Tag: Crime Ficiton

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

Vengeful Women (Falcon Bay, 3) by Melanie Blake

Published November 6th, 2025 by Piranha Publishing
Thriller, Crime Fiction, Romantic Suspense

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ABOUT THE BOOK:Ro

Power. Passion. Revenge. Nothing is off-limits in Falcon Bay.

From Sunday Times bestselling author Melanie Blake comes a gripping new chapter in the Falcon Bay series – where showbiz glamour collides with dark secrets, and women who’ve lost everything are ready to fight back.

On a private island off the coast of England, five powerful women sit in jail, awaiting trial for manslaughter: a world-famous soap star, an ambitious talent agent, a ruthless producer, a brilliant screenwriter and a cougar casting director.

The man who put them there, their long-term nemesis Jake Monroe, is cashing in – turning the island they once ruled into a twisted theme park crowned by the world’s tallest skyscraper. While the women plot revenge, old secrets that could change everything begin to surface.

The glossy veneer of their showbiz world was shattered when they were incarcerated and the rot beneath the red carpets and studio lights is beginning to show… and meanwhile, a journalist chasing the truth behind an American serial killer is uncovering stories that could destroy everything – and everyone.

As the body count climbs and the women’s trial date looms, Jake’s empire teeters. Because one thing is certain. Hell has no fury… like vengeful women.

If you love the glossy scandals of Jilly Cooper and Jackie Collins, the fast-paced suspense of Frieda McFadden, and the addictive twists of modern crime thrillers, Vengeful Women will keep you reading late into the night.

BUY THE BOOK

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MY REVIEW:

We’re back on St Augustine for the third instalment in the wonderfully over-the-top Falcon Bay series.

The story picks up a year after the events at the end of book two. Sheena, Helen, Catherine, Amanda and Farrah are all sitting in jail awaiting their trial for manslaughter after the death of their co-worker, Madeline Kane during a live episode of their show, Falcon Bay. Meanwhile, their nemesis, Jake Monroe, who is busy cashing in on the tragedy and turning St Augustine into a theme park where the world’s tallest skyscraper will be his crowning glory. The women plot revenge, but old secrets soon threaten to derail their plans. And someone else is exacting revenge; a serial killer in LA has a hit list of targets who wronged former Falcon Bay star Honey Hunter. A journalist is hot on the case and on the cusp on uncovering stories that could destroy all their lives. 

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. And this book has them in abundance.  I loved the first two books in this series so I was very excited when I was offered the chance to step back into Falcon Bay. I had been wondering what was next after that cliffhanger at the end of book two and was thrilled to finally find out. It’s another story of love, lust, power, money, secrets and revenge. And it was totally worth the wait!

Tense, surprising and sexy, this enthralling story had me totally hooked. The book begins with a cast of the characters and a short blurb that tells us their story so far, which was really helpful for catching up on events. Melanie Blake once again showcases why she’s the heir to Jilly Cooper’s crown with this fun, sexy, fast-paced thriller that has tons of surprising twists, blood, backstabbing and blackmail along the way. And don’t think that the women being in jail will mean a lack of glamour and glitz, because there is still plenty on these pages. I loved being back in St Augustine and with these characters, especially the quintet of so-called ‘vengeful vipers’. They may be morally grey, but I love them and was rooting for them at *almost* every step. I also really enjoyed Tabitha’s character this time around, and Jake was as slimy and sleazy a villain as ever. 

An outrageous and entertaining bonkbuster that feels as campy and dramatic as Dynasty, Vengeful Women is pure escapism. Highly recommended.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you to Tiger Team Creative for my invitation to take part in this blog tour and for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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Q&A WITH MELANIE:

What’s your favourite place to sit and read?

I love to read in bed, with my dog on one side and a load of snacks on the other. My snack pile is made up of cans of ice-cold Coke and a bunch of crappy sweets – thank god I’ve got veneers!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melanie Blake is the international bestselling author behind the sensational trilogy that began with Ruthless Women, the Sunday Times #4 bestseller that sold 250,000 copies in its first month. Along with its sequel, fellow bestseller Guilty Women, and her first novel The Thunder Girls, Melanie’s books have been translated into nine languages, and captivated more than a million readers worldwide.

Melanie’s stories are exhilarating rollercoaster rides packed with all the glamour, passion, and intrigue of her favourite novelist Jackie Collins. When Melanie was dubbed “the new queen of the bonkbuster” by the Sunday Times, and was later asked to write a foreword to a new edition of Jackie Collins, it was a dream come true.

Melanie has always blazed her own path, and last year she launched her own publishing company, Piranha, to ensure that this deluxe limited edition hardback of the thrilling finale to her celebrated trilogy, would meet her exacting standards and deliver an unmatched reading experience for her fans. She hopes you love reading it as much as she loved writing it.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOGATHON: Sleeping Dogs by Russ Thomas

Published October 24th, 2024 by Simon & Schuster UK
Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Psychological Ficiton, Noir Fiction, Police Procedural, Gay Fiction, Crime Series

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Happy Paperback Publication Day to Russ Thomas! Sleeping Dogs, the fourth book in the DS Adam Tyler Series is out today, so what better day for the fourth and final instalment in the Russ Thomas Blogathon.

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

THE NEWEST THRILLER IN THE DS ADAM TYLER SERIES, FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF FIREWATCHING 

‘I was hooked on DS Adam Tyler from the first page . . . Spot on’ SAM HOLLAND
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THE LIES OF THE PAST . . .
 
When an anonymous tip lands on his desk, DS Adam Tyler is intrigued in spite of himself. The disappearance of a young mother twenty-four years ago was big news, but the case was never solved – this tantalizing new lead is something he simply can’t ignore. But the letter has set in motion a dangerous chain of events, and Tyler’s search for the truth soon leaves him fighting for his life.
 
. . . LIVE IN THE PRESENT
 
With Tyler out of action, DC Mina Rabbani must step up to lead the Cold Case Review Unit in his absence, retracing Tyler’s steps and uncovering his secrets to figure out what he was working on. But as she begins to put the pieces together, the case starts to hit frighteningly close to home. Without DS Tyler to protect her, Mina realises that now she’s the one with hard choices to make.

And this time she’s on her own.

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BOOK REVIEW:

DS Adam Tyler receives an anonymous tip regarding the disappearance of a young mother twenty-four years ago. Adam follows the tip to an abandoned cinema where he is later found fighting for his life. But was it an accident or did someone attack him? With his colleagues in the dark about what he was working on,  DC Mina Rabbani must retrace his steps to find answers while also taking charge of the Cold Case Unit. But she is unprepared for what she finds as the clues lead her uncomfortably close to home. How far is she willing to go to learn the truth?

The fourth instalment in the Adam Tyler series is one of the best yet. Skilfully written, cleverly plotted and filled with vivid imagery, Russ Thomas masterfully sets the tone and I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Thomas is an expert at intricately weaving together storylines that seem completely unrelated, and this time he left my jaw on the floor as he moved seamlessly between multiple timelines and narrators to reveal the shocking truth. 

Adam Tyler is a great protagonist but I must admit I really enjoyed seeing more of Mina Rabbani this time around. Although we’ve learned a lot about Adam over the last three books, Mina has remained quite elusive, and it was good to see her get her time to shine. I also enjoyed seeing how she worked with Doggett as we’ve not really seen them work together much before. There were some particularly compelling background characters this time, with Ruth really standing out for me. When we meet Ruth she’s downtrodden after being controlled her whole life, and  as more of her story was revealed I felt even more sorry for her. But there was also something about her that felt unnerving. Was that because she’s strange, or was there something more? This enigma only made her all the more compelling to me, as I love a character I’m unsure about. 

Fast-paced, chilling, suspenseful and addictive, this riveting thriller is another must-read from Mr. Thomas. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Russ Thomas was born in Essex, raised in Berkshire and now lives in Sheffield. After a few ‘proper’ jobs (among them: pot-washer, optician’s receptionist, supermarket warehouse operative, call-centre telephonist, and storage salesman) he discovered the joys of bookselling, where he could talk to people about books all day. He released his debut novel, Firewatching, in 2020. Sleeping Dogs is his fourth novel.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

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Beat the Backlist Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG BLAST: The First Day of Spring by Nancy Tucker

Published June 24th, 2021 by Hutchinson Heinmann
Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Mystery, Psychological Fiction

Welcome to my review for this extraordinary debut. Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours for the invitation to take part in the blog blast and to Hutchinson Heinmann for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘So that was all it took,’ I thought. ‘That was all it took for me to feel like I had all the power in the world. One morning, one moment, one yellow-haired boy. It wasn’t so much after all.’

Chrissie knows how to steal sweets from the shop without getting caught, the best hiding place for hide-and-seek, the perfect wall for handstands.

Now she has a new secret. It gives her a fizzing, sherbet feeling in her belly. She doesn’t get to feel power like this at home, where food is scarce and attention scarcer.

Fifteen years later, Julia is trying to mother her five-year-old daughter, Molly. She is always worried – about affording food and school shoes, about what the other mothers think of her. Most of all she worries that the social services are about to take Molly away.

That’s when the phone calls begin, which Julia is too afraid to answer, because it’s clear the caller knows the truth about what happened all those years ago.

