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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
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The Slayings in Sydenham by Alice Castle #Review #Giveaway

I am delighted to be featuring Alice Castle's The Slayings in Sydenham which is the 7th standalone novel in her London Murder Mysteries series. I also have a great Giveaway for you to enter. Details on how to enter are at the foot of this post.

A dangerous move…

Single mum and super sleuth, Beth Haldane, has been set her most daunting task yet by handsome cop boyfriend Inspector Harry York. He wants her to find them a new home – outside Dulwich! Beth can hardly bear the idea, so when a young estate agent turns up dead, she diverts her energies to nailing the killer instead.

As it turns out, more or less everyone in Dulwich who has ever moved house may have a motive. But do some of the richest residents have an even stronger reason to murder the agent than others? What on earth is up with Dr Grover, head of prestigious private school, Wyatt’s? Does Beth’s uber-mummy nemesis, Belinda MacKenzie, have more reason than usual to be swaggering about the village? And who is sending Beth sinister text messages?

Join Beth for her seventh thrilling adventure amid the mean streets of south London, in The Slayings in Sydenham!


My Thoughts

It was great to be back in South London for the 7th standalone novel in Alice Castle's London Murder Mysteries series and to find out how life was working out for Beth and Harry. Beth's observations of life in Dulwich and its surrounding boroughs is pithy and wry and I love her sense of humour as she describes the inhabitants she meets. This is a cleverly plotted cosy crime novel and I love the fact that her house now becomes of full of Harry's classic crimes book and that after hating sight of them, Beth becomes hooked. (unknown to Harry). Beth so reflects the classic amateur sleuth who is there in plain sight.

    Parallel to the murder mystery which Beth has to unravel, is her life at Wyatt's School and her feelings as her son shows every sign of becoming a teenager. Nothing ever seems simple for Beth and there is plenty for her to deal with in what I hope will be novel number 8. That is, how will she ever pay her school fees? Where will be next in the house search if it happens and what will her mother have to say? I also noticed a certain police woman with a huge crush on Harry- will he notice?  With an ingenious plot and some great secondary characters, this is a series with so much more to give- I hope!  

In short: Wit and humour sets this cosy crime series apart. 

About the Author


Before turning to crime, Alice Castle was a UK newspaper journalist for The Daily Express, The Times and The Daily Telegraph. Her first book, Hot Chocolate, set in Brussels and London, was a European hit and sold out in two weeks. 


Death in Dulwich was published in September 2017 and has been a number one best-seller in the UK, US, France, Spain and Germany. A sequel, The Girl in the Gallery was published in December 2017 to critical acclaim and also hit the number one spot. Calamity in Camberwell, the third book in the London Murder Mystery series, was published in August 2018, with Homicide in Herne Hill following in October 2018. Revenge on the Rye came out in December 2018. The Body in Belair Park will be published on 25th June 2019. Alice is currently working on the seventh London Murder Mystery adventure, The Slayings in Sydenham. Once again, it will feature Beth Haldane and DI Harry York.


Alice is also a mummy blogger and book reviewer via her website.


Alice lives in south London and is married with two children, two step-children and two cats

You can also follow Alice here: Facebook |  Twitter  |  Website 

 


 


 
Death in Dulwich is also available as an audiobook. 

Thanks to Alice Castle and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resource  for a copy of the book and a place on the tour. 



Follow the rest of the tour!
Giveaway  (UK and US only)





To win a signed copy of The Slayings in Sydenham (Open to UK and US Only) just follow the link below and good luck!

 *Terms and Conditions–US and UK 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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