From the Drop of Heaven by Juliette Godot is an engrossing and unsettling story set in the Salm region of France in the late 16th century. It begins against the background of the ascendancy of Calvinists in Geneva and the St Bartholomew’s Day massacre in Paris setting the scene for the dissentions, religious rivalries and … Continue reading Book Review – From the Drop of Heaven by Juliette Godot
Historical fiction
Old words or new?
In historical fiction, the language a writer uses can immediately propel the reader into the past by means of rhythm, sentence structure and word choice. This can be done by trying to come close to the language used in surviving records and contemporary literature or to by taking a more modern approach. Though, even when … Continue reading Old words or new?
Book Review – An Independent Heart by Elizabeth Grant
An Independent Heart by Elizabeth Grant begins in at the very end of January 1814 with Captain Justin Sumners arriving in a wintery England after serving five years in Spain during the Peninsular War, including seven recent months spent as a captive. He is the second son of Lord Hawksfield but, with his elder brother’s … Continue reading Book Review – An Independent Heart by Elizabeth Grant
The King’s Inquisitor by Tonya Ulynn Brown
Today I’m delighted to be sharing an excerpt from Tonya Ulynn Brown’s newly released novel The King’s Inquisitor as part of a blog tour hosted by The Coffee Pot Book Club. The King’s Inquisitor is the second book on Tonya’s Stuart Monarch’s series and is set in Scotland in the early 1590s during the North … Continue reading The King’s Inquisitor by Tonya Ulynn Brown
Cragside: A 1930s Murder Mystery by M J Porter
Today I'm delighted to be sharing an excerpt of M. J. Porter's recent novel, Cragside: A 1930s Murder Mystery, as part of a blog tour hosted by The Coffee Pot Book Club. “Ah, Lady Merryweather.” The voice of Detective Inspector Aldcroft is uncertain, far from the confident man I was forced to speak to yesterday. … Continue reading Cragside: A 1930s Murder Mystery by M J Porter
The Girl from Bologna by Siobhan Daiko
Today I’m delighted to be sharing an excerpt from Siobhan Daiko’s newly released novel The Girl from Bologna as part of a blog tour hosted by The Coffee Pot Book Club. The Girl from Bologna is part of Siobhan’s series Girls from the Italian Resistance. I went to visit Rebecca the afternoon after my parents … Continue reading The Girl from Bologna by Siobhan Daiko
Leningrad: The People’s War by Rachel R. Heil
Today I’m delighted to be sharing an excerpt from Rachel R. Heil’s newly released novel Leningrad: The People’s War as part of a blog tour hosted by The Coffee Pot Book Club. This book is the first in the Leningrad series set during World War 2. “Never been.” Tatiana’s eyes scanned the red and gold … Continue reading Leningrad: The People’s War by Rachel R. Heil
More Precious Than Gold by Renee Yancy
Today I’m delighted to be sharing an excerpt from Renee Yancy’s recently released novel More Precious Than Gold as part of a blog tour hosted by The Coffee Pot Book Club. More Precious Than Gold is the second book in The Hearts of Gold trilogy. The summer sky twilight had deepened to rose and gold, … Continue reading More Precious Than Gold by Renee Yancy
Cold Blows the Wind – The Soundtrack
People have always loved to sing, probably for as long as there have been people. These days, despite most people still loving music, most of us are too self conscious to sing in front of others, especially unaccompanied. It wasn't always this way. In the not so distant past, after the day's work was done … Continue reading Cold Blows the Wind – The Soundtrack
Raleigh – Tudor Adventurer by Tony Riches
Today I’m delighted to be sharing an excerpt from Tony Riches’ most recent novel, Raleigh – Tudor Adventurer, as part of a blog tour hosted by The Coffee Pot Book Club. This is the third book in The Elizabethan Series. Greenwich Palace, 1584 I’d never seen the presence chamber so crowded. The queen sat on … Continue reading Raleigh – Tudor Adventurer by Tony Riches
Catherine Meyrick 