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BLOG TOUR: Deadman’s Pool by Kate Rhodes

Published September 25th, 2025 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Crime Series, Hardboiled, Noir Fiction, Police Procedural

Welcome to my bookish thoughts on this nerve-shredding thriller. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orenda for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

When Ben Kitto discovers the body of a young woman, buried near the ruins of an old isolation hospital on the island of St Helen’s, he is convinced the killer is hiding in plain sight … and determined to take more lives. The breathtaking, gripping new instalment in the Isles of Scilly Mysteries series…

‘A classy, edge-of-the-seat thriller which will keep you guessing throughout!’ B.A. PARIS

‘An absolute master of pace, plotting and character’ ELLY GRIFFITHS

‘Rhodes does a superb job of balancing a portrayal of a tiny community oppressed by secrets with an uplifting evocation of setting’ Sunday Express 

‘Dark, intense, and expertly crafted’ RACHEL ABBOTT

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DI BEN KITTO RETURNS…

A SACRED ISLAND

Winter storms lash the Isles of Scilly, when DI Ben Kitto ferries the islands’ priest to St Helen’s. Father Michael intends to live as a pilgrim in the ruins of an ancient church on the uninhabited island, but an ugly secret is buried among the rocks. Digging frantically in the sand, Ben’s dog, Shadow, unearths the emaciated remains of a young woman.


A SHOCKING MURDER


The discovery chills Ben to the core. The victim is Vietnamese, with no clear link to the community – and her killer has made sure that no one will find her easily.

A KILLER ON THE LOOSE

The storm intensifies as the investigation gathers pace. Soon Scilly is cut off by bad weather, with no help available from the mainland. Ben is certain the killer is hiding in plain sight. He knows they are waiting to kill again – and at unimaginable cost.

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MY REVIEW:

Jumping into a series on the eighth book isn’t something I’d usually do. But – full admission here – I didn’t realise that this book was part of a series when I asked to join the blog tour. I was nervous about starting a series so late and worried I’d feel lost or find it hard to connect with the characters. But Kate Rhodes made it easy by crafting a story that is expertly paced and plotted and richly drawn characters that she brings the reader up to speed on the backstories of so that we never feel out of the loop. 

A winter storm rages on the Isles of Scilly and DI Ben Kitto makes a shocking discovery: a child’s body wrapped in a shroud and buried in the sand. Evidence shows that the victim was kept in a dark place for years. Things take another chilling turn when a newborn baby is left in a box outside the police station. How could a child be kept captive and a pregnancy hidden in such a small, close-knit community? As links between the two cases are confirmed, Ben and his team must battle the elements to find the baby’s mother and to stop a killer before they have the chance to kill again.

Atmospheric, dark, intense and unpredictable, this had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. A vivid sense of place and character makes the islands and their inhabitants come alive and made me lose myself in this small community and the hunt for a depraved killer and vulnerable new mother. DI Ben Kitto is a likeable protagonist who obviously cares a lot about his job and his home and I was behind him at every step. The inclusion of Mai’s story added an extra layer of tension that made the stakes even higher and her emotions were palpable. I was on tenterhooks with my heart racing, unable to put the book down as I desperately needed to know if they would find her before it’s too late. Rhodes provided multiple possible culprits, planting seeds of doubt that could have been clues or read herrings that kept me guessing right up until the shocking truth was unveiled. 

Nerve-shredding and totally superb, I’m so glad that I finally discovered this series and can’t wait to read the backlist. Highly recommended.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kate Rhodes is an acclaimed crime novelist and an award-winning poet, selected by Val McDermid’s New Blood panel at Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival for her debut, Crossbones Yard. She has been nominated twice for the prestigious CWA Dagger in the Library award, and is one of the founders of the Killer Women writing group. She lives in Cambridge with her husband, the writer and film-maker Dave Pescod, and visited the Scilly Isles every year as a child, which gave her the idea for the critically acclaimed Isles of Scilly Mysteries series

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

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Blog Tours book reviews

BLOG BLAST: Anything For Her by Jack Jordan

Published June 5th, 2025 by Simon & Schuster UK
Thriller, Suspense

Welcome to my review for this nail-biting debut . Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers for the invitation to take part and to Simon and Schuster UK for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The unputdownable debut from bestselling author Jack Jordan.

Sometimes the past comes back to haunt you.

Louise Leighton’s life has fallen apart, all because of one fateful night. Her husband is an adulterer, her sister is his mistress, and soon, Louise will lose everything she owns. But she never imagined she would lose her daughter.

Eighteen-year-old Brooke Leighton is missing. It’s up to Louise and the Metropolitan Police to find her. Has Brooke run away? Or has she been taken against her will? And can Louise aid the investigation without mentioning the night where all of her troubles began?

If she mentions that night, she will incriminate her daughter for heinous crimes. But if she doesn’t, she may never find Brooke; and if she has been abducted, the person who took her may come for Louise, too.

Sometimes the past comes back to kill you.

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MY REVIEW:

Louise’s world shatters when her husband, Michael, tells her he’s been having an affair with her sister. It’s the last straw for Louise who is already facing losing her home and financial security after Michael lost it all. In need of an escape, Lousie goes to their country house in the Cotswolds. However, Louise can trace the beginning of the end of their marriage back to a night one year earlier. A night that she and her daughter, Brooke, have vowed never to reveal the truth of. But when strange things begin to happen at the country house and Brooke goes missing, Louise fears that someone else knows what they did…

As soon as I read Before Her Eyes in 2018 I became a fan of Jack Jordan and his nail-biting thrillers. And though I’ve read everything he’s published since, I had never actually gone back and read his debut or self-published books. So, when Compulsive Readers Tours sent out an email asking for people to take part in a blog blast of Jack’s books, including his early releases that are being re-released, I jumped at the chance to finally go back to the beginning of one of my favourite thriller authors. 

Ominous, tense and forbidding, Anything For Her is a nerve-shredding debut. Well written, tightly plotted and cleverly choreographed, it showcases that from the very beginning Jack was a thriller writer extraordinaire. The story is intricately interwoven, steeped in sinister foreboding and filled with the sense that nobody will come out of this unscathed. As he explores just how far a parent would go for their child, Jordan also examines dark secrets, fractured people, trauma and fear. The characters are compelling, relatable and deeply flawed and Jordan makes us feel every bit of their devastation, heartache, guilt and terror. Heart-stopping and gut-wrenching, it kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat right up until the shocking finale. 

A must-read for any thriller fan.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jack Jordan is the global number one bestselling author of Anything for Her (2015), My Girl (2016), A Woman Scorned (2018), Before Her Eyes (2018) and Night by Night (2019).

His latest thriller, Do No Harm, was an instant Times bestseller and shortlisted for the Most Recommended Book in the DeadGood Reader Awards. Coined the thriller of the summer for 2022, it was described as “relentlessly tense” by Sunday Times Bestseller Lesley Kara, and “Chilling and perfectly paced” by New York Times Bestseller Sarah Pearse.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Amazon*
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Thanks for reading, Biblophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part

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BLOG TOUR: My Husband’s Wife by Carla Kovach

Published September 8th, 2025 by Bookouture
Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this crazy and complex thriller. Thank you to Bookouture for the invitation to take part and for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Five years ago I buried my husband. Today I saw him with his new wife.

‘Thank you for agreeing to be our wedding planner. Theo is on his way,’ Madison says as we meet to plan her dream wedding. The moment her fiancé enters the room, a newborn baby in his arms, my whole world shifts and I grab hold of my desk to stop myself from falling.

Theo shakes my hand as he introduces himself, but I already know who he is. He’s my husband. The man I thought had died five years ago.

‘Lovely to meet you, Eva,’ he says, carefully avoiding my frozen stare. I’d recognise his smooth voice anywhere.

I want to scream, ask him why he’s doing this to me. But I know just how good a liar my husband is. And he knows my darkest secret. I can’t risk him destroying everything I’ve worked so hard for.

At the end of the meeting, I watch the happy little family walk away, and I don’t miss Theo’s eyes staring at me just a second too long. He knows I’m onto him. But only I know what I’m going to do next…

Readers who loved The Housemaid, The Perfect Marriage and Gone Girl will love the jaw-dropping twist in this absolutely gripping psychological thriller.

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MY REVIEW:

Eva and her son Caiden are moving to Devon to live with her new husband, Zach. It’s a much-needed fresh start for them after the tragic death of Caiden’s father, Hugo, five years earlier. But that new beginning quickly starts coming apart when wedding planner Eva meets with new clients Madison and Theo and finds herself looking into the eyes of her dead husband. How is this possible when the police confirmed his death via DNA? And why is he acting like he’s never met her before? When  she catches Theo’s cold eyes staring at her as the couple leave, she is sure she’s right and he knows she’s onto him. Her head spinning, she knows she needs to get to the bottom of this. But is she prepared for what she’s about to uncover?

This book is exactly why I’m such a huge fan of Carla Kovach’s thrillers. Suspenseful, sinister and totally addictive, My Husband’s Wife is a crazy and labyrinthine thriller that blew me away. Expertly written, unbearably tense and psychologically rich, this is a twisted and tangled web so intricate that I’ve no idea how the author kept everything straight. As the story unfolds chapter by chapter, the shocking twists begin to rock the foundations of both the characters and the readers.  And once I started reading I couldn’t put this down,  reading with baited breath and devouring it all in one swift sitting.

The book is filled with vibrant and compelling characters who I loved reading. The protagonist, Eva, is a flawed and fractured character who was easy to like and root for. HFrom the start she hints at there being a dark secret that only Hugo knew, but it is only when Theo comes into her life that we see a shift in her character and realise she is an unreliable narrator who doesn’t even know if she can trust her own mind. And as the story goes on we begin to wonder if this is a book filled to the brim with secrets and unreliable narrators or if it was all in Eva’s mind. I had no idea who or what I could trust, though I did have a few theories that felt crazy even to me.

A sensational thriller that hits all the right notes, I highly recommend this book. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Carla Kovach is a USA Today bestselling author from the UK and is published by Bookouture, Sphere, Boekerij and Virtualo. Her DI Gina Harte series has been translated into Dutch, German, Icelandic and Polish.

As well as novels, she has also written stage and screenplays.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Amazon* | Apple | Kobo | Google
*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife by Martin Edwards

Published September 11th, 2025 by Head of Zeus
Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Holiday Fiction, Puzzle

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this cryptic whodunnit. Thank you to Head of Zeus for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Can you find the clues and solve the murder first?

Six people with links to the world of crime writing have been invited to play a game this Christmas by the mysterious Midwinter Trust.

Solve the murder of a fictional crime writer in a remote village in north Yorkshire and win a life-changing prize.

Each guest has been meticulously vetted by the shadowy Trust, which has staff on-hand to make sure everyone plays fair. But with the village about to be cut off by a snow storm, they must be extra vigilant.

The game is set – but playing fair isn’t on everyone’s Christmas list.

And when the prize is to die for, it’s so tempting to inject a little murder into the mystery…

With clues for you to find along the way, this is a traditional murder mystery with a delightful twist by a master of the crime genre, perfect for fans of Janice Hallett, Alexandra Benedict and Alex Pavesi.

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MY REVIEW:

Six strangers with links to the crime writing world have been invited to the remote village of Midwinter, North Yorkshire to play a game. They must follow the clues and solve the murder mystery that has been set for them by the enigmatic Midwinter Trust for the chance to win a life-changing prize. As the players arrive a storm moves in and they soon find themselves isolated and cut off. But then people start to die and they begin to wonder if they are trapped with a real-life murderer…

Cryptic, clever, tense and twisty, Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife is a gripping whodunnit that keeps you guessing until the last page. Skillfully written and cunningly choreographed, Martin Edwards’ masterful storytelling is evident from start to finish. He knows how to craft an unpredictable mystery, keeping the reader on their toes with red herrings and misdirection. I’ll admit, I didn’t manage to predict or solve most of the clues, but I thoroughly enjoyed every twist and turn that came my way. I was hooked, eager to figure out what was really going on in Midwinter. Somehow, despite his illustrious crime writing career, this is my first time reading a book by this author. I can’t believe it’s taken me so long! But on the bright side that means I now have all of his backlist books to add to my TBR. 

Two of my favourite tropes are locked-room mystery and unreliable narrators, both of which this book has in abundance. Not only is the book set in a tiny and remote fictional village, but a huge snow storm leaves everyone trapped. It’s a tense situation to begin with that is heightened when the bodies start turning up. Are they accidents and unlucky coincidences, or is something more sinister afoot? 

From the first page we are told that we shouldn’t trust anyone or anything, leaving us with a whole book full of possibly unreliable narrators. I loved trying to figure out who or what we could trust and how it added another layer of mystery and suspense to the story.

The story is told by multiple characters and narrators using traditional narration, extracts from the diaries of two of the players, and clues to help both us and them solve the game. The characters are motley crew of strangers that were flawed, fallible, entertaining and richly drawn. The staff working for the Midwinter Trust hint at tragic events five years earlier that they are keen to forget, hinting at dark secrets and giving an air of foreboding. Meanwhile, the six game players all have links to the crime writing world and have suffered a blip in their careers lately. They also seem to have their share of secrets, have little to no family and are eager for the chance at a fresh start, making them the perfect candidates for the game. I loved reading all the characters but it was the self-depreciating Harry Crystal that really stood out.

Immersive, surprising and unpredictable, this captivating whodunnit offers you the chance to solve two mysteries in one book. Perfect for anyone who enjoys a well-written mystery. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Martin Edwards has received the CWA Diamond Dagger, the highest honour in British crime writing, given for the sustained excellence of his contribution to the genre. His latest novels are the stand-alone puzzle mystery Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife and the Rachel Savernake books, most recently Hemlock Bay. The Rachel Savernake series has received two nominations for the CWA Historical Dagger and three shortlistings for the eDunnit award for best crime novel. British librarians awarded him the CWA Dagger in the Library in 2018 in recognition of his body of work. His eighth and latest Lake District Mystery is The Crooked Shore and earlier books in the series include The Coffin Trail, short-listed for the Theakston’s prize for best British crime novel. Seven books in his first series, featuring Liverpool lawyer Harry Devlin, starting with the CWA John Creasey Dagger-nominated All the Lonely People, have been reissued by Acorn in new editions with introductions by leading writers including Ann Cleeves and Val McDermid.

Martin is a well-known crime fiction critic, and series consultant to the British Library’s Crime Classics. His ground-breaking study of the genre between the wars, The Golden Age of Murder won the Edgar, Agatha, H.R.F. Keating and Macavity awards. The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books won the Macavity and was nominated for four other awards, while Howdunit, a masterclass in crime writing by members of the Detection Club, won the H.R.F. Keating prize and was nominated for five other awards. His ground-breaking history of the genre, The Life of Crime, won the Edgar, H.R.F. Keating, Macavity, and Anthony awards.

In addition, Martin has won lifetime achievement awards for his short fiction (the Golden Derringer), his non-fiction (the Poirot award) and his scholarship (the George N. Dove award). He has written a stand-alone novel of psychological suspense, Take My Breath Away, and a much acclaimed novel featuring Dr Crippen, Dancing for the Hangman. He also completed Bill Knox’s last book, The Lazarus Widow. He has published many short stories, including the ebooks The New Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes and Acknowledgments and other stories. ‘The Bookbinder’s Apprentice’ won the CWA Short Story Dagger, for which he has been nominated for three other stories.

He has edited over 50 anthologies, which have yielded many award-winning stories, and published diverse non-fiction books, including a study of homicide investigation, Urge to Kill. An expert on crime fiction history, he is archivist of both the Crime Writers’ Association and the Detection Club. He was elected eighth President of the Detection Club in 2015, spent two years as Chair of the CWA, and posts regularly to his blog, ‘Do You Write Under Your Own Name?’ He is consultant to the bestselling British Library Crime Classics.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The Transcendent Tide by Doug Johstone

Published August 14th, 2025 by Orenda Books
Science Fiction, Metaphyscial Fiction, Book Series

Today is my stop on the blog tour for the epic conclusion to the Enceladon Trilogy. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orenda Books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Lennox, Vonnie and Ava head to Greenland to meet up with Heather, Sandy and the Enceladons, commencing an epic showdown that will change everything … The emotive, devastating yet ultimately life-affirming conclusion to the bestselling Enceladons Trilogy, as seen on BBC2’s Between the Covers…

‘An affecting and thought-provoking read. Johnstone’s worldbuilding is top notch in this pacy eco-alien tale of peril and hope’ Tendai Huchu


‘Doug Johnstone has emerged as the unholy, octopoid lovechild of David Attenborough and Michael Crichton … a thrilling, action-packed adventure’ Callum McSorley

‘Surprising, compelling and out of this world’ Ann Morgan

‘A delight! We need more novels that take on human exceptionalism with such gusto’ Ever Dundas


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It’s been eighteen months since the Enceladons escaped the clutches of an American military determined to exterminate the peaceful alien creatures.

Lennox and Vonnie have been lying low in the Scottish Highlands, Ava has been caring for her young daughter Chloe, and Heather is adjusting to her new life with Sandy and the other Enceladons in the Arctic Ocean, off the coast of Greenland. But fate is about to bring them together again for one last battle.

When Lennox and Vonnie are visited by Karl Jensen, a Norwegian billionaire intent on making contact with the Encedalons again, they are wary of subjecting the aliens to further dangers. But when word arrives that Ava’s daughter has suffered an attack and might die without urgent help, they reluctantly make the trip to Greenland, where they enlist the vital help of local woman Niviaq. 

It’s not long before they’re drawn into a complex web of lies, deceit and death. What is Karl’s company really up to? Why are sea creatures attacking boats? Why is Sandy acting so strangely, and why are polar bears getting involved? 

Profound, ambitious and immensely moving, The Transcendent Tide is the epic conclusion to the Encedalons Trilogy – a final showdown between the best and worst of humanity, the animal kingdom and the Encedalons. The future of life on earth will be changed forever, but not everyone will survive to see it…

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MY REVIEW:

Doug Johnstone and the Enceladon’s are back for their final adventure in the epic conclusion to the Enceladon Trilogy. This is a difficult book to review because it is best discovered for yourself by going along for the ride. But I can tell you that the story sees Lennox, Vonnie and Ava head to Greenland to meet up with Heather, Sandy and the Enceladons. They hope to forge a positive connection between extra-terrestrials and humans, but humanity is predictable in its cruelty, resulting in a monumental showdown that changes everything.

Immersive, suspenseful and compelling, Johnstone has knocked it out of the park once again with this spectacular finale. I’m not usually a Sci-Fi girl, but I knew how good of a storyteller Johnstone is so I took a chance on this series. I’m so glad I did because it’s a series I’ve become very fond of and I’m really going to miss so many of these wonderful characters. I knew reading the final book was going to be hard, but I was unprepared for the emotional rollercoaster that this book took me on and the things that Johnstone put the characters through this time around. 

Johnstone explores a variety of real life issues in this book such as politics, capitalism, environmental issues, humanity and refugees. Yes, these particular refugees come from another planet but the parallels between them and the current political landscape rhetoric towards refugees is unmistakable. And there are huge lessons we need to learn from what happens to Sandy and the Enceladons. We need to be more like the  humans who fight for their extra-terrestrial friends and not like the ones who persecute and fear those who are different and seeking sanctuary in our borders. And it is here where we see that this is also a story about friendship, love, compassion and fighting for the rights of others.

A magnificent end to an extraordinary series, I highly recommend this book and the whole Enceladon Trilogy.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Doug Johnstone is the author of Fourteen novels, including The Great Silence, the third in the Skelfs series, which has been optioned for TV. In 2021, The Big Chill, the second in the series, was longlisted for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. In 2020, A Dark Matter, the first in the series, was shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year and the Capital Crime Amazon Publishing Independent Voice Book of the Year award. Black Hearts (Book four), was published in 2022, with The Opposite of Lonely (book five) out in 2023. Several of his books have been bestsellers and award winners, and his first science fiction novel, The Space Between Us, was a BBC2 Between the Covers pick. He’s taught creative writing, been writer in residence at various institutions, and has been an arts journalist for twenty years. Doug is a songwriter and musician with five albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers. He lives in Edinburgh.

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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 xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The Burning Stones by Antti Tuomainen

Published August 14th, 2025 by Orenda
Thriller, Mystery, Dark Comedy, Humour, Translated Ficiton

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this addictive dark comedy. Thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part, and to Orenda Books for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A top saleswoman at a Finnish sauna company must outwit the police and a murderer when her boss is found dead … in a sauna. A darkly funny, tense new thriller from ‘The funniest writer in Europe’ (The Times)
 
‘The best comic crime novel you’ll read this year’ Abir Mukherjee
 
‘Suspense is uppermost in this adroit mix of psychological thriller, whodunnit and middle-aged rom-com. Comedy is still pervasive … the novel’s glorious gallery of weirdos’ Sunday Times Book of the Month 
 
‘Finnish author Tuomainen has a talent for creating offbeat characters … [a] tense, pacy novel, laced with the author’s trademark laconic humour’ Guardian Book of the Month 
 
‘It may seem hard to find good comic crime-writers, but clearly we haven’t been looking in Finland … simultaneously thrilling and evocative of the mundanity of life, and also very funny indeed’ Telegraph
  
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Love, murder, middle age, and a sauna to die for…
 
A cold-blooded killer strikes at the hottest moment: the new head of a sauna-stove company is murdered … in the sauna. Who has turned up the temperature and burned him to death?
 
The evidence points in the direction of Anni Korpinen – top salesperson and the victim’s successor at Steam Devil.
 
And as if hitting middle-age, being in a marriage that has lost its purpose, and struggling with work weren’t enough, Anni realizes that she must be quicker than both the police and the murderer to uncover who is behind it all – before it’s too late…
 
From the international bestselling author of Little Siberia and The Rabbit Factor, comes a darkly funny, delightfully tense new thriller that showcases humanity at its most bare – in middle age, suspected of murder and, of course, in a sauna…

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MY REVIEW:

A new Antti Tuomainen book is always something I look forward to. The King of Comic Crime, his books are deliciously absurd, quirky, and darkly funny thrillers that have me hooked from beginning to end. 

In his latest offering, we return to Finland for another caper. This time there is a killer who strikes when their victims are at their most vulnerable: in the sauna.  It starts with the death of an executive of Steam Devil who is found burned to death, the temperature in his sauna raised until he expired. The police think the evidence points to one person: Anni Korpinen, a top salesperson at Steam Devil and the victim’s successor. But Anni says she’s innocent. And now she must prove it. Juggling her own investigation into the crime alongside her job, middle-age, and a marriage that’s falling apart. 

Antti’s books are best read pretty blind as the joy is in the discovery of his wild and thrilling stories, so I’ll not tell you much more about the plot. What I will tell you is that when you pick this up you’re in for a treat; a crazy, rollercoaster ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat, make you angry, make you laugh when you shouldn’t, and keep you guessing right up until the big reveal. Just make sure you don’t have anything planned when you start reading, because you’ll not be moving again until you’ve finished. 

Original, hilarious, tense and addictive, pick up The Burning Stones is the perfect thriller for anyone looking for something a bit different but totally brilliant. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Finnish Antti Tuomainen was an award-winning copywriter when we made his literary debut in 2007 as a suspense author. In 2011, Tuomainen’s third novel, The Healer, was awarded the Clue Award for Best Finnish Crime Novel and was shortlisted for the Glass Key Award. In 2013, the Finnish press crowned Tuomainen the ‘King of Helsinki Noir’ when Dark as My Heart was published. With a piercing and evocative style, Tuomainen was one of the first to challenge the Scandinavian crime-genre formula,and his poignant, dark and hilarious The Man Who Died became an international bestseller, shortlisting for the Petrona and Last Laugh Awards. Palm Beach, Finland (2018) was an immense success, with The Times calling Tuomainen ‘the funniest writer in Europe’, and Little Siberia (2019) was shortlisted for the Capital Crime/Amazon Publishing Readers Awards, the Last Laugh Award and the CWA International Dagger, and won the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel. The Rabbit Factor, the prequel to The Moose Paradox, will soon be a major motion picture starring Steve Carell for Amazon Studios.

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ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR:

David Hackston is a British translator of Finnish and Swedish literature and drama. Notable publications include The Dedalus Book of Finnish Fantasy, Maria Peura’s coming-of-age novel At the Edge of Light, Johanna Sinisalo’s eco-thriller Birdbrain, two crime novels by Matti Joensuu and Kati Hiekkapelto’s Anna Fekete series (which currently includes The Hummingbird, The Defenceless and The Exiled, all published by Orenda Books). He also translates Antti Tuomainen’s stories. In 2007 he was awarded the Finnish State Prize for Translation. David is also a professional countertenor and a founding member of the English Vocal Consort of Helsinki.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Featured Books

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: The Nightingale Dilemma by Katy Moran

Published July 3rd, 2025 by Aria
Historical Romance

Welcome to my review for this bingeable historical romance. Thank you to Aria for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

1812

Following the drum in Spain, rebellious aristocrat Cressida Nightingale has put her tumultuous past far behind her, and with it her short-lived marriage to Lord Greville.

Having escaped the constraints of her previous life and now scorned by society, Cressida has spent years surviving as a spy for her government. Whilst this is a hard life, it’s hers and she will fight to keep it. Then her world comes crashing down when she is caught behind enemy lines by none other than her estranged husband.

Betrayed by those who have willingly taken the information she offered, Cressida is offered a deal. Entrap her childhood friend, Lord Byron, now the most famous man in England and one who is suspected of treason, or pay the ultimate price for her own treasonous acts.

Can this nightingale escape the shackles of her past, and what price will she pay for it is she can’t?

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MY REVIEW:

Cressida, a rebellious and disgraced aristocrat turned spy is forced back to the high society world she thought she’d left behind when she’s arrested by her estranged husband on suspicion of treason. There is only one way for her to regain her freedom: betray her friend, Lord Byron. But despite their acrimonious divorce, the old lovers soon discover that their spark still burns bright. Is it too late for them to reunite?

Sexy, smart and suspenseful, this book was regency heaven. But there’s something for every reader in this crazy and chaotic rollercoaster ride of mystery, intrigue, deception, lust, lies, secrets, history, scandal and romance. It’s action-packed and compelling, Katy Moran’s evocative storytelling, meticulous research and captivating characters transporting me to the world of politics and society she’d created. It was so vivid that I felt like I’d been picked up and placed in the halls of regency aristocracy with all the gossip, games and calculated manoeuvring. This was a treacherous place where every word and move must be carefully calculated and you’re never sure who might be secretly scheming to betray you. Convoluted and intricate, everyone has their hand in multiple pies and people you’d never suspect are caught up in plots to betray those close to them. The stakes are sky-high and you feel that radiating from the pages and keeping you on the edge of your seat. 

In a regency romance you obviously need great chemistry, and you can feel the desire between Cressida and Greville sizzling from the pages. You can feel their regret over giving up on their marriage and how they both still want each other. I couldn’t help but root for them despite all the odds that were stacked against them. I also really liked Cressida. She was a compelling character that was easy to root for and I loved that she was so feisty, determined and different to what was the norm for women in her era. 

Atmospheric, clever, witty and tense, The Nightingale Dilemma is a bingeable historical romance with a sassy heroine you’ll love rooting for. 

Rating: ✭✭✭✭✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Katy Moran writes romantic historical fiction filled with adventure, passion and political intrigue. Her books are set in an alternate history just a step away from our own. She lives in the Welsh borders with her family and four miniature sheep.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

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Uncategorised

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: Seascraper by Benjamin Wood

Published July 17th, 2025 by Viking
Historical Fiction

Welcome to my review for this atmoshperic and evoacative novel. Thank you to Viking for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A mesmerising portrait of a young man confined in by his class and the ghosts of his family’s past, dreaming of artistic fulfilment. It confirms Benjamin Wood as an exceptional talent in British literature.

‘A huge talent’ Hilary Mantel

‘Benjamin Wood is a magnificent writer and I intend to read everything he has written’ Douglas Stuart

Thomas lives a slow, deliberate life with his mother in Longferry, working his grandpa’s trade as a shanker. He rises early to take his horse and cart to the grey, gloomy beach to scrape for shrimp; spending the rest of the day selling his wares, trying to wash away the salt and scum, pining for Joan Wyeth down the street and rehearsing songs on his guitar. At heart, he is a folk musician, but it remains a private dream.

When a striking visitor turns up, bringing the promise of Hollywood glamour, Thomas is shaken from the drudgery of his days and begins to see a different future. But how much of what the American claims is true, and how far can his inspiration carry Thomas?

Haunting and timeless, this is the story of a young man hemmed in by his circumstances, striving to achieve fulfilment far beyond the world he knows.

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MY REVIEW:

Atmospheric, evocative, poignant and poetic, Seascraper is a beautifully composed portrait of a young man confined by circumstance and dreaming of a brighter future. Set in the fictitious northern coastal town of Longberry, a young man named Thomas Fleet rises at dawn each day and traverses the bleak and grey beach with his horse and cart, shanking for shrimp to sell to eke out a meagre living. It’s a life of drudgery, hardship and poverty, and he dreams of more, trying to work up the courage to play the songs he writes in secret on the stage, and to muster up the nerve to ask out the girl he likes. But then a bright light appears on the horizon: a Hollywood film maker named Edgar who wants to make a movie on the beach and hires Thomas to be his local guide. Suddenly, his dreams don’t seem so out of reach. But can Thomas trust him? Or is what he’s promising too good to be true?

Benjamin Wood is a skilled storyteller. His prose is beautiful, haunting and moving, the story told with detailed finesse that feels delicate and precise. It’s achingly real, portraying the harsh realities of Thomas’s gloomy life and the dreary beach where he spends his days. He brings it all to life with cinematic precision, making me feel for the characters and lose myself in this affecting story. The characters are richly imagined and real, with Thomas and his mother perfectly portraying a life of poverty and Edgar being the embodiment of a Hollywood executive. I enjoyed the stark contrast between them and how they seemed to learn a lot from each other in the short time they were acquainted. But it was Thomas who my heart ached for and I was cheering him on, hoping he’d fulfil his dreams and get the girl. At 163 pages this is a short but powerful read, my only complaint being that I’d have liked it to be a bit longer and for Wood to give us more answers about Thomas’s future. But I feel like the unanswered questions are deliberate and make the story more true to life, where we don’t always get all the answers and things aren’t wrapped up in a neat bow.

A short but powerful read, it’s easy to see why this book made The Booker Prize longlist. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

​​Benjamin Wood was born in 1981 and grew up in Merseyside. He is the author of four acclaimed novels.

THE BELLWETHER REVIVALS (2012) was shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award and the Commonwealth Book Prize, and won one of France’s foremost literary awards, Le Prix du Roman Fnac. THE ECLIPTIC (2015) was shortlisted for the Encore Award and the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award. A STATION ON THE PATH TO SOMEWHERE BETTER (2018), was shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award and the European Union Prize for Literature. THE YOUNG ACCOMPLICE (2022) was selected as one of the books of the year by The Times, Sunday Times, New Statesman, The Spectator, The Irish Times, and others. A serialised version of the novel was broadcast as a BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime.

His fifth novel, SEASCRAPER, will be published by Viking Penguin in July 2025.

He is a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at King’s College London, where he teaches fiction modules and founded the PhD in Creative Writing programme. ​He lives in Surrey with his wife and sons.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

Blog Tour: No Body No Crime by Tess Sharpe

Published August 14th by Dead Ink
Thriller, Suspense, Romance Novel, Lesbian Literature

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this additctive cat-and-mouse survival thriller. Thank you to FMcM for the invitation to take part, and to Dead Ink for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

From the bestselling author Tess Sharpe comes a new action packed, love-soaked thriller about two women whose lives—and hearts—are destined for each other.

Murder either bonds you or breaks you. Rural PI Mel Tillman knows this well. She’s seen her fair share of bloody cases and botched cover-ups. But killing with someone? That is a different kind of mess all together, and Mel’s got real experience with it.

No one’s heard from Toby Dunne since Chloe Harper’s sweet sixteen party—because the birthday girl and sixteen-year-old Mel buried him so deep in the backwoods, no one’s ever finding him. Mel loses little sleep over it—Toby had been terrorizing them. What she does lose sleep over is Chloe, the girl with whom she survived that horrible night in the woods. Chloe, the girl she fell in love with. Chloe, the girl who disappeared and hasn’t been seen in more than six years.

Tasked with locating Chloe by her family, Mel can’t resist the call of a good chase, or finding the one who got away with her heart (and with murder). When Mel finds an armed and vigilant Chloe living off-grid in a highly booby-trapped patch of Canadian wilderness, she realizes that Chloe had been expecting someone other than her ex to come looking for her. The thing that’s kept Chloe going for years is that she’s kept Mel safe by running. Now, the truth must come out as they run for their lives once again.

Because when they buried Toby Dunne in the backwoods, they buried something else, too. Something Toby took. And the powerful family he stole it from? They’ll do anything to get it back.

Twisty and razor-sharp, Tess Sharpe’s No Body No Crime is a heart-pounding thriller teeming with secrets, betrayals, and a star-crossed romance for the ages.

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MY REVIEW:

“That’s what happens when you survive with someone. 
That’s what happens when you kill with someone.”

Since the night of Chloe’s sweet sixteenth, she and Mel have been bonded by a secret. For two years that secret, and their blossoming romance, kept them close, only for Chloe to disappear just as their life together was about to start. Mel has been searching for her ever since. So, when the now-PI is hired by Chloe’s family to track her down, she can’t resist the chance and finally finds her living off-grid in a place riddled with booby traps. Clearly Chloe was expecting someone other than her former girlfriend to come looking for her. Who is Chloe so scared of? Could someone know what happened that night in the woods?

Action-packed, sinister and suspenseful, No Body No Crime is an addictive cat-and-mouse survival thriller full of star-crossed lovers, secrets, murder and betrayal. It packs a punch from the first page, opening with the aftermath of a plane crash and someone’s attempts to apprehend Mel and Chloe. And there isn’t just one mystery for us to unravel in this book. There are many. What exactly happened that night in the woods? Why did Chloe disappear? Who is after her? And why did the plane crash? 

This was my first time reading a book by Tess Sharpe, but it won’t be my last. Expertly written, skillfully plotted and full of complex and vivid characters, this is one of those books you can’t stop thinking about even when you’re not reading. It’s fast-paced, astute, chaotic, imbued with heart-stopping twists and shocking revelations, and has an irresistible love story woven in that I couldn’t help but root for. The story moves between timelines and narrators, keeping the reader guessing and on the edge of their seats. And Sharpe creates a strong sense of tension and foreboding throughout which she heightens by counting down to the significant events in each timeline. But when the full picture is finally revealed it isn’t over as Sharpe creates yet more mysteries that keep us glued to the pages. And that finale! Absolutely crazy but so good. 

A moreish, entertaining and twist-laiden mystery that gives me Yellowjackets vibes, this is a must for your TBR.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born in a mountain cabin to a punk rocker mother, Tess Sharpe grew up in rural California. She is the author of bestselling and award-winning fiction for kids, teens and adults. She lives deep in the backwoods with a pack of dogs and a growing cabal of slightly feral cats.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The House at Devil’s Neck by Tom Mead

Published August 14th, 2025 by Head of Zeus
Mystery, Historical Mystery, Crime Series, Ghost Horror

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this entertaining locked-room mystery. Thank you to Head of Zeus for the invitation to take part and for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

LIKE LOCKED-ROOM MYSTERIES? YOU’LL LOVE TOM MEAD’S JOSEPH SPECTOR SERIES!

This gripping locked-room mystery sees Joseph Spector investigate his most sinister case yet: murderous machinations at a haunted manor house.

A former First World War field hospital, the spooky old mansion at Devil’s Neck attracts spirit-seekers from far and wide.

Illusionist-turned-sleuth Joseph Spector knows the house of old. With stories spreading of a phantom soldier making mischief, he joins a party of visitors in search of the truth.

But the house, located on a lonely causeway, is quickly cut off by floods. The stranded visitors are soon being killed off one by one.

With old ally Inspector Flint working on a complex case that has links to Spector’s investigation, the two men must connect the dots before Devil’s Neck claims Spector himself as its next victim.

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MY REIVEW:

August, 1939. A mismatched group of people are on their way to spend the weekend at Devil’s Neck, a haunted house that was formerly a hospital for injured soldiers. Shortly after they arrive, medium Adaline La Motte holds a seance that seems to prove there’s a supernatural presence at the house. Some guests remain skeptical while others believe. As the summer storm rages outside and isolates the manor house and its guests, one of them is found dead in what illusionist-turned-sleuth Joseph Spector declares a murder. Is the killer amongst the group? Or is someone else hiding at the house? And will they survive the night?
Meanwhile, Inspector George Flint is investigating the apparent suicide of Rodney Edgecomb, the only suspect in a 25-year-old murder case. But Flint suspects there is more to this case than at first appears and finds evidence that Edgecomb was murdered. Flint’s investigation soon leads him to Devil’s Neck and links his case with Spector’s. But can he get to the house before it’s too late?

Clever, complex and captivating, The House at Devil’s Neck is a riveting Agatha Christie-esque locked room mystery. Well written, skillfully choreographed and intricately interwoven, Tom Mead had me in his thrall as he told the story over the course of one day and night. The book is filled with a large cast of colourful and captivating characters that leapt from the pages. Joseph Spector and George Flint were great protagonists. I loved that they work very differently, learning from one another to become better investigators. I loved that everyone was a suspect and that once again Mead has made it hard to predict the culprit. I got to enjoy the ride and be just as shocked as the characters at the twists and revelations and as Spector finally unmasked the villain.

But what I enjoyed most about this story was the haunted house element, a trope that Mead executes perfectly. It is eerily atmospheric from the start, the rain lashing down outside adds an air of foreboding that felt almost like an omen and a warning of what was to come. Then, when the group arrives at Devil’s Neck, they find a house that looks like a creature hulking in the darkness and has become an isolated island because of the flood. It’s a place ripe for supernatural goings on so it isn’t a surprise when strange things begin to happen. Add in a number of strange deaths and unexplained happenings and  you’ve got a story that will have you on the edge of your seat. 

Chilling tense and twisty, this entertaining read is perfect for anyone who likes their cosy mysteries with a dash of darkness. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tom Mead is an author, translator, and aficionado of Golden Age crime fiction. He is the creator of the Joseph Spector locked room mystery series, which has been translated into ten languages (and counting), and is soon to be adapted for the screen. His debut novel, Death and the Conjuror, was nominated for the Capital Crime Award for Debut Novel of the Year and the Historical Writers’ Association Debut Crown. It was also named one of the best mysteries of the year by The Guardian and Publishers Weekly. Its sequel, The Murder Wheel, was named one of the Best Traditional Mysteries of 2023 by Crimereads and the Daily Telegraph, as well as nominated for a Capital Crime Award and longlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger Award. His third novel, Cabaret Macabre was published in August 2024, along with a collection of short stories, The Indian Rope Trick and Other Violent Entertainments, in November 2024.

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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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Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour