From the Book Elf

Poole of Light  by R J Verity Poole of Light by R J Verity  was published on 16th September 2025 by Vasen Press. My thanks to the author and publisher for sending me a copy to review and to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me on the tour. Synopsis A coal-mining town. A flicker of light. A boy who dreams of more. Spennymoor, 1913.  When ten-year-old Jem Poole sees a moving picture for the first time, it ignites a spark. Raised in a northern coal-mining town marked by grief and hardship, he begins to dream of more than soot and survival. He dreams of light. Through war, reinvention, and the golden age of British cinema, Jem rises to national success, building a legacy of silver screens and stories that define a generation. But when a figure from his past reappears, long-buried memories resurface, and he must confront the truth of the life he has built – and the memories that never let go. Set against the backdrop of twentieth-century Britain,  Poole of Light ...

A Brotherly Devotion by Jill Bray A Brotherly Devotion by Jill Bray was published in July 2025. My thanks to Jill for sending me a copy to review and to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me onto the tour. Synopsis YORK 1224: On a hot July night, Brother Clement is savagely murdered when returning from administering to Lady Maud de Mowbray. Simon de Hale, Sheriff of Yorkshire, is in his office when Abbot Robert visits to inform him of the murder, and request that he take responsibility for investigating the killing. Simon is unsure whether the murder is a crime against the Abbey, or if it is a more personal matter against the monk. Commencing their investigation, Simon and his deputy, Adam, ride out to see Lady Maud de Mowbray at Overton - the last person to see Brother Clement alive. When they encounter her son, Roger de Mowbray, they both take an instant dislike to him. Lady Mowbray reveals to Simon that she intends to leave her money to the Abbey, and Simon can see this bein...