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BOOK REVIEW: Fair Rosaline by Natasha Solomons

Published August 3rd, 2023 by Manilla Press
Historical Ficiton, Romance Novel, Retelling

Welcome to my review for this dark and irresistable retelling. Thank you to Manilla Press for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

One of the most anticipated novels of the year – the captivating and powerful untelling of Romeo & Juliet . . .

The first time Romeo Montague sees young Rosaline Capulet he falls instantly in love. Rosaline, headstrong and independent, is unsure of Romeo’s attentions but with her father determined that she join a convent, this handsome and charming stranger offers her the chance of a different life.

Soon though, Rosaline begins to doubt all that Romeo has told her. She breaks off the match, only for Romeo’s gaze to turn towards her cousin, thirteen-year-old Juliet. Gradually Rosaline realises that it is not only Juliet’s reputation at stake, but her life.

With only hours remaining before she will be banished behind the nunnery walls, will Rosaline save Juliet from her Romeo? Or can this story only ever end one way?

A subversive, powerful untelling of Shakespeare’s best-known tale, narrated by a fierce, forgotten voice: this is Rosaline’s story.

Hamnet meets My Dark Vanessa in this fierce, feminist, intensely gripping novel; captivating and chillingly relevant, FAIR ROSALINE takes everything you thought you knew about Romeo and Juliet and turns it on its head . . .

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MY REVIEW:

We all know the story of Romeo and Juliet. Or, at least we think we do. 

Spellbinding, poignant, dark and irresistible, Fair Rosaline is a feminist ‘untelling’ of the famous love story. And once you’ve read it you will never look at the much-loved classic the same way again. Told from the perspective of Rosaline, Juliet’s cousin and the girl who Romeo romanced before her, this version is a story of love, sex and coercion.

Beautifully written, Natasha Solomon’s poetic prose is filled with emotion whilst also setting the scene vividly. The streets of Italy come alive, the characters leap from the pages and you can feel the heartache of forbidden love on every page. Rosaline isn’t a character I’d given a lot of thought to before this book, but I loved hearing what Solomons imagined to be her story and connected with her quickly. Meanwhile, we meet a very different Romeo in this book to the one we’ve seen before. This Romeo is not a hero, but a predator, who love-bombs, gaslights and controls, while Rosaline and Juliet are his naive prey. It’s powerful and thought-provoking, making me question everything I thought I knew about a story I’d long loved. 

Fierce, bold, complex and compelling, this powerful retelling is a must-read.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. Click here to listen for 60 days free using my affiliate link*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From Natasha’s Amazon Author Page: I’ve always worked as a writer more or less. After University I completed an MPhil in Eighteenth century literature at the University of Glasgow and then began a doctorate researching Women’s Romantic Poetry and the Domestic Muse.

Unfortunately, I became un-stuck on a chapter on Verse Letters and so began writing my first novel as way of avoiding correcting the footnotes. My entire career to date has been an extremely elaborate form of avoiding that tricky chapter…

I still love research and writing immersive fiction and hate footnotes. I live in Dorset, in a thatched cottage with my husband — the award winning children’s writer David Solomons – and our children and Labrador, Mr Bingley. Sometimes David and I write screenplays together. Then we argue about them.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: A Proper Mother by Isabel Shirlaw

Published March 6th, 2025 by Point Blank
Suspense, Thriller, Domestic Fiction

Welcome to my review for this unforgettable thriller. Thank you to Point Blank for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The shocking debut psychological thriller from a stunning a new talent. Perfect for fans of The Push by Ashley Audrain and Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough.

Sometimes it’s your own child you’re most afraid of…

‘Scarily good.’ Guardian, crime and thrillers of the month 

‘I devoured this truly superb and extraordinary book… A must-read that will haunt me for a long time!’ Kathryn Croft, author of The Girl With No Past 

Ever since an ominous palm-reading on her honeymoon, Frankie has suspected that her youngest son, Michael, is different. From an early age he sees things no one else can. As he grows up – academically gifted, a musical prodigy and with an unshakeable religious faith – his mother can no longer deny there is something strange about him, or that it frightens her.  

It is only when Frankie learns Michael is sliding into drugs and violence that she realises she can’t keep ignoring the past. But by confronting her destructive marriage and her own responsibility for all that has gone wrong, she begins to see there is something darker at play. 

‘Captivating and intriguing.’ C. L. Jennison, author of What’s Mine is Yours

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MY REVIEW:

I don’t know what I expected when I picked up this book, but it certainly wasn’t what I got. Tense, unnerving and eerie, this extraordinary debut captivated me from the opening pages where we meet Frankie, a young woman on honeymoon in Greece. She’s having the time of her life, until an ominous palm reading shakes her to the core. When years later she is sure there is something not quite right about her youngest son, Michael, Frankie can’t help but think back to that reading. And, as he gets older, the strangeness and darkness in him becomes undeniable. 

Isabel Shirlaw has proven herself as an author to watch with this brilliant debut. Heartbreakingly raw, moving, powerful and thought-provoking, this is a book that will stay with me long after reading. Moving between timelines, we follow Frankie and Michael’s relationship through the years, examining the complexities of the bond between a mother and her children, and forces us to consider what happens when you not only struggle to love and like one of your children, but also fear them. Shirlaw skillfully writes in shades of grey so that we are never quite sure if the problem lies with Michael or Frankie’s belief in the reading all those years ago. Atmospheric and unsettling, a strong sense of foreboding lingers over the pages and keeps you on the edge of your seat. But I was still unprepared for what was to come and won’t be over that finale for a very long time. 

Reminiscent of We Need To Talk About Kevin, this is a layered and intricate thriller that demands to be read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Isobel Shirlaw is a writer based in the UK. She has written for The Times Literary Supplement, The Daily Telegraph, the i and The Catholic Herald in the UK and for Bangladeshi broadsheets, New Age and The Daily Star. In 2019 she won the Fresher Poetry Prize and was highly commended in the Poetry Space competition. She studied English at Oxford University and has worked on the features desk of The Daily Telegraph, as a political analyst for the British High Commission, Bangladesh, and as a senior manager for the domestic violence charity, Refuge. She has three young children. A Proper Mother is her first novel.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

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SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: Other People’s Houses (DC Morgan, Book 3) by Clare Mackintosh

Published February 27th, 2025 by Sphere
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Police Procedural, Crime Series

Welcome to my review for this tense and twisty thriller. Thank you to Sphere for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The stunning new thriller from the author who brought you the jaw-dropping twist of I Let You Go, the gasp-out-loud ending of Let Me Lie, and the loveable, unpredictable Ffion Morgan in The Last Party and A Game of Lies.

Even on the most desirable street, there’s a dark side . . .

The Hill is the kind of place everyone wants to live: luxurious, exclusive and safe. But now someone is breaking and entering these Cheshire homes one by one, and DS Leo Brady suspects the burglar is looking for something, or someone, in particular.

Over the border in Wales, DC Ffion Morgan recovers the body of an estate agent from the lake. There’s no love lost between Ffion and estate agents, but who hated this one enough to want her dead – and why?

As their cases collide, Ffion and Leo discover people will pay a high price to keep their secrets behind closed doors . . .

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MY REVIEW:

Tense, twisty and totally addictive, Other People’s Houses is another sensational thriller from Clare Mackintosh. The third book in her DC Morgan series sees Ffion Morgan investigating the murder of an estate agent found dead in a kayak. Meanwhile, Ffion’s boyfriend Leo Brady is investigating a spate of burglaries in one of Cheshire’s most desirable postcodes, The Hill. As the evidence points to connections in their cases, secrets are revealed that will show just how far some will go to keep their secrets hidden.

Clare Mackintosh has knocked it out of the park once again. Mackintosh has long been an auto-buy author for me and I’ve been a fan of this series ever since the first book, but I think this installment is my favourite yet. Skillfully written, intricately interwoven, pacy and full of twists, Mackintosh knows how to keep her reader hooked. Her previous employment as a Police Officer is evident in the small details and how expertly she writes the inner workings of a police investigation, pulling you in and making you feel like you’ve stepped inside a real investigation. Ffiion and Leo feel like old friends at this point and I love returning to them. I’m totally invested in their relationship. Her feistiness is so perfectly paired with his laid back personality and I can’t wait to see what’s next for them.

Not everything that glitters is gold, and we see the perfect example of that in this story. The luxury of the opulent homes on The Hill hides secrets, lies and deceptions that lead to the crimes now being investigated. But just how deep do these secrets and lies run? And how much darkness are they hiding? I loved this storyline and the authentic vibe this snobby community and its residents had but was unprepared for what would be revealed as Mackintosh carefully revealed her clues, some hidden in plain sight but misunderstood until later, keeping you guessing until the big reveal. And that ending! I was not prepared for all of those emotions. I’m going to need book four ASAP.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

With more than two million copies of her books sold worldwide, number one bestseller Clare Mackintosh is the multi-award-winning author of I Let You Go, which was a Sunday Times bestseller and the fastest-selling title by a new crime writer in 2015. It also won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year in 2016.

Both Clare’s second and third novels, I See You and Let Me Lie, were number one Sunday Times bestsellers. All three of her books were selected for the Richard & Judy Book Club. Clare’s latest novel, After the End, was published in June 2019 and spent seven weeks in the Sunday Times hardback bestseller chart.

Clare’s thriller, Hostage, was published in June 2021, and her latest thriller, The Last Party, which is the first in a new crime series, is published in August 2022.

Together, Clare’s books have been published in more than forty countries. Clare is patron of the Silver Star Society, a charity based at the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford, which supports parents experiencing high-risk or difficult pregnancies. She lives in North Wales with her husband and their three children.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Respect Rom Fic Romance Rocks Squadpod Squadpod Book Club Squadpod Featured Books Squadpod Reviews

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

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

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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MY REVIEW:

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

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

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

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

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

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

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

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

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

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025 Readalong

READALONG REVIEW: A Fortune Most Fatal (Miss Austen Investigates, Book 2) by Jessica Bull

Published March 27th, 2025 by Michael Joseph
Mystery, Historical Ficiton, Historical Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Regency Romance

Welcome to my review for this delightful cosy mystery. Thank you to Insta Book Tours for my spot on the readalong and Micheal Joseph for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A Mysterious Stranger, a Fortune at Stake, and a Race Against Time to Save Austen’s Family – perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Bridgerton!


‘Exceptional – the Austen whodunnit I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life for! I loved it’ SOPHIE IRWIN

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‘Who are you, Miss Austen, but a young lady of little experience and no consequence?’

Welcome to Godmersham Park, 1797.

Following many years apart, Jane Austen is set to spend the summer with her estranged brother, Neddy.

As heir to wealthy widow Mrs Knight’s fortune, it is imperative that Neddy stays in his benefactor’s good graces.

But upon arrival in Kent, Jane quickly realises Neddy is in dire need of her help.

For a mysterious young woman named Eleanor currently resides with Mrs Knight – a stranger who threatens to swindle the inheritance for herself.

Jane must uncover who Mrs Knight’s guest really is, to protect the fate of her entire family. When she discovers a series of threatening letters meant for Eleanor, her investigation takes an unexpected turn.

Because the dangers aren’t just within the walls of Godmersham Park. Jane knows someone else is out there watching, waiting – but for what?

Is this curious Eleanor friend, or foe? And can Jane solve the mystery, before danger comes for them all?

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MY REVIEW:

“I’m not sure one can be brave without being reckless.”

June, 1797. Jane Austen travels to Kent to be with her sister-in-law, Elizabeth, at the birth of her fourth child and to help with her other three children. Elizabeth is married to Neddy, Jane’s older brother who was adopted as a child and is heir to the fortune of Mrs. Knight. But that fortune hangs in the balance after the arrival of a mysterious and strange young woman, Eleanor, who claims to be a kidnapped Spanish Princess. Jane sets out to uncover Eleanor’s identity and track down the man penning threatening letters that keep arriving for Eleanor at Godmersham Park. Can Jane solve the mystery before it’s too late?

Atmospheric, enthralling and uplifting, this Regency cosy mystery is everything I wanted and more. The second book in the Miss Austen Investigates series, A Fortune Most Fatal is the famous author as you’ve never seen her before: a wannabe author pre-literary success rallying against societal norms that would see the 21 year old married. Not only that, but this version of Miss Austen sees her taking up as an amateur detective. Expertly written, meticulously researched, evocative and compelling, Jessica Bull transports you back to the 18th century so vividly I got lost there. And it’s so authentic I kept forgetting it was a work of fiction.

The characters leap from the pages and Jane was such a protagonist I can get behind. Intelligent, feisty and determined, I loved her loyalty to her family, how she spoke her mind, and that her writing was clearly her beating heart. Predictably, she came up against the prejudices against women that were rife at the time, but Jane wasn’t afraid to challenge them in her quest for the truth. Eleanor was strange, mysterious and intriguing. I couldn’t decide if she was mentally unwell or a complete charlatan, and enjoyed the extra tension that added to the story. Jane is suspicious of almost everyone so there’s a real sense that you can’t trust a soul, making it feel like it’s Jane against the world and I was rooting for her to save everyone.

Delightful, entertaining and addictive, this is a must for your TBR.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jessica Bull grew up in South East London, where she still lives with her husband, two daughters, and far too many pets. She’s addicted to stories and studied English Literature at Bristol University, and Information Science at City University, London. She began work as a librarian (under the false impression she could sit and read all day), before becoming a communications consultant.

Her debut novel, Miss Austen Investigates, has sold in eighteen territories and counting. A Fortune Most Fatal is the highly-anticipated second book in the series.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025 Squadpod Squadpod Book Club Squadpod Featured Books Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: Son by Johana Gustawsson and Thomas Enger

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

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

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

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MY REVIEW:

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

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

Johana Gustawsson:

Thomas Enger:

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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Audio Books book reviews Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: The Man She Married by Alison Stockham

Published January 20th, 2025 by Boldwood Books
Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Noir Fiction, Hardboiled, Mashup Novel

Welcome to my reivew for this unsettling thriller, which is one of the SquadPod Featured Books this month. Thank you Boldwood Books for sending me an audio copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

How can you fight for a life you can’t remember?

One moment I was just living my life, finding my way in the world. The next I woke up in a hospital bed with years of my life missing.

The man by my side – Rob, my husband – looks familiar, but I can’t remember marrying him. I can’t remember our life together. Most haunting of all: I can’t remember anything about the last five years.

Rob keeps telling me that everything will be fine, that my memories will return, but something feels… wrong. Why does our flat feel so unfamiliar? Why does he flinch when I ask questions? Why are none of my friends and family in touch?

The more I try to piece my life back together, the more I question everything – even myself. Who is Rob, really? And can I trust him? More importantly, can I trust myself?

A compulsive and obsessive read that will have you saying ‘just one more chapter!’ Perfect for fans of Before I Go To Sleep and Alice Feeney

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MY REVIEW:

Beth wakes up in hospital with no memory of what happened or how she got there. She’s told she had a car accident and that they’ve called her husband. But Beth doesn’t have a husband. And how did she end up in England when she’s never left Australia? The Doctor tells her she has retrograde amnesia and Beth learns she’s lost five years of her life. Rob, the man they say is her husband, takes her home to recover and keeps telling her everything will be fine. But Beth can’t shake her feelings of unease. And it seems that the more she learns, the more questions she has. Can she really trust what Rob is saying? Moreover, can she trust her own mind? 

Dark, emotive and unbearably tense, Alison Stockham had me in her thrall from start to finish with this unsettling thriller. I listened to this on audiobook and loved how evocatively the narrator told the story, immediately pulling me in. But it is Stockham’s writing that really stole the show. Expertly written, tightly plotted and fast-paced, it was hard to predict and I didn’t see those jaw-dropping twists coming. Filled with adrenaline and atmosphere, the suspense and fear pervades every page and you’ve no idea who to trust or what the truth is. 

The story was filled with characters who are complex, flawed, relatable and real which made it easy to feel invested in their lives and care about what happened to them. Beth is likeable and Stockham does a great job of putting the reader in her shoes. From the moment Beth wakes up in hospital we feel her confusion, fear and disarray. Her flashbacks were so vivid and palpable that I would feel my own heart race alongside hers, and my heart broke as she tried to remember the pieces of her life she’d lost. But where I empathised most of all was with Beth’s feelings regarding her husband, Rob. Rob triggered my bad guy radar early on with what seemed like cold, mean and manipulative behaviour. And there was also the uneasy feeling he gave Beth. But what I liked was that you couldn’t be completely sure you were right about anything or anyone in this story as Stockman kept you questioning your own mind, just as Beth questioned hers. 

Taut, twisty and unnerving, Alison Stockman has crafted a consuming sinister thriller not to be missed. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Alison Stockham’s debut novel, The Cuckoo Sister, was a top 10 bestseller and was also longlisted for the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize. Her novels The Silent Friend and The New Girl have since been published.

From a background in film and television production, working in film dramas and then TV documentary production for the BBC and Channel 4, she then worked as the events coordinator for Cambridge Literary Festival. Now a full time writer, she lives in the city with her husband, their children and their cat, who keeps her company while she works on the next book.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Amazon*
*This is an affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews

BLOG TOUR: Then She Vanished (Gina Harte 17) by Carla Kovach

Published March 12th, 2025 by Bookouture
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, Crime Series, Suspense, Noir Fiction

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this dark, gritty and addictive thriller. Thank you to Bookouture for the invitation to take part and for sending me an eBook in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

It’s dark as the young woman leaves work. Crossing the empty car park alone, she thinks about the warmth of her little house. But she doesn’t make it home that night. Or ever again…

Thirty years ago, Ruth Pritchard’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Elissa, went missing. Police were called, neighbours were interviewed, and even Ruth’s own husband was investigated, but the case went unsolved. Elissa disappeared forever.

Now, Ruth watches the local news and hears about another girl gone from the same streets where her beloved daughter was last seen, and her heart races. A distinctive red scarf was found at a crime scene, and she recognises it instantly. It belonged to Elissa.

After Ruth alerts the police, they rush to speak to her, but nobody answers the door. Her small home stands eerily quiet. Just like her daughter before her, Ruth has vanished into thin air.

Friends say that Ruth suspected someone close to home took Elissa. Others say she never trusted her husband again after he was questioned by police. Did she finally discover the truth behind her daughter’s disappearance? And will her friends and family ever see her again?

From bestselling author Carla Kovach, this absolutely unputdownable crime thriller is perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Cara Hunter and Clare Mackintosh.

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MY REVIEW:

Gina Harte and her team are back. And this time they are investigating a suicide that has links to a kidnapping thirty years ago. It opens with a chilling prologue and then the discovery of a man’s body in his car. The man has clearly taken his own life, but he has left an ominous note talking about a girl he’s tried to keep safe. With no real clues or idea who this girl is, the race is on for the team to identify their John Doe and the girl in the note and then find her before it’s too late. Alongside the case, Gina is going through a lot in her personal life as someone is threatening to expose the secret she’s kept hidden for decades. A secret that will end her career. Can she find the girl, solve the case and stop her secret from being revealed?

Tense, twisty and totally addictive, this heart-stopping thriller had me holding my breath as I read. It might be seventeen books in, but the Gina Harte Series keeps getting better with each installment. Carla Kovach is a thriller queen who delivers stories time and again that are well-written, cleverly plotted, dark, gritty, and nail-bitingly tense. The crimes explored in this series are always hard-hitting and can be difficult to read, but Kovach never makes them feel gratuitously violent and instead amplifies the voices of victims of crime, writing these stories in a way that is raw, honest, but also sensitive to what they have been through. 

Ms. Kovach fills her stories with characters that are flawed, relatable and morally complex, exploring how good people can do bad things and making you question what you might do in their shoes. Gina is a fantastic protagonist who is easy to root for, even if I don’t always agree with her. After reading this series for so long, Gina and team feel like old friends and I’m invested not only in the crimes they are solving, but their personal lives too, so I was on tenterhooks as someone threatened to destroy Gina’s life by exposing her secret. Can she keep flying so close to the sun without being burned? 

A riveting thriller that kept me guessing, this is another must-read thriller from Ms. Kovach.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

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

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BUY THE BOOK:

Amazon*
*This is an affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025

BLOG TOUR: The Grapevine by Kate Kemp

Published March 13th, 2025 by Phoenix
Mystery, Thriller, Domestic Fiction

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this captivating slice of suburban drama. Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers tours for the invitation to take part, and to Phoenix for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Australia, 1979.

It’s the height of summer and on a quiet suburban cul-de-sac a housewife is scrubbing the yellow and white chequered tiles of her bathroom floor. But all is not as it seems. For one thing, it’s 3 a.m. For another, she is trying desperately to remove all traces of blood before they stain. Her husband seems remarkably calm, considering their neighbour has just been murdered.

As the sun rises on Warrah Place, news of Antonio Marietti’s death spreads like wildfire, gossip is exchanged in whispers and suspicion mounts. Twelve-year-old Tammy launches her own investigation, determined to find out what happened, but she is not the only one whose well-meaning efforts uncover more mysteries than they solve. There are secrets behind every closed door in the neighbourhood – and the identity of the murderer is only one of them . . .

Richly atmospheric and simmering with tension, The Grapevine is an acutely observed debut novel about prejudice and suspicion, the hidden lives of women, and how the ties that bind a community can also threaten to break it.

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MY REVIEW:

Australia, 1979. The residents of Warrah Place are rocked by the news of Antonio Marietti’s death. It spreads like wildfire, the gossip between neighbours on this quiet cul-de-sac fanning the flames of rumour and suspicion. While the adults whisper accusations, twelve-year-old Tammy decides to launch her own investigation but is unprepared for what she discovers…

A community full of secrets, lies and prejudices, a captivating murder mystery, and an explosive finale, Kate Kemp’s debut has all of this and so much more. Wonderfully written, acutely observed and deeply human, I loved this fantastic debut. There’s a strong sense of community from the start, but it is soon evident that not everyone is who they seem on this  claustrophobic cul-de-sac and secrets, lies and prejudices lurk in the homes on Warrah Place. There is a huge cast of characters which did make it hard for me to get into the story at first. But I found that once I had a chunk of time to really immerse myself in the story I was in its thrall. Part psychological suspense, part domestic fiction, the tension sizzled like the summer sun that was beating down, keeping me guessing right up until that devastating final twist. 

But what really had me hooked was the relationships between the neighbours.  Richly drawn, authentic and relatable, they leaped from the pages and pulled me into their world, slowly unveiling the secrets they were trying to hide. I loved delving into their lives and discovering what they were hiding while trying to guess what happened to Antonio the night he was murdered. Much of the story is narrated by Tammy, a precocious, quirky and curious twelve-year-old who is emotionally neglected by her mother. Tammy decides to solve the crime, and it was fun to see the story through her naive eyes. The adults are flawed and preoccupied, allowing Tammy to overhear much of her investigation as they forgot she was listening. There are some very unlikeable characters on Warrah Place, but there were also some strong female characters that I loved reading. 

Atmospheric, revealing, and utterly compelling, The Grapevine is a delicious slice of suburban drama not to be missed. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kate Kemp is an Australian writer living in the UK. She trained as an occupational therapist and then as a systemic psychotherapist, and has worked with families and individuals in mental health services in both Australia and the UK. In 2021, she won the Stylist Prize for Feminist Fiction and the Yeovil Literary Prize. The Grapevine is her first novel.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Everyone in the Group Chat Dies by L. M. Chilton

Published March 13th, 2025 by Head of Zeus
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this darkly funny and compelling murder mystery. Thank you to Andrew at Head of Zeus for the invitation to take part and for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘With biting, mordant humor, Chilton sends readers on a serial killer hunt for our disassociated, true-crime-obsessed social media age.’ ASHLEY WINSTEAD, bestselling author of In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

Kirby Cornell needs a break from everything:
– Her crumbling flat in the sleepy town of Crowhurst (famous for its award-winning sausage rolls and a second-rate serial killer from the 90s).
– Her dead-end job.
– Her sleazy landlord.
– Her slobbish housemates.
– And, most of all, the terrible thing they all did.

Luckily, that hasn’t caught up with her just yet. Until a new message on their old group chat pops up:

Everyone in the group chat will die.

It’s the first text her ex-flatmate and social-media sleuth Esme has sent for ages, but that’s not the really weird thing.

The really weird thing is, Esme died twelve months ago.

Don’t miss the new laugh-out-loud thriller from L.M. Chilton, Everyone in the Group Chat Dies – a murder mystery that fuses the flatmate comedy of Friends with the serial-killer thrills of I Know What You Did Last Summer.

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MY REVIEW:

“They say there are three sides to every story: mine, yours and the truth. 
So, which one do you want?”

I love a thriller that is injected with dark humour, so I had high hopes for this book. And I was not disappointed. L. M. Chilton has crafted a suspenseful, funny and inventive murder mystery that had me glued to its pages. The plot is delightfully absurd: Kirby gets an alert from her old housemate group chat. It’s a text from her former housemate Esme that reads, ‘Everyone in the group chat will die.’ But it isn’t the chilling message that unnerves Kirby. What really sends a chill down her spine is that Esme died twelve months ago. So who is the message from? Could they know the secrets that Kirby and her other housemates vowed to keep the night Esme died? Moving  between the present and events that happened a year earlier, Chilton builds the tension as Kirby relentlessly tries to solve mysteries in both timelines but keeps things lighthearted thanks to the humour that is woven in. I was on the edge of my seat, the many twists and turns giving me book whiplash as I tried to follow the clues and solve the puzzles myself. 

The compelling characters are equal parts likeable and unlikeable. There were great dynamics between them, lots of witty banter and petty squabbles that added a layer of realism and relatability. We know from the start that they are all keeping secrets about the night Esme died, meaning we never know who is friend or foe and I was searching every word and action for clues. Esme herself is an enigma, turning up out of the blue one night saying she’s been sublet the spare bedroom and revealing little about herself other than she’s there investigating the murders that happened in the small town thirty years ago. But she also feels very relatable and, like Kirby, I was desperate to find out the truth about her in both timelines. 

A darkly funny, clever and surprising murder mystery that will keep you on your toes, I highly recommend this book.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

L.M. Chilton has been a journalist for 15 years, working for TV shows like This Morning, The One Show and Loose Women, as well as magazines and newspapers such as The Times, The Mirror, Metro, New!, Cosmopolitan and Glamour.

He started his journalism career writing for ‘real life’ magazines, interviewing people from all over the world about the terrifying, hilarious and heart-breaking things that had happened to them. And also funny things their pets had done.

He works from home in London, thinking of twists for murder mysteries and practicing the banjo instead of writing (much to the annoyance of his neighbours).

L.M. Chilton is represented by James Wills at Watson, Little

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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