A Stroke of Bad Luck
by Diane Janes
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Pub Date 28 Jun 2019 | Archive Date 23 May 2019
Troubador Publishing Limited | Matador
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Description
On a bitter day in January 1934 a young woman pays an unexpected visit to the occupant of the condemned cell in Armley Jail in Leeds. The man is Ernest Brown, who stands convicted of the murder of his employer, Frederick Morton, and is soon to be hanged. The woman is Florence Morton, the victim’s sister. Florence knows that Ernest is a bad lot. He deserted from the army, acquired a criminal record for theft and drunken driving, and has admitted to having had an affair with the victim’s wife. But did he kill her brother, Freddy Morton?
Based on a true story, the mystery surrounding Freddy Morton’s death unfolds page by page, drawing the reader into a fascinating web of conflicting statements, competing loyalties, and a seemingly impossible murder scenario. As the clock ticks and the day of Ernest’s execution approaches, will Florence manage to discover the truth about the brutal murder of her brother?
A Note From the Publisher
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9781789019735 |
| PRICE | £3.99 (GBP) |
| PAGES | 200 |
Featured Reviews
Nadia A, Reviewer
Wow! What a book! Based on a true story always hooks me. And this one was just absolutely gripping. I found myself unable to put down the book for anything. I gobbled it up slowly, because I just didn't want it to end. Plus, the writing was so good, that I wanted to savor it. A definite must-read!!
darren m, Reviewer
I enjoyed reading this book. I liked the fact that it was biased on a true story. It was a well written book. It is my first book read by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.
Lindsey H, Reviewer
Great fast read. Can we say this would be one of my worst nightmares? Yikes! Very enjoyable considering the topic and even better it is based on a true story. Thanks NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!
Linda J, Educator
I thought this was a very well written book.it is the tale (based on a true story) of a prisoner who may or may not have committed murder. A visitor hears his story and wants to help. We know he’s a bad guy but did he or didn’t he? The author makes courtrooms sound exciting, so if you really enjoy trial books, you’ll love this. I confess, I usually am not into trials but this one kept me reading til the end. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to preview this book!
kelly w, Reviewer
Diane James's characters are well-defined and credible, and their interactions make for some fascinating reading. I particularly enjoyed the mysterious plot that is is based on real events.. A fine crime story to get lost in !!
Sandra H, Reviewer
First thank you NetGalley, Diane James, and Troubador for an advanced copy. I am a huge true crime fan and love reading any type of book that relates to that topic, but this book did not do it for me.
Not to give away any spoilers, this book is based on a true crime, it can be interpreted of a sister trying to find answers as to what really happened to a beloved family member and of a man accused of a crime hoping that justice will prevail. I felt that this book was a slow read and took awhile to get to important points of the story.
Cristie U, Book Trade Professional
This was a great read. I was intrigued about the real case that this book was based on and actually did research on it. The author did a great job of fictionalizing this story.
Julie S, Reviewer
A Stroke of Bad Luck by [Janes, Diane]
Amazingly good. I won't ruin it by giving too much away, but this was excellent.
Review copy provided by publisher.
kATHLEEN G, Reviewer
As this is based on a true story, you could probably poke around on the internet and find out what happened but I'm not giving any spoilers! This is a well done mystery based around the murder of Frederick Morton. His sister isn't certain that Ernest Brown did it but it's 1934 and there's no forensics and well, Ernest is a, to put it nicely, ne'er do well. You'll work along with Florence to find the truth about Freddy and his death. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.
Samantha Marianne G, Reviewer
Picking up this book and reading it was A stroke of truly good luck! And I almost didn't. Honestly, I did not find the cover of this one to be enticing, and kept putting reading this back and back - my loss! They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover and this just one of those books that this applies to. The content within is truly at odds with its dull blue cover - it's gripping and taut. This book was different is quite different from my general go-to genre of thrillers, nonetheless, this book made it very high up in my rating. I have a feeling that this is one of those stories that will stay with me for a long time!
Based on the Saxton-Grange murder that shook Yorkshire residents in 1933, this book takes you on a journey that will imprint on your mind just maybe forever. Most of the scenes in this book are set in a courtroom - something that would generally not interest me, but I surprisingly found myself turning page after page to get to the end. Having been unaware of the real case added to the tension and I just could not put this one down! This book was a big diversion from what I prefer to read and enjoy reading, but I'm very glad I picked this one up! The ending left me with a mix of emotions - I was shocked, outraged and a little sad.
Thank you, NetGalley, Troubador Publishing Limited and Diane Janes for an arc!
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