Death in the Stars by Frances Brody Blog Tour

The latest instalment of Frances Brody's Kate Shackleton mysteries is set in June 1927 and Kate has been invited to view the solar eclipse with singing star Selina Fellini and her friend the comic Billy Moffatt. Selina seems preoccupied and nervous and convinced that something bad will happen so when Billy collapses Kate is not surprised and she suspects that Selina knows more than she is saying. It seems that there have been two other suspicious deaths among the theatre troupe in the recent past. Tasked with investigating the deaths and the strange behaviour of some of those connected with the theatre company Kate makes some new friends and keeps some strange hours. Kate Shackleton is an able and pragmatic heroine and she once again proves herself in the latest book. Frances Brody has created some great characters and brought the 1920s to life in vivid detail. There may be some who seeing the bright, colourful covers might dismiss this series as cosy crime but that would be a mistake. Frances Brody doesn't stint on showing us the mental and physical suffering of men who have returned from war, the alcoholism and drug taking that many have turned to and the impact their distress and behaviour has on their wives and families. Kate also reflects on the way that young men are raised in public schools to become fodder for future wars. This book also gives us an insight into the world of the variety theatre which while remaining popular with many is under threat from the growing popularity of moving pictures. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Jacqueline Winspear and Kerry Greenwood. This is the 9th book in the series put they do not necessarily have to be read in order. Thanks so much to Clara Diaz at Little Brown for a copy.

Falling Creatures by Katherine Stansfield

When Shilly is taken to the hiring fair at All Drunkard and signed away by her father, she never expects to find love, but once she meets Charlotte Dymond she knows they have a special bond. Hired together by the gruff Mrs. Peter, they travel to Penhale Farm, where Shilly follows besotted in Charlotte’s footsteps as Charlotte teaches her about magic and superstition. Charlotte seems to attract attention wherever she goes and has a number of admirers in the locality, so Shilly can’t be sure who is the lucky recipient of Charlotte’s affection, but when Charlotte is found dead in suspicious circumstances, the locals have only one suspect in mind: Matthew Weeks, another hired hand on the farm. Shilly, however is not convinced and along with a newspaperman from London, a Mr. Williams, she is determined to find answers. It seems that at every turn they are met by lies and deception in this windswept lonely corner of Cornwall, and everyone has secrets including Mr. Williams and Shilly herself.

This is a masterful, mesmerising and haunting mystery full of gothic atmosphere and hints of the strange and supernatural. Based on a real murder mystery from the mid-19^th century, Falling Creatures is a clever, heartfelt and very well-written story with a powerful narrative voice ideal for anyone who enjoyed Sophia Tobin’s The Vanishing, Andrew Hughes The Coroner’s Daughter and Anna Mazzola’s The Unseeing.

This review originally published in HNR Issue 81 (August 2017) see it online HERE

Corpselight by Angela Slatter Blog Tour

I am delighted to be involved in the blog tour for Corpselight by Angela Slatter which is the second volume in the Verity Fassbinder series. If you haven't already read the first book Vigil then get it and read it now, for your own good. This is a gritty urban fantasy set in Brisbane featuring Verity a half Normal, half Weyrd so she has a foot in each world but since she works for the Weyrd council she spends a lot of time dealing with Weyrd and weird stuff. Working for the Weyrd council is a bit like working for the city council only more dangerous and with greater probability of encountering tails and fangs. Verity is tough, brave, super strong, pigheaded, cynical, smart thinking and soft hearted. Imagine Phyrne Fisher transplanted to modern day Brisbane and clothed in doc martens, jeans and leather jacket except on top of all that, in this instalment Verity is also heavily pregnant. As Verity investigates mysterious drownings across the city and does some snooping for an insurance company she is targeted by some muderous kitsune and goes into early labour, luckily she is rescued by a mystery woman, who it turns out has a past very much entangled with Verity's. The storytelling is top notch; it's fast paced, wickedly funny and delightfully dark and the plot is never rushed, even though there is a huge amount of story and information conveyed. Each character is properly fleshed out and well rounded and there are twists that you just won't see coming. This is a perfect read for fans of Rivers of London or the Dresden Files or for any reader that likes their comedy razor sharp and their heroines daring, caring and devil may care.
The book is being launched in the UK/Ireland  and Australia simultaneously so the blog tour is international which is really exciting and includes many bloggers who took part in the blog tour for Vigil last year, because Angela Slatter is the kind of author that inspires fandom. Details of the rest of the blog tour are below, just click to enlarge and you can read my review of Vigil HERE

Murder By Ghostlight

Murder by Ghostlight is the latest installment in J. C. Briggs Charles Dickens & Superintendent Jones Investigate series. Having brought a production of Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s Money to Manchester, Charles Dickens discovers a dead body on the stage of the empty theatre and is immediately suspected of murder. With the aid of his friend Superintendent Jones of Bow Street and the local police the pair set out to prove Dickens’ innocence and unravel a web of intrigue surrounding the dead man. This is a fast paced and page turning tale and the author clearly pays homage to Dickens both in the style of writing; Dickensian descriptions of poverty, industry and gloomy weather abound, but also in the colourfully named characters such as razor nosed Eva Stabb and solicitors Tape and Binding. The portrait of Dickens himself is a balanced one, while he enjoys fatherhood he is a neglectful husband and though aware of his own flaws in many instances, he has a tendency to pomposity and the dramatic. This is a cleverly written Victorian mystery which will have broad appeal, while the author doesn’t stint on the gore the narrative is witty and intriguing. Highly recommended for fans of Dickens obviously, but also for anyone who enjoys Oscar de Muriel’s Frey and McGray series of Victorian mysteries, The Sherlock Holmes novels or the novels of Diana Bretherick.

Published by The Mystery Press 2016

This review originally appeared in Historical Novels Review Issue 80 May 2017 and can be viewed here 

https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/murder-by-ghostlight/