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The Curse of Ragman’s Hollow (Merryweathers Mystery – 3) by Rhys Jones

Just a walk in the countryside. What could possibly go wrong

Sam Jones’s grandmother is training him to be one of the Cunning Folk, like her, and exams are looming.

But Sam’s mother has holiday plans and drags him off to a remote cottage in the middle of nowhere for some country air.  No mobile phone, nettle soup and long walks are the rule. One such walk takes them to Ragman’s Hollow, a place the locals avoid with good reason.
It’s a place where people and animals go missing, never to be found.

That’s just superstitious nonsense, according to Sam’s mother. But there is no smoke without fire and Sam soon finds himself up against an old, very spiteful, and very tricky enemy.
He’s going to need every ounce of his cunning to stop the Ragman. But can he do it alone?

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About the Author

Rhys A Jones was born in 1955 and grew up in a mining village in South Wales with his nose in a book and his head in the clouds. He managed to subdue his imagination long enough to carve out a career in medicine, writing whenever the chance arose.

The Merryweathers mysteries feature a boy and his more-than-meets-the-eye Granny Merryweather. The Curse of Wihtlea Barrows (previously the Dreables) and The Curse of Borage Doone have just been released as paperbacks with new covers and a new publisher (Wyrmwood). The third in the series entitled The Curse of Ragman’s Hollow is now available at last

Rhys is currently writing The Artefact Quintet featuring eleven-year-old Oz Chambers whose family inherits a ‘haunted’ house. His mother wants to leave, but Oz wants to unlock the house’s mysteries and uncovers a secret that will change his life forever.

Rhys also writes for adults as DC Farmer and Dylan Young

He has three grownup children who have emerged remarkably unscathed into adulthood.

When not writing, he practices medicine and lives in darkest West Wales with his understanding (very) wife and dog.

Oh, and the Rhys is pronounced Reece–as in the actor Rhys Ifans of Mr Lovegood (Harry Potter) and The Lizard (The Amazing Spiderman) fame. Or perhaps it’s easier if you just think of Reece Witherspoon, though she is a lady.

FROM WIKI:
 Rhys /ˈriːs/[1] is a Welsh given name (usually male), famous in Welsh history
a surname of Welsh origin that means “Dragon“, “fervour”, “passion”, “ultimate strength”, “king” or “zeal”

It was also my dad’s name!
The name is also anglicised as Rice, Rees, Reese and Reece

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My Review

5 Stars

Sam Jones is learning how to be one of the Cunning Folk from his grandmother. So far he has the ability to make himself and things invisible. He is excited to practice more with his grandmother until his mother, Arabella decides to go on holiday with her friend Hester and Hester’s two kids. They are off to a Welsh cottage near Ragman’s Hollow.

Arabella has always wanted to explore the Ragman’s Hollow but Ran has warned then to stay away. Animals and people that have gone into the Ragman’s Hollow don’t come back. Off they go on their adventure and they find themselves in some serious trouble. Sam is going to have to learn more control of his abilities if he is going to save everyone.

I really enjoyed this story. I didn’t even realize that it was the third book into the series. I easily got into the story and I was as excited to learn as Sam. The quick chapters had me reading up late just to finish one more. The characters we well developed and I have to say as much as I liked Sam and Arabella I couldn’t stand Hester. The Ragman was also a great, scary character.

I loved this book and think any mid-grade reader that likes magic and scares will enjoy the story. Now I’m going to go back and check out the other two books to see what I missed.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

Win a signed copy of the Merryweathers Mysteries series (Open Internationally)

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I would like to thank Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and share this book.

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My Review

5 stars

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American Corporate by Jeb Stewart Harrison

Publisher: Baby Bingus Books (Nov 27, 2018)
Category: Literary fiction, humor, family life
Tour dates: Apr/May, 2019
ISBN: 978-1986937863
Available in Print and ebook, 258 pages

Description American Corporate by Jeb Stewart Harrison

A playful, big-hearted tragicomedy in the Russo/Irving mold, American Corporate chronicles the misadventures of middle-aged Jack Sullivan and his family as they bounce across the country in search of gainful employment, domestic tranquility, and a few people they can trust.

It is a story that working parents past, present and future will see as part of their own: the triumphs, the tragedies, the innocent mistakes and the not-so-innocent mistakes, and above all the forgiveness that keeps families together to face another challenge.

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Praise Healing of Howard Brown by Jeb Stewart Harrison

“If you enjoy beautiful prose, complex themes of family and race, and a refreshingly original narrator, this book is for you. Harrison is among the select few contemporary fiction writers who still write for serious readers.” – Jim Heynen, author, best known for The One Room Schoolhouse , The Boys’ House, You Know What is Right , The Man Who Kept Cigars in His Cap and many more.

“This book starts off with a bang and keeps on going. Howard is a character with a specific voice and story. I’m sure you’ll be provoked and entertained.”- Jessica Barksdale Inclan, author of The Believe Trilogy, The Being Trilogy, and many more.

“In The Healing of Howard Brown, author Jeb Stewart Harrison weaves an intriguing contemporary literary. The author provides a wonderful mixture of drama, humor, and seriousness to the story that easily keeps the reader’s interest as Howard’s journey unfolds. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how much I really enjoyed the author’s rich and vividly descriptive style of writing, especially the wonderful descriptions of the California and Louisiana settings.
The Healing of Howard Brown is a thought-provoking contemporary literary tale that will draw you in, touch your soul, and leave a smile on your face.”- Kathleen Higgins-Anderson, Jersey Girl Book Reviews

“ I’m so happy that I read this book. It is beautifully written, wonderful imagery, and has such a heartwarming story as you follow along with Howard healing from the past. This is a wonderful story and one that I strongly recommend.”- jbronderbookreviews

“Jeb Stewart Harrison’s novel, THE HEALING of HOWARD BROWN brought to mind the novels of Roland Merullo, particularly, BREAKFAST WITH BUDDAH. Along the way, to his childhood home, and hopefully his sister, Howard finds more than expected and what he’s missing in the most unlikely places. The journey allows Howard to meditate on family relationships, issues such as love,life, death, fear and ultimately finding one’s personal peace. We the readers, if open, are able to learn from some of Howard, Mr. Booper and even the author, Jeb’s experiences.”- Cindy Roesel, Cindy Reads and Writes

About Jeb Stewart Harrison

Award winning author, Jeb Stewart Harrison is a freelance writer, songwriter, musician and painter in San Rafael, California. After many years as an ad agency copywriter, writer/producer, creative director, and director of marketing communications, Jeb now writes fiction and creative non-fiction, along with commercial works for hire. Jeb’s debut novel, Hack, was published by Harper Davis Publishers in August 2012. In 2015 he received his MFA from Pacific Lutheran University at the tender age of 60. His second novel, The Healing of Howard Brown, won the 2017 Independent Press Award for literary fiction. His third novel, American Corporate, was published in November, 2018.

He also records and plays electric bass guitar with the popular instrumental combo The Treble Makers, as well as Bay Area favorites Call Me Bwana. Jeb was born and raised in Kentfield, California, and has lived in Boulder, CO; Missoula, MT; Hollywood, CA; Scottsdale, AZ; Indianapolis, IN; Ridgefield, CT and Stinson Beach, CA.

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My Review

5 stars

Jack Sullivan is your typical middle aged man that finds himself out of a job and without the assistance of his father. He manages to find a job across the country so he packs up his family and heads out. But the job is more corporate cut throat compared to the family run business that he is used to working. If it wasn’t enough drama fighting for his new job and being fired for no reason, Jack also has things at home going bad too.

Just by reading the summary of the story I just knew that I had to read it. It sounds like something that would happen to me. I have to say that once I got into the story I couldn’t quit laughing at poor Jack and his crazy life. Jack is not too bright and just trying to provide for his family but has just run into dead ends. He thinks he finally has a job but of course it’s just not in his cards.

Then there is his home life. His wife used to spend her time on the Craig’s List personals flirty but has taken a more active approach. But she is naïve to the whole thing and finds herself in a whole lot of trouble. This story kind of reminds me of Fun with Dick and Jane with the loss of jobs and trying anything to keep afloat.

This story far exceeded my expectations of it. I felt for Jack and even Carrie. The poor guy just wants to provide for his family but anything and everything is going wrong for him in the funniest way possible. If you need a good laugh you need to check this book out.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

Giveaway American Corporate by Jeb Stewart Harrison

This giveaway is for the choice 3 print copies or ebook copies of the book , 1 copy per each of 3 winners. Print is available to Canada and the U.S. only but ebook is available worldwide. This giveaway ends on May 31, 2019 at midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

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I would like to thank Virtual Author Book Tours for the opportunity to read and share this book.

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One More Lie by Amy Lloyd

A thrilling new novel of psychological suspense from the award-winning, internationally bestselling author of The Innocent Wife

Charlotte wants to start fresh. She wants to forget her past, forget prison and, most of all, forget Sean. But old habits die hard. Despite the ankle monitor she must wear as part of her parole agreement and frequent visits to her therapist, she soon finds herself sliding back toward the type of behavior that sent her to prison in the first place. The further down that path she goes, however, the closer she gets to the crime that put her in prison all those years ago. And that’s the one memory she can’t face. Until, one day, Sean tracks her down.

Amy Lloyd won the Daily Mail First Novel competition for her debut, The Innocent Wife. Now she returns with a chilling portrait of a woman trying to be good, even when she isn’t sure she wants to be.

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About the Author

Hello! Thank you for visiting my author’s page. I am the author of two novels: the first is The Innocent Wife, which became a top 10 bestseller and a Richard and Judy Book Club pick in 2018. The second is my new novel One More Lie, which will be available in hardback from April 4th.

Both my books are inspired by true crime. By crimes themselves but also, and perhaps more importantly, by our reactions to crime. In The Innocent Wife I wanted to explore our interest in true crime itself, such as our obsession with podcasts like Serial and blockbuster Netflix series like Making a Murderer.

My second novel, One More Lie, is about a woman named Charlotte who has just been released from a secure institution for a crime she committed when she was a child. These cases seem to fascinate and horrify society in a way no other crime does. What is it about the idea of a child being capable of something so awful that stirs up such levels of emotion? And can a child really understand the gravity of such an act as murder?

Writing this book was an attempt to understand how something like this could happen and what it might be like to live with the burden of being infamous, branded as evil and not knowing whether you are a bad person or simply a person who did a bad thing.

It isn’t based on a particular example of a true crime and all the characters and situations are entirely fictional but people will naturally draw comparisons with some of the infamous cases involving children who hurt or killed other children because these stories remain so vivid in our memories. Instead, I wanted to evoke the atmosphere those crimes created and the stain they left on our collective consciousness.

While writing the book, I tried hard to empathise with my characters who have done things which aren’t easy to empathise with. I hoped that readers would be able to do the same and so I wrote them as vividly as I could imagine, in all their good and their bad. I wanted them to be human, believable and flawed.

I hope that One More Lie will offer a different perspective on a subject which has been much-explored and that people will enjoy it the way they enjoyed The Innocent Wife.

Until next time!

Amy x

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My Review

4 Stars

This is the story of Charlotte and Sean, two adults that are being released from prison after they were charged with killing a disabled child when they were 10 and 11 years old. Charlotte is starting life new at a halfway house and with an ankle monitor. She is very childlike and doesn’t have much to do beyond go to work and her therapist. Although she doesn’t remember the murder she has the plan to keep on the straight and narrow and avoid Sean.

This is an interesting story. Charlotte clearly has issues and is not a dependable witness. It doesn’t help that the story bounces around with present day, before the murder, everything but the murder, and some of Sean’s story. I have to say that I was interested in the past but it was so disjointed that I was left confused.

Although this story is brutal it is handled well. It does give you pause to think about these child killers that we are seeing presently. The story kept me engaged and I was curious to see what happened. It’s definitely worth giving a try.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

I would like to thank the Harper Collins for the opportunity to read and share this book.

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There is a hidden treasure in the grand old mansion on Piccadilly Street, in a place called London, but not the real London of English fame. There’s also a lot of mystery and a murder that’s been unsolved for decades. But it’s the treasure that captures Mary’s interest. 

 

 

Mary lives in this house along with her family, her Brownie friends and a ghost. When the ghost reveals her secret about the hidden treasure, there’s no stopping Mary, her Brownie friends, or her enemies from searching for this treasure. 

