Let us Talk of Many Things; of Books and Queens and Pirates, of Mystery and Kings...: July 2022

Tuesday 26 July 2022

My coffee pot guest: Paul Bennett and his The Mallory Saga.

Welcome to my Blog!
Wander through wonderful worlds
real and fictional,
meet interesting people,
visit exciting places
and find a few good books
to enjoy along the way!

Book Spotlight

The Mallory Saga Series

By Paul Bennett

About the Book

The Mallory Saga Series

Follow the Mallory family as they attempt to live a peaceful life on the PA frontier in 1756. They face tragedy and loss as they become embroiled in The French and Indian War - Clash of Empires. In Paths to Freedom, the colonies are heading to open revolt against King George III, and the Mallory's are once again facing the spectre of war. Crucible of Rebellion continues the Mallory story through the early years of The Revolutionary War. Book 4, A Nation is Born completes the Revolution and The Mallory's have played their part in the victory. In book 5, A Turbulent Beginning, the nascent nation finds it hard going to establish a peaceful existence. The Natives of this land resist the westward expansion of white settlers.

Trigger Warnings: Violence and battle scenes, mild sexual content, and profanity

Book 2 - Paths to Freedom

The French and Indian War is over, but the aftermath widens the gulf between the colonies and King George III. A hard handed approach by the King and Parliament fuels the flames of resistance; flames that soon engulf the Mallory clan, consuming the frontier, shattering their hopes for Mallory Town, and changing their lives forever. Revolution is nigh.

About Paul Bennett

Paul was born in Detroit when the Big Three ruled the automobile industry, and The Korean Conflict was in full swing. A lifelong interest in history and a love of reading eventually led him to Wayne State University where he majored in Ancient History, with a minor in Physical Anthropology. However, to make ends meet, those studies were left to the realm of dreams, and Paul found himself accidentally embarking on a 50 year career in computers. A career that he has recently retired from in order to spend more time with those dreams….7 grandchildren will help fill the time as well.

He now resides in the quaint New England town of Salem, Massachusetts with his wife Daryl, just a few minutes’ walk from the North River, and the site where the Revolution almost began.

The Mallory Saga is the culmination of Paul’s love of history, and his creative drive to write stories. With Nightwish and Bruce Cockburn coming through his headphones, and many cups of excellent coffee, Paul hopes to carry the Saga into the late 19^th century, bringing American History to life through the eyes and actions of the Mallory family.

Social Media Links:

Website: https://clashofempires.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hooverbkreview

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mallorysaga/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-bennett-49b4b626/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hooverpar/

BookBub: https://partners.bookbub.com/my_books

Amazon Author Page: https://author.amazon.com/home

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard?ref=nav_profile_authordash

This series is available to read for free with #KindleUnlimited subscription.

Series in order:

Clash of Empires:

https://books2read.com/u/m2eDQo

Paths to Freedom:

https://books2read.com/u/47YyVE

Crucible of Rebellion:

https://books2read.com/u/mg7xPz

A Nation Is Born:

https://books2read.com/u/bPgpNx

A Turbulent Beginning:

https://books2read.com/u/m2eDQd

Clash of Empires - Universal Link:

https://books2read.com/u/4jgOdo

Amazon UK:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MXR186R

Amazon US:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MXR186R

Amazon CA:

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01MXR186R

Amazon AU:

https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01MXR186R

Twitter Handle: @hooverbkreview @maryanneyarde

Hashtags: #HistoricalFiction #AmericanHistoricalFiction #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub

Tour Schedule:

https://maryanneyarde.blogspot.com/2022/06/blog-tour-mallory-saga-books-1-5-by.html

note: Helen has not yet read this title - it is on her TBR list!

< PREVIOUS POST

*** ***

You might also like ... books written by Helen Hollick

Website: https://helenhollick.net/

Amazon Author Page: https://viewauthor.at/HelenHollick

The Jan Christopher Cosy Mysteries

set in the 1970s

A MIRROR MURDER

(the first of the series)

FREE E-BOOK OFFER on AMAZON

25th - 29th July

buy from Amazon
https://getbook.at/MirrorMurder

http://mybook.to/AMysteryOfMurder

* * *

THE SAXON SERIES

the events that led to 1066

the Battle of Hastings

1066 - the events that led to the
Battle of Hastings
from Amazon
Harold the King (UK edition)
I Am The Chosen King (US/Canada edition)
1066 Turned Upside Down -
an anthology of alternative stories

* * *

Plus many more...

fiction, non-fiction

www.helenhollick.net

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thursday 21 July 2022

My Coffee Pot Guest: M.J. Porter - Cragside

A 1930s murder mystery

Welcome to my Blog!
Wander through wonderful worlds
real and fictional,
meet interesting people,
visit exciting places
and find a few good books
to enjoy along the way!

About the Book

Cragside: A 1930s murder mystery
By M J Porter

Lady Merryweather has had a shocking year. Apprehended for the murder of her husband the year before, and only recently released, she hopes a trip away from London will allow her to grieve. The isolated, but much loved, Cragside Estate in North Northumberland, home of her friends, Lord and Lady Bradbury, holds special memories for her.

But, no sooner has she arrived than the body of one of the guests is found on the estate, and suspicion immediately turns on her. Perhaps, there are no friendships to be found here, after all.

Released, due to a lack of evidence, Lady Ella returns to Cragside only to discover a second murder has taken place in her absence, and one she can’t possibly have committed.

Quickly realising that these new murders must be related to that of her beloved husband, Lady Merryweather sets out to solve the crime, once and for all. But there are many who don’t want her to succeed, and as the number of murder victims increases, the possibility that she might well be the next victim, can’t be ignored.

Journey to the 1930s Cragside Estate, to a period house-party where no one is truly safe, and the estate is just as deadly as the people.

Trigger Warnings:

Description of murder scenes and bodies

Read An Excerpt

Excerpt 1 Our first introduction to Cragside Estate and Lady Ella

Chapter 1

Rain thuds onto the black roof of the Rolls Royce Phantom, but that doesn’t concern me. No, my eyes are drawn to the flurry of activity taking place around the main door of Cragside house, despite the sheeting rain that makes everything appear elongated and out of focus. I can see little despite my best efforts.

What’s happened now? I want nothing more than to luxuriate in the Turkish bath complex with its beautiful blue tiles, soaking away the stink of the local police station at Rothbury, but that isn’t about to happen. Not if the bustle I’m witnessing is anything to go by.

Eagerly, not waiting for my chauffeur, Williams, to open the door, I swing it outwards, noticing how my sleeve darkens beneath the deluge, able to hear the hub of conversation as I skip over the gravel driveway. My red driving shoes are drenched between one heartbeat and the next. I can already feel the leather chaffing my cold feet. I hadn’t precisely been dressed for a cold and draughty police station when I was led away in handcuffs the night before.

Now I wear Williams’ overcoat over my sensible travelling clothes of a green skirt and thick stockings. My favourite blue coat and hat are still on the coat and hat stand. I was given no chance to put them on before being made to leave the house.

I’ve been gone for much of the day—darkness shadows even the brightest of the light pouring through the open doorway.

“My Lady,” a startled housemaid meets my gaze, bowing and curtseying all at the same time as we almost collide. I don’t get so much as the chance to ask what’s happened. She runs past me, a dark coat flung over thin shoulders, covering the smart black dress and white pinafore she wears. Her frightened eyes, hollowed by her short-cropped hair and pale face, reinforce my belief something is badly amiss.

Hastily, I stride into the sheltered stone alcove, grateful to be clear from most of the rain. I wince as I step into a puddle that hadn’t been there on my arrival the day before, cresting the flat and wide stone steps. Above my head, the weight of the house, cast almost into darkness, is telling. Chill water from the puddle slips over wet shoes and onto my cold skin. The rain is streaming at an angle, able to sneak into the stone alcove, whereas normally, it would do no such thing.

Bright lights welcome me into the house, for all the large double wooden doors hang entirely open, the trickle of flowing water attesting to the direction of the biting north wind even through my borrowed overcoat. I don’t want to consider the state of my hair, and I’m not even a vain woman.

I can see into the far reaches of the well-appointed property from my location. And there, the activity comes to an abrupt stop. There’s no one inside, not even the efficient butler, Mr Underhill. I can hear no noise from the kitchen. No noise from the dining room. Nothing at all. Can the upright Mr Underhill be out in the rain? I hardly dare think he’ll risk getting his immaculately shined shoes muddied. And if he has, then it’s indeed some new catastrophe that’s befallen the inhabitants of Cragside.

So then, where are the remainder of the weekend guests? Where are those who’d been so keen to see me sent away, slim hands held cuffed before me as the police smirked at having caught the culprit so easily? I turn, the pull of the unknown too much to ignore. I wish there were a handy torch to light my path into the impenetrable dusk that beckons to me.

The rumble of another motorcar outside pulling onto the gravel-strewn drive with the distinctive crunch beneath the thin tyres is all I need to hear. I swivel. All thoughts about luxuriating in the Turkish bath complex are forgotten. I need to see. I have to know.

As I hope, the other motorcar has been brought alongside that of my Rolls Royce Phantom, Williams still inside and just about visible behind the rain-soaked windscreen. Now both vehicles’ thin, yellow beams attempt to drive back the mizzle and the gloom. I’ve experienced rain like this before on very few occasions. Williams warned me when I mentioned our destination was the far North-East of England in November, but well, I didn’t believe it could be so torrential.

I step outside once more, pulling the hood of Williams thick woollen coat over my head, wishing for an umbrella. I meet Williams’ eyes through the fogged-up interior of the car. I incline my head questioningly, but he shakes his. I’m not the only one to be unaware of what’s happening.

Carefully, wary of the deep ravine that lies below me if I take a wrong step, I make my way to where the beams of the two vehicles are being directed. There are yellowed glimmers from small torches, and an amber glow spills from the curtains of the study and the staircase. Still, it isn’t enough to truly see the focus of everyone’s attention. I consider the time. It can only be just after 4 pm. The blackness of the storm shocks me.

BUY LINKS

Universal Link: books2read.com/Cragside

Amazon UK:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cragside-1930s-murder-mystery-Porter-ebook/dp/B09R26PFW2/

Amazon US:

https://www.amazon.com/Cragside-1930s-murder-mystery-Porter-ebook/dp/B09R26PFW2/

Amazon CA:

https://www.amazon.ca/Cragside-1930s-murder-mystery-Porter-ebook/dp/B09R26PFW2/

Amazon AU:

https://www.amazon.com.au/Audible-Cragside/dp/B09WGTRGQ1/

Barnes and Noble:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cragside-m-j-porter/1141311981

Waterstones:

https://www.waterstones.com/book/cragside/m-j-porter/9781914332838

Kobo:

https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/cragside-1

Apple Books:

https://books.apple.com/us/book/cragside/id1617307479

Audio:

https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Cragside-Audiobook/B09WH16CH9

About the Author

MJ Porter is the author of many historical novels set predominantly in Seventh to Eleventh-Century England, as well as three twentieth-century mysteries. Raised in the shadow of a building that was believed to house the bones of long-dead Kings of Mercia, meant that the author's writing destiny was set.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.mjporterauthor.com/

Blog: https://mjporterauthor.blog/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/coloursofunison

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006592412433

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mj-porterauthor/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/m_j_porter/

Pinterest:

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/coloursofunison/_saved/

BookBub:

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/mj-porter?list=about

Amazon Author Page:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/MJ-Porter/e/B006N8K6X4/

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7163404.M_J_Porter

Linktr.ee:

https://linktr.ee/MJPorterauthor

Follow the Tour

Twitter Handles: @coloursofunison @maryanneyarde

Instagram Handles: @m_j_porter @coffeepotbookclub

Hashtags: #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalMystery #HistoricalThriller #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub

Tour Schedule Page:

https://maryanneyarde.blogspot.com/2022/04/blog-tour-cragside-1930s-murder-mystery.html

< PREVIOUS POST

note: Helen has not yet read this title - it is on her TBR list!

*** ***

You might also like

books written by Helen Hollick

Website: https://helenhollick.net/

Amazon Author Page: https://viewauthor.at/HelenHollick

The Jan Christopher Cosy Mysteries

set in the 1970s

buy from Amazon
https://getbook.at/MirrorMurder

http://mybook.to/AMysteryOfMurder

episode 1:

Amazon: https://getbook.at/MirrorMurder

set in a north London Library

in the 1970s

episode 2:

Amazon:
http://mybook.to/AMysteryOfMurder

~~ ~ ~ ~

Tuesday 19 July 2022

My Coffee Pot Guest today :Tonya Ulynn Brown - The King’s Inquisitor

Welcome to my Blog!
Wander through wonderful worlds
real and fictional,
meet interesting people,
visit exciting places
and find a few good books
to enjoy along the way!

About the Book

Book Title: The King’s Inquisitor

Series: Stuart Monarch Series

Author: Tonya Ulynn Brown

Publication Date: July 1, 2022

Publisher: Late November Literary

Page Length: 369

Genre: Historical Romance

The King’s Inquisitor By Tonya Ulynn Brown

The queen of Scotland is dead. Her almoner’s son, William Broune, has fulfilled his father’s wish that he should serve the king, James VI, at court. William finds himself caught between loyalty to the king or loyalty to his conscience. As William is forced to serve as the king’s inquisitor in the North Berwick witch trials, he must make a decision. Will he do what the king asks, and earn the wife, title, and prestige he has always desired, or will he let a bold Scottish lass influence him to follow his heart and do the right thing?

If William doesn’t make the right choice, he may be among the accused.

Trigger warnings: Some violent imagery.

Read An Excerpt

It took only a minute or two to change my clothes, and I was soon on my way back to the gathering. However, a slight lifting of the hair on the back of my neck indicated to me that I was not alone in the hallway. I turned and looked over my shoulder just in time to see Francis Stewart, the Earl of Bothwell, stepping out into the dim light. Candlelight bathed his face in a warm glow, but there was nothing warm about his company. I stiffened at the sight of him and resumed my walk toward the hall.

“William Broune, just the man I wanted to see.” He caught up to me and matched his stride with mine, keeping pace with my quickened steps.

“Bothwell, what are you doing here? I’m sure you did not receive an invitation to the queen’s birthday celebration.”

“Ah, is that what is going on? And here I thought perhaps it was a welcome home party for me. I’ve been abroad, you know.”

I didn’t bother to answer him. His company was about as welcome as a burr in one’s shoe. Only, the burr could be removed and discarded. We could never seem to rid ourselves of the earl completely.

I sighed. “What do you want?”

He chuckled, scratching his chin. “Such a friendly greeting from an old friend. I’m touched.”

I stopped abruptly and turned to him. He took two steps further before he realized I had paused. “I would hardly call you an old friend. I don’t make a habit of befriending men who make sport of kidnapping our king and terrorizing the nobility.”

A grin crept up his face, but the look in his menacing eyes was anything but jovial. “Aren’t we the sycophant. You are no more noble than the Holyroodhouse maid your father married.”

I drew my clenched fist back. I didn’t like to fight but speaking of my dead mother was too much. He flinched but smiled again when he realized I hesitated. He was an earl after all, and I merely a servant of the crown.

“You’ve gone too far.”

“Oh, come now, William. You know I meant no offence. I’m merely pointing out that you are not nobility and therefore shouldn’t be troubled when one of the noble class is ruffled. I know I’m not bothered, and I’m as noble as they come.” He inspected the nails on his upturned hand, and I started walking again.

When I didn’t speak, he hastened his pace to catch up. “I was hoping to speak to you about a business proposition. Then again, perhaps you are too busy with the witch trials.”

I ignored him. It unnerved me how much this man always knew about the king’s business. Besides, I was too busy. There had been many more arrests and another interrogation awaited me tomorrow with Doctor Fian. But I wasn’t about to tell him that.

“It is a chance to make a lot of money, and I thought perhaps you would be just the person to assist me.”

“Not interested.”

“But there may be a wench or two in the kitty as well.”

“Still not interested.”

He reached out and grabbed my arm, stalling me once more. “Since when is William Broune not interested in a good roll in the hay and a chance to make some loot?”

“Since I am actively pursuing Lady Beatrix Ruthven, and I have no desire to attach myself to the likes of you.” I jerked my arm from his hand which still held fast to my coat.

“Lady Beatrix? Ah, but she is a fine, fine prize.” His voice turned husky, and he cocked his head.

“Yes, a marriage to her will certainly enhance your prospects. But this is money in your pocket, man. Immediate money. And there’s no need for her to know about the wenches.” He lifted and dropped both eyebrows in one swift motion, and I caught a glimpse of how persuasive he was capable of being.

“I’ll go into business with you when hell freezes over.” I was just inches from his face, close enough to smell the whisky that clung to his breath. I tapped the side of his face playfully, then resumed my walk. He did not follow.

“I can barely resist your sweet talk, Broune,” he called as I continued walking. “But when you realize that you need a little capital, and your new bride is suffering from a headache again, as all new brides do, come find me. I’ll be more than happy to accommodate you.”

“I suggest you make yourself scarce, Bothwell.” I called over my shoulder. “If His Majesty were to find you here, you may not escape as easily as you did at your last trial.”

Buy links

This book is available to read on #KindleUnlimited

Universal Link:

https://books2read.com/u/4NjWD8

Amazon UK:

https://tinyurl.com/TheKingsInquisitorAmazonUK

Amazon US:

https://tinyurl.com/TheKingsInquisitorAmazonUS

Amazon CA:

https://tinyurl.com/TheKingsInquisitorAmazonCA

Amazon AU:

https://tinyurl.com/TheKingsInquisitorAmazonAU

Barnes and Noble:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-kings-inquisitor-tonya-ulynn-brown/1141654694

About Tonya Ulynn Brown

Tonya Ulynn Brown is an elementary school teacher. She holds a Master’s degree in Teaching and uses her love of history and reading to encourage the same love in her students. Tonya finds inspiration in the historical figures she has studied and in the places she has traveled. Her interest in medieval and early modern British history influences her writing. She resides in rural southeastern Ohio, USA with her husband, Stephen, two boys, Garren and Gabriel, and a very naughty Springer Spaniel.

Social Media Links:

Website: www.tonyaubrown.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/mrsbrownee2u

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tonyaubrown

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonya-littell-brown-4b58b0b1/

Instagram:

www.instagram.com/tonyaubrown

Pinterest:

www.pinterest.com/tonyaulynnbrown

BookBub:

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tonya-ulynn-brown

Amazon Author Page:

https://tinyurl.com/AmazonAuthorTonyaUlynnBrown

Goodreads:

https://tinyurl.com/GoodReadsAuthorTonyaUlynnBrown

Twitter Handle: @MrsBrownee2U @maryanneyarde

Instagram Handless: @tonyaubrown @coffeepotbookclub

Hashtags: #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub

note: Helen has not yet read this title - it is on her TBR list!

< PREVIOUS POST

*** ***

You might also like ... books written by Helen Hollick

Website: https://helenhollick.net/

Amazon Author Page: https://viewauthor.at/HelenHollick

~~ ~ ~ ~

The SEA WITCH VOYAGES

nautical adventures set during the Golden Age of Piracy

If you liked Pirates Of The Caribbean?
then you'll love the Sea Witch Voyages!
Amazon: https://viewbook.at/SeaWitch

A prequel novella - how Jesamiah Acorne became a pirate

new edition with new additional scenes

and now in paperback and e-book on Amazon

https://viewbook.at/WhenMermaidSings

* * *

THE SAXON SERIES

the events that led to 1066

the Battle of Hastings

* * *

ANTHOLOGIES

Amazon:
https://mybook.to/1066TurnedUpsideDown

Amazon: FREE ebook!

Plus many more...

fiction, non-fiction

www.helenhollick.net

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thursday 14 July 2022

My Coffee Pot Guest: Amy Maroney - The Girl from Oto

Welcome to my Blog!
Wander through wonderful worlds
real and fictional,
meet interesting people,
visit exciting places
and find a few good books
to enjoy along the way!

About the Book/Audiobook

The Girl from Oto

(The Miramonde Series, Book 1)
By Amy Maroney
Narrated by Meg Price

Audio Length: 15 hours 23 minutes

#HistoricalMystery

A Renaissance-era woman artist and an American scholar.

Linked by a 500-year-old mystery…

The secrets of the past are irresistible—and treacherous.

1500: Born during a time wracked by war and plague, Renaissance-era artist Mira grows up in a Pyrenees convent believing she is an orphan. When tragedy strikes, Mira learns the devastating truth about her own origins. But does she have the strength to face those who would destroy her?

2015: Centuries later, art scholar Zari unearths traces of a mysterious young woman named Mira in two 16th-century portraits. Obsessed, Zari tracks Mira through the great cities of Europe to the pilgrim’s route of Camino de Santiago—and is stunned by what she finds. Will her discovery be enough to bring Mira’s story to life?

A powerful story and an intriguing mystery, The Girl from Oto is an unforgettable novel of obsession, passion, and human resilience.

Buy Links:

This book is available on #KindleUnlimited.

Series links:

The Girl from Oto:

https://mybook.to/girlfromoto

Mira’s Way:

https://mybook.to/MirasWay

A Place in the World:

https://mybook.to/aPlaceInTheWorld

Amazon UK:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Girl-Oto-Miramonde-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAHC4H

Amazon US:

https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Oto-Miramonde-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAHC4H

Amazon CA:

https://www.amazon.ca/Girl-Oto-Miramonde-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAHC4H

Amazon AU:

https://www.amazon.com.au/Girl-Oto-Miramonde-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAHC4H

Audio:

https://mybook.to/TheGirlFromOtoAudio

About the Author

Amy Maroney lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family, and spent many years as a writer and editor of nonfiction before turning her hand to historical fiction. When she's not diving down research rabbit holes, she enjoys hiking, dancing, traveling, and reading. Amy is the author of the Miramonde Series, a trilogy about a Renaissance-era female artist and the modern-day scholar on her trail. Amy's new series, Sea and Stone Chronicles, features ordinary people seeking their fortunes under the rule of the medieval Knights Hospitaller in Rhodes, Greece. To receive a free prequel novella to the Miramonde Series, join Amy Maroney’s readers' group at www.amymaroney.com.

Social Media Links:

Website:

https://www.amymaroney.com/

Twitter:

twitter.com/wilaroney

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/amymaroneyauthor

Instagram:

www.instagram.com/amymaroneywrites/

Pinterest:

pinterest.com/amyloveshistory/

BookBub: