Review: House of Thieves

 

At Terrington Hall, objects are treasured while people are forgotten.

Chief conservator Amy is restoring the Hurly family’s guilt-stained hoard when a theft forces her to hire Harrison, a security adviser on a personal quest to uncover his own history.

Unknown to anyone, an invisible presence woven into the fabric of the house watches their every move.

When Harrison uncovers a room sealed for decades, the investigation shifts from simple theft to the resurrection of murderous secrets. In a house where the past is too heavy to escape, the dead don’t need bodies to tell their stories — they just need someone to listen.

One house. Two mysteries. Two centuries apart.

Trailer: https://youtu.be/SpbHfueEYdU

House of Thieves by Rachel Walkley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a beautiful cover. I felt drawn to the world immediately and it remained a strong symbol for the book throughout the reading.

This is a difficult novel to review without leaving spoilers. The author did a good job of setting up a story where almost every detail is necessary. A group of conservators work in the present to uncover the secrets held in different time periods. I enjoyed the use of the House as the "ghost" in the story, the entity who is both innocent and guilty of all the secrets. There are some definite pacing issues. I encourage readers to stick with it until the end because the payoff comes.

This novel is more historical literary fiction than gothic horror. It has mysteries but little eeriness. If you relax and enjoy the story, the genre won't matter much.

View all my reviews

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0H9HY2WZL

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H9HY2WZL

https://books2read.com/u/m2gOqG

Author Bio –

Rachel Walkley is a former librarian and scientist who lives in the North West of England, where she spends her spare time making music and writing. Her debut novel, The Women of Heachley Hall, was a bestseller in the UK and Australia. Known for weaving together family secrets, magical mysteries, old houses and inspirational women, Rachel also writes gripping female-led crime novels under the pen name Rae Shaw.

Social Media Links –

Rachel Walkley’s author website

Social Media

Review: Kiss of the Raven Witch

Breezy's had a crush on her grumpy copilot for months, but Cruz Alejo keeps pushing her away. The brooding cougar shifter claims he's protecting her, but she suspects he's just afraid to let anyone in. When Cruz is captured and forced into brutal underground fighting pits, Breezy breaks every rule in her boss's witness protection program to mount a rescue. Even though it means returning to the coven that branded her an abomination and hunted her for death.

Cruz has spent years carrying guilt over failures he can't forgive, convinced that anyone who gets close to him ends up hurt. But when Breezy risks everything to save him, the walls around his heart begin to crack. Their escape leads them to a realm of indulgence and deadly trials, where Breezy must face an ancient flame that has killed every hybrid who dared claim it. To protect her, Cruz will have to choose. Trust in their new bond or lose Breezy forever.

In a world where magic and shifter instincts collide, two wounded souls must decide if love is worth the risk. Because the greatest danger isn't the sadistic warlock hunting them or the trials that could consume Breezy alive. It's admitting that together, they're stronger than they ever were apart.

Review

Kiss Of The Raven Witch: Nightshade Shifters by Ines Gray
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a strong entry in paranormal romance. The author avoids getting bogged down in detail while building a rich, deep world that matches the pace of the plot. The author draws on her "dark streets" knowledge from life as a social worker to add nuance and emotional realism to a rich fantasy world full of shapeshifters and mythological creatures. There is plenty of adventure to balance out a strong, steamy romantic arc.

Be warned - this book is sexually charged from page 1. The tension fits well in the plot and I didn't feel like it was only for erotica's sake that the passion hits the page. There are lines that may be crossed if you prefer softer approaches to sexuality.

View all my reviews

Purchase Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kiss-Raven-Witch-Nightshade-Shifters-ebook/dp/B0H5782QG9

https://www.amazon.com/Kiss-Raven-Witch-Nightshade-Shifters-ebook/dp/B0H5782QG9

Author Bio – Ines Gray is an American paranormal romance author who weaves tales of fallen angels, shifters, vampires, and dark prophecies colliding with the modern world. After spending 20 years in a combined law enforcement and social work position, she transitioned to fiction writing and signed with a UK-based independent publishing agency in 2023. Her debut novel, Angel Redeemed, launched the Watchers and Warriors series in June 2025—a story she began in 2008, lost to a damaged thumb drive, and miraculously recovered 14 years later. Hailing from the Midwest, Ines lives with her husband of over 30 years and their rescue cat with cerebellar hypoplasia.

Social Media Links – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552303060805&mibextid=LQQJ4d

https://instagram.com/ines_gray_author?igshid=MzMyNGUyNmU2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

 

Giveaway To Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card (Open Internationally)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Gleam box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Gleam from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

https://gleam.io/r0GsO/win-a-25-amazon-gift-card-open-internationally

Review: A Painkiller to Die For

 

It was difficult for Will Jeavons to imagine just how his life could possibly get any better. Having overcome a traumatic childhood, he had gone on to study molecular pharmacology and win tenure as a lecturer at his beloved Cambridge University. But his life was soon to become better still, the CEO of a biotech company. Will’s unique research led to the discovery of a non-addictive drug for chronic pain. A remarkable solution for the opioid epidemic which had claimed the life of his mother.

Will’s flourishing company was subsequently acquired, and this was when he first met Celeste Simmonds. The beguiling Celeste would steer Will away from his earlier hedonistic, womanising lifestyle. However, the only way he could ensure the success of his drug was to bury key safety data which could have led to the clinical trials being terminated.

Clinical trials which resulted in the husband of Lydia Goldberg falling into a deep coma. It was Lydia’s scientific training which led her to discover Will’s fraudulent cover-up. She was determined to seek vengeance and concocted an elaborate honeytrap and a decision for Will to make. A career ending confession or being submitted to a life-threatening game of Russian roulette.

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Painkiller-Die-Dr-Martyn-Pritchard-ebook/dp/B0FC6Y9SXN/

https://www.amazon.com/Painkiller-Die-Dr-Martyn-Pritchard-ebook/dp/B0FC6Y9SXN/

Author Bio –

Dr Martyn Pritchard is currently moving towards retirement following on from a 35-year long career in drug discovery research focusing on neuroscience as well as novel medicines to treat pain. He is the author of over 50 scientific papers and book chapters along with one novel written under a nom de plume: A Practical Arrangement.

 

Social Media Links –

Instagram: martyn.pritchard1 (Instagram)

Facebook: (20+) Facebook

Review: Book Lover's Bucket List

A bucket list to change her life.

Gabriella Brookes has spent years quietly loving Zach Osborne, knowing he only sees her as his best friend’s bookish little sister. He’s charming, successful, and only back in their Derbyshire village for the summer before his next big move.

When Gabby stumbles across her long-forgotten teenage bucket list, Zach proposes a deal: together, they’ll tick off her book-inspired challenges, if she helps him complete a few fun tasks of his own.

What starts as a perfectly sensible plan quickly turns into something far more complicated, when real life refuses to stay neatly tucked between the pages.

But as Zach’s past resurfaces and his future pulls him away, Gabby is forced to face a harder truth: dreams don’t come true if you only ever read about them.

Ticking off the challenges was meant to be easy.
Admitting what your heart wants is the real risk.

A cosy, small-town romantic comedy about courage, love, and rewriting your own ending.

The Book Lover's Bucket List by Hannah Claire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An adorable book for summer's day! I loved the protagonists and the way they are pulled together for the very reasons they assumed they would never work. The use of books as plot device was so fun for this booklover. Kudos to Hannah Claire for keeping the romance real enough to be believable while still providing all the happy tingles necessary for a good romance. I also loved the setting -consider The Peaks on my travel wish list. I can only hope it will be this charming.

View all my reviews

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GX33FZ34

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GX33FZ34

Author Bio – Hannah has always been a bookworm, loving nothing more than escaping into fictional worlds, and can't walk past a bookshop without adding to her already-overflowing To Be Read shelves. She writes contemporary romantic novels set against the beautiful landscape of the Peak District in Derbyshire, close to where she lives.

A firm believer in the power of love stories to offer comfort and escape, Hannah writes books that celebrate connection, hope, and the magic of second chances — stories designed to bring a little joy into busy lives.

She lives with her husband, their three children, two cats, and one very bouncy dog who still hasn't worked out that squirrels generally don't want to be her friends.

Hannah loves long sunny days spent outdoors and rainy afternoons spent indoors — ideally under a cosy blanket with a good book. Her favourite things include sparkly nail varnish, candles, bubble baths, and chocolate, and she remains convinced that there is no such thing as too many notebooks.

 

Social Media Links – @hannahclairewriter

Facebook and Instagram

Review: The Catalyst

When human bodies are found with scales and tails, DNA specialist Kat Crocker is assigned to uncover the cause of the mutations and stop them before they spread. But her growing visibility makes her a target. As attacks escalate, the trail leads her to a newly released VR game powered by impossible genetics—and to one man: the mentor who taught her everything, the father she buried years ago.

Review

The Catalyst by Andrea Goyan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well, that was trippy. Goyan has created a bendy world where gaming blends with reality to create a super-race of animal-human hybrids. It's an extension of Ready Player One where the company wants more than allegiance- it wants to own every identifying piece of the participants. The book has some great reviews.

Overall, the story is written with immersive, detailed scene-setting and an excellent sense of suspense. It keeps you curious until the final reveal. I wish it had leaned a little heavier into the science. The "why" of it all is largely left untouched and I would've enjoyed knowing more about the transmission of DNA from one organism to another. However, the overall premise and good plot stitching help to keep the novel solid and intriguing. So while it isn't a perfect sci-fi, it has a lot to recommend it and is worth picking up.

View all my reviews

Purchase Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Catalyst-Kat-Crocker-Book-ebook/dp/B0H67WYZ8N/

https://www.amazon.com/Catalyst-Kat-Crocker-Book-ebook/dp/B0H67WYZ8N/

 

Author Bio – Andrea Goyan is an award-winning author and an avid animal person who grew up being called Goat-Girl and Raccoon-Mama. She is a grateful part of a flock of collaborative Magpie Poets whose first collection, An Illegal Feast, was released in 2025. Andrea also co-hosts MetaStellar Magazine’s “Long-Lost Friends” and “Storytime.” In her spare time, she walks her dogs and loves to paint, especially animal portraits. 

Many of her stories are available for free on her website.

Social Media Links –

Website Andrea Goyan,

Facebook Andrea Goyan Storyteller,

Bluesky Follow Andrea on Bluesky!

Review: Me Too

Nearly forty, Anna has a successful career, a long-term relationship, and a carefully maintained sense of independence. But as time begins to run out, one question becomes impossible to ignore. What if she’s left it too late for the one thing she truly wants—a baby?

Divorced journalist Rob keeps his life free from complications. But when he runs into Anna at a friend’s wedding, he’s caught off guard. The girl he remembers is gone, replaced by a woman who is impossible to ignore.

When Anna makes him an offer, it’s one he can’t quite believe. No strings. No expectations. Just one simple arrangement.

It should be straightforward.

But the closer they become, the harder it is to stay detached. What begins as a practical plan deepens into something far more tender and much more dangerous.

If Anna allows herself to hope, she could lose not only her dream of motherhood, but the one man who has begun to feel like home.

Now Rob has a choice. Walk away…or risk everything for the woman he was not supposed to fall for.

Because some arrangements were never meant to stay temporary.

Review 

  ME TOO: The Millingham Series book two by Katharine Light
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am an advocate for parenting by choice. Whether you've found love and want kids, haven't found love but want kids or don't want kids - I believe your choice should drive the parenting decision. So this was an interesting premise for a story, especially since it also explored Rob's feelings about parenting. Katharine Light is an award-winning storyteller whose ability to understand the human heart and put it on the page makes books feel light, magical and important all at once.

The book title shares an unfortunate overlap with the #metoo movement. I am afraid that meant that I didn't trust poor Rob until the very end. The book is a quiet, older romance about two people who share a longing for family. It is part of a series with the theme of two people finding each other through a shared longing.

View all my reviews

 

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ME-TOO-Millingham-book-two-ebook/dp/B0DLXK5FQ1

https://www.amazon.com/ME-TOO-Millingham-book-two-ebook/dp/B0DLXK5FQ1

Author Bio –

Katharine Light was born in Glasgow and lived there until her family moved to Manchester when she was ten. While in her teens, she began writing stories for her younger sister Emma. These mostly centred around a naïve heroine and a 1980s pop star (some would say the hero was modelled on John Taylor of Duran Duran).

She did a degree in psychology at University College London, and after a year travelling, worked in corporate film production for several years, before taking a break to raise her children.

For many years she wrote mainly during the holidays, around her busy work for a local church.

Her first novel Like Me, published in 2023, was shortlisted for The Selfies Book Awards 2024. Her short story My arms are empty which is based on an episode from her second novel Me Too recently won the City University competition City Writes.

She is a director of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, with responsibility for organising their conferences, gatherings and awards ceremonies.

Katharine lives in London with her husband and quite often at least one of their adult children. She loves singing, walking, painting, looking at art, and going to the theatre.

 

Social Media Links –

Instagram/Threads – katharinelightwrites1

Facebook – Katharinelightwrites

 

Social Media Links –

Instagram/Threads – katharinelightwrites1

Facebook – Katharinelightwrites

Review: A Blighter is Bumped Off

The only thing worse than a persistent suitor? A dead one on your lawn.

London, 1892. Alice, Duchess of Stortford, has returned to town determined to enjoy her first Season as a wealthy widow. But instead of balls, flirtation, and whispered gossip, she finds herself besieged by ambitious bachelors—none more persistent than the insufferably smooth-talking Miles Fonthill. When Alice firmly refuses his sudden proposal, she assumes the matter is settled.

Instead, he turns up dead in her garden.

The police are happy to call it a tragic accident. Alice is less convinced.

Why was Miles climbing over her garden wall in the middle of the night? Why had he become so determined to win her favour? And what did he really want?

As Alice begins to dig into Miles’ final days, her search leads her into the glittering heart of London society, where old loyalties run deep, secrets are guarded fiercely, and reputation matters more than truth. But when whispers of the mysterious Order of the Golden Key begin circling dangerously close to her own late husband’s name, Alice realises this death may be far more complicated than one unwelcome suitor meeting an unfortunate end.

And if someone is willing to kill to keep their secrets…this Season may prove positively deadly.

Perfect for fans of feisty female sleuths, Victorian High Society, and secret scandals, all served with a dash of humour and a cup of tea.

A Blighter is Bumped Off (A Duchess of Stortford Mystery): A Victorian whodunnit with a hint of humour by Helen Golden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh this series! It is so wonderfully, eclectically amusing from start to finish. For me, the mystery boils along at just the right pace. It's never too deep nor to complex, but it's also not boring and predictable. I was so happy to see the lovely duchess prepare to leave mourning. She is too colorful for a life of black lace. Of course, when one of her first suitors winds up dead in her garden, the gossip and who-dunnit is afoot! With a remarkable cast of recurring characters, this charming book series will delight readers of historical fiction and mysteries.

I have read all 4 of these stories and I imagine I will be a fan of the next four, too. They are light, breezy, witty and intriguing. If you are in your cozy mystery era, these deserve a spot on the book list.

View all my reviews

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blighter-Bumped-Duchess-Stortford-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0FWC6CBLC

https://www.amazon.com/Blighter-Bumped-Duchess-Stortford-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0FWC6CBLC

About Helen Golden

Helen Golden spins mysteries that are charmingly British, delightfully deadly, and served with a twist of humour.

With quirky characters, clever red herrings, and plots that keep the pages turning, she’s the author of the much-loved A Right Royal Cozy Investigation series, following Lady Beatrice and her friends—including one clever little dog—as they uncover secrets hidden in country houses and royal palaces. Her new historical mystery series, The Duchess of Stortford Mysteries, is set in Victorian England and introduces an equally curious sleuth from Lady Beatrice’s own family tree—where murders are solved over cups of tea, whispered gossip, and overheard conversations in drawing rooms and grand estates.

Helen lives in a quintessential English village in Lincolnshire with her husband, stepdaughter, and a menagerie of pets—including a dog, several cats, a tortoise, and far too many fish.

If you love clever puzzles, charming settings, and sleuths with spark, her books are waiting for you.

 

​Follow Helen Golden

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/helengolden_author

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@helengoldenauthor 

https://twitter.com/HelenGoldenAuth