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Southern Australia, 1983. While Middle-aged stalwart Miriam rolls into town in her broken down car, Frankie – a deer hunter – is up in the forested hinterland with her gun.
Meanwhile, fisherwoman Old Pearl sits on her front deck with her dog, a glass of whiskey in her hand, and Emily, the English backpacker, scrubs out the pie-encrusted kitchen at the roadhouse.
But all is not well.
Gran Parks is stirring.
Four troubled women. One restless spirit.
Who will survive?
Blackthorn has created a wonderfully chilling revenge tale that is utterly addictive. Written in brilliant prose, The Legacy of Old Gran Parks carries the dark comedic flavour of a Tarantino movie into the sinister backwaters of the Australian bush.
This is the first book of hers I have read, but it won’t be my last. Her characterisation is brilliant. The book features just a handful of characters, and centres around half a dozen women, most of whom care nothing for the law. It is set in a small outback town...each chapter is told from the viewpoint of one or other of the women. No spoilers, but it’s worth every one of the five stars I’ve given it. Just buy it, it’s brilliant. - Anita Waller
“The Legacy of Old Gran Parks is a very unique, very fascinating but ultimately savage and dark read that I very much enjoyed. If you are a fan of Tarantino movies, you are more than likely going to enjoy this book which starts out a little bit eerie and odd and then turns violent and dark. It was a book unlike any I have read before but I actually really loved it. And the narration was just addictive.” – Big Little Book Reviews
“The Legacy of Old Gran Parks has a wonderfully dark, nasty feel to it…This book is chilling. The women in it don’t mess about…” - BookWormHole
When Ruth Finlay accompanies her neighbour Doris Cleaver and the Mahjong club on a long weekend in the picturesque town of Bright, she’s hoping for a relaxing time researching the town for a feature article. Instead, the death of one of the tour party catapults her into an investigation she could surely do without.
Who killed Burt Braithwaite and why? Surely not one of the ladies of the Mahjong club? With too many suspects, only one small clue and few leads to follow up on, Ruth grows desperate to find answers. Her desperation grows as she finds herself under suspicion for the murder.
When Ruth discovers that a second death connected to the holiday home took place five years before, she is determined to discover a link. And to make things even more complicated, her neighbour and sidekick Doris disappears at the local farmer’s market.
A delightful Australian cozy mystery filled with quirky characters and unexpected twists, TOO BRIGHT FOR MURDER is the second book in Isobel Blackthorn’s Ruth Finlay Mysteries.
The second in the Ruth Finley Mysteries series, this book is a great example of what a cozy mystery should be. Delightful sleuths. An abundance of suspects. Humor. And a splash of danger. - NN Lights
“Quirky characters and unexpected twists.” – Amazon reviewer
"an amusing and twisty cozy mystery" - Amazon reviewer
When feature writer Ruth Finlay and her elderly neighbor Doris Cleaver visit an antique and collectibles market in the small town of Myrtle Bay, they get a lot more than they bargained for.
After Ruth’s old tennis coach is found dead, they discover that there’s no lack of people who harbor a grudge against the victim, and a tangled web of family ties and lies begins to unravel. But can Ruth and Doris find the killer in time to avert a second murder?
A quirky feel-good mystery laced with intrigue, Murder in Myrtle Bay is the first book in Isobel Blackthorn’s ‘Ruth Finlay Mysteries’ series. Set in small town Australia, it is a sure pick for any fan of classic whodunits and cozy mysteries!
“I absolutely adored this new accidental detective duo. ” – Ginger Book Geek
“A wonderful setting and wonderful characters!” – What Janey Reads
“engaging, humorous and charming” – Readers’ Favorite
Haunted by demons past and present, geologist Ann Salter seeks sanctuary on the exotic island of Lanzarote. There she meets charismatic author Richard Parry and indigenous potter Domingo, and together they explore the island.
Ann’s encounters with the island’s hidden treasures becomes a journey deep inside herself as she struggles to understand who she was, who she is, and who she wants to be.
“Isobel Blackthorn is a writer who has the skill of creating a scene that places you there. This is often something writers struggle with but not Isobel Blackthorn. As a reader I was not only there, I did not want to leave. I was engaged fully, feeling I could touch, see and smell the place and time.” Jennifer Douglas, Goodreads.
Loved it…. Great characterisations and descriptive work. Especially liked how Isobel Blackthorn explores Ann’s thoughts and emotions. Also, the mental pictures she conjures up of the Cuevas de Los Verdes are particularly authentic and effective. The device of flicking back and forth from present to past action is subtly and deftly handled, never jarring and always advanced the story without seeming extraneous or overdone. Really, well done!!” – Sandie Johnson.
