Anne Brooke

Anne Brooke

About

Anne Brooke has been writing for eighteen years and is the author of seven novels, numerous short stories and poems. She was shortlisted for the Harry Bowling Novel Award in 2006, longlisted for the Betty Bolingbroke-Kent Novel Award in 2005, and shortlisted for the Royal Literary Fund Awards in 2004 and the Asham Award for Women Writers in 2003. In addition, she has twice been the winner of the DSJT Charitable Trust Open Poetry Award.Her gay crime novel, Maloney’s Law, is published by PD Publishing and available from Amazon. In addition, another gay crime novel, A Dangerous Man, is available from Flame Books, and her romantic comedy novel, Pink Champagne and Apple Juice, and her crime novel, Thorn in the Flesh, are both available from Goldenford Publishers. Thorn in the Flesh and Pink Champagne and Apple Juice are also available as eBooks from Amazon.com and Mobipocket.Her work is represented by the John Jarrold Literary Agency and she is a closet birdwatcher. More information can be found at www.annebrooke.com or at www.myspace.com/annebrooke. She also keeps a terrifyingly honest journal at http://annebrooke.blogspot.com.

The Sons of Godwine: Part Two of The Last Great Saxon Earls

The Sons of Godwine: Part Two of The Last Great Saxon Earls

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<p>Emerging from the long shadow cast by his formidable father, Harold Godwineson showed himself to be a worthy successor to the Earldom of Wessex. In the following twelve years, he became the King's most trusted advisor, practically taking the reins of government into his own hands. And on Edward the Confessor's death, Harold Godwineson mounted the throne—the first king of England not of royal blood. Yet Harold was only a man, and his rise in fortune was not blameless. Like any person aspiring to power, he made choices he wasn't particularly proud of. Unfortunately, those closest to him sometimes paid the price of his fame.<br /><br />This is a story of Godwine's family as told from the viewpoint of Harold and his younger brothers. Queen Editha, known for her Vita Ædwardi Regis, originally commissioned a work to memorialize the deeds of her family, but after the Conquest historians tell us she abandoned this project and concentrated on her husband, the less dangerous subject. In THE SONS OF GODWINE and FATAL RIVALRY, I am telling the story as it might have survived had she collected and passed on the memoirs of her tragic brothers.<br /><br />This book is part two of The Last Great Saxon Earls series. Book one, GODWINE KINGMAKER, depicted the rise and fall of the first Earl of Wessex who came to power under Canute and rose to preeminence at the beginning of Edward the Confessor's reign. Unfortunately, Godwine's misguided efforts to champion his eldest son Swegn recoiled on the whole family, contributing to their outlawry and Queen Editha's disgrace. Their exile only lasted one year and they returned victorious to London, though it was obvious that Harold's career was just beginning as his father's journey was coming to an end.<br /><br />Harold's siblings were all overshadowed by their famous brother; in their memoirs we see remarks tinged sometimes with admiration, sometimes with skepticism, and in Tostig's case, with jealousy. We see a Harold who is ambitious, self-assured, sometimes egocentric, imperfect, yet heroic. His own story is all about Harold, but his brothers see things a little differently. Throughout, their observations are purely subjective, and witnessing events through their eyes gives us an insider’s perspective.<br /><br />Harold was his mother's favorite, confident enough to rise above petty sibling rivalry but Tostig, next in line, was not so lucky. Harold would have been surprised by Tostig's vindictiveness, if he had ever given his brother a second thought. And that was the problem. Tostig's love/hate relationship with Harold would eventually destroy everything they worked for, leaving the country open to foreign conquest. This subplot comes to a crisis in book three of the series, FATAL RIVALRY.</p>

Story Behind The Book

Reviews

<span style="color:#333333;font-size:12px;line-height:18px;">“I do not know why I have never read Anne Brooke before but I am sure going to continue reading her after having read Maloney's Law. She can really tell a story and her plot is mesmerizing. Paul Maloney, a small time private investigator, takes a case from his married ex-lover, Dominic Allen, and he soon finds himself in the middle of big business dealings and the world of international crime. The more involved he becomes, he realizes that he is danger of losing everything that is important to him. If he could center his attention on his job he would probably be ok but instead he gets more and more embroiled. What really makes this novel so special is the way Brooke draws her character of Maloney and his opposite Dominic. Maloney is so real that you feel like screaming at him when he does something wrong and drying his tears when he cries. He is strong and breaks into a building that he must force his way out of. We feel his danger and sense his emotional upheavals; Dominic is the kind of guy who is a source of grief for Maloney simply because he is the ex. The plot is tight and consistent throughout. Replete with details I found the book to be intriguing and the book is abundant with realism. There is one scene that will keep you on the edge of the chair. This is one good read that has whetted my appetite for more.” [(A five star review from Amos Lassen on Amazon US]</span><div><span style="color:#333333;font-size:12px;line-height:18px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color:#333333;font-size:12px;line-height:18px;">“Maloney's Law by Anne Brooke excels on an emotional level, tugging the reader in as many directions as the investigation pushes private investigator Paul Maloney. However, I can't help feeling that the book is ineffectively or insufficiently categorised and may well suffer for it, which would be a pity. The underlying crime is a decent backdrop to the story but not the driving force. The more explosive emotional impact arises from the consequences of obsession, desire and obstinacy. It's a psychological thriller in many ways, but one bearing on the mental journey of the protagonist. I thoroughly enjoyed this as a riveting exploration of the human condition and complexities of all types of relationships, which Anne writes superbly. Perfect. The right amount of pain, the right amount of beauty, with just enough hope thrown in.” [Review by author, Sharon Maria Bidwell]<br /></span></div><div><span style="color:#333333;font-size:12px;line-height:18px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color:#333333;font-size:12px;line-height:18px;">“Novelist and poet Anne Brooke’s novel, Maloney’s Law, introduces us to Paul Maloney, ‘a small-time private investigator from London’. Against his better judgement, he takes on a case from big-time businessman, Dominic Allen. For Maloney, the case is fraught with physical and emotional risks. Dominic is his ex-lover, and the ‘ex’ part of the equation is still the source of great pain for Maloney. With her use of a gay PI, Brooke is able to step outside the hard-bitten clichés of the genre and explore an emotional landscape denied to many other crime writers. When Maloney is upset, he cries. Yet, when he needs information vital to his new case, he breaks into a secure building and fights his way out, dodging bullets as he goes. The complexity of her main character is one of the great strengths of the novel. The reader feels his peril and his emotional turmoil when he discovers just how ruthless his ex-lover can be. Brooke adheres to one of the best traditions of the genre in the tightness and internal consistency of her plot. The details of the investigation weave an ever more intriguing spell around the reader. Her descriptions of the gruesome reprisals inflicted on Maloney, after he discovers too much, are carried off with compelling realism. His immersion in the Soho clubbing scene is also done with unflinching honesty. With writing credits that range across crime fiction, psychological thrillers, romantic comedy, fantasy and poetry, one can only wonder where Anne Brooke’s eclectic interests will take her next. On the evidence of Maloney’s Law, it will be a fascinating destination.” [Review by author, Tony Judge]<br /></span></div><div><span style="color:#333333;font-size:12px;line-height:18px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color:#333333;font-size:12px;line-height:18px;">“Paul Maloney has a lot on his plate. If he could just keep his mind on his job he'd be a lot better off. Fortunately for the reader, he doesn't. What's obvious right off the bat is that this novel is written by an accomplished stylist. As it turns out, Anne Brooke is also a poet, which makes for a charming read. But you may not have time to stop to appreciate that fact because the action sweeps you up from the word `Go!' The characters are compelling (there's nothing like a sexy, morally ambiguous, irresistible charmer to stir up the intrigue, which Brooke has ably created with Maloney's nemesis, his ex-lover Dominic, who practically spits sex) and the plot is razor-edge gripping. (Foreign intrigue!) There's one incredibly harrowing scene where Brooke's descriptive powers come to the fore, though with a little deep breathing you can make it through intact. A good read, a fun ride!” [Five-star review on Amazon US by award-winning author, Jeffrey Round]<br /></span></div>