*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the authors and Rachel Gilbey at Rachel’s Random Resources blog tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Blurb: The aristocracy abide by a different set of rules…
…or so it seems to Sam Applewhite when her job brings her to Candlebroke Hall, the stately home. The burglary definitely wasn’t what it appeared to be, and the subsequent accidents suggest that it’s a dangerous place to spend time.
Sam is caught up in events as she tries to protect the interests of young Hilde Odinson, part of the local viking family. The Odinsons insist on doing things their own way though, with scant regard for the law. In the meantime, Sam starts to understand that while many people would kill to live at Candlebroke Hall, maybe there are others who would kill to get away from it.
Yet another cracking read from this writing pair, who have jumped right to the top of my favourite authors list!
Sandraker is the third book in the Sam Applewhite series and works fine as a standalone adventure, provided that you are okay with missing out on the loads of character development, hilarity, excitement and chaos that make up the backstory. Look, just read them all, okay? You won’t regret it!
Sam is back on her usual Defcon4 duties – acting as an appropriate adult for a perfectly capable adult Viking; taking inventory of a stately home; investigating missing treasure and a burglary accusation; dodging tigers and crossbow bolts – you know, all the usual, day-to-day duties.
Alongside that, she has temporarily switched meddling in her father’s finances with meddling in his love life, attempting to set him up with aging starlet Lady Lettuces, while trying to maintain her status as ‘friendly and acceptable Saxon’ with the Odinson clan. An Applewhite’s life is never a quiet one!
This series is nominally crime thriller, with a cosy mystery type set-up, but the reader always knows who the wrongdoer is from quite early on, and the mystery bit is how Sam will catch them out and how many people will die in which bizarre ways. Add to that the chaos of the kind of sit-coms that get called ‘wacky’ or ‘zany’ and you have the perfect recipe for a gripping, entertaining, not-to-be-taken-too-seriously, joy of a read.
My only criticism is that the next book isn’t out yet and I want to read it NOW. Guess I’ll have to content myself with one of their many other series for now!
Hilde spoke before Sam could. “I didn’t do it.”
– Heide Goody & Iain Grant, Sandraker
“Right,” said Camara slowly. “The evidence suggests otherwise.”
“And you says I’m a thief, but I weren’t.”
“Is that so?”
Hilde looked to Sam as though she would back her up on this. “I didn’t know the telecoms fellers were using them poles or the wire,” she said. “They was just lying there. You shouldn’t leave things lying around if tha doesn’t want people to take them.”
Sam nodded. “To be honest, the telegraph poles were just lying around.”
“Finders keepers, ain’t it?” said Hilde.
Camara held up the bejewelled horn. “And where did you find this?”
“And they had a tiger for a guard dog. That ain’t right.”
Find more from Heide Goody and Iain Grant at their website, or follow them on Facebook, and on Twitter, here and here.
Sandraker is available on Amazon right now!
You can find my review of Sealfinger (Book 1) here and my review of Doggerland (Book 2) here.
Don’t forget to stop by the other blogs on this tour (see the poster below for details) for more great content and reviews.
Bookshine And Readbows 