REVIEW: The Ex by Diane Saxon

The Ex (DS Jenna Morgan #4) by Diane Saxon

Genre: Crime fiction, Psychological thriller

Read: 24th February 2021

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 2nd March 2021

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Sometimes your past just won't let go...

As a heat wave grips the country, DS Jenna Morgan is called to a domestic incident at the home of a young family in Ironbridge.

Pregnant Imelda Cheetham-Epstein has been found unconscious by her husband, Zak with serious head injuries. 

When Jenna arrives on the scene, she discovers something even more disturbing – the couple's eleven-month-old son, Joshua, is missing and the race against time begins to find him.

Is this an accident or something more sinister?

Are the two incidents linked?

Or has something in the Cheetham-Epstein's past caught up with them?

Diane Saxon is back with a gripping new psychological crime novel, perfect for fans of Cara Hunter and Carol Wyer.

MY REVIEW:

I didn't know this book was part of a series when I signed up for it but, admittedly, it doesn't matter because it works well as a standalone with just enough backstory from previous books to suffice. But what I really like about this book is that the procedural part is not the forefront of the story but rather is secondary to the main focus, which is the disappearance of a child and the woman who took her. THAT is what makes THE EX addictive reading.

The story begins with Emily at a work function when she overhears a conversation regarding her ex, the love of her life, Zak had remarried. She then locks herself in a toilet cubicle with a bottle of rose wine ruminating over where it all went wrong. Zak. She hadn't seen him in so long. She used to sit outside his house for hours at a time, watching, waiting to catch a glimpse of him. But she hadn't done that in so long now. But now...in a moment of clarity, Emily knows what she will do. She will go and see Zak. As soon as he sees her he'll realise his terrible mistake and they can be together again.

Zak Cheetham-Epstein (a bit of a mouthful) used to work at the accountants where Emily is still employed. The two had hooked up and had some fun together but then Emily started to get a little clingy. She moved into his flat and started questioning where he had been and who with. She accused him of seeing other women and became volatile. Zak was only having some fun but for Emily, he was her true love, her soulmate. So when he ended things with her and left the company, Emily is devastated. But Zak never saw her again and in the two years since has met and married Imelda who has given him a son, Joshua, and is pregnant with her their second child. They live in a beautiful Victorian house overlooking the gorge in Ironbridge that has been in his family for three generations and were in the process of renovating it.

When there is a knock at the door one Sunday morning, Zak is upstairs sanding a door ready to repaint while Imelda answers it with a smile in place. No one expects things to go so horribly wrong...not Zak, not Imelda and not Emily.

Despite being on her day off, DS Jenna Morgan is called to the home of a reported domestic incident. When she arrives, she finds pregnant Imelda Cheetham-Epstein unconscious with serious head injuries. Her husband Zak stands nearby in shock, an obvious suspect despite reporting that his wife had fallen. The gash on her cheek and bruising to her face suggested something far more sinister as the team attempted to preserve what they could of the scene after the paramedics left with Imelda. It's not until she questions Zak further that Jenna discovers the couple have an 11 month old child that was apparently sleeping. Jenna and her team find it unlikely a child could have slept through the noise created by police and paramedics treating Imelda, but checks the rest of the house anyway. No child. So where was baby Joshua? Had Zak done something to the child and he and Imelda were arguing about it when he struck her and she fell?

Jenna and her team, DCs Morris King and Ryan Downey, search the bushland surrounding the house and into the gorge to no avail. They are about to call it a day when a woman approaches Jenna, a frantic expression on her face. She has been out all day and has only just returned to hear the news but feels she may have some information that will help. It seems her son insisted she have CCTV installed and on her camera was a figure carrying what appeared to be a child. The image was so blurry they weren't able to tell if it was male or female...but they very definitely were carrying a child. So who was this person? Did they attack Imelda? And why did they take baby Joshua?

Fern awakes to the sound of a baby crying believing it to be another dream, her subconscious torturing her with her desire for a child. But as she wakes properly she realises the cries are real. Tentatively, she pushes open the nursery door...the nursery her sister Emily decorated and that she has never entered. In the cot was a toddler screaming their little heart out. Fern rushes forward and picks up the screaming child and attempts to soothe it with a lullaby she makes up as she croons. Slowly, the child quietens and Fern wonders what on earth has Emily done? Then when Emily appears in the doorway she informs her that she wanted a child and now she has one. This child is her gift to Fern. There is only one problem...this child is a boy but Emily insists she is a girl and she is called Angel. To ensure the child's safety, Fern must think and treat the child as a girl.

While investigating Joshua's disappearance, Jenna is reminded of the time when her sister Fliss was kidnapped previously and their beloved dog Domino injured. It also brings back memories of when her partner was killed right in front of her eyes, the trauma of it haunting her for a long time after. Although these incidents took place in previous books, we are not left in the dark as the author gives us enough information to keep us informed without us being confused, making this one easily read as a standalone.

THE EX is a compelling mix of crime and psychological thriller that keeps us engaged from start to finish. And what better way than to give readers a psycho ex? And there is also something not quite right about sisters Emily and Fern...

I love all the characters in this book, even the ones you love to hate! Jenna and her team are not weighed down by rank and hierarchy pissing contests, but rather have a camaraderie that reflects on their ability to get the job done and to do it well. The support of her family and loved ones are also a refreshing touch, without the bid for attention between partner and job. It certainly makes a refreshing change.

And then there is Emily. How well she was portrayed. As much as as love to hate her, her depiction was memorable to say the least. I also felt a little sorry for her although I was also a tad scared of her and what she might do. It is clear she was unstable but what exactly the problem was is not made clear until the end. And the final twist was a spectacular turn of events I began to put together myself. But wow!

An addictive read from the beginning, THE EX was so much better than I anticipated it to be and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved meeting Jenna, Fliss, Morris, Ryan, Adrian and even the DI who was surprisingly personable, as is so usually not the case in crime fiction. A refreshing change which made the procedural aspects a pleasure to read. Although I really loved that that was only a part of the story with readers being privy to Emily and her twisted mind. Although we know what happens from the start, we still don't really know what is happening. It is a very clever ploy to lull readers into a false sense of security thinking we know what's going to happen...when we do and we don't.

Cleverly written with plenty of twists throughout, THE EX is ramps up the thriller aspect a notch with a real sense of fear and helplessness in the midst of a wild and emotional thrill-ride. The issues surrounding mental illness were sensitively navigated and in a way that the reader feels empathy for the guilty party. Diane Saxon is a new author for me but I will be hunting out her previous books in this series and add them to my never-ending TBR pile.

Absolutely addictive read that I could not devour quick enough, I have no hesitation recommending THE EX to fans of police procedurals with a difference as well domestic and psychological thriller fans. A solid 5 star read.

I would like to thank #DianeSaxon, #RachelsRandomResources, #Netgalley and #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #TheEx in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Diane Saxon lives in the Shropshire countryside with her tall, dark, handsome husband, a retired policeman. She has two gorgeous daughters, a Dalmatian, two cats, numerous rare breed chickens, and a black Labrador called Beau—a name borrowed by her hero in For Heaven's Cakes.

After working for years in a demanding job, Diane gave it up when her husband said, “Follow that dream.” She subsequently has 12 Romances published for the U.S. market.

Inspired by her long, lonely walks in atmospheric woodlands, Diane has gone over to the dark side to write British psychological crime thrillers. With a four-book deal through Boldwood Books, her first in series Find Her Alive was published October 2019 followed by Someone's There in February 2020 and What She Saw is due in September 2020. 

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Newsletter | BookBub | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Boldwood Books by following them on these social media accounts.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

REVIEW: The Girl in the Missing Poster by Barbara Copperthwaite

The Girl in the Missing Poster by Barbara Copperthwaite

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 22nd February 2021

Goodreads

Amazon

Apple

Google

Kobo

Published: 23rd February 2021

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

24 June, 1994 – Nineteen-year-old Leila Hawkins runs from her father’s birthday party into the stormy night wearing her sister Stella’s long red coat. Some say she was crying, others swear they saw her get into a passing car. Nobody ever saw her again.

Present – This time every year, on the anniversary of that fateful night, Stella decorates the small seaside town she grew up in with pictures of her beautiful missing sister. But after twenty-five years, is it even worth hoping someone will come forward? Perhaps the upcoming documentary will spark people’s memories by reuniting all the guests who were there the night Leila went missing.

As old friends gather and long-buried secrets begin to surface, the last thing Stella ever expects is a direct response from someone claiming they took Leila. They want private details of Stella’s life in return for answers. But as the true events of the night of the party play out once again, who is lying? And who is next?

From the bestselling author of The Perfect Friend, this absolutely gripping psychological thriller will keep you up all night and leave you sleeping with the light on. If you loved Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train and The Wife Between Us this book is for you!

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Barbara Copperthwaite's latest psychological thriller THE GIRL IN THE MISSING POSTER.

After enjoying "Flowers for the Dead" not once but twice, I jumped at the opportunity to read Barbara's newest thriller THE GIRL IN THE MISSING POSTER. I was intrigued by both the cover and the exciting premise that I just had to find out what happened. And boy, what a unique and twisty thriller it was! Unfortunately, it was very slow in parts that I felt some of the story could have been redacted to keep the pace moving steadily. But I still really enjoyed it in the end.

Nineteen year old Leila Hawkins disappeared without a trace on 24th June 1994 after leaving her father's 50th birthday party early, wearing her twin sister's red coat. Twenty five years later, Stella is still looking for answers hoping that her sister will return, albeit unlikely now. Since her sister's disappearance Stella's whole life has been about finding out what happened to Leila and laying her to rest.

As the 25th anniversary of her disappearance looms ever near, Stella puts up missing posters hoping for a positive response in the unlikely event that someone will remember something. What she doesn't expect is to be approached by a production company looking to film a documentary series about Leila's disappearance set to air on the anniversary. Stella agrees thinking it will be great exposure and hoping the renewed interest might help solve the case once and for all. She meets Euan Vincent, an investigative journalist, who conducts the interviews for the documentary series and exploring the possibility of what may have happened to Leila. The interviews reopen old wounds for Stella as she attempts to maintain her composure throughout whilst keeping some secrets to herself at least.

When the documentary airs, Stella binge watches it in its entirety for the first time, but the theories Euan explored brought trouble to her door when certain people would have preferred to leave the past behind. And then...Stella begins to receive emails from the person who claims to be responsible for Leila's death. She should pass them on to the police and let them investigate. But...what if this is her only chance to find out what really happened to her sister? Shouldn't she take it? Should she throw caution to the wind and play their game?

Since the disappearance of her "other half", her identical twin, Stella has never felt completely whole again. She feels incredibly guilty about that night and has carried it for 25 years, blaming herself in part for Leila's disappearance. Once a bit of a wild child, Stella is now a loner. She lives with her three dogs who are her world and has never given up on her search for Leila. As a dog behaviourist and an animal advocate, Stella recognises the cry of a terrified animal and thus rescues her fourth addition to her family...a French bulldog she later names Fifi. 

Although the story centres on Stella and her search for Leila, there is the underlying theme of dogs running throughout as well. It's this undercurrent that had me on edge for most of the book, anticipating something awful happening to one of the dogs. Or to any dog. As it was, Stella rescued Fifi from her owner who was kicking her and dragging her along the ground as the animal yelped in pain and fear. This scene, which is near the beginning, had me in tears. And then she took Fifi off to the vet only to witness a man having to say goodbye to his beloved staffy and by then I was bawling. Stella's friend is vet Farrah who checks Fifi saying she was extremely malnourished, emaciated and had recently had pups. My thought was - puppy farm. 

As a dog lover and staffymum myself, I cannot bear anything happening to any animal, particularly dogs, in a book...and have been known to stop reading immediately if there is any graphic abuse or death of our beloved canine friends. So I felt like I was keeping one eye on the story and another on the lookout for something happening to the dogs. But, without giving any spoilers I will happily say that nothing happens to the dogs...thankfully.

THE GIRL IN THE MISSING POSTER is an addictive mix of suspense filled thriller and heartwrenching drama with a palpable tension throughout. There is an eerie undercurrent as Stella has the feeling of being watched and suspicion is cast on even the most likeable of characters. Slow throughout the first half of the book, the pace does pick up in the second half, filling you with unease and shocking truths are uncovered. The final twists will leave you breathless.

The story itself alternates between Stella's first person narrative and the documentary transcript which draws you in and reveals bit by bit, the events that took place on the night of Leila's disappearance. It's hard not to empathise with Stella, who can't even look in the mirror without seeing an aging Leila's face, though she remains strong and stoic throughout. Yet at the same time she feels like an unreliable narrator at times as she struggles with herself and the journey on which she now finds herself. I found that I could identify with Stella with her love for her dogs and the implicit trust  she has in them, as they in her. She understands dogs and appreciates the fact that they never judge, they never lie and they love wholly and unconditionally...unlike humans. For this reason, her world consists mainly of her dogs and that I can relate to. The documentary transcript is an excellent addition to the story, providing the much needed backstory to Leila's disappearance as well as insight into some of the other characters.

Throughout the story, I changed my mind several times as to who the main suspects were...but nothing prepared me for that final reveal! I so did NOT see that coming! In fact, there were several aspects Barbara had me well and truly hoodwinked on. She threw in so many red herrings and twists that she was able to successfully fool the reader on more than one occasion. The cat mouse game she put before us threw us off completely as we focused elsewhere while she lay in wait with us unsuspecting readers falling into her trap. The pace in the second half gained so much momentum that it was a race to the end filled with twist after shocking twist.

I have to say that THE GIRL IN THE MISSING POSTER is most definitely original, compelling and completely addictive...with the second half of the book being one hell of a thrill ride!!

I would like to thank #BarbaraCopperthwaite, #NetGalley, #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheGirlInTheMissingPoster in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Barbara is the Amazon, Kobo and USA Today bestselling author of psychological thrillers INVISIBLE, FLOWERS FOR THE DEAD, THE DARKEST LIES, HER LAST SECRET and THE PERFECT FRIEND. Her new book, THE GIRL IN THE MISSING POSTER, is published on 23rd February, 2021!

Her writing career started in journalism, writing for national newspapers and magazines. During a career spanning over twenty years Barbara interviewed the real victims of crime - and also those who have carried those crimes out. She is fascinated by creating realistic, complex characters, and taking them apart before the readers' eyes in order to discover just how much it takes to push a person over a line.

Her first book, Invisible, was ‘totally gripping, and scarily believable’ according to Bella magazine. Its success was followed by Flowers For The Dead, which was the Sunday Mirror’s Choice Read, beating Lee Child’s latest offering. ‘Will have you looking over your shoulder and under your bed... Original, gripping, with a deep psychological impact,’ their review read. 

The Darkest Lies came next, published by Bookouture, and became a USA Today bestseller. The follow-up, Her Last Secret, hit the Number 1 spot on Kobo. The Perfect Friend is a No 1 Kobo and Amazon best seller.  

When not writing feverishly at her home in Birmingham, Barbara is often found walking her two dogs, Scamp and Buddy, or hiding behind a camera to take wildlife photographs. 

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

REVIEW: When the World Stood Still by Kate Eastham

When the World Stood Still by Kate Eastham

Genre: Historical fiction, WW1

Read: 19th February 2021

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 22nd February 2021

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

The nurses were putting in twelve-hour shifts now, day and night. Emily felt broken inside, dried out, not even capable of tears. They were short-staffed after a softly spoken Irish nurse, who’d only been with them for four days, had died from the deadly flu and two more had fallen ill. And more patients were coming in every hour, though the hospital beds were already full…

1918. Twenty-year-old Emily Burdon has been training as a nurse in London, learning on the job as she tends to patients from the crowded poorhouses that ring the hospital as well as wounded soldiers returning from the war. She pours her heart into her nursing while she waits for happier times – peace in Europe and the return of her childhood sweetheart Lewis from the Western Front.

But when the deadly Spanish Flu arrives in London on the heels of the war, Emily’s faith and courage are put to the test. All around her men and women in the prime of their lives are wasting away, and until a cure is found there is nothing for Emily and her colleagues to do except make them comfortable, treat them as best they can… and, eventually, ease the pain of their passing.

But then Lewis catches the deadly flu himself on his way back home, just as a new doctor is transferred to head up Emily’s ward. From the distant land of Prince Edward Island in Canada, Dr James Cantor is the first of a generations-old farming family to have left the island, and wartime London feels a long way away from the rugged beauty of his homeland. But despite their differences, he and Emily find common ground in their passion for helping patients and stopping the spread of the disease. But with life forever changed around her and Lewis’ future hanging by a thread, can Emily survive the most terrible epidemic in the history with her life – and heart – intact?

A heartbreaking historical novel based on true history – emotional and unforgettable. Perfect for fans of Jean Grainger, The Beantown Girls and Diney Costeloe.

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Kate Eastham's heartbreaking tale set during the Spanish flu WHEN THE WORLD STOOD STILL.

How ironic that an historical fiction should take readers back a hundred years to another pandemic that crippled the world over at the end of the Great War. But it wasn't a coincidence that this story was told. In the midst of our own current pandemic, author Kate Eastham (a retired nurse herself) was approached by her editor to write an historical tale set during the Spanish flu. It would be something readers could well identify with some similarities drawn between the two pandemics, a hundred years apart. 

The Spanish flu is something I had heard of and was well aware of, but not of just how crippling and deadly the disease was. You could fall ill with a headache and fever in the morning and be dead by tea time. Without the advances of medicine today or a vaccine, the Spanish flu pandemic was far deadlier than COVID and all medical staff could do was nurse them the best they could. Some lived, some didn't. It is estimated that about 500 million people, or one-third of the world's population, became infected with the Spanish flu and the number of deaths was estimated to be at least 50 million worldwide. It was a time WHEN THE WORLD STOOD STILL.

“I’ve never seen anything like this pandemic...Whatever it is, it’s filling patients’ lungs with so much fluid that they’re drowning. We need more time to study but it’s ripping through every city in the world….”

September 1918: As the Great War nears its end, probationary nurse Emily Burdon has just about completed her training at London's St Marylebone Infirmary alongside her best friend Lucy. While her friend was on the Female Surgical ward, Emily was on the Military ward treating injured soldiers who have returned with war wounds before being fit for discharge. 

From Lancashire, Emily left her family behind and moved to London to train as a nurse. Her fiance and childhood sweetheart Lewis Dupree went off to war in 1914 and has survived it thus far. He writes regularly and visits her when he has leave although he never returns to their village, which has become a bone of contention between them, as Emily misses her family dreadfully and yearns to visit them. Despite this, Emily loves her work and cannot wait to become a fully qualified nurse.

When the hospital is overwhelmed by an incredible number of deadly flu cases, so sudden and so powerful that it can kill in a matter or days or even hours, the nurses face their biggest and deadliest challenge treating the sick as the flu sweeps not only the country but the world. Emily must draw on all her training to help her patients as best she can wearing only a cloth mask for protection herself. But the flu spreads rapidly, discriminating against no one, leaving the hospital short staffed and ill equipped. However, the hospital has always heeded Florence Nightingale's philosophy regarding the importance of strict hygiene and ventilation, as staff wash their hands after every patient and keep the windows open allowing fresh air to sweep through the wards. And now it is more important than ever to heed the late nurse's wisdom. But when Emily's best friend Lucy is taken ill suddenly, she puts all her training to use to nurse her in the hope that she can save her.

Then Emily receives word that Lewis has contracted the flu, having already watched many soldiers on the front die from it. He writes from a Dunkirk hospital asking for a bed at St Marylebone where she can nurse him. But Lewis is a changed man. Having survived the entire war and watching his best friend die on the battlefront, will the flu be the death of him? Just days beyond the war's end? And if he survives, will he be the same man Emily fell in love with that went to war four years ago?

Emily enlists the help of newly arrived Dr James Cantor, from Prince Edward Island in Canada, to arrange Lewis' transport from Dunkirk to St Marylebone. The two have worked well together since his arrival but the news that Lewis is Emily's fiance comes as something of a shock to James, who is clearly attracted to Emily. She has sworn him to secrecy as nurses are encouraged to give their whole lives to the profession with no room for marriage or motherhood to distract them. So when Lewis arrives on the ward, no one but James knows her secret.

But it seems Lewis has a secret of his own. And when Emily uncovers the truth, her whole world will be shaken to its core. It is then that she draws on her strength and the friendship of those around her as she must decide whether her feelings for the man she once loved have changed. But it also means that Emily must now return home to Lancashire.

Can Emily survive the changes the pandemic has brought to her life with her heart intact? And when a child at the hospital loses her mother, Emily must make a choice - family or career?

It is interesting reading the challenges people faced in WHEN THE WORLD STOOD STILL as they endured a fast moving and deadly pandemic, much like today. There are certain parallels, to be sure, but without the advancement of medicine at the time, no cure and no vaccine, death rates were high. And how ironic to come out of the Great War alive only to be claimed by a deadly flu, in some cases. With only aspirin, poultices, tepid baths and steam treatments to treat patients, the courage and strength of these nurses at the time is to be commended. Many also lost their lives but they also saved those they were treating.

I was quickly drawn into the compelling story which I just about read in one sitting. Emily's story is a touching one as it takes us through the pandemic and then from London to Lancashire. It is also interesting to note that people then were made of more stoic stuff than today...as we truly are incredibly lucky to have the luxuries of modern medicine and more that we often take for granted and that were not available to the generations before us. It bears thinking about, how would we live through and survive not only such a life-changing war but an even deadlier pandemic? COVID can be deadly, yes, but there was nothing to treat the Spanish flu - nothing but good nursing.

WHEN THE WORLD STOOD STILL is an emotive story of another era, another time, but one not unlike today...despite the some 100 years between us. It is well written, well researched and well developed. I thoroughly enjoyed it and fans of historical fiction will devour it just as I did. My only complaint was that it didn't explore the ending a little further before it concluded. Even so, it was a heartbreaking and heartwarming read with a satisfying end. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I would like to thank #KateEastham, #NetGalley, #Bookouture for an ARC of #WhenTheWorldStoodStill in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

A change in circumstances meant Kate Eastham made the shift from a career in nursing to being a full time carer for her husband. Determined to make the most of this new role ‘working from home’ and inspired by an in-depth study of the origins of nursing, she wrote her first novel at the kitchen table. Miss Nightingale’s Nurses was published by Penguin in 2018, closely followed by three more in the series. With her passion for history, Kate aims to make visible the lives of ordinary yet extraordinary women from the past. Her current historical fiction is set during the World Wars and will be published by Bookouture. 

Social Media links:

Twitter | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

REVIEW: The Mother's Day Club by Rosie Hendry

The Mother's Day Club (Mother's Day Club #1) by Rosie Hendry

Genre: Historical fiction, Saga, WW2

Read: 17th February 2021

Goodreads

Amazon - UK

Amazon - US

Amazon - Australia

Apple

Kobo

Published: 18th February 2021

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Meet the women on the home front . . . 

1939. When the residents of Great Plumstead offer to open up their homes to evacuees from London, they’re preparing to care for children. So when a train carrying expectant mothers pulls into the station, the town must come together to accommodate their unexpected new arrivals . . . 

Sisters Prue and Thea welcome the mothers with open arms, while others fear their peaceful community will be disrupted. But all pregnant Marianne seeks is a fresh start for herself and her unborn child. Though she knows that is only possible as long as her new neighbours don’t discover the truth about her situation. 

The women of Great Plumstead, old and new, are fighting their own battles on the home front. Can the community come together in a time of need to do their bit for the war effort?

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BlogTour for Rosie Hendry's heartwarming new saga THE MOTHER'S DAY CLUB.

I love historical fiction particularly sagas set around this era and although Rosie Hendry is a new-to-me author I knew I would thoroughly enjoy THE MOTHER'S DAY CLUB. And I did. I really didn't want it to end and found myself completely immersed within Marianne's story from the beginning.

September 1939, London: With the threat of war looming, women and children are being evacuated to the country in an effort to keep them safe. This time it's the expectant mothers and their infants as they find themselves on a train away from the familiar and into the unknown. One their way to the station, the air raid siren sounds but instead of taking shelter the women are urged to continue by the WVS evacuation officers. It is the 3rd September 1939, the day that changed the course of history for Britain and her people when war was declared on Germany.

Expectant mother Marianne Archer is one of many women from the East End being evacuated but unlike the others, she has a secret. One which she hopes to maintain as she welcomes this relocation to the country as something of a new start for her and her unborn child. Having fallen in love with someone above her class, Marianne found herself pregnant and when her employer discovered her condition promptly sacked her from her prominent position. Marianne had grown up as an illegitimate child herself and she does not want that for her child so fabricates a marriage to a merchant seaman in the Navy. She meets an effervescent woman with auburn hair who introduces herself as Sally Parker and chatters away happily to her throughout their journey.

Great Plumstead, Norfolk: At Rookery House, Thea Thornton prepares one of her spare rooms for an evacuee that was expected later that day. As a child she fell in love with the house she now owns and vowed one day to buy it. When the Great War came in 1914, Thea's betrothed went off to fight while she joined the war effort by driving ambulances at the front line. Sadly the war claimed her fiance, but Thea returned home and set up a business in London where she lived for a number of years before her sister informed her that Rookery House was up for sale. Without another, Thea sold up her business and bought the house she had long been in love with and now lives there with her brother Reuben, who lives in a converted railway carriage on her property, and dear friend Hettie, a retired cook from "the big house". 

Prue Wilson, Thea's sister and WI vice-president, thrives on activity. As billeting officer for the community, she has organised billets for each of the evacuees who will meet their hosts at the village hall after their journey from London. Her husband Victor is a prominent businessman and local councillor (and a bully to boot) and while he loathed to take in anyone, Prue reminded him of his duty and standing in the community, and so he reluctantly acquiesced. Now she is standing on the station platform awaiting the arrival of the evacuees.

Upon arrival at Great Plumstead, the expectant mothers and those with young children are met with a flurry of confusion as Prue scurries from WVS officers to the station office. It seems there has been a mix-up. The residents of Great Plumstead are expecting children and their teachers...not expectant mothers and their children. But a phone to HQ and the orders are that the women will remain so they are to make the best of it. But it took a lot of persuading with some people to host children - how will they react to having an expectant mother instead? No woman will welcome sharing their kitchen with another. Not only that, when Prue's husband discovers their billet is to be an expectant mother rather than a teacher he is wild with rage.

Making the best of a bad situation, Prue takes in Sally while Thea immediately befriended Marianne. Thea soon discovers that Marianne is no stranger to the countryside, having grown up in Kent. When her grandmother died, Marianne had moved to London to become a seamstress and trained under a prominent employer in the West End making ball gowns, wedding gowns and clothing for affluent customers. Now a fully qualified seamstress, Marianne soon finds herself making gowns, dresses, suits and clothing for a number of Great Plumstead's residents...including the affluent ones.

As the war beckons, young men are being called up to fight for King and country but before he gets the call, Prue's son Jack signs up for the Army, making his pompous father preen himself with pride. Prue is both worried and fearful for her son as he sets off for training. When the call-up comes a month later, her younger son Edwin receives his papers to register with one of the forces. But Edwin doesn't want to fight. Not because he's a coward but because it goes against all that he believes in - that thou shalt not kill. When he registers as a conscientious objector, his father is furious and tells him he is no longer welcome under his roof. Prue is heartbroken, having felt like she has lost both her sons. With Jack away about to be sent to the front line and Edwin now gone, her house no longer feels like home. But although Edwin has registered as a CO, his status as one is not yet official. He must first go before a tribunal who will then decide, based on letters, references and a barrage of questions that they will put to him, whether his claim will be accepted. What will he do if it's not? And he is forced to fight? What will Prue do?

Meanwhile, after a conversation with one of the expectant mums on a blackberry picking expedition, Thea approaches Prue with an idea for the women to occupy them during the day in Great Plumstead. These women have come from the city where life is constantly busy and there is always something to do and somewhere to go. But in the country, life is vastly different to what they know. So together the sisters come up with a mothers "day club" where the women and their children can gather to chat, where they can learn new skills like sewing or knitting and even make things for the soldiers on the front line. Not only that, it's a place where they feel welcome as many of them don't feel that with their hosts. The only problem is, Prue must get permission from Victor who is the local Councillor. With his say-so, all will be well...but will he give it?

As Marianne continues to keep her secret to herself, she feels bad about lying to Thea and Hettie who have done nothing but made her feel welcome. But she knows that if word gets out she will be shunned, will lose the business she has built and her child will then have the stigma of being illegitimate. But when someone discovers her secret and comes calling with an offer and a threat of blackmail, what will Marianne do? Will she risk everything she has built up and her child's future or will she give in?

There is so much going on in this wonderful story that it is easy to get caught up in the lives of Marianne, Thea, Sally, Prue and everyone else. You wonder will there ever be a happy ending for Marianne whose secret risks coming out? What will happen for Prue and her loveless marriage to a pompous bully? Will Edwin's registration be accepted or will he be forced to fight? So much happens and yet there is so much more to come!

THE MOTHER'S DAY CLUB captured the feeling of wartime Britain and those caught in the crossfire at home, as they prepare for rationing by the "Dig for Victory" campaign to encourage growing your own produce where possible to help the nation as well as keeping themselves fed. It was a refreshing aspect to take by focusing on the evacuation of expectant mothers rather then the children we usually hear about. It made for intriguing reading with some emotional moments as well as some laugh out loud ones too.

A beautiful uplifting story told in the third person narrative from the perspectives of both hostesses and evacuees, namely Thea, Prue and Marianne. The bonds formed in this installment serve as a preface to the rest of the story to come. I really didn't want it to end and the only negative thing about thing was that I had to finish it! I look forward to the next installment "The Mother's Day Victory".

I thoroughly enjoyed THE MOTHER'S DAY CLUB and recommend it to fans of wartime sagas, Lynn Johnson, Elaine Roberts, Pam Howes, Lizzie Lane and Ellie Dean.

I would like to thank #RosieHendry, #RachelsRandomResources, #Netgalley and #SphereBooks for an ARC of #TheMothersDayClub in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Rosie Hendry lives by the sea in Norfolk with her husband and children. A former teacher and research scientist, she's always loving reading and writing. She started off writing short stories for magazines, her stories gradually becoming longer as her children grew bigger.

Listening to her father's tales of life during the Second World War sparked Rosie's interest in this period and she's especially intrigued by how women's lives changed during the war years. She loves researching further, searching out gems of real life events which inspire her writing.

When she's not working, Rosie enjoys walking along the beach, reading and is grateful for the fact that her husband is a much better cook than her. 

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: The Blame by Kerry Wilkinson

The Blame by Kerry Wilkinson

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 14th February 2021

Goodreads

Amazon

Apple

Google

Kobo

Published: 19th February 2021

★★★ 3 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Paige, Richard and me. We thought we’d be friends forever. But everything changed the day we took the short cut home from school along the old railway line. I wish we’d gone the long way. I wish we hadn’t seen our classmate, pale and still in the undergrowth. And I wish we hadn’t promised to keep one, awful detail a secret just between us…

Twenty years later, I have a brand-new life, and try never to think about my old one. But I’m dragged back when Paige calls out of the blue. Richard has been accused of something terrible. Everyone back home is whispering about the body we found years ago, and saying Richard deserves to be locked up…

Before I know it, I’ve returned to the small town I thought I’d never see again. Paige is almost the same as I remember – jet-black hair, slender frame – but why does she seem so nervous?

Revealing the truth about what we saw that day twenty years ago could clear Richard’s name… but will the blame fall on me? And can I really trust that Paige is on my side – or is she hiding her own dark secret?

When we find a strange note in Richard’s flat, only one thing is for certain: someone else knows the truth too. All three of us are in danger…

A totally addictive read by bestselling author Kerry Wilkinson about how the secrets from our past will always come back to haunt us. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, I Am Watching You and The Girl on the Train.

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Kerry Wilkinson's latest psychological thriller THE BLAME.

I've been a Kerry fan since "The Girl Who Came Back" and love his standalones (as I've not really followed the Jessica Daniels series to appreciate it fully), but throughout this book I couldn't decide whether I liked it or not. It certainly kept me engaged throughout and had that suspenseful undertone but I don't think it is one of his best. Having said that, it is still a relatively enjoyable read.

"People change. And then they change again."

No truer words spoken of real life that was most certainly manifested in the main characters in THE BLAME. 

Paige, Richard and Harry were inseparable as teenagers growing up. Now twenty years later, Harry has been living in Canada whilst life went on in Mackleberry back in the UK for both Richard and Paige. Whilst standing in line with the hipsters for a Sunday breakfast, Harry receives a phone call from Paige telling him that Richard has been arrested for the murder of their former head-of-year, Mr Wilson. Twenty three hours later, Harry is back in Mackleberry for the first time in more than a decade. 

Unsure of what he can do to help, he teams up with Paige as they endeavour to find out what really happened on the night Wilson was killed. But the more time he spends with Paige, the more he realises how much she has changed. He discovers she had married Richard's older brother Oliver and is now separated. And the more time they spend together, the more he finds Oliver keeps popping up. Is he there to keep them updated about Richard? Or is he keeping an eye on his estranged wife?

And then there is the gossip on the Mackleberry Facebook page. All anyone seems to be interested in is raking up the the discovery of the body of 15 year old Graham Boyes eighteen years ago. And they all seem intent on blaming Richard for the boy's death, insinuating that as he had found the body he surely must have killed him...and if he had killed Graham then it stands to reason he also killed Keith Wilson. But Harry knows that it was both he and Richard that found Graham's body on their way home from school, despite the fact the two boys were never named at the time. However, the community have it all wrapped up tidily...but what do the police think? They had merely arrested Richard and were holding him for questioning. But it's not until a piece of evidence that has been missing for eighteen years is found in Richard's flat, do the police then charge him for Graham's murder as well as Wilson's.

But Harry and Paige know Richard. He would never kill anyone. But after some digging into Richard's personal affairs, Harry uncovers some secrets that his friend has kept hidden from everyone. But do these secrets mean he is capable of murder?

Harry doesn't remember much about finding Graham's body all those years ago except the nightmares that followed. It all became something of a blur. But there is one thing he clearly remembers about the discovery. Something that the police insisted that he and Richard never disclose to anybody EVER! Something that only they, the police and the killer would know. Harry has never told a soul and neither has Richard. So what does this mean? Graham's murder was never solved...so is Wilson's murder linked to Graham's?

While Keith Wilson's murder is the current investigation the focus shifts more towards Graham's as the community continue to raise their concerns and share their opinions. Admittedly, I had my suspicions which turned out to be correct as I picked up on a subtle clue dropped in passing. Although there is an element of mystery, it seems to surround the past more than the present, as the pieces of the puzzle slowly fit together. 

Narrated solely by Harry, THE BLAME is a slow burn that meanders through a web of secrets, lies and mystery with no more excitement than finding the missing mate of a pair of socks. Don't get me wrong, it is an engaging read but not a thrilling one and not overly exciting. I did, however, like the ending despite the sad nature it resulted in.

I don't think I really liked any of the characters. I certainly didn't warm to Paige and nobody else was much chop either. Harry seemed to just drift along and I really couldn't feel any of his personality come through. I felt as indifferent to him as his sister Evie did.

There are certainly better written books by Kerry than this one but it is still filled with suspense to keep you guessing right up to the end, and ironically, still a page turner. My favourite part was when Paige's mother, Harry and Evie's neighbour, when she helped Harry out of an aggressive situation which made me cackle as much as she did! 

I would like to thank #KerryWilkinson, #NetGalley, #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheBlame in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Kerry Wilkinson has had No.1 crime bestsellers in the UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa and Singapore. He has also written two top-20 thrillers in the United States. His book, Ten Birthdays, won the RNA award for Young Adult Novel of the Year in 2018 and Close To You won the International Thriller Award for best ebook in 2020.

As well as his million-selling Jessica Daniel series, Kerry has written the Silver Blackthorn trilogy - a fantasy-adventure serial for young adults - a second crime series featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter, plus numerous standalone novels. He has been published around the world in more than a dozen languages.

Originally from the county of Somerset, Kerry spent way too long living in the north of England, picking up words like 'barm' and 'ginnel'.

When he's short of ideas, he rides his bike, hikes up something, or bakes cakes. When he's not, he writes it all down.

Social Media links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

REVIEW: An Eye for An Eye by Carol Wyer

An Eye for An Eye (DI Kate Young #1) by Carol Wyer

Genre: Crime fiction, Police procedural, Suspense

Read: 13th February 2021

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 1st February 2021

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

A killer running rings around the police. A detective spiralling out of control.

DI Kate Young is on leave. She’s the force’s best detective, but her bosses know she’s under pressure, on medication and overcoming trauma. So after her bad judgement call leads to a narrowly averted public disaster, they’re sure all she needs is a rest.

But when Staffordshire Police summon her back to work on a murder case, it’s a harder, more suspicious Kate Young who returns. With a new ruthlessness, she sets about tracking down a clinical, calculating serial killer who is torturing victims and leaving clues to taunt the police. Spurred on by her reporter husband, Young begins to suspect that the murderer might be closer than she ever imagined.

As she works to uncover the truth, Young unravels a network of secrets and lies, with even those closest to her having something to hide. But with her own competence—and her grip on reality—called into question, can she unmask the killer before they strike again?

MY REVIEW:

An apple a day keeps the doctor away...but in this case...not the killer! I will never look at an apple in the same way again.

I am huge fan of Carol's crime novels so when she tweeted that a new detective was in our midst, I kept my eyes peeled for its release...or an ARC. As luck would have it, I purchased it as one of Amazon's First Reads last month but then also got it via Netgalley so as to leave a review there. Carol is one of my favourite writers. She keeps readers on their toes from start to finish...and she's a lot of fun to chat to as well!

When I came to the end of this book last night, two words entered my mind...OMG!! WOW!! And then I tweeted Carol to find out when the follow up was due out so I could continue the journey. AN EYE FOR AN EYE starts off with a bang in more ways than one before petering out to build the bigger picture...which incidentally, doesn't become clear till towards the end. But it still makes for gripping reading that I couldn't put down and read long into the night.

We meet DI Kate Young on the brink after suffering a massively traumatic incident. She is then given enforced leave on compassionate grounds despite wanting to continue to work. A determined, tough but broken woman, Kate is feisty when she needs to be but at the present time is still piecing her life back together. She introduces us to her husband Chris, a journalist, whom she met after a car accident. And it is apparent through their conversations that he is the glue that holds her together when she needs it.

Then just three months after being given leave, Kate's friend and mentor DCI William Chase knocks on her door to tell her that she has been specifically requested to head up a murder investigation by the Superintendent, with a team of her choosing. Accompanied by DS Morgan Meredith and DS Emma Donaldson, Kate and her team are tasked with investigating the murder of prominent businessman Alex Corby, who incidentally happens to be well acquainted with the Super. Leaving no stone unturned, and trusting no one but Chris and her team, Kate sets out to uncover the truth behind the grisly murder.

And then another body is discovered. This time by Kate herself! Ian Wentworth was a eminent ENT surgeon and friend of Alex Corby, and therefore Superintendent John Dickson by default. When he discovered a glass jar containing an eye at his holiday cottage in the Peak District he called the police. But it wasn't until he returned to home to his penthouse back in Staffordshire that he realised its significance...too late.

Enquiries lead Kate to the Maddox Club, an exclusive men's club, where Ian Wentworth and Alex Corby were members. But what secrets does this club hold? Or more importantly, the manager who has been with the club since it began in 2008? Kate is sure he is lying to her but has nothing but her gut instinct to prove it. As both men were known to her Super, she knew she must question him but DCI Chase was keeping him well away from the spotlight. Why is that? 

Her trusted team of two, DS' Meredith and Donaldson, were tasked with tracking down a missing witness and searching Wentworth's holiday cottage respectively. But it was what they would find out from the witness and discover at the cottage that would blow everything wide open. But...they had to find a way to tell Kate.

Despite respecting their superior, Morgan and Emma were worried about Kate's mental state. She was often seen mumbling to herself and popping pills on the sly. Was Kate up to seeing this investigation through? And not only that, was she up to facing the truth that it would reveal?

WOW! The thrill ride Carol takes the reader on throughout AN EYE FOR AN EYE is adrenaline-pumping and addictive as you swipe the pages faster and faster in an attempt to get to the truth. All the while, playing detective and picking up on the subtle clues she has peppered throughout the story. I get a real satisfaction when my theory/theories are proved right and I have unmasked the killer before the team has. In this case, I'd even linked the events and certain people to prove my theory. I even tweeted Carol privately whilst reading and working it all out, detailing my entire thought process and theories to her, knowing full well she wouldn't tell me if I was right or wrong...but I was bursting with the knowledge so I told her anyway. It wasn't until I had finished that she congratulated me on picking up on all the subtle clues.

But I digress...

While AN EYE FOR AN EYE starts off with a bang, it does slow down a little as Kate wrestles with her past trauma. Excerpts from that trauma are played out throughout the story and at first I pondered their relevance, but through them it does serve as a background to Kate's story and to understand her mental state. I did find the build a little slow after the bang of the prologue, but then it all started to come together and I began playing detective to see if I couldn't get to the truth before Kate did.

I love how we're not told what really happened to Kate, allowing us as readers to form our own theories, as the pieces were slowly put together. There were times even I questioned Kate's competence! But I knew Carol would have something up her sleeve to pull out on us midway and turn everything on its head. And she did. But I'd already figured that part out long before it was presented to us.

And then when the investigation came to an end, when all was said and done, Kate had one more task left to do. And in doing so, she opens up something that she cannot unsee or believe. Carol has left readers hanging for the follow up "A Cut for a Cut" (to be published 24th June) and I cannot wait to delve into. The question is, will Kate be strong enough to face this next challenge? Because it will force her to question everything she has ever known.

I wasn't sure if I liked Kate in the beginning, probably because I loved DI Natalie Ward so much in Carol's previous series. But Kate is a lot different to Natalie, who was resolutely tough. Kate is tough too but she is also incredibly fragile. And I think her mental health issues helped make her a more sympathetic character. She could have been an obnoxious bitch alienating her colleagues, but despite her problems she was always professional and treated everyone - colleagues and witnesses, even suspects - with respect. I think I am going to like Kate and look forward to getting to know her and her team better.

A fast paced story once it got going, AN EYE FOR AN EYE is compelling, addictive and will keep you glued to the pages until you have it figured out. A fantastic start to what promised to be an exciting new series.

I don't generally like cliffhangers, but the one we are given at the end this book promises more intriguing tales to come for Kate and her team.

A well worth 5 star read. Recommended for fans of crime fiction with an edge.

I would like to thank #CarolWyer, #NetGalley, #AmazonPub and #ThomasAndMercer for an ARC of #AnEyeForAnEye in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Carol Wyer writes feel-good comedies and gripping crime fiction.

A move from humour to the 'dark side' in 2017, saw the introduction of popular DI Robyn Carter in Little Girl Lost and demonstrated that stand-up comedian Carol, had found her true niche.

To date, her crime novels have sold over 800,000 copies and been translated for various overseas markets.

The much-anticipated new series, featuring DI Kate Young, was published on 1st February 2021 with the first novel, An Eye For An Eye, and a second, A Cut for a Cut, to be  published on 24th June 2021.

Carol has been interviewed on numerous radio shows discussing ''Irritable Male Syndrome' and 'Ageing Disgracefully' and on BBC Breakfast television. She has had articles published in national magazines 'Woman's Weekly', featured in 'Take A Break', 'Choice', 'Yours' and 'Woman's Own' magazines and the Huffington Post.

She currently lives on a windy hill in rural Staffordshire with her husband Mr Grumpy... who is very, very grumpy.

When she is not plotting devious murders, she can be found performing her comedy routine, Smile While You Still Have Teeth.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: Beneath the Fear by Sheila Rawlings

Beneath the Fear by Sheila Rawlings

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 10th February 2021

Goodreads

Amazon

UK

US

Australia

Published: 6th October 2020

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Spoilt and indulged since childhood, Samantha Copeland believes bad things only happen to other people. However, after witnessing her husband’s murder during a bank robbery in Oxford, that illusion is cruelly shattered.

Traumatised by the experience, Sam eventually retreats to the Cornish coast, where she hopes to heal her fragile state of mind. Unfortunately, instead of the peace she so desperately craves, she soon finds her vulnerability tested to breaking point by a series of unnerving and unexplained incidents. 

However, after meeting her enigmatic neighbour, Tony Walker, and local handyman, Nathan Scott, Sam soon discovers the worst is yet to come.

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BlogTour for Sheila Rawlings' gripping thriller BENEATH THE FEAR.

So what initially drew me to this book was its Cornwall setting. I love books set in what must be the most beautiful and rugged county in Britain. It adds to that sense of foreboding in thrillers as its landscape can be largely unforgiving, particularly in the grip of fog and blustery weather. With no guard rails on the picturesque clifftops, at least in these books ('cause let's face it, it detracts from the breathtaking landscape), one wrong move could see you tumble over the cliff edge to the rocks below. Despite not knowing what to expect, having never read this author before, I knew I would be in for a treat simply because it was set in Cornwall.

Opening with a Prologue that promises something sinister is afoot, BENEATH THE FEAR then takes us to Oxford and a date in time that our protagonist, Samantha Copeland, will never forget. It was a chilly November afternoon in 2018 when Sam, used to getting her own way, coerced hubby Stephen into a walk to blow to cobwebs away before he needed to complete a couple of paintings for his exhibition for the coming week. Sam was bored and wanted to get out of the flat so she used all her womanly charms that she knew Stephen was powerless to resist. Naturally he succumbed as she knew he would and after a few minutes of fresh air Stephen admitted to Sam that she was right - the walk was just what he needed. 

Neither of them paid too much attention to the van that was parked outside Lloyds Bank as they crossed the street. Neither did they give heed to the car that pulled up across the road. It was only when the masked men began shouting at the security guard of the van, aiming a gun at him, did they notice what was happening. Stephen pulled Sam to the ground as bullets were fired and the rest became a blur. 

In that moment, Sam's life changed forever.

Four months later, Sam was still blaming herself for Stephen's tragic death. If she hadn't coerced him, pleaded with him and wanted her own selfish way...then her husband, her soul mate, the love of her life would still be here. Instead, she was alone and despite her parents' best efforts to help her, Sam spiraled into a deep depression. Traumatised by her experience, she made a decision to retreat to a holiday cottage owned by her godmother on the Cornish coast, against her parents' fervent wishes. But Sam felt she needed this time alone to heal and come to terms with her loss.

Upon moving into the cottage, she reconnects with childhood friend Suzy - her godmother's daughter who manages the two holiday cottages - and who lives in nearby St Austell. And Sam discovers it is nice to have a friendly face around so far from home. Before long, Sam settles in to life in her remote cottage, enjoying walks on the beach and on the clifftops, and even a visit to the local village.

But then strange things start to happen, unnerving Sam in her new and relaxed environment. She begins to get the feeling of being watched. She notices a car following her. A figure watches her from a distance that looks startlingly like Stephen. And then there is the rose left on her pillow...just the way Stephen used to. And the smell of his cologne envelops the cottage. Added to that, Sam is plagued by dreams of drowning and her husband reaching out to her. But it's not until the shed door wakes her one night in the fierce winds, banging on its hinges, that she decides to confide in Suzy. But if she had thought her friend would be supportive, she was mistaken. Suzy immediately dismissed her claims as hallucinations although she did promise to get the shed door fixed.

And that is when Sam first meets local handyman Nathan Scott, who is tasked with not only fixing the shed door, but weeding the garden, clearing the yard and painting the cottage. So as Nathan becomes a fixture, Sam soon finds his presence comforting. The two often share a coffee together and Nathan's boyish smile soon relaxes her.

And then Tony Walker moves into the other cottage across the lane. A political journalist, he has escaped to the Cornish climes for peace and inspiration for the book he intends to write. But his attentions soon become more firmly fixed on Sam rather than writing. He soon takes it upon himself to take Sam under his wing and protect her from harm...to the point of controlling. Nathan and Tony hate each other at first sight, although Sam grows used to both men's company...albeit separately. Tony doesn't trust Nathan and Nathan doesn't trust Tony. So what is it each man is hiding?

Sam, on the other hand, just wants peace and quiet to heal her fragile mind and from losing her husband. But when the unnerving incidents continue, Sam is sure something - or someone - sinister is behind them...but no one seems to believe her. Suzy dismisses her thoughts, Tony disregards them and Nathan placates her. 

Can Sam trust any of them? Or is she truly losing her mind?

With the appropriate sense of foreboding, BENEATH THE FEAR is an addictive read from start to finish. It is engaging, gripping and thoroughly enjoyable. There are some good twists that make for compelling reading. I did sort of work out what was happening...but not to its full extent. That's what made it even more delicious.

And the Cornish accent!! I love the Cornish accent! It's such a delight! I felt like I was watching Poldark every time Nathan spoke. You could feel the warmth in his words. The characters were well developed and made for interesting reading. And I love the short snappy chapters, which is always a big plus for me!

Overall, BENEATH THE FEAR is a well written addictive read that had me flipping pages into the night. An easy style to read, I look forward to more of Sheila Rawlings in the future.

Recommended for fans of psychological thrillers.

I would like to thank #SheilaRawlings and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #BeneathTheFear in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sheila Rawlings is an author of adult crime and psychological thrillers, and her debut novel, ‘Truth and Revenge’ was chosen as a finalist for the Wishing Shelf Independent Book Awards 2014. ‘Beneath the Fear’ is her second novel.

Born in Bexleyheath, Kent and educated at the prestigious Bexley Technical High School for Girls, Sheila originally trained as a graphic designer at Medway College of Art and Design (now the University of Creative Arts – part of Kent University). After graduating from college with a diploma in visual communication, she worked as a graphic designer for two mail order companies, designing and producing their catalogues. Wanting something more challenging, she then worked for several years as a graphic designer and production manager for a magazine publisher. During that time, she also assisted their PR and marketing department, designing exhibition stands for various clients.

It was while working with journalists she eventually rekindled her childhood love of reading and storytelling, prompting her to write her own novels. Sheila now lives in South London with her husband, Martin.

Social Media links:

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads