Marina Fiorato - Daughter of Sienna

With a string of hits behind her (The Glassblower of Murano, The Madonna of the Almonds and The Botticelli Secret) Marina Fiorato surely has a top seller again with her fourth novel, Daughter of Sienna. 

From the sumptuous cover and the note, 'For her nineteenth birthday, she was given a necklace and a husband', to the hint, on the back jacket, of intrigue to come, her new tale of " ...treachery, courage and the power of love" looks the part.

I was astonished to read that the author, far from living in medieval Italy herself, was born in Manchester and raised in the Yorkshire Dales!

Mercy - Jussi Adler-Olsen

We have lots of classy crime novels due over the next few months. Here's an excellent one to be getting on with.

Mercy by Jussi Adler-Olsen

Paperback at £6.99

This Danish crime novel has most of the best ingredients of the genre plus a most unconventional character who you cannot fail to enjoy.
   Detective Carl Morck’s friends have been shot. Carl, also wounded, is mentally disturbed by the events. Returning to work, he is isolated in a new department investigating old cases, the first of which is that of a female politician who disappeared five years previously. Carl’s investigation is sandwiched between the back-story of her terrifying, five year, imprisonment. All this works well, but it is the entrance of the other member of Carl’s ‘team’ that boosts the book above the average. Cleaner/driver and possible illegal immigrant Assad is a memorable creation from his introduction and brilliantly provides comedy and narrative drive.

Middle Earth

Great to see our blog has some viewers from my favourite country - New Zealand, or Middle Earth, as it is sometimes known.

Just a couple of the shots we took on the last trip.

See how busy NZ roads are!



Here's Akaroa. A fabulous place that Daughter Heather introduced us to, last trip.


If you want to see really great photos of NZ, look up Ian Brodie's site -
http://www.ianbrodiephoto.net  and for Middle Earth - http://www.theonering.net/ 
and for MrsH. http://nzhols.blogspot.com/

Ann Granger Date

Delighted to hear that Ann Granger can make it to a book signing on Sat 11th June for her new Campbell and Carter Cotswold Murder Mystery.

I've recently finished her new book and will chat about it soon, once the next issue of Moreton/Bourton/Stow Times hits the streets.

Meantime, we hope to arrange a very special deal with the publishers so do give our page a look in the Times for news on that.

We are going to have a busy summer with three or four other authors already lined up to see us.

Here's a link to Fiction Books and a great write up for Ann Granger. Thanks Yvonne! http://www.fiction-books.biz/new-titles/a-date-with-ann-granger/

Bill and Cath / Harry and Poppy

Everybody is interested in getting a look at William and Catherine by Andrew Morton.

Some great photos and a good look at their respective lives.






Even Harry and Poppy here seem interested.

Mysterious Gloucestershire

That's mysterious.

I could have sworn I'd posted that we were to have a book signing on Saturday.

That's Saturday 14th May at 10.30 am when Mark Turner will be here, signing his latest book

Mysterious Gloucestershire.

Mark is a very popular guy so if you want to have a glass of wine when you arrive, please get here early, before all his pals drink the lot!

Sworn Sword - James Aitcheson

We received a visit today by the author of an historical adventure called Sworn Sword.

Here's the expected jacket to his book.

It is due out in August when we hope to have a signing for this very exciting new talent.

It is quite a scholarly work as a great amount of research was obviously required to set a novel in the years following 1066, a time hardly explored by authors previously.

I was naturally expecting a middle-aged college professor type, probably complete with beard.

I was astonished when this young man walked in and introduced himself as James Aitcheson, the author.

We'll be reviewing this excellent book in good time and I hope that you will come all in droves to meet him and chat about the good old times, before the Normans arrived!