Tag: crime fiction

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2026

BOOK REVIEW: How To Get Away With Murder by Rebecca Philipson

Published March 12th, 2026 by Bantam
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Police Procedural

Welcome to my bookish thoughts on this astonishing debut. Thank you to Alsion at Bantam books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Denver Brady claims to be the most successful serial killer of our time – and that’s precisely why you’ve never heard of him.

But with the publication of his manual for aspiring serial killers, How to Get Away with Murder, that’s about to change.

When a copy is found at the home of a girl who was tragically murdered, DI Samantha Hansen is given the job of tracking down the elusive author.

As Denver and Sam’s stories unfold and converge, it becomes clear that there’s more to both than meets the eye. And once Denver’s book goes viral, the pressure to find and bring him to justice brings Sam close to breaking point.

But who is hunting whom?

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MY REVIEW:

“My name is Denver Brady, and I am a serial killer.”

With an opening line like that I just knew that I was going to LOVE this book. And I was right. Deliciously dark, sinister, suspenseful and unsettling, this is an outstanding and inventive debut thriller.

Denver Brady claims that he’s the most successful modern serial killer and has written and published a guide for aspiring killers telling them how they can get away with murder. When a copy of that book is found at the home of a young murder victim, DI Samantha Hansen is put in charge of finding the elusive order and bring him to justice. And when Denver’s book goes viral, that pressure ramps up, leaving Sam with a race against the clock to find him.

This astonishing debut is one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a long time. I loved its malevolent tone and the dark humour that was sprinkled throughout. I was pulled into the story from its opening line and it didn’t let go until the last, devouring it in under a day as it was impossible to put down. Rebecca Philipson showcases herself as a thriller author to watch with her skillful dark storytelling, clever clues, red herrings and surprising twists. It’s one of those books where you have to pay attention to every word as the clues are spread like breadcrumbs throughout the narrative but they are carefully hidden, mixed with lies or red herrings to help disguise them or throw you off the scent and very easy to miss. I admit, Ms. Philipson played me like a fiddle and I missed many of them. But I loved that as there’s nothing better than a book that surprises you with revelations that hit like a bolt out of the blue. And that ending! I am still thinking about it weeks later.

The story is told in alternating chapters by two narrators: serial killer Denver Brady and DI Samantha Hansen. I enjoyed these dual narratives and the decision to tell the killer’s perspective in the form of Denver’s manuscript. This is an original idea that helps this book stand out from other thrillers while we still get the joy of traditional narration from Sam’s chapters. I admit, I’m a sucker for unreliable narrators and chapters from the killer’s perspective, so I loved that not only did we get those but this book took them further and gives us a whole book written by a serial killer. Denver’s how-to guide is a fascinating glimpse into the psyche of a devious, dark, depraved and remorseless killer. He delighted in his murderous exploits and to be passing on his wisdom to burgeoning killers. But there is always the thought in the back of your mind when reading that we don’t know how much of this is fantasy and how much is true. Like Sam, we are looking for clues of its validity and the author’s identity. Then there is Sam who is an unreliable narrator because of her PTSD, so much so that she doesn’t trust herself some of the time. I loved that it added to the tension to never know if what we were reading was actually true or a clever game that the narrator was playing.

One of this book’s strengths is in the characters that Philipson has created, particularly her narrators. They are dynamic, charismatic, complex and nuanced characters who have so much more to them than what we see on the surface. Sam is easy to like and someone I had a lot of sympathy for as I personally know the struggles that come with breakdowns and PTSD. She was well written, expertly conveying her mental health struggles whilst also making her likeable and someone we can root for at every step. Meanwhile Denver is a cold, calculated and twisted killer who also considers himself an empath – something that feels at odds with being a serial killer. But despite his villainy, Denver is compelling and he held me in his thrall at every step. 

Heart-pounding, propulsive and addictive, this unforgettable debut is a must for every thriller lover’s 2026 TBR.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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BUY THE BOOK:

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rebecca Jayne Philipson grew up in a mining town in County Durham, where she still lives. Educated in a small convent, she deferred her university degree to set up her own business at 21. Rebecca went on to become North East Young Entrepreneur of the Year and won the Artemis Award for inspirational women in business.

Having sold her business in 2020, Rebecca is now devoted to her writing career. She graduated from the University of East Anglia (UEA) Masters Program in 2024 and won a scholarship to Liverpool University where she will be reading for a PhD in Creative Writing.

In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys all things book-related, netball, travelling and spending time with friends and family.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The Winter Job by Antti Tuomainen

Published October 23rd, 2025 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Suspense, Humourous Fiction, Translated Fiction

Welcome to my review for this chaotic and comedic crime caper. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part an to Orenda Books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A desperate father’s Christmas promise sparks a wild Finnish road trip involving an antique sofa, unexpected passengers and danger … A darkly humorous and warmly touching suspense novel about friendship, love and death, The Winter Job flies at 120 kilometres an hour straight into the darkest heart of a Finnish winter night. 

Fargo meets Carl Hiassen and Fredrik Backman … via the Coen Brothers

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Sofas, secrets and a snowbound road to trouble…

Helsinki, 1982. Recently divorced postal worker Ilmari Nieminen has promised his daughter a piano for Christmas, but with six days to go – and no money – he’s desperate. 

A last-minute job offers a solution: transport a valuable antique sofa to Kilpisjärvi, the northernmost town in Finland. 

