Travels With Tracy by Andrew Pettifer #TravelsWithTracy @andrewpettifer @RandomTTours #BookExtract

 

Where do you want to go? What do you want to see? Who do you want to meet? These were the questions that were on Andrew Pettifer and his wife Tracy’s minds when creating a bucket list for their midlife gap year one warm, summer evening, a glass of wine in hand, a notes app open in the other.

Andrew’s second book, Travels with Tracy: Tales from a Midlife Gap Year, is not your typical travel memoir. With successful careers behind them, supportive families and a lifetime of hard work up their sleeves, Andrew and Tracy decided to pack up their lives and embark on a richly diverse two-year journey across four continents, and every state in Australia.

From exploring the outback in an RV to five-star hotels and open-top sports cars, their journey unfolds with a variety of experiences most can only imagine. Brimming with unforgettable adventures and encounters with remarkable people, Andrew takes readers from the Shibuya crossing and earthquakes in Tokyo to the Louvre and the Olympics in Paris, then all the way to the Amazonian rainforest and the breathtaking Galápagos Islands.

Closer to home, he braves the Alps 2 Ocean trail in stunning New Zealand and discovers the wonder of crossing the Nullarbor while playing the world’s longest golf course. As their travels unfold, Andrew and Tracy begin to ponder what makes life important, think deeply about what makes us who we are, and together come to understand life’s ultimate question – who do you want to be?

In Travels with Tracy, Andrew’s thoughtful search for truth and identity – delivered with wit and a fast pace – will inspire you to box up your life and dive headfirst into an adventure of your own.

Travels With Tracy : Tales From a Midlife Gap Year by Andrew Pettifer was published on 1 September. by Hembury Books. 
As part of this #RandomThingsTours Blog Tour I am delighted to share an extract from the book with you today. 

Extract from Travels With Tracy by Andrew Pettifer 

Around the time that it opened in May 2022, I read an article about ABBA Voyage, a new show that uses computer generated avatars to perform a concert. Or, in this case, what they call ‘ABBAtars’. Producers wanting to cash in on the group’s ongoing popularity hounded the real Abba band members for years, wanting to organise a world tour, but they refused. Some very smart people then developed a new technology and pitched the idea of a lifelike virtual concert that would eliminate the band’s need to tour. They only needed to wear sensors and perform the concert in the studio a few times, enabling the computers to map their body movements to the music. 

We entered the darkened arena about ten minutes before the advertised start time and found it much like any other music venue in the lead up to a concert. Seventies pop music entertained the crowd. The large mosh pit was already heaving at the front as people gathered close to the stage, keen to get close to their idols. That those idols were back in Sweden, no doubt relaxing in their pine saunas enhanced by the aroma of essential oils, seemed to have escaped these fans’ attention. Maybe they hadn’t read the small print. 

Our seats were in the top row of the lower tier, about 15 rows back from the mosh pit floor. Behind us, a walkway wrapped around the venue in front of an upper tier which extended to the roof. To the left of the stage a band was warming up, as far as I could tell these were real actual people, of the flesh and bones variety. The atmosphere, in the sense of the prevailing mood, was one of excitement. In the sense of the air we were breathing, it was less engaging, containing the undeniable hint of body odour. 

It was time for the show to begin. One by one, our heroes walked onto the stage, waving to the crowd. Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny and Anni-Frid were in our presence. Kind of. The technology, it has to be said, was mind blowing. The only way we knew this was not actually Abba on the stage was that they still looked as they had done in their pomp. Unless the clever people who came up with this entire event had also invented a time machine, this could not be real people, however much they looked like them. Not seeming too bothered one way or the other, the assembled 3,000 instantly suspended belief and bought into the notion that they were at an Abba concert, circa 1977. Well, nearly all of them did.

I turned to Tracy, to share this moment of wonderment, and was met by a furrowed brow.

“This is weird,” she said, looking around at the crowd as the ABBAtars started to sing, accompanied by the crowd. “Everyone seems to have lost their minds.”

“Just go with it. Forget they’re not actually human and enjoy the show,” I said.

