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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2026

BOOK REVIEW: A Bad, Bad Place by Frances Crawford

Published February 12th, 2026 by Bantam
Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Police Procedural

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Don’t miss the award-winning crime debut of the year – perfect for fans of The List of Suspicious Things. A murder mystery unlike any other…

*WINNER: VAL McDERMID CRIME DEBUT AWARD*
*WINNER: McILVANNEY PRIZE FOR BEST SCOTTISH CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR*
*WINNER: BLOODY SCOTLAND DEBUT PRIZE*

What happened to the dog walker who found the body?

Glasgow, 1979.

Twelve-year-old Janey won’t take her dog, Sid Vicious, for a walk. Not anymore. It’s Sid’s fault she found the murdered woman.

Janey claims she can’t remember what she saw at the abandoned railway, but the police think she’s hiding something. And they’re not the only ones interested.

Fear and rumour rip through the tight-knit community of Possilpark. Janey and her nana, Maggie, are dragged into the hunt for a murderer. And Maggie’s struggle to keep her beloved granddaughter safe becomes ever more desperate.

Because Janey’s memories can’t stay hidden forever.

And neither can the killer…

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

Glasgow, 1979. Twelve-year-old Janey won’t take her dog, Sid Vicious for a walk anymore. Not since she found the body. Janey claims not to remember what she saw that day at the abandoned railway, but the police don’t believe her. And they are right. Janey is haunted by the brutal images she saw that day but has vowed to herself she’ll never reveal what she really saw. And as rumours sweep through their tight-knit community, Janey’s nana, Maggie, tries to keep her granddaughter safe from a killer that is still on the loose. 

This sensational debut has won multiple crime awards here in the UK this year and it is easy to see why. Insightful, funny, gut-wrenching, original and addictive, it had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Exquisitely written, this first-class thriller is a masterclass in pace, plotting and tension. The story has a strong sense of place and a troubled, small-town vibe. This is a place where everybody knows everybody and they like to think there are no secrets. But when Sam is murdered they are forced to wrestle with the fact that one of them is keeping the darkest of secrets. But who? There are multiple suspects and unreliable narrators which kept me guessing right up until the final page. Frances Crawford had me in a chokehold, my heart racing through the twists and turns, right up until that final reveal. And I’m still not over that ending!

The characters feel achingly human. They are messy, flawed, vulnerable and real; ordinary people who have been plunged into a nightmare. The tragedy consumes and haunts them, their horror leaping from the pages as you walk every step beside them. Told in alternating chapters by Janey and Maggie, Janey’s chapters begin with however many days it has been since the murder, which I found heartbreaking. It is evident how much of an effect this has had on her and I can’t imagine seeing something so horrific at just twelve years old. Janey is haunted by what she saw and terrified to admit what she knows but also eager to see justice done for Sam, so she quietly starts her own investigation, which felt like a very real response. Maggie is also well written. Strong and fiercely protective, I loved the relationship she had with Janey and it is obvious she only does what she thinks is best for her granddaughter. I liked that we got to know Sam as a person, too, even though she’s already dead at the start of the book.

A tense, heart-rending and unmissable debut, this is a must-read for all thriller lovers. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

Thank you Bantam for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

As a passionate advocate of lifelong learning, Frances Crawford graduated in 2022, age 60, with MLitt (Distinction) in Creative Writing from Glasgow University. In 2023, she won the Bloody Scotland/Glencairn Crime Short Story Competition, and the first chapters of her debut novel A Bad, Bad Place won Highly Commended in the Moniack Mhor Emerging Writer Award 2024. 

A Bad, Bad Place was published by Transworld in February 2026, and has since won the 2026 Theakston Old Peculier McDermid Debut Award at Harrogate Festival, the 2026 Bloody Scotland Debut Prize, and the 2026 McIlvanney Award for Best Scottish Crime Novel at Bloody Scotland: the first author to win both awards in one year. 

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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BOOK REVIEW: What Have You Done? by Shari Lapena

Published July 18th, 2024 by Bantam
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Domestic Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Nothing ever happens in sleepy little Fairhill.

The teenagers get their kicks telling ghost stories in the old graveyard. The parents trust their kids will arrive home safe from school. Everyone knows everyone. Curtains rarely twitch. Front doors are left unlocked.

But this morning all of that will change.

Because Diana Brewer isn’t lying safely in her bed where she belongs. Instead she lies in a hayfield, circled by vultures, discovered by a local farmer.

How quickly a girl becomes a ghost. How quickly a town of friendly, familiar faces becomes a town of suspects, a place of fear and paranoia.

Someone in Fairhill did this. Everyone wants answers.

And one innocent question could be deadly.

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

Nothing ever happens in the small, quiet town of Fairhill in Vermont. Not until the morning when a farmer finds the body of a teenage girl in his field. She has been brutally murdered and her eyes gouged out and stomach ripped open by vultures. It’s a gruesome sight and as news spreads through the town it sends shockwaves through the residents. She is identified as Diana Brewer and someone in Fairhill savagely murdered her.The whole town wants answers but there is one person who is trying to evade the truth coming to light. Who? And why did they kill her?

Shari Lapena is one of my favourite thriller authors and this was another first-class thriller. Suspenseful, cryptic, twisty and addictive, it got under my skin and Shari held me in her thrall from the first page. Her writing is razor-sharp, her pacing perfect, and the story is filled with clever clues and misdirection that kept me on my toes. I was completely hooked and inhaled this book, staying up far too late to finish it as I had to know who had killed Diana. 

I love books set in a small town because they inspire a false sense of security and safety where everyone knows everyone. But after a crime they begin to realise that maybe they don’t know at least one of their neighbours as well as they thought and paranoia and suspicion sweeps through the town. There is also a real sense of danger that the claustrophobia of the town only intensifies. 

There is a large cast of characters, many of whom also narrate the story. But my favourite narrator was Diana herself, who narrates from beyond the grave. It gave me The Lovely Bones vibes but, unlike that book, Diana has no idea who her killer is and is trying to solve her murder alongside the reader. But this wasn’t an easy book to predict. So many people were acting sketchy and I found myself vacillating between possible culprits. But over time things began to come back to Diana, adding to the tension and narrowing the list of suspects. It’s so well done that I only settled on a suspect moments before the big reveal.

A must-read for all thriller lovers.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shari Lapena is the #1 internationally bestselling author of ten suspense novels including The Couple Next Door, A Stranger in the House, An Unwanted Guest, Someone We Know, The End of Her, Not a Happy Family, Everyone Here is Lying, What Have You Done?, She Didn’t See It Coming, and Getting Away With Murder.

A former lawyer and English teacher, Shari now writes full time from a farm in Ontario, where she lives with her husband.

Her first thriller, The Couple Next Door, was a runaway global bestseller, selling  4 million copies worldwide. It was WHSmith’s “Book of the Year” in 2016 and the #1 Adult Fiction Title in the UK for 2017. All of Shari’s thrillers have been New York Times, UK Sunday Times, and Globe and Mail bestsellers. Four of her books have been Richard & Judy Book Club Picks. Her books have sold into forty territories around the world and have been optioned for film and TV.

She doesn’t want you to be able to put her books down.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliiophiles xxxx

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AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Uncharmed by Lucy Jane Wood

Published September 18th, 2025 by Pan Macmillan
Fantasy Fiction, Contemporary Fantasy, Paranormal Fantasy, Romance Novel, Supernatural Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Andromeda Wildwood is practically perfect in every witch way. As the proud owner of a bustling London bakery, Annie’s life is a haze of pink, magic and impossibly high standards. But under the surface, she’s exhausted – a chronic people pleaser who devotes her powers to others, no matter the magical toll it takes.

But Annie’s charmed existence is about to get delightfully messy . . .

Annie is tasked by her coven with mentoring a troubled teenage witch, and she couldn’t be more different from fiery, stubborn Maeve. Or from Hal, the gruff but handsome owner of the woodland cottage where they must temporarily reside.

As the unlikely trio slowly bond, they discover that family can be found in the most delightfully dysfunctional places. But soon, outside forces begin to take an interest in Maeve’s extraordinary powers . . .

Will Annie risk everything to protect the true magic she’s finally found?

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

Thank you to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for my copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Lucy Jane Wood is a Sunday Times bestselling author, online content creator, avid reader and cosiness-seeker from the Wirral. These days, you’ll find her living in London, giant coffee in hand, and being headbutted at any given time by her cat.

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BOOK REVIEW: Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

Published March 18th, 2021 by Hodder
Historical Fiction, Romance Novel, Lesbian Literature, Young Adult Literature, Bildungsroman

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE; THE ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR YOUTH LITERATURE; THE STONEWALL BOOK AWARD (YA); THE PRINTZ HONOR
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‘A gripping novel where historical fiction meets romance, Last Night at the Telegraph is a whirlwind read… Immersive and creative.’ – Gay Times

‘Lo’s writing . . . shimmers with the thrills of youthful desire. A lovely, memorable novel’ – Sarah Waters, author of Tipping the Velvet and The Night Watch.

From the award winning author of Ash comes a gripping story of love and duty set in San Francisco’s Chinatown during the 1950s.

Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu can’t remember exactly when the question took root, but the answer was in full bloom the moment she and Kathleen Miller walked under the flashing neon sign of a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club.

America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. With deportation looming over her father – despite his hard-won citizenship – Lily and Kath risk everything to let their love see the light of day.

BUY HERE

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MY REIVEW:

Chinatown, 1954. Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu can’t remember when she started questioning her sexuality, but she knew the answer as soon as she accompanied Kathleen to a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club. But 1950s America – and especially Chinatown – is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love. Lily is torn. Deportation already looms over her family and she knows that if her relationship is discovered, it will only mean more trouble for them. But she can’t let Kath go and risks everything for love. 

Powerful, moving, immersive and compelling, Last Night at the Telegraph Club was a thought-provoking read. This book was not on my radar until I started researching banned historical fiction books for my Little Stack article and came across it. Malinda Lo’s writing is beautiful, raw and deeply human. It is clear she has done her research and I enjoyed the timeline sections that gave extra historical context to the story. Malinda also goes further into this in her author’s note, where she also shares that this book was inspired by her own family history. Unfortunately, the topics covered in this book have led to it becoming the fourth most banned book in the U.S  during the 2024-2025 school year. That is a tragedy to me as I believe many young people would benefit from reading this story. But it has also won awards which makes much more sense to me as it is a truly magnificent read.

The 1950s are not that long ago and it is always sobering to read a story that reminds us just how much has changed since that time. My heart broke for Lily, Kath and the other women as they were forced to hide who they are and who they love or face devastating consequences. And Lily had the extra pressure of being a Chinese immigrant at a time when people were threatened with deportation if they were suspected of being communists. I was shocked at some of the historic details about what they went through and can’t imagine how hard it must have been.

A heart-rending and unforgettable story of love, sexual awakening, identity, loyalty and prejudice, I highly recommend this book.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Malinda Lo is the New York Times bestselling author of seven novels, including most recently A Scatter of Light.

Her novel Last Night at the Telegraph Club won the National Book Award, the Stonewall Book Award, the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, a Michael L. Printz Honor, and was an LA Times Book Prize finalist.

Her books have received 15 starred reviews and have been finalists for multiple awards, including the Andre Norton Award and the Lambda Literary Award. Born in Guangzhou, China, Malinda immigrated to the United States as a child with her family, and grew up near Boulder, Colorado. She now lives in Massachusetts with her wife and their dog.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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BOOK REVIEW: How To Disappear by Gillian McAllister

Published July 9th, 2020 by Michael Joseph
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Legal Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Political Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The gripping Sunday Times bestseller that will have you on the edge of your seat until the very last page

‘Bravo! Gripping and emotional – a cracking read’ Clare Mackintosh

‘A relentless drumroll of suspense . . . ranks among the best psychological-suspense thrillers of recent years’ A. J. Finn

You can run, you can hide, but can you disappear for good?

Lauren’s daughter Zara witnessed a terrible crime. But speaking up comes with a price, and when Zara’s identity is revealed online, it puts a target on her back.

The only choice is to disappear.

To keep Zara safe, Lauren will give up everything and everyone she loves, even her husband.

There will be no goodbyes. Their pasts will be rewritten. New names, new home, new lives.

The rules are strict for a reason. They are being hunted. One mistake – a text, an Instagram like – could bring their old lives crashing into the new.

They can never assume someone isn’t watching, waiting.

As Lauren will learn, disappearing is easy. Staying hidden is harder . . .

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

After witnessing a group of young men stabbing a homeless man to death, Zara speaks up and testifies in court. The young men, who were promising footballers, are outraged that they have lost their careers and had their life ruined. Her identity is revealed online and Zara’s life is now in danger. There is only one solution: Zara and her mother, Lauren, must disappear…

Heart-stoppingly tense, twisty and addictive, I binged this book in under a day. Nobody goes heart-pounding tension and twists that make your jaw drop like Gillian McAllister, and this book is the perfect example of why she’s one of my favourite thriller authors. Masterfully written and skillfully choreographed, this is a story that held me tight by the heartstrings whilst keeping me on the edge of my seat. And make sure you clear your schedule before you start reading, because once you pick this one up you won’t be able to put it down. It’s emotional, hard to predict and so twisty it gave me book whiplash. And that ending! A round of applause Ms. McAllister for one of the best thriller endings I’ve ever read. It’s been a few weeks and I’m still not over it.

Before Zara witnesses the crime, she, Lauren, Aiden and Poppy are an ordinary blended family. But after Zara’s identity is revealed they are dropped into a nightmare. Lauren and Aiden have difficult decisions to make that could tear their family apart. It is so emotional as well as tense, and really made me think about what I would have done in their situation. My heart broke for them, but especially for Zara. Being a teenager is hard at the best of times, but being a teenager when you’re having to hide your identity, run from people trying to kill you and worry about everything you say and do, is impossible.

Thriller lovers, you don’t want to miss this book! 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

Thank you Michael Joseph and Netgaelly for provoding me with a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Gillian McAllister  is the Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author of nine stand-alone novels. Her books have been selected for the Radio 2 Book Club, Reese’s Book Club and the Richard & Judy Book Club. Her previous novel, Wrong Place Wrong Time, was a Waterstones Thriller of the Month and was shortlisted for The British Book Awards Crime & Thriller Book of the Year and the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. Gillian’s books are published in thirty-eight languages.

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BOOK REVIEW: Midnight at Malabar House by Vaseem Khan

Published August 20th, 2020 by Hodder & Stoughton
Hisotorical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Police Procedural, Adventure Fiction, Suspense

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

*** WINNER OF THE CWA SAPERE BOOKS HISTORICAL DAGGER 2021, and an INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER ***

‘The leading character is the deftly drawn Persis Wadia, the country’s first female detective. She’s a wonderful creation and this is a hugely enjoyable book’ ANN CLEEVES

‘This is historical crime fiction at its best – a compelling mix of social insight and complex plotting with a thoroughly engaging heroine. A highly promising new series’ MAIL ON SUNDAY

Bombay, New Year’s Eve, 1949

As India celebrates the arrival of a momentous new decade, Inspector Persis Wadia stands vigil in the basement of Malabar House, home to the city’s most unwanted unit of police officers. Six months after joining the force she remains India’s first female police detective, mistrusted, sidelined and now consigned to the midnight shift.
And so, when the phone rings to report the murder of prominent English diplomat Sir James Herriot, the country’s most sensational case falls into her lap.

As 1950 dawns and India prepares to become the world’s largest republic, Persis, accompanied by Scotland Yard criminalist Archie Blackfinch, finds herself investigating a case that is becoming more political by the second. Navigating a country and society in turmoil, Persis, smart, stubborn and untested in the crucible of male hostility that surrounds her, must find a way to solve the murder – whatever the cost.

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

Bombay, New Year’s Eve, 1949. Inspector Persis Wadia spends the evening standing vigil in the basement of Malabar House, home to the city’s most unwanted unit of police officers. Persis is India’s first female police detective and people haven’t exactly been welcoming. She faces sexism, mistrust and scathing criticism, which is why she has been consigned to the midnight shift. But then the phone rings. Prominent English diplomat Sir James Herriot has been murdered. And Persis realises that the most sensational case in the country has just fallen into her lap. 

Intriguing, clever, tense and totally riveting, Vassem Khan has crafted a book that feels like an Indian Agatha Christie. Transporting us to post-Partition India, he introduces us to maverick cop Persis. Gutsy, headstrong, driven and formidable, Persis is a brilliant protagonist who would fit right in with Poirot or Marple. Unafraid to defy convention or challenge authority, Peris is more than up for the challenge of being India’s first female detective. I was rooting for her to prove her haters wrong at every step and am so glad this is a series so I can see what is next for her.

Although I’ve had Khan’s books on my shelves for years, I’m ashamed to say that this was my first time reading one of them. Why did I wait so long? At least doing so means I have his extensive backlist waiting for me to discover. Skillfully written, richly drawn and filled with complex plotting, this is a first-class cosy mystery. Khan knows how to keep his readers on their toes, delivering an array of suspects who all have reasons to kill the victim so that the answers are hard to predict. 

One thing I particularly loved was Khan’s decision to set the story during such a fascinating and tumultuous time in Indian history. It is an era I was unfamiliar with before picking up this book, but one of my favourite parts of reading historical fiction is learning about new historical events. Overflowing with Indian history, Khan’s extensive research is evident in every small detail, exploring themes such as colonialism, racism and sexism. 

This outstanding cosy mystery is a must for your TBR.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Vaseem Khan is the author of two award-winning crime series set in India, and the Q Mysteries, beginning with Quantum of Menace, the first in a murder mystery series featuring Q from the James Bond franchise. His debut, The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra, was selected by the Sunday Times as one of the 40 best crime novels published 2015-2020. In 2021, Midnight at Malabar House, the first in the Malabar House novels set in 1950s Bombay, won the CWA Historical Dagger. Vaseem was born in England, but spent a decade working in India. Between 2023-2025, Vaseem served as the Chair of the UK Crime Writers’ Association. In 2025, his first psychological thriller, The Girl in Cell A, was published, set in small town America.

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BOOK REVIEW: The Dinner Party by Rebecca Heath

Published June 6th, 2024 by Head of Zeus
Thriller, Suspense, Domestic Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Secrets. Glamour. Lies. Your new favourite twisty thriller was written by INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER Rebecca Heath.

A dark and twisty domestic thriller set in a seemingly idyllic suburban neighbourhood, where family secrets are best kept buried…

FOUR COUPLES.
Summer 1979. In the idyllic suburban neighbourhood of Ridgefield, Australia, during a scorching heat wave, four couples gather for their weekly dinner party.

AN ORDINARY EVENING.
When Frank Callaghan checks on the sleeping children, he finds an empty crib where his four-month-old daughter Megan should be sleeping. The party-goers swear they didn’t see anything but each of them has something to hide.

THE BEGINNING OF A NIGHTMARE.
Forty years later, a stranger knocks at the Callaghans’ door. She claims to be their missing daughter. And she’s holding the blanket she was wrapped in the night she disappeared.

Shocked, the Callaghans must finally confront how well they know their neighbours, and ask themselves:
Where has Megan really been all this time?

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

On a hot December night in 1979 in the idyllic suburban neighbourhood of Ridgefield, Australia, four couples gather for one of their regular neighbourhood dinner parties. The children are left to sleep at home while the adults let their hair down, but they check on the children regularly. All is as it should be until during one of his checks, Frank Callaghan finds his daughter Megan’s crib is empty. No one saw or heard a thing. Forty years later, no trace of Megan has ever been found and a podcast is now airing about the case. On the anniversary of Megan’s disappearance a stranger knocks at the Callaghan’s door saying she believes she is Megan. And when she shows them she has the blanket Megan was taken in as proof, it seems like the missing little girl is finally home. But Billie, Megan’s niece, can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right. So she begins to look into the stranger and the truth about that night. But is she prepared for what she’s about to uncover?

Tense, twisty and addictive, The Dinner Party had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. A story of family, community, secrets, lies and the ripple effect of trauma, there is a chilling sense of foreboding from the opening pages. Expertly written, deftly plotted and intricately interwoven, Rebecca Heath merges traditional storytelling with true crime to tell this riveting tale. And I couldn’t put it down. I was in her thrall, totally lost in the drama and mystery that surrounds this family and their neighbourhood. The story is told in dual timelines: the present and in flashbacks to ‘that night’. Then there are the podcast episodes that include interviews with some of the people there that night. It unfurls slowly, drip-feeding us clues about the characters and that night that I was trying to piece together to learn what happened to Megan. But this story was so hard to predict. Almost every twist was a surprise and I had no idea what the truth was about that night. 

The Callaghan’s are an ordinary family pulled into a nightmare on the night that Megan vanishes. A nightmare they are never released from. There are no clues and the family is left to wonder who could have taken their precious daughter. The family have never stopped searching, even starting a foundation in Megan’s name to try and find her and other missing people. I loved that they were a family going through normal things as well as the extraordinary as it made them easy to relate to and root for. I really liked the main character, Billie, and felt for her as she became the only one to doubt the stranger in their midst. The other characters are also well written and there is a strong sense of community that isn’t always a positive thing.

So if you like true crime, cold cases and well-written thrillers, then this is the book for you.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you Head of Zeus and Netgalley for providing me with a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rebecca Heath studied laser chemistry at university, worked in hospitality and teaching, and wrote obsessively whenever she could find the time. She wrote several young adult novels as Beck Nicholas, and was published in Australia and Germany before turning to a life of (writing) crime. She lives in Adelaide, Australia, halfway between the city and the sea with her husband, three children and a much-loved border collie. The Last Encore is her fourth novel for adults following The Summer Party, The Dinner Party and The Wedding Party all published in Australia, UK and USA.

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BOOK REVIEW: A Beautiful Way To Die by Eleni Kyriacou

Published May 8th, 2025 by Head of Zeus
Historical Fiction, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Historical Thriller, Mystery, Hollywood Noir

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Don’t miss the new novel from Eleni Kyriacou, author of BBC Between the Covers pick The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou.

‘Deeply atmospheric… From movie star glamour to the rotten core of fame, I couldn’t put this down.’ LOUISE HARE
‘Evocative, tense, seductive.’ TAMMY COHEN

PLAY THEIR GAME
Hollywood, 1953. Young actress Ginny Watkins is turning heads. Even the legendary – and married – actor Max Whitman can’t resist the allure of the hottest new starlet. He promises Ginny the world, in return for the right favour.

DO WHAT THEY SAY
London, 1954. Stella Hope, once the most famous actress in Hollywood, has been ousted to Ealing Studios after her divorce from the powerful Max. Just as she accepts her fate, she receives a letter, blackmailing her for a mistake she made many years ago.

OR THEY’LL BURY YOU
Two women on either side of stardom find themselves in the orbit of the same beguiling man. And one night, in the shadows of a glamorous Oscars afterparty, their lives are changed forever.

A Beautiful Way to Die delves into the decadence and depravity of the early film industry from Hollywood to London. Perfect for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and films like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Babylon.

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

A captivating exploration of the dark underbelly of Hollywood that lies beneath the glitz, glamour and fame, A Beautiful Way To Die is enthralling, taut and poignant. Written with style, pose, beauty and packing a strong emotional punch, it has a cinematic edge that makes it feel perfect for the big screen. Cleverly plotted and intricately interwoven, Eleni Kyriacou had me in her thrall from start to finish with her red herrings and surprising twists.  A superb story of feminism, friendships, secrets, misogyny and true crime, I inhaled this book in under a day.

Moving between L.A and London in the 1950s we follow the stories of four women: disgraced Hollywood starlet Stella, actress Ginny who is trying to make it big in Hollywood, make-up artist Maggie and an unnamed woman who has been locked in a sanatorium. The world they inhabit is very much a man’s world. A time when misogyny is rife, women have come to expect sexual assault and men’s misdeeds are covered up, especially in Hollywood. They are seen as disposable and easily replaced. This brings us to Stan Fisher is a Hollywood exec and ‘fixer’. He not only runs the studio and rules these women’s lives, he also covers up the men’s actions. But although there are dire consequences for stepping out of line, these women refuse to stay quiet and are fighting back.

I loved these fierce, strong and sassy women who pushed back and refused to behave. It’s because of brave women like them we have the rights we do today and I was cheering them on every step of the way. They and the other characters were charismatic, captivating and richly drawn. There are some truly vile, odious brutes who enraged me and the book is overflowing with unreliable narrators so we never feel sure about who we can trust. But it was the  mysterious, unnamed woman in the asylum I felt drawn to the most. Who was she? What is the truth behind the haunting flashes of memory she keeps having? I had a few theories but none of them were correct and my jaw hit the floor when her identity was finally revealed. 

And don’t miss the author’s note at the end with some fascinating facts and insight into the story.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

Thank you to Head of Zeus for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

​Eleni Kyriacou was born and raised in London to Greek Cypriot parents. She’s an award-winning editor and journalist and she has appeared in publications such as the Guardian, the Observer, Marie Claire, Red and Stella. She’s written on a wide range of topics including adoption, relationships, travel, self-development, the arts and women’s health.

Her first novel She Came to Stay was published by Hodder in 2020, and her second, The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou (Head of Zeus, 2023) was a BBC 2’s Between the Covers pick.

A Beautiful Way to Die (Head of Zeus) was published in 2025.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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BOOK REVIEW: Perfect Kill by Helen Fields (DI Callanach, Book 6)

Published February 6th, 2020 by Avon
Crime Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Series, Police Procedural

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

He had never heard himself scream before. It was terrifying.

Alone, trapped in the darkness and with no way out, Bart Campbell knows that his chances of being found alive are slim.

Drugged and kidnapped, the realisation soon dawns that he’s been locked inside a shipping container far from his Edinburgh home. But what Bart doesn’t yet know is that he’s now heading for France where his unspeakable fate is already sealed…

DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach are working on separate cases that soon collide as it becomes clear that the men and women being shipped to France are being traded for women trafficked into Scotland.

With so many lives at stake, they face an impossible task – but there’s no option of failure when Bart and so many others will soon be dead…

Get ready for a rollercoaster ride like no other, with the next gripping thriller from the number one bestselling crime author, Helen Fields. The perfect read for fans of M. J. Arlidge and Karin Slaughter.

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

The DI Callanac series is one of my favourites. So when I heard that Helen Fields was releasing a new installment next year I was thrilled. But I’d fallen behind, so I decided it was time to get back to my favourite French Detective. 

It starts with a haunting and unforgettable opening scene: twenty-year-old Bart wakes up in pain in a stinking, pitch-black room, chained at the ankle. And he has no idea how he got there. He soon realises he’s been drugged and kidnapped. But what he hasn’t yet comprehended is that he’s been put in a shipping container and is on his way to France, where an unspeakable fate awaits him. In France, DI Luc Callanach is investigating the case of a young man who has had his organs harvested. While in Scotland, DCI Ava Turner is investigating Bart’s disappearance. They soon realise their cases are connected and men and women are being taken, sent to France and having their organs harvested. And the group is also connected to the trafficking of women in Scotland. There are many lives at stake, and Luc and Ava face a race against the clock to find them before it’s too late…

Dark, gritty, intense, scalpel-sharp and nerve-shredding, Perfect Kill is a bingeable thriller. I can always rely on Helen to deliver a first-class thriller that keeps me on the edge of my seat and holds me in a chokehold from start to finish. And just when I thought this series couldn’t get better, she proved me wrong with this book. Helen is a spectacular sinister storyteller who spins the threads of this disturbing story to suspenseful perfection. A masterclass in pace and tension, the outright fear is omnipresent and my heart raced as Luc and Ava tried to solve the crimes before it was too late. As she explored the darkest underbelly of the criminal world I felt like I was watching it all unfold on screen before me. Someone really needs to adapt this series. 

Luc and Ava are great detectives and I love their will they/won’t they romance. That storyline takes a bit of a backseat this time around but I am still rooting for them to get together at last and become a kick-ass crime-fighting couple. It was fun to be back with them and the other returning characters. And then there’s the villains. Helen crafted some truly odious and deplorable characters who represent the worst of humanity but were great to read. 

A heart-pounding thriller that starts with a bang and never lets go, this book – and the whole series – is a must for thriller lovers.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A former criminal and family law barrister, Helen Fields has the expertise and experience to make the characters and plots scorch with authenticity. 

With a background as both a prosecutor and defence counsel, Helen Fields has a depth of knowledge about crime that lends a fierceness  to her writing. From Courts Martials to care proceedings, the Coroner Courts to the Crown Court, Fields draws on her professional years for the extraordinary colour and texture that makes her writing jump off the page.

Sunday Times Best Seller, Million copy and twice long-listed for the McIllvanney Scottish Crime Book of the Year author whose books have been translated across the globe, Fields consistently produces high impact, compelling novels that readers love.

The ‘Perfect’ series, set in Edinburgh, introduced the world to DI Luc Callanach. This year saw the release of Degrees of Guilt, her first psychological thriller in the name HS Chandler, a book as shockingly realistic as it is darkly entertaining.  

​Helens’ latest character creation is Dr Connie Woolwine, an American forensic psychologist and profiler, based on a real FBI Agent who consulted on the first book.  You can find Connie in The Shadow Man, One For Sorrow and The Institution.

​Helen is a million copy best seller crime writer & UK no.1 thriller book novelist now writing her 14th book.

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Thhanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews

BOOK REVIEW: Just Like The Other Girls by Claire Douglas

Publised August 6th, 2020 by Michael Joseph
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Crime Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

*CARER/COMPANION WANTED FOR ELDERLY LADY*

*YOUNG FEMALE PREFERRED * COMPETITIVE SALARY*

*ROOM AND BOARD INCLUDED*

Una Richardson is devastated after the death of her mother. Hoping for a fresh start, she responds to an advertisement and steps into the rich, comforting world of elderly Mrs Elspeth McKenzie.

But Elspeth’s home is not as safe as it seems.

Kathryn, her cold and bitter daughter, resents Una’s presence. More disturbing is the evidence suggesting two girls lived here before.

What happened to the girls?

Why will the McKenzies not talk about them?

As the walls close in around her, Una fears she’ll end up just like the other girls . . .

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

When Una answers an ad from an elderly woman looking for a live-in companion, she feels like it’s the fresh start she’s been looking for after the death of her mother and the end of her relationship. And when she steps into Elspeth’s large, comforting home she is filled with hope for the future. But this house isn’t as safe as it seems. It is filled with a dark, dysfunctional family history and Elsepth’s daughter Kathryn is a bitter woman who resents Una’s presence. And then she learns about the two girls who worked there before her. Is this job the answer to Una’s problems? Or just the start of them…

Omg! This was one crazy rollercoaster ride!  Deliciously dark, chilling, sinister and twisty, this addictive thriller had me totally hooked. Expertly written, cleverly choreographed and filled with red herrings, it took me by surprise at every turn. I was on the edge of my seat and devoured the book in under a day. It had been a while since I’d read a book by Claire Douglas, and after reading Just Like The Other Girls I’m wondering why. And I certainly won’t be waiting long before reading more of her backlist.

I love an unreliable narrator and this book was jam-packed full of them. It was obvious that Elspeth and Kathryn were hiding things from the start and you couldn’t trust what they were saying. But the distrust rippled out to the other characters and made me question what almost all of them were saying. And who was the mysterious stalker watching Una who seemed to be involved in her predecessors leaving their positions? One person was a strong suspect for me from the start, but they weren’t the only person I considered as a start and the person I eventually landed on was the right answer. But even then Ms. Douglas had another surprise in store that left my jaw on the floor and changed everything I thought I’d known about the story.

If you’re looking for a dark and unpredictable thriller then I highly recommend you read this book.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you to Michael Joseph and Netgalley for providing me with a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Claire Douglas worked as a journalist for fifteen years, writing features for women’s magazines and national newspapers, but had dreamed of being a novelist since the age of seven. She finally got her wish after winning the Marie Claire Debut Novel Award with her first novel, The Sisters.
She is a Sunday Times bestseller and a frequent Richard & Judy Book Club pick. Her books have sold over three million copies in the UK alone.
She lives in Bath with her husband and two children.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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