The Staffymum's Book Nook: Kerry Wilkinson

Published: 11th August 2025

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

‘If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.’

Eve is clearing her father’s house when she finds an old cassette player and a box of tapes. Though grieving, she smiles at the spark of nostalgia.

One tape is labelled ‘Eve’ – in her mother, Angela’s, scrawled handwriting. She disappeared for good more than ten years ago.

The tape whirrs. A voice crackles. ‘My name is Angela’. Tears fill Eve’s eyes at the familiar voice, at the thought this message is just for her. But the next words make her heart pound.

‘If they say I’m missing, I’m not. If you’re listening to this, I’ve been murdered.’

Desperate for answers, Eve has no one left to ask – only a box of tapes that could lead to the truth. But the more she listens, the more she realises she can never go to the police…

Because Eve’s mother had her own secrets. But what if her killer is still out there? And what if Eve is next?

An absolutely unputdownable psychological thriller that will have you racing through the pages late into the night! Anyone who loves Shari Lapena, John Marrs or Lisa Jewell will be totally addicted.

MY THOUGHTS:

"If you're listening to this...I've been murdered..."

One word - WOW! I'll be honest, I had about written off Kerry's books of late as I hadn't enjoyed them for a while but this one - THIS is the Kerry I know and love that has kept me coming back again and again. I absolutely LOVED this book! It had everything Kerry in it, including his trademark dry wit and humour and his hilarious similies which always have me chuckling.

Of course, it also had a nod to my own childhood. I'm of the generation (from the 70s and 80s) that used to put sticky tape over the holes on top of the cassette tapes so I could record the latest top 40 hit off the radio whilst simultaneously trying to cut out the annoying DJ's voice before the intro lead into the song itself. Of course, I no longer have any cassette tapes. I no longer have a cassette player or walkman. When those tapes unwound randomly getting caught in the player and we'd have to use a pencil in the centre holes to wind them back in again - the struggle was real, believe me!

The Tapes. Where do I start? This book was so hard to put down that I literally flew threw it. From those first few pages right through to the last, I was completely hooked and I didn't stop until I turned that last page. It's fast paced and thrilling and completely entertaining. And it wasn't completely predictable like some are, though that never ruins my enjoyment of a good book. I did figure out who the Earring Killer was fairly early on through a clue I picked up on that was otherwise overlooked. My only complaint was, well, I can't really say as it would be a spoiler. But suffice to say, it was the second reveal that I felt was a tad too random and spoilt the total perfection of this fun and fast paced thriller. But not too much.

So what was it about? Well...Eve is clearing out her father's garage when she comes across a box marked "Ange" (her mother's name) filled with dozens of seemingly random cassette tapes, a microphone and cassette player. She smiles at the touch of nostalgia. Her mother disappeared without a trace thirteen years ago and sifting through the box of tapes stirs a memory she can't quite grasp. She slots one of the tapes into the player and there's a rustle before she hears her mother's voice clear as day as if she were sitting next to her. The memory proves too much for her and she replaces it in the box before sifting through what else may be there. At the very bottom is one tape marked different to the others. It's simply labelled "Eve" in her mother's scrawled handwriting. At first, all she hears is her mother and a toddler version of herself learning to count and her alphabet but then it stops and there's a crackle before an older version of her mother's voice speaks.

"My name is Angela...if they say I'm missing, I'm not. If you're listening to this, I've been murdered."

Eve doesn't know what to think. Why did her mother think she would be murdered? What secrets had she uncovered? Desperate for answers, Eve searches for the truth herself. Though she has no one to ask. Anyone she could have asked was no longer here. Her mother gone thirteen years, possibly murdered; her dad recently passed, hence the clearing out of his house - who else was there she could ask who would know anything?

What thus ensues is a week of surprises for Eve in her quest for answers and search for the truth. What was Angela alluding to? Who was she referring to when she said she knew who the Earring Killer was? How did she know who they were? And what really happened to her thirteen years ago?

As Eve listens to the tape, her mother confesses to stealing the box in which she discovered the missing earrings of the Earring Killer's victims, a serial killer who has plagued the town for two decades and remains elusive. Thus leading with the knowledge that her mother knew the identity of the Earring Killer, though she doesn't disclose the name. Of course, Eve's mother had her own emotional issues. A self-confessed kleptomaniac with a lack of impulse control as well as a habitual liar. But something in her mother's voice on these tapes rings true. Eve believes her - though no one else would, based on these tapes. What she needs is that box. The one her mum found. Where is it? She hasn't found it amongst her father's things or in the box marked "Ange" where he would have likely have stored her mother's things. So where is it? Does its absence mean this is just another of Angela's fanciful fabrications? Eve doesn't think so. Not this time. But with her mother's history, how can she be sure?

But as Eve digs deeper into the mystery, she doesn't realise that she has unwittingly awakened a serial killer that has been dormant for thirteen years. In doing so, has she inadvertently marked herself out as the next victim?

I loved the format of this book, the way the story unfolded with excerpts from a book about the Earring Killer published a decade before peppered throughout with each detailing the victims one at a time. It added a unique twist to the tale along with the tapes and her missing mother's voice from the past.

I cannot say enough about this book but it was Kerry at his best! And I haven't read something so awesomely brilliant by him in a while so I was glad to find myself lost in time to THE TAPES!!

An unputdownable fast paced thrill ride with that hint of nostalgia for us Gen X's who grew up with cassette tapes as the norm. The tension was palpable throughout and was a rollercoaster ride from which I didn't want to leave. It's gripping, it's heart pounding and a thoroughly addictive read. An easy five stars!

I would like to thank #KerryWilkinson, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheTapes 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:

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:

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:

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

Sunday, 2 March 2025

REVIEW: My Son's Girlfriend by Kerry Wilkinson

My Son's Girlfriend by Kerry Wilkinson

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 19th February 2025

Published: 24th February 2025

★★★ 3 stars

DESCRIPTION:

‘Is that you, darling?’ A second of silence before her son replies. ‘It wasn’t me’. Her heart breaks at the pain in his voice – he sounds like a little boy again. Thirty minutes later, the police knock at the door. ‘Your son’s girlfriend is dead.’ And Dan has disappeared.

It’s almost midnight when Jennifer sees her son’s name flash up on her phone. Away at university, she’s normally so happy when he calls. But something is terribly wrong…

Jennifer is devastated for poor Ella’s family – losing their precious girl, so young. She knows her sweet son, just twenty years old, would never, ever harm anyone. But the police are looking for him. And if Dan is innocent, why has he run?

When Jennifer hears how Ella died, her blood runs cold. Because Jennifer’s best friend was murdered twenty years ago the same way. In the same place. Jennifer hasn’t been back since… but now, she has no choice.

She would do anything for her son. Any mother would. But how far will she have to go – what secrets in her own past will she have to confront – to prove Dan is innocent?

And what if the truth is worse than she ever imagined?

An absolutely gripping thriller you won’t be able to put down! Fans of John Marrs, The Perfect Marriage and T.M. Logan will be totally addicted.

MY THOUGHTS:

"It wasn't me..."

It's nearly midnight when Jennifer receives a phone call from her son Daniel, who normally only sends text messages so she knew something was up. Then he whispers those three words before the line goes dead. It wasn't him, what? What wasn't him?

Half an hour later there's a knock on the door as she's climbing the stairs to bed. Who is knocking at this late hour? Jennifer opens the door with the chain on to see two uniformed police officers there. This can't be good. And then they tell her what Daniel didn't. His girlfriend Ella was found dead and now they are searching for Daniel who is wanted for the crime.

Almost as soon as the police have gone, Jennifer wakes her sleeping husband and tells him what's just happened. And then makes a snap decision. She's driving up to see if she can locate their son. But Jennifer hasn't set foot in the place for over two decades, her own past buried deep up there. But little did Jennifer know that Ella was murdered in the exact same manner as her best friend all those years ago. But the killer was caught and sent to prison. So how can this be?

What ensues is basically Jennifer trying to locate Daniel in a town that has changed somewhat but largely stayed the same in the years since she left. She has no idea where he would go or where to start looking. And some of her decisions were questionable to say the least. Jennifer has no idea of the can of worms she is opening or what she is dealing with - largely drug dealing, stolen cars and all kinds of nefarious things. What on earth had Daniel gotten himself mixed up in?

The reveal wasn't too much of a surprise to me though it may well be to the rest of the characters in the book but for me it made perfect sense. No one else just seemed to join the dots.

The story unfolds in the past and present through Jennifer's third person narrative. None of the characters are very likeable. The pace is somewhat slow and I felt bogged down in a lot of wordiness. I have read and enjoyed many of the author's thrillers but this one was lacking his usual dry humour and wit that has become something of a trademark.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

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:

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

Friday, 28 February 2025

EXTRACT: My Son's Girlfriend by Kerry Wilkinson

My Son's Girlfriend by Kerry Wilkinson

Genre: Psychological thriller

Published: 24th February 2025

DESCRIPTION:

It’s almost midnight when Jennifer sees her son’s name flash up on her phone. Away at university, she’s normally so happy when he calls. But something is terribly wrong…

She would do anything for her son. Any mother would. But how far will she have to go – what secrets in her own past will she have to confront – to prove Dan is innocent?

And what if the truth is worse than she ever imagined?

An absolutely gripping thriller you won’t be able to put down! Fans of John Marrs, The Perfect Marriage and T.M. Logan will be totally addicted.

EXTRACT:

Daniel was calling.

Jennifer’s son was twenty-one, of the generation brought up on texts, WhatsApps, and probably some other messaging thing his mother had never heard of. He didn’t really do phone calls, let alone when it was almost eleven at night.

Late-night calls could only mean something was wrong. Something bad.

Jennifer slid the green button sideways to answer, then held the phone to her ear.

‘Dan?’

Silence at first. Someone was breathing hard, as if they’d been running. Maybe they still were.

‘Daniel?’ Jennifer tried. His full name. Things were serious.

The breathing continued, then something more. A man’s voice. Her son’s voice.

‘Mum?’

It was one word, though so much more. There was anguish, a million cries for help that only a mother could make out. Something terrible really had happened.

‘What’s wrong?’ Jennifer asked, though she was barely able to hear anything over her own racing heart. She pushed forward until she was sitting on the edge of the sofa. It was gloomy in her living room, no big light, only the lamp at the back.

The silence was an agonising second and then: ‘It wasn’t me.’

For a moment, Jennifer wondered whether she’d heard her son correctly. Her ‘What wasn’t you?’ sounded as confused as she felt.

She waited, though there was only silence. It took her a few seconds to realise the screen was blank, that the call had cut out. Jennifer stared at the phone, trying to ignore the way her stomach seemed to be squeezing itself.

‘What wasn’t you?’ she repeated, knowing she would get no answer.

Daniel had gone.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

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:

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

Wednesday, 1 January 2025

REVIEW: Home is Where the Lies Live by Kerry Wilkinson

Home is Where the Lies Live by Kerry Wilkinson

Genre: Domestic drama, Domestic suspense

Read: 1st January 2025

Published: 5th December 2024

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Even the most perfect home can hide shocking secrets. But on this peaceful street, is one of them dangerous enough to kill for?

Young married couple Heidi and Freddie just moved to Huntington Grove. All the neighbours see they are friendly and polite but why is one door in their house always locked?

Across the street, Willow tries not to argue with her teenage daughter – even as her marriage is falling apart. And where does her husband really go each night, leaving the bed beside her cold?

Feeling lonely, she always waves hello to single dad Dylan next door. His wife died in a tragic murder. The culprit was never found. It’s no surprise there are rumours he was involved…

On a beautiful sunny day, it’s time for the whole street to gather for a summer party. Everyone plasters on a fake smile. But soon the picnic tables will be overturned, sirens will blare – and one of the residents will be marched away in police handcuffs.

Everyone at the party will be questioned. But everyone will lie…And with every household hiding something, who has a secret big enough to kill for?

An absolutely addictive psychological thriller that proves you can never really know what goes on behind closed doors. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Shari Lapena and The Perfect Marriage.

MY THOUGHTS:

Welcome to Huntington Grove...High Kingsley's answer to Wisteria Lane...

Oh yes, it really does read like an episode or two of "Desperate Housewives" that, 12 years after that show ended, it felt like I was right back there with them again. Alison gave off Bree vibes while Willow was a Susan, Dylan the smouldering Mike and Freddie and Heidi couldn't quite live up to Gaby and Carlos, but they had the secrets those two had! Nobody quite fit Tom and Lynette though...lol

Heidi and Freddie have just moved to Huntington Grove from Manchester as Freddie has just landed a lucrative marketing job whilst Heidi had to relinquish hers to follow her husband. From the moment they moved in, the street seemed to be oozing secrets. Beginning with the locked room in their new home. After nine years of marriage and sharing a tiny flat, why did Freddie have the sudden urge to keep a locked room? It was Heidi's house too after all. But no matter how much she questioned him about it, he waved off her probes and the like. But suddenly, Heidi didn't believe him. And soon she began to snoop for answers herself. What was a woman home all day to do but search for whatever her husband was keeping from her?

Across the road, Willow has her own battles to field. Starting with her moody teenage daughter Isabella and culminating in her equally moody husband Gabe, who seems to disappear at odd times in the night...along with any spare cash she kept in her purse. Just what exactly is he up to? Willow can't seem to connect with her daughter or her husband, and is drifting through life trying her best but not quite managing it.

Dylan lives next door to Willow with his 7 year old daughter Orla. Three years ago he lost his wife Ciara who was brutally attacked and left for dead on her way home with the killer never brought to justice. Dylan harbours some dark thoughts himself having never come to terms with the loss of his wife and trying to raise their daughter in her absence.

And then there is Alison, ever organised. Her own husband Kenneth works mostly in Hong Kong but she remains tight-lipped about the circumstances or when he is likely to return. But behind closed doors, she is hiding a secret herself.

The events take place over the course of a week, culminating in the street party Alison organised to celebrate High Kingley's birthday, dating back to many moons ago (I can't remember how long). It's at this party that things go awry and police are called. But do all secrets come to the surface? Or do some remain hidden?

This is more of a domestic drama-slash-suspense which begins as a slow burn. One of the biggest reveals I had figured out not long into the story which was only confirmed when a certain discovery is made. There weren't too many twists in this mystery that wasn't really a mystery but more of a soapie drama but it still kept me entertained for the afternoon.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

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:

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

Tuesday, 16 July 2024

REVIEW: The Missing Body by Kerry Wilkinson

The Missing Body by Kerry Wilkinson

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 15th July 2024

Published: 12th July 2024

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

I ran to get help. But her body disappeared. Will anyone believe me?

Megan is unpacking in the spare room of her sister’s house when she hears the scream.

Racing to the nearby woods, she is shocked to see a young woman’s unconscious body: her pink top bright against the earth, her long, dark hair wet from a nearby stream. But when desperate Megan returns with the police, all they find is empty woodland.

She’s been through so much, her sister whispers, welcoming her home with a kind smile. You can’t blame her for seeing things.

But Megan knows what she saw – and her past shouldn’t come into it. Was the young woman dead, or dying? How can a body just disappear?

Megan left home for a good reason. Now, confronting the past could be the only way to find the truth.But what if Megan is in danger, too? And what price will she have to pay, to find the girl from the woods?

An absolutely gripping mystery thriller that will make you question who to trust and have you racing through the pages. Perfect for fans of Mark Edwards, Claire Douglas and T. M. Logan.

MY THOUGHTS:

I ran to get help...but her body disappeared...will anyone believe me...?

Having just learnt her husband had misplaced the part of their marriage vows which promised to "forsake all others" and "to be faithful", and with her best friend no less, Megan left the remnants of what was her marriage behind and hightailed it to her hometown of Hollicombe Bay where she is now staying in the stifling attic room of her sister's house. It's where she now sits trying to let some air in when she hears a scream. She listens in the stillness. Nothing. Maybe she imagined it. But no, she is sure she heard a woman scream. And so she goes to investigate which thus leads her to the woods behind her sister's house and there in the stream lay the unmoving body of a young woman...maybe nineteen? Twenty at most? Is she dead? Megan isn't sure and so she drags her out of the stream and recalls the adverts on TV that transposed CPR with the Bee Gees "Staylin' Alive"...and so she does that.

"Ah-ah-ah, stayin' alive...stayin' alive..."

1-2-3...breathe...1-2-3...breathe...

And yet the woman remained silent and still. Megan pat her pockets for her mobile phone remembering that it was plugged in on charge in her attic room. She really needs to get help, but she doesn't want to leave the young woman.

Making a dash, she races into the house and up the stairs where she retrieves her phone and makes a breathless plea to emergency services who ask her to remain on the line and outside the address from which she's calling so the services get the right place. All the while, Megan is worried about the woman in the stream alone. When the services finally arrive after what seemed like an endless wait but was probably no more than ten minutes, Megan rushes off leading them back to where she found the woman's body.

But now she's gone.

And now no one believes that she saw a body in the stream, believing instead that she was having some sort of mental breakdown in light of the current status of her marriage. But Megan knows what she saw. And she will stop at nothing to prove she was right. Until she begins to doubt herself too.

Did she really see the body? Or was it just the stress of recent events that she is projecting figments of her imagination into reality? Megan is certain of what she saw...isn't she? And now she must dig for the truth but in doing so uncovers something sinister hidden in the bowels of the sleepy town.

Can she escape this nightmare? And find out the truth behind what is really going on? Before it's too late...

Another gripping read from Kerry Wilkinson. I loved how we returned to the area of Whitecliff for this as he incorporated that are into the neighbouring Hollicombe Bay. And whilst remaining a standalone story.

The characters were all a bit meh. None of them really likeable. Megan was wishy-washy. Nicola was a bossy britches. Ben was blasé about everything. Jessie was a typical moody teenager. Pam was nosey and gossipy. Trevor was creepy. Daniel was probably the most OK one out of the lot...which in itself was highly suspicious. LOL

As always, the tale is peppered with Kerry's trademark dry wit and humnour which is what makes his books so entertaining. I love his humour. And while this was a fairly predictable read (I worked out fairly early one what was going on), it was his witty quips and trademark humour that kept it fresh and interesting. Without it I doubt I would enjoy his books as much. I hope we return to Whitecliff and Hollicombe Bay again.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

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:

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

Thursday, 18 April 2024

REVIEW: The Call by Kerry Wilkinson

The Call by Kerry Wilkinson

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 12th April 2024

Published: 17th April 2024

★★★ 3 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Your fiancé calls. ‘A little girl needs help.’ Then they both disappear…

Melody gazes across the rippling lake to the trees on the shore, waiting for her fiancé Evan to arrive so their family holiday can begin. Here in this cabin in a small Canadian island town, there’s so much space for their son to play. It’s going to be perfect – just like the first time Melody visited as a child. But then a call from Evan shatters her world.

‘There’s someone in the road. I think it’s a little girl. She’s covered in mud. Or… is it blood?’ His voice becomes distant. ‘Are you OK? What’s your name?’ Then there’s a thud.

Evan never arrives to the holiday cabin. Melody, and her son, are terrified and desperate for answers. But with miles of endless, empty forest, and no reports of a missing girl, what hope is there of finding Evan?

The more questions Melody asks of the locals, the more she fears a terrible secret hides just out of sight. And the closer she gets to the truth, the more danger she is in…

A totally gripping thriller that will have you racing through the pages until the final shocking twist. Perfect for fans of T.M. Logan and Rachel Abbott.

MY THOUGHTS:

Your fiancé calls....‘A little girl needs help’...Then they both disappear...

Something different from Kerry Wilkinson in the wilds of Canada rather than the cold climes of Britain. But honestly, it was not my cup of tea.

We meet Melody who has, along with her sister and brother-in-law and father as well as her son and fiance Evan, booked an AirBnb on a lake in Canada for a vacation for them all. Having spent a summer there as a child, Melody has only good memories of her time there. But as many are quick to point out to her, not everyone's memories were as happy as hers.

After arriving and installing themselves in the lake house, Evan was catching a later flight, renting a car and meeting them there. He calls her from the road. He has just exited the highway and is about fifteen minutes from them...when suddenly he stops. He tells Melody there is a little girl in the road and stops to ask if she's okay. There is a little background noise and then suddenly the line goes dead. Having consumed wine that evening, Melody enlists the help of her sober brother-in-law Thomas to drive her along the road that Evan had taken to see if they could find him. Instead what they find is the abandoned rental car and Evan's phone discarded on the road. The car's boot is empty. Evan's suitcase has gone...and so has Evan.

The police arrive some hours later and with it being dark and surrounded by trees and forests, there is little they can do till morning. But as the days pass Melody feels that the police aren't doing enough to find Evan. In the meantime, she tells their son Sam that his dad has been held up and trying to catch another flight. Sam accepts her explanation and goes on to enjoy camp.

While her sister Nina and hubby Thomas go about their vacation as per normal, of course Melody cannot do so. Her whole world has imploded with Evan's disappearance. Naturally she does some googling for information that she has come garnered by way of other parents or locals in the area which thus leads her to randomly following anyone she thinks may know something about Evan's disappearance.

The story is a fairly quick read even if it is somewhat unrealistic. The mystery behind what happened to Evan is what kept me turning the pages and then when it is revealed I'm left scratching my head. What just happened here? The motive behind the disappearance just doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

I've been a fan of Kerry's thrillers for years. I love his dry wit and humour although this one lacked any of that trademark humour which I missed. And yet while the story as a whole didn't work for me, Kerry's writing is still enough to keep you engaged throughout...even if none of the characters were particularly likeable.

I do have mixed feelings of this one as I know what pageturning thrillers Kerry can deliver. And while I found it easy enough to read, it wasn't the riveting thriller that I have come to know that is of his calibre. I didn't hate it but I didn't enjoy it as much as his others. But having said that, I do look forward to whatever he brings us next!

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

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.

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Sunday, 17 December 2023

REVIEW: After the Sleepover by Kerry Wilkinson

After the Sleepover (Sleepover #2) by Kerry Wilkinson

Genre: Psychological thriller, Mystery

Read: 9th December 2023