The Staffymum's Book Nook: October 2024

Published: 18th July 2024

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Saffy is waiting to go into a job interview when she receives a text message from her best friend, Leona:

Can’t speak . . . don’t text or call . . . please just come

As Saffy struggles to understand what is happening the phone screen changes:

This message was deleted.

Saffy races to Leona’s house, but when her friend answers the door, she insists everything's fine. She doesn't know anything about the message. Saffy can tell something’s not right, but after looking around the house, she can’t think of anything else she can do.

Six hours later, Saffy gets a knock on the door. It's the police. Leona is missing, with her young child. There's blood everywhere.

And Saffy was the last one to see them alive . . .

MY THOUGHTS:

"Can't speak...don't call or text...pls just come..."

In recent years, Saffy's life has gone into freefall. Once married to dependable Neil and mother to the delightful Fox, it all came unravelling apart three years ago when she walked in on something unexpected. And has since been unable to move on. Everyone else has, but Saffy. Her marriage fell apart and Neil filed for full custody. She didn't contest because she knew she wasn't a fit parent and that Fox deserved better than what she could (or couldn't) provide.

Three years later and Saffy's life is on the up. She underwent treatment for her mental health, bought a half share of a house and is at this moment sitting in the waiting room for an interview as a data analyst. Neil has even agreed to a whole weekend visit with Fox - unsupervised. Nothing could spoil her mood today.

Until it does...

Leona has been Saffy's friend for as long as she can remember. Even when Leona didn't make the wisest of choices, Saffy was always there for her best friend. And then she met Ash. And only as Leona can, falls head over heels for him and elopes with him in Majorca. But there's something about Ash that Saffy doesn't like, doesn't trust. And it seems the feeling is mutual because Saffy has been excommunicated from her friend's house.

Then just moments before she's to walk into her interview, Saffy receives a text message from Leona.

"Can't speak...don't call or text...pls just come..."

And then just like that, the message is deleted. What? Why? Saffy can't concentrate on her interview and leaves abruptly, hailing a taxi and hurrying to her friend's place. Something is wrong. Saffy can feel it. But when she arrives, Leona opens the door surprised by her friend's sudden appearance...and more to the point, denying all knowledge of the texts!

Something is wrong. Saffy can feel it. Maybe hubby Ash's presence prevented her friend from confiding in her? Who knows? But six hours later, there is a knock on Saffy's door with two detectives informing her that Ash, Leona and 5 year old Rosie have all disappeared. And Saffy was the last person to see them!

What ensues is a police investigation focused on Saffy being the last one to see the family and honing in her as their prime suspect. But Saffy didn't do this. And yet she is the only suspect.

Only a handful of characters in this psychological whodunnit, but boy, you will have your work cut out sifting through each of them trying to work out which one of them is the villain. The story unfolds in the past and present over the course of various timelines leading up to the big reveal. We hear from Saffy, her sister Poppy and from Leona as well. Three women with three different perspectives and agendas. And boy, did I want to shout at Saffy for the stupid decisions she made and slap Poppy who was so obviously indulged by their mother from an early age. And Leona? My goodness, the woman walked from one disastrous relationship into another.

And yet the story kept me glued to the pages and had me devouring this read in less than a day, despite its 400 pages. This is my 18th read of Kim's thrillers so I know how she likes to throw us off the path but I was still entangled in the brambles that still lay there! I did guess the ending as it approached as suddenly things began to fall into place.

Overall, an entertaining and intriguing read that kept me engaged throughout with plenty of twists, tense moments and never a dull moment!

I would like to thank #KLSlater, #Netgalley and #PMJBooks for an ARC of #MessageDeleted in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

After years of trying to get published and never getting further than the slush pile, Kim went back to university at the age of 40 where she gained a first-class honours degree in English & Creative Writing and an MA in Creative Writing with distinction.

Kim's first adult psychological thriller for Bookouture, ‘Safe with Me’, actually started life as a dissertation on her English & Creative Writing degree in 2010. She says "the creepy voice of Anna came to me strong and insistent . . . she wanted to be written, she wouldn’t go away. I’m so glad I listened!"

Kim first became published writing Young Adult fiction for Macmillan Children’s Books under the name Kim Slater. Her award-winning YA debut, SMART, started life as a short story for her MA in Creative Writing in 2012.

Kim is now a full-time writer. She has a daughter and two stepsons and live with her husband Mac in Nottingham and Yorkshire.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

Thursday, 24 October 2024

REVIEW: The Nurse's Mistake by Daniel Hurst

The Nurse's Mistake (The Perfect Nurse #3) by Daniel Hurst

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 24th October 2024

Published: 5th November 2024

★★★ 3 stars

DESCRIPTION:

My first mistake was falling in love with the handsome, married doctor. My second mistake was killing him…

I never meant to hurt anyone. I’m a nurse, it’s my job to help people. But sometimes in life things happen that you don’t expect, and you’re pushed to extremes.

I can’t let anyone find out what I’ve done... or why I did it. If the secrets of my past come out then it’s not just my life at risk, it’s my family’s too – darling little Campbell, just five years old and completely innocent. I have to protect him.

I can see blue lights. Uniforms. Police. I pray they’re not here for me.

Because killing the doctor isn’t the only thing I’ve done. My third mistake was something much, much worse…

A completely addictive psychological thriller from the number one bestselling author of The Doctor’s Wife. If you love Freida McFadden, John Marrs and T.M. Logan then The Nurse’s Mistake will have you hooked until the final, jaw-dropping ending!

MY THOUGHTS:

It's no secret that I'm a huge Daniel Hurst fan, devouring every book of his in record time. And it's not often a favourite author disappoints but I'm sorry to say that this book was just a step too far in the killer nurse saga. I enjoyed the first book, and the second one was an interesting follow-up. But this one was just a little too far fetched and drawn out that I spent most of it shaking my head.

The action kicks off as Darcy boards a bus in Florida, fleeing after killing Parker at the end of the previous book after he had kept her and his ex-girlfriend locked prisoner in the basement of his home. Armed with the the notebook her sister Pippa had written for her to jog her memory at every turn and still wearing the nurse's uniform she used to gain access to the hospital Parker was in, Darcy flees Florida to return home to her family, not knowing that they have fled after things heated up for them in Chicago.

Having suffered retrograde amnesia after a car accident a couple of years ago, Darcy has no idea who to turn to who to trust or where to find her family.

Meanwhile, Pippa and co have headed to Montana to an abandoned holiday camp only to find the cabins are not completely abandoned after all. From the first moment they arrived, Pippa has found herself with the sense of being watched. Are they safe where they are? Or is someone out there watching their every move, ready to hand them over to the police and claim the $50,000 reward leading to their arrest? How will things end for the sisters and their family?

Despite it being far fetched and not one of his best, this (hopefully) final installment into the killer nurse saga was still fast paced with snappy chapters that I was still able to devour it in quickly. And unfortunately I was relieved to reach the end. I really do hope this is the last in the series as I feel it really has more than run its course.

Hurst is renowned for his fast paced snappy writing style with far fetched storylines that can be over the top but are still an entertaining read nonetheless. He continues to throw twists at his readers with his addictive writing style, though I didn't really see many twists in this one. OK maybe one. But it was still kind of expected in this case.

Again, not one of his best but that won't stop me reading more of his books. I have loads of them on my kindle waiting for me to read them but I just have so many books on my TBR list! Hahaha... Still, can't wait to see what he has in store for us next.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Daniel Hurst was born in the northwest of England, a part of the world famous for its comedians, pasties and terrible weather.

He has been employed in several glamorous roles in his lifetime, including bartending, shelf stacking and procurement administration, all while based in some of the most exotic places on the planet, like Bolton, Preston and South London.

Daniel 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.

Since following his lifelong passion for writing in 2020, he has amassed a loyal and devoted set of readers, and regularly has several books in the top 100 of the Psychological Thriller Charts on Amazon. His title The Passenger became the #1 selling psychological thriller in the UK in October 2021. The Doctor's Wife is his first publication with Bookouture.

A prolific writer, Daniel likes to keep readers on their toes by self publishing even more books in between those released through his publisher.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

Tuesday, 22 October 2024

REVIEW: A Mother Always Knows by Nicole Trope

A Mother Always Knows (Grace Morton #2) by Nicole Trope

Genre: Domestic suspense

Read: 22nd October 2024

Goodreads
Amazon

Published: 9th December 2024

★★★★ 4.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

I stare at the photo of my beautiful daughter. Her hair is shining and her face is lit up with a smile. The man with her looks so happy too. But my mother’s instinct is screaming. I know something is terribly, terribly wrong. And I know what I have to do…

I wish I could hold her tight. See if she still wears the same perfume she always wore. But my daughter blames me for her father’s death. She won’t even talk to me… I just know she isn’t really safe with her boyfriend, Garth. I will keep my distance and I will just watch her. For now.

But I tremble with fear when the police knock at her door. Garth has gone missing. And my daughter is accused of his murder.

There’s no evidence that I ever hurt anyone… is there? Do the police know about my past – and what I’ve really been doing?

Only one thing is certain. My beautiful girl is in terrible danger.

But from the man she loves?

From herself?

Or from me?

An absolutely explosive psychological thriller that will have you racing through the pages deep into the night! Fans of Shari Lapena, Freida McFadden and The Perfect Marriage won’t be able to put this down.

MY THOUGHTS:

Mother. Daughter. Killer...?

For those of you who have not yet read the first book, "Not A Good Enough Mother", go grab yourself a copy and read that first because this one will make a lot more sense alongside that one.

We meet Grace again, picking up from where the first book left off, as she boards the plane from Sydney to Melbourne. This time with her daughter Cordelia firmly on her mind. Since Grace's life imploded six years ago, Cordelia has refused all contact with her mother blaming her for all that had happened. Grace is the first to admit that she certainly made mistakes and has regretted them ever since. But Cordelia refuses to forgive her mother and Grace can hardly blame her.

But a mother always knows when their child is in danger. And sensing that Cordelia was, Grace left Sydney and flew to Melbourne where she knew her daughter was now living. She has remained in the background whilst keeping an eye on Cordelia from afar through her instagram profile, where she noticed here daughter's supposedly devoted boyfriend make some inappropriate comments. Inappropriate in that if he really loved and cared for her daughter, he wouldn't make such snide or backhanded comments to her. Grace didn't trust him and she needed to know that Cordelia was safe with him.

Once again Grace takes on the persona of an assistant, this time in the boyfriend's law firm filling in for a week while the regular admin assistant was on leave. But the moment she steps into his office she knows something is wrong. Garth isn't here and as it is a weekday he is meant to be. After all, he claims to work all the hours God sends, doesn't he? At least that's what he tells Cordelia. But is it the truth?

After her life fell apart so spectacularly six years ago, Cordelia Morton ran. She took herself off to the UK to try and forget for a while. And it did...for a while. Until she met handsome and charming Garth Stanford-Brown. And she confided in him all about her past and he seemed to understand. And she loved him all the more for it. So when she decided to return to Australia, Garth followed her taking up a position in their sister firm down under. And for four and half years, life was perfect. Until it wasn't.

When cracks began to show, Cordelia wiped them away to invisible, devoted as she was to Garth. But then one day he disappears and her anger turns to worry as her texts to him go unanswered.

And then the police knock on her door. And Cordelia realises she's in trouble. There is only one person who can help her. One person who can understand what she's going through. The one person she vowed she would never ever speak to again. Her mother.

"Mum I need you. Please come."

That's all Grace needs to come running when she receives the text from Cordelia. But can Grace unravel the mystery of what happened to Garth in time to save her daughter?

Going overboard with disguises, Grace stalks, waits, watches and a bunch of other erratic behaviours that are questionable at best. Grace knows Garth is not good for her daughter and the deeper she delves, the more she questions what really is at play here. Assume nothing. Believe no one. Question everything.

And get ready for one delicious ride!

I enjoyed this book more than the first one I think because the pace was much faster. I literally devoured it in under a day. There were loads of red herrings, twists and questionable characters. The first book may have had that shocking reveal at the end, but this one had the speedier pace to keep you racing through the pages until the very end.

A quick and easy read that was thoroughly entertaining.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Nicole Trope went to university to study Law but realised the error of her ways when she did very badly on her first law essay because-as her professor pointed out- ‘It’s not meant to be a story.’ She studied teaching instead and used her holidays to work on her writing career and complete a Masters’ degree in Children’s Literature. After the birth of her first child she stayed home full time to write and raise children, renovate houses and build a business with her husband.

The idea for her first published novel, The Boy under the Table, was so scary that it took a year for her to find the courage to write the emotional story.

She is now published by Bookouture and is an Amazon top 100 bestseller in the USA, UK, AUS and CAN.

She lives in Sydney with her husband and three children.

Social Media links:

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Newsletter SignUp | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

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

Sunday, 20 October 2024

REVIEW: Not a Good Enough Mother by Nicole Trope

Not a Good Enough Mother (Grace Morton #1) by Nicole Trope

Genre: Domestic suspense

Read: 20th October 2024

Published: 12th August 2024

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Have you ever looked at those mothers who seem to be perfect – with sweet little children, a full-time job, a beautiful home – and thought: am I not good enough? But even the most perfect mothers can be hiding deadly secrets behind closed doors…

Ava Green has a successful job, two gorgeous children and a husband who makes other women blush. But now I’m working in her immaculate home, I know not everything is so perfect…

I hear the hissed arguments late at night. Finn takes phone calls at strange times – and when I talk to the children, it’s clear that their daddy is keeping secrets.

Now I know what’s hiding in this house, I’m just glad Ava didn’t check my references too carefully. Because Ava thinks she chose me. But I chose her. Even before she hired me, I made sure I knew about all the little secrets in this family.

And by the time they figure out why I’m really here, it will be far too late.

A completely addictive psychological thriller that will have you gasping at the final twist. Fans of Shari Lapena, Lisa Jewell and The Perfect Marriage will be reading late into the night.

This book was previously published as The Assistant.

MY THOUGHTS:

She knows everything about you...but can you trust her...?

What starts off as a slow burn domestic suspense turns into cliffhanger of an ending that makes me go "OK, I'm reading the next book NOW!" Not even I saw that final twist coming. And I see most of them. Throughout the entire book I thought I had it all figured out - after all, it seemed fairly cut and dried to me. Everything laid out, falling into place. It all made sense. And then came that explosive reveal. I'm impressed, Ms Trope. You had me fooled.

The story centres on Ava who is harassed at home and equally harassed at work. She can't seem to find that work-home life balance since her previous assistant left. Everything seems to be falling apart on both fronts and hubby Finn does nothing to help, citing "inspiration" for his own work - painting. Which has yet to contribute to their mortgage or living expenses. And yet as soon as she walks in the door at the end of the day, she's greeted by chaos and her work days seems to be far from over.

And then in walks Grace Enright. Fresh, clear, controlled and keen to help put some order back into Ava's frazzled life. No sooner has she arrived than she has taken up the slack where Ava was flagging and organised everything from lists to appointments to fielding calls, turning her office into a smooth-running well-oiled machine. It isn't long before Ava wonders how she managed without Grace, and truth be told, she didn't. As was clear. Grace is perfect. She is clear, decisive and controlled in a crisis. Which is soon put to the test when things begin to take a swift dive, both personally and professionally.

The women form a friendship of sorts they didn't know needed. When Grace needs a place to stay for a week, Ava knows her garage flat is sitting empty and without a tenant (another bone of contention between her and Finn that she had asked him to sort) and offers it to Grace. But is that crossing the line between her personal and professional lives? Ava dismisses the thought as quickly as it entered her head knowing she needs Grace as much as the older woman needs her.

And then things start to take a downward turn at work. Ava is up for promotion but her colleague is vying for the same position and seems he will stop at nothing to get it. Their receptionist seems to spend all her time scrolling through her phone or batting her eyelashes and flashing her cleavage at her colleague and competition. While at home, Finn has grown distant and Ava begins to question what he is hiding. But her girls, the lights of her life, bring sunshine to her otherwise cloud-filled days, as exhausting as they are.

Suddenly it seems having Grace staying there is a blessing. Especially when she is on hand to take up the slack in the mornings as Ava juggles breakfast and getting the girls ready for school and herself for work. Finn is conspicuously absent, painting in his studio.

But did things start going downhill before or after Grace's arrival? Is that a coincidence or is she just imagining things? I mean, Ava's life was chaotic before but is her new assistant just fuelling the fire? Or is there something else at play?

I love Nicole Trope and devour every one of her addictive reads. I think it's about the 15th book of hers that I've read thus far. This one is more of a slow burn to begin with as the reader wonders which direction the story is going to take. And what role Grace really plays here. Despite its slow pace at the start, the story effortlessly flows between Ava and Grace's POVs complete with flashbacks to give us a better understanding to our characters, their strengths and their flaws.

When I began, I thought it would take a whole other direction that the one Ms Trope took us on. But I wasn't disappointed...definitely not after reading those final pages. Now I want to dive straight into the follow-up "A Mother Always Knows".

Overall, an entertaining and engaging read that will keep you turning the pages until that final explosive twist...it really was jaw-dropping in this case. Nicely played, Ms Trope. I can't wait to see what you deliver next.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

The idea for her first published novel, The Boy under the Table, was so scary that it took a year for her to find the courage to write the emotional story.

She is now published by Bookouture and is an Amazon top 100 bestseller in the USA, UK, AUS and CAN.

She lives in Sydney with her husband and three children.

Social Media links:

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Newsletter SignUp | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

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

Friday, 18 October 2024

REVIEW: A Castaway in Cornwall by Julie Klassen

A Castaway in Cornwall by Julie Klassen

Genre: Historical fiction, Regency romance, Christian fiction

Read: 18th October 2024

Published: 1st December 2020

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Set adrift on the tides of fate by the deaths of her parents and left wanting answers, Laura Callaway now lives with her uncle and his disapproving wife in North Cornwall. There she feels like a castaway, always viewed as an outsider even as she yearns to belong.

While wreckers search for valuables along the windswept Cornwall coast--known for its many shipwrecks but few survivors--Laura searches for clues to the lives lost so she can write letters to next of kin and return keepsakes to rightful owners. When a man is washed ashore after a wreck, Laura acts quickly to protect him from a local smuggler determined to destroy him.

As Laura and a neighbor care for the survivor, they discover he has curious wounds and, although he speaks in careful, educated English, his accent seems odd. Other clues wash ashore, and Laura soon realizes he is not who he seems to be. Despite the evidence against him, the mysterious man might provide her only chance to discover the truth about her parents' fate. With danger pursuing them from every side, and an unexpected attraction growing between them, will Laura ever find the answers she seeks?

MY THOUGHTS:

A touch of Poldark with a hint of du Maurier, this sweeping tale of one castaway to another is both atmospheric and captivating. It is largely set in my most favourite of settings - Cornwall. Though never having set foot on UK soil, let alone the rugged coastline of the nation's south westernmost county, I adore stories that are set amidst its rugged beauty.

Laura Callaway has lived with her parson uncle Matthew and his wife and daughter for near on ten years, ever since her parents left her for Jersey and never returned. But having not been born or bred in Cornwall, natives see her as an outsider of up-country lass, owing to her feeling somewhat a castaway in what should be her home. Uncle Matthew has always been welcoming but his wife, his second Mrs Bray, has not been. Her daughter Esela is like a cousin to her, if not related by blood, and yet Laura still feels as if she is just passing through.

Most days she walks the coastline and beaches in search of valuables that have drifted ashore from shipwrecks, collecting them and keeping them safe in the hope that she can reunite them with their owners or their kin. When one day a man is washed ashore, she collects him too before he comes to any harm from wrecker Tom Parsons or any preventative men, should he be a free-trader or on the run.

Laura takes him back to the house where she nurses him back to health and yet the mystery surrounding him grows. When he finally does wake, he is wary and does not speak, yet watchful of her every move. But as more items wash ashore and other news reaches her, Laura begins to wonder as to who the man really is.

As the mystery deepens, so does too their attraction for each other. And while she longs to see him return to his rightful home, evidence against him mounts and the militia come knocking on their door seeking his whereabouts. There is only one who could have betrayed them. And yet with danger pursuing them, Laura remains by his side and wondering will she ever find the answers she seeks and the love she desires?

This is my first read by Julie Klassen and I am surprised to discover she is not British, though has penned such a sweeping tale of heroism and love against the backdrop of the rugged Cornish coast and the Napoleonic war. I'm always a sucker for historical fiction in these parts with mystery, intrigue and love on the horizon. I like how she has incorporated the Christian faith into the story in subtle ways to make you stop and reflect on something similar in your own life.

A handful of scriptures are quoted throughout as is the reminder of a faithful and loving God, gratitude and blessings and silent prayer and praise to God for his faithfulness despite whatever trial one is faced with. The concept that God indeed listened and heard Laura's prayer, as well as Alexander's, and that the trials they each experienced were in preparation for something greater. Had their prayers been answered in the way they had hoped for in the beginning, they would have missed out on the greater reward God had in store for each of them. The same can be said for us. We think God doesn't hear us or answer our prayers because He doesn't answer them in the way we want Him to. That's because he has bigger plans for us. He is faithful and will answer our prayers...just not how we expect Him to.

A delightful historical fiction that will warm the hearts of historical romance fans and those who love stories set in Cornwall.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Julie Klassen loves all things Jane — Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, she worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. Three of her books, The Silent Governess, The Girl in the Gatehouse, and The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. The Secret of Pembrooke Park also won the Minnesota Book Award, and The Silent Governess was a finalist in Romance Writers of America’s RITA awards.

Julie has also been honoured with the Midwest Book Award and Christian Retailing’s BEST Award. She enjoys travel, research, BBC period dramas, long hikes, short naps, and coffee with friends.

Julie and her husband have two sons and live near St. Paul, Minnesota.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

Wednesday, 16 October 2024

REVIEW: The Telegram by Debbie Rix

The Telegram by Debbie Rix

Genre: Historical fiction, Wartime fiction

Read: 12th October 2024

Published: 15th October 2024

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

One message will change everything…

1915, London: Shaking, she opens the faded red front door and her heart races as the young boy on the steps holds out the telegram. The words swim before her. They can’t be true; this can’t be happening. Nothing will ever be the same again.

1943, London: Elizabeth Carmichael rushes out down the steps of her town house in her smart army uniform, daydreaming of her handsome fiancé posted miles away in the RAF, and determined to play her part in the war effort. Not looking where she’s going, Elizabeth collides with a tall man in the middle of the street. She instantly recognises him from a faded photograph from before the war. This chance meeting will change everything Elizabeth thought she knew about herself.

1960, London: Violet Carmichael wipes the dust from an antique writing desk, not expecting to find a hidden compartment, or the old diaries nestled inside. Peeling apart the yellowing pages, a story unfolds of a family devastated by two world wars and a man who risked his life for freedom and for love. It leads her to discover a telegram that will finally unlock a decades-old family secret…

Inspired by a true story, this is a heart-wrenching, page-turning and unforgettable story of the importance of family and the power of love and forgiveness. Fans of Kathryn Hughes, Kate Quinn and Kate Morton will be utterly gripped by this incredible historical fiction novel spanning WW1 and WW2.

MY THOUGHTS:

One message could change everything...

Spanning the decades, this tale sweeps across three timelines beginning in 1915 with the main story centred in 1943 before wrapping things up in 1959/1960. Whilst no one features predominantly as the main character, which seems a little puzzling at first but once things begin to slot into place we see the story is that of Charles Carmichael, the branches in his somewhat complex family tree and the secret he carries throughout his rather puzzling life. It's a secret that is only uncovered after he has gone though as the reader it's one we had suspected for the most part throughout...all but one tiny piece that became the catalyst for what was to become Charles' life of subterfuge. Intrigued?

1915: It's a beautiful day when the boy delivered the telegram into Tilly's trembling hands. Racing inside, she called to her mother to alert her to the arrival and reading out its contents sent her mother into floods of tears. Her beloved brother - "Bruv" as he was affectionately called - was missing presumed dead. And the in the coming days a letter followed, addressed to her parents written in Bruv's hand. A letter that told them little and gave nothing away yet changed their lives. Bruv was gone.

1943: A chilly day in London as Elizabeth Carmichael readies herself for her post in the War Office, assistant to Captain Valentine, a letch in Elizabeth's opinion who cannot keep his leary eyes or suggestive remarks to himself. She and her mother moved to Notting Hill a year before after much of the city had suffered the deluge of the Blitz and people were escaping to the country and safety. But her mother Madeleine saw an opportunity and built on it. It worked for her as she was posted close by in Whitehall and as a result could remain at home rather than doss in a billet, which were few and far between at any rate.

Elizabeth's eyes strayed to the two solitary photos that always took pride of place on the mantlepiece. Her father in his army uniform and her father holding baby Elizabeth. She never knew her father and whenever she pressed her mother for details, she always clammed up saying she was better off without him. All Elizabeth knew about the man she knew as Paddy was that he had gone to China and stayed there rather than return home. Her mother divorced him and the rest was a somewhat spotted history that Elizabeth failed to untangle.

So when she was walking home from the Tube one evening after work, she was shocked to see a man who resembled her father walk out of the house opposite theirs on Clarendon Road. She called to him "Padraig Carmichael?" The man stopped, turned and looked at her. He paled.

Charles Carmichael had left his past behind him, along with a trail of secrets. So when the pretty young woman stopped him outside his door he was speechless. He tried denying any knowledge but it was clear she was his daughter. She was the image of Madeleine, her mother and his ex-wife. And so the two began to meet and develop a relationship. His next conundrum was telling his wife Violet, who knew nothing of his past, except that he had been married briefly before. And even then only because she saw it on their marriage certificate. How was he to break the news of a daughter to her?

And so life begins to get a little more complicated for the man with so many secrets.

1959: At the age of sixty four, Charles Carmichael - a conundrum himself - peacefully passes away in hospital alone without his wife Violet by his side. And yet she kept his wishes for his funeral and his resting place to be in the village where he was born and grew up. But the man with so many secrets had left her with so many unanswered questions. His sister remained tightlipped and refused to tell her what she knew.

It's not until she is packing away Charles' things that she comes across his diaries, and travels down a rabbit hole and back to 1914 and 1915 where she meets the idealistic young Charles Carmichael in his prose. And as she reads, the pieces thus begin to fall into place and the secrets of Charles' life finally began to surface.

This was an interesting tale that I almost read almost in one sitting, leaving the final few chapters till the morning to finish. I wouldn't call it emotional and in a way it wasn't gripping either but it was intriguing. Something kept me turning the pages. I wanted to see how it would all end and learn about the secrecy that surrounded Charles' life for so long. What had lead to it and why? That was the biggest secret of all that was only unearthed in the final chapters. But it made everything make sense. Throughout the book we are given glimpses of Charles' early life in snippets and the secrecy surrounding his later years was an obvious given. It didn't take Einstein to work that one out but it was only confirmed at the end.

The characters weren't completely developed I felt with not a lot of depth to them. But they were still likable enough. I admit to Violet irritating me somewhat though I can't quite put my finger on why that is. Elizabeth I felt had more depth to her than most. It was interesting, if maybe not completely believable, how the two families bonded together, remaining across the street from each other until the end. Charles was difficult to connect with but I think that was intentional as those who knew him even found him an enigma, if not frustrating at times.

The book's description I found a little misleading as it felt as if it were a different book than the one I was reading.

I have only read one other book by this author, "The Secret Letter" which I absolutely loved so I was excited to dip into this one. It was enjoyable, a quick read that took about 5 reading hours, that kept me engaged till the end.

Four solid stars.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Debbie Rix has had a long career in journalism, including working as a presenter for the BBC. Her first novel, The Girl with Emerald Eyes was set around the building of the tower of Pisa and she has since released Daughters of the Silk Road and The Silk Weaver’s Wife. Debbie writes heartbreaking historical novels about love, tragedy and secrets.

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Monday, 14 October 2024

REVIEW: Keep Me Safe by Sheryl Browne

Keep Me Safe by Sheryl Browne

Genre: Pscyhological thriller

Read: 13th October 2024

Published: 26th July 2024

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

Our lies made us the perfect couple. But now our secrets will destroy us…

Alex and I have only been dating a few weeks, but already things are getting serious. With his dark hair and dark eyes, he’s my perfect match. And a real gentleman unlike my past relationships – he always treats me right: holding doors open, picking up the bill, and listening as I tell him everything about myself… Well, not everything. There are some things I must keep secret.

Alex believes we met by chance at a friend’s wedding, and I let him think that. I haven’t told him that I just came out of hospital, or that I met someone in there who shared his darkest secret. I know everything about him, but he knows nothing about the real me… Why I’m really here. And I need to keep it that way, or my plan will fall apart before it’s even begun.

The only problem is that I think someone’s on to me... I feel eyes on the back of my head as I leave the house where I live alone, but every time I turn around, no one is there. Is someone watching me? Or am I just being paranoid. I thought that this was the only path for me to be safe again, to keep my secrets buried forever, but maybe I’ve just walked into the biggest trap of all?

Fans of The Housemaid, The Perfect Marriage and Gone Girl will absolutely love Keep Me Safe.

MY THOUGHTS:

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

I can hardly believe this is my 14th read by Sheryl Browne so needless to say she is one of my favourite authors. Her books always feature something different or out of the ordinary and I am always interested to see how she would spin each new idea.

Some of her books are stand out hands down five star reads and when I think of those, "The New Girlfriend" (my personal favourite) always comes to mind. Having said that, each new book has a lot to live up to knock that one out of the ballpark as it was phenomenal. Some have come close and yet not quite. But I digress...

This tale of secrets, lies and plenty of deceit centres on Lily, a woman with her own secrets, who sets out to lure the very eligible and good looking actor Alex Morgan into trusting her to his secrets. What she didn't envision was falling for him. And then when he shows a moment of aggression, Lily takes flight, fearing for her safety. Thus leading her down a rabbit hole of life on the run and looking over her shoulder.

A little drastic? OK, I though Lily was a tad melodramatic. And yet I could understand her fear, given what she had been through but in my honest opinion, I don't think Alex displayed any of the behaviour she was attributing to him and found her reasoning a little redundant.

Alex isn't stupid. He knows Lily is up to something and he suspects she just wants to fleece him - after all, isn't that what all women want with someone famous? But he is smart. He just doesn't apply those smarts all of the time and therefore ends up drawing his own conclusions which, while not entirely far from the truth, are completely off base. And then when he confronts her, he doesn't even give her the chance to have her say. That is a pet peeve of mine. How can you have an arguement/discussion when only one of you is doing the talking? And he does ALL the talking, despite him suggesting "they should talk". What that translates to is he has his say before she can refute his accusations because what he thinks must be the truth. Lily ends up leaving and fearing for her safety.

Both Lily and Alex are damaged. Both of them are the product of the environment in which they lived respectively, leaving them fearful and trusting no one. Their relationship (if you could call it that) was doomed from the start.

And so Lily disappears. Taking with her all her secrets and thensome. When Alex tracks her down some years later, nothing is as it seems.

We are given a whole host of suspects to choose from and I hovered between two due to the clues she had peppered throughout the story...but were they that or red herrings creating a clever smokescreen with her sleight of hand. While you look over there, you won't see what's happening over here. Did I have the right suspect? Or was she to surprise me with another? You'll have to read it to find out!

Another entertaining read from Sheryl, though I felt it was a little slow to start. But once Lily disappeared, things started to get more interesting. It was at this point (and beyond) I felt that the author would have probably been best to have the story unfold through the two timelines and then have them collide in a culminating climax. I feel that would have kept the pace moving throughout and not just the second part of the story. Dropping titbits as each timeline unfolded revealing to us just enough to whet our appetites before shifting to the alternate timeline would have kept us turning the pages even faster. That's just my opinion as I love that style.

Overall, an entertaining thriller that keeps us engaged throughout and tying all the loose ends up in the conclusion. And yet, in true Sheryl Browne style, leaving the reader to make what they will from the final words she imparts.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

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

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

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

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Sunday, 6 October 2024

REVIEW: Murder at Cleve College by Merryn Allingham

Murder at Cleve College (A Flora Steele Mystery #9) by Merryn Allingham

Genre: Cosy Mysteries, Historical mystery

Read: 3rd October 2024

Published: 24th July 2024

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Bookshop owner Flora Steele and writer Jack Carrington fell in love solving mysteries. Now they’re taking their first steps as husband and wife… straight into their most perplexing case yet.

Sussex, 1958: A radiant Flora is being twirled across the dancefloor by her dashing new husband, Jack. It’s the perfect wedding in Abbeymead, until a mysterious stranger is found dead just outside the village.

But when Flora finds an envelope tucked into the man’s silver cigarette case, the address is key to discovering the poor chap’s name – Russell Farr. He isn’t known to any of the villagers, so at first all signs point to a tragic accident. That is, until they discover Farr previously worked at the esteemed Cleve College, where Jack is now a writer-in-residence.

The college has made Jack feel uneasy ever since he learned his predecessor drowned in its lake, and now it appears a second suspicious death is connected to it. But who would want two mild-mannered academics dead?

Could it be Jocelyn, the ambitious young teacher with her sights set on the top? Joe, the sly porter living beyond his means? Or perhaps Maurice, the college dean who seems far more interested in power than educating students?

Just when it looks like no amount of studying will crack this case, a chance encounter brings Flora closer to the truth. But when Jack goes missing, it seems someone is determined to teach them both a lesson.

Can Flora and Jack outwit the killer before they graduate to becoming the next victims? Or will their first case as husband and wife be their last?

An absolutely page-turning cosy mystery, packed with unforgettable characters and sensational twists! Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Joy Ellis.

MY THOUGHTS:

Amateur sleuths Flora Steele and writer Jack Carrington are back with yet another murder to solve...

This time the young couple discover a body in a ditch just a short distance from their home in Abbeymead (and not Cleve College as the title misguidingly suggests). The man has no identification on him nor is it anyone they know. With days out from their wedding, Flora and Jack hand the mystery over to Inspector Alan Ridley at Brighton CID and set to the exciting lead up to their big day.

And the day arrives but the joy is shortlived when Alan turns up at the reception and asks for Flora and Jack's assistance with the case that in his opinion has no leads whatsoever and going nowhere. Loathe to abandon their celebrations, the couple undertake investigations in lieu of a honeymoon and upon revisiting the crime scene, it isn't long before Flora discovers a letter with an address in Brighton...but no name. Leaving the All's Well in the capable hands of her new assistant Rose Lawson, Flora and Jack set off to Brighton and the address on the letter. They discover the occupant of the said flat, a Russell Farr, hasn't been seen for some weeks. Should they let the inspector know? Or should they sit on it for a few days and see what they come up with?

In the meantime, Jack has taken up a part time position at Cleve College in Lewes whilst Flora uses the time to visit a nearby town where she meets the effervescent Roberta Raffles. It isn't long before Flora finds that Roberta has inveigled her way into her life and she suspects the poor woman is a little lonely what with her own husband working away in London all week.

Jack meanwhile is trying to find his feet at Cleve College and while he enjoys the job, he is somewhat uneasy about some of the staff and goings on there. After all, his predecessor mysteriously drowned in the lake on the college's grounds. And then there is the handyman that appears to be following Jack and watching him at every turn. It's when attempts are made on Jack's life that the couple put their heads together to unravel the mystery of Russell Farr's demise in a village he has no connection to, the strange goings on at Cleve College and the mystery surrounding the abandoned Rillington orphanage.

Another delightful outing with the now Mr and Mrs Jack Carrington as they undertake yet another murder mystery to solve in the vein of Agatha Christie, Midsomer Murders and Father Brown combined. I admit with all the lead up to Flora and Jack's wedding, and Alice's take on it all, I was disappointed that it featured so little. Mid-chapter we seemed to get a rushed description of Flora walking down the aisle, nothing of the ceremony and a little of the reception celebrations afterwards until Alan shows up...in the middle of their wedding! I guess it's the romantic in me that just wanted to savour the romance of their big day a little more. But having said that, it is still an entertaining and exciting mystery that the couple have in front of them. Loads of speculation, a little evidence and bam! Flora has it solved. She is, after all, known for her hunches. Some of which are correct, while others are way off base.

Overall, another entertaining visit to Abbeymead. Though they ventured further afield to Brighton and Lewes this time, I must admit I prefer it (much like Alice) when they remain in the safe confines of their village...even if there is murder about! Can't wait for the next one and see what's in store for the newly married couple.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Merryn taught university literature for many years, and it took a while to pluck up the courage to begin writing herself. Bringing the past to life is a passion and her historical fiction includes Regency romances, wartime sagas and timeslip novels, all of which have a mystery at their heart. As the books have grown darker, it was only a matter of time before she plunged into crime with a cosy crime series set in rural Sussex against the fascinating backdrop of the 1950s.

Merryn lives in a beautiful old town in Sussex with her husband. When she’s not writing, she tries to keep fit with adult ballet classes and plenty of walking.

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