Tuesday 23 September 2014

Juliet B. Madison Does it Again!







Once again Juliet B. Madison has written a book which you won't be able to put down.
Best Served Cold is the fifth novel in the DI Frank Lyle Mystery Series.

The book is much darker than the previous novels in the series since it deals with the issues of paedophilia, hate crime and revenge. It also contains M/M sex scenes and is generally unsuitable for readers below the age of 18.

The story begins with the discovery of the apparent suicide of Ashbeck City Councillor, and former Mayor, George Driscoll by his loyal secretary, Shirley Kingston. However investigation leads to a much darker state of affairs. The more astute reader and DI Lyle Mystery series follower will remember Mayor Driscoll’s infamous New Year’s Eve dinner party towards the end of the second novel Heir to Misfortune. It is constantly referred to thereafter as the night that no one who was there will ever forget. While on that subject, although reading Heir to Misfortune is not essential for following the events of Best Served Cold it will help with the contextualisation of events. You can get your copy of Heir to Misfortune from http://bookShow.me/B00EQBAKC2

Here is the blurb for Best Served Cold

DI Lyle is about to get a glimpse into the murky world of political activism and hate crime; the murder of a prominent city councillor is just the tip of the iceberg.
The city of Ashbeck is on high alert when news breaks that convicted triple murderer and paedophile Bob Kenyon has escaped from custody.
Can DI Lyle and his team get to the bottom of this murky mess before another atrocity occurs?

Here is what Juliet herself says about the book:

As well as the murder investigation and hate crime the book raises the old nature versus nurture debate.
Are criminals born or shaped through the circumstances of their lives and misfortunes and those of the people whom they love? Hold onto whatever opinion you may have for now as, by the last page, your convictions may have become further cemented or changed completely.
The book also follows the back story of the series to date and the personal circumstances of the characters involved. It offers the latest stage in the love story between James Lyle & DS Thomas Fox as well as what goes on in DI Lyle’s home.
Most people know that the character of DI Lyle is based on roles played by British actor Robert Bathurst, as well as my own idea of what a CID detective SHOULD be. I have never made a secret of this fact. DI Lyle also resembles Bathurst physically so I offered a fellow Bathurst fan, Ruth Barlow, a cameo role as a CSI. It occurred to me while writing the book that my head CSI, Jim Cox, has never had a holiday during the series so I put Ruth in his place and made her just as good at the job.
As a huge fan of the UK TV crime drama series A Touch of Frost I could not resist setting this book around the time the first ever episode was screened or making reference to it in that Jayseera videos it for Frank because he’s out.  1992 was of course long before the days of DVD recorders, Sky Plus boxes and other TV recorders, as well as ITV player and catch-up TV, so we make a retro-trip back into the days of VHS,
Incidentally the phrase Revenge is a dish best served cold, from which I took the book’s title, is actually “Revenge is a dish best served in Cold blood” although it is not known for sure from whose lips the phrase originated.
I am extremely proud of this book and look forward to seeing how well it is received by the unsuspecting public. It deals with dark themes and follows lonely, often twisted, paths to a somewhat gruesome climax, which poses another question. Is murder ever morally justified? You may have your own ideas about that, but prepare for them to be challenged as the story draws to its close.

Juliet is also working on a DI Frank Lyle novella.  A Murder-Free Christmas will be available from Mid-December.

Here is an excerpt from the first chapter of Best Served Cold

I went up in the lift and was met by DS Fox.
“Is it grim?” I asked him.
“He looks like his eyes are bulging out of his head,” Fox replied.
“Nothing less than you would expect from a hanging then.” I replied.
“DC Mahon’s working her magic with Shirley Kingston,” Fox added.
DC Paula Mahon was exceptionally good with the friends and families of the deceased in most cases. She had just the right mix of compassion and suspicion, for we knew that not everyone who found a body was innocent of the death.
I followed DS Fox into the office.
Dr Bradley had taken Driscoll down and laid him on a plastic sheet. Two SOCOS were cleaning up the broken china and bagging it. Others were dusting for prints.
My friend, Jim Cox, did not seem to be present. Sensing my confusion a young woman approached me.
“DI Lyle, I’m acting head of SOCO, Ruth Barlow. Jim’s on holiday at the moment.”
 “Have you found anything?”
“The smashed china happened when Mrs Kingston brought in tea and came upon the body, but there were two cups already here each with about an inch of cold scummy coffee so we’ve taken those for prints. There was a note pinned to the body,”
A young SOCO handed me a clear folder with the note that Shirley had found.
“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked.
“You’re the detective,” Ruth replied.
“I had a feeling you’d say that,” I said.
I noticed that the team were going through the desk drawers and papers so decided to leave them to it. Mrs Shirley Kingston should be able to confirm whether or not it was Driscoll’s handwriting.
“He’s been dead about nine hours, DI Lyle,” Bradley informed me in response to my standard question, “His corneas are clouded and rigor is advancing although he hasn’t quite reached the total rigidity stage. The hyoid is fractured, but to be honest there are finger marks on his throat,” he indicated reddish purple bruises with white impressions.
“Are you saying what I think you are, Doc?” DS Fox asked, “Only one does pick up things simply by being the Coroner’s nephew, no matter how many scenes I attend.”
“What are you thinking, DS Fox?” Bradley’s brow furrowed in a frown.
“I don’t think ex-Mayor Driscoll committed suicide, Doc. I think he was strangled and then strung up to make it look like suicide. I only hope I’m wrong.”
“So do I,” I said, “He was a good bloke, no one deserves this.”
Bradley shook his head sadly and looked at me.
“I’m afraid that DS Fox is correct, DI Lyle. Councillor Driscoll was almost certainly murdered.”

You can order Best Served Cold here:

You can catch up with Juliet B Madison here:

Twitter:   @JulietBMadison https://twitter.com/JulietBMadison

Facebook: There are a number of DI Lyle related pages on Facebook but here is a small selection.




Sunday 14 September 2014

Melissa Smith's Untangle My Heart


Great New Release from Melissa A. Smith... Today!


Untangle My Heart
by Melissa A. Smith
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 14, 2014



Four people, minus two relationships, equals one perfect pair.

When a chance mix up tosses everything into the air, everyone is caught off guard. The only thing you can do then is stand back and wait for things to settle so you can untangle the mess.