 

 

Why the intrigue? Apparently there’s a little bit of magic connected to this treasure. And so the adventure begins. Who will find the treasure first?

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Also, Book 1…

Top Ten List

1 – I have a very special muse – my dog, Duke. I take pleasure in our daily walks and the inspiration he provides me on these walks.

2 – I love to cross-stitch. Mostly small projects, as I need the creative release after working on my long writing projects.

3 – I love to read – a day without reading is like a day without sunshine.

4 – I enjoy baking and browsing cookbooks.

5 – I used to ride horses and will occasionally enjoy a trail ride with my daughter.

6 – When my children were young, we learned Highland dancing together.

7 – An ideal outing for me is either a bookstore (new or used) or a garden center – or, better yet, both.

8 – I spend most of the spring, summer and fall in my garden – at least, when I’m not writing.

9 – I enjoy sharing creative ideas with fellow writers and artists. Networking is always good for the soul as well as the creative muse.

10 – I really did grow up in a haunted house.

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Book Details:

Book Title: Dead Gold by Hawk MacKinney
Category: Adult Fiction, 221 pages
Genre: Mystery / Suspense
Publisher: Sage Words Publishing
Release date: February 2019
Tour dates: May 20 – 31, 2019
Content Rating: R (for language and graphic murder scenes)

Hawk MacKinney served in the US Navy for over 20 years. While serving as a Navy Commander, he also had a career as a full-time faculty member at several major state medical facilities. He earned two postgraduate degrees with studies in languages and history. He has taught postgraduate courses in both the United States and Jerusalem, Israel.

In addition to professional articles and texts on chordate neuroembryology, Hawk has authored several works of fiction—historical love stories, science fiction and mystery-thrillers. His titles are not genre-centered, but plot-character driven. Moccasin Trace, a historical novel nominated for the prestigious Michael Shaara Award for Excellence in Civil War Fiction and the Writers Notes Book Award, details the family bloodlines of his serial protagonist in the Moccasin Hollow Mystery Series—murder and mayhem with a touch of romance. Hidden Chamber of Death, the first book in the mystery series, was followed by Book 2, Westobou Gold and his latest, Book 3, Curse of the Ancients. All have received national attention. The Bleikovat Event was Vol I in The Cairns of Sainctuarie Science Fiction Series followed by Vol II, The Missing Planets. Vol III, Inanna Phantom is in final galleys.

Connect with the author: Website

Guest Post

Moccasin Hollow Mystery Series (Book 4) Dead Gold by Hawk MacKinney

THE GENESIS OF DEAD GOLD

Genre doesn’t factor into how and where one gets an idea for a tale to spin. Observing, taking notes, outlining character(s) can never prepare for the bodacious unexpected. Research can fill out the unexpected along with polishing, editing and twisting the motives, but the big piece of Dead Gold was a tale begging to be manipulated from the git-go. The chance seating at a table near a random carousing of the opening day of a Masters Tournament, a divorced celebrity entertainer with the brain of a doodlebug, liquor flowing like the Savannah River in high flood, loose tongues, illicit one-night stands.

The curtain rises on Act II with this writer’s ski trip to the champagne Rocky Mountain powder. Never in my wildest expectations could I know how concoctions would collide with this author as a ringside spectator. Glitz and bling taking center stage…the divorced wife of doodlebug entertainer, cruising the après-ski bars for hook ups with college meat, moved in with an Olympic-gold ski ‘stud’…that turned up very dead. Killed by her in ‘self-defense. with doodlebug standing by her side…the trial and bringing the mining town into glaring smut and fame and hiking prices for tourists slobbering for more.

Webs of deceit crossed Colorado, Texas, South Carolina, Georgia and the Middle East with smidgens in the Balkans and Washington City on the Potomac. It was a tale one couldn’t contrive, catching the reader by surprise with each bizarre, degenerate happening. Greed, lust, brazen egos for sale. Fear that glaring spotlights would reveal the rot underneath the facades. Culture clashes along with lies and truths whirled together in the winter maelstroms of a ritzy ski resort. Plots and whispers and a “Not guilty” verdict murder trial…a tale that couldn’t have been created if this writer had tried—and a hoot to write!

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