#BlogTour Death Of An Angel by Derek Farrell

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Death of an Angel by Derek Farrell. It's highly entertaining crime fiction, urban crime with a solid set of characters.

About the Author
Derek Farrell is the author of the Danny Bird Mysteries, ‘Death of a Diva,’ ‘Death of a Nobody’ ‘Death of a Devil,’ and ‘Death of an Angel.’
He was educated in Dublin, and, whilst waiting to become a writer of fabulous crime novels has passed his time being a burger dresser, bank cashier, David Bowie’s paperboy, and an Investment Banker in New York’s World Trade Centre (a bit like The Wolf of Wall Street, only with fewer hookers and more midgets, since you ask).

He is married and divides his time between London, West Sussex and Dublin. Derek loves to hear from his readers, and can be contacted at his sparkly new website Derekfarrell.co.uk

His books can be purchased as paperbacks or ebooks direct from the publisher Fahrenheit Press at: fahrenheit-press.com/books

Follow @DerekIFarrell on Twitter, on Amazon, on Instagram, 

Buy Death of an Angel

About the book
A woman is found dead in a London street - the evidence suggests she plummeted to her death from a nearby tower block – but did she fall or was she pushed? And why does she have Danny Bird’s name written on the back of her hand?

So begins this 4th magnificent outing for Danny and the gang from The Marq.

In the frame for a murder he didn’t commit, London’s self-proclaimed Sherlock Homo has no choice but to don his metaphorical deerstalker one more time to prove his innocence and uncover the truth about the tragic death of Cathy Byrne.

With the indomitably louche Lady Caz by his side, Danny plunges headlong into a complex investigation while at the same time trying to be a dutiful son to his increasingly secretive parents, and still find the time to juggle his frustratingly moribund love-life.

Review
It's not easy to write crime and make it snarky funny. A lot of authors let it veer into cheese, slapstick or crudeness for instance. Farrell hits the perfect balance between compelling crime story and an amusing sleuthing duo.

This is crime upon crime woven together to present a bigger picture of corruption, neglect and murder. Accidents, suicides and a host of other crimes all begin to show a connection, when Danny starts to investigate the death of a woman. A possible suicide, except nobody believes it was suicide.

Why is he investigating? Well, because the local police think Danny had something to do with her death. He seems to be their go-to scapegoat for the majority of crimes that come their way.

I'll admit I laughed quite a lot, especially at the dialogue between Danny and Caz. Lady Caz has a very acerbic tongue. She is a bit like Tuppence (Christie) or Mrs Bradley with the connections of a Kray gal and the temerity of a street fighter. She is bold, smart and you can always expect the unexpected.

It might say Danny Bird on the sign above the mysteries, but Lady Caz plays a leading role. In fact she gives the series an edge and many comedic moments. The combination of the two makes this a really good read.

It's highly entertaining crime fiction, urban crime with a solid set of characters. I certainly wouldn't hesitate to buy or recommend the series.

Kudos to the author for the beginning of the book. I loved the imagery of the scenery.

Buy Death of an Angel (The Danny Bird Mysteries #4) at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Published by Fahrenheit Press in paperback and eBook formats on 27th February 2019. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Fahrenheit.

Buy Death of a Diva (The Danny Bird Mysteries #1
Buy Death of a Nobody (The Danny Bird Mysteries #2)
Buy Death of a Devil (The Danny Bird Mysteries #3)

Death of a Diva is also available as a deluxe edition Hardback limited to only 50 Copies worldwide. Purchase it here.

#BlogTour The Case by Leopold Borstinski

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour The Case by Leopold Borstinski. It's pulp fiction with a noirish vibe.

About the Author
Leopold Borstinski is an independent author whose past careers have included financial journalism, business management of financial software companies, consulting and product sales and marketing, as well as teaching.

There is nothing he likes better so he does as much nothing as he possibly can. He has travelled extensively in Europe and the US and has visited Asia on several occasions. Leopold holds a Philosophy degree and tries not to drop it too often.

He lives near London and is married with one wife, one child and no pets.

Follow @borstinski on Twitter, on Facebook, on Goodreads, on Amazon,Visit leopoldborstinski.com
Buy The Case

About the book
One Private Eye. One Case. One sackful of trouble.

When Jake agrees to take a package across America, he doesn’t know if he’ll live to tell the tale. If the CIA, the Feds and the British Secret Service don't get him then the mob will. How's a cowardly private dick going to survive in these bloody times?

The Case is a stand-alone pulp noir novel. A wry take on the jaw-dropping violent side of private investigator life by Leopold Borstinski, writer of the six-book Lagotti Family series.

Review
I'll admit I got confused and had to go back and check I was reading correctly, because the timeline goes backwards in time instead of from the past then forwards. In fact it jumps back and forth between the 70s, 50s 60s and 90s ect.

It's a pulp fictiony type of read. What is pulp fiction? The term is taken from the pulp magazines of the 30s/40s, printed on low quality paper. Pretty on the outside and a little dingy on the inside. The term as it applies to fiction nowadays often goes hand in hand with pretty women in trouble and the handsome men trying to save them. Although in this case it's more of a stumbling through each scenario and trying to survive kind of guy.

How does it relate to this story? Jake veers into the dingy side of his business, although to be fair being a private eye isn't the shiniest job in the world. He delves deep into the world of the mob and the reader is dragged with him through his often tasteless, banal, dangerous and intrusive jobs throughout the years.

I think it's worth adding that Jake has the demeanour and attitude of someone from more less politically correct times, which means he uses certain phrases and words. The story starts in the late 70s, but as we return to the past it becomes apparent that the aforementioned were considered the norm then.

It's pulp fiction with a noirish vibe. It's a lot different from the Lagotti Family series, but clearly the author likes to play with the murky depths people are willing to go to, especially when it's something they want.

I kinda liked the last few pages. It gave the story a noirish send-off, a middle finger to them all. It leaves the rest of us wondering about the Jake we thought we knew and the Jake who presents himself to us at the end. Did we ever know him at all?

Buy The Case at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Published in paperback and ebook formats by Sobriety Press on 23rd June 2019. Buy at Amazon com.

Read my review of Mama's Gone by Leopold Borstinski.

#BlogTour Fatal Fortune by Miranda Rijks

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Fatal Fortune by Miranda Rijks. It's a suspense thriller full of heightened drama, which perhaps shows the more dubious side of people, especially family, when it comes to money.

About the Author
Miranda Rijks is a writer of suspense novels. I Want You Gone is her first psychological thriller.

Miranda has an eclectic background ranging from law to running a garden centre. She’s been writing all of her life and has a Masters in writing. A couple of years ago she decided to ditch the business plans and press releases and now she’s living the dream, writing suspense novels full time. She lives in Sussex, England with her Dutch husband, musician daughter and black Labrador.

Up next is FATAL FORTUNE, the first of three books in a mystery romance series that will be published in May 2019. They feature Dr Pippa Durrant, a psychologist and specialist in lie detection, who works alongside Sussex police getting embroiled in some scary stuff!

Miranda loves connecting with her readers, so you can reach out to her at www.mirandarijks.com

Follow @MirandaRijks on Twitter, on Amazon, on Instagram, on Facebook,
Buy Fatal Fortune

About the book
Is someone trying to frame psychologist Pippa Durrant for the brutal murder of a woman she’s never even met? It certainly seems that way when Pippa’s photo is found on the body of murdered lottery winner, Leanne Smith.

Pippa soon finds herself a suspect at the centre of a huge media storm. But she has an invaluable skill set – she is a human polygraph, expertly trained to spot lies and deceit. Skills she will need to help her to solve the mystery of who killed Leanne before it destroys her career - and her life.

But every cloud has a silver lining and this one arrives in the shape of DS Joe Swain. Initially suspicious of Pippa, he comes to trust her and to value her lie detection skills. Soon it’s clear there’s a definite spark between them....

Then, when another body turns up, Pippa realises her reputation isn’t the only thing in danger. Can she identify the killer before she becomes the next victim?

Fatal Fortune is the electrifying first book in the Dr. Pippa Durrant Thriller Series. If you like edge-of-your-seat action, clever sleuths, and shocking twists, then you’ll love Miranda Rijks’ gripping crime novel.

Review
Money is the measure of all people. A fact that couldn't be demonstrated more clearly than when someone wins a fortune and they are suddenly able to live a completely different lifestyle. The way they treat others, cope with the change and spend can be a testament to true character. To be completely fair that also applies to their loved ones, friends and acquaintances too. Greed can be a nasty little motivator and drive people to the most heinous acts.

The main sentiment and driving force of this plot is greed, or at least it appears to be. In a way it plays the role of the simplest solution and also the one of the red herring in this story. Perhaps everything is just a tad more complicated than just a person committing murder for a multi-million lottery win.

When Leanne and Kevin win the jackpot they decide to move to Spain. They fob their daughter and grandchildren off with a mere pittance, which causes a lot of tension. So, when Leanne is found murdered a few weeks later the most obvious motive is money.

Everyone is a suspect. Including psychologist Pippa Durant, who finds herself thrust into the middle of a murder investigation when her picture is plastered all over the media. A picture that purports to show the victim.

Rijks plays a sleight of hand with readers, as we find ourselves looking in a completely different direction for the solution. A plot within a plot
It's a suspense thriller full of heightened drama, which perhaps shows the more dubious side of people, especially family, when it comes to money.

On a side note - Pippa really needs to examine her lack of boundaries, emotional involvement and ethics in regards to her profession. Somehow I think she will cross just as many boundaries in the next book.

Buy Fatal Fortune at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Inkubator Books; pub date 5 May 2019. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Twisted Web by Rebecca Bradley

It's my turn on the BlogTour The Twisted Web by Rebecca Bradley. A crime based on the way our society reacts to social media and news, and how it changes their values and morality.

About the Author
Rebecca is the author of four novels in the DI Hannah Robbins series, Shallow Waters, Made to be Broken, Fighting Monsters and The Twisted Web as well as a standalone thriller, Dead Blind.

She lives with her family in the UK with their two Cockapoos Alfie and Lola, who keep Rebecca company while she writes. Rebecca needs to drink copious amounts of tea to function throughout the day and if she could, she would survive on a diet of tea and cake while committing murder on a regular basis.

After 16 years service, Rebecca was medically retired from the police where she finished as a detective constable on a specialist unit.

Rebecca now runs a consulting service where she supports crime writers in making sure their fiction is authentic so they can get on with telling a great story. You can find details of that HERE.

Follow @RebeccaJBradley on Twitter
On Facebook on Instagram Amazon Author page
Visit rebeccabradleycrime.com
Buy The Twisted Web

About the book
A social media shaming. A killer with a message. A deadly combination.

When the body of a man is left in the city centre set up as a realistic police crime scene, DI Hannah Robbins is forced to enter a world that can break a person, a case and a reputation.

Social media platforms light up and Hannah is pitted against the raging online monster and a killer who has already lost everything.

Can she catch the killer and put him behind bars or will she become part of his sadistic game?

Review
I think the premise of social media shaming is quite an interesting one. The ability to communicate, share info and connect within a moments notice has changed the way our society relays, processes information and how we communicate. It is especially interesting to note the lack of impulse control and morality when it comes to sharing info online.

It certain countries accidents and tragic events are plagued by people hungry to take pics and footage of the darkest moments in humanity, so they can be the first to share gory pics online. They crave the attention, the hit of the like and the rush of the mega-shares. Being a famous online persona is more important than the dignity of the person captured in the shot.

In a sense it is quite ironic that the villain in this piece wants revenge for his life being destroyed by a social media campaign after an incident he is involved in is misconstrued, and in response to that he uses the same hunger for exposure to get revenge on society.

DI Hannah Robbins is pitted against a hungry steadily growing information engine, a machine that feeds itself and has a never-ending supply of supporters. It's a huge needle in a haystack to find a killer in.

It's a crime based on the way our society reacts to social media and news, and how it changes their values and view on morality. Bradley makes an intriguing point with this story that eats its own tail.

Buy The Twisted Web at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Published in paperback and eBook on 17th September 2018.
Buy The Twisted Web at Amazon com