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The police say it was suicide, Anna says it was murder. They’re both wrong.

One year ago, Caroline Johnson chose to end her life brutally: a shocking suicide planned to match that of her husband just months before. Their daughter, Anna, has struggled to comes to terms with their loss ever since.

Now with a young baby of her own, Anna misses her mother more than ever and starts to ask questions about her parents’ deaths. But by digging up the past, is she putting her future in danger?  Sometimes it’s safer to let things lie…

Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK, Netgalley and Clare Mackintosh for the chance to read and review this book.

Wow! Clare Mackintosh blew me away with this sensational novel. I had never read one of her books but a number of people had recommended them to me saying I would love them. They weren’t wrong. This book got it’s hooks into me from the mysterious opening chapter which left me with a thrilling sense of foreboding. I couldn’t put it down as I needed questions answered and the truth revealed.

Anna Johnson is slowly coming to terms with her parents’ deaths the year before after they committed suicide within a few months of each other. Although initially reluctant to believe they took their own lives, she is learning to accept it and to enjoy life thanks to her partner, Mark, and their new baby, Ella. Or at least she was until the card came containing the words “Suicide? Think again.” Now Anna is convinced they were murdered and takes the card to the police asking them to investigate. What she doesn’t know is that doing so has put her on a course that puts the lives of her and her family in danger.

Reading this book was like putting together a complicated but fun jigsaw puzzle: I could see the pieces being laid out to fit together but I had no idea where they went as some were missing and others kept changing. As we discovered more about the well hidden truths of Caroline and Tom’s marriage and people that seemed to have a motivation for wanting them gone revealed themselves, I began putting the puzzle together. But I was being mislead: some things were not at all what they appeared and the truth changed the final picture. Each time I thought I knew what had happened or who was behind something I was wrong. There were so many incredible twists, turns and illusions in this book that I’m in awe of how the author was able to disguise them in such magnificent ways and keep the shocks coming right until the final sentence.

This multi-faceted and exciting story is also interlaced with emotional moments that deal with the pain of grief, the complexities of grief when someone dies by suicide, and the heartbreaking truth of what life with a mental illness can be like for both the person with the illness and their partner. The latter two things were dealt with in a sensitive manner that would help anyone who hasn’t experienced them have a better understanding and empathy for what it is like to go through them. I lost one of my best friends to suicide and she had the same mental illness as Sara. Reading the passages that Sara was in was painful, but I was thankful that she was a well rounded and likeable character; someone who you were reminded was very sick but not just a sick person. I also found it very emotional reading how Murray felt and went through living with and caring for his mentally ill wife. His narrative brought me close to tears at times and he was my favourite character because of his love and devotion to Sara no matter what she was going through, and because of his dedication to helping Anna find out the truth about her parents.

Let Me Lie is an easy to read thriller that I couldn’t put down. It had me saying “just one more chapter” both nights I read it and was so captivating that the second night I read the final three quarters of the book. As I said earlier this was my first book by this author but it certainly won’t be my last. I’ve never seen so many different twists in a story that are truly a surprise when revealed. This book more than earned it’s five star rating and I recommend it whatever your favourite genre may be.

Out Today. 

Five years ago, Susannah Harper’s son Joel went missing without a trace. Bereft of her son and then of her husband John, Susannah tries to accept she might never know for certain what happened to her lost loved ones. She has rebuilt her life around a simple selfless mission: to help others who, like her, must learn to live without hope.

But then, on the last night of the Hull Fair, a fortune-teller makes an eerie prediction. Susannah is told that this Christmas Eve, Joel will finally come back to her.

As her carefully constructed life begins to unravel, Susannah is drawn into a world of psychics and charlatans, half-truths and hauntings, friendship and betrayals, forcing her to confront the buried truths of her family’s past, where nothing and no one are quite as they seem.

Since Susannah Harper’s son Joel went missing she’s done everything she can to find him, losing her marriage in the process. She now has a blog, Life Without Hope, that aims to help others dealing with the loss of a loved one and warn of the dangers of the psychics that take your money and prey on your hope. But at the Hull Fair Susannah feels drawn to see a clairvoyant who tells her Joel will return home Christmas Eve, her long wait will finally be over. Despite her misgivings Susannah is determined to hold onto this prediction, but doing so sees her life spiral out of control and unravel piece by piece.

The story is told in present day and in flashbacks to life before Joel’s disappearance. He was a longed-for child and Susannah and her husband, John, had very different approaches to parenting, something that caused arguments and resentment between them and a difficult relationship between Joel and John. When Joel’s behaviour goes past typical teenage moods and he begins to skip school and take drugs, Susannah continues to do what she thinks best. But her approach is only making matters worse and it is her and Joel versus John until things boil over and Joel isn’t seen again. In the present day Susannah is still trying to find Joel and the clairvoyant’s prediction is never far from her mind. Her obsession with these things leads to her alienating those she’s close to and is the start of disturbing hallucinations of awful things befalling her son. Are they real?  Or is her imagination getting the better of her? And will Joel really return on Christmas Eve?

As the mother of two 14 year old boys I found reading this book difficult at times. It confronts every parent’s worst fear: the disappearance of your child without a trace. A lot of Joel’s behaviour was familiar to me: the sullen attitude, the glimpses of your little boy one minute and then the angry hormone monster the next, but thankfully I’ve not had to deal with the more troubling behaviour he displayed. While I often disagreed with her actions, my  mothers heart weeped for Susannah as I could empathise with the devastation and guilt she must feel. Also despite her mistakes you know she was only trying to do her best, which is all any of us can do when raising children.

The book keeps you guessing about Joel’s fate and what is happening to Susannah and I was shocked by the ending. I found her a hard character to like in terms of her personality, but still a sympathetic character because of what she was going through. I enjoyed this book and thought it was well written in terms of the anguish of what Susannah was going through, but it lacked the level suspense that was needed to have you dying to find out what happened.

Out now.

Here’s the thing about being Inside.  Ain’t no one believes that they are.

Ele has never been Outside, but she knows it exists – she just has to prove it.

Her whole world is Inside. Trapped with her books and the Others and Him.She has never seen a tree or felt rain but all that’s about to change. Ele’s getting out for good.

Thank you to Penguin Random House UK Children’s, Netgalley and Sarah Ann Jukes for the chance to read and review this novel.

This book was a dark, twisted, heartbreaking story of abuse, yet also one of strength, resilience and triumph. The story is told by Ele, a young girl who remembers no other life than the single room she shares with her friends, the Others, who aren’t quite like her and talk in their own language. They’re all held captive by a frightening man known only as Him who sends their food down a pipe and visits once a week. She did have a brother, Zeb, but he is gone now, taken away by Him, and Ele knows she must escape before she meets the same fate. But before she can she must prove to the Others that Outside does exist and isn’t just pictures in her books so that they will go with her.

I found it a little confusing to understand what was going on at first but soon things became clearer, although like Ele we don’t get to see the full picture until the end. The language in this story is very simplistic, like a young child would speak even, which feels authentic when the narrator is someone who has always lived in isolation and never attended school. She also has a juvenile and often innocent way of seeing the world that is telling of her captivity, like how she thinks Outside will be full of things such as dragons and other creatures from the fairy tales that helped her survive.

I enjoyed this book as soon as I started reading but part 2 was when I found Ele’s story even more compelling. I felt protective of her as she was so vulnerable, alone and confused. When Willow and Ezra were introduced I was glad the author chose to write these two particular characters for the unique qualities they each offered Ele. This part was also where the book became more uplifting and was a very transformative time for Ele as she learned even more truths and opened up about what she’d gone through. Though the subject matter was at times difficult, it was written in such a way that it never felt too heavy and I would say this was more a tale of courage, hope and kindness. It was a quick read for me both because of the way it was written and because I couldn’t put it down. A perfect read for anyone who enjoys Young Adult Fiction or who enjoyed the book Room.

Out January 3rd 2019.

Murder. It’s a family affair.

In the midst of one of the worst winters Chicago has seen in years, the body of missing teenager Ella Reynolds is discovered under the surface of a frozen lake.

She’s been missing for three weeks…the lake froze over three months ago.

Detective Sam Porter and his team are brought in to investigate but it’s not long before another girl goes missing. The press believes the serial killer, Anson Bishop, has struck again but Porter knows differently. The deaths are too different, there’s a new killer on the loose.

Porter however is distracted. He’s still haunted by Bishop and his victims, even after the FBI have removed him from the case. His only leads: a picture of a female prisoner and a note from Bishop ‘Help me find my mother. I think it’s time she and I talked.’

As more girls go missing and Porter’s team race to stop the body count rising, Porter disappears to track down Bishop’s mother and discover that the only place scarier than the mind of a serial killer is the mind of the mother from which he came.

Perfect for fans of Helen Fields, Val McDermid and Jo Nesbo this gripping and twister thriller will have you wondering how to stop a killer when he’s been trained from birth?

Thank you to Harper Collins UK, Netgalley and J.D. Barker for the chance to read and review this book.

Wow! Wow! Wow! That twist! That ending! I was screaming “It can’t end like that!” Barker how could you do that to me?  As soon as I finished this book I needed to read book three. The wait will be torture….

This book started as it meant to go on: intense and gripping. The opening few pages were dripping with horror and suspense and pulled me back in to Bishop’s twisted world. This novel is the second book in the 4MK series and when I was approved to read and review it I hadn’t read book one. I don’t like reading a series out of order and the reviews I read suggested I would get more from this book after reading book one, so I decided to buy and read that first.

Despite the book opening with the 4MK killer, when the first body is found we seem to have a new killer ready to terrorise Chicago. How did Ella Reynold’s body come to be under a river frozen months before she disappeared? And whose clothes is she wearing? As more girls disappear and the killer also targets surprising victims it is clear they’re dealing with an organised killer with particular victims in mind. But can they find the link and the killer’s identity before too many lives are taken?

Although this book does a good job on catching you up on events from the last book and the history of the 4MK killer, having read the first book gives you that extra insight that makes little details more meaningful and increased my sense of apprehension. It also helped me understand Sam’s obsession with Bishop and why he’d risk everything to disappear and track down Bishop’s mother when he receives the picture. This move solidified what you’d expect of Porter’s character. He is someone who sees things through and is determined to find Bishop and get justice for his victims. But Sam doesn’t expect to find himself embroiled in Bishop’s twisted game in ways he never imagined.

While I initially didn’t find this book quite as gripping in places as The Fourth Monkey it was still a book that had those moments where you couldn’t stop reading. The final chapters were particularly captivating and had me transfixed in horror at the nefarious actions and revelations by Bishop and his mother. Suddenly so many little things took on a whole new meaning. The writing and plotting were cunning, masterful, mesmerising and flawless. This book has solidified this author and series as a must-read for lovers of psychological fiction. I just hope we aren’t waiting long for book three.

Out December 27th.

For over five years, the Four Monkey Killer, has terrorised the residents of Chicago. When his body is found, the police quickly realise he was on his way to deliver one final message, one which proves he has taken another victim who may still be alive.

As the lead investigator on the MK4 task force, Detective Sam Porter knows even in death, the killer is far from finished. When he discovers a personal diary in the jacket pocket of the body, Porter finds himself caught up in the mind of a psychopath, unraveling a twisted history in hopes of finding one last girl, all while struggling with personal demons of his own.

With only a handful of clues, the elusive killer’s identity remains a mystery. Time is running out and the Four Monkey Killer taunts from beyond the grave in this masterfully written fast-paced thriller.

This astonishing crime thriller is the first in the Detective Sam Porter and MK4 killer series. It didn’t take long for this book to have me engrossed and unable to put it down. This is definitely a book where you’re repeatedly saying “just one more chapter”. The story started with the discovery of the body of the Four Monkey Killer yet his identity remained a mystery and so did the identity and whereabouts of his last victim. It is far from the usual start to a book and for me it instantly set it apart from other thrillers, which is my most read genre. I loved the sense of urgency that was there from the start as you wonder if they will find the girl 4MK took before his death before it’s too late?

The diary that is found on the body is an interesting insight into the life and mind of the killer. The diary chronicles his twisted childhood and the strange moral codes instilled in him by parents that should never have had the chance to warp an innocent mind. They made sure the apple didn’t fall far from the tree and you soon realise that he stood no chance of becoming anything but a psychopath being raised in such a way. There are many gruesome scenes in the diary that as an adult would horrify you, let alone a young boy.

A lot of the evidence and clues that Sam and his team found seemed to be random, but as things are studied closer it becomes clear it has all been carefully planned by 4MK. Even from his grave he was in control of what the police found and how his legacy would be remembered, something that is clearly important to him. But as the team try to uncover his identity they are met with answers that don’t make sense and leave them with even more questions. When the truth is finally revealed the shockwaves are far-reaching and change everything they thought they knew. This revelation saw the book take on a new level of excitement and tension and had me racing to the end to find out what would happen next.

The Fourth Monkey is a sensational thriller with an ending that made me relieved I had book two ready to start straight away. The author has written an intelligent serial killer who loves to play games with the police and is one step ahead each time. Detective Sam Porter is also a great character. He’s an experienced detective who truly believes in what he does and will do anything to catch the bad guy. He has his flaws but he was a character I enjoyed reading partly because of them. This is the first book I have read by this author and it is as masterfully written as the synopsis says. One of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read and a must read for anyone who enjoys this genre.

Out Now.

Do you remember when you believed in magic?

It is 1917, and while war wages across Europe, in the heart of London, there is a place of hope and enchantment.

The Emporium sells toys that capture the imagination of children and adults alike; patchwork dogs that seem alive, toy boxes that are bigger on the inside, soldiers that can fight battles of their own. Into this family business comes young Cathy Wray, running away from a shameful past. The Emporium takes her in, makes her one of its own.

But Cathy is about to discover that the Emporium has secrets of its own….

 

“Are you lost? Are you afraid? Are you a child at heart?

So are we.”

15-year-old Cathy Wray is hiding a secret, one that threatened to disgrace her family and lead to her running away from home.  She flees to London to apply for a job at Papa Jack’s Emporium,and is immediately set to work. The Emporium is like no toyshop she has laid eyes on before. It is a strange, magical place where some of the toys seem to be alive and others can do impossible things. Run by Papa Jack, a man of bear-like stature, and his two sons Kaspar and Emil, who are all Toymakers, it opens every year at first frost and opening night, the night Cathy arrives, is always one of great fanfare, chaos and large crowds.  Cathy is enchanted by the Emporium and becomes close to Kaspar and Emil, even becoming yet another “thing” for them to do battle over.

For me, part of the joy of this book was being just taken along for the journey and knowing little about how it would unfold. For that reason, I will only tell you that the story follows the life of Cathy and many others who work at the Emporium, reading as the changing world affects them in unimaginable ways.

“..once upon a time, all of us….were little boys and girls, happy with nothing more than bouncing a ball against a wall.”

I had been wanting to read this book for a while but I am so glad I ended up waiting to read it just before Christmas as was the perfect festive read. There was an immediate sense of magic as I started reading and the vivid descriptions brought the magic to life like I’m watching a movie reel. It really did take me back to those halcyon days of my childhood, particularly to the amazement and excitement of Christmas. I also really liked how the author addressed the reader directly in the narration of this book. It made me feel part of the story, like I was actually there on a thrilling adventure, not sat at home reading a book. I really did feel like I was one of the children in the Emporium, looking on in wonder as the toys came to life around me.

This was a mesmerising, heartwarming, unforgettable and magical novel. It is a story of childhood, sibling rivalry, jealousy, love, family, war and of the power of magic. Especially the ordinary kind.  This is a five-star book that everyone should read.

Out Now

You do not know me yet. My son Thomas, who is publishing this book, tells me it is customary at this place in a novel to give the reader a little taste of the story that is held within these pages. As your storyteller, I am to convey that this tale is set in Jamaica during the last turbulent years of slavery and the early years of freedom that followed.

July is a slave girl who lives upon a sugar plantation named Amity and it is her life that is the subject of this tale. She was there when the Baptist War raged in 1831, and she was present when slavery was declared no more. My son says I must convey how the story tells also of July’s mama Kitty, of the negros who worked the plantation land, of Caroline Mortimer the white woman who owned the plantation and many more persons besides – far too many for me to list here. But what befalls them all is carefully chronicled upon these pages for you to peruse.

Perhaps, my son suggests, I might write that it is a thrilling journey through that time in the company of the people who lived it. All this he wishes me to pen so the reader can decide if this is a novel they might care to consider. Cha, I tell my son, what fuss-fuss. Come, let them just read it for themselves.

Thank you to Headline, Tinder Press, Netgalley and Andrea Levy for the chance to read and review this novel

This book was witty and riveting from the outset. I loved the banter between mother and son where he was telling her not to include things and she was insisting she will include them and write it her way. The opening of chapter one managed to be full of humour despite depicting an act of violence against Kitty. It is immediately obvious that our storyteller has a no-nonsense attitude and is often unintentionally funny in how she tells her tale.

July is a slave born on a Jamaican sugar plantation named Amity. When she is nine years old the plantation owner’s sister, Caroline Mortimer, takes a liking to her and takes her from her mother to live in The Grand House and be trained as her lady’s maid. Over the years Caroline comes to depend on July, giving her a safe and enviable position amongst the other workers.

This book was not an easy read. There were many vivid descriptions of violence against the workers, the awful conditions they worked and lived in, and the way they were viewed as less than human by their white counterparts. Reading how violence against them was an accepted daily occurrence and the lengths gone to by the white masters to keep them under their control was sickening. It was distressing to remember that even if July herself is fictional, these things really happened to people. I did find it interesting to learn how the Jamaicans themselves viewed colour, seeing darker skin as bad and aspiring to be light and beautiful. The different words they had for the varying mixes of parentage and what it meant for a slave in terms of their rank showed how the white man telling them they were less than him and ugly because of their colour seeped into their psyche and became what they believed of themselves.

I didn’t know anything about the history of slavery in England and its colonies or the Baptist War, I’m ashamed to admit when I think of slavery I think of America, so reading this book was an education I won’t soon forget. In particular, the image of a coffin with July 31,1838 written on it, the date slavery was abolished in Jamaica, and it being lowered into the ground along with the shackles of the slaves, is a powerful scene that will stay with me forever. I wasn’t surprised to find the freed slaves struggled to be treated as free men as sadly a declaration from the King doesn’t change the minds of those who have oppressed them for years.

The Long Song is a story of slavery, struggle, fear, murder, war and brutality. It is also a story of motherhood, childhood, love, freedom and living life against great odds. It is an entertaining and captivating story and I can see why the BBC have picked it up to make a series. The only negative for me was that it was hard to read and confusing at times because of the language.

Out Now

She’s just the girl he’s looking for.

A young woman falls from a vehicle speeding down a quiet road. Battered and bruised, she turns her head to the person who comes to her aid. ‘Help her’, she whispers before her eyes close.

Days later, the body of another young girl is found in a shallow grave just a few miles away.   The similarities between the two girls are startling – same age, same frail body, same shocking red hair.

As the town fears there’s a serial killer living amongst them, Detective Gina Harte must put aside her own struggles at home, and catch the killer before he finds another perfect girl.

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookoture and Carla Kovach for the chance to read and review this book.

Her Pretty Bones is the third book in the Detective Gina Harte series and is every bit as exciting and heart stopping as the previous books. Once again it starts out strong, this time with an ominous prologue about two sisters. The older sister has a pale, sickly pallor and strawberry blonde curls and is smaller and weaker from being premature. Her younger sister resents her and punishes her for being the favourite and is adamant that anything the older sister has is hers too.

We then return to the present day where Toby is on his way to his new job early one summer morning when a woman appears to jump out of a white van and land in front of his car. She has a gash to her abdomen, is severely malnourished and her organs are failing. She also has red hair. While Gina and her team attempt to discover the woman’s identity, how she came to be in this state and who was driving the white van, another body is discovered in a shallow grave nearby. This young woman is also undernourished and has red hair. Who is this killer and where will he strike next? Also, who was the first girl referring to when with her final words she pleaded ‘Help her’?

This novel was full of suspense from the start. There were a vast array of characters who seemed unconnected but were expertly linked together as the story went on. There were some hard to read scenes in this book, mostly for me it was the ones that detailed the awful state that the woman being cared for was in. It was heartbreaking reading how such a vulnerable person could be neglected and harmed like that by those who claimed to love her. I was rooting for her to be saved as much as the girl forced to try and care for her night and day. As we raced to the conclusion the tension rose further and I was pulled into the story even more. I loved how the author weaved seemingly unconnected characters and parts of the story together in such a seamless way. There had been a few times I thought I had the culprit or where the story was going figured out only to be surprised and proven wrong.

Gina Harte shows herself time and again to be a fighter for those who can’t fight for themselves, a voice for those who can’t speak and a woman to admire and look to as a modern day heroine. She has a strong sense of right and wrong and is tormented by her failings. She gives her all to her job and the victims who need her, often to the detriment of her personal life. The more books in this series I read, the more I fall in love with this character, and with this author.

Ms. Kovach has a talent for writing captivating, multilayered stories that show both the best and the worst that humankind are capable of. She puts your emotions through the wringer as you read and has you on the edge of your seat as the suspense makes it impossible to put the book down. A riveting psychological thriller, this is a crime series not to be missed and an author who is a must read for sure.

Out January 17th

This voyage is special. It will change everything…..

One September evening in 1785, the merchant Jonah Hancock hears urgent knocking on his front door.  One of his captains is waiting eagerly on the step. He has sold Jonah’s ship for what appears to be a mermaid.

As gossip spreads through the docks, coffee shops, parlours and brothels, everyone wants to see Mr. Hancock’s marvel.  It’s arrival spins him out of his ordinary existence and through the doors of high society. At an opulent party, he makes the acquaintance of Angelica Neal, the most desirable woman he has ever laid eyes on…and a courtesan of great accomplishment.  This chance meeting will steer both their lives onto a dangerous new course, a journey on which they will learn that priceless things come at the greatest cost….

What will be the cost of their ambitions? And will they be able to escape the destructive power mermaids are said to possess?

In this spellbinding story of curiosity and obsession, Imogen Hermes Gowar has created an unforgettable jewel of a novel, filled to the brim with intelligence, heart and wit.

I started this book full of excitement. I was reading this as my first buddy read with @remembery_tree_reads and @cozyreadbox (their Instagram handles) I love mermaids, and the description sounded like something I’d enjoy. The book itself is exquisite and opening it up to find it looked authentically like a very old book sealed the fact that I was judging this book by it’s cover. But would it live up to my expectations?

Mercer Jonah Hancock’s life is changed forever the night he is disturbed by urgent knocking at the front door and finds one of his ships’ captains there informing him he sold his ship for a “mermaid”.  Jonah is incensed at the money this impetuous frivolity has cost him. But word soon spreads, and with everyone now vying to see his marvel he decides to show the creature at a coffee house. A move that makes his fortunes turn. His life is changed again when high society bawd Mrs.Chappell offers a large sum of money to display the mermaid at her establishment. She throws a lavish party to celebrate and it is there that Jonah meets Angelica Neal, a beautiful courtesan and former protogée of Mrs. Chappell, with whom he is instantly smitten. When Anglica requsts a mermaid of her own Jonah doesn’t hesitate to send out a crew to find and procure what she desires, neither of them knowing that this will have far reaching repercussions for them both and change their lives again in unimaginable ways.

From the start I loved the way this book was written. It is enchanting, beautiful and lyrical, with such attention to detail it no surprise to learn the many years the author had studied the time period in which is was set, worked in a Museum, and that this book started off as her dissertation for her MA in Creative Writing. She brought Georgian London to life with a vivid realism thanks to attention to the most minute and unusual details. Being a story that featured brothels and courtesans there is also some sensuous and erotic storytelling that was at times a little shocking. Many social issues of the time period were highlighted in this book: the hypocrisy, abuses of power, the vulnerability and ownership of women, and how unsteady and unstable someone’s position in that society could be. It was interesting to learn what was viewed as acceptable or proper at the time and the very different expectations and ambitions that existed.

The book was separated into three volumes and at the end of the first volume I was at a loss as to where the story was going and had found the story had got off to a slow start. At that point I thought the characters were interesting and well written, but I didn’t like either of the main characters and preferred a number of the secondary ones, although unusually this didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the book. Volume two was my favourite as the pace of the story picked up and  captivated me. It was also where we got to know and understand Jonah and Angelica and began to feel an attachment to them, become invested in their fates and how their story was unfolding. The third volume did a good job of concluding their story but I did think some things were left unfinished and could have been explored further.

One of the things I was most looking forward to about this novel was the mermaid, who was an enigmatic, elusive, haunting and mystifying creature. There were chapters dedicated to her and her magic and mystery was woven throughout them. I read this book with a belief that mermaids exist. The author writes it so that you don’t question that mermaids can be found amongst the seals in our seas and could be captured by a fisherman.

I started read this book anticipating one of wonder, elegance and mystery.  While there were all these things throughout the thoroughly researched and complex story, it’s slow start meant that it didn’t take my breath away and amaze me the way I was hoping. Nevertheless, this book was still a witty, detailed, beautifully written piece of historical fiction that I would recommend.

I can’t believe November is over and December is upon us. I’m so not ready for Christmas and another New Year! It seems crazy that we’re already here again, but I do think every year it comes around faster than the last one. It must be a getting old thing 😆

November has been another great reading month for me with 12 books overall. Seven were from NetGalley and one I was kindly sent by the author and then four others. I read nearly all my planned eight books but didn’t finish ‘The Moonstone’ and was never quite in the mood for ‘Blackberry and Wild Rose’. The latter will be on my December TBR list as I need to read it before it’s January 10th release date.

I have been on a thriller kick this month and seven of the books I’ve read are in this genre. It used to be pretty much all I read and I still find it’s my go-to genre for a quick read or when I’m in a reading slump. I also read eight debut novels this month and my overall favourite book of November was a sensational debut that is released in January. So here’s what I read this past month*:

1. ‘Darkened Light’ by Sabina Langer ⭐⭐⭐.5

This book had been kindly sent to me by the author. It’s a fantasy novel, which is something I don’t often read, but I really enjoyed this fun story about an elven mage, a runaway, a boy who should have been sacrificed and a troublemaker who all have to learn to work together to save their world from destruction by the Dark Lord.   Out now.

2. ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ by Delia Owens ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This spectacular debut took my breath away and was easily my favourite book this month. It’s a story about a young girl named Kya, who lives alone on the marsh after being abandoned by her family, and the investigation into the death of local football hero Chase Andrews, who is found lying by the marsh. It takes place in dual timelines, and spans many years as we watch Kya learn to survive and ultimately flourish but unable to shake the label and suspicion of being “The Marsh Girl”. She’s quickly a subject of gossip and accusations relating to Chase’s death and the police struggle to separate fact from fiction. This book took me by surprise in so many ways and is one of those that just gets hold of your soul and never lets go. A book everyone should read.  Out January 10th.

3. ‘Last Lullaby’ by Carol Wyer ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was only my second read by this author but it cemented her a must-read author from this point on. The second in the Detective Natalie Ward series, Last Lullaby sees the team tracking a killer who brutally murders young mothers while their children are shut in a nearby room and leaves a word written in blood on the wall. There were fantastic chapters where the mysterious killer was talking to their psychiatrist that gave me chills as we got a glimpse into his sickening psyche. A crime series not to be missed, I’m now waiting on book 3, which Ms. Wyer assures me is coming soon. Out December 7th.

4. ‘The Liar’s Wife’ by Samantha Hayes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When Ella wakes after surviving a hit and run she’s told that her loving husband has hardly left her side and will be back soon. The problem is she has never been married. She instantly recognises her “husband” and realises she must do as he says or risk him exposing her long held secret. This intense, addictive and harrowing thriller blew me away. I devoured it in less than 24 hours as I just couldn’t stop reading and Jacob was the most malevolent and vile example of a husband I’ve read.  When all was revealed I was not prepared for it at all and still can’t thinking about one of the best endings I’ve read this year.  Out now.

5. ‘The Next Girl’ by Carla Kovach ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A newborn baby is found abandoned and her DNA shows her mother is Debbie Jenkins, who disappeared without a trace 4 years ago. Now DI Gina Harte and her team are now certain she was abducted and the race is on to find the mother before it’s too late. At the same time Gina is dealing with awful flashbacks and nightmares from her abusive marriage. Can she find the abductor, rescue Debbie and reunite a family despite few clues and while trying to overcome her own trauma. In the summer I had read the second book in this series ‘Her Final Hour’ and instantly bought this book. Both books are gripping, well written thrillers and I’m excited about book three, which is out in the new year.

6. ‘She Lies In Wait’ by Gyth Lodge ⭐⭐⭐.5

In July 1983 seven teenagers go into the New Forest for a night of camping, drinking, drugs, frolics and fun. In the morning one of them, 14-year-old Aurora Jackson, is missing. After an extensive investigation lasting months it becomes a cold case, her fate remaining a mystery that haunts the small town she lived in and those who knew her. Thirty years later a 10-year-old girl is hiding in the woods when she finds a hole that’s the perfect spot. She feels a branch in her back and pulls it away only to discover it is in fact a human finger. Aurora has been found at long last, close by to where she disappeared. Despite her being found in a place it seems only those there that night knew about, the others remain steadfast in their claims of innocence. As the police dig deeper cracks appear, one time loyal friends start to turn and long held secrets begin to be revealed. Unfortunately this book didn’t live up to its claim of being the biggest crime debut of 2019 for me. It was a good thriller book if you take aside that expectation, but it was a little flat and slow at times which is why I didn’t give it 4 stars.  Out March 21st.

7. ‘The Silent Patient’ by Alex Michaelides ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Alicia Berenson is discovered in her lounge covered in blood while the body of her husband Gabriel sits nearby. He had been shot five time with his rifle. Alicia doesn’t protest innocence or claim self defense, in fact she doesn’t say anything and hasn’t in the six years since that night. Psychotherapist Theo Faber is  obsessed with the case and applies for a job at the hospital treating Alicia as he’s sure he is the one who can get her to finally speak. This magnificent debut novel is ingeniously written as with one chapter, a paragraph and finally a short sentence, the writer mercilessly takes your breath away. He transforms thisfrom a great book into a mind-blowing and sensational book with a twist you truly couldn’t have foreseen. THIS is the book I would call the crime debut of 2019.  Out February 7th.

8. ‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’ by Heather Morris ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the harrowing and poignant true story about Slovakian Jew, Lale Sokolov, who was detained at Auschwitz-Birceneau and given the unenviable position of Tätowierer. He is someone who tries to look at the positive side of things and immediately begins sharing his extra rations and using his new position to smuggle in food and other items for people, all at great risk to himself. Just a few months after his arrival Lale meets Gita and despite the inhumane and desolate situation they are in, love blossoms and they vow to stay alive and marry after the war. This was a heartbreaking, beautiful and mesmerising book that I will never forget. Out now.

9. ‘Roam’ by C. H. Armstrong ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Roam is a story about a normal family going through familiar problems, and a normal teenager with normal teenage problems. But there’s one thing that isn’t normal: they’re also homeless and currently sleeping in the back of their van and eating free meals at the soup kitchen, all whilst trying to settle into a new town. Living this way makes every little thing that much harder, including starting a new school, as sixteen-year-old Abby finds out. This was a well written novel that really makes you think. You are reminded how being homeless can happen to anyone, the struggles that those in that situation face and there is more good in the world than bad. It was my first book by this author but I know it won’t be my last. Out February 5th.

10. ‘The Promise’ by Teresa Driscoll ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Three girls. One dead.” Three young girls make a terrible promise to never speak of that awful night and what they did. But what did they do? What awful thing could these girls have done that lead to someone dying in a blood-filled room?  When Beth and Sally find out their old boarding school is being torn down they know their secret could be revealed so they hire Private Investigator Matthew Hill to track down their estranged friend Carol so they can decide what to do. But Carol doesn’t want to be found and someone begins making threats towards Beth and her family. Could someone else have seen what they did? And why are they so eager the truth remain a secret? This was a captivating thriller that was full of twists, bombshells and surprises.  Out February 7th.

11. ‘The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock’ by Imogen Hermes Gowar ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I haven’t actually decided if I’m giving this four or five stars yet so this rating may change by the time I write my review. I read this book along with two of my bookstagram friends and it wasn’t at all what I expected, but not necessarily in a bad way. It is the story of Jonah Hancock, a merchant who is surprised by one of his captains telling him he’s sold his ship for what appears to be a mermaid. Gossip soon spreads and Jonah decides to display his mermaid and soon everyone want to see it, including those in high society.  While at a grand party one night he meets Angelica Neal, a courtesan. He instantly thinks she’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen and their encounter sets them both on an unexpected path. I did find it was slow at times and rushed at others and that sometimes I was confused by the choices made by the characters and the direction the story took. This book is one of the most beautifully written stories I’ve read and is full of an attention to detail that really makes you believe it’s written many years ago, and not a debut novel from 2018. While not quite the read I expected, it is a fantastic novel and one I recommend to lovers of historical fiction. Out now.

12. ‘An Anonymous Girl’ by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Jessica Farris is living paycheck to paycheck working as a make-up artist in New York, so when she signs up to take part in a Morals and Ethics study she thinks it’s an easy way to help pay her rent that month. The person in charge of the survey, Dr. Shields, thinks Jess is special and proposes expanding the study for more money, to which she agrees. As Jess is instructed to do increasingly bizarre things by Dr. Shields, she starts to question what is really going on. Is this really still a study on morality and ethics or is there another agenda entirely?  As she tries to unravel the truth enigmatic doctor and the study, things begin to happen that make Jess believe she is in danger and has made a big mistake. This was an unputdownable, cryptic and, at times, unnerving book. Dr. Shields was is a glorious villain and the story has a surprising twist and dramatic conclusion that has you on the edge of your seat.   Out February 7th.

So that’s my wrap up for the month. Have you read any of these books? Are any of them on  your TBR list? How many did you read this month? Comment below.

Thank you to Sabina Langer for my copy of her book and to NetGalley and the publishers for my copies of ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’, ‘Last Lullaby’, ‘The Liar’s Wife’, ‘She Lies In Wait’, ‘The Silent Patient’, ‘The Promise’ and ‘An Anonymous Girl’.

*Full reviews for the books mentioned in this wrap up can be found on this blog.