I’ve long been meaning to read Bella Osborne because I’ve heard such good things about her writing so when El at Avon Books sent me a copy of The Promise of Summer in return for an honest review I was determined not to let it languish on my huge TBR. I’m delighted to share my review of The Promise of Summer today.

The Promise of Summer was published by Harper Collins’ imprint Avon on 22nd July 2021 and is available for purchase through these links.

The Promise of Summer

The Promise of Summer was originally published as a four-part serial. This is the complete story in one package.

Ruby’s life is about to change for ever…

After years of dating losers, cheats and one guy who did something unrepeatable to her kettle, Ruby has all but given up on romance. But then a stranger sits next to her on a train to London and explains his plan to propose to the woman of his dreams. Maybe true love does exist after all?

When the man accidentally leaves the engagement ring behind, Ruby is determined to save the day. But she hasn’t counted on fellow passenger Curtis stepping in and insisting he should be the one to track the stranger down.

As summer closes in, the unlikely pair make a promise to reunite the ring with its owner. But can they find their own happy ever after along the way?

My Review of The Promise of Summer

Ruby has a plan!

What an absolute treat of a book. I was expecting a light and uplifting read in The Promise of Summer and that’s what I got, but I hadn’t expected it to be so funny. I chuckled my way through many of the events and a considerable amount of the dialogue – especially that between Ruby and Curtis – so that when I finished reading The Promise of Summer I felt cheered and happy. It is enormous fun and I’d defy anyone reading The Promise of Summer not to be brilliantly entertained.

Certainly there are some weightier themes underpinning the narrative that add depth and interest, such as grief, friendship, marriage, ageing, relationships, trust and betrayal, not to mention various forms of parenthood, but it is the lightness of touch from Bella Osborne that makes The Promise of Summer such a wonderful read.

The plot simply romps along, returning the reader to their own childhood days, and reminding them of past relationships and of how to find fun in life as well as entertaining them thoroughly with laugh out loud moments, a tear in the eye and, for me, a feeling of total joy. Bella Osborne knows exactly how to create a vivid scene in the reader’s mind so that I could picture what was happening perfectly as if I were watching it on a screen or actually present. I genuinely felt as if I’d been transported from the challenges of life reading The Promise of Summer.

Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed the subplot of Kim’s life and her relationships with Vince and Adrian, it was Ruby and Curtis who were so utterly fantastic. Ruby is absolute perfection. She’s vibrant, quirky, down-to-earth, and ever so slightly bonkers so that I felt I’d have loved to meet her in real life. Add in the conventional and emotionally stunted Curtis and they counter-balance one another wonderfully. I was desperate for them to develop a romantic relationship from the moment they met but of course, life doesn’t always go to plan does it? What I found so compellingly engaging was the way their friendship developed, illustrating that letting down our emotional guards and finding out about other people is no bad idea. Whether anything more develops between them needs you to read the book for yourself!

I could not have enjoyed The Promise of Summer more and thought it was wonderful. It is pure sunshine in a book. What more could you ask? I adored it and only wish I’d discovered Bella Osborne’s writing sooner.

About Bella Osborne

Bella has been jotting down stories as far back as she can remember but decided that 2013 would be the year that she finished a full length novel.

In 2016, her debut novel, It Started At Sunset Cottage, was shortlisted for the Contemporary Romantic Novel of the Year and RNA Joan Hessayon New Writers Award.

Bella’s stories are about friendship, love and coping with what life throws at you. She likes to find the humour in the darker moments of life and weaves these into her stories. Her novels are often serialised in four parts ahead of the full book publication.

Bella believes that writing your own story really is the best fun ever, closely followed by talking, eating chocolate, drinking fizz and planning holidays.

She lives in The Midlands, UK with her lovely husband and wonderful daughter, who thankfully, both accept her as she is (with mad morning hair and a penchant for skipping).

For more about Bella, visit her website, follow her on Twitter @osborne_bella and Instagram or find her on Facebook.

My enormous thanks to Janne Moller at Black and White publishing for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for The Unexpected Love Story of Lexie Byrne (aged 39 1/2) by Caroline Grace-Cassidy and for putting me in touch with Caroline so that we could stay in together.

Staying in with Caroline Grace-Cassidy

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Caroline.

