REVIEW: The Family Lie by Jake Cross (ARC)

The Family Lie by Jake Cross

Genre: Thriller

Read: 21st April 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 23rd April 2019)

★★ 2 stars

Like many others, I chose this book for the cover and the missing child description. It's a common theme with thrillers these days - the missing child concept - but it is also one that never grows old as each writer puts a different spin on it. However, while I liked the idea behind this story, it was the execution and delivery I found inadequate. 

THE FAMILY LIE begins with mother Anna Carter waking in the middle of the night to find daughter Josie and husband Nick missing, window and patio doors open, rain pouring in and blood on the step. She phones the police in a panic to report them missing and before long it becomes obvious that the police suspect Nick of taking Josie. Particularly when she receives a message from Nick stating as much and that he hopes she has enough pictures of Josie because that's all she has of her now. Or words to that effect. 

Nick becomes prime suspect in little Josie's disappearance. But Anna doesn't believe Nick is responsible. Someone else has taken her child. But all the evidence points to Nick. That is, until the police receive information that Nick has been found - reported to be drunk and disorderly. Tests later confirm that he was drugged with ketamine and his confusion was due to the heavy dose given. Under heavy questioning, the police manage to get some semblance of a story of what actually happened from Nick. 

The police move in to their house, set up an incident room in their dining room and from then on it seems to be a race to nowhere. The kidnappers call and list their demands - among them, £50,000 in a plastic bag inside a shoebox, delivered by Anna, and ONLY Anna. Anna complies and follows their instructions...only to be told "We want Nick to deliver the money" and that it was "time to pay his dues". I'm guessing this was to send police into a flurry and to look into Nick's past to see what it was he had done to warrant this. But apart from a few questions about "what did that mean?", it simply went overlooked. If it was meant to be a red herring for the reader then looking into Nick's past was warranted. So when the police failed to follow it up, as a reader I wasn't particularly interested...but it stayed at the back of my mind in case their lack of investigation WAS the red herring and they were really looking into it "on the QT". Whatever.

The entire "money drop" by Nick was in part intriguing as well as being a seemingly wild goose chase. The kidnappers just appeared to be toying with him for the fun of it. I admit, there was suspense in the running around to estate agents and charity shops, changing trains, tossing phones and picking up another and racing here there and everywhere. But it was a little drawn out. When suddenly the drop was made, that was it. Now what?

Then Anna disappears and Nick receives a text from her stating that he was not Josie's real father and apologies for the way she went about getting their money to run away. Ending with she hoped HE had enough pictures of Josie in his mind because he will never see her again. Really? Nick wasn't even slightly suspicious? Questioning is this what it's really about?

And so begins another race for the truth...whatever that is...

I admit that I struggled with this book. I found it hard to get into the story and the style of writing was incredibly hard to follow. I often found myself having to re-read sentences and/or paragraphs several times before I could work out what was going on. It was not just odd, it was frustrating. Then there were the "flashbacks" or past events that weren't even indicative as such. The reader was taken back and forth constantly without any real clear guidance that I had to keep flipping back pages and re-reading parts to work out what was happening. Most authors title such events to separate them from the present, making it far easier for the reader to follow. 

But that was not the only thing. There was just so much going on in the story that it too made it hard to keep up and to follow. Mostly this can be incorporated in such a way that everything flows and blends together but not this book. Everything was just so convoluted. It was confusing and all over the place. Half of what was in this book could have been reduced and still kept the pace of the story intriguing enough for the reader.

Then there was my biggest hate - long chapters. I use the Kindle app where it tells you how long is left in the chapter, and honestly, chapters that went for not just 45 minutes but and hour and 3 minutes? That just drags the whole thing out and made reading this book a real chore. Long chapters do NOT make for fast paced or exciting reading. And then within each of these long chapters, were little parts broken up for each separate scene between Nick, Anna, the police etc. All of this could have been done in separate chapters! Not parts separated with a decorative filigree within a huge long chapter. And as the book is broken into two parts, I didn't see the point of that. There was no great shift in perspective to warrant Part One and Part Two, in my opinion. For that to work, a Part Three should have been added in that case for the real story to unfold in.