With the sofa secured in the back of his van, Ilmari stops at a gas station, and an old friend turns up, offering to fix his faulty wipers, on the condition that he tags along. Soon after, a persistent Saab 96 appears in the rearview mirror. And then a bright-yellow Lada.

That’s when Ilmari realises that he is transporting something truly special. 

And that’s when Ilmari realises he might be in serious trouble…

A darkly funny and unexpectedly moving thriller about friendship, love and death – The Winter Job tears through the frozen landscape of northern Finland in a beat-up van with bad steering, worse timing, and everything to lose…

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MY REVIEW:

The king of the comedy crime caper has knocked it out of the park once again with this atmospheric, quirky, witty and addictive that’s as dark and forbidding as the Finnish winter.

Helsinki, 1982. Postal worker Ilmari Nieminen is down on his luck. But when his twelve-year-old daughter tells him she wants a piano, he vows to get it for her for Christmas. As the deadline approaches, Ilmari’s financial woes continue so he accepts a job transporting an antique sofa that is at the centre of a family dispute. But he soon realises that this job isn’t all it seems. Shortly after bumping into an old school friend who helps fix his wipers, Ilmari notices that two cars are pursuing him and seem eager to get their hands on the sofa, too. But why? Whoever heard of armed robbing a sofa? The friends take a closer look at the sofa and are shocked at what they found. This is no ordinary sofa and Ilmari realises he could be in trouble. What follows is a cat-and-mouse chase across the country in a snowstorm that leaves us wondering if Ilmari will be able to deliver his cargo and keep his promise to his daughter.

Antti Tuomainen is an author who never misses. This is my fifth time reading one of his books and I’ve loved every minute of reading them. Full of dark humour, sinister deeds and memorable characters, Tuomainen knows how to hold his reader in his thrall, keeping them guessing and on the edge of their seat right to the very last page. And he does just that with his latest offering, The Winter Job, a high-speed chase across snowy Finland to take possession of a sofa that also explores themes of love, death, loneliness, trust and friendship. It’s chaotic, cryptic, unorthodox, unpredictable, suspenseful, and bloody brilliant. And it more than lives up to Tuomainen’s reputation for original, madcap stories that work thanks to his accomplished storytelling, witty observations and adventure-filled storylines interwoven with a sense of danger. That sense of peril and danger is elevated in this book by the dark and snowy landscape as it creates greater obstacles for the characters to overcome. And don’t get me started on his red herrings. Antti, you totally had me going there more than once!

The book is filled with a motley crew of characters who are unique and unforgettable. Some of them likeable, others detestable, but they are all a delight  to read and add something essential to the story. These are flawed people who are dealing with varying issues, trying to survive and do what is right to them. Ilmari was a great protagonist who was likeable, easy to root for, and I enjoyed watching him rediscover a friendship with Antero. Meanwhile the villains were easy to dislike but fun to read, especially Otto. He was one crazy psycho! Someone I’d hate to meet in real life but love reading in a book. 

Wildly entertaining, surprising and compelling, this book is perfect for thriller fans who are looking for something a bit different. Highly recommended.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

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ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR:

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

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

BLOG TOUR: Snow Blind by Ragnar Jonasson

Published October 23rd, 2025 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, Translated Ficiton, Icelandic Noir

Today is my stop on the blog tour for the dark and sinister Snowblind. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orenda for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The seminal, multi-million-copy Icelandic bestseller, Snowblind, celebrates its tenth anniversary, including a never-before-published Ari Thór prequel, Fadeout.
 
**Introduction by Anthony Horowitz***
 
The blizzard returns…
 
‘A modern Icelandic take on an Agatha Christie-style mystery, as twisty as any slalom…’ Ian Rankin
 
‘Ragnar Jónasson writes with a chilling, poetic beauty’ Peter James
 
‘Seductive … Ragnar does claustrophobia beautifully’ Ann Cleeves
 
‘A classic crime story seen through a uniquely Icelandic lens. First rate and highly recommended’ Lee Child
 
***More than 5 million copies sold worldwide***
 
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Snowblind
 
Siglufjörður: an idyllically quiet fishing village in Northern Iceland, where no one locks their doors – accessible only via a small mountain tunnel. Ari Thór Arason: a rookie policeman on his first posting, far from his girlfriend in Reykjavik – with a past that he’s unable to leave behind. When a young woman is found lying half-naked in the snow, bleeding and unconscious, and a highly esteemed, elderly writer falls to his death in the local theatre, Ari is dragged straight into the heart of a community where he can trust no one, and secrets and lies are a way of life.
 
An avalanche and unremitting snowstorms close the mountain pass, and the 24-hour darkness threatens to push Ari over the edge, as curtains begin to twitch, and his investigation becomes increasingly complex, chilling and personal. Past plays tag with the present and the claustrophobic tension mounts, while Ari is thrust ever deeper into his own darkness – blinded by snow, and with a killer on the loose.
 
Taut and terrifying, Snowblind is a startling debut from an extraordinary new talent, taking Nordic Noir to soaring new heights.

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MY REVIEW:

“The red stain was like a scream in the silence.”

With an opening line so chilling and having had this book and the entire series recommended to me many times, I knew I was in for a treat when I started this book. And it didn’t disappoint.

Rookie policeman Ari Thor Arason moves to Siglufjörður, a quiet and idyllic fishing village in Northern Iceland to begin his career. This is a place where everybody knows everybody and nobody bothers to lock their doors as it’s so safe. Suddenly, Arit Thor finds himself thrust into two major investigations when a famous, elderly writer falls to his death in the theatre and a young woman is found half naked and unconscious, bleeding in the snow like a macabre snow angel. And as the snowstorm rages outside, the investigation deepens, secrets and lies from the past haunt the present, things get personal for Ari Thor and he faces a race against the clock to get to the truth.

Sinister, dark, atmospheric and twisty, Snowblind is a bingeable thriller that had me hooked from start to finish, inhaling it in just two sittings. I finally get the hype for Ragnar Jonasson and his Dark Iceland series and am excited to read the rest of the series after enjoying this one so much. Expertly written, tightly plotted, fast-paced and full of evocative imagery Jonasson creates a menacing and forbidding tone from the first line and keeps you in his thrall until the heart-stopping conclusion.

The scene setting is a huge part of this book’s atmosphere. Siglufjörður is a small, isolated village with a close-knit community. Everybody knows everybody and they all know each other’s secrets and history. Ari Thor is the newcomer, isn’t exactly met with open arms and we see how hard it can be to integrate into a tight-knit community. It adds to the claustrophobic and isolated vibes, making the stakes feel even higher for Ari Thor.

And speaking of Ari Thor, a good series needs a great protagonist, and Jonasson delivers that with Ari Thor. Likeable, relatable and flawed, he is easy to root for and has a compelling backstory that makes you want to know more about him. I was fortunate to have the prequel, Fadeout, to read as part of the 10th anniversary edition of this book, and I loved knowing more about who Ari Thor is before starting to read Snowblind. The background characters are equally compelling and it felt like everyone was a suspect, which I loved because it kept me guessing right up until the big reveal.

So if you’re looking for a dark and sinister thriller you can really sink your teeth into, Snowblind is the book for you!Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Icelandic crime writer Ragnar Jónasson was born in Reykjavík, and currently works asa lawyer, while teacher copyright law at the Reykjavík University Law School. In the past, he’s worked in TV and radio, including as a news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. Before embarking on a writing career, Ragnar translated fourteen Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic, and has had several short stories published in German, English and Icelandic literary magazines. Ragnar set up the first overseas chapter of the CWA (Crime Writers’ Association) in Reykjavík, and is co-founder of the International crime-writing festival Iceland Noir. Ragnar’s debut thriller, Snowblind became an almost instant bestseller when it was published in June 2015 with Nightblind (winner of the Dead Good Reads Most Captivating Crime in Translation Award) and then Blackout, Rupture and Whiteout following soon after. To date, Ragnar Jónasson has written five novels in the Dark Iceland series, which has been optioned for TV by On the Corner. He lives in Reykjavík with his wife and two daughters.

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ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR:

Larissa Kyzer is an Icelandic to English literary translator, writer, and editorial professional.

Currently based in Brooklyn, New York, she lived in Reykjavík for five years after receiving a Fulbright grant in 2012. She holds a BA in Comparative Literature, an MS in Library and Information Science, and an MA in Translation Studies, which she earned at the University of Iceland.

Her translations include children’s books and chapter books for young readers, short stories, poetry, essays, plays, nonfiction, and novels, most notably Fríða Ísberg’s The Mark, which has been longlisted for the 2025 Dublin Literary Award, and Kristín Eiríksdóttir’s Nordic Council Literature Prize-nominated A Fist or a Heart, which was named one of Library Journal’s 10 Best World Literature titles in 2019. Larissa was awarded the American-Scandinavian Foundation’s Nadia Christensen Translation Prize for her translation of this remarkable work.

In addition to receiving grant funding and support from the National Endowment for the Arts, European Union Prize for Literature, the Fulbright Commission, the Icelandic Ministry of Education and Culture, the Icelandic Literature Center, and Finland’s Kone Foundation, Larissa was Princeton University’s Fall 2019 Translator in Residence and has since taught translation workshops to undergraduate and graduate students at Princeton and New York University. She’s a member of Ós, an Iceland-based international and literary collective, an at-large board member for the American Literary Translators Association, an organizer on the National Writers Union’s Translator Organizing Committee, and a former co-chair of PEN America’s Translation Committee. In her spare time, Larissa runs Jill!, a virtual Women+ in Translation reading series that spotlights women, trans and/or nonbinary translators and authors.

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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

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

BLOG TOUR: Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife by Martin Edwards

Published September 11th, 2025 by Head of Zeus
Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Holiday Fiction, Puzzle

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this cryptic whodunnit. Thank you to Head of Zeus for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Can you find the clues and solve the murder first?

Six people with links to the world of crime writing have been invited to play a game this Christmas by the mysterious Midwinter Trust.

Solve the murder of a fictional crime writer in a remote village in north Yorkshire and win a life-changing prize.

Each guest has been meticulously vetted by the shadowy Trust, which has staff on-hand to make sure everyone plays fair. But with the village about to be cut off by a snow storm, they must be extra vigilant.

The game is set – but playing fair isn’t on everyone’s Christmas list.

And when the prize is to die for, it’s so tempting to inject a little murder into the mystery…

With clues for you to find along the way, this is a traditional murder mystery with a delightful twist by a master of the crime genre, perfect for fans of Janice Hallett, Alexandra Benedict and Alex Pavesi.

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MY REVIEW:

Six strangers with links to the crime writing world have been invited to the remote village of Midwinter, North Yorkshire to play a game. They must follow the clues and solve the murder mystery that has been set for them by the enigmatic Midwinter Trust for the chance to win a life-changing prize. As the players arrive a storm moves in and they soon find themselves isolated and cut off. But then people start to die and they begin to wonder if they are trapped with a real-life murderer…

Cryptic, clever, tense and twisty, Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife is a gripping whodunnit that keeps you guessing until the last page. Skillfully written and cunningly choreographed, Martin Edwards’ masterful storytelling is evident from start to finish. He knows how to craft an unpredictable mystery, keeping the reader on their toes with red herrings and misdirection. I’ll admit, I didn’t manage to predict or solve most of the clues, but I thoroughly enjoyed every twist and turn that came my way. I was hooked, eager to figure out what was really going on in Midwinter. Somehow, despite his illustrious crime writing career, this is my first time reading a book by this author. I can’t believe it’s taken me so long! But on the bright side that means I now have all of his backlist books to add to my TBR. 

Two of my favourite tropes are locked-room mystery and unreliable narrators, both of which this book has in abundance. Not only is the book set in a tiny and remote fictional village, but a huge snow storm leaves everyone trapped. It’s a tense situation to begin with that is heightened when the bodies start turning up. Are they accidents and unlucky coincidences, or is something more sinister afoot? 

From the first page we are told that we shouldn’t trust anyone or anything, leaving us with a whole book full of possibly unreliable narrators. I loved trying to figure out who or what we could trust and how it added another layer of mystery and suspense to the story.

The story is told by multiple characters and narrators using traditional narration, extracts from the diaries of two of the players, and clues to help both us and them solve the game. The characters are motley crew of strangers that were flawed, fallible, entertaining and richly drawn. The staff working for the Midwinter Trust hint at tragic events five years earlier that they are keen to forget, hinting at dark secrets and giving an air of foreboding. Meanwhile, the six game players all have links to the crime writing world and have suffered a blip in their careers lately. They also seem to have their share of secrets, have little to no family and are eager for the chance at a fresh start, making them the perfect candidates for the game. I loved reading all the characters but it was the self-depreciating Harry Crystal that really stood out.

Immersive, surprising and unpredictable, this captivating whodunnit offers you the chance to solve two mysteries in one book. Perfect for anyone who enjoys a well-written mystery. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Martin Edwards has received the CWA Diamond Dagger, the highest honour in British crime writing, given for the sustained excellence of his contribution to the genre. His latest novels are the stand-alone puzzle mystery Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife and the Rachel Savernake books, most recently Hemlock Bay. The Rachel Savernake series has received two nominations for the CWA Historical Dagger and three shortlistings for the eDunnit award for best crime novel. British librarians awarded him the CWA Dagger in the Library in 2018 in recognition of his body of work. His eighth and latest Lake District Mystery is The Crooked Shore and earlier books in the series include The Coffin Trail, short-listed for the Theakston’s prize for best British crime novel. Seven books in his first series, featuring Liverpool lawyer Harry Devlin, starting with the CWA John Creasey Dagger-nominated All the Lonely People, have been reissued by Acorn in new editions with introductions by leading writers including Ann Cleeves and Val McDermid.

Martin is a well-known crime fiction critic, and series consultant to the British Library’s Crime Classics. His ground-breaking study of the genre between the wars, The Golden Age of Murder won the Edgar, Agatha, H.R.F. Keating and Macavity awards. The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books won the Macavity and was nominated for four other awards, while Howdunit, a masterclass in crime writing by members of the Detection Club, won the H.R.F. Keating prize and was nominated for five other awards. His ground-breaking history of the genre, The Life of Crime, won the Edgar, H.R.F. Keating, Macavity, and Anthony awards.

In addition, Martin has won lifetime achievement awards for his short fiction (the Golden Derringer), his non-fiction (the Poirot award) and his scholarship (the George N. Dove award). He has written a stand-alone novel of psychological suspense, Take My Breath Away, and a much acclaimed novel featuring Dr Crippen, Dancing for the Hangman. He also completed Bill Knox’s last book, The Lazarus Widow. He has published many short stories, including the ebooks The New Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes and Acknowledgments and other stories. ‘The Bookbinder’s Apprentice’ won the CWA Short Story Dagger, for which he has been nominated for three other stories.

He has edited over 50 anthologies, which have yielded many award-winning stories, and published diverse non-fiction books, including a study of homicide investigation, Urge to Kill. An expert on crime fiction history, he is archivist of both the Crime Writers’ Association and the Detection Club. He was elected eighth President of the Detection Club in 2015, spent two years as Chair of the CWA, and posts regularly to his blog, ‘Do You Write Under Your Own Name?’ He is consultant to the bestselling British Library Crime Classics.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books

SuqadPod Featured Book: Watching You by Helen Fields

Published August 28th, 2025 by Avon Books
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A face in the crowd. A killer in the shadows…

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On the dark streets of Edinburgh, a killer is waiting.

When a body is found, it is only the beginning. Soon there will be seven more.

In the city’s hospital, renowned surgeon Beth Waterfall is grieving.

Her beloved only daughter fell prey to a vicious stalker a year previously – and now he’s coming for her too.

Edinburgh’s police are desperate.

After one body comes another, and then another. The brutal deaths are all seemingly unconnected, yet DS Lively and forensic profiler Dr Connie Woolwine know they are dealing with a serial killer – they just need to prove it.

But time is running out, and Beth Waterfall already looks set to be the next victim…

The million-copy international bestseller returns with a gripping serial killer thriller that will have you hooked from the first page to the very last.

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MY REVIEW:

In Edinburgh, a killer is watching. Waiting for the right time to strike. A body is found but there will be seven more that soon follow. The brutal murders seem unconnected, but DS Lively and Dr Connie Woolwine are sure they are dealing with a serial killer. 

A new Helen Fields book is always an event. A crime fiction powerhouse, Helen always delivers books that are sinister, suspenseful, twisty, menacing and addictive. Her latest novel, Watching You, delivers all that and more. Dark and gritty, there’s an oppressive sense of foreboding from the start and a chilling unease as we become aware of the killer hunting and watching his prey. It’s expertly written, skillfully plotted, full of red herrings, shocking twists and nerve-shredding moments that have you on the edge of your seat.

Fields’ books are always filled with richly drawn and compelling characters but this time she’s gone one better and packed it to the brim with characters that regular readers will recognise from both of her series. Not only are profiler Connie Woolwine and Brodie Barda back, but DS Sam Lively and DS Christie Salter from the DI Callanach series returns and there are mentions of other familiar characters. Dare I hope that soon we might get a book where Luc, Ava, Connie and Brodie all appear together? PLEASE make that happen, Helen! 

The return of Connie Woolwine means more strange moments with corpses and a crime that explores another rare brain condition. I love these aspects of this series and always particularly look forward to learning about another obscure condition thanks to Ms. Fields. Another thing I love about her books is how she humanises the victims, making us care about them and see them as real people before they are then brutally murdered. I also like that she also includes the perspective of the villain, this time making my skin crawl as I witnessed him stalking his victims, all while they are completely unaware he is watching. 

A heart-stopping thriller that is scalpel-sharp, dark and devious, Watching You is a must for any thriller lover. And though it is technically part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. However, I highly recommend all of Helen’s books as they are first-class thrillers you don’t want to miss.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A Sunday Times and million copy best-selling author, Helen is a former criminal and family law barrister. Every book in the Callanach series has claimed an Amazon #1 bestseller flag. ‘Perfect Kill’ was longlisted for the Crime Writers Association Ian Fleming Steel Dagger in 2020, and others have been longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize, Scottish crime novel of the year. Helen also writes as HS Chandler, and has released legal thriller ‘Degrees of Guilt’. In 2020 Perfect Remains was shortlisted for the Bronze Bat, Dutch debut crime novel of the year. In 2022, Helen was nominated for Best Crime Novel and Best Author in the Netherlands. Now translated into more than 20 languages, and also selling in the USA, Canada & Australasia, Helen’s books have won global recognition. She has written standalone novels, The Institution, The Last Girl To Die, These Lost & Broken Things and The Shadow Man. She regularly commutes between West Sussex, USA and Scotland.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliohiles xxxx

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Featured Books

BOOK REVIEW: The Game is Murder by Hazell Ward

Published August 21st, 2025 by Michael Joseph
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Ficiton, Historical Mystery

Welcome to my bookish thoughts about The Game is Murder. Thank you Michael Joseph for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

THIRTEEN GUESTS. THIRTEEN SUSPECTS. AN IMPOSSIBLE MURDER.
A MYSTERY YOU MUST SOLVE – OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES…

What if a Great Detective reinvestigated the most famous unsolved murder case of the century?
What if that Great Detective was you?

You have been invited to a very special murder mystery party.
Thirteen guests have been gathered – rather, thirteen suspects.
But only one of them is a murderer. And only you can find them.

Your task is simple. Listen to the witnesses, examine the evidence, and solve the case.
Be careful. Trust no one. In this story, all may not be as it seems.

The ultimate murder mystery is yours to solve.
A word of warning, though – catch the killer, or face the consequences…

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MY REVIEW:

You are invited to a murder mystery evening at a London home. But soon you realise that this night is not going to be your typical murder mystery evening. Because tonight you are being asked to solve a real murder – or face the consequences. There are thirteen guests and thirteen suspects. Can you unmask the killer?

YOU are the Reader and the Great Detective in this inventive murder mystery debut. Atmospheric, inventive and original, this isn’t your usual whodunnit. It starts out strong: full of mystery as you arrive at the home and take your seat at the table. You learn that the murder you will be solving is the murder of Sally Gardner, who was bludgeoned on November 7th, 1974 in this very house. The suspect in the crime, Lord John Verreman, vanished the next day. Now his son wants you to examine the evidence and decide if his father really did kill his nanny on that cold night all those years ago.

Debut author Hazell Ward has crafted a novel that feels unique. She grabs your attention from the start by talking directly to the reader, making you a part of the case and invested in solving it. And I felt even more invested as the crime in the story is based on the real life case of Lord Lucan, a case that has long fascinated me. There is a large cast of characters that I enjoyed reading for the most part, though it did sometimes get confusing. I liked how Ward captured the feeling of a 1970s dinner party with Babycham and cocktails, transporting me back fifty years to the night of the crime and adding an authenticity to the story.

The inspiration from classic detective fiction is evident throughout the book, with many references to the rules of these books and to titles and authors. Ward has taken these rules and added her own to create a new kind of narrative that puts the reader at its centre. It’s multi-layered, complex, full of red herrings and misdirection. You have to pay attention and I found it a bit confusing after a while.

The Game Is Murder is a creative and twisty debut that would be great for fans of books such as The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.

Rating: ✮✮✮✰✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hazell Ward spent years as an adult education teacher, before completing an MA in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University. She enjoyed it so much, that she is now working for a PhD. She was shortlisted for the Margery Allingham Short Story Competition in 2021, and won the CWA Short Story Dagger in 2023 for her story, Cast A Long Shadow, published by Honno Press.

She lives and works in Wrexham, Wales.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

Categories
Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

Published July 3rd, 2025 by Century
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Ficiton, Psychological Fiction, Domestic Ficiton

Welcome to my review for this nerve-shredding thriller, Thank you to Century for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

He’s the perfect man.

He says he loves you.

You think he might even be made for you.

Before long he’s moved into your house – and into your heart.

And then he leaves for days at a time. You don’t know where he’s gone or who he’s with.

And you realise – if you looked back – you’d say to yourself:

DON’T LET HIM IN.

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MY REVIEW:

Nick seems like the perfect man. He’s charming, sweet, thoughtful, says all the right things and buys you gifts. So what if things are going faster than you’d usually like. When it’s right, it’s right. Except when it’s not. Because behind the charming veneer Nick is a conman who exploits women for his own gain. And you are his next victim. 

The Queen of the psychological thriller has done it again! Lisa Jewell is back with a nerve-shredding story that blew me away. I was completely in her thrall and inhaled this book in under a day; desperate to untangle the twisted web she had woven. Psychologically rich, keenly observed and cleverly choreographed, this book showcases Jewell as a master of her craft. Jewell has mentioned being a fan of true crime documentaries and this book certainly has that vibe, which I loved. And, that ending! Omg! I fell for it again, another trick pulled out of the hat right when I was sure it was all over, changing everything with a single line. Now I understand why people have told her they threw the book across the room after finishing. It’s sneaky and I’m totally here for it. I’ll happily keep falling for your tricks Ms. Jewell. 

The story is populated by a large cast of impeccably developed and dynamic characters who feel relatable, mostly likeable, and had me invested in their lives. At the centre of it all is Nick, the charming conman who will smile at your face and tell you pretty lies, all while he’s actually thinking about the fact he loathes you. This toxic, cold and calculating man has zero redeeming qualities and is one of the most odious and dangerous characters I’ve ever read. Every time you think he can’t sink any lower, this guy goes down another five floors. Jewell perfectly balances the charm he would need to be successful at his con while allowing the reader a glimpse inside his twisted mind. It’s chilling and I hated him with a passion. I felt deeply for the women caught up in his web and desperately wished I could save them. 

Heart-poundingly tense, sinister, twisty and unsettling, Don’t Let Him In is an addictive thriller that has me bowing at Ms. Jewell’s throne. Not to be missed! And remember: if something seems too good to be true, then it probably is.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Jewell was born in London in 1968.

Her first novel, Ralph’s Party, was the best- selling debut novel of 1999. Since then she has written another twenty novels, most recently a number of dark psychological thrillers, including The Girls, Then She Was Gone, The Family Upstairs, The Family Remains and The Night She Disappeared, all of which were Richard & Judy Book Club picks.

Lisa is a New York Times and Sunday Times number one bestselling author who has been published worldwide in over thirty languages. She lives in north London with her husband and two daughters.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
book reviews Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: The Children of Eve (Charlie Parker,22) by John Connolly

Published May 8th, 2025 by Hodder & Stoughton
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Horror Fiction, Ghost Story, Hardboiled, Crime Series, Supernatural Fiction

Welcome to my review for this taut and twisty thriller. Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘Connolly grips like a vice and he’s an extraordinary storyteller’ Crime Time
‘One of the best thriller writers we have’ Harlan Coben

Wyatt Riggins, the boyfriend of rising Maine artist Zetta Nadeau, has gone missing, leaving behind a cell phone containing a single-word message: RUN.

Private investigator Charlie Parker is hired to find out why Riggins has fled, and from whom.

Parker discovers that Riggins, an ex-soldier, has been involved in the abduction of four children from Mexico: three girls and a boy, all belonging to the cartel boss Blas Urrea – except Urrea’s family is safe and well in Mexico, which means the abductees cannot be his children. Yet whoever they are, Urrea wants them back, and has dispatched his agents to secure them, even if it means butchering everyone who stands in their way.

One of those agents is Eugene Seeley, a clever, ruthless solver of other men’s problems. The other is an unknown woman.

Every child has a mother. Now Charlie Parker will face one unlike any other, and learn the terrifying truth about the Children of Eve.

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MY REVIEW:

Crime thriller meets supernatural fiction with a side of Inca mythology in the latest Charlie Parker thriller. Parker is investigating the disappearance of Wyatt Riggins, the boyfriend of rising Maine artist Zetta Nadeau. Meanwhile, someone is torturing and murdering those involved in the illegal trade of goods from Mexico. When Parker finds links between the two, the race is on to find Riggins before it’s too late.

John Connolly is pretty much the only author my husband reads, so when the SquadPod were offered the chance to read the latest in his Charlie Parker series, The Children of Eve, I jumped at the chance. I was excited but also nervous. Would I feel lost starting a series so far in? And would I love this series as much as Mr. Bibliotreasures?

Exquisitely written, cleverly choreographed and filled with a large cast of richly drawn characters, it’s easy to see why John Connolly and the Parker series are so popular. He certainly has a new fan in this reader. Jumping into a series on book 22 isn’t ideal and, as expected, I didn’t really know what was going on to begin with. It took me a little bit of time to get into the book as I had to learn who the recurring characters were and forge a connection with them. But before long I was completely hooked. I particularly loved how Connolly merged supernatural and mythological elements with a complex and layered thriller. And that ending! Talk about making me want to come back for more!

Taut, tense and twisty, I highly recommend this one. Now I just need to find time to go back and read this series from the beginning.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1968 and have, at various points in his life, worked as a journalist, a barman, a local government official, a waiter and a “gofer” at Harrods department store in London. I studied English in Trinity College, Dublin and journalism at Dublin City University, subsequently spending five years working as a freelance journalist for The Irish Times newspaper, to which I continue to contribute, although not as often as I would like. I still try to interview a few authors every year, mainly writers whose work I like, although I’ve occasionally interviewed people for the paper simply because I thought they might be quirky or interesting. All of those interviews have been posted to my website, http://www.johnconnollybooks.com.

I was working as a journalist when I began work on my first novel. Like a lot of journalists, I think I entered the trade because I loved to write, and it was one of the few ways I thought I could be paid to do what I loved. But there is a difference between being a writer and a journalist, and I was certainly a poorer journalist than I am a writer (and I make no great claims for myself in either field.) I got quite frustrated with journalism, which probably gave me the impetus to start work on the novel. That book, Every Dead Thing, took about five years to write and was eventually published in 1999. It introduced the character of Charlie Parker, a former policeman hunting the killer of his wife and daughter. Dark Hollow, the second Parker novel, followed in 2000. The third Parker novel, The Killing Kind, was published in 2001, with The White Road following in 2002. In 2003, I published my fifth novel – and first stand-alone book – Bad Men. In 2004, Nocturnes, a collection of novellas and short stories, was added to the list, and 2005 marked the publication of the fifth Charlie Parker novel, The Black Angel. In 2006, The Book of Lost Things, my first non-mystery novel, was published.

Charlie Parker has since appeared in five additional novels: The Unquiet, The Reapers (where he plays a secondary role to his associates, Louis and Angel), The Lovers, The Whisperers, and The Burning Soul. The eleventh Charlie Parker novel, The Wrath of Angels, will be available in the UK in August 2012 and in the US in January 2013.

The Gates launched the Samuel Johnson series for younger readers in 2009, followed by Hell’s Bells (UK)/The Infernals (US) in 2011. A third Samuel Johnson novel should be finished in 2013.

I am also the co-editor, with fellow author Declan Burke, of Books to Die For, an anthology of essays from the world’s top crime writers in response to the question, “Which book should all lovers of crime fiction read before they die?” Books to Die For is available in the UK as of August 2012, and will be available in the US in October 2012.

I am based in Dublin but divide my time between my native city and the United States, where each of my novels has been set.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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*******

Thanks for reading, Bibliohphiles xxxx

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: Into the Fire by G. D. Wright

Published June 5th, 2025 by Avon Books
Crime Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Police Procedural, Legal Story

Welcome to my review for this heart-stopping thriller. Thank you to Avon Books for sending me a proof copy in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Don’t miss the gripping crime novel in which a heroic act ends up ripping a small town apart with devastating consequences…

––––––––––––––––––––––––

HE RUNS INTO THE FLAMES A HERO.

Steve thought he had left his troubled past behind. Living a quiet life with his wife and children, everything changes the night he rescues a baby from a burning house, becoming an unexpected national hero.

HE EMERGES FROM THE ASHES A SUSPECT.

But as the spotlight shines brighter, so does the scrutiny, and a shocking accusation is made – that Steve is the man responsible for an unsolved murder in Beachbrook years prior.

BUT WHICH ONE IS HE REALLY?

As his world unravels, public opinion is firmly divided. Steve pleads his innocence, but DS Sue Willmott is determined to get to the bottom of what really happened all those years ago.

After all, even heroes hide secrets of their own.

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MY REVIEW:

Into the Fire has taken bookstagram by storm. And after reading it I can tell you that it deserves every bit of the hype. A story of heroism, secrets, reckoning and redemption, it begins when Steve runs into the flames to save a baby from a burning house. He is hailed a hero. But Steve has secrets that soon come to light, turning him from saviour to suspect in an unsolved murder years earlier. As his life falls apart, Steve pleads his innocence. Meanwhile, DS Sue Wilmott is determined to get to the truth. What really happened all those years ago? And is Steve a hero or a villain? 

Dark, suspenseful, gut-wrenching and consuming, I was not prepared for this magnificent thriller. Unbearably tense and psychologically rich, G. D. Wright’s storytelling is exquisite, holding me in the palm of his hands from the first page until the last. It was my first time reading this author and now I totally get the hype around his books. A talent to watch on the thriller scene, he’s knocked it out of the park with this first-class thriller and I can’t wait to go back and read his debut.

Told from multiple points of view, the characters are richly drawn, relatable and deeply human, pulling me into their lives and quickly making me invested in them as their stories unfurled. They are haunted by the ghosts of their past and marked by the pain of their trauma, which Wright makes you feel vividly. Enmeshed in heartache, you get the sense that no-one is going to come out of this unscathed. It’s powerful, moving, and a much deeper story than your average thriller. And the final line of the epilogue  😭😭😭 Oh, my heart. 

Heart-stopping, twisty, forbidding and unpredictable, this is a must-read. So run to the nearest bookshop or click on the link on that website and buy this book now.

Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From Amazon:
My name is Gary (pen name G.D. Wright) and I live on the south east coast of England with my wife and two young children.

I joined Kent Police at the age of 18, working on the front line in a variety of uniformed roles until the age of 29 when, completely out of the blue, I suffered two cardiac ‘events’, and was subsequently diagnosed with a hereditary and incurable disease of the heart (arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy if you’re being fussy!). As a result, I had an internal defibrillator implanted in me, and I had to retire from the police aged 30.

One door closed, but another opened, and my wife and I bought a coffee shop in Ramsgate Harbour. We spent eight of the happiest years of our lives there but, when the kiddies came along, it just wasn’t sustainable. Family comes first, every single time (a theme in my books…), and the simple fact was that we knew our summers should be spent with the kids, not working seven days a week. In 2022, we sold our ‘third baby’ (the coffee shop, not an actual baby – although… what a plot line for the future… making a mental note…), and I took to writing full time.

Fast forward to now. I’ve signed a two book deal with Avon UK (part of the Harper Collins family), and my debut was released in August 2024. It’s called AFTER THE STORM, and it’s a police procedural with a twisty, emotional hook. My second novel, INTO THE FIRE, is coming in the summer of 2025.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Kill Them With Kindness by Will Carver

Published June 19th, 2025 by Orenda Books
Crime Fiction, Psychological Ficiton, Medical Fiction, Political Thriller, Alternative History, Dystopian Fiction, Metaphisical Ficiton

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this thought-provoking and unforgettable thriller. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part, and to Orenda for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A Japanese scientist thwarts an international plot to release a deadly virus by mutating it to make people kinder, but something goes horribly wrong … A darkly funny, mind-blowing speculative thriller from the ‘most original writer in Britain’ (Daily Express)…

‘Utterly believable, dark and disturbing … one of my books of the year’ Trevor Wood
 
‘Brilliantly original … an alternative reality of the pandemic that’s both terrifyingly plausible, relevant and timely’ Sam Holland
 
‘His best yet. Carver just gets better and better’ S.J. Watson
 
 ‘Arguably the most original writer in Britain’ Daily Express
 
_________
 
Compassion may be humanity’s deadliest weapon…
 
The threat of nuclear war is no longer scary. This is much worse. It’s invisible. It works quickly.
 
And it’s coming.
 
The scourge has already infected and killed half the population in China and it is heading towards the UK. There is no time to escape. The British government sees no way out other than to distribute ‘Dignity Pills’ to its citizens: One last night with family or loved ones before going to sleep forever … together. Because the contagion will kill you and the horrifying news footage shows that it will be better to go quietly.
 
Dr Haruto Ikeda, a Japanese scientist working at a Chinese research facility, wants to save the world. He has discovered a way to mutate a virus. Instead of making people sick, instead of causing death, it’s going to make them… nice. Instead of attacking the lungs, it will work into the brain and increase the host’s ability to feel and show compassion. It will make people kind.
 
Ikeda’s quest is thoughtful and noble, and it just might work. Maybe humanity can be saved. Maybe it doesn’t have to be the end.
 
But kindness may also be the biggest killer of all…

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MY REVIEW:

Starting a new Will Carver book is always an event. You know that whatever you read will consume you and change you in some way from this point forward. A master of his craft, Carver has a style all his own that breaks the mould of what you expect in any genre. And once you’ve read one of his books you’ll be a fan for life and part of the #CarverCult. 

His latest offering, Kill Them With Kindness, starts as boldly as you’d expect from Carver, with the impending euthanasia of the whole country as they await a deadly gas that would wipe us out painfully. The story then jumps back to a year earlier, where we meet Dr Haruto Ikeda, a Japanese scientist who accidentally discovers a document containing a timeline for releasing the deadly virus he’s currently studying. It will be a global catastrophe. So, he takes it upon himself to stop it happening and mutates the virus to infect people with kindness instead of killing them. But is compassion the answer to the world’s problems? Or is it about to be the biggest killer of them all…

Thought-provoking, witty, quirky, original and captivating, Carver has crafted another unforgettable thriller filled with scathing social commentary and shrewd observations. I was hooked from the first lines, completely immersed in every word of this all-too-real story. It is clear to see where Carver has been inspired by real people and events, giving it a timely and realistic feel that makes what you’re reading all the more terrifying. Like it could actually happen. I felt like I’d stepped into an alternative history and not a story born of a man’s impressive imagination. Carver’s books are best discovered for yourself, so I don’t want to say any more about the plot, only that this is a book that everyone should read. 

Powerful, sharp, daring and uncompromising, this is another unmissable thriller from the incomparable Mr. Carver. Read it now! 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Will Carver is the international bestselling author of the JanuaryDavid series and the critically acclaimed, mind-blowingly original Detective Pace series that includes Good Samaritans (2018), Nothing Important Happened Today (2019) and Hinton Hollow Death Trip (2020), all of which were ebook bestsellers and selected as books of the year in the mainstream international press. Nothing Important Happened Today was longlisted for both the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award 2020 and the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award. Hinton Hollow Death Trip was longlisted for the Guardian’s Not the Booker Prize, and was followed by four standalone literary thrillers, The Beresford, Psychopaths Anonymous, The Daves Next Door and Suicide Thursday. Will spent his early years in Germany, but returned to the UK at age eleven, when his sporting career took off. He currently runs his own fitness and nutrition company, and lives in reading with his children.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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