30 September, 2016

Raven’s peak by Lincoln Cole - [Book Review]

Book Details:

Title: Raven’s Peak
Author: Lincoln Cole
Genre: Super natural thriller, paranormal, fiction
Number of pages: 262
Publisher: Lincoln Cole publishing


Blurb:

A quiet little mountain town is hiding a big problem. When the townsfolk of Raven’s Peak start acting crazy, Abigail Dressler is called upon to find out what is happening. She uncovers a demonic threat unlike any she’s ever faced and finds herself in a fight just to stay alive.

She rescues Haatim Arison from a terrifying fate and discovers that he has a family legacy in the supernatural that he knows nothing about. Now she’s forced to protect him, which is easy, and also trust him if she wants to save the townsfolk of Raven’s Peak. Trust, however, is considerably more difficult for someone who grew up living on the knife’s edge of danger.

Can they discover the cause of the town’s insanity and put a stop to it before it is too late?

My Review:

This is my first supernatural thriller. Somehow, I don't like this genre as everything written is unbelievable. But, this book caught my attention due to gripping narration and suspense.

The story is about Abigail, a hunter of supernatural elements in the world, who is appointed by a secret society. While she goes to a small town 'Raven’s peak' to enquire about supernatural activity in the camp grounds she remembers her past and she has to attack a dangerous demon not only to save the people inRaven's peak from becoming crazy but also to know an important truth about her foster father and mentor. Will she be able to kill that demon with her skills? How a stranger 'Haatim', whom she rescued from a danger is helpful? What other secrets she will find in this quest? This forms, the remaining story.

This book is part1 of the series 'World on Fire'. The plot and narration are interesting. The book cover is fantastic. Actually, I loved the book in bits and pieces. I loved the episode of Abi remembering her past, Abi giving the information on Ninth circle to Haatim, the boy possessed by a demon, Haatim and Abi exploring the caves etc., Since this is part 1, I will get better continuity after reading the second part when available. Overall, it is a good book, But, It didn't meet my expectations of a fast paced thriller. But, plot and character-wise, it's dealt perfectly well.

MyRating: 3.5/5

Ps: I have received the book from the author in exchange of an honest review and this is my unbiased opinion on the book.

Purchase link:

Amazon

About the Author:

Lincoln Cole was born and lives in Columbus, Ohio. He is twenty-nine years old and has been writing novels his entire life. He works in the IT industry developing web applications and writing software.

He is married, has a pugamonster named Luther, and enjoys writing in his spare time. Writing and telling stories keeps him sane.

He was inspired to start writing by the works of George R.R. Martin, Isaac Asimov, and Stephen King. He is currently working on several titles, including the follow up to Graveyard of Empires as well as three new series.

Growing up, he worked in the horse racing industry with his grandparents for many years and won an award writing a short story for Hoof Beats magazine while in High School. He had since won the Visionary/Inspirational YA award from Literary Classics in 2015.

Until next time,

22 September, 2016

03:02 by Mainak Dhar - [Book Review]


Book Details:

Title: 03:02
Author: Mainak Dhar
Publishers: Westland
No of pages:340
Genre: thriller, fiction

Source: A free review copy from the author through www.writersmelon.com


Book Blurb:

At 03:02 on a Sunday morning, the world as we knew it came to an end.
Mumbai suddenly went black — no electricity, no phones, no internet and no working cars. It was as if someone had turned off the master switch of our civilization, turning us back hundreds of years overnight. We learned that it was not just Mumbai, but much of the world that had been impacted.

We also learned that it was no accident. A deadly enemy was behind it. An enemy that was now in our midst, seeking to conquer us and destroy our way of life. This is how our war for freedom began. A war that was to be waged not on the borders or by the Army, but in our homes and streets, with us as the soldiers.
This is our story.

My Review:
This is my second book of Mainak Dhar and I expected this to be a thriller too like first one
The chronicles of the undead. I loved the chronicles, you can read my review here.

The plot of 03:02 is good. This is the story of a common man who defend and attack terrorists with a strategy when he works with many people who beleive in fighting back together than waiting for someone else to rescue them. But, the narration and pace made it boring for me. I actually skipped some pages as there is too much detailed information on plan and strategy of attack with terrorists.

The way the author has narrated the story, it might have made a great movie with some emotional drama. It is good to read about different people and their thoughts when they are presented with a tough situation which they haven't faced earlier in their lives. But, the emotional connect was missing in the book. Usually in novels, we connect to the characters by reading the different layers of their characters and their emotions. Here, other than Adi and Megha, we cannot connect with other characters as book readers. The book seemed too much focused on Adi most of the time, which I didn't like. 

The title and cover are apt. I loved the message re-iterated at many places of the book about fighting back together than losing hope. 

My favourite lines of the book:

If your whole world is painted black, you can start to light it up again. All it needs is for each of us to realize that we should stop waiting for someone else to provide the spark; that the spark lies within each of us.


I recommend this book to someone who love strategies and war attacks. There is a good message too. But, if you love fast paced thrillers, you can give it a skip.

My Rating: 3.5/5

PS: I have received a free review copy in exchange of an honest review and this is my unbiased opinion on the book.


Purchase links:


Flipkart


About the Author:

After finishing his schooling at Modern School, Barakhamba Road and his under-graduation at Hindu College, Delhi, Mainak Dhar graduated from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. He has spent two decades in the corporate sector — starting with Procter & Gamble in India. He spent eighteen years with P&G, fifteen of them outside India across the Asia Pacific region. In 2014, he moved back to India as the CEO of the India operations of a major consumer products multinational. 

A self-described cubicle dweller by day and writer by night, Mainak is also the author of over a dozen books, some of which have been bestsellers in India and abroad. These books have been translated into Turkish, Vietnamese, Japanese, French, German and Portuguese. He lives in Mumbai with his wife, Puja, and their son, Aaditya. When not at work or with his family, he can usually be found working on, or thinking about his next book. Learn more about him and contact him atwww.facebook.com/AuthorMainakDhar.


Until next time,








14 September, 2016

Lady of the bridge by Laura Kitchell - Book Spot light







Historical Romance
Date Published:  September 2016




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Forbidden love between a warrior princess and an elite samurai makes for an adventure set during the early days of the Tokugawa shogunate. Join this couple in a race across 17th century Japan where political unrest has created dangerous ronin, civil uprisings, and war-ravaged castles. Caught in the middle of the struggle between Shogun's rise to rule and the old regime, this warrior princess is forced to battle for her life.
In the end, she must choose between family honor and her heart's desire.
Other Books by Laura Kitchell:






Lady of the Imperial City
Published: May 2015
Historical Romance

Love isn’t forbidden to Lady Kirei as long as it’s with a proper gentleman of Kyō and she doesn’t mind sharing him with his wife. Her provincial upbringing makes her socially unacceptable as a true wife, yet as a lady by birth and a court favorite, her position makes it impossible for her to seek a match below her station. She’s trapped.

When a nobleman of similar provincial upbringing arrives in town and becomes an instant favorite of the emperor, he is sent to Lady Kirei for tutoring on city ways. Lord Yūkan is smitten, but she’s not a conquest to be won. She’s a woman of substance and worth, and she’s off limits.

Despite his unrefined manners, Lord Yūkan’s aristocratic bloodline shows through his fine taste and quick mind. It doesn’t hurt that he’s handsome, too. As he begins to touch her heart, Lady Kirei is ever mindful that they can’t commit, especially when her uncle schemes to make her a consort to a prince.

Will her family’s honor relegate her to the shadow-life of a consort, or can love find a way?


About the Author




Laura Kitchell lives in Virginia. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Chesapeake Romance Writers. She lived in Japan as a child and has a love and respect for Japanese history and culture.


