Published March 21st, 2024 by Bookouture Thriller, Suspense, Psychologial Thriller, Mystery
Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this gripping psychological thriller. Thank you to Bookouture for the invitation to take part and gifted proof copy.
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SYNOPSIS:
Breath catches in my throat and terror grips me as my daughter’s favourite jumper slides into focus. Time slows. Helpless, I watch my precious little girl run into the road. Screeching tyres slice through the quiet afternoon. Days from now, my friends will say the worst day of my life was all my fault…
A bright and welcoming haven, the playgroup sits at the heart of the town, tucked away inside a red-brick building. The Nest should have been the safest place for my rosy-cheeked, pink-obsessed daughter, Florence. Run by mothers like me, I trusted my newfound friends – Alice, Beth and Georgie – to take care of my child. But now my choice has left Florence fighting for her life.
My heart pounds thinking about what I will tell my husband, James. He stayed with me through the darkest times, and I thought some space would bring us closer. But as I watch our little girl sleeping in a hospital bed, I know our relationship may never recover from this.
How can I tell James what really happened if I don’t know myself? I can’t shake the feeling the other mothers are lying to me; they know I’d never let Florence leave the nursery by herself. We’ve all got dangerous secrets we want to protect, but if they expose mine, will anyone, including my husband, believe me when I say I didn’t harm my daughter?
A completely gripping psychological suspense about the dark price of protecting your family, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Adele Parks and Sally Hepworth.
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MY REVIEW:
Lenore is finally starting to feel more herself after months of crippling postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter, Florence. But her husband, James, still doesn’t seem to trust her with their child, so she decides to take some time away by herself with Florence so they can both learn to trust her as a mother again so she moves to a house in Mappelstow, just outside London. In the heart of this town sits The Nest, a playgroup run by a co-operative of the town’s parents which seems like the ideal place for not only her daughter to socialise, but for Lenore to begin working again. Lenore soon settles in and begins to see the other women working there as her friends. Until that terrible day.
Lenore stands helpless, paralysed by horror as her little girl runs into the road. Tyres screech and Lenore’s scream pierces the air as she races to her daughter’s side. Little Florence is alive, but only just, and is rushed into hospital. Lenore and her husband, James, begin a vigil by the unconscious little girl’s bedside hoping for a miracle. But their nightmare gets even darker when the other women tell Lenore the accident was her fault. Could they be right? Could her PPD have clouded her mind and she really put her child in danger? Lenore is sure it wasn’t her fault. But why would her friends lie? What might they be hiding?
Tense, twisty and surprising, Leah Mercer had me in the palm of her hand as I devoured this book in just 24 hours. Narrated by Lenore, Alice, Georgie, and Beth, this is a story where everyone has something to hide. It explores topics such as postpartum depression, drug addiction, chronic illness, and coercive control, spinning a twisted web of secrets and lies that is cleverly woven together. Fast-paced and addictive, I could never be sure of the truth and when the truth was revealed it left me speechless. I did not see that coming!
A suspenseful and surprising thriller, I’d highly recommend The Playgroup to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Leah can’t remember a time when she didn’t love writing. From creating fake newspapers to writing letters to the editor, scribbling something was always on the agenda. Even the rejections she received after completing her first novel at age 13 didn’t dent her enthusiasm.
So it makes sense, then, that she pursued a career in anything but writing. Public relations, teaching, recruitment, editing medical journals — even a stint painting houses — until she finally succumbed once more to the lure of the blank page.
Whe she’s not being jumped on by her young son or burning supper while thinking of plotlines, Leah can be found furiously tapping away on her laptop, trying not to check Twitter or Facebook.
Leah also writes romantic comedies under the name Talli Roland.
It’s time for part two of my most anticipated February releases. There’s so many exciting books here, including new releases from Louise Fein, Nicci French and Paul E. Hardisty, and debuts such as Butter and A Fate Inked in Blood.
So, here’s the rest of my most anticipated books out next month:
To Cage A God(Those Monstrous Gods 1) by Elizabeth May
Published February 20th by Daphne Press Fantasy Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Dark Fantasy
SYNOPSIS: Join the rebellion to burn down a cruel tyrant in this heartracing new fantasy duology, perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone and The Wolf and the Woodsman.
To cage a god is divine. To be divine is to rule. To rule is to destroy.
Using ancient secrets, Galina and Sera’s mother grafted gods into their bones. Bound to brutal deities and granted forbidden power no commoner has held in a thousand years, the sisters have been raised as living weapons. Now, the time has come for them to overthrow an empire―no matter the cost.
With their mother gone and their country on the brink of war, it falls to the sisters to take the helm of the rebellion and end the cruel reign of a royal family possessed by destructive gods. Because when the ruling alurea invade, they conquer with fire and blood. And when they clash, common folk burn.
Forced into a desperate plan, Sera reunites with her estranged lover who now leads the rebellion, while Galina infiltrates the palace. In this world of deception and danger, her only refuge is an isolated princess whose whip-smart tongue and sharp gaze threaten to uncover Galina’s secret. Torn between desire and duty, Galina must make a choice: work together to expose the lies of the empire―or bring it all down.
Published February 20th by Hodder & Stoughton Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller
SYNOPSIS: THE TENSION-FILLED NEW NOVEL FROM THE AUTHOR OF NUMBER ONE DIGITAL BESTSELLER THE PRISONER . ‘Expertly plotted and compellingly told – a cautionary tale that will put you off ever having anyone to stay with you again. I raced through it!’ HARRIET TYCE
Iris and Gabriel have just got home from a make-or-break holiday. But a shock awaits them. One of their dearest friends, Laure, is in their house – sleeping in their bed, wearing Iris’ clothes, even rearranging the furniture. She has walked out on her husband – and their good friend – Pierre over his confession of an affair.
Iris and Gabriel want to be supportive. But as Laure’s mood becomes more unpredictable, her presence begins to unravel secrets in all their pasts – until things reach breaking point …
A Tempest of Tea(Blood & Tea Book 1) by Hafsah Faizal
Published February 22nd by Pan Macmillan Fantasy Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Vampire Ficiton, YA Fantasy
SYNOPSIS: From Hafsah Faizal, New York Times-bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame, comes A Tempest of Tea, the first book in a hotly-anticipated new fantasy duology about an orphan girl and her crew who get tangled in a heist with vampires, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows.
On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it-and she can’t do the job alone.
Calling on some of the city’s most skilled outcasts, Arthie hatches a plan to infiltrate the dark and glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not everyone in her ragtag crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it.
Dark, action-packed, and swoonworthy, this is Hafsah Faizal better than ever.
Published February 22nd by Penguin UK Historical Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Supernatural Fiction, YA Fiction
SYNOPSIS: House of Hollow meets A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, THE BAD ONES is a page-turning supernatural thriller about four mysterious disappearances in a town haunted by a sinister magical history – and one girl searching for the truth.
A GAME GONE WRONG. A MISSING FRIEND. A TOWN OF BURIED SECRETS . . .
Goddess, Goddess, count to five. In the morning, who’s alive?
One town. One night. Four people gone.
Nora’s best friend, Becca, is one of the lost. As Nora tries to piece together the truth, she uncovers dark events in her high school’s history and a string of coded messages Becca has left for her. These clues point to another missing girl thirty years previously and a sinister urban legend: a goddess figure, who played an eerie role in Nora and Becca’s own childhood games . . .
As Nora struggles to unravel the mystery, it’s clear there are dark forces at work in her town – and they’re willing to stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried deep.
Published February 22nd by Hodder & Stoughton Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Romance Novel, Lesbian Literature, Domestic Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘What a sumptuous, evocative triumph of a novel!’ JENNY ASHCROFT
At the golden hour, hidden truths and desires come to light . . .
In the genteel squares of late-Victorian Brighton, Ellen and Reynold Harper – twins, companions, colleagues – ply their trade as portrait photographers.
But at the golden hour, the models arrive to pose for the lucrative – and illicit – photographs that really keep the Harpers’ business afloat. This is the other, shadowy world of the city: a world of erotic tableaux, boundary-crossing music hall performers, and the sinister figure of the local gangster, the Croc.
When Ellen is drawn into the orbit of unhappy newly-wed Clementine, she finds herself torn between loyalty to her brother, her dangerous attraction to new model, Lily, and her burgeoning friendship with Clem. And as the two worlds of Brighton collide, the three women discover that there is only a knife edge between the promise of freedom, and the threat of ruin . . .
Atmospheric, sensual and powerfully moving, The Golden Hour is a spellbinding portrait of three women determined to find their freedom – perfect for fans of Sarah Waters, The Doll Factory and The Essex Serpent.
Published February 22nd by Picador Saga, , Contemporary Horror,Ghost Horror, Political Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Costa Rica, 1968. When a lethal fire erupts at the American Fruit Company’s most lucrative banana plantation burning all evidence of a massive cover-up, the future of Teresa Cepeda Valverde’s family is changed for ever.
Now, twenty-seven years later, Teresa and her daughter Lyra are still picking up the pieces. Lyra wants nothing to do with Teresa, but is desperate to find out what happened to her family that fateful night. Teresa, haunted by a missing husband and the bitter ghost of her mother, is unable to reconcile the past. What unfolds is a story of a mother and daughter trying to forgive what they do not yet understand, and the mystery at the heart of one family’s rupture, steeped in machismo, jealousy and greed.
Where There Was Fire brims with ancestral spirits, omens and the forces of nature. John Manuel Arias’s extraordinary debut novel weaves a brilliant tapestry of love – lost and found again – and, ultimately, redemption.
Published February 22nd by Sandycove Mystery, Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Literary Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Two mothers. Two daughters. Two sides to the story.
When Sara leaves her high-flying London life to move to Dublin, her only concern is her nine-year-old daughter, Lexie. For Lexie’s sake she tries to get to know other mothers at the school gates, but they appear uninterested – particularly their leader, the beautiful and charismatic Vanessa, whose daughter rules the playground.
After a simple misunderstanding between Vanessa and Sara, none of the other kids at school want anything to do with Lexie. Desperate to mend fences, Sara offers to look after Vanessa’s daughter one afternoon. But when the playdate ends in catastrophe, Vanessa is convinced that what happened wasn’t an accident.
With allegations flying in all directions, Sara is forced to ask herself what she has unleashed? And how far a mother will go to protect her daughter?
Published February 23rd by Bookouture Psychological Thriller, Saga
SYNOPSIS: On a sunny Friday afternoon, beloved teacher Mrs. Walker and her eight-year-old son wave goodbye to their friends in the school playground. But they never make it home…
It’s only been a week, but the bright little faces at the picture-perfect school I’ve stepped into have captured my heart. Their big doe eyes, their paint-covered fingers and clinging hugs. They’ve been through so much, with their favourite teacher and classmate still missing…
I’m doing all I can to help them adjust, but I can’t avoid the swirling rumours that say Cate Walker’s charismatic husband, Oliver – our headteacher – is involved in her disappearance. The thought makes me shudder. But the more I find out about Cate, the more I wonder if she was also hiding a terrible secret…
I’m determined to uncover the truth about what really happened. I have to protect these other innocent children from the same fate – it’s my duty as their teacher.
That is, until an anonymous note turns up threatening me if I don’t stop looking. Until my home is broken into while I sleep.
I know the longer I stay here, the more danger I’m in.
But whoever’s trying to scare me doesn’t know who I am – or why I’m really here.
Or just how far I’ll go to protect the people I love…
An absolutely gripping psychological thriller, where no one is who they seem, that will get your heart pounding! Perfect for fans of addictive page-turners like The Housemaid, The Family Across the Street and The Family Upstairs.
A Fate Inked In Blood(Saga of the Unfated Book 1) by Danielle L. Jensen
Published February 27th by Del Rey Romantic Fantasy, Romance Novel, Fantasy Fiction, Viking Romance, Norse Muthology
SYNOPSIS: A shield maiden blessed by the gods battles to unite a nation under a power-hungry king – while also fighting her growing desire for his fiery son – in this Norse-inspired fantasy romance from the bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom series.
Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back.
Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: she possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which gives her magic capable of repelling any attack. A magic that was foretold would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath a king-the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.
Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders his son, Bjorn, to protect Freya from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. Except the greatest test of all may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.
Published February 29th by Wildfire Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Adventure Fiction
SYNOPSIS: **The spellbinding, bold new retelling of the story of Lord Byron and the Shelleys, from the perspective of Claire Clairmont, the incredible woman that history tried to forget.** ‘Beautifully written, Clairmont tells the sensuous hidden story of an influential historic woman.’ Sara Sheridan, author of The Fair Botanists Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year
‘An absorbing, intoxicating page-turner about a woman who deserves to be remembered.’ Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne and Atalanta
‘An intimate and enlightening tale of one of Romanticism’s forsaken muses – an artfully told story that lingers in the mind far beyond the last page’ Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of Pandora
1816. A massive volcanic eruption has caused the worst storms that Europe has seen in decades, yet Percy and Mary Shelley have chosen to visit the infamous Lord Byron at his villa on Lake Geneva. It wasn’t their idea: Mary’s eighteen year old step-sister, Claire Clairmont, insisted.
But the reason for Claire’s visit is more pressing than a summer escape with the most famous writers in the world. She’s pregnant with Byron’s child – a child Byron doesn’t want, and scarcely believes is his own.
Claire has the world in her grasp. This trip should have given her everything she ever dreamed of. But within days, her life will be in ruins.
History has all but forgotten her story – but she will not be silenced.
Published February 29th by Harper Muse Historical Fiction, Thriller, Romane Novel, Domestic Fiction
SYNOPSIS: From the bestselling author of Daughter of the Reich, an historical drama set in London about a bookshop involved in an espionage network.
“An utterly atmospheric and completely compelling read!” —Julia Kelly, international bestselling author of The Lost English Girl
Two courageous women. One astonishing secret. A world on the brink of war.
London, 1962: The world is teetering on the brink of nuclear war but life must go on. Celia Duchesne longs for a career, but with no means or qualifications, passes her time working at a dusty bookshop. The day a handsome American enters the shop, she thinks she might have found her way out of the monotony. Just as the excitement of a budding relationship engulfs her, a devastating secret draws her into the murky world of espionage.
France, 1942: Nineteen-year-old Anya Moreau was dropped behind enemy lines to aid the resistance, sending messages back home to London via wireless transmitter. When she was cruelly betrayed, evidence of her legacy and the truth of her actions were buried by wartime injustices.
As Celia learns more about Anya—and her unexpected connection to the undercover agent—she becomes increasingly aware of furious efforts, both past and present, to protect state secrets. With her newly formed romance taking a surprising turn and the world on the verge of nuclear annihilation, Celia must risk everything she holds dear, in the name of justice.
Propulsive and illuminating, The London Bookshop Affair is a gripping story of secrets and love, inspired by true events and figures of the Cold War.
Published February 29th by Haper Muse Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, War Story, Adventure Fiction, Nautical Fiction
SYNOPSIS: The Titanic was only the beginning. What she survived has become legend.
Violet Jessop is Miss Unsinkable.
After her mother becomes too ill to work, the responsibility to provide for the family falls to Violet as the oldest of nine. When the world enters the Great War, she serves as a nurse, helping men who could very well be her brothers. Working as a stewardess and wartime nurse, Violet not only survives a shipwreck but also two sinkings, one on the infamous Titanic. No one can understand why she would return to sea, but something keeps drawing Violet back to the tumultuous waters, where she struggles to put the tragedies of her past behind her and pursue a life and love all her own.
Daphne has survived calamity of her own.
Daphne Chaundanson grows up as an unwanted child after her mother died in a tragedy. She throws herself into education, collecting languages like candy in a desperate attempt to finally earn her father’s approval. When the Special Operations Executive invites her to be an agent in France in World War II, her childhood of anonymity and her love of languages make her the perfect fit. She sees it as an opportunity to help the country she loves and live up to her father’s expectations. But the dangers of war challenge Daphne in ways she never could have expected, and the secrets from her own past must be faced for her to truly have a future beyond the conflict—if she can survive it.
Inspired by true stories of Violet Jessop and the thirty-nine women of the Special Operations Executive. Two unsinkable women. Two stories of survival, family, and finding one’s own happiness. One connection that reshapes both their lives forever.
Published February 29th by Harper North Historical Fiction, Alternative History, LGBTQ Literature, Adventure Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Gunpowder, treason and a plot to destroy the British Empire…
**AN OBSERVER TOP 10 DEBUT NOVELIST OF 2024**
‘Couldn’t put this book down. Beautiful, tender, and ruthless’ HANNAH KANER
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1770. Delphine lives in the shadows of London: a secret, vibrant world of smugglers, courtesans and small rebellions. Four years ago, she escaped enslavement at great personal cost. Now, she must help her brother Vincent do the same.
While Britain’s highest court fails to administer justice for Vincent, little rebellions are no longer enough. What’s needed is a big, explosive plot – one that will strike at the heart of the transatlantic slave trade. But can one woman, one fuse and one match bring down an Empire?
An incendiary alternative history, Remember, Remember is a gripping story of conscience, conspiracy, queer identity and courage in the face of injustice.
Published February 29th by Simon & Schuster UK Suspense, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Domestic Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘Classic Nicci French: an unputdownable missing-persons thriller that’s also a searing examination of family, memory and grief. A big-skied, full-blooded, broken-hearted book’ Erin Kelly
She’s loved by all who meet her. But someone wants her gone . . . Then
When beautiful and vivacious Charlotte Salter fails to turn up to her husband Alec’s 50th birthday party, her kids are worried, but Alec is not. As the days pass and there’s still no word from Charlie, her daughter, Etty, and her sons, Niall, Paul and Ollie, all struggle to come to terms with her disappearance. How can anyone just vanish without a trace? Left with no answers and in limbo, the Salter children try and go on with their lives, all the while thinking that their mother’s killer is potentially very close to home.
Now
After years away, Etty returns home to the small East Anglian village where she grew up to help move her father into a care home. Now in his eighties, Alec has dementia and often mistakes his daughter for her mother. Etty is a changed woman from the trouble-free girl she was when Charlie was still around – all the Salter children have spent decades running and hiding from their mother’s disappearance. But when their childhood friends, Greg and Morgen Ackerley, decide to do a podcast about Charlotte’s disappearance, it seems like the town’s buried secrets – and the Salters’ – might finally come to light.
After all this time, will they finally find out what really happened to Charlotte Salter?
Published February 29th by Bantam Press Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Psycholgical Thriller, Crime Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Eight contestants. One killer. Can you find the traitor?
‘Wow! What a page-turner. I’m a Celebrity meets Lord of the Flies.’ Emma Curtis
‘The pace never slackens.’ Faith Martin
‘Dark, disturbing and addictive.’ L. C. North
Everything is a clue. Bonnie arrives on a remote sea fort off the coast of England to take part in a mysterious reality TV show. Competing against seven strangers, she must solve a series of puzzles to win the prize money, but this is no game – and the consequences of failure are deadly.
No one leaves. Under scrutiny from the watching public, the contestants quickly turn on one another. Who will sacrifice the most for wealth and fame? And why can’t Bonnie shake the creeping sense that they are not alone?
The only way out is to win. When the first contestant is found dead, Bonnie begins to understand the dark truth at the heart of this twisted competition: there’s a killer inside the fort, and anyone could be next. If Bonnie wants to escape, she needs to win…
Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson
Published February 29th by Michael Joseph Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Cozy Mystery, Crime Fiction, Dark Comedy
SYNOPSIS: ‘Clever, satisfying, impossible to put down and gloriously inventive. It’s fantastic’ STUART TURTON
SIX WRITERS. FIVE DETECTIVES. FOUR DAYS. THREE WEAPONS. TWO MURDERS. ONE TRAIN…
When the Australian Mystery Writers’ Society invited me to their crime-writing festival aboard the Ghan, the famous train between Darwin and Adelaide, I was hoping for some inspiration for my second book. Fiction, this time: I needed a break from real people killing each other. Obviously, that didn’t pan out.
The program is a who’s who of crime writing royalty:
the debut writer (me!) the forensic science writer the blockbuster writer the legal thriller writer the literary writer the psychological suspense writer.
But when one of us is murdered, six authors quickly turn into five detectives. Together, we should know how to solve a crime.
Or commit one…
But how do you catch a killer, when all your suspects know how to get away with murder?
Published February 29th by Hutchinson Heinmann Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘A thrillingly suspenseful novel that reveals its riches, layers and secrets through effortlessly elegant prose . . . I was hooked right through to the shocking end‘ BERNARDINE EVARISTO
‘Obsessed‘ KERRY WASHINGTON
‘A shimmering success’ DIANA EVANS
Nicole Oruwari has the perfect life: a handsome husband, a palatial house in the heart of Lagos and a glamorous group of friends. She left London and a troubled family past behind to become part of a community of expat wives.
But when Nicole disappears without a trace after a boat trip, the cracks in her so-called perfect life start to show. As the investigation turns up nothing but dead ends, her aunt Claudine flies to Nigeria to take matters into her own hands. As she digs into her niece’s life, she uncovers a hidden truth. But the more she finds out about Nicole, the more Claudine’s own buried history threatens to come to light.
Published February 29th by Fourth Estate Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Translated Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘Compelling, delightfully weird, often uncomfortable’ PANDORA SYKES
‘Unputdownable, breathtakingly original’ ERIN KELLY
‘Delicious’ i-D Magazine
‘Luscious … I devoured this’ IMOGEN CRIMP
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.
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.
‘A salty morsel with one hell of a bite’ ALICE SLATER
‘A tour de force that will leave readers satisfied‘ RYŌ ASAI
Published February 29th by Hemlock Press Mystery, Suspense, Psychologcial Thriller, Crime Fiction
SYNOPSIS: The brand new edge-of-your-seat thriller from the author of the smash hit bestseller The Woman in the Window.
“I’ll be dead in three months. Come tell my story.”
This is the chilling invitation from Sebastian Trapp, renowned mystery novelist, to his long-time correspondent Nicky Hunter, an expert in detective fiction. Welcomed into his lavish San Francisco mansion, Nicky begins to unravel Trapp’s life story under the watchful eyes of his enigmatic wife and plainspoken daughter.
But Sebastian Trapp is a mystery himself. And maybe – probably – a murderer.
Two decades ago, his first wife and son vanished, the case never solved. Is the master of mystery playing a deadly game? If so, who will be the loser?
And when a body surfaces in the family’s garden, they all realize the past isn’t buried – it’s waiting.
Published February 29th by Orenda Books Science Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Polictical Fiction, Adventure Fiction
SYNOPSIS: A young man and his young family set out on a perilous voyage across a devastated planet to uncover the origin of the events that set the world on its course to disaster … The prescient, deeply shocking prequel to the bestselling, critically acclaimed Climate Emergency thriller, The Forcing.
Kweku Ashworth is a child of the cataclysm, born on a sailboat to parents fleeing the devastation in search for a refuge in the Southern Ocean. Growing up in a world forever changed, his only connection to the events that set the planet on its course to disaster were the stories his step-father, long-dead, recorded in his manuscript, The Forcing.
But there are huge gaps in the story that his mother, still alive but old and frail, steadfastly refuses to speak of, even thirty years later. When he discovers evidence that his mother has tried to cover up the truth, and then stumbles across an account by someone close to the men who forced the globe into a climate catastrophe, he knows that it is time to find out for himself.
Determined to learn what really happened during his mother’s escape from the concentration camp to which she and Kweku’s father were banished, and their subsequent journey halfway around the world, Kweku and his young family set out on a perilous voyage across a devastated planet. What they find will challenge not only their faith in humanity, but their ability to stay alive.
The Descent is the devastating, nerve-shattering prequel to the critically acclaimed thriller The Forcing, a story of survival, hope, and the power of the human spirit in a world torn apart by climate change.
Death Flight (The Jonny Murphy Files Volume 2) by Sarah Sultoon
Published February 29th by Orenda Books Crime Fiction, Thriller, Political Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Cub reporter Jonny Murphy is in Buenos Aires interviewing families of victims of Argentina’s Dirty War, when a headless torso has washed up on a city beach, thrusting him into a shocking investigation…
Argentina. 1998. Human remains are found on a beach on the outskirts of Buenos Aires – a gruesome echo of when the tide brought home dozens of mutilated bodies thrown from planes during Argentina’s Dirty War. Flights of death, with passengers known as the Disappeared.
International Tribune reporter Jonny Murphy is in Buenos Aires interviewing families of the missing, desperate to keep their memory alive, when the corpse turns up. His investigations with his companion, freelance photographer Paloma Glenn, have barely started when Argentina’s simmering financial crisis explodes around them.
As the fabric of society starts to disintegrate and Argentine cities burn around them, Jonny and Paloma are suddenly thrust centre stage, fighting to secure both their jobs and their livelihoods.
But Jonny is also fighting something else, an echo from his own past that he’ll never shake, and as it catches up with him and Paloma, he must make choices that will endanger everything he knows…
Published February 29th by Penguin UK Hisotorical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical Romance, Historical Thriller, Mystery,
SYNOPSIS: THREE LOST SOULS. A LONG-BURIED SECRET. THE TRUTH THAT COULD SET THEM FREE…
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London, 1915: Tarot reader Katerina is trying to hold her life together amid the wartime chaos. When she opens a bakery that offers divination alongside sweet treats, she is hailed as a beacon of hope. But Katerina is hiding a dark truth that could cost her everything.
Germany, 1918: A mute British soldier is taken to a prisoner of war camp where he meets Miriam, a researcher. She is drawn to his gentle manner and secretly vows to help him. But soon she will have to make an impossible choice: will she save the one she loves, or herself?
Cornwall, Present Day: Recently widowed Edie is astonished to discover a mysterious box hidden in the wall of her newly renovated cottage. As Edie starts to investigate, she uncovers a secret that has lain hidden for over a century…
A long-held secret ties the tales of three women, from the cobbled streets of war-time London to an isolated German WWI camp, and the sea-swept cliffs of Cornwall. Beautifully told, moving and unforgettable.
Published February 29th by Phoenix Historical Fiction, Romance Novel, Regency Romance, Christian Fiction, Religious Fiction, Regency Fiction
SYNOPSIS: SELECTED FOR THE BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB WINNER OF THE MSLEXIA NOVEL COMPETITION
‘Beautifully written . . . I raced through it’ HILARY MANTEL
‘As exquisitely and tenderly rendered as a Gainsborough painting’ TRACY CHEVALIER
‘A moving exploration of the familial ties that bind us and the grief of a life half-lived . . . a wonderful debut that lingered with me’ ELIZABETH MACNEAL
1759, Ipswich. Sisters Peggy and Molly Gainsborough are the best of friends and do everything together. They spy on their father as he paints, they rankle their mother as she manages the books, they tear barefoot through the muddy fields that surround their home. But there is another reason they are inseparable: from a young age, Molly has had a tendency to forget who she is, to fall into mental confusion, and Peggy knows instinctively that no one must find out.
When the family move to Bath, the sisters are thrown into the whirl of polite society, where the merits of marriage and codes of behaviour are crystal clear, and secrets much harder to keep. As Peggy goes to greater lengths to protect her sister from the threat of an asylum, she finds herself falling in love, and their precarious situation is soon thrown catastrophically off course. The discovery of a betrayal forces Peggy to question all she has done for Molly – and whether any one person can truly change the fate of another.
The Antique Hunter’s Guide To Murder by C. L. Miller
Published February 29th by Pan Macmillan Mystery, Thriller, Cozy Mystery, Crime Fiction
SYNOPSIS: ‘A bold, bright and delightful jaunt back to the golden age of detective fiction’ Janice Hallett
‘A delicious read – who could resist a treasure hunt with murder at its core?’ SJ Bennett
‘It’s a delight!’ Katie Fforde
What antique would you kill for?
Freya, it’s down to you to finish what I started . . .
Freya Lockwood has avoided the quaint English village in which she grew up for the last 20 years. That is until news arrives that Arthur Crockleford, antiques dealer and Freya’s estranged mentor, has died . . . and the circumstances seem suspicious.
You will uncover an invitation, I implore you to attend . . .
But when a letter from Arthur is delivered, sent just days before his death, and an ordinary pine chest concealing Arthur’s journals are revealed, Freya finds herself sucked back into a life she’d sworn to leave behind.
But beware, trust no-one. Your life depends on it . . .
Joining forces with her eccentric Aunt Carole, Arthur’s staunch best friend, Freya follows both clues and her instincts to an old manor house for an ‘antiques enthusiasts weekend’. But not is all as it seems; the antiques are bad reproductions and the guests all have something to hide.
Can Freya and Carole solve the mystery and unearth the killer before they strike again?
Published February 29th by Orbit Fantasy Fiction, Urban Fantasy, High Fantasy, Romatic Fantasy
SYNOPSIS: ‘Prepare to be engulfed. Chan has superbly created a world as real and complex as our own, where oppression has no easy solutions and there is no success without sacrifice. Fast-paced action combined with true social depth make this an unforgettable, must-read fantasy’ Shelley Parker-Chan
Revolution is brewing in the semi-submerged city of Tiankawi, between humans and the fathomfolk who live in its waters. This gloriously imaginative debut fantasy, inspired by East Asian mythology and ocean folk tales, is a novel of magic, rebellion and change.
Welcome to Tiankawi – shining pearl of human civilization and a safe haven for those fleeing civil unrest. Or at least, that’s how it first appears. But in the semi-flooded city, humans are, quite literally, on top: peering down from shining towers and aerial walkways on the fathomfolk – sirens, seawitches, kelpies and kappas – who live in the polluted waters below.
For half-siren Mira, promotion to captain of the border guard means an opportunity to help her downtrodden people. But if earning the trust and respect of her human colleagues wasn’t hard enough, everything Mira has worked towards is put in jeopardy when Nami, a know-it-all water dragon and fathomfolk princess – is exiled to the city, under Mira’s watch. When extremists sabotage a city festival, violence erupts, as does the clampdown on fathomfolk rights. Both Nami and Mira must decide if the cost of change is worth paying, or if Tiankawi should be left to drown.
Published February 29th by Magpie Romantic Fantasy, Historical Romance, Fantasy Fiction, Paranormal Fiction
SYNOPSIS: Enemies-to-lovers doesn’t get more high stakes than a witch and a witch hunter falling in love in bestselling author Kristen Ciccarelli’s latest romantic fantasy.
On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.
Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe – a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution – who she can’t help but find herself falling for.
Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?
Kristen Ciccarelli’s The Crimson Moth is the thrilling start to a romantic fantasy duology where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch…is falling in love.
Published February 29th by Penguin UK Fantasy Fiction, Fairy Tales, Dark Fantasy, Paranormal Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, YA Fantasy
SYNOPSIS: ‘Where the Dark Stands Still is a triumph; a deeply romantic debut with spiralling, atmospheric prose that swept me up and away to the enchanted forests of Polish folklore. You’ll never want to leave this beautiful, magical world’.Sarah Underwood, NYT Bestselling Author of Lies We Sing to theSea
A sweeping gothic fairytale romance for fans of Belladonna by Adalyn Grace and Gallant by V.E. Schwab.
Raised in a small village near the spirit-wood, Liska Radost knows that Magic is monstrous, and its practitioners, monsters.
After Liska unleashes her own powers with devastating consequences, she is caught by the demon warden of the wood – the Leszy – who offers her a bargain: one year of servitude in exchange for a wish.
Whisked away to his crumbling manor, Liska makes an unsettling discovery: she is not the first person to strike this bargain and all of her predecessors have mysteriously vanished. If Liska wants to survive the year and return home, she must unravel her host’s spool of secrets and face the ghosts of his past.
Those who enter the wood do not always return . . .
Published February 29th by Fleet Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Humorous Fiction
SYNOPSIS: *AN OPRAH DAILY MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2024*
‘Incandescent, astonishing, a miracle. I’m elated and deeply grateful this book exists’ R. O. Kwon
‘Katherine Min is a singular, wildly talented voice and this is a trailblazing novel’ Sharlene Teo
‘Fiercely intelligent, perfectly crafted, and brimming with wit’ Lisa Ko A provocative, hilariously savage, and poignant novel by acclaimed author Katherine Min, to be published posthumously, about a daughter’s revenge on the man whom she believes drove her mother to her death . . . and nothing goes as planned.
The rain has made everything cold and damp, and it’s the perfect evening for Kyoko to exact her revenge. After years of rage and grief over her mother’s death, Kyoko has decided who is to blame: a man named Daniel, a fellow violinist who had wooed her mother, Emi, during their time together in an orchestra, and then dropped her – driving her to her death. Kyoko follows the unsuspecting Daniel home and manages to get her rash kidnapping plot off the ground . . . and really, what could go wrong?
The Fetishist is the story of three people – Kyoko, a young singer in a punk band who cannot find enough ways to channel her angry sorrow; Daniel, a seemingly hapless man who finally faces the wreckage of his past; and Alma, the love of Daniel’s life, long adored for her beauty and talent, but who spends her final days examining if she was ever, truly, loved. It’s a beautiful, piercing and timely story that confronts race, ideals of femininity, complicity and visibility. Written and completed before the celebrated author’s death in 2019, it’s startlingly relevant and prescient, as wise and powerful as it is utterly moving.
Published February 29th by Mudlark Biography, Autobiography, Literary Reference
SYNOPSIS: The captivating true story of an underdog business – a feminist bookshop founded in Thatcher’s Britain – from a woman at the heart of the women’s liberation movement.
An Independent and Stylist Best Non-Fiction Book for 2024
What was it like to start a feminist bookshop, in an industry dominated by men? How could a lesbian thrive in Thatcher’s time, with the government legislating to restrict her rights? How do you run a business when your real aim is to change the world?
Silver Moon was the dream of three women – a bookshop with the mission to promote the work of female writers and create a much-needed safe space for any woman. Founded in 1980s London against a backdrop of homophobia and misogyny, it was a testament to the power of community, growing into Europe’s biggest women’s bookshop and hosting a constellation of literary stars from Margaret Atwood and Maya Angelou to Angela Carter. While contending with day-to-day struggles common to other booksellers, plus the additional burdens of misogyny and the occasional hate crime, Jane Cholmeley and her booksellers created a thriving business. But they also played a crucial and relatively unsung part in one the biggest social movements of our time.
A Bookshop of One’s Own is a fascinating slice of social history from the heart of the women’s liberation movement, from a true feminist and lesbian icon. Written with heart and humour, it reveals the struggle and joy that comes with starting an underdog business, while being a celebration of the power women have to change the narrative when they are the ones holding the pen.
Maurice and Maralyn : A Whale, a Shipwreck, a Love Story by Sophie Elmhirst
Publshed February 29th by Chatto & Windus Biography, True Stories
SYNOPSIS: ***A Waterstones Book You Need to Read in 2024 *** Guardian Biggest Nonfiction of 2024 *** Observer Nonfiction to Look Out for 2024 ***
‘One of those very special books that makes you put everything on hold so you can get back to it’ RACHEL JOYCE * ‘Beautiful, moving and genuinely unputdownable’ JOANNA CANNON * ‘Extraordinary . . . Elmhirst is a terrific writer’ ELIZABETH DAY * ‘Easily one of the most captivating works of narrative nonfiction I’ve ever read’ OLIVER BURKEMAN
What begins as an eccentric English love story turns into one of the most dramatic adventures ever recorded…
Maurice and Maralyn couldn’t be more different. He is as cautious and awkward as she is charismatic and forceful. It seems an unlikely romance, but it works.
Bored of 1970s suburban life, Maralyn has an idea: sell the house, build a boat, leave England — and its oil crisis, industrial strikes and inflation — forever. It is hard work, turning dreams into reality, but finally they set sail for New Zealand. Then, halfway there, their beloved boat is struck by a whale. It sinks within an hour, and the pair are cast adrift in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
On their tiny raft, over the course of days, then months, their love is put to the test. When Maurice begins to withdraw into himself, it falls upon Maralyn to keep them both alive. Their pet turtle helps, as does devising menus for fantasy dinners and dreaming of their next voyage.
Filled with danger, spirit and tenderness, this is a book about human connection and the human condition; about how we survive — not just at sea, but in life.
Published January 15th, 2024 by Bookouture Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Noir Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Romance
Today is my stop on the blog tour for On A Quiet Street, the new thriller from Carla Kovach. Thank you to Bookouture for the eBook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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SYNOPSIS:
Every family has its secrets. Some are more deadly than others…
I live on a quiet tree-lined street with my perfect husband Cain. But when 18-year-old Charlotte knocks on the front door, what she says has me questioning just how well I really know my husband.
‘I was adopted as a baby and I’m looking for my biological parents. I was told they live here.’
My heart races as I fear Cain has been keeping a huge secret from me. Does he have a child he never told me about? And has he been lying all these years?
I can’t trust anything Cain says. Desperate for answers, I agree to meet Charlotte in secret. But it’s Charlotte who is full of questions: about our lives, our relationship. It’s only when she lets slip the name of the road I used to live on, that I realise how much she knows about me, too…
Cold fear floods through my body. My husband may not have told the truth, but his lies are nothing compared to mine. If Charlotte knows my darkest secret, my whole life could fall apart. How far will I have to go to keep the truth hidden?
If you loved The Housemaid, The Perfect Marriage and Gone Girl you will be absolutely gripped by this heart-stopping psychological thriller.
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MY REVIEW:
Leah lives on a quiet street with her husband Cain and their life is picture perfect. But when 18-year-old Charlotte knocks on their door saying she’s looking for her biological parents the walls start to crumble and long-held secrets threaten to finally be unearthed…
OMG. This one hell of rollercoaster ride! Tense, twisty and thrilling, I stayed up reading this one late into the night and read it in under a day. Carla Kovach is an autobuy author for me and I know whenever I read one of her books she’s delivering a riveting thriller that I’ll love. And while I’m a big fan of her Gina Harte series, I do look forward to her standalones so I couldn’t wait to dive into this one.
Fast paced, cleverly written and cunningly plotted, this has secrets, lies, suspicion and loss. All the relationships are dysfunctional, creating one big cluster of toxicity and mistrust. I couldn’t even be sure about Leah, vacillating between believing what she was saying and thinking she was hiding something more. It is a complex and intricately woven maze of trouble that didn’t go in the directions I thought it would AT ALL. The twists and turns kept coming, deviating into completely unexpected directions again and again until I finally stopped trying to figure things out and decided to just enjoy the ride.
So if you love thrillers that make you feel lots of emotion, keep you on your toes and surprise you, then this is a must read.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Carla started writing more seriously ten years ago after having flirted with musical theatre and occasional writing in her youth.
Since then she has written & produced several stage plays, has four self-published books, has acted in several independent films and is currently in the final stages of production of her feature horror film, Penny for the Guy.
She now writes full time as well as co-owning a film, photography & video production company located in the heart of Redditch town centre.
Published October 17th, 2023 by Bookouture Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Literary Fiction, Saga
Today is my stop on the blog tour for this gut-wrenchingly emotional story. Thank you to Bookouture for the invitation to take part and eBook ARC.
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SYNOPSIS:
As I hand my newborn baby to my mother, I see the softness in her face as she gazes down at the tiny, helpless girl in her arms. And I feel my heart shatter as I say the words that will change all our lives… ‘Please, take my baby.’
I know she will be better off without me.But as I leave her behind that dark night, I wonder, will I ever see my baby again?
Will I have the chance to explain to little Erin why I had to go? Even if I do find the strength to return, what will my mother have told her?
Only one person really knows what happened, and why I had to do what I did.
I know the truth will come out some day. I don’t expect forgiveness. The only thing I hope is that my family can survive the fallout…
A heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting tale about the sacrifices mothers make for their children, this story will make you hold your loved ones tight. Perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Jojo Moyes and Kate Hewitt.
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MY REVIEW:
“When you’re told a mother makes sacrifices, you think of the sleepless nights and the wrecking of your body and the nights you’ll have to stay home. But they are easy when compared with the biggest sacrifice. The one where you have to let them go. Worse, you have to make them feel as if they can walk away and not look back. Freedom without strings.”
My heart was not ready for this book. A story about identity and the relationship between a mother and her children that explores the sacrifices mothers make and what it means to really put your child first. Gut-wrenchingly emotional and moving, it broke my heart into pieces before putting them back together again.
A story about four generations of women, a family secret that has been hidden for decades, and life-changing decisions, it centres around Erin, a forty-something divorcee who has recently moved back into her mother Ava’s home to help care for her as she battles dementia. The pair have always had a strained relationship and there is added tension in the home as Erin’s fifteen-year-old daughter, Harriet, is far from happy with the move as it meant leaving her school and friends behind. But it’is when Erin finds a photograph of her mother holding a baby she’s never seen before that things really begin to unravel, leading Erin to a shocking discovery that makes her question everything about herself and her life.
“Layer upon layer of lies. Her whole childhood covered and hidden and papered over. Now those layers were peeling and tearing apart and what was she going to find underneath?”
Emma Robinson has created a beautifully and sensitively written story filled with compelling and real characters that make you feel everything they do. I felt like I walked in Erin’s shoes at every step and there were times I had to put the book down to compose myself before picking it up again. Themes of maternal sacrifice that run through every facet of the story but it was Erin’s agony over Harriet possibly moving away to live with her father that resonated most with me. Having recently sent my eldest off to university in another city I felt her pain in my soul but loved that she chose to put her daughter’s best interests above her own again and again.
“Hang on in there. That’s how she felt, like she was hanging on by her fingernails to both her mother’s past and her daughter’s future. What would happen if she let go?”
Dementia is not an easy subject to write about but Robinson deals with it brilliantly, her skill for writing difficult subjects in a candid but sensitive way evident once again. She provides a raw, honest, emotional, and detailed exploration of dementia, the emotions it stirs up, and the repercussions for the patient’s whole family. I felt Ava’s confusion and fear as she moved between lucidity and forgetting simple things like how to make a cup of tea and Erin’s heartache and devastation was palpable, reminding me of how I felt watching my own grandmother descend deeper into dementia.
Heartfelt, poignant and affirming, Please Take My Baby is a powerful and thought-provoking read that I highly recommend. Just make sure you have a box full of tissues handy.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Emma Robinson is a USA Today Bestseller with a passion for stories which explore the power of family and friendship in the most challenging circumstances. Whilst her early novels are humorous; her recent work focuses on emotional themes and these novels are both heart-breaking and life affirming.
Emma currently lives in Essex, England with a husband, two children and a small black dog.
Published October 9th, 2023 by Bookoture Psychological Thriller
Today is my stop on the blog tour for this jaw-dropping thriller. Thank you to Bookouture for the invitation to take part and the eBook ARC.
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SYNOPSIS:
Bailey stood on the stage, her crown glittering under the high school lights as she blew kisses to those glaring beneath her. Despite the celebrations, something didn’t feel right. She wasn’t supposed to be prom queen, and someone would make her pay for it…
Twenty years ago, my best friend, Bailey, was found dead by the train tracks, half of our friendship locket missing from her pale neck. She never took that off. Officially, it was ruled a tragic accident – but I knew better. She’d been crowned prom queen only hours earlier, and someone’s jealousy had finally gotten to them.
Now I have been forced to return to my childhood home, to the small lakeside town, and the group of friends I grew up with. Back to the scene of the crime that ruined my life, and stole my best friend away from me forever. I need a fresh slate, but I am seeing Bailey everywhere. A quick flash of her locket on a woman in a café surely can’t be a coincidence?
As I walk along the street, I avoid the suspicious stares of my former classmates. Everyone here thinks I had something to do with Bailey’s death. Sure, we did things we shouldn’t have as teenagers, but who didn’t? But when I start to hear noises in my house and receive threatening notes, I realize someone here never wanted me to come back, and they’ll do whatever it takes to keep me away…
Someone in this small town murdered my best friend the night she was crowned prom queen, and now they’re after me. We all have our secrets, but who would kill for them?
A gripping psychological thriller with a twist that will make your jaw drop, perfect for fans of The Woman in the Window, The Wife Between Us and Lisa Jewell.
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MY REVIEW:
It’s been twenty years since Brooke’s best friend Bailey died the same night she was crowned prom queen. Her death was ruled a tragic accident by the police, but Brooke always believed she was murdered. Now she plans to prove it.
A small town. Long-buried secrets. Suspicion. Murder. Prom Queen has all the ingredients for the kind of suspenseful, twist-filled thriller that I love. And it didn’t disappoint. This was my first time reading a book by Laura Wolfe and I have another brilliant thriller author to add to my ever-growing list. She had me hooked from the chilling prologue to the shocking finale, keeping me guessing as I tried to figure out who the killer was. I was on the edge of my seat as I raced through the pages to find out the answer. And that ending! OMG. How could you do that to me?!
The reader knows from the prologue that Bailey has in fact been murdered but in the story no-one but the killer knows for sure that her death wasn’t a tragic accident. But there are many people who suspect, including podcast host Hannah. The story is narrated by Brooke in dual timelines, the flashbacks to twenty years describing events leading up to the night Bailey died. They tell a very familiar story of teenage angst, friendship and high-school drama while also holding an air of something much darker and there’s a sense of dread as the clock ticks down to Bailey’s murder. The small-town setting adds to this with its claustrophobic, unsettling vibes. Wolfe also creates an overwhelming feeling of distrust, and you have no idea who might be hiding a deadly secret, even making me question if Brooke was a reliable narrator a number of times. It really is a case of everyone being a suspect, and as I searched every page for clues I had some suspicions, but could never say with certainty who I thought it was. This heightened the tension and made it impossible to stop thinking about the book even when I wasn’t reading it.
Atmospheric, addictive and surprising, this jaw-dropping thriller is a must read for any thriller lover.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Laura Wolfe is an Amazon charts bestselling author who writes twisty, fast-paced psychological thrillers and suspense novels published by Bookouture. Her indie titles have also been shortlisted for multiple book awards. Laura is a lover of animals and nature. When she is not writing, she can be found hanging out with her husband and two kids, growing vegetables in her garden, or spoiling her rescue dog. She enjoys living in Ann Arbor, Michigan
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.
Published April 14th, 2023 by Bookouture Thriller, Mystery, Suspemse, Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, Psychological Thriller, Noir Ficiton, Crime Series
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SYNOPSIS:
She shuts the door behind her, relieved to be in the safety of her own home. But tonight her house is the most dangerous place she could be. Someone has been waiting for her, and they know she’s home alone…
Sasha loves her job finding accommodation for homeless people, and she’s proud of the small but cosy apartment she rents on the good side of town. She’s worked hard to leave her dark past behind her and make amends for the accident that still haunts her memories. She knows she was innocent, though she’s still careful about who and what she tells of her old life. But not all secrets stay hidden forever…
When her phone rings loudly in the middle of the night, Sasha fears what she’ll hear when she picks up – a deathly silence. It’s happened every night for weeks. Is it a childish prank, or a chilling warning that someone has uncovered her secret?
But the news of a body found at a local shelter means her worst nightmare has come true. It can’t be a coincidence that evidence related to the victim has been found at the same location where the most devastating moment of Sasha’s life took place.
Days later, a second body is found and Sasha’s heart pounds wildly as she takes in the victim’s unforgettable green eyes. She hasn’t seen her in a long time, but she’d know her old friend anywhere. She was the only other person who knew Sasha’s secret, so how can Sasha prove her innocence now?
Sasha doesn’t know who’s coming for her, but she’s certain of one thing: she’s next on the list…
Fans of Angela Marsons, Cara Hunter and Clare Mackintosh will love Their Cold Hearts – a totally thrilling and addictive crime thriller that will have you up all night!
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MY REVIEW:
A homeless shelter should be a place of sanctuary for those in need. But one such place becomes a nightmare when one of the residents of a local shelter is found brutally murdered with what seems to be a cryptic coded message from the killer. A number of suspects soon emerge, but when a second body is found – this time a woman in her home – the mystery deepens. What is her connection to the first victim? What do the killer’s clues mean? And who is next on the killer’s list?
Sinister and suspenseful, Their Cold Hearts had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Complex, layered, and twisty, Carla Kovach has once again written an intricately woven thriller that took me on an emotional rollercoaster. It’s fast-paced, compelling and twisty with lots of red herrings. I thought I had the killer’s identity figured out, but Kovach blindsided me with the shocking big reveal.
This is the thirteenth book in the Gina Harte series, and it’s no secret that I’m a big fan. At this point Gina and her team feel like old friends and I’ve got a special place in my heart for Gina in particular. In this book, Gina is going through a lot in her personal life partly because of her dedication to her job, and it was a very emotional read in places. Then there’s that ending, which broke my heart into pieces. But I love the relationship that the team shares and how they are a family, something that Gina needs more than ever. But she’s still the feisty, determined woman who will do everything she can to bring a criminal to justice. And the person she’s facing this time made my blood run cold. We only get a few glimpses into their psyche, but they made a chilling impression.
Dark, tense and forbidding, Their Cold Hearts is a riveting thriller that I didn’t want to put down. I’m so glad to have the next book in the series waiting for me so I can find out what’s next for Gina.
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.
Published August 3rd, 2023 by Bookouture Psychological Thriller
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SYNOPSIS:
I thought he took my secret to the grave. But the truth can’t stay buried forever…
In the wake of my darling husband’s death, I am so lucky to have my three beautiful, grown-up daughters by my side at our holiday home in Scotland. We need some time together, to recover from the shock. But I also need to set some things straight about their beloved father…
I’ve always known this house was the perfect place to bury secrets – remote, isolated, surrounded by nothing but miles of dense forest.
But this time I’m not here to hide more of my lies. I’m here to expose one.
I promise everything I’ve ever done has been to protect my daughters. I just hope they understand that too…
By the end of the trip, nothing will ever be the same again. I knew revealing the truth about the inheritance would have consequences, but I could never have imagined we wouldn’t all survive it.
And now the truth is out, am I in danger too…?
A totally gripping psychological thriller from an Amazon No1. bestseller that will have your head spinning and your jaw on the floor with every twist. Fans of The Housemaid, Gone Girl and The Family Upstairs won’t be able to put this down!
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MY REVIEW:
“How had their family holiday turned into this horror? How had none of them seen this coming? Like the storms that lurked behind the mountains – one moment cascades of sun lighting up the heathered moors, the next shards of lightning stabbing at the drenched hills – life had turned on a dime.”
Connie Hunter has been hiding a secret for forty years. One that she thought her husband, Ray, had taken to his grave. Instead he revealed all in his will, threatening to destroy the family he left behind when his three daughters discover the truth. What is Connie’s secret? And can her family survive the fallout after all is revealed?
Wow! What a crazy rollercoaster ride! Gripping, atmospheric, mysterious, and sizzling with suspense, this book had me holding on for dear life through its many twists and turns. Samantha Hayes is an author I can always rely on to write heart-pounding psychological thrillers. And that ending! It left my jaw on the floor and I’m still trying to pick it up.
It started out strong with a sinister and intriguing prologue before jumping back to a week earlier when the Hunter family are all coming together at their Scottish cabin for the first time since the death of patriarch, Ray. And with family drama, resentment, tension, suspicion, secrets, and lies all bubbling under the surface, it’s a question of when, not if, it all boils over. The story is told from multiple points of view, allowing us to really get inside the psyche of all the characters. This also ramped up the tension and allowed me to really get a feeling for who was a reliable narrator and who wasn’t. Although, as things became increasingly layered and complex I found myself not knowing who to trust, beginning to question everything I thought I knew and suspecting red herrings everywhere. I was on the edge of my seat and raced through the pages to get answers.
Well-written, cleverly plotted, fast-paced, and addictive, The Inheritance is an outstanding thriller you need on your TBR.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Samantha Hayes grew up in a creative family where her love of writing began as a child. Samantha has written eight thrillers in total, including the bestselling Until You’re Mine. The Independent said “fantastically written and very tense” while Good Housekeeping said “Her believable psychological thrillers are completely gripping.” Samantha’s books are published in 22 languages at the last count.
When not writing, Samantha loves to cook, go to the gym, see friends and drink nice wine. She is also studying for a degree in psychotherapy. She has three grown-up children and lives in Warwickshire.
Published July 14th, 2023 by Bookouture Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Noir Fiction, Police Procedural, Romance Novel, Crime Series
I’m a few days late due to illness, but here is my review for this tense and twisty thriller. Thank you to Bookouture for the invitation to take part and the eBook ARC.
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SYNOPSIS:
She wakes suddenly, realizing with a panic that her darling baby daughter should have woken long before now. Racing to the pink-colored nursery, she lets out a deep cry as she opens the door. The crib is empty. Her little girl has vanished.
It’s after midnight when Detective Eve Bennet receives a distraught phone call from an unknown number. The voice at the other end begs her not to hang up—a baby has gone missing. But what the caller says next makes Eve’s heart race. “She isn’t the first. There are many, many more.”
Rushing to the missing girl’s home, Eve finds the house empty, and when she knocks on their neighbors’ doors, not a single person answers. Whoever reported the missing baby doesn’t want to be found…
Secrets are held tight in the small town of Hilldale and as an outsider, Eve knows that the only way to uncover the truth is to persuade someone to talk. She finally has a breakthrough when a young wife goes against her husband’s wishes and tells Eve it’s not just babies being taken—mothers are disappearing too.
The woman leaves Eve a hand drawn map leading her to an isolated trailer park. What she finds there shocks her to her core. But she hardly has time to think before she notices a lone figure watching her every move. She’s not alone.
Can Eve save herself in time to finally unmask the truth before more innocent children disappear forever?
Fans of Melinda Leigh, Kendra Elliot and Lisa Regan won’t be able to put down this utterly gripping crime thriller from a USA Today bestselling author.
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MY REVIEW:
Just after midnight Detective Eve Bennett receives a call from an unknown number. It is a distraught woman claiming her baby is missing and that there are many others who have also vanished. Eve rushes to the caller’s home only to find it empty and the neighbours unwilling to answer the door. No one is willing to talk in Hilldale. The town is home to a polygamist sect and secrets run rife, as does their distrust of outsiders. Eve and her team have to convince someone to talk if they are to find the baby or her mother. And what she eventually uncovers is worse than anything she imagined…
The second book in the Detective Eve Bennett series takes us back inside the twisted world of a fundamentalist cult and the battles Eve and her team face trying to help their innocent victims. But don’t worry if you’ve not read the first book, because Holly S. Roberts catches you up succinctly, making it possible to read this one while still feeling like you understand all the nuances of the story and character relationships. It is well written and gripping, taking you through a wide range of emotions and keeping you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end as she expertly weaves heartbreak, anger, frustration, laughter, disgust and strength into the narrative.
Eve Bennett is a fantastic protagonist, and I stand by my comments from my review of book one where I referred to her as ‘a new star in crime fiction.’ Feisty and tenacious; she is passionate about giving a voice to the voiceless and helping people escape the cult. It is personal for her, as she escaped the cult as a teen and is still coming to terms with the long-term trauma of being raised there. It was great to see her slowly allowing love into her life in this book and watching her continue to grow as a person. Her team is also made up of fascinating characters and I love their dynamic. It makes you believe in them and root for them to solve the case despite the many obstacles in their way. There are also some brilliantly written villains in the book who will make you rage and your stomach turn, Roberts expertly walking that fine line by making you feel those feelings while also helping you understand the indoctrination they’ve been subjected to and also never using it to excuse their actions, making it clear they should still be held accountable. We also see some incredibly brave characters who risk their lives either by helping Eve or reaching out for help themselves. It is a reminder of just how dangerous these extremist views can be and the risk to those caught up in them.
Gritty, chilling, twisty and tense, this heart-pounding thriller is a must read for fans of the genre. Now I just have to wait impatiently for book three.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
TW: Religious indoctrination, abuse
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Holly Roberts began writing to alleviate stress in her day job, that of a homicide and sex crimes detective. Romance was her go to genre because she required a happy ending. She also touched on cozy mysteries and added six books to her forty book romance repertoire. Now that she’s retired and her mind at peace, she decided to delve into crime thrillers using her background and thirst for research to write the Eve Bennet series.
Holly has two movie/television options under her belt for her amazing life story. Part of the reason is Holly became a police officer at age 45 and led two high profile cases, one involving a serial killer. Now she enjoys the excitement of writing about crime while sitting at home with her two dogs, laptop, and a cup of hot tea close by.
Published July 5th, 2023 by Bookouture Psychological Thriller, Domestic Fiction
Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Bigamist. Thank you to Bookouture for the invitation to take part and the gifted eBook.
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SYNOPSIS:
‘I’m sorry, Sam’s not available,’ says the woman who answers my husband’s phone. I can’t place her voice, so I politely ask who she is. Her answer sends my world spinning out of control: ‘I’m his wife.’
I know I want to marry Sam the moment I meet him. After I lost my beloved mother so suddenly, this charming, softly spoken architect with his deep-brown eyes is just the fresh start I’ve been searching for.
I’m delighted to be expecting our first child before we’ve even had a chance to plan a honeymoon. I want our family to work so I try to ignore his long work trips. I turn a blind eye to the private calls he takes and I listen to his excuses about why the money keeps disappearing from my bank account. After all, he has no idea what I’ve been doing in our house whilst he’s away or how I really made that money.
Then I find out Sam’s got more to hide than I ever imagined was possible. Because my husband is leading a double life. He’s already married to someone else.
But what Sam doesn’t know is that he’s not the only person keeping secrets.
And he has no idea how far I’ll go to protect myself…
A totally unputdownable, twisty, will-leave-you-gasping story of marriage, guilt and lies. If you love Lisa Jewell, Gillian Flynn and Paula Hawkins, you will not be able to sleep until you’ve finished every last page of The Bigamist.
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MY REVIEW:
Rona Halsall is the Queen of the twisty, morally complex domestic thriller. One of my go-to authors, I don’t even read the synopsis anymore as she never fails to deliver a taut and tense story filled with unexpected twists. Her latest novel, The Bigamist, is no different, keeping me on my toes from start to finish.
The story is told in three parts by Emma. When it opens, she is eight months pregnant and excitedly anticipating the birth of her first child. But a call to her husband, Sam, turns her world upside down when another woman answers and she claims that SHE is actually his wife. But we soon learn that there is even more to this story; Sam isn’t the only one keeping secrets, and Emma also has something to hide…
Addictive, emotionally-charged, and surprising, I couldn’t put this down and flew through it in just a few hours. Well written, cleverly plotted and immersive, it had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. And the twists. Wow. This was jam-packed with so many of them that I got book whiplash! Every time I thought I might know where the story was going, Halsall delivered another jaw-dropping twist that forced me to reevaluate everything I thought I knew. How does she do that?! And that ending…Omg! I’m still reeling.
I’ve talked before about Halsall’s talent for writing morally complex characters that are easy to relate to, and Emma is a perfect example. As a reader we are put in her shoes, making us feel everything she does so we can empathise with what she’s going through. By giving us that connection to her I felt less judgemental when she made some of her desperate decisions and continued to root for her even after learning her secrets. And speaking of her secret – I did not see that coming! Even with the breadcrumbs Halsall sprinkled into the story it completely blindsided me.
Emma and Sam’s whirlwind relationship is full of red flags and love bombing. Even without knowing he was a bigamist from the start, I would have been suspicious and wished I could tell Emma to run. Through their relationship, Halsall explores coercive control and reminds us how easy it is to get so caught up in the first flush of love that we ignore the signs something isn’t right. We see how anyone can find themselves in that position and how things can snowball into the crazy mess Emma finds herself in.
Dramatic, gripping and unpredictable, I highly recommend this first-rate thriller.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Rona is the bestselling author of psychological thrillers published by Bookouture. She loves to turn domestic storylines on their head to keep her readers guessing what the heck is going on.
She has been a bit of a nomad during her adult life, moving around the north of England, before settling in Snowdonia, North Wales where she brought up her family while working as a business mentor. She now lives on the Isle of Man with her little nutter of a Border Collie, Maid. You’ll find all the places she’s lived in her stories!
She is an outdoorsy person and loves stomping up a mountain, walking the coastal paths and exploring the wonderful glens and beaches on the Island while she’s plotting her next book. She has three children and two stepchildren who are all grown up and leading varied and interesting lives, which provides plenty of material for new stories.
Emma's Biblio Treasures 