Jenny Kane: Coffee, cupcakes, chocolate and contemporary fiction / Jennifer Ash: Medieval crime with hints of Ellis Peters and Robin Hood

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Enjoying Misty Mornings at The Potting Shed

Misty Mornings at The Potting Shed is the third novel in #thepottingshed series.

Following on from the adventures of Maddie, Ed, Sabi, Jo, Jem, Sara, and the team at The Potting Shed garden centre, Misty Mornings sees the arrival of some brand new characters, a new café, and a face from Ed’s past…

Blurb

Don’t miss out on this lovely book by #1 Kindle bestselling author Jenny Kane.

Welcome back to The Potting Shed! As Maddie and Sabi re-open the doors of their family-run garden centre. Business is booming, and it’s time to give back to the community that has kept The Potting Shed afloat, by opening the Forget-Me-Not dementia café.

But, as the doors to the café open, Sabi is offered the chance of a lifetime, that could take her away from The Potting Shed for weeks, café manager Jo’s frail, elderly mother is taken ill, and Maddie’s partner, Ed, takes a job in a faraway city just when Maddie needs him more than ever. A new member of staff is desperately required – who will join Sara, Jo and Ivan as the busy autumn season fast approaches?

Available from Amazon UK, Amazon US, Kobo, Nook and Waterstones as an ebook or paperback.

You can also buy an audiobook of this story: Amazon UK, Amazon US.

(Although Misty Mornings is the third book in this series, it can be enjoyed as a standalone read.)

Here is an extract from the story – welcome Belle, a new friend to The Potting Shed.

Belle swept a swathe of deep purple curls from her face and glared into the mirror that hung in the hallway of her little home.

Smudging some concealer under her eyes, she re-examined her complexion.

‘I don’t know why you’re trying to hide those spots, Mum.’ Niall bounded down the stairs, his long thin legs, out of proportion to his short body, as if only half of him was having a growth spurt at once. ‘They’ll go on their own soon – that’s what you tell me about mine.’

‘That’s because you’re a teenager. You’re supposed to have spots. I’m thirty-five! Spots just make me feel old.’

Niall stood next to his mum and stared into the mirror. ‘Your skin’s so dark, they’re hardly visible. Now, if you were white, it’d look like mini satellite dishes had landed on your face.’

‘Thank you for that vote of confidence – not!’ Belle couldn’t help but chuckle at her eldest son’s teasing expression.

‘I was being nice!’

‘By telling me that the spots on my chin, which I saw as annoying, but small, are actually huge.’

‘Why are you trying to hide them anyway?’

‘I’ve got an interview on Monday. I was practising looking nice.’ Belle wrinkled her nose. ‘I’m not sure anyone will hire me to work with food if I have three volcanos on my face!’

Niall gave his mum a hug. ‘You’ll ace it. Every café needs a woman with bright purple hair.’

‘Do you think I should wash out the dye?’ Belle tugged at her mass of curls. ‘Or I could dye it black, or…’

‘Mum! I was joking. It suits you. Just put on your best tie-dye dungarees and you’ll be perfect.’

‘I’ll be wearing a pair of trousers and a shirt and jacket.’

‘Boring.’

‘Sensible.’ Belle left out a pent-up breath. ‘I’m panicking aren’t I.’

‘Just a bit.’ Niall sat on the stairs and glanced up at his mum through a mess of black curls. ‘Are you okay? I mean, do you need this job or just want it?’

‘Both.’ Belle smiled, hoping her eldest child wouldn’t notice the worry that was always in her eyes these days.

‘If you get the job and have to be at work while we’re at home, me and Milo will be okay.’

‘Budge up.’ Belle perched onto the stair next to Niall. ‘It’s obvious that that’s what’s bothering me, huh?’

‘That you’re worried about Milo – or about not being there for him – yeah.’

‘I worry about you too.’ Belle put an arm around Niall’s shoulder.

‘I know.’

Always conscious of inadvertently laying more responsibility on her older child than she meant to, Belle thought of Milo. He’d always been more of a handful than his brother and had taken the defection of their father three years ago hard, whereas Niall had seen it as a sad inevitability.

‘If I get the job, I won’t be home until almost five every day.’

‘I know.’

‘But what if…’

Niall got up and looked down at his mum. ‘I’ll make sure Milo gets home from school and does his homework.’

‘But you shouldn’t have to. You have your own…’

‘I don’t mind, Mum. Honestly.’…

As with many of my novels, serious subjects are covered as the characters go along. From the challenges of having relatives with dementia, to the practical difficulties of long distance relationships, Maddie and the gang face every day head on – while being determined to give something back to the community that has supported them while The Potting Shed grew from a small nursery, to the much larger affair it has become.

Obviously, I don’t want to give away any spoilers here – but I can promise the dogs (Florrie and Sheba) will be as much fun at the end of the novel as they are at the beginning. As If I’d kill the dogs! (Readers do email me asking me not too!).

If you’ve not read Frost Falls at The Potting Shed and Bluebell Season at The Potting Shed, you can catch up on the friends previous dramas via eBook, audiobook or paperback from all good retailers.

Happy reading,

Jenny x

 

Guinea pigs, a Robin Hood fan and a forthcoming wedding…

I thought I’d share a little of Romancing Robin Hood– my part romance/part medieval mystery novel.

Let’s meet Daisy and some of her many animals, just before her wedding day.

Romancing Robin Hood is a contemporary romance is based on the life of Dr Grace Harper, a medieval history lecturer with a major Robin Hood obsession. So much so, that instead of writing a textbook on medieval life, Grace is secretly writing a novella about a fourteenth century girl called Mathilda, who gets mixed up with a real outlaw family of the day, the Folvilles. As you read Grace’s story, you can read the medieval mystery she is writing alongside!

The problem is, Grace is so embroiled in her work and passion for outlaws, that real life is passing her by.

RH- E Flynn

Grace’s best friend Daisy is about to get married, and she can’t help wishing a similar happiness to her own for her Robin Hood loving friend…

Extract

…Daisy hadn’t grown up picturing herself floating down the aisle in an over-sequinned ivory frock, nor as a doting parent, looking after triplets and walking a black Labrador. So when, on an out-of-hours trip to the local vet’s surgery she’d met Marcus and discovered that love at first sight wasn’t a myth, it had knocked her for six.

She’d been on a late-night emergency dash to the surgery with an owl a neighbour had found injured in the road. Its wing had required a splint, and it was too big a job for only one pair of hands. Daisy had been more than a bit surprised when the locum vet had stirred some long-suppressed feeling of interest in her, and even more amazed when that feeling had been reciprocated.

It was all luck, sheer luck. Daisy had always believed that anyone meeting anybody was down to two people meeting at exactly the right place, at exactly the right time, while both feeling precisely the right amount of chemistry. The fact that any couples existed at all seemed to Daisy to be one of the greatest miracles of humanity.

She pictured Grace, tucked away in her mad little office only living in the twenty-first century on a part-time basis. Daisy had long since got used to the fact that her closest friend’s mind was more often than not placed firmly in the 1300s. Daisy wished Grace would finish her book. It had become such a part of her. Such an exclusive aim that nothing else seemed to matter very much. Even the job she used to love seemed to be a burden to her now, and Daisy sensed that Grace was beginning to resent the hours it took her away from her life’s work. Maybe if she could get her book over with – get it out of her system – then Grace would stop living in the wrong timeframe.

Daisy knew Grace appreciated that she never advised her to find a bloke, settle down, and live ‘happily ever after,’ and she was equally grateful Grace had never once suggested anything similar to her. Now she had Marcus, however, Daisy had begun to want the same contentment for her friend, and had to bite her tongue whenever they spoke on the phone; something that happened less and less these days.

Grace’s emails were getting shorter too. The long paragraphs detailing the woes of teaching students with an ever-decreasing intelligence had blunted down to, ‘You ok? I’m good. Writing sparse. See you soon. Bye G x’

The book. That in itself was a problem. Grace’s publishers and colleagues, Daisy knew, were expecting an academic tome. A textbook for future medievalists to ponder over in the university libraries of the world. And, in time, that was exactly what they were going to get, but not yet, for Grace had confided to Daisy that this wasn’t the only thing she was working on, and her textbook was coming a poor third place to work and the other book she couldn’t seem to stop herself from writing.

‘Why,’ Grace had forcefully expounded on their last meeting, ‘should I slog my guts out writing a book only a handful of bored students and obsessive freaks like myself will ever pick up, let alone read?’

As a result, Grace was writing a novel, ‘A semi-factual novel,’ she’d said, ‘a story which will tell any student what they need to know about the Folville family and their criminal activities – which bear a tremendous resemblance to the stories of a certain famous literary outlaw! – and hopefully promote interest in the subject for those who aren’t that into history without boring them to death.’

It sounded like a good idea to Daisy, but she also knew, as Grace did, that it was precisely the sort of book academics frowned upon, and she was worried about Grace’s determination to finish it. Daisy thought it would be more sensible to concentrate on one manuscript at a time, and get the dry epic that everyone was expecting out of the way first. Perhaps it would have been completed by now if Grace could focus on one project at a time, rather than it currently being a year in the preparation without a final result in sight. Daisy suspected Grace’s boss had no idea what she was really up to. After all, she was using the same lifetime of research for both manuscripts. She also had an underlying suspicion that subconsciously Grace didn’t want to finish either the textbook or the novel; that her friend was afraid to finish them. After all, what would she fill her hours with once they were done?

Daisy’s mobile began to play a tinny version of Nellie the Elephant. She hastily plopped a small black guinea pig, which she’d temporarily called Charcoal, into a run with his numerous friends, and fished her phone from her dungarees pocket.

‘Hi, Marcus.’

‘Hi honey, you OK?’

‘Just delivering the tribe to their outside quarters, then I’m off to face the horror that is dress shopping.’

Her future husband laughed, ‘You’ll be fine. You’re just a bit rusty, that’s all.’

‘Rusty! I haven’t owned a dress since I went to parties as a small child. Thirty-odd years ago!’

‘I don’t understand why you don’t go with Grace at the weekend. It would be easier together wouldn’t it?’

Daisy sighed, ‘I’d love to go with her, but I’ll never get her away from her work more than once this month, and I’ve yet to arrange a date for her to buy a bridesmaid outfit.’

‘Well, good luck, babe. I’m off to rob some bulls of their manhood.’

Daisy giggled, ‘Have fun. Oh, why did you call by the way?’

‘Just wanted to hear your voice, nothing else.’

‘Oh cute – ta.’

‘Idiot! Enjoy shopping.’

As she clicked her battered blue mobile shut and slid it back into her working clothes, Daisy thought of Grace again. Perhaps she should accidentally invite loads of single men to the wedding to tempt her friend with. The trouble was, unless they wore Lincoln Green, and carried a bow and quiver of arrows, Daisy very much doubted whether Grace would even notice they were there…

If that extract has whetted your appetite for more, Romancing Robin Hood is available in paperback, and e-formats from all good retailers- including…

Kindle –
(Available via KDP for those who subscribe)
Paperback-

 

Happy Readimg,

Jenny x

 

Opening Lines: Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange

As autumn is showing all the signs of being here to stay for a while, I thought I’d share the Opening Lines from Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange.

Blurb

At Mill Grange, the work – and the fun – never stops! As autumn brings coolness and colour, change is in the air for all at the manor…

Sam Philips’ time in the forces changed him forever. Supported by his friends, Sam is keen to help make beautiful Mill Grange a safe retreat for injured army personnel… but his crippling claustrophobia means Sam is living in a tent on the grounds! Enlisting the help of charming village stalwarts Bert and Mabel Hastings, Tina Martins is determined to find a way to help him conquer his fears. But why does she feel like he is keeping a secret?

After discovering evidence of a Roman fortlet on the manor’s grounds, Thea Thomas is thrilled at the chance to return to her archaeological roots and lead the excavation. She spent the summer with handsome celebrity archaeologist Shaun Cowlson – but now he’s off filming his Landscape Treasures show in Cornwall, and Thea can’t help but miss his company. Especially as someone else is vying for his attention…

Welcome back to Mill Grange and the beautiful village of Upwich, full of larger-than-life characters you can’t  help but adore.

(Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange follows on from Midsummer Dreams at Mill Grange, and is followed by Spring Blossoms at Mill Grange and Winter Fires at Mill Grange. It can also be read as a standalone novel.)

Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange

First 500 words

Prologue

September 1st

Rolling onto his side, Sam unfolded the letter he’d hidden inside his pillowcase. It was the third time he’d woken that night, and the third time he’d reached for the pale blue Basildon Bond envelope. He held it against his nose. The scent of his mother’s White Satin perfume was beginning to fade.

This was the fourth letter to arrive from Malvern House in the last month. One a week.

He had no idea how his mother had found out where he was living, nor why she wanted to see him after so long.

The letters, almost identical each time, said very little. Just that she and his father would love him to visit if he felt up to it. Sam groaned. ‘If he felt up to it’ was his mother’s way of asking if the debilitating claustrophobia he’d developed while serving in the forces had magically gone away.

As he slid the letter into its envelope, Sam’s gaze dropped from the tent’s canvas roof to Tina’s sleeping body.

The past was the past. He had a future now. He had no intention of looking back.

Chapter One

September 1st

‘Take pity on an old man, lass.’

Bert fluttered his grey eyelashes as he helped Tina carry a large cardboard box full of tea, coffee, milk and biscuits from her car into Mill Grange’s kitchen. ‘I love Mabel to pieces, but she is driving me mad.’

Tina laughed. ‘But it’s only been two months since the restoration project came to an end. Doesn’t Mabel have heaps of committee work to do? She runs every social club this side of Exmoor.’

As he placed the box on the oak table that dominated the manor’s kitchen, Bert’s eyes lost their usual optimistic shine. ‘Since Mill Grange was sold Mabel’s been so aimless. She led the volunteer restorers here for over five years and now that’s over…’

‘Mabel doesn’t mind Sam owning this place, does she?’

‘Not for a minute. For a little while it was all she could talk about. She’s that proud of your young man for buying the very thing that frightens him. For taking his fear of being inside by the scruff of the neck and buying a house to be enjoyed by other people.’

Tina put her box of groceries on the side and laid a hand on Bert’s shoulder. ‘I’ll talk to Sam. There must be something Mabel could do around here.’ She played with her pigtails as she thought. ‘I’m not sure we can afford to pay her yet though.’

‘You wouldn’t have to. Making her feel part of the team again is all I’m asking for.’ Bert’s smile returned to his eyes. ‘How’s it going here anyway? Sam getting into the house at all, or is he still overseeing things from that screen thing outside?’

‘He hasn’t been inside the manor since he bought it.’ Tina focused her attention on emptying the boxes of biscuits ready for Mill Grange’s first visitors, hiding her…

Available as an ebook from NookKobo, as well as on Kindle and in paperback from Amazon UK and Amazon US and all good retailers.

 

Happy autumnal reading everyone,

Jenny xx

Sneaky Peek: The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and a Mystery at Sea

The third Fish and Chip Shop Detective novel is out tomorrow!

To whet your appetite, I’m sharing an exclusive extract from The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and a Mystery at Sea.

Blurb

Get ready to join the Fish and Chip Shop Detectives as they set sail on their latest investigation…

In the picturesque Cornish seaside village of Mousehole, Maggie and Ryan are busy running Robbins’ Fish and Chip Shop. They love nothing more than a cup of tea, a nice slice of cake… and solving a murder mystery.
But Maggie and Ryan weren’t expecting to find a dead body in the castle on St Michael’s Mount, a famous island known for its causeway that disappears under water at high tide.

Already searching for a local youth, Mitch, who’s been missing for three weeks, Maggie and Ryan fear the worst. Then when a fishing boat is stolen, the detectives begin to suspect that all three mysterious events are somehow connected…

Has Mitch found himself in at the deep end? And can the amateur sleuths solve their latest case before the truth is left out at sea?

Don’t miss book 3 in the Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency Series, perfect for fans of Fiona Leitch and Peter Boland – available to pre-order now!

The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and a Mystery at Sea

EXTRACT: (From Chapter Two)

‘Linda.’ Maggie got to her feet. ‘Can we get you a drink?’ ‘A hot chocolate would be lovely. Thank you.’

‘I’ll fetch it.’ Ryan stood up. ‘Cream and marshmallows?’ ‘Just plain, please.’

Maggie noticed their client’s hunched shoulders and bowed head as she sank onto the bench. ‘I’m assuming you’ve not heard from your nephew?’

‘Nothing.’ Linda looked up. ‘I hope I’m worrying over nothing, but I’ve got this feeling I can’t shake. Something is wrong.’

‘Feelings like that should never be ignored.’

‘That’s what I thought. If I did nothing, and Mitch was in trouble …’

‘You’d never forgive yourself.’ Maggie nodded sympa-thetically.

‘James, my brother and Mitch’s dad, thinks I’m fussing because my husband is dead and not around to annoy.’

‘That’s a bit harsh.’

‘His wife Angela walked out on him and Mitch five years ago. It hit James hard.’ Linda looked drawn. ‘He never used to say such cruel things. I try to cut him some slack, but sometimes …’

As Ryan returned, a mug of hot chocolate in hand, Maggie opened her notebook. ‘We’ll do everything we can to find Mitch, but we can’t promise success.’

‘I appreciate your candour.’ Linda placed her palms on the table. ‘What would you like to know first?’

‘Let’s start with the basics.’ Maggie removed the lid from her pen. ‘Mitch’s full name, age and address.’

‘Mitchell Ashley. He’s nineteen, and he lives with his father at 9 Alma Road, Penzance.’

As Maggie wrote down Linda’s responses, Ryan took over the questioning. ‘Is he working or at college? University?’

‘Unemployed. Failed his A levels last year.’ Linda wiped the back of her hand over her eyes. ‘Mitch always did okay at school. He’s practical rather than academic, but he still got eight GCSEs – all Cs. He was disappointed not to get a few Bs, but I remember saying the Cs stood for consistent. Cheered him up … that’s when he decided to stay on at school to do A levels in the sixth form.’

‘He went to the local academy?’ When Linda nodded, Maggie ventured, ‘You mentioned his mum left five years ago.’ ‘Things had been bad between Angela and James for a while, but they kept trying for Mitch’s sake. I’ll be the first to admit that James is not always easy to be around. One day

Angela just upped and left. Without Mitch.’ ‘Do you know why she left him behind?’

‘I don’t, Maggie. Maybe she just wanted a clean break. Or she may have thought it was best for Mitch to have a stable home with his GCSEs coming up.’

‘But to leave your teenage son …’ Ryan left his sentence hanging in the air. ‘Can I ask what you meant when you said James isn’t easy to be around?’

‘Short temper. Not good at holding down a job. Consequently, money’s always tight. I did wonder if Angela’d found someone easier to live with – but I’ve no evidence of that.’

‘What does James think?’

‘He’s too angry to think. My brother has never come to terms with his wife leaving him. In his heart, I’m sure he knows he treated her badly – I can’t decide if he’s broken-hearted or simply furious with her or himself, or both.’ Linda let out a heavy sigh. ‘James started to drink too much as well, making him even more morose. And alcohol tends to inflame his temper further.’

‘I see.’ Maggie found herself wondering if Mitch had gone away to escape his father’s ire.

Changing the direction of the interview, Ryan asked, ‘What does Mitch look like?’

‘Short ginger hair, sprinkle of freckles. Here.’ Linda opened her phone. ‘I’ve got a picture. I’ll WhatsApp it over.’ Maggie and Ryan found themselves looking at a boy who was entirely average. Average height, average appearance, average clothing – black jeans and white T-shirt. His only distinctive feature was his red hair.

‘Is there anything else about him we should know? Regional accent? Left-handed? Only ever wears Nikes? That sort of thing?’

Linda shook her head at Ryan. ‘Sounds local, no handy limp or anything, right-handed and he wears New Balance trainers; like almost everyone else these days.’

Ryan glanced down at his own feet, encased in black New Balances. ‘Could we have his telephone number and email address? You never know, he might answer if he doesn’t recognise the number.’

Linda took the pen Maggie offered her and jotted them down in her notebook. ‘You think he might be avoiding family, rather than having gone missing.’

‘It’s an angle we should consider. It’s possible he just needed a break from his dad.’

‘To be honest, that’s what James thinks. But why hide from me? We’re close – at least, I thought we were.’ Holding her hot chocolate to her chest, Linda went on, ‘When Angela left, Mitch tried hard. I suppose he felt he had to, in case his dad left him too. He threw himself into his studies, was helpful, and – if I’m honest – Mitch was the one James relied on, not the other way around. And that was as big a prob-lem as his mum deserting him – although James can’t, or won’t, see that. Mitch gradually became resentful of being the only one who did the cooking and cleaning. But, over the last six months, Mitch simply stopped trying. At home and at school. While he and I remained close, Mitch and James drifted apart. They’re like people in a house-share rather than father and son.’

Maggie jotted down a few more notes. ‘When did you last see Mitch?’

‘Almost three weeks ago. I was trying to get them to talk without arguing, so I invited Mitch and James over for a barbecue on Bank Holiday Monday. I was amazed they came, to be honest.’

Ryan opened his phone’s calendar. ‘That would have been the twenty-fifth of August.’

‘That’s right.’

‘Who else was there?’

‘Just James, Mitch, me – and Bryn of course.’ Linda smiled as she mentioned her son’s name. ‘It was nice. A bit strained sometimes between James and Mitch, but there were no fights or anything.’

‘And when was the last time Bryn saw him?’

‘Same time as I did. Mitch and James left our house together at around seven that evening.’ Linda took a sip of her drink. ‘James, however, last saw Mitch on Saturday the sixth of September. He dropped Mitch off near Penzance railway station at about eight in the evening, after they’d been to the supermarket.’

Maggie glanced at the date on her phone. ‘It’s the fourteenth today, so that’s a total of eight days since a family member has seen him. Any phone or email contact since then?’

‘Nothing. He told his dad he was off for a drink with his mates, but Mitch only has one friend that we know of. A lad known as Zip.’

‘Zip?’ Maggie frowned. ‘And his real name?’ ….

Pre-release Reviews

‘Another great light detective story in the Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency series.’  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This the third book in the Fish and Chip Shop Detectives series and it was just as enjoyable as the first two… This mystery was a fun challenge to figure out and I really enjoyed solving it alongside our detectives!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A perfect blend of suspense, humour, and heart. The clues were cleverly placed, and the ending was both surprising and satisfying. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Available from all good retailers, including:

Amazon UK

Amazon.com

Kobo

Hodder & Stoughton

Waterstones 

Happy reading,

Jenny x

A little sip from Another Cup of Coffee

Today I’m sharing a short extract from my very first #romcom, Another Cup of Coffee 

Written long before the BBC drama Mix Tape, this novel takes you into the world of Amy and her friends – and all because of a long forgotten mix tape…

Another Cup of Coffee Blurb

Thirteen years ago Amy Crane ran away from everyone and everything she knew, ending up in an unfamiliar city with no obvious past and no idea of her future. Now, though, that past has just arrived on her doorstep, in the shape of an old music cassette that Amy hasn’t seen since she was at university.

Digging out her long-neglected Walkman, Amy listens to the lyrics that soundtracked her student days. As long-buried memories are wrenched from the places in her mind where she’s kept them safely locked away for over a decade, Amy is suddenly tired of hiding.

It’s time to confront everything about her life. Time to find all the friends she left behind in England, when her heart got broken and the life she was building for herself was shattered. Time to make sense of all the feelings she’s been bottling up for all this time. And most of all, it’s time to discover why Jack has sent her tape back to her now, after all these years…

With her mantra, New life, New job, New home, playing on a continuous loop in her head, Amy gears herself up with yet another bucket-sized cup of coffee, as she goes forth to lay the ghost of first love to rest…

***

Here’s a little sip of Another Cup of Coffee…

Taking refuge in the kitchen, Amy placed her palms firmly onto the cool, tiled work surface, and took a couple of deep yet shaky breaths. Forcing her brain to slip back into action, she retrieved a bottle of white wine from the fridge, poured a large glassful and, squaring her shoulders, carried it through to the living room.

Perching on the edge of her sofa, her throat dry, Amy stared suspiciously at the tape for a second, before daring to pick it up and click open its stiff plastic box. Two minutes later, her hands still shaking, she closed it again with a sharp bang, and drank some wine. It took a further five minutes to gather the courage to re-open the case and place the tape into the dusty cassette compartment of her ancient stereo system. It must have been years since she’d seen a cassette, she thought, let alone listened to one. She wasn’t even sure the stereo still worked …

Swallowing another great gulp of alcohol, Amy closed her eyes and pressed Play, not at all sure she wanted to take this trip back in time …

 

Another Cup of Coffee is available from all good book retailers, including-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Another-Cup-Coffee-ebook/dp/B07ZJLKXV7/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Another+Cup+of+Coffee+Jenny+KAne&qid=1575632954&sr=8-1

Amazon.com: Another Cup Of Coffee: a heart-warming and irresistible romance that will put a smile on your face (The Another Cup Series Book 1) eBook : Kane, Jenny: Kindle Store

Kobo: Another Cup Of Coffee eBook by Jenny Kane – EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United Kingdom

(Please note that the paperback and kindle editions of the novel have different covers – the picture above shows the kindle cover.)

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny xx

ONE MONTH TO GO: A Mystery at Sea

The clock is ticking down towards the release of the third book in The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives.

The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and a Mystery at Sea

Get ready to join the Fish and Chip Shop Detectives as they set sail on their latest investigation…

In the picturesque Cornish seaside village of Mousehole, Maggie and Ryan are busy running Robbins’ Fish and Chip Shop. They love nothing more than a cup of tea, a nice slice of cake… and solving a murder mystery.
But Maggie and Ryan weren’t expecting to find a dead body in the castle on St Michael’s Mount, a famous island known for its causeway that disappears under water at high tide.

Already searching for a local youth, Mitch, who’s been missing for three weeks, Maggie and Ryan fear the worst. Then when a fishing boat is stolen, the detectives begin to suspect that all three mysterious events are somehow connected…

Has Mitch found himself in at the deep end? And can the amateur sleuths solve their latest case before the truth is left out at sea?

Published on 3rd Sept 2026: Don’t miss book 3 in the Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency Series, perfect for fans of Fiona Leitch and Peter Boland – available to pre-order now!

***

Pre-release Reviews

‘Another great light detective story in the Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency series.’  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This the third book in the Fish and Chip Shop Detectives series and it was just as enjoyable as the first two… This mystery was a fun challenge to figure out and I really enjoyed solving it alongside our detectives!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A perfect blend of suspense, humour, and heart. The clues were cleverly placed, and the ending was both surprising and satisfying. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pre-order from all good retailers, including:

Amazon UK

Amazon.com

Kobo

Hodder & Stoughton

Waterstones

Cornwall-ing 1

I’ve just returned from a mini tour of Cornwall – at least, the part that follows the road from Okehampton in Devon, all the way down to Penzance and Mousehole.

Part writing retreat, part literary festival and library talk and part research trip – this 8 days odyssey has been tremendous fun (apart from my backache due to issues from 3 slipped discs – how joyous it is to be in your mid-fifties!)

The first part of the trip was very writing focused. Four nights in a flat in Liskeard. Not a place know for tourists – and, sadly, it has certainly seen better days – however, it was perfect for what myself, and my travel companion, P.J. Reed, needed for this leg of the adventure. The aim was to write – and that is what we did.

I had set myself to aim of reaching the 80,000 word mark of the fourth novel in my cosy crime series: The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives.

Meanwhile, Pam was busy working on her latest play.

We told ourselves that, if we reached our goals we could have a few treats – and we did just that. After all, all work and no play…

On Sunday afternoon we took ourselves exploring. First we visited the amazing Restmorel Castle. Run by English Heritage, this fascinating place had somehow passed me by before. It was fascinating – and gave both Pam and myself a chance to let out our inner historians. It was a joy to walk around such a magical place with a fellow castle lover.

Then, it was on to the National Trust’s Lanhydrock House. We’d both been to the house a few times before, so we we just hit the coffee shop and gardens. The heat was intense, as you can imagine, but it was worth braving the elements, as the flowers were utterly stunning.

On Monday, having worked very hard all morning, we took ourselves for a late lunch at a nearby farm shop, and then had a wander on Bodmin Moor, where we came across a stunning tin mine.

On Tuesday, having made my back worse by picking up a random sock, and after reaching the 81,000 words point of Book 4 of my cosy crime series, I waved goodbye to Pam and headed off to Newlyn and on to the Penzance Literary Festival, where lovely people, more  heat, and lots of painkillers awaited me…

 

 

 

 

A Tiny Taster: A Cornish Wedding

As I’m in Cornwall this week, getting ready to teach at the Penzance Literary Festival, and to speak about my latest #cosycrime series at Penzance Library, I thought it would be nice to  share a ‘Tiny Taster’ from one of my earlier, Cornwall based, novels: A Cornish Wedding 

Sequel to A Cornish Escape, this feel good romance returns you to the world of Abi, Max, Beth and Stan in sunny Sennen Cove.

(Previously published as Abi’s Neighbour)

Blurb

Perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley, Heidi Swain and Milly Johnson, A Cornish Wedding is the best kind of summer escape.

Abi has what she’s always dreamed of: her perfect Cornish cottage, great friends and a gorgeous boyfriend. But her idyll is shattered when a new neighbour moves in next door.

Rude and obnoxious, Cassandra doesn’t make a good first impression on Abi. But with the unexpected wedding of one of Abi’s friends to prepare for, Abi has bigger things to worry about.

However, avoiding her new neighbour proves harder than expected and Abi and Cassandra soon realise they might have more in common than they first thought. . .

But with the wedding only weeks away, can they set aside their differences before the big day?

Sennen Cove

Here’s a Tiny Taster…

Cassandra stared at the ‘For Sale’ sign in the front garden. A fresh slogan had been pasted proudly across it, proclaiming Another House Sold!

She frowned. The estate agents must have made a mistake. Justin had talked about renting the cottage, this poky little two-bed terrace in some Cornish backwater, but he’d never once suggested buying it.

Sitting on the low stone wall that ran in front of the row of cottages, with her back to the sold sign, she let out a string of vehemently whispered expletives. Resisting the temptation to throw a pebble at the seagulls which were squawking their hearts out on the roof behind her, she steadied her breathing, like she did when faced with a particularly demanding client.

Shrugging off her suit jacket in deference to the early summer sunshine that poured from a cloud-free sky, Cassandra tried to focus, but doubts continued to assail her. She hadn’t misunderstood Justin, had she?

They’d been laughing over the breakfast table at one of the most exclusive hotels in London when the subject of Cornwall had first come up. Making plans for their future life together, they’d celebrated in grand style the fact that Justin had, after six years of secret trysts and stolen nights together, decided to leave his wife; the dreadful Jacinta.

Excitedly they’d plotted and planned over plates of eggs Benedict and smoked salmon, raising their glasses of Buck’s Fizz to Justin’s promotion to senior partner at the law firm. A promotion which meant that, providing they merged their finances, Justin could afford to get a divorce without being catapulted into penury.

There was only one snag…

If you’d like to read A Cornish Wedding, you can buy it as a paperback or eBook from all good retailers, including

Universal link – mybook.to/CornishWedding
My festival workshop is fully booked, but if you’d like to come along and see me at Penzance Library – I will be there on Thursday, 9th July, from 2-3pm.
This is a FREE event, but it would be appreciated if you’d register your intension to attend, by booking a seat here: Jenny Kane Joins the Library Tickets, Thursday, July 9  •  2 PM – 3 PM | Eventbrite
Hope to see you soon!

Happy reading everyone.

Jenny xx

99p/99c DEAL: The Fish & Chip Shop Detective and The Campervan Murder

For the entire month of July, you can buy the kindle version of The Fish & Chip Shop Detective and The Campervan Murder for ONLY 99p or 99c on Amazon!

BLURB

🎣It’s been a busy summer for the Fish and Chip Shop Detectives as they get drawn into their next investigation, hook, line and sinker… 🎣

The bustling streets of Mousehole are home to Robbins’ Fish and Chip Shop, where Maggie and Ryan dish up the best fried goods Cornwall has to offer – and solve a crime or two.

When a villager is found dead, Maggie and Ryan rapidly find themselves deep in a new mystery.

But as the case unfolds, it becomes clear that something strange is simmering beneath Mousehole’s serene surface. The enigmatic owner of the chip shop, Mr Robbins, is nowhere to be found. And when Maggie and Ryan search his campervan home, they find it already unlocked and completely ransacked…

Where is Mr Robbins? Is his disappearance linked to the murder? As the fish and chip shop detectives face a boatload of questions, can they catch the killer before someone winds up dead?

Don’t miss the next instalment in the Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency Series, perfect for fans of Peter Boland and Clare Chase!

Readers are obsessed with The Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency Series:
‘An instant must-read series’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Well this was simply fantastic. It was everything I was looking for in a small town cozy murder mystery’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Had me hooked from the first page’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Truly addictive’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Book 2 can be read as a standalone story, if you don’t wish to read The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives first.

You can grab your kindle bargain here:

UK

The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and the Campervan Murder: An utterly charming and addictive cozy crime British mystery (The Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency Book 2) eBook : Kane, Jenny: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

USA

Amazon.com: Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency series – Book 2: A brand-new and utterly addictive cozy crime British mystery: 9781399754521: Kane, Jenny: Books

COVER & BLURB REVEAL: The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and a Mystery at Sea

I’m delighted to be able to announce that the third in my latest #cosycrime series will be published on 3rd September!

Hot of the heels of The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and The Campervan Murder – Maggie and Ryan have put down their salt and vinegar and picked up their magnifying glasses once again. This time they are looking for a missing teenager, which leads them to a mystery out at sea.

Blurb

Get ready to join the Fish and Chip Shop Detectives as they set sail on their latest investigation…

In the picturesque Cornish seaside village of Mousehole, Maggie and Ryan are busy running Robbins’ Fish and Chip Shop. They love nothing more than a cup of tea, a nice slice of cake… and solving a murder mystery.

But Maggie and Ryan weren’t expecting to find a dead body in the castle on St Michael’s Mount, a famous island known for its causeway that disappears under water at high tide.

Already searching for a local youth, Mitch, who’s been missing for three weeks, Maggie and Ryan fear the worst. Then when a fishing boat is stolen, the detectives begin to suspect that all three mysterious events are somehow connected…

Has Mitch found himself in at the deep end? And can the amateur sleuths solve their latest case before the truth is left out at sea?

Don’t miss book 3 in the Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency Series, perfect for fans of Fiona Leitch and Peter Boland – available to pre-order now!

Praise for the Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency series:
‘Well this was simply fantastic. It was everything I was looking for in a small town cozy murder mystery’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Had me hooked from the first page’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Quirky, heartfelt, exciting, sad, shocking… an absolutely brilliant start to a new series’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘An absolute treat for cozy mystery fans! The setting was atmospheric, the mystery intriguing, and the ending tied everything up beautifully’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I LOVED this book. It’s clever, fun and a great cozy’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A brilliant series starter, one of the best I’ve read in a long while’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

You can read the books in this series as standalones or in series order.

More news about novel no. 3 soon – in the meantime, you can preorder from all bookshops and online retailers, including:

Amazon.co.uk – The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and a Mystery at Sea: An utterly addictive and delightfully cozy British murder mystery (The Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency Book 3) eBook : Kane, Jenny: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

Amazon.com – Amazon.com: The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and a Mystery at Sea: An utterly addictive and delightfully cozy British murder mystery (The Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency) eBook : Kane, Jenny: Books 

Waterstones – The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and a Mystery at Sea by Jenny Kane | Waterstones

Kobo: “The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and a Mystery at Sea (Jenny Kane)” | eBooks and Audiobooks Search Results | Rakuten Kobo United Kingdom Showing 1 – 4 of 4 Results

Hodder: The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and a Mystery at Sea by Jenny Kane | Hachette UK

Happy pre-ordering

Jenny x

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