Cover Reveal: Meat is Murder by Chris McDonald

Hi, crime lovers!

I'm buzzing to be part of the cover reveal for Meat is Murder, #3 in the Stonebridge Mysteries series by Chris McDonald. A huge thank you to Meggy at Red Dog Press for the sneak preview!

Here's what it's all about...

McNulty’s Meats, one of Stonebridge’s oldest businesses, is about to be taken over in a lucrative deal that would make brothers Ron and Kevin very rich men indeed. Unfortunately for them, local activist Tyler Love has other ideas. Convinced that the deal would be bad for the town, he burns the place to the ground and inadvertently kills himself in the process.

At least, that’s what the police think.

Tyler’s mum disagrees and pleads with amateur sleuths Adam and Colin to investigate. Although, going up against the psychopathic McNulty brothers, a rival businessman, a group of hippies, and a girlfriend with secrets of her own might not be such a good idea... Someone has something to hide, and will go to great lengths to keep that secret buried.

Meat is Murder is the third book in The Stonebridge Mysteries series of Cosy Crime novellas.

About the series:

Stonebridge is a small town on the north coast of Northern Ireland. Most of its inhabitants are friendly, happy people. Most of them... Because bad things happen even in the happiest of places. It’s a good thing, then, that Adam Whyte and Colin McLaughlin call Stonebridge home.

Armed with an encyclopedic knowledge of detective shows, a misplaced sense of confidence and a keen desire to see justice done, these two are the closest thing the town has to saviours. Which isn’t that reassuring...

Are you ready for the cover reveal?

Drumroll, please...

Another stunning Red Dog Press cover, right? This lands on 8th June 2021, and you can preorder here.

Roxie

@RoxieAdelleKey

About the author

Originally hailing from the north coast of Northern Ireland and now residing in South Manchester, Chris McDonald has always been a reader. At primary school, The Hardy Boys inspired his love of adventure before his reading world was opened up by Chuck Palahniuk and the gritty world of crime. A Wash of Black is his first attempt at writing a book. He came up with the initial idea whilst feeding his baby in the middle of the night, which may not be the best thing to admit, considering the content. He is a fan of 5-a-side football, heavy metal and dogs. Whispers in the Dark is the second installment in the DI Erika Piper series, and Chris is currently working on his latest series, The Stonebridge Mysteries, to be published by Red Dog Press in 2021. 

Amazon | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Cover Reveal: Dead in the Water by Chris McDonald

Hi, crime lovers!

I'm sooo excited to be part of the cover reveal for Dead in the Water, #2 in the Stonebridge Mysteries series by Chris McDonald. A huge thank you to Meggy at Red Dog Press for the sneak preview!

Here's what it's all about...

The Stonebridge Regatta is looming. The town’s annual face-off against neighbouring Meadowfield is usually a weekend filled with sunshine, laughter and camaraderie. 

This year is different.

A week before the race, the body of Stonebridge team captain Matthew Henderson is found dead in the water. The police file his passing as a tragic accident however, his grieving widow disagrees and suspects foul play is involved. She enlists the help of Adam and Colin, the town’s amateur (self-proclaimed) private detectives to unearth the truth.

Did Matthew simply slip and fall into the water, or is there more to his death below the surface?

Are you ready for the cover reveal?

Drumroll, please...

Another stunning Red Dog Press cover, right? This lands on 27th March 2021, and you can preorder here.

Roxie

@RoxieAdelleKey

About the author

Originally hailing from the north coast of Northern Ireland and now residing in South Manchester, Chris McDonald has always been a reader. At primary school, The Hardy Boys inspired his love of adventure before his reading world was opened up by Chuck Palahniuk and the gritty world of crime. A Wash of Black is his first attempt at writing a book. He came up with the initial idea whilst feeding his baby in the middle of the night, which may not be the best thing to admit, considering the content. He is a fan of 5-a-side football, heavy metal and dogs. Whispers in the Dark is the second installment in the DI Erika Piper series, and Chris is currently working on his latest series, The Stonebridge Mysteries, to be published by Red Dog Press in 2021. 

Amazon | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Cover Reveal: Blackstoke by Rob Parker

It's another cover reveal day and I'm mega excited to be part of the cover reveal for Blackstoke, by the awesome Rob Parker, author of the Audible number 1 bestseller Far From The Tree. A huge thank you to Meggy at Red Dog Press for the sneak preview.

Here's what Blackstoke is all about...

WEALTH. SECURITY. PROSPERITY. NONE OF IT MATTERS IN THE DARK. 

In a quiet cul-de-sac on the newly-opened, much sought-after Blackstoke housing development, the first handful of families are moving in. These neighbours, thrown together for the first time, are looking forward to settling into their bright new lives—with varying degrees of enthusiasm. The estate couldn’t be nicer, but it’s a big change for everyone. 

Then things start to happen. Bad things. As if something doesn't want them there. 

As the new residents try to make sense of events, the buried history of the area makes itself suddenly, deeply apparent—with a series of shocking, violent escalations. 

Soon, no one is safe, as the original powers of Blackstoke return to reclaim their territory and birth right in a final night of dark revelations, gore and bloodshed. 

Are you ready for the cover reveal? Drumroll, please...

How awesome is this? This lands on 23rd March 2021, and you can preorder here.

Roxie

@RoxieAdelleKey

About the author

Rob Parker is a married father of three, who lives in Warrington, UK. The author of the Ben Bracken thrillers, Crook’s Hollow and the #1 Audible bestseller Far From The Tree, he enjoys a rural life, writing horrible things between school runs. Rob writes full time, attends various author events across the UK, and boxes regularly for charity. He spends a lot of time in schools across the North, encouraging literacy, story-telling and creative-writing, and somehow squeezes in time to co-host the For Your Reconsideration film podcast, appear regularly on The Blood Brothers crime podcast, and is a member of the Northern Crime Syndicate.

Website | Amazon | Govodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Cover Reveal: Roses for the Dead by Chris McDonald

Hi, crime lovers!

I'm so excited to be part of the cover reveal for Roses for the Dead, the third installment in the excellent DI Erika Piper series by Chris McDonald. A huge thank you to Meggy at Red Dog Press for the sneak preview!

Full disclosure: I LOVED the previous book in the series, Whispers in the Dark. Check out my review and author Q&A here.

Here's what Roses for the Dead is all about...

2013

Rockstar Johnny Mayhem sits on his bed, holding a bloody baseball bat. On the floor, clutching a lavender rose in her fist, is his wife, Amanda, who he has just beaten to death. Erika Piper knows this because she is one of the first on the scene. Mayhem is arrested and led away, screaming that they’ve got the wrong man. But the evidence is irrefutable and when Mayhem is sentenced to life in prison, no one is surprised.

Now

Thanks to new evidence, Johnny Mayhem is a now free man. During a television interview, he issues a thinly veiled threat to those involved in the original case before seemingly disappearing off the face of the Earth. When the body of Mayhem’s dealer is found, Erika Piper is pulled from the safety of her desk job and thrown into the hunt for the Rockstar. Can she find Mayhem before he can enact his revenge or everyone involved, including Erika? Or, has he been telling the truth all along? Did the police really get the wrong man?

Are you ready for the cover reveal?

I don't know about you, but I'm excited! Drumroll, please...

How amazing is this? This lands on 13th April 2021, and you can preorder here.

About the author

Originally hailing from the north coast of Northern Ireland and now residing in South Manchester, Chris McDonald has always been a reader. At primary school, The Hardy Boys inspired his love of adventure before his reading world was opened up by Chuck Palahniuk and the gritty world of crime. A Wash of Black is his first attempt at writing a book. He came up with the initial idea whilst feeding his baby in the middle of the night, which may not be the best thing to admit, considering the content. He is a fan of 5-a-side football, heavy metal and dogs. Whispers in the Dark is the second installment in the DI Erika Piper series, and Chris is currently working on his latest series, The Stonebridge Mysteries, to be published by Red Dog Press in 2021.

Amazon | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Roxie

@RoxieAdelleKey

Cover Reveal: A Leap of Faith by Mel Gough

Hi, book lovers!

I'm very excited to be part of the big cover reveal for A Leap of Faith by Mel Gough, an evocative tale of love, fear, and duty, set against the backdrop of the nineteen fifties, with the emergence of apartheid in South Africa and the criminal nature of homosexuality in the UK.

A big thank you to Meggy at Red Dog Press for the early preview!

Here's what it's all about...

South Africa, 1953 – Father Daniel Blakemore is happy on his missionary secondment in a small, rural Providence Hospital on the Eastern Cape. Being away from England makes it easier for him to conceal his homosexuality – a secret that would destroy everything he’s ever worked for.

But when Doctor Eddie Raleigh takes up his new position at Providence, the two men are instantly drawn to one another. Their liaison represents both Daniel’s deepest desire and his worst nightmare. If the archdeacon in London learns of his true nature, Daniel’s life in the church will be over.

Broken-hearted, Daniel breaks things off with Eddie. And to get away from his sorrows, he leaves his beloved missionary work behind and returns to Stepney.

Will time and distance alleviate Daniel’s pain, or will happiness be forever elusive? Or will love, finally, find a way?

Are you ready for the cover reveal?

Drumroll, please...

Want it? This lands on 12th February and you can get your pre-order in here!

About the author

Mel Gough loves writing about love – but with a twist. Nominated for the 2019 Selfies Awards, her bisexual romantic suspense novel He is Mine is a typical Mel Gough story. She needs her HEA fix, but on the way there will be thorns and fire, and sometimes brimstone. All right, that might be over the top, especially since her stories are firmly based in the real world - though not always in the here and now.

Born in Germany, exploring other realities has been Mel’s siren call since she was young. Books opened up a plethora of worlds, and soon gave her a strong love of the English language. After an MA in Anthropology, field work in the middle of nowhere seemed like one adventure too far, so Mel settled in London, which, to misquote Dr. Johnson, she will never tire of.

Mel loves to bend genres – her romances are gritty and dark, and sometimes there’s a dead body. She’s been told that her prose is beautiful yet disturbingly real. She’s curious about bygone times, and hopes to speculate about the future in one of her next books. 

Roxie

@RoxieAdelleKey

Cover Reveal: The Curious Dispatch of Daniel Costello by Chris McDonald

Hi, crime lovers!

I'm absolutely buzzing to be part of the cover reveal for The Curious Dispatch of Daniel Costello, part of the new Stonebridge Mysteries series by Chris McDonald. A huge thank you to Meggy at Red Dog Press for the sneak preview!

I read an early copy of this brilliant book earlier this year and I loved it so much.
Here's what it's all about...

Wedding bells are chiming in the idyllic, coastal town of Stonebridge. For Sam and Emily, it should be the happiest day of their lives. But on the morning of the ceremony, the best man is found dead. The police quickly write his death off as a tragic accident, but something doesn’t seem right to wedding guest and groomsman, Adam Whyte.

Armed with an encyclopaedic, but ultimately ridiculous knowledge of television detective shows and an unwarranted confidence in his own abilities, Adam and his best friend (and willing Watson) Colin, set out to uncover what actually happened to Daniel Costello.

Are you ready for the cover reveal?

Drumroll, please...

Oh my goodness - this is SO lush! This lands on 12th January 2021, and you can preorder here.

About the author

Originally hailing from the north coast of Northern Ireland and now residing in South Manchester, Chris McDonald has always been a reader. At primary school, The Hardy Boys inspired his love of adventure before his reading world was opened up by Chuck Palahniuk and the gritty world of crime. A Wash of Black is his first attempt at writing a book. He came up with the initial idea whilst feeding his baby in the middle of the night, which may not be the best thing to admit, considering the content. He is a fan of 5-a-side football, heavy metal and dogs. Whispers in the Dark is the second installment in the DI Erika Piper series, and Chris is currently working on his latest series, The Stonebridge Mysteries, to be published by Red Dog Press in 2021. 

Amazon | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Roxie

@RoxieAdelleKey

Cover Reveal: The Red Admiral’s Secret by Matthew Ross

 

Hi, crime lovers!

I'm very excited to be part of the big cover reveal for The Red Admiral’s Secret by Matthew Ross. A big thank you to Meggy at Red Dog Press for the sneak preview!

