New release by Helen Hollick!

Hello! 

My author friend Helen Hollick has an absolutely fabulous new release in her cosy mysteries series that I'd love to share with you! 

THE JAN CHRISTOPHER MYSTERIES by Helen Hollick

 A Memory of Murder – a new  cosy murder mystery to solve –  along with library assistant Jan Christopher, her fiancé, Detective Sergeant Laurie Walker and her uncle, Detective Chief Inspector Toby Christopher.

Set in the 1970s this easy-read cosy mystery series is based around the years when Helen was a north-east London library assistant, using many of her remembered anecdotes, some hilarious – like the boy who wanted a book on Copper Knickers. (You’ll have to read the first book, A Mirror Murder to find our more!)

The mysteries alternate between Jan’s home town, and where Laurie’s parents live – North Devon, (where Helen now lives.)

In this fifth episode, there’s a missing girl, annoying decorators, circus performers, and a wanna-be rock star to deal with. But who remembers the brutal, cold case murder of a policeman?

Easter 1973.

The North London library where Jan Christopher works is in upheaval because the decorators are in to spruce the place up, but there is more for her policeman uncle, DCI Toby Christopher and her fiancé, DS Laurie Walker, to worry about than a few inconvenient pots of paint.

An eleven-year-old girl has not returned home after school, and strange ‘gifts’ are being surreptitiously left for the detective chief inspector’s family to find. Could these items have anything to do with the unsolved murder, fifteen years ago, of Jan’s policeman father?

Buy Link:

Amazon universal: https://mybook.to/AMemoryOfMurder

(published on 18^th May -  paperback release to follow)

Or order from any bookstore (cheaper on Amazon)

Reader’s comments:

"Can I say this is the best one (of the series) yet? YES! For the depth of the writing, the maturity of the main character, and the complexity of the premise. It's cosy...with a few chills for good measure!" Elizabeth St John, author

"I sank into this gentle cosy mystery story with the same enthusiasm and relish as I approach a hot bubble bath, (in fact this would be a great book to relax in the bath with!), and really enjoyed getting to know the central character..." Debbie Young bestselling cosy mystery author

"Jan is a charming heroine. You feel you get to know her and her love of books and her interest in the people in the library where she works. She's also funny, and her Aunt Madge bursts with character - the sort of aunt I would love to have had. I remember the 70s very well and Ms Hollick certainly gives a good flavour of the period." Denise Barnes (bestselling romance author Molly Green)

“A delightful read about an unexpected murder in North East London. Told from the viewpoint of a young library assistant, the author draws on her own experience to weave an intriguing tale” Richard Ashen (South Chingford Community Library)

"Every sentence pulls you back into the early 1970s... The Darling Buds of May, but Devon not Kent. The countryside itself is a character and Hollick imbues it with plenty of emotion" Alison Morton, author

“An enjoyable novella with a twist in who done it. I spent the entire read trying to decide what was a clue and what wasn’t ... Kept me thinking the entire time. I call that a success.” Reader's Review

 

ABOUT HELEN

First accepted for traditional publication in 1993, Helen became a USA Today Bestseller with her historical novel, The Forever Queen (titled A Hollow Crown in the UK) with the sequel, Harold the King (US: I Am The Chosen King) being novels that explore the events that led to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Her Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy is a fifth-century version of the Arthurian legend, and she writes a nautical adventure/supernatural series, The Sea Witch Voyages. She has also branched out into the quick read novella, 'Cosy Mystery' genre with her Jan Christopher Mysteries, set in the 1970s.

Her non-fiction books are Pirates: Truth and Tales and Life of A Smuggler. She is currently writing about the ghosts of North Devon for Amberley Press, and another, Jamaica Gold for her Sea Witch Voyages.

She lives with her family in an eighteenth-century farmhouse in North Devon with their dogs and cats, while on the farm there are showjumper horses, fat Exmoor ponies, an elderly Welsh pony, geese, ducks and  hens. And several resident ghosts.

 You can catch up with Helen here: 

Website: https://helenhollick.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helen.hollick

Blog: promoting good authors & good reads

https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/

 Pick up a copy of a Memory for Murder soon, you'll not be disappointed! My copy is all ready and waiting for me to begin asap!

Slàinte!

An excellent new 4* review for Novice Threads on NetGalley!

Happy Sunday to you! 

I remembered to check NetGalley this morning, not really expecting anything, but found a super 4* review on there.  I'm delighted with Fienna B's comments and thank her very much - especially her reasoning for not giving the novel 5*.

A newly created
poster for Instagram

Here's what she says:

Most of the book tells a story about an adventure between two best friends, Margaret and Jessie, narrated from Margaret's perspective. Practically sisters, they've been inseparable since childhood, navigating life's twists and turns with their destinies intertwined.

 It's a really wholesome story filled with positivity as we follow Margaret and Jessie figuring out life together. We get to see their ups and downs but we would never feel despair because of the characters' optimism toward the future. You'd have a bit of laugh when Margaret was still a child, I had never expected this book to be funny in the first chapters but I had a chuckle and a laugh here and there.

 The writer's ability to detail each scene and constructing the characteristics' of the characters are divine. I feel like I'm experiencing Scotland with the characters all the way from my home. I can feel the love, the heartbreak, the confusion of each character. I weep as well as laugh along when the scene beckon me to do so.

 I can connect with each character and scene but one. It seems like an affair justification because of the one sentence produced in certain chapter and I admire Margaret's attitude on the whole ordeal. But I can't stand that particular scene, for me an affair is wrong in any way and can't be justified. So I have to let 1 star go from my rating.

 I would still recommend this book to those who love Jane Eyre, coming of age story,  a bit of romance and struggle but a fun read!

Netgalley Reviews HERE

Buy Novice Threads in Kindle & Paperback

Now, before I can do some writing of posts for my upcoming Coffee Pot Blog Tour for Novice Threads, I have kitchen clear outs to do before more renovation of the room begins tomorrow. 

Happy Reading,

Slàinte! 

5 * reviews are coming in already for Novice Threads!

Hello!

It's Friday, two days after the launch of Novice Threads, and the reviews are coming in! 

Yarde Book Reviews and Promotions has posted a tremendously perceptive 5* review. I'm so gratified when a reader tells me that they love my characters, even those who have terrible flaws. It's a long review with loads to say about the book and, yes, I'm very relieved it has been enjoyed very much. 

You can read the Full Review Here: 

Here are some of the highlights...

"Readers will be captivated by the poignant tale of the lasting bonds of friendship formed in childhood. Novice Threads (Silver Sampler Series, Book 1) by Nancy Jardine is a truly wonderful book. Right from the start, I was mesmerized by the enthralling plot and the intricately crafted characters. This is a book that demands to be read in one sitting.

...The historical backdrop of this novel has been meticulously studied. The first part of the novel is set in Milnathort, where there is seemingly little opportunity for its inhabitants. The textile mills, where certain characters are employed, paid little attention to health and safety. The poverty depicted is a sombre reminder of the time the book is set in, and the landlords’ treatment of their tenants is abhorrent. Empathy and common decency seem to go out the window when money is involved. The story later moves to Edinburgh, where once again the author has demonstrated her skill at creating a realistic historical backdrop for her novel. I thought the depiction of both Milnathort and Edinburgh were masterfully portrayed.

...All the secondary characters in this book play a crucial role in driving the narrative forward. 

...From the very first sentence to the final full stop, Novice Threads by Nancy Jardine captivated me with its emotionally charged storytelling. With a realistic historical backdrop, Jardine has created a story that is as impossible to put down as it is to forget. This is a story that will stay with me for a very long time. I cannot wait to read the next book in what promises to be an enthralling series."

Please click the link to read the full review- I don't think you'll be disappointed. Personally, I'm over the moon! 

My thanks again to Yarde Book Reviews and Promotions for the excellent insights into my novel. 

Look out for other reviews being highlighted in the coming days.

Till then, happy reading! 

Slàinte! 

Launch Day for Novice Threads!

 Good Morning!

I'm absolutely delighted that the day has finally arrived for the official launch of Novice Threads, the latest novel to be added to my published list. 

Novice Threads, Book 1 of my Silver Sampler Series, is now fully available in Kindle format from Amazon and in paperback from any of the larger online retailers and it can be ordered in bookstores. 

My main character is Margaret Law, and the first part of her life, is now exposed to the reading public. I do hope you pick up a copy and that you enjoy meeting the young Margaret. She is woman who will have a long life, full of adventures that were not for the average young woman from an unremarkable background of little means.

What shall I do today? I will take delight in the fact that yet one more of my intentions has come to fruition. The idea of writing this particular novel, or similar, has been in the writing queue for more than a decade, in fact since I first began my own ancestry research. That doesn't mean Margaret Law is a female ancestor of mine - she isn't, but some of the Victorian themes that will be covered in the whole series clearly did affect my own ancestors of the era. 

Meet the young Margaret...

Enjoy you day!

KINDLE

PAPERBACK

Slàinte! 

Just 6 days to go!

Hello!

It's getting very exciting now since there are only six more days to go before the eBook launch of Novice Threads. 

It's been a busy time during recent weeks. My cover designer - Laurence Patterson - and I have been getting the paperback versions ready. To date, I can only update that the paperback is now available to buy on Amazon but not quite yet with other distributers. As soon as that happens, I'll be updating!

However, this blog post is more about what I've been spending my limited promotional budget on, pre-launch, and about the different things I've been trying this time around.

NetGalley For the first time ever,  I've put Novice Threads up on Netgalley for early reviewing but as yet I have no information to tell me if there has been any uptake of the novel, even though I've included it as a possibility on all of my Social Media promo outlets. Time will tell on that one since the duration of availability runs out on the 16th May. 

Coffee Pot Book Club Tour I'm very excited about going on tour with the Coffee Pot Book Club! More details will follow on the tour which is scheduled for June.

Mary Anne Yarde I've booked some promo slots with Mary Anne Yarde for exposure on Twitter / Instagram.

Reviews I've requested book reviews from Mary Anne Yarde'; The Historical Fiction Company; The Coffee Pot Book Club (paid). The Historical Novel Society is free and very prestigious if a good/decent review results from it. 

Organising book reviews is quite terrifying because Novice Threads is not like my previous writing. Having Book 1 (Novice Threads) chart the life of my character from the age of 5 through to 16 has meant writing about things which are formative for her future character building. Margaret's adult life  will be full of desperate circumstances, love, loss and betrayal, even adventure - yet that is still to come in books 2 & 3. Hopefully my reviewers for Book 1 will appreciate the premise of the first novel of the series and will enjoy being introduced to Margaret.

Distribution catalogue Something I've never done before is add my new paperback to the Ingram Spark distribution catalogue. It's expensive, as are all promotional packages, but getting the novel seen by libraries, booksellers etc  is something I'm considering as a longer term promotional opportunity. 

Booking a 1-day-slot on a site like BargainBooksy, or E Reader News Today, hasn't worked well recently for my Roman Britain Celtic Fervour Series but I'm not completely discounting using something like that in the future for Novice Threads.

6 days to launch day! I'm
counting down! 

Slàinte!