We are returning to France for another great summer read by Gillian Harvey . The Village Cafe in the Loire was published by Boldwood on July 12th. High-flyer Becky Thorne cannot believe what she’s being told. She doesn’t need to be signed off for burnout! Life has been a bit chaotic lately, that’s all. As if dealing with her enviable job and permanent meddling from her mother aren’t enough, she’s also inherited a café in the Loire from an estranged great-aunt, complete with sitting tenant who refuses to budge. But nobody stands in Becky’s way! Ignoring her best friend Amber’s advice, she decides to storm over to France and sort the tenant out. Then she can finally get the café sold and jump back on the career ladder. What she doesn’t count on is the tenant being Pascale, who is six feet of tall, dark, handsome and extremely grumpy about her plans for change. Not to mention the village and the secrets it holds about her past. Becky’s path to succes...
Dark as Night by Lilja Sigurdardottir translated by Lorenza Garcia #Review #Giveaway
Today I am delighted to feature the fourth in the great Icelandic Noir series, An Arora Investigation by Lilja Sigurdardottir. Dark as Night was published by Orenda on October 10th. I also have a great giveaway with the chance to win a print copy of Dark as Night. Details on how to enter are at the foot of this post.
When Áróra receives a call telling her that a child she’s never
met is claiming to be her missing sister reincarnated, she is devastated
… as ridiculous as the allegations might seem. For three years she has
been searching for her sister without finding a single clue, and now
this strange child seems to have new information.
On the same
day, Icelandic detective Daníel returns home to find a note from his
tenant, drag queen Lady Gúgúlú, giving notice on her flat and explaining
that she has to leave the country. Daníel is immediately suspicious,
and when three threatening men appear, looking for Lady, it’s clear to
him that something is very wrong…
And as Iceland’s long dark nights continue into springtime, that is just the very beginning…
Twisty, intricately plotted and atmospheric, Dark as Night is
the highly anticipated fourth book in the addictive An Áróra
Investigation series, as Áróra and her friends face unimaginable danger
and extraordinary experiences that may change everything, forever…
My Thoughts
This is a great series with an amazing central character, in Arora. You get to see her strength and determination but also her sadnesses and vulnerabilities. There are several story strands in this novel but two main ones. One the one hand, Arora is shocked to be approached by two parents who say their little daughter is saying that she is the reincarnation of Arora's missing sister. On the other hand, Arora's boyfriend's tenant goes missing. The story around hi, gets more and more complicated.
This is a fast paced story which carries you along with twists and turns. The backdrop of Iceland with winter approaching adds to the loneliness and isolation. It feels to be concealing a few secrets beneath the surface. I thought that this was a beautifully translated text by which flowed easily and always felt natural. Big congratulations are due to Lorenza Garcia. There is plenty of detail in the story threads to keep you engrossed and of course, wanting more.
In short: hidden secrets in a dark landscape
About the Author
You can connect with Lilja here: X (Twitter) | Website
Book links: Amazon UK
Thanks to Karen Sullivan and Anne Cater of Orenda Books for a copy of the book and a place on the blog tour.
Don't forget to check out these other great bloggers!
Giveaway (UK only)
To win a print copy of Dark as Night just Follow and Retweet the pinned tweet at @bookslifethings and good luck!
The giveaway starts on October 27th and the closing date is November 2nd 2024 and there is one winner.
*Terms and Conditions – UK only. The winner will be selected at
random via a random retweet selector from all valid entries and will be notified by X (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. I am not
responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
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