Published: November 23rd, 2020 Publisher: Perfect City Press Format: Paperback, Kindle Genre: Psychological Thriller
Trigger Warning: Sexual and physical abuse
Today is my stop on the tour for Bright Lies. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and to A. A. Abbott for the gifted copy of the book.
SYNOPSIS:
She’s learned too much, too young. Can she break free?
Emily’s dreams come true when her mother marries wealthy painter, David. Thanks to him, Emily’s artistic talents shine. Then he starts teaching her things a 14-year-old shouldn’t know. When Emily escapes from David’s luxury mansion, she’s penniless and forced to sleep in a rat-infested alley.
Bad boy Jack has turned his life around. Working as a DJ with ambitions to open a club, he rescues Emily from the streets when he sees a woman in trouble. He doesn’t know she’s still only 15 – and trapped in a dark web of secrets and lies.
David must find Emily and silence her. As he closes in, Jack faces the hardest choice of all. If he saves Emily, he’ll kiss goodbye to his future…
What would you sacrifice for love?
MY REVIEW:
“I’m technically an adult now, but I had to grow up a long time ago.”
Bright Lies is a story of heartache, abuse, survival and hope. It’s a difficult book to read at times – particularly the grooming and abuse Emily suffers at the hands of her stepfather – but beneath the darkness is a sliver of light. We see that there is still kindness to be found even in the bleakest of times and to keep hope of better things to come.
“Who knows if you can stick a girl like Emily together again, after a man like that has broken her?”
At the heart of this book is fantastic characterisation. Emily and Jack were both very real characters that are likable characters and easy to get behind. It broke my heart the things they knew and had suffered that no one should, particularly at such a young age. I liked how protective Jack was of Emily as despite his flaws he’s one of the good ones. Without him her life after running away could have been even bleaker. That being said, I found reading about their life on the streets difficult as I have children of a similar age, and the idea of them being alone in the world, trying to survive, is unimaginable. My heart broke for them, and for Emily’s mum, who is an innocent victim in all of this too. I wanted to tell Emily to just talk to her mum and reassure her it would be ok.
There are some vile characters in this book that are so well written they made my skin crawl. But none so much as David. The way he grooms and abuses Emily is practiced and all too familiar. I hated him and wanted to hurt him in every way possible for what he was doing. I just hope that books like this are able to serve as a warning and can help potential victims identify such behaviour from predators before it’s too late.
Bright Lies is a compelling, thought-provoking and moving read. I wasn’t sure what to make of the ending at first, but after a few days of pondering on it, I like the direction the author took and thought it was the right way to end Emily and Jack’s stories.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
MEET THE AUTHOR:
From the author’s website: Who doesn’t love a cracking crime story, full of twists?
I’m British crime thriller writer A.A. Abbott – known to friends as Helen – and I believe a good read is one of life’s greatest pleasures.
I write fast-paced suspense thrillers set in the British cities of London, Bristol and Birmingham. As a city girl, I’ve lived and worked in all of them. I also know the beautiful countryside of North Somerset well, and that’s where my latest story begins. By far my darkest book yet, psychological thriller ‘Bright Lies’ follows runaway teenager Emily from a country mansion to a city squat, as she flees the stepfather who’s gotten too close.
In contrast, the 5 book Trail series focuses on a vodka business – and what happens when the two families running it fall out with each other and with a London gangster. The Bride’s Trail leads from London to the secret tunnels below Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter. The trail continues with a kidnap in the former Soviet Union in The Vodka Trail, an ill-starred venture with a marijuana farmer in The Grass Trail and a killer on the loose in The Revenge Trail. At the very end, The Final Trail serves up a heady cocktail of betrayal, revenge and reconciliation.
Like 10% of us, many of my family are dyslexic. While I’m not, I want my books to be enjoyed by readers with dyslexia and visual impairment too. That’s why I publish my thrillers in a LARGE PRINT dyslexia-friendly edition as well as the standard paperback and Kindle versions. Don’t forget, you can also adjust the font on your Kindle to suit your needs.
I like speaking to book groups, business networks and social circles, and reading my thrillers and short stories at live fiction events and on Zoom. If you’re a book blogger, litfest organiser, reviewer or simply adore books, I’d love to hear from you.
I’m a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, Bristol Fiction Writers’ Group, and Birmingham’s New Street Authors.
Today is the first post in a new series called Cozy Mysteries. Each month I will post a list of upcoming releaes in this genre. I’m doing this after I was approached by the moderators of CozyMystery on Reddit to compile a monthly list for them.
When I happily agreed to do this I hadn’t realised that I know very little about the genre and authors, so this hasn’t been an easy task. I am still compiling a list of authors and following them on Amazon so I don’t miss any future releases. I’ve enjoyed learning more about this genre, which I enjoy but don’t often read. Let’s just say my tbr has grown while researching this list.
So, without further ado, here are the Cozy Mystery books being released in December:
The Murder at the Mayfair Hotel (Cleopatra Fox Mysteries 1) by C. J. Archer
SYNOPSIS: December 1899. After the death of her beloved grandmother, Cleopatra Fox moves into the luxury hotel owned by her estranged uncle in the hopes of putting hardship and loneliness behind her. But the poisoning of a guest throws her new life, and the hotel, into chaos.
Cleo quickly realizes no one can be trusted, not Scotland Yard and especially not the hotel’s charming assistant manager. With the New Year’s Eve ball approaching fast and the hotel’s reputation hanging by a thread, Cleo must find the killer before the ball, and the hotel itself, are ruined. But catching a murderer proves just as difficult as navigating the hotel’s hierarchy and the peculiarities of her family.
Can Cleo find the killer before the new century begins? Or will someone get away with murder?
Published December 1st, 2020
Murder on a Midnight Clear (High Society Lady Detective Book 6) by Sara Rosett
SYNOPSIS: A snowbound country mansion, a missing butler, and a Christmas case . . .
Olive and Jasper have never been closer—except in one area. Jasper is still reticent about his frequent disappearances from polite society. With the holidays approaching and no paying client on the books, Olive decides to shadow Jasper when he’s unexpectedly called away. Her search brings her to Holly Hill Lodge where an eclectic group has gathered to celebrate an old-fashioned English Christmas.
The guest list includes a celebrated lawn tennis champion, a fussy scientist studying snowflakes, a persuasive luggage salesman, a famous lady explorer, and the family’s eccentric aunt who has a fondness for the newfangled drinks called cocktails.
When the butler goes missing, Olive and Jasper must work together to solve the Christmas crime—as well as the secret Jasper hides. Murder on a Midnight Clear is the latest installment in USA Today bestselling author Sara Rosett’s popular High Society Lady Detective series.
Unwrap this 1920s Christmas mystery with all the trimmings—carols, a Yule log, plum pudding . . . and murder.
Published December 1st, 2020
Hush-Hush (The Village Library Mysteries Book 4) by Elizabeth Spann Craig
SYNOPSIS: It’s hard keeping secrets in small towns.
At first, librarian Ann Beckett is delighted her director hired another full-time staff member. The Whitby Library is a busy place and another librarian should make life much easier there.
Instead, she soon discovers that the new hire, Ellie, seems to be bent on creating issues instead of solving them. When she’s found dead at the library, no one is as shocked as they might have been.
With time running out and a desperate killer on the loose, Ann starts uncovering all the secrets Ellie was trying to keep hush-hush.
Published December 1st, 2020
Murder on the Ballot (A Myrtle Clover Cozy Mystery Book 17) by Elizabeth Spann Craig
SYNOPSIS: If you can’t beat them, join them.
Octogenarian Myrtle Clover is so annoyed by the infighting at tiny Bradley, North Carolina’s town council meetings that she decides on a radical course of action: she’ll run for the open seat on the council. After all, she taught most of the elected officials—she should be able to enact some order.
But order apparently isn’t in the works. This becomes clear when a fellow candidate is found . . . murdered.
Myrtle and her senior sidekick Miles must uncover the killer before someone else becomes a lame duck.
Published December 1st, 2020
Heather and Homicide (The Highland Bookshop Mystery Series) by Molly MacRae
SYNOPSIS: The new novel in the acclaimed Highland Bookshop mystery series finds a true-crime author murdered in the charming seacoast town of Inversgail—can the women of Yon Bonnie Books discover the killer’s identity before he or she strikes again?
True crime writer Heather Kilbride arrives in the seacoast town of Inversgail, Scotland, to research a recent murder for her new book. But if that’s true, why does she seem more interested in William Clark, a shadowy lawyer with no connection to the murder? Her nosy questions arouse the suspicions of Constable Hobbs, the members of a local writers’ group, and Janet Marsh and her crew of amateur sleuths at Yon Bonnie Books.
Heather’s unconventional research methods prove deadly when Janet discovers her lifeless body. Except the “body” turns out to be a dummy dressed-up to look like Heather. Meanwhile, Heather is sitting at a safe distance observing Janet’s reactions.
Then Heather is found dead—again—sprawled at the base of an ancient standing stone; and this time it’s for real. Clutched in her hand is a valuable miniature book last seen at Yon Bonnie Books, and now the police want to know how Heather, the miniature book, and Janet are all connected. But Janet and her group of sleuths have two questions of their own: Who else is interested in knowing that connection—and is that person a cold-blooded killer?
Published December 1st, 2020
Premeditated Mortar (Fixer-Upper Mysteries) by Kate Carlisle
SYNOPSIS: Shannon Hammer is about to embark on one of the biggest projects of her career. Her best friend Jane Hennessey has purchased one wing of the Gables, formerly the old state insane asylum, located on a bucolic hillside two miles northeast of Lighthouse Cove. Jane plans to turn her section into a small luxury hotel complete with twenty ocean-view rooms, a spa, and a restaurant.
Shannon is raring to get started on the enormous project and is shocked when a group of unruly protesters shows up at the groundbreaking ceremony and wreaks havoc. She’s even more freaked-out when someone pushes her into a pit of bricks in a closed-off room of the asylum. Despite her close call, Shannon wants nothing more than to get back to work . . . until she finds a body not far from where she was pushed. Now Shannon is determined to get to the bottom of the goings-on at the Gables even if it kills her. . . .
Published December 1st, 2020
Witch is the New Black (A Supernatural Speakeasy Mystery Book 4) by Lily Harper Hart
SYNOPSIS: Ofelia Archer has faced demons, evil witches, and freaky zombies, but nothing could prepare her for the horror of meeting her boyfriend’s mother, Madeline Sully. She thinks she’s ready and able, but she’s really not. For his part, Zacharias “Zach” Sully isn’t any more thrilled by his mother’s visit than his girlfriend. He’s simply better at dealing with Madeline’s brand of madness. After one meal, a magical barrage of fire rains down on the group as they’re walking down Bourbon Street. When the flames clear, a young woman is left for dead, and the only thing they know about her is that she was part of a multi-level marketing scheme called Hexential Oils. Before they realize what’s happening, Sully and Ofelia find themselves knee-deep in an odd world that neither of them really understand … and it leads straight to trouble, as usual. It seems New Orleans is teeming with suspects, and they have no idea which one to focus on. Ofelia and Sully have a bond that can’t be broken. That won’t stop outsiders from trying. When the hierarchy of Hexential Oils leads to long-forgotten magic and a creature of mythical proportions, they realize they’re in over their heads. They’ll die to protect one another … and someone desperately wants to make that a reality. It will take both of them working together to make sure that doesn’t happen
Published December 1st, 2020
The Banshee Brouhaha (A Charlie Rhodes Cozy Mystery Book 8) by Amanda M. Lee
SYNOPSIS: Charlie Rhodes has spent her entire life wondering who her birth parents were, why they abandoned her, and where the magic she’s been learning to hone came from. She’s finally going to get some answers. With proof that the new member of the Legacy Foundation is really her brother, Charlie sets off to visit Salem with him and her boyfriend Jack Hanson. She’s never been to the city before and finds that the history swirling is only one of the things that has her excited. Not long after landing, a body is strung up in Salem Common, and witnesses say it was ghosts doing the dirty work. Jack is intrigued enough to call in the rest of the team. Since Charlie’s parents are supposedly taking refuge within the city limits, the investigation makes for a nice cover. It’s not long before Charlie realizes that there’s more going on in Salem than witches and white magic. Something dark is festering under the surface, and whatever it is seems to be taking aim at her. Charlie wants answers. She’s also afraid to get them. During the search for what she’s lost, though, she becomes more determined than ever to hold onto what she has. There’s evil afoot, and a woman who looks like an older version of Charlie is stalking the group. Could the two things be connected? Charlie won’t leave until she knows for certain. Salem’s history might be coming back to haunt those who venture into the city and it’s up to the Legacy Foundation to figure out why … that is if they survive long enough to uncover the answers. Hold onto your broomsticks, because it’s going to be a witchy ride.
Published December 1st, 2020
The Kensington Kidnap (Epiphany Bloom Mystery Book 1) by Katie Gayle
SYNOPSIS: A missing teenager, a mysterious cult and a case of mistaken identity – just another day’s work for Epiphany Bloom.
Epiphany ‘Pip’ Bloom is down on her luck. She can barely afford cat food, and just because Most has three legs doesn’t mean he eats any less. So she absolutely can’t afford to mess up her latest temp job. But when she walks through the door of the private investigation firm, her new boss mistakes her for a missing persons expert. He then charges her with finding Matty Price – the teenage son of two A-list celebrities – who has mysteriously disappeared from his home in Kensington.
It ought to be a disaster, but Pip reckons it’s actually an opportunity. She’s always been curious (nosy, her mother calls it) and has an uncanny knack for being at the wrong place at the right time (she doesn’t want to know what her mother thinks of that). After years of trying to find something she’s good at, has Pip managed to walk straight into the job she was born to do?
She owes it to herself and poor missing Matty to find out.
But searching for Matty takes Pip into the strange, intimidating world of the rich and famous. And it soon becomes clear that some of these people’s love for themselves doesn’t extend to their fellow humans.
As Pip investigates further, she realises the question isn’t whether Matty ran away – it’s whether Pip will find him alive and make it home safely herself…
Published December 2nd, 2020
A Wreath of Ruin: A Supernatural Mystery Christmas Special (Belinda Drake Mysteries Book 4) by Kate Krake
SYNOPSIS: It’s Christmas in Blackthorn Springs, and Belinda Drake has big plans to make this the best Christmas ever for her and Conri, and she doesn’t want to use a single drop of her new magic to pull it off.
When culinary catastrophe strikes, Belinda and Conri end up spending the holiday with Lila’s family, including Lila’s grandmother, who’s not at all like Lila had built her up to be. Is Gran just a little bit strange, or is something supernatural threatening to ruin Christmas?
When things take a turn for the worst, Belinda has to reach deeply into herself and the nature of the magic she’s not sure she can trust.
Published December 2nd, 2020
The Fatal Flying Affair (A Lady Hardcastle Mystery Book 7) by T. E. Kinsey
SYNOPSIS: August 1911. Emily Hardcastle and her inimitable lady’s maid Florence Armstrong are enjoying a fine summer until Harry, Lady H’s brother, turns up out of the blue with a mystery for them to solve.
A routine parachute test at a local aeroplane factory has gone horribly wrong—with pilot Dickie Dupree plummeting to his death. Harry is certain there is more to this ‘tragic accident’ than meets the eye, having discovered that someone at the airfield is leaking top secret intelligence to foreign rivals.
In between strolls to the Dog & Duck and planning for the annual village show, the daring duo dust off the Crime Board and go undercover at Bristol Aviation. With international powers investing heavily in aeronautics, the stakes are high—sky high—and the suspects soon mount up.
Can Lady Hardcastle find the culprit before someone else falls down dead?
Published December 3rd, 2020
Christmas Corpse (A Christmas Cozy Mystery Book 1) by Mona Marple
SYNOPSIS: Welcome to Candy Cane Hollow, where every day feels like Christmas! Holly Wood (yes, that’s her real name) is driving home for Christmas and not feeling too happy about the empty house waiting for her.
When her car skids into a snow bank, she’s rescued by a sweet old lady who promises her name is Mrs Claus.
Holly is taken to Candy Cane Hollow to recover, and finds herself in a genuine winter wonderland.
As Christmas Day approaches, the grouchy medical receptionist appears to have been poisoned by a mince pie.
And to Holly’s surprise, Mrs Claus is the prime suspect.
With Mrs Claus under suspicion, Holly vows to return the woman’s generosity by clearing her name.
Maybe it will impress Mrs Claus’ dimpled dish of a son, too?
Published December 3rd, 2020
Shooting Pains (Dr Cathy Moreland Book 3) by Mairi Chong
SYNOPSIS: When one of Dr Cathy Moreland’s patients attends the surgery with a disturbing story of marital tension, accompanied by a suggestive bruise on her upper arm, the doctor is understandably concerned. The young woman confides that she is afraid of her husband, a local farmhand, but refuses to allow the doctor to help any further.
The following week, Dr Moreland, both overworked and strained, is horrified to hear of a fatal shooting on the local farm estate, and even more so when she realises that the woman and her husband are at the very centre of the tragedy. Was the shooting an accident, or is something more sinister taking place in the sleepy Scottish countryside?
Dr Moreland must draw on all of her courage to uncover the truth, even if it means risking, not only her own mental health but her life.
Published December 3rd, 2020
Dashing Through the Sand (Beach Christmas Mysteries Books 1) by Katherine Hayton
SYNOPSIS: My name is Santa and I’m fed up. The stress of single-day delivery, elf wrangling, and squeezing through chimneys that grow smaller every year is getting me down, so I decide to take a well-deserved holiday on a sun-drenched beach in Australia.
Sure, there’ll be a lot less milk and cookies but according to my cardiologist, that can only be a good thing.
But when I take my towel down to the glorious foreshore of Mission Beach, Queensland, the world has a nasty surprise in store. A dead body washes up among the sand-bubbler crabs and a witness swears the man was last seen in my company.
The Christmas spirit is nowhere in evidence as I work to clear my name. If I can’t hunt down the true killer and get back home in time for the big day, the Mrs will put me at the top of the naughty list!
Published December 3rd, 2020
Mystery at the Old Mill (An Eve Mallow Mystery Book 4)by Clare Chase
SYNOPSIS: When the calm of Saxford St Peter is disrupted by a deadly fire at the Old Mill, amateur sleuth Eve Mallow finds herself investigating a most surprising mystery!
Everyone in Saxford St Peter is desperate to know more about Harry Tennant, the newcomer who owns the Old Mill. He usually keeps himself to himself, but he’s finally invited the villagers round for drinks, and Eve Mallow isn’t the only one looking forward to having some questions answered.
But two days before the party, a terrible fire sweeps through the mill, and Harry is found dead. When Eve passes the burned remains of his beautiful house, she can’t resist the call to investigate. Especially when it turns out quiet, charming Harry was living a double life as the famous advice writer Pippa Longford. Eve has to wonder what revelations were contained in the letters he received… and whether one of them was worth killing for.
Accompanied by her reliable dachshund sidekick Gus, Eve starts digging. She soon realises Harry was at the centre of a web of lives – and lies. There’s an uncle desperate to inherit, two women who thought they were his one and only, not to mention everyone who shared their darkest secrets with him. Was one of those strangers much closer to home than Harry knew? And can Eve untangle the truth before she finds herself face to face with a killer?
Published December 7th, 2020
Rocco & the Snow Angel (An Inspector Rocco Mystery) by Adrian Magson
SYNOPSIS: A former village priest shot dead execution-style in a snow-covered field re-opens memories of a wartime scandal around the villages of Poissons-les-Marais and Fouillmont, when young infatuation led to a spate of coldly efficient assassinations.
But who’s responsible for this particular killing? And why so long after the event?
For Inspector Lucas Rocco, it means pushing aside the veil surrounding old Resistance activities and fighting dangerous political connections to track down a deadly long-range killer with the ability to hide in open countryside.
Published December 7th, 2020
Ghostly Graves (A Harper Harlow and Maddie Graves Mystery) by Lily Harper Hart
SYNOPSIS: Maddie and Nick Winters are embarking on the biggest adventure of their lives: parenthood. They’re nervous, excited, and prepared to go shopping. That leads them to a special baby boutique in Whisper Cove, where they just happen to participate in a cemetery tour run by Michigan’s most famous ghost hunter. Maddie and the tour guide Harper Harlow recognize each other for what they are right off the bat, although they don’t initially say anything. Everything spills out in the open, though, when a ghost leads Maddie to the body of a local plastic surgeon. The dead doctor has an interesting reputation with the women around town, and Maddie recognizes him from her days of nursing. Before anybody realizes what’s happening, the two women have formed a crime-fighting team and they’re determined to uncover answers. Nick would prefer Maddie shop and embrace their incoming baby but he knows when her inner detective can’t be silenced. While the men bond – and discuss loving a magical woman – the women (and Zander, of course) dig deep and uncover exactly how sordid the tale of an unethical doctor can be.
Published December 8th, 2020
Ghostly Graves and Gunslingers by Lily Harper Hart
SYNOPSIS: Four women, four magical talents, four mysteries, and four chances at romance. Spend some time with Hannah Hickok, Maddie Graves, Harper Harlow and Rowan Gray as they crossover in three different mysteries and stir up a whole host of trouble. You’ll laugh, cry, and be amazed.
Published December 8th, 2020
Cold Wind (Alaska Wild 2) by Paige Shelton
SYNOPSIS: Beth Rivers is still in Alaska. The unidentified man who kidnapped her in her home of St. Louis hasn’t been found yet, so she’s not ready to go back.
But as October comes to a close, Benedict is feeling more and more like her new home. Beth has been working on herself: She’s managed to get back to writing, and she’s enjoying these beautiful months between summer and winter in Alaska.
Then, everything in Benedict changes after a mudslide exposes a world that had been hidden for years. Two mud-covered, silent girls appear, and a secret trapper’s house is found in the woods. The biggest surprise, though, is a dead and frozen woman’s body in the trapper’s shed. No one knows who she is, but the man who runs the mercantile, Randy, seems to be in the middle of all the mysteries.
Unable to escape her journalistic roots, Beth is determined to answer the questions that keep arising: Are the mysterious girls and the frozen body connected? Can Randy possibly be involved? And—most importantly—can she solve this mystery before the cold wind sweeping over the town and the townspeople descends for good?
Published December 8th, 2020
Reluctant Bumpkin (County Cousins Mysteries Book 6) by Sam Cheever
SYNOPSIS: She’s just a girl with a dog, a cat, and a pig. And since she’s been drafted into helping her boyfriend scare his younger brother straight, she’s a girl who’s suddenly glad she’s an only child. Hal’s younger brother has been banished to Deer Hollow because of his proclivity for getting into trouble. Hal’s parents are hoping he’ll take the kid under his wing and straighten him out. But Asher Amity has a knack for finding trouble, and it doesn’t take him long to find it in Deer Hollow. When Asher steps into a steaming pile of murder and treachury, Hal and Joey are destined to get dragged into the mess with him. Who knew how dangerous babysitting could be?
Published December 8th, 2020
Rivera Gold (Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes) by Laurie R. King
SYNOPSIS: It’s summertime on the Riviera, where the Jazz Age is busily reinventing the holiday delights of warm days on golden sand and cool nights on terraces and dance floors. Just up the coast lies a more traditional pleasure ground: Monte Carlo, where fortunes are won, lost, stolen, and hidden away. So when Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes happen across the Cote d’Azur in this summer of 1925, they find themselves pulled between the young and the old, hot sun and cool jazz, new friendships and old loyalties, childlike pleasures and very grownup sins…
Published December 10th, 2020
A Matter of Murder (Campbell & Carter 7) by Ann Granger
SYNOPSIS: Two years ago, Miff Ferguson chose to opt out of the rat race. Since then he’s been living rough and happily so. That is until now. For, as the first signs of winter approach, everything changes. While looking for shelter, Miff stumbles across the dead body of a young woman inside a dilapidated warehouse. Quickly realising he’s not alone, and what’s worse he’s been spotted, Miff becomes embroiled in a game of cat-and-mouse with a killer that forces him to abandon his life on the streets and take refuge with his aunt and uncle in the village of Weston St Ambrose. But, despite his best efforts to lie low, trouble seems to follow him and when another dead body is discovered at a local farm, it’s clear Miff is not free from danger.
With the clock ticking, Inspector Jess Campbell and Superintendent Ian Carter must join forces once again with the team of police at Bamford to piece together the puzzle before another innocent life is lost…
Published December 10th, 2020
A Dodgy Death (Kat McCoy Lake County Cozy Mystery Series Book 1) by Jacqueline M. Green
SYNOPSIS: “Kat, someone is trying to kill me!” A dotty aunt. A death on the staircase. And valuable drawings that have disappeared. With her aunt’s prophetic final phone call ringing in her ears, Kat McCoy’s visit to England takes a sharp turn. She learns her aunt discovered and subsequently hid four historical drawings reportedly worth thousands of British pounds – and Kat’s not the only one who knows about them. Did her elderly aunt die from an accidental fall or something more sinister? With help from new friends, including the handsome village constable, Kat tries to settle the question of her aunt’s death, all the while knowing the killer is still out there. Can Kat unmask the killer, find the drawings and still make her flight home to the States? Or will the drawings – and the truth – be lost forever?
Published December 10th, 2020
Preserves & Premonitions (A Southern Charms Cozy Mystery Book 7) by Bella Falls
SYNOPSIS: Magic and mystery are only part of the Southern Charms of Honeysuckle Hollow…
Charli Goodwin’s future seemed to be nothing but smooth sailing…until the last spell she cast changed the course of everything! Now, it’s not only her life but the lives of others she cares deeply for that are tied up in her fate. Not even help from the creepy and mysterious soothsayers, the Weird Sisters, can give her a clue how to get out of the mess she’s in.
If Charli can’t figure out a way to fix what she’s done and get things back on track, according to the premonitions from the sisters, the future for herself and all of Honeysuckle Hollow is at stake. Will she be able to reverse the effects of her spell in time?
Published December 10th, 2020
Sledding Away with Murder (Sweetfern Harbor Mystery Book 21) by Wendy Meadows
SYNOPSIS: This winter wonderland isn’t quite so innocent after all… Determined to create a picturesque winter experience at the Sheffield Bed and Breakfast inn, Brenda Rivers eagerly awaits the arrival of her new guests for the weekend. This year brings a wide selection of visitors from all walks of life – from a soft-spoken Amish couple to a plastic surgeon and Anaesthesiologist who just can’t seem to get along. Brenda tries her best to keep the peace and make sure all her guests have a good time.
But when one of their guests turns up brutally murdered and left almost unrecognizable in the midst of a harmless sledding contest, Brenda’s hopes of a perfect weekend are shattered. With her guest’s rival going strangely quiet, his wife crying crocodile tears, and the Amish couple mysteriously coming last in a sport they claimed to be the best at, Brenda must put all of her sleuthing skills to the test if she wants to unravel the truth.
Can Brenda unmask a killer for Christmas? Or will her guest’s murder slip into the background of cold cases?
Published December 10th, 2020
Waffles at the Wake (Murder in the Mix Book 29) by Addison Moore
SYNOPSIS: It’s the dead of winter in Honey Hollow, and I’ve got jury duty. As if that wasn’t terrible enough, Carlotta is stirring up trouble with the mob again, and soon enough a member of the family ends up biting the big one. And you will never guess which ghost comes back to help me solve the crime this time… Something like this has never happened before, and I’m hoping it will never happen again. It’s cold outside, and so is the heart of the killer.
Baker Lottie Lemon has a bakery to tend to, one too many suitors, and the supernatural ability to see the dead—which are always harbingers for ominous things to come. Throw in a string of murders, and her insatiable thirst for justice, and you’ll have more chaos than you know what to do with.
Published December 10th, 2020
Holly & the Grand Opening (The Holly Lewis Mystery Series Book 10) by Dianne Harmann
SYNOPSIS: The excitement is building for the grand opening Of the long-awaited addition to the Read It Again bookstore And Holly’s in charge of making sure everything is ready for it. But when the books to be put on the shelves Are stolen from a storage unit, Her best-laid plans fall apart. Obviously, someone has a grudge against The bookstore, Holly, or the owner, Fiona. But who and why? And even worse, Holly worries that her best friend may be the one responsible And she, herself, is to blame.
December 12th, 2020
Red Roses (Hope Herring Cozy Mystery Book 4) by J. A. Whiting and Nell McCarthy
SYNOPSIS: It is February in North Carolina and Valentine’s Day is fast approaching The holidays are hard for Hope since losing her husband, and this one, in particular, will be difficult. She and her resident ghost keep looking for clues to his hundred-year old murder and as she continues to research her husband’s death, she finds things that frighten her. If all that wasn’t enough, Hope is worried about one of her students, and when one thing leads to another she ends up embroiled in a mess of a situation. Will Hope be able to keep her daughter, Cori, her student, and herself safe or will danger strike before she figures out what’s going on?
Published December 12th, 2020
The Lurid Possibility of Mystery (The Mysteries of Severine DuNoir Book 5) by Beth Byers
SYNOPSIS: December 1925.
Severine DuNoir has discovered who has been hunting her. Now she needs to discover why. As the foes circle each other, their friends and family get drawn into the conflict.
Just who can Severine trust? How can she stop the rogue? And what will happen to those she loves if she fails? She’s all too afraid the answer is one she won’t be able to live with.
Published December 13th, 2020 by
Courting Can Be A Killer (An Amish Matchmaker Mystery) by Amanda Flower
SYNOPSIS: Some Amish men don’t know what’s good for them. That’s what Millie Fisher told herself when young Ben Baughman set his heart on marrying Tess Lieb. With Tess’ father refusing to give his blessing and Tess’ ex-boyfriend being a wet blanket, the hapless couple was bound to butt heads more than Millie’s Boer goats. But when Ben tragically dies in a mysterious fire, Millie wonders if someone in her hometown of Harvest, Ohio wanted Ben out of the wedding picture altogether…With the help of her quilting buddies, and her outspoken Englischer friend Lois, Millie is determined to patch together all the clues without even dropping a stitch. She only hopes it won’t be the death of her…
Published December 14th, 2020
Ropes, Riddles & Robberies (A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery Book 15) by Tonya Kappes
SYNOPSIS: Welcome to Normal, Kentucky~ where nothing is normal. A Campers and Criminal Mystery Series is another brainchild of USA Today Bestselling Author Tonya Kappes. If you love her quirky southern characters and small town charm with a mystery to solve, you’re going to love her new cozy mystery series!
Published December 17th, 2020
The Zachery Case (Markham Sisters 26) by Diana Xarissa
SYNOPSIS: Janet Markham is looking forward to Edward Bennett’s arrival at the bed and breakfast she runs with her sister Joan. She and Edward have been seeing one another for a while now, and he’s meant to be retiring and moving to Doveby Dale for good. Joan is just anxious to get the carriage house cleared out so that she can turn it into a guest room.
When Janet moves the last few boxes and finds a skeleton, though, Joan’s plans get put on hold as the sisters find themselves caught up in a murder investigation. Inspector Harold Colbert from Derby is in charge of the case, and he doesn’t seem interested in getting any help from the sisters’ friend Robert Parsons, the local constable.
When Edward arrives, he’s eager to help with the investigation, but Harold has his own ideas about how things should be done.
Can Janet and Edward work out whose body was hidden in the carriage house? Was it murder or did the victim meet with an unfortunate accident? And will Edward finally give Janet the combination to the safe in the library?
Published December 18th, 2020
Murder Over Easy (A Sunny Side Up Cozy Mystery Book 1) by Rosie A. Point
SYNOPSIS: Murder has never been this easy…
When Sunny Charles arrives in small-town Parfait, Florida, the last thing she expects is a note from her aunt instructing her to take control of the famous Sunny Side Up Café. After going through a vicious divorce, losing her entire life savings, and, oh yeah, having the Russian mob on her tail, Sunny’s willing to give it a shot, even if it means trying her hand at cooking. Let’s face it, eggs over easy aren’t exactly ‘easy’ to make, but they beat facing off against armed men with guns.
All things considered, her first day in the café goes well, that is, until one of the customers, a food vlogger, tries her aunt’s eggs over easy and drops dead on the spot. Sunny’s set to lose the café unless she can prove her innocence. But with a handsome chef as a distraction, the creeping suspicion she’s being watched, and a detective on her case, she’s got her work cut out for her.
Can Sunny solve the mystery before the murderer stops her? Find out in this funny starter in a brand new cozy mystery series!
Published December 18th, 2020
A Fashionable Fate (Rosa the Cuban Psychic Mystery) by Ileana Munoz Rebfroe
SYNOPSIS: A psychic, a fashion gala and the death of a runway model.
Not what Boutique owner, Rosa de los Reyes hoped for when she organized the Colten Island Fashion Show.
To save the gala and stop the killer from striking again, she must use her psychic abilities, sift through the gossip at La Misteriosa and navigate increasing danger all while racing against the clock.
Will Rosa, her familiar Raul, and Las Cubanitas find the truth before the murderer kills again?
Published December 18th, 2020
Scones and Scofflaws (A Cape May Cozy Mystery, Book 1) by Jane Gorman
SYNOPSIS: When a gorgeous man dressed as Bridgette Bardot buys her a Scofflaw and asks her out on a date, Anna McGregor begins to suspect her murder investigation has taken a wrong turn. Her previous work as a medical anthropologist exposed her to a variety of unexpected situations, but none quite like this.
It all seemed so simple: fix up the Cape May Victorian mansion she’d inherited from Great Aunt Louise and re-open it as the exceptional B&B it used to be. Everything’s going great, until her very first guest turns up dead at the breakfast table, crumbs from Anna’s blueberry scones scattered on the lace tablecloth.
As the town’s gossip mill goes into overdrive, Anna leaps into the fray to save her reputation, her business and Great Aunt Louise’s legacy.
With help from a handsome handyman eager to solve all of Anna’s problems and a young police officer new to murder investigations, Anna does her best to convince the town — and her future guests — that while her scones may be killer, someone else was responsible for this murder.
Published December 20th, 2020
Murder Under the Mistletoe (A Darcy Sweet Cozy Mystery Book 30) by K. J. Emrick
SYNOPSIS: A nice family trip away for Christmas is just what Darcy Sweet needs…
There’s only one problem – trouble tends to follow her wherever she goes.
But she’s determined it won’t this time…
With her track record though, Jon is not convinced.
But hey, what does it matter?
Trouble can just as easily find her in Misty Hollow – and it frequently does.
So why shouldn’t they take some time to relax at the cozy Hideaway Inn?
And if any trouble were to happen, she can handle it…
She hopes.
Published December 21st, 2020
Murder in Hyde Park (A Ginger Gold Mystery Book) by Lee Strauss
SYNOPSIS: Murder’s a fashion faux pas…
The summer of 1926 brings high fashion to Hyde Park. Ginger’s Regent Street dress shop, Feathers & Flair, is a major sponsor, and when top designer Coco Chanel makes an appearance, the London fashion scene lights up.
Until a model drops dead and Miss Chanel is suspected of murder. The fashion icon hires Lady Gold Investigations to clear her name, but can Ginger discover the murderer before becoming a lifeless mannequin herself?
Published December 22nd, 2020
The Easter Sunday Slaughter (Claire Anderson Murder For All Seasons Book 2) by Imogen Plimp
SYNOPSIS: APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERS
And a bouquet of murderous intrigue…
Amateur sleuth (and ace baker) Claire Andersen is back! Winter melts to spring in scenic Galway, Maryland, uncovering blooming friendships new and old, a shyly budding romance, the rotten stench of organized crime, and family drama more garish than Claire’s emerging blood lilies.
Settling in just fine to her new Appalachian digs (and getting the hang of this whole proprietress of a B&B thing, too!), NYC native Claire Andersen is living a cozy small town fairy tale. There are quirky local characters and adorable little shops, not to mention a kitchen full of mouth-watering baked goodies. She’s a veritable June Cleaver—if Leave It to Beaver were nestled in the mountains and June were a recently retired empty nester, that is.
There’s just one problem. Claire can hardly say “Gee, golly” before her newly-acquainted and much-beloved neighbor winds up murdered in cold blood, right before Galway’s annual Easter parade. Hot off the heels of her last murder, Claire can’t help but get involved (much to the chagrin of the well-meaning albeit bumbling town sheriff). She can hardly help herself, after all. The murder did take place right next door … and the victim’s family is staying in her B&B… Ever the hostess, poking around is the least she could do.
Little does Claire know the victim’s family is just the tip of the iceberg. The rest of the iceberg consists of age-old secrets so duplicitous, they’d make Eddie Haskell run for the hills.
Mix in Claire’s feisty sidekick Evelyn, her ever-lovable bloodhound Rupert, and a mountain of mocha and strawberry buttercream cupcakes—and Claire finds she’s in business. The sleuthing business. Perhaps even the mafia business. But she’d better tread carefully—or she’ll wind up another discarded, frozen body in the aforementioned iceberg (with a spring thaw nowhere in sight).
Published December 25th, 2020
Corgis & Conspiracy (A Dog Town USA Cozy Mystery) by Meg Muldoon
SYNOPSIS: The cozy Pacific Northwest town of Dog Mountain is happily humming this December as residents prepare for the season of light. But when celebrity and controversial pet treat industry guru Madison Shaw is found dead at the bottom of the historic Howliday Inn’s staircase one chilly morning, ace reporter Winifred Wolf finds herself covering a national story. Was Madison’s fall just a tragic accident? Or is there more to the story than meets the eye?
Published December 25th, 2020
Ink and Shadows (A Secret, Book, and Scone Novel 4) by Ellery Adams
SYNOPSIS: Nora Pennington is known for her window displays, and as Halloween approaches, she decides to showcase fictional heroines like Roald Dahl’s Matilda and Madeline Miller’s Circe. A family-values group disapproves of the magical themes, though, and wastes no time launching a modern-day witch hunt. Suddenly, former friends and customers are targeting not only Nora and Miracle Books, but a new shopkeeper, Celeste, who’s been selling CBD oil products.
Nora and her friends in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society are doing their best to put an end to the strife—but then someone puts an end to a life. Though the death is declared an accident, the ruling can’t explain the old book page covered with strange symbols and disturbing drawings left under Nora’s doormat, a postcard from an anonymous stalker, or multiple cases of vandalism.
The only hope is that Nora can be a heroine herself and lead the Secret, Book, and Scone Society in a successful investigation—before more bodies turn up and the secrets from Celeste’s past come back to haunt them all . .
Published December 26th, 2020
Wedding Cake and Widows: A Comedy Cozy Mystery by Christy Murphy
SYNOPSIS: You’re invited! It’s the wedding everyone in Fletcher Canyon has been waiting for. The bride is beautiful. The groom is nervous, and…
There’s a dead body.
But no need to worry, Mom and Christy are on the case.
Published December 26th, 2020
Murdered Mayor (High Desert Cozy Mystery Series 13) by Dianne Harmann
SYNOPSIS: The famous cowboy movie star Had become the dearly beloved mayor of Palm Springs. Too bad he was murdered. But who could have done it and what was their motive? Greed? Political rival? An environmental extremist? Son? Stepdaughter? Ex-wives? And what about his present trophy wife? Then there’s that pesky proposed desert windmill turbine project. They kill a lot of birds, And the Desert Bird Sanctuary members were certainly Against the proposal. The mayor’s vote was needed to approve it. Maybe he was going to vote against it. Was that why Monty Madsen was murdered? And maybe Monty wasn’t the only person in Palm Springs Who wanted to be the mayor! There’s a colorful cast of characters, But only one of them is a murderer.
Join Marty, her husband, Detective Jeff Combs, and their psychic boxer dog, Patron, as they determine not only who had the motive, but also who had the means.
Published December 26th, 2020
Sweet Violet’s Ghost (A Sweet Cove Mystery Book 19) by J. A. Whiting
SYNOPSIS: It is September in Sweet Cove and Angie and Jenna are taking a walk after work to the town park and up the hill to the cemetery overlooking the ocean. Their daughters are growing fast and are already crawling and saying words. Angie and Jenna take the girls out of the strollers so they can play on the grass, but moments later, something unexpected appears to them and it’s about to draw them into a mystery with connections that reach to another state.It will take all four of the Roseland sisters, Mr. Finch, Chief Martin, two fine felines, and a new friend to find the evil-doer responsible for ending two lives, and maybe more. Will they find the answers they need before it’s too late?
Published December 26th, 2020
Prime Time Murder: A Humorous Cozy Mystery (Hollywood Whodunit Book) by Brittany E. Brinegar
SYNOPSIS: She’s little. She’s feisty. Spoiler alert, she’s not the killer.
Move to Hollywood. Catch her big break. Become a movie star. Nowhere on Becky Robinson’s to-do list does it say discover a dead body or become the prime suspect.
Becky’s first day on set is anything but glamorous. Between coffee runs and walking the star dog, she discovers the body of a prominent actress. Not exactly how she pictured seeing her name in the papers. And they didn’t even spell it right.
After finding evidence at the crime scene, the cops are on her trail and a Hollywood hunk is in the hot seat.
To clear her name and discover whodunit, Becky rubs elbows with Tinseltown insiders. With the help of her best friend and an adorable puppy, they attempt to expose the killer before he claims his next victim.
Published December 26th, 2020
Chilled to the Cone (A Bakeshop Mystery, 12)by Ellie Alexander
SYNOPSIS: The deep freeze has thawed in Ashland, Oregon and Torte is gearing up for a busy spring. When a surprise opportunity to launch a pop-up ice cream shop comes her way, Jules jumps at the chance to showcase Torte’s signature iced drinks and cold custards. But selling the desserts of her dreams comes at a price. . .and, before she knows it, Jules’s life swirls into a nightmare. One of the town’s most colorful characters, a street performer known for wearing capes and a cone-shaped hat, turns up dead just as Torte 2.0 is set to open its doors. Can Jules get the scoop on what happened to “The Wizard” of Ashland before her new business venture reaches a chilling conclusion
Published December 29th, 2020
Closely Harbored Secrets (Seaside Cafe Mystery Book 5) by Bree Baker
SYNOPSIS: It’s almost Halloween, and the small island of Charm, North Carolina is decked out for the festivities. When Everly Swan agrees to close her iced tea shop early to help her aunts host their annual haunted historic walking tour, she expects some good-natured spooks. But the night turns grave when one of the ghostly actors is found dead. To complicate matters, the victim scratched Everly’s name into the ground before she died, making her a key suspect.
The murder mystery heats up when Everly’s potential boo, Detective Grady, takes the case—and he definitely doesn’t want her getting involved. Will their seaside romance be threatened by all the ghostly drama? But when a phantom sailor straight out of local legend starts leaving Everly threatening messages, she has to get involved… With a local election under way, ghosts on the loose, and a search for long-lost buried treasure, Everly can’t help but stir the pot!
Published December 29th, 2020
A Purr-fect Storm (Meow for Murder Book 6) by Addison Moore and Bellamy Bloom
SYNOPSIS: Confession. I’m no psychic. But I can sort of see the future—albeit not accurately. And you better believe, I’ve never let that little detail stop me from prognosticating my way into a pickle. So when I ticked off the mob, the feds, and my wily ex, I decided to take my Uncle Vinnie’s advice and start over with a new name and new hair color while relying on my old shtick—getting my psychic wires crossed and putting myself in danger.
It’s beginning to look a lot like murder. It’s winter in Starry Falls, the snow is falling and the mobsters are coming in strong. My freedom is in the balance and the only question on my mind is should I stay or should I go now? Shep is willing to risk it all for me—and a thank you, I might just get us both killed.
Living in Starry Falls is proving to be deadly.
Published December 30th, 2020
Marvellous Mary Brown and the Mysterious Manhunt (Mary Brown Mysteries 2) by Bernice Bloom
SYNOPSIS: Mysterious Manhunt continues the story, as Mary and the unlikely Mysterious Invitation crowd head off in search of a missing family. There are twists and turns and moments of madness. Featuring Juan Pablo on the stage, her boyfriend, Ted, in a fight and Mary Brown in the middle of it all, wondering what in the name of the lord she’s got herself all caught up in…
Mary proves herself to be super sleuth extraordinaire as she finds the clues to help crack the code. But will it be enough?
Published December 31st, 2020
Let’s Bake A Deal (Twin Berry Bakery Book 2)by Wendy Meadows
SYNOPSIS: Rita and Rhonda Knight set out to enjoy the annual Clovedale Falls Pumpkin Festival. They arrive at the local fairgrounds on a crisp autumn morning full of excitement. With their purses full of money and the morning ahead of them, what could possibly go wrong? Only murder.
When Sheriff Bluestone shows up at the festival and tells Rita and Rhonda that a murder had taken place at the remote Clovedale Falls Retirement Home mansion, a dark cloud rolls over the fun morning. Suddenly, the smell of pumpkin pies, funnel cakes, and apple cider is replaced by the foul stench of crime, involving uncaring kitchen staff and suspicious nurses…and one innocent old man who can barely remember his own name. Together, Rhonda and Rita dive into a mystery that takes them into a mansion filled with secrets and heartbreaking truths as they track down a killer lurking in the shadows.
Will the Knight sisters solve a murder and prove the innocence of an old man, and reveal the secret histories that have brought these shadows down on their beautiful autumn day? Or will they fall victim to a hideous crime and never be remembered again?
Published December 31st, 2020
Are any of these on your wishlist? What’s your favourite Cozy Mystery Series? Let me know in the comments.
Published: November 24th, 2020 Publisher: Bookouture Format: Paperback, Kindle Genre: Noir Fiction, Police Procedural, Medical Fiction, Medical Thriller, Mystery
Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this first book in a riveting new crime series. Thank you to Bookouture for the invitation to take part and the eBook ARC.
SYNOPSIS:
‘“911. What’s your emergency?” “He came for her. She’s been shot,” says a desperate voice, as footsteps echo down an alley. “She’s dying.” “Oh no, oh no, he’s coming back. Please, come quickly––” And then a click, and the drone of a dial tone.
The beautiful young woman on the stretcher could be on her honeymoon. Chestnut hair tumbles around a pretty face, rose petals tangled in the loose strands. But the bandage around her forehead tells a different tale, as Emergency Room Nurse Jessie Novak desperately battles to keep her alive. Jessie’s thoughts are racing—who shot this beautiful young woman and more importantly, why?
Ann Hart’s life hangs by a thread, and Jessie cannot bear to see this beautiful young woman die without justice being done. Being a nurse is like hunting for clues, and Jessie is sure she can find the person who hurt Ann. She also asks her friend Detective Sam Dallas for help digging into Ann’s past. But then Jessie receives a gift that sends shivers up her spine: a huge bouquet of blood-red roses, just like the ones in Ann’s hair…
As the first snowflakes start to fall, another body turns up. Jessie is sure that she’s in danger too—since the roses, someone has been watching her… Sam is reluctant to see the link but Jessie knows she must find the culprit before he strikes again. He is stalking her through the frozen streets and he doesn’t want his fun to stop. Can Jessie turn the tables on the killer, or is she just a dead girl walking?
A totally addictive mystery novel that will leave you gasping for breath and have your heart thumping! Fans of Lisa Regan, Gregg Olsen and Tess Gerritsen will be completely hooked.
MY REVIEW:
“Something was wrong here, very wrong.”
It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for a great crime series. With Dead Girl Walking I’ve added yet another to my ever-growing list.
ER nurse Jessie Novak finds herself embroiled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse after becoming determined to bring a killer to justice. She is sure she knows who brutally attacked Ann Hart, but the police don’t agree. So she sets out to find the evidence herself, putting her own life in danger. Can she find the proof and expose the killer before they can silence her?
“And that was what she liked best about the ER. It was a metaphor for life; unpredictable, unexpected, both deadly boring and wildly exciting, and you could have all of that in one shift.”
Reading this was like watching a mash-up of ER and Rizzoli & Isles. It is a riveting start to a new series and I flew through this book in just a few hours. The author knows how to keep the reader on the edge of their seat and is full of heart-stopping tension. Jessie’s job as an ER nurse only adds to this, the chaos leaping from the page. It is obvious from the detail in these scenes that the author has experience of working in that environment and this added to the authentic feel of the story.
For any series to be successful, it’s characters have to be believable, interesting and memorable. The author has given the reader just that with the creation of Jessie and Detective Sam Dallas. Jessie is easy to like and get behind. I quickly felt invested in her life and was rooting for her to bring the killer to justice. The dynamic between her and Sam is entertaining and they have the perfect amount of chemistry and tension to make a great crime duo. I’m looking forward to seeing what the author has in store for them in book two.
A captivating start to a new crime series, this taut, twisty and suspenseful book is one you’ll find hard to put down. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written thriller or mystery.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Roberta Gately, lives in Boston where she works as a nurse at the Boston Medical Center. It was in the ER where she developed an interest in the investigations behind the crimes and the victims she encountered. Working in a busy ER is much like being a detective—the search for answers is a methodical process, not unlike the work required to solve a murder!
Her crime series with Bookouture stars the brave and brilliant ER nurse Jessie Novak who teams up with her detective friend to solve tricky Boston murder cases. Expect addictive mysteries, breathtaking suspense and a gutsy heroine you’ll never forget. When she’s not writing or working at the hospital, Roberta enjoys reading, working out and spending time with friends and family.
She has also worked in humanitarian aid, providing medical care in some of the world’s bleakest spots ranging from Africa to Afghanistan. Her two previous novels, Lipstick in Afghanistan and The Bracelet were based upon her experiences of nursing abroad. Her memoir—Footprints in the Dust tells the true stories of some of the extraordinary people she met.
Welcome to my stop on the tour for this gripping thriller. Thank you to Bookouture for the invitation to take part and the eBook ARC.
SYNOPSIS:
She rolls over and reaches for her instinctively: her baby. Her hand hits air and flaps redundantly. She stumbles out of bed and switches on the light. But this only confirms it. The baby is gone. Someone has taken her.
Sixteen years ago, Lizzie Armitage woke to find her newborn baby gone. Just days later, Lizzie was dead.
Her sister Paula swore she would do everything she could to find the child. If she hadn’t promised to keep Lizzie’s pregnancy secret, maybe the baby wouldn’t have disappeared. And maybe Lizzie would still be alive. But, in nearly a decade, Paula’s never found any trace. Until now…
When Paula bumps into an old friend from the past, she realises she wasn’t the only one who knew about her sister’s child. Someone knows what happened that day. Someone knows where Lizzie’s baby went.
But can Paula find out the truth before another family is ripped apart?
A twisty, unputdownable psychological thriller that will keep you hooked until the last page. Fans of Behind Closed Doors, Friend Request and The Girl on the Train will love Her Sister’s Child.
MY REVIEW:
“But the baby is gone. Someone has taken her.”
Her Sister’s Child is a domestic thriller told from the point of view of three women – Paula, Charlie and Marian. Moving between timelines, it tells the story of a tragic death and the search to find out the truth about a baby who went missing sixteen years ago.
A quick and easy read, I flew through this book in just a few hours. Though there were some issues with the novel – it felt a little predictable and confusing at times as it shifted between characters and timelines – it captured my attention for the first page and held some surprising twists along the way.
The characters are well written and each of the protagonists are flawed and complex. There were times they’d pull on my heartstrings and others I’d want to shake some sense into them. Their connection might seem obvious, but the full picture of how these women are linked is more intricate than it first appears and there are plenty of shocking revelations as the full picture is slowly unveiled.
A moving, compelling and twisty thriller, this is a great read for anyone who enjoys this genre.
Born in the Cotswolds, Alison spent most of her formative years abroad. She studied languages at Oxford, then became a journalist and author, returning to university after her two children to take a law degree. After a three-year stint as a criminal paralegal, Alison worked as a commercial copywriter and then a TV storyliner, before coming full circle to write fiction again.
Today is my stop on the tour for this wonderful debut. Thank you to HQ for the invitation to take part and the eBook ARC.
SYNOPSIS:
She’s not lost. She’s just waiting to be found…
Dawn Elisabeth Brightside has been running from her past for twenty-two years and two months, precisely.
So when she is offered a bed in St Jude’s Hostel for the Homeless, it means so much more than just a roof over her head.
But with St Jude’s threatened with closure, Dawn worries that everything is about to crumble around her all over again.
Perhaps, with a little help from her new friends, she can find a way to save this light in the darkness?
And maybe, just maybe, Dawn will finally have a place to call home….
The utterly charming feel-good debut novel of 2020 to curl up with.
MY REVIEW:
“And if being at St Jude’s has taught me anything, it’s that you need to find your tribe. The rest of the journey’s not designed to be a solo one. Group tickets always offer the best value.”
The Extraordinary Hope of Dawn Brightside is a truly special book. The definition of ‘uplit’, it is one of those books that feels like a warm hug or a hot chocolate on a cold day. It will make you laugh and cry. It will steal your heart and make a permanent home in your soul.
I adored the colourful cast of compelling and very real characters. I liked that the author showed their humanity and personality rather than making them a cliché. She makes their experiences leap from the page, transports you into their world and makes you live every moment alongside them.
Dawn is quite the character. She is damaged, flawed and unreliable but also hopeful, joyous and endearing. Despite being down on her luck and going through some very traumatic things, she sees the silver lining – the ‘bright side’ you might say – and encourages others to do the same. She cares deeply about others and becomes a real light in the lives of those around her. She is a character I won’t forget and I challenge anyone not to fall in love with her too.
This was a very nostalgic book for me as my father was a manager for the YMCA and we lived on-site for three years when I was twelve to fifteen. The experience made a huge impact and is a big part of who I am today. The residents became like family and we are still in touch with a number of them even now. All the memories of that time came flooding back while reading and it was clear to me that the author knew her stuff. This felt authentic. So I wasn’t surprised to learn she’d worked with the homeless and had even lived on-site too.
But while this is a very uplifting book, it also addresses serious topics such as mental health, addiction and homelessness. She examines these things on a deeper level, commenting on the perception and judgement of the homeless or with mental health or addiction issues, the underfunding of homeless hostels and the degradation of applying for sickness benefits, something I personally related to as someone unable to work because of chronic illness. But she has a talent for doing all of this without bringing the mood down, balancing gritty realism with a humour and optimism that is reminiscent of Dawn.
Addictive, heartbreaking, hopeful, evocative, entertaining, warm and emotionally resonant, this is a remarkable debut. This book has arrived at the perfect time; Dawn’s kindness and positivity is something we all need more of right now. READ THIS BOOK!
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Jessica Ryn is a former midwife and homeless resettlement worker. She has recently completed her MA in Creative Writing at CCCU, and her stories have been shortlisted for the Kimberly Chambers’ Kickstarter Award, Wordsmag and the Val Wood Prize for Creative Writing. When she’s not scribbling away, Jessica can be found meandering through the woods, reading stories that pull on the feel-strings and eating yoghurt-covered skittles. Jessica lives in Dover with her husband, two children and their high-spirited springer spaniel. The Extraordinary Hope of Dawn Brightside is her debut novel.
Published: January 21st, 2021 Publisher: Michael Joseph Format: Hardcover, Kindle, Audio Genre: Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Thriller, Horror Fiction
Thank you to Michael Joseph for my #gifted copy of this outstanding novel. This is one of my most anticipated books of 2021 and was joint BOTM for October.
SYNOPSIS:
500 years ago: eight martyrs were burnt to death 30 years ago: two teenagers vanished without trace Two months ago: the vicar committed suicide
Welcome to Chapel Croft.
For Rev Jack Brooks and teenage daughter Flo it’s supposed to be a fresh start. New job, new home. But, as Jack knows, the past isn’t easily forgotten.
And in a close-knit community where the residents seem as proud as they are haunted by Chapel Croft’s history, Jack must tread carefully. Ancient superstitions as well as a mistrust of outsiders will be hard to overcome.
Yet right away Jack has more frightening concerns.
Why is Flo plagued by visions of burning girls? Who’s sending them sinister, threatening messages? And why did no one mention that the last vicar killed himself?
Chapel Croft’s secrets lie deep and dark as the tomb. Jack wouldn’t touch them if not for Flo – anything to protect Flo.
But the past is catching up with Chapel Croft – and with Jack. For old ghosts with scores to settle will never rest . . .
MY REVIEW:
“If you see the burning girls, something bad will befall you.”
WHAT. A. BOOK! Creepy as hell and absolutely brilliant, this was an easy 5 stars from me.
Chapel Croft, East Sussex, a small hamlet where everyone knows everyone; or at least they think they do. Rev Jack Brooks and her teenage daughter Flo have moved to the area in search of a fresh start.
But soon Flo is plagued by visions of burning girls, and someone is sending them threatening messages. Jack realises they’ve come to a place not of solace, but one that is haunted by local legends and dark, sinister secrets. And there are some people who will do anything to keep it that way…
To my shame, this is my first time reading a C. J. Tudor book despite the fact that I own them all. I am now wondering why I waited so long. I immediately fell in love with her writing style. The way she wove together chilling mystery, tension and humour that had me chuckling away to myself after just a few pages. I also loved the historical feel it had; The strange sights and events that are combined with local folklore make it feel like I was reading something based in fact.
Spine-chillingly atmospheric, twisty, addictive, and thick with malevolence, The Burning Girls is a fiendishly delicious read. The definition of unputdownable, I devoured this in under a day and had a major book hangover when I was finished.
An absolute must read. Just don’t turn out the lights…
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮
MEET THE AUTHOR:
C. J. Tudor lives with her partner and young daughter. Her love of writing, especially the dark and macabre, started young. When her peers were reading Judy Blume, she was devouring Stephen King and James Herbert.
Over the years she has had a variety of jobs, including trainee reporter, radio scriptwriter, dog walker, voiceover artist, television presenter, copywriter and, now, author.
Her first novel, The Chalk Man, was a Sunday Times bestseller and sold in thirty-nine territories
Today Legend Press has launched a new online boookshop and I’m delighted to partner with them to talk about their exciting new venture.
On the store you can purchase books from across the Legend Press catalogue, including fiction, non-fiction, children’s, business and academic titles. If you subscribe you can get a 15% discount on your purchases and a new book each month chosen by yourself on the Legend Press team. This is a great way to support the publisher directly during this difficult time.
There are lots of great titles available, some of which I’ve got my eye on myself. A recent Legend Press title I loved was Where the Edge Isand I am particularly excited to read The Strange Adventures of H from my own collection. Click here to check out the amazing titles they have available*
*The team have kindly invited me to work with as an affiliate, so I will receive a small payment for every book you buy using the link on this or my other social media. I don’t make any other money through blogging so this will go straight back into the running cost of this website.
I’m delighted to be one of the bloggers opening the blog tour to for Body Language, the first book in an exciting new series. Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers for the invitation to take part and to Zaffre for the gifted eBook ARC.
Published: November 26th, 2020 Publisher: Bonnier Zaffre Format: Paperback, Kindle Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Noir Fiction, Police Procedural, Medical Fiction, Medical Thriller
SYNOPSIS:
For fans of Tess Gerritsen and Kathy Reichs comes a gripping debut thriller introducing Camden’s most exciting new forensic investigator.
Cassie Raven believes the dead can talk. We just need to listen . . .
People think being a mortuary technician is a seriously weird job. They can’t understand why I choose to cut up dead bodies for a living. But they don’t know what I know:
The dead want to tell us what happened to them.
I’ve eviscerated thousands of bodies, but never someone I know before – someone who meant a lot to me; someone I loved.
The pathologist says that her death was an accident.
Her body is telling me differently.
MY REVIEW:
“From her first day in the mortuary five years ago it had felt totally natural to talk to the bodies in her care, to treat them as if they were still alive — still people. Occasionally they would even answer.”
Body Language introduces us to a new and original voice in crime fiction. Cassie Raven is a goth mortuary assistant who secretly believes the dead speak to her, practices taxidermy in her free time and has held a fascination with the dead since childhood. It goes without saying that she’s viewed as strange by some. But I liked this complex, flawed and slightly offbeat protagonist.
When the body of her former teacher, mentor and friend Geraldine Edwards is brought into the morgue following her sudden death, Cassie is hit by not only a tidal wave of grief, but the feeling that this wasn’t a natural death. When the police and pathologist rule out foul play she decides to listen to what the body is telling her and embarks on her own investigation.
This was an entertaining read. It took me a while to get into, but asked halfway through the pace picked up and oozed tension. From that point on I was unable to stop reading and stayed up until the early hours finishing the whole thing.
The novel is full of interesting and memorable characters and storylines that feel both far-fetched and relatable. The author’s examination of grief and trauma stood out to me in particular for the sensitive, moving and realistic way in which it is portrayed. And Cassie isn’t our only protagonist. We are also told the story from the point of view of DS Phyllida Flyte. She and Cassie are poles apart and yet at their core they are very much like. They are both strong women who are seen as outsiders and believe in fighting to get the answers and justice that victims deserve. I liked how the pair paralleled each other while instantly disliking each other and enjoyed watching the slow shift in their dynamic over the course of the book.
A tense, twists, darkly humorous and sometimes grisly read that keeps you guessing, this is a great start to a new series. I’m especially excited to see where the author takes Cassie next after the jaw-dropping conclusion.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
MEET THE AUTHOR:
A.K.’s first foray into crime fiction was a detective thriller trilogy, written under the pen name Anya Lipska, following the adventures of Janusz Kiszka, tough guy and fixer to London’s Polish community. The first of the trilogy led Val McDermid to select her for the prestigious New Blood panel at Harrogate Crime Festival. All three books won critical acclaim and are currently under option as a potential TV crime series.
Set in a Camden morgue, A.K.’s new novels feature crime-solving Goth-girl mortuary attendant Cassie Raven. Cassie has already appeared in Cut and Paste, a crime short for BBC Radio 4, who are interested in commissioning further stories featuring the character.
In her other life as a TV producer and writer, A.K. makes documentaries and drama-docs on subjects as diverse as the Mutiny on the Bounty, the sex lives of Neanderthals, and Monty Don’s Italian Gardens.
Wow. I can’t quite believe that I’m writing this and that I’ve now done a year of Emma’s Anticipated Treasures. I’ve loved doing these posts and plan to keep it going through 2021, including a list of some of my most anticipated books of next year being posted on December.
December is probably the quietest month I’ve seen this year for book releases, while January is jam-packed full of so many that I’m dreading selecting my most anticipated. But there’s still some great books out before the year ends. Here are the ones I’m most excited about:
The Last Resort by Susi Holliday
Published: December 1st, 2020 Publisher: Thomas & Mercer Genre: Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Seven strangers. Seven secrets. One perfect crime.
When Amelia is invited to an all-expenses-paid retreat on a private island, the mysterious offer is too good to refuse. Along with six other strangers, she’s told they’re here to test a brand-new product for Timeo Technologies. But the guests’ excitement soon turns to terror when the real reason for their summons becomes clear.
Each guest has a guilty secret. And when they’re all forced to wear a memory-tracking device that reveals their dark and shameful deeds to their fellow guests, there’s no hiding from the past. This is no luxury retreat—it’s a trap they can’t get out of.
As the clock counts down to the lavish end-of-day party they’ve been promised, injuries and in-fighting split the group. But with no escape from the island—or the other guests’ most shocking secrets—Amelia begins to suspect that her only hope for survival is to be the last one standing. Can she confront her own dark past to uncover the truth—before it’s too late to get out?
WHY I’M ANTICIPATING THIS BOOK: A claustrophobic setting with no escape? ✅ People hiding guilty secrets? ✅ Wintery location? ✅ Check. Written by a fantastic thriller writer who’s last book was amazing? ✅ This book has all the ingredients for an amazing winter thriller that I can’t wait to read. Pre-order here.
SYNOPSIS: Growing old disgracefully and having a grand old time…
Billy and Dawnie may be in their seventies, but that won’t stop them taking chances or starting again. Their grown-up children have families and lives of their own, so now it’s Billy and Dawnie’s turn, and a life near the sea in Devon beckons.
But the residents of Margot Street (or Maggot Street as Dawnie insists on calling it), don’t quite know what to make of their new neighbours. Billy’s loud, shiny and huge Harley Davidson looks out of place next to the safe and sensible Honda Jazz next door, and Dawnie’s never-ending range of outrageous wigs and colourful clothes, means she’s impossible to miss.
As new friendships are formed and new adventures are shared, Billy and Dawnie start winning their neighbours’ affection. And when life teaches them all a terrible lesson, the folks of Margot Street are determined to live every day as if it’s their last.
WHY I’M ANTICIPATING THIS BOOK: I’ve become a big fan of “pensioners on the pages” and this one sounds like a fun, uplifting read. Pre-order here.
Dark Falls (Detective Megan Carpenter 3)byGregg Olsen
Published: December 4th, 2020 Publisher: Bookouture Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Hardboiled, Police Procedural, Crime Series
SYNOPSIS: One bath wall is a mural of a brilliant-yellow sunflower. The theme carries over to the shower curtains, but the yellow vinyl is spattered with red blotches. Propped against the mirror is a South Kitsap High School photo of a teenaged girl.
Detective Megan Carpenter is no stranger to horrifying crime scenes, but when she arrives at the home of a woman whose body has been brutalized, Megan is shocked to discover that she knows the victim. Monique Delmont helped Megan when she was in danger years ago. And the killer has left a disturbing calling card… two laminated photographs of a sixteen-year-old high school girl – Megan.
Someone is taunting her in the worst way possible and Megan is convinced she knows who is responsible. She just has to find him.
With the help of her new partner, Deputy Ronnie Marsh, Megan begins to unravel the clues that will lead them to the killer including links to three female murder cases from nearly twenty years ago – one of which was Monique’s daughter.
But to protect those closest to her, Megan must continue to hide the dark truth of her past, even if that means lying to her team about her connection to Monique.
When two photographs of a teenage Megan are found at her boyfriend’s place in Snow Creek, she knows the killer is circling and ready to strike again.
Can she get to him before he finds her? And will she pay the ultimate price for trying to keep her terrifying past buried?
WHY I’M ANTICIPATING THIS BOOK: I’m been a fan of the first two books in this series and can’t wait to see where the author takes the protagonist next. You can read my reviews for the first two books here: Book 1, Book 2. Pre-order here.
SYNOPSIS: When Leeds meets Layla, he’s convinced he’ll spend the rest of his life with her—until an unexpected attack leaves Layla fighting for her life. After weeks in the hospital, Layla recovers physically, but the emotional and mental scarring has altered the woman Leeds fell in love with. In order to put their relationship back on track, Leeds whisks Layla away to the bed-and-breakfast where they first met. Once they arrive, Layla’s behavior takes a bizarre turn. And that’s just one of many inexplicable occurrences.
Feeling distant from Layla, Leeds soon finds solace in Willow—another guest of the B&B with whom he forms a connection through their shared concerns. As his curiosity for Willow grows, his decision to help her find answers puts him in direct conflict with Layla’s well-being. Leeds soon realizes he has to make a choice because he can’t help both of them. But if he makes the wrong choice, it could be detrimental for all of them.
WHY I’M ANTICIPATING THIS BOOK: I’ve heard this one be compared to her outstanding thriller Verity, which I absolutely loved, so this one is a must read for me. Pre-order here.
SYNOPSIS: HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY?
Amy has only ever known life in the Clearing. She knows what’s expected of her. She knows what to do to please her elders, and how to make sure the community remains happy and calm. That is, until a new young girl joins the group. She isn’t fitting in; she doesn’t want to stay. What happens next will turn life as Amy knows it on its head.
Freya has gone to great lengths to feel like a ‘normal person’. In fact, if you saw her go about her day with her young son, you’d think she was an everyday mum. That is, until a young girl goes missing and someone from her past, someone she hasn’t seen for a very long time, arrives in town.
As secrets of the past bubble up to the surface, this small town’s dark secrets will be exposed and lives will be destroyed.
WHY I’M ANTICIPATING THIS BOOK: I loved J. P. Pomare’s debut, Call Me Evie, and have been been eagerly anticipating the follow up ever since. Pre-order here.
Out For Blood (DI Eve Hunter 2) by Deborah Masson
Published: December 10th, 2020 Publisher: Corgi Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Police Procedural, Urban Fiction, Crime Series
SYNOPSIS: DI Eve Hunter is back in the edge-of-your-seat new detective thriller from Deborah Masson, winning author of the Bloody Scotland Crime Debut of the Year 2020.
A young man, the son of an influential businessman, is discovered dead in his central Aberdeen apartment.
Hours later, a teenaged girl with no identification is found hanged in a suspected suicide.
As DI Eve Hunter and her team investigate the two cases, they find themselves in a tug-of-war between privilege and poverty; between the elite and those on the fringes of society.
Then an unexpected breakthrough leads them to the shocking conclusion: that those in power have been at the top for too long – and now, someone is going to desperate lengths to bring them down…
Can they stop someone who is dead set on revenge, no matter the cost?
WHY I’M ANTICIPATING THIS BOOK: Hold Your Tongue was one of my favourite thrillers of 2019 and a sensational start to a new series. I’ve been looking forward to the follow up since I read the last line and am excited that it’s almost here. Pre-order here.
SYNOPSIS: A Man Called Ove meets The Rosie Project in this delightfully off-kilter (Rachel Yoder, Nightbitch) tale of a grumpy introvert, her astonishing lack of social skills and empirical data-driven approach to people and relationships.
Is there such a thing as an anti-social butterfly? If there were, Greta Oto would know about it–and totally relate. An entomologist, Greta far prefers the company of bugs to humans, and that’s okay, because people don’t seem to like her all that much anyway, with the exception of her twin brother, Danny, though they’ve recently had a falling out. So when she lands a research gig in the rainforest, she leaves it all behind. But when Greta learns that Danny has suffered an aneurysm and is now hospitalized, she abandons her research and hurries home to the middle of nowhere America to be there for her brother. But there’s only so much she can do, and unfortunately just like insects, humans don’t stay cooped up in their hives either–they buzz about and… socialize. Coming home means confronting all that she left behind, including her lousy soon-to-be sister-in-law, her estranged mother, and her ex-boyfriend Brandon who has conveniently found a new non-lab-exclusive partner with shiny hair, perfect teeth, and can actually remember the names of the people she meets right away. Being that Brandon runs the only butterfly conservatory in town, and her dissertation is now in jeopardy, taking that job, being back home, it’s all creating chaos of Greta’s perfectly catalogued and compartmentalized world. But real life is messy, and Greta will have to ask herself if she has the courage to open up for the people she loves, and for those who want to love her.
The Butterfly Effect is an unconventional tale of self-discovery, navigating relationships, and how sometimes it takes stepping outside of our comfort zone to find what we need the most.
WHY I’M ANTICIPATING THIS BOOK: I’ll admit that my love of anything butterfly-related and the bright cover was what initially drew me to this one, but the compelling synopsis is why it is on my most anticipated list. Pre-order here.
SYNOPSIS: Don’t close your eyes. Don’t fall asleep. Don’t let them in.
Thea is an insomniac; she hasn’t slept more than three hours a night for years.
So when an ad for a sleep trial that promises to change her life pops up on her phone, Thea knows this is her last chance at finding any kind of normal life.
Soon Thea’s sleeping for longer than she has in a decade, and awakes feeling transformed. So much so that at first she’s willing to overlook the oddities of the trial – the lack of any phone signal; the way she can’t leave her bedroom without permission; the fact that all her personal possessions are locked away, even her shoes.
But it soon becomes clear that the trial doesn’t just want to help Thea sleep. It wants to control her sleep…
WHY I’M ANTICIPATING THIS BOOK: As soon as I read the synopsis for this book I pre-ordered it. My only worry is I’ll be up all night reading it. Pre-order here.
Deity (Six Stories 6) by Matt Wesolowski
Published: December 18th, 2020 Publisher: Orenda Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Horror Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Crime Fiction, Coming-of-Age Fiction, Urban Fiction, Book Series
SYNOPSIS: Online investigative journalist Scott King investigates the death of a pop megastar, the subject of multiple accusations of sexual abuse and murder before his untimely demise in a fire … another episode of the startlingly original, award-winning Six Stories series.
WHY I’M ANTICIPATING THIS BOOK: It’s no secret how much I love Orenda books and Matt Wesolowski become an instant must-read when I read Beast, the last installment in this series. I’ve been counting down to the next one ever since. Pre-order here.
The Spiral by Iain Ryan
Published: December 24th, 2020 Publisher: Bonnier Books UK Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
SYNOPSIS: ENTER THE SPIRAL. FIND THE TRUTH.
Erma Bridges’ life is far from perfect, but entirely ordinary. So when she is shot twice in a targetted attack by a colleague, her quiet existence is shattered in an instant.
With her would-be murderer dead, no one can give Erma the answers she needs to move on from her trauma. Why her? Why now?
So begins Erma’s quest for the truth – and a dangerous, spiralling journey into the heart of darkness.
With all the inventiveness of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and the raw brutality of Mulholland Drive, THE SPIRAL is a unique crime thriller with killer twists – and 2020’s most jaw-dropping ending.
WHY I’M ANTICIPATING THIS BOOK: Earlier this year I signed up for updates on this book from the publisher and the trickle of clues arriving in my inbox regularly has me eagerly awaiting finally getting the chance to read the book. Pre-order here.
The Wrong Family by Tarryn Fisher
Published: December 29th, 2020 Publisher: Graydon House Ltd Genre: Suspense, Thriller, Psychological Thriller
SYNOPSIS: Have you ever been wrong about someone? Juno was wrong about Winnie Crouch. Before moving in with the Crouch family, Juno thought Winnie and her husband, Nigel, had the perfect marriage, the perfect son–the perfect life. Only now that she’s living in their beautiful house, she sees the cracks in the crumbling facade are too deep to ignore. Still, she isn’t one to judge. After her grim diagnosis, the retired therapist simply wants a place to live out the rest of her days in peace. But that peace is shattered the day Juno overhears a chilling conversation between Winnie and Nigel… She shouldn’t get involved. She really shouldn’t. But this could be her chance to make a few things right. Because if you thought Juno didn’t have a secret of her own, then you were wrong about her, too.
WHY I’M ANTICIPATING THIS BOOK: I’ve heard a lot of great things about Tarryn Fisher and have been meaning to read her books for a while. This sounds like a gripping thriller and a great introduction to her work. Pre-order here.
SYNOPSIS: WRONG JOB Eighteen-year-old Evelyn Jones lands a job in small-town Alaska, working for a man in his isolated mountain home. But her bright hopes for the future are shattered when Donald White disappears, leaving her to face charges of theft, embezzlement–and a brutal double murder. Her protestations of innocence count for nothing. Convicted, she faces life in prison…until fate sends her on the run. WRONG NAME Evie’s escape leaves her scarred and in hiding, isolated from her family, working under an alias at a wilderness camp. Bent on justice, intent on recovering her life, she searches for the killer who slaughters without remorse. WRONG ALIBI At last, the day comes. Donald White has returned. Evie emerges from hiding; the fugitive becomes the hunter. But in her mind, she hears the whisper of other forces at work. Now Evelyn must untangle the threads of evidence before she’s once again found with blood on her hands: the blood of her own family…
WHY I’M ANTICIPATING THIS BOOK: Christina Dodd is another author I’ve been meaning to read for a while. Everything about this book makes me want to read it immediately: from the chilling synopsis to the striking cover. Pre-order here.
“Listen. We know there are people who hide in our homes. They crawl into attic spaces. Tuck themselves behind yard equipment in garages. Flit between the rooms of the house just outside the reach of sight. Some of us have found nests tucked in the back of bedroom closets behind hanging clothes. Or in the void space beneath the stairs. In that sliver between a living room sofa and the wall. We have found half-empty water bottles and candy wrappers and the remains of leftovers of food cooked the day before. I found my own wrinkled clothes pressed flatt to the floor and stinking of someone else’s sweat. Look in the places behind the furniture. The spaces between beds. Every deep crevice of the house. No guarantee that once a space has been checked that someone will not sneak back into it. You can stay home all day and still not find them. They are clever and patient and they know the insides of your home better than your ever will. But you have to find them. You have to root them out.”
This week’s eerie first lines come from another of my most anticipated books of 2021, Girl in the Walls by A. J. Gnuse, which I was lucky enough to receive a proof copy of this week.
SYNOPSIS:
She doesn’t exist. She can’t exist.
‘A uniquely gothic tale about grief, belonging and hiding in plain sight’ Jess Kidd, author of Things in Jars
’Those who live in the walls must adjust, must twist themselves around in their home, stretching themselves until they’re as thin as air. Not everyone can do what they can. But soon enough, they can’t help themselves. Signs of their presence remain in a house. Eventually, every hidden thing is found.’
Elise knows every inch of the house. She knows which boards will creak. She knows where the gaps are in the walls. She knows which parts can take her in, hide her away. It’s home, after all. The home her parents made for her. And home is where you stay, no matter what.
Eddie calls the same house his home. Eddie is almost a teenager now. He must no longer believe in the girl he sometimes sees from the corner of his eye. He needs her to disappear. But when his older brother senses her, too, they are faced with a question: how do they get rid of someone they aren’t sure even exists?
And, if they cast her out, what other threats might they invite in?
Girl in the Walls is published by Fourth Estate on March 18th, 2021. You can pre-order your copy here.
The Murder at the Mayfair Hotel (Cleopatra Fox Mysteries 1) by C. J. Archer
Murder on a Midnight Clear (High Society Lady Detective Book 6) by Sara Rosett
Hush-Hush (The Village Library Mysteries Book 4) by Elizabeth Spann Craig 
Murder on the Ballot (A Myrtle Clover Cozy Mystery Book 17) by Elizabeth Spann Craig
Heather and Homicide (The Highland Bookshop Mystery Series) by Molly MacRae
Premeditated Mortar (Fixer-Upper Mysteries) by Kate Carlisle 
Witch is the New Black (A Supernatural Speakeasy Mystery Book 4) by Lily Harper Hart
The Banshee Brouhaha (A Charlie Rhodes Cozy Mystery Book 8) by Amanda M. Lee
The Kensington Kidnap (Epiphany Bloom Mystery Book 1) by Katie Gayle
A Wreath of Ruin: A Supernatural Mystery Christmas Special (Belinda Drake Mysteries Book 4) by Kate Krake
The Fatal Flying Affair (A Lady Hardcastle Mystery Book 7) by T. E. Kinsey
Christmas Corpse (A Christmas Cozy Mystery Book 1) by Mona Marple
Shooting Pains (Dr Cathy Moreland Book 3) by Mairi Chong
Dashing Through the Sand (Beach Christmas Mysteries Books 1) by Katherine Hayton 
Mystery at the Old Mill (An Eve Mallow Mystery Book 4)by Clare Chase
Rocco & the Snow Angel (An Inspector Rocco Mystery) by Adrian Magson
Ghostly Graves (A Harper Harlow and Maddie Graves Mystery) by Lily Harper Hart
Ghostly Graves and Gunslingers by Lily Harper Hart
Cold Wind (Alaska Wild 2) by Paige Shelton
Reluctant Bumpkin (County Cousins Mysteries Book 6) by Sam Cheever
Rivera Gold (Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes) by Laurie R. King
A Matter of Murder (Campbell & Carter 7) by Ann Granger
A Dodgy Death (Kat McCoy Lake County Cozy Mystery Series Book 1) by Jacqueline M. Green
Preserves & Premonitions (A Southern Charms Cozy Mystery Book 7) by Bella Falls
Sledding Away with Murder (Sweetfern Harbor Mystery Book 21) by Wendy Meadows
Waffles at the Wake (Murder in the Mix Book 29) by Addison Moore
Holly & the Grand Opening (The Holly Lewis Mystery Series Book 10) by Dianne Harmann
Red Roses (Hope Herring Cozy Mystery Book 4) by J. A. Whiting and Nell McCarthy 
The Lurid Possibility of Mystery (The Mysteries of Severine DuNoir Book 5) by Beth Byers
Courting Can Be A Killer (An Amish Matchmaker Mystery) by Amanda Flower
Ropes, Riddles & Robberies (A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery Book 15) by Tonya Kappes
The Zachery Case (Markham Sisters 26) by Diana Xarissa
Murder Over Easy (A Sunny Side Up Cozy Mystery Book 1) by Rosie A. Point 
A Fashionable Fate (Rosa the Cuban Psychic Mystery) by Ileana Munoz Rebfroe
Scones and Scofflaws (A Cape May Cozy Mystery, Book 1) by Jane Gorman
Murder Under the Mistletoe (A Darcy Sweet Cozy Mystery Book 30) by K. J. Emrick
Murder in Hyde Park (A Ginger Gold Mystery Book) by Lee Strauss
The Easter Sunday Slaughter (Claire Anderson Murder For All Seasons Book 2) by Imogen Plimp
Corgis & Conspiracy (A Dog Town USA Cozy Mystery) by Meg Muldoon
Ink and Shadows (A Secret, Book, and Scone Novel 4) by Ellery Adams
Wedding Cake and Widows: A Comedy Cozy Mystery by Christy Murphy
Murdered Mayor (High Desert Cozy Mystery Series 13) by Dianne Harmann 
Sweet Violet’s Ghost (A Sweet Cove Mystery Book 19) by J. A. Whiting
Prime Time Murder: A Humorous Cozy Mystery (Hollywood Whodunit Book) by Brittany E. Brinegar
Chilled to the Cone (A Bakeshop Mystery, 12)by Ellie Alexander
Closely Harbored Secrets (Seaside Cafe Mystery Book 5) by Bree Baker
A Purr-fect Storm (Meow for Murder Book 6) by Addison Moore and Bellamy Bloom
Marvellous Mary Brown and the Mysterious Manhunt (Mary Brown Mysteries 2) by Bernice Bloom
Let’s Bake A Deal (Twin Berry Bakery Book 2)by Wendy Meadows
Emma's Biblio Treasures 