NEON WHITE Episodes 1 - 3 by Wulf Francu Godgluck

NEON WHITE 1 - 3 by Wulf Francu Godgluck

Pages: 32 + 74 + 62

Date: July 29, 2015

Details: A Tooth, Claws and Horns Chronicle

E-book

Episode 1:

The Blurb:

“It's been a weird day for Detective Raven White, which is really saying something, as he is the only detective dealing with Paranormal and Supernatural cases in Quebec. First there was the stranger in the coffee shop who sucked Raven's finger and then licked him. Then there was the missing person's report.
Which is how Raven finds himself paying a visit to Freshán Chetlér, with no clue as to what awaits him...
Raven's life is about to undertake a monumental shift.”

My thoughts:

So here’s the thing. I’m not a fan of serialised novels and tend to stay away from them until the full story is available. I’m kinda compulsive when it comes to my reading and prefer to read a story from start to finish – if at all possible in one sitting. But the blurbs and reviews for these three episodes sounded so intriguing I’ve decided to break my own rule and go ahead and read them.

Episode 1 was a tremendous opening. I think it took two paragraphs for the action to kick in and me to lose myself in the narrative. I like the idea of humans and supernatural beings have to share the world, trying to find a balance and ways to deal with prejudices.

Raven was a fascinating character and his dog allergy (and what a thing to have in a world inhabited by normal dogs as well as Werewolves and Lycans) provided a few lighter and funny moments as well as endeared him to me.

Freshán Chetlér or Bla’Gar, even if Raven doesn’t know that name yet, was an equally fascinating character. As a very old demon he is much more powerful than Raven, and yet Raven’s presence and especially sexual contact with Raven leaves him almost powerless to control his true nature. What’s not to love about a super-strong character being rendered almost helpless by someone who should have been much weaker? And when Bla’Gar and Raven come together.... Well, hot doesn’t begin to describe it.

I’m very glad to say that while it is very clear the story isn’t over when this episode ends, it didn’t end on a cliffhanger. I’m even gladder that I have episode 2 lined as my next read.

Episode 2:

The blurb:

“Raven White is finding it very difficult to forget Chetlér - the demon has had a profound effect on him. But the daily grind goes on, bringing with it a new partner, an invitation to the Winter Ball, and an attempt on Raven's life.
No one attending the Ball could have foreseen how it would end - in blood and death.”

My thoughts:

I really though episode 1 was action packed and a fast ride, and then I started episode 2. There is less interaction between Chetlér and Raven in this instalment, but they are never far from each other’s thoughts. Raven feels neglected and hurt, but still can’t resist the Demon while it is taking all Chetlér has not to push Raven too far and too hard. But just as it seems that the two may have found their way back to each other tragedy strikes and the book ends...on a cliffhanger. I am so very glad I already had the third episode and could just keep on reading.

I’m impressed with these stories so far. This is not a genre I regularly read or even gravitate towards but I have to question those decisions considering how much I’m enjoying myself in the company of all sorts of supernatural and fantastical creatures. This author has a writing style all of his own and while it did take me a chapter or two to get used to it, I have to say I really like it now. Somehow the way he phrases the thoughts and speech of his characters seems to fit them perfectly, to the point where I can almost hear them.

Episode 3:

The blurb:

“This is going to be a bloody shit day.
The Alpha is missing, for one thing. Raven's partner Jessy is still struggling to deal with his death. Finding out that his body is missing from the morgue is a big enough shock, so what happens next is going to be unbelievable... 
Especially for Raven.”

My thoughts:

Because episode 2 ended on a cliffhanger I moved straight on to the third instalment only to have to wait before finding out what had happened to Raven. Not that the story before we get to Raven’s lot wasn’t fascinating and equally enthralling but I was on the edge of my seat until I learned more about what had happened to Raven, only to discover he no longer is the Raven we have gotten to know and love in the first two episodes.

Meanwhile Bla’Gar has a personal and new set of problems to deal with because the young alpha he’s been protecting and taking care off has disappeared without a trace.

Raven’s transformation forces Bla’Gar to cooperate with Jessy’s, Raven’s co-enforcer which means the young woman has to overcome a hatred she’d felt all her life and accept new truths. Meanwhile James, the man Jessy spends the night with, isn’t quite what he seems either; is he even human at all?

To say the tension rises in this episode does not do the story or the author justice. Where the first two instalments gripping and exciting, this one doesn’t let up from start to finish. Everything I thought I knew about this story and these characters has been thrown up in the air and, as yet, I have no idea where they’re going to land because this book, wait for it, ends on not one but two cliffhangers. And, I’ve run out of luck because book four isn’t available yet. I’ll probably grumble about having to wait but I can honestly say that despite my intense dislike of cliffhangers, the way this book ended did not affect my enjoyment of the story at all.

I just hope the author will get the rest of the story to us sooner rather than later. I’ll be one-clicking that one the second it goes live.

                                                     

SHADOW BOUND by Garrett Leigh

SHADOW BOUND by Garrett Leigh

 

Pages: 19

Date: July 27, 2015

Details: Free Short Story

E-book

The blurb:

“Broken and bleeding on the forest floor, a wounded warrior must choose between the finite end of his supernatural existence and an undeniable bond with the healing hands of an enemy.

After a fearsome battle with a pack of rabid werewolves, wounded vampire Luca is abandoned by his coven. His wounds are many, and with the gaping gash of a werewolf bite poisoning him from the inside out, he has no hope of healing.

He lies on the forest earthy ground, watching his crystalline form disintegrate. Addled by pain, his mind wanders as one by one, his senses begin to fade. Then a stranger appears in the clearing, casting a new light over Luca, a light that warms him from the inside out.

Dashiel offers Luca a chance of survival…a chance to live, but, first, Luca must decide if his brittle heart is ready for the life Dashiel is offering.”

My thoughts:

“He had existed for many years, but he had not lived. Had not loved or been loved. He’d seen the worst the world had to offer – death, cruelty and violence – and he was tired. Tired enough to fade away if Dash didn’t want him.”

I’m a fan of Garrett Leigh. She writes beautiful and heartfelt stories using precise, descriptive and well chosen words. I’m also a bit afraid of her books because this author does angst very well, and this reader is not very good at dealing with angst. When this free short story became available I took one look at the blurb, one-clicked and sat down to read it. I am very glad I did.

This is a beautiful and original story. We see very little of the world Luca and Dash live in but what we are shown is enough to put us straight in the narrative and to make us understand what’s happening.

This is a story about the choices we make; a tale about the difference between being alive and living, a fable about the power of love. Shadow Bound is powerful, thought-provoking and glorious. (Oh dear, am I gushing again?).

Do yourself a huge favour and pick up this freebie. It is a wonderful read and while it is quite possible you’ll find yourself wishing you could have spent more time with Luca and Dash, I certainly did, you won’t feel short changed by the length of this story. As short stories go, this one is pretty much perfectly formed.

THE LAYERED MASK by Sue Brown

THE LAYERED MASK by Sue Brown

 

Pages: 108

Date: July 27, 2015

Details: A Masquerade Story

            Copy received from the Author

E-book

The blurb:

“Threatened by his father with disinheritance, Lord Edwin Nash arrives in London with a sole purpose: to find a wife. A more than eligible bachelor and titled to boot, the society matrons are determined to shackle him to one of the girls by the end of the season.

During a masquerade ball, Nash hides from the ladies vying for his attention. He is discovered by Lord Thomas Downe, the Duke of Lynwood. Nash is horrified when Downe calmly tells him that he knows the secret Nash has hidden for years and sees through the mask Edwin presents to the rest of the world.

And then he offers him an alternative.”

My thoughts:

A Layered Mask is pretty much an old-fashioned and traditional historical romance. In Edwin Nash we meet the inexperienced, wide-eyed innocent, forced to face a world and forces he’s ill equipped to handle when his father decides he needs to find himself a wife. Enter Thomas Downe, a somewhat older and far more experienced and world wise man who takes the younger Nash under his wing. There are the careful and secret flirtations, early morning horse riding dates and a slow, patient, and breathtakingly beautiful seduction. A traditional romance except for the fact that our star-crossed lovers are both male.

To say I lost myself in this story would be an understatement. I fell for both men as soon as they entered the story, enjoyed every moment of their courtship and despaired with them when it all appeared to come to an early and devastating end. The slow seduction of Edwin took my breath away; it was both incredibly hot and touchingly sweet.

While, at first glance, it may seem as if the fact that this is a historical romance centred around two men sets it apart from other historical romances, on further inspection that appears to be less true. Of course it was against the law and very dangerous for men to seen to be involved with other men and a loving relationship between them would have been inconceivable in those (and far more recent) times. But it was not just gay men who were denied the opportunity to find love. As becomes very clear in this book, all people were expected to marry for reasons other than love. Money, land, politics, heirs were deciding factors when it came to choosing your life partner and that was as true for those who fell for people of their own gender as it was for heterosexuals. I really appreciate that Sue Brown showed the marriage conundrum in all its glory. While the solution to the problems may well seem a bit convenient to some, I have no complaints. Any resolution in which love triumphs over prejudice and custom – in all its disguises – is one I’ll enjoy and treasure.

Once again Sue Brown drew me into her world, made me connect with her characters, and left me admiring her beautiful and smooth writing. The language and descriptions in this book felt entirely appropriate to the period in which the story was set. This was a wonderful read and I highly recommend it.

Buy Links:

Amazon US            Amazon UK            Are              Dreamspinner Press

INTERESTING TIMES by Matthew Storm

INTERESTING TIMES by Matthew Storm

 

Pages: 228

Date: July 26, 2015

Details: No. 1 Interesting Times

E-book

The blurb:

“Oliver Jones was a dull man living a dull life, until one night a stray cat began speaking to him. In English. And that was before things got really strange. Now he is on the run, hunted by an inhuman assassin who will stop at nothing to kill him. His only hope for survival rests with a trio of unlikely new allies: A werewolf with a fondness for Hawaiian shirts, a strange little girl who just might be immortal, and a gunfighter with an anger management problem. Oliver always wanted a little excitement in his life, but now he finds himself living in Interesting Times... 

From the Back Cover:

"You see that house?" Tyler pointed at the building they had just left. "It exists at a single fixed point in time. From its perspective the outside world never moves and never changes. So we use it as a safe house. It's a great place to hide for a while."

"A fixed point in time?" Oliver asked. "So...is this the past? Or the future?" Oliver was beginning to think he'd need a physics textbook to understand all of this. Or possibly some LSD.”

My thoughts:     

“Now he was on the run, and the only people he felt sure he could trust, albeit hesitantly, were a creepy little girl, a woman who had threatened to shoot him and...Tyler. Tyler, a man who possessed a very questionable fashion sense, but made up for it with fantastic baking skills.”

Intrigued yet? That is only the start of the weird and wonderful. I mean I haven’t mentioned the werewolves, talking cat, vampires or lizard people yet, have I?

I always enjoy a book in which the nonsensical appears to make perfect sense, especially when it’s a case of a very average person being thrown into an anything but average situation. And that is exactly what happens in Interesting Times. I’m not even going to try and explain the story to you. Read the blurb and then dive into an adventure in which the mad is normal. This book is wacky and fun. There were moments when I laughed out loud. The storyline is so ludicrous it shouldn’t work, and I guess that’s probably the reason it does work very well.

This is a book to read when you need something that will capture you and transport you to a magical world filled with delights, shocks and surprises. Once you’re stuck into the story it is very hard to stop reading. Events follow each other in quick succession and keep the reader turning the pages in order to find out what form of madness they’re going to run into next. Expect the unexpected. Believe the unbelievable and enjoy this wild ride. It will be a few hours very well, and very enjoyably spent.

I didn't mention this in my reviews on either Amazon or Goodreads because what I'm about to say next didn't interfere with my reading enjoyment at all, and shouldn't be taken as criticism. But I have to say that I've got the distinct feeling Matthew Storm may be an avid reader with books like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and The Passage on the list of books he has read. Mind you, if I'm right about that, I have to say there are worse places to find inspiration.

It is very good to know the sequel, Interesting Places, is already available. I can’t see it taking me long before I read that one.

FINDING ANNA by Sherri Hayes Anniversary Post

Four years ago on July 26th, Slave, the first book in Sherri Hayes' Bestselling Finding Anna Series hit the market.

Genre: BDSM Romance Series

Buy Links: Amazon | B&N | iBooks

Stephan has lived the lifestyle of a Dominant for five years. After several rebellious teenage years, it gave him the stability and control he had been seeking after his parent’s death.

As president of a not-for-profit foundation, he knows what his future holds and what he wants out of life. All that changes when a simple lunch with his college friend and Mentor, Darren, leads him to buying a slave.

Thrust into a situation he never thought he’d be in, Stephan can’t walk away. He is compelled to help this girl in the only way he knows how.

Brianna knows only one thing, she is a slave. She has nothing. She is nothing.

Can Stephan help Brianna realize that she is much more than just a Slave?

Readers Have Fallen In Love

Slave now has over 100 4 and 5 star ratings son Amazon.

"Slave was a very intense read for me, beautifully written, and left me wanting more." 
~In The Book

"Describing this read is simple- AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!! I found every aspect of it to be so good. I couldn't put it down."
~AndreaAH

Finding Anna

Slave is the first book in Sherri's Finding Anna Series. A 4 book serial series that follows Brianna and Stephan through their journey.


"I talk to a lot of readers and the one thing they consistently say is that this is unlike anything they've ever read before. Some see the cover of Slave and assume it's a traditional slave/capture story. That couldn't be further from the truth. Slave, and the rest of Finding Anna, is about a young woman who has to figure out who she is and what she wants to do with her life after suffering through immense trauma. Finding Anna starts where all the other slave/capture stories end...with the rescue." ~Sherri Hayes

As Brianna comes to terms with the realization that she is no longer a slave, she must figure out what she wants for her life. Forgetting her past isn’t an option. It is an integral part of who she is now, and it will forever shape her view of life. The one thing she knows is that she cannot imagine her life without the man who saved her, but can she be what he needs? 

Stephan never imagined falling in love with the woman he rescued, but the thought of her no longer being part of his life is physically painful. The scars from her past continue to haunt her, and he is helpless to stop them. All he can do is try to help her work through the traumas of her past. Can he be everything she needs and help her move on?

The two must figure out how to navigate not only their relationship with each other, but also the outside world. A friend from Brianna’s past shows up where she least expects them, and Uncle Richard continues to enforce his well-meaning agenda to get Brianna more traditional help. As forces, both friend and foe, threaten to tear them apart, Stephan and Brianna have to navigate the turbulent waters and find what they need in each other.

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For the last two months, Brianna has discovered something she never thought she would again. Hope. After the horror of being Ian’s slave for ten months, a fate she never imagined she’d escape, it feels as if she is living a dream. She has freedom she hadn’t expected to have again, and she wakes up every morning not fearing what the day will bring. There is also Stephan. The man who saved her from the daily torture she had to endure at the hands of Ian and his friends. The same man who makes her heart race with just the thought of him. Life is good.

Outside forces are determined to conspire against them, however. When Brianna’s father shows up on her doorstep, it sends her world spiraling out of control. He brings with him new information about how Brianna ended up in Ian’s clutches, but will it make a difference? Will Stephan be able to find a way to make Ian pay for all he made Brianna suffer? As Brianna and Stephan try to find out the truth, their relationship is tested. She is forced to face her past head on, and deal with the ugly reality of what happened to her. Will Stephan’s love be enough to see her through her newest challenge, or will the fragile trust they’ve built come crumbling down around them as the truth makes itself known. 

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Brianna is lost for the fourth time in her life. Each time was unexpected, and each changed the course of her future. The first life-altering event occurred when her mother died, and she moved to Minnesota to live with her father.

The second was when she was kidnapped at the age of seventeen and forced to be a slave. She would never forget those ten months. Brianna thought her life was over.

Everything changed again the day Stephan steamrolled into her life and brought her home to live with him. She had no idea what to expect—what life with her new Master would hold. That first month with Stephan was, in some ways, more confusing than the prior ten. As a slave, she’d known her place. With Stephan everything was new and different. He’d given her freedom and so much more.

Five months after Stephan rescued her, Brianna once again finds her life flipped upside down.

In this fourth, and final, installment of Finding Anna, Brianna must unearth strength she never knew she possessed. Stephan can no longer protect her from the outside world. She must learn to trust herself, embrace who she is, and discover who she wants to be. Only by facing her demons can Brianna find true happiness and peace.

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Finding Anna Box Set

Download all 4 books for only $9.99.

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Giveaway

Grand Prize - $10 Amazon Gift Card

2nd Prize - Sherri Hayes Swag Pack

3rd Prize - Set of Signed Finding Anna Bookmarks

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SKYBOUND by Aleksandr Voinov

SKYBOUND by Aleksandr Voinov

 

Pages: 30

Date: July 19, 2015

Paperback

The blurb:

“Germany, 1945. The Third Reich is on its knees as Allied forces bomb Berlin to break the last resistance. Yet on an airfield near Berlin, the battle is far from over for a young mechanic, Felix, who’s attached to a squadron of fighter pilots. He’s especially attached to fighter ace Baldur Vogt, a man he admires and secretly loves. But there’s no room for love at the end of the world, never mind in Nazi Germany.

When Baldur narrowly cheats death, Felix pulls him from his plane, and the pilot makes his riskiest move yet. He takes a few days’ leave to recover, and he takes Felix with him. Away from the pressures of the airfield, their bond deepens, and Baldur shows Felix the kind of brotherhood he’d only ever dreamed of before.

But there’s no escaping the war, and when they return, Baldur joins the fray again in the skies over Berlin. As the Allies close in on the airfield where Felix waits for his lover, Baldur must face the truth that he is no longer the only one in mortal danger.”

My thoughts:

“I used to count the absences when they landed.”

Sometimes I have to ask what on earth is wrong with me. I’ve owned my (signed) copy of Skybound for almost a year and only now decided to read it. Part of it stems from my tendency to save books I expect to love just in case I need them to pull my out of a reading slump. My reluctance to read about WW II certainly played its role. And the fact that Skybound doesn’t live on my Kindle but resides in pride of place on my bookshelf is another reason. None of them are good enough as excuses go though.

Dare I say it? Should I put down in writing that these may well have been the most touching, memorable and mesmerizing thirty pages I have ever read? There, I’ve said it. I have absolutely no idea how it is possible to say so much using so few words. The developing relationship between Baldur and Felix, life on an airfield in the later days of WW II, the madness of war versus the reluctance to give up on what is clearly a lost cause, and the facility to find hope even in the midst of devastation. Aleksandr Voinov told us more about war, fighting, pilots, fear and love in thirty pages than others have done in books ten times longer. I think it’s fair to say that every single word in this book was significant, just as I have no doubt that not only will Skybound stay on my mind for a very long time, it is also one of the few books I know I will re-read...again and again.

The very first thing that touched me in this book was the quote I started this review with. The second thing to make me sit up and break out in a huge grin was the reference to a Karl May book. I read those Old Shatterhand books when I was in my early teens and I still remember them with enormous fondness. How nice to have those memories re-awoken while reading another book.

Years ago I made up my mind to never read a book about WW II again. I’ve broken that promise to myself only a few times and Aleksandr Voinov is the only author who’s made me do it twice. The first time, when I read Unhinge the Universe, I was glad I’d overcome my reluctance. This time what I feel is gratitude that I didn’t allow my self-imposed moratorium to deprive me of Skybound, because it is the most wonderful of books and has now found its rightful place on my ‘extra special’ list.

HALF MOON HOUSE by Theo Fenraven

HALF MOON HOUSE by Theo Fenraven

 

Pages: 175

Date: July 2015

E-book

The blurb:

“Abandoned by an industry that has been decimated by the economy, and struggling in a marriage that isn’t quite the stuff of dreams, Jon Donovan is ready for a change. It appears in the shape of Cass Allen—as comfortable in a skirt and heels as he is in jeans—who has happily spent his life drifting from place to place and job to job.

Pragmatic and practical meets mystical and magical as they start a new business, help solve a murder, and are blindsided by a devastating betrayal neither of them saw coming. 

The tiny house community has two new advocates, but Jon and Cass will only find their happy ending if they are willing to give up who they were and become the men they are supposed to be.”

My thoughts:

Disclosure: I was lucky enough to be allowed to beta-read Half Moon House for the author.

Anyone who regularly reads my reviews knows that I’m a huge fan of Theo Fenraven’s writing. Ever since I first read Blue River in December 2013, I’ve been in awe of the way he manipulates words and his huge range when it comes to subjects and genres. It therefore won’t come as a big surprise when I say that once again this author managed to write a story which blew me away. I can’t believe Mr. Fenraven managed to surprise me once again J

It is a lot easier to tell you what Half Moon House isn’t than exactly what it is. Without giving anything away, because this book should be experienced without any preconceived ideas, I can say Half Moon House gives the reader romance, devastating heart break, a mystery, ghosts, and legal drama all as experienced by two characters who appear to have very little in common and yet are perfect for each other.

In previous reviews I have mentioned how much I love it when a book manages to surprise me, and Half Moon House did just that. Most books will tackle one or two issues and, if there are more, they tend to show up in a logical if far from realistic sequence. Real life doesn’t work that way. We all know that when something goes wrong in one part our lives it usually means shit is about to hit the fan in several other areas as well. The same is true for Jon in this book. His simple, if maybe not quite satisfying and somewhat boring, life is blown apart in this story and everything happens if not at exactly the same time than at least in very quick succession. As a result, neither the reader nor Jon and Cass are given the opportunity to catch their breath while they are hurled from one issue to the next.

Cass *sighs*. I fell hard and fast for Cass. While I liked Jon and hurt for him as his life fell apart, Cass dug his way into my heart and took up residence. There was nothing I didn’t like about him but his easy going attitude towards life resonated with me on a deep level.

And just when I thought the book couldn’t possibly hold any other surprises or delight me anymore than it already had, Theo Fenraven made my day by allowing me to spend more time with Percy Callendar and Sage Donovan from The Haunted Maze.

Long story short: I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. Theo Fenraven’s writing is as beautiful, descriptive yet sparse as always. His characters touched me and the story made me think about several issues. As a reading experience this book hit just about every one of my buttons. I am once again impressed.

About the Author:

I live in south Florida with my dog, Suki. I edit books and write novels. I’m also a pretty good photographer. From time to time, I will post some of my pics.

I like hearing from readers, so don’t be shy. Leave a comment and say hello.

For more about and from Theo Fenraven visit his blog: Let Me Tell You a Story.

By links:    Amazon US           Amazon UK            ARe

LESSONS FOR IDLE TONGUES by Charlie Cochrane

LESSONS FOR IDLE TONGUES by Charlie Cochrane

Pages: 291

Date: July 18, 2015

Details: No. 11 Cambridge Fellows 

            Mysteries

            Copy received from Riptide

            Publishing through NetGalley

E-book

The blurb:

Amateur detectives Jonty Stewart and Orlando Coppersmith seem to have nothing more taxing on their plate than locating a missing wooden cat and solving the dilemma of seating thirteen for dinner. But one of the guests brings a conundrum: a young woman has been found dead, and her boyfriend is convinced she was murdered. The trouble is, nobody else agrees.

Investigation reveals that several young people in the local area have died in strange circumstances, and rumours abound of poisonings at the hands of Lord Toothill, a local mysterious recluse. Toothill’s angry, gun-toting gamekeeper isn’t doing anything to quell suspicions, either.

But even with a gun to his head, Jonty can tell there’s more going on in this surprisingly treacherous village than meets the eye. And even Orlando’s vaunted logic is stymied by the baffling inconsistencies they uncover. Together, the Cambridge Fellows must pick their way through gossip and misdirection to discover the truth.

My thoughts:

From the moment I started this book I couldn’t get over how charming – and I mean that in the best possible sense of the word - Lessons for Idle Tongues is. The setting, the characters and the story seduced me from the first paragraph. I think it’s fair to say I’ve been a fan of mysteries for almost as long as I’ve been able to read, and to discover a new (to me) series is always a pleasure.

Lessons for Idle Tongues was no exception to that rule. This is the 11^th title in the Cambridge Fellows series although it was my first introduction to Jonty and Orlando. I was delighted to discover that I could thoroughly enjoy this book without having read the previous instalments. It is quite possible I missed one or two in-jokes or references to earlier mysteries, but if that was the case I can’t say I noticed it.

There’s a lot to love in this book. The dynamics in the Stewart family, Jonty and Orlando – both separately and together -, the mystery of the wooden cat and the mystery of the dead youngsters, the period the story’s set in, the beautiful language, the pompous yet time-appropriate manner of speech.... I could go on but will limit myself to saying I read this book with a huge grin on my face.

I love how the author managed to convey that Jonty and Orlando’s relationship is illegal without making that a huge plot point. The characters and therefore the readers too, are well aware they’d be up to their necks in trouble should their relationship become common knowledge and act accordingly, but this is a minor detail and not something that motivates either the story or Jonty and Orlando’s actions.

Since this is a mystery – as well as an utterly charming story – I should mention that both mysteries in this book were intriguing, cleverly investigated and solved in a very satisfactory manner.

I’m not entirely sure what else to say about Lessons for Idle Tongues without giving too much away, except maybe to repeat that I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is wonderful that I have ten previous titles in this series to peruse at my leisure. Jonty and Orlando have found themselves a new fan.