MYSTERY IN THE HIGHLANDS

MY THOUGHTS:

Edinburgh, 1911:  Maud and her lady’s maid Daisy are back on the case when Daisy receives a phone call from her cousin.  Clara calls Daisy to tell her that not just one but two people in her  choir unexpectedly died.  Clara fears that they weren’t an accident.  Maud and Daisy immediately head to the Highlands to investigate.  They join the choir to see if they can identify any possible suspects.  The police decide the cause of death was a heart attack and a drowning, but Maud and Daisy aren’t convinced.  So, as they continue their own investigation, they receive a mysterious letter.  When another choir member is murdered Maud and Daisy must hurry to find the killer before another victim falls.  But time is running out and the song is about to end.

Mystery in the Highlands written by author Lydia Travers was a delightful cozy mystery.  I love the characters of Maud and Daisy.  They are an absolute delight with their witty comments and investigative sleuthing.  This enjoyable story was one that kept you on the edge of your seat wondering until the end, whodunit.  This is the third installment in The Scottish Ladies’ Detective Agency and I have thoroughly enjoyed this series, and I highly recommend it.  A definite must read for all cozy mystery fans.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION:

MYSTERY IN THE HIGHLANDS

Author: Lydia Travers

Publisher: Bookouture 

Publication Date: July 26, 2023 

Pages: 331 

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When members of a choir start dropping dead in the Highlands, Maud McIntyre and her lady’s maid Daisy go undercover to discover the inharmonious culprit. But will they uncover the killer before another murder takes place?

Edinburgh, 1911: When Maud and Daisy receive a letter from Daisy’s cousin, Clara, sharing her fears that two sudden deaths in her local choir weren’t accidental, at first Daisy thinks her cousin is overreacting. But Maud’s detective senses tell her something is afoot, and so they make haste to the Highlands to investigate.

As soon as they arrive, Maud and Daisy go undercover in the choir to find potential suspects. But with one murder deemed a heart attack, and the other declared an unfortunate drowning, Maud and Daisy have their work cut out when it comes to persuading the local police that perhaps the choir isn’t as perfectly in tune as everyone thinks...

But finally they receive a clue in the form of an anonymous letter. Enclosed is a rhyme which they’re certain holds the key to the next murder…

With the clock ticking down to another death, they know they can’t miss a beat - but will Maud and Daisy solve the mysterious rhyming verse before another singer is silenced, or will this case lead to their own untimely swan song?

ABOUT LYDIA TRAVERS

Lydia Travers was born in London.  She moved progressively north until settling with her husband in a village on the edge of the Scottish Highlands. She has raised children, bred dogs and kept chickens; and for as long as she can remember has written for pleasure. A former legal academic and practitioner with a PhD in criminology, she now runs self-catering holiday accommodation, sings in a local choir and is walked daily by the family dog.

Lydia also writes as Linda Tyler and her first novel under that name, Revenge of the Spanish Princess, won a 2018 Romance Writers of America competition for the beginning of an historical romance. Her second novel The Laird's Secret was Commended in the 2021 Scottish Association of Writers' Pitlochry Quaich competition for the beginning of a romantic novel. Mischief in Midlothian won the 2022 Scottish Association of Writers' Constable Silver Stag trophy. She has had a number of short stories published in magazines, journals and anthologies in the UK, the USA and Australia.

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AN AMERICAN WIFE IN PARIS

MY THOUGHTS:

Paris, 1941: Kitty returns to Paris for the third time and this time is her most dangerous mission ever.  As an undercover agent for the resistance she knows that she must complete the mission.  She has lost so many family members and friends old and new to the Nazis so she can’t possibly stop fighting now.  But is she willing to lose more people that she is close to including her own husband?  Kitty and her husband Edgar know that the only way the Resistance’s mission will be successful is if they are no longer married.  This is the hardest time of their life and they know that even though they are no longer operating as husband and wife, her heart is put to the test when she gets word that Edgar is missing.  Kitty continues to fulfill the mission of the Resistance in risking her own life, by moving refugees across the borders while at the same time, sneaking supplies into the Prisoner of War Camps.  Kitty knows that one day she will find Edgar and that is the hope she hangs on to in such horrible times.

An American Wife in Paris authored by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger is a wonderful continuation to The Diplomat's Wife Series.  This heartbreaking World War II historical fiction kept me on the edge of my seat with Kleenex in hand.  I felt such a deep connection to each and every character hoping that they would survive.  This unputdownable, phenomenal story was a rapid page turner for me.  The author did an amazing job of pulling me into the story that  I felt as if I was sneaking across the border myself.  My heart was pounding faster and louder at every gasp, as I continued reading to the very end.  I loved everything about this story and I highly recommend it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 

DESCRIPTION:

AN AMERICAN WIFE IN PARIS

Author:  Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger 
Publisher: Bookouture 
Publication Date: July 20, 2023 
Pages: 348 
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“If I go back to Paris, it would be my third time there as an undercover agent...” Kitty murmured. “I ask myself, how many chances does one person get?”

Paris, 1941. When Kitty is asked to return to Paris as an undercover agent, she knows the mission is her most dangerous yet. But she has been fighting the Nazis for too long to stop now. And her role within the Resistance has already cost her friends, family and now – almost – her own marriage.

Because while she and Edgar are more in love than ever, his role as an undercover Nazi means it is safer if they are no longer married. And while signing the divorce papers is a formality that breaks her heart, Kitty knows that she and Edgar will find a way to be together when the war is finally over…

More determined than ever to undermine the Nazi regime, Kitty has nothing left to lose. From secretly supplying Prisoner of War camps with essential items, to moving refugees across borders to safety, she will stop at nothing to play her part in bringing the war to a close, even if it means risking her own life.

But when Edgar goes missing, Kitty’s world stops. As she begins a desperate search for her beloved husband, she hears from her contacts that he has been killed. But Kitty feels strongly in her heart that, somewhere out there, Edgar is still alive. And she knows she must risk everything to rescue the man she loves, no matter what…

ABOUT CHRYSTYNA LUCYK-BERGER

Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger was born in Minnesota in 1969. A first-generation American of Ukrainian immigrants, she grew up in the culture-rich neighborhood of “Nordeast” Minneapolis. Inspired by her second-grade teacher, her writing career began with short stories, then morphed into travel narratives, and eventually novels. She has worked as a journalist and as a managing editor for a magazine publisher before jumping the editor’s desk and pursuing her dreams of writing and traveling. In 2000, she moved to western Austria and established her own communications training company. She has won several awards for her short stories and novels and now primarily writes historical fiction.

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THE LONELY HEARTS BEACH CLUB

MY THOUGHTS:

Hattie is completely heartbroken after husband suddenly dies.  She has no idea how to continue on in life.  Her daughter Olivia see’s her mother Hattie totally withdraw from life and seems to have no interest in anything.  Every day Hattie places two beach chairs on the seashore, she spends the day staring at the sea…alone.  Olivia decides to put up an advertisement in the local café asking for someone to fill the empty chair next to her mom.  So many responses to the advertisement with an eclectic array of responses and so the lonely hearts beach club is formed.  With each visitor, Hattie develops the friendships that she is longing for and exactly the people she needs.

The Lonely Hearts Beach Club written by Amy Miller was heartwarming and a wonderful read.   I enjoyed this story and I especially liked the interest Olivia took in her mother’s life.  She focused on what would make her mother happy, while she was working through her own grief.  The friends that answered the advertisement and sat in the beach chair to tell their story were an interesting group of people.  They seemed to be exactly who Hattie needed at the time.  I enjoyed this book and I recommend it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating: 4 out of 4.

DESCRIPTION:

THE LONELY HEARTS BEACH CLUB

Author:  Amy Miller 
Publisher:  Bookouture 
Publication Date: July 21, 2023
Pages: 320
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Hattie gazes at her husband’s empty green-and-white-striped deckchair, the fabric blowing in the breeze. Blinking away tears, she clutches her own chair’s wooden frame with trembling hands. ‘What will I do without him?’

Olivia’s heart breaks watching her mother Hattie withdraw after her husband’s sudden death. Without him, she’s never been lonelier. Every morning, Hattie places a pair of tired old deckchairs looking out to sea. Staring at the empty chair beside Hattie, Olivia comes up with a plan: One deckchair for hire! Must bring good conversation and have own flask.

Posting the advert in a beachfront café, responses from other lonely locals start flooding in. There’s psychic medium Miriam who, besides talking to the dead, finds it therapeutic to belt songs from musicals. Glamorous Glenda has a penchant for teapot wine and skinny dipping.  And even a reluctant Hattie can’t resist the endearing quirkiness of Jacob, walking the south-west coastal path in memory of his wife.

Everyone who sits in Hattie’s deckchair has a little pearl of wisdom to share, each bringing a tiny bit of the familiar sparkle back to Hattie’s eyes.

But as more and more visitors take up residence in Hattie’s deckchair – and her heart – will Hattie ever find a way to return to the woman she once was? And in the process, can Olivia also learn a lesson or two about reopening her own heart to love?

ABOUT AMY MILLER

Amy Miller is the pseudonym of Amy Bratley, who started her writing life working on magazines and newspapers. She has previously written three women’s fiction novels published by Pan Macmillan, the first of which was a bestseller in Italy. Her day job is being a freelance managing editor of both a vintage interiors magazine and a food magazine, two subjects she’s passionate about. Amy lives in Dorset with her husband and two children.

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COMING HOME TO THE COTTAGE BY THE SEA

MY THOUGHTS:

Olivia Elliott needs a vacation and decides to spend her summer on the beautiful and remote Morwen Island. She grew up there and is happy to be going home. Olivia remembers the last time she was there and she had so much heartbreak when she left. She rents a beautiful and quaint cottage on the tranquil shore. Soon after arriving, she runs into Jory Trethewey who happens to be her first true love. She remembers their heartbreaking breakup as if it was yesterday. Jory is a local boatbuilder who never moved away from the island. He decided to help Olivia renovate and bring the cottage to life again. As they spend time together redecorating and renovating the cottage they uncover some of its rich history. They want to know everything they can about the cottage’s history. When they find that the history of the cottage dates back to World War II, where a wounded airman arrived at the island and hid from the war. A woman found him, and they quickly fell in love with each other and risked everything to be together. Olivia and Jory find love while exploring the history of the cottage and discovering the past is actually just as beautiful as what the future holds. 

Coming Home to the Cottage by the Sea authored by Rebecca Alexander was a wonderful continuation of The Island Cottage series. I love time slip novels and this one did not disappoint. The characters in this story were so amazing and I loved them all. I felt a personal connection to them as their life stories unfolded. The author does an amazing job of perfectly describing Morwen Island and the beautiful island landscape.  I thoroughly enjoy this author’s writing style and will continue to seek out her stories. This phenomenal story of the past, the present and the future is one that will remain in my heart. Don’t pass up this must read series. I loved everything about it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating: 4 out of 4.

DESCRIPTION:

COMING HOME TO THE COTTAGE BY THE SEA

Author:  Rebecca Alexander 
Publisher:  Bookouture 
Publication Date: July 18, 2023
Pages: 327 
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As Olivia watches the island grow larger on the horizon, she wonders if returning to this place was the right decision…

When Olivia Elliott decides to spend the summer on the remote Morwen Island where she grew up, she can’t help but wonder if returning home is a good idea. After all, she still remembers the heartbreak she left behind on those shores many years ago.

Back on the island, Olivia soon adjusts to life as an islander and rents a cottage for the summer. But, before long, she runs into her first love, Jory Trethewey, a handsome local boatbuilder who never left the remote community. And despite the fact she can still recall their painful breakup, Olivia finds she now can’t stop thinking about him…

When Jory offers to help Olivia fix up the cottage, the two begin to spend more time together. And as they renovate, they realise the house has its own secrets and they decide to put the past behind them and investigate its history.

Soon they uncover a story dating back to the Second World War, of a wounded airman who came to this island to hide from the world, and of the woman who fell in love with him, and risked everything to be with him…

As Olivia tries to find out what happened to the young woman and her airman, she finds herself frustrated by the lack of answers. What became of their story? Did risking everything for love work out for them? And, if it did, should she follow in the lovers’ footsteps, and finally trust her heart?

ABOUT REBECCA ALEXANDER

Rebecca Alexander was born in Malta and grew up on the south coast of England, becoming a psychologist. She escaped parenting six children to study writing in 2011, and the Secrets series of novels was published in 2013. A Baby’s Bones and sequel followed. Rebecca lives in a haunted 300-year-old cottage in Devon where she grows fruit, paints, and bakes. She reads and writes all sorts of genres, from women’s fiction to fantasy to crime. She is married with four chickens, two grandchildren and a cat. 

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SECOND CHANCES FOR THE LIFEBOAT SISTERS

MY THOUGHTS:

Clara Morrow is so excited to be planning her wedding to her fiancé Logan in the beautiful picturesque Cornish village of Port Promise.  The best day of her life can’t come soon enough.  It was love at first sight for Clara and Logan.  Logan is a local artist and enjoys painting pictures of the beautiful Cornish beaches.  When Logan inherits a house in London and Clara isn’t at all happy about the thought of moving to London after the wedding.  It is an amazing new start for them but the thought of leaving Port Promise, her family and her friends breaks her heart.  Is London really the life she wants with her new husband or is passing up an amazing opportunity and staying with her family what she and Logan both want.

Second Chances for the Lifeboat Sisters written by Tilly Tennant  was a sweet continuation of the series.  Once again I was swept away the Cornish coast and I didn’t want to leave.  I am amazed how the author rapidly transports you to the sandy beaches and crystal clear waters of the coast.  Port Promise is a wonderful little village that I could easily live out my days.  The lifestyle is so enjoyable and laid back with not a care in the world.  This story of second chances and new beginnings is a treasure box to be devoured.  I am so happy that this is only the second book in this lovely series.  Don’t pass up this must read.  I loved it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION:

SECOND CHANCES FOR THE LIFEBOAT SISTERS

Author:  Tilly Tennant 

Publisher: Bookouture 

Publication Date: July 14, 2023

Pages: 419 

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In the tiny village of Port Promise, where the wind tangles your hair and the cobbled streets twist down to the honeycomb beaches, Clara Morrow is planning her wedding.

After a whirlwind romance, Clara is excitedly planning her wedding to her handsome fiancé Logan in the picture-perfect Cornish village of Port Promise, with her mother and three sisters at her side.

She will never forget the day when she first caught sight of artist Logan, the sea-mist curling the ends of his dark hair, as he strode across the gorse-covered cliffs near the village. She feels so lucky that Logan seems happy to make her home his own, painting on the windswept Cornish beaches and calling in for lunch at the fish shack where she works with her best friend.

But when Logan inherits a beautiful house in London and reveals that he wants them to build a life there, it’s a huge shock for Clara. She knows it could be an amazing new start, but when she thinks about leaving her family behind, her heart aches.

Suddenly it seems like she and Logan have very different dreams. Can they find a way back to their happy ever after or will the mismatched lives they want threaten everything they have built together?

ABOUT TILLY TENNANT

Tilly Tennant was born in Dorset, the oldest of four children, but now lives in Staffordshire with a family of her own. After years of dismal and disastrous jobs, including paper plate stacking, shop assistant, newspaper promotions and waitressing (she never could carry a bowl of soup without spilling a bit), she decided to indulge her passion for the written word by embarking on a degree in English and creative writing. She wrote a novel in 2007 during her first summer break at university and hasn’t stopped writing since. She also works as a freelance fiction editor and part-time lecturer.

Hopelessly Devoted to Holden Finn was her debut novel; published in 2014 it was an Amazon bestseller in both the UK and Australia. In 2016 she signed to the hugely successful Bookouture and is currently working on her fifteenth Tilly Tennant novel. Christmas bestseller A Very Vintage Christmas has just been made into a movie for Lifetime Channel.

Tilly also writes young adult fiction as Sharon Sant.

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THE LIFEBOAT SISTERS

MY THOUGHTS:

Ava Morrow is recovering from a broken heart after losing her amazing father Jack.  He died in a lifeboat while at sea.  The small village of Port Promise is reeling with grief realizing they will never see Jack again. Ava decides to carry on Jack’s legacy by becoming a lifeboat volunteer.  Ava takes her best friend Harry with her.  Harry was on the lifeboat the night that Jack died.  Ava’s sisters Clara and Gaby are not happy with her decision and want to talk her out of it.  But when Harry tells Ava a horrible secret about the night that Jack died, her life is once again turned upside down.  She is faced with another major decision, where does she go from here?

This book completely swept me away.  The Lifeboat Sisters authored by Tilly Tennant was a wonderful and much needed escape to the Cornish Coast.  I was enamored by the sights, sounds and aroma of the beautiful English Coast.  This book played out like a movie in my mind.  This is a story of overcoming grief and the loss of a parent and discovering new beginnings in life.  I felt a personal connection to the Morrow Sisters and the villagers of Port Promise.  What a lovely escape this unputdownable rapid page turner was.  I am so happy that this is the first book of what I’m sure will be a phenomenal series.  I can’t wait to dive into book two.  I highly recommend this story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION:

THE LIFEBOAT SISTERS

Author:  Tilly Tennant 

Publisher: Bookouture 

Publication Date: July 14, 2023

Pages: 425 

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Escape to candy-coloured Seaspray Cottage on the Cornish coast, with its stunning views of honeycomb sand beaches and aquamarine seas, where Ava is about to make a brave new start… 

When Ava Morrow’s beloved father Jack is killed on his lifeboat at sea, the Cornish village of Port Promise unites in grief. Jack’s twinkling eyes and warm smile are remembered by the whole village, and Ava is determined that he will never be forgotten.

Inspired to follow in her father’s footsteps, Ava quits her job and begins to train as a lifeboat volunteer, alongside her best friend Harry, who was with Ava’s father the night he died. As they work side by side every day, Ava begins to see Harry, with his sea-green eyes and his sandy blonde hair, in a different light. Ava’s mother and sisters are worried about Ava’s safety and want her to stop, and Harry is the only person who really understands what she needs to do. Still, she pushes her feelings to one side, afraid to risk their friendship.

But when, one summer’s evening, Harry reveals a tragic secret about the night that Jack died, Ava’s world is turned upside down once more. Will his secret drive her away from him and the new life she loves?

ABOUT TILLY TENNANT

Tilly Tennant was born in Dorset, the oldest of four children, but now lives in Staffordshire with a family of her own. After years of dismal and disastrous jobs, including paper plate stacking, shop assistant, newspaper promotions and waitressing (she never could carry a bowl of soup without spilling a bit), she decided to indulge her passion for the written word by embarking on a degree in English and creative writing. She wrote a novel in 2007 during her first summer break at university and hasn’t stopped writing since. She also works as a freelance fiction editor and part-time lecturer.

Hopelessly Devoted to Holden Finn was her debut novel; published in 2014 it was an Amazon bestseller in both the UK and Australia. In 2016 she signed to the hugely successful Bookouture and is currently working on her fifteenth Tilly Tennant novel. Christmas bestseller A Very Vintage Christmas has just been made into a movie for Lifetime Channel.

Tilly also writes young adult fiction as Sharon Sant.

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THE SOLDIER’S CHILD

MY THOUGHTS:

Ukraine, 1941:  Katya falls in love with a Hungarian soldier, named Anthony.  Shortly after he is killed in battle she discovers she is pregnant. As an unwed mother she is forced to give away her son.  Her brother Adrian and his wife Nadia adopt Katya’s son and raise him as their own.   She can’t possibly take any more heartbreak.  When Katya is taken against her will, she is transported to a labor camp.  The only hope she has is the memory of her son Alexander and the only way she will ever see him again is if she can escape.  

The Soldier’s Child by author Tetyana Denford is an utterly heartbreaking and unputdownable story of love, resilience and hope.  This story takes place from just after World War I ends and   through World War II.  The author does a phenomenal job of carrying the reader through each page attaching them to the well developed characters.  I felt emotionally invested in the family and Katya was an extremely likable and amazing person.  She demonstrated such strength, hope and unconditional love for family, in such a volatile time.  This was a story based on true events and that made it even more compelling.  I highly recommend this rapid page turner, absolutely phenomenal.

DESCRIPTION:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 

THE SOLDIER’S CHILD
Author:  Tetyana Denford
Publisher: Bookouture 
Publication Date: July 10, 2023
Pages: 350
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“He will always be mine,” she whispers, as the tears in her eyes blur her vision. She holds her baby tightly, her breath coming out in ragged gasps, knowing that she will have to say goodbye… 

Ukraine, 1941. War has ripped Katya’s country and heart in two. When her first love and the father of her child, a young Hungarian soldier, is killed in battle she thinks her heart couldn’t break any more. But when she discovers she is pregnant, she is forced to give their beautiful son away.

Then two soldiers knock down her door and force her into a truck. Katya is terrified, but as she is driven away to a labor camp her spirit remains strong. Because as she looks out the tiny window at the barren winter landscape she thinks only of her little Alexander…

She knows she must find a way to escape if she can ever see him again. But will she ever be reunited with her precious son? Or will they be torn apart forever by the war that has already taken so much?

ABOUT TETYANA DENFORD

Tetyana Denford grew up in a small town in New York, and is a Ukrainian-American author, translator, and freelance writer. She grew up with her Ukrainian heritage at the forefront of her childhood, and it led to her being fascinated with how storytellers in various cultures passed down their lives to future generations; life stories are where we learn about ourselves, each other, and are the things that matter most, in a world where things move so quickly.

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