Category: Squadpod Reviews

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SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: The Lying Guest by Mahi Cheshire

Published March 20th, 2025 by Harvill Secker
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Medical Thriller

Welcome to my review for this gripping thriller. Thank you Harvill Secker for sending me a copy in exchange in for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

You don’t know her, but she’s watching you…

Hardworking and overworked, Anika is a talented surgeon at a London hospital. It’s been some time since she’s had a decent night’s sleep, let alone a holiday. Not ideal for someone with parasomnia – a rare, often stress-induced, condition that causes sleepwalking blackouts.

When a patient dies on her operating table, important people start asking questions and the media turns against her with zeal. She quickly becomes a pariah at work. Shafted to endless night shifts and then on suspended leave.

It seems her only respite is to escape on a conveniently all-expenses-paid housesitting gig in Sri Lanka and keep a low profile until the drama passes, and the verdict on her case – and career as a surgeon – is decided.

Despite everything, she’s excited to visit the place she used to summer as a child. But what should be a restorative beach break is really a trip back into a murky, haunted past, which has been waiting for her all along.

Will she finally wake up to face her troubles? Or is she cursed to sleepwalk through life?

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MY REVIEW:

Talented surgeon Anika is overworked and overtired. It’s been a while since she last had a decent night’s sleep and the last thing she needs is an extra surgery when her night shift should be over. But there’s no one else and it is only a quick, routine procedure. But when her patient dies on the operating table, his prominent family accuses Anika of negligence. As the storm surrounding what happens grows and the hospital suspends her until an inquiry can be conducted.

Utterly devastated, Anika longs for an escape. So when an email lands in her inbox advertising a job caretaking a house in Sri Lanka, it seems she’s found the perfect solution. She’s excited to visit the place she was born and take a break. But she’s also nervous. Because Anika hasn’t returned since the night something terrible happened that she can’t fully remember sixteen years ago. Maybe this will finally give her the chance to finally lay her ghosts to rest. But soon, the holiday that she hoped would heal her turns into another nightmare she’s trying to escape…

Wow! What a rollercoaster this book was! Mysterious, tense and twisty, The Lying Guest certainly kept me on my toes. And that finale! Talk about heart-pounding. Anika is a compelling and likeable protagonist who was easy to root for. She has a rare condition called parasomnia, that can cause sleepwalking, sleep terrors and sleep paralysis and is made worse by things such as stress and sleep deprivation. Anika’s condition has been well managed since she took an experimental medication following the mysterious event that still haunts her. Because of this, Anika and the reader are never sure how reliable she is, adding to the tension and making me question everything. And while her housesitting gig should have been an easy job at a luxury house, she instead finds a dilapidated place with an unsettling atmosphere. Locals say the house is cursed and haunted, which Anika initially shrugs off but soon begins to question when unexplained things begin to happen. But could they be her parasomnia returning?

Eerie, gripping and layered, this is a must for any thriller lover.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mahi Cheshire was born in Sri Lanka and grew up in London. She works as a GP and has a degree in Psychology. She loves travelling, kundalini yoga and boxing, all of which provide inspiration for her writing. She lives in London with her husband and daughter.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: The Last Days of Summer by Sarra Manning

Published March 27th, 2025 by Hodder & Stoughton
Romcom, Romance, Romatic Comedy, Humorous Fiction

Welcome to my review for this spicy and heartfelt romcom. Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for sending me a proof copy in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Sometimes all it takes is one long summer weekend for the person you thought you hated to become something more…

‘It’s about friendship, it’s about life, it’s about how people change . . . I loved it very much’ MARIAN KEYES
‘Funny, filled with emotion and very, very sexy! Add it to your 2025 TBR pile immediately…’ BETH O’LEARY
‘I laughed out loud, cried until I was a husk and finished it feeling refreshed, renewed, and looking at life a little bit differently. It’s a summer I never wanted to end’ CRESSIDA MCLAUGHLIN
‘Your favourite writer’s favourite writer . . . fun, sexy, bittersweet and utterly romantic, I fell head over heels for Cassie and Marc’ LINDSEY KELK
‘Expertly crafted, extremely loveable and a perfect balance of wit, heart and smut’ LAUREN BRAVO
****

After a disastrous first meeting, Cassie and Marc become arch nemeses. He might have great cheekbones and a sexy French accent but he’s a terrible person who did a terrible thing. Too bad that Cassie’s best friends Lucy and Russell think he’s wonderful.

But years later, when an unexpected tragedy strikes their friendship group, Cassie and Marc team up to give Lucy and Russell the best weekend ever so they can make new memories with all of their favourite people. Which means convincing everyone that Cassie and Marc are head over heels in love.

After hating him for so long, it takes four bittersweet days for Cassie to wonder if she got Marc all wrong. Can they let go of their troubled past and together, face whatever the future is going to throw at them?

⭐Enemies to lovers
⭐Fake relationship
⭐Grumpy / sunshine
⭐Heartfelt and emotional
⭐True love
⭐Hot, French, male main character
⭐Spicy, including a walk-in pantry scene…

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MY REVIEW:

Cassie and Marc have been the archest of nemeses ever since their disastrous first meeting sixteen years ago. She knows that beyond his sexy French good looks is a terrible person, even if her friends seem to like him. But now an unexpected tragedy forces Cassie and Marc to work together to give their mutual friends, Lucy and Russell, the best weekend ever. And to make things worse, they must pretend to be in love. As the weekend unfolds, Cassie begins to see Marc in a new light. Could her arch enemy actually be the man she’s been waiting for all this time?

Sarra Manning never fails to deliver. A delightful and funny romcom filled with depth that made me feel all the feelings,  The Last Days of Summer was the perfect pick for our SquadPod Book Club this month. This is Manning at her best. The enemies to lovers storyline radiates hatred and chemistry, the spice is sizzling, the humour is sharp, and the emotions are heartbreaking. Heartfelt but hopeful,  it had me glued to the pages and I devoured it in under a day. 

Cassie and Marc are compelling characters who immediately drew me in. I loved how different they were and the added mystery of a secret history between them that was at the root of their mutual distaste. Their best friends, Lucy and Russell, were also brilliantly written, pulling on my heartstrings with their tragic storyline that I’m not ashamed to say brought tears to my eyes a few times. Their love radiated from the pages and I understood Cassie’s mixed feelings of jealousy at the love they shared and grief at what was happening to them. As the story, and the weekend away, progressed, I was glued to the pages by Cassie and Marc’s will they/won’t they romance. I really related to Cassie as Manning expertly portrayed the fear, insecurities, hurt and resentment she was feeling. I wanted her to find the love she longed for, and after seeing how red-hot her chemistry was with Marc, I wanted her to find it with him. 

So, if you’re looking for a spicy but emotional romcom to read in the sun, this is for you.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sarra Manning has been a voracious reader for over forty years and a prolific author and journalist for twenty five.

Her novels, which have been translated into fifteen different languages include Unsticky, You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me, After The Last Dance, The Rise And Fall Of Becky Sharp and her latest, Rescue Me, which publishes in 2021. Sarra has also written over fifteen YA novels, and four light-hearted romantic comedies under a pseudonym.

She started her writing career on Melody Maker and Just Seventeen, has been editor of ElleGirl and What To Wear and has also contributed to The Guardian, ELLE, Grazia, Stylist, Fabulous, Stella, You Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar and is currently the Literary Editor of Red magazine.

Sarra has also been a Costa Book Awards judge and has been nominated for various writing awards herself.

She lives in London surrounded by piles and piles of books.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: Son by Johana Gustawsson and Thomas Enger

Published March 27th, 2025 by Orenda
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Nordic Noir, Hardboiled Mystery, Women Sleuths, Crime Series, Police Procedurals

Welcome to my review for this sensational first installment in an exciting new series. Thank you to Orenda Books for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Psychologist and expert on body language and memory, Kari Voss investigates the murder of two teenaged girls in the small Norwegian town of Son, as suspicion is cast on multiple suspects. A mesmerisingly dark, twisty start to a nerve-shattering new series by two of the world’s finest crime writers…
 
‘Blown away by this cracking thriller and I was already loving it before they hit me with THAT ending. Bravo!’  Trevor Wood 
 
‘I absolutely loved this. A body language expert with grief of her own, a devastated community full of secrets, and a final sentence that leaves you reeling. Can’t wait for the next in the series’ Sam Holland
 
‘This is the perfect thriller’ Michael Wood
 
_______________________
 
Everyone here is lying…
 
Expert on body language and memory, and consultant to the Oslo Police, psychologist Kari Voss sleepwalks through her days, and, by night, continues the devastating search for her young son, who disappeared on his birthday, seven years earlier.
 
Still grieving for her dead husband, and trying to pull together the pieces of her life, she is thrust into a shocking local investigation, when two teenage girls are violently murdered in a family summer home in the nearby village of Son.
 
When a friend of the victims is charged with the barbaric killings, it seems the case is closed, but Kari is not convinced. Using her skills and working on instinct, she conducts her own enquiries, leading her to multiple suspects, including people who knew the dead girls well…
 
With the help of Chief Constable Ramona Norum, she discovers that no one – including the victims – are what they seem. And that there is a dark secret at the heart of Son village that could have implications not just for her own son’s disappearance, but Kari’s own life, too…
 
For fans of Harlan Coben, Lars Kepler, Jo Nesbo and Jorn Lier Horst … and The Mentalist

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MY REVIEW:

The first in an exciting new series, Son is a nerve-shredding thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. It introduces us to Kari Voss, a psychologist and expert in language and memory who is often referred to as a ‘human lie detector’. By day, Kari consults with the Oslo Police on cases, and by night, she searches for her son who disappeared on his 9th birthday seven years ago. When two teenage girls are brutally murdered and one of their friends is charged with the crime, Kari is pulled into the investigation. And while the police believe the case is closed, Kari believes the boy could be innocent. So, she starts her own investigation, leading her down a dangerous path that ultimately sees her past and present collide in unexpected ways. 

Johana Gustawsson and Thomas Enger are the writing duo I didn’t know I needed. A sinister storytelling dream team, together they have crafted a masterfully written thriller that is psychologically rich, unbearably tense, intricately interwoven and densely plotted. The story explores a number of topics: grief, trauma, secrets, lies, truth, suspicion, memory and true crime.  It is meticulously researched and I enjoyed learning more about how our bodies tell the truth even when we don’t, how our memory isn’t as reliable as we’d like to think and the double edged sword that our true crime fascination can be. It’s thought-provoking, action-packed and left me breathless. 

Nothing and no-one is what they seem in this book. Everyone has multiple layers and different sides to them and they choose which parts they show to whom. Gustawsson and Enger use this expertly, creating a layered narrative and characters by carefully showing the reader what they want them to see before slowly unveiling the truth piece by piece. It created heart-pounding tension that had me second guessing myself at every step. Even the book’s title has hidden meaning as it relates to both the disappearance of Kari’s son, and is also the name of the town where the teenagers are murdered.

Kari Voss is a compelling new protagonist who I loved reading. She’s intelligent, determined and strong, but also vulnerable, broken and flawed. My heart broke for her losing her husband, and I can’t imagine the pain of not knowing what happened to your child. I had so much admiration for how she got through each day and appreciated that the authors showed us her flaws too, allowing me to connect with her on a human level. The other characters were equally as well-written and I liked that we could never be completely sure who the bad guy was and there were many suspects for the crime. It kept the tension high while also keeping you guessing right up until the big reveal, which I was NOT ready for. 

Dark, suspenseful, hard-hitting  and totally addictive, this is a sensational start to a series that every thriller lover should have on their shelves. And that ending! I’m going to need book two ASAP.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

French Johana Gustawsson and Norwegian Thomas Enger are the international bestselling authors of the Roy & Castells and Henning Juul crime series respectively, published in more than 50 countries worldwide. SON, which kickstarts their new series set in Norway, is the first collaboration of the two former journalists. It stars social psychologist Dr. Kari Voss, a world-renowned expert in memory and body language, commonly known as ‘The human lie detector’. 

Johana Gustawsson:

Thomas Enger:

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BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These links are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: That’ll Teach Her by Maz Evans

Published February 27th, 2025 by Headline
Humour, Suspense, Thriller, Cozy Mystery, Humourous Fiction

Welcome to my review for this darkly funny, inventive and suspenseful whodunnit. Thank you to Headline for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A headmistress is dead. The circumstances are suspicious.
And as every parent knows, being on the school group chat can be murder…

‘Deliciously funny’ MARTINA COLE
‘Pure fun in book form, a laugh out loud murder mystery with great characters and a page turning plot. It’s a book you won’t be able to put down!’ C L MILLER
‘Brilliantly witty and suspenseful…a delightful blend of humour and mystery that kept me guessing until the end’ JOANNA WALLACE

As educators go, Claudia Stitchwell makes Miss Hannigan look like Miss Honey.
But when the reviled headteacher drops dead in the school hall, a group of sceptical parents suspect the nut allergy explanation doesn’t add up – they believe someone wanted to teach Miss Stitchwell a lesson.

Only four people could have killed Stitchwell: Hattie, the adored school cook; Kiera, the hard-working teaching assistant; Clive, the loathed school bursar and Ben, the popular deputy head. All of them are liars… but only one is the murderer.

Piecing together evidence from the daily drama and drudgery of the parents’ group chat, local press, police reports, school newsletters, and good, old-fashioned gossip, the determined detective parents are doing their homework to crack the case.

Will you spot the clues? Can you deduce whodunnit? And for the love of all things holy, does anyone have this week’s spellings?

*******

MY REVIEW:

When Claudia Stitchwell, the reviled headmistress of St Nonnatus, drops dead in the school hall, there are four possible suspects: Hattie, the adored school cook who has been around forever, Ben, the popular deputy headteacher all the parents love, Kiera, one of the parents who also works as a teaching assistant, and Clive, the unpopular school bursar. In the Y6 parents group chat they discuss each of the suspects and their possible motives. Can they piece together the clues and uncover Claudia’s killer?

Darkly funny, quirky and inventive, That’ll Teach Her is a gripping whodunnit that I consumed in just a few hours. Skillfully written and cleverly plotted, Maz Evans has crafted a suspenseful and pacy mystery that keeps you guessing. Told by multiple narrators in mixed media, Evans uses the parents’ group chat, police witness statements, local press articles and school newsletters alongside traditional narration to tell the story, and I found myself trying to solve the clues alongside the parents. The book is filled  with the familiar playground politics, parents trying to figure out homework and juggle their busy lives. It’s been quite a few years since my kids were at primary school and there was no group chat back then, but the story still took me back to the days where gossip spreads like wildfire and I loved the idea of using it as a tool to help  amateur sleuths to solve a murder. 

There’s a large cast of characters, with some playing a larger role than others, but all of them leap from the pages and pull you into the story. The group chat was filled with all of the different kinds of parents we all recognise such as the pushy parent, the parent who seems to have everything together, the chilled parent, the disorganised parent, etc, and their chats felt like they could have actually been lifted from a real parents WhatApp group chat. The staff working at the school also felt familiar and I enjoyed trying to figure out which one of them could have killed Claudia. 

Entertaining, witty, original and heartfelt, this is a murder mystery that will make you laugh while keeping you on the edge of your seat. Highly recommended. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Maz Evans is a bestselling, award-winning author – she just doesn’t do either terribly often. She is the proud creator of the WHO LET THE GODS OUT?, VI SPY and SCARLETT FIFE series for children, and OVER MY DEAD BODY and THAT’LL TEACH HER for adults, which have collectively travelled to 24 countries. OVER MY DEAD BODY was shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger and won the Capital Crime Fingerprint Award for her self-narrated audiobook. Her work for children has garnered over 50 nominations, including the Carnegie Medal, Branford Boase, Books Are My Bag, Waterstone’s Children’s Book of the Year, Indie Children’s Book of the Year and CrimeFest Best Children’s Book. She hardly won any. Maz narrates the audiobooks for her series and her acclaimed live events have regularly featured at Hay, Imagine, Edinburgh, Bath, Cheltenham, Bestival, Wilderness, CarFest and countless literary festivals around the UK.

Not content with being a mediocre author, Maz has also committed to mediocrity as a scriptwriter and lyricist and is proud to be bringing both average skills to the stage adaptation of WHO LET THE GODS OUT? which will be produced by Polka Theatre, London in 2026. She has previously had shows produced at the Union Theatre, London, The Actor’s Church, Covent Garden and the Southend Palace Theatre. They weren’t bad either.

Maz has contributed to RETURN TO WONDERLAND, THE BOOK OF HOPES and SWALLOWED BY A WHALE and her children’s poetry has been published in Caterpillar magazine. Her writing career began in national journalism and she still regularly broadcasts her views on anything from politics to parenthood on BBC Radio 2 and the bus.

Maz believes passionately in the power of words, the importance of stories and the necessity of kindness. She doesn’t believe in horoscopes, teeth-whitening toothpaste or anyone who relies on the word “literally”.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave

Published January 2nd, 2025 by Century
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Domestic Fiction

Welcome to my review of the first SquadPod Book Club pick of 2025. Thank you to Century for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

From the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller and Reese’s Book Club Pick The Last Thing He Told Me comes a riveting mystery wrapped in an epic love story . . .

‘An engrossing mystery and a story with emotional heft’ Shari Lapena

‘A master storyteller. You won’t want to miss this one’ Harlan Coben

‘The best mystery of the year‘ Jennifer Garner

_________

One beautiful Californian evening, a wealthy businessman falls to his death from his secluded cliff-top house onto the rocks below.

A tragic accident? Or murder?

Nora and her half-brother Sam suspect it may be the latter, and team up to uncover the truth of what really happened that night.

But their relationship has never been easy, and it is about to be tested to the limit as they start to question how well either of them really knew their elusive father.

Unravelling his mysterious past takes them back to a world they knew nothing about, to a tangled love affair and a web of relationships that other people would far rather stay buried…

Filled with passion, intrigue, lies, and dark, dark family secrets, The Night We Lost Him is a page turning mystery you won’t ever want to put down.

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MY REVIEW:

On a beautiful California evening a wealthy businessman falls to his death from the secluded cliff-top garden of his home. But was it an accident or murder?

Tense, twisty and immersive, our first SquadPod Book Club pick of 2025 was a page-turner. I was intrigued from the riveting prologue and lost myself in this story of love, lust, secrets and lies. Well-written and compelling, I enjoyed Laura Dave’s unique blend of thriller, family drama and love story. From its riveting prologue she had me intrigued, and lost myself in this story of love, lust, secrets and lies, inhaling it and in just a few hours. 

The story is told in dual timelines, narrated by Nora in the present, as she and her half-brother, Sam, investigate what really happened the night their father died. The reluctance of those closest to him to talk to them only reinforces their suspicion that it wasn’t a tragic accident. But their rocky relationship is another obstacle they must overcome. Liam kept his different families separate so they have never been close and we see how this, as well as their different approaches to working, tests their relationship. But over time we see it bring them together as they get to know one another for the first time. 

While in the present we know Liam only through the eyes of others, he recites the past narrative, revealing to the reader the most important relationship in his life: a five-decades long clandestine relationship with a mystery love known only by an old nickname. It seemed obvious that his lover’s identity would lead us to the truth about his death. But who was she? I had a few different suspicions over the course of the book and did guess right, but not until only a couple of chapters before the big reveal. 

Dave expertly weaves the storylines together, filling them with red herrings and shocking twists that keep the reader on their toes. But something I particularly enjoyed was Dave’s honest but sensitive exploration of grief and the different ways it can affect us, which is explored mostly through Nora. There were a few times I found myself close to tears from the sheer depth of emotion on the pages. Highly recommended. 

Rated: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laura Dave is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told Me, Eight Hundred Grapes and other novels.

Her books have been published in thirty-eight languages and have been chosen by Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club, Indie Next, Book of the Month Club, The Richard and Judy Book Club, Best of Amazon, and Best of Apple Books. The Last Thing He Told Me was chosen as the Goodreads Mystery & Thriller of the Year for 2021. The Last Thing He Told Me is now a series on Apple TV+, co-created by Laura.

She resides in Santa Monica, California.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan

Published September 5th, 2024 by Constable
Mystery, Crime Series, Thriller, Political Fiction

Welcome to my bookish thoughts on this cosy mystery. Thank you to Constable for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

How to put a positive spin on a murder mystery…

Meet our narrator: witty, nosy, a professional weaver of lies – aka ghostwriter for the rich
and famous – and now, lander of The Dream Assignment (that is, a politician’s tell-all
memoir).

Enter Dorothy Gibson: recently toppled Presidential C andidate, aka that woman, the most
talked-about person in the country right now… for all the wrong reasons.

Add — an invitation to the middle of nowhere, one well-heeled neighbour dying under
Suspicious C ircumstances, a secret investigation — and an unreasonably beautiful man.

The result — a story even our ghostwriter wasn’t expecting. And for once, it’s all hers…

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MY REVIEW:

An anonymous ghostwriter travels to Maine to ghostwrite the autobiography of Dorothy Gibson, the former senator that everyone is talking about following her recent loss in the Presidential race against a Donald Trump-esque opponent. Not long into the assignment, one of Dorothy’s neighbours is found dead in the bath. And while it is at first assumed to be suicide, evidence later points to murder prompting Dorothy and the ghostwriter to team up to try and solve the crime. 

Funny, bold, twisty and compelling, The Busy Body is an entertaining cosy mystery with retro vibes. Set in a large country house in winter, the book has a warm and festive atmosphere that I enjoyed. The anonymous ghostwriter narrates the story, recounting the events surrounding the murder and investigation and often breaking the fourth wall to talk directly to the reader. But the book’s greatest strength in my opinion is its characters.  There’s the sarcastic and gossipy ghostwriter, the smart and sassy former senator, a grumpy policeman, a hard-to-resist gorgeous bodyguard and an array of compelling background characters. There’s an abundance of motives and suspects, making it hard to predict where the story will go next and just who killed Dorothy’s neighbour. I was hooked and kept guessing right up until the big reveal. It feels like Kemper Donovan has set this book up to be the start of a new series and I hope it is as I can see a lot of potential for the ghostwriter to become embroiled in a lot of intriguing situations thanks to her job. 

A fun old-timey mystery perfect for anyone who likes detective stories, I highly recommend this book. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From Kemper’s website:
I’ve lived in Los Angeles for most of my adult life. Starting out, I worked at a wonderful company called Circle of Confusion (no, really) representing film/television screenwriters and comic books. My very first client wrote the screenplay for the feature film Hanna, released by Focus Features in 2011. (If you haven’t seen it, watch it; you won’t be sorry.) Before that I went to college at Stanford University (with apologies to the Bay Area, I am definitely more of a SoCal person), and law school at Harvard. Technically, I am a retired lawyer, which means I passed the New York Bar and then immediately switched my status to “retired” to avoid fees and continuing education requirements….

I began writing my first novel, The Decent Proposal, when I was still a manager. After an extremely long gestational period and an even longer process acquiring representation and then selling the book for publication, I turned to writing full-time. Around the same time, I also began a side project with my dear friend, Catherine Brobeck. Together we created the podcast All About Agatha, devoted to the one and only Agatha Christie. Tragically, Catherine passed away at the end of 2021, and I have continued on with the podcast solo. It was my work on All About Agatha that inspired me to write my own mystery series, which is currently being published by Kensington Books. 

I am married, and my husband and I have two daughters who keep us extremely busy. When I’m not with them, or chattering into a microphone, or staring at a laptop with my head in my hands, I enjoy doing things that have a more obvious/tangible/short-term payoff such as running and attempting to play the violin (emphasis on the attempt).

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Watesrtones* | Amazon*
*These are affiiliate links

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: The Weekend Guests by Liza North

Published August 29th, 2024 by Constable
Suspense, Mystery, Thriller, Psychological Thriller

Welcome to my review for this unsettling and addictive thriller. Thank you to Cosntable for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

FIVE OLD FRIENDS.
A REUNION TO DIE FOR . . .

A weekend on the wild, beautiful Dorset coast. Seven adults, six kids. A nanny: the ultimate special treat.

It should be perfect: old friends, a stunning house, champagne and windswept beaches. But it isn’t.

Past grudges won’t rest. Secrets won’t stay put.

And by the end of the weekend, at least one of them will be dead.

Perfect for fans of THE HUNTING PARTY by Lucy Foley and ONE OF THE GIRLS by Lucy Clarke, this is a gripping locked-room thriller brimming with secrets and lies.

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MY REVIEW:

Five university friends reunite at the luxurious second home of two of their group on the Dorset coast. They bring their children and partners to the reunion which promises to be a fun-filled weekend of champagne, wind-swept beaches, and reminiscing about the old days. But trouble is ahead because they have been keeping a dark secret. Old resentments resurface, tensions rise, and by the end of the weekend, at least one of them will be dead…

What a book! Dark, eerie, nail-biting and addictive, The Weekend Guests is a first-class thriller with a cinematic edge. Liza North has an instant fan in this blogger and I will be reading anything else she writes. Opening with a chilling prologue that sets the tone for what’s to come, the book oozes a sinister and foreboding tension from beginning to end. The dark secret we know the friends have hidden for years only adds to that, a constant, malevolent presence that lingers over every page just waiting to be exposed. And I was in Ms. North’s thrall as she twisted the beauty of the Dorset coast into a suitably terrifying backdrop for this propulsive claustrophobic thriller. Skillfully written, cleverly plotted and fast-paced, this was a sensational introduction to Liza North’s writing. I devoured it greedily, forcing myself to put it down in the early hours when what I really wanted to do was keep reading to the end. 

The story is told in dual timelines by multiple narrators and moves seamlessly between them. Each of the characters are richly drawn, flawed and unlikeable. But there is one who stands out amongst them all: Darryl. Their neighbour and acquaintance from their time at university in Edinburgh. The flashbacks, which all take place during their time at university in 2001, are told through Darryl’s diary. And, boy, did this guy give me the creeps! Strange and unsettling, he made my flesh crawl and my unease turned to horror as the full truth about him was revealed. Darryl also added to the questions about the secret as now I not only wanted to know what the secret was, but how he was connected to it all. 

So, if you’re looking for a thriller that will have your heart pounding and keep you glued to the pages, then this book is for you.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Liza North is a writer, academic and former journalist. Her first Scottish-based psychological thriller, Obsessed, was published in 2023. Educated at Oxford University and University College London, she has written for the Financial Times and the Guardian, and spoken at literary and crime writing festivals including Bloody Scotland. A reluctant runner, insatiable reader and lover of fancy gin, she lives in Edinburgh with her husband and two daughters. 

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SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: The DallerGut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee

Published August 1st, 2024 by Wildfire
Fantasy Fiction, Magical Realism, Humorous Fantasy, Translated Fiction

Welcome to my thoughts on this uplifting and unforgettable debut. Thank you to Ollie at Wildfire for sending me a copy of the proof in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

*THE INSTANT SATURDAY TIMES #2 BESTSELLER*

‘Readers can’t get enough of this enchanting story’ The Sun

‘Filled to the brim with joy’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

‘A delightful journey into a fantasy realm where dreams make everything better’ Daily Mail

|| THE #1 KOREAN BESTSELLER WITH OVER A MILLION COPIES SOLD ||

In a mysterious town hidden in our collective subconscious there’s a department store that sells dreams. Day and night, visitors both human and animal shuffle in to purchase their latest adventure. Each floor specializes in a specific type of dream: childhood memories, food dreams, ice skating, dreams of stardom. Flying dreams are almost always sold out. Some seek dreams of loved ones who have died.

For Penny, an enthusiastic new hire, working at the store is the opportunity of a lifetime. As she uncovers the workings of this whimsical world, she bonds with a cast of unforgettable characters, including DallerGut, the flamboyant and wise owner, Babynap Rockabye, a famous dream designer, Maxim, a nightmare producer, and the many customers who dream to heal, dream to grow, and dream to flourish.

A captivating story that will leave a lingering magical feeling in readers’ minds, this is the first book in a bestselling duology for anyone exhausted from the reality of their daily life.

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MY REVIEW:

“‘I believe there are two ways to love your life, Penny. The first is to work hard to change your life when you feel unsatisfied.’
‘That seems about right.’ Penny nods.
‘The second option may look easier, but its actually more difficult. And even if you do change your life through the first option, you must ultimately get through the second to be at complete peace.’
‘And what is that?’
To accept your life as it is and be grateful. It’s easier said than done. But if you can do it, I believe this will help you realise happiness has just been around the corner.’”

Breathtaking, magical and uplifting, DallerGut Dream Department Store is a mesmerising tale that I knew would be one of my favourites of the year within its first few pages. Set in a mysterious town that is hidden in our collective subconscious and only visited when we sleep, the story follows Penny, a young dream enthusiast who is given the opportunity of a lifetime when she’s hired at the store. As Penny learns the ropes she acts as our guide to this enchanting world and its unforgettable characters. 

Miye Lee has created a word that leaps from the pages, her evocative imagery and masterful storytelling merging to create a world that is dreamlike but also vividly real. A world where you don’t question the giant furry creatures who hand out PJs to naked sleepers, leprechauns who run the shoe store next door, and where dreams are paid for in emotions rather than cash. I love the idea of there being a whole industry that revolves around dreams and that there was even a dreammaker who created dreams for our furry friends. This book was exactly what I needed after an October filled with dark and emotional reads. It made my spirit soar and comforted me like a warm hug; exactly what I needed on these dreary autumn days. 

The book is filled with quirky characters who were a joy to read and is told from multiple points of view. This allows us to not only get to know Penny and the staff, but also some of their customers, too. I enjoyed the customer’s perspectives and this is where Ms. Lee explored a range of more serious topics such as love, self-confidence, grief and trauma. And by following the customers we see what leads them to purchase the dream, what happens in the dream, and the impact it has on them afterwards.  But while I enjoyed this aspect of the story, I don’t mind admitting it was Penny and the rest of the characters who live and work in this mysterious town who stole my heart. They soon felt like old friends and I was bereft when I arrived at the end of the book and had to say goodbye to them. But then I remembered I could return to them in the sequel and all was right again. 

Whimsical, dreamy, original and affecting, DallerGut Dream Department Store is a spectacular debut. Highly recommended. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Miye Lee  was born in Busan in 1990. After graduating from the Busan National University School of Materials Science and Engineering, she worked as a semiconductor engineer at Samsung Electronics. Her debut novel Dallergut Dream Department Store published entirely funded through a crowdfunding service in Korea in 2020 and has since drawn many enthusiastic responses and favourable reviews.

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MEET THE TRANSLATOR:

Sandy Joosun Lee is a Korean-to-English translator based in Seoul. She studied Literature/Writing in University of California, San Diego. Her translations include Won-pyung Sohn’s Almond (HarperVia, 2020) and Miye Lee’s DallerGut Dream Department Store duology (Wildfire, 2023). She also works in animation, translating and developing animated content, which includes The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf (2021) and Star Wars: Visions (2023). She is a member of the translator collective Smoking Tigers.

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Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024 Squadpod Book Club Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: Every Move You Make by C. L. Taylor

Published September 12th, 2024 by Avon Books
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction

Welcome to my bookish thoughts on Every Move You Make. Thanks to Avon Books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘I absolutely loved it!’ Lisa Jewell

‘A compulsive page-turner you won’t be able to put down.’ Clare Mackintosh

‘Wow this was exceptional! Clever, original and filled with tension, this is a story I won’t ever forget. C.L. Taylor’s best yet.’ Claire Douglas

‘Clever, tense and satisfying.’ Andrea Mara

‘Spine-chilling at every turn! One of the best thrillers of the year.’ Jeffery Deaver

‘A tense, twisty thrill-ride of stalking, obsession and revenge.’ TM Logan

‘I absolutely love C.L. Taylor’s writing.’ Liz Nugent

‘I absolutely loved this book and finished it in one sitting…In true C.L. Taylor style, it’s delightfully twisty.’ Katy Brent

________

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer…

Alexandra, Lucy, Bridget, River and Natalie. Five friends who wish they’d never met. Because the one thing they have in common is the worst thing in their lives: they are all being stalked.

When one of their group is murdered, days after their stalker is released from prison, time stands still for them all. They know their lives could end just as brutally at any moment – all it takes is for the people they fear the most to catch up with them.

When the group receive a threat that one of them will die in ten days’ time, the terror that stalks their daily lives becomes all-consuming. But they know they don’t want to be victims anymore – it’s time to turn the tables and finally get their revenge.

Because the only way to stop a stalker is to become one yourself…

The multimillion bestseller returns with her most propulsive and addictive book yet. A chilling and terrifyingly real thriller that will keep you up all night – and looking over your shoulder for days to come…

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MY REVIEW:

Alexandra, Lucy, Bridget, River and Natalie are five friends that wish they had never met. Because they met at a support group for people who are being stalked. And when one of their group is murdered just days after their stalker is released from prison, the others are left remembering that it could be them at any moment. 

When I pick up a C. L. Taylor book I know I’m getting a well-written, fast-paced and absorbing thriller. And that is exactly what I got with her latest book, Every Move You Make, which is one of our SquadPod Featured Books this month. Enthralling, sinister and suspenseful, Taylor held me in her thrall from the opening pages. Taylor has talked about this being a very personal book for her as she was stalked by an ex a number of years ago, and you really get the sense of that personal experience of how it feels to be stalked merging with her storytelling talents to create the palpable sense of terror that consumes the characters and radiates from the pages and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Alexandra, Lucy, Bridget, River and Natalie are part of a group on WhatsApp that is brilliantly named FYST (f*** you stalker t***s). The story is told through each of their eyes through their communications on the app and traditional narrative. These characters are recognisable, relatable and easy to root for, immediately gaining our sympathy as we know they have been subjected to a harrowing experience. But as we learn more, it seems like one of the group may not be who they claim to be, adding to the tension and making everyone a suspect. I love an unreliable narrator, so I particularly enjoyed this aspect of the book and went through a number of theories before the jaw-dropping truth was finally revealed.

Atmospheric, harrowing and unexpected, this heart-pounding thriller is a must-read. And don’t miss the heart-rending author’s note at the end.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

C.L. Taylor is an award winning Sunday Times bestselling author of ten gripping psychological thrillers including THE GUILTY COUPLE, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick for summer 2023 and SLEEP, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick for autumn 2019.

C.L. Taylor’s books have sold over two million copies in the UK alone, hit number one on Amazon Kindle, Audible, Kobo, iBooks and Google Play, and have been translated into over 30 languages and optioned for TV.

Her books are not a series and can be read in any order:
2014 – THE ACCIDENT / Before I Wake (U.S. title)
2015 – THE LIE
2016 – THE MISSING
2017 – THE ESCAPE
2018 – THE FEAR
2019 – SLEEP
2020 – STRANGERS
2021 – HER LAST HOLIDAY
2022 – THE GUILTY COUPLE
2024 – EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE

She has also written two Young Adult thrillers: THE TREATMENT and THE ISLAND.

Her crime short story collection, TELL THEM NO LIES, is published as Cally Taylor. She also has a women’s fiction story collection, SECRETS AND RAIN, under the same name.*

C.L. Taylor lives in Bristol in the UK with her partner and son.

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024 Squadpod Squadpod Book Club Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: Circus of Mirrors by Julie Owen Moylan

Published September 12th, 2024 by Michael Joseph
Historical Fiction, Domestic Fiction

Welcome to my bookish thoughts on Circus of Mirrors, which was the SquadPod Book Club pick this month. Thank you to Michael Joseph for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A Cabaret dancer falls in love as political tensions rise and the city becomes increasingly dangerous not only for herself, but also for her lover . . .


Perfect for fans of Cabaret and The Whalebone Theatre

‘Julie Owen Moylan writes about mid-20th century women like no-one else’ Laura Price

‘Sexy, electrically stylish, and beautiful – a gorgeous story about sisterhood, and a glamorous, evocative passport to a period we all long to get lost in’ Daisy Buchanan

—-

BERLIN, 1926: After the death of their parents, sisters Leni and Annette only have each other.
Desperate, but dreaming of better days, Leni finds work at a notorious cabaret: the Babylon Circus.

From the dancer’s barely-there costumes, to the glimmering mirrors that cover the walls, the Babylon Circus is where reality and fantasy merge. For Leni, it’s an overwhelming new world, and she’s happiest hiding in the shadows.

Until she meets the cabaret’s resident pianist, Paul. And so begins a tentative love affair that will play out over the next forty years.

But, in a city whose divisions will define a century, can a love born within the feverish walls of the Babylon Circus ever survive?

And can the bond between Leni and Annette – tugged in opposite directions of their own – also endure?

In Berlin, two sisters dared to dream of a better life – but where in this dark and dazzling city will they find their true home?

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MY REVIEW:

Sexy, stylish, dazzling and evocative, Circus of Mirrors is Julie Owen Moylan’s best book yet. Set in Berlin, the story begins in 1926 when nineteen-year-old Leni and her younger sister, Annette, are living on the street following the death of their parents. Desperate for a way to put a roof over their head, Leni finds a job at the Babylon Circus, a strange and intense place where fantasy blends with reality. And it is there that Leni meets Paul, the resident pianist, and begins an all-consuming romance. But, the course of true love doesn’t run smooth for these lovebirds, and we follow Leni and Annette as they – and their city – experience some of their most tumultuous years in a story of survival, strength, self-discovery, love, dreams and regret. 

I’ve been a fan of Julie’s book ever since her brilliant debut and her books are always a big event on the SquadPod’s calendar. So I was very excited when we were offered the chance to read Circus of Mirrors. Expertly written, intricately woven and perfectly paced, this book is flawlessly crafted and her meticulous research is evident on every page. Babylon Circus and the city of Berlin feel like characters in their own right and are brought to life in vivid technicolour. A city of conflict that is inextricably linked to much of twentieth century history, Berlin is made alive once again on these pages, making me feel like I’d stepped back in time. But that history is a mere backdrop as the lives of the characters take centre stage, Julie breathing life into them so evocatively that it felt like they were in the room with me. I was in her thrall as she wove her magnificent tale around me and I lost myself in it completely. 

One of my favourite things about Julie’s books is how she writes women who are flawed, complex, conflicted and nuanced. These women are recognisable and reliable, reflecting parts of ourselves back at us as we read. She makes us understand them and their actions, even when they aren’t likeable, and Annette was a great example of this. Rebellious, selfish and aggrieved at the things she’s lost or doesn’t have, Annette is someone it would be a nightmare to know in real life, but we can understand her feelings and behaviour because of the things she’s gone through. And in an exploration of how people can experience the same thing with different outcomes, Leni is the polar opposite of her sister. While Annette rebels, Leni is dutiful and responsible, giving up her own freedom to raise her young sister when their parents died and continuing a life of servitude over pursuing her own desires. It is these differences that slowly build a wall of resentment and misunderstanding between them that neither one can breach, though at times they do try. It was heartbreaking to read but wonderfully written. 

And I can’t review this book without talking about the romance between Leni and Paul. Their love story has to be one of my favourites I’ve ever read, primarily because it was so refreshing to see the good guy get the girl. I loved seeing him as the romantic lead instead of the more typical problematic male. Yes, Leni and Paul had their ups and downs, but the obstacles in their relationship come from outside forces and I was rooting for them at every step.

Enthralling, moving and simply unforgettable, this is a must for all your TBRs. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Julie Owen Moylan is the author of three novels: That Green Eyed Girl, 73 Dove Street and Circus of Mirrors.

Her debut novel That Green Eyed Girl was a Waterstones’ Welsh Book of the Month and the official runner up for the prestigious Paul Torday Memorial Prize. It was also shortlisted for Best Debut at the Fingerprint Awards and featured at the Hay Festival as one of its TEN AT TEN.

73 Dove Street was recently named as one of Waterstones’ Books of 2023 and a Daily Mail Historical Fiction Book of the Year.

As a filmmaker Julie won the Celtic Media Award for her graduation film “BabyCakes” before going on to win Best Short Film at the Swansea Film Festival.

Her writing and short stories have appeared in a variety of publications including Sunday Express, The Independent, New Welsh Review and Good Housekeeping.

She has a Masters in Filmmaking and an additional qualification in Creative Writing & English Literature. Julie is an alumna of the Faber Academy.

Circus of Mirrors will be published in Sept 2024

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx