January 2023 – Just 4 My Books

Murder in Chianti

Murder in broad daylight…

When millionaire magnate, Rex Hunter is found with his head bashed in on the eighth hole of his prestigious golf and country club in beautiful Chianti, it’s a clear case of murder. Hunter was rich and successful and the envy of many, so retired DCI Dan Armstrong thinks the case will be a hole in one to solve….

A despised victim…

But as Dan and his trusty sidekick Oscar begin to dig deeper into Hunter’s lifestyle, they discover a man despised by many. A renown womaniser, ruthless boss and heartless family man, it seems no one is particularly sorry to see Hunter dead. And the list of possible suspects is endless…

A murderer covering their tracks.

Dan is determined to catch this clever killer, but it seems every new lead brings another dead end. Will this be one case Dan and his canine companion won’t solve?

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3sOnfkv

Author Bio

T A Williams is the author of over twenty bestselling romances for HQ and Canelo and is now turning his hand to cosy crime, set in his beloved Italy, for Boldwood. The series will introduce us to retired DCI Armstrong and his labrador Oscar and the first book, entitled Murder in Tuscany, will be published in October 2022. Trevor lives in Devon with his Italian wife.

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrevorWilliamsBooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TAWilliamsBooks

My Review

I’ve read a few books by this author before and love how easy he makes it to get engrossed in the story. Obviously, the Italian setting helps with the escapism, but it’s more than a travel guide – though who wouldn’t want to escape to Tuscany after reading this, I do not know – the story is packed with truly great characters. From the wily locals who see and hear everything (and love to share over good food and grappa-fuelled coffee) to those who have made their life in the area and come with baggage (usually ex-wives and numerous affairs that would test any Casanova worthy of the title).
Former (but for how long?) DCI Dan Armstrong doesn’t seem able to give up on his old life at the Yard, despite being in a new country, and despite having second thoughts over the breakdown of his marriage and subsequent divorce. Together with his dog, Oscar, Dan has become part of the community, and so when Australian millionaire and owner of the country club, Rex Hunter is murdered, it’s no wonder his good friend and local police inspector calls on him to help with “translations”. And if he wants to ask a few questions of his own, or follow up on some leads when “walking” Oscar, then why not?
The victim is not well-liked and the suspects mount up, but when further murders occur it’s clear this will be no easy case to solve. I loved how the author gives insight as to how Dan is thinking, who he suspects, and what he thinks has happened. However, even Dan has to admit feeling blind-sided by this mystery, and there are red herrings galore that misdirect the reader with great skill until the truth becomes apparent.
Peppered with glimpses of life in Tuscany, amusing antics with Oscar, and an array of fascinating encounters with locals, it’s easy to see why Dan is enamoured of the area. However, in this book, he starts to wonder how he might fill his time in the years to come. Dan can’t live by tennis matches and Chianti alone, so where does his future lie: as an author (his first book has been accepted by a London publisher) or as an investigator? Will he ever be able to put that part of his life behind him? I can’t wait to find out.
PS – I was gutted to find this is the second book in the series, but will be making up for it by grabbing a copy of book one – Murder in Tuscany – before the next in the series is ready.

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WICKED BLEU

A 103-year-old murder mystery.

An amateur sleuth.

Can a wrong be rectified in death?

Eight months ago, Simone experienced her first spectral encounter. It awakened a dormant second sight and opened a chasm to the afterlife. Now, another spirit from 1917 New Orleans has wandered through that passage, haunting her with an intoxicating jasmine fragrance and wicked antics.

To escape this mysterious ghost, Simone jumps at a seven-day complimentary Mardi Gras hotel package, unaware there might be an ancestral power behind her decision, an identity she grapples with. Is the ghost’s name Bleu?

She’s a lady of the night who lived a dangerous life in the infamous Storyville. A place lined with mansion-like brothels on the edge of the French Quarter run by unscrupulous madams and frequented by dangerous criminals. WWI is on the horizon, jazz music is burgeoning, and Bleu’s life unravels.

Visions of her past and horrific death beset Simone as she explores present-day New Orleans with her three roommates.

But why are the images fragmented? Has Bleu forgotten what happened the stormy night she died? Can Simone uncover Bleu’s murderer and reunite her with her loved ones before it’s too late?

Book Information

Purchase link: https://mybook.to/WickedBleu
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/62919973
Genre: Paranormal Suspense
Print length: 290 pages
Age range: This is an adult book, but would be suitable for mature teens age 16+
Trigger warnings: Rape of a minor; racism reflecting a historical time period
Amazon Rating: 5*
(This is the second in the Simone Doucet series, but reads well as a standalone novel)

PRAISE FOR WICKED BLEU

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Billups always packs a punch when the other worldly visitations appear, and I found myself eagerly switching back and forth from past to present day, learning of the connections between everyone involved. Watching Simone’s friendships and love interest evolve is a lovely side story, and the author’s depth of research about early 20th century American lifestyles is apparent and pays off in dividends. Toss in the early stages of COVID appearing in America, and there’s a realistic touch that grips readers until the end. What’s causing Simone’s friends to get ill, and is the ghost responsible for all the drama or an unknown illness beginning to spread around the world? I can’t wait to see what happens in a possible third installment. Thanks for making some magic happen, Ms. Billups. Amazon review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is an intoxicating novel, one that you will not be able to set down. The novel is well written, and the world building is extensive and right in shape with the story. A story line of ghosts and paranormal adventures, a girl who goes on a trip with who roommates to New Orleans. She expects to have a wild weekend, only to find it complicated by witches and ghosts and all kinds of various paranormal events. This author is able to captivate you from page one. You find yourself hanging onto the edge of your seat, never being able to set the novel down. This is a complicated, nerve racking and wonderful all at the same time. I can’t wait to read the next one. I know it will be even better. Amazon review

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

E. Denise Billups was born in Monroeville, Alabama, and raised in New York City, where she currently resides. She’s a former Financial Analyst turned writer. A multi-genre fiction author, she’s published six novels and several supernatural short stories. A skilled artist, she trained as a dancer (ballet, modern, and jazz dance) in her younger years and dabbled in writing, which she would not pursue until much later.

As an avid reader of many genres, she was greatly influenced by magical realism, mystery, suspense, and supernatural novels. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s running miles in the park, finding her inner calm with yoga, experimenting with vegan dishes, and enjoying time with family and friends.

Presently, she is working on book two of her trilogy, Twilight Ends, a paranormal historical fiction, and book three of the Simone Doucet Series.

Follow Her At:

Website: https://edenisebillups.com/
Next Chapter Publishing: https://www.nextchapter.pub
Facebook: @E. Denise Billups
Twitter: @DeniseBillups
Goodreads: @E. Denise Billups
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/e.denisebillups/

MY REVIEW

Now I’m really not a typical reader of ghost stories, and the paranormal and I aren’t regular bedfellows, in fact we’re rarely on the same page, but WICKED BLEU still drew me in, pushed me out of my cosy, comfort zone and totally captivated me. Granted it was the opening line of the description that got my attention. As an avid mystery fan, who was I to turn down a 103-year-old murder mystery? It’s the ultimate cold case… but with a difference, and that difference is the magical quality of the author’s writing, teamed with the history and mystique of New Orleans during Mardi Gras, and topped off with a fascinating, bone-chilling, heart-wrenching and tragic plot. I loved it and have recommended it to all my reader friends. Are you interested in knowing more? You are, aren’t you?

With a dual timeline of the present day and a little over a century ago, the key players in this story are Simone Doucet (a successful writer) and two females named Bleu – mother and daughter – who lived in New Orleans in the notorious red light district. And their connection to Simone is one of blood… and an unsolved mystery that prevents them – and others – from fully leaving this world.

You see, Simone Doucet has second sight – more fully explained in the first book in the series – and, initially, Orphan Bleu makes the connection in order to get justice for her mother’s death – a murder by any other name. In New Orleans with her buddies to take advantage of a thank-you gift from a previous client, Simone and her three friends are looking forward to enjoying Mardi Gras. That is until Bleu (the mother) decides to tell Simone her story by adopting Simone’s friend’s body. The others realise Stacy is acting oddly, but eventually Simone “sees” what’s going on and is transported back in time to witness life back then. There, amidst the sights, smells and sounds of the dangerous streets of the red light district, she comes to understand Bleu’s character, sees her falling in love and being loved back by her artist lover whose paintings of her went on to earn him great acclaim. Simone sees the evil misogyny of the clients of the brothel who care only for themselves, who cannot bear to be mocked by a woman, who think nothing of taking a life to save themselves. It’s a brutal existence, made all the more raw by the viewpoint of Bleu’s daughter, the Orphan Bleu who feels abandoned and unloved by her mother, yet who cannot “rest” until her mother gets justice.

While trying to enjoy the Mardi Gras with her friends, Simone cannot relax, she feels obliged to know the full story but can she put right a century-old wrong and let the spirits finally rest? Billups writes beautifully, not just with words but with the images she creates, the characters she brings to life and the injustices she conveys of those times. I was drawn in completely by the setting (the cathedral, the Creole dialect, the jazz music – bliss!) and the story, but more to the point to understanding the past and how we should (but rarely do) learn from it.

A suspenseful tale, crafted with care, told with heart and which left me wanting more. Check out this video to feel the mystery for yourself.