Review: The Secret Sauce

 

Birmingham, England, November 1944.

Chief Inspector Mason of Erdington Police Station is summoned to a suspicious death at the BB Sauce factory in Aston on a wet Monday morning in late November 1944.

Greeted by his enthusiastic sergeant, O’Rourke, Sam Mason finds himself plunged into a challenging investigation to discover how Harry Armstrong met his death in a vat containing BB Sauce – a scene that threatens to put him off BB Sauce on his bacon sandwiches for the rest of his life.

Together with Sergeant O’Rourke, Mason follows a trail of seemingly unrelated events until something becomes very clear. The death of Harry Armstrong was certainly murder, and might well be connected to the tragedy unfolding at nearby RAF Fauld. While the uncertainty of war continues, Mason and O’Rourke find themselves seeking answers from the War Office and the Admiralty, as they track down the person who murdered their victim in such an unlikely way.

Join Mason and O’Rourke for the third book in the quirky, historical mystery series, as they once more attempt to solve the impossible in 1940s Erdington.

Review

What a charming book by an accomplished writer! I became acquainted with MJ Porter in the Mercia series. I knew them to be a deft historical fiction author. I was delighted to discover that they also dabble in cozy mysteries. 

The Erdington Mysteries are well-written procedurals that follow the two main protagonists as they explore unusual mysteries in war-time England. While the stories may be "quirky," they are not silly. The atmosphere is gritty and real, well-grounded in the difficulties of the war and seriousness of the crimes. The stories are drawn well - there are plenty of clues and surprises to help keep any reader engaged. 

Purchase Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Sauce-incredibly-historical-Erdington-ebook/dp/B0F4PCVJWP

https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Sauce-incredibly-historical-Erdington-ebook/dp/B0F4PCVJWP

Author Bio – I’m an author of historical fiction and non-fiction (Early English (Saxon), Vikings and the British Isles as a whole before the Norman Conquest, as well as five twentieth-century mysteries), born in the old Mercian kingdom at some point since the end of 1066. Historical mysteries allow me to use such modern inventions as the telephone and the car, which is very exciting when I spend so much of my time worrying about feeding the horses my warriors usually ride.

I was raised in the shadow of a strange little building and told from a very young age it housed the bones of long-dead kings of Mercia, it’s little wonder my curiosity in the early English ran riot. I can only blame my parents!

I like to write. You’ve been warned!

 

Social Media Links – https://linktr.ee/MJPorterauthor

Review: Apple Butter Christmas

 From the USA Today Best-Selling Author Terry Lynn Thomas

An Apple Butter Christmas
A Heartwarming Small-Town Christmas Romance

Coming home for Christmas was supposed to be temporary—until love, legacy, and one unforgettable orchard changed everything.

Welcome to Hartstone, where the snow is deep, the secrets are deeper, and love might just get a second chance under the twinkling lights of the town Christmas tree.

Diana Marchcroft didn’t plan on returning to Hartstone, but when her beloved aunt is injured, Diana leaves the city behind to help save her family’s struggling apple orchard. What she doesn’texpect? The fight of a lifetime and the survival of her family’s heritage. The orchard is at risk of being developed into an exclusive golf course and destination wedding venue.

Alex Kelley thought he'd buried his feelings for Diana after their relationship ended abruptly on the night he planned to propose. When he unexpectedly bumps into her, he realizes that some embers never go out.

With the town busy with visitors for the annual Apple Butter Festival, Diana and Alex discover that sometimes Christmas miracles come wrapped in second chances.

If you love:

• Cozy snow-covered small towns
• Second-chance love stories
• Orchard festivals and secret kisses under the stars
• Family, friendship, and a sprinkle of holiday magic

…then curl up with An Apple Butter Christmas, a feel-good romance that will warm your heart like a mug of hot cider on a winter's night.

Review

A charming little story to bring in the Christmas season! This heartwarming and cozy romance deserves to be paired with fuzzy socks, apple cider and a warm fire  

The characters are lovely and the story perfect to the occasion but its the overall feeling of warmth that glows through this novel that will make it a holiday delight. The apple butter festival is a great setting thatallos  for just enough drama to drive the plot without losing that yummy feeling of a cozy christmas romance  

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Butter-Christmas-Hartstone-Romance-ebook/dp/B0FNKNM4D8

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Apple-Butter-Christmas-Hartstone-Romance-ebook/dp/B0FNKNM4D8

Author Bio – Terry Lynn Thomas is a USA Today best-selling author who writes contemporary legal thrillers and historical mysteries set in World War II. Her debut cozy Christmas romance, Apple Butter Christmas, will release in November of 2025. Her stories are known for their strong female protagonists and the emotional connection between her characters. 

When she isn't writing, Terry Lynn likes to watch British mysteries, read books about found family and friendship, paint, garden, and take long walks with her husband and dogs. 

Social Media Links –(1) Facebook

Cover Reveal: Magical Beginnings in Little Beaubrook

 Some places are special enough to heal hearts… Welcome to Little Beaubrook

In a tiny English village hidden away for decades, the mists are parting to reveal a manor which

glows gold and tumbledown thatched cottages that have been waiting for the right people to rebuild

them.

On moving in day, a diverse group of new neighbours have only two things in common. Their hearts

have been broken in some way, and they’ve all signed a contract with some very strange

stipulations, including buying one of the cottages for a pound. As Chair of the commonhold

association, Albie Curville hopes that by sharing his late wife’s rules for living he can bring these

reluctant strangers together to fulfil her dying wish before he runs out of time… and before they

discover his secret.

When their newfound community – built on kindness, friendship and a manor with a long history of

helping those in need – is threatened by an outside source, can they finally overcome their pasts to

save Little Beaubrook and seize the second chances they deserve?

Come and visit this magical lost village for a cosy, feel-good story about love, found family, new

beginnings and the healing power of community. Perfect for fans of Debbie Johnson, Jenny

Colgan, Evie Woods and Phaedra Patrick.

Pre-order Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magical-Beginnings-Little-Beaubrook-heartwarming-

ebook/dp/B0FVNQC7S8

US - https://www.amazon.com/Magical-Beginnings-Little-Beaubrook-heartwarming-

ebook/dp/B0FVNQC7S8

bitly link bit.ly/48XcAKD

Author Bio –

Bella Brightside is a multi-published, award-nominated romance author who writes under several

pen names and had commercial success with her novel The Last Charm. Owned by a husband, large

family and two naughty beagles, she drinks too much coffee, buys far too many books and spends

her nights wondering how a sentient village would behave.

You can find her on Instagram at @authorbythesea1207.

She is represented by the literary agent Rachel McMillan.

Social Media Links

Instagram & Threads - @authorbythesea1207

TikTok - @authorbysea1207 (note there is no ‘the’ in the middle)

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BellaBrightsideAuthor

Cover Reveal: Don't Forget the Crazy

 

Her lists are life or death.

“If it’s on the list, I have to do it.”

Milli Morgan lives by her lists. Groceries, goals, organising her boss – nothing escapes being

ticked off her ever-growing to-do lists. Order brings her comfort; control keeps the chaos at

bay. Everyone can rely on Milli.

Until the day new items start appearing on her list in red ink.

At first, she blames stress. A prank. Someone playing mind-games. But one instruction on

the list refuses to be erased and demands to be completed.

A command so terrible she would have to be crazy to tick it off.

Don’t Forget the Crazy is a dark psychological suspense short story about obsession,

perfection, and the dangerous pressure of always being “the good girl.” Fans of Gillian

Flynn, Lisa Jewell, Patricia Highsmith, and Shirley Jackson will devour this chilling portrait

of order unravelling into darkness.

Pre-order Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0G1KPBK1N

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G1KPBK1N

Author Bio –

Lucy Kaufman is an award-winning author, playwright, audio dramatist and poet. 40 of her

plays have been performed professionally around the UK and Australia, to critical acclaim.

She has lectured in Playwriting and Screenwriting for Pen to Print and Canterbury Christ

Church University and is a mentor at The Writing Coach. Originally from London, she now

lives by the sea with her husband, sons, dogs and cats.

Social Media Links –

Insta: kaufmanlucy

Insta: sepiainkpublishing

www.sepiaink.co.uk

Cedar Ridge review: Over the Edge

 Book Blurb (from Amazon)

SIX MONTHS AGO, ACCUSATIONS of murder threw Rayna Kirkpatrick’s life into turmoil, and her fight to prove her innocence nearly got her killed. Now, she seeks healing and refuge, but as a Trespasser—a person with lethal paranormal abilities—she can’t escape the attention of the covert government organization monitoring her. They want her on their team, but Rayna wants to maintain her quiet life in Willet Beach, living next door to her sister and running a small pottery studio.

SPECIAL AGENT DAMON HALE has been assigned to keep an eye on Rayna. The abilities that would make her a valuable member of the Trespasser team would also make her a powerful weapon in the hands of an enemy; it’s Damon’s job to keep her safe and ensure that information about her Trespasser status remains classified. He’s posing as her boyfriend to provide an excuse for the time they spend together, but, privately, each of them is struggling with that cover story; their feelings for each other are becoming all too real.

RAYNA’S ATTEMPT AT A peaceful life shatters when she rescues a woman from a fire, an act that drags her into a whirlpool of rumors and deadly secrets. As Damon works to protect her, he’s torn by the knowledge that managing this crisis might require decisions that will devastate Rayna and that the line between ally and enemy may be more blurred than either of them imagined.

Review

Cedar Ridge is often home to hidden gems. Over the Edge continues that tradition by blending paranormal into a traditional romantic thriller. The writing is tight, fast-paced and immersive. 

The book begins with high suspense - Rayna is in hiding after suspicion that she has caused several deaths. Her paranormal abilities are attracting all the wrong attention. She is dependent on Special Agent Damon Hale, though she has doubts about trusting him. 

I enjoyed the moral stakes in this book. Rayna feels she needs to use her skills to help others, but the stakes are so high every time she does. Her abilities are obviously risky to the public at large, but does that justify limiting her freedom or forcing her allegiance?

This is a very strong entry in the paranormal x thriller genre. Fans of X-men will likely find a lot to love in this well-written story by Stephanie Black. 

Purchase Link (amazon): https://a.co/d/bbpUKX1 

Review: Abracadabra

 

In the spirit of Practical Magic and First Frost, a modern-day magic folk tale weaves a fantasy of love, secrets, spellbooks, and family bonds into evocative prose ....

 

It's common knowledge in Duran Hill that some women in the Kinley family have certain gifts ... and certain curses ... running through their bloodlines. But for three sisters in all but name — Rachel, Juliette, and their cousin Sylvia — the ties that bind them close as ivy throughout their childhood are pulled apart in adolescence when both the gift and curse of that power is revealed between them.

 

Since that fateful incident, sensible Juliette has tailored a perfect and perfectly-ordinary life which unravels after she marries — and loses — the love of her life. Sylvia, drawn to the dark side, sets up a shop that caters to all the mystical powers the latter generations of the Kinley family shunned. And Rachel, the wild child, in whom its magic seems to create a charmed life, is a carefree wanderer who finds herself suddenly drawn home again.

 

Her arrival will stir old rivalries and test forgotten bonds in the brief span of a few weeks. But when an old friend in desperate trouble seeks her out, she will impulsively unleash the dangerous secret behind their power:  one which has lain forgotten in the Kinley house for two generations.

 

From the Siren's song of a dead man's violin to a jar full of harmless-looking buttons, nothing under the shadow of the family's roof is what it seems — nothing in their bloodline is safe from the dangerous past.

 

For Juliette, it brings a test of whether love that has withered can bloom again. For Sylvia, a question of whether a dangerous mistake can only be endured until it destroys you. And for Rachel, the choice is the price between the future of the souls she loves most in life and a powerful force that both makes her the enigma she is — and makes to destroy her like embers caught in a firewind.

 

Against the backdrop of Southern charm, Scottish superstitions, and bewitching romance, ABRACADABRA casts a spell which cannot be undone, from the ache of lost love to the familial links between souls which go as deep as blood and bone.

 

Youtube Links for Abracadabra trailers:

Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKmNSqCOAKk 

Short Teaser: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/edJevuMyWqk

 

Review

This romp through Scottish mysticism used such symbols as shapeshifting animals, death omens, natural magic of trees and plants, and holiday traditions. The Scottish traditions create a cozy story of family dealing with age-old curses and modern inconveniences. I will never look at a jar of buttons the same way. 

Fans of Practical Magic will enjoy stepping inside this family as they deal with dark secrets and experiences out of step with modern life. The author has good control of suspense as she creates a world that is both inviting and unsettling. 

Purchase Links

Amazon (Universal link): https://books2read.com/u/31ABBv

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/abracadabra-48?sId=3c2b0be2-df21-4aa1-82f7-3c38d91d5b38

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/abracadabra/id6748605399

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/abracadabra-evanne-hardin-gray/1147826940?ean=2940181835467

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1809968

Author Bio – Evanne Hardin Gray has spent most of her adulthood (and part of her childhood) writing novels, short stories, and screenplays. She has family roots in both New England and the South, which is where she currently writes (sometimes as a 'ghost'), gardens, and collects books and ideas for them.

Social Media Links –

Twitter: Evanne Hardin Gray (@Abracadabrabook) / X

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578220836676