran, wanting to know everything..."

Kate's life is a reflection of her trust issues and lack of confidence, which manifests in her love life choices. Her ex is a lizard. Her current love interest Stefan, her co-worker at the care home, is not available, yet she is intent on flirting with him. Kate seems to drift aimlessly through life.

When Kate discovers her mother's journal, written during her stay at the asylum, she comes close to the understanding of the true reasons behind her mother's tragic unravelling.

We follow Ellen's desolate journey into the mental breakdown, and her struggles to adjust to life. One night changes everything in her life, and her fragile mental health collapses. Ellen becomes suspicious of her own parents, her illness is making her unfair and even nasty. She believes everyone is in the conspiracy to take her child away from her. 

Her story is full of mental torment, sadness and fear, but there is also love. Love of her parents and child. Ellen finds true friendship in the asylum. Lady Sif is a wonderful character, with a tragic background of her own. Vulnerable, quirky and kind, she befriends Ellen.

"Ellen hadn't expected to find a friend like Sif, and certainly not in The Craig. Someone that was always there for her. Never pushy. Just there. Making Ellen laugh, calming her down and comforting her, helping her see sense when things overwhelmed her. Sif was bright and funny and compassionate, and without her Ellen wouldn't have coped."

Craig Dunain should have been a place of safety for Ellen, a means to trying to improve her life through therapy and support, but she feels there is no point in fighting for the future. Until a new doctor comes to work in the hospital.

As Kate is reading her mother's journal, she feels anguish and heartache. She also gains a better understanding of her mother as a person. "For such a wee book, the weight of its contents was a constant threat to my sanity..." She is looking for answers to the identity of her father.

Someone else from Ellen's past is searching for her journal, and would stop at nothing to get their hands on it (theirs is the third distinct voice mentioned above). Kate is blissfully unaware that she has a stalker who's watching her every move, and the danger is getting closer and closer.

Will Kate find the answers before it's too late? Can she escape the looming danger to her own life?

Unravelling is a thought-provoking, emotional and disturbing psychological thriller. A sinister modern suspence, a story of secrets, love and loss, loyalty and betrayal. What happens in the past, has serious repercussions that stretch into the present.

The Craig Dunain Hospital, which used to be the lunatic asylum, and known locally as The Craig, is a foreboding and sinister setting for the story. 

It is a poignant tale which shows how a mental illness affects not just the person suffering from it, but their whole family. 

As a mother of a child with special needs who has to take "heavy-duty" medication to ease their anxiety, I found the narrative authentic and at times painful. You take a medication for your condition, but the list of possible side effects is equally frightening. 

Some storylines and manipulative characters made me think of a film Girl, Interrupted. It has a similar vibe of raw poignancy.

It would have been 5/5 from me, if not for the caricature character of Martyna (Stefan's partner). There's enough genuine drama in the book, without a cartoonish villain who downs copious amounts of alcohol and speaks broken English. Her character is one-dimensional and doesn't add anything meaningful to the plot.

Unravelling has absorbed me completely. Dark, heartbreaking and tacitly uplifting at the same time.

Purchase Links

UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unravelling-gripping-tale-secrets-murder-ebook/dp/B099NCT6ZM

US https://amzn.to/2XqDZlU

This post is part of the blog tour for Unravelling.

Many thanks to Helen Forbes and Rachel's Random Resources for my copy of the book!

Author Bio –

Crime fiction was not what lawyer, Helen Forbes, expected to write.  As a single parent and mature law student, she used her limited spare time to write contemporary and historical fiction.  It was a chance remark at a writing club that led her to develop a short story into her debut crime novel, In the Shadow of the Hill, featuring DS Joe Galbraith. The novel is set in the Scottish Highlands and Islands, and it was described in one newspaper review as having ‘more twists and turns than the road to the isles, making it impossible to put down.’  The novel and characters proved popular with readers, leading to the publication of a second book in the DS Joe Galbraith series. Madness Lies is set in Inverness and North Uist.  Helen has now taken to crime with a passion, and has published two psychological thrillers. Unravelling is set in Inverness, against the background of a former psychiatric hospital. Deception is set in Edinburgh, and tackles the themes of domestic violence, prostitution and trafficking. Helen has also completed a further thriller set in Edinburgh, which she hopes to publish in 2022. Queen of Grime’s main character is a crime and trauma scene cleaner with a big secret. It is gritty and dark, but also funny and uplifting. Helen hopes to expand Queen of Grime into a series.

 

Social Media Links –

Facebook Author Page https://bit.ly/3mzghfD

Twitter https://twitter.com/foreva48

Website https://www.helenforbes.co.uk/

A Shape on the Air (Dr DuLac series Book 1) by Julia Ibbotson

"She wasn't afraid of the echo that crossed her mind but more startled, and she held her berath a moment before her brain caught up to the reality of her home".
 

"And you were especially vulnerable to that call because you were distressed and in a - forgive me - a highly emotional state. At those times we seem to be more in touch with the shapes on the air."

"Shapes on the air?" 

"That's what I call them. The imprints, if you like, that I believe are all around is from those who have gone before, from events that have been significant, but that we aren't normally receptive to".

A Shape on the Air by Julia Ibbotson is an evocative timeslip fantasy romance. This is the first book in the Dr DuLac series, set in 499AD and the present time.

Dr Viv DuLac, a medievalist and university lecturer, is planning a romantic evening with her partner Pete who is supposed to arrive that day after a trip. She cooks his favourite meal, has the candles ready on the table, and the intimate music in the background. Only the evening doesn't go as planned.

Pete returns home to announce that he is leaving Viv for her best friend Gwyn. Not only he drops this bombshell, the nasty scoundrel also announces that he needs money and insists on the sale of their flat. The problem is he hardly contributed to the mortgage, while she used her inheritance to pay for it, supporting her partner to set up his business.

Viv is shattered, and tries to drown her sorrows in Merlot. Drunk and feeling sorry for herself, she ventures outside for a nightime walk towards the mere. The village is very old, built on the site of the Romano-British and Anglo-Saxon remains. She watches the ripples in the dark water, and feels an invisible hand pushing her in the murky mere.

When Viv becomes conscious, a stranger carries her out of the mere. There are people around, and they are all dressed in strange clothes. Viv feels confused and bewildered. Is this some kind of enactment? 

"What she saw would place her in the so-called Dark Ages, between the end of the Roman Empire and the main Anglo-Saxon invasion. Early middle ages: what, maybe 450 to 500AD. The time people dismissed as uninteresting, unrefined, uncultured, even barbaric".

In 499AD Lady Vivianne is facing problems of her own. Several years earlier her parents perished in the fire. Lady Vivianne, being high-born and fatherless, is given to her protector, Sir Pelleas, as his bride, against her will. Her maid Guin tells her she has no choice but to marry the detestable Pelleas, yet everything inside her protests. "He is not a noble warrior, he is not worthy to lead this settlement. He is neither a royal Brythen, like my family, nor from Roman descent, like Sir Roland's. He is disgusting and boorish. He is a foul brute and he is a Saxon!".

Lady Vivianne is a Christian, who is hiding her faith from Sir Pelleas and his Saxon cronies. She hopes to escape the inevitable marriage and bring her community back to the Christian ways her parents upheld.

A thousand and a half years apart, two namesakes are inexplicably connected. The stress of the betrayal and the anxiety of the imminent loss of her flat, create an emotional trigger which allows the present day Viv to timeslip into the past. Could the realistic nature of her vivid dreams be explained by the current stress? Then how is it possible that she finds herself clutching the antique objects, which she brings back from her "dreams"?

Dr DuLac and Lady Vivianne's lives are inter-connected, and it looks like the finds in the present can unlock the mysteries of the past.

Lady Vivianne has supporters in her own time, her little maid Tilly, and Lord Roland, a warrior, who promised her parents to watch over and protect her. 

In the present day, the local vicar Rory Netherbridge shares Viv's interest in the early medieval history. With his help and support from her friends, Viv is trying to figure out if there is a possible timeslip. "I feel her feelings, I think her thoughts, I am her. It really was like I slipped into her time, her life... I think I kind of time-slipped. No, I'm certain of it. And I brought back real items with me. I know it's madness. And I'm too logical a thinker for this..."

Viv must face her own tragic past, and see if her parents' heritage might hold the clues to her "visions". Could there be a hint of a solution to the mystery of the key she has unwittingly brought with her from the past? Can Viv help her namesake without changing the progression of the historical events?

"Lady Vivianne and her world seemed like a part of her working life, her research, her study, and something she could hold on to, something familiar in a sense, however weird it all was".

A Shape on the Air is an intriguing and beguiling beginning of the series. The explanation of the timeslip sounds plausible and is handled cleverly.

A diverting novel for fans of Barbara Erskine and Christina Courtenay.

I enjoyed reading Author's notes on the history and legends behind the story. The notion of time-slip and the concept of "worm-holes" and the Einstein-Bridge theory of portals into other dimensions of time and space is truly fascinating. It might explain the perceptions of the past and those experiences where "the spirits of history are embedded in the fabric of old houses and ancient geology". Hence the possible logical explanation of déjà vu. 

Talking of déjà vu, one of my most memorable experiences was when I visited the palace of Urbino over 27 years ago. I haven't even been in Italy before then, but when I walked through the Ducal Palace, I just knew I have seen it all before. The views from the windows looked familiar as well. Maybe I was the girl sweeping the floors, or serving the food, all those centuries ago.

A Shape on the Air is a tense page-turner, loaded with historical detail. Perfect for a dark winter evening. It dives into England of the Dark Ages with the undulation of Dame du Lac emerging from the mere, and grips our attention with the energy of the Arthurian dragon's wings.

“In the best Barbara Erskine tradition …I would highly recommend this novel” -Historical Novel Society

“Amazing …a really great book …I just couldn’t put it down” -Hazel Morgan

“Well-rounded characters and a wealth of historical research make this a real page-turner” -Amazon review

“Enthralling” -Amazon review

“Julia does an incredible job of setting up the idea of time-shift so that it’s believable and makes sense”  - Amazon review

“Viv/Lady Vivianne … lovely identifiable heroine in both time periods….I love her strength and vulnerability. And Rory/Roland is simply gorgeous!” – Melissa Morgan

“gripping … a very real sense of threat and danger, an enthralling mystery … a wholly convincing romance, across both timelines”  - Anne Williams

Purchase Link - http://my.Book.to/ASOTA

This post is part of the blog tour for Dr DuLac series.

Many thanks to Julia Ibbotson and Rachel's Random Resources for my e-copy of the book!

Author Bio –

Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of time. She sees her author brand as a historical fiction writer of romantic mysteries that are evocative of time and place, well-researched and uplifting page-turners. 

Her current series focuses on early medieval time-slip/dual-time mysteries. Julia read English at Keele University, England, specialising in medieval language/ literature/ history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics. 

After a turbulent time in Ghana, West Africa, she became a school teacher, then a university academic and researcher. 

Her break as an author came soon after she joined the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme in 2015, with a three-book deal from Lume Books (Endeavour) for a trilogy (Drumbeats) set in Ghana in the 1960s.

 She has published five other books, including A Shape on the Air, an Anglo-Saxon timeslip mystery, and its two sequels The Dragon Tree and The Rune Stone. Her work in progress is the first of a new series of Anglo-Saxon mysteries (Daughter of Mercia) where echoes of the past resonate across the centuries. 

Her books will appeal to fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, and Christina Courtenay. 

Her readers say: ‘Julia’s books captured my imagination’, ‘beautiful story-telling’, ‘evocative and well-paced storylines’, ‘brilliant and fascinating’ and ‘I just couldn’t put it down’.

 

Social Media Links –

Amazon Author page:  Author.to/JuliaIbbotsonauthor

Author website & blog: www.juliaibbotsonauthor.com

Facebook (author):  https://www.facebook.com/JuliaIbbotsonauthor

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/JuliaIbbotson

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julia.ibbotson

Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/juliai1/

Goodreads author page:  https://www.goodreads.com/juliaibbotson

eli

Here to Stay by Mark Edwards

"He winked at me and said, "Welcome to the family, mate."

And then he laughed, like he'd cracked a joke I didn't understand". 

"All I needed was a plan. Surely I could come up with one. All my life I'd been told I was clever. A problem-solver.

But every time I tried to solve this problem, all I could see was myself being sucked into that chute, down and down towards the bottom. A one-way journey with no end and no escape".

Here to Stay by Mark Edwards is a twisted domestic noir/psychological thriller, that might make you re-think your kind invitation to in-laws to stay over.

Elliot is a 38-year-old scientist, who lives on his own in a beautiful house in a sought-after location. He enjoys his job, but something is missing from his life. His parents died many years ago in an air balloon accident, he has no siblings, and not so many friends either. He appears lonely, shy and lacking self-confidence, despite his work credentials and TV appearances.

One evening, when he opened his garden to public viewing, a young woman called Gemma wanders in, and saves his life, when he's bitten by a bee and suffers from an anaphylactic shock. In the hospital Elliot has an epiphany, "No more wasting time. No more wasting life. From now on, I was going to be impetuous and brave. Willing to take risks".

Theirs is a whirlwind romance, and in two months they are married.  "Two months passed at lightning pace, like one of those speeded-up films of flowers blooming".

Elliot is in love with Gemma, and life is beautiful.

Up to the point when Gemma says her parents and sister are arriving from France and have nowhere to stay until they find a place to rent or buy. Naive Elliot suggests that they stay over in his house until they find their own place. Big mistake.

What was supposed to be a couple of weeks turns into a never-ending nightmare. The parasitic Robinsons are way too comfortable in the house and make Elliot feel like he's the unwanted guest in his own house. The situation escalates. The mother of the family claims she's allergic to cats, and locks out Charlie, Elliot's cat. The in-laws buy a new bed for themselves, claiming the bed where they sleep is not comfy, they order paints to re-decorate the house. And, and, and, they don't bother with flushing the toilet. Now that's truly grim.

The younger daughter Chloe suffers from some mysterious illness, and is locked in her room. She refuses to speak or leave her bedroom.

The Robinsons are the family of parasites who survive by attaching themselves to the others and sucking their blood. "A family of survivors. It was what they did, whatever the world threw at them. They had been doing this for years. And they would survive again".

So far, so very Mumsnet, AIBU to resent my detestable in-laws who have taken over my house? Almost like a bad joke.

Until the tragedy strikes, and Elliot's next door neighbours, an elderly couple, are butchered at home.

Elliot might be a scientist, but he's not that intelligent when it comes to social situations, reading the psychological clues or taking rational steps. He describes himself as a buttoned-up, reserved Englishman, Mister Science. 

He was in his twenties when his parents died. His therapist tells him he hasn't been "given the chance to leave the nest in a normal, natural way. Part of you is still stuck there, the therapist said. Unable to grow up". Which doesn't quite explain his infantilism, after all, Elliot wasn't exactly a young child, when the tragedy happened. Though, of course, some men never grow up.

Elliot knows that something has happened in France, when the Robinsons decided to flee to the UK. He doesn't seem to comprehend how Google translate works, or something similar. When he needs a translation from French, he asks his colleague to help, rather than do his own work. And it's so easy these days to search anything online.

Gemma's behaviour is fishy, she clearly knows a lot of things about her family that she keeps schtum about.

"I didn't really know her. I didn't know her family. I had invited a bunch of strangers into my home. I was gripped by a sensation of dread - of cold, vertiginous regret. What had I done? What the hell -"

The Robinsons make it clear to Elliot that they have no intention of moving out of his home. Trying to save his home and marriage, Elliot starts to dig into the Robinsons' past.

Is he ready for the perturbing truth?

I've read my share of domestic noir/psychological thrillers with convoluted plots and far-fetched characters, but Here to Stay is in the league of its own. This urban nightmare is fast-paced and quite creepy.

I couldn't relate or find sympathy for any character, including the victimised main protagonist Elliot. Even the cat Charlie is a traitor.

The police in both the UK and France seem to be totally incompetent.

I disliked the final solution to the problem. It just didn't make much sense.

As I have at least four paperbacks by the same author, I hope this book doesn't reflect his usual style. Perhaps I should have started with a different book by the author, who is very popular and has written many best sellers. Mark Edwards has sold over two million books, and has topped the bestseller lists several times. 

What book by Mark Edwards would you recommend for me to read next?

In case you're curious to give it a go, Here to Stay is free on Amazon Prime Reading.

A Very Modern Marriage by Rachel Brimble (review + #giveaway)

 

"It was exhilarating, liberating... as though she stood on the precipice of a new, infinitely more abundant and exciting life. It was as thrilling as it was frightening, but she would not turn away".

"He couldn't remember ever meeting a stronger, more confident female, yet as he looked into her eyes he sensed a deep underlying vulnerability in her that was wholly disconcerting".

A Very Modern Marriage by Rachel Brimble is a fascinating historical romance, set in the Victorian Bath and Manchester.

This is the third book in The Ladies of Carson Street series, which reads perfectly as a standalone. 

I've been following the author on many social media channels for a while, but haven't had a chance to read her books until now.

This novel was my introduction to the series.

Bath, 1852.

William Rose is an industrialist from Manchester. He is very ambitious, and driven. His origins are humble, and his childhood and young years in poverty made him determined to do everything in his power to keep his parents and siblings away from destitution. 

As he says himself, "I am a working man... A man from humble beginnings and even humbler parents... I have always wanted more, and I still do". In another conversation he mentions, "Work is what defines and sustains me. I feel little need for anything more". He is considered among his acquiantances as a stand-up and trustworthy man. "An astute and seasoned businessman who rarely takes no for an answer granted, but he is also a man with ideas that benefit his employees".

William has his business and big plans to expand it, but he needs investors who would believe in his projects. Alas. it's not so easy. The hypocrictical Victorian society has its own set of rules, and respectability is often equalized with the married status. Yet William has no wife, and no plans to be wed any time soon either. When he hears that the possible partners won't consider his project because they are investing with family men only, he is enraged. 

"Because he wasn't married? That was what had just lost him a huge boost to his company? Good God in heaven. Had the world gone mad?"

While looking for the possible investors in Bath, William meets the notorious ladies of Carson Street, an exclusive brothel for high-class clients (his friends bring him there one evening, against his objections). 

There he encounters Octavia Marshall, a sophisticated beauty of great wit. "Octavia, while indisputably alluring, did not strike William as a typical whore. Whatever a typical whore might be. This was a woman comfortable in her own skin, confident in both speech and manner. Sophisticated, interesting, and more than capable of keeping abreast of conversation".

Octavia was born into the life of privilege. Tragic circumstances brought her to Carson Street, where she found refuge and friendship. "The house meant everything to Octavia. Since her harsh separation from her father several years before, she had gone from being a privileged young girl living in a beautiful home, to homeless and hawking herself on the streets. Then Louisa Hill, the owner of the Carson Street house, had found her - saved her - and their home and workplace became Octavia's haven, her sanctuary - the people living with her there, her saving grace".

There is a special bond between the women of Carson Street house, they love and care for each other. There are no lies, deceit or subterfuge between them. But the situation is changing. One of them is a married woman now, another is getting married soon. Where does it leave Olivia? Her future standing in the house might be wobbly.

Like William, Octavia has a plan for her future. She knows that the sex trade is fickle, based on youth and looks. The Carson Street house might not be always a profitable business. Octavia is determined to change her life, and invest her hard-earned fortune into Mr Rose's mills. "She would be a woman of business. Who knew where that would lead? A deep sense of rightness - of destiny - filled her heart".

Octavia and William strike a deal, which will benefit them both. They believe their pact would give them what they desire the most, but they are both naive to think it will go smoothly. Octavia can never be a conventional married woman and be William's pupet, and the tragic past is not so easily avoided.

"She needed to flee north and become the woman she genuinely wanted to be. She might not be entirely certain who that woman was yet, but the adventure to discovery was waiting for her regardless."

Will Octavia be able to forge a new life as a proper businesswoman? Could she "hide her past and forge her future withour presumption or judgment" and stand tall and proud in the face of critics?

There is a great motivation for a very modern marriage but is there a solid base to build the future together?

The plotline of a prostitute who wants to start a business of her own in Victorian times is not a made-up story. Prostitution was possibly the only job where a woman could earn high wages, and in rare cases, achive a financial independence and fortune. Of course, the majority were not so lucky. There is historical data that up to 80,000 prostitutes were working in Victorian London, and that's London alone.

In the highest echelon of prostitutes women were well-educated and beautiful, and could choose to work with only high-class clients including members of aristocracy and parliament. Many courtesans ended up as wives of their ex-clients.

A Very Modern Marriage is an absorbing historical romance filled with dark secrets and redemption. It's a story about the meaning of love, about losing and finding oneself, overcoming past trauma and having second chances. It is lavishly descriptive, and utterly compelling, with an acute sense of the period authenticity.

Potential triggers: prostitution, domestic violence/abuse. Sex scenes are very moderate and not graphic, certianly not of The Crimson Petal and White - level of graphic (only mentioning it as another novel about an educated prostitute of the Victorian times).

This post is part of the blog tour for a very modern marriage.

Many thanks to Rachel Brimble and Rachel's Random Resources for my e-copy of the book!

Purchase Links - http://mybook.to/modernmarriage

Author Bio –

Rachel lives in a small town near Bath, England. She is the author of over 25 published novels including the Ladies of Carson Street series, the Shop Girl series (Aria Fiction) and the Templeton Cove Stories (Harlequin).

Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association as well as the Historical Novel Society and has thousands of social media followers all over the world.

To sign up for her newsletter (a guaranteed giveaway every month!), click here: https://bit.ly/3zyH7dt

Social Media Links –

Website: https://rachelbrimble.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachelBrimble

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachelbrimbleauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelbrimbleauthor/?hl=en

If you like the sound of the book, here is your chance to win an Amazon gift certificate for £15/$15 so that you can purchase any of Rachel's books.

Giveaway to Win £15/$15 Amazon Gift Certificate (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –

Worldwide entries welcome.  

Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  

The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. 

If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. 

Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  

Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. 

This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  

I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Please not that this giveaway is being hosted across several blogs as part of the book promotion.

Chez Maximka is hosting the Rafflecopter gadget for free as part of the book promotion, and is not involved in a selection of the winner or dispatch of the prize. I have no access to any data, collected by the Rafflecopter.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Evil Intent by Jane Isaac

 "Footfalls thud the ground behind her. He doesn't speak, doesn't call out. But she's already seen the hunger in his eyes, the visceral determination.

The tall firs of Blackwell Wood loom in the distance. It's her beacon, her chance for safety. Somewhere to think. Somewhere to hide".

The opening scene of Evil Intent (Legend Press, 1 February'22) by Jane Isaac is high-powered and gripping - a young woman is running for her life through the woods, trying to escape the merciless killer.

This is the 4th book in the DCI Helen Lavery series, which reads fine as a standalone. It might help to read the previous books to understand the dynamics of Helen's family life and the police team better, but there's enough background detail to fill in any gaps. 

Evil Intent is a mix of a psychological thriller and a police procedural, featuring a cruel serial killer.

The discovery of a young woman's body, strangled and mutilated, is just the beginning of the series of gruesome murders in the heart of rural Hamptonshire. Each of the victims has a sign of pentagram carved on their chests.

DCI Helen Lavery is leading the investigation. She is an Acting Detective Superintendant, covering for the Superintendant as he takes a special leave to care for his partner, but she is very much involved in action.

The race to find the killer is turning into a cat and mouse chase. The serial killer is fiendishly clever, ruthless, and is enjoying their power. It looks like they are a step ahead of the police. 

The police team is concentrating on tracking the possible significance of the inverted pentagram. Is the killer someone belonging to the local cults, religious groups or pagan societies that use the pentagram as one of their symbols?

"The victims look similar. The MO is the same... we need to step into the killer's shoes, work out their pattern... Whoever did this is sending a message. We'll work through the usual background checks, appeal for sightings... But our best chance of catching them comes from working out what that message is".

Helen is determined to bring the killer to justice. Apart from the main investigation, Helen is shocked to find out that her younger son's new friend is the nephew of the organised crime boss Chilli Franks, a dangerous criminal who holds a grudge against her family. "Chilli was an adversary of her late father, also a detective. He'd hurled threats at the Lavery family when her father hunted him down and arrested him... in the 1990s." This man has threatened her family for as long as she could remember.

Professional and personal sides of life become tangled. Helen puts her own safety on the line and finds herself in mortal danger.

Will Helen be able to track down the killer and find the answers? 

The story focuses on the police investigation, which feels authentic and believable. Helen is a likeable character, a strong protagonist.  "She'd joined the police to be a murder detective, to keep her feet firmly on the streets, and she resisted anything that threatened a move away from front-line policing". 

The author creates a sensitive portrait of grieving families, showing the impact of violent crime on those who are left to mourn their loved ones.

Evil Intent is tense, twisty and daring. This is not a cosy mystery, we are in the dark and heartbreaking territory here.

Gripping, humane, unsentimental and grounded... I couldn't put it down.

Many thanks to Jane Isaac and Legend Press for my copy of the book! This post is part of the blog tour for Evil Intent.

Breakfast, On the Go & Kick Start the New Year Degustabox (January'22)

Although the days still seem to be grey and void of colour, the first signs of spring are already all around. Just the other day I spotted a yellow primrose in the garden, and a few crocuses and snowdrops made their first appearance of the year. 

The sight of the first spring flowers always gladdens my heart, and I feel revitalized. Whenever possible, I am walking a longer route into the town centre and back home, through the fields.

Breakfast, On the Go & Kick Start the New Year is the theme of the latest Degustabox. Grab a few snacks and drinks if you're planning a long walk in the countryside.

Degustabox is a monthly food and drink subscription box. It's an excellent way of discovering new products which have only just appeared in the shops, or those which have been around for a while, but you haven't had a chance to try them yet.

