#michael-jecks — Public Fediverse posts

#BookReview Ashes of Rebellion by Michael Jecks #Vitaine (out 19th of October)

For the first decades of my life, I would read anything I could get my hands on. But in the last decade or so I started to read more and more of the same genres, it doesn’t mean they’re better than others, just that the more you read a genre, the more you like it. But I know this is not good because it creates “bubbles” – yes, just like in social media networks. So now and then, I like to read something out of this comforting zone and when I was offered the opportunity to read the upcoming book Ashes of Rebellion, the fourth instalment of the #Vitaine Series by Michael Jecks, I decided to give it a go.

And, oh my, what a journey!

14th Century. North of France. After the Battle of Poitiers, King John of France is being held captive by the King of England and the French Dauphin must fight the King Charles of Navarre to get France back.

We are following a vintaine of Englishmen that go through France to make their fortune, taking villages and castles. But we are not the only ones. Others are also following these men and we need to get to the end of the book to know how this mystery is solved. And let me tell you, I didn’t see it coming! If you like when authors surprise you (I do), you’re in for a treat.

We also follow other characters, like the English William and his friend Perkins. William is a second son, which means that his elder brother will get their father’s manor and land, so he decides to go to France to seek his fortune. Will he get it? How will William and Perkins see the violence and destruction of entire villages being burned to the ground and the villagers decimated? But we can still hold onto some characters: it’s not the same to fight an army, or the rich, or the powerful and to fight the poor or vulnerable. Something I fear today’s world may have forgotten.

The story does have several themes that I find we are still confronted to today and are too close to us:

“They only see the latest insult, the latest foolishness (…) much of it based on misunderstanding (…)”

All the story lines will be converging perfectly with the superb Jeck’s writing: we can really get a sense of place and story action. Everything fits and I can only imagine the deep research work the author must have done to make it as good as it is. This book is really a page turner, but you will also be knowing more about that period in history, as a bonus.

The book is published by Boldwood (check their website for more info) and I would like to thank both Michael Jecks and Boldwood for giving me an advance reading copy.

Michael Jecks is a member of The Detection Club and you can check his website for info on his other books here, he also has a YouTube channel, where he talks about his books, but also about all forms of stationery, and which I really recommend following and is also on BlueSky.

#books #HistoricalFiction #MichaelJecks #Vitaine

#BookReview The Piazza Murders by Michael Jecks (out 1st July)

The third instalment of The Art of Murder is out on 1st of July and takes you to Italy.

Nick Morris is an artist and amateur sleuth. This time he goes to Italy to teach a course to a group of people that decided to take the art retreat. Of course, there are murders, which Morris starts to investigate. At the same time there is a literary festival in the city with authors and publicists getting involved, meaning that you get themes about books, publishers, and publishing industry, which I never say no to 🙂 (you also get themes about pens, drawing, painting, as expected :-)).

Each of the people in the art group is different and has their own story, specific situation, reasons for being there, and I liked the way we get to know them throughout the first part.

I found the descriptions of the place and Italian atmosphere (monuments, buildings, cafes, streets) stunning. I was quite impressed how easy it was to imerse myself into the place, and in this sense it was perfect for an “escapism reading” which I love.

It was a quick read, I wanted to know what would happen next and there are several twists and turns, including one of my favorites: when a character views a certain situation in a certain angle and we, the readers, start to suspect it is exactly the opposite and makes us want to warn/tell that character. I always find this type of scene quite satisfying in a book, maybe because it’s a time when we know a little more than the characters? I didn’t guess the murderer, though, which is good. Although, now that I think of it, the author gives you a hint in the beginning, but skillfully turns you away from it 🙂

Albeit in a series, I think the book reads as a standalone. It also made me want to read the first two, it seeems the second in the series has a manor house in the English countryside, which is one of my favorite settings for murder.

Michael Jecks is a member of The Detection Club and you can check his website for info on his other books here, he also has a YouTube channel, where he talks about his books, but also about all forms of stationery, and which I really recommend following.

The Piazza Murders is published by Severn House and it will be out on 1st of July.

(I got an ARC from NetGalley).

#BookReview #BookReviews #BookLook #books #CrimeFiction #DetectiveFiction #fiction #ItalianSetting #Italy #MichaelJecks #Mystery #NewBook #readings #TheArtOfMurder