This fifth and last volume in the Harriet Gordon series, set in colonial Singapore in 1911, is the most excitingly constructed mystery I’ve read for some time. The title refers to the shocking death of a fifteen-year-old girl who sang at a ball at Government House held to celebrate the arrival of the new Secretary…
Have you ever said yes to something without really knowing what you were agreeing to? I’ve just taken on a marathon, though it also resembles a sprint. I was honoured to be asked to be one of the 9 judges for this year’s Historical Writer’s Association Gold Crown award for the best historical fiction novel…
“Welcome to North Falls. A small town where everyone knows everyone. But nobody knows the truth. Emmy Clifton has lived here all her life. She thinks she knows her neighbours. She’s wrong. She thinks it’s just another hot summer night: a night like any other. She’s wrong. When her best friend’s daughter asks for help, she thinks…
India Edghill’s latest novel A Tiger in the Garden is a sweeping epic set in the isolated Indian hills in the Victorian era. At its heart is the intricate battle of wills – and transforming relationship – between Lily Shawcross, a dark-haired English girl of just sixteen, and Sherdil, Rajah of the independent Indian state of Sherabagh. …
Welcome to WWW Wednesday. This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three questions below and leave a link to your post in the comments. No blog? No problem! Just leave a comment with your responses. Please take some…
Hello and a very warm welcome to damppebbles. It’s Tuesday which means it’s time for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday post. I’ve decided to take part in That Artsy Reader Girl’s Top Ten Tuesday meme to mix things up a little here at damppebbles. Add a little bit of variety to our bookish weeks. The…
“You know who.You don’t know why. Alice only meant to stop the intruder.She didn’t mean to hit him so hard.She didn’t mean to kill him. The police conclude that she acted in self-defence, but wracked with guilt, Alice sets out to apologise to Linda, the mother of the young man she killed – only to…
The Sacra Infermeria: The Holy Infirmary. Malta. By Kathryn Gauci The Sacra Infermeria from the Entrance Fort Elmo Many visitors to Malta these days visit The Malta Experience at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, situated opposite Fort Elmo in Valletta, unaware that this building, which overlooks the Grand Harbour, once housed the most important hospital in…
Everyone familiar with the Tudors knows that Elizabeth I became queen after the death of her older half-sister, Mary I, giving her name to the era considered England’s Golden Age. Though it may seem to have been a natural choice, Janet Wertman’s latest novel makes plain that Elizabeth’s succession to the throne was never a…
“Meet Daphne St Clair: glamorous ninety-year-old grandmother, care home resident, and your new favourite serial killer. Meet Ruth Robinson: aspiring true crime podcaster, hunting for a killer story. Who are you going to trust? . . . When Daphne confesses to killing a number of men throughout her lifetime, she chooses Ruth to produce the…
