One of the many things I didn’t know existed when I started on my publishing journey was the Book Blog Tour. Instead of going on tour around the country, you send your book ‘on tour’ around the book blogs.
The Unlawful Things blog tour had 13 stops, with book-lovers around the country agreeing to post a review, extract or feature about the book. It was exciting to see the reaction of these amazing people, who all read a huge amount and post reviews on dozens of books each year. Book bloggers, unlike some social media ‘influencers’, are unpaid and truly independent. They get a review copy of the book, and are free to write whatever they want in their review – so I was also a little nervous. Would these expert readers like Unlawful Things?
They did. “It is definitely five stars from me for this one, a fully action packed thriller with plenty of content, fantastic characters and a great story line – very highly recommended!” said Donna of Donna’s Book Blog. “The great prologue has you hooked from the off……What then follows is a gripping tale of history, religion, conspiracies and a little romance,” said The Bookwormery. “A thriller with an academic twist, this is a unique book dominated by some serious historical research,” reported Northern Reader. Book After Book called it “suspenseful, atmospheric, and gripping” while Stacy Is Reading said: “Unlawful Things is a fascinating feast for the imagination and a true success on every level.”
Rachael Read It was one of several bloggers who hoped to hear more of Helen Oddfellow. “’Unlawful Things’ heralds the arrival of a heroine and literary sleuth who stays with you long after the last page,” she said, while Bookmark That declared: “Helen Oddfellow is my new favourite person.” The Book Drealms said “There was a depth of character built up as the story progressed which really endeared [Helen] to me.” Shelf of Unread Books, on the other hand, enthused about the “brilliantly, terrifyingly realised” villains.
Wrong Side of Forty declared it “an exciting, knowledgable and engrossing read”, while Jaffa Reads Too wrote: “Helen’s determined quest to discover the truth allows the story to look more closely into the tangled history of Christopher Marlowe, a fascinating subject in himself, but which also combines a really dark historical mystery, with a modern day fast action thriller.”
My thanks to everyone who took the trouble to read and review the book. It makes all the difference.
