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Second Chances at Hollyhock Farm by Georgina Troy #Review #HollyhockFarmBook2

  Welcome back to the blog to Georgina Troy for another in her Hollyhock Farm series. Second Chances at Hollyhock Farm was published by Boldwood Books on November 7th and takes us back to beautiful Jersey.   Festival season has come to Hollyhock Farm… Since his sister Lettie took over their parents' farm on the beautiful island of Jersey at the start of the year, Zac Torel's life has changed completely. Zac loves Hollyhock Farm, and he's determined to help Lettie succeed, but when their insurance company refuses to pay for the restoration of one of their barns in time for winter, the clock is ticking for the Torrels to raise the money themselves. The siblings decide to host a wellness festival, but with the summer already well underway, they've got their work cut out to get everything ready before the season ends. Lettie recruits the help of Melody, a yoga teacher from Edinburgh. New to the island, Melody is determined to shake things up and make a success o

The Lost Shrine by Nicola Ford #Hills&Barbrook book 2 #Review #Publication Day


 I am delighted to be featuring Nicola Ford's latest novel, The Lost Shrine, on Publication Day.

Clare Hills, archaeologist and sometime sleuth, is struggling to finance her recently established university research institute along with her long-time friend, Dr David Barbrook. When they are offered commercial work with a housing developer on a site in the Cotswolds, the pair are hardly in a position to refuse. There is just one slight catch: the previous site director, Beth Kinsella, was found hanged on-site, surrounded by mutilated wildlife. Despite misgivings, Clare leads a team to continue work on the dig, juggling lingering disquiet between local residents and the developers. When something unsettling is unearthed, will Clare uncover the truth before it is hidden for ever?

My Thoughts

When I reviewed the first in this series,The Hidden Bones, I wrote that I hoped to read more books featuring Clare Hills. Well I got my wish and thoroughly enjoyed The Lost Shrine. As archaeology meets crime fiction, this is a book which totally engages the reader and immerses you in a world which the author knows well. Consequently, it has an authenticity which rings true.

    I found all the characters to be believable and love the connection which is teased between David Barbrook and Claire Hills. In fact all the secondary characters stand out in their own right, with Jo and Margaret being my favourites. The mystery is slowly uncovered, in a painstaking way, mirroring the work on site. In all, it is an entertaining read, written with a fluent writing style and an easy manner. Roll on Book 3!

In short: More secrets are uncovered in the Cotswolds.
 
About the Author



Nicola Ford is the pen-name for archaeologist Dr Nick Snashall, National Trust Archaeologist for the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site. Through her day job and now her writing, she’s spent more time than most people thinking about the dead.
 

You can follow Nicola here: Website   |  Facebook   |  Twitter 
                                            |  Instagram

Book link:   Amazon UK

Thanks to Nicola Ford and Lesley Crooks of Allison & Busby for a copy of the book. There will be the opportunity to get the e-book for 99p from 29th May to 5th June.


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