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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG BLAST: Night By Night by Jack Jordan

Published December 4th, 2025 by Simon & Schuster UK
Thriller, Mystery

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

If you’re reading this, I’m dead . . . A heart-stopping thriller from the master of the moral dilemma and Sunday Times bestselling author.

‘Grabs you in the gut and doesn’t let go’ Jo Spain, author of The Confession
‘You won’t sleep a wink’ Lesley Kara, author of The Rumour
‘A heart-breaking, heart-stopping read’ Lauren North, author of The Perfect Betrayal

Rejected by her family and plagued by insomnia, Rose Shaw is unravelling day by day.

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

Rose Shaw has been suffering from crippling insomnia for a decade. She lives her life in a haze of exhaustion that leaves her feeling like a failure as a wife and mother. So, when she decides to drive her daughters to their football match and try to watch from the sidelines, her intention is to make up for all the times she’s stayed at home trying to sleep instead. But, her well intentioned decision turns out to be the biggest mistake of her life, resulting in the death of one of her twin daughters and rejection by her family. Her life has fallen apart and she’s unravelling more each day.

Then, on another seemingly ordinary night, a hooded stranger crashes into her and drops a journal. Unable to resist temptation, Rose reads the diary and is unprepared for what is inside: a detailed account of how author Finn Matthews was stalked and is in fear for his life. Even though Finn is missing, the police refuse to investigate, so Rose takes matters into her own hands. Her search leads her to a string of missing and dead men and police failures and corruption. And it brings back memories of a time she would rather forget. Tarnished with the brush of insanity to try and silence her, Rose worries her investigation will be in vain. Will she finally be able to reveal the truth and stop the stalker before another man is taken?

Jack Jordan has done it again! Gripping, twisted, dark and haunting, this was another unputdownable thriller from the King of the bingeable thriller. Well written, multilayered and emotive, it was brimming with foreboding and suspense but also tugged on my heartstrings. Jack made me feel like I was living the experience alongside Rose and had my heart racing so intensely that I thought I was having a panic attack at one point! I couldn’t put it down, and when I read it in 2019 it solidified Jack’s place on my auto-buy list.

Rose was a great protagonist who I instantly connected with. She is flawed, broken, isolated, lost, and a shell of her former self. She’s also desperate to win back the love and forgiveness of her husband and child, but has run out of ideas to make that happen. I understood why they, and some others, hated her for what she did, but I had a lot of sympathy for her and was rooting for her to succeed.  I found her internal monologue at the start of the book amusing and could relate to a lot of the thoughts she had while plagued with insomnia. When Rose finds Finn’s diary it gives her a purpose and she finally has something to hope and fight for after so many years in the wilderness of her grief. We see another side to her: someone tenacious and determined who won’t be intimidated. Another fantastic character was the mysterious stalker. He felt almost ghostly in his elusiveness and part of the fear he struck in me was not knowing who he was. I loved that Jack disguised his identity so well that I only figured out who he was moments before it was revealed in a heart-stopping and terrifying turn of events that had me holding my breath in anticipation. Bravo, Mr. Jordan. 

Riveting, tense and unforgettable, this is a must-read for thriller fans.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours for the invitation to take part in this blog blast and to Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jack Jordan is the global number one bestselling author of Anything for Her (2015), My Girl (2016), A Woman Scorned (2018), Before Her Eyes (2018) and Night by Night (2019).

His latest thriller, Do No Harm, was an instant Times bestseller and shortlisted for the Most Recommended Book in the DeadGood Reader Awards. Coined the thriller of the summer for 2022, it was described as “relentlessly tense” by Sunday Times Bestseller Lesley Kara, and “Chilling and perfectly paced” by New York Times Bestseller Sarah Pearse.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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

*This post contains affiliate links

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Blog Tours book reviews

BLOG TOUR: Life Begins at the Cornish Cottage by Kim Nash

Published October 31st, 2025 by Boldwood Books
Romance Novel, Domestic Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Nautical Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Set against the sparkling shores of Cornwall☀️, this BRAND NEW heartwarming, uplifting and gorgeously romantic tale of second chances is perfect for fans of Veronica Henry, Trisha Ashley and Cathy Bramley. ✨

When life gives you heartbreak 💔, sometimes it also gives you a second chance… 💕

When Tom Sullivan returns to the quiet village of Sandpiper Shore, Emma can hardly believe her eyes. She hasn’t seen him since they played Romeo and Juliet in their school play – a lifetime ago, before real heartbreak, and long before she ever imagined life as a widow.

The last thing she wants is to relive the past, especially with someone who once made her teenage heart flutter. But when Emma agrees to put on a charity pantomime to raise money for the air ambulance service that helped her late husband, she’s thrown firmly back into Tom’s path.

As rehearsals begin and the local community rallies around her, Emma finds unexpected joy in bringing people together – and a surprising connection with Tom that feels far too real to ignore. Maybe it’s time for Emma to become the leading lady in her own life, not just for the show, but for herself.

Full of warmth, humour and heart, this is a story about letting go and discovering that it’s never too late to take a chance on love.

While this novel is set in the same village as the other books in the Sandpiper Shore series, it can be read as a STANDALONE

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

Emma Montgomery is trying to move on with life following the sudden death of her husband, Ben. Along with her friends Jo and Michelle she runs the Lonely Hearts Club, a group for singles wanting to make friends, and has agreed to organise the local pantomime to raise money for the air ambulance. But Emma gets a huge shock when at a meeting about the pantomime who should appear but Tom Sullivan, Emma’s first love who she hasn’t seen since they played Romeo and Juliet in their school play. To Emma’s dismay, he still makes her heart flutter just like he did when they were teenagers. But Tom broke her heart and she’s not looking for a man, so Emma is determined they will just be friends. But can she resist what her heart seems to want?

There is nothing better at this time of year than an uplifting romcom. And this book certainly fits that bill. Charming, warm, and witty, this was a joyful festive read and exactly what I didn’t know I needed. Kim Nash writes with heart and humour, expertly immersing you in the lives of her charismatic characters. And while there was laughter from the start, this is also a lot of depth to this story as Kim explores difficult topics such as coercive control, particularly the complex emotions that accompany it, and delivers an an evocative and moving portrait of grief and self discovery that reminds us all to believe in ourselves and take the opportunities life brings our way. 

But what’s most important in a romcom is the romance. You need characters who seem destined for each other and make you root for their happy-ever-after. This is something Kim delivers perfectly. I loved Emma and Tom. Not only were they great characters in their own right, but they had a compelling and tragic history and an undeniable chemistry that is still there over three decades later. These are people who make you believe in soulmates and I was rooting for them to find happiness again with one another despite the obstacles in their path. 

Life Begins at the Cornish Cottage is the perfect romcom to escape with this festive season. Highly recommended.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours, Anne at Random Things Tours, Rach at Random Resources and Zoe at Zooloos Book Tours for the invitation to take part in this tour and for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kim Nash is the bestselling author of uplifting, heartwarming, romantic, feel-good fiction. She has wanted to write books since she was a little girl. Her other dream, is to live in a home that has a view of a golden sandy beach and the sea sparkling in the sunlight. Until that dream comes true, she’ll continue to write second chance romances about women who live or move to the seaside on her behalf.

Life Begins at the Cornish Cottage, the second book set in Sandpiper Shores, is out on 31st October 2025 and is available to pre-order now.

One of her greatest writing achievements is to be nominated for the Kindle Storyteller Award in 2020, and she was delighted when Claudia Winkleman had read her book and said it was ‘Totally warm and absolutely lovely.’

She lives in Staffordshire with her son Ollie and English Setter rescue dog Roni, is Author Community Director for publisher Bookouture (a division of Hachette UK) and, as an avid reader, started her career in the publishing industry as a book blogger.

When she’s not working or writing, Kim can be found walking her dog at Cannock Chase, reading and binge-watching TV. She’s also quite partial to a spa day, lemon drizzle cake and a gin and tonic (not all at the same time!)

Kim also runs a book club in Staffordshire and organises local and national reader/author events.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

*This post constains an affiliate link

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Blog Tours book reviews

BLOG BLAST: Before Her Eyes by Jack Jordan

Re-issued June 5th, 2025 by Simon & Schuster UK
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

She can’t see the killer. But the killer can see her. An unputdownable thriller from the master of the moral dilemma and Sunday Times bestselling author.

‘A smart, claustrophobic thriller with a twist that left me reeling. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough’ Claire Douglas, bestselling author of The New Neighbours
‘A first-rate psychological thriller’ John Marrs, bestselling author of When You Disappeared 

Naomi Hannah has been blind since birth, living her life in darkness. Trapped in her claustrophobic hometown, she’s finally reached her breaking point.

But everything changes when she stumbles across the body of a young woman who has been brutally murdered. Not only that, but Naomi senses she isn’t alone at the scene… Someone is there with her. The killer is watching.

Naomi may not be able to see their face, but she is the only person who can identify them.

As the police begin their hunt and more victims are discovered, Naomi is forced to answer the question on which her fate hangs: why did the killer let her live?

And in a town this small, the murderer may still be close. Perhaps even before her very eyes…

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

She can’t see the killer.  But the killer can see her….

Blind since birth, Naomi Hannah is struggling with living in a small, claustrophobic town and has considered ending her life but everything changes when she stumbles across the body of a young woman who has been brutally murdered. And Naomi’s heightened senses tell her she’s not alone. There is someone else at the scene who is watching her. She hasn’t seen their face, but she is still a witness and the only person who can identify them. Why did they let her live? And, more importantly, who are they? After all, in a town this small they could be right before her eyes…

Darkly atmospheric, tense and addictive, Before Her Eyes was the book that started my love of Jack Jordan and his edge-of-your-seat thrillers. I read it back in the Autumn of 2018 and it has stayed with me. Jordan’s flair for sinister storytelling is showcased on every page and he had me in his thrall from the first page to the last. He knows how to keep his reader on their toes, and while I had suspicions about who the killer might be,  I was never sure and didn’t know who to trust or what would happen next. And when all was revealed I sat back in a state of amazement and awe at the shocking truth of the culprit’s identity.

The decision to make Naomi blind is something that affects every facet of this story and adds to the sense of ominous tension that lingers on every page. It felt like an inspired but tricky choice, undoubtedly presenting Jordan with extra challenges when he was writing the book. But Jordan rose to the challenge, expertly conveying the trials and tribulations it brings to Naomi’s life and I found it fascinating learning more about how she navigated the world. Her blindness also adds a sense of fear and anxiety into situations where it would be missing for a sighted person, such as the killer being able to recognise Naomi from the scene of the crime and then stalk her without her being able to prove it. It didn’t matter she could sense them watching her as there was no proof. And it was terrifying. Naomi’s loneliness and dread radiated from the pages and my heart broke for her as she slowly found herself unable to trust anyone and became increasingly isolated. The killer taunted this already vulnerable woman, relishing the fact they could stalk her and others would just think she was being paranoid. I was so angry and frustrated, totally glued to the pages as I waited for the killer to be unmasked and justice to be served. I couldn’t wait for Naomi to be safe and vindicated at last.

Sensational and suspenseful, Before Her Eyes is an unforgettable thriller and a must-read for thriller fans. Just make sure to clear your schedule before you start reading.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours for the invitation to take part in this blog blast, and to Simon & Schuster UK for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jack Jordan is the global number one bestselling author of Anything for Her (2015), My Girl (2016), A Woman Scorned (2018), Before Her Eyes (2018) and Night by Night (2019).

His latest thriller, Do No Harm, was an instant Times bestseller and shortlisted for the Most Recommended Book in the DeadGood Reader Awards. Coined the thriller of the summer for 2022, it was described as “relentlessly tense” by Sunday Times Bestseller Lesley Kara, and “Chilling and perfectly paced” by New York Times Bestseller Sarah Pearse.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

*This post contains an affiliate link

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews

BLOG BLAST: Anything For Her by Jack Jordan

Published June 5th, 2025 by Simon & Schuster UK
Thriller, Suspense

Welcome to my review for this nail-biting debut . Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers for the invitation to take part and to Simon and Schuster UK for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The unputdownable debut from bestselling author Jack Jordan.

Sometimes the past comes back to haunt you.

Louise Leighton’s life has fallen apart, all because of one fateful night. Her husband is an adulterer, her sister is his mistress, and soon, Louise will lose everything she owns. But she never imagined she would lose her daughter.

Eighteen-year-old Brooke Leighton is missing. It’s up to Louise and the Metropolitan Police to find her. Has Brooke run away? Or has she been taken against her will? And can Louise aid the investigation without mentioning the night where all of her troubles began?

If she mentions that night, she will incriminate her daughter for heinous crimes. But if she doesn’t, she may never find Brooke; and if she has been abducted, the person who took her may come for Louise, too.

Sometimes the past comes back to kill you.

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MY REVIEW:

Louise’s world shatters when her husband, Michael, tells her he’s been having an affair with her sister. It’s the last straw for Louise who is already facing losing her home and financial security after Michael lost it all. In need of an escape, Lousie goes to their country house in the Cotswolds. However, Louise can trace the beginning of the end of their marriage back to a night one year earlier. A night that she and her daughter, Brooke, have vowed never to reveal the truth of. But when strange things begin to happen at the country house and Brooke goes missing, Louise fears that someone else knows what they did…

As soon as I read Before Her Eyes in 2018 I became a fan of Jack Jordan and his nail-biting thrillers. And though I’ve read everything he’s published since, I had never actually gone back and read his debut or self-published books. So, when Compulsive Readers Tours sent out an email asking for people to take part in a blog blast of Jack’s books, including his early releases that are being re-released, I jumped at the chance to finally go back to the beginning of one of my favourite thriller authors. 

Ominous, tense and forbidding, Anything For Her is a nerve-shredding debut. Well written, tightly plotted and cleverly choreographed, it showcases that from the very beginning Jack was a thriller writer extraordinaire. The story is intricately interwoven, steeped in sinister foreboding and filled with the sense that nobody will come out of this unscathed. As he explores just how far a parent would go for their child, Jordan also examines dark secrets, fractured people, trauma and fear. The characters are compelling, relatable and deeply flawed and Jordan makes us feel every bit of their devastation, heartache, guilt and terror. Heart-stopping and gut-wrenching, it kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat right up until the shocking finale. 

A must-read for any thriller fan.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jack Jordan is the global number one bestselling author of Anything for Her (2015), My Girl (2016), A Woman Scorned (2018), Before Her Eyes (2018) and Night by Night (2019).

His latest thriller, Do No Harm, was an instant Times bestseller and shortlisted for the Most Recommended Book in the DeadGood Reader Awards. Coined the thriller of the summer for 2022, it was described as “relentlessly tense” by Sunday Times Bestseller Lesley Kara, and “Chilling and perfectly paced” by New York Times Bestseller Sarah Pearse.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Biblophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Getting Away by Kate Sawyer

Published July 3rd, 2025 by Zaffre
Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this absolute gem of a book. Thank you to Tracy for the invitation to take part, and to Zaffre for sending me a proof copy in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

“Gripping – and profound… Kate Sawyer has a great gift for capturing the tiny details that tell us everything about a person or dynamic.” — Marian Keyes

“From its brilliant, ambitious premise (a story told through family holidays) to its complex and wholly absorbing characters, Getting Away is a moving insight into the beautiful complexity of ordinary lives.” — Jennie Godfrey

Margaret Smith is at the beach.
It is a summer day unlike any other Margaret has ever known.
The Smith family have left the town where they live and work and go to school and come to a place where the sky is blue, the sand is white, and the sound of the sea surrounds them. An ordinary family discovering the joy of getting away for the first time.
Over the course of the coming decades, they will be transformed through their holiday experiences, each new destination a backdrop as the family grows and changes, love stories begin and end — and secrets are revealed.
Coming this summer, Getting Away is a dazzlingly ambitious new novel from the author of Waterstones’ Fiction Book of the Month, This Family, and the Costa shortlisted The Stranding.

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MY REVIEW:

Beautiful, moving, profound and original, Getting Away is a gorgeous multi-generational family saga that is perfect for summer. A story of family, love, secrets and trauma that follows multiple generations of one family, telling the story through the lens of their family holidays over 90 years. This book consumed me. Once I started reading it was impossible to put down and I devoured it in almost one sitting, stopping only because I had to eat. And when it finished I was bereft, unwilling to say goodbye to this family that I’d followed through so many decades.

Kate Sawyer is a masterful storyteller. I fell in love with her writing the moment I read her debut, The Stranding, in 2021 and she just gets better with each book. Exquisitely written, complex and deeply human, this is a masterpiece. Filled with sun, sand and sea, this is the perfect summer read whether you’re reading on a beach or at home, transporting you to the various destinations over the years. Those settings are a huge part of the story and this is where Sawyer’s evocative storytelling shines, bringing them to life so vividly that it was like I was there. I found it interesting to see how their holidays changed over the decades and enjoyed watching them experience new things such as their first time abroad, eating new foods and their first plane rides. It made me think about how many aspects of modern life we take for granted and the privileges we enjoy when it comes to travelling. But this book is much more than a fluffy summer read. It is also honest, deep and raw. This is a family filled with secrets from the start and Sawyer explores the ripple effects the secrets have on the whole family. She also explores topics such as generational trauma, domestic abuse, sexual assault, infertility and sexuality, never shying away from the uncomfortable and painful aspects of these issues, but also writing them with compassion.

For a character-driven story to work, you need great characters that you can connect with. And Sawyer knows how to do that perfectly, filling this book’s pages with characters who are achingly human and relatable. Sawyer knows how to forge a connection between her reader and her characters, making you feel everything with them at each step. And there are many emotional moments as we follow these characters through so many years, watching most of the characters go from childhood to adolescence and then adulthood, walking with them as they experience the highs, lows, trials and tribulations of life in a changing world. I also found it interesting to see how their holidays changed over the decades and enjoyed watching them experience new things such as their first time abroad, eating new foods and their first plane rides. It made me think about how many aspects of modern life we take for granted and the privileges we enjoy when it comes to travelling. 

An absolute gem of a book, Getting Away is a must have addition to your summer TBR. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kate Sawyer worked as an actor and producer, and wrote several short films before turning her hand to fiction. She is the author of three novels: the forthcoming Getting Away, Waterstones Fiction Book of The Month, This Family, and her debut novel, The Stranding, which was shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award, won the East Anglian fiction prize, was adapted for BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime and is being developed for the screen by Fremantle and Afua Hirsch’s production company Born In Me.

When Kate isn’t writing, or talking to other authors about their writing practices for her podcast Novel Experience and as a chair for author events, she works as the Programme Curator for the annual Bury St Edmunds Literature Festival.  

After twenty years living in London, she recently returned to her native East Anglia, where she lives with her young daughter.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The Mistake by M. J. Arlidge and Lisa Hall

Published May 29th, 2025 by Orion
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Hardboiled

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this gripping thriller. Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orion for my copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

In this family, everyone is telling lies.

Pete never wanted another child. Before baby Erin was born, they were happy. If Natalie hadn’t got pregnant, he would never have done what he did.

Natalie knows things have been difficult since the surprise arrival of Erin. Life with Pete and their two other children – Emily and Zadie – has been balancing on a knife-edge.

Now their home is full of guests at a party Natalie didn’t want to throw – and she’s about to reach breaking point.

But so is her family.

Because everyone has a secret that they’ve been hiding and when Erin suddenly disappears everyone becomes a suspect.

Surely no one here would want to harm their baby? But after the events of the party there are plenty of people who would want to hurt Natalie.

Including her husband…

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MY REVIEW:

When Natalie unexpectedly becomes pregnant at almost forty, it isn’t exactly welcome news. Her eldest daughter, Emily, is about to leave for university, while her youngest, Zadie, is now eight. Life is comfortable and she and her husband Pete are full of dreams for their future when the nest is empty. Another child now would disrupt all their lives. Ultimately, Natalie decides to go ahead with the pregnancy. Erin arrives after a traumatic birth and is a difficult baby who screams incessantly and doesn’t sleep. Natalie is in a downward spiral and her days are spent trying to survive. Pete is never home and the older children are also struggling. This is a family at breaking point. It all comes to a head the night of Emily’s 18th birthday party, when all the secrets, lies and resentments finally boil over and little Erin disappears. But which of their closest family and friends took their daughter? And why?

M. J. Arlidge has long been one of my favourite thriller authors and I’ve been loving his Crime Writers Room collaborations, so I was excited to read this collaboration with Lisa Hall. As I hoped, it was another cracking thriller that I devoured in just a few hours. Expertly written and deftly choreographed, Arlidge and Hall have crafted a thriller that keeps you guessing from the first page to the last. The heart-stopping prologue reeled me in and I remained glued to the pages as the story  switched to a slower burn as we went back to the time where Natalie first found out she was pregnant. I was on the edge of my seat as tension escalated and suspicion swirled with multiple suspects in the frame when Erin went missing. I had my theories about who it was, but that did change a few times as Arlidge and Hall skillfully kept their identity hidden and created believable red herrings. 

The story is told from Natalie and Pete’s perspective, offering us an insight into their mindset and motivations, allowing us to understand their actions. While they were relatable characters, they weren’t always likeable and I often just wanted to shake them. I did have a lot of sympathy for Natalie, who showed signs of postnatal depression, but I’d want to hug her one minute and be frustrated with her the next. I wanted to tell her to reach out for help and just talk to her husband. Meanwhile, Pete was useless both practically and emotionally, but reading his perspective made me confront the shades of grey that led to his withdrawal from his family and other bad decisions. I still wanted to yell at him to help his wife though. And at both of them for refusing to see how their other children were struggling. 

The other characters are brilliantly written but Eve, Natalie’s best friend, is most memorable. Unnerving and manipulative, she gave me the ick from the start, and I didn’t like how she behaved around Natalie’s youngest kids. It was obvious that Natalie relied on her, but this girl was toxic and I was yelling at the pages for Natalie to cut her out of her life and talk to Pete instead. 

Suspenseful, dark, emotionally and totally addictive, The Mistake is a must-read for all thriller lovers. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

M.J. Arlidge has worked in television for the last 15 years, specialising in high end drama production. Arlidge has produced a number of prime-time crime serials for ITV In the last five years, and is currently working on a major adaptation of The Last of the Mohicans for the BBC.

Lisa loves words, reading and everything there is to love about books. She has dreamed of being a writer since she was a little girl – either that or a librarian – and after years of talking about it, was finally brave enough to put pen to paper (and let people actually read it). Lisa lives in a small village in Kent, surrounded by her towering TBR pile, a rather large brood of children, dogs, chickens and ponies and her long-suffering husband. She is also rather partial to eating cheese and drinking wine.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | 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
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025

BLOG TOUR: The Grapevine by Kate Kemp

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

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Australia, 1979.

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

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

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

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MY REVIEW:

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

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

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

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

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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

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

BLOG TOUR: Your Child Next by M. J. Arlidge and Andy Maslen

Publisihed January 16th, 2025 by Orion
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Adventure Fiction

Happy Publication Day to this book. Today is my stop on the blog tour for this heart-pounding and thought-provoking thriller. Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orion for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

THEY’VE FAKED YOUR CHILD’S DEATH. AND IF YOU DON’T GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT, THEY’LL MAKE IT A REALITY.

Things have been difficult for Annie since her husband left; her teenage daughter, Isla, has become a ghost of her former self. Annie’s terrified that Isla might do something desperate, and she’ll lose her, too. So when Annie receives a video of herself crying at Isla’s funeral, her blood runs cold.

Confused and horrified, Annie races upstairs to check on Isla, who is alive and well. The video has been faked. But who sent it and what do they want?

One dark truth soon becomes clear: Annie is the latest in a string of parents being blackmailed, and Isla will be killed if Annie goes to the police or if she fails to give the sender what they want. Annie has a deadly choice: comply with the demands, or try to unmask the dangerous criminal.

Your Child Next is a thrilling and unputdownable novel that asks you how far you’d go to protect the ones you love. Perfect for fans of Harlan Coben and Steve Cavanagh.

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MY REVIEW:

Fast-paced, intense, twisty and compelling, Your Child Next is a nerve-shredding thriller gleaming with malice that is guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat.

When Annie receives a disturbing email that has deep-faked her daughter’s death, she thinks it’s some kind of sick joke. But who would do such a thing? The answer soon becomes clear when she receives a call from someone claiming they are behind the video. They demand she pays them £1000 every month and if she doesn’t, or if she contacts the police, they will make the video a reality. Terrified and with no idea how she will meet their demands, Annie realises she has two choices: find a way to comply or unmask them.

M. J. Arlidge has been an auto-buy author for me for many years. His Helen Grace series is one of my favourites and he’s a thriller author I’ll always recommend. But this was my first time reading one of his co-authored books and I will admit I wondered if it would affect how much I enjoyed reading it. Especially as I’d never read anything by his co-author, Andy Maslen. But I needn’t have worried; this book was every bit as intricately woven, cleverly choreographed and skillfully layered as I’ve come to expect from Alridge. Dripping with suspense, it kept me guessing and I was hooked from the first page to its heart-stopping finale and devoured it in just two sittings. 

Told from multiple points of view, the book is filled with characters who are richly drawn, fascinating and flawed. Themes of mental health problems, grief, trauma and fear are examined through the characters. It also explores the pitfalls of social media, the dark underbelly of technology, and poses moral dilemmas, asking just how far you’d go to protect the ones you love. 

Sinister, chilling and utterly addictive, Your Child Next is a first-class thriller not to be missed. 

Out today. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

M. J. Arlidge

Matthew J. Arlidge has worked in television for the last twenty years, specialising in high-end drama production, including prime-time crime serials Silent Witness, Torn, The Little House and, most recently, the hit ITV show Innocent. In 2015 his audiobook exclusive Six Degrees of Assassination was a number-one bestseller. His debut thriller, Eeny Meeny, was the UK’s bestselling crime debut of 2014 and has been followed by ten more DI Helen Grace thrillers – all Sunday Times bestsellers. is an English author of crime novels, including the Helen Grace Series.

Andy Maslen

Andy Maslen writes thrillers across a number of genres: police procedurals, vigilante, psychological, suspense and horror. He spent 30 years in business before turning to writing full time. He is the creator of best-selling series featuring Gabriel Wolfe, Stella Cole and Inspector Ford, plus standalone novels and short stories. He lives in Wiltshire.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | 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

BLOGATHON: Redemption by Jack Jordan

Published June 20th, 2024 by Simon & Schuster UK
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Gay Fiction, Adventure Fiction

Today I’m sharing my review for Redemption, the latest bingeable thriller from the king of the moral dilemma. Thank you to Tracy at Compulsvie Readers Tours for the invitation to take part in the Blogathon, and to The Likely Suspects for my copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Aaron Alexander has just been released from jail after serving eleven years for causing the death of Joshua Moore in a hit-and-run. Now a free man, all he wants to do is stay on the straight and narrow and leave his troubled past behind him.

But for Joshua’s mother Evelyn, eleven years in jail isn’t nearly enough. Consumed by grief and rage, she has been waiting for Aaron’s release, counting down the days until she can exact the revenge he deserves. And now that time has come.

But as Evelyn and her husband Tobias embark on a road trip to track Aaron down, they find themselves caught on two different sides of a gripping game of cat-and-mouse. Because Tobias knows what Evelyn is planning, and he will do anything to save her from herself.

Even if it means protecting the man who killed their son.

Locked in a collision course set in motion eleven years ago, Aaron, Evelyn and Tobias are about to find out whether the road they have chosen leads to redemption . . . or to retribution.

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MY REVIEW:

“Maybe I am a monster, but I can’t stop now. Not now I’m so close. I could never live with myself if he walked free.”

Evelyn and Tobias Moore’s world is shattered when their son, Joshua, is killed in a hit and run. Now, Aaron Alexander – the man responsible – is being released after serving 11 years but for Joshua’s mother that isn’t justice. She wants revenge; and she’s been counting down the days until she can make that happen. Now, that time has finally come. But as Evelyn and Tobias embark on their journey, they are on two opposing sides: Evelyn dead set on revenge, while Tobias wants to save his wife from herself. Their road trip towards vengeance and murder quickly becomes a nail-biting game of cat and mouse. Can there be redemption?

“I’ve got to do what I was afraid to do before. I’ve got to try and stop her.” 

He’s done it again! Unbearably tense, twisty, unpredictable and heartfelt, Redemption is another five-star read from the King of dilemma thriller, Jack Jordan. A master-class in thriller writing, this book has it all: action, suspense, foreboding and violence, but also heart, grief, rage, bitterness and hope. The story is told in five parts that begin with flashbacks to Evelyn and Tobias’ life in happier times. These sections were so emotional, emphasising the magnitude of their loss and how much their lives have changed since Joshua’s death. There is such a stark contrast that I’d have believed you if you’d told me I was reading about two different couples. Jordan makes you feel ALL the feelings, expertly conveying the nuances of grief and how that can look different for everyone. I got book whiplash as I would be close to crying one moment and on the edge of my seat the next, holding on tight with the breakneck speed of the chase. 

“I didn’t realise how all-encompassing grief could be. How tyrannical the rage against injustice would be on my thinking…” 

Jordan’s characters are always nuanced, relatable and deeply human. One of the things I love most about his book is his expertise at writing anti-heroes you can’t help but root for. He weaves their anguish, pain, dilemmas and humanity into the narrative, highlighting all the shades of grey and making it possible to see yourself in their shoes. Evelyn and Aaron are perfect examples of this. Evelyn’s every word, thought and action is raw, sizzling with white-hot rage, resentment, hatred, bitterness, pain and grief.  She can’t see straight for the need for vengeance and her need to exact what she determines to be justice overwhelms everything else. And as a mother I could understand it. I’m not a vengeful person but I can’t imagine how I would cope in her position and I had a lot of empathy for her, even if I was rooting for Tobias to stop her before she went too far. Meanwhile, Aaron seems like the obvious villain of the story, yet Jordan makes him human with his tragic backstory and deep remorse. I ended up really liking him and rooting for him to survive. Then there is Tobias. Tobias is a broken man who not only lost his only child, but also his wife the night Joshua died. Jordan really makes you feel his heartache and loneliness. His dilemma is palpable as he is torn between helping Evelyn and saving her from herself, even if it means helping the man who killed his child. It was an impossible situation and I felt for him even more as he is thrown into becoming someone he doesn’t recognise in his quest to stop Evelyn. 

Intense, heart-rending and bingeable, Redemption is another unmissable thriller from Mr. Jordan. Read it now!

Rating: 🦂🦂🦂🦂🦂

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jack Jordan is the global number one bestselling author of Anything for Her (2015), My Girl (2016), A Woman Scorned (2018), Before Her Eyes (2018) and Night by Night (2019). His thriller, Do No Harm, was an instant Times bestseller and shortlisted for the Most Recommended Book in the DeadGood Reader Awards. Coined the thriller of the summer for 2022, it was described as “relentlessly tense” by Sunday Times Bestseller Lesley Kara, and “Chilling and perfectly paced” by New York Times Bestseller Sarah Pearse. The idea for Do No Harm came to Jack after undergoing a minor medical procedure where he had to be sedated and trust strangers with his welfare. After the anaesthesia wore off, Jack began scribbling his notes, wondering to himself just how iron-clad a surgeon’s oath is, and what it would take to break it…

Jack’s latest book, Conviction, was published in June 2023 and featured in Cosmopolitan’s ‘best new books out in June’ round-up, it was also chosen as one of the June featured books by Magic Radio’s Book Club and the audiobook was selected for Fingerprint Award at Capital Crime 2024.

His next book, Redemption, publishes this June.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

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

BLOGATHON: Conviction by Jack Jordan

Published June 22nd, 2023 by Simon & Schuster UK
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Political Thriller, Police Thriller, Legal Thriller, Legal Story

Today I’m re-sharing my review for Conviction. Thanks to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours for the invitation to take part and Simon & Schuster UK for sending me a proof copy in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

TO STEAL A MAN’S FREEDOM ALL IT TAKES IS . . . CONVICTION

Wade Darling stands accused of killing his wife and teenage children as they slept before burning the family home to the ground. 
 
When the case lands on barrister Neve Harper’s desk, she knows it could be the career making case she’s been waiting for. But only if she can prove Wade’s innocence. 

A matter of days before the case, as Neve is travelling home for the night, she is approached by a man. He tells her she must lose this case or the secret about her own husband’s disappearance will be revealed.
 
Failing that, he will kill everyone she cares about until she follows orders.
 
Neve must make a choice – betray every principle she has ever had by putting a potentially innocent man in prison, or risk putting those she loves in mortal danger.

For fans of Steve Cavanagh, Linwood Barclay and Gillian McAllister, introducing the latest novel from the master of the moral dilemma, Jack Jordan.

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MY REVIEW:

“There is right, and there is wrong; black and white. There is no grey area to use to one’s own advantage, or the justice system would collapse like a house of cards. Pull one rule away, and the whole thing topples.”

Promising Barrister Neve Harper is preparing to defend the case that could make her career. Wade Darling stands accused of killing his wife and children in cold blood as they slept before setting the family home ablaze. He says he’s innocent, but the evidence all seems to point towards him. But Neve’s excitement at the challenge ends when one night she is approached by a man who knows her darkest secret. He threatens to expose it if Wade isn’t found guilty and says he’ll hurt those she loves to ensure she complies. Will Neve betray her morals and put a potentially innocent man behind bars in order to save herself and those she loves?

Unbearably tense, twisty and addictive, this was another outstanding thriller from the golden pen of Jack Jordan. It’s no secret that I’m a HUGE fan and Jordan just keeps getting better as he establishes himself as the King of the moral dilemma thriller. Fast paced, perfectly plotted and exquisitely written, Jordan is a master of his craft, sprinkling breadcrumbs into the intricately layered narrative and constructing the story to ensure all of the twisty threads collide with perfect timing all while keeping you on the edge of your seat with an atmosphere thick with the a ticking time bomb of ominous dread. And then there’s that ending. How could you end it there?! I needed more!

One of the things I love most about Jordan’s books is his characters, who are always morally complex, richly drawn, compelling, and memorable. And Neve Harper is no exception. I liked her immediately, something that didn’t change even when her awful secret was revealed thanks to Jordan’s expertise at writing anti-heroes that we love to root for. He does this by weaving their anguish and dilemmas into the narrative; making you confront all the shades of grey in each situation, and highlighting how anyone can find themselves in a situation where they do things they never imagined possible. He also gives even the darkest of his characters some heart, making you feel some empathy for the villains when their motivations are laid bare along with their pain. It takes real talent to do this and Jordan achieves it like the seasoned pro he is, making their anguish so palpable that you can’t escape it. 

A heart-pounding and nerve-shredding thriller that sizzles with suspense, Conviction is a must-read for any self-respecting thriller lover. Just don’t make any other plans after you start reading, because I guarantee you’ll be cancelling them. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

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