The Catherine Howard Conspiracy Book Spotlight! @purplemermaid25

A timeshift thriller that will have you completely gripped! Perfect for fans of Dan Brown, Philippa Gregory, Kate Mosse, and Tom Harper. 

What secrets were covered up at the court of Henry VIII …? 

Whitehall Palace, England, 1539 

When Catherine Howard arrives at the court of King Henry VIII to be a maid of honour in the household of the new queen, Anne of Cleves, she has no idea of the fate that awaits her. 

Catching the king’s fancy, she finds herself caught up in her uncle’s ambition to get a Howard heir to the throne. 

Terrified by the ageing king after the fate that befell her cousin, Anne Boleyn, Catherine begins to fear for her life… 

Pembrokeshire, Wales, 2018 Dr Perdita Rivers receives news of the death of her estranged grandmother, renowned Tudor historian Mary Fitzroy. 

Mary inexplicably cut all contact with Perdita and her twin sister, Piper, but she has left them Marquess House, her vast estate in Pembrokeshire. 

Perdita sets out to unravel their grandmother’s motives for abandoning them, and is drawn into the mystery of an ancient document in the archives of Marquess House, a collection of letters and diaries claiming the records of Catherine Howard’s execution were falsified… 

What truths are hiding in Marquess House? What really happened to Catherine Howard?

And how was Perdita’s grandmother connected to it all? 

THE CATHERINE HOWARD CONSPIRACY is the first book in the Marquess House trilogy, a dual timeline conspiracy thriller with an ingenious twist on a well-known period of Tudor history.

Alexandra Walsh

From tales spun for her teddies when she was a child (usually about mermaids) to film scripts, plays, and novels, Alexandra Walsh has always been a storyteller. Words are her world. For over 25 years, she has been a journalist writing for a wide range of publications including national newspapers and glossy magazines. She spent some years working in the British film industry, as well as in television and radio: researching, advising, occasionally presenting and always writing.

Books dominate Alexandra’s life. She reads endlessly and tends to become a bit panicky if her next three books are not lined up and waiting. Characters, places, imagery all stay with her and even now she finds it difficult to pass an old wardrobe without checking it for a door to Narnia. As for her magical letter when she was 11, she can only assume her cat caught the owl!

Alexandra’s other passion is history, particularly the untold tales of women. Whether they were queens or paupers, their voices resonate with their stories, not only about their own lives but about ours, too. The women of the Tudor court have inspired her novels. Researching and writing The Marquess House Trilogy (Book One: The Catherine Howard Conspiracy) has brought together her love of history, mysteries, and storytelling.

Get in touch

You can contact Alexandra Walsh on Twitter or check out her website.

http://www.alexandrawalsh.com/
Follow Alexandra:
Twitter: @purplemermaid25
Instagram: purplemermaid25

Available for Preorder
Amazon

A timeshift conspiracy thriller that will shock you to your core! Perfect for fans of Dan Brown, Philippa Gregory, Kate Mosse and Tom Harper. 

Was Elizabeth I really the last Tudor princess…?

Nonsuch Palace, England, 1586

Elizabeth I has been queen for 28 years. She has survived hundreds of plots against her but now she faces the revelation of a secret she thought would remain hidden forever…

Elizabeth is not the last of the Tudor line — there are two more legitimate heirs to her crown.

Her sworn enemy, Philip II, King of Spain, has discovered the secret and thinks he can control the missing princess as his puppet queen.

Can Elizabeth maintain control over her throne? And what happened to the lost Tudor heirs? 

Castle Jerusalem, Andorra, 2018

Dr Perdita Rivers and her twin sister Piper are safely hidden in Andorra. 

Despite their narrow escape from those pursuing them, Perdita is determined to continue her grandmother’s legacy by uncovering her ground-breaking research into the English royal bloodline. 

But she soon realises that nothing about the Tudor era was as it seemed. And now the national identity of Great Britain must be called into question.

With their enemies still tracking them and the lives of those they love in deadly risk, Perdita and Piper must succeed in exposing the secrets of history or there is no hope of them escaping alive...

THE ELIZABETH TUDOR CONSPIRACY is the second book in the Marquess House trilogy, a dual timeline conspiracy thriller with an ingenious twist on a well-known period of Tudor history.

THE MARQUESS HOUSE TRILOGY SERIES
BOOK ONE: The Catherine Howard Conspiracy
BOOK TWO: The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy
BOOK THREE: COMING SOON

The PlastIc Seed by Maisie Porter Blog Tour! @rararesources @eyeointment

The PlastIc Seed

Two schemes uncoil—and, very quickly, begin to unravel—on the same day in the Australian town of West Glassport…

Jean Hima isn’t happy with the way her life has been going. First, her husband leaves her. Then, she loses her job as a midwife at the local hospital, over the easily-fixed misplacement of a baby or two…

Now, Jean is sure a snooty real estate agent is blocking her efforts to find a rental in a nice part of town.

Given possession of a batch of incriminating photographs, who wouldn’t begin thinking about a little life-restorative blackmail?

Written in three acts and covering a quarter of a century, The Plastic Seed is an environmental thriller that explores the hypocrisy of some aspects of the philosophy of wellness. This novella is part satire of the human potential movement, and sincere testimony to the ability of humans to face facts when given no choice.

Purchase Links

mybook.to/theplasticseed

Author Bio –  Maisie Porter works as a professional photographer in Australia, with wide experience covering weddings, though she has neither abducted nor been abducted by any competitors. No Reception is Maisie's first novel.

Social Media Links –  

https://twitter.com/eyeointment

Tasting the Apple by Sherilyn Decter Book Tour and Giveaway!

When you hear the word Prohibition, images of Flappers, gangsters and jazz. But there was also a lot of mystery in the Roaring 20s. Today we get a chance to see how the ghost of a policeman helps a widow deal with criminal elements.

Author Sherilyn Decter is visiting today to share her latest release, TASTING THE APPLE, the second installment in her Bootleggers’ Chronicles. She also has an exciting giveaway she’s hosting for the tour. Be sure to check it out at the end of the post.

A young widow on the edge. A policeman back from the dead. Together, can they take down the city’s most notorious bootlegger?

          Philadelphia, 1925. With a son to raise and boarders to feed, Maggie Barnes is at her wit’s end. But when a criminal element infiltrates the police force, the single mother puts her cares aside to help. As she tries to dig up dirt on bootlegger mastermind Mickey Duffey, Maggie realizes she can’t take on the case alone…

          Inspector Frank Geyer used to patrol the streets of Philadelphia before Maggie was born. As he attempts to clean up crime from beyond the grave, the spirit uses his Victorian sensibilities to fight back against lawbreakers. But with corruption throughout the police force, can the phantom informant save his city and Maggie’s livelihood?

          With the roof leaking and the lawlessness spiraling, Maggie and Frank have one chance to take down a criminal and prevent the unthinkable…

Check out TASTING THE APPLE on Amazon.

Read an Excerpt

“Rudy Valentino really is one of the greats. I hear that he and his co-star, Vilma Banky, are having an affair.”

“No. How wonderful.” Edith leans in closer, not wanting to miss a detail of the Hollywood gossip. “Those arms, those eyes. I loved his beard in The Hooded Falcon. I tried to get Mickey to grow one, but he was having none of it. He hates Valentino, calls him a fop.” Edith gazes off into the distance. “Mmm, imagine what it feels like to be wrapped in those strong Valentino arms.”  

“And how is Mickey?” Maggie asks, one eyebrow raised in a wry arch.

Edith pouts as Maggie pours cold water on her fantasy embrace. Edith’s marriage to Mickey Duffy, Philadelphia’s notorious King of the Bootleggers, is rocky. “Let’s not talk about Mickey. Let’s talk about you. Tell me, how’s that kid of yours?”

Maggie gives her friend’s arm a squeeze. You’d never guess from Edith’s beautiful face that there was a world of hurt going on. Maggie has no idea how Edith manages to pull it off. Confident society dame on the outside. Insecure, lonely coat-check girl underneath. She’s one heck of an actress. Not even Mickey knows how much pain Edith is in.

“Oh, Tommy’s swell. Doing good in school, when he applies himself. Unfortunately, that’s not as often as his teachers or I would like. But he’s a good kid.”

They settle into the booth at Edith’s favorite coffee shop, the strong smell of whiskey wafting from her mug. Maggie stirs her regular coffee—black with a teaspoon of sugar. “Oh, Edith, I love the movies. The fantasy and make-believe. What would a romance with a Cossack like Valentino be like?”  

“I know a bit about the movies. What you see on the screen isn’t what it’s like on the set at all. Fake walls. Hot lights. Crabby directors. Greedy agents. Co-stars with wandering hands. Nasty, ambitious people scurrying everywhere. The star, hung over, with her face wrapped in ice cubes and towels, trying to close her pores.”

Maggie laughs out loud. “Oh, Edith. You slay me. That’s just too rich.”

Edith chuckles. “Well, it’s true, doll. But not so different than our own lives, is it? Before I go out, the cold cream’s on and the hair is in pin curls. While it looks all natural, believe me, it ain’t.”

Maggie snorts her coffee back into her cup. “Oh, Edith. Stop.”

The Author

Those readers that aren’t familiar with the author, here’s some background information on her.

The Roaring Twenties and Prohibition were a fantasy land, coming right after the horrors and social upheaval of World War I. Even a century later, it all seems so exotic.

Women got the vote, started working outside the home, and (horrors!) smoked and drank in public places. They even went on unchaperoned dates (gasp)! Corsets were thrown into the back of the closets, and shoes were discovered to be an addictive fashion accessory after hemlines started to rise. And thanks to Prohibition, suddenly it was fashionable to break the law. The music was made in America- ragtime, delta blues, and of course jazz. Cocktails were created to hide the taste of the bathtub gin. Flappers were dancing, beads and fringes flying. Fedoras were tipped. And everyone was riding around in automobiles (aka struggle buggies and I leave it to your imagination why- wink.)

Bootleggers’ Chronicles grew out of that fascination. Writing as Sherilyn Decter, I will eventually have a series of historical crime fiction novels dealing with the bootleggers, gangsters, flappers, and general lawlessness that defined Prohibition. The Bootlegger blog rose out of all the research that I’ve been doing about this incredible era.

Growing up on the prairies and living next to the ocean, I am a creature of endless horizons. Writing allows me to discover what’s just over the next one. My husband and I have three amazing daughters, a spoiled grandson, and two bad dogs.

Sherilyn Decter is enthralled with the flashing flappers and dangerous bootleggers from the Roaring Twenties and Prohibition. Through meticulous research, that lawless era is brought to life. Living in a century-old house, maybe the creaking pipes whisper stories in her ear.

To get the inside skinny on the Bootlegger’s Chronicles, you can reach Sherilyn at the following links:

WEBSITE          FACEBOOK      PINTEREST
AMAZON

GIVEAWAY

Author Sherilyn Decter is giving away an autographed paperback copy of TASTING THE APPLE and INNOCENCE LOST. Click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instruction to enter. If you can’t see the widget, just click HERE.

Thanks for stopping by today. Be sure to comment on the post and enter to win your copy of this intriguing tale. What do you think of when you hear the word Prohibition?

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Pinot Red or Dead? (The Wine Trail Mysteries) by J.C. Eaton Book Tour and Giveaway!

Pinot Red or Dead? (The Wine Trail Mysteries) by J.C. Eaton

 About the Book

 

Pinot Red or Dead? (The Wine Trail Mysteries) 

Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series 

Lyrical Underground (March 26, 2019) 

Paperback: 206 pages

ISBN-10: 1516108035

ISBN-13: 978-1516108039 

Digital ASIN: B07F5XDH41

There’s a lot of noir surrounding this rare pinot.

As the vineyards in Seneca Lake, New York, prepare for the seasonal “Deck the Halls Around the Lake” festivities, someone is determined to keep pinot noir off the wine list. Hijacked trucks and sabotaged ingredients have made it a hard-to-acquire vintage for the six local wineries—including Norrie Ellington’s Two Witches Winery.

The case of the stolen and spoiled wines gets stranger when Arnold Mowen, owner of the company distributing the wine, is found dead, the apparent victim of a hunting accident. As Norrie tries to find the connections between the pinot’s problems and Arnold’s death, she uncovers a conspiracy among many locals whose hatred for the wine distributor was bottled up for far too long . . .

About the Authors

 

Ann I. Goldfarb

New York native Ann I. Goldfarb spent most of her life in education, first as a classroom teacher and later as a middle school principal and professional staff developer. Writing as J. C. Eaton, along with her husband, James Clapp, she has authored the Sophie Kimball Mysteries (Kensington) set for release in June 2017. In addition, Ann has nine published YA time travel mysteries under her own name. Visit the websites at www.jceatonauthor.com and www.timetravelmysteries.com

James E. Clapp

When James E. Clapp retired as the tasting room manager for a large upstate New York winery, he never imagined he’d be co-authoring cozy mysteries with his wife, Ann I. Goldfarb. His first novel, Booked 4 Murder (Kensington) is set for release in June 2017. Non-fiction in the form of informational brochures and workshop materials treating the winery industry were his forte along with an extensive background and experience in construction that started with his service in the U.S. Navy and included vocational school classroom teaching.

Visit their website at www.jceatonauthor.com and Like and Follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JCEatonauthor/

Purchase Links
Amazon 
B&N 
Kobo
Google Play
IndieBound 

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

March 25 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

March 25 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 25 – fundinmental – REVIEW

March 26 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

March 26 – Reading Is My SuperPower – GUEST POST

March 26 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

March 26 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

March 26 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST  

March 27 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW

March 27 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 27 – I’m All About Books – CHARACTER GUEST POST 

March 28 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

March 28 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW

March 29 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 29 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

March 29 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

March 29 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 30 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

March 30 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT

March 30 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

March 31 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

March 31 – Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 31 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW

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Unlikely Friends by Author Sahar Abdulaziz Book Blitz and Giveaway!

Title: Unlikely Friends 

Author: Sahar Abdulaziz 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/ Humor/ Satire 

Release Date: February 19, 2019 

Cover Designer: Patrick knowles Patrick Knowles Design 

Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC. 

Irwin is not only the local Librarian; he’s also a book snob and an all-around grouch. There’s nothing he values more than his privacy. As a loner, he’s happy to be surrounded by books instead of subjected to the incessant blatherings of dysfunctional people.

The one thing Irwin despises more than people is change. He’s content in his predictable, routine existence…until a young girl barrels her way into his dreary life and turns it upside down.

Harper is witty, smart, free-spirited—but most of all, stubborn. Baffled by her need to gain his friendship, Irwin does his best to brush her off, but Harper refuses to budge. In fact, it only makes her latch onto him even more. Friendship, after all, can be found in the most unusual places.

Cornelia plucked another cookie from the tin. “And what part, if any, do you play in this family tragedy?”

“Good question. And to be honest, I’m not sure, except the kid has latched onto me. For whatever reason, Harper’s got it into her head that I can do something to help her.” Irwin threw his palms in the air. “I’ve barely spoken to this kid if you don’t count our daily exchange of obnoxious notes and verbal potshots.”

Irwin walked the dirty dishes to the sink. “Well, time for me to pack it in for the night.” Cornelia feigned a yawn. “I’m exhausted, and I have a big day tomorrow.” She stood and stretched. “Remember, Irwin. Harper needs a friend right now and like it or not, you’re it.”

Irwin groaned and began washing out the mugs.

“Abdulaziz is a master at crafting a thriller that is paced by truth.”

Sahar Abdulaziz has authored seven books: But You LOOK Just Fine [Health/non-fiction], As One Door Closes [Contemporary Fiction], The Broken Half [Contemporary Fiction], Secrets That Find Us [Fiction/Thriller/Suspense], Tight Rope [Thriller/Political Fiction], Expendable [Psychological suspense] and her children’s book, The Dino Flu. Her next literary fiction novel, Unlikely Friends, is due for release Feb 19, 2019. Abdulaziz’s work covers a wide range of hard-hitting topics: mood disorders [depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, PPD], domestic violence and sexual assault, marital and family dysfunction, racism, sexism, and prejudice, but most of all–survivorship. Her multidimensional characters have been described as having “substance and soul.”

Originally from New York, Sahar moved to Pennsylvania in 1993 with her growing family. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in psychology and a Master of Science degree in Health and Wellness Promotion and Administration, as well as a certification in Community Health Administration. In 1995, she received a Certificate in Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Crisis Intervention Counseling, and shortly after, as a Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Counselor/Advocate. She volunteered for many years as a hotline worker and counselor/advocate. In 2016, Abdulaziz received an award for Community Written Expression at the Second Annual Monroe County Image Awards and in 2018, nominated for the Rabata, ‘We Are Aisha’ Award in the category Writer/Author. Most recently, she has guest co-hosted for Sistah Chat Radio, WESS 90.3 FM, Gynesis Radio, and is a member of the Pocono Liar’s Writer’s Club. Rep’d by Djarabi Kitabs Publishing and Limitless Publishing.

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The Buried Girl by Richard Montanari Book Tour and Giveaway! @RRMontanari

The Buried Girl

by Richard Montanari

on Tour March 1-31, 2019

Synopsis:

A haunting, nerve-jangling psychological thriller from Sunday Times bestselling author Richard Montanari, set in a small town hiding a very dark secret

New York psychologist Will Hardy had it all—a loving family, a flourishing career, a bestselling book. Until the night it all ended in a tempest of fire and ash, leaving only Will and his fifteen-year-old daughter Bernadette to stand in the ruins.

Haunted and grief-stricken, Will accepts an enigmatic invitation from his family’s past to begin their lives anew in the small town of Abbeville, Ohio.

Meanwhile, Abbeville Chief of Police Ivy Holgrave is investigating the death of a local girl, convinced this may only be the latest in a long line of murders dating back decades—including her own long-missing sister.

But what place does Will's new home have in the story of the missing girls? And what links the killings to the diary of a young woman written over a century earlier? The disappearances in Abbeville have happened before, and now Will’s own daughter might be next…

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery
Published by: Witness Impulse
Publication Date: February 26th, 2019
Number of Pages: 400
ISBN: 0062467468 (ISBN13: 9780062467461)
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Amsterdam
March 22, 1819
On the third day of his madness Dr Rinus van Laar tasted the mouth of the devil. He stepped from the ruin of his home, into the courtyard where the body of his wife, dead these three days, had begun to soften and pigment. He remembered the first time he had seen Anna that day by the river. Her skin was now the color of dry bones.
Anna’s killer lay scattered beside her in seven pieces. Six, Rinus amended. He could not remember where he had put the man’s head. He longed to look once more into those lifeless eyes.
He pulled the dropper from the amber bottle, let six drops of mandragora onto his tongue. He closed his eyes to the fury of the onslaught.
Some time later he carefully returned the drawings to the leather portfolio. Fourteen preliminary sketches by the master, already more than two centuries old.
Seven vices. Seven virtues.
It was this treasure the killer sought. It was in defense of this treasure that Anna had given her life.
He placed the portfolio into the steamer trunk, latched it, secured the iron lock. As he prepared to leave he considered the aviary snare. The white bird studied him, its silver eyes watching, waiting, a thin leather strap tightly coiled around one leg.
Rinus van Laar looked one last time at his wife, and saw the tiny tendril; a bright green leaf against the matte claret of Anna’s drying blood.
In her virtue there was life.
Six hours later, his infant son in his arms, Rinus van Laar left for America.
***
BEING THE TRUE DIARY AND JOURNAL OF EVA CLAIRE LARSSEN
October 21 1868
We left Midlothian before dawn. I am riding back wagon with Deirdre Samuelsson and her brother Jonah. Jonah is still small, and thinks of all this as an adventure. Deirdre is my age, just fourteen, and terribly shy due to her stammer.
They say six hundred thousand died in the war. Imagine. Daddy was killed at Manassas. Mama also died from Yankee hellfire, but not right away. Not Sonja Larssen. She held ground three years, and breathed her last yesterday at noon. Our first day’s journey took us seven miles.
The dead walk behind us.
November 9, 1868
The rain is endless. We got stuck twice on the road out of Rowleton, where we picked up two weeks domestic work. Mr. Samuelsson had to ask some local boys and their mules to help pull the wagon from the culvert. My sweater got soaking wet, and as the wool dried by the fire last night it smelled of Mama. I cried myself to sleep again.
April 9, 1869
We crossed the Ohio River at Wheeling this morning. Deidre and I went to the general store and bought nails and tobacco for Mr. Samuelsson. He let us buy some fruit, and I had the most delicious pear.
Ohio looks like home before the war.
April 16, 1869
I awoke to the sound of church bells. When I climbed down from the wagon I saw that we were stopped on the crest of a hill overlooking the most beautiful valley I have ever seen.
When I stepped to the edge I saw them for the first time. Two grand houses facing each other across a field of green, houses so important they even have names. Veldhoeve and Godwin Hall. I will be working at one, and staying in the other.
Imagine.
April 24, 1869
All the buildings here are freshly painted and well cared for. The war did not come to this place. When we reached the town square I looked at the plaque.
Abbeville, Ohio. Est. 1790
Sitting on top of the plaque was a beautiful white bird, its pearl feathers glossed with early morning rain. I sat on the bench across from it and took out my pencils and pad. This is my drawing.
Although I am not taken by such notions, as I left the square, I could swear that bird was watching me.
Tomorrow morning I will begin work at Godwin Hall. If you are reading this, if the sun now shines where you stand, it means I am long forgotten.
If you are reading this, it means I never made it back home again.
***
Excerpt from The Buried Girl by Richard Montanari. Copyright © 2019 by Richard Montanari. Reproduced with permission from Witness Impulse. All rights reserved.

Author Bio:

RICHARD MONTANARI is the Sunday Times top ten bestselling author of The Echo Man, The Devil’s Garden, Play Dead, The Rosary Girls, The Skin Gods and Broken Angels, as well as the internationally acclaimed thrillers Kiss of Evil, Don’t Look Now (previously published as Deviant Way) and The Violet Hour. He lives in Cleveland, Ohio.

Catch Up With Our Richard On:
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Tour Participants:
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Giveaway:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Richard Montanari and Witness Impulse. There will be 3 winners of one (1) physical copy of The Echo Man by Richard Montanari. The giveaway begins on March 1, 2019 and runs through April 1, 2019. Open to U.S. addresses only. Void where prohibited.

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