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BLOG TOUR: The House at Devil’s Neck by Tom Mead

Published August 14th, 2025 by Head of Zeus
Mystery, Historical Mystery, Crime Series, Ghost Horror

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this entertaining locked-room mystery. Thank you to Head of Zeus 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:

LIKE LOCKED-ROOM MYSTERIES? YOU’LL LOVE TOM MEAD’S JOSEPH SPECTOR SERIES!

This gripping locked-room mystery sees Joseph Spector investigate his most sinister case yet: murderous machinations at a haunted manor house.

A former First World War field hospital, the spooky old mansion at Devil’s Neck attracts spirit-seekers from far and wide.

Illusionist-turned-sleuth Joseph Spector knows the house of old. With stories spreading of a phantom soldier making mischief, he joins a party of visitors in search of the truth.

But the house, located on a lonely causeway, is quickly cut off by floods. The stranded visitors are soon being killed off one by one.

With old ally Inspector Flint working on a complex case that has links to Spector’s investigation, the two men must connect the dots before Devil’s Neck claims Spector himself as its next victim.

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MY REIVEW:

August, 1939. A mismatched group of people are on their way to spend the weekend at Devil’s Neck, a haunted house that was formerly a hospital for injured soldiers. Shortly after they arrive, medium Adaline La Motte holds a seance that seems to prove there’s a supernatural presence at the house. Some guests remain skeptical while others believe. As the summer storm rages outside and isolates the manor house and its guests, one of them is found dead in what illusionist-turned-sleuth Joseph Spector declares a murder. Is the killer amongst the group? Or is someone else hiding at the house? And will they survive the night?
Meanwhile, Inspector George Flint is investigating the apparent suicide of Rodney Edgecomb, the only suspect in a 25-year-old murder case. But Flint suspects there is more to this case than at first appears and finds evidence that Edgecomb was murdered. Flint’s investigation soon leads him to Devil’s Neck and links his case with Spector’s. But can he get to the house before it’s too late?

Clever, complex and captivating, The House at Devil’s Neck is a riveting Agatha Christie-esque locked room mystery. Well written, skillfully choreographed and intricately interwoven, Tom Mead had me in his thrall as he told the story over the course of one day and night. The book is filled with a large cast of colourful and captivating characters that leapt from the pages. Joseph Spector and George Flint were great protagonists. I loved that they work very differently, learning from one another to become better investigators. I loved that everyone was a suspect and that once again Mead has made it hard to predict the culprit. I got to enjoy the ride and be just as shocked as the characters at the twists and revelations and as Spector finally unmasked the villain.

But what I enjoyed most about this story was the haunted house element, a trope that Mead executes perfectly. It is eerily atmospheric from the start, the rain lashing down outside adds an air of foreboding that felt almost like an omen and a warning of what was to come. Then, when the group arrives at Devil’s Neck, they find a house that looks like a creature hulking in the darkness and has become an isolated island because of the flood. It’s a place ripe for supernatural goings on so it isn’t a surprise when strange things begin to happen. Add in a number of strange deaths and unexplained happenings and  you’ve got a story that will have you on the edge of your seat. 

Chilling tense and twisty, this entertaining read is perfect for anyone who likes their cosy mysteries with a dash of darkness. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tom Mead is an author, translator, and aficionado of Golden Age crime fiction. He is the creator of the Joseph Spector locked room mystery series, which has been translated into ten languages (and counting), and is soon to be adapted for the screen. His debut novel, Death and the Conjuror, was nominated for the Capital Crime Award for Debut Novel of the Year and the Historical Writers’ Association Debut Crown. It was also named one of the best mysteries of the year by The Guardian and Publishers Weekly. Its sequel, The Murder Wheel, was named one of the Best Traditional Mysteries of 2023 by Crimereads and the Daily Telegraph, as well as nominated for a Capital Crime Award and longlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger Award. His third novel, Cabaret Macabre was published in August 2024, along with a collection of short stories, The Indian Rope Trick and Other Violent Entertainments, in November 2024.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

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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:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
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Thanks for reading, Bibliohphiles xxxx

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen

Published March 27th, 2025 by Bantam Press
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Crime Series, Cozy Mystery

I’m finally sharing my review for this fantastic thriller. Thank you to Alison at Bantam for sending me a copy of the book and a great event with the author back in March.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Summer Guests is the exhilarating and gripping new thriller from Sunday Times bestselling author of The Spy Coast.

‘I love this new series . . . The Summer Guests is a cracker of a mystery! I couldn’t put it down.’
SHARI LAPENA

‘What a ride – The Summer Guests hooked me from the first explosive chapter. . . Immersive, compelling, utterly addictive – a masterclass in storytelling.’ ANDREA MARA

THE MARTINI CLUB ISN’T OPEN TO EVERYONE . . .

Maggie Bird’s ‘book group’ is an unusual one – a group of retired spies living an anonymous life in the seaside town of Purity. And this summer they plan little more than ‘reading’ (whilst sipping martinis), