Published September 28th, 2023 by Pan Macmillan Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Historical Fiction, Historical Thriller, Murder Biography, Serial Killers
Welcome to my review for this dark, brutal and intoxicating thriller. Thank you to BookBreak and Pan Macmillan for sending me this proof copy in exchange for my honest review.
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
A Richard & Judy Book Club pick New York Times Bestseller A Goodreads Choice Award Finalist
Bright Young Women is an unflinching thriller based on Ted Bundy’s heinous crimes, as two women search for justice in the wake of his brutal murders. From Jessica Knoll, author of the New York Times bestseller and #1 Netflix movie Luckiest Girl Alive.
‘A compelling, almost hypnotic read’ – Lisa Jewell, bestselling author of None of This is True
‘Knoll deconstructs the myth of a criminal mastermind, revealing the women he seeks to destroy as the truly brilliant ones’ – Flynn Berry, author of Northern Spy
Tallahassee, 1978. Sorority president Pamela Schumacher wakes to a shocking scene of implausible violence and death, and is drawn into a mystifying crime that grips the nation for decades . . .
In Seattle, Tina Cannon connects her best friend’s disappearance to the Tallahassee tragedy, and is convinced that a single man is responsible.
Determined to find justice, the two join forces as their search for answers leads to a final, shocking confrontation . . .
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MY REVIEW:
“No one tells you how painful it is to be afraid. Like a bee sting to the entirety of your central nervous system.”
Brutal, dark, fearless and intoxicating, Bright Young Women is based on the heinous crimes of Ted Bundy. As a true crime enthusiast (someone really needs to come up with a better way to say that) this book was on my radar as soon as I heard about it, but it was a glowing review from a fellow blogger recently that made me bump it up my list. And I am so glad that I did as I devoured this in under a day, unable to tear myself away from the heart-stopping story.
“Right here, right now, I want you to forget two things: he was nothing special, and what happened was not random.”
Tallahassee, Florida. January, 1978. Sorority president Pamela Schumacher is on her way to bed when she hears a thud, followed by footsteps running on the floor above her. She follows them and sees a man fleeing the house holding a weapon in his hand.She goes to check on her sisters and finds a terrifying scene of carnage. Four of her sisters have just been attacked by ‘The All-American Sex Killer’, drawing Pamela into the hunt for a killer that grips the entire nation.
“They will call you hysterical no matter how much dignity you have. So you might as well do whatever the hell you want.”
My nervous system is still on boil after bingeing this harrowing thriller. This book is a master-class in how to write a thriller that drips with malevolence. But it is also so much more. Jessica Knoll barely talks about the killer, focusing instead on the victims and those who loved them. It is boldly but sensitively written, running a rainbow of emotions through the story as she gives a beating heart and a voice to those who are so often forgotten in true crime. She gives these girls real identities and reminds us that they are so much more than a mere footnote in a sadistic killer’s story and that it is in fact he who is the footnote in theirs. She also discusses female rage and how although it is often righteous, it is often dismissed as hysteria, particularly by men. We see this in how Pamela and her sisters repeatedly restrain their emotions instead of allowing themselves to feel and show what’s really inside them.
“Women got that feeling about him, that funny one we all get when we know something isn’t right, but we don’t know how to politely extricate ourselves from the situation without escalating the threat of violence or harassment. That is not a skill women are taught, the same way men are not taught that it is okay to leave a woman alone if what she wants is to be left alone.”
As someone who regularly watches, listens to and reads about true crime I enjoyed the victim-centric aspect of this book and Knoll’s timely exploration of our obsession with true crime and serial killers. But what I particularly loved was how she dismantled the many myths about Bundy in one fell swoop. I simmered with rage as I remembered how he was praised for his good looks, charm and intelligence, but was left with a smile of satisfaction as she busted those myths simply by focusing on who he really was, rather than the caricature he’d become. And that ending. Wow! It was so powerful and moving that I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces as I listened.
“Things grow differently when they’re damaged, showing us how to occupy strange new ground to bloom red instead of green. We can be found, brighter than before.”
Knoll seamlessly moves between the multiple timelines and perspectives to tell the story. I particularly liked how she makes the attack on the sorority the focal point of Pamela’s perspectives, telling us how many days, hours or minutes it is before or after the crime. I found this helped me understand Pamela even more. How her life would forever be split into ‘before’ and ‘after’ and how this tragic event had shaped every facet of her existence. Two of the threads are narrated by Pamela while another is narrated by Ruth, another suspected victim of the killer. While each of them are compelling, it is the raw, heartbreaking emotion in Pamela’s narration that will stay with me most of all. I felt what she did in my soul. My heart raced as I listened to her hear the attack and discover her sisters bludgeoned, I shook with fear and anger when she did, I fought back tears as she talked about carrying her lost best friend with her through her life ever since, and I felt her determination to turn this tragedy into something greater than herself. She is a truly remarkable and compelling character that I won’t forget.
“Time does not heal all wounds. Grief is just like a sink full of dirty dishes or a pile of soiled laundry. Grief is a chore you have to do and it’s a messy one at that.”
Intense, chilling, heart-wrenching and evocative, Bright Young Women is an unflinching novel that will stay with me long after reading and will undoubtedly be in my list of top reads this year. Highly recommended.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮
*I listened to this book on Bookbeat. You can get 90 Days listening free with my affiliate link here*
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Jessica Knoll is the New York Times Bestselling author of THE FAVORITE SISTER and LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE—now a major motion picture on Netflix starring Mila Kunis. She has been a senior editor at Cosmopolitan, and the articles editor at SELF. She grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia and graduated from The Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and bulldog, Franklin. BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN is her third novel.
Published May 23rd, 2024 by Wildfire Greek Mythology, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale, Literary Fiction
Thank you Wildfire Books for sending me a proof copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
The enthralling tale of a powerful Greek goddess maligned in both myth and ancient history, as told by Sunday Times bestselling author Jennifer Saint.
‘An exceptional achievement’ ELODIE HARPER ‘A very special novel’ COSTANZA CASATI ‘The essential mythological book of the decade’ NIKITA GILL
When Hera, immortal goddess and daughter of the ancient Titan Cronus, helps her brother Zeus to overthrow their tyrannical father, she dreams of ruling at his side.
As they establish their reign on Mount Olympus, Hera suspects that Zeus might be just as ruthless and cruel as the father they betrayed.
She was always born to rule, but must she lose herself in perpetuating this cycle of violence and cruelty? Or can she find a way to forge a better world?
Often portrayed as the jealous wife or the wicked stepmother, this retelling captures the many sides of Hera, vengeful when she needs to be but also compassionate and most importantly, an all-powerful queen to the gods.
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MY REVIEW:
“Zeus thinks he has the upper hand. He’s made her the goddess of marriage, thinking she’s nothing more than a dutiful wife. But he never imagines the mistake he’s made in making her his enemy and inviting her so close.”
Jennifer Saint’s latest novel sees her tackle the myth of Hera, Queen of Heaven and the Goddess of Marriage. Beautifully written and evocative, I was immediately drawn into the world of this complex immortal goddess.
Hera. Daughter of the tyrannical Titan ruler, Cronus, she helps her brother, Zeus, overthrow their father and establish a new reign on Mount Olympus ruling by his side. But Zeus quickly betrays her, offering thrones to their brothers. She faces further humiliation when he forces her to become his bride and makes her the patron of women, marriage and childbirth. Hera swears vengeance, plotting quietly while playing the dutiful wife and queen. But she can’t stay quiet for long, and soon she and Zeus are caught in a perpetual cycle of violence, betrayal and revenge that has far-reaching repercussions.
Hera is a complicated goddess who isn’t easy to like. She’s beautiful, regal, formidable and fierce, but also vengeful, scheming, vindictive, vicious and cruel. But interwoven with all of that is a traumatised, broken woman who is deeply unhappy. There is a caring side of her, and I liked seeing those glimmers of compassion that she had at times. But I could understand that it was hard for her to be that way as a woman who had never been shown how to be caring, maternal or loving; someone trapped in a toxic marriage; and someone who has faced a battle for survival and power from the day she was conceived.
One of the things I liked about this book is that Ms. Saint never shied away from Hera’s flaws, excuse her abhorrent behaviour, or tried to make her likeable and sympathetic. She faces her faults head-on, instead giving us an anti-hero who we can understand on a deeper level by the end of the book, even if we don’t like her. I’ll admit, I struggled with the idea that Hera’s actions had a feminist motivation as I found her to be self-focused and motivated by power, wrath and revenge. And she often took out her rage at Zeus’ behaviour out on the women he often forced himself on. But I could understand that Hera is a product of trauma who has never developed a sisterhood with other women or been taught how to be caring and maternal. This is a woman who has known only fighting to survive from the time she was born and is trapped in a toxic marriage that she can’t find her way out of. I had sympathy for that even if I didn’t like her actions.
One of my favourite aspects of this book is how Ms. Saint humanised the monsters of Greek mythology. I found myself grieving alongside Hera as Typhon and his children were slain and saw so-called heroes such as Hercules in a different light. The monsters were simply existing and yet they were hunted down and brutally killed in the name of glory. I shared Hera’s revulsion at this, and will definitely see those usually demonised in these myths through another lens from now on.
A feisty and glorious novel, this is a must-read for fans of Greek mythology.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Jennifer Saint grew up reading Greek mythology and was always drawn to the untold stories hidden within the myths. She read Classical Studies at King’s College, London where she is now a Visiting Research Fellow in the Classics Department. After thirteen years as a high school English teacher, she wrote Ariadne which was an instant Sunday Times bestseller. It was shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year in 2021 and was a Waterstones Book of the Month. Her second novel, Elektra, and third novel Atalanta, were number one Sunday Times bestsellers. Her latest mesmerising mythological retelling, Hera, will be published in the UK on 23rd May and in the US on 23rd July.
June is almost upon us and it’s another month jam-packed full of exciting new releases from some of my favourite authors and debuts I can’t wait to read.
Here are the 50 books I’m most anticipating:
The Burial Plot by Elizabeth Macneal
Published June 6th by Picador Historical Fiction, Gothic Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Historical Mystery, Historical Romance
BOOK DESCRIPTION: From Elizabeth Macneal, the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Doll Factory, The Burial Plot is a spellbinding Gothic thriller about murder and manipulation.
London, 1839. With the cemeteries full and money to be made in death, tricksters Crawford and Bonnie survive on wicked schemes and ill-gotten coin. But one blistering evening, their fortunes flip. A man lies in a pool of blood at Bonnie’s feet and now she needs to disappear.
Crawford secures her a position as lady’s maid in a grand house on the Thames. As Bonnie comes to understand the family – the eccentric Mr Moncrieff, obsessively drawing mausoleums for his dead wife, and their peculiar daughter Cissie, scribbling imaginary love letters to herself – she begins to question what secrets are lying behind the house’s paper-thin walls and whether her own presence here was planned from the beginning.
Because Crawford is watching, and perhaps he is plotting his greatest trick yet . . .
Published June 6th by Tinder Press Literary Fiction, Humorous Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: An Observer top ten best new novelist for 2024
‘A simmering debut, heady with the possibilities of language and the righteousness of female rage’ Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Mercies ‘A modern-day Dionysian cult of women in the woods – haunting and exhilarating’ Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne ______
They thought they knew everything about us. The kind of women we were.
It was a place for women. A remote farm tucked away in the Kent Downs. A safe space.
When Iris – newly single and living at home with her mother – meets the mysterious and beguiling Hazel, who lives in a women’s commune, she finds herself drawn into the possibility of a new start away from the world of men who have only let her down. Here, at Breach House, the women can be loud and dirty, live and eat abundantly, all while under the leadership of their gargantuan matriarch, Blythe.
But even among the women, there are power struggles, cruelty and transgressions that threaten their precarious way of life. When a group of men arrives on the farm, the commune’s existence is thrown into question, hurtling Iris and the other women towards an act of devastating violence.
Fierce and unapologetic, Spoilt Creatures is an intoxicating debut about transgression, sisterhood and the seductive nature of obsession. It pulls back the skin of patriarchal violence and examines the female rage that lurks beneath.
Published June 6th by Mantle Historical Fiction, Religious Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: The King’s Witches by Kate Foster is a compelling and beautiful historical novel that gives voices to the women at the heart of the real-life witch trials in sixteenth-century Scotland.
Women whisper secrets to each other; it is how we survive.
1589. Princess Anna of Denmark is betrothed to King James VI of Scotland. Before they can wed, Anna must pass the trial period: one year of marriage to prove herself worthy of being Scotland’s new Queen. Determined to fulfil her duties to King and country, Anna resolves to be the perfect royal bride. Until she meets Lord Henry . . .
By her side is Kirsten Sorenson, her loyal and pious lady-in-waiting. But, whilst tending to Anna’s every need, Kirsten has her own secret motives for the royal marriage to succeed . . .
Meanwhile, in North Berwick, young housemaid Jura practises the healing charms taught to her by her mother. When she realizes she is no longer safe, she escapes to Edinburgh, only to find herself caught up in the witchcraft mania that has gripped not just the capital, but the new queen …
Will Anna, Kirsten and Jura be able to save each other and, in doing so, save themselves?
Published June 6th by Harper Voyager Fantasy Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Horror Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Contemporary Fantasy
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Anna survived the attempt to bind her magic, but Anna and her coven aren’t free from danger yet.
Haunted by her aunt’s death, living in fear of her curse, and fated to love the one man she can never have, the last thing Anna needs is a witch hunt. Now she must conceal her magic once more or risk losing everything.
But when deadly hysteria strikes across the capital, and in her own school, the coven are left dangerously exposed. Delving deeper into the magical underworld of London, Anna and her twin sister Effie must find a way to work together to protect the coven.
But as the witch hunt intensifies and the hysteria spirals out of control, can Effie and Anna truly trust each other?
Published June 6th by Canongate Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: In thirteenth-century Ireland, a woman with power is a woman to be feared.
When a young Alice Kyteler sees her mother wither under the constraints of family responsibilities, she vows that she won’t suffer the same fate. Soon Alice discovers she has a flair for making money, and builds a flourishing business. But as her wealth and stature grow, so too do the rumours about her private life. By the time she has moved on to her fourth husband, a blaze of local gossip and resentment culminates in an accusation that could prove fatal.
Inspired by the first recorded person in Ireland to have been condemned as a witch, Bright I Burn gives voice to a woman lost to history, who dared to carve her own space in a man’s world.
Published June 6th by HarperCollins UK Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Fairy Tale, Coming-of-Age Story
BOOK DESCRIPTION: WELCOME TO THE MANOR
THE PARTY’S ON FIRE
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**Book your place at the table … The brand new murder mystery thriller from the No.1 bestseller**
Midsummer, the Dorset coast
In the shadows of an ancient wood, guests gather for the opening weekend of The Manor: a beautiful new countryside retreat.
But under the burning midsummer sun, darkness stirs. Old friends and enemies circulate among the guests. And the candles have barely been lit for a solstice supper when the body is found.
It all began with a secret, fifteen years ago. Now the past has crashed the party. And it’ll end in murder at…
Published June 6th by Hodder & Stoughton Suspense, Thriller, Psychological Thriller
BOOK DESCRIPTION: The master of intense suspense, Will Dean, is back! THE CHAMBER follows the success of Richard & Judy Book Club pick THE LAST PASSENGER.
HIGH PRESSURE OUTSIDE On a boat heading out into the North Sea, Ellen Brooke steels herself to spend almost a month locked inside a hyperbaric chamber with five other divers. They are all being paid handsomely for this work – to be lowered each day inside a diving bell to the sea bed, taking it in turns to dive down and repair oil pipes that lie in the dark waters. It is a close knit team and it has to be: any error or loss of trust could be catastrophic.
EXTREME PRESSURE INSIDE All is going to plan until one of the divers is found unresponsive in his bunk. He hadn’t left the chamber. It will take four more days of decompression, locked away together, before the hatch can be opened. Four more days of bare steel, intrusive thoughts, and the constant struggle not to give way to panic. Mind games, exhaustion, suspicion, and, most of all, pressure. And if someone does unlock the door, everyone dies…
And Then There Were None meets The Last Breath in this tense and suspenseful locked-room thriller from the author of the “astonishing” (Ian Rankin) The Last Passenger.
How To Solve Your Own Murder (Violet Hamilton Book 2) by Hannah Dolby
Published June 6th by Aria Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Woemen Sleuths
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Violet Hamilton is no ordinary lady.
She is a Lady Detective, who spends her time solving mysteries and unveiling scandals in the bustling seaside town of Hastings and St Leonards, a popular spot for the Victorian middle classes.
But when the body of a local woman is found on the beach, Violet’s efforts to investigate are blocked at every turn.
Is that because, as a woman, she can’t possibly be allowed to think or act for herself? Or is it because someone sinister has Violet in their sights?
Jane Austen meets Sherlock Holmes in this delightful mystery of manners that will steal your heart, and transport you to a world of seaside scandal and moonlit balls; dubious doctors and duplicitous crooked lords; adventurous escapades and stolen kisses.
Published June 6th by Aria Literary Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Family Saga
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Bestselling Irish writer, Faith Hogan, has created another gripping saga of friendship, betrayal and secrets in this story of a widow in search of answers to a shocking confession by her dying husband.
Joy Blackwood has no idea why her French art dealer husband has left a valuable painting to a woman called Robyn Tessier in Ballycove, a small town on the west coast of Ireland, but she is determined to find out.
She arrives in Ballycove to find that Robyn runs a rather chaotic and unprofitable bookshop. She is shy, suffering from unrequited love for dashing Kian, and badly in need of advice on how to make the bookshop successful.
As Joy becomes entangled in the daily dramas of Ballycove, uncovering the secrets behind her husband’s painting grows increasingly challenging. When she finally musters the courage to confront the truth, her revelation sends shockwaves through the tight-knit community she’s grown to love.
Published June 6th by Michael Joseph Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Domestic Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Jade Shaw has lost control of her life.
Pushed around by her warring family, and taken for granted by a boyfriend who’s more interested in his “brand” than their relationship, she knows that somewhere along the path to being an adult she’s lost her way.
The last place she expects to find answers is on the floor outside her flat. But there it is: a script. Containing her name, and her boyfriend’s, and showing yet another excruciating argument in which he calls all the shots. The weird thing is: this argument hasn’t happened yet.
The row becomes reality. Jade feels more frustrated than ever. Then more scripts appear; infuriating scenes in which Jade’s boss, mum, and bridezilla sister walk all over her.
The future is painfully familiar. But it’s not a future Jade likes.
Published June 6th by Chatto & Windus Romance Novel, Medical Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Humorous Fiction,
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘A magical novel, so uplifting, heartwarming, funny … Feels as if it was written specifically to give comfort’ MARIAN KEYES
Sail to the tropical paradise where secrets don’t stay hidden for long …
Zoologist Charlotte Walker has taken up a fellowship on the tiny, remote island of Tuga de Oro to study the endangered gold coin tortoises in the jungle interior. She can claim the best of reasons for this year in paradise – what better motivation than to save a species? – but the reality is more complex. For Charlotte has a secret that connects her to the island and has finally determined to solve the mystery …
A complete and vivid world to escape to, Welcome to Glorious Tuga celebrates a fictional island, and the warm-hearted families who live there. Enchanting, uplifting and very funny, this is a captivating novel about love, belonging, and what it really means to come home.
Published June 6th by Doubleday Literary Fiction, Humorous Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Discover the joyful summer read from the bestselling author of WE ALL WANT IMPOSSIBLE THINGS, perfect for fans of Marian Keyes and Nora Ephron
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One week in Cape Cod. The perfect family holiday. What could possibly go wrong…?
For the past two decades, Rocky has looked forward to her family’s yearly escape to Cape Cod. Their rustic beach-town rental has been the site of sweet memories, its quirky furniture and mismatched pots and pans greeted like old friends.
Now, sandwiched between her children who are adult enough to be fun but still young enough to need her, and her parents who are alive and healthy, Rocky wants to preserve this golden moment forever. This one precious week when everything is in balance; everything is in flux.
But every family has its secrets and hers is no exception.
With her body in open revolt and surprises invading her peaceful haven, the perfectly balanced seesaw of Rocky’s life is tipping towards change…
Published June 6th by Fourth Estate Contemporary Romance, Romance Novel, Humorous Fiction, Lesbian Literature, Erotic Literature
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘Clever, sexy and joyful. I loved it’ BETH O’LEARY, AUTHOR OF THE FLATSHARE
‘A fizzing roller-coaster of a rom-com. The sexiest book you’ll read all year and the most heartening’ CAROLINE O’DONOGHUE, AUTHOR OF THE RACHEL INCIDENT
Bette loves Mei, but Bette and Mei are on a break, so Bette can catch-up on the decade of dating experiences she missed before she came out.
So Bette is (reluctantly) on a dating odyssey: a quest to have lots of casual sex with lots of hot women and come back to Mei more experienced and more certain about what she wants. And now she has new friend Ruth as her dating guide, she can’t possibly fail. It’s just three months, then she’ll be back with Mei.
Published June 6th by Sceptre Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘Meltingly warm’ OBSERVER, 10 BEST NEW NOVELISTS FOR 2024
Local boy Téo Erskine is back in the north London suburb of his youth, visiting his father – stubborn, selfish, complicated Vic. Things have changed for Téo: he’s got a steady job, a brand-new car and a London flat all concrete and glass, with a sliver of a river view.
Except, underneath the surface, not much has changed at all. He’s still the boy seeking his father’s approval; the young man playing late-night poker with his best friend, unreliable, infuriating Ben Mossam; the one still desperately in love with the enigmatic Lia Woods.
Lia’s life, on the other hand, has been transformed: now a single mum to two-year-old Joel, she doesn’t have time for anyone – not even herself.
When the unthinkable happens, Joel finds himself at the centre of an odd constellation of men – Téo, Vic, Ben – none of whom is fully equipped to look after him, but whose strange, tentative attempts at love might just be enough to offer him a new place to call home.
Published June 6th by Hodder & Stoughton Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Contemporary Romance
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Meet Dora Wildwood: runaway bride, book lover, and aspiring detective. Likes: solving crimes, peppermint creams, trousers and her own independence. Dislikes: cracked book spines, tyrannical behaviour, beetroot.
1935. Dora’son the first train to London, having smuggled herself out of the house in the middle of the night to escape her impending marriage. But unluckily for her, Dora’s fiance is more persistent than most and follows.
As Dora alights at Paddington station, she is immediately forced to run from the loathsome Charles Silk-Butters. She ducks into the London Library to hide and it is there, surrounded by books, where she should feel most safe, that Dora Wildwood stumbles across her first dead body.
Having been thrown into the middle of a murder scene, it’s now impossible to walk away. Indeed, Dora’s certain she will prove an invaluable help to the gruff Detective Inspector Fox who swiftly arrives on the scene. For as everyone knows, it’s the woman in the room who always sees more than anyone else: and no one more so than Dora herself…
D is for Death heralds the launch of a brilliant historical crime series that marries the quality of Dorothy L. Sayers with the ingenuity of Janice Hallett – and in Dora Wildwood introduces a character with the spark and gusto of Enola Holmes and the detective skill of Miss Marple. It is the debut crime novel from bestselling author Harriet Evans, writing as Harriet F. Townson.
Published June 6th by Manilla Press Suspense, Thriller, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Beautifully written and soaked with atmosphere, KNIFE RIVER is the debut novel of an exciting new voice in literary crime.
First, there were my mother’s bones . . .
A young woman returns home to the small, claustrophobic town of Knife River. When Jess was thirteen, her mother went for a walk and did not return – now, fifteen years later, bones have been discovered in the woods nearby.
Jess’s sister has remained in their childhood home – her life, their home and the town itself seemingly frozen in time. As days turn into weeks, Jess’s understanding of the past, her sister, and herself becomes more and more complicated – and the list of suspects responsible for her mother’s terrible fate more and more ominous . . .
‘A twisting, engrossing and beautiful mystery. Thrilling, yet also deeply moving, layered and powerful’ CHRIS WHITAKER
‘A delicious smoke curl of a novel: atmospheric, sharp, and skilled at twisting the reader’s guesses in unimaginable ways’ JODI PICOULT
Published June 6th by Viper Books Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Psychological Thriller
BOOK DESCRIPTION: It’s always the husband… Isn’t it?
Astrid Webb is missing. The police have found her car crashed near the woods, the driver’s door open, the seat spotted with blood. But there’s no sign of Astrid herself, a sick woman who rarely left her house, who surely couldn’t have left the scene of the accident without help.
Her husband Bryan is sure that she’s alive – after all, this isn’t the first time she’s vanished, only to reappear without explanation. But as the days pass, Bryan starts to look like a suspect in his wife’s disappearance, perhaps in her murder. Because Bryan isn’t telling the police the whole truth. Not about Astrid’s stalker, their broken-in back door, or the threatening messages she received. And it seems as if both Astrid and Bryan have something to hide.
Then a woman’s body is found in the woods, her face terribly disfigured. By staying silent, is Bryan protecting Astrid, or protecting himself?
From the bestselling author of The Regret and The Box, this heart-pounding thriller is perfect for readers of Harlan Coben, Mark Billingham and Alex North.
Published June 6th by The Borough Press Suspense, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: A razor-sharp novel that skewers the life of the uber-rich in the vein of The White Lotus, with shades of The Talented Mr Ripley and The Graduate
Conor is a recent graduate from a law school no one has heard of. Without any job prospects and needing to support his chronically ill mother, he takes a summer job teaching tennis at the affluent gated community of Cutters Neck, Massachusetts. One of his first students is Catherine, a magnetic divorcée keen to hire him for more than advice on her serve. What begins as a transactional arrangement soon develops into an intoxicating sexual relationship.
Things become even more complicated when Conor encounters Emily, with whom he has his first taste of real intimacy. Against his better judgment, he soon finds himself living a double life that inevitably leads to disaster.
Conor knows how hard it is to win against those with money and power. In his fight for survival, he has to put emotion aside and play with only his wits – after all, in tennis, love means nothing.
I Want To Die But I Still Want To Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Sehee
Published June 6th by Bloomsbury Publishing Self-Help Book, Mental Health Biographies
BOOK DESCRIPTION: The sequel to the SundayTimes and international-bestselling South Korean therapy memoir, translated by International Booker Prize-shortlisted Anton Hur
When Baek Sehee started recording her sessions with her psychiatrist, her hope was to create a reference for herself. She never imagined she would reach so many people, especially young people, with her reflections. I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki became a runaway bestseller in South Korea, Indonesia, and the U.S., and reached a community of readers who appreciated depression and anxiety being discussed with such intimacy.
Baek’s struggle with dysthymia continues in I Want to Die but I Still Want to Eat Tteokbokki. And healing is a difficult process; the inner conflict she experiences in treatment becomes more complex, more challenging. With this second book, Baek Sehee reaches out to hold the hands of all those for whom grappling with everyday despair is part of a lifelong project, part of the journey.
Published June 11th by Fourth Estate Psychological Fiction, Literary Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Lesbian Literature
BOOK DESCRIPTION: From the bestselling author of Our Wives Under the Sea, a haunting novel of three sisters navigating queer love and faith at the end of the world.
There’s no way to bury a body in earth which is flooded
It is a fact consigned to history along with almost everything else
It’s been raining for a long time now, for so long that the lands have reshaped themselves. Old places have been lost. Arcane rituals and religions have crept back into practice.
Sisters Isla, Irene and Agnes have not spoken in some time when their estranged father dies. A famous architect revered for making the new world navigable, he had long cut himself off from public life. They find themselves uncertain of how to grieve his passing when everything around them seems to be ending anyway.
As the sisters come together to clear the grand glass house that is the pinnacle of his legacy, they begin to sense that the magnetic influence of their father lives on through it. Something sinister seems to be unfolding, something related to their mother’s long-ago disappearance and the strangers who have always been unusually interested in their lives. Soon, it becomes clear that the sisters have been chosen for a very particular purpose, one with shattering implications for their family and their imperilled world.
Published June 11th by Sphere Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Humorous Fiction, Urban Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTIONS: A forbidden, secret affair proves that all’s fair in love and science – from Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood.
Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she has enough: a few friends she can always count on; the financial stability she yearned for as a kid; and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down.
Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through – and he’s a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can’t stop thinking about. The woman who’s off-limits to him.
Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business – one that plays for keeps.
Published June 13th by Hera Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Lesbian Literature
BOOK DESCRIPTIONS: It seems too good to be true…
When struggling writer Sebastian finds a room to let in a palatial Hampstead residence he cannot believe his luck. The rent is ridiculously cheap and he immediately feels a connection with his beautiful widowed landlady, Adriana.
It is.
Things take a dark turn when he finds out what happened to the last lodger. Could this be why the house is a fortress of security, and why Adriana seems so fragile? Adriana doesn’t want to talk about the death and sadness that seem to follow her wherever she goes and Sebastian has secrets of his own.
Now someone is watching their every move and there is nowhere to hide.
This house of light becomes a dark nightmare as the threat ramps up – what does the watcher want? And how far will they go to get it?
A gripping, twisty thriller perfect for fans of B.A. Paris, Shari Lapena and Lucy Foley. If you were hooked by Netflix series You or The Watcher then you will love this.
Published June 13th by Fig Tree Historical Fiction, Fairy Tales, Mythology
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘Elegant and decadent, vulgar and clever, enchanting and dark. The love child of Angela Carter and Anaïs Nin – the book I really really needed’ SARAH PERRY, author of The Essex Serpent
Why don’t they tell you it is the beautiful princess who becomes the evil queen; that they are just the same person at different points in their story?
Versailles, 1682: a city of the rich, a living fairy-tale, Louis XIV’s fever dream. It’s a place of opulence, beauty, and power. But strip back the lavish exterior of polite society, and you’ll find a dark undercurrent of sexual intrigue and vicious gossip. Nobody is safe here – no matter how highly born they are.
No one knows this better than Madame Marie d’Aulnoy. Each week, a rogue group of intellectuals gather at her Parisian home to debate, flirt and perform Contes de Fées – fairy tales – that challenge the status quo, at a salon that will change the course of literature forever. But while they weave tales of glass slippers, enchanted beasts and long-haired princesses, a wolf is lurking, who threatens to destroy the members of the salon one by one.
Brilliant and bawdy, romantic and provocative, The Modern Fairies is a dazzling novel inspired by real events, about the delights and dangers of storytelling in dark times.
Published June 13th by HarperVoyager Fantasy Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Fairy Tale, High Fantasy, Romance Novel, Paranormal Fantasy
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ☽ MAGIC. DRAGONS. ROMANCE. THE FANTASY PHENOMENON OF THE YEAR ☽
’An absolutely stunning fantasy world’ Raven Kennedy, author of international bestseller, The Plated Prisoner Series
‘A wild ride that thrills as much as it enchants … An instant classic’ Thea Guanzon, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Hurricane Wars ___________
He’s fire and brimstone. I’m shattered ice … I’ll gladly burn beneath him until the world comes crumbling down.
As an assassin for the rebellion, Raeve’s job is to complete orders and never get caught. When a rival bounty hunter shatters her world, Raeve finds herself captured by the Guild of Nobles – a group of powerful fae.
Crushed by the loss of his great love, dragon rider Kaan Vaegor took the head of a king and donned his melted crown. Now on a tireless quest to quell the never-ebbing ache in his chest, a clue lures him into the capital’s high-security prison where he stumbles upon the imprisoned Raeve …
Together, they seek truths that threaten tounravel everything they knew about their world – and each other.
Bestselling sensation When the Moon Hatched will transport you into a world filled with magic, dragons and a love that blazes through the ages…
Published June 18th by Tor Historical Fantasy, Fantasy Fiction, Fairy Tale, Dark Fantasy, Thriller, Urban Fantasy
BOOK DESCRIPTION: An irresistibly dark, atmospheric reimagining of 1930s Shanghai filled with glamour, gods and gangsters. From Rosalie M. Lin, perfect for fans of S. A. Chakraborty and Fonda Lee.
‘I was utterly swept up . . . seductive, sprawling, full of malice’ – Kendare Blake, New York Times bestselling author of Three Dark Crowns
In Shanghai, danger wears many faces . . .
1932, Shanghai. By day, Jingwen delivers bones for her grandmother, the exclusive surgeon to the most formidable gang in the city. By night, she dances at the Paramount, a lavish cabaret club, competing ruthlessly to charm the wealthy patrons.
Then mysterious attackers start to target the club, stealing the faces of their victims – and selling them onto the powerful elite. Jingwen fears she could be next. To protect herself and her fellow performers, she has no choice but to delve deeper into the city’s glittering underworld.
In this treacherous realm of cut-throat businessmen, silver-limbed gangsters and vengeful gods, Jingwen soon learns that she must become something far stranger and more dangerous than she ever imagined, if she hopes to survive . . .
Published June 20th by Simon & Schuster UK Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Gay Fiction, Adventure Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: THE LATEST PULSE-POUNDING THRILLER FROM THE MASTER OF THE MORAL DILEMMA AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, JACK JORDAN.
Aaron Alexander has just been released from jail after serving eleven years for causing the death of Joshua Moore in a hit-and-run. Now a free man, all he wants to do is stay on the straight and narrow and leave his troubled past behind him. But for Joshua’s mother Evelyn, eleven years in jail isn’t nearly enough. Consumed by grief and rage, she has been waiting for Aaron’s release, counting down the days until she can exact the revenge he deserves. And now that time has come. But as Evelyn and her husband Tobias embark on a road trip to track Aaron down, they find themselves caught on two different sides of a gripping game of cat-and-mouse. Because Tobias knows what Evelyn is planning, and he will do anything to save her from herself. Even if it means protecting the man who killed their son.
Locked in a collision course set in motion eleven years ago, Aaron, Evelyn and Tobias are about to find out whether the road they have chosen leads to redemption . . . or to retribution.
This Is Why We Lied (Will Trent Book 12) by Karin Slaughter
Published June 20th by Harper Collins UK Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, Psychological Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: The incredible new thriller featuring Will Trent and Sara Linton from the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author!
One toxic family. Eight suspicious guests. Everyone is guilty. But who is a killer?
Welcome to the McAlpine Lodge: a secluded mountain getaway, it’s the height of escapist luxury living.
Except that everyone here is lying. Lying about their past. Lying to their family. Lying to themselves.
Then one night, Mercy McAlpine – until now the good daughter – threatens to expose everybody’s secrets. Just hours later, Mercy is dead.
In an area this remote, it’s easy to get away with murder. But Will Trent and Sara Linton – investigator and medical examiner for the GBI – are here on their honeymoon.
And now, with the killer poised to strike again, the holiday of a lifetime becomes a race against the clock…
Published June 20th by Sphere Suspense, Psychololgical Thriller, Legal Thriller, Political Thriller
BOOK DESCRIPTION: The remarkable debut novel by prominent young mixed-race barrister Alexandra Wilson is a moving, twisty legal thriller for the 21st century.
SHE SAW IT ALL BUT SHE CAN NEVER TELL
A young black man is arrested for murder. The case against him is strong – a mum and a teacher saw him standing over a body in a park, a knife still in hand.
But his up-and-coming barrister Rosa knows how people prejudge, but most of all, she suspects something is amiss. This boy comes from her neighbourhood. From a good family. So she begins to dig…
As Rosa discovers secret upon terrible secret, she moves closer to finding a testimony that could win the case – or bring the whole establishment down on her.
The Witness is a frightening thriller about how we judge guilt, about the strength of a young woman, and is the start of a groundbreaking new series.
Published June 20th by Harper Collins UK Humorous Fiction, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: From the Sunday Times bestselling author of SAVING MISSY, comes a fierce, joyful and uplifting novel about putting life on pause, pleasing yourself, and getting your own back. Whatever it takes.
CAN SHE SAY F*CK IT, JUST FOR ONE DAY?
After a morning that starts with a terrible migraine, an accidentally strong concoction of painkillers, and a bump on the head, Clover Hendry is not quite herself.
And as she walks out of work at 9.47am, for once Clover isn’t worrying about anything. She is taking some much-deserved me-time, and everyone else had better get out of her way.
As she crashes from once incident (a deliciously illicit swim) to the next (art theft), Clover is on a one-woman mission to do exactly as she pleases – consequences are for tomorrow!
It’s a day of joyful recklessness, but behind the chaos, a plan is afoot. Will her new-found freedom uncover long-buried secrets?
A euphoric, raging, galvanizing story about putting life on pause, pleasing yourself, and getting your own back – whatever it takes.
Published June 20th by Bantam Press Humorous Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Urban Fiction, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Uplifting, heartwarming and joyful. Restored my faith in humankind‘ – Ruth Jones
When age makes you invisible, secrets are easier to hide
Daphne knows that age is just a number. She also knows that society no longer pays her any attention – something she’s happy to exploit to help her hide a somewhat chequered past.
But finding herself alone on her 70th birthday, with only her plants to talk to and neighbours to stalk online, she decides she needs some friends. Joining a Senior Citizen’s Social Club she’s horrified at the expectation she’ll spend her time enduring gentle crafting activities. Thankfully, the other members – including a failed actor addicted to shoplifting and a prolific yarn-bomber – agree.
After a tragic accident, the local council threaten to close the club – but they have underestimated the wrong group of pensioners…and with the help of a teenage dad and a geriatric, orphaned dog, the incongruous gang set out to prove it.
As long as their pasts don’t catch up with them first…
I Love You, I Love You, I Love You by Laura Dockrill
Published June 20th by HQ Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Coming-of-Age Story
BOOK DESCRIPTION: An epic story of love, loss and pining for fans of One Day.
It’s the year 2000. I’m fourteen. I’m trying really hard to be a grunger right now in a Foo Fighters t-shirt and a spiked choker. There were rumours that the world was going to end. It hadn’t as of yet but I still had reasons to believe that was true.
❤ ❤ ❤
Ella and Lowe are teenagers when they first meet in summer 2000. For her, it’s love at first sight. But it’s safest to love from afar, where the friendship zone is her safety net and she can’t get hurt.
Certain that the most beautiful boy she’s ever seen couldn’t possibly feel the same, Ella counts herself lucky to have him as her best friend. Over the next fifteen years they share everything: bottles of cider and cigarettes in the rain, gossip and laughter, grief and fear.
But every time Lowe kisses another girl, Ella feels her heart break just that little bit more. She’ll have to choose whether it’s enough to be just friends with the love of her life, or if she’s prepared to let the terrifying, beautiful, all-consuming truth come to light.
From a unique new voice in adult fiction, I Love You, I Love You, I Love You is a glorious nostalgia trip for anyone who has ever known the exquisite pain and pleasure of first love.
Published June 20th by The Borough Press Contemporary Romance, Domestic Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story
BOOK DESCRIPTION: From the Costa-shortlisted author of THE OTHER HALF OF AUGUSTA HOPE and ALL MY MOTHERS
The story of two people who have no idea how to fall in love…
On the tiny island of Rokesby, Addie helps her mother run a women’s retreat. Dreaming daily of escape, she consoles herself by swimming in the ocean that surrounds them.
On the neighbouring island, joined to Rokesby by a bridge at low tide, Sol has sought refuge at a wind-swept prayer house, grieving both his mother’s death and his father’s devastating betrayal. Alone and anxious, he takes comfort in birdwatching, books and the sounds of the sea.
Introverts with turbulent pasts and wary hearts, Sol and Addie are both drawn to nature far more than to people – until they catch sight of one another in the wild. Can they break free from past lessons in love to risk a better future together?
From the Costa-shortlisted author of THE OTHER HALF OF AUGUSTA HOPE and ALL MY MOTHERS, this is a beautifully observed and life-affirming novel about finding yourself, and then allowing someone else to find you.
The Final Act of Juliette Willoughbyby Ellery Lloyd
Published June 20th by Pan Macmillan Thriller, Suspense, Mystery, Crime Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Some women can’t be erased from history . . .
A story of love and madness, of obsession and revenge.
Paris, 1938: Runaway heiress Juliette Willoughby perishes, with her married lover, in an accidental studio fire alongside her Surrealist masterpiece, Self-Portrait as Sphinx.
Cambridge, 1991: Two art history students stumble across proof something sinister was at play in Juliette’s death, threatening to expose the long-buried secrets of the artist’s aristocratic family.
Dubai, now: An art dealer is accused of the brutal murder of his oldest friend – the last surviving member of the Willoughby dynasty.
Three suspicious deaths over the course of a century.
Is the key to unlocking them all hidden in Juliette Willoughby’s lost painting?
The Wrong Hands (Dectective Miller Book 2) by Mark Billingham
Published June 20th by Sphere Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘Had me laughing out loud one minute and emotional the next. I’m excited to have found a new favourite detective’ — CLAIRE DOUGLAS
This is one case Miller won’t want to open . . .
Unconventional Detective Declan Miller has a problem. Still desperate to solve the murder of his wife, a young man has just appeared on his doorstep with a briefcase . . . containing a pair of severed hands.
Miller knows this case is proof of a contract killing commissioned by local ne’er do well Wayne Cutler – a man he suspects might also be responsible for his wife’s death. Now Miller has leverage, but unfortunately he also has something that both Cutler and a villainous fast-food kingpin are desperate to get hold of.
Chuck in a Midsomer Murders-obsessed hitman, a psychotic welder and a woman driven over the edge by a wayward Crème Egg, and Miller is in a mess that even he might not be able to dance his way out of.
Published June 20th by Black & White Publishing Mystery, Thriller, Historical Mystery, Historical Thriller, Women Sleuths
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Edinburgh, 1791. Isobel Duguid and her friend Clessidro are the stars of the Edinburgh Musical Society. Clessidro sings opera and Isobel sings famously dark Scottish ballads, despite her cavalier attitude to holding a tune. They roam the streets of Edinburgh, enjoying an opulent lifestyle.
One night a note arrives from the mysterious Mrs Abercorn, asking if Isobel’s most notorious song, The Fiddler’s Wrath, might be included in a book. It’s the tale of a prima donna who died of heartbreak after her husband committed murder and was sent to the gallows. Isobel is intrigued. But Mrs. Abercorn’s curiosity about the ballad is far more than a fickle interest. When Clessidro goes missing, Isobel is forced to confront her past and the truth about The Fiddler’s Wrath begins to emerge.
Using the geography of Edinburgh to guide us through the story, this dark tale becomes more complicated than anyone could have imagined and awakens the chilling retribution of a once buried secret.
Published June 20th by Doubleday Historical Fiction, Domestic Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: The gripping historical debut about a family separated by the Berlin wall – perfect for fans of All the Light We Cannot See, In Memoriam and Alone in Berlin
‘A tautly plotted, deeply involving novel that packs a real emotional punch … I can’t recommend this novel highly enough’Laura Barnett, author of The Versions of Us _____
Imagine waking up and a wall has divided your city in two. Imagine that on the other side is your child…
Lisette is in hospital with her baby boy. The doctors tell her to go home and get some rest, that he’ll be fine.
When she awakes, everything has changed. Because overnight, on 13 August 1961, the border between East and West Berlin has closed, slicing the city – and the world – in two.
Lisette is trapped in the east, while her newborn baby is unreachable in the west. With the streets in chaos and armed guards ordered to shoot anyone who tries to cross, her situation is desperate.
Lisette’s teenage daughter, Elly, has always struggled to understand the distance between herself and her mother. Both have lived for music, but while Elly hears notes surrounding every person she meets, for her mother – once a talented pianist – the music has gone silent.
Perhaps Elly can do something to bridge the gap between them. What begins as the flicker of an idea turns into a daring plan to escape East Berlin, find her baby brother, and bring him home….
Based on true stories, The Silence in Between is a page-turning, emotional epic that will stay with you long after you finish reading.
Boys Who Hurt (Forbidden Iceland Book 5) by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir xxx
Published June 20th by Orenda Books Mystery, Thriller, Icelandic Noir, Hard-Boiled, Women Sleuths, Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTIONL Fresh from maternity leave, Detective Elma finds herself confronted with a complex case, when a man is found murdered in a holiday cottage in the depths of the Icelandic countryside – the victim of a frenzied knife attack, with a shocking message scrawled on the wall above him.
At home with their baby daughter, Sævar is finding it hard to let go of work, until the chance discovery in a discarded box provides him with a distraction. Could the diary of a young boy, detailing the events of a long-ago summer have a bearing on Elma’s case?
Once again, the team at West Iceland CID have to contend with local secrets in the small town of Akranes, where someone has a vested interest in preventing the truth from coming to light. And Sævar has secrets of his own that threaten to destroy his and Elma’s newfound happiness.
Tense, twisty and shocking, Boys Who Hurt is the next, addictive instalment in the award-winning Forbidden Iceland series, as dark events from the past endanger everything…
Published June 20th by Hodder & Stoughton Psychological Thriller, Women Sleuths, Holiday Fiction,
BOOK DESCRIPTIONS: THE PERFECT ESCAPE . . . OR THE PERFECT TRAP?
TWO WEEKS AGO I woke up in a hotel room next to a dead man, with no memory of the night before. Panicked, I cleared up any trace that I was there and fled.
ONE WEEK AGO I was offered the perfect escape: the chance to housesit a gorgeous villa in a remote corner of Italy. Desperate to get away, I jumped at the chance.
NOW The owners have unexpectedly shown up at the house. The only problem? They’re the family of the man I woke up next to, two weeks ago.
ONE OF THEM KNOWS MY SECRET. AND THEY’VE COME TO FIND ME.
Published June 20th by Point Blank Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Domestic Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Sometimes it’s your own child you’re most afraid of…
‘I devoured this truly superb and extraordinary book… A must-read that will haunt me for a long time!’ Kathryn Croft, author of The Girl With No Past
Ever since an ominous palm-reading on her honeymoon, Frankie has suspected that her youngest son, Michael, is different. From an early age he sees things no one else can. As he grows up – academically gifted, a musical prodigy and with an unshakeable religious faith – his mother can no longer deny there is something strange about him, or that it frightens her.
It is only when Frankie learns Michael is sliding into drugs and violence that she realises she can’t keep ignoring the past. But by confronting her destructive marriage and her own responsibility for all that has gone wrong, she begins to see there is something darker at play.
The Cautious Traveller’s Guide To The Wastelands by Sarah Brookes
Published June 20th by W&N Historical Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Steampunk
BOOK DESCRIPTION: A breathtaking historical fantasy set onboard the Great Trans-Siberian Express, perfect for fans of Piranesi, Babel, The Night Circus and Jessie Burton
It is said there is a price that every passenger must pay. A price beyond the cost of a ticket.
It is the end of the nineteenth century and the world is awash with marvels. But there is nothing so marvellous as the Wastelands: a terrain of terrible miracles that lies between Beijing and Moscow.
Nothing touches the Wastelands except the Great Trans-Siberian Express: an impenetrable train built to carry cargo across continents, but which now transports anyone who dares.
Onto the platform steps a curious cast of characters: Marya, a grieving woman with a borrowed name; Weiwei, a famous child born on the train; and Henry Grey, a disgraced naturalist.
But there are whispers that the train isn’t safe. As secrets and stories begin to unravel, the passengers and crew must survive their journey together, even as something uncontrollable seems to be breaking in . . .
The Last Song of Penelope (The Songs of Penelope Book 3) by Claire North
Published June 20th by Orbit Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale, Greek Mythology, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Following the critically acclaimed Ithaca and House of Odysseus comes the final novel in Claire North’s Songs of Penelope trilogy – anexquisite, gripping tale that breathes life into ancient myth. This is the story of Penelope of Ithaca, famed wife of Odysseus, as it has never been told before.
Many years ago, Odysseus sailed to war and never returned. For twenty years his wife Penelope and the women of Ithaca have guarded the isle against suitors and rival kings. But peace cannot be kept forever, and the balance of power is about to break . . .
A beggar has arrived at the Palace. Salt-crusted and ocean-battered, he is scorned by the suitors – but Penelope recognises in him something terrible: her husband, Odysseus, returned at last. Yet this Odysseus is no hero. By returning to the island in disguise, he is not merely plotting his revenge against the suitors – vengeance that will spark a civil war – but he’s testing the loyalty of his queen. Has she been faithful to him all these years? And how much blood is Odysseus willing to shed to be sure?
The song of Penelope is ending, and the song of Odysseus must ring through Ithaca’s halls. But first, Penelope must use all her cunning to win a war for the fate of the island and keep her family alive, whatever the cost …
Published June 20th by Bedford Square Publishers Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Set in London in 1968, A CURTAIN TWITCHER’S BOOK OF MURDER follows the lives of the inhabitants of a suburban London street. But this is no ordinary road.
“Ask anyone on Atbara Avenue how well they know their neighbours, and they’ll answer ‘well’. After all, they see each other across the vast distance afforded by close proximity, and that is probably for the best…”.
For the best, because Atbara Avenue is a street where, all too often, murder feels like the solution.
With a delicious cast of characters, dazzling plotting, and an utterly unique voice, Gay Marris’ first book is remarkably accomplished. If you’ve been longing for a fresh and compelling new voice in the world of crime fiction, your wait is over.
The Unforgettable Loretta, Darling by Katherine Blake
Published June 20th by Viking Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical Romance, Crime Fiction, Romance Novel, Urban Fiction, Humorous Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story
BOOK DESCRIPTION: You’re Loretta Darling now, welcome to your brand-new flipping life.
Dreams don’t come true for girls like Loretta but she won’t let that stop her. With her sights set on becoming a make-up artist to the stars, Loretta wangles her way from Lancashire to the bright lights of Golden Age Hollywood.
Only it turns out that Sunset Boulevard is less about dashing fellas and chilled martinis – more sticky floors and misbehaving men. The gift of the gab can only get her so far but she refuses to go quietly.
Hollywood has its secrets … and so does Loretta.
For a start, that’s not her real name, and much more than lipstick lurks inside her beauty case.
After all, revenge is a dish best served with a perfectly painted smile.
Published June 20th by Baskerville Gothic Thriller, Historical Mystery
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘A mesmerising historical mystery and tale of suppressed secrets set amid the raw beauty of 1920s and 30s Sark. A brilliantly evoked novel based on a fascinating real case. Delectable’ Anna Mazzola, author of The Book of Secrets
October 1933
With a population of five hundred souls, isolated Sark has a reputation for being ‘the island where nothing ever happens’. Until, one day, the neatly folded clothes of an unknown man and woman are discovered abandoned at a coastal beauty spot. As the search for the missing couple catches the attention of first the local and then national newspapers, Sark finds itself front-page news.
When young islander Phyllis Carey returns to Sark from England she throws herself into solving the mystery. As Phyll digs through swirls of gossip, ghost stories and dark rumours in search of the truth, she crosses paths with Everard Hyde, a surprise visitor from her past. As press coverage builds to fever pitch, long-suppressed secrets from Phyll’s and Everard’s shared, shadowy history begin to surface.
The Stranger’s Companion is a beguiling historical mystery inspired by a real-life crime, which remains unsolved to this day.
Published June 20th by Fairlight Books Historical Fiction, Mystery, Historical Thriller, Literary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘We’re actually all rather terrible.’
On the cusp of the 1960s, when fourteen-year-old Ben moves into the ancestral home of his aunt and uncle, he is shocked by their wealth and glamour. Under the watchful eye of the Merryvale Mask, his sophisticated cousins teach him how to appreciate their languid opulence and draw him into the world of the elites. But five years later, when a woman’s body is found on the estate, his new life begins to crumble.
As the family is placed at the centre of a murder investigation, Ben starts to see their manipulative power in a harsher light. Placed on a collision course with his family, Ben faces a dilemma: how far is he willing to go to fit into their world?
Published June 20th by Simon & Schuster UK Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘I absolutely adored Under Your Spell the sweetest, sexiest, funniest romance. It was such a treat!’ Marian Keyes ‘So witty and smart. I am thoroughly under Laura Wood’s spell’Hannah Grace
She only wants three things. He isn’t one of them…
Dumped by her cheating ex, fired from her dream job, about to lose her flat: Clementine Monroe is not having a good day. So when her sisters get her drunk and suggest reviving a childhood ritual called the breakup spell, she doesn’t see the harm in it.
But now Clemmie has accidentally ruined a funeral, had her first one-night stand, and she’s stuck with a new job she definitely doesn’t want – spending six weeks alone with the gorgeous and very-off-limits rock star, Theo Eliott.
He’s the most famous man on the planet. Her life’s a disaster. When it comes to love, Clemmie is learning you should be careful what you wish for…
Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller
Published June 20th by HQ Satire, Political Ficiton, Southern Fiction, Dystopian
BOOK DESCRIPTION: From the author of The Change, comes a novel about book banning and those brave enough to stand up against this censorship.
In Troy, Georgia, Lula Dean has decided to cleanse the town’s reading habits. All banned books have been removed from public spaces, and the townspeople are only allowed to read books Lula has deemed ‘appropriate’.
But a small group refuse to be told what they can and can’t read.
Published June 25th by Zaffre Contemporary Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story
BOOK DESCRIPTION: I didn’t like to perform. I liked to be loved.
‘Like Daisy Jones soaked in Britney Spears’ Curious’ HOLLY BOURNE
It is 1997, and Amber Young has received a life-changing call. It’s a chance thousands of girls would die for: the opportunity to join a girl group and escape her small town. She quickly finds herself in the orbits of fellow rising stars Gwen Morris, a driven singer-dancer, and Wes Kingston, a member of the biggest boy band in the world.
As Amber embarks on her solo career and her fame intensifies, she increasingly finds herself reduced to a body, a voice, an object. Surrounded by the wrong kind of people and driven by a desire for recognition and success, for love and sex, for agency and connection, Amber comes of age at a time when the kaleidoscope of public opinion can distort everything, and one mistake can shatter a career.
Published June 27th by Michael Joseph Historical Fiction, Mystery, Psychological Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Urban Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Notting Hill, London. One May evening, seventeen-year-old Maggie Parker’s mother walks out of their front door and doesn’t return . . .
With her little brother in tow, desperate to find her mother, Maggie is drawn into a labyrinthine world of antiques and shadowy figures. There she befriends someone else living on their wits. But can he help solve the mystery of her mother’s disappearance?
Twenty-one years later, in a Parisian apartment, Maggie’s phone rings and her hard-won grown-up life shatters. While in London, the new owner of the Parker’s old house is excavating the basement, unaware of what might lie beneath.
Sweeping from bustling London streets, the boulevards of Paris to an old English country house, The Midnight Hour is a thrilling, richly woven story about a golden family with a hidden past – and a woman trying to turn back the hands of time before it’s too late.
Published June 27th by Corvus Romance Novel, Magical Realism, Contemporary Fiction
BOOK DESCRIPTION: ‘Magical … uplifting … the Phoenix Ballroom feels like an old friend’ Anton Du Beke
‘Every page is a joy’ Pip Williams
When it’s time to face the music, all we can do is dance…
Recently widowed Venetia Hamilton Hargreaves is left with a huge house, a bank balance to match and an uneasy feeling that she’s been sleepwalking through the last fifty years. Determined to live fully again, she embraces life with an enthusiasm and purpose she’d forgotten she could muster.
Buying the dilapidated Phoenix Ballroom and with it a drop-in centre and spiritualist church could be seen as reckless, but Venetia’s generosity, courage and kindness provide a refuge for a touching cast of damaged and lonely people who find their chosen family. As their stories intertwine, long buried secrets are revealed, missed opportunities seized and lives are renewed as the Phoenix lives up to its name.
The Phoenix Ballroom is a story of hope and second chances across the generations.
Published May 9th, 2024 by Headline Historical Ficiton, Biographical Fiction, Historical Biographical Fiction
Welcome to my review for this compelling and riveting historical novel that I read with the SquadPod this month. Thank you to Headline for the copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
‘A must for Tudor fans everywhere’ Tracy Borman
‘Thrilling, captivating . . . unforgettable’ Kate Williams
‘A gripping story that’s underpinned by a wealth of research . . . this is Alison Weir at her best’ Nicola Tallis
Sunday Times bestselling novelist Alison Weir returns with the spellbinding story of Mary I.
A DESTINY REWRITTEN. A ROYAL HEART DIVIDED.
Adored only child of Henry VIII and his Queen, Katherine of Aragon, Princess Mary is raised in the golden splendour of her father’s court. But the King wants a son and heir.
With her parents’ marriage, and England, in crisis, Mary’s perfect world begins to fall apart. Exiled from the court and her beloved mother, she seeks solace in her faith, praying for her father to bring her home. But when the King does promise to restore her to favour, his love comes with a condition.
The choice Mary faces will haunt her for years to come – in her allegiances, her marriage and her own fight for the crown. Can she become the queen she was born to be?
MARY I. HER STORY.
Alison Weir’s new Tudor novel is the tale, full of drama and tragedy, of how a princess with such promise, loved by all who knew her, became the infamous Bloody Mary.
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MY REVIEW:
A DESTINY REWRITTEN. A ROYAL HEART DIVIDED.
I’m a huge history buff and have always been a fan of the Tudor era so I was very excited when the SquadPod were offered the chance to read this as one of our featured books.
The book opens in 1525 when Mary is nine-years-old and follows her life all the way up until her death in 1588. Known infamously as ‘Bloody Mary’, Mary is a controversial figure among historians, but the last few years has seen a surge of research into her life and there has been an effort to rehabilitate her reputation. This prompted Alison Weir to revisit her past research and write a new book about one of England’s most famous queens.
Before reading this book I thought I knew a lot about Queen Mary I and this period of history. But I soon realised there were things I didn’t know such as the close bond that she and Elizabeth shared for many years, the health issues that plagued her most of her life, or that she was the first woman to rule England. And I realised that what I did know about her was so much more complex under the surface. Most interesting for me was learning why she turned to religion so ardently. Mary’s life was not a happy one. She was embroiled in royal politics from an early age, separated from her mother at 15, declared illegitimate at 17, and made lady-in-waiting to her infant half-sister, Elizabeth, that same year. Among all of this turmoil, heartache and uncertainty, Mary found solace in her Catholic faith. She was horrified when her father broke with Rome and declared Britain a Protestant country and became increasingly zealous, even risking martyrdom to attend mass when it was illegal. But the biggest reminder of her zealousness is her religious persecution of the Protestants when she was Queen. She lives on in infamy as the monarch who sent 280 people to the stake during her short, five year reign and it earned her the nickname ‘Bloody Mary’.
Compelling, powerful and riveting, this novel is a reminder that fact is so much more interesting than fiction. It also reminded me that one of the reasons I love history so much is that it is made up of the most spectacular and fascinating stories. Meticulously researched and expertly written, Ms. Weir brings history to life, transporting me back 600 years. I felt like I was in the room with them and could see it all vividly unfolding in front of me like I was watching it on a TV screen. Ms. Weir has been careful to write a balanced account of Mary’s life that highlights her accomplishments as well as her failures. But, for me, the good doesn’t outweigh the bad, and I didn’t find her to be a sympathetic character, even though she was fascinating, I am glad to understand her a little more.
Mary I Queen of Sorrows is a gripping and unmissable novel that history fans won’t want to miss.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Dr Alison Weir is the biggest-selling female historian (and the fifth best-selling historian) in the United Kingdom since records began in 1997. She has published thirty-two titles and sold more than 3 million books – over a million in the UK and 2.2 million in the USA. She is now working on two concurrent series of books: the Tudor Rose trilogy of novels about Elizabeth of York, Henry VIII and Mary I, and England’s Medieval Queens, a quartet of historical works of non-fiction.
Published April 11th, 2024 by Aria Psychological Fiction, Thriller, Literary Fiction, Legal Thriller, Political Thriller
Welcome to my review for this courageous and compelling thriller. This was one of our recent SquadPod Featured Books. Thank you to Aria for the gifted proof in exchange for an honest review.
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
They say she owes him everything. Now she wants to burn it all to the ground.
Grace Turner was one movie away from Hollywood’s A-List. So no one understood why, at the height of her career and on the eve of her first Golden Globe nomination, she disappeared.
Now, one year later, Grace is back in Los Angeles and ready to reclaim her life on her own terms.
When Grace is asked to present a lifetime achievement award to director Able Yorke – the man who controlled her every move for eight years – she knows there’s only one way she’ll be free of the secret that’s already taken so much from her.
The Comeback is a moving and provocative story of justice – a true page-turner about a young woman finding the strength and power of her voice, from the author of Reese’s Book Club pick Before We Were Innocent.
‘Beautifully written and compulsively readable.At its core, this book is about redemption, grace, and pain.’ – Jenna Bush Hager
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MY REVIEW:
“Maybe their turn for winning is over, Grace. Maybe it’s our turn now.”
An empowering, courageous and thought-provoking story that reveals the darkness that lurks beneath the glamour and glitz of Hollywood, The Comeback is a story that demands to be read. The story is told by Grace, a young Hollywood starlet who was on the cusp of making the A-List when she suddenly disappeared. Now, after a year of isolation at her parents’ home in Anaheim, Grace has returned to L.A. and is slowly rebuilding her life on her own terms. From the start there’s a sense of a secret hidden under the surface. A secret she doesn’t want to face. But she may not have a choice because just as she’s getting her life back on track she is asked to present a lifetime achievement award to her director Able Yorke. It seems perfect: the young actress honouring the man who discovered her and then mentored her for eight years. Suddenly Grace’s past demons are refusing to stay hidden and she must finally confront the things she’s been running from for so long.
The #MeToo movement highlighting Hollywood’s culture of sexual abuse and rape is now well known, but this story was originally conceived a few months before it in early 2017 and published in the US in 2020. Since then we have heard countless stories of the horrendous abuse actors and actresses were subjected to by those in authority, including the recent documentary ‘Quiet on Set’ which focused on the terrible treatment of Hollywood’s child stars. Grace’s story of coercive control, isolation, fear, and abuse, parallels many of the stories we are now familiar with. But that doesn’t make it any less potent or heartrending. With beautiful, bleak and bold writing, Ella Berman has crafted an achingly authentic story that gets under your skin, exposing the steep price many have had to pay for fame and fortune while making us look at Hollywood and celebrity gossip through a new lens.
“The most vicious demons have always been my own, and I’ve never learned how to protect myself from them. I have tried to move quietly through the world, figuring that if I could just forget what happened, then I could move on, but maybe it doesn’t work like that.”
This story wouldn’t work without a well written central character and Bermann has got the ‘everyday girl plucked from obscurity’ down to a tee. Fractured, flawed, vulnerable, and real, she is haunted by the trauma she’s been subjected to for eight years while everyone has told her how lucky she is. Her actions aren’t always right, but they are understandable, particularly as she confronts what she’s been through after burying it deep inside for so long. The other characters are equally as well-written and compelling and I liked how Berman illustrates the dysfunctional and transactional nature of the relationships in Grace’s life, highlighting the difficulty of maintaining healthy relationships when you work in Hollywood, and the problems that arise when trying to support someone through hardships such as addiction, trauma, and mental health issues.
The other character who is vital to get right is the villain of the story and I felt like Berman skillfully captured Able York. Able is charismatic, charming, seductive, shrewd, and cunning. This man gave me chills. He cleverly calculates his moves and is a total slimeball underneath the ‘nice guy’ persona he portrays. He knows just how to isolate and intimidate his victims and you can understand how Grace fell for his act, especially when so young and naive.
Melancholy, consuming, brutal and vivid, The Comeback is a timely story of bravery, strength, and the power of finding your voice. Highly recommended.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Ella Berman grew up in both London and Los Angeles and worked at Sony Music before starting the clothing brand London Loves LA. She lives in London with her husband, James, and their dog, Rocky. The Comeback is her first novel.
Published May 17th, 2024 by Bookouture Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, Crime Series
Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this dark and ominous thriller. Thank you to Bookouture for the invitation to take part and the eBook ARC.
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BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Her small hands tremble and tears run down her cheeks. Shivering in the dark, damp storeroom, the little girl clutches her favourite toy dog. She cries out for help, but nobody answers. Her mother went missing last night and, as dawn breaks, there is still no sign of her.
Four-year-old Cleo shakes with fear as she tells the police that her mother, Darcie, was taken by a man on their way home last night. Darcie told Cleo to run and hide, and the last thing she saw was Darcie being pushed into the back of a car.
When police look into Darcie’s life, they discover a drunken argument with her best friend hours before she went missing, a dark figure seen loitering near where Cleo was found, and a recent assault allegation against a customer at Darcie’s work.
It seems like everyone around the young mother was keeping secrets, but Darcie had a dark secret of her own – one she hasn’t dared tell a soul.
Did Darcie’s deadly past finally catch up with her? And will she find the strength to fight for her life and keep her promise to return for her beloved daughter?
If you enjoy reading Angela Marsons, J M Dalgliesh and Mark Edwards then you’ll absolutely love this addictive page-turner.
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MY REVIEW:
“Tik, tick, tick. The clock is ticking and when eleven comes, we’ll take a lovely trip down memory lane.”
Four-year-old Cleo is found clutching her favourite toy dog in the barn of the B&B. Shaking, the little girl tells police that a man took her mother, Darcie, as they were on their way home last night. Detective Gina Harte and her team are called in to investigate and quickly begin to uncover clues that point to everyone around her keeping secrets. Not only that, but Darcie is hiding a dark secret of her own that may have come back to haunt her. The clock is ticking. Can Gina and her team unravel the clues and find Darcie before time runs out?
Her Last Goodbye is the 15th book in the Detective Gina Harte Series, and it’s another ominous, tense and gripping thriller. I inhaled this book, hooked once more by the skillful pen of Carla Kovach. My love of this series and author is no secret. Ms. Kovach books are an auto-read for me, and she can always be relied upon to deliver a fast paced story that I can’t put down. She is skilled at crafting dark, morally complex storylines and characters that show both the best and worst of humankind. Her multilayered plots never fail to put your emotions through the wringer, and her characters are all brilliantly written and compelling. And her villains. They never fail to unnerve me, but this time she really sent chills down my spine with the lengths this person went to in stalking their victims. I’ll be looking closely at my ceiling from now on!
One of my favourite things about a book series is revisiting much-loved and familiar characters. It was great to be back with Gina and her team, and I appreciated that Ms. Kovach gave them a break in their private life after the intense goings on in the last book. Gina is a brilliant protagonist. Feisty, determined, and with a strong sense of justice, I love how she fights for those unable to fight for themselves. It is nice to see her past torment her less as time goes on, and I appreciate the realistic but sensitive representation of domestic abuse and trauma that is shown through Gina and other characters in this series. As a survivor it is empowering to see books like this that help us to feel seen and raise awareness and understanding of things such as coercive control. All that aside, I am still rooting for Gina to find her happy-ever-after with a certain someone. Please make it happen Carla!
Dark, suspenseful and pacy, this page-turner is a must for any thriller-lover.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Carla Kovach is a USA Today bestselling author from the UK and is published by Bookouture, Sphere, Boekerij and Virtualo. Her DI Gina Harte series has been translated into Dutch, German and Polish.
As well as novels, she has also written stage and screenplays.
Published May 23rd, 2024 by Black & White Publishing Historical Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Contemporary Fantasy, Science Fiction Alternative History
Today is my stop on the blog tour for this glittering and mesmerising novel. Thank you to Tracy at Compuslive Readers Tours for the invitation to take part, and to Flora at Black & White Publishing for the gifted proof copies of the book in exchange for my honest review.
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BOOK DESCRIPTION:
‘Marvellous’ Bridget Collins, TheSunday Times bestselling author of The Binding
Sometimes the greatest spectacle hides the darkest secrets . . .
In an alternate London, the city’s Theatre District is a walled area south of the river where an immersive production – the Show – has been running for centuries, growing ever bigger, more sprawling and lavish. The Show is open to anyone who can afford a ticket but the District itself is a closed world; even the police have no jurisdiction within its walls.
Juliet’s mother died when she was a baby. Brought up by her emotionally distant father and even more distant stepmother, she has never felt wanted. It’s only when her father passes away that Juliet – now nineteen – learns her birth was registered in the District. Desperate to belong somewhere at last, she travels to London where she hopes to unearth the truth about her identity, her mother’s death and her father’s years of silence – and claim her birthright.
But in the District, there is only one central truth: the Show must go on. And in a world where illusions abound, and powerful men control the narrative, Juliet has no idea of just how far some will go to ensure certain stories are never told . . .
For fans of The Miniaturist and The Doll Factory, The Theatre of Glass and Shadows is a place where nothing is as it seems.
‘Original and captivating’ Karen Coles, author of The Asylum
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MY REVIEW:
“There are all sorts of stories – well, fragments of stories really – about some people being let in in some way. That the Show is just the tip of the iceberg, with the real mysteries hidden below the surface…”
Luminous, breathtaking, and beguiling, The Theatre of Shadows is a mesmerising story that I never wanted to end. Set in an alternative London, the story follows 19-year-old Juliet who is searching for answers following her father’s death. She grew up feeling unwanted and unloved, raised by her distant father and stepmother after her mother’s death when she was just a baby. Her father refused to talk about her mother, leaving their past shrouded in secrets that seem destined to remain hidden. But when two detectives turn up asking questions, Juliet is determined to uncover the truth about her mother and her past. After discovering that her birth was registered in the Theatre District, she travels to London hoping to finally uncover the truth. But the Theatre District is a place of stories and illusion, where the only truth is ‘the Show must go on’. And, as Juliet is about to discover, there are some who will do anything to make sure that happens…
“As she crossed the river, the feeling of almost and so close was like electricity, sparking through her. This was every Christmas, every birthday, every magical thing that only happened to other people, all rolled together, and she could hardly breathe with the press of it inside her.”
Take a bow, Anne Corlett. A lush dreamscape, this was one of the best books I’ve read this year. It has that perfect combination of lyrical, poetic prose and page-turning momentum that you rarely find. There is also a quiet intensity to the story that tells you there is something sinister bubbling beneath the surface, of dark secrets hidden alongside the fairytales and fantasies told in the Theatre District. Ms. Corlett is a masterful storyteller and dreamweaver, expertly spinning together the gossamer threads of this intricately woven tale and the storytelling is so pitch-perfect that it actually unfolds like a piece of theatre that I could see in vivid technicolour. I loved the darkly mysterious aspect of this story and how I didn’t see some of the twists coming before they pulled the rug from under me. I was captivated, held in Corlett’s thrall from beginning to end as I devoured this glorious tale.
“The whole place was a dense, multi-layered tapestry… The various loops wove together to create a complex narrative, with a few main strands running through it all.”
At the heart of this book are two things: Juliet, and the Theatre District. Juliet is a flawed but realistic heroine who I was rooting for at every step. Her story is so heartrending that you can’t help but want her to find happiness and a place to belong after always feeling on the outside of her own family. But, while Juliet and the other characters are richly drawn and compelling, it is the Theatre District that feels like the star of the show. Cloaked in mystery, myth and secrets, the Theatre District is a glamorous tableau where hopes and dreams come true and magic and stories are embedded into every crevice. It is like a character in its own right, and Corlett made it come alive with spellbinding imagery that made me want to live inside this magical place she had created. The secretive nature of the real identity of its cast, its inner workings and the Show itself, along with the black masquerade mask that they require everyone to wear, adds to the enigmatic atmosphere that pervades it. There is a magnetism that is impossible to resist and from the moment she arrives, Juliet feels like she has finally found her home. Like her, I was enchanted by this unusual but also desperate to unlock the secrets it was hiding. This is a story ripe for an adaptation and I can imagine watching it over the festive period surrounded by the twinkling lights on the Christmas tree. So, I’m going to need someone to make it ASAP.
Glittering, soulful, haunting and evocative, this magnificent novel is one you won’t forget and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Rating: 🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Anne is originally from the north-east, but somehow slid down the map and finished up in a small village near Bath, where she lives with her partner and three sons. She has an MA in English Language and Linguistics from Edinburgh University, and an MSt in Linguistics from Oxford University. During her postgraduate studies, she worked as an etymologist and proofreader for a dictionary, carrying out research at the Bodleian Library.
Armed with her linguistics-related degrees and work experience, Anne took the somewhat illogical next step and became a criminal lawyer. In 2011, after several years spent working in the London courts and police stations, Anne remembered that she’d actually planned to be a writer, and commenced work on her first novel. This was slightly unfortunate timing, given that she was right in the middle of relocating to Somerset with her family, who seemed to feel that a little less novel-writing and a little more packing might be warranted. They probably had a point.
Over the next couple of years Anne fitted writing work around her day job as a solicitor. Her writing has appeared in various newspapers, magazines and anthologies, and has won various awards.
In 2016, The Space Between the Stars was published by Pan Macmillan in the UK and Random House in the US. She wrote most of this novel while studying for a Creative Writing MA at Bath Spa University. Her second novel, The Theatre of Glass and Shadows, will be published in May 2024 by Bonnier.
Anne enjoys working with other writers, through editing, mentoring and teaching. For more information about her services, please get in touch using the contact form.
Published May 9th, 2024 by Orion Cozy Mystery, Literary Fiction, Puzzles, Coming-of-Age Story, Domestic Fiction, Gay Fiction
Today I’m my review for this charming and uplifting debut that was one of our SquadPod Featured Books this month. Thank you to Orion for the gifted proof copy in exchange for an honest review.
Tune in on the SquadPod Instagram account tonight at 7.30pm to here me chat with Samuel about the book.
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BOOK DESCRIPTION:
‘Utterly beautiful. I adored it’ JOANNA CANNON
‘Hugely uplifting and wonderful’AJ PEARCE
‘A ripping yarn full of warmth and wonder’BETH MORREY
Sometimes finding your place in the world is the greatest puzzle of all…
Clayton Stumper is an enigma.
He might be twenty-five years old, but he dresses like your grandad and drinks sherry like your aunt.
Abandoned at birth on the steps of the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, he was raised by the sharpest minds in the British Isles and finds himself amongst the last survivors of a fading institution.
When the esteemed crossword compiler, Pippa Allsbrook, passes away, she bestows her final puzzle to him: a promise to reveal the mystery of his parentage and prepare him for his future.
Yet as Clay begins to unpick the clues, he uncovers something even the Fellowship have never been able to solve – and it’s a secret that will change everything…
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MY REVIEW:
Sometimes, finding your place in the world is the greatest puzzle of all.
Sometimes you only have to look at a book and know you’re going to love it. The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers was everything I’d hoped for and more. Cryptic, quirky and uplifting, this magnificent debut is an absolute gem. An ode to friendship, community, love and finding your place in the world, this hit the sweet spot where you want to devour it whole but also never want it to end.
Clayton Stumper is not your average 25-year-old. He was abandoned at birth and found in a hatbox on the steps of The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers by its founder, Pippa, and has been raised there ever since. But when Pippa passes away she leaves behind one final puzzle to be solved: the mystery of Clayton’s parentage. Can Clayton follow the clues to finally solve the puzzle that has eluded even the brightest minds of the country?
Debut novelist Samuel Burr has set the bar sky-high with this phenomenal debut and I will be buying anything he writes from now on. It is cleverly written, shrewdly plotted and steadily paced, keeping the reader guessing with misdirection and surprising revelations. The story moves smoothly between dual timelines and narrators, following Clayton on his journey of self-discovery in the present, while the past details the Fellowship’s conception and events leading up to the day Clayton was discovered on their doorstep. But what I loved most about this book was how Burr intricately weaves puzzles into every aspect of the story, including making it so the reader can play along and try to solve the clues alongside the characters. But, don’t worry if you don’t like puzzles, because you can also flip to the answers at the back. I’m a puzzle fan and enjoyed trying to solve the clues, but I did use the answer sheet for some of them, too.
Burr has created an eclectic cast of wonderful and fascinating characters who fit together like puzzle pieces despite coming from different boxes. I enjoyed their friendships that slowly blossomed into a found family. Clayton and Pippa were excellent protagonists who were both likeable, relatable, easy to root for, and had compelling backstories. I loved seeing Clayton slowly emerge from his self-imposed cocoon like a butterfly as he followed Pippa’s clues and enjoyed looking for ones that might be hidden in the flashbacks. Pippa was a nurturing, caring and supportive character, and I loved how she brought everybody together by creating a place where they could do what they love without judgement. It reminded me of finding my people in the book community, and when Pippa and the Puzzlers spoke about how puzzling makes them feel, it was as if I was speaking about my love of reading.
Charming, warm, joyful, and addictive, The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers is feel-good fiction at its finest. Add this to your TBR now!
Rating: 🧩🧩🧩🧩🧩
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Samuel studied at Westminster Film School and now works as an author and freelance TV executive. He has developed and produced popular-factual shows including Channel 4’s Genderquake and The Greatest Shows on Earth, BBC Two’s Eight Go Rallying and The Secret Life of Cleaners, and the BAFTA-nominated Secret Life of 4-Year-Olds.
A documentary he shot inside a retirement village when he was eighteen years old launched his career in television and inspired his debut novel, The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers. Samuel’s writing was shortlisted for Penguin’s WriteNow scheme and in 2021 he graduated from the Faber Academy.
In his spare time, Samuel volunteers for the elderly charity Age UK. He lives in London with his partner Tom and their cat Muriel.
Published January 19th, 2023 by Pan Macmillan Thriller, Suspense, Mystery, Dystopian Fiction, Science Fiction
Thank you to Pan Macmillan and Bookbreak for sending me a proof copy in exchange for an honest review.
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BOOK DESCRIPTION:
‘Clever, compelling and terrifyingly plausible’ – C. J. Tudor, author of A Sliver of Darkness
What if marriage was the law? Dare you disobey? Set in the same world as The One, now a Netflix Original Series, The Marriage Act is a dark, high-concept thriller from bestselling author John Marrs.
‘A page-turning and thought-provoking read’ – Daily Mirror
Britain. The near future. A right-wing government believes it has the answer to society’s ills – the Sanctity of Marriage Act, which actively encourages marriage as the norm, punishing those who choose to remain single.
But four couples are about to discover just how impossible relationships can be when the government is supervising every aspect of our personal lives, monitoring every word, every minor disagreement – and will use every tool in its arsenal to ensure everyone will love, honour and obey . . .
Shortlisted for the Goodreads Awards 2023.
Black Mirror meets thriller with a dash of Naomi Alderman’s The Power.
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MY REVIEW:
The Marriage Act is a pacy speculative thriller set in Britain in the near future. A right-wing government has brought into law the Sanctity of Marriage Act, actively encouraging marriage by offering benefits for those opting for a Smart Marriage and punishing those who remain single. They believe it is the answer to society’s problems. After all, what could go wrong with a system where the government monitors and controls every aspect of your relationship? Four couples are about to find out…
John Marrs is at the top of his game and can do no wrong in my eyes. Everything he writes is golden; cleverly crafted with a merciless finesse that keeps his reader on tenterhooks from start to finish. A perfect marriage of complex moral and social issues, red herrings, shocks and suspense, this is a masterclass in speculative fiction. It grabs your attention from the dark opening pages that contain a promise of secrets just waiting to be revealed. Much of this story seems far-fetched at first. But, as you read, you begin to realise that none of this is beyond the realms of possibility. Suddenly everything feels frighteningly real and the fact that I could imagine all of this happening chilled me to my core.
This is the fourth book set in The One Universe, the dystopian world that Marrs created which connects a number of his books, coming after The One, The Passengers,and The Minders.While it isn’t necessary to read these in order to follow what’s happening in this book, I highly recommend reading ALL of Marrs’ books. Now, back to The Marriage Act. Those who sign up to a Smart Marriage are monitored 24/7 by a device called an Audite. The Audite listens and records the couples conversations throughout the day, not only picking up on every word, but also their tone and the volume of their voices. This constant monitoring leads to a claustrophobic atmosphere, feelings of distrust, and people manipulating or avoiding conversations. If the Audite decides your marriage is in trouble they will send a Relationship Responder who then lives with you and helps you work on your marriage issues. In this complex and nuanced story there are many different clauses that also come along with a Smart Marriage, and as the story goes on we see the many flaws in the system.
The story is told in mixed media from multiple points of view. I listened to it on audiobook and while the narration is fantastic, it did feel very confusing at first and I struggled to keep up with the many characters and threads of the story. But that didn’t last long, and I soon lost myself in the story, devouring the book in under a day. Marrs has created a large cast of interesting characters that come from different walks of life. Some were easier to root for than others, and there were some I couldn’t stand, but all of them were compelling, flawed, relatable and real. They are people you could imagine as your friends, family or neighbours, heightening the feeling that this could all actually happen.
Ominous, tense, twisty and thought-provoking, The Marriage Act is a compulsive thriller charged with adrenaline charged with adrenaline that you won’t want to put down. Highly recommended.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
*I listened to this book on Bookbeat. You can listen for two months free by clicking this link*
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
John Marrs is an author and former journalist based in London and Northamptonshire. After spending his career interviewing celebrities from the worlds of television, film and music for numerous national newspapers and magazines, he is now a full-time author. His books include No1 bestseller and Netflix series The One, The Passengers, award winning What Lies Between Us and The Good Samaritan.
Published May 9th, 2024 by Orenda Books Crime Fiction, Mystery, Hardboiled, Translated Fiction
Today I’m resharing my review for this darkly atmospheric thriller as part of the paperback blog tour. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and Orenda Books for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
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BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A snobbish Danish literary author is challenged to write a crime novel in thirty days, travelling to a small village in Iceland for inspiration, and then a body appears … an atmospheric, darkly funny, twisty debut thriller, first in an addictive new series.
‘An original and thoroughly enjoyable treat’ Guardian
‘Dark and sharp … A lot of fun’ Val McDermid
‘Witty, dark, meta, ingenious and hugely compelling. I LOVED the Icelandic setting and satirical observations’ Will Dean
‘Hilariously scathing. Satirises genre fiction while creating a first-class example of it, full of suspects, red herrings and twists … wit and originality make it a joy to read’ Mark Sanderson, The Times CRIME BOOK OF THE MONTH
**Winner of the Harald Mogensen Prize for Best Danish Crime Novel** **Shortlisted for the Glass Key Award**
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Copenhagen author Hannah is the darling of the literary community and her novels have achieved massive critical acclaim. But nobody actually reads them, and frustrated by writer’s block, Hannah has the feeling that she’s doing something wrong.
When she expresses her contempt for genre fiction, Hanna is publicly challenged to write a crime novel in thirty days. Scared that she will lose face, she accepts, and her editor sends her to Húsafjöður – a quiet, tight-knit village in Iceland, filled with colourful local characters – for inspiration.
But two days after her arrival, the body of a fisherman’s young son is pulled from the water … and what begins as a search for plot material quickly turns into a messy and dangerous investigation that threatens to uncover secrets that put everything at risk … including Hannah…
Atmospheric, dramatic and full of nerve-jangling twists and turns, Thirty Days of Darkness is a darkly funny, unsettling debut Nordic Noir thriller that marks the start of a breath-taking new series.
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MY REVIEW:
“Hannah looks up, suddenly struck by the thought that she isn’t sure if reality is serving as a blueprint for her novel, or whether her novel may end up predicting reality.”
Hannah takes her writing seriously. The sweetheart of the literary world, she agonises over every word and is dismissive of genre fiction. At a book fair she declares that genre fiction is so easy, anyone could write a book in thirty days, which she is then challenged to do by another author. Afraid to lose face, Hanmah accepts the challenge and soon finds herself on her way to a remote, tight-knitvillage in Iceland, where she will write her thriller. Two days after her arrival the discovery of a body in the water provides Hannah with the perfect plot material. But things soon spiral out of control and she finds herself immersed in a dangerous and chaotic investigation that puts her, and others, at risk.
“At the end of the day, it’s not the dead we’re interested in. It’s ourselves. The death of another forces the bereaved to reflect on their own lives. Through death, we can put everything into perspective, look at the details of one’s own life anew. And ponder in what way death may eventually come for us. “
Darkly atmospheric, twisty, original and filled with black humour, , Thirty Days of Darkness is a riveting debut that keeps you guessing from start to finish. I’m always excited about a new book from Orenda, but when I read the synopsis for this one I was even more intrigued. I loved the idea of taking some of the criticisms of genre fiction and challenging them by having a character who shares those negative ideas and daring her to prove it’s as easy as they think. I think it’s a difficult plot to pull off as it risks being cliche or a caricature of itself, but Jenny Lund Masden accomplishes it with finesse, crafting a story that is well written, compelling and has the reader on the edge of their seat. Told in short, choppy chapters that help keep the story feeling fresh, there’s an element of satire as Hannah scathingly bashes genre fiction in a book that is an outstanding illustration of why she’s so wrong.
“She looks down at her nails, flexes her fingers, as if they contain some unknown mystery. Which they do, in a way. They translate her thoughts into words, bring her soul into the world, materialise it.”
I love a flawed character so I was thrilled that Hannah isn’t your typical charming protagonist. Snarky, difficult, snobby, and not particularly likeable, she nonetheless has something about her that makes you want to keep reading, if only to see her fall flat on her face or be proven wrong. It was interesting to watch her journey of self-reflection during her time in Iceland and found her much more likeable by the end. But I was glad she never fully lost her spiky edge. Another thing I enjoyed is watching Hannah spar with her nemesis, fellow author Jorn, who is the one who set her the challenge. But I was never quite sure what to make of him and couldn’t decide if the bad feeling I got from him was genuine or had been coloured by Hannah’s opinions.
“Don’t stick your nose too deep into all this. This town has secrets that are best left alone.”
I think small towns make for a great book setting, and I loved the ominous atmosphere of this one. It’s a very secretive place and from the start Hannah is warned not to dig too deep, adding to the impending sense of danger and foreboding that crackles on every page. The residents are a colourful bunch of characters, many of whom match the strange vibe of the village and add to the menacing atmosphere. But is this because they know something, or just a case of a small town closing ranks against an outsider? I had mixed feelings but loved that this, along with the author’s brilliant writing, made it impossible for me to feel like I’d actually figured out who the antagonist was right up until the big reveal that left my jaw on the floor.
Unsettling, mysterious and suspenseful, Thirty Days of Darkness is a must-have addition to the TBR of all thriller lovers.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Jenny Lund Madsen is one of Denmark’s most acclaimed scriptwriters (including the international hits Rita and Follow the Money) and is known as an advocate for better representation for sexual and ethnic minorities in Danish TV and film. She recently made her debut as a playwright with the critically acclaimed Audition (Aarhus Teater) and her debut literary thriller, Thirty Days of Darkness, first in an addictive new series, won the Harald Mogensen Prize for Best Danish Crime Novel of the year and was shortlisted for the coveted Glass Key Award. She lives in Denmark with her young family.
Megan Turney is originally from the West Midlands, and after having spent several years working back and forth between the UK and the Hardanger region of Norway, she is now based in Edinburgh, working as a commercial and literary translator and editor. She was the recipient of the National Centre for Writing’s 2019 Emerging Translator Mentorship in Norwegian, and is a published science fiction critic. She holds an MA (Hons) in Scandinavian Studies and English Literature from the University of Edinburgh, as well as an MA in Translation and Interpreting Studies from the University of Manchester.
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