REVIEW: The Girls of Victory Street by Pam Howes (ARC)

 

The Girls of Victory Street (The Bryant Sisters #1) by Pam Howes

Genre: Historical fiction, WW2, Sagas

Read: 25th July 2020

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 27th July 2020

★★★★ 4.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

From Amazon bestseller Pam Howes comes an emotional World War Two saga about three young women whose bravery and friendship will see them through the darkest times.

Liverpool, 1939. Bella Rogers thought her life was just starting; she can’t wait to get married to her childhood sweetheart, Bobby. But when war is declared and Bobby is called up, his letters stop, leaving Bella heartbroken and alone. Then her family is torn apart by tragedy when her angelic five-year-old sister dies from a terrible illness. They can barely afford a funeral, but the church is packed with the entire community, devastated for their loss.

Grieving for her sister and lost love, Bella finds a job at the Bryant and May factory, making matches. As bombs begin to fall, Bella gets the workers singing, keeping spirits high amidst the fear. When she meets a handsome American airman, Earl Franklin Jr, Bella’s heart finally starts to mend. Earl encourages her passion and soon she and her friends are offered the opportunity of a lifetime: to travel the country’s army bases, entertaining the troops and singing for victory. They name themselves The Bryant Sisters.

Just as her life is getting back on track, Bella finds herself pregnant – and Earl reveals a shattering secret that changes everything about their future. Desolate, she flees home to Liverpool, but as an unmarried mother, will her family reject her? And, as she faces a terrible sacrifice, will she ever sing with The Bryant Sisters again?

A heartbreaking historical novel about women in wartime, friendship, family and hope. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries, Diney Costeloe and Wives of War.

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be part of the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for the first in what promises to be an exciting new series.

The first in a new series by Pam Howes, THE GIRLS OF VICTORY STREET is set in Liverpool and begins just prior to the outbreak of World War 2. It is an engaging tale that is a lighthearted and quick read, but thoroughly enjoyable.

Liverpool 1939: Bella Rogers is preparing to leave school upon turning 15 to find work and bring in the much-needed extra wage for her family when she and her childhood sweetheart Bobby Harrison are both invited to train with the Maia choir with a promising career ahead of them. In the meantime, Bella finds work in the packing department of the Bryant and May match factory, alongside her friends Fran Jackson and Edit Potts, whilst training two nights a week with the choir.

Although she would love nothing more than to marry Bobby, war is soon declared and Bobby's future has already been mapped out for his following in his father's footsteps in the RAF. The two keep in touch via letter when he is seconded to Oxfordshire but when the letters stop, Bella fears Bobby has found someone else and has fallen out of love with her.

Tension and despair are rife within the factory, so the girls decide to bring some cheerfulness by singing as they worked to help keep everyone's spirits up. Soon the factory was singing along with them and applauding their talent. When the boss calls them into the office one day, they fear they have done something wrong but instead are asked to sing at the factory's Christmas party, at which they are introduced as "The Bryant Sisters" in honour the factory in which they work.

When the three are offered an opportunity to join ENSA - The Entertainment National Service Association - and sing for the soldiers in and around Britain, they jump at the chance. However, as they are still underage at 16, their parents' permission must be obtained which is given wholeheartedly and with enthusiasm. Excitedly, Bella writes and shares her news with Bobby but is distraught when he never responds.

Soon the girls are travelling all around England and into Scotland, performing for the troops to keep their spirits up just as they had done back at the match factory. But with Bella's dad away fighting, her younger sister Molly evacuated to Wales, there is only her Mam at home and Bella worries for her as bombs fall nightly in and around the country.

Then when the girls arrive at Brize Newton RAF base in Oxfordshire, the base where Bobby is, Bella is nervous she will come face to face with him and fears she can't trust herself not to burst into tears. But nothing prepares her for the woman who greets them off the coach when they arrive. Alicia, the girl who Bobby's mother desires him to marry. What is she doing here in the WAAF? But when the truth is revealed, Bella is both shocked and devastated but resolves to move on with her life.

As England's answer to The Andrews Sisters, "The Bryant Sisters" continue to travel and perform all over the country, bringing joy and cheerfulness to the troops and keeping their spirits up amidst the dark days of war.

Then when the Americans join the war in 1941 and the girls are performing at the new USAF base, Bella meets the charming Wing Commander Earl Franklin who accompanies them on the piano during performances. Bella becomes smitten but there relationship is not all that is seems. It becomes a heady time for Bella, Fran and Edie. But there is tragedy to come and heartache to follow...

A beautiful written tale that draws the reader in from the very first page, THE GIRLS FROM VICTORY STREET is a story of friendship, love, loss and sacrifice. There is romance, there is heartbreak, there is love, there is tragedy. An enjoyable read that is predictable but I didn't care, as it was simply a wonderfully light read that I could just immerse myself in.

I found THE GIRLS FROM VICTORY STREET bore some resemblence to Rosie Archer's The Bluebird Girls series, a nod to the late great Dame Vera Lynn and a series I also love. THE GIRLS FROM VICTORY STREET is just as engaging, just as enjoyable and just as wonderful. I loved every minute of it and after that ending...and eagerly awaiting the next book in what promises to be an enjoyable lighthearted series.

Recommended to fans of historical fiction with a specific interest in the WW2 time period and for those who also enjoyed Rosie Archer's Bluebird Girls series.

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


MEET THE AUTHOR:

Pam Howes is an ex Interior Designer who loves creating stories, but only started writing seriously about twelve years ago. The idea for her first novel, set in the sixties, came from her time as a teenager, working in a local record store and hanging round with the musicians who frequented the business.

That first novel evolved into a series set in the fictional town of Pickford, based on her home town of Stockport. Three Steps to Heaven; 'Til I Kissed You; Always On My Mind; Not Fade Away, and That'll Be The Day, follow the lives and loves through the decades of fictional Rock'n'Roll band The Raiders.

Pam signed a second contract with the award winning publisher Bookouture with the first novel in her Lark Lane series, The Factory Girls of Lark Lane, published in July 2018. Her first series for Bookouture - The Mersey Trilogy featuring The Liverpool Girls, The Forgotten Family of Liverpool and The Lost Daughter of Liverpool - is also available in E book, paperback and as audio books.

Pam is a big fan of sixties music and it's this love and the support and encouragement of her musician partner that compelled her to write the series. Pam has three adult daughters and seven grandchildren. She lives in Cheshire and as well as writing novels, writes short stories, which have appeared in charity anthologies and online e-zines, and poems, many of which are published.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Twitter | Facebook

REVIEW: The Yellow Bird Sings by Jennifer Rosner (ARC)

The Yellow Bird Sings by Jennifer Rosner

Genre: Historical fiction, WW2

Read: 26th July 2020

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 2nd April 2020

★ 1 star

I've read many books of Jews escaping the Nazis in Germany, Poland, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Italy and the Greek islands. And each of them had their own merits to offer in their own captivating way. This one - THE YELLOW BIRD SINGS - however, does not. Although I'm clearly in the minority here since so many others have loved it.

Poland 1941: Roza and her 5 year old daughter Shira are hiding in barn from the Nazis during World War 2. At a time when people are denouncing their Jewish neighbours for something as little as a bag of sugar or flour, Roza and Shira feared they may be next. But Hernyk and Krystyna, despite fearing the Nazis, decide to let them stay. Although it comes at a price.

Rosa and Shira must spend their days, and nights, in absolute silence so as to not alert Henryk and Krystyna's children or their neighbours as to their presence. Their only entertainment are the stories Roza whispers to Shira about their family, their love of music and Shira's imaginary little yellow bird that sings for them. They develop their own form of sign language to communicate without using words.

It's all mundane boredom until one night Henryk comes to the barn loft and Rosa must insist that Shira remain facing the wall and go to sleep, although she can hear the strange noises and grunts that come from behind her. The next day, Henryk allows them to stay longer than the two nights Roza had first pleaded of him. After that, his nocturnal visits become frequent though I'm not exactly sure why, except maybe as some form of payment for allowing them to hide in his barn, as is his greedy ulterior motive for letting them stay.

THE YELLOW BIRD SINGS is only a short read but for me it was a confusing one. To be honest, I found it a little claustrophobic if not boring. I couldn't see much point in what was happening and if the little yellow bird was real or imaginary.

The writing had the feel of a children's book, so simplistic was its style, were it not for the sexual content.

In the end I did not complete the book, despite its short 200 pages, as I really didn't see the point. However, as I seem to be in the minority here, you may well enjoy it as many others have. I would have liked to but I just couldn't.

I would like to thank #JenniferRosner, #NetGalley and #PanMacmillan and #Picador for an ARC of #TheYellowBirdSings in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Wall of Silence by Tracy Buchanan (ARC)

Wall of Silence by Tracy Buchanan

Genre: Domestic thriller, Noir

Read: 24th July 2020

Goodreads

Amazon

(published: 1st April 2020)

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Her children have a deadly secret. Can she uncover it before the police do?

Melissa Byatt’s life in Forest Grove seems as perfect as can be: a doting husband, three loving children and a beautiful house in a close-knit community. But appearances can be deceiving.

One evening, Melissa arrives home to the unimaginable: her husband lies stabbed on the kitchen floor, their children standing calmly around him…With horror, she realises that one of them is to blame. But which one? And why would they attack their own father?

Her loyalties torn, in a split second she decides to protect her children at all costs—even if that means lying to the police. But when someone in the neighbourhood claims to know more than they should, Melissa discovers that some secrets are beyond her control…

Can she find out the truth of what happened before the rumours spread? And can the family unite to escape the spotlight of scandal—or are none of them as innocent as Melissa insists?

MY REVIEW:

Does the perfect family actually exist? Well, that's the image the residents of Forest Grove have of the Byatt family. That and the fact that the residents of Forest Grove also live in the perfect village, perfectly carved out at the edge of a thick forest, that had never existed up until a couple of decades ago. But when a tragic incident occurs and as the cracks start to appear, it soon becomes clear that nothing is what it seems in this close-knit community.

Melissa Byatt returns home one evening to a scene which could only be described as a nightmare. Her husband Patrick is lying unconscious on the kitchen floor, having been stabbed with the knife still at his side, and her three children standing wordlessly around him. They claim to have found him like that but after Melissa rings the ambulance she sees the knife has disappeared. The only people in that kitchen were her three children. Did one of them remove it? Or was she imagining things?

The police ask the usual questions and without a second thought, Melissa jumps in to back up her children. There was no knife at the scene; the attacker must have taken it with him. All the while asking herself just exactly what did her children do and how much did they know about the attack?

As the minutes pass into hours and the hours into days, Melissa begins to suspect her children know a lot more than they are letting on but each time she tries to question them, a wall of silence goes up between them and they refuse to tell her what they know. Going out of her mind with worry, Melissa is certain one of her children did it as who else could it have been? But how can she help them if they won't tell her?

Patrick's parents, Bill and Rosemary, are on hand immediately to take Melissa and the children in whilst their home remains a crime scene, all the while offering tea and platitudes. Rosemary insists on being by Patrick's side whilst Melissa is determined to get to the truth of what really happened. Her in-laws fail to understand who could do this to Patrick as he is loved by everyone...nor do they understand why Melissa spends most of her time traipsing through the forest when she should be at her husband's side.

Then the rumours start. Melissa has been having an affair with long time friend and forest ranger, Ryan Day. And the perfect village begins ripping the perfect family to shreds.

But this village has its own share of secrets. Secrets, deceit and lies that will rip this family apart at the seams as wild accusations abound causing Melissa to question everything she ever thought she knew about the man she has loved since she was 15 years old.

And then after nine days, Patrick wakes from his coma and everyone waits with baited breath as to who he will identify as his attacker.

WALL OF SILENCE is one wild ride. There are so many red herrings, twists and secrets that will make your head spin. Who is lying? Who is telling the truth? And what really happened to Patrick Byatt? And what are the residents of Forest Grove really hiding?

The story cleverly unfolds through the diary excerpts of one of the children whose identity remains unknown, a third person narrative from Melissa's perspective as she endeavours to uncover the truth and pretentious Facebook group chats that become vicious taunts between villagers as they turn on each other.

There are so many layers to this story that goes back several years. Throughout the unfolding narrative the reader learns about Melissa's childhood, her parents and how she came to meet Patrick. Her friendship with Ryan is also ruminated on growing up in the forest and how the village once referred to Melissa as "that feral child".

In the midst of the many characters within WALL OF SILENCE, I love how the forest is a character all of its own. I was reminded of the Scandanavian noir thriller "Jordskott" some years back where the forest played an important part in that story, just as it does here. It has an element of creepiness about it as if the answers somehow lay at the foot of the great oak tree at its heart, where Melissa often sought and found refuge. But will the great oak tree give her the answers she seeks now? Who stabbed Patrick? And how to get the truth from her children?

While I guessed the "who" in the whodunit fairly early, I was still left questioning my belief throughout as the author weaved a web of deceit that became a tangled mess of secrets and lies. As I was to discover, and you will too, that it's not the "who" so much as the "why" that is important.

I really cannot convey just what WALL OF SILENCE does within a few paragraphs. One has to read it to experience it themselves. And I do recommend doing so. It is a different thriller, but it is a twisty journey filled with secrets and lies that will leave you breathless.

A domestic thriller with a touch of noir for something different!

I would like to thank #TracyBuchanan, #NetGalley and #AmazonPublishingUK for an ARC of #WallOfSilence in exchange for an honest review.


MEET THE AUTHOR:

Tracy Buchanan lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband, their little girl and their puppy, Bronte. Tracy travelled extensively while working as a travel magazine editor, and has always been drawn to the sea after spending her childhood holidays on the south coast visiting family, a fascination that inspires her writing. She now dedicates her time to writing and procrastinating on Facebook.


SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

COVER REVEAL!! Dear Daughter by K.L. Slater

I'm totally excited to be a part of the #CoverReveal for #KimSlater's latest thriller

DEAR DAUGHTER

published 22nd October.
Available for pre-order now (links below).

SYNOPSIS:

Your sister lives in your home. You trust her with your baby.
But what if you’ve got it wrong?

Alexa has always adored her big sister Carrie. So when Carrie is suspended from her job as a senior nurse, accused of the most terrible crime, Alexa refuses to believe she is guilty. She won’t desert her sister in her hour of need, and offers her somewhere to stay. And when Alexa sees her one-year-old daughter Florence gurgling and cooing whenever Carrie is around, she knows she’s made the right decision.

Alexa’s husband Perry doesn’t trust Carrie. He wants her out of the house, unable to ignore what people are saying about her. But when he suggests that Carrie could be a danger to their daughter, Alexa shuts him out. Nobody will ever come between her and her sister.

But while Alexa trusts her sister completely, she can’t stop thinking about the awful thing that happened in the past. She tries to suppress her worries, but when Florence goes missing, she realises that the secret that has kept the sisters together might just destroy her little girl…

A completely gripping rollercoaster of a read about the darkness families hide behind closed doors. Fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train will be hooked on Dear Daughter.


MEET THE AUTHOR:
For many years, Kim sent her work out to literary agents and collected an impressive stack of rejection slips. At the age of 40 she went back to Nottingham Trent University and now has an MA in Creative Writing.

Before graduating in 2012, she gained literary agent representation and a book deal. As Kim says, 'it was a fairytale ... at the end of a very long road!'

Kim is a full-time writer. She has one daughter, two stepsons and lives with her husband in Nottingham.

Kim's Social Media links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


Pre-order links:

Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Google

REVIEW: The Child Across the Street by Kerry Wilkinson (ARC)

The Child Across the Street by Kerry Wilkinson

Genre: Domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 21st July 2020

Goodreads

Amazon

Apple

Kobo

Google
Publication date: July 23rd 2020

★★★ 2.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

Wheeling my suitcase down the familiar, hedge-lined street, I smile at the sound of children playing in the park nearby. Suddenly, there’s a screech of car brakes. I rush over to see a bent bike wheel sticking out of the ditch, and underneath, a little boy…

As I turn the rusty key in the lock of the house I grew up in, memories flood back. None of them happy. I never told anyone why I left home twenty years ago, and all I want is to sort out Dad’s funeral as quickly as possible.

Now I’m trapped here, the only witness to a terrible incident that has left an eight-year-old boy fighting for his life. But after a lifetime trying to forget my past, I don’t know if I can trust my memory, or be totally sure of what I saw today.

Sorting through Dad’s things one night – shopping lists in his curly handwriting, piles of old newspapers, dusty sports trophies – I think I hear the back door handle rattle. I tiptoe downstairs, past an open window I’m sure I locked. And a figure darts across the overgrown garden.

Someone is watching me. Someone who knows I’m the only one who saw what happened to little Ethan… or could they know the real reason why I left? Either way, I’m certain that coming back was my biggest mistake. I can’t leave, but the longer I stay, the more danger I’m in…

An utterly addictive psychological thriller that will have you glued to the pages until the early hours. Fans of The Girl on the Train and I Am Watching You won’t be able to put down the next mind-blowing read from bestselling author Kerry Wilkinson.


MY REVIEW:

I have been a Kerry Wilkinson fan since "The Girl Who Came Back" (which I inevitably loved), so naturally I was excited to take part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for his latest thriller THE CHILD ACROSS THE STREET. Kerry is fantastic writer with a great sense of humour peppering the odd witty quip throughout his books. He never fails to engage me with his ability to draw me (the reader) into each story that I often don't want to leave.

Following the death of her father, Abi Coyle has returned to her childhood home of Elwood where she left some 20 years before. She has inherited the house she grew up in but unable to disassociate it from a time she would rather forget, she decides to put it on the market.

On her arrival she witnesses an accident where 8 year old Ethan Ashworth (though there was a misprint in the book early on when he was referred to as Ethan Coyle) is hit by a car and thrown into a ditch by the road. I don't know if it is Abi's memories of the place or the fact she may have had too much vodka on her journey, but she appears incredibly vague to all she had witnessed. She didn't even notice anything had happened until she saw the bike wheel protruding from the ground.

Then there is the distressed cries of a woman who turns out to be Ethan's mother from across the road who turns out to be one of Abi's best friends, Jo Ashworth, from school. The two reconnect through the tragedy though I'm not sure why. Abi just seemed to drift along on Jo's various and demanding whims. The woman didn't seem to think of others and despite her son being in hospital she appeared to be enjoying the spotlight just a little too much.

Following the accident, Abi gets the sense that she is being watched and begins to feel uneasy. She hears noises in the night and upon investigating, she sees a figure run off in the dark. She starts to wonder if her past has come back to haunt her, though I am not really sure what was so awful about her past that she would feel under threat. The only real threat she seemed to have had is now dead and awaiting burial but even that was a little ambiguous. Whatever the case, Abi solved it all by sipping vodka from the water bottle she carried around...or she just got blotto.

As much as I love Kerry's thrillers, THE CHILD ACROSS THE STREET just didn't do it for me. I don't know what it is but I failed to connect with any of the characters and found most of them unlikable. I disliked Abi almost instantly and, despite her being well-written in relation to the story, I just couldn't connect to her or feel her pain. She had no drive, no real purpose even. Jo was just demanding and annoying. Holly was somewhat uppity which was reflected in her move to an seemingly more upper scale part of the same town in which they all grew up. Even the teenage children were difficult to connect with. They all just seemed to be names on paper, not real characters.

I did like how the town itself became its own character with bits of messy relationships woven throughout and within each character you meet. But that's as far as it went. All the other bits and pieces seemed a bit pointless. I kept waiting for something big to take place...but it never did.

I'm not sure what THE CHILD ACROSS THE STREET was supposed to be about. Is it a domestic thriller? Is it a mystery? Is it a tale of suspense? Is it a story of grief? It seems like it was supposed to be a little of all these things woven together but instead it just unravelled like a ball of string. The premise seemed to promise something different to what was actually delivered. 

This wasn't an easy review to write...simply because I love Kerry Wilkinson's thrillers and I appreciate the many hours that must go into each and every book. I wanted to like it but I just couldn't. And to write a review on a book I didn't really enjoy by one of my favourite authors is no easy feat. I can see from others that there are mixed feelings about this book. Some of Kerry's most loyal fans are either united or divided in opinion. And it's quite possible that THE CHILD ACROSS THE STREET will go on to be another raging success. 

However in my opinion, I felt it wasn't his best BUT it certainly doesn't put me off the author. He is one of my favourites and I eagerly await each new release.

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


MEET THE AUTHOR:

 

Kerry Wilkinson has had No.1 bestsellers in the UK, Canada, South Africa and Singapore, as well as top-five books in Australia. He has also written two top-20 thrillers in the United States.

As well as his million-selling Jessica Daniel series, Kerry has written the Silver Blackthorn trilogy - a fantasy-adventure serial for young adults - a second crime series featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter, plus numerous standalone novels. He has been published around the world in more than a dozen languages.

Originally from the county of Somerset, Kerry has spent far too long living in the north of England, picking up words like 'barm' and 'ginnel'.

When he's short of ideas, he rides his bike or bakes cakes. When he's not, he writes it all down.

Author Social Media Links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter

REVIEW: If Looks Could Kill by Olivia Kiernan (ARC)

If Looks Could Kill (DCS Frankie Sheehan #3) by Olivia Kiernan

Genre: Crime fiction, police procedural

Read: 19th July 2020

Goodreads

Amazon

(publication date: 23rd July 2020)

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

When I requested this book I had no idea it was part of a series, and I do prefer to read them in order if possible. It felt as though I may have missed something by coming in on the third book and I was somewhat puzzled with its introduction although that is cleared up further into the story. Still, I felt as though I was missing something.

IF LOOKS COULD KILL opens with a very dramatic scene in a park in Dublin as a man places a gun to his temple in full view of all around and pulls the trigger. Several weeks later, Detective Chief Superintendant Frankie Sheehan and DS Baz Harwood are on their way to rural Wicklow to investigate the disappearance of Debbie Nugent.

A bloody scene greets them in Debbie's home with the living room covered in blood, and yet there is no body. Judging by the amount of blood, Frankie suspects that the woman almost certainly dead but the behaviour of her daughter is even more puzzling. Margot has been living in the house amidst the scene for three days, having not reported her mother missing until after her sister Kristen arrives from France. And even then, it is her boyfriend David Sutton who calls it in.

Frankie launches an investigation into Debbie's life but before long discovers that the woman kept to herself and practically lived off the grid. She had no mobile phone, no internet and no real contact with the outside world but for her job at the garden centre and her weekly trips to Dublin.

Believing Debbie to be almost certainly dead, Frankie organises a search team of volunteers to work alongside the Gardai to scour to woodlands near Debbie's home, in the hope of uncovering her remains. Meanwhile, Frankie and Baz question friends, neighbours and Debbie's two daughters. But as they question them over the coming days, it soon becomes clear that something strange surrounds the Nugent house.

As the team delve deeper, it is revealed the case has links to something darker and leads them into very dangerous territory.

Somewhat slow to begin with, I wasn't sure which direction the story was taking at first. The crime and the story appeared to be predictable with a hint of something untoward. As the story unfolded, it soon became clear that there was something else at play though I didn't expect it to take the turn it did.

An intruiging plot, IF LOOKS COULD KILL had plenty of twists filled with contradictions as the mystery continued to deepen. The pace picked up about 40% into the story which resulted in a compelling read. It's only as you near the end that the opening Prologue suddenly falls into place, giving it an interesting twist.

Told solely from Frankie's first person perspective, with the exception of the Prologue, IF LOOKS COULD KILL is certainly an interesting read and by the end I was congratulating the author that I had started out cursing for the slow beginning.

I liked both Frankie and Baz, who clearly work well together. The two complement each other and is far more enjoyable to read than the angst between partners and ranks found in other novels. I even liked the gruff Jack Clancy, assistant commissioner. Whilst the crime is a puzzling one for the team, when the direction changed I became suspicious of exactly who might be involved and correctly guessed two of the big reveals. But that doesn't spoil my enjoyment of a book. I love trying to work out "whodunnit" and quietly congratulate myself when I get it right. It's like a goal I set myself in trying to work it out...lol

Olivia Kiernan is not an author I have heard of before and I will be interested to read her other books in the Frankie Sheehan series. I was pleasantly surprised by this one, considering I was disappointed with the start and found it slow and ungripping at that stage. However, that all changed and it ended up being a compelling crime thriller that kept both Frankie and the reader on their toes.

IF LOOKS COULD KILL is perfect for fans who like their crime thrillers with a twist.

I would like to thank #OliviaKiernan, #NetGalley and #Quercus for an ARC of #IfLooksCouldKill in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Secret Admirer by Carol Wyer (ARC)

The Secret Admirer (DI Natalie Ward #6) by Carol Wyer

Genre: Crime fiction, police procedural

Read: 17th July 2020

Goodreads

Amazon

(publication date: 2nd April 2020)

★★★★ 4 stars

I have been a fan of Carol Wyer's Natalie Ward series since almost the beginning and though it took me a while to warm to her, she is now one of my favourite detectives. When book 5 "The Blossom Twins" ended with such a heartbreaking twist, I was gutted. And I didn't know how Natalie, whose marriage was already on the rocks, was going to weather the storm ahead.

THE SECRET ADMIRER is the sixth installment and picks up a couple of months after where "The Blossom Twins" ended. There has been tragedy and trauma and, now living in a flat until their house can be sold, Natalie must now pick up the pieces of the life she once knew and loved. Having been on leave for the past few months, Natalie feels she is ready to return to work.

Nineteen year old Gemma Barnes is a student studying languages at Samford University when she falls victim to a shocking acid attack. A witness rushes to her assistance but Gemma dies an agonising death before the ambulance arrives. Who would want to kill Gemma who, for all intents and purposes, appears to be well-liked?

DI Natalie Ward receives the call to investigate this suspicious death and immediately focuses on her housemates, questioning their whereabouts at the time of the attack. They all appear to have an alibi for the busy Friday evening. But as Natalie and her team investigate, they soon discover that some of the housemates are being less than truthful. So what is it they are they hiding?

During a search of Gemma's room, the team uncover a letter addressed to her from "an admirer". Was this a targeted attack? And if so, by whom? Natalie is unable to uncover any other letters, so is unsure if this is just a once-off or if she should be concerned about it.

Then Natalie receives a call from one of the housemates, Hattie, with some information regarding the case and asks to meet her. But when Hattie doesn't show, Natalie starts to wonder if the woman had second thoughts or if something more sinister has taken place. She begins to search for her whereabouts and looking into her background but to no avail. Hattie appears to have vanished. Then her car is found at the railway station. Has she done a flit? Along with any information she had to impart on the investigation? But where would Hattie go? Her only thought is to her father, who is a vicar in a small village, but he hasn't seen her either.

Then a body is found in the doorway of an abandoned shop under a sheaf of blankets. Natalie prepares herself for the victim to be Hattie but is shocked to discover that it is one of the other housemates. With no visual signs as to cause of death, it is soon revealed she had ingested acid which lead to her demise. Who is targeting the women of 35 Eastview Avenue?

The deeper the investigation goes more disturbing details are revealed as another murder is discovered. But things worsen even moreso as Natalie's ex-husband David becomes a suspect when it is found he knew two of the victims. Their marriage may have fallen apart and David may be many things...but is he a murderer? Natalie must put aside her personal feelings and work to establish his role in the murders or eliminate him as a suspect.

I have read a good many of Carol Wyer's books and I love her style and approach. I love her characters, or love to hate them, and I love the complex multi-layered mystery of each book. THE SECRET ADMIRER had a lot to live up after in the wake of that devastating twist at the end of "The Blossom Twins". It was always going to be hard to move beyond that and get better. I love how Natalie has finally moved out, after to-ing and fro-ing over it in the last books. David was always portrayed as someone we loved to hate after all he put Natalie through, but this book shows a different side to him.

I have to hand it to Carol Wyer because this time I did not guess the killer until near the end, a little before they were exposed. It started to make sense to me and then BOOM! All was revealed. I'm usually pretty good at guessing the culprit but THE SECRET ADMIRER had so many red herrings to steer us off in the wrong direction, it left a more obvious one in the dark. When I say "obvious", it is only that after we know and we're left thinking "Of course! Now it makes perfect sense!"

The chapters aren't as short as usually like, but this series is so enthralling most of the time you don't notice their length. The pace is relentless with a compelling narrative that doesn't let up until the end. The tangled web of secrets, lies and deceit unfolds amidst a tension so palpable that I could not put it down.

This series is by far one of my favourites, despite coming in on just the second book, as I have watched Natalie's family life slowly implode. Although this is a thrilling read, it didn't quite live up to the previous one, but that was a tough one to top. THE SECRET ADMIRER does feature Natalie's personal life a little more due to her recent tragedy as well as David's involvement in the case. Things are still very raw for her as she finds comparisons in almost every situation. I may not have warmed to Natalie at first but I have really come to love her and her team. I missed Murray's presence in the last book as he was (out here) in Australia - I remember a reference to him being at Bondi Beach in wintry conditions, though not as cold as the UK, I'm sure. I was glad to see his return in this one.

Some say THE SECRET ADMIRER suffices as a standalone but I have to disagree. Yes, the reader is given enough information about past events and each book follows a different case, but the entire series is connected throughout and starting from the beginning would give a complete and fuller picture. Besides, reading this one will only spoil earlier books, should you decide to read them, particularly the one immediately preceding THE SECRET ADMIRER.

In all, THE SECRET ADMIRER is a fantastic addition to one of my favourite series by one of my favourite authors with one of my favourite publishers and while not as shocking as the last one, it is still addictive reading that you can't stop until the very end.

Recommended for fans of crime fiction, thrillers and suspense. Basically anyone looking for a gripping read and don't mind starting at the beginning of the series. Or at least "The Blossom Twins". Fantastic read!!

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