The CoffeePot Book club Blog Tour presents: The Witch of the Breton Woods by Jennifer Ivy Walker

Book Title: The Witch of the Breton Woods

Author: Jennifer Ivy Walker

Publication Date:  July 10, 2024

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Pages: 163

Genre: historical romance/ romantic suspense

Any Triggers: sexually explicit scenes; graphic violence and language

Trailer link: https://youtu.be/6A-VLgO7Aww?si=z6Mx_Mvncgfz2voP 

Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/07/blog-tour-the-witch-of-the-breton-woods-by-jennifer-ivy-walker.html 

The Witch of the Breton Woods

by Jennifer Ivy Walker

Traumatized by horrors witnessed during the Nazi invasion of France, a young woman retreats to the dense Breton woods where she becomes a member of the clandestine French Resistance. When she finds a critically injured American paratrooper whose plane was shot down, she shelters the wounded soldier in her secluded cottage, determined to heal him despite the enormous risk.

Ostracized by villagers who have labeled her a witch, she is betrayed by an informant who reports to the Butcher—the monstrous leader of the local paramilitary organization that collaborates with the Germans. As the enemy closes in, she must elude the Gestapo while helping the Resistance reunite the American with his regiment and join the Allied Forces in the Battle of Brittany.

Can true love triumph against all odds under the oppressive Third Reich?

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/mdAzww 

Jennifer Ivy Walker has an MA in French literature and is a former high school teacher and professor of French at a state college in Florida.  Her novels encompass a love for French language, literature, history, and culture, incorporating her lifelong study, summers abroad, and many trips to France.

The Witch of the Breton Woods is heart-pounding suspense set during WWII in Nazi-occupied France, where a young woman in the French Resistance shelters and heals a wounded American soldier, hiding him from the Gestapo and the monstrous Butcher who are relentlessly hunting him.

Read an Excerpt:  Carpe Diem

 Beau would leave her in a few short weeks. To rejoin his regiment and return to battle. Neither of them knew if they’d even survive this damned war. Tomorrow might never come. But they did have today. And Yvette vowed that she wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

 He’d leave her, yes.

 But with fond memories instead of bitter regret.

 Life was ephemeral. Fragile. Fleeting. Love was a rare, precious gift.  This time, she would grab the chance for happiness and seize the day.

 Carpe diem.

 

Website: https://jenniferivywalker.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bohemienneivy

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferIvyWalker/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-ivy-walker-685b58248/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferivywalkerauthor/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bohemienneivy/ 

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-witch-of-the-breton-woods-by-jennifer-ivy-walker

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jennifer-Ivy-Walker/author/B0B91R2MJZ 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22671046.Jennifer_Ivy_Walker 

The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour presents: Fortune's Wheel by Carolyn Hughes

Book Title: Fortune’s Wheel, The First Meonbridge Chronicle

Series: The Meonbridge Chronicles

Author: Carolyn Hughes

Publication Date: 22/4/24 (Audiobook)

Publisher: Carolyn Hughes

Listening Length: 11 hours and 54 minutes

Genre: Historical Fiction

Tour Schedule Page: 

Fortune’s Wheel, The First Meonbridge Chronicle

By Carolyn Hughes

Audiobook Narrator: Alex Lee @alexleeaudio

How do you recover from the havoc wrought by history's cruellest plague?

It's June 1349. In Meonbridge, a Hampshire manor, many have lost their lives to the Black Death, among them Alice atte Wode’s beloved husband and Eleanor Titherige’s widowed father. Even the family of the manor’s lord and his wife, Margaret de Bohun, has not entirely escaped.

But, now the plague has passed, the people of Meonbridge must work together to rebuild their lives. However, tensions mount between the de Bohuns and their tenants, as the workers realise their new scarceness means they can demand higher wages and dictate their own lives.

When the tensions deepen into violence and disorder, and the men – lord and villagers alike – seem unable to find any resolution, the women – Alice, Eleanor and Margaret – must step forward to find a way out of the conflict that is tearing Meonbridge apart.

Listen to a sample here

This title / series is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Buy Link: 

UK : https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Fortunes-Wheel-Livre-Audio/B0D2FKPQN4  

US : https://www.audible.com/pd/Fortunes-Wheel-Audiobook/B0D2FMT3QG 

Carolyn Hughes has lived much of her life in Hampshire. With a first degree in Classics and English, she started working life as a computer programmer, then a very new profession. But it was technical authoring that later proved her vocation, word-smithing for many different clients, including banks, an international hotel group and medical instruments manufacturers.

Although she wrote creatively on and off for most of her adult life, it was not until her children flew the nest that writing historical fiction took centre stage. But why historical fiction? Serendipity!

Seeking inspiration for what to write for her Creative Writing Masters, she discovered the handwritten draft, begun in her twenties, of a novel, set in 14th century rural England… Intrigued by the period and setting, she realised that, by writing a novel set in the period, she could learn more about the medieval past and interpret it, which seemed like a thrilling thing to do. A few days later, the first Meonbridge Chronicle, Fortune’s Wheel, was under way.

Six published books later (with more to come), Carolyn does now think of herself as an Historical Novelist. And she wouldn’t have it any other way…

Author Links:

Website: https://carolynhughesauthor.com 

Twitter: www.x.com/writingcalliope 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CarolynHughesAuthor 

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/carolynhughes.bsky.social 

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carolyn-hughes 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Carolyn-Hughes/author/B01MG5TWH1 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16048212.Carolyn_Hughes 

The Coffee Pot Book Club presents: Courage of the Conquered by Anna Chant

Book Title: Courage of the Conquered

Series: Quest for New England

Author: Anna Chant

Publication Date: December 28th, 2019

Publisher: Independently published

Pages: 431

Genre: Historical Fiction

Tour Schedule Page: 

Courage of the Conquered 

By Anna Chant

All the wonders of the Mediterranean have not prepared the English for the splendours of Constantinople. As Siward of Gloucester settles into the city, he is grateful to have finally found what he was looking for: A fine, god-fearing lord he is proud to serve and a safe place where he and Oswyth can await the birth of their child.

But as the months pass, doubts creep in. Emperor Michael proves to be a weak ruler, continually threatened with rebellion. Determined to keep the English army close, his promises of reward grow increasingly vague.

With tension in the city rising, Siward and his friends are caught up in the power struggle. While Bridwin maintains his loyalty to the emperor and Siward continues to trust in the friendship of the cunning Alexios Komnenos, Frebern grows close to John Bryennios, a man whose ambitions may include the imperial throne itself. With the friends drawn in different directions, Siward fears they could find themselves fighting on opposing sides.

Desperate to escape, he renews his efforts to find the home the English have so long craved. But the beauty of Constantinople conceals dangers that go far beyond Siward’s fears as sordid secrets and ruthless betrayal stalk the lives of those he holds dear.

As the English prepare for battle yet again, will Siward’s quest for New England end in heart-breaking tragedy?

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Buy Link: 

Anna Chant grew up in Essex, with her first home a tiny medieval cottage. Aged 18 she moved to Yorkshire to study history at the University of Sheffield. In 2015, inspired by her love of medieval history and her Scottish ancestry, Anna started writing her first book with Kenneth’s Queen, the tale of the unknown wife of Kenneth Mac Alpin, published the following year. Taking inspiration from both history and legend, she particularly enjoys bringing to life the lesser known people, events and folklore of the past. When not writing, Anna enjoys walking the coast and countryside of Devon where she lives with her husband, three sons (if they’re home) and a rather cheeky bearded dragon.

Website: https://darkagevoices.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/anna_chant

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darkagevoices

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-c-b60690182/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annachant_writer/

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@annachant_writer

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/annachant/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Anna-Chant/author/B01E46V162

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15188873.Anna_Chant

The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour presents: The Sea Witch Voyages Series by Helen Hollick

Book Title: The Sea Witch Voyages

Series: 6 in the series & 1 prequel novella

Author: Helen Hollick

Publisher: Penmore Press & Taw River Press

Genre: Nautical Adventure with a touch of Supernatural Fantasy

Note: Contains adult language and behaviour.

