REVIEW: The Perfect Mother by Claire Allan

The Perfect Mother by Claire Allan

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 2nd February 2025

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 5th February 2025

★★★ 3 stars

DESCRIPTION:

All I wanted was to help women become mothers. When I met Alice Monroe, we instantly connected. She was as passionate about motherhood as I was, and I couldn't wait to support her through this life-changing experience.

But the day that should have been Alice’s happiest, turned into a nightmare. And after Alice’s dreams were shattered, she blamed me. Even though there was nothing I could have done, she wanted to ruin me. I lost my business, my reputation. My world fell apart.

Then, I discovered I was pregnant. That’s why we moved hundreds of miles away to the remote Derry countryside. Now, with this beautiful baby, we can have a fresh start.

But then Alice sends me a message. She knows where we are. And I realise, it doesn’t matter how far we’ve moved, I am not safe from her. My baby is not safe.

She would have been the perfect mother. But if she can’t have her happy family, she's not going to let me have mine.

Don't miss the brand-new nail-biting thriller from Claire Allan! Perfect for fans of Valerie Keogh, Andrea Mara and Claire Douglas.

MY THOUGHTS:

The first thing I noticed in the opening pages of this book is that it is partially set in Carrickfergus, a town just out of Belfast I had not heard of before befriending a lovely Irish couple who emigrated here over 40 years ago (to Sydney not Melbourne as in the book) from which they also hail. It's not a place that is often mentioned but I did catch it referred to in the very first episode of "Grantchester" some years ago. I was quite chuffed to see it mentioned and find it peppered throughout the book that I can't wait to tell my friends when I see them next.

So...a year ago, Mel Davison had a thriving business as a doula who practiced hypnobirthing (I'm with Mel's mum on this one) which all came crashing down after the tragic loss of a child for which she was blamed. Mel had left her job as a teacher to follow her dream of becoming a doula and hypnobirthing after the traumatic birth of her daughter Tilly. She wanted to relieve other women of the trauma she'd endured. 

Alice Munroe approached Mel and hired her to be her doula as the two women formed a close friendship which was then threatened after Alice's labour went wrong and Mel was left without her friend and ultimately her business. What ensued was a hate campaign directed at Mel both in person and online. She became a shadow of her former self, jumping at shadows and scared to let Tilly out of her sight. When her daughter's safety is threatened once again, she and her husband Ed move a hundred miles to Derry where they undertake the mammoth task of renovating a period farmhouse whilst living in an onsite caravan in the interim.

But Mel is heavily pregnant again and she hopes much of the renovating will be complete for them to move into the farmhouse before the baby arrives. And then strange things start to happen again. A funeral wreath designed for the loss of a baby is delivered to her parent's door and a memorial is erected on their own gatepost, all designed to unsettle Mel. And it's working. Is Alice behind this new hate campaign? Or is it one of her many followers?

This book showed real promise and started off steady but then slowed down to a mud crawl. It picks up again but it's like being stuck behind a slow driver - pace picks up then slows then picks up then slows. And there is quite a bit of repetition. To be honest, I skimmed a lot of the repetition and wordiness, finding more answers in dialogue. I didn't warm to Mel at all and found it difficult to sympathise with her. She constantly complained about what was happening and yet continued to make things worse for herself. I did suspect who was behind it from early on but didn't work out the entire endgame until just before it happened.

At 291 pages, this is a relatively quick read, though slow in parts, making it a slow quick read...or a quick slow read? The premise was promising but I'm not sure it completely delivered though the ending was satisfactory. Not one of Allan's best but still OK.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Claire Allan is a bestselling author from Derry.

A former journalist, she published eight contemporary women’s fiction titles with Poolbeg Press in Ireland, establishing herself as a multiple Irish Times Bestselling Author.

Her novel 'The First Time I Said Goodbye' - based on a true story of a love affair between a Derry girl and a US marine became a US Kindle Top Five bestseller.

However in 2016,  Claire decided to change genre and to write domestic noir  - this secured her her a book deal with Avon, an imprint of Harper Collins.

Her debut thriller Her Name Was Rose has sold more than a quarter of a million copies and has achieved bestseller status around the world.  

When not writing thrillers, she can be found penning romantic comedies under her alias of Freya Kennedy.

Claire is currently working on a TV adaptation of her 2020 novel ‘The Liar’s Daughter’ with Hat Trick productions, and as a story consultant for the new BBC cop drama ‘Blue Lights’.

Her sixth thriller ‘The Kindling’ is scheduled for publication in January 2022.

 

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: 20 Minutes Earlier by Daniel Hurst

20 Minutes Earlier (20 Minutes #0.5) by Daniel Hurst

Genre: Psychological thriller, Short story

Read: 8th February 2025

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Amazon

Published: 14th February 2020

★★★★ 4 stars 

DESCRIPTION:

The short prequel novella to 20 Minutes On The Tube, following the fates of 4 characters in London before they go underground.

Fast paced, edgy and humorous this is a teaser novella and the gateway to the beginning of the 20 Minute Series.

MY THOUGHTS:

I've had this series on my kindle forever and thought it was about time to delved into them, beginning with this short prequel to the first book.

It follows the fate (or impending therein) of four characters before they go underground. We meet Jelena, Harry, April and Bogdan as they are about to board the London Tube train.

Jelena - a Serbian who paid to come to the UK for a better life and instead was thrust into a sex trafficking ring upon arrival.

Harry - a 12 year old lad who is keen to meet the father he never knew, skipping out of school dressed in his zebra-like uniform, and secretly hoping his dad is a keen West Ham supporter as he is. So far, I like him best. He exudes a cheekiness that is endearing. That, and he's a West Ham supporter, which has been my dad's lifelong team.

April - pushing herself at an early morning pilates class before heading off for a date, arranged through a dating app. Not wanting to endure a hangover the following morning, she opted for a morning date. But instead must contend with the sweaty aftermath of pilates coupled with the steamy confines of the Tub.

Bogdan - left Serbia for a better life, as most Eastern European immigrants do. He had big dreams when coming to London but so far none of them have come to fruition and must content himself with being a night cleaner for an advertising company. His existence is a lonely one as his colleagues are all immigrants like him and, like him, are fluent in their native language but not English.

All of these people's lives will intersect in 20 minutes on the tube...

As in true Daniel Hurst style, we are immediately drawn into each of the stories and as soon as we finish this prequel we want to immediately dive into the first book in this series. At 35 pages, it took me just over an hour to read. This series is an interesting concept and I can't wait to find out what's in store for each of the characters.

Next...20 Minutes on the Tube

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Daniel Hurst was born in the northwest of England, a part of the world famous for its comedians, pasties and terrible weather.

He has been employed in several glamorous roles in his lifetime, including bartending, shelf stacking and procurement administration, all while based in some of the most exotic places on the planet, like Bolton, Preston and South London.

Daniel 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.

Since following his lifelong passion for writing in 2020, he has amassed a loyal and devoted set of readers, and regularly has several books in the top 100 of the Psychological Thriller Charts on Amazon. His title The Passenger became the #1 selling psychological thriller in the UK in October 2021. The Doctor's Wife is his first publication with Bookouture.

A prolific writer, Daniel likes to keep readers on their toes by self publishing even more books in between those released through his publisher.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: The Husband by Daniel Hurst

The Husband by Daniel Hurst

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 8th February 2025

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 20th January 2025

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

Is the man you love a killer?

I’ve been married to my kind, loving husband Lachlan for over twenty years. He’s my everything. We have two teenage children, a beautiful home and I feel so lucky to live this perfect life. Until my best friend says something that makes me doubt everything…

She whispers it’s strange Lachlan has lived nearby to two unsolved murder cases. First, the murder of the woman in the small, Scottish village where he grew up and more recently the shocking death of a woman who lived round the corner from us. The thought makes my head spin. It’s just a coincidence, surely?

But at home, I can’t help but notice that Lachlan’s becoming angry, not at all like his usual self. It makes me wonder if he’s hiding something from me. It makes me wonder if he could be guilty. I push the thought away, but no matter what, I can’t get rid of this niggle of doubt.

The only way to find out is to go to Scotland and get my husband to face his past. But when secrets start to unravel in the remote Scottish Highlands, I realize the truth is more complicated than I thought, and more than one person could be a killer.

Now my children and I are in terrible danger. And coming here might be the last mistake I ever make.

An utterly addictive psychological thriller that will have you gasping out loud from the master of multiple twists and number 1 bestselling author Daniel Hurst. If you love None Of This Is True, John Marrs, T.M Logan and Freida McFadden you’ll be gripped by The Husband.

MY THOUGHTS:

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

Is the man you love...a killer?

This is the Daniel Hurst I know and love! And I have read alot of his books and this one is more reminiscent of his earlier work which is what drew me to him in the first place. I was thrilled to be amidst his clever plotting and enthralling storytelling once again. The only thing it lacked was the jaw-dropping twist at the end. I mean, it did have one but it didn't wow me like some of his twists have. But that's not to say that this book was not a 5 star read up to that point...because it so was.

Lachlan is a husband and a dad, married to Jenny with two teenage children - Bonnie (17) and William (15). But he is also a lot of other things too which we, the reader, are privy to almost from the first moment. You see, Lachlan has a problem. He hates rejection. Don't we all? But we don't kill the object of our rejection, do we?

One evening, while Lachlan and William are watching football, Bonnie tells her mum that she wants to watch a new true crime documentary that everyone is talking about. Jenny is reluctant and hardly sees the fascination in death and doom, until something makes her sit up and take notice. The documentary is of the unsolved murder of a 15 year old girl, Paisley Hamilton, from twenty five years ago in a small village in Scotland. The same village from whence her husband came. Bonnie is beside herself with excitement. Her dad would have been 15 at the time of the murder - the same age as the victim - and given the size of the village, chances are he knew her. How cool is that? But Jenny is speechless. How come Lachlan has never told her about it? Surely he had to have known the girl and about the murder. But Lachlan is very secretive about his childhood and never talks about it. Jenny has to wonder why?

When Lachlan emerges from the den after the game's end, he is stopped short by the images on the TV screen his wife and daughter are watching. Images from his past. A place from his past. Immediately, Bonnie pounces on him full of questions. Isn't that the village he's from? Did he know the girl? Does he remember the murder? Why did he not tell them about it? And almost as quickly, Lachlan becomes angry, shouting at Bonnie to switch it off and that it was time for bed. Jenny is once again speechless. Her husband has never reacted like that with the children, so why did he do so now? And why does the documentary make him so angry? What does he know? What is he not telling her? Why won't he answer any questions about his past? And more to the point, what is he hiding?

Energised from watching the documentary, Bonnie suggests they take a trip to Scotland for the weekend and visit his old village which Lachlan immediately shuts down. Which makes Jenny question his motives. What exactly is he hiding? And so she makes the decision that they are going to take a long weekend and visit Carnfield and maybe, just maybe, Lachlan can lay his old ghosts to rest. Lachlan is far from enthused about the idea but his fantasising during work hours leads him to a lightbulb moment; the realisation that this long weekend to Scotland would be the perfect cover for what he longs to do - kill again.

Soon he finds himself in the place where he never thought he would return. And he doesn't like it one bit. Nothing has changed there and yet everything has. Everyone has a theory as to what happened to Paisley in the woods that day. But no one knows the truth. Except the killer. And as the net tightens for Lachlan, what is he going to do? Are Jenny and the children safe? Or is anyone who comes into contact with Lachlan at risk? And will the truth about what really happened twenty five years ago finally be revealed?

This book was brilliant! I devoured it easily in one day and was racing to the end to see how it would all pan out. The pace was fast and the tension was palpable as I swiped every page, desperate to see what would happen next. I loved the setting in a small Scottish village where it seemed there was only a pub, a grocery store and a mechanic. No other premises were really mentioned but of course there had to be cottages dotting the place for the villagers to live but those were the only three really mentioned.

The only drawback with this thrilling suspenseful tale was the ending fell a little flat for me. It lacked the killer twist Hurst is renowned for and although it did have a twist, I didn't find it as jaw-dropping as he has delivered in the past. But this is still a fantastic, brilliant, exciting read from start to finish that I simply devoured. The tension builds as you feel the noose tighten around the husband's neck as you race to the end.

Another hugely entertaining read that was thrilling and captivating from beginning to end.

I would like to thank #DnaielHurst, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheHusband in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Daniel Hurst was born in the northwest of England, a part of the world famous for its comedians, pasties and terrible weather.

He has been employed in several glamorous roles in his lifetime, including bartending, shelf stacking and procurement administration, all while based in some of the most exotic places on the planet, like Bolton, Preston and South London.

Daniel 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.

Since following his lifelong passion for writing in 2020, he has amassed a loyal and devoted set of readers, and regularly has several books in the top 100 of the Psychological Thriller Charts on Amazon. His title The Passenger became the #1 selling psychological thriller in the UK in October 2021. The Doctor's Wife is his first publication with Bookouture.

A prolific writer, Daniel likes to keep readers on their toes by self publishing even more books in between those released through his publisher.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: The First Husband by Elisabeth Carpenter

The First Husband by Elisabeth Carpenter

Genre: Domestic thriller

Read: 2nd February 2025

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 4th February 2025

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

I thought my first husband was dead. But when I get a letter with his name on it just days before my wedding, it will tear my perfect new life apart…

As we drive up to the gorgeous house by the lake with its red and yellow roses round the door, I breathe in the pure air and count my blessings. In two days’ time I’m getting married to Matt, my soulmate and the father of my beautiful boy. After all the pain of my past, my life now is perfect.

But later that night I hear a knocking outside. I find the back door swinging open and a card lying on the floor, addressed to me in familiar handwriting…

I can’t wait to see you. I’ve missed you so much. All my love, Callum.

Callum was my first husband. Eight years ago, when we were staying at this exact same place for my birthday, he disappeared.

All the people who were with me that terrible night are here for the wedding. My brother. His wife. My new partner Matt: Callum’s best friend. We all had reasons to hate Callum then. We all have reasons to lie now.

The police are sure Callum is dead. But as I look around at my loved ones, I wonder…

Does someone know what really happened that night?

Does someone know what I did?

And if Callum is back, is he the dangerous one… or is it one of us?

An utterly page-turning, gripping psychological thriller, full of twists and gasp-out-loud moments. Perfect for fans of K.L. Slater, Shari Lapena and Claire Douglas.

MY THOUGHTS:

I thought he was dead...I thought I was safe...was I wrong...?

I have loved every book I've devoured by Elisabeth Carpenter so I jumped at the chance of reading this one too. I was hooked from the first page though its pace was somewhat slower and I tried to unscramble the pieces of the puzzle put before me. By the tale's end, I felt a little deflated but happy still that everything was tied up satisfactorily.

After two decades of friendship, Leah and Matt are getting married. They already have a son together, three year old Noah, and it seemed only natural that they should make their union official. But this is not Leah's first rodeo. 

Eight years ago, she was married to Matt's best friend Callum when he disappeared from her birthday weekend at the very same cottage they are now to be married in. It was thought he had drowned in Lake Windemere, just a stone's throw away from the cottage that Matt's parents owned and insisted they marry there. It's strange being back in the place where Callum mysteriously disappeared from all those years ago it's almost creepy. It serves as a constant reminder of that fateful weekend that Leah can't quite escape. But she's determined that nothing and no one will stop her from marrying Matt.

When the card arrives depicting a black heart and claiming to be from Callum, Leah is shocked, frightened and then passes it off as a cruel prank. Then each of the group who were there eight years before all get the same text threatening to reveal what they know about Callum's disappearance, also claiming to be from Callum. But it's not until a note is delivered the day before their wedding threatening little Noah that Leah and Matt realise they must revisit that night eight years ago to unravel what really happened if they are to keep their little boy safe.

But it seems the rest of the weekend is not without its problems. The caterers have not turned up and cannot be contacted and there are highly salacious text messages that throw the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons. Leah now wishes she and Matt had eloped in a registry office. Being back at the cottage and the lake was a bad idea.

The story unfolds through the past and the present - from the days and hours leading up to Callum's disappearance and the days and hours leading up to Leah and Matt's wedding. Being set in the same location for both adds an air of eeriness with the black waters of Lake Windemere also adding a chilling effect. 

I did find it difficult that Leah and Matt would marry in the same place from which Callum disappeared and the reasoning didn't really suffice in my opinion. I certainly wouldn't want to relive a most terrifying event on what is meant to be a happy occasion. And then there was Callum's sudden change in personality. It wasn't sufficiently explained, I felt. I didn't really understand why in the end because while he wasn't really completely likeable anyway, his personality seemed to change dramatically that weekend and no real explanation was given.

However, the story was riveting with a steady pace throughout that kept me turning the pages with each twist building intrigue and suspense with each turn. It was an emotional and unsettling tale with creepy undertones, a reflection of the hidden depths of Windemere's black waters.

A gripping read overall with complex emotions that was entirely entertaining.

I would like to thank #ElisabethCarpenter, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheFirstHusband in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Elisabeth Carpenter lives in Preston with her family. She completed a BA in English Literature and Language with the Open University in 2008.

Elisabeth was awarded a Northern Writers’ New Fiction award, and was longlisted for Yeovil Literary Prize (2015 and 2016) and the MsLexia Women’s Novel award (2015). She loves living in the north of England and sets most of her stories in the area, including the novel she is writing at the moment.

Social media links:

Wesbite | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Newsletter SignUp | Goodreads

REVIEW: The Doll's House by Natasha Boydell

The Doll's House by Natasha Boydell

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 5th February 2025

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 13th January 2025

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

She lives in my old home, she looks like me, she dresses like me… And now she wants my life.

Naomi is devastated when the sale of the apartment falls through, her dreams of moving to an amazing ‘forever home’ nearby with her family are momentarily dashed.

But then a sweet-natured single mother named Summer appears, announcing her intention to buy Naomi’s old apartment. And all of a sudden, it looks like Naomi might get her new house after all.

At first, it feels like Summer’s saved her life. But as soon as the sale goes through, Summer starts turning up at Naomi’s new house. She’s enrolled her child in Naomi’s daughter’s class. She’s dressing like Naomi. She’s suddenly best friends with all her friends… And then Naomi discovers she’s got a pretty little doll’s house. One that looks just like Naomi’s new home.

Naomi wants to believe she’s just imagining things. What could Summer possibly want? And how far will she go to take everything that Naomi has?

A totally page-turning psychological thriller, that fans of Lisa Jewell, Sue Watson and Daniel Hurst will be unable to put down.

MY THOUGHTS:

Trigger warning: mean girls, bullying, gaslighting

OK, so gaslighting is often a major factor in psychological thrillers but this goes hand in hand with the bullying, which is subtle and oh so heartbreaking. I'm the first to say I'm not a fan of kids and I have none of my own either but after reading this book and reliving my own childhood hell, it reminded me why I don't like kids or have any of my own. The mental and psychological scars from childhood bullying can be so detrimental and lifelong in some cases, so painful it is. And the gaslighting is just an adult's version of bullying because it amounts to the same thing. But when adults start to use children in their games, well...that is just cruel. As intriguing and engaging as this book was, it also made for some uncomfortable reading.

So this is my first book by Natasha Boydell, though I do have a couple of others by her on my shelf "to read", and I was immediately drawn to the story. I felt for Naomi because no one would listen to her or believe her. And while we didn't see anything untoward as the reader (just the nuances Naomi picked up on - but was she reliable?), there was this undercurrent of uneasiness throughout. Summer made my skin crawl and I didn't trust her one bit. But Naomi didn't help matters either by playing right into her hands.

We meet Naomi when the sale of her flat falls through and in walks Summer, a previous bidder, and Naomi, desperate to sell, accepts her offer. It's a wrench leaving behind the flat but the house her and Oliver have bought mean a separate room each for the girls - Bella (12) and Freya (7) - and an office for Naomi who works from home as an accountant. The girls now have a yard in which to play and they have more space for themselves. It's a dream come true. But then things start breaking down in their new home. The boiler packs up. There is damp mould in one of the rooms. And Naomi wonders if they have bitten off more than they can chew by sinking all their savings into their dream home on an affluent street they had only dreamed of in the past. But that is just the beginning.

Everything is fine until Naomi notices that Summer has started wearing the same clothes as her and had her hair cut in the same style. Then Summer enrols her seven year old daughter Luna into the same school that Naomi's daughter Freya who is the same age, on Naomi's recommendation. And soon school drop off and pick up becomes something of a nightmare. Especially when Summer inveigles her way into Naomi's tight friendship group and shutting Naomi out. Soon Naomi's friends are Summer's friends and their children are besties with Luna when they had once been Freya's. Even the parent's WhatsApp group has gone silent until Naomi learns that Summer set a new private one for her and her friends, shutting out Naomi once again. She's also inviting them all around for drinks and get-togethers without Naomi. Not only is Naomi shut out but so is young Freya. To the point where nasty lies are said about Freya and she no longer wants to go to school.

Naomi cannot confide in her friends because they are now Summer's friends and won't have a word said against her, believing it's all in Naomi's mind. I mean, what does she have against Summer and Luna? Both of them have been nothing but lovely to everyone so why does Naomi dislike them so much? But it doesn't matter what she says or who she says it to, no one believes her. Even her voice of reason, her stalwart, husband Oliver is beginning to doubt her. But when Naomi starts hearing sounds outside her door, notices things have gone missing and one of a kind earrings that Oliver had bought her one Christmas are now being worn by Summer, Naomi begins to feel even more threatened. Scared even. This woman has been in her home without her knowledge and stolen little items that the police would laugh at her reporting. And then Naomi sees the smile. Not a pleasant smile. But a small smug smile that tells her she knows that she knows and there is not a damn thing she can do about it.

Naomi has never felt so alone. Until she finds an ally in an unlikely source. And together they aim to show Summer up for the fraud that she is and bring her down to size once and for all.

This is one hell of a creepy read. It just makes your skin crawl. Summer is someone you just love to hate. She comes across all nice and innocent but you just know there is something evil lurking beneath the surface...you just don't know what it is yet. I devoured this book in just over a day because it is a quick read but I also wanted to escape Summer's presence. She makes you want to take a shower just to wash off any trace of her. And that's just reading about her!

I felt sorry for her daughter Luna. She is only seven and the pawn in her mother's game. Children can be horribly cruel, as I remember all too well, but when adults use those children to play their mind games with others that is just not on. It is child abuse and that kind of treatment only serves to damage the child further. And Summer wonders why Luna is how she is?

The story unfolds through Naomi's narrative as we witness firsthand her downward spiral at Summer's subtle hands. And her friends, who have known Naomi for years and Summer for five minutes, were so quick to turn on Naomi and defend Summer. It's hard to be so forgiving when they saw the error of their ways in the end. I would be livid with them. They knew Naomi. They knew she wouldn't make up stuff like they claimed she was. They should have stood by her. But instead they sided with Summer who they didn't know at all but who appeared sweet and innocent on the surface. People are so fickle and if your friends are going to be as fickle as that, then they aren't true friends.

A creepy read throughout, it is fairly predictable but with a few surprises along the way. Especially at the end which will both shock and chill you. And then that final paragraph in the epilogue. Chilling. The complexities within the plot make it all the more intriguing. My first Natasha Boydell but not my last. A chilling and thrilling read.

I would like to thank #NatashaBoydell, #Netgalley and #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #TheDollsHouse in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Natasha is an internationally bestselling author of psychological fiction. Her books have featured in the top 100 charts in the UK, Canada and Australia, and include the top 10 bestseller The Fortune Teller.

Her new book, The Doll's House, will be released in January 2025.

Natasha's novels are available around the world in ebook, paperback and audiobook. She lives in North London with her husband, two daughters and two rescue cats.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: Wife Mother Liar by Sue Watson

Wife Mother Liar by Sue Watson

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 4th February 2025

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 10th January 2025

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

She’s perfect. Too perfect…

Wife: For twenty-five years, my husband and I have been the ideal couple. I’m shy, but he’s always been the life and soul of the party, a charmer, so I didn’t worry the first time I caught him a little too close to my best friend, Wendy.

Mother: Then our darling son says he’s taking Wendy’s daughter to prom, the girl I never trusted because she’s too much like her mother. As I snap photos of them, I have a smile plastered on my face, but inside my head I’m screaming at him to stay away from her.

Liar: As flashing lights slice the darkness around our home, my worst nightmare comes true with the shocking news that one of our children is dead. And I can tell my husband and my best friend are both lying about where they were. But none of their secrets compares to mine.

And nobody knows just how far I’d go to protect my family…

MY THOUGHTS:

Someone is lying. Someone knows the truth. Someone is going to pay...

This latest thriller by Sue Watson reads almost like a slightly longer Daniel Hurst thriller. Very few characters who are equally unreliable, the entire tale rehashing old ground in the space of a few days, keeps the reader guessing and even that final twist at the very end that most probably never saw coming. I admit to suspecting it but then I forgot about it with everything else going on. And what a tangled web it was!

Jill and Wendy have been neighbours and best friends for two decades. They were new wives together, new mums together and were even pregnant together! Their respective son and daughter - Leo and Olivia - were born just two weeks apart and grew up together, best friends like their mothers were. But then they hit their teens and suddenly Leo was seeing Olivia in a new light and the pair began dating. Jill was far from thrilled and did her best to dissuade the romance while Wendy thought Leo was a far better catch than bad boy Rory whom Olivia had been seeing beforehand.

Everything was going well until prom night. Leo and Olivia dressed in their finery, Wendy even hiring a photographer to capture the moment in time, and the hired limo taking them to the school. Jill had asked her husband Tim to collect the pair at the end of the night but he texted to say he was detained and wouldn't be able to. Little did Jill know that what started out as a perfect night would end in tragedy. Jill and Wendy's two children would  go off to the prom but only one would return.

Almost two years later, Jill and Wendy are catching up for girls weekend away in Wales. Leo had told his mum of this beautiful place that was so completely dark that you could truly see the stars in all their brilliance. Jill wanted to share this with her friend, hoping to rekindle something of their friendship after the tragedy that had ripped them apart two years before. What ensues is a tennis match of "she said/she said" and mud-slinging on both parts. But will the truth about prom night ever come to light?

And just when you thought you'd heard it all, along comes the coup de grace which brings the entire tale full circle and saves what essentially was a story that seemed to drag on just a little too long. The one-way conversations were enlightening to say the least and the saving grace of this tale, with the final reveal coming not a minute too soon in Daniel-Hurst-like fashion...enough to give you whiplash and leave you thinking how very clever.

The story unfolds through the alternating perspectives of Jill and Wendy, best friends for over two decades, as we witness their mud-slinging tennis match of she said/she said and getting precisely nowhere. The reader even grows tired of their animosity; Wendy's constant denials (me thinketh she protest too much, maybe?) and Jill's manic behaviour. Wendy an incorrigable flirt and Jill who took helicopter parenting to a whole new level. These two were complete maniacs, they were insane! And then there were their husbands. Wendy's Robert was blase about just about everything while Tim would get his leg over anything with a pulse. Nobody was in the least bit likeable and this wasn't Watson's best thriller but that final twist just made it all the more sweeter. Well done!

I would like to thank #SueWatson, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #WifeMotherLiar in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sue Watson was a TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.

Now a USA Today bestselling author, Sue has written sixteen novels (many involving cake), and many have been translated into several languages. Sue is now exploring the darker side of life with her latest thrillers OUR LITTLE LIES, THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR, THE EMPTY NEST, THE SISTER-IN-LAW, FIRST DATE, THE FOREVER HOME, THE NEW WIFE, THE RESORT, THE NURSERY, THE WEDDING DAY, THE LODGE and YOU ME HER.

Sue explored the darker side of life for her latest book 'Our Little Lies,' a dark, psychological thriller completely devoid of cake. She's hoping this change in direction will be reflected on the weighing scales.

Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her family in leafy Worcestershire where much of her day is spent writing – and procrastinating. Her hobby is eating cake while watching diet and exercise programmes from the sofa, a skill she’s perfected after many years of practice.

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REVIEW: Family Matters at Blackberry Farm by Rosie Clarke

Family Matters at Blackberry Farm (Blackberry Farm #4) by Rosie Clarke

Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas, WW2

Read: 31st January 2025

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Published: 1st February 2025

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

The war continues to touch everyone’s lives and loves on Blackberry Farm.

Cambridgeshire – 1943

As Spring blossoms, it seems love is in the air. 21-year-old, John Talbot dreams of a world not at war, where he can be a father to his young son Jonny and have a wife by his side. But is nurse Lucy Ross the woman for him?

When brothers Tom and John are recalled to active service, Artie is left to look after the farm. But tragedy strikes at the very heart of the family, when Arthur peacefully passes and John is reported missing in action. Pam, is left grief-stricken and fearing the worst with John lost at sea – has John’s luck finally run out?

Pam’s eldest Tom, returns home injured to convalesce and help a disgruntled Artie with the farm. But when the brothers become embroiled in a dreadful fight that could ruin several of the Talbot’s lives, it’s up to Tom to protect what they hold dear.

With an uncertain future there are trials and tribulations ahead for the Talbots in this continuing bestselling saga.

Perfect for fans of Lizzie Lane, Fenella J Miller and Patricia McBride

MY THOUGHTS:

As always, it was lovely to return to Talbolt family fold at Blackberry Farm in rural Cambridgeshire. I have thoroughly enjoyed every book in this series and watched the characters develop and grow as war rages in Europe, taking with it many young men.

It's now 1943 and the war is at its height and at last it feels as if Britain and her Allies are gaining the upper hand at last. Maybe by next Christmas it will all be over. Who knows? But one thing's for sure...something big is brewing; and it is bound to change the course of the hostilities once and for all.

At Blackberry Farm, however, it's almost as if the war has not reached them there but for the young men off fighting or those that have been lost. Not to mention the airfield running adjacent to the farm itself, having once belonged to the Talbolts and sold to the RAF. Life is quiet and it goes on, whatever the war holds. 

Tom and Lizzie have barely spent any of their married life together, but long enough to produce young Arthur who is now toddling and saying a few words. John's little Jonny, only a few months older than Arthur, is thriving while his father courts a young nurse named Lucy. She agrees to marry him and the couple plan to marry in the Autumn after Lucy has served her 6 months abroad as a nurse in a field hospital. But fate has other plans for the couple.

Artie and Jeanie recently married and farm the land at Blackberry Farm. But now that Jeanie has discovered she is with child, she can no longer do the heavy work and so they apply for some new Land Girls to take her place. Susan has gained a place at teacher's college but has some trouble along the way. Only Angela finds herself adrift with her sister away and everyone having their places in life. She wants to leave school and become a farmer's wife.

And then, just as they start to find their feet again, tragedy strikes the family once again...

Once again, there is so much going on in this book that I have barely scratched the surface. Suffice to say, it will leave you wanting to read the next installment with how it ended, wondering how it will all pan out.

Rosie Clarke is a go to author I always enjoy and I look forward to rejoining the Talbolts in Pam's warm and inviting kitchen once again soon.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Rosie Clarke has been writing for several years and has written under various names for a variety of publishers.  She lives in Cambridgeshire, is happily married and enjoys life with her husband.  She likes to walk in the Spanish sunshine and eating out at favourite restaurants in Marbella is a favourite pastime, but writing is her passion.

Rosie loves shoes, especially those impossibly high heels you can buy and has a gorgeous pair of Jimmy Choos but can't wear them so they sit on the mantlepiece.

Rosie also writes under the name of Anne Herries and Linda Sole.

 

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