Meet The Family – Ella Cook

Ella and I signed for Ruby Fiction at around the same time as I did and we took part in the Choc-lit festival last year. So with her first book finally being released I was so excited to sit down for a chat again.

 

Hey Ella, and welcome to my blog “A Story About A Girl” I am really looking forward to learning more about your book “Beyond Grey”

 

What inspired you to write “Beyond Grey?”

A truly horrible journey home. We’d been visiting my parents, and got caught in a truly terrible storm around 30 miles from home. We’d come too far to turn around, and we were miles from services. It was all too easy to imagine an accident could happen. So that’s where the opening line and the storyline in which Jenn dies unexpectedly came from. 

As to the idea of life after death, and that spirits could be around us and watching over us even after they’ve left our world? It’s something I’ve always believed in. There have been moments of inspiration, feelings of guidance, and white feathers in my life too. 

What made you decide to submit with ChocLit?

I’d read a lot of their books in the past, and knew the name. I saw the Ruby imprint at about the same time my amazing group of writing friends were nagging me to start submitting (and stop being such a wimp). The stars aligned and here we are (though maybe there was some guardian angel type intervention too?) 

If you could go back to when you first started writing what one piece advice would you give yourself?

Scrap the self-doubt. Quit the pity party (because I was good at that!) and get on and WRITE. Write what you love, and what you would want to read, and hopefully others will love it and want to read it too. 

Oh, and get a decent lap desk. I’m terrible for writing on the couch, and it’s not good having my laptop on my lap! 

If you weren’t writing what would you be doing?

Probably cooking, or crocheting. Or reading. Or video-calling with friends. Although, there is a 15,000 piece jigsaw of star constellations taking up half the dining table as well that we need to finish. It’s too cold for gardening, and we’re back in lockdown again! 

 

How did you deal with rejections when you started out?

Really badly. 

When I first finished Beyond Grey, I sent it to a couple of agents, got no replies, and moth-balled it. Which was one of the silliest things I could have done. But it does mean that I got to meet the amazing team at Ruby, and that my debut is right in the middle of a pandemic.  

Beyond Grey is primarily a story about healing from grief, and finding the light beyond the agonising grey of bereavement. It’s about hope, and who doesn’t need a bit more of that right now? 

What would you say to someone who wants to write?

Just do it. Open a notepad – or a new document – and just write. Learn the basics – things like punctuation, structure, how to tag dialog – and then just write. And don’t get disenchanted when your first drafts are less than perfect. You will almost never read the first draft of anything from a good writer: It will have been reviewed and edited – probably multiple times – before you get to see it. So expect to edit too. 

Do you have any writing routines or rituals if so what are they?

I don’t really have any. I work full time, so write as and when I can. The nearest thing I probably have to a ritual is making sure I have a big cup of tea nearby. I also always try to jot down notes to myself as to what I want to write next – it makes it so much quicker and easier to pick up the next day! 

Which authors inspired you to write?

There have been so, so many. My reading taste is eclectic: Terry Pratchett, Tamora Pearce, Enid Blyton, Judy Blume. And most recently, Ann Evans. 

What can we expect to see from you in the future?

A bit a of mix I think. There will always be love and romance of some kind in my books – that’s just who I am. And hopefully humour as well, because I think it’s needed in life. And there will always, always be hope and happy endings. 

More About Ella

Ella’s been obsessed with books since she was a toddler. She decided to become a writer as soon as she realised that stringing letters together in the right order could actually be a career.  

She grew up in the outskirts of London, where fairies lived at the bottom of her Grandma’s garden, so it isn’t surprising that she still looks for magic in everyday life – and often finds it. 

When she’s not living in a fantasy world of her own creation, she writes bids and develops programmes for children’s services. She lives in rural Warwickshire (where there are probably more fairies) with her husband who is ever loving and understanding, and makes her gallons of tea in magical cups that can keep drinks warm for whole chapters.  

Throughout lockdown, Ella’s spent a lot of time cleaning (who hasn’t), crocheting rainbows, and writing. She’s got two new novels in progress – but did take a few breaks to write a stories (featuring a lot more dinosaur poop and talking animals than her usual style) for some very special youngsters spending birthdays in shielded lockdown.  

@EllaCookWrites       Written by Ella

 

Check out the YouTube video of Ella, Helen and myself chatting during the Choc-lit festival

What if you became an outsider in your own life?

Jennifer Hughes doesn’t have an extraordinary life, but that doesn’t matter – she loves her family and enjoys her job as a teacher. In her eyes, her unextraordinary life is utterly perfect.
But then, in the blink of an eye, Jennifer finds herself cut off from everything she knew and loved, confined to a strange new world and forced to watch from a distance as her family and friends pick up the pieces.
Can Jennifer hold her perfect life together, even though she’s not living it herself

 

 

Pre Order Here

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Meet The Family – Jan Baynham

Today, I have caught up with Jen Baynham to talk to her about her long awaited novel Her Sister’s Secret which is set in the summer of ’66.

Hi Jan and welcome to my blog “A Story About A Girl” I’m so excited to get to sit down and chat to another member of the Ruby-Lit family and learn about the summer of 1966.

What inspired you to write “Her Sister’s Secret?”

I have always been fascinated by long-held family secrets and skeletons lurking in cupboards. Many years ago, I was told of one such secret that only came to light when someone I knew was applying to go to college. Her Sister’s Secret was inspired by the story that has always stayed with me. The ‘what ifs?’ began and I wondered how the girl felt when she found out. How would she react? What would she think about the people who had kept her in the dark for almost eighteen years? As with all my novels, I wanted it to tell two stories so that I could explore that special bond between mothers and daughters and how the actions and decisions of one impact on the other. In 1966, my character, Jennifer Howells, reacts badly to finding out that, in her eyes, she has been living a lie and that her life is a sham. At first, she rebels and becomes a wild child unrecognised by her parents. She puts her life on hold until she endeavours to find answers and heal the wounds that fractured her family back in 1947. Having lived all her life in rural mid-Wales, Jen’s journey to find the truth takes her to first to the city of Cardiff and then to Sicily.

What made you decide to submit with Ruby Fiction?

The manuscript for my first novel was also with three other publishers when I received the offer of a three-book deal with Ruby Fiction. Their slogan, ‘Stories That Inspire Emotions!’, appealed to me and I knew my family stories would fit their remit. I contacted the others to let them know that I was going to accept Ruby Fiction’s offer and each one kindly replied to wish me well.

If you could go back to when you first started writing what one piece advice would you give yourself?

To write often and every day if possible. That piece of advice is something I still find difficult to follow even now. If I don’t, it always takes me longer to get back into my writing.

If you weren’t writing what would you be doing?

If I hadn’t begun writing when I retired, perhaps I would have taken up painting or pottery again. I studied art and specialised in pottery and ceramics and although I’ve dabbled in painting a little over the years, I haven’t done any clay-work. I don’t have a kiln or access to one since giving up teaching ceramics. I joined a small writing group at a local library as soon as I gave up my job in education and from then on, I haven’t looked back. Alongside my writing, I enjoy reading and Pilates. I also co-organise Cariad, our local Chapter of the RNA.

How did you deal with rejections when you started out?

I’ve always regarded rejections as something to learn from. Once they moved from being general comments with no indication of the reason for the rejection to ones where details were given, I felt I was making progress. With ‘Her Mother’s Secret’, my debut novel, I got a great deal of helpful feedback from one publisher after finally being rejected by a submissions panel. I then used those suggestions for improvement as a list of things to work on before submitting again, and I received the offer from Ruby Fiction shortly afterwards.

What would you say to someone who wants to write?

I would say to go ahead and start writing. Join a group and enjoy the support and friendship of fellow writers. It’s a lonely business on your own. The next thing I did was to join a writing class at the local university run by a published author. I would also recommend becoming active on social media, especially Twitter.

Do you have any writing routines or rituals if so what are they?

Not really, apart from reading through what I’ve written the day before. I always try not to finish mid-scene and if I can end with a cliff-hanger or something for the reader to wonder about, all the better.

Which authors inspired you to write?

Rosie Thomas is one. I have enjoyed many of her novels but ‘The Kashmir Shawl’ stands out for me. I remember thinking how wonderful it would be to write like that.

Another author is Honno writer, Judith Barrow, whom I met not long after I started writing a novel, and she has become a supportive writing friend ever since. In her Howarth trilogy and its prequel ‘A Hundred Tiny Threads’, I have the perfect models for creating characters who are true to the times in which they live.

Who would you want to play the main characters in your book if your novel was optioned for tv / film?

Now there’s a wonderful thought. I took ages to pick these actors, but I had great fun choosing these:

Rose has auburn hair and sage-green eyes and in the end, I decided on Karen Gillan, the Scottish actress and film maker. She played Amy Pond in Doctor Who, as a companion to the 11th doctor played by Matt Smith. More recently she portrayed Ruby Roundhouse in the Jumanji film series (2017-2019).

Jennifer (Jen) has long dark hair and brown eyes. To play her, I chose Jenna Coleman for her early roles as Jasmine Thomas in the ITV’s Emmerdale and Clara Oswald in the Doctor Who.

Marco was the hardest to cast. In my head, he has black hair with brown eyes and an olive skin. There were so many handsome actors who could fit the bill but, in the end, I chose Michele Riondino who plays the young Montalbano in the detective series set in Sicily. What a coup that would be for my story!

What can we expect to see from you in the future?

My third novel is planned and partially written. It’s another mother daughter story with a secret at its heart. It’s set at the beginning of World War 2 and the second story is twenty years later in 1959. This time, the contrasting setting is Northern France, an area I know well.

More About Jan

After retiring from a career in teaching and advisory education, Jan joined a small writing group in a local library where she wrote her first piece of fiction. From then on, she was hooked!

She soon went on to take a writing course at the local university and began to submit stories for publication to a wider audience. In October 2019, her first collection of short stories, ‘Smashing the Mask and Other Stories’ was published.

Following a novel writing course, Jan began to write her first full length novel. She loves being able to explore characters in greater depth and delve into their stories. She writes about family secrets and the bond between mothers and daughters.

Originally from mid-Wales, Jan lives in Cardiff with her husband.

 

   Jan Baynham Writer @JanBaynham

 

Jan’s Blog

 

 

How far would you travel to find the truth?
It’s the 1960s and Jennifer Howells is a young woman with the world at her feet, just on the cusp of leaving her Welsh village for an exciting life in the city.

Then the contents of an inconspicuous brown envelope turn Jennifer’s world upside down. The discovery leaves her spiralling, unsure who she is. Overnight, Miss Goody Two Shoes is replaced by a mini-skirted wild child who lives for parties and rock’n’roll.

But Jennifer’s experience with the excesses of sixties’ culture leaves her no closer to her true identity. She soon realises she’ll have to travel further – first to Cardiff, then across the ocean to Sicily – if she wants to find out who she really is …  

Pre Order your copy

 

Check out Jan Baynham’s other book on the Ruby Fiction website

Meet The Family – Christine Penhall

 

Today, I have caught up with Christine Penhall to learn about the Portuguese paradise that awaits in her new book “New Beginnings at the Little House in the Sun”

 

Hi Christine and welcome to my blog “A Story About A Girl” I was so excited to get to sit down and chat to another member of the Ruby-Lit family and learn about this Portuguese paradise.

 

 

What inspired you to write “New Beginnings at the Little House in the Sun?”

New Beginnings in the Little House in the Sun is the sequel to my first novel, The House That Alice Built. Before that won the Choc-Lit Search for a Star competition in 2019 I had started planning another book altogether but decided that I wanted to find out what happened to Alice next. So New Beginnings follows her after she’s made a huge decision about her life and decides to settle in Portugal permanently. But things don’t go entirely to plan, because they never do, do they!

Congratulations for winning the choc-lit search for a star last year! I can’t wait to see what 2020 brings us.

What made you decide to submit with ChocLit?

I think Choc-Lit and Ruby Fiction are the perfect home for the kind of books I read and write, too. I was about to send my manuscript for The House That Alice Built to them, and when I visited their website found that the Search for A Star Competition was sponsored by Your Cat Magazine, and they were looking for novels that had cats in. Strangely enough, mine did – Alice ends up cat sitting Aphrodite when she arrives in Cascais. And so I went down that route.

If you could go back to when you first started writing what one piece advice would you give yourself?

I remember many years ago sitting down after work with a pen and a pad – it was long before everyone had computers – and deciding to start writing. But I didn’t get even one word on that page and got quite despondent about it. Looking back, I realise I’d read so many good books I had this subconscious idea that my writing should be  perfect from the start. It was only when I just began to write, knowing that I had to have something to work with that could be edited and re-edited that I actually got going. So, that’s the advice I’d give myself – just start writing.

If you weren’t writing what would you be doing?

It’s taken me a long time to become a published author, so I feel I have a lot of writing in front of me, but if my mind wasn’t full of stories, I would be looking forward to doing a lot of travelling in the next few years. Although I plan to do than anyway. Maybe I’ll get some ideas as I go.

How did you deal with rejections when you started out?

Like a lot of people, when I first started sending my novel out to agents I had this dream that I would get accepted immediately and it would all be plain sailing. However, after the first couple of very kind rejections, I just braced myself! Then I’d get despondent, pick myself up and send it out again. When I got the e-mail from Choc-Lit saying they wanted to speak to me I was at work and got three people over to my desk to check what it said as I was expecting yet another rejection!

What would you say to someone who wants to write?

I would say just start writing. Do it because you love it, not just because you want to be published, and don’t expect to be perfect as soon as you begin. Engage with writers groups locally and online, and find people who love books as much as you do, as they will help to motivate you. And most of all, never give up on your dreams.

Do you have any writing routines or rituals if so what are they?

The House That Alice Built took me many years to write and I fitted it around looking after my children and work so I don’t think I had any routines for that. For New Beginnings at the Little House in the Sun, I also fitted it around work commitments, but on a writing day I would write for an hour or so, potter, go out to a café and write some more, come home and do something else and have another writing spurt. I have a vague word count target, which gets more stringent the closer I get to the deadline!

Which authors inspired you to write?

I read voraciously like all authors, so I can’t pinpoint one writer in particular, as I think they all inspired me to write. But as books were part of my life from childhood I should go back there and say I loved What Katy Did, What Katy Did at School and What Katy Did Next by Sarah Chauncey Woolsey, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis, The Wombles by Elizabeth Beresford and The Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumas.

(I went to see Top of the Pops being recorded behind the scenes when I was very young as my friend’s father was an engineer there. The Wombles were one of the acts performing that day and we passed through the green room briefly –   my dreams were shattered when I saw Orinoco wearing his head like a hat and smoking a cigarette….however, its still one of my favourite books!)

Who would you want to play the main characters in your book if your novel was optioned for tv / film?

I think that Emelia Clarke or Lily James would make a great Alice, and Aiden Turner from Poldark would be perfect as Luis.

What can we expect to see from you in the future?

I’m writing the novel I’d planned before The House That Alice Built. Its set in the UK and is about Miriam, who has sold her business, and goes for a much-needed break to a house by the sea in a village she used to visit as a child. She needs rest, relaxation, no responsibility, and really wants as little company as possible. Due to an administrative error she gets anything but. There’s also something of a mystery to be solved as to the whereabouts of the owner of the house she’s renting.

More About Christine

Chris Penhall is the winner of the 2019 Choc-Lit Search for a Star competition, sponsored by Your Cat Magazine, with her debut novel, The House That Alice Built. The sequel, New Beginnings at the Little House in the Sun is published in August 2020.

Born in South Wales, Chris has also lived in London and in Portugal, which is where both books are set. It was whilst living in Cascais near Lisbon that she began to dabble in writing fiction, but it was many years later that she was confident enough to start writing her first novel, and many years after that she finally finished it! She has now completed her second and is busy writing her third.
A lover of books, music and cats, she is also an enthusiastic salsa dancer, a keen cook, and loves to travel. She is never happier than when she is gazing at the sea.

@ChrisPenhall           Chris Penhall Writer

 

 

@Christine Penhall

 

 

www.chrispenhall.co.uk

 

 

 

Follow your yellow brick road ….

Alice Dorothy Matthews is on the road to paradise! She’s sold her house in London, got rid of her nasty ex and arranged her move to Portugal where friendship and romance awaits. All that’s left to do is find a place to call home.

But Alice’s dreams are called into question when complications with friends, work and new relationships make her Portuguese paradise feel far too much like reality.

Will Alice’s dream of a new home in the sun come true?

 

Pre Order Here

 

Check out Chris Penhall on the Ruby-Lit website for more information    on her  books!

Meet The Family – Helen Bridgett

 

Helen like myself is a debut author and her novel Summer at Serenity Bay is being released tomorrow.

 

Hi Helen and welcome to my blog “A Story About A Girl” I was so excited to get to sit down with you again now your debut is closer to be released!  I can’t wait to here what you have instore for us.

 

What inspired you to write “Summer at Serenity Bay?”

First of all, I’ve recently moved back to the North-East of England and I’m rediscovering all the fabulous beaches we have up here. They really are the best in the world!

Also – I love being outdoors and do believe that a simple walk along the coast can cure most ills. I wanted to write something that expressed my love of these two elements and of course I always aim to put a smile on readers’ faces!

What made you decide to submit with Ruby fiction?

I took the advice of the writing community! I asked other authors to recommend publishers and Ruby Fiction were strongly recommended. I love that their books are selected by a panel and it has been fabulous working with the team.

If you could go back to when you first started writing what one piece advice would you give yourself?

I probably wouldn’t listen to any advice I gave myself!

However, I would say to all new writers – reach out to the writing community. Everyone has been there before – we’ve had the same concerns, faced the same issues – ask someone and they will help you. I’ve found other authors incredibly supportive.

If you weren’t writing what would you be doing?

I really don’t know. Even between books I get twitchy.  I like to think I’d spend more time hiking and perhaps I’d find another creative outlet like photography but I’m slightly addicted to writing at the moment!

How did you deal with rejections when you started out?

To begin with you take it on the chin – everyone is rejected when they start out and you’re kind of prepared for that. However, after a time it does get you down. The best advice I can give is to walk away from the submissions process for a while, then re-look at your synopsis, first few chapters and submission letter. Are they the best they can be? Re-write and get back on the horse!

What would you say to someone who wants to write?

Just do it. There are many forms of written word and you it poetry, short stories or perhaps scripts. To complete a novel means sitting down at your pc every day – every day and writing. Hitting that word count, plotting the story, revealing your characters and entertaining readers. It’s not an easy task and you have to really want to do it. I would say, however, that it’s a fabulous feeling when you complete your first novel.

Do you have any writing routines or rituals if so what are they?

I try to fit in some exercise during the day otherwise you end up with really stiff shoulders and an aching back. So I walk the dog, write for a couple of hours then do some pilates and another couple of hours writing. I like to set myself a word count for the day and I also leave the manuscript in a place that’s easy to pick up the next day – so, for example, I’ll write the first line of the next chapter before finishing. You spend all night thinking about it so the words flow when you open the pc the following day!

Which authors inspired you to write?

This is always a tough question to answer because I read all genres. Like many people I began with Enid Blyton and she was the first author to transport me to other places through the Faraway Tree, The Wishing Chair and even Mallory Towers – so I’ll say Enid was the very first inspiration.

Who would you want to play the main characters in your book if your novel was optioned for tv / film?

 

Ooh – Andy could be played by Chris Hemsworth, Chloe by Lily Collins, Roisin by Jessie Buckley and Heather by Dame Judi Dench. I hope they’d get on!

Claire – Chris seems to be a very popular choice with the ladies of Choclit and Ruby Fiction

What can we expect to see from you in the future?

Well first of all I hope that readers enjoy Serenity Bay but later this year I have two short stories appearing in anthologies. Next year I’ll be releasing my first crime novel with Ruby Fiction.

More About Helen

Helen Bridgett lives in the North East of England. Outside of writing feel good fiction, Helen loves the great outdoors and having a good laugh with friends over a glass of wine. Helen lives with her husband and their chocolate Labrador, Angus; all three can often be found walking the Northumberland coastline that inspired Serenity Bay.

Helen_Bridgett                 Helen Bridgett Author

 

 

Escape to Serenity Bay this summer with this fabulous funny, uplifting read.

What happens when you send a group of celebrities to a tiny seaside village? Advertising executive Chloe Walsh thought she was visiting her friend Roisin to get away from it all, but little does she know her kooky friend has a master plan to breathe some life into her sleepy seaside village through a new wellness retreat – and she needs Chloe’s skills.

So starts a community effort to put the retreat, Serenity Bay, on the map. Everyone from Andy at the Surf Shack to Tony at the chocolate shop is involved – even Roisin’s Gran has a few ideas! But Chloe strikes gold almost too soon, attracting the attention of a major production company. Now a colourful group of celebrities are preparing to descend on Serenity Bay to film a reality TV show. Is the village ready for the fun and scandal that are bound to follow

 

Get your copy here

 

I caught up with Helen as part of the ChcoLit festival, see our video chat HERE!

T Minus Six Days – Perfect Lie @RubyLit @ClaireEESheldon #EXCLUSIVE

Something special for you all today to celebrate it being six days till the release of my novel Perfect Lie.

As some of you will know my book is written from different point of views so EXCLUSIVELY I am going to share with you Chloe Seaward’s POV

“She never imagined it would end this way. Travelling to the unknown, bundled into the back of a van.

Her hands were bound behind her back, the more she struggled to free them, the more the rope cut off her circulation. It chafed against her skin, causing blisters to form.

She was close to dehydration, licking her lips in search of moisture. Her mouth felt as if it was full of cotton wool stopping her from shouting for help. No one would hear her over the rumble of the engine and loud voices and laughter coming from the front of the van.

The strong smell of tobacco and weed stung her nose as she tried to get a sense of where they might be taking her. She’d lost track of how long she’d been lying there, drifting in and out of consciousness from the beating she had received, the blood long dried on her face.

She tried to kick out, shuffling towards the door in hope of making an escape but the pain from where she had been held down, beaten and raped both by the various men and a series of objects, was too much. She knew better than  to just give up. She tried to remember her training; there were protocols for everything. But no one was coming to rescue her. She had screwed up big time.

Suddenly feeling cold and alone, she thought of Adam. Had she told him how much she loved him when she saw him last? Did she need to make her peace with God? Should she have paid more attention at Sunday school? Surely this wasn’t the end?

The van came to a sudden halt and the laughter and talking stopped. The doors opened and the sound of the crunchy gravel replaced the drone of the engine. Her ears were filled with the sound of their footsteps in time to her racing heartbeat. 

The door would open at any moment and she’d be in for the fight of her life. Was she ready? She would fight through the pain because, if she didn’t, what was left would be much worse.

The doors opened and the back of the van filled with bright sunlight as someone grabbed her legs and dragged her out of the van. As her body scraped along the floor of the vehicle she attempted to block out all the pain as she summoned all her strength, tensing her body. If she didn’t fight back, this would be the end …”

Find out what happened to Chloe by reading Perfect Lie which will be available to buy on the 16th June 2020.

Blurb:

What is ‘perfect’ trying to hide?
Jen Garner tries her best to be ‘wife and mother of the year’. She helps organise school plays and accompanies her husband to company dinners, all with a big smile on her face.
But Jen has started to receive strange gifts in the post … first flowers, then a sympathy card.
It could just be a joke; that’s what she tells herself. But then the final ‘gift’ arrives, and Jen has to question why somebody is so intent on shattering her life into pieces …

Amazon worldwide

Kobo                 Barnes & Noble

 

Ibooks           Google Play

 

See what the early reviews are saying about Perfect Lie

 

Cover Reveal – Perfect Lie @ClaireEESheldon @RubyFiction #ChocRubyFestival

So…

This is probably the most excited I have been since…

Perfect Lie will be out on the 16th June 2020 on Ebook

Blurb:

What is ‘perfect’ trying to hide?

Jen Garner tries her best to be ‘wife and mother of the year’. She helps organise school plays and accompanies her husband to company dinners, all with a big smile on her face.
But Jen has started to receive strange gifts in the post … first flowers, then a sympathy card.
It could just be a joke; that’s what she tells herself. But then the final ‘gift’ arrives, and Jen has to question why somebody is so intent on shattering her life into pieces …

What do you think? I love the Lillie’s and the bold colours..

So it is available to pre order from Amazon today

Here

 

Let me know what you think

@ClaireEESheldon   Claire Sheldon Author

 

 

Book Review: Won’t You Save Me? @WendyDranfield @RubyFiction #DeanMatherson #Book3 !!!

Won’t You Save Me?

Detective Dean Matheson has returned to his hometown to begin his new job and put the traumatic events of his past behind him – but his fresh start won’t last long when the local area is hit by a series of strange disappearances and twisted killings …

A nameless girl badly beaten and dumped in front of the mysterious new church. A shocking murder scene discovered in the apartment over the diner. A child missing without a trace.

These are the crimes Dean Matheson is confronted with in his first week as detective. Are they isolated events, or is something altogether more disturbing happening in Maple Valley now that Dean’s back in town?

My Thoughts:

Just like When The Snow Bleeds I really enjoyed this third in my case second helping of this series!

All my favs are back especially Rocky though he is kind of a side character now though! This book left me wanting a kitten though! and wishing my cat was affectionate! Though she is an old lady…

Though I haven’t read Who Cares If They Die this novel answered a lot of the questions I had about character’s and brought their stories to an satisfactory end. I loved how some of the character’s got their comeuppance (no spoilers here)

I loved the banter between Dean and Eva, but wish they would just get it over with and have sex! We may all moan when two partners get together in a book but the amount of sexual tension I felt in this book is insane! Though this is mostly a credit to Wendy’s writing. Maybe I should get her to help me with my DI.

I flew through this book not wanting to put it down, trying to figure out who was really who and what their intentions were!

There are so many character’s in this book I am looking forward to learning more about and seeing them grow and develop.

Please don’t leave us hanging for to long before the next one, and for goodness sake get Eva and Dean together if not for the sake of Mulder and Scully but for your readers!

 

Grab your copy from:

 

UK  

 

  Kobo

 

 

Wendy is a former Coroner’s Assistant turned crime writer who lives in the UK with her husband.

Who Cares If They Die and Where the Snow Bleeds are the first two books in the Dean Matheson series, with more on the way. As well as her crime thriller series, Wendy has written a YA crime novel – The Girl Who Died – and she has several short stories published in UK and US anthologies. She has also been shortlisted and longlisted for various competitions, including the Mslexia Novel Competition.

My review of When The Snow Bleeds

For behind the scenes gossip and updates on her books (or photos of her cats), follow her on social media!

Wendy Dranfield                                     @WendyDranfield

 

 

WendyDanfield.co.uk