Please Welcome L M Somerton...
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Thanks so much for having me on your blog to introduce my latest release, Rasputin’s Kiss. Even though I’ve published several other books, this was actually the first story I ever wrote, so it’s very close to my heart.
So why name a serial killer Rasputin? Well, I toyed with a lot of options, but I wanted a clichéd nickname that the tabloid press might use. The only association with the real Rasputin is the notion of a monk wearing a hood, just the kind of tenuous connection the media often produce.
Actually, much of Grigori Rasputin’s life is shrouded in myth, but history paints the picture of a “mad monk” who steered Russia toward chaos. Rasputin began his career as a populist holy man and was known to preach a religious doctrine arguing that true salvation was only possible through indulgence in sin. His reputation as a faith healer eventually saw him summoned to the court of Czar Nicholas II, where he ingratiated himself to Czarina Alexandra Feodorovna after helping her hemophiliac son recover from an injury.
By 1911 Rasputin had secured himself a place as the czarina’s closest advisor. He then began using his influence to appoint incompetent and crooked officials while also indulging in drink and perverse sexual appetites. It’s the latter trait rather than a monk’s hood that makes the name appropriate for this story!
Investigating Love - Series Blurb
Being thrown together in extreme circumstances is not the best foundation for a relationship. Alex and Conor must juggle the demands of their jobs as police detectives with their personal lives. With Alex as demanding in the bedroom as he is at work, will Conor be able to accept that submission is not weakness.
Finding out will be the most important investigation of their lives.
Rasputin’s Kiss - Book Blurb:
Rasputin’s kiss is lethal. He’s a ghost – killing and disappearing into the night. With few leads and four bodies on his conscience, Detective Inspector Alex Courtney and his team are running on empty and it’s only a matter of time before Rasputin strikes again.When Alex recruits a young detective to play the part of his boyfriend and provide a tempting target for a killer, he knows he is taking a huge risk. He doesn’t expect Conor Trethuan to be a perfect potential submissive. When their mutual attraction becomes more, Alex has to face the conflict between his possessive instincts and the need to push his young lover into danger.
Investigating their feelings has to come second to investigating the case. There’s no time to decide if what they feel for each other is real. With Rasputin closing in, they may not live to find out.
Excerpt:
They walked in companionable silence to a small Italian restaurant just around the corner from the station and sat at a table next to the window. The whole place was a cliché, with red and white checked tablecloths, candles in old Chianti bottles coated with solidified drips of wax and laminated menus that had seen better days. The atmosphere was warm and friendly, though, and the whole place smelt of herbs and spices.
A short, rotund man bustled over and greeted Alex like a long-lost member of his family. After effusive introductions that seemed to include most of the staff and half the customers in the restaurant, fresh bread with aromatic olive oil was left to tide them over while their food was prepared. Alex ordered for both of them, watching Conor as he did. The overt act of dominance made Conor smile wryly. He wondered if Alex had expected him to be annoyed. A brief look of satisfaction crossed Alex’s face and that gave Conor his answer. Conor dipped a piece of warm bread in oil and held it to his mouth, allowing the slick liquid to spread across his lips. He took a bite then slowly ran his tongue over his lower lip, chasing a stray drop of oil. Alex’s eyes widened and a hint of colour bloomed on his cheeks. Conor smiled innocently.
I think I have a wolf in sheep’s clothing here, Alex thought to himself. Well, an enthusiastic pup anyway. He could imagine smearing that oil in all kinds of interesting places. It was a delight to watch Conor eat. He twirled his linguine expertly, complimented the chef politely and smiled shyly at the waitress who couldn’t take her eyes off him. He didn’t encourage her any more, though, and Alex was secretly pleased about that. He bristled at the sight of other people casting flirtatious looks at Conor. Unfortunately that seemed to happen when anyone noticed him. Conor drew admiring glances from every woman in the place, and jealous ones from the men they were with. Alex wanted to growl at them, make it clear that Conor was not available, and maybe put a paper bag over Conor’s head so that everyone would stop lusting after him. Still Conor seemed comfortable in his company and was attentive. He wasn’t distracted by any of the attention—in fact he seemed completely oblivious to it.
An hour, and a pleasantly full stomach, later Alex decided it was time to let his latest recruit know what he was really in for. Alex wasn’t looking forward to confessing, but it had to be done. Both he and Conor had stuck to mineral water with their meals so he couldn’t take advantage of senses dulled by alcohol, which might have made things easier. Now they sat with tiny cups of rich, dark espresso in front of them and there were no more excuses or distractions. Alex took a deep breath and tried to focus on what he needed to say. Okay maybe there was still a distraction—a beautiful, dark-haired one sitting just across the table. Alex lost his train of thought as he admired the snug fit of Conor’s shirt, which effectively demonstrated a nicely tapered torso. How did the man manage to make a simple blue shirt look so fucking sexy? Maybe it was the open collar that displayed his graceful neck, or the rolled up sleeves that revealed smooth, toned forearms? The leather strap of his watch could so easily be a cuff, buckled tightly…
© L M Somerton
For the whole of March, there’s a giveaway going on with lots of fun prizes
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Buy links:
You can buy Rasputin’s Kiss from Totally Bound at:
Or search for the title at Amazon, All Romance Café etc.
Author bio:
L M Somerton lives in a small village in the English countryside, surrounded by rolling hills, cows and sheep. She started writing to fill time between jobs and is now firmly and unashamedly addicted.
She loves the English weather, especially the rain, and adores a thunderstorm. She loves good food, warm company and a crackling fire. She’s fascinated by the psychology of relationships, especially between men, and her stories contain some subtle (and not so subtle) leanings towards BDSM.
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