REVIEW: You Killed Me First by John Marrs

You Killed Me First by John Marrs

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 28th June 2025

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Amazon

Published: 4th March 2025

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Three women. Three smouldering secrets. Who will make it out alive?

It’s 5 November, and a woman awakens to a nightmare. Bound and gagged, she lies trapped in the heart of a towering bonfire. As the smoke thickens, panic sets in – she’s moments away from being engulfed in flames. How did it come to this?

Rewind eleven months: Margot, a faded TV star, and her long-suffering friend Anna watch as glamorous Liv and her flawless family move into their street. The three women soon fabricate the perfect pretence of friendship, but each harbours her own deadly secret – and newcomer Liv senses something is terribly wrong beneath the polished exteriors.

As cracks widen in the veneer of perfection and lies escalate out of control, tension ignites. Bonfire Night is approaching and someone is set to burn…But who will it be?

MY THOUGHTS:

Three women...three smouldering secrets...who will make it out alive?

Can John Marrs even write a bad thriller? This is (I think) my fifth read by him which I have devoured fervently without a sign of being "just an OK read". I just wish he published more so I would have more to enjoy! I've said before I love his dark style of compelling tales that leave you breathless. While the previous ones I've read have bordered on creepy, this one (whilst still having some creepy connotations) brings in dark humour (which I love) that not only peppers but jumps out of the pages in the form of out and out cattiness. Meeeeoooow!!

It's Bonfire night and Marrs delivers us a prologue that will blow your mind! A woman is bound and gagged and is trapped in a towering bonfire. How did she get here? And what has she done? As she screams why, she is answered with the chilling words - "you killed me first"...

Rewind eleven months...

Margot is curtain twitching when she sees the removalist van out front. A sure sign that her new neighbours are at last moving in, after several months of renovations. But when she spies Anna heading across the road armed with a container of cupcakes, Margot springs into action and douses herself in the most becoming outfit, her signature scent (Chanel Mademoiselle) and a bottle of red and greets Anna in the guise of welcoming their new neighbour.

When Liz surprises them from behind, dressed in her designer labels having just stepped out of her new Land Rover Defender, she is eager to befriend the two women. But the quips she delivers are equally barbed - to Margot, at any rate, who seems to draw attention to herself at every opportunity.

The three women strike up a friendship of sorts but how well do they really know each other?

Margot is a former teen pop star turned reality star turned stay at home stepmum (from hell). Not a role she chose for herself and she's somewhat bitter about the cards she's been dealt, but oh well and all that. She married Nicu eleven years ago, taking on his children as her own - a task she didn't initially sign up for when she first slept with the almost married Nicu. After the public backlash, she and Nicu moved to the quiet cul-de-sac to start afresh. But someone has been sending her threatening messages. A stalker maybe? And things keep disappearing from her house? What secret from her past has lead to this?

Anna is a shy, quiet and soft spoken young woman who makes jewellery as a sideline which she sells online. Her husband Drew is a borderline drunk with a chip on his shoulder who seems to spend most of his time brooding, drinking or slamming doors. She and Margot have been friends since she moved to the quiet street, despite the fact Margot seems to publicly demean her at every opportunity and taking pleasure from it. But appearances can often be deceptive, can they not?

Liv is the confident newcomer to the street. An ex-banker, married to Brandon with twins Ingrid and Rupert, she left the high life of London behind to bring up her children in the suburbs with plans of building and opening her own wellness clinic. Brandon is a personal trainer and will be put to good use in her new clinic, where she will teach yoga and pilates. Liv seems to have it all in spades which leaves Margot practically drooling upon entrance to her newly renovated home. And appearances are everything to Margot! But what is Liv hiding behind her carefully curated and very polished veneer that would shake up all those appearances?

Each of these women have a whole load of secrets they are hiding from everyone as well as each other. But can they uncover each other's secrets and unleash a whole load of mayhem in the process without killing each other?

So what happens next? Just your average everyday "Desperate Housewives" surburban chaos in the quiet cul-de-sac which could easily be mistaken for Wisteria Lane. Margot is a Gaby/Lynette; Anna is a Susan; whilst Liv is a Bree/Gaby. The gossip, cheating, the backstabbing, the trolling, the stalking, the self-harm, the murder, the lies, the secrets, the deception...these women have it all! Never mind what's buried on Wisteria Lane, Marrs has some dark and twisted secrets buried in these womens' lives!

Margot has to be one of the most despicable characters but oh my, I found myself rooting for her! And her very witty (even if inappropriate) barbs often had me laughing. I can well see how much fun Marrs must have had unleashing his inner bitch with Margot. But Liv was not blind to Margot's bitchiness and was equally catty with her, if not for payback for her passive aggressive treatment of Anna. Yes, she gave as good as she got and was an equal match for the bitchy Margot. And Anna? Was she really as quiet and drab as she appeared? Could she really not see Margot's taunts for what they really were? Or did she want to be accepted so much she put up with them?

Whatever the case, these women were so super catty - even alongside the inclusion of Cat Face 1.0 and 2.0...LOL Their bitchiness made my head spin. I really thought I was rewatching "Desperate Housewives" revamped. The entire first half of the book was pretty much reruns of the noughties show that I was wondering where Marrs was headed with this one. Nothing at all thriller-like was jumping out at me...just a bunch of women throwing bitchy barbs like fuel onto flames.

And then came Part Two...and it all began to fall into place. But even as the countdown continued to Bonfire night, you think you know what is going on but trust me, you haven't a clue. Marrs is a master at delivering shocking twists that will make your head spin! Even if you're expecting it! Seriously, this book was so different from his other creepy reads that I was all set to make this my first of his books to give less than a 5 star rating because where was the thrills? The shocks? The twists? For half the book we have the gossips of Wisteria Lane backstabbing each other behind closed doors - not a 5 star read. But then came the second half. And thensome.

Trust me, you will be shocked. You will be thrilled. You will be so pumped you will be left wanting more! So grab a copy and buckle up. You are in for one hell of a ride!

I would like to thank #JohnMarrs, #Netgalley and #AmazonPublishing for an ARC of #YouKilledMeFirst in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

John Marrs is a former journalist from Northamptonshire, England, who spent 25 years interviewing celebrities from the world of television, film and music for national newspapers and magazines. He wrote for publications including The Guardian’s Guide and Guardian Online; OK! Magazine; Total Film; Empire; Q; GT; The Independent; Star; Reveal; Company; Daily Star and News of the World’s Sunday Magazine. 

Now a psychological thriller writer, his debut book 'The Wronged Sons' (also titled 'When You Disappeared') released in 2014 is a tense psychological thriller with over 240 x 5 star reviews on Amazon.  His second book 'Welcome To Wherever You Are' is a suspense thriller and an Amazon #1 best seller, 'The One' (previously 'A Thousand Small Explosions') was relaunched in January 2017, 'The Good Samaritan' published in 2018 with his latest 'What Lies Between Us' published in May 2020.

He recently gave up his job to write novels full time. His first car at the age of seventeen was a three-door, Ford Escort with a Batman sticker in the rear windscreen. He thought the sticker was cool at the time.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: Close Your Eyes by Teresa Driscoll

Close Your Eyes by Teresa Driscoll

Genre: Psychological thriller, Crime thriller

Read: 26th June 2025

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Amazon

Published: 1st January 2025

★★★ 3.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Finding missing children is Matthew’s job—but this time it’s his own daughter who’s disappeared.

When private investigator Matthew Hill picks up the call from his wife, Sally, his world comes crashing down. Their eight-year-old daughter, Amelie, is missing. One second, she was there, the next, she was gone.

It’s the very nightmare they’ve been dreading. Long ago, Matthew left the force after a woman blamed him for her son’s death, promising that he too would one day feel her pain. It’s a threat that’s hung over his family ever since, and now it’s Amelie’s picture on the news.

Matthew knows how these things go—the longer their daughter is missing, the less hope there is of finding her alive.

As the clock ticks and a canal is searched, he and Sally must reckon with their greatest fear…

MY THOUGHTS:

Finding missing people is Matthew’s job...but this time it’s his own daughter who’s disappeared...

I was drawn into this story from very first page. Having followed each of Teresa Driscoll's thrillers in which Matthew Hill features, I was keen to see where this one would take us. Usually he is on the periphery of each story as an investigator but this time he takes centre stage as his daughter suddenly goes missing.

The book opens up right away with Matthew's wife Sally in town shopping with their eight year old daughter Amelie before a birthday party that afternoon. Amelie sees a dress she wants to try but Sally, knowing how pressed for time they are, refuses promising they'll try it next time. Then as she is steering Amelie out of the dress shop, Sally's phone rings with bad news; she's done herself an injury and can't run the girls to the party - can Sally do it instead? After grabbing the details quickly, sure she's just been a few minutes, hangs up and turns to hurry Amelie along when she sees the space she had been just moments before empty.

Sally is frantic and begins running around calling for Amelie. Passersby notice her distress and begin searching along with her. Maybe Amelie went back to try on the dress but when she goes back to look for her in the dressing rooms, Amelie is not there. She is nowhere to be seen. She is frantic. Where is she? Has she just wandered off, impatient with waiting? Or has someone taken her baby girl?

The police are duly called by one of those helping Sally search as Sally phones Matthew who is currently seeing a new client. When he gets Sally's frantic message, he ends the meeting abruptly and races off to his wife's aid. He calls in a favour with his former colleague and friend DI Mel Sanders, now in Cornwall, and upon hearing the news, drops everything to head to Devon and head up the investigation into Amelie's disappearance.

Despite thorough searches and background checks into past threats made against Matthew, no trace of Amelie could be found. The CCTV behind the shop in which Sally and her daughter were was covered with a plastic bag. A prank or for nefarious purposes? Whatever CCTV there, Amelie could not be located on any of them. The police are stumped with no leads. And so the divers are brought in to search the nearby canal - just to rule it out. And instead find a body in its murky depths. But is it Amelie?

There is a lot going on in this tale as the search continues for the missing girl and police follow up the few leads they have...or search for clues for other potential leads. They look into Matthew's past cases as police officer and a private investigator to see if anyone bore him a grudge, besides the obvious they were quick to follow up. Usually Driscoll's books are thrillers as such with no real police investigation, except maybe Mel passing something on to Matthew for one of his PI cases. So in that way this was different as we did have a lot more police procedural.

I was fully invested until we got to Part Two. Then things started to go off piste a tad and I wondered how and why it all factored in. There was more to this side of the story that had me rolling my eyes - not so much in disbelief but sheer frustration in why must people lump religion with crazies? It happens, I know, but really it seems that it just makes a good scapegoat sometimes.

I had high hopes for this book given the different course it was taking Matthew on but the one it took us on was in some ways a little long-winded and I didn't care for the scapegoat material. I didn't even believe the reason behind the abduction - that was a little too far fetched. The finale was a little anti-climatic and the ending satisfactory enough. I'm a huge fan of her previous thrillers but a little disappointed in this one, in the end.

But in all, it was still a good read, just not one of Driscoll's best. I will, however, be looking out for more from her as it seems like it's been a while since I've read her.

I would like to thank #TeresaDriscoll, #Netgalley and #AmazonPublishing for an ARC of #CloseYourEyes in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Teresa Driscoll is a former BBC TV news presenter whose psychological thrillers have sold over two million copies in more than 20 languages. Her first thriller  was kindle #1 in the UK, USA and Australia and has sold more than a million copies in English alone.

Teresa writes women’s fiction as well as thrillers and her work has been optioned for film.

During her long career as a journalist, Teresa worked for newspapers, magazines and television, including 15 years presenting the BBC TV news programme Spotlight. Covering crime for so long, she was deeply moved by the haunting impact on the relatives, the friends and the witnesses and it is those ripples she explores now in her darker fiction.

Teresa lives in glorious Devon with her family and blogs regularly about her “writing life” at her website

Social media links:

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REVIEW: The Way of Wisdom by Timothy Keller

The Way of Wisdom by Timothy Keller

Genre: Christian, Devotionals

Read: June 2024 - June 2025

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Amazon

Published: 19 October 2017

★★★★★ 5  stars

DESCRIPTION:

From pastor and New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller comes a beautifully packaged, yearlong daily devotional based on the Book of Proverbs

Proverbs is God's book of wisdom, teaching us the essence and goal of a Christian life. In this 365-day devotional, Timothy Keller offers readers a fresh, inspiring lesson for every day of the year based on different passages within the Book of Proverbs. With his trademark knowledge, Keller unlocks the wisdom within the poetry of Proverbs and guides us toward a new understanding of what it means to live a moral life and apply it to the reality of our modern lives. 

God's Wisdom for Navigating Life is a book that readers will be able to turn to every day, year after year, to cultivate a deeper, more fulfilling relationship with God. 

Day after day, Keller unlocks and renews our understanding of the essence and goal of a Christian life. Each entry has a verse, a meditation and a prayer, and includes a question that will invite and inspire you to live a life rooted in wisdom.

If you have enjoyed My Rock, my Refuge, Keller's devotional on the psalms, you will love The Way of Wisdom.

MY THOUGHTS:

I love the Proverbs. They hold some of my most favourite verses in the Bible and Timothy Keller brings each one to life in this verse by verse study of the Bible's book of wisdom. Unlike his devotional on the Psalms (which I struggled with and shelved for a later time) which proceeds in Biblical order, this devotional is divided into themes - including marriage, the seven deadly sins (one by one), friendship, parenting. Each day he focuses on a couple of verses (and not necessarily concurrent ones) and building his commentary on which we can then draw on and apply to our own lives. 

None of us are perfect and none of us can say that only some apply to us while others don't. In all honesty, each and every devotional can be applied to our own lives - we just have to find the parallel and draw on it. Keller brings understanding into the Word and the beauty of these Proverbs. Each devotional is insightful and thought-provoking - and sometimes convicting - as well as easily understandable for a daily devotion. Towards the end of the year, Keller steps out of Proverbs but with his sight still on wisdom brings us verses from Job and Ecclesiastes to complete our journey on the way of wisdom.

I began this devotional in June last year and completed it in June this year. I plan to have another go at the devotional on the Psalms as I really want to understand them more and when I first tried the devotional I found it a tad heavy. But this on Proverbs is easy to understand and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My dog even decided he liked it one day when I was out and I came home to its cover being ripped and the book chewed somewhat but the book itself was still in tact and able to read. My mum took that copy and worked her way through it while I bought myself a new one.

I thoroughly recommend this easy to understand daily devotional. Having themes brings a perspective that we today can relate to. Highly recommended.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Timothy James Keller (September 23, 1950 – May 19, 2023) was an American Presbyterian pastor, preacher, theologian, and Christian apologist. He was the chairman and co-founder of Redeemer City to City, which trains pastors for service around the world.

Timothy Keller is the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, which he started in 1989 with his wife, Kathy, and three young sons.  For 28 years he led a diverse congregation of young professionals that grew to a weekly attendance of over 5,000.

He is also the Chairman & Co-Founder of Redeemer City to City (CTC), which starts new churches in New York and other global cities, and publishes books and resources for ministry in an urban environment. In 2017 Dr. Keller transitioned to CTC full time to teach and mentor church planters and seminary students through a joint venture with Reformed Theological Seminary's (RTS), the City Ministry Program. He also works with CTC's global affiliates to launch church planting movements.

Dr. Keller’s books, including the New York Times bestselling The Reason for God and The Prodigal God, have sold over 2 million copies and been translated into 25 languages.

Christianity Today has said, “Fifty years from now, if evangelical Christians are widely known for their love of cities, their commitment to mercy and justice, and their love of their neighbors, Tim Keller will be remembered as a pioneer of the new urban Christians.”

Dr. Keller was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and educated at Bucknell University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and Westminster Theological Seminary. He previously served as the pastor of West Hopewell Presbyterian Church in Hopewell, Virginia, Associate Professor of Practical Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, and Director of Mercy Ministries for the Presbyterian Church in America.

In June 2020, Keller revealed that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He died under hospice care at home in Manhattan on May 19, 2023, at age 72.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: The Mother's Phone Call by Victoria Jenkins

The Mother's Phone Call by Victoria Jenkins

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 24th June 2025

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Amazon

Published: 16th January 2025

★★★ 3.5  stars

DESCRIPTION:

Gripping the phone, my hands tremble with fear. I look at my son and wonder how my darling blue-eyed boy could have done this. But as my eyes focus down on the body, I know what I must do. I know it will destroy our lives forever. “Hello? I need help. It’s my child. He’s killed someone.”

As my son looks at me, his eyes pleading for help, all I can think in that moment is that I will do whatever it takes to protect him. A young girl’s lifeless body lies on the ground and my heart breaks when I realise I’m already too late to save her.

Our family will never be the same again.

I know I should call for help. But looking towards the phone table I see an old picture of the children playing in the garden. Our children and hers. We used to be so close, I thought our families would be together for a lifetime. But in a moment of rage, the life I imagined has been snatched away.

But if I’m honest, I’ve been kidding myself about how perfect our lives were. I’m a mother. I should be able to keep my children safe. But what I see in front of me cannot be denied. No one else is here. My son’s guilty.

How far will I go to protect him? 

A completely gripping and pulse-pounding psychological thriller that will have you turning the pages late into the night. Perfect for fans of The Wife Between Us, The Girl on the Train and anything by Shari Lapena.

MY THOUGHTS:

Not often I read the same author two books in a row but I thought "why not?" Despite its title, there is far more going on than just a phone call. In fact the said phone call doesn't take place until about 20% or so in. But it does pose the question of what would a mother do in such a situation? Mothers, by nature, tend to want to protect their young but at the same time it is also their job to teach them responsibility, accountability and doing the right thing...even if it breaks your heart to do so.

Jo and her husband Rob enjoy a nice life in their quiet little cul-de-sac with their 18 year old twins Alice and Toby. An affluent neighbourhood, they live across the road from their closest friends Eve, her husband Chris and their adult children Dylan (20) and Freya (18). The two families have been friends for years as Jo and Eve navigated motherhood together and they watched their children grow up together. Their lives were picture perfect...until a tragedy pitches them family against family.

The story opens with Jo and her family attending the overtly lavish summer party to celebrate 20 years of wedded bliss between Eve and Chris. Overtly lavish as only Eve could do. And of course only lavish would do for those Insta-pics that depict the carefully curated life she so wishes to convey to the world. As shallow as she can appear at times, Jo loves Eve though I'm not entirely sure why. The women are poles apart. Even their children are chalk and cheese. It is hardly surprising that Eve's daughter Freya is as shallow and fickle as her mother, seemingly taking pleasure in cruel pranks and wondering what the fuss is all about afterwards. I must admit I was surprised that Alice was friends with Freya - the girl was horribly cruel and enjoyed inflicting that cruelty.

It's while at the party, Alice overhears whispers of a conversation between her father and Eve that just didn't sound right... And it leaves her wondering how to confront him or even tell her mum. But even Toby appears to have harsh words with Freya and then Chris seems to let his hands wander a little too close to comfort when saying goodnight to Jo. Just what is going on with this family?

And so the night rolls into Sunday and all's well...and then rolls seamlessly into Monday (that I didn't even notice a change in the days). Jo is scrolling social media when she sees Eve posting a provocative posed pic of herself claiming to be recovering from a two day hangover. But it's a video shared to TikTok of Alice that has everybody seeing red. But is it enough to kill for?

That evening, with the family safely tucked up in their beds, Jo is pondering the provocative photo of Eve when she receives a phone call from Toby. Toby? But isn't he upstairs in bed? He tells her he is across the street at Freya's house and that something awful has happened. When Jo rushes over nothing can prepare her for the scene that greets her. Freya laying in a pool of blood with Toby standing next to her, bloodied and in tears. Then making the hardest decision she calls the police to report the crime her son has committed. The police arrive, he's arrested and the families are pitched against each other.

Alice cannot believe her brother would kill Freya, or anyone. But the evidence clearly points to him and his prints were on the weapon and her blood was all over him. And worse of all, Toby remains silent refusing to comment when questioned or shed any light on what had happened. But would they believe him if he tried? Probably not. After all, his own mother believed it of him after taking one look at the scene so of course the police will do too. 

What ensues is a fight to uncover the truth and clear Toby's name while Freya's family are hellbent on showing him up for who he is - a murderer who killed their beautiful and innocent girl. Innocent, my eye. That girl gave as good as she got and was the product of her environment. But who is lying? Who is telling the truth? And what really happened that night when Freya was killed?

An interesting Desperate Housewives-ish tale that unfolds through the alternating narratives of Jo and Alice, this story has secrets and lies in abundance with plenty of toxic characters and layers of deceit to unravel.

Overall, a dark and twisted tale that was both enjoyable and entertaining.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Victoria Jenkins is a Welsh author who has made a name for herself writing the highly popular Detective King and Lane series of novels. The first novel in the series was “The Girls In The Water” that Jenkins first published in 2017 and is an Amazon UK top 30 bestseller, and top 5 bestseller in the Amazon US chart., to much critical acclaim and popularity among crime fiction fans.

The series of novels features Detective Constable Chloe Lane and Detective Inspector Alex King, who are the lead investigative characters that solve some mysterious murders in their hometown.

Her first psychological thriller, The Divorce, was published in July 2019. The second, The Argument, was published December 10th 2019 and The Accusation was published June 9th 2020, followed by The Playdate, The New Family and The Bridesmaids.

Victoria lives with her husband and daughter in South Wales, where her series of crime novels featuring Detectives King and Lane is based.

 

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REVIEW: The New Family by Victoria Jenkins

The New Family by Victoria Jenkins

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 22nd June 2025

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Amazon

Published: 16th November 2021

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

You just met your new neighbours, but they already know you…

As I open the door to the house I grew up in, I take in the family photos I haven’t looked at since my sister died. It will never be the happy place it once was, not since that night twenty years ago. Renting it to a new family is a fresh start, and single dad Oliver and his sweet son Finley seem like the perfect fit.

Calling by the house, I notice how few belongings they have; no toys for Finley or pictures of his mother. Why does Oliver shut down when I ask him about his life? And who is the man I see him arguing with in the street? I thought he was a stranger to this small town…

Fearing for Finley’s safety, I let myself inside in search of answers. But the smiling face in the photo I find hidden in Oliver’s bedroom chills me to my core. He knows exactly who I am and all the secrets of my past. Breath catches in my throat. Is my life now in terrible danger?

The New Family is an addictive psychological thriller with a twist you won’t see coming, perfect for fans of The Wife, The Silent Patient and Lisa Jewell

MY THOUGHTS:

I've seen many post trigger warnings for this book but I don't think it is needed as most psychological thrillers often have an element of these things. But not only that, they are so subtle or are just part of a backstory that they are not really the main event. All but one of them, that is. And even so, it is just subtle nuances that allude to it - a photo here, a message there - nothing so in your face to warrant clear cut warnings.

It's been a while since I've read Victoria Jenkins and I've usually enjoyed her thrillers so was looking forward to this one. Especially as they are generally featured in Wales, one of my favourite settings. This tale of woe (and it really is) was published back in 2021 and somehow slipped through my shelf. It's a slow burn with two parallel stories unfolding through alternating chapters with the reader wondering how the two will collide.

September 2019: Brooke is taking a walk along the coastal path to her favourite secluded beach when she meets handsome Oliver and his young son Finley. Oliver is looking for somewhere to stay and as Brooke rents out her childhood home as a holiday let, which is currently standing vacant until her next booking in January, she offers them the use of the little cottage. When he and Finley move in, Brooke is surprised with how few belongings they have but doesn't question it. Who is she to judge anyway with the skeletons rattling around in her closet? 

Then the little gallery and loft in which she lives and sells her paintings suddenly burns down in which she loses everything. The fire is investigated and soon deemed to be arson but the police are no closer to finding the perpetrator, leaving Brooke without a home until it is repaired. But her lifelong friend and neighbour Sylvia lets her move into her spare room indefinitely which proves to be a godsend. She begins to spend a lot of time with Oliver and Finley. Despite the little boy being quiet and introverted, he begins to warm to Brooke but it is clear he is haunted by something which makes him withdrawn and always looking so sad. Added to that, he has begun sleepwalking.

The more time Brooke spends with Oliver and Finley the more she in curious about their past. She has so many questions about where they've come from? How did they end up here in Wales? Where is Fin's mother? What is their story? But again, Brooke can hardly judge given her own past. She's just curious.

February 2018: Juggling motherhood and her job as a physiotherapist, Christina is married to Matthew and mother to twins Elise and Edward. But she's not happy and she doesn't know why that is when she has an adoring husband and two beautiful, yet demanding, toddlers. She has been embarking on an illicit affair with lawyer Joel who had come to her a client with a football injury. 

But when Christina breaks off their affair, Joel doesn't appear to take it well. Soon he bombards her with bizarre gifts, strange phone calls and messages - all threatening by nature with the undertone of "tick tock, time is running out". For what? Is he threatening to reveal their affair to her husband? Her family? Her friends? Or worse... her clients? Is Joel trying to win her back through his threats or does he want to ruin her life? If Matthew discovers her secret, he will surely take the twins and she wouldn't see her children again. Just the anxiety of this whole debacle is making her sick - and Matthew has noticed her constant headaches and nausea so it won't be long until he figures out just what she has been hiding. And Christina has no idea what she will do then...

The slow burn unfold of each tale is twisted with both women and the secrets they are hiding, giving the reader plenty of questions about how these two women are related to the same story. I must admit, I had no clue at first - so different they were. Brooke in Wales, Christina in London. Not only that, the events take place around 18 months apart. I had many questions running through my mind until I settled on one that seemed to fit. I picked up little nuances, little clues that Jenkins peppered throughout both stories, and I was convinced I had one half of the big reveal. And I did. Once I worked that out, it wasn't difficult to figure out the rest.

I must say though you will have to suspend belief a little - as is usually the way with psychological thrillers - and the story does get a little convoluted, particularly with how it all collides into one big explosion. I will say that things ramped up for the last 20% and that's where it all became interesting and everything fell into place. Prior to that, it was very slow moving. A little too slow for my tastes but my interest was piqued enough to keep turning the pages and I'm glad I did because you do get there in the end. I didn't not like the book - I just think the slow burn was far too long.

This is a hard book to rate. I'm not a fan of slow burns and tend to fall asleep at the non-event of happenings but I think it was one woman's story that kept me turning the pages. I felt more invested in Brooke's than I did in Christina's. I didn't care for her as I felt she had everything and yet it still wasn't enough so she went looking elsewhere. Plus Brooke's story unfolded in Wales which was a far more picturesque setting, if not unstable in both weather and WiFi. LOL It was still an enjoyable read and I am leaning towards 3.5 stars - but to round it up or down? I'd round it down for the 80% slow burn (too much in my opinion) or up for the satisfying conclusion.

Just a bit of trivia: I found it ironic that one of the characters is Christina and her husband is Matthew. My name is Christina and my brother is Matthew.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Victoria Jenkins is a Welsh author who has made a name for herself writing the highly popular Detective King and Lane series of novels. The first novel in the series was “The Girls In The Water” that Jenkins first published in 2017 and is an Amazon UK top 30 bestseller, and top 5 bestseller in the Amazon US chart., to much critical acclaim and popularity among crime fiction fans.

The series of novels features Detective Constable Chloe Lane and Detective Inspector Alex King, who are the lead investigative characters that solve some mysterious murders in their hometown.

Her first psychological thriller, The Divorce, was published in July 2019. The second, The Argument, was published December 10th 2019 and The Accusation was published June 9th 2020, followed by The Playdate, The New Family and The Bridesmaids.

Victoria lives with her husband and daughter in South Wales, where her series of crime novels featuring Detectives King and Lane is based.

 

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REVIEW: The Bookseller by Valerie Keogh

The Bookseller by Valerie Keogh

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 21st June 2025

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 3rd March 2025

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Helen wanted to believe the bookshop was a fresh start. But the past had a way of creeping in, whispering through the shelves, refusing to be left behind. 🩸💥📖

Helen Appleby just wants a quiet life. Recently released from prison for the manslaughter of her partner, she's trying to forget her past mistakes – all of them - to rebuild her life and move on.

When she decides to open a bookshop, she’s certain this is the perfect new start. Here, amongst the quiet shelves of her shop and between the covers of her books, she can hide away from the real world and begin again. The world of books is the perfect place to find happiness - even if it is all lies.

But the past can never stay hidden…

As she settles into life as an apparently timid bookseller, it seems that someone is determined to sabotage Helen's new life and ruin everything she's built.

But Helen has killed once before. And to protect her future, she could be willing to kill again...

Don't miss another page-turning, nail-biting read from the queen of psychological thrillers, Valerie Keogh!

MY THOUGHTS:

Can she rewrite her dark and deadly past...?

After devouring "The Mother" by Valerie Keogh a couple of weeks ago, I was keen to rekindle that same thrill and adrenaline rush with this one. But not every book is the same, as I was reminded. One reviewer aptly wrote "She's (Helen) paranoid, sure, but not in a compelling, edge-of-your-seat way. More like a frustrating please just do something way." I have to agree BUT - and it's a big BUT - that is not to say that I didn't enjoy it. I did. In fact more than I thought I would given it's slow-burn-style-of-not-too-much happening. Although plugged as a psychological thriller on that I would have to disagree. While it does have some thriller elements, it's more of a tale of one woman's dark past and her path to redemption through second chances.

Helen has just been released on licence (parole) after serving two years of a four year sentence for the manslaughter of her boyfriend Toby. She is keen to forget the past, to rebuild her life and move on. Her dream since she was a child was to open a book shop. Not just any bookshop but a second-hand bookshop. She's not interested in first editions or rare books but more in the lives books have had and the stories they could tell through their pages and those who have read them. She loves the chance to give books a second chance, just as she had been granted, and to pass on her love of books through the sharing of them - both new and old.

She finds the perfect place and puts in an offer which, after some haggling, is accepted. And thus Helen begins the process of clearing and renovating the dilapidated premises. She advertises for unwanted pre-loved books which she sets about buying and before long, her dream has become a reality. Appleby Books has opened.

No sooner has she opened her doors than she gets a visit from her probation officer who is meant to visit her on a monthly basis but as Helen is to find out, it's whenever Moira likes. In this case, it's every day - sometimes with her best friend vibe and at others in her official voice. And here in her bookshop as if she were soiling her private sanctuary when she is meant to visit her home.

But Moira is just one spanner in the works of her new-found freedom. There's the incessant knocking seemingly coming from the staircase and usually after dark. Then her bookshop is broken into and not long after, her home is too. And the mess left behind is enough to bring tears to her eyes. But she will not crumble.

However, someone is determined to sabotage her second chance. But Helen has killed before...what will it take to make her do so again? And will she, if it comes to that?

Again, I don't think this qualifies as a thriller though there is a certain edge that keeps you turning the pages wondering where Helen's lies will lead us. Yes, Helen has the habit of lying, for which she spends just as even much time covering up or keeping track of the lies she's told. Of course, this could have all been avoided if she could only tell the truth. Having said that, as the reader you still want her to come out on top - of whatever (or whoever) it is she's fighting. And yet despite this, she is still so difficult to like. If only she could tell the truth. Unsurprisingly, Helen finds it incredibly difficult to trust others. Maybe that's why she continues to hide the truth and instead, well, lie.

The supporting characters in her older sister Sarah and incomer student Jess were indeed likeable - despite the diatribe Helen's internal monologue would describe growing up with her sister. Sarah, even if she was hesitant and Helen misread that, was always supportive of Helen throughout her venture. And towards the end a light was shone on the childhood the sisters had shared and the difference in each of their persepctives was contrasting to say the least. And Jess. Well, she entered the story in a rather dubious way and Helen, naturally (as she is always wont to do), distrusted her. And yet Jess says it best. For someone who has been through so much, Helen sure is gulliable. And she is. Maybe she is yearning for that connection she lost with the death of her father. Maybe she feels a driving need to be wanted and loved, as most of us do, but in essence is actually quite lonely. I loved Jess. She went from quiet mousy bookish Jess to fearless spirited sparky Jess!

The unlikeable characters are in the form of probation officer Moira, sneaky Jared Clough and dear old Dilly who doesn't appear to be quite what she seems. There are the cockney twins Alex and Zander from the pizzeria next door who feature from time to time ane Helen is so paranoid she fears they are plotting against her. But are they really? Or is she just paranoid?

The main atmosphere of the book is one of dread throughout. It is a slow burn and feels a little longer than it is probably due to Helen being so difficult to like. The ending was a surprise. I turned the page and there it was! I was kind of expecting a sense of forboding, something unexpected to pop out in a last minute twist...but then if I was expecting it then it wouldn't be unexpected, would it? Still. The ending was just a bit sudden, I found. I thought everything would pan out (particularly with the Hemingway find) and be tied up nicely but instead, even half an hour after finishing, I forget how it did end. Except that it was sudden. Still...I did enjoy the read, as different as it was. And despite her being unlikeable and through her lies, I was still rooting for her to come out on top.

After reading this, should we be lucky to come across a second-hand bookstore (especially in this digital age), we will be checking those books for any finds that could be lurking the pages within...

I would like to thank #ValerieKeogh, #Netgalley and #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #TheBookseller in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Valerie Keogh is the internationally bestselling author of several psychological thrillers and crime series, most recently published by Bloodhound. She originally comes from Dublin but now livesin Wiltshire and worked as a nurse for many years. Her first thriller for Boldwood will be published in August 2022.

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REVIEW: The Funeral by Helen H Durrant

The Funeral by Helen H Durrant

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 17th June 2025

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 14th May 2025

★★★ 3 stars

DESCRIPTION:

She stole my name. Now she’s dead. Am I next?

As we gather by the graveside, I can’t help but notice the other guests take in my every move. I don’t recognise anyone, and I wish I hadn’t come. But I’ve fallen on hard times, and I’m hoping that whoever sent me the anonymous invite is going to explain why it was so important I attend.

And then I see it – the name on the gravestone: Alice Anderson. My blood turns to ice.

That’s my name.

I haven’t used it for three years, and I didn’t think anyone knew about my past. Who took my name and what do they want from me?

I can’t fall apart now. So I force my hands to stop shaking and start studying each face in the congregation.

Did I just walk into a trap? Am I in danger? I only know one thing for sure, I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my secret, and my life…

This totally addictive page-turner from bestselling author Helen H. Durrant is perfect for fans of The Housemaid, Gone Girl and The Perfect Marriage. Prepare to be hooked from the very first page.

MY THOUGHTS:

An invitation to die for...

The invitation was anonymous. But when Donna receives it in her email, she knows at once she needs to be there. If not to allay her fears that the past is well and truly buried...or to keep her secret safe...

As she stands by the graveside she hears whispers about who she is and who the dead woman is. OK, so it's a woman whose funeral she's attending - that's good to know. But who was this woman and who invited her to this funeral? And why? Whatever the reason, this is too close for comfort and she tries to blend in with the mourners, hide behind her facade. Find out who she is, what she is doing here and then get out before someone recognises her.

She steps up to the graveside. At least she can see the name of who she's supposed to be mourning. She stops...she stares...she recognises the name. It's her name - Alice Anderson. At least, it's who she was before she reinvented herself as Donna. So who was this woman who stole her name? And why? What did she want with her identity?

If Donna wants to find out, she needs to stick around. So when she is offered the job held by the previous Alice, she accepts without a second thought. She needs to find out just who this woman was and why she stole her name. And more to the point...who knows who she is now and sent her that invitation?

A steadily paced read that struggled to hold my interest though I was intrigued with the scenario and was eager to find out where it all lead. It's hard to know who to trust in this one, if anyone at all.

This is my first book by this author and wasn't a bad read. Quick and entertaining that does keep you guessing.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Helen is one of the ‘baby boomer’ generation and began writing when she retired from her job at a local college. Born in Edinburgh to an English father and Scottish mother the family settled in a Pennine village between the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is an environment which has shaped her stories. Writing is a second career and, despite having a bus pass, keeps her busy, and tuned in.

Helen’s children are all grown-up and she has five grandchildren.

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REVIEW: The Birthday Party by Shalini Boland

The Birthday Party by Shalini Boland

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 16th June 2025

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 15th May 2025

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

A party. A nightmare. A child gone without a trace.

It started out as a party: six little girls gliding and giggling at the ice rink to celebrate Natalie’s daughter’s eighth birthday.

But by Natalie’s next head count, it’s turned into a crime scene. Six children went onto the ice—and now there are just five. Nobody saw her niece, Elle, being taken. Nobody saw the person in a cartoon costume lure her quietly away.

Traumatised by what happened on her watch, Natalie spends the next decade supporting her sister, Jo, as the years since Elle’s abduction tick by. But as the tenth anniversary approaches, Jo becomes convinced that someone is stalking her—someone who knows the truth about that day on the ice.

As long-buried secrets start to surface, the sisters must relive the horror of losing Elle—and watch the world as they know it shatter before their eyes.

MY THOUGHTS:

It was a day that they would never forget...

I have read most of Shalini's psychological thrillers (except for the first few before I discovered her) and she's always been my go-to author for a good fast-paced quick and thrilling read. And while the last few have failed to live up to the calibre of her previous ones, this one smashes them out of the ballpark! It is probably her best yet with this publisher and it was like reading the Shalini of old. And best of all, it keeps you guessing until the very end.

THEN: Natalie's daughter Georgia wanted an ice skating party for her 8th birthday with her best friends and since she was a December baby (welcome to my world), they had themed characters skating the ice along with the children. What more could any little girl want? So Natalie and husband Theo were tasked with the care of six little girls - Georgia, four of her friends and her 6 year old cousin, Elle. Six little girls went onto the ice...and now only just five remain.

When Georgia's best friend Sasha falls on the ice, Natalie takes her off for a few minutes to recover and thus becomes momentarily distracted. When she looks back, she counts five of them and finds Elle is missing. Frantic, Natalie informs Theo and they immediately take the girls off the ice and try searching for young Elle. When there is no immediate sign of her, Natalie calls the police. Though she dreads telling her sister Jo that she has lost her six year old daughter.

NOW: Ten years later and Natalie is planning Georgia's 18th birthday. But as always, her birthday is shadowed by Elle's disappearance a decade before. How could they possibly celebrate? But every year, Georgia's birthday has been a subdued affair but this year she is 18 and she deserves to celebrate. 

Their lives have stalled since that day ten years ago. For Jo, the mother whose child disappeared; for Natalie and Theo, the ones in charge of all six girls; and for Georgia, whose birthday has never been the same again because to celebrate it would be like forgetting that it was also the day her cousin disappeared. Everyone is stuck in a kind of rut but no one more so than Jo who, understandably lost a child but her behaviour just went from bad to worse. She couldn't face going back to their flat so instead moved in with Natalie and her family, thus placing undue pressure on them. They even converted their garage into a self contained garden flat for Jo so that they could all have their own privacy. Over the course the past decade, they each found their own ways of coping whilst also sweeping everything under the carpet to maintain the peace and stop from upsetting Jo's unstable equilibriam.

But then Natalie receives a phone call from the past and suddenly a new lead offers new hope. Could this be it? Will they finally learn what happened to Elle all those years ago? Or will it be another colossal waste of time?

The story unfolds in the past and present timeline in Natalie's first person narrative with a few chapters by an unknown narrator interspersed throughout. All through the tale the reader is kept guessing - even me! And I could usually pick them! I did have a few suspects but then when Shalini threw in her trademark twist it knocked all my theories out of the water. Although funnily enough, the twists were some of the theories I had pondered but not quite settled on. In fact, I got them around the wrong way! So in effect, I did guess them correctly but in the wrong order. LOL

As for Jo. I get she lost her daughter and that has to be a mother's worst nightmare. But I just could not warm to her. I found her to be completely selfish and too dependant on Natalie, expecting her to clean up her messes each and every time - because she knows exactly that's what Natalie would do. I was incredibly frustrated by her behaviour and though some of it may have been part of her grief, as Natalie ruminates her sister has always been "a bit flaky". Even events prior to Elle's disappearance show her selfish nature. After her daughter disappears, she is quite happy to sponge off her sister and husband indefinitely without contributing to household costs or making an effort around the house. And she always expect Natalie to come running at her beck and call, regardless of boundaries or her own accountability (of which she had none). I didn't like her at all. I think it was because of her that I knocked off half a star.

Despite my incredible dislike of Jo, this is a thrilling fast paced quick read from start to finish that is wholly entertaining.

I would like to thank #ShaliniBoland, #Netgalley and #AmazonPublishing for an ARC of #TheBirthdayParty in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Shalini Boland lives in Dorset, England with her husband, two sons and their cheeky poodle-terrier cross. Before kids, she was signed to Universal Music Publishing as a singer/songwriter, but now she spends her days writing suspense thrillers (in between school runs and hanging out endless baskets of laundry).

Her debut psychological thriller "The Girl from the Sea" published in June 2016 reached Number 1 in the US Audible charts. Her second thriller "The Best Friend" published in October 2016 reached a high of number 10 in Amazon's UK Kindle charts. It also achieved number 1 in all its categories and was a Kindle All Star title for several months in a row.

Shalini has recently signed with Thomas and Mercer publishers with her first publication with them being "The Silent Bride".

She is also not a morning person.

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10 Things My Readers Might Not Know About Me

My dreams (nightmares) nearly always involve the characters and settings that I’m currently writing about. For example, last night I dreamt that I’d abducted a baby and tried to hide him in my husband’s car, but I couldn’t get the doors to lock. It was awful! Maybe I’d have a better night’s sleep if I wrote rom coms.

I love all fruit except bananas. The smell, texture, taste – ugh. No. Just no. Keep that evil fruit away from me.

I write for a living, and so does my husband, but neither of our children are particularly avid readers. My eldest is dyslexic and has never enjoyed reading or writing. My youngest quite enjoys it, but has to be pretty much forced into trying a new book. How did this happen? I have no idea. We always read to them when they were younger. We have a houseful of all kinds of books. Ah, well, I’ll keep trying.

When I was nineteen, I hitchhiked at night in Israel and ended up in the middle of nowhere convinced I was going to die. Turns out I only needed to walk another two minutes to find myself back at the kibbutz where I was staying. I’ve never hitchhiked since.

My writing companion is a little Poodle/Lhasa Apso/Terrier cross called Jess who sits at my feet while I type. Sometimes she sneaks up onto the sofa and rests her chin on my keyboard. I’m not sure I could write without her nearby.

When we were in our twenties, my husband and I set up VW car shows. Our events were all jinxed. Over the course of six shows we had four instances of major theft, a forest fire, the worst storm on record, someone set up illegal rave, an outbreak of foot and mouth disease, and an actual bomb scare with police cordoning off the area and evacuating everyone. Plus, we only made a profit during our first show, the other times we just about broke even. Not a huge success.

Nearly all my novels are set in and around the area of Dorset where I live. I moved here when I was eighteen, but I feel like this is my true home. I love it – the towns, beaches and countryside are beautiful.

Good coffee and chocolate are my weaknesses.

I used to be a singer songwriter and once sang on stage at The Brixton Academy in front of four thousand people. I don’t know how I did it. I’m such an introvert these days.

I feel very lucky to write for a living. Every day, I’m truly thankful and appreciate that I’ve finally discovered what it is I love to do – it only took me forty years to work it out! It isn’t always easy and some days I need a kick up the backside to stop procrastinating and get working. Other days are overwhelming and I do get anxious about what my readers will think of each book. But I wouldn’t change it for the world. I only hope people will continue to enjoy my books and allow me to keep doing what I love.

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