Review ~ The Buttonmaker's Daughter by Merryn Allingham

A bit of blurb...

May, 1914. 

Nestled in Sussex, the Summerhayes mansion seems the perfect country idyll. But with a long-running feud in the Summers family and tensions in Europe deepening, Summerhayes’ peaceful days are numbered.

For Elizabeth Summer, the lazy quiet of her home has become stifling. A chance meeting with Aiden Kellaway, an architect’s assistant, offers the secret promise of escape, but her marriage to a man of trade has no place in her father’s plans. In the ensuing conflict, Elizabeth along with her family faces a dangerous future.

As the sweltering heat of 1914 builds to a storm, she faces a choice between family loyalty and an uncertain life with the man she loves.One thing is definite: this summer will change everything.

My thoughts about the book...

The last halcyon days of summer 1914 are the focus for this well written historical saga which explores the stifling atmosphere of living and working in one of England's large country estates.

Elizabeth Summer, the eponymous button maker's daughter, finds that she is about to be the centre of a family conspiracy but her burgeoning relationship with one of her father's employees, ensures that Elizabeth's loyalty to her family will be tested to the limit.

Initially, the uncertainty of what is happening in Europe doesn't seem to be having much effect on Elizabeth or the people who live at Summerhayes, but as the story progresses there is a shift in the tension and a palpable dissent starts to appear. We watch as Elizabeth becomes more and more unsettled, not just because of her own romantic awakening, but also because of the declining relationships within her family as long buried secrets threaten to disturb the very fine balance between love and hate.

The story may seem a little slow at the start but I think that this was a deliberate ploy to echo the slowness and laziness of the long hot summer. Gradually as the story strands start to come together the plot becomes tighter and much more complicated. I enjoyed the imagery within the story and in particular the descriptions of the gardens at Summerhayes and of the work of the young architect, Aiden Kellaway, who features so strongly in Elizabeth's life.

The author has a gift for storytelling; she writes well with a fine eye for historical detail and I am sure that readers who enjoy this style of historical fiction will find much to enjoy in The Buttonmaker's Daughter.

Best Read With ...one of cook's pork pies and a glass of iced lemonade..



About the Author

Follow on Twitter @MerrynWrites

My thanks to the publishers and to Alice at Midas for my review copy of 

The Buttonmaker's Daughter

Read an interview with the author by clicking here

Blog Tour ~ The Buttonmaker's Daughter by Merryn Allingham

Jaffareadstoo is thrilled to be part of the blog tour for

The Buttonmaker's Daughter

I am delighted to welcome the author, Merryn Allingham who is sharing her thoughts about the inspiration for her novel.

The Lost Gardens of Heligan

I visited the Lost Gardens of Heligan two years’ ago, ‘lost’ because they were only rediscovered in 1990 and since that time have been lovingly restored. The gardens’ heyday was the late Victorian/Edwardian period when owners spent a great deal of money, time and effort in creating a beautiful and exotic paradise. But, when in 1914, war came to England, everything changed. Over half the staff perished in the mud of Flanders and the gardens were left to a slow disintegration.

The buildings the gardeners had known in 1914 – the bothy, the melon house, the pineapple pit, among others – remained untouched. They had crumbled but stayed essentially the same. It was as though the gardens had slept for eighty years. Lead and zinc Victorian plant tags lay buried in the soil. A giant vine weaved its way through broken panes of glass in the walled garden. True romance! Not quite so romantic were the effects of requisitioning. In 1916, Heligan became a military hospital and during the Second World War housed the American army. The beautiful lawns, or what was left of them, were concreted to provide hard standing for tanks and jeeps, and the trees, many of them rare, used as target practice.

But what set me on the path to writing The Buttonmaker’s Daughter were the human stories. One that affected me greatly concerned the ordinary men whose labour created this beauty. One day in the summer of 1914, every gardener on the estate downed tools and walked together to Redruth, to enlist at the local recruiting centre. Most of the men never returned. A Day Book that listed every job completed, carried that day’s date but the rest of the page remained blank and poignantly, was never used again.

It was the image of those men, honourable and courageous, walking together to enlist in what they saw as a just cause, that stayed in my mind, and I knew I had to record that moment in a novel. My fictional estate, Summerhayes, is nestled in the Sussex countryside, rather than Cornwall, but it offers the same perfect idyll. And like Heligan, that idyll is disrupted by a war that looms ever closer, but disrupted, too, by conflict nearer to home - between neighbours and within the family itself. The summer of 1914 will change everything for the Summer family, as indeed it did for so many.

HQ
12 January 2017

May, 1914. 

Nestled in Sussex, the Summerhayes mansion seems the perfect country idyll. But with a long-running feud in the Summers family and tensions in Europe deepening, Summerhayes’ peaceful days are numbered.

For Elizabeth Summer, the lazy quiet of her home has become stifling. A chance meeting with Aiden Kellaway, an architect’s assistant, offers the secret promise of escape, but her marriage to a man of trade has no place in her father’s plans. In the ensuing conflict, Elizabeth along with her family faces a dangerous future.

As the sweltering heat of 1914 builds to a storm, she faces a choice between family loyalty and an uncertain life with the man she loves.One thing is definite: this summer will change everything.

The Buttonmaker’s Daughter by Merryn Allingham is published on 12th January (HQ, £7.99) If you would like to keep in touch with Merryn, sign up for her newsletter at 

www.merrynallingham.com

Twitter @MerrynWrites

My thanks to the author for her delightful guest post and to the publishers for their invitation to be part of this blog tour.

Blog Tour runs 9th - 15th January.

Do visit the other blog stops for more author content.

~***~

Blog Tour Giveaway ~ Books for Living by Will Schwalbe

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to be hosting today's stop on Publication Day

Books for Living Blog Tour

 From the cover..

In an age when we can google the answer to everything, Will Schwalbe has always believed that the answer to everything can actually be found in a book, if we just slow down enough to find out and then take the time to think about it and share with others. Books for Living is a wide ranging exploration of what books can teach us in the modern age.

Books covered include these classics :

David Copperfield 

Rebecca

Stuart Little

The Importance of Living

Giovanni’s Room

Bird by Bird

The Girl On The Train

Two Roads 12th January 2017

My thoughts about the book..

A book about books is always really fascinating for an avid reader. There is something almost voyeuristic about gaining access into the inner most thoughts of a bibliophile. Wondering just what books have influenced and encouraged others to read is a deeply satisfying process.

In Books for Living the author shares his thoughts very eloquently about the books which have influenced his thoughts and by using anecdotal stories he shares just how important reading has been to him in his life thus far. He includes an extensive and far reaching book list and more than once I found myself reaching for a pen to scribble down a note, or an idea, or even the name of an unfamiliar author. 

Of course, like many readers given a list of books, ever curious, I immediately turned at first to those stories I was familiar with just to see what the author made of some of my favourites, which include, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. I was heartened to learn that he found much in them to ponder and enjoy. But then I was equally just as fascinated by the author's inclusion of Reading Lolita in Tehran which couldn't be more different from his thoughts about Stuart Little. But then, that's the beauty of sharing a love of stories, there is something for everyone.

I think that the real joy of Books for Living is that you can open the book at any place at whim and find something precious and profound within its pages. It is a book to treasure and to keep, it's a book for a rainy afternoon, or a summer in the garden. 

There is a thought that sometimes a book comes into your life at just the right time. The author puts it much more eloquently than I ever could:

"Every now and then the universe tells you what book you need to read ; it does this by placing the name of that book and author in front of you in various contexts, until you can't help but take note. You ignore book recommendations from the universe at your peril". 

I think that Books for Living is one such book and with its engaging celebration of the love of reading, I am sure that this will appeal to readers everywhere.

Best Read With..one of those sharing buckets of fried chicken  and a side order of cola...

About the Author

Will Schwalbe has worked in publishing for many years.

He is the author of the international bestseller, The End of Your Life Book Club and co-author (with David Shipley) of Send: Why People Email So Badly and How to Do It Better.

He has also worked in digital media, and was the founder of Cookstr.com. As a journalist he wrote for the New York Times and the South China Morning Post.

He lives in New York City.

willschwalbe.com

twitter.com/willsch

My thanks to the publishers for their invitation to be part of this blog tour and for this generous giveaway opportunity

Find out more about the book by clicking here 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

** Good Luck **

Review ~ Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart

Scribe
12 January 2017

A bit of blurb...

The bestselling author of Girl Waits With Gun returns with another adventure featuring the feisty, unforgettable Kopp sisters. 

In 1915, lady cops were not expected to chase down fugitives on the streets of New York City. But Constance Kopp never did what anyone expected. After besting (and arresting) a ruthless silk factory owner and his gang of thugs, Constance Kopp has earned her place as the nation’s first female deputy sheriff. She’s proven that she can’t be deterred, evaded, or outrun. But when a con man escapes from jail on her watch, she must find him before he disappears completely, and she ends up right back where she started - unemployed.

My thoughts about the book ...

In Lady Cop Makes Trouble we see the welcome return of Deputy Sheriff Constance Kopp who we first met in Girl Waits With Gun.

When a con man disappears from jail whilst Constance is on watch she takes it as a personal insult. Fired with her unique brand of bravado, she never for one minute takes the idea of defeat as an option, even though those around are perhaps more sceptical of her ability to track down a man who doesn't want to be found.

This complicated search for a man who does not want to be discovered forms the basis of the story and, as always, takes Constance into the very heart of the action. The other characters that flit into and out of the story add their own distinctive perspective and Constance's sisters, Norma and Fleurette, continue to add their own unique charm.

What I love about this historical crime series is the sheer joie de vivre which Constance exudes at every opportunity. She is a feisty and determined protagonist who brings such exuberant joy to the story that the pages almost turn themselves. What can be guaranteed is that for Constance Kopp there is never going to be a dull moment and even though her brief spell as the deputy sheriff seems to be over almost before it has begun Constance never falters in her search for justice.

The brave and bright new world of early twentieth century New York comes vividly to life with Constance best placed in her role as a strong female protagonist. Within the story there is plenty of action and lots of twists and turns in a plot which always keeps you guessing.

Based on actual events, Lady Cop Makes Trouble is a well plotted action adventure and I am sure that this series will continue to go from strength to strength. 

Best read with … a cup of black tea and some soda crackers

About the Author

Visit the author's website

Follow on Twitter @Amy_Stewart

Find on Facebook Amy Stewart Author



Thanks to Sophie at Scribe for the opportunity to read and review Lady Cop Makes Trouble.

~***~

Review ~ The Second Blast of the Trumpet by Marie Macpherson

Knox Robinson
2016

A bit of blurb...

1559: Freed after a stint in the galleys, the Scottish reformer John Knox is fired up with his mission as God's messenger to strike at the roots of papistry. Prophet without honour in his own land, he is welcomed as chaplain to Edward VI in England. But by challenging the liturgy of the English Protestant Church, he makes dangerous enemies. With Edward's untimely death and the accession of the Catholic Mary Tudor, Knox is forced to flee her fires of persecution...

My thoughts about the book..

I must admit that, in the past, my only knowledge of John Knox came more from my interest in the ill-fated queen, Mary Stuart and although I recognised Knox as the one who maligned her from the pulpit, I knew nothing of the man or the circles in which he moved. In The Second Blast of the Trumpet the author has done a commendable job of bringing to life this dour Scotsman in such a readable way. There is something compellingly different about this fleshing out of perhaps the most important radical reformer in Scottish history.

My interest in the series was sparked by the first book in the series, The First Blast of the Trumpet, and I'm pleased to say that this second book follows on seamlessly. We meet Knox as he is freed from his time in the galleys and watch as he begins the journey that will take him right into the heart of religious and political turmoil. After Knox's well documented diatribe on the Monstrous Regiment of Women, I imagined that he would be portrayed as a chauvinistic misogynist however, he shown to be rather charismatic and a man who women found much to admire. It was interesting to see how his relationships with his wife, Marjory and his mother-in -law Elizabeth would play out in the wider scheme of the story.

I have great admiration for the author who has succeeded in giving us more than just a bible thumping maniac. She has instilled such a sense of personality into John Knox that regardless of religious differences you can't help but be drawn into his story of fervent religious strife. Time and place is captured with such fine attention to detail that I felt like I kept company with those who stood shoulder to shoulder listening to Knox as he railed, from the pulpit and beyond, against religious injustice.

The Second Blast of the Trumpet is not a quick read, and I don't mean that as a criticism, but the depth of content and beautifully described situations make this more a of story to take your time over in order to fully absorb the detail and imagery which is so wonderfully portrayed. 

However, as always, Knox’s heart and soul belongs in Scotland and the author has made sure that his burning ambition is always central to the story and never falters from giving glorious life to this most enigmatic of men.

Best Read with...A bowl of steaming stew  and a glut of ale...

About the Author

Marie Macpherson developed a love for literature and languages from an early age. She studied French and German at school, followed by Spanish and Italian at university. After gaining an honors degree in Russian and English, she spent a year in Moscow and Leningrad (St. Petersburg).

Like on Facebook

Follow on Twitter @MGMacpherson

Find The First Blast of the Trumpet on Amazon UK

Find The Second Blast of the Trumpet on Amazon UK

Publisher

Read and interview with the author about The Second Blast of the Trumpet by clicking  here 

My thanks to the author for sharing her book with me.

~***~

Blog Tour ~ Tell Me A Lie by C J Carver

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to be hosting Day One of the 

Tell Me A Lie Blog Tour

Bonnier Zaffre
12 January

Tell me A lie is the second book in the Forrester and Davies series which started with Spare Me The Truth.

Here's what people are saying about Tell Me A  Lie..

‘Hard, fast and real - a solid gold A-grade thriller.’ Lee Child

‘A terrific page-turner. Heart-stopping action and a heroine with guile as well as guts.’ Harlan Coben

‘A fast and ingenious thriller that pits the brilliantly addictive Forrester and Davies against a tense and chillingly real Russian conspiracy. Even better, Tell Me a Lie combines all the excitement of spooks, fast cars, guns and helicopters with brave and compassionate female characters who all pass the Bechdel Test with flying colours! I'm full of admiration.’ Isabelle Grey

Publishing on the 12th January 


I'm delighted to be able to share with you a tantalising extract from Tell Me A Lie...

PROLOGUE

Thursday 22 January, Murmansk

Edik Yesikov listened to the tape with increasing disbelief. He forgot all about his guests milling in the gun room, the snow wolf hunt he’d organised, the fact they only had four hours or so to bag their trophies before the sun set. If what he’d heard was true, it was fantastic news.

‘It’s been verified?’ he asked.

The Director of the FSK, the Federal Counterintelligence Service of Russia, glanced at Edik’s father, who nodded. As usual, the power in the room was held by the old man, who had flown with the Director straight to the hunting lodge from Moscow this morning. Lazar Yesikov hadn’t wanted anyone overhearing what he had to say.

‘The British journalist says she heard it from Polina Calder directly,’ his father said. ‘I see no reason to doubt her.’

Edik felt a moment’s alarm. ‘We haven’t kept her here, have we? The British government will go insane.’

‘Of course not.’ The old man looked affronted. ‘We put her on a plane this morning.’

Edik arched both eyebrows into a question.

‘She’ll be dealt with when she gets home,’ the old man told him. ‘An accident. She bicycles to work. London is a dangerous place for cyclists.’

And Polina Calder?’

‘The same. Except she doesn’t use a bicycle. She walks into town. Another accident.’

Edik pulled a face. ‘Are you sure we can get away with it?’

A film fell over his father’s eyes. His expression emptied. Edik knew that look. It meant anyone who stood in his way would, quite simply, be eliminated.

‘Leave any troublemakers to me,’ said the old man quietly. 

About the author

C J Carver is a best selling author who has won the CWA debut dagger and the Barry Award for Best British Crime Fiction.

Photo: Steve Ayres

Visit the author's website by clicking here 

Follow on Twitter @ C_J_Carver

Thanks to Emily at Bonnier Zaffre for my invitation to be part of this tour

The Blog Tour runs 9th -  20th January

Do visit the other stops on the tour for more exciting content from C J Carver.

~***~

Sunday WW1 Remembered...

Feeding the Troops during WW1

Field Kitchen on the Somme

British Troops receive dinner rations from field kitchen
© IWM (Q 1582)

Daily Rations for the British soldier

20 ounces of bread	1/10 gill lime if vegetables not issued
16 ounces of flour instead of above	½ gill of rum
3 ounces of cheese	maximum of 20 ounces of tobacco
5/8 ounces of tea	1/3 chocolate – optional
4 ounces of jam	4 ounces of oatmeal instead of bread
½ ounce of salt	1 pint of porter instead of rum
1/36 ounce of pepper	4 ounces of dried fruit instead of jam
1/20 ounce of mustard	4 ounces of butter/margarine
8 ounces of fresh vegetables	Or 2 ounces of dried vegetables

                                                                               

                                

As the war progressed it became increasingly difficult to supply fresh meat to the troops and even though by 1918 67 million pounds (30 million kg) of fresh meat was sent to the Western Front, the troops increasingly relied on tinned meat. Machonochie's stew was despised by the men as it was considered inedible when cold. It consisted mainly of turnips and carrots in a thin gravy and took at least 30 minutes to heat up which was often impossible to achieve in the trenches. There was also a particularly noxious side effect to eating the stew as it contained a large proportion of animal fat and thus gave the troops flatulence of a particularly offensive nature!

Maconochie's Beef and Vegetable Stew

 © IWM (EPH 4379)

Army biscuits were an integral part of the soldiers rations. Huntley and Palmers biscuits were produced under government contract. The biscuits were notoriously hard to eat and could crack teeth if not soaked first in water or tea. The biscuits were often crumbled and made into a paste called duff, which was then added to thicken their Machonochie stew.

Tea was very popular and considered to be a  'taste of home' however, it also was drunk to disguise the taste of the water which was carried to the front in petrol cans.

Huntley and Palmers Army No.4

© IWM (EPH 2012)

British Soldiers eating hot rations during the battle of the Somme at Ancre

© IWM (Q 1580)

You can discover more about The Food that Fuelled the Front on the Imperial War Museum website by clicking here 

My thanks to the IWM for their incredible online resources.