Here's what it's all about...

A Premier League bad-boy murdered at his newly refurbished home; a teenage runaway’s corpse uncovered on a construction site; a gunman shoots up the premises of the local gangland boss – all of them projects run by beleaguered builder Mark Poynter. Can he fix it?

Things seem to be on the up for builder, Mark Poynter. Mark’s got himself a nice little earner taking care of the sizeable property portfolio built up from the career earnings of former Premier League bad-boy and local celebrity, Danny Kidd. But when Danny Kidd puts an interested party’s nose out of joint by using his star status to gazump them on a development site – the derelict Admiral Guthrie pub - things turn ugly and incendiary, leaving Mark to deal with the consequences.

Meanwhile local villain, Hamlet, uses his subtle persuasion to dupe Mark into unwittingly help him launder vast sums of dirty cash but when it drags the area to the brink of gang warfare, Mark’s help is needed to try and broker a truce.

At the Admiral Guthrie secrets from the past meet conflicts of the present - will the rising flames reduce Mark’s future to ashes?

The Red Admiral’s Secret is the second in the series of darkly comic crime fiction novels featuring the beleaguered builder Mark Poynter, aided and hindered in equal measure by his trusted crew of slackers, idlers and gossips, and the lengths they go to just to earn a living.

Are you ready for the cover reveal?

Drumroll, please...

What a brilliant cover! This lands on 3rd February 2021, and you can preorder here. And guess what? The first book in the series, Death of a Painter, is 25% off today only! You can grab it at this amazing price here. 

About the author

Matthew Ross was born and raised in the Medway Towns, England. He still lives in Kent with his Kiwi wife, his children and a very old cat.

He was immersed in the building industry from a very early age helping out on his father's sites during school holidays before launching into his own career at 17. He's worked on projects ranging from the smallest domestic repair to £billion+ infrastructure, and probably everything in between.

A lifelong comedy nerd, he ticked off a bucket-list ambition and tried his hand at stand-up comedy. Whilst being an experience probably best forgotten (for both him and audiences alike) it ignited a love for writing, leading to various commissions including for material broadcast on BBC Radio 4 comedy shows.

Matthew moved into the longer format of novel writing after graduating from the Faber Academy in London in 2017.

Death Of A Painter was his first novel and the first in a planned series of stories featuring Mark Poynter and his associates.

Matthew enjoys reading all manner of books - especially crime and mystery; 80s music; and travelling and can't wait for the next trip to New Zealand to spend time with family and friends.

Roxie

@RoxieAdelleKey

Cover Reveal: Street Cat Blues by Alison O'Leary

Hi, crime lovers!

I'm very excited to be part of the big cover reveal for Street Cat Blues by Alison O'Leary. A big thank you to Meggy at Red Dog Press for the sneak preview!

Here's what it's all about...

A quiet life for Aubrey?

After spending several months banged up in Sunny Banks rescue centre, Aubrey, a large tabby cat, has finally found his forever home with Molly and Jeremy Goodman, and life is looking good.

However, all that changes when a serial killer begins to target elderly victims in the neighbourhood.

Aubrey wasn’t particularly upset by the death of some of the previous victims, including Miss Jenkins whom Aubrey recalls as a vinegar-lipped bitch of an old woman who enjoyed throwing stones at cats, but Mr Telling was different.

Mr Telling was a mate…

Are you ready for the cover reveal?

Drumroll, please...

How fab does this look? This lands on 4th November! Not long to wait at all...

About the author

Alison was born in London and spent her teenage years in Hertfordshire where she spent large amounts of time reading novels, watching daytime television and avoiding school. Failing to gain any qualifications in science whatsoever, the dream of being a forensic scientist collided with reality when a careers teacher suggested that she might like to work in a shop. She doesn't think she meant Harrods. Later studying law, she decided to teach rather than go into practice and has spent many years teaching mainly criminal law and criminology to young people and adults.

She enjoys reading crime novels, doing crosswords, and drinking wine. Not necessarily in that order.

Roxie

@RoxieAdelleKey

Cover Reveal: Untethered by John Bowie

Hi, crime lovers!

I'm very excited to be part of the big cover reveal for Untethered by John Bowie, a semi-autobiographical crime noir, reminiscent of old noir films like Chinatown and Double Indemnity, exploring themes of identity, isolation and the damaging effects of drink, depression and PTSD.

A big thank you to Meggy at Red Dog Press for the sneak preview!

Here's what it's all about...

John Barrie is bored in his witness protection program in Bristol. A disturbed ex-SAS soldier, he searches for meaning at the bottom of many a glass as madness begins to set in. Then a series of cryptic messages arrive, pulling him into a web of deceit, destruction and disillusionment.

One note comes with a knock on his door and a chance to find a missing girl; to start over again... as a private investigator.

Meanwhile, his therapist encourages him to put his demons on paper; to write it all out. As John battles with his past, could this writing lead him to find the girl, his future and maybe even the love he craves?

Are you ready for the cover reveal?

Drumroll, please...

Want it? This lands on 13th October and you can get your pre-order in here!

About the author

John writes articles, poetry, reviews, short stories and novels. His fiction is a semi-autobiographical mix of dirty realism, crime fiction and noir. Ghostly references to a heritage that includes the Vikings, Scotland, Ireland and the North, flavour the words throughout. Often with a dark but humoured edge.

John’s writing has appeared online and in print for the likes of Bristol Noir, Storgy Magazine, Litro Magazine, Punk Noir Magazine, Necro Magazine and Deadman’s Tome.

He grew up on the coast in rural Northumberland, a region steeped with a history of battles, Vikings, wars and struggles. These tales and myths fascinated him as a child, and then as an adult. In the mid to late nineties, he studied in Salford enjoying the bands, music, clubs and general urban industrial-ness of Greater Manchester, including the club scene and the infamous Hacienda. He was also there when the IRA bomb went off in 1996.

John has been partly inspired by 50s pulp hard-boiled detective fiction and the beat generation authors and poets. John aims to celebrate his female characters from his real-life through his writing, whilst retaining the hard-drinking, cynical honesty and the accessible writing style of these genres.

John lives in Bristol with his wife and daughters, where he has been since the late nineties. He is a professional designer, artist and writer as well as a proud husband, father, brother and son.

Roxie

@RoxieAdelleKey

Cover Reveal: Say Goodbye When I'm Gone by Stephen J. Golds

Hi, crime lovers!

I'm very excited to be part of the big cover reveal for Stephen J. Golds gritty noir thriller, Say Goodbye When I'm Gone. A big thank you to Meggy at Red Dog Press for the sneak preview!

Here's what it's all about...

1949: Rudy, A Jewish New Yorker snatches a briefcase of cash from a dead man in Los Angeles and runs away from his old life, into the arms of the Boston mob.

1966: Hinako, a young Japanese girl runs away from what she thought was the suffocating conformity of a life in Japan. Aiming to make a fresh start in America, she falls into the grip of a Hawaiian gang dubbed 'The Company'.

1967: Rudy and Hinako's lives collide in the city of Honolulu, where there is nowhere left for either of them to run, and only blood to redeem them.

Interested? I know I am!

Drumroll, please...

Isn't it fab? This gritty and punchy novella lands on 21st October... get your pre-order in today!

About the author

Stephen J. Golds was born in London, UK, but has lived in Japan for most of his adult life. He enjoys spending time with his daughters, reading books, travelling, boxing and listening to old Soul LPs. His novel Say Goodbye When I’m Gone will be released by Red Dog Press in October 2020 and another novel Always the Dead will be released by Close to The Bone Press in January 2021.

Roxie

@RoxieAdelleKey

Cover Reveal: How to Disappear by Gillian McAllister

Hi, book lovers!

I'm very excited to be sharing the cover reveal for Gillian McAllister's latest thriller, How to Disappear.

After reading No Further Questions (check out my review here) and Anything You Do Say, I'm a huge fan and can't wait to get my hands on this book!

How amazing does this sound?!

Lands July 2020... we will probably still be in lockdown, so make sure you get your pre-order in now.

Roxie

@RoxieAdelleKey