Blog Tour: The Haunting Scent of Poppies by Victoria Williamson

Today I am on the The Haunting Scent of Poppies by Victoria Williamson blog tour. My stop on the tour is a spotlight.

This short historical YA novella was published on the 1^st of December 2023 by Silver Thistle Press.

Blurb

A spine-chilling winter ghost story set in the months after the Great War. Perfect for lovers of MR James and Susan Hill

The War is over, but for petty criminal Charlie his darkest days are only just beginning.

Charlie Briggs is never off-duty, even when a botched job means he’s forced to lay low in a sleepy Hampshire town for the holiday season. Always searching for his next unwitting victim, or a shiny trinket he can pilfer, he can’t believe his luck when he happens upon a rare book so valuable it will set him up for life. All he needs to do is sit tight until Boxing Day. But there’s a desperate story that bleeds beyond the pages; something far more dangerous than London’s mobsters is lurking in the shadows.

Could the book be cursed? Why is he haunted by the horrors of war? Can he put things right before he’s suffocated by his own greed?
Blurb for The Haunting Scent of Poppies by Victoria Williamson

About the Author

Victoria Williamson is an award-winning author who grew up in Scotland surrounded by hills, books, and an historical farm estate which inspired many of her early adventure stories and spooky tales. After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real-life adventures, which included teaching maths and science in Cameroon, training teachers in Malawi, teaching English in China and working with children with additional support needs in the UK. Victoria currently works part time writing KS2 books for the education company Twinkl and spends the rest of her time writing novels, and visiting schools, libraries and literary festivals to give author talks and run creative writing workshops.

Victoria’s previous novels include The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, The Boy with the Butterfly Mind, Hag Storm, and War of the Wind. She has won the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award 2020/2021, The YA-aldi Glasgow Secondary School Libraries Book Award 2023, and has been shortlisted for the Week Junior Book Awards 2023, The Leeds Book Awards 2023, the Red Book Award 2023, the James Reckitt Hull Book Awards 2021, The Trinity School Book Awards 2021, and longlisted for the ABA South Coast Book Awards 2023, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2020, and the Branford Boase Award 2019.

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To read reviews of The Haunting Scent of Poppies by Victoria Williamson see Goodreads and Amazon.

You can read my reviews of a few of Victoria Williamson’s books here:

You can read my interview with Victoria Williamson about the writing of Norah’s Ark here: The Write Reads Ultimate Blog Tour – Norah’s Ark by Victoria Williamson.

You can see my spotlight on The Whistlers in the Dark by Victoria Williamson published by Scotland Street Press here: Blog Tour – The Whistlers in the Dark by Victoria Williamson.

You can find out more about Victoria’s books, school visits and upcoming events on her website: www.strangelymagical.com and follow her on X (formly known as Twitter) @strangelymagic

I would like to thank The Write Reads for inviting me to take part in this ultimate tour. Thank you.

A special thank you must also go to Victoria Williamson for sending me the wonderful book package.