“But it’s so weird,” Tracy said. “It’s freaking me out. It's a deep fake deception presented as entertainment.”

They say pop music is the soundtrack to our lives and Abba’s heyday coincided with my teenage years. It was a stage of life I loved; enjoying school, sport and girls, not necessarily in that order. My favourite band was The Jam, who were high on the cool quotient, but secretly I also loved Abba, who weren’t. 

Unlike Tracy, I could put aside the undeniable weirdness of the whole experience and engage in two of my favourite activities; singing and dancing. The former I have got away with on the occasions that I have been persuaded, or was sufficiently inebriated, to take to the karaoke microphone. My dancing, on the other hand, is distinctly of the dad variety. So singing and dancing to Abba, flesh and bones or illusory pixels, I didn’t mind. It was just great fun to be reminded of the carefree days of my teenage years. I sang along to my heart’s content. 

The show continued, the apparently real people in the band playing support to the virtual stars of the show. At times the production fell back on video, presumably to give the ABBAtars the opportunity for a virtual toilet break. Inevitably, the show reached a crescendo with the rendition of Dancing Queen. Even avatars like to be encouraged to do an encore, it seemed, so we all cheered and stamped our feet until they reappeared for a communal singing of The Winner Takes it All. The winner in this case being the people who came up with this idea, no doubt raking in the profits.

As the crowd waited to see whether a second encore would be forthcoming, something wonderful happened. The real Abba came onto the stage. Not the 1977 version but the elegant, but undeniably aged, 2023 version. Thanking everyone for coming and waving to the crowd for the last time, they sauntered back off the stage.

“Isn’t that amazing,” I said to Tracy, “they actually turned up to thank us after all.”

Tracy looked at me, hesitating momentarily before the undeniable truth came to both of us. ABBAtars can be whatever age the producers want them to be.

As we left the venue to walk back to our hotel, we shared our views on the show.

“The technology was unbelievable,” was my verdict. “Such a good show.”

“Just weird,” said Tracy.

Andrew Pettifer is a British–Australian author whose work explores the quirks of the human condition, the joys of travel, and a lifelong devotion to Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.

Born and raised in London, Andrew enjoyed a 35-year career as a chartered building services engineer, holding senior roles with global firms Arup and Mott MacDonald after relocating to Sydney in 2007. Throughout his working life, he cultivated an interest in leadership, human behaviour and storytelling. He has written extensively for the engineering industry, with articles published in The Fifth Estate and the CIBSE Journal.

In 2023, Andrew retired to pursue his passion for travel, sport and writing. With career ambitions fulfilled and a shared desire to live life to the full, he embarked on a midlife gap year with his wife Tracy that took them across four continents and every state in Australia. These journeys – filled with humour, insight and a fascination for people and places – inspired his upcoming travel memoir Travels with Tracy. 

Andrew’s first book, When the Final Whistle Blows, is a deeply personal chronicle of the 2024/25 Spurs season under Ange Postecoglou, and a heartfelt tribute to Cameron Whyte, former leader of the Sydney OzSpurs and a warrior in his fight against cancer. Both books will be published by Hembury Books in 2025.

Andrew’s writing invites readers to reflect on their own stories, embrace new adventures at any age, and find meaning in life’s unpredictability. With a talent for finding humour in everyday moments, he shares tales of reinvention and resilience – and the emotional rollercoaster of following Tottenham Hotspur for over sixty years.

andrewpettifer.com

His Truth Her Truth by Noelle Holten #HisTruthHerTruth @nholten40 @0neMoreChapter_ @noelleholten.bsky.social @harpercollins.bsky.social #BookReview

 

An anonymous call raises the alarm. Two bodies found as a result of a home invasion. Then the police see the knives.

One in his hand.

One in hers.

Joe and Beth appeared to have the perfect relationship. But there are two sides to every story.

His truth. Her truth. And the actual truth.

In this web of lies, only one person can be telling the truth, can’t they?

His Truth Her Truth by Noelle Holten was published by One More Chapter / Harper Collins in March 2025. I've bought two copies of this one, the physical book for myself and the ebook for #TheBloke

I've read all of Noelle Holten's DC Maggie Jamieson series and really enjoyed them. I like something a little unusual in my crime fiction and this author is full of original ideas. The premise for this, her latest standalone novel is so enticing. I read it whilst taking a last minute sunshine break in Gran Canaria earlier this month. 

His Truth, Her Truth pulls you in from the very first page with a chilling premise: a couple who appear perfect, a violent home invasion, and two bodies discovered with knives, one in each of their hands. From then on, Noelle Holten expertly builds a web of uncertainty, forcing the reader to consider how fragile truth can be when seen through different eyes.

The plot is twisty without ever feeling gimmicky. Each chapter, narrated by the lead characters provides new details that change your understanding of Joe and Beth’s relationship, and make you think about who you trust and why. The author does a fabulous job of tightening the tension, giving just enough information to keep you hooked while holding back the pieces that matter most.

What really worked so well for me is the complex, deeply human, characters. Joe and Beth aren’t simple victims or villains; they’re flawed, vulnerable, and so real. The author deals with themes of perception, control, and emotional truth with sensitivity.

Without giving anything away, the narrative plays brilliantly with perspective. You’re constantly aware that you’re being shown only part of the picture, yet you can’t help trying to solve the puzzle. 

If you love psychological thrillers that are character-driven, emotionally layered, and packed with jaw-tightening suspense, then this one fits the bill. Noelle Holten delivers a gripping, clever, and thought-provoking mystery that keeps you turning pages long after you promise yourself “just one more chapter.”

Highly recommended for fans of twisty domestic suspense and unreliable narrators.

Noelle Holten is an award-winning blogger at www.crimebookjunkie.co.uk. 

She is the PR & Social Media Manager for Bookouture, a leading digital publisher in the UK, and worked as a Senior Probation Officer for eighteen years, covering a variety of risk cases as well as working in a multi agency setting. 

She has three Hons BA’s – Philosophy, Sociology (Crime & Deviance) and Community Justice – and a Master’s in Criminology.

They Had It Coming by Nikki Smith #TheyHadItComing @Mrssmithmunday @PenguinUKBooks @nikkismithauthor.bsky.social #BookReview

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer . . .

Nate and Layla, Jude and Sophie. They've been a four for as long as they can remember: fancy dinners, dancing 'til dawn . . . Even living and working together.

So when Nate and Layla suddenly quit their lives and move to Bali, with its white sands and exotic beach clubs, Jude and Sophie are their first visitors. Anything to escape their life in London.

But as the two couples reunite, cracks begin to show.

Which is hardly surprising; they've been lying to each other for years.

And now, it's time for revenge.

They Had it Coming by Nikki Smith was published on 22 May 2025 by Penguin. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

They Had It Coming is one of those juicy, sun-drenched thrillers that lures you in with beautiful beaches and close friendships… then slowly reveals the dark undercurrents hiding just beneath the surface. Nikki Smith has a real talent for taking a glamorous setting and turning it into something wonderfully unsettling.

The story follows two long-time couple-friends; Nate and Layla, Jude and Sophie, whose lives have been entangled for years. When Nate and Layla suddenly relocate to Bali, their friends are quick to follow for what they assume will be a fun holiday. However, nothing about this getaway is as sunny as the setting suggests. As the cocktails flow and old memories bubble up, you can feel the tension tightening and tightening. 

Nikki Smith’s writing is sharp, inviting, and full of sly little details that make you constantly question what you think you know. Each character is flawed in a very human way, and watching the group dynamics unravel is both addictive and uncomfortable. She builds suspense with a slow burn that never drags; I was eagerly flipping the pages to see who’s hiding what and how far they’ll go to protect their secrets.

What I really love is the way the author explores friendship: the kind you outgrow, the kind you cling to out of habit, and the kind that becomes toxic without anyone noticing until it's too late. It’s a thriller, but it’s also a careful look at the power shifts and silent resentments that can rot relationships from the inside.

If you enjoy twisty psychological suspense set against a stunning backdrop, with messy characters, layered motives, and a delicious sense of dread, this one is absolutely worth packing in your beach bag.

A fun, tense, and compulsively readable tale of secrets, lies, and the revenge that’s been a long time coming.

Nikki Smith worked in finance until 2017, when a 'now or never' moment prompted her to
apply for the Curtis Brown Creative writing course. 

She is the author of five novels and co-host of the podcast In Suspense. 

She lives in Guildford with her family and loves to travel, ideally somewhere hot and sunny.

www.nikkismithauthor.com

Life Begins at the Cornish Cottage by Kim Nash BLOG TOUR #LifeBeginsatheCornishCottage @KimTheBookworm @BoldwoodBooks @kimthebookworm.bsky.social #Giveaway #Win #Competiton #Prize

 

When Tom Sullivan returns to the quiet village of Sandpiper Shore, Emma can hardly believe her eyes. She hasn’t seen him since they played Romeo and Juliet in their school play – a lifetime ago, before real heartbreak, and long before she ever imagined life as a widow.

The last thing she wants is to relive the past, especially with someone who once made her teenage heart flutter. But when Emma agrees to put on a charity pantomime to raise money for the air ambulance service that helped her late husband, she’s thrown firmly back into Tom’s path.

As rehearsals begin and the local community rallies around her, Emma finds unexpected joy in bringing people together – and a surprising connection with Tom that feels far too real to ignore. Maybe it’s time for Emma to become the leading lady in her own life, not just for the show, but for herself.

Full of warmth, humour and heart, this is a story about letting go and discovering that it’s never too late to take a chance on love.

Life Begins at the Cornish Cottage by Kim Nash was published by Boldwood Books on 31 October 2025. I have one paperback copy to give away today, as part of this Blog Tour, jointly organised by Random Things Tours, Compulsive Readers, Rachel's Random Resources and Zooloo's Book Tours.
Entry is simple, just fill out the competition widget in the blog post. UK entries only please. 

GOOD LUCK! 

Life Begins at the Cornish Cottage

Kim Nash is an author of uplifting, romantic, feel-good fiction, having wanted to write books since she was a little girl. 

She works as both Digital Publicity Director for publisher Bookouture. 

She lives in Staffordshire with her son Ollie and English Setter rescue dog Roni. 

When she's not working or writing, Kim can be found walking her dog and reading, as well as running a book club in Staffordshire and organising local and national reader/author events

Her Many Faces by Nicci Cloke BLOG TOUR #HerManyFaces @niccicloke @harvillbooks @RandomTTours #BookReview

 

When four influential members of London’s most exclusive private club are poisoned, a young waitress is charged with their murder after being caught fleeing the scene of the crime. As the trial grips the nation, five men begin to question how well they really knew her.

There’s her father, who remembers the sweet girl growing up in Devon; her childhood friend, who is swept up in her fascination with conspiracy theories; her lover, who wants to distance himself from a young woman with an obsession; her barrister, who knows she’s hiding something; and the journalist investigating the case, who is convinced he knows exactly who she is: a cold-blooded killer.

Five men. Five stories. But are you ready to hear hers?

Her Many Faces by Nicci Cloke was originally published in hardback in July 2025 by Harvill Secker. The paperback is published in April 2026. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review as part of this #RandomThingsTours blog tour. 

Her Many Faces is a taut, character-driven psychological thriller that drew me in from its opening scene and refused to let go. Nicci Cloke builds her story around a compelling structure: five different men, each convinced they know the “real” Katie, the young waitress accused of murdering four high-profile members of an exclusive London club. What unfolds is a layered portrait of their perception, their bias, and of how frail and uncertain their memories can be.

The author’s great strength is the use of voice. Each narrator brings their own emotional baggage, blind spots, and motives, and the contrast between their accounts creates a gripping puzzle. The novel excellently explores various themes; class, power, and media storytelling without ever slowing the pace. Katie herself remains deliberately distant, vague and elusive, this elevates the tension and the author constantly invites the reader to question whether Katie is misunderstood, manipulative, or something far more complex.

The atmosphere is vivid and unsettling, the courtroom drama blends so well with intrigue, and psychological suspense. The author keeps the narrative tight and the reveals are so well-timed, creating a strong sense of unease as the men’s stories start to clash.

If you enjoy thrillers that focus on character psychology, unreliable narrators, and the blurred lines between truth and narrative, Her Many Faces delivers a satisfying and thought-provoking read. It’s the kind of book that leaves you questioning not just the characters, but your own assumptions as well.

A fabulous read, highly recommended by me. 

Nicci Cloke is an author and editor based in Cambridgeshire. 

Her novels have been published in twelve languages and she previously worked at Faber Academy – and as a cocktail waitress

www.niccicloke.com

X @niccicloke

Instagram @niccicloke

The French Guesthouse by Isabelle Broom #TheFrenchGuesthouse @Isabelle_Broom @HodderBooks @hodderbooks.bsky.social #BookReview

 

Sometimes the only way to rebuild is to face the past you tried to escape...

On the night Fliss loses everything - her beloved hotel ravaged by fire and fiancé exposed as a cheat - she receives devastating news: her estranged mother has died. They hadn't spoken in fifteen years and Fliss has stayed away for her own self-preservation.

Summoned to a dilapidated guesthouse in France for the reading of the will, Fliss is stunned to discover she has been left all her mother's possessions. But the inheritance comes at a price - both literal and emotional. Sharing the house is Etienne, her mother's grief-stricken, wine-soaked partner, and his guarded yet magnetic nephew, Benoit.

As Fliss begins restoring the guesthouse, she unearths long-buried secrets about her mother, their past and the true cost of her long absence. But to move forward, cure her guilt and claim the love and happiness she's never thought she deserves, Fliss must first reckon with the hardest question of all: can she forgive?

The French Guesthouse by Isabelle Broom was published on 6 November 2025 by Hodder. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

One of my most favourite things about Isabelle's books are that she whisks her readers away to a wonderful new setting in every single novel. And, every single time, I find myself on Google looking for trips to the places that I'm reading about. The French Guesthouse was no exception, whilst I read this on holiday in Gran Canaria, my phone history shows just how many times I've looked up guesthouses in France! 

The French Guesthouse is another of her novels with a such a strong sense of place, exploring themes of loss, reconciliation, and forgiveness. Fliss (Felicity), is forced to rebuild her life after a traumatic night: her hotel goes up in flames, her fiancé’s betrayal is exposed, and she learns of her estranged mother’s death. 

Fliss travels to France, to a dilapidated country guesthouse for the will reading. To her surprise, she inherits her mother’s possessions, but not the life she expected. The house is shared with Etienne, her late mother’s grief-stricken partner, and Benoît, his quiet and quite reserved nephew. As Fliss begins restoring the guesthouse, she uncovers secrets about her mother’s past, grappling with guilt, estrangement, and many questions. 

Alongside the wonderful sense of place, the novel deals with serious emotional issues: grief, abandonment, and generational trauma. Fliss’s journey is not just about restoring a house, but healing her own internal wounds. There is an interesting relationship described between Fliss and her late mother, with Fliss's feelings of abandonment at the front. 

The author layers the relationships really beautifully, a mix of Etienne’s grief and Benoît’s guardedness adding a depth to the story, with a gentle touch of romance

The French Guesthouse is a warm, atmospheric, emotionally moving novel. It captures the beauty and slow rhythms of rural France, making it ideal for readers who enjoy romantic contemporary fiction with depth, and stories about families, secrets, and grief

Wonderful, highly recommended by me. 

Isabelle Broom was born in Cambridge nine days before the 1980s began and studied Media Arts at university in London before a 12-year stint at Heat magazine. 

When she is not travelling all over the world seeking out settings for her escapist novels, Isabelle can mostly be found in Suffolk, where she shares a home with her two dogs and more books than she could ever hope to read in a lifetime.

www.isabellebroom.com

X @Isabelle_broom

IG @isabelle_broom

Scars of Silence by Johana Gustawsson t. David Warriner BLOG TOUR @JoGustawsson @OrendaBooks @thewarrinerd #NordicNoir #BookReview

 

Twenty-three years ago, a young woman was murdered on the Swedish island of Lidingö. 

The island has kept its silence. 

Until now…

As autumn deepens into darkness in Lidingö, on the Stockholm archipelago, the island is plunged into chaos: in the space of a week, two teenaged boys are murdered. Their bodies are left deep in the forest, dressed in white tunics with crowns of candles on their heads, like offerings to Saint Lucia.

Maïa Rehn has fled Paris for Lidingö after a family tragedy. But when the murders shake the island community, the former police commissioner is drawn into the heart of the investigation, joining Commissioner Aleksander Storm to unravel a mystery as chilling as the Nordic winter.

As they dig deeper, it becomes clear that a wind of vengeance is blowing through the archipelago, unearthing secrets that are as scandalous as they are inhuman.

But what if the victims weren’t who they seemed? What if those long silenced have finally found a way to strike back?

How far would they go to make their tormentors pay?

And you – how far would you go?

Scars of Silence by Johana Gustawsson is published by Orenda Books on 20 November 2025 and is translated by David Warriner. This is volume two of the Lidingö Mysteries. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review as part of this Blog Tour 

Whilst Scars of Silence is volume two of the Lidingö Mysteries, it can certainly be read as a stand alone story. Johana Gustawsson excels in providing enough back story that compliments the current plot. 

There’s something wonderfully deceptive about Johana Gustawsson’s writing. You open one of her books expecting a solid crime thriller, and before you know it, she’s wrapped you in something far deeper, darker, and more emotionally charged than you ever anticipated. Scars of Silence is exactly that sort of novel; richly atmospheric, beautifully written, and absolutely impossible to put down. 

Set on the island of Lidingö, the story gives off that unmistakable Nordic chill, the kind that creeps under your skin slowly. The author’s sense of place is extraordinary; you feel the darkness settling in, the quiet roads, the brooding forests. The novel is steeped in mood, and she uses that mood to full effect as the island reels from a pair of shocking, ritualistic murders.

In steps Maïa Rehn, a former police commissioner who has escaped Paris carrying more than her suitcase. She is such a wonderfully drawn character; damaged yet determined, thoughtful, and deeply human.  Her partnership with Aleksander Storm is handled with subtlety, never overshadowing the heart of the mystery.

And, crikey, what a mystery it is. The author peels back the layers slowly, compassionately, and with a fierce sense of justice. She never sensationalises and writes with empathy for the people at the centre of the darkness. Those people have been forgotten, ignored, or silenced. She also asks uncomfortable questions about vengeance, truth, and the cost of looking the other way.

This is Nordic noir at its finest: atmospheric, thoughtful, and utterly compelling. Johana Gustawsson has a rare ability to make you feel the cold while she warms your heart with characters who stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. Scars of Silence is chilling, yes, but also deeply moving, and told with a tenderness that makes it all the more powerful.

David Warriner's translation skills are wonderful, he seems to really understand this author, and brings her words to her English speaking fans magnificently.

A gripping, beautifully crafted novel that once again shows why Johana Gustawsson is in a league of her own.

Born in Marseille, France, and with a degree in Political Science, Johana Gustawsson has worked as a journalist for the French and Spanish press and television. Her critically acclaimed Roy & Castells series, including Block 46, Keeper and Blood Song, has won the Plume d’Argent, Balai de la découverte, Balai d’Or and Prix Marseillais du Polar awards, and is now published in nineteen countries. A TV adaptation is currently underway in a French, Swedish and UK co-production. The Bleeding – a number one bestseller in France and the first in a new series – will be published in 2022. Johana lives in London with her Swedish husband and their three sons. 

Follow Johana on X @JoGustawsson

David Warriner translates from French and nurtures a healthy passion for Franco,
Nordic and British crime fiction. Growing up in deepest Yorkshire, he developed incurable Francophilia at an early age. Emerging from Oxford with a Modern Languages degree he narrowly escaped the graduate rat race by hopping on a plane to Canada – and never looked back. More than a decade into a high-powered commercial translation career, he listened to his heart and turned his hand to the delicate art of literary translation. 

David has lived in France and Quebec, and now calls beautiful British Columbia home.

Follow David on Twitter @thewarrinerd and on his website wtranslation.ca