The Staffymum's Book Nook

Published: 11th January 2023

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

1944, England. A chance meeting with a soldier unravels a long-buried family mystery…

England is in the devastating grip of World War Two, and Bethany Merston’s life changes in an instant when bombs screech down over London. Heartbroken, she leaves the shattered ruins of her home behind. In the Sussex countryside, she takes a job as companion to elderly Alice Summer, mistress of the crumbling and over-grown Summerhayes House.

Its once-pristine grounds are now home to a regiment of soldiers preparing for an invasion across the channel. But Bethany’s wartime experiences mean she can find beauty in broken things, and she is captured by the estate’s magic. When she meets handsome, blue-eyed Lieutenant Jos Kerrigan in the gardens one morning, it is clear he has also been captivated by Summerhayes. As their friendship grows, Bethany realises that it’s not just the house she’s falling for…

But something is stirring beneath the surface at Summerhayes… When Bethany discovers that Alice is receiving anonymous letters that have opened up old family wounds, she is determined to find out who is responsible. Convinced that Summerhayes itself holds the key to the mystery, Bethany and Jos explore the grand house together.

The answers lie in a long-forgotten painting in the dusty attic, unravelling the mysteries of the Summer family. And as the truth about Alice’s past comes to light, it has the power to change Bethany’s future.

Will Bethany and Jos’s blossoming love survive the war, or will the secrets of Summerhayes tear them apart?

A totally heartbreaking and gripping wartime family saga, fans of Tracy Rees, Kate Morton and Elizabeth Jane Howard will have their hearts stolen by The Secrets of Summerhayes.

Previously published as The Secret of Summerhayes.

MY THOUGHTS:

This is the second book following on from "The Girl from Summerhayes" and it is just as good as the first. Following on yet set thirty years later, THE SECRETS OF SUMMERHAYES unravels the secrets that have been long been buried within the now crumbling estate and those that have gone beyond. And although the two follow on from the other, they can suffice as standalones with their own richly woven stories. But together they are like a tapestry of a bigger and more beautiful picture.

In the late spring of 1944, the Canadian army has set up base in the grounds of the Summerhayes estate which is now a crumbling manor surrounded by overgrown gardens. A sorry sight from the grandeur it had formerly enjoyed. Most of the house has been requisitioned by the army but in a small section in an apartment of suites lives the last remaining Summer of Summerhayes. Alice had once been the wife of Joshua Summer, who had built Summerhayes, and the mother of Elizabeth and William. Her former butler, Ripley, lives in one of the attic rooms whilst Bethany Merston was found as a companion for the elderly woman who is now in her eighties, and has her own room in Alice's apartment.

A trained school teacher, Bethany found herself without a job when the school in which she was working in the East End of London was bombed to smithereens in a night raid. The opportunity for a companion to Alice Summer came at just the right time and she was eager to take the position in the Sussex countryside. Her experience does not go astray however as she is soon engaged to teach young Ralph, son of Gilbert Fitzroy of the neighbouring Amberley estate, on every other day so as to not conflict with her care of Alice who is her main priority. But Gilbert finds every opportunity he can to visit Summerhayes whilst trying to entice Bethany to Amberley. But for reason, Beth wonders? He is married though his wife hightailed it to New York as soon as war was declared five year previously and to all intents and purposes shows no sign of returning. Is he looking to replace her? With Beth? Surely not!

Meanwhile, Ralph has taken a liking to one of the Canadians, Eddie Rich, but it is his comrade Lt Jos Kerrigan that has caught Beth's eye. But Jos' heart has been broken and hardened. He did not come to this country to find love but to assist Britain in its fight against Hitler. And Beth is sure he has taken an instant dislike to her though for what reason she doesn't know, so best to keep out of his way. Her job is busy enough with tutoring Ralph and taking care of Alice, who is seemingly more and more distressed with each passing day.

Thirty years ago, Alice's daughter Elizabeth disappeared in the middle of the night to elope with a former employee and has never been seen or heard from again. No one knows where she went and no one has ever heard anything from her since she left. Until now...

Alice has been receiving letters which have remained unsigned but have alluded to a return to Summerhayes. And each letter holds the promise that they will see her soon. Of course Alice is certain that it is her missing daughter Elizabeth. But why has she not written to her mother until now? Why go thirty years with no contact to suddenly announcing her return? With each letter received, Alice gets more and more distressed. She is seeing ghosts of the past at the window and taking falls in her panic and all the while gibbering about a long lost daughter who has long been thought to be dead.

And then one day in the attic a painting is discovered that holds the key to unlocking the secrets of the past...

A richly layered story of long buried secrets and a family feud, THE SECRETS OF SUMMERHAYES is a beautifully woven tale that is both enchanting and atmospheric. There is a dark and mysterious undercurrent that runs throughout as Beth realises she must do all she can to keep Alice safe from whatever sinister whispers are pulling the old woman.

Unlike the first book, this one features the war a little more with the focus on the upcoming invasion and D-Day landings. But it is still only a backdrop to a far bigger and more immersive story. And all that happens on the Summerhayes estate - both past and present - becomes an even bigger backdrop as Beth and Jos delve into the past to uncover the truth of what happened to Alice's daughter all those years ago.

THE SECRETS OF SUMMERHAYES is a completely absorbing and wholly immersive tale that will sweep you up in all its secrets and mysteries. And by the story's end, you will have uncovered what happened in the time between the end of "The Girl from Summerhayes" and its sequel, which is bittersweet and emotive. I had already figured it out long before the halfway mark but that only sweetened the journey. The fun was in watching the others figure it out.

THE SECRETS OF SUMMERHAYES was truly a delight to read, as was "The Girl from Summerhayes". I thoroughly enjoyed both tales, together and on their own. While I rate them both the same, I think I might have enjoyed this one just a little bit more due to the mystery of Elizabeth's disappearance and what may have happened to her. But overall, a truly wonderful easy read.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Merryn taught university literature for many years, and it took a while to pluck up the courage to begin writing herself. Bringing the past to life is a passion and her historical fiction includes Regency romances, wartime sagas and timeslip novels, all of which have a mystery at their heart. As the books have grown darker, it was only a matter of time before she plunged into crime with a cosy crime series set in rural Sussex against the fascinating backdrop of the 1950s.

Merryn lives in a beautiful old town in Sussex with her husband. When she’s not writing, she tries to keep fit with adult ballet classes and plenty of walking.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

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REVIEW: The Girl from Summerhayes by Merryn Allingham

The Girl from Summerhayes (Summerhayes #1) by Merryn Allingham

Genre: Historical fiction

Read: 7th January 2023

Published: 11th January 2023

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

1914, England. Will her decision unite her family or tear them apart?

Surrounded by beautiful gardens in the glorious Sussex countryside, Summerhayes House seems like a true hidden paradise, but behind its polished floors and perfect green lawns is a family divided. The Summer family’s beloved home is under threat, and nineteen-year-old Elizabeth Summer finds herself caught in the heart of the crisis.

Elizabeth’s father believes his daughter marrying well will save Summerhayes. But Elizabeth is distraught at the stifling future ahead of her. A chance meeting with green-eyed Aiden Kellaway, the handsome architect’s apprentice working on the estate’s prized gardens, changes everything. For the first time, Elizabeth pictures an entirely different life, and – despite her father’s wishes – she is determined to take hold of it.

But war is brewing in Europe, and when its long shadow touches Summerhayes, Elizabeth realises her rebellion will come at a price. Desperately torn between family loyalty, society’s expectations and the bright chance at happiness she glimpsed in Aiden’s arms, she is forced to make an impossible choice.

As Elizabeth’s future – and her family’s – hangs in the balance, she must ask herself, is the price worth paying? And can she live with the consequences?

An unforgettable, totally gripping and heart-wrenching historical family saga. Fans of Tracy Rees, Kate Morton and Elizabeth Jane Howard will be utterly swept away by The Girl from Summerhayes.

Previously published as The Buttonmaker’s Daughter.

MY THOUGHTS:

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed/ing Merryn Allingham's cosy series featuring Flora Steele and Jack Carrington, I was interested to delve into her historical fiction when the chance came up to read and review THE GIRL FROM SUMMERHAYES, set at the outset to the Great War in 1914. But don't let that backdrop influence your decision to read this absorbing tale because it barely features except in passing as dinner table conversation. This is not wartime fiction with saddened families waving tearful goodbyes to their loved ones going off to war. This is an historical contemporary story of primarily a forbidden romance...amongst other things.

Just the name Summerhayes conjures up delightful imaginings of a beautiful sprawling estate to aristocracy nestled in the Sussex countryside. And this tale of the last halcyon days of summer in 1914 before war is declared in Europe has a war raging somewhat closer to home and its own battles to fight.

Nineteen year old Elizabeth Summer was expected to have been betrothed (if not married) already, having been present at court during the London season. However the two suitors who had taken a shine to her and proposed she had then refused, infuriating her father Joshua Summer. But, strongly influenced by the ideals of the Pankhurst women and the suffragettes, Elizabeth wants more for her life than being tied to a man for the rest of it. Instead she desires to follow her own path and pursue her dreams, indulging in her passion for painting perhaps.

Her father Joshua was not born into money but rather built his way to the top as a buttonmaker. His dream to create beautiful gardens withing a beautiful estate began when he married Alice Fitzroy, thus saving her own family from ruin. Since then Summerhayes has been the thorn in the neighbouring (and now crumbling) Amberley's side, that being the estate of Alice's family which is now run by her spiteful and malicious brother Henry. Alice has not set foot in her old family home since her marriage as her brother and her husband do not get on. Their marriage of convenience produced Elizabeth and her brother William, now 14, but nothing more.

Fearing for the future of Summerhayes, Joshua insists on Elizabeth making a good marriage...that being someone with wealth, distinction and everything that their class requires...so that when the time comes Elizabeth and her husband be on hand to take over the running of the Summerhayes estate. But a chance meeting with Aiden Kellaway, and architect's assistant, working on the temple and gardens on the Summerhayes estate sees Elizabeth envisioning a different future for herself than the one her parents have in mind. But Aiden is Irish (at a time when the Irish were rising up in their quest for independence), a man of trade who works with his hands, and this is not an acceptable match in their eyes.

So they approach Henry Fitzroy and ask for his help in finding a suitable husband for Elizabeth. Little did they know the havoc they unleashed in doing so...

THE GIRL FROM SUMMERHAYES is a delightful tale during a time of change for both women and the aristocracy against the backdrop of unrest in Europe. While it features little and doesn't appear to have much effect on those at Summerhayes, its presence is soon felt once war is declared and with it the promise of change. Women, especially those in aristotic circles, were bound by rules and expectations for their kind particularly when it came to marriage and the uniting of families as though it were a business deal. Elizabeth decreed she would only marry for love, nothing less. But her father scoffs at the idea whilst her mother can only support her husband's decisions, whether she agrees with them or not. In those days, wives submitted to their husbands and the decisions he made were law. We may find that a ludicrous notion today but that's just how things were then. But Elizabeth had different ideas and she pushed against the boundaries that constrained her to duty and loyalty.

The story started off slow but that was soon forgotten as I became immersed within Summerhayes and all its intricacies. The feud that divided the Summers and the Fitzroys which was soon set aside when the families united to find a suitable husband for the wayward Elizabeth, who they believed needed to be brought in to heel; the boyhood friendship between William and Oliver that whispered something more; the problems arising on the estate that alluded to something more nefarious taking place; the sense of duty versus what the heart desires...and more. There was an air of "Downton Abbey" to it without as much focus on the servants as in the former, but the story was comparable to it nonetheless.

The characters are a mixed bunch. Some likeable, some...not so likeable. Hateful even. But they were all well developed in light of the parts they played. The relationships between most were fraught with as much dissension as there was an acceptance to duty. They were indeed a complicated bunch with many complexities which is only natural given the era. Elizabeth pushed against those boundaries in more ways than one, identifying with the suffragette movement giving a voice to the women who have been downtrodden for too long.

There is so much more to THE GIRL FROM SUMMERHAYES that you really need to experience it for yourself. It is a delightful read in another time that sweeps you up in the story and has you completely absorbed. Many hoped the sequel would give them the answers to the questions they felt lingered at the end of the book but I felt it sufficed nicely. It gave an essence of promise, a sense of possibility.

I look forward to reading the sequel "The Secret of Summerhayes" next which takes place some three decades later...and reading about what's become of the family.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

PUBLISHER:

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Wednesday, 11 January 2023

REVIEW: The Engagement by Samantha Hayes

The Engagement by Samantha Hayes

Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 5th January 2023

Audio Links:

Listen to Sample

Published: 10th January 2023

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

You thought you had escaped him. Until he proposed to your daughter.

‘There’s someone I want you to meet,’ Belle says, as a man draws up to her side. He’s tall with dark hair and stubble on his square jaw. He’s not exactly smiling, but the corner of his mouth curls upwards as he slides his hand around my daughter’s waist.

I grab my husband’s arm to steady myself, as the room spins around me.

I stare into the man’s eyes – jet black. Nothing and everything hidden behind them.

Fear prickles my skin as I remember what he did.

How I only just escaped.

All the lies I’ve had to tell since.

‘I want you to meet Jack,’ Belle says, brimming with excitement. ‘He’s my fiancé.’ She rests her head on his shoulder. ‘Isn’t it exciting? We’re engaged!’

Fear hammers in my chest. I have to stop this.

My daughter’s life is in danger, and it’s all because of me…

A totally gripping psychological thriller from an Amazon No1. bestseller that will take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and have you gasping at the twists. Fans of The Housemaid, Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train will be flipping pages all night long!

MY THOUGHTS:

Wow! I have to say that this has to be one of Samantha Hayes best thrillers I've read. Unlike any other of her books, which I've always found to be slow burns to begin with, THE ENGAGEMENT had me hooked from the very first page. And I could NOT put it down. I ended up devouring it in one day, staying up into the wee hours just to see how it all panned out and if my suspicions were correct.

Hannah hasn't always had the life she now has with partner Rob and the lights of her life, her two daughters Belle and Amber. She has never revealed her past or its secrets to anyone and would be quite happy if she never had to think of those dark days ever again. However, she carries the reminders with her daily from which she can never really escape whilst at the same time, they also went some way to give her life she has today.

It's her daughter Belle's upcoming 18th birthday and Hannah and Rob have planned a surprise party for her, inviting friends and family, some of whom have travelled far and wide to be there. But Belle throws a spanner in the works when she's not on the flight she's meant to be on returning from France the day before the party, instead she has rescheduled her flight for the following day...unaware of the surprise party her parents have planned for her for the same day. When she arrives home barely in the nick of time, she has a surprise of her own...arriving at the party and introducing the much older man by her side as her fiance Jack. Hannah and Rob are speechless.

But for different reasons...

As she looks at the older man by her daughter's side, Hannah is sure she recognises him. And his name isn't Jack. His is a face from her past that she thought she had escaped and he is a very dangerous man. And that is how she knows that their whirlwind courtship was no chance meeting. And it's not Belle he wants...but Hannah. But how can she tell her husband and her daughter the truth about him without revealing her past and all its secrets?

That's about all I can say without revealing spoilers because really there is so much to this story that will have your head on a swivel. I enjoyed the multiple perspectives and past and present timelines. I had worked out how the past factored into the present as it was fairly obvious to me but there was a final twist that I never saw coming until the final pages. And then it all fell into place seamlessly.

I'm always prepared for Samantha Hayes' thrillers as being slow burns because they generally are but I didn't find that with THE ENGAGEMENT. It was a wild ride from start to finish with a pace I could barely keep up with. I didn't start this book till fairly late in the day and didn't foresee finishing it till the following day, but it was so engrossing and absorbing that I couldn't put it down until I had pulled back every layer and uncovered every aspect to know how it all ended.

The story shines a light on a part of reality that many do not want to see or acknowledge. It is a dark place deep in the heart, yet on the edge, of society that most simply ignore and pretend its existence. But Hayes takes us to this very real part of society and its depths that is shocking and despicable filled with unsavoury characters with vile motives. She handles it perceptively with sensitivity and awareness, and with an ultimate sense of justice.

From the opening prologue to the final epilogue, THE ENGAGEMENT had me entirely "engaged" from beginning to end and has to be one of my favourites, if not my favourite, of Samantha Hayes' thrillers I've read to date. It was different but a thrilling nightmare from which I couldn't escape...in a good way!

A well deserved 5 stars!

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Samantha Hayes grew up in a creative family where her love of writing began as a child. Samantha has written eight thrillers in total, including the bestselling Until You’re Mine. The Independent said “fantastically written and very tense” while Good Housekeeping said “Her believable psychological thrillers are completely gripping.” Samantha’s books are published in 22 languages at the last count.

When not writing, Samantha loves to cook, go to the gym, see friends and drink nice wine. She is also studying for a degree in psychotherapy. She has three grown-up children and lives in Warwickshire.

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.

Sunday, 8 January 2023

REVIEW: The Narrator by K.L. Slater

The Narrator by K.L. Slater

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 4th January 2023

Published: 6th January 2023

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

What if the chance of a perfect life… put your daughter in grave danger?

Being a single mother is tough, but I’d do anything for my little girl Scarlet. I’d given up on my career as a voice actor when the call came, but suddenly I was the new narrator for a secret book from bestselling author Philippa Roberts, who has been missing for eight months. It was a lifeline for me and my daughter.

I hated that it meant leaving Scarlet with my ex in his perfect new home with his perfect new girlfriend. But I knew it was the right thing to do.

But as I start reading Philippa’s new novel, I start to wonder if it’s no coincidence that I’ve been chosen to narrate it. There’s something hidden in the pages of this book, I’m sure of it. Some clue to Philippa’s disappearance. And I don’t feel safe. I think I’m being watched. My room has been searched.

And then my ex’s girlfriend calls in tears and everything starts to click together. If I don’t find answers fast, I’ll lose more than my second chance. I’ll lose my daughter.

A completely gripping thriller that will hook you in from the first page and leave you gasping out loud. Fans of Our House, The Woman in the Window and The Wife Between Us won’t be able to put The Narrator down!

MY THOUGHTS:

An author, her assistant, an audiobook narrator and an obsessed fan make up the bones of Kim Slater's new psychological thriller with a difference. Coupled with a narcissistic ex-husband and his pregnant new girlfriend and you're tangled in secrets, lies and manipulation. THE NARRATOR is something completely different for Slater who wastes no time in slaying this addictive and twisted thriller. And it did take me a while to warm up to it and pick up the pace of the direction in which it was going.

The opening, rather than a prologue, launches the reader right into it taking place ten months prior with successful crime writer Phillipa Roberts preparing to attend an awards night in which she is expected to take the crown. But things go awry with a drugged bottle of champs and an abduction that lead us to a dark and dingy basement in which the author is imprisoned. What does the kidnapper want? Money? Or something more sinister?

As a friend of Phillipa's who had narrated each book in her acclaimed Tower series, Eve Hewitt was devastated by her disappearance. No one knew what happened to the acclaimed author but many had theories...some even whispered rumours. But then Eve suffered her own setbacks at same time with the death of her beloved father and the discovery of her husband's affair with her colleague. On the verge of a breakdown, Eve packs up and leaves London for the safety of her mother's house in Nottingham with her five year old daughter Scarlet.

Almost a year later, a hidden manuscript written by Phillipa is discovered. A tenth novel to the Tower series she had penned featuring DI Jane Tower. Almost at once, Phillipa's editor contacts Eve to ask her to narrate this latest book and without a second thought Eve jumps at the chance. But as soon as she's begun, Eve discovers inconsistencies between the manuscript and the previous nine books.

And so she decides to do a little digging into the events surrounding her friend's disappearance. But what she discovers only serves to puzzle her further. Rumours have it that Phillipa had had enough after nine books and was calling time on the Tower series and looking forward to settling down and focusing on her family. Surrogacy was planned to give her and her wife Fleur twins but things went wrong. Her finances were in disarray - was she being blackmailed? And then there was an overdose of sleeping tablets - accident or intentional? And why, after struggling to write the tenth novel and asking for a deadline extension, was the completed manuscript found hidden in the loft? If she had already written it why ask for an extension of her deadline? Nothing made sense...least of all the new novel! Had Phillipa been trying to send clues through her words as a cry for help?

Added to that is Eve's narcissistic ex, Hugo, a complete misogynist who disregards every thought or explanation that isn't his own, and overrides Eve's wishes regarding their daughter Scarlet. While Eve is in London he pays a visit to her mother where he then sweeps Scarlet away to his beautiful cottage recently purchased with his new girlfriend Saskia where he then plies her with expensive gifts and promises that no five year old can resist. Eve is livid but as she's in London, there is little she can do about it. Once again Hugo has manipulated things to his advantage leaving Eve as the bad guy. But when she arrives at the delightful chocolate box Bee Cottage for the weekend, intent on taking Scarlet back to Nottingham, she discovers that not all is as rosy as Hugo has made out.

And there is Chad. An obsessive fan who has his own ideas surrounding Phillipa's disappearance and in her absence decides, as her narrator, Eve will suffice as a substitute. And thus he begins to stalk her. On Twitter; via text message - "wait, how did he get my number?"; then email - "and my email?"; "bumping" into her in Primark; stealthily watching her every move and even offering his services as a handyman to her mother. A tad creepy.

Eve is beginning to wonder how her dream job has become a nightmare as she realises that she her her daughter could potentially be in real danger. But from who? She has no idea. But someone doesn't want secrets uncovered. Someone wants her to stop asking questions and looking into Phillipa's disappearance. Why?

And where is Phillipa? She's been missing ten months now. Is she still alive?

Wow! What a thrill ride THE NARRATOR turned out to be. Despite its slow start, it turned out to be an addictive fast paced page turner not to be put down! Intricately plotted and woven with a tangled web of secrets and lies, THE NARRATOR will have you questioning everyone's motives until that spectacular ending!

This was a very different book for Slater but it was every inch as addictive and twisty as her other thrillers. Even though we were rolling our eyes every time Hugo opened his mouth and Chad totally creeped us out...and we questioned Nina, Jules and Alicia throughout. While we may go through our own list of suspects and try to figure out what really happened...I dare anyone to see that shocking twist ending coming! Not even I, who is very rarely hoodwinked, had it figured making it all the more delicious and oh so deviously clever. Well done, Kim, for throwing us all off scent completely!

A well deserved 5 stars!

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

After years of trying to get published and never getting further than the slush pile, Kim went back to university at the age of 40 where she gained a first-class honours degree in English & Creative Writing and an MA in Creative Writing with distinction.

Kim's first adult psychological thriller for Bookouture, ‘Safe with Me’, actually started life as a dissertation on her English & Creative Writing degree in 2010. She says" he creepy voice of Anna came to me strong and insistent . . . she wanted to be written, she wouldn’t go away. I’m so glad I listened!"

Kim first became published writing Young Adult fiction for Macmillan Children’s Books under the name Kim Slater. Her award-winning YA debut, SMART, started life as a short story for her MA in Creative Writing in 2012.

Kim is now a full-time writer. She has a daughter and two stepsons and live with her husband Mac in Nottingham and Yorkshire.

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.

Saturday, 7 January 2023

REVIEW: The Neighbour by Gemma Rogers

The Neighbour by Gemma Rogers

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 3rd January 2023

Published: 5th January 2023

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Love thy neighbour or fear thy neighbour?

For myself and Lauren, my 10-year-old daughter No3 Beech Close was to be our refuge after two years of hell nursing my sick mother.

In need of a fresh start and wanting to distance ourselves from the bad memories of my mother’s house we moved to Beech Close, a small cul-de-sac of six houses situated around a picture-perfect green.

It seemed perfect but I had underestimated the secrets that this tightknit community shared.

Within hours of moving in my next-door neighbour Valerie made it abundantly clear we were not welcome.

I soon discovered that Valerie hadn’t welcomed the previous occupant either and she’d since disappeared without a trace.

Had I put myself and my daughter in danger moving to Beech Close?

Which neighbours, if any could I trust?

And how far would they go to keep their secret?

MY THOUGHTS:

Crikey! Who'd want to live in Beech Close? With neighbours like a cross between "desperate housewives" and "the Stepford wives"? They were a mad bunch...the lot of them! But aside from that, THE NEIGHBOUR is filled with tension and intrigue with a sense of spookiness that gives you the chills.

Shelly and her 10 year old daughter Lauren are in need of a fresh start after having cared for her own mother in the final years of her life, battling dementia. Selling the cottage which was filled with unwelcome memories, they packed up and moved to the idyllic location of number 3 Beech Close...or so they thought. The move was meant to bring healing to enable them to move on but they had barely unpacked the first box when Shelly had an unpleasant run-in with her immediate neighbour, Valerie. The next thing she knows she finds an unwelcome gift shoved through the letterbox and a half eaten chocolate bar in the backyard, which had likely caused their dog Teddy to be sick overnight. Valerie, it seems, has taken an instant dislike to Teddy who is a dear sweet dog. But the strange occurrences don't end there.

When her best friend Josh finds a box of belongings in the loft, Shelly tries to find the previous tenant to return them to her. But hits a brick wall. And then she discovers that Danielle, the previous tenant and school teacher, had lost her dog just three days before she herself disappeared. Trying to find out what happened, she's told that Danielle fled Beech Close to the sunny climes of Egypt as soon as term ended. But why would she leave when she had been searching for her beloved dog? According to her friend, Mark, she would never have left without him. Shelly tries to ask the neighbours but no one seems forthcoming with answers and she begins to wonder if everyone else knows what happened to Danielle except her. So what exactly happened to Danielle?

Shelly's attention is somewhat sidetracked when she meets Remy, Valerie's son, who spends much of his time there caring for his mother who has dementia. She is at once sympathetic having just spent that last few years caring for her own parent with the dreaded disease, and she offers Remy a friendly shoulder. But Shelly instead finds herself attracted to Remy, as it's been a long time between drinks for her. Then as the story proceeds Remy's behaviour begins to leave question marks also. What is it with this place?

Shelly gets a strange vibe emanating from Beech Close and she wonders if it's all it's cracked up to be. Everyone appears to have secrets and not all of them the average kind either. And her dipping her toes into the murky waters of Danielle's disappearance begins to lead her into dangerous territory. Are she and Lauren safe in Beech Close? Or has she gotten too close for someone's comfort?

THE NEIGHBOUR is a fast paced engrossing page-turner that, while a tad far-fetched in reality, on page it's a compelling tale. There is an air of creepiness surrounding the little cul-de-sac of Beech Close that will leave you with a feeling of unease.

This is my first read by Gemma Rogers and I thoroughly enjoyed it but my favourite was that ending. While I had tied most of the pieces together, even down to that final confirmation at the end, it was the innocence in which those final words were delivered that just packed a punch.

And can I just give a shout out to my favourite character in the book? Which was undoubtedly Teddy the dog. Thank goodness no harm came to him...or any other dog in the story.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Gemma Rogers was inspired to write gritty thrillers by a traumatic event in her own life nearly twenty years ago. Her debut novel Stalker was published in September 2019 and marked the beginning of a new writing career. Gemma lives in West Sussex with her husband and two daughters.

Social media links:

Friday, 6 January 2023

REVIEW: The Stay at Home Mother by Nicole Trope

The Stay at Home Mother by Nicole Trope

Genre: Domestic thriller, Domestic drama, Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 2nd January 2023

Published: 3rd January 2023

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

The Stay-at-Home Mother: A completely addictive psychological thriller packed with jaw-dropping twists

Her chest tightens, her heart speeding up. The kitchen is chaos. She steps on something hard, and looks down. Toy dinosaurs are scattered everywhere. But her son is nowhere – her baby boy is gone.

The police arrive. She can’t look at her husband. Instead, she studies the network of lines on her shaking hands.

Then her phone beeps with a voice message. ‘Listen to it on speaker,’ says the detective.

A woman’s voice fills the air.

‘I’m assuming this is the Andrea Gately listed as a contact on the Missing Children of the World website. I’m calling to let you know that I’ve given your details to the police. Why are you using a picture of my son on a missing children’s website? Why are you using it and where did you get it?’

An absolutely unputdownable psychological thriller that will leave you gasping with shock and staying up way past your bedtime. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Liane Moriarty and Adele Parks.

MY THOUGHTS:

"Loving mother...Loyal friend...Liar."

Nicole Trope never fails to disappoint and though this one begins a little differently with something of a slow build, it definitely gains momentum and picks up pace as everything slots into place. I could relate to the weather and the constant autumn rain, spring rain, summer rain and back to autumn rain again as in Australia we have just endured that weather system with so much rain and constant flooding that just seems to come back again and again. But maybe this year will be different. But I digress...

Firstly, that prologue. WOW! Throwing the reader right into it that leaves our head spinning with possible scenarios...and then tapering off to where exactly? The story rewinds back some five weeks prior to the events coming to a head with Andrea having moved with her husband Terry and 3 year old son Jack into the damp ridden house that really wasn't fit for living in. But having no choice they were out of options as a kind gesture gave them a roof until they could get back on their feet. Weighed down at eight months pregnant, Andrea could think of better things to be doing rather than unpacking boxes in a house she wished she never had to move to and longed for the friends she had left behind.

Across the road, Gabby watched the new arrivals moving in and pondered what renovations they would soon be undertaking as the house was in dire need of renovating. I mean, why else did they pay such an exorbitant amount for the property if they didn't have plans for it? But that isn't her concern. What captured her attention was the little boy and the tired look on the heavily pregnant mother's face. What she needed was a friend. And Gabby decided that she would be that friend. After all, she needs one too. Dealing with all she had to deal with on a daily basis with her son Flynn that left her in tears, a friend is something she longed for to confide in. Of course, she has her Facebook mother's advice forum she runs but they aren't "real" friends, are they?

So one day Gabby crosses the road and reaches out the tired Andrea and the two women become friends. Jack loves visiting Gabby's house where there are plenty of toys and treats on offer, and he can play to his heart's content while the women talk. Gabby confides about her teenage son Flynn who is rarely home and a husband Richard who is somewhere in the US on business. Andrea doesn't reveal much but Gabby feels that she will in time.

And then Andrea begins to notice the red sedan with the mismatched door driving slowly past the house and she gets a strange feeling. Not again. Who is this person and why are they watching her? She tries to tell Terry but he dismisses it as just a tradie in the neighbourhood needing directions or her imagination. But is it her imagination or has Terry's problem reared its ugly head yet again? Gabby notices the red car parked out the front of their houses too. But she isn't sure if they are watching Andrea's house or hers. What if they are after her? Could they be?

And then when Andrea goes into labour suddenly, she is unable to contact Terry. He's not at work and not answering his mobile. Where the hell is he? But that is only the beginning of her problems when she discovers everything she thought she knew is a lie.

THE STAY AT HOME MOTHER begins as a slow build that may seem off base at first but soon the pieces of the jigsaw come together, with the pace picking up at lightning speed as the reader races through the pages to see how it all ends. There are loads of red herrings and you don't know who or what you can trust. So many questions...what to believe?

The story unfolds through Andrea and Gabby's alternating narratives respectively. And oh how I love an unreliable narrator! But can we trust both women? Andrea's "baby brain" could be playing tricks with her perception and Gabby may or may not be who she claims to be. And then there is Terry. Dodgy much? I couldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. Everything that came out of his mouth was a lie, or a deflection which is still a lie anyway. Did he not value his family? His wife is ready to drop their second child, for goodness sake! And she is so obviously exhausted, that the reader can't help but question her narrative at times. But is everything as it seems?

I had so many questions right up and slowly pieced bits together in my mind - some of which were right. I figured out one of the biggest twists very early on but there were more surprises to come. But the biggest of all was that ending. Just brilliant! Did you see it coming?

I love how Trope explored a number of issues, dealing with them sensitively, which I won't list here as it could be deemed a spoiler. But as with all her books she takes topics that are relative to many and weaves her story around them while doing so with sensitivity.

This is my umpteenth book by Nicole Trope and she is one of my favourite authors. I love her style and the fact she is in Sydney too so I can relate to some of what she is writing about - places, the weather, the cost of things etc. I read this book in a day, and as with all her books, it was the perfect afternoon or bedtime read.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Nicole Trope went to university to study Law but realised the error of her ways when she did very badly on her first law essay because-as her professor pointed out- ‘It’s not meant to be a story.’ She studied teaching instead and used her holidays to work on her writing career and complete a Masters’ degree in Children’s Literature. After the birth of her first child she stayed home full time to write and raise children, renovate houses and build a business with her husband.

The idea for her first published novel, The Boy under the Table, was so scary that it took a year for her to find the courage to write the emotional story.

She is now published by Bookouture and is an Amazon top 100 bestseller in the USA, UK, AUS and CAN.

She lives in Sydney with her husband and three children.

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Thursday, 5 January 2023

REVIEW: New Neighbours for Coronation Close by Lizzie Lane

New Neighbours for Coronation Close (Coronation Close #1) by Lizzie Lane

Genre: Historical fiction, Pre-WW2, Sagas

Read: 1st January 2023