ICE ANGEL

Ice Angel, my second Regency romance published by Robert Hale, is officially available from today and I hope readers will enjoy the story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

David Young’s fabulous cover depicts an Elizabethan E-plan house (based on Trerice manor house) which features in the book. Ice Angel is set in London and Sussex in 1815. It tells the story of Isabella, Lady Vane – the eponymous Ice Angel of the title – who is a beautiful but mysterious young widow, newly arrived in London. While society wonders about the secrets in Lady Vane’s past, Harry Cavanagh, 3rd Earl of Bramwell, continues his devil-may-care approach to life … that is, until he meets the bewitching Isabella and feels compelled to discover what lies beneath her icy exterior.

I had great fun researching this book, particularly with regard to the Regency passion for gambling and eccentric wagers ;0) To coincide with publication date, I’m posting a three part blog on Regency wagers at ForRomanceReaders

Do pop over and take a look – it’s a fascinating subject!

Ice Angel is available to order on-line from Hale books, Amazon, The Book Depository and other outlets, currently still at pre-order discount prices.


Elizabeth Hanbury

www.elizabethhanbury.com

THE TARNISHED STAR BY JACK MARTIN OUT TODAY)

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An interview with Gary Dobbs

To celebrate the publication today of The Tarnished Star, read an interview with the man behind the bestselling Black Horse Western Gary Dobbs at The Black Horse Express

Shadows of the Past - review

Alva returns to her Italian husband’s private island home after recovering from a hit-and-run. Unfortunately, she has lost her memory. Her husband Count Luca Mazareeze hopes that she can be healed in their idyllic setting. Gradually, Alva learns that there was an enormous rift between her and her husband before the accident. If only she could remember why!

While the household staff seem solicitous, Alva’s stepdaughter Renata is totally unpleasant and even says that she hates Alva.

Annoyingly, the dust-jacket blurb gave too much away, I felt; I’d have liked to learn these facts as the author revealed them.

Let it suffice to say that there are several reasons why Luca feels cold towards Alva. However, as he commented icily, she was good in bed – and there’s a heated interlude where that’s ably illustrated!

It’s soon clear that Alva is made of stern stuff, capable of picking herself up from disaster, dusting herself down and striving towards self-knowledge and the truth, no matter how painful.

The mystery of Alva’s past and the underlying threat that seems to hover ever-closer mean that this is a page-turning tale and an enjoyable read.

Blast to Oblivion - review

Inspired by Conan Doyle’s The Valley of Fear, this twenty-first Black Horse Western by Chap O’Keefe (Keith Chapman) starts with a bang – a shotgun killing in Denver.

Ex Pinkerton Joshua Dillard was hired by the deceased’s sister, Flora, to investigate the murder. She suspected that her brother’s wife was concealing something – particularly as she had moved away with her male secretary Joseph Darcy to the mining town of Silverville. When Dillard arrives there, he meets up with an unusual character with the monicker of Poverty Joe, who happens to be instrumental in saving Dillard from some desperadoes. Dillard interviewed the ungrieving widow but couldn’t find any evidence to link her with her husband’s death. Besides the unwelcome attentions of the desperadoes led by Cord Skann, Dillard also has to contend with the duplicitous Marshal Broadstreet.

This is an enjoyable yarn and it’s clear that the author has written about Joshua Dillard a number of times (this is his seventh appearances, in fact; the character fits like a well-worn glove. Subtle evidence of research crops up from time to time, too. ‘An English lady traveller in the district had recorded that bad temper and profanity in the presence of women was widespread.’ I could be wrong, but this may be alluding to Fanny Trollope’s classic ‘Domestic Manners of the Americans’.

The action-packed story is laced with humour as well as gunplay. The twist at the end is neat and it’s satisfying for both the reader – and especially for Dillard – that Flora is a woman of her word.

(It looks as though the cover features the same artist whose artwork adorns my latest BHW too; nothing to do with the book, but a stirring action-packed cover anyway).
Nik (Ross Morton)

Black Horse Western news round-up

For all the latest Black Horse Western news be sure to check in at the Black Horse Express

Recent items:
Black Horse Westerns - June 2009
Interview with Steve Hayes
Bestsellers on Amazon.co.uk - 22 June
Review of Comanche Moon by John Brand
Review of the Tarnished Star by Jack Martin
Interview with John Paxton Sheriff
Linford Westerns - June 2009
Dales Westerns - June 2009
Bestsellers at The Book Depository - 15 June
Review of Coyote Deadly by Lance Howard
Interview with I.J. Parnham

John Burke

There is a short profile of Robert Hale author John Burke at http://brokentrails.blogspot.com

Shadows of the Past

Thanks to a facebook friend I found this super review. The review is from www.romancereaders@heart.com and I do believe they review quite a few Robert Hale books, so check out their site if you have a book coming out.

"I was intrigued from the first page of Margaret Blake's Shadows of the Past...

Margaret Blake tells a story filled with raw emotion that shows that even when most vulnerable, a smart woman can be a formidable adversary.

I was wholly entertained by this clever tale..." Kay - Romance Readers at Heart

Ciao!

Pushing your books by sound

I've become aware of how valuable a tool in book promotion, podcasting can be. I have toyed with the idea of making an audible version of my blog The Tainted Archive - well I've done so now - it's called THE TAINTED PODCAST and can be subscribied to via Itunes. Take a listen here -

http://taintedpodcast.podbean.com/

I'm quite pleased with the result - it has rough edges but that's just getting used to the editing. I plan to do a bi-monthly show. If you use Itunes then please rate the podcast as it'll build up its visbility.

You can also hear it screamed via the player on my blog - http://tainted-archive.blogspot.com/2009/06/tainted-podcast-john-wayne.html

The Other Mr Darcy: A Pride & Prejudice Sequel

I just found out that The Other Mr Darcy, due out on June 30th, is now available at The Book Depository. What a thrill!

The Other Mr Darcy is an Austensque romantic comedy: It features Miss Bingley, who gets a raw deal in Pride and Prejudice, because, of course, we see everything through Eliza's eyes.

Caroline Bingley is heartbroken at Darcy's wedding -- and caught in an embarrassing situation by Darcy's American cousin.

Here's the fuller description:

When Caroline Bingley, for the first time in her life, collapses to the floor and sobs at Mr Darcy's wedding, she does not think anyone is watching. Imagine her humiliation when she discovers that a stranger has witnessed her emotional display. Miss Bingley, understandably, resents this unknown gentleman very much, even if he is Mr Darcy's American cousin. And a year later, when she is forced to travel to Pemberley with him, she still has not forgiven him. But her attempts to snub him fail completely, and, as the Bennets descend upon them, she finds herself spending more and more time in his company, with her rigid standards of behaviour slipping slowly away...

Is there more to the infamous Miss Bingley than meets the eye? And can this other Mr Darcy break through her reserve?

This is a book for people who like to see things from a bit of a different perspective.

If you've ordered your copy, you should be receiving it soon. If not -- it's still available at the pre-order discount, which is very good, along with free UK, US and international shipping at The Book Depository.

Kattn - a Tehuelche Indian - from THE CONDOR'S FEATHER

In this extract from THE CONDOR'S FEATHER (due July), Thia Beresford comments on the Tehuelche Indian girl who travels with them on their expedition:
...............................................................
‘Her heart is as deep and silent as the pampas,’ Thia said. ‘It is as though she is in tune with the vast countryside around her. A kind of innate animism which native people posses, which we civilized people seem to have lost.’
William had no answer. There was certainly something about this Indian woman which he could not explain. Without meaning or intention, she attracted him like a pin to a magnet, yet she hardly ever spoke, showed little expression, even conserved her gestures to essential movements. She was as tall as a longbow and moved like a willow in the breeze. Was as strong as any man he knew and slightly taller than he. She was not beautiful by English standards with her plucked eyebrows and painted skin, but she had the elongated face and forehead of the high priestesses he had seen engraved on the walls of the ancient temples in Cairo. Now he wished he had drawn her portrait as he could never replicate it accurately. Yet her face was engrained in his mind and he knew he would never forget it.
................................................................
The Tehuelches Indians' territory was mainland Patagonia.
This old picture depicts a group of young Selk'nam Indians (Onas) of Tierra del Fuego. They were usually naked despite the freezing condition on the island.
Sadly, the natives of this region are now extinct.
................................................................
To find out more about the book and my inspiration to write it, go to:THE CONDOR'S FEATHER. To order a copy with FREE WORLD-WIDE DELIVERY go to:
THE BOOK DEPOSITORY.
................................................................
Marg Muir

Black Horse Western news round-up

For all the latest Black Horse Western news be sure to check in at the Black Horse Express

Recent items:

- An Interview with Joanne Walpole
- Review of Poseidon Smith: Vengeance is Mine by Jack Giles
- New BHW poll
- Review of Bad Day in Babylon by Clayton Nash
- Bestsellers at Waterstones
- Review of Time to Kill by Lee Lejeune
- Review of the $300 Man by Ross Morton
- Terry James's Author Day
- May's Black Horse Westerns
- Bestsellers on Amazon.co.uk - 25 May
- May's Linford Westerns
- Marshal Jake T. Devine
- Extract of The $300 Man by Ross Morton
- Review of Long Shadows by Terry James
- New BHW Blog: Lee Walker
- May's Dales Westerns
- Interview with Jack Martin
- Review of The $300 Man by Ross Morton
- Review of Long Shadows by Terry James
- Bestselling Linford Westerns on amazon.co.uk - 18 May