SPOTLIGHT: The Ex by S.E. Lynes

 

The Ex by S.E. Lynes

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 26th August 2022

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Amazon

Published: 26th August 2022

DESCRIPTION:

The love of your life… or a deadly mistake?

It’s hard, meeting your ex after so much time apart. You remember the tears and accusations, the desperate look on his face as he punched the wall, but you try not to show it. You smile politely, even while your heart beats faster.

You watch as he looks down into the stroller, at the beautiful blond-haired blue-eyed baby kicking his little legs in the sunshine, whose innocent smile lights up your world.

You see his face change. You know what he’s thinking.

The next day he calls. His voice is shaking. He wants the truth. Is it his child?

You hesitate, your throat dry, good and bad memories swirling in your mind. You’ve missed him so much… but can you ever trust him again?

You decide that the most important thing is doing what’s right for baby Tom. But months later, when the sirens wail in the night, you have to admit: you never thought either of you would go this far…

A brilliantly twisty psychological thriller from no.1 bestselling author S.E. Lynes about a relationship full of secrets and lies. Fans of Ruth Ware, Lisa Jewell and Gillian Flynn will be gripped by The Ex.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

After graduating from Leeds University, Susie Lynes lived in London before moving to Aberdeen to be with her husband. In Aberdeen, she worked as a Radio Producer at the BBC before moving with her husband and two young children to Rome, where she lived for five years (that sounds amazing). There, she began to write while her children attended nursery. After the birth of her third child and upon her return to the UK, she gained an MA in Creative Writing from Kingston University. She combines writing with teaching at Richmond Adult Community College and bringing up her three children in Teddington, Middlesex.  She is the author of critically acclaimed psychological thriller, VALENTINA, published by Blackbird books. MOTHER, her follow up, was published by Bookouture in November 2017 then THE PACT, THE PROPOSAL, THE WOMEN, THE LIES WE HIDE, CAN YOU SEE HER?, HER SISTER'S SECRET, THE HOUSEWARMING, THE BABY SHOWER and THE EX.

Formerly a BBC producer, she turned to novel writing after the birth of her third child.

After her MA in Creative Writing, she became a Creative Writing Tutor at Richmond Adult Community College and now combines writing, mentoring and lecturing. She has also published three children's books in Italy.

Social Media Links:

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Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

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REVIEW: Into the Woods by Lorraine Murphy

Into the Woods by Lorraine Murphy

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 25th August 2022

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Amazon

Published: 21st August 2022

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

A lost child. A broken marriage. A ticking time bomb.

Karen will do anything for her eight-year-old daughter, Scarlett. Even holding together a marriage that is way past broken.

So, when Scarlett disappears from their rural home, Karen is one hundred percent focused on a single goal – finding her little girl as soon as possible.

And time is of the essence. Because Scarlett is profoundly deaf and would live in utter silence if it wasn’t for her high-tech hearing aids. Karen knows that within hours their batteries will run out, leaving her daughter even more isolated and vulnerable.

As the search for Scarlett intensifies, shocking secrets are revealed and Karen realises she may have to look for answers closer to home.

When the reason for Scarlett’s disappearance finally becomes clear, Karen finds she is living her own worst nightmare – her daughter is in deadly danger and time is running out. 

MY THOUGHTS:

Dreams can come true. So can nightmares.

The premise for this book intrigued from the beginning, not only for it's creepy storyline, but the fact that daughter Scarlett was profoundly deaf. Having a deaf uncle and known a few deaf people I'm always interested when this is added into a story arc because it opens up a whole new aspect of possibilities and whatnot. It's hard to believe that INTO THE WOODS is her debut because it is written with the expert hand of a seasoned writer. The tension throughout is palapable and the twists delicious. But above all, the the thrill of the ride is exhilarating.

Karen O'Hara is a vlogger and social media influencer, raising awareness for pre and post-partum depression and anxiety as well raising a child who is deaf. Her husband Paddy works long hours some distance away leaving her home alone with their 8 year old daughter Scarlett. Although she is profoundly deaf, Scarlett wears cochlear implants which enable her to hear and communicate as a hearing person. While Karen has devoted her life to her awareness campaigns, her focus on Scarlett shifts.

One afternoon as she has just begun a video conference with a world-renowned child psychologist in New York, Karen is startled to discover Paddy has returned home when he is supposed to be in London for the weekend, which he then explains was cancelled. He goes in search of Scarlett and unable to find her enlists Karen's help as she abandons her conference mid-stream. The couple begin to panic when they search every nook and cranny of their isolated house and property to no avail. Scarlett has vanished. 

Time is of the essence as it has been an hour since Karen last saw their daughter and even more worrying is...her cochlear implant batteries will be running low having been charged the night before and will only have a few more hours left in them before plunging Scarlett into complete silence.

The police are called and Karen and Paddy are questioned but believing they are wasting precious time, demand they continue the search for their daughter. The more time passes, the longer she is out there... 

But then the cracks begin to show and secrets come to light. And nothing is as it seems for either Karen or Paddy. What have they done? Will they find Scarlett in time? Or will it be too late...for all of them?

INTO THE WOODS is a thoroughly enjoyable tale with a dark edge to it that is a touch creepy making it an exciting psychological thriller. It touches on the world of social media and how quickly one can lose themselves to it and how quickly public opinion can turn...not to mention how fickle they can be. Added to that, we have two parents who are equally unlikeable and so obviously keeping secrets from one another. 

I didn't like Karen as I found her to be completely self-absorbed bordering on narcissistic. The first thing she does after searching is go online and stream a live video about Scarlett's disappearance. I mean, what sort of person gives out so much of her personal life online to a bunch of random strangers from a complete description of where they live to her mobile phone number? It's mental. Who would do that? I'm not surprised she got crank calls. And then there's Paddy. I can't even begin to say what I disliked about him as it would give too much away. But really, is he that stupid? I did however feel a little bit of sympathy for him with regards to being married to Karen. But really, the only one to show any nous is Scarlett. That girl is clever beyond her years. Way to go, girl!

And I have to mention the daughter's name...Scarlett O'Hara. Very "Gone with the Wind"...as Scarlett soon was.

Unfolding through the various narratives between the past and present, INTO THE WOODS is a fast moving riveting story that had me absorbed from the prologue. And despite the two unlikeable (main) characters, I really did thoroughly enjoy it. Although there were twists, they weren't surprising to me as I figured the direction very early on for a number of reasons and it all just fell into place as it went. But still, that didn't spoil my enjoyment of this fast paced thoroughly addictive and compelling psychological thriller.

Overall, INTO THE WOODS is a solid gripping thriller and well plotted for a debut. A lot of thriller can feel a little "samey" like it's been done before but this one had a unique take on the missing child trope. I liked it. I mean REALLY liked it. I would be interested to see what the author presents us with next.

I would like to thank #LorraineMurphy, #Netgalley, #InkubatorBooks and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #IntoTheWoods in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lorraine Murphy loves to take everyday situations and twist them into terrifying tales. Although she has published many flash fiction stories, "Into the Woods" is her first novel.

A software engineer by profession, Lorraine as had many jobs including slimming club leader, adult educator, charity co-founder, chairperson, activist and entrepreneur. Oh, and mother and carer. As a teenager, she adored Stephen King and later found herself on the jury of Ireland’s longest Murder Trial.

When she's not writing, she's always into something, whether it be competing in/ for her Toastmasters club or jumping out of a fully functional airplane.

Lorraine lives in Westmeath, Ireland with her husband Brendan and three taller children.

Social Media links:

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REVIEW: What my Family Saw by Daniel Hurst

What my Family Saw by Daniel Hurst

Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller

Read: 29th August 2022

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Published: 11th August 2022

★★★★ 4.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Four family members. One incident. Several shocking twists...

When Sophie and Stuart take their children, Josh and Tilly, for a family day out, they have no idea that things will never be the same again. But after each of them witnesses a crime in the woods, their lives are turned upside down.

With the police seeking answers while the criminals hope to silence the witnesses before they can say any more, the four family members have different ways of handling things. They also have secrets, both relating to the crime they witnessed and from their lives before the incident occurred.

As things spiral out of control, the family think they have two options; either stick together or lose everything. But it might already be too late for them to even have that choice anymore...

The new psychological thriller from the author of the UK #1 bestseller The Passenger, We Used To Live Here and Til Death Do Us Part.

MY THOUGHTS:

Daniel Hurst never fails to thrill with the twists and surprise reveals throughout the course of his absorbing psychological domestic thrillers. WHAT MY FAMILY SAW is no different, though it is a little different from others I have read by him in recent times. But then he has such a vast library to his name, he is almost as prolific as James Patterson. lol And I have a number of others to get through at some point. Basically, he is Shalini Boland as a male incarnate. He cannot write a bad book and all of them are addictive page-turners.

Mum Sophie feels like doing something different together as a family one weekend afternoon and announces that they are all going out to lunch and after that, a walk in the woods. Sounds idyllic, right? Wrong! Firstly, moody teenager Josh would much rather be at home playing video games online with his friends whilst Tilly was lured on the promise of a big bowl of ice cream. And Stuart? Well, his mind is as elsewhere as some other parts of him have been lately. And he takes a few minutes to make a call filled with yet more promises that can only end in disaster. And they do. Because after this afternoon, NOTHING will ever be the same for this family again.

What should have been an innocent game of hide and seek in the woods turns their lives upside down. Josh is the first to see something isn't right from his vantage point high up in the trees. But then he hears his family approaching and knows he panics. He must warn them before it's too late and he yells at them to RUN!! But too late, he is seen, they are seen and soon they've all seen what now can never be unseen as they run for their lives through the undergrowth and back to the safety of their car in the pub carpark.

As soon as they are all safely accounted for, Sophie insists on calling the police. Her husband Stuart say no. But what just happened could happen to someone else and they must prevent that from happening. Stuart still insists no. That it's the only way to keep them all safe. Josh and Tilly listen quietly from the backseat as their parents argue like never before...and that frightens them. Why? Because what they have all just witnessed has now put each of their lives in danger and that means that they must now look over their shoulders in fear.

But it doesn't end there. Even when the family think it is all behind them, just one innocent slip puts them all in danger once again as their lives are again turned upside down. It seems what they saw will forever haunt them and to escape they must start afresh...but can they do that? And will it be enough? With more lies than they know what to do with, secrets begin to emerge as the family wonder can they ever go back to being normal and happy again? Or will what they saw follow them forever?

WHAT MY FAMILY SAW is a quick read that is fast paced and thrilling from start to finish. I love how the story unfolds through the eyes of all four members of the family as each of them sees something different and keeps their own counsel as to what they saw. None of the family are completely blameless for the positions in which they find themselves at one point or another. Each of them do something decidedly stupid to put them all at risk but how Hurst weaves it all together is really quite masterful.

I love Daniel Hurst's books and have not come across a bad one yet. I don't think he could write a bad one! They are all equally thrilling, fast paced and addictive. And I eagerly await another as soon as I finish one. I look forward to seeing what he comes up with next.

Though I do wonder how his wife pondered his naming one of Tilly's dolls in her honour? Did she win a competition to be named in his next book? Or was that just a coincidence? lol

Overall, WHAT MY FAMILY SAW is another addictive thrill ride by this well accomplished author to watch out for. Highly recommended for fans of Shalini Boland and Kim Slater.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Daniel Hurst writes psychological thrillers and loves to tell tales about unusual things happening to normal people. He has written all his life, making the progression from handing scribbled stories to his parents as a boy to writing full length novels in his thirties. He lives in the North West of England and when he isn’t writing, he is usually watching a game of football in a pub where his wife can’t find him.

Daniel writes psychological thrillers. The New Friends will be his fourth novel published with Inkubator Books.

Social Media links:

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REVIEW: The Beach Party by Amy Sheppard

The Beach Party by Amy Sheppard

Genre: Psychological thriller, Did Not Finish

Read: 27th August 2022

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Amazon

Audio links:

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US

Listen to Sample

Published: 30th August 2022

★ 1 star

DESCRIPTION:

We were all at the party. Which of us wanted her dead?

As the smoke from the bonfire spirals into the night sky and the cool drinks slip down our throats, none of us can take our eyes off Lacey. She dances in the dunes, her long golden hair damp from her late-night swim, her smile dazzling, her blue eyes closed.

Everyone who is close to Lacey sits by the smoky fire. Her adoring boyfriend, who holds onto her, perhaps a little too tightly. Her little sister, always in Lacey’s shadow, sifting fine soft sand through her fingers, never taking her eyes off Lacey. And me. Sad and full of rage, after an argument forced the man I love to leave the party early.

When the fire burns out, we stumble away from the beach, along the cliff path – faces burned by the wind, hearts full of secrets. But Lacey never makes it home. The next morning, her body is found in the sand dunes, a heart-shaped locket missing from around her neck.

Who would have thought our beach party could end the way it did? Close friends gathered on the last night of a long hot summer – which one of us could have killed the girl everybody loved?

An absolutely gripping psychological thriller with an ending you will NEVER see coming! Strap in for a twisty rollercoaster ride that will keep you turning pages all night long. Perfect for anyone who adored The Holiday, The Guest List or Gone Girl.

MY THOUGHTS:

THE BEACH PARTY is something of a slow burn thriller that didn't quite reach the heights of anticipation I had...well...anticipated. I found the writing clunky and convoluted with "Sophie this" or "Sophie that" with every second sentence...almost as if Katie didn't have a thought of her own.

So the two young women, Katie and Sophie, met at uni whilst studying journalism. While Katie wanted to write it, Sophie wanted to broadcast it. At the same time being something of a social media influencer for fashion and beauty. The two friends decide to start a true crime podcast called Small Town, investigating cold cases, which they will research, write, record and produce together. That is until Tom comes onto the scene.

Katie knows Tom from her hometown in Cornwall. They grew up together and had the same friends. But ever since Sophie came home with her on one of her visits, Tom has been a fixture in Sophie's life and it soon becomes clear that there is no room for Katie as well. 

And soon the podcast gets neglected also. That is, until a radio station then commissions six episodes on the murder of a girl who both Katie and Tom knew, at a beach party they had both attended five years ago, which to this day remains unsolved. Neither Katie nor Tom are excited at this prospect but Sophie is thrilled.

Now the three of them are on the journey from London back to Cornwall for a month long stay while they research the cold case two of them are reluctant to face. Returning home brings up many fears for Katie, mostly of what she might learn or what they may uncover about that night. And what really happened to Lacey.

This is Amy Sheppard's debut and while the premise was intriguing, the execution I found a little lacking. I'm not sure why but it just missed the mark with me. I think because the writing was so stilted and convoluted, some of it just didn't make sense. It was ludicrous. And I wasn't excited about anyone or anything and Katie was a sub-standard narrator that didn't have a voice for narration. It was more robotic than anything and it gave me (the reader) a sense of disconnection. And she seemed to have a crush on just about everyone at some point. Who is this story about again? Not only that, she appeared to be a tad bipolar with her paranoia and anxiety of just about everything.

I wanted to like this book but it just wasn't for me. I struggled so much with it I just gave up.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Amy Sheppard is a busy mum of two boys, living in Cornwall. Her obsession with making budget friendly family dinners, led her to writing two cookbooks. Amy creates recipes for her followers and for brands @amysheppardfood

Her debut novel is out in August 2022. A psychological thriller set in Cornwall called 'The Beach Party'.

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REVIEW: The Ex by S.E. Lynes

The Ex by S.E. Lynes

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 26th August 2022

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Amazon

Published: 26th August 2022

★★★ 3.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

The love of your life… or a deadly mistake?

It’s hard, meeting your ex after so much time apart. You remember the tears and accusations, the desperate look on his face as he punched the wall, but you try not to show it. You smile politely, even while your heart beats faster.

You watch as he looks down into the stroller, at the beautiful blond-haired blue-eyed baby kicking his little legs in the sunshine, whose innocent smile lights up your world.

You see his face change. You know what he’s thinking.

The next day he calls. His voice is shaking. He wants the truth. Is it his child?

You hesitate, your throat dry, good and bad memories swirling in your mind. You’ve missed him so much… but can you ever trust him again?

You decide that the most important thing is doing what’s right for baby Tom. But months later, when the sirens wail in the night, you have to admit: you never thought either of you would go this far…

A brilliantly twisty psychological thriller from no.1 bestselling author S.E. Lynes about a relationship full of secrets and lies. Fans of Ruth Ware, Lisa Jewell and Gillian Flynn will be gripped by The Ex.

MY THOUGHTS:

The love of your life? Or your worst nightmare?

I began this review earlier today (having given up after 40%) with one train of thought only to go back and finish the book and thus change my opinion. As the pace was so slow it was glacial as was the chill I felt whenever I was in sneaky Naomi's presence, it did pick up...but not until about 50%. Normally, I wouldn't go back and finish a book I had just reviewed as unable to get through but I know Susie is capable of some thrilling tales and I  kind of wanted to find out what actually happened.

Sam is a sucker for a sob story and when he runs into his ex, Naomi, one day after leaving her the year before prior to the UK's first COVID lockdown he is shocked to see she has a baby in tow. But never fear, she is just looking after the little tyke for her friend. At least that's what she tells Sam but he's not stupid. He sees the resemblance, the fair hair, the blue eyes...he knows. He goes home to his gran Joyce with whom he's been living since he walked out on Naomi (for good reason, I might add) and regales her with the impromptu meeting. Joyce warns him to be careful where that girl is concerned but Sam just has to know - is Tommy his baby?

And so he texts Naomi to meet up, casual like. But she is not stupid either. She knows that's exactly what he'll do and so she sets about playing him like a fiddle. At first she denies Tommy is his but then about faces and admits that he is. They then agree to daytime access once a week, when he has to rework his work schedule to accommodate the princess as she calls the shots. Whilst she has agreed to access amicably, she could also quite easily take it away again, using Tommy as leverage in her quest to snag Sam's affections once again. Meanwhile poor Sam is decorating a nursery in his gran's house especially for Tommy when he is (finally) allowed to stay over. He has taken to fatherhood like a fish to water and he is loving every minute of it...for all the 8 hours Naomi deems to allow him at first.

Sam is convinced that Naomi is a changed woman. That motherhood has mellowed her. Even Joyce's opinion of her grandson's "ex-ex" was turned around. But is that the face she just wants him to see? He forgets the pain she caused him and the reasons why he left. She still articulates his every fault and how he made her angry, excusing her appalling outbursts and behaviour, when he could only respond with silence. He never knew what to say to her. I get that. But she took it as a personal attack and a year later never fails to remind him of that in her oh so subtle way. And Sam, still under her spell, bows to her in agreement seeing the error of his ways. Seriously? The woman blows hot and cold and poor Sam never knows which temperature he's going to get. Her underhand and subtle gaslighting manipulates him into constantly second guessing himself. She did that! And a year later, she still is! But this time with a smile not sarcasm in her tone. But it's still there.

But Sam is smitten. Case closed. With his gran's ring she gifted him to give Naomi, Sam gets down on bended knee and proposes. He wants to be a family and he wants that with Naomi and Tommy. And so they begin to plan their future together. Now that he had found and rekindled the love of his life, what could possibly go wrong?

The story unfolds through the narrative of Miranda who retells it as Sam's story with letters from Naomi (to Sam) peppered throughout. It is through these letters that I can see the subtle gaslighting, the manipulation and the emotional abuse. She knows exactly what she is doing and she dangles the silent threat in the form of words that she may or may not give to him.

When I began this review earlier, I didn't think the story had gone anywhere. That it was just more of Sam jumping through Naomi's hoops. But I wanted to know what Sam had done and why and I do enjoy Susie's thrillers so I went back and (admittedly) skipped a few chapters to where it started to get interesting and pick up pace. From there I was hooked. And I flew through the rest of the pages until the final truth was revealed. And wow! Just wow!

One thing was for sure...I HATED Naomi. With a passion. She was up to something...I just know she was. Was she stringing Sam along for her own gain before revealing her true colours again? Maybe? Maybe she truly loved him. But one thing is for sure...she is toxic. Their relationship is toxic. And yet she still had the power to lure him into her web once again and keep him entangled there. Because he is a good guy. He sees and believes the best in people.

While slow burns are not my style, preferring to be thrust into the deep end from the beginning and being catapulted through the rest of it, THE EX did in fact pick up its pace ten-fold at the halfway mark. In my opinion, that is too long to keep readers waiting for the good stuff...unless they like that style. Susie does have a penchant for slow burns but this was pretty glacial to begin with for quite some time.

The style in which THE EX is written is very different which I admit to finding confusing at first but once I got used to it I could follow the format. It was the slow pace that had me stumped. And while that was ALMOST enough to make me give up, I'm glad I did go back and pick it up again because it did indeed get better. It is predictable but that doesn't spoil the enjoyment for me...the slow pace in the first half did that. But in the second half, it ended up being an intriguing and enjoyable read.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

After graduating from Leeds University, Susie Lynes lived in London before moving to Aberdeen to be with her husband. In Aberdeen, she worked as a Radio Producer at the BBC before moving with her husband and two young children to Rome, where she lived for five years (that sounds amazing). There, she began to write while her children attended nursery. After the birth of her third child and upon her return to the UK, she gained an MA in Creative Writing from Kingston University. She combines writing with teaching at Richmond Adult Community College and bringing up her three children in Teddington, Middlesex.  She is the author of critically acclaimed psychological thriller, VALENTINA, published by Blackbird books. MOTHER, her follow up, was published by Bookouture in November 2017 then THE PACT, THE PROPOSAL, THE WOMEN, THE LIES WE HIDE, CAN YOU SEE HER?, HER SISTER'S SECRET, THE HOUSEWARMING, THE BABY SHOWER and THE EX.

Formerly a BBC producer, she turned to novel writing after the birth of her third child.

After her MA in Creative Writing, she became a Creative Writing Tutor at Richmond Adult Community College and now combines writing, mentoring and lecturing. She has also published three children's books in Italy.

Social Media Links:

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PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

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REVIEW: A Wartime Welcome at Rookery House by Rosie Hendry

A Wartime Welcome at Rookery House (Rookery House #1) by Rosie Hendry

Genre: Wartime fiction, Sagas, WW2

Read: 23rd August 2022

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UK

US

Published: 7th June 2022

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Follow the much-loved characters from the award winning MOTHER’S DAY CLUB in abrand-new World War Two saga series.

October 1940

When VAD nurse Evie narrowly avoids being killed in an air raidduring the Blitz, it propels her to make a life-changing decision to break free of her troubled and unhappy life. She escapes to the Norfolk countryside to start afresh, with a job at the newly opened Great Plumstead Hall hospital, and a wonderful new home at Rookery House.

The community of Great Plumstead welcomes more evacuees to the village – mothers and children bombed out of their London homes. Sisters Prue and Thea, along with members of The Mother’s Day Club, help the new arrivals settle in, while continuing their work for the war effort by holding knitting bees, socials and doing WVS work. 

Evie is happy in her new life – she loves living at Rookery House and enjoys her job at the hospital, despite working for the difficult Matron Reed. But when a patient arrives who knew her in her former life, Evie’s new-found freedom and happiness is in danger. Will the secrets of Evie’s past be revealed, and the problems from her old life return to trouble her once more?

MY THOUGHTS:

I absolutely loved the author's Mother's Day Club series and so I was thrilled to discover that A WARTIME WELCOME AT ROOKERY HOUSE was taking us back to Great Plumstead and to all the residents we have come to know and love there. Despite this book being the first in a whole new series, it was like coming home to be back in Norfolk once again at Rookery House. In fact, it seemed like this series just picked up where the other one left off. I've not read her East End Angels series but I believe some of the characters feature briefly in this one on a visit to London. I love how authors combine their series so the characters flow from one to the other.

I thoroughly enjoyed A WARTIME WELCOME AT ROOKERY HOUSE, having visited Rookery House in previous books and meeting the occupants there, I knew the welcome Evie would receive upon her arrival. It's one of the things I love about sagas - they are set during the war without being about the war, but more about the families and loved ones left behind to keep the home fires burning. It's a glimpse into what life was like for the women and children throughout what would have been a terrifying time.

London 1940: Genevieve Hamilton-Jones is a VAD nurse at a busy military hospital in London. Every day when she completes her shift, she changes out of her uniform and into civvies, carrying it home in a suitcase...an act which confounds those upon learning of her occupation. But Evie (the name she goes by at the hospital) has her reasons. One one such afternoon she is on her way home seated next to a chatty young woman on the bus who is excited about joining up to the WAAFs the following day in the hope that she had her fiance, who is in the RAF, may be stationed together sometime. When the air raid siren sounds, all the passengers flee the bus to seeks shelter in the underground. But Evie left her suitcase on the bus and went back to fit. An act which saved her life but claimed that of another in a direct hit, leaving nothing but a handbag. Suddenly, an idea comes to her. This is her chance to disappear and start afresh...leaving the Blitz and her past behind.

Norfolk 1940: A week later, Evie steps off the train at Great Plumstead and is greeted by the smiling face of Marianne and her baby Emily who takes her to Rookery House where she is billeted. The following day she begins work at the Great Plumstead Hall Hospital, the stately home now a military convalescing hospital, under the watchful eye of Matron Reed. She befriends Hazel on her first day and the two become firm friends. But no matter how comfortable Evie feels in her new home, she cannot let her guard down for a minute lest others uncover her past and who she really is.

Life continues as it always has in Great Plumstead with another bout of mother and children evacuees fleeing the bomb-Blitzed London, with the women shocked to discover that their new evacuees arrive with only the clothes on their backs, having lost everything in the bombings. Prue takes up the cause for a clothing drive to collect much-needed clothing, toys, books and shoes for both mothers and children. Thea continues to work the land at Rookery House with the help of Alice, Marianne and Reuben with Hettie still at the helm in the kitchen.

It isn't long before Thea suspects that there is more to Evie than she has shared with them yet knowing that she will when she feels comfortable enough to do so. But still she sees a shadow of a sadness on her face and often wonders what secrets she may be keeping that haunt her so much.

Evie is thoroughly enjoying her work at the hospital despite the week long introduction to the job in the sluice room scrubbing out bedpans and cleaning cupboards. It isn't long before she proves her worth and Matron enlists her help with the patients and bandaging their wounds. Everything is going well in her new life until a new patient arrives with injuries to his eyes that could potentially blind him for life. She recognises him. And Evie knows without a doubt that he will recognise her once his bandages come off should his sight be restored. Of course she hopes his sight is restored but she also hopes he doesn't recognise her but she knows that he will. Suddenly, all her carefully laid plans may be for nothing and Evie doesn't know what to do.

Will he recognise her? What harm could he do her? What is her secret? And from what past is she running?

A WARTIME WELCOME AT ROOKERY HOUSE is a delightful introduction to a new series whilst being a welcome continuation of the previous one in that we reconnect with Thea, Prue, Marianne, Reuben, Alice and even Gloria and the rest of Great Plumstead. It is a heartwarming read and though the story is somewhat predictable, it matters not because it is so well told, well researched and basically just a delightful tale all round. The author states she was not ready to leave Thea and Prue and Great Plumstead behind and I'm so glad she didn't because it is such a welcome place to be. I could climb into the pages and just live there myself. 

Although this is the first in a new series, it does follow on from the two-book Mother's Day Club series and readers would most definitely benefit from reading those two first before delving into this one, though it can suffice without them. The previous two books will give you a much better background as the events often referred to, whilst they are briefly explained here, you can appreciate them more when seeing them play out first hand.

I cannot wait for the promised novella "First Christmas at Rookery House" nor the subsequent books which will follow the residents through the duration of the war. I have read many WW2 sagas and this one set in Great Plumstead is one of my favourites. It's just a delight to read and I devoured it in a day.

A WARTIME WELCOME AT ROOKERY HOUSE is a thoroughly enjoyable saga read and recommended for those who love wartime fiction and sagas.

I would like to thank #RosieHendry and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #AWartimeWelcomeAtRookeryHouse in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Rosie Hendry lives by the sea in Norfolk with her husband and children. A former teacher and research scientist, she's always loving reading and writing. She started off writing short stories for magazines, her stories gradually becoming longer as her children grew bigger.

Listening to her father's tales of life during the Second World War sparked Rosie's interest in this period and she's especially intrigued by how women's lives changed during the war years. She loves researching further, searching out gems of real life events which inspire her writing.

When she's not working, Rosie enjoys walking along the beach, reading and is grateful for the fact that her husband is a much better cook than her. 

Social Media links:

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REVIEW: The Favorite Child by Cathryn Grant

The Favorite Child by Cathryn Grant

Genre: Domestic thriller, Family drama, Suspense

Read: 22nd August 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 14th August 2022

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Annie’s sister has gone missing. Why doesn’t anyone care?

Annie feels like she's at a good place in her life. Happily married, expecting her first child, enjoying a vacation with her extended family at their beautiful coastal home.

But then her sister, Sunday, suddenly goes missing.

Annie is immediately concerned, but the rest of the family assure her that everything's fine, this is the kind of thing Sunday does, she'll be back…

But Annie knows in her heart that something is very wrong. And she won't rest until she sees her sister safe and well.

As Annie digs for the truth, she realizes that some of her family are not what they seem. And as she draws closer to uncovering their horrifying secret, Annie finally understands that she and her unborn child are in terrible danger…

MY THOUGHTS:

The holiday from hell and a monstrous family...

I know the name Cathryn Grant and have seen her books on Amazon, and I think I may have even purchased one at some stage, but this is the first time I have actually read one of her books. THE FAVORITE CHILD begins as a slow build not entirely uninteresting and a whole lot of psycho going on. My favourite kind...especially in domestic thrillers. But this family is a whole different kettle of fish...and a rather smelly lot, I might add, with things definitely with an odour of fishiness.

Annie is five months pregnant and has returned to the family home on the Californian coast with her husband Michael for the family's annual summer holiday get-together. Almost from the first moment they arrive things are amiss...and they very quickly go downhill from there. Her younger sister Sunday, the favourite child of her parents, has seemingly packed her bags and disappeared overnight. And no one, but Annie, seems to be overly concerned. As they sit around the breakfast table, Annie tries to raise her concerns but no one takes her seriously, citing Sunday's tantrums for not getting her own way and flouncing off in a huff and her pregnancy hormones. But Annie is worried for her sister. Why, she's not entirely sure. But something doesn't feel right.

The further Annie digs, the more she is convinced that Sunday didn't just up and leave. And the more her family accuse her of being hysterical and that it is not good for "Baby Girl". In an act of desperation, Annie calls Sunday's ex-husband Liam and relays her concerns to him. He has always been wary of the family and their cult-like behaviour and sibling bullying which he found damaging to Sunday. Annie is even more convinced that something is wrong when Liam reveals Sunday had called him just a few days about, upset about something, though he didn't know what. Why would she call her ex-husband when she could confide in her family?

Added to her concerns are the disturbing dreams and visions she only seems to have whenever she returns to her family home. They are both vivid and vague in equal measures and so confusing she struggles to understand what they mean. So what is her subconscious trying to tell her?

Told in the first person through Annie's narrative, peppered with the odd past chapters from each of the siblings', THE FAVORITE CHILD is an intriguing and multilayered family drama of domestic suspense with deep-seated secrets at its very core. From the very beginning it is clear that there is something very wrong in the Ledger household. They appear to be the perfect family with a successful entrepreneurial business based on the "family principles" that has been drummed into the children from an early age. The father sees himself as something of an expert on the matter and how to keep a marriage alive, children from going off the rails and a family together. The whole things screamed "cult" to me...particularly when threatened, the family then gather close and rebuff the adversary. It is creepy. And quite honestly, the family are creepy. They are highly dysfunctional with questioning behaviour and an abnormal belief system that appeared on the surface to be admirable, but below the surface was anything but.

One of the most irritating aspects throughout the story was the fact that the family saw Annie's baby as their's and constantly referred to it as "Baby Girl" in a very proprietorial way. But the even more irritating aspect was their constant touching or rubbing Annie's pregnant belly whilst talking about "Baby Girl" as if the child was theirs and Annie was just the incubator bearing the extension of their family. It made me cringe.

The further the story developed and the more Annie uncovered, I was just screaming at her to pack her bags and leave! Her hubby Michael was more than eager to do just that but Annie refused to do so until she found out what really happened to Sunday. Her family were truly a bunch of fruit loops. Completely bonkers. The lot of them. Added to that is the constant gaslighting, Annie didn't know what or who to believe. But there was something so addictive about the storyline that kept you drawn in and I was just itching to find out what happened.

Despite the confusing narrative, whether or not Annie was reliable or not, I managed to piece together what I thought happened through the bits that were drip-fed to us between the lines. I guessed a couple of the reveals but wasn't sure how the entire mystery played out. The ending was satisfactory and, quite honestly, something of a relief. There was a nice little twist at the end that gave readers a sense of closure as it does for Annie.

THE FAVORITE CHILD is a dark and sometimes disturbing domestic suspense thriller that was as intriguing as it was addictive. I was impressed with my first read by this author that I will continue to look out for others penned by her in the future...and add those to my ever-growing TBR pile.

Overall, a superbly twisted quick read with a decent plot twist and an even more disturbing family.

I would like to thank #CathrynGrant, #Netgalley, #InkubatorBooks and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #TheFavoriteChild in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Cathryn Grant writes psychological thrillers, psychological suspense, and ghost stories. She’s the author of twenty-three novels. She’s loved crime fiction all her life and is endlessly fascinated by the twists and turns, and the dark corners of the human mind.

Cathryn's fiction has appeared in Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazines, The Shroud Quarterly Journal, and been anthologized in The Best of Every Day Fiction and You, Me & A Bit of We. Her short story, “I Was Young Once”, received an honorable mention in the 2007 Zoetrope All-story Short Fiction contest.

Her psychological suspense fiction reveals the motives and desires that lead to suburban crime. She’s the author of two psychological thrillers, seven suburban noir novels, the Alexandra Mallory psychological suspense series, the Haunted Ship Trilogy, the Madison Keith Ghost Story series, and a variety of short fiction.

When she’s not writing, Cathryn reads fiction, eavesdrops, and tries to play golf without hitting her ball into the sand or the water. She lives on the Central California coast with her husband and two cats.

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REVIEW: Don't Leave by Pru Heathcote

Don't Leave by Pru Heathcote

Genre: Ghost story, Psychological thriller, Supernatural

Read: 16th August 2022

Amazon

Published: 29th July 2022

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

JANE is a young woman grieving for her child, who is taken to a remote holiday cottage on the Northumberland coast. 

From the moment she arrives at the cottage with her much older and over-protective husband, Peter, Jane keeps catching glimpses of a little girl and hearing a child crying. 

Peter is convinced these are hallucinations, as Jane has been diagnosed with schizophrenia – a diagnosis she doesn’t agree with. 

She sets out to discover who or what the child could be. A ghost? A real child? Or something else?

MY THOUGHTS:

Supernatural stories are not my usual genre but I have been known to enjoy the odd one that is written well and is atmospheric with a good mystery woven into the tale. DON'T LEAVE ticks all those boxes and more. I can't believe this is the author's debut and am not surprised it was the 2020 winner for a debut thriller set in the North East. The plot is cleverly woven, tightly-knitted and atmospheric, creepy and intriguing from beginning to end.

Grieving the loss of her baby daughter, Jane and husband Peter have taken a holiday to a remote and incredibly isolated cottage on the Northumberland coast. It is her husband's hope that Jane, who was recently diagnosed with schizophrenia, will find the peace she needs to heal there. They are greeted by their unsmiling and somewhat spooky neighbour, Mrs Mortimer, whom they secretly christen "Morticia".

But no sooner have they arrived than Jane begins to hear a child's crying and sees a little girl in various places - from the clifftop to the fields to even inside the house. Even when the tap tap tapping wakes her in the night and she sees the little girl standing in her doorway, with puddles of water forming at her feet. She tries to raise her concerns to Peter who, as a professor of science believes only in logic and mathematical equations, is convinced these are hallucinations...which is evidenced in the fact that Jane has stopped taking her medication. He thought this was the best place for her but maybe he was wrong and decides that maybe they should return to Newcastle.

That night Jane is awoken once again by the tap tap tapping and the whispers in her ear "Don't leave".

Who is the child? Where has she come from? And what does she want from her? Why does she not want her to leave? And why does she not say anything else to her but "Don't leave"?

Jane sets out to discover who the mystery child could be, suspecting everyone from Mrs Mortimer next door to a previous holidaymaker who had stayed in the cottage prior to their arrival. Whoever she is, the little girl is trying to communicate with her...if only she could interpret exactly what that is and why she doesn't want her to leave.

And then one night, when Peter is away at a conference, Jane awakes to a frightening revelation...and she has a name. But can she unravel the mystery?

DON'T LEAVE is a chilling and atmospheric psychological thriller and ghost story all rolled into one. It is so cleverly written by an expert hand it is hard to believe that this is the author's debut. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it as I deftly tried to unravel the mystery myself.

While this is not my usual genre as such, I am so glad I ventured into the pages of this tale because it a thoroughly entertaining and incredibly addictive read while also being creepy but not scary as such. Although had it been me in Jane's shoes, I would have been scared witless because as some of the scenes with the little girl, particularly towards the end as she kept appearing and disappearing and reappearing, would have been enough to rattle anybody.

DON'T LEAVE is a wonderfully atmospheric ghost story that just completely engulfs you as you immerse yourself into the story. It was a quick read but a good one. A real page-turner and definitely worth a read. Once you start, not even you will want to leave!

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

Bathing House, Howick, the location which inspired the book "Don't Leave"

MEET THE AUTHOR:

I’ve always loved telling stories and putting them down on paper as soon as I could write. I began my working life in Hertfordshire as a local newspaper reporter – obits, weddings, Uncle George’s Kiddies’ Corner – then went on to teenage magazines (Fab and Rave) and women’s magazines.

I moved to Northumberland forty years ago and worked as an adult education tutor, teaching any subject I didn’t need a qualification for, including creative writing.

Over the years I’ve written dozens of stories for magazines, a commissioned biography, and several plays, one of which was performed at the Edinburgh Fringe.

It was one of my plays that formed the basis for my novel Don’t Leave, winning entry in the 2020 Lindisfarne Prize, written during the first Lockdown.

I’m married, with three grown-up children and two grandchildren.

I live in Warkworth, a village on the Northumberland coast, an area that provides most of the inspiration for my stories. 

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