TRIGGER WARNING: Nazi brutality and anti-semitic ideology
1942, Emilie arrives at Dachau to help her husband Otto with his medical experiments. She believes the inmates are all criminals so is shocked to find their former childhood friend Danner, a Jew, among the prisoners. His only crime is being Jewish and she is determined to save him…
The Nurse Behind The Gates is an historical novel set in the 1930s and 40s.
Emilie and her husband are forced to help the Nazis to help save German soldiers in the freezing seas. They join the medical team at Dachau where experiments use the inmates as live subjects. Death is a necessary evil for the cause but Emilie is distraught at the thought of her first love being in danger.
The book is written in 1942 to show Emilie’s experiences in the concentration camp but also has chapters from the past to show the friendship with Danner and how they both reached their current situation. The experiment scenes were quite horrific and I had to put the book down to go and get distracted by happy thoughts. I felt desperately sad for Otto. He is in an impossible situtation with his uncle and the Nazis and also knows that he is second best for his wife.
There was one part of the book that didn’t ring true for me. I didn’t really believe that Danner would put himself in danger when he could have written to his old neighbours for information about his missing father instead of travelling back to Germany himself and abandoning his family. Other than this, the book was completely captivating and I felt immersed in the lives of the characters.
The Nurse Behind The Gates is a devastatingly emotional imagining of the Nazi experiments at Dachau.
Dachau, 1942. Emilie has been told she’s here to nurse evil men. But the first patient she sees in the cold, dark room is hauntingly familiar. Her first love is not wicked. He couldn’t be. What is he doing here?
Emilie’s heart stops as she takes in her childhood sweetheart hunched in a tattered prisoner’s uniform, the light lost from his face. Her new husband, Otto, said this was a camp for criminals. He should know, he’s the doctor. But Danner would never have broken the law.
As she looks into Danner’s beautiful brown eyes, she’s transported back to their happy childhood in Munich. The friendship they shared. The way her heart once felt like it beat only for him. Before the Jewish laws were enforced and Danner pushed Emilie away to protect her, breaking her heart.
Now, Emilie rushes to find Otto, desperate for answers. But when she discovers him waiting with confidentiality papers for her to sign, she realizes her husband has been lying. This isn’t a place to treat sick criminals, but to murder the innocent. And Otto tells her if she doesn’t help, they’ll both die.
Her hands shake as she receives her instructions. But as she rushes back to the sickbay, searching for a way to escape, her gaze lands on Danner once more. In his eyes, she can see something that almost looks like hope…
The thought of losing her first love again tears Emilie’s heart in two. She’s determined to keep him alive, and perhaps she can alter the fate of more than just one prisoner. But can she save Danner? Or will she die trying to rescue the man she’s never stopped loving?
Author Bio
USA Today and International Bestselling Author, Shari J. Ryan, is known for her captivating World War Two Historical Fiction, Women’s Romance Fiction, and gripping Psychological Thriller novels. Each series and standalone contains a wide range of dark suspense and heartbreaking emotions.
Shari has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Johnson & Wales University and started her career as a graphic artist and freelance writer until 2012 when she discovered her passion for writing books. Since then, she has been captivating readers with her compelling storytelling and has written over thirty-five novels with translated publications in twelve languages.
Shari’s talent and dedication have earned her a place on the USA Today Bestseller List, as well as rankings in Amazon’s Top 100, Barnes & Noble’s Top Ten, and iBooks at number one. She has also received two Rone awards for her outstanding work.
Some of Shari’s bestselling books include: “The Stolen Twins,” The Bookseller of Dachau,” “The Doctor’s Daughter,” “The Girl with the Diary,” “Prison Child,” “The Soldier’s Letters,” and “The Lieutenant’s Girl.” These gripping novels are sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Shari, a lifelong Boston girl lives in a small town in the suburbs and has a loving marriage with her adored husband. Together, they have two incredible young sons who make her feel like the luckiest woman in the world.
To learn more about Shari J. Ryan and her captivating books, visit her official website at www.sharijryan.com
Maggie is adjusting to life’s changes. Her children are all grown up and her parents are battling age. Can she ever find happiness again or will she always put others first?
Maggie in the Middle is an emotional yet light hearted book about big changes.
It is a situation that many people find themselves in. An empty nest as your kids grow up and then the responsibility of caring for parents as their health deteriorates. All the while trying to work and live your own life. This is the situation Maggie finds herself in: her children have flown the nest, her parents are struggling with mental and physical health.
There are some huge issues dealt with in this book and it could have been very heavy. However, the writing is light hearted in tone and there are plenty of bad jokes to counter the deep emotions. I felt Maggie’s distress, frustration and grief. Her sister is completely unreasonable and this is partially excused in the final chapters but I did not feel this was sufficient justification for her abhorrent behaviour throughout the book.
Maggie finds friendship and love through a dog rescue centre. Her developing relationship with Bess the German Shepherd was just delightful and uplifting. This also provides Maggie with the opportunity to move on with her life and confront the big changes that she has been avoiding.
Maggie in the MIddle is packed full of emotion and cheesy jokes, radiating warmth from every page.
Maggie In The Middle
WHEN LIFE FEELS LIKE…
A TEST YOU DIDN’T STUDY FOR
When Maggie King turned sixty, she thought her life complete.
Now she’s sixty-one, and everything has gone horribly wrong.
Husband Greg has abruptly upped and left leaving Maggie bewildered. But there’s no time to question his departure because her ancient parents are all-consuming.
Once fondly referred to as the Golden Oldies, they’re now the BOBs – Bad-Tempered Old Buggers.
Sister Freya is never available to help, and Maggie is rapidly reaching the end of her tether.
She wants her life – and husband – back.
Instead, she’s trapped in what has been coined the Sandwich Generation – supporting both children and parents – except this particular sarnie is in danger of falling apart.
Maggie needs to learn that when life is like a club sandwich, it needs the best ingredients – and that includes lashings of love and some knee-trembling romance!
Author Bio – Prior to turning her attention to writing, Debbie Viggiano was, for more years than she cares to remember, a legal secretary. She lives with her Italian husband, a rescued pooch from Crete, and a very disgruntled cat. Occasionally her adult children return home bringing her much joy… apart from when they want to raid the fridge or eat her secret stash of chocolate. Tweet @DebbieViggiano or follow her on Facebook!
Sam and Maggie head off on a cruise. He is hoping to kindle a romance in the sun while she wants to head to the Nordic countries. Then the pair spot some familiar faces and death isn’t far behind…
Death on the High Seas is the 4th book in the Shires Mysteries series to feature amateur sleuths Sam and Maggie. I have previously read and reviewed the 2nd book in the series, At Death’s Door.
The book is written from Maggie’s first person via journal entriees as well as third person narrative to show the plot developments. Her personality really shines through (I described her as eccentric in my last review but would perhaps update this to vivacious) which contrasts with the more reticent Sam.
I found it really interesting that the author has chosen to depart from the usual setting and supporting characters. I have always wanted to go on a cruise and felt immersed in the setting, however I am afraid I agree with Sam and would want a warmer one!
The mystery side of the book has several layers and I wasn’t sure which direction the book was going to take. Maggie can see spirits which adds another dimension to her character and the plot. Maggie and Sam spot a mother and son with a criminal background from their hometown, Maggie meets up with an old flame, and the cruise ship picks up a distress signal from a fishing boat with injured people onboard.
Death on the High Seas is an entertaining cosy mystery and I love the dynamic between the two main characters.
Death on the High Seas
Maggie and Sam take a break from the murder and mayhem of Bishops Well and embark on a relaxing mid-winter cruise across the northern seas. The brochure promises smooth sailing, good food and dazzling entertainment. Sam is hoping to sprinkle the mix with romance.
But nothing goes to plan.
Maggie runs into an old lover, the mesmerising Benedict Rawbotham, who goes out of his way to sweep her off her feet. Sam is left seething with jealousy.
A mayday signal sent by a fishing boat forces the cruise liner off course. But there is something fishy about the rescued crew and Maggie insists that two young women have died on that boat. Alas, no one believes her.
Soon one of the alleged fishermen is also dead and so is one of the cruise passengers. Cordelia Conti Lang, nicknamed the Bitcoin Queen, with links to London’s criminal underworld, is found in her cabin, stabbed to death.
In pursuit of the killer, Maggie hurtles from one disaster to another and Sam begins to fear for her life. Has he taken her on a cruise to hell?
Author Bio – Although she writes in a wide range of genres, Anna Legat is best known for her DI Gillian Marsh detective series and The Shires, her cosy murder mysteries. Anna is also the author of the historical thriller, Buried in the Past. She lives near Bath.
A successful serial killer who has avoided attention for years. A DCI trying to prove he is fit to work and a journalist looking for a career-making story. Let battle commence!
The Genius Killer is a serial killer crime thriller set in the north of England.
Karl is a killer, we know that from the start. He began his killing due to abuse he suffered as a child. He also targets those who have wronged him and this makes his killings almost understandable. Part of me admired his strength and passion whilst abhorring his behaviour.
The killer, detective and journalist could all be classed as genius and this is why they are such good adversaries. The methods of death are so clever and the emotional background almost make you sympathise with Karl, but is anyone really deserving of death?
Tex Deacon is also someone who is soooo easy to like. He has has a devastating experience with the death of his wife but is eager to be back catching killers. He forms an unlikely but respectful relationship with an up and coming journalist looking for her big break.
The stage is set for the opponents to collide. I was rooting for both sides. Karl is ‘sinned against’ as well as ‘sinning’ whilst Tex is so easy to like and we want him to overcome his own demons. The writing style is very engaging and the plot develops rapidly.
I listened to the audio version of this book. The narrator uses accents to define the different characters effectively. I increased the speed to x2 or x2.5 as I sped towards the end. This allowed me to listen to the book in less than 6 hours which kept me focussed on the characters and events.
The Genius Killer is a very clever and enjoyable detective and serial killer thriller.
The dark heart of a brilliant and ruthless psychopath
A celebrated but haunted detective
A determined young reporter hunting for justice – and the big story
Karl Jackson is a particularly vengeful sociopath with his unique way of ‘problem-solving’. DCI Tex Deacon suffers from the trauma of his beloved wife’s death and finds it immensely difficult to come to terms with it. As a Detective Chief Inspector specialising in murder and killer profiling, Tex has a relentless workload from his base on the edges of the mountains of the Lake District.
Tex is under pressure from his superiors to take a step back to grieve properly. It’s clear that Susan’s death has ripped out part of his soul. There is no doubt that Tex is suffering, but this DCI is a driven man. Tex’s welfare is the responsibility of his boss Chief Constable Barbara Bracewell, and she and Tex go back a very long way. However, Bracewell must do what is right for Tex and the Cumbrian police force.
Despite falling into a mental abyss, Tex’s instincts for the hunt never leave him. A hyper-intelligent and devious murderer appears in his crosshairs – the self-styled ‘Genius Killer’. So what will Tex do? What can he get away with doing with the Chief Constable monitoring his every move?
And then there’s Debbie Pilkington, a tenacious and hugely ambitious cub reporter at the local paper – The Rimpton Chronicle. Debbie has big stories and a big future in her own sights. A young journalist, a craggy and vastly experienced detective, and one of the most dangerous serial killers Britain has even seen. Their lives were about to intertwine. The chase to stop a cunning killer begins. Tex is a master at breaking down the thinking processes of those he hunts but with Tex enduring his own psychological meltdown, can he penetrate the mind of this supremely malevolent psychopath?
Mark’s Bio
I’ve been a journalist and broadcaster for over forty years working almost exclusively in sport. I was employed for fifteen years by SKY Sports, eleven years by the BBC, and three years by UTV. Elsewhere I have worked on significant national contracts for ITV, Eurosport and Viaplay Sport and have freelanced for many top class broadcasters like BT and NEP. I have been involved in BAFTA and Sony award winning programmes. For the last number of years I have focused on rugby, my main sporting passion, as a commentator and reporter with SKY, as well as Premier Sport and, formerly, Setanta Sport and Eirsport. I’ve commentated on four Rugby World Cups and two football World Cups and covered the Olympics in Sydney in 2000. I was working on the Six Nations Rugby as a commentator for NEP when all sport stopped due to the corona virus pandemic, so, after some persuasion from my then girlfriend Petra, I decided to write my first novel.
The seed for the novel came from a comment made to me by a senior member of the fell running community who knew well many members of the amazing, life saving Mourne Mountain Rescue Team in Northern Ireland. We were out for a fell run one day and were talking about the thousands of rescues Mourne Mountain Rescue had carried out. Out of the blue my craggy companion whispered, “If you want to commit murder – and get away with it – the mountains are the perfect place to do it” .Fell running has been a passion for me. I’ve run over a hundred races and competed in many navigation focused Mourne Mountain Marathons. Unbelievably, for me, I managed to crawl to the finish line in a couple of 50 mile Ultra races. One was in the Addo Elephant Safari Park in the Zuurberg mountains in South Africa and the other was the Grand Raid des Pyrenees. I was rubbish – always one of the stumblers right at the back of the field! I’ve hiked in the Andes, the Blue Mountains, the Picos de Europa, the Alps and other ranges around the globe so no surprise then that quite a bit of ‘The Genius Killer’ is set in the mountains. In this case the magnificent peaks of the Lake District.
A criminal family turned good. A police officer as best man. But one of the guests is planning a murder….
Murder at the Wedding is the 9th book in the Rina Martin series. I have read and reviewed the previous book in the series, Murder at the Willows.
The book begins with a gangland killing and the escape of an undercover officer. The plot then jumps forward to the upcoming nuptuals of Bridie and Fitch, a chance for a new future on the right side of the law. But there are issue with a will and someone is prepared to murder in order to gain success and power for themselves.
There is plenty of build up to the murder which doesn’t occur until after the wedding, a third of the way through the book. Even Rina is almost a secondary character in this opening third as she enjoys the wedding preparations. Mac, a police officer has a better idea that something dangerous is brewing as he has been asked by his boss to keep an eye on proceedings, leaving him the difficult task of juggling the personal and professional.
As with the previous book, I felt a little overwhelmed by the number of characters and their pre-established relationships. I definitely think that the whole series should be read in order to understand the development of character profiles and their relationships.
I liked the claustrophobic atmosphere of the remote wedding venue which increase the tension. There were multiple layers of plot and I enjoyed the different viewpoints of the wedding location and guests.
Murder at the Wedding is a enjoyable murder mystery but a little slow at times as it relies on prior knowledge of the characters.
MURDER AT THE WEDDING (Rina Martin Murder Mystery Book 9) by Jane Adams
If you love Miss Marple or Agatha Raisin, you’ll love Rina!
Meet Rina Martin, a retired actress with a taste for tea, gardening and crime solving.
She played a TV sleuth for years, but now she has to do it for real.
Rina’s friend Bridie Duggan is tying the knot! At a majestic country house on a private island. Rina and thirteen other guests row out for the ceremony.
One of them has murder in mind . . .
The next day, Rina’s out exploring the island when she hears a blood-curdling scream. She races down the twisty steps to shore — to find a dead body!
This guest didn’t fall to their death. They were pushed.
A storm is rolling in on Bridie’s perfect day. Now there’s no way on or off the island.
Rina can’t stand by and wait for the police to come to their rescue.
But what if Rina’s snooping just moved her from the guestlist to the kill list?
If you love Agatha Christie, Jeanne M. Dams, Glenda Young, Stella Cameron and Frances Evesham, prepare to be hooked by this page-turning whodunnit mystery.
THE DETECTIVE
Determined and compassionate, Rina Martin on a mission is an unstoppable force. When Rina retired from acting, she bought a B&B in Frantham on Sea. There, she has a quirky cast of full-time boarders, including wannabe magician Tim. She only wanted a quiet life. Instead, events propel Rina into full investigation mode, and she gets a taste for sleuthing. Can she help it if crimes just keep turning up on her doorstep?
THE SETTING
Tucked away in a charming little bay on the Jurassic coast, Frantham on Sea is a typical Victorian seaside town, with a picture-perfect promenade, B&Bs, and a grand hotel perched atop the headland. At the end of the promenade is the police station, where the officers’ days have always been short and uneventful — until Rina comes to town, and things take a turn for the sinister.
JANE ADAMS
Jane Adams is the author of more than thirty published crime novels. The first, The Greenway, was nominated for both the Authors’ Club award and the CWA John Creasey for best debut novel.
Jane is constantly amazed at where life has taken her. Writing had never been on her ‘possible careers’ list, but she says once stories take root in your brain, they just have to be told – and she feels very fortunate that people want to read them.
In addition to writing, Jane teaches creative writing, read and mentor for The Literary Consultancy, and is a Royal Literary Fund Fellow and FRSA.