And then there's the writing. I had to agree with a few other reviewers of the poor choice of words on many occasions. The biggest being where the the kidnapper Anna refers to as "ball cap" puts his hand between her legs and she "doesn't even care because it might mellow him." No way. I'm a woman. Instinct would have us thrust his hand away, no matter the cost. It's instinct. No woman would let a man put his hand between her legs without invitation unless she had been a past victim to sexual abuse or, as one reviewer stated, was a sex worker. And being neither of those, it was too out of character for Anna to allow this just to mellow him. This is not how a woman would react. I don't think the writer understands women or how they, or a mother, would react in such a situation.

Words. The writer must love words. The book is too wordy. Too much monologuing and description. Not enough dialogue. Where's the connection between the characters? Where's the conversation? The dialogue? This is what connects people. This is what connects the readers to the characters. Not overt descriptions of action. I could't connect with any of the characters. The closest I could was DCI Miller, and even she annoyed me with her constant use of "dear" at the end of every sentence and always adding "apologies for that, but" into the middle of a conversation. Police don't generally apologise for everything. The use of both words was patronising. 

DCI Miller did remind me a little of "Vera" but not as motherly and a lot more patronising. While it was only hinted at once during a phone call Nick inadvertently overhead, it appears Miller was gay with the use of the other person's name being Liz. It could be a child but instinct told me the way the conversation was carried it was a partner. However, this was not built on. I found he writer did a lot of that. Threw tidbits of information about a character without actually following through with it, so we as readers don't actually get the full picture to connect with the character. I know it was paramount to the story, but it helps give the character more depth. When she suddenly disappeared at the end, I kind of felt like Nick did in his reaction to her no longer being there.

None of the characters had much depth. They all just seemed to just be there, a little wooden, many without focus or purpose. 

And all the while the reader could be forgiven for forgetting that this story was about a missing child because there was nothing to connect you with her. The story seemed to be mostly about the chase and the games the kidnappers seemed to be playing, as well as secrets coming to light. Nothing about Josie at all. All the rubbish on the drive back from London to Sheffield was a load of bollocks! 

"On the M1 four things happened..." This confused me. Four things? What four things. It was then broken down into driver locations, but these things could have been woven into the story subtly or eliminated altogether. They weren't mind-blowing. In fact some were even unnecessary. And what of Anna saying she doesn't want a funeral for Josie? There is no evidence to suggest she is dead! Then jumping out of the car to suddenly throw herself off a cliff.

However, while there was a lot I didn't like about THE FAMILY LIE, I did enjoy the second half more as the pace picked up in the excruciatingly hour long chapter detailing Nick's race to drop the ransom and the kidnapper's taunting. But only marginally. There was a lot of unnecessary additions that could have been left out.

The writer's use of the same words or phrases throughout the book wore a little thin. "And then it happened" and the over-use of "my little lady" when referring to Josie made my skin crawl. It was creepy. This, on top of Miller's constant "dear" and "apologies for this" as I said were a little patronising. It didn't endear her to me. In fact, she spoke to Anna and Nick like they were children.

Then there was DC Nadi, who was foul-mouthed and rude, and would have been on report for the way he treated and spoke to the family. While he may have ended up saving the day, his indifference STILL at the end did not endear me to him at all. Of course, his attitude was explained away...but only seemingly in passing and still didn't make me sympathise with him at all.

And in the end, what was it all for? Something from the past that suddenly came to light in a messy and convoluted way. THE FAMILY LIE had the potential to be a great and compelling read but it failed on more than one count.

I will say that one clever piece woven into the story was the secret messages from Anna to her sister and the kidnapper's to Anna. I thought that was a touch of brilliance.

This is my second book by Jake Cross and I couldn't even get a quarter of the way through the first one, The Choice. And I had to struggle my way through this one. Needless to say, I will not be seeking out any more books by this author.

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

REVIEW: The Secret Child by Caroline Mitchell (ARC)

The Secret Child (DI Amy Winter #2) by Caroline Mitchell

Genre: Thriller, Crime Fiction, Police Procedural

Read: 17th April 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 18th April 2019)

★★★★ 4 stars

I confess that THE SECRET CHILD is the first book I have read by Caroline Mitchell despite it being the second in the DI Amy Winter series. And yet, the book works well as a standalone. Though for more of an insight as to Amy's history and what has lead her to where she is now, then I advise reading the first book before this one as it sets the tone for the series. Although I have yet to read it, from all I can gather it really does marks the beginning.

THE SECRET CHILD begins with four year old Ellen being taken from her bed in the middle of the night, kidnapped by a stranger. But the parents delay in reporting her disappearance. Why? Then her mother Nicole receives a package containing four vials with instructions that one of them is poisoned but she must drink one for her daughter to be freed. However, Nicole drinks the one that is poisoned and when her husband, the famed Dr Curtis, arrives home he discovers his wife on the floor bleeding and unresponsive. Luckily, DI Winter and her team arrive with the intention of questioning the couple and Amy jumps in performing CPR in an attempt to resuscitate Nicole. Had they not arrived when they did, Dr Curtis would have seemingly let his wife die! And he, a doctor!

It soon becomes clear that Dr Curtis headed up the Curtis Institute where, in the 80s he was paramount in the psychological experimentation of children. And one of them is back for revenge - but is he? The kidnapper claims to be Luka Volkov, the once six year old child prodigy of the doctor who came from Russia with the promise of a scholarship and a better life. Only to be imprisoned to participate in a study for children like Luka. The problem is...Luka is dead, the tragic victim of a fire that destroyed the institute, along with his mother Sasha. Could Luka really be alive?

Soon after, another child goes missing on his way home from school. But the kidnapper was faced with a conundrum. Little Toby was in a wheelchair - and he had not bargained on that. But it was too late, the wheels were in motion, the regular taxi driver was unconscious in the boot and the kidnapper was in his place. Then Toby's father receives a couriered package, also with four vials, also with the same instructions to choose one to drink for Toby to be freed.

It seems the kidnapper "Luka" is working his way through those who worked at the institute - Dr Curtis, his assistant Deborah Macauley, and orderlies Stuart Coughlan and Christina Watson - and targeting their children.

But the kidnapper is playing a game. And his pawn is DI Winter. Sending her on random journeys across London with the promise of finding Ellen and then Toby...but always to arrive too late to save them. As the net closes in, he admits he set her up to fail. She was never going to find the children for he was never going to let them live.

While investigating the case, DI Winter's past comes to light via a complete published account written by her journalist ex-fiance Adam Rossi, still smarting from her refusal to give him another chance, and hand-fed by convicted serial killer Lillian Grimes with her own axe to grind. Despite being under scrutiny from her team and the public, Amy continues to investigate the missing children and the links to the experimental studies in the past endeavouring to solve what has turned out to be a very sordid and convoluted case.

THE SECRET CHILD is by far an interesting cat and mouse thriller. It is intriguing, compelling and incredibly intense as the reader follows the investigation alongside Amy and her team but also the taunting by the kidnapper as he leads them on a merry chase through London.

Told in dual timelines (a real favourite of mine) with Luka as a child and the psychological experimental study conducted in late 1984 and early 1985, and the investigation - and all that surrounds it - in the present day. There is so much going on in the story with every every character playing an important role. Even those involved in the experimental studies in the past, every victim, everyone in both timelines is a fully developed character. Each have their parts to play and they are played well as each character is seamlessly weaved into the story. I couldn't find a gap throughout, as everything blended seamlessly together in a steady narrative.

I really liked Amy, and I am not usually a fan of female leads but she is what I call real. Not a beefed up female version of bad cop and even badder cop. She is flawed, yet she has strength that doesn't make her a bitch, with a past that makes this series one with a difference. Although I have not read the first book, I was given enough background to make the necessary connections and it certainly didn't deter my enjoyment.

While I have not revealed just what Amy's past contains and how it has serious repercussions on her personal life as well as coming to terms with it, it is no secret in this book. And I feel the reader is given enough information without having to read the first book. That said, although this book can be read as a standalone I believe it would be made better by reading both.

A solid police procedural with a definite difference, THE SECRET CHILD is a compelling, thrilling and completely intriguing you won't want to put it down! Even piecing together the breadcrumbs scattered throughout the story and drawing my own conclusions as to the identity of Luka and who else was involved did in no way deter my enjoyment. It was utterly brilliant!

I would like to thank #CarolineMitchell, #NetGalley and #AmazonPublishingUK for an ARC of #TheSecretChild in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Final Betrayal by Patricia Gibney (ARC)

Final Betrayal (DI Lottie Parker #6) by Patricia Gibney

Genre: Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, Thriller

Read: 15th April 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 18th April 2019)

★★★★ 4 stars

One could be forgiven for making assumptions when any book with the word FINAL in the title meant that the series was coming to an end. After all, another exciting series I began at the same time as the first book in this series has since ended after just 4 books. However, we can be assured that there will be a book 7 and hopefully more to come. Particularly as this book ended on somewhat of an emotional cliffhanger. I turned the page expecting more and saw that it was the end, and I inwardly screamed "NOOOO!!!" And now, like other fans, eagerly await the 7th book in this compelling series.

So FINAL BETRAYAL is the sixth book in the DI Lottie Parker series, and as I have only read the first one before this, I will advise others that this series is really best read in order. There is so much going on in this book that happened between the first book and this one, that had me partly confused and mentally putting the pieces together, having not read the ones in between. There is one particular story arc that is paramount to this book that had taken place in an earlier book - possibly the one before, I don't know. Unfortunately, it has now told me who is responsible for whatever murders took place in that previous book. However, that is not the fault of the writer - that is mine, since I chose to read this book when it came up on NetGalley knowing full well I hadn't read the other four. Still, it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book, and I hope when I get around to the earlier ones it won't spoil those either. Hopefully I will leave it long enough for me to forget some aspects of this book when reading the others.

FINAL BETRAYAL begins with two young women enjoying a night on the town at a local nightclub, where ironically Lottie's two daughters Katie and Sophie are on the same night, then disappear without so much of a trace. Their bodies are found in a derelict house, used as a crack den, after reports were made by an elderly neighbour about the comings and goings late into the night. Their hands are found to be clutching what appears to be silver coins, though they don't resemble any coin Lottie and her team have ever seen, with no real markings on them. 

One of the young women murdered had been a witness ten years before and paramount in putting away a young man for the robbery and assault on 64 year old councillor Bill Thompson, who suffered a stroke as a result and was unable to speak or give a description of his attacker. He died twelve months later of his injuries. Lottie and her team wonder if the case ten years ago was linked to the girls' recent murder, particularly as the man convicted of the crime had just been released from prison. 

When two more young women are found murdered, one of which had been the other witness paramount in putting young Conor Dowling away for the robbery and assault on Bill Thompson ten years ago, Lottie believes it to be more than a coincidence. She is sure Conor knows something, though ten years in prison has changed him from the wide-eyed young man into a hardened one and he isn't going to make it easy for Lottie to get to the truth.

As if Lottie didn't have enough to deal with, her half brother Leo (revealed in a previous book) arranges for her half sister Bernie Kelly (also revealed in a previous book) to be given a day pass from the asylum where she has been incarcerated for the past year. Bernie, however, has other ideas and scarpers on Leo's watch only to disappear without a trace. This news does not bode well with Lottie, knowing full well the depth of Bernie's hate for her and what it could possibly mean for her family. Then Lottie finds a silver coin in the pocket of he grandson's little jacket...and a shiver runs down her spine.

All at once, Lottie's senses are in overdrive as she tries to keep on top of the case at hand, reeling from the team's recent loss, Bernie's sudden reappearance and subsequent disappearance, threats to her family and a boss who only cares for a balanced budget and an even quicker result. 

Whilst investigating the murders, Lottie and Boyd visit the construction site where Cyril Gill, the father of one of the murdered girls, Louise Gill, has a major development under construction. Then a crane collapse on the site trapping Lottie and Boyd beneath the rubble for a short while and many others dead, injured or trapped and missing. One of the dead turns out to be be Cyril Gill, owner of the development. But one of the workers and their prime suspect, Conor Dowling, has disappeared from the site. Is he one of the dead? Is he trapped? Or has he used this opportunity to make his escape unnoticed?

Then Lottie's own daughters go missing and her priorities shifted. She is sure she knows who is behind her daughters' disappearance and sets out at all costs to get to them before it's too late. That is, if she can dodge her boss quick enough who seems to want Lottie's head on a plate after learning about her relationship to Bernie Kelly via a TV news report. Convinced Conor Dowling knows more than he's letting on, Lottie sets out to find him and get the answers she needs to both find her daughters and solve this case.

There is so much going on in this book even I had a headache on behalf of Lottie and sympathised with her trying to keep afloat. Although there were times I screamed at her when she went ahead and ignored Boyd's advice and those of her own instincts.

FINAL BETRAYAL is a heart-stopping story guaranteed to set your pulse racing. The story has you hooked from the first page to the very last as you follow the breadcrumbs sprinkled throughout the book. Realising I have missed out on a lot since jumping from Book 1 to Book 6, I found myself piecing together not just the history but the mystery surrounding the murders in this one. About partway through I made a connection that may or many not have been noticeable to others and began to see a couple of characters in a different light, as my suspicions grew. Not for the first time my suspicions proved to be correct but that never deters me away from the enjoyment of a good solid read. And that is what Patricia Gibney's Lottie Parker series are.

I have to add that this has to be one of my favourite series, as I love the camaraderie between Lottie's team, the compelling mysteries as well as the insight into her personal life. My only complaint on this book was the abrupt ending Gibney left us on. An emotional cliffhanger to say the least. And now I eagerly await Book 7 and the inevitable outcome.

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

REVIEW: Two Little Girls by Frances Vick (ARC)

Two Little Girls by Frances Vick

Genre: Thriller

Read: 10th April 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 17th April 2019)

★★ 2 stars

TWO LITTLE GIRLS by Frances Vick really had the potential to be a great book...but, for me, it simply failed to deliver. I wouldn't say I was enjoying it - more waiting for it to get better - till about halfway through when it it just went on a completely different tangent and simply lost the plot. I struggled with the second half with such an unbelievable ending. I was really disappointed because I had high expectations for this book, based on its synopsis. I didn't hate the book but I didn't love it either. I was just simply disappointed. It could have been so much better.

Beginning in 1985, Kirsty and Lisa are best friends and are inseparable. But with Lisa's penchant for exaggeration, her stories are so far-fetched - particularly the one where she was engaged to their lodger, Tokki, and was going away with him to become a princess - makes it difficult for Kirsty to know what is real and what isn't. She has learned to believe very little of what Lisa says but whenever she has tried to confront her about them it only leads to crying and temper tantrums. Then one day, Lisa admits that her and Tokki are not together, never have been, and that it was all in her head. Kirsty, frustrated at Lisa's constant and blatant lies, is hurt and confused and doesn't know what to believe any more. The girls have a row...and Kirsty walks off home, leaving Lisa by the canal.

Two days later, Lisa's mum rings Kirsty's in a panic. Has Kirsty seen Lisa? She never came home from school, disappearing without a trace. Kirsty is shocked, unable to believe it is really happening. Maybe it's one of Lisa's games and she expects Lisa will be at school the next day. But she isn't. Or the next. Then when Kirsty's name is linked with Lisa's disappearance, the police subject Kirsty to lengthy questioning, coercing her into giving the answers they want. After the constant badgering, Kirsty becomes confused with what she really remembers and agrees that she saw Tokki at the park where she left Lisa. When Tokki is arrested, not understanding English and without an interpreter, he confesses - belieiving he is confessing to an expired student visa, not murder.

Thirty years later, Kirsty has moved to London and is married to Lee. But the lies she told when questioned by the police haunt her - as does Lisa's disappearance. The fact that her body has never been found only compounds those memories with constant nightmares, with Kirsty unable to know what was real and what wasn't.

When Lisa's younger sister Vic (who was just a 3 year old at the time of Lisa's disappearance) falls pregnant and needs bedrest, she suddenly decides she needs her big sister to move in with her. "Just until the baby arrives" she tells Lee. Then after baby Milo is born, Vic presses Kirsty to stay to help her adjust. "Just until she adjusts" she tell Lee. But being so close to her hometown stirs up old memories again, and Kirsty decides to find out what really happened to Lisa all those years ago. She takes a flat and gets a job at a local hospital with the intention of Lee moving up from London when he has finished his jobs and they buy a house. But Lee is apprehensive, suddenly not as supportive as he always has been. Vic, on the other hand, decides she doesn't need Kirsty as much now with her mother and baby group and her new found interest in Angela Bright, the renowned psychic.

And this is where the story just goes downhill.

Becoming embroiled with two psychics - Angela and her elderly mother Sylvia - Kirsty soon discovers things aren't as they seem. Mother and daughter don't get along. Sylvia lives in an old ramshackle house in impoverished conditions. Angela is rich, making her wealth as TV psychic in the USA, home to settle her uncle's estate. But Kirsty is drawn to the kindly old Sylvia and sees a kind of mother figure in her. When Sylvia offers to read her cards, the results leave Kirsty questioning who she can trust. Who can she believe? Can she find out what really happened to Lisa? And can she trust her husband after discovering he has been hiding a secret?

TWO LITTLE GIRLS is not what I expected. Although Kirsty and Lisa were best friends I can't imagine why. Lisa was horrible, prone to exaggeration and a blatant liar. But to be fair, they were only 10 years old and at that age, they do have the propensity to be fanaticists and live in a world of make believe. But Lisa was also bossy and controlling, even at her young age, often going off in a huff or throwing a tantrum when Kirsty challenged her. I honestly didn't like Lisa as I could see so much of the bully in her that I was subjected to at that same age and into my teens.

Kirsty's sister Vic I much preferred when she was "baby Vicky". She seemed to be as demanding as Lisa was and incredibly shallow. The whole world just had to revolve around Vic and if it didn't, she moved on to where it did. Angela wasn't very likable whilst her mother Sylvia was. Lee started off supportive as Kirsty's strength and then seemed to become more secretive. why he just didn't tell her his "secret" in the beginning, I've no idea. And Kirsty? I couldn't make up my mind about her.

In the end, the book just seemed to drone on to a ridiculous ending. I was very disappointed as this had the potential to be a fantastic and intriguing thriller. I found I had to force myself to keep going - and if a book does that to me, it's not really worth the time.

However, having said that, this is my first book by Frances Vick and it won't stop me from trying another of her books...in the hope one of those would be better.

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

REVIEW: The Governess of Penwythe Hall by Sarah E. Ladd

The Governess of Penwythe Hall (Cornwall #1) by Sarah E. Ladd

Genre: Historical Fiction, General Fiction

Read: 7th April 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 16th April 2019)

★★★★★ 5 stars

If you loved Poldark then you will love THE GOVERNESS OF PENWYTHE HALL. That's not to say that it is the same as the much loved saga, though one could be forgiven for feeling a sense of familiarity as we revisit the beauty of Cornwall. The gorgeous rugged coast, secluded beaches, unpredictable weather, the vast and rocky moors, grand estates and of course the smuggling. Any historic novel set in Cornwall would not be complete without free trading which was rife in these times. With all this as a backdrop, how could one not fall in love with this story.

It begins with Cordelia Greythorne, recently widowed, leaving Cornwall in a mist of melodrama and tragedy. Relations with her in-laws are invariably strained as she goes head to head with the matriarch of the Greythorne family before taking her leave. Dark secrets and threats are hinted at should she ever return.

Determined to put the past behind her, Delia takes a post as a governess to five children in Yorkshire after the recent death of their mother where she thrives in her new position. The children love her and she cannot imagine her life without them. But all too soon, tragedy strikes and the children are left orphaned. In his will, their father their care assigned his younger brother, Jac Trethewey, whose home is Penwythe Hall in Cornwall. At this news, Delia is somewhat apprehensive with returning but as their governess her concern is for the children.

The three day journey from Yorkshire is long and tiresome, with the children asking countless questions and wondering if their uncle will like them? However, upon arrival, Penwythe Hall is seemingly quiet with no one on hand to greet them.

Jac Tretheway is surprised to find five children, a governess, a tutor and his brother's shifty solicitor on his doorstep. He is even more surprised to learn that his brother, with whom he had been estranged, has left his children in his care. In the midst of apple trees, orchards and cider barns, Jac is busy trying to make Penwythe Hall profitable again. So he comes to rely on Delia to help him get to know the children but in doing so he also gets to know her. Captivated by her countenance he becomes intrigued with the beautiful governess and why her name seems so familiar.

Delia finds herself attracted to Jac but accepts her position as it is - that they could never be more than master and governess. But when Delia spots a face from her past in the guests at a ball Penwythe Hall is hosting, old fears begin to resurface. The Greythornes had found her; there would be no escaping now.

Watching her from across the room, Jac could clearly see something wasn't right and fearing retribution, Delia confides in him the secrets of her past. Would he feel differently now that he knows of her connection to the nefarious Greythornes? Realising she is in danger, Jac promises to protect her and the children. But why are they threatening her now? Is there something she isn't telling him?

Then Delia is called home to help with her dying sister and to say her goodbyes. In her absence, their mother's sister arrives and demands that the children should be in her care with all that is available to them in London. The oldest girl overhears the exchange between their uncle Jac and his overseer regarding their aunt's demands, and soon the children fear they will be heaved from their new home. Where is Mrs Greythorne? She will know what to do. So the oldest boy Liam decides he must go to their governess over twenty miles away and beg for her return.

But Delia's brother Horace has other ideas. He does not want her to return to Penwythe Hall. Why look after someone else's children when she can help look after his own children, her blood relations? Her place is with them now, not Penwythe Hall. Besides, people will talk.

However, Delia is not the same person she was when he married her off to the Greythornes, knowing full well of their criminalities. Stronger now, she knows her own mind and what she wants, and she will not let her brother beat her down.

But when tragedy strikes and the Greythornes demand Delia reveal the secret she has been keeping from them Jac, Delia and Horace work together to bring down the most nefarious family in the area.

THE GOVERNESS OF PENWYTHE HALL is so wonderfully written, an absorbing tale filled with grief, loss, romance, faith, mystery and intrigue - a little bit of everything. And the setting is simply beautiful. The characters are well developed - either we love them or hate them - as they face difficult circumstances in the early 19th century. I do like the fact that the romance is modest and tender as that can become a little trite if overstated.

My only complaint would be that aunt Charlotte didn't feature quite as much as I would have liked, however that is but a small blemish to what is otherwise a beautiful and tender tale. There is simply nothing to dislike about THE GOVERNESS OF PENWYTHE HALL (except for maybe the odd character) and it was a delight to read. I enjoyed it so much I didn't want it to end. I wanted to remain immersed there forever.

I would like to thank #SarahELadd, #NetGalley and #ThomasNelson for this ARC of #TheGovernessOfPenwytheHall in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Sleep by C.L. Taylor (ARC)

Sleep by C.L. Taylor

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Read: 4th April 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

★★ 2 stars

This is the first book by C.L. Taylor that I have read and I have to say that I wasn't overly thrilled with it. Despite everyone's raves reviews I found it a little monotonous and not overly exciting. I will say that I had some difficulty sleeping after reading it though, waking in the night thinking I heard something. But that would be the most effect it had on me.

SLEEP begins with promise - a chilling promise of things to come - and yet it failed to reach those hair-raising heights. I don't know why but it just never got there.

All Anna wants to do is sleep but she is plagued with crushing insomnia, terrifying nightmares and memories of the horrific crash that killed two of her colleagues and left one crippled with life-changing injuries. Anna walked away. As she was driving she feels responsible and since then has blamed herself. 

But she is not the only one who feels she is to blame. Someone has been leaving her messages with the word SLEEP. A note on her car, a postcard in her pocket. Someone is watching her, stalking her. Someone wants her to suffer. Her boyfriend Alex believes she is just so sleep-deprived she is imagining things. But Anna knows better. She believes she knows who is behind the messages and thinks it's time for a clean break. A new start, a new place, a change in direction.

Anna decides to take a position with a small hotel on the Scottish island of Rum - an island so small its population is just 35. Perfect, Anna thinks. Far away from people and her old life in London. And hopefully, far away from the person stalking her. What better way than to escape the aftermath in the hope she can finally find some peace...and sleep.

Soon after her arrival a walking group book into the Bay View Hotel just as a storm is approaching. However, they don't let that deter them as they spend their first day exploring the island. But soon, the storm builds and becomes worse with torrential rain and cyclonic winds keeping the group indoors to amuse themselves. And before long, the rain cuts them off from the rest of the island, leaving them alone with just each other as the storm continues to rage.

But then strange things begin to happen and Anna again has that awful sense she is being watched. Then her new colleague and friend dies suddenly in front of them and when she sees the words pertaining once again to "SLEEP" drawn into the condensation of the window, terror begins to flood through her. Anna knows that whoever was stalking her in London has followed her here. And it can only be one of seven people. One of her guests wants her dead. But which one?

I must admit I didn't guess the culprit in this one, and many of the characters weren't completely likable. They did, however, all have their own secrets as the reader tries to unravel which of them has it in for Anna.

There is an obvious nod to Agatha Christie (and her "Ten Little Indians") with the setting of the scene but there the similarity ends. There was the makings of a truly chilling tale here but it fails to live up to them spectacularly. It certainly lacked the creepiness I'd expected to feel and instead I found myself increasingly frustrated with Anna.

A dark psychological thriller, SLEEP should leave you breathless and unable to sleep yourself but for me, it didn't quite live up to its hype. However, I won't let this deter me from exploring the author's other books as I have heard nothing but rave reviews about them and look forward to immersing myself in another, hopefully more thrilling tale.

I would like to thank #CLTaylor, #NetGalley and #AvonBooksUK for this ARC of #Sleep in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Forgotten Village by Lorna Cook (ARC)

The Forgotten Village by Lorna Cook

Genre: Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, General Fiction

Read: 1st April 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 4th April 2019)

★★★★★ 5 stars

I'm a big fan of dual timeline stories and I'm always thrilled to come across them - whether it be historical fiction or mystery thrillers. An unforgettable and emotional read, THE FORGOTTEN VILLAGE had me gripped from the beginning as the stories both in the past and present unfolded piece by piece and had me on the edge of my seat with every page and every chapter. Right up to the very end. 

1943: With Britain at war, people are affected in many ways. And the village of Tyneham in Dorset was no different. The British Army have requisitioned their little village for training purposes and everyone must give up their homes - some of which have been farmed by generations. with the promise that once the war is over the resident can return. But with war comes great sacrifice and even those up at "the great house" - Tyneham House - are to leave their home too. But on the night before they are all to leave, tragedy strikes and lives are changed forever.

It wasn't long before I was drawn into the story of Veronica, Anna, Bertie and Freddie at Tyneham House. As much as I was drawn to them, some aspects of the story were hard to read and I found myself feeling such great sorrow and sadness for those involved. Abuse in the past decades is something that was not talked about, not acknowledged and definitely not seen as a crime - but rather a private matter between a husband and wife. I have read many books with an element of abuse but this one just tore my heart out. As Veronica planned her escape from her abusive husband with her maid Anna's help I found myself feeling such sadness and helplessness for them both whilst for Bertie I felt nothing but hatred. He was vile. But the whole desperation and helplessness of their story just made it all the more heartbreaking.

2018: Melissa is on holiday in Dorset with her boyfriend Liam in the hope for a romantic break together. But all Liam seems to be interested in is spending his days surfing, leaving Melissa to her own devices. However, the break turns out not to be a romantic one but something more permanent. 

Tyneham village, now reopened to the public, was never given back to its residents - just forgotten. But now people can go visit and one day Melissa decides on a whim to explore the forgotten village. It is here that she sees a photograph of a woman that haunts her. The expression on her face - the fear - is forged into her memory and she finds she cannot let it rest. She MUST find out who the woman is, why she looks so afraid and what happened to her.

It is on her exploration of Tyneham that Melissa meets Guy Cameron, a famous TV historian, and together they discover their interest in the village. She tells him about the photograph of the woman who they learn to be Lady Veronica Standish and the man tightly clutching her hand is her husband Sir Albert from Tyneham House. When Guy reveals that his grandmother once lived in the village as a young girl and worked up at the great house as a maid, an idea forms in Melissa's head. Can his grandmother Anna reveal any clues as to what happened to Lady Veronica?  But eliciting that information from Anna proves harder than expected. What is she hiding?

THE FORGOTTEN VILLAGE is a beautifully written highly captivating dual timeline story that is so easy to be swept up in. It tells the story of a time when Britain was in the grips of WW2 and rather than be bogged down in historical facts, they featured only as a backdrop to a beautiful yet sad story set during that time. The present day story was a little predictable (when it came to their budding romance) but that did not detract from Melissa and Guy's search for the truth. I found myself wanting to immerse myself further into Lady Veronica's story to see where it lead. The switch between the past and the present was done eloquently and at just the right time as the secrets were unveiled.

This captivating and emotional story is a simple plot and very easy to read. Whilst I found Melissa and Guy's relationship a little predictable, I don't think the rest of the story was despite having my own suspicions as to what really happened confirmed at the conclusion. And whilst love was obviously lurking in the air I didn't pick it up to read a romance but more the mystery from the past. The Epilogue was such a beautiful heartwarming touch bringing a closure to the story.

Nevertheless, I was not disappointed - except at Melissa's constant berating of herself when it was so obvious otherwise - as I love being swept away in the historical past with a mystery to solve. I look forward to more from this author in the future.

I would like to thank #LornaCook, #NetGalley and #AvonBooksUK for this ARC of #TheForgottenVillage in exchange for an honest review.