New Release! Knife Edge - Cosy, Noir, Gumshoe, it's All Good!

Marble City Publishing has today, 30th May 2013, released Knife Edge: An Anthology of Crime, Thriller, Mystery and Suspense Stories.

There are twenty-five stories in these 200 pages, including work from Booker Prize nominee Jim Williams, a number of Marble City authors and the winners of multi-story.co.uk's most recent online competition.

There's something in here for everyone, whether it's cosy mystery, noir, gumshoe or suspense. Competition for inclusion was fierce and the stories come from twenty-three authors from across the globe.

Marble City has published the anthology in e-book and paperback, available from Amazon UK, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and other good online bookstores. It's a good read and all profits go to the children's literacy charity Booktrust.org.uk

Further details of the authors, stories and webstore links here on Marble City Publishing.

Ruby Gets a Mention on Kobo Writing Life Blog

Thanks to Roz Morris for the mention in her guest post on the Kobo Writing Life blog: 
http://kobowritinglife.com/2013/05/24/music-for-telling-stories-the-undercover-soundtrack/

Roz's Undercover Soundtrack is a fascinating regular feature over on her site and I was a guest there a while back, talking about how the unlikely combination of Melody Gardot and Nick Cave inspired my serial killer characters in The Baptist - A Psychological Thriller.

The Baptist has had a couple of interesting new reviews recently on Amazon. It's a great feeling to get this sort of reception from readers:

True Noir by john1407
Dark and darker still at times. What surprised me was the humour - persistent and nimble - which gives the narrative a fresh-air lightness ( a great two line description of Crewe for instance). It ain't plain old grim. Intriguing throughout with new characters seamlessly worked in and a lack of predictability in the plot.
If you like first person (in the main) shorter chapters and revell in noir then this is a real gem.

Darkness and desire... by Tinka Dill
I have agonised over writing a review for this book, my words just don't seem to flow, I feel somehow inadequate for this task. The shadows of things unsaid and the impact of the things that are, memories and ghosts, fears and desires, darkness and light . . . This is quite a deep, and at times disturbing, tale with characters real enough to fall in love with. It is probably best for me to leave it there and let you dig deeper into it yourselves, you won't regret it. All that's left for me to say is - Thank you, Ruby Barnes, for writing the best book I have read in a long time!

Watch Out for the Skin Deep - Book Review

The Argentinian Virgin - judging a book by its cover.

I was captivated by the beautiful woman on the cover of this book the moment I saw her. It’s happened to me before and I dare say it’s happened to you too. We assign attributes of character without any basis in fact, but because of the way an individual appears. Through a happy accident of birth, the lucky mix of genes, what the red Hot Chili Peppers call “a perfect piece of DNA”, an individual is blessed with beauty. Facial symmetry, poise, a breadth of shoulders, slimness of waist, coupled with graceful strength or endearing fragility.

Nature’s deception, I call it. The effect may be momentary; if they open their mouth and sound like their antithesis then the bubble is burst; if their charm works when statuesque but fails in movement then they ought best to stand still. Without any contrary evidence, such beauty can be an enduring lure. I’ve been caught out more than once by appearances, giving trust and even affection to the owner, only to find that it was an accident of nature and under the alluring surface they’re just as ordinary as you or I. But sometimes, occasionally, the character matches the appearance and something wonderful is ignited for anyone who comes within range. Such a person is Tom Rensselaer in The Argentinian Virgin by Jim Williams.

Lucky Tom Rensselaer warms the sight and hearts of all who have the good fortune to meet him. He’s a product of good breeding, old money (although now lost) and perfect nature. Strong in principle, generous and loving, he cannot fail in life. But what happens when Adonis meets Aphrodite? Katerina Malipiero captivates Tom from their first encounter. She’s without guile, innocence personified, and all the more irresistible for that. The air crackles with charge whenever they are in each other’s company. He can’t withstand her attraction, any more than the powers at war can halt their own inevitable march towards doom.

Set on the French Riviera early in the Second World War, monumental events occur around the cast of Tom and the other Americans, the Malipieros and the Irish narrator, Pat. A chance encounter, infatuation, love and lust lead Tom and his Argentinian Virgin through the backwoods of occupied France, leading to a tragedy that no one can avoid.

Passionate, evocative, enthralling and emotive, The Argentinian Virgin is a warning to watch out for the skin deep.

I read The Argentinian Virgin as a kindle book, but it's also available as an epub on Barnes & Noble and iBookstore and in paperback.

I just love Goodreads - Getting Out of Dodge: Peril 2

Ger Mayes is back in town, two years after the release of Peril.

Goodreads is a great way to get the word out on a new release and I have one coming up: Getting Out of Dodge: Peril 2 is being released on 15th June 2013. Marble City Publishing is offering 2 paperback copies in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. Head on over and put your name down for the competition and best of luck!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Getting Out of Dodge

by Ruby Barnes

Giveaway ends June 15, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

GETTING OUT OF DODGE: PERIL 2 by Ruby Barnes

After nine years in maximum security prison for crimes against the state, Ger Mayes is on release. Free to try and recover the life he destroyed, free to rediscover love and normality.

"The worst criminal I have ever met," the judge stated at Ger's trial, and it wasn't a professional compliment. A decade of rubbing shoulders with Ireland's criminal elite hasn’t improved Ger's skills.

Two weeks after release Ger sits on a Dublin park bench, the uniformed authorities to his right, the gangsters with their bad trousers to his left, a blonde woman's fragrant head in a bag at his feet. He should have got the hell out of Dodge when DI Andy McAuliffe told him to. How has it come to this?

His wife is ex, his son estranged. The authorities have his number and so do the local criminal fraternity. A couple of choice decisions place Ger in the middle of a brothel turf war, and he decides to rescue somebody that he used to know. He chases his dreams but murder, kidnap and blackmail catch up with him. Fate hasn't had its fill of Ger but will his natural survival instinct win out again?

Goodreads Giveaway of The Hitler Diaries - new release

Another upcoming release from my Marble City stablemate, Jim Williams, is up for grabs in a Goodreads Giveaway of two paperback copies. Head on over to Goodreads and enter for a chance to win. The Hitler Diaries will be released in e-book and paperback on 15th May 2013.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Hitler Diaries

by Jim Williams

Giveaway ends May 20, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Ruby reviews The Prisoner of Brenda by Bateman

The Prisoner of Brenda by Colin Bateman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When you're down and weary, and you need a hand to hold ... just reach out for a Bateman book. The prisoner of Brenda will make your (face) cheeks ache from smiling and your ribs hurt from the belly laughs. Best read alone to avoid the 'just listen to this bit, just listen to this other bit' phenomena. What I took from this story is that electro-convulsive therapy is an effective, albeit temporary, treatment for hypochondria. I'm not sure if I preferred our Mystery Man with or without his hang-ups but Bateman has given me lots of new ideas for general misbehaviour. I particularly enjoyed the breaking of all the forks in Purdysburn because I agree that plastic cutlery is an abomination. Looking forward to the next Bateman.

View all my reviews

New release cover and title - help me choose and win a signed copy!

Ger Mayes is about to be released after 9 years in prison for his crimes and he wants to make the right impression, which is where you can help. 
I have a selection of draft covers A, B, C, D below and a shortlist of titles. Please let me know which one grabs you by writing in the comments section below or email me. A winner will be chosen randomly from the most popular choice of cover & title (using the eeny meeny method) and sent a signed paperback copy (or e-book if preferred) when released.

 

Working title is Getting Out of Dodge but here are the options under consideration and the blurb follows:

1. Getting Out of Dodge
2. Tie a Yellow Ribbon
3. Somebody That I Used to Know
4. GFE Girlfriend Experience
5. The Quiet Life
6. The Romanian Trousers Mystery

Here's the book blurb:

After nine years in maximum security prison for crimes against the state, Ger Mayes is on release. Free to try and recover the life he destroyed, free to rediscover love and normality.

"The worst criminal I have ever met," said the judge at Ger's trial, and it wasn't a professional compliment. Has nearly a decade of rubbing shoulders with Ireland's criminal elite improved Ger's skills?

Two weeks later Ger is sat in a Dublin park, the uniformed authorities to his right, the gangsters with their bad trousers to his left and a blonde woman's fragrant head in a bag at his feet. He should have got the hell out of Dodge when DI Andy McAuliffe told him to. How did it come to this?

His wife is ex, his son estranged. The authorities have his number and so do the local criminal fraternity. A couple of choice decisions place Ger in the middle of a brothel turf war, and he decides to rescue somebody that he used to know. He chases his dreams but murder, kidnap and blackmail fall effortlessly at his feet. Fate hasn't had its fill of Ger but will his natural survival instinct win out again?

You have to be in to win, so please let me have your comments here or mail me. Due for release in May 2013. If you have an alternative title suggestion then let me know that too!