BLOOD
MOON OVER BRITAIN is one of those special books that masterfully combine all the
elements of a romance, yet is intricately crafted with mystery and suspense. Cicely
Winterborne works at a top secret government agency during World War II. She meets
Inspector Alistair Fielding when he is investigating her cousin's apparent suicide.
The
two are thrown together when Fielding realizes that Cicely may be in danger. In
trying to help her get a code that the Germans wanted to her father, Alistair
becomes seriously ill. To make matters worst, they are also on the run not only
from the enemy, but the police who believe that they are murderers. The adventure
is laced with humor and beguiling characters. Alistair and Cicely's attraction
for each other grows as they race towards their destination, their main goal to
save England at all cost. Eventually the two split up and Cicely must go it on
her own. Will Alistair be able to save the woman he loves before it's too late?
Can they accept each other and make a life together knowing what they know? You'll
have to read this engaging book to find out. Morag McKendrick Pippin has
penned a wonderful tale with BLOOD MOON OVER BRITAIN and I look forward to reading
more of her work. By Romance
Junkies Reviewer: Jessica
*** From
Romance News http://www.romancenews.org/
Blood Moon Over Britain Morag
McKendrick Pippin Leisure Books ISBN 0843955821 Review
by Maria Alvarez So
much of what we have opportunities to review is historical, generally Regency
or Victorian, and terribly familiar. Blood Moon Over Britain was a refreshing
change. Readers who are sick and tired of the same, recycled romance should look
for this book. It is not in wide release, but your local bookseller will happily
order it, and it is available online at all booksellers.
Many
publishers would not call this novel a historical, since it is after 1900. What
is unfortunate about this is that many readers looking for a rich historical period
are missing out. Set in 1942, the story follows. Most of us are familiar only
with the US' trials during World War II, but the real drama was taking place in
Europe, and London was a place of tension, espionage, and heroism in the face
of adversity.
Morag
McKendrick Pippin's novel features Alistair Fielding, a Scotland Yard detective.
He encounters Cicely Winterbourne during an investigation into the death of her
cousin, who has apparently committed suicide. If Alistair is a man of depths,
Cicely is a woman of absolute bottomless mystery.
Fielding
isn't buying the suicide theory, nor is he buying the pack of lies the charming
Cicely seems to be telling. Though she is supposed to be a simple file clerk at
Bletchley Park, intrigue involving code breaking and German secrets indicate a
bit more going on. Is she being manipulated by something greater than she knows?
Can she be trusted?
And
can he? Cicely is just as conflicted. Her secrets are not only her own, but those
of her nation, and the outcome of the war may depend on her silence and deception.
Yet Alistair Fielding is a man she longs to trust, longs to confide in, longs
for as a woman.
Blood
Moon Over Britain never slows down, nor does it disappoint. The mystery keeps
the pace moving steadily while the attraction between two well crafted main characters
cranks up the heat. Very well researched, the novel works beautifully within its
period.
This
was an absolutely fantastic change from the same old romance. The time period
is rich, fraught with natural tension, and is terribly underused. If Casablanca
is one of your favorite movies, if you are tired of balls and the machinations
of the ton, if you are looking for something new, exciting, and full of meticulous
research, this is the book for you. Morag McKendrick Pippin is a fresh new voice
from whom you will want to hear more!
*** Morag
McKendrick Pippin has done it again with her latest novel BLOOD MOON OVER BRITAIN;
she has written a riveting suspenseful tale with a fated romance that simply enthralled
this reader.
Review:
It is 1942 London and Cicely Winterbourne works filing war secrets at Bletchley
Park. Her cousin also worked there as a code breaker but now he is dead, an apparent
suicide, and Cicely finds herself answering questions put to her by Alistair Fielding
of Interpol. Could his death be other than suicide? Alistair and Cicely both are
quickly coming to that conclusion.
Despite
Cicelys automatic response to not trust anyone, she finds that she must
in order to find out what happened to her cousin and what his death means to the
security of England. Alistair feels there is something very suspicious about Cicely
but he eventually learns to trust her and puts his own life in danger to help
her. As the two work together they find themselves drawn to each other. But both
agree they are living for today because tomorrow may never come.
I
loved it! The suspense, the history, the characters, the dialog with authentic
vocabulary, the romance; all made BLOOD MOON OVER BRITAIN a simply absorbing read.
Ms. Pippin easily transported me to war torn England with black out curtains,
bombings, espionage and jitterbugging through her ingenious writing skills. Give
yourself this engrossing book and buy one for all your closest friends and family.
They will thank you again after they have read BLOOD MOON OVER BRITAIN. Morag
McKendrick Pippin is on my automatic buy list, I am eager to read
all her future works.
Reviewer
Donna Zapf
*** Blood Moon
Over Britain
Rating: Five Cups In
war-weary England in the winter of 1942, Inspector Alistair Fielding of Scotland
Yard has been called to investigate an alleged suicide. The victim is in the
bathtub in a room awash with blood from his slit wrists. Fielding soon meets the
victim's cousin, Cecily Winterborne, who discovered the body. In spite of the
circumstances, he is drawn to her. She claims to have no knowledge about her cousin's
death except that the maimed veteran had been despondent. Cecily
finds Fielding attractive but she dares not let anyone close. She knows her cousin
has been killed for what he knew. Their work in British intelligence puts her
in danger also. Until she learns what really happened, she must involve no
one else. As the net of danger tightens, Cecily must trust
someone. Fielding seems to be the only help at hand. During their shared flight,
love blossoms. Yet as Alistair learns more about her, his admiration seems to
turn to loathing. Duplicity has become her stock in trade while he respects nothing
more than honesty and honor. With the outcome of the war at stake, how can
she worry about one man's opinion; yet with her heart at stake, how can she
not? Vividly drawn, completely believable characters, a taut
thriller-type plot, and an authentic and exquisitely detailed setting make
Blood Moon Over Britain a truly exceptional book. Romance and suspense are
deftly interwoven into a seamless tale that clutches the reader's mind and heart
to the final scene. Utterly absorbed by this book from page one, I will definitely
get Ms. Pippin's previous book and look for her future releases. - Reviewer
Alegria
***** BLOOD MOON OVER
BENGAL Reviewed by Romance Readers at Heart http://romancereaderatheart.com/pubsandpromos/2004/oct04/BMOB_MMP.html Author:
Morag McKendrick Pippin ISBN: 0843954523 10/2004 HISTORICAL Publisher: LEISURE Time
Period: 1932 - Calcutta, State of Bengal - India I have
read some great books lately. Excellent, really. However, after reading BLOOD
MOON OVER BENGAL, by Morag McKendrick Pippin, I am hard pressed to recall the
titles of those books. As a matter of fact, BLOOD MOON OVER BENGAL is the best
book I have read all year. No doubt it is in my top five best books I have ever
read. I love my favorite stories (not all romantic novels) for
many different reasons. Some for the writing or the descriptions. Or the characters,
the storyline, and so on. Very few of those books embody all of those qualities.
Some come close, but this book truly is everything. If you
want to be transported back in time to 1932 India and experience the language
(slang, even!), the smells, the sights, the sounds, the very essence of the English
presence there, open a page. I am astounded by the descriptive nature of this
book. No detail is left out, from the finger wave hairstyle to the brand names
of cigarettes. You hate the sultry heat and giant bugs, along with the torrential
monsoons just around the corner from summer. The characters, every last one of
them, are cool, refined, and so well done, I swear I was sitting at the blackjack
table with them last night. And the drinks! Even the names of popular cocktails
being served across the water in America make an appearance. The
love story between the half-caste son of the maharaja, Nigel, Major Covington-Singh,
and the ultra-modern Elizabeth Mainwarring, defies a category due to its complexity.
It's sexy and spicy, yet sad and poignant because of the small mindedness of the
tight British community they inhabit. They are involved, yet cannot be out in
the open with their feelings for fear of Nigel's career being put at risk as well
as Elizabeth's tenuous relationship with her newly found father. And
did I mention murder? Lots of intrigue and unsolved murders for the reader to
guess at and get caught up in. Though one murder in particular in my eyes is welcome
(since the woman is such a shrew! though marvelously entertaining), most appear,
at first glance, to escape any pattern save the victims are all women. Very exciting
storyline here, I assure you. Well, if I gush anymore over
this I will be unable to read my next book without doing a comparison. Naturally,
I realize that isn't fair, since I don't think I will find anything remotely close
to this. It's perfect! Shannon
*****
Author: Morag McKendrick Pippin Title - Blood Moon Over Bengal 5
STARS! Set in Calcutta, State of Bengal, 1932. Elizabeth
Mainwarring was en route to New Zealand, where she has a sheep station and land
full of oil. However, before she finally settles down in New Zealand, Elizabeth
stops in Calcutta to visit her estranged father, Colonel Andrew Mainwarring, in
hopes of mending the breach. The area is already in disarray due to several recent
murders. Major Nigel Covington-Singh is the youngest of
the Maharaja of Kashmir's three sons. Even though he is a prince and an officer,
the British officers and wives consider him beneath them in station. Nigel is
a "wog", half English and half Indian. That does not mean that those
snobbish wives do not try to seduce Nigel though. The man is very handsome. Nigel
is part of the team investigating the "Bengal Killer". The killer has
killed many Indian women already. Recently the killer began targeting the British
women, but only those who have been with men outside their own race. Elizabeth
and Nigel cannot help the attraction they feel for each other. Elizabeth is too
modern to care what others will think of her for dating Nigel, but feels as though
she is not worthy of an Indian Prince. Interestingly enough, Nigel feels that
she is his superior. The biggest problem they face, though, is the killer. And
the killer now has Elizabeth penned as his next target. *****
This mystery-thriller has the taste of a Regency romance with the dangerous flavor
of India's jungles mixed in. The only thing missing was the glorious ball rooms
of London. But the majestic ball rooms of Bengal are just as breathtaking! The
author set a murder mystery AND thriller plot during a volatile time in Bengal
history. At this time, Bengal was still going for Home Rule (self government).
The author added in several secondary characters that I could not help but care
for. Fiona, Elizabeth's friend and companion, is but one example. I never found
myself growing bored either. The mystery is ongoing, the thrills are non-stop,
and there are lots of scandalous opportunities presenting themselves for my entertainment.
Very well done! ***** HUNTRESS REVIEWS (Reviewed
by Detra Fitch) Posted:
http://www.huntressreviews.com/histrom.htm ***** I'm
thrilled BLOOD MOON OVER BENGAL received a 5 cup review from Coffee Time Romance!
BLOOD MOON OVER BENGAL MORAG MCKENDRICK PIPPIN
0-8439-5452-3 October, 2004 Leisure Books Www.dorchesterbooks.com
Paperback Historical romance $5.99 Rate 5 cups Blood
Moon Over Bengal is an enchanting historical romance set in twentieth-century
India. Elizabeth Mainwarring and Major Nigel Covington-Singh
cross paths quite unexpectedly, when her plane crash-lands almost literally
at his feet. Elizabeth is British and seeks a relationship with her father, a
military man who has been stationed in India for some time. What she gets,
in addition to getting to know her father again, is a dangerous attraction
to one of the men serving under his command. Not only is
Nigel an officer in His Majestys service, but, he is also a prince in his
native land, Nigel also royalty, in his native land. He possesses both parts
of his heritage and is not a suitable match for the upper class British lady. Blood
Moon Over Bengal does not read like a first book. The plotting is excellent and
the blend of romance and suspense rivals more veteran authors. I really liked
the fact that this author wrote about India in the 1930s. It was a historical
time I was not familiar with and I loved the way the author brought it to life.
The characters come to three-dimensional under Ms. Pippins pen. Not
only did I like this book, I will be first in line to buy my own copy when
it releases to read and reread to my hearts content. Avalon
Sydney Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance Reviewer for Karen Find Out About
New Books ***** BLOOD
MOON OVER BENGAL wins The Gold Blether Award. The Blether Gold Award. A truly
exceptional read, the finest example of a genre, a book with which the reviewer
can find no fault, and which will usually have universal appeal. Read
review in full ~ http://www.blether.com/blether.php?id=9008
**** "Ms.
Pippin writes a steamy, well plotted suspense with just the right amount of romance.
Ms. Pippin plots more intricately than Machiavelli while
exploring her characters and their emotions with amazing depth and talent. Blood
Moon Over Bengal is a must read for suspense lovers. Ms. Pippin's fresh, intricate
plot is one that will keep the reader captivated from page one to the end. Don't
plan on getting much sleep after picking up Blood Moon Over Bengal. It isn't a
book you'll want to put down. Blood Moon Over Bengal is
sensual suspense at its best. The romance in Blood Moon
Over Bengal is refreshingly different and yet as emotionally satisfying as any
story in the genre. This suspenseful love story will touch your heart, keep you
on the edge of your seat with tension and leave you waiting with bated breath
for the next story by Ms. Pippin." --Lucy Monroe THE
REAL DEAL September ~ Kensington Brava Merry Christmas, Baby: SILVER BELLA
October ~ Kensington Brava THE ITALIAN'S SUITABLE WIFE October ~ Harlequin
Presents THE BILLIONAIRE'S PREGNANT MISTRESS Dec ~ Harlequin Presents
**** 5
Stars Morag McKendrick Pippins
debut novel, BLOOD MOON OVER BENGAL, is brilliantly written and an absolutely
engrossing read. I was instantly transported to the blistering hot days and sultry
muggy nights of 1930s India and its last days of British rule. Elizabeth
Mainwarring literally dropped from the sky at the feet of Major Nigel Covington-Singh
when her airplane crash landed on the parade field. Their first meeting was a
precursor of things to come as mutual attraction and wariness collided. Elizabeth,
a nonconformist, millionaire heiress with few inhibitions, has returned to her
home in India to re-establish a relationship with her father. Nigel is not only
an officer in her fathers regiment but is also a prince, the son of a maharaja
and English woman. His mixed race, Anglo-Indian, has British society and especially
Elizabeths father, perceiving Nigel as unsuitable for Elizabeth. The opinions
of others do not stop the two lovers but the murderer, on the loose in Bengal,
may stop them both
permanently. A dizzying array of
parties and "get togethers" make up Elizabeths days in India.
She spends much of that time trying to figure out her true feelings for Nigel.
Will she be able to withstand the social pressures surrounding their liaison not
to mention the tenuous bond with her father? All her worries may be moot as the
murderer closes in on Elizabeth. It is Nigels job to find the assassin but
will he be able to solve the mystery surrounding the killers identity in
time? BLOOD MOON OVER BENGAL by Morag McKendrick Pippin is
a compelling novel of suspense and intrigue which will ensnare and thrill the
reader from the first page. Morags characters, the strong free-spirited
Elizabeth and mouth-wateringly handsome Nigel, are extremely appealing as well
as are the secondary characters. I admire the background research and description
used in making this novel such a realistic and irresistible read. I predict that
Morag McKendrick Pippin has written a best seller with BLOOD MOON OVER BENGAL.
--Donna Zapf, CataRomance Reviews www.CataRomance.com
***** "Set in the exotic world of India,
BLOOD MOON OVER BENGAL by Morag McKendrick Pippin is a richly woven tale about
two total strangers who find love and intrigue in 1930s Calcutta. Danger and lust
are forever in the background, shadowing the characters and their every move.
. . ...... . . . . . An engaging love story full of mystery and erotic
overtones, BLOOD MOON OVER BENGAL is Morag McKendrick Pippin's first novel, and
I, for one, will definitely be awaiting her next book!" Courtney
Bowden Romance Reviews Today **** More
than a romance, this great read incorporates many other genres that could qualify
it as a murder mystery or mainstream. It opens the door into a past we have experienced
only in movies. Highly recommended as a read you won't want
to put down. Its many twists and turns will lead you into the dark and forboding
world as seen through the eyes of a killer. This book is one you will keep for
a future reread. Mary Emmons, ReaderTo Reader.com |