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Book Review & Giveaway: The Loneliness of the Time Traveller by Erika Rummel

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The Loneliness of the Time Traveller by Erika Rummel

Publisher:  Inanna Publications (June 18, 2022)
Category: Science Fiction, Time Travel, Crime, Suspense, Supernatural
ISBN: 978-1771338783
Available in Print and ebook, 298 pages

Loneliness of the Time Traveller

Description

“It is a dreadful thing to be possessed, to be invaded by a spirit woman who commands your body and soul and looks out at the world through your eyes. It happened to me in 1778. Pray it will never happen to you.”

Adele’s diary tells the story of her domination by an incubus Lynne, a serving girl in a London ale house who died a violent death and commandeered Adele’s body for eight years. Can Adele be held responsible for Lynne’s crimes? Will the evil spirit return and renew her tyranny over Adele’s mind?

Lynne has moved on into the 21st century, but the transmigration has left her emotions flat. Lynne is eager to go back to her first life and experience once more the passion she felt for her lover, Jack. To do so, she needs a channel to the past: the manuscript of Adele’s diary, if only she can find it.

A time-slip novel set in contemporary Los Angeles and 18th century London, The Loneliness of the Time Traveller is a story of love, crime, and adventure combined with fantasy, a little bit of Jane Austen-style irony, and a healthy serving of social criticism.

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Inanna Publications & Education, Inc.

Guest Review by Sal

With, ‘The Loneliness of the Time Traveller,’ Erika Rummel brings you into a world of strange creatures who prey on the weak and dying, and can sometimes take over a person’s life entirely. These creatures are called transmigrants, a type of supernatural spirit who, after losing their original body, can inhabit the body of another person and stay there indefinitely.

Most of the time, the bodies that transmigrants inhabit get used up, dying on their own after the creature usurps the soul of the rightful inhabitant. But not every time. Enter Adele Collingwood. Adele is only a young woman when she has a brush with death. After her father’s sudden death, Adele is struck down by a fever that nearly claims her life. It is during this time, while she is on her deathbed, that a transmigrant named Lynne finds her.

Lynne makes herself right at home in Adele’s body, and stays with the girl for the next eight years until a shocking event Causes her to move on. Adele and Lynne commit a crime together, and centuries later, after Lynne has been through many more bodies, she decides that she wishes to return to Adele’s life, and that she must find a sample of the girl’s writing to travel back.

Rummel has written what, I think, stands as a modern classic science fiction novel. ‘The Loneliness of the Time Travel,’ has action, supernatural elements, shocking twists and two main characters, one whom you love to hate and one whom you can only root for.

Do you like your Sci-Fi novels to mix in horror and historical fiction? Then this is the book for you. Rummel has an excellent talent that makes the reader engage with the story in a way that they wouldn’t necessarily do with other books. I highly recommend this genre bending, unique novel. Five stars all around!

About the Author

Award winning author, Erika Rummel has taught history at the University of Toronto and Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo.

She divides her time between Toronto and Los Angeles and has lived in villages in Argentina, Romania, and Bulgaria.

She has published eight novels and more than a dozen books on social history of the Renaissance. A recipient of international fellowships and literary awards, she was honored in 2018 with a lifetime achievement award by the Renaissance Society of America.

Erika’s Website: http://www.erikarummel.com/
Erika’s Blog: http://rummelsincrediblestories.blogspot.ca/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/historycracks

Giveaway

This giveaway is for 2 print copies and is open to Canada and the U.S. only. This giveaway ends on October 8, 2022 midnight, pacific time.  Entries accepted via Rafflecopter only.

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Book Review & Giveaway: Evita and Me by Erika Rummel

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Evita and Me by Erika Rummel

Publisher:  DX Varos Publishing (May 24, 2022)
Category: Historical Fiction, Crime, Women’s Literature
ISBN: 978-1955065320
Available in Print and ebook, 384 pages

Evita and Me

Evita Peron’s jewels are missing. Only three people know that they are in a vault in the Swiss Alps; Evita’s corrupt and brutal brother Juan, her bodyguard Pierre, and a teenaged girl Mona, her newest protegee. What happens if two of them team up?

Like Eva herself, Mona comes from a broken family and has to make her own way. Perhaps that’s why the two women feel close. Evita is at the pinnacle of success but already in the grip of a fatal illness. We see her life through the eyes of Mona and Pierre, two people she trusts — and who betray her in the end. Or can theft and murder be justified?

A story of love, adventure, and murder.

Amazon
DX Varos Publishing

Guest Review by Sal

This intimate look into the life of Eva Peron is well worth the price of admission!

Erika Rummel’s historical fiction novel, ‘Evita and Me,’ centers around a teenage girl, Mona, who becomes a friend of the famous Argentinian political figure Eva “Evita” Peron and the tumultuous ride that their relationship takes over the course of two weeks.

Mona is a teenager living in Toronto, Canada when she is sent to Argentina for two weeks to stay with a family friend. Despairing of her situation and not too keen on the family friend, Liliana, whom Mona views as a power-hungry and careless woman, things turn around for the teenager when she is introduced to Evita Peron. Liliana works as an assistant to Evita, but she is also the woman’s friend and it is through her that Mona meets Evita.

Instantly smitten with the incomparable woman, Mona accepts lavish gifts of clothes from Evita and basks in the woman’s maternal praise. When Evita asks Mona to go to Europe with her for a political tour, Mona jumps at the opportunity, although she worries about the woman’s seemingly ill health. But soon, the European tour is cut short when a very sickly-looking Evita asks Mona to take her most precious jewels and bring them to Switzerland where they will be stowed away in a vault.

Evita wishes for Mona to be one of three people in the world who know the location of the jewels and one of three who has a key. Mona agrees to do her friend and mentor this final favor, despite her confusion with the request. A few years later, after she discovers that Evita has died, Mona realizes that she is one of only three people who know where the famous woman’s missing jewels ended up.

This is a well-researched historical novel that captures the time, place, and characters beautifully.  A thrill ride from start to finish, ‘Evita and Me,’ is a gem of a novel that simply cannot be missed!

About the Author

Award winning author, Erika Rummel is the author of more than a dozen non-fiction books and seven novels. Her seventh novel, ‘Evita and Me’ is being published on May 24, 2022.

She won the Random House Creative Writing Award (2011) for a chapter from ‘The Effects of Isolation on the Brain’ and The Colorado Independent Publishers’ Association’ Award for Best Historical Novel, in 2018. She is the recipient of a Getty Fellowship and the Killam Award.

Erika grew up in Vienna, emigrated to Canada and obtained a PhD from the University of Toronto. She taught at Wilfrid Laurier and U of Toronto.  She divides her time between Toronto and Los Angeles and has lived in Argentina, Romania, and Bulgaria.

Erika’s Website: http://www.erikarummel.com/
Erika’s Blog: http://rummelsincrediblestories.blogspot.ca/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/historycracks

Giveaway

This giveaway is for 2 print copies and is open to Canada and the U.S. only. This giveaway ends on July 23, 2022, midnight, pacific time.  Entries accepted via Rafflecopter only.

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Book Review: That’s a Shocking Idea…Let’s do it! by Suzanne Shearing

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 A heartbroken middle aged mum sets out to kill her daughter’s murderer.

She stalks him, awaiting her opportunity, and gets caught up in a bank robbery and a series of mishaps and misadventures as she goes on the run with her partner in crime.

In their attempt to escape capture, they find themselves in foreign countries, and even on a cruise ship in a storm.

It’s a road trip, a chase, with two middle-aged people trying to evade capture, with often disastrous or hilarious consequences.

My Review

I’m sure many people think about killing someone who killed a loved one, but Verity was convinced that she must kill her son-in-law, Chester, to get justice not only for the murder of her daughter, Melody, but also for the loss of her precious grandson.

Until her daughter was killed, Verity was a typical housewife, but when she decided to kill Chester, she became a different person. Once Zak offered to help her, everything went downhill. They were not good for each other, and death seemed to follow them everywhere.

Verity and Zak, the main characters, are well-developed. They’re both flawed, of course (they did plan to murder someone), but they’re likeable despite some of their questionable actions. Zak even tends to be heroic when someone is in trouble.

I like the author’s writing style. It is to the point, and even when Verity is thinking about things, it doesn’t ramble, which often happens when first-person is used. I also like the author’s sense of humor, and there were several times I had to giggle.

I definitely recommend That’s a Shocking Idea…Let’s do it! if you like something a little different than the usual crime drama.

About the Author

Suzanne Shearing is a retired journalist, stage school owner and film maker.

Starting on her local paper, the Welwyn Hatfield Times, as a cub reporter, she progressed to evening and national publications, writing news and features, as well as a local column.

In 1995 she had a change of career, due to her love of the theatre and film. After attending drama school, she opened a stage school, which soon became the most successful part time stage school in Hertfordshire, with 300 young students and fourteen teachers of drama, dance and singing.

When she retired, Suzanne started writing scripts, and made two feature films, ‘No Smoke’ and ‘Archie’, which have been distributed throughout the world, and a short, ‘Nobody’s Child.’ ‘No Smoke’ was an official selection for the International Marbella Film Festival.

’It’s a shocking idea… let’s do it!’ is Suzanne’s second novel.  Her first novel was entitled “Two Old Ladies and a Secret Child,” which was the publisher’s best seller within days of publication, and was featured on the Jeremy Vine TV show.

Suzanne lives in rural Hertfordshire with her pups Rusty and Rocky, and with her son and his family nearby.

For more information about the author, visit the author’s official website: http://www.suzanneshearing.com.

“That’s a shocking idea…. let’s do it!” by Suzanne Shearing is available from Amazon at:

and in e-book format from Amazon at:

Press/Media Contact Details:

Darin Jewell (Suzanne Shearing’s literary agent)
Managing Director
The Inspira Group Literary Agency
darin@theinspiragroup.com
tel. UK +208 292 5163

Book Review & Giveaway: Puzzle of Death by Donahue B. Silvis

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Puzzle Of Death: Detective Mystery Thriller by Donahue B. Silvis

Publisher:  D. B. Silvis (December 2, 2013)
Category: Mystery Thriller, Detective, Crime
Tour dates: May/July, 2018
ASIN:B00CCRJS7K
Available in ebook only, 339 pages

Private Detective Jake Wayde doesn’t know why he received a letter containing a piece of a puzzle. However, he soon realizes that he’s in the middle of a deadly search for ten million dollars in cash and a world changing chemical formula. It’s now kill or be killed. “People are dropping like flies,” says Wayde, “who the hell is killing them?”

It now becomes his task to stop the killing spree caused by the late, vengeful chemist, Dr. Fredrick Rhineman. The renowned chemist had instructed his secretary, that upon his death, to mail prewritten letters containing a pieces of a handmade puzzle, to the twelve people he hated and the ambassadors of China, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Russia.  As the letters are received and opened, they instruct that when assembled, the puzzle pieces will reveal the whereabouts of a deadly world-changing chemical formula and ten million dollars in cash.

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Praise for Puzzle Of Death: Detective Mystery Thriller by Donahue B. Silvis

“There is occasional cursing and sexual situations plus extreme violence. If you are adverse to those don’t read it. If you choose to read it, don’t give it a low review rating for the reasons cautioned here. You were clearly warned.  Puzzle of Death has a large, interesting cast of support characters; there is a U.S. Senator an ambassador, FBI agents, Detroit mobsters, multiple torturers/killers, and Iranian secret agents.  I enjoyed the story and recommend it to readers who can stand the stench of violent death.  The plot is excellent, and sentence structure and character development are okay.”- Vigilant Reader

“Wow! What a fantastic book! I could not put it down. There were so many twists and turns. It was a very different and unique book!”-Musiclover, Amazon Review

“I f you don’t mind the blood and guts, the story line was different and definitely a page turner. 5 Stars”-Janet, Amazon Review

“The “who dunnit” in “Puzzle of Death” did keep you guessing. Clever outcome.”-Hummingbird, Amazon Review

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Guest Review by Laura B.

Upon his death, renowned chemist, Dr. Fredrick Rhineman, arranges for 12 letters to go out to the 12 people he hated most.  In each letter a handmade puzzle piece is included.  He promises that when all 12 people bring the puzzle pieces together, 10 million dollars and the whereabouts of a world-changing chemical will be discovered.

There are a lot of characters to keep straight in this book but don’t let that deter you.  They are well written and engaging.  The plot twists and turns keep the reader glued to the book.  I have read many mystery thrillers and detective novels but none this original.  It was so unexpected and appreciated! 

I must warn the reader that ‘Puzzle Of Death’ has a lot of extreme violence and is not for those with a weak stomach.  There is also sex and cursing so if any of that bothers you, don’t read it.  For everyone else that loves twisting detective novels, I highly recommend it. I give it 5 stars.

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About the Author

Puzzle Of Death: Detective Mystery Thriller by D. B. Silvis

Donahue B. Silvis is an alumnus of the renowned Pasadena Playhouse. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University majoring in film study and creative writing.

As a member of Screen Actors Guild (SAG), he has worked in movies as an actor and screenwriter. Donahue has written six novels, three screenplays and one illustrated children’s book. Now retired, he continues writing and promoting his novels and screenplays, while residing in Naples, Florida with his wife, Katie.

Website: dbsilvisauthor.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dbsilvis
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dbsilvis/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/dbsilvis5/

Buy Puzzle Of Death: Detective Mystery Thriller by Donahue B. Silvis

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