Many thanks to Sarah and BOTBS Publicity for my spot on this Blog Tour.

James has a nose for trouble. But that’s nothing new.

This time, things are different…

…his life is on the line.

James is the chief editor of a small newspaper. It’s hardly captivating work. He’s bored. But, all of that is about to change.

In the early hours of the morning, he returns home to discover that his long-time girlfriend and journalist, Valentine has unexpectedly left.

Later that morning, James fails to reallocate Valentine’s assigned story. To avoid blank space in the culture section, and losing his job, he decides to write the story on the local museum’s latest acquisition, Excalibur.

But, there’s one thing he didn’t count on…

James turns up at the meeting with the curator, to discover a dead body and a missing sword.

As his investigations commence, James attempts to unravel a tangled web of betrayal, kidnapping and murder.

But, his investigations haven’t gone unrecognised. The wrong people have started to notice. And, there will be consequences… dire consequences.

Chapter One

Elizabeth staggered through the front door and let it swing shut behind her. A sharp pain shot through her head as the loud bang broke the silence in the apartment. Her long, thin fingers brushed against the smooth wall to her left, but nothing was there.

Wrong way, stupid.

She patted the wall, then she realised light would only make things worse. Not only would it add a new level of intensity to her headache, but the light would also highlight the thin layer of dust along the skirting boards, the empty dishes in the kitchen sink, and the clothes lying over the turquoise ottoman at the end of her bed.

Admitting defeat, she turned around and toggled the deadbolt latch. Her heels clacked against the wooden floorboards as she walked down the dark hall of her apartment. The block-out curtains she had purchased a few days earlier were having the desired effect. As she inched up the hallway toward her bedroom, Elizabeth ran her fingers along the wall.

She paused, and the walls spun around her. Now she was lightheaded, disorientated, and in the dark. Her financial troubles and any plans of late-night research were on hold. She needed to sleep this off.

Nine months had passed since she’d returned from Cornwall. Sifting through soil and finding fragments of a bygone world was her favourite part of the job. Not that she didn’t love research, but it was often challenging. Money always ran out during the research-and-analysis phase of a dig, meaning that she had to raise more funds. This fundraising took time away from research, creating a vicious cycle.

She was fortunate that the Northampton Museum of Anthropology had funded the initial stage of the dig, but the museum was niche and small, not a bottomless pit of cash. The museum had a small number of investors and received government funding on the side. With this allocation of funds came the requirement to justify how the recipient’s time and money were spent. That was the thing about investors. They all had the same goals: a high return, low risk, and quick results. It was up to her to find another way to raise funds and to continue the research. But she couldn’t do anything tonight.

Leaning against the wall for support, she inched closer to her open bedroom door, stumbled through the doorway, and threw herself onto her bed. As she gazed up at the white space above, her hairpins protruded into her scalp. The tall, thin curator shook off her red patent heels and pulled at her hair. A slight smile formed on her ruby lips as the sharp digging sensation subsided.

She thought about changing into something more comfortable, but any attempt to unzip her dress would only cause her to become dizzier. The room had stopped spinning, and she wasn’t prepared to upset that delicate equilibrium. Her straightened but normally curly black hair fell across her golden-brown skin as she continued to pull the pins out. As she fixed her dark-brown eyes straight ahead, her heavy eyelids closed.

The salient points of the story were an intriguing premise with a winding road of investigation where a few truths came to light. But it was the ending which quite turned the tables. A light read.

I received a free ARC from Sarah and the author, and this is my journey into its pages, straight from the heart!! STRICTLY HONEST AND UNBIASED.

All my reviews can be read here

Publication Date: January 2020