Hi Linda! Thanks for having me! I’m coming to you from Barna – a little fishing village in Co. Galway here the sea is roaring this morning.

How wonderful. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

I LOVE staying in. It’s my new favourite thing! Pre-Covid I was always running around – I’ve learned to slow down – realised that I actually love the couch, TV – a good book and a little glass of something nice in the evenings.  Much more fun!

I’m beginning to think I agree! So, tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

The Unexpected Love Story of Lexie Byrne (aged 39 1/2) is the book I’ve brought. It’s my new novel and it’s been a blast to write it. It was published on the 12^th August by Black & White Publishing, and I’d like to think it’s perfect company for a night in.

Belated happy publication day! What can we expect from an evening in with The Unexpected Love Story of Lexie Byrne (aged 39 ½)?

I’ve wanted to write about a women approaching 40 for a while … to change the narrative about what society expects for us. There is a lot to love and laugh about in this book. Even though Lexie is single and almost 40, she has refused to settle for anything less than ‘the one’.

Quite right too!

Lexie has seen too many people say “I DO” just because, well, “HE’LL DO”.

I think Lexie has a point there!

Men never have to settle. They can procreate into their 70’s! They are considered “a catch” or “distinguished”, but society always tells women over 40 to HURRY UP! TIME IS RUNNING OUT! – when in fact life begins at 40!

I think life can begin at whatever age we want actually…

There is a whole world to explore – Lexie knows this and is happy and content by herself.

So, is Lexie avoiding men?

No. As Lexie says herself: “I don’t need a man, I want a man.” Big difference.

Absolutely.

Then on the one night she really doesn’t want to go out …. She meets HIM.

I think this sounds great fun. What inspired you to write The Unexpected Love Story of Lexie Byrne (aged 39 ½)?

The book is highly influenced by DIRTY DANCING. I remember my 16-year-old self watching the movie for the first time and just fell utterly, deeply, head over heels in love with Johnny Castle. That visceral chemistry he had with Baby and the background of steamy Latin dance was HOT! HOT! HOT!

Hmm. Dare I say I’ve never actually seen Dirty Dancing?

Lexie is obsessed with the movie, too – it pushes her to reaffirm her belief in waiting for the one and not settling for second-best. Even if it’s not quite as smooth sailing as she’d expected 😉

True love never is!

 What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

I have brought my all-time favourite food – Pil Pil Prawns and large hot crusty bread roll to dip. A sumptuous treat for any night in!

Oo. If you’re brining food like that Caroline, you can come again. 

You never go wrong with a freezing cold glass of Pinot Grigio (just as Lexie loves it!). It’s the perfect way to wind down after a busy day.

Ah well, I don’t drink wine as it seems to make me ill so I’ll leave that to you and get myself a Mai Tai instead. I think we need some music too don’t you?

Well, there is only one winner here – the Dirty Dancing soundtrack! No matter which mood I am in when I start listening to it, I will feel instantly fabulous and happy.

Let’s listen to that as we eat then.

In an ideal world, I’d love to bring the actual characters of Baby and Bridget Jones! But if I can’t have them then Jennifer Grey and Renee Zellweger. Just imagine that conversation!!

I think we’d have some fun with them don’t you? Thanks so much for staying in with me to chat about The Unexpected Love Story of Lexie Byrne (aged 39 ½) Caroline. Now, you pour yourself another glass of wine, turn up the music and I’ll give Linda’s Book Bag readers a few more book details.

The Unexpected Love Story of Lexie Byrne (aged 39 ½ )

An irresistible love story . . . delivered with sparkle and wit (in a too-tight red dress!)

Meet Lexie Byrne. The big 4-0 is looming, but she’s perfectly content without a man. How else could she watch movies on repeat and eat crisp sandwiches in bed? Finally free of her love-rat ex, she’s never settling again. Nothing less than ‘The One’ will do.

Then, after an electrifying encounter on a wild St Patrick’s Day, Lexie takes a leap of faith and a flight across the Irish Sea. But as sparks fly, Lexie’s dreams take a serious nosedive. Until an arrival no one anticipated . . .

Will the unexpected love story of Lexie Byrne have a happy ending after all?

Published by Black and White on 12th August 2021, The Unexpected Love Story of Lexie Byrne (aged 39 ½) is available for purchase here.

About Caroline Grace-Cassidy

Irish writer and actress Caroline Grace-Cassidy is the author of eight novels. Alongside her husband Kevin, they own Park Pictures, a film and television production company, with whom she has written and directed seven short films. She has been a regular panelist for The Elaine Show on Virgin Media One since She can often be spotted in dark sunglasses and a cap at the bottle bank – but mostly she is a very proud Mammy to Grace and Maggie Cassidy. She lives and loves in Dublin.

For more information visit Caroline’s website, find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @CGraceCassidy.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

It was a real pleasure to find a surprise copy of My Name is Jensen by Heidi Amsinck in my book post a couple of months ago. My grateful thanks to the folk at Muswell Press for sending me a copy. I recently spoke about the book online (see here) and I’m delighted to share my review today.

Published by Muswell Press on 31st August, My Name is Jensen is available for purchase here.

My Name is Jensen

Guilty. One word on a beggar’s cardboard sign. And now he is dead, stabbed in a wintry Copenhagen street, the second homeless victim in as many weeks. Dagbladet reporter Jensen, stumbling across the body on her way to work, calls her ex lover DI Henrik Jungersen.

As, inevitably, old passions are rekindled, so are old regrets, and that is just the start of Jensen’s troubles. The front page is an open goal, but nothing feels right…..

When a third body turns up, it seems certain that a serial killer is on the loose. But why pick on the homeless? And is the link to an old murder case just a coincidence?

With her teenage apprentice Gustav, Jensen soon finds herself putting everything on the line to discover exactly who is guilty.

My Review of My Name is Jensen

Finding a homeless person stabbed to death is just the start of Jensen’s problems.

I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I picked up My Name is Jensen, but what I found was a gripping, fast paced thriller with the potential for a series that I cannot wait to read.

My Name is Jensen is incredibly well crafted. The writing is varied with a range of sentence structure that I found utterly compelling because it pulled me in completely, especially when blended with naturalistic dialogue and a real sense of place in Copenhagen. The snowy weather adds to the atmosphere so that My Name is Jensen deserves a place with the best of Scandi Noir writing. Add in short, pacey chapters and there’s a real thrill in reading this book.

I loved the plot. The times and dates in My Name is Jensen give an immediacy that elevates the tension, and events come with great pace. It thoroughly appealed to me that the murders have sufficient detail to engage the reader without extraneous gore because Heidi Amsinck has the skill to move and entertain without resorting to shock tactics.

Whilst there is a conventional police investigation in My Name is Jensen as the body count increases, what I enjoyed so much was journalist Jensen’s parallel efforts to find out what is going on. As the exciting story unfolds, we come to know Jensen really well, to the extent that it is difficult to accept she’s a fictional character. I loved the fact she is only known as Jensen. There’s no diluting of her identity, but rather the creation of an intriguing person who is fascinating. I wanted –  and want – to know more about her. She’s the perfect combination of feisty and vulnerable, careful and reckless, stubborn and caring so that her personality leaps from the page. Similarly, the supporting cast of characters like Henrik, Gustav and Margrethe are people I really want to meet again. I’m not usually interested in investing in a series as there are always so many books to read and so little time in which to do it,  but Heidi Amsinck has created a set of people I care about and want to meet again as soon as possible. The frisson of sexual tension between Jensen and Henrik adds another layer of interest, but never over dominates the story so that their relationship feels vivid and natural.

The themes that slip beneath the surface of the narrative too are recognisable and thought provoking.  Relationships at many levels from marital to professional, including friendship and family, afford the reader personal or vicarious hooks into the story, but Heidi Amsinck doesn’t shy away from bigger themes too such as the plight of the homeless, mental health, immigration, the power of money and status and so on, so that whilst I felt I’d been brilliantly entertained by My Name is Jensen, I also felt I’d been given an intelligent, considered and high quality story too.

I thought My Name is Jensen was an absolute cracker of a thriller. I was desperate to see how the story would be resolved but simultaneously didn’t want it to end because I was enjoying it so much. I fear it might be a quiet book as it comes from a smaller independent publisher, but I think My Name is Jensen shouldn’t be missed. I’m very much looking forward to more from Heidi Amsinck – and Jensen.

About Heidi Amsinck

Heidi Amsinck, a writer and journalist born in Copenhagen, spent many years covering Britain for the Danish press, including a spell as London Correspondent for the broadsheet daily Jyllands-Posten. She has written numerous short stories for radio, including the three-story sets Danish Noir, Copenhagen Confidential and Copenhagen Curios, all produced by Sweet Talk for BBC Radio 4.

A graduate of the MA in Creative Writing at Birkbeck, University of London, Heidi lives in London.

She was previously shortlisted for the VS Pritchett Memorial Prize. Last Train to Helsingør is her first published collection of stories. Her crime novel My Name is Jensen, set in Copenhagen, will be published in August 2021.

For more information, follow Heidi on Twitter @HeidiAmsinck1. You can also find Heidi on Instagram and Facebook.

A little while ago I was introduced to Poems by Post by founder Alex and when I realised what a brilliant concept Poems by Post was I simply had to invite him on to Linda’s Book Bag to tell me more. I’m thrilled that Alex agreed to be interviewed. Let’s see what he told me:

Poems by Post

An Interview with Alex

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Alex. Please could you introduce yourself?

Hey Linda – thanks for having me! My name’s Alex, and I am a poet! Before the pandemic I used to sit on the streets with a typewriter and sign that read ‘Choose Your Subject, Pick Your Price, Get A Poem!’. I was fortunate enough to be able to make a modest living doing this, and it opened the door to a whole host of opportunities. I’ve been hired for events, made several radio appearances, and I’ve even had a poem commissioned for a museum!

That’s brilliant. I love the thought of wandering along and discovering a poet in the street!

And tell me about Poems by Post.

Poems by Post was born out of necessity. When the UK was put into its first national lockdown, I couldn’t continue making my living on the streets, despite my passion for poetry. I also saw many other artists – of all mediums – struggling with the uncertainty that this pandemic brought, and experienced first-hand the devastating effect that this virus had on the arts overall. Truth be told, working as an artist is uncertain even in the best of times, yet Covid accelerated the need for Poems by Post.

I imagine it did. That must have been a very unsettling time for you. What’s been happening since?

Since launching in August 2020, we have supported more than 60 different artists, and sent poetry to hundreds of people around the world – across 15 countries! We’re still growing, and there’s a lot more that we aim to achieve, however, I’m incredibly proud of all that we’ve done so far. Poems by Post truly is offering hope!

Having been a recipient of Poems by Post I can say what an uplifting experience it is to receive them through the post. So, how do blog readers subscribe to Poems by Post?

You can head on over to www.poemsbypost.org, and learn a little more about us. We have two Editions – The Typewriter & The Printed, and both are available in monthly, quarterly, and biannual subscription cycles. You can also gift the subscription if you think it will brighten up someone’s day.

I know it would brighten someone’s day! I’ve been lucky enough to receive a couple of your recent mailings (see my comments below). They came with fabulous cards too. What do subscribers receive in the Poems by Post subscription?

Every month we commission a brand new poem from a different poet, hand-type it upon Erika (the typewriter!), and post it out to our subscribers. We also commission a different artist each month to design a bespoke envelope, and an A6 card in theme with the poem. If you’re subscribed to our Typewriter Edition, we also include a pre-paid envelope for the A6 card, so that you can express your own creativity and send a little inspiration on to a friend!

That’s such a wonderful thing to do. The world needs more creativity.

We hope that not only do our subscribers take great pride in knowing that they are making a huge difference to so many artists, but that they also feel inspired to connect with their own creativity.

I’m sure they will be. So, who are your poets?

We work almost exclusively with grassroots poets. Poets who aspire to create waves of change with their words, and poets who wish to make a living from their skill. We champion voices of all backgrounds, and we welcome people sparking a conversation with us. It’s beautiful how a simple ‘hello’ can lead down such wonderous avenues!

We ask only two things of our poets when commissioning a new poem: no swearing, and offer hope!

I don’t think that’s too bad an aim!

I understand that the poems you send out are hand typed on a traditional typewriter called Erika. Tell me more…?

That’s right! Erika is German, coming up to 60 years old, but very reliable – every single one of the Typewriter Edition poems are hand-typed on Erika!

Alex and Erika

The revenue from subscriptions supports grass roots artists. What sort of arts are you interested in supporting?

One thing that really stands out to me is the fact that all of us used to draw, write, paint – be creative! – as children, and yet there comes a point where we draw our last drawing or pen our last poem, and we don’t even realise it!

With this in mind, we aim to champion all creative outlets. Poets, performers, painters, printmakers – you name it! For us, the process of creating is more important than the finished piece. It’s the journey of exploring creativity which greatly benefits our mental wellbeing.

I couldn’t agree more. It’s years since I wrote poetry. Maybe I should get going again…

What plans do you have for future Poems by Post mailings?

We have big dreams for this platform! Initially, as we grow we will be able to crate more paid opportunities for more artists of all mediums every month, and we will become a real springboard for wonderful grassroots talent. Aside from that… we just want to send beautiful envelopes of artwork to mas many people as possible, and hope it makes them smile!

It has been a real privilege to hear more about your work Alex. Thanks so much for telling us about Poems by Post. I think it’s a fabulous concept and I wish you every success.

***

You can find more about Poems by Post by visiting their website, following them on Twitter @PoemsByPost and finding them on Instagram.

My Poems by Post Mailings

What could be lovelier than finding a surprise real envelope through your letterbox with a special stamp on the reverse of that envelope indicating there is a poem and artwork just waiting to be discovered inside?

In my July mailing I found a poem hand typed onto high quality textured paper; A home to call your own by Matt Alton and a sumptuous card illustrated by Fay Troote that contained the suggestion that I might like to ‘pen a poem, draw a picture or write a message to a loved one’ and send it to them using the stamped envelope included. I thought this was just wonderful – not least after all those months of being apart from those we love. I’d been so cheered by receiving the poem and card that I’m sure others would be too.

In August’s envelope similar items were included but what I loved this time was that the message in the card designed by Morgan McHale-Dill to complement the poetry was different – equally thought provoking and inspiring  – but not simply a repetition of the message in July. This gives such impact because it feels as if the message has been crafted with thought and care. The poem this time was Humane by Rohan Samuel and again had been hand typed onto high quality paper.

Whilst this blog post is about Poems by Post and the service they provide, I must say something about the poetry I’ve received as, without this service, I’d not have encountered the poets, or, indeed, the artists. I love the poems I’ve been sent. They are thought provoking, sensitive and uplifting, making me consider my own existence and place in society. I’ve enjoyed reading the poems several times and then going on to find out more about the poets and artists so that the gift of Poems by Post extends beyond the actual mailing that drops through the letterbox but gives an interest to research further.

I think Poems by Post is a fantastic concept and would make a wonderful gift for those you love, but can’t see regularly, to show them you are thinking of them.

My enormous thanks to Becky Hunter at Midas PR for inviting me to take part in the blog tour for Anna Kent’s The House of Whispers. I was so disappointed not to be able to fit in reading The House of Whispers but thankfully Anna agreed to stay in with me to chat all about the book:

Staying in with Anna Kent

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Anna and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I’ve brought The House of Whispers by me, Anna Kent. It’s a slow-burn psychological thriller with a Gothic twist.

The House of Whispers sounds exactly my kind of read Anna. I’m so disappointed I couldn’t get to it in time for today’s chat.

What can we expect from an evening in with The House of Whispers?

You might want to check the doors are locked before you read it: set in an old Victorian house, it’s pretty creepy. You can expect secrets, lies, obsession, guilt, and an underlying sense of unease and darkness that builds throughout the story. It might also have you reassessing your friendships as we watch the relationship between old university best friends Abi and Grace twist into something that’s not healthy at all.

Now I simply HAVE to find a slot to read The House of Whispers as it sounds unmissable. I’m so pleased it’s sitting on my TBR.

What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

I’ve brought a painting done by the protagonist of The House of Whispers, Abi. It’s of a beautiful young woman, around eighteen years old. She’s looking out of the canvas in an almost resigned way, and the colours behind her are slightly ominous, like clouds gathering before a storm. It’s hypnotic to look at, isn’t it? It’s as if the picture is more than the sum of its parts; as if the girl in it is trying to tell you something.

That’s creepy enough before I’ve read a word of the book Anna!

I can tell you that this was originally one of a series of ten portraits by Abi. They were supposed to be exhibited in London but… well, stuff happened, and this is the only painting that survived. It’s worth an absolute fortune now, so please be careful with it.

Oh I will! And what’s that you’ve got there?

I’ve also brought a brochure for a house that’s for sale. 59, Albert Road. It’s a semi-detached Victorian property with three floors, on the outskirts of London but close to the Tube. It’s largely renovated with a new kitchen and bathrooms, but it’s got a bit of a past, so it’s come to market at a very good price, if you’re thinking of moving?

I have a feeling I might want to give that particular property a miss Anna!

Thanks so much for staying in with me to chat about The House of Whispers. I can’t wait to read it. 

The House of Whispers

Some secrets aren’t meant to be kept…

When Grace returns to Abi’s life, years after they fell out at university, Abi can’t help but feel uneasy. Years ago, Grace’s friendship was all-consuming and exhausting.

Now happily married, Abi’s built a new life for herself and put those days behind her. And yet as Grace slips back into her life with all the lethal charm she had before, Abi finds herself falling back under her spell…

Abi’s husband, Rohan, can’t help but be concerned as his wife’s behaviour changes. As their happy home threatens to fall apart, he realises that there’s something deeply unnerving about Grace. Just what influence does this woman have over his wife, and why has she come back now?

A chilling story of guilt and obsession from Anna Kent.

Published by Harper Collins’ imprint HQ, The House of Whispers is available for purchase here.

About Anna Kent

Anna Kent has worked as a journalist, magazine editor and book editor as well as enjoying a stint as a radio producer. She’s written for numerous publications at home and abroad, including the Daily Telegraph, where she was a contributor for six years. Brought up in the South East, she loves to travel while maintaining a base in Gloucestershire. She’s married with two children.

You can follow Anna on Twitter @BellaKay and Instagram, find her on Facebook or visit Anna’s website for more information.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

My enormous thanks to Susi Holliday for sending me a copy of her latest novel Substitute in return for an honest review. I’m delighted to share that review today.

Susi’s writing makes regular appearances here on Linda’s Book Bag – most recently with my review of The Last Resort that you’ll find here.

You’ll also find my review of Willow Walk here, an interview with Susi to celebrate The Damsel Fly here and my review of her excellent Violet here.

Published by Thomas and Mercer today, 12th August 2021, Substitute is available for purchase here.

Substitute

Three people live. Three people die. You make the choice.

Like any mother, Chrissie wants to protect her family. She would do anything to keep them safe. So when a mysterious stranger turns up at her door, offering to prevent the deaths of the people she loves, it sounds too good to be true. The only problem: she must choose someone to die in their place. A substitute.

When her daughter Holly has a terrible accident, Chrissie has no option but to enter the programme. In that horrifying moment, she would do anything to save her. But even after Holly makes a miraculous recovery, Chrissie is convinced it’s just a coincidence. After all, who can really control the laws of life and death?

But as the dangers to her family escalate and her chosen substitutes begin to disappear, Chrissie finds herself in an underworld of hidden laboratories and secretive doctors. And the consequences of playing by their rules are far deadlier than she ever imagined…

My Review of Substitute

Chrissie has a few choices to make!

What I so enjoy about Susi Holliday’s writing is that the reader never quite knows what they will be getting because each book is so different. Substitute is an excellent example because it’s part crime thriller, part sci-fi, part dystopian potential, part exploration of family relationships, and always crafted through a compelling plot that hooked me in and spat me out the other side feeling that I had been manipulated and entertained in equal measure. Initially I wasn’t sure where Substitute would take me, but read with a constant feeling of dread that lurked even in the most innocuous of events. Susi Holliday has that uncanny ability to unsettle, to shock and to wrong-foot her readers and I found Substitute did that brilliantly.

It’s not going to be possible to say too much about the plot, but I found it terrifyingly plausible – especially those events that are controlled by those in power. I don’t want to spoil the story for others but I found myself wondering just what I might have done in Chrissie’s position and who might have made my substitute list. Reading Substitute had the effect of making me consider my own ethics and that’s not always an easy thing to do. I think the impact of Substitute lingers long after the reader has finished it. It seems to inveigle its way into the subconscious so that I keep thinking about it.

However, exciting and disturbing plot aside, it is the flawed, believable Chrissie who makes Substitute so compelling. Family relationships, friendships and neighbours are presented in a kaleidoscope of patterns with Chrissie at the heart so that I felt I had a brilliant insight into her thinking and behaviour. Substitute made me wonder how well I really know those around me in a manner I found quite worrying. Similarly, the personalities of Michael and Edward illustrate the possibilities we have with the same choices in front of us. There’s very much a feeling that one wrong choice, one substitution at any level and life can spin off its axis.

As well as personal choices and behaviour, the other themes of Substitute are scarily astute. In recent times, we’ve probably learnt more than we care to know about corruption at high levels, decisions that lead to life and death, and control over news and information, so that as a result Substitute feels authentic, plausible and unnerving.

Substitute is not only an interesting and entertaining read, but it is a book that will leave the reader wondering ‘what if?’. Susi Holliday has that knack of making her readers contemplate their own dark souls and here she does so brilliantly. I wonder how reading Substitute might make you feel!

About Susi Holliday

Susi (S.J.I.) Holliday grew up in East Lothian, Scotland. A life-long fan of crime and horror, her short stories have been published in various places, and she was shortlisted for the inaugural CWA Margery Allingham prize. She lives in London (except when she’s in Edinburgh) and she loves to travel the world.

Her serial killer thriller The Deaths of December, featuring Detective Sergeant Eddie Carmine and Detective Constable Becky Greene was a festive hit in 2017.

Writing as SJI Holliday, she also has three crime novels set in the fictional Scottish town of Banktoun, which are a mix of police procedural and psychological thriller. They are: Black Wood, Willow Walk and The Damselfly – all featuring the much loved character, Sergeant Davie Gray.

Also as SJI Holliday, her spooky mystery The Lingering was released in September 2018, followed by Violet – a psychological thriller set on the Trans-Siberian Express – in September 2019. Violet has been optioned for film.

You can find out more about Susi Holliday on her website and on Facebook or Instagram and by following her on Twitter @SJIHolliday.

I’m so excited to have Louise Candlish’s latest book The Heights on my TBR because I love Louise’s writing. Sadly I couldn’t fit in reading The Heights in time for today’s blog tour stop but I am thrilled to be able to share an extract from the book with you.

My enormous thanks to Jess Barratt at Simon and Schuster for inviting me to participate in this blog tour and for sending me a copy of The Heights which I intend to review just as soon as I can.

Whilst I have still to read my signed copy of Those People, you’ll find my review of Louise’s Our House here and of The Other Passenger here.

The Heights was published by Simon and Schuster on 5th August and is available for purchase through these links.

The Heights

He thinks he’s safe up there. But he’ll never be safe from you. 

The Heights is a tall, slender apartment building among the warehouses of Tower Bridge, its roof terrace so discreet you wouldn’t know it existed if you weren’t standing at the window of the flat directly opposite. But you are. And that’s when you see a man up there – a man you’d recognize anywhere. He’s older now and his appearance has subtly changed, but it’s definitely him.

Which makes no sense at all since you know he has been dead for over two years.  You know this for a fact.

Because you’re the one who killed him.  It’s time to confess what we did up there.

‘Kieran Watts has been dead for over two years when I see him standing on the roof of a building in Shad Thames…’

#CloseToTheEdge

An Extract from The Heights by Louise Candlish

When you read the opening to The Heights you’ll see why I’m such a huge fan of Louise’s writing. To read that opening, click The Heights chapter 1.

See what I mean?

About Louise Candlish

Louise Candlish is the Sunday Times bestselling author of fourteen novels. Our House, a #1 bestseller, won the Crime & Thriller Book of the Year at the 2019 British Book Awards, was longlisted for the 2019 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, and was shortlisted for the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award. It is soon to be a major ITV drama made by Death in Paradise producers Red Planet Pictures.

Louise lives in London with her husband and daughter.

You can follow Louise on Twitter at @louise_candlish or find out more on her website or on Facebook and Instagram.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

Oh dear. I really shouldn’t call myself a blogger. You see, I was supposed to stay in with Luke Murphy in May 2020 but I quite simply forgot until about two weeks ago. I cannot apologise to Luke enough. There are lots of excuses, ranging from receiving upwards of 200 emails a day concerning books because of the pandemic, to struggling to keep up with supporting my elderly mother, but it really isn’t good enough.

Luke has been utterly lovely about the whole thing and actually has just had a brand new book out too, so today I’m delighted finally to host Luke and to bring you details of his latest book Finders Keepers before staying in with him at last.

Better late than never!

Finders Keepers

To beat the streets…

Calvin Watters spent three hard years on the Vegas streets, working the depths of the red light district. When a string of escort murders surfaces and the LVMPD has no answers, they realize that there is only one man they can turn to for help.

…you have to know the streets.

Calvin vowed to never return to his former life, but this new case pulls him back in. As he hits the streets, his honed survival skills kick in, and the PI must call upon his past experience to outwit a worthy opponent.

Caught in the crosshairs.

When Calvin killed Derek Baxter, he added fuel to an ever-growing fire inside Baxter’s longtime sniper partner, Jackson North. Now North is out for revenge, but how far will the hitman go to leave his mark on Calvin’s life?

****

Sounds good doesn’t it?

Finders Keepers has just been released and is available for purchase here.

Now, let’s see what Luke told me about another of his books when I finally got round to staying in with him.

Staying in with Luke Murphy

A very belated welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Luke! Thank you not only for agreeing to stay in with me but with being so patient.

Thanks for the invitation, Linda. Any time I can get a night away from my kids, I’ll take it LOL.

This is a child free zone Luke, so relax. Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

Tonight I brought KISS & TELL, book #1 from my Charlene Taylor Mystery series. This was such a fun novel to write, that I’m excited to share it with your followers.

What can we expect from an evening in with KISS & TELL?

Kiss & Tell is a fast-paced crime-thriller set in Los Angeles, following the career of rookie detective Charlene Taylor.

Rookie Charlene Taylor—the screw-up daughter who defied her cop dad until one day surprised everyone by following in his footsteps—is on her first homicide case while secretly working her father’s murder…

That sounds great. How has it been received?

Here’s one review:

“An intricately detailed and clever mystery featuring a tough minded but vulnerable protagonist, with more than a few demons of her own. The twists and turns kept me guessing to the very end.”—Christy Reece, New York Times bestselling author of Nothing To Lose.

How brilliant. I bet you’re delighted with that kind of response Luke.

What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

I’m Canadian, so I wouldn’t be very patriotic if I left home and showed up in the UK without a Tim Horton’s coffee LOL. Tonight I’ve chosen a French Vanilla, probably my favourite drink from the coffee chain.

Hmm. I’ll allow you the patriotism but as an English woman I much prefer tea!

And of course we need a little sugar snack, so I also grabbed an assortment of ‘timbits’. What can I say, I have a sweet tooth!

Now you’re talking my language Luke. I’ve got a sweet tooth too! Thank you so much for staying in with me and for being so patient! I’m sorry it took quite so long for us finally to get together. 

You’re forgiven Linda!

Phew. Thanks Luke. Now, you share out some of those delicious looking ‘timbits’ and I’ll give Linda’s Book Bag readers a few more details about KISS & TELL:

KISS & TELL

With the death of her father…

Officer Charlene Taylor has received her dream promotion—working Homicide with the LAPD. Her first case is the high-profile murder of Ken Anderson, a playboy UCLA professor with a haunted past. A mafia kingpin, billionaire tycoon, cheated wife and jaded lover are only a few on a long list of suspects, all with motive and opportunity.

…all hope of reconciliation is lost.

Not only does she feel the pressure from media and her boss to solve her first case, but Charlene must also deal with her father’s murderer, the “Celebrity Slayer,” a serial killer who enjoys baiting her with his knowledge of her life and routines.

Can a rookie detective work two high-profile cases and still keep her sanity?

The first book in Luke Murphy’s Charlene Taylor series, KISS & TELL is available for purchase here.

About Luke Murphy

Luke Murphy is the International bestselling author of two series: The Calvin Watters Mysteries and The Charlene Taylor Mysteries.

Luke played six years of professional hockey before retiring in 2006. His sports column, “Overtime” (Pontiac Equity), was nominated for the 2007 Best Sports Page in Quebec, and won the award in 2009. He has also worked as a radio journalist (CHIPFM 101.7).

Luke Murphy lives in Shawville, QC with his wife and three daughters. He is a teacher who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing, and a Bachelor of Education (Magna Cum Laude).

For more information on Luke and his books, and to sign up for his newsletter, visit his website, and find him on Facebook and Instagram. You can also follow Luke on Twitter @AuthorLMurphy.