Tag: Backlist Books

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

BOOK REVIEW: Butter by Asako Yuzuki

Published February 29th, 2024 by 4th Estate
Crime Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Translated Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

WINNER OF WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS DEBUT NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2025

THE NUMBER 1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

A BBC BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICK

‘A full-fat, Michelin-starred treat’ THE SUNDAY TIMES

‘I have been glued to Asako Yuzuki’s new novel Butter’ NIGEL SLATER

The cult Japanese bestseller about a female gourmet cook and serial killer and the journalist intent on cracking her case, inspired by a true story, and translated by Polly Barton.

There are two things that I can simply not tolerate: feminists and margarine.

Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in Tokyo Detention Centre convicted of the serial murders of lonely businessmen, who she is said to have seduced with her delicious home cooking. The case has captured the nation’s imagination but Kajii refuses to speak with the press, entertaining no visitors. That is, until journalist Rika Machida writes a letter asking for her recipe for beef stew and Kajii can’t resist writing back.

Rika, the only woman in her news office, works late each night, rarely cooking more than ramen. As the visits unfold between her and the steely Kajii, they are closer to a masterclass in food than journalistic research. Rika hopes this gastronomic exchange will help her soften Kajii but it seems that she might be the one changing. With each meal she eats, something is awakening in her body, might she and Kaji have more in common than she once thought?

Inspired by the real case of the convicted con woman and serial killer, “The Konkatsu Killer”, Asako Yuzuki’s Butter is a vivid, unsettling exploration of misogyny, obsession, romance and the transgressive pleasures of food in Japan.

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

Food and murder. The perfect recipe for a great read.

Manako Kaji is a convicted serial killer who used a dating service to pick her victims, who she seduced with her delicious home cooking. Her case captured the nation’s imagination but she has always refused to speak to the press. Until journalist Rika Machida sent her a letter asking for her recipe for beef stew. After all, she may not want to talk about her case, but Manako will always talk about food. What follows is a mesmerising story about food, sex, murder, misogyny and obsession that is impossible to forget. 

Captivating, mysterious, sensuous, quirky and uncompromising, Butter is a magnificent debut. This cult Japanese bestseller was a highly  anticipated read for me. I finally read it with my book club last year and seeing all the hype on bookstagram had me even more excited to finally experience it for myself. I wasn’t disappointed. Asako Yuzuki is a masterful storyteller who has created a love letter to good food mixed with mystery, wit, tension, murder and feminist rage. A feast for your senses, food plays a huge role and there are an array of mouthwatering descriptions of food that made my stomach rumble. Asako also looks at the role food plays in sensuality and pleasure, exploring how eating can be a sensual experience or used to seduce, as Manako did with her victims. But it also explores Japan’s beauty culture and obsession with being slim, leading to lots of criticism of Manako’s curvier appearance and Asako explores the societal expectations and sexism that accompany it. 

The characters in this book are richly drawn and unforgettable. The two main characters are strong and formidable women who I loved reading. Rika was likeable and easy to root for, and her hunger to interview Manako and fascination with the case was relatable to this true crime aficionado. Meanwhile Manako herself is an unsettling character that lingers in your mind. And knowing she’s based on the real serial killer, ‘The Konkatsu Killer’, only makes her all the more terrifying. 

I devoured this darkly delicious thriller hungrily, reading it in under a day. It’s easy to see why it took  the literary world and bookstagram by storm and has received numerous awards. I can’t wait to read more from Asako.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

Thank you to 4th Estate for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Asako Yuzuki (柚木 麻子, Yuzuki Asako) is a Japanese writer. She won the All Yomimono Prize for New Writers and the Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize. Asako has been nominated multiple times for the Naoki Prize, and her novels have been adapted for television, radio, and film.

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ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR:

Polly Barton is a writer and Japanese translator based in Bristol. In 2019, she won the Fitzcarraldo Editions Essay Prize, and her debut book Fifty Sounds , a personal dictionary of the Japanese language, was published in the UK by Fitzcarraldo Editions in April 2021. In 2022, Fifty Sounds was shortlisted for the 2022 Stanford Dolman Travel Book of the Year.

Her translations have featured in Granta, Catapult, The White Review and Words Without Borders and her full length translations include Spring Garden by Tomoka Shibasaki (Pushkin Press), Where the Wild Ladies Are by Aoko Matsuda (Tilted Axis Press/Soft Skull), which was shortlisted for the Ray Bradbury Prize, and There’s No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura (Bloomsbury).

Her new book, Porn: An Oral History , will be published by Fitzcarraldo Editions (UK) in March 2023 and La Nave di Teseo (Italy).

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

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Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: Eye For An Eye by M. J. Arlidge

Published July 20th, 2023 by Orion
Legal Thriller, Crime Fiction, Thriller

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

OUR MOST NOTORIOUS CRIMINALS HAVE HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT.
UNTIL NOW…

‘Emily’ is a devoted single mother.
‘Jack’ starts a new job in a new town.
‘Russell’ may be falling in love.

They all share the same secret:
none of them are who they say they are.

They are among only nine criminals in the UK who have been granted lifelong anonymity, for their own safety, because of their terrible crimes.

But what if someone exposed their true identities to the families of their victims, who are desperate for revenge?

Probation officer Olivia Campbell is caught in the crossfire of this unprecedented crisis – and as the hunt for the mole behind it all intensifies, so too does the search for the vigilante killers let loose by the leaks…

Everyone is a suspect. Anyone could be a killer.
Who deserves justice? And who gets to decide?

#EyeForAnEye

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

There are only nine criminals in the UK who have been granted lifelong anonymity. It is for their own safety, because of how terrible their crimes were. But what would happen if someone exposed their true identities to the families of their victims? 

As soon as I read that heart-stopping synopsis I knew I had to read this thriller. Of course, I will also read anything that M. J. Arlidge writes. And this standalone thriller is sensational. Malevolent, suspenseful, harrowing, emotive and thought-provoking, I was in Arlidge’s thrall from the start. Terror oozes from the first page, and there is a harrowing sense of foreboding throughout. There’s a huge cast of characters but it never feels confusing, seamlessly moving between them as we are taken on a journey filled with vengeance, danger, fear and fury.

This book will make you question your own moral compass and forces you to confront your own sense of what justice looks like. Should those who commit terrible crimes live safely in secrecy or should the families of their victims be allowed vengeance? It’s not an easy moral dilemma. After all, my instinct is to say they should never be released from prison and if they are, their fate should be up to their victims’ families. 

There are two sides to every story and Arlidge explores the shades of grey that exist in every situation, writing with nuance as he dissects the crimes and their repercussions. He also humanises these ‘evil’ children, allowing us to see past their atrocities, connect with them and condemn the vigilante justice. But then he flips the script, showing us the pain, rage and devastation of the victims’ families and how they feel let down by the justice system. In the middle of all this is Probation Officer Olivia Campbell, the woman who is caught in the crossfire between perpetrators and victims. Olivia is racing against the clock in a desperate search to find the mole who leaked the information and hunting down the vigilantes who are hell-bent on revenge.

A twisty thriller that will keep you on your toes until the last page, this is a must-read.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

M. J. Arlidge is the international bestselling author of the Detective Helen Grace Thrillers, including Pop Goes the Weasel and his debut, Eeny Meeny, which has been sold in twenty-five countries. He lives in England and works in television.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The Lamplighters Bookshop by Sophie Austin

Published March 13th, 2025 by Harper Fiction
Historical Fiction, Romance Novel, Historical Romance, Gaslamp Fantasy

*I listened to this book on Bookbeat. Click here for 60 days free listening with my affiliate code*

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Netgalley Historical Fiction Book of the Year 2025!!

Every book tells a story. Every heart hides a secret.

‘What’s not to love?! Nineteenth century York, bookshops and brilliant characters!‘ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In the shadowy aisles of the Lamplighter’s Bookshop, secrets lie as thick as the dust…

When Evelyn Seaton answers an advertisement for an assistant at a forgotten bookshop in York, she is not the only one with something to hide.

There she meets the enigmatic and prickly William Morton, an aspiring writer keeping secrets of his own. But when the walls that Evelyn has built around herself start to crumble, there is only one person she can turn to.

As the layers are brushed away, can Evelyn and William find the courage to write the next chapter of their story?

BUY hERE

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MY REVIEW:

Atmospheric, delightful, romantic and compelling, The Lamplighter’s Bookshop is a truly gorgeous debut. And that ending! My heart has still not recovered. I can see why this was voted as historical fiction book of the year on Netgalley last year.

The story follows Evelyn Seaton, who is at home with her mother, Cecilia, when the police arrive one evening and tell them that they must leave their home. Her father has gambled away everything they have and they are there to seize it all. So they go to York to stay with the only family member they have, Cecelia’s Aunt Clara. With nothing to their name, Evelyn decides she must go against her mother’s wishes and get a job, answering an advertisement for an assistant at a forgotten bookshop. It is in this shadowy bookshop that she meets William Morton, a mysterious and prickly aspiring writer who, like Evelyn, is keeping secrets to protect himself. The pair try to deny their attraction, but when Evelyn’s life begins to fall apart all over again, William is the only one she can turn to. Can they find the courage to give into their true feelings?

Sophie Austin reveals herself as a writer to watch with this magnificent debut. Her storytelling and imagery is so evocative, bringing the world and characters she’s created to life so vividly that it felt like I was walking the cobbled streets of nineteenth century York, wandering the shadowy aisles of the bookshop, and living every moment alongside the characters, who are ebullient and memorable. A story about love, secrets and betrayal, Ms. Austin keeps her reader guessing what secrets most of the characters are hiding. I was on tenterhooks trying to guess what they were hiding and wondered what would happen when they were finally truthful with each other and their secrets were revealed. 

Evelyn is a fantastic protagonist. Not only is she likeable and easy to root for, she’s feisty, intelligent, resourceful, determined and fiercely independent. I was rooting for her from the start as she tried to navigate this scary new reality she’d been thrust into whilst also trying to deal with the heartache of her father’s betrayal. Evelyn also comes up against societal expectations from her mother and others that get in her way, but she finds ways to overcome them at every step, intent on making life better for herself and her mother.  Another character I really enjoyed was Aunt Clara. She was snarky, sharp and witty, lighting up the pages in every scene while also offering sage advice to Evelyn and Cecilia. 

As this is a romance, I obviously need to talk about our potential lovebirds. I’m a sucker for an enemies to lovers trope, which was masterfully executed by Ms. Austin. There’s an immediate spark between Evelyn and William but they try to deny it and spend their time disagreeing instead. I loved this quarrelsome pair and their verbal sparring. Their will they/won’t they aspect of their relationship created tension and gave me something to root for. Plus, I knew the pay off would be amazing if they did finally give into their feelings. Something I also liked was what a great character William was in himself. He’s enigmatic, complicated and flawed, and I was as desperate to work him out as Evelyn, keeping me rooted to my chair and turning the pages.

A heartwarming and wonderful debut, I can’t wait to see what’s next from Ms. Austin.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

Thank you Harper Collins for sending me a proof copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Originally from London, Sophie Austin is a historical fiction novelist who now lives in Sweden. Her debut novel, THE LAMPLIGHTER’S BOOKSHOP (coming March 2025) is a turn of the century tale of rivalry, redemption, and love set under the darkening skies of York in 1899. Sophie loves spending time in Victorian England, both in her writing and in her reading, and you can step back in time with her via her website or her Instagram page. When Sophie isn’t writing historical fiction she works as a Senior Creative Writer for a blocky video game writing articles, scripts and more about mining, crafting and surviving

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The House We Grew Up In by Lisa Jewell

Published July 18th, 2013 by Cornerstone
Suspense, Domestic Fiction, Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Mystery

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

An unforgettable story about a family with a terrible secret. From the #1 bestselling author of The Family Upstairs and None of This is True comes a new edition of The House We Grew Up In, with a brand new introduction from Lisa Jewell!

‘Unputdownable’ RED
‘Simply stunning’ Daily Mail
‘Fantastically gripping’ HELLO!
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When a tragedy breaks a family apart, what can bring it back together?

The Birds seem to be the perfect family: mother, father, four children, a charming cottage in the country.

But one Easter weekend, something happens – something so unexpected, so devastating, that no one can bring themselves to talk about it.

The family shatters, seemingly for good.

Until, years later, they are forced to return to the house they grew up in, and to confront what really broke the family apart . . .

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

One of my 2026 goals is to read more of my TBR. Specifically, the backlist books by authors that have languished on my shelves for far too long. Lisa Jewell is one of my favourite thriller authors, but I’m ashamed to say I didn’t start reading her books until 2019, which means I have her huge backlist of books still to enjoy. So, when I was looking for a mood read I decided it was time to dive into that backlist, and finally read The House We Grew Up In.

The Birds seem like the perfect family: mum, dad, four children and a charming country cottage. But all of that changes one Easter weekend when tragedy strikes. And instead of coming together, it fractures them completely; each family member retreating into their own, private grief and torment over what happened. Now, the family is being forced back together for the first time in years after the death of matriarch Lorelei, and must confront the tragedy that tore them apart.

My heart is totally destroyed after this book. Compelling, tense and twisty, I was not prepared for the heartrending emotion that is woven into this story. I expected a fast-paced thriller and heart-stopping twists, but instead Lisa delivers a steadily paced, moving story where the twists are teased out slowly. It is expertly written, cleverly plotted and perfectly paced, moving seamlessly between dual timelines with extracts  from emails from Lorelei and her online sweetheart, Jim, peppered throughout. I was on tenterhooks from start to finish, eager to discover whatever dark secrets this family held.

So, let’s talk about the Birds. This is a very character-driven story so having captivating and richly drawn characters is vital. Obviously, we know Lisa writes fantastic characters, but her talent for writing characters really shines in this book. We get to know each member of the Bird family in detail over the course of the book, all of their imperfections and fears exposed as we peel away the fractured layers of this family. They are all complex, flawed, real. Lorelei isn’t your typical matriarch. She loves her children and being a mother, but she’s also very quirky. And after the tragedy she spirals, her ‘quirks’ of keeping objects because she feels they have sentimental value becoming a full-blown hoarding disorder that ends up with her house being uninhabitable. Each member of the family deals with both the tragedy and Lorelei in their own way, but it is eldest daughter, Megan, who challenges it most and I really felt for her. She was probably my favourite character and my heart hurt for all that she went through. 

A must-read for your TBR.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Jewell was born in London in 1968.

Her first novel, Ralph’s Party, was the best- selling debut novel of 1999. Since then she has written another twenty novels, most recently a number of dark psychological thrillers, including The Girls, Then She Was Gone, The Family Upstairs, The Family Remains and The Night She Disappeared, all of which were Richard & Judy Book Club picks.

Lisa is a New York Times and Sunday Times number one bestselling author who has been published worldwide in over thirty languages. She lives in north London with her husband and two daughters.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Beat the Backlist book reviews

BLOG BLAST: A Woman Scorned by Jack Jordan

Published June 5th, 2025 by Simon & Schuster UK
Thriller, Crime Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Domestic Fiction, Romantic Suspense

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Are you afraid? You should be.

The husband: in over his head with no way of knowing the truth.
The mistress: blinded by love, betrayed by her family…
The neighbour: will stop at nothing to protect the life he has fought to create.
The wife: a woman bent on revenge, but how far is she willing to go…?

Dark as night, this is a brilliantly plotted, gripping short story from the bestselling author Jack Jordan.

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

I think anyone who has been cheated on can relate to wanting to get revenge. Most of us don’t act on those fantasies, but when Amber discovers her husband, Richard, is having an affair, she doesn’t just fantasise about vengeance, she makes it a reality. 

Tense, twisty and totally addictive, A Woman Scorned plays out over the course of a day, telling the story from multiple perspectives to slowly unveil a story of seduction, secrets, lies, deceit, schemes and murder. 

Jack Jordan has done it again. This gripping thriller packs a punch from the first page, taking us on a fast-paced thrill ride that had me hanging on for dear life. Well written, cleverly plotted and intricately interwoven, I was glued to the pages and devoured this book in just a few hours. Jack’s decision to tell the same story from different perspectives was skillfully executed and I loved trying to predict what would happen next, being surprised time and again as the truth unfurled piece by piece.

The characters are charismatic and compelling, but mostly unlikeable and unreliable.. And that’s obviously deliberate on Jordan’s part. He pulls it off with finesse, writing despicable characters that I loved reading but would hate to meet in real life. The only exception was Neena, who I had a lot of sympathy for. Amber is possibly one of the best unlikeable characters I’ve read. She was so awful but also captivating and it felt quite cathartic to live out my revenge fantasies through her.

A riveting thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this is a must for all thriller fans.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers for the invitation to take part in this blog blast and to Simon & Schuster UK for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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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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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

REVIEW: The Confession by Jessie Burton

Published September 19th, 2019 by Picador
Historical Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Literary Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Lesbian Literature

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BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A Sunday Times bestseller and Richard and Judy Bookclub pick, The Confession is an absorbing tale of secrets and self-discovery from Jessie Burton, the million-copy bestselling author of The Miniaturist and The Muse.

When Elise Morceau meets the writer Constance Holden, she quickly falls under her spell. Connie is sophisticated, bold and alluring – everything Elise feels she is not. She follows Connie to LA, but in this city of strange dreams and 1980s razzle-dazzle, Elise feels even more out of her depth and makes an impulsive decision that will change her life forever.

Three decades later in London, Rose Simmons is trying to uncover the story of her mother, who disappeared when she was a baby. Having learned that the last person to see her was a now reclusive novelist, Rose finds herself at the door of Constance Holden’s house in search of a confession . . .

‘Without doubt one of the best novels of recent years’ – Elizabeth Day, author of How to Fail.

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

Elise Morceau meets Constance Holden on a winter’s afternoon on Hampstead Heath in 1980 and quickly falls under her spell. Connie is a successful writer and when she relocates to LA while her novel is made into a movie, Elise follows her there. And while LA is the city of dreams, Elise feels out of place and makes a life-changing impulsive decision.

Three decades later, Rose Simmons is trying to finally unveil the story of her mother, who disappeared when she was a baby. She learns that the last person to see her was Constance Holden, who is now a reclusive novelist. So, Rose travels to her house and knocks at her door in search of a confession…

A beautiful journey of self discovery, a timely exploration of motherhood, an enthralling love story and an ode to storytelling, The Confession is tender, moving and achingly real. This one had been on my shelves ever since I received a proof in 2019 and I’d picked it up a few times. But the time wasn’t right until January this year when the stars aligned and I finally got to enjoy this riveting tale. Jessie Burton is a masterful storyteller and it is no secret that I’m a huge fan. Once again she has crafted a story written with lyrical prose, evocative imagery and a plot that is intricately interwoven. I was quickly pulled into the story and lost myself in the world Ms. Burton had created. 

The story moves seamlessly between Rosie in 2017 and Elise in 1980, the mystery slowly unfurling as decades-old secrets are finally revealed. The characters are richly drawn, complex and compelling, with Rose having a special place in my heart. I adored the love story between Elise and Constance, even if it did lead Elise to make some questionable decisions. But I liked that nuance. That Elise was neither angel nor sinner, but a flawed person who lived in the shades of grey that each of us spend most of our lives. It made the story feel all the more relatable and real whilst also enabling Burton to explore topics such as the devastation caused by deception and the consequences of the choices we make. 

A powerful and tender story from an exquisite storyteller, I highly recommend this book.

Rating: ✮✮✮✰

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

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Jessie Burton is the author of four novels, The Miniaturist, The Muse, The Confession, and The House of Fortune.

The Miniaturist and The Muse were Sunday Times no.1 bestsellers in both hardback and paperback, New York Times bestsellers, and Radio 4’s Book at Bedtime. The Miniaturist went on to sell over a million copies in its year of publication, was Christmas no.1 in the UK, National Book Awards Book of the Year, and Waterstones Book of the Year 2014.  In 2017 it was adapted as a two-part miniseries on BBC One, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Alex Hassell and Romola Garai, screened over Christmas, and now available on DVD and streaming services. The Confession was an instant Sunday Times bestseller, and Radio 4 Book at Bedtime​. The House of Fortune was a Sunday Times no.1 bestseller in hardback, and the paperback was released in July 2023.

Her novels have been published in 40 languages.

Jessie’s first book for children, The Restless Girls, was published in September 2018, and Medusa, her second, in October 2021. Medusa was shortlisted for the 2023 Carnegie Medal for Children’s Writing. ​Her story ‘Daphne and the Doughnuts’ appeared in The Book of Hopes, a collection of children’s stories published in 2020, from which all profits go to the NHS. 

As a non-fiction writer, she has written essays and reviews for The New York Times, Harpers Bazaar UK, The Wall Street Journal, The Independent, Vogue, Elle, Red, Grazia, Lonely Planet Traveller and The Spectator. Harpers Bazaar US and Stylist have published her short stories. You can read her answers to the TLS’ 20 Questions on books and writing here.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

BOOK REVIEW: Happy Bloody Christmas by Jo Middleton

Published October 24th, 2024 by Avon Books
Mystery, Crime Fiction, Humorous Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Holiday Fiction, Christmas Story, Festive Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Don’t miss the perfect Christmas present for yourself (or for that best friend who would definitely help you hide a body…)

–––––––––––––––––––––

Anna’s Christmas Eve To Do List:

1. Wrap the kids’ presents​

2. Peel the potatoes ​

3. Get rid of the dead body?!

Hungover and exhausted after her family’s annual party, all Anna Johnson wants for Christmas is to finish her to-do list and finally sit down with the world’s biggest glass of wine.

But when she stumbles across a dead body in her larder, her plans are well and truly buggered.

A mysterious death in her home really is the last thing she needs, but with her judgemental in-laws arriving in less than twenty-four hours, turning her house into a crime scene is not an option. If she’s going to save Christmas, it’s up to Anna to find out what the hell’s gone on. Oh – and figure out what to do with the body before one of the kids finds it.

And you thought burning the turkey was the worst that could happen…

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

When Anna wakes up with a hangover on Christmas Eve she is dreading the clean-up from their party the night before and trying to fit that in alongside all of the other things she has to get ready for Christmas Day. She’s expecting to find a mess. But what she isn’t expecting to find when she opens the pantry is her boss, Colin, dressed in a Santa suit and stabbed to death. This really is the last thing she needs. With the police hopeless and less than twenty-four hours until her judgemental in-laws arrive, Anna knows it’s up to her to save Christmas and solve the mystery of who stabbed Santa.

I love a mystery with lots of black humour thrown in, and this one was overflowing with hilarious moments that had me laughing out loud. So much so that I was scared I’d wake Mr. Bibliotreasures when I was reading in bed! Thankfully, he’s a deep sleeper. I decided to pick this one up after reading rave reviews from a couple of fellow bloggers. And I’m so glad that I did because this uproarious festive mystery was a real treat. It’s tense, twisty, kept me on the edge of my seat and had me guessing right up until the very end.

Anna was a fantastic protagonist. I think I think many of us can relate to Anna feeling stressed about all she has to do for Christmas and I can’t imagine the amount of extra pressure caused by finding a body in the pantry! I loved her hilarious inner monologue, the banter she had with others, and I was rooting for her at every step. She and the other characters are charismatic and compelling, making me feel totally invested in the story. I didn’t only want to know who killed Colin for a resolution, I also cared who it was in terms of Anna’s relationship with them and how she would be affected. I also really enjoyed reading Anna’s sarcastic best friend, Jennie, who was a real hoot.

If you’re looking for a lighthearted festive mystery that will have you in stitches, this is the book for you.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jo Middleton is a writer, mum of two grown up children and slave to a golden retriever and three cats, named after fictional detectives. Jo published her first novel, Playgroups and Prosecco, in 2019 and has since gone on to work with her good friend Gill Sims, hosting her 2022 theatre tour and co-hosting a podcast, It’s Five O’clock Somewhere. Happy Bloody Christmas is her first crime novel and is an amalgamation of everything she loves best – murder at Christmas, what’s not to love?

Jo lives in Somerset and when she’s not working or tending to a pet she loves reading murder mysteries, binge-watching dating reality TV shows and being dragged around the countryside by her disrespectful dog Mako.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: The Christmas Book Club by Sarah Morgan

Published October 23rd, 2023 by HQ
Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Domestic Fiction, Festive Fiction, Christmas Story

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Could this Christmas be the start of a whole new chapter?

A long-lasting friendship

Every year, Erica, Claudia, and Anna reunite for their book club holiday. They’re bonded by years of friendship and a deep love of books, but there is still so much they keep from each other…

A perfect Christmas escape

At the cosy Maple Sugar Inn, Hattie specialises in making her guests’ dreams come true, but this Christmas all she wants is to survive the festive season. Between running the inn and being a single mother, Hattie is close to breaking point.

The start of a brand-new story…?

Over the course of an eventful week, Hattie sees that the friends are each carrying around unspoken truths, but nothing prepares her for how deeply her story will become entwined in theirs. Will this Christmas be the end of the book club’s story or the start of a whole new chapter?

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

Every year, best friends Erica, Anna and Claudia reunite for their book club holiday. This year they are getting together near Christmas, and Erica has chosen the cosy Maple Sugar Inn in Vermont for their getaway. The Inn is run by Hattie, a widowed single mother who specialises in making her guests’ dreams come true. But between motherhood and running the inn, there is little time to do anything than simply try to survive the festive season. The friends arrive at the Inn, and over the course of the next week secrets are revealed and all of their stories will become entwined in unexpected ways…

I love a cosy Christmas story, so when the SquadPod voted for The Christmas Book Club as our December Book Club pick I was thrilled. I’ve heard so many good things about Sarah Morgan’s books and have many of them on my TBR, so this was the ideal excuse to finally read one of them. And now I’m wondering why I waited so long. A delightful and uplifting story of love, friendship, family, grief and the changes that life throws our way, The Christmas Book Club is festive perfection. Sarah Morgan knows how to keep her readers turning the pages, delivering a story that is funny and entertaining but also has moving and emotional stories woven into every facet. 

One of the highlights of this book for me were the compelling characters and the depictions of family, love and friendship between them. I especially loved Hattie, the Inn’s proprietor, and her young daughter Delphi, but each of the characters had me enthralled and I was rooting for each of them. The will they/won’t they romance between Hattie and Noah was also gripping and I was cheering them on throughout. 

So if you’re looking for a warming festive story to read whilst snuggled under a blanket with a hot chocolate this year, this is the book for you.

Rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Sarah Morgan is a USA Today and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of romance and women’s fiction. She has sold over 25 million copies of her books and her trademark humour and warmth have gained her fans across the globe.

Sarah lives near London, England and when she isn’t writing or reading, she likes to spend time outdoors hiking or riding her mountain bike.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

BOOK REVIEW: The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn

Published March 22nd, 2022 by Harper Collins UK
Historical Fiction, Thriller, War Story, Drama, Biographical Fiction, Spy Fiction, Holiday Ficiton

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The brand-new historical novel based on a true story from the bestselling author of The Rose Code and The Alice Network

*Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee: Best Historical Fiction 2022*

In the snowbound city of Kiev, aspiring historian Mila Pavlichenko’s life revolves around her young son – until Hitler’s invasion of Russia changes everything. Suddenly, she and her friends must take up arms to save their country from the Fuhrer’s destruction.

Handed a rifle, Mila discovers a gift – and months of blood, sweat and tears turn the young woman into a deadly sniper: the most lethal hunter of Nazis.

Yet success is bittersweet. Mila is torn from the battlefields of the eastern front and sent to America while the war still rages. There, she finds an unexpected ally in First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and an unexpected promise of a different future.

But when an old enemy from Mila’s past joins forces with a terrifying new foe, she finds herself in the deadliest duel of her life.

The Diamond Eye is a haunting novel of heroism born of desperation, of a mother who became a soldier, of a woman who found her place in the world and changed the course of history forever.

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

Powerful, atmospheric, immersive and intense, , The Diamond Eye is the remarkable story  of Lyudmila ‘Mila’ Pavlichenko, a Russian sniper during the Second World War who went on to become the deadliest sniper in history. It opens on  August 27th, 1942, when Mila is a Russian Envoy at the White House, before jumping back to November 1937, when she was an ordinary citizen in Kiev. Told by Mila, the Marksman, and in extracts from the diary of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, it then moves between timelines and narrators, blending fact with fiction as Kate Quinn tells the story in cinematic detail. 

Mila was a history maker and her story is one of an extraordinary life. But it didn’t start out that way. In 1937 she was 21 years old, an ordinary Russian citizen and a single mother to a five-year-old son. Vowing to be both mother and father to her son, she became an expert shooter to prove to him she could take on the male role he needed, and by the time Russia was invaded in 1941 she was an experienced marksman. Determined to defend her country, Mila joined the Red Army. And with no limits on what roles a woman can take in Russia, unlike the UK and USA, she becomes a sniper. Known to her enemies as ‘Lady Death’, Mila went on to become the deadliest female sniper in history, with 309 confirmed kills recorded. She was also the first Soviet citizen welcomed in the US when she travelled there on a goodwill tour, talking about her experiences as a female soldier and to advocate for their help opening a second front in Europe.

I loved this woman. Feisty, strong, intelligent, determined, ambitious and accomplished, she is someone I’d want on my side. She was also straightforward, with a bluntness that could sometimes come across as brusque to Americans. A staunch advocate of women’s rights, Mila was intent on demonstrating that girls can do anything boys can, demanding respect from her male peers instead of trying to impress them or being intimidated by them. She was an inspiration and a symbol of a strong woman, all whilst hiding her own heartache and trauma underneath. 

Books based on true stories are some of my favourites and I won’t forget this story of heroism, heartache, love, loss, feminism, war and self-discovery is one I won’t forget. Expertly written, meticulously researched, full of evocative imagery and richly drawn characters, Kate Quinn had me in her thrall from start to finish. And that ending! I was on tenterhooks, my heart racing, and then just when I thought it was all over…Bam! She delivers a jaw-dropping curveball that I didn’t see coming and I’m still trying to recover from. 

Action-packed, moving, suspenseful and haunting, The Diamond Eye is a breathtaking story that would be perfect on the big screen or adapted for Netflix and is a must for your TBR.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kate Quinn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. A native of southern California, she attended Boston University where she earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Classical Voice. She has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga, and two books in the Italian Renaissance, before turning to the 20th century with “The Alice Network”, “The Huntress,” “The Rose Code,” “The Diamond Eye,” and “The Briar Club.” She is also a co-author in several collaborative novels including “The Phoenix Crown” with Janie Chang and “Ribbons of Scarlet” with Stephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie, Eliza Knight, Sophie Perinot, and Heather Webb. “The Astral Library,” releasing in 2025, is her first foray into magical realism. Kate and her husband now live in Maryland with their two rescue dogs.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: Forget Me Not (Helen Grace, 12) by M. J. Arlidge

Published July 4th, 2024 by Orion
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Police Procedural, Crime Series, Psychological Thriller

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Prepare to read the most exhilarating thriller from M.J. Arlidge yet….

When local teenager Naomi goes missing, Detective Inspector Helen Grace is her only hope.

But with the police force under fire from all sides as a gang war grips the city, Helen will have to defy direct orders to search for her.

Helen’s secret investigation follows a disturbing trail of missing girls disappearing from the streets. She’s the only person looking for them. And with the clock still ticking, she’s about to have more enemies than time working against her…

BUY THE BOOK

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MY REVIEW:

After a fight with her boyfriend Darren, teenager Naomi finds herself on the streets with nowhere to go. The homeless shelters are full, so she finds a place outside that seems to offer enough shelter to sleep and settles down. As she does, a man approaches her and offers to take her somewhere safe and warm and she goes with him. A decision she quickly regrets when he kidnaps her and Naomi wakes in a dark and claustrophobic cell. And she’s not alone.

Naomi’s mother, Sheila, receives a silent call from her daughter and spends the night searching the streets. After a fruitless night, she goes to the police station, where DI Helen Grace listens to her and promises to make Naomi’s case a priority. Even if that means she must defy orders to do so. Soon, Helen’s secret investigation leads her to a trail of girls being taken from the streets. And no one else is looking for them. Can she find Naomi and solve the mystery before time runs out?

Dark, propulsive and heart-stoppingly suspenseful, we’re back with Helen Grace and the team for their twelfth instalment. The Helen Grace series is probably my favourite crime series, and each new book is an auto-buy to add to my shelves. After not finding time to read this one last year I couldn’t wait to return to it and catch up. Once again M. J. Arlidge has crafted a deftly written, expertly plotted and twisty thriller that kept me guessing and had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. And speaking of the ending, Mr. Arlidge you are evil to end the book like that! Thank goodness I have book thirteen ready to read. 

Forget Me Not is another exhilarating instalment in a series that all thriller-lovers should read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

M. J. Arlidge has worked in television for the last twenty years, specializing in high-end drama production, including prime-time crime serials Silent Witness, Torn, The Little House and, most recently, the hit ITV show Innocent. In 2015 his audiobook exclusive Six Degrees of Assassination was a number-one bestseller.

His debut thriller, Eeny Meeny, was the UK’s bestselling crime debut of 2014. He has now written thirteen books in the DI Helen Grace series and written two standalone novels, A Gift For Dying and Eye For An Eye.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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