Chronicle Book Box Fall/August 2020 Unboxing

I'm really enjoying this subscription. Granted, it's a bit pricy since I'm in the USA and it ships from the UK but it has great choices in books and nice add-ons. 

This is my third box from them (I think?) as I started with the Spring/Winter/February box. They have a monthly box but I choose the quarterly model. They also have sci-fi/fantasy but I wanted the mystery genre. 

I don't know how to title them though. The website goes by months (next grouping is November than February) but I'm so used to going via seasonal. I guess I should do monthly so it's less confusing. 

Anyways, this box is the Chronicle Book Box, a book subscription from the U.K. As I'm not in the U.K., it's an international service although I'm not sure the pricing for every distance. I shop quite frequently from the U.K. and still have a bank overseas so it's not as terrifying for me. Their checkout process is simple though (one of the easiest) with multiple options. (card, online payment/banking, etc.). 

I will say that the monthly and quarterly boxes don't always have the same books and items. Sometimes there's overlap (like when we got the coasters from FortyVenus.) They  have an online shop for books and items, so it's easy enough to buy. Which is nice if you prefer the U.K. cover for a book or want an item that was in the monthly/other genre. 

You can check out their social media for more book unboxing/content. Instagram and Twitter. 

I'll go through the books and I received and put a synopsis (plus link in the shop if they're still available) below. 

There's a letter from Louise, the CEO of the company. In the letter she talks through the three books chosen and the items included. There are always three books so at least three additional author letters/information sheets, plus a little promo insert for Paige Toon's book. 

The books are wrapped  in different color paper, so you can unwrap via color or do it in a monstrous childish fashion (as I do). They're wrapped beautifully, with ribbons that color coordinate and stickers that seal the wrapping. 

​Signed, hardback book with an included author letter. The endsheets are decorated with a 'gruesome' blood splatter in reference to the cover. I love little touches like that, even if it's blood splatter. 

It's by Chris Carter, and is titled Written In Blood. Carter was born in Brazil and then moved to the United States. He worked as a criminal psychologist and musician. Eventually, he shifted to full time writing. 

This  book is part of a series and can be read as a stand-a-lone. I'm torn on just starting it and reading it first or getting the first book. I might start it and see how I feel. It wouldn't be the first series I've read out of order.  

IF HE WRITES YOUR NAME DOWN, IT'S A DEATH SENTENCE . .  Los Angeles, December 4th - exactly three weeks until Christmas day.  Angela Wood, a master in the art of pickpocket, has just finished for the day - six hundred and eighty-seven dollars – not bad for less than fifteen minutes work.
 
As she celebrates her profitable day with a cocktail, one of the patrons in the lounge she’s in catches her attention by being rude to an old man.  Angela decides to teach him a lesson, and steals the man’s expensive-looking leather bag.

Inside is no money ... no laptop computer ... nothing of any value ... at least not to Angela. Just a black, leather-bound book, surprisingly heavy.  Curiosity takes over and in the comfort of her apartment, Angela quickly leafs through the pages.
 
That is when the worst nightmare of her life begins.
This is no ordinary book.
Read it at your own peril.

​The second book received is by Charlotte Philby and is titled A Double Life. 

Philby is from London, U.K. and is a journalist and author. She has a website that talks about some of her journalism articles that I thought was really interesting. 

The book is a hardback and signed. It has the yellow on the cover that I've been digging. It's more in vogue now but for awhile was not used as much in mysteries/thrillers. 

This is not part of a series but Philby has written another book that seems quite popular in the U.K. Or at least got some hype/publisher push behind it. 

THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY. 

AND THEN THERE’S THE TRUTH.

Gabriela, a senior negotiator in the FCO’s counter-terrorism unit, runs a small and powerful team based in Whitehall. She is tenacious, hard-working and the family breadwinner. Her partner Tom – a freelance architect – looks after their two small children. When Gabriela returns from a seven-month stint in Moscow, something doesn’t seem right.

Isobel is a journalist working for the local paper in Camden. Walking home from a party one night, she witnesses a horrific attack. But someone has seen her, and is making themselves known in increasingly frightening ways. As Isobel starts to investigate, she uncovers a dark network of human trafficking and exploitation.

While Gabriela’s life begins to unravel, Isobel gets closer to the story. With one desperate to uncover the truth, and the other determined to hide it, the two women’s lives converge.

The third book was a paperback and it was also signed. 

It's by Kate Saunders and is titled The Case of the Wandering Scholar. It is the second book in the series and seems to be able to be read as a stand-a-lone. I'll probably treat it like Carter's book and give it a whirl before deciding to see if I need to start at the beginning before finishing.

I do love illustrated covers. I've seen them more on the romance genre, which is nice as I don't really enjoy heaving bosoms and shirtless dudes in need of a haircut on my books. I was more okay with the damsels in dresses laying around/fleeing the scene. The illustrated ones are cute. I know they're a little divisive but whatever. I'd be fine with them in some of the mystery books as well. 

Saunders is English author, actress/TV personality, and journalist. She was on the first episode of Have I Got News For You, which is a UK panel show/news comedy show. Video of the episode below.  

It is 1851 and Mrs Rodd has received an unusual commission: wealthy businessman Jacob Welland is dying of consumption and implores our redoubtable detective to find his beloved brother, whom he has not seen for fifteen years.

Joshua Welland was an Oxford scholar; brilliant, eccentric and desperately poor. Nobody can say exactly when he disappeared from his college, but he took to wandering the countryside and one day simply failed to return. Since then, there have been several sightings of his lonely, ragged figure. Ten years ago a friend spotted him in a gypsy camp, where he was rumoured to be learning great secrets that would one day astound the world.

Mrs Rodd uses her search as an opportunity to reconnect with a couple from her past, but then a violent murder is committed and Scotland Yard are called to investigate. Mrs Rodd's old friend Inspector Blackbeard doesn't want to hear any nonsense about gypsies or secrets, but Mrs Rodd is convinced that something very sinister is lurking in this peaceful landscape

The extra items were stationary, an art print, and a sturdy canvas bag. 

The canvas bag is 100% cotton, which makes it so easy to throw in the wash. While I don't normally love branding, I can overlook it. I thought the slogan/message was hilarious. Especially for this year (#2020suuuuucccckkkksss): "I read mystery books because reality is overrated."

The postcard has "I read past my bedtime" on one side and the standard layout on the other. This is dead useful for me as I've joined a pen-pal group during Covid-19 lockdown. It's actually quite fun and I've written to people all over the world. 

The art print is of Sherlock Holmes and 221B Baker Street themes. It's super cute. It's by Nazli, who has a shop on Etsy called Ghost Office Prints. She has lot of other prints, and I'm hardcore eyeing her art prints of London. My friend  who is half-British (through her mum) collects tea towels and would love getting a london-print postcard.