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An Almost Perfect Summer by Jill Mansell [Review

  Today I am delighted to feature Jill Mansell's latest novel, An Almost Perfect Summer. It was published by Headline Review on January 16th.   Nick is the most intriguing man Nella has met in a while. He's a 9 in the looks department ( no one gets a 10), he makes her laugh, and he keeps her company when she ends up in A&E. But they live hundreds of miles apart. Then Nella loses her job. There's a perfect role on offer at a Cotswolds holiday retreat. The catch is that her boss would be Nick. And that makes Nick the one man she can't risk falling in love with. While Nella struggles with her feelings , a Hollywood star has found a haven at the retreat. Lizzie's sworn off people - especially men - until her friendly new neighbours entice her out of her shell. Maybe she needs a flirtation - with gorgeous Nick, perhaps? Not with taciturn local Matthew, though, who definitely isn't a member of her fan club. Then an astonishing secret revealed changes...

The Convalescent Corpse by Nicola Slade ** Blog Blitz Review & Giveaway **

Today I have a cosy crime mystery to introduce to you - The Convalecent Corpse by Nicola Slade. Published by Crooked Cats Books on 20th November, it is the first in a potential historical crime series. I also have a great Giveaway- details on how to enter are at the foot of this post.
 

A story of Family, Rationing and Inconvenient Corpses.



Life in 1918 has brought loss and grief and hardship to the three Fyttleton sisters. Helped only by their grandmother (a failed society belle and expert poacher) and hindered by a difficult suffragette mother, as well as an unruly chicken-stealing dog and a house full of paying-guests, they now have to deal with the worrying news that their late – and unlamented – father may not be dead after all.  And on top of that, there’s a body in the ha-ha.



 My Thoughts

This genre of historical cosy crime is one of my favourites so I was delighted to have the opportunity to read The Convalescent Corpse. Set in 1918, it manages to walk the path between the grim backdrop of the war with life with the Fylleton family. Situated next to a convalescent home for wounded soldiers, there is enough detail about life there to remind you of the horrors which the wounded soldiers had to contend with. However, the Fylleton family offer a refreshing and eccentric alternative, bursting with character and sometimes unintentional humour. 

    This is a promising start for a new series as there is so much to savour in the characterisation. Addy, Alix and Christy are all endearingly idiosyncratic. Add to them, their parents in the form of the allegedly deceased criminal father and suffragette mother and their redoubtable grandmother  and you have quite a mix. I also appreciated the range of the wounded officers they met and the gloriously batty but ever hopeful attitude of some of the females towards the wounded young men that they were a source of potentially suitable marriage material, despite everything. 

    With an easy writing style and a gently humorous plot, I thoroughly enjoyed the read and hope for book 2.

In short: A winner!
About the Author



Nicola Slade lives in Hampshire where she writes historical and contemporary mysteries and women’s fiction. While her three children were growing up she wrote stories for children and for women’s magazines before her first novel, Scuba Dancing, was published in 2005. Among other jobs, Nicola has been an antiques dealer and a Brown Owl! She loves travelling and at one time, lived in Egypt for a year.  The Convalescent Corpse is Nicola's 9th novel. Nicola is also a member of a crime writers’ panel, The Deadly Dames www.facebook.com/DeadlyDames

You can follow Nicola here: Twitter   |  Blog   |  Website 
                                            |  Facebook   |  Pinterest

Book link: Amazon UK 

Thanks to Nicola, Crooked Cats Books and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources  for a copy of the book and a place on the tour. 

Follow the rest of the event!

 
Giveaway (International)



Win a paperback copy of The House of Ladywell (Open Internationally) To enter, just follow the link below and good luck!


 



*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.




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