PLACE OF A SKULL By: Keith Jacobsen

BLURB:

In West Belfast in the late 1960s, Brendan O'Hara and his teenage son, Seamus, are drawn to the nationalist cause and join the IRA. Their obsession divides them from other members of the family, especially Seamus' mother, Ruth, and his gentle younger brother, Patrick. Ruth copes with her isolation through a close friendship with Linda, Brendan's sister-in-law, and a passionate and over-protective relationship with Patrick.

The family leave Belfast so that Brendan and Seamus can take part in the mainland campaign, where Brendan and Seamus become ruthless executioners of informers. Betrayed by an unknown informer, Brendan is arrested and sentenced to twenty years.

Seamus escapes the attention of the authorities and tries to put his past behind him. But he is horrified when, on his deathbed, Brendan makes him swear an oath to kill the informer who put Brendan behind bars. But Seamus discovers he has a personal connection to the informer. Tormented by guilt but bound by his oath, can Seamus avenge his father without destroying himself?

REVIEW:
Book one of the "Furies Trilogy"

From the first page, the author’s extensive research for this installment was obvious.   Jacobsen’s accurate period detail and believable characters brought the story to life in a brilliant manner.

As I read this book, my heart was breaking.  Following a group of strong characters who face the hardships of political and religious persecution is never easy, but the author makes it hard to look away.  Dark secrets tear a family apart as they are brought to light and those that seemed the weakest turn out to have the greatest fortitude.  With each page the tension, suspense and uncertainty kept me enthralled.

I have never had so many mixed emotions throughout a novel about the characters involved.  I would like a character one minute, then hate them the next. The story line was compelling and flowed with ease.  I highly recommend this to those that like mysteries, thrillers, and historical fiction. 


  

BOOK LINKS:
Amazon: Place of A Skull



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I was born into a Roman Catholic family with antecedents in the Republic of Ireland. I had a strict Catholic upbringing at home and school. My background in a multicultural city with large Catholic and Protestant communities drawn from both sides of the Irish border stimulated a life-long interest in the Northern Ireland 'Troubles' from 1969 to the late 1990s. This interest has recently borne fruit in my third novel, 'Place of a Skull'. published 1 June 2013, with its background in the Troubles. My previous novel, 'Out of the Depths', about a search for a priest accused of abuse, is set in Crosby, North Liverpool. As well as a clerical 'whodunnit', with priest detectives in the tradition of Cadfael and Father Brown, it is intended as a tribute to the people of Liverpool and their warmth and humour.

Prior to this pursuit of a writing interest comparatively late in life I was a civil servant for 27 years, and also have qualifications in piano performance and teaching.


 AUTHOR LINKS:

 https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6498538.Keith_Jacobsen
 http://www.keithjacobsen.co.uk/da/113119

LOST GIRL (An Oracles Novelette) By: Dax Varley

BLURB:

Juniper Lynch has a flair for all things psychic – a gift she inherited from her dearly departed granny.

When her best friend, Gena needs help finding her missing retainer, Juniper is quick to try scrying, aka crystal-gazing. With no crystal ball handy, she goes the easy route and gazes into a glass of water. But the image that appears is not what she expected. The shriveled face of a missing girl floats to the surface. Juniper is seized by a mystical connection and the countdown clock begins.

Can she find the lost girl before they both wither away?

REVIEW

You know that you’re in for an adventure when the Ouija board gets pulled out!

After Gena loses her retainer and is threatened with six weeks away from her besties, she’s willing to try anything that will help her find it.  Fortunately for her, Juniper has inherited a unique gift that may be able to locate its whereabouts.  Unfortunately for all of them, however, the gift has a mind of its own.  As their focus begins to hone in on a missing girl in Junipers vision, they forget the dangerous situation they’re putting themselves into.

Juniper, Gena, and Anne are a comical and adorable trio.  The freak, the geek, and the beauty are a very relatable combination.  I can think of several little groups that I’ve known over the years that would fit their profile perfectly.  I laughed, and held my breath, as the amazing young women worked together without doubting Juniper’s gift.

I love Dax Varley, as her novellas are intelligently written, fast paced, and so much fun!  She has such an enchanting way of combining the paranormal with the thrill of a mystery, while giving the narrative from a teenager’s point of view.  This story is entertaining, creative, funny, and touching.  As with any book from this author, I highly recommend this to YA fans!

Book Links:

Amazon:

LOST GIRL (An Oracles Novelette)
Goodreads:
LOST GIRL

About the Author:

When Dax Varley isn’t reading, she’s slinging words onto a page. She lives in Richmond, Texas with her husband and a half-dozen imaginary friends.

Author Links:          http://www.goodreads.com/dax_varley

                              http://www.daxvarley.com/

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