Review: The Door That Faced West

The Door That Faced West by Alan M. Clark
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I recently come across the Historical fiction novel 'The Door that Faced West ' by Alan M. Clark .

Having read other books by the author I know the novel would be a mix of fact and fiction and I wasn't disappointed.But you have to remember this a work of fiction as the author states at the beginning of the novel, because it's very easy to become engrossed in this highly recommended novel and believe the book is non-fiction.

The Door that Faced West is about two brothers Micajah Harpe, also know as Big Harpe and Wiley Harpe also know as The Little Harpe, who are vicious killer ( after a quick search of the internet I found they are often referred to as America's first serial killers ).

The story beings with a grandmother a woman with a hidden past a women who shows very little love towards her family, with exception of her grandson the only one she shows kind any love towards. Till an incident with her grandson beings the memories of her past flooding back . Memories of a young woman running from her abusive father,only to find herself living with the Harpe Brothers, ruthless killers and the two women they had taken as their wifes.


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Review: Affinity's Window

Affinity's Window by Douglas L. Wilson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I just finished reading Affinity's Window by Douglas L. Wilson after staying up most of the night reading just to find out what happened next.

The author has created what I would call a spine chilling ghostly horror story and I'm always the first to admit I'm not a big reader of horror but I could not put this one down if you get the opportunity to pick a copy up it's well worth taking the time to read.

In the old nursery rhyme 'What Are Little Boys Made Of ?' there is line which goes like this

What are little girls made of ?
   Sugar and spice
   And everything nice

When  Douglas L. Wilson  wrote Affinity's Window he was definitely not thinking about these lines when he created his character Affinity Bell , she is one little girl you wouldn't won't to find yourself along with day or night.

Read the book to find out why you won't be disappointed .

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Review: A Very Mersey Murder

A Very Mersey Murder by Brian L. Porter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A VERY MERSEY MURDER is the fiveth book in the Mersey Murder Mysteries Book series.



This time D.I. Andy Ross , D. S. Izzie Drake and rest of the team must look to past to stop a killer, killing in the present .

In 1966 a young bar maid is brutally raped and murdered, her body left close to a old disused lighthouse in Hale, then cames a second and finally a third murder. As suddley as the killing started they stop fast forward, thirty-nine years and two identical murders have been committed has the killer returned,is it a copycat killer, can D.I. Andy Ross , D. S. Izzie Drake and the team stop him or her before it's too late ?

What can the reader expect ? An interesting plot with some fantastic twists, who the killer is it abit of puzzle and the is reader left pretty much left wondering to the very end who the killer .

Readers of previous books in the series won't be left disappointed and something which I enjoy seeing is the author has yet again included personal details about himself in the book.

Recommended reading for of thrillers and murder mysteries

Can't wait to read the next in the series

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Review: Murder by the Book: A Sensational Chapter in Victorian Crime

Murder by the Book: A Sensational Chapter in Victorian Crime by Claire Harman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In exchange for a fair review I received a copy of this book from NetGalley

On the morning of the 6th May, 1840, Lord William Russell was found murdered in his bed in a seemingly safe, Mayfair street by his servants.

The author goes into great detail about the police investigation and the subtenant trial of Lord William Russell's Swiss valet ,which makes for interesting reading. As well as looking at the novel about Jack Sheppard which was popular at the time. It was also at one time the reason he give for killing his master saying in a statement it had influenced his decision to kill his master.

But I was sadly disappointed the book was well written towards the end I felt the book was padded out with paragraphs on the writer's Dickens and Thackeray which made fell like I was reading a different book.However this is only my opinion and someone other then myself my find this interesting.

Over all a well written and thoroughly researched book .

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Review: Renaissance: The Fall and Rise of a King

Renaissance: The Fall and Rise of a King by Marla Skidmore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This a historical fiction novel about Richard III the story begins with his death at the Battle of Bosworth , but this is only the beginning of the story.

The author made a intriguing an interesting decision to follow Richard into the afterlife from here the reader gets to see events from Richards life in a number of flashback's. We also get to see the struggles he might have gone through while coming trying to terms the decisions he made and the consequences they had. We also get to see him struggle with the reputation he gained and after his death due to Henry Tudor.

I'm no expert on Richard 111 but from what I do know I can say the historical details are accurate and it is clear that a lot of research has been done.

Well done to the author an excellent novel I was hooked from the first page and was sorry to see it come to end.

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