J.L. Merrow's Blog

When lightning strikes twice, you might get burned

Zig’s trying to build a life for himself after falling in with the wrong crowd in his teens. When his no-good dad threatens to force him back into crime, he runs all the way to Glastonbury. He’s just hoping his former sweetheart —whom he’s always remembered as the one good man he knows—won’t slam the door in his face.

Si—Scratch to his mates—is blindsided when his gorgeous ex turns up on his doorstep looking better than ever. Although Si’s still nursing a broken heart six years after breaking up with Zig over his lifestyle, he welcomes him back into his life, no questions asked. He’s determined not to let him back into his heart, though; Si’s learned that lesson.

Before, Si was the naïve youngster and Zig the worldly jack-the-lad. Now, Si’s grown into his confidence as well as his muscles, while Zig’s had to face some harsh truths about himself . Despite their doubts, and those of Si’s mates, they’re drawn back to one another. But Zig’s dad has a score to settle which could ruin their second chance—and their lives—forever.

Due out on 24th February 2025 and now available to pre-order:

Riptide | Amazon

The DI Leon Peterson Mysteries are a joint venture between myself, Sue Brown and Ripley Hayes, and we’re very excited to announce that the second book, Murder Under Ground, is now out in paperback and on Kindle!

When death hits close to home, is anyone who they seem?

DI Leon Peterson’s Christmas at home is interrupted by the discovery of a body practically on the police station doorstep—but who would brutally stab Paul Easton, a popular youth worker, in the station’s underground car park, and why would suspicion fall on DS Jasmine Todd?

As they work over Christmas and New Year, Leon is forced to bring in other detectives, not all of them welcome additions. They soon realise there’s more to Paul Easton and his life than meets the eye. Conflicts within the team extend both on a personal level and how they view the suspects. No one appears to be who they seem.

For Leon, this case hits home in more ways than one. Yet again he revisits his past as they hunt for Paul Easton’s killer. Meanwhile, he has his own decisions to make regarding his future in the force.

https://books2read.com/murderunderground

Not encountered DI Leon Peterson yet? You can find the first book in the series here:

https://books2read.com/murderunderconstruction

The DI Leon Peterson Mysteries are a joint venture between myself, Sue Brown and Ripley Hayes, and we’re very excited to announce that the first book, Murder Under Construction, is now out in paperback and on Kindle!

There’s a new gay detective on the block:

Meet Detective Inspector Leon Peterson as he works under Heathrow’s flight path. His personal and professional life cross in the first book in the series, as a cold case turns out to have deadly repercussions in the present.

 https://books2read.com/murderunderconstruction

Under the flight path, more than one secret is about to emerge…

On the brink of closing a high-profile terrorism investigation, DI Leon Peterson and his team are pulled off to investigate a cold case, a body found on a site for a new airport hotel. He knows this is political posturing, but it doesn’t make it easier to accept watching another DI muscle in on his team’s work.

For Leon, though, the decades-old cold case turns out to be closer to home in more than one way. His DS, Jasmine Todd, can’t understand his interest in the dead man, and Leon is not sure he wants to talk about his past. One thing he fears is that he may have a very personal connection to the deceased. Will the body finally give him the answers he’s waited for nearly forty years?

Even as some shocking revelations come to light, Leon can’t help being distracted by the terrorism case. He’s convinced the new DI in charge is chasing the wrong lead, and his conscience won’t let him leave it alone. No matter if it risks his career—and his life.

The DI Leon Peterson Mysteries are a joint venture between myself, Sue Brown and Ripley Hayes, and we’re very excited to announce that the first book, Murder Under Construction, will be out in paperback and on Kindle on 24th October!

Love a cold case? Love a gay detective? Love secrets ready to emerge? This is the series for you!

Pre-Order link – https://books2read.com/murderunderconstruction

Under the flight path, more than one secret is about to emerge…

On the brink of closing a high-profile terrorism investigation, DI Leon Peterson and his team are pulled off to investigate a cold case, a body found on a site for a new airport hotel. He knows this is political posturing, but it doesn’t make it easier to accept watching another DI muscle in on his team’s work.

For Leon, though, the decades-old cold case turns out to be closer to home in more than one way. His DS, Jasmine Todd, can’t understand his interest in the dead man, and Leon is not sure he wants to talk about his past. One thing he fears is that he may have a very personal connection to the deceased. Will the body finally give him the answers he’s waited for nearly forty years?

Even as some shocking revelations come to light, Leon can’t help being distracted by the terrorism case. He’s convinced the new DI in charge is chasing the wrong lead, and his conscience won’t let him leave it alone. No matter if it risks his career—and his life.

For a limited time only, Face Blind, the first of my Glastonbury Tales, is now available on Kindle Unlimited!

Corin Ferriman was left face blind by the car crash that killed his ex. Even people he’s known for years are unrecognisable to him. Running from his guilt and new-found social anxiety, he’s moved to Glastonbury, where he knows no one—or does he? Repeated sightings of a mysterious figure leave him terrified that his ghosts have followed him.Tattoo artist Adam Merchant left Glastonbury at sixteen, escaping from his emotionally distant mother to the father who’d left them seven years previously. Now, at twenty-five, he’s come home to bring his family back together. But in a cruel twist of fate, his mother dies before he can talk to her, leaving him haunted—perhaps literally—by her memory and his unanswered questions.

When Corin and Adam meet again after an eerie first encounter, Adam lays siege to the walls Corin’s built around himself, which start to crumble. But there are ghosts haunting them both, and while Adam longs for a connection beyond the veil, Corin’s guilt leaves him in angry denial that there could be anything after death. With the liminal festival of Samhain fast approaching, neither man is sure what’s real and what’s just a trick of the mind—or maybe something worse.

Available in ebook, paperback and audiobook : Amazon | Riptide | Audible

I’m delighted to be part of RJ Scott’s Twist in the Tale Halloween event, which brings you free stories throughout October from 31 different MM romance authors.

And today it’s my turn! Reunion is a brand new story in the Glastonbury Tales (Face Blind, Face the Truth) and you can read it for free by following this link: http://rjscott.co.uk/twist

Don’t forget to check out the other great FREE stories – more added every day!

And it’s FREE!

Readers of Face Blind were left with some unanswered questions – and I’m delighted to say that Face the Truth is now here to answer them.

Adam’s still struggling to come to terms with what he’s learned about his family, but nevertheless, he has to know more. Digging deeper, however, only brings a further shock. A visit to figures from his past may give him what he needs—but it’ll also lead to a heartbreaking dilemma. Whatever he decides, Adam’s going to need all Corin’s support to get through this.

This short story contains spoilers for Face Blind and is best read after the novel.

Part of the series: Glastonbury Tales

Download Face the Truth FREE at Riptide

(Also available at Amazon but may not be free there)

And Face Blind is now available in audiobook:

When even friends look like strangers, how will he ever find love?

Corin Ferriman was left face blind by the car crash that killed his ex. Even people he’s known for years are unrecognisable to him. Running from his guilt and new-found social anxiety, he’s moved to Glastonbury, where he knows no one—or does he? Repeated sightings of a mysterious figure leave him terrified that his ghosts have followed him.Tattoo artist Adam Merchant left Glastonbury at sixteen, escaping from his emotionally distant mother to the father who’d left them seven years previously. Now, at twenty-five, he’s come home to bring his family back together. But in a cruel twist of fate, his mother dies before he can talk to her, leaving him haunted—perhaps literally—by her memory and his unanswered questions.

When Corin and Adam meet again after an eerie first encounter, Adam lays siege to the walls Corin’s built around himself, which start to crumble. But there are ghosts haunting them both, and while Adam longs for a connection beyond the veil, Corin’s guilt leaves him in angry denial that there could be anything after death. With the liminal festival of Samhain fast approaching, neither man is sure what’s real and what’s just a trick of the mind—or maybe something worse.

Audible

And the audiobook will be coming soon!

In case you didn’t see the cover reveal on Love Bytes Reviews, my first Glastonbury Tale, Face Blind, has a gorgeous new cover:

When even friends look like strangers, how will he ever find love?

Corin Ferriman was left face blind by the car crash that killed his ex. Even people he’s known for years are unrecognisable to him. Running from his guilt and new-found social anxiety, he’s moved to Glastonbury, where he knows no one—or does he? Repeated sightings of a mysterious figure leave him terrified that his ghosts have followed him.Tattoo artist Adam Merchant left Glastonbury at sixteen, escaping from his emotionally distant mother to the father who’d left them seven years previously. Now, at twenty-five, he’s come home to bring his family back together. But in a cruel twist of fate, his mother dies before he can talk to her, leaving him haunted—perhaps literally—by her memory and his unanswered questions.

When Corin and Adam meet again after an eerie first encounter, Adam lays siege to the walls Corin’s built around himself, which start to crumble. But there are ghosts haunting them both, and while Adam longs for a connection beyond the veil, Corin’s guilt leaves him in angry denial that there could be anything after death. With the liminal festival of Samhain fast approaching, neither man is sure what’s real and what’s just a trick of the mind—or maybe something worse.

Available in ebook and paperback – audiobook coming soon: Amazon | Riptide

Welcome to Shamwell! A sleepy rural village in Hertfordshire, England, it’s the perfect place to move to for a little peace and quiet—or at least, you’d think so! But as a succession of newcomers to the village find, there’s more going on in these idyllic surroundings than cricket matches on the common and pints of ale in the local pubs.

A place where everyone’s connected to everyone else, Shamwell’s rife with mishaps, mayhem and misunderstandings—and the path of true love is no smoother than the ancient stone walls of the parish church.

Each contemporary romantic comedy stands alone, but all feature a cast of characters drawn from Shamwell and its surroundings.

Find the Shamwell Tales on KU here