Adriana Kraft

When it's time to heat things up...

Blog Tour

On Tour: A Rose in the Blitz by Ann Bennett @annbennett71 @cathiedunn #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalRomance #WorldWarII #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

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Book Title: A Rose In The Blitz
Series: Sisters of War
Author: Ann Bennett
Publication Date: 29th March 2024
Publisher: Andaman Press
Page Length: 270
Genre: Historical Fiction / Historical Romance

BLURB

Escape into the dramatic world of London during the Blitz in this sweeping family saga of love, war and betrayal.

Northamptonshire: 1980: Wealthy landowner Hadan Rose is dying. His daughter, May, rushes to his country estate, Rose Park, with her daughter, Rachel, to nurse him through his final days.

In the afternoons, while Hadan sleeps, May tells Rachel about her wartime experiences.

In 1940, Three of the four Rose sisters leave Rose Park to serve the war effort. May, the youngest is left behind. But she soon runs away from home to join an ambulance crew in London. She experiences the horrors of the Blitz first-hand but what happens to her there has remained secret her whole life.

In 1980, at Rose Park, Rachel wanders through the old house, looking at old photographs and papers, uncovering explosive family secrets from ninety years before. Secrets that her grandfather wanted to take to his grave.

At the local pub, Rachel meets Daniel Walters, a local journalist and musician who takes an interest in her. But can she trust him, or does he have an ulterior motive for seeking her company?

As the secrets of the past gradually reveal themselves, both Rachel and May realise that their worlds are forever changed.

Fans of Lucinda Riley, Dinah Jeffries and Victoria Hislop will love this escapist wartime saga, Book 1 in the Rose Park Chronicles.

Buy Links:

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/KFAR

Author Bio:

Ann Bennett is a British author of historical fiction. Her first book, Bamboo Heart: A Daughter’s Quest, was inspired by researching her father’s experience as a prisoner of war on the Thai-Burma Railway and by her own travels in South-East Asia. Since then, that initial inspiration has led her to write more books about the second world war in SE Asia. Bamboo Island: The Planter’s Wife, A Daughter’s Promise, Bamboo Road: The Homecoming, The Tea Planter’s Club, The Amulet and her latest release The Fortune Teller of Kathmandu are also about WWII in South East Asia. All seven make up the Echoes of Empire Collection.

Ann is also the author of The Lake Pavilion, The Lake Palace, both set in British India during the 1930s and WWII, and The Lake Pagoda and The Lake Villa, both set in French Indochina. The Runaway Sisters, bestselling The Orphan House, The Child Without a Home and The Forgotten Children are set in Europe during the same era and are published by Bookouture.

Ann is married with three grown up sons and a granddaughter and lives in Surrey, UK. For more details please visit www.annbennettauthor.com.

Author Links:

Website: www.annbennettauthor.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annbennett71
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annbennettauthor/
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/ann-bennett
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B00D21SJ7A
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14975489.Ann_Bennett

On tour: The Dartington Bride, by Rosemary Griggs @RAGriggsauthor @cathiedunn #HistoricalFiction #Devon #Elizabethan #FrenchWarsOfReligion #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

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Book Information

Book Title: The Dartington Bride
Series: Daughters of Devon
Author: Rosemary Griggs
Publication Date: 28th March 2024
Publisher: Troubador Publishing
Page Count: ~ 368 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Audiobook narrated by Rosemary Griggs

Blurb:

1571, and the beautiful, headstrong daughter of a French Count marries the son of the Vice Admiral of the Fleet of the West in Queen Elizabeth’s chapel at Greenwich. It sounds like a marriage made in heaven…

Roberda’s father, the Count of Montgomery, is a prominent Huguenot leader in the French Wars of Religion. When her formidable mother follows him into battle, she takes all her children with her.

After a traumatic childhood in war-torn France, Roberda arrives in England full of hope for her wedding. But her ambitious bridegroom, Gawen, has little interest in taking a wife.

Received with suspicion by the servants at her new home, Dartington Hall in Devon, Roberda works hard to prove herself as mistress of the household and to be a good wife. But there are some who will never accept her as a true daughter of Devon.

