Title:
Full Circle
Author:
Jan Selbourne
Genre:
Historical suspense romance
Book Blurb:
According to Dr. Arthur Sanders, a terrible miscarriage of justice has taken place. His entire fortune and that of his partner, Mr. Frank Owens, has disappeared along with Owen’s secretary/accountant and the secretary’s assistant. Owens himself is visiting the Australian colony. Is he, like Sanders, a victim or the perpetrator? That is what Sanders wants Lloyd Harrington to find out and as swiftly as possible.
Harrington is recovering from an injury received while on the job in the Metropolitan Police as well as guilt from a personal loss. He’s bored from forced inactivity and the chance to use his skills to track down Owens interests him. Sanders agrees to pay all expenses, and so Harrington sets off for Australia. Before he leaves, a body is discovered—the secretary. And the assistant holds a ticket on a ship bound for Australia. It seems the action is all set to take place Down Under.
Miss Carey Stafford arrives at the home of Owens’ host just as Harrington does and announces to the stunned Owens that he is bankrupt, along with his partner, Dr. Sanders. How does she know this, Harrington wonders. His tingly detective senses warn him that something very wrong is going on here, and he arrests the lovely Carey for theft and possible participant in the murder of Owen’s secretary. He has no way of knowing then that she holds secrets upon secrets upon secrets. They will either provide the answers to everything or will drag Lloyd into a morass of trouble with his former comrades at the Met.
Full Circle is a complex tale of mystery, intrigue, and revenge. How the tale and its principals actually come full circle will keep you on the edge of your seat!
Excerpt:
The muddy road and fast-running creeks made the six miles to West Maitland seem like ten. When the coach finally halted outside the Queen’s Arms Inn, Lloyd waited for his trunk to be handed down and looked around to see rows of wooden cottages and three or four two storey buildings on both sides of the High Street. If thick mud churned over by wagon wheels could be called a street. He’d been told this was the inn for coaches going north yet all he could see were three mud spattered wagons, horses hitched to posts and a few yokels leaning against the wall of the inn. What a miserable, depressing place.
Clasping the handle of his trunk, he was about to walk around a large puddle when the familiar lethargy washed over him. What the hell was he doing in this outpost? Standing in the mud waiting for a rocking box on wheels to take him to a godforsaken misnamed place where someone he’d never met was supposed to be. What a fool—
A deep voice from behind. “You’re looking a bit lost mate, can I help?”
Lloyd turned around to a man with a lined weather-beaten face, thick grey hair, and sharp blue eyes. “Lost is the right word,” he replied. “I have no idea where I am.”
A throaty chuckle displaying tobacco-stained teeth. “Whaddya here for or where are you going?”
“I arrived in Sydney a few days ago and I’m now travelling to Muswellbrook. I was told this is where the coaches depart.”
“It is, and two left early because the road’s slow going,” Another flash of stained teeth. “I’m about to leave and can fit you in.” He shouted at the yokels, “Brian, get your arse over here and take this trunk to the coach.”
Lloyd frowned at him. “I’m out of my depth. You are a coachman going north?”
A hand was extended. “John Dent. I’m driving the Royal Mail coach to Singleton. I’ll try to get you on the mail coach going on from there.”
Lloyd gripped the hand. “Lloyd Harrington, and I’m very grateful to you.”
“Pity you arrived in the middle of winter. We’ve had a lot of rain and this week’s been terrible. Bloody cold now and it’ll be colder up around Muswellbrook.”
Lloyd couldn’t help but smile. “Is this as bad as it gets? I left London in a fog so thick and cold the fish jumped on hooks to get away.”
John Dent laughed. “My dad was sent out from London. He told me about them fogs.”
“Sent out?”
“In chains for stealing.”
Lloyd’s smile faded. “I can only imagine how bad it was then.”
“It was, but he got an early ticket of leave because he was a carpenter. A lot of building was going on.”
“Around here?” Lloyd queried.
“Hell no, Sydney, that’s where I grew up. I went south for a while, too cold, went north, too hot. I settled here,” John’s thumb jerked over his shoulder. “Nowhere better than early mornings by the river watching the sun come through those trees. ‘Course you can’t see a damn thing now for clouds and mud.” He glanced at his cracked fob watch. “Time to get going.”
Lloyd followed him around the side of the inn to the stables and stared in disbelief at the mail coach. A rough box on wheels, without doors, and from what he could see, wooden seats with only leather straps for back rests. Dent gestured to the waiting passengers to get in. Four women with two infants climbed inside, five men clambered up onto the roof.
John Dent’s thumb now pointed to Lloyd. “Just got here from the old dart, he can get up with me.”
Lloyd’s trunk was hauled up onto the rear hold-all, and he climbed onto the driver’s seat. A few grunted good mornings from behind and he turned to respond. A middle-aged vicar and four men in rough worker’s clothing. Christ, this was going to be a long journey.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
Amazon (available in print and on Kindle Unlimited) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QT4NRCV/
What makes your featured book a must-read?
They say that revenge is a dish best served cold. By that standard, Full Circle couldn’t be more perfect! The story is a mystery in a mystery wrapped in a romance. There’s murder, theft, travels to Australia and back to Great Britain, and all with strong, engaging characters working to best each other. This book is complex with twists and turns and all kinds of surprises, and it was such fun to write! I hope you enjoy reading it as much s I enjoyed writing it!
Giveaway –
Enter to win a $40 Amazon gift card:
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Runs November 7 – November 16, 2023. Winner will be drawn on November 17, 2023.
Author Biography:
Jan Selbourne was born and educated in Melbourne, Australia and her love of literature and history began as soon as she learned to read and hold a pen. After graduating from a Melbourne Business College her career began in the dusty world of ledgers and accounting, working in Victoria, Queensland and the United Kingdom. On the point of retiring, she changed course to work as secretary of a large NSW historical society. Now retired Jan is enjoying her love of travelling and literature. She has two children, a stray live in cat and lives near Maitland, New South Wales.
Social Media Links:
Website: https://nomadauthors.com/JanSelbourne/index.html Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/jan.selbourne Twitter: https://twitter.com/JanSelbourne LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-selbourne-2817b6140/ Newsletter:https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/h8t2y6