Amazing bloggers make all the difference

TWO FABULOUS BLOGGERS closed down the Deadly Friendship blog tour yesterday (Sunday 30 July) exactly one week after the third book in my DI Hamilton series was published by Bloodhound Books.

But, it wasn't just two outstanding bloggers I had on the tour - no, I was very lucky to have seventeen in total. Today, I felt like I needed to take a step back from working, reading and entertaining my little boy to say a massive thank you to each and every one of them.

It's sad times when you read various social media threads or other blog posts downplaying and being downright rude about the work bloggers do for us authors. For the sheer love of books, they spend their free time reading our work - many times in advance and up against a tight schedule - and then, if they've enjoyed it, they'll spread the word to other bloggers and readers; far and wide beyond your expectations. They schedule blog posts, tweet and retweet, post and share on Facebook and some even take to Instagram to shout about a book they've read.

In the past, I've also discovered that even if a blogger didn't particular like my book, or parts of it, they are constructive and compassionate with their feedback. They appreciate the time and sweat (and sometimes tears) that can go into writing a book and I've never come across a blogger who wasn't honest - even if it wasn't exactly what you wanted to hear.

But, I'm here to celebrate and thank some very special people who, over the last week, have shared and shouted about Deadly Friendship, left reviews and encouraged readers to buy my book, and series. So, a huge thanks to Little Miss No Sleep, The Crime Warp, Best Crime Books and More, Jessicamap Reviews, eBook Nerd Reviews, By The Letter Book Reviews, Sean's Book Reviews, My Chestnut Reading Tree, Between the Pages Book Club, Booksormer, The Haphazardous Hippo, Bibliophile Book Club, Novelgossip, Crime Book Junkie (who offered up a double whammy of a review), Damppebbles and Bits About Books. I must also send an extra thanks to Chelle's Book Reviews who couldn't be on the blog tour, but kicked everything off with a fab cover reveal for Deadly Friendship. You guys rock.

And lastly, there's no way I could hit publish on this post without thanking a very special member of the Bloodhound Books team, Publicist Sarah Hardy, who makes all this happen. From sending the ARCs, to sharing posts and creating stunning posters and imagery. Thank you for making the blog tour for Deadly Friendship happen and run so smoothly.

Latest DI Hamilton book to be published this week

I must apologise for the radio silence of late on this blog - it's been quite a hectic few months. My son is preparing to leave part-time nursery and enter the world of full time education in September, we had a very spontaneous week away in the sun and my third book has been signed off and ready for publication. I'm very excited.

Deadly Friendship is the third book in the DI Hamilton series but, as with the other two, can easily be read as a standalone. I'm delighted to tell you it will be published this Sunday ... yes, THIS Sunday, by Bloodhound Books.

Already listed on Goodreads, and a pre-order on Amazon coming in the next few days, here's a little taster of what the book's about:

Who can you really trust?

Detective Inspector Denis Hamilton is dragged into a gruesome murder investigation, while on annual leave at Lake Windermere. A handwritten note, with a woman's name, is found inside the corpse. 

When a direct link to London is identified, Hamilton must race against the clock to make the connection before the body count rises.

Meanwhile, four friends with strained relationships, are reunited. What past event do they want to keep buried and is there something linking them to the murders?

Then, when a person from Hamilton's past returns, he must ask himself: how well do we really know our friends? 

London's murder investigations team returns in this third novel from the bestselling author of In The Shadows and No Safe Home.

Advanced readers have said they've been "gobsmacked," "guessing right up until the end," and "literally had no idea what was going to happen."

Dark Minds climbs the charts for charity

I am delighted to share that this week, Dark Minds: a charity collection of short stories from some of your favourite authors, entered Amazon's Top 100 chart in four countries.

The book, which is available in eBook, paperback and audiobook formats, was published by Bloodhound Books in December 2016. All the profits from the sale of this book is donated to Hospice UK and Sophie's Appeal.

Dark Minds is a collection of 40 crime and thriller short stories by authors including Steven Dunne, L.J Ross, Lisa Hall, Betsy Reavley, M.A Comley and myself. We came together to produce an anthology that will lure, tantalise and shock its readers.

My short story, Never Tell A Lie, was a great way to try something new. I stepped away from Detective Inspector Denis Hamilton and entered the mind of villain. Below is the first 500 words of the story to whet your appetite. At the time of posting this blog, Dark Minds kindle edition is on special offer for just 99p/99c - yes, that's right, less than £1 for 40 short stories. If you'd like to find out more, click here to visit Amazon.


Never Tell a Lie by Tara Lyons

It was during the winter of 2015 I became a real man.

The frost welcomed me every morning and I hid behind a large oak tree in Roundwood Park. The grass crunched under my feet as I hopped from side to side, waiting from 5am.  Fiona wouldn’t jog by for another hour, but I never wanted to miss her. The black, tight leggings showcased her beautifully long legs and toned arse. I wanted to rip the jumper from her chest, fully expose the bouncing cleavage it masked. I’d waited so long. My tense body was like a mountain of frustration until she ran by. I’d grow hard as I yearned to touch her. She was my release and I needed to see her every day. Except on a Sunday; Fiona didn’t run on Sundays and I went to church.

I had met Fiona a month earlier at the coffee shop, and instantly wanted her. Her hair shone like the sun and her blue eyes enticed me, pulling me in like the waves of the ocean. I served her a large latte to-go every day for a week before I summoned the courage to ask her out. She swiftly held up her hand and pointed to the gleaming diamond.

‘I’m married, sweetie. Thanks for the compliment.’ She laughed and left the café.

I’d never been turned down before. My teeth clenched together in anger. I was used to getting what I wanted – as a handsome man with a great sense of humour, it was what I expected. Her rejection was like a punch to the gut. But, the more I thought about her, the more I wanted her. She was playing hard to get and that was new. That was exciting.

For another week I watched Fiona’s every move. I followed her on Monday morning, after she’d collected her usual beverage; disappointment hit me when she didn’t notice I wasn’t serving. She seemed to breeze through life with such dignity. My respect for her grew; Fiona was the type of woman I could see myself starting a family with. I had waited so long to find the right woman – the kind of woman my father had spoken about when I was a boy.

The week turned into a month and soon I knew everything there was to know about Fiona. Her daily exercise routine, where she lived and worked, which shops she frequented and the journey she took home. She was so busy with her daily tasks, or always with her nose stuck in a book while travelling, she barely took notice of anyone around her. Never once did she notice me watching her.

Her home was nestled in a quiet cul-de-sac. A semi-detached cottage with a quaint thatched roof that had become so difficult to find in London. It was another way she was showing me her uniqueness and style. Its location was an ideal spot – far enough away from the noise and city yobs that you weren’t involved in its tourism and fast-living, but still close enough to actually work there if you so desired. It was important to earn a good wage, and I knew Fiona did. It was also perfect for my evening viewing. I was protected by the foliage; trees everywhere hid me from sight. Sadly, for Fiona, this was her undoing...

To read the rest of this short story, and many more, click here to visit Amazon and grab your copy.

Bloodhound Books laps up another author

I'm delighted to share Bloodhound Books has signed me for a two book deal. I am in the process of writing book two in the DI Hamilton series, which will be published Spring 2017.

Founded in late 2014, Bloodhound Books is an independent publisher that was born from a love of great fiction. Bloodhound's best-selling titles include five Amazon top 100 best-sellers - K.A Richardson's I've Been Watching You, Eileen Wharton's Blanket of Blood, Liz Mistry's Unquiet Souls and Betsy Reavley's The Optician's Wife.
I am really excited to have joined such a formidable team and look forward to working with all the team.
Be sure to sign up to the publishing house's mailing list to stay up-to-date with new titles, great offers and you'll get a free eBook of your choice. Just click here to visit their website. 

June Book Reviews: Forensics and ghostbusters

It seems I'm setting a standard of two books a month. While I'd love to read more - because there are some fabulous books out there at the moment - I'm happy that between parenting and writing I'm reading at all! So, without further ado, here are my two very different reads for June...

With Deadly Intent by K.A Richardson 

Well it's very clear that this writer knows her stuff - it was like reading an episode of Silent Witness (which was great, because I love that programme). There was murder, mystery, forensic insight and a whole lot more. I enjoyed this book and there's already a second in the series - I've Been Watching You - so I'll have to get my skates on if I want to keep up - it's just hit the top 20 UK Amazon charts (correct at time of writing this).


You can read my full review on Goodreads.

Click here to buy With Deadly Intent on Amazon.

Melody Bittersweet and the Girls' Ghostbusting Agency by Kitty French

Wow! A very different five star read for me. This book is totally out of my comfort zone - and don't be put of by "girls' ghostbusting agency" because it's a bloody brilliant read.

It was the cover that caught my attention, but the awesome writing and characters that kept me reading. It's fun, silly, outrageous and quite emotional - even gets a crime in there, so how could I not give it all the stars.

You can read my full review on Goodreads.

Click here to buy Melody Bittersweet on Amazon.