REVIEW: My Little Brother by Diane Saxon

My Little Brother by Diane Saxon

Genre: Domestic thriller, Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 12th July 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 11th July 2022

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

Two siblings, both missing for 20 years turn up within one day of each other. One dead. One alive.

It was an ordinary school day, the day I lost my little brother.

One moment he was on the roundabout and then was gone. Gone. Missing.

They all blamed me. I was in charge. Even though I was only ten years old.

They sent me away. The hurt, the shame, the questions. The not knowing.

I tried to move on.

It’s been nineteen years in exile and now somebody wants me back.

Someone with a dark secret. They hold the keys, they know the truth.

So, I need to return to the Welsh village of my childhood to find out who, because I have a secret, too…

I did something bad.

Diane Saxon’s standalone thriller is sure to plunge you into the dark world of secrets and lies.

MY THOUGHTS:

“Dewch adref. Mae’n amser i chi wybod y gwir. - Come home. It’s time you learned the truth.”

I read and loved Diane Saxon's "The Ex", despite it being part of a series it sufficed well as a standalone, so I was excited to delve into the mystery of MY LITTLE BROTHER. A missing child, a family torn apart, secrets and mysteries abound. Although I didn't find it quite as enthralling as "The Ex", it was still a decent enough read to keep me interested throughout though I did feel it dipped in the middle.

The story opens with a prologue taking place twenty years previously when ten year old Caryn was left to look after her six year old special needs brother Lloyd. It's a lot of responsibility to place on a ten year old but Caryn loves her little brother, even if he is a little demanding at times and throws the odd meltdown. She has learnt to read him well enough to gauge how to best avoid one and avert a crisis. But today Caryn just wanted to be herself and sit a while with her best friend Dylan. But it was her mam's 50th birthday today and she needed to keep Lloyd occupied until they could return home for the surprise cake her dad had ordered. Then when the time came for Dylan to head home, Caryn walked with him to bid him goodbye. Lloyd was still on the circling roundabout counting his fingers over and over. She wouldn't be a minute. But when she returned...the roundabout was empty...and Lloyd was gone.

Twenty years later, Caryn is a doctor in a busy London practice. Her life has moved on from that fateful day when her little brother disappeared and was never seen again. Her parents blamed her for "losing him" when she was supposed to be watching him and sent her away to live with the paternal grandmother she had never met. She never saw or spoke to her parents again. Years of therapy have helped her move on and box up the memories of her brother's disappearance and the events surrounding it. And she has not thought of it, or anyone else from the Welsh village that was once her home, again.

But in the last few weeks, Caryn has been receiving notes typed in Welsh, a language she has not read nor spoken for two decades. But with a little help from Google, she has translated them and their inference is clear. Someone knows what she did. Someone knows what happened the day Lloyd disappeared. Someone knows what happened to Lloyd. And now they are calling her back to where it began...and ended.

Unable to move on without knowing the truth, Caryn takes a sabbatical and makes the long and unfamiliar journey to the place where she grew up until the age of ten. If she thought people would welcome her with open arms, then she is sadly mistaken. It seems even twenty years is not long enough for this village in North Wales to forgive...or forget. Not even her parents. 

But Caryn is home to finally learn the truth about what happened to her little brother, even if the village inhabitants don't want her there. And she will stop at nothing to uncover the truth.

What happened to Lloyd? Who sent Caryn the notes and why? And who wants to stop her from uncovering the truth?

MY LITTLE BROTHER was certainly not what I expected, especially after the frenetic pace "The Ex". It is a domestic thriller set in a small Welsh village with cold whipping winds and snow on the mountain tops...and that sing-sing lilt that only the Welsh have. I love the accent I could almost hear it in the dialogue.

The story unfolds through Caryn's third person narrative, with the odd narrative in the villain's voice. While it is set in the present day, there are flashbacks cleverly inserted and played out in italics (for easy identification) that come back in the form of memories as bit by bit the pieces of the puzzle fall gradually into place for Caryn. There is a real mystery as to the identity of the villain and their motive, but the pieces finally fell into place for me just moments before the reveal came.

I enjoyed MY LITTLE BROTHER, though not as much as I thought I would, but it is still a good solid read to keep you engaged enough to know the outcome. The story is well-plotted and cleverly told, particularly the anonymity around "the watcher" which added that sense of impending doom. And I especially love the cover. That roundabout/merry-go-round was my favourite ride as a child.

My favourite part of the whole tale was the ending. It finished with the same lines uttered twenty years ago and I thought it was very fitting end.

Overall, MY LITTLE BROTHER is a suspenseful read that has a steady pace, though it dips in the middle somewhat. The writing is good and the story isn't overly complex making it a relatively enjoyable mystery thriller.

I would like to thank #DianeSaxon, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #MyLittleBrother 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: An Orphan's Song by Lizzie Page

An Orphan's Song (Shilling Grange Children's Home #3) by Lizzie Page

Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas

Read: 10th July 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 13th July 2022

★★★★ 4.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

England, 1951. A tear-jerking and uplifting story about children orphaned by war, the grieving young woman who cares for them, and their journey together to healing.

When Clara Newton’s American pilot fiancé died during the war, she thought she might never heal. But now she has a new life looking after orphans in a children’s home named in his memory. Like wide-eyed, musical little Rita, who refuses to believe her mother died during the Blitz. With the Festival of Britain approaching, Clara is delighted to see the children singing and preparing to audition together. And with D-Day war hero and handyman Ivor living next door, she begins to open her heart once more.

But when a deeply troubled orphan arrives on Clara’s doorstep, she faces her greatest challenge yet. Clifford has arrived without a background file and while Clara struggles to meet his needs, she is desperately in need of help. Turning to Ivor for comfort, she is broken-hearted when he decides he may never be ready for love again, as he adjusts to life as a single father.

Clara has never failed to help any of the orphans in her care. And when little Rita encourages Clifford to join their singing group, she hopes he may begin to find his way. But soon he endangers not only their beloved plans for the Festival of Britain but the lives of the other children…

When disaster strikes, can Clara save the orphans and make Rita’s dreams of singing for Britain come true? And while Ivor cares for his baby alone, can Clara have a future with the man she loves?

A totally uplifting and emotional tear-jerker set after World War Two. Fans of Before We Were Yours, Diney Costeloe and The Orphan Sisters will be reaching for the tissues and reading all through the night.

MY THOUGHTS:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Lizzie Page's delightful tale AN ORPHAN'S SONG.

Following on from "The Orphanage" and "A Place to Call Home", AN ORPHAN'S SONG is the third in this charming series and takes readers back to Shilling Grange Orphanage, now renamed The Michael Adams Children's Home. Although it can be read as a standalone sufficely, the story works much better when read alongside the previous two.

Clara Newton came to Lavenham, Suffolk just after the end of the war having suffered her own heartbreak in the loss of her fiance, American airman, Michael and whom the home is now named in honour of. Now it is 1951 and Clara has been with the home for some years now and the job she had once shied away from as soon as walking into it, she now embraces with open arms along with the children who reside there in her care. We rejoin the children including Maureen, Rita and Peg as well as villagers in Anita, Dr Cardew, Mr Dowsett, Mrs Horton (nee Bridges), Julian. And of course, Ivor.

Over the years, Clara has seen several come and gone - Terry, twins Billy and Barry, Joyce, Evelyn, Alex and Peter - and has had a few new ones deposited on her doorstep with little to no warning. This time, we meet three new children who make their home at Shilling Grange. Clifford is the first to arrive, with no file so she is unaware of what to expect from the young man...but after just a day or two it is clear that he is precocious and challenging and Clara, who is not one to give up, it at her wits end with how to deal with him. Particularly with no information to help her understand the boy better. Then another new child, Denny, arrives with his own set of challenges and buckets of tears at his predicament. But Clara is more than capable of caring for the children in her care and proves herself more than worthy in this regard...despite her own lack of self-worth or confidence.

But Clara has plenty to keep herself occupied, particularly when a fire breaks out in the barn behind the home one night, threatening to burn Rita's beloved music and piano. The thought of it being so close to the house raises come concern as well as who could be responsible for it. And when another fire breaks out close by, Clara is approached by a "concerned citizen" who had apparently witnessed the culprit and it is then she knows she must do something.

During the last book, under the guidance of Anita Cardew, Rita found her niche in playing the piano despite not being able to read music. Anita was in awe of Rita's natural talent and decided to audition her for the Festival of Britain. Then what began as Rita's performance ended up being something all the children became involved in as they all played a part - singing, dancing, even playing the drums, surprisingly in Peg's case. But they first had to get through the audition afterwhich would come a performance at the Hippodrome in Ipswich. If they were successful they would then go on to London to perform at the Royal Festival Hall. Clara found it difficult to see what all the fuss was about in a country striving to recover from a war that just about decimated them. But the children were stoic and worked hard to achieve their dream of performing...where ever that may be.

As delightful as the series is, the one thing that has irritated me from the beginning is the "will they/won't they" dance between Clara and Ivor. Just when it seemed they were finally getting over themselves and getting their acts together, both of them then went and read things entirely wrong, assumed something completely different and failed to actually talk to each other. This theme has continued over the entirety of the three books and I just wanted to bash their heads together. I didn't appreciate the tantalising the author may have been trying to accomplish here because all it did was annoy me that Clara saw something and imagined something else and assumed it to be true without talking to Ivor. And Ivor? He just did the whole silent male thing and refused to talk at all, instead either escaping to goodness knows where for the most part of book 2 to holing himself up in his workshop out of Clara's way...again, not talking things over with her. I'm not going to say where things may have or haven't ended up with these two this time round but I do wonder what will happen should there be a book 4? For me, this aspect did drop the rating slightly because it was just such an annoying part of the story. They are adults for goodness sake and should behave like adults.

The children are as endearing ever, each with their own little quirks and foibles. Rita, now 11, is still calling "Mama" at certain opportunities despite her being told she was killed in the Blitz (which would have made Rita only 1 at the time...hmmm). Peg still doesn't speak but she is still absolutely adorable. I keep expecting her to surprise everyone and start chattering. But she has uttered nothing since that one and only time of warning "Cows!" in the first book. Maureen is still moody but then she is a teenager. I was most surprised by Peter considering how close to Clara he was. And their last addition was Gladys who tells absolutely everyone that she loves them. There's a definite story there which I feel could be told in a fourth book. I hope the series doesn't end here (as I've seen someone mention it was a trilogy) as what was the point of introducing Gladys at all in that case?

AN ORPHAN'S SONG is a delightfully heartwarming tale that will charm fans of stories of this nature and authors such as Shirley Dickson, Glynis Peters, Lindsey Hutchinson and Diney Costeloe.

I would like to thank #LizziePage, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #AnOrphansSong in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lizzie Page is the pseudonym of Sam Lierens and a mum of three.

Sam was born in February 1971, in Essex, England. After studying politics at Warwick University, she worked as an English teacher in Paris and then for five years, in Tokyo. She then went to live in London, and had various uninspiring jobs there.

Sam did an MA in creative writing at Goldsmiths and returned to live in Essex a few years ago and have worked in marketing, teaching, assisting, etc ever since.

She loves reading ALL the books, and always loved reading the adventures of women in the past so it seemed natural to her to write historical fiction.

She claims her partner Steve, three children and cockapoo all conspire to stop her writing. 

Sam lives with her family and dog by the sea in South East England.She enjoys traveling and she's had lots of different jobs from waitressing and teaching to admin and bingo-calling - but being a writer is her absolute favourite.

Social Media links:

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: The Accident by Daniel Hurst

The Accident by Daniel Hurst

Genre: Psychological drama, Suspense

Read: 7th July 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 3rd July 2022

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

One moment. Three lives changed forever.

Single mum Anni would do anything for her little boy, Tobi, he is the center of her world. So she is utterly devastated when Tobi is run over and killed by drunk driver, Carl.

Anni hates Carl for what he’s done and takes some comfort from the lengthy prison sentence he is serving. But she can’t live on hate and after a time spent grieving for her son, Anni returns to work and tries to move on with her life. She is lonely without Tobi and glad to make a new friend, Jo.

But Jo has a secret. She is connected to the fatal accident in a way that Anni never suspects. And Jo is determined that Anni will never discover the awful truth about what really happened that day.

As the two women grow closer, Anni begins to feel that her new friend is keeping something from her.

A terrible suspicion begins to dawn and Anni starts to dig deeper into Jo’s past. Will she discover the horrifying truth? Or will she find out just how far some people go to cover up their mistakes…

Three people. One accident. And several shocking twists…

The Accident – the stunning psychological thriller from the author of The Passenger and The New Friends.

MY THOUGHTS:

I only discovered Daniel Hurst late last year when I read "The New Friends" followed by "The Break" and totally loved them and his unique way of not just telling a story but still managing to add a little mystery and a few twists. Just when we thought we knew it all, Hurst throws a curveball into the mix and ruffles plenty of feathers to turn things on its head so that everything is about face all of a sudden. His skillful storytelling and penchant for the unexpected twist make his books a thrill-ride-a-minute and a definite must-read!

The story begins with a grid-locked traffic jam on a sunny summer Sunday afternoon. People are impatient wondering what the hold up could be on this single lane street. Until the ambulance arrives...and then the police... They can't get through so stop behind the build-up on cars and make their way hastily down the street. Where one impatient driver decided to venture in an attempt to find out what was holding them up. He wished he had stayed in his car.

Single mum Anni is walking down the street on her way home from a children's birthday party with her seven year old son Tobi. He is hyped up on sugar, cake and the excitement of the day. So when his dad calls he is eager to tell him all about his day. But when he and Anni begin to have words about his access arrangements, Tobi lets go of his mother's hand to run down the street chasing his errant balloon. As soon as Anni realises, she chases after him...but rounds the corner too late. Her boy is laying sprawled on the tarmac, a white mercedes in front of him with its driver standing there with his head in his hands. No. No. No. No! The moment it hit her that Tobi was gone, Anni's life changed forever.

Carl had spent the afternoon at the pub with his mistress Jo. They had been seeing each other for a year and she was growing impatient with him dragging his heels over when he was telling his wife that he was leaving her for Jo. So Jo gave him an ultimatum and Carl made the rash decision that he would tell his wife as soon as he got home. But first some Dutch courage. His second rash decision was to get behind the wheel of his car when Jo implored him to get a taxi. Twenty minutes later, Carl was standing with his head in his hands looking at the lifeless body of a little boy in front his car. What had he done?

Six months later, Carl is now serving a five year sentence for drink driving and killing little Tobi. It is of little comfort to Anni whose life has changed now that Tobi has gone from it. It is also of little comfort to Jo, who bears the guilt along with Carl for what happened that day. But life goes on, even if for Tobi it doesn't. Anni's compassionate leave has come to an end and she must return to work. It also happens that Jo, who had a successful career before the accident and resigned suddenly, is now looking for work if she is to survive the next four and a half years until Carl is released. But what she doesn't expect is to walk into the school she has gotten a substitute teaching position for and to find Anni sitting in the staffroom. 

What she should do is hand in her resignation before she has even begun. But she doesn't. Instead she and Anni become friends. And Jo discovers that she actually likes this woman. But Jo has a secret. And she needs to do everything she can to keep it hidden. What then ensues is a tangled web of lies that Jo creates trying to protect her secret, as well as from hurting Anni further. But Anni is so incredibly lonely after losing her son that the idea of a new friend in Jo is just what she needs.

It goes without saying it was all going to come out sooner or later. But how would Anni react to the news once it was discovered? How would she feel about it and her new friend? Despite it being a train wreck, or a car crash, I just couldn't look away. There is a twist but it wasn't surprising and I could see it coming, but that didn't ruin my enjoyment. The ending didn't sit quite right with me, although it was satisfactory, but to say why would spoil the reveal.

THE ACCIDENT is not a psychological thriller but it is a psychological drama that keeps you glued to the pages until the very end. That is the beauty of Daniel Hurst's books. He knows exactly how to reel a reader in and keep them there. The short snappy chapters always help to keep the pace moving along nicely.

The fact it isn't the psychological thriller it is marketed to be doesn't deter me. Daniel Hurst is an exceptional writer who keeps his fans absorbed from start to finish and you know you are in for a thrill ride with him at the helm. I know that whatever he offers will not disappoint. He is up there with Shalini Boland and Kim Slater in my opinion, and I am surprised I never heard of him before last December! Especially considering how many thrillers he actually has published! Where has he been all my life?

THE ACCIDENT may not be the thriller fans are expecting but he does explore the grief of a mother losing her son and the injustice of it, as well as the analysis of one involved with someone serving a prison sentence, and the effects it can have on loved ones. The story also examines that sometimes things are not always black and white...in fact, they almost always are not. It is cleverly told through the alternating narratives of the three people involved - Anni, Jo and Carl - and each one's grief is raw and real. All three lives were changed that day and they all paid a hefty price for what in essence was an accident.

I also loved the cover - which is almost haunting in nature - although I did wonder why it featured a red balloon when Tobi was carrying a yellow one.

Another brilliant offering by Daniel Hurst and I always look forward to more from him. I think I have just about all his books on my Kindle to try and get and read some time when I have a moment away from my other TBR list...lol And I can't wait to dive in and see what awaits. I know whatever I pick up, I won't be disappointed.

I would like to thank #DanielHurst, #Netgalley, #InkubatorBooks and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #TheAccident in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Daniel Hurst writes psychological thrillers and loves to tell tales about unusual things happening to normal people. He has written all his life, making the progression from handing scribbled stories to his parents as a boy to writing full length novels in his thirties. He lives in the North West of England and when he isn’t writing, he is usually watching a game of football in a pub where his wife can’t find him.

Daniel writes psychological thrillers. The New Friends will be his fourth novel published with Inkubator Books.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

 

REVIEW: Murder at the Mill by T.A. Belshaw

Murder at the Mill by T.A. Belshaw

Genre: Cosy mystery

Read: 6th July 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 7th July 2022

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

Introducing Twenty-one-year-old Amy Rowlings, a vivacious, quick-witted collector of imported American music, a movie buff and an avid reader of crime fiction.

January 1939 and the residents of the snow-covered streets of a small Kentish town awake to horrific news.

When young Amy Rowlings meets Detective Sergeant Bodkin at the scene of a robbery on the way to work at The Mill, one snowy, January morning, she is blissfully unaware of how much her life is about to change. She is drawn into the murky world of murder when the body of Edward Handsley is found lying on the floor of the clothing factory. Edward, a libertine, philanderer, the son of George, the factory owner, a young man with many enemies, many of them female.

Bodkin is new to the area and accepts Amy’s offer to provide local knowledge but she soon becomes an invaluable source of information. When Adam Smethwick is arrested for the murder, Amy, a family friend, is convinced of his innocence and sets out to prove that the detective has arrested the wrong man.

Amy befriends Justine, the young, French fiancé of the elderly George, and soon discovers that it was not all sweetness and light in the Handsley family home. Meanwhile, back at the factory, Amy is sure that the foreman, Mr Pilling, has something to hide.

As the investigation proceeds, Amy finds that her burgeoning relationship with Bodkin is pushed to the limits as the detective becomes even more convinced that he has arrested the right man and while Bodkin relies heavily on the facts as they are presented, Amy has a more nuanced approach to solving the crime, born out of her beloved Agatha Christie books

Murder at the Mill is the first book in a gorgeous 1930's cosy crime series .

AMY RETURNS ! - Death at Lychgate: the second Amy Rowlings book is out Christmas 2023

MY THOUGHTS:

What a delightful little cosy mystery in the style of the Queen of Crime herself, Agatha Christie. We have murder, blackmail, mayhem, old movies and even a little romance. It's all done in such a lighthearted way I felt as though I was a part of the scene myself. I enjoyed the relationship between Amy and Bodkin, their banter and friendship. I also enjoyed Amy's weekly trips to the pictures and loved hearing about some of the films she saw. I particularly enjoyed "The Lady Vanishes" as well, being a huge Hitchcock fan myself. And true to the cosy crime genre, the murder takes place "off stage" without any graphic violence, profanity or explicit sex, making for a refreshing change.

Set in early 1939, we meet Amy Rowlings as she is on her way to work at the garment factory, known as "the mill", where she is a machinist. Her attention is thwarted when there appears to have been a burglary in the buildings opposite, where she gains the eye of Detective Sergeant Bodkin, thus making her late for her shift. Little does she know how much her life is about to change.

Then the following morning she is stopped at the gates along with the other workers. Edward Handsley, the owner's son, has been found dead on the floor of the maintenance room of the factory. Amy is immediately drawn to the crime and is eager to help solve it. As Bodkin is new to the area he welcomes Amy's insight and assistance in providing background information about the area and those likely to be suspects...or not. But the suspect list is long as Edward, who was colloquially known amongst the women as Wandering Handsley, made many enemies quickly with his attitude to both men and women alike.

Amy's assistance proves invaluable as Bodkin calls her her his Miss Marple - a nod to the Queen of Crime herself - and she is an incredibly sharp and quick witted young woman. She has an eye for detail and teams up with Bodkin to solve what thus becomes two murders. When an arrest is made, Amy is convinced of his innocence and is determined to make it her mission to prove it to everyone...most of all, Bodkin's nasty boss Inspector Laws.

MURDER AT THE MILL is a well written cosy mystery with no distractions such as bad grammar, punctuation or spelling. Another refreshing change in which many books fail the editing process. The story and setting was reminiscent of Agatha Christie though Amy is a far younger detective than that of the well known Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot.

I enjoyed the humour and with peppered throughout the story as Amy kept Bodkin on his toes. Ferris was a wonderful amusing character that I would have liked to see a little more of. I loved the relationship between her and Bodkin as she appeared to be invaluable to him as well as a source of down time relief. There is a budding romance there but we'll see what becomes of it it if this is to become a series.

An entertaining cosy mystery, MURDER AT THE MILL delivers plenty of twists and red herrings to make Ms Christie proud. My only complaint is I felt it a little long and drawn out in places but it certainly was a fun and entertaining read nonetheless.

I would like to thank #TABelshaw, #SpellboundBooks and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #MurderAtTheMill in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

T A Belshaw is from Derbyshire in the United Kingdom where he shares a house with his chatty rescue cat, Mia. He writes for both children and adults. A former miner and computer technician, Trevor studied Advanced Creative Writing at the Open University. He is the author of Tracy's Hot Mail, Tracy's Celebrity Hot Mail and the noir, suspense novella, Out of Control. Following the sudden death of his wife in 2015 Trevor took a five-year break from writing, returning during lockdown in 2020, when an injury forced him to take time off work. The result of this new creative burst was the Dual Timeline, Family Saga, Unspoken and the Historical Cosy Crime Whodunnit, Murder at the Mill.

Trevor signed his first contract with Spellbound Books Ltd in April 2021. He signed a further mullti-book contract with them in the spring of 2022.

His short stories have been published in various anthologies including 100 Stories for Haiti, 50 Stories for Pakistan, Another Haircut, Shambelurkling and Other Stories, Deck the Halls, 100 Stories for Queensland and The Cafe Lit anthology 2011, 2012 and 2013. He also has two pieces in Shambelurklers Return. 2014

Trevor is also the author of 15 children's adventure books written under the name of Trevor Forest. His children's poem, Clicking Gran, was long listed for the Plough prize (children's section) in 2009 and his short poem, My Mistake, was rated Highly Commended and published in an anthology of the best entries in the Farringdon Poetry Competition.

Trevor's articles have been published in magazines as diverse as Ireland's Own, The Best of British and First Edition. 

He is currently working on the sequel to "Murder at the Mill", another cosy crime murder mystery set in 1939, "Death at the Lychgate".

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell

The Family Remains (The Family Upstairs #2) by Lisa Jewell

Genre: Mystery, Psychological thriller, Domestic drama

Read: 4th July 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 21st July 2022

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

LONDON. Early morning, June 2019: on the foreshore of the river Thames, a bag of bones is discovered. Human bones.

DCI Samuel Owusu is called to the scene and quickly sends the bag for forensic examination. The bones are those of a young woman, killed by a blow to the head many years ago.

Also inside the bag is a trail of clues, in particular the seeds of a rare tree which lead DCI Owusu back to a mansion in Chelsea where, nearly thirty years previously, three people lay dead in a kitchen, and a baby waited upstairs for someone to pick her up.

The clues point forward too to a brother and sister in Chicago searching for the only person who can make sense of their pasts.

Four deaths. An unsolved mystery. A family whose secrets can't stay buried for ever ...

PREPARE TO BE HOOKED.

MY THOUGHTS:

It's the sequel that fans have been waiting for! The next chapter to the highly acclaimed spine-tingling and creepy "The Family Upstairs" and which needs no introduction. However, do not fear if you have not read the first book - though I do recommend it as it is thoroughly dark and sinister and creepy - as THE FAMILY REMAINS is written in such a way that it can be read as a standalone. 

It's been three years since "The Family Upstairs" was published which means it's been three years since I've read it; which means I've probably read over 600 books since then so I'm hardly likely to remember every nitty gritty detail...but I do recall some. And as I read this book, there were some aspects that took me right back to 16 Cheyne Walk and I could picture that gothic mansion in Chelsea, with its view over the Thames to Battersea, as if I had lived there myself...or at the very least, read the book yesterday. If I had the time I may well have re-read the book but it didn't matter in any case because the story was so well written as well as the bringing in of two new characters that it felt like a completely new story with a twenty five year old cold case at its core.

There was so much left unsaid at the end of "The Family Upstairs" with so many of us wondering what happened to the Lamb children after 16 Cheyne Walk? I can't remember how the book ended but Lisa Jewell has cleverly expanded on their lives in between where it all ended to where they are now. But she has added a new perspective to the story and a new mystery that is very closely linked to the old mysteries left behind.

Beginning in June 2019, a bag of skeletal remains washes up on the banks of the River Thames that was discovered by a somewhat enthusiastic mudlarker. Not quite sure what a mudlarker is...it sound more like a bird than anything else...lol And enter dogged but very likeable DI Samuel (not Sam) Owusu who is called in to investigate the discovery. And thus opens a can of worms dating back to the mid-90s and the house of horrors in which innocent, malnourished and tortured children had escaped before the triple suicide of their parents with their leader and a crying baby, Serenity Lamb, were discovered.

Then we step back in time by about a year to July 2018 and Rachel Rimmer is awoken by a phone call from French police to inform her that her husband Michael has been found dead in the basement of his Antibes home. As he was stabbed they are treating his death as murder but there are few leads as to who may responsible. So how does his death link to the discovery of decades of human remains fished out of the Thames?

To tell this story accurately and to build the bigger picture, the author takes us back yet again to 2016 when Rachel met Michael and the courtship that followed resulting in a whirlwind marriage. This part of the story unfolds gradually in alternating chapters up until Michael's demise. 

Meanwhile, in between the present day 2019 and three years prior, we meet a grown up Lucy who now has two young children and has recently moved in with her now grown up, yet still slightly obsessed, brother Henry. We are also introduced to Libby Jones who was that defenceless little baby Serenity left in her cot once everyone else had escaped or died. She was adopted and had a loving home and has only just recently reconnected with her birth mother, Lucy. There's a story there, which unfolded in the first book but readers' memories are refreshed with the circumstances in this thrilling sequel.

And then there is Phineas. He was the god that Henry adored and aspired to. Since escaping 16 Cheyne Walk two decades ago, he has kept himself under the radar living a quiet life and doing what he loves. Yet when he gets wind of a planned family reunion, he panics and escapes yet again before they can track him down. But fragile and lonely Henry has other plans...to find Phin at all costs. But what does he have planned for the reunion he has in mind?

Yes, there is a lot going on in this book but each of the stories are connected and are expertly woven together with a skillful hand. The alternating timelines that go back and forth in the beginning may seem overwhelming but you soon pick up who is who and what is what. My only complaint with this is that with each chapter a header should have been included to indicate whose narrative it was as it wasn't always clear until a little way into the chapter. Only Samuel's was titled but I feel everyone else should have been also. Having said that, aside from Samuel, it is only Henry that has a first person voice with everyone else in the third person. It kind of made him seem a little more human or more of a villain...who knows? One is never quite sure what to expect with Henry. But after the childhood those children had to endure, it is not at all surprising.

I must note that I did find one aspect a little far fetched in that Lucy's son Marco took on the role of someone senior in years. I don't mean because of his upbringing but the way in which the conversation between he and Kris Doll in Chicago ensued - it was like two adults conversing when in fact Marco is only 11 years old. And Lucy sat back and let Marco lead the conversation in their attempts to track down the elusive Henry who had skipped town on the trail of the even more elusive Phineas. I just found it a little far fetched.

THE FAMILY REMAINS is not a mystery or thriller as such. Yes, there is a murder investigation as well as the death of Michael Rimmer in France woven into the story, it is more of a family drama with some loose ends that need tying up. What this book gives readers is the closure that "The Family Upstairs" didn't.

A dark and intense read, THE FAMILY REMAINS is compelling and addictive from the very first page and is bursting with trauma, abuse, murder, rape, blackmail as well as exceptional story-telling where every thread are expertly woven together. And above all, closure.

Lisa Jewell is an exceptional writer with her ability to weave clever twists into intricate plots with multiple timelines and THE FAMILY REMAINS simply shines in this regard. I was almost sad to leave them behind. And although this is the end of the line for these characters, I can still see another story blossoming at the end. But to do so would probably spoil the enigma so it is best left as it is.

I thoroughly enjoyed THE FAMILY REMAINS far more than I thought I would. I loved "The Family Upstairs" but this one was a little more diverse. Not better, just different.

I would like to thank #LisaJewell, #NetGalley and #CenturyPublishingUK for an ARC of #TheFamilyRemains in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lisa was born in London in 1968. Her mother was a secretary and her father was a textile agent and she was brought up in the northernmost reaches of London with her two younger sisters. She was educated at a Catholic girls’ Grammar school in Finchley. After leaving school at sixteen she spent two years at Barnet College doing an arts foundation course and then two years at Epsom School of Art & Design studying Fashion Illustration and Communication.

She worked for the fashion chain Warehouse for three years as a PR assistant and then for Thomas Pink, the Jermyn Street shirt company for four years as a receptionist and PA. She started her first novel, Ralph’s Party, for a bet in 1996. She finished it in 1997 and it was published by Penguin books in May 1998. It went on to become the best-selling debut novel of that year.

She has since written a further nine novels, as is currently at work on her eleventh.

She now lives in an innermost part of north London with her husband Jascha, an IT consultant, her daughters, Amelie and Evie and three pets. She claims to love the dog best.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: The Fallout by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

The Fallout (Childrens House #6) by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

Genre: Nordic noir, Crime thriller

Read: 3rd July, 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 12th May 2022

★★★ 3 stars

DESCRIPTION:

A murdered woman. A missing child. And a father intent on revenge.

On a cold day in Reykjavik, a baby goes missing from her pram. When the child's blanket washes up on the beach, and the mother is found dead, everyone's worst fears seem to have been realised.

Eleven years later, and detective Huldar and child psychologist Freyja are now working in the same police building, on the same team. Freyja believes that personal and professional relationships must remain separate, however hard that may be. But when a woman's dismembered body is found in a deserted car, her head missing, and Freyja and Huldar find themselves working on the same case, the secrecy around their affair threatens to crack. And when Freyja is accused of a serious breach of police protocol, will Huldar be able to help her? Meanwhile, their search to identify the body takes the case back into secrets of the past, and the unspoken crimes that bind three separate families.

MY THOUGHTS:

11 years ago - A baby is stolen from the pram on the patio while her father ais showering.

5 months ago - the funeral of 10 year old Iris who passed away from the measles & her father becomes obsessed with finding out who she caught it from.

Now - plastic bags containing body parts are found in the trunk of a car.

I went through a stage of enjoying nordic noir but when I requested this I didn't know it was part of a series. And I have not read any of the previous five books in this Children's Home series. Did I miss out on any backstory or connections by jumping partway in? I don't know. However, it is still a good solid read with that atmospheric nordic air about it.

There is a creepy air about the murders but against the procedural side of things comes a chemistry between the two main characters - Freyja and Hulder. There has been so much of will they or won't they between police partners in other series that I just want them to get on with the crime at hand and to solve that. I'm not here for the romance but the thriller aspect of the story.

But what we also must endure is the anti-vaxxers or naysayers that is very real in today's society with regards to the COVID vaccine. In this case it's measles, but hey, an anti-vaxxer is an anti-vaxxer. Why just today on our news was a toddler in hospital with the first case of diphtheria seen in our country in over 100 years! Was he/she vaccinated? No. There's your answer. And quite frankly, I am tired of anti-vaxxers thinking they know better. Yes, it's their choice but don't shove it in our faces and don't jump up and down and blame the rest of us when you or your child fall ill to something potentially deadly that could have easily been prevented with a vaccine. But that is a whole other matter altogether. It does, however, raise readers' emotions on the issue as well as some of the characters at the heart of that plotline also.

While this is a crime thriller, I didn't quite feel the palpable tension that I have in other gritty crime reads. Maybe I felt something lost in translation as I have with some books that have not been written in English but translated from its native language. The author is an accomplished writer, that goes without saying.

And of course, at the heart of the story is the eleven year old cold case in the disappearance of baby Mia coupled with the discovery of a dismembered corpse in the boot of a car. It was slow to start initially but it did warm up.

It's not the best thriller I've read but it is still a good solid read. There are plenty of twists to be had entwined with dark themes to keep you relatively engaged.

I would like to thank #YrsaSigurðardóttir, #NetGalley and #HodderBooks for an ARC of #TheFallout in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Born in 1963, Vilborg Yrsa Sigurðardóttir is an Icelandic writer of both crime novels and children's fiction. She has been writing since 1998. Her début crime novel was translated into English by Bernard Scudder. The central character in her crime novels so far is Thóra Gudmundsdóttir (Þóra Guðmundsdóttir), a lawyer. Yrsa has also written for children, and won the 2003 Icelandic Children's Book Prize with Biobörn.

Yrsa is married with two children, and she has a career as a civil engineer. She lives with her family in Reykjavik.

Social Media links:

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: The Removal Man by R.J. Parker

The Removal Man by R.J. Parker

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 1st July 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 29th April 2022

★ 1 star

DESCRIPTION:

The Removal Man is an utterly unputdownable suspense thriller from the author of The Dinner Party and The Good Neighbour that imagines your worst house-moving nightmare – and then dials it up to 11.

Rose is moving. For her and her son, Noah, this is going to be a fresh start.

She’s almost finished packing but Noah is determined to spend one last night camping out in the garden like he used to. Rose agrees as long as he wraps up warm inside their small tent.

Four hours later she’s woken by a frantic banging on the window.

It’s Noah.

There’s someone in the garden.

That’s when Rose picks up the kitchen knife.

MY THOUGHTS:

This is the first time I have read this author and I can't say that I was enamoured by this offering. The premise was intriguing but that's as far as it went. Honestly, most of the first quarter of the book was about Rose and her son Noah in the backyard, in the house and in the backyard again.

Rose and Noah have just packed up their home to move and as a final goodbye, Noah wants to spend the night in his tent in the backyard...just the same as he would have done with his father Lucas. Lucas who had an aneurysm whilst in bed with a much younger student is now in hospital and will never fully recover. It's down to his increasing medical costs that Rose has had to sell their home and downsize. 

Noah pleaded with his mum to allow him to camp out in his tent just the way he used to with his dad. But then in the middle of the night, Rose is awoken by a banging on the double glazed doors. Noah is wanting to come in. He heard something so Rose investigates. She wanders the house and then the backyard, but sees nothing. But Noah is adamant he heard something. So she beds down with him in his cramped one man tent and they both doze off. 

Until a noise awakens Rose. A dragging sound just outside the tent. She finally works up the courage to look. Nothing is there. By this time, Noah is awake once again. Of course, Rose cleverly left her mobile inside on the floor after her son woke her earlier and as she moves towards the house to grab her phone, she sees a shadow in an upstairs window. Someone is inside. She must grab her phone and call the police.

And blah blah blah...

Honestly, it just goes on and on about every step Rose and Noah take. She never got her phone but instead frightened herself silly that she tries pushing Noah up over the high wall that encircles their property. But instead he falls to the ground. And then it moves from the boring to the preposterous. By which time, I've given up and tossed it aside to move onto something far more interesting and worthy of my time.

Many people loved this book and I was waiting to reach that point but by 30% I still hadn't got there so why waste my time any further? 

Life's too short to read books that don't interest me.

I would like to thank #RJParker, #NetGalley and #OneMoreChapter for an ARC of #TheRemovalMan in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

R J Parker’s creative career began as a TV script writer, script editor and producer. It was this background that fed into a series of cinematic, high-concept thrillers that grabs the reader from the very first page and doesn’t release them until the last. 

R J Parker now lives in Salisbury. One More Chapter/HarperCollins have published THE DINNER PARTY, WHILE YOU SLEPT and THE GOOD NEIGHBOUR and THE REMOVAL MAN. As Richard Parker he has written the thrillers STOP ME, SCARE ME, STALK ME, FOLLOW YOU, HIDE AND SEEK, KEEP HER SAFE, NEVER SAY GOODBYE and THE SONGBIRD GIRLS.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads