All About Books

It is a pleasure to provide my review of the first book in Helen Forbes’ new crime series set in Edinburgh, Queen of Grime, as part of the Reading Between the Lines Blog Tour.

#QUEENOFGRIME

BLURB

The Queen of Grime is about to pay. Big time. 

Erin Flett is used to clearing up the sad debris of forgotten lives and tragic deaths. A crime and trauma scene cleaner from a deprived Edinburgh housing estate, she’s made a good life for herself and her daughter. But a secret from the past is about to catch up with her.

Ten years ago, Erin told a desperate lie with serious consequences. Now, someone else knows, and they’re determined to make Erin and her loved ones pay.

Following a terrifying late-night attack, the tension mounts until Erin doesn’t know who she can trust. As she struggles to keep her family safe, little does she realise just how close the danger is…

Queen of Grime is the first in a new series introducing Erin Flett, crime and trauma scene cleaner, and a rich cast of characters, set against the backdrop of the city of Edinburgh. With an occasional undertone of dark humour, it is a tale of family lies and family ties, friendships, secrets and loss.

REVIEW

This is the first book in a new series by Helen Forbes, introducing Erin Flett, a crime and trauma scene cleaner from a deprived housing estate in Edinburgh.

As a fan of crime fiction, I enjoyed everything about this book. What’s not to like? This crime thriller features a range of interesting characters, a strong and compelling plot, and is well-written to boot. Each character felt unique from the others, with their own stories, quirks and life problems. Some are larger-than-life, such as Erin’s best friend, Gladys, Joe, the pub landlord and Adam, who sits silently in the corner of the pub reading books. I particularly liked Gladys, a feisty, loud and brash widow with a heart of gold. The combination of characters worked well.

At times, the storyline is gritty, at others it is laugh-out-loud funny, creating the perfect balance of dark and light.

Edinburgh is well conveyed, with interesting landmarks and locations mentioned to immerse the reader firmly in the setting.

Queen of Grime is a gripping read that will keep you guessing until the final reveal. I look forward to reading more in this series.

AUTHOR BIO

Helen Forbes is an author of Scottish crime fiction. She lives in her home-town of Inverness, in the Scottish Highlands. Helen began by writing contemporary and historical fiction, with no intention of turning to crime. It was a chance remark at a writing group about one of her short stories that led to her debut police procedural novel, In the Shadow of the Hill, set in Inverness and South Harris, featuring Detective Sergeant Joe Galbraith. Madness Lies is book 2 in the DS Joe Galbraith series, set in Inverness and North Uist.

Helen has had two standalone crime thrillers published by Scolpaig Press. Unravelling, set in Inverness, was published in July 2021. Deception, set in Edinburgh, was published in January 2022.

Spoils of the Dead, a novella, was published in November 2022, and Queen of Grime, the first in a new series, was released in December 2022.

Helen would be delighted to hear from readers. Please contact her and join her mailing list on her website http://www.helenforbes.co.uk to get her author news and a free copy of the novella, Spoils of the Dead.

LINKS TO BUY

Paperback – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Queen-Grime-1-Helen-Forbes/dp/1916888348

Kindle – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Queen-Grime-Helen-Forbes-ebook/dp/B0BMJG3F65

WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063754800058

Website – https://www.helenforbes.co.uk/

Amazon Author Page – https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Helen-Forbes/author/B00MNTNHQU

It is a pleasure to take part in the Reading Between The Lines, Book Blog Tour for Evolve, the second book in Hetty Waite’s Young Adult Dystopian series: The Chromosome Trilogy, published October 2025

#EVOLVE

BLURB

Having survived the attack led by her sister, Cara is ready to move on.

A new city means a fresh start and a chance for her and Brown to live together, as equals.

However, the perfect façade of the Amex community hides dark secrets.
With a nightly curfew and a mysterious scientist in charge, Cara is convinced all is not as it
seems.

As her doubts grow, so do the arguments with Brown. And with Myla still alive and
looking for revenge, it’s not only the danger from inside the city walls that threaten to
tear her world apart – forever.

Ultimately, she will need to make a choice: protect her family at all costs, or save
herself..

REVIEW

This is the second book in a three-part Young Adult dystopian series. Evolve follows on from Mutate. Set in the future, in the city of Galex, life evolves around genetics. People live with a virus that only affects the Y chromosome. Men (Ys) are at risk of death or mutation, and are considered dangerous, while women (Xs) rule the city.

The fictional world the characters live in is well depicted, and the Amex community easy to imagine. With themes of gender inequality, family and survival, this book is perfect for those who love a fast-paced dystopian read.

Cara and Brown arrive at the Amex community with their baby daughter, where men and women are regarded as equal. The characters are strong, each one standing out, and the baby a delightful addition. This is a well-written, page-turning read.

Although this is Cara’s story as she flees from her sister, Myla, it is told from differing perspectives. Brown has spent his life enslaved in the city of Galax, knowing he could mutate and become dangerous. The Amex community offers the chance for Cara, Brown and their daughter to live equally as a family. Betrayal, secrets and new research developments ratchet up the tension as they try to work out who they can trust.

Although this is the second book in the series, Evolve can be read as a standalone. The plot was compelling and kept me engaged. I read this in two sittings.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Hetty Waite lives in Derbyshire with her husband, daughter, and cavapoo.

A former teacher, she spent many years sharing her love of stories with teenagers in the classroom before turning her own ideas into fiction. It was during the pandemic, while on maternity leave, that she finally found the time to write her first novel.

After initially self-publishing, a chance meeting with a director from Spellbound Books Ltd at a writers’ school changed everything. Impressed by her debut, they offered Hetty a three-book deal for her Young Adult dystopian series, The Chromosome Trilogy. The first instalment, Mutate, was re-released in 2024, followed by Evolve in October 2025.

When she’s not writing, Hetty tutors English, marks exam papers, and enjoys life in Derbyshire with her family and their lively cavapoo.

LINKS TO BUY

KINDLE – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Evolve-Chromosome-Trilogy-Book-2-ebook/dp/B0FSD813JK

PAPERBACK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0FWB7XCZG

WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Hetty-Waite/author/B0BP7RSGRM

WEBSITE – https://hettywaite.co.uk

FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086494572838

INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/hettywaite

X – @HettyWaite

Blog Tour: Reading Between the Lines

A Fighting Chance by Val Penny- book 2 in the Jane Renwick crime thriller series

I’ve been reading a fair bit of cozy crime from my TBR pile recently, so it was a welcome change to read Val Penny’s latest crime thriller in her Jane Renwick series as part of the Reading Between the Lines Book Blog Tour. You can find my review below..

#AFIGHTINGCHANCE

Blurb

In the second Jane Renwick Thriller by Val Penny, drug cartels collide as crime boss Connor O’Grady returns to Scotland to protect his turf from rival Peggy Cheney, newly released from prison.

DS Jane Renwick and DC Brian Harris are sent to Stirling, where Jane discovers two tragic deaths—a young man and a girl—raising suspicions of a single killer.

O’Grady denies involvement, but can a drug lord be trusted?
Set in Stirling and Gartcosh, this tense police procedural thrusts Jane into the heart of a deadly turf war.

Review

A Fighting Chance is the second book in this series. Having read the DI Hunter books by Val Penny, I was intrigued to see how this spin-off with DS Jane Renwick compared.

This is another tense police procedural that takes the reader on a deep dive into the dark underbelly of organised crime in Scotland. When two bodies are found, Jane Renwick is sent to Stirling with DC Brian Harris to investigate. There she meets all manner of shady and prejudiced characters. The author doesn’t shy away from the complex issues involved in drug cartels, turf wars and the recruitment of young people and ex-cons. At first, the use of the University staff and setting threw me a bit, having worked in one for years, but the character motives for getting involved soon became clear. It’s amazing how the lure of money, and plenty of it, can draw someone into crime, regardless of who they are.

There are new characters as well as a few familiar faces. This was a fairly fast-paced book with plenty of surprises and twists along the way and a good, satisfying ending. Without spoiling the read for others, there were also a few questions I couldn’t wait to find out the answers to, like who the child’s father was.

Overall, an enjoyable, suspenseful read that had me hooked from the start. An excellent follow on to the start of this series. I look forward to reading more.

About The Author

Val Penny has an Llb degree from the University of Edinburgh and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer but has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store.

Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories, nonfiction books, and novels. Her novels are published by SpellBound Books Ltd.

Val is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud and lives with her husband and their cat.

Links to Buy

PAPERBACK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fighting-Chance-Jane-Renwick-Book/dp/1917611161

EBOOK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fighting-Chance-Jane-Renwick-Book-ebook/dp/B0FHQ49SVJ

Website And Social Media Links

WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Website – https://www.valpenny.com

Amazon Author Page – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Val-Penny/e/B07C4725TK

Author Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/valerie.penny.739

Author Twitter Page @valeriepenny

Author Instagram Page https://www.instagram.com/valerieepenny/

#READINGBETWEENTHELINES #BOOKBLOGTOUR

As I love a good mystery, it is a particular pleasure to take part in the Reading Between The Lines, Book Blog Tour for Finding the Source by Joan Livingston: An Isabel Long Mystery Series (Book 8), published in 2025 by Casa Rosa Books.

#FINDINGTHESOURCE

Blurb

A homeless man. His murdered mother. A book could be the clue.

Isabel Long’s next case begins during a chance encounter with a homeless man, who says he was 12 when he found his mother murdered in their home.

Abby McKenzie was a well-liked seller of vintage books who owned a store in the hilltown of Dillard. That was 43 years ago and the case was never solved.

One obstacle is that several of the suspects are dead, including an avid book collector, a former town official who stalked her, and the man who last saw her alive. Another is that, once again, Isabel must deal with Dillard’s police chief, who ran interference in her other cases.

But that doesn’t deter Isabel nor her mother Maria, her partner in solving crime. She just needs to find the source who will unlock this case.

Review

Isabel Long, a former reporter turned private investigator, solves cold cases in Rural New England. Author Joan Livingston depicts the setting well, and I got a good sense of the small town filled with characters with local knowledge and/or family ties and shared friendships. The current events are triggered when Isabel and her mother have a chance encounter with a homeless man outside a library while visiting the nearby town of Dillard.

The author drew on her experience as a journalist when creating the character of Isabel Long, who uses local knowledge to solve her cases. This current cold case presents lots of problems for Isabel. Forty years have passed since the murder, and many of the potential suspects and witnesses are dead. Cases don’t come much colder than this. A book of notes from the homeless man, however, adds credence to the PI’s ability to investigate the case by providing her with plenty of leads and suspects.

Some of the characters have been involved in Isabel’s previous cold cases, and these relationships are explained. While all the characters are strong, my favourite has to be Ma, Isabel’s 92-year-old mother. She is the Watson to Isabel’s Sherlock, and the pairing works well.

Although the story moves along at a good pace and flows smoothly, this is not a fast-paced read. There are a number of challenges involved in writing a series, particularly in providing a fresh plot with new ideas while keeping characters consistent and believable for readers. If the eighth book in the series is anything to go by, then the author has achieved this. I found Finding the Source to be a well-written and engaging mystery with a satisfying ending.

I haven’t read this author before and thought it might be difficult to start eight books in on the Isabel Long series, but I needn’t have worried; there are plenty of references to past cases and relationships to keep this as a stand-alone read. Having said this. I would have preferred to have read the previous books in order, and intend to.

About the Author

Joan Livingston is the author of novels for adult and young readers, including the Isabel Long Mystery Series, featuring a longtime journalist who becomes an amateur P.I. solving cold cases in rural New England. Finding the Source is the eighth book in the series.

Joan draws upon her own experience as a longtime journalist in Massachusetts and New Mexico to create Isabel Long, a sassy, savvy widow who uses the skills she acquired in the business to solve what appears to be impossible cases. She also relies on her deep knowledge of rural Western Massachusetts, where she lives, to create realistic characters and settings.

Links to Buy

Amazon USA – https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Source-Isabel-Long-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0F8JLJ5CW

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Finding-Source-Isabel-Long-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0F8JLJ5CW

Website and Social Media Links

WEBSITE

www.joanlivingston.net. 

SUBSTACK

https://joanlivingston.substack.com/

FACEBOOK

www.facebook.com/JoanLivingstonAuthor/

INSTAGRAM

www.Instagram.com/JoanLivingston_Author

GOODREADS

www.Goodreads.com/Joan_Livingston

THREADS

https://www.threads.com/@joanlivingston_author

X

Tweets by joanclivingston

BLUE SKY

https://bsky.app/profile/joanlivingston.bsky.social

Book Blog Tour: Reading Between the Lines

An Imposter in Shetland: The Shetland Mysteries Series by Marsali Taylor

It is a delight to take part in the Reading Between The Lines, Book Blog Tour for Marsali Taylor’s new addition to the Shetland Mysteries Series, An Imposter in Shetland.

#ANIMPOSTERINSHETLAND

Blurb

When an internet lifestyle influencer arrives on Shetland to document her ‘perfect’ holiday, the locals are somewhat sceptical.

Joining a boat trip to the remote islands of St Kilda with sailing sleuth Cass Lynch and her partner DI Gavin Macrae, the young woman seems more concerned with her phone than the scenery.

But when it’s time to leave, there’s no sign of her. Despite mounting a desperate search, she’s seemingly vanished without trace – from a small island in the middle of the sea.

As a puzzling investigation gathers pace, there are more questions than answers – and uncovering the truth will reveal dark and long-hidden secrets…

Review

The latest adventure sees the return of sailing sleuth Cass Lynch and her partner, DI Gavin Macrae. The story is set on Shetland and across the Hebridean Islands. Along the way, we meet a strong cast of characters, some familiar and some new. Although the book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone.

The book includes all the elements of this mystery series that readers have come to love: a cast of memorable characters, a flavour of Shetland life (including its distinctive dialogue and strong sense of community) and a puzzling mystery waiting to be solved. Having read some of the other books in this series, I knew it wouldn’t disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and felt as if I’d been transported straight onto the training ship, the Swan. Marsali Taylor’s skilled descriptions and characterisations brought the story to life.

Each chapter opens with a Shetland saying, and the detailed descriptions both on land and at sea were a pleasure to read. St Kilda is skilfully captured in all its isolated beauty. When internet lifestyle influencer, Tiede Barton, goes missing during a boat trip to a remote and deserted island, sailing sleuth Cass Lynch investigates. Not everything aboard or on shore is as it first seems, and not everyone is telling the truth. As Cass and her partner untangle the web of deceit, Cass finds herself facing dangers that will take all her resources to survive.

This is an intriguing addition to the Shetland Mysteries Series that kept me turning the pages until the very end. Anyone who likes a good mystery will enjoy this latest addition to the series. A satisfying and enjoyable read, well told.

About the Author

Marsali Taylor grew up near Edinburgh, and came to Shetland as a newly-qualified teacher. She is currently a part-time teacher on Shetland’s scenic west side, living with her husband and two Shetland ponies. Marsali is a qualified STGA tourist-guide who is fascinated by history, and has published plays in Shetland’s distinctive dialect, as well as a history of women’s suffrage in Shetland. She’s also a keen sailor who enjoys exploring in her own 8m yacht, and an active member of her local drama group.

How To Buy

HOW TO BUY

SOCIAL MEDIA LINK

Author Facebook Page -https://www.facebook.com/MarsaliTaylorAuthor/

Website Links

Website – https://www.marsalitaylor.co.uk

Amazon Author Page – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Marsali-Taylor/e/B0034PACI8/

Blog Tour

By Reading Between The Lines

The Ring. A collection of interconnected Historical Fiction short stories.

It is a pleasure to review The Ring Anthology, for the Reading Between the Lines book blog tour by Lynsey Adams, published May 2025 by The Reading Agency, a UK charity.

#AGENTLENUDGE  #THEREADINGAGENCY #THE RING #ANTHOLOGY

Blurb

Forged over 2000 years ago, when Rome was still a republic, a simple gold ring was inscribed with the name and symbol of Fortuna, capricious goddess of fate. From the seven hills of Ancient Rome, to the streets of modern day New York, the ring passes from hand to hand, through the centuries, shaping destinies and unveiling secrets.

A Roman patrician gambles his future on its luck. A crusading knight takes it from the finger of a slain foe. A child is gifted it by a soldier in the Thirty Years War and trusts it to keep her father safe. A jeweller takes it to America in the Gilded Age seeking a new life. Each tale is a moment in time, a new wearer, and a twist of fate—sometimes fortune smiles, but all too often the ring brings ill luck.

In these stories, history seems driven by the will of chance. Those who possess the ring seek to shape their own destinies, but it is always Fortuna herself who has the final say.

With contributions from Alistair Forrest, Fiona Forsyth, Jacquie Rogers, Alistair Tosh, Graham Brack, Eleanor Swift-Hook, Mark Turnbull, Maggie Richell-Davies, Robert Bordas and Val Penny this is a spellbinding anthology of interconnected short stories, where luck is never what it seems.

Review

This anthology comprises a collection of historical, interconnected short stories with contributions from ten different authors. From ancient Rome to the present day, it offers something to suit every taste.

A gold ring, inscribed with the name and symbol of Fortuna, the capricious goddess of fate, connects each of the stories together. Although the tales, all featuring the ring, are interconnected, they are also very different, particularly in each author’s take on the ‘fate’ that accompanies the owner of the ring.