Thanks to Degustabox, I have found new favourites to add to our shopping list, including some products which I otherwise wouldn't have tried.

Each time a monthly box arrives, its contents are a total surprise. You get a good selection of foods and drinks.

If you haven't tried Degustabox subscription box yet, and would like to have a go, I have a £3off discount from your first box (and you can unsubscribe any time), just use code DKRLN when placing an order. 

What did we get in Breakfast, On the Go & Kick Start the New Year box?

Mutti Polpa Finely Chopped Tomatoes (£1.30) is the product of the month. Mutti tomatoes are processed within 24 hours of harvesting to capture the taste of freshly picked 100% Italian sun-ripened tomatoes.

Fantastic product for so many recipes, from pasta to stew, from soup to chilli. It has an intense fresh flavour and rich texture, the colour is a beautiful bright red. 

If your family enjoys a Bolognese (whether meat-based or vegetarian), Mutti Polpa will make a good tomato base for the ragu.

Available at Waitrose, Sainsbury's, ASDA, Booths, on Ocado and Amazon.

Calbee Harvest Snaps Sour Cream & Chive Lentil Rings (£1.75) are plant-based snacks. Baked not fried, they contain more than 50% of lentil ingredients, and provide a healthier alternative to crisps and cheese puffs.

They are gluten free, vegan and only 88kcal and 0.25g of salt per 20g serving. 

A word of warning: they are very addictive. 

Good source of fibre and plant-based protein due to the combination of peas, chickpeas and lentils. They are crispy, crunchy and melt in your mouth. The seasoning balance is just right. One of my top favourite products from the current box.

Since trying the lentil rings over three weeks ago, I've already bought them several times, as we enjoyed them so much. We also tried a different flavour of Harvest Snaps, Thai Sweet Chilli crispy lentil puffs, and though they are good, we prefer Sour Cream & Chive lentil rings. 

Available at Sainsbury's, Waitrose, and on Ocado.

Califia Farms Oat Barista Blend (£2) is a plant-based alternative to milk. As it is a barista blend, it steams remarkably well to make a tasty latte or cappuccino at home. You can also pour it straight in the cup of coffee, if you prefer an Americano. 

It has no added sugar, and is made with whole rolled oats.

Nutritional values: 55kcal and 2g of sugar per 100ml.

Available in the major supermarket chains.

Lee Kum Kee Cooking Sauce Collection (£4.99) offers a selection of authentic Chinese flavours. It comes with a booklet - a cooking guide which tells the history of the sauces, and shows several recipes.

I am a big fan of Lee Kum Kee. My family loves Teriyaki tofu with rice, and I have tried most of the brands available in the supermarkets. Lee Kum Kee Teriyaki is the best in flavour. We're also fond of Lee Kum Kee sweet soy sauce, which is great with noodles and dumplings.

I was very excited to see a selection of sauce pouches to try. 

Hoisin Sauce is a sweet and savoury sauce for dressing, dipping, BBQ marinating and cooking. It is brilliant with the aromatic duck pancakes or Peking duck. It is made with selected spices and ground soy beans. Originates from the southern part of China, Canton.

Yellow Bean Sauce, also known as Soy Bean sauce, is a savoury stir-fry and cooking sauce that tastes like miso but more umami. It is used primarily in Shandong (Li) cuisine of northern China. Great with meats and seafood, it is also lovely with mushrooms for a vegetarian meal, or as a noodle sauce.

Chilli Garlic sauce is a mild spicy and garlicky paste for stir-frying, marinating, sauce mixing and all kinds of cooking. Perfect for all kinds of cuisines from Chinese to Western, from Korean to Mexican. Add it to sandwiches or wraps as a dressing, use as a mashed potato topping, or in a stir fry. Meat-eaters are recommended to use it a BBQ sauce to brush on meat.

Lee Kum Kee Hoisin sauce, Yellow Bean sauce and Chilli Garlic sauce contain no added preservatives and are suitable for vegans.

Lee Ku Kee Premium Oyster sauce is a rich and savoury all-purpose seasoning sauce, made with the finest oyster extract to bring out the "xian wei" (Umami in Chinese) and uplift the taste of all ingredients. Widely used by many Chinese families and Michelin-starred chefs. One of the recipe suggestions is Classic broccoli beef in oyster sauce.

There are two sachets of Sweet soy sauce, which is specially brewed from premium soybeans and wheat flour, with treacly texture, palatable flavour and rich colour. It's suitable for stir-frying with rice and noodle dishes, as a dressing for classic clay pot rice, dipping sauce for finger food, rice rolls, Dim Sum and dumplings.

And finally, there are two small sachets of Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Chilli Oil. It's bright orange in colour, with chili flakes. It is pretty hot. Made with an authentic recipe from Chiu Chow, and offers multiple layers of flavours to any Asian or fusion dish. 

Available at Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury's, Co-Op, Morrisons, Waitrose, Ocado, Chinese and Oriental supermarkets.

Eat Natural Low Sugar Granola Whole Grain Oats, Almonds & Seeds (£3) has all the delicious taste of granola with a low amount of sugar. This granola is vegan, has high fibre and no refined sugars.

Its secret ingredient is coconut nectar blossom, which brings a natural sweetness to the mix of wholegrain oats, whole toasted almonds, crunchy buckwheat and creamy sunflower seeds.

Nutritional values:  248kcal, 2.2g of sugar and 6.4g of fibre per 50g portion.

Available in the major supermarket chains.

Quinola Corn, Pulses and Quinoa Crackers (£1.75) are flavourful, healthier and lighter crackers. They are gluten free and a good source of protein. Ingredients include a mix of organic corn, organic pulses (peas, lentils, chickpeas), organic quinoa, organic sunflower oil and salt.

It makes a guilt-free snack, when you're feeling peckish.

Nutritional values: 67kcal and 0.1g of sugar per 3 crackers.

Available at Holland & Barrett and on Ocado.

Linwoods Health Foods Cold Milled Flaxseed (£4.99 for the 425g pack or £1.99 for the 80g pack) is prepared with great care, through their unique cold milling process which unlocks the benefits of the seed for easy digestion while ensuring the full nutrients stay intact.

It is a good source of protein, fibre and Omage-3. Simply add 20g to your breakfast, yogurt or salad.

The 425g pack is available at all leading supermarkets, Holland & Barrett, independent food stores and online retailers including Ocado, Amazon and www.linwoodshealthfoods.com

The sample size pack isn't currently available.

Get More Vits Vitamin B12 Drink (£1.50) is a refreshing and flavourful pink grapefruit water. It has a lovely taste, and contains 5 μg of vitamin B12 per bottle. That is 200% of your recommended daily amount. Vitamin B12 is vital to tackle tiredness and fatigue, while also supporting the immune and nervous systems.

This is a sugar-free, low calorie drink, made with a real pink grapefruit extract.

Available in Tesco, on Ocado, Amazon and getmorevits.com.

Dr Will's All Natural Tomato Ketchup (£3.50) is the classic condiment, made with real tomatoes. It is all natural, sweetened naturally, gluten free, vegan-friendly and keto-friendly. The bottle is 100% recyclable as well.

Ingredients include tomatoes, tomato paste, date paste, apple vinegar, onion, apples, garlic puree, salt, concentrate from radish and carrot, ginger puree, black pepper, allspice and cloves.

Nutritional values: 14kcal and 2.5g of sugar per 15g.

Available at Tesco, Waitrose, on Ocado, Amazon and www.dr-wills.com.

Prodigy Roasted Hazelnut Chocolate Bar (£1.75) is a plant-based chocolate bar. You get crunchy whole hazelnuts in a smooth and creamy chocolate, with a hint of sea salt.

No palm oil, less than half the sugar of typical chocolate bars and certified Climate Neutral and Plastic Negative.

Hazelnuts and chocolate are a classic combination, here made better for you and the planet.

Available in health stores, Holland & Barrett, on Amazon and prodigysnacks.com.

Nine Bar Dark Choc and Orange (£0.99) combines the sweet and tangy flavour of oranges with the rich taste of dark chocolate. There's a mix of nutritious sunflower, pumpkin, flax and hemp seeds, with pieces of orange, coated with dark chocolate. 

This bar is high in fibre, vegan, gluten and wheat free, contains natural ingredients, vitamin B1 & magnesium.

Typical values: 208kcal and 6.2g of protein per bar.

Available in the major supermarket chains.

And finally, there is a voucher for Richmond Toad in the Hole Meal Kit (£2.95).

Great for a mid-week, no fuss family dinner. It comes with a pack of 10 Richmond sausages and batter mix. Simply add water, pour the batter over sausages, bake and enjoy. 

Available in the major supermarket chains (Tesco, ASDA, Morrisons, Iceland, Sainsbury's from January).