#Daphne du Maurier Awards

[lizfielding99]

Daphne du Maurier Award

Exciting news! I’ve been sitting on this news for a couple of weeks! Murder Among the Roses, the first book in my Maybridge Murder Mystery series, published by Joffe Books has finalled in the Cozy Mystery category of the Daphne du Maurier Awards for a couple of weeks. Daphne du Maurier Award Today I had confirmation from my publisher – they had entered me so the email went to them – along with…

[courseyoulovemeyoudontknowme]

Rebecca (1940, Alfred Hitchcock)

21/01/2024

Rebecca is a 1940 film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, based on the novel Rebecca, the first wife by Daphne du Maurier, Winner of two Oscars, including best film.

Chosen as the opening film of the first Berlin International Film Festival in 1951, in 1940 the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures included it in the list of the ten best films of the year.

In Monte Carlo a young lady-in-waiting, whose name we eill never know, meets and marries the rich and aristocratic Massimo de Winter. He is the widower of his first wife, Rebecca, with whom he lived in Manderley Castle, England, a sumptuous manor overlooking a rocky coast. Rebecca died when the yacht sank and was buried in the family chapel after her husband recognized her body.

This is the first film shot in the USA by Hitchcock for producer David O. Selznick.

The story told in the film follows Daphne du Maurier's novel of the same name quite faithfully, differing only slightly in some details. For example, to comply with the Hays Code, Hitchcock had to change the story of Rebecca's death: in her book Max claims to have shot her, in the film instead he says he hit her and accidentally made her fall onto a pulley. One of the salient features of the work which was maintained in the film adaptation is the fact that the central character of the young de Winter, played by Joan Fontaine, does not have a name, and this emphasizes the contrast with Mrs de Winter, the possible for Miss Danvers.

The writer Michael Hogan, Joan Harrison, the director's secretary and screenwriter, and Robert Sherwood, who worked on the final part, collaborated on the screenplay. Philip MacDonald worked on the dialogues.

Among the actress who auditioned for the role of Mrs De Winter were Loretta Young, Margaret Sullavan, Vivien Leigh and Anne Baxter. Joan Fontaine, the twenty-two years old, was chosen and she turned out to be perfect in that part: sweet and intelligent, modest and shy, scared and insecure, in love and tenacious; Hitchcock also wanted her as the protagonist in the film Suspicion.

[m-c-easton]

Book Picks: The Love Songs of W. E. B. Du Bois

**Triggering Content (child abuse) Longlisted for the 2021 National Book Award (yes, people, I’m still catching up on early pandemic booklists), Honorée Fanonne Jeffers’ novel The Love Songs of W. E. B. Du Bois has given us an immensely rich novel, one that hooked me with the depth and drama of a Black family spanning the history of America. The structure is complex, opening most of the eleven…

[uwmspeccoll]

Steamy Saturday

Spring Fire by Vin Packer, the pen name of American writer Marijane Meaker (1927-2022), was the first lesbian paperback novel and was published in New York by Gold Medal Books in 1952. It was an instant bestseller, outselling other popular titles of that year, including James M. Cain's The Postman Always Rings Twice and Daphne du Maurier's  My Cousin Rachel, and its publication marks the beginning of the lesbian pulp fiction genre.

The story, based on Meaker's own experience, revolves around the relationship between the shy and awkward, freshman sorority sister Susan ("Mitch") Mitchell and her more experienced roommate Leda Taylor. Both play at heterosexual "normality," while engaging in and at the same time questioning their same-sex attraction. Unfortunately, because it's the early 1950s, the relationship had to end in tragedy, with Leda bound for an insane asylum and Mitch denying to herself that she ever loved Leda.

Meaker was always distressed about having to write that ending. When Cleis Press approached her to republish the novel, she was very reticent. But the project went forward, and according to Wikipedia, Meaker wrote about this in the introduction to that reissue:

"I still cringe when I think about it. I never wanted it republished. It was too embarrassing." Meaker explained in the 2004 foreword that Dick Carroll, her editor at Gold Medal Books, told her that because the book would be sent through the mail, no references to homosexuality as an attractive life could be portrayed or postal inspectors would send it back to the publishing house. He said that one character must acknowledge that she is not a lesbian, and the other she's involved with "must be sick or crazy."

Beside lesbian romances, Marijane Meaker also wrote mystery and crime novels, nonfiction books about lesbians (as Ann Aldrich), children's books (as Mary James), and young adult fiction (as M. E. Kerr), for which she received the 1993 Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association. The butch/fem cover illustration is by noted American artist and pulp-fiction cover illustrator Barye Phillips.

View more posts on lesbian romance fiction.

View more LGBTQ+ posts.

View other pulp fiction posts.

[gollancz]

Locus Awards - Vote for Gollancz!

The annual Locus Awards close for voting on 15th April - anyone can vote, for their favourite SFF books, authors, short stories, editors, magazines and fanworks!

You can vote here! Voting is open to anyone, you just have to request a link.

We have a number of nominations, hidden below the cut for easy reference! (Write-ins are also welcome if you have any books you adored but which aren't currently listed)

BEST SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL

The Thousand Earths, Stephen Baxter

Eversion, Alastair Reynolds

The This, Adam Roberts

Beyond the Burn Line, Paul McAuley

The Red Scholar's Wake, Aliette de Bodard

BEST FANTASY NOVEL

Aspects, John M. Ford (published under our Gateway imprint, with introduction by @neil-gaiman)

The Cartographers, Peng Shepherd (published under our sister imprint Orion)

BEST EDITOR

Gillian Redfearn, Gollancz

Maybe we're biased, but Gillian's the best. She's been at Gollancz nearly 20 years, and is the editor for Brandon Sanderson, Joe Abercrombie, Alastair Reynolds, Aliette de Bodard, Joanne Harris, Garth Nix, Elizabeth Bear, Patrick Rothfuss, Miles Cameron, Chris Wooding, Sarah Pinborough, Charlaine Harris... the list goes on! The only UK-based editor to be shortlisted for a Hugo award, she's also genuinely one of the nicest people you will ever meet.

BEST PUBLISHER

Gollancz

We are the oldest dedicated SFF imprint in the world. Founded by Victor Gollancz in 1927, we were the original home of George Orwell, Daphne du Maurier, Kingsley Amis and many others. Victor Gollancz was a proud humanitarian, and that informed his publishing ethos. A newspaper review in 1933 read, "On a yellow Gollancz wrapped you will alway find a black V on G. You may interpret it as either Victor Gollancz or as Very Good, and in either case you'll be right." In the 1960s, Gollancz became a dedicated SFF and horror imprint, and has continued to publish some of the best works in the genre. Through our SF Gateway list, we have created an archive of books which has rescued and reissued books which had never before been digitised, as well as collecting some of the greatest SFF ever written.

In 2019, we partnered with Ben Aaronovitch to launch the Gollancz and Rivers of London BAME award, looking for British writers from underrepresented backgrounds. The success of this led to it expanding into its current form as The Future Worlds Prize, which now involves several UK SFF publishers.

In 2021, we won the British Book Award for Best Imprint - the first time it had ever been awarded to an SFF imprint.

We have big plans to keep growing in the run up to our centenary, and we can't wait to tell you about them!

[masonhawth0rne]

What I read in July ✨

I've felt very slow this month, I don't think I actually was, but I felt it.

Travel by Bullet, John Scalzi ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Redemption Ark, Alastair Reynolds ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Labrys(ss), Victoria Audley ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Grown Gown(ss), Derek Des Anges ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Hellbound Heart, Clive Barker ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Orca, Arthur Herzog III ⭐️

The Gallows Pole, Benjamin Myers ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rebecca, Daphne Du Maurier ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Chemist, Stephanie Meyer ⭐️

Icehenge, Kim Stanley Robinson ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Band Sinister, KJ Charles ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Now She Is Witch, Kirsty Logan ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Slow Bullets, Alastair Reynolds ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Inside the Mind of BTK(nf), Johnny Dodd & John Douglas ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Woman in White, Wilkie Collins ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Antarctica, Kim Stanley Robinson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ss=short story nf=non-fiction

stars awarded at my whim

A couple of these were re-reads, I've read The Hellbound Heart before, and while in theory it should be something I'm into, I just haven't vibed with Clive Barker's works so far. To be fair, this reread I did find myself somewhat less annoyed by the experience, so who knows, I might acclimate to him eventually.

The other reread was Rebecca, which I read for the first time last year, and was blown away--why the hell didn't anyone tell me to read Rebecca long ago? Why wasn't I handed a copy of Rebecca when I was 12 so I could obsess over it? Ah well, I can obsess over it now. I think Rebecca is a book which gives you something new every time you read it, I'll have to read it again next year and see what I see.

The sleeper stars this month were The Woman in White (about 8 years ago a uni lecturer said to me, "Oh, I think you should read this, you'd enjoy it!" and dang, but he was right), and Antarctica by Kim Stanley Robinson. I love KSR's Mars trilogy too, but Antarctica really hit me in the feelings about environmentalism and politics and stuff. It makes me want to apply for a job in the Antarctic, while we still have ice at the poles.

[moohnshinescorner]

Book details:

Shattered Dreams by Abbie Roads (Beautiful Nightmare, #3) Publication date: July 11th 2023 Genres: Adult, Dark Romance, Romance

Synopsis:

A crooked cop. Corruption. A woman convicted of murder. A man determined to prove her innocence. When Helena Grayse is released from prison, all she wants is to say a final goodbye to her old life. But when a man finds her trespassing on his property, instead of turning her in, he takes her in. Accepts her. Loves her. But someone decides to serve Helena with a death sentence. Shattered Dreams is the third book in Abbie Roads’ Beautiful Nightmare Series of dark romantic thrillers. It features a felon heroine who never thought she deserved love. If you devour true crime and romance novels then you’ll love a series that combines both in a roller-coaster ride of danger, mind games, and swoon worthy love. Buy this dangerously dark romance today! Trigger warning: Depictions of SA and violence. Previously Published under the title Never Let Me Fall.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123261829-shattered-dreams

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3zr96Nl

MY REVIEW

Wow!!!! This book blew me away. This is almost my favorite in the series. Each book is an intricate web of danger and each book is intertwined into one big huge web. I enjoyed each one immensely.

In this book we get more into Evanee's brother Tommy's story. We find out some more of the horrors that were inflicted upon Evanee and Tommy. And let us just say, they are horrible. So be warned this book is loaded with triggers, rape, physical and emotional abuse and kidnapping. When Tommy sees Helena his grey world becomes bright with colors and he feels a connection that cannot be denied.

Helena has just endured 10 years of abuse at the hands of the Sisters. Now her freedom is here and she doesn't know how to function. Her only mentality is survival. But then she meets the strange man and an unexplainable attraction has her scared and building walls.

This book was dark and dangerous. The story is well written and the author's lays out the storyline in perfect fashion. She does an excellent job of intertwining her stories, so you want to be sure to read them in order. Each book incorporates the story of Fearless and The Bear. Each couple has a unique and strong connection. One that saves them over and over. Each heroine has the power of dreams and a way to save those who are at the hands of evil. Each hero of the story is strong, alpha and part of the BCI working hard to keep the world safe.

These books are amazing reads and they are not PG-13. They are dark, intense and dangerous. There is true evil residing in these stories and to read the characters overcoming evil against all odds is soul lifting. It is an amazing journey. I hope there will be more in this series and they are the perfect mix of heat and mystery.

AUTHOR BIO:

Abbie Roads is the best-selling author of the Fatal Dreams Series and the Fatal Truth Series. Her novels have been finalists in many prestigious contests including The Golden Heart, The Greater Detroit Booksellers Best, The Oklahoma National Readers’ Choice Award, The Write Touch, The Strut Your Stuff Contest, The Aspen Gold Contest, The Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, The Heart of Excellence Readers’ Choice Award, The Midnight Sun, The Kathryn Hayes Contest, The Chanticleer, The Daphne du Maurier, The National Readers’ Choice Award, The New England Readers’ Choice Contest, The Beverly Award, and The Maggie Award. Her debut novel Race the Darkness was Publishers Weekly Top 10 Pick for Fall and Never Let Me Fall is an Amazon Editor’s Pick.

By day Abbie Roads is a mental health counselor always focusing on the bright side. By night she writes on the dark side, putting her characters through the wringer before she gives them their happily-ever-after. She loves a good inspirational quote and is a fan of true crime.

Author links: https://www.abbieroads.com/ https://www.facebook.com/abbieroads2 https://twitter.com/Abbie_Roads https://www.instagram.com/Abbie_Roads/ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8179024.Abbie_Roads

[thatskepticalbitchcara]

Casually asking for you to answer all of them

How many books did you read this year? - 61, but will likely be 62 if i finish what i'm reading rn by tomorrow!

Did you reread anything? What? - yes!! the letters of virginia & vita, the great gatsby, orlando, gone girl, the waves, the collected poems of emily dickinson, and devotions!

What were your top five books of the year? - answered ❤️

Did you discover any new authors that you love this year? - bart d. ehrman if that counts 😂

What genre did you read the most of? - i don't really know how to answer!

Was there anything you meant to read, but never got to? - tons and tons, my reading list has over 1000 books!

What was your average Goodreads rating? Does it seem accurate? - 4.2 and yes loll

Did you meet any of your reading goals? Which ones? -- to read 50 books and some genres that are newer to me and i did both!

Did you get into any new genres? - non fiction.

What was your favorite new release of the year? - i didn't really read any new releases

What was your favorite book that has been out for a while, but you just now read? - everything i never told you by celeste ng!!

Any books that disappointed you? - jamaica inn by daphne du maurier

What were your least favorite books of the year? - valley of the dolls, daisy jones & the six

What books do you want to finish before the year is over? - how jesus became god by bart d. ehrman .. i have a day 😭

Did you read any books that were nominated for or won awards this year (Booker, Women’s Prize, National Book Award, Pulitzer, Hugo, etc.)? What did you think of them? - oh i'm sure but i don't feel like looking it up

What is the most over-hyped book you read this year? - daisy jones & the six EASILY

Did any books surprise you with how good they were? - answered!

How many books did you buy? - only 3

Did you use your library? - answered!

What was your most anticipated release? Did it meet your expectations? - answered

Did you participate in or watch any booklr, booktube, or book twitter drama? - no ❤️

What’s the longest book you read? - poetry of rilke but it's long bc it's a bilingual edition.. not sure otherwise, goodreads only shows me that one!

What’s the fastest time it took you to read a book? - i've read multiple books in one day/sitting

Did you DNF anything? Why? - answered!

What reading goals do you have for next year? - probably setting my goal to 50 again, hoping to beat it, and keep my non fiction streak going. oh, and read more plays.

[allthingsdarkanddirty]

YOU'RE INVITED TO THE SUPPER CLUB

Welcome to Sullivan’s Island, an idyllic beachside town just outside Charleston, South Carolina. This serene, unspoiled sanctuary offers tourists a picturesque taste of the lush Lowcountry while the locals enjoy a laid-back, small-town lifestyle. Amidst an eclectic mix of newcomers and natives, lifelong resident and social maven Tallulah Wentworth’s legendary monthly dinners have united an unlikely group of women into the very best of friends.

To outsiders, this sunny, seaside haven is nothing short of paradise, but the residents of this beachside hamlet know that it harbors its share of troubles. Everyone has an opinion about the most hotly contested local issue—how to manage the maritime forest that’s sprung up on accreted land—and civility is quickly running out at both town council meetings and in online forums.

When a neighborhood meet-and-greet devolves into violence, several pillars of the community are led away in handcuffs. By the next morning, a very real, very dead body is the newest addition to Sarabeth Boone’s spooky Halloween graveyard display. But who could possibly be responsible for such a heinous act?

Did someone finally snap over the mounting tension between conservationists and cutters? Or was this a premeditated act perpetrated by an opportunistic killer masquerading as a trustworthy friend and neighbor?

The Sullivan’s Island Supper Club weaves a tale of mystery, friendship, and love—new love, old love, and second-chance love. Discover the lengths these women will go to protect each other and uncover the truth, even when it shatters the delicate balance of their seemingly perfect lives.

With her uniquely Southern voice, Susan M. Boyer delivers a fast-paced follow-up to the reader-favorite Big Trouble on Sullivan’s Island. Perfect for fans of strong Southern women, twisting tales, and the breathtaking Carolina coast, this charming whodunnit mystery marries scandal and sisterhood for the ultimate reading treat.

Be sure to make your reservation at The Sullivan’s Island Supper Club today!About Susan M. Boyer:Susan M. Boyer is the USA Today bestselling author of thirteen novels. Her debut novel, Lowcountry Boil, won the 2012 Agatha Award for Best First Novel, the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, and garnered several other award nominations. Subsequent books in the Liz Talbot Mystery Series have been nominated for various honors, including Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Okra Picks, the 2016 Pat Conroy Beach Music Mystery Prize, and the 2017 Southern Book Prize in Mystery & Detective Fiction.

Big Trouble on Sullivan’s Island, the first novel in her Carolina Tales series, won the 2024 Independent Publisher Book Award silver medal in Southeast Regional Fiction and was a 2024 National Indie Excellence Award finalist.

Susan is a lifelong Carolinian. She grew up in a small North Carolina town and has lived most of her life in South Carolina. She loves beaches, Southern food, and small towns where everyone knows everyone, and everyone has crazy relatives. You’ll find all of the above in her novels. She and her husband call Greenville, South Carolina, home and spend as much time as possible on the Carolina coast. Find Susan Online! https://susanmboyer.com/links

[mybookplacenet]

Featured Post: Reaching for Forever

About Reaching for Forever: Steam Level: erotic romance For him, it was lust at first sight…For her, she couldn’t take her eyes off of him… CAUTION: Sexy page-turning read, totally unputdownable. #LoveAtFirstSight #SecretBaby #HappyEverAfter Flora Hargrove is a school teacher, a normal kind of gal who is all about family and friends. So when her best friend needs undercover help to save a teen that’s gone missing, she’s all in — stripper pole and all. Of course Mandy wasn’t totally straight with Flora, so when she donned her outfit, or should we say ‘took off her clothes’, she was more than a little embarrassed until it let loose something inside of her she never knew she had. Then one thing led to another and now she’s pregnant (yes, it happened that fast). Rex Reddington is struggling with his new life. He’s literally a jack-of-all-trades and now finds himself helping his PI friend moonlight on a kidnapping case that’s about to come down. Problem? The criminals were onto them and they needed to take cover — so they each took one of the dancers for a lap dance in one of the private rooms. And it should have stopped there. But it didn’t…it went too far. But no regrets. Even when they met months later and he found out he was a soon-to-be dad. You don’t have to be married to be a parent, but there was no way in hell he was letting this one get away. “— an amazing read. This book has it all, intrigue, humor, action, and of course steamy romance. I am going to read more of her books” ~ 5 stars, Amazon Reviewer (Making the Switch) The steamy standalone novels in Tara Eldana’s Kinklink series are best read in order: TAKING THE LEAD MAKING A SWITCH GETTING TO FOREVER REACHING FOR FOREVER Buy the ebook: Buy the Book On Amazon Buy the Book On Barnes & Noble/Nook Buy the Book On Smashwords Buy the Book On iBooks/iTunes Buy the Book On Kobo Link to Series Buy the Print book: Buy the Book On Amazon Buy the Book On Barnes & Noble/Nook Author Bio: I am a very recently retired, multi-award-winning staff writer for a weekly community newspaper chain in metro Detroit. I became hooked on romance fiction when my 11th grade English teacher rejected the book report I wrote, saying the book was much too easy for me, and insisted I read and report on Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca. After some life-changing health issues, and covering over a dozen murder and criminal trials, I decided to write the kind of stories I like to read, stories with happy endings. I love the romance genre and love letting my characters take control of their stories. I write under the pen name of Tara Eldana. Follow the author on social media: Learn more about the writer. Visit the Author's Website Facebook Fan Page Twitter Instagram Read the full article

[cathygeha]

REVIEW

HIS by Amanda McKinney

The Anti-Hero #2

What a wild ride filled with twists and turns and gob smacking moments! Couldn’t put it down!

What I liked:

* Finding out what happened to Sabine :)

* Sabine: survivor, brilliant, savvy, generous, caring, kind, mentor to Brittney, sees more about Astor’s “wife” than most, caring, in love with Astor

* Astor: billionaire, hot tempered, passionate, lethal, conflicted, married to a woman he doesn’t love, has lost many he cares about, has many surprises throughout the book, loves Sabine

* The side romance between nurse Brittney and ex-military employee of Astor’s

* Finding out who killed Astor’s daughter, Chloe

* That I was drawn into the story, felt a part of it, and cared about the characters * The twists, turns, hints, and surprises – some creepy dark things happened

* That I can see why Astor and Sabine were drawn together and clicked

* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing with the brilliant ending

* Wondering if Cillian will have a book of his own

* Being able to really dislike the killer of Chloe

What I didn’t like”

* Who and what I was meant not to like

* Thinking about what people are willing to do for money

* How manipulative and evil one person truly was

Did I like this book? Yes

Would I read more by this author? Definitely!

Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

BLURB

The doctors say I shouldn't be here, but here I am, living, breathing, trying to put together the pieces of my shattered heart. I escaped to a cabin in the middle of the woods. A place far away from Astor Stone, where he couldn’t hurt me again. I expected Astor to find me eventually, just not to be living with him and his ailing wife months later. So here I am, under the guise of the new housekeeper, while Valerie suffers from a slew of medical issues, including short-term amnesia. What is she trying to tell me? And why do I feel like it's a warning? And what does Valerie's new in-home nurse keep seeing out the window? Why is she so nervous all the time? And who really killed Astor's daughter, Chloe? Fans of both domestic thrillers and romantic suspense will love this "fast-paced, jaw-dropping" conclusion to MINE. ✔️ Cold Case Mystery ✔️ Super Steamy ✔️ Jaw-Dropping Twists ✔️ Happily-Ever-After Ending ✔️ Billionaire Romance ✔️ Possessive Anti-Hero

ABOUT the AUTHOR

Amanda McKinney is the Amazon Charts bestselling and multi-award-winning author of more than twenty romance, mystery, and thriller novels. Her books have received over fifteen literary awards and nominations, including the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence, and have been included in lists such as POPSUGAR's 12 Best Romance Books, and featured on the Today Show.

Amanda is represented by Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

Text AMANDABOOKS to 66866 to receive Amanda's newsletter and get the latest on new releases, promos, and freebies!

Follow Amanda on:

Facebook

Instagram

Goodreads

website: https://www.amandamckinneyauthor.com/

[lizfielding99]

Murder in Bloom, the third book in the Maybridge Murder Mystery series is up for pre-order at a launch price of 99p/99c. And Murder Among the Roses #free today, has just won the coveted Daphne du Maurier Award for excellence in crime fiction. Read all about it! (via Murder in Bloom)

[dollycas]

Murder at the Serpentine Bridge (A Wrexford & Sloane Mystery) by Andrea Penrose #Spotlight / #Giveaway

I am still trying to get my reading back on track and bring #Flashback Friday back. Until then . . . Murder at the Serpentine Bridge: A Riveting New Regency Historical Mystery (A Wrexford & Sloane Mystery) Historical Mystery 6th in Series Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Books (September 27, 2022) Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 368 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496732537 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496732538 Paperback ‏ : ‎ 384 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496732545 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496732545 Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09PJ2LTTW Audiobook ASIN B0B64G6MBH For fans of Bridgerton looking for a mysterious twist on the glittering ballrooms of the Regency—a masterfully plotted story from a USA Today bestselling author that combines engaging protagonists with rich historical detail and international intrigue, plus a touch of romance that readers of Amanda Quick and Deanna Raybourn will savor. Charlotte, now the Countess of Wrexford, would like nothing more than a summer of peace and quiet with her new husband and their unconventional family and friends. Still, some social obligations must be honored, especially with the grand Peace Celebrations unfolding throughout London to honor victory over Napoleon. But when Wrexford and their two young wards, Raven and Hawk, discover a body floating in Hyde Park’s famous lake, that newfound peace looks to be at risk. The late Jeremiah Willis was the engineering genius behind a new design for a top-secret weapon, and the prototype is missing from the Royal Armory’s laboratory. Wrexford is tasked with retrieving it before it falls into the wrong hands. But there are unsettling complications to the case—including a family connection. Soon, old secrets are tangling with new betrayals, and as Charlotte and Wrexford spin through a web of international intrigue and sumptuous parties, they must race against time to save their loved ones from harm—and keep the weapon from igniting a new war . . . About the Author Andrea Penrose is the USA Today bestselling author of Regency-era historical fiction, including the acclaimed Wrexford & Sloane mystery series, as well as Regency romances written under the names Andrea Pickens and Cara Elliott. Published internationally in ten languages, she is a three-time RITA Award finalist and the recipient of numerous writing awards, including two Daphne Du Maurier Awards for Historical Mystery and two Gold Leaf Awards. A graduate of Yale University with a B.A. in Art and an M.F.A. in Graphic Design, Andrea fell in love with Regency England after reading Pride and Prejudice and has maintained a fascination with the era’s swirling silks and radical new ideas throughout her writing career. She lives in Connecticut and blogs with a community of historical fiction authors at WordWenches.com. She also can be found at AndreaPenrose.com and on Instagram @AndreaPenroseBooks. Find more books by Andrea Penrose HERE.  I am giving away a Paperback Advanced Review Copy of Murder at the Serpentine Bridge! The contest is open to anyone over 18  with a US or Canadian mailing address. Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited. You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find something you like here and become a follower. Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow. Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Following My Facebook Fan Page. Add this book to your WANT TO READ shelf on GoodReads for 3 Bonus Entries. Follow Kensington Books on Twitter for 2 Bonus Entries! Follow Kensington Publishing on Facebook for 2 Bonus Entries! Pin this giveaway to Pinterest for 3 Bonus Entries. If you share the giveaway on Threads, X, or Facebook or anywhere you will receive 5 Bonus Entries For Each Link. The  Contest Will End August 2, 2024, at 11:59 PM CST The Winner Will Be Chosen Using Random.org The Winner Will Be Notified By Email and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar. Click Here For Entry Form This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Escape With Dollycas. Read the full article

[linneatanner]

Linda Lappin Signatures in Stone#SignaturesinStone #DaphneWinner #Bomarzo #HistoricalMystery #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @LindaLappin1 @cathiedunn

FEATURED AUTHOR: LINDA LAPPIN I’m delighted to welcome Linda Lappin as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour held January 24th – 26th, 2024. She is the author of the Historical Mystery / Art History Mystery, Signatures in Stone: A Bomarzo Mystery (2nd edition), released by Pleasure Boat Studio on November 30, 2023 (290 pages). Below are highlights of Signatures in Stone: A Bomarzo Mystery Doctor,  Linda Lappin’s author bio, and a snippet from her book. Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2023/12/blog-tour-signatures-in-stone-by-linda-lappin.html HIGHLIGHTS: SIGNATURES IN STONE   Signatures in Stone: A Bomarzo Mystery by Linda Lappin Blurb: Captivating critics and readers, SIGNATURES IN STONE, was the OVERALL WINNER in the DAPHNE DU MAURIER AWARDS for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense Writing - best mystery of 2013 Rome, Italy - November 2023 - Pleasure Boat Studio is thrilled to announce the release of the second edition of Linda Lappin's celebrated novel, SIGNATURES IN STONE: A BOMARZO MYSTERY. This captivating suspense tale takes readers on a thrilling journey through the enigmatic Monster Park of Bomarzo, also known as the Sacred Wood, an extraordinary Baroque sculpture garden in Italy. With the 500th anniversary of the park's creation, this edition is accompanied by a magnificent new cover and a series of Tarot card illustrations by Santa Fe artist Carolyn Florek. In SIGNATURES IN STONE, readers are transported to the atmospheric setting of the Monster Park of Bomarzo, a sixteenth-century garden adorned with mythical creatures believed to represent a terrifying journey into the realm of nightmares. Against this backdrop, four travelers find themselves intertwined in a fate-driven Italian holiday. Daphne, a British writer of occult mysteries, her down-on-his-luck aristocratic publisher Nigel, the aspiring artist and American gigolo Clive, and the art historian Professor Finestone, all converge in a dilapidated villa near the park. They are attended by rustic servants who harbor secrets of their own. Professor Finestone has made a groundbreaking discovery, revealing that the garden was designed by one of Italy's greatest artists as a transformative experience that delves into the shadow side of life. Over the centuries, the park's meanders continue to influence the minds and destinies of those who venture within. As the group explores their heart's desires amidst the haunting sculptures, they become entangled in a web of intrigue and danger. When Daphne, renowned for writing cozy murder tales, becomes the prime suspect in a shocking homicide, she must confront her own darkness and rely on her sleuthing skills to uncover the terrifying truth. Linda Lappin's gripping tale presents an intriguing exploration of gardens in Renaissance Italy, where they were regarded as tools for altering consciousness and changing destiny. The Monster Park of Bomarzo becomes the backdrop for a "Gothic-in-Wonderland" phantasmagoria, immersing readers in a suspenseful and thrilling journey. New Edition of Linda Lappin's Award-Winning SIGNATURES IN STONE: A BOMARZO MYSTERY Commemorates the 500th Anniversary of the Monster Park. Praise: “Layers of mystery are woven into Linda Lappin's beautifully written and atmospheric historical novel set in Bomarzo, Italy's enigmatic park of stone monsters.”~ Gigi Pandian, author of The Accidental Alchemist. “Deftly mixing fascinating art history and murder with an exotic atmospheric setting (the Bomarzo garden actually exists), dramatic historical period (1928 fascist Italy), and fully fleshed characters, Lappin (The Etruscan) has written a hallucinatory gothic mystery in which no one is as they appear. Daphne is a most memorable, if a bit unreliable, narrator. Readers looking for an intelligent summer mystery will find much to savor here.” ~ Wilda Williams, Library Journal Buy Link: Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/mYDWvd AUTHOR BIO: LINDA LAPPIN   Linda Lappin, poet, translator, novelist, and travel writer is the prize-winning author of four novels: The Etruscan (Wynkin deWorde, 2004); Katherine’s Wish (Wordcraft, 2008), dealing with the last five years of Katherine Mansfield’s life; Signatures in Stone: A Bomarzo Mystery (Pleasureboat Studio, 2013,2023), overall winner of the Daphne Du Maurier award for the best mystery novel of 2013; and Loving Modigliani: The Afterlife of Jeanne Hébuterne (Serving House Books, 2020), 2021 Daphne Du Maurier award finalist and shortlisted for the 2021 Montaigne Medal for Books of Distinction. She is also the author of The Soul of Place: Ideas and Exercises for Conjuring the Genius Loci, (Travelers Tales, 2015), winner of a Nautilus Award in the category of creativity in 2015. A former Fulbright scholar to Italy, she has lived mainly in Rome for over thirty years. She is at work on a second Daphne Dublanc mystery novel, Melusine, set in Bolsena. The second edition of Signatures in Stone (2023) has been issued to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Monster Park. Author Links: Website: https://www.lindalappin.net Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindaLappin1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindaLappinAuthor/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/linda_lappin_author/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@linda_lappin_author Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/lindalappin.bsky.social Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/linda-lappin Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/lindalappin Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1157178.Linda_Lappin SNIPPET: SIGNATURES IN STONE   Behind me, the moonlit villa seemed dwarfed by the shadowy mass of the ridge overhanging it, where the old stone houses and towers of the town clung to the edge like moldering teeth set in a jawbone. The gate to the park was locked, of course, and tall walls of shaggy yew hedges obscured the view within. I peered in through the iron bars, but all I could see was a gray sphinx crouching at the head of a path vanishing amid the thick vegetation where boulders were visible beyond. The statues in the park portrayed a series of monstrous, imaginary creatures—denizens of a pagan hell, or, perhaps, allegories of the seven cardinal sins. The place was known to local legend as “the Monster Park.” That’s all I knew about our destination, which had been explained during our journey down from Paris. As an author of mystery stories, I confess I found it all quite appealing. Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub Bluesky Handle: @lindalappin @cathiedunn.bsky.social Read the full article

[qudachuk]

The award-winning Canadian graphic novelist’s account of a young woman whose widower husband has a dark secret about his first wife is vividly drawn and masterfully plottedIn Daphne du Maurier’s 1938 gothic novel Rebecca, a young woman marries a...

[larissareinhart]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Past Perfect Press (@pastperfectpress)

Read the Cherry Tucker Mysteries free on Kindle Unlimited! “LAUGH-OUT-LOUD FUNNY AND AS SOUTHERN AS SWEET TEA AND CHEESE GRITS” From Wall Street Journal bestselling and international award-winning author, Larissa Reinhart, it's a "country-fried mystery series with a side dish of romance, sure to tickle your funny bone and keep you guessing." The sassy and southern Cherry Tucker cozy mystery series includes a Woman’s World Magazine 2018 book club pick, Georgia Author of the Year finalists, Daphne Du Maurier finalist, The Emily finalist, Dixie Kane Memorial Winner, and Night Owl Review top pick. “Reinhart is a truly talented author and this book was one of the best cozy mysteries we reviewed this year. We highly recommend this book to all lovers of mystery books.” – Mystery Tribune #kindleunlimited #cherrytuckermysteries #kindleunlimitedmysteries #cozymystery #cozymysterylover https://www.instagram.com/p/Cq6ktfKPcri/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=