In the Lonely Hours by Shannon Morgan

In the Lonely Hours by Shannon Morgan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars

I just finished reading, started it about 5am this morning . This is a new to me author and I definitely want to read her other books. The story explores the dynamics of family drama/trauma with sensitive subjects such as autism, parental cruelty and abuse, and homosexuality wrapped up in a historical fiction ghost story

On a small island in a remote corner of northwest Scotland lies Maundrell castle, owned by its wealthy namesake family for centuries—until now. Edwina Nunn is shocked to learn a relative she never heard of has bequeathed the castle and its land to her. What awaits Edie and her teenage daughter, Neve, is even more startling, for the castle is home to a multitude of ghosts.

Yet there’s a strange beauty in the austere architecture and the eerie, bloody waters of Loch na Scáthanna, the Lake of Shadows. Beguiled by a frightened ghost who gazes longingly out of the castle’s windows, Edie and Neve are drawn to the legends shrouding the island and the mystery of the Maundrell Red—a priceless diamond that disappeared decades before.

Is the gem really cursed, and the cause of the family tragedies that have all occurred on Samhain—Scottish Halloween? As Samhain approaches once more, Edie and Neve race to peel back the dark secrets entwining the living and the dead—a twisted story of bitter cruelty and hidden love—or they will become another Maundrell tragedy trapped in the lonely hours . . .

I highly recommend it to anyone who loves mysteries, thrillers or gothic spooky reads. 

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Wartime with the Cornish Girls by Betty Walker

Hello my friends,

Today I am reviewing Wartime with the Cornish Girls by Betty Walker the first in the feel-good new Cornish Girls series.  What can I say other than I loved it and read in a day. 

1941. The Blitz rages over London. 

And even in Cornwall, the war is being fought…

When Violet loses her sister in the Blitz, she must take her nieces to safety in Cornwall. On the coast, she meets carefree chorus girl Eva, who is also running from the dangers of London.

But Porthcurno hides a secret military base, and soon Violet and Eva realise there’s a battle to fight in Cornwall, too.

Together with local Hazel, who works on the base, they must come together to help the war effort. But will their friendship be enough to keep them safe?

The perfect uplifting wartime read for fans of Nancy Revell and Donna Douglas.

‘A fascinating story, beautifully written, with interesting characters I really liked. A most enjoyable read!’ Kitty Neale, Sunday Times bestselling author of A Daughter’s Ruin

‘A warm-hearted story – at times I laughed and at others I held my breath … I loved the characters and I’m delighted it is the first in a series’ Pam Weaver, Sunday Times bestselling author of Goodnight Sweetheart

The story follows the lives of three women who end up together in the Cornish town of Porthcurno where a top secret military base is running during WW2.  Growing up my gran and mum told us stories about the rationing, air raids over london and my mum being sent out to the country to be safe, because of this I was attracted to this book. 

I found the characters to be well developed, and multi-dimensional. There were multiple sub-plots to keep you engaged and interested in the outcome. 

I will definitely read other books by this author, i am excited to read “Christmas with the Cornish Girls” on November 25, 2021.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Avon Books UK and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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The Dark Heart of Florence A Lady Emily Mystery by Tasha Alexander

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing “The Dark Heart of Florence” the 15th instalment in the A Lady Emily Mysteries by Tasha Alexander.  This is the first book I have read by Tasha Alexander and won’t be my last.  

In the next Lady Emily Mystery, The Dark Heart of Florence, critically acclaimed author Tasha Alexander transports readers to the legendary city of Florence, where Lady Emily and Colin must solve a murder with clues leading back to the time of the Medici.

In 1903, tensions between Britain and Germany are starting to loom over Europe, something that has not gone unnoticed by Lady Emily and her husband, Colin Hargreaves. An agent of the Crown, Colin carries the weight of the Empire, but his focus is drawn to Italy by a series of burglaries at his daughter’s palazzo in Florence—burglaries that might have international ramifications. He and Emily travel to Tuscany where, soon after their arrival, a stranger is thrown to his death from the roof onto the marble palazzo floor.

Colin’s trusted colleague and fellow agent, Darius Benton-Stone, arrives to assist Colin, who insists their mission must remain top secret. Finding herself excluded from the investigation, Emily secretly launches her own clandestine inquiry into the murder, aided by her spirited and witty friend, Cécile. They soon discover that the palazzo may contain a hidden treasure dating back to the days of the Medici and the violent reign of the fanatic monk, Savonarola—days that resonate in the troubled early twentieth century, an uneasy time full of intrigue, duplicity, and warring ideologies.

Emily and Cécile race to untangle the cryptic clues leading them through the Renaissance city, but an unimagined danger follows closely behind. And when another violent death puts Emily directly in the path of a killer, there’s much more than treasure at st

I found it to be a quick easy read and finished in one day, I really enjoyed the dual narratives telling us the story of Mina in the late 15th century to lady Emily in the early 20th century in the idyllic setting of Florence, Italy. 

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters of Lady Emily and Cecile.
I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end.   I recommend this book to all my mystery lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Minotaur Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Digging Up History by Sheila Connolly

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am discussing "Digging Up History" the 8th installment in the "A Museum Mystery" by Sheila Connolly.

Print Length: 221 pages

Publisher: Beyond the Page Publishing (June 25 2019)
Genre: Historical Fiction , Mystery

The New York Times bestselling author of Dead End Street returns with Nell Pratt discovering one of Philadelphia’s darker buried secrets . . .

When a summer intern at the Preservation Society discovers an aged document hidden in the binding of an antique book, Society president Nell Pratt is intrigued by the possibilities: is it a valuable historic document or just a useless scrap of paper? When analysis reveals that it’s a hand-drawn map of one of Philadelphia’s oldest neighborhoods, Nell learns that the area is being excavated for a new real estate development and may hold long-buried secrets from the city’s historic heyday.

Determined to get to the bottom of the map’s origin and what it might tell her about the mysterious plot of land, Nell will have to contend with a construction company owner who disappears, a former Society board member who’s harbored a dark secret her entire life, and a remarkable discovery that may have the dead turning over in their graves . . .

This was the first time I read a book in the "A Museum Mystery" series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Even though I hadn't read the previous books I had no trouble following along, it can totally be read as a stand alone.

I found myself engrossed in the story and reading it in one sitting.  It was entertaining, full of twists and turns as well as a few surprises.  I even learnt something about Philadelphia and american history.

The Protagonist Nell is a strong, educated woman, and the side characters are realistic too.  The characters are well rounded.  I look forward to reading the next installment in this series.

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Beyond the Page Publishing and NetGalley.  All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

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I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.

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