Blood of the Rose by Kevin Murray Review

“It started low and soft, but grew slowly, increasing in pitch and volume into an unceasing scream so loud and so desperate it pierced his primeval soul. The detective was stunned, his mind blank. On the ragged edges of his consciousness a prophecy took hold. He could see, with shattering clarity, that there would never again be a time in his life when that scream did not exist.”

London, 1986. A newspaper editor is horrifically murdered, his death quickly followed by a series of more brutal, and often bizarre, slayings. The police are baffled, the only clear link between the murders being a single blood red rose left at the scene of every killing. Why? What does the rose mean? What connects the killer to each bloody corpse?
Scotland Yard detective Alan Winters leads a hunt for the elusive prey. As the body count rises, Jennifer Chapman, renowned investigative journalist and daughter of the murdered newspaper editor, sets out on a personal quest for revenge.
Drawn together in their pursuit of a deadly quarry, Winters and Jennifer unwittingly face a fatal surprise, for the killer is closer than they think. As they close in on the truth of the blood red rose, their unseen foe plots a shattering end to his reign of terror, and death awaits them all…..

My Review:
I really liked this book. I love when books deal with Scotland Yard. They work so differently! I feel like I am in another place and another time. I enjoyed reading about Jennifer and her budding romance as well. The author wrote short chapters that I was able to read here and there. It was nice that I did not have to put it down. My favorite part was the roses that was left at each murder. Towards the end it was obvious that danger was never far away, I am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy to review via Authoramp, however all opinions are my own.

The Queen of Sparta by T. S. Chaudhry Book Review

Genre: Historical Fiction

Author: T.S. Chaudhry

Publisher: Top Hat Books

Xerxes, the Great King of Persia, invades Greece in 480 B.C. at the head of a massive army. Three hundred Spartans and King Leonidas die heroically blocking the Persian advance at the pass of Thermopylae.

The Persians are poised to conquer all of Greece. The only one standing in their way is a woman – Gorgo, Queen of Sparta.

Though history has relegated her role to that of a bystander, what if she played a central role in the Greek resistance to the Persian invasion. What if she kept her true role a secret in order to play it more effectively? What if she was hiding other secrets too – dark secrets of murder and vengeance? What if the only person who truly appreciated her genius was an enemy prisoner whom she has vowed to kill? What if after their victory, the Greeks start to turn on each other? What if, eventually, Gorgo has to choose between the security of Sparta and safety of her son? And what if the only one who could find a way out is the same prisoner who had once fought against the Spartans?

“This novel is an exciting re-imagining of events in Ancient Greece. Rich in detail, with excellent battle scenes and sections on military strategy as well as compelling lead characters, Chaudhry manages to make his intricate story accessible and involving.”

“Great read for any lover of historical fiction.” 

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“A vivid and superbly researched original history of what it was like to have lived in this fascinating period of time.”

About the Author

T.S.  Chaudhry was born in Karachi, Pakistan. He has a Bachelors Degree from Cornell University, a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard University and a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge.  A former Pakistani diplomat, he has been working for the United Nations on peace and security issues in Africa.

 The Queen of Sparta is Chaudhry’s first novel. The story came to him several decades ago while he was reading Herodotus for his ‘A’ Level examination. It occurred to him that a case could be made for Gorgo of Sparta orchestrating the Greek resistance to the Persian invasion without essentially changing any of the facts presented by Herodotus. This is essentially an alternative retelling of a well-known tale.

He is currently working on a ‘prequel’ to the Queen of Sparta based on events leading up to the Battle of Marathon, called Fennel of Field.

My review;
It is interesting when an author changes what we think we know about an ancient character in history. The author asks what if events had been different  would the outcome have been the same? This book is full of mystery, murder and secrets. It is an interesting twist. I give this book a 4/5. I was given this book for the purpose of a review and all opinions are my own.