Tour Schedule Page: 

The Sea Witch Voyages (Series)

By Helen Hollick

Trouble follows Captain Jesamiah Acorne like a ship’s wake...

The early 1700s: from the sun of the Caribbean to the eerie mists of England’s Exmoor in Devon, the Sea Witch Voyages follow the adventures (misadventures?) of Captain Jesamiah Acorne. Orphaned at almost fifteen Jesamiah escaped his home in Virginia and the bullying of his half-brother to join with his father’s old friend, Captain Malachias Taylor – a kindly man, but also a rogue of a pirate.

Jesamiah eventually captains his own ship, but at Cape Town, South Africa, he is to meet the girl who becomes the love of his life – Tiola Oldstagh, a midwife, healer... and a White Witch with the gift of Craft.

Accepting amnesty from Governor Woodes Rogers of Nassau, Jesamiah turns to a legal, married, life, except various governors, ex-lovers, bad-tempered pirates, lingering ghosts and other non-human entities seem to have different ideas.

Jesamiah Acorne: a swashbuckling amalgamation of Hornblower, Jack Aubrey and Jack Sparrow mixed with Indiana Jones, James Bond and Bernard Cornwell’s Richard Sharpe.

Voyage with Jesamiah aboard Sea Witch and sail into the ocean realm of fast-paced, exciting nautical adventures...

Titles on #KindleUnlimited: When the Mermaid Sings and Gallows Wake

Universal Amazon Author Page Link: 

Sea Witch – Voyage 1: https://viewbook.at/SeaWitch

Pirate Code – Voyage 2: https://viewbook.at/PirateCode

Bring It Close – Voyage 3: https://viewbook.at/BringItClose

Ripples In The Sand – Voyage 4: http://viewbook.at/RipplesInTheSand

On The Account – Voyage 5: https://viewbook.at/OnTheAccount

Gallows Wake – Voyage 6: https://mybook.to/GallowsWake

When The Mermaid Sings – a prequel novella: https://viewbook.at/WhenMermaidSings

First accepted for traditional publication in 1993, Helen became a USA Today Bestseller with her historical novel, The Forever Queen (titled A Hollow Crown in the UK) with the sequel, Harold the King (US: I Am The Chosen King) being novels that explore the events that led to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Her Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy is a fifth-century version of the Arthurian legend, and she writes a nautical adventure/supernatural series, The Sea Witch Voyages. She has also branched out into the quick read novella, 'Cosy Mystery' genre with her Jan Christopher Mysteries, set in the 1970s, with the first in the series, A Mirror Murder incorporating her, often hilarious, memories of working as a library assistant. The fifth in the series, A Memory Of Murder, was published in May 2024.

Her non-fiction books are Pirates: Truth and Tales and Life of A Smuggler. She is currently writing about the ghosts of North Devon for Amberley Publications, and Jamaica Gold for her Sea Witch Voyages.

Recognised by her stylish hats, Helen attends conferences and book-related events when she can as a chance to meet her readers and social-media followers, although her ‘wonky eyesight’ as she describes her condition of Glaucoma, and severe arthritis is becoming a little prohibitive for travel.

She lives with her family in an eighteenth-century farmhouse in North Devon with their dogs and cats, while on the farm there are showjumper horses, fat Exmoor ponies, an elderly Welsh pony, geese, ducks and hens. And several resident ghosts.

Website: https://helenhollick.net/

Amazon Author Page: https://viewauthor.at/HelenHollick

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helen.hollick

X/Twitter: https://x.com/HelenHollick

Blog: https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/ supporting authors & their books

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/helenhollick/

Monthly newsletter: Thoughts from a Devonshire Farmhouse

https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/2024/01/thoughts-from-devonshire-farmhouse.html

What Amazon readers say about Sea Witch:

“WOW! I was mesmerised from the very first words in the very first chapter. I felt I was actually there with Jesamiah and his fellow pirates; such was the reality of the story. I could almost smell the sea, feel the wind blowing and hear the sounds of the creaking ship.”

“I was very impressed with the attention to historical detail and the alluring descriptions of the sea and its sailing ships. The author confesses that she has taken a few liberties with history to make her story neat and tidy, but I think these are entirely justified for the sake of such a compelling tale.”

“I thoroughly enjoyed this well-told tale. Helen Hollick has created a terrific, likable rogue in Jesamiah Acorne; a young man with a dark past and very bright future - if he survives to enjoy it. Details about the age of sail, life on board and ashore, and the sense that sea has a special, sinister life of its own added to the pleasure of reading. I shall be following this series from now on. Great stuff!”

“Helen Hollick's forte is her ebullient imagination. Everything is original, from her writing, which is vivid and yet as economical as conversational French, where unnecessary words (‘the’, ‘and’) are dropped for fluency. Notable is the lavish use of the color blue, so expensive and cherished at the time, that the cheeky blue of Jesamiah's ribbons is almost eclipsed by the sheer arrogance of painting his ship -- Sea Witch -- the same blue that was the prerogative of monarchs and prelates! And there are wonderful jokes, snitched from real history, such as the raid of a merchant ship by a crew of pirates who merely needed a haul of hats. This book is strongly recommended for young adults who want a rousing story, and also for those who are older who want a thought-provoking new approach to the traditional pirate yarn.”

The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour presents: Zig Zag Woman by Roberta Tracy

 

Book Title: Zig Zag Woman Series:

Author: Roberta Tracy 

Publication Date: April 16, 2024 

Publisher: Historium Press

Pages: 248 pp. 

Genre: Historical MysterY

Tour Schedule Page:  

Zig Zag Woman

by Roberta Tracy

The last thing LAPD Detectives McManus and Tyson expect to find behind Pantages Theatre is a body rolled up in a blanket. The last thing Margaret Morehouse, one of the city's first policewoman with arrest powers, expects to do is join the investigation. When a deadly explosion at the L. A. Times derails their efforts, Margaret finds herself at a crossroads and strikes out on her own, a path leading to delusion and self-discovery on a vaudeville stage. Her husband's nephew Leland further complicates the situation by sharing a ransom note and confiding his failure to report his wife's disappearance at the Dominguez Air Meet.

A brief stint as a magician's assistant takes Margaret to Chicago, where she almost signs on as a zig zag girl, the term used for ladies performing in the "cutting-a-woman-in-two"

illusion. Instead, Margaret returns to the tumultuous world of early twentieth century Los

Angeles. Reunited with McManus and Tyson, she confronts prejudices and societal norms in efforts to identify a body, clear Leland's name, and topple the stranglehold one powerful, amoral person has over many lives. Their efforts lead to dead ends and misconceptions before truth comes to light. Love is rekindled and danger uncovered in unlikely places. Margaret goes from Zig Zag Girl to Zig Zag Woman, no longer cut in two but headed on a clearer path.

Universal Buy Link: 

READ AN EXCERPT FROM ZIG ZAG WOMAN

Gasps arose from the uninitiated audience. After Marco waved his hands in front of Margaret's eyes, she pretended to fall into a wide-eyed trance and swooned into his arms. He gently lowered her limp form onto the table. Giacomo helped him position the cabinet in such a way her hands stuck out through the top holes and head extended beyond the semicircular neck opening. Two feet jutted out the opposite side. They weren’t hers, although the shoes were identical.

She drew her knees up to her chest. Secreted in the lower half of the table below, the kitchen lad extended his stockinged feet in ladies’ shoes through the opposite end. There was enough space between his head and her bottom for two audience volunteers to pull an enormous saw through the soft wood without injuring either of them. The men looked horrified; whether from the wink and smile her head gave them or the grisly deed they might have performed, she would never know. 

Early experience as a staff greeting card writer introduced Roberta Tracy to witty people who shared the writer’s dream. Marriage, motherhood, and career intervened, but she maintained that creative desire. 

A degree in nonprofit management led her to work situations where newsletters, grant proposals, and business correspondence took precedence. Still, she wrote poetry, some of which won prizes and publication, and children’s books set in worldwide locations. Recently, she co-authored Come Dream With Me, a part travelogue, part hippie nostalgia work of creative nonfiction, detailing the adventures of colleague Inese Civkulis. 

No matter what writing projects unfold in the future, she'll never find enough words to thank family and friends for their inspiration and encouragement.

Website: Twitter: Facebook:  Instagram:  Amazon Author Page:  Goodreads:  

The Coffee Pot Book club Blog Tour presents: The Agincourt King by Mercedes Rochelle

Book Title:  The Agincourt King

Series: The Plantagenet Legacy

Author: Mercedes Rochelle

Publication Date: April 8, 2024

Publisher: Sergeant Press

Pages: 260 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Tour Schedule Page:  

The Agincourt King

By Mercedes Rochelle

From the day he was crowned, Henry V was determined to prove the legitimacy of his house. His father's usurpation weighed heavily on his mind. Only a grand gesture would capture the respect of his own countrymen and the rest of Europe. He would follow in his great-grandfather Edward III's footsteps, and recover lost territory in France.

Better yet, why not go for the crown? Poor, deranged Charles VI couldn't manage his own barons. The civil war between the Burgundians and Armagnacs was more of a threat to his country than the English, even after Henry laid siege to Harfleur. But once Harfleur had fallen, the French came to their senses and determined to block his path to Calais and destroy him.

By the time the English reached Agincourt, they were starving, exhausted, and easy pickings. Or so the French thought. Little did they reckon on Henry's leadership and the stout-hearted English archers who proved, once again, that numbers didn't matter when God was on their side.

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Buy Link: 

Why Harfleur?

By Mercedes Rochelle

Shakespeare touches on Harfleur in his famous play about Henry V, and I had always wondered what the significance of this siege was. Was it just a stepping-stone to Agincourt? Well, I discovered that the short answer is no. Agincourt was the unexpected battle; Harfleur was definitely on the agenda. When Henry launched his campaign in late summer of 1415, his destination was a well-kept secret. The French were so busy fighting their own civil war, he suspected they didn't have the resources—or the incentive—to guard their coast against invasion. But of course, Henry couldn't be sure. Only his pilots knew for certain where he was headed, but Harfleur was a good choice. Located at the mouth of the Seine, it had a strong walled port and was frequently used as a starting point for pirate raids and French attacks on England. Even better, the Seine led to Rouen and ultimately, Paris. Control of the Seine opened the way for many possibilities.

(picture of Henry V from the NPG, London – source, Wikipedia)

Initially, Henry V's intention was to reclaim his patrimony in Normandy; many historians call it the Norman invasion in reverse. I don't think he really took the concept of gaining the French crown seriously; it may have been in the back of his mind, but the actuality didn't take place until many years later (I'll cover that in my next book!). If you look at a map, you'll see that the Seine pretty much cuts Normandy in half; this puts Harfleur as a port right in the middle of the dukedom. Henry envisioned it as a second Calais—which sits about 165 miles northeast. Since Harfleur is located on the north bank of the very wide Seine estuary, it was a logical jumping-off point for his invasion of Upper Normandy. 

As usual, the invasion force got a late start, and they didn't arrive in France until August 14. Henry chose to disembark at Chef-en-Caux (near modern Sainte-Adresse). It was a long beach before a tall chalk cliff, about three miles from Harfleur. Remnants of some defensive trenching had been long since abandoned, and no one was on hand to resist the English. It was certainly not conducive to unloading, and all the equipment (and horses) had to be offloaded to smaller vessels. It took three days to transfer the army and its supplies to land before they started their journey to Harfleur. 

King Henry expected a siege and brought cannons and trebuchets, etc.to expedite the operation. He expected it to last only a couple of weeks, but the residents put up a stout defence and the English were tied down for six weeks, which brought them into late September. Worse than that, the army was stricken with dysentery, which put thousands of men out of action. By the end, between the twelve hundred soldiers left to garrison Harfleur, nearly two thousand invalided home, desertions, and untold deaths, the army was reduced by a third. He had somewhere between six and nine thousand men left (depending on the source) with which to continue, and winter was around the corner.

(Siege of Harfleur, 1415 by Thomas Grieve – source: Wikipedia)

The king's ambitious plan to continue his invasion had gone up in smoke, and even Henry's declaration that he would travel overland to Calais before going home met with resistance. But to Henry, the capture of one little port town was not worth all the money and blood spent—all the grandiose promises and towering ambitions. No, he couldn't go home now with his tail between his legs. It would seem like cowardice. At the very least, he wanted to see the land that he had decided to conquer. And so, overriding advice from more prudent men than himself, Henry took his undersized army along the coast to Calais, determined to follow the route of his great-grandfather Edward III. 

Was he looking for a fight? Some would say that's exactly what he hoped for.

But who would have predicted that the French would finally summon enough gumption to block his way at the famous ford at Blanche-Tacque? He was forced to march upstream several days along the Somme before finding a crossing, giving the enemy time to gather a huge army and confront him at Agincourt. His men had run out of food many days before, and they were exhausted, starving, and bedraggled. Most called his decision to march to Calais sheer folly, but the end result couldn't have been more satisfying. Henry had his victory, and he proved that God was on his side. 

Mercedes Rochelle is an ardent lover of medieval history, and has channeled this interest into fiction writing. Her first four books cover eleventh-century Britain and events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. The next series is called “The Plantagenet Legacy” and begins with the reign of Richard II. 

She also writes a blog: www.HistoricalBritainBlog.com to explore the history behind the story. Born in St. Louis, MO, she received by BA in Literature at the Univ. of Missouri St.Louis in 1979 then moved to New York in 1982 while in her mid-20s to "see the world". The search hasn't ended!

Today she lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.

Author Links:

Website: https://mercedesrochelle.com/ 

Blog:  https://historicalbritainblog.com/ 

Twitter / X: https://x.com/authorrochelle 

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/mercedesrochelle.net 

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mercedes-rochelle 

Amazon Author Page:   https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mercedes-Rochelle/author/B001KMG5P6 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1696491.Mercedes_Rochelle 

The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour presents: The Fortune Keeper by Deborah Swift

Book Title: The Fortune Keeper

Series: Italian Renaissance Series

Author: Deborah Swift

Publication Date: 24th November 2022

Publisher: Quire Books

Pages: 412

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Tour Schedule Page: 

The Fortune Keeper 

by Deborah Swift

Count your nights by stars, not shadows ~ Italian Proverb

Winter in Renaissance Venice

Mia Caiozzi is determined to discover her destiny by studying the science of astronomy. But her stepmother Giulia forbids her to engage in this occupation, fearing it will lead her into danger. The ideas of Galileo are banned by the Inquisition, so Mia must study in secret.

Giulia's real name is Giulia Tofana, renowned for her poison Aqua Tofana, and she is in hiding from the Duke de Verdi's family who are intent on revenge for the death of their brother. Giulia insists Mia should live quietly out of public view. If not, it could threaten them all. But Mia doesn't understand this, and rebels against Giulia, determined to go her own way.

When the two secret lives collide, it has far-reaching and fatal consequences that will change Mia's life forever.

Set amongst opulent palazzos and shimmering canals, The Fortune Keeper is the third novel of adventure and romance based on the life and legend of Giulia Tofana, the famous poisoner.

'Her characters are so real they linger in the mind long after the book is back on the shelf'

~ Historical Novel Society

NB: This is the third in a series but can stand alone as it features a new protagonist. Other two books are available if reviewers want them.

Trigger Warnings:

Murder and violence in keeping with the era.

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Link: 

Audiobook Buy Links:

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/audiobook/fortune-keeper-the

Audio: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Fortune-Keeper-Audiobook/B0C63R95WM

Deborah Swift is a USA TODAY bestselling author who is passionate about the past. Deborah used to be a costume designer for the BBC, before becoming a writer. Now she lives in an old English school house in a village full of 17th Century houses, near the glorious Lake District. Deborah has an award-winning historical fiction blog at her website www.deborahswift.com.

Deborah loves to write about how extraordinary events in history have transformed the lives of ordinary people, and how the events of the past can live on in her books and still resonate today. 

The first in her series about the Renaissance poisoner Giulia Tofana, The Poison Keeper, was a winner of the Wishing Shelf Book of the Decade, and a Coffee Pot Book Club Gold Medal, and the latest in her WW2 Secret Agent series, Operation Tulip, is coming soon.

Read an excerpt from The Fortune Keeper 

From Chapter 9

Venice 1643

The day after meeting Brother Mario, Imbroglio arrived early at his bolt-hole – a second set of lodgings in the German quarter. The snow had stopped, but the pale winter sun was out and the place stank. It was above the night-soil collector, who took the human refuse by boat and dumped it at sea, out of the reach of men’s noses and away from the tidal flow into Venice. Though these lodgings lacked luxury, and were devilish damp, this place afforded him the privacy he wanted. On the top floor, with a sturdy door and a good firm mortise lock. 

He had a semblance of luxury at the Palazzo Dario, but here the stink would certainly put off all but the brave-hearted. Imbroglio tried not to inhale. With luck and a following wind he’d be gone by summer. Thank God, he thought, because it would be unbearable here then. He thrust the shutter open to get some air, but banged it shut again as the stench increased. 

Here, he was only Antonio Imbroglio, a poor pilgrim visiting San Marco. A crucifix was displayed prominently on the wall, for the sole benefit of the daily woman Signora Cicerone. 

He peered out through the striated light of the shuttered window. 

A few muffled-up street urchins were hanging on the corner hoping for work on the canal. They’d ignored him as he passed, as not rich enough to bother pestering. He enjoyed the switch of personalities – that one day he could be the count’s advisor, Signor Moretti, nobleman and Doctor of Law, parading in his fur-lined cloak, and another day, Antonio Imbroglio, the man who looked like a beggar. 

Now to check the contents of his trunk, a nondescript looking cask covered in scuffed leather, of the type a poor traveller might use. All the accoutrements of his assassin’s trade were here. He heaved open the domed lid and brought out the contents one by one.

Picklocks, gloves, razor and whetstone, a pistol with a walnut handle, his good duelling sword.

He paused. Beneath lay the souvenirs of those he’d killed. Time was, he could draw out each object – each precious gold watch, each diamond-fobbed seal, each ’broidered kerchief – and remember the face.

Now there were so many it was a mere heap of scrim-shaw.

He ran a thumb softly over the edge of the razor. It would need to be sharpened. He’d vowed not to use the damn thing here in Venice; it was there only for emergency. But things had gone wrong, so now he’d have to re-think. 

Curse Count D’Ambrosi. He shouldn’t have taken him on at cards. He should have realized the best gamblers in Europe were here in Venice at the Ridotto, and the stakes high. To his humiliation, Count d’Ambrosi had beat him playing Gillet and emptied him out. It looked bad, especially if he wanted a stake in the observatory – the biggest waste of money in Venice.

He began to sharpen the razor, thinking he’d be better off to sharpen his skills at cards. Meanwhile, thank God for Brother Mario and his pound of gold lira. 

This time would definitely be the last, he swore to himself, because now, thanks to that measly monk, he was onto something. Tomorrow, he’d find out if Agnese di Napoli, formerly Agnese de Verdi, could shed any light on the whereabouts of Giulia Tofana and her Aqua Tofana. The thought of it quickened his pulse. 

He liked to make people talk— before they were consigned to a place where they would never speak again. And imminent death was a marvellous incentive to loosen the tongue.

The rasp of the whetstone grew rhythmic in the quiet of the room.

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