Degustabox Advent Calendar'22, part II

 

This post is Part II and wrap-up on the Degustabox Advent Calendar: I keep unboxing 24 foodie surprises each day. The Degustabox advent calendar included a great selection of festive snacks, sweet treats and drinks.

Day 13: Ricola Soothe & Clear Original/Honey Lemon Echinacea (£1.49)

Winter season and inevitable colds could be made more tolerable with a selection of Ricola herb lozenges. I buy them regularly at Holland & Barrett, as they are soothing for the sore throat.

We received a bag of Honey Lemon Echinacea lozenges, just perfect for this time of the year. These candies are made with Fair Trade honey, lemon juice and Vitamin C. Other ingredients include a mix of 13 Swiss mountain herbs, echinacea dry pressed juice, mint oil, peppermint oil, menthol.

They taste like mildly medicinal, old-fashioned candy, but pleasant.

Nutritional values: 14kcal and 2.6g of sugar per lozenge.

Available at H&B, Sainsbury's, Tesco, online and other retailers.

Day 14: Well & Truly Oat M&lk Chocolate (£2) is a plant-based chocolate treat.

Gluten free, ethical and fairly traded, vegan and containing 43% single origin cocoa.

I still prefer dairy chocolate, as the vegan milk chocolate has a slightly powdery aftertaste, but it's not bad at all. I would also prefer less sugar.

Nutritional values: 166kcal and 11.5g of sugar per 30g.

Available at Ocado and online on wellandfruity.co.uk and Amazon.

Day 15: Double Dutch Drinks Cucumber Margarita with Chilli Soda (£1.20) is a premium mixer, which is low in calories and has natural flavours.

We've had Double Dutch in the past Degustabox boxes before, and they are all high quality mixers, suitable for a variety of cocktails. 

Nutritional information: 19kcal and 4.6g of sugar per 100ml.

The suggestion on the bottle is to pair it with tequila. We don't typically buy tequila, and I wonder if gin will be a suitable alternative? (still haven't opened the bottle).

Available at major supermarket chains.

Day 16: NICK'S nut bar almond crunch (£1.50) is a vegan nut bar with almonds and chocolate. 

No added sugar, no gluten, no palm oil. There's a good amount of crunchy chewy nuts in the bar.

Nutritional values: 173kcal and 1.2g of sugar per 40g bar.

Available at WHSmth and online on Amazon and try-nicks.co.uk.

Day 17: Gunna Drinks Gunna Ginger Rebel - Ginger Lemonade (£1.20) is a flavourful and zingy soft drink. If you like ginger-flavoured drinks, you will enjoy this sharp lemonade.

It is uniquely sweet, sour, bitter and spicy.

Nutritional values: 21kcal and 4.9g of sugar per 100ml.

Available at Holland & Barrett, Ocado and on Amazon.

Day 18: Treat Kitchen Good Egg Message Bottle (£6) is a bottle filled with egg gummy sweets. 

They have a tangy centre filled sweet flavours of citrus, mango and passionfruit - a posh twist on the classic sweet shop candy. Not suitable for vegetarians and vegans as they are made with pork gelatine.

My guys loved the funky bottle, and enjoyed the sweets.

Nutritional values: 340kcal and 51.6g of sugar per 100g. Suggested serving: 30g.

Day 19: FULFIL Chocolate Salted Caramel Vitamin and Protein bar (£2.25) is a healthier snack to enjoy. Packed with 9 vitamins and containing low sugar and high protein, it's a handy bar to have in a bag for when you are out and about and are feeling peckish.

Nutritional information: 148kcal and 1.2g of sugar per 40g bar.

Available at Tesco, Sainsbury's, Co-Op, Morrisons, Waitrose, Ocado, Boots, Holland & Barrett, Superdrug, WHS Travel, BP, Shell, most convenience stores and online on Amazon.

Day 20: Clearspring Organic Seaveg Crispies Original (£1.19) is a delicious, light and crispy seaweed snack. I am a big fan of seaweed snacks, and prefer the original plain flavour.

This toasted Nori snack is gluten free, MSG free, has high fibre and contains only 24kcal per pack.

You can add them to salads, but I prefer to eat them on their own. You can also find it in Ginger, Turmeric, Chilli and Black Pepper flavours.

Available at Ocado.

Day 21: Rootles Milk Chocolate Carrot Biscuits & White Chocolate Beetroot Biscuits (£1.20): these are truly unique - chocolate covered root-vegetable-based biscuits. They have more crunch, fewer calories and are bursting with natural sweetness.

Each pack contains 3 crunchy chocolate fingers, baked with 35% root veg. 121kcal each, they are a guilt-free treat.

Baking cakes with vegetables is very trendy nowadays, and these biscuits prove you can add vegetables to any bakes.

You should receive two items.

Available on Amazon, Rootles website and Roadchef.

Day 22: Raw Bean Definitely Decaf Pyramid Bean Bag, Relax Revive Go Pyramid Bean Bag (£1.15) is a proper coffee in a bag. The slogan on the pouch promises "No mess, no fuss, just cracking coffee".

Definitely Decaf is made with 100% Arabica coffee from El Eden, Quindio, Colombia, and is naturally decaffeinated by the 100% chemical free Swiss Water Process.

Just like with tea bags, pop the bean bag in a mug and pour hot water over it, steep for 3 minutes and enjoy.

Available on www.rawbean.co.uk.

Day 23: Hellmann's Gravy Mayonnaise 250ml (£2.50) is a restaurant-inspired condiment. Drizzle on top of burgers, fried or crumbed chicken, or chips.

It has a rich flavour with a touch of onion and garlic to add an extra oomph to your meals.

Suitable for vegetarians, it adds a meaty flavour to any veggie burger and other non-meat-based dishes too.

Nutritional values: 43kcal and 0.7g of sugar per portion.

Available at Morrisons.

Day 24: Montezuma's Chocolate Milk Chocolate Buttons (£2.59) is the final treat of the calendar. A decent sized box of chocolatey delights - buttons in different sizes, smooth, creamy and melting in the mouth.

Made with 38% cocoa, these buttons are organic and gluten free, always free from palm oil and made in 100% recyclable, compostable or biodegradable packaging.

Available in all Montezuma stores, and on www.montezumas.co.uk.

This excellent box of foodie surprises worth £50 costs £39.39 to purchase on Degustabox.com (while stocks lasted). 

Top marks for the selection of foods and drinks, great design of the packaging and value for money. 

A few thoughts and perhaps suggestions on the future boxes: if it's feasible, to make separate selections for vegans and non-vegans. 

With a few exceptions, vegan chocolate is just not the same as dairy-based. 

Maybe add more festive snacks for sharing rather than individual protein bars, and more Christmas-themed foods, like Santa or reindeer shaped chocolate, festive crisps, pouches of olives, crackers for cheese, cheese straws, anything that could be added to buffets and festive tables. 

Did you have this advent calendar? What was your favourite treat? 

Advent Degustabox (Part I)

May your holidays

be happy days,

filled with love

and laughter.

And may each day

bring joy your way

in the year

that follows after!

Dark December mornings and early evenings are much more enjoyable, if you have daily little treats of advent calendars to look forward to. 

Oh the pleasure of opening the little doors every day! While my sons had their own advent calendars filled with chocolate surprises, I treated myself to a beauty advent calendar. I also received the most glorious Degustabox advent calendar for reviewing.

I loved last year's Degustabox advent box so much, and I knew the new one will be as special. When Degustabox has offered to send one of those beauties for me for reviewing, I was delighted.  The Degustabox Advent Calendar makes an awesome gift. I also bought one of them as a gift for my friend, and she was thrilled with it. She later told me they loved it so much, that they plan to buy one next year.

First of all, it's huge - it includes 24 foods and drinks, and comes in a well-designed sturdy box, which opens into two parts like a gigantic book with windows. The cardboard box is recyclable, and there is no plastic.

There is a little booklet enclosed to give you clues of what to expect in the coming days. You could either ignore it, if you want a complete surprise, or if you're impatient like me, you might have had a quick look and rub your hands with glee. 

The selection of products differs from the last year. 

What did we get? 

Day 1: Love Raw Nutty Choc Balls (£1.69) are a lovely vegan chocolate treat. There are two whole hazelnuts in cocoa coating and nut croquante. Basically, it's a plant-based version of Ferrero Rocher.

Nutritional information: 81kcal and 4.6g of sugar per choc ball.

Available at Holland & Barrett, ASDA and independent retailers.

Day 2: Belazu Ingredient Company Rosemary Nut Mix (£3.95) is a delicious mix of almonds, cashews and giant corn roatsed and blended with rosemary and sea salt.

Using small batch techniques and the highest grade nuts and corn, this mix is hand roasted and seasoned.

A perfect snack at a party table, for sharing with friends, or while relaxing with a film.

Nutritional information; 541kcal and 1.5g of salt per 100g.

Available at Belazu, Waitrose, Ocado, Planet Organic and on Amazon.

Day 3: Cadbury Christmas Puds (£0.65 each) - festive Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate with truffle centre, hazelnut pieces and crunchy puffed rice pieces.

You should receive 2 items in your advent calendar.

Available nationwide.

Day 4: Knorr Chicken Gravy Pot (£2) - if you are having a Christmas roast dinner, it won't be the same without some gravy.

Now you can prepare your chicken gravy in a flash - just use one pot of Knorr chicken gravy, made with high quality ingredients. 

Free from artitifical colours or preservatives, these pots will make cooking a family meal easier. Lovely with chicken sausages too.

Available in all major supermarket chains. 

Day 5: Bounce Indulgent Energy Ball Millionaire/Choc Brownie/Hazelnut Praline (£2) - these balanced nutritious vegan snacks are very popular. 

The chocolate coated range is a mini treat of plant protein, filled with a squishy centre and coated with chocolate.

We received a Choc Brownie. Inside there is a tasty nut butter. High in fibre and protein, it comes at 190kcal per energy ball.

Available at Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Waitrose, Co-Op, BP, Ocado and Holland & Barrett.

Day 6: Maretti Oven Baked Bruschette Chips (£1.49**) are crunchy, crispy pieces of bread, made with carefully selected ingredients and offered in a variety of flavours. They are seasoned on one side to offer you a choice of more intense or mild taste. 

Add your own toppings or offer with dips like hummus or guacamole as a starter.

Available at Iceland, Lidl, Ocado, Holland & Barrett, www.goodfood-company.co.uk and many local stores.

Day 7: Yogi Tea Christmas Tea Organic (£2.59) is an ayurvedic blend with honebush, cinnamon and star anise.

For many years Yogi Tea have been supporting the non-profit Nevandra Association, which provides children in India with an education and a roof over their heads with the motto "Education - The Key for a Bright Future".

This is a beautiful flavourful tea, with great taste and great credentials too.

Available at independent health food stores nationwide.

Day 8: Terry's Chocolate Orange Crispy Oranges (£1)

Terry's Chocolate Orange is back with these fun crispy oranges. 

Made with smooth creamy milk chocolate  flavoured with real orange oil and a crunchy cereal centre, these little treats will make a lovely lighter snack. They are also a perfect ingredient for decorating all those festive bakes, from cookies to chocolate log. Or drop them in the brownie dough for an extra indulgent twist.

Nutritional values: 131kcal and 11g of sugar per 9 balls.

There are two bags in the calendar.

Available at all major supermarket chains and in convenience stores.

Day 9: La Baleine Coarse Sea Salt Box (£1.95) is a naturally white sea salt. 

It's being harvested in France from the Mediterranean sea for over 150 years, and crystallized thanks to the sun and wind.

Free from additives, this salt is excellent in cooking. 

Sprinkle over a focaccia dough, with sprigs of rosemary, for that lovely crunch. 

Available at Ocado and on Amazon.

I used some of this salt to prepare a home-cured salmon.

Day 10: Dorset Cereals Marvellous Pecan and Almond Muesli Crunch & Ultimate Fruit and Nut Muesli Crunch (£1.29) is a tasty breakfast for one.

You will receive one item of two. 

We got a pack of Pecan & Almond Muesli Crunch.

It's a mix of delicious signature muesli grains with crispy granola pieces, caramelised maple pecans and nutty almonds.

Nutritional values: 459kcal and 10.3g of sugar per 100g (one pack is 75g).

Available at Tesco, Waitrose, Ocado and on Amazon. Pecan and almond is also available at Sainsbury's.

Day 11: Surprise!!!

What's better than getting a surprise? There is a mystery product inside door 11, you won't know what it is from looking inside the booklet.

As it happens, there is a Starbucks Signature Chocolate Salted Caramel behind the door no.11 - ten sticks of hot chocolate with a hint of salt.

Stir with milk and indulge in the chocolatey treat.

Nutritional values: 178kcal and 21.1g of sugar per mug. 

Starbucks is known for its high sugar content drinks, and this one is way too sweet. I plan to use it, mixing with plain cocoa to make several cups of hot chocolate, to lower the sugar content.

Day 12: Filippo Berio Basil Pasta Sauce (£2.50) is an excellent Italian pasta sauce, made with naturally sweet Italian tomatoes, fragrant basil and Filippo Berio Extra Virgin olive oil. 

This lovely sauce will enhance many a pasta dish, bringing you the authentic flavours of Italy.

Gluten free and lactose free, this sauce is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Available at www.filippoberio.co.uk.

That's the first half of the Advent Calendar. To see what other treats were available, check out the Part II of Advent Degustabox post.

This amazing box of foodie delights worth £50 costs £39.39 to purchase on Degustabox.com (while stocks lasted). 

Top marks for the selection of foods and drinks, great design of the packaging and value for money. 

A Child for the Reich by Andie Newton (book extract)

 

I'm thrilled to welcome Andie Newton to my blog today. 

A Child for the Reich

From the USA Today bestselling author comes a gripping new emotional WW2 historical novel. Inspired by a true story!

'A moving story of a mother's love battling against the determination of the Reich to create a pure Aryan race…A recommended read' Glynis Peters

'An intensely moving, brilliantly researched novel about love, loss, and the lengths a mother will go to for her child…utterly compelling' Deborah Carr

Rumours of the Nazis coming for Czech children swept through the villages like a breeze through the trees, and the story was always the same…

They wanted our children to raise as their own

Since her husband, Josef, joined the Czech resistance three years ago, Anna Dankova has done everything possible to keep her daughter, Ema, safe. But when blonde haired, blue-eyed Ema is ripped from her mother’s arms in the local marketplace by the dreaded Brown Sisters, nurses who were dedicated to Hitler’s cause, Anna is forced to go to new extremes to take back what the Nazis have stolen from her.

Going undercover as a devoted German subject eager to prove her worth to the Reich, the former actress takes on a role of a lifetime to find and save her daughter. But getting close to Ema is one thing. Convincing her that the Germans are lying when they claim Anna stole her from her true parents is another…

 

Purchase Links

HarperCollins US: https://bit.ly/3xJUXdD

HarperCollins UK: https://bit.ly/3dAADVe

 

UK retailers:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3qWMQ9W

Kobo:  https://bit.ly/3LCjSpa

Apple: https://apple.co/3S7zPX9

 

US retailers:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3feRMUQ

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3f4sNUd

Apple: https://apple.co/3faOrX7

Barnes and Noble: https://bit.ly/3eZZoum

 

GOODREADS: https://bit.ly/3DI0i99

BOOKBUB: https://bit.ly/3C31iDu

Author Bio –

Andie Newton is the USA Today bestselling author of The Girls from the Beach, The Girl from Vichy, and The Girl I Left Behind.

She writes gritty and emotional war stories about strong women. Andie holds a bachelor's degree in history and a master's in teaching. She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, her two boys, and one very lazy cat.

You can find book club discussion questions on andienewton.com.

 

Social Media Links –

Twitter: @AndieNewton

FB: Andie Newton Author Page

Instagram: andienewtonauthor

Publisher Socials:

Twitter: @OneMoreChapter_ @Harper360

Instagram: @onemorechapterhc  @harpercollins360

Website: http://andienewton.com/

Below is an extract from A Child for the Reich. The Brown Sisters, nurses sympathetic to the Reich’s cause, are in town searching for Aryan-looking children to kidnap and take back to Germany to raise as their own. Sisters Anna and Dasa are moving their children from one house to the other, under the cover of night so that nobody can see them. The sisters have a secret they are hiding from the children, though they are starting to figure out something is going on.

 

Extract:

 

We waited until dusk before sneaking over to my house, through Dasa’s brown pasture where nobody from the road would see us with the children. Matka didn’t like having to change beds, but she wasn’t about to stay at Dasa’s now that the Reich had visited it.

“There will be more dead Germans by daybreak if I stay at that house,” Matka said. “And as for you, Dasa. You’ll confess to God. We can go to a church and make it official in the sanctuary,” Matka said. “He’ll understand because she was a devil. When the signs are right.”

“You can’t have it both ways, Matka,” I said. “You can’t be religious yet lead your life by signs and omens and fairy tales.”

“Yes,” she said. “I can. It’s who we are, Anna.”

“I’ll tell you who we are, Matka. We’re a family of secrets, and this is just another secret we’ll have to keep.” I reached out to pet the baby’s head in Dasa’s arms. “There’s so many now…”

Knowing German was the mildest secret we kept, and the baby so far was relatively easy to hide from the villagers. Our husbands’ fates were our biggest lies. Matka had taken her wedding band off, thinking someone would kill her for it, but I kept my wedding band on. Rumor had spread that my husband was working in Prague, when in fact he’d fled for the Czech Resistance. It was the lucky break I needed to keep the German men away from my land, but things were harder for Dasa. To qualify for assistance, she’d told the New Town Hall her husband had died, and it was to her detriment. Ever since, more and more of her pasture had been eaten up by German landowners, taking what they wanted.

We led the children into my cellar, walking down the rickety wooden stairs with Ema half asleep in my arms.

She roused when I went to lay her down. “Where are you going?” Ema asked.

“Aunt Dasa and I are going to sow some seeds tonight. The moon is right for planting, all the signs are there.”

“That’s right,” Dasa said as she made up beds for her girls with blankets and hay we used for insulation—Brigita with the biggest blanket, and her two other girls sharing one. “You know how the best planting happens during the night.” “Yes,” Ema said, sweetly.

These were stories we told ourselves. Stories we’d been brought up on. All good Czech families had their stories.

“But how come I can’t sleep in my own bed?” Ema asked.

“Ah, sweet girl,” I said, “you ask too many questions.” I tucked her into her new bed. “It’s just for tonight.” Ema sucked her thumb, looking up at me from the floor. “Kisses,” I said, and she pulled her thumb away so I could kiss her cheek.

“But you didn’t finish the story,” she said, reaching for me, and I kissed her once more.

Matka brought down Ema’s old baby basket, and we placed Dasa’s young son into it, blankets wrapped around him, unknowing what despicable deed his mama and I were about to go off and do. I lit a few candles in jars and placed them on the shelf. Brigita watched us looking at the baby, and Dasa snapped for her to roll over and go to sleep.

“I’m scared,” Brigita said after she pulled the blanket over her head. “Something isn’t right. Both of you, Aunt Anna,

Mama…”

Dasa kissed her daughter’s head through the blanket, giving her a squeeze, before following Matka up the stairs without another word.

“Mama,” Ema said from the covers, hands grabbing at the air between us. “The story. Lay down…”

Candlelight flickered between us. “Scoot over,” I said, and she made room for me on the floor. Dasa waved impatiently for me at the top of the stairs, but Dasa would have to wait. The Brown Sister would have to wait. Right now, Ema needed me.

I lay down.

Ema played with my fingers, the candlelight dancing over her little cheeks and glistening in her eyes. “Now, what story did you want to hear?” I asked, and she swiftly answered.

“The one about the actress in Prague.” “Oh yes, the woman from Prague.” I brushed a wisp of hair from her eyes.

“Tell me how pretty she was. Tell me about the prince.”

I kissed her hand, thinking up ways I could tell her about her father and me, ways a child would understand. “When her prince first saw her, it wasn’t the makeup he noticed, the fancy dress, or the jewelry that glittered around her wrists and neck.”

“It wasn’t?” she asked.

“He noticed her eyes. Looked right through them as if he could see her soul—as if he knew her soul—but how could he? He’d never met her before. And that’s what it’s like when love strikes. There’s a connection. Like me and you.” I snuggled her close. “We didn’t know each other before you were born, but we loved each other instantly.”

“I love you, Mama,” she said, and I kissed her cheek when she threw her arms around my neck for a hug. “Did they get married?”

“They did,” I said. “And it was the most beautiful wedding in all of Prague. An evening wedding under the stars. And they danced and danced and danced, and he told her he’d never leave her side, and she believed him because he was her love.”

I stared off into the gloomy cellar, remembering the champagne, the cheers, and the toasts from our families. Everything in the world seemed possible that night—a fairytale start.

“Was the devil there?” Ema asked.

“The devil?”

“Every story has a devil in it,” she said, and my eyes welled with tears, remembering all that had gone wrong since.

“The devil showed up after the wedding.” I pressed her fingers to my lips. “But that part of the story will have to wait for another night.”

She rolled over and sucked her thumb. Josef would have hated her sucking her thumb at five years old, but it was a comfort to her, and I let her do it.

I took hold of the light string, pausing, looking at our children sleeping on the cellar floor, in that dank and dark place where no children should ever sleep. “Damn you, Josef, for leaving me,” I whispered into the air, and I pulled on the light string.

The Haunting of Roderick Usher (The Watson Letters Volume 6) by Colin Garrow

 

I'm delighted to welcome Colin Garrow, the author of The Watson Letters series, to my blog today.

The Watson Letters Volume 6: The Haunting of Roderick Usher

An invitation. A ghostly spectre. A criminal mastermind.

When Sherlock Holmes is invited to visit an old school friend, he and Doctor Watson are plunged into the first of three adventures involving the Dark Arts and the supernatural. From the ghostly spectre of a dead sister to the search for an ancient book of spells, the detecting duo learn that each case is connected, leading them into a final showdown with their deadliest adversary yet.

Adult humour throughout.

Purchase Link - https://geni.us/dymvutk

Author Bio:

True-born Geordie Colin Garrow grew up in a former mining town in Northumberland and has worked in a plethora of professions including taxi driver, antiques dealer, drama facilitator, theatre director and fish processor. He has also occasionally masqueraded as a pirate. Colin’s published books include the Watson Letters series, the Terry Bell Mysteries and the Rosie Robson Murder Mysteries. His short stories have appeared in several literary mags, including: SN Review, Flash Fiction Magazine, The Grind, A3 Review, Inkapture and Scribble Magazine. These days he lives in a humble cottage in Northeast Scotland.

 

Social Media Links –

Website (Adults) https://colingarrow.org/

Website (Children) https://colingarrowbooks.com/

The Watson Letters https://thewatsonletters.com/

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B014Z5DZD4

Twitter https://twitter.com/colingarrow

Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/colingarrow

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

Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/colin-garrow

It is always fascinating to have an author's insight into their creative process. Today Colin Garrow talks about his writing routines and other challenges. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Colin!

Guest Post – Writing Routines and Other Challenges

One of the things a lot of writers will press upon would-be authors, is the necessity of writing every day. As Stephen King says, If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. However, for those of us who can’t afford to write full time, this can be a bit of a challenge. Finding the time and energy to write after a day a work, can feel like pushing melted butter uphill.

I’ve always believed that writing is one of those things you must do regularly to maintain the ability to do it. Like exercise, if you miss a few days, getting back into it can be hard. Something I used to use as an exercise involved starting to write without having a single idea in my head and not knowing where it might go. Sometimes what came out would be rubbish but often, I’d find myself creating an apparently well-plotted story as if that’s exactly what I’d set out to do. Now, I find I have enough ideas to start writing a dozen books, so rarely have to tax my brain in order to know what the story will be about.

When I first started writing novels seriously (back in 2013), I lived in a pokey little cottage that was so small I spent most of my time in the kitchen. Filled with the eagerness of writing my very first book, I developed a routine and stuck to it rigidly for a couple of years. As I worked full time in occupational therapy, and also shared childcare duties with my former partner, I’d organise the evening meal after work and, if my son was staying, wait until he was tucked up in bed before starting to write. At the time this involved bashing away at an old laptop on the kitchen table. In those heady days, I’d often work until 10.30 or 11.00 at night and then spend another hour ‘coming down’ from whatever storyline I’d been bound up in.

During that time, I believed there was no such thing as writers block and as I had tons of ideas in my head, the task of starting to write each evening never troubled me—I’d just sit down and start writing and the words would emerge. More recently, the death of my father had a debilitating effect on my writing routine and for many months I could scarcely write more than a few sentences at a time. Even more recently, health problems impacted on my ability to stay awake in the evenings and I’d often have to crawl off to bed at 8.00pm.

These days, while I still have occasional days off from writing, I usually manage to knock out a few hundred words each day and a few thousand at the weekends. Given that my best day of writing culminated in 6,500 words in an eight-hour session, my daily target now is closer to 3,000 words a day. Well, let’s say 2,500. A couple of thousand, anyway.

 

 

Sherlock Holmes & the Singular Affair by M.K.Wiseman (review + #giveaway)

 

"Let me first say, most emphatically, that curiosity does not a case make. In my experience, however, it may function much the same as hard evidence or fact."

Sherlock Holmes & the Singular Affair by M.K. Wiseman is a clever historical mystery, featuring the world's greatest literary detective.

The Sherlock Holmes canon is expertly spun out in this diverting mystery, written in the style of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This book is a prequel, i.e. we meet Sherlock before Dr Watson comes into his flat and life, but we do see references and glimpses of characters which appear in the classic series of books: Inspector Lestrade being one of the important figures to feature in the original mysteries.

Blurb:

Before Baker Street, there was Montague.

Before partnership with a former army doctor recently returned from Afghanistan, Sherlock Holmes had but the quiet company of his own itellect. Solitary he might be but, living as he did for the thrill of the chase, it was enough.

For a little while, at the least, it was enough.

That is, until a client arrives at his door with a desperate plea and an invitation into a world of societal scandal and stage door dandies. Thrust deep in an all-consuimg role and charged with the safe-keeping of another, Holmes must own to his limits or risk danger to others besides himself in this case of the aluminium crutch.

Review:

The story begins familiarly enough, as told by Dr Watson, who mentions that the manuscript has entered into his possession after the passing of Sherlock Holmes. 

"To me John Watson, chronicler and friend, he left an old tin box... Red tape bundles of paper and other curiosities lay nestled within that chest. Case notes. Many from the time before I had known him. It was here the enormity of the loss - that of the world and mine - caught me afresh..."

Thus how Dr Watson discovered the case described in the manuscript as the Singular Affair of the Aluminium Crutch. 

After the initial introduction, it is Sherlock's story that we get engrossed into.

At the time, he lives in Montague street rather than Baker Street, on his own. One day Miss Eudora Frances Clarke visits his place, asking to find her missing fiancé, Tobias-Henry Price.

"Letters exchanged for months, fervent promises for a far shorter period of time. A meeting, a deferment. And then?" Then her fiancé vanishes, to be replaced by someone claiming to be Tobias-Henry Price.

Why would someone impersonate Price? And what's happened to the man Miss Clarke claims to have known since their childhood? What's even more bizarre, Price's uncle, Sir Edgar Price, insists that the man is not an impostor but his true nephew.

She is adamant, "I stand against the world in my convictions as to the identity of the man I love".

Sherlock is intrigued. "The source of Miss Clarke's troubling disparity as to the true identity of Mr Price was likely not a large crime. It was, quite possibly, not a crime ar all. But it was not nothing, and thus the very idea of the thing had awakened in my imagination a series of questions, and it was wholly within my power to discover the answers".

Holmes follows the trail that will lead him to discovering the truth, through the higher echelons of the London society, as well as shadowy corners and residencies of the gang members. It is a complicated case, with shifty characters galore and a few gruesome murders.

Sherlock Holmes & the Singular Affair is an intelligent homage to the original character penned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He is exactly as we know him, possessing great deductive as well as acting skills, he loves his violin and has a vast network of informers.

If you are a fan of the classic books, you will enjoy references to the untold stories and mentions of the characters that you remember. Langdale Pike, the notorius gossipmonger (introduced in The Adventure of the Three Gables), helps Sherlock with his queries.

Ormond Secker is, of course, the original name of Dr Watson. Thanks goodness, Conan Doyle changed this weird name for the one we know and admire.

The author has managed to capture the essence of the Sherlock Holmes stories. The style of writing feels authentic and faithful to the original. 

If you enjoy prequel stories of the famous detectives as young(er) people, you will love to meet a young and energetic Sherlock Holmes, working alone and just thinking of moving to a new flat and getting a trustworthy flatmate. 

There is action, mystery and deduction to please the fans of the classic detective.

This post is part of the blog tour.

Many thanks to M.K.Wiseman and Rachel's Random Resources for my e-copy of the book!

 Purchase Links

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09DXQVT56/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DXQVT56/

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sherlock-holmes-the-singular-affair-m-k-wiseman/1140115651?ean=9781734464146

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/sherlock-holmes-the-singular-affair

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/sherlock-holmes-amp-the-singular-affair/id1583511548

 

Author Bio – M. K. Wiseman has degrees in Interarts & Technology and Library & Information Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her office, therefore, is a curious mix of storyboards and reference materials. Both help immensely in the writing of historical novels. She currently resides in Cedarburg, Wisconsin.

Social Media Links –

http://mkwisemanauthor.com

https://twitter.com/FaublesFables

https://www.facebook.com/FaublesFables/

https://www.instagram.com/faublesfables/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7073540.M_K_Wiseman

 

Giveaway to Win 2 x M. K. Wiseman Sherlock Holmes Book Bundle (Open to US / UK and Canada)

Prize includes:

Signed and ‘annotated’ with a few margin notes copies of Sherlock Holmes & the Singular Affair  & Sherlock Holmes & the Ripper of Whitechapel

Nifty ‘magnifying glass’ bookmark

*Terms and Conditions –

UK / US & Canada 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 note that this giveaway is running through several blogs. 

Chez Maximka is hosting the Rafflecopter gadget for free for the purposes of the book promotion. I am not involved in the selection of the winner, or dispatch of the prize. I have no access to the collected data either.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway