The Staffymum's Book Nook

Published: 12th January 2021

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

‘Our parents were taken. And if we go home, the Nazis will take us too…’

Hamburg 1938. Fifteen-year-old Asta is hurrying home from school with her twin brother Jurgen. The mood in the city is tense – synagogues have been smashed with sledgehammers, and Asta is too frightened to laugh as she used to.

But when she and Jurgen are stopped in the street by a friend, her world implodes further. Her Jewish parents have been dragged into the streets by German soldiers and if she and Jurgen return to their house, they will be taken too.

Heartbroken at the loss of her parents, Asta knows they must flee. With her beloved brother, she must make the perilous journey across Germany and into Denmark to reach their only surviving relative, her aunt Trine, a woman they barely know.

Jammed into a truck with other refugees, Asta prays for a miracle to save herself and Jurgen. Crossing the border is a crime punishable by death, and what she and Jurgen must embark on a dangerous crossing on foot, through the snowy forest dividing Germany and Denmark. And when barking dogs and armed soldiers find Jurgen and Asta escapes, she must hold on to hope no matter what. One day she will find her twin, the other half of herself. Whatever the price she has to pay…

A gripping and poignant read that will break your heart and give you hope. Fans of Fiona Valpy, Kristin Hannah and Catherine Hokin will be gripped by the story of a brave brother and sister seeking safety during one of the darkest times in our history.

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Lily Graham's latest heartbreaking novel THE GERMAN GIRL (previously title "The Flight of Swallows").

Having thoroughly enjoyed Lily Graham's previous book "The Child of Auschwitz" I was both eager and excited to dive into this one. Graham has a an easy style to her writing that is both revealing and engaging yet without being bogged down in facts - though she does note certain historical events yet without leaving you drowning in them. I read for pleasure and escape, and if I'd wanted a text book I would read one. But Graham's novels are heartfelt, heartbreaking and heartwarming and THE GERMAN GIRL is no exception.

Northern Sweden 1995: In a cabin in the woods surrounded by snow, Jürgen is an eldrly man living alone. His cabin has no electricity or any of the mod cons to help make his life more comfortable. His only form of heating is the fireplace and yet it remains unlit as he silently struggles to collect the firewood from the shed...though he would be loathe to admit that to anyone should they dare to suggest it. He lives a hermit's existence with his only contact in the form of his grand-daughter Ingrid, who comes to check on him daily and give him assistance. A proud man, Jürgen refuses her help, citing there is nothing wrong with him and to leave him alone.

But Ingrid sees the changes in her Morfar (Swedish for grandfather, translated as "mother's father") and knows he needs help even if he refuses to admit it. His arthritis prevents him from collecting wood from the shed to keep a fire burning in his cabin and she has no idea when the last time he bathed was. But it's not just his body that is failing him...his memories are also beginning to fade. Jürgen has Alzheimer's and there are days he forgets to bathe, forgets to eat, forgets to take care of himself. Which is why Ingrid comes to check on him daily, reporting back to her mother her concerns. They both know how stubborn he is.

It is at one such time he is refusing Ingrid's help that he seamlessly slips from Swedish into German. At first Ingrid doesn't notice, as German was second nature to her having lived with her German boyfriend for ten years, but it's not second nature to her Morfar...or is it? Ingrid recalls a time when she was a child when she had a new friend who didn't speak Swedish and so she made every effort to learn German and when her Morfar heard her reciting words in German he flew into a rage that frightened her. Normally so close she had never seen him like that before...but she never spoke German around him again. And then when tidying her Morfar's cabin one day, she comes across what appears to be a sketchbook with the initials J.S. inscribed into the leather. She knew her Morfar loved to sketch and paint, but she had not seen this before. When he discovered her looking through the sketchbook he became angry. Morfar never spoke about his childhood, her mother's mother or anything about his life before. But in those moments when he spoke German, Jürgen was almost childlike in his speech as he giggled and called her Asta. Ingrid knows there is more to the story and after some prompting and a few tears, he relents and tells her of his life before the war, what happened during those times...and reveals a huge secret that he has kept from the family.

Hamburg 1933: It is the beginning of Hitler's rise to power with the National Socialist Party but no one could foresee just how bad things would become under his rule. As laws came into place regarding Jews and anyone deemed inferior to the greater Aryan race, 11 year old twins Jürgen and Asta were oblivious as they created their own havoc, namely with the local ferry boat on one of Hamburg's many canals. The twins lived in a flat in the city with their parents, their father a doctor and their mother a nurse, and were often in trouble for playing pranks amongst the locals.

But life was about to become more difficult in the coming years. With the news of these changes which stripped Jews of their rights, the twins' father urged their mother that they must move before it got worse. His sister Trine lived in Denmark, which was neutral, and had asked them to come and live with her on numerous occasions but their mother refused to leave. She had a job she loved and she didn't speak Danish. Not only that, they would be living in a barn. A barn! But she would come to regret her decision.

1938: One day as the threat of war loomed over Germany, the twins were returning from school when a nurse who worked with their mother rushed to greet them and urged them not to return home. Their father had caused such a fuss at the hospital when some SS officers asked for their papers and he refused so their parents were taken, most likely to one of the many concentration camps. She told them that the Nazis would be searching and staking out their flat, awaiting the twins return so it was no longer safe and they must escape before they are captured. With nowhere to go, Jürgen and Asta broke into the ferry boat they regularly pranked and hid there until the owner discovered them. Fearing he would give them up, Polgo (the ferry boat owner) instead arranged for them to be taken to the border and into Denmark.

This is where things began to go incredibly wrong.

The heartbreaking story told is one of courage, strength and love between the two twins. The lengths to which they went to escape the Nazi rule and into Denmark is tinged with hope as well as sadness. As Denmark was neutral and not under Nazi occupation, the twins knew they would be safe there. They just had to find their aunt despite not knowing her address. But when they are separated, Asta is forced to make the trip on her own.

I have read many books surrounding the Holocaust with many different stories, but THE GERMAN GIRL (as with "The Child of Auschwitz") is such a different tale one would expect to read. As I said earlier, Graham's books are true to life without being bogged down by historical facts, making them easy to read. In her note at the end, Graham does explain that this book is based on a true story. With that being said, it certainly felt true to life without reading like a text book. Graham has the ability to bring fact into fiction and making it an easy and enjoyable read. Stories such as these, like Jürgen's and Asta's, are battles we may not have even known existed and by Graham's hand are made interesting to read.

Beginning in 1990 in Northern Sweden, the story of and elderly Jürgen now in his twilight years begins a little slow but gradually builds a picture of the man he became as a result of the horrors he lived through as a child. It is imperitive to the story to come as we see his gradual decline into dementia as he begins to relive happier days in Hamburg with his twin, the other half of himself. There is a line of his that speaks volumes, revealing that Jürgen is aware of his condition and that one day his story...their story...will be gone. When he relents and decides to tell Ingrid his story but seeing how painful it is for him, Ingrid says that he doesn't have to do it. But Jürgen shakes his head and says...

"No, Inge - you're right. I must speak about it. I can't bear to - but I must, somehow. Because when I go - when my memories do - so will she...so will they."

When his memories go, so will Asta. So will his parents. So will his story. So Jürgen must share it so that they may live on. It is a heartbreaking line that shows an awareness that not everyone with dementia is willing to admit.

It is when Jürgen begins his story that we are then transported back to Hamburg before the war and then his story takes us through those early days of war when they were making their escape into Denmark. While it takes several chapters to build up to this point, as Graham lays the groundwork for Jürgen's story, it is so well written that the slow pace at the start simply fades into the rest of the story. Covering several years, THE GERMAN GIRL is an emotional tale that sweeps us back through the years of the Holocaust and is filled with bravery, perseverance and courage. It is powerful, gripping and completely compelling.

Heartbreaking and heartwarming, THE GERMAN GIRL was previously titled "The Flight of Swallows" and while it underwent a title change I actually feel it's original title is more fitting to the story...for a few reasons. Jürgen's surname, for one, translated into "swallow" and their father used to compare the twins to swallows in flight...never settling until they were home. You will see when you read it, I do believe the original title was better suited that the current one which I feel is somewhat vague.

There are some funny moments that will have you chuckling as you read the escapades of the young Jürgen and Asta in Germany. It makes you a little sad to think how that changed and Jürgen became a grumpy hermit in the woods of Northern Sweden, far removed from the cheeky and mischievous young lad that he was back in Germany...before life changed for him forever.

I cannot say enough about this book without giving too much away. I can only say go out, grab yourself a copy and read it. You will not be sorry. It is an emotional and riveting book that is completely unputdownable.

A definite 5 star read and recommended for fans of historical fiction with an interest in WW2 fiction surrounding the Holocaust and the plight of the Jews.

I would like to thank #LilyGraham, #NetGalley, #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheGermanGirl aka #TheFlightOfSwallows in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lily Graham grew up in South Africa and is a former journalist.

As a child she dreamt of being an author, and had half-finished manuscripts bulging out of her desk drawers, but it wasn't until she reached her thirties that she finally finished one of them. Her first books were written for children, but when her mother was diagnosed with cancer she wrote a story to deal with the fear and pain she was going through - this became her first women's fiction novel, which was published by Bookouture (Hachette) in 2016.

Since then she has written six novels, covering many topics, her first four novels were a blend of light hearted women's fiction and drama, but in recent years she has found her niche in historical fiction, after she wrote The Island Villa - a story about a secret community of Jews, who some believed were living on the island of Formentera during the Inquisition. It is a story about love, betrayal, and courage.

It took getting to her mid-thirties for her to realise that these were the types of stories she truly wanted to write. Since then she has written two other historical fiction novels, including The Paris Secret, a story about a woman, a bookshop and a secret that goes back to the occupation, and most recently, her most daunting book to date - The Child of Auschwitz, which was a story she never meant to write, but found herself compelled to after reading a story about a woman who gave birth to a child after surviving a concentration camp.

Lily has been telling stories since she was a child, starting with her imaginary rabbit, Stephanus, and their adventures in the enchanted peach tree in her garden, which she envisioned as a magical portal to Enid Blyton’s Faraway Tree. She’s never really got out of the habit of making things up, and still thinks of Stephanus rather fondly.

She lives with her husband and her English bulldog, Fudge, and brings her love for the sea and country-living to her fiction.

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, 11 January 2021

REVIEW: All Fall Down by M.J. Arlidge

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

Genre: Crime fiction, Police Procedural, Mystery

Read: 11th January 2021

Published: 11th June 2020

★★★ 3.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

"You have one hour to live."

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

But why?

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

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

MY REVIEW:

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

"You have one hour to live."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

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

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

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

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

Social Media links:

Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

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

Sunday, 10 January 2021

REVIEW: The Country Bride by Dilly Court

The Country Bride (Village Secrets #3) by Dilly Court

Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas

Read: 10th January 2021

Published: 11th June 2020

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

The third book in the dramatic new Village Secrets trilogy from the Sunday Times bestselling author.

The time had come to leave Creek Manor. Their relationship was doomed from the start, he was the master of the house and she the servant…

Summer, Little Creek 1879

For most of her life, Judy Begg has been a loyal servant at Creek Manor and to Jack Fox, its future lord. But just as their childhood friendship blossoms into a secret engagement he abandons her to join his brother overseas. And with Creek Manor up for sale, Judy and her family lose everything.

Devastated, Judy is nonetheless determined to make the best of her life. Resolving to forget about Jack, she battles to keep her family from poverty’s door and her mother from the hands of her violent husband.

Rob Dorning, the new owner of the manor, seems to be the answer to all of Little Creek’s problems, but Judy isn’t convinced. Can she trust him to do right by the village? And, when the ghosts of her past resurface, can she find the courage to do what's right for her, as well as her family? If she does, it could be the start of her greatest adventure…

MY REVIEW:

I was introduced to Dilly Court with the first in this wonderful series "The Christmas Wedding", following everyone from the beginning. And as with all trilogies this third book THE COUNTRY BRIDE brings the series to an end. I shall miss the characters, both new and old, as I grew rather fond of them...even the quirky ones. Daisy was primary focus in the first two but it is Judy Begg, whose family Daisy had saved in the first book, that takes centre stage here...bringing with it a different tale that is not so dissimilar to those of the past.

Little Creek, 1879: It's been over a decade since Daisy Marshall, now Walters, saved Judy Begg and her family from a fate worse than death after the tragic death of their father and disablement of their mother Hilda. Daisy thought nothing of bringing them to Little Creek and giving them refuge in the Creek Hall Hospital while their mother Hilda recuperated before she gave them a more permanent residence and work at Creek Manor upon her marriage to Jay Tattersall, squire and Lord of the manor.

Now ten years later, with Jay long since escaping to Australia after two bigamous marriages (with Daisy being one of them), Judy has grown up at Creek Manor from childhood to young woman. Jay's mother Mary relies heavily on Judy in the hope that she will take over from Mrs Ralston when she retires but Judy wants more for her life than to be a housekeeper. Now 20 years old, she has grown up alongside Jay's younger brother Jack Fox with the two childhood sweethearts hoping to marry one day. But as much as Mary loves Judy, she sees no future for the couple as Jack is Lord of Creek Manor in his half brother's absence and he must marry a wealthy heiress with a sizable dowry. Judy sees the sense in what Mary says but still it breaks her heart. Jack, however, would not be swayed and declares that he will marry Judy as they are meant to be together.

Confused by her own feelings and knowing what's right, Judy flees to London to begin a new life away from Jack. She takes an attic room from the old lodging house in which Daisy had lived when working as a probationary nurse at the London Hospital, and finds work at the same hospital as a ward cleaner. However, on her first day, she receives word that Jack has taken a terrible fall whilst out riding and is asking for her. Judy collects her belongings and hurries home to be at his side. Even his mother sees her way clear for Judy to tend to her son as it is obvious how much she means to him. Jack is miserable confined to his bed "like a cripple" without any feeling in his legs whatsoever. The doctors tending him cannot say whether he will walk again or not, but Jack is sure he will remain a cripple...putting paid to his plans to marry Judy.

And then out of the blue, Jay returns. His reason? He has come to sell Creek Manor to fund his fortune in Australia. And everyone has exactly one month to vacate the estate before it is sold. The village is in shock as are the servants who have been loyal employees for most of their lives. Jay Tattersall is nothing but bad news and no good shall ever come of anything to do with him. Only one person is thrilled by his arrival and excited by the prospects he offers. Jack. He plans to return to Australia with his (half) brother and he wants Judy to come with them. But after much soul searching, Judy refuses. Her life is here in Little Creek with her family. And they need her now more than ever.

Jack leaves with Jay suddenly without so much as a goodbye to the girl that was meant to be his bride. Judy soon realised that she was to be nothing but a glorified nursemaid to Jack and discarded once she was no longer needed. Soon after they departed for Australia and every last tenant and servant had left the estate, Creek Manor was burnt to the ground. And now a pile of ashes, the new owner soon sold it off again, no longer interested in the cremated remains.

However, Judy is nothing if not determined. She refuses to let Jack's departure get to her and resolves to find somewhere for her family to live, after she was tossed out of the home she shared with her mother and her new brute of a husband, Wilfred Faulkner, when he tried it on with her. When she comes across an abandoned inn, the Crooked Billet, she forms a plan and seeks to learn of its ownership. When she hits a dead end in finding out who actually owns the old inn, Judy and her mother Hilda move in and clean the place from top to bottom and open its doors to receive custom once again.

Then a good looking stranger arrives to book a room indefinitely, revealing that he is the new owner of the Creek Manor estate. Rob Dorning seems to be the answer to all of Little Creek's problems, despite the Dorning name going down in infamy in these parts for smuggling and the like. But Rob appears to be nothing like his predecessors and promises to rebuild Creek Manor into something grand with modern amenities such as indoor privies and bathrooms. Even a water pump inside so one doesn't have to traipse out into the cold. He also intends on bringing custom to the Crooked Billet when building begins as the workers will be in need of a place to stay and to eat. But are his plans too good to be true? Is he who he says he is? And is he all that he appears?

Rob has certainly taken a liking to Judy as the two cross swords on occasion but, slowly succumbing, Rob soon grows on her. His presence at the Crooked Billet does prove to be an advantage for when Hilda's estranged husband comes looking for her, demanding she return home where she belongs. Faulkner takes one look at Rob seated by the fire and pales as if he had seen a ghost, turning and running out of the inn as if his life depended on it.

But their relief is shortlived when Jay returns once again...this time to buy back Creek Manor as an inheritance for his son back in Australia. However, he is shocked and angered to discover that the estate had already been sold and Rob Dorning was the new owner. Jay is livid, having counted on buying his inheritance back for a reduced price. What then ensues is a battle of wills between Jay and Rob, both of whom claim rightful ownership. And unfortunately for Judy, she gets caught in the middle.

This final installment to the Village Secrets trilogy is a thoroughly engaging and entertaining read. We meet some lovely and not-so-lovely characters. We also meet some new and some old acquaintances from the previous books and return to Little Creek which is, of course, refreshing to revisit. Although Daisy takes more of a backseat in this book, she does still feature prominently at times as Judy defers to her for guidance on several occasions.

THE COUNTRY BRIDE brings this series to an end though it could easily continue should the author choose to. But it, however, a satisfying end to the trilogy. Although, having said that, after everything they had been through at the hands of Jay the way that was resolved felt a little out of left field...almost like it was thrown in as an afterthought. It didn't ring true and I kept expecting something else to come of it.

My biggest gripe is with the chapters. I have said it before and I feel it needs saying again. While I have read longer chapters than those in Dilly's books, I still felt they were unnecessarily long with plenty of opportunity to break them down into smaller chapters. Particularly where there is a change of scene in the story mid-chapter...to me, that is worthy of a whole new chapter. I don't see the point in chapters being separated into "parts", unless it is specifically under the narrative of a particular character, which Dilly's are not. Therefore shorter chapters I feel would be much better.

Still, a wonderful book and compelling end to the trilogy, THE COUNTRY BRIDE is a must for all Dilly fans. Or for anyone who enjoys Catherine Cookson, Rosie Goodwin, Katie Flynn, Elvi Rhodes and Iris Gower.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Dilly Court grew up in North-east London and began her career in television, writing scripts for commercials. She is married with two grown-up children and four grandchildren, and now lives in Dorset on the beautiful Jurassic Coast with her husband. She is the author of eighteen novels and also writes under the name of Lily Baxter.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

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

Saturday, 9 January 2021

REVIEW: I Know Your Secret by Ruth Heald

I Know Your Secret by Ruth Heald

Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 8th January 2021

Published: 10th June 2020

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

You’re not who you say you are. Neither is she.

She thinks she knows me.

She believes my marriage is falling apart at the seams, that my husband can barely look me in the eyes. She thinks I’m desperate for a baby, that my longing for a family keeps me up at night. As much as I hate to admit it, all of this is true.

She thinks I listen to her advice, that I care about her opinion. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Because she has no idea who I am. She has no clue that I know everything.

I know her secret. I know that she did the unforgivable. I know how many lives she ruined.

I know exactly what she did. And I’m here for her.

An utterly gripping, addictive and shocking read about the dark secrets we’re ashamed to admit, and the lengths people go to for revenge. Fans of K.L. Slater, My Lovely Wife and The Wife Between Us will be racing through the pages, gasping at the twists, and reeling from the explosive ending of this unmissable page-turner.

MY REVIEW:

“Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.”

Beth is a therapist who specialises in marriage guidance counselling. But she wasn't always a therapist. Fifteen years ago, she was an art school teacher but was then fired after it was discovered she had crossed the boundaries between teacher and student without proper protocol. As a result, and the loss of the love of her life Nick, she had a mental breakdown and referred herself to a psychiatric unit for treatment.

Beth has never gotten over Nick, and yet she married another. Richard, also a therapist, was her tutor where she was training to be a counsellor. Red light much? When she fell pregnant with Charlie it was a surprise but one they welcomed and embraced. Now despite suffering her own heartbreak and losses and deciding to help others through therapy, Beth cannot save her own marriage. After having a meaningless fling, Richard moves out and Beth's life begins to crumble. She feels eyes watching her. She believes someone is following her. Her life is slowly falling apart. History, it seems, is repeating itself.

Is this who you would want to be your therapist??

As it happens, it turns out that she is exactly the therapist Danielle wants. But why?

New client Danielle has issues of her own. With bad facial scars from a fire a year before, she comes to Beth for marriage counselling...only her husband Peter did not turn up. Danielle claims he feels therapy would benefit her moreso than him and in her words, refuses to come. And yet, she is trying to save her marriage. As a successful and hardworking lawyer, Danielle yearns for a baby of her own but apparently her husband isn't so keen. They'd recently taken a break from their marriage but reunited soon after, deciding to work on the problems in their marriage. Yet...why isn't Peter attending the therapy sessions with his wife?

Beth begins to suspect Danielle is keeping something back. But then she isn't surprised as most clients do for fear of exposing themselves too much. However, Beth prides herself on being able to read her clients and be able to tell when they are keeping something from her or not being completely honest. But Danielle has her hoodwinked.

Then Danielle reveals how she sustained her third degree burns on her face a year ago. Beth is shocked. And when Danielle confesses that she is scared of Peter's temper, of what he might do should she end their marriage, Beth feels she cannot abandon her client in need. Despite blurring the boundaries as a teacher and knowing the fine line between clients and therapists, Beth crosses it anyway. If Danielle is in danger...

And then things go terribly wrong. If Beth thought her life was crumbling before, then it is completely falling apart now. Everything she has built in the fifteen years since she lost the love of her life and her job was disintegrating before her very eyes. And she has no idea how to stop it or who would do something like this. It appears Beth has been reported for misconduct with a client in befriending them. Not only that, someone has also reported her to social services for negligent care of her four year old son Charlie. Someone is stalking her. Someone sent her photographs of Richard with the woman he had a fling with and now she is convinced she knows who that someone is. Who wants to destroy her life and make her suffer? Who wants her to lose everything?

Richard is worried about her but she doesn't believe him. Why would he be worried about her when he was the one who left her and is now selling the house out from under her?

Is Beth imagining things? Is she delusional again? Who would go to so much trouble to orchestrate everything to change her life direction? Who would hate her that much?

Feeling completely alone, Beth cries and pours her heart out to Nick's photo, wishing that he was still here with her. How different her life would have been had he lived.

Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!

Secrets and lies. Lies and secrets. Deception, deception, deception. Ruth Heald has crafted a perfect psychological/domestic thriller with two unreliable narrators in such a way that we don't know who to believe. Both appear to be strong women with successful careers but BOTH have a lot to hide. Danielle is not who she says she is but then Beth isn't as honest as she pretends to be either. So what are they hiding? Unlike Beth, Danielle knows exactly who Beth is and why she has sought her out. Beth remains oblivious...as does the reader for a good portion of the book. But I'm a little more savvy than Beth. Although I was puzzled to begin with, I soon figured out their roles in the past and how they were linked.

Both women are clearly unstable. Whilst Danielle maintains an air of normality, no sooner has Richard left that Beth has pulled out her former lovers photo and places them on display in pace of her husband...the man she shared a life with and created a child with. Richard may have cheated on her but how could he compete with a ghost when Beth makes no secret of the fact that Nick was the love of her life?

And then there is Danielle's marriage. Her husband Peter really appears to care for her but she keeps pushing him away. Why? He clearly states that he doesn't think a baby is the answer to their problems and yet Danielle is so sure that it is. But she has a deeper secret that she has kept even from him. What will he do when he discovers the truth?

Told from the alternating perspectives of Beth and Danielle throughout, I KNOW YOUR SECRET may be Ruth Heald's third domestic thriller but she is cracking the genre with the likes of Kim Slater and Shalini Boland. I thoroughly enjoyed the guessing game she had us playing as I endeavoured to puzzle it all out. A bold and unique thriller, I KNOW YOUR SECRET is fast paced and edge of your seat throughout...and I loved every minute of it.

A brilliant read that is entertaining and addictive right from the start, I KNOW YOUR SECRET will have fans of Kim Slater, Shalini Boland and Sheryl Browne flipping the pages at the speed of light.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Ruth Heald is a psychological thriller writer from a suburban Buckinghamshire town. She studied Economics at Oxford and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting.

Seeking a more creative environment, she found a role at the BBC and worked there for nine years before leaving to write full time. Ruth is fascinated by psychology and finding out what drives people to violence, destruction and revenge. She’s married with one daughter and her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary, domestic lives.

To keep up to date with Ruth’s work you can sign up to her mailing list on her website and follow her on these social media accounts.

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.

Wednesday, 6 January 2021

REVIEW: The Tobacco Girls by Lizzie Lane

The Tobacco Girls (The Tobacco Girls #1) by Lizzie Lane

Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas, WW2

Read: 2nd January 2021

Published: 5th January 2021

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

'A gripping saga and a storyline that will keep you hooked.' Rosie Goodwin

The start of a thrilling new series, from bestselling author Lizzie Lane which follows three friends through thick and thin.

Bristol 1939. School leaver Maisie Miles suspects her father, a small-time crook, has an ulterior motive for insisting she gets a job at the W. D. & H. O. Wills tobacco factory but keeps it to herself.

She's befriended by effervescent Phyllis Mason and kind-hearted Bridget Milligan who take pity on her and take Maisie under their wing.

But beneath their happy go lucky exteriors they all harbour dreams and worries about what the future holds.

Engaged to be married Phyllis dreams of romance and passion but when it comes there are dire consequences.

Bridget seemingly the level headed one harbours a horror of something unspeakable that she cannot easily come to terms with.

There's great comradeship at the tobacco factory, and with the advent of war everything is about to change and even the closest friendships are likely to be strained.

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BlogTour for the first in Lizzie Lane's gripping new saga THE TOBACCO GIRLS.

I have to say I'm a sucker for this type of historical fiction, particularly sagas. I've not read Lizzie Lane before and I really enjoyed this book which, for me, is about family, friendships, love and sacrifice. It begins in a time when a shadow hung over Britain. It was a time of uncertainty and unknowns. But this stoic generation just got on with it, despite the uncertainty and the unknown. THE TOBACCO GIRLS begins a new saga in which we meet three girls in Bristol, each with their own shadows in their lives along with their dreams. This is their story.

Bristol 1939: Fourteen year old Maisie Miles lives in the worst part of the city. It is rife with crime, low lifes and the working class. Her father is a petty criminal, already having served prison time, and her mother is strangely distant. But Maisie is determined to rise above her roots and move out of the Dings (as it is colloquially known) and is is excited to receive a letter offering her the position of kitchen maid at a country manor. But her brutish father has other ideas. Ripping up her letter and tossing it in the fire, he informs her that she is going to the work at the W.D. & H.O. Wills tobacco factory. It isn't long before Maisie begins to suspect her father has an ulterior motive for her employment and uses it to his advantage.

Bridget Milligan is the eldest of seven children and loves to read. She soaks up knowledge like a sponge and often sounds as if she's swallowed an encyclopedia when she reiterates all that she has learnt through reading her beloved books. But alas her mother is pregnant yet again and Bridget awakes in the night to the familiar sounds pre-empting a birth. She is quick to rush to her mother's side who is frantic with worry that it's too early for the baby to come, and at just six months, it won't survive. But Bridget recognises the signs and prepares the bed with newspapers for the impending birth. When the baby arrives, it is clear that had it been full term it was likely it would not have survived. The description given sounded to me like spina bifida, and in those days, it was unlikely the child would have lived. Bridget has watched her mother birth her last two children and cannot imagine why anyone would put themselves through such pain and horror. The thought terrifies her and she resolves then and there she will never marry and therefore will never have children.

Effervescent Phyllis Mason is the life and soul of the party. At least, when her fiance Robert Harvey is not around. Then she submits to being the quiet demure woman he expects her to be. Phyllis' mother is enamoured with Robert and thinks he is quite a catch...but Phyllis is not so sure. He won't let her wear make-up, not even a dash of lipstick, no perfume and nothing that could be construed as revealing. She must present herself for inspection at the beginning of every date where he will always find fault somewhere and she must rectify it before they leave. But when Robert is not around, Phyllis is fun and happy-go-lucky with dreams of going to typing school to enable her to get a secretarial or typing job. She doesn't intend working at the tobacco factory forever. But Robert has other ideas. No wife of his will be working...EVER! Her sole job is to keep the house and look after him. And although she knows she doesn't want to marry Robert, she is too afraid to say so and hope the impending war will make the decision for her. But then circumstances arise that make it almost impossible for Phyllis to do anything but marry the loathsome man. Is this what her life is going to be like for the next fifty years?

The three women work together at the tobacco factory and with Maisie being the newest and youngest recruit, Bridget and Phyllis take her under their wing. The women soon become fast friends and enjoy outings together such as the pictures or just window shopping in Castle Street. But each of them harbour their own personal nightmarish secrets with cling to them like shadows. And as close as they become, they are too ashamed or scared to share them with each other. Of all the women, Maisie is the one that surprised me the most. At 14, she has spunk and an inner strength that serves her well. Soon she is not afraid to speak her mind with her friends, voicing her thoughts and telling it like it is. Bridget is the one with the kind-hearted soul, who would give the cloak off her back for another. She tries to keep Maisie in check at times when she thinks she could get them into trouble. Phyllis, as the outgoing one, soon becomes a shadow of her former self when a secret she harbours dictates her dismal future.

I liked each of the women and it's hard to say who I liked best. They each have their strengths and their weaknesses. Maisie is the most surprising of them all and I really liked her. Bridget is the one I probably relate to best. And Phyllis frustrated me. If she didn't want to marry Robert, then why not just break off the engagement? He has no hold over her until he slips that ring on her finger and they become man and wife. Their families all made for an interesting bunch, a reflection in part of the women they are today.

THE TOBACCO GIRLS is a riveting read that I read in a day! It was easy and enjoyable, though there are a few parts that are a little brutal to stomach. However, we are drawn into each of the women's lives and the struggles they face which is a far cry from the life to which we are now accustomed. Life in the 1940s was very different for young women whose identity became that of their husbands. Women were not meant to have a voice; they were raised for marriage and a family - nothing more. The struggles these women faced were a reality to which they were born but they also wanted something more for themselves.

As it is the first in the series, there are loose ends when the book concludes and yet it still gave a sense of closure for some in a way. The men they either know or have met are now off fighting and readers are left wondering what lies in store for them. I eagerly await the next installment but fear many of the details will be forgotten by then. However, I am sure I will be able to easily slip back into step with Maisie, Bridget and Phyllis when we meet again.

A heartbreaking but heartwarming story, THE TOBACCO GIRLS will have you laughing and crying and rooting for each of the women right up to the end...and thensome.

Beautifully written, THE TOBACCO GIRLS is a book that saga fans will enjoy as well as fans of Rosie Clarke, Fiona Ford, Rosie Goodwin, Pam Howes and Nadine Dorries.

I would like to thank #LizzieLane, #RachelsRandomResources, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #TheTobaccoGirls in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lizzie Lane is the author of over 50 books, a number of which have been bestsellers. She was born and bred in Bristol where many of her family worked in the cigarette and cigar factories. This has inspired her new saga series for Boldwood The Tobacco Girls, the first part of which will be published in January 2021.

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Tuesday, 5 January 2021

REVIEW: Single Mother by Samantha Hayes

Single Mother by Samantha Hayes

Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 1st January 2021

Published: 5th January 2021

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

I will do anything to protect my daughter. She’s all I’ve ever wanted and all I really have, but the moment I opened that letter and accepted the inheritance, I walked us right into a dangerous trap.

I know I should have got her to tell me who she’s been talking to on the phone late at night, and where she was the day I went to pick her up from school and couldn’t find her, but she’s not spoken a word since she found that little pile of bones buried in the garden.

And now she’s missing…

A jaw-dropping, addictive and totally twisty psychological thriller that will have you sleeping with the light on! Perfect for anyone who loved The Girl on the Train, Friend Request or The Wife Between Us.

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Samantha Hayes' compelling new thriller SINGLE MOTHER.

This is about the third Samantha Hayes book I've read and I've come to the conclusion she is a slow burn writer, building up the tension slowly and yet keeping it palpable throughout. While I am not a fan of slow burns myself, preferring to jump right in and being taken on a thrill ride right from the start, SINGLE MOTHER is still an enjoyable read that is both compelling and addictive.

The story opens with an intriguing prologue that leaves the reader guessing and pondering exactly what was in that bag the anonymous woman walked onto the train and left in the luggage rack. Of course, we don't discover its significance until we're well and truly into the story and trying to figure out how everything else fits as well.

Single mum Mel has not had an easy life. She was abandoned as a baby and went from one children's home to another in between foster families. Then she met Billy and was immediately attracted to him but despite his good looks and charm, Billy was bad news. When he was dealing drugs or taking them, he was beating Mel into submission. When her testimony sent him to prison, it was all she could do to protect her little girl Kate.

Several years later, Kate is now 12 and Billy has been released from prison...and Mel fears a reprisal. Having no family of her own, Mel confides all her thoughts and her fears in the one man she can trust - Michael, whom she met in the children's home where they sort of grew up together. Living hand to mouth financially, Mel lives in fear of Billy finding them...for what he might do to her and for the possibility that he might take Kate away from her. Michael is her conscience and he helps keep her sane.

One day Mel receives a letter from a solicitor's firm stating that she has an inheritance. But that can't be...Mel has no family. How could she inherit anything? But at Michael's urging, she seeks out the solicitor and learns that she has indeed come into an inheritance. A hotel on the coast near Lyme Regis in Dorset and a tidy sum in excess of £300,000!! Mel is skeptical at first...I mean, who wouldn't be? She's learnt not to take things at face value and that you don't get something for nothing in this world. And so she believes it to be a scam...

But then she hears that Billy is now out of prison and she suspects he may try and contact Kate, so with that in mind Mel accepts the inheritance. There are conditions - namely a long time resident of the hotel is to remain free of charge for life, some of the funds bequeathed is to go on much-needed renovations of the premises and that the mysterious benefactor would like to remain anonymous. So packing themselves up in her ancient car, Mel and Kate make the three hour long journey from Birmingham to Dorset.

Once there, it is clear that the Moreton Inn is indeed very much in need of a makeover as well as renovations which Mel doesn't hesitate to begin as soon as she's settled. They meet the mysterious Miss Sarah, the long time resident in Room 12, and soon discover that she does not speak. The woman must be at least in her fifties and no one there has ever heard her utter a word in all the years they've either worked at or frequented the pub. But it isn't long before Miss Sarah begins to give Mel the creeps. She often catches her looking at her strangely, or seemingly spying on her in the backyard overseeing the renovations. What is her deal? Mel endeavours to get to the bottom of it.

The move has done Kate the world of good, who was frequently bullied at her old school in Birmingham. It isn't long before she has made friends and has a bestie named Chloe.

Mel befriends Tom who assists her with the renovations and is soon acquainted with her staff of two - Nikki in the bar and Rose in the kitchen. Together they come up with new menus and drinks to wow the locals into frequenting the Moreton once again. Mel gets stuck in immediately, pulling up carpets and polishing floorboards, painting rooms and hanging curtains. Soon the old hotel has a new lease of life...and then skeletal remains are found around the foundations of their extension.

Suddenly things start going wrong. Building is halted. A journalist comes knocking, then a piece is published regarding the remains found. Someone turns up claiming to be Mel's brother and a man matching Billy's description is seen in the village. And then Kate disappears. And all at once, Mel's world begins to fall apart. Where is Kate? Has Billy taken her?

And the only one who can help them won't utter a single world.

I didn't really like Mel a whole lot. I thought she was a bit of a train wreck and prone to a lot of sniffling considering she was meant to be a hardened nut from having to fend for herself in the foster care system. The way she pandered a little too much to Kate grated on me like she didn't want to upset or trigger one of her mood swings. I mean come on...Mel's the adult here. Pander to a child like that and she will be prone to mood swings because she knows whimpering and whatnot will have mummy eating out of her hand. I did like Michael. He was a lot of fun. As was Tom. But Miss Sarah...she's the one I felt sorry for. I felt there was more of a story there where she was concerned, and it wasn't a happy one I suspected either.

An engaging and addictive story, SINGLE MOTHER is heartbreaking and heartwarming all at once. It is a slow burn, but it holds the reader's interest going just enough to keep them reading. And then the pace picks up around 50% and even moreso around 70% when things begin to unravel and fall into place all at once.

There are a few twists, including a big one at the end even I didn't see coming, in this slightly creepy and rather unsettling tale. I mean, a mute woman who does nothing but stare at you is pretty creepy...as well as the fact Mel was bequeathed this hotel and a tidy sum to boot with no idea who the benefactor was. The undercurrent is definitely creepy and somewhat atmospheric right up to the surprising end.

A thriller that's not really a thriller but is addictive in much the same way, SINGLE MOTHER is a compulsive page-turner that will keep you guessing right up to the end.

I would like to thank #SamanthaHayes, #NetGalley, #Bookouture for an ARC of #SingleMother in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Samantha Hayes grew up in a creative family where her love of writing began as a child. Samantha has written eight thrillers in total, including the bestselling Until You’re Mine. The Independent said “fantastically written and very tense” while Good Housekeeping said “Her believable psychological thrillers are completely gripping.” Samantha’s books are published in 22 languages at the last count.

When not writing, Samantha loves to cook, go to the gym, see friends and drink nice wine. She is also studying for a degree in psychotherapy. She has three grown-up children and lives in Warwickshire.

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, 4 January 2021

REVIEW: The Missing by Daisy Pearce

The Missing by Daisy Pearce

Genre: Domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 3rd January 2021