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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Her Last Goodbye (Detective Gina Harte 15) by Carla Kovach

Published May 17th, 2024 by Bookouture
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, Crime Series

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this dark and ominous thriller. Thank you to Bookouture for the invitation to take part and the eBook ARC.

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BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Her small hands tremble and tears run down her cheeks. Shivering in the dark, damp storeroom, the little girl clutches her favourite toy dog. She cries out for help, but nobody answers. Her mother went missing last night and, as dawn breaks, there is still no sign of her.

Four-year-old Cleo shakes with fear as she tells the police that her mother, Darcie, was taken by a man on their way home last night. Darcie told Cleo to run and hide, and the last thing she saw was Darcie being pushed into the back of a car.

When police look into Darcie’s life, they discover a drunken argument with her best friend hours before she went missing, a dark figure seen loitering near where Cleo was found, and a recent assault allegation against a customer at Darcie’s work.

It seems like everyone around the young mother was keeping secrets, but Darcie had a dark secret of her own – one she hasn’t dared tell a soul.

Did Darcie’s deadly past finally catch up with her? And will she find the strength to fight for her life and keep her promise to return for her beloved daughter?

If you enjoy reading Angela Marsons, J M Dalgliesh and Mark Edwards then you’ll absolutely love this addictive page-turner.

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MY REVIEW:

“Tik, tick, tick. The clock is ticking and when eleven comes, we’ll take a lovely trip down memory lane.”

Four-year-old Cleo is found clutching her favourite toy dog in the barn of the B&B. Shaking, the little girl tells police that a man took her mother, Darcie, as they were on their way home last night. Detective Gina Harte and her team are called in to investigate and quickly begin to uncover clues that point to everyone around her keeping secrets. Not only that, but Darcie is hiding a dark secret of her own that may have come back to haunt her. The clock is ticking. Can Gina and her team unravel the clues and find Darcie before time runs out?

Her Last Goodbye is the 15th book in the Detective Gina Harte Series, and it’s another ominous, tense and gripping thriller. I inhaled this book, hooked once more by the skillful pen of Carla Kovach. My love of this series and author is no secret. Ms. Kovach books are an auto-read for me, and she can always be relied upon to deliver a fast paced story that I can’t put down. She is skilled at crafting dark, morally complex storylines and characters that show both the best and worst of humankind. Her multilayered plots never fail to put your emotions through the wringer, and her characters are all brilliantly written and compelling. And her villains. They never fail to unnerve me, but this time she really sent chills down my spine with the lengths this person went to in stalking their victims. I’ll be looking closely at my ceiling from now on!

One of my favourite things about a book series is revisiting much-loved and familiar characters. It was great to be back with Gina and her team, and I appreciated that Ms. Kovach gave them a break in their private life after the intense goings on in the last book. Gina is a brilliant protagonist. Feisty, determined, and with a strong sense of justice, I love how she fights for those unable to fight for themselves. It is nice to see her past torment her less as time goes on, and I appreciate the realistic but sensitive representation of domestic abuse and trauma that is shown through Gina and other characters in this series. As a survivor it is empowering to see books like this that help us to feel seen and raise awareness and understanding of things such as coercive control. All that aside, I am still rooting for Gina to find her happy-ever-after with a certain someone. Please make it happen Carla!

Dark, suspenseful and pacy, this page-turner is a must for any thriller-lover.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET 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:

Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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

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Audio Books Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Leave No Trace (Kat and Lock, Book 2) by Jo Callaghan

Published March 28th, 2024 by Simon & Schuster UK
Psychological Thriller, Science Fiction, Book Series

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this riveting and nerve-shredding thriller. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part, and to Simon and Schuster UK for the proof copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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SYNOPSIS:

DCS Kat Frank and AIDE Lock return in the provocative new thriller from the author of In the Blink of an Eye.

‘A smart, agile, immaculately plotted and moving thriller that is unswervingly gripping and scary, and at the same time beautifully tender and humane’ NICCI FRENCH 
‘Chilled me to the bone and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Callaghan writes with such intelligence; interspersing humour with moments of utter heartbreak’ NIKKI SMITH
 
One detective driven by instinct, the other by logic.
It will take both to find a killer who knows the true meaning of fear . . .
 
When the body of a man is found crucified at the top of Mount Judd, AIDE Lock – the world’s first AI Detective – and DCS Kat Frank are thrust into the spotlight as they are given their first live case.
 
But with the discovery of another man’s body – also crucified – it appears that their killer is only just getting started. With the police warning local men to be vigilant, the Future Policing Unit is thrust into a hostile media frenzy as they desperately search for connections between the victims. But time is running out for them to join the dots and prevent another death.
 
For if Kat and Lock know anything, it’s that killers rarely stop – until they are made to.

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MY REVIEW:

DCS Kat Frank and AIDE Lock are back thrust into the spotlight when they finally get to investigate their first live case in the second instalment of this gripping crime series. The pair are called to an unusual crime scene where a man has been found crucified at the top of Mount Judd. And when the body of a second man is found crucified it seems that their killer is just beginning. Local men are warned to stay vigilant as the Future Policing Unit face a race against the clock to find and stop the culprit before they kill again. 

Compelling, tense and surprising, I couldn’t put this one down. This time around the duo find themselves embroiled in a case that makes national headlines, putting them under even greater pressure. While the first book focused more on the sci-fi aspect of an AI detective, this time around there is less sci-fi and more crime, allowing Jo Callaghan to showcase herself as a crime writer to watch. I enjoyed the darker tone she took this time around and this is exactly the kind of twisted thriller that sings to me. After enjoying the audiobook last time I decided to listen again and loved it. I particularly enjoyed how the killer’s pov is told in an echoey way that is so eerie it sent chills down my spine every time I heard it. Even just thinking about it is making me shiver. 

I loved being back with the Future Policing Unit. Kat and Lock are a unique and fascinating detective team and I loved their banter and camaraderie, which has grown since their rocky start in the first book. But it is only their second case and they are still learning how to work together, something that can be tricky when one of them is driven by instinct and the other by logic. I like how well they balance each other out; one’s weaknesses being the other’s strengths, and how they both were learning to be better officers by including some of each other’s methods. I also really liked that Lock is no longer treated as a perfect detective. We see some of his limitations and flaws, which kind of humanises the AI detective a little. It certainly made me warm to him more this time around. 

Riveting, pacy, and filled with nerve-shredding tension, Leave No Trace is an action-packed thriller that will keep you on your toes. Now I just have to wait impatiently for book three. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. You can listen, too, with 2 months free listening with my affiliate link. Click here*

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Jo Callaghan works fulltime as a senior strategist, where she has carried out research into the future impact of AI and genomics on the workforce.She was a student of the Writers’ Academy Course (Penguin Random House), was long listed for the Myslexia Novel Writing Competition and Bath Novel Competition. After losing her husband to cancer in 2019 when she was just forty-nine, she started writing IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE, her debut crime novel. Published to critical-acclaim, it selected by Val McDermid for her New Blood panel of the best debuts of 2023 and for BBC Two’s Between the Covers Book Club. TV rights were sold in a major acquisition.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: The Space Between Us (The Enceladons Trilogy, Book 1) by Doug Johnstone

Published March 16th, 2023 by Orenda Books
Science Fition, Mystery, Suspense

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SYNOPSIS:

When three people suffer strokes after seeing dazzling lights over Edinburgh, then awake completely recovered, they’re convinced their ordeal is connected to the alien creature discovered on a nearby beach … an adrenaline-soaked, deeply humane, life-affirming first-contact novel from one of Scotland’s most revered authors…
 
**Selected for BBC 2 Between the Covers 2023**
 
‘All the drive, curiosity and wonder of his crime and mystery novels … science fiction gains a new author’ Derek B Miller
 
‘If you read one life-affirming book this year, make sure it’s this one’ Nina Pottell, Prima
  
‘The main characters, their lives and their struggles, are portrayed very vividly. I was straight into this, just like a thriller’ Ivo Graham on Between the Covers 
 
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Connecting will change everything…
 
Lennox is a troubled teenager with no family. Ava is eight months pregnant and fleeing her abusive husband. Heather is a grieving mother and cancer sufferer. They don’t know each other, but when a meteor streaks over Edinburgh, all three suffer instant, catastrophic strokes… 
 
…only to wake up the following day in hospital, miraculously recovered. 
 
When news reaches them of an octopus-like creature washed up on the shore near where the meteor came to earth, Lennox senses that some extra-terrestrial force is at play. With the help of Ava, Heather and a journalist, Ewan, he rescues the creature they call ‘Sandy’ and goes on the run. 
 
But they aren’t the only ones with an interest in the alien … close behind are Ava’s husband, the police and a government unit who wants to capture the creature, at all costs. And Sandy’s arrival may have implications beyond anything anyone could imagine…
 
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‘This had all the makings of a film … such relatable characters. Writing a story about a mixed-race boy in the care system and two women so brilliantly is so impressive’ Sunetra Sarker on Between the Covers

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MY REVIEW:

A trio of strangers are brought together in extraordinary circumstances in the first book of The Enceladon’s Trilogy. This is a book that’s way outside of my comfort zone, so I’d put off reading it for a while. But I’m a big fan of Doug Johnstone’s writing and I have heard so many great reviews for this book that I decided to finally take the plunge and read it for myself.

Lennox is a troubled teen without any family. Ava is eight months pregnant and trying to escape her abusive marriage. Heather has terminal cancer, is grieving her daughter and feels she’s nothing to live for. What starts out as another ordinary day in their lives becomes something exceptional, starting with a meteor that streaks over Edinburgh and causes them to have catastrophic strokes. When they wake up in hospital the next day they are somehow fully recovered. No one can explain it. 
The group then learns that an octopus-like creature has been recovered, washed up on the shore near where the meteor was. Could an extraterrestrial force be behind what happened? They set out to find out, starting with rescuing the creature, who they call ‘Sandy’. But they aren’t the only ones after Sandy and must stay one step ahead of the police, a government unit and Ava’s furious husband. 

I am so glad I finally read this book. With a large cast of characters and intricate storyline, it took me a bit of time to get into it, but once I did I was hooked and on the edge of my seat as they tried to stay one step ahead of the people chasing them and get Sandy to safety. I loved the characters in this book. Lennox, Ava and Heather are fantastic characters and compelling narrators, each having a charisma that draws you in and makes you care about them. I loved the camaraderie that they built with each other and Sandy and I was rooting for them at every step, cheering for them to succeed in evading capture and finding a safe place for Sandy. And, speaking of Sandy, they are a richly drawn and fascinating character, feeling so real that I believed their existence was possible. I adored their bond with Lennox and their scenes together were my favourite moments in the book. The eclectic cast of background characters are all equally well-written and help provide a lot of tension and drama along the way, with Ava’s husband standing out in particular as the biggest villain of the story. I hated that man. 

This book is yet more proof of what a masterful storyteller and writer Doug Johnstone is. Anything he turns his hand to is phenomenal and I’m going to read it. I was so relieved to have book two waiting to be read when I finished this one as I was left desperate to know what happened next. My review for that book will be posted as part of the blog tour tomorrow. 

Exhilarating, tense and addictive, this is a brilliant start to what promises to be an exciting new series. Even if this doesn’t sound like your usual kind of book I recommend giving it a try. It might surprise you like it did me. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

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

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BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These links are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: The Spy Coast (The Martini Club, 1) by Tess Gerritsen

Published January 18th, 2024 by Bantam Press
Thriller, Suspense, Spy Fiction, Crime Fiction, Mystery, Pensioners in the Pages, Book Series

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Spy Coast, the exhilarating new thriller from Tess Gerritsen. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and Bantam Press for the proof copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

‘The Spy Coast is The Thursday Murder Club on steroids’ SAGA Magazine

‘I loved it. A hugely entertaining read!’ ANN CLEEVES

Maggie Bird is many things. A chicken farmer. A good neighbour. A seemingly average retiree living in the seaside town of Purity. She’s also a darned good rifle shot. And she never talks about her past.

But when an unidentified body is left on Maggie’s driveway, she knows it’s a calling card from old times. It’s been fifteen years since the failed mission that ended her career as a spy, and cost her far more than her job.

Step forward the ‘Martini Club’ – Maggie’s silver-haired book group (to anyone who asks), and a cohort of former spies behind closed doors. With the help of her old friends – and always one step ahead of the persistent local cop – Maggie might still be able to save the life she’s built.

The Spy Coast is the first novel in the Martini Club series.

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MY REVIEW:

“If they knew her name, then they must know about the others as well. The past, it seemed, was about to catch up with them all. 
So much for a comfortable retirement. It was time to go back to work.”

Tess Gerritsen has been one of my go-to thriller authors ever since I read The Surgeon and I am a huge fan of her Rizzoli and Isles books in particular. I’ll read anything she writes, but I will admit to being very excited when I read the synopsis of The Spy Coast and discovered she was writing a new series about a retired group of spies. After reading the author’s note at the beginning of my proof copy where she shared her inspiration for the book I was even more hyped and knew that this was going to be a book I loved. 

The Spy Coast introduces us to Maggie Bird, a retiree who you couldn’t glance twice at. A couple of years ago, Maggie moved to Blackberry Farm and settled into her new life in the quiet seaside town of Purity, Maine where she works as a chicken farmer and attends a book group with her friends called the ‘Martini Club’. But while these pensioners can be sweet as honey, they also have a vicious sting in their tails and these five friends are actually a cohort of former spies. When the body of an unidentified woman is left in her driveway, it seems Maggie’s past has come back to haunt her, and the ‘Martini Club’ combine their skills and experience to try and track down the person who wants her dead. Also on the case is Purity’s tenacious police chief,  Jo Thibodeau, who is at first exasperated by the Martini Club, but soon begins to wonder who this group of pensioners really are. They must keep one step ahead of her if they want to keep their secrets safe. 

“We may have dubbed these meetings our ‘book club’ evenings, but what we’ve really come for are the martinis. And the gossip.”

I’m a big fan of the current trend for ‘pensioners in the pages’ and Maggie and the Martini Club are a fantastic group of new characters that I adored. As you’d expect for a former spy, Maggie holds her cards close to the vest and struggles to trust even those closest to her. Flashbacks slowly reveal her history and offer clues to the person they are searching for, while in the present Maggie has to learn to share her secrets if the Martini Club are going to find the person who wants her dead. These characters were so much fun to read and a great reminder that we aren’t over the hill just because we reach a certain age or retire, and that we shouldn’t underestimate someone on the basis of those things either. 

This book is exactly why Tess Gerritsen is one of my favourite crime authors. Mysterious, thrilling, twisty, and action-packed, she had me in her thrall from the first page and kept me guessing as I tried to predict what would happen. A crime fiction powerhouse, I know I can rely on Gerritsen to deliver a fast-paced, scalpel-sharp page turner that is skillfully written and cleverly plotted. And while  a story about a group of retired spies might sound like a cosy mystery, this is classic Gerritsen, and has a much darker, gritty edge. I couldn’t get enough but also never wanted it to end and ‘just one more chapter’ was the constant refrain in my head as I struggled to put the book down so I could sleep. 

Suspenseful, propulsive, unexpected and addictive, The Spy Coast promises to be the first in a riveting new espionage series and I can’t wait for the next instalment. If you loved The Thursdays Murder Club but also enjoy darker mysteries, then this is the book for you.

Rating: 🔎🔎🔎🔎🔎

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Internationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was awarded her M.D.

While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction and in 1987, her first novel, Call After Midnight, was published. It was just the first of 32 suspense novels that she’s written over a 36-year writing career. She also wrote a screenplay, “Adrift,” which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.

Tess’s 1996 medical thriller, Harvest, marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list and her novels have hit bestseller lists around the world ever since. Among her titles are Gravity, The Surgeon, Vanish, Listen to Me, and her upcoming spy thriller, The Spy Coast, which has just been optioned by Amazon Studios for a television series. Her books have been translated into 40 languages, and more than 40 million copies have been sold around the world.

Her series of novels featuring homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles inspired the hit TNT television series “Rizzoli & Isles,” starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander.

She lives in Maine.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

*These links are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

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

Categories
Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Cozy Mysteries Read Christie

READ CHRISTIE 2024: The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Poirot Series Book 1) by Agatha Christie

Published October 1920
Mystery, Cosy Mystery, Crime Fiction, Detective Story, Classic Fiction

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SYNOPSIS:

When Emily Inglethorp is poisoned the police are certain they’ve found the killer, but Hercule Poirot is not so easily satisfied. The sleuth digs deep into a tangled mystery in his debut appearance as the detective hero of Christie’s classic crime series.

Agatha Christie’s first mystery novel marks the initial appearance of her renowned Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot, known for his impeccably neat appearance, fine mustache, and ability to cut to the core of some of the most complex and puzzling mysteries ever conceived. Summoned to investigate a murder in an elegant English country house, Poirot begins assembling clues and finding reasons to doubt the apparently obvious culprit was actually responsible for the murder. Riddles and secrets multiply as documents vanish, secret alliances are unveiled and the seemingly unsolvable is broken wide open. Deliberately conceived and written to puzzle devoted mystery fans, The Mysterious Affair at Styles has delighted readers since its first publication in 1920 and marks a perfect entry point for those new to the author or her unforgettable sleuth.

With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Mysterious Affair at Styles is both modern and readable.

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MY REVIEW:

Ok. I confess. I’m a bad book blogger and I had never read an Agatha Christie book before this one (despite owning many). Like most people I am familiar with the stories and have watched many film and TV adaptations over the years but never got around to picking up one of the actual books. Every year since joining Bookstagram I’ve wanted to take part in the Read Christie, the official Agatha Christie Reading Challenge, but didn’t manage to fit it in. This year I was determined to make it happen and I am thrilled to have finally read my first Agatha Christie. . 

Each year Read Christie has different prompts and in 2024 they are exploring Christie’s works through the decades, starting in 1920 and going all the way through to the 1970s. January’s prompt is the 20s, so after talking to my Christie-expert friend, Sue, I decided to start at the very beginning with Christie’s first ever novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, which was first published in the US in October 1920 and in the UK on 21st January 1921, introducing the world to the now-famous Hercule Poirot.

Enthralling, compelling and mysterious, I loved this book. It isn’t a story of Ms. Christie’s that I’m familiar with but I loved that it felt both completely new and comfortingly familiar. It felt like finding a soft toy I’d had as a child and holding it again. Sue recommended listening to the audiobook and I am so glad I took her advice. I loved the little details like the sound of the typewriter keys clicking and thought the narrator was fantastic. I was enrapt and couldn’t stop listening, finishing it in just a few hours. And that ending! Wow. 

This book was a brilliant start to my Agatha Christie reading and one I’d recommend, especially if you’re looking to start her books for the first time like I was. Roll on another one next month! 

Rating: 🔍🔍🔍🔍🔍

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Born in Torquay in 1890, Agatha Christie became, and remains, the best-selling novelist of all time.

She is best known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, as well as the world’s longest-running play – The Mousetrap. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon* |

Special Edition (Waterstones)*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

*These links are affiliate links

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Paperback Publication Day

BOOK REVIEW: Sweetpea (Sweetpea Book 1) by C. J. Skuse

Published: October 26th, 2023 by HQ
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Dark Comedy, Psychological Fiction, Crime Fiction, Parodies, Book Series, Serial Killers

Sweetpea is re-released today with a gorgeous new cover so I’ve updated my review for this crazy and hilarious rollercoaster ride.

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SYNOPSIS:

‘If you like your thrillers darkly comic and outrageous this ticks all the boxes’ The Sun

The last person who called me ‘Sweetpea’ ended up dead…

Rhiannon is your average girl next door, settled with her boyfriend and little dog…but she’s got a killer secret.

By day her job as an editorial assistant is demeaning and unsatisfying. By evening she dutifully listens to her friend’s plans for marriage and babies whilst secretly making a list.

A kill list.

From the man on the checkout who always mishandles her apples, to the driver who cuts her off on her way to work, to the people who have got it coming, Rhiannon’s ready to get her revenge.

Because the girl everyone overlooks might be able to get away with murder…

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MY REVIEW:

“If only they knew what this quiet little sweetpea could do.”

Rhiannon Lewis is the girl you don’t notice. The girl who fades into the background. She’s not beautiful or skinny, works a boring job, and lives in a flat with her boyfriend and their dog. And though she was famous once after surviving a crime that seems to have cursed her entire life, her life now is dull and ordinary. Or so people think. But people have a tendency to underestimate Rhiannon. They have no idea she actually spends her time dreaming up gruesome ways to kill those who annoy, cross and betray her and then carries them out. And they certainly don’t suspect that Rhiannon is a serial killer. 

Scathing, twisted, darkly funny, and completely outrageous, Sweetpea is my idea of book heaven. I first read it back in 2019 after rave reviews from fellow blogger Zuky and devoured it quickly, wondering where this book had been all my life. And I haven’t stopped thinking about it since; making it a rare book that I can vividly recall even after four years and hundreds of other books. Not only did this book become an instant favourite, but so did the series, and it’s become a go-to thriller recommendation for me. Today it is re-issued with a gorgeous, bright new cover – which obviously I had to buy even though I own the books already – so I thought it was the perfect excuse to update my review and share it with you all again.

Rhiannon is my favourite anti-hero. A snarky, feisty, short-tempered and hilarious  murderess, she thinks, says and does everything you aren’t supposed to. I love her jet-black, dirty sense of humour, her warped outlook, and how she doesn’t take crap from anyone. Her scathing and raw inner monologue is so entertaining and it’s impossible not to root for her despite her deadly hobby. Let’s be honest, we’ve all thought of ways we’d like to hurt back those who’ve hurt us in our heads before. The difference is Rhiannon not only thinks things, she plots them and carries them out. She may be scary, but she’s bloody brilliant at the same time, something I think is a testament to the talent of C. J. Skuse. Her writing is sharply observed, dark, witty and addictive, always leaving me yearning for more at the end of a book. And I’m delighted to learn there will be more, because Rhiannon isn’t just getting a new look, she’s also getting a new story; book four, Thorn in My Side, is out at the end of this year (January 2024 in paperback). Not only that, but we are apparently getting news about an adaptation soon! I’m giddy with excitement!

A crazy rollercoaster ride with an anti-hero you’ll love, I can’t recommend this one enough. So if you like your thrillers brimming with bloody, murderous vengeance and ink-black humour that will make you laugh out  loud, pick up Sweetpea now. 

Rating:  🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Born in Weston-super-Mare in 1980, C.J. (Claire) is the author of eleven novels including the Young Adult novels Pretty Bad Things, Rockoholic, Dead Romantic, Monster and The Deviants and adult crime thrillers The Alibi Girl and the Sweetpea quintet  (Sweetpea, In Bloom, Dead Head, Thorn in my Side and The Bad Seeds). She has a First Class BA degree in Creative Studies in English and an MA in Writing for Young People with Distinction, both from Bath Spa University. C.J. worked in publishing from 2008-2017 both in editorial and as a professional reader, and now works as a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing. Sweetpea has been optioned by See Saw Films and is in production with Sky Atlantic. Books four and five in the Sweetpea series will be published in summer 2023 and spring 2024.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

*These links are affiliate links

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

BLOG TOUR: The Beaver Theory (The Rabbit Factor Trilogy Book 3) by Antti Tuomainen

Published October 12th, 2023 by Orenda
Thriller, Mystery, Dark Comdey, Noir Fiction, Book Series, Horror Fiction

I’m a little late due to illness, but here’s my review for the laugh-out-loud funny The Beaver Theory, which was also my first Orentober read. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for my invitation to take part and to Orenda for my proof copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

Can everyone’s favourite insurance mathematician, Henri, combine the increasingly dangerous world of adventure parks with the unpredictability of blended-family life? He’s about to find out in the final instalment of the hilarious, nail-biting Rabbit Factor Trilogy.
 
Henri Koskinen, intrepid insurance mathematician and adventure-park entrepreneur, firmly believes in the power of common sense and order. That is until he moves in with painter Laura Helanto and her daughter…
 
As Henri realises he has inadvertently become part of a group of local dads, a competing adventure park is seeking to expand their operations, not always sticking to the law in the process…
 
Is it possible to combine the increasingly dangerous world of the adventure-park business with the unpredictability of life in a blended family? At first glance, the two appear to have only one thing in common: neither deals particularly well with a mounting body count.
 
In order to solve this seemingly impossible conundrum, Henri is forced to step far beyond the mathematical precision of his comfort zone … and the stakes have never been higher… 
 
Warmly funny, quirky, touching, and a nail-biting triumph of a thriller, The Beaver Theory is the final instalment in the award-winning Rabbit Factor Trilogy, as Henri encounters the biggest challenge of his career, with hair-raising results…

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MY REVIEW:

We’re back with Henri and the others at the YouMeFun Adventure Park for the last book in the Rabbit Factor Trilogy. In his final adventure, the actuary and adventure-park entrepreneur is trying to balance his new family commitments with saving his park, preventing his staff becoming embroiled in an adventure-park war, and solving a murder. And time is running out. But Henri believes that order and mathematics will win the day as they always have, even if he’s forced further out of his comfort zone than ever as he faces his biggest challenges to date.

Laugh-out-loud funny, wacky, touching and unpredictable, The Beaver Theory is a glorious finale for this offbeat trilogy. In this instalment Henri is a real fish out of water as he embraces the chaos of family life, school runs and bake sales alongside the running of his adventure-park, a job that is far more dangerous than you’d imagine. Written with Antti Tuomainen’s signature kooky comic genius, warmth and tension, he kept me guessing as the madness unfolded right up to the spectacular finale. But this witty caper was also bittersweet as I never wanted the trilogy to end and I’m glad I’ve got the TV adaptation to look forward to. 

Henri remains one of my favourite characters ever written. Sensible, ordered, meticulous and very quirky, there is no one else like him. I adore this character and love the way he finds respite in logic, order and mathematics even when he’s a suspected murderer. He’s such a refreshing character to read and you can’t help but root for him every step of the way. I loved seeing him happy and taking on the challenge of family life and all its craziness in this book, especially when he’s pulled into being part of the ‘Dads Gang’. The latter paved the way for many hilarious moments and I enjoyed seeing his softer side in his interactions with Laura and her daughter. 

Kooky, original and entertaining, The Beaver Theory is another must-read from Tuomainen and Orenda. While it could be read as a standalone, I’d recommend reading the whole series to avoid missing out on some of the best fiction you’ll ever read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

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

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MEET THE TRANSLATOR:

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

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

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

*These puchase links are affiliate links

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

BLOG TOUR: The Murmurs (The Annie Jackson Mysteries Volume 1) by Michael J. Malone

Published September 14th, 2023 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Gothic Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Horror Fiction, Religious Ficiton, Book Series

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this beguiling gothic thriller. Thank you to Anne at Random Things for the invitation to take part and to Orenda for the proof copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

A young woman starts experiencing terrifying premonitions of people dying, as it becomes clear that a family curse known only as The Murmurs has begun, and a long-forgotten crime is about to be unearthed…
 
On the first morning of her new job at Heartfield House, a care home for the elderly, Annie Jackson wakens from a terrifying dream. And when she arrives at the home, she knows that the first old man she meets is going to die.
 
How she knows this is a terrifying mystery, but it is the start of horrifying premonitions … a rekindling of the curse that has trickled through generations of women in her family – a wicked gift known only as ‘the murmurs’…
 
With its reappearance comes an old, forgotten fear that is about to grip Annie Jackson.
 
And this time, it will never let go…
 
A compulsive gothic thriller and a spellbinding supernatural mystery about secrets and small communities, about faith, courage and self-preservation, The Murmurs is a startling and compulsive read from one of Scotland’s finest authors.

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MY REVIEW:

“Who are they? 
They are every woman, burned, every man flayed and skinned, they’re every trauma visited upon every human—they’re pain they’re torture, they are the scream echoing in the distant dark, the whispered taunt in your ear.
They’re the baited breath, the hammering pulse, the cold beaded sweat, dry mouth, and the bunched yet frozen muscle ignoring the command to run, run, RUN.
They are vengeance and they will never stop.”

A family curse, long-forgotten crimes, repressed memories, and decades-old secrets all come together in this beguiling gothic thriller that is perfect for spooky season. 

Annie Jackson is a young woman whose life has been marred by tragedy. She survived the accident that killed her mother but it took her memories, leaving her with only a nightmare that returns just as she’s about to start a new job at a care home. And on her first day it gets worse as a disturbing vision and murmuring voices tell her one of the residents is about to die. From that day on she is plagued by foreshadowings of the fates of those on the margins of life and death. The eponymous murmurs come unwelcome and unbidden, leaving her frightened, bewildered and scared to look people in the eye. Annie soon discovers the murmurs are part of a curse that has cascaded through the generations of women in her family. Desperate to know more and understand what is happening to her, she and her twin brother, Lewis, begin to explore their family history. But what they discover is much darker than they ever imagined and they find themselves embroiled in old mysteries that are far more dangerous than they realise…

He’s done it again! Michael J. Malone is a masterful gothic storyteller and he had me spellbound as I read. Evocatively told, it oozes a sinister atmosphere as he weaves elements of folklore and the supernatural into the narrative, blurring the lines between what is real and what is in our imagination. Ghostly fingers of the past tighten their grip on Annie and rekindle ashes of memory that slowly reveal horrifying secrets that have been buried for decades. It is chilling, twisty, and there’s a creeping sense of dread that permeates the pages. There are elements of the unknown, the inexplicable, and the unexpected alongside complex family dynamics, dark secrets, and lots of emotion. The story is steadily paced and slowed down a little in the middle before picking up pace again during the last third of the book. This is where I couldn’t put it down, pushing aside my sleepiness in the early hours and flying through the pages as the tension escalated at breakneck speed and we hurtled towards the heart-pounding and shocking finale. 

Malone tells the story in multiple vividly drawn timelines by multiple compelling narrators. But it is Annie who is at the heart of this book. She’s is a bit of a lost soul and we can feel her confusion, fear, and isolation as she tries to figure out what on earth is happening to her. I liked her relationship with her twin brother, Lewis, which felt authentic and grounding in a story that generally feels quite bizarre. I also really enjoyed reading the historical family members and loved the addition of Moira McLean’s memoir. 

Haunting, ominous, darkly atmospheric, and captivating, this is the best I’ve read yet from this author. Add it to your TBR now. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns’ country. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers. Other published work includes: Carnegie’s Call; A Taste for Malice; The Guillotine Choice; Beyond the Rage; The Bad Samaritan; and Dog Fight. His psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and the critically acclaimed House of Spines and After He Died soon followed suit. Since then, he’s written two further thought-provoking, exquisitely written psychological thrillers In the Absence of Miracles and A Song of Isolation, cementing his position as a key proponent of Tartan Noir and an undeniable talent. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller. Michael lives in Ayr.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

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

*These purchase links are affiliate links

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Her Hidden Shadow by Carla Kovach (Detective Gina Harte Book 14)

Published September 20th, 2023 by Bookouture
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Noir Fiction, Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, Crime Series

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this first-class thriller. Thank you to Bookouture for the invitation to take part and the eBook ARC.

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SYNOPISIS:

Her perfect night out just became her worst nightmare…

Lauren returns home from celebrating her engagement with friends and stumbles as she gets out of the taxi. So what if her best friend Sienna didn’t show up? Lauren had a good night anyway. As she walks towards the small house she shares with her fiancé, Robbie, she’s surprised to see every window in total darkness. And when she calls his name, the house remains silent. Where is Robbie?

Kicking off her red heels, Lauren heads towards her bedroom, feeling more nervous with every step. And when she opens the door, she immediately knows something is very wrong. The sickly metallic smell sobers her up instantly. And there is someone in her bed…

Moving closer, her heart races in her chest. Instead of her fiancé, in the bed lies the lifeless body of a young woman, and although long dark hair covers her face, Lauren can already see who it is… her best friend, Sienna.

As Lauren’s scream breaks the silence, someone stands outside the bedroom, tracking her every move. Did Lauren’s perfect little home just become the most dangerous place she could be?

Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Cara Hunter and Clare Mackintosh, Her Hidden Shadow will have you hooked from the very first page.

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MY REVIEW:

Lauren stumbles out of the taxi after a great night out with friends celebrating her engagement. The only thing missing was her best friend, Sienna, but she had fun anyway. Life is great and she couldn’t be happier to finally be engaged to Robbie. As she enters her small house all is dark and quiet, so she undresses and crawls into bed next to her fiance. But something isn’t right. He feels cold. And why can she feel something wet? She turns on the light to see the body of her best friend covered in blood. Why is Sienna in her bed? And what has happened to Robbie? Lauren’s scream pierces the air and as she picks up her phone to call the police she hears a thud from another room. The killer is still in the house…

Her Hidden Shadow is another first-class thriller from Carla Kovach. It had everything I’ve come to expect from one of her books and she pulled me in with her compelling characters, intriguing plots, and heart-stopping suspense. I like how she always tackles a deeper topic in her books, this time exploring the effects of trauma with honesty, sensitivity and compassion. Her stories are always hard to predict and I was on tenterhooks as she built up to the big reveal. 

This is the fourteenth book in the Detective Gina Harte series and at this point Gina and her team feel like old friends. So despite the dark and difficult topics these books always feel like comfort reads to me. I’m emotionally attached to these characters, something Kovach uses to her advantage by adding in storylines featuring Gina and her team that threaten everything you think you know. It heightens the tension and makes it impossible to put the book down. And boy did she put me through it with this book, though I’ll not say more as I don’t want to ruin the surprise. 

Action-packed, tense, addictive, and full of twists and turns, Carla Kovach has knocked it out of the park once again. I can’t wait for book fifteen!

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

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

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

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Amazon*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

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

*These purchase links are affiliate links

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

BLOG TOUR: The Opposite of Lonely (Skelfs 5) by Doug Johnstone

Published September 14th, 2023 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Urban Fiction, Lesbian Literature, LGBT Literature, Religious Fiction

Today is my stop on the blog tour for The Opposite of Lonely. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Book Tours for the invitation to take part, and to Karen at Orenda for the gifted ARC.

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SYNOPSIS:

A body lost at sea, arson, murder, astronauts, wind phones, communal funerals and existential angst … This can ONLY mean one thing! The Skelfs are back, and things are as tense, unnerving and warmly funny as ever!
 
The Skelf women are recovering from the cataclysmic events that nearly claimed their lives. Their funeral-director and private-investigation businesses are back on track, and their cases are as perplexing as ever.
 
Matriarch Dorothy looks into a suspicious fire at an illegal campsite and takes a grieving, homeless man under her wing. Daughter Jenny is searching for her missing sister-in-law, who disappeared in tragic circumstances, while grand-daughter Hannah is asked to investigate increasingly dangerous conspiracy theorists, who are targeting a retired female astronaut … putting her own life at risk.
 
With a body lost at sea, funerals for those with no one to mourn them, reports of strange happenings in outer space, a funeral crasher with a painful secret, and a violent attack on one of the family, The Skelfs face their most personal – and perilous – cases yet. Doing things their way may cost them everything…
 
Tense, unnerving and warmly funny, The Opposite of Lonely is the hugely anticipated fifth instalment in the unforgettable Skelfs series, and this time, danger comes from everywhere…

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MY REVIEW:

We are back in Scotland with the Skelf women for another outstanding instalment of this addictive series filled with arson, stalking, arson, murder, theories, secrets, family drama, green funerals, community funerals, astronauts, and more. This is suspense writing at its finest and it’s easy to see why this book has been included in The Times’ list of Best New Crime Fiction for September 2023.

Dorothy, Jenny and Hannah Skelf work together running their family funeral home and private investigation company. Intelligent, fierce, funny, sassy and no-nonsense, the trio are likeable, flawed and real. They are easy to relate to and root for and feel like the kind of women I could meet in my everyday life – just with an unusual combination of jobs. I’ll admit I have a particular soft spot for Dorothy, the matriarch of her family. Dorothy is in her seventies but has lost none of her character or sass. Not only does she still run and actively participate in both businesses but she also has a younger boyfriend, active sex life, and plays in a band. She is the kind of older female character we need more of as life is far from over when you hit middle age and I love reading about women who are thriving in their twilight years. 

Doug Johnstone is a masterful storyteller who just keeps getting better. He writes with an intoxicating mix of apprehension, sensitivity, and humour, which he combines with a multilayered plot, authentic characters, and short, striking chapters to create a first-rate thriller. The intricately woven plot explores topics such as prejudice, the environment, and grief, and I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of the Japanese wind phone that people use to call their lost loved ones. I devoured this book in almost one sitting, reading in breathless anticipation as it built to its heart-pounding crescendo.

A sensational thriller that is also darkly funny, moving, and crackles with tension,  The Opposite of Lonely is a must-read for all fans of this genre. Perfect whether read as part of the series or as a standalone. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Doug Johnstone is the author of fourteen previous novels, most recently The Big Chill (2020). Several of his books have been bestsellers and three, A Dark Matter (2020), Breakers (2019) and The Jump (2015), were shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year. A Dark Matter, the first in Doug’s first-ever series, was also shortlisted for the Capital Crime/Amazon Publishing Readers Awards. He’s taught creative writing and been writer in residence at various institutions over the last decade – including at a funeral parlour ahead of writing A Dark Matter – and has been an arts journalist for over twenty years. Doug is a songwriter and musician with five albums and three solo EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, a band of crime writers. He’s also player-manager of the Scotland Writers Football Club. He lives in Edinburgh.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

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

*These purchase links are affiliate links