Journey to Death by Leigh Russell
Get in at the beginning with book one in a new mystery series from crime writer Leigh Russell.
About the Book
Journey to Death
by Leigh Russell
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer | February 2016
Lucy Hall arrives in the Seychelles determined to leave her worries behind. The tropical paradise looks sun-soaked and picture-perfect—but as Lucy soon discovers, appearances can be very deceptive. A deadly secret lurks in the island’s history, buried deep but not forgotten. And it is about to come to light.
As black clouds begin to gather over what promised to be a relaxing family break, Lucy realizes that her father stands in the eye of the coming storm. A shadow from his past is threatening to destroy all that he holds dear—including the lives of his loved ones.
A dark truth is about to explode into their lives, and that truth is going to hit them right between the eyes.
About the Author
Leigh Russell is the author of the internationally bestselling Geraldine Steel and Ian Peterson crime series. She studied at the University of Kent, gaining a master’s degree in English. She has a Diploma in Specific Learning Difficulties from the British Dyslexia Association, and a Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. For many years she taught English at secondary school, specialising in supporting pupils with specific learning difficulties. She is married, has two daughters, and lives in north-west London. In addition to writing, she guest-lectures for the Society of Authors, universities and colleges, and runs regular creative writing courses for the prestigious Writers Lab in the UK and Greece. She also runs the manuscript assessment service for the CWA.
Amazon | Goodreads | Author’s Webpage
Giveaway Information
Courtesy of the publicist, I have one copy of Journey To Death to give away to a reader with a US mailing address. To enter, fill out the form below on or before midnight, Saturday, February 27th. The winner will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond.
[Giveaway has ended]
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© 2016 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
Source: Giveaway provided by Wunderkind PR.
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Welcome to Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia of To Be Continued, a place where readers share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.
After several years of being on tour with different blogs as the monthly host, the Mailbox Monday Blog is now the permanent home for the meme.
Here’s what arrived in my digital mailbox last week . . .
eBooks
Killfile by Christopher Farnsworth from William Morrow
John Smith has a special gift that seems more like a curse: he can access other peoples thoughts. He hears the the songs stuck in their heads, their most private traumas and fears, the painful memories they can’t let go. . .
The Vegetable Butcher from Workman
The skills of butchery meet the world of fresh produce in this essential, inspiring guide that demystifies the world of vegetables.
Audio Books
Violent Crimes by Phillip Margolin from Harper Audio
In this mesmerizing tale of suspense from New York Times bestselling author Phillip Margolin, attorney Amanda Jaffe becomes entangled in a murder case involving Big Oil, an estranged father and son, and the greatest ethical dilemma of her career.
Version Control by Dexter Palmer from Random House Audio
The acclaimed author of The Dream of Perpetual Motion returns with a compelling novel about the effects of science and technology on our friendships, our love lives, and our sense of self.
Arcadia by Iain Pears from Random House Audio
A dazzling story of youth, love and murderous ambition — a novel of time travel spanning three beautifully detailed worlds: the intellectual spires of Oxford in 1960, an ancient Arcadian world, and a dystopian future.
Still time to enter the giveaway for . . .
Baggage by S.G. Redling
A new psychological thriller guaranteed to lure you in and keep you hooked until the very end.
Enter on or before February 20th. US addresses only.
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The annual Great Backyard Bird Count has begun. Counting takes place this weekend, February 12 – 15. The event was started in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society. It was the first online citizen-science project to collect data on wild birds and to display results in near real-time.
The Northern Cardinal, above, is a frequent visitor to my backyard. I always have a supply of sunflower and safflower seeds in my feeders; a favorite food for cardinals, and many other song birds.
Citizen Scientists Needed
The Backyard Bird Count is an opportunity for citizen scientists around the world to help researchers by spending a few minutes counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are. It’s as easy as looking out your window for 15 minutes or going for a walk at a local park.
People of all ages and skill levels can participate. You do not need to be an expert to contribute. Even if you can only identify the common birds, you can still take part in the count.
How to participate
- Get started by creating an account if you have not participated in the past.
- Download an instruction sheet.
- Print a checklist of birds for your area.
- Count birds for 15 minutes or more.
- Enter your results on the birdcount webpage.
The Red-breasted Nuthatch on the right is enjoying my backyard peanut feeder. They are occasional winter visitors to the Chicago area, but usually spend their winters further north.
Red-breasted Nuthatches are irruptive migrants and will only leave their usual range when their food supply becomes scarce. They have not visited my yard this winter and sightings in the area have been infrequent. These are the type of trends that scientists are evaluating.
Why Count in February?
You might be wondering why a bird count that originated in North America is held in the coldest month of the year. The reason was to create a snapshot of the distribution of birds just before spring migrations begin in March. Several years ago a change was made and the count went global, creating snapshots of birds wherever they are in February regardless of seasons across the hemispheres.
You Never Know Who Might Show Up
On February 2, 2011, Chicago had one of its epic snowstorms that shut down the city for a few days. The morning after the storm a Yellow-rumped Warbler was outside my window taking a drink at the heated bath. Chicago is on the northern edge of their winter range; most warblers migrate much further south.
Unfortunately, I was unable to include him in my Backyard Birdcount observations. The count dates were still several weeks away and by then the bird had moved on. However, a visit from a warbler in the middle of winter was still a special treat.
Where to find birds
Your backyard, at a local park or wildlife refuge, or wherever you like to watch birds.
I count in several places. The easiest is my backyard where I have several feeders and a regular crowd of birds. I can always count on cardinals, finches, woodpeckers and sparrows to stop by for a meal. I also count on the trails at the park and the forest preserve, weather permitting. With the cold temperatures we are having this weekend, I am counting in my backyard where I can look out the window and not freeze.
If the weather was nicer, and windchills were not below zero degrees F, I would be walking at the forest preserve. Canada Geese are now year-round residents in the Chicago area. They can often be found along rivers or roosting in large fields (making a mess!).
There’s Still Time to Participate
Head on over to the GBBC start-up page and join in.
© 2015 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
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Baggage by S.G. Redling
A new psychological thriller guaranteed to lure you in and keep you hooked until the very end.
About the Book
Baggage
by S.G. Redling
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer | February 2016
Over the years, terrible things keep happening to Anna Ray on February 17. First, there was the childhood trauma she’s never been able to speak about. Then, to her horror, her husband killed himself on that date.
A year later and a thousand miles away, Anna tries to find solace in the fresh start of a new job in a new place. She takes comfort in her outspoken cousin Jeannie, the confidant and best friend who’s there whenever she needs help. On the day of the dreaded anniversary, Anna and Jeannie hit the town, planning to ease the pain with an alcohol-induced stupor and then sleep.…
When Anna awakes the next morning, she thinks she can put one more February 17 behind her, but fate is about to intervene in the form of two gruesome murders with eerie similarities to her violent past. This time, however, she won’t be an abandoned daughter or a grieving widow. This time, she’ll be a suspect.
About the Author
S.G. Redling, a graduate of Georgetown University, has spent fifteen years waking up the good folks of Huntington WV and its environs on the WKEE-FM morning radio show. She recently wound up her headphones for the last time and is focusing on thrillers, mysteries and urban fantasy. When S.G. isn’t writing (don’t tell Christine Witthohn!) she loves to paint, travel and embarrass herself by speaking wretched Italian.
Giveaway Information
Courtesy of the publicist, I have one copy of Baggage to give away to a reader with a US mailing address. To enter, fill out the form below on or before midnight, Saturday, February 20th. The winner will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond.
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© 2016 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
Source: Giveaway provided by Wunderkind PR.
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A Rapid Review
Publisher: Random House Audio | November 2015
Format: Audio Download | 7 hours | Rating: 5 stars
Audio Listening Level: Easy – Intermediate
This unnerving, taut and intricately woven tale by one of our most original and bewitching writers begins in 1979 and reaches its turbulent conclusion around Halloween, 2015. Because every nine years, on the last Saturday of October, a ‘guest’ is summoned to Slade House. But why has that person been chosen, by whom and for what purpose? The answers lie waiting in the long attic, at the top of the stairs…
Once every nine years a small door in an alley opens providing access to Slade House, but be careful before accepting the invitation to enter. The unlucky guests who cross the threshold disappear and are never heard from again. Norah and Jonah Grayer, the inhabitants of the home, have achieved a form of immortality which they want to preserve at any cost, but they can only maintain their existence by preying on the psychovoltage of the individuals who are lured to Slade House.
Using a first person narrative, the story is told through interwoven tales of each of the guests as they become trapped in the house. The suspense builds as each each story reveals another piece to the puzzle of Slade House.
Slade House occupies the same universe as Mitchell’s previous book, The Bone Clocks, which I had not read; however, I quickly discovered it was not necessary to enjoy this book which works well as a stand-alone. I had no trouble following and enjoying story.
Creepy but not too scary, I would describe this as a literary horror story and a great introduction to the world of The Bone Clocks.
Audio production:
Narrators Thomas Judd and Tania Rodrigues did a wonderful job conveying the atmosphere of suspense and fright with just the right amount of creepiness. I had no trouble following the plot in audio, and while it does cover multiple years and perspectives, it unfolds in linear fashion.
[Audio Sample on PRH web page.]
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Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
© 2016 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
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Welcome to Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia of To Be Continued, a place where readers share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.
After several years of being on tour with different blogs as the monthly host, the Mailbox Monday Blog is now the permanent home for the meme.
My geraniums decided to bloom last week. I take cuttings from most of my outdoor plants and let them spend the winter inside looking out the sunny patio doors. It’s nice to see some color this time of year, but I’ll be cutting them back soon so they don’t get too out of control.
One new book and a couple of NetGalley downloads last week . . .
New Arrivals
Terrible Virtue by Ellen Feldman from Harper
In the spirit of The Paris Wife and Loving Frank, the provocative and compelling story of one of the most fascinating and influential figures of the twentieth century: Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood—an indomitable woman who, more than any other, and at great personal cost, shaped the sexual landscape we inhabit today.
eBooks
![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000420_00060]](https://undermyappletree.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/endangerededens.jpg)
And Again by Jessica Chiarella from NetGalley
In the spirit of Station Eleven and The Age of Miracles, this exciting literary debut novel imagines the consequences when four ordinary individuals are granted a chance to continue their lives in genetically perfect versions of their former bodies.
Endangered Edens by Marty Essen from NetGalley
Exploring the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica, the Everglades, and Puerto Rico
In addition to Marty’s entertaining stories, Endangered Edens also features more than 180 stunning color pictures—merging the genres of wildlife photography, adventure travelogues, and environmental education into one unforgettable book.
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© 2016 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
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Almost wordless: Jentrie will be 22 years old this week. I adopted him one year ago today.
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More Wordless Wednesday. © 2016 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
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