REVIEW: The Step Child by Nicole Trope

The Step Child by Nicole Trope 

Genre: Contemporary fiction, Women's fiction, Family drama, Domestic thriller

Read: 9th March 2022

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Published: 15th March 2022

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

Three-year-old Millie Everleigh disappears on a crisp winter’s day, and nothing is as it seems…

It’s the phone call every mother dreads.

I’m climbing into the car after a trip to the grocery store. As the engine starts, my phone rings. It’s my stepdaughter, Shelby, who is babysitting my three-year-old little girl Millie.

‘I only went upstairs for a second,’ she says through her sobs. ‘She’s gone.’

I race home to find my blue-eyed baby girl missing, and my heart ripped out of my chest.

When the police turn up, Shelby’s story starts to unravel. What is she hiding?

Then I get a message saying, ‘Your husband is not who you think he is.’ Could he be lying?

Suddenly, my family feel like strangers. Everyone has a secret – even me.

No one knows why I was late coming back from the store, and the guilt I’ve been feeling ever since…

Once the truth comes out, all of our lies exposed, will it be too late to save my precious child?

A pulse-pounding psychological thriller about family secrets, shocking pasts and the lies we tell ourselves in order to survive. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Liane Moriarty and The Wife Between Us.

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Nicole Trope's heart-wrenching domestic thriller drama THE STEP CHILD.

Nicole Trope is hands down one of my favourite go-to authors that I will pick up without even reading the description. Nothing she writes is a disappointment. And there is no such thing as a bad Nicole Trope book. Every thing she has written (that I've read so far) has been emotional, heart-wrenching and yet thrilling at the same time. You cannot help but be moved by her stories...and at some point, usually the end, I find myself teary and emotional by the beautiful tale she has woven. It's almost like she has a genre all of her own, a niche she has carved out for herself. She's a little contemporary, a little family drama and a little domestic thriller all rolled into one. But whatever she is, Nicole Trope is a master at her craft.

First up, let's meet the main cast of characters around whom this tale is told:

Shelby - the stepdaughter.

Millie - Shelby's 3 year old half sister.

Leslie - Shelby's stepmother and Millie's mother.

Randall - Shelby and Millie's father, husband to Leslie.

Bianca - Shelby's mother and Randall's ex-wife.

Trevor - Shelby's stepfather, married to Bianca.

Ruth - a thirty-something recluse, a hoarder with severe OCD and agoraphobia unrelated to the family although their lives will collide over the course of the next twenty four hours.

It's the phone call every mother dreads. Leslie has popped to the grocery store leaving her 3 year old daughter Millie in the care of her stepdaughter Shelby for what she had promised would be no more than an hour. Leslie is guiltily aware that she has been longer than that so when the phone rings, Shelby's name flashing up on the display, she answers with her apologies for being so long. But she is cut off by Shelby's tearful cries.

"She's gone. Millie's gone!"

Leslie rushes home berating herself with overwhelming guilt that she had left the girls for longer than anticipated. Despite being twelve years old, Leslie and Randall had decided that Shelby was old enough to look after her younger sister. Millie adored her older sister, jumping up and down in excitement the moment Shelby arrived from her mum's to spend the weekend with them. And begrudgingly, Shelby actually loved Millie just as much, although sometimes she just wanted to hang out with her bestie rather than babysit a 3 year old. 

And today, she'd had plans with her friend Kiera to go the shops and hang out when Leslie dropped her request on her. "I'll only be an hour - tops," Leslie promised. But she wasn't; she was longer than that and now Millie was missing. And it was all her fault. She was only upstairs for a second; Millie must have opened the door and wandered off. But as Leslie calls the police, Shelby is terrified. Can she keep the truth hidden?

Soon the police are gathered at the Everleigh home, questioning the family and searching the surrounding area. Surely Millie couldn't have gotten far; she was only three after all. Alerts are issued over TV and radio as reporters gather outside the house, waiting for an opportunity to snap a photo or talk to the family whilst inside, Randall and Leslie's world falls apart. They are sure Shelby knows more than she is letting on. She claims that she went upstairs to the bathroom, when there is a perfectly good one downstairs, and that Millie must have opened the door and thus disappeared. Is that what really happened? Or is Shelby hiding something? Added to her worries, Leslie begins receiving messages claiming her husband is not who she thinks he is. What exactly Randall hiding?

And then there is Ruth. Thirty-something though older than her years, Ruth is agoraphobic with severe OCD and a secret she has never told anyone. But now she has another secret...and from her house filled with her collections, her safe place, she sees the news about a missing 3 year girl and flies into a panic. In an attempt to keep another innocent, she makes a terrible mistake. What should she do? It's all gone wrong...everything is wrong.

You may think you know what is going on but don't be too sure. There are plenty of secrets and no one is immune to them as bit by bit they each begin to unravel. There remains an element of mystery throughout as the reader is left wondering whether Millie is even alive or if something sinister has happened. And just when you think the truth is just around the corner, the story takes another turn leaving you scratching your head once again.

I love the three narratives through which the story unfolds - Leslie, Shelby and Ruth. Each woman has their own pieces of the puzzle to contribute as slowly we are given another snippet, another glimpse, another piece as the bigger picture is gradually revealed. The connection between the women is bittersweet and heartbreaking as the significance of THE STEP CHILD becomes clearer as the truth is uncovered. There is intrigue, misdirection, heartache and misconception throughout what is essentially a horrible ordeal for all involved - some in more ways than one.

A truly enjoyable read, THE STEP CHILD is another excellent offering by Aussie author Nicole Trope that is tense, heart-pounding and compelling from start to finish. The reasonably short chapters keep things moving at a steady pace throughout. Even the difficult subject matter was handled with expertise and sensitivity. Your heart will break for those whose lives it affected.

But the pièce de résistance is the ending. The Epilogue unfolds through four narratives but it is the final one that offers the quintessential coup de grâce. And that is why Nicole Trope is a master of her craft.

I would like to thank #NicoleTrope, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheStepChild 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:

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PUBLISHER:

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

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REVIEW: The Girl She Was Before by Jess Kitching

The Girl She Was Before by Jess Kitching

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 25th October 2021

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Published: 31st October 2021

★★★★ 4.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

A crime thriller with a brilliant twist you won’t see coming!!

Powerful, packed full of gruelling details that will linger with you long after the book has finished.

Nat lives a picture-perfect life, but it wasn’t always this way. A victim of horrific bullying when she was a teenager, Nat will do anything to keep distance between the girl she was before and the woman she is now.

But when her best friend is murdered and people begin to point their finger at her, Nat’s new life quickly begins to unravel.

To Nat, it’s no surprise that the crime happened at the same time as the return of her biggest tormentor, Chrissy Summers. A woman with a violent streak who destroyed lives when she was younger and isn’t afraid to do it again.

Face to face with the past she so firmly keeps behind her, Nat’s sanity wavers as her determination to reveal Chrissy as the monster she knows her as rises to dangerous heights.

The question is, can Nat prove Chrissy is a killer, or will Chrissy get to Nat and her family before she has the chance?

You can't outrun the past...

MY REVIEW:

What an absolutely brilliant debut! I loved almost everything about it - the fast pace, the suspense, the twists, the second guessing. I was completely absorbed in the story from the very beginning and read it in almost one sitting. The chapters were relatively short and snappy - just the way I like them - and the alternating between THEN and NOW added another dimension to the story that left us wondering who was doing what and why. Everything was perfectly executed...and then we came to the conclusion. All the tension, all the build up, it was so palpable you could feel it even taste it...and then the shock Epilogue gave us that unexpected ending. I was like...what did I just read? 

Nat lives a perfect life in Coral Bay with her loving husband Lucas and baby daughter Esme. She has a beautiful home and is an online social media influencer with an image she presents to the world as being perfect but behind her smile are the hidden scars from the emotional torment she suffered at the hands of horrific bullying as a teenager. She left Coral Bay as soon as she possibly could but returned some years later, almost unrecognisable as the girl she'd once been. 

Leaving all that hurt behind her, Nat returned to Coral Bay and found herself befriending the very people who bullied her at school...and they become best friends. All of them, except for one. Chrissy Summers - the worst of them all. So imagine her surprise when out running one morning she happens across the not so trim but still stylishly beautiful Chrissy in active wear a tad too tight. At first Chrissy doesn't recognise her, but then it dawns and the evil glint returns behind that smirk she knew so well. With a few well placed taunts, Chrissy leaves Nat standing speechless with the realisation the woman hasn't changed at all.

But Nat is the only one to see that. Because as soon as the others know Chrissy is back in town they all flock to her side as if they had never left. And Nat is left on the outer once again while Chrissy muscles her way back in. Of course, everyone is blind to what Chrissy is doing except Nat. But when she tries to confide in Lucas about it he dismisses her concerns as ludicrous, naturally siding with Chrissy.

Despite having turned her life around from the self-conscious 15 year old she used to be, self-doubt creeps in and invades every aspect of her life. She becomes irrational, often appearing delusional, wondering if she is good enough wife, mother and friend as the painful memories she worked so hard at pushing down return with a vengeance. Even her career as an influencer is being affected as she begins to lose followers when an anonymous account pops up, bad-mouthing her and outing her as a fake. 

And in the midst of her life falling apart, her best friend is killed with another in a coma and soon it becomes clear (to her) that someone is picking them off one by one. But how does she fit in? While her friends were bullies, Nat never was. She was one of their victims. Then suddenly she remembers Chrissy. Why has she come back to town now? She left under a cloud years ago so why is she back? Has she some unfinished business with those who ditched her in her hour of need? And is she setting her biggest adversary up to take the fall for her deeds? 

But no matter how many times Nat says it, no matter how loud she yells it - no one listens to her. She has lost all credibility - who will believe her now? And those noises she hears in the night...she is sure someone is out there, but are they really? No one else can see or hear them. And she's the only one drawing attention to herself...

But she is sure someone is setting her up, even if no one else believes her. Can Nat get to the truth before it's too late? Or is she really as crazy as everyone says?

Moving between the past and the present seamlessly, THE GIRL SHE WAS BEFORE is a well-written tale of the effects that bullying can have on those who suffered it later in life. It's not just a case of "they were just kids". Unless one has been on the receiving end of such cruel torment, one cannot really understand the lasting effects it really has someone. It destroys a person's self-esteem, their self-worth and confidence. While I never suffered the extreme torments as the girl in the THEN chapters describes, it was still traumatic at the time and yes, I believe it has a lasting influence on the person you become. The THEN chapters were incredibly difficult to read at times as you wonder how people could be so cruel...but teenagers can. And girls are the worst.

Horrified at the relentless bullying, I was pulled into the plot instantly as I cheered the poor girl on in the hope she would eventually overcome the bullies. The question constantly at the forefront of my mind as to her identity. At first I thought it was Nat as she is the main character in the present chapters, but then I started to think about other possibilities. Whoever she was, I knew she was coming with a vengeance. And so I put my thinking cap on and began my process of elimination as to the possible suspects. I narrowed it down until finally I was left with my obvious choice...maybe not yours...but it made perfect sense to me, even if I had yet to work out why.

THE GIRL SHE WAS BEFORE is filled with twists and suspense for one action-packed thrill ride that hoodwinks you at the last possible moment. I really thought the outcome would be different and I admit to being slightly disappointed at the ending we were given. Still it was a major twist that is unexpected that is sure to delight many readers to steer us away from any predictability. Maybe something a little more unsettling to end on would have been a little more satisfying despite my preference for a different outcome altogether. Either way, it's a shocking twist.

THE GIRL SHE WAS BEFORE is such an addictive read that swept me away in its cleverly conceived plot that is sometimes more than a little disturbing. I cannot believe that this is a debut, it is that good. I can't wait to see what Jess Kitching comes up with next!

Perfect for fans of twisted psychological and disturbing domestic thrillers.

I would like to thank #JessKitching, #KingsleyPublishers and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #TheGirlSheWasBefore in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Jess Kitching is an avid reader, writer and binge-watcher. Originally from Bradford, England, she currently lives in Sydney with her fiancé Jack. Her two goals in life were to move to Australia and have a book published. To be able to say she has done both is something she still can’t wrap her head around.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

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

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REVIEW: Like Mother Like Daughter by Elle Croft

Like Mother Like Daughter by Elle Croft

Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 3rd August 2021

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Amazon

Published: 9th July 2020

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

If what they said was true, then the grotesque and the monstrous ran in her blood. It was imprinted within her very core, her DNA, a part of every cell in her body.

Kat's children are both smart and well-adjusted. On the outside.

Kat has always tried to treat Imogen and Jemima equally, but she struggles with one of her daughters more than the other.

Because Imogen's birth mother is a serial killer. And Imogen doesn't know.

They say you can't choose your family, but what if your family chooses you?

MY REVIEW:

Wow! Where do I start? LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER is a psychological thriller that is as perplexing as it is chilling. An addictive read that raises the age old adage of nature or nurture, posing the question is evil born or is it made? The adoption of the child of a serial killer and the fear that she may turn out like her mother is the basis for the multilayered domestic thriller where the twists are plenty and the tension is palpable. It is intense from the off that doesn't let up even as you turn the final page. But be warned...be prepared for one hell of a thrill ride!

Kat has always tried to treat both her daughters equally. But she struggles with sixteen year old Imogen more than twelve year old Jemima. Is it the moody adolescence rearing it ugly head...or is it something darker and more sinister running through her veins? 

Because Imogen is the daughter of not one serial killer, but two.

Fifteen years ago, Kat and Dylan were struggling to fall pregnant when they decided the only option left was adoption. And the more they thought about it, the more they realised it was what they wanted. One day they got the call they'd been waiting for. They had a child for them...but the situation was complex. She was an 11 month old baby and she was the youngest child of serial killer couple Tim and Sally Sanders from the isolated farmed dubbed Satan's Ranch. Several couples that were ahead of them had already declined to go ahead but Kat and Dylan knew that this is what they signed up for - to give a child a stable and loving home. There was just one thing. The infant had a 5 year old brother who had been fostered together and usually in adoption cases it was preferable to keep siblings together. But in this case, no matter which way they looked at it, Kat and Dylan couldn't take the chance on the older child who had already been exposed to horrific abuse and more than likely carried the scars. For the baby's sake, she needed a fresh start. 

And so Imogen Braidwood was born. Imagine Kat and Dylan's surprise when Kat fell pregnant a couple of years later and gave Imogen a baby sister in Jemima.

Now sixteen, Imogen has begin acting strangely. She's moody and distant with her parents and is suddenly caught fighting at school for which she is suspended because she won't reveal why. Kat wonders if it's just teenage angst or if it's the blood that runs through her veins? They have never told Imogen that she's adopted, wanting to protect her from the horrific nature of her biological parents' crimes. But have they done the right thing in keeping such a secret from her?

Then one morning Kat discovers that Imogen's bed has not been slept in and her daughter missing. After ringing around her friends, she reports her missing to the police who assure her that most teenagers will usually be back before long. But Imogen isn't most teenagers...and when Kat discovers that her daughter had submitted a DNA test, she realises that the past has come back to haunt them and they must tell the police who Imogen really is.

As the police uncover an interesting aspect that may or may not be related to Imogen's disappearance, the further Kat delves the more she realises that her daughter could be in grave danger and she makes a split second decision to confront the object of her nightmares by visiting Sally Sanders in prison. Not the smartest move, I would say, as Sally is an expert in her field and prison only sharpens here wits. Needless to say, she comes out with more questions that answers. And she still is no closer to finding Imogen.

And then she receives a text from an unknown number...and her blood runs cold. It's then that Kat realises she must use her wits to save her daughter from the nightmares of her past...and bring her home again.

This is such a brilliant read that focuses on family, infertility, bloodlines, adoption, betrayal, secrets and so much more. It's a psychological thriller that explores the notion of the inheritance of genetics in the analysis of nature versus nurture. Exactly what is in our DNA? Is one born bad or is evil made?

Added to the strained family relationships at the centre of this story is the chilling look into the mind of a serial killer. There are times when this narrative can be rather tense and uncomfortable reading while early on I found myself sympathising with Sally as an abused young girl herself and, as horrific as her crimes were, I could see the logic in her reasoning at the time even if I didn't agree with it. It is a clever writer that draws you into the mind of the villain in which you find a warped sense of understanding there. It really is a moral minefield that raises the questions we have often thought ourselves.

The story unfolds through the eyes of the three main female characters upon which LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER focuses - Kat, Imogen and Sally. And each narrative is cleverly woven into the next as the secrets are gradually revealed.

Intense from start to finish, LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER is fast paced psychological thriller that presses all the right buttons and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. And then there is that ending...WOW! I did not see THAT coming! So twisted and so equally delicious!

This is my first Elle Croft and what an introduction it was! Do yourself a favour and pick up a copy of this intense domestic and psychological thriller. Perfect for fans of this genre who love a dark and delicious twist.

I would like to thank #ElleCroft, #Netgalley and #OrionPublishing for an ARC of #LikeMotherLikeDaughter in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Elle Croft is an author of psychological thrillers, a true crime podcaster, blogger and digital marketing consultant.

Her three psychological thrillers, The Guilty Wife, The Other Sister and Like Mother, Like Daughter, were all published by Orion Fiction. She also contributed a short story to the charity anthology, Afraid of the Light.

Elle grew up in Adelaide, Australia, but now lives in London, UK, which is the perfect place to live if you love to travel. She started a blog in 2010, and it quickly evolved into a travel blog, although these days it tends to be where she documents her writing experiences and the odd adventure.

Elle also co-hosts the Crime Girl Gang podcast with her crime writing pals, Victoria Selman and Niki Mackay, and together they discuss true crime cold cases, with a fictional twist.

With over six years’ experience as a digital marketer, Elle combines her passions for writing and marketing by helping other authors perfect their website, social media, newsletter and online advertising. 

When she's not busy with all of the above, Elle can be found running, sewing, making tacos, reading, or staring out the window at the foxes that live behind her flat.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: Dead and Gone by Sherryl Clark

Dead and Gone (Judi Westerholme #2) by Sherryl Clark

Genre: Crime fiction, Crime thriller

Read: 4th April 2021

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Amazon

Published: 25th June 2020

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

There's nothing more dangerous than revenge.

Judi Westerholme has been through it. Brave and strong-willed, she's just about coping in her new role as foster parent to her orphaned niece, taking a job at the local pub to help make ends meet. Then the pub's landlord and Judi's friend, army veteran Pete 'Macca' Maccasfield, is murdered, and her world is suddenly turned upside down.

Despite warnings from the city police to keep out of it, Judi can't help but get involved in the search for Macca's killer. But she soon becomes deeply entangled with some ruthlessly dangerous men. She must act fast and think smart to work out what they want - before anyone else gets hurt...

Long buried secrets resurface in Sherryl Clark's pacey crime novel that pushes Judi Westerholme to her limits to protect the people she loves most.

MY REVIEW:

When I requested this book I had no idea it was part of a series. But having said that, DEAD AND GONE can be quite easily read as a standalone without having read the first book, as I haven't, as the author gives the reader enough backstory to keep up. And believe me, you won't be disappointed.

Having had her life change completely after the death of her brother, Judi Westerholme is back in Candlebark struggling to make ends meet by managing the local pub and raise a toddler. Upon learning her brother had stipulated in his will that she become guardian of little Mia in the event of his death, Judi was reluctant to be lumbered with such a responsibility. After all, kids had never been on her radar. But after four months of caring for little Mia, she cannot imagine her life without her. Added to that, she has a fledgling long distance romance with a police detective back in Melbourne with no real idea where they both stand with each other.

And then, on one of the pub's busiest days everything changes.

A body has been discovered in the dumpster behind the pub. It's identified as Macca, the owner and landlord. And he's been murdered.

Now Judi finds herself having to juggle the running of the pub along with everything else. At least until the police find out who murdered Macca and they work out what to do now with the hotel. But then, Judi learns that she has inherited a third of the pub, alongside two of Macca's longest serving staff - Andre, the chef, and Suzy, the barmaid. But why would Macca leave them the pub when he has a daughter who has just turned up claiming the business is now hers? According to her, Macca had promised it to her. So what changed? On top of everything else, Judi did not want to deal with the woman's histrionics.

But something is definitely amiss and, unable to leave things alone, Judi begins her own investigation, talking to locals behind the bar and getting a feel for things, and ends up discovering more than she expected to. A search of Macca's room uncovers old service medals from Vietnam and a photo of a group of smiling soldiers identifying Macca as one of them and his friend Carl as another. Along with the photo, Judi also finds a couple of newspaper clippings detailing the deaths of two men in different circumstances. The names of the men are the same as two of those in the group photo with Macca and Carl. What has she uncovered?

Taking her new information to the police, Judi tells them her thoughts but is brushed off and told the circumstances in which the two men died are most probably unrelated and to leave the investigating to them. Of course it doesn't help that one of the homicide detectives up from Melbourne to investigate Macca's death is Heath, her fledgling romance. But despite being warned by the police to stay out of the investigation, she continues looking for answers. And when the pub comes under fire, Judi will stop at nothing to ensure it remains safe at all costs.

Although she is now the fulltime guardian of Mia, Judi must also ensure her safety as well. She has engaged childcare with a local woman to look after Mia during Judi's shifts at the pub, knowing Mia enjoys herself thoroughly at Joleen's house with her two young boys. But a part of her feels guilty that she is neglecting the little girl who has already lost her mummy and daddy by the time she was two years old while at the same time not wanting to put Mia in danger at the pub should danger come looking for them. Mia is quite used to being at the pub with Judi on occasion and has even got her own little play corner that Judi set up for her, that other parents with children have come to appreciate as well. But given all that she has learnt since Macca's death, Judi isn't sure the Candlebark Hotel is the safest place for little Mia.

And then comes the suckerpunch. Judi receives a phone call from her solicitor in Melbourne to inform her that Mia's maternal grandparents have applied for guardianship of their granddaughter. The granddaughter they never knew existed until their daughter's death because they had been estranged. And now Judi must deal with the threat of losing Mia, the little girl who has become her world. She finds herself torn between what is best for Mia and her promise to take care of her. She may not have wanted to take her on in the beginning but she has come to love that little girl who has brought such sunshine into her life.

Initially, I requested DEAD AND GONE purely for the fact that it is Australian and I like to support my fellow Aussies where I can, despite not knowing it was part of a series. However, it most definitely reads sufficiently as a standalone and readers won't find themselves lost having not read the first book. Set in rural Victoria, I am familiar with Bendigo and of course Melbourne but not much more beyond that. I knew right away what chop chop was before it was explained to Judi and I must say it was a welcome change to be immersed in an Australian mystery thriller once again.

My first book by Sherryl Clark, DEAD AND GONE is well written and addictive from the start. I found myself enjoying it immensely and I loved each of the characters from the pub locals to the detectives from Melbourne. I even loved little Mia. I found it a welcome change that, while still an important part of Judi's life, not everything revolved around Mia. She was there but she wasn't mollycoddled and pandered to at every whim. And Mia was okay with that. And that endeared her to me even more. She didn't demand every bit of attention at every minute of every day. She was happy to sit in the corner stacking blocks, drawing circles on scraps of paper or chasing the cat and pulling its tail. A child who provides her own entertainment as we did as kids and not relying on or demanding an adult's attention every second of the day. Mia was a sweet child and I look forward to seeing her bloom in future books.

Like Judi I had my suspects, but I had no idea really what was going on or why. So Sherryl had me pretty much hoodwinked throughout. DEAD AND GONE was one of those books that grabbed your attention and keeps you guessing until the end.

A nice easy read, I really enjoyed DEAD AND GONE and recommend it fans of crime fiction thrillers.

I would like to thank #SherrylClark, #NetGalley and #VerveBooks for an ARC of #DeadAndGone in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sherryl Clark was born in New Zealand in 1956 and first came to Australia in 1978. Her passion for crime fiction began when her high school teacher gave her boxes of books by the likes of Mickey Spillane, James Ellroy and Raymond Chandler. Her first forays into crime writing were short stories, including ‘Fresh Bait’ which was  published by Artemis Press and has since been reprinted many times in high school texts.

Sherryl's early crime novels are now all in the bottom drawer, and in 1996 she began writing books for children and young adults, resulting in more than 70 titles published by Penguin Random House, UQP, HarperCollins, Pearson and Macmillan Education.

She continued to write adult crime fiction for her own enjoyment while publishing books for a younger audience. When Sherryl entered her novel 'Trust Me, I’m Dead' in the 2018 CWA Debut Dagger Awards, she was delighted to be shortlisted. This has led to a two-book deal with UK publisher, Verve Books with the sequel being 'Dead and Gone'.

Sherryl has had 40 children’s and YA books published in Australia, and several in the US and UK, plus collections of poetry and four verse novels. 

She has taught writing at Holmesglen TAFE and Victoria University. Recently completing a Master of Fine Arts program at Hamline University, Minnesota, Sherryl is now studying for a PhD in creative writing. 

Sherryl's favourite writers are: Tana French, Ann Cleeves, Elly Griffiths, Mark Billingham, Peter Robinson, Val McDermid, and many more.

Her current favourite TV shows: Vera, Line of Duty, Endeavour, Bosch, Longmire, Person of Interest, Happy Valley.

While her secret writer's wish is to write an episode of Vera.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: Who Do You Trust? by Kirsty Ferguson

Who Do You Trust? by Kirsty Ferguson

Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller

Read: 6th March 2021

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 18th March 2021

★★ 2 stars

DESCRIPTION:

A perfect sunny day, a family celebration, a heart-stopping hour that changes everything...

Dana has all she ever wanted – a husband she loves, her four-year-old daughter Kelsey who is the apple of her eye, and another baby on the way to complete her perfect family.

But then the worst fear that Dana has, comes true, and everything she thought she knew, she now starts to doubt. As her world comes crashing around her, who can Dana trust?  

Her husband Logan who seems to be getting worryingly close to Dana’s best friend Pippa?

Her new friend Melanie who has a sinister habit of turning up in the strangest places?

Her parents and her sister, who Dana knows are keeping a terrible secret from her?

Matt, who says he’s Dana’s friend, but sometimes she’s not so sure?

Or will Dana discover that it’s a dangerous mistake to trust anyone…

Join Kirsty Ferguson on this heart-stopping, plot-twisting, roller coaster read, perfect for fans of Shari Lapena and Adele Parks.  

MY REVIEW:

Having thoroughly enjoyed the author's previous thriller "Never Ever Tell", I was eager to dive into WHO DO YOU TRUST?, squeezing it in between my many other reads. The premise was intriguing and initially when I began I was excited by the storyline thinking this is going to be interesting but after a few chapters, it just seemed to fizzle out.

The story begins with Dana, hubby Logan and 4 year old Kelsey trekking to her parents' place for a BBQ that was the promise of a new start after months of stubborn estrangement that, when explained further in, was just plain pigheadedness in my opinion. Upon arrival, Logan did his part bringing in cooler bag of beers and plonking himself down beside his brother-in-law James for a serious drinking session and catch-up. Dana seemed to be in a permanent bad mood, giving him the evil eye on regular occasions, as well as doing a good job of pretty much ignoring her sister Alesha. "She'll come round," her mother told her younger sister, "she just needs time." While Dana had already decided she was never going to forgive her sister for whatever slight had befallen her.

Then Kelsey woke up and came looking for mummy. While everyone thought she was cute and adorable, I found her demanding and precocious. Because when it was discovered her much-loved bear Boo-Boo was nowhere in sight, out came the screams and tantrums that had everyone trying to soothe her while Dana ran around, heavily pregnant I might add, looking for the beloved Boo-Boo. Looking to her slightly inebriated husband for support, Dana blamed him for not packing the one toy that would soothe their daughter. So the only thing to be done was to drive home and get Boo-Boo. In an instant, Kelsey's screams stopped and her face lit up in a smile. "Find him, mummy. Please."

Then in the blink of an eye Dana's world came crashing down and everything changed. She and Logan argued over everything. She was grieving and he was moving on...and yet neither could understand the other at a time when they should be drawing on each other. Logan wanted change, Dana wanted everything to remain the same...and neither would budge. Her mother tried to reach out to her but Dana shut her, and everyone else, out.

And then Dana met Melanie, an effervescent woman who had lost her daughter after her husband left her for another woman. Her personality was a force to be reckoned with and she took Dana under her wing immediately. Almost at once, Melanie started texting Dana daily - just checking in to see how she was or to go for a coffee. But everyone else who met Melanie didn't trust her...but then they didn't have to. Dana trusted her. Because Melanie understood.

And then there was Matt, who had lost his wife and shortly after his young son. When Dana met him she took an instant like to him whereas Melanie took an instant dislike to him. Matt became a confidante when she could no longer talk to Logan and the two drew closer...while Melanie seemed jealous at this new rival for Dana's friendship. Her cheerful persona turned silent and seething whenever Matt was around but Dana put that down to her just being protective of her. But when Dana began to suspect Logan of having an affair with her best friend Pippa, she called on Matt for his support.

In the midst of all this drama Dana gave birth to a baby girl who, after some argument, was called Grace. She fell in love with her instantly and began to heal through the love for her new daughter. Matt and Melanie, albeit separately and respectively, were on hand for support while Logan seemed to be drifting further away. And added to that, strange things were happening. Menacing messages left for Dana that rattled her, leaving her feeling vulnerable and afraid...especially when she began to feel that someone was in her home, stalking her and making her question whether it was real or whether she was doing these things herself. Who would hate her THAT much? It didn't take Einstein to work that one out, in my opinion. I guessed right away.

In the end, Dana is left with the question of who to trust. Her new friends? Her old friends? Her family? Her husband? All of them had secrets and all of them seemed to have an agenda. So who could she trust?

The premise for WHO DO YOU TRUST? was indeed promising that took us on a dark and disturbing journey with this psychological thriller. I had high expectations for this book, particularly after enjoying the previous one so much, but the entire thing just fell flat. I read the book in one sitting, sacrificing sleep in the hope it would get better and that it would all make sense in the end. If anything, it made even less sense in the end than it did at the beginning! The first final twist was no surprise and the second wasn't really either. In fact, that made more sense than anything else that happened here. But then everything was just left up in the air, no real explanation and no real conclusion to how it all ended for Dana and her family. I can't say much more than that without revealing spoilers but honestly...the story just goes round in endless circles and it was all just a tangled mess.

WHO DO YOU TRUST? will have you guessing, it will have you turning the pages but I doubt it will leave you with anything but scratching your head wondering what the hell just happened. The book is like a car crash - a tragic event from which you just can't look away. Of course it didn't help that I didn't like any of the characters. They all annoyed me no end.

In a nutshell, it was disappointing. But it doesn't deter me from reading more of Kirsty Ferguson, as I know she is capable of brilliant psychological and domestic thrillers. This, sadly, was not one of them.

2 stars for me...and even that is being generous, in my view.

I always feel bad about leaving a negative review because I know this was someone's hard work. And while I know I am not going to enjoy every book I read, it saddens me when I don't. But reading is subjective and what I don't enjoy, another may revel in.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Kirsty Ferguson is a born and bred Australian author. She writes crime and thriller novels. Her stories centre around strong, capable, yet flawed women, with dark themes and undertones, designed to make you question what you think you know about the people you're closest to. Kirsty chooses to deconstruct and enthrall her readers with the secrets of an everyday person, the stories behind closed doors.

Kirsty grew up in a rural town, on a farm and likes to base her stories in isolated places, physically, mentally and emotionally. She has long been a lover of reading and writing, beginning her professional career in 2015. She can be found with a good book in hand, her to be read list never growing any smaller no matter how hard she tries.

Social Media links:

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PUBLISHER:

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REVIEW: One Last Child by Anni Taylor (ARC)

One Last Child (Tallman's Valley #1) by Anni Taylor

Genre: Crime fiction, psychological thriller, noir

Read: 14th March 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 15th January 2020)

★★★★★ 4.5 stars rounded up

I was first introduced to Anni Taylor with her debut "The Game You Played" which was scintillatingly brilliant and even more so that it was set around areas I am familiar with in Sydney and have frequented often. But more and more there are some wonderful Australian thriller writers coming out of the woodwork...and Anni Taylor is one of them.

I wasn't sure what to expect with ONE LAST CHILD but I shouldn't have been at all surprised if her debut was anything to go by. And I certainly wasn't disappointed. Despite being twice the length of many other authors in this genre, the pace of the story and the easy writing style had me devouring every last page in just over 24 hours - with a few hours for sleep in between...lol

The premise for this book was an extraordinary concept. Five 3 year old children disappear from a nursery school picnic within a few short seconds on inattention...and all without a trace. It was a day the lives of the parents and family of these children changed forever. Added to that is the fact that the grandmother of one of the missing children, Ivy, is the town's local homicide detective, DS Kate Wakefield.

Kate and her husband Pete have a cottage in the Tallman's Valley, a once-small now growing community situated just a short drive from the main hub of Katoomba in the vastly expanse and dense bushland of the Blue Mountains. Kate had worked homicide in Sydney until the birth of her daughter Abby before moving to Tallman's Valley where she has worked in the local area command for the past 20 years.

Abby was 18 when she returned from an overseas holiday pregnant and then giving birth to Ivy, who was clearly the light of their world. Abby was at a university lecture where she was studying law at the time Ivy went missing and her life took a rapid downward spiral in the wake of her little girl's disappearance. She never forgave herself for not being there for her. Abby and her mother have had a rocky relationship since Abby's teens and the disappearance only served to alienate the two women more. They fell out and Abby escaped to Sydney where they heard nothing more from her until years later she returned with 4 month baby Jasper.

It's now three and a half years later and the Strike-force team original set up to investigate the disappearance of the five children are no closer now than they were when they went missing. Kate is brought in and seconded to the team - something which she wanted from the beginning but was advised against due to her personal interest. She revisited the park from which the children disappeared and set about re-interviewing witnesses to get her own feel for the case. Almost at once, Kate got a sense that something wasn't right. The team leader, however, despite being the same rank as her, refused to entertain Kate's notions and instead focused on the paedophile ring angle...despite there being no evidence alluding to one.

Then within a day or so, the children start returning to their homes one by one...all except Ivy. Why the other children and not Ivy? What did the kidnappers want with her? And then, the team discuss the possibility that Ivy was the target all along in retaliation to someone Kate had put away. Was this true? Was Kate the reason Ivy and the other children were taken? Or was there something more sinister at play here?

Whilst not divided into "parts" as such, the first half of ONE LAST CHILD focuses on the search and investigation into the missing children which then turns into a three and a half year nightmare for their families. Despite this build up, the pace is not at all slow which alludes to the author's expert hand at penning such a compelling read with meticulous attention to detail. Anni Taylor not only tells the story, she draws the reader in and uses the surrounding environment to create an atmosphere of impending doom maintaining the element of suspense throughout. She manipulates the characters with ingenuity keeping readers guessing throughout as we try to figure out who is guilty and who isn't. But what we discover is that just about every character has a secret to hide...and it is up to Kate to sift through the secrets and the lies to uncover the truth.

The second half of ONE LAST CHILD with the return of four of the children and the investigation begins to shift focus. And as it continues, it seems that there are more and more questions than there are answers. New suspects come to light and new avenues pursued. But do any of them lead them to the truth? And more importantly, to Ivy? Even the parents of the children returned begin to question why Ivy didn't return with the others and if it had something to do with Kate. Tempers flare and accusations abound...but Kate is relentless. She will not rest until Ivy is found and those responsible are captured.

Alongside the investigation into the disappearance and return of the children is another case that has plagued Kate for as long as this one. The senseless murder of a young 20 year old woman who was beaten then strangled, the jewellery she was wearing stolen and never seen again. It lead us down an interesting side path when one of the pieces of jewellery turns up...in the house Abby now lives with her boyfriend. This leads Kate to question his involvement in the murder, putting Kate and her daughter at loggerheads once again. The way both cases entwined but separately was a clever addition which made for some compelling reading.

I really liked Kate. Sixty-plus, happily married and in no way at all like the stereotypical detectives of many other crime thrillers that end up grating on my nerves. Sure she has her problems, mainly her relationship with her daughter Abby, but those are things author Anni Taylor uses to create an even more captivating story...to which she has alluded will be included in the second novel in this exciting new series. I can't wait to see where that will be taking us! I love Kate's relationship with her husband which seems to go from strength to strength and is so refreshing to see, rather than the constant broken marriages of detectives drowning their sorrows whenever off duty. Pete is her tower of strength and it is refreshing to see his understanding of how demanding Kate's job is and doesn't at all accuse her of putting him second to it. Instead he supports her and comforts her when she needs his strength. It is so refreshing and I love it. I really look forward to getting to know Kate, Pete and Abby in in the future.

I was a tad disappointed in the ending as it did seem a little random and appeared to be unrelated to the rest of the story. The reasoning behind the abductions was a little obscure as well. I felt it should have had more to do with one or two of the other characters and their pasts (and woven together a little neater), one of which was mentioned and alluded to early on but nothing came of it disappointingly. But the tension and the build up in the climax was both atmospheric and foreboding. I could really see myself alongside Kate on that dark narrow road to Jenolan Caves.

I thoroughly enjoyed ONE LAST CHILD and it kept me guessing all the way through. I didn't foresee the guilty behind it though I do admit to picking up on a clue along the way...a witness to the abduction they couldn't interview but then a picture speaks a thousand words.

Although this is just the second thriller by Anni Taylor I have read, I simply LOVE her style and I eagerly await more from her (OK, so I do have a couple of her other books on my shelf to read yet...lol). She has the ability to create a sense of foreboding with just the environmental setting and her ability to set that tone and build up suspense with tension and trepidation whilst keeping readers guessing throughout is outstanding.

And what makes it even better...is the Blue Mountains setting. It is on my doorstep and I know it well.

Highly recommended to anyone who loves a good mystery thriller.

I would like to thank #AnniTaylor, #NetGalley and #BooksGoSocial for an ARC of #OneLastChild in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Man at the Window by Robert Jeffreys (ARC)

Man at the Window ( Detective Cardilini #1) by Robert Jeffreys

Genre: Crime fiction, police procedural

Read: 29th December 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 14th November 2019)

★★ 2 stars

I must be in the minority that found MAN AT THE WINDOW by Robery Jeffreys to be slow and drawn out. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the first half of the book but it just seemed to lose tangent and just be odiously long and drawn out. Which was a shame, because I was thoroughly enjoying the mystery before it went all nonsensical that by the end I was left wondering who actually pulled the trigger. To me, that is a loose end...and I hate loose ends.

Perth, Western Australia, 1965: The opening prologue sees a master of all-boys school St Nicholas, perusing over what he obviously see as his dominion. Before he knows what hits him, he is hot with half his brain over the wall behind him and he falls to the floor. Then enters an anonymous young boy of indeterminate age, who I took to be around 12 or 13, knock hesitantly on the master's door. The master, Captain Edmunds, does not answer and upon hearing no response the boy quietly moves into the dark room, inadvertently stepping on a bullet. He picks up the bullet and silently places it in his pocket before leaving the room, leaving bloodied footsteps in his wake.

Enter Detective Sergeant Cardilini. Before his wife Betty died a year ago, Cardilini was a good detective. But now, he is a lazy drunken slob that even his 18 year old son is disgusted by him. So when his boss sends him off to write up a report of accidental shooting, it was meant to be a mere formality. But from the moment he stepped into St Nicholas' College things just didn't sit right with Cardilini. And for once, against all expectations, he actually makes an effort.

What begins as an apparent accidental shooting, with a rather implausible theory in my opinion, turns into a complex case that continues to darken as the story deepens. And admittedly, I was bored and frustrated with yet another drunk cop with a chip on his shoulder - how many times have I read something like this? However, the case is an interesting one and the investigation is both raw and invasive, and under Cardilini's eye, relentless. But...he was not meant to investigate it, but to simply write up a report and file it. Against his Superintendent's wishes he continues to probe, uncovering secrets that the prestigious school would have preferred remain buried. And then it becomes clear - his super and the deputy commissioner are old boys of the school. The brass have spoken and Cardilini is hauled over the coals on more than one occasion for stepping out of line.

So herein lies his dilemma - do his job to the letter of the law who has sworn to uphold in pursuing a murderer and possibily losing his job, or allow the old boys' network to hold his balls in a vice and keep his job and his son's prospects of joining the academy.

Despite this, Cardilini is determined to get to the bottom of the matter for the sake of the boys who have been abused...though now no one is coming forward admitting to that fact. And Cardilini looks like a prize idiot.

Added to this, Cardilini then finds out that the constable that was assigned to "work the case" alongside him, Salt, is a former St Nicholas boy himself! It seems the long arm of the old boys' network reaches far and wide. But Cardilini refuses to be swayed. And this puts his job in jeopardy.

But Cardilini eventually works out what is essentially a plausible theory of the shooting...despite the fact allegations of indecent behaviour have been made against him regarding a student of St Nicholas'...but what to do about it? How to prove it? And yet the only way to refute the allegations against him is to drop the investigation and agree on the accidental shooting theory.

And yet he has a theory of who was responsible when he receives a confession from another...

A complex case that showed immense promise in the beginning, MAN AT THE WINDOW sadly ended up a confused and tangled web by its conclusion. I re-read the last part of the final chapter several times wondering what was really written between the lines and who really killed Captain Edmunds.

On the plus side, MAN AT THE WINDOW was cleverly written in its portrayal of the era - when ballistics was pretty basic and DNA, CCTV, GPS and mobile phones are all to come decades later. How notes are written in a notebook and hours can be spent retrieving records from filing cabinets or archives. The use of phone boxes and calls being made from one's desk rather than in the car or at the scene. I remember thinking why Cardilini didn't use his mobile phone before realising it was 1965 and there were no mobile phones. And then there was the social attitudes. A child's word against that of an adult - especially against one who has status and authority - is rarely believed. People turned their backs. These things never happened...until it happened to your child.

Cardilini is quite often abrasive and almost always opens his mouth just to change feet. The way he spoke and interacted with his superiors had me wondering why he hadn't been fired long ago. But his super was an old friend, they went through the academy together, and everyone it seems was giving him some extra leeway after the death of his beloved wife.

MAN AT THE WINDOW is a good debut, despite its long-winded off tangent complexities that left me scratching my head by its end. I enjoyed the first half but struggled with the second. I won't dismiss this series or the author on the basis of one book and look forward to the next one to see where that takes us. But please, no more drunk cop!

I would like to thank #RobertJeffreys, #NetGalley and #EchoPublishing for an ARC of #ManAtTheWindow in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Great Divide by L.J.M. Owen (ARC)

The Great Divide by L.J.M. Owen

Genre: Crime Fiction, Noir

Read: 24th November 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 4th November 2019)

★★★★★ 5 stars

What a jewel this read turned out to be!

When I read a friend's review of this book I just knew I had to read it. I mean, it's not often I come across an Australian crime thriller - new or old - but when I do, I am eager to check it out. And boy, am I glad I did! I certainly hope that THE GREAT DIVIDE is the beginning of what promises to be fantastic new series.

When Detective Jake Hunter transferred from the hustle and bustle of Melbourne to the remote town of Dunton in rural Tasmania, he expects it to be a quiet secondment for his duration. After all, not much happens in a small town, does it? But within the week, what begins as a missing boy ends up being a full blown murder investigation.

It is early morning when 10 year old Jamie Taylor quietly unzips the family tent and deftly makes his way through the bush and the fog to an old vineyard, where he can run and run and run. But all of a sudden he sees something big and black looming in front of him, growling. In blind panic, he tries to escape the "monster" chasing him but he can't find his way back through the fog. And then he trips. When he turns for a closer look at the obstruction that caused him to fall, he sees a bloodied hand...and he screams.

When Jake finds Jamie huddled beneath the bushes on the outskirts of the derelict vineyard, the boy is so frightened Jake wonders why. It isn't long before he is standing over a mutilated body amidst the gnarled old grape vines. The victim is Ava O'Brien who ran a local "bad" girls' home for several years before it shut down a decade earlier.

Jake and his constable, Murphy, begin to dig into the secrets that surround the home as well as those of Ava O'Brien herself. The only family Ava had was her brother Liam who also lived in the town, both of whom had moved from the mainland some thirty years ago. Liam is a quiet man who keeps himself to himself, but is there a more sinister reason why?

And what of the home? What happened to the girls that lived there? Apparently wards of the state, the children were to be cared for until adoption, but Jake can find no records of the children or their adoptions. So what happened to them? Two of the girls were adopted locally but the others are proving difficult to track down. The deeper Jake digs, the more he suspects that something strange and disturbing had been at play within the home. Secrets long since buried that were only now hovering beneath the surface.

And then there is his Senior Sergeant - Aiden Kelly - who seems more intent on keeping the locals happy by indulging their sensitivities than actually solving the crime. After watching Jake and his interview techniques, he decides to sit in on most of the other interviews, cutting them short before Jake could ask the hard questions. And what about Constable Patrick Murphy? His reports indicate he is barely literate, that Jake seems to spend more time re-doing than Murphy spends on writing them, not to mention his loose interpretation of the law. How did he even pass training to become a police officer in the beginning? And why, if he has such a blatant disregard for the law? Then there is the added complication of Evelyn Kelly, his boss' daughter and local Victims of Crime services counsellor, who appears to show up at every crime scene and every interview to sit in on. And yet Jake is shocked by her unprofessional behaviour on more than one occasion that he finds himself questioning her qualifications. What is it that Ms Kelly is hiding?

Despite the haphazardness of the police in Dunton, Jake is grateful to find at least one ally in forensic pathologist, Dr Meena Gill. She too is what the locals call "a blow-in" and isn't swayed by the sensitivities of the local's proclivities.

Over the days that follow, Jake continues to dig deeper with the investigation leading him back to Melbourne. And with it, some shocking revelations. As the secrets surrounding the home and Ava's murder come to light, the horror of what really went on within those walls are ultimately exposed as the suspects and bodycount rises. Who is behind these abhorrent atrocities? And how far will they go to keep the enormity of their barbaric actions secret?

The twist is the gruesome trophy that Jake uncovers at the end has to be one of the most sinister and twisted things I have come across throughout this genre. But it is well-played.

THE GREAT DIVIDE is a complex tale of secrets, duplicity and murder offering a sense of bleak and dismal foreboding that is so claustrophobic it is almost chilling. It is hard not to use the word "atmospheric" when writing about it because that is exactly what it is - in both plot and setting.

An exciting addition to the genre of crime fiction noir, THE GREAT DIVIDE is well-paced and intriguing that I devoured it within one evening. I loved everything about it, even those I loved to hate, in this remote town shrouded in fog and lies. I hope it is just the beginning and would love to see a sequel as Jake finds his feet in the small isolated town.

I would like to thank #LJMOwen, #NetGalley and #BonnierBooksUK for an ARC of #TheGreatDivide in exchange for an honest review.