Contact Links


Purchase Links


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Until next time,

Hostile Workplace by A M Madden - Book Promo



Contemporary Romance
Date Published:  September 6, 2016


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Sam Stanton knows these simple facts:


~ He is a great catch―successful, smart, gorgeous…but the wrong woman caught him.
~ He has the perfect girl who is madly in love with him.
~ He wasted six years of his life by playing it safe.
~ He is damn good at his job and intends to keep climbing the ladder.
~ He can’t get her off his mind or out of his heart―no matter how hard he tries.


But, what he doesn’t know is just as important:


~ Will he ever really move on and forget how badly she broke his heart?
~ Should he settle for a sure thing, even knowing it’s the wrong thing?
~ Can he give up his career for a chance at happiness?
~ Does he correct one mistake with another?
~ What would he do if she were to return?
Confused yet? Welcome to Sam Stanton’s life.

Excerpt
  
“Where are we going?” she asked breathily as I literally dragged her toward the back of the bar.

“I don’t know yet.”

“We can go to my place.”

“Later.”

She clutched my hand as we passed the billiard room, the bathrooms, and an office. The narrow hallway had a few more doors before it ended with an exit door, which I assumed led to the back alley. We turned each doorknob we passed along the way, and the last one before the exit finally opened. I cut my eyes to the right to be sure no one saw us and pushed her inside, firmly shutting the door. As I fumbled on the wall for a light switch, my hand landed on the plastic toggle and I flipped it on.

We were standing in a storage closet lined with shelving. It was so small there was barely enough room for the two of us. Her pale eyes landed on mine, adjusting to the dim light.

What was I doing?

Doubt began to fester until I witnessed a stunning smile slowly spread across her face. My eyes watched her hands skim my chest to land on the waistband of my jeans. Our foreheads touched when both of our eyes focused on the motion her hands made, first unbuttoning and then unzipping.

Before my zipper hit the last tooth, my doubt took a hike.

It was hard to wrap my drunken brain around the fact that I had her with me for the taking in a supply closet. Just as her hand slipped inside the waistband of my briefs, the switch that controlled me for so fucking long flipped in my head, causing all hell to break loose.

I grabbed her hands and pushed her back against the door. The sudden shift in our bodies forced a gasp just before I crashed my lips to hers. Every moan she made I swallowed with my mouth. Our tongues frantically danced with the many years’ worth of pent-up sexual tension between us.



About the Author





USA Today bestselling author A.M. Madden achieved Amazon Best Selling status with her debut in contemporary romance, The Back-Up Series. A.M. Madden is a wife, a mother, an avid reader of romance novels and now an author. In Back-up she aspired to create a fun, sexy, realistic romantic story. She wanted to create characters that the reader could relate to and feel as if they knew personally. A self proclaimed hopeless romantic, she loves getting lost in a good book. Using every free moment of her time while raising teen-age boys, A.M. Madden plans to continue writing, as it now become a second career.




Contact Links


Purchase Links



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Until next time,

Metro Diaries 2 by Namrata - [Book Review]

About the Book:



Give life another chance. Laugh a little longer. let go of your past. Hold onto what you love. In short LIVE rather than just exist!

Some told, some untold, some heard and some unheard - this collection of stories will make you look at life in a different light and make you ponder over its definition of it till now.

Goodreads I Amazon








My Review:

I love short stories and I enjoyed reading the first book of Namrata earlier. So, I have my expectations set already before reading the book and this book has met all my expectations without fail.

Namrata's stories look very real and reflect our daily lives. Reviewing a short story book is difficult. But, since I loved most of the stories I could easily rate it to 4.5/5.

I cannot review each and every story in a single post, so sharing my opinion on first few stories of the book. I would recommend this book to everyone who loves short stories.



1. The charlaran
This is the story of a compassionate woman who is honest and selfless in her life. When she found out the cunning nature of her husband to their maid's family, what she does is unimaginable. 
Honest people who are selfless and care for others like Ambali are rare to find these days. It might be a difficult decision for her with such a long wait to punish someone, but doing something than watching the wrong doings is appreciated.

2. The labour of love
I wouldn't say this is a story but an amalgamation of thoughts that are wandering around some memories. I couldn't relate it to the title, but loved these lines and my head nods in agreement reading these lines.

Not all journeys of life take you somewhere, some are meant to mislead so that you know what the right path is!

3. Magpie of memories
A heart touching story of a transgender. I am glad that it ended happily. The author explains Cara's feelings very clearly as if we are listening to Cara directly.
I think, the USP of the author is to take us deep dive into the characters effortlessly.

4. Stain in the saree
Ah.. such a lovely story! I know, some relationships are different and while reading the story, i wished I had a sister like Boudi di. 

5. The flich
Wow! An interesting story with love, betrayal and twists. 
Loved these lines in the story

When you love someone you want to control everything that person does and hence, sometimes, knowingly or unknowingly you squash them like melons. While on the other hand in the case of hate, there is no need to specify the reason for walking over someone like that.  Hate is a strong reason in itself
6. The curse of existence 
Very touching story about girls and restrictions imposed on them. 

7. A veil thy love
Ha ha.. fantastic story which has a surprising element in it. Enjoyed it.

8. The Keepsake is about empathy and compassion. Sometimes, even with well paid off salaries we think a lot when it comes to finances. But, what Saru does is great and it shows a real example of humanity and selflessness.

Ps: I have received this book from the author in exchange of an honest review and this is my unbiased opinion on the book.

About the Author:




Namrata is A Lost Wanderer who loves travelling the length and breadth of the world. A published author in various anthologies and magazines she enjoys capturing the magic of life in her words. She is forever in pursuit of a new country and a new story.


Contact the Author:


Website * Facebook * Twitter

Until next time,










13 September, 2016

Bossy Flossy by Paulette Bogan - [Book Review]


Book Description:

Flossy is the bossiest girl around. She's bossy at home and she's bossy in school. She's bossy to her friends and she's bossy to her cat. Sometimes she's even bossy to her teacher! Flossy doesn't understand why no one will listen to her. One day, Flossy meets Edward, a boy who may be just as bossy as she is. Has Flossy finally met her match?

Buy the Book:

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Depository, Chapters Indigo









My Review:
This the story of a girl Flossy, who enjoys bossying around. She always thinks her way is the best way and others always have to obey her. She even bossies her mother and teacher and get punishments. Still, she never realizes her mistake. She meets her new friend Edward in school who is as bossy as she is and this friendship makes her learn one important lesson in her life. You have to read this book to your kids to know more.

I have read this to my 2 year and 5 year old and they both enjoyed the story a lot. The illustrations are very good. Even I loved the illustrations and enjoyed reading to them showing pictures. There are no difficult words and the story is easy to understand for a kid. The cover of the book, quality of paper and bind of the book are worthy a mention. I felt, it's safe to give this book to my 2 year old as he cannot tear it while flipping pages ☺

Overall, this is a perfect children's book.

My Rating: 5/5

Author's Bio:

Paulette Bogan admits she was bossy as a child. She is the author and illustrator ofVirgil & Owen, which was chosen as one of Bank Street Best Children's books of the Year 2016, Virgil & Owen Stick Together, which won a Mom's Choice Award Gold Medal for Picture Books, and Lulu The Big Little Chick, which won a Children's Choice Book Award. She lives in New York City with her husband, three daughters, and two dogs. They ALL think she is STILL bossy. But they've never told her to go to her room!

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Until next time,







12 September, 2016

San Antonio Missions - A photo tour #MondayMusings

San Antonio is a historical place. It played a significant role when the Republic of Texas is formed and later when it became a state in the United States of America.

The historic Payaya Indians used to live here at San Antonio River which they called 'Yanaguana'. In late 1716, Spanish people from missionaries in Mexico arrived here, and thus Spanish settlement started. They started the mission 'Mission De Valero', which is known as 'Alamo' now. They constructed other missions as well and converted the natives to Catholics and taught them to live as Spaniards to keep them under the control of Spain. 

Later, when Mexico is liberated from Spain rule, the Republic of Texas is formed and The Alamo actually served as a battled field for the liberation of Texas. Thus, San Antonio also got the name 'The Alamo City'. In 1845, the Unites states included Texas as a state in the Union.

San Antonio Missions


The tour of San Antonio's missions covers the above history. Now, let me take you through the photo tour :-)


The Alamo, from where the City got the name


Mission Conception

The missions of San Antonio are far more than churches. They are communities. We can see mud houses where the natives lived, the old churches, farms, and ranch. 

More than a church, Mission Conception was also a village, fort, school, farm, and ranch. Though the missions are ruined to some extent with time, archeologists were successful in preserving the old paintings on the walls as well.


War memorial near Alamo


Mission Espada


Sorry for the long shot, It's Mission San Jaun 


Beautiful carvings at Mission San Jose


A big tree with lot of branches near Mission San Jose
Mission SanJose, loved the carvings
Out of all missions, Mission San Jose is beautiful. The carvings are preserved till this time. The church is great but photography is not allowed inside without special permission from Paster.

 San Antonio's mission is a world heritage site. All the missions are covered along the path of 13 miles and it is difficult to cover all of them on the same day if it is hot summer. It might take around 4 hours to cover all these by car by stopping at each mission for at least 30 mins. The missions are open from 9 am to 5.30 pm daily. The Mission Alamo, is open till 8 pm now in summer. Check this official site for more information.

Linking this to #MondayMusings hosted by Corinne at Everyday Gyaan.

#MondayMusings
Until next time,

11 September, 2016

Ashia by L E Thomas - Book Spot Light



Science Fiction/Fantasy
Date Published: August 13, 2016

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Plagued by nightmarish visions of apocalyptic battles and burning victims crawling across the desert sands, the slave girl known as Shanda has been trying to keep her growing gift hidden from her abusive master as she knows being able to see images of the future is a cursed gift carrying the King’s ultimate punishment.
But as her tribe seeks solace from the deadly raids by the Mazomi Clan in their magical airships by moving toward the legendary Spire of Ashia, Shanda discovers her past will soon clash with a dangerous future.
A new epic tale full of adventure and discovery by the author of Star Runners, Ashia brings you a story of a world mired in secrets, oppression and a decades-old cover up that could alter the course of events for the entire planet.
This book is a sci-fantasy novel.





Excerpt


The Royal Guard surged forward like a living wave. Grev cut through the men, his sword slashing through their flesh like a rabid animal. He ignored his tiring muscles. He couldn’t feel the wounds from counter attacks, his blood igniting like the fires of the stars.

Spinning, he hurled guards into their comrades, using the close quarters of the hall to his advantage. He yelled as a knife penetrated his bicep. Without stopping, he yanked the weapon from his body and hurled it through the face of an attacker.

A force hit him from behind—an arrow piercing his back. He fell to his knees, swinging his sword with his remaining strength. A blade hit his forehead, splitting his skin. Warm blood spilled into his eyes. Strong hands clasped his shoulders, preventing him from falling into darkness.

“At least, you cannot have my wife,” Grev breathed, his muscles failing as the guards restrained him to the floor. “She has fled beyond your reach.”

The Baron stepped forward, a torch in his hand.

“Oh, no, my dear Captain, we already have her.” He held the fire close to Grev’s face and laughed. “The Captain of his Royal Guard. Bah!”

Blunt force thumped into the back of his head and darkness took him.



About the Author





L.E. Thomas lives in Georgia with his wife and rescued dog where he is currently working on his next novel.


Contact Links

  

 Purchase Links

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Until next time,

06 September, 2016

Mummy's Little Angel by JW Lawson - [Book Review]

Book Details:

Book Title: Mummy's Little Angel by JW Lawson
Category: Adult fiction, 294 pages
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Publisher: Friesen Press
Release date: June 6, 2016
Content Rating: R (Because of the subject matter and language level, the target audience would most likely be adults ages eighteen years and up who have an appetite for horror. Fans of VC Andrews, Thomas Harris, and Gillian Flynn will be open to Mummy’s Little Angel. There are references to sex, S&M, bad language and rape.)

Book Description:

Joanne didn’t believe that her life could become worse than it already was. She had lost everybody and everything she had loved. She was alone. Surely she had suffered enough? The press had called her identical twins psychopaths. Her Maggie. Her Annie. But she still loved them, even though one of them had killed her husband, Jeff. Joanne believed that his murder had been an accident. How could one of her girls be a murderer? She knew them better than anybody else. They were good girls really.

She just had to prove it.

The brutal murder of her god-daughter Laura had never been solved. Items were missing when Laura’s remains had been discovered: clues that could lead to the capture of her killer. One of them was Laura’s doll … the doll that Joanne later discovered in her home. Joanne is facing the most horrific dilemma of her life. Has the wrong woman been imprisoned? Could her child have used such brutality against her best friend? Or could both women be innocent after all?

She needs to find somebody for her daughter to confide in; somebody she will trust. She needs a miracle. There is only one person who can help. He is compassionate and caring, with an amazing ability to gain the trust of the most difficult patients. He is Joanne's only hope. He is Jonathan Davies.

My Review:

The story is about a mother Joanne and her 2 twin daughters Annie and Maggie who are her little angels. A mother always loves her children however they might be.  Joanne couldn't accept when one or both of her daughters are psychopaths and murdered a few brutally. There is also a confusion on who is the killer out of those twins as both lie and try to look innocent. While she is weak with her illness, her mother’s past also depress her a lot. 

The story is written as a journal of Joanne and her daughters. This gave the reader an opportunity to understand the feelings of each character from their perspective. Still, the suspense continues and we will also be confused as Joanne on which daughter is evil. 

I loved the way the plot is revealed in the form of a diary. Characters are intriguing and unpredictable which made this novel a good suspense thriller. The book cover is scary and the title is very apt. The characterization and the narration are perfect though i felt the pace slowed a bit in the middle. 

Overall, a fantastic read. 

My Rating: 5/5
Ps: I have received this book in exchange of an honest review through iread book tours and this is my honest opinion on the book.

Meet the Author:


Award Wining Author, JW Lawson is already gaining recognition for her writing talents in the US and world-wide. The second of a trilogy of sensational thrillers,Mummy's Little Angel is the winner of the highly acclaimed Worlds Best Story competition and has also received some outstanding reviews from the professional team of judges in the competition. She is currently writing her third thriller, Crossroads which will be available in 2017 and the final book of the current series, Hush Little Baby will be available in 2018.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Until next time,

04 September, 2016

Full Circle by Kevin E Hatt - Book Spot Light


Crime, Mystery 
Date Published: September 1, 2016
A Haszard Narrative


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When asked to look into the death of a man in a town known for pagan connections, Haszard quickly makes progress, and it isn't long before matters become dangerous. With little to work with, Haszard makes progress, yet the task is a daunting one, and not everyone he encounters is friendly.
Collating interesting and significant information from various sources along the way, Haszard has to link factors linked with the past, and as he does so, he realizes that in order to save someone from certain death, he is in a race against time.
Other Books in A Haszard Narrative Series

A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

Unfortunate in life and unlucky in love, the mysterious Haszard is intrigued by the death of an acquaintance at the local hospital, in which he works. Suspicious about the circumstances, he begins to look into the matter, meeting the woman of his dreams along the way.

After joining forces a local businessman, he speaks to a number of people, discovering irregularities in the life of the murdered woman. As he makes progress, he realises that the key to the matter lies in the dark and murky world of drug dealers, and has to face the possibility that the killer may well be someone he knows . . .

MAPS, LEGENDS AND MISDEMEANOURS

When asked to frame an old map, Haszard discovers that it’s linked to lost valuables from the past. Intrigued, he begins looking into the legend, discovering there to be cryptic clues on the map that must be deciphered. Unfortunately, though, Haszard isn’t the only person interested in the whereabouts of the missing items, and the other contingent resorts to violent tactics, which leads to a chilling climax . . .

PHOENIX FROM THE FLAME

When told by a former colleague that she saw her dead husband walking around a quaint market town, Haszard’s curiosity is engaged. As he begins to look into the matter, he unearths a number of facts that lead him to believe that there’s more to the sighting than merely a dead man walking. Also, there are people who are prepared to kill for something that’s worth a lot of money . . .

THE HEIRLOOM REPOSITORY

Haszard is asked to look for a family’s missing inheritance. Guided by words provided by a medium, he goes about the case with his typical fervour. Side-tracked by other matters, and spooked by a mysterious man in the woods, Haszard soon comes to realise that he isn’t alone in his quest, and persons unknown are not afraid to kill . . .

RACE FOR THE PRIZE

When on holiday with his friends, Haszard sees a girl who went missing a number of weeks previous. Fuelled with his usual determination, he sets about looking into the matter, although all is not as it appears, and it isn’t long before matters become eventful.
Having befriended a local artist, Haszard moves closer to an answer, yet the odds are stacked heavily against him. In order to win through, he must endure his most arduous and perilous challenge yet . . .

NO REASON FOR INSANITY

Intrigued by the bizarre events surrounding the murder of a friend, Haszard is asked by the family to look into the matter. Against the advice of his friends, he begins making enquiries, and is disturbed when he realizes that it may well be someone he knows. As progress is made, further events occur, endangering the life of Haszard and his friends, and he is forced to delve into the deepest recesses of his resourcefulness . . .

Excerpt 


     Driving away we agreed that a chat with Ed Loughmann, a friend of ours who owned a number of pubs, clubs, and gyms, along with a security protection service for the local businesses, would be of value. My immediate thought was to look obviously at what had been said, therefore finding out something about Paul Tudor should be the first move. If anyone could find out anything about him, it would be Ed. Once we had some facts on the table, we’d then be able to look at the situation differently.
     Another immediate thought was the fact that Dean had been in Lamesford, a place that he was unfamiliar with. With him being a creature of habit, this threw up a major question, possibly even being the key to the entire affair; however, it was far too early for blind conjecture.
     Our destination was a pub owned by Ed—the Railway Tavern, the jewel in Ed’s crown. A grand old building in the area of the main rail depot, the Tavern stood out as out of place. Ed had refurbished every aspect of the establishment, from the interior and exterior decor through to the catering, which was among the finest around.
     After parking up we made our way in to see Ed sitting at his usual table, grinning as we approached. Ed was ex-British Special Forces, and in his early forties. He had short light-brown hair, and stood at around six feet, his features somewhat rugged, though they brightened considerably when he smiled.
     “Sabrina, you survived the weekend with this lunatic. Congratulations,” Ed said, raising himself, holding a seat out for Sabrina, and leaving me to fend for myself as always. Ed was an imposing figure, feared by the local criminals. He ran a security service for local businesses and select private residences. “No mishaps or misdemeanors we should hear about?”
     “Other than eyeing the waitress up, no,” Sabrina said, smiling at me.
     “I was only returning her admiring glances,” I defended. “Is it my fault I’m irresistible? Who’s for a drink?”
     Ed told me what he’d like, and I returned minutes later to see Ed with a serious expression. “Sabrina’s told me. Why don’t you leave this one alone?” He paused and looked around the room. “Did you hear that? That was the sound of me wasting my breath!”
     I grinned. “I don’t think there’s anything dangerous this time.”
     “Haszard, you say that every time, and every bloody time it gets worse,” Ed said bluntly. “What’s more, this happened in bloody Lamesford of all places!”
     “I don’t know Lamesford; what’s it like?’ I said, realizing that I’d regret asking.
     “It’s full of inbred bloody sheep-shaggers that still consider cows lying down as a weather forecast. They’re all as mad as March hares, worshipping and sacrificing God alone knows what!”
     “It can’t be that bad,” I said, suddenly thinking back to the name. Lamesford, I should point out is actually pronounced lambs-ford. I thought, there can’t be anything in that, surely.
     “I’ve heard a few things about it,” Sabrina said. “I’ve a cousin who lived there. She didn’t for long. She couldn’t get away fast enough.”
     I shook my head. “All we’re doing is finding out why he was seen in Southington at the moment of his death. If anything, we’ll be concentrating our efforts there.”
     Ed didn’t look convinced. “If laddo did the big splat in Lamesford, I’d say that Lamesford is where you’ll be looking, unless Old Nick had a hand in it, of course.”
     “Ed!” Sabrina snapped. “Dean was the brother of an old friend of mine!”
     Ed held his hands up. “I’m sorry. It’s just that I can’t see his death having anything to do with Southington, that’s all.”
     “I suppose you’re right,” I said, “but I’ll have to bear Southington in mind. It may hold the key as to why he was seen by another party, but why he was killed—well, that’ll be another matter. Maybe it is something to do with Southington, maybe it isn’t. You putting the feelers out on this Paul Tudor would come in handy, though.”
     Ed raised his eyes to the heavens. “How did I know that was coming? When do you want the info for?”
     “Tomorrow would be great,” I said.
     “No pressure, then,” Ed said with a wry smile. “On one condition.”
     “Go on.”
     “We’ve a twenty-twenty match next Friday. You’re captain.” For those not in the know, twenty-twenty is cricket.
     I smiled. “You just try stopping me.”
     “Good man.”
     I thought back to Grace’s call and the request for Phil to pick her up from Cardiff. “Ed, can you get Phil to call Grace? She wants him to pick her up from the airport and says to take his overnight bag. Apparently, there’s a party on.”
     Ed grimaced and sighed heavily. “If it’s anything like the last one, we may not see him for a few days, and I need my members of staff here.”
     “I’m sure it won’t be for long,” I said.
     Ed looked me in the eye. “Haz, that bloody mad woman creates chaos wherever she goes. Yes, Phil has a few days of leave, but I’d like him compos mentis when he gets back. Whoever has shares in rubber, I’d say they’re in for a decent payout. Anyway, now for some good news, your car should be ready in the next week or so. I had a sneak preview and it looks better than it ever did.”
     “Great,” I said excitedly. My car was badly damaged due to a fire a month or so back. I used to work part-time at the hospital and spend the rest of the time at my shop, but I’d been working in theatres full-time of late, having to use Sabrina’s cabriolet, or Grace’s V12 five hundred-horsepower rocket of a car, when I wasn’t cadging lifts here and there. “Ed, I could kiss you.”
     Ed shook his head. “Haz, I know how much you love that roadster, but there’s no need to come across as a bloody pansy.”



About the Author





Kevin E. Hatt is the author of the Haszard series of narratives. His interest in writing began at school, and he carried it on into his twenties, writing for fun. He wrote the first two Haszard stories in the late eighties, but shelved the project until 2009, when he revived and updated it, going on to write seventeen stories. With the stories having been well received by friends, Kevin published the first five books, and after good reviews is furthering the project.
In 1984 he commenced his training as an Operating Department Practitioner, rising to the height of deputy head, before leaving the profession in 1999 to pursue his other love, that of art. Kevin worked as an art consultant, demonstrator, teacher, retailer and framer, but returned to the medical profession in 2010. His main passions are cricket, running, humour, ale and curries. He lives with his wife of twenty-five years and his twenty-three-year-old daughter. Kevin has never been to Ipswich. Or Scunthorpe.


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Until next time,

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