“The Drago Tree is a beautifully crafted, exquisitely written novel brimming with grief and heartiness, pain and joy. Unputdownable from the get-go. The story has all that a good story should have: vibrant characters, a journey of a plot line, a twist at the end. The Drago Tree will take your heart.” -Jasmina Brankovich, writer, activist, social critic.
Seeking asylum from the wreckage of her life, Yvette Grimm arrives in Australia and overstays her holiday visa.
Desperate to carve a life for herself as an illegal British migrant, she invests her hopes in a palm-reader’s prophecy: she is to meet the father of her children before she’s thirty. But Yvette is already twenty-nine, and the quest takes her on a picaresque journey of self-discovery and transformation.
Set in Perth against the backdrop of Australia’s migrant history present and past, Nine Months of Summer is a moving, relevant and at times comical story of personal growth, purpose and coming of age.
“a rewarding read, rather like a meal when you savour every mouthful instead of gulping it down” – Ann Creber
”I am totally hooked and need more. I love it that you give us an English perspective to a subject matter that is so often associated with non-English speaking peoples.” Jasmin Ately (Canberra)
“I couldn’t put it down! You’re a very good writer, not that I’m an expert but I judge by whether a book grips me or I can take it or leave it. Yours gripped tight!” Margo Shaw (Scotland)
A lottery jackpot changes Claire Bennett’s life.
After she buys an ancient stone ruin on Fuerteventura - the island of her dreams - her mystic aunt Clarissa warns her of danger.
Claire pays no heed, but soon after she moves to the idyllic island, she is confronted by a mystery. As the sinister story of her home slowly uncovers, Claire enters a world of inexplicable events and ordeals.
Someone or something doesn't want her there. But what is really behind the events?
I'd recommend this for a wide variety audience. You need an interest or acceptance of paranormal activity, a curiosity about different cultures and the renovation process, and a love of a good story. Put all those things together and you've got a fantastic read that will show you something you probably haven't experienced -- I'm not sure many have met a ghost, to be honest, which makes this an even stronger concept to dive into. Kudos to the author for making it pop and draw me in. I will definitely read more from this author.
Blackthorn’s writing is best described as graceful and thoughtful. Beautiful details draw the reader into the story and soon you feel as if you are on the island with Claire. Blackthorn is meticulous in the way she unfolds the story, careful not to give things away, but always leaving the reader wanting more.
I love getting lost in a book that lets me feel like I’m a part of the journey. Clarissa’s Warning does just that. It’s one of those stories that make you think about the character long after you read the last page.
Shades of Barbara Michaels and Carol Goodman came to mind while reading this book, with characters well developed, including a hunky photographer who makes a most excellent love interest. The protagonist, Claire, is strong, and tho terrified at times while staying in her crumbling house, whose doors and furniture have minds of their own, she is determined to rebuild and live there and thus preserve the oft vanishing history around her. No weenie is Claire! Grab your blankie and vino and have a good evening sit with Claire, and I will nab some more of her books and read away.
From the acclaimed author of The Drago Tree comes a riveting thriller about survival, revenge and long-hidden secrets.
When local Lanzarote anti-corruption activist, Celestino, is T-boned on a lonely stretch of road, he knows the collision was no accident.
Wounded and fearing for his life, he hides in an abandoned fishing village, waiting for a chance to make it home. Meanwhile his wife, English expat Paula, is distraught. Her pursuit of answers is deflected when her neighbor, troublesome retiree Shirley Mobad, co-opts Paula on her escapades around the Canary Islands.
Paula’s search for her husband quickly descends into mayhem, danger and intrigue. Before long, she realizes she’s being followed. She needs answers, and fast.
But where is Celestino, and will he ever make it back alive?
"A Matter of Latitude simmers with danger, betrayal and treachery, drawing the reader into the island’s history of shady dealings and uneasy relationships between natives, tourists and expats... Isobel Blackthorn has crafted an atmospheric and setting-rich novel with alluring lyrical style." – Sandi Wallace
he mystery and intrigue are outstanding. Although it took me a bit to get used to Ms. Blackthorn’s writing style, once I was there the story seemed to bound off the pages and formed such a beautiful picture. The conclusion and the character growth were so perfectly executed. I recommend this book to those with a more mature love of mysteries.” – Jen, for Baroness’ Book Trove
What a wonderful tale the author has woven on what most people view as nothing more than an idyllic holiday destination in the Canary Islands. In this well-crafted mystery, we are gradually exposed to a far-reaching Web of corruption on the island of Lanzarote.
Librarian Heather Brown discovers the fascinating life of Alice Bailey – a long forgotten occultist.
Back in 1931, Alice is preparing to give a speech at a Swiss summer school. But how can she stave the tide of hatred and greed set to bring the world to its knees?
Soon after, Alice is put on Hitler’s blacklist. What she doesn’t realize is the enormity of her influence to the world, and the real enemies who are much closer than she thinks.
A dynamic and complex figure, Alice Bailey’s reach was huge. She was influential among people and organizations of global power, especially the United Nations, and is widely regarded as the Mother of the New Age.
Yet today she is maligned by fundamentalist Christians, Theosophists, Jews, academics and above all, by conspiracy theorists. Are any of these groups justified in rejecting the unlikely occultist?
“Blackthorn’s exploration of Alice Bailey’s life and work provides a unique and intimate insight into Bailey’s life and the times in which she lived. For anyone seeking to explore the roots of Bailey’s influence on the New Age movement as well as her unsought role as the bête noire of the conspiracy scene, there’s no better place to begin.” - Aaron John Gulyas, associate professor and author of Conspiracy Theories
If you haven't read Alice Bailey's unfinished autobiography, you can skip it and read this book instead. If you have read the autobiography and want to know more, this book helps finish Alice's story, and highlights the many ways in which Alice's work, both on her own and as the amanuensis for The Tibetan, continues to influence spirituality, psychology, astrology, healing modalities, consciousness studies, and many other aspects of modern thought. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The literature was stunningly written. Alice’s story and life were not easy. Raising three children alone after separating from her husband was truly delicately transcribed. What did exist was a blend of realness and fiction, which at times, made it inseparable.
At the dawn of World War Two, German-born nurse Emma Taylor sits by the bedside of a Jewish heiress in London as she reminisces over her dear friend, Oscar Wilde.
As the story of Wilde unravels, so does Emma’s past. What really happened to her husband?
She’s taken back to her days in Singapore on the eve of World War One. To her disappointing marriage to a British export agent, her struggle to fit into colonial life and the need to hide her true identity.
Emma is caught up in history, the highs, the lows, the adventures. A deadly mutiny, terrifying rice riots and a confrontation with the Ku Klux Klan bring home, for all migrants, the fragility of belonging.
“Emma’s Tapestry will make you think, reflect, and gain insight in ways you never expect.” – Tessa Talks
“absolutely beautifully written and immersive” – Jera’s Jamboree
“inspiring and engrossing” – Pickled Thoughts and Pinot
After millennial ghostwriter Trevor Moore rents an old farmhouse in Fuerteventura, he moves in to find his muse.
Instead, he discovers a rucksack filled with cash. Who does it belong to – and should he hand it in… or keep it?
Struggling to make up his mind, Trevor unravels the harrowing true story of a little-known concentration camp that incarcerated gay men in the 1950s and 60s.
“an excellent work of mystery fiction” – Readers’ Favorite
“beautiful and unique” – Jessica Belmont
“great storytelling” – Nurse Bookie
English psychic Clarissa Wilkinson is holidaying in the Canary Islands. Hoping to have an adventure, she boards a tour bus bound for Villa Winter, a secret Nazi base on the idyllic island of Fuerteventura.
Instead, she discovers a body in a chest and finds herself teamed up with hapless crime writer Richard Parry. What unfolds is an edge of seat mystery brimming with intrigue, as they try to unravel the clues together, and find the killer.
Setting rich with a colorful cast of characters, The Ghost of Villa Winter is a delightfully gripping read with plenty of twists and turns that will appeal to all good mystery lovers.
“Thoroughly engrossing and entertaining” – It’s Raining Books
“Classic Agatha Christie” – Joey Madia, New Mystic Reviews
“Packs a punch” – Chloe Elizabeth McCrea
Retired police officer Marjorie Pierce is on her way to Lanzarote to track down her old informer, Billy McKenzie. Billy ended Marjorie’s career, and she needs an explanation; an apology.
Present and past soon collide when gangsters Eric and Mick Maloney turn up on the island with revenge in their veins, and Marjorie has to race against the clock to get to Billy before the brothers.
But who is complicit and who can be trusted… and who really betrayed Marjorie all those years ago?
A multi-layered mystery packed with suspense, Sing Like A Canary is the fifth book in Isobel Blackthorn’s Canary Islands Mysteries Series, and can be enjoyed as a standalone even if you haven’t read other books in the series.
“A tremendous novel in an outstanding series” – Pete Adams
“Isobel Blackthorn has a huge range as a writer, an it’s used perfectly here” – Amazon reviewer
“so engrossing” – Amy’s Bookshelf