After the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, Gawen’s father welcomes Roberda’s family to Dartington as refugees. Compassionate Roberda is determined to help other French women left destitute by the wars. But her husband does not approve. Their differences will set them on an extraordinary path…

Excerpt

Chapter One
The Regicide
1559, Paris

‘Ton père a tué le roi!’ screamed the woman from the doorway. ‘Your father has killed the king!’ I stirred on the bed and my eyes flew open. Snatched from my dreams in a heartbeat, I strained my ears. Again, those words. ‘Your father has killed the king,’ but softer, quavering, less strident. The third time the voice was hardly more than a breath, cracking and breaking as the words dropped into the silent room like slivers of ice.

In the clammy heat of that night I had thrown the bed covers aside and my shift was clinging about me, the crumpled linen wound around me like a shroud. Caught between sleep and waking, I scrambled wildly to pull the velvet coverlet right up over my head. Knees curled up, I made myself as small as I could and tried to shut out the thumping noise thrashing in my ears. It was the sound of my heart banging like a drum.

Curiosity got the better of me and, trembling, I peeped out. A shaft of moonlight fell on the ghostly face of a woman framed in the doorway. A scream fought its way up to my voice box but no sound came. I swallowed hard and forced myself to look. She wore Clotilde’s clothes, the same green kirtle and crisp clean apron Clotilde had on when she put me to bed. But the woman was not Clotilde. My Clotilde had twinkling brown eyes set in a merry face as round and rosy as a Normandy apple. She had a soft, silvery voice as even and contented as a cat’s purr. The woman framed in the stone arch, the not-Clotilde, had put on a white mask; she had bulging, goggly eyes and a gaping mouth. She shook her head from side to side and twisted her hands in her apron as she croaked out the words again in brittle little gasps.

‘Your father has killed the king!’ So said the not-Clotilde.

‘Vite, Clotilde! Vite! Dépêche-toi.’ Other servants scurried in, pushing past her, frantically waking my sisters, shouting that they must dress quickly. I shrank back behind the hangings and tried to hide in the great bed.

All the shouting jolted her into action. The not-Clotilde stumbled forward, rushed to my coffer, picked up a cloak and heaped underwear and sleeves and caps and gowns onto it all higgledy-piggledy. She snatched the necklace from the little wooden casket by my bed, added that to the pile and knotted the cloak round it all. Somehow she got me into some clothes; not the pretty blue dress embroidered with pearls; not my best shift with the blackwork collar. Instead, with rough hands, the not-Clotilde bundled me into a plain shift and an old woollen kirtle. She was about to pick me up when I found I could scream.

‘Diane! I want Diane!’

The not-Clotilde groaned as she bent to retrieve the doll and tied the ribbon round my middle. Diane was always getting lost and this precaution saved a lot of searching.

The not-Clotilde grabbed me and clasped me to her chest, running through unlit passageways close on the heels of a scurrying maid. The maid’s hand trembled so much the candle she carried sputtered and all but died, only for the flame to revive and cast even more grotesque shadows on the old stone walls. That brought me out of my mute terror. I found my voice again and shrieked and kicked and hollered. But the not-Clotilde just gripped me more tightly as she ran on. Her breathing was ragged and wheezy by the time we were down the steps and out of the door. Strong arms hoisted me up onto a horse. I held tight to Diane the doll with one hand and rubbed the plump little fingers of my other hand up and down the familiar soft silky fabric of her gown.

The blanket they used to secure me in front of Alain du Bois, Papa’s sergeant-at-arms, was scratchy and rough. Alain had a prickly beard and his breath smelled of ale and onions. I heard muffled voices, then the hooves hammered on the cobbles, metallic echoes that lingered long in the still night air. I clutched my doll as she bumped along under the blanket. After a while I rested my head on Alain’s chest and eventually the steady beat of his heart must have lulled me to sleep.

Buy Links:

Universal Buy Link: https://rosemarygriggs.co.uk/books/2/The%20Dartington%20Bride/

Author Bio:

Author and speaker Rosemary Griggs has been researching Devon’s sixteenth-century history for years. She has discovered a cast of fascinating characters and an intriguing network of families whose influence stretched far beyond the West Country and loves telling the stories of the forgotten women of history – the women beyond the royal court; wives, sisters, daughters and mothers who played their part during those tumultuous Tudor years: the Daughters of Devon.

Her novel A Woman of Noble Wit tells the story of Katherine Champernowne, Sir Walter Raleigh’s mother, and features many of the county’s well-loved places.

Rosemary creates and wears sixteenth-century clothing, a passion which complements her love for bringing the past to life through a unique blend of theatre, history and re-enactment. Her appearances and talks for museums and community groups all over the West Country draw on her extensive research into sixteenth-century Devon, Tudor life and Tudor dress, particularly Elizabethan.

Out of costume, Rosemary leads heritage tours of the gardens at Dartington Hall, a fourteenth-century manor house and now a visitor destination and charity supporting learning in arts, ecology and social justice.

Author Links:

Website:https://rosemarygriggs.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RAGriggsauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ladykatherinesfarthingale
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/griggs6176/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@griggs6176
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ragriggsauthor.bsky.social
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Rosemary-Griggs/author/B09GY6ZSYF
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21850977.Rosemary_Griggs

On Tour: Stay With the Wagons, by David Fitz-Gerald #HistoricalFiction #WesternAdventure #AmericanWest #Pioneers #BlogTour @AuthorDAVIDFG @cathiedunn

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BOOK INFORMATION

Book Title: Stay with the Wagons
Series: Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail
Author: David Fitz-Gerald
Publication Date: March 15, 2024
Publisher: David Fitz-Gerald
Page Length: 221
Genre: Western, Historical Fiction

Series Trailer: https://youtu.be/sWvp6dtbXvA

Blurb:

Venture deep into the uncharted wilderness and crest the continental divide.

Stay with the Wagons is the enthralling third chapter in the Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail series. Dorcas Moon has discarded her mourning dress and yearns for freedom and independence amidst the vast frontier. But a perilous world and a commanding wagon master keep her tethered. Ultimately, it’s a brutal bout of fever and ague that confine her to camp.

Relentless disasters and beguiling challenges unfold in this installment. A young man is crushed beneath a wagon wheel. Dorcas’ son breaks an arm, a grizzly bear attacks the wagon train, and the looming threat of attacking outlaws whips the emigrants into a worried frenzy. How many must perish before they reach the end of the trail?

As chaos reigns, her troubled daughter, Rose, disappears once again, leading Dorcas on a perilous quest. Tracking Rose to a sacred site, they encounter a blind seer and a legendary leader, Chief Washakie. Rose’s enchantment with Native American adornments sparks Dorcas’ concern about an unexpected suitor and raises worries about Rose’s age.

Stay with the Wagons is bursting with action, adventure, and survival. It is a story of resilience and empowerment on the Oregon Trail.

Claim your copy now and re-immerse yourself in a tale of high-stakes survival, unexpected alliances, and the indomitable spirit of Dorcas Moon.

Buy Links:

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

Universal Buy Link:
https://books2read.com/stay-with-the-wagons

Author Bio:

David Fitz-Gerald writes westerns and historical fiction. He is the author of twelve books, including the brand-new series, Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail set in 1850. Dave is a multiple Laramie Award, first place, best in category winner; a Blue Ribbon Chanticleerian; a member of Western Writers of America; and a member of the Historical Novel Society.

Alpine landscapes and flashy horses always catch Dave’s eye and turn his head. He is also an Adirondack 46-er, which means that he has hiked to the summit of the range’s highest peaks. As a mountaineer, he’s happiest at an elevation of over four thousand feet above sea level.

Dave is a lifelong fan of western fiction, landscapes, movies, and music. It should be no surprise that Dave delights in placing memorable characters on treacherous trails, mountain tops, and on the backs of wild horses.

 

Author Links:

Website: https://www.itsoag.com/GATOT
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorDAVIDFG
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDaveFITZGERALD/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authordavefitzgerald/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/AuthorDaveFITZGERALD/
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/david-fitz-gerald
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/dfitzgerald
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17341792.David_Fitz_Gerald
Linktree https://linktr.ee/authordavidfitzgerald

On Tour: Covered in Flour, by Charles Presti #HistoricalFiction #1968 #coveredinflourjourney #comingofage #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @cathiedunn

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BOOK INFORMATION

Book Title: Covered in Flour
Author: Charles Presti
Publication Date: October 10th, 2023
Publisher: Charles Presti
Page Length: 220
Genre: Historical Fiction

Blurb:

It’s 1968 in Whisper Haven, and 8-year-old Carl Pozzi’s world is about to change.

For eight-year-old Carl Pozzi, 1968 begins like any other year—playing kickball with friends and enjoying the comforting aroma of Mom’s pasta dinners in their predominantly white suburban Whisper Haven home. But when Carl’s teacher introduces lessons about racial prejudice and injustice, his worldview cracks wide open.

How far can innocence stretch before it snaps?

As Carl flips through the pages of his 3-ring binder, each lesson serves as a gateway to a journey of self-discovery and understanding. It’s an expedition that not only changes him but reshapes his whole concept of family and justice—especially as he watches his father put on a police uniform during one of the most fraught periods in American history.

“Covered in Flour” is not just a heartfelt stroll down memory lane. It’s a captivating coming-of-age saga that digs deep beneath the surface of suburban tranquility. It beckons you to reconsider long-held family values and confront the societal norms you’ve taken for granted.

Written with genuine love, humor, and a tinge of sorrow, this story blends the nostalgia of tradition with the inevitability of change, offering a stirring mix that leaves you pondering long after the last page is turned. This book isn’t just a delightful read; it’s a catalyst for introspection, freshly baked and served for your soul.

Buy Link:

Universal Buy Link:
https://books2read.com/u/3LdWED

Reflections from the Author:

Reflecting on 1968 from the perspective of being eight at the time and in the context of “Covered in Flour,” the preparation of my father for police riot control is the event most indelibly etched in my memory. Witnessing my father don his riot gear—white helmet, wooden baton, and notably, the sap, a leather-wrapped club filled with a metal rod—left a profound imprint on my young mind. The sap, in particular, symbolized the seriousness and danger of the situation, a stark contrast to the innocent and mundane aspects of my daily life.

The severity of the unrest during 1968, including the riots that erupted in nearby urban neighborhoods, was brought home not just by seeing my father prepare for duty but through the collective anxiety that permeated our household.

Much of what I learned about the events of that year came through snippets of overheard conversations, the tense and worried expressions of my family, and the fragmented images broadcast on television. School also played a role, with discussions and mock elections mirroring the national climate of division and unrest. Yet, the personal experience of my father’s involvement in riot control brought the reality of these historical moments to life for me, offering a firsthand glimpse into the complexities and dangers of adult responsibilities and societal conflicts.

This duality of witnessing both the public and private responses to the crisis of 1968 through the eyes of a child intertwined with the reflections of the adult I would become underscores the profound impact of that year. It was a turning point not just for the nation but in my understanding of the world, marking the end of innocence and the beginning of a more complex awareness of the societal forces around us.

Author Bio:

Charles Presti, emerging from the sun-drenched shores of Pensacola, Florida, crafts narratives that echo with the richness of his varied life. His journey from a USF College of Medicine graduate to a storyteller is as unconventional as it is inspiring. Drawing from his days as a physician and informatics specialist, Charles infuses his writing with a rare blend of scientific precision and heartfelt emotion. His debut novel, “Covered in Flour,” is a vivid tapestry of his Italian-American heritage, his experiences in the whirlwind era of the 1960s, and his personal journey as a gay man. These elements converge to create stories that not only entertain but resonate deeply with themes of family, discovery, and the delicate dance of life’s everyday moments.

Charles’s passion for storytelling is paralleled only by his commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion. Alongside his husband, Mike Bruce, and their beloved Wheaton Terrier, Zoey, he is a vibrant force and founder of “Sunday’s Child,” a local charity dedicated to nurturing inclusion and empowering LGBTQ+ and  other marginalized communities through grants to local charities. A pillar in the Emerald Coast Writers group, he continually explores the nuances of identity, heritage, and a sense of belonging. Discover more about Charles’s captivating world and “Covered in Flour” at www.coveredinflour.com, where each story is a window into a life lived fully and authentically.

Author Links:

Website: www.coveredinflour.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552112886658
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckpresti/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/covered_inflour/
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/covered-in-flour-1968-a-young-boy-s-perspective-on-school-family-and-changing-times-by-charles-presti
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/charlespresti
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/45201473.Charles_Presti

On Tour: A Matter of Time, by Judith Arnopp @JudithArnopp @cathiedunn #HistoricalFiction #Tudor #HenryVIII #NewRelease #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub

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Shining a torch into the heart and mind
of England’s most tyrannical king.

BOOK INFORMATION

Book Title: A Matter of Time: Henry VIII, the Dying of the Light (Book Three)

Series: The Henrician Chronicle
Author: Judith Arnopp
Publication Date: 2nd February 2024
Publisher: independently published
Page Length: 302
Genre: Historical Biographical Fiction

Blurb:

With youth now far behind him, King Henry VIII has only produced one infant son and two bastard daughters. More sons are essential to secure the Tudor line, and with his third wife, Jane Seymour dead, Henry hunts for a suitable replacement.

After the break from Rome, trouble is brewing with France and Scotland. Thomas Cromwell arranges a diplomatic marriage with the sister of the Duke of Cleves but when it comes to women, Henry is fastidious, and the new bride does not please him. The increasingly unpredictable king sets his sights instead upon Katherine Howard and instructs Cromwell to free him from the match with Cleves.

Failure to rid the king of his unloved wife could cost Cromwell his head.

Henry, now ailing and ageing, is invigorated by his flighty new bride but despite the favours he heaps upon her, he cannot win Katherine’s heart. A little over a year later, broken by her infidelity, she becomes the second of his wives to die on the scaffold, leaving Henry friendless and alone.

But his stout heart will not surrender and leaving his sixth wife, Katheryn Parr, installed as regent over England, Henry embarks on a final war to win back territories lost to the French more than a century before. Hungry for glory, the king is determined that the name Henry VIII will shine brighter and longer than that of his hero, Henry V.

Told from the king’s perspective, A Matter of Time: Henry VIII: the Dying of the Light shines a torch into the heart and mind of England’s most tyrannical king.

Buy Links:

Universal Buy Links to the three titles in the series:

A Matter of Conscience: https://mybook.to/amoc

A Matter of Faith: https://mybook.to/amofaith

A Matter of Time: https://mybook.to/amot

Excerpt

November 1541 Henry prepares for mass

It is good to be home, and my spirits remain high. I jest with my gentlemen as my beard, greyer now than gold, is trimmed, my nails clipped. I select a doublet of black with silver thread embellishing the cuffs, the slashes across the sleeves and chest revealing a fine silk shirt beneath.

My looking glass reflects a king, a man in his prime, a wise and honest man. As my dress sword is arranged at my hip, I take the gloves Denny is offering and tuck them into my girdle.

“Where is my psalter?” I ask, and it is instantly produced. I tuck it beneath my arm and make my way to the chapel, wondering as I go if Katherine will make it to Mass so early.

My mind is not on prayer this morning. I am feeling spry enough to go for a ride. Brandon has returned to court this week, perhaps we can ride out together as we used to, if he is feeling up to it. I often forget that he too grows old.

The sound of the choir greets me, their voices ascending to the dizzy heights of the blue and gold ceiling. Immediately, I feel contrition that my mind had strayed to sport rather than giving thanks to God for another day. Before I enter and take my seat, I rearrange my face into a pious expression. But as I sit down, I notice a folded slip of paper. I pick it up, look about the chapel to discover the author of the note, but when no man meets my eye, I unfold the message and … the world around me crumbles.

Author Bio:

A lifelong history enthusiast and avid reader, Judith holds a BA in English/Creative writing and an MA in Medieval Studies. She lives on the coast of West Wales where she writes both fiction and non-fiction. She is best known for her novels set in the Medieval and Tudor period, focusing on the perspective of historical women but recently she has been writing from the perspective of Henry VIII himself.

Judith is also a founder member of a re-enactment group called The Fyne Companye of Cambria which is when she began to experiment with sewing historical garments. She now makes clothes and accessories both for the group and others. She is not a professionally trained sewer but through trial, error and determination has learned how to make authentic looking, if not strictly historically accurate clothing. Her non-fiction book, How to Dress like a Tudor was published by Pen and Sword in 2023.

Her novels include:

A Song of Sixpence: the story of Elizabeth of York
The Beaufort Chronicle: the life of Lady Margaret Beaufort (three book series)
A Matter of Conscience: Henry VIII, the Aragon Years (Book One of The Henrician Chronicle)
A Matter of Faith: Henry VIII, the Days of the Phoenix (Book Two of The Henrician chronicle)
A Matter of Time: Henry VIII, the Dying of the Light
The Kiss of the Concubine: a story of Anne Boleyn
The Winchester Goose: at the court of Henry VIII
Intractable Heart: the story of Katheryn Parr
Sisters of Arden: on the Pilgrimage of Grace
The Heretic Wind: the life of Mary Tudor, Queen of England
Peaceweaver
The Forest Dwellers
The Song of Heledd

Previously published under the pen name – J M Ruddock.

The Book of Thornhold
A Daughter of Warwick: the story of Anne Neville, Queen of Richard III

Author Links:

Website: www.judithmarnopp.com
Blog: http://www.juditharnoppnovelist.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JudithArnopp
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetudorworldofjuditharnopp
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/judith-arnopp-ba999025
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tudor_juditharnopp/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@tudor_juditharnopp
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jarnopp.bsky.social
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/jarnopp/
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/judith-arnopp
Amazon Author Page: https://author.to/juditharnoppbooks
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4088659.Judith_Arnopp

On Tour: Dude or Die, by Lynn Downey #DudeRanch #HistoricalFiction #WomensFiction #WesternWomen #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @WriterLynnD @cathiedunn

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BOOK INFORMATION

Book Title: Dude or Die
Series: H Double Bar Dude Ranch series
Author: Lynn Downey
Publication Date: October 15, 2023
Publisher: Pronghorn Press
Page Length: 328
Genre: Historical Fiction

BLURB:

It’s 1954, and San Francisco writer Phoebe Kelley is enjoying the success of her first novel, Lady in the Desert. When Phoebe’s sister-in-law asks her to return to Tribulation, Arizona to help run the H Double Bar Dude Ranch, she doesn’t hesitate. There’s competition from a new dude ranch this year, so the H Double Bar puts on a rodeo featuring a trick rider with a mysterious past. When accidents begin to happen around the ranch, Phoebe jumps in to figure out why, and confronts an unexpected foe. And a man from her own past forces her to confront feelings long buried. Dude or Die is the second book in the award-winning H Double Bar Dude Ranch series.

BUY LINK:

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/b5BVwp

EXCERPT

Synopsis: It’s 1954, and San Francisco writer Phoebe Kelley returns to the H Double Bar dude ranch in Tribulation, Arizona to help her late husband’s sister Mary, her husband Sam, and their young son Joe run the ranch for the fall season. Phoebe and the ranch were introduced in the first book in this series, Dudes Rush In. There’s stiff competition from a new guest ranch in town, called the Desert Grande, run by a powerful woman named Thelma Powell who seems determined to put other ranches out of business. Phoebe and Mary decide to put on a “dudeo,” a rodeo for both the ranch’s wranglers and the visiting dudes, to thwart Thelma’s efforts. They bring in a trick rider from California with a mysterious past named Eden Williams, and a man from Phoebe’s past also reappears. When accidents happen around the ranch, Phoebe must confront an unexpected foe.

Excerpt from Chapter 20:

Virgil Freeman, a man from Phoebe’s past in Dudes Rush In, is visiting the H Double Bar. They have breakfast the morning after a mysterious midnight fire in a tool shed, and after Phoebe acts on her suspicion that one of the guests is in league with Thelma Powell and the Desert Grande guest ranch.

“How are you this morning?” Virgil asked.

“OK, I guess. I managed to get some sleep, how about you?”

“Oh, I’m fine. Have you seen Mary?”

“Yes, I went over to the site of the fire a few minutes ago, and she is there talking with Sam about rebuilding. She already called her friend at the Bar K and he’s bringing over some tack for today’s trail ride.”

“It’s wonderful the way all the ranches pull together,” said Virgil, who had given his plate to Maryanne and asked for seconds on bacon.

“I know, it’s a very special kind of business,” said Phoebe. “Well, except for the Desert Grande, of course.”

“That place doesn’t sound much like a dude ranch to me.”

“That’s what Mary says. She is sure they are behind some of the mishaps that we’ve had around here.”

“Why would they do that?”

“To put her out of business? Who knows.”

“Have you had any more trouble here from that Carter fellow?”

Phoebe hesitated a moment, then made a decision.

“Well, not exactly trouble, but I did find out something about the both of them.”

She told Virgil about seeing Jayne at the Desert Grande, and about what she found when she searched the Carters’ cabin.

His reaction surprised her. She had never seen Virgil look mad.

“Phoebe, what were you thinking? First of all, that was completely illegal, and what if they came back early and found you? That could have been a disaster for Sam and Mary and their business. And dangerous for you. That Carter guy has a temper, he could have hurt you.”

Phoebe was shocked at his scolding tone, and then she got angry.

“Don’t lecture me, I was very careful, and I can take care of myself.”

“Just because you survived the last time a man threatened you, doesn’t mean it will happen again.”

A guest at the H Double Bar had been killed two years ago, and his murderer pulled a gun on Phoebe when she confronted him. She got away, but had nightmares for a long time.

“I’m worried about you,” Virgil continued.

Phoebe saw a couple of the guests looking their way and lowered her voice.

“Well, you don’t have to be,” Phoebe retorted.

“I know you love Mary and Sam, but does your loyalty to your late husband mean you have to put yourself in danger for them?”

Phoebe gaped at him.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Maryanne brought Virgil’s bacon at that moment, saw the look on his face, and Phoebe’s, and set the plate down quickly.

When she had scurried away, Phoebe continued.

“First of all, I am not loyal to Jack. He died ten years ago and I’ve moved on with my life. I come here because Mary is like my own sister, and her family is my family. The Desert Grande is a real threat to their business and I will do whatever I can to protect it.”

“You’re being reckless, Phoebe. Please don’t do anything to get yourself hurt.”

“I am not reckless, I know what I’m doing.”

“I don’t think you do.” Virgil stood up.  “And it’s obvious I can’t talk you out of any course you plan to take.”

He put his napkin on the table next to the untouched plate.

“I think I should go. Please thank Mary for her hospitality. And please take care of yourself.”

Before Phoebe could respond Virgil left the table and she watched him walk out the lodge door. She sat at the table for a few more minutes, then got up and looked out the front window. Virgil’s car was gone.

AUTHOR BIO:

Lynn Downey is an award-winning novelist, short story writer, historian of the West, and native Californian.

She was the Historian for Levi Strauss & Co. in San Francisco for 25 years. Her adventures as ambassador for company history took her around the world, where she spoke to television audiences, magazine editors, and university students, appeared in numerous documentaries, and on The Oprah Winfrey Show. She wrote many books and articles about the history of the company and the jeans, and her biography, Levi Strauss: The Man Who Gave Blue Jeans to the World, won the Foreword Reviews silver INDIE award.

Lynn got interested in dude ranches during her time at Levi’s. Her debut historical novel, Dudes Rush In, is set on an Arizona dude ranch in the 1950s; Arizona because she’s a desert rat at heart, and the 1950s because the clothes were fabulous.

Dudes Rush In won a Will Rogers Medallion Award, and placed first in Arizona Historical Fiction at the New Mexico-Arizona book awards. The next book in this series, Dude or Die, was released in 2023. And just for fun, Lynn wrote a screenplay based on Dudes Rush In, which is currently making the rounds of reviewers and competitions.

She pens short stories, as well. “The Wind and the Widow” took Honorable Mention in the History Through Fiction story contest, and “Incident at the Circle H” was a Finalist for the Longhorn Prize from Saddlebag Dispatches. The story “Goldie Hawn at the Good Karma Café,” won second place in The LAURA Short Fiction contest from Women Writing the West, and is based on her experiences in a San Francisco religious cult in the 1970s. (That will be another book one of these days.)

Lynn’s latest nonfiction book is American Dude Ranch: A Touch of the Cowboy and the Thrill of the West, a cultural history of the dude ranch. It was reviewed in The Wall Street Journal, True West, Cowgirl, and The Denver Post, and was a Finalist for the Next Generation INDIE Award in Nonfiction. Kirkus Reviews said the book is “…deeply engaging and balances accessible writing style with solid research.”

When she’s not writing, Lynn works as a consulting archivist and historian for museums, libraries, cultural institutions, and businesses. She is the past president of Women Writing the West, a member of the Western Writers of America, and is on numerous boards devoted to archives and historic preservation.

Lynn lives in Sonoma, California, where she sometimes makes wine from the Pinot Noir grapes in her back yard vineyard.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website: https://www.lynndowney.com [My site is being redesigned and will be live in another week or so.]

Tumblereads blog: https://tumblereadsblog.com/blog-sg/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WriterLynnD

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynn-downey-b82460249/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lynn.downey.historian/

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

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

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Lynn-Downey/author/B001IXQ2N2