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The Teacher's Secret by Lauren North
Published: 23rd February 2024

Sunday 31 July 2022

REVIEW: Welcome to Weaver Street by Chrissie Walsh




Welcome to Weaver Street by Chrissie Walsh
Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas, WW1
Read: 26th July 2022
Published: 25th July 2022

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Kitty and Tom Conlon arrive in Liverpool in July 1916 to claim the house Tom’s great-uncle has bequeathed him in his will. The move to England couldn’t have come at a better time. Dublin is in turmoil following the Easter Uprising and Kitty’s brother is now in prison.

The house in Weaver Street is all they hoped for, and after a shaky start with her new neighbours, Kitty believes the world is her oyster. Until that is, Tom is conscripted into the navy.

With Tom away, it’s up to Kitty and the women of Weaver Street to get each other through the war.


MY THOUGHTS:

A delightful saga that is as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming, we meet newly married couple Kitty and Tom Conlon as they arrive in Liverpool straight off the steam packet from Dublin. A month after their marriage, they received a letter from solicitors in Liverpool outlining that Tom had inherited a house on Weaver Street from his namesake and great uncle Thomas. At first he thought it was a mistake but after clarifying with the said solicitors, he was assured that he was no in possession the property. So with no real close family and in the wake of the unrest in Ireland following the Easter Rising, Kitty and Tom headed for Liverpool to start a new life.

They arrive tired and in need of some food and rest to take possession of the property by obtaining a key from the solicitors. Kitty is then determined to make them a nice home with dreams of a family, although she does get off to a rough start in the beginning. However she soon makes friends with her neighbour Maggie which will serve her well when Tom is suddenly conscripted into the Navy to fight for Britain in the Great War, leaving Kitty behind and somewhat alone. But Maggie soon soothes her with her friendship and wit, but she's also a down to earth character who speaks as she finds. Kitty and Maggie make an interesting pair as they like chalk and cheese in their differences but at the same time they complement each other.

It soon becomes clear that Tom has ideas above his station when he wants to rise above his upbringing and fancies himself becoming a rich toff. He starts a bookmaking business at the local pub, The Weavers Arms, refusing factory work thinking manual labour is beneath him while Kitty took work at a tea shop. Tom wasn't entirely likable and often took kindhearted Kitty for granted. But despite that she maintained a positive attitude.

Kitty was a wonderful character and I enjoyed her so much. She was kind and warm and the type of friend you would treasure if you found her. Tom not so much. Maggie was a real character despite their rocky start.

Some parts of the story I found a little slow going but I've also just come off reading a bunch of page-turning thrillers so this gentle easy read was somewhat tame by comparison...lol But I enjoyed WELCOME TO WEAVER STREET which I believe is my first read by Chrissie Walsh (though I do have several of her other books on my shelf somewhere). I was surprised, however, that the Spanish flu was just glossed over as it was such a big part of life at the time.

I hope this isn't our last visit to Weaver Street and will look forward to catching up with the friends and neighbours in the future...hopefully.

I would like to thank #ChrissieWalsh, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #WelcomeToWeaverStreet in exchange for an honest review.



MEET THE AUTHOR:

Chrissie Walsh was born and raised in West Yorkshire and is a retired schoolteacher with a passion for history. She has written several successful sagas documenting feisty women in challenging times for Aria. Welcome to Weaver Street, the first title in her new WW1 saga series for Boldwood.

Social Media links:


Saturday 30 July 2022

REVIEW: The Forgotten Girl by Daco Auffenorde



The Forgotten Girl by Daco Auffenorde
Genre: Psychological thriller
Read: 25th July 2022
Published: 17th July 2022

★★★ 3 stars

DESCRIPTION:

She lost her memory. Now she might lose her life.
 
A beautiful woman wakes in a hospital bed, shackled and confused. She’s been in a coma for weeks. And can only remember her first name—Blue.
 
Blue learns she fell from a window on the fourth floor of a hotel. Did she jump? Or was she pushed? To discover the truth, Blue must figure out who she is and what she was doing in that hotel.
 
And she needs to do it fast. Because someone is out there, hunting Blue down, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
 
Not knowing where to turn or who to trust, Blue must rely on her instincts to survive. Gradually, her memories begin to return, and they’re darker than she could ever have imagined.
 
Will she put the pieces of her life back together before she’s silenced forever?
 
The Forgotten Girl – the gripping psychological thriller perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Alex Michaelides, Freida McFadden.


MY THOUGHTS:

Not sure where to begin with this book. The premise was definitely intriguing and from the very first page I was hooked and couldn't put it down. 

A woman wakes in a hospital bed with no recollection of who she is, where she is or how she got there. Only that her name is Blue. But who was Blue and what had happened to her? And why? She learns she fell from a fourth story window...but how? And why? And was it an accident or intentional? Attempted suicide or murder?

Detective Matteo DeLuca is assigned her case and knows there is more to Blue's story than meets the eyes. He doesn't know if she recalls more than she is letting on or if there is something deeper in which she's involved...and has no recollection of it. If that's the case, then she could be in even greater danger. 

As soon as Blue is recovered physically enough she is discharged from the hospital. But where is she to go? She doesn't even know who she is let alone where she lives. And someone has been calling and threatening...but who? Is she even safe? When DeLuca then tells her someone has come forward who knows her Blue is ecstatic and then Lorraine Baglietta comes in with a torrent of conversation, talking a mile a minute, taking her under her wing. She gives her a place to stay while recuperating. But how close are they really? Are they good friends or just acquaintances? Blue was determined to find out the truth.

But the more she delves, the sillier I found the story got. And just a tad far fetched. It was believable to a point...but then it just kept snowballing into something bigger and I just wasn't sure how well it really worked. Don't get me wrong, the story is addictive and fast paced. And I did enjoy it. I don't know, I can't really put my finger on why I was dissatisfied by the end.

It wasn't a bad story by any means, and it certainly kept the pace going with the short snappy chapters. And there were definitely plenty of twists to hold my attention but...I don't know. It all just kind of fell flat in the end. I'm not sure what I expected to be honest.

Overall, still a worthy enough read that is relatively enjoyable and will grab thriller fans.

I would like to thank #DacoAuffenorde, #InkubatorBooks and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #TheForgottenGirl in exchange for an honest review.



MEET THE AUTHOR:

Daco S. Auffenorde is an award-winning author of thriller and suspense stories. She’s discussed her books in multiple interviews, including Bob Kustra’s National Public Radio show Reader’s Corner and George R.R. Martin’s Jean Cocteau Cinema. The daughter of a physicist, Daco is a southern girl from Huntsville, Alabama (known as Rocket City for its role in building the rocket that took astronauts into space), who pens fast-paced, edge-of-your seat tales that keep the reader guessing.

Daco holds a B.A. and M.A.S. from The University of Alabama in Huntsville and a J.D. from the Cumberland School of Law. She is a member of the International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, Alabama Writers’ Forum, Authors Guild, and Alabama State Bar. When she’s not writing or reading, she enjoys long hikes, painting with watercolors, and hacking away at golf balls.

The Forgotten Girl is her first psychological thriller with Inkubator Books.

Social Media links:


Friday 29 July 2022

REVIEW: Unforgivable by Natalie Barelli



Unforgivable by Natalie Barelli
Genre: Domestic thriller, Psychological thriller, Suspense
Read: 24th July 2022
Published: 26th July. 2022

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Your ex-wife didn’t leave you because of me. She didn’t abandon her little girl because of a couple of love notes in your jeans pocket. She left because she’s twisted, and she wanted to punish you. And she’s not finished yet. You have to believe me. If you don’t, there’s no knowing what she’ll do next…

Becoming a stepmother is the best thing that ever happened to me. My favorite part of every day is picking Charlie up from school, watching her little rucksack bounce behind her as she skips over for a hug. I love the feel of those thin freckled arms around my waist. After a few rocky months of panic attacks when her mother deserted her, Charlie is flourishing. But the day Charlie’s mother Bronwyn returns without warning—showering Charlie with gifts and making promises she can’t keep—fear ripples through me.

When I raise my concerns, no one wants to listen. I know I sound like the jealous new wife, but nothing is more important to me than Charlie’s safety. Me and Bronwyn have history. We both have dark secrets in our past, and I know the dangerous lengths she will go to get what she wants.

But Bronwyn doesn’t know me as well as I know her.

She doesn’t know just how far I will go to protect that little girl…

A completely gripping and totally addictive psychological thriller that will send shivers down your spine. Fans of The Girl on the Train, The Wife Between Us or The Other Wife will devour this twisty page-turner in one sitting!


MY THOUGHTS:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Natalie Barelli's tense domestic thriller UNFORGIVABLE.

This is my first book by Natalie Barelli and despite wanting to delve into her thrillers long before now I've not had the chance to. And I'm wondering what took me so long? I read this addictive pageturning book in a matter of hours and no one was bringing me out of my trance until I was done. This book has everything I love and so many things I hate too...but oh, I still love to hate them...as it makes it soooo good!

There are all kinds of crazy going here but just who is the crazy one? There is so much paranoia, insecurity and passive-aggression going on that it's hard to know just who is pulling the wool over whose eyes. And just when you think you know the direction the story is taking, it back-flips and turns everything around, leaving you thinking...OK, I think I know where this is going now. But trust me, you don't. It's not easy to hoodwink me - other authors have joked with me about trying harder to do just that - but I was outwitted this time. I thought I was being clever and looking where no one else was...but the author double crosses us numerous times just when we were starting to trust her and our own instincts. By the end of the story I so wanted to say that I knew what was going on...but did I really? Hell no! Honestly, I thought Laura was being gaslighted but I think the whole time the author was gaslighting the reader!!

Laura is an art curator for a local gallery and is happy with her fiance Jack and she loves being a stepmother to seven year old Charlie. They are a happy little family unit and everything is going perfectly until that morning...Jack informs her that Bronwyn, Charlie's mum, is arriving to spend Charlie's birthday with her. And she will be staying with them. How long will she be here? A couple of weeks, he assures her. But the silver lining? She's agreed to sign the divorce papers she's been dragging her heels on since she left two years ago.

Laura and Bronwyn share a history pre-Jack and it isn't long before tensions are running high. Charlie, who is excited that her mummy has come to visit, will do anything to please her for fear that her mother won't like her enough to stay this time. And Bronwyn plays on that. Which Laura sees all too clearly...but Jack doesn't. Why? Is he blind? Stupid? Or just playing dumb? That man is quite honestly a p***-weak wet blanket that can't even stand up for his fiance against his ex-wife. I wanted to smack him so many times when he appeared to find the bench far more interesting that the caustic interaction between his fiance and his ex-wife.

And then there is Bronwyn's spur-of-the-moment visit. Why now? And where's her partner Leon? The plastic surgeon she ran off to Italy with two years ago? Laura is sure that Bronwyn has a hidden agenda and she is determined to find out what it is. But then is Laura really a reliable narrator?

Aside from the chaotic stress of her homelife, Laura has taken on a new assistant Summer without really checking her qualifications. More to appease her boss Bruno who is clearly taken with the attractive twenty five year old budding photographer. But then she begins to wonder if Summer's sudden appearance is a coincidence or if there is more her "just being there" one morning to apply for the position? I repeat...is Laura's narrative a reliable one?

Yet in the middle of this chaos is innocent little Charlie, who Bronwyn insists on calling Charlotte and dressing her up as if she were a life sized doll in pinks and frills and everything so un-Charlie. Charlie, who is not exactly a tom-boy, but enjoys adventure and nature and wants to be a vet or run an animal sanctuary. She enjoys exploring nature and playing soccer and rolling in the mud. She's not a pretty little princess into frills and make-up and all the fickle fakeness her mother is. But for the sake of pleasing her mother so she won't leave her, Charlie acquiesces. She dresses in the clothes Bronwyn buys for her, that she isn't comfortable in; she refuses Laura's invitation to play "so she doesn't get her clothes dirty"; she keeps her room clean which is definitely un-Charlie-like...and through it all, Charlie is still unhappy. And it breaks Laura's heart. For the little girl just wants her mummy to love her...but is Bronwyn capable of loving anyone beyond herself?

Oh, I do love a cuckoo-in-the-nest domestic thriller. Threatening everything that our protagonist holds dear with just a flutter of her eyelashes and expensive gifts for her long-lost daughter. Who craftily wrangles their way into the homes and lives of the unsuspecting (until it's too late) and winning others over bar one who sees through their ploys but no one else will believe them?! So while our protagonist appears to be the crazy one, little miss cuckoo deftly swoops in to save the day time and again in such a way that makes the crazy appear even crazier. And the passive aggression...you could cut the air with a knife!!

Honestly, that is just what I expected, and got, with UNFORGIVABLE! Until it went further than that and it leaves you wondering...what the...what just happened? Believe me when I say you think you have it all worked out, but you don't. Not even close. This was a whole new level of psycho and so cleverly done. I don't care if it's been done, in part, before...it's the thrill of the ride that I enjoy and boy, did I get that!! The author engineered everything perfectly that the reader thinks "that's it" only to realise it was nothing but a red herring sent to confuse us and send us in the wrong direction while the real twist kept giving...and giving...and giving...until the final page.

I loved UNFORGIVABLE and will definitely look out for other thrillers by Natalie Barelli, who I've wanted to read for so long but just not gotten around to it. I love the fact that she's an Australian author who lives not too far from where I do...but...I have to say, it really annoys me when authors (particularly Australian) create a setting for their books in America! This is not the first, as I have come across many, and it has me wondering what is so wrong with Australia that one can't base their stories here? Nicole Trope does and hers are amongst my all-time favourites. I'm really puzzled as to why so many don't utilise their own backyards for creating the perfect settings for their books. Really, this book could have sufficed well enough here in Sydney as well as it did in Seattle.

Yep Bronwyn is a character that definitely got under my skin but then she was written in way to do just that - get under the readers' skin. And she certainly did that. If she wasn't messed up crazy, then was it Laura who was? Who was the paranoid one? Because both women displayed perfect examples of paranoia...didn't they? Who's pulling the wool over whose eyes? OMG I wanted to throttle Bronwyn and then smack Jack and Laura's heads together for being so utterly clueless. But then had they all been smarter then there wouldn't have been such a thrill ride of a thriller, would there? There would be no UNFORGIVABLE. And quite honestly, all characters made some very stupid decisions...some more than others, I might add.

UNFORGIVABLE is an edge-of-your-seat thrill-ride a minute that had me turning pages for "just one more chapter". It is addictive and is a train wreck but honestly, I couldn't look away. I couldn't stop reading. I had to know who was playing who and how it all ended. It is fast paced throughout that it felt like a pressure cooker was inside my head as I raced through the pages until the very end.

A non-stop rollercoaster ride I thoroughly recommend UNFORGIVABLE to fans of tense domestic thrillers that love a little gaslighting. And just a little bit of crazy...

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


MEET THE AUTHOR:

Natalie Barelli writes psychological thrillers, domestic noir with a touch of dark humour. Before writing full time, Natalie was an IT consultant. Favourite past time? Reading fabulous thrillers, otherwise known as research. And when she’s not absorbed in the latest gripping page-turner, Natalie loves to cook, knits very badly and spends far too much time at her computer. 

Natalie lives with her family in the beautiful Blue Mountains outside Sydney in Australia, where she is forever thinking about new ways of killing people and getting away with it.

Social Media links:


REVIEW: Duty Calls at Goodwill House by Fenella J Miller




Duty Calls at Goodwill House (Goodwill House #3) by Fenella J Miller
Genre: Historical fiction, Wartime fiction, Sagas, WW2
Read: 23rd July 2022
Published: 26th July 2022

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

July 1940

With Hitler’s bombs getting closer, WAAF Diane Forsyth is determined to face the oncoming danger and do her duty to support the brave RAF pilots who risk their lives as they take to the skies.

And there’s one pilot in particular Di hopes remains safe - Squadron Leader Freddie Hanover. But with a romance between them growing, Di and Freddie know their duty must always come first. How can they dream of a future together whilst this terrible war continues?

Lady Joanna Harcourt understands Di’s vow of duty – she’s taken one herself. But Joanna also knows that life is terribly precious and that one must make the most of every single day…before it’s too late.


MY THOUGHTS:

The third in this engaging series, DUTY CALLS AT GOODWILL HOUSE sees the return of our favourite characters in Lady Joanna Harcourt and her mother-in-law Elizabeth as well as Millie Thorrington and Di Forsyth of the local RAF base. This book picks up where the previous one "New Recruits at Goodwill House" left off with the story seamlessly continuing after Ted and Millie's wedding and the beginning of Di and Freddie's courtship.

There are many changes coming this time round in the form of a death of a beloved friend and the adoption of twins Liza and Joe. At the end of the previous book, we were introduced to the new Lord Harcourt who had inherited the title from Lady Joanna's now deceased husband, David. Whilst he seemed a pleasant sort at first, it seems he may not be all that he appears, leaving the women frantic about the future of Goodwill House. Meanwhile, measles is running rife in the village with many adults and children falling ill.

In the meantime, they are awaiting the arrival of some Land Girls who will fill the places that the WAAFs such as Millie and Di had left behind once their accommodation had been completed at RAF Manston. Joanna is looking forward to having a house full again.

War continues to rage in and across Europe with the Germans now seizing Guersney in the Channel Islands, leaving Britain fearful that they will do the same to them. So it's imperative that the RAF pilots fight to keep the Germans from invading their country and they do so by keeping them at bay above the channel. But with each scramble comes risks. The life of a fighter pilot is invariably a short one, and this is a risk that both Ted and Freddie take each time they go up. But when Freddies comes acropper when a German fires on him he is left with a quandary - does he make an escape or attempt to land his plane to the best of his ability? And should he do the latter, would he survive the landing?

DUTY CALLS AT GOODWILL HOUSE is an engaging historical saga in which the reader revisits old friends once again as the series continues. I do look forward to seeing what awaits our friends in the next book.

One thing did irritate me slightly was the continual use of the phrase "going for a Burton". A few times maybe, but it seemed that everyone in the RAF or WAAF was using the the term even in their internal monologuing narrative. Not everyone is familiar with the term and would need to google it (as I had to on a previous occasion when reading one of the books in this series) so use of the correct term would be helpful at times also. And one other thing got a little under my skin too. A seasoned writer such as Ms Miller I would have thought her research would reveal that the "Australians" she often referred to as the AAF (Australian Air Force) is actually correctly called the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force), which was established in 1921 well in time for WW2 and the setting of this series. Just a couple of niggles, but niggles all the same.

Aside from that, DUTY CALLS AT GOODWILL HOUSE is an enjoyable lighthearted read despite the WW2 setting, though it is not grim. I was thrilled to see Lazzy again (a silly name for a dog and should be called by his actual name Lazarus or just Laz) and hope that no harm comes to him despite the threats made.

There is still alot going on in the background of the series but I must say although the story surrounds much of the goings on at RAF Manston, I am more interested in life at Goodwill House, especially as that is where the series is based around.

An engaging saga that would endear many historical and wartime fiction fans but one that is best started from the beginning.

I would like to thank #FenellaJMiller, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #DutyCallsAtGoodwillHouse in exchange for an honest review.



MEET THE AUTHOR:

Fenella Jane Miller was born in the Isle of Man and is the bestselling writer of eighteen historical sagas. She also has apassion for Regency romantic adventures and has published over fifty to greatacclaim. Her father was a Yorkshireman and her mother the daughter of a Rajah. She has worked as a nanny, cleaner, field worker,hotelier,chef, secondary and primary teacher and is now a full time writer.

She has over twenty five Regency romantic adventures published plus one Jane Austen re-telling and one YA romantic fantasy.

Fenella lives in a small village in Essex with her British Shorthair cat.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads


PUBLISHER:


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Monday 25 July 2022

REVIEW: Liar Liar by L.G. Davis



Liar Liar by L.G. Davis
Genre: Domestic thriller, Suspense
Read: 19th July 2022
Published: 22nd July 2022

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

He promised to keep my secrets. He never told me his…

My husband and I are the dream couple: deeply in love, the envy of all our friends. He surprises me with roses and a beautiful diamond ring, and I prepare picnics for us to enjoy in the sunshine with our adorable son. It’s gestures like this that keep our romance alive.

But nobody knows how frightened I am at night. Oliver promised he’d keep me safe, but strange things have started to happen in my home.

My son is convinced that someone was in his room, watching him while he slept. And the white lantern on our porch has been smashed. One evening I could swear there’s a shadowy figure watching me through the window, lurking across the street. As I triple check that the doors are locked and kiss my son goodnight, I’m terrified that someone knows what happened before we moved here, and that soon everything I love will be taken away…

Then Oliver comes home with blood on his hands on the same night our neighbour, one of my closest friends, goes missing. And I realise I am not the only one hiding a terrible secret.

We are both lying. But when the truth finally comes to light, who will survive? And can I keep my son safe?

An absolutely addictive, twisty read that will have you sleeping with the light on. Anyone who loves Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train and Behind Closed Doors will be utterly gripped.


MY THOUGHTS:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for L.G. Davis' tense domestic thriller LIAR LIAR.

This is my first outing with L.G. Davis and I wasn't sure what to expect given the relatively average reviews of this book. So going in, they weren't all that high but seriously, I was riveted. This book is so bizarre and filled with such disturbed, bordering on deranged, characters that it was like a car crash from which you can't drag your eyes away from! But I loved it! Yes, seriously! I don't read books for their academic or literary nuances but for the entertainment, the addictive plot and the thrill factor. If it has any or all of these, then I'm happy. And this one had them all.

The title is seriously apt - LIAR LIAR. Because there are so many misdirections and everyone appears to be harbouring secrets and above all, lying. And that cover is breathtaking. Two roses - one white, one red. Also reminiscent of the husband at once point presenting his wife with two roses. Why two? Normally it's a bunch of roses, a dozen maybe...but two? What's the significance there? Maybe the cover reveals the answer in the two different colours, highlighting that it is just the two of them in this together. In what, exactly? Well, you are just going to have to read it to find out!

Tess and Oliver seem like the perfect couple with the perfect marriage, raising their adopted son Mason, who is confined to a wheelchair after an accident left him paralysed. Mason adores Tess and has never hesitated in calling her "Mummy" but with Oliver he is far more reticent. But Tess knows that Mason just needs time to adjust to their new life and that Oliver is there to take care of them both.

When Tess discovers text messages on Oliver's phone from another woman, she is devastated. After all they have been through, he is having an affair. She confides in her two closest friends, Carmen and Dan, and after some thought decides a baby will bring them closer together and sets out to fall pregnant. When it doesn't happen, she decides to fake a pregnancy until she does or if it comes to it, fake a miscarriage. Tess believes she has it all worked out going to great lengths to save her marriage but nothing will prepare her for what she has unleashed. This is just the beginning.

The story unfolds through past and present chapters, going back three years to when Tess was Mason's nanny for her extremely wealthy and powerful employer, Henry, who was also Oliver's brother. Enticing her into his employment and thus into his bed, Tess was a young naive woman who simply wanted to care for the exuberant Mason. A trail of lies and deception was laid which ended with catastrophic results and Tess, Oliver and Mason beginning a new life far away. But is it far enough?

Following these alternate timelines, the multiple lies along the way build an even bigger castle of secrets and lies that they must live with. But Tess loves her husband and she will do anything to protect Mason. But just when she thought they were safe, Tess starts to feel as if someone is watching her. What if they have found them? And if that's not enough, when they left their lives behind Oliver promised to protect her and take her darkest secret to the grave...but what secret is he keeping from her? Because it soon becomes clear that Tess isn't the only one with a secret...so what is Oliver's?

What a wild ride LIAR LIAR is! I was riveted from the start despite being so tired and thinking I would only be able to manage a few chapters, I ended up reading the whole thing in one sitting! It may have been a car crash but I just couldn't stop myself. I had to keep looking...watching...reading. Everyone is quite possibly disturbed or deranged in some mad way but that just made it all the more delicious!

Even though many of the reveals were predictable, who cares? The thrill was in the ride. You get on a rollercoaster knowing how it's going to go, how it's going to end, but you're still flowing with adrenaline by the time you step off. This book is no different. Despite some of its predictability, LIAR LIAR is still an addictive and intriguing domestic thriller you won't want to put down.

And then there was the ending. OMG! How could it stop there? But what a fantastic end that just left you wanting more even though you know it was just perfect as it was.

Don't worry about the deranged characters that may well have stepped off the Jerry Springer set...just jump in, belt up and enjoy the adrenaline-fueled ride. 

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


MEET THE AUTHOR:

Liz's story began in a refugee camp in Angola, where she spent the first eight years of her life. After that, she spent some years in Namibia (her home country), South Africa, and Germany. Liz wrote her first full-length novel at eighteen and hid it in a box under her bed. Several others soon followed it. Her passion lies in writing edge-of-the-seat psychological thrillers that give readers the same rush they would get on a rollercoaster.

She now lives in Vienna, Austria, with her husband and two children. 

Social Media links:


Sunday 24 July 2022

REVIEW: Five Down by Tom Sibson


Five Down by Tom Sibson
Genre: Crime fiction, Crime thriller, Police procedural
Read: 18th July 2022
Published: 22nd July 2022

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Following a sinister murder in a sleepy suburb of York, a local crime journalist receives an email claiming to be from the killer. They've sent him a cryptic clue which, if he's right, will tell the police where the next murder will take place.

Teaming up with Senior Investigating Officer DI Gene Garland they discover the email is genuine, and as further emails arrive, the DI and his team face a race against the clock to solve each clue and stop a sadistic killer before the streets of York run red with innocent blood...

Five Down is a thrilling debut with a twist - can you solve the clues to stop a killer?


MY THOUGHTS:

A cracking debut by new voice Tom Sibson. I'm never sure what to expect with a new author but FIVE DOWN is a riveting edge-of-your-seat cryptic mastermind of a thriller that will have you turning the pages into the night. In fact, I read it in one afternoon/evening. I love puzzles but cryptic crosswords are so not my thing...and yet I was determined to solve the riddle before the final reveal.

There is a killer on the streets of York that is silent, stealthy and very very deadly. Striking late at night without warning and with no real rhyme or reason. Then crime reporter Paul Dobson receives a cryptic email he dismisses as a crank...until the first murder and another rhyme lands in his inbox. It seems the killer wants to communicate with him. Why?

Reminiscent of the Zodiac killer, these messages come in the form of rhymes which hold cryptic clues as to the next murder. And with each murder, the killer becomes bolder with each message, sending vital clues that the police must at first decrypt and then sift through every prospective possibility. And then there are the inferences to the Yorkshire Ripper sparking the memories of the cold shame of the police having needlessly chased one viable lead which turned out to be nothing but a prank. DI Gene Garland does not want a repeat of that. And so his team are in a race against time before the killer strikes again...and the clock is ticking.

Paul becomes a fixture in the incident room as the team brainstorm and try to decipher the cryptic clues hidden within each of the rhymes sent to the reporter. While together with DC Karen Parkinson, the pair bounce their own ideas off each other as Paul tries in earnest to teach Karen the nuances of cryptic crosswords and their clues. But can they decode the clues in time to prevent another killing?

A fantastic debut that I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish. The clever cryptic clues hidden within each rhyme was genius and had my mind boggling. Crime fiction that is more than just another procedural, FIVE DOWN is a thrilling debut from a talent to look out for.

Can you solve the clues to stop a killer?

I would like to thank #TomSibson, #RedDragonBooks and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #FiveDown in exchange for an honest review.



MEET THE AUTHOR:

Born in Yorkshire, Tom spent his early career in a variety of scientific research and engineering roles and now in middle age hopes to share his love for the city of York with his readers — albeit via somewhat dark, intriguing, and mind-teasing scenarios.

When not writing crime fiction, Tom loves researching true crime, modern history, running, playing the guitar, listening to all genres of rock, and solving cryptic crosswords with a particular penchant for the one in Private Eye.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

Saturday 23 July 2022

REVIEW: Do I Really Know You? by Sheryl Browne



Do I Really Know You? by Sheryl Browne
Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller, Suspense
Read: 17th July 2022
Audio Links
Published: 19th July 2022

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

She’s the friend you trust with your life. But can she trust you with hers?

When the police knock on my door to tell me that my best friend Kiara has taken her life, my world shatters.

Ever since we met at university along with my husband, Nathan and her ex-husband David, the four of us have been inseparable. I can’t believe that, suddenly, she’s not here.

The police say that Kiara fell from the balcony of her small, pristine apartment. But I refuse to accept that she jumped.

I thought I knew Kiara better than anyone. But I soon find out my friend was keeping some big secrets.

Talking to her ex-husband, David, I’m shocked. Was she really having an affair, like he claims?

Searching for evidence, I let myself into her apartment. My heart races as I find her diary and I read the name of her last appointment – Nathan. Why would she be meeting with my husband? And why didn’t he tell me?

It soon becomes clear that everyone around me has been hiding the truth, and when the police call again and ask me to look at security camera footage from the night Kiara died, fear floods through me as I recognise her final visitor. Can I trust anyone in my life? And if someone did push Kiara that night, could I be next?

Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl and The Wife, Do I Really Know You? is a gripping new psychological thriller from bestselling author Sheryl Browne. Once you start reading, you won’t be able to stop!


MY THOUGHTS:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Sheryl Browne's tense and creepy psychological thriller DO I REALLY KNOW YOU?

You've known each other for years. Since you were young...much younger. You've been there for each other through all the good times, the bad and even the downright ugly. You've endured turmoils together, picked up the pieces together and come through the other side together. You have always been there for each other. No matter what. Yet...how well do you really know each other?

The story opens with a heart-stopping prologue that sets your pulse racing and those tiny little hairs standing on end as shivers tingle down your spine as two terrifying phobias assault the reader within the first electrifying pages. Yes, phobias. The most terrifying of them all...spiders. And lots of them!

The mystery of "who" had me guessing throughout. Who did who not really know? Who had cornered who in the dark and let loose a terrifying cluster of eight-legged little ferals? Who was gaslighting who? And who wasn't all they appeared to be?

Maddie and Kiara have been best friends since university but in recent months have had a falling out. Why, Maddie isn't sure, but Kiara had been distancing herself from her and she was left wondering why. Every time she tried to speak to her friend, Kiara would either make excuses or simply avoid her altogether. Which left Maddie wondering just how well she knew her best friend.

Then one morning the police arrive to inform Maddie that Kiara was dead, an apparent suicide, and Maddie is left bereft. Why hadn't she tried to find out what was bothering her friend? Why hadn't she made more of an effort? She should have known, shouldn't she? But then she remembers their sudden rift the past few months and finds herself questioning just how much she really knew about Kiara and what secrets her friend had been keeping. I mean, she had to be, didn't she? For her to take such drastic action in ending her life. Was she really that unhappy?

Since university, Maddie and Kiara had married their respective boyfriends Nathan and David. And while Maddie had a happy life with Nathan and their two children, she wondered just how happy Kiara had been with David. After all, they were separated at the time of her death. But David adored Kiara and would have done anything to make her happy. In fact, he had...by moving from their beautiful country-styled barn conversion into the minimalist clinical fourth floor apartment. All in the name of Kiara's terrifying arachnophobia. She saw spiders in every corner of the old barn and yet in this new-build apartment high off the ground there would be no chance of them invading her space. Here, she would be safe...and happy.

So why did she take her own life? What made Kiara plunge to her death from her fourth floor balcony? Was it really suicide? Or was it an accident? Had her phobia elicited the one thing she would run from irrationally over a balcony in an attempt to escape them?

Maddie is sure there is more to Kiara's death than meets the eye. But when she tries to confide in Nathan he brushes her concerns off as her imagination conjuring up things that didn't happen due to her reliance on sleeping pills. The same pills that gave her hallucinations as well as imagining things. And yet if she didn't take them she'd be exhausted from lack of sleep or nightmares that plague her even in her waking moments. Either way, Maddie is a mess. And Kiara's death only adds to her stress and worries. Of course it doesn't help that Nathan is always away in some far flung country examining bugs for research which, as an entomologist, is his job. But is it her imagination that Nathan seems to be withdrawing from her?

And so we return to the question of "who". This cleverly told multi-layered story, which unfolds through the eyes of several unreliable narrators, throws us twists and red herrings that we are left questioning who it is that we really don't know? Someone is certainly not who they appear to be...to anyone. I laid out all the pieces of the puzzle I had thus far and closely examined them...and came up with a working theory around 40% in. It's like a game of cat and mouse reading one of Sheryl's books as I ponder if she could outwit me again? Sorry, Sheryl, not this time. I had it worked out long before the gradual reveal. But of course, that didn't affect my enjoyment of this creepy spine-tingling thriller.

DO I REALLY KNOW YOU? is definitely creepy and spine-tingling but not in the usual sense. It's the hundreds of creepy eight-legged little psychopaths terrorising Kiara, and the reader, that is enough to send shivers down anyone's spine. Spiders are not your friend. Not in my world. And if you are afraid of spiders, beware...because they feature heavily in this book and play a huge role to the story. But not only that, fears are being played upon as well. Because at the beginning, each of the friends all reveal their fears to one another...paving the way for who it is that is wearing a mask to play on those fears.

I thoroughly enjoyed DO I REALLY KNOW YOU? (despite the eight-legged psychopaths). Gaslighting is one of my favourite weapons in psychological thrillers. It is the subtle and covert manipulation that leaves readers questioning if what they are reading is real...if the characters are truly that unreliable or if something else is making it seem that way. The paranoia is delicious and the vulnerability chilling. And Sheryl's execution is brilliant. 

Again, I love the short snappy chapters that keep the pace moving even quicker and the flashbacks from the past to the present helped put everything into perspective...albeit, a little unreliable maybe. But Sheryl revealed just enough at the right time as she drip-fed us information to both intrigue and maybe hoodwink us. The ending was a slow and gradual reveal that I saw coming but may well shock others. And leaves us questioning how well do we really know those we thought we knew?

Sheryl's often told me, after reading previous books, she would have to work harder at outwitting me as I've become something of a master at guessing her villains. Or is it that I just know at which angle to look? Having stated in her bio that she would have made an excellent psychopath, I'm now left wondering if I have an inner psychopath too...lol

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


MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sheryl Browne writes psychological thriller and edgy contemporary fiction. A member of the Crime Writers’ Association, Romantic Novelists’ Association and awarded a Red Ribbon by The Wishing Shelf Book Awards, Sheryl has several books published and two short stories in Birmingham City University anthologies, where she completed her MA in Creative Writing.

When she's not writing Sheryl can usually be found messing about on the water in her little narrowboat, Aquaduck, which she says she can generally be found falling off and she admits to being a bit accident prone.

Sheryl lives in Worcestershire with her partner and a variety of disabled dogs, of whom she says "my furry-friends give me back much more than I could ever give them. I really wouldn’t be me without them." According to readers of her thrillers, she also apparently makes an excellent psychopath.

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PUBLISHER:


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Friday 22 July 2022

REVIEW: The Doctor by John Nicholl



The Doctor (Dr David Galbraith #1) by John Nicholl
Genre: Psychological thriller
Read: 21st July 2022
Published: 27th July 2022

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Be careful who you trust.

The Mailer family are oblivious to the terrible danger that enters their lives when seven-year-old Anthony is referred to the child guidance service by the family GP following the breakdown of his parents' marriage.

Fifty-eight year old Dr. David Galbraith, a sadistic, predatory paedophile employed as a consultant child psychiatrist, has already murdered one child in the soundproofed cellar below the South Wales Georgian townhouse he shares with his wife and two young daughters.

Anthony becomes Galbraith's latest obsession and he will stop at nothing to make his grotesque fantasies reality.

A note from the author: While fictional, this book was inspired by true events. It draws on the author’s experiences as a police officer and child protection social worker. The story contains content that some readers may find upsetting. It is dedicated to survivors everywhere.

*Previously published as White is the Coldest Colour*


MY THOUGHTS:

Firstly, it is important to note that this book comes with major trigger warnings for child abuse, child exploitation, paedophilia, domestic violence and torture. There is the brief mention of the murder of animals but it is very very minimal and mentioned just in passing.

THE DOCTOR is not a book for everyone and it is most definitely not to everyone's taste. It is dark, very disturbing and incredibly chilling. It is not an easy book to read. But it is engrossing, eye-opening and heartwrenching at the same time, tackling a topic that is a societal taboo.

When reading, there are always villains you love to hate. But in this case, you want the villain to suffer as much as possible in the slowest way possible before his eventual demise. David Galbraith is quite honestly the most repulsive, repugnant and despicable character I have ever come across. Many characters get under my skin...but this guy not only got under my skin, but burrowed his way and stayed there until the final glorious page.

We are thrust headlong into a confronting scene from the very first page as we meet the illustrious and well-respected child psychiatrist Dr David Galbraith. But he is also a narcissistic, sociopathic, sadistic and violent paedophile. Within the first pages we meet the real "Doctor" as he basks in reliving the memory of his abuse of young boys, many of whom come through his clinic. He is but a small part of an even bigger network branching out from his corner of Wales throughout the rest of the UK, but operating under the radar of the police and the wider community who see only what he wants them to see. He has terrorised his wife of less than a decade, Cynthia, into submission as well as his two daughters who he merely refers to as "brats", never allowing them to leave the house...and fearing reprisal if they do. He refers to his devoted secretary as the "moronic bitch" while his wife is "the useless bitch". 

In his profession as child psychiatrist, Galbraith uses his position of power to groom and abuse young boys who come under his care. We get an even greater glimpse into his predatory behaviour when he meets seven year old Anthony Mailer, who has been referred to him to help come to terms with his parents' separation. But Galbraith has plans for Anthony and nothing will stand in the way of his evil intentions. 

The story takes an interesting twist with the shifting perspectives as the Doctor soon becomes the focus of a police operation looking to apprehend those involved in his ring, affectionately termed "pet club". But do the police have enough to arrest him? Or will the Doctor's arrogance serve him well?

As the reader, we are always one step ahead of investigators and even Galbraith while at the same time wondering where it is all going to end. As much as I loathed Galbraith his character is extremely impressive and the portrayal of his two faces is done well, as uncomfortable as it is to read in part. He most obviously hates women as his internal monologue continues to refer to them as "bitches" and never by their names, as if by doing so he strips them of their identities. To him, they are nothing; they mean nothing. They are a means to an end; a tool he uses to hide his true nature behind; and to serve him by any means required. He displays a complete lack of empathy or emotion and is a narcissistic monster who sees himself as superior to everyone.

The story itself feels shockingly realistic, thanks to the author's own experiences as a police officer as well as in the child protection field. The opening chapter is extremely confronting but at the same time not overly graphic. Nicholl has used a careful narrative to paint the disturbing images without actually doing so, making the inference clear but not graphic. It is, quite honestly, one of the most chilling books I've read in a long time.

There is so much involved in this story and although you knew exactly what was happening, you are still completely riveted to the page and unable to stop reading. Watching all the pieces come together for the final showdown had the adrenaline pumping...and then that ending! It came as a real twist that had me wanting to start the sequel "The Wife" right away. 

Confronting yet compelling, THE DOCTOR is a dark and disturbing read that is chilling and is not for the fainthearted. Those who enjoy fast-paced psychological thrillers that are dark and gritty in nature will love this book.

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


MEET THE AUTHOR:

John Nicholl, an ex-police officer, social worker and lecturer (and now a "serial chiller") as the award-winning, #1 bestselling author of numerous darkly psychological suspense thrillers. He began writing after leaving his job heading up child protection services.

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