Welcome to my personal book blog - Brown Flopsy's Book Burrow!
I am mad about books in all their forms - paper books, e-books and audio books.
I review books and share the bookish love. You may also see me talking about books on Twitter (X), Instagram and Bluesky (@brownflopsy).
My reviews are an honest reflection of the books I have enjoyed, and the views expressed here are completely my own.
I am also a member of, and admin for, the SquadPod Collective bloggers group.
Tuesday, December 31, 2030
Monday, November 2, 2026
The Sugar And Spice Bookshop Bakery (Bookshop Bakery Book One) by Jennifer Page
Published 8th October 2026 by Aria.
From the cover of the book:
Louise Dearnley has spent her life editing perfectly neat love stories, where heartbreak leads to fresh starts, charming small businesses bloom, and happily-ever-afters are guaranteed.
But now in her forties, she's quit her job – and no, she doesn't want to talk about why – and returned home to Applethwaite, the small Yorkshire village where she grew up. Starting over doesn't feel nearly so much fun in real life as it does in fiction.
It also doesn't help that her mother is convinced she's here to run the family bakery, especially as the locals can't get enough of Louise's legendary ginger cake and scrumptious scones. Between renovations, a quirky ex-stepdaughter (who's unexpectedly come to stay) and a gorgeous Italian who seems too good to be true, Louise's second chance begins to take shape.
After a lifetime spent polishing other people's happy endings, will Louise finally have one of her own?
***********
Louise Dearnley's career as a book editor has ended rather abruptly with her resignation, following a mix-up with the latest novel of famous author Sheila Penhaligon. The prospect of facing a new start in her forties is daunting, so she heads home to the Yorkshire village of Applethwaite to consider her options.
Her mother is delighted to see her, but is under the misapprehension that Louise has come back to take over the family bakery shop, now she has retired. As much as Louise loves baking, this is not part of her plans. However, spending time in the empty shop gives her an idea...
Having loved Jennifer's Little Board Game Café books, I knew I was going to enjoy this first instalment of her brand new cosy rom-com series - and I was right.
Louise comes home to Applethwaite with her tail between her legs, hiding a secret about the precise circumstances of her abrupt change of career. She knows she wants to continue working with books, rather than take on the family bakery, and comes up with the idea of converting the premises into a bookshop.
But putting her plan into action is not going to be easy - she will need to break bad news to her mother; find the money for renovations; and deal with the locals who are addicted to her grandmother's famous ginger cake... as well as negotiate the unexpected drama that comes with her ex-stepdaughter Maddie needing a place to stay, just when Louise was hoping a romance with handsome Italian Jack might be on the menu.
As the story unfurls, a lovely slow-burn romance develops between Louise and Jack, set against the hurdles of getting the bookshop off the ground. There is a bit more spice than in Jennifer's previous books, which works well with the bakery theme and Louise's occasional reflections on the romantic tropes she is used to vs real life.
Louise, Jack and Maddie end up making a great team, and lots of stuff crops up about all three that delves into themes of parental expectation, bad relationships, guilt, and second chances. The layer of mystery that comes with gradually revealing what lies behind Louise's departure from her previous job is very enjoyable too - and packed with intriguing reflections on the bookish world.
Jennifer always has the right touch when it comes to building a wider community around her central characters, threading storylines into the main event to get you invested in their lives, and saving some nice twists for the end. This book introduces lots of opportunities for future instalments, which I am really looking forward to reading as the series develops.
This was an enchanting gentle read, with a warm and hopeful ending that hits the perfect note for this time of year. I cannot wait to meet the Applethwaite gang again in book two, Love and Lattes at the Bookshop Bakery, which will be about single mum Anna!
The Sugar and Spice Bookshop Bakery is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.
Thank you to Aria for sending me a review copy of this book.
About the author:
Jennifer Page wrote her first novel – a book about ponies – when she was eight. These days she prefers to write romance. When she isn't writing, Jennifer can usually be found playing board games which are the inspiration for her first novel. She has worked as a television producer, a music teacher and has even run a children's opera company. She now lives near Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire with her husband and his large collection of games.
Friday, October 30, 2026
The Moriarty Murders (Moriarty & Co. Book One) by Jack Gatland
Published 27th October 2026 by Simon Stream.
Audio book narrated by Heather Long.
From the cover of the book:
Welcome to Moriarty & Co: who would have thought that solving crimes is more fun than committing them?
Investigative journalist Abigail Wren has spent her career chasing cases no one else cares about. But everything changes when Abbie learns she's the last living heir to the Moriarty criminal empire (yes, that Moriarty). Now, not only has she inherited a crumbling country house, she’s also acquired a cellar full of ageing operatives who've spent their lives on the wrong side of the law. She wants none of it.
Her new “employees” aren’t too thrilled either. They want a Moriarty in charge – not someone who's only ever solved crimes, not committed them. But when Maurice Finch, one of the old guard, is found dead in circumstances nobody believes were accidental, the team wants revenge.
Abbie sees an opportunity: she decides they’re switching sides and going straight to find Finch’s killer. But pulling at the threads of Finch's death turns up a second body, and a name that keeps surfacing where it shouldn't. Because someone else thinks the Moriarty inheritance should have been theirs, and he's only just getting started...
With time running out to catch the killer, can they solve the case before another body turns up? Or is the world’s most unconventional detective agency also going to be its most short-lived?
***********
Investigative journalist Abigail (Abbie) Wren has made a career out of getting to the bottom of cases that go nowhere. Her latest investigation into shady business Gordon Vennett has just gone spectacularly sideways, and she has lost her job as a result.
Having to rely on part-time bar work to pay the bills is less than ideal, but she really does not know what to make of the opportunity that comes her way when mild-mannered solicitor Arthur Pemberton informs she has inherited a legacy that will change her life - namely that she the last living member of the Moriarty criminal empire (yes, that Moriarty).
The legacy comes with a crumbling manor house, and a cellar that contains the aging operatives of what remains of the Moriarty crime syndicate, who are not thrilled about her arrival. However, they are in need of someone with her skills to help them get to the bottom of the murder of one of their own. Abbie is not at all sure about suddenly being on the wrong side of the law, but this just might be a profitable working partnership for them all...
This first instalment of a brand new cosy crime series, Moriarty & Co. is an absolute delight from start to finish!
Abbie has never known her parentage, so the discovery that she is the last remaining legitimate heir of the infamous James Moriarty, arch-nemesis of Sherlock Holmes, is a big surprise. Finding her legacy somewhat diminished, Abbie meets the gang of a handful of (mostly) aging ' Old Guard' operatives who are now her 'employees' - Graves (sizeable chap in-charge of the armoury), Patch (IT expert), Sable (the one youngster, and an androgenous chameleon), Evie (disavowed coroner), and Arthur Pemberton (solicitor, aka Pembers).
The Old Guard have been keeping the dwindling fires burning, and are smarting from the loss of Finch (accountant), who was auditing the books of the 'new age' Worshipful Company of Mercantile Venturers (dodgy financial types), and apparently fell off a roof. Convinced he was murdered, they want revenge. The gang head of to the hall where the Worshipful Company are gathering for a swanky dinner, and set about ferreting out the truth under the guise of a real historical department of the Home Office. Along the way, they get to know each others strengths and secrets, and Abbie discovers a part of herself she did not even know existed.
This is equal parts super-slick murder mystery, quirky crime caper, and gangland thriller with a twist, that thrums with cosy Richard Osman-type vibes. The Moriarty gang are a riot, and work beautifully as a team to solve Finch's murder, and reach satisfying conclusions in other areas of the story in a way that will make you punch the air with glee. There is extra frisson from a potential love interest for Abbie in the form of (clearly smitten) DCI Hale, and the element of a dangerous pretender to the Moriarty crown adds an edge to the whole proceedings which provides a cracking twist at the end - and a fabulous hook into the next book in the Moriarty & Co series.
I ended up listening to the audio book of this gem, narrated with aplomb by Heather Long, and loved every glorious moment. I cannot wait for book two!
The Moriarty Murders is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.
Thank you to Simon Stream for providing me with a review copy of this book.
About the author:
Jack Gatland is the crime-writing pen name of Tony Lee, a British #1 New York Times bestselling writer, novelist, screenwriter, audio dramatist and comics writer. As Jack Gatland, he is best known for his fast-paced crime fiction, including the DI Declan Walsh series, and has built a strong indie readership through prolific series publishing.
Codex Of The Gods (The Egyptian Stones Book Three) by Murray Bailey
Published in hardcover 1st October 2026.
From the cover of the book:
A murdered billionaire. A vanished relic. A conspiracy older than the pyramids.
When Alex MacLure takes the job of curator of a private collection, little does he know that the billionaire owner has a mysterious stone. Or that things will rapidly spiral out of control. Competing parties want the stones and will do anything to obtain them.
Special Agent Charlie Rebb is called upon to prove MacLure's innocence as he is drawn into a web of murder, deceit and conspiracy.
Does MacLure hold the key to exposing the stones' power? If if he does, what will it mean for humanity?
***********
California, USA. Egyptologist, Alex MacLure, arrives at the home of billionaire collector of antiquities, Simon Blanchard, to take on the role of curator of his private museum. Awed and somewhat unsettled by the collection, and its advanced AI security system, Alex sets to work on a new translation task. Little does Alex know that Blanchard also has a coveted artifact in his collection that is about to get him branded a thief and a murderer.
Meanwhile, FBI Special Agent Charlie Rebb travels to Iceland to consult on the murder of a former agent. She is convinced this is linked with the case of the serial killer, The Surgeon, which got her pulled into a dangerous situation in Egypt by Alex. What she does not expect is that she will be dragged into another conspiracy involving Alex... and be called upon to extricate him from murder charges a second time.
Murray goes all out in this third, action-packed instalment of the Egyptian Stones series, bringing everything together in a culmination of the Keeper of Secrets themes from the earlier books, that lead to a set of ancient stones with a terrifying purpose.
Alex's thirst for knowledge carries him to the luxurious complex of Blanchard, where a translation task actually means a lot more that he bargained for. For Blanchard needs him to unlock the secrets of an other-worldly black stone marked with arcane symbols, which emits a radioactive signal. Unfortunately, Alex becomes the pawn in the games of others when he is fitted up for killing Blanchard and taking the stone for himself. All evidence points to his guilt, but Charlie Rebb knows he is no killer, and that the stone has been stolen by someone else - if only she can convince her bosses, deal with the interference of her smarmy ex-husband, and expose a perfidious AI entity.
Alex and Charlie's parts of the story barrel along in very exciting order, with some welcome familiar faces putting in an appearance, including Alex's hacker brother, Andrew, and Charlie's working partner Peter Zhang, Alex falls unwillingly into the company of all manner of interested parties, such as an Egyptian brotherhood (hello again, Champions of the Holy Site), a potential love interest in fellow academic Dr Marie Dubois, a discredited conspiracy-obsessed journalist, misguided French Freemasons, and another billionaire who has lost the plot... all of whom have agendas of their own. In parallel, Charlie has a lot on her plate tracking down clues, while trying to convince the authorities that Alex is not who they think he is, and that something very bad is going to happen if they do not start taking her seriously.
This has everything you could possibly want in an intelligent thriller, especially if you have read the earlier books, The Heretic Cypher and The Mark of Eternity, which I recommend. The Dan Brown meets Michael Crichton vibes are strong, with very enjoyable echoes of both Stargate and Indiana Jones, and the plot thrums with ancient rituals, assassinations, conspiracy theories, mad billionaires, AI shenanigans, end of the world chills, and secret societies at crossed purposes - mixed with a gripping noir FBI investigation element that carries its weight just as much as the more mystical ones do. And, oh my, the climax of this third book is truly an unexpected delight... roll on book four, because I need to know what happens next!
As an aside, I am thrilled to see that the fabulous Charlie is set to get her own spin-off series. Hurray! Keep your eyes peeling for Identity, A Charlie Rebb Thriller, coming 29th January 2027. I cannot wait to read it, Murray!
Available to buy now in hardcover, paperback and ebook formats.
Thank you to Murray Bailey for sending me a review copy of this book, and for inviting me to join this blog tour.
About the author:
Murray Bailey Is the author of the Ash Carter thrillers, inspired by his father's experience in the Royal Military Police in Singapore in the early 1950s. From the prequel series, based in Cyprus and Israel, The Prisoner of Acre won the 2025 Page Turner Award. A post-Singapore series is based in the Philippines. The Heretic Cypher is the first book of a trilogy featuring a young Robert Langdon-type character decrypting secret messages written by an ancient Egyptian.
Murray is well travelled, having worked in the US, South America and a number of European countries throughout his career as a management consultant. However he also managed to find the time to edit books, contribute to articles and act as a part-time magazine editor.
Murray was born in Manchester and now lives on the south coast of England with his family and two dogs, Teddy and Muffin.
Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Shot With Crimson (Josephine Tey Mysteries Book 11) by Nicola Upson
Published 2nd November 2023 by Faber Books.
From the cover of the book:
I will never understand why murder is considered such a lowbrow speciality in Hollywood.
September, 1939, and the worries of war follow Josephine Tey to Hollywood, where a different sort of battle is raging on the set of Hitchcock's Rebecca.
Then a shocking act of violence reawakens the shadows of the past, with consequences on both sides of the Atlantic, and Josephine and DCI Archie Penrose find themselves on a trail leading back to the house that inspired a young Daphne du Maurier - a trail that echoes Rebecca's timeless themes of obsession, jealousy and murder.
***********
September, 1939. The reality of another war is starting to hit home, as Josephine says goodbye to her friend DCI Archie Penrose, and steps aboard the glamorous Queen Mary on her way across the Atlantic, wondering if she will ever return. She is looking forward to a tender reunion with her lover Marta, who is busy working once again with Alfred Hitchcock, this time on his adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca.
After a fraught crossing filled with unexpected drama, in which she falls into company with Hitchcock's wife and daughter, Josephine sets off across-country to Los Angeles. On the way she meets a young man on the brink of throwing himself under a train and stops him just in time. He is also heading to Hollywood, as he is working on Rebecca. She decides to keep a close eye on him, but is unprepared for his confession about what led him to trying to take his own life.
Meanwhile, Archie is called to Milton Hall, the house that inspired du Maurier's Manderley, to investigate a murder. He discovers that the death might be the result of events that actually took place at Milton Hall some twenty years ago, when it was a convalescent home for injured soldiers returning from the trenches - events that involved the young man Josephine has befriended...
"The sky above our heads was inky black. But the sky on the horizon was not dark at all. It was shot with crimson, like a splash of blood. And the ashes blew towards us with the salt wind from the sea."
Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
The eleventh book in this cracking series is one of my favourites for a number of reasons, not least the way Nicola spins two complementary plotlines for Josephine and Archie, in a masterclass that demonstrates every facet of her skills as a writer. Du Maurier's Rebecca sits at the burning heart of this novel (pun intended), through clever use of the problem-struck film directed by Hitchcock, as well as the real childhood memories of du Maurier about Milton Hall and its daunting housekeeper that sparked Manderley and Mrs Danvers into life.
Nicola's settings could not be more different from each other, with Josephine in the weird and wonderful world of Tinsel Town in its heyday, and Archie on a country estate mired in an investigation that has its roots in losses during the Great War. And yet, they form two sides of a many-layered story that can only be unravelled by equal contributions from them both. And, what a story! The subtle shifts in perspective that open up its mysteries are so enjoyable, and I am in awe of the way Nicola manages to explore so many aspects of guilt, shame, suspicion, secrets, love, obsession, jealousy, revenge, and the tragic consequences of a doomed love affair... and keep you guessing until the shocking twists knock you sideways at the completion of the story.
As fitting for a story which revels in du Maurier, Nicola uses her to open and close this novel, bringing it deliciously full circle - and giving her the role of the person who fills in the final pieces of mystery for Archie. Surely her finest use of a famous face in an instalment packed with film and literary royalty like never before.
I love how this one immerses you completely in the world of movie making of the era, especially when it comes to Hitchcock (all the better for Josephine's previous run-ins with the man) and blockbuster producer David Selznick (who was also working on Gone with the Wind at the same time). And if this was not enough when it comes to atmospheric vibes of time and place, Josephine travels to America on the luxurious Queen Mary too. Bliss!
My reread journey through Nicola's Josephine Tey mysteries, via the excellent audio books narrated by Sandra Duncan, has reached an end. That means that my next adventure is the brand new twelfth book, The Voices of the Dead, which is publishing on 5th November. I am so not ready to leave Sandra's lovely voice behind just yet... so I think I may be listening to this one too!
Shot with Crimson is available to buy now in hardcover, paperback,ebook and audio formats.
About the author:
Nicola Upson is the author the Josephine Tey mysteries, including An Expert in Murder, a standalone novel The Christmas Clue, and two works of nonfiction. She has worked in theatre and as a freelance journalist. A recipient of an Escalator Award from the Arts Council England, she splits her time between Cambridge and Cornwall.
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
Nightcats by Kristen J. Sollée
Published 26th October 2026 by Ferakeye Media.
From the cover of the book:
In this feral feminist vampire novel, cats-and cat ladies-are out for blood.
It's 2005, and Vera Valcourt is an aimless goth waitress in New York City, desperate for something to sink her teeth into. Caged by her Catholic upbringing, her dead-end job, and her deadbeat boyfriend, Vera's only solace is her rescue cat, Sammy. But when Sammy disappears, Vera is forced to claw her way out of the domestic life she's been trapped inside.
The frantic search for her missing cat drives Vera into the dark underbelly of cat lore. Following a blood-soaked trail blazed by a medieval abbess and a roaring twenties witch, Vera is cast into a world of ancient myths and ancestral magic, ruthless cults and cutthroat cat ladies. If she and her beloved Sammy are to survive, Vera must uncover the secrets of a deadly feline species with more than nine lives.
A suspenseful mix of occult horror and urban fantasy drenched in dark humour, Nightcats explores the unbreakable bonds between women and their cats, and what we sacrifice to keep our teeth sharp in a world that wants us defanged.
***********
New York City, 2005. Goth girl, Vera Valcourt feels like her life is in the doldrums. Her boyfriend Evan is getting to be more of a deadbeat by the day, and she feels like she is carrying a heavy burden keeping their heads above water in her low-paying job as a waitress. Her only solace is her rescue cat, Sammy.
One night, after a tough shift, Vera gets back to the apartment she shares with Evan to find Sammy has gone missing. Desolate, and annoyed by Evan's lack of concern for the situation he has created, Vera sets about searching for Sammy on the streets... and she discovers a lot more than stray cats.
This twisty debut horror novel weaves between three inter-connected timelines in 2005, 1925, and 1232 that delve into the glorious world of vampire cats. Vera's part in the wider tale drives the story, as her search for Sammy burgeons into a quest to get to the bottom of an outbreak of murders on the streets of NYC, which seem to be happening in the vicinity of some very unusual cats. Almost by accident, Vera is soon way over her head with a group of women obsessed with an ancient cat goddess - a group she eventually finds out was connected to the aunt that left her the ankh necklace she now wears.
In the process, Sollée fills fills in a complex backstory that goes all the way back to spooky goings on in 1232 at a German abbey, through the diary its Abbess - gradually revealing what happened to the nuns there when their devotions took a cultish turn. And she links this bloody history to Vera's timeline through the secretive acts of Cassandra Blackmayne in 1925, whose tinkering with black magic gave rise to a sisterhood dedicated to keeping a powerful force in check.
Classic horror themes of dark magic, mysticism, folklore, the sacred feminine clash deliciously with modern popular culture (especially horror films), the goth lifestyle, and religion - and there are some original twists on vampire lore that make the most of atmospheric gothic settings and Egyptian mythology. A steel core of female rage runs through the whole novel too, which takes a while to get into full swing, but once it gets going the story flies along, steeped in bloodletting and revenge filled mayhem - all the way to a climax that is every bit as spectacularly cinematic as I hoped.
If you like your Halloween reads to be full of all things cats, buckets of blood, a charismatic female cast, and storylines that leap headlong into the realms of the unhinged than this is for you. It brings whole new meaning to the term 'cat lady', and I was here for it all. More please!
Nightcats by Kristen J. Sollée is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.
Thank you to Kristen for sending me a review copy of this book, and Black Crow PR for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.
About the author:
Kristen J. Sollée is the author of three books on the legacy of the witch. A writer, curator, and educator exploring the intersections of art, gender, and the occult, Kristen has lectured at George Washington University, the University of Southern California, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, and across the United States and Europe. Her 2017 book, Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring the Sex Positive was described by The Guardian as “a whirlwind history of the witch in America” and a “must-read” by BUST. Kristen’s work has also been featured in NYLON, Hazlitt, the Times Literary Supplement, and on Viceland, Huffington Post Live, and NPR. She currently teaches at The New School in New York City.
Friday, October 23, 2026
The Last Christmas by Liz Fenwick
Published 22nd October 2026 by EMF Press.
From the cover of the book:
When a final goodbye in Cornwall is only the beginning...
Meredith Tremayne Russell has spent her life mapping the world, first in intelligence during WWII, and later as a professor. But at ninety-eight with time running out, she faces a journey she cannot chart, a return to her old Cornish home to sell it and to scatter her beloved husband’s ashes.
With her is her twenty-five-year-old granddaughter, Grace, a dyslexic who believes she is a failure in a family of academics. For Grace the trip is a welcome escape from her mother’s demands. But when she unlocks her great-grandmother’s abandoned art studio, she finds a legacy of a passionate artist and a French resistance fighter.
As Meredith relives the frozen December of her 1946 wedding, she understands her final mission isn't to say goodbye to her old home, but to draw one last map—showing Grace how to navigate a life of her own making.
***********
Meredith (Merry) Tremayne Russell has spent her life immersed in maps, first as a cartographer in World War II, and later as a professor in America. She is now feeling the weight of her ninety-eight years, and the heart-breaking loss of her husband, Jake. She decides to head back to her Cornish home, in the company of her granddaughter Grace, planning to sell her family estate, Kestle, and scatter her husband ashes. Time is short, and she has a lot to address about her family's past, present, and future, before she can rest...
I thoroughly enjoy Liz's Cornish stories, and adored her novel The Secret Shore - which told the story of Merry's important wartime work, and her romance with Jake. So, when I knew about this little gem, revisiting Merry's story at the end of her life, I knew I had to read it!
The story unfurls from Merry and Grace's perspectives in a gentle meandering between present and past, set against an atmospheric Cornish winter in the run-up to Christmas. Returning to Cornwall brings back so many memories for Merry. She is unsure if she has the energy to do all that must be done to ensure Kestle's legacy continues - and she is desperate to help Grace (who reminds her so much of her own mother) carve out a future for herself. In parallel, Grace has worries of her own to contend with, not least how frail her grandmother has become.
There are lovely scenes between Merry and Grace, filled with warmth and humour, especially as Grace learns about her grandmother's amazing wartime adventures, and the role Merry's mother played in the French Resistance. But this is not your traditional festive celebration, and even though Liz packs this book with heart-felt moments, there is a big slice of poignancy in both Merry and Grace's parts... keep the tissues handy to mop up the tears.
Liz does an incredible job bringing maps, artistic legacy, expectation, dyslexia, and the complex relationships between mothers and daughters into how the threads of the novel play out. There are nicely wielded ghostly whispers, and the vivid scenes that transport you back to Merry's wartime wedding are beautifully evocative. I enjoyed to appearance of familiar faces from Liz's Cornish world, too.
Sad, but hopeful, this heartfelt gem is a sophisticated slice of Christmas magic, and I loved being reunited with Merry at the end of her journey. Can we follow Grace as she charts her own voyage, please Liz?!
The Last Christmas is available to buy now in paperback and ebook formats.
Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources for sending me a review copy of this boo, and inviting me to be part of this blog tour.
About the author:
Novelist, slave to two cats and dreamer turned doer....
Award winning author of The Cornish House, A Cornish Affair, A Cornish Stranger, Under A Cornish Sky, The Returning Tide, One Cornish Summer, The Path to the Sea, The River Between Us, The Secret Shore, The Secrets of Harbour House and the novellas A Cornish Christmas Carol and Delivering Christmas. She lives in Cornwall with her husband and spends her time wrangling two mad cats, plot walking, reading and procrastinating on social media.
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
All Our Almosts (Hearts Of Boston Book One) by Allie Moffatt
Published 14th October 2026 by Simon Stream.
From the cover of the book:
Two best friends. Nine years of almosts. One last winter to fall in love.
Sophie Lindell is ready for a fresh start. After her long-term relationship abruptly ends, she’s finally chasing her dream of a PhD in California, even if it means leaving behind Boston, her tight-knit group of friends and, hardest of all, her best friend Andy. The only problem is that the break-up has left her without a home for the winter…
As always, Andy is there, offering her his spare bedroom and a safe place to land. But he’s keeping one enormous secret: he’s been in love with Sophie for almost a decade. Telling her has never been worth the risk of rejection or losing the most important person in his life.
But he didn’t bet on how difficult it would be to live together. And honestly, neither did she… Sleepy mornings in the kitchen, bare skin glimpsed across the hallway and snowy nights that end with them tangled together on the sofa. Suddenly, a decade of lingering looks and almost-moments feel impossible to ignore. But Sophie knows better than to mistake Andy’s kindness for desire. She made that mistake once before, and there’s no way she’ll risk being rejected again.
With California calling, time is running out for them to figure out what they really are to each other. But after nearly ten years of almosts, can they ever find the words to make it work?
***********
Sophie Lindell loves her job working in science education, at the Boston Museum of Science, but the time is right for her to take the next step by studying for a PhD. Sophie would prefer to stay in Boston, close to her friends Andy, Lia and Nolan (the NASA gang); and it is the sensible choice given her long-term relationship with her boyfriend Elliot - but then there is also the prospect of big changes involving a move to California. Decisions, decisions...
With her future in the balance, she takes a long hard look at her love life, and decides a break-up with Elliot is long overdue, even if it comes with very raw feelings. However, this leaves her homeless. Fortunately, her male bestie, Andy, has a spare bedroom, and tells Sophie she can stay as long as she needs to get back on an even keel.
But neither of them realise that after ten years of almost-moments living together might be too much for them to remain just friends...
The first part of the Hearts of Boston series is an enchanting slow-burn, friends to lovers story that sees Sophie and Andy finally confront the feelings that have been simmering under the surface, since their meeting nine years ago.
The story unfurls mostly from Sophie's perspective, delving into her work and home lives as she breaks-up with less than ideal boyfriend, Elliot, and gets into increasingly electric 'almost' situations with the very lovely Andy - which eventually lead to them leaping over the bounds of friendship. Occasional chapters from Andy fill in his part in the story nicely, when he shares his the reality of the feelings he has long kept hidden from her. Ahh.
This bounces along between meet ups with the tight knit group of friends; cosy moments between the roommates as the will-they-won't they plot develops into romance; and thought-provoking themes about family, friendship, and modern relationships which touch upon Andy's tense dynamic with his brother, Owen. The unpleasant Elliot raises his ugly head more than once, to throw some bumps in the road to happiness for Sophie and Andy - and I enjoyed the extra dimension Sophie's professional aspirations add to the story.
I came to be very fond of the NASA gang, with all their ups and downs, and the romance between Sophie and Andy hits just the right warm and wonderful spot against the backdrop of a snowy Boston - with the perfect amount of spice! The ending made me shed a tear or two, and leaves intriguing threads hanging about a possible love story for the mismatched enemies Owen and Lia... more on that in the next book in the series, All Our Nevers... which I am really looking forward to reading!
All Our Almosts is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.
Thank you to Simon Stream for sending me a review copy of this book:
About the author:
Allie Moffatt is a romance author and lover of love stories. She is a professional grant writer by day and an incorrigible fangirl by night. She lives in Chicago with her husband and elderly gremlin dog.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
The Deadly Inheritance Of Everest Macdonald by A.J. West
Published 8th October 2026 by Orenda Books.
From the cover of the book:
Some inherit a fortune.
She inherited murder…
1917. As the Great War rages on the continent, Everest Macdonald is summoned to her father's deathbed and entrusted with a final urgent request: she must uncover the truth behind the murder of her uncle, the celebrated Victorian actor William Terriss, a crime that has haunted her family for twenty years.
In 1897, Terriss was stabbed to death outside London’s Adelphi Theatre, a killing that shocked Victorian society. The murderer was swiftly arrested and confined to Broadmoor, the case declared closed. Yet, years later, a sealed package of evidence is passed to Everest by her dying father, which casts doubt on the official verdict and the haste with which it was reached.
Drawn back to wartime London, with her husband and children left behind, Everest begins her investigation, following a trail that leads her into the world of late-Victorian theatre, where fame and fortune mask obsession, envy and cruelty. With time running out and her father’s strength failing, Everest must uncover what really happened on the night Terriss died, and shed light on the unsettling legacy he left behind.
Based on an extraordinary true story, The Deadly Inheritance of Everest Macdonald is a dark, atmospheric historical mystery and a compelling adventure, as an unlikely investigator risks everything to pursue one of the most notorious killings of the Victorian stage.
***********
1917. Everest Macdonald is called to her father's deathbed, where he entrusts her with a sacred charge - to discover the truth behind the infamous murder of his younger brother, William, twenty years ago. Everest is surprised by his request, as everyone knows Richard Arthur Prince (aka 'Mad Archie') confessed to, and was found guilty of, the crime after being caught red-handed at the scene.
However, Everest's father believes there was something fishy about the hastily delivered verdict that condemned Prince to incarceration at Broadmoor Asylum, and he needs to see justice done before he can accept his fate. So, armed with the bulging file of papers her father entrusts to her care, she takes up the challenge...
Set against the backdrop of the Great War, West weaves a delicious mix of fact and fiction to produce an absorbing historical murder mystery, with an enchanting protagonist at the helm. The very real murder of William Terriss shocked Victorian theatre-land, and West takes the scandal surrounding the crime to give plucky Everest a treacherous path to navigate through her family's history.
The story alternates between a crime-caper-esque present in which Everest follows a trail of clues, and unearths revelatory secrets about the past, that send her off in all directions as she puts pieces of the puzzle together - garnered from her father's shocking journal about his adventures in India in 1867; her aunt's heart-rending diary about the trials and tribulations of her marriage to William; an abundance of informative letters; scurrilous newspaper cuttings; and a series of interviews with persons of interest, including one with 'Mad Archie' inside the walls of Broadmoor.
Everest is a dream in a stylish Swiss hat, with a capacious carpet bag (which she keeps losing), a desire to take a break from her ordinary life, and a lack of patience with people's nonsense driven by a very relatable ennui of middle life (and more than a few hot flushes). There is a nice double-act with some-time assistant Clare (who has her own part to play in the story), and lots of other vibrant characters to get the measure of, such as a potentially fitted-up 'Mad Arthur', a gaggle of family members mired in complex relationship dynamics, and a bevy of luvvies from the Victorian stage.
Creepy curses, exotic mysticism, ghostly happenings, good old-fashioned sleuthing, and theatrical melodrama keep things interesting, as skeletons leap from cupboards and twists and turns lead to a truly original untangling of threads. The atmospheric settings ooze lovely vibes of time and place, as I've come to expect from Mr West, but my favourite thing is West's female cast, in all their shades of stoicism, ingenuity, complicity and innocence - they really made this story for me.
An absolute delight from start to finish, that will send you down rabbit holes about some fascinating history.
The Deadly Inheritance of Everest Macdonald is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats. You can support indie publishing by buying direct from Orenda Books HERE.
Thank you to Orenda Books for sending me a review copy of this book, and to Random Things Tours for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.
About the author:
A.J. West grew up reading books to escape his shyness at school and discovered an early talent for writing fiction which led to an award-winning career as a BBC television newsreader and reporter. He has also written for national newspapers and magazines and has appeared on television programmes including BBC Breakfast, Good Morning Britain, This Morning and the legendary reality television show, Big Brother, where he became an instant household name... though the specific household has yet to be identified. Today, A.J. lives in South London.
Friday, October 16, 2026
Ice, Flower, Herbarium by Džena Andersone
Translated by Žanete Vevere Pasqualini.
Published 20th October 2026 by Fly on the Wall Press.
From the cover of the book:
When he wakes to find a body in a sack on the roadside outside his home, police chief Vincents sets off a chain of events that threaten to overwhelm him and the sleepy, Latvian backwater town he has lived in his whole life.
A reluctant and unlikely hero, Vincents grapples with his failing marriage, a domineering former police partner and an ever-growing number of strange and bewildering cases. As the body count rises and Vincents' precariously constructed world crumbles around him, the focus of his investigations closes in inexorably on a troubled young man, Jens, whose odd behaviour can no longer be contained by his controlling Aunt Erika. Ice, Flower, Herbarium is a haunting psychological story of inherited guilt and the consequences of raising a child without love or human touch. Will Vincents uncover the truth and find the strength to stand up to the town, or will his resolve melt away with the snow?
***********
Vincents is the police chief of Dansile, a small town in Latvia. It is not the path he intended for himself, but after finishing university and falling in love with his wife of twenty-years, Īdena, he found himself following in his father Edvards' footsteps - even though he has never quite been able to fill his shoes to anyone's satisfaction.
When Vincents finds a body in a sack, lying in the icy road outside his home, he calls on the help of his father's old partner, Dāgs, who advises hiding the dead man inside a municipal building until warmer weather approaches, and they can bury it without causing upset in the town. It is a philosophy the rest of the town's authority figures agree with, but this does not sit well with Vincents.
Meanwhile, a young teacher has gone missing from the local school, and Vincents has to put aside his concerns about the body in the sack while he begins an investigation into her disappearance. He suspects that the school's odd caretaker, Jens, might be involved, as he was the last person to see her alive, but questioning the unfortunate young man in the presence of his domineering aunt reveals few clues.
When Īdena, a human rights lawyer, hears about the murder, she is determined Vincents must do the right thing. For her part, having heard of Jens' difficult upbringing, and seemingly vulnerable ways, she is keen to offer him legal representation.
But nothing about this case is straightforward, and cutting though the web of secrets and lies in Dansile will prove damaging to Vincents in more ways that one...
I love a bit of pitch-black noir, but have not read any Baltic Noir before, so it was a very interesting experience dipping my toes in its chilly waters. The story revolves around small town complicity, with twisting plotlines that delve into the shocking consequences of the desire to preserve the semblance of a peaceful town, and unfurls though the narratives of Vincents and Jens.
Mild-mannered Vincents is bogged down by the realisation that his marriage to Īdena is crumbling, and the feelings of inadequacy fostered by his mother. He has lost the will to do his job, especially when everyone, except Īdena, is keen that he should not upset the good folk of Dansille. As he blunders along, he begins to suspect that the people in this town may not be quite as trustworthy as he thought - particularly when it comes to his own history.
In parallel we get to see inside the head of Jens, a young man with the most tragic of upbringings, who is scarred by being brought up by his cold, spite-filled aunt. He is a complex character, young-of-mind and totally out of his depth in a world he does not have the skills to navigate. There is a lot to examine about his state of mind, and whether he understands the difference between right and wrong, which gives this novel a very thought-provoking edge.
I was not sure what to expect of this one, and wondered if the absurdity of the beginning would spin out in a story with a vein of dark humour at its core. Dear reader, it was most certainly did not. Andersone does an incredible job feeding the visceral chill that builds in the pit of your stomach as dark deeds, horrifying confessionals, and any attempt to 'do the right thing' on Vincents' part goes disturbingly awry. The atmosphere is thick with the despair of a winter that seems never-ending; and the setting is full of characters disillusioned by their fate, covering for their guilt, and a whisper away from resorting to violence. The motif of flowers/herbaria and the vivid descriptions of foul armoas are used spectacularly well, and I tip my hat to the translator Žanete Vevere Pasqualini for excellent work keeping you on a knife-edge of discomfort.
If you like your noir in the darkest of dark sides, flooded with recurring themes of harsh landscapes, shifting memories, and the legacy of trauma, then this is the stuff of your dreams... or is it nightmares? What a baptism of fire into the world of Latvian literature.
Ice, Flower, Herbarium is available to buy now in paperback and ebook formats.
Thank you to Fly on the Wall Press for sending me a review copy of this book.
About the author:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)