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Murder in the Library by Anita Davison
Published: 19th February 2024

Monday 31 January 2022

REVIEW: Playing Nice by J.P. Delaney


Playing Nice by J.P. Delaney
Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller, Suspense
Read: 31st January 2022
Published: 6th August 2020

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Pete Riley answers the door one morning to a parent's worst nightmare. On his doorstep is Miles Lambert, who breaks the devastating news that Pete's two-year-old, Theo, isn't Pete's real son - their babies got mixed up at birth.

The two families - Pete, his partner Maddie, and Miles and his wife Lucy - agree that, rather than swap the boys back, they'll try to find a more flexible way to share their children's lives. But a plan to sue the hospital triggers an investigation that unearths disturbing questions about just what happened the day the babies were switched.

And when Theo is thrown out of nursery for hitting other children, Maddie and Pete have to ask themselves: how far do they want this arrangement to go? What secrets lie hidden behind the Lamberts' smart front door? How much can they trust the real parents of their child - or even each other?

An addictive psychological thriller, perfect for fans of The Silent Patient and Shari Lapena's The Couple Next Door.


MY REVIEW:

They've got your child. You've got their's... Let the battle begin.

WOW...WOW...WOW!!! How can I even begin to review this book and do it justice?

PLAYING NICE is pretty much the opposite of "playing nice", rather more a tongue in cheek play on words...but very clever indeed. As is the entire book. I've only read one J.P. Delaney book before and that was his debut under this pseudonym "The Girl Before" and it was OK-ish so I naturally went into it a little apprehensive but I needn't have worried because it seriously has nothing on this one! O.M.G. as in Oh-Em-Gee!!

I was gripped from the moment I started reading and I could not put it down, even when I had to...to, you know, deal with real life. The premise was intriguing to say the least but the story drew me in and had me hooked until the very end. It is so clever, so intricate and so complex your head will be swimming with all that was lumped at this poor couple's feet. 

But how did they get here?

Imagine answering a knock on your door while your son is at nursery to a man who, not only is the spitting of your son, but claims that he is not actually your son but his. That is what happened to Pete Riley one morning whilst perusing the DadsForum after dropping exuberant two year old Theo at nursery. At first, his reaction is that it's not true. Then upon noting the obvious resemblance his next thought is that Maddie had been unfaithful with this man and now he has come to lay claim to his child. But what this stranger, Miles Lambert, reveals is something far more complex and devastating that any infidelities. The man with Miles is Don Macguire, a private investigator that he had engaged to track down his biological son, and with him is irrefutable proof that Theo is in fact the Lambert's child.

So what happened?

That in itself is a long story and one the reader needs to experience themselves to fully appreciate it in its entirety. But I will say that the two babies were switched not long after birth resulting in Theo becoming Pete and partner Maddie's son whilst their child becomes David Lambert. What a heartbreaking thing to have happened to two families...or is it? What if it wasn't an accident but a purposeful act? But surely, no one would do that intentionally? The babies came from private clinics and were transferred at the same time to the same neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and could have inadvertently been mixed up. After all, the flimsy paper tags placed around the babies' legs after birth aren't designed for premmies that small and they can easily slip off. It's the only conclusion both families comes to...but it is negligence just the same. Isn't it?

So let's get the players straight. We have:

Pete Riley, a freelance journalist, and Maddie Wilson, an advertising executive, parents of two year old Theo who is rather exuberating to say the least. They have been having some behavioural problems with him as Theo does not seem to grasp the concept of sharing and when he wants something another child has, he hits them to get it. Of course the nursery frowns on this sort of behaviour, and yet they are not equipped to deal with the specific needs that each child might require. So instead of discussing different forms of discipline with Pete, they exclude Theo from the nursery...this having been the fourth incident in five weeks. Pete adores Theo and does his utmost best for the child. However, his time-out and naughty step strategies don't appear to be working. But does that make him a bad parent? Of course not. Every child is different and therefore may have different, or rather specific, needs. So while Pete is a stay at home dad, a job he loves more than he thought he would, Maddie works in advertising which sees her away a few times a year for location shoots. But does that make her a bad parent? No, of course it doesn't. Even if she isn't as hands on as Pete, she still loves Theo with every breath in her body.

Then we have Miles and Lucy Lambert. They parent two year old David who is quite different from Theo in just about every way possible. But it is clear from the moment Pete and Maddie step into their house that Lucy adores David with every fibre of her being. He is her world and to uproot either child from their current living circumstances would be detrimental to both of them. But Miles, however, is a different kettle of fish. When he first knocked on Pete's door and introduced himself, he was amicable and friendly and even understanding. After initial contact and meeting, the couples made an amicable arrangement which appeared to suit both families. And then Miles started making suggestions and offers that came packaged as gestures of goodwill. A suggestion that they spend Easter together by Maddie turned into a week-long holiday in Cornwall that Miles booked for them all...without discussing it with them first. And then he would turn up at their house unannounced with expensive gifts for Theo, all smiles and friendliness. 

But one little white lie snowballed into something far greater than Pete and Maddie could ever imagine it would become. As the plot evolved quickly, things got ugly. And then difficult. And then even uglier. What it became was a living breathing nightmare from which neither could see an end.

If you haven't read this book then you seriously need to! It is so addictive I couldn't put it down. It is powerful, emotive and compelling that you will run the gauntlet with an outpouring of emotions...from devastation to horror to anger...and boy, did this story elicit a range of emotions for me, particularly anger - having been through something similar, even as nasty with a just as despicable adversary, that brought those old emotions to the surface once again.

What began as a family drama is twisted into a complex thriller that plays one another off the other as it becomes an even greater tangled web of secrets, lies, deception and underhandedness in the extreme. And what Pete and Maddie find themselves up against stretches them both almost to breaking point. Until they decide to beat Miles at his own game, stopping at nothing to keep their family safe. If he wasn't playing nice, then neither were they.

I seriously cannot praise this book enough. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it, despite its ability to make me squirm with anger. The unfairness and injustice just made my blood boil that the good intent and gracious hearts of those were trodden over without a care just to win and claim the prize.

A rollercoaster ride from the narratives of Pete and Maddie throughout, as well as the intermittent excerpts from conversations, reports and evidence gathered over the course of battle taking place, PLAYING NICE is chilling and disturbing on a whole other level. It's a dark suspenseful psychological thriller throughout which the tension is palpable. And I could not put it down! And that ending....YES!!!

So do yourself a favour and go out and grab yourself a copy of PLAYING NICE and prepare to run the gauntlet of emotions. Prepare to be shocked. And prepare to stay up all night to finish it. You won't be sorry. Highly recommend!

I would like to thank #JPDelaney, #Netgalley and #QuercusBooks for an ARC of #PlayingNice in exchange for an honest review.


MEET THE AUTHOR:

J.P. Delaney is a pseudonym of Ugandan born British author, Tony Strong who has also written highly popular novels under the pseudonym Anthony Capella. The author was born in 1962 though he went on to school at St Peter's College, Oxford, from which he attained a First Class Honors Degree in English Literature.

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Sunday 30 January 2022

REVIEW: All for You by Louise Jensen



All for You by Louise Jensen
Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller, Suspense
Read: 29th January 2022
Published: 20th January 2022

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Meet the Walsh Family.

Lucy: Loving mother. Devoted wife. And falling to pieces.
Aidan: Dedicated father. Faithful husband. And in too deep.
Connor: Hardworking son. Loyal friend. But can never tell the truth.

Everyone in this family is hiding something, but one secret will turn out to be the deadliest of all . . .

Can this family ever recover when the truth finally comes out?

IT WAS ALL FOR YOU.


MY REVIEW:

O.M.G.!! What a wild ride that I read in almost one sitting and definitely completed in one day...staying up until the wee hours to unravel the mystery and find out just what the hell was going on! Louise Jensen is one of my favourite authors, though she has written just a handful of thrillers, none of them are a disappointment and each one of them is a thrill ride the reader never forgets!

So what of ALL FOR YOU? I can say that it is with a huge sense of foreboding I raced through the pages trying to work out exactly what was going on...but I wasn't even close! Most authors can't hoodwink me but Louise Jensen manages to skillfully do just that as she weaves together one hell of a twisted tale with so many twists and false turns that leaves us breathless by the end. I dare anyone to guess the outcome...because it's so unexpected and disturbing even that one has to wonder exactly what goes on in the author's mind! The entire tale is twisted that much of it is revealed to be unexpected, though I do proudly claim to have unravelled at least one or two twists! Yay...go me!

The story begins with a rather thrilling and incredibly intriguing prologue as Lucy races home with a deep sense of foreboding...way deeper than mine...panic stricken that something has happened to her eldest son Connor, in the wake of the recent disappearances of his two best friends Tyler and Ryan. Panicking when he fails to answer his phone. He may well not answer her calls but he would never ignore his 13 year old brother Keiron, who is very ill with a rare disorder that has no known cure.

What ensues is the countdown to Connor's disappearance as the clock is rewound thirteen days prior and readers are introduced to the Walsh family who are under a considerable amount of strain. In the midst of Keiron's life-threatening illness, Connor is consumed with guilt over something that took place several months before at a school camp of sorts. Readers don't know what but are gradually drip-fed throughout and keeps us guessing, as we think we know what happened. But we don't...oh, no. It goes way deeper. Meanwhile Lucy is trying to keep everything perfectly balanced holding the family together, caring for Keiron all the while aware that her eldest son is struggling. And then there is Aidan, husband and father, who has secrets of his own that have in too deep to dig himself out of the hole in which he now finds himself. Again, readers think they know...and yet again, we know nothing.

In the lead-up to Connor's disappearance and those of his friends Tyler and Ryan beforehand, Lucy feels she is being watched as she spots a single white car on more than one occasion parked outside their house and even following her to the supermarket. Her paranoia is clear for all to see that even Connor becomes aware of the car but instead of it being his mum being under threat, he believes the car is stalking him. And Aidan? Well, you guessed it...he thinks they are watching him. Each one of the Walsh family, except Keiron, believe they are the ones under threat as they fight to keep their secrets from coming to light. And instead of talking to each other, their world - along with their secrets - become a tangled mess.

There are very few characters in this nail-biting read so there aren't that many suspects to choose from and yet Jensen still manages to confuse the reader and spring on us the unexpected. As the story progresses, I was continually surprised by each revelation as we are kept guessing throughout. I honestly could not put this book down and simply had to read it to the end...even if it kept me awake into the wee hours. I have to say, it was worth the sleep deprivation. What a ride!

The story is initially told from the three perspectives of Lucy, Aidan and Connor in the first part of the story, which is divided into three parts. Ryan does share a narrative in the second although his doesn't shed any real light and pretty much only serves to thrown even more confusion our way. The chapters are short and snappy which keep the reader engaged and the story moving at a lightning speed throughout. Towards the end the chapters are even shorter again - some only a page or even just a few lines as we flip the pages in our quest to find out what happens. These short snappy chapters (my favourite) reflects the intensity and creates a building tension of the drama playing out before us. Each chapter flows from one narrative to the next as we see into each of the characters' minds. This made the pace move at a breakneck speed that was almost faster than the speed of light!

In the midst of the thrills is plenty of emotion as we witness each of the characters' heartbreaks and struggles at the struggles they each face...even if we don't know exactly what they may be. The entire read was an adrenaline rush I found I was laying on my pillow at 4am thinking...what the hell was that?

ALL FOR YOU is fast paced throughout, picking up even moreso in Part Two and not letting up until the end. It was an adrenaline rush from start to finish. Who needs skydiving when we have Louise Jensen penning such thrillers? I have read four, of which "The Sister" and "The Stolen Sisters" had been my favourites, but this one takes that to a whole new level!

A thrill-ride till the end, ALL FOR YOU is one hell of a fast-paced read that you will not be able to put down. A bit far-fetched? Maybe. But predictable it is not! But one thing is for sure...it is incredibly entertaining and addictive and one hell of a ride!

I didn't think I would be able to say much about this book for fear of revealing anything...but I can't stop talking about it! It's just mind-blowingly brilliant and I just loved it from beginning to end! I can't wait to see what Louise Jensen brings us next! Keep them coming!!

Perfect for fans of twisted psychological thrillers that keep you guessing.

I would like to thank #LouiseJensen, #Netgalley and #HQ for an ARC of #AllForYou in exchange for an honest review.


MEET THE AUTHOR:

Louise Jensen has sold over a million English language copies of her International No. 1 psychological thrillers The Sister, The Gift, The Surrogate, The Date and The Family. Her novels have also been translated into twenty-five languages, as well as featuring on the USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestseller’s List. Louise's sixth thriller, The Stolen Sisters will be published in Autumn by Harper Collins.

The Sister was nominated for the Goodreads Debut of 2016 Award. The Date was nominated for The Guardian's 'Not The Booker' Prize 2018. The Surrogate was nominated for the best Polish thriller of 2018. The Gift has been optioned for a TV film. The Family was a Fern Britton Book Club pick. Louise was also listed for two CWA Dagger Awards.   

When Louise isn’t writing thrillers, she turns her hand to penning love stories under the name Amelia Henley. Her debut as Amelia Henley, The Life We Almost Had, is out now.

Louise lives with her husband, children, madcap dog and a rather naughty cat in Northamptonshire. She loves to hear from readers and writers.

Social Media links:




Thursday 27 January 2022

REVIEW: The Commandant's Daughter by Catherine Hokin


The Commandant's Daughter by Catherine Hokin
Genre: Historical fiction, Post WW2
Read: 19th January 2022
Published: 26th January 2022

★★★ 3.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

A heartbreaking novel about the incredible courage of ordinary people during the Second World War. Fans of The Alice Network, The Nightingale and The Tattooist of Auschwitz will never forget this powerful story of hope found in the darkest days.

1933, Berlin. Ten-year-old Hanni Foss stands by her father watching the celebrations marking Adolf Hitler as Germany’s new leader. As the torchlights fade, her safe and happy childhood changes forever as Reiner, the father she adores, is corrupted by his new position as commandant of an infamous concentration camp…

Twelve years later. As the Nazi regime crumbles, Hanni hides from her father on the outskirts of Berlin. In stolen moments, she develops the photographs she took to record the horrors of the camp – the empty food bowls and desperate faces – and vows to get justice for the innocent people she couldn’t help as a child.

But her carefully constructed new life is threatened when Hanni discovers a body hidden in a bombed-out building, and meets Freddy, the tortured young detective in charge of the case. Could the fierce emotion in his brown eyes distract Hanni from her quest for atonement?

Or will Reiner stop her himself? Because on the day she plans to deliver her damning photographs to the Allies, Hanni comes face to face with her father again. Reiner Foss has a powerful new identity and he makes it clear just how dangerous it will be to expose him. Now she faces a devastating choice, between the past which haunts her, and the chance of a future with Freddy…


MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Catherine Hokin's historical tale with a difference THE COMMANDANT'S DAUGHTER.

I have read and enjoyed Catherine Hokin's previous books although they are generally slowish to start in their build up. However, THE COMMANDANT'S DAUGHTER differs to her previous novels in the sense that it draws you in from the start, offers you a different tale and it is the first in a four book series featuring Hanni and Freddy. Hokin says herself she has not embarked on a series before so is finding it a refreshing challenge and for her readers it is something different...whilst still against the backdrop of the horrors of the Nazi regime and the Holocaust.

I liked the premise and was drawn to the fact that the main character being a photographer (as my dad was a photographer himself) who captured moments in time through her viewfinder and therefore documenting the atrocities of war. The fact that her father was one of those who issued such punishments in the camps made the story all the more compelling, wondering how such barbarity would pan out. And I was intrigued to find out...

1933: Ten year old Hannelore Foss is intrigued by the pomp and circumstance taking place on the streets below as Hitler rose to power as the new German chancellor, and yet she is baffled why no one else at this party is interested in watching the display as she stands alone on the balcony of the Aldon Hotel. Alone but for one person who sits in the shadows and opens up a whole new world to Hannelore that she never knew existed. The world as seen and captured through the eye of the camera's viewfinder. When Ezra Stein invited Hannelore to view the world through the camera, she never expected to see what she did. And from that moment on, she was intrigued by the world of photography.

1945: Twelve years later, Hanni Winter has shed her past as Reiner Foss' daughter Hannelore and has a job at Ezra Stein's studio with his nephew Natan. The war was not kind to people like Ezra, who was Jewish, and as his studio was destroyed he was taken in the night to a camp where he met his fate as did many other like him. Hanni never saw him again.

But the war was not kind to Hanni either as she moved from place to place and camp to camp with her father, a Nazi officer with the SS, and as she crept into places she was not meant to be she captured the sheer horror of the atrocities that were inflicted on these poor innocent people...simply for being Jewish. Hanni hated her father and all he stood for and by the war's end she had lost her mother, her sister and the father that she had once admired and loved...before he became one of Hitler's henchmen. Now she is Hanni Winter, photographer. Hannelore Foss is dead.

Then one day, whilst exploring the remains of the Aldon Hotel with her camera, she stumbles upon a man laid out as if he were on display and very obviously dead. Without disturbing the scene, she begins to capture everything about him in death, relaying her thoughts and observations to the police when they arrive. Almost at once she notices that the dead man is a former SS officer, his SS tattoo displayed for all to see and a sign strung around his neck accusing him of his crimes.

Inspector Freddy Schlussel is immediately taken with the photographer as she relays her observations of the scene. Her exceptional eye for detail and ability to read the scene only enamours him more. Then when another body is found, he calls on Hanni to accompany him to the scene where they discover that he too was a former SS officer. Hanni and Freddy work together to uncover the culprit and the purpose behind his crimes.

But herein lies the conundrum. Freddy is Jewish and this villain is killing off former SS officers who oversaw such atrocities against his people during the war. Does Freddy really want such a person caught? Or does he want to let him keep killing them off, one by one? Surely he is doing the good people of Germany a favour by eliminating them?

And Hanni...she has since discovered her father is not only alive but has reinvented himself and is threatening her future. While she cannot reveal her past Freddy as he will surely never understand that she played no part in the atrocities but stood by while her father inflicted them on his people, Hanni secretly hopes that this killer has her father on his list. Reiner is definitely a threat to her life now as she knows it should she try to denounce him publicly. But Freddy will never understand that or her hatred for the man. And so her past as the daughter of an SS officer must remain a secret.

THE COMMANDANT'S DAUGHTER is a very different read to those we are used to of this era. It combines the atrocities of the Holocaust with the murders of former SS officers as well as the secrets that both Hanni and Freddy keep. Whilst Freddy does eventually bare his soul to Hanni, she cannot in all honesty reciprocate...because as soon as he hears the truth of her past, he will hate her, of that she is sure. And yet Hanni was a victim as well. She was a girl when her father became a Nazi and was still living under his hand throughout much of the war. As a woman, she had no say and no power to speak out against such a man held in high regard. Hanni wanted nothing more than to escape him and when she did, she began a new life away from his rule. She hated everything the Nazis stood for...but would Freddy, as a Jew, understand that?

Much of the story is shrouded in her fear of her past being discovered and thus the sting of Freddy's rejection. I willed her to be upfront with him; the sooner the better, otherwise Freddy will accuse of her keeping it from him...which she is. But will he understand why? Given his own personal connection to the Holocaust and Nazis, probably not which is why Hanni has chosen to keep it secret. Will she reveal her past in the next book? Or will it be saved till the very last? Personally, I think the longer she leaves it the worse it will be. This, in turn, frustrated me.

Along with Hanni's conundrum about her past, THE COMMANDANT'S DAUGHTER is also a murder mystery which is something different. Although it is no mystery to the reader though it is to Hanni and Freddy who are hot on his trail to uncover him. But throughout the story we see the development of the killer and how his story plays out also, which is an interesting concept. At first, the reader sympathises with him for what is clearly an indifference to him throughout his entire life. We see how he selects his targets and I admit to hoping Reiner Foss is on the list too. The tale, as it is told, is a very different one to that which is described in the book's premise. Having said that, it is a pleasant surprise to have something different on offer.

I must say, I absolutely loathed Reiner and I can only hope he gets his comeuppance soon enough. But he won't be easy prey for anyone who seeks to denounce him. He is a bully who is nothing if not cruel and selfish, thinking of no one but himself. He doesn't even care one iota for his daughter but then she also hates him, or rather the man he became as a Nazi. But he is powerful with his little spies everywhere throughout the city.

The first in a series, THE COMMANDANT'S DAUGHTER is a powerful tale that is heartwrenching in part capturing a plethora of emotions throughout. It will be interesting to see how the relationship between Hanni and Freddy develops. And if she will ever reveal her past.

A very different WW2 story, I wouldn't say the plot is not fast moving but is steady throughout. However, it is very wordy in places with a lot of description that does tend to slow the pace a little.

Recommended for fans of historical fiction offering something a little different.

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


MEET THE AUTHOR:

Catherine Hokin is the author of two World War Two inspired novels set in Berlin, her favourite city. Following a History degree at Manchester University she worked in teaching, marketing and politics, while waiting for a chance to do what she really wanted which was to write full time. Her short stories have been published by iScot, Writers Forum and Myslexia magazines and she was the winner of the 2019 Fiction 500 Short Story Competition. She is a lover of strong female leads and a quest.

Catherine now lives in Glasgow with her American husband. She has two grown-up children – one of whom lives, very conveniently, in Berlin – and a life long addiction to very loud music. 

Social Media links:




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Wednesday 26 January 2022

REVIEW: The Secrets of Saffron Hall by Clare Marchant



The Secrets of Saffron Hall by Clare Marchant
Genre: Historical fiction, Contemporary fiction, Dual timeline
Read: 25th January 2022
Published: 6th August 2020

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Two women. Five centuries apart.
One life-changing secret about to be unearthed…

1538
New bride Eleanor impresses her husband by growing saffron, a spice more valuable than gold. His reputation in Henry VIII’s court soars – but fame and fortune come at a price, for the king’s favour will not last forever…

2019
When Amber discovers an ancient book in her grandfather’s home at Saffron Hall, the contents reveal a dark secret from the past. As she investigates, so unravels a forgotten tragic story and a truth that lies much closer to home than she could have imagined…

An enchanting historical novel about love and hope in dangerous times, perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley and Kathryn Hughes.


MY REVIEW:

I thoroughly enjoy dual timeline tales and this one was no different. This mysterious and atmospheric story captured my imagination and my heart from the very beginning till the very end. This one, however, differs from the usual dual timeline missives in that the historical aspect is set five centuries before during the bloody reign of King Henry VIII. I don't know a lot about that period of time and it is not usually one that I read but it had me absorbed from its intriguing prologue, leaving me eager to discover what it meant.

1539: Set in Tudor England, in the wake of her father's sudden demise seventeen year old Eleanor finds herself without a home as a distant cousin William and his sour wife Elizabeth move in and everything she has ever known becomes theirs. To make matters worse, William has taken it upon himself to arrange her marriage to Sir Greville Lutton from Norfolk...a man she has never met nor knows nothing about. But within the space of a few weeks, her wedding is arranged and she and her companion Joan together with Eleanor's new husband make the five day journey to his home of Milfleet in Norfolk. 

Despite the quick marriage, Eleanor learns very quickly that her husband is forever absent, his trade as a merchant has him almost permanently in London where he works hard to gain recognition of the King in earning his favour. His letters are few and far between, saying little of what keeps him so entrenched in London. But Eleanor cares little for his absence and taking charge of the household, she sets to work creating gardens for her herbs she uses to create medicinal aids. She also gains the permission to have the fields ploughed to enable her to sow the few crocus bulbs she has which thus creates the saffron that is to become her husband's fortune. But will it also lead to their downfall?

2019: In the present day we meet Amber, who is currently staying with her grandfather at Saffron Hall while she grieves the loss of her baby. Hiding away in the great Norfolk house, she is cataloguing her grandfather's expansive book collection leaving her vicar husband to grieve alone at the rectory where they live. Early in her stay, a resounding thunderstorm whips the winds and the rains around the stately old Hall during which lightning strikes the tower, resulting in it partially crumbling and in need of repairs. As a listed building there are restrictions as to how and who can repair the aging structure. However, it is while the builders are erecting the scaffolding that they come across an old book wrapped in fine linen, passing it on to Amber who immediately becomes intrigued with it.

Turning the pages of the old book, it soon becomes clear to Amber that it is the prayer book of hours and journal that had belonged to a woman called Eleanor 500 years ago. How is it possible that this book has remained in tact upon a window sill for five centuries? And what secrets does it hold? Amber is eager to uncover them but in doing so must translate it from ancient Latin, of which she's a little rusty, to unravel Eleanor's secrets and those of Saffron Hall.

As the story progresses, it becomes obvious that Eleanor and Amber have many things in common beyond Saffron Hall. Both women have loved and lost having experienced a similar tragedy, of which Amber becomes aware soon after discovering the journal with Eleanor's neat script etched at the front of the book with a puzzling missive that Amber feels she must unravel. And yet Amber struggles with her own grief whilst keeping her husband Jonathan at arm's length. The parallels between the two women is made more poignant as Amber feels Eleanor is trying to communicate something to her...thus highlighting her own journey of grief. Can Amber find the closure she needs both for herself and for Eleanor?

The stories are seamlessly woven together with the added mystery of the secrets that the tower, from which Amber is forbidden, has held for 500 years. From 1538 to 1841 we learn about Eleanor's life with, and without, her very much absent husband while in 2019 we work alongside Amber trying to solve the mystery Eleanor left behind. We learn enough about each of them to see them develop from whence they came and journey with them to the bitter end. There is grief, there is love, there is grief, there is loss, there is grief, there is heartbreak...and and did I mention, grief? It is what is at the heart of both stories as the 500 hear old secrets slowly unravel.

As I've said, I have not read anything set in Tudor times and know little of Henry VIII beyond his harem of wives and his penchant for beheading them. That, and his creation of the Church of England to permit divorce so as to rid himself of his unwanted wives when they have outlived their usefulness...or proved to be less than useful. He was a cruel King, that I know, and his reign was bloody. And while Eleanor's husband sought favour with the King, with her saffron crop increasing that favour...but if anyone knows anything about King Henry VIII, his favour never lasts. His eight wives are proof of that. But reading an historical tale set during the reign of King Henry VIII was something different for me and even rather refreshing. 

I really quite enjoyed this tangent I took with THE SECRETS OF SAFFRON HALL and am glad I came across it. It combines contemporary fiction with historical with the dual narratives expertly entwined. My only complaint is that I would probably have liked an Epilogue to wrap everything up but that is an aside to what is essentially a wonderfully atmospheric tale transcending five centuries and intricately linking them together.

Beautifully written, expertly told, THE SECRETS OF SAFFRON HALL is a pure delight. I admit to being pleasantly surprised by Greville who was nothing like I imagined him to be who, paralleled with Jonathan in the present day, was a tender loving soul. I loved both men though not always Greville's choices. But then they were different times.

I cannot praise THE SECRETS OF SAFFRON HALL enough. Nor can I recommend it highly enough. A wonderfully absorbing read from beginning to end. I was almost sad to depart Saffron Hall and those of Eleanor and Amber.

I would like to thank #ClareMarchant, #Netgalley and #AvonBooks for an ARC of #TheSecretsOfSaffronHall in exchange for an honest review.


MEET THE AUTHOR:

Growing up in Surrey, Clare always dreamed of being a writer. Instead, after gaining a degree in history and an MA in women's studies she accidentally fell into a career in IT. After spending many years as a project manager in London, she moved to Norfolk for a quieter life and trained as a professional jeweller. Now, finally writing full-time, she lives with her husband and the youngest two of her six children. Weekends are often spent satisfying her love of history, exploring local castles and monastic ruins with her miniature schnauzer Fred. The family also make frequent visits to the beautiful Norfolk coast where they all, including Fred, eat (a lot) of ice cream.

Social Media links:


REVIEW: The New Girl by Ruth Heald



The New Girl by Ruth Heald
Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense
Read: 21st January 2022
Published: 25th January 2022

★★★ 3.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Behind her dream life hides the perfect nightmare.

I couldn’t believe it when I got the call to offer me my dream job. It was right in the heart of the city with a flat provided. I jumped at the chance and within weeks I had made new friends and started to date a wonderful man. For the first time in years, I felt safe.

It’s a world away from the life I ran from…

But soon strange things begin to happen in my flat: odd noises in the night, the feeling that I’m being watched. When I discover an old dress hidden behind my wardrobe and wear it to work, the atmosphere chills instantly. The dress belonged to a girl my boss would rather forget. The girl before me who vanished without a trace.

I tell myself not to worry; that I’m just imagining things. But when a young woman arrives on my doorstep, she warns me to leave my new life behind. She tells me there are more girls like me and we are more connected than I could have ever imagined.

Then I come face to face with the reason I ran all those years ago and it soon becomes clear: someone knows my secret. And they will do anything to keep me silent.

A totally gripping, unputdownable and twisty psychological thriller perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl and You.


MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Ruth Heald's exciting new thriller THE NEW GIRL.

I've been a fan of Ruth Heald since her debut domestic thriller "The Mother's Mistake" which is just brilliant from start to finish. So naturally every new release of hers incites an excitement and anticipation of what's to come. This one promises fresh starts and new beginnings for the protagonist who has seen her fair share of ups and downs, not to mention disappointments. Unfortunately, this fresh start isn't what she was expecting.

THE NEW GIRL in this story is Sophie, who had escaped London once before after an incident at university for the safety of home in Dorset. But now she is ready to put the past behind her and move forward...beginning with a job at an ad agency in London. Unfortunately, her boyfriend Charlie doesn't see things in quite the same way. After celebrating ten years since their first kiss at the tender age of fourteen, Charlie springs a surprise on her he is sure she will love.

As he leads her to the cottage by the sea that was once his grandfather's, he proudly announces that he is doing it up for them to settle down and raise a family in. And then he pops the question. Sophie stalls. This isn't what she wants and she flees the house, taking refuge in her childhood home with her father. OK, so maybe Charlie was a bit presumptuous...but after ten years together if it was me I would have thought they'd get married too. And not to mention that cottage by the sea...and the sounds of the ocean through the window at night. To me, that is just pure heaven.

So instead of settling down in their sleepy seaside village in Dorset (which I would prefer to smelly crowded London, myself), Sophie sends out applications to London ad agencies in the hope of securing herself a job. When she is contacted by One Pure "something or other" (I forget the rest of the name) for an interview she can hardly believe it. She travels up to London and meets with James and Cassie, two of the founding members of the company, and together they hit it off. Sophie nails the interview and is offered the job. Better yet, she is offered a flat the company uses for their employees rent-free. Um...

Seriously, how naive can one person be? Hand-picked from a social media post to her dream job with a rent-free flat? Who take her shopping for food, clothing and furnishings? And her bosses just too good to be true? Does she not have any inkling whatsoever that something isn't right? Truly...if something seems too good to be true, then it generally is. But Sophie just welcomed it all with open arms and a naivete that was almost cringeworthy. She should have remembered that nothing comes for free...her experience with Charlie should have told her that. And yet...

And then Sophie begins to hear noises in the night, footsteps outside her door...when she is the only occupant in the building...and a dead rat on her doorstep. And she has the creepy feeling she is being watched. Do people actually feel that? Truly? Then she is approached by a woman claiming to have worked for the company before and she wants to talk to her...but Sophie isn't so sure. When the police approach her regarding her past, Sophie fears her secret is about to be exposed. And before long, Sophie isn't sure who she can trust.

And then she stumbles on a dead body in the flat below hers...

In all honesty, Sophie was too gullible for words. I mean, I generally take people at face value but she took it to a whole new level. She ignored all the red flags and neon signs flashing in her direction, even when warned, and basically dug herself in deeper. She was in a bit of a bind though...new job, new flat and no way of paying rent anywhere else in London except maybe a park bench. Is that why she ignored all the warning signs? Given at all she had endured I would have thought she'd have been more guarded and not so trusting. That went without saying...and yet here she was trusting complete strangers. Even when Charlie turned up several times, which was a little creepy to say the least, she trusted her new friends instead of him who'd she'd known half her life.

The plot was interesting enough but full of holes in my opinion because I really couldn't see a woman being that naive particularly after what she'd been through. Yes, it was a tad far-fetched but it was still fast paced and gripping enough to keep me engaged to the end. I wasn't surprised by the ending or the links to her past as I could see them from a mile off. I didn't trust anyone in the story and hoped Sophie wised up to them before it was too late. No one else is really worth writing about.

THE NEW GIRL is a creepy thriller that had my spidey senses tingling throughout despite my desire to shake some sense into the woman. Sophie has a vulnerability that stems from a previous trauma which has turned he into an unreliable judge of character. And now she's stuck in a flat alone with the threat of someone out there exposing something she would much rather keep hidden. Who can she trust? While Charlie was becoming a tad too clingy and overprotective, I still felt it was a case of better the devil you know than swimming in an ocean of sharks she could not see lurking in the shadows.

A relatively spine-tingling read, THE NEW GIRL is a thriller where you suspect everyone as you try to guess who is responsible. The twists may be unexpected or you may see them coming...it depends on how you read it all. The climax was nail-biting and somewhat exciting but the epilogue was a bit of a letdown as I had expected a bit more to come of things.

Overall, THE NEW GIRL is a reasonably enjoyable read that didn't quite have me on the edge of my seat but it was fast paced and gripping just the same. Didn't quite pack the same punch as the author's previous thrillers but still a good read.

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


MEET THE AUTHOR:

Ruth Heald is a bestselling author of psychological thrillers. Her books include The Wedding, I Know Your Secret, The Mother's Mistake and The Woman Upstairs. 

Ruth grew up a suburban Buckinghamshire town. She studied Economics at Oxford and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting.

Seeking a more creative environment, she found a role at the BBC and worked there for nine years before leaving to write full time. Ruth is fascinated by psychology and finding out what drives people to violence, destruction and revenge. She’s married with one daughter and her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary, domestic lives.

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Sunday 23 January 2022

REVIEW: Find the Girl by Helen Phifer



Find the Girl (DC Morgan Brookes #5) by Helen Phifer
Genre: Crime thriller, Crime fiction, Police procedural, Mystery, Suspense
Read: 16th January 2022
Audible
Sample
Published: 19th January 2022

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

The tent door flutters in the warm breeze, opening towards the silent woods beyond. A silk eye mask lies on top of the empty sleeping bag, blood-red spots ruining the cream fabric…

When a woman disappears from Forest Pines campsite, Detective Morgan Brookes scrambles a search party. Sara Fletcher has never missed a lunch date with her best friend and when Morgan finds a large rip in Sara’s tent, she knows that something terrible must have happened. About to lose hope after hours combing through the acres of dense forest, the excited bark of a tracker dog leads Morgan to female remains, partially covered by leaves and dirt – but the bones don’t belong to Sara.

Morgan trawls through missing persons files until she finds three cold cases with chilling similarities – three other victims dating back twenty years who were taken from campsites while they slept, by a killer the police called the Travelling Man. The post-mortems indicate he kept them alive for 72 hours, meaning every second is crucial to find Sara alive.

Morgan’s team is terrified that this twisted murderer has returned. But Morgan also can’t ignore the fact that a merciless killer from her own past has recently escaped from prison… Could they be chasing the wrong man? If she’s correct, how deep will she have to dig to save Sara and other innocent women like her before time runs out for them all?

A completely unputdownable, heart-in-your-mouth crime thriller. Fans of Angela Marsons, Lisa Regan and Rachel Abbott will be glued to the page!


MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Helen Phifer's exciting crime thriller FIND THE GIRL.

I have been a fan of the Morgan Brookes series since the second book and a fan of Helen Phifer for just a tad longer, with her Dr Beth Adams series. It is immediately engaging and fast paced from the start to finish with a rollercoaster ride of twists...some of which you would never expect! FIND THE GIRL is the fifth in this exciting series and it takes an interesting turn in two aspects...but you will have to read it to find out how.

A young woman goes missing from Forest Pines campsite in the Lake District and her best friend Sofie is quick to raise the alarm when Sara doesn't meet her as arranged. At first it is thought that she had gone for an early morning walk in the forest but when the police are called they find her tent ripped, blood on her pillow and drag marks leading to the forest. DC Morgan Brookes knows at once that something is not right. Calling in for a search team the search dog finds something no one was expecting...skeletonised remains buried deep in the heart of the forest. But the trail for Sara has gone cold.

When a forensic anthropologist called in to recover the remains, he ascertains they are between fifteen and twenty years old. But the case for finding Sara is still young and so the team begin to investigate any and all possibilities, most of which lead to dead ends. But Morgan has a gut instinct. When she receives a call from a retired DI down in Kent who claims to have had a similar case on his books, as well as a couple of others he suspected were linked, Morgan knows the skeletal remains and Sara's disappearance have to be linked. And what of the fatal bashing of an 82 year old woman some miles away? Could that too be linked?

But what kind of killer goes cold for almost two decades before he kills again? One that's been in prison maybe? And that's when Morgan gets a chill run down her spine. It can't be...can it?

Not for the first time, Morgan's past comes back to haunt her as she and her partner DS Ben Matthews race to find this cold-blooded killer before it's too late.

There isn't much more I can say without revealing spoilers because this book is riddled with them! Prepare to be shocked...because this case is like no other and Morgan will find herself in a race against time like never before...with a most unlikely ally. I will say that I thought Morgan had a death wish thinking that she is immortal after all the scrapes she has been in previously and survived. And I think Ben agreed.

FIND THE GIRL is thoroughly addictive as well as terrifying from start to finish and it kept me up until the wee hours of the morning. The suspect pool is small, even non-existent, until Morgan's instinct kicks in. I suspected one and then the other and then another was revealed before I was surprised my first suspect was right... This installment really is a thrill-ride of all thrill-rides.

The penultimate climax, I have to say, was the best. I even shed a few tears for a most unlikely character. But that ending...WOW! That was the best yet...and I hope this is not the end of this series. But it does leave one wondering where it will go from here. I do hope to read more and I do so love this series.

A great cast of characters - both likeable and unsavoury - and the relationship between Morgan and Ben. Their attraction has simmered over the course of the series...and I like their camaraderie.

Chilling and gripping to the end, FIND THE GIRL is probably the best yet of the series. Although I have enjoyed them all, this one will certainly stick out in my memory for a while yet.

Recommended for fans who love crime thrillers that are fast paced and chilling. Bring on Book 6!

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


MEET THE AUTHOR:

Helen Phifer is the #1 Bestselling crime and horror novelist of the Annie Graham, Lucy Harwin and Beth Adams series. 

Helen lives in a small town in Cumbria. Surrounded by miles of coastline and only a short drive from the beautiful Lake District. 

She has always loved writing and reading since the days she learnt how to in infant school. She loves reading books that make the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and make her afraid to go to the toilet, alone in the middle of the night. She is eternally grateful to Stephen King, Dean Koontz, James Herbert and Graham Masterton for scaring her senseless in her teenage years. 

Unable to find enough of the scary stories she loves to read, she decided to write her own.

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Saturday 22 January 2022

REVIEW: Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell



Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell
Genre: Psychological thriller
Read: 22nd January 2022
Published: 6th August 2020

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

YOU DON'T SEE HER. BUT SHE SEES YOU.

MIDNIGHT. In the bad part of town, where cats prowl and foxes shriek, a girl is watching...

When Saffyre Maddox was ten, something terrible happened, and she's carried the pain of it ever since. The man who she thought was going to heal her didn't, and now she hides and watches him, learning his secrets, invisible in the shadows.

Owen Pick is invisible too. He's never had a girlfriend; he's never even had a friend.
Nobody sees him. Nobody cares.

But when Saffyre goes missing from opposite his house on Valentine's Day, suddenly the whole world is looking at Owen.

Accusing him. Holding him responsible for Saffyre's disappearance...

INVISIBLE GIRL: an engrossing, twisty story of how we look in the wrong places for bad people while the real predators walk among us in plain sight.


MY REVIEW:

Despite it's gripping prologue that leaves you on the precipice of wanting more, what then played out I wasn't sure if I would enjoy INVISIBLE GIRL as much as Lisa Jewell's previous thrillers. But I should not have doubted because while I initially thought it a slow start the beginning was actually laying the foundations for a solid thriller that left readers questioning just what the hell was going on. I mean, seriously? And then just when you think you know what is going on, the shift changes again leaving your head spinning going...what the...?

While it is not my favourite that Lisa Jewell has penned - "Then She Was Gone" topped that list - it is a good solid thriller that will keep you guessing...even when you think you know how it is going to play out. But besides being a thriller, it is also a thought-provoking story of abuse, misogyny and sexual assault. The main players being: a suspicious wife, a dodgy husband, a creepy neighbour and a 17 year old girl who has thus gone missing. So what happened on that Valentine's night? Who is responsible for the missing girl's disappearance? Someone saw something, surely. Or someone isn't telling the truth.

Saffyre Maddox is not your typical teenager. She has no real friends, is not interested in boys and spends most of her time roaming the streets of a Hampstead village predominantly at night. She's the invisible girl no one sees. But when she was 10 years old she suffered something so traumatic it altered her perspective on life, on people, on everything. And so she self harms as a consequence. She received therapy from child psychologist Roan Fours for three years before he deemed her progress to be so improved she no longer needed him. But Roan had barely scratched the surface and Saffyre's issues were so deep-seated they remained unresolved. And in a bid to heal herself, she begins to stalk Roan and uncovers something she never expected to find. And then she disappears...

Cat Fours is a middle-aged middle class wife married to Roan with two teenage children - Georgia (15) and Josh (14). They are currently renting a flat in Hampstead while their own house in Kilburn is being restored. But despite her smiles, Cat isn't at all happy and, not for the first time, suspects Roan of having an affair. In fact, it's not even the first time he's had an affair. His behaviour is a little off coupled with the late nights and early starts and endless amounts of running he does, something just doesn't sit right. She thought, when looking for temporary premises, that Hampstead would be a nice quiet and exclusive place to live for the duration...until she hear the news of sexual assaults on women nearby. And when Georgia calls her one night on her way home from the Tube, scared that someone is following her, Cate fears for her daughter's safety whilst someone is out there targeting women.

Owen Pick is a non-descript man with no friends and is a 33 year old virgin. He has something of a sad family background, leaving him feeling awkward and out of step in social situations, and has lived with his aunt in Hampstead since he was eighteen. Things get even worse for him when his drink is spiked at a school disco he is chaperoning and he makes untoward advances and inappropriate comments to some of the students, and is thus suspended. Everyone thinks Owen is strange, weird, creepy even - the girls at school, the neighbours, a woman he inadvertently bumped into on his way home, even his aunt. And the girl across the road keeps giving him strange looks whilst he just stares blankly at her, wondering what it is he has done. And then things go from bad to worse for poor Owen when Saffyre goes missing and she was last seen outside his house.

How these people's lives intersect in this dark and somewhat disturbing tale unfolds through the eyes of Saffyre, Cate and Owen both before and after Valentine's night around which this story revolves. The narrative is dark and it is chilling and I had no idea who would come out of it unbroken...if at all. What is essentially highlighted in this book is not only the obvious but the vulnerability of people like Owen and how susceptible they are to predators of a different kind. I especially sympathised with Owen because he was so incredibly awkward around people, he even admitted that women terrified him, and yet he was in the frame for Saffyre's disappearance. But is he guilty? Or is it the work of the serial predator around the neighbourhood who has been assaulting women? Or something more sinister?

The other characters all have their redeeming and even less redeeming qualities but they each played a part in this disturbing thriller where no one is who they appear to be. Cate was a protective mother hen, suspicious of hubby Roan, who himself was decidedly dodgy anyway. Then there is son Josh who appears to be sweeter that sweet son but what is he really hiding? And Georgia's friend Tilly who claimed she was assaulted as she left their house and then retracted her assertion...is she telling the truth or hiding something? Everyone in this book, pretty much, is hiding something. Nobody is who they appear to be.

And then there is that ending...BAM! What the...?

Upon re-reading the last lines, I was like...Lisa Jewell, you have redeemed yourself with that ending!! And best of all, those short snappy chapters keep the pace moving along nicely even when it starts off slow. 

Perfect for fans of dark and twisted thrillers.

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


MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lisa was born in London in 1968. Her mother was a secretary and her father was a textile agent and she was brought up in the northernmost reaches of London with her two younger sisters. She was educated at a Catholic girls’ Grammar school in Finchley. After leaving school at sixteen she spent two years at Barnet College doing an arts foundation course and then two years at Epsom School of Art & Design studying Fashion Illustration and Communication.

She worked for the fashion chain Warehouse for three years as a PR assistant and then for Thomas Pink, the Jermyn Street shirt company for four years as a receptionist and PA. She started her first novel, Ralph’s Party, for a bet in 1996. She finished it in 1997 and it was published by Penguin books in May 1998. It went on to become the best-selling debut novel of that year.

She has since written a further nine novels, as is currently at work on her eleventh.

She now lives in an innermost part of north London with her husband Jascha, an IT consultant, her daughters, Amelie and Evie and three pets. She claims to love the dog best.

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