I read this collection over a number of sittings, savouring each story in turn. Each one is cleverly written, with unique characters, imaginative angles, and very different tones and themes as the ring changes hands and unleashes its power on unsuspecting victims. The will of fate awaits each new owner.

Well done to all of the authors who contributed. I enjoyed reading each of your stories and will be dipping back into them again. I recommend this anthology to all historical fiction lovers and to readers who like a well-told story.

Links to Buy

Website and Social Media Links

Homepage

Alistair Forrest – @alistairforrestauthor – https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Alistair-Forrest/author/B002KQDTVE

Fiona Forsyth – @fionaforsythauthor – https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Fiona-Forsyth/author/B001KI2DEC

Jacquie Rogers – @jacquierogers – https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Jacquie-Rogers/author/B095M72LDL

Alistair Tosh – @alistair_tosh – https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Alistair-Tosh/author/B0C5XW2V98

Graham Brack – @GrahamBrack –  https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Graham-Brack/author/B075KQ6M8N

Eleanor Swift-Hook – @emswifthook – https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Eleanor-Swift-Hook/author/B0BKTP1CMG

Mark Turnbull – @1642Author – https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Mark-Turnbull/author/B07YM39YLP

Maggie Richell-Davies – @maggiedaviswr1- https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Maggie-Richell-Davies/author/B0884G1MP6

Robert Bordas – @bordasauthor – https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Robert-Bordas/author/B0B5VRRKF8

Val Penny – @valeriepenny – https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Val-Penny/author/B07C4725TK

The Ring Book Blog Tour

Red Daisy by Gemma Owen-Kendall: Book one in the Spellcasters Trilogy

#REDDAISY #FANTASYFICTION

It is a pleasure to provide my review for Red Daisy by Gemma Owen-Kendall for the Reading Between the Lines book blog tour by Lynsey Adams. Published in July 2024 by Spellbound Books, Red Daisy is the first book in a YA fantasy trilogy by Gemma Owen-Kendall.

BLURB

What if the girl who wore the red coat fell in love with the wolf? 

Grace Kennedy was once a quiet teenage girl, growing up in a rural area with her parents. When Grace turns sixteen, she moves to a new town to live with her grandparents to study a diploma in Dance at the local college.

It’s there that Grace’s life changes when she meets the polite and charming Daniel and also encounters the dark and mysterious Ben.

But are both boys truly who they say they are …

Dealing with the sudden strange events happening to her and a complicated love triangle, Grace world implodes when she learns that werewolves and spellcasters do truly exist.

REVIEW

This novella-length story of Little Red Riding Hood is not as you know it. All the familiar characters are there, including Red Riding Hood, Grandma, and the wolf. But what if the wolf was a werewolf. And what if Red Riding Hood was to fall in love with him. Gemma Owen-Kendall retells this well-known fairytale with many twists and turns along the way, including a love triangle, special powers and lots of action and intrigue.

The romantic subplot at the centre of this story encompasses a complicated love triangle between the main character and two wolves – one good and one bad – but which one is which? The characters are well-drawn and convincing. They all had their own defining features, making them stand out from one another. The story flowed well and, at 152 pages, didn’t take long to read.

The themes of adolescent anxiety, loss of innocence, love and relationships move into some darker areas at times and this content may not be suitable for the younger YA age group.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Gemma is a writer from North East Lincolnshire, UK. Graduated at the University of Lincoln in 2009, she studied a degree in Drama. However years later Gemma has discovered writing is her hobby and passion. She hopes to one day to be able to go back to University to study creative writing. As well as her own writing, Gemma is a huge supporter for writers within her local area.

TO BUY

Available as a paperback and as a Kindle version on Amazon

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

http://www.facebook.com/innocenttimesauthor

http://www.instagram.com/gemma.authorpage

X – @gemmaowenkendall

The Queen of Cups Murders by GB Williams

#THEQUEENOFCUPSMURDERS

It’s a pleasure to take part in Reading Between The Line’s Book Tour for GB William’s new crime novel The Queen of Cups Murders (Book 1 in the Atkins and Palmer Psychic Mystery Series ) published November 2024

BLURB

He’s determined to draw a better future. But his morning reading didn’t warn him about the muddy ditch of corpses…

South Wales. Detective Sergeant Madoc Palmer struggles to fit in. Committed to his job, the tarot reader hopes his transfer away from a sabotaging superior is a fresh start. Though he downplays his psychic ability as good instincts, the ploy is tested when two murders trigger strange visions.

As his abilities take an inexplicable leap forward, Palmer navigates the tricky task of guiding the sharp-eyed, evidence-following Detective Inspector Ruth Atkins to the identity of the decayed remains. With his suspicious new DI watching every move, the newcomer fears any slip of the tongue could get him laughed off the force.

Can he reveal his truth without destroying his life or letting a killer slip from their grasp?

REVIEW

The Queen of Cups Murders is the first book in the Atkins and Palmer Psychic Mystery Series by GB Williams. Set in South Wales, DS Madoc Palmer joins a team of detectives headed by feisty DCI Ruth Atkins. The title takes its name from the Queen of Cups tarot card. Tarot features throughout the police investigation into a double murder, as Madoc Palmer tries to play down his psychic abilities for fear of ridicule from his colleagues.

Once I settled into this book, I enjoyed it. The characters were interesting and three-dimensional. I did find the openly accepted references to Ruth’s physical appearance by some of the men disturbing – although I appreciate this may be part of her overall storyline. I also found the shift between the characters’ first and last names confusing to start with, but soon got used to this.

This is an interesting storyline, well-told, and with a nice balance between Ruth and Madoc’s perspectives. (Good play on names here.) The police procedural aspects, including pathology and forensics, seem well-researched. If you like gritty mysteries with psychic elements, then the Queen of Cups Murders fits the bill. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY 

GB Williams specialises in complex, fast-paced crime novels. Her works include the recently expanded Locked Trilogy, The Elaine Blake Novels and the stand alone, The Chair. GB was shortlisted for the 2014 CWA Margery Allingham Short Story Competition with the story Last Shakes, now available in Last Cut Casebook. GB is a member of the Crime Writers Association, Crime Cymru, and part of the organising team for Gŵyl CRIME CYMRU Festival, as well as working as a writer and freelance structural editor. 

TO BUY 

Available at Amazon

AUTHOR WEBSITE

HOME

For a free story, see books.gailbwilliams.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Facebook: @GBWilliamsCrimeWriter

Instagram: @gbwilliamsauthor

Threads: @gbwilliamsauthor

Blog:  GB Williams Crime Blog

Hunter’s Rules by Val Penny – A DI Hunter Wilson Crime Thriller

#HUNTERSRULES #CRIMEFICTION

BLURB

A bloody scene brings Hunter and Meera’s romantic plans to an abrupt end. 

A young woman attacked in a hotel lift has life changing injuries. Her wounds match those inflicted on two women who were murdered.

When Hunter is identified as a suspect in the case, he must establish his innocence to lead his team and solve this bloodcurdling crime.

Is the same person responsible for all three crimes?
Will the girl in the lift finally identify who is targeting these young women ?

Hunter will stop at nothing until he catches the unhinged killer.

REVIEW

Published in July 2024 by SpellBound Books, this is the sixth book in the DI Hunter crime thriller series set in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Although it’s well worth reading the other books in the DI Hunter series to get a sense of place and characters, this book can be read as a standalone. It was a pleasure to return to familiar characters, having watched their lives in progress in previous books – police as well as some criminals. DI Hunter and Meera’s romance continues to develop. After enjoying a romantic meal in a top-ranking hotel, they come across the body of an unconscious woman in the lift. Her wounds are similar to two other bodies found in the city. Hunter and his team draw on all their reserves to investigate this gruesome crime and prevent any other women from being murdered by this serial killer. The action starts from the very first page and the suspense continues throughout. The plotting is strong and I found myself eagerly turning the pages, trying to work out who the killer was, using the set of clues provided. The police procedural aspects appear to be well researched and are believable. Another brilliant story-line with a touch of humour. With a long list of potential suspects there are some surprises along the way, drawing to a final and satisfying conclusion. A must read for all crime thriller readers, particularly those who love a bit of tartan noir.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Val Penny has an Llb degree from the University of Edinburgh and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer but has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store. 

Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories,nonfiction books, and novels. Her novels are published by SpellBound Books Ltd.

Val is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud and lives with her husband and their cat.

LINK TO BUY

WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Website – https://www.valpenny.com

Amazon Author Page – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Val-Penny/e/B07C4725TK

Author Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/valerie.penny.739

Author Twitter Page @valeriepenny

Author Instagram Page https://www.instagram.com/valerieepenny/