Blog Tour: Bittersweet Brooklyn by Thelma Adams

Today kicks off Thelma Adams' blog tour for Bittersweet Brooklyn! You can read all about this exciting historical below and enter to win a copy! We have two paperbacks and an Audio Book up for grabs.

I'm reading this now and loving it! Check back on the 31st for a review of the book & interview with author Thelma Adams.


Bittersweet Brooklyn by Thelma Adams

Publication Date: November 6, 2018
Lake Union Publishing
Paperback, eBook & Audio

Genre: Historical Fiction


In turn-of-the century New York, a mobster rises—and his favorite sister struggles between loyalty and life itself. How far will she go when he commits murder?

After midnight, Thelma Lorber enters her brother Abie’s hangout under the Williamsburg Bridge, finding Jewish mobster Louis “Pretty” Amberg in a puddle of blood on the kitchen floor. She could flee. Instead, in the dark hours of that October 1935 night before the dawn of Murder, Inc., she remains beside the fierce, funny brother who has nurtured and protected her since childhood. There are many kinds of love a woman can feel for a man, but few compare to that of the baby sister for her older brother. For Thelma, a wild widow tethered to a young son, Abie is the center of her world. But that love is about to undo everything she holds dear…

Flipping the familiar script of The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, and The Godfather, Bittersweet Brooklyn explores the shattering impact of mob violence on the women expected to mop up the mess. Winding its way over decades, this haunting family saga plunges readers into a dangerous past—revealed through the perspective of a forgotten yet vibrant woman.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Praise for Bittersweet Brooklyn

“Thelma Adams is our new Dickens in her effervescently vivid tale of Jewish hardscrabble living, gangsters, torn-apart families, and a young woman desperate for love, family, and a stable future. Set in a 1920s and 30s Brooklyn so rich, raw, and bristling with life that you can taste the brine on the deli pickles and see the flasks of whiskey hidden in a garter, this is the kind of novel that’s lived, rather than read.” — Caroline Leavitt, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author

“Smart and complex, Bittersweet Brooklyn is a riveting journey into a glamorous and deadly underworld. Fascinating characters and a backdrop of New York in the 1920’s kept me churning through pages. Add in twist after twist to an already vibrant plot, and you’ve got the makings of a perfect read! No one writes women in history better than Thelma Adams. I loved this book!” —Heather Burch, bestselling author of In the Light of the Garden

“Bookies! Bubbes! Bossy big-mouths! Thelma Adams’ Bittersweet Brooklyn takes you back to an early twentieth-century Williamsburg teeming not with too-cool-for-school millennials, but with rough-and-tumble Jewish and Italian immigrants. You’ll race through this raucous historical saga, admiring its gritty detail and street-smart dialogue. Inspired by real events, Thelma Adams brings to life an unforgettable family ruled by filial love divided by biting dysfunction.” —Sally Koslow, author of Another Side of Paradise

“Thelma Adams has found her niche as a wonderfully vivid historical chronicler of the female spirit. Her tale of a Jewish girl making her way amid gangster-studded NYC is a marvelous must-read.” —Michael Musto, columnist

“Bittersweet Brooklyn is gripping from page one. An intimate look at the dynamics of a broken family in gangster-riddled New York, it will have you rooting for protagonist and antagonist alike as wounds are open, healed, scarred, and exposed. With some of the finest dialogue I've ever come across, this is one I will not soon forget.” —Camille Di Maio, bestselling author of The Memory of Us

“Set in the savage underbelly of a Mafia-linked social club and amusement park, Bittersweet Brooklyn tells the sizzling and unforgettable family saga of a brother and sister who must pit survival against loyalty, desire, and compassion.” —Susan Henderson, author of The Flicker of Old Dreams

“Terrific! A great story, suspense, a vibrant heroine, complex and colorful supporting characters and amazing period details: I couldn’t put it down.” —Caryn James, cultural critic and author of Glorie and What Caroline Knew

“A searing, layered portrait of a Brooklyn family divided against itself, this novel brims with heartbreak, history, empathy and grace.” —Greer Macallister, bestselling author of The Magician’s Lie and Girl in Disguise

“A fresh, fierce retelling of the crime family saga from the female point of view.” —Paula Froelich, New York Times bestselling author of Mercury in Retrograde

“A gorgeously written and gritty American immigrant tale about broken homes and broken hearts, and how the sins within a family can reverberate across generations. Riveting!” —Jane Healey, bestselling author of The Saturday Evening Girls Club

“A noir coming-of-age story with a feisty and unforgettable heroine.” —Meryl Gordon, New York Times bestselling author of the biography of Bunny Mellon

About the Author 

Thelma Adams is the author of the best selling historical novel The Last Woman Standing and Playdate, which Oprah magazine described as "a witty debut novel." In addition to her fiction work, Adams is a prominent American film critic and an outspoken voice in the Hollywood community. She has been the in-house film critic for Us Weekly and The New York Post, and has written essays, celebrity profiles and reviews for Yahoo! Movies,The New York Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Parade, Marie Claire and The Huffington Post. Adams studied history at the University of California, Berkeley, where she was valedictorian, and received her MFA from Columbia University. She lives in upstate New York with her family.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | BookBub

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, January 28
Feature at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, January 29
Interview at Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots

Wednesday, January 30
Guest Post at To Read, Or Not to Read
Review at Pursuing Stacie

Thursday, January 31
Review & Interview at Passages to the Past

Friday, February 1
Excerpt at Just One More Chapter

Saturday, February 2
Excerpt at Maiden of the Pages

Sunday, February 3
Feature at Queen of Random

Tuesday, February 5
Review at Creating Herstory

Wednesday, February 6
Review at Bibliophile Reviews

Thursday, February 7
Review at Peppermint Ph.D.
Excerpt at Old Timey Books
Guest Post at Jathan & Heather

Friday, February 8
Review at The Lit Bitch

Sunday, February 10
Feature at What Is That Book About

Monday, February 11
Review at Macsbooks

Tuesday, February 12
Review at Bookish

Wednesday, February 13
Review at Cover To Cover Cafe

Thursday, February 14
Review at Coffee and Ink

Friday, February 15
Excerpt at Broken Teepee
Review at Comet Readings
Review at CelticLady's Reviews
Excerpt at Spellbound by History
Review at Oh, The Books She Will Read

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away two paperback copies and one Audio Book! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on February 15th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

Bittersweet Brooklyn


Cover Reveal: A Modest Independence by Mimi Matthews

Happy Monday, dear readers! I am over-the-moon excited to be kicking off Mimi Matthews' Cover Reveal for her next novel, A Modest Independence! Isn't it GORGEOUS?!

A Modest Independence is the follow up novel to The Matrimonial Advertisement, which I loved and which was a huge hit with the blog tour reviewers. I absolutely cannot wait to devour this lovely when it releases!


A Modest Independence by Mimi Matthews

Publication Date: April 23, 2019
Perfectly Proper Press
eBook; 400 Pages

Series: Parish Orphans of Devon (Book #2)
Genre: Historical Romance


He Needed Peace…

Attorney Tom Finchley has spent his life using his devious intellect to solve the problems of others. As for his own problems, they’re nothing that a bit of calculated vengeance can’t remedy. But that’s all over now. He’s finally ready to put the past behind him and settle down to a quiet, uncomplicated life. If only he could find an equally uncomplicated woman.

She Wanted Adventure…

Former lady’s companion Jenny Holloway has just been given a modest independence. Now, all she wants is a bit of adventure. A chance to see the world and experience life far outside the restrictive limits of Victorian England. If she can discover the fate of the missing Earl of Castleton while she’s at it, so much the better.

From the gaslit streets of London to the lush tea gardens of colonial India, Jenny and Tom embark on an epic quest—and an equally epic romance. But even at the farthest edges of the British Empire, the past has a way of catching up with you…

Available for Pre-Order
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunesKobo

About the Author

Mimi Matthews (A Victorian Lady’s Guide to Fashion and Beauty, The Lost Letter) writes both historical non-fiction and traditional historical romances set in Victorian England. Her articles on nineteenth century history have been published on various academic and history sites, including the Victorian Web and the Journal of Victorian Culture, and are also syndicated weekly at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes an Andalusian dressage horse, two Shelties, and two Siamese cats.

For more information, please visit Mimi Matthews’ website and blog. You can also connect with her on FacebookTwitterBookBubPinterestGoogle+, and Goodreads.

Book Blast Schedule

Monday, January 28
Bookish Rantings
Queen of Random
Passages to the Past
Chicks, Rogues, and Scandals

Tuesday, January 29
Pursuing Stacie
Comet Readings

Wednesday, January 30
100 Pages a Day
A Chick Who Reads

Thursday, January 31
T's Stuff
The Lit Bitch

Friday, February 1
Tar Heel Reader
CelticLady's Reviews
View from the Birdhouse

Saturday, February 2
Hoover Book Reviews

Sunday, February 3
Clarissa Reads it All
The Book Junkie Reads

Monday, February 4
Old Timey Books
Diana_bibliophile

Tuesday, February 5
Historical Fiction with Spirit
History From a Woman's Perspective

Wednesday, February 6
Maiden of the Pages
Christine's Book Corner

Thursday, February 7
Proverbial Reads
Jorie Loves a Story
Oh, the Books She Will Read

Now Reading: Bittersweet Brooklyn by Thelma Adams

I will be starting this gorgeous book tonight! Stay tuned for my review to be posted during her blog tour with HFVBT!


Bittersweet Brooklyn by Thelma Adams

Publication Date: November 6, 2018
Lake Union Publishing
Paperback, eBook & Audio

Genre: Historical Fiction


In turn-of-the century New York, a mobster rises—and his favorite sister struggles between loyalty and life itself. How far will she go when he commits murder?

After midnight, Thelma Lorber enters her brother Abie’s hangout under the Williamsburg Bridge, finding Jewish mobster Louis “Pretty” Amberg in a puddle of blood on the kitchen floor. She could flee. Instead, in the dark hours of that October 1935 night before the dawn of Murder, Inc., she remains beside the fierce, funny brother who has nurtured and protected her since childhood. There are many kinds of love a woman can feel for a man, but few compare to that of the baby sister for her older brother. For Thelma, a wild widow tethered to a young son, Abie is the center of her world. But that love is about to undo everything she holds dear…

Flipping the familiar script of The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, and The Godfather, Bittersweet Brooklyn explores the shattering impact of mob violence on the women expected to mop up the mess. Winding its way over decades, this haunting family saga plunges readers into a dangerous past—revealed through the perspective of a forgotten yet vibrant woman.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Praise for Bittersweet Brooklyn

“Thelma Adams is our new Dickens in her effervescently vivid tale of Jewish hardscrabble living, gangsters, torn-apart families, and a young woman desperate for love, family, and a stable future. Set in a 1920s and 30s Brooklyn so rich, raw, and bristling with life that you can taste the brine on the deli pickles and see the flasks of whiskey hidden in a garter, this is the kind of novel that’s lived, rather than read.” — Caroline Leavitt, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author

“Smart and complex, Bittersweet Brooklyn is a riveting journey into a glamorous and deadly underworld. Fascinating characters and a backdrop of New York in the 1920’s kept me churning through pages. Add in twist after twist to an already vibrant plot, and you’ve got the makings of a perfect read! No one writes women in history better than Thelma Adams. I loved this book!” —Heather Burch, bestselling author of In the Light of the Garden

“Bookies! Bubbes! Bossy big-mouths! Thelma Adams’ Bittersweet Brooklyn takes you back to an early twentieth-century Williamsburg teeming not with too-cool-for-school millennials, but with rough-and-tumble Jewish and Italian immigrants. You’ll race through this raucous historical saga, admiring its gritty detail and street-smart dialogue. Inspired by real events, Thelma Adams brings to life an unforgettable family ruled by filial love divided by biting dysfunction.” —Sally Koslow, author of Another Side of Paradise

“Thelma Adams has found her niche as a wonderfully vivid historical chronicler of the female spirit. Her tale of a Jewish girl making her way amid gangster-studded NYC is a marvelous must-read.” —Michael Musto, columnist

“Bittersweet Brooklyn is gripping from page one. An intimate look at the dynamics of a broken family in gangster-riddled New York, it will have you rooting for protagonist and antagonist alike as wounds are open, healed, scarred, and exposed. With some of the finest dialogue I've ever come across, this is one I will not soon forget.” —Camille Di Maio, bestselling author of The Memory of Us

“Set in the savage underbelly of a Mafia-linked social club and amusement park, Bittersweet Brooklyn tells the sizzling and unforgettable family saga of a brother and sister who must pit survival against loyalty, desire, and compassion.” —Susan Henderson, author of The Flicker of Old Dreams

“Terrific! A great story, suspense, a vibrant heroine, complex and colorful supporting characters and amazing period details: I couldn’t put it down.” —Caryn James, cultural critic and author of Glorie and What Caroline Knew

“A searing, layered portrait of a Brooklyn family divided against itself, this novel brims with heartbreak, history, empathy and grace.” —Greer Macallister, bestselling author of The Magician’s Lie and Girl in Disguise

“A fresh, fierce retelling of the crime family saga from the female point of view.” —Paula Froelich, New York Times bestselling author of Mercury in Retrograde

“A gorgeously written and gritty American immigrant tale about broken homes and broken hearts, and how the sins within a family can reverberate across generations. Riveting!” —Jane Healey, bestselling author of The Saturday Evening Girls Club

“A noir coming-of-age story with a feisty and unforgettable heroine.” —Meryl Gordon, New York Times bestselling author of the biography of Bunny Mellon


About the Author 

Thelma Adams is the author of the best selling historical novel The Last Woman Standing and Playdate, which Oprah magazine described as "a witty debut novel." In addition to her fiction work, Adams is a prominent American film critic and an outspoken voice in the Hollywood community. She has been the in-house film critic for Us Weekly and The New York Post, and has written essays, celebrity profiles and reviews for Yahoo! Movies,The New York Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Parade, Marie Claire and The Huffington Post. Adams studied history at the University of California, Berkeley, where she was valedictorian, and received her MFA from Columbia University. She lives in upstate New York with her family.

Connect with Thelma Adams
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | BookBub

Interview & Giveaway: The Road to Newgate by Kate Braithwaite

Hello, dear readers! Today on the blog I am very excited to be hosting the lovely Kate Braithwaite today! Kate is currently on blog tour for The Road to Newgate (which I loved), and she is stopping by today to answer a few questions!

You can read my review of The Road to Newgate here.

I hope you enjoy the interview & don't forget to enter our giveaway!


Hello Kate and welcome to Passages to the Past! Thanks so much for stopping by today to talk about The Road to Newgate!

To begin, can you please tell us a little about yourself and your writing?

Hi! I am originally from Scotland but now live in the Brandywine Valley in Pennsylvania. I have three teenage kids, a husband who travels and runs, two dogs and a cat, so life is busy! I’ve written 3 historical novels each of which focuses on a person or story in history that I’ve stumbled across and thought would be just the kind of thing I’d love to read a novel about. I’ve been a bookworm all my life and writing novels is even more fun (although more challenging!) than reading them.

What inspired you to write The Road to Newgate?

I came across Titus Oates while I was researching my first novel Charlatan. It’s set in Paris in and around 1678, but while the court at Versailles was consumed with the Affair of the Poisons I write about in Charlatan, across the Channel in London, a very different story was unfolding. Titus Oates, an impoverished preacher, became an overnight success when he claimed to have proof of an extensive Popish Plot to assassinate Charles I. Titus is a fabulous villain, one of the most infamous liars in history, but the truth behind his lies was ruthlessly pursued by a journalist. The story of that man, and his wife, Anne, became the story I tell in the novel.

What research did you undertake when writing The Road to Newgate?

My research falls into two categories. First there is the historical record which informs so much of the plot. I read up on the Popish Plot in general and the life of Titus Oates in particular. The complete story of the Popish Plot is far too complex to lay out in a novel so it’s an edited version that appears in The Road to Newgate. Where I did very happily use as much historical detail as possible was in the trials that occur throughout the story. Transcripts of all of the trials that took place are available online. Reading them is an amazing experience – the back and forth between judges and witnesses really brings the past to life. Titus Oates’ whining, and the judges’ bigotry that feature in the novel, come directly from the historical record.

Then there is the research that brings 17th Century London to life. I read multiple books on Restoration London and used the Ogilby and Morgan map of London in 1676 extensively to track my characters movements. I learned a lot about Newgate prison as it’s a recurring setting for key parts of the story. And although there is a political plotline and a detective story going on, The Road to Newgate is also the story of a marriage. I did a lot of research about domestic life in the 17th Century including about the role of women, midwifery, superstitions, food, funerals, housing and fashion.

What was your favorite scene to write?

One of my favorite scenes to write takes place when Nat and his friend go to watch a bull-baiting. I have a couple of dog loving friends who have taken me to task over it! It is a bit gritty, but what I love about it, is the back and forth between the bull and the dog going on while a really important conversation is happening for my character Nat. There is also symbolic significance (for me anyway!) between the bull and the dog and Titus Oates and Nat. So I love that it is an active scene, also a historically realistic scene, and that it’s a key scene for Nat’s character arc.

What was the most difficult scene to write?

Some of the scenes were difficult because they were emotional, particularly around Nat and Anne’s baby – but the scene that took me the longest to get right is near the end of the novel when Nat tracks down Sir Edmund Godfrey’s manservant and learns the truth about the magistrate’s death. It’s a fight scene of sorts but I only had a short space of time to introduce the manservant, Moor, and his wife and I wanted to make them convincing and believable. Nat too, is not really a fighter. He fights with words far more than his fists. In this scene, he had to push himself, and maybe that’s why I also had to really push myself to get that section working.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I always did. Or I always thought I would write a novel. I’ve always read voraciously and wanted to be able to create something in this form that I have so much love for.

What does your daily writing routine look like?

When I am writing a draft, I get up, get the kids off to school and go straight to my desk. I can manage two to three hours like that before I run out of steam. I try to stop at a point where I know what is going to happen next so that I can get right back at it the next day. When I’m editing, I take a bit more time before getting to it. The house is usually tidier and more organized at this point! Other bits and bobs of writing – book reviews, interviews, blog posts etc – I quite often write in the kitchen with the radio on. At times like that I don’t mind if people are at home and I can drop in and out of writing to check my email, twitter etc. But if I’m actually writing a novel, I need an empty house and silence. It’s usually just me, one dog on her bed, one on the armchair and the cat on the desk.

What has been your greatest challenge as a writer? Have you been able to overcome it?

So many things! To begin with I had the problem, that I think many people have, that if I wrote something and it wasn’t immediately Pulitzer prize worthy material, I got disheartened and stopped. It wasn’t until I had children that I realized I had to get over myself and just get writing! Beyond that, I found that even though I’d read widely all my life and studied English at University, I had a lot to learn about novel writing. Over time, I’ve become someone who outlines and I’m a lot better at spotting my own writing weaknesses. At least I hope so!

Who are your writing inspirations?

Such a tricky question. I really admire a lot of writers – Sarah Waters, A.S. Byatt, Angela Carter, John Fowles, Paul Auster, Gabrielle Garcia Marquez, Haruki Murakami. They’ve all written novels that have surprised and wowed me. I’d love to write a novel that really sucks readers in – that you can’t wait to finish but don’t want to end. I often find that in crime novels and love writers like Ian Rankin, Minette Walters and Michael Connelly for their ability to grip me.

What was the first historical novel you read?

I’m going to say ‘Uneasy Lies the Head’ by Jean Plaidy although I can’t remember a thing about it. The first historical novel I can really remember in detail, as well as the impact it had on me, is The Sunne in Splendour, by Sharon Penman. As a teen, I read every Georgette Heyer regency novel. Love them.

What is the last historical novel you read?

A Well-Behaved Woman: A novel of the Vanderbilts, by Therese Anne Fowler. I loved it and her earlier novel, Z: a novel of Zelda Fitzgerald. She writes brilliantly and brings her characters and their world to life so well.

What are three things people may not know about you?

Um. I am not terribly interesting I don’t think! Three historical-ish things spring to mind:

When I was sixteen I had a hamster called Richard III, the last Plantagenet King

Until I was six I lived in a council house opposite Holyrood Palace and walked past it every day

My children are all named after characters in Georgette Heyer novels.

What appeals to you most about your chosen genre?

I love the escapism of the past. And all the sounds and smells and different ways of living. Whether reading or writing, I love the way historical fiction engages my imagination. I also really think history has a lot to teach us about the present – not in a didactic, hit me over the head way – but in the way people do - and do not change - as the centuries slip by.

What historical time period do you gravitate towards the most with your personal reading?

I am pretty open to anything from the medieval period onwards. I like storylines with strong women and aspects of history that I don’t know too much about. Anything with a crime or family secrets appeals to me greatly.

What do you like to do when you aren't writing?

I spend a lot of time at kid’s sports events and hanging out with family and friends. I’m trying to love exercise more this year! I also spend a fair amount of time on facetime with my mum back in Scotland. I like to get back to the UK once or twice a year. I’m a fan of movies as well as reading books. Recent favorites include The Favourite about Queen Anne, and Vice. Christian Bale is amazing in that film.

Lastly, what are you working on next?

I have just finished The Girl Puzzle, a novel of Nellie Bly and it’s with my editor. It’s a fictional biography of Nellie at two key times in her life – one when she is twenty-three and desperate to write for a big New York newspaper, and later in her fifties, when she takes a child from a New York Orphan asylum, telling her “I’m kidnapping you today.” It’s due for release by Crooked Cat Books in April 2019.

I am so excited for The Girl Puzzle! Thank you for taking time to stop by today! 



The Road to Newgate by Kate Braithwaite

Publication Date: July 16, 2018
Crooked Cat Books
Paperback & eBook; 280 Pages

Genre: Historical/Mystery


What price justice?

London 1678.

Titus Oates, an unknown preacher, creates panic with wild stories of a Catholic uprising against Charles II. The murder of a prominent Protestant magistrate appears to confirm that the Popish Plot is real.

Only Nathaniel Thompson, writer and Licenser of the Presses, instinctively doubts Oates’s revelations. Even his young wife, Anne, is not so sure. And neither know that their friend William Smith has personal history with Titus Oates.

When Nathaniel takes a public stand, questioning the plot and Oates’s integrity, the consequences threaten them all.

"Moved me greatly and brought tears to my eyes. Gripping, moving and brilliantly captures this tense and sometimes brutal episode in late seventeenth-century English history." -Andrea Zuvich, Author & Historian

"A real pleasure to read," -Denis Bock, author of The Ash Garden & The Communist's Daughter

"Meticulously researched, vividly imagined, and deftly plotted. Rich, resonating and relevant." -Catherine Hokin, author of Blood & Roses, the story of Margaret of Anjou.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

About the Author

Kate Braithwaite grew up in Edinburgh but has lived in various parts of the UK, in Canada and the US. Her first novel, CHARLATAN, was long-listed for the Mslexia New Novel Award and the Historical Novel Society Novel Award in 2015. Her next book, THE ROAD TO NEWGATE was released on July 16, 2018.

Kate and her family live in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

For more information, please visit Kate's website and blog. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Blog Tour Schedule

Thursday, January 10
Review & Excerpt at The Book Junkie Reads

Friday, January 11
Review at Passages to the Past

Monday, January 14
Guest Post at Short Book and Scribes

Tuesday, January 15
Review at Pursuing Stacie

Wednesday, January 16
Excerpt at Historical Fiction with Spirit

Thursday, January 17
Review & Excerpt at Locks, Hooks and Books

Friday, January 18
Feature at The Writing Desk
Feature at What Is That Book About

Monday, January 21
Review at Bookish Rantings

Tuesday, January 22
Feature at CelticLady's Reviews

Wednesday, January 23
Interview at Passages to the Past

Friday, January 25
Review at Coffee and Ink
Review at A Darn Good Read

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away a paperback copy of The Road to Newgate! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on January 25th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

The Road to Newgate


Interview & Giveaway: The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen Vol. II by Collins Hemingway

Hello, dear readers! Today on the blog, I am very excited to bring you an interview with Collins Hemingway who is currently on blog tour with HFVBT for The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen, Volume II. You can also enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!


Hello Collins and welcome to Passages to the Past! Thanks so much for stopping by today to talk about The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen (Volume II)!

To begin, can you please tell us a little about yourself and your writing?

Born and raised in the South. Spent my adult life in the Northwest. Nice mix of cultures and people. Writing has been a big part of my life. I worked my way through high school and college as a reporter; worked for newspapers till I was thirty. Became involved with the computerization of newspapers, and that led me into the high-tech world. Became a technical writer and technical marketer. Ended up at Microsoft during its go-go days and wrote a business book with Bill Gates. What a wild and crazy time!

Fiction was always my first love, and I wrote as much as I could around my family and career. It wasn’t enough, but I kept at it as best I could in the background. Now I write full time.

What inspired you to write the Marriage of Miss Jane Austen series?

I wanted to write a novel about a woman that would test her intelligence, her heart, her courage. I have always been interested in the Regency era as an historical period, and the match was perfect. In that time, laws, culture, biology—everything was stacked against a woman. I also knew Austen’s novels pretty well, and realized the voice I was creating was hers. I knew there were gaps in her life record. Looking deeper, I realized I could use a seven-year period to tell my story with her as the main character. Think of it as the story Austen might have lived, and could have written, if things were just a little different.

Why did you choose to write an alternate history of Jane Austen’s life?

It’s not so much an alternate history as it is a history that fills in the blanks of Austen’s life with what could have actually happened. Her family destroyed all the records of her doings in this period, and there have always been rumors of a lost or tragic love. The story of the marriage proposal, which she accepted and then rejected, was not written down until 67 years after it supposedly happened, by a niece who hadn’t been born when it occurred! The niece claims her mother told her about it, but she admitted that her mother’s day books (diary) had no reference to what would have been a shocking event—Jane accepting a proposal from a wealthy man and then reversing course. Scandal! Other supposed romances are equally vague.

I wondered: What if all this misinformation covered up an actual relationship to a man the uptight Victorian descendants might have wanted to hide in the mists of time? It wouldn’t be the first time—Queen Victoria’s daughter censored passages in her diaries about Mr. Brown, who became Victoria’s “close friend” after Albert’s death.

What research did you undertake when writing the series?

I studied Austen’s life and writings, and the history of the period—politics, society, business, technology, war—for more than ten years. And wrote for more than four. At one time I counted more than 70 books I’d read. Hundreds, if not thousands, of articles.

Do you have a favorite Jane Austen novel?

A tie between Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion. P&P because it’s the one novel in which the heroine goes toe to toe with all her antagonists. Liz takes no guff from Mr. Collins or Darcy—and also none from Lady Catherine. Persuasion because it is the richest and most emotionally satisfying book, the story of a woman enjoying a “second spring.”

What was your favorite scene to write?

The first scene in which Jane and Ashton can really explore every aspect of their relationship—physical as well as emotional. It’s handled quite sensitively but it still has a mature (29-year-old) woman reacting to a fundamental change in her life at the deepest level. I worked on that scene during the entire 14 months I was writing the first volume.

What was the most difficult scene to write?

There are two terrible events that happen in the series. Both of them were agonizing to write. My wife told me she cried when she read them. I told her I cried the dozen times I wrote and rewrote each one.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I can’t recall a time when I didn’t want to be a writer. I’d have to answer: As soon as I learned to read!

What does your daily writing routine look like?

I write in the morning, go for a walk at lunch or ride my bike to let my mind percolate on what I’ve been doing, then go back to work in the afternoon. Often, I’ll print out what I’ve written and walk down the hill to a nearby Subway. Over lunch, I’ll edit what I’ve done and walk home. In this case, I start the afternoon session by inserting all the edits. When I’m beginning a section, things go slow, but once I know where the scene is going, I’ll write pretty much nonstop. Often well into the evening. At the end of the day, I try to leave something left to do. This way, I’ll know where to start the next day. And my mind can be turning it over all night long.

What has been your greatest challenge as a writer? Have you been able to overcome it?

Finding the time. And the confidence. Fiction writing has had to come after paying the bills. I didn’t write fulltime until after I stepped away from my corporate career. Even then, nonfiction books paid the bills so I could write fiction.

And, though I’d written a lot of nonfiction, it was mostly shorter pieces. Also true with fiction—mostly short stories. Writing 300-page technical manuals, and later, 300-page nonfiction books, gave me the confidence to write longer fiction. It’s like training for a marathon. I developed the discipline to “write long”—then it was whether I had the ability to come up with good characters and plots. I have three unpublished novels that haven’t seen the light of day, and didn’t deserve to. But they built my writing muscles.

Who are your writing inspirations?

Anyone who has the creativity and discipline to write professional-quality novels. I have a few favorite novelists, but they didn’t inspire me to write. I’ve always wanted to.

What was the first historical novel you read?

I think I read something about the Crusades in high school. My mother had a subscription to the Reader’s Digest condensed books. There was historical fiction in that—with probably the best parts left out. And probably something by Sir Walter Scott. I’m sure I read Austen in high school. I was an English major in college and have a master’s degree in English literature, so I have read dozens of books from all the English periods.

The first historical fiction that blew me away was Tolstoy’s War and Peace. People think of it as “literature” rather than “historical fiction,” but it was historical fiction to him—he was writing of the period 50 years before his time. I didn’t read War and Peace until my thirties. I was intimidated by its length and reputation. But as a literary guy, I figured I had to read it. Once in, I couldn’t put it down. It took a month, but by the time I was done with its 1,000 pages, I wanted more!

I’ve enjoyed a lot of current historical fiction too. Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series is a great one—good story lines, great characters. Love the King Arthur books. The Tudor books. I don’t distinguish between the genre and “literature”—a book is either a good read, or it’s not.

What is the last historical novel you read?

Wide Sargasso Sea, which is the story of the life of Rochester’s first wife in Jane Eyre before she came to England. It’s a fascinating—and quite dark—tale, the “back side,” if you will, of Jane Eyre’s experience. It was written by Jean Rhys, who herself came from the Caribbean. Rhys not only told this story of the forgotten woman in the novel but also wrote modern novels in Paris that may have influenced the writing of Ernest Hemingway.

What are three things people may not know about you?

My life has been balanced between science and literature. I was strong in both at school. Started out in engineering and ended up in literature. My career has had me going back and forth. This Austen series, a real literary effort, nonetheless has a strong technology component. So that’s one. Kind of related, I’m a space and aviation geek and a licensed pilot. I was involved in helping my state, Oregon, get involved in drones when they began to make the shift from military to civilian uses. For ten years, my vocation was writing fiction about Jane Austen, and my avocation was writing business plans and meeting with state officials about unmanned aerial vehicles. Finally, I like military history and I’m particularly drawn to spy stories—the real ones.

What appeals to you most about your chosen genre?

The Regency era has many parallels with the contemporary era—continuing wars, huge income disparities, automation undermining the middle class, exciting new inventions, business innovations. There was even controversy over vaccinations! Historical fiction enables me to tell a story about another time that, beyond the main love story, resonates with modern readers.

What historical time period do you gravitate towards the most with your personal reading?

I have always been drawn to the 1800s, beginning with Austen and continuing through the Brontes, Dickens, Eliot, and Hardy. With a major detour through the great Russian novelists. That century saw the novel fully develop into its modern, fully developed form, while maintaining the richness and rhythm of traditional language.

What do you like to do when you aren't writing?

Read, watch movies, exercise—getting outside away from a keyboard and screen. Enjoy time with my wife.

Lastly, what are you working on next?

I’m writing a collection of essays about Jane Austen—how she developed as a writer. The nonfiction will be a nice complement to the fiction. It will cover everything of interest that I couldn’t work into the fiction. The essays will also include new interpretations of some of the most important passages in her novels. I wanted the trilogy to be written as rigorously as a nonfiction academic work. I want the essays to be as original as a work of fiction. I think of the fiction as exploring her inner life that no one can really know, while the nonfiction documents her innovations as a writer.

After that, I may return to my unpublished works to see if I can fix the problems. Or maybe a spy novel!

Ooohhh...that sounds great! Thank you so much for spending time with us today! Have a great blog tour!


The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen Vol. II
by Collins Hemingway

Publication Date: August 8, 2016
eBook & Paperback; 332 Pages
ISBN-13: 978-1535444958


Jane Austen Lived a Quiet, Single Life-Or Did She?

Tradition holds that Jane Austen lived a proper, contemplative, unmarried life. But what if she wed a man as passionate and intelligent as she-and the marriage remained secret for 200 years?

The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen resolves the biggest mystery of Austen's life-the "lost years" of her twenties-of which historians know virtually nothing.

• Why the enduring rumors of a lost love or tragic affair?

• Why, afterward, did the vivacious Austen prematurely put on "the cap of middle age" and close off any thoughts of finding love?

• Why, after her death, did her beloved sister destroy her letters and journals?

The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen trilogy answers these questions through a riveting love affair based on the history of the times and the details of Austen's own life.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

Praise for The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen Series

"A skillful portrayal of an early nineteenth-century literary icon takes this historical romance on an imaginative journey of the soul. … The adventure of a true romantic partnership and all the excitement that the nineteenth century had to offer. … [The] novel invites you to linger, to savor, and to enjoy. … Makes for wonderful reading. … A Jane that lives and breathes on the page."—Claire Foster, Foreword Reviews, 4 stars

"Hemingway captures the energy of the times, while also writing with the irony and sly humor of Austen herself. … A strikingly real Jane Austen fully engaged in the turbulent times. … She is a living, breathing presence. … [He] displays a notable ability to recreate time and place. … A lively, compelling read, [a] sobering but moving conclusion." —Blueink Starred Review

"An enjoyable novel in an imaginative, well-researched series. … A well-researched work of historical fiction … [with] sweet moments and intriguing historical insights. … An incredibly moving portrait of a woman facing loss and love." —Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Whether his subject is literature, history, or science, Collins Hemingway has a passion for the art of creative investigation. For him, the most compelling fiction deeply explores the heart and soul of its characters, while also engaging them in the complex and often dangerous world in which they have a stake. He wants to explore all that goes into people's lives and everything that makes tThe hem complete though fallible human beings. His fiction is shaped by the language of the heart and an abiding regard for courage in the face of adversity.

As a nonfiction book author, Hemingway has worked alongside some of the world's thought leaders on topics as diverse as corporate culture and ethics; the Internet and mobile technology; the ins and outs of the retail trade; and the cognitive potential of the brain. Best known for the #1 best-selling book on business and technology, Business @ the Speed of Thought, which he coauthored with Bill Gates, he has earned a reputation for tackling challenging subjects with clarity and insight, writing for the nontechnical but intelligent reader.

Hemingway has published shorter nonfiction on topics including computer technology, medicine, and aviation, and he has written award-winning journalism.

Published books include The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen trilogy, Business @ the Speed of Thought, with Bill Gates, Built for Growth, with Arthur Rubinfeld, What Happy Companies Know, with Dan Baker and Cathy Greenberg, Maximum Brainpower, with Shlomo Breznitz, and The Fifth Wave, with Robert Marcus.

Hemingway lives in Bend, Oregon, with his wife, Wendy. Together they have three adult sons and three granddaughters. He supports the Oregon Community Foundation and other civic organizations engaged in conservation and social services in Central Oregon.

For more information please visit Collins Hemingway's website and blog. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Goodreads.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, January 14
Review at Coffee and Ink

Wednesday, January 16
Review & Excerpt at The Book Junkie Reads

Thursday, January 17
Feature at What Is That Book About

Friday, January 18
Review at Rainy Day Reviews

Monday, January 21
Feature at Donna's Book Blog

Tuesday, January 22
Excerpt at T's Stuff
Interview at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, January 23
Review & Guest Post at To Read, Or Not to Read

Friday, January 25
Review at View from the Birdhouse
Review at Svetlana's Reads and Views

Monday, January 28
Review at For the Sake of Good Taste

Tuesday, January 29
Guest Post at Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen

Wednesday, January 30
Review at Library of Clean Reads

Friday, February 1
Review at History From a Woman's Perspective

Saturday, February 2
Review at Jorie Loves a Story

Sunday, February 3
Review at Bri's Book Nook

Monday, February 4
Review at Amy's Booket List

Tuesday, February 5
Review at Maiden of the Pages

Wednesday, February 6
Feature at The Lit Bitch
Interview at Bookish Rantings

Thursday, February 7
Feature at CelticLady's Reviews

Friday, February 8
Review at Book Reviews from Canada

Saturday, February 9
Interview at Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on February 9th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen Vol II


Review & Giveaway: A Hangman for Ghosts by Andrei Baltakmens


A Hangman for Ghosts by Andrei Baltakmens

Publication Date: July 1, 2018
Top Five Books
Paperback & eBook; 288 Pages

Genre: Historical Mystery



“We are transported. We are consigned to the ends of the Earth. And we are therefore as good as dead to the realm and its judges. There can be no hope of reprieve...”

Gabriel Carver, the convict hangman of Sydney Prison, knows that none of his kind may depart Australia’s penal colony without the system’s leave. Then three people are murdered, seemingly to protect the “Rats’ Line,” an illicit path to freedom that exists only in the fevered imaginations of transported felons. But why kill to protect something that doesn’t exist?

When an innocent woman from Carver’s past is charged with one of the murders and faces execution at his hands, she threatens to reveal an incriminating secret of his own unless he helps her. So Carver must try to unmask the killer among the convicts, soldiers, sailors, and fallen women roaming 1829 Sydney. If he can find the murderer, he may discover who is defying the system under its very nose. His search will take him back to the scene of his ruin—to London and a past he can never remake nor ever escape, not even at the edge of the world.

"Baltakmens (The Raven’s Seal, 2012), echoing the voices of 19th-century masters like Conrad and Melville, combines adventure and mystery in a high-stakes tale of class, morality, and justice." -Kirkus Reviews

“With rich historical details that evoke Australia’s early colonial days, this is a wonderful, traditional novel.…Folding in vivid details, bright characters, and compelling dialogue, the story is a page-turner, a savory treat to be devoured.” - Foreward Reviews

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Google Play | iBooks | Kobo


My Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐

"And to survive here, and prosper, I begin to see, you must perforce still the whispers of the past in your head. We should all need a sort of slaughterman for memories, a hangman for ghosts."

One thing I love most about reading historical fiction is learning something new. I've never read about the penal colony in Australia in the 19th century, so A Hangman for Ghosts was both a learning experience and a fascinating read!

A Hangman for Ghosts tells the story of Gabriel Carver, a hangman at a Sydney prison, who was once a convict himself. The book begins with Gabriel meeting a prisoner that is sentenced to be hanged soon. Hears a woman screaming her innocence and when he sees the woman he realizes she is someone from his past. She threatens to expose a secret of Gabriel's if he doesn't help her. She is imprisoned and will be hanged soon so Gabriel takes on the case. What follows is fast-paced and exciting, with some twists and turns along the way to keep you on your toes!

The writing style is a little different than what I typically read but it didn't take long to get used to it. It's almost prose-like in some parts, and I ended up highlighting quite a lot of passages in the book that I enjoyed.

All in all, I greatly enjoyed my time with A Hangman for Ghosts. If you're looking for a unique historical mystery, I highly recommend it!

About the Author

Andrei Baltakmens was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, of Latvian descent. He has a Ph.D. in English literature, focused on Charles Dickens and Victorian urban mysteries.

His first novel, The Battleship Regal, was published in New Zealand in 1996. His short fiction has appeared in various literary journals, and his first historical mystery, The Raven's Seal, was published in 2012.

Since 2004, he has lived in Ithaca, New York and Brisbane, Australia, where he recently completed a doctorate in Creative Writing at The University of Queensland. He now lives in Palo Alto, California, with his wife and son, and works for Stanford University as an instructional designer.

Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, December 18
Feature at Tar Heel Reader

Wednesday, December 19
Feature at Donna's Book Blog

Friday, December 21
Review at Beth's Book Nook Blog
Guest Post at Let Them Read Books

Thursday, December 27
Interview at Passages to the Past

Friday, December 28
Excerpt at The Book Junkie Reads

Thursday, January 3
Interview at Bookish Rantings

Monday, January 7
Review at Broken Teepee

Thursday, January 10
Review at Svetlana's Reads and Views

Monday, January 14
Review at A Book Geek

Tuesday, January 15
Review at Coffee and Ink

Wednesday, January 16
Review at Locks, Hooks and Books

Monday, January 21
Review at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, January 22
Feature at CelticLady's Reviews

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away a paperback copy of A Hangman for Ghosts! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on January 22nd. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

A Hangman for Ghosts


Review: Changeling by Matt Wesolowski


Changeling by Matt Wesolowski

Publication Date: January 24, 2019
Orenda Books

Genre: Thriller/Mystery

A missing child. A family in denial.

Six witnesses. Six stories.

Which one is true?

On Christmas Eve in 1988, seven-year-old Alfie Marsden vanished in the dark Wentshire Forest Pass, when his father, Sorrel, stopped the car to investigate a mysterious knocking sound. No trace of the child, nor his remains, have ever been found. Alfie Marsden was declared officially dead in 1995.

Elusive online journalist, Scott King, whose ‘Six Stories’ podcasts have become an internet sensation, investigates the disappearance, interviewing six witnesses, including Sorrel and his ex-partner, to try to find out what really happened that fateful night. Journeying through the trees of the Wentshire Forest – a place synonymous with strange sightings, and tales of hidden folk who dwell there, he talks to a company that tried and failed to build a development in the forest, and a psychic who claims to know what happened to the little boy…

Intensely dark, deeply chilling and searingly thought-provoking, Changeling is the latest in the critically acclaimed, international bestselling Six Stories series, written as six Serial-style podcasts, and which are being adapted for TV by a major US studio.

‘Wonderfully horrifying … the suspense crackles’ -James Oswald

‘Wonderfully atmospheric. Matt Wesolowski is a skilled storyteller with a unique voice. Definitely one to watch’ -Mari Hannah

‘Original, inventive and brilliantly clever’ -Fiona Cummins

My Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Okay, so this isn't historical BUT thrillers are my other favorite genre and I've been dying to read this series from Matt Wesolowski after seeing all of the rave reviews on social media, so I jumped at the chance to join his blog tour when Anne Cater from Random Things Through My Letterbox emailed me.

Changeling exceeded all of my expectations! Matt Wesolowski is a damn genius I tell you! A GENIUS!

Scott King is the host of the Six Stories podcast. He receives a letter from a listener one day asking him to cover a 30 year old case of a missing child. He's reluctant to do it, but he's intrigued and ultimately agrees. The Six Stories podcast looks at a case from 6 different points of view with King interviewing people associated with the case. Each installment of the podcast gives a new perspective and new angle of the case, slowly unfolding the story.

This is the third book in the series and despite not having read the first two books I didn't feel lost at all. But after reading this I immediately purchased the first two books in eBook. I think I might pick up the whole series in print too because the covers are so cool.

Changeling was brilliantly executed! Smart writing, intense suspense, and a fantastic mystery, I was hooked from the first page. Usually I can read wherever and no matter what noise is around but with Changeling all I wanted to do was lock myself in my closet, put noise-canceling headphones on, and just become immersed in the story. My husband got the evil eye every time he dared interrupt me :)

I've never read a book that spooked me so much. I swear, I was jumping at every little noise! At one point my kiddo tapped on the wall and I about hit the roof! And the ending! OMG, the ending! I won't say more than that, you're just going to have to read it and find out.

I know it's still super early in the year, but I already know that Changeling will be in my best reads of 2019 list. It was so incredible! Absolutely mind blowing, I highly highly recommend you check this book out!

I want to thank Anne and Matt for allowing me the chance to read Changeling. I am now an official fan girl :)

About the Author

Matt Wesolowski is an author from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in the UK. He is an English tutor for young people in care. Matt started his writing career in horror, and his short horror fiction has been published in numerous UK- an US-based anthologies such as Midnight Movie Creature, Selfies from the End of the World, Cold Iron and many more. His novella, The Black Land, a horror story set on the Northumberland coast, was published in 2013. Matt was a winner of the Pitch Perfect competition at Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival in 2015. His debut thriller, Six Stories, was an Amazon bestseller in the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia, and a WH Smith Fresh Talent pick, and TV rights were sold to a major Hollywood studio. A prequel, Hydra, was published in 2018 and became an international bestseller.

Interview & Giveaway: A Murder By Any Name by Suzanne M. Wolfe

Hey everyone! Today on the blog I have an interview with Suzanne M. Wolfe who is currently on a blog tour with HF Virtual Book Tours for A Murder By Any Name, the first book in her new historical mystery series.

I loved this book and you can find my review here.

I hope you enjoy getting to know Suzanne! You can enter to win a gorgeous hardcover copy of the book too, so be sure to see the giveaway below.


Hello Suzanne and welcome to Passages to the Past! Thanks so much for stopping by today to talk about A Murder By Any Name!

To begin, can you please tell us a little about yourself and your writing?

I have always loved history and literature. In fact, I almost read history at Oxford but then I switched to literature. I didn’t plan on writing historical fiction, it just sort of happened.

Even though my first novel, Unveiling (second edition, 2018) is contemporary fiction, there is a historical element to it because my protagonist is an art conservator who has been sent to Rome to restore a medieval painting. The history of the painting—who painted it and why—is the mystery at the heart of the novel.

No one was more astonished than I was to see the historical element emerge after so many years of lying dormant. I have always pictured my imagination as a swamp into which random objects and experiences fall over time…and then suddenly pop up again. I guess that the biggest surprise was the re-emergence of my love of history in the plot of the first novel. Since then, my inspiration for stories seems to come entirely from the past.

My second novel, The Confessions of X (2016), tells the story in the first person of St. Augustine’s concubine, a woman who has been “lost to history.” In this novel, she speaks to us from the ancient world of Carthage at the end of the Roman Empire.

The Nicholas Holt spy mystery series is set in Elizabethan times; the first one, A Murder by Any Name, is set in London in 1585. The second, The Course of All Treasons, is set in 1586. This period in British history is crammed with drama, colorful characters—not least among them, Elizabeth herself—and is one of the most fascinating, if terrifying, eras of treachery, death, and intrigue in all of British history. What’s not to like?

What inspired you to write A Murder By Any Name?

Being a Brit, I was raised on the novels of Agatha Christie. The British penchant for murder mysteries lies, I think, in the discrepancy between the polite, social veneer of manners and the dark undercurrents of the human heart.

Why did you choose to write in the Elizabethan era?

No era in British history is more paradoxical than Elizabethan England. Beneath the brittle gaiety of a court presided over by the glittering Virgin Queen lies a malevolent and violent religious and political war zone; its soldiers are secret agents; its weapons are treachery and brutality. It is a war that is waged to the death.

An age which boasts a Shakespeare and a Christopher Marlowe also boasts the rack and the Scavenger’s Daughter (fearsome instruments of torture in the Tower of London). The good citizens of London might flock to the plays of Shakespeare, but they also flocked to see Catholic priests hung, drawn, and quartered at Tyburn.

I want the reader to walk the streets of London, to gape at the opulent rooms of Whitehall Palace, to sit on a bench in the Black Sheep Tavern and listen to the gossip of the Bankside locals. Above all, I want the reader to walk alongside Nick and Hector as they negotiate the minefield of hidden threats beneath the honeyed words of courtiers, the cast-iron alibis of suspects, the bald-faced lies of villains.

What research did you undertake when writing A Murder by Any Name?

I already had a pretty good working knowledge of the era from my studies of Shakespeare and the Elizabethan and Metaphysical poets. And growing up in England, I studied the reign of the Tudor kings and queens in school. I also felt comfortable with the era because I had visited Tudor homes and manors many times in my childhood and adolescence. So being a Brit was definitely an advantage as it gave me a level of familiarity with the era right off the bat.

But then I had to research the details, of course. That was a lot of work but it is something I really enjoy. For example: I had to figure out how long it would take a horse to gallop to and from Oxford in bad weather. I have to say that I live for this kind of detail. I guess I’m a history nerd that way.

How did your personal feelings about Queen Elizabeth I shape the way you wrote her? What do you think of Elizabeth I as a monarch?

I have always loved Elizabeth. She always struck me as a survivor and I have always admired her intelligence and independence. Perhaps it’s because I am a Brit, but I have never seen Elizabeth in a romantic light. It was always her strength and wit that appealed to me. The novel, A Murder by Any Name, starts off with Elizabeth’s voice—“God’s bollocks, girl. I’m freezing my tits off”—and it is definitely not a romantic voice. It is salty, acerbic, witty, coarse, intelligent, and, above all, commanding.

Elizabeth is one hell of a strong woman and she had to be; the religious and political warfare that characterized the time put a target on her back. She survived more assassination attempts than any monarch in British history. She is the consummate survivor. I think I love her for that most of all.

What was your favorite scene to write?

I adored writing the Codpiece scenes—he’s the fictional fool I’ve given to Elizabeth. I just love him.

What was the most difficult scene to write?

The romance scenes (or those that hint at, perhaps, future romance). That’s all I’m giving away.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

When I was 3 and began to read. And before anyone thinks I’m a prodigy, I may have been reading by the age of 3 but I couldn’t tell the time until I was 12. I am number dyslexic. That makes date checking very important and brings me out in a cold sweat.

What does your daily writing routine look like?

I like to get up early and write in the morning. If I am writing to deadline, I will write again in the evening or as long as it takes to get the job done. I’m not really big on waiting for inspiration to strike before I write; my Muse tends to be a lazy slut.

What has been your greatest challenge as a writer? Have you been able to overcome it?

My greatest challenge is probably myself, just not wanting to buckle down and do the hard work of writing. I have overcome it by being very disciplined about writing.

Who are your writing inspirations?

For historical fiction, my muses are Patrick O’Brian, Colleen McCullough, Sigrid Undset, Marguerite Yourcenar, Mary Renault, to name a few. Other writers I greatly admire: Tolstoy, Virginia Woolf, Tim Winton, Cormac McCarthy, Dennis Lehane, Jo Nesbo, Ian Rankin, Lawrence Block.

What was the first historical novel you read?

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, by Joan Aiken. I think I was 6 or 7.

What is the last historical novel you read?

The Memoirs of Hadrian, by Marguerite Yourcenar

What are three things people may not know about you?

I am a Brit; I have a pit-bull named Charlie who is the gentlest and most loving creature in the world; I am number dyslexic and frequently sit in the wrong seat on airplanes.

What appeals to you most about your chosen genre?

The world is there: the historical novelist only has to find it. I love being a history detective.

What historical time period do you gravitate towards the most with your personal reading?

As evinced by my own novels, I love all time periods. I have written about the ancient world, the medieval era and, with this series, the Elizabethan era.

What do you like to do when you aren't writing?

Reading, gardening, and hanging out with Charlie (the pit-bull).

Lastly, what are you working on next?

I am revising the second novel in the series, The Course of All Treasons.

I can't wait for the next book in the series! Thank you for spending time with us today, Suzanne!


A Murder By Any Name by Suzanne M. Wolfe

Publication Date: October 9, 2018
Crooked Lane Books
Hardcover & eBook; 326 Pages

Genre: Historical Mystery


When a brutal murder threatens the sanctity of the Elizabethan court, it’s up to a hot-tempered spy to save the day.

The court of Elizabeth I is no stranger to plotting and intrigue, but the royal retinue is thrown into chaos when the Queen’s youngest and sweetest lady-in-waiting is murdered, her body left on the high altar of the Chapel Royal in Whitehall Palace. Solving the murder will require the cunning and savvy possessed by only one man. Enter Nicholas Holt, younger brother of the Earl of Blackwell—spy, rake, and owner of the infamous Black Sheep tavern in the seedy district of Bankside. Nick quickly learns that working for the Queen is a mixed blessing. Elizabeth—salty-tongued, vain, and fiercely intelligent—can, with a glance, either reward Nick with a purse of gold or have his head forcibly removed.

When a second lady-in-waiting is slain at Whitehall, the court once again reels with shock and dismay. On the trail of a diabolical killer, Nick and his faithful sidekick—an enormous Irish Wolfhound named Hector—are treading on treacherous ground, and only the killer’s head on a platter can keep them in the Queen’s good graces.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-a-Million | Chapters | IndieBound | Kobo


Praise for A Murder By Any Name

“Captivating… Fans of Fiona Buckley’s Ursula Blanchard and Kathy Lynn Emerson’s Rosamond Jaffrey will be delighted to add Wolfe to their reading lists.” ―Booklist

“[A] promising series launch… Fans of Elizabethan historicals will be satisfied.” ―Publishers Weekly

“An excellent series kickoff by Wolfe that cleverly highlights both the mystery and the many ills of Elizabethan times.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“In vivid passages, Suzanne Wolfe’s novel brings to the reader the light and dark of Elizabethan England, its squalor and splendor, filth and riches, intrigues and delights.” ―NY Journal of Books

“A deeply atmospheric and richly textured Elizabethan mystery... I was captivated by Nicholas and Hector as they navigated court treachery and the dark recesses of the lower classes in this compelling Elizabethan mystery.” ―Shelley Freydont, New York Times bestselling author

"Wolfe’s descriptions are unparalleled, immersing the reader in the time period as they join her wily protagonist on his quest to catch a cold-hearted killer.” ―Anna Lee Huber, bestselling author of the Lady Darby Mysteries

"I stayed up reading much too late to finish this book! Wonderful Elizabethan atmosphere, well-drawn and unusual characters, action and intrigue and excitement―I felt like I was in the 1570s" ―Amanda Carmack, award-winning author of the Elizabethan mysteries

“Bewitching! Suzanne Wolfe opens the door to Elizabethan life through her masterful creation of the sympathetic spy, Nicholas Holt. An exciting start to a promising new historical mystery series.” ―Naomi Hirahara, Edgar Award-winning author of the Mas Arai series

“A classically plotted whodunit set against the background of Elizabethan London and the court of Queen Elizabeth the First, both of them well researched and vividly realized, with a wealth of detail. One can almost smell the reek of the 16th century streets and waterways.” ―Fiona Buckley, author of the Ursula Blanchard Elizabethan mysteries

About the Author

Suzanne M. Wolfe grew up in Manchester, England and read English Literature at Oxford University, where she co-founded the Oxford C.S. Lewis Society. She served as Writer in Residence at Seattle Pacific University and taught literature and creative writing there for nearly two decades. Wolfe is the author of three novels: A Murder by Any Name, The Confessions of X, and Unveiling.

Thirty years ago, she and her husband, Gregory Wolfe, co-founded Image, a journal of the arts and faith. They have also co-authored many books on literature and prayer including Books That Build Character: How to Teach Your Child Moral Values Through Stories, and Bless This House: Prayers For Children and Families. Her essays and blog posts have appeared in Image and other publications. She and her husband are the parents of four grown children. They live in Richmond Beach, Washington.

For more information, please visit Suzanne M. Wolfe's website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, December 17
Review at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, December 18
Excerpt at Let Them Read Books

Wednesday, December 19
Review at Pursuing Stacie
Guest Post at Jathan & Heather

Thursday, December 20
Feature at The Lit Bitch
Review at Peppermint Ph.D.

Friday, December 21
Feature at What Is That Book About

Sunday, December 23
Review at Carole's Ramblings

Thursday, December 27
Review & Interview at Jorie Loves a Story

Friday, December 28
Review at Tar Heel Reader
Review at Amy's Booket List

Monday, December 31
Review at Tudor Enthusiast

Wednesday, January 2
Excerpt at Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen

Thursday, January 3
Excerpt at T's Stuff
Guest Post at Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots

Friday, January 4
Review at 100 Pages a Day

Monday, January 7
Review at Historical Fiction with Spirit

Tuesday, January 8
Guest Post at On the Tudor Trail

Wednesday, January 9
Review at Reading the Past

Thursday, January 10
Review at Broken Teepee
Review at Clarissa Reads it All

Friday, January 11
Feature at The Book Junkie Reads
Feature at View from the Birdhouse

Monday, January 14
Review at Maiden of the Pages

Tuesday, January 15
Interview at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, January 16
Review at A Book Geek

Thursday, January 17
Review at Coffee and Ink
Review at CelticLady's Reviews

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away 3 hardcover copies of A Murder By Any Name! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on January 17th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

A Murder By Any Name


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