What Amazon says

Detective Inspector Walter Button is called upon to investigate a violent burglary that takes place at the stately mansion called Ardwick House, in the centre of Manchester. Button’s Victorian police team have become known for investigating ‘flash houses’ and their associated killings and violence. These public houses, amongst other establishments, are implicated in a crime wave of fencing stolen goods – a big problem for many big towns and cities throughout England.

The ongoing investigation of the Ardwick House burglary takes its toll on Button and Kathleen, his wife. His step-son Josh is the young copper on patrol in Ardwick Green and the first to be alerted by broken glass at the rear of the mansion. As events proceed, a number of other knotty problems and plots come to the surface; not discounting two dead bodies, a secret business plan and pressure from the inspector’s superiors. How does all of this involve the adult sons of the original partners and iron foundry owners, David Fraser and Mitch McCallum? Can Button disentangle it all to the satisfaction of his senior officers and before he loses his wife forever?

My review

Seeking Truth at Ardwick House is the 5th book in the Quarry Bank Tales series, all of which I have read and enjoyed in order.

Inspector Button is back with a complex murder and burglary at Ardwick House, home to wealthy industrialist, David Fraser. The butler is found dead on the floor, his head bashed in, and surrounded by pieces of Lord Fraser’s prized art collection from the ancient worlds of Greece and Rome. Unfortunately, Inspector Button’s young stepson, a recent addition to the Ardwick Green, Manchester police force, is seriously injured during the incident. When Button’s wife, Kathleen, learns of the injury to her beloved son, she blames her husband and moves out of their home.

Poor Inspector Button, he also adores his stepson, and must investigate the murder/robbery while worrying about Josh’s recovery and his wife’s rejection of him. Button is such a wholesome and good person that I felt really sorry for him in this difficult situation. Nevertheless, he continues with his investigation and a second body is discovered, hidden in the stables at Ardwick Green.

As the mystery unfolds, the complicated relationships between David Frazer, who is planning to retire, his two sons, his investment partner, Mitch McCallum and his two sons, is unveiled. There is a lot going on in both the House of Frazer and the House of McCallum. There is also bad blood going back years and years. In addition, there are disgruntled and dissatisfied employees in David Frazer’s household.

This is an intriguing plot albeit complicated, with lots of twists and turns. You cannot cruise through this story, but need to read with attention to keep up with the plethora of characters and all the intricacies of their lives and involvements in the storyline. I really enjoy a good brain cell work out and I always get it with this author’s historical novels. I like the way characters from the previous novels are woven into the storyline. If you haven’t read the other books, you’ll miss this and it won’t matter, but if you have read the earlier novels, it is a really nice touch.

Congratulations to the author on another well researched and engaging book.

Purchase Seeking Truth at Ardwick House from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/Seeking-Truth-Ardwick-House-Investigates-ebook/dp/B0CNCPWMH2

And Amazon UK here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seeking-Truth-Ardwick-House-Investigates/dp/B0CP4P94HP

Thursday Doors

These are photographs of the door to the outside shower in our chalet at Ivory Tree Game Lodge. You can join in Dan Antion’s Thursday Doors challenge here: https://nofacilities.com/2024/04/11/alumni-doors/

d’Verse poetry prompt

The mini prompt d’Verse Open Link #360 + Saturday live option is green. You can find out more about it and the meeting today here: https://dversepoets.com/2024/04/11/open-link-360-saturday-live-option/

South Africa is in mid-autumn and our green is fast disappearing. My poem thus addresses the yellow of autumn with the remaining green. It is a double American cinquain (2/4/6/8/2 x 2)

Life cycle

Yellow

Autumn colour

Of African bushveld

Perfect camerflage for tawny

Lions

***

Cubs hide

Among green shrubs

Life’s blood of buffalo

Big predator’s favourite food

Cycle

As always, I am inspired by South Africa’s amazing wildlife. Here are some photographs of the animals on which this poem is based.

Kim’s d’Verse challenge is as follows: Your challenge today is to write a poem about your own metaphorical box. It doesn’t necessarily have to be about a relationship, but I would like it to be autobiographical, free verse, and in three stanzas similar to those in Clarke’s poem: the first stanza describes the box; the second what is in it; and the third where you keep it, with a summarising list in the final two lines.

You can find out more about the challenge and join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2024/04/09/a-box-of-poems/

My box

My box is made of cardboard

It is battered, well-loved, and a bit torn

It held the carrycot I chose with love

When my oldest son was born

It holds pieces of my mother’s heart

My most treasured possessions

Priceless to me, but valueless to others

Thus, I see no need to lock it

***

My bulging box is over stuffed

With memories – good and unhappy

Hospital bracelets from tiny wrists,

photographs – even an eco-friendly nappy

My oldest son’s outstanding report cards

A recording of his walk towards the sun

My younger boy’s paintings and drawings

He and I have enjoyed days of artistic fun

***

This shabby box full of objects of love

Cards declaring “I love you mother”

In block letters formed by determined hands

Reminders to let go; love shouldn’t smother

First on my list of items to save

Should there ever be a home fire

When I’m gone, I hope these cherished items

Will continue to comfort and inspire

What Amazon says

In this memoir, Anthony Candela, a self-described “all-around regular guy,” traverses a lifetime of challenges. Some of these are accidents of birth, like his poor eyesight and slow trek to blindness, and some are of his own making, like choosing to compete as a scholar-athlete. Infused with lots of New Yorkana, a touch of California, and a few related historical references, this memoir conveys that in any environment, life does not always follow a prescribed course.

Moreover, as humans, all of us are imperfect. This includes people with disabilities who are often thought of as transcendent beings, but who should also be regarded as “all-around regular guys.” Just like the rest of the human race, they often strive imperfectly to get through life.
In his descriptions, the author hopes that readers will understand a little more about the nuts and bolts of running and wrestling, not to mention skiing and scuba diving. The ups and downs of coping with life and progressive loss of eyesight and, by extraction, disability in general will be clearer. Readers will come away with a fuller appreciation of the ways people deal with challenges. In the end, we all have a choice whether to stand up or sit out.

The story related in these pages will occasionally give you cause to chuckle or even shed tears of sadness or joy. Above all else, it will enlighten you about why things happen the way they do. Ultimately, this memoir increases our understanding of what it means to be truly human. Perhaps after reading it, we will be kinder and gentler to each other. Most important, perhaps we will take it a little easier on ourselves.

My review

I had read some of Anthony (Tony) Candela’s blog posts prior to purchasing this book so I was already familiar with his style of writing. Tony’s frank approach to writing about his slowly deteriorating eyesight and his ultimate blindness is interesting and revealing, as a result, I was keen to read his memoir.

Tony’s story starts with the details of the tunnel vision and reduced vision he was born with, and an overview of the overarching diagnosis for his condition which was complete blindness. He talks about the reactions of his parents to his genetic condition which also presented in his youngest brother. When I read this section, I thought about how difficult it must have been for his parents to adjust to the knowledge that not one, but two of their three children had inherited an eye disorder. Tony’s parents rose to the challenge and did their best to give Tony a good education and the same opportunities as his sighted peers. Tony became involved in wrestling at school and, together with his coach, found ways of overcoming his disability. This being said, Tony suffered some difficulties in socialising with his peer group and was a lonely child and teenager.

The book moves on to detail Tony’s academic achievements at college and his difficulties and successes in the work environment. He was fortunate enough to meet a few lovely women who helped him through different phases of his life and helped facilitate some of his sporting achievements. Tony has been quite frank about his thoughts and feelings as he traversed life and faced challenges. He pushed himself very hard in order to achieve and maintain a high level of academic and physical achievement and to show the world that despite his poor vision, he was a regular guy.

I found this memoir to be very insightful into the practical difficulties faced by people with tunnel vision, which I didn’t know much about, and limited vision leading ultimately to blindness. The book was also quite revealing about the assistance and support that was available to sight disabled people during Tony’s younger days (in the 1950s) and how this has changed over the course of his life. I also gained a lot of knowledge about life in New York City.

Blindness aside, Tony led an interesting life with numerous career achievements and dabbling’s into a number of sports including skiing, long-distance running, and triathlons. The overlay of his visual disability makes his life story all the more interesting.

An engaging memoir that I recommend.

Purchase Stand Up or Sit Out: Memories and Musings of a Blind Wrestler, Runner and All-around Regular Guy by Anthony R Candela: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094YW3FDW

Today, I am delighted to welcome prolific crime writer, Sue Coletta, to Roberta Writes with a post about her new eco-thriller, Savage Mayhem.

Over to Sue

Thank you for hosting me today, Robbie! I appreciate your kind invite to help me share the news of my latest eco-thriller, Savage Mayhem. The opener of Savage Mayhem starts where the previous novel left off. Regardless, every book in the Mayhem Series can stand alone. I write them that way, so readers don’t have to read eight novels to understand the ninth.

In this excerpt, Shawnee hasn’t yet puzzled out why Mayhem is furious with her grandfather. Hope you enjoy it.

“Mourning Dove,” Shicheii called through the screen, using my traditional Diné name, “please accompany him. He’s much too heated to go alone.”

And so, I careened down the stairs. Caught up to the Caddy as it reversed out the driveway, my arms waving above my head for him to stop.

Idling with the tail end in the road, the driver’s window zipped down. “Cat, please pack. If I don’t warn Running Bear before Killzme moves in, he could lose Carolyne and the kids.”

“I know. I’m coming with you.” I scuttled around the back bumper to prevent the Caddy from moving. When I slid into the passenger seat, I reached for the door handle, but he gunned it before I grabbed hold. “Gimme a second, will ya?”

He stomped the brake. The Caddy lurched forward, and my face slammed off the dashboard, my fingers feeling for missing teeth. Not that he noticed, hawkeyed on the road ahead. The passenger door snapped shut on its own. Again, he accelerated. And “accelerated” didn’t mean a slow, steady increase. Hell, no. The force pinned me to the passenger seat, my fingers clawed into the armrest.

“Though I enjoy a good death ride as much as the next girl”—I added plenty of snark—“I’d rather not crash. How ’bout you?”

No response, but the blue lit dashboard illuminated a slight smirk. The Caddy slowed somewhat. Not a lot, but enough to loosen my grip.

Minutes dragged on for days. Trees’ silhouettes whizzed past my window, the headlights tunneling through the darkness. Palpable anger radiated off him, lessened only by the deep lines of concern etched in his forehead.

In a soft voice, I said, “What’d Shicheii do?”

His icy stare landed on me, piercing gray, almost translucent, the intensity strangled my voice box. All I could do was point to the road ahead. Let’s not forget who’s driving.

Book description

Amidst the wild and unforgiving landscapes of Yellowstone Park, join Mayhem, a fearless Apache warrior and champion of the Natural World, and his partner and protégé, Shawnee, as they race against the clock to protect an American Buffalo herd from the ruthless Killzme Corporation.

With a massive bounty on their heads and an army of killers on their trail, Mayhem and Shawnee must use all their cunning and survival skills to outsmart their enemies. They will risk it all to preserve the sacred lineage of the Innocent Ones.

There is no line Shawnee and Mayhem won’t cross.

Even murder.

As the danger intensifies and the clock winds down, will they be able to save the herd? Or will this be the mission that finally breaks them?

Preorder for 99c. Sale ends on release day, April 11, 2024.

About Sue Coletta

Sue Coletta is an award-winning crime writer and an active member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. Feedspot and Expertido.org named her Murder Blog as “Best 100 Crime Blogs on the Net.” She also blogs at the Kill Zone (Writer’s Digest “101 Best Websites for Writers”) and is a Resident Writing Coach at Writers Helping Writers.

Sue lives with her husband in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. Her backlist includes psychological thrillers, the Mayhem Series books 1-3, psychological thriller/mysteries, Grafton County Series, and true crime/narrative nonfiction, Pretty Evil New England. Now, she exclusively writes eco-thrillers, the Mayhem Series books 4-7 and continuing.

Sue’s appeared on the Emmy award-winning true crime series, Storm of Suspicion, and three episodes of A Time to Kill on Investigation Discovery. Learn more about Sue and her books at https://suecoletta.com.

This week’s W3 prompt is as follows:

Val’s (Murisopsis’) prompt guidelines

This April, for National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo), Murisopsis is running an “Around the World” poetry forms scavenger hunt (you should join us there!), and, as such, she is using one of these international forms for our W³ prompt this week!

• Form:Cameo;
  • Heptastich (a poem in 7 lines);
  • Syllabic: 2-5-8-3-8-7-2 syllables per line;
  • Unrhymed, but end words should be strong.
• Theme: Love
  • Try to incorporate some of the other kinds of love for a change…

You can join in here: https://skepticskaddish.com/2024/04/03/w3-prompt-101-weave-written-weekly/

My Love

Untamed

Gold and orange veld

Rolling in autumn coloured waves

Symbolic

Of Africa’s savage spirit

Therein lies its beating heart

My love

Thursday Doors

Below are two more doors from my recent trip to Pilanesberg National Park. You can join in Thursday Doors here: https://nofacilities.com/2024/04/04/send-in-the-doors-tdwc/

Reena’s Xploration Challenge #32

I am a bit late with Reena’s challenge this week. The prompt was Transition. You can view the submissions here: https://reinventionsreena.wordpress.com/2024/03/28/reenas-xploration-challenge-324/

Transition

Silver

Highlights dark clouds

Suggesting moon’s presence

Behind moody morning’s darkness

Uplifts

Darkness

Diminishes

Moon merges with grey dawn

Grass and animals acquire forms

Hazy

Morning

Slow transition

Gold edges distant hills

Contained line of fiery paint

Splendid

Sun leaps

Line expanding

Into a fresh promise

Encrouching light subdues shadows

Release

Silver

Diminishes

Gold edges distant hills

Encrouching light subdues shadows

New day

New book: Square Peg in a Round Hole: Poetry, Art & Creativity by Robbie Cheadle

I have a new book available as an ebook and paperback from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Square-Peg-Round-Hole-Creativity/dp/B0CXMDKV8H

This book is a mixture of my poetry, art, photography, and links to my wildlife videos. It also includes nine poems from my son, Michael, and one of his charcoal drawings.

I am grateful to have received some wonderful reviews for this book since its release on the 22nd of March.

Today, I am sharing Thomas from Leonberger Life blog’s review: https://leonbergerlife.com/2024/04/03/poems-and-art-on-independent-artist-day/. Thomas has a delightful blog which focuses on amusing and heartwarming stories about his family’s late Leonberger dog, Bronco, as well as other Leonbergers. He also shares a lot of information about the Leonberger breed, the history, care, training, Leonberger organizations, etc. Thomas has also written a Leonberger book, which is available from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Thomas-Wikman/author/B0B813Q3PP

A Death at the Inn by Joan Hall

What Amazon says

The Harbor Pointe Inn has loomed on California’s cliffs for generations of Hawthornes. For some, it’s been a blessing. For others, a curse. Travel through two centuries of stories to discover the old inn’s secrets.

Suicide, accident, or murder?

After an argument with her fiancé, up-and-coming actress Leah Myers booked a room at the Harbor Pointe Inn. Near the end of her stay, someone found her body at the bottom of the nearby cliff. The police ruled her death a suicide.

Five years later, four people from Leah’s past visit the inn on the anniversary of her death. Her fiancé, her brother, her psychologist, and her close friend, Adele, who was a guest at Harbor Pointe the night Leah died.

Deputy Brad Sherman, assistant to the lead detective, has always believed something was amiss with the investigation. When he learns Leah’s former acquaintances are staying at the inn, he decides to look at the old case file.

The four guests soon learn each other’s identity and begin to discuss the events leading up to Leah’s demise. But someone doesn’t want them to know the truth. When Adele confesses she is haunted by the possibility she saw something important that fateful night, it puts her in grave danger.

Now it’s a race against time before she becomes the killer’s next victim.

My review

This novella is written from multiple points of view which I enjoyed. The novella kicks off with Daryl Warren, an ex-footballer whose career was ruined by an injury, sitting in a bar waiting for a friend. It is immediately apparent that Daryl is a deeply unhappy man carrying a huge amount of guilt over the death of his fiancé five years previously. The friend advises Daryl to visit Harbor Pointe Inn where Leah died and try to achieve closure.

The story then moves on to the next character who is also heading to Harbor Pointe Inn seeking closure over Leah’s death that is believed to have been suicide. This style of writing continues, introducing each of the four main characters who are travelling to the same place for the same reason, as well as the Deputy Sheriff who was involved with the initial investigation of the death and who wasn’t ever satisfied with the outcome.

The portrayal of Leah is interesting as some characters see her as generous and loving and others as a bit selfish and determined, to a fault, to succeed as an actress. They all agree, however, that Leah was unlikely to have committed suicide. As the story unravels, the perceptions of the four strangers are delved and the real Leah is revealed.

This short book is packed with action, interesting characters, and a fast-moving plot which keeps you completely immersed in the plot. It is not a long read, approximately 1 hour and is a wonderful investment of that time.

Purchase link

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CCR3HMBD

Find all of Joan Hall’s books on Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Joan-Hall/author/B01FNFO1RO

There is no form or theme required for Open Link Night. You can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2024/03/28/open-link-night-359/

A few weeks ago, my blogging friend, Rebecca Budd, shared a post about Claude Monet’s Nympheas collection of paintings. I have been admiring these paintings and have it in my head to try and replicate one as a birthday cake for my husband. Every since Rebecca’s post, I’ve had my eyes open for ‘”nymphaea”. During our recent two-day trip to the Pilanesberg National Park I was lucky enough to spot a few and get some great shots.

These are for you, Rebecca!

Micro Poem

Lone waterlily

Pearly white among shadows

Protected by pads

Water lilies (shadorma)

Attractive

White waterlilies

Surrounded

By dark pads

Enfolded in snug embrace

Of golden grasses

We had a two-day mini break at Ivory Tree Lodge in the Pilanesberg National Park. These are a few doors for Thursday Doors. You can join in here: https://nofacilities.com/2024/03/28/fish-fry-doors/

Picture caption: Front entrance of Ivory Tree Lodge from the outside

The Ingwe* and the Policemen Chickens

An eruption of sound

Squawk! Squawk! Squawk!

Greets our ears

Accustomed to the quiet

rustling of the orange grass

Policemen chickens**

Scream their warning

A flash of a tail

through thick veld

The leaves of the tree shake

Dark, slinking shape

climbs swiftly

Guinea Fowls up the volume

Shriek! Shriek! Shriek!

Picture caption: Policemen chickens (guinea fowls) in the adjacent tree

Picture caption: Leopard climbing the tree

***

We see him moving

Driven by hunger

Lethal shadow

balancing on a branch

Tightrope walker of the bush

He makes his move

Misses

Disappointed, he turns

Swiftly retreating

His head pops into view

Propelled by a great leap

Then

He vanishes

Into the thicket

***

We wait; mesmerised

Will there be an Act 2?

The birds continue

To chatter and screech

He is heading for the watering hole

“Quick!

To the hide”

The guide shouts

Reeds tremble

He saunters into view

Gracefully drops down

Drinks

His fill of clear water

Replete, he turns tail

And, in moments, melts

Into dark scrub bushes

Picture caption: Leopard leaping down from the tree

***

“The Ingwe* is gone

He won’t return”

Slowly

Peace returns

Guinea fowl fly down

Heading off in a pack

At an admirable pace

For safer feeding grounds

*Ingwe is the Zulu word for leopard

**Guinea fowl fly up into trees when a leopard is on the prowl. They make a huge racket and have earned the nickname “Policemen chickens”.

Picture caption: The guinea fowls make a run for it!

Lastly, this is my latest artwork: Into the Light: Leopard

Picture caption: Into the Light: Leopard – original painting by Robbie Cheadle