And it’s time to face the truth: is forgiveness and redemption ever possible for someone who has killed?

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MY REVIEW:

‘So that was all it took,’ I thought. ‘That was all it took for me to feel like I had all the power in the world. One morning, one moment, one yellow-haired boy. It wasn’t so much after all.’

Eight-year-old Chrissie knows she’s a bad seed. After all, everyone is always telling her so. But now she has a secret no one else knows. Something that makes her feel powerful and gives her a fizzing, sherbert feeling in her belly: she’s the one who killed two-year-old Steven. 
Fifteen years later, Julia is trying to be the best mother she can be to five-year-old Molly. Julia worries about everything. But most of all she worries that her past will return to haunt her and social services will take her daughter away. 

“I killed a little boy today.”

When a book starts with a sentence like that it grabs your attention from the start. And this one never let me go. Profoundly dark, unsettling, harrowing and moving, The First Day of Spring is an extraordinary debut. Based on the real-life crimes of Mary Bell, a child convicted of killing two children in the sixties and was later released from prison with a new identity, Nancy Tucker skillfully explores the disturbing psyche of a child killer, asking if some people are born evil, and if forgiveness and redemption are ever possible for someone who kills. This deeply uncomfortable read is a story of murder, toxic families, neglect, poverty, trauma, and the shades of grey that exist between the black and white of morality. Tucker is an exceptional storyteller whose writing is compelling, perceptive, compassionate and menacing. Every word oozes darkness, malice, suffering, pain, and pent-up rage. But there is also helplessness, fragility, sadness and desperation woven in, creating a jarring contrast of emotions that will simultaneously send shivers down your spine and tug on your heart strings. This book broke me. I haven’t stopped thinking about it and I know it will stay with me forever. 

“I liked it that way. It meant I got to be a killer but I also got days off from being a killer. Because being a killer was quite a tiring thing to be.”

Tucker has created a cast of seriously complex characters for this book. They are damaged people trying to survive their hard lives, often resorting to desperate measures, and remind us that no-one is ever all good or all bad. Chrissie is a character I will never forget. She has never known love or affection, she’s always hungry, her clothes are dirty and tatty, and no-one ever wants her around. She is all-too aware that her life is unfair and she’s seething about it. It makes her vindictive and she lashes out at other children, bullying them in an attempt to seize back some power and control. It was devastating to read and my heart broke for her. But, equally, being immersed inside young Chrissie’s mind was a chilling and disturbing experience, something which was enhanced by the juxtaposition of her angry, sinister thoughts and her childish innocence. To me, it felt obvious that her terrible actions were those of a desperate, lost and mixed-up child crying out for love and attention rather than someone who was evil. Though that doesn’t mean I don’t condemn her actions, because I do.

“Because any kid who stayed with me would grow up a jigsaw of rotted, crumbling parts.”

Julia is a very different character.  Anxious, anguished and emotionally scarred, she’s haunted by guilt and feels undeserving of happiness. But, first and foremost, Julia is a mother who loves her daughter, Molly, so much that she hates being separated from her even while she’s at school. She’s determined to be a good mother even though she has no example from her own mother, who was neglectful, uninterested and abusive. I was proud of Julia for refusing to continue this cycle, as it would have been easy to be a bad mother and make excuses. Julia is a bundle of nerves and worries about everything from how she will afford tonight’s tea to if the school mums like her. But the thing she worries about most is losing custody of her daughter. My heart broke for her and I was rooting for her as she really was remorseful and trying her best.

“People kept forgetting me. It wasn’t good enough.”

Darkly atmospheric, intense, haunting, affecting and thought-provoking, this book left me speechless. I loved it but felt totally hollowed out once it was over. This is an easy five stars from me and I’m sure it will be in my top reads of the year. Highly recommended. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nancy Tucker was born and raised in West London. She spent most of her adolescence in and out of hospital suffering from anorexia nervosa. On leaving school, she wrote her first book, THE TIME IN BETWEEN (Icon, 2015) which explored her experience of eating disorders and recovery. Her second book, THAT WAS WHEN PEOPLE STARTED TO WORRY (Icon, 2018), looked more broadly at mental illness in young women.

Nancy recently graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Experimental Psychology. Since then she has worked in an inpatient psychiatric unit for children and adolescents and in adult mental health services. She now works as an assistant psychologist in an adult eating disorders service. The First Day of Spring is her first work of fiction.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOGATHON: Nighthawking by Russ Thomas

Published April 29th, 2021 by Simon & Schuster UK
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, Hardboiled, Gay Fiction, Crime Series

Today I’m delighted to resharing my review for Nighthawking, the second book in the DS Adam Tyler Series as part of the Russ Thomas Blogathon. Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours for the invitation to take part and to Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘Hard-hitting’ SUNDAY TIMES, CRIME BOOK OF THE MONTH

‘A riveting follow-up to Firewatching‘ HEAT

‘Comparable with the best of Michael Connelly’s Bosch books and James Lee Burke’s Robicheaux novels, and – naturally – Ian Rankin’ AJ FINN
The new must-read novel from the bestselling and highly acclaimed author of FIREWATCHING

Sheffield’s beautiful Botanical Gardens – an oasis of peace in a world filled with sorrow, confusion and pain. And then, one morning, a body is found in the Gardens. A young woman, dead from a stab wound, buried in a quiet corner. Police quickly determine that the body’s been there for months. It would have gone undiscovered for years – but someone just sneaked into the Gardens and dug it up.

Who is the victim? Who killed her and hid her body? Who dug her up? And who left a macabre marker on the body?

In his quest to find her murderer, DS Adam Tyler will find himself drawn into the secretive world of nighthawkers: treasure-hunters who operate under cover of darkness, seeking the lost and valuable . . . and willing to kill to keep what they find.

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MY REVIEW:

“He can’t bear to think of her that way, all cold and dead and wasting away in her grave beneath the rose bushes. He’d always pictured her whole, whenever he thought about her. All peaceful and sleeping. The way she’d looked when he buried her.” 

On a cold winter night, a nighthawker – a treasure hunter who operates under the cloak of darkness – breaks into Sheffield’s Botanical Gardens to search for treasures buried beneath the flower beds and instead uncovers the arm of a murdered young woman. DS Adam Tyler is called in to investigate, drawing him and his team into the mysterious, tangled web of nighthawkers, hidden treasure, secrets and murder. 

Russ Thomas’ debut thriller, Firewatching, was one of my favourite books of 2020, leaving me eagerly awaiting its follow up. But with such excitement comes trepidation. Would Nighthawking live up to the brilliance of Firewatching? The answer is, yes. Like its predecessor, Nighthawking is a heart-pounding thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. 

Being set in my hometown gives this series a special place in my heart, but that isn’t the only reason I love these books. They are exquisitely written, intricate and action-packed, bringing Sheffield to life not only in terms of the vivid imagery, but the atmosphere. When I first heard that this book would be set in the Botanical Gardens I was delighted as it is probably my favourite place in the city. I even went there just last week and loved how clearly I could picture every moment that happened there. It was a fabulous setting that the author has clearly researched extensively and I know that the Gardens will forever be synonymous with this book for me. 

The author has filled this book with a cast of richly drawn, compelling and nuanced characters. The multiple narrators allow him to weave in the human elements of the story and offer us greater insight into their nature, behaviour and motivations, and drawing more empathy from us for certain characters by showing us the trauma and pain they have suffered. I loved being back with Tyler and his team, a realistic bunch who bicker and don’t always work together well. I like that Tyler isn’t your usual affable and charming protagonist. He is someone you warm up to and I think his spiky, zealous nature gives the books a bit of an edge over the ones with a more likeable central character. I was glad to see Mina Rabbani back as she is probably my favourite character. It was great to see her  grow in confidence and come into her own over the course of this book and I’m looking forward to seeing what is in store for her next. 

Complex, twisty, dark and exhilarating, Nighthawking is an addictive page-turner that keeps you guessing. This can be read as a standalone, but I would highly recommend reading them in order because they are simply fantastic thrillers. A must read for all thriller lovers.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

RUSS THOMAS was born in Essex, raised in Berkshire and now lives in Sheffield. After a few ‘proper’ jobs (among them: pot-washer, optician’s receptionist, supermarket warehouse operative, call-centre telephonist, and storage salesman) he discovered the joys of bookselling, where he could talk to people about books all day. Firewatching is his debut novel.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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book reviews

BOOK REVIEW: The Last Dance (Detective Miller Book 1) by Mark Billingham

Published May 25th, 2023 by Sphere
Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Police Procedural

Welcome to my review for this gritty, original and addictive thriller. Thank you to Sphere for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

THE FIRST NEW SERIES FROM #1 BESTSELLER MARK BILLINGHAM IN 20 YEARS.

‘Readers rejoice! A captivating new series from Mark Billingham, the very best in the business’ — RICHARD OSMAN

Meet Detective Miller: unique, unconventional, and criminally underestimated…

He’s a detective, a dancer, he has no respect for authority ­- and he’s the best hope Blackpool has for keeping criminals off the streets. Meet Detective Declan Miller.

A double murder in a seaside hotel sees a grieving Miller return to work to solve what appears to be a case of mistaken identity. Just why were two completely unconnected men taken out?

Despite a somewhat dubious relationship with both reality and his new partner, can the eccentric, offbeat Miller find answers where his colleagues have found only an impossible puzzle?

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MY REVIEW:

Meet Detective Miller: unique, unconventional, and criminally underestimated…

Funny, warm, gritty and original, The Last Dance is a captivating start to what I am sure will become a must-read series. This is Mark Billingham’s first new series in twenty years, and while I hadn’t read any of his books, I had heard great things about them. So this new series seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally acquaint myself with this bestselling author. 

Set in Blackpool, The Last Dance introduces us to Detective Declan Miller, a down-to-earth northerner who is unapologetically himself and has no respect for authority. He was happily married to Alex before her tragic murder six weeks ago and the book opens with his first day back at work. Everyone is concerned it’s too soon, but Miller insists he is going crazy at home and needs to work. He is assigned a new partner, DS Sara Xiu, and it isn’t long before a call comes in about a double murder in a hotel and the pair begin their first investigation. The two victims appear to be completely unrelated. So why were they both killed in the same hotel at the same time? Miller and Xiu attempt to solve the puzzle, leading them to a tangled web of secrets that they must unravel. Running parallel to this is the investigation into Alex’s murder, which Miller is infuriated to not be a part of. He inevitably goes rogue, leading reprimands from his superiors. But could Miller’s unorthodox methods lead to clues that others have missed and finally get the answers he’s been waiting for.

Why did I wait so long to read this author? I was hooked from the start and I now understand why his books come so highly recommended. Billingham’s writing is simple but full of suspense, emotion and humour, his storylines are deceptively complex, and his characters are richly drawn and real. I listened to this on audiobook and was immediately pulled into the story, the brilliant narration merging with the other elements to create an unputdownable thriller that I devoured in under 24 hours. 

But the star of this book is undoubtedly its endearing and likeable protagonist, Detective Declan Miller. Plain-speaking, deadpan, sarcastic and outgoing, he is a stereotypical northerner, which I loved as a northern girl myself. But there is more to him than his dry wit, no-nonsense attitude and disregard of authority; he is also a keen ballroom dancer and has two beloved pet rats named Fred and Ginger. Miller’s love for his late wife is evident on every page and it is obvious that they shared the kind of real love we all want to find. My  heart broke for him losing her too soon and his raw grief was palpable, causing his loose grip on reality even as he used humour as a way to try to deflect and cope with the pain. I liked that the author created such a three-dimensional character, giving Miller a vulnerability and heart underneath the brusque northernness and avoided making him into a caricature. DS Sara Xiu – his new work partner – is Miller’s total opposite, but the pair soon learn how to work together. I loved their banter and how she would give Miller as good as she gets. They were a great pairing and I can’t wait to watch them investigate more cases.

Tightly plotted, tense and twisting, this is a strong start to a new series. Highly recommended. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. Click here to get 60 days of listening free with my affiliate link*

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Mark Billingham was born and brought up in Birmingham. Having worked for some years as an actor and more recently as a TV writer and stand-up comedian his first crime novel was published in 2001.

Sleepyhead was an instant bestseller in the UK. It has been sold widely throughout the world and was published in the USA in the summer of 2002.

The series of crime novels featuring London-based detective Tom Thorne continued with Scaredy Cat and was followed by Lazybones, The Burning Girl, Lifeless, Buried, Death Message, Bloodline, From The Dead, Good As Dead, The Dying Hours, The Bones Beneath, Time Of Death, Love Like Blood, The Killing Habit, Their Little Secret, Cry Baby and the most recent The Murder Book. Mark is also the author of the standalone novels In The Dark, Rush Of Blood, Die Of Shame and his latest, Rabbit Hole.

A new series featuring DS Declan Miller began in 2023 with The Last Dance. The second in the series – The Wrong Hands – will be published in 2024.

Mark is also a regular contributor to radio and TV and is a member of the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, a combo of bestselling crime and thriller writers who performed at the Glastonbury Festival in 2019.

An acclaimed television series based on the Thorne novels was screened on Sky One in Autumn 2010, starring David Morrissey as Tom Thorne. A series based on the novels In The Dark and Time Of Death was screened on BBC1 in 2017.

Mark lives in London with his wife and two children. He is currently writing his next novel.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

READALONG REVIEW: 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

Happy Publication Day to Redemption, the new bingeable, five-star thriller from the King of the moral dilemma. Thank you to The Likely Suspects for the invitation to take part in the readalong and the gifted copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘Thrilling, heartfelt, and hugely evocative, Redemption manages to be both intensely exciting and deeply moving. A brilliant achievement’ Alex Michaelides

‘Tense, dark, emotional, and beautifully written, this action-packed gut-punch of a novel is flawless, and one of the best books I’ve read this year’ Andrea Mara 

THE LATEST PULSE-POUNDING THRILLER FROM THE MASTER OF THE MORAL DILEMMA AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, JACK JORDAN.

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. 

“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.”

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

Rating: 🦂🦂🦂🦂🦂

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MEET 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:

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

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Thanks for readign, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Thirty Days of Darkness by Jenny Lund Masden

Published May 9th, 2024 by Orenda Books
Crime Fiction, Mystery, Hardboiled, Translated Fiction

Today I’m resharing my review for this darkly atmospheric thriller as part of the paperback blog tour. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and Orenda Books for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A snobbish Danish literary author is challenged to write a crime novel in thirty days, travelling to a small village in Iceland for inspiration, and then a body appears … an atmospheric, darkly funny, twisty debut thriller, first in an addictive new series.

‘An original and thoroughly enjoyable treat’ Guardian

‘Dark and sharp … A lot of fun’ Val McDermid

‘Witty, dark, meta, ingenious and hugely compelling. I LOVED the Icelandic setting and satirical observations’ Will Dean
 
‘Hilariously scathing. Satirises genre fiction while creating a first-class example of it, full of suspects, red herrings and twists … wit and originality make it a joy to read’ Mark Sanderson, The Times CRIME BOOK OF THE MONTH
 
**Winner of the Harald Mogensen Prize for Best Danish Crime Novel**
**Shortlisted for the Glass Key Award**
 
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Copenhagen author Hannah is the darling of the literary community and her novels have achieved massive critical acclaim. But nobody actually reads them, and frustrated by writer’s block, Hannah has the feeling that she’s doing something wrong.
 
When she expresses her contempt for genre fiction, Hanna is publicly challenged to write a crime novel in thirty days. Scared that she will lose face, she accepts, and her editor sends her to Húsafjöður – a quiet, tight-knit village in Iceland, filled with colourful local characters – for inspiration.

But two days after her arrival, the body of a fisherman’s young son is pulled from the water … and what begins as a search for plot material quickly turns into a messy and dangerous investigation that threatens to uncover secrets that put everything at risk … including Hannah…
 
Atmospheric, dramatic and full of nerve-jangling twists and turns, Thirty Days of Darkness is a darkly funny, unsettling debut Nordic Noir thriller that marks the start of a breath-taking new series.

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MY REVIEW:

“Hannah looks up, suddenly struck by the thought that she isn’t sure if reality is serving as a blueprint for her novel, or whether her novel may end up predicting reality.” 

Hannah takes her writing seriously. The sweetheart of the literary world, she agonises over every word and is dismissive of genre fiction. At a book fair she declares that genre fiction is so easy, anyone could write a book in thirty days, which she is then challenged to do by another author. Afraid to lose face, Hanmah accepts the challenge and soon finds herself on her way to a remote, tight-knitvillage in Iceland, where she will write her thriller. Two days after her arrival the discovery of a body in the water provides Hannah with the perfect plot material. But things soon spiral out of control and she finds herself immersed in a dangerous and chaotic investigation that puts her, and others, at risk.

“At the end of the day, it’s not the dead we’re interested in. It’s ourselves. The death of another forces the bereaved to reflect on their own lives. Through death, we can put everything into perspective, look at the details of one’s own life anew. And ponder in what way death may eventually come for us. “

Darkly atmospheric, twisty, original and filled with black humour, , Thirty Days of Darkness is a riveting debut that keeps you guessing from start to finish. I’m always excited about a new book from Orenda, but when I read the synopsis for this one I was even more intrigued. I loved the idea of taking some of the criticisms of genre fiction and challenging them by having a character who shares those negative ideas and daring her to prove it’s as easy as they think. I think it’s a difficult plot to pull off as it risks being cliche or a caricature of itself, but Jenny Lund Masden accomplishes it with finesse, crafting a story that is well written, compelling and has the reader on the edge of their seat. Told in short, choppy chapters that help keep the story feeling fresh, there’s an element of satire as Hannah scathingly bashes genre fiction in a book that is an outstanding illustration of why she’s so wrong. 

“She looks down at her nails, flexes her fingers, as if they contain some unknown mystery. Which they do, in a way. They translate her thoughts into words, bring her soul into the world, materialise it.”

I love a flawed character so I was thrilled that Hannah isn’t your typical charming protagonist. Snarky, difficult, snobby, and not particularly likeable, she nonetheless has something about her that makes you want to keep reading, if only to see her fall flat on her face or be proven wrong. It was interesting to watch her journey of self-reflection during her time in Iceland and found her much more likeable by the end. But I was glad she never fully lost her spiky edge. Another thing I enjoyed is watching Hannah spar with her nemesis, fellow author Jorn, who is the one who set her the challenge. But I was never quite sure what to make of him and couldn’t decide if the bad feeling I got from him was genuine or had been coloured by Hannah’s opinions. 

“Don’t stick your nose too deep into all this. This town has secrets that are best left alone.”

I think small towns make for a great book setting, and I loved the ominous atmosphere of this one. It’s a very secretive place and from the start Hannah is warned not to dig too deep, adding to the impending sense of danger and foreboding that crackles on every page. The residents are a colourful bunch of characters, many of whom match the strange vibe of the village and add to the menacing atmosphere. But is this because they know something, or just a case of a small town closing ranks against an outsider? I had mixed feelings but loved that this, along with the author’s brilliant writing, made it impossible for me to feel like I’d actually figured out who the antagonist was right up until the big reveal that left my jaw on the floor.

Unsettling, mysterious and suspenseful, Thirty Days of Darkness is a must-have addition to the TBR of all thriller lovers. 

Rating:  ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Jenny Lund Madsen is one of Denmark’s most acclaimed scriptwriters (including the international hits Rita and Follow the Money) and is known as an advocate for better representation for sexual and ethnic minorities in Danish TV and film. She recently made her debut as a playwright with the critically acclaimed Audition (Aarhus Teater) and her debut literary thriller, Thirty Days of Darkness, first in an addictive new series, won the Harald Mogensen Prize for Best Danish Crime Novel of the year and was shortlisted for the coveted Glass Key Award. She lives in Denmark with her young family.

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MEET THE TRANSLATOR:

Megan Turney is originally from the West Midlands, and after having spent several years working back and forth between the UK and the Hardanger region of Norway, she is now based in Edinburgh, working as a commercial and literary translator and editor. She was the recipient of the National Centre for Writing’s 2019 Emerging Translator Mentorship in Norwegian, and is a published science fiction critic. She holds an MA (Hons) in Scandinavian Studies and English Literature from the University of Edinburgh, as well as an MA in Translation and Interpreting Studies from the University of Manchester.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024

PUBLICATION DAY REVIEW: The Darkest Hour by Mark Edwards

Published April 16th, 2024 by Thomas & Mercer
Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Police Procedural, Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction

Happy publication day to this dark and sinister thriller. Thank you Mark Edwards for the gifted copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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BOOK DESCRIPTION:

In this chilling thriller from the bestselling author of Keep Her Secret, if you don’t take your dark secrets to the grave, maybe they’ll take you there first…

Calvin finally owns the bakery of his dreams, in an idyllic village in the Lake District. After reluctantly following his wife Vicky’s advice to promote it on social media, he’s thrilled when a viral clip makes him a legend overnight. But then the creepy DMs start flooding in―all from a stranger who claims she’s his biggest fan.

Meanwhile, a local recluse is found on a nearby beach, buried to his neck and left to drown, and the community goes into shock. Why would anyone want him dead? And who exactly was he? Detective Imogen Evans, new to the Lake District, is under pressure to find out before the killer strikes again.

As the murder hunt gathers pace, Calvin’s obsessive admirer turns up right on cue after his assistant is injured in an accident, and to Vicky’s horror she’s here to stay. As events begin spiralling into darkness, is there anyone in this quiet backwater Calvin can trust―or have his mistakes already put him, and everyone he loves, in terrible danger?

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MY REVIEW:

He’s done it again! The King of domestic horror is back with another sinister story fueled with adrenaline. Just make sure you don’t have other plans, because you’ll be cancelling them to read this once you’ve started. I inhaled it in one sitting; shackled to the pages by the scalpel-sharp tension and my desperate need for answers. 

The body of local recluse Leo James is found on a beach in the Lake District buried up to his neck and left to drown. The shocking murder rocks this small, idyllic village to its core and puts its new detective, Imogen Evans, under pressure to find the culprit quickly. It is soon clear that some of Elderbridge’s residents are hiding dark secrets. But which of them will kill to keep it that way?

Mark Edwards never misses and The Darkest Water showcases why his books are a highlight of my reading year. Expertly written, shrewdly choreographed, and darkly atmospheric, this was a masterclass in misdirection. As part one came to a close I was sure I had it all figured out. But I was wrong. Moving between the dual timelines, dark secrets and surprising connections were unveiled piece by piece until the full, shocking picture emerged. 

The story is told by multiple narrators, one of whom is a blast from the past for fans of this author. Detective Imogen Evans, first seen in Edwards’ book The Lucky Ones, is the detective charged with solving Leo James’ murder. I loved revisiting a loved character in a new world as it felt like the ideal mix of standalone and series; some familiarity for fans but also not excluding new readers. The characters are all compelling and richly drawn, however briefly they appear on the pages, and you get a real sense of community in this picturesque village, which was the ideal backdrop for this story. Idyllic but also isolated and bleak, Elderbridge has a sense of danger simmering under its surface, while foreboding hangs in the air. Its idyll is fractured by the crime and the horror is compounded by the reminder that these things can happen anywhere, even in the most beautiful and seemingly safe places. 

A dark and brooding thriller filled with breath-sucking tension, The Darkest Water is a must-read for fans of this genre. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

From Amazon:
Welcome to my Amazon Author Page! I write books in which scary things happen to ordinary people, the best known of which are Follow You Home, The Magpies, Here To Stay and The Retreat. My novels have sold over 4 million copies and topped the bestseller lists numerous times. I pride myself on writing fast-paced page-turners with lots of twists and turns, relatable characters and dark humour

I live in the West Midlands, England, with my wife, our three children, two cats and a golden retriever.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

Categories
book reviews Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD REVIEWS: Lowbridge by Lucy Campbell

Published July 6th, 2023 by Ultimo Press
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction

Welcome to my review of the fantastic debut, Lowbridge, which was one of our Squadpod reads this year. Thank you to Ultimo Press for the copy of the book and chance to review it.

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SYNOPSIS:

A missing girl. Decades of silence. A secret too big to bury.

1987: It’s late summer and a time of change when a 17-year-old girl leaves the local shopping centre in the sleepy town of Lowbridge and is never seen again. Her unsolved disappearance is never far from the town’s memory. There’s those who grew up in the shadow of her loss whose own lives were altered forever, and those who know more than they’re saying.

It just takes an outsider to ask the right questions. 2018: Katherine Ashworth, shattered by the death of her daughter, moves to her husband’s hometown. Searching for a way to pick up the pieces of her life, she joins the local historical society and becomes obsessed with the three-decades-old mystery.

As Katherine digs into that summer of 1987, she stumbles upon the trail of a second girl who vanished and was never missed because no one cared enough to see what was happening in plain sight. Her trail could lead right to Katherine’s door.

In a town simmering with divisions and a cast of unforgettable characters, Lowbridge is a heart-wrenching mystery about the girls who are lost, the ones who are mourned and those who are forgotten.

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MY REVIEW:

“Everyone’s drawn to a good mystery, and Tess’s disappearance is the biggest mystery this place has ever seen.”

Shattered by the death of their daughter, Katherine and James move back to his hometown of Lowbridge. Looking for a way to begin to rebuild her life, Katherine gets involved with the local historical society and comes across a thirty-year-old unsolved mystery that still haunts the small town. Katherine begins to dig deeper into what happened that summer and comes across long-buried secrets that some people will go to extraordinary lengths to keep hidden…

Brilliantly written, steadily paced and compelling, this is a fantastic debut. Lucy Campbell has crafted an intriguing character-driven mystery that explores topics such as grief, motherhood, the essence of life in a small town and how the tragedy is still affecting those who live there decades later. Told in dual timelines, one following Tess in the months leading up to her disappearance in 1987 and the other following Katherine as she tries to solve the mystery thirty years later, there’s a claustrophobic feel to the story that comes from both the small-town setting and the bubble of grief that surrounds Katherine. Keeping us guessing, Campbell slowly unspools Lowbridge’s hidden history and dark secrets, building the suspense to a shocking and unexpected conclusion. 

With any character-driven story it is vital to have well-written characters and Ms. Campbell has certainly delivered. While Tess and Katherine are our main protagonists, the story is filled with a cast of authentic, richly drawn characters who draw us into their lives. Campbell makes us feel what each character is going through which ranges from typical teenage angst to much deeper traumas. In the past, everything is happening against a backdrop of us knowing Tess will soon vanish so I found myself searching for clues and trying to figure out who was responsible. But it was Katherine who leapt from the pages most strongly for me, her grief and heartbreak over the loss of her daughter radiating from the pages and seeping into every facet of her existence as she tries to find a way to move forward. It is impossible not to feel heartbroken for her and  think anyone who has lost someone close to them will recognise some part of that loss in her.  I was rooting for her to succeed in both her quest to uncover the truth about Tess’s disappearance and learning to live again.

Gripping, cryptic and heart-wrenching, Lowbridge is a superb debut I have no hesitation in recommending.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

*DM me for TWs

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lucy Campbell has worked as a writer and sub-editor across magazines, newspapers and non-fiction books. Lowbridge is her first novel. She lives in Canberra with her husband and three children.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

*All purchase links are affiliate links