REVIEW: The Accusation by Victoria Jenkins

The Accusation by Victoria Jenkins

Genre: Psychological thriller, domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 30th December 2020

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 9th June 2020

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

Help me! Help me, please!’

When Jenna hears the cry in the park one night, she feels she has no choice but to run and help. Cradling the injured woman in her arms, the attacker nowhere to be seen, all Jenna wants is to keep her alive until the ambulance arrives and for the ordeal to be over.

But the nightmare begins when the victim wakes up…

Jenna’s relief turns to horror when the finger is pointed at her. There must be some mistake: she’s never seen the woman before in her life, and Jenna tried to save her life. Why would she accuse Jenna of a crime she didn’t commit?

As the case against Jenna grows, her world starts to fall apart. Her teenage daughter is keeping secrets and her husband is growing more distant every day. To save her family and clear her name, Jenna has to prove she didn’t do it.

But someone knows something Jenna did do. And they want to make her pay…

The Accusation is an addictive psychological thriller that asks how far you would go for justice. Perfect for fans of He Said/She Said, The Silent Patient and The Woman in the Window.

MY REVIEW:

Wow! What a book to end 2020 on!

As tomorrow is my birthday (yes, NYE, I know and I hate it), I won't be reading anything else before the end of the year, so I can safely say that THE ACCUSATION was an appropriate edge of your seat thrill ride to end what was otherwise a horrible year.

I have been a fan of Victoria Jenkins since her Detectives King and Lane series and have followed her journey into the psychological genre. Her debut thriller "The Divorce" was average, then came "The Argument" which was pretty phenomenal...and then there is her latest...THE ACCUSATION. And wow! I was pretty much blown away. That is...until the end.

Jenna Morgan finds herself confronted with something of a quandary one night when she hears a woman's cry for help. Would you rush to assist? Of course you would. And Jenna is no different. Taking a shortcut on her way home from dinner with friends one night she hears a cry for help and rushing into the darkened park, finds Charlotte laying on the ground with a stab wound to the neck and a figure running away. She applies pressure to the wound, calls an ambulance and keeps her talking till help arrives. After giving police her statement, she returns home in something of a daze.

The following day, Jenna wonders how Charlotte is doing, as any normal person would do. So picking up some flowers, she makes her way to the hospital to see how she's doing. As she enters the ward, she sees Charlotte laying on her bed, her face turned and looking out the window. But nothing prepares her for the blood curdling scream that emanates from Charlotte's mouth as soon as she sees Jenna, shouting "She did it!"

The next thing Jenna knows is that she is being taken in for questioning in relation to Charlotte's attack. But with her word against Jenna's, who will they believe? Whilst she is in custody, the police turn over her house looking for anything to support the allegation. Whatever happened to innocent till proven guilty? It seems Jenna is guilty until she's proven innocent. And how is she going to do that? She doesn't even know who is trying to frame her! Because that's the only thing that makes any kind of sense here...that someone is out to fit her up for something she didn't do.

However, that is not all. Jenna's husband Damien has been somewhat distant with her for the past couple of weeks and Jenna suspects him of having an affair. But she doesn't expect the other woman to be one of her closest friends, Laura. Or at least, that's what she suspects when her teenage daughter Lily confides in her that she has seen them together. Damien is definitely distant with her. 

And then there is seventeen year old Lily, who has recently become moody and distant herself...as teenagers go...but Jenna feels there is something more to it. Lily has been seen in the company of an older man and whilst Jenna thought she had put a stop to it she suspects Lily has been seeing him again. The two of them used to be so close but lately Lily has locked herself away in her room, had whispered conversations on her phone till all hours and hanging up as soon as she or Damien walk in. Although Lily's father died when she was just 3 years old, Damien has been the closest thing to a father she has known. She always adored him and the two of them shared a unique bond in their early years. So it seemed strange that now Lily spoke of him with something like distaste. What had happened between the two of them?

Whilst juggling her home life and running a cafe, the last thing Jenna needs is to be charged with attempted murder. Then when the police turn up one morning at her cafe with a search warrant she is speechless when they discover a blood strained knife hidden behind the fridge. Jenna swears she has no idea how it got there...but the evidence against her, although circumstantial, is slowly building up and unless she can prove otherwise she is looking at prison.

Jenna knows she didn't do this. She only tried to help the woman. In fact, she had never even seen her before in her life...so why was she targeting her? What had Jenna done to deserve this? But then Jenna has a secret that no one, not even Damien, knows. Surely that has nothing to do with what's happening here.

But when Damien shows her the anonymous notes he's been receiving claiming that Jenna is not who she says she is and 'how well do you know your wife', she starts to feel her world begin to crumble in on her. But regardless, Jenna knows she must protect her family at all costs.

Wow! I have to say, seasoned sleuth that I am, not even I figured out what was at play till just before the reveal. Well done, Ms Jenkins! It takes a writer with a lot of nous to hoodwink me...lol

Narrated by Jenna herself throughout, THE ACCUSATION takes us through Jenna's past and present in alternating chapters as she tells us how she met Damien and leading up to their marriage. She also gives us a little of Lily's father though sensing as if that a secret she prefers to keep we are left to wonder as to just what kind of man he really was. The story is predominantly in the present but I have to say that the chapters where Jenna takes us back to the past could have been titled as "Past" or something relating to that so as not to confuse it with the present...although it was fairly easy to follow anyway. I think I could just be me being fussy. lol

My only real flaw with the book is the ending which I found to be too abrupt. It ended at the bottom of the page followed by three asterixes, which I naturally thought was a break to segue into a more rounded ending. But I was surprised to turn the page and find...nothing. But a plug for her previous thriller "The Argument". After all the build up, the climax, the tension...I had expected a little more to end on. 

But that aside, THE ACCUSATION is thoroughly addictive from beginning to end with a fast pace that never lets up throughout and is a thrill-ride well worth the journey. I loved every minute of it and between this and her last thriller, it's hard to say which is her best.

A well written psychological thriller in which Ms Jenkins has certainly found her niche, THE ACCUSATION has all the twists, all the turns and all the tension to keep you guessing right up to the end. With thrillers like this, Jenkins is right up there with the likes of Shalini Boland and Kim Slater.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Victoria Jenkins is a Welsh author who has made a name for herself writing the highly popular Detective King and Lane series of novels. The first novel in the series was “The Girls In The Water” that Jenkins first published in 2017 and is an Amazon UK top 30 bestseller, and top 5 bestseller in the Amazon US chart., to much critical acclaim and popularity among crime fiction fans.

The series of novels features Detective Constable Chloe Lane and Detective Inspector Alex King, who are the lead investigative characters that solve some mysterious murders in their hometown.

Her first psychological thriller 'The Divorce' was published in July 2019. The second 'The Argument' was published December 10th 2019. The third 'The Accusation' was published 9th June 2020.

Victoria lives with her husband and daughter in South Wales, where her series of crime novels featuring Detectives King and Lane is based.

 

Social Media links:

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REVIEW: The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson

The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson

Genre: Historical fiction, WW2, Women's fiction, Chick Lit

Read: 28th December 2020

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 4th June 2020

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

A broken family, a house of secrets—an entrancing tale of love and courage set during the Second World War.

After Rebecca’s mother dies, she must sort through her empty flat and come to terms with her loss. As she goes through her mother’s mail, she finds a handwritten envelope. In it is a letter that will change her life forever.

Olivia, her mother’s elderly cousin, needs help to save her beloved home. Rebecca immediately goes to visit Olivia in Cornwall only to find a house full of secrets—treasures in the attic and a mysterious tunnel leading from the cellar to the sea, and Olivia, nowhere to be found.

As it turns out, the old woman is stuck in hospital with no hope of being discharged until her house is made habitable again. Rebecca sets to work restoring the home to its former glory, but as she peels back the layers of paint and grime, she uncovers even more buried secrets—secrets from a time when the Second World War was raging, when Olivia was a young woman, and when both romance and danger lurked around every corner...

A sweeping and utterly spellbinding tale of a young woman’s courage in the face of war and the lengths to which she’ll go to protect those she loves against the most unexpected of enemies.

MY REVIEW:

I am a huge fan of dual timeline stories and what sold this one for me initially was its Cornwall setting. Although never having been there (or even to the UK, for that matter), there is just something beautiful, captivating and even magical about Cornwall. And it was the perfect setting for THE SEA GATE. 

The weaving of two different timelines bringing the past and the present together filled with secrets and mystery all set around a once beautiful house that now stands decrepit upon a cliff, it is easy to get lost to not only the story, but a different time and era. There was a touch of all those Cornish favourites from over the years woven into this story - a bit of Poldark, Jamaica Inn with a strong sense of du Maurier's "Rebecca" - as well as a definite nod to Cornish history.

In London in the present day, Rebecca Young is bidding a final farewell to her beloved mother who succumbed to cancer without confiding the truth of her illness with anyone but Rebecca's twin, James. Becky (as she was more often called by those closest to her) cannot fathom why her mother confided in James and was hurt that she had not. She was even more hurt by the fact her partner of ten years, Eddie, could not deign to accompany her to her mother's funeral as a support and a comfort to her...citing he "doesn't do funerals" and that he has "his (art) exhibition coming up". As if that were more important than her or her mother's untimely death. 

After the funeral, Becky, James and his wife Evie (love the name, hated the character), descend on their mother's flat to pack up the detritus that was her life before selling up. Whilst Evie goes through everything without a thought or care for their mother, Becky sifts through the mail that had piled up since her mother had been in hospital. She separates the bills from the junk for the solicitor to attend to when she comes across a letter in a hand she doesn't recognise. Upon opening it, Becky discovers it's from her mother's cousin Olivia in Cornwall of whom Becky has vague recollections visiting as a child. She seemed old to her then, she must be ancient by now. 

In her letter, Olivia is asking for her mother Jenny to come to Cornwall as they want to put her in a home and she must help her put a stop to it at once. Becky wonders how long the letter has sat there as there is no date on it and the postmark is smudged. Almost on a whim, Becky decides to travel to Cornwall and break the news of her mother's passing as well as taking her mother's place in assisting Olivia for whatever she needs. 

Upon arriving at Porth Enys in Cornwall, Becky is deposited by an unfriendly taxi driver outside a ramshackle old house surrounded by an overgrown and bramble-strangled hedge. The house is in desperate need of repairs. Even the front porch gave way and crumbled when Becky knocked on the door and was greeted by a god-awful screeching from within. The house Chynalls (Cornish for "the house on the cliff") is something of a character in itself, as it overlooks a secluded cove with its own secret tunnel leading from the beach and up to the house, depicting its rich and colourful history.

She soon meets Jem and Rosie Sparrow who overseer Chynalls in Olivia's absence. But what exactly is it that they do? Jem indicated he was there to feed Gabriel, but who is he? A cat? A dog? Of which Becky saw no evidence. Until she walks into the front parlour and is assaulted by not only an awful smell, but a loud screeching followed by a stream of obscenities. It seems she has met Gabriel, the biggest parrot she has ever seen. And with a personality all of his own.

And there is Rosie, Jem's wife, who comes in to cook and clean for Olivia. But now that Olivia is in hospital, surely there is no need for Rosie to be at the house. But the following morning, Becky wakes to discover Rosie firmly ensconced in the kitchen over the ancient range and the smell of bacon. She told Becky she would take her to the hospital in Truro to visit Olivia...a ride which Becky would never forget and afterwhich goes into Penzance to hire her own car.

At the hospital, she meets Olivia and breaks the news of her mother's death. Olivia is saddened but onward and upward, she then delivers a list of things that need attending to at once to enable her to return home. As Olivia reiterates, she was born at Chynalls and she will die there. But Becky is puzzled by the item Olivia has prioritised on her "to do" list which is to brick up the cellar when her bedroom and ensuite are of far greater importance. But Olivia is adamant. The cellar must be bricked up at once and no one was to venture within. Her other puzzling request which was noted with importance was to find her locket.

So Becky returns to Chynalls with the daunting task at hand. She began by searching the house from top to bottom for her treasured locket but to no avail. She did, however, come across a few interesting items in Olivia's things that gave her cause to ponder and set her on a journey of secrets and discovery. Against Olivia's wishes, Becky ventured into the cellar but could find nothing of interest...apart from a huge locked door for which there must be a key. Upon finding the said key, Becky continued her search and found herself on the beach below the house. A secret smuggler's tunnel? But whatever else was in the cellar, Becky was shocked to find what she would later discover to be a bone from a human finger. What secrets has Olivia got buried down there?

In the midst of the uncovering of some startling family secrets, Becky engages the services of Reba and his brother Mo to undertake the many repairs as well as install a new bedroom and ensuite with indoor plumbing for Olivia's return home. Up until her hospital stay, Olivia had continued with the use of the outdoor privy and chamber pot as if it were the Victorian era. The idea of which made Becky's skin crawl. As did Jem and Rosie's two sons Saul and Ezra, who seemed to be forever lurking in the shadows around Chynalls.

The secrets Becky slowly begins to uncover leads to the story of a younger Olivia who, at 15, is on the brink of womanhood in the midst of a war. It's 1943 and her father returns to his post in North Africa whilst her mother disappears off to London with the arrival of new housekeeper Winnie Ogden and her devious child Mary, leaving Olivia in her care. Mrs Ogden takes an instant dislike to Olivia as does her 5 year old devil child Mary...and the feeling is mutual. Olivia cannot wait for her mother's return whenever that may be. Mrs Ogden has Olivia undertaking chores that wasn't normally her job whilst Mary just sits back and smiles smugly. And then things start disappearing...little trinkets even some of her mother's jewellery...and Olivia begins to suspect little Mary. When the little girl is outed, she then sets to continue making Olivia's life a misery by taking her sketchbooks.

Then one day a telegram arrives. Olivia is terrified its message will contain news of the death of her father. But breathes a sigh of relief when the telegram boy says it is for Mrs Ogden. It seems Mrs Ogden's mother has taken ill and she is needed at once, leaving Mary in Olivia's care. Neither of which either girl is happy about. But Olivia takes over the care of the hateful little girl regardless. It's also around this time the Land Girls which had been boarding with them and working on the Roberts farm next door, decided to up and leave. It seems rumours about young Olivia had been circling and Beryl and Marjorie wanted no association with it. The rumours, Olivia is sure, originated from devious Nipper Martin and his co-horts...which only grew with ferocity after Olivia discovered Nipper and a German POW interned at the farm raping 13 year old Mamie Roberts. It seemed they conjured up a story before Olivia could inform Farmer Roberts of what she had witnessed. And so Olivia was branded.

Amonsgt the POWs was a mysterious man Olivia had silently christened "the Dark Man" due to his complexion. She was in awe of him and often sketched him from memory. She knew nothing of him, not even his name, but fate would bring the two of them together in a way neither could ever imagine on a stormy night that forever remain etched in Olivia's memory. 

All Becky had were photographs and trinkets that meant nothing to her and she only needs Olivia to link them together with the past to make sense of the secrets she has uncovered. But Olivia is a feisty old woman. Will she unlock the memories of her past to unite them with the present?

A wonderful tale weaving together the past and the present, THE SEA GATE is mesmerising, hynotic and atmospheric. The beauty of this story rests solely in the setting. Cornwall itself is captivating and mesmerising...and the perfect setting for such a tale. One cannot help but see du Maurier's "Rebcecca" reflected in the vividly drawn descriptions of this highly atmospheric tale. Particularly as one of the main protagonists was named in her honour.

Although it started off a little slow within the first chapter or so, in which I found Becky to be a little whiny, the story soon picks up pace with her journey to Cornwall which is where the story really begins. It is there we are then transported back to 1943 and a young Olivia, and it is this story I found more compelling than Becky's, though that too became interesting as the woman finally grew something of a backbone. But it's Olivia who is bared completely - her good and her bad - as we get to know her in the present day reflecting back on her colourful life, blossoming from a young girl into a women in the shadow of war. Becky's story is one of a journey of self discovery as she overcomes the loss of her mother, her relationship to a selfish prat, her non-existent career and family dynamics. Each character is perfectly drawn and well developed, even if some are hateful. Those would be Eddie, Evie, Saul, Ezra and Rosie...and of course Mikael. But my favourites would have to be Olivia herself and of course Gabriel. 

I have not come across Jane Johnson before, though I can't see why not as her style is one of which I love to immerse myself in...especially Cornwall. THE SEA GATE is a beautiful story that unfolds at a steady pace that you will appreciate taking the time with and with a bit of everything from mystery to romance to family secrets and intrigue.

Perfect for fans of Kate Morton, Kathleen McGurl and Lorna Cook.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Jane Johnson is from Cornwall and has worked in the book industry for 30 years as a bookseller, publisher and writer.

For many years she was responsible for publishing the works of JRR Tolkien, and later worked on Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, spending many months in New Zealand with cast and crew (she wrote the official visual companions to the films). The authors she publishes include George RR Martin (creator of A Game of Thrones), Dean Koontz, Robin Hobb, Stuart MacBride, Mark Lawrence, Raymond E Feist and SK Tremayne.

While she was in Morocco in 2005 to research The Tenth Gift she met her soon-to-be husband Abdellatif, a Berber tribesman from a village in the Anti-Atlas Mountains. Returning home, she gave up her office job in London, sold her flat and shipped the contents to Morocco and they were married later that year. They now split their time between Cornwall and Morocco, and Jane still works remotely as a Fiction Publishing Director for HarperCollins.

 

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

REVIEW: The House Guest by Mark Edwards

 

The House Guest by Mark Edwards

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 26th December 2020

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 3rd June 2020

★★★ 3.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

A perfect summer. A perfect stranger. A perfect nightmare.

When British twenty-somethings Ruth and Adam are offered the chance to spend the summer housesitting in New York, they can’t say no. Young, in love and on the cusp of professional success, they feel as if luck is finally on their side.

So the moment that Eden turns up on the doorstep, drenched from a summer storm, it seems only right to share a bit of that good fortune. Beautiful and charismatic, Eden claims to be a friend of the homeowners, who told her she could stay whenever she was in New York.

They know you’re not supposed to talk to strangers—let alone invite them into your home—but after all, Eden’s only a stranger until they get to know her.

As suspicions creep in that Eden may not be who she claims to be, they begin to wonder if they’ve made a terrible mistake…

The House Guest is the chilling new psychological thriller from the three million copy bestselling author of Here to Stay and Follow You Home.

MY REVIEW:

Whoa! This book is nothing like I thought it would be!

I've been a Mark Edwards fan since I read "The Magpies" and "Follow You Home", so I knew I would be getting an edge-of-your-seat thriller. But whatever it was I'd been expecting...it wasn't this! THE HOUSE GUEST is sinister, it's creepy but also puzzling and frustrating at the same time. Edwards has the ability to take an ordinary domestic situation and turn it into something bizarre...or even your worst nightmare.

British couple Ruth and Adam are house-sitting for friends Jack and Mona Cunningham in an affluent area of New York City. Ruth is an up and coming actress with a promising career, with the lead role in a Broadway play, whereas Adam is an aspiring writer sometimes living in the shadow of his girlfriend's career. After meeting Jack and Mona on a cruise, the couple are invited to house-sit while they embark on a summer retreat in New Mexico.

One wet and stormy night there is a knock at the door and Adam opens it to a young woman looking for Jack and Mona, with whom she is friends. Unfortunately for her she discovers they are away and feeling bad at having to turn her away, Ruth and Adam ask her in till the rain stops. And then invite her to stay. Any friend of Jack and Mona's... The three of them hit it off and despite my initial suspicions that Eden would seduce Adam into something compromising and Ruth would thereafter catch them in the said situation...I couldn't be further from the truth!

The story then takes a surprising turn that I didn't see coming and had I been told what had happened, I wouldn't have believed it either! It is that implausible. But extremely addictive. Like a car crash, I couldn't turn away and had to keep reading.

And so after a night of drinking tequila together, Adam awakes naked on the floor of the room he shared with Ruth to find that both she and Eden had disappeared. When Jack and Mona arrived home the following day, they didn't know what to believe after Adam regaled them with this implausible tale of a woman claiming to be a friend turning up and then disappearing along with his girlfriend. Enter their detective friend Dennis Krugman who assured Adam that Ruth was probably sleeping off a hangover to beat all hangovers, mostly probably ashamed of herself. Adam wasn't so sure but Detective Krugman saw this type of thing all the time. Then Adam overhears the three of them talking in the garden and he learns that they really don't believe him at all. So he decides his best course of action would be to leave and find somewhere else to stay.

Then things take a twist, or rather several twists, with surprises and revelations and a cult...yes, a cult. But to those within the inner circle it is not a cult, but a group of friends...very creepy friends, who help and protect each other. A somewhat diverse direction the story did take and I'm still not sure how I feel about that ending... But one thing is for sure. It is a fast, fun read that is addictive and entertaining.

THE HOUSE GUEST is a little obscure and yet an interesting read. I thought I was going to be reading a creepy stalker thriller but it was more than that on a whole other level. 

I have to be honest, I'm not a fan of cults and stories surrounding them tend to frustrate me. THE HOUSE GUEST did and it didn't. Cults generally involve an egocentric narcissist who is good looking and charismatic and has learnt the art of reading people and using that to his advantage, claiming to offer a greater knowledge from a higher power or a sense of belonging. Thinking they have the right to brainwash people and taking advantage by targeting those who are vulnerable and searching for that something in their lives. And almost always, the leader or founder charms his way into the bed of every woman within their group, all the while making them feel like it was actually their choice to do so. They are nothing but predators.

In saying this, THE HOUSE GUEST is not a bad book. It is exciting and addictive and certainly a page-turner. But it did seem to be lacking something, though I'm still not sure what. I still enjoyed it and don't hesitate in recommending it. In some ways, it is a little far-fetched but then...aren't most psychological thrillers?

At the end of the day, THE HOUSE GUEST is compelling, it is addictive and it is a fast, fun read.

I would like to thank #MarkEdwards, #NetGalley and #AmazonPublishing for an ARC of #TheHouseGuest in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Mark Edwards writes psychological thrillers about ordinary people who encounter terrifying events. He has been described as ‘a can’t-miss king of psychological suspense’ by thriller author Brad Parks and ‘a natural born storyteller with the darkest of imaginations’ by crime writer Fiona Cummins.

He has sold more than three million copies of his books and topped the bestseller lists numerous times since his first solo novel, The Magpies, was published in 2013. 

His other novels are What You Wish For, Because She Loves Me, Follow You Home, The Devil’s Work, The Lucky Ones, The Retreat, In Her Shadow, Here To Stay and The House Guest. He has also published two short sequels to The Magpies, A Murder of Magpies and Last of The Magpies, and six books co-authored with Louise Voss.

Many of his books have been translated into foreign languages including French, German, Italian, Spanish, Estonian, Thai, Lithuanian, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish and Russian.

In 2019 Mark won The Cat and Mouse Award for Most Elusive Villain at the Dead Good Reader Awards for Last of the Magpies.

Mark loves hearing from his readers and encourages them to contact him. He regularly interacts with readers on his Facebook page, where he hosts book release launch parties and lots of giveaways.

You can follow Mark on Twitter, like his Facebook page or take a peek at his pics on Instagram.

Mark lives in the West Midlands, England, with his wife, their three children, three cats and a golden retriever.

 

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: Girls in Tin Hats by Annie Murray

 

Girls in Tin Hats by Annie Murray

Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas, WW2

Read: 23rd December 2020

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 2nd June 2020

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

It is 1940 and Birmingham is about to see some of the most devastating air raids of the Blitz. Two very different young women, Violet Simms and Grace Templeton, need every ounce of strength they possess to cope with the loss and tragedy surrounding them. But through the storm clouds of war they discover something that helps them through – a friendship that is to last a lifetime.

Violet is a shy, lonely girl who is controlled by her widowed mother. She longs to escape and dreams of love. Desperate to do something for the war effort she volunteers as an ARP warden, and in the course of her rescue work meets and falls in love with a young policeman, George Cherry. Seeing longed-for kindness and fun, Violet feels her life is changed forever until, on one of the worst nights of the Blitz, George disappears . . .

Grace, a striking beauty from a family of ten children, is lively, adventurous and desperate not to be tied down by marriage and children. Her childhood friend, Jimmy Oval, adores her but she wants much more. She’s looking for excitement and in the blacked-out city where not everyone is full of community spirit, her looks attract attention and she discovers she has less control of her life than she thought.

When one of the most-loved families in the street is bombed out, Grace, heartbroken and vulnerable, begins to realize that having love in her life might not be such a terrible idea.

MY REVIEW:

Welcome back Annie Murray! After reading the very different novel "Mother and Child" and not enjoying it, I welcomed the return of Annie to the genre she does best...and she didn't let me down! I have read a plethora of WW2-based stories and each one is unique in their own way, but GIRLS IN TIN HATS was different in that we see the destruction of war through the eyes of two women who become Air Raid Wardens.

Birmingham 1940: Shy and self-conscious 20 year old Violet Simms lives with her domineering mother above a pawnbroker's shop in a cold and hostile environment. May Simms has had a hard life and spends the rest of it taking it out of her daughter Violet. She belittles her, criticises her, blames her and has no qualms in telling her that men are only after one thing. Yet she becomes whiny and needy should Violet try to escape the stifling environment for something more cheerful...even going to work.

So when Violet decides to become an Air Raid Warden, May is quick to tell Violet she is selfish and thinking only of herself...leaving her mother all alone and at the German's mercy. But Violet wants to do her bit for the war effort and feels compelled to help others in the midst of the horrors they now face. It's not selfish at all, but rather selfless to put herself in harms way to help others.

During the course of her duties as an ARP Warden, Violet meets special constable George Cherry who, because of a limp, was exempt from fighting. Violet cannot help but be enamoured by George and his constant cheerfulness and soon the pair meet up as regular as they can. Violet knows she must keep George a secret from her mother who would soon spoil things for the young couple. After all, May has always told her daughter that men are only after one thing and one thing only. But she knows George is not like that. And soon she meets his family who are just as lovely as he is. Violet thought her home life was something normal and expected George's mother to be much like her own, but she couldn't be more different. The family welcomed her with open arms and it wasn't long until Violet dreaded returning home. And when she did, it was to a barrage of questions as to where she's been and who with...

But George has always wondered why he has never been back to Violet's to meet her family...and thinks maybe she might be ashamed on him. But no matter how much she tries to explain the way her mother is, George finds it hard to comprehend as he has never known such hostility from his mum. But as Violet and George become more serious and he asks her to marry him, Violet knows she must introduce them. But nothing will prepare her for what is about to come...

Grace Templeton couldn't be more different from Violet. She too has joined the ARP Wardens and often patrols with Violet. Gregarious and outgoing, Grace is from a family of ten children all of whom she adores. Having grown up with the Ovals, Grace and Jimmy had been unofficially stepping out together so when he joins the army and is sent abroad, the two continue writing to each other with Grace looking forward to his letters. 

But something is missing...and she doesn't know what. She loves Jimmy, or believes she does, but he's just...well, Jimmy. As is her nature, Grace is looking for a bit of excitement and she's not sure Jimmy does that to her. He's safe and secure Jimmy...but not exciting.  And then one night whilst she and Violet perform a rescue on a collapsed house, she meets good looking and charming Harry Cobb. And before long, the two are meeting in shadowy corners, in darkened alleys, stolen moments during the blackout where Harry ignites something exciting in her she has never felt before. Certainly not with Jimmy. And yet...something doesn't feel right. Why do they only meet at night? Why does Harry not walk out with her in public? And why is he always intent on delving beneath her skirts without so much as a by-your-leave? 

Then one night while Grace was seconded away in a darkened alley fumbling in the dark with Harry, one of her younger brothers ran into the ARP post looking for her. Grace had told her family she was on duty that night...but she wasn't. And no one knew where she was. Something terrible had happened and they needed Grace right away. Afterwhich, Grace felt so much shame for what she was getting up to when her family needed her most. And then the German's bombed the BSA factory where her father worked...and Grace was in an awful state wondering if he was buried amongst the rubble or if he was safe.

GIRLS IN TIN HATS is the story of two very different women with two very different stories and paths in life who meet when they join the ARP together. It is heartbreaking and heartwarming. There will be tears, there will be laughter. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and its easy style. Violet and Grace are both very likable and easily relatable. Most characters are likable, even if they aren't in the beginning, you will grow to like them. All except May and Harry. I didn't like either of them. May was a selfish cow who used emotional blackmail to keep her dutiful daughter in line. She spent her entire life lying to her about her past and continues to do so. She is thoroughly unlikable, despite knowing she'd probably had a tough life. And Harry...there was just something underhand about him. I kept inwardly screaming at Grace to run and go back to Jimmy...but she didn't listen. Not even when she knew what she was doing was wrong and shameful. Harry was the epitome of men that Violet's mum had warned her about and yet it was Grace who fell under his spell.

A wonderful realistic story set during the Blitz on Britain...this time in Birmingham...GIRLS IN TIN HATS draws you in right from the start with it's descriptions of life during wartime. A story of utter chaos and bravery as the people stood together to defeat the enemy.

Perfect for fans of of wartime historical fiction, GIRLS IN TIN HATS is a heartbreaking yet heartwarming of two girls whose lives will be changed forever by friendship, love, tragedy and joy.

I would like to thank #AnnieMurray, #NetGalley and #PanMacmillan for an ARC of #GirlsInTinHats in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Annie Murray was born in Berkshire and read English at St John's College, Oxford. A ‘childhood writer’, her career was helped a great deal by belonging to Tindal Street Fiction Group in Birmingham and by winning the SHE/Granada TV Short Story Competition in 1991. She has published short stories in a number of anthologies as well as SHE magazine. 

Her first regional saga, Birmingham Rose appeared in 1995 and reached the Times bestseller list. She has since published more than a dozen others, including the ‘Cadbury books,’ Chocolate Girls and The Bells of Bournville Green, Family of Women and her latest, A Hopscotch Summer.

Annie has four children and lives near Reading, United Kingdom.

 

Social Media links:

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REVIEW: The Red Red Snow by Caro Ramsay

 

The Red Red Snow (Anderson & Costello #11) by Caro Ramsay

Genre: Crime fiction, Police procedural

Read: 22nd December 2020

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Amazon

Published: 2nd June 2020

★ 1 star

DESCRIPTION:

Called to investigate the bloodstained aftermath of an eventful Christmas party, detectives Anderson & Costello discover that the holiday season can be anything but merry.

A family man is stabbed to death at a crowded Christmas Ice Show. Murdered in plain sight. No clues, no witnesses, no known motive.

A week later, two bodies are discovered at a holiday cottage in a remote highland glen: one in the kitchen; the other sprawled outside on the icy lawn. The killer would appear to have arrived and left without leaving a trace, not even a footprint in the snow.

What secrets are lurking within this isolated, superstitious community? As the snow piles higher, detectives Anderson and Costello put their wits to solving a seemingly impossible crime, and gradually uncover a twisted tale of greed, obsession – and cold-blooded murder.

MY REVIEW:

I used to enjoy the Anderson and Costello series in the beginning but I have failed to enjoy the last few, so I don't know why I keep requesting them. Probably in the hope they will improve somehow. I really disliked "The Sideman" (though I persevered with it) and this one I just could not get into. 

The chapters are long and descriptive to the point where there is so much being said that I forget the whole point of the last several paragraphs or even the chapter! And I get completely lost in Caro Ramsay's descriptions that I end up wandering aimlessly looking for help to get me out of here.

I usually write lengthy reviews outlining some of the story, usually enough to draw a reader in, whilst at the same time giving my opinions on the book. I can't really be bothered writing a lengthy review because I was so bored and lost, I wouldn't know what to say to keep things neutral. 

I don't like giving negative reviews, but I think I will have to ditch Anderson and Costello from now on. THE RED RED SNOW ended up being a big big bore.

I would like to thank #CaroRamsay, #NetGalley and #SevernHouse for an ARC of #TheRedRedSnow in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Caro was born in Govan, on Glasgow's south side. A graduate of the British School of Osteopathy, she runs a large osteopath centre in West Scotland, treating animals and humans, and writes in her spare time.

Her first novel Absolution was shortlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger 2008 and her second Singing to the Dead was longlisted for the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award 2010. The third in the series, Dark Water, was published on 4 August 2010, and the fourth book The Blood Of Crows was published on 30 August 2012. Critic Cathi Unsworth in The Guardian opined that Ramsay's series "excels in sense of place, realism, plotting and caustic humour", describing it as "bleak, black and brilliant".

The Govan-born osteopath and acupuncturist runs a large and successful osteopath centre in the west of Scotland. In between treating patients – both human and animal – she writes dark and gruesome crime thrillers set in Glasgow. She volunteers at a local animal rescue centre, using complementary therapies to heal a wide range of animals, and considers herself to be something of a ‘fox whisperer’.Ramsay started writing her first novel while laid up in hospital with a back injury. She is a member of the Johnstone Writers’ Club. Absolution was recently published by Penguin as part of a two-book, five-figure contract.

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REVIEW: Rainy Days for the Harpers Girls by Rosie Clarke

 

Rainy Days for the Harpers Girls (Harpers Emporium #3) by Rosie Clarke

Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas. WW1

Read: 21st Decemeber 2020

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 2nd June 2020

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

1914 Oxford Street, London - There are hard times ahead for the Harpers Girls...

It is two years since Harpers Emporium opened its doors and life is good for Sally and Ben Harper as they look forward to the arrival of their first child.

Beth Burrows is settling into married life with Jack and is gradually recovering from her miscarriage and Aunt’s tragic death.

Harpers welcomes some new faces and they all become part of the daily life at the busy store.

However, whilst the sun is shining on the streets of London, dark clouds gather over Europe as war looms threatening rainy days for the girls…

A heart-warming saga following the lives, loves and losses of the Harpers Girls. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries, Pam Howes and Dilly Court.

MY REVIEW:

Having thoroughly enjoyed RAINY DAYS FOR THE HARPERS GIRLS, I'm really sorry that I didn't start this series from the beginning because now I feel like I missed out on so much, despite the author giving us plenty of background so that this book can be read as a standalone. I guess I'm a little cross with myself because I didn't enjoy the second book and gave up on it before it really went anywhere. The main problem I had with it was that I didn't feel drawn into it from the beginning and it felt like it had picked up halfway through something that may have carried over from the first book. 

This was no so with this book - RAINY DAYS FOR THE HARPERS GIRLS. I was swept up in the trials and tribulations of the Harpers girls from the start. And it was then that I wished I had tried reading the previous one again...despite not really having the time. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it has made me want to go back and read the first two and get my hands on the fourth one so I can continue in the stories of each of the girls and their loved ones.

Set in and around Harpers Emporium on London's exclusive Oxford Street, we follow the stories of the girls and a little of their fellow workers. Everyone has a backstory and as the reader, we are given enough detail to bring us up to speed and to continue following. We rejoin Beth, Sally, Rachel and Maggie, but are also joined by a few new faces (which possibly made their debut somewhere in the last book, I can't be sure) in Miss Minnie, Marion Kaye and Becky Stockbridge, daughter of Harpers' manager Jonathan Stockbridge. With Beth and Sally marrying in the last book and moving out of the flat they shared with Rachel and Maggie, Miss Minnie moved in after the death of her dear sister.

It's 1914 and with the war now looming on the horizon, there is a tension surrounding the growing hostilities in Europe as well as the Suffragette movement. The story picks up from where book two left off I assume with newly married Ben and Sally Harper expecting their first child and about to celebrate the second anniversary of the opening of Harpers. The couple have many plans for the celebrations trying to remain positive in the face of the growing conflict in Europe.

After recovering from her miscarriage and her aunt's tragic death, Beth is also enjoying newly married life to her husband Jack Burrows, a merchant seaman who is often away for weeks at a time. But Beth isn't completely lonely as she shares Jack's father's house in her husband's absence. Fred Burrows works in the mailroom at Harpers so he isn't a stranger to Beth. Jack's younger brother Tim has taken a shine to Maggie and the two begin a tentative courtship before becoming secretly engaged when war breaks out.

Rachel Craven has found new love in William Bailey after contending herself to widowhood for the rest of her days. The couple marry just prior to war being declared and spend just one night together before William must attend training. With Rachel marrying, the flat is too much for Miss Minnie and Maggie to keep on, so they move in with the Burrows shortly before Rachel's wedding.

But the biggest surprise of all is Miss Minnie's announcement. Although she moves into the Burrows house with Maggie, she is only there for a short time until she too is wed to the one and only man she has ever loved. Who might that be? Well, I think I will leave that for you to discover for yourself.

And then there is Marion Kaye. Of all the women at Harpers, she is the one I felt for the most. She is one of umpteen children, the second eldest, and with her mother constantly taken to her bed, it is up to Marion to keep the house running. Her father is away at sea for long periods at a time, though the family have grown to be thankful for those long absences for he is nothing but a vicious brute. Marion's older brother Dan stood up to him and then promptly left to make his own way in life, as he couldn't stand by and watch their father beat the life out of their mother. Her brother Robbie who came after her, works down at the docks but when war is declared he is quick to sign on for King and country. That leave Marion to take care of her three younger siblings as well as her mother. Until fate steps in one night in the form of her father, who returns home drunk and with a fire in his belly to go another few rounds with their weakened mother. But will she survive this latest beating?

Despite her sad home life, Marion has caught the eye of her neighbour Reggie Jackson who is determined to make Marion his girl. Fully aware of what Marion has to contend with and her brutish father, Reggie is forever spoiling her and her siblings with special treats in the form of extra food, tickets to the football for her brothers or a trinket for her. He leaves her with a promise as he also goes to sign on to fight for King and country.

Times are hard for many, especially those with large families to support, whilst others are lonely and unmarried. But together, there is a sense of support and the bond of friendship between the women that runs throughout the story.

I really enjoyed this book...more than I thought I would. So I shall have to go back and give "Love and Marriage at Harpers" another go sometime to appreciate the full background of these extraordinary women. I recommend that you start from the beginning though this book can be read as a standalone. 

As I was reading, I did have a sense of familiarity in finding it very similar to the Mrs Boots series by Deborah Carr and the Liberty Girls series by Fiona Ford. There is also a nod to Selfridge's with Ben Harper, the man behind Harpers Emporium, also being American. If you enjoy any or all of these, then you are sure to enjoy the Harpers Emporium series.

Overall, RAINY DAYS FOR THE HARPERS GIRLS is wonderful story for fans of historical fiction and sagas. If you love Dilly Court, Nadine Dorries and Pam Howes, you will love this series.

I would like to thank #RosieClarke, #NetGalley and #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #RainyDaysForTheHarpersGirls in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

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

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

 

Social Media links:

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REVIEW: The Birthday Weekend by Lesley Sanderson

 

The Birthday Weekend by Lesley Sanderson

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 13th December 2020

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Published: 18th December 2020

★★★ 3 stars  

DESCRIPTION:

Dear Louise. It’s time we all put the past behind us. We’re meeting for my birthday. I want you there. Love, Amy. X

 

When Louise receives an invitation to her old friend Amy’s birthday weekend in a cottage next to the woods near their old university campus, a chill runs down her spine.

 

Fifteen years ago, Hannah walked into those same woods and never came back. Her death destroyed her friends. They’ve not met as a group since. Until now.

 

As the party gets underway and old grudges are uncovered, a game of truth or dare is proposed. It’s clear one person has questions about their friend’s death – and now they want answers. And nothing will stop them.

 

When everyone has buried secrets, digging for the truth is going to get dangerous.

 

A gripping and addictive psychological thriller that will keep you turning the pages, for fans of Gillian Flynn, Teresa Driscoll and Ruth Ware.

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Lesley Sanderson's newest thriller THE BIRTHDAY WEEKEND (previously titled "Our Little Secret").

As I absolutely loved "The Woman at 46 Heath Street" I have since found any other book by Lesley Sanderson can't quite seem to live up to it's brilliance. So in saying that, it's kind of sets the standard somewhat high in that respect. However, that is not to say I didn't enjoy THE BIRTHDAY WEEKEND. It was okay but not brilliant.

The story begins with Louise receiving an invitation to her old university friend Amy's birthday bash weekend in a cottage Amy has recently inherited from her aunt in Buckinghamshire. A chill runs down her spine. Of all places, Louise ponders, why here? For the cottage borders the Blackwood Forest...the very place where the worst thing that had ever happened to them occurred? Why did Amy want them to revisit such a place or such an event?

After battling breast cancer, Amy is now in remission and ready to celebrate her 35th birthday. But this time she intends to do something different instead of partying and getting wasted. The time has come, she believes, for her and her friends to confront what happened fifteen years ago in Blackwood Forest. Hannah Robinson was one of their closest friends and on the brink of achieving great things for herself, she then takes her own life. The question is why? 

Today, each of Hannah's friends are still haunted by what happened to her and their possible involvement in what may or may not have contributed to her decision to end her life. Amy knows they all have secrets surrounding Hannah's death and she believes the time has come to face those secrets and bring closure to the events that have haunted them for so long. But does everyone share her new-found conviction?

As well as the prospect of facing her demons, Louise is also coming to terms with her relationship with Theo that has been on rocky ground since she discovered his recent affair. Theo had assured her it was over, the women was a colleague who no longer works with him and he was deeply sorry for what he had put her through. The two of them had been miserable apart and it took Louise a week to decide to give him another chance, and neither of them have looked back. Although there was always that niggle at the back of her mind. She trusts him...but should she really? 

Now with this birthday weekend coming up, which will begin with all four women arriving first and the partners joining them on the Saturday for the celebrations, Louise and Theo look forward to some time together away from London's hustle and bustle.

When the four women - Louise, Amy, Kat and Daisy - reunite after so many years, they decide to set aside their fears and say goodbye to Hannah once and for all. At the place where she died. Which means entering the foreboding forest. Laying their flowers there they notice another fresh bunch, assuming it is from her family. But in the shadows they are being watched. Does someone know something else about Hannah's death?

Then it is revealed that new evidence has come to light which leads detectives to believe that Hannah's death was not a suicide as it had been ruled. But murder. And each of her friends are in the frame. In a group who are each hiding secrets, which of them harbours the biggest of all? Who killed Hannah? And why?

THE BIRTHDAY WEEKEND is primarily told from Louise's perspective, with the exception of a few chapters towards the end, and the inclusion of several newspaper reports from 2005. So while we are seeing things play out through her eyes we tend to form an affinity with Louise and her perspective. But is her judgement clouded? She thought Hannah was her best friend but how well did she really know her? How well did any of them know her, it seems? And how well does she even know her friends?

There is an interesting dynamic between each of the friends as secrets are slowly uncovered through a random game of Truth or Dare. But was it random or a deliberate act to force everyone into revealing exactly what they are hiding?

For me the story started incredibly slow. So much so I was tempted to give up a few times...but the nagging mystery surround Hannah and her death kept me reading. It did gradually build in intensity while at the same time it was just a bunch of women reliving the past and their memories of Hannah...without revealing anything earth-shattering. It wasn't until the partners - Theo, Sam and Jade - arrived and Amy had set up an eerie shrine to Hannah in the sitting room to set the mood of the evening she had planned, that things really started to heat up. By this time it was about 60% in and, in my opinion, should have long snagged the reader's attention before this. But...it did get interesting at last. 

There weren't a whole lot of twists or red herrings that you would expect along the way to keep the reader guessing and in the end, I thought the outcome was obvious...although not predictable (if that makes sense). But it was the truth or dare game that made things really interesting. That's where my interest piqued and I found I couldn't turn the pages quick enough.

Although I didn't become engaged till well into the story, I wouldn't rush to dismiss it. THE BIRTHDAY WEEKEND is still a good thriller and a fairly quick read. I just prefer mine to grab me from the first page and not let up until the end...to the point I forget to eat or sleep...lol THE BIRTHDAY WEEKEND was not that kind of read but it was still enjoyable for the most part.

Perfect for fans who enjoy a slow burning thriller. A solid 3 stars.

I would like to thank #LesleySanderson, #NetGalley, #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheBirthdayWeekend in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lesley attended the Curtis Brown Creative 6 month novel writing course in 2015/6, and in 2017 The Orchid Girls (then On The Edge) was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish fiction prize.

Lesley is the author of psychological thrillers and spends her days writing in coffee shops in Kings Cross where she lives and works as a librarian. She loves the atmosphere and eclectic mix of people in the area. Lesley discovered Patricia Highsmith as a teenager and has been hooked on psychological thrillers ever since.

 

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REVIEW: Why She Died by J.G. Roberts

 

Why She Died (DCI Rachel Hart #3) by J.G. Roberts

Genre: Crime fiction, Police procedural

Read: 17th December 2020

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Amazon

Published: 29th May 2020

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

It was a person after all, but she was suspended in mid-air. Abi’s heart began to thump against her ribcage as the full horror of what she was seeing became apparent. Her shrill scream pierced the silence, startling birds into taking flight. ‘Help me!’ she cried. ‘Somebody please help!’

When beautiful and bright Hannah is late for their morning run, her best friend Abi thinks nothing of it. Hannah isn’t always that reliable – she’s probably just overslept.

But as Abi runs through the woods, following the same route she always does, she is greeted by a horrifying sight: Hannah’s body, swaying in the breeze.

Detective Rachel Hart is called to the scene. Something seems wrong from the start. Hannah’s friends and family insist that she had everything to live for, and no one has a bad word to say about her. But when murder is confirmed, and Rachel starts digging, she soon realises that there were plenty of people with reason to want Hannah dead.

Then a second woman is found strangled in the same wood, and everything Rachel thought is thrown into doubt. Is there a serial killer at work?

Rachel is determined to find answers before another life is lost – all the time unaware that the killer’s sights are focused firmly on her.

Can Rachel unravel the deadly game before she walks into a trap?

MY REVIEW:

I have yet to read the first book in this series but my TBR piles keeps growing! lol I simply LOVED "What He Did" and as it was so long since I'd read the book, I had to refresh my memory by re-reading the last chapter as my review vaguely insinuated a few unanswered questions that lead me to wonder if my instincts are correct. After doing so, my instincts were refreshed. 

And were they correct? That, I cannot say...except that you'll have to read the book to find out for yourself.

As the third outing for DCI Rachel Hart, WHY SHE DIED can easily be read as a standalone as there is enough background information included so as to not confuse the reader. But it would be remiss of me not to advise you to start from the beginning, even though I came in on the second book, which precedes this latest book nicely. You do get to know Rachel and her team a bit better by starting from the beginning.

After discovering her twin sister Ruth has absconded from the mental health facility in which she resides, DCI Rachel Hart took some personal leave until sitting at home drove her stir crazy. But upon returning to work, she took on some more menial tasks before jumping into the deep end. Then early one Saturday morning she got the call. A body has been found hanging in the woods.

Rachel's first thought being that it was Ruth...

University student Abi Wyett had to drag herself out of bed to accompany best friend Hannah on her daily morning runs, though she would much rather stay in bed. But she made a committment to support Hannah in her quest to become the youngest British woman to scale Mount Everest...but time was running out for her to grab that title as she was fast approaching her 21st birthday in twelve months' time. So Abi ran with her each morning, worked out with her and even worked at the Velvet nightclub as a shot girl alongside her...all in her support for her best friend.

So when Hannah didn't come knocking that morning or answered Abi's knock ten minutes later, Abi assumed she was annoyed with her for calling off work the night before and went without her. So Abi decided to catch her up as she couldn't be that much further in front. But when Abi ran into the dense woods as part as their normal route she was shocked to discover Hannah's body hanging lifelessly from a tree.

Enter DCI Rachel Hart and her team. 

At first it was believed to be a suicide but everyone who knew Hannah knew she wouldn't take her own life, for she thought it to be a selfish weakness. And the more Rachel and her team dug, the more she was inclined to agree. It doesn't take long for forensic pathologist to confirm that Hannah died from manual strangulation and not hanging...though that did indeed break her neck but by that time Hannah was already dead.

Then a second body is found strangled in the woods, badly decomposed, putting death roughly around four to six weeks ago. Around the same time that Ruth disappeared. Rachel cannot help but draw parallels and fear that this second body may well be that of her sister. Determined to find answers before another life is lost, Rachel questions all of Hannah's friends, colleagues and her boyfriend. And yet she feels there is something she's missing...all the time completely unaware that the killer's sights are focused firmly on her. Can Rachel unravel the deadly mystery before she walks into a trap?

I have to say I love Rachel although I am not generally a fan of overtly strong women leads. Rachel is strong and determined but not a bitch. She is completely likable as is her trusty team. Her camaraderie with her DI as well as the rest of her team makes her one of my favourite female leads.

Rachel hasn't always had it easy. As a child, both her and her twin sister Ruth were kidnapped and sexually abused by a neighbour which has had adverse repercussions on both women's lives. Ruth's manifested in a suicide attempt leading her to be housed in a mental health facility which was a calm and safe environment for her. Which is why Rachel can't understand why she absconded. For Rachel, her childhood experience left her emotionally scarred and unable to commit or trust men. She's slowly learning to trust her lawyer boyfriend Tim who clearly adores Rachel and is beginning to see a future together. His love and patience is a rarity for which Rachel is eternally grateful.

A fast-paced procedural, WHY SHE DIED is multi-layered with subplots and red herrings. The mystery itself is cleverly plotted with plenty of possibilities to keep the reader guessing. The twist, when it comes, throws a light on everything Rachel thought she knew, changing the course of the book towards the final reveal.

WHY SHE DIED is an entertaining read from start to finish, making Rachel Hart one of my favourite series. Recommended for fans of crime fiction, police procedurals and female leads with heart.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Born in Nottingham, Julia Roberts travelled the world working as a professional dancer, singer and TV presenter. She has also produced and presented features for Sky Sports - she has a passion for football, particularly her team, Crystal Palace - as well as corporate videos and live presentations.

Julia has been writing and self-publishing her fiction since 2015 but has now signed a three book deal with Bookouture, under the name J G Roberts, for a detective/crime/thriller series centred around DCI Rachel Hart. The first book in the series, Little Girl Missing, will publish on June 14th 2019, with book 2 in the series in October 2019 and book 3 in April 2020, keeping her very busy as she also prepares for a beach wedding to her partner of forty-one years, Chris, in August.

Having survived paralytic polio as a baby, Julia is an ambassador for British Polio and the Rotary International 'End Polio Now' campaign, and has donated from book sales to both charities, as well as the blood cancer charity, Bloodwise.

 

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