The Staffymum's Book Nook: Amanda Rigby

Showing posts with label Amanda Rigby. Show all posts

Tuesday, 14 November 2023

REVIEW: The Stepmother by Sally Rigby and Amanda Ashby

The Stepmother by Sally Rigby and Amanda Ashby

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 14th November 2023

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 30th October 2023

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

She’ll do anything to protect her family…

Libby Curtis never wanted children, until she met Nathan, a gorgeous widower with two young children. Now ten years later she can’t imagine her life without Sam and Sienna – she’d do anything for her precious kids. Anything….

So when a missing teenager is found lying on the side of the road, Libby’s first thoughts are for her own kids. Are they safe? Are they home?

What Libby doesn’t expect is for her children to be involved in the girl’s disappearance. But when she discovers an item in her stepson's car linked to the victim Libby’s fears increase.

She can't believe that the sweet boy she's raised could do something like that. But if not Sam….who?

Libby must discover the truth before her family is ripped apart. But someone is determined to make sure their secrets stay hidden - even if the consequences are deadly...

MY THOUGHTS:

Disclaimer: I fell ill whilst reading this so it was shelved for some 10 days while I recovered. So apologies for the delay in posting my review for the blog tour.

This dynamic writing duo have done it again with another compelling psychological thriller with an addictive plot that is engaging from start to finish. It centres on Libby, a paramedic, who responds to a call with her partner on shift, Jonathan, where a teenage girl has been found unconcious. Upon arrival, Libby can see that she is clearly under the influence of drugs. But had she taken them willingly? Or had she been drugged? The girl, Hayley, was distraught as well as disoriented stating she had escaped from a locked room where she had been locked up. But this is all too close to home for Libby who recognised Hayley as being one of her stepdaughter Sienna's friends. But then she comes across some troubling pieces of information which lead Libby to thinking that her children may have been involved in Hayley's abduction.

We also meet Gemma, a woman who hosts a small blog devoted to serial killer Colin Wallace who was said to be responsible for the abduction of many missing boys in the eighties. But then Wallace was sent down for the boy he was caught with though he denied responsibility of any others, even after having made a full confession to them prior to going on record. Wallace then died in prison taking his secrets to the grave. But now Gemma has arrived in Bournemouth after hearing about Hayley's abduction online based on its similarities to Wallace's crimes. She begins to dig further and tries confronting Libby with her information but to no avail.

Then just as she was closing in, the predator becomes the prey. Is it too late to save Gemma? What really happened all those years ago? And how can she protect her family at all costs?

This was a compelling read that I devoured just as soon as I was a little better. I did guess the villain and thensome but that never ruins my enjoyment of a well told story. I did find Libby's constant second guessing everything a little tiresome but I found the teenage angst of Sam and Sienna even moreso.

Still, there are plenty of twists along the way to keep you entertained as well as guessing as little by little the secrets and lies all start to unravel. Overall, an enjoyable read.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Amanda Rigby is the nom de plume of the writing partnership between Amanda Ashby and Sally Rigby. Both authors live in New Zealand, have been friends for eighteen years, and agree about everything (except musicals). They decided to collaborate on a psychological thriller which they then entered into a competition, run by Boldwood, which they won!

They have now penned three psychological thrillers together: Remember Me? (2021), I Will Find You (2022) and The Ex Wife (2023).

Social Media links:

PUBLISHER:

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

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Saturday, 22 April 2023

REVIEW: The Ex Wife by Sally Rigby and Amanda Ashby

The Ex Wife by Sally Rigby and Amanda Ashby

Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 18th April 2023

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 19th April 2023

★★★★ 4.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

My life was perfect until she came along. Norah.

Younger, prettier and about to marry my own ex-husband, they are a walking cliché.

I hate her. I hate them both.

She’s taken everything from me – my husband, my life, my home - but I refuse to allow her to take Cassie, my beautiful daughter. That's a step too far.

Now I’ve discovered that Norah plans to have a baby of her own and that causes me no end of problems. She could destroy everything and reveal my deepest, darkest secrets.

That can never be allowed to happen.

No matter what it costs…

A brand new psychological thriller that will keep you guessing till the end! Perfect for fans of Sue Watson, Nina Manning, Shalini Boland

MY THOUGHTS:

This is the third psychological thriller I've read by this exciting duo in the form of "Amanda Rigby". And I've not been disappointed yet. This time I was stumped, hoodwinked, baffled throughout most of the book without a clue as to what was going on and who was really behind it. Until...I really started to puzzle it out. And boy did this dup keep me on my toes! I did work it out before the reveals came and I was too busy giving myself a pat on the back to see that ending coming. Just no.

Alice Hargraves is a recently divorced fortysomething mother of seventeen year old Cassie. She had everything going for her - a wealthy husband, a promising career, a happy marriage...or so she thought. Until Mark dropped his bombshell that he wanted a divorce as he had met young and beautiful Norah and wanted to marry her. OK, so she could live with that...although she did nurse the hope that Mark would soon come to his senses, ditch the younger model and come back to her. But two weeks out from their wedding and that wasn't looking likely.

And then he drops another bombshell. Quite by accident. He and Norah are trying IVF. They are planning to have a baby together. No, this cannot be happening. Suddenly, Norah is threatening to take everything else away from her carefully laid plans and Alice couldn't let that happen. And so what ensues is one bad decision after another which ultimately leads to Alice sitting in a prison cell awaiting trial for murder. How did it come to this? How did she get here?

Meanwhile, Cassie is your typical moody seventeen year old who thinks they know what is best for themselves despite their parents being the better judge of that. This results in a lot of door slamming, flouncing off in a huff, walking out without a word, storming off on a whim and bad - very bad - boyfriend choices. What do parents know? They haven't been their age for like a hundred years...and anyway, it was different for them back then. They wouldn't understand and they don't know Scott like she does. Of course, Cassie has the freedom to bounce back and forth between her father's mansion and her mother's terrace on a whim or whenever one says something she doesn't want to hear. Problem is, dad's house comes with Norah who is just trying too hard to be her new best friend. Whatever. Bring on her gap year when she can escape to Portugal with Scott...if her parents ever agree to it, that is, because how can she afford it without her father's money anyway? And Scott won't go without her...will he? She doesn't need her parents' drama on top of her own so she needs this escape.

And then there is Norah, who has her own secrets. Unbeknownst her, Alice saw her arguing with a face from her past but from what is she hiding? Alice certainly wasn't close enough to hear their conversation but she could see enough to know that it was heated. And then she starts getting text messages from an unknown number blackmailing her with a video from her past into stealing drugs from the hospital where she works as a nurse practitioner in the oncology department. It begins with five boxes, followed by a further ten and then a ridiculous request for thirty! But before she could meet the latest demands, Norah is found dead. Who killed her? And why?

At the halfway point, the story takes a turn and is then told primarily from the detectives POV as they investigate Norah's brutal murder. They think they have the suspect in their crosshairs when they are thrown a curveball and all bets are off. Everything points to Alice. The weapon, the motive, even the opportunity. Alice had a secret to protect at all costs. But is she really guilty?

THE EX WIFE is a stunning psychological and domestic thriller where I turned the pages at the speed of light. The tension was palpable throughout and I was completely baffled as to where this was all headed. I mean, everything really did point to Alice. But who would want to frame her? And why? If you could answer that, then you'd be halfway there. But there is no inkling throughout. Nothing. Until...a slight tiny little chink of light started to peek through. And I grasped it with both hands until I could make sense of it and had all the pieces. And then it hit me! All of it...until the very end. Like I said, I was too busy patting myself on the back to see that ending coming...and I was hugely disappointed with it.

The characters were a mixed bunch that I could take or leave. Alice made a lot of stupid decisions that made her look half crazy, and even stalkerish, but I liked her. I wasn't a fan of Mark purely for the fact that he could so easily dump his wife of fifteen years for a younger woman. And Norah, I didn't much like her for the same reason. Scott was a creep that just slithered around for opportunity - I didn't trust him one bit. And Felix was a little too good to be true.

In a tale that is layer upon layer of secrets, lies and betrayal...and ultimately revenge, THE EX WIFE is an intense and addictive read from start to finish...until the disappointing end which I thought was something of a letdown, all things considered. But one thing is for certain...it will keep you guessing.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

They have now penned three psychological thrillers together: Remember Me? (2021), I Will Find You (2022) and The Ex Wife (2023).

Social Media links:

PUBLISHER:

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

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Thursday, 17 March 2022

REVIEW: I Will Find You by Amanda Rigby

I Will Find You by Amanda Rigby

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 10th March 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 15th March 2022

★★★ 3 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Three sisters…One terrible secret

Ashleigh: A creative, free spirit and loyal. But Ash is tormented by her demons and a past that refuses to be laid to rest.

Jessica: Perfect wife and loving mother. But although Jessica might seem to have it all, she lives a secret life built on lies.

Grace: An outsider, always looking in, Grace has never known the love of her sisters and her resentment can make her do bad things.

When Ashleigh goes missing, Jessica and Grace do all they can to find their eldest sister. But the longer Ashleigh is missing, the more secrets and lies these women are hiding threaten to tear this family apart.

Can they find Ashleigh before it’s too late or is it sometimes safer to stay hidden?

MY REVIEW:

I WILL FIND YOU is the second psychological thriller by co-authors Amanda Ashby and Sally Rigby and, although I did enjoy it to a point I didn't love it as much as their debut "Remember Me?" which was pretty phenomenal. I guess I found the premise a little misleading as I kept waiting for Jessica and Grace to band together to try and find Ashleigh which of course, never happened. Misleading premises are a pet hate of mine as they tend to make you think the story is going to be one thing and it ends up entirely another which may be all good an well but considering it's that which generally entices the reader into reading the book. Thus expecting it to be completely different from promised is incredibly frustrating. Therefore this books falls into the didn't love/didn't hate category.

So we have three sisters from two different families who share a father, all of whom have multiple layers of issues.

Jessica - perfect wife and loving mother. While she might seem to have it all, she lives a secret life built on lies.

Ashleigh - a free spirit, loyal to a fault but tormented by demons and a past from which she cannot escape.

Grace - the outsider always looking in, she has never known the love of her half-sisters and she bears a resentment for what was denied her.

Each of these women have troubled lives and each of them affected in different ways. But none of them realise how their lives are going to collide when what ensues is a deadly game of cat and mouse when Ashleigh suddenly disappears.

Jessica has a seemingly perfect life as a perfect wife, loving mother and a thriving career as a corporate lawyer. She works hard to keep the picture perfect life in place and vowed to give her twin girls a better life than the one she had as a child. A distant mother who was quick to remarry after her beloved father's untimely death in a car accident twenty years ago changed her whole world forever. And then she receives a phone call from her sister's landlady to inform her that she's not seen Ashleigh for five days as well as being three weeks behind on her rent. Jessica is quick to make restitution before heading to Ashleigh's bedsit in the hope of finding some clue as to her sister's whereabouts. Her husband, Henry, is not so sympathetic.

For twenty years, Ashleigh has tried running from the past that continues to haunt her, attempting to find solace in alcohol and drugs. Surviving the car accident that claimed their father has sent Ashleigh down a spiralling rabbit hole with no end for two decades. And now it seems someone knows her secret and is threatening all that she has left. But she only told one person - her closest friend. Surely they wouldn't have betrayed her...would they? But the chilling messages that have been left for her suggest otherwise. Could this be linked to her disappearance?

Grace is the family's dirty little secret....or rather, their father's. She is the result of an affair with her mother for whom he promised to leave his wife and daughters...and never did. Grace became the "dis-grace" of shame. She was six when their father died and her whole life she has been denied the love and recognition she deserved, tucked away out of sight and out of mind.

And then a body is discovered...and the police believe Ashleigh cold be responsible. Her fingerprints are found throughout the crime scene and she has disappeared - surely the sign of a guilty person? A TV appeal with Jessica in front of the cameras begging Ashleigh to contact her is plastered across the networks in the hope her sister will see it. But is Ashleigh truly missing or hiding out of fear? And what are the secrets all three sisters are hiding and will they ever be revealed?

A twisted tale of murder and mystery, I WILL FIND YOU then delves into the complexities of addiction, trauma and abuse and the secrets and lies that follow. It is addictive reading, like a car crash you can't look away from, and while I did figure a few things out along the way, I did not see the biggest reveal of all. That came out of nowhere for me.

None of the characters were likeable. Jessica was a snob, as was her hubby Henry, Ashleigh was a train wreck of her own making and Grace was resentful of a life she thought she deserved. I found it hard to sympathise with any of them.

This book is riddled with possible triggers - sexual abuse, addiction, self-harm, suicide and alcoholism - so please take care to keep yourself safe if you think these would be too much to endure.

The ending of the book appeared to come out of nowhere. One moment the story was flowing freely building up to a conclusion when suddenly...it's over. Just like that.

A quick read, I WILL FIND YOU is fast-paced and suspense-filled throughout. It is definitely intriguing but didn't WOW me as the previous book did. Still definitely worth a read.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Social Media links:

PUBLISHER:

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

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Saturday, 11 December 2021

REVIEW: Remember Me? by Amanda Rigby

Remember Me? by Amanda Rigby

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 10th December 2021

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 18th November 2021

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

A perfect life…

Paul Henderson leads a normal life. A deputy headteacher at a good school, a loving relationship with girlfriend Jenna, and a baby on the way. Everything seems perfect.

A shocking message…

Until Paul receives a message from his ex-fiance Nicole. Beautiful, ambitious and fierce, Nicole is everything Jenna is not. And now it seems Nicole is back, and she has a score to settle with Paul…

A deadly secret.

But Paul can’t understand how Nicole is back. Because he’s pretty sure he killed her with his own bare hands….

Which means, someone else knows the truth about what happened that night. And they’ll stop at nothing to make Paul pay…

A brand new psychological thriller that will keep you guessing till the end! Perfect for fans of Sue Watson, Nina Manning, Shalini Boland.

MY REVIEW:

So many authors, so many books...and yet so little time to discover them all! And yet here I am delving into another unknown author to me for a psychological thriller with a completely unreliable narrator. To be honest, unreliable narrators can either make or break a book...and while I did feel REMEMBER ME? lacked a little something (I'm not sure what), for me, it was still an engaging read from start to finish that I completed in almost one sitting.

Meet Paul Henderson. He's currently deputy head at a prestigious school where he teaches, his girlfriend Jenna is pregnant with their first child and he has never been happier. He is looking forward to a promotion that will see him as permanent deputy head and the prospect of fatherhood...and yet something is holding him back. You see, Paul is hiding a deep dark secret...something so big it could destroy everything.

And then one day his world comes crashing down when he sees a social media message from his ex-fiance Nicole claiming she is back from Australia after a two-year long absence. There's only one problem...Paul killed and buried Nicole two years ago.

And so Paul's carefully constructed life and new-found happiness is threatened by whoever is playing this game with him. It can't be Nicole, surely? He vividly remembers the fight they had; the one that saw her end up dead; and then driving to the forest and burying her in a grave. He even went back to the grave-site to see if she was still there...but all he found was the crucifix she wore. Could this be another one of Nicole's nasty little jokes? She was, after all, a master manipulator.

And just like that, Paul's works is turned upside down.

He then stumbles along popping amphetamines and diazepam to get him through the day, with the added help of a bottle of gin his predecessor left in the bottom drawer of his office desk. He desperately searches his memory for clues as to what really happened two years ago...but all he comes up against are various versions of his own nightmare which tell him nothing except that he has something to fear.

One major mistake Paul makes is to not share this valuable information with Jenna. She is, after all, his girlfriend and carrying his child. They should have no secrets. When on the day that denotes the end of their first trimester, he buys her a gift to mark the occasion, and upon arriving home presents her with the little box. Jenna is speechless and a little excited, thinking that at last he is going to propose...and then fights to hide her disappointment when she opens it to find a delicate necklace with a daisy (her favourite flower) on. Paul sees her disappointment and realises she thought it was an engagement ring...but he cannot marry her. Not with the secret that he carries or the burden that he bears.

Jenna knows the reason why he won't propose. Nicole. A shadow from his past that continually lurks in the background. She hurt him terribly. Left him just days before their wedding and emigrated to Australia. And then Jenna starts receiving messages from Nicole...some threatening and some disturbing. Then her necklace disappears and reappears with a disturbing note. She confronts Paul about them and he is forced to reveal the fact that Nicole is back. But what she wants, he doesn't know.

What then ensues is a cat and mouse chase between fantasy and reality, truth and fiction, real and imagined. Threats are delivered, ultimatums given until things get out of hand and begin to threaten lives; the lives of those who Paul truly cares about.

And as the race is on to find Nicole before she can deliver her final blow, they receive some news that changes everything. But before they can relax into their false sense of security, another blow is dealt in the form of a twist they don't see coming...although I did from waaaaaay back...and suddenly lives are on the line once again.

It's really difficult to review REMEMBER ME? without giving too much away because it really is a rollercoaster ride of emotions as we witness Paul's internal fight with what he perceives and what he is unsure of. He is a terribly unreliable narrator in the sense we don't even know what is real or imagined. But it makes for an absorbing read that really pulls you in. The fast pace keeps you turning the pages as each new twist is revealed and yet you are left questioning the reliability as well as the truth.

What really happened to Nicole two years ago? Did she really walk out? Or did Paul kill her as he imagines he did? He remembers the grave; and he remembers burying her. But did he kill her? But even if he buried her, shouldn't she still be there? So why isn't she? Or did he just imagine the entire thing, confusing what happened with Nicole to what happened to his parents when he was a child?

REMEMBER ME? is a tightly-plotted, carefully constructed tale that is as thrilling as it is addictive. You want to find out what really happened. You want those answers and you keep delving further into the mystery that is Nicole and the mystery of Paul's past.

I thoroughly enjoyed REMEMBER ME? and, while I did find something was lacking (as mentioned before), it didn't ruin my enjoyment of the tale that I found completely engaging, thrilling and addictive.

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