The Staffymum's Book Nook: 3.5 Stars

Published: 3rd November 2025

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

A child is missing. But I stole her first…

I sit little Mila down at my kitchen table with a glass of milk and a plate of cookies. She smiles shyly at me and I reach out to ruffle her hair.

Leaving her alone for a moment, I dash upstairs, closing my eyes as I take a deep breath. What have I done?

Mila isn’t my child. I should never have taken her home. But what choice did I have?

Painting a smile on my face, I head back down to the kitchen.

But when I reach the table, my blood turns to ice. The back door is open, and Mila is gone.

I need to find her. I need help. But who’s going to believe anything I say when I’m the one who took her first…?

A seriously twisty, addictive psychological thriller that will keep you awake flipping pages all night long. Perfect for anyone who devoured The Housemaid, The Wife Between Us and The Girl on the Train.

MY THOUGHTS:

Someone stole her from me...but I stole her first...

When a mother fails to collect her 5 year old daughter from school one afternoon, school teacher Hannah Marlowe takes it upon herself to take the child home to safety. But within moments of arriving and Hannah leaving the room, little Mila is taken - again. And this time, no one knows where she has gone.

Hannah reports the disappearance to the police who wearily sigh at having to deal with the distraught woman once again. Because this is not the first time Hannah has fronted up to police to report suspicious goings on or the disappearance of her husband Rory. From disturbances to missing items to a suspicious car parked out front of her house to a husband who appears to have walked out on her, the police take what Hannah says with a very fine grain of salt. But Hannah is certain someone has taken Mila. The question is...who?

Then strange things begin happening to Hannah. Her car mysteriously picked up from the mechanics by a stranger claiming to have her permission. A dress collected from the dry cleaners who had the corresponding ticket. Items moved around her house, the scent of cigarette smoke when neither her nor her 15 year old daughter Jodie smoke. And a suspicious van parked out the front of her house and the school where she works that drives off as soon as she tries to approach it. Who is doing these things? And why?

And then her daughter disappears.

Suddenly Hannah is searching for Jodie and little Mila when no one appears to be concerned about their disappearances. Least of all the police. Until they arrive to arrest Hannah for the abduction of little Mila. Yes, she took her first but someone else took her again and that someone is the one the police should be looking for! Added to that, Hannah has a secret or two from her past that she would much prefer to remain buried.

And then Jodie's father turns up - after 15 years of radio silence. But with all that is happening, Hannah isn't sure who to trust anymore.

OK, so the premise was intriguing and the prologue was explosive. But then...what followed for the first half of the book was a confusing mess that was tangled beyond redemption. I was thoroughly confused and found trying to get my head around all the tangled pieces difficult to make any sense of and, while they did make some sort of sense in the end, the execution of it all fell short and was difficult to maintain interest in what was happening. It took me two weeks to read this when it should have taken no more than two days. I kept putting off going back to it because I felt it just too confusing and the twists that came felt forced. As most of the loose ends were tied up by the book's end, there were a few unanswered questions that I felt were inadequately explained. Like Fleur's abduction was a twist that felt way forced and its explanation was slightly tenuous to say the least. Though when things began coming together, it wasn't hard to work out what had happened.

BUT, having said that, I loved the ending. That was just way too good! Nice touch that saved what was unfortunately a long and drawn out confusing read that could have been made shorter. I love Samantha Hayes' thrillers and was excited to dive into this one but having just gone through major surgery myself, I found it difficult to concentrate on complex tales which may have hindered my perception of this one. It took me two weeks to wade through the first 35% of the book and the rest I devoured in a matter or hours. So it could well have been my inability to focus on complex tales that drew this one up short.

This is a hard one to rate and review because I do think my recovery hindered my perception so therefore it wouldn't be a totally accurate one. Especially given the fact I devoured the most half in a matter of hours and totally relished that explosive ending. I'll give it 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 as I feel I probably would have enjoyed it more had it not been for my recovery.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Samantha Hayes grew up in a creative family where her love of writing began as a child. Samantha has written eight thrillers in total, including the bestselling Until You’re Mine. The Independent said “fantastically written and very tense” while Good Housekeeping said “Her believable psychological thrillers are completely gripping.” Samantha’s books are published in 22 languages at the last count.

When not writing, Samantha loves to cook, go to the gym, see friends and drink nice wine. She is also studying for a degree in psychotherapy. She has three grown-up children and lives in Warwickshire.

Social Media links:

Website | 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, 8 August 2025

REVIEW: The Therapist by Nicole Trope

The Therapist by Nicole Trope

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 8th August 2025

Published: 31st July 2025

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

Everyone thinks they can trust their therapist. We are good listeners. But what if we’re good liars, too?

The therapist: I love my job. People tell me their worries, their fears. Then Sandy becomes my patient. Something about her tears as she cries about her husband doesn’t feel right. But I tell her she can trust me. I promise to keep her secrets… for now.

The patient: I never should have married Mike. My head is a mess. All I want is for someone to listen. At least I can trust my therapist – she believes everything I say. And I’m going to show the world exactly what my dear husband is really like.

The husband: We used to be so happy. I just want my smiling, beautiful wife back. I was glad when Sandy signed up for therapy. But one day, Sandy doesn’t come home. I’m frantic. Then her therapist knocks on the door and says we need to talk… what has Sandy told her about our marriage?

Someone is missing. Someone is in danger. Someone is a liar. Who will you believe?

A completely unputdownable psychological thriller that will leave you not knowing who to trust, from million-copy bestseller Nicole Trope. Anyone who loves Shari Lapena or Lisa Jewell will be totally addicted!

MY THOUGHTS:

Good listener...good liar...?

Meet Lana. She's a therapist in private practice in Sydney's leafy suburbs and still bearing the emotional scars of her past. She was married to Oliver and together they had Iggy, now seven, until she discovered he was having an affair. Now he's married to a terminally happy and perfect woman named Becky. And Iggy adores her.

But she leaves her personal life behind when she comes to work. Although it's her personal life that has influenced the direction in which her professional life has taken as a therapist. After the tragedy of her past, she knew she wanted to help others better understand themselves and to help understand people better. She shares the practice with Ben, a psychologist from the UK. Everything is going smoothly until, against her better judgement, she takes on one of Ben's clients who has developed transference and is in complete and utter despair.

Meet Sandy. She comes to Lana on Ben's recommendation and confides that she is in a controlling and abusive marriage. She loves her husband but she doesn't love the way he lets his anger get the better of him. She just wants the husband she met and married back...before he hurts her, or worse - one of the children - Lila (5) and Felix (7).

Meet Mike. Sandy's husband is despair of his own. He cannot understand what is going on with his wife. One minute she's up, the next she's down. But either way she's always screaming or crying. He just wants his happy smiling wife back. He'll even go to therapy with her if it means it will help her.

And then Sandy disappears.

When Sandy doesn't show for her next appointment, Lana is worried. Sandy said something in the last session which gives her cause for concern now. She is certain her husband Mike knows more than he's letting on and against her better judgement (again) she goes around to Sandy's house to confront Mike and says that they need to talk. But Mike wonders what has Sandy said to her about their marriage. Surely she hasn't told her...everything?

Lana is caught in a tangled web of secrets, lies and uncertainty. She has crossed the boundaries between patient and therapist by turning up at her door but Lana finds herself questioning just exactly what is truth and what is fiction? She isn't sure what to believe anymore. And then the text message arrives.

"Help me Lana. I think he's going to kill me."

Lana knows whatever has happened, she needs to know that Sandy is safe. And Mike of course doesn't help himself by behaving just the way Sandy claims. It's a classic "he said/she said" with a complex twist. And Lana doesn't know what or who to believe.

Honestly, Mike and Sandy were a train wreck. But who do you believe? Lana has listened to them and watched them both and even she's confused, questioning her judgement as well as reality. What is truth and what is fiction? She can't quite tell. And Lana was a tough one to connect with. She didn't really open herself up at all so it was hard to know who she really was and how she was feeling or what she was thinking.

Like all of Trope's "tropes", this tale is multi-layered with tension and complexity, delving into psychological themes of trust and deception. The story was easily predictable but it didn't ruin it for me - it just wasn't completely surprising as we watch it unfold. Trope drip-feeds us little by little by the climax before pulling the rug out from under us to reveal what's really going on.

It was a slightly slower build than some of Trope's other offerings and I found both Lana and Sandy equally irritating that it was hard to slip into rhythm. But by the end, I had fairly enjoyed the ride. The ending was satisfactory though I would have liked to hear from that last final voice. When you read it, you will know what I mean. It would have been good to get that final perspective.

I would like to thank #NicoleTrope, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheTherapist 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.

Monday, 21 July 2025

REVIEW: The Couple Before Us by Daniel Hurst

The Couple Before Us by Daniel Hurst

Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic suspense

Read: 15th July 2025

Published: 17th July 2025

★★★★ 3.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

‘Something terrible happened to the couple who lived here before…’ My hands shake as I read the warning note I’ve just found hidden in a forgotten corner of my brand new house. My husband told me we’d be the first people to live here. Did he lie?

Moving to this gorgeous house was meant to be a new start for our family. My hand rests on my growing baby bump as I walk through our home, the smell of fresh paint in the air, but my heart no longer feels full of hope for the future.

My husband Christian wraps his strong arms around me and tells me to forget the note; he wants this to be the perfect home for us. But as I look into his blue-grey eyes, I wonder if there’s something he’s keeping from me or if I’m just being paranoid.

Was there a couple who lived here before? And what happened to them?

I try to forget my worries like Christian asked, but then I see something in our next-door neighbour’s garden that I can’t ignore. I know I need to find out the truth if I’m ever going to feel safe again.

Except when I overhear Christian revealing a secret on the phone, I start to question: do I even know the man I married?

As I get closer to the truth of what happened to the couple before us, I realise one thing: I should have run when I had the chance…

Number 1 bestselling author Daniel Hurst is the king of utterly addictive and unputdownable psychological thrillers. The Couple Before Us is a completely gripping, pulse-pounding, keep-you-up-until-3am read perfect for fans of T.M. Logan, Freida McFadden and Lisa Jewell.

MY THOUGHTS:

If it seems too good to be true then it probably is...

That's the piece of advice I felt like giving couple Dionne and Christian as they looked around the newly built house on the new estate that still resembled a construction site. Simply put - if you don't feel the house isn't right, don't buy it. Why Dionne gave in to hubby Christian, I have no idea, except maybe to keep the peace and she was heavily pregnant and needed somewhere to call home and soon.

So Christian loved the house, Dionne didn't. Five year old Kai loved the yard in which he could kick a football around and that alone seemed to melt Dionne's heart. And yet she still didn't feel right about the house. Something didn't feel right. A bit like the book. Something was missing that I couldn't put my finger on. It just lacked the punch that Hurst is known for.

And so in their cramped motel room they've called home for weeks, Dionne crumbles and gives in. "Make an offer" she says. Words she will live to regret. And within weeks they are moving in and unpacking their boxes and furniture. But still Dionne cannot still the niggling feeling that something isn't quite right about this house. And then in the corner of the cupboard she finds a note.

"Something terrible to the couple who lived here before..."

This was supposed to be a new-build. They were supposed to be the first people to be living there. So what is the meaning of this note? Who wrote it? And where did it come from?

Suffice to say, Dionne was not going to let things lie and decided to do some investigating of her own. As the story unfolds, she looks to the observer like she's a bit unhinged as she does some really stupid things.

Despite this being a relatively quick and easy read that was predictable, it had plenty of eye-rolling moments that even I was shaking my head at. It lacked the thrills and tension of Hursts usual thrillers and Dionne was incredibly annoying.

But don't let this review turn you off Daniel Hurst. He is a great thriller writer and I have devoured over 40 of his thrillers, most of which are edge-of-your-seat entertaining thrill-rides. But even our favourite authors can write books that don't thrill us. That doesn't mean I'll stop reading him because I know the calibre he is capable of.

Not a bad read, but not his best. Still, it held my interest enough to read in one sitting.

I would like to thank #DanielHurst, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheCoupleBeforeUs 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

Friday, 27 June 2025

REVIEW: Close Your Eyes by Teresa Driscoll

Close Your Eyes by Teresa Driscoll

Genre: Psychological thriller, Crime thriller

Read: 26th June 2025

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:

Wesbite | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

Wednesday, 25 June 2025

REVIEW: The Mother's Phone Call by Victoria Jenkins

The Mother's Phone Call by Victoria Jenkins

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 24th June 2025

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.

Social Media links:

Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

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

Sunday, 22 June 2025

REVIEW: The New Family by Victoria Jenkins

The New Family by Victoria Jenkins

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 22nd June 2025

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:

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.

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

Social Media links:

Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

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

Saturday, 24 May 2025

REVIEW: Your Husband's Fault by Kerry Wilkinson

Your Husband's Fault by Kerry Wilkinson

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 24th May 2025

Published: 12th May 2025

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

A girl went missing. Was it your husband’s fault?

Sarah is so happy to have moved from the city to her husband’s small hometown. James was strangely reluctant at first – but she convinced him their little cottage is the perfect place to settle down. The perfect place to give their six-year-old son a new life.

But then a woman at the school gates asks Sarah if she is really married to ‘that man’. ‘Which man?’ Sarah asks. The woman replies…

‘Don’t you know what your husband did?’

Because Sarah and James moving back has caused old wounds to surface. James’ best friend, Lucy, went missing 20 years ago. Everyone thinks he was responsible.

Sarah is reeling. Why did James never tell her about Lucy? What really happened to the missing girl?

And can Sarah ever trust the man she married again?

An utterly addictive psychological thriller that will keep you up reading late into the night. Perfect for fans of Shari Lapena, Lisa Jewell and T.M. Logan.

MY THOUGHTS:

A girl went missing...is it your husband's fault...?

A small town, small minded gossip and plenty of secrets is what fills this tale of tangled webs. Like the main character, it's hard to know who the reader can trust with all the allegations and stories flying about. But what exactly is going on?

This one is a bit of a slow burn and takes a while to ramp up a bit but my interest held enough to keep me turning that pages, at least. I was certainly left guessing that's for sure and the visit to Carnington in this tale of woe was tinged with a bit of mystery that is enough to keep the reader ploughing on. The pace is slow to steady so don't expect any fast paced adrenaline-fuelled thrill rides here. It's more a walking pace through the village.

We meet Sarah who has recently moved to the village from the fast paced London with her husband James and young son Oliver. But with James currently working in New York, the move was left to Sarah and her father, whilst introductions at the school gate were made in his absence. It's there, after dropping Oliver off one day, that Sarah meets Pamela who is full of questions of the new mum in their midst. But the moment Sarah discloses her husband grew up there and mentions his name, Pamela's face pales.

"I just don't understand how you can be married to that man," she says. "Don't you know what your husband did?"

Sarah is speechless and at a loss as to what to say. What is she talking about? What is he supposed to have done? But before she could elicit any kind of answer, Pamela moves away to the huddle of other mums christened "the coven". Their whispers and sidelong glances her way spoke volumes. Sarah hurries home and wishes James was there for her to question. This is not something she could drop via a text or even FaceTime. No, it has to be in person. James will be home in two days at the most; she'll ask him then. But then so much happens in between. Their garden wall is vandalised, threats are made and Sarah is sure everyone is whispering about her and what her husband is supposed to have done.

Since no one is forthcoming with answers, she decides to dig for them herself. Especially after a visit by the man who claimed her husband killed his daughter over thirty years before. She refused to believe it. She knew her husband; they'd been together twelves years - she'd know. Wouldn't she? But at least now she had a name and a few pieces of information to do some digging herself.

But the more she uncovers, the more she wonders how much she really knows her husband? And when James returns from New York, things only serve to get weirder. There's a murder and a fire and a whole host of secrets that lay buried in midst of Carnington that are just bubbling beneath the surface. And all eyes and fingers are pointing to James.

There was a lot to unpack in this one but at the end it still ended up a ball of tangled mess. I didn't like the ending as it was too open-ended and not clear-cut. What are we supposed to think? There were also a few questions that were left unanswered and to me that is an unsatisfactory end. However, it was an interesting tale that had the potential to be better but it was still a good read that I largely enjoyed.

It is a slow burn, so don't expect the pace to be anything but a walking pace till it starts to get a little more interesting. The main mystery in the story was very easily solved and I even I had that pegged early on. But the biggest twist was a good one though I felt it could have packed a bit more of a punch that it did.

Overall, not an excellent read but a good solid one that keeps the reader engaged and interested throughout. The ending and the pace throughout does let it down a little.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Kerry Wilkinson has had No.1 crime bestsellers in the UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa and Singapore. He has also written two top-20 thrillers in the United States. His book, Ten Birthdays, won the RNA award for Young Adult Novel of the Year in 2018 and Close To You won the International Thriller Award for best ebook in 2020.

As well as his million-selling Jessica Daniel series, Kerry has written the Silver Blackthorn trilogy - a fantasy-adventure serial for young adults - a second crime series featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter, plus numerous standalone novels. He has been published around the world in more than a dozen languages.

Originally from the county of Somerset, Kerry spent way too long living in the north of England, picking up words like 'barm' and 'ginnel'.

When he's short of ideas, he rides his bike, hikes up something, or bakes cakes. When he's not, he writes it all down.

Social Media links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

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Saturday, 19 April 2025

REVIEW: One Dark Summer by Saskia Sarginson

One Dark Summer by Saskia Sarginson

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 11th April 2025