giveaway – Page 4 – What Cathy Read Next…

Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for A Conspiracy of Silence by Anna Legat, the fifth in her crime series featuring DI Gillian Marsh. My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to take part in the tour and to Accent Press for my review copy via NetGalley.

I’m delighted to say there’s also a giveaway (UK only) with a chance to win a DI Marsh Series mug and the first four books in the series – Swimming with Sharks, Nothing to Lose, Thicker than Blood and Sandman.

Enter using the Rafflecopter link here.

Terms and Conditions
– UK entries only
– Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.
– 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.
– 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.

About the Book

When a body is found in the grounds of a prestigious Wiltshire private school, DI Gillian Marsh takes on the case. The young groundsman, Bradley Watson, has been shot dead, pierced through the heart with an arrow.

As the investigation gathers pace, DI Marsh is frustrated to find the Whalehurst staff and students united in silence. This scandal must not taint their reputation. But when Gillian discovers pictures of missing Whalehurst pupil, fifteen-year-old Rachel Snyder, on Bradley’s dead body – photos taken on the night she disappeared, and he was murdered – the link between the two is undeniable.

But what is Whalehurst refusing to reveal? And does Gillian have what it takes to bring about justice?

Format: Paperback (272 pages) Publisher: Headline Accent
Publication date: 15th October 2020 Genre: Crime

Find A Conspiracy of Silence on Goodreads

Purchase links*
Amazon UK | Hive (supporting UK bookshops)
*links provided for convenience not as part of an affiliate programme

My Review

Although the fifth in the series, A Conspiracy of Silence can definitely be read as a standalone as the author quickly brings new readers (like myself) up-to-date with everything they need to know about DI Gillian Marsh. She has a no-nonsense approach which can appear brusque but is just the outward manifestation of a steely determination to get to the bottom of any crime she’s given to investigate. In this respect, she reminded me of Ann Cleeves’s Vera Stanhope.

There are glimpses into Gillian’s home life, revealing her as a bit of a loner who has prioritised her career over other things. Although she enjoys a pie and a pint with colleagues after work, there’s a clear line between work and anything else. That is, unless she chooses to cross it.

As Gillian embarks upon the investigation into the murder of Bradley Watson, she soon starts to ruffle feathers, notably those of Whalehurst’s headmaster, Edwin Featherstone. Sorry, Dr. Edwin Featherstone. He seems more interested in protecting the school’s exclusive reputation than the fact a dead body has been found in its grounds. Or that the victim was killed in such an unusual fashion, given the school has a a society devoted to Medieval martial arts, which include archery.

The nearby village of Little Ogburn epitomizes a community separated along class lines, divided into “the leafy owner-occupied” Upper Little Ogburn and the “decrepit housing estate” of Lower Little Ogburn. If you were thinking it sounds a little like the Wiltshire equivalent of TV’s Midsomer Murders, think again. The storyline features distinctly darker aspects of contemporary society such as county lines drug rings, bullying, right-wing extremism and the murky side of social media.

The anguish of Rachel’s parents at her disappearance is vividly depicted and I got a clear sense of how this made the officer in charge of the case, DS Mark Webber, even more determined to find out who – and what – was responsible for Rachel’s sudden disappearance. I was less a fan of the use of the past tense in some chapters and the present tense in others.

In conducting her investigation, Gillian faces, as the title says, a conspiracy of silence. But not only that; there’s a conspiracy of misogyny too, expressed in sometimes crude language.

Although not overburdened with police procedure, A Conspiracy of Silence demonstrates the patient, detailed process of investigating a crime, the teamwork involved and the human impact on those waiting for answers about their loved ones. In DI Gillian Marsh, the author has created a character whose flaws are definitely outweighed by her desire for justice, making the reader root for her.

In three words: Realistic, suspenseful, mystery

Try something similar: Payback by R.C. Bridgestock

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About the Author

Anna Legat is a Wiltshire-based author, best known for her DI Gillian Marsh murder mystery series. A globe-trotter and Jack-of-all-trades, Anna has been an attorney, legal adviser, a silver-service waitress, a school teacher and a librarian. She read law at the University of South Africa and Warsaw University, then gained teaching qualifications in New Zealand. She has lived in far-flung places all over the world where she delighted in people-watching and collecting precious life experiences for her stories. Anna writes, reads, lives and breathes books and can no longer tell the difference between fact and fiction.

Connect with Anna
Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for Summer in Provence by Lucy Coleman. And doesn’t that sound good just at the moment? Thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to take part in the tour and to Boldwood Books for my review copy via NetGalley. Do be sure to check out the posts by my tour buddies Adele at kraftireader and Lynne at Just4MyBooks.

You can read my review below but, before you do, why not enter the giveaway for a chance to win a signed paperback copy of A Springtime to Remember and a Boldwood Tote bag.

Enter via Rafflecopter here.

Terms and Conditions:

Worldwide entries welcome.
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 of the prize.

About the Book

Is a change as good as a rest?

When married couple Fern and Aiden have a windfall, their reactions could not be more different. While Fern is content to pay off their mortgage and build a nest egg before starting a family, her husband is set on traveling the world.

Fern’s not much of a back-packer so, before she knows it, the idea of a ‘marriage gap year’ takes shape. And, as Aiden heads off to the wilds of Australia, Fern chooses the more restful Provence for her year out.
Set amidst the glorious French scenery, Château de Vernon offers a retreat from the hustle and bustle of normal life, and Fern agrees to help out in return for painting lessons from the owner – renowned, but rather troubled, painter Nico.

As their year unfolds in very different ways, will the time apart transform their marriage, or will it drive Fern and Aiden even further apart…

Format: e-book (352 pages) Publisher: Boldwood Books
Publication date: 2nd April 2020 Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance

Find Summer in Provence on Goodreads

Purchase links*
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com | Hive (supporting UK bookshops)
*links provided for convenience not as part of an affiliate programme

My Review

Although the book’s title is Summer in Provence, events take place over the course of a year (and beyond). I really enjoyed how the author conjured up the effect of the changing seasons on the landscape around the Château and there are some particularly charming scenes as the team and their guests celebrate Christmas. Bûche de Noël, anyone?

Fern’s discovery of, and growing confidence in, her artistic talent is really heart-warming to follow. But maybe it’s not only her creativity that will be kindled? When you have a man described as having mesmerizing dark brown eyes, being instantly magnetic and being well cast as Mr Darcy and that person turns out to be Fern’s mentor and founder of the establishment, Nico Gallegos, surely we know what will happen? Throw in the fact he is a bit of a tortured soul and you have the perfect romantic hero. Ah, but in the skilled hands of the author I can assure you it’s not as simple as that.

I loved the way Fern’s innate empathy and intuitive instincts allowed her to bond with some of the guests at the retreat such as Kellie, a young woman with a troubled past. Like me, you may well give a little cheer at the course of a particular Skype call concerning Kellie’s future. Patricia was another lovely character who, as it turns out, holds the key to solving an important problem. As for Fern herself, she tends to underestimate her qualities resulting in one rather lovely moment involving a sheet of paper.

Aiden appears infrequently in person and, for that reason, initially I found it a little difficult to understand Fern’s continued devotion to him given the upheaval he has visited on their lives. His protestations of affection didn’t seem quite consistent with his behaviour and lack of communication during their time apart. Again, the author has some unexpected twists and turns up her sleeve to wrongfoot the reader’s expectations.

There are lovely little touches such as the apposite chapter headings and the author’s parting gift, as it were, giving the reader a glimpse of possible futures for the main characters in the book. Does absence make the heart grow fonder for Fern and Aiden? I’m sure you don’t expect me to tell you! You’re just going to have to read the book to find out.

Summer in Provence, with its heart-warming story set in glorious scenery, is the ideal pick-me-up for the times we’re living through. “When good things happen to good people, it leaves such a warm feeling in your heart.” Amen.

In three words: Romantic, uplifting, engaging

Try something similar: The House That Alice Built by Chris Penhall

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About the Author

From interior designer to author, Linn B. Halton – who also writes under the pen name of Lucy Coleman – says ‘it’s been a fantastic journey!’ Linn is the bestselling author of more than a dozen novels, including Summer on the Italian Lakes, Snowflakes over Holly Cove, The French Adventure and A Cottage in the Country. She is represented by Sara Keane of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.

When she’s not writing, or spending time with the family, she’s either upcycling furniture, working in the garden, or practising Tai Chi. Living in Coed Duon in the Welsh Valleys with her ‘rock’, Lawrence, and gorgeous Bengal cat Ziggy, she is an eternal romantic. Linn is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Society of Authors and writes feel-good, uplifting novels about life, love and relationships.

Connect with Lucy
Website | Twitter | Facebook

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#BookReview A Conspiracy of Silence by Anna Legat @AccentPress