Happy Friday! Today I am delighted to welcome a crime fiction connoisseur to damppebbles to share the #R3COMM3ND3D2019 book love – the fabulous Ayo Onatade of Shotsmag Confidential. If like me you’re a fan of crime fiction then Shotsmag Confidential is the place to be. I haven’t had a look at which three books Ayo has chosen for us yet but I can guarantee they will be going straight on the wishlist!

So, what is #R3COMM3ND3D2019? It’s about sharing the book love. It’s a chance for authors and book bloggers to shout about three (yes, *only* three) books they love. They can be written by any author, in any genre and published in any way (traditionally, indie press or self-published). But there is a catch. All three books must have been published in 2019. To make things interesting I have added a couple of teeny, tiny rules this year which are; 1) the book must have first been published in 2019 and 2) special editions and reissues do not count. I like to keep you lovely people on your toes 😉.

Here are Ayo’s three recommendations…

Blood and Sugar by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
A stunning debut novel set in Georgian England that deals with a rather tragic period in British society. Incredibly well written that is harrowing as it is thought provoking. A brilliant read.

Heaven My Home by Attica Locke
This is the second book in the Highway 59 series and continues to be a thrilling series which explores ethics, race and family and also reflects today’s America and its rippling effects. A story that demands to be read.
Ayo’s Review of Heaven My Home

The Hooded Gunman: An Illustrated History of Collins Crime Club by John Curran
A luscious full-colour celebration of the 2000 books by more than 250 authors published by the iconic Collins Crime Club between 1930 and 1994. This is a book for readers who love reading about the history of crime fiction. Dip in and out of it at your leisure and revel in the information and gorgeous covers. A stunning book.

Wonderful choices, thanks Ayo. I already have Blood and Sugar on the wishlist and the other two will be added immediately!

If Ayo has managed to tempt you, or if you would like to find out more about the books she recommends, please see the following links:

Blood and Sugar by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
Heaven My Home by Attica Locke
The Hooded Gunman by John Curran

About Ayo:
Ayo Onatade is a CWA Red Herring Award winning freelance crime fiction critic and blogger. She has written a number of articles on different aspects of crime fiction and has also given papers on the subject as well. She has an eclectic taste in crime fiction, which runs the gamut from historical crime fiction to hardboiled and short stories. Her research interests include historical fiction especially crime fiction and crime fiction literary criticism. She is also a visiting lecturer at Kingston University. She also judges a number of book awards.

Ayo’s Blog and Social Media Links:
| Shotsmag Confidential | Twitter @Shotsblog | Facebook |

If you’re a book blogger or an author and you have three books published this year which you want to shout about then please complete the following form (or click this link: https://forms.gle/PE483qCyrKEgV5Uq6)