REVIEW: The Liar's Sister by Sarah A. Denzil (ARC)

The Liar's Sister by Sarah A. Denzil

Genre: Psychological thriller, domestic thriller

Read: 30th September 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 25th September 2019)

★★★★ 4 stars

Having thoroughly enjoyed both "The Silent Child" and "Only Daughter", I of course had high hopes for THE LIAR'S SISTER. I was not disappointed. Sarah Denzil has the ability to draw you into an isolated existence where there is just you and the handful of characters with all their secrets and lies unraveling before you. It's chilling and yet it's completely riveting.

Ten years ago, local boy Samuel Murray went missing in the small Yorkshire village of Blackthorpe, never to be seen again. On the night Samuel disappeared, 16 year old Heather awoke to her 17 year old sister Rosie stealthily climbing in through their bedroom window, her clothes muddied and her appearance disheveled. Heather watched her sister through the thin cover of her bed sheets, never once letting on that she had seen.

The next morning Samuel's mother came over in tears to tell them that he was missing. Heather was shocked. Samuel was her friend; her best friend; her secret boyfriend...and now he was missing. But then as she was riding her pony through the woods...until a glint of something catches Heather's eye. Rosie's bracelet. Heather knew she'd been wearing it when she went to bed last night. Pocketing the bracelet, Heather made her way back home and quietly walked into their bedroom where Rosie sat on the bed with her headphones in. Rosie watched as Heather crossed to her sister's chest of drawers and without a word, placed the bracelet on top of the cabinet. Neither said a word.

But Heather always remembered that day, replaying it over and over in her mind and leaving her wondering - did Rosie have something to do with Samuel's disappearance? Did she kill him? After all that had happened, she wouldn't be surprised if she had. But the guilt continues to eat away at her and Heather wonders...is her sister a murderer?

Whatever took place that night changed their lives forever. Things were never the same between them again. They went off to university but the sisters drifted apart and Rosie spiraled into a world of addiction of alcohol and drugs. She only returned home when their grandfather died and then their father's funeral five years earlier. Now their mother is dying and is asking for Rosie but Heather isn't sure how to contact her. Her mobile has been disconnected and all she has is an old email address that Rosie never seemed to check with any kind of regularity. But she sends one off anyway and is surprised to receive a response almost immediately. Rosie is coming home.

But neither sister receive a warm welcome from villagers, and when their mother quietly passes shortly after Rosie's return, things take on a more sinister turn. They receive an unwelcome visit from the local police outlining that it might be best if they sold up and left the village. Their presence apparently was distressing the Murrays given the history between their families. But then they receive a threatening note and someone breaks into their house, steals a few items as well as their father's shotgun with which he used to kill himself five years before. Why would their mother even keep that??

The atmosphere in the village is no different. All eyes are on the sisters as everyone seems to pass judgement on them and their presence there. But Heather cannot escape the past. Her memories of what she saw, what she suspected, what she feels - all of it is tied to Samuel's disappearance. Heather knows she must find out what really happened to him, and she believes Rosie holds the key. But how to unlock her sister's resistance is another matter. Rosie appears reluctant to give up her secrets. But Heather needs to know.

However...it appears someone else in the village may not want Heather to uncover the truth. Someone is following her, stalking her, frightening her. Is it Rosie? Or is it someone else? Can she trust her sister?

There are so many secrets and lies buried in the past that when the shocking revelations start to surface, they just don't stop. The tension builds to a point that everything just explodes and enigma of families, betrayal, incest, murder, suicide, abuse and grief are just the tip of the deceptive iceberg that eventually crumbles under the weight of all its secrets and lies.

While some aspects of the mystery may seem obvious, there were a few reveals that even I didn't see coming that just blew me away. The final chapter, which I think would have best been titled as "Epilogue" was an appropriate end to the story...and while it was obvious that it had played a part of that night, all those secrets were finally unveiled within those final pages.

Told in dual timelines between Heather and Rosie, THE LIAR'S SISTER unveils its secrets at an even pace as we progress to the present day, with the revealing chapters dipping back ten years near the end to expose what really happened. The final chapter from a surprising perspective uncovers the remaining truth that will leave you breathless.

Overflowing with secrets and lies, THE LIAR'S SISTER is well plotted and moves at a good pace to keep the reader engaged. With each chapter delivering new revelations, this compelling read will have you so intrigued as its end that you will not be able to put it down until the final pages.

THE LIAR'S SISTER is a heart-pounding twisted psychological thriller that will have you devouring every word on every page until the very end. I have no hesitation in recommending it to fans of this genre - both domestic and psychological thrillers.

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

REVIEW: The Body on the Beach by Anna Johannsen (ARC)

The Body on the Beach (An Island Mystery #1) by Anna Johannsen

(translated by Lisa Reinhardt)

Genre: Crime fiction, police procedural

Read: 29th September 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 24th September 2019)

★★★★ 3.5 to 4 stars

Set on a small island off the north coast of Germany, THE BODY ON THE BEACH is the first in a new series by Anna Johannsen. The island of Amrum is one of the North Frisian Islands in the North Sea on the German coast and right away, there is a feeling of separation and isolation of a close knit community where everyone knows everyone but also where dark secrets can hide.

Hein Bohlen and his wife Sabine run a children's home on the island of Aumrum where both are social educators and Hein is a director. Then when Hein's body is found on a beach, local authorities write his death off as a heart attack. But his wife demands a post mortem and it isn't long before poison is suspected but not confirmed throwing a different light on the case.

DI Lena Lorenzen knows the island of Amrum intimately as it's where she grew up but has not returned back to for 14 years. So when her superiors send her off to the island from which she'd come to investigate a possible murder, she does so with mixed feelings. Lena left a lot of unfinished things behind on Amrum - things she would rather not have to face upon her return. Luckily, she has DS Johann Grasmann seconded to assist from Flensburg Police and it isn't long before he proves himself an invaluable investigator and asset.

It isn't long before Lena and Johann uncover several irregularities surrounding the case. Starting with the local police's arrival at the scene and the notification to the doctor who issued the death certificate. What happened in that missing twenty minutes? What was Sergeant Reimers hiding? And then there is the mystery of former teacher Anna Bauer's sudden resignation from the children's home. Why did she suddenly quit without notice? Were the rumours true about her affair with Hein Bohlen? And that she was pressing him to leave his wife? Or was she a victim of sexual harrassment by her employer, as another employee recently claimed a similar incident? Where did Isabel Muller come from prior to applying for Anna's job before the position was even advertised? And where did Hein Bohler really get the €800,000 he put towards the purchase of the home? He claimed he won the lottery, but after a quick and detailed look into the source revealed the letter he put forward stating the fact was indeed a forgery...and he he hadn't won the lottery at all. So where did that money really come from? And why had he taken large amounts of cash from his account over the last weeks before his death? And what of his wife Sabine? Is she as cold and heartless as she appears? But the questioned remained - who would want to kill Hein Bohlen?

With several rumours surrounding the deceased, the questions and irregularities facing Lena and Johann have them digging deep to discover the truth. But what they end up uncovering is something far more sinister, disturbing and shocking.

Well-paced, THE BODY ON THE BEACH is an excellent start to a promising new series. With the inclusion of Lena's childhood love, Erck, leaves the way open to explore more of her backstory hopefully in future books, as well as that of her Aunt Beke who was both a delightful and engaging touch to the story.

I hope we see more of Johann in future stories as I found he and Lena worked incredibly well together and I would love to see him permanently attached as her DS.

Apart from the addition of the odd chapter from an unnamed and rather troubled narrative, THE BODY ON THE BEACH is primarily told from Lena's perspective in the third person. I thought the identity of the unnamed narrative was somewhat obvious but then that could also have been a "red herring". While the reader may think they know where the story is headed, Lena's narrative does provide solid information that will leave readers questioning the truth. Nevertheless, this is still an undemanding and intriguing read.

I would also like to thank Lisa Reinhardt for her smooth translation from German to English. Many books that have been translated from their native tongue usually lose something in the translation making the story a little convoluted in parts but that was not the case here. It's as if the book had always been in English so fluid was her translation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to read this excellent procedural thanks to her effortless translation.

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

REVIEW: Lake Child by Isabel Ashdown (ARC)

Lake Child by Isabel Ashdown

Genre: Psychological thriller, Scandi-noir

Read: 26th September 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 19th September 2019)

★★★★ 4 stars

Imagine waking up in a dark unfamiliar room that is bolted from the outside, covered in scars and with no memory of what happened and how you got there?

That is the nightmare Eva Olsen faces made even worse upon discovering that it's her own parents that have locked her in the attic with no contact with the outside world. They say it's for her own protection after she was involved in a car accident in which she was very seriously injured and the driver who, having escaped, remains unknown. It appears she had been kidnapped from a local bar although no one knows by whom or who she may have left with.

The accident has left Eva without her most recent memories - from that night or those leading up to it - but not everything is as it seems. Why have her best friends, Rosa and Lars, not been to visit her? Why has no one but the police been allowed to see her? The questions they ask just seem to confuse Eva even more as she desperately tries to recapture and retain the memories that linger on the periphery of her mind. But as secrets from the night in question start to surface, Eva also begins to question her parents' motives. Nothing they have told her seems to be the truth, and she begins to wonder can she really trust them?

One night, Eva convinces her parents to go into town for some annual celebrations and she uses this time to make her escape. Armed with just a knife she deftly removed from the tray on which they brought her meals and kept hidden until the time was right, Eva set to work on the door hinges. Once the door fell away, she couldn't believe that she was finally free and she quickly packed a bag from her own untouched bedroom before making her way down the stairs. But she hears the sound of the TV which is never left on. Of course they wouldn't leave her on her own, unguarded. So Eva begins to quietly make her way out when she hears another sound. The piercing cries of the fox in her dreams. Eva is confused...and then she hears the sound again...but it's not a fox. How could they keep this from her? Where does this leave Eva now? For she knows now, she cannot escape.

Suddenly the story shifts and takes us to London where a grandmother is being interviewed for the writing of her memoirs about the disappearance of her granddaughter almost two decades ago. And there are even more secrets surrounding that story as well as bit by bit we are given tiny morsels to try and piece together. How was the disappearance of baby Lorna Gregory in England connected to Eva's accident and subsequent amnesia in the snowy forests of Norway? I thought I had it all figured out until a final twist threw a whole new perspective on everything we thought we knew.

Told primarily from Eva's POV, with the England connection told through a series of interviews, this complex story was cleverly written...despite moving at a glacial speed for the first 30%. I admit, there were times I'd wondered whether to continue as it was incredibly slow and very confusing and repetitive in the first quarter or so...and for me, a book shouldn't take that long to engage the reader. I really was very close to giving up on it. BUT then it picked up...and when it did pick up it really picked up. And then I couldn't put it down.

As secrets begin to unfold, LAKE CHILD takes us on a journey through Eva's confused and convoluted memories surrounding her accident and her family. Dark and atmospheric, the chilly Norwegian landscape only adds to the mystery and intrigue as Eva clings to the shreds of memories, fighting to remember what really happened that night. And whether she can truly trust her parents.

As I fought my way through the first 30% of this book, I really didn't think I would enjoy the rest of it...but I did. Suddenly, everything began to fall into place and secrets unraveled and the truth was finally revealed.

LAKE CHILD is a dark and incredibly atmospheric thriller that is so intense and even suffocating. I had that claustrophobic feeling witnessing Eva's confusion and the incarceration in her parents' attic. Nothing made sense...until it did. The entire tale had a kind of complex ingenuity to it wrapped up in that atmospheric Scandi-noir.

While the first part is thoroughly confusing, repetitive and moves at a glacial speed, I would urge you not to give up! It does begin to make sense, albeit further on than I would normally like, but it is worth it in the end. While I wouldn't say it was gripping from the start, LAKE CHILD is shrouded in mystery, intrigue and dark secrets that make this an intense and compelling thriller that is both dark and atmospheric.

My only complaint is the amount of time it took to engage me as a reader, with the first half being far too slow and confusing with too much repetition. I've said before that it shouldn't take 30% of the novel before it starts to get interesting. Normally I would have given up long before if not for someone else assuring me it would all begin to make sense soon. I'm glad I stuck it out, as not many would.

Having said that, LAKE CHILD ended up being a clever, complex, twisted thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed by the end. And that cover - WOW! That alone was atmospheric in both colour and detail.

I would like to thank #IsabelAshdown, #NetGalley and #OrionPublishingGroup for an ARC of #LakeChild in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Five Shilling Children by Lindsey Hutchinson (ARC)

The Five Shilling Children by Lindsey Children

Genre: Historical fiction

Read: 25th September 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 19th September 2019)

★★★★★ 5 stars

When you pick up a Lindsey Hutchinson book, you just know you are going to be lost for hours in what will essentially be another good read. There is just something about historical fiction that pulls you in and keeps you there until the end. And THE FIVE SHILLING CHILDREN is no different.

Ten year old Adam Fitch and his nine year old sister Polly are sold for five shillings each to Reed's Orphanage by their bully father, Gerald, who leaves them there without a backward glance. Distraught and missing their mother, the children still have each other and soon discover that life for them is somewhat an improvement on the one they had scavenging and living hand to mouth with their parents and three brothers. Now they have their own beds, three generous meals a day, proper schooling and a new group of friends that treat them better than anyone else ever had.

But then Rodney Dukes arrives. Loud, brash and disruptive without any respect for authority, he doesn't care who he hurts and takes great pleasure in bullying everyone, especially young Polly. This prompts Adam to sneak out on a nightly basis to learn how to box after watching pugilist Billy Marshall win a fight. Billy agrees to teach Adam upon realising that he is the son of a woman he once new and secretly loved, Minnie Fitch. The lessons are successful and Adam becomes accomplished at defending his sister from bully, Rodney, who is humiliated and in turn bides his time to take Adam by surprise.

One Sunday when the children would usually walk to church, they are told to stay in their rooms. Adam and his roommate Joe are looking out the window to see what is happening outside. They see a horse and carriage come up the drive and stop at the orphanage's entrance, as a wealthy looking couple step out. Several minutes go by before they reappear holding the hand of a young girl, who is squirming and kicking out. Adam is aghast to discover it is Polly, who has been sold to the wealthy family as a companion for their spoilt daughter Cora. Adam runs downstairs and out the door screaming for his sister as they disappear, his heartbreaking howls of distress heard by everyone. But the one affected most by Adam's distress is his nemesis Rodney, who comes to his aid and comforts him. Everyone at the orphanage feels Adam's sorrow and their hearts break for him...all except the owner, Una Reed, who sees selling the children a profitable business to make way for new additions.

The remaining children band together to help Adam hatch a plan of escape so he can search for Polly. Despite them all coming to depend on each other, Adam knows he must leave if there was to be any chance of him reuniting with his sister again. But where were they to go from there? They couldn't go home...not as long as Gerald was there. And would they ever see their new friends again? The only ones they have come to depend on for companionship and love - what is to become of them?

Across town that is a far cry from where she had come, Polly finds herself in a new home with a new family. And she hates it. Cora is vindictive and spiteful, doing anything she an to get Polly into trouble just for her sheer pleasure. And their governess, Prudence, believes the little minx every time as she seems to take as much pleasure from doling out discipline to Polly at Cora's every whim. She yearns to go back to the orphanage, to Adam, to May and all her friends. She hates it here.

Meanwhile back on Banks Street in the Fitch household, Minnie has had it with her abusive husband Gerald. Out of work, he has taken to gambling every last penny on cock fights and then drinks his winnings at the public house, returning home drunk with not a farthing left for his starving family. Minnie kicks him out but Gerald is not going quietly. He continues to return, banging on the door and demanding Minnie let him in. But she refuses and he acquiesces. During the day when she goes out scavenging for some morsels for her family she has taken to locking the doors to prevent Gerald from gaining access. This, however, does nothing to dissuade him as she returns once again to find the window smashed or the door broken on its hinges, and Gerald sitting in his chair by the hearth demanding she get his dinner. But Minnie has hardened. This man who sold her two children, buried another and gambles and drinks away any penny that crosses his palm, she will not stand for his ways anymore. But as he raises his hand once again to punch her into submission, Minnie knows things will never change.

THE FIVE SHILLING CHILDREN is a heartbreaking tale of poverty and hardship surrounding the Fitch family. With no money for food or coal, the must scavenge on a daily basis for the dregs that others have rejected just to get through another day or night. With five children to feed, life is harsh. So when Gerald sells Adam and Polly for just five shillings each, against Minnie's wishes, he doesn't take the money home to feed and warm his family but rather drinks it all away...again.

You will fall in love with little Adam and Polly and the other children, and find yourself cheering them on throughout all the hardships they face. You will enjoy seeing them get the better of their elders as they seek a better life together.

THE FIVE SHILLING CHILDREN will definitely play with your emotions and you will laugh as well as cry along with the children. But it Minnie my heart mostly went out to. I felt her pain and cried when she cried. To feel so utterly trapped, destitute and hopeless. I so waited with baited breath to see if Gerald got comeuppance and cringed for Minnie every time he reappeared.

A wonderfully heartbreaking and yet heartwarming tale, THE FIVE SHILLING CHILDREN will make you laugh and cry in equal measure. I was wondering how it was all going to end happily for all and was not disappointed.

THE FIVE SHILLING CHILDREN is an enjoyable and quick read I thoroughly recommend for any historical fiction fans.

I would like to thank #LindseyHutchinson, #NetGalley and #Aria for an ARC of #TheFiveShillingChildren in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: My Name is Eva by Suzanne Goldring (ARC)

My Name is Eva by Suzanne Goldring

Genre: Historical fiction

Read: 20th September 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 11th September 2019)

★★★★★ 5 stars

WOW! I absolutely loved MY NAME IS EVA! I was so anxious to finish this beautiful story that heaven help anyone who interrupted me! And when I did...I was left breathless.

I laughed, I cried, I cheered and I fell in love with the rather cheeky Mrs T-C. She is clever, she is resourceful but she is also very sweet. And she is definitely not what others seem to think she is!

Evelyn Taylor-Clark is well into her 90s and now resides at the Forest Lawn Care Home (which to me sounded more like a crematorium/cemetery) after a fall from a ladder, in which she broke her hip, trying to remove any further evidence of the secrets of her past. Having lived at Kingsley Manor for most of her life, her estate is now being left in the hands of her somewhat harried niece Pat to sift through and sort out and get into some sort of order. But Kingsley holds some secrets that Evelyn would much rather stay buried in the past.

No stranger to subterfuge, Evelyn lead something of a double life during the end of the war where she was known simply as "Eva". Multi-lingual, she was fluent in both German and Russian, making her the perfect addition to a team to be based in Germany interviewing detainees to give up their secrets. The work was brutal, her commanding officer - Colonel Stephen Robinson - even more brutal. But she chose this job to get nearer to him for he was the man responsible for her beloved husband Hugh's death. And for that, she swore revenge. How? She did not know. But she would bide her time until it was right. 

However, the work got to her and she sought a position elsewhere where she would be better placed and needed. Her new work saw her taking in Polish refugees and working to re-home them either repatriated to their country or a new life in America. It was a job she loved and she thrived in. She spent many years here in Germany until the late 40s there before returning to England. But she found herself returning several times...for in Germany she had a secret. One which she had told no one...except the nurses she had worked with. A secret she found herself hard to part with. But she had to. Life goes on. But still, she never forgot Colonel Stephen Robinson and that one day she would get her revenge.

Back in England, at Kingsley Manor, Eva became Evelyn once again and lived her life as normal until the death of her parents afterwhich she inherited the estate. As the years went on, one would never suspect the part Evelyn had played at the end of the war...nor the secrets she kept. And yet, she had more secrets to come.

Back to the present day in 2016, Evelyn - or Mrs T-C, as she is now more fondly known - is playing her hand at subterfuge once again. Despite her ailing body, Mrs T-C's mind is as sharp as it ever was and yet she cheekily plays at a vagueness everyone puts down to age and senility. She has such fun you can almost see the twinkle in her eyes and the smirk on her lips. Her niece Pat grows increasingly impatient with her inability to hold a proper conversation or answer any questions. It is understandable as it can be frustrating but on the other hand I found her attitude somewhat irritating as well. After all, this was her aunt, a loved one. Had her mind really been ailing she would need understanding and TLC, not impatience and anger.

One day, Pat brings an old tin of photos, its contents which seem to bring back memories and shock Mrs T-C into some quick thinking. Pat has no idea who these people are or what they mean to her aunt, and Mrs T-C is quick to dismiss them, taking the tin back to her room and destroying remaining evidence. But what is even more shocking is what Pat finds in the suitcases her aunt had been trying to lug down from the top of the cupboards when she had her fall. She questions her aunt who continues to be vague and unable to remember where she came about its contents. So Pat goes to the police.

Enter Inspector Williams who, not only questions her about the suitcase's contents but is also looking for an ex-Colonel Stephen Robinson, who went missing from his flat in the mid-80s and was never heard from or seen again. The Inspector is incredibly patient with Mrs T-C's vagueness of her dim recollections and would often humour her as she goes off on her tangents. I especially love the way Mrs T-C treats the care home as if it were her own house and she was calling on the staff as her servants - "I think we'll have some and some of those biscuits please!" - putting in her order for her favourite kind. These chapters were so enjoyable and amusing to read. I found myself chuckling often at Mrs T-C's wit and cheekiness. She puts on an award-winning performance of senility to keep her secrets hidden. And I guarantee, you will fall in love with her also.

Told through the many voices of Evelyn/Eva/Evie/Hilda/Mrs T-C, MY NAME IS EVA spans some 70 years from 1943 to 2016 and is a historical novel with a difference. It is cleverly plotted and so well written it had me engaged from beginning to end. I especially love the alternating chapters written in letter form to her beloved husband Hugh...even long after he had gone. Her love for him spanned a lifetime which was clearly evident as her story unfolded. 

The final chapter is so beautiful and so touching I had tears in my eyes as I read it. Such an appropriate end that was so breathtaking to an equally magnificent and brilliant story. It seriously blew me away.

I loved MY NAME IS EVA - so much there is so much more I could say about it but I don't want to ruin it for others. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Many thanks to Suzanne Goldring - I'm not sure how you can top such a brilliant debut as this or as sharp and as quirky character as the beloved Mrs T-C/Evelyn.

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

REVIEW: His Secret Family by Ali Mercer (ARC)

His Secret Family by Ali Mercer

Genre: Family drama, Domestic drama

Read: 21st September 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 11th September 2019)

★★★ 3.5 stars

I'm not sure how I feel about HIS SECRET FAMILY. It certainly wasn't what I expected and it certainly left a feeling of distaste at times. It is emotional and often uncomfortable for those for whom it may hit too close to home. It is messy, it is imperfect and it is heartbreaking. A dramatic tale of families, relationships, secrets, lies, deception and honesty  with many threads woven together to complete the picture.

It is the story of two mothers, three daughters and the father who connects them all.

Jenny is a single mother to daughters Ava and Ellie with the occasional visit from their father Sean, who left soon after Ellie was born. That was 11 years ago. And since then Jenny has raised both girls single-handedly in their small two bedroom council flat. Then one day a knock at the door reveals a bunch of red roses which Ellie accepts on behalf of her mother. She begins to wonder if their mum has met someone and what it would mean for them. Ava, the tough and often moody 16 year old cynic, sneers at the thought slamming the door to the bedroom she shares with her sister. When Jenny arrives home and sees the flowers, Ellie is sure that their mum has found someone. She seems different. Happier.

It isn't long before Jenny introduces the girls to Mark, who does his best to impress and befriend them. Ellie is quite taken with him but Ava is a tougher nut to crack. And while Ellie is happy to enjoy conversation with him, Mark seems far more interested in Ava. Noticing this, Ava tells him in no uncertain terms not to ignore her sister who has been trying to talk to him. Ava doesn't know what his game is, but she doesn't trust him.

Then one day Ellie overhears her mum on the phone to who she can only assume is Mark saying "we have to tell them but not just yet. She will come round." Who are they talking about? The next thing they know, Mark has whisked the lot of them away on a holiday to the South of France, buying each of them a new wardrobe for the occasion. Is he too good to be true? But Ava still isn't impressed by his looks, his smile, his good nature or even his money or his flashy Jaguar. It's not until they are left alone in the bar that Ava sees her reflection next to Mark - blonde hair, blue eyes, same complexion. If anyone saw them together they would naturally assume... Ava turns to Mark and says "You're my father, aren't you?"

This new information puts a whole different spin on things as their secret comes to light. Jenny and Mark had a one night stand when Jenny was still a trainee hairdresser. The two clicked and enjoyed a meal and one night together. But then Mark went back to his wife from whom he'd been separated and asked Jenny never to call him again. A couple of months later, Jenny discovered she was pregnant and, feeling Mark had a right to know, called him. But a woman answered she she hung up. Alone, emotional and pregnant, Jenny married her friend Sean whom she shared a flat with. He knew about Mark but was more than happy to take on Ava as his own, for he adored Jenny. But cracks began to appear in their marriage when Ellie was born and he left, leaving Jenny alone once again. But now Mark was back. But is it for good? Can Jenny trust him?

Then there is Paula, Mark's ex-wife. Desperate for a baby, Paula began planning and timing when they would make love which grated on Mark and put a strain on their marriage. She tried to coax Mark into trying IVF but he would have none of it. They separated but decided to try again, with Paula still harbouring a burning desire for a child of her own. Then one day, the miracle she thought would never happen! The blue line on the pregnancy test confirmed it - she was pregnant! Mark doted on her, made sure she ate the right things and took care of herself, and they were excited to see their baby on the monitor during the ultrasound. 

Then baby Daisy was born. All ten fingers and toes, their beautiful sweet miracle of a daughter. Life was good. Everything was perfect. Until it wasn't.

Small things at first, they began to notice Daisy wasn't making the normal growth milestones - first words, first steps. She didn't even seem to be paying attention to anyone or anything. Paula took her to see a specialist who confirmed, after a series of tests over a period of time, that Daisy had autism spectrum disorder. Mark refused to believe it. This was meant to be perfect. He could not have an imperfect child. The final straw was Daisy's pre-school Christmas concert where Mark was humiliated by Daisy's non-performance, believing they were a laughing stock. Feeling no support from her husband when she needed it most, Paula threw him out.

And now, at a loose end, Mark remembers the young hairdresser who cut his hair late on that rainy night afterwhich they enjoyed a meal and the night together. Jenny. So he got in touch. And the rest, they say, is history...or is it? 

Is Mark really who he says he is? Is he telling Jenny the truth? Where does Paula and Daisy fit into his new life? And what is it Ellie senses about him that makes her uneasy?

The story unfolds through the eyes of Jenny, Ava, Ellie and Paula as we are given a glimpse into each of their lives and their thoughts as all the secrets begin to unravel. Each character brings their own strengths to the tale and each are likable or dislikable in their own ways. Mark is someone I didn't trust from the beginning with a narcissistic personality in a world that seems only to revolve around him. He has secrets and lies and misrepresents many aspects of his life for no other reason I can think of but to place himself in a better light. But will be face up to his actions at the end?

HIS SECRET FAMILY deals with the attitudes towards autism, mental illness, infidelity and infertility as well as the secrets, lies and deception woven within. It is honest and raw with a maelstrom of emotions felt by the reader as well as the characters within.

A multi-layered story, HIS SECRET FAMILY is engaging and emotional, enthralling the reader from beginning to end. I'm still trying to work out which one is "his secret family"... I still don't know how I feel about it but that doesn't stop me from recommending it. Pick it up, have a read and see what you think.

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

REVIEW: The Quiet Ones by Theresa Talbot (ARC)

The Quiet Ones (Oonagh O'Neil #3) by Theresa Talbot

Genre: Crime fiction

Read: 24th September 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 12th September 2019)

★★★ 3 stars

THE QUIET ONES is the third book to feature the Glasgow-based investigative journalist Oonagh O'Neil, although it is just my second. I must have missed Book #2 along the way somewhere...lol I wasn't disappointed though I do recall the first "The Lost Children" being the best so far.

It begins with the apparent suicide of ex-football coach turned businessman Harry Nugent, although we are privy to his death in the prologue which is anything but a suicide. But what we do not know is who is pulling the strings orchestrating his death?

Harry is found by his wife hanging from the balcony banister inside their affluent home. Everything points to a suicide until they discover his tongue has been cut out and thrust into his mouth. That, and the bruising to his wrists and ankles indicating he'd been tied up, told them that this was anything but a suicide.

An investigation lead by DI Alec Davies and DS Jim McVeigh begins and it isn't long before they uncover some nasty little rumours circulating about the illustrious former football coach. It seems Harry Nugent's business ventures covered up a much deeper, darker and even more sordid secret. And it seemed, since his death people appeared to distance themselves from someone who has supposedly been exalted among the football fraternity. But no one was talking to the police.

Enter Oonagh O'Neil. The one woman investigative journalist who seemed to go where no man can. She gains the trust of her interviewees, of those victimised and abused at the hands of Nugent and his merry men - or their loved ones. She is empathetic and sensitive but pulls no punches.

Then two more bodies are found. One with his ears lopped off, the other with his eyes gouged out - both with them shoved into their mouths. The parallel to the three wise monkeys is not lost on Oonagh. See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. But the question is - is it a threat? At first thought it bore some resemblance to a gangland murder, but Oonagh knows it is more than that.

When Oonagh's investigations take her to Breakmire, an abandoned former psychiatric hospital, she is left wondering why here? What drew Nugent to this hospital? It's where he met his wife Sarah, a former nurse - but what else? Oonagh knows there has to be more.  And when she finds just how far and how deep this story goes, she is both shocked and saddened for the victims...and sickened and enraged by Nugent and his depravity.

The story primarily unfolds through Oonagh's eyes, with the occasional POV of DI Alec Davies for a police perspective. There are a handful of chapters from 1983 by a Tommy Gallagher and, while these were heartbreaking to watch unfold, I felt they really didn't fit neatly into the story. What purpose did Tommy's chapters have except to tell his story in part? He had nothing to do with the end result, so I found it a little pointless. Hannah's story would have been a better one to weave into the narrative.

A discrepancy I found was the timeframe which didn't seem to match up with regards to Tommy after Alec came across him one evening. Then in the next chapter he was recalling the assistance he gave Tommy by getting him into a hostel and how he'd been tossed out after found flouting their "no drinking" policy. Alec recalled that that had been 3 weeks ago, and yet in the next chapter it went on to say that "it has been two weeks since harry Nugent's murder and they still had no real leads etc." But Tommy appeared well into Nugent's murder investigation so how could it have been three weeks since he was turfed out of the hostel that Alec organised for him when Nugent had only been dead for two. It just didn't tally.

And then there is the overt use of some phrases, which just seemed too cliched to be used so often. "As wide as the Clyde" is one that springs to mind, which was reference a number of times. There were a few others that I can't recall now, but which I did find a little repetitive whilst reading. 

But on the whole, THE QUIET ONES is still a good read. I found it a little slow and convoluted at first but it soon gained momentum with those short snappy chapters I love so much!

THE QUIET ONES is a difficult story to read in part, though it is not graphic, the subject matter is horrifying. However, Theresa Talbot writing has shown both sensitivity and compassion in portraying this story that, I understand, has been at the forefront of Scottish news recently. It is heartbreaking and harrowing to think of what those poor boys went through all on a promise of greater things at the hands of those they trusted. The cruel and casual disregard for not just mankind, but children, while it is difficult to read, is all the more so being a fictionalised reality. Theresa noted at the end of the book in an AUTHOR'S NOTE her conversation with a taxi driver and his own experience at the hands of men like Nugent and how it inspired this story.

A solid addition to the Oonagh O'Neil series, THE QUIET ONES is still a compelling read which I have no hesitation in recommending to fans of this genre.

I would like to thank #TheresaTalbot, #NetGalley and #AriaFiction for an ARC of #TheQuietOnes in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Woman Upstairs by Ruth Heald (ARC)

The Woman Upstairs (previously titled "Your Guilty Lies") by Ruth Heald

Genre: Psyhcological thriller

Read: 17th September 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 10th September 2019)

★★★★★ 5 stars

WOW! Still reeling from the moment I read the final chapter, THE WOMAN UPSTAIRS by Ruth Heald is a book I devoured easily in just over 24 hours. It is addictive, unputdownable and oh so twisted. Ruth had me hooked from the beginning that I quickly became invested in the lives of Katie and her twins. 

Throughout the story there is an undercurrent of danger with a real sense of foreboding that had me waiting with baited breath wondering what was going to come next. And as readers, although we know something bad is going to happen, we are powerless to stop it as we are immersed into the storyline and absorbing every page. When I tweeted my thoughts upon finishing, Ruth told me she "wanted to capture that feeling you get in horror movies...when you know the heroine is walking into a trap, but you can't stop her!" And boy, did she succeed!

The story begins with Katie who is shocked to learn that she is pregnant...and even moreso when she discovers she's having twin girls. However, her relationship with Ian, the father, was only ever a casual thing and not all that serious...until now. Despite this unexpected turn of events, Ian is delighted and supportive and eager to start their family. As a property developer, Ian's business acquires houses in need of some work before renovating them and then selling them on at a profit. It is one of these houses that Ian has set aside for them to move into in an affluent part of London. 

But when Katie arrives to move in, the house is nothing she expected. It is completely derelict, rat-infested, damp and uninhabitable. Heavily pregnant by this stage, Katie knows she can't stay there. She tries ringing Ian but the calls go unanswered. She calls her best friend with whom, up until now, she had flat-shared with. But Amy is distracted with a new tenant moving in and thinks Katie is just nervous about the move. Even Katie's mother refuses to help, unable to believe the house would be that bad. In the end, Katie has no one left to help and resigns herself to spending the night on the damp mattress on the upstairs bedroom floor.

When Ian arrives, he is as shocked as she is at the state of disrepair the house is in. Full of apologies, he moves Katie into a hotel and sets to work on renovating the house into some kind of living standard. It isn't long before an entire new state of the art kitchen is intalled as well as a new bathroom. The living room and two bedrooms upstairs are also painted with new furniture and fresh carpet, leaving the rest of the house to be completed as and when. Ian also thought Katie would like to choose the colours for the nursery so left that untouched. Katie is speechless. The house is beautiful. Filled with happiness and a surge of love for Ian, Katie new that this was the start of a new life together with their twins.

But soon, Katie becomes increasingly worried with Ian spending so much time at work, leaving her in the house on her own...with all its creaks and groans. Sometimes she even thinks she hears someone on the stairs or music playing...but soon dismisses the thought as being just nerves. As the time of the birth approaches, Katie asks Amy to be her birth partner in the event that Ian is unavailable and as her best friend, Amy is thrilled.

When Paula befriends Katie, she appears to be something of a saviour. Professing to be a doula, an expert trained in childbirth and infant care, she offers to help Katie in exchange for room and board. Katie is relieved to have her there, especially when Ian spends so much time at work, to help ease her fears as the birth approaches. But soon after at the baby shower Amy, a little drunk from the festivities, falls down the stairs and breaks her leg. Now laid up, Amy is unable to be Katie's birth partner should the need arise. 

But then Ian is called away urgently on business in Thailand. A huge deal is going through for a string of hotels that could secure the business and set them up for life. With the due date so close, Katie is terrified he won't be there but Ian promises he will be only be gone a week and will be back by the time the girls arrive.

However, it soon becomes clear that Ian is unreachable when Katie tries calling and texting him. And then she goes into labour. Fearing it is too soon and that something is wrong, she tries Ian again. But to no avail. Thank goodness Paula is there to help support her, as it's clear she cannot depend on Ian, and she proves to be a tower of strength for Katie. Then as the twins come into this world, baby Alice's entry was smooth sailing while baby Frances' was traumatic. And by the end of it all, Katie is exhausted. Thankfully, she has Paula who been a Godsend. Or has she?

It soon becomes evident that Paula not only has taken over Katie's care but also that of her twins, moving into the master bedroom with the twins sleeping in their cots beside her while Katie has the spare room. Paula claims this is because Katie needs her rest after such a traumatic birth. I was angered on Katie's behalf at this because they were her babies - she had every right to be with them during their first days in the world. And what's with taking over the master bedroom while Katie was relegated to the damp spare? Alarm bells were ringing loud and clear for me but Katie was seemingly oblivious to them.

Then when Ian returns, Katie is so furious with him and refuses to believe his claims that he got the first flight back as soon as he got her messages, which apparently only just came in. How could that be? She had called him over and over and sent him message after message - but he has no other defence than that they never arrived till now.

It soon becomes clear that nothing is at it seems. But Katie is vulnerable and isolated with no one else available to help. She certainly couldn't rely on Ian. All she had was Paula. So with the upheaval and confusion that comes with being a new mum, as well as the distressing experience of such a traumatic birth, and now sleep deprivation puts Katie in the ideal position to be gas-lighted and manipulated. And so, Katie becomes more and more dependent on Paula.

As all the lies slowly start to unravel, Katie discovers that these very lies have put her and her babies in danger. So who can she trust? Ian? Paula? Her family? Herself? She didn't know anymore.

But one thing is for sure, she could not foresee how everything was going to end...Could you?

Told in dual timelines with frightening flashbacks to a scared unknown child, THE WOMAN UPSTAIRS is cleverly plotted, disturbing and twisted in more ways than one. And I loved every second of it! Although I could see what was happening, I was twisting myself in knots unable to warn Katie. I found myself wondering how she could trust someone so blindly without really knowing anything about them. 

Honestly, I had most of the reveals figured out before I'd reached halfway but that didn't deter me. I love trying to piece everything together and then seeing if I'm right by the end...and in this case, I was pretty much bang on. Despite this, THE WOMAN UPSTAIRS was still a chilling atmospheric thriller so disturbing it will leave you wondering who you can trust.

THE WOMAN UPSTAIRS was my second read by Ruth Heald and just as brilliant and as chilling as her first. I can't wait to see what twisted plot she comes up with next!

It goes without saying that I highly recommend this book! Grab yourself a copy...you know you want to.

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

REVIEW: The Truth in our Lies by Eliza Graham (ARC)

The Truth in our Lies by Eliza Graham

Genre: Historical fiction, epsionage

Read: 16th September 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 10th September 2019)

★ 1 star

I truly don't know how to review THE TRUTH IN OUR LIES by Eliza Graham. It was slow and confusing and certainly wasn't what I expected. 

When I requested it, I didn't know that it was more of a spy/espionage story as I hate those types of books and prefer just a heartwarming historical fiction read or even a psychological thriller. But not spies and espionage. Even that being the case, I still would have continued reading had it been the slightest bit enjoyable but I felt like I was reading a textbook on WW2 and MI6. I couldn't connect to any of the characters and had no idea what they were doing, and I basically felt it was just too convoluted for my liking. 

However, I would loved to read a story about Anna and losing her sister in an air raid and the facial burns she received as a result. Something heartwarming despite the horrors of war. But this was no such book.

I gave up about a quarter of the way through. And I felt bad about it. Just as I feel terrible writing such a negative review. Because I know this is someone's hard work and they have spent many hours creating and producing it...but try as I might, I just couldn't enjoy it. 

While the book may have gotten better had I stuck with it, as harsh as it may sound, I didn't care to find out. In all honesty, a book shouldn't take so long to captivate a reader. And this one sadly did not captivate me at all.

But I certainly haven't written off reading something else by Eliza Graham. I would be interested to see some other tales she's told. It may be that it was just THIS book that failed to hold my attention.

While I personally wouldn't recommend THE TRUTH IN OUR LIES, I'm sure there are plenty of readers out there who would devour this book. Everyone's tastes are different, and this one just couldn't whet my appetite.

I would like to thank #ElizaGraham, #NetGalley and #LakeUnionPublishing for an ARC of #TheTruthInOurLies in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Daddy's Girls by Sarah Flint (ARC)

Daddy's Girls (DC Charlie Stafford #5) by Sarah Flint

Genre: Police procedural, crime fiction

Read: 15th September 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 5th September 2019)

★★ 2.5 stars

DADDY'S GIRLS is the fifth book in the DC Charlotte Stafford series by Sarah Flint, but it was a first for me. A police procedural but also a crime thriller, it is complex and it is gritty with a slow burning tension. 

TRIGGER WARNING:

Elder abuse, rape, sexual assault and drug use should be advised before you consider reading.

It has been a year since Thomas Houghton had buried his wife Catherine and he blames his daughter, Emma, for the disease that claimed her life. Diagnosed with MS shortly after Emma's birth, Thomas believes she was the cause which ultimately contributed to his wife's death. Now he is drugged, delusional and broke, frequenting crack houses for his latest fix while Emma works menial jobs to pay for the tiny bedsit they now live in. 

Approaching the anniversary of his wife's death, Thomas rushes in elated and brimming with news. He has seen Catherine! She has returned to him! Emma brushes off his words as delusional ramblings. Her mother has been dead a year. But Thomas is adamant, believing he has seen his dead wife and no one and nothing will come between them again. Of this he must ensure.

Thomas has waited and watched Catherine for a while now. He knows her routine. He knows she misses him as much as he has missed her. Tonight's the night; as she turns off her lights he knows he must make himself known to her again. Crawling in through her bathroom window, he stealthily approaches her bedroom and as he enters she senses his presence and awakes. He smiles. She has been waiting for him. The fact that the woman is wide-eyed with fear and pleading with him not to hurt her doesn't seem to register with him. Even as he calls her Catherine and identifies himself as Thomas, the woman does not know him - but it doesn't deter him. Nothing will come between them now; till death do us part.

Faced with an odd case and a tough one at that, Charlie is on the hunt for a burglar who, gloved and masked, breaks into homes of the elderly in the dead of night. Codename "Operation Greystream", he isn't interested in valuables nor does he hurt them - he just wants to chat. And then when he leaves, takes a memento of no real value.

But then things turn nasty when 87 year old Florence Briarly is found by her friend and neighbour, cold to touch and neatly tucked into bed. Has this burglar escalated to murder? If so, he will now have a taste for it and it won't be long until he craves it again. 

Charlie and her team, under the leadership of DI Geoffrey Hunter, chase avenues of enquiry, follow up leads and investigate why this troubling case has suddenly turned sinister. Reports are coming in hard and fast from care homes where there had been troubling incidents of someone seen lurking and peeping in the windows of the elderly residents. Charlie is troubled with why this villain is so fascinated with the elderly. What is it attracts him?

Then a report comes in about a rape within the villian's comfort zone with a similar MO. The phone line is cut, enters in the dead of night and then as he is leaving, steals something that has only sentimental value to the victim. But this time it's rape. Is it the same man? Has, what started out as simple break-ins for a chat, progressed into rape and murder?

The two cases are being investigated separately but with the possibility that they are connected. As the reader, they seem to be separate...but are they really? From the outset, we know who the rapist is but we are completely in the dark as to the identity of the murderer. 

Throughout the story we are witness to a lot of petty crime that connects to one of the cases, but is it also related to the other? There is a lot of drug use which is rampant but of little interest to me. For me, it certainly doesn't make the story any more gripping.

There are several third party perspectives telling the story and at some points I was a little confused as to the POV, particularly towards the end when the stand-off unfolded throughout various perspectives. I normally don't get confused with multiple POVs but in this case, I found it a little confusing.

DADDY'S GIRLS is really a slow burn that I didn't feel pick up much at all. I found it long and drawn out and I had to force myself to continue, knowing that a lot of work is put into writing and creating these stories. It kind of makes me feel bad when I don't enjoy a book as much as I had hoped. But that is not to say that others won't. In fact, there have been a lot of positive reviews about it already so I must be in the minority.

I think, for me, this is a series that really needs to be read from the beginning to gain a better appreciation of it as a whole. Charlie plays such a minor role it didn't feel as if it was part of her story. The main focus was on the two investigations and the residents of the crack house. I didn't feel I got to know Charlie at all, or her team for that matter. There was less police procedural in this and more of a crime thriller, and yet I don't feel it can be read as a stand-alone as some others do. It felt like something was missing and I couldn't connect to Charlie or the stories that unfolded. 

I think the book would have been far better with just the case of Thomas Houghton as that in itself was major story that would have played out better on its own with maybe a smaller separate investigation as an aside. Having two major cases just made it too confusing with too much going on.

I was also puzzled by the title as it didn't appear to have any bearing whatsoever on the story, or stories, at all. DADDY'S GIRLS speaks of something far sinister than what unfolded in these pages, as despicable as they were also.

However, the ending gave us a final twist with a secret that leaves readers wanting to find out more and sets the scene for the next installment nicely. 

In summary, I think I would have appreciated DADDY'S GIRLS a lot more had I read the rest of the series first. I don't think it works as well as a stand-alone, not with the knowledge that it IS part of a series at least. However, the story is gritty and action-packed throughout and I think fans of the DC Charlie Stafford series won't be disappointed.

I would like to thank #SarahFlint, #NetGalley and #Aria for an ARC of #DaddysGirls in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: We'll Meet Again by Rosie Archer (ARC)

We'll Meet Again (The Bluebird Girls #2) by Rosie Archer

Genre: Historical fiction

Read: 13th September 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 5th September 2019)

★★★ 3.5 stars

WE'LL MEET AGAIN is the second in a series by Rosie Archer featuring the Bluebird Girls. I went straight into this book without having read the first, which one could do so easily.

It's 1941 in the small town of Gosport, not far from Portsmouth, and the Bluebirds - Rainey, Ivy and Bea - are beginning to make a name for themselves. From their humble beginnings in the choir to the stages of clubs and hotels, the girls are bringing happiness to those that hear their beautiful harmonies in song. 

It's still early days for the trio and as they are just 18 and still underage Rainey's mum, Jo, travelled with them as the girls' chaperone. Blackie is their manager, driver and piano player who also handled their money and bookings. As it stood, whatever money the girls made went to paying back Madame Walker for their costumes and other outlays. But Blackie had faith in the girls and it wouldn't be long before they started to make money. 

After their performance in Portsmouth, and the raid that darkened the city soon after, the Bluebirds were in demand. Blackie was taking bookings for them in Birmingham, Stratford-upon-Avon and even The Savoy in London. The girls found themselves having to relinquish their jobs at the munitions factory to be able to keep up with the busy schedule of travelling and performing and as their chaperone, Jo had to give up her daytime job also.

Aside from the Bluebirds, there are other underlying stories woven throughout the pages. Bea's brother Eddie has started walking out with young Sunshine - who was named for the sunny day she was found abandoned on a bench as a baby - much to Ivy's disappointment. Ivy has always held a torch for Eddie but felt the age gap was the only thing between them. But when Eddie begins to notice that Ivy is no longer the little girl he saw her as, he finds himself torn between the two women. 

But the decision may have already been made for him when Sunshine's head is turned by a young German prisoner of war, someone she is forbidden to fraternise with. But Sunshine cannot keep away from Max, and soon finds herself in a predicament she would never thought possible. But Max's intentions where Sunshine is concerned are not admirable. He has but one goal in mind - to escape St Vincents prison camp and make his back to the Fatherland. But for that he needs help...and that's where Sunshine comes in. But poor Sunshine has fallen head over heels for Max. It could only end in tears.

Then we have Rainey's mum, Jo. She had escaped her violent husband with her daughter some years ago and has begun to find confidence in herself once again...with the help of friend Syd Kennedy. Syd has been a good friend to Jo but it's obvious he is vying for more, taking her to the pictures on more than one occasion. Blackie finds himself jealous at the prospect of another man competing for Jo's attention. But Blackie can't bring himself to tell Jo how he feels...for fear of being rejected. Plus it would make for awkward travelling with the Bluebirds as she was their chaperone and he was the manager-and-thensome. Will Blackie find the courage to speak up?

Against the backdrop of wartime, WE'LL MEET AGAIN is a heartwarming tale of love and friendship and the best intentions amidst the tragedies of war. There is intrigue, drama, love and loss as well as the beautiful melodic voices of the Bluebird Girls. I have to admit, I heard The Andrews Sisters in my head as the girls sang...as their style would be similar being of the same era.

I feel I must mention a few niggles I had whilst reading. The constant references made to things that happened previously over and over was unnecessary. They only needed to be mentioned once in backstory description, not again and again. One example that sticks in my mine is "the sailor behind the Fox" which was referenced more than a couple of times in description. I also had the feeling the girls' lives were too perfect, despite their slow rise to fame. Any drama that occurred happened to other people and not them. It was all a bit chocolate-boxy...but still enjoyable. There were a few others, but I don't want to mention them due to spoilers. Let's just say, there are a few loose ends I felt should have been tied up but were left dangling. I hope they are addressed in the next book and that truth will out.

That isn't to say I didn't enjoy the book. I did. WE'LL MEET AGAIN is a lovely tale of the trio's gradual rise to stardom and those that surround them. I love stories set against the backdrop of wartime Britain - their loves, their losses, their happy times and their tragedies. 

WE'LL MEET AGAIN is what I call a comfort read. It is delightful with an easy pace that flows effortlessly. I look forward to the next installment where I hope some of the loose ends are tied up a little neater.

I do recommend beginning with the first book "The Bluebird Girls" although WE'LL MEET AGAIN can be read on its own also, as I have done. But I will follow up with the next book "The Force's Sweethearts" in the hope the story develops more.

I would like to thank #RosieArcher, #NetGalley and #Quercus for an ARC of #We'llMeetAgain in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Bad Place by M.K. Hill (ARC)

The Bad Place (DI Sasha Dawson #1) by M.K. Hill

Genre: Police procedural, crime fiction

Read: 10th September 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 5th September 2019)

★★★★ 4.5 stars

From the outset, THE BAD PLACE by M.K. Hill appears to be an exciting new series from a new author (to me). A remarkable and enthralling plot, I was pleasantly surprised that despite its seemingly random start it turned into something so insidious I didn't want to put it down and found myself racing to the finish.

Introducing DI Sasha Dawson. Although I am not a fan of the strong ballsy female type, Sasha is different. She is strong but not bitchy; she is open-minded but fair; she is sensitive, likable and yet she is still fallible. I like Sasha, though I could throttle her kids, and her relationship with her team is a good one with each bringing their own strengths to the investigation. I hate in-house fighting and to see a team work well together is a refreshing change.

Twenty six years ago, 6 teenagers were kidnapped and held in a dank dark cellar for two weeks. Only 5 make it out alive. But it takes the abduction of three children today to discover the truth from back then. Now every year the surviving victims meet for dinner and a candlelit vigil for their lost friend, Becky, with the unspoken condition that no one talk about what happened.

But this year is different. On the way to their annual vigil, one of the survivors witnesses a young girl being abducted. However, Lydia is not a reliable witness having struggled with addiction for most of her life since their time in "the bad place". The rest of them pass it off as a fantastical delusion Lydia had obviously misconstrued, given her behaviour has always been somewhat erratic. But then the next day, a report of a 15 year old girl having gone missing rings in their minds. Maybe Lydia WAS telling the truth after all.

Enter DI Sasha Dawson of Essex Police.

Sasha is no stranger to "the bad place" case. She'd been a week into her career and was just a probationary constable when the case broke, the victims escaped and had been there at Jerry Swann's final stand. She remembered one of the girls, Karin McCarthy, and had spoken to her the night of their escape and her face had haunted Sasha since. Now 15 year old Sammi was missing and aside from Lydia witnessing the abduction which had taken place near Karin's house, there is another link to "the bad place" five. One of the other survivors, Michelle, was Sammi's godmother. Coincidence? Sasha thinks not. What is it about these five remaining survivors that holds the key to Sammi's abduction?

Then another child is taken - directly in front of Karin and Simon, who was another of the five survivors. Luke, a teenage boy from Karin's school. Simon tried in vain to intervene and is met with brute force from the masked abductor and pushed into the path of busy traffic. So what links the past to the present? That is what Sasha endeavours to find out.

In the midst of this major investigation, Sasha's own personal life is in meltdown. Her husband is seemingly depressed and showing no interest in her or the children - he won't even talk to her, feigning tiredness. Her mother decides to leave her father and move in with them, creating chaos at home trying to create some boundaries with Sasha's children and their screentime use. Added to that, her teenage children are constantly bickering and then her daughter is accused of bullying, after telling her mother that she was the one being bullied. But to make matters worse, her usually placid husband punches the next door neighbour which is videoed by her daughter's friends and then streamed online. Can life be any more chaotic?

But juggling her private life with this troubling investigation into the abduction of two teenagers soon becomes personal for Sasha when her own daughter Angel disappears. And then all bets are off.

Told in dual timeline format, we are privy to the two weeks in the cellar of "the bad place" and what happened to the six teenagers as each snippet is unveiled gradually. The question of why didn't Becky escape with the rest of them remains forefront in everyone's mind. Who knows the truth? And what are they not saying?

The setting is around Southend in Essex (often known as Southend-on-Sea) and I find this a refreshing locale, away from the bigger cities of London, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle which are so often featured. The imagery of waves upon the beach and the mile-long pier - which is the longest in the world - is breathtaking. I could almost feel the salt air on my face.

What I love about THE BAD PLACE is that while it is a police procedural it also has that edge of a psychological thriller. It is fresh, it is intriguing and it is completely compelling. The chapters are short and punchy keeping you engaged throughout and, while you can put it down if need be, you won't want to. Despite the characters aplenty, it is easy to follow and identify who was who and where. 

A frenetic pace was perfectly timed to keep the reader completely engaged makes THE BAD PLACE a hard book to put down. I wanted to "just read one more chapter" before bed but soon found myself finishing in the wee hours. 

I look forward to catching up with Sasha Dawson and her team again soon.

An addictive crime thriller, I thoroughly recommend THE BAD PLACE to anyone who enjoys this genre.

I would like to thank #MKHill, #NetGalley and #HeadOfZeus for an ARC of #TheBadPlace in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Wedding Dress Maker by Leah Fleming (ARC)

The Wedding Dress Maker by Leah Fleming

Genre: Historical fiction

Read: 7th September 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 5th September 2019)

★★★★ 4 stars

THE WEDDING DRESS MAKER is the first book by Leah Fleming that I have encountered and while I didn't hate it, I definitely don't think it was the best written in this genre.

A story of love and loss during wartime alongside family and day to day struggles of the time, THE WEDDING DRESS MAKER is about the determination of a young woman fighting for what is right and the child that was taken from her shortly after birth. It also deals with post natal psychosis which is not something that was readily understood at the time, and it is handled expertly and sensitively.

Netta Nichol grew up a farmer's daughter in Galloway in the west of Scotland. An only child, her father Angus longed for a son to take over the family farm, but after her mother died young he then married Peg who was unable to bear him a child, much less a son. Netta found her stepmother harsh in comparison to her beautiful loving mother who spoke of dreams and rainbows whereas Peg dealt in black and white practicalities. The transition wasn't an easy one as Peg thought Netta's head was in the clouds far too much having been mollycoddled by her mother and Netta fighting Peg along the way.

One night at a dance, Netta met the dashing Corporal Raeburn Hunter and their tender courtship blossomed into loving proposal. Accepting without hesitation, Netta was filled with dreams of their future. Eloping to Gretna Green, they married in the former tradition over the anvil but it would not be legal until they did so via the registry - which they could not do so for fourteen days. But Rae's leave was only for 10, so they made plans to meet at the registry office and then honeymooned for the remainder of their precious time together before Rae had to return to barracks. But their future as man and wife hung in the balance when Rae missed their rendezvous at the registry office to legitimise their marriage. Furious with him, Netta returned home to discover a telegram notifying her of his unit's deployment thwarting their surreptitious plans. Netta could do nothing but carry on in the hope that the war would soon be over and Rae would come home.

But war takes far more than it gives, and it wasn't long before Netta received the unemotionally indifferent telegram informing her of her beloved Rae's death. She was devastated. And what was more, she was pregnant...and their marriage, despite being real to them, was never formally legalised. When Netta bore Rae's son - named Raeburn Angus Hunter - it was an incredibly difficult birth, leaving her unable to care for her child. She was transferred to Park Royal to recover and receive specialist treatment while her father and stepmother took over the care of her baby throughout her lengthy absence. Netta lived for the day she would see baby Ray again and when eight months later she was discharged, she soon discovered that her father and Peg were the only ones her child knew and looked upon as his parents. They even took to calling him Gus, rather than the name she had given him, and it was the name he now responded to. Try as she might, Netta had been replaced as her son's mother as Peg informed her that she was now his mother.

Netta was exiled to make a life for herself with a job and a home so that she could return and claim her son and ensure that he would be well cared for. She moved to Yorkshire where she took work in a fashion house pinning hems for seamstresses with the dream of becoming a designer herself. She visited the farm miles away in Scotland twice a year to see Gus, becoming known as his adored Auntie Netta, whilst she worked hard to achieve her ambition. As she soon set herself up securely and comfortably, she knew the time had come to Gus to come and live with her. But every time the subject was broached another reason why he couldn't wasn't thrown her way. And Netta left empty-handed without her son once again. By this time Gus was now 4 years old and she had already lost so much precious time with him as her son. He saw only Peg as his mammy. Netta was his beloved aunt. Would she ever have her son back? He was the only part of Rae she had left...and Peg has taken that from her.

Amidst the upsets, setbacks and turmoil, Netta was resourceful and driven as she achieved her dream of becoming a dressmaker/designer and was well-known locally for her beautiful work. But was it enough?

THE WEDDING DRESS MAKER is a powerful story of love, loss and determination. Though the title is deceiving as the focus is not really on making wedding dresses - in fact, there isn't a deluge of these at all -but rather on Netta's story and her personal journey. It's a heartbreaking tale but not an easy one to take in at times. A lot of monologuing and description - of which I am not a fan - but then the story is predominantly made up of Netta's memories.

However, I found it took me a while to get into the story at first as the format of the dual timelines was somewhat different in approach - being in the form of Netta's memories as she encounters items in the attic during her latest visit to the family farm. Rather unusual at first but it does work quite well once you get used to it. I did find the Scottish brogue and dialect a little hard to follow, as speech patterns were written as they sounded rather than what they actually were, making it hard for someone not as familiar with Scottish dialect to follow in part. Like the format, you do get used to it but it does remain am awkward concept.

Not a bad read, THE WEDDING DRESS MAKER is a good fit for fans of historical fiction, particularly in dual timelines.

I would like to thank #LeahFleming, #NetGalley and #HeadOfZeus for an ARC of #TheWeddingDressMaker in exchange for an honest review.