REVIEW: The Suspect by Kathryn Croft

The Suspect by Kathryn Croft

Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 10th February 2023

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Amazon

Published: 8th February 2023

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

My family said he killed my mother. They lied…

I was just a little girl, fast asleep in my stroller, the day my mother was killed. I don’t remember anything about the sunny day that turned so dark.

She’d be so happy for me now, twenty years later, with my dream job as a photographer, and I’m sure she’d love my new boyfriend, Gabriel. But all my happiness vanishes in a heartbeat when the man from our past walks towards me, his eyes on me for just a fraction too long.

I recognise his face from the picture in the papers. He killed my mother.

I try to run but he wants me to listen. He says that he is innocent, and that my family have been lying to me for years.

My father and sister tell me to stay away. They remind me that because of him my mother never got to tuck me in at night or ease me through my first heartbreak. Gabriel says he could be dangerous. But when he is found dead, I am shaken to my core. Who needed to keep him quiet?

I won’t feel safe until I find out what he wanted to tell me. But when I find that my father has lied about the past and Gabriel has hidden photos of my mother under his bed, I realise I can’t trust anyone. I want the truth. But if I find it, will my life be in danger?

An absolutely addictive read that will have you racing through the pages and questioning everything you thought you knew about your family. Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, Lisa Jewell and Shari Lapena

MY THOUGHTS:

My family said he killed my mother...they lied...

Jess was just two years old when her mother was killed on Clapham Common as she sat in her stroller, screaming with tears streaming down her face. She didn't know the person who struck her mother but her mother did as she begged for her daughter's safety. 

Now twenty eight years later, Jess lives a secluded life, works from her home studio as a photographer and is afraid of parks. After what happened to her mother, Jess can never set foot in them without thinking of what she lost that day. And the man who took it away from her...and got away with it. Then one day, she sees his face in a crowd watching her...recognises his face from the papers. He killed her mother but the police couldn't gather enough evidence to charge him...and so he walks free. But is he really?

Nathaniel French approaches Jess one day with the sole intent on telling her what he knows; what he has discovered. But understandably she doesn't believe him. Why should she? All her life she has been told that he is the man who killed her mother. It's what everyone thinks, despite no charges ever being laid.

Jess has always wanted to know the truth about what happened to her mother but thought that would never happen. When Nathaniel approached her in the street she was quick to dismiss him but reluctantly hears him out. Before they part he presses a business card into her hand with his phone number on. At first she doesn't entertain anything he has to say but the more she thinks about it, the more it starts to make sense. Maybe he is innocent after all. He drip-feeds her bits of information but is reluctant to discuss it over the phone and they arrange to meet. But he never arrives. A few days later, he is found dead. And everything he had to tell her died with him.

Now Jess is suspicious. If Nathaniel really was innocent then someone had a very good reason to silence him before he revealed the truth to Jess. But the question was, who? Jess decides to do a little digging and in doing so makes some startling discoveries along the way. Someone had been following Nathaniel and he expressed fear for his safety. Now Jess fears that someone is following her too. But why? What do they think she knows?

In her quest to delve into her mother's murder, Jess finds herself up against a lot of resistance from her family. Her mother's family, her father - they all claim they are a private family and have no wish for everything to be dragged back up all over again. But doesn't Jess deserve to know the truth? Doesn't her mother deserve justice?

Meanwhile, her sister Zara is intent on hooking her up with a friend of her boyfriend's, Gabriel, insisting that he is just an all round nice guy. And he is, when they inadvertently meet. Jess is reluctant to admit that she likes him but she is still nursing her wounds over the end of her previous relationship with longtime boyfriend Harrison, with whom she has remained friends. In fact, it is Harrison who proves to be the most trustworthy and the one Jess can count on throughout all that's to come.

This is my first foray into Kathryn Croft (from memory) and I enjoyed the journey very much. Throughout the story I had so many questions about things that didn't add up, didn't make sense which had me investigating the mystery alongside Jess. But unlike Jess, as the reader I was privy to her mother's narrative in the past timeline which gave me the building blocks to begin theorising what I think happened. I was scratching my head for much of the book until a "big secret" (that I didn't think was so huge) was revealed and slowly the pieces began to fall into place. I had longed pieced it all together before the final reveal but it didn't ruin the mystery for me. In fact I love it when I am able to work it out before the book's conclusion.

In story unfolds through Jess in the present day and Lori, her mother, in the past in 1992 and 1993. I have to say some of what Lori did was questionable to say the least. None of her behaviour made a whole lot of sense, even when she confessed to it, except when it came to Jess. I loathed her mother and sister and didn't see why Lori couldn't be honest with them about her situation. Maybe then she wouldn't have died needlessly...who knows? But then if she didn't die, there wouldn't be a story, would there? And everyone's behaviour was suspect to say the least. Every. Single. One. Of. Them. I really felt for Lori. All she wanted was the best life for Jess...and she so nearly had it.

Overall, THE SUSPECT is a compelling mystery filled with secrets, lies and deceptions spanning three decades. I thoroughly enjoyed it. My one complaint would be with the epilogue. I felt it only needed Jess' narrative; the second narrative following hers spoilt it.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Kathryn is the bestselling author of ten psychological thrillers and to date she has sold over one million copies of her books. Her third book, The Girl With No Past spent over four weeks at number one in the Amazon UK chart, and she has also appeared on the Wall Street Journal's bestsellers list.

Kathryn writes full time and is now hard at work on her next book.

After twelve years living in London, she now lives in Guildford, Surrey, the place she grew up, with her husband, two children and two crazy cats.

Social media links:

Wesbite | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Email Sign-Up | Goodreads

REVIEW: Deep and Deadly by Keith Moray

Deep and Deadly (Inspector Torquil McKinnon #7) by Keith Moray

Genre: Crime thriller, Crime fiction

Read: 12th February 2023

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Amazon

Published: 27th January 2023

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

There’s a killer on the island – but is it someone local?

West Uist, Scotland

It’s an usually busy day on the remote island of West Uist. The only transport on and off the island is the local ferry, and there is uproar when it is blocked by eco-rights activists, protesting against the shooting of seals by local fishermen.

While dealing with that disturbance, the police are amused to find a celebrity has disembarked from the ferry and is causing a stir among the locals.

But just as the demonstration is peaceably dispersed, and actor and singer Declan O’Neil is escorted away from the crowds, Detective Inspector Torquil McKinnon is called to investigate a dead body.

Fisherman Arran MacCondrum, owner of the farm that is being protested against, has been found dead in one of his fish pens, seemingly by suicide.

But with a spate of threatening poison-pen letters making their rounds on the island, it soon becomes clear that Arran’s death was not by his own hands.

Was Arran attacked by a protestor? Or was there an ulterior motive?

Torquil must unravel the mystery before anyone else on the island comes to harm…

MY THOUGHTS:

For a small community on the Outer Hebrides, West Uist sure has its fair share of murders. Not just crime...but murder. And this seventh installment of the Inspector Torquil McKinnon series is no different. In fact the bodycount is somewhat in excess as the island contends with some local eco-rights activists protesting a local salmon farm's methods just as celebrity-singer-turned-soap-actor Declan O'Neill and his entourage disembark the incoming ferry, seeking out some much needed R-and-R...apparently.

Just as soon as the foray is sorted, Torquil is called to the salmon farm where the discovery of owner Arran MacCondrum's body is made in one of his fish pens, seemingly by his own hand. It appears he had received some poison pen letters which have been circulating the island recently, with the reappearance of "Mungo", making threats and accusations that set not only tongues wagging but hearts racing. Who could do such a thing?

But it seems no one is exempt from Mungo's poison pen. Torquil himself receives one as does the Padre, his uncle Lachlan. And the words are brutal. Everyone, it seems, receives a letter. But that aside, no sooner is Arran's death revealed to be murder (and not suicide), than one of Declan's entourage succumbs to a drug overdose while another finds himself in hospital on life support. And then there's another death...this time, it really does look like it's a suicide.

Torquil has his hands full with the investigation as well as his plans to marry Lorna whose been seconded to Lewis with their Superintendent seeing no reason why the island needs another sergeant when they already have Morag Driscoll. And just what is Declan O'Neill's real reason for being on West Uist?

The seventh in the Torquil McKinnon series, if you have missed any never fear because each can be read as a standalone easily enough. Each mystery is engrossing taking in the beautiful windswept and unforgiving coastline of the Outer Hebrides. There are a few red herrings, several twists and even I didn't pick who Mungo was. So that was a real surprise.

Overall, DEEP AND DEADLY is a quick and entertaining read with a cast of likeable (and some not so likeable) characters.

I would like to thank #KeithMoray, #Netgalley and #SapereBooks for an ARC of #DeepAndDeadly in exchange for an honest review.

Hand drawn map of Scotland, showing the fictional island of West Uist in west Outer Hebrides

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Keith was born in St Andrews and studied medicine at the University of Dundee in Scotland. He lives in England now, within arrow-shot of the ruins of a medieval castle, the scene of two of his historical novels, The Pardoner’s Crime and The Fool’s Folly.  He is a retired doctor, medical journalist and novelist, writing in several genres. He writes historicals and crime as Keith Moray, non-fiction as Keith Souter and westerns as  Clay More.  Curiously, his medical background finds its way into most of his writing.

He is  a member of various writers’ organisations, including the Crime Writers’ Association, Medical Journalists Association, International Thriller Writers, Western Writers of America and he is a past vice president of Western Fictioneers, a professional organisation of western writers,  based in the USA.

In his spare time he enjoys the movies, theatre and making bread. He plays golf, tennis and runs at carthorse speed. As a frustrated actor he has found occasional solace as a supporting artist, but enough said about that!

He lives in West Yorkshire in England with his wife Rachel and whichever of their children and grandchildren who happen to pop home.

Social media links:

Wesbite | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

REVIEW: When She Fell by Karen Cole

When She Fell by Karen Cole

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 12th February 2023

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Amazon

Published: 10th November 2022

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

A twisty, addictive psychological thriller about family, lies and the secrets we keep from those we love most.

Avery is an obscure author whose recent disappearance is eerily similar to the death of a character in her latest thriller. Last seen walking the cliffs at Bosigran, it is suspected she fell, although her body has still not been found.

When Alex, an ambitious young journalist, receives a copy of Avery's book in the post, she becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to her.

Alex travels to Cornwall to research Avery's death for an article and discovers that the writer's life mirrored her book in more ways than one. She increasingly suspects that all is not as it seems. One question in particular keeps playing on her mind, did Avery jump was she pushed?

MY THOUGHTS:

Did she jump? Or was she pushed?

Alex Georgiou is a young and ambitious journalist who fears her job is on the line. But when she comes up with an idea for an article with a sort of "life imitating art" concept, she has no idea just what a can of worms she is opening.

As a blogger in her spare time, publishers often send Alex books to review for publicity purposes. So when she finds a copy of "Falling" by author Avery Lewis on her doormat one morning, Alex is intrigued by this latest offering which she assumes to be "another run of the mill thriller". As soon as she begins the book she finds herself drawn into the story of a woman found dead at the bottom of a Cornish cliff and the mystery surrounding her demise. But when the story takes a dip into the past introducing a couple who have made the journey from London to Cornwall to begin a new chapter of their lives, it isn't long before all isn't as it seems and Alex finds herself all the more intrigued.

Arriving late to work and thus late for the morning briefing, Alex finds herself in the crosshairs under the watchful eye of her boss. There was an interview and article she was meant to have already handed in but she has been unable to garner the interview, hashing out a lame article in its place. She's no sooner sent it off to her boss when she decides to look into who this Avery Lewis author is and she uncovers a startling piece of information. Ten months ago, Avery fell to her death from the very same cliffs as her character in her latest thriller and her body has yet to be found. Alex is speechless. Coincidence, surely? Or surely not?

After pitching an idea to her boss, who reluctantly agrees it may be a good story, Alex packs herself and her sister Athena off to Cornwall for a week chasing answers which will hopefully see her write the article that will be the making of her career. The sisters stay at the farm on which Avery and her husband Joe lived that seemingly inspired the author.

Throughout the book, Alex finds many similarities between the character Rebecca and Avery's situations...right down to the move from London to Cornwall, the farm and guesthouse and the cliff from which both women fell. Both women had attentive husbands but Rebecca's became abusive when the money began to run out. Avery's husband Joe is nothing like that and appears to be heartbroken at the disappearance and possible death of his wife. But the more she reads of "Falling" and learns about Avery, the more Alex begins to think that this is more than a coincidence. Did Avery have a premonition of her own death and use it as a basis for a story? Or did someone take her story and make it reality?

What an interesting concept for a thriller! A story within a story. I found the premise fascinating and the story fast paced and atmospheric. Admittedly, Cornwall is always a drawcard for me in thrillers. There is something so atmospheric about it that if I see a book is set there I'm drawn to it.

This is the third Karen Cole thriller I've read and I always enjoy them, each of them including that Cypriot touch. WHEN SHE FELL wasn't really what I had expected but it was still a compelling and intriguing quick read that I read in one sitting. I liked Alex and adored Athena, but I really had to question some of Alex's choices and decisions. I mean, one of the key paths she took in the story screamed warnings at me - even Athena tried reasoning with her but Alex's mind was made up. However, had the story not taken that turn then it wouldn't have ended up the way it did I guess. There was a method to Cole's madness in the plot...

Overall, WHEN SHE FELL is an intriguing tale of two stories that are inadvertently entangled together and would appeal to psychological thriller fans. Certainly a compelling read if you like a quick thriller!

I would like to thank #KarenCole, #Netgalley and #QuercusBooks for an ARC of #WhenSheFell in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Karen Cole grew up in the Cotswolds and got a degree in psychology at Newcastle University. She spent several years teaching English around the world before settling in Cyprus with her husband and two sons, where she works at a British army base as a primary school teacher. She recently completed the Curtis Brown writing course where she found her love of writing psychological thrillers.

Social Media links:

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REVIEW: The Edge by Lucy Goacher

The Edge by Lucy Goacher

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 9th February 2023

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Amazon

Published: 1st November 2022

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

Sometimes it’s easier to believe the lie. But is the truth right in front of you?

Everyone says Poppy jumped. My beautiful, creative sister, with her paint-splattered dresses and sunshine smile, took her own life. And I think they’re right. Until the day I get a call from a man with a very similar story.

Everyone says his sister jumped too. But he has proof that she was pushed. And if she was, I have to ask myself: could the same thing have happened to Poppy? In the moments before she died, was she really calling me to say goodbye, or was she calling for my help? Was she really alone on that cliff edge?

When Poppy’s friends tell me she had a serious boyfriend, I feel like I’m losing my grip on reality. If they were so madly in love, wouldn’t she have told me? Wouldn’t there be pictures of them together? And when I find the silver heart necklace he gave her, I feel sick. It’s the same silver heart another murdered girl was given in the weeks before she died.

This can’t be a coincidence. Either I’ve lost my mind, or the man my darling sister loved killed her. And if he could charm his way into her life so easily, what’s to say he’s not already in mine?

MY THOUGHTS:

Who pushed her sister...and is she next?

“I didn’t check the voicemail until the next morning, after I already knew she was dead. The sound of it taunts me again: wind on a phone receiver; the churning of waves. Silence.

Whatever she wanted to say to me, she never got the chance. Her last words died with her.”

This is a debut? Seriously? But it is soooo good! THE EDGE has all the hallmarks of an accomplished writer who has already made their mark on the genre. It is gripping, it is intense, it is pacy and it is skillfully plotted with twists and red herrings that leave you questioning who to trust...

Clementine Harris has returned from her studies in the US after the death of her sister Poppy, whose body was found on the beach below Hope Gap after a dogwalker came across her phone and backpack on the cliff's edge. An open and shut case, Poppy's death was ruled as a suicide. And Clementine accepts that but she blames herself. Because Poppy had tried three times to contact her on that last day and she ignored all of her attempts. What if she could have stopped her? What did she want to say in that last phone call before she jumped? She will never know because she never answered it.

So now, Clementine volunteers at a helpline for those who want to talk, who need to talk, to help talk them down from the edge. To be there, to be a voice in the night (or day) at the other end of a phone...to listen. If she couldn't do that for Poppy, at least she can do that for someone else. It's there she meets fellow helpline colleague Jude, who sketches out his callers as he pictures them whilst talking to them. He is sympathetic and caring but Clementine tend to shut down to the hands of friendship extended to her. She does with housemate Liam, with his exuberant pink hair, who does everything in his power to get her out of herself and to live!

She gets a call one night from a man whose sister had died two years before, having been ruled as a suicide. But he believes different. He knew his sister and she was murdered. But no one believes him, no one will listen to him writing him off as delusional. And now he can't imagine a life without his sister in it. But at the other end of the line, Clementine tries her best to talk him down...and fails. Or at least, she thinks she has. But if someone has decided to take their lives, they have already made that decision and nothing you can say will change that. But Clementine feels this failure as much as she did when she heard of Poppy's suicide.

When the inquest draws a line under Poppy's death, ruling it as suicide, Clementine thinks that's it. She had expected closure but all she has are more unanswered questions. She takes herself off to a suicide bereavement support group where she meets newcomer Daniel. And something in him, and his story, resonates with her. This chance meeting then throws into question everything she thought she knew about Poppy's death. Maybe Poppy didn't take her life. Maybe she was pushed... And if she was, then who pushed her? And why? What did sweet, sunny, smiling Poppy do to make someone want to kill her?

So Clementine and Daniel go in search of answers into their respective sisters' deaths to see if they can dig up any new information, anything that will cast doubt to it being suicide and pointing towards murder. Someone somewhere must have seen something, known something...surely? But as she investigates it seems every obstacle is being thrown in her path, which begs the question...does she know the killer already?

"For the rest of my life, I won't be able to trust any man – because any man could be him."

If this is indeed fact...then who could he be?  

THE EDGE is an intense psychological thriller that is at times heavy in subject matter. The story unfolds from Clementine's perspective with the odd inclusion of a random woman that will all make sense by the end. It begins with Poppy in the prologue with various others peppered throughout. Who are these women and what do they have to do with the story? Well, it's not hard to figure out but it does add another dimension to an already complex mystery.

There are a handful of characters within Clementine's life that could be the villain and, as a scientist who deals in hard facts, she carefully and methodically lists everything surrounding Poppy's death and gathers whatever evidence she can. But the closer she gets the more obstacles in her path. And pretty soon, she begins to doubt just about everyone. She can't trust any of them because it could be any of them!

As readers, we are given a handful of suspects and by a process of elimination, are we able to figure it out? I had two solid suspects, owing to Clementine's theory about the killer - which I won't reveal but it does give you cause to really look at everyone. And it was by that theory that I eliminated one of them on that very basis. But it did ruin the twist at the end that I had already figured out by this point. Lucy Goacher threw in a ton of red herrings to throw you off track but I would not be swayed.

THE EDGE is compelling and complex but an addictive read that will have you turning the pages. My only complaint is that it was a little long and dragged a little in places but as a debut, it totally rocks. I felt the similarities to John Marrs' "The Good Samaritan" in part, particularly with the mention of Beachy Head (a paramount location to Marrs' climax) and yet it was different. The chemistry between Clementine and each of the male counterparts was intense. Even the scenes with her parents were.

Overall, THE EDGE is fantastic debut psychological thriller. It is addictive, complex, dark, gripping, intense...everything I love in a thriller. I'd certainly be interested to see what the author offers us next.

I would like to thank #LucyGoacher, #Netgalley and #AmazonPub for an ARC of #TheEdge in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lucy was born and raised in Worthing, and can often be found braving the windy weather on the seafront. She has an English degree and a master’s in Creative and Critical Writing from the University of Sussex, and was a finalist in the 2017 Daily Mail First Novel Competition. She writes dark, twisty thrillers that explore issues such as grief, misogyny, and mental health.

Her time is split between writing, pampering her two cats, and photographing the family of urban foxes who visit her garden every night for dinner – much to her cats’ annoyance.

Social media links:

Wesbite | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads

REVIEW: The Party by Nora Valters

The Party by Nora Valters

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 7th February 2023

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Amazon

Published: 16th November 2022

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

This will be a party to remember. For all the wrong reasons.

Ruth loves her life in London – she has a high-powered career and a handsome and successful fiancé. This Christmas she’s bringing him back to her home town to meet her family and school friends, one of whom, Holly Murphy, has a new baby.

But, as the Christmas Eve party is in full swing, the unthinkable happens – Ruth drops the baby, injuring the little boy.

Or did she?

Ruth becomes convinced she didn’t cause the baby’s injuries, that they were inflicted before the party, that the Murphys are not the lovely family they appear to be.

Determined to discover what really happened to the child, Ruth digs for the truth. And won’t stop even when she’s shunned by her old friends, alienated from her fiancé, and sacked from her dream job.

MY THOUGHTS:

A party to remember...for all the wrong reasons...

All it takes is a split second. One minute Ruth has everything - friends, a loving fiance, a high-powered job she loves - to having nothing. And all it took was one moment in time when she was tipsy for her whole life, as she knew it, to change dramatically.

It's Christmas Eve and Ruth is up from London with her fiance Kofi to join her closest friends at their annual Christmas Eve party at friend Thandi's house. One of the group, Holly, has recently had a baby and is passing him around her friends. As the night draws further in and a few more drinks are consumed, Ruth finds herself with Holly, her once close friend whom she hasn't been close to since before her marriage to Shane. Ruth is the only one who hasn't had a hold of baby Dylan and so naturally she asks if she could. Holly hesitates before handing him over but Dylan goes easily and moulds himself in Ruth's arms. 

But then in a split second when she reaches for her glass, baby Dylan slips from her lap and falls to the floor. You could cut the air with a knife through the silence as the group waits with baited breath for any sign of movement from the baby. Suddenly his eyes open followed by his mouth is an ear screeching howl. Ruth breathes a sigh of relief. He's okay; the baby is okay. 

And then it is discovered his little body is covered in bruises and suddenly all fingers point to Ruth.

But something doesn't add up. She's no expert but the marks on baby Dylan's body are not consistent with the fall...or at least they don't appear to be to Ruth. But who would believe her? No one, it appears. And very soon Ruth finds herself without friends, fiance, job or a place to stay...since London held nothing for her in her quest to find out what really happened. Ruth is adamant that she will prove that she did not cause those marks on baby Dylan's little body. However, her quest turns into an obsession in which she becomes almost manic and incoherent at times in her search for the truth. But something was going on in Shane and Holly's house and she was determined to find out exactly what...just to keep Dylan safe, if nothing else. 

At the beginning of the book we are thrown headlong into the party and find ourselves amidst such a group of people it was difficult to get one's head around them all at once. But they soon made their own unique presence felt. Mihika was certainly a force to be reckoned with while Thandi and Briony were pretty much kept in the background. The main players from the party we came up against were Ruth, Kofi, Lewis, Holly and Shane. And of course baby Dylan. 

THE PARTY is a unique tale that certainly kept me engaged and had me thinking about the book even when I wasn't reading it, and I couldn't wait to get back to it. But the thing I struggled with was that Ruth's entire network of friends she had grown up with from school to now thirty-somethings just turned on her. They were meant to be close friends for nigh on over twenty years! Why would such close friends do that at the mere drop of a hat? And be so quick to judge and point the finger at her as being responsible yet couldn't possibly entertain the fact that something else was going on. And then there was Kofi. My gosh, his reaction and subsequent behaviour was just cold. I found him to be selfish and controlling not to mention his sudden rage at the mere sniff of alcohol or even mention of it. Ruth would be well rid of him, in my opinion. I don't care what his excuses are, his treatment of someone he was meant to love and support was atrocious. And don't get me started on her father. It was like he wasn't even related to her. So quick to disown her and believe the worst in her...bullying both her and her mother with snide little comments and insults. The man never had a kind word to say in the entire book!

And then there were Ruth's actions. They were seriously questionable to say the least and while I understood her motives they weren't really believable. I mean, would you do half the things she did in her position? I don't think so. But still...while the story wasn't overly believable it was certainly entertaining and kept me turning the pages to find out what happened. 

When the twist came, I wasn't surprised. I had my suspicions as there were a few pieces I had already put together. But I didn't know the whole story and  I was itching to uncover them. There was one aspect of the ending I didn't like...and given my review, when you read it I'm sure you'll know exactly what part I am referring to. But overall, a relatively satisfying conclusion.

I've not read Nora Valters before but after delving into this madhouse of events, I'm keen to test out some of her others.

Overall, THE PARTY is a good solid thriller that was a bit of a train wreck while at the same time you are unable look away as you fly through the pages. An entertaining read.

I would like to thank #NoraValters, #Netgalley and #InkubatorBooks for an ARC of #TheParty in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Nora Valters grew up in the New Forest in the south of England and has lived in London, Manchester, Bournemouth, Oxford and Dubai.

She studied English Literature and Language at Oxford Brookes University before embarking on a career in marketing and copywriting.

Her debut psychological thriller Her Biggest Fan was published in October 2020. Now You Know came out in June 2021 and Here For You in January 2022. The Party was released in November 2022 and she’s currently writing her fifth novel, which will be out soon.

Nora loves to travel and has journeyed around the world. She enjoys exploring new places, painting, hiking, and is an avid reader. She’s also a bit obsessed with dogs…

Social media links:

Wesbite | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: Life and Love at Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke

Life and Love at Mulberry Lane (Mulberry Lane #9) by Rosie Clarke

Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas

Read: 1st February 2023

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 2nd February 2023

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

London 1961

With Mulberry Lane's favourite pub, The Pig & Whistle undergoing renovation, proprietors Peggy and Able Ronoscki leave the chaos behind and head off on a trip of a lifetime to America. But disaster hits and Peggy finds herself in a critical condition in hospital.

Meanwhile, business is booming for young entrepreneurs Fay Ronoscki and Maggie Rowan with their new restaurant and catering empire. It seems neither has time for love.

But when fate throws a famous global singing sensation and glamourous racing car driver into the girls paths, falling in love with Jace and Greg seems beyond their control. Cupid has struck.

Life is made up of laughter, love and tears.

What is next for the folk of Mulberry Lane - can they find the happiness they all so crave?

Another passionate tearjerker from Rosie Clarke in the Mulberry Lane series.

MY THOUGHTS:

I'm always excited to read another tale from Mulberry Lane and LIFE AND LOVE AT MULBERRY LANE is the ninth in this delightful series, as I do enjoy the Harpers Emporium as well. But I must admit to being somewhat lost when beginning a new one - which is probably because I haven't followed the series from the beginning - I do tend to get lost with the characters, who's who and who they each relate to. I discovered a helpful character list after I had finished the book, because when I download it and open it, it opens at the first chapter, not at any helpful character list...which I could have done with before delving in, as it has been so long since the last Mulberry Lane book.

Now I can't remember where the previous one left off but I'm fairly sure the stars of this installment are a lot older than they were last time round.

It's 1961 and time has moved on since the past decade or so since the war ended. The world is opening up new horizons with more travel (both in the UK and abroad) and this time we see Peggy and Able head off to America for a long-earned holiday. Many changes are happening not only within the world but in Mulberry Lane as Maggie and Fay have opened a new restaurant in the Pig and Whistle while Fay expands her catering business, having taken over the reigns of the much loved pub. But the girls miss Peggy's presence, since she has come to be the stalwart and matriarch to everyone in the Lane.

Meanwhile, Freddie has taken a summer job as a lifeguard in Hastings and an opportunity arises for him to meet new people and gain more experience which will serve him well when he returns in the autumn to attend college to become a sports teacher. Like his mother, he takes in waifs and strays and tends to help those who need help most. This comes in the form of his landlady's niece Greta, whom her aunt treats as nothing more than a skivvy. He encourages Greta to see her own potential, that she can be more than a skivvy for her bad-tempered aunt. Freddie insists they are only friends, but does Greta know that?

Life continues on Mulberry Lane as love comes in the form of a race car driver and a rock star for the two young women running the Pig and Whistle. But the pair were adamant when setting out on their business venture that neither wanted to marry just yet until they had lived and built up their business. But will they be governed by their hearts or their heads?

Still the girls' missed Peggy's guiding hand, her expertise and her company. And when they haven't heard anything from Peggy or Able from America for a few weeks, they begin to worry. But when they learn that Peggy is in a serious and critical condition in hospital, everyone is shocked. What happened to Peggy? And will she survive?

The lives and loves of Mulberry Lane, and those beyond by extension, are thrown into turmoil with this recent news and they band together to support each other in their hour of need.

While we do catch a glimpse of some of the regulars, the focus this time is mostly on Fay, Maggie and Freddie as well as Peggy and Able. Most others garner a mention, some even appear on occasion, but their stories aren't at the forefront this time round. I must say I was shocked to find Shirley a doctor already. Last time I looked she was just beginning her studies and now she is qualified. Is it my imagination but has the series jumped a few years? Because Freddie and Fay appear to be a lot older too. Then again, as I said previously, it has been a long time between books I may be mixing book 7 or 8 up together.

Although love blooms for the girls, it didn't appear to be at the forefront of the story but rather their business and of course Peggy. Greg and Jace just seemed to be passing by. I couldn't really form much of an opinion of them as they appeared so little, although I admit to not liking Jace at all. I'd hoped he be written out somehow...I will neither confirm or deny...just that it was hope I held onto throughout the book.

I really enjoyed my time in Mulberry Lane once again despite it taking me a while to grasp who everyone was again. I do however find some of the dialogue to be a little stilted and wooden in places and not really how people would actually speak but apart from that, it is another wonderful addition to the series. And one of these days I will find the time to go back and start at the very beginning instead of having come in halfway through...lol

I can't wait to rejoin the lives and loves of those in Mulberry Lane once again, and hope I can join the dots a little quicker next time round.

Perfect for fans of historical fiction sagas like Pam Howes, Lizzie Lane and Sheila Riley.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Rosie Clarke has been writing for several years and has written under various names for a variety of publishers.  She lives in Cambridgeshire, is happily married and enjoys life with her husband.  She likes to walk in the Spanish sunshine and eating out at favourite restaurants in Marbella is a favourite pastime, but writing is her passion.

Rosie loves shoes, especially those impossibly high heels you can buy and has a gorgeous pair of Jimmy Choos but can't wear them so they sit on the mantlepiece.

Rosie also writes under the name of Anne Herries and Linda Sole.

 

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REVIEW: Are you Awake? by Claire McGowan

Are You Awake? by Claire McGowan

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 4th February 2023

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 8th November 2022

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

From the bestselling author of What You Did comes a chilling story about a missing girl and two potential witnesses. They both think they saw her. But can they trust their own eyes?

With two young children, Mary hasn’t slept in what feels like years. For his part, Tim never feels safe enough to sleep. And so one hot, exhausting night, the two strangers meet while seeking solace in a nearby park. There, they witness something horrific: a violent attack in the window of a neighbouring house.

Bonded by what they’ve seen, Tim and Mary are desperate to find answers. And when they see news reports of a missing woman who was last seen walking alone not far from them, the pair are convinced it’s her they saw being attacked—no matter what the police say.

But with her marriage under strain and the police on their tail, Mary begins to doubt her own mind…and Tim’s. And as the pair are drawn into a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse, the culprit appears to be even closer to home than they thought. Have they got it all wrong, or is something even more sinister going on?

MY THOUGHTS:

The premise for this tense slow burn psychological thriller is almost chilling. Imagine being awake in the dead of night, sleep deprived and with insomnia that you see something...think you see something...are almost sure you DID see something that could shed some light into the disappearance of a young woman? Can you be sure of what you saw? After all, you've not slept - really slept - for two years so your mind could be playing tricks on you...couldn't it? But you are almost certain...aren't you? It was her, wasn't it? Definitely...maybe...I don't know... Maybe you just dreamt it up. But then your neighbour says he saw her too. So you can't both be wrong...can you?

Meet Mary Collins. Thirtysomething mum to toddler Audrey and baby Leo. Sleep deprived from the constant demands motherhood brings to her shining little cherubs. The children unfortunately share a room in their pokey little two bed flat on the outskirts of London, meaning when one wakes then the other does also. And life becomes a constant revolving door of meeting each childs' needs one after the other after the other after the other...all night. Meanwhile hubby Jack snores his way through slumber and oblivion as his exhausted wife sees to the children without an ounce of sleep.

One night whilst soothing the cries and demands of her children, she is looking out the window when she sees something...a face at a window, seemingly crying for help. But as quick as she saw it, it's gone again. She blinks. Was it real? Did she see it at all? Because there is clearly nothing there now. Then she looks down into the park across the street, which backs onto a row of houses...one of which she had seen the face. Or rather, thought she did. And there in the park at 4am is a man. What is he doing there at this hour? Without thinking, she deposits the children back to bed and barely stopping to grab a robe, Mary marches out the door and across the street to where the stranger is snooping.

And that is how Mary and Tim meet. 

She soon learns that Tim saw the face she did at the window. So she didn't imagine it. It was real. Problem is, he is as sleep deprived as she is so who would believe them? But regardless, both are sure of what they saw. And both are convinced it is missing teenager Samantha Ellis, who vanished walking home one night after her shift at the care home where she worked. And so together they decide to investigate Samantha's disappearance. 

But neither of them are prepared for the storm they unleash in the wake of their digging. Can they succeed where the police have failed? Will they find Samantha and uncover the truth before it's too late? For all of them?

ARE YOU AWAKE? is a slow burn thriller that does take a while to pick up pace but there is enough intrigue there to keep you turning the pages. While both characters' backstories provided sufficient insight into their insomnia and sleep deprivation, I did tire of Mary's two year old daughter Audrey's constant and incessant whining and complaints on just about everything. And her demands were uttered at one volume - LOUD!! Audrey was, simply put, exhausting. "MUMMY! HATE PORRIDGE! WANT COCO POPS!", "MUMMY! WANT PANCAKES!", "MUMMY GO HOME! GO HOME NOW!", "MUMMY! MORNING TIME! PLAY LEGO WITH ME!", "MUMMY! NOT SHOPS! IT'S PEPPA TIME!", "MUMMY! I WANT I WANT I WANT!!!" Every time she opened her mouth she uttered demands and was unbearably grouchy - all the time. Her demands were constant, tiring and really reaaaaallllly draining. And I'm not even her mother! I only read the words and I could hear those demands all day long...it was exhausting. No wonder Mary didn't know whether she was coming or going...I doubt I would either. Her narrative at the start was a bit much and seemed more like a chaotic day in the life of rather than the mystery of Samantha Ellis. Tim was a little more bearable though carried a ton of shameful guilt about his time in Syria and now suffers PTSD as a result. And of course insomnia is the result of that. Hence why he was peering out of his window at 4am also.

Unfolding through the alternating narratives of Mary and Tim, there is also the odd narrative from the missing Samantha, leaving you wondering what exactly has happened to her. I did find the story dragged a little bit but that could just been the incessant droning and whining of a demanding two year old I did not take a liking to one bit. It was a little bit much but then some of Mary's flippant remarks in her narrative made me chuckle.

I really did enjoy ARE YOU AWAKE? despite Audrey's constant rants, and she thankfully blended into the background and became more of hubby's problem to deal with once he decided to be a parent instead of sleeping in when Mary more than deserved one. The suspense began to build as more questions are raised and the further Mary and Tim delved. The first half was more about Mary's chaotic life while the second half really picked up the pace and got down to the nitty gritty. Finally, they were getting somewhere. But would they uncover the truth before it's too late?

There are a few red herrings, but equally so, they are also a paramount part of the mystery. Figure that one out. I did...and it seemed I had two answers instead of one. But which one what the truth?

Overall, a good solid mystery with the chilling psychological aspect where sleep deprivation can mess with your mind - tricking you into thinking you saw something when you didn't or you didn't see anything when you did. It will have you questioning your own credibility and leave you pondering the reliability of our two narrators.

I would like to thank #ClaireMcGowan, #Netgalley and #AmazonPub for an ARC of #AreYouAwake in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Claire McGowan was born in Northern Ireland in 1981. She grew up in a village where the most exciting thing that ever happened was a herd of cows getting loose in the road. She now lives in slightly more exciting London.

Her first novel, The Fall, was published by Headline in 2012.  She has also written a series of novels about the forensic psychologist Paual Maguire, which currently consists of The Lost (2013), The Dead Ground (2014), The Silent Dead (2015) and the novella Controlled Explosions (2015). There are three more novels to follow in the series. This crime series has been optioned by BBC Drama.

Claire has been described as ‘a knock-out new talent’ (Lee Child) and ‘Ireland’s answer to Ruth Rendell’ (Ken Bruen). Her short story ‘Archaeology’ was broadcast on Radio 4 in 2015 and her story ‘Rosie Grant’s Finger’ appeared in the anthology Belfast Noir, as well as ‘The Last Resort’ in the CWA anthology Deadly Pleasures. She is now also writing romance as Eva Woods, and The Thirty List was published in 2015 and The Ex Factor in 2016. Her first stageplay, Backseat Drivers, was produced in London in 2015.

For two years Claire ran the Crime Writers’ Association, and is now a Senior Lecturer in Crime Writing at City University London. She also enjoys teaching workshops for other festivals and organisations. Her journalism has appeared in Glamour, You magazine, Stylist, and other publications. 

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