The Staffymum's Book Nook

Published: 3rd November 2023

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

We promised to keep each other’s secrets. Until they found the body…

The Wife:

My husband and I are fighting for our lives in hospital after a terrible car accident. But despite my pain, all I can think about is what our families will find behind our front door. The scarf that has been all over the news, belonging to a dead young woman with honey-coloured hair. I have to speak to the police before my husband can…

The Husband:

I’m drifting in and out of consciousness, but when I hear my wife talking to the police, accusing me of the murder of an innocent woman, a cold fear grips me. I know I’ve got a temper. That I’ve not always been faithful. Will they think I killed her?

I think of my wife’s jealous streak, of the lies she’s told our loved ones. But if I tell the whole truth, they’ll look into her past. And that will destroy me, too…

Two people fighting for their lives. Two people with secrets to hide. Who will you believe?

A completely compelling and twisty page-turner from number 1 bestselling author K.L. Slater. Fans of Lisa Jewell and Freida McFadden will be hooked by Husband and Wife.

MY THOUGHTS:

"I have something very important to tell you. But you mustn't tell anyone..."

Kim Slater continues to thrive with her deluge of thrillers and this one she well and truly had me hoodwinked. Though when the villain was revealed I was surprised but not shocked...because everything just fell into place with that one piece of knowledge. All throughout, with her sleight of hand deftly moving the pieces, Kim weaves a tale which pitches wife against husband and husband against wife. And despite having the facts laid out before us, I was still blindly lead up a false trail wanting so badly for the villain to be someone else entirely. And while she was deftly moving the pieces behind the scenes, I didn't see the truth until she spelled it out for us. And it had been hiding in plain sight.

Nicola and Cal are excited to be babysitting their seven year old grandson, a rare occurrence given that their relationship with their son and his wife appear to be somewhat strained. But a night out at a dinner dance his firm is holding, Parker delivers their son to his parents on their way out for the evening and into the night. His wife Luna naturally remains in the car and Nicola can't understand why the woman never makes an effort with them. But regardless, for Parker's and Barney's sakes she tries to offer an olive branch but it's swept away each time.

Before leaving, Parker whispers to his mother that he needs to talk to her the following day when his father was at work and Luna safely back at home. His words "I have something very important to tell you. But you mustn't tell anyone" have her intrigued and pondering what could be so important that he only wished to confide in her. And without his wife's knowledge.

But the conversation was never to take place. Because at 2am the following morning, she's shaken awake by Cal and the strobing blue lights lighting up their bedroom. Downstairs the police rang the doorbell. There had been a very serious road traffic accident in which their son Parker and his wife Luna had been seriously injured.

Leaving Cal at home to look after their sleeping grandson, Nicola rushes the hospital to find out just how serious this accident was and in what condition her son was. When she arrives, Parker is in the trauma unit and is barely coherent. Knowing that his condition is critical and that Luna is also injured, Nicola realises that it's left up to her to take over the care of her grandson Barney in his parents' absence and makes arrangements with the nursing staff to access Parker's belongings so that she can go to their house to collect some clothes and toys for Barney.

As she pulls up in front of her son's illustrious detached home, she cannot believe what she is seeing. Why hasn't Parker told them? Understandably frazzled by this latest revelation, Nicola swiftly enters the house, disarms the alarm and goes in search of Barney's room to pack a few things. As she wanders the rooms she continually tells herself "I will not snoop...I will not snoop...wait! What?" But the revelations inside the house were nothing compared to what she found when she decided to put their bin out...a piece of evidence that links her son to a murdered woman. This cannot be happening.

Now, armed with this new knowledge, Nicola scrambles to protect her family.

The story unfolds through various timelines and a handful of characters. While not in a straightforward timeline, it goes back and forth in a mish mash of times that would normally confuse a reader but made perfect sense given what was really unfolding. As the story progressed, the more questions were raised. I had my suspicions but this time I was way off base.

I love that Kim's books continue to involve DI Helena Price and her DS Brewster. It makes them feel almost like a series without being a series. And you don't get bogged down in all that police procedural info when all you want is a fun, entertaining and interesting thriller to devour.

Another addictive read from Kim sure to thrill fans alike!

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

After years of trying to get published and never getting further than the slush pile, Kim went back to university at the age of 40 where she gained a first-class honours degree in English & Creative Writing and an MA in Creative Writing with distinction.

Kim's first adult psychological thriller for Bookouture, ‘Safe with Me’, actually started life as a dissertation on her English & Creative Writing degree in 2010. She says "the creepy voice of Anna came to me strong and insistent . . . she wanted to be written, she wouldn’t go away. I’m so glad I listened!"

Kim first became published writing Young Adult fiction for Macmillan Children’s Books under the name Kim Slater. Her award-winning YA debut, SMART, started life as a short story for her MA in Creative Writing in 2012.

Kim is now a full-time writer. She has a daughter and two stepsons and live with her husband Mac in Nottingham and Yorkshire.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

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

Monday, 20 November 2023

REVIEW: No 23 Burlington Square by Jenni Keer

No 23 Burlington Square by Jenni Keer

Genre: Historical fiction, Contemporary fiction

Read: 19th November 2023

Published: 30th October 2023

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

London, 1927: One house. Three lives. A decision that will change everything.

A powerful, unique timeslip story, perfect for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, The Miniaturist, and Lucinda Riley.

On the morning of Friday 5th August, 1927, Miss Agnes Humphries – the landlady of the attractive, if-slightly-shabby, white-fronted townhouse at Number 23 Burlington Square – has a decision to make.

The rooms of the second floor lie empty, since poor Mr Blandford’s unfortunate demise, God rest his soul. And Agnes must make up her mind as to who will be her new lodger… Will it be her spirited, young niece Clara, who drifts through the glamorous world of London’s Bright Young Things? Or Stephen, the sensible, church-going, respectable banker who seems just be too good to be true? Or the timid war widow named Mercy, who is clearly running from something – or someone…?

Agnes must choose between them. But what will her decision lead to? One of the choices could result in scandal, one in devastation, and one could even lead to happiness. If only she gets it right…

As all three lodgers enter Number 23, in alternate timelines, relationships are formed and destroyed, feathers are ruffled, and secrets are exposed. Three different choices. Three very different paths. And Agnes is to discover that nobody – including herself – is quite who they seem…

MY THOUGHTS:

One house...three lives...a decision that will change everything...

What a delightful tale this was! I thoroughly enjoyed every moment and quite honestly didn't want it to end. And when it did, I suffered a sorry case of book hangover (which I do for only a handful of books) as I so wanted to climb back into the pages and relive it all over again.

The premise was intriguing and as you follow the story of the three lives therein, the story takes on a "sliding doors" narrative in which there are three different scenarios and three possible endings. And of course the era was a delightful one between the two wars of the roaring twenties when women were starting to be recognised in their own right with the handful of those shining their own respective lights in this endearing tale.

London 1927: Sixty something spinster Agnes Humphries has lived at No 23 Burlington Square all her life. She grew up as a child there, lost her mother there, raised her younger sister there and nursed her father until his demise there. The house is jam-packed full of memories of the life she knew and the one she longed for. Every crevice, every surface holds a memory for her and sentimental fool that she is, holds onto everything that highlights a memory of something she holds dear - whether the item is related to the memory or not. Such as, the newspaper headlining the Whitechapel murders bears the date that her sister Daphne took her first steps. Neither are related but it holds a memory just the same.

Then after the death of her father, Agnes was rather at a loose end and living alone in the sprawling home in Burlington Square when she decided to rent out not just the rooms but entire floors of rooms to others in the hope that she will find a family in her tenants. The attic rooms were rented out to young Gilbert Adams who does something with cameras; the first floor is home to Polish musician Alexander Gorski while the basement rooms housed the Smith family, mother Jemima, her husband Nicholas and their daughters Matilda, Ellen and Frances. Poor Jemima has virtually been pregnant since their honeymoon with baby number four on the way. The ground floor is Agnes' own residence while the second floor was Mr Blandford's until his sudden demise and thus paving the way for a new tenant.

Now Agnes has a conundrum. She has interviewed two deserving prospective tenants. Firstly, Stephen Thompson whose position a bank clerk lends a respectability to No 23. Then there is Mrs Mercy Mayweather, a young war widow who is all alone in the world and doing her best make ends meet at the glove counter at Pembertons. But her sister is expecting her to let her rooms her wayward niece Clara Goodwin whose impulsive behaviour has confounded her parents to the point she has been banished from the family home under a cloud of mystery. So who is the more deserving? Who needs the rooms the most? And who will fit in at No 23 Burlington Square the best?

So on 5th August 1927 Agnes takes up her pen, dips it in ink and writes out a letter offering the room to one of the three after which she gets young Gilbert to take it to the postbox for her. The tale is then divided into three parts in which each prospective tenant is given their own narrative becoming the protagonist and thus taking up residence in the second floor rooms of No 23 Burlington Square. Within each part, a story unfolds of possible scenarios that all meet one another at the end to make a more than satisfactory and very clever conclusion. The entire tale ends with one more scenario of that particular day when Agnes' own story becomes the highlight offering yet another happy ever after.

I really didn't know what to expect when I began this engrossing and entertaining tale but I'm so glad I ventured to pick it up. The entire tale is a riot from start to finish, particularly where young Clara is concerned, making you laugh, cry and basically just enjoy sharing the Kensington residence with these handful of colourful characters and their secrets. Peppered throughout each of the respective narratives are the odd chapter revealing just a little bit more about Miss Agnes Humphries and her own secrets. The story is so cleverly plotted that while we start with one of the three, we are left wondering throughout the mystery of the last prospective tenant. Because although each part is unique in how each one is the successful applicant, all three are carefully and cleverly interwoven throughout the other parts in some way or other. It really is incredibly genius.

So much is at stake with the promise of which of the applicants to offer the room to that the story takes us on a journey of love, kindness, trust, duty and a chance to redeem oneself. But above all, is friendship. The tale is so endearing, so heartwarming that is so immersive I simply could not - DID NOT! - want to put it down. The characters are a mixed bunch and some you aren't quite sure what to make of them however by the end you do get the measure of them, some of whom you come to love. I didn't like the flightly Clara at the beginning and loathe to have the rooms given to her but hers was the most enthralling part of the tale and by the end I really grew to love the enchanting yet self entitled young woman.

While this book is historical in nature, being set in 1927 and thus some flashback scenes to some further key points in history (such as the Whitechapel murders, Queen Victoria's passing and the Great War) it doesn't really feel like an historical tale and has more of a contemporary feel. That is no bad thing because the entire tale is so engaging and compelling from beginning to end that I enjoyed every flipping minute of it! Unlike some other reviewers, I didn't feel Clara's was too long at all (although it was the longest). In fact, I enjoyed her tale the most with Mercy's a close second. Stephen was not a character I warmed to at all but his was a story that was an imperative part of the tale.

Every so often, a book comes along that just makes you feel as its sheer blend of magic and brilliance. I completely loved this addictive and immersive read that really made you feel as if you too were one of the tenants of No 23 Burlington Square.

A well deserved 5 stars!

I would like to thank #JenniKeer, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #No23BurlingtonSquare in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Jenni Keer is the well-reviewed author of historical romances, often with a mystery at their heart.

After gaining a history degree, Jenni embarked on an career in contract flooring before settling in the middle of the Suffolk countryside with her antique-restorer husband and their four teenage boys. She has valiantly attempted to master the ancient art of housework, but it remains a mystery, so is more usually found at her keyboard writing fun romantic comedies with #blindcat Seymour by her side.

When not up to her elbows in family life, she can be found busy with her Edwardian marquetry business, planning her next fancy dress party or practising her formation dance moves.

Most recently published by Headline and shortlisted for the 2023 RNA Historical Romantic Novel of the Year, her first book with Boldwood No 23 Burlington Square was published in October 2023.

Social media links:

Thursday, 16 November 2023

REVIEW: The House Guest by Alison James

The House Guest by Alison James

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 16th November 2023

Published: 1st November 2023

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

She thinks she can steal my perfect life. But I know her secret…

I open the creaking oak front door of my beautiful country house to see a woman with glossy red hair and flawless make up. She introduces herself as Alexis and tells me she’s a distant relative. My husband Hugh welcomes her in. Because everything has been so tense between us lately I feel I can’t say no…

We drink wine and Alexis shares the truth about her sad childhood. Her green eyes are mesmerising and I can see Hugh is being drawn in by her story. Then she asks for our help. I should feel sorry for her but I don’t trust her. There’s something about her perfect smile that makes my stomach flip. Before I can speak, Hugh invites her to stay. I’m suspicious. Why does he want her here?

I’ve never completely felt at home in this luxury world that’s so different to my old life. But Alexis seems made for it – swimming carefree in our outdoor pool and cosying up to Hugh. She’s pushing me out and making me feel like I’m stranger in my own home – in my own marriage. Did she plan this all along?

But nothing is as it seems. And Alexis has underestimated me. Because I’ve uncovered her secret. I’m not just going to let her steal the life I’ve worked so hard for. I’ll do whatever it takes to stop her…

An absolutely addictive and unputdownable psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the last page. For anyone who loves Ruth Ware, Freida McFadden and Claire McGowan.

MY THOUGHTS:

OK firstly, scrap the book's description because quite honestly it's nothing like how the story goes at all. There is no DNA test result and the red haired beauty on the doorstep doesn't ask for help and the narrator of the piece does not open up to her suggested. And then what is this secret that is discovered? I have to wonder if the proofreaders have read the same book I have because the descriptions are often way off course.

Secondly, you're going to need to suspend belief when reading this tale. And I mean REALLY suspend belief. It all starts out innocuously enough but then it just gets nuts and I mean really way-off-base-never-going-to-happen-in-a-million-years in all probability. Once you take this on board, you're in for a fast paced entertaining, if not idiotic, ride.

Mullens End. It's a beautiful 18th century Queen Anne stately home in which Juliet and her husband Hugh reside. Hugh is the last of a thin line, a very thin line, of Mullens and while he is not the last branch on the tree he is the last on his branch. The home was built in the 1700s but purchased by Hugh's great grandfather in his attempt to stake his claim in the landed gentry and in doing so, crafted a will in which Mullens End is not entailed (much to his ancestor's chagrin) but is tightly bound in a legalese version of such in that only direct descendants of the Mullen line can inherit Mullens End with a life tenancy. Meaning Mullens End can never be sold. And then there is the fact that it is Grade 1 listed meaning no alterations can be made without permission. Thankfully, there is a trust which pays for the exorbidant costs of running a stately home attracts.

So Juliet and Hugh live rather comfortably albeit modestly at Mullens End. The plan was that Juliet provide Hugh with an heir to inherit the grand home as the trust dictates but alas that was not to be, leaving Hugh the last Mullen perched on his branch of the family tree. But their life is good, even amidst the dreaded Open Days such as the one at the beginning of the book that had Juliet dreading. But everyone loves a stately home and their stunning gardens which have been kept immaculate thanks to their gardener Pete. And thankfully it's only once a year they have to open their gardens up to the public.

It's at a dinner party Juliet and Hugh are hosting that they receive an unexpected knock on their door. On the doorstep is a young red haired beauty who introduces herself as Alexis Lambert, the heir to Mullens End, and as she's between flats at the minute has popped in to introduce herself, wheeling her large suitcase in behind her and plonking herself down at the dinner table. As Juliet awkwardly presents the roast lamb to their guests, Alexis informs them that she's vegan which sends Hugh off looking for something veggie for their unexpected house guest.

If you think that's awkward, stick around for the rest of the mucky story because it gets a whole lot more convoluted and murky than that! Again, that whole believability thing. Still the tightly-woven plot makes for plenty of twists (believable or not) and a compelling read that is both entertaining and suspenseful.

The characters are a crafty bunch. None of them are particularly likable. Even Juliet, who is probably the most likable, is so rigid and practically unemotional it's hard to connect with her. And Hugh is so self entitled and spoilt, he expects everything to fall into place according to what he wants. Alexis is naturally devious. And Belinda is decidedly shifty. What I love though is the narratives are divided into seven parts throughout and four separate perspectives with each character becoming the protagonist in their own narrative, and therefore allowing each one of them to develop with the right amount of depth and authenticity. This only adds to the complexities within the already complex plot. And makes for such delicious reading.

There is, however, a downside. Unfortunately I must make mention a TRIGGER WARNING here with the death of a beloved dog. And not just a death, but a cruel one, which I find unnecessary to any story and I always down-rate one that includes one. Granted, it wasn't prolonged or mulled over for long and passed within a page or so but it was mentioned within three separate narratives from their respective perspectives, and I had to relive the poor dog's cruel demise all over again.

But that aside, THE HOUSE GUEST is a fun an entertaining thriller that you really do have to suspend belief but it's such fun who cares at the end of it? I did love the ending which was so much more than satisfactory. If not for the dog death, this was a close 5 star read.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Born in the Cotswolds, Alison spent most of her formative years abroad. She studied languages at Oxford, then became a journalist and author, returning to university after her two children to take a law degree. After a three-year stint as a criminal paralegal, Alison worked as a commercial copywriter and then a TV storyliner, before coming full circle to write fiction again.

Social Media Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

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

Tuesday, 14 November 2023

REVIEW: The Stepmother by Sally Rigby and Amanda Ashby

The Stepmother by Sally Rigby and Amanda Ashby

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 14th November 2023

Published: 30th October 2023

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

She’ll do anything to protect her family…

Libby Curtis never wanted children, until she met Nathan, a gorgeous widower with two young children. Now ten years later she can’t imagine her life without Sam and Sienna – she’d do anything for her precious kids. Anything….

So when a missing teenager is found lying on the side of the road, Libby’s first thoughts are for her own kids. Are they safe? Are they home?

What Libby doesn’t expect is for her children to be involved in the girl’s disappearance. But when she discovers an item in her stepson's car linked to the victim Libby’s fears increase.

She can't believe that the sweet boy she's raised could do something like that. But if not Sam….who?

Libby must discover the truth before her family is ripped apart. But someone is determined to make sure their secrets stay hidden - even if the consequences are deadly...

MY THOUGHTS:

Disclaimer: I fell ill whilst reading this so it was shelved for some 10 days while I recovered. So apologies for the delay in posting my review for the blog tour.

This dynamic writing duo have done it again with another compelling psychological thriller with an addictive plot that is engaging from start to finish. It centres on Libby, a paramedic, who responds to a call with her partner on shift, Jonathan, where a teenage girl has been found unconcious. Upon arrival, Libby can see that she is clearly under the influence of drugs. But had she taken them willingly? Or had she been drugged? The girl, Hayley, was distraught as well as disoriented stating she had escaped from a locked room where she had been locked up. But this is all too close to home for Libby who recognised Hayley as being one of her stepdaughter Sienna's friends. But then she comes across some troubling pieces of information which lead Libby to thinking that her children may have been involved in Hayley's abduction.

We also meet Gemma, a woman who hosts a small blog devoted to serial killer Colin Wallace who was said to be responsible for the abduction of many missing boys in the eighties. But then Wallace was sent down for the boy he was caught with though he denied responsibility of any others, even after having made a full confession to them prior to going on record. Wallace then died in prison taking his secrets to the grave. But now Gemma has arrived in Bournemouth after hearing about Hayley's abduction online based on its similarities to Wallace's crimes. She begins to dig further and tries confronting Libby with her information but to no avail.

Then just as she was closing in, the predator becomes the prey. Is it too late to save Gemma? What really happened all those years ago? And how can she protect her family at all costs?

This was a compelling read that I devoured just as soon as I was a little better. I did guess the villain and thensome but that never ruins my enjoyment of a well told story. I did find Libby's constant second guessing everything a little tiresome but I found the teenage angst of Sam and Sienna even moreso.

Still, there are plenty of twists along the way to keep you entertained as well as guessing as little by little the secrets and lies all start to unravel. Overall, an enjoyable read.

I would like to thank #SallyRigby, #AmandaAshby, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #TheStepmother in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Amanda Rigby is the nom de plume of the writing partnership between Amanda Ashby and Sally Rigby. Both authors live in New Zealand, have been friends for eighteen years, and agree about everything (except musicals). They decided to collaborate on a psychological thriller which they then entered into a competition, run by Boldwood, which they won!

They have now penned three psychological thrillers together: Remember Me? (2021), I Will Find You (2022) and The Ex Wife (2023).

Social Media links:

PUBLISHER:

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

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Sunday, 5 November 2023

REVIEW: Murder in a French Village by Merryn Allingham

Murder in a French Village (A Flora Steele Mystery #7) by Merryn Allingham

Genre: Cosy mystery

Read: 5th November 2023

Published: 30th October 2023

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Join bookshop owner Flora Steele and handsome writer Jack Carrington as they set off on a French adventure and solve a chilling crime!

Jack is stunned to receive a call from his estranged mother, Sybil, asking him to drop everything and come to France. Together with Flora, his fellow sleuth, they pack their suitcases, dreaming of fragrant lavender fields and freshly baked pain au chocolat. It’s only when they arrive that they discover the shocking truth – Sybil’s friend was killed on a street in Paris, and she is desperate for their help.

The case leads them to a picturesque village in the south of France where life should be rosé, but even the bright blue skies can’t hide the fact that something is very wrong. And the mystery only deepens when Flora discovers that Sybil was in fact the intended target. Who would want her out of the way?

Perhaps Sybil’s relationship with wealthy Italian count Massimo Falconi has something to do with it. His darling daughter Allegra, ruthless business partner Pascal and his jealous estranged wife Isabella all have reasons for revenge…

Then when another person in the small French town dies in suspicious circumstances, Flora is convinced the two untimely deaths must be connected. Just when the case seems impossible to crack, a chess box provides an unlikely clue.

Can Flora discover the truth before Sybil meets her end? Or could trouble in paradise spell a final au revoir for the detective duo?

A completely addictive cozy crime novel. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Joy Ellis!

MY THOUGHTS:

Another foray into this delightful cosy series featuring our favourite bookshop owner and crime writer, turned amatuer sleuths! This time they are called to France where Jack's estranged mother has summoned them after the sudden and untwoard death of her friend Ruby.

Upon arrival in France, after a somewhat rough crossing over the channel which saw Flora turning a shade of green, the crime fighting duo got straight to work investigating the hit and run on a Paris street with seemingly few answers. When Jack's mother Sybil announced that her betrothed, the count - Massimo Falconi - was whisking her back to the safe confines of Provence, Jack and Flora felt their answers lay further afield. For Flora, her reason for this trip (aside from accompanying Jack) was to see the graves of her parents that were apparently nestled within the south of France.

From Paris to Provence, inquiries lead the duo hot on the tail of a murderer intent on harm. But who wants to be rid of her mother? The count's former wife, Isabella, who is unable to let go? Or his daughters Allegra and Clio? Or maybe one of the many servants of the chateau? Or even the vineyard manager, who may have designs on inheriting the vineyard for himself?

Soon Flora and Jack find themselves laden with suspects and no real motive. But if they are to prevent any further attempts on Sybil's or even Flora's lives, the sleuths must work fast to uncover the truth...and quickly!

Another delightful cosy mystery this time set mostly in France, with only the first and last chapters back in the safe confines of Abbeymead. But the promise in the final chapters allude to something bigger coming...and I for one am looking forward to it. I never tire of this series. It is light easy reading with a touch of humour.

While this isn't my favourite of the series, it is still an interesting adventure and opens up new doors for the crime fighting duo, making it an easy and enjoyable read. I look forward to the next one with baited breath!

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Merryn taught university literature for many years, and it took a while to pluck up the courage to begin writing herself. Bringing the past to life is a passion and her historical fiction includes Regency romances, wartime sagas and timeslip novels, all of which have a mystery at their heart. As the books have grown darker, it was only a matter of time before she plunged into crime with a cosy crime series set in rural Sussex against the fascinating backdrop of the 1950s.

Merryn lives in a beautiful old town in Sussex with her husband. When she’s not writing, she tries to keep fit with adult ballet classes and plenty of walking.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

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

Saturday, 4 November 2023

REVIEW: The Day After the Party by Nicole Trope

The Day After the Party by Nicole Trope

Genre: Domestic Suspense, Women's fiction, Contemporary fiction

Read: 3rd November 2023

Published: 2nd November 2023

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

The perfect birthday or the perfect nightmare?

Katelyn smiles around at her husband and friends, gathered to celebrate her thirty-sixth birthday in their beautiful home decorated with fairy lights. But the next day Katelyn wakes up shaken and terrified in a hospital bed…

She doesn’t remember the sweet taste of birthday cake icing, or how angry her best friend was at midnight, or the terrible things her husband said. She doesn’t remember the party at all.

When she asks her husband what happened the night of the party he says ‘nothing’. But her blood runs cold at the way his voice lilts slightly. The way it always does when he is lying.

Did someone at the party harm her?

What is her husband hiding?

Or did Katelyn herself do something terrible?

Only one thing is certain. Nobody can be trusted. And if Katelyn’s memories of the party do come back, it will tear them all apart…

This brilliantly addictive read about dark secrets our loved ones keep from us is perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Sally Hepworth.

MY THOUGHTS:

The perfect birthday..the perfect nightmare...

Parties are supposed to be fun...but something happened at Katelyn's and she has no idea what. Instead, she wakes in the hospital with hubby Toby by her bedside, a worried frown etched on his face. She asks where is she and what's happened. And then she reads the note clutched in her hand...

You are in hospital.

Harper is fine and with my mum.

You've lost your memory.

You haven't had a stroke.

You've had an MRI and ECG and everything is fine.

You have something called Transient Global Amnesia.

Your lost hours of memory have shown up on the MRI as a black dot.

You aren't able to form new memories so you keep forgetting things I've told you.

Today is Sunday.

This should be temporary.

What the hell happened at her party to end up wiping her memory? It was supposed to be a memorable occasion to celebrate her thirty-sixth birthday but instead she cannot remember it at all. Any second of it! Now Katelyn has lost an entire day and night. She can remember everything leading up to the party and everything since...but those few hours are a complete blank. So what happened? And why is Toby looking decidedly shifty? What is he not telling her?

As soon as Katelyn returns home, she longs to wrap her arms around her little girl and take in her sweet scent. But she's staying with Toby's parents for the night while she recuperates and will return after preschool tomorrow. In the meantime, Katelyn instead tries to unravel the tangles of confusion that is Saturday night in her mind. Toby's patience is unwavering but Katelyn knows something is off. The way he looks at her, the way his eyes don't meet hers. What does he know that he's not telling her?

And then she gets a strange message from her best friend Leah's ex, Aaron. What on earth does that mean? And as for Leah, she wants to see her but something is telling her that something isn't right there either. She has an image in her mind of Toby hugging Leah in a way that was too intimate to be friendship. Or is she just imagining that? Nothing makes any sense to her anymore and she wants to understand what happened at her party. Why she has lost the entire night. It doesn't make sense. When she finds a gift of lingerie under her bed with no note or card, Katelyn begins to suspect Toby of having an affair making her question everything she knows. Can she piece together the night of the party before it's too late?

The story is told from Katelyn and Leah's perspectives in the past as well as before and after the party. It details the women's friendship from the time they were six years old in primary school, right through high school, uni, boyfriends and marriage. Now here they are thirty years later celebrating Katelyn's birthday. But nothing is as it seems with this friendship. They may well be best friends, but hidden beneath the surface is a jealousy so blatant it would make your hair curl.

Nicole Trope once again delivers a tangled tale of twists and surprises in this compelling domestic suspense read. What seems like an innocent party becomes one woman's worst nightmare.

I did not like Leah or Aaron one bit. They are both selfish and self-obsessed to the core. Both of them only want to get what they want. Leah's jealousy was so blatant it was a wonder Katelyn never saw it in thirty years of friendship. And Aaron. That guy was a snake. Least said there.

I thoroughly enjoyed my umpteenth read by Trope and look forward to anything she delivers. I know I am always in for a treat.

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

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.

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Wednesday, 1 November 2023

SPOTLIGHT: Dead Pretty by Joy Wood

Dead Pretty by Joy Wood

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 29th October 2023