#bookblurb – Page 6 – Avonna Loves Genres

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: The Rift By Rachel Lynch

The Rift by Rachel Lynch

#TheRift @r_lynchcrime @CaneloCrime @damppebbles #damppebblesblogtours

Hi, everyone!

Today is my turn on the Damppebbles Blog Tour to share my Feature Post and Book Review for THE RIFT by Rachel Lynch.

Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, an about the author section and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Blurb

To save one life, she risks many others.

Working for the Royal Military Police, Major Helen Scott is used to rapid change. On a posting to Paris she oversees security for a NATO summit in the city, yet has barely begun before her presence is demanded at Interpol headquarters in Lyon.

Helen’s orders are to locate a kidnapping victim – the eldest son of oil magnate Khalil Dalmani. The main suspect is Fawaz bin Nabil, whose fortune has been made from illegal trade familiar to the intelligence agencies.

Helen knows the pain of loss and won’t rest until Khalil’s child is found. Along the way, she crosses paths with old faces and forms new alliances. But who will betray her trust?

A stunning new thriller from the author of the acclaimed DI Kelly Porter novels and a rising star in British crime fiction.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57203707-the-rift?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=lkjNuIPDBX&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

THE RIFT by Rachel Lynch is a new standalone political crime thriller by a new-to-me author featuring a strong female career military protagonist.

Major Helen Scott, UK Royal Military Police has dedicated her life to her career and is known for getting the tough jobs done. She is tasked to liaison with the US security team in charge of the NATO summit to be held in the Palace of Versailles with Afghanistan representatives.

Helen finds everything secure, but she is pulled from that job by the British ambassador to work with Interpol on the kidnapping of the son of an international businessman.

As Helen and a former military colleague, Grant Tennyson work to save the young kidnapping victim, they uncover a web of historical family interactions that have led to lies, deceit and an assassination plot which could tie back to members of the NATO summit.

I enjoyed protagonist Major Helen Scott. She is intelligent and tough and very human as you learn about her personal life. Ms. Lynch does a great job of writing Grant Tennyson into the story as a male counterpart to Helen who does not take over as a savior or diminish Helen’s strength and talent. The past and current family interactions between Khalil and Fawaz add a depth to the story and to the international intrigue.

The plot is tightly written with many threads that all get woven together throughout the story. My only disappointment was in how long the set-up of the plot and the introduction of all the characters took to get moving into the action. Once everything does get moving though, it took off at an increasing pace to a very exciting climax and satisfying conclusion.

I can recommend this standalone thriller and I will be looking for more from this author.

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About the Author

Rachel Lynch grew up in Cumbria and the lakes and fells are never far away from her. London pulled her away to teach History and marry an Army Officer, whom she followed around the globe for thirteen years. A change of career after children led to personal training and sports therapy, but writing was always the overwhelming force driving the future. The human capacity for compassion as well as its descent into the brutal and murky world of crime are fundamental to her work.

Social Media Links

Twitter: https://twitter.com/r_lynchcrime

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rachel-Lynch-Author-104835661648876

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachellynchcrime/

Purchase Links

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2NHPlNq

Book Depository: http://bit.ly/316M7Go

Waterstones: http://bit.ly/3lFrACk

Foyles: http://bit.ly/3sn2evz

Kobo: http://bit.ly/3fgh7Mv

Google Books: http://bit.ly/3f2kPsM

Publishing Information:

Published by Canelo Crime in paperback and digital formats on 22^nd April 2021

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Blood Stained by Rebecca Bradley

Hi, everyone!

Today is my turn on the Books n All Promotions Blog Tour and I am excited to be sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for BLOOD STAINED (Detective Claudia Nunn Book #1) by Rebecca Bradley.

Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Blurb

Can’t find her.

Can’t catch him.

Can’t trust anyone.

The first in a gripping new Sheffield-set crime series starring Detective Claudia Nunn.

Detective Claudia Nunn’s colleague DS Dominic Harrison has been leading the case against a dangerous serial killer, who hunts his victims using a dating app. But now his own wife has gone missing.

Then a large pool of blood is discovered in their garage. And Dominic is the prime suspect.

Is Dominic being framed by a serial killer or will Claudia expose an even uglier truth?

Can’t tell a soul how it ends.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57254029-blood-stained?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=qWys0FJN55&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 4.5 out of 5

BLOOD STAINED (Detective Claudia Nunn Book #1) by Rebecca Bradley is the first book in a new British police procedural thriller/mystery that I could not put down and read all in one sitting. This is an intense and intriguing new thriller with hairpin turns in its plot from a new to me author and I will definitely be following DI Claudia Nunn in her future books.

DI Claudia Nunn follows the facts no matter where they may go. Claudia is assigned to investigate a missing person report and interrogate the missing woman’s husband. The missing woman, Ruth is an undercover investigator and married to a fellow officer and a friend.

DS Dominic Harris has been investigating a serial killer, the Sheffield Strangler, who meets women in their forties with one or more children through a dating app for the last six months. Now he is being held and investigated for the disappearance of his wife and fellow officer by DI Nunn. Harris claims his innocence and swears he is being set up by the Sheffield Strangler.

As the hours pass, DI Nunn is working to find and save Ruth, exonerate DS Harris and solve the Sheffield Strangler case but will the facts lead to the solution expected?

I loved this story and the author’s intricate and tightly woven plotting that not once, but twice truly surprised me. The first surprise is the only reason I was slightly disappointed because it made the previous pages I had just read no longer feel truly realistic. (I cannot say why without spoiling it for you, but you can agree or disagree yourself.) This book is a page turner with the dual narratives of DI Nunn’s investigation in the present and DS Harris’ investigation in the previous six months intertwined throughout. The characters are interesting and fully fleshed. The ending is a huge surprise that has me anxiously waiting for the next book.

I highly recommend this first book in this new series and look forward to many more!

***

Author Bio

Rebecca Bradley lives with her family in the UK, and two Cockapoos, Alfie and Lola, who keep her company while she writes. She drinks 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. Rebecca served fifteen years in the police service and finished as a detective constable on a specialist unit.

Author Social Media Links

AUTHOR WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM
GOODREADS

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: The Beijing Conspiracy by Shamini Flint

The Beijing Conspiracy by Shamini Flint

#TheBeijingConspiracy #ShaminiFlint @blackthornbks @damppebbles #damppebblesblogtours

Hi, eveyone!

Today is my turn on the Damppebbles Blog Tour for an exciting new standalone international political thriller by a new to me author. I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for THE BEIJING CONSPIRACY by Shamini Flint.

Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, an about the author section and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Blurb

A LONG-LOST DAUGHTER. AN EXPLOSIVE SECRET. A LETHAL CONSPIRACY.

Ex-Delta Force soldier Jack Ford is trying to put the past behind him. But when he receives a letter from someone he hasn’t spoken to in thirty years, claiming he has a daughter, he can’t resist investigating for himself.

Soon he’s on a plane to China, a country he hasn’t returned to since witnessing the atrocities of the Tiananmen Square massacre. But on his search he stumbles upon a document which both the Chinese and American governments are desperately chasing. Now Jack is trapped in an impossible dilemma: save his daughter or prevent a new world war where thousands will lose their lives.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43983924-the-beijing-conspiracy

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE BEIJING CONSPIRACY by Shamini Flint is a high intensity international political thriller by a new to me author. This standalone has two fast-paced, high octane timeline plots intertwining around players from the Chinese government and the last American administration past and present.

Retired Delta Force Ranger Jack Ford receives a letter from China telling him he has a daughter he never knew he had. In 1989, Jack was a young idealistic spy attached to the Chinese embassy who fell in love with a Chinese student leader involved in the Tiananmen Square uprising. Why now, thirty years later has Xia revealed this news and asked him to return to Beijing?

This story is a thrill ride from start to finish with plenty of intrigue, back-stabbing, action and even some cutting humor at our past President’s expense. Jack is a stereotypical older, disillusioned soldier protagonist, but he was still different enough to have me rooting for his success. The secondary characters all have their own agendas and could never be taken at face value. I easily read this book in one sitting because I did not want to put it down.

I can recommend this thriller and I will definitely be looking for other books by this author.

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About the Author

Shamini Flint was born and brought up in Malaysia. Having studied law at Cambridge University, she travelled extensively throughout Asia for her work as a corporate lawyer, before becoming a writer, part-time lecturer and environmental activist. Shamini now lives in Singapore with her husband and two children. She is the author of the highly acclaimed Inspector Singh mystery series.

Social Media

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

Website: http://shaminiflintbooks.com/v1/

Purchase Links

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2O6RRN7

Waterstones: http://bit.ly/2ZSwVvM

Foyles: http://bit.ly/2O70wPk

Hive.co.uk: http://bit.ly/37UQdoJ

Publishing Information

Published in paperback format by Black Thorn Books on 4^th March 2021

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Double Identity by Alison Morton

Double Identity by Alison Morton

#DoubleIdentity @alison_morton @damppebbles #damppebblesblogtours

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review on the Damppebbles Blog Tour for an exciting new thriller – DOUBLE IDENTITY by Alison Morton.

Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, an about the author section and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Blurb

Deeply in love, a chic Parisian lifestyle before her. Now she’s facing prison for murder.

It’s three days since Mel des Pittones threw in her job as an intelligence analyst with the French special forces to marry financial trader Gérard Rohlbert. But her dream turns to nightmare when she wakes to find him dead in bed beside her.

Her horror deepens when she’s accused of his murder. Met Police detective Jeff McCracken wants to pin Gérard’s death on her. Mel must track down the real killer, even if that means being forced to work with the obnoxious McCracken.

But as she unpicks her fiancé’s past, she discovers his shocking secret life. To get to the truth, she has to go undercover—and finds almost everybody around her is hiding a second self.

Mel can trust nobody. Can she uncover the real killer before they stop her?

A stunning new thriller from the author of the award-winning Roma Nova series, fans of Daniel Silva, Stella Rimington or Chris Pavone will love Double Identity.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56581318-double-identity

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

DOUBLE IDENTITY by Alison Morton is a completely engaging, fast-paced thriller that grabbed me from page one. This is a new to me author with an amazing new heroine who is a former French Intelligence Analyst Special Forces soldier with dual French and English citizenship.

Melisende “Mel” des Pittones has retired from the French Army to get married to Gerard Rohlbert who is a financial trader. As the story begins, they are in England and Mel wakes up with a clouded mind and a dead fiance next to her in bed. Even with her years of service in the army, Mel is accused of the murder and Met Police DI Jeff McCracken is determined to find proof of her guilt.

Mel and McCracken end up working together in a new EU investigative service to find out the truth about her fiance’s murder. Everyone seems to be hiding secrets and Mel is not sure who she can trust. Will she be able to uncover the killer before she becomes the next victim?

This is one of those perfect thrillers that you just cannot put down and you keep turning the pages until you get to the end. Mel is a wonderful new protagonist who is as intelligent and tough as any of the male protagonists out there in other thriller series. Her international background adds to my interest in her and makes the plot even more believable as she chases answers all over Europe. McCracken is an interesting character who goes from believing Mel is guilty of murder, to just being obnoxious, to actually being a viable believable partner for her.

I highly recommend this new international thriller heroine and this fast-paced read!

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About the Author

Alison Morton writes award-winning thrillers series featuring tough, but compassionate heroines. She blends her deep love of France with six years’ military service and a life of reading crime, historical, adventure and thriller fiction. On the way, she collected a BA in modern languages and an MA in history.

“Grips like a vice – a writer to watch out for” says crime thriller writer Adrian Magson about Roma Nova series starter INCEPTIO. All six full-length Roma Nova thrillers have won the BRAG Medallion, the prestigious award for indie fiction. SUCCESSIO, AURELIA and INSURRECTIO were selected as Historical Novel Society’s Indie Editor’s Choices. AURELIA was a finalist in the 2016 HNS Indie Award. The Bookseller selected SUCCESSIO as Editor’s Choice in its inaugural indie review.

Now Alison continues to write thrillers and drink wine in France with her husband.

Social Media Links

Connect with Alison on her Roma Nova site: https://alison-morton.com

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AlisonMortonAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/alison_morton @alison_morton

Alison’s writing blog: https://alisonmortonauthor.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alisonmortonauthor/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5783095.Alison_Morton

Alison’s Amazon page: http://Author.to/AlisonMortonAmazon

Newsletter sign-up: http://eepurl.com/ckNeFL

Purchase Links

Kindle: https://mybook.to/DoubleIdentity

Apple: https://books.apple.com/book/double-identity/id1542244030

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/fr/en/ebook/double-identity-11

B&N Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/double-identity-alison-morton/1138382128?ean=2940162679202

Book2Read: https://books2read.com/DoubleIdentity

Publishing Information

Published in paperback and digital formats by Pulcheria Press on 7^th January 2021

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Other works by Alison Morton

The Carina strand
INCEPTIO where New Yorker Karen Brown is thrown into a new life in mysterious Roma Nova and fights to stay alive with a killer hunting her
CARINA, a novella, Carina’s first mission abroad. What could go wrong?
PERFIDITAS, six years on, where betrayal and rebellion are in the air, threatening to topple Roma Nova and ruin Carina’s life.
SUCCESSIO, where a mistake from the past threatens to destroy the next generation.

The Aurelia strand
AURELIA, in late 1960s Roma Nova, Aurelia Mitela battles her life-long nemesis, silver smuggling and is forced to choose between her love, her child and her country
NEXUS Mid 1970s, London, where a simple favour for a friend becomes a chilling pursuit across Europe
INSURRECTIO, where Aurelia Mitela struggles against a manipulative tyrant grabbing power. But it may already be too late to save Roma Nova…
RETALIO, a classic tale of resistance and retribution – the endgame between Aurelia and Caius

Extras
ROMA NOVA EXTRA, a collection of short stories from AD 370 to the present

Contributions
‘A Roman Intervenes‘ in 1066 Turned Upside Down
How Galla Mitela, Roma Novan imperial councillor, attempts to stop the Norman invasion of England. One of a series of possible alternative outcomes of 1066.

‘The Mystery of Victory’ in Rubicon (HWA/Sharpe Books)
What did happen to the Altar of Victory in the dusk of the Roman Empire?

‘The Idealist’ in Betrayal (Historical Fictioneers, 2020)

Non Fiction
Military or civilians? The curious anomaly of the German Women’s Auxiliary Services during the Second World War.

The 500 Word Writing Buddy: 35 Inner Secrets for the New Writer

Release Blitz/Feature Post and Book Review: Dissecting Meredith by Freya Barker

Hi, everyone!

Today I am excited to be sharing my Feature Post and Book Review on this Release Blitz from Buoni Amici Press. DISSECTING MEREDITH (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha Series, On Call Book #6) by Freya Barker is another wonderful addition to this series!

Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, an about the author section and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Blurb

Since taking over the county coroner’s office, Meredith “Doc” Carter has been working hard to gain the respect of both her peers and local authorities. Reporting the circumstances surrounding the death of a loved one is often a thankless part of her job. Still, those are the easier cases. Random body parts turning up are substantially more troublesome, and when the facts don’t line up Meredith reaches out to entomologist, Casey Shea for answers.

Detective Jay VanDyken has admired Doc from the sidelines. His recent promotion comes with the added benefit of dealing directly with the silver-haired forensic pathologist, an opportunity he doesn’t plan on wasting. The discovery of partial remains have Jay and Meredith working closely together, but breaking down the pieces to build their case is not the only challenge. Their developing relationship has its own share of problems.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56883089-dissecting-meredith?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=jr8YHvEYS2&rank=1

Dissecting Meredith (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha) (On Call, #6)

Author: Freya Barker

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: March 9, 2021

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3uaK95b

Start the series on #KU: https://amzn.to/2ObyOkG

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5Stars

DISSECTING MEREDITH (Police and Fire Operation Alpha Series, On Call Book #6) by Freya Barker is another great addition to the On Call series. Ms. Barker once again delivers an interesting crime investigation, suspense that keeps you turning the pages and a realistic, mature romance. This book is easily read as a standalone, but there is crossover of characters from other books.

Detective Jay VanDyken may be a new detective, but he has been a uniform cop for almost twenty years. Jay was comfortable in his previous position, but decides he needs to move up in the force to be worthy of a silver haired coroner he finds intriguing. The discovery of partial remains allows Jay to work closely with Meredith and he is determined to not only solve the case, but to build a relationship with Meredith.

Meredith Carter is independent, intelligent and has worked hard to gain the respect of her employees and local law enforcement since taking over the Durango Coroner’s Office. She is intrigued by the partial remains and the quiet VanDyken, but she is worried about remaining professional and respected by her peers.

As Meredith investigates the body parts for clues, they pile up and the more she learns, the more danger she is in. Can Jay keep this independent woman safe while working the case and attempting to build a relationship?

I am always excited to get my hands on the latest Freya Barker romantic suspense. The characters are mature and realistically written and I want to be friends with them all. I love Meredith and Jay together! They both are so independent and yet they are perfect together. Their romance grows at a believable pace. Since they have already been eyeing each other for the last few years, their dialogue and romance flows naturally on the page. Add in the suspense of an interesting investigation and good friends from previous books and you have a great read.

I highly recommend this latest On Call romantic suspense and all the books in this series!

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About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.

Driven to make her books about ‘real’ people; she creates characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy, but just as deserving of romance, thrills and chills in their lives.

Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We’ve Read All Year Award for “Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, and Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, Freya continues to add to her rapidly growing collection of published novels as she spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!

Social Media Links

Facebook: http://bit.ly/FreyaFacebookTwitter: http://bit.ly/FreyaTwitter
Instagram: http://bit.ly/FreyaInstagram
Web: http://bit.ly/FreyaWeb
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/FreyaGoodreads
Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/Freya_Newsletter Bookbub: http://bit.ly/FreyaBookBub

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Seven Days by Michelle Kidd

Seven Days (DI Jack MacIntosh #2) by Michelle Kidd

#SevenDays #DIJackMacIntosh @AuthorKidd @damppebbles #damppebblesblogtours

Hi, everyone!

Today I am excited to be sharing my Feature Post and Book Review on the Damppebbles Blog Tour for SEVEN DAYS (DI Jack MacIntosh Book #2) by Michelle Kidd.

Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, an about the author section and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Blurb

One killer. One city. One week.

July 2012 and a serial killer is terrorising the streets of London. With the Opening Ceremony of the London Olympic Games in just seven days time, Detective Inspector Jack MacIntosh and his team at the Metropolitan Police have one week to find him. With the killer’s motives unknown, and a mysterious clue being left at each scene, the case takes on a menacing and personal twist. Distracted by his own demons, will DI Jack MacIntosh solve the case before it is too late?

The clock is ticking.
Tick.
Tock.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50619225-seven-days?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ahmwNJCcQp&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

SEVEN DAYS (DI Jack MacIntosh Book #2) by Michelle Kidd is the exciting new book in the DI Jack MacIntosh series. Once again, Ms. Kidd has written a page turner that kept me guessing the identity of killer incorrectly well into the night. While this book’s plot is a complete investigation, to get all of the backstory on all the characters, I feel it is helpful to start with “The Phoenix Project” which is book #1 in this fast-paced thriller/British police procedural series.

It is July 2012 and DI Jack MacIntosh and his team are assigned the monumental case of capturing a serial killer in just seven days before the Opening Ceremonies for the London Summer Olympics. Women’s bodies are being discovered strangled and dumped in London parks. There appear to be no ties to connect the victims and all of them have been thoroughly cleaned of all forensic evidence.

As the days count down, Jack works to discover the killer while still fighting demons from his past that could cloud his judgement when it is most important. The killer has Isabel. Will Jack and his team be able to uncover the killer before it is too late?

It was great to be reunited with the characters from the first book and introduced to DS Carmichael in this one. One minor problem was I did feel Jack had too many flashbacks written into the story and at times they slowed the pace a bit, but I did realize they were included to show the extent of his PTSD which he has never dealt with in his adulthood. I love not only Ms. Kidd’s intricately written plot twists and surprises that comprise the individual book’s plotline, but also her ability to still leave small threads that arc over all the books in the series without making you feel cheated.

I recommend this second book in this series and I am anxiously waiting for the next!

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About the Author

Michelle Kidd is a self-published author known for the Detective Inspector Jack MacIntosh series of novels.

Michelle qualified as a lawyer in the early 1990s and spent the best part of ten years practising civil and criminal litigation.

But the dream to write books was never far from her mind and in 2008 she began writing the manuscript that would become the first DI Jack MacIntosh novel – The Phoenix Project. The book took eighteen months to write, but spent the next eight years gathering dust underneath the bed.

In 2018 Michelle self-published The Phoenix Project and had not looked back since. There are currently three DI Jack MacIntosh novels, with a fourth in progress.

Michelle works full time for the NHS and lives in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. She enjoys reading, wine and cats – not necessarily in that order J

Bibliography

The Phoenix Project (DI Jack MacIntosh book 1)

Seven Days (DI Jack MacIntosh book 2)

The Fifteen (DI Jack MacIntosh book 3)

Social Media Links

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorKidd

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

Website: https://www.michellekiddauthor.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellekiddauthor/

Purchase Links

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/3obLftd