REVIEW: He's My Man by Daniel Hurst

He's my Man (Shocking Short Stories #3) by Daniel Hurst

Genre: Psychological thriller, Short story, Quick reads

Read: 12th January 2026

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 20th December 2025

★★★ 3 stars

DESCRIPTION:

A short story with a shocking twist...

He comes home to me. He eats dinner with me. He sleeps close to me. But there is a distance between us, and I can feel him slipping further away. So I need to fight for us. I cannot give up on what we have.

I cannot give up on my man. Especially not if somebody else is coming in between us. Because he's not anybody else's man. He's mine. I'll do anything to keep it that way...

A shocking standalone short story from Daniel Hurst, the bestselling author of UK #1 The Doctor's Wife

MY THOUGHTS:

A super quick read at 47 pages, this took me just 45 minutes to finish. And still have time to put on a Midsomer Murders or McDonald and Dodds.

Mel is busy cooking dinner; spaghetti carbonara, Harry's favourite meal. And although he has a busy high finance job with long hours and not much downtime, tonight he's promised to be home early after the past couple of nights working late. She's looking forward to sitting down to the meal, sharing a bottle of wine and then snuggling up on the sofa watching TV together.

But when Harry arrives home, he's tired and not up for anything but dinner and bed. A jog was on the cards but after dishing up a heavy bowl of pasta that is now off the table. He leaves the room to shower and Mel awaits his return. Only he doesn't. So she tiptoes to the bedroom and is about to walk in when she hears his voice on the phone. Leaning closer to find out who he could be talking to, she hears a lot more than she bargained for.

He's seeing somebody else. How could he just give up on them without a fight?

Mel is determined to find out who she is and to put a stop to this nonsense. Harry is her man. Her's. No one else's. And she will do anything to keep it that way.

This was an OK read. He's delivered better but there are still a couple of surprises along the way though nothing earth shattering. The previous short story "The Body" is by far my favourite. The most annoying thing about this one was every second paragraph Mel keeps calling Harry "my man". My man walks to the bar...he comes home to me every night because he's my man...my man is like that...my man this, my man that. It was bordering on nauseating. And very irritating.

The reveal was a nice twist. And then there is another twist before the end. A nice quick easy read.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Daniel Hurst was born in the northwest of England, a part of the world famous for its comedians, pasties and terrible weather.

He has been employed in several glamorous roles in his lifetime, including bartending, shelf stacking and procurement administration, all while based in some of the most exotic places on the planet, like Bolton, Preston and South London.

Daniel writes psychological thrillers and loves to tell tales about unusual things happening to normal people. He has written all his life, making the progression from handing scribbled stories to his parents as a boy to writing full length novels in his thirties. He lives in the North West of England and when he isn’t writing, he is usually watching a game of football in a pub where his wife can’t find him.

Since following his lifelong passion for writing in 2020, he has amassed a loyal and devoted set of readers, and regularly has several books in the top 100 of the Psychological Thriller Charts on Amazon. His title The Passenger became the #1 selling psychological thriller in the UK in October 2021. The Doctor's Wife is his first publication with Bookouture.

A prolific writer, Daniel likes to keep readers on their toes by self publishing even more books in between those released through his publisher.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: The Body by Daniel Hurst

The Body (Shocking Short Stories #2) by Daniel Hurst

Genre: Psychological thriller, Short story, Quick reads

Read: 11th January 2026

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 13th December 2025

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

A short story with a shocking twist...

As my wife's body lies on the floor of our home, I know it's not going to be easy getting her from the house to the woods where I can bury her without anybody seeing me.

It's going to be hard to get away with this. But I could never have imagined just how hard it would be.

One body is bad enough. But what happens if there's two?

A shocking standalone short story from Daniel Hurst, the bestselling psychological thriller author of the UK #1 The Doctor's Wife, My Neighbour's Affair and The Couple's Revenge

MY THOUGHTS:

Oooh now I liked this one!

Short, snappy and darkly shocking this is one of Hurst's better short stories (though it will take a bit to outdo "The New Years Party" which I loved!!) It is very cleverly written and at only 54 pages it certainly packs a punch. 

We meet each new character with every chapter as the story snowballs from something relatively simple into something far more complex...in just 54 pages! For the most part I didn't think any of the characters were going to be named which would have made it even more genuis. With each chapter a new perspective unfolds as one event leads to the involvement of several others and the repercussions of each. Ending with the Hurst trademark twist with a BANG! Didn't see that one coming either!

Twisted, tangled and thrilling this short story is unpredictable and very very clever. Loved it!

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Daniel Hurst was born in the northwest of England, a part of the world famous for its comedians, pasties and terrible weather.

He has been employed in several glamorous roles in his lifetime, including bartending, shelf stacking and procurement administration, all while based in some of the most exotic places on the planet, like Bolton, Preston and South London.

Daniel writes psychological thrillers and loves to tell tales about unusual things happening to normal people. He has written all his life, making the progression from handing scribbled stories to his parents as a boy to writing full length novels in his thirties. He lives in the North West of England and when he isn’t writing, he is usually watching a game of football in a pub where his wife can’t find him.

Since following his lifelong passion for writing in 2020, he has amassed a loyal and devoted set of readers, and regularly has several books in the top 100 of the Psychological Thriller Charts on Amazon. His title The Passenger became the #1 selling psychological thriller in the UK in October 2021. The Doctor's Wife is his first publication with Bookouture.

A prolific writer, Daniel likes to keep readers on their toes by self publishing even more books in between those released through his publisher.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: If He Finds Us by Daniel Hurst

If He Finds Us (Shocking Short Stories #1) by Daniel Hurst

Genre: Psychological thriller, Short story, Quick reads

Read: 11th January 2026

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 6th December 2025

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

He's looking for us. What if he finds us?

When I arrive at the house and see the man who lives there, I feel safe. I feel like he can protect me. He has two children. They seem safe too. So I hide with them. I hide from the man who wants to find me. But if he does, I've just put a whole family in danger. If I have, I might not be able to save them...

A standalone short story with a shock ending from Daniel Hurst, the bestselling author of UK #1 The Doctor's Wife, The Couple's Revenge and Til Death Do Us Part

MY THOUGHTS:

Not sure what I expected with this short story but I was pleasantly surprised. I'd talked myself into NOT liking it when I saw it was set in Texas as I read British authors because I prefer British settings. However, Hurst has surprised me with this quickfire offering of just 70 pages which barely had enough time for surnames to be exchanged. It had an estimated read time of 1 hour and 40 minutes. I think I was done in an hour. It was a very quick read. And to the point.

But that point goes off on a bit of a tangent that I, a seasoned thriller reader, didn't see coming which placed this little quick read up a notch.

Sherry is running from an ex who wouldn't let her go and Marcus, with his two children Elsie (8) and Theo (5), is also running from the past. Thrown together, they make the perfect family. All of them in hiding together.

After three months on the farm, it's like Sherry has always lived there and the couple, still unsure of the future, find themselves attracted to each other. Plus Sherry adores little Elsie and Theo and spending time with them.

But then a trip into town for supplies threatens to become deadly for them all. Will they escape alive?

A fun-filled quickfire read that was a little predictable in part...until Hurst throws us a last minute twist that changes everything sending chilling vibes with it.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Daniel Hurst was born in the northwest of England, a part of the world famous for its comedians, pasties and terrible weather.

He has been employed in several glamorous roles in his lifetime, including bartending, shelf stacking and procurement administration, all while based in some of the most exotic places on the planet, like Bolton, Preston and South London.

Daniel writes psychological thrillers and loves to tell tales about unusual things happening to normal people. He has written all his life, making the progression from handing scribbled stories to his parents as a boy to writing full length novels in his thirties. He lives in the North West of England and when he isn’t writing, he is usually watching a game of football in a pub where his wife can’t find him.

Since following his lifelong passion for writing in 2020, he has amassed a loyal and devoted set of readers, and regularly has several books in the top 100 of the Psychological Thriller Charts on Amazon. His title The Passenger became the #1 selling psychological thriller in the UK in October 2021. The Doctor's Wife is his first publication with Bookouture.

A prolific writer, Daniel likes to keep readers on their toes by self publishing even more books in between those released through his publisher.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

 

REVIEW: You Started It by Daniel Hurst

You Started It by Daniel Hurst

Genre: Psychological thriller, Short story, Quick read

Read: 16th November 2025

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 4th June 2025

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Revenge takes time....

Alison thought she lived a quiet, normal life with her husband, Damian. But that all changes when an unexpected visitor reveals a shocking truth about her partner. Things will never be the same after that as a deadly game of deceit begins, full of shocks and surprises, lies and betrayal, and ultimately proving that when it comes to revenge, it's best to take your time.

You started it. But who will finish it?

A fast-paced psychological thriller short story full of twists from the bestselling author of UK #1 The Doctor's Wife, The Couple's Revenge and The Passenger.

MY THOUGHTS:

Daniel Hurst has been one of my favourite thriller writers since I discovered him about four years ago (around the time he became a full time author). His thrillers a fast pacy reads with short snappy chapters that keep you swiping (or turning) the pages right to the very end. I have found in recent times that I've enjoyed his earlier offerings more than his latest ones though they are still quick and easy reads even if more OTT than is per usual for his unique style. Of course, I have my ultimate favourites of his which, to be honest, will be tough to beat no matter how good the next book might be. 

I have recently gone through major surgery and am recovering slowly though I do find it hard to concentrate on reading anything too complex. So I thought I would give Daniel's last short story a go which he published a few months back. I figured that it would be an easy enough tale to digest and I wouldn't have to concentrate too much on it. And given that it's a short story, it's a very quick read which I managed to devour in an hour before dinner.

Firstly, I have to say that Daniel hooks us in from the start with a play by play account of Alison's frantic search for her missing husband and subsequent not being taken seriously when first reporting him missing. She and Damian had been happily married for fifteen years sans children so it was just the two of them. But when he didn't arrive home from work by 6pm as is his usual routine one evening, Alison is naturally worried. By 9pm she is understandably frantic. But the police take her concerns with a grain of salt assuring her that he is "probably working late" or "out for drinks with some colleagues and lost track of time" or any number of reasons. However, after a week they finally take her concerns seriously and question her both for information and as a suspect. At any rate, they are no closer to finding him...or whatever's happened to him.

When she receives a knock on her door she runs to open it hoping it will be Damian with some hare-brained reason as to where he's been this past week or the police with some positive update to share. It's neither. It's a stranger. But while he is a stranger to her, he seems to know exactly who she is.

"Hello Alison..."

He greets her with a smile as she opens her front door to him. He goes on to explain who he is and why he's there. She is speechless. He makes her an offer she couldn't refuse. A chance to get answers and maybe even her own piece of revenge. But what she didn't bargain on was the escalation things took when she finds herself framed for murder...and no way of proving her innocence!

I was pleasantly surprised by the journey this short story took me on, despite its OTT nature (that's just Daniel Hurst's way) and thoroughly enjoyed it even after I found myself wanting to bang Alison's head on something hard to knock some sense into her. The woman was gullible not to mention stupid. And while I enjoyed this twisted tale for those most part it was the epilogue ending that let it down. It was off the scale OTT that past the point of any believability or suspension of belief. It was just plain ridiculous. I'm sure Hurst could have construed a better ending than that and it was this that let the entire tale down. I loved that it was different in concept and thoroughly enjoyed it up until that ridiculous epilogue.

However, that being said - it was still a fast pacy read that I enjoyed and I would still recommend it to others for a quick read, which can be easily done so in an hour.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Daniel Hurst was born in the northwest of England, a part of the world famous for its comedians, pasties and terrible weather.

He has been employed in several glamorous roles in his lifetime, including bartending, shelf stacking and procurement administration, all while based in some of the most exotic places on the planet, like Bolton, Preston and South London.

Daniel writes psychological thrillers and loves to tell tales about unusual things happening to normal people. He has written all his life, making the progression from handing scribbled stories to his parents as a boy to writing full length novels in his thirties. He lives in the North West of England and when he isn’t writing, he is usually watching a game of football in a pub where his wife can’t find him.

Since following his lifelong passion for writing in 2020, he has amassed a loyal and devoted set of readers, and regularly has several books in the top 100 of the Psychological Thriller Charts on Amazon. His title The Passenger became the #1 selling psychological thriller in the UK in October 2021. The Doctor's Wife is his first publication with Bookouture.

A prolific writer, Daniel likes to keep readers on their toes by self publishing even more books in between those released through his publisher.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

 

REVIEW: 20 Minutes Earlier by Daniel Hurst

20 Minutes Earlier (20 Minutes #0.5) by Daniel Hurst

Genre: Psychological thriller, Short story

Read: 8th February 2025

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 14th February 2020

★★★★ 4 stars 

DESCRIPTION:

The short prequel novella to 20 Minutes On The Tube, following the fates of 4 characters in London before they go underground.

Fast paced, edgy and humorous this is a teaser novella and the gateway to the beginning of the 20 Minute Series.

MY THOUGHTS:

I've had this series on my kindle forever and thought it was about time to delved into them, beginning with this short prequel to the first book.

It follows the fate (or impending therein) of four characters before they go underground. We meet Jelena, Harry, April and Bogdan as they are about to board the London Tube train.

Jelena - a Serbian who paid to come to the UK for a better life and instead was thrust into a sex trafficking ring upon arrival.

Harry - a 12 year old lad who is keen to meet the father he never knew, skipping out of school dressed in his zebra-like uniform, and secretly hoping his dad is a keen West Ham supporter as he is. So far, I like him best. He exudes a cheekiness that is endearing. That, and he's a West Ham supporter, which has been my dad's lifelong team.

April - pushing herself at an early morning pilates class before heading off for a date, arranged through a dating app. Not wanting to endure a hangover the following morning, she opted for a morning date. But instead must contend with the sweaty aftermath of pilates coupled with the steamy confines of the Tub.

Bogdan - left Serbia for a better life, as most Eastern European immigrants do. He had big dreams when coming to London but so far none of them have come to fruition and must content himself with being a night cleaner for an advertising company. His existence is a lonely one as his colleagues are all immigrants like him and, like him, are fluent in their native language but not English.

All of these people's lives will intersect in 20 minutes on the tube...

As in true Daniel Hurst style, we are immediately drawn into each of the stories and as soon as we finish this prequel we want to immediately dive into the first book in this series. At 35 pages, it took me just over an hour to read. This series is an interesting concept and I can't wait to find out what's in store for each of the characters.

Next...20 Minutes on the Tube

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Daniel Hurst was born in the northwest of England, a part of the world famous for its comedians, pasties and terrible weather.

He has been employed in several glamorous roles in his lifetime, including bartending, shelf stacking and procurement administration, all while based in some of the most exotic places on the planet, like Bolton, Preston and South London.

Daniel writes psychological thrillers and loves to tell tales about unusual things happening to normal people. He has written all his life, making the progression from handing scribbled stories to his parents as a boy to writing full length novels in his thirties. He lives in the North West of England and when he isn’t writing, he is usually watching a game of football in a pub where his wife can’t find him.

Since following his lifelong passion for writing in 2020, he has amassed a loyal and devoted set of readers, and regularly has several books in the top 100 of the Psychological Thriller Charts on Amazon. His title The Passenger became the #1 selling psychological thriller in the UK in October 2021. The Doctor's Wife is his first publication with Bookouture.

A prolific writer, Daniel likes to keep readers on their toes by self publishing even more books in between those released through his publisher.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: The Secret Gift by Daniel Hurst

The Secret Gift by Daniel Hurst

Genre: Christmas, Psychological thriller

Read: 20th December 2024

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 11th December 2024

★★★ 3 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Giving gifts has never been so deadly…

When Brenda partakes in a game of ‘Secret Santa’ with her friends, she is expecting some harmless festive fun. But she gets a lot more than she bargained for when she makes a shocking discovery, one that turns the simple act of swapping gifts into a deadly game of revenge, murder and mystery.

Some gifts are best left undelivered…

A fast-paced psychological thriller short story full of twists from the bestselling author of UK #1 The Doctor’s Wife, The Couple’s Revenge and Til Death Do Us Part

MY THOUGHTS:

Short and sweet and to the point. Oh, and not to mention shocking. Daniel Hurst is back with a seasonal short story with something of a twist to the traditional Secret Santa game that will take just an hour to devour.

There are the usual twists and a good dose of revenge piled into this one but it does seem to lack Hurst's usual fervour.  It is nothing if not predictable. And it did lack the final twist that Hurst is renowned for.  That's not to say it isn't an entertaining read, as all his thrillers aim to be. And a nice quick one too.

I did like the little holiday twist he sprinkled into the story by way of the characters' names, in a nod to those who have delivered some well known Christmas favourites over the years.

Let's hope your secret santa doesn't end up as this one did!

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Daniel Hurst was born in the northwest of England, a part of the world famous for its comedians, pasties and terrible weather.

He has been employed in several glamorous roles in his lifetime, including bartending, shelf stacking and procurement administration, all while based in some of the most exotic places on the planet, like Bolton, Preston and South London.

Daniel writes psychological thrillers and loves to tell tales about unusual things happening to normal people. He has written all his life, making the progression from handing scribbled stories to his parents as a boy to writing full length novels in his thirties. He lives in the North West of England and when he isn’t writing, he is usually watching a game of football in a pub where his wife can’t find him.

Since following his lifelong passion for writing in 2020, he has amassed a loyal and devoted set of readers, and regularly has several books in the top 100 of the Psychological Thriller Charts on Amazon. His title The Passenger became the #1 selling psychological thriller in the UK in October 2021. The Doctor's Wife is his first publication with Bookouture.

A prolific writer, Daniel likes to keep readers on their toes by self publishing even more books in between those released through his publisher.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: The Affair by James Cain

The Affair by James Cain

Genre: Psychological thriller, Short stories, Quick reads

Read: 3rd January 2024

Goodreads

Get Book Here

Published: 10th November 2022

★★★ 3 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Alice Ruffalo is on the run from her violent husband. She believes she found safety in a rundown motel in a small town.

The handsome motel clerk helps take her mind off her fears, until she starts to hear weird sounds outside her motel room and sees shadowy figures near her door.

Alice finds out the hard way that she shouldn't have stopped in this small town. Her husband knows exactly where she is.

This is a psychological thrilling short story offered exclusively to members of James Caine's newsletter.

MY THOUGHTS:

A short story about bad surprises.

Alice Ruffalo is on the run from her mafia boss husband, his last words still ringing in her ears.

"If you leave me, I'll kill you."

But as soon as he walked out the door that morning, she packed her bag and hustled Francesca into her portable crate, leaving her wedding rings on the short but not so sweet parting note for her husband to find on his return. She knows he will not be happy but this time was a stretch too far.

Now she finds herself in Peace River, population 3450. With only two places on offer and the more attractive of the two virtually shutting the door in her face citing they don't accept pets, Alice now finds herself in the shabby office of the run-down motel across the road. But any second thoughts she had about the place vanish when the manager walks in, handsome and smiling. Maybe she had landed on her feet here after all.

But then strange things begin happening. Noises in the night. Banging on the walls. The phone ringing off the hook. Shadows on the walls. And then she realises. She may have run from her husband, but she has not escaped him. He knows exactly where she is...and Alice knows she is no longer safe.

I felt like I'd checked into the Bates Motel with this quick read AJ Carter sent in his latest newsletter. It certainly had those Bates Motel vibes about it. It wasn't hard to figure out what was going on really but it was an entertaining read just the same. And quick, taking me just under an hour to read.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

James Caine loves psychological thrillers. When not writing or reading a thriller, he's watching one. His wife is sick of it. To make up for it, James regrettably agreed to watch a Romantic Comedy for every thriller his partner enjoys with him.

James Caine is mysterious since this is not his real identity, but a pen name. James was his alternate name when volunteering at a suicide hotline. Caine derived from a fictional villain in one of his stories. He asks that you not psychoanalyze that last part. 

He lives with his Queen and two young Princes in Alberta, Canada. 

James loves to hear from his readers. 

Social Media links:

Website | Facebook | Goodreads

REVIEW: The Killer Wife by Daniel Hurst

The Killer Wife by Daniel Hurst

Genre: Domestic thriller, Short story, Quick reads

Read: 13th December 2023

Goodreads

Available FREE when subscribing to Daniel's mailing list with Bookouture

Daniel Hurst Mailing List

★★★★★ 5 stars

MY THOUGHTS:

Oops indeed!

A delightfully fun a VERY quick read by Daniel Hurst, the master of the killer twist, about one woman's (over) reaction to a text message sent to her husband. It's very short and quite funny in the grand scheme of things. And very very Daniel.

Sign up, check it out. Daniel never disappoints.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Daniel Hurst was born in the northwest of England, a part of the world famous for its comedians, pasties and terrible weather.

He has been employed in several glamorous roles in his lifetime, including bartending, shelf stacking and procurement administration, all while based in some of the most exotic places on the planet, like Bolton, Preston and South London.

Daniel writes psychological thrillers and loves to tell tales about unusual things happening to normal people. He has written all his life, making the progression from handing scribbled stories to his parents as a boy to writing full length novels in his thirties. He lives in the North West of England and when he isn’t writing, he is usually watching a game of football in a pub where his wife can’t find him.

Since following his lifelong passion for writing in 2020, he has amassed a loyal and devoted set of readers, and regularly has several books in the top 100 of the Psychological Thriller Charts on Amazon. His title The Passenger became the #1 selling psychological thriller in the UK in October 2021. The Doctor's Wife is his first publication with Bookouture.

A prolific writer, Daniel likes to keep readers on their toes by self publishing even more books in between those released through his publisher.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

      

REVIEW: The Last Woman by Mark Hurst

The Last Woman by Mark Hurst

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 28th August 2023

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

THE LAST WOMAN is a free short story offered to Mark's readers upon signing up to his newsletter (links below).

MY THOUGHTS:

As a huge fan of Daniel Hurst, I was excited to hear his father venture into the world of psychological thrillers himself and promptly signed up to his newsletter which thus gave me access to his free short story THE LAST WOMAN. 

What to say about this story? Well, it is a quick read at just 50 minutes and around 40 pages in length, but it was cleverly constructed in a not dissimilar vein to his hugely talented and prolific son Daniel, though it did have something of its own uniqueness to it.

The story opens on the morning commute with Simon and Becky closely followed by the evening commute home with Rachel and Becky. It then continues throughout alternate chapters between the three characters and how their lives become entwined. I could see it could only end in tears...but maybe Mark had other plans for his characters.

To find out more, you'll have to sign up to his newsletter or visit his website to grab a copy. It's an entertaining read that is fast paced and addictive. I cannot say more than that. To do so would just give it away.

Check it out - you won't be sorry.

In the meantime, Mark Hurst's first full length book "The Lie" will be published on 9th September, which I can't wait for.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Born and raised in Bolton, UK, a true Lancastrian and a child of the sixties, Mark finally decided to pursue his passion for storytelling after a long and eventful career in a completely different industry, that sometimes involved more fiction than fact!

He entered construction at the age of 18 and has been involved with hundreds of large civil engineering projects for the last 40 years as a Civil Engineer and Surveyor, Estimator and Commercial Director, working in various far flung locations such as Hong Kong, Scandinavia and Wigan.

Mark has a passion for reading legal, crime and psychological thrillers; he often claims he can predict the end to a story … and when he gets it wrong, he’s pleasantly surprised. He also enjoys first hand accounts of military and espionage events and when he’s not reading and writing, he can be found watching the History Channel.

Married with two grown children and four grandchildren, his son Daniel convinced him it was time to start committing some of his own stories to print … and there are a few.  Drawing on his own life experiences, Mark weaves them into his stories but with a twist … it all could have happened.

Why Wooded Hill Books?

The origin of the surname Hurst – ancient Anglo-Saxon topographic name for someone who lived near a wooded hill or thicket.

Social media links:

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REVIEW: Her Lover by Nicole Trope

Her Lover by Nicole Trope

Genre: Domestic suspense, Short story

Read: 25th January 2023

Goodreads

Free Download via Newsletter

Published: January 2023

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

HER LOVER is a short story available to download for free when you sign up to Nicole's newsletter from Bookouture (link above).

MY THOUGHTS:

Well, that was an unexpected delight! And it left me wanting just that little bit more.

HER LOVER is a short story quickie read by the wonderfully talented Nicole Trope that is easily devoured in half an hour. There's not much I can say about this little quickie without spoiling its deliciousness.

Emily meets Jackson. And then she meets Mia. And then amidst all the desire, all the accolades and all the promises, a light bulb moment...and things begin to get a little interesting.

Delightful and delicious, HER LOVER is just a little bit...

...you'll have to read it to find out!

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Nicole Trope went to university to study Law but realised the error of her ways when she did very badly on her first law essay because-as her professor pointed out- ‘It’s not meant to be a story.’ She studied teaching instead and used her holidays to work on her writing career and complete a Masters’ degree in Children’s Literature. After the birth of her first child she stayed home full time to write and raise children, renovate houses and build a business with her husband.

The idea for her first published novel, The Boy under the Table, was so scary that it took a year for her to find the courage to write the emotional story.

She is now published by Bookouture and is an Amazon top 100 bestseller in the USA, UK, AUS and CAN.

She lives in Sydney with her husband and three children.

Social Media links:

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Newsletter SignUp | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

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

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

 

REVIEW: The New Year's Party by Daniel Hurst

The New Year's Party by Daniel Hurst

Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 30th December 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 28th December 2022

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Would you share your New Year's resolution with a stranger?

When Carrie and Andy attend a high-class New Year's Eve Party, they're looking forward to closing out the year in style. But then they meet Martin and Michaela, a couple who haven't just come out for champagne and fireworks. They have a New Year's resolution, and it's very unusual.

After sharing their own resolutions, Carrie and Andy receive a shocking but tempting offer, one that leaves them unsure of how to proceed. But whatever they decide to do, one thing is certain - this will be a New Year's Eve they will never forget.

A fast-paced short story full of twists and turns from the author of popular psychological thrillers Til Death Do Us Part, We Used To Live Here & The Couple In The Cabin.

MY THOUGHTS:

Literally read in one sitting! Well, it is just 51 pages in length and can be easily devoured in an hour which is exactly what I did on this New Year's Eve "eve"! And who could resist a Daniel Hurst thriller? Really?

THE NEW YEAR'S PARTY has all the hallmarks of a classic Daniel Hurst thriller that fans will not be disappointed. How can he deliver us such an exciting twisty thrill ride that is fresh and intriguing in just 51 pages, you ask? Easy! He throws in some thrills, some surprises and a devilishly delightful twist...after...twist...after twist!

Without further ado, be very careful what you wish for this new year's...and who you disclose them to. Because you never know where your wishes, your new-found resolutions, will take you. And never EVER assume anything! While Lies, deceit and betrayal are deadly...revenge is sweet.

Let the games begin!!

A fun and entertaining game of cat and mouse in this little novella from one of my favourite authors to round off the year.

Happy new year to me! J

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Daniel Hurst was born in the northwest of England, a part of the world famous for its comedians, pasties and terrible weather.

He has been employed in several glamorous roles in his lifetime, including bartending, shelf stacking and procurement administration, all while based in some of the most exotic places on the planet, like Bolton, Preston and South London.

Daniel writes psychological thrillers and loves to tell tales about unusual things happening to normal people. He has written all his life, making the progression from handing scribbled stories to his parents as a boy to writing full length novels in his thirties. He lives in the North West of England and when he isn’t writing, he is usually watching a game of football in a pub where his wife can’t find him.

Since following his lifelong passion for writing in 2020, he has amassed a loyal and devoted set of readers, and regularly has several books in the top 100 of the Psychological Thriller Charts on Amazon. His title The Passenger became the #1 selling psychological thriller in the UK in October 2021. 

A prolific writer, Daniel likes to keep readers on their toes by self publishing even more books in between those released through his publisher.

Social Media links:

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REVIEW: The Gift by Freida McFadden

The Gift by Freida McFadden

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 30th December 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 4th December 2022

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

It’s Christmas Eve and Stella Hansen is broke.

She is so broke that despite working two jobs, she can’t even afford a present for her husband on their first Christmas as man and wife. But then a mysterious storekeeper at a pawn shop offers Stella an intriguing trade.

Stella wants more than anything to buy her husband the Christmas gift of his dreams. But will it come at a terrible price?

MY THOUGHTS:

I came across this book as a recommendation from one of my favourite authors Daniel Hurst so I thought I would check it out. After all, I absolutely LOVED Freida's psychological thriller "The Housemaid" and have the sequel on my shelf to read next month. But this? This is something else.

THE GIFT is a Christmas quickie like no other. Don't be fooled by its genial title...for what lays within is anything but.

Stella is coming off a twelve hour shift on Christmas Eve. Her feet are aching. Her blisters have blisters. She's tired and fed up and just wants to go home to her husband Justin. It's their first Christmas together as a married couple and she wants it to be special. The only problem is, she has no gift to give him as all her money went on getting the heating put back on after it was cut off.

So with less than 15 minutes left of their shift to go, Stella and Bessie are finishing up with waiting for the two remaining customers to leave. One down but the other remains. An elderly woman sitting in a corner booth at the back. And then Stella realises that neither she nor Bessie have served this woman. How long has she been sitting there? Waiting to be served? 

With just 2 minutes left before they can close and she can go home to Justin (gift-less), Stella decides to tell the woman they are closing. But as she approaches the old woman and her attempts to rouse her fail, Stella then sees her once dark eyes clouded over and staring. And then she touches her. Her body is rigid. What the...?

UH-OH!

A creepy tale on Christmas Eve that is unlike any other Christmas story. It is chilling but deliciously so. Even so, it had the potential for greater things as a longer story but it sufficiently suffices with its well-earned creepiness as a short story. Still...I'd love to have seen how things panned out for those involved. And one hateful character.

A fast paced quick read that I devoured in half an hour. And that Epilogue? Brilliant. Though I saw the twist coming just before the reveal and thought how ironic and deliciously twisted it was. Just imagine how awesome it would have been as a full length tale!

If you enjoy creepy thrillers or are a McFadden fan, then you will love this short story.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

#1 Amazon bestselling author Freida McFadden is a practicing physician specializing in brain injury who has penned multiple Kindle bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humor novels. She lives with her family and black cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads