Tag: Blog Tour

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Farewell to the Little Coffee Shop of Kabul by Deborah Rodriguez

Published August 3rd, 2023 by Sphere
Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, War Story

Today I’m delighted to be closing the tour for this uplifting novel. Thank you to Lucy at Sphere for the invitation to take part and the gifted copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

THE LONG-AWAITED SEQUEL TO THE LITTLE COFFEE SHOP OF KABUL, THE BESTSELLER THAT CAPTURED THE HEARTS OF MILLIONS WORLDWIDE

Kabul, August 2021

Sunny Tedder is back in her beloved coffee shop. After eight years away, she’s thrilled to reunite with her Kabul ‘family’:

Yazmina now runs a pair of women’s shelters from the old cafe, and dreams of a bright future for her two young daughters.

Her sister Layla has become an outspoken women’s rights activist and, thanks to social media, is quite the celebrity.

Kat, Sunny’s friend from America, is wrapping up her year-long stay in the land of her birth, but is facing some unfinished business.

And finally there’s elderly den mother Halajan, whose secret new hobby is itself an act of rebellion.

Then the US troops begin to withdraw – and the women watch in horror as the Taliban advance on the capital at ferocious speed…

Set against the terrifying fall of Kabul in 2021, Deborah Rodriguez concludes her bestselling Little Coffee Shop trilogy with a heart-stopping story of resilience, courage and, most importantly, hope.

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MY REVIEW:

“And there it was. The turquoise gate, that crazy wall. The little coffee shop of Kabul. Sunny was home.” 

We’re back at the little coffee shop of Kabul for the concluding instalment of this heartwarming series.  Sunny is thrilled to reunite with her ‘Kabul family’ and be back at her beloved coffee shop after eight years away. But much has changed since her last visit, and with US troops about to withdraw from Afghanistan, Sunny is worried for the safety of her friends, but they dismiss her concerns, sure that the Taliban won’t regain control. But Sunny’s greatest fears are realised as the Taliban once again take control of the city. The race is on for Sunny to get herself and her friends out of Kabul to safety. 

This is a story of love, friendship, courage, survival, and hope that will remind you that light can be found even in the darkest of times. I read The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul when it was first released and couldn’t wait to immerse myself in the world of these characters. And though it had been over a decade since then, I soon felt like I was back with old friends as the author succinctly catches the reader up on events. And it’s those wonderful characters who are the beating heart of this series. The deep bonds and compelling personalities of this eclectic group leap from the page, with Layla and Halajan shining particularly brightly for me.

“We have lived with the sharks circling for twenty years now, yet still we stand strong. It will be fine. We will be fine.”

I’ll admit, I only knew a little about the fall of Kabul in 2021, which is the time this story is set. But Rodriguez sets the scene for the reader, detailing their culture and social expectations and evocatively illustrating a city where life is lived on a knife-edge. We see the reality of inhabiting a place filled with unrest, where women are still forced to walk a careful tightrope every day. It was eye-opening and heart-wrenching, particularly when every hard-won freedom is lost in the instant the Taliban regains power. I could feel the anxiety, fear and despair radiating from every word, my heart pounding as I desperately hoped for an escape for them. It is exquisitely written, never losing its potency or the heart and humour that is woven into the darker moments. 

A comforting, uplifting and moving read that you won’t want to put down, Farewell to the Little Coffee Shop of Kabul is a must read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Deborah Rodriguez spent five years teaching at and later directing the Kabul Beauty School, the first modern beauty academy and training salon in Afghanistan. Rodriguez also owned the Cabul Coffee House. She is now a hairdresser, a motivational speaker, and the author of the bestselling novel The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul. Deborah currently lives in Mexico where she owns the Tippy Toes Salon.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Amazon* | Bookshop.org*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxxx

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

*All Purchase links are affiliate links

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The Black Crescent by Jane Johnson

Published August 3rd, 2023 by Head of Zeus
Historical Fiction, Historical Thriller, Historical Romance

Today I’m delighted to be finishing off the blog tour for The Black Crescent. Thank you to Sophie at Sophie Ransom PR for the invitation to take part, and to Sophie Ransom PR and Head of Zeus for the gifted ARC.

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SYNOPSIS:

Bringing 1950s Morocco vividly to life, Jane Johnson’s masterful new novel, The Black Crescent, is a gripping story of murder, magic and divided loyalties…

Hamou Badi is born in a mountain village with the magical signs of the zouhry on his hands. In Morocco, the zouhry is a figure of legend, a child of both humans and djinns, capable of finding all manner of treasure: lost objects, hidden water.

But instead, Hamou finds a body.

This unsolved murder instils in Hamou a deep desire for order and justice: he trains as an officer of the law, working for the French in Casablanca. But the city is trapped in the turmoil of the nationalist uprising, and soon he will be forced to choose between all he knows and all he loves…

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MY REVIEW:

“You know, Hamou, you stand with a foot in two worlds that are moving further apart by the day. Sooner or later you’ll have to come down on one side or the other or you’ll find yourself falling between them.”

When he is eleven-years-old, Hamou Badi discovers a corpse while on  his way home from collecting milk. The unsolved murder changes how Hamou sees the world and alters his life forever. Determined to help make a difference in his country, Hamou trains as a police officer, only to find himself caught up in the political unrest sweeping Morocco as its people fight the French for independence. As things spiral further out of control, Hamou is forced to choose a side in a war he doesn’t want to fight.

Murder, magic and political turmoil are at the heart of this compelling piece of historical fiction. Jane Johnson expertly combines history, religion, social issues, complex moral dilemmas, mystery, suspense, and folklore to create an intricately woven tale set during the French occupation of Morocco. I knew nothing about this piece of history, but Johnson’s meticulous attention to historical, cultural and religious detail, combined with her evocative writing, brought it to life so vividly that I could feel the blazing sun on my skin, smell the spices, and hear the bells ringing for prayer. 

“He had known, deep down, that this was what went on here, hidden in the bowels of the chic, modern building with the pots of jasmine at the entrance, amid the smart uniforms and the smothering layers of bureaucracy, all the rules and regulations and pretence at carrying on civilised governance, by the book, according to the training manual, in the correct fashion. It was all a facade, a smokescreen. A smart suit on a rotting corpse. 

And he – Hamou Badi – was paid to be part of this pretence. “

There are some dark, gritty, and quite brutal scenes that take place, particularly as dissident group the Black Crescent takes increasingly violent action to try and win back their country. There is a sense of unease and of tensions that are about to reach boiling point that lingers over every page. But Johnson balances that heaviness with humour, romance, Moroccan legends, and the gentle nature of Hamou himself. Hamou is a wonderful character that I absolutely loved reading. He is someone who is motivated by wanting to do good and change things for the better that finds himself in an impossible situation. Will he choose loyalty to his family and his country or his job as a police officer? The author really puts Hamou through it, giving him many difficult decisions to make that really test his moral compass and loyalty before she finally brings it all to a head in a shocking scene that I know will stay with me. What does he choose? You’ll have to read to find out. 

Gripping, clever, complex and beautiful, this is a story that will make you despair of humanity and then restore your hope. It will tug at your heart strings and then tie them back together. Highly recommended. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Jane Johnson is from Cornwall and has worked in the book industry for 30 years as a bookseller, publisher and writer.

For many years she was responsible for publishing the works of JRR Tolkien, and later worked on Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, spending many months in New Zealand with cast and crew (she wrote the official visual companions to the films). The authors she publishes include George RR Martin (creator of A Game of Thrones), Dean Koontz, Robin Hobb, Stuart MacBride, Mark Lawrence, Raymond E Feist and SK Tremayne.

While she was in Morocco in 2005 to research The Tenth Gift she met her soon-to-be husband Abdellatif, a Berber tribesman from a village in the Anti-Atlas Mountains. Returning home, she gave up her office job in London, sold her flat and shipped the contents to Morocco and they were married later that year. They now split their time between Cornwall and Morocco, and Jane still works remotely as a Fiction Publishing Director for HarperCollins.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Amazon* | Bookshop.org*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

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

*All purchase links are affiliate links

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Paperback Publication Day

PAPERBACK BLOG TOUR: London, with Love by Sarra Manning

Published August 3rd, 2023 by Hodder & Stoughton
Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Humorous Fiction

Today I’m delighted to be resharing my review of London, with Love for the paperback publication blog tour. Thank you to Alara at Hodder & Stoughton for the invitation to take part and the gifted copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

‘A VERY special book. GORGEOUS, real believable and BEAUTIFUL’ – Marian Keyes

London. Nine million people. Two hundred and seventy tube stations. Every day, thousands of chance encounters, first dates, goodbyes and happy ever afters.

And for twenty years it’s been where one man and one woman can never get their timing right.

Jennifer and Nick meet as teenagers and over the next two decades, they fall in and out of love with each other. Sometimes they start kissing. Sometimes they’re just friends. Sometimes they stop speaking, but they always find their way back to each other.

But after all this time, are they destined to be together or have they finally reached the end of the line?

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MY REVIEW:

After meeting at college, Jen and Nick strike up a close friendship that sizzles with an undercurrent of love and lust.  Over the next twenty years the pair dip in and out of each other’s lives, fall in and out of love and try to make it work with other people.  But when two people are meant to be something will just keep pulling them back together.  Can they finally get the timing right or will they reach the end of everything they’ve shared?

London, with Love is a story of love, friendship, joy, heartbreak, triumph and tragedy. I loved the concept of following a couple that first fall for eachother in the all-important yet crazy teenage years but can never quite make it happen.  It’s the fantasy of ‘the one who got away’ or the person who you always wonder ‘what if’ about that great romance stories are made of yet the reality never quite lives up to.  I liked that Sarra Manning gave this book a dash of both fantasy and reality that she combines into one great story.  There were times I was rooting for Nick and Jen to just get together already, and other times I wanted them to wake up and realise it would never work.  But at every point I loved reading their story and rooting for Jen to find happiness.

But this love story isn’t just about romantic love.  There is the love of writing and books woven into both Jen and Nick’s characters that this bibliophile adored, and then there is the fact that this novel is undoubtedly a love letter to the city of London.  While it isn’t a place I’ve been many times or am that familiar with, I did find myself getting caught up in Jen’s love for her home city and how intricately it is woven into every facet of her life.  The author makes London feel like a character in its own right and I could picture every place so clearly thanks to her evocative descriptions.  Jen’s passion for London leaps from the pages and made even this staunch northerner feel a little bit of love for our capital. 

But the thing I enjoyed most about this book is the nostalgia.  I’m just under a decade younger than Jen and Nick, so while I was still in primary school when the book opened in 1986, I was of a similar age to them at many points in their story and enjoyed reliving the nineties and early noughties through them.  The author weaves many memorable historical moments into the story such as Y2K that pulled me in and helped me feel even more connected to the story.  I couldn’t help but reminisce about where I was, how I felt and what I was doing in life flashed before my eyes as I read.  

So if you enjoy readable romances filled with compelling characters, engaging plotlines, familiar tropes and heaps of nostalgia, then this is the book for you.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

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

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

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

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

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

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Amazon* | Bookshop.org*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

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

*All purchase links are affiliate links

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Lost Little Angels (Detective Eve Bennett Book 2) by Holly S. Roberts

Published July 14th, 2023 by Bookouture
Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Noir Fiction, Police Procedural, Romance Novel, Crime Series

I’m a few days late due to illness, but here is my review for this tense and twisty thriller. Thank you to Bookouture for the invitation to take part and the eBook ARC.

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SYNOPSIS:

She wakes suddenly, realizing with a panic that her darling baby daughter should have woken long before now. Racing to the pink-colored nursery, she lets out a deep cry as she opens the door. The crib is empty. Her little girl has vanished.

It’s after midnight when Detective Eve Bennet receives a distraught phone call from an unknown number. The voice at the other end begs her not to hang up—a baby has gone missing. But what the caller says next makes Eve’s heart race. “She isn’t the first. There are many, many more.”

Rushing to the missing girl’s home, Eve finds the house empty, and when she knocks on their neighbors’ doors, not a single person answers. Whoever reported the missing baby doesn’t want to be found…

Secrets are held tight in the small town of Hilldale and as an outsider, Eve knows that the only way to uncover the truth is to persuade someone to talk. She finally has a breakthrough when a young wife goes against her husband’s wishes and tells Eve it’s not just babies being taken—mothers are disappearing too.

The woman leaves Eve a hand drawn map leading her to an isolated trailer park. What she finds there shocks her to her core. But she hardly has time to think before she notices a lone figure watching her every move. She’s not alone.

Can Eve save herself in time to finally unmask the truth before more innocent children disappear forever?

Fans of Melinda Leigh, Kendra Elliot and Lisa Regan won’t be able to put down this utterly gripping crime thriller from a USA Today bestselling author.

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MY REVIEW:

Just after midnight Detective Eve Bennett receives a call from an unknown number. It is a distraught woman claiming her baby is missing and that there are many others who have also vanished. Eve rushes to the caller’s home only to find it empty and the neighbours unwilling to answer the door. No one is willing to talk in Hilldale. The town is home to a polygamist sect and secrets run rife, as does their distrust of outsiders. Eve and her team have to convince someone to talk if they are to find the baby or her mother. And what she eventually uncovers is worse than anything she imagined…

The second book in the Detective Eve Bennett series takes us back inside the twisted world of a fundamentalist cult and the battles Eve and her team face trying to help their innocent victims. But don’t worry if you’ve not read the first book, because Holly S. Roberts catches you up succinctly, making it possible to read this one while still feeling like you understand all the nuances of the story and character relationships. It is well written and gripping, taking you through a wide range of emotions and keeping you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end as she expertly weaves heartbreak, anger, frustration, laughter, disgust and strength into the narrative.

Eve Bennett is a fantastic protagonist, and I stand by my comments from my review of book one where I referred to her as ‘a new star in crime fiction.’ Feisty and tenacious; she is passionate about giving a voice to the voiceless and helping people escape the cult. It is personal for her, as she escaped the cult as a teen and is still coming to terms with the long-term trauma of being raised there. It was great to see her slowly allowing love into her life in this book and watching her continue to grow as a person. Her team is also made up of fascinating characters and I love their dynamic. It makes you believe in them and root for them to solve the case despite the many obstacles in their way. There are also some brilliantly written villains in the book who will make you rage and your stomach turn, Roberts expertly walking that fine line by making you feel those feelings while also helping you understand the indoctrination they’ve been subjected to and also never using it to excuse their actions, making it clear they should still be held accountable. We also see some incredibly brave characters who risk their lives either by helping Eve or reaching out for  help themselves. It is a reminder of just how dangerous these extremist views can be and the risk to those caught up in them. 

Gritty, chilling, twisty and tense, this heart-pounding thriller is a must read for fans of the genre. Now I just have to wait impatiently for book three.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

TW: Religious indoctrination, abuse

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Holly Roberts began writing to alleviate stress in her day job, that of a homicide and sex crimes detective. Romance was her go to genre because she required a happy ending. She also touched on cozy mysteries and added six books to her forty book romance repertoire. Now that she’s retired and her mind at peace, she decided to delve into crime thrillers using her background and thirst for research to write the Eve Bennet series.

Holly has two movie/television options under her belt for her amazing life story. Part of the reason is Holly became a police officer at age 45 and led two high profile cases, one involving a serial killer. Now she enjoys the excitement of writing about crime while sitting at home with her two dogs, laptop, and a cup of hot tea close by.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Amazon*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

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

*These links are purhcase links

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The Little Italian Hotel by Phaedra Patrick

Published July 20th, 2023 by HQ
Contemporary Romance, Humorous Fiction, Holiday Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story, Adventure Fiction

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this uplifting escapist read. Thank you to HQ for the invitation to take part and the gifted copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

Escape to Italy this summer with The Little Italian Hotel, the uplifting new book from Phaedra Patrick, the bestselling author of The Library of Lost and Found.

‘The perfect book to read when you want to give your heart a holiday’ Sally Page, bestselling author of The Keeper of Stories

Ginny Splinter, acclaimed radio host and relationship expert, prides herself on knowing what’s best for others. So, she’s sure her husband, Adrian, will love the special trip to Italy she’s planned for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. But when Ginny presents the gift, he surprises her with his own very different plan: a divorce.

Beside herself with heartache, Ginny impulsively goes live on air to invite four heartbroken listeners to join her instead. From hiking the hills of Bologna to sharing a gondola in Venice and dancing until dawn, Ginny and her guests embark on a holiday of full of fun, hope and healing.

Sunny, tender and brimming with charm, The Little Italian Hotel explores love, the importance of friendship, and reclaiming the present moment – even if it means leaving the past behind.

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MY REVIEW:

The Little Italian Hotel is a charming story about love, friendship, and healing broken hearts. We are transported to the sunny climes of Italy as radio relationship expert Ginny Splinter travels to Hotel Splendido with four other heartbroken strangers to try and heal her heart after the sudden demise of her twenty-five year marriage. As the group spend the next few weeks hiking in the hills, exploring the beauty of the surrounding scenery, and dance the night away, they forge unlikely friendships and embark on a journey of self-discovery and healing. 

Full of heart, hope, and laughter, this uplifting story ticks all the boxes for the ideal summer read. Phaedra Patrick transported me to Italy so vividly that I could feel the sun on my skin and taste the olive oil. But it is the characters who are its essence. Each of them are multilayered and compelling, with even the hotel owner and his daughter needing secret heartaches healed. I wanted to know more about them all and enjoyed slowly peeling away the layers of each character to discover the secrets hiding underneath. I had a particular soft spot for Edna, the curmudgeonly old lady with a heart-rending backstory and oodles of character that leapt from the pages. They really were an eclectic bunch, but it was great to watch as their differences melted away, friendships grew. and they began to open up to one another, allowing them to start rediscovering the joy that life still has to offer. 

Sunny, lighthearted, moving and hopeful, this is the perfect escapist book to read in your back garden or by the pool this summer. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

I’ve always wanted to write books but came to it the long way around. I originally studied art and marketing and then worked as a stained glass artist, film festival organiser and communications manager. I won several awards for my short stories and have now written six novels, four of which became USA Today bestsellers. I live with my family in Saddleworth, UK, where I write full time.

My debut novel, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, was translated into twenty five languages worldwide and was optioned by a major Hollywood film studio.

My second novel, Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone (named Wishes Under the Willow Tree in the UK), was made into a Hallmark movie in 2021.

My third novel, inspired by my love of stories, is The Library of Lost and Found. It was selected as ’The Great North West Read,’ to be read across 300 libraries in the UK in 2019.

My fourth is titled The Secrets of Love Story Bridge (The Secrets of Sunshine in the UK) and my fifth, The Messy Lives of Book People (titled The Book Share in the UK) was the Barnes & Noble fiction pick for June 2022 in the USA.

I hope you enjoy my sixth novel, The Little Italian Hotel, a warm, uplifting escape about the power of love, friendship and following your dreams.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Amazon* | Bookshop.org*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

*All purchase links are affiliate links

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: One by Eve Smith

Published July 20th, 2023 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Dystopian Fiction, Science Fiction, Political Fiction

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this outstanding, thought-provoking thriller. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part, and to Karen at Orenda for the gifted copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

A powerful, prescient, gripping speculative thriller: a woman’s job of enforcing climate-emergency Britain’s one-child policy is compromised when she discovers a personal link to an illegal sibling on the ministry hit-list, leading to a shocking discovery that changes everything…
 
‘A tightly paced plot set in an all-too imaginable future … a page-turning, thought-provoking read’ Jo Callaghan
 
‘Eve Smith is a master storyteller for our troubled times’ Simon Conway
 
‘A terrifying vision of a global climate emergency, a jaw-dropping government conspiracy and some truly devastating twists … one hell of a speculative thriller’ Tom Hindle
 
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One law. One child. Seven million crimes…
 
A cataclysmic climate emergency has spawned a one-child policy in the UK, ruthlessly enforced by a totalitarian regime. Compulsory abortion of ‘excess’ pregnancies and mandatory contraceptive implants are now the norm, and families must adhere to strict consumption quotas as the world descends into chaos.
 
Kai is a 25-year-old ‘baby reaper’, working for the Ministry of Population and Family Planning. If any of her assigned families attempt to exceed their child quota, she ensures they pay the price.
 
Until, one morning, she discovers that an illegal sibling on her Ministry hit-list is hers. And to protect her parents from severe penalties, she must secretly investigate before anyone else finds out.
 
Kai’s hunt for her forbidden sister unearths much more than a dark family secret. As she stumbles across a series of heinous crimes perpetrated by the people she trusted most, she makes a catastrophic discovery that could bring down the government … and tear her family apart.

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MY REVIEW:

One law. One child. Seven million crimes…

With a tagline like that, how could I resist picking up the latest speculative thriller by Eve Smith. Her debut, The Waiting Rooms, was one of my favourite books of 2021 and from that one sentence alone I knew I was in for a terrifying treat with this one. And I was right.

The story is set in a future where a catastrophic climate emergency has left our world in chaos. The UK is now run by the Nazi-esque ONE Party, who enforce a dictatorial regime. Everything is heavily monitored, there are consumption quotas in place, and there is a strict one-child policy that must be adhered to. 

Kai Houghton works for the Ministry of Population and Family Planning as a ‘baby reaper’, one of those in charge of enforcing the one-child policy and imposing severe  penalties such as forced abortions and imprisonment for anyone attempting to exceed their child quota. Then one day she receives an alert that turns her world upside down. When an illegal sibling is identified as hers, she begins a secret investigation in the hope of protecting her parents and her job. But Kai unearths more than she bargained for and is faced with a difficult choice: expose the heinous crimes she’s uncovered that could destroy the government, or keep her family together. 

Powerful, gripping, and thought-provoking, I devoured this outstanding thriller, enrapt by the nightmarish future that sprang from Eve Smith’s imagination. From the start this is a world that feels both familiar and foreign. It is clear that life has been infiltrated by technology and data even more than today, slowly revealing more of the tyrannical rules and regulations and offering what feels like a terrifying glimpse of what could be our future if we continue to abuse our planet and strip away human rights. 

Smith is a master storyteller, expertly merging complex moral dilemmas, social issues, dark secrets, and mystery, then weaving in compelling family drama that gives the story its beating heart. It is brilliantly written, tightly plotted and propulsive with a constant tempo of dread; the mercurial presence of ONE looming over every page. The unexpected twists left me blindsided and I found it impossible to put the book down, racing through it quickly with a desperate need for resolution. But would it be the one I hoped for?

Well written and memorable characters are a key part of a great book for me, and this book delivers. Kai is a fantastic protagonist. Smith makes the reader feel every emotion she does, leaving it impossible not to feel for her as her world is torn apart and everything she thought she knew crumbles into pieces. As she faces seemingly impossible choices that test her moral compass, you ask yourself what you would do in her shoes. Would I have the strength to do what’s right even if it means losing everything? Smith doesn’t shy away from the painful consequences of people’s actions while making the reader feel the character’s emotions and face the shades of grey that led to their decisions. 

Atmospheric, chilling, and uncompromising, this is one of the best thrillers I’ve read this year. An absolute must-read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Eve Smith writes speculative fiction, mainly about the things that scare her. She attributes her love of all things dark and dystopian to a childhood watching Tales of the Unexpected and black-and-white Edgar Allen Poe double bills. In this world of questionable facts, stats and news, she believes storytelling is more important than ever to engage people in real life issues.

Longlisted for the Not the Booker Prize and described by Waterstones as “an exciting new voice in crime fiction”, Eve’s debut novel The Waiting Rooms, set in the aftermath of an antibiotic resistance crisis, was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize First Novel Award and was selected as a Book of the Month by Eric Brown in The Guardian who compared her writing to Michael Crichton’s.

Eve’s previous job as COO of an environmental charity took her to research projects across Asia, Africa and the Americas, and she has an ongoing passion for wild creatures, wild science and far-flung places. When she’s not writing she’s racing across fields after her dog, trying to organise herself and her family, or off exploring somewhere new.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Bert’s Books | Waterstones* | Amazon* | Bookshop.org*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

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

*These purchase links are affiliate links

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Everyone Here Is Lying by Shari Lapena

Published July 6th, 2023 by Bantam
Suspense, Psychological Thriller

Welcome to my stop on the tour for this chaotic and bingeable thriller. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part, and to Bantam Press for the gifted eBook ARC.

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SYNOPSIS:

The gripping new thriller from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR

Welcome to Stanhope – a safe neighbourhood. A place for families.

William Wooler is a family man, on the surface. But he’s been having an affair, an affair that ended horribly this afternoon at a motel up the road. So when he returns to his house, devastated and angry, to find his difficult nine-year-old daughter Avery unexpectedly home from school, William loses his temper.

Hours later, Avery’s family declares her missing.

Suddenly Stanhope doesn’t feel so safe. And William isn’t the only one on his street who’s hiding a lie. As witnesses come forward with information that may or may not be true, Avery’s neighbours become increasingly unhinged.

Who took Avery Wooler?

Nothing will prepare you for the truth.

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MY REVIEW:

Stanhope. A small town that is considered safe for families. But when nine-year-old Avery Wooler goes missing one afternoon, it suddenly doesn’t feel so safe. As the police investigate, witnesses come forward with shocking allegations, and the Wooler’s neighbours become increasingly unhinged. And there are some residents who are hiding secrets they don’t want revealed. Could one of them hold the clues to what happened to Avery?

Omg. Was this the rollercoaster ride! Compelling, chaotic, and surprising, this twist-filled suburban family drama sizzled with suspense from beginning to end. Once again, Shari Lapena delivers, and I was hooked as she expertly wove her intricate web of doubt around this neighbourhood, leaving me on the edge of my seat as I tried to decipher the clues and red herrings. I was unprepared as she revealed the truth; pulling the rug from under me in one swift, skilled move. It was impossible to put down and I devoured it quickly over the course of an afternoon. 

A multiple point of view thriller exploring the shocking fallout of an affair, the story is told by a cast of complex, flawed and conflicted characters, many of whom have something to hide. Having so many narrators did make the story feel a bit choppy at first, but I soon got used to it quickly moving between characters and I enjoyed the insight into what so many key players were thinking and feeling as the story unfolded. And what unfolded is every parent’s worst nightmare. The pain radiates from the pages as Erin and William Wooley wait for news of their daughter’s fate, but it was hard to have much sympathy for William, even when he was living in a hotel with his marriage in tatters, because of his actions and the uncertainty about his involvement in the crime. But my heart broke for Erin and Avery’s brother, Michael, as they waited for news. But it isn’t an easy case for the police to solve. Rumours and accusations are rife, and suspicion spreads like a disease, the ripple effect of William and Nora’s affair being felt by many in the neighbourhood. 

Atmospheric, intricate, unpredictable, and filled with adrenaline, Everyone Here Is Lying is a totally bingeable psychological thriller that has all the ingredients that made me fall in love with the genre. A must-read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Shari Lapena is the #1 internationally bestselling author of six suspense novels including The Couple Next Door, A Stranger in the House, An Unwanted Guest, Someone We Know, The End of Her, and Not a Happy Family. Everyone Here is Lying is coming in July 2023.

A former lawyer and English teacher, Shari now writes full time from a farm in Ontario, where she lives with her husband.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones | Amazon | Bookshop.org

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

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

*All purhcase links are affiliate links

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2023

BLOG TOUR: The Fascination by Essie Fox

Published June 22nd, 2023 by Orenda
Gothic Fiction, Historical Thriller, Historical Romance, Gothic Romance, Suspense

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this deliciously dark and enthralling piece of gothic fiction. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Book Tours for the invitation to take part, and to Karen at Orenda Books for my gifted proof copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

The estranged grandson of a wealthy collector of human curiosities becomes fascinated with teenaged twin sisters, leading them into a web of dark obsessions. A dazzlingly dark gothic novel from the bestselling author of The Somnambulist.
 
‘Mysterious, sometimes shocking, full of surprises and twists … brimming with Victorian wonders!’ Sean Lusk

‘A magical, macabre masterpiece’ A.J. West
 
‘Fascinating and immersive’ Anna Mazzola

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Victorian England. A world of rural fairgrounds and glamorous London theatres. A world of dark secrets and deadly obsessions…

Twin sisters Keziah and Tilly Lovell are identical in every way, except that Tilly hasn’t grown a single inch since she was five. Coerced into promoting their father’s quack elixir as they tour the country fairgrounds, at the age of fifteen the girls are sold to a mysterious Italian known as ‘Captain’.

Theo is an orphan, raised by his grandfather, Lord Seabrook, a man who has a dark interest in anatomical freaks and other curiosities … particularly the human kind. Resenting his grandson for his mother’s death in childbirth, when Seabrook remarries and a new heir is produced, Theo is forced to leave home without a penny to his name.

Theo finds employment in Dr Summerwell’s Museum of Anatomy in London, and here he meets Captain and his theatrical ‘family’ of performers, freaks and outcasts.

But it is Theo’s fascination with Tilly and Keziah that will lead all of them into a web of deceits, exposing the darkest secrets and threatening everything they know…

Exploring universal themes of love and loss, the power of redemption and what it means to be unique, The Fascination is an evocative, glittering and bewitching gothic novel that brings alive Victorian London – and darkness and deception that lies beneath…

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MY REVIEW:

“A narrow ray of sunlight shafts through the door and draws his eye towards the jar that, till that moment, had been concealed in veils of shadow. The skin of what it holds is white and luminous, like pearls…he notices the place where the shoulder blades should be, and where…
Is that a pair of wings? But if they’re wings, is this a fairy? A real-life fairy in a bottle? 
The fascination has begun…”

The Fascination is a deliciously dark slice of Victiorian gothic about life’s outsiders and oddities. A story about the so-called-freaks who would be put on display and stared at for an entry fee. But this book takes that familiar trope and twists it into something that is unexpected. This is a story of trauma, grief, obsession, secrets, redemption and the search for acceptance. A story that we can all relate to that is told by those so often not given a voice. 

Atmospheric, beguiling and intoxicating, I loved the vibe of this story from the beginning. I’m an immediate fan after this first time reading a book by Essie Fox and can’t wait to explore her back catalogue and read any future releases. Beautifully written and meticulously researched, she has crafted a world filled to the brim with intricate details and marvels from the Victorian era. This created an immediate sense of trust between me and the author, leaving me completely hooked and in the palm of her hand as she took me on a journey into the world of curiosities. And the story she tells is one that is complex, layered, and intricately woven, filled with luscious enchantments and unsettling horrors. It is a tale of the best and worst of human nature that will tug at your heart strings, make you rage, and give you hope. And that ending! Omg. Talk about pulling the rug out from under me! Bravo, Ms. Fox. Bravo.

Leaping from the pages of this book is a cast of eclectic characters who are all richly drawn, compelling and memorable. You will love some and loathe others, but every one of them will pull you in. The spotlight inevitably shines on brilliant narrators Keziah and Theo, but the background characters are also given their time to shine, creating some of the most memorable moments of the book. I also loved that every character, however small, has their own captivating story, and enjoyed following their triumphs and trials as the author slowly intertwines them to craft a skillfully woven novel of stories within stories that is mesmerising. 

Hypnotic, heady, mysterious, and original, The Fascination is a gorgeously gothic tale you will lose yourself in. One of my favourite books so far this year, I can’t recommend it highly enough. 

Rating: ✭✭✭✭✭

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Essie Fox was born and raised in rural Herefordshire, which inspires much of her writing. 

After studying English Literature at Sheffield University, she moved to London where she worked for the Telegraph Sunday Magazine, then the book publishers George Allen & Unwin – before becoming self-employed in the world of art and design. 

Always an avid reader, Essie now spends her time writing historical gothic novels. Her debut, The Somnambulist, was shortlisted for the National Book Awards, and featured on Channel 4’s TV Book Club. The Last Days of Leda Grey, set in the early years of silent film, was selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month. Her latest novel, The Fascination is based in Victorian country fairgrounds, the glamour of the London theatres, and an Oxford Street museum full of morbid curiosities.  

Essie is also the creator of the popular blog: The Virtual Victorian. She has lectured on this era at the V&A, and the National Gallery in London.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Waterstones* | Berts Books | Amazon* | Bookshop.org*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

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

*These purchase links are affiliate links

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2022 Paperback Publication Day

BLOG TOUR: The Moose Paradox by Antti Tuomainen (The Rabbit Factor Trilogy Book 2)

Published June 22nd, 2023 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Hardboiled, Police Procedurals, Humorous Fiction, Book Series

Happy Paperback Publication Day to The Moose Paradox, which is the second in one of my favourite-ever series. Thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for asking me to reshare my review today as part of the papaerback publication tour, and to Orenda Books for my ebook ARC.

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SYNOPSIS:

Insurance mathematician Henri has his life under control, when a man from the past appears and a shady trio take over the adventure park’s equipment supply company. Things are messier than ever in the absurdly funny, heart-stoppingly tense second instalment in Antti Tuomainen’s bestselling series.

‘In these uncertain times, what better hero than an actuary?’ Chris Brookmyre

‘One of those rare writers who manages to deftly balance intrigue, noir and a deliciously ironic sense of humour … a delight’ Vaseem Khan

‘What a book! Antti has managed to put the fun into funerals and take it out of fun fairs in a gripping nail-biter … a thrilling and hilarious read’ Liz Nugent

**Soon to be a major motion picture starring Steve Carell**

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Insurance mathematician Henri Koskinen has finally restored order both to his life and to YouMeFun, the adventure park he now owns, when a man from the past appears – and turns everything upside down again. More problems arise when the park’s equipment supplier is taken over by a shady trio, with confusing demands. Why won’t Toy of Finland Ltd sell the new Moose Chute to Henri when he needs it as the park’s main attraction?

Meanwhile, Henri’s relationship with artist Laura has reached breaking point, and, in order to survive this new chaotic world, he must push every calculation to its limits, before it’s too late…

Absurdly funny, heart-stoppingly poignant and full of nail-biting suspense, The Moose Paradox is the second instalment in the critically acclaimed, pitch-perfect Rabbit Factor Trilogy and things are messier than ever…

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MY REVIEW:

We are back at the YouMeFun Adventure Park for the second instalment in Antti Tuomainen’s Rabbit Factor series and Henri’s life is messier than ever.  Starting as it means to go on, we leap head-first into the action and don’t pause for breath as we are taken on a tense roller-coaster ride of crazy antics involving a serious insurance mathematician, unsavoury characters and theme park equipment.

He’s done it again.  Hilarious, bizarre, clever and original, Antti Tuomainen has created another riveting page-turner that I couldn’t put down. I devoured it quickly, Tuomainen’s singular style captivating me completely.  Brilliantly written, tense and pacy, he didn’t miss a beat as he succinctly catches the reader up on events from book one while the madness is still going on around the characters.  It is far-fetched and absurd, yet you totally believe it and he had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.  

Henri is one of the most eccentric yet endearing characters I’ve ever read and I challenge anyone not to fall in love with him.  He’s straight-laced, rational, makes sense of the world through numbers and mathematics and finds social etiquette and the actions of others confusing and strange.  You will laugh, you will cringe, and your heart will go out to him.  But what I enjoyed most about this book is that he really came into his own.  It was great to watch him fall in love, read between the lines, understand how to interact with others and show that he is much more astute and capable than he’s given credit for.  I think Steve Carrell is the perfect actor for this character and I can’t wait to see him play Henri when the adaptation comes to our screens soon.

Quirky, original, funny and entertaining, The Moose Paradox is a book you simply have to read. It is one of those books where it’s best to know little about the book before reading, but it is important to read the first book, The Rabbit Factor, before this one in order to make sense of what’s happening.  And because it’s absolutely brilliant. 

So go and read The Rabbit Factor and The Moose Paradox now!  Meanwhile, I will be eagerly awaiting book three, which is out in November.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Finnish Antti Tuomainen was an award-winning copywriter when he made his literary debut in 2007 as a suspense author. The critically acclaimed My Brother’s Keeper was published two years later. In 2011, Tuomainen’s third novel, The Healer, was awarded the Clue Award for ‘Best Finnish Crime Novel of 2011’ and was shortlisted for the Glass Key Award. The Finnish press labelled The Healer – the story of a writer desperately searching for his missing wife in a post-apocalyptic Helsinki – ‘unputdownable’. Two years later, in 2013, they 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 is the first book in Antti’s first-ever series.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Berts Books | Waterstones* | Amazon* | Bookshop.org*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

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

*These links are affiliate links

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2023

BOOK REVIEW: Keep Her Secret by Mark Edwards

Published May 30th 2023 by Thomas & Mercer
Thriller, Psychololgical Fiction, Crime Fiction

Happy Publication Day Mark Edwards! I’m thrilled to be opeining the blog tour today for this sensational thriller.
Thank you FMcM Associates for the invitation to take part, and to them and Thomas & Mercer for the gifted copy of the book.

TRIGGER WARNING: Domestic Abuse

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SYNOPSIS:
In this sinister tale from 4 million copy bestselling author Mark Edwards, a deadly secret turns a couple’s new romance into a nightmare. And they’re not the only ones who know the truth…

After twenty years apart, Matthew and Helena have rekindled their college romance and are away in Iceland on their first holiday together. Swept up in the romance on a mountain hike, one moment they are taking the perfect photo, the next Helena is hanging from the cliff edge…

Terrified, Matthew almost misses Helena’s sudden and shocking confession―but what he hears chills him to the bone. And when Helena reveals the full truth Matthew is horrified, not only by what she’s done, but why she did it. Does he really know her at all?

His shock turns to horror when, back in England, they discover that someone not only overheard Helena’s confession but plans to blackmail her. Now Matthew must decide whether to go to the police or help Helena keep her secret―and as events spiral out of control, how far is Matthew willing to go to protect his ‘perfect’ girlfriend?

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MY REVIEW:

“What happened next took no more than three seconds. But looking back, as I sometimes do now when I’m unable to sleep, I see it unfolding in slow motion. The beginning of all that followed.”

He’s done it again! I’m delighted to be opening the tour today for Keep Her Secret, the new, first-class thriller by psychological suspense powerhouse, Mark Edwards, which is out today. Disturbing, deadly, and deliciously deranged, it had me on tenterhooks from start to finish. And that ending! Sheer perfection. But, I’m getting ahead of myself, so let’s go back a little.

Matthew and Helena are in the heady, blissful days of new romance when she confesses a dark, secret. He vows to keep it, but someone else knows what Helena is hiding and is determined to make her pay, sparking a chain of events that threaten to destroy not only the couple’s new romance, but their entire lives. As things spiral more and more out of control, Matthew is forced to question just how far he’s prepared to go to protect his new girlfriend. Will he keep her secret? And if he does, can they find a way to come out of this unscathed?

“It had been the most insane twelve hours. The view from the top of the mountain. Helen’s fall and rescue. The revelation that had followed. And now this. 
An unforgettable, crazy day, following an intense two weeks. Standing there, beside Helena, I didn’t think that as long as I lived, I would ever have another one like it.”

This book is one of the most insane, unpredictable, intricately-woven thrillers I’ve ever read. From the start there’s a sense of foreboding that intensifies with every page. It’s fast-paced, addictive, and absolutely wild, delivering jaw-dropping twists again and again. It was like being in a boxing ring with the heavyweight champion of the world and I was being pummelled again and again, the shocking twists raining down on me without mercy. And every time I thought it was over, that the bell was ringing and there were no more surprises, I’m on the floor again, knocked out by another shocking revelation.  I can still feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins and my heart beating out of my chest.  

It is no secret that I’m a huge fan of Mark Edwards. He never fails to deliver and every new book is a highlight in my reading year. I love how he takes ordinary people living ordinary lives and puts them into terrifying situations. It is the relatability that makes it so frightening because it could be you, your family, your friend, or your neighbour. And it is that relatability we see again in Matthew and Helena. Richly drawn, relatable, flawed and layered, they have that spark that makes them compelling even when they are making questionable choices time and again. As their mistakes pile up they sink deeper into the quicksand with no sign of a liferaft to help them get out. It was impossible to predict what would happen or how they could emerge virtuous from this mess. Another thing I liked is that we can never be sure if we can trust Helena. Is she really who she claims to be or is there a darker, more sinister side hidden beneath a mask of vulnerability? All I knew was that I needed answers and I devoured the book quickly to get them. 

Cryptic, menacing, and propulsive , Keep Her Secret is a turbulent rollercoaster ride that will keep you guessing. A must-read for all thriller-lovers. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Mark Edwards writes psychological thrillers in which scary things happen to ordinary people. He has sold more than three million copies of his books and topped the bestseller lists numerous times since his first solo novel was published in 2013.

His novels include What You Wish For, Because She Loves Me, Follow You Home, The Devil’s Work, The Lucky Ones, The Retreat, In Her Shadow, Here To Stay and The House Guest. He has also published two short sequels to The Magpies, A Murder of Magpies and Last of The Magpies, and six books co-authored with Louise Voss.

Many of his books have been translated into foreign languages including French, German, Italian, Spanish, Estonian, Thai, Lithuanian, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish and Russian. In 2019 Mark won The Cat and Mouse Award for Most Elusive Villain at the Dead Good Reader Awards for Last of the Magpies.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Amazon | Bookshop.org

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

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

*All purchase links are affiliate links