Tag: crime fiction

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book reviews Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: The Wrong Hands (Detective Miller Book 2) by Mark Billingham

Published June 20th, 2024 by Sphere
Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Police Procedural

Today I’m finally sharing my review for the bat-shit crazy and totally brilliant, The Wrong Hands, which was one of the SquadPod Featured Books in July. 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:

‘Had me laughing out loud one minute and emotional the next. I’m excited to have found a new favourite detective’ — CLAIRE DOUGLAS

This is one case Miller won’t want to open . . .

Unconventional Detective Declan Miller has a problem. Still desperate to solve the murder of his wife, a young man has just appeared on his doorstep with a briefcase . . . containing a pair of severed hands.

Miller knows this case is proof of a contract killing commissioned by local ne’er do well Wayne Cutler – a man he suspects might also be responsible for his wife’s death. Now Miller has leverage, but unfortunately he also has something that both Cutler and a villainous fast-food kingpin are desperate to get hold of.

Chuck in a Midsomer Murders-obsessed hitman, a psychotic welder and a woman driven over the edge by a wayward Crème Egg, and Miller is in a mess that even he might not be able to dance his way out of.

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MY REVIEW:

The Wrong Hands was one of our SquadPod featured books in July and I’m finally getting around to sharing my review. I dived straight into this one after book one as I was so hooked that I couldn’t wait to read more.

Detective Declan Miller is shocked when a young man turns up on his doorstep with a briefcase containing a pair of severed hands. Miller immediately recognises the case as proof of a contract killing commissioned by local gangster Wayne Cutler – the man he suspects could also be responsible for his wife’s death. The case gives Miller leverage. But unfortunately Culter isn’t the only one who wants to get hold of this case…

I’m starting to realise that Mark Billingham writes books that are bat-shit crazy but totally brilliant. This time there are gangsters, a murderer obsessed with Midsomer Murders, a psychotic welder, a woman who is driven over the edge by a wayward Creme Egg, and Miller is still trying to identify his wife’s killer. But it totally works.. The writing is fantastic with Billingham seamlessly merging very British humour with heartstopping tension while also exploring topics such as grief, loss and morality, bringing them all together to create a captivating thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. 

My love for Detective Miller has only been cemented with this book. He is just as unfiltered, sarcastic, cynical and dismissive of authority as he was before and still converses with his deceased wife, Alex, as a way to try and cope with his grief. It is through Miller that many of the difficult topics are explored, particularly grief, loss and acceptance. One particularly heartrending moment was Miller’s imagined goodbye to Alex, where Bingham explores the pain of the things we never got to say and how hard it can be to let those we love go. In terms of the other characters, I enjoyed how well Miller and his partner, Sara Xiu, worked together in this book. I also really enjoyed the greater insight into the criminal underworld this time around. We spend more time with the bad guys, getting a glimpse inside their minds, learning their motivations for a life of crime and how they rationalise their wrongdoings. We also saw the shades of grey that exist in all of us and how morality isn’t always a simple, black and white issue. 

Tense, twisty and addictive, devoured this one quickly. Now I have to impatiently wait for book three. Highly recommended. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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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 are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

SKELF SUMMER: The Great Silence (The Skelfs, 3) by Doug Johnstone

Published August 19th, 2021 by Orenda
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Noir Fiction, Crime Series, Romance Novel, Urban Fiction

Welcome to my review for the witty, riveting and suspenseful, The Great Silence, which is the third book in the Skelfs series and my third Skelf Summer Post. Thank yout to Orenda for the invitation to take part and for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The discovery of a human foot in an Edinburgh park, the inexplicable circumstances of a dying woman, and the missing daughter of Jenny’s violent ex-husband present the Skelf women with their most challenging – and deadly – cases yet… Book THREE in the addictive The Skelfs series!

‘Simply stunning. Tense, funny and deeply moving’ Mark Billingham

‘If you loved Iain Banks, you’ll devour the Skelfs series’ Erin Kelly

‘Nobody portrays modern Edinburgh better than Doug Johnstone. The Great Silence speaks volumes about the power of story’ Val McDermid

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Keeping on top of the family funeral directors’ and private-investigation businesses is no easy task for the Skelf women, and when matriarch Dorothy discovers a human foot while walking the dog, a perplexing case presents itself … with potentially deadly results.

Daughter Jenny and grand-daughter Hannah have their hands full too: The mysterious circumstances of a dying woman lead them into an unexpected family drama, Hannah’s new astrophysicist colleague claims he’s receiving messages from outer space, and the Skelfs’ teenaged lodger has yet another devastating experience.

Nothing is clear as the women are immersed ever deeper in their most challenging cases yet. But when the daughter of Jenny’s violent and fugitive ex-husband goes missing without trace and a wild animal is spotted roaming Edinburgh’s parks, real danger presents itself, and all three Skelfs are in peril.

Taut, dark, warmly funny and unafraid to ask big questions – of us all – The Great Silence is the much-anticipated third instalment in the addictive, unforgettable Skelfs series, and the stakes are higher than ever.

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MY REVIEW:

“The monsters in our lives don’t look like monsters, horns and slavering fangs. The worst deeds in the world are done by people who look like any of us.”

In the third instalment of the outstanding Skelfs Series, they face their most challenging and unusual cases yet: a human foot is discovered in a park, a dying woman whose children are convinced she’s being poisoned by her lover, alien messages, a wild animal roaming Edinburgh’s parks, and the disappearance of the daughter of Jenny’s violent ex-husband. 

Suspenseful, twisting and completely addictive, The Great Silence is another outstanding return to Edinburgh and the Skefl women. I’ve never read a series back-to-back like this so I was a bit concerned about getting fatigued from reading the same characters, but I needn’t have worried because Doug Johnstone ups his game with each book, creating a novel that is even better than the last with each instalment. I can’t get enough of this series and my new concern is what I’m going to do when I’ve read book six and I’ve got a long wait for the next one!

One of my favourite things about this series is that it has a bit of everything: family drama with a twist of science, a dash of romance, lots of emotion, and an abundance of suspense. Johnstone also explores more serious issues such as prejudice, domestic abuse, alcoholism and climate control, seamlessly weaving them into the narrative alongside the heart-stopping tension and mystery. This time around the cases are a bit more unusual and bizarre, and the tension has been dialled all the way up to ten, keeping me glued to the pages and on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. I also loved that now I’m three books in, I’ve got to know the Skelf women, so reading these books  is like catching up with old friends – albeit friends with very turbulent lives and unconventional jobs. 

Dark, witty, suspenseful and totally riveting, The Great Silence, and all of the Skelfs Series, are a must-read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024

BOOK REVIEW: Thorn in My Side (Sweetpea Series, 4) by C. J. Skuse

Published January 4th, 2024 by HQ
Thriller, Mystery, Dark Comedy, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Crime Series

Welcome to my review for this outrageous thriller. Thank you to HQ for sending me an eBook proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Sweetpea soon to be a major TV series starring Ella Purnell

Everyone’s favourite serial killer is back, and she’s more unpredictable than ever…

Readers LOVE Thorn in My Side

‘Perfect for fans of a snarky narrative’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I absolutely loved it’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sometimes, you can be your own worst enemy…

Rhiannon Lewis thought she finally had it all: thanks to the pandemic she’s had to keep a much lower profile but has found happiness with her fiancé Rafael and his family. For once, she is surrounded by people who love her for who she is (or who they think she is).

After over 800 days without murdering anyone, the woman formerly known as the Sweetpea Killer thinks she might have finally turned over a new leaf.

That is until her soon-to-be sister-in-law has a run in with her abusive ex, and Rhiannon rediscovers her taste for revenge. This time, with a loving family in tow, the stakes are much higher. Wedded bliss and life as a normal person are finally within Rhiannon’s reach, but you can never keep a good serial killer down.

Can you?

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MY REVIEW:

“Entering my villain era? Well I never really left it. Did I?”

I’d been in a real reading slump lately so I decided I needed a comfort read. So, obviously, I turned to my favourite serial killer, Rhiannon Lewis, and read the fourth instalment in the fabulous Sweetpea Series. 

Rhiannon Lewis has a new name and a new life in sunny San Diego. The pandemic has meant she’s had to keep a lower profile but she’s been happy to just enjoy life with her hunky fiance Raf and his family. She is finally surrounded by love and people who accept her. But it is bittersweet as they only know Ophelia, the new person she created after fleeing the UK. She longs to be accepted and loved as Rhiannon, despite her terrible past deeds. But she’s turned over a new leaf. It’s been over 800 days since her last kill and she’s finally found peace in her chaotic life. But that all comes crashing down when her sister-in-law has a run in with her abusive ex and Rhiannon’s taste for revenge is sparked once again…

C. J. Skuse has knocked it out of the park once again with this outrageous, fierce, scathing, and darkly funny thriller. Sweetpea became one of my favourite books of all time when I first read it back in 2019 and has become an auto-buy series and go-to thriller recommendation. So, I had high hopes for book four, which was everything I’d hoped for and more. Skuse’s writing is dark, witty, sharply observed and peppered with random cultural references that add to the comedy. I switched to the audiobook for this book and it was brilliantly narrated, taking everything up a notch and I devoured it whole.

“I only write when I need to bleed out the daily frustrations life as a serial killer affords me and I haven’t needed to, see?
Until now.”

Oh, how I love Rhiannon. And I guarantee you will too. Feisty, coarse, sarcastic and filled with pent-up rage, she’s a murderess with a beating heart and an ink-black sense of humour who does the things we’ve dreamed of in our darkest moments. But she’s a lot less murdery this time around as Skuse delves deeper into her history, untangling more of Rhiannon’s complex emotions, trauma and fears. This Rhiannon is more relatable than ever, longs for a normal life with her husband, and is trying to put away her murderous thoughts. She longs to be loved for who she really is but knows that revealing her true identity is dangerous and pretty much a sure-fire route to rejection. And prison. My heart broke for her as she wrestled with this dilemma but I was secretly rooting for her to give in to those urges and start teaching lessons that needed to be learned. And, of course, she still has that warped but laugh-out-loud funny inner monologue that I can’t resist. 

Twisted, macabre, hilarious and heartfelt, Thorn In My Side is another addictive instalment in an original series not to be missed. And that ending! I need book five now! Here’s hoping HQ grants my Netgalley wish. 

Rhiannon will be coming to your TV screens this autumn, so pick up the whole Sweetpea series now and read the book before watching the show. After all, I’m excited to watch Rhiannon come to life, but the book is always better. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

C.J. SKUSE is the author of the Young Adult novels PRETTY BAD THINGS, ROCKOHOLIC, DEAD ROMANTIC, MONSTER and THE DEVIANTS and the adult crime thrillers THE ALIBI GIRL and the SWEETPEA series of books. C.J. was born in 1980 in Weston-super-Mare, England and has First Class degrees in Creative Studies in English and Writing for Children and, aside from writing novels, works as a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

SKELF SUMMER: The Big Chill (The Skelfs, 2) by Doug Johnstone

Published August 20th, 2020 by Orenda Books
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Dark Comedy, Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Noir Fiction, Crime Series, Domestic Fiction, Urban Fiction

Today I’m sharing my review for The Big Chill, the second book in Skelf Summer. Thank you to Orenda Books for the invitation to take part and for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Running private-investigator and funeral-home businesses means trouble is never far away, and the Skelf women take on their most perplexing, chilling cases yet in Book Two of the darkly funny, devastatingly tense and addictive Skelfs series!

***Longlisted for Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year***

‘Compelling, compassionate … just brilliant. This series gets better with every book. I cannot get enough of the Skelfs’ Mark Billingham

‘Brilliantly drawn and blackly comic’ Herald Scotland

‘Confirms the Skelfs as a classic crime clan. I can’t wait for the next one’ Erin Kelly

‘I LOVE the Skelfs … The only problem with The Big Chill is that you’ll devour it so fast you’ll feel as bereft as one of the Skelfs’ clients. Doug Johnstone has murdered sleep’ Val McDermid

____________________

Haunted by their past, the Skelf women are hoping for a quieter life. But running both a funeral directors’ and a private investigation business means trouble is never far away, and when a car crashes into the open grave at a funeral that matriarch Dorothy is conducting, she can’t help looking into the dead driver’s shadowy life. 

While Dorothy uncovers a dark truth at the heart of Edinburgh society, her daughter Jenny and granddaughter Hannah have their own struggles. Jenny’s ex-husband Craig is making plans that could shatter the Skelf women’s lives, and the increasingly obsessive Hannah has formed a friendship with an elderly professor that is fast turning deadly.

But something even more sinister emerges when a drumming student of Dorothy’s disappears and suspicion falls on her parents. The Skelf women find themselves sucked into an unbearable darkness – but could the real threat be to themselves?

Following three women as they deal with the dead, help the living and find out who they are in the process, The Big Chill follows A Dark Matter, book one in the Skelfs series, which reboots the classic PI novel while asking the big existential questions, all with a big dose of pitch-black humour.

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MY REVIEW:

The Big Chill is the second book in Doug Johnstone’s sensational Skelfs Series, which follows Dorothy, Jenny and Hannah Skelf, three generations of one family who work together running the family’s two businesses: a funeral home and private investigation company. I decide to re-read this book, almost four years to the day after my first read, as I am reading the rest of the series for Skelf Summer – six weeks of reading the series in order leading up to the publication of book six in September. It jumps straight into the action, with a car chase interrupting a funeral that leaves the unidentified driver dead. The family matriarch, Dorothy, can’t let it go and is determined to find out who he was and lay him to rest. But this isn’t their only investigation, with others running simultaneously, as well as the funeral business always keeping them busy. 

Complex, layered and sizzling with drama, tension and ominous rumblings under the surface, The Big Chill is another outstanding return to Edinburgh with the Skelfs. While I recommend reading the first book in the series, this can be read as a standalone as Doug Johnstone quickly catches you up on the traumatic and life-changing events that occurred. In fact, this was the first book in the series I ever read and I never found myself confused about what I was reading.  I enjoyed this one even more the second time around, maybe because I listened to this on audiobook and the narrator does such a brilliant job of bringing the story and characters to life. Once again I was hooked from the opening pages and on tenterhooks as I tried to predict where this twisty tale would go next.

I loved the fascinating mix of three generations working together in dual roles that is an unusual pairing. It’s a brilliant basis for a series, so different from anything else I’ve read. The characters are well-written, compelling and full of depth. They are each trying to come to terms with the distressing and painful events of book one, and are still haunted and trying to make sense of it all. In the three women, the author shows how trauma and PTSD can affect people in different ways in a very real and relatable way that hit home with me a number of times. The background characters were also fully drawn with interesting storylines and back stories of their own. I’m very eager to read more about Archie and his unusual condition. 

Suspenseful, pacy and addictive, The Big Chill is perfect for anyone looking for a thriller that’s a little bit different. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✫

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

SKELF SUMMER: A Dark Matter (The Skelfs, 1) by Doug Johnstone

Published January 23rd, 2020 by Orenda Books
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Urban Ficiton, Lesbian Literature, Crime Series

Today I’m sharing my first review for Skelf Summer. Thank you to Danielle at Orenda for the invitation to take part.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Three generations of women from the Skelfs family take over the family funeral home and PI businesses in the first book of a taut, gripping page-turning and darkly funny new series.

***Shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Best Scottish Crime Book of the Year*** 
***Shortlisted for the Amazon Publishing Capital Crime Awards***

‘An engrossing and beautifully written tale that bears all the Doug Johnstone hallmarks in its warmth and darkly comic undertones’ Herald Scotland

‘Gripping and blackly humorous’ Observer

‘I was addicted from the first page; gripping, gritty and darkly funny as hell’ Erin Kelly

‘A Dark Matter showcases a writer at the peak of his powers, except that with every book, Doug Johnstone just gets better’ Val McDermid

_________________

Meet the Skelfs: well-known Edinburgh family, proprietors of a long-established funeral-home business, and private investigators…

When patriarch Jim dies, it’s left to his wife Dorothy, daughter Jenny and granddaughter Hannah to take charge of both businesses, kicking off an unexpected series of events.

Dorothy discovers mysterious payments to another woman, suggesting that Jim wasn’t the husband she thought he was. Hannah’s best friend Mel has vanished from university, and the simple adultery case that Jenny takes on leads to something stranger and far darker than any of them could have imagined.

As the women struggle to come to terms with their grief, and the demands of the business threaten to overwhelm them, secrets from the past emerge, which change everything…

A compelling, tense and shocking thriller and a darkly funny and warm portrait of a family in turmoil, A Dark Matter introduces a cast of unforgettable characters, marking the start of an addictive new series.

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MY REVIEW:

“If they didn’t solve these mysteries, who would?”

I’m a big fan of Doug Johnstone’s Skelfs Series but I started it by reading the second instalment, and then somehow skipped a couple of others. So when I received an email from Orenda Books asking if I would like to take part in Skelf Summer – six weeks of reading the series in order leading up to the publication of book six in September – I jumped at the chance. 

First up is A Dark Matter, in which we are introduced to Dorothy, Jenny and Hannah Skelf, three generations of a well-known Edinburgh family that own a long-established funeral home and private investigation business. At the start of the book, they are mourning the death of patriarch Jim while also trying to get on with the day-to-day task of running their businesses. When Dorothy discovers mysterious payments being made to another woman each month going back years, she realises that Jim had been keeping secrets. Meanwhile, Hannah’s best friend Mel has disappeared and the police aren’t interested in investigating, leaving her to take on that challenge herself, and a simple adultery investigation leads Jenny onto an unexpected path. But they are unprepared for the dark and shocking revelations they are about to unveil…

Suspenseful, twisting, darkly funny and addictive, this is a fantastic start to Doug Johnstone’s original series. I have no idea how he came up with the idea of three generations of women running a funeral home and private investigators, but it is a brilliant concept that I can’t get enough of.  The three women at its heart are intelligent, fierce, warm, wickedly funny, likeable but flawed, and easy to root for. Matirach Dorothy may be in her seventies, but has lost none of her zeal and is determined to get to the bottom of the secret payments Jim had been making. Her daughter and granddaughter are equally tenacious and they all have a quiet fortitude that they must draw on as their investigations intersect in unexpected ways, leading to shocking revelations that will change their lives forever.

Doug Johnstone never misses. His writing is atmospheric, tense, propulsive, witty and full of complex emotions that keep the reader hooked. He explores difficult subjects such as predatory men, the danger they pose and how blase so many have become about the issue. Another big topic in this book is grief and how differently we are all affected, portraying it in ways that are relatable, touching and full of black humour. But it is how intricately he intertwined  the storylines in unexpected ways, throwing in red herrings and unforeseen twists, that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. 

This is a must read for any thriller fan.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. Click here to get 90 days free with my affiliate link*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOGATHON: Firewatching by Russ Thomas

Published February 20th, 2020 by Simon & Schuster UK
Mystery, Thriller, Police Procedural, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, LGBT Fiction, Gay Fiction, Crime Series

Today I’m delighted to be taking part in the first of four Russ Thomas Blogathon posts and am sharing my review for his outstanding debut thriller, Firewatching, which was one of my favourite reads of 2020. 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:

ONE WRONG MOVE
A body is found bricked into the walls of a house. From the state of the hands, it’s clear the dead man was buried alive. Soon, the victim is linked to an old missing person’s case and DS Adam Tyler is called.

WILL IGNITE
As the sole representative of South Yorkshire’s Cold Case Review Unit, Tyler recognises his role for what it is – a means of keeping him out of the way following an ‘incident’. When this case falls in his lap, he grabs the opportunity to fix his stagnating career.

THE CITY
And then Tyler discovers he has a connection to the case that hopelessly compromises him. He makes the snap decision not to tell his superiors, certain that he and only he can solve the crime. But now Tyler must move carefully to find out the truth, without destroying the case or himself.

Meanwhile, someone in the city knows exactly what happened to the body. Someone who is watching Adam closely. Someone with an unhealthy affinity with fire . . .

A taut investigative thriller bursting with character and tension, introducing an enigmatic, fresh lead detective unlike any you have met before – Detective Sergeant Adam Tyler – for fans of Adrian McKinty, Tana French, Steve Cavanagh and Sharon Bolton. 

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MY REVIEW:

DS Adam Tyler is called to the discovery of a body that was buried alive by being bricked into the wall of a house. The house’s owner, Graham Cartwright, had vanished six years ago amid high-profile scandals. Solving this case could be Adam’s way to salvage his career so he’s determined to be on the case. But he doesn’t work well with others, so this also becomes his chance to prove to his boss that he can be a team player. As he investigates alongside old-school copper DI Jim Doggett, the original investigator in the disappearance, and Amina Rabbani, a young police officer who sees the case as her chance to finally make it into CID, it soon becomes clear that there are people who’ve been keeping secrets that they want to remain hidden and that this will be a more complex case than they first thought. And as his professional and private life seep together, Adam finds himself in a fight not only for his career, but also his life. 

Heart-pounding, intense, and addictive, this debut left me trying to catch my breath when I read upon its release in February 2020. I love a good crime series and don’t get to read many books set in my hometown, so seeing that this new series was set in Sheffield was definitely part of the attraction for me. But while reading about familiar places was fun and helped me feel a greater connection to the story, it was Russ Thomas’ magnificent storytelling that made this series become one of my favourites, just as I predicted it would be at the time. I was hooked from the first page and putty in the palm of his hands as he spun his intricate and twisted tale. I read every spare minute, unable to put it down as I tried in vain to predict what would happen next. 

Part of the genius of this book is that everyone is a suspect. I literally had all but about three characters on my suspect list at one point or another, including the protagonist. You don’t know what to think, who to trust and where it is going next, leaving you on the edge of your seat as your mind fizzes with questions and suspicion. The vast array of characters are all fleshed out and vivid, each illuminating the story in their own unique way. I liked that Tyler wasn’t beloved by everyone or a team player. His battle to be treated like the other male officers because of his sexuality and the trauma of his father’s suicide gives him not only the spikiness that was fun to read, but also made me feel warmth towards him for those struggles. I enjoyed his banter with the other officers and how they reluctantly worked together to solve the case. Real life means having to work with people you can’t stand sometimes and the author certainly used that to his advantage in this book. 

One of my favourite parts of this book was the inclusion of the blog posts by the arsonist. They were mysterious, bizarre, creepy and fascinating. You got a real sense of how twisted and traumatised this person was and they increased the foreboding atmosphere that hung in the air. In the beginning they read like stories but slowly the readers see that there is more to them and realise how sick and twisted the writer is. But their identity remains a mystery, known only by the name The Firewatcher, remaining in the shadows until the tense finale. I loved being in the dark as much as the investigating officers and honestly couldn’t pinpoint a clear suspect. I was completely blindsided by the big reveal.

Firewatching is an outstanding, atmospheric, claustrophobic and surprising debut. It has everything you want in a great thriller and leaves you wanting more, just as a good series should. It is a must-read for anyone who enjoys this genre. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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:

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part and keep an eye out for more reviews coming next month.

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: The Long Water by Stef Penney

Published July 4th, 2024 by Quercus
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Ficiton

Welcome to my review for this darkly atmoshperic, cryptic and compelling story. Thank you to Quercus for sending me a proof copy in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Author of the Costa-prizewinning, world-wide bestseller The Tenderness of Wolves, Stef Penney, returns to her snow-covered heartland in this tense mystery set in a small Scandinavian town.

Nordland. A region in the Norwegian Arctic; a remote valley that stretches from the sea up to the mountains and glaciers.

It is May in what was once a prosperous mining community. The snows are nearly gone and it’s a time of spring and school-leavers’ celebrations – until Daniel, a popular teenage boy, goes missing. Conflicting stories circulate among his friends, of parties and wild behaviour.

As the search for Daniel widens, the police open a disused mine in the mountains. They find human remains, but this body has been there for decades, its identity a mystery.

Everyone in this tight knit, isolated community is touched by these events: misanthropic Svea, whose long life in the area stretches back to the heyday of the mines, and beyond. She has cut all ties with her family, except for her granddaughter, Elin, an outsider like her grandmother. Elin and her friend Benny, both impacted by Daniel while he was alive, become entangled in the hunt for answers, while Svea has deep, dark secrets of her own.

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MY REVIEW:

Due to the craziness of our house move I’m a bit behind with this month’s book reviews, but I’m finally getting around to posting my review of The Long Water, which was one of this month’s SquadPod Featured books.

I adored The Tenderness of Wolves when I read it years ago, so I was excited when the SquadPod were offered the chance to read Stef Penney’s latest novel as one of our featured books. Set in Nordland, a valley in the Norwegian Arctic, the story centres around the disappearance of Daniel, a popular teenager in this remote valley. The story opens in May, when the snow has almost melted and school is ending for the year. The school-leavers celebrations are traditionally a time for parties, pranks and wild behaviour. Daniel is one of the popular kids and his disappearance touches everyone in this small town. It’s the talk of the village and different stories and theories quickly circulate. The police widen their search, eventually leading them to disused mine in the mountains. Human remains are discovered but they are not Daniel. This body has lain there for decades. Daniel’s disappearance soon fades into the background as the police try to decipher the identity of the body and what happened to them. In this small town where everybody knows everybody and secrets don’t stay hidden for long, how is it possible a body has lain in the mine for decades? And where is Daniel?

Cryptic, intriguing and compelling, this is a story you get lost in. Part crime fiction and part family saga, this beautifully written story showcases Ms. Penny’s masterful storytelling to perfection. She sets the scene through evocative imagery, transporting her reader to the remote Norwegian Arctic. Through the lens of these tragic events we are introduced to the inhabitants of this small, close-knit mining town. There’s a strong sense of community and everyone is embroiled in the search for answers. As events  unfold, shockwaves are felt throughout the town with family dramas, prejudices and long-buried secrets finally being revealed. 

Atmospheric, tense, moving and mysterious, this is one not to be missed. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Stef Penney is a screenwriter and the author of three novels: The Tenderness of Wolves (2006), The Invisible Ones (2011), and Under a Pole Star (2016). She has also written extensively for radio, including adaptations of Moby Dick, The Worst Journey in the World, and, mostly recently, a third installment of Peter O’Donnell’s Modesty Blaise series.

The Tenderness of Wolves won Costa Book of the Year, Theakston’s Crime Novel of the Year, and was translated into thirty languages. It has just been re-issued in a 10th anniversary edition.

Five facts about SP:

1. I like snow. There is a magic in cold landscapes that compels me more than any other. I’m the ultimate armchair explorer. In my mind this is linked to my former agoraphobia. Wide open, hostile places produce in me a visceral reaction; perhaps that’s why I can’t stop writing, or reading, about them. I’m drawn to what scares me – treeless wilderness, the open sea, Space…

2. I do zero-carbon research. Unlike the protagonist of Under A Pole Star, I haven’t been to the North Pole. I have been to the Scandinavian Arctic – which is totally different – but am unconvinced that being there has made my writing about landscape any stronger (I hadn’t been before The Tenderness of Wolves). Being there normalises a place; you are struck by differences, but even more by similarities: wherever there are people, there be dentists. Still, I have great memories of Lapland: picking sour blueberries from the banks of a mountain stream; cross-country skiing and realising that I could still fall over as safely as when I was a child; watching a Japanese contestant in the Air Guitar World Championships channel Star Wars; visiting Santa’s village and meeting the man himself – and sitting on his knee – in August…

3. I’m Scottish. I have a love-hate relationship with Scotland that is shared by many Scottish exiles. Elements of this: pride in its Enlightenment thinkers, its inventiveness and internationalism; love and awe of the landscape; nostalgia for chilly Highland summers; a sneaking pride in having endured games on frozen fields, in shorts, and endless walks in scenery obscured by drizzle. Then there’s the food: deep-fried Mars bar – delicious. Deep-fried frozen pizza, on the other hand… Scotland’s a great place. I’d probably want to live in it, if I hadn’t grown up there.

4. I’m a feminist. Doesn’t need saying these days, right? Or maybe it does. Writing about a female explorer at the end of the 19th Century, I’ve been more aware of it than ever. The protagonist struggles to be taken seriously with her ambition, of course, but something else happened in the writing process I didn’t expect: it became a deeply explicit love story. This felt like a political as well as a narrative necessity; there have been far too many vague, unconvincing and plain misleading sex scenes in books and films, and it felt vital to tell the truth – and for that, “Dot, dot, dot. Afterwards” was not going to cut it.

5. I have a degree in Philosophy and Theology. It made me unemployable. In my final year, I was browsing through the job pages when I came across my perfect job – Officer for Comparative Religions in a local authority. Hurray, I thought, finally, something that suits my skill set. Then I noticed that the advert next to it was for a Senior Carrot Inspector. I looked at the date – it was April 1st. Obviously, I had to become a writer.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophile xxxx

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby by Ellery Lloyd

Published June 20th, 2024 by Pan Macmillan
Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Mystery

Welcome to my review for this compelling thriller. Thank you Chloe at Pan Macmillan sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘Intoxicating, enthralling, compelling’ Harriet Tyce

‘Bold and ambitious and consuming from start to finish’ Louise Candlish

A stunning, intricately plotted and clever mystery’ Claire Douglas

‘Think The Secret History meets Saltburn’ Holly Watt

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Some women can’t be erased from history . . .

A story of love and madness, of obsession and revenge.

Paris, 1938: Runaway heiress Juliette Willoughby perishes, with her married lover, in an accidental studio fire alongside her Surrealist masterpiece, Self-Portrait as Sphinx.

Cambridge, 1991: Two art history students stumble across proof something sinister was at play in Juliette’s death, threatening to expose the long-buried secrets of the artist’s aristocratic family.

Dubai, now: An art dealer is accused of the brutal murder of his oldest friend – the last surviving member of the Willoughby dynasty.

Three suspicious deaths over the course of a century.

Is the key to unlocking them all hidden in Juliette Willoughby’s lost painting?

From the author of The Club, a Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick, The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby is Ellery Lloyd’s compulsive multiple – timeline mystery – a story of love and madness, of obsession and revenge.

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MY REVIEW:

Glamorous, bold, ambitious and intelligent, The Final Act of Juliette Willougby is a captivating story of love, madness, scandal, revenge, and justice. 

Juliette Willoughby is famous in the art world for her surrealist masterpiece, Self Portrait as Sphinx. The heiress fled her ancestral home to live in Paris with her married lover and the pair were tragically killed in an accidental studio fire in 1938. Her portrait was also destroyed. 53 years later two art history students at Cambridge discover proof that her death may not have been accidental after all. A discovery that could be disastrous for her aristocratic family as it threatens to expose their long-buried secrets. In the present day, an art dealer in Dubai is accused of murdering his oldest friend who just happened to be the last surviving member of the Willoughby dynasty. Could Juliette’s lost painting hold the key to unlocking these mysteries? 

This was one of our SquadPod featured books last month and I was even more excited to read it after watching Vik’s Instagram Live with the authors. I’ve also seen many other bloggers sing Ellery Lloyd’s praises, but I’m ashamed to say that despite owning all of their books, this was my first time reading one of them. The hype is real my friends and I’m kicking myself for waiting so long. Skillfully written, cleverly plotted,  intricately woven and filled with twists and red herrings I was on the edge of my seat trying to unravel this complex mystery. A vast array of compelling characters drew me into their world as the story moved seamlessly between timelines and narrators. I was hooked and only solved the puzzle  moments before the big reveal and the surprising but satisfying conclusion.

Heart-stopping, immersive, and gripping, The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby is a riveting thriller and a must-read for fans of the genre. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Collette Lyons is a journalist and editor, the former content director of Elle (UK) and editorial director at Soho House. She has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, and the Sunday Times. 

Paul Vlitos is the author of two previous novels, Welcome to the Working Week and Every Day is Like Sunday. He is the program director for English Literature with Creative Writing at the University of Surrey.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: The Family Experiment by John Marrs

Published May 9th, 2024 by Pan Macmillan
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Dystopian Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Science Fiction, Cyberpunk

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘If you love Black Mirror you have to read John Marrs. The Family Experiment is chilling, inventive, horribly plausible and brilliantly addictive.’ – C. J. Tudor, author of The Gathering

‘The books of John Marrs have become a quiet phenomenon. The Family Experiment will cement his reputation for writing intriguing thrillers rooted in the near future that tackle big issues . . .thoughtful, well written . . .and alarming’ Daily Mail

Some families are virtually perfect . . .

The world’s population is soaring, creating overcrowded cities and an economic crisis. And in the UK, breaking point has arrived. A growing number of people can no longer afford to start families let alone raise them.

But for those desperate to experience parenthood, there is an alternative. For a monthly subscription fee, clients can create a virtual child from scratch who they can access via the metaverse and a VR headset. To launch this new initiative, the company behind Virtual Children has created a reality tv show. It will follow ten couples as they raise a Virtual Child from birth to the age of eighteen but in a condensed nine-month time period. The prize: the right to keep their virtual child or risk it all for the chance of a real baby . . .

Set in the same universe as John Marrs’s bestselling novel The One and The Marriage Act, The Family Experiment is a dark and twisted thriller about the ultimate ‘tamagotchi’ – a virtual baby.

‘John Marrs is a writer at the top of his game and The Family Experiment is his best yet. Frighteningly plausible, gripping, dark, and so clever.’ – Claire Douglas, author of The Woman Who Lied

‘An unsettling and immersive roller coaster which hurtles towards a chilling denouement – a truly thought-provoking, single-sitting thriller. Loved it. ‘ – Ellery Lloyd, author of The Club

‘The Family Experiment is an eerie and darkly addictive thriller that will have your mind whirling throughout.’ – Culturefly

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MY REVIEW:

The UK is at breaking point thanks to a soaring population, overcrowded cities, and economic crisis. Many people can’t afford to live, let alone start a family and raise them. But there is a new way to raise a family for those who long to do so: meta children. For a monthly subscription, clients can create a virtual child from scratch, accessing them through a VR headset. To launch their new initiative, the company behind the Virtual Children has created a reality TV show following ten couples as they raise their Virtual Child from birth to eighteen, which will be condensed into a nine-month period. The winners will then pick their prize: keep their Virtual Child or try for a real baby. 

Dark, menacing, unsettling and twisty, The Family Experiment is the latest gripping thriller from John Marrs. Set in the same universe as his previous books The One and The Marriage Act, this is a masterclass in speculative fiction. Expertly written, skillfully plotted and cleverly constructed, he combines heart-pounding tension with complex family relationships and moral and social issues facing us today.  What makes the things that Mr. Marrs writes about in his speculative thrillers so compelling, is how deeply uncomfortable and terrifyingly plausible they are. With how far technology has come and the soaring cost of living, I can imagine a world where ‘tamagotchi children’ exist as an alternative to flesh and blood. Personally, I find it all deeply unnerving and only like the idea as a way to get an idea of what parenthood is like, not as a substitute for living children. 

A bingeable thriller filled with twist after twist, The Family Experiment keeps you guessing until  the very last page. Complex, clever, surprising and unnerving, this is a must-read for any thriller lover. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. Click here to get 2 months free with my affiliate link*

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

John Marrs is an author and former journalist based in London and Northamptonshire. After spending his career interviewing celebrities from the worlds of television, film and music for numerous national newspapers and magazines, he is now a full-time author. His books include No1 bestseller and Netflix series The One, The Passengers, award winning What Lies Between Us and The Good Samaritan.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

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

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

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

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BOOK DESCRIPTION:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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MY REVIEW:

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

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

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

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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