REVIEW: Stolen Baby by L.G. Davis

Stolen Baby by L.G. Davis

Genre: Domestic suspense

Read: 1st May 2025

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 24th January 2025

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

I told everyone she is my baby. I lied.

My life changes forever when my little girl appears in a basket on my doorstep, her long lashes fluttering, only a few hours old. She’s so tiny and precious; my heart is hers in an instant.

My husband Tom and I have always longed for a child, so we agree not to tell the authorities. We won’t risk them taking her away. And I know if they find out my history, they’d never let me keep her…

I’m so grateful to have my beautiful baby, who we call Daisy. But while Tom refuses to talk about it, I can’t stop wondering who her biological parents are and why they left her with us?

Then someone sends me a message, enclosing it in a funeral programme I find on my kitchen table. Now I know the terrible truth about what happened to Daisy’s parents, and it’s closer to home than I could ever have imagined.

I thought I could protect us all, despite my past mistakes. But when the secrets I uncover put my family’s lives at risk, how far will I go to keep the little girl I love?

An utterly heart-pounding and twisty psychological suspense novel from bestseller L.G. Davis. Perfect for fans of Gone Girl, Teresa Driscoll and Freida McFadden.

MY THOUGHTS:

She's not mine...but I'll do anything to keep her...

Nora was just sixteen when she had Isobel, who is the light of her life, and for twelve years it had just been the two of them before she met and married Tom eight years ago. Now after suffering several miscarriages, Nora fell pregnant again and it was looking very likely that she would carry this one to term. But just a couple of weeks ago, she suffered a late term miscarriage and was left desolate.

Nora has struggled with severe depression for years and her miscarriages have only fuelled her depression, leaving her grappling with anxiety and the depth of the abyss into which she often finds herself. Isobel is worried sick about her and is hesitant about leaving her alone, deferring her own studies to care for her mother. For a long time, it had only been her and her mother and she knows Nora gave her everything she could growing up, so being there for her is the least Isobel could do for her now.

And then just when Nora is at her darkest, the doorbell rings. Dragging herself from the couch she opens the door and finds a basket with a newborn baby and a note saying that her name is Daisy and to please take care of her. Nora takes this as a sign - she was meant to have this baby. The mother couldn't care for the child herself and for some reason believed Nora was the perfect one to take care of her. It isn't hard to convince Tom or even Isobel to keep little Daisy. And after a week of no police reports of missing babies, they decide to keep Daisy and raise her as their own.

OK, yes. You really do need to suspend reality here. In what world would three people all agree that taking someone else's baby and raising them as their own is a good idea?

There isn't much more I can say about the story from here on in as I would be venturing into spoiler territory. But what I can say is nobody seems to have an iota of common sense! And I really mean no one! They are all aboard the crazy train even if they do disembark at different stations. Plenty of eye-rolling is to be had and face slapping is needed for every single one of them!

The story unfolds through Nora's perspective and then Isobel's. Both women are guilty of jumping to conclusions along the way with no one coming up with any kind of resolution. I wanted to smack everyone so much for their plain stupidity. But having said that, regardless of how irritating everyone could be, the story was still addictive enough to keep me turning the pages.

Another quick and easy read from Liz!

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Liz's story began in a refugee camp in Angola, where she spent the first eight years of her life. After that, she spent some years in Namibia (her home country), South Africa, and Germany. Liz wrote her first full-length novel at eighteen and hid it in a box under her bed. Several others soon followed it. Her passion lies in writing edge-of-the-seat psychological thrillers that give readers the same rush they would get on a rollercoaster.

She now lives in Vienna, Austria, with her husband and two children. 

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads

 

REVIEW: The Missing Bridesmaid by L.G.Davis

The Missing Bridesmaid (Broken Vows #2) by LG Davis

Genre: Domestic thriller, Psychological thriller

Read: 9th July 2024

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 13th June 2024

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

I’m getting married tomorrow. But someone has taken my daughter…

I first start worrying about my beautiful daughter Lennie when she claims her imaginary friend told her not to trust me or her father, Nathan. And as she retreats further into her own world and pushes us away, it feels like we are losing our little girl. Then one evening I see a shadowy figure in Lennie’s bedroom window, and I begin to worry her friend isn’t imaginary at all…

Nathan insists it’s all in my head, but now my worst nightmare has come true. Lennie has been kidnapped just before our rehearsal dinner, in her adorable bridesmaid’s dress. And I think I know who did it…

Years ago, I brought another woman’s perfect life crashing down around her. I was trying to protect someone I loved, but I had no idea how out of control it would get, or how deadly. Has she come back to punish me? And how far will she go for revenge?

But when I see a message on Nathan’s phone asking about Lennie, I realise I might have got it all wrong. Was my daughter taken by someone close to home, someone I thought I could trust?

An utterly heart-pounding and nail-biting new novel from bestseller L.G. Davis. This twisty, gasp-out-loud thriller is perfect for fans of Gone Girl, Teresa Driscoll and Freida McFadden.

MY THOUGHTS:

Revenge is a dish best serve cold...

Firstly, I would recommend reading book one first - "The Woman at my Wedding" - as it really sets the backstory for this one, though each one is a standalone in its own right. It takes place seven years after the first one and is just as fast paced and twisted.

We reunite with Hannah and Nathan as they plan their upcoming wedding, with a real sense of deja vu. The difference being Lennie who has a huge imagination and often loses herself to her own little world and land of make believe. She even has a voice as she provides her own narrative in her own chapters as we see the world through Lennie's eyes. I must admit, her perspective sometimes seems a little advanced for a 6 year old but then it's been a long time since I was that age so it is hard to remember.

Lennie introduces us to her own imaginary friend who she calls Whisper and together they embark on many magical adventures together. Beginning off as imaginary, Whisper soon becomes real visible only to Lennie and if you have read book one you will have a pretty good idea who Whisper really is! She knows everything about Lennie and is the only friend the little girl feels she can trust as things begin to erupt at home. 

But before long, Hannah and Nathan begin to ponder the wisdom of allowing this imaginary friend when things begin to go awry. Of course it doesn't help that Nathan has begun to grow distant from both Hannah and Lennie, snapping at them both for the slightest thing and bringing fear to their door. Soon the wedding they have waited so long for seems far beyond their reach as Hannah ponders whether marrying Nathan is really in the best interests of her daughter. While Lennie spends most of her time escaping to her treehouse into the comforting arms of her guardian angel Whisper.

I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel book with the different aspect as told by Lennie, though her chapters were clearly written by an adult. Some of her phrases and words were just too advanced for a 6 year old I felt. Especially since it was apparent throughout that she couldn't pronounce "funeral". I had trouble pronouncing her version of it though...hahaha.

Not a lot of criticism bar the fact that Nathan's abusive behaviour came out of nowhere when he showed no signs of it in the first book. It's like he was a completely different character for the most part. Granted, he has just lost his father and is struggling with the grief he feels he shouldn't have given the place his father had in his life. But while he was the epitome of love and understanding in the first book, this one he became someone different.

Then there was Elena's psychiatrist husband. Elena suggests Hannah speak to him to help deal with her stress, then Hannah encourages Nathan to seek him also...then by the end they have Lennie having therapy with him! Don't get me wrong, Lennie was in dire need of therapy after everything, but a psychiatrist cannot treat any member of a patient's family (or anyone with a close relationship) - past or present - let alone the entire family! It is a clear conflict of interest. Added to that, Lennie will have needed a therapist (not a psychiatrist) with specific training in treating children.

My last criticism is the whole "missing bridesmaid" part. While it may be the title of the book, it is very misleading because it takes up only a one hundredth percent of the story. And it came out of nowhere! The reasoning behind her "abduction" (which I term rather loosely) is just absurd. And then in a matter of a few paragraphs, all is forgiven and its water under the bridge. I'm sorry...but that part of the story was completely redundant and made absolutely no sense whatsoever. 

Take that last part out and it would be a five star read because it was everything I love in a thriller - fast paced, twisted, devious and entertaining.

Others have mentioned it being set up for a third book. I'm not sure. I think just leave it where it is. Anything else would just be white noise I think. It's perfect (aside from that last point) as it is.

Another stellar read from Liz Davis!!

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Liz's story began in a refugee camp in Angola, where she spent the first eight years of her life. After that, she spent some years in Namibia (her home country), South Africa, and Germany. Liz wrote her first full-length novel at eighteen and hid it in a box under her bed. Several others soon followed it. Her passion lies in writing edge-of-the-seat psychological thrillers that give readers the same rush they would get on a rollercoaster.

She now lives in Vienna, Austria, with her husband and two children. 

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads

 

REVIEW: The Woman at my Wedding by L.G. Davis

 

The Woman at my Wedding (Broken Vows #1) by L.G. Davis

Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller

Read: 7th July 2024

Goodreads

Amazon
Published: 13th June 2024

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

I’ve dreamed of this day forever. But will it be my last?

My stomach flutters as I try on my shimmering wedding dress with my two closest friends. In just a few weeks I’m going to marry the man of my dreams. I can’t believe the next time Nathan sees me it’ll be when I walk down the aisle. I’ve never told him my real name, and I hate lying to him. But it’s for his own good, and nobody could love him more than me. I’ve been through so much; don’t I deserve this happiness?

As I’m gazing at my reflection in the mirror, there’s a knock on the door and when I open it my heart leaps into my throat. Right in front of me is someone I hoped I’d never see again: my mother-in-law.

Nathan doesn’t speak to her, and the estrangement has been a huge relief to me. Because Debbie knows my secret. And she could ruin everything…

From the moment she sweeps in, it’s clear that if I don’t let my mother-in-law stay, she won’t stay quiet about my dark past. But she has no idea how far I’ll go to stop her destroying everything I’ve worked for.

But when I realise my friends have been lying to me too, I wonder if my mother-in-law is really the person I need to worry about. Is there another woman in my life who is determined not only to ruin my wedding, but to take my life?

An utterly heart-pounding and nail-biting new novel from bestseller L.G. Davis. This twisty, gasp-out-loud thriller is perfect for fans of Gone Girl, Teresa Driscoll and Freida McFadden.

MY THOUGHTS:

He's the man I love...she wants him back...

It's been awhile since I've read an LG Davis thriller and once again she does not disappoint. Fast becoming one of my favourite authors, Liz throws red herrings and misdirection our way to throw us off the path. And yet while there are plenty of smoke and mirrors, I honed in on who I thought was "the woman" from the very start. Considering I've been in a reading slump for a couple of months, this was like a breath of fresh air and a welcome change to the monotony of others I've found of late.

Fans of Daniel Hurst, Shalini Boland, KL Slater and Freida McFadden will delight in this domestic tale of bliss to woe with plenty of twists, lies, secrets and deception to keep readers entertained.

Brynn is approaching forty and has finally met the man of her dreams, thirty nine year old attorney Nathan. The pair met, fell in love and Nathan bought Brynn a stunning beachside house where she now lives in the weeks leading up to their wedding. Meanwhile, Nathan is away working on a trial that could make him an even bigger household name. That of Amanda Lane, a woman accused of murdering all three of her wealthy husbands. 

While he works right up to the wedding, Brynn remains at home organising their wedding...but someone doesn't want their nuptials to go ahead. Brynn begins receiving strange messages in the form of a wedding cake topper in which the bride's face is smashed. Her wedding veil goes missing and is later found buried on the beach. Then her dream wedding venue is cancelled. The photographer backs out. Her custom made shoes from Italy are ruined with red paint. Who would do such a thing? Who hates her that much to ruin her wedding?

And then a face from Brynn's past arrives on the doorstep, dragging her fully packed suitcase behind her insisting she's there to help with the wedding preparations. But why is she really here?

When the wedding day finally arrives, you won't see what's coming and the author deftly derives a devious plot that's so cunning and deceptive that will leave your head spinning.

As is Liz Davis' style, the pace moves from steady to fast to frantic as the climax nears, with that final twist to spin everything of its axis. I was turning the pages at the speed of light to see what happened next. As with most of her books, I thoroughly enjoyed this one and can't wait to dive into the second book "The Missing Bridesmaid" which can only be read after this one as the plot to this one ends of something of a cliffhanger that can only be resolved in the next.

Off to read it now...

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Liz's story began in a refugee camp in Angola, where she spent the first eight years of her life. After that, she spent some years in Namibia (her home country), South Africa, and Germany. Liz wrote her first full-length novel at eighteen and hid it in a box under her bed. Several others soon followed it. Her passion lies in writing edge-of-the-seat psychological thrillers that give readers the same rush they would get on a rollercoaster.

She now lives in Vienna, Austria, with her husband and two children. 

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads

 

SPOTLIGHT: The Woman at my Wedding by L.G. Davis

The Woman at my Wedding (Broken Vows #1) by L.G. Davis

Genre: Psychological thriller

Goodreads

Amazon
Published: 13th June 2024

** Due to a change in circumstances I have had to drop out and relinquish my tour/review obligations until further notice. I will publish my review and thoughts after reading **

DESCRIPTION:

I’ve dreamed of this day forever. But will it be my last?

My stomach flutters as I try on my shimmering wedding dress with my two closest friends. In just a few weeks I’m going to marry the man of my dreams. I can’t believe the next time Nathan sees me it’ll be when I walk down the aisle. I’ve never told him my real name, and I hate lying to him. But it’s for his own good, and nobody could love him more than me. I’ve been through so much; don’t I deserve this happiness?

As I’m gazing at my reflection in the mirror, there’s a knock on the door and when I open it my heart leaps into my throat. Right in front of me is someone I hoped I’d never see again: my mother-in-law.

Nathan doesn’t speak to her, and the estrangement has been a huge relief to me. Because Debbie knows my secret. And she could ruin everything…

From the moment she sweeps in, it’s clear that if I don’t let my mother-in-law stay, she won’t stay quiet about my dark past. But she has no idea how far I’ll go to stop her destroying everything I’ve worked for.

But when I realise my friends have been lying to me too, I wonder if my mother-in-law is really the person I need to worry about. Is there another woman in my life who is determined not only to ruin my wedding, but to take my life?

An utterly heart-pounding and nail-biting new novel from bestseller L.G. Davis. This twisty, gasp-out-loud thriller is perfect for fans of Gone Girl, Teresa Driscoll and Freida McFadden.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Liz's story began in a refugee camp in Angola, where she spent the first eight years of her life. After that, she spent some years in Namibia (her home country), South Africa, and Germany. Liz wrote her first full-length novel at eighteen and hid it in a box under her bed. Several others soon followed it. Her passion lies in writing edge-of-the-seat psychological thrillers that give readers the same rush they would get on a rollercoaster.

She now lives in Vienna, Austria, with her husband and two children. 

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads

 

REVIEW: The Nanny's Child by L.G. Davis

The Nanny's Child (The Lies We Tell #2) by L.G. Davis

Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller, Domestic suspense

Read: 8th September 2023

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 11th September 2023

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

I’ve always had the urge to look after other people’s children. To pour care and love into their lives, because I know what happens when you don’t. There are terrible people out there, who have been neglected and hurt and want to see the world burn. You don’t want people like that in your home…

I look up at the beautiful woman with perfectly painted red lipstick standing on the front steps of her grand Victorian house. Harper already trusts me to take care of her two little girls: believes the lies I’ve told her about where I come from and how many other mothers have welcomed me into their homes. Then I see the familiar form of her husband. My ex. The man who knows where my own missing baby boy is.

I know Troy will never admit to knowing who I really am. Not after what he did to me. But I still expect to see shock and recognition in his cool blue eyes when he meets me: the woman his wife has employed to care for their children. But he simply smiles. He welcomes me into his home.

I’m determined to get the truth out of Troy. But soon I realize I made a terrible mistake in coming here. Someone has been in my room. And the gun I hid under my mattress is missing.

Troy thinks he can scare me away. But if he won’t tell me where my son is, he has no idea how far I’ll go to get revenge…

A deliciously addictive and heart-pounding thriller. Readers of The Housemaid, The Marriage and Gone Girl will be shocked by the endless twists in this unputdownable page-turner.

MY THOUGHTS:

Now this...THIS...is more like it! The first book "The New Nanny" just didn't live up to what I know Liz Davis can do. Everyone was just a little too weird and it just didn't sit right with me. But this is sooooo much better! Others are saying you can't read this one without reading the first but I say you can. While they do go hand in hand, this one is probably so much more better without the first one. You are given all the information you learn from reading the first book but without all the long-winded faffing about. This one is just so much better and is right up there back to Davis' usual tempo and fine calibre.

The dived straight into this upon finishing and reviewing the first book so everything was still fresh in my memory. The only thing you will really get by reading the first book before this one is a vehement hatred for Wyatt. In this book, he turns up and shows his sinister side but you don't get that true evil like you did in the first book. I wanted to see him get his comeuppance as I found him truly evil and I expected to see him under every rock and around every corner, so when he failed to materialise I wondered whether Davis was gaslighting us into believing what he was capable of.

At the end of the first book, Christa gave birth to a baby girl she named Heather, after returning from her harrowing experience in Austria upon discovering that Wyatt wasn't her missing son she believed him to be. However, the bond she developed with him he refused to relinquish firmly believing she was his mother regardless of what the DNA tests revealed. She fled New York in the hope to put as much distance between her and Wyatt but also because of a note that was left in her mailbox. All it had was a name and an address alongside a note which read "what you are looking for is here."

So now Christa finds herself back in Kentucky not far from where she grew up in the cult from which she escaped as a teenager. The name and address she was given lead her to Troy and Harper Wells, but as soon as Christa walks into their home she knows she is looking at a face from her past. Although he goes by another name now, she would know Brett Lawson anywhere...after all they shared a child together. A child she has travelled the world searching for. A child that was ripped from her when she was locked away for being unfit and unstable. When she returned to the community, her baby was gone. A week later, she escaped with the help of Emily whose family delivered groceries to their community a couple of times a week. She owes Emily her life. But she owes Brett Lawson nothing. She is here only to find out where her child is...and then she will leave.

But nothing is as straightforward as it seems. She came to Esterford and garnered the position of nanny to Troy and Harper's seven year old twin girls Ella and Leah. The family dote on her now six month old daughter Heather who she takes with her whilst nannying the twins. She didn't want to but it isn't long before Christa begins to become attached to the girls and her new life with the Wells. Harper and Troy and the perfect couple, so obviously in love. And they go out of their way to help others, sprinkling kindness and compassion in their wake. They almost seem too good to be true if Christa hadn't seen it with her own eyes. And you know what they say - if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is.

And then there is the proverbial fly in the ointment. Wyatt, you may ask? Well, yes. But someone a little closer to home in Esterford in the form of neighbour Madison Baker. She watches Christa from her window daily as she goes to and from the cottage on the lake that the Wells' have made available for her and Heather. Madison is sure Christa is hiding something and is up to no good and she is determined to find out what. Harper is like a sister to her, her soul sister, and she would do anything to protect her. And if that meant uncovering what their new nanny was up to, then so be it.

But like all good domestic and psychological thrillers, every character is hiding something. We know what Christa is hiding and we're with her all the way, but what about everyone else? Is Troy who Christa believes him to be? Is Harper really whiter than white? And as for Madison...what is really her agenda here? And then there is Wyatt. Like a bad smell he lingers in the background refusing to go away. Is he really determined to harass Christa forever? And above all, does Christa find her son?

So many questions...and so many answers are finally given. Including to those left unanswered in the first book. This book is waaaaaay better than the first and I raced through it at breakneck speed almost devouring it in one sitting if not for the pesky need to sleep. I left an hour to go to finish today and I devoured it, irritated by the slightest noise or interruption that took me away from the unfolding events for even a second. It's that addictive! Easily one of her best. Do you have to read the first book? I don't think so. In fact, as I said, I think it reads better without the first book and leaving what happened in Austria just as a backstory of "what came before" kind of thing.

THE NANNY'S CHILD is so addictive, so engaging and so brilliant it is easily one of Davis' best. She orchestrated some classic twists that even I didn't see coming. It's so twisted, so wicked and so creepy your paranoia will be ramped up along with the palpable tension. Could it be improved? The ending maybe a little twee but who cares? It has closure. Everything has come full circle and at last there is an ending. Does it need a third book? Definitely not. Leave well enough alone. It's perfect as it is.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Liz's story began in a refugee camp in Angola, where she spent the first eight years of her life. After that, she spent some years in Namibia (her home country), South Africa, and Germany. Liz wrote her first full-length novel at eighteen and hid it in a box under her bed. Several others soon followed it. Her passion lies in writing edge-of-the-seat psychological thrillers that give readers the same rush they would get on a rollercoaster.

She now lives in Vienna, Austria, with her husband and two children. 

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads

 

REVIEW: The New Nanny by L.G. Davis

The New Nanny (The Lies We Tell #1) by L.G. Davis

Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 7th September 2023

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 11th September 2023

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

A forged reference and a fake social media page is all it takes to convince the Mayers I’m the perfect person to look after their son Wyatt. Some people would be scared to move to a remote mountain village with a family they’ve never met, but it’s exactly where I need to be. Because Wyatt is my child…

My sweet little boy was taken from me. There are dark secrets in my past that will stop me from ever getting Wyatt back, but now I’m his nanny, I’ll finally get to raise him like he’s my own.

When I arrive at the Mayers’ house, I’m stunned by the striking glass family home and Robin and Paul’s lavish lifestyle, which I couldn’t afford in my wildest dreams. But Wyatt seems troubled. Robin claims he needs therapy, she says he barely speaks to her, and soon I realise that he’s rarely allowed to leave the house…

When Wyatt gives me a shy smile and begins to open up, it’s clear he needed me just as much as I needed him. We’re making up for the time we lost with long afternoons playing games and baking apple pie.

Everything finally seems perfect in my life. Until I find out what happened to his last nanny…

An utterly heart-pounding and nail-biting read that will have you racing through the pages. Perfect for fans of The Marriage, The Housemaid and The Family Upstairs.

MY THOUGHTS:

"People say that revenge is a dish best enjoyed cold, but I prefer to serve mine piping hot."

Having enjoyed the last four books by Liz, I was thrilled to receive this new one and its sequel. But I don't know if it was just me (with a few things going on RL) that this one didn't quite enamour me as the others. It was still a thrilling read, chilling even in parts, and it left you feeling "what the heck have I just read?" I think I found the characters hard to connect to also which does make a story difficult.

We meet Christa as she lands in Austria to take up a nanny/housekeeper position with the Mayers at their luxurious villa. The family may be impossibly wealthy with everything they could ever want but they are emotionally distant, neglecting their their 15 year old adoptive son Wyatt. But for Christa, he is the very reason she took this job.

When she was just 17 years old, Christa had a baby boy who was then wrenched away from her and adopted out. By chance she came across Wyatt after searching for her little boy and was determined to be in his life. She fakes her experience and talks herself up to get the job and thus accompanies the family to Austria for the summer. It isn't long before Christa sees how the family behaves around Wyatt and how he reacts to their presence. And it breaks her heart. And so she befriends the boy, determined to look out for him as his parents obviously don't.

But when Christa wants to take Wyatt out of the villa to experience life beyond it, Robin vehemently forbids it. Wyatt has everything he needs in the villa; he doesn't need to leave. Over games of chess and board games, Christa bonds with Wyatt and before long she ignores Robin's strict rules forbidding him to leave. He is like a different boy out in the village and when he is with the horses he begged her to take him to see. It seems it is only in Robin and Paul's company is he silent and withdrawn. And Christa finds herself wondering why that is...

Then she meets James on one of her outings who tells her about the previous nanny that worked for the Mayers seven years before. She disappeared without a trace and was never heard from again. Rumours are rife in the village, and the reason why Robin doesn't venture out herself. But after a little digging of her own, Christa wonders if she hasn't unknowingly walked into a trap. Filled with secrets and deception, the manipulative Mayer family have lured Christa into their web...but is it too late to make her escape? Before it's too late? And what will it mean for Wyatt? She can't leave him behind.

The tale is compelling and fast paced but I felt it was lacking something of Davis' other thrillers. What that is, I'm not sure, but it is something. However, the pages are still filled to the brim with dark secrets, twisted lies, deadly deceptions and shocking twists. Basically, assume nothing. I have to wonder where the second one "The Nanny's Child" will take us.

A twisted psychological suspense thriller about motherhood, obsession and dark dark secrets.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Liz's story began in a refugee camp in Angola, where she spent the first eight years of her life. After that, she spent some years in Namibia (her home country), South Africa, and Germany. Liz wrote her first full-length novel at eighteen and hid it in a box under her bed. Several others soon followed it. Her passion lies in writing edge-of-the-seat psychological thrillers that give readers the same rush they would get on a rollercoaster.

She now lives in Vienna, Austria, with her husband and two children. 

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads

 

REVIEW: The Missing Widow by L.G. Davis

The Missing Widow by L.G. Davis

Genre: Domestic thriller, Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 14th October 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 18th October 2022

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

I thought we would be safe here. But I was wrong.

My son Clark and I live in a beautiful cabin outside a rural town, somewhere nobody will find us. I could not have found a more perfect place to start over, shielded by the trees and far away from prying eyes. But when I find a newspaper clipping on my porch, it drives fear into my bones. Widow wanted for murder screams the headline. And that’s my face in the picture, circled with red marker. I look out into the forest, but I can’t see anyone. How did they find me? And what do they want?

I don’t know where to run next, or how to make sure my son is safe. And deep down I know the only way I can finally be free is to find out what really happened that night a year ago, when my dear husband Brett died.

I’m sure I didn’t kill him… did I? But that night is a blur, and as I try to prove my innocence, the dark secrets I uncover force me to question everything I believed. The people I trusted most are not who I thought they were. And the person who is coming for me is very close to home…

An utterly heart-pounding and twisty psychological thriller that will keep you up all night. Perfect for fans of Gone Girl, Behind Closed Doors and The Girl on the Train.

Previously published under the title The Widow's Cabin.

MY THOUGHTS:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for L.G. Davis' tense domestic thriller THE MISSING WIDOW.

"I thought we would be safe here. But I was wrong..."

Liz Davis stormed her way to my attention just a couple of months ago and since then I have read four tense and exciting thrillers penned by her. I love her ability to enthrall you with her prose, reeling you in and before you know it it's late, dinner is burnt and hubby is hungry. Well, maybe not the burnt dinner bit but you do tend to get caught up in the story and not want to put it down until the end. Unfortunately, real life has a habit of getting in the way as it did this time and took me far longer than usual to finish it. While I'm not sure it is quite as enthralling as the previous ones I've devoured, it is still a compelling and intriguing read with an explosive ending.

We meet Meghan, happily married to Brett of the Black Oyster Luxury Hotel empire created by his philanthropic father Cole Wilton. He is charming and wealthy and Meghan fell head over heels for him almost at once. Their whirlwind romance ended in their wedding six months later. But there is a fly in the ointment in that Brett's parents - Cole and Nora - refuse to accept Meghan and the relationship between the in laws is strained to say the least.

Five years and a beautiful son later, Meghan and Brett are enduring the worst possible battle. Brett has stomach cancer and refuses treatment, and without it he only has months to live. Meghan can't believe why he won't accept chemo but he is adamant. But he has a plan. And when the time comes, he asks her a favour she couldn't possibly fulfill: he wants her to help him die. But she can't; she won't.

Distressed at being faced with the dilemma of watching him suffer and helping him die, Meghan leaves the house in tears. She left Brett alive, though in obvious pain, but hours later when she returns he is dead. The syringe she drew up earlier but couldn't follow through, lays discarded on the floor...empty. Did Brett somehow muster enough strength to administer the fatal dose himself? Or did someone else come to his aid?

As soon as his death is discovered, his parents immediately turn and point the finger at her, adamant that she killed him for his money. And so begins the story of this widow on the run, taking Ashton with her to start a new life away from the one they knew before. She ends up in a small town called Willow Creek, complete with new identities - Zoe and Clark. 

A year later, she may have a new life, but her past is never far away. She is constantly look over her shoulder and doing everything to keep her son safe. And then one day, her face is on the news alongside the allegations that she murdered her husband before fleeing with their son. All at once, Meghan/Zoe knows her days are numbered. But she knows she didn't kill Brett, did she? The night she ran to escape his pleas is a blur and she isn't sure of what she's guilty anymore. But one thing she does know that is to prove her innocence, Meghan/Zoe must find out the truth of what really happened...but in the process she uncovers the dark secrets that threaten to destroy everything she thought she knew. And she learns the horrible truth that people she trusted are not who she thought they were.

And there is someone very close to home that is coming for her...

THE MISSING WIDOW was certainly different from what I expected, which I thought was going to be the usual did-she-didn't-she plot judging by the premise. But it's so much more than that. Admittedly, it took me a while to get into it as I had a lot of personal stuff going on making concentration difficult, but I was pleased to discover it did pick up nearer the end and it was a real race to uncover the truth that turned into a cat and mouse game which ramped up the tension.

There were a few niggles I found though. What happened to Luke? He was terrorising her for so long and then suddenly...nothing. And why was he terrorising her? If there was a legitimate reason, it wasn't really revealed. And the police officer, Roland, who showed an interest in Zoe. There was something of an innuendo regarding him but I failed to actually believe it given how it was revealed and without anything to back it up. He just sort of disappeared also. 

And the ending...I mean the final twist at the very end. I'm not sure I like it as I thought the story would have sufficed perfectly well as it was before that point. BUT (...I say this because this is Liz Davis we're talking about...) I know she loves to add that extra twist right at the very end to leave readers thinking what will happen from here? Every book of hers I've read has ended on something of a cliffhanger and this one is no different. I'm not sure I liked it, but I'm processing it even as I write, so maybe it's a brilliant end after all? Like I said, it is Liz Davis.

THE MISSING WIDOW is certainly an exciting domestic thriller that readers will find difficult to put down, even if you do have to suspend belief at times...but then again, that's the beauty of reading. Nothing is real and everything is relative. Another compelling and explosive read by this exciting author.

I would like to thank #LGDavis, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheMissingWidow in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Liz's story began in a refugee camp in Angola, where she spent the first eight years of her life. After that, she spent some years in Namibia (her home country), South Africa, and Germany. Liz wrote her first full-length novel at eighteen and hid it in a box under her bed. Several others soon followed it. Her passion lies in writing edge-of-the-seat psychological thrillers that give readers the same rush they would get on a rollercoaster.

She now lives in Vienna, Austria, with her husband and two children. 

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads

REVIEW: My Husband's Secret by L.G. Davis

My Husband's Secret by L.G. Davis

Genre: Domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 17th September 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 16th September 2022

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

I thought I knew my husband. I was wrong...

I have the perfect life: a loving marriage, and an adorable little daughter, Mia, who is always full of smiles. But when my husband Keith is hit by a car, my whole world is turned upside down. With my heart breaking in his cold white hospital room, I hold his hand and tell him how much I love him. Then just as Keith slips into a coma, I hear him say four words that change everything: I took a life.

Mia and I move into my childhood home with my parents for support, and I spend hours by Keith’s hospital bedside, willing him to wake up. I keep his last words to myself; I cannot believe my gentle husband would hurt anyone. But as I search through his belongings, it becomes clear that he was hiding something.

And when I discover a note in my parents’ attic, my breath catches in my throat. My husband is not the only one in my family with a dark secret, and I’m beginning to think what happened to him was far from an accident…

But just as I get closer to the truth, my daughter goes missing. I’ll do whatever it takes to save my child. But I soon realize I was wrong about everyone I thought I could trust…

Totally gripping and unputdownable domestic suspense about family secrets and lies. Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Diane Chamberlain.

MY THOUGHTS:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for L.G. Davis' tense domestic thriller MY HUSBAND'S SECRET.

I have only recently discovered L.G. Davis in just the past couple of months, having devoured two of her previous thrillers "Liar Liar" and "Perfect Parents" (previously titled "The Surrogate's Gift"). Both were intricately twisted, a little out there with a propensity to suspend belief...but were also equally addictive, compelling and totally unputdownable. I don't care if they are a little far fetched, as long as the story is engaging and keeps me turning the pages. And that goes for MY HUSBAND'S SECRET as well. After reading and loving all three of these domestic thrillers, I have to wonder where L.G. Davis has been hiding. She is a new-to-me author only a couple of months ago but she is one that I quickly go to and know I am going to be thoroughly entertained from start to finish as I try to guess the identity of her villain.

We meet Avery Watkins within the first pages as she runs a massage parlour with her best friend Celeste in the comfortable Willow Gate. Their business has been open a year and they are about to hire more masseuses to keep up with the thriving business and their newly acquired receptionist (former client) is a God-send.

And then Avery gets a call from the school at which her 7 year old daughter Mia attends to say that she has not been picked up. Avery is confused as her husband Keith was supposed to collect Mia some time ago but calls to his mobile go unanswered by both the school and Avery. Upon arriving home with Mia, Avery is then confronted with the sight of a waiting police care. This could not be good. Keith had been involved in an accident having been knocked off his bike with the driver then fleeing the scene. Avery is beside herself. After leaving Mia with Celeste, she rushes to the hospital to find her husband in a critical condition having undergone hours of surgery. She remains by his bedside and when he finally awakes, he struggles to speak managing only to whisper the words "I took a life" before slipping into a coma.

Avery is shocked. This cannot be true. Her husband is the kindest, gentlest and most honest person she knows. He is her best friend. She would know if he was hiding something like this...wouldn't she?

Calling on the support of her family, Avery moves back into her childhood home with Mia while she makes the daily journey to the hospital some forty minutes away. But she has never had a good relationship with either of her parents - her mother suffering bad bouts of anxiety and depression and her father is an alcoholic. Neither of them particularly present during her childhood. Their neighbour, Ruth, was Avery's only shining light. She was more of a mother to Avery than her own parents had been and is also Mia's godmother.

Avery juggles her time between ferrying Mia to school and at the hospital, leaving the business in Celeste's capable hands. But with each visit she sees no change in her husband and begins to wonder if he will ever wake up and explain the meaning of his last words. But the doctors assure her is coma gives him the best possible chance as he had sustained a serious head injury. So all she can do is hope.

In the meantime, she begins to do a little snooping to try and make sense of those words. Both she an Keith have kept a journal as a way of making sense of their thoughts and emotions but when she goes back to their empty house to search for it, it's gone. And Avery knows it was there when she packed some items for Keith for the hospital. So where is it? And then there is the added mood back with her parents. Something is amiss and it soon becomes very clear that they are keeping something from her. But what, she doesn't know. 

The one shining light, aside from Ruth's unwavering support, is Mia's new teaching assistant at her school, Miss Campbell. Mia adores her and her presence has had a calming effect on her otherwise confused and emotional daughter. At the end of each day, Mia is full of excitement at the things Miss Campbell got her to do and the special projects she has assigned her. Avery is grateful that Mia can at least find solace there in an otherwise uncertain situation in which Avery finds herself now. 

What is the secret her husband has been keeping? And what happened to the money that has miraculously disappeared from their joint bank account? Who would hate her husband enough to run him down so callously and then flee the scene without calling for help? And what secrets are her parents keeping from her? 

Amidst the tense narrative told predominantly from Avery's perspective, we also have an anonymous one in the form of "The Watcher" who keeping tabs and watching Avery's every move and with particular interest in Mia, believing Avery to be self-absorbed and neglectful of her little girl. Trying to guess the identity of The Watcher is fraught with possibilities, red herrings and plenty of tension. I had a couple of suspects throughout narrowing it down to one by the end thanks to the little clues the author drip-fed us.

MY HUSBAND'S SECRET is an edge-of-your-seat read that keeps you engaged and entertained the entire way through. It doesn't matter how believeable or probable the story is...it's the ride and entertainment factor I enjoy. Some of it may be far fetched but that is one thing I have come to expect from L.G. Davis and it matters little to me because of the compelling nature of of her tales that are fraught with so much tension I simply don't want to put them down. And even though I was in something of a reading slump (due to some devastating personal news), I still managed to read this book in one day.

A totally twisted read is nothing if not exactly what I expect from this author who delivers such tense and addictive domestic thrillers with something of a sting in the tail at the end of each one. Every ending is climatic and every final word a cliffhanger. Each one of her thrillers I have read to date have left readers with something of an open ending. Something I don't usually like, but L.G. Davis delivers it perfectly and satisfactorily. She is one of my new go-to authors as I know I will never be disappointed with whatever twisted tale she has to offer...I just know I will enjoy it anyway.

I would like to thank #LGDavis, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #MyHusbandsSecret in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Liz's story began in a refugee camp in Angola, where she spent the first eight years of her life. After that, she spent some years in Namibia (her home country), South Africa, and Germany. Liz wrote her first full-length novel at eighteen and hid it in a box under her bed. Several others soon followed it. Her passion lies in writing edge-of-the-seat psychological thrillers that give readers the same rush they would get on a rollercoaster.

She now lives in Vienna, Austria, with her husband and two children. 

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads

REVIEW: Perfect Parents by L.G. Davis

Perfect Parents (formerly "The Surrgoate's Gift") by L.G. Davis

Genre: Domestic suspense

Read: 13th August 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 19th August 2022

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

I gave them my baby… but can I trust them? 

Giving away my child is the hardest decision I have ever had to make. But when I move into the Thorpes’ stunning home so they can support me through the pregnancy, it seems like they are everything I could have hoped for. They cook me delicious, healthy meals and make sure I’m getting the best medical care. They never question my background, or why I am giving them my child.

But before long, I begin to wonder if something is very wrong with the Thorpes. I try to ignore how Travis lets his hand linger on mine for a little too long, and how Marcia comes to check on me during the night. I tell myself that when they control and monitor my movements, it’s just because they care. 

Keeping my baby safe and making sure they are going to the perfect family means everything to me. But when a threatening note turns up outside my door and I begin to unravel the Thorpes’ secrets, I realise I may not make it out of here alive.

After everything I’ve been through, I’m not going to give up without a fight. And I’ll do anything to keep my baby safe…

A heart-pounding and totally gripping read that will have you glued to the pages late into the night. Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, I Am Watching You and Shari Lapena.

*This book was previously published as The Surrogate's Gift.

MY THOUGHTS:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for L.G. Davis' tense domestic suspense tale PERFECT PARENTS (formerly known as "The Surrogate's Gift").

This is just the second book I've read by L.G. Davis and I quite like her easy style of domestic suspense. It doesn't matter if they are sometimes predictable as it's the thrill of the ride I enjoy most. And yet while you may think what direction the story is going in BAM! then you are hit with a twist that changes everything. That's kind of how it was with PERFECT PARENTS. I thought I knew in which direction it was headed...and I was partly right. But it was the driver that fooled me.

The story opens with an explosive prologue that leaves the reader wondering in what direction we are going with this...and then we meet Grace. She's a woman who feels she needs to make amends for the mistakes of her past and the losses which she now bears. It's her heartache and her guilt which leads her to a momentous decision - to become a surrogate. She has just one condition - they must be happy and able to provide the child with a stable environment. 

After relentless searching, Grace decides the lucky couple will be Marcia and Travis Thorpe after befriending Marcia in an online forum then meeting her and thus making her decision. The Thorpes have been married for several years but remain childless whilst it is Marcia's greatest wish to become a mother. And Grace, through selfless divinity, wants to give them that gift.

But why? That is the question the reader asks themselves throughout half of the book. It's not until we get about halfway through that the reason becomes clear and then we understand, but Grace declines any monetary compensation when she clearly has barely a cent to her name. She says she isn't doing it for the money so why is she? And then there are the Thorpes, when after Grace is successfully declared pregnant, offer their guesthouse on the grounds of their vast property for the duration of the pregnancy. This solves numerous problems Grace has and she gratefully accepts. But...are the Thorpes as kind as they seem?

It soon becomes clear Grace feels she has made an error of judgement but it's too late as she has no place to return to - no house, no money and no one to go to (except for Sydney who already has a busy home/family life). She feels stifled with no room to breathe as the Thorpes continually pop up offering platitudes, help and annoyingly touching her pregnant belly. Invasion of personal space MUCH! It doesn't matter that the space belongs to the Thorpes, it is Grace's for the duration. 

And then she meets Clayton, who runs the local coffee shop in he small town. Without wanting to, Grace lets her guard down with him and for the first time in a long time, is able to be herself. Throughout the ensuing months, he becomes her saving grace (pun intended).

The twist, when it comes, is unexpected, twisted and delicious. It is so disturbing and paranoid and completely senseless but it is so good. I said the story doesn't have to brilliant or unpredictable...it just have to give me a good ride for the duration...and it did. And then, that ending. Those final words... A clever touch. Leave readers guessing but looking over their shoulders. 

Despite my thorough enjoyment of this twisted little tale, there was a couple of random things that just came out of left field which was just senseless with no real explanation. Really, if you don't want know the gender of the baby, why would you paint the exterior of your house pink? And purchase various items in hues of pink. And the behaviour of the Thorpes throughout was completely suspect. They were truly a weird couple, I wonder why Grace didn't pick up on that before making her lifechanging decision. And despite me feeling as though they were suspect, what did the rest of the town have against them? It seemed everyone spoke in whispers about Grace being their surrogate and they didn't seem to agree with the whole idea. Why? That was  never really explained.

By the end of the book, although I enjoyed the ride I was taken on, the whole thing just felt so incredibly sad. It's not a thriller, more of a suspense, but it just feels so so sad.

The story unfolds through Grace's narrative throughout in both the past and present, revealing just enough at the right time. And it is just so tragic. And I guess when the truth of her past is revealed, the reader can understand why Grace chose to become a surrogate without ever having being pregnant before. It truly was meant to be a selfless gift and yet its truth is just so incredibly sad.

Although the title has been changed to PERFECT PARENTS, I do feel the previous one "The Surrogate's Gift" is far more apt. Because it is essentially about Grace's gift to a childless couple as well as the weirdness of the so-called "perfect parents".

PERFECT PARENTS is not really what I was expecting, though I wasn't sure what I expected, but it was an enjoyable and addictive read that may be a tad far fetched but a thrilling ride that is deliciously twisted all the same. It doesn't have to make sense nor does it have to believable. It just has to be enjoyable. And it was.

Although I have only read two tales of domestic suspense by L.G. Davis I actually quite like her simple yet complex style. I look forward to reading more from her and expect they will be just as twisted, addictive and even a little far fetched (maybe?). But I don't care. As long as they are entertaining and keep me engaged throughout.

I would like to thank #LGDavis, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #PerfectParents in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Liz's story began in a refugee camp in Angola, where she spent the first eight years of her life. After that, she spent some years in Namibia (her home country), South Africa, and Germany. Liz wrote her first full-length novel at eighteen and hid it in a box under her bed. Several others soon followed it. Her passion lies in writing edge-of-the-seat psychological thrillers that give readers the same rush they would get on a rollercoaster.

She now lives in Vienna, Austria, with her husband and two children. 

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads