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Friday, July 31, 2026

My Thoughts Vex Not Her Ghost The Purebeck Mysteries Book 1 by Gill Calvin Thomas



 


 

 

The Dorset coast holds its secrets tight—and the dead won’t stay quiet.

 


 

Vex Not Her Ghost 

The Purebeck Mysteries Book 1 

by Gill Calvin Thomas 

Genre: Paranormal Mystery 

 

A quirky detective tackles a haunting family mystery.

 

Caitlin was four years old when her mother died in mysterious circumstances. Thirty years later she comes into possession of her family home in Dorset. As she slowly recovers memories of her past, she becomes convinced that her mother’s ghost is warning her of impending disaster.

Aided by Charlie Bond, a private investigator, an enthralling story of deceit and deception unfolds as Caitlin and her friends expose the ultimate truth.

 

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

 

Book Links:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4aOP42n

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/vex-not-her-ghost-by-gill-calvin-thomas

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211755390-vex-not-her-ghost

 

 

Sister Olive Wouldn't Hurt a Fly  

The Purebeck Mysteries Book 2

 

Fleeing to Dorset traps a mother and son between a cult and a killer waiting in the shadows…

 

If this whole saga was a fight between good and evil, then who had won? As far as Miriam could work out, neither good nor evil had triumphed yet. Now she was having to confront the grim consequences of Will’s behaviour, and she was mortally afraid. Maybe he and his darkness would win after all.

The tragic suicide of a young student starts a shocking chain of events for William Marshall, his wife Miriam and their son, Ollie. As Will descends into madness, a ghostly presence appears in their old house to protect Ollie. However, when two strangers threaten Miriam and an attempt is made to snatch Ollie, mother and son are forced to flee.

Amidst ever-present danger, they shake off pursuers to seek sanctuary in Rock House in Dorset, where they meet Caitlin and her friends. Twenty years have passed since Charlie Bond helped Caitlin solve the mystery of her mother’s death. Now, it is the turn of Charlie’s sidekick, Sam Haskell, to investigate a mysterious cult and unmask a killer.

 

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

 

Book Links:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4gDNsw9

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/sister-olive-wouldn-t-hurt-a-fly-by-gill-calvin-thomas

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243611059-sister-olive-wouldn-t-hurt-a-fly

 

 


 

About the Author 

Gill Calvin Thomas is a retired academic who lives with her husband in Swanage , UK.  She finds inspiration in the landscape around her – the Isle of Purbeck has a spectacular coastline and beautiful beaches, and it is whilst walking here, that Gill develops characters and plots the twists and turns you will find in her books.

 

Gill’s life experiences have informed her writing.  For example, her mother’s death when she was a small child, influenced her first book, Vex Not Her Ghost, where the heroine has to delve into the past to uncover the real circumstances of her mother’s death, the cover up and the ongoing corruption.  Her experiences as a social work academic governs the plot of her second book, Sister Olive Wouldn’t Hurt a Fly.  In this book the fatal combination of a researcher's mental collapse and a sociopathic opportunist give rise to a cliffhanging finale.

 

Reviewers have said that Gill writes the sort of books in which you find yourself racing to the end, whilst not wanting to finish.  Her characters are compelling, well-drawn and sensitively portrayed.  In her books bad people get what they deserve, but it is never quite what it seems.

 

She is currently writing her third book.  

 

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads

 

Author Links

Website: https://gillthomas.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Gill-Calvin-Thomas-61558345573600/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gill_calvin_thomas/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Gill-Calvin-Thomas/author/B0D4B4XD85

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/49418096.Gill_Calvin_Thomas

           

 


I received a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


If you enjoy mysteries with a paranormal twist, Vex Not Her Ghost is definitely worth adding to your reading list. From the very beginning, the story creates an eerie atmosphere that kept me wondering what was real, what was memory, and what secrets had been buried for far too long.

 

Caitlin's return to her childhood home after inheriting it sets the stage for a mystery. As long-forgotten memories begin to surface, the possibility that her mother's ghost is trying to warn her adds an extra layer of suspense without overwhelming the central mystery. I especially enjoyed how the supernatural elements enhanced the story instead of overshadowing it.


The characters felt relatable, especially Caitlin as she worked through both the mystery and the emotions tied to returning home. Watching the past slowly unravel alongside the investigation made the story feel about more than simply solving a crime.


If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a darker edge, family secrets, memorable settings, and just enough paranormal suspense to leave you wondering, I think you'll really enjoy this one. I'm looking forward to seeing where the Purebeck Mysteries series goes next and spending more time with these characters.




Giveaway 

$50 Amazon or Paypal 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://www.silverdaggerbooktours.com/purebeckmysteries

 

 


 

 

 

Tuesday, July 21, 2026

My Thoughts - False Connections by Steve Sheppard




 False Connections 

by Steve Sheppard

Genre: Thriller, Action





"Thriller addicts won't be disappointed"
"Steve Sheppard has created another great character in Mel Milano."


Three years ago, Mel Milano was an MI5 intelligence officer with a promising career. Then, during a routine protection and surveillance operation in Wales, things went drastically wrong and three people died, including Mel’s partner and fiancĂ©, Liam Webster.


Drummed out of the service on trumped-up charges by MI5 Deputy Director, Sarah Brook, Mel lost her career, her self-respect, her confidence and her fiancé. Nothing made sense.


Three years on, she is rebuilding her life, working for a private security outfit.
But she’s never forgiven the way she was dumped by MI5. One day she’ll discover the truth about Brook and what was really going on.


Now, though, it’s clear that Mel’s not the only one still holding a grudge. Suddenly everybody seems to want her dead. But why?


On the run from MI5, is there anyone Mel can trust to help her uncover the past?


Amazon * Goodreads


Book Links:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4bdr09x

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/252979073



About the Author 



Steve Sheppard was born and grew up in Surrey before moving to Buckinghamshire and then to Oxfordshire, where he spent a quarter of a century living in an idiosyncratic village that was the affectionate inspiration for his fourth book, Lazytown. He now lives in Hampshire. He spent forty years starting to write books but not finishing them, until belatedly realising that the key is not to give up. The other thing he has since learned is that he should have become a celebrity before writing a book, as this would have made selling it much easier. 


False Connections is Steve’s fifth book, but the first one written as a straight thriller and not primarily as a comedy, although it does contain humour. He hopes it will be the first of a series featuring feisty, funny but flawed ex-MI5 agent, Mel Milano. He also has three spy thrillers with laughs to his name, all published by Claret Press: A Very Important Teapot (2019), set in Australia, Bored to Death in the Baltics (2021), not set in Australia, and Poor Table Manners (2024), which takes place in Cape Town.  These feature an initially fairly hapless hero, Dawson, and a considerably less hapless heroine, Lucy, together with varied supporting casts, most of whom are not who they claim to be. Steve’s fourth book is an out-and-out comedy-murder-mystery, Lazytown (2025).



Website * Facebook * Instagram * TikTok * Goodreads


Author Links

Website:  https://www.stevesheppardauthor.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SteveSheppardAuthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevesheps22

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shepauthor

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/233117.Steve_Sheppard


MY THOUGHTS

False Connections by Steve Sheppard was my first introduction to this author, and I always enjoy discovering new-to-me writers who can pull me into a story. This book grabbed my attention with its twists, suspense, and the way it keeps you questioning what is real and who can truly be trusted.

The author creates a storyline filled with secrets, connections, and unexpected turns that kept me trying to piece together the clues along the way. I enjoyed how the mystery unfolded and how the characters each brought their own layer to the story. The pacing kept me engaged, and I liked that the answers weren’t always easy to predict.

This was an enjoyable read for anyone who likes mysteries with plenty of intrigue, hidden motives, and moments that make you stop and rethink your theories. I’m glad I had the opportunity to discover Steve Sheppard’s work, and I’ll be looking forward to seeing what he writes next.

False Connections is currently touring with Silver Dagger Book Tours, and it was a great experience being introduced to this author through the tour. Thank you to the author, publisher and Silver Dagger Book tours for allowing me to read a copy of this book --- all thoughts are my own. 


Giveaway




$15 Amazon or Paypal

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://www.silverdaggerbooktours.com/falseconnections

            


Sunday, July 19, 2026

My Thoughts GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION by TG Wolff

 

My Thoughts 


Guilty by Association by T.G. Wolff is the second novel in the Rizk Brothers Legal Mysteries series.


The story follows twin brothers Seth Rizk, a Miami detective, and Jakob Rizk, Indiana’s interim attorney general. Seth is facing an internal affairs investigation that could end his law enforcement career, forcing Jakob to defend his brother while balancing the political pressures of his campaign to become the state’s permanent attorney general. 


The mystery kept me engaged from beginning to end, with plenty of twists, suspicious characters, and enough surprises that I was never quite sure who to trust. The pacing was steady, and each new clue made me want to keep reading “just one more chapter.”


If you enjoy clean, character-driven mysteries with strong family relationships, clever plotting, and plenty of suspense, Guilty by Association is definitely worth picking up. I’m looking forward to reading more from this series.


Thank you to the author, publisher and Partners in Crime Book Tours for allowing me to read a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.