April in the Back of Beyond

by P.M. Terrell

Writer Hayley Hunter has arrived in Ireland to complete a book on Irish history. When she discovers the old carriage house she is renting is haunted, she is determined to uncover the truth behind the burned ruins of a nearby manor house and the abandoned British barracks it overlooks. With the assistance of Shay Macgregor, an Irish historian, her quest will take her to 1919 and the Irish War for Independence, exposing the murders of two young men and why their mother, April Crutchley, refuses to leave the back of beyond even in death. With a budding romance and the opportunity to begin life anew, Hayley finds her own life is now in jeopardy as she gets closer to a truth the villagers have long sought to bury.

262 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 19, 2019

About the author

p.m.terrell is the pen name for Patricia McClelland Terrell, the award-winning, internationally acclaimed author of more than 21 books in four genres: contemporary suspense, historical adventure/suspense, computer how-to and non-fiction.

Prior to writing full-time, she founded two computer companies in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. Among her clients were the Central Intelligence Agency, United States Secret Service, U.S. Information Agency, and Department of Defense. Her specialties were in white collar computer crimes and computer intelligence, themes that have carried forward to her contemporary suspense.

She has been a full-time author since 2002. Vicki’s Key was a top five finalist in the 2012 International Book Awards and 2012 USA Book Awards nominee, and The Pendulum Files was a national finalist for the Best Cover of the Year in 2014. The Tempest Murders was one of four finalists in the 2013 International Book Awards, cross-genre category.

Her historical suspense, River Passage, was a 2010 Best Fiction and Drama Winner. It was determined to be so historically accurate that a copy of the book resides at the Nashville Government Metropolitan Archives in Nashville, Tennessee.

She is also the co-founder of The Book ‘Em Foundation, an organization committed to raising public awareness of the correlation between high crime rates and high illiteracy rates. She is the organizer and chairperson of Book ‘Em North Carolina, an annual event held in Lumberton, North Carolina, to raise funds to increase literacy and reduce crime. For more information on this event and the literacy campaigns funded by it, visit www.bookemnc.org. She is also the founder of The Novel Business, mentoring authors in the business end and selling of books.

She sits on the board of the Friends of the Robeson County Public Library. She has also served on the boards of Robeson County Arts Council, Crime Stoppers and Crime Solvers and became the first female president of the Chesterfield County-Colonial Heights Crime Solvers in Virginia.

Reviews

[Sherry Fundin · Rating 4 out of 5]

P M Terrell writes some amazing stories and her historical fiction makes me feel as if I can see the ruins, hear the cattle, smell the crisp air, and feel the fear of Hayley as she tries to figure out what the ghost wants from her. I love to anticipate the adventure, a ghost or two, and a bit of an education.

Hayley had been researching her lineage online for a historical novel, and now it was time to make the journey to discover it for herself.

Ireland has a complex history and I have always been confused by it. P M Terrell explains things in a way that I can begin to understand. Religion is a touchy subject no matter where you live, pitting brother against brother.

P M Terrell has a marvelous ability to bring to life the characters surroundings with vivid descriptions. I can see the stone fences and the patchwork quilt of the countryside. I felt like I was walking the meadows and the ruins. Desolate, burnt to the ground, making me want to know what happened to the people that lived there.

Hauntings seem to fit right in with a rainy, misty, foggy Ireland that is steeped in a confusing, at times brutal history. Violence continues to this day.

At the end, wrapped in a pretty bow for a sometimes ugly story, Fergal put a tear in my eye and a smile on my face.

P M Terrell has history in Ireland and weaves fact and fiction seamlessly. If you are a fan of historical fiction, you will want to check out her work. I love the personal touches she adds to her stories. It May have you questioning what’s real and who are the restless spirits.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of April in the Back of Beyond by P M Terrell.

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[Martha Dunlop · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this story. It is packed full of romance, ghosts and Irish history all in a magical setting.

Hayley Hunter can’t understand why the locals are trying to talk her out of staying in the cottage she rented. The secluded home seems like the perfect place to immerse herself in her family’s history while she writes her new book. The beautifully renovated building feels welcoming at first, but then she begins to hear voices in the night. She knows her neighbour is unhappy with her presence, but can’t understand why he would go to so much trouble to make her feel uncomfortable, or why the local villagers have become so suspicious of her motives in writing a book.

Hayley is delighted when a charismatic, history professor offers to be her tour guide and to help her explore and understand the local history. As she begins to create a new present in this enchanting landscape, she is also drawn further and further into the past, and a history that has never quite gone away.

I have loved every book I've read by PM Terrell and this is no exception. She writes wonderful, enchanting love stories, brings the paranormal beautifully to life and creates settings that becomes characters in themselves.

This is definitely a story I would recommend.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt as if I had been to Ireland after I read this book. I got so engrossed I even went to my computer to read more about some of its history. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a dry history book by any means. It’s story about its wars, its people and its beautiful scenery. It’s one of those tales you just don’t want to put down. The kind you keep looking at the clock thinking “just 15 more minutes” and pretty soon it’s been a couple hours.

This book is classified as a romantic suspense/ghost story. I would tell you that except for the suspense part, none of those are a genre I read too much. However, the romance was everyday life; falling in love, learning to know one another, and caring about one another. No embarrassing erotic stuff here. And the “ghost” part, well I kind of took this as “was there really a ghost or not” which left it a little spooky but not necessarily hard to believe.

I think all of the enthusiasm you can feel in my writing above is due to p.m. terrell’s characters. I liked them and they were interesting. They seemed like real live people. They made me want things to turn out my way and I wasn’t sure whether it would or not. That’s the emotion you should feel throughout an entire book. That’s called suspense.

p.m. terrill has many books published. I couldn’t find one that didn’t have good reviews. Check them out.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

April in the Back of Beyond threw me for a loop. I read the blurb and thought that I knew what I was getting into, but I didn’t realize how beautiful it would be. P.M. Terrell’s writing is enchanting and captivating. She takes a paranormal concept and beautifully intertwines it with reality until you forget your reading a novel.

The characters in this novel are awesome. I love how well rounded and developed they are. The mysterious villagers, the romance, the paranormal, the Irish history – everything about this novel is so perfectly connected that it made for one heck of a read.

This is my first read from P.M. Terrell and will not be my last. I absolutely love her writing style and if any of her work is as good as April in the Back of Beyond, then count me in. I highly recommend checking this out!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. All opinions are my own.*

Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed April in the Back of Beyond. Hayley is a great character and I loved the mystery she gets involved with. I was fascinated with all of the Irish history I discovered in this book. It is not a long read and I was disappointed to see it end so soon.

I highly recommend April in the Back of Beyond for readers who enjoy mystery, suspense and Irish history. I would love to read more like this by P.M. Terrell in the future. I am giving this one five plus stars.

I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

[Christine Woinich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting tale. I loved the genealogy side as well the haunting side. It kept me reading to find out the answers. I recommend this story.

I received a copy of this story through Goddess Fish Promotions and this is my unsolicited review.