Tag: Book Review

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books Uncategorised

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: The Sisterhood Rules by Kathy Lette

Published April 9th, 2026 by Aria
Mystery, Humorous Fiction, Domestic Fiction

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Sisterhood Rules:

1. Never let a man come between you
2. Share all your secrets
3. Live life to the fullest – girls just wanna have fun

For twin sisters Isabel and Verity, the sisterhood rules were shattered when Verity had an affair with Izzy’s husband. Unforgivable, right? Devastated by her sister’s betrayal, Izzy casts Verity into social Siberia.

But when their mother goes missing, Verity and Izzy are forced to come together again to find her. And then the estranged sisters’ problems only get bigger. Their mother has a new younger lover and where there’s a will. he’d clearly like to be in it.

Can they stop their mother making a dreadful mistake? And in doing so find a way to bury the pain of the past?

Full of laugh-out-loud humour and devastating pathos, Kathy Lette’s brilliant new novel takes us on a roller-coaster ride which proves that from pain comes healing, from honesty comes forgiveness, and that nothing is more important than your sisters.

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

Izzy hasn’t spoken to her twin sister Verity for five years. Not since she had an affair with her husband, breaking the cardinal Sisterhood Rule ‘Never Let A Penis Come Between Us’. But when Verity calls to say their mother, Nicole, is missing, Izzy reluctantly agrees to a ceasefire so they can work together to find her. And when they do find her things only get worse. Because their 69-year-old mother has a young, gold-digging lover and is giving up her job to go travelling with him. Can the sisters find a way to work together to stop their mother making a huge mistake? 

Hilarious, sassy, racy and outrageous, this was an absolute riot. I started laughing on the first page and didn’t stop until the last. There are so many memorable and quotable lines and I often stopped to read them out to my husband as they were just too good not to share. But this is so much more than a funny story. It is also a story that is full of heart, giving us scenes that had me all in my feelings as Kathy Lette explores themes of sisterhood, womanhood, complex family relationships, betrayal, forgiveness and healing. Lette has also added some jaw-dropping revelations and surprising twists that will keep you on your toes. It all comes together to create a propulsive novel that was impossible to put down once I’d started.

The book is filled with a cast of charismatic characters who were so much fun to read. I loved that Izzy and Verity may be twins but they were totally different people and even described themselves as ‘the classic odd couple’. Izzy is a pernickety single mum who has given up on life, whilst Verity is a glamorous bohemian who lives life to the full. And while their differences used to make them one perfect whole, they now solidify the chasm between them. I enjoyed watching them try to learn to work together as they searched for their mother and even began to hope they might find a way to reconcile. And speaking of their mother, Nicole is a fantastic character. She is an ebullient, vibrant and fabulous lady who is putting the sex into sextegenarian (I can’t take credit for that line, it’s in the book) and I was rooting for her as she rediscovered life and grabbed it with both hands. 

So if you’re looking for a book to lift your spirits and make you laugh out loud, this is for you. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you Aria Books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kathy Lette is a celebrated and outspoken comic writer who has an imitable take on serious current issues. She is one of the pioneering voices of contemporary feminism, paving the way for Caitlin Moran and Lena Dunham.

She first achieved succès de scandale as a teenager with the novel Puberty Blues, which was made into a major film and a TV mini-series.

After several years as a singer with the Salami Sisters, a newspaper columnist in Sydney and New York, and as a television sitcom writer for Columbia Pictures in Los Angeles, Kathy wrote numerous international bestsellers including Mad Cows (which was made into a film starring Joanna Lumley and Anna Friel), How to Kill Your Husband and Other Handy Household Hints (recently staged by the Victorian Opera, Australia), To Love, Honour and Betray and The Boy Who Fell To Earth.

Her twenty novels have been published in nineteen languages around the world, and she is also an ambassador for The National Autistic Society, Their World and Ambitious about Autism.

In 2004 she was the London Savoy Hotel’s Writer in Residence, where a cocktail named after her can still be ordered.

Kathy is an autodidact (a word she obviously taught herself), but has three honorary doctorates.

Kathy recently completed a tour of her one-woman show, “Girls Night Out“, and is pleased to report that she didn’t fall out with the cast. She cites her career highlights as once teaching Stephen Fry a word, Salman Rushdie the limbo, and scripting Julian Assange’s cameo in the Simpsons 500th episode.

Kathy has two children and divides her time between Sydney and London.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

Categories
Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum

Published March 12th, 2026 by Hodder & Stoughton
Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Romance Novel

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘A MYSTERY WRAPPED INSIDE A LOVE STORY. A STUNNING DEBUT’ ALICE FEENEY

‘THIS IS THE THRILLER I NEEDED TO FILL THAT GONE GIRL-SHAPED HOLE’ RUTH MANCINI

‘Absolutely addictive. This story might keep you up at night’
‘THIS AMAZING THRILLER MIGHT JUST SAVE YOUR LIFE’

Benny and Joy like to say that they’ve been saving each other since the moment they met.

Until the day Joy disappears and Benny is accused of her murder.

Best friends Benny and Joy host a beloved ‘comedy survival’ podcast, gleefully finding life-affirming humour in near-death experiences.

When Benny arrives at Joy and her husband’s home one morning to record, he finds shattered glass and an empty house.

With Joy missing and the hours ticking by, not even their most devoted fans could guess the terrible secrets they have hidden from the world – and from each other.

If Benny wants to find Joy in time, and clear his own name, he’ll have to solve the highest stakes survival story yet.

BUY THE BOOK

********

MY REVIEW:

We have a strong contender for my favourite book of the year. 

Best friends Benny and Joy co-host a popular comedy survival podcast, finding life-affirming humour in near death experiences. But when Benny arrives at Joy’s house one morning to record, he discovers the house empty and in disarray. Joy and Xander are missing. There are few clues and as the police search for the couple, Benny is trying to decipher them in an attempt to find Joy and clear his own name before it’s too late.

What a rollercoaster! Funny, vibrant, and heart-poundingly tense, This Story Might Save Your Life is a  love story cloaked inside a compelling mystery. Tiffany Crum has crafted a truly original debut. Beautifully written, perfectly paced, meticulously choreographed and layered with intimacy, humour and suspense, Crum had me in her thrall from start to finish. This feels like a very modern story and I loved the podcast element, especially 

how clips from actual episodes were included. I listened to the audiobook and the narrators elevated every facet of the story, which also meant I often found myself forgetting I wasn’t listening to a real podcast. I also loved  trying to piece together the clues alongside Benny but it was hard to predict and my jaw dropped with every revelation. Totally unputdownable, it kept me on the edge of my seat and up well past my bedtime. And that ending! I’d never have guessed it.

The book is filled with a cast of characters that were likeable, charismatic and real, especially Benny and Joy, whose friendship felt genuine. I loved their easy, witty banter and the way they supported each other. And then there’s the undercurrent of love and longing, which creates a will they/won’t they tension. It’s obvious from the start that they have feelings for each other, but there is always a reason not to confront it, whether that’s other relationships or fear of ruining their friendship. I was screaming at them that they were meant for each other and that none of this would have happened if they’d just been together all this time.

A magnificent and unforgettable debut, this is a must for your TBR.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tiffany Crum grew up on a dairy farm just down the road from a maximum-security prison. A longtime Californian, she now lives in Atlanta with her husband, two sons, and dogs, and spends her free time trying to keep her vegetable garden alive. Her debut novel, This Story Might Save Your Life, is a New York Times bestseller, an Amazon Best Book of March, a Book of the Month selection, and a BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick. It will be published in nineteen languages and is under option for television.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

Categories
Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Uncategorised

BOOK REVIEW: In the Family Way by Laney Katz Becker

Published June 3rd, 2025 by HQ
Historical Fiction, Domestic Ficiton, Coming-of-Age Story

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. Click here to listen free for 60 days*

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

A warm, uplifting and empowering novel following a group of suburban housewives and the pregnant teenager they welcome into their fold as they find their place on the cusp of liberation. For fans of Lessons in Chemistry or The Help.

*****

Ohio, 1965. Every week a group of suburban housewives meet for their Tuesday card game, sharing gossip, advice and confidences.

Lily Berg has the perfect life. She’s married to a doctor, with an infant daughter and another on the way. She can’t let her husband know she’s struggling but she knows she can trust her friends.

Becca, Lily’s best friend and next-door neighbour, is everything Lily isn’t. She’s messy and brash and never on time for anything. When she falls pregnant with a fourth child she desperately can’t afford, she turns to Lily.

Although Lily’s little sister, Rose, got married last year, she’s not ready to give up her independence. Her modern marriage appears to be perfect, but behind closed doors things are very different.

And Betsy is fifteen, pregnant and frightened. When Lily takes her in, from the local home for unwed mothers, she has no idea how much it will shake up all of their lives.

Over six months, the group will be put to the test by secrets, forced to make impossible decisions and face up to a society that isn’t ready for women to have their own dreams and ambitions.

Set against the backdrop of 1960s America, In the Family Way is a timely novel that captures the experiences of women on the cusp of liberation as they grapple with timeless questions of womanhood and the role we play as wives, mothers, and people in our own right.

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

A poignant, powerful, uplifting and thought-provoking read, this consuming debut follows a group of suburban housewives and a pregnant unwed teenager they welcome into their fold. Set in 1965, this is an America where women were seen as wives and mothers with little thought given to who they were as people in their own right. They are still at the mercy of men, have no rights and no control over their bodies. On the cusp of those rights finally being made law, Lainey Katz Becker explores the harrowing reality of marriage, pregnancy and motherhood when the men make all the rules.

Beautifully written, Ms. Katz Becker expertly combines raw honesty, emotion and hope, creating a story that may be hard to read at times but also makes you laugh and lifts your spirits. I was enthralled from the start and couldn’t put the book down once I’d started, reading it in under a day. I was completely invested in the lives of these women and needed to know how things turned out for them.

The characters are charismatic and likeable, pulling me into their world and making me care about what happens to them. I loved the relationships between the women and how they made such a positive difference in each other’s lives, especially Lily and Betsy. 

It was devastating how little Betsy knew about her own body and pregnancy, and I was so thankful she had Lily there to support and educate her. 

Exploring sensitive topics such as pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, rape and domestic abuse, and the wider issues of women’s rights, body autonomy, misogyny and patriarchal society, the story serves as a reminder of why it is so vital to hold onto these rights and how dangerous life was for women without them. Without access to contraception or safe abortions women were dying. And without easy divorces women were trapped in abusive marriages and more likely to be murdered by their husbands. It is terrifying both how recently the book is set and how timely the story is in our current climate.

A touching and heartwarming read that will linger long after you turn that final page, this is a must-read.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

Thank you HQ for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laney Katz Becker is an award-winning author and writer. Her debut novel, Dear Stranger, Dearest Friend was a Literary Guild alternate selection, recommended by Library Journal and featured on CBS’ Saturday Early Show, among other media outlets.

Laney is also the author of the non-fiction anthology, Three Times Chai, a collection of rabbis favorite stories. Her writing career also includes working as an award-winning advertising copywriter, freelance journalist and, most recently, for more than a decade, as a literary agent.

When she’s not writing, Laney enjoys drawing, sewing, reading, playing tennis, long walks (while listening to podcasts or audio books) and playing canasta. A native Ohioan, Laney is a graduate of Northwestern University. Although she lived in Westchester County, NY for most of her adult life, she currently resides on the east coast of South Florida where she lives with her husband and their Havanese. She has two married children and two grandchildren.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: Patterns of Us by S. J. Gathercole

Published May 21st, 2026
Romance Novel, LGBTQ Fiction

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Russell and Loukas were that couple in university. The one that was joined at the hip and does everything together. Until they weren’t.

After five years of tactically avoiding anything to do with each other, they find themselves thrust back together and facing their biggest challenge yet — co-parenting.

Packed with angst and yearning, Patterns of Us follows Russell and Loukas in their past and present. Can they learn from their mistakes and finally build the life they dreamed of?

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

Russell and Loukas, who were the couple at university who were joined at the hip. But five years ago it all fell apart and they have tactically avoided one another ever since. Now, after the tragic deaths of their best friends Kieran and Millie, they have been thrown back together after being named as co-parents to the couple’s young son, Henry. Not only that, but the will states that they must live and parent under one roof. Moving between timelines, we follow Russell and Loukas in their past and present, watching as they fall in love, fall apart and then try to come back together for Henry. 

I love an emotional read but was still unprepared for the emotional rollercoaster I went through reading this book and it will take my heart some time to recover. S. J. Gathercole has crafted a compelling and unforgettable love story that is intricately interwoven with grief. Steph perfectly conveys the overwhelming pain grief causes, how hard it is to enjoy life again and how it catches you off guard out of nowhere. It’s heartfelt, poignant and filled with yearning. 

I loved Russell and Loukas. They are charismatic characters who were easy to like and root for. Because the story is told from both points of view it felt like I really got to know both of them and moving between  past and present gave us a fuller picture of their whole relationship and an understanding of why they were behaving certain ways in the present. It was apparent early on that these two belonged together. They were yin and yang. Soulmates. And Steph knew what she was doing with the will they/won’t they storyline, keeping me on tenterhooks as I kept screaming at them in my head to just admit they were meant for each other.

As someone with a chronic illness, I loved the representation in Russell’s character through his Psoriatic Arthritis. Because of my own personal experience, Steph asked me to be a sensitivity reader for the book and what she wrote was pitch perfect. She made Russ’s illness honest and real, showing us how it affected every facet of his life but also how determined he was and that he is more than his illness. I appreciated how seamlessly it was woven into the story and felt very seen, especially in terms of how it affected his confidence. Seeing him so worried about Loukas deserving someone better, someone who isn’t ill, felt very relatable. Loukas is a sweetheart and I love that he saw past Russ’s illness and thought of ways to help him rather than resenting the limitations it brought into their lives. Thank you, Steph, for writing a character and a story that will help so many understand what it is like to live and have a relationship with chronic illness. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you Steph for sending me a copy of this bok in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Steph started reading at a very young age and quickly fell in love with stories and storytelling.

Her debut novel The People We Trust, was a passion project over several years to bring more representation into the murder mystery genre.

Throughout many turbulent times in her own life she turned to poetry to help put a voice to the thoughts that whirled around inside her head. The ‘Teenager’s Guide’ series, which consists of three poetry collections, were hugely cathartic to write, and she hopes they’re just as cathartic to read.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

BOOK REVIEW: A Poisoner’s Tale by Cathryn Kemp

Published July 11th, 2024 by Bantam
Historical Fiction, Historical Thriller, Gothic Fiction, Fairy Tale, Adventure Fiction, Supernatural Fiction, Biographical Fiction

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

A dark and powerful feminist retelling of the best serial killer you’ve never heard of . Inspired by the true story of Giulia Tofana.

————–

Rome, 1656

In Rome’s shadowy backstreets lies an apothecary’s shop – a place for women to take their heartbreaks and troubles. Herbs for childbirth. Tarot readings to tell their fortunes. An undetectable poison that can kill in four drops.

Alongside her circle of female poisoners, Giulia Tofana dispenses her deadly potion to free the downtrodden women of the city from their abusive husbands. A path she’s determined to follow after a harrowing childhood in Palermo.

But even in a time of plague, it does not go unnoticed when the men begin to fall like flies.

With the Holy Office of the Inquisition on her tail, Giulia is in more danger than ever. . How far will she go for the women who need her help?

MURDERER OR SAVIOUR? YOU DECIDE.

A POISONER’S TALE explores the realities of what it is like to be a woman who rebels against society and takes the reader on a tense, challenging but spellbinding journey.

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

Rome, 1656. Five women stand on a scaffold about to be executed. They are accused of selling poison to the women of Rome so that they could poison their husbands, killing hundreds, maybe even thousands. One of those women is Giulia Tofana. And this is her story.

Giulia Tofana. The first female serial killer. I’d never heard of her and I imagine not many of you have either. But you’ll not forget her after reading this magnificent debut. Atmospheric, dark, powerful and immersive, this captivating story is brimming with female rage, power and revenge. Cathryn Kemp showcases herself as an author to watch with this skillfully written tale and I’m now even more excited to read her second book soon. Exquisitely researched, it is rich in historic detail, transporting you to the 17th Century so vividly you can smell the stench of the jail and feel yourself walking Rome’s cobbled streets. I was hooked, on the edge of my seat and unable to put this one down once I’d started reading. 

I consider myself a true crime and history buff, but somehow Giulia’s story had escaped me until I read this book. Now I want to know more! Feisty and independent, she is a strong woman who went through some terrible things and had to fend for herself from a young age. Giulia came from a long line of healers and poison makers, the recipe for her deadly cocktail passed down through the generations in order to help women escape their abusive or cruel husbands. This was a time where women had no rights and were the property of men, so murder was seen as their only way to escape abuse and women like Giulia, who lived free of the ownership of any man, were looked upon with suspicion and hatred. Despite her deadly deeds, I linked Giulia and her circle of poisoners. And I didn’t blame the women who came to her for desperately trying to escape a life of hell. I’ve been there and am so thankful I could leave without having to resort to murderous measures. 

I think this is a book that is best discovered for yourself, so I won’t say more about the plot. But I will say that this is an absolute must-read for anyone with an interest in history, true crime or feminist stories. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

Thank you Bantam for sending me a proof copy of this book in exchange for my hoenst reivew.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Cathryn Kemp’s first novel, bestselling  A Poisoner’s Tale, won the HWA Debut Crown Award 2025 and has been published internationally in the U.S., Canada, Italy, France, Brazil and Portuguese speaking territories, Vietnam and globally.

Cathryn’s second novel, They Can’t Burn Us All, is published with Penguin Random House in August 2026.

Her personal memoir, Coming Clean (2012), won the Big Red Read Prize for Non-Fiction. Cathryn co-founded charity, The Painkiller Addiction Information Network (PAIN), which has successfully lobbied Government, including the House of Lords and the APPG for dependency on prescribed medicines. 

Cathryn is a Sunday Times and Amazon Number 1 (in four categories) bestselling ghostwriter, with a prolific career writing celebrity, inspirational, true crime, addiction and nostalgia titles.

She has written across the full spectrum of the British and international press, and has appeared on television and radio, including ITV’s This Morning, Lorraine and Panorama, BBC’s Women’s Hour and regional BBC radio stations across the UK.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2026

BOOK REVIEW: It’s Not What You Think by Clare Mackintosh

Published March 26th, 2026 by Harper Fiction
Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Mystery, Psychological Fiction

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. Click here to listen free for 60 days*

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

YOU THINK YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE

Nadeeka is certain Jamie is having an affair. She knows the tell-tale signs.

She’s been here before.

YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHO YOU CAN TRUST

When Jamie claims to be at work late, she knows he’s lying. He’s with another woman, and she’s determined to catch him in the act.

YOU THINK YOU KNOW HOW THE STORY ENDS

But when Nadeeka arrives home to confront him, Jamie can’t explain himself. The house has become a crime scene…

Jamie is dead.

IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

Nadeeka is racing home, a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach after what she thinks she heard while talking to her boyfriend Jamie on the phone. She’s sure he’s having an affair. After all, she’s been here before. But when she gets home Jamie can’t explain himself. He’s dead. Murdered. And her home is a crime scene. But this is not what you think…

Clare Mackintosh has done it again! I finished this book a few days ago now and I’m not over it. This book really should come with a warning because my heart couldn’t take it! Heart-stopping, propulsive, addictive and unguessable, it had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. This is a clear-your-schedule, lock out the world and read in one sitting kind of book and I did just that, devouring it in under a day.

Madly twisty, tense and unpredictable, this is everything you want a thriller to be. On the surface it’s a simple story and there’s a way you would expect it to unfold. But Clare doesn’t take that route. Expertly written, cleverly choreographed, tightly plotted and filled with charismatic characters, this is a book that keeps you on your toes. A sense of dread and unease pervades the whole story and you can’t shake the feeling that things are going to get so much worse for Nadeeka before they get better. I listened to this on Bookbeat and I have to mention the narrators. Not only did they bring the characters and story to life in vivid technicolour, they convey a feeling of urgency and suspense that has your heart pounding. At that point, I couldn’t have stopped listening even if I’d wanted to.

And we have to talk about the twists. Clare is known for them but this time she took things to another level, toying with the reader and carefully stitching misdirection into the narrative to make the reader look the wrong way and then pulling the rug out from under us. And she doesn’t do it just once. No. Every time I got comfortable and thought I knew where this was going she hit us with another jaw-dropping twist that changed everything I thought I knew. 

A nail-biting thrill ride that you won’t be able to put down, this is a must-read.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

Thank you to Harper Fiction for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

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 and New York Times bestseller, and the fastest-selling title by a new UK 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 and Richard & Judy Book Club picks. Clare’s novel After the End was published in June 2019 and spent seven weeks in the Sunday Times hardback bestseller chart, and in June 2021, Clare’s locked room thriller, Hostage, flew straight into the top ten.

In July 2022, Clare launched a crime series set on the border between England and Wales. It features Welsh detective DC Ffion Morgan and is currently being adapted for television. The first book in the series, The Last Party, was an instant Sunday Times bestseller. The sequel, A Game of Lies, publishes in July 2023.

Together, Clare’s books have been published in more than forty countries and have spent a combined total of 64 weeks in the Sunday Times bestseller lists.

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.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

*This post contains affililate links

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books Squadpod Recommends

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: The Lottery Winner Widow’s Club by Elly Vine

Published March 26th, 2026 by Wildfire
Dark Comedy, Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Contemporary Fiction

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Meet The Lottery Winner Widows Club – a fabulous, filthy-rich sisterhood whose husbands all hit the jackpot . . . and then mysteriously dropped dead.

Paula is having a surreal week. Having just lost her husband, in a freak car accident, she’s utterly gobsmacked when, two days later, she wins the lottery – with the ticket he bought.

That’s when Paula is approached by a tight-knit trio of glamorous women – also jackpot winners – with dead husbands, suspiciously large bank accounts . . . and a very specific interest in Paula.

They tell her that they’ve been where she is now. That grief looks good on her. That freedom does, too. There’s just one problem: Paula didn’t kill her husband. She loved him, of course.

But something about their world – lavish, secretive, thrilling – is hard to resist. And when word of Paula’s jackpot win spreads and others come sniffing around for a share, she’s faced with the ultimate choice: hold onto her old life, or accept help from her new friends, whose methods are a little more . . . unconventional.

Twisty, mischievous, and deliciously dark, The Lottery Winner Widows Club is a story of luck, lies, and the dangerous appeal of starting over, from a fresh new voice in the crime world.

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

I think most of us have thought about what it would be like to win the lottery. But I doubt any of us imagine it turning out how it does for Paula Sheldon, who wins big the same week her husband John is killed in a freak accident. Things only get worse when the loan sharks come calling and she finds John’s notebook full of dark secrets. Life can’t get any crazier. Or so she thinks. Enter The Lottery Winner Widow’s Club – a group of glamorous, feisty and filthy rich women who hit the jackpot before their husbands mysteriously died. She might not have killed John like they think she did, but she can’t help but be drawn to these fascinating women and their luxurious lifestyles. But as news of Paula’s win spreads and rumours about her husband’s death begin to circulate, she is faced with a choice. Will return to the life she knows or accept the unconventional help of her new friends?

Wonderfully witty, outrageous, mischievous and compelling Elly Vine’s first foray into comedic crime fiction is a roaring success. Expertly written, cleverly plotted and full of twists, this hilarious crime caper had me hooked from start to finish. It’s a fabulous blend of female rage, murder and dark comedy that skillfully blends humour with more serious topics such as domestic abuse. Elly has written this sensitive topic so well and as a survivor I really appreciated her bringing awareness to the insidious and devastating realities of coercive control in a way that was moving, powerful and hilarious. 

I loved the charismatic characters of The Lottery Winner Widow’s Club and their absurd antics. I love nothing more than seeing women come together to support and help one another, and this sisterhood does exactly that. Paula was a great protagonist who I related to on many levels (though sadly not the lottery win part lol) but my favourite character was Teddy, the American force of nature who lit up every page she was on. It truly felt like together there was nothing these women couldn’t do and I was cheering them on at every step, even if their way of doing things wasn’t exactly above board.

Entertaining and hilarious, this is a must for your TBR.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thanks to Wildfire for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Elly Vine is thepseudonym of bestselling author, Lucy Vine. Lucy Vine is the author of novels Hot Mess, What Fresh Hell, Are We Nearly There Yet?, Bad Choices, Seven Exes, Date with Destiny and Book Boyfriend. Her eighth novel is Good For You. Her books have been published in seventeen territories, with Hot Mess optioned for a TV series in America. In a previous life, Lucy was a journalist, writing for publications including Grazia, Stylist, Heat, Fabulous, Marie Claire, Sugar and Cosmopolitan.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Squadpod Book Club

SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB REVIEW: Unreliable Narrator by Araminta Hall

Published March 5th, 2026 by Pan Macmillan
Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Fiction

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

YOUR SECRETS AREN’T SAFE.

Ten years ago, Hope left Somerset with a fatal secret and a broken heart. She has spent a decade in the shadows, living a quiet life of penance to protect the man she once loved – the world-famous author Ambrose Glencourt.

YOUR LIFE IS NOT YOUR OWN.

Then, she opens his latest bestseller. To the world, it’s a brilliant work of fiction. To Hope, it’s a betrayal. Every private moment, every dark truth, and every ‘fatal disaster’ from that summer is laid bare on the page.

YOUR TRUTH IS A LIE.

But Ambrose has changed the ending. In his version of the story, Hope isn’t the victim. She’s the villain.

Now, Hope must step out of the shadows to reclaim her narrative. But in a world of glamorous elites and whispered secrets, who will believe the word of an unreliable woman against the word of a literary icon?

Two narrators. One truth. And a secret worth killing for.

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

For the last decade Hope has lived a reclusive life in penance for the tragic events that happened at Shadowlands. She swore to protect those she cared about and has taken that promise seriously. Then she sees author Ambrose Glencourt on TV promoting his new book. When she opens it she discovers he has taken not only every private moment from that summer at Shadowlands, but their shared secret, and turned it into a novel. And when she gets to the end and discovers that in Ambrose’s version she is no longer the victim but the villain. Angry and betrayed, Hope decides she has only one choice. To step out of the shadows and tell the world the truth about what happened. But who will they believe?

The first part of the book takes us back to Hope’s summer at Shadowlands, when she worked as Ambrose’s assistant. It’s a summer of self-discovery and falling in love. But it is also one of tragedy and we know something terrible happened that summer that Hope has been keeping secret ever since, creating an atmosphere of tension and foreboding that lingers over every word. By part two the secret has been revealed to the reader, but only from Hope’s perspective. And after DI Natalie Evans goes to the Glencourts for their version of events, they tell her that Hope’s mental health problems and obsession with Ambrose make her an unreliable narrator. Natalie must decide who is telling the truth, beginning an investigation that peels back the layers of lies and misdirection to expose shocking truths that pull the rug out from under you. 

Unreliable narrators are my favourite trope, especially in thrillers. So the title of this book alone was enough to add it to my TBR, but when I read the synopsis I was even more intrigued. Razor-sharp, suspenseful, forbidding, twisty and thought-provoking, Unreliable Narrator is a heart-stopping thriller that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Skillfully written, cleverly choreographed and filled with twists I never saw coming, this book is like a can of pringles and I couldn’t stop reading once I’d started. Araminta Hall had me in the palm of her hand as she spun her tangled web of secrets, lies, betrayal and murder. But this book also makes you think as Ms. Hall asks how much we can really trust our own memories and explores themes of misogyny and abuse. The characters are richly drawn and hold your attention. Hope is a fascinating protagonist and I enjoyed trying to figure out if she was telling us the truth. The others are harder to figure out as for much of the story we only see them through Hope’s lens and I enjoyed how part two made me question everything I thought I knew. 

A must-read for all thriller fans.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you to Pan Macmillan for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From her website: I live by the sea in Brighton, on the south coast of England, with my husband and three children who come and go between universities and flat shares. Most of my time is spent in my writing cabin battling words, but I also love walking my dog on the beach, doing a bit of very amateur gardening, seeing friends and reading, reading, reading.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

*this post containst affiliate links

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

BOOK REVIEW: Butter by Asako Yuzuki

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

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

WINNER OF WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024

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

THE NUMBER 1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

A BBC BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICK

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

buy here

********

MY REVIEW:

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

********

ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR:

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

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

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

This post contains affiliate links

Categories
Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

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

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

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#EyeForAnEye

buy here

********

MY REVIEW:

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx