Today it is my stop on the blog tour for Hold My Hand by M.J. Ford. I really want to read this book, just the cover alone appeals, but I haven’t managed to fit it into my exploding to be read pile just yet. But I’m delighted to share an extract from the book to hopefully whet your appetite and wanting more.
Extract:
William ran towards her and Jo put down the box and braced herself as the six-year-old leapt in the air. She caught him, but almost lost her footing.
‘You weigh a tonne!’ she gasped.
‘Hi Auntie Jo,’ he said.
Amelia wafted through the crowds, a glass in hand ready to give to Jo. ‘Hello darling,’ she said. ‘Thanks for making the trip.’
‘Wouldn’t miss it,’ said Jo. Amelia was hard not to like.
Paul was looking good.
‘You’ve lost weight,’ Jo said.
‘He’s doing a triathlon in September,’ said Amelia. ‘He’ll be tapping you for sponsorship, so watch out.’
‘I’m broke!’ she said, managing a smile.
‘I’ve given up cheese,’ said Paul morosely. Then he pointed with his glass to the box. ‘Is that for me?’
‘I hope you like it,’ said Jo.
Whether it was the booze or not, his face lit up when his eyes landed on the homburg, and he paraded the hat in front of his guests.
‘You look like something out of le Carré!’ said Amelia, laughing. William tried it on as well, to much amusement.
‘Thanks sis!’ said Paul, giving her a peck on the cheek. ‘Actually, we could have done with you here a week ago. Car got broken into – they nicked my iPad. And my bloody squash racket of all things. Police didn’t even come out and take prints!’
Jo could tell a few people were listening, so just said jovially, ‘Sorry, bro – not my patch!’
She could have told them that the police force were suffering the deepest cuts since their inception, that manned stations were being phased out in all but the biggest towns, and that the few demoralised officers who did remain really couldn’t give a shit about someone stupid enough to leave their iPad on display in their vehicle.
Blurb:
HOLD MY HAND, M. J. Ford
How long do you hunt for the missing?
A horrible vanishing act…
When a young Josie Masters sees a boy wearing a red football shirt, Dylan Jones, being taken by a clown at a carnival, she tries to alert the crowds. But it’s too late. Dylan has disappeared…
Thirty years later, Josie is working as a police officer in Bath. The remains of the body of a child have been found – complete with tatters of a torn red football shirt. Is it the boy she saw vanish in the clutches of the clown? Or is it someone else altogether?
And then another child disappears…
About The Author:
M. J. Ford lives with his wife and family on the edge of the Peak District in the north of England. He has worked as an editor and writer of children’s fiction for many years. Hold My Hand is his first novel for adults.
Hold My Hand by M.J. Ford is out now and available from Amazon UK and Amazon US.
If only I could read faster 