The Stolen Sister

The waiting is over! My sixth novel, The Stolen Sister, entered the world last Tuesday, February 24th, and I could never have imagined how well it has been received. A huge thank you to all you lovely readers who have downloaded it. On publication day itself, it was #1 Hot New Release in three categories - Historical European fiction, Women's Sagas and Saga Fiction and although it has started to slip a little today, by yesterday it had reached #129 in the Kindle Store. In addition, to currently be #1, #1 and #3 in the same three categories on Amazon.com is a bonus.

A massive thank you must go to my fabulous publisher, Joffe Books/Choc Lit Publishing for their super marketing, frequent promotional posts and especially for arranging the help of the wonderful Zoë of Zooloo's Booktours. The resulting reviews from book bloggers have blown me away!

The writing community is always generous with its support. While taking part in the first #RomFicFeb2026 throughout February, this has been so evident. Thanks to everyone, especially to the Cariads, members of my local RNA Chapter.

As with all my other books, I wrote countdown posts on each of the fourteen days before The Stolen Sister was published. The idea was to give readers a flavour of the novel and accompany it with a photo illustration. Here are a few that were the most popular:

COUNTING DOWN TO PUBLICATION

14 Days to go

"Zoë's pulse quickened as she unfolded the letter, looking down at the familiar script. Her throat constricted as she began to read.

'Dear Zoë

If you are reading this, I must have left this earth. Don’t be sad. Not all mothers and daughters have enjoyed the wonderful close relationship we had, yet, as I write this, I still worry about you. But I’m comforted by knowing you are a strong young woman. I know you will make a good life for yourself now you are dependent on no one. Follow your dreams, travel the world and keep making your beautiful silver jewellery. There is nothing to keep you in Wales now. You can go anywhere.

I have one final request for you, cariad. I’d like my ashes to be scattered off the Greek island of Crete. Can you do that for me? Treat it as the beginning of your adventures and the start of your travelling journey.

Good-bye, my lovely Zoë. I will always be by your side. I will always love you.

Love Mammy xxx'"

COUNTING DOWN TO PUBLICATION

12 Days to go

“‘First time in Matala? You’ll love it.’

The three chatted all the way and in what seemed like no time, they were driving into the village itself towards the beach. What Greta noticed first was the vibrancy of the sea colour. A whole range of vivid turquoise hues shimmered in the strong sunlight. One part of the water appeared as a deep, almost navy, blue, while another verged on shades of emerald.

Greta gasped. ‘The colours! They’re jewel-like. It’s a painter’s paradise. You were right, Andreas.’

‘Stunning, eh? See those caves to the right. One of those is going to be my home for the summer.”

COUNTING DOWN TO PUBLICATION

8 Days to go

"Walking barefoot over the sand, Zoë made her way to the rock she’d picked out. The water was crystal clear and gentle waves broke around her ankles as she sat there, putting off what she’d gone there to do... Zoë took the urn out of her bag and unscrewed the lid. After checking no one was near, she inhaled a deep breath and slowly tipped the ashes into the water. Tears trickled down her cheeks. ‘Goodbye, Mam. Sleep well. I love you.’ The ashes mingled with the water and settled onto the flat rock underneath the surface. Soon, a wave came and washed them out to sea. ‘Return to nature, Mam.’"

How did I celebrate publication day itself? With a lunchtime meal at Rozafa, a Greek restaurant in Manchester, with my husband and daughter. The food was delicious and authentic, reminiscent of our meals in Crete earlier in the year. We toasted with ouzos, too! All that was missing was the hot Cretan sunshine. 🔆🌞🔆🌞🔆

After the excitement of the last week and taking part in #RomFicFeb for the last month, it's back to writing the first draft of book seven. More about that in future posts. 

Thank you so much for reading.

Here is another Netgalley review. As you can imagine, I was absolutely thrilled. Thank you, dear reviewer. It made my day! 

'I can honestly say it is one of the most beautifully written and emotionally affecting novels I’ve read in quite some time. The writing itself is simply stunning. The author’s descriptions are rich, vivid and full of colour — I truly felt transported to Crete, wandering through olive groves and sunlit villages, feeling the warmth of the island and the depth of its history. The setting isn’t just a backdrop; it breathes life into the entire story... Atmospheric, compassionate and deeply moving, this is a story that lingers long after the final page. A truly unforgettable read.' 

You may also follow me on:

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FaceBook - Jan Baynham Writer

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For more information about me and my books, please visit my AMAZON page.

Guest Post with Eva Glyn

Today, I'm delighted to welcome Eva Glyn aka Jane Cable back to the blog. I'm a big fan of Jane's writing and am so pleased she has a new novel out. Published by One More Chapter, The Croatian Island Library was published on January 16th, 2026.  

Welcome, Eva. I think you're going to tell us about one particular island out of several that were visited in your fabulous new novel, so it's over to you.  

How to even begin to choose an island to tell you about? There are five of them in The Croatian Island Library, and most of them dear to me for different reasons. So how about I share the tale of the island that chose me?

When I visited Croatia in September 2023, I had a good idea of how The Croatian Island Library’s story would pan out. There were five islands in all; the three inhabited Elafiti Islands (Kolocep, Lopud and Sipan), Mljet and my beloved Korcula. Mljet was to feature in the story as the home of Baka, the elderly lady who befriends my youngest protagonist, Natali and I was looking forward to visiting it for the first time.

We were staying on Korcula when, out of nowhere, the ferries were cancelled. It was near the end of the season, after all, and I had no way of getting to the part of this long, thin, island I needed to visit. Could I rely on desk research, or would something else crop up?

At the end of our trip we spent a few days in Dubrovnik, staying near the ferry port. There were plenty of boats to the nearest island, Kolocep, so we decided to spend the morning there.

Arriving at Donje Celo, one of two villages on the island, I was entranced. The frantic activity when the boat came in was replaced by an almost eery calm when it left. There was one hotel, a handful of konoba (the Croatian equivalent of the Greek taverna) and a couple of shops. The tiny beach was so quiet, a cat was sitting on it. But the water was incredibly clear and the houses, piled on the hillside, so beautiful I knew within about twenty minutes that this was where Baka needed to be.

We spent the morning exploring the village and the bay it surrounds. There were very few visitors (apart from day cruises loading and unloading their charges for half an hour) and barely any of them made it to the top of the hill where I imagined Baka would live. There were no cars either; everything and everyone was transported either on golf buggies or on the strange trailer-lawnmowers I’ve never seen anywhere else.

Kolocep was so very perfect it even found its way onto the cover of the book. The ideal place to show my readers a slice of Croatian island life, just a stone’s throw from Dubrovnik but at the same time a world away. There was even a bench on the harbour. The bench where Baka would sit to wait for her son to come home, day after day. And where Natali’s little dog Obi, finds her.

Biography & links: 

Eva Glyn writes escapist relationship-driven fiction to whisk you away to fascinating destinations with their own stories to tell.

Set mainly in Croatia, her contemporary novels are more about friendship than romance, the coming together of people through shared interests – especially a love of books – and the opportunity to make fresh starts in their lives.

She has written seven novels for One More Chapter, the most recent being the best-selling The Dubrovnik Book Club, The Santorini Writing Retreat, and The Croatian Island Library which was published in January 2026.

Although she considers herself Welsh, Eva lives in Cornwall with the man she met and fell in love with more than thirty years ago. She also writes as Jane Cable. 

Follow Eva on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvaGlynAuthor), Instagram (@EvaglynAuthor) and Amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Eva-Glyn/author/B08WH28BPV).

Thank you, Eva. Having read The Croatian Island Library, I can see why you chose Kolocep as the perfect location. I feel as if I've visited there myself through your words. 

Here is my review of Eva's new novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope you can tell that from the review. PLEASE CLICK HERE

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed Eva's post as much as I did.

It's only three weeks until my next novel, The Stolen Sister, is published and I can't wait to introduce my characters to you all. Here is the link to NetGalley if you'd like to read an ARC:

https://www.netgalley.co.uk/catalog/book/771349 

Here is one of the Netgalley reviews and I was thrilled:

'This story is as beautiful as the cover! It had me in my feels from the get-go, I loved everything about this book and definitely did shed a few tears here and there. This was my first reading experience with this author but definitely not the last. If you love heartwarming and emotional reads that make you feel like you're experiencing the story with the characters then I highly recommend this book! The writing style was easy to get through, the pacing was perfectly done and it kept me invested.'

You may also follow me on:

X/Twitter - @JanBaynham

FaceBook - Jan Baynham Writer

Instagram - janbaynham

Threads - Jan Baynham

Bluesky - Jan Baynham

For more information about me and my books, please visit my AMAZON page.

Guest Post with Jenny Kane

This week I'm delighted to welcome the lovely Jenny Kane back to the blog. As the first guest in 2026, Jenny is going to tell us her exciting news about the Birth of a New Series.

Jenny, welcome. It's over to you!  

Hello everyone,

Happy New Year… if it isn’t too late to say that!

This year brings a brand new start for me when it comes to fiction writing. After years of largely concentrating on the romance market, I’ve left that world behind me for a while.

2026 sees my foray into the cosy crime arena. In particular – into the Cornish village of Mousehole and the home of The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives.

Blurb:

There’s some fishy business happening in the idyllic Cornish village of Mousehole. As a killer begins to make waves, can these new amateur detectives solve the mystery?

Maggie Tyson loves living in the utterly charming village, Mousehole. She spends her days walking the local coastal paths, solving the latest crossword puzzle, and working in the small town’s only fish and chip shop.

Looking for a fresh start, Ryan Stepney is in desperate need of a job, and stumbles across a vacancy at the chip shop.

When a body is found by the harbour, shock ripples through the village. And as Ryan was the last person seen talking to the victim, he becomes the number one suspect in the investigation.

Maggie is certain that her new colleague had nothing to do with the murder, so swaps her apron for a magnifying glass, and starts to investigate herself.

Can Maggie prove Ryan’s innocence and reel in the killer, before they strike again?

I loved writing every single one of my thirteen romcoms, but I’ve always had a fear of writing the same thing over and over again and so, potentially, boring my readers. So, as my publishing contract was ending, I took a gamble and didn’t try to renew it. That felt very scary – and I had a lot of wobbles as a result!

But what to write? Will another publisher take me on? What if I’m no good anymore?

It was on a walk across Exmoor that I worked out what I’d do next and that's down to my husband firing questions at me:

Q: Where was your most successful book so far set?

A: Cornwall

Q: What do you like reading the most?

A: Crime

Q: What’s the best market place to sell fiction in at the moment?

A: Not sure - probably cosy crime.

And that was that – by the time we’d got back to the car to drive home, I had a location, (Mousehole in Cornwall), I had two main characters, (Maggie and Ryan), and I had a hook (fish and chips.)

In that moment – The Fish and Chip Detectives were born! The first of their adventures will be published on 2nd April.

Buying Links

You can preorder a copy already, from all good independent book shops, eBook/audio retailers, as well as:

AMAZON UK -  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fish-Chip-Shop-Detectives-brand-new/dp/1399754491/ref

BOOKS KOBO - Kobo: The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives eBook by Jenny Kane – EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United Kingdom

WATERSTONES - The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives by Jenny Kane | Waterstones

AMAZON.DE - Amazon.de : the fish and chip shop detectives

AMAZON US - The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives: A brand-new and utterly addictive cozy crime British mystery (The Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency) eBook : Kane, Jenny: Books

Bio 

Based in the heart of Devon, award winning author, Jenny Kane, is currently having a wonderful time writing a brand new, cosy crime, series: The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives, for Hodder & Stoughton.

Jenny has also written the contemporary women’s fiction and romance novels, Summer at Sea Glass Cove, (Aria, 2024), Misty Mornings at The Potting Shed, (Aria, 2023), Bluebell Season at The Potting Shed, (Aria 2023,), Frost Falls at The Potting Shed, (Aria, 2022), Winter Fires at Mill Grange, (Aria, 2021), Spring Blossoms at Mill Grange, (Aria 2021), Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange, (Aria, 2020), Midsummer Dreams at Mill Grange (Aria, 2020), A Cornish Escape (2nd edition, HeadlineAccent, 2020), A Cornish Wedding (2nd edition, HeadlineAccent, 2020), Romancing Robin Hood (2nd edition, Littwitz Press, 2018), Another Glass of Champagne (HeadlineAccent, 2016), and Another Cup of Coffee (HeadlineAccent, 2013).

Under the pen name, Jennifer Ash, Jenny has written Manuscript Mysteries at The Robin Hood Club (KDP, 2024), and The Folville Chronicles (The Outlaw’s Ransom, The Winter Outlaw, Edward’s Outlaw, Outlaw Justice – medieval mysteries published by Littwitz Press, 2016-2020.) She was the chief audio script and novel writer for ITV’s popular 1980’s television show, Robin of Sherwood. (AUK LTD, 2017- 2025.)

Jenny teaches a wide range of creative writing workshops including her popular ‘Novel in a Year’ course and her fortnightly ‘Fun with Words’ classes.

All of Jennifer Ash’s and Jenny Kane’s news can be found at www.jennykane.co.uk , Jennifer Ash https://www.facebook.com/jenniferashhistorical/ Jenny Kane https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011235488766

Many thanks, Jan, for inviting me to your blog today to talk about the birth of my brand new #cosycrime series.

It's been a real pleasure, Jenny. The new series sounds wonderful and I hope the sales soar for you. I'm in awe of how many books you have written. It's exciting to know you are moving to write in another genre. 

Thank you for reading. Writers, have you been tempted to change genres? Readers, do any of your favourite authors write in different genres? I'd love it if you left a comment. Thank you. 

You may also follow me on:

X/Twitter - @JanBaynham

FaceBook - Jan Baynham Writer

Instagram - janbaynham

Threads - Jan Baynham

Bluesky - Jan Baynham

For more information about me and my books, please visit my AMAZON page.

Looking Back and Moving Forward

Happy New Year to you all! 

It's that time again when I look back over the last year, referring to those goals to see how many I achieved and then put into writing my hopes for 2026. What will the year ahead bring?

At the end of 2024, I was thrilled to re-sign a contract with my publisher, Joffe Books/Choc Lit. It was for two novels, The Silent Sister and The Stolen Sister. Completing both books was obviously top priority for last year and I'm pleased to say that The Silent Sister was published on August 5th and The Stolen Sister will be published in seven weeks' time on February 24th. 

These were my writing plans and goals for 2025. How did I do?

• to work on edits when they arrive for The Silent Sister (already submitted to my editor) ✅
• to complete the first draft of The Stolen Sister ✅  
• to edit and polish it until it is as good as I can get it ✅
• to make a research trip to Crete where the novel is partially set ✅
• to submit to my editor by 1st May ✅
• to start a newsletter and build up a list of subscribers ❌
• to attend the RNA one-day event in August ✅
• to continue to support other writers ✅ 
• to write more flash fiction and short stories ❌
• to arrange more library and book-fair talks ✅(partially, but not as many as I'd have liked)

Thank you for all your support in 2025. I'd like to especially thank all of you who have bought or downloaded my novels. The number of reviews and ratings have blown me away and help so much to calm down the old Imposter Syndrome that's ever present!

In 2026, my goals will be less specific, perhaps. I'm currently working on a pitch to submit to my publishers for more novels and hope that my editor will like my ideas for a group of stories about grandmothers and granddaughters. As always with novels set in the past, the stories will involve a great deal of research so it will be some time before I complete a first draft. However, getting ideas down into an extended outline always helps me when I do start writing even though those ideas will evolve and change once I'm immersed in the new story. Here are my new goals:

• to submit a detailed written pitch for book seven to my editor
• to hopefully acquire a contract and begin to write the first draft 
• to discuss ideas for further books
• to start a newsletter and build up a list of subscribers (This is going to be the year!)
• to attend the RNA Conference
• to continue to try to improve and learn more about the craft of writing
• to continue to support other writers
• to promote my novels locally
• to continue to enjoy writing stories to share with my lovely readers

🍀🍀Wish me luck! 🍀🍀

STOP PRESS - Here is the cover of book six. I hope you love it as much as I do. It's all down to my wonderful cover designer, Jarmila. 

'Lost letters. A secret Greek love affair. A daughter's search for the truth.

Crete 1963. Young artist Greta Ellis arrives at the sun-soaked port of Fáros Limáni, ready to paint and explore the beautiful Greek island.

When she meets passionate Andreas Papadakis, she is swept up in a world of colour, freedom and forbidden love. But when tragedy strikes, Greta is forced to make an impossible choice that will echo for decades.

Wales, 1984. After her mother Greta's death, silversmith Zoë Cartyer receives a sealed letter that upends everything she thought she knew. Greta's dying wish is for her ashes to be scattered in Crete, a place precious to her . . . but somewhere she has never spoken of. 

Searching through her mother's belongings, Zoë uncovers a series of letters. Written in Greek and dated the year before she was born, they reveal a passionate love affair. And a tragedy that tore it apart.

Determined to know the truth, Zoë travels to Crete to follow the trail left behind in her mother's letters. Through olive groves and whitewashed villages of Crete, she begins to piece together a story of love, betrayal and loss - and discovers that her family was never as it seemed.

Perfect for fans of Fiona Valpy, Barbara Davis, Angela Petch, Karen Swan, Amanda Weinburg or Anita Chapman.'

It's already on NetGalley and will soon be available to pre-order on Amazon.

You may also follow me on:

X/Twitter - @JanBaynham

FaceBook - Jan Baynham Writer

Instagram - janbaynham

Threads - Jan Baynham

Bluesky - Jan Baynham

For more information about me and my books, please visit my AMAZON page.