REVIEW: The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden

The Housemaid's Secret (The Housemaid #2) by Freida McFadden

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 25th February 2023

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Amazon

Published: 20th February 2023

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

“Don’t go in the guest bedroom.” A shadow falls on Douglas Garrick’s face as he touches the door with his fingertips. “My wife… she’s very ill.” As he continues showing me their incredible penthouse apartment, I have a terrible feeling about the woman behind closed doors. But I can’t risk losing this job—not if I want to keep my darkest secret safe…

It’s hard to find an employer who doesn’t ask too many questions about my past. So I thank my lucky stars that the Garricks miraculously give me a job, cleaning their stunning penthouse with views across the city and preparing fancy meals in their shiny kitchen. I can work here for a while, stay quiet until I get what I want.

It’s almost perfect. But I still haven’t met Mrs Garrick, or seen inside the guest bedroom. I’m sure I hear her crying. I notice spots of blood around the neck of her white nightgowns when I’m doing laundry. And one day I can’t help but knock on the door. When it gently swings open, what I see inside changes everything…

That’s when I make a promise. After all, I’ve done this before. I can protect Mrs Garrick while keeping my own secrets locked up safe.

Douglas Garrick has done wrong. He is going to pay. It’s simply a question of how far I’m willing to go…

This absolutely explosive and shockingly twisty sequel to international bestseller The Housemaid will keep you racing through the pages late into the night. Anyone who loves The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose, The Woman in the Window and Gone Girl will be totally hooked! This book can also be enjoyed as a standalone.

MY THOUGHTS:

The perfect home has one rule...don’t look behind closed doors...

So I was totally blown away by the first book "The Housemaid" and, being one of my reading highlights of the year, I was excited to discover that a sequel was coming...ready to blow our minds once again! But how could it possibly outdo the first one? They never can...or can they? So what did I think of THE HOUSEMAID'S SECRET? Did it live up to the hype? Was it even better than the first? Let's just say that if you thought the first one good then be prepared for another addictive page-turning read.

Millie Calloway is back once again as the housemaid. In the years since she left the Winchesters (in the previous book...and yes, I needed a recap), she and former landscape gardener for the couple, Enzo, have kept themselves busy helping women leave abusive or unsafe marriages...for the greater good. But then Enzo returned to Italy and his dying mother, who then kept lingering, leaving both frustrated and angered Millie moving on with her life. 

Putting her old life behind her, Millie is taking college classes part time to become a social worker to help women in a more "legal" and traditional way. She is also dating successful lawyer Brock (Broccoli...lol) who loves her but Millie just can't seem to let herself be with him. She isn't sure why...maybe it's because he doesn't know everything there is to know about her...and if he did then maybe he wouldn't love her anymore and she would lose him. And Millie doesn't want to lose him. Brock is comfortable. Brock is safe. Brock is what she needs in her life...doesn't she?

Despite her now comfortable life with Brock, Millie still needs her own space...meaning she still has her own apartment and therefore she needs work to pay for it. Recently fired from her housemaid/babysitting job because the spoilt little rich girl's 9 month old toddler daughter spent so much time in Millie's company, because her own mother spent most of her time palming her off to her, that the poor little tyke thought Millie WAS her mother and thus threw her arms towards her declaring "Mama!" right in front of her own mother who was less than pleased. Convinced that Millie had told her little princess that she was "mama", the woman fired Millie who thus found herself jobless.

And then she receives a call from wealthy tech genius, Douglas Garrick. He is looking for a housemaid to cook, clean and do some basic laundry for them a couple of times a week int heir penthouse apartment for an eye-watering hourly rate that Millie cannot pass up. He has only one rule. Not to enter the guest room or bother his ill wife.

But when Millie hears Wendy Garrick crying in the guest room, she can't help but want to do something. She knows Wendy is ill and needs her rest but Millie is curious as to why she is so upset. She knocks. The crying stops. But Millie won't be swayed. She soon convinces Wendy to open the door. And what she sees changes everything...

Where to begin...? So Freida McFadden shocked me with "The Housemaid" with twist after twist but not so much with this one. I think maybe because having read the first one, or because I'm a seasoned psychological thriller reader, I've come to expect the unexpected and go where others fear to tread. I know what to look for, what to overlook and what to pick up along the way. There are clues peppered throughout if you see them and file them away for future reference. There is one little tidbit that is only there by a passing mention, so seemingly insignificant, that if not noticed you wouldn't even know it was there. It's things like that that can change an entire course of a story. 

I didn't know what to expect when I started THE HOUSEMAID'S SECRET but I soon began to follow the trail of breadcrumbs and piece it all together long before anyone else did. I didn't see it all come together at once by any means. But little by little I did work it all out. There was one aspect I didn't foresee and that was a nice little surprise but the little twist at the end was already a given in my mind. But none of that ruined the thrill of the chase for me and I still thoroughly enjoyed this next chapter of Millie's life. I just found some of her decisions were a little irritating...but then what would I do in her situation? Maybe the same - who knows? OK, so some of the story was a little far-fetched but then so was the first book and it was still shockingly brilliant. And hey, it's fiction...that's what it is.

On the whole, I really enjoyed THE HOUSEMAID'S SECRET but I don't think it packed that same punch or had that same shocking impact as the first one. And it is incredibly difficult to replicate the brilliance of a book into another. McFadden certainly came close...but I couldn't be hoodwinked this time and therefore couldn't be shocked. I was still thoroughly enthralled in the story and it was just as addictive and compelling as the first...but it lacked that impact and was less disturbing that "The Housemaid". I think that's where the impact really lay. Because that one truly was dark and disturbing...almost like an episode of "Criminal Minds". And this one just didn't have that.

But do not fear, THE HOUSEMAID'S SECRET is still an addictive and thrilling fast paced thrill-ride from start to finish and will certainly entertain thriller fans far and wide, if not keep them guessing.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

#1 Amazon bestselling author Freida McFadden is a practicing physician specializing in brain injury who has penned multiple Kindle bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humor novels. She lives with her family and black cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe.

Social Media links:

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REVIEW: The Ragged Orphan by Lindsey Hutchinson

The Ragged Orphan by Lindsey Hutchinson

Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas

Read: 24th February 2023

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Amazon

Published: 24th February 2023

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

When 12 year-old Jared Johnson’s little sister dies, just hours after his mother breathes her last after wasting away so her children could eat, he knows he is on own. 

Desperate to avoid the workhouse, he does everything he can to survive the inhospitable streets of Birmingham. Jared is blessed with the gift of the gab and soon attracts the attention of the King of the Tatters, Toby McGuire. Recognising a kindred spirit, Toby soon has Jared out on a cart hustling for rags.

Jared loves driving his horse Bess, shouting ‘any old rags’ as loud as he can, and it’s not long before he’s thriving. But being successful can bring you enemies as well as friends. Toby knows that Jared is destined for bigger things – provided his big mouth doesn’t get him hurt first…

The top 10 best-seller is back with an unforgettable story about an unforgettable boy. Heart-breaking and heart-warming, fans of Katie Flynn, Val Wood and Lyn Andrews will fall in love with this latest page-turner from Lindsey Hutchinson.

MY THOUGHTS:

Another heartwarming tale from the Queen of the Black Country sagas as we meet and follow a young orphan lad who has just lost both his mother and young sister. As with all of Lindsey Hutchinson's reads, it is heartbreaking in places and yet it is filled with warmth and love culminating in a wonderful heartwarming ending. 

Jared Johnson is just twelve years old when his mother and young sister Maisy breathe their last, and he has no choice but to leave them in the place that was their home, to go in search of a way out of the poverty-stricken life to which he was born. He leaves word with his kindly neighbour who sees to his mother and sister's send-offs while he begins scavenging around the markets in search of food to survive. He spends one night under the stars by a fire to keep him warm before realising he needs to come up with a better plan. That's when Jared remembers the abandoned cottage he and Maisy used to play in. Upon finding the cottage still abandoned and in complete disrepair, Jared sets up sticks there and goes about making himself a home.

Upon finding an old pram, he dismantles it and uses its wheels and base to build himself a cart to go about making himself something of a living. He knows there's money to be made in buying rags and bones from those in need of a penny or two to feed their families and before long begins to make himself a grand old living. He makes enough to clothe and feed himself whilst gradually making the cottage more habitable. His success does not go unnoticed and in a couple of years' time he is approached by one of Toby Maguire's men and threatened for poaching their patch. Instead of taking the threat to heart, Jared decides to face the man behind the name who runs this band of tatters.

Toby Maguire is known for being a brutal businessman with a ferocity not to be messed with. Jared's open and forthright manner struck a chord with Toby as he saw something of himself in the young lad. He decided to take a chance on him and he wasn't sorry, for Jared brought plenty of ideas to the business and had a smart head on his shoulders. Of course some didn't appreciate the new lad coming in and bringing with him new ideas that created extra work for them. But Jared was not to be swayed. He had bigger plans. One day, he would be "the tatter millionaire", running his own band of tatters...a success in his own right. And he intended to learn as much as he could from Toby Maguire.

THE RAGGED ORPHAN is a delightful tale that is an incredibly easy and quick read that is easily devoured within hours. Though heartbreaking story, it is an uplifting and unique one in which Jared may have lost his only living family but, in his job as a tatter for Maguire, finds a different kind of family. And each with their own heartbreaking stories to tell.

A consuming read, THE RAGGED ORPHAN would make an ideal series following Jared and his friends. Given with how it ended, I do hope we see more of young Jared and his band of tatters along with wonderful Toby and Alice.

I was only introduced to Lindsey Hutchinson a couple of years ago and she has since become one of my go-to authors with her easy style and heartwarming reads. THE RAGGED ORPHAN is no different. It is a quick read with short snappy chapters that keep the pace moving with a plot filled with tension as well as some delightful moments also. At 240 pages it is one of her shorter novels but it was such a delightful read I was sad to see it come to an end. 

Once again Lindsey Hutchinson thrills fans with another heartwarming read buried deep in the past shrouded in the societal and social issues facing the working class at the time - poverty, hunger, alcoholism, violence. And yet, not without hope.

Another delightful read sure to warm the hearts of saga fans and Lindsey's own band of readers/fans.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lindsey Hutchinson was born and raised in Wednesbury, West Midlands and is a bestselling saga author whose novels include The Workhouse Children. Tying up the manuscripts for her her mother, the multi-million selling Meg Hutchinson, rekindled her love for storytelling and it seems she was always destined to follow in her footsteps.

Lindsey lives in Shropshire with her husband and Labrador, loves to read and enjoys photography.

Social Media links:

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

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REVIEW: Gone by Ruby Speechley

Gone by Ruby Speechley

Genre: Domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 21st February 2023

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Amazon

Published: 21st February 2023

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

My son is missing, and everyone is lying to me.

Last night my son, Shay, sneaked out of the house and didn’t come home. He promised not to go to the illegal party in the woods. But someone’s been attacked and Shay has gone missing. The police want to know if he saw what happened. I’m worried he could be involved.

After all the trouble he’s been in lately, mixing with the wrong crowd, coming home beaten up and scared, I thought we’d put it all behind us. Trouble is, Shay resents me moving my new boyfriend into the family home. I found all sorts on his laptop, including a half-written email warning me not to trust David. What does he know that I don’t?

I’m beginning to fear for his safety. What is David hiding from me? Who have I let into our lives?

I don’t know who I can trust. Will I ever see my son alive again?

MY THOUGHTS:

My son is missing...and everyone is lying to me...

I thought I had read Ruby Speechley before but I was surprised to discover that I haven't. I think I probably requested one of her books on Netgalley...and it's still sitting there waiting to be read (along with a zillion others...lol) I knew she was a domestic thriller writer so I was eager to jump right in and I wasn't disappointed...but I was surprised. GONE was not at all what I expected. And from what I've read of others' opinions, it is a departure from her usual style. But I certainly wasn't disappointed.

Rachel is a thirtysomething life coach and mum separated from her husband Mick and father of her two sons Shay (16) and Josh (13). Still living in the family home (until Josh is eighteen), she has been seeing a new man David for several months and when his own home burns down, Rachel, eager to help asks him to move in. Her eldest son Shay is not thrilled by this change in events with the boys naturally hoping their parents would make it up and get back together. He begins acting out and Rachel puts his behaviour down to his refusal to accept David.

When Shay receives an invite to an illegal party taking place in the woods, Rachel puts her foot down and refuses to allow him to attend because his recent behaviour has seen him grounded. The following morning, she opens the door to her son' musty room to discover his bed has not been slept in and the window unlatched. A search of the house and surrounds reveal Shay is nowhere to be found. Countless attempts to reach him on his mobile prove fruitless and messages to him go unread. Where is he? 

Then Rachel discovers Shay was at the party in the woods but no one seems to know what happened to him or where he went afterwards. When it is revealed that a girl was attacked and that Shay was seen with her, Rachel can't believe her son has anything to do with harming her. Shay couldn't harm anyone. And yet he seems to have fled so she is unable to find out what he knows. It is looking increasingly like Shay has become a suspect in this girl's attack...until another teen goes missing. One who was friends with Shay. This cannot be a coincidence.

But the further Rachel digs to find out what could possibly have happened to Shay the further down the rabbit hole she is taken into a seedy, dark and disturbing world she had no idea existed. What in the world has happened to her son? And will she ever see him again?

This story is just wow! It is an intense and compelling read throughout that you just don't want to put it down. You just want to keep reading and find out what happened to Shay. The plot is tight and complex yet without being confusing. I like that it isn't a police procedural and more of a domestic thriller, though the police do linger in the background doing their stuff and popping up when needed. But the story focuses solely on Rachel and everything unfolds through her perspective, flowing seamlessly, making it easy to follow and yet the pace is fast.

I felt no one in Rachel's life could be trusted, apart from Josh who was so desperate to have his big brother back and maybe her ex Mick, who seemed a damn sight more worried than David appeared to be. This added to the tension and ramped up the pace even more leaving readers questioning just who could Rachel trust? If anyone? The moment she goes to confide in someone I'm screaming "NOOOOOO!! Don't!!" because I didn't trust that person not to be involved or know something. It seemed everyone was keeping secrets from her making it is even harder to know just who to trust.

The mystery of Shay's disappearance and all he was involved in prior to him going missing throws another aspect into the story. Does whatever Shay was involved in have anything to do with his disappearance? And will Rachel ever see her son alive again? The mystery surrounding his disappearance and its aftermath had me utterly gripped and reading into the wee hours of the morning.

I love a good missing child trope but this is on a whole other scale that not even the most seasoned fan could imagine where it will lead. It is surprising, shocking, twisty and disturbing. It, is in, places a dark read. And in the end, I found it a very sad one and was in tears. Or maybe that's just me just now. 

There are a couple of niggles that I felt weren't addressed by the story's end...aside from the fact the cover has nothing at all to do with the story, leading one to believe it is a small child that goes missing instead of a teenager, it is totally off track to what it's all about. There were unsent/unfinished emails in Shay's drafts folder that were unexplained. What was that all about? And who were the teens Rachel saw knocking on Shay's window? Though assumptions were made, that also wasn't made clear. Apart from that, this was a 5 star read.

My first my Ruby Speechley, this won't be my last. I loved every minute of this thrill ride and look forward to seeking out more by this author.

GONE is a well written, well plotted tale that was unpredictable with many twists to keep you guessing. If you are a fan of domestic thrillers, then I'm sure you will enjoy this one.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Ruby Speechley, graduated from Sheffield Hallam University in 2009, with an MA in Creative Writing. She is a Faber Academy alumna and prolific writer whose work has been longlisted for the Lucy Cavendish College Fiction Prize, the Exeter Novel Prize, the Caledonian Novel Award, the Bath Novel Award and has won the Retreat West First Chapter Competition.

Ruby is a mum of three was born in Lisbon, Portugal at the time of the first earthquake there in 200 years! She has been a journalist and worked in PR.

Ruby’s debut novel Someone Else’s Baby, a chilling psychological thriller, follows a young woman, Charlotte who has always dreamed of becoming a surrogate. When she and her partner Steve, choose Malcolm and Brenda, a middle-aged couple who they find on a surrogacy forum to become the intended parents, Charlotte believes she is about to fulfil her dream of helping a loving couple finally become a family, only to find that her act of kindness comes with devastating consequences.

Ruby’s debut was published by Hera in ebook in July 2019, and following a fantastic digital run, was published in paperback in January 2020. She now publishes with Boldwood Books.

Ruby’s second novel, Every Little Secret, was published in April 2020. Her next novel, A Mother Like You, published in November 2020. Ruby’s fourth novel, The Face at the Window was published in July 2021! Her most recent book, Gone, was published in February 2023.

Ruby lives in Cheshire with her husband and two of her three children and two Springer spaniels. She has an older son and two grandsons.

Social media links:

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | BookBub | Goodreads

REVIEW: Blood Mothers by Gaye Maguire

Blood Mothers (DS Kate Hamilton #1) by Gaye MacGuire

Genre: Crime thriller, Crime fiction, Police procedural

Red: 19th February 2023

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Amazon

Published: 12th February 2023

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Some debts can only be paid in blood.

 

A rich socialite is found hacked to death in her Dublin home. It’s the beginning of a killing spree that leaves five apparently unconnected people brutally slain. 

Kate Hamilton, a brilliant and ambitious detective sergeant, is assigned to the case and soon uncovers the connection between the victims – they were all involved in an illegal adoption scheme which was running in Ireland up to the 1980s.

 

In a deeply traditional society, unmarried mothers were shamed by their families, forced to give birth in secret and surrender their newborns for adoption, fuelling a lucrative and cruel baby trade. 

Now, decades later, it seems someone is taking bloody revenge on those who played a part in the adoption racket.

With each day bringing a new victim, Kate and her team race to stop the bloodshed. But when she discovers she has a personal link with both victims and murderer, Kate realises her own life is in danger as never before.

Blood Mothers – the first in the gripping new series featuring DS Kate Hamilton

MY THOUGHTS:

Most will have heard about the infamous Magdalene laundries in which young women, many of them girls, were shamed into the notorious mother and baby homes in exchange for the brutal treatment they recevied and the heartbreaking separation that inevitably came when they gave birth. It is a part of Ireland's shameful social history that is often closely linked to some of the tragedies today. People who grew up never knowing the truth about their pasts or were shamed with the knowledge of what had taken place. While BLOOD MOTHERS touches on a piece of this dark history and is only fiction, the heart of this story is one that runs deep into Ireland's shameful past. Thankfully the Magdelene laundries played no part in this tale but it still lingered in the shadows serving as a stark reminder of the cruelties of the past. 

The first in what looks to be a promising new series featuring DS Kate Hamilton of An Garda Síochána (the Garda) set mostly in and around Dublin, BLOOD MOTHERS starts off with a bang with the detective and her boss DI Jim Corcoran tasked to investigate the brutal murder of an affluent widow. Before forensics are even finished with the scene, the discovery of a second slaying is discovered and the team begin to wonder if they are dealing with a serial killer. Kate, who had been on secondment to the BAU in Quantico for two years, is the closest they have to a profiler so Corcoran relies on her immediate thoughts of the two scenes. How are the two women connected? And why were they killed?

But when the investigation leads them to an old convent, Kate realises there is more to this case than what at first appeared.

In 1960s Dublin, young naive 14 year old Rosie Jackson falls under the spell of her older cousin whose family have come to visit. The night before they are to return to England, the older cousin - a travesty to his family having been expelled from school yet again at 16 - plies the younger starry eyed Rosie with alcohol and after a quick fumble, turns on her and rapes her. Her screams when he lets her go wake the house who come running to her aid. Two months later she realises she's in trouble and her mother recalls a whispered conversation in the hairdressers which spurs her into seeking a solution. One that is illegal in Ireland.

A cursory examination by an obstetrician insists that Rosie is further along than the eight weeks that she claims, but her mother is adamant. Rosie is only vaguely aware of all that is going around her. Her mother mentioned something about an operation which frightened her and after some toing and froing, arrangements are made for Rosie to enter St Mary's Convent for the duration of her confinement. At a price, of course.

What unfolds is actually a very sad story and, while it is fiction, is steeped in a social scandal that rocked Ireland for decades. One in which Kate finds herself embroiled unwittingly. Again, the Catholic Church who preach love, forgiveness and the Bible's teachings do little to prove such and rather than shroud those who needed love and care instead smothered them in shame and judgement, hiding them away and reminding them of their sinful behaviour daily. But in a twist on the notorious Magdelene laundries, what instead follows the illegal adoption scheme that ran for over five decades. And now someone is bent on revenge.

BLOOD MOTHERS is a fast paced quick read that I devoured and by the time I reached the end, the question that I am sure was on every readers' mind is something that will obviously carry over into the next book...which I am eagerly awaiting, I might add. The book doesn't end on a cliffhanger as such but it does tease us with a question. A question I can't really say...though it doesn't really reveal anything or is a spoiler. But it's a question that does pique one's interest. What is it?

A sad story at its core, BLOOD MOTHERS is a fantastic debut that is thought provoking as well as being well-plotted. I love the characters and the fact it's not a constant dog-eat-dog fight for supremacy. I want a crime thriller that's real not some claptrap recounting whose is bigger than the next guy's that's not. I like the camaraderie between Kate, Rory and their boss Jim, even is Jim's vocabulary is often reduced to the f-bomb. I loved this book and devoured it easily. Admittedly, I do love stories surrounding the mother and baby homes and all the mystery that ensues...

Overall, a brilliant debut and I can't wait to read more! Bring it on!

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Gaye admits to a lifelong obsession with crime, and a keen interest in psychology and social history. She credits her parents, who were avid readers, with her love of fiction. When she graduated from Enid Blyton to Agatha Christie at age nine, so began a life of crime…reading. 

She enjoyed an award-winning career as a TV Producer/Director working for the BBC, ITV and RTE. She’s always written in her spare time, and during lockdown, when her husband built himself a workshop at the end of the garden, she seized control (peacefully) and renamed it her writing cabin.  The result was BLOOD MOTHERS.

Now a full-time writer, she has three adult children and one adorable granddaughter. She lives in Dublin with her husband, to whom she now owes a workshop, two of her grown up kids and two rescue dogs who are not at all grown up, but make for great company at the bottom of the garden.

  

Blood Mothers is Gaye Maguire's first book with Inkubator Books. 

Social media links:

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

SPOTLIGHT: You're Not Alone by G.M. Lawrence

 

You're Not Alone by G.M. Lawrence

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 18th February 2023

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Amazon

Published: 12th February 2023

DESCRIPTION:

He only has eyes for her…

Chloe needs to get her life back on track after the collapse of her marriage. So when she meets handsome, charismatic Danny on a night out, she is open to seeing what develops.

 

It should be normal, exciting, boy-meets-girl but something about Danny is…off. He’s a little too interested, a little too intense. So she doesn't give him her number. End of story.

 

But Danny isn't going anywhere. He pursues Chloe with a determination that frightens her, ignoring her warnings to leave her alone. He invades every corner of her world, makes every effort to get between her and Tom, a friend who could be more.

 

Chloe finds herself in the fight of her life as she realizes that Danny is deadly serious about his  promise that they will be together – at any cost.

 

And with Tom and Chloe growing closer, her fear for her new man only escalates as she struggles to answer one terrifying question – how far will Danny go to get what he wants?

 

You’re Not Alone – the stunning psychological thriller perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, K.L. Slater and Daniel Hurst.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

G. M. Lawrence writes psychological suspense novels that have sizzling suspense, plenty of heart and a thrilling twist or two. She decided to start writing as a hobby in 2015 and after a few half-hearted attempts at a novel, she decided to commit to it. Now, with a creative writing course under her belt, she loves nothing more than to open her laptop and let the words flow.

She lives in Hampshire in the UK with her husband, daughter, and two cats who love to bring as much chaos into their lives as possible.

Social media links:

Wesbite | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: You're Not Alone by G.M. Lawrence

 

You're Not Alone by G.M. Lawrence

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 18th February 2023

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 12th February 2023

★ 1 star

DESCRIPTION:

He only has eyes for her…

Chloe needs to get her life back on track after the collapse of her marriage. So when she meets handsome, charismatic Danny on a night out, she is open to seeing what develops.

 

It should be normal, exciting, boy-meets-girl but something about Danny is…off. He’s a little too interested, a little too intense. So she doesn't give him her number. End of story.

 

But Danny isn't going anywhere. He pursues Chloe with a determination that frightens her, ignoring her warnings to leave her alone. He invades every corner of her world, makes every effort to get between her and Tom, a friend who could be more.

 

Chloe finds herself in the fight of her life as she realizes that Danny is deadly serious about his  promise that they will be together – at any cost.

 

And with Tom and Chloe growing closer, her fear for her new man only escalates as she struggles to answer one terrifying question – how far will Danny go to get what he wants?

 

You’re Not Alone – the stunning psychological thriller perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, K.L. Slater and Daniel Hurst.

MY THOUGHTS:

I have mixed feelings about this book...in as far as I read it. I really wanted to like it but I simply couldn't get into the story and the characters - Chloe and Danny - both grated on my nerves. The story was incredibly dark in places and I could see its potential. It pulls out all the stops on psychopaths, gaslighting and stalking. Plus many other sinister aspects hidden within.

I wasn't entirely drawn in from the beginning as the opening scenes was a club and (showing my age here) clubs are not my thing. Drinking to abandon, also not my thing. Going out the drink your troubles away and put oneself back out there on the market? Also not my thing. I can't imagine meeting a lasting relationship in a club where everyone is drinking and dancing till they throw up and then wake to remember nothing, or hardly anything, of the night before. Why do people do this to themselves? Also not a drinker myself I can't see the value, the draw or the point. 

But that aside, that is not why I couldn't get into this book. I didn't warm to Chloe from the beginning. And Danny gave me the heebee jeebies with major sinister vibes radiating from him in waves like a beacon in the night. I could feel the intensity of his stare and it made me uncomfortable just reading about him. I just didn't want to be in his presence and don't get me started on Chloe. She made some stupid choices and came across a little naive at times that I couldn't believe her stupidity. She was so blindingly frustrating at times. I just couldn't connect to her so therefore I couldn't really sympathise with her either. Therefore making my care factor zero. I found her a little one dimensional but that might just be me.

Having given up on it, I have since read some favourable reviews which highlight its highs as well as lows but also revealing that the second half was way better than the first. So I didn't stick around long enough to find out. Maybe if I had I'd have discovered the same. But honestly? Something about Danny just made me want to get out of his presence quick smart.

Despite my negative feelings about the book, the issue tackled is one of importance and while it was done with sensitivity, the end result was a bit of a miss for me. Not because of the writing...that was actually quite good. But the characters. And the story I really found repetitive and even a little boring.

I wish I could have finished it...but I just couldn't. That's not to say that this isn't a good twisty thriller. It just wasn't for me. I hate leaving negative reviews as I know that every book is a labour of someone's love and hard work. But reading is subjective and what might enthrall one may not excite another.

I would like to thank #GMLawrence, #Netgalley and #InkubatorBooks for an ARC of #YoureNotAlone in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

G. M. Lawrence writes psychological suspense novels that have sizzling suspense, plenty of heart and a thrilling twist or two. She decided to start writing as a hobby in 2015 and after a few half-hearted attempts at a novel, she decided to commit to it. Now, with a creative writing course under her belt, she loves nothing more than to open her laptop and let the words flow.

She lives in Hampshire in the UK with her husband, daughter, and two cats who love to bring as much chaos into their lives as possible.

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REVIEW: The Mistress Next Door by Lesley Sanderson

The Mistress Next Door by Lesley Sanderson

Genre: Domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 17th February 2023

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Published: 15th February 2023

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

I know what you did. You destroyed my life. Now I’m going to take everything from you, starting with your husband. I’m your worst nightmare, and I’m closer than you think.

Oliver, my husband and the father of our three little girls, used to be my rock. But recently he’s been behaving strangely, staying out late, working weekends and emotionally absent even when home. Now as I clutch a receipt for a hotel room and champagne for two, hidden away in his coat pocket, I’m devastated. What else can I assume other than he’s cheating?

I’ve risked everything for the life I have now, a life that’s a million miles from… before. Not that Oliver would know anything about that. I would do anything to hold on to the perfect future I so dearly long for. A future that is now about to come crashing down.

Because Oliver’s cheating isn’t the only threat to my family. This morning I received an anonymous note. One that changes everything. The past isn’t just haunting me, it’s coming back to destroy me. It seems that someone in our close-knit community of Prospect Close knows my secret. Someone who’s willing to do whatever it takes to get their revenge. They’ve already stolen my husband. How much further will they go? And what can I do to stop them…?

An astonishing, compelling page-turner with a jaw-dropping twist, if you love Lisa Jewell, K. L. Slater and Jackie Kabler, you’ll love The Mistress Next Door.

MY THOUGHTS:

"She's going to destroy my life..."

A quick and entertaining read, Lesley Sanderson always surprises me with where she is going to take me next. This fast paced domestic thriller, though predictable in part, was an enjoyable read that was a little surprising by the end. Namely because of the "secret". That wasn't the surprise as such, as I had worked out what happened there, but it was what followed. To me, it did and didn't make sense. I guess it is all comes down to perspective. And who sees what and why and how... And so we have THE MISTRESS NEXT DOOR, a fun and entertaining read where the pages pretty much turned themselves.

Prospect Close is a community in which neighbours look out for each other...or are they really? Could it just be a subterfuge for spying on each other? That's the claustrophobic sense Harriet gets from the close-knit community ever since she moved their five years ago with husband Oliver. Two years he promised her, then they'd sell and move to the country where they would bring up their family. But then she fell pregnant with the twins, Tess and Tilly, and their lives were taken up with double the nappies, double the nightime feeds, double of everything. Harriet may have two arms but there's only so much a woman can do, and carrying a twin in each whilst seeing to their needs at the same time can be a little difficult. And so their plans were put on hold. 

Then Lucy came along six months ago and suddenly five years have past and Oliver shows no sign of slowing down or selling up and moving like he'd promised. More to the point, Harriet suspects he is hiding another secret altogether...one he doesn't wish for her to find out.

Oliver is a banker working a demanding job and making the commute to London and working suspiciously late hours. Is he up to his old tricks again? Harriet suspects so and this time she is determined to find proof and have all her ducks in a row before confronting him...but is she just imagining things?

When Tilly disappears briefly from the communal park at the centre of their community, Harriet fears her past has caught up with her and that everything is about to crumble. What makes matters worse is that Oliver is away in France for a conference weekend and is seemingly unreachable. Harriet and the police have both tried contacting him to no avail, leaving Harriet wondering (once Tilly was found safe and well) what he was really up to.

And then she discovers an anonymous note left in her handbag. Tilly's disappearance was more than her little girl just wandering away and it is only just the beginning it seems. Someone is out to unmask her for who she really is and the past from which she has run for two decades. Maybe she doesn't deserve to have a family after all. And when Oliver does return from his wayward weekend, he is unconcerned as to the seriousness of the situation, palming off Harriet's fears as mollycoddling and irrational. Even going so far as to question whether she has post natal depression. But all his behaviour does is raise even more doubts...which poses the question...is his mistress closer than she thinks? Could she even be one of her neighbours? One of her friends? Even the nanny? Can Harriet trust anyone?

THE MISTRESS NEXT DOOR is a fast paced and entertaining read which I didn't want to put down if not for the matchsticks propping my eyelids up in the wee hours. It was like a car crash where you just couldn't look away. Harriet and Oliver's marriage was obviously a train wreck. Oliver was a philanderer, make no mistake. Anyone with eyes could see that and that's no spoiler because he does nothing to prove otherwise. All he does is gaslight Harriet even further making her second guess herself, make promises he obviously does intend to keep and then continues to lie to her over and over again. From his very first dialogue to the penultimate climax, the guy couldn't lie straight in bed.

The threatening notes sent to Harriet give little away. All that it does is stir up Harriet's emotions and leave us wondering what her big secret was. As the story unfolds it soon becomes clear before it is even actually spelled out. And I admit it is one that left me a little confused because as I said at the beginning it did and didn't make sense. I can't say much more without revealing too much. But I'll leave it up to you to decide. 

The story unfolds through Harriet's first person narrative, with a third person POV in the past and the odd inclusion of "anonymous" which seemed to suddenly taper off. I would have liked to see a little more them to spice things up a little further maybe.

Overall, THE MISTRESS NEXT DOOR is a quick and entertaining read that is fast paced throughout but the ending is a bit of a let down after all the build up throughout. I still enjoyed the ride getting there though. Another enjoyable twisty read with a few surprises and several unlikeable characters.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

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

'The Orchid Girls' was her first psychological thriller followed by 'The Woman at 46 Heath Street' in 2019, The Leaving Party (2020), The Birthday Weekend (2020), I Know You Lied (2021), Every Little Lie (2021), The Widow's Husband (2022) and The Mistress Next Door (2023).

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

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REVIEW: Three Widows by Patricia Gibney

Three Widows (Detective Lottie Parker #12) by Patricia Gibney

Genre: Crime thriller, Crime fiction, Police procedural

Read: 11th February 2023

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Published: 10th February 2023

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

She kissed her daughter, turned out the light and entered her own room. Too late to run, she stood frozen as a figure stepped out from behind the door and a hand covered her mouth. Fear was a bomb in her chest ready to explode. Her children. They’d already lost their daddy; they couldn’t lose her too.

When young widow Éilis Lawlor disappears in the middle of the night, with her two little children asleep in their beds, it is a chilling case for Detective Lottie Parker. Since her husband’s tragic death, Éilis is all her children have, and when Lottie sees Éilis’s house keys and phone still lying on the kitchen counter, she is terrified for the vulnerable mother’s safety.

Then Éilis’s broken body is found by a nearby lake, wrapped in an unfamiliar yellow dress, her mouth sealed with duct tape – and Lottie’s worst fears are confirmed. Someone wanted this beautiful widow dead.

Desperate to find the person behind this brutal crime, Lottie discovers that Éilis was a member of a support group for widows. And when Jennifer, a close friend of Éilis’s from the group, is found on a rubbish heap, wrapped in a yellow dress, Lottie vows to get justice.

Lottie dives into Jennifer’s past, and learns that she had lived a reclusive life since her husband died. She hadn’t been seen at work for months and had sheltered inside her immaculate home, only emerging for meetings with the group. But when Lottie questions the other women about Jennifer’s isolation, they claim to know nothing.

Lottie is certain that the remaining widows are hiding something. Can she uncover the truth before another innocent life is lost?

An absolutely gripping and totally addictive thriller that will keep you racing through the pages all night long. Fans of Robert Dugoni, Rachel Caine and Karin Slaughter will devour Three Widows in one sitting!

MY THOUGHTS:

This is the eighth book in the series I have read (somehow missing books 2 to 5) and I have enjoyed watching Lottie's character grow and that of her children. However, they featured very little in this one as opposed to some previous ones. But as with the theme in all the books, Lottie's life is not an easy one. She now lives in the large house she inherited but it is in much need of repair and renovation but as Lottie spends so little time there, she hardly has had time to organise it.

This time round she is doing battle with her mother Rose who has developed dementia and is becoming even more unreasonable than normal, making Lottie's life a lot harder. Added to that is the sudden appearance of her significant other's eight year old son Sergio, who Boyd had only just found out about recently, his ex-wife having kept his son a secret until it suited her.

But Lottie has little time to ponder these troubles as a woman's body has been found on an industrial estate's wasteland, her battered body broken and her eyes gouged out. The victim was also wearing a yellow dress two sizes too big for her and her body has been washed of any DNA or forensic trace. It is soon discovered she was a member of a widow's support group called Life After Loss. And then another woman is discovered missing after her two young children raise the alarm to their babysitter that they can't find their mother. When a second body turns up, the team brace themselves for those little children becoming orphans.

Then another goes missing, along with two others and before long the bodycount is rising and the suspect pool is dwindling. Surely they can't all be killed off or they would have no one left. But the further the team dig, it appears everything comes back to missing businessman Tyler Keating who disappeared a year ago.

What do the widows and the missing businessman have in common? More to the point, what do their deaths have to do with his disappearance? Are they linked in some way? In one of their baffling and most disturbing cases yet, Lottie, Boyd and the team have their work cut out for them in their race against time before any more women are killed.

And then on top of Lottie's home life and the growing crime rate of Ragmullin, Boyd must now also contend with the reappearance of his ex-wife Jackie who has a proposition to put to him if he wants to keep his son. Honestly, I questioned as to why this was even included. Jackie is a nasty piece of work. She is so self-absorbed she can't possibly care more for her son than she does for herself and her inclusion in this story was so minimal it may not have even been there. All it served to do was put Boyd in a constant bad mood for the entire book. My one wish is that Gibney would just kill Jackie off in the next book PLEASE!!! There is enough angst going on we don't need anymore of what Jackie has to offer.

And speaking of another bone of contention...Lottie and Boyd. Can they just get married already? I mean Lottie even made it to her wedding day (and maybe even the church) but from memory Boyd didn't? And of course something had to throw it all to crap and stop them from finally marrying after half a dozen books of them will they/won't they. After twelve books, fans are getting bored and antsy of this crap and just want them to get it together at long last. I mean, are they even still engaged?

And then there is the motive for the actual murders that were the focus of this book. I mean, what was that? By the end, there were like only four people left that it could possibly be so the suspect pool was very small indeed. But when it was revealed I was like...really? Yeah...ok. I guess the motive kind of makes a weird kind of sense but it was just a tad delusional and kind of a let down by the end of the book. After 507 pages, I expected something a little more exciting that made a lot more sense.

However, don't get me wrong. I love this series and for the most part this was going to be a five star review. Until the end. And the senseless inclusion of Jackie. 

Overall, THREE WIDOWS is one of the darkest stories of the series that is compelling and a real pageturner. But not one of my favourites. Gibney can do better. And I look forward to seeing where she takes us next.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Patricia Gibney is an Irish author of crime fiction who sold 100,000 copies of her first crime thriller as an e-book, and had total sales exceeding 500,000 copies in 2018. By 2019, total book sales had passed one million.

Patricia is from Mullingar, County Westmeath and has lived there all her life. She spent 30 years working with Westmeath County Council.

When her husband died in 2009, aged 49, three months after a diagnosis of cancer, Patricia turned to art and writing, self-publishing a children's book entitled 'Spring Sprong Sally'. She then started writing crime fiction and created her first novel in that genre featuring DI Lottie Parker with 'The Missing Ones'. She worked with the Irish Writers Centre to improve her writing. Eventually she began a second novel 'The Stolen Girls' and through that acquired an agent and a publishing contract with Bookouture.

Patricia currently has 11 DI Lottie Parker novels to date, with the eleventh 'The Guilty Girl' to be published in June 2021, and is set in the fictional Irish town of Ragmullin, which is an anagram of the real-life town of Mullingar, where Patricia lives.

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