REVIEW: Stolen by Tess Stimson

Stolen by Tess Stimson

Genre: Domestic thriller, Psychological thriller, Suspense, Mystery

Read: 31st July 2021

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US

Published: 5th August 2021

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

You thought she was safe. You were wrong…

Alex knows her daughter would never wander off in a strange place. So when her three-year-old vanishes from an idyllic beach wedding, Alex immediately believes the worst.

The hunt for Lottie quickly becomes a world-wide search, but it’s not long before suspicion falls on her mother. Why wasn’t she watching Lottie? 

Alex knows she’s not perfect, but she loves her child. And with all eyes on her, Alex fears they’ll never uncover the truth unless she takes matters into her own hands.

Who took Lottie Martini? And will she ever come home?

MY REVIEW:

There is nothing like a missing child thriller to get your heart pumping in the race to, not only find them, but uncover the truth behind their disappearance. But STOLEN is not your usual missing child trope. It goes beyond that and delves a little deeper to highlight the missives that accompany such a tragedy. Like media attention and how quickly it can turn from support to judgement...just as it did for the McCanns in the wake of Madeleine's disappearance and for Karen Matthews after it was discovered she had engineered her daughter's disappearance for money and publicity. The media is cruel, it is harsh and it has the power to sway public opinion in the blink of an eye.

But let's go back to the beginning...to where Alex's world came crashing down on a Florida beach. To where the story begins on a plane, thousands of feet in the air between London and their Floridian destination. 

Human rights lawyer Alexa Martini is a career woman and that didn't change when discovered she was pregnant. Intending on a termination, she tells boyfriend Luca who immediately proposes and they wed before the imminent arrival of their baby daughter who came into the world kicking and screaming with a scowl on her face. Alex always said her daughter was born angry and willful...and not much has changed in the three years since then. 

Charlotte Perpetua Martini - "daddy said I have to a Catholic name so mummy googled saints and picked the worst one she could find" - may look angelic with her halo of blonde ringlet curls but she is the most stubborn and willful child who doesn't actually come across as a three year old would. Bar her tantrums. Those are epic. Particularly the one on the plane that had everyone watching how her mother would handle it before dropping to the floor and playing dead, leaving onlookers to fear the worst. Until Alex gave her an ultimatum that had her recover quick smart. The terrible twos? I did not envy Alex the teenage years, that's for sure.

So Alex and Lottie are on their way from London to Florida for her best friend Marc's beachside wedding to the somewhat aloof Sian. Lottie was to be one of the four flower girls for the event and Alex feared her daughter's unpredictable behaviour may not last the duration, turning the happy event into something of a disaster. That is to say, she was not optimistic. However, Lottie surprised her by behaving not only for the rehearsal but also for the ceremony as she was preceded the gushing bride along the beachfront spreading rose petals in her wake. Alex was seated four rows behind her daughter and glimpsed her throughout as she kicked her chubby legs on the gilted chair in the sand. Alex suspected she had already discarded her ballet slippers as Lottie loathed shoes. 

When the ceremony was over, the bridal party along with their gaggle of tiny bridesmaid flower girls preceded the rest of the guests from the beachfront and through the gates into the private function area in the courtyard reserved for the event. Alex caught glimpses of her daughter's halo of blonde curls already escaping her plait in her pink dress as she immediately made her way to the buffet. Alex had no doubt that Lottie would help herself to seconds and thirds throughout the evening as well as the ice cream that was also on offer. With one eye on the flashes of pink hovering near the buffet, Alex settled in to enjoy the evening with her friends secure in the knowledge that she could still see her daughter lingering in the crowd.

It was only later, after she returned from an impromptu assignation on the beach, that she realised Lottie was missing.

Frantic with worry, Alex scoured the venue asking the other guests if they had seen her daughter. Soon everyone has joined the search and police are called. And it was soon ascertained that the little girl Alex had thought was her daughter by the buffet was in fact another of the little bridesmaids and that Lottie had not been seen since the ceremony...four hours before. And it doesn't take long for the focus to turn on Alex.

Alex has not had an easy relationship with her truculent daughter, particularly since the death of her ex-husband Luca who doted on Lottie. Not maternal by nature, Alex was left to raise Lottie alone whilst juggling a busy and demanding career as a human rights lawyer and she never seemed to have enough time, patience or energy to deal with her difficult daughter. Is it any wonder that she never thought herself a good mother? And is it any wonder that in the wake of Lottie's disappearance that the focus of the police investigation turns to Alex, believing her to be responsible in some way? 

But with Lottie's disappearance comes a rude awakening. Alex discovers a maternal love so strong for her daughter, that surprises even herself, that she will do whatever it takes to find her. 

The hours turn into days then into weeks and before long it's been nearly two months since her daughter's disappearance and still no further leads. Grief stricken and lost, Alex returns to England without her daughter but fueled by a strong determination to continue her search for Lottie for as long as it takes.

STOLEN is not your usual missing child story. And Lottie is not the smiling poster child for missing children. She is not int he least bit angelic but is a strong willed, belligerent and overweight three year old who her mother knows would kick up a huge fuss screaming blue murder should a stranger try to snatch her. Luca always joked that if anyone kidnapped Lottie they would be in a hurry to bring her back, such was the truculent nature of their daughter. But someone did take Lottie...and they have not brought her back.

A compelling picture is painted of what it is like to be the parent of a missing child who may never be found. Alex's pain, anguish and guilt doesn't diminish over time to the point her mental health begins to suffer. While some mothers receive sympathy from the media, others don't and much like the McCanns Alex finds herself judged for being the less than perfect mother and her behaviour both past and present. She is criticised by the media as well as the public as her entire life is put on display and the search for Lottie becomes a political handball against race and class.

The story is told predominantly in the narratives Alex and Quinn, an investigative journalist initially sent to cover the disappearance who becomes Alex's greatest ally in her quest for the truth. There is also the inclusion of an anonymous narrative in the lead-up and in the wake of Lottie's disappearance and the question of their involvement. These narratives are cleverly woven together over the ensuing years in the search for Lottie. It makes for an emotional read as we sympathise with Alex and the lengths to which she goes as we too try to piece together what may have happened to Lottie.

And then...there's the ending. Whilst we had several red herrings thrown our way, the anti-climatic elements I found to be overly dramatic and really didn't tie in with the rest of the plot made for a somewhat disappointing conclusion. There was even an aspect I found to be in somewhat poor taste of what is essentially an ever-growing tragedy in many families today, that was thrown in as what? An excuse? I didn't see it coming because it was so off-kilter and terribly implausible that it was something of a slap in the face to what is essentially a distressing thing to happen to anyone.

However, overall, STOLEN is a well-written thoughtful tale that highlights the impact of missing children on the families and the difficulties in moving on when there is no real closure as to what actually happened to their children. STOLEN is more than just about  the abduction of a child. It's about the devastation, the loss, the heartache, the families, the forgiveness, the strength and the resilience...the power of a mother's love and the strength to move on.

This is my third Tess Stimson with her previous two thrillers - "Picture of Innocence" (aka "The Mother" and "A Mother's Secret") and "One in Three" - 5 star reads that WOWed me to the core. STOLEN is a fast paced thrill ride in some aspects though it did dip a little along the way but I didn't find it quite as thrilling as her previous two. It is still an intriguing read that captures your attention but it didn't WOW me.

Still, I look forward to what Tess Stimson has in store for us next!

Perfect for fans of domestic thrillers with a twist.

I would like to thank #TessStimson, #Netgalley, #RachelsRandomResources and #AvonBooks for an ARC of #Stolen in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Tess Stimson was born in Surrey, in the south of England, and read English at Oxford University. Upon graduating she joined ITN as a news producer, reporting and producing regional and world stories, travelling to hotspots and war-zones all over the globe, before leaving bullets behind to become a full-time writer.

Since then, she's written more than a dozen novels, numerous short stories, and two non-fiction books, which have been published internationally and translated into more than twenty languages.

In recent years, Tess has moved away from writing women’s fiction and towards darker psychological thrillers, which seem to suit her personality better. As well as writing fiction she continues to work as a journalist, and also teach reporting for media and creative writing at a university in the North-Eastern US.​

Tess live in Vermont with her husband, and am visited intermittently by her three grown-up children whenever they need their laundry done.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: When the Dead Speak by Sheila Bugler

When the Dead Speak (Eastbourne Murder Mystery #2) by Sheila Bugler

Genre: Crime fiction

Read: 2nd July 2021

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Amazon

Published: 9th July 2021

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Secrets can be fatal. But so can the truth.

When the murdered body of Lauren Shaw is discovered laid out on the altar of St Mary the Virgin church in Eastbourne it sends a chill to the core of those who have lived in the area for a long time. They remember another woman, also young and pretty, whose slain corpse was placed in the same spot 60 years ago.

Dee Doran is as intrigued as the rest but focused on her investigation of the whereabouts of a missing person from the Polish community. The police weren’t interested but Dee’s journalistic instincts tell her something is amiss.

But as she starts asking questions Dee finds the answers all point to the same conclusion - someone is keeping secrets and they will do whatever it takes to keep them safe.

A chilling and gripping crime thriller that fans of Fiona Barton and Alex Marwood will love.

MY REVIEW:

I don't know what I expected from this book but I was pleasantly surprised. WHEN THE DEAD SPEAK is the second in the Eastbourne series featuring investigative journalist Dee Doran and her detective boyfriend Ed Mitchell. Of course I wasn't aware of it being part of a series when I selected it, but that doesn't matter because the story suffices perfectly as a standalone. There are a few references to the previous book but nothing to lose the reader as to its direction. It is essentially a gripping whodunnit with a thoroughly entertaining plot.

When the body of Lauren Shaw is discovered laid out on the altar of St Mary the Virgin Church in Eastbourne town, Detective Ed Mitchell is called to the scene immediately. But not for the reason he expects. As soon as he enters the church, he knows that he must recuse himself of the investigation leaving his partner Rachel Lewis as SIO in his place. The scene before him has chills running through him as memories of his grandmother haunt him. And only two people knew the secret of his grandmother...one of them is standing beside him. The other is sprawled out on the church's altar.

Sixty years ago an identical murder took place in this town. Eighteen year old Mary Palmer's body was also found laid out on the altar of the same church on 5th March 1960, with the same wounds as those of Lauren. Not only that...the two women were related. Mary would have been Lauren's cousin, related through her grandmother Annabelle Shaw nee Palmer. And now the two women were murdered in the exact same way sixty years apart. Ed knows this cannot be a coincidence.

When Ed left her house this morning after she blurted out that he should move in with her, Dee knew something was different about this call-out. Rachel had just said there was something he needed to see instead of tasking him with an investigation. And then her cousin, also a journalist, Louise alerts her to the murder and its similarities to a sixty year old one. This, of course, piques her interest and despite being involved in her own investigation into the disappearance of a young Polish woman Joana Helinski, Dee can't help but wonder how the two murders relate to Ed. She waits for him to enlighten her but when he doesn't she not only becomes suspicious but angry that he doesn't trust her enough to confide in her, particularly after her disastrous marriage to the adulterous Billy.

Instead Dee continues in her investigation into Joana's disappearance whose last known whereabouts was the illustrious Aldrington Hotel to meet a gentleman some five weeks ago. She hasn't been seen or heard from since and her best friend Eliza is increasingly worried about her. But the deeper Dee delves, the more she is convinced that Joana's disappearance and Lauren's murder are linked. The two women knew each other. Lauren worked at the Aldrington, while Joana frequented there with male guests and they were also both regulars at a pub patronised by the Polish community.

When Dee shares her thoughts with Ed he is quick to disagree. While she is certain Joana and Lauren's cases are linked, he believes that Lauren's murder goes way back to Mary Palmer's six decades ago. And when she tries to get him to confide in her, he shuts down. What is it that he is keeping from her?

And then Louise calls her with the news that her paper is going to run an exclusive the following day which ties Ed to Mary Palmer's murder sixty years ago in the form of his uncle who was thought to be her murderer and in which his family had been ostracised and bullied for many years after. Ed is sure Lauren had discovered something that shone a light on who was really responsible and that was why she was killed. But could it be that both Joana and Mary's cases were tied to Lauren's murder?

WHEN THE DEAD SPEAK is a cleverly written whodunnit in a style reminiscent of Agatha Christie. But with a simple plotline and various subplots throughout there are plenty of further twists to keep the reader guessing from beginning to end. Just when you think you know who is responsible, Bugler throws us another curve to distract us. Although the plot is complex, the story is fairly simplistic in nature. There's just plenty of red herrings thrown in along the way.

I love the simplistic storytelling through the third person narrative of mainly Dee but often Ed and Louise as well. The inclusion of Emma Reed's  diary excerpts from sixty years ago up until her death eighteen years later is a clever addition that brings life to the Mary Palmer aspect and a voice to the mother of man accused of murdering her. And then I loved how it is all cleverly woven together with the present story.

I honestly have plenty of series to keep me occupied and I wasn't going to add yet another to my list, but after reading WHEN THE DEAD SPEAK I feel I am now going to have to seek out the first book and follow any subsequent ones and add them to my ever growing TBR list.

A delightful read, WHEN THE DEAD SPEAK is crime fiction at its best. Part cosy part thriller, this book is simple in its "complexities" with straight forward plot that is as intriguing as it is clever. My only complaint is Dee's dismissal at the very end of the book which I found to be a tad unfair as well as her high expectations all round concerning Ed and those of Ella and Jake. 

Overall, a fun quick read that can be read in one sitting. Perfect for crime fiction fans of Joy Ellis, Daisy White and J.R. Ellis.

I would like to thank #SheilaBugler, #Netgalley and #Canelo for an ARC of #WhenTheDeadSpeak in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sheila Bugler grew up in the west of Ireland. After studying Psychology at University College Galway, she left Ireland and worked in Italy, Spain, Germany, Holland and Argentina before finally settling in London, where she lives with her husband Sean, and their children, Luke and Ruby.

In 2008, she was one of four writers to be offered a place on the Arts Council-funded Apprenticeships in Fiction programme - a mentoring scheme designed to nurture emerging writers in the UK and Ireland.

When not writing, Sheila works as an online editor and writer and is also a regular contributor to the writing magazine Words With Jam. She is also a regular guest on BBC Radion Sussex.

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Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: A Village Murder by Frances Evesham

A Village Murder (A Ham Hill Murder Mystery #1) by Frances Evesham

Genre: Crime fiction, Cosy Mysteries

Read: 17th March 2021

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Amazon

Published: 23rd June 2020

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

An English village can be deadly, when your past catches up with you...

In the beautiful rural Somerset village of Lower Hembrow, crammed full with English eccentrics, something is amiss...

Landscape gardener Imogen Bishop has spent the last thirty years trying to forget one fateful school night but when her estranged husband Greg Bishop is found dead in the grounds of her fathers' Georgian hotel, danger threatens to overwhelm her.

Retired police officer Adam Hennessey, hoping for a peaceful life running his traditional Somerset country pub, finds himself drawn into the unfolding drama in the hotel across the road.

Imogen, Adam and Harley the stray dog form an unlikely partnership as they try to untangle a knot of secrets, solve a murder mystery, and bring a killer to justice.

A brand new cosy mystery series from the bestselling author of Murder at the Lighthouse, perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Betty Rowlands and Joy Ellis.

MY REVIEW:

Welcome to Lower Hembrow, a rural village nestled in rolling hills of Somerset. A hidden gem often bypassed en route to more sought after destinations like Devon and Cornwall. The village is filled with winding lanes, rolling hills and quaint little chocolate box houses as well as the resident eccentrics and busybodies. But as charming and as picturesque as Lower Hembrow is, something is amiss. And soon secrets will come bubbling to the surface.

Local businessman and councillor, Horace Jones, has died as a result of a car accident. His landscape gardener daughter Imogen has returned to the village she grew up in for his funeral and to decide what to do about the Georgian hotel her father owned that she has now inherited. But returning to Lower Hembrow brings with it a whole deluge of memories she has spent that last 30 years trying to forget. Taking over the Streamside Hotel was never part of the plan but having recently split up with her husband and selling the flat they shared has left Imogen at a bit of a loose end. But all that is about to change when a body is discovered in the Orangery in the hotel's gardens.

Retired police detective Adam Hennessey, a former DCI, had come to Lower Hembrow for a quiet life. Leaving his police life back in Birmingham, Adam bought The Plough pub - across the road from the Streamside Hotel - and was looking forward to spending his retirement quietly running his pub and painting landscapes. And then Adam's quiet life was disrupted by the sudden and exuberant entrance of a stray dog that has chosen to lay his head, and his paws, at Adam's feet. Knowing nothing about dogs, for he'd always been a cat person, Adam found the young dog to be something of a hurricane...albeit a lovable one. But despite his police background, Adam never imagined to be investigating a murder but upon discovering the body of of Imogen's estranged husband Greg Bishop, his detective nose starts twitching and he soon finds he is unable to resist getting involved. 

Imogen, Adam and Harley the dog join forces in an unlikely partnership as they attempt to untangle the knot of secrets to uncover the murderer and clear Imogen's name, as the police seem to think she's the most likely suspect with the most to gain from his demise. Throughout their investigations, Imogen learns a lot about her father, her estranged husband and their nefarious activities. Shocked at their discoveries, Imogen also reconnects with old friends from school that she hasn't seen since leaving three decades ago. But as they follow the trail leading them back 30 odd years into Imogen's past, will they be successful in their quest for the truth or will the killer evade justice?

I love the handful of characters in this delightful cosy mystery. I especially loved Adam and his quirky features, and of course the delightful Harley. Who doesn't love a book where the dog takes centre stage? My only concern on that front would be that something happens to the dog...and in my opinion, that can never happen. Kill off whoever else you want BUT LEAVE THE DOG ALONE!! In any event, Harley - so named by the little boy Adam rescued after being knocked off his bike by Councillor Smith - has landed on his paws when he adopted Adam and the two become something of an unlikely duo before Adam despairs that he knows next to nothing about dogs or who to train then when Imogen takes the effervescent Harley off his hands. And then the duo somehow become a trio hot on the trail of killers, blackmailers and buried secrets of the past. Together they are tenacious as they root out all possible suspects to get to the truth.

I have to admit, Frances Evesham had me completely bamboozled by red herrings that I had no clue as to who the guilty party was. Not. A. Clue. I felt like I was in Midsomer with a dash of St Mary Mead as the plot thickened with yet even more suspects. The finale is in true Agatha Christie style bringing each and every suspect into the room as hypotheses are theorised and methods are speculated...until the killer is finally revealed.

With an abundance of quirky characters, A VILLAGE MURDER is an engaging read from start to finish with plenty of surprises along the way to keep you guessing. It is a fun, light read that can be devoured rather quickly. I read it in one sitting last night curled up in bed.

The first in a delightful new cosy series, I look forward to further adventures involving Imogen, Adam and of course, Harley.

If you love Agatha Christie-type mysteries, then this book is for you!

I would like to thank #FrancesEvesham, #NetGalley, #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #AVillageMurder in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

One day, Frances Evesham walked on a beach in peaceful Somerset and came upon a unique nine-legged Victorian lighthouse. Her first cozy crime story, Murder at the Lighthouse, was born.

Like many of her readers, Frances loves Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple and the grand tradition of whodunnits with intriguing puzzles to solve, villains to be brought to justice and amateur private investigators.

The Exham on Sea contemporary crime series is set in a small seaside town surrounded by the wonderful rolling hills, green levels and narrow roads of the West Country. It’s the perfect place for Frances to indulge in her obsessions with beautiful places, cake and chocolate, overgrown dogs, and aloof, self-possessed cats.

The Thatcham Hall Mysteries sprang from a life-long interest in history, especially the English Victorians. These stories are set in a 19th Century English country house, where gothic chapels, secret rooms, dusty corridors and hidden cottages provide a perfect backdrop for historical mystery romances, where determined heroines have to fight hard against the strict rules of behaviour of the day.

In my spare time, she collects poison recipes and other ways of dispatching her unfortunate victims. She also likes to cook with a glass of wine in one hand and a bunch of chillies in the other with her head full of murder ― fictional only.

Frances loves to hear from readers, so don’t be a stranger. Contact her via any of her social media links.

Social Media links:

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

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REVIEW: All Fall Down by M.J. Arlidge

All Fall Down (DI Helen Grace #9) by M.J. Arlidge

Genre: Crime fiction, Police Procedural, Mystery

Read: 11th January 2021

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Amazon

Published: 11th June 2020

★★★ 3.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

"You have one hour to live."

Those are the only words on the phone call. Then they hang up. Surely, a prank? A mistake? A wrong number? Anything but the chilling truth... That someone is watching, waiting, working to take your life in one hour.

But why?

The job of finding out falls to DI Helen Grace: a woman with a track record in hunting killers. However, this is A case where the killer seems to always be one step ahead of the police and the victims.

With no motive, no leads, no clues - nothing but pure fear - an hour can last a lifetime...

MY REVIEW:

Imagine clocking off at work, you're the last one to leave, you step into the lift that will take you to the basement...and then it shudders to a stop midway. You're suspended between floors 3 and 4, the lights have gone out in the lift, you're in complete darkness. And then...your mobile rings. At last! Someone knows you are stuck and is calling to let you know that help is on its way. But then, how do they know you are there? You answer. There is silence at the other end. And then...a voice speaks...

"You have one hour to live."

And then they hang up. Surely it's a prank? Someone having a laugh? A mistake even? A wrong number? Anything but the chilling truth.

This is what happens to Justin Lanning as he leaves work at 6pm on the dot. He calls his partner Adam frantically alerting him to what just happened, wondering what is going on. Between them, the pair decide it must have been a prank and bid each other goodbye and that they will see each other at home. Justin continues on his way to the basement where his car service is waiting to drive him home. As the familiar landscape passes him by, Justin mulls over the events that took place in the lift. He knows every twist and turn on these country lanes back to the little village where he lives. So when the car makes an unexpected turn, Justin becomes alert and tells the driver he has missed the turn to the village. But he drives on. The time is 18.47 as a chill sweeps over Justin. It's almost an hour since he received that call.

DI Helen Grace receives a call the following morning thata body has been found on an industrial site. She is joined by her team as they are tasked with the investigation. As soon as the victim's identity is revealed, Helen knows exactly who he is. Justin Lanning was one of a group of teenage school children who had been abducted by Daniel King eight years earlier and escaped his clutches. Although King was prepared to kill them all by torching the farm and fleeing, all of them but one was able to escape and alert authorities. Is Lanning's death now somehow related to his escape from it 8 years ago?

And then there is the impending release of a memoir written by one of the survivors, Maxine Pryce, who has taken their story and made it her own...as seem by Lanning presumably. There is publicity surrounding the case as well as Pryce's memoir and Helen must fight against it as well as a dogged outspoken journalist looking for her next big scoop, who is nothing if not a thorn in her side. But then when a second of the remaining abduction victims is murdered, Helen cannot help but see a clear pattern. Is Daniel King still out there and come back to finish the job he started? 

I've only read one other book in this series, that being "Eeny Meeny", and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love Arlidge's grittiness and the realness he portrays in both the victims and those investigating. Helen Grace is battered female sleuth like no other. She gets knocked down time and time again, coming away with yet more scars to add to her collection, and yet she still gets right back up again and gets on with it. Sometimes I don't much like her and yet at others I admire her strength and tenacity. She always uncovers the truth and gets her man...or woman.

ALL FALL DOWN is another fast paced mystery, helped along by the short snappy chapters which keeps the reader engaged. There is plenty of action, plenty of twists and plenty of mystery to keep the reader guessing. This is another well plotted thriller from Arlidge and, although is the ninth in the series, it can safely be read as a standalone. But to appreciate the full background of Helen Grace and her team it is always best to start from the beginning of the series, but it does suffice on its own.

Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Stuart MacBride and Alex Gray.

I would like to thank #MJArlidge, #NetGalley and #OrionPublishing for an ARC of #AllFallDown in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Matthew Arlidge was born in London in 1974, the youngest of four siblings. He grew up in Hampstead, North London, attending University College School from 7–18 years of age. In between school and university, he travelled, teaching in a school in southern India, as well as visiting Singapore and Australia. On his return to the UK, he studied for an English Literature degree at St Johns College, Cambridge. During this period he won the Douglas Chivers prize for outstanding Shakespeare scholarship. He subsequently spent a year studying Film and Television Production at Bristol University.

His early career was in television production, starting at EastEnders, the BBC1 soap opera. He began as a story liner, later graduating to become a script editor. After 18 months there, he left to work for Ecosse Films, a British Film and TV production company, spending two years story-lining and editing the BBC1 series Monarch of the Glen. He then became a TV development producer with the same company, creating new shows for BBC, ITV, and C4 such as Mistresses and Cape Wrath. In 2007, Arlidge set up his own production company, TXTV Limited, with colleagues Jeremy Gwilt and Chris Lang. He executive-produced a number of British crime serials, including Torn, The Little House and Undeniable. Arlidge has also written for other crime series, including Silent Witness.

Arlidge's first novel was published in May 2014.Eeny Meeny introduced British police officer Detective Inspector Helen Grace. Other Helen Grace novels followed, including Pop Goes the Weasel and The Doll's House. Several more Helen Grace novels are scheduled for release in the UK and other international markets, including the US, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway and France.

Detective Inspector Helen Grace is the heroine of Arlidge's series of serial killer thrillers set in and around the English coastal city of Southampton. A tough, determined police officer who rides a motorbike and prefers to travel through life alone, she nevertheless is beset by personal demons. The legacy of a troubled childhood makes itself felt through her mood swings and tendency towards depression. She neither drinks nor takes drugs, so expiates her dark moods through the controlled use of pain, administered to her by her loyal dominator, Jake. She lives alone, takes occasional lovers and is deeply committed to her work. The criminals she pursues are sadistic, violent and determined, meaning Helen has to put her life on the line to bring them in. She is assisted by a number of colleagues at Southampton Central, most notably her loyal friend, DC Charlene "Charlie" Brooks.

Social Media links:

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PUBLISHER:

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

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REVIEW: My Lies, Your Lies by Susan Lewis

 

My Lies, Your Lies by Susan Lewis
Genre: Suspense, Family drama, Contemporary fiction, chick lit
Read: 13th August 2020
Goodreads
Amazon
Published: 16th April 2020

★★★ 3 stars

DESCRIPTION:

His life was destroyed by a lie.

Her life will be ruined by the truth.

 

Joely tells other people’s secrets for a living. As a ghost writer, she’s used to scandal – but this just might be her strangest assignment yet.

 

Freda has never told her story to anyone before. But now she’s ready to set the record straight and to right a wrong that’s haunted her for forty years.

 

Freda’s memoir begins with a 15-year-old girl falling madly in love with her teacher. It ends in a way Joely could never possibly have imagined.

 

As the story unravels, Joely is spun deeper into a world of secrets and lies. Delving further into Freda’s past, Joely’s sure she can uncover the truth… But does she want to?

MY REVIEW:

A Susan Lewis book is always going to be a great read, generally highly emotive with a river of suspense flowing through it. And usually with a twist thrown in when we least expect it. MY LIES, YOUR LIES had all this and yet it didn't quite live up to the expectations one would have of a Susan Lewis book. It was still enjoyable...but there were parts that were also bordering on the ridiculous as well.

The story begins with Joely, a former journalist who is dealing with the fact that her husband has moved in with her best friend, Martha the meat-eating man stealer. Reeling from her grief and her husband's betrayal, Joely accepts a job as ghostwriter to reclusive author, F.M. Donohoe, to undertake the task of ghostwriting a memoir. She travels from London to a remote area in North Devon to Dimmett House, riddled with secret rooms, towers and turrets and darkened halls. Freda is the reclusive writer and she is as eccentric as they come. Her manner is aloof and even arrogant. One minute she is full of memories she regales Joely with, the next she takes to her room and doesn't speak to her for a day. Joely doesn't know what to make of her or her behaviour, other than to undertake the task at hand. 

Upon arriving, Joely discovers that Freda has already begin the memoir, having written the first two chapters already, and it is her firm wish that Joely continue in the vein with which she began. Their conversations about the memoir lead Joely to pondering many things but none of them would prepare her for where it would lead. Freda had her own agenda with this memoir. She wanted to right the wrongs that had taken place previously as a result of the outcome to the story Joely now transcribes. 

It is 1968 and the story of a 15 year old schoolgirl who embarks on an affair with her music teacher. It is explicit in all its naked glory. Their secret assignations, their trip to Paris, their plans and promises for the future...as they parade around naked in the confines of a secluded cottage, soaking up their love for one another. She was 15, he was 25. Not a huge age gap by any means, but still unacceptable by society's standard...even in the age of free love. But where was this love to go, given their age difference? And the fact he was a teacher and she was a student? Surely this could not end well.

Freda drip-feeds information while Joely begins to make assumptions. Is the girl in the story a young Freda? And is the music teacher the husband she lost three years ago? And why does she feel that Freda s watching her and listening in on her phone conversations? It is obvious that Freda is manipulating Joely to tell the story as she wants it perceived. So what was it Freda truly wants out of this?

Joely could not foresee what was to come. The twist that came that threw her whole world into disarray, and left her questioning everything she had ever known? What did it all mean? And where did Freda, and Joely, fit into it all?

MY LIES, YOUR LIES is an eccentric tale to say the least. It was mysterious, duplicitous and intriguing in a strange way. It did promise to be so much more but it really dissolved into a ridiculous caricature. Freda was meant to be a formidable woman but was more eccentric and aloof. Joely should have scarpered when she had the chance but she too went on to prove how idiotic she could be. Her big secret that she wallowed over the entire book, when she wasn't presuming what was to come in the memoir, wasn't that great after all...more a run of the mill kind of secret. Everyone else played so little part you couldn't really connect with them. Holly is a precocious 15 year old that should be taught a little more respect than the way she spoke to her parents, grandmother and even Freda. I think she was given a little too much free reign that would never have been allowed when I was her age. Times may change, but boys and hormones don't. And considering what the basis of this story is about, I would have thought she would have been reigned in a little more.

The story is told primarily through Joely's eyes in the third person, as as occasionally Freda and Joely's mum, Marianne. Peppered throughout are the memoir entries written in the first person narrative, leaving the reader pondering who she may well be.

I do love how the author approached and introduced an illicit affair between a 15 year old schoolgirl and her music teacher. It broke all the rules and crossed many boundaries. But it gave us as readers, food for thought that there is more to the story than one might at first think. Firstly the difference between paedophilia and haebophilia, when all interest in anyone underage is simply considered to be the former. The case here is obviously haebophilia and while it is still a disturbing thought to most, it is quite often an accepted practice in many cultures. Including our own many centuries ago. But that is not the case here. It is a little disturbing and uncomfortable read in parts but does that make it wholly excusable?

So is the relationship supposed to be acceptable or not? It's not so much the age thing, as there were only 10 years between them, it was the fact he was in a position of authority and trust. He has to take responsibility because he was the adult in the scenario. But we all know what 14 and 15 year olds are like. They can turn it on with the best of them. That doesn't make it right but it doesn't make her innocent or blameless either. She set out to seduce him. She wanted him. While in the eyes of the law she is still a child, there is so much about her that isn't. Both are equally to blame because it takes two. She knew what she was doing as did he. They were both complicit. They were both to blame. And there are always two sides to every story.

In my opinion, MY LIES, YOUR LIES took a little too long for interest to take hold - at nearly 30% in, which is a bit too long in my opinion - but then it did admittedly get rather interesting. And then it didn't. The climatic twist came 20% too soon or rather the ending was dragged out a little too long. As a result, it did become slightly ridiculous. I'm not sure how the past and the present were supposed to entwine but didn't seem entirely real. I'm not entirely sure what the author was trying to say in bringing such a story to light.Society certainly wouldn't accept it, so what is she saying? Did I miss something? Is she romanticising it? Or is it a warning? 

Overall, not a bad read but not the Author's best. Still, I give it 3 stars for being middle of the road. It's not a book I can decide whether I like it or not. 

But one this is for sure...there are two sides to every story. Not just the one you think you know.

I would like to thank #SusanLewis, #NetGalley and #HarperCollinsUK for an ARC of #MyLiesYourLies in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Susan Lewis was born in Bristol in 1956. She lives in the west of England and has written 26 novels as well as an autobiographical memoir – Just One More Day (2006) with a follow up memoir One Day at a Time to be published November 2011. Her novels were nominated for the Romantic Novelists' Association's Romantic Novel of the Year award in 2002 and 2005.

Lewis was educated at The Red Maids' School in Bristol, England. After several temporary secretarial jobs she worked at the television network HTV in Bristol, then moved to London to join Thames Television to work in news, current affairs, light entertainment and drama. She knocked on the Controller's door to ask what it takes to be a success. He told her: "Oh, go away and write something". Her first novel, A Class Apart was published in 1988. She has since published a further 27 novels.

Three years after her first book was published Lewis moved to France, followed by a move to California in 1996, then to the French Riviera in 2004. During this time she met her partner, James. She returned to Gloucestershire in the UK in 2010.

Her mother died of cancer when she was a child, and she is a supporter of Breast Cancer Care, and the Bristol-based charity Breast-cancer Unit Support Trust (B.U.S.T.), which raises money to help provide treatment and support for the local community and medical technology for the Breast Care Unit at Southmead Hospital, Bristol. She is also a supporter of Winston's Wish, the charity for bereaved children.

Social Media Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

REVIEW: My Husband's Lie by Emma Davies

My Husband's Lie by Emma Davies

Genre: Contemporary fiction, Women's fiction, Mystery

Read: 3rd August 2020

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 9th April 2020

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

When I stumbled across the listing for Pevensey House I knew I had found a way for my family to be free and I didn’t hesitate. I should have, I know that now…

When Thea sees her old family home is up for sale – a beautiful old rectory in the small town where she and her childhood sweetheart, now husband, Drew, grew up – she knows she has to have it. Her parents moved her away suddenly when she was eleven, but her childhood there was filled with happy memories. Drew seems less sure, but Thea is certain it’s the perfect place to raise their two children.

But as the last boxes are unpacked, Thea can’t seem to settle. She thought the move would bring her family closer together, but Drew is growing more distant. And why do old friends cross to the other side of the road when they see her coming?

Alone in the house, exploring the creaky corridors she used to cartwheel down as a young girl, Thea smiles as she slides open the loose panel she once used as a hiding place. But it only takes one look at the faded local newspaper clipping hidden inside for the bonds holding her perfect family together to break.

It’s not long before news of the scandal spreads further and the whole town turns against her. Thea’s life is in freefall as her head and her heart wrestle between taking the blame, and fighting for her innocence. In a small town where no one ever forgets the past, can Thea find a way to save her family’s future?


MY REVIEW:

I'm not normally a fan of contemporary fiction but if it has a little mystery thrown into it, then you can usually sell it to me. MY HUSBAND'S LIE by Emma Davies is my first by this author and it did not disappoint. This domestic drama is tinged with suspense and packed with secrets, rumours and a lot of lies.

Thea and Drew are excited to return to the village in which they grew up, not only for the village but for the house that Thea where all her childhood memories are nothing but happy ones. And now Thea just knows that Pevensey House is the perfect place to raise her family and where her girls, Chloe and Lauren, will thrive away from the choking pollution and snarling traffic of London. It is somewhere safe to grow up...or at least that's what they thought.

Upon their arrival, Thea befriends neighbours Anna and Rob who now live in Rose Cottage where Drew and his family once did. They have a young daughter Tilly who is the same age as Lauren and the two girls hit it off immediately. Born with a congenital deformity, Tilly only has one arm but it doesn't dissuade her from life. But it does make her a target for bullies at school. And when one such bully victimises Tilly in the playground, Lauren immediately jumps to her defence...punching the boy and bringing herself attention to the school's head teacher.

But the victimising doesn't end there. Nor does it end with Tilly or Lauren. Soon Thea finds herself the subject of malicious gossip when an incident that took place when she was just a child is thrust at her doorstep and she is left to question everything about her childhood as she knew it. Was it all just a lie?

When Thea confides in Drew she is shocked to learn that he knew about it already! So why did he not tell her? Why keep it from her? Had she known would she have been so ready to move back here? And if he has kept this from her all these years, what else has he kept from her? Thea thought she knew him...but does she know him at all?

When Thea decides to take matters into her own hands to show the other parents that she was not afraid of their malicious lies, things only end up worse - for both her and for Anna. How can Thea to make things right for them both now? And without Drew in her corner how can she to get through this?

MY HUSBAND'S LIE is filled to the brim of gossipy mums and a judgemental village. Who needs Twitter or Facebook or WhatsApp when you have the village grapevine to stir up trouble? But more than that, the story also focuses on the power of friendship and it reminds us of the power that our words can have on others. And whatever may have happened, whether there was any truth to the rumours, there are always families of those left behind that will feel the aftershock in the ripples that remain in tragedy's wake. Sadly these are collateral damage in the fallout...but they are also innocent. But the gossip-mongers do not think of that when they spread their vicious lies...and the hurt they may cause.

The story unfolds solely in Thea's narrative - with Drew's voice included in the prologue and the epilogue - MY HUSBAND'S LIE is not a whodunit but it there is an element of mystery with a touch of suspense. And a whole load of colourful characters that make up the sterling cast in a small-minded village in a sleepy corner of Shropshire.

A rather good read that I found surprisingly enjoyable, despite its slow start, MY HUSBAND'S LIE is addictive and somewhat compelling to uncover the truth. And thankfully, there is a kind of closure to the mystery behind the village gossip, which made for a satisfying end.

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


MEET THE AUTHOR:

Emma Davies once applied for her dream job in the following manner;

'I am a bestselling novelist currently masquerading as a thirty something mother of three.' Well she's now a forty something mother of three, and is working on the rest.

By day she's a finance manager and looks at numbers a lot of the time, but by night she gets to use actual words and practices putting them together into sentences. Her twitter bio says she loves her family, her job, reading, writing, singing loudly in the car, and Pringles, so that must be true then.

Social Media Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

REVIEW: After the Accident by Kerry Wilkinson (ARC)

After the Accident by Kerry Wilkinson

Genre: Domestic thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Family drama

Read: 15th July 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 31st March 2020)

★★★★★ 5 stars

Clever, creative and compelling. This new standalone thriller is totally different from anything you might normally read. Forget everything you know about Kerry Wilkinson and the style in which he writes - AFTER THE ACCIDENT is a completely different format from the norm. Written with a series of interviews spliced together, it was certainly an unusual read that elicited some thought-provoking moments in this cleverly crafted mystery.

The story centres around the McGinley family who had frequented the Mediterranean island of Galanikos regularly up until nine years ago when Geoffrey McGinley's business partner Alan Lee fell to his death from one of the island's clifftops. Although no charges were laid, and Geoff McGinley had been questioned at the time, the Lee family firmly believed that he had killed Alan.

Now Geoff McGinley has returned with his wife Bethan, daughter Emma, son Julius with his twin girls Chloe and Amy, as well as current business partner Daniel Dorsey, his wife Liz and their son Victor and wife Claire. A nice cosy family holiday of ten people for what was promoted to the family as "mum's final trip abroad" coinciding with their 35th anniversary and her birthday. Why his business partner and family were there is something of a mystery as it really made no sense to have them along for what is in essence a "family holiday". Unless, of course, one was to believe the theory put forward by Emma. And then it makes perfect sense...in a way.

It is obvious from the beginning that Geoff, the patriarch of the McGinley family, is a force to be reckoned with. He is used to being in charge and issuing orders that are to be complied with. That is seen as soon as he starts shouting "Three taxis!" to all and sundry upon their arrival at the airport. He had apparently ordered three taxis to ferry all ten people to their hotel only to arrive to find none. But this was to be only the first of many dramas for what would turn out to be a very long week for all involved.

Their first night in Galanikos, the families gather together for dinner in the hotel restaurant where plenty of drama took place resulting in everyone going their separate ways. Emma, wanting to escape her family, went to another hotel and settled herself at the bar where she met Paul Bosley. Little did she know that Paul was on the island with his film crew doing a documentary on the death of Alan Lee, who died there nine years before. But even when Paul told her, she still didn't reveal her link to that event. Instead, the two of them went up to Paul's room where they spent the night together.

The next morning, no one could find Emma as she was not in her room. But when she did return, she discovered that her father had been found at the bottom of a cliff behind the hotel that morning, and was now in a coma in hospital. The question that then went through everyone's minds was - did he fall accidentally...or was he pushed?

Throughout the retelling of these events, it is clear from the outset that there are tensions between almost everyone. Neither of them like the other and vice versa. All parties are quick to point the finger at someone else. But one thing is for sure - whatever happened, none of them are completely blameless. Suspicions and accusations abound as the possibility is presented that McGinley met with foul play. As to who may have been responsible, belief and loyalties were divided.

There are many questions raised throughout this story, but most of all, which of them was the unreliable narrator? You don't know what really happened or who to believe or which of them are telling the truth. By the end you may still be left with questions, unsure of who you fully believe.

This story is not a fictionalised series of events orchestrated by this wonderfully talented author. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, previously titled as "Seven Days in July", is based on true events and the entire story is told through a series of interviews made to a media company for a documentary that, in the end, never saw the light of day. What Kerry has done has spliced these interviews together to form a chronological series of events...it was really quite clever and ingenious of him to tell a story that he never actually wrote. But rather presented it to his audience of fans who by now have their own theories or beliefs as to what may or may not have happened. A great book for book club discussions. Incidentally, all names have been changed so no amount of googling will herald any results.

I thought that AFTER THE ACCIDENT was a thoroughly entertaining read. It was solid, it was engaging and it was addictive. I was completely absorbed and despaired when I was so tired I fell asleep reading it...but I soon picked it back up the following morning and did not put it down until I'd finished. It was utterly clever and brilliant and made for compulsive reading.

By the end, the reader is left to ponder their own thoughts as what they may have thought happened. Not normally how I like my mysteries to conclude, but this one is different. It became not only a question of who did what but whether anything was done at all.

I won't say what I think happened or who I think may be responsible, as I don't want to spoil it for other readers. Although you may come up with a completely different theory. But it is a story that makes you think and dissect all the evidence that has been presented to you. I will say however, that despite it being presented in interview form, it didn't detract from the story in any way. I still felt as if I was there and seeing things as they happened. Ingeniously clever.

An intriguing mystery for thriller fans and true crime buffs alike, AFTER THE ACCIDENT is a tale of something and nothing; reality and fiction; truth and lies. Of two families and a secret. It's all smoke and mirrors by the end. Definitely recommend!

Lastly, in Kerry's words...

"Is it a true crime tale, or is it an examination of family, jealousy and grief? Maybe it's all of those things? Or maybe, it is a simple tale of someone who pushed their father off a cliff and got away with it."

I would like to thank #KerryWilkinson, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #AfterTheAccident aka #SevenDaysInJuly in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Follow Me, Like Me by Charlotte Seager (ARC)

Follow Me, Like Me by Charlotte Seager

Genre: Mystery, thriller, Young Adult

Read: 19th June 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 10th March 2020)

★★★★ 4 stars

An interesting yet cautionary tale, FOLLOW ME LIKE ME by Charlotte Seager is a gripping and thought-provoking tale of the effect of social media in teenagers' lives. Having said that, I feel young people should truly read this book to help them recognise the dangers of living their lives so completely online. They need to understand - really understand - that you never truly know who you are talking to online. That, and the fact that the internet is forever. It is something we never dealt with when we were their age but we, as adults, can see its dangers even if young people today don't.

The story follows two girls who go to the same school and are in the same year but are from two totally different social circles. Chloe is vivacious and popular whereas Amber is invisible and a loner. These girls live on social media but in two completely different ways.

Chloe has just broken up with her boyfriend Tom and in her devastation thinking "two can play that game" attempts to make him jealous by chatting with one of her most ardent followers, a guy named Sven. The conversations then lead to WhatsApp where the two chat more privately. Sven seems sweet and fun to start with as the two chat on the phone till 2am one morning.

Then one night she attends a party at her ex's place and makes a bit of a show of herself, in another attempt to make Tom jealous, and ends up being drunkenly escorted home by some boy whose name begins with J...she can't remember. The boy makes advances on her and Chloe fights him off, but not before groping her breasts and pressing her up against the wall to prevent escape. But escape, she does. She is so shaken by the incident, she doesn't know who to confide in. Her best friend Louise was busy with Jerome. Tom didn't want to know her. And then she remembered Sven.

But when she tells him all about the party and the incident afterwards, she is shocked by his reaction - "Well, what did you expect?" He then begins slut shaming her, commenting on every single one of her Instagram posts and sending about fifty messages to her in one morning. The constant buzzing of her phone is driving her mad and in the end she blocks him.

Then her best friend Louise starts ghosting her and after being called to the head teacher's office, she is suspended from school for sending indecent photos of Louise in her underwear to everyone. But she didn't; she wouldn't. Louise is her best friend and she would NEVER betray her like that. So who would do this to her? And why?

Meanwhile, invisible Amber has a crush on trainee personal trainer Ren. She becomes obsessed when she learns that he has been fired and she tries to find out why and what he is supposed to have done? Of course it doesn't occur to her that it is none of her business, but after she learns that he has been accused of sexually assaulting multiple women she is so sure that Ren is innocent that she endeavours to clear his name by stalking his social media accounts to find out the truth. Refreshing his Facebook and Instagram near constantly, she also adds him to Snapchat so she can SnapMap him and follow him in real life. Although her obsession comes from an innocent place, it still feels a little too creepy.

The two girls couldn't be more different and while Amber's behaviour borders on creepy, I can relate to her more than I can to Chloe. When I was their age (many moons ago), I was Amber - a loner, invisible who didn't make friends easily. I could relate to her crush on Ren as I often had crushes on unattainable boys (or even those a little older) and, although there was no social media in my day, would often find a way just to be near where ever they were just so I could watch them. Looking back now, it is pretty creepy. lol But as a lonely and invisible teen, such a thing seems to unattainable, it's what they do. It's certainly what Amber did...and had she not, things could have turned out a whole lot different for both her and Chloe.

When I requested FOLLOW ME LIKE ME I didn't know it was a YA read, as I was just drawn in by the premise. I was impressed by the subject matter and thought that it was a topic that really needed highlighting, in a world where just about everyone, particularly teenagers, live their lives through social media. I was eager to discover how it would be tackled as it is so important to have something like this that reminds young people of the dangers. This book highlights the fact that you cannot trust an online persona 100% and how easily online activity can creep into real life.

The twist may have been predictable which I saw coming almost from the start, but in the real world, it is not something we would be able to identify as quickly. Its purpose is to highlight the dangers and just how easy it is to fall into its trap.

I do agree with some other reviewers with the ending - well, Amber's ending. Without giving anything away, I felt it should have been handled a little differently, particularly in a book that could prove to be helpful to young people in the lesson of online safety. Amber's ending was just a little too neat and left the reader somewhat unsatisfied.

A fast paced easy read, FOLLOW ME LIKE ME has short snappy chapters (my favourite kind) in the alternating narratives of Chloe and Amber respectively. It is written in a way that young adults can understand yet without all the confusing text speak they so often use (thankfully). Despite it's subject matter, it was a relatively quick read that took me about 4 hours in total to complete.

An addictive read for young adults, FOLLOW ME LIKE ME is an appropriate read for teens that highlights a social awareness for their personal safety online. The internet is forever and it is full of predatory types that young people may think they are immune to...and are not. The dangers that lurk on the internet are indeed very real.

Well done Charlotte Seager for highlighting awareness on the dangers of the world wide web...and that the image people portray on social media might not be who they really are.

I would like to thank #CharlotteSeager, #NetGalley and #MacmillanKidsUK for an ARC of #FollowMeLikeMe in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Her Secret Past by Kerry Watts (ARC)

Her Secret Past (DI Jessie Blake #3) by Kerry Watts

Genre: Crime fiction, police procedural, thriller

Read: 25th March 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 22nd January 2020)

★★★ 3 stars

I absolutely loved loved loved Kerry Watts' first two books in the wonderful Jessie Blake series, so of course I needed no persuading to read this one. But unfortunately I don't think it was as up to par as the first two. It was an OK read and upon reading other rave reviews on HER SECRET PAST, I found myself wondering if we'd been reading the same book. It certainly had promise...but this one just wasn't as thrilling as "Heartlands" or "Her Missing Child".

Alice Connor was just 14 years old when she and her 19 year old boyfriend David Law blugeoned her grandparents with hammers in their cottage on Boxing Day 1990. Because they told her that David was too old for her and she couldn't see him anymore. They were the only parents she'd known having brought her up after the death of her own when she was a baby. But  sentiment played no part in the gruesome slaughter as Alice relished in the killings. And then she and David could be together forever.

But a neighbour heard the screams and called the police...who arrived just in time to see Alice covered in her grandparents' blood.

Thirty years later and with a new identity, Rachel is now living in a remote Perthshire town in Scotland. Her husband, wealthy businessman Kenny Ferguson, knows all about her past. Rachel knows all too well the crime she committed and not a day goes by that she doesn't remember and feel remorse. Due to her age at the time, it was alleged she had been groomed by the adult David and after spending six months in a young offenders home, she was given a new name and a foster placement...while David spent 25 years in prison for the murders.

Malcolm and Jean Angus are Rachel's elderly neighbours on a neighbouring farm. Recently there had been words exchanged regarding the use of a paddock Rachel had purchased from the Angus' to train her racehorses and a disagreement over the proposed application the Fergusons had filed with the council. And now, twenty nine years to the day after the Connor murders, someone has shot Malcolm and Jean Angus through the head.

DI Jessie Blake, accompanied by her partner DC Dylan Logan, is called to the brutal murder scene on Boxing Day. They are immediately bemused by the indifferent behaviour of the elderly couple's 21 year old grandson Gordon who is seated beside his dead grandfather enjoying a chicken sandwich seemingly without a care. Gordon's father Tommy, who called it in, is in the sitting room in shock.

After questioning Tommy, Jessie and Dylan learn about the couple's recent dispute with Rachel and Kenny over the land, so they set off for the neighbouring farmhouse to question the couple. But nothing prepared them for the confession Rachel makes...which immediately makes her the prime suspect.

But then money is withdrawn from the dead couple's bank account. So who had access to their money? Rachel surely didn't need the money - her husband is wealthy enough - so who else could it have been? But when evidence at the murder scene is identified as belonging to Rachel, Jessie has no alternative but to arrest her for the murders. Rachel swears her innocence but the evidence is damning.

Not only is the case taking its toll but Jessie's abusive ex-husband Dan is back on the scene, as we have seen in the first two books, but this time he is in plain sight and not hiding in the shadows. Jessie is sure he is up to something but she doesn't know what so she endeavours to keep herself on her toes...and to expect the unexpected. What she didn't expect was for Dan to have a new girlfriend, Hayley, who co-incidentally works with Jessie's boyfriend forensic pathologist Benito Capello in Edinburgh. She has to wonder, is there something in that? And while Hayley means nothing to her Jessie feels she must warn the young woman about Dan...for she feels sure that history is only going to repeat itself. Men like Dan don't change...and it's only a matter of time before Hayley ends up in a hospital room, having "tripped and fallen".

But Dan is not the only person watching Jessie. It seems she has come to the attention of someone with murderous intentions and one night with Ben back in Edinburgh, Jessie answers the door to an unexpected visitor...and finds herself fighting for her life.

Told in dual timelines beginning in 1990 with a series of flashbacks and the present day's investigation, HER SECRET PAST is quite a complex, convoluted tale that carefully weaves the past and the present. And as the secrets begin to unravel, we are left wondering exactly what role everyone had in the bigger picture.

There were twists and reveals that you may or may not see coming. I figured one of them out rather early in the story but was disappointed to see that it didn't play a bigger part. The other twists, though, I never saw coming. And I certainly never guessed till just before it was revealed who the villain actually was.

What I did love in HER SECRET PAST is what I love to see in every book - short snappy chapters! They keep the pace moving quickly and the tension palpable.

I really love Jessie. She is a detective with heart and not your stereotypical copper that grumps and ends every night with a bottle of prosecco. But after three books, I would have thought we would have more insight as to what is going on with her ex-husband Dan. In all three books he has been clearly stalking her, more secretly in the first two though still with some stealth in this one, it doesn't seem to have gone anywhere. He is still just there and we still don't know to what purpose.  I thought by now there should be something more happening there.

I also love Dylan. He has just become a father again and things at home are a little tense as they tend to be with new babies. I would like to see a little more of Dylan and his personal life maybe somehow connected to a future investigation. Something to spice things up while we learn a little more about him in the process. He still seems a bit tight-lipped on his personal life no matter how often Jessie has offered her ear.

Although HER SECRET PAST is the third in the series, it cane be read as a standalone as with the previous two. There is an underlying theme regarding Dan but readers won't miss out on anything as all he seems to be doing is stalking Jessie and keeping track of her in each book. Plus, any backstory information is given to readers to keep them appraised.

While I didn't enjoy HER SECRET PAST as much as the first two books in the series, it is still an OK read. I will still be coming back for more with the next book in the hope it is more on a part with the previous ones. And I would still recommend it to fans of the crime fiction genre.

Bring on book four! I cannot wait!

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