REVIEW: Cuckoo by Sophie Draper (ARC)

Cuckoo by Sophie Draper (ARC)

Genre: Psychological Thriller, Gothic

Read: 26th November 2018

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 29th November 2018)

★★★★ 4 stars

Have you been bad enough?

An intense and haunting tale of family secrets and deception, CUCKOO is a creepy psychological thriller debut by Sophie Draper. It's very different in the sense that it is part psychological and part fairy tale, with a touch of ghost story. There are times the reader doesn't know what is happening or where it is going.

The story centres predominantly around Caroline "Caro" Crowther, an illustrator of children's books, who returns to her childhood home after the death of her stepmother Elizabeth. Her estranged sister Steph, whom she has not seen for 20 years, wants nothing to do with the estate and leaves it all in Caro's capable hands. So Caro, seeing this as a fresh start, leaves London and a past abusive relationship behind to move into Larkstone Farm in remote Derbyshire to get the house in order while the estate is undergoing probate. 

Upon returning to her childhood home, memories begin to surface about her life there - and most are not happy memories - and the cruelty of her stepmother Elizabeth. Why did Elizabeth hate her so much? Why did she punish her and not Steph? And why did everyone in the village give her looks of contempt, with one store stating that her custom was not welcome? Is she really as bad as Elizabeth always said she was? 

"Have you been bad enough, Caroline?"

Isolated on the farm, whilst sorting the house and working on her latest commission, Caro starts to hear noises that don't belong. Sees things that shouldn't be there. Feels things that begin to terrify her. A tapping in the attic. A little boy with a pear drum. A dead rat in her bed. Are these memories or is Larkstone Farm haunted? As Caro delves into the past, memories begin to surface and secrets are slowly revealed. Secrets that could potentially destroy but could also reveal just why her stepmother hated her so much. But is Caro strong enough to come to terms with those painful secrets of her past, or will they destroy her once and for all?

The scene of Larkstone Farm is set brilliantly on the outskirts of a village far enough to be cut off from everyone when the snow sets in. With only herself and, on occasion, a resident cat for company, it's easy to see how such isolation could start to play tricks on an already vulnerable mind. Though Lavendar Cottage - part of the estate as Caro was to learn - is nearby and it's sole occupant Craig calls in from time to time, the sense of isolation there alone in a house with so many secrets to give up can feel claustrophobic. Days could go by and Caro not see anyone, esepcially being snowed in and with no power. 

Before leaving London Caro was given a special commission of dark fairytales to illustrate, and the title of the main story she found disconcerting as it was "The Pear Drum" - the same story her stepmother would tell her throughout her childhood, leaving her terrified. These tales, though not much to do with the story as a whole, did create a sense of disquiet and terror within Caro as she struggled with the illustrations. They also gave a fairytale aspect to the story which made her question her own role in the bigger picture that was her family. The images also haunted her dreams and gave her night terrors, something which she hadn't suffered since she was a child - since she had lived at the farm. And then she found her stepmother's pear drum in the attic. Memories, images, hallucinations began to swirl in her mind - surrounding this wretched pear drum. The thing terrified her! It was a tool Elizabeth had used to frighten her. But why?

"Have you been bad enough, Caroline?"

Those words alone are enough to give one the chills, particularly once you know the story of the pear drum, and it really sets that creepy tone. The pear drum in this story is a musical instrument that has a significant impact on Caro and as the story evolves the significance and meaning behind the pear drum unfolds, becoming rather frightening. The story is based on an old folktale about two little girls who are promised a reward if they behave badly, but with any story like this there are consequences. Caro's story and that of the two little girls combine to create an interesting and incredibly eerie feel to the story.

And then there is the title itself - CUCKOO. If you are familiar with the traits of the cuckoo then the brilliance of the story will begin to make sense.

I won't say that some of the twists were predictable but I have to say that I did begin to wonder about certain people and certain aspects and, not so much HOW DID THEY fit in but rather HOW THEY DID and WHERE THEY fit into the story. To me, those questions I asked myself seemed to make a lot of sense to the outcome. So I wasn't surprised by some of the twists but they still weren't predictable. I just read enough psychological thrillers to question everyone and everything! But the very end does leave you almost breathless. And, I don't know about others, with one last remaining question. Who can you really trust?

CUCKOO is an incredibly creepy and eerie read. It is intense and at times chilling, full of secrets, lies, deceptions and twists that collide and leave you wondering what is real and what isn't as Caro's past slowly unravels. It is addictive and a compelling read.

Thank you to #SophieDraper, #NetGalley and #AvonUK for an ARC of #CUCKOO in return for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Liar's Wife by Samnatha Hayes (ARC)

The Liar's Wife by Samantha Hayes (ARC)

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 22nd November 2018

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

★★★ 3.5 stars

Firstly, I have to say, as a domestic violence survivor to physical and emotional abuse, I found this book very hard to read.

It is the first by Samantha Hayes I have read and I have to say it is medicore at best. THE LIAR'S WIFE, whilst in the synopsis sounded enthralling, in my opinion failed to live up to the hype. 

A slow burning psychological thriller THE LIAR'S WIFE seemed to take a long time to get to the point. In the end, I felt I was reading just to find out what happened. BUT, having said that, I'm glad I did because there was a real twist near the end that turned everything on its head and even I was left with an "OMG!" feeling that left me slightly reeling. I didn't see what one coming, that's for sure.

Ella Sinclair is a woman who liked to keep to herself, is very private, revealing nothing about herself and avoids socialising. Her mantra - work, home sleep - is her routine that keeps her feeling safe. She knows where she is with "work, home, sleep". But one rainy night cycling on her way home from work, she ends up being hit and is left to all but die in the road.

Waking up in hospital with only vague memories Ella struggles to remember what happened. A friendly nurse taking care of her explains she has been in a coma and suffered various fractures in her arm, wrist, leg and ribs. But that her lovely husband has barely left her side throughout.

There is only one problem. Ella is not married.

However, as soon as Ella sees him walk into her room she is terrified. Because she knows exactly who he is...and he is NOT her husband. But she realises she must play along if she wants to survive. Because this man, who calls himself Jacob Sinclair, knows a secret from her past - the dark secret she has been hiding for the past 10 years - that could destroy her. 

When she is discharged from hospital Jacob takes her straight to their "new" home, where he keeps her prisoner under lock and key, surveillance cameras and a quiet but posh gated community. Ella realises escaping is going to take longer than she had at first anticipated...especially as she is confined to a wheelchair for the next 3 months and therefore totally at his mercy. He makes her food for the day that he insists she must eat, and if she doesn't, there will be hell to pay. It doesn't take her long to discover why he leaves crusty bowls of porridge in the fridge or any other type of food for her. She is being drugged. Packs of 10mg of diazepam is enough to tranquilise her for hours...that way maintaining a level of control over her as she sleeps while he is at work.

But Jacob and Ella soon find they have a very persistent neighbour in Liz from the close, who won't be turned away or give up in her quest to help Ella in her recovery from the accident. But Ella knows that with every visit, there will be a price to pay. 

However, as a domestic violence survivor to physical and emotional abuse, I found THE LIAR'S WIFE very hard to read. The amount of control Jacob reigned over Ella made me both sick and angry. How can anyone claim they love someone and treat them like that? Like a prisoner? No freedom. No choice. No nothing. Punching them in the head when they dare to cross them. As this was the scene for a good portion of the book I found it difficult to read, my anger so visceral, and wanted to put it down several times. 

Being a slow burn thriller, THE LIAR'S WIFE was in danger of losing my attention several times though I admit I was curious to discover just what would happen...so I stumbled on. Much of it was predicatable with a few little shocks along the way but the killer twist at the end I have to say was worth the wait and saved it for me in the end - though still only rating 3.5 stars as the domestic abuse and Jacob was just so hateful.

Thank you to #SamanathaHayes, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheLiarsWife in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Picture of Innocence by T.J. Stimson (ARC)

Picture of Innocence by T.J. Stimson (ARC)

Genre: Domestic Thriller, Psychological Thriller

Read: 19th November 2018

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon (pre-order)

(release date: 18th April 2019)

★★★★★ 5 stars

I was given an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review.

WOW! I've not read Tess Stimson before as I understand she wrote primarily romance novels before deciding to try her hand at a thriller. Well, I hope she doesn't stop there because PICTURE OF INNOCENCE is an absolute compelling page-turner! I'd read the first half in one sitting and had to call it a night at 3am to actually get some sleep. Needless to say I completed it the following night.

PICTURE OF INNOCENCE is an emotional family drama meets psychological thriller with a killer twist you won't see coming! I didn't see it till just before it unfolded and then I got that "a-ha!" moment and began to realise just what erally occurred. Admittedly, I did suspect at some point as just an idea - a notion - I'm not sure I really expected it to be what actually happened. But WOW!

The story begins with Maddie, mother to three children - Emily, Jacob and Noah - and husband Lucas. Outside, she is a happy young mother running an animal sanctuary charity as well as a household; but inside, she is exhausted. Maddie is struggling to juggle everything with the demands of a colicky newborn who is constantly crying and unable to settle, a teething toddler and the financial restraints her charity is facing. Her one true rock is her husband Lucas and her 9 year old daughter Emily, who had always been a happy and settled child from the moment she was born. Maddie was mistaken to think her other children could be as well-adjusted as Emily.

But then strange things begin to happen. Maddie begins losing time, suddenly finding herself somewhere - in a room, in the car, in her office - without any memory of getting there or what she had been doing beforehand. It frightens her but she doesn't confide in Lucas or her mother. Or anyone. Then in the early hours of one morning, she suddenly wakes to find herself in her rocking chair beside Noah's cot...with no Noah. What happened? She is alarmed to find Noah had slipped from her arms down beside the chair with his face wedged against the arm railings. Afraid to admit the truth to Lucas - should he begin to question her ability to look after the children - she absently makes up a story of finding him wedged against the bars in his cot. 

All is forgotten until Noah is found dead in his cot the following morning. It is assumed it was a simple yet tragic case of cot death, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (known here in Australia as SIDS), but then the police begin to question how Noah actually died. The bruises on his face. They don't believe Maddie and question her for hours. But she would never hurt her son. But...what if she can't remember? DID she do this in one of her blackouts?  Should she tell the police about them? Maddie doesn't know what to do, as her life begins to fall apart.

While Maddie's story is unfolding we then meet a young girl called Lydia. There is no time on when Lydia's story takes place, but it begins when she is about four. Lydia lives a horrific life, abused at the hands of her mother. One day when her mother is "entertaining" one of her punters and he absently corners Lydia in the bathroom, her mother confronts the punter and asks him "How much?" From that day on, Lydia is regularly prostituted by her mother from an early age. Her mother made no secret of what a bad girl she was and how she should have gotten rid of her before she was born. Lydia had no self-worth and no self-confidence. Whilst being raped by her mother's punters, she took herself to a place where she felt nothing. Although her mother constantly told her she was a bad girl, deep down Lydia knew she wasn't an evil person...but maybe she was a bad person. Because when she was 11 years old she did something bad. Something unforgivable.

As Lydia and Maddie's stories unfold, you begin to wonder who Lydia is and how she fits into this present day story. As there was no time as to when Lydia's story took place, you find yourself pondering who is at a loose end in the story who could be Lydia. The most obvious seemed the most likely particularly as Ms Stimson threw in a few aspects that would lead the reader to the said conclusion. But was it too obvious? Or was being too obvious just a red herring to lead us in a different direction? Either way, once you discover Lydia's identity it will make perfect sense. And of course sends Maddie on a journey to find out the truth, because she is appalled to think that someone she knows, loves and trusted could have done such a horrible and unforgivable thing.

But then Maddie has another blackout. This time whilst driving. And the next thing she knows she wakes up in a foreign place without any memory of how she got there or what had happened. Everything she had learnt about Lydia's past is wiped from her memory when she had the blackout. And Maddie wonders who can she trust? Can she even trust herself?

PICTURE OF INNOCENCE is every mother's worst nightmare. In more ways than one. But it is not a story you know...and nothing is what it seems. Looks can be deceiving because everyone is capable of terrible things. Even the most innocent.

A dark and disturbing story, PICTURE OF INNOCENCE explores themes or nature vs nurture, grief and loss and how far we'd go to protect the ones we love. A multi-layered thriller that will give you the chills and keep you guessing to the end, #PICTURE OF INNOCENCE is a definite book to look out for when it is released. I HIGHLY recommend it! You won't be disappointed.

Thank you to the #TJStimson, #NetGalley and #AvonUK for an ARC of this most exciting and compelling read #PictureOfInnocence in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Tess Stimson was born in Surrey, in the south of England, and read English at Oxford University. Upon graduating she joined ITN as a news producer, reporting and producing regional and world stories, travelling to hotspots and war-zones all over the globe, before leaving bullets behind to become a full-time writer.

Since then, she's written more than a dozen novels, numerous short stories, and two non-fiction books, which have been published internationally and translated into more than twenty languages.

In recent years, Tess has moved away from writing women’s fiction and towards darker psychological thrillers, which seem to suit her personality better. As well as writing fiction she continues to work as a journalist, and also teach reporting for media and creative writing at a university in the North-Eastern US.​

Tess live in Vermont with her husband, and am visited intermittently by her three grown-up children whenever they need their laundry done.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: Too Close by Natalie Daniels (ARC)

Too Close by Natalie Daniels (ARC)

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Read: 17th November 2018

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 24th November 2018)

★★ 2.5 stars

I think the best words to describe this book are "frantic" and "chaotic". TOO CLOSE is dark and a little disturbing, but also somewhat frenetic. It's about two friends, their families, the children and it just spirals from there. I think the idea was promising but to me it just failed to deliver. I found myself struggling with this book when I did so much want to enjoy it.

The story is told from primarily Connie's POV with the odd chapter from Emma's perspective as well. Emma is Connie's psychiatrist, Dr Robinson, or Dr. R as Connie calls her. But I'm not sure what Emma's place in the story was. What was the point of her chapters? Her perspective? How did her story collide with Emma's? It didn't. I felt like her story was a little superfluous as she is there as Connie's psychiatrist and not really anything else. I mean, she didn't really DO anything else.

So we know from the synopsis that Connie and Ness meet at a park, become friends, and their families inseparable. Until Ness' marriage to Leah ends in a bitter divorce and then she is practically at Connie's all the time. So what happens out of that?

We also know that Connie wakes in a psychiatric hospital with no knowledge as to how she got there. She is told she has committed a terrible crime but she has no memory of it. And so the story begins to unfold with the how's and the why's. Or that was the plan. But honestly? I spent the majority of the book confused particularly when it seemingly jumped around suddenly to various scenes and then backtracking to where they were before that said scene. Utterly confusing and I struggled to keep up.

I felt it difficult to connect to any of the characters but Connie, particularly as the story seemingly unfold through her eyes. I felt for Connie and the predicament she found herself in with no memory or knowledge as to why she was there. It was heartbreaking yet confusing and you really get that sense of loneliness - that she is on her own. But I felt there needed to be more explanation into Connie's diagnosis in the end. In Connie's words it was "bipolar fucking psycho". Did that mean she had bipolar disorder? Or that she was psychotic? Or paranoid? And how did such a diagnosis lay undiagnosed for so long? I mean, if she were bipolar she would have displayed a little erratic behaviour. Instead that erratic and psychotic behaviour came almost out of nowhere, only building after the overprescribed medication by her GP - which caused her erratic behaviour. And then her delusional behaviour leading up to the accident that put her in the psych hospital - that was more psychosis than bipolar. I've not known bipolar to be so delusional thinking that she was already dead. Maybe I'm wrong but my brother in law is bipolar, and he displays nothing of the sort that is characterised by Connie. I felt that needed more explanation because it just left me more confused.

I didn't like Ness nor Connie's husband (whose name escapes me right now and I can only think of him as "the Weasel" as Connie calls him). We didn't see enough of Leah for me to form an opinion of her. And although I liked Emma, I did feel her story was unnecessary, as it had nothing to do with Connie or the story at hand. But Ness? She was supposed to Connie's friend. I had really hoped Connie had succeeded with the hydrochloric acid because I felt that visceral betrayal as Connie did. And the Weasel? What a complete and utter bastard! His excuse to open their relationship to seeing other people was just a way of getting permission from Connie to do just that! Sleep around without consequences. How Connie could respect him after that, I've no idea. He just wanted to get his leg over where ever possible because it was obvious he really didn't fancy Connie anymore. 

Throughout the completely chaotic story, I felt for Connie. I really did. To be betrayed by those closest to you and then you are the one thrown in the psychiatric hospital because your frustrations, hurt, betrayal, and ever emotion collide to create a catastrophic event. When if it hadn't been for Ness and the Weasel and their complete betrayal and lies, none of it would have happened. Not that I condone someone doing what Connie did, but I understand. I understand her frustration, her hurt and her betrayal. I felt it in those pages. And it made me hate those two. 

On a lighter note, the addition of excerpts of Annie's diary was a nice touch, as we got to see another perspective of the story as it unfolded through the eyes of a 9 year old. Although at 9, I could spell a lot better than Annie did. But it was a clever addition to the story...and rather amusing in parts.

The writing was very good. Hard-hitting and Natalie Daniels pulls no punches. It was also very visceral in that it really draws you in so you can feel the pain that Connie feels. For me this was Connie's story and no one else's. Everyone else was a player in Connie's story. Emma's story and POV was superfluous and I felt it really wasn't needed. Unless there was something in Emma's story to connect the two women - not even losing her daughter could do that. I just felt it didn't belong in the story.

Overall, the pace was frenetic and didn't let up but despite this I struggled. I kept going because I wanted to know what Connie did and what happened in the end. But for me the whole story fell flat. It was disappointing as I felt it could have been better. The ARC could have been better editted as the entire book was just one long story, and despite having chapters, I could not access them from the menu. As the book is to be released in a week, I would have thought it would be a little better presented. As my Kindle could not tell me how many minutes were left in each chapter (as I prefer) but only how many hours and minutes were left in the entire book, it made it difficult for me to plan my reading at times as I didn't know how long a chapter would be, as they seemed to go on forever. I prefer shorter fast paced chapters. I felt these were too long.

Having said all that, I did somewhat enjoy the story. I connected with Connie right away and felt her pain but it could have been better. It had promise but failed to completely deliver.

I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy of #TooClose by #NatalieDaniels in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book.

REVIEW: The Thing About Clare by Imogen Clark

The Thing About Clare by Imogen Clark

Genre: General Fiction, Chick Lit

Read: 12th November 2018

Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon (pre-order)
(released 1st December 2018)

★★★★ 4 stars

THE THING ABOUT CLARE was my Kindle First selection for this month and, though this is completely out of my usual genre, I thought the premise sounded rather interesting. Though I do have to say I correctly guessed what "the thing about Clare" actually was before it was even introduced into the story! That being said, it didn't ruin the story for me as I do love trying to figure out what secrets are what and the fact that I often do never spoils the story. I just enjoy the journey.

This book is about family, secrets and the journey of four siblings - Miriam, Clare, Anna and Sebastian. Their parents Dorothy and Frank feature heavily in the "past" chapters, beginning with the siblings as children, in which the story unfolds over the course of their lifetime.

The story begins with Anna, the third sibling, in 2015. Their mother Dorothy has just passed away and the introductory chapter was her funeral, and as the chapter is titled, is from Anna's perspective. I found it heavy in monologue to begin with as Anna muses over her thoughts and emotions - some of which I found slightly irrelevant to the point of irritating in part - but it does give us a vivid picture of her perspective. Particularly as she recounts her mother Dorothy's request regarding the will and the letter. And you just know that, despite trying to maintain respect for her mother, she won't be able to resist reading the letter - which is addressed to Clare. I mean, could you? I could understand Anna's reasoning behind why she decided to read it - to protect Clare - but you just know it is going to blow up in her face when Clare and the others find out. So Anna then faces the conundrum of what to do. However, it's not until over halfway through the book - after the past has been revisitedup to the present as the story unfolds - do we discover that Anna actually does have the will and the letter. So of course, the reader does not learn of its contents until over halfway through.

When the story first shifts back to the past, we are transported back to 1961 and Dorothy's POV as she recounts her story as a new mum to the very demanding and painfully teething Miriam. The Dorothy we meet in the beginning is certainly a different Dorothy we meet as the years progress through the various perspectives. She is a new mum, alone with husband Frank away working, and completely unsure of her own ability as a mother. It is then we also meet their somewhat nosy neighbour Mrs Connors (whose first name escapes me now), and it is somewhat comforting to note that they remain neighbours for the next 50 odd years. Although a background character, Mrs Connors does feature a little more profoundly at the Silver Jubilee when a very unexpected and surprising event occurs - shocking everyone!

As the years go by and the story continues to unfold we meet each of the siblings and are privvy to their own private thoughts and perspectives. Clare's is somewhat tumultuous as she herself is the most colourful of the siblings. They say that there is something about the middle child and Clare crammed into that mould and promptly broke it. She was "the black sheep" and felt like she didn't belong for most of her life. It led to bad decisions and even worse lifestyle choices as she continued to drift through life, and in and out of everyone else's, for pretty much most of the duration. She was the most volatile, defensive and pretty much almost always angry. Is it just middle child syndrome or something much more? Whatever it is, it was plain to everyone that there was just something about Clare.

The story examines the relationship between the siblings and their parents, tackling the difficult times as well as the fond memories. Family dynamics are always different and can often be a minefield with each child having their own unique characteristics. THE THING ABOUT CLARE examines those as well as being a journey of discovery for everyone involved. We learn the idiosyncrasies and the personas of each of the siblings, and often during the story we find ourselves as frustrated as each of the siblings. This story is their journey and as we are privvy to their perspectives we share the journey with them.

Once the story comes full circle again to the present day in 2015, we also feel their pain and their grief after the loss of their mother. Just before we reach this point we do meet up with Anna and Dorothy in 2014, just a year previous, where we discover that Dorothy has had a stroke and is now in a care home. I found this scene a little sad as it was clear that in her 80s Dorothy was nearing the end of her life, and just that knowledge alone is saddening after a lifetime of memories. Dorothy struggles to speak but she does - enough to bestow her request of the will to her favourite child. Then fast forward a year and the siblings are at her funeral. Mrs Connors is still a fixture, with her own two cents thrown in, but the siblings decline her offer to help clear out the house.

I did find the scenes where the siblings were sorting through a lifetime of their parents' belongings and memories particularly heartbreaking. It is something I myself dread because in doing so it is with the knowledge that your parents are gone...and with them a lifetime of memories. But as one grows older, if we are lucky enough to still have our parents with us, we also are fully aware that that will not last forever and one day in the not too distant future we too will be saying our last goodbye to them too. And it was this aftermath that broke my heart the most. We journeyed with them all through the years that as the reader we too felt the pain of Dorothy's passing, as inevitable as it must be.

I did have a complaint about one flaw. I don't know where it came from or what happened to it but at one point Dorothy is ticking off a mental list of who is attending Anna's 30th birthday and she mentions "Melissa". I had to stop and think who on earth was Melissa. As she also mentioned Sebastian's new girlfriend Tessa for the first time, I admittedly thought that maybe Melissa was Anna's "partner" as the way she recounted them was as "Anna and Melissa". But there was no further mention of Melissa. She didn't attend the party, and she was never mentioned again. So I have no idea where she came from or what her role was, but to me it appeared she was a mistake since she never featured anywhere again. This error cost this wonderful story a star in my opinion, because while I can overlook many others that always pop up in ebook editions, I cannot overlook that. It was a costly mistake that in the end was irrelevant to the entire story.

Overall, THE THING ABOUT CLARE was a beautifully written drama about families - in particular, siblings - of life, love and the imperceptible bond between them. I thought it was a lovely thought provoking story, not my usual genre, but enjoyable all the same. I was unable to put it down in the end, reading well into the night.

It is unlike me to purchase a book without knowing anything about the Author or their style, but in this case I did and I am surprisingly glad. I really enjoyed the story and the journey it took me on. Definitely recommend!

REVIEW: The Promise by Teresa Driscoll (ARC)

The Promise by Teresa Driscoll (ARC)

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Read: 6th November 2018

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon (pre-order)
(release date: 7th February 2019)

★★★ 3.5 stars

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am already a fan of Teresa Driscoll, having read her debut "I Am Watching You" and then "The Friend" just recently. So I was excited to read her latest thriller THE PROMISE. Though not my favourite of the three, I still enjoyed it and eagerly await her next book!

THE PROMISE is a slow-build, which does create the problem for some readers possibly losing interest. I did feel the story dragged out a little in parts while waiting for something to happen, but I didn't lose interest. I just got a little frustrated with "the promise" of what was to come and if it was ever going to get there. But once it did, it was unputdownable.

It begins with three young girls in Boarding School and what could only be assumed as a death which they then had to cover up. But the death of who? And why? This becomes the secret they now all share and vow never to tell. As the reader, we don't discover who it is or how she died until about halfway through, but there are a couple of subtle hints which I correctly guessed though that didn't dampen the story or it's impact.

Fast forward some 30 years and we see one of the friends Beth is happily married to Adam with two boys, Sam and Harry, and Sally is divorced from her unfaithful husband after a miscarriage which left her devastated. The third friend, Carol, is estranged from them both having gradually distanced herself over the years until no one knew how to contact her or where she even was. When Beth and Sally receive notice that the boarding school is about to be demolished, they begin to panic about the body they buried when they were 14 in the woods bordering the school would be discovered. They decide that they need to find Carol to discuss whether to break the promise they made all those years ago and reveal their secret. But where to start?

Beth and Sally engage private investigator Matthew Hill to find Carol beginning with her mother Deborah, which seems to take up an inordinate amount of time than really necessary. As the focus is primarily on finding Carol not her mother that search should be detailed a little shorter. When they do make contact with Carol, it is hard to believe that she was once their best friend, her estrangement is so palpable.

Then strange things begin to happen. Someone knows about their secret and is threatening Beth and Sally into silence. A Facebook message. A phone call to Beth's sons' school. And then the ultimate threat - a hit and run resulting in Adam being seriously injured and left for dead. Who knows about their secret? Beth then decides to break their promise and tell Adam everything...even if means losing him and the boys.

Beth also wants to tell Matthew everything but Sally is reluctant. But Matthew can't help them unless they are completely honest with him.

THE PROMISE is told predominantly from Beth's POV - both in the present and the past - with several chapters from Carol as diary entries, that clearly begin to show her instability - as well as a handful of chapters from Matthew's perspective. I feel that his input could have been more involved as Beth seemed to do most of the investigating whilst Matthew instead became a love interest for Sally. I didn't have a problem with Matthew and Sally's relationship but I felt as a PI he should have been doing more otherwise his involvement was a little redundant. Granted, he did find Deborah but it seemed as though Beth did the rest and he merely tagged along.

The story was really slow building and I felt it could have moved faster. By the time it reaches the point the secret is revealed, I feel the less patient reader will have lost interest. The secret itself is a little disappointing as while it is something 14 year old girls would definitely want to keep secret, I couldn't decide whether I WAS disappointed in it or not. Because it did feel a little anti-climatic on that point.

However, the real climax came when they returned to the old boarding school to ascertain whether the remains would be disturbed in the demolishing of the old convent. I didn't see that coming - and I foresee many twists - so that was an interesting touch.

As Carol is a major part of this story, I felt her "story" as such could have been more devled into as some parts of the story she appeared completely fine whilst at others somewhat disturbed. It is clear from her diary entries that she has mental health issues that have manifested over time so a little more focus on her "story" would have helped the story flow together more seamlessly, rather than disjointed. I couldn't connect with Carol's character at all as she felt too "distant" from the entire story despite being a major player. However, when the entire story is revealed at the end it does make sense, but otherwise she felt a disjointed part that we couldn't reconcile with the rest of the story.

Also, the dispute between Beth and Sally over Sally's romantic involvement with Matthew does not reconcile with their relationship. Their 30 year long friendship through every possible thing and yet they stop speaking because Sally is involved with Matthew. Yes, it may seem a little unethical due to him being hired by them, but to stop speaking? And then Beth falls into a deep depression and Sally doesn't bother to call or see her or offer support? Only when Beth calls in tears after Adam's accident does Sally run to her side, and the whole "non-speaking because of the romance with Matthew" is brushed aside as not important and barely visited again. Their unwillingness to discuss it as friends of 30+ years doesn't seem realistic.

One thing I must point out is Matthew's involvement in the story which I found a nice touch. As I was reading his "backstory" I felt it sounded somewhat familiar, and then when a former colleague's name was mentioned a light-bulb went on. The fact he was a former cop and then his backstory with the child rang a bell with me as being somewhat familiar. For those who have read "I Am Watching You", you would have already met Matthew as he is the private investigator Ella hired. Then when I flicked through "I Am Watching You" to one of "Matthew's" chapters I discover the mention of his wife Sally and their daughter. So in effect, THE PROMISE is in prequel to "I Am Watching You" since he meets Sally in this book and they are already married in the debut. I just felt it was a nice touch to revisit Matthew, and I hope he pops up in other stories from time to time.

Overall, it was disappointing after Driscoll's other unputdownable thrillers, as I would have thought THE PROMISE would hold a little more promise. Although the pace was a bit slow to start with by the end I couldn't put it down. But in all, THE PROMISE is still a decent book (albeit with some flaws) but still a compelling read.

Thanks to #TeresaDriscoll, #NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced reader's copy of #ThePromise in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Bedsit Three by Sally Jenkins

Bedsit Three by Sally Jenkins

Genre: Psychological Mystery

Read: 8th November, 2018

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

★★★ 3 stars

BEDSIT THREE is the first book by Sally Jenkins I've read and I must say it had a slightly different feel to it than those I normally read. I can't quite put my finger on it but I felt it still lacked something, though I don't know what.

It begins with a man burying something we could only assume was a body in the darkened backyard of Vesey Villa, a house divided into bedsits in Birmingham. Afterwhich, he then disappears into the night.

Enter Ian Wolverstone. Divorced and following his redundancy, Ian moves to Birmingham to be closer to his 7 year old son Marcus who lives with his ex-wife. Needing somewhere inexpensive until he finds work, he moves into Bedsit 3. Across the hall in Bedsit 2 is slightly unconventional mother Sandra to 7 year old Halifax, who wants to build a better life for her daughter than she had.

Ian and Sandra are from vastly different backgrounds but they soon begin to feel the electricity between them. Ian tries ignoring it as his plan is for reconciliation with his ex-wife Josephine and to be more than an alternate weekend father to Marcus. Sandra knows Ian is way out of her league but she is smitten with him and cannot ignore the spark between them and tries to impress him with colouring her hair from purple to blonde - with disasterous results. 

Aside from the obvious attraction growing between them, when Ian finds a box stashed at the back of the wardrobe in his bedsit, its contents somewhat confusing, they start to believe something sinister is linked to Bedsit 3. Ian returned home one day to find a stranger trying to break into his bedsit giving a lame excuse as to his presence. It isn't long before Ian works out that this stranger is the elusive and mentally disturbed Ignatius Smith, the former resident of Bedsit Three who did a midnight flit, leaving his cardboard box of precious memories in the cupboard.

Then Ignatius makes his move. And what follows is a race to find the truth about what really happened in Bedsit Three.

Told from both Ian and Sandra's perspectives throughout as well as the disturbed thoughts of Ignatius Smith, BEDSIT THREE is a quick and fairly enjoyable read. It's not a short story but it's not a long one either, so it can be easily read in one sitting. The Prologue was compelling and extremely promising, and the entire setting of Vesey Villas was vividly described that I could almost see the bedsit rooms myself. Added to that were a couple of intriguing twists along the way.

But what let this promising read down was the confusion as to what the story was meant to be. While the main plot was meant to be a suspenseful and psychological mystery about a mentally disturbed killer with mummy issues, there was a lot of focus on the relationships between Ian and Sandra, and between Ian and his ex-wife. As someone else has said "it was like reading two different stories", and I have to agree. While other authors have managed to combine relationships with a mystery thriller and give it that real sense of one complete story, Jenkins has failed to do this here I feel. However, having said that, I still DID enjoy the book...just not as much as I could have. 

I was also disappointed in the Epilogue. Really? It should have been about the discovery of the body that was left floating down a Derbyshire river or Ignatius and his mentally disturbed thoughts...not the wedding of someone I didn't even like or connect with. After all, it WAS about the mystery of Bedsit Three... Again, the confusion of just what this story was meant to be.

In all, BEDSIT THREE is a quick and enjoyable read with a compelling and dramatic plot.

REVIEW: Dark Blood by Stuart MacBride

Dark Blood (Logan McRae #6) by Stuart MacBride

Genre: Mystery, Crime Fiction

Read: 1st November 2018

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

★★★ 3 stars

Firstly, let me say I LOVE Stuart MacBride! No matter how drab or unexciting the storyline, his wit and dark humour make for entertaining reading. With each book I am reminded why he is one of my favourite authors.

DARK BLOOD is the sixth in the Logan McRae series, and so far throughout each book, it has yet to stop raining in Aberdeen. lol But MacBride turns it into an almost comical read in his descriptions of the drab and miserable weather. I always enjoy his books, though they take me longer to read due to their length no doubt, they never cease to entertain.

In this sixth installment of the McRae series, a serial rapist of elderly men has been released from prison down in Newcastle and has been transported to "sunny" Aberdeen to take up residence in his old granny's house - where hopefully he will be safe. Hopefully the case, on DS McRae's watch anyhow, as he has been tasked with ensuring the safety of Richard Knox.

But this is just the tip of the Aberdeen iceberg. Logan's drinking is causing a supreme lack of judgement in character and interpersonal skills, which is proving detrimental to his personal and working relationships. This has been brought to his attention, unwelcomely, by DI Steel and his girlfriend, IB technician Samantha. Added to that, is the amount of crimes that are in need of his immediate attention that keep piling up. Not to mention the demands from the new DI Beattie, whom Logan cannot bring himself to call "boss" having been promoted above him from his former rank of DS, and who seems to have an even an even greater lack of judgement who is constantly calling on Logan - "have you organised that meeting yet?" - and for updates on the case he should be running but that Logan is doing all the running around for instead.

And then there is DI Steel. I really do love to hate her sometimes. When she was first introduced I couldn't stand her, but then she grew on me. The banter between her and Logan can be quite amusing and entertaining. But at the same time you feel sorry for the DS, always on the receiving end of her wrath and despite giving him time off, always calling him back in half an hour later. Not to mention her constant lewd cracks and comments which, in the real world, would be considered sexual harrassment. Or her constant scratching of her nether regions or adjustment of her bra. If DI Steel were a male, she would be considered a sleaze and a little more than repulsive. But to give a woman that character, to me doesn't empower her any - just makes her overbearingly gross.

At this stage in the series, I would have liked to have seen some development of Logan's character and even DI Steel. But they are both the same. Logan always appears on the receiving end of constant bad luck and if something were to go wrong, it was always somehow Logan's fault. I can accept that every now and then, but all the time? It gets a bit old. Ideally, I would have like to have seen Logan rise to the rank of DI, and then he wouldn't have to work under or take orders from DI Steel. I am hoping in books to come he will have done so, particularly as a DI position has now become available.

Having said all that, I do still enjoy reading the series. I just wish the characters would progress a little more. And I also missed the banter Logan had with Rennie as with previous books, but in this one he chose to avoide Rennie for pinching his girlfriend Samantha on the butt. All inappropriate behaviour in the real world, but I'm not too PC that it bothers me that much.

Aside from my deviation into slight character assassination, DARK BLOOD had a number of themes running as with most Logan McRae books, highlighting the fact the police are overworked and underpaid. We have Richard Knox, the serial rapist as mentioned above, the jewellery store robberies, the counterfeit goods, the murder of an informant, the ever present threat of Malk the Knife and his heavies and Aberdeen crime lord Hamish Mowat. Then there are the red herrings along the way, earning McRae an even more beaten up car, a busted arm, battered and bruised ribs and the like, and not to mention, the blame for all and sundry having gone wrong.

So while I can find plenty of fault with the story, I still always enjoy a MacBride thriller for his wit and dark humour which ultimately make it thoroughly entertaining even when the book is just medicore. Having said that, I do hope future installments pick up and DS Logan McRae gets more recognition for his hard work instead of blame. And the hope that DI Steel becomes a little more personable.

Still enjoyable, if not just for the wit and dry humour. Each book can be read as a standalone and in no real order but to maintain character development and backstories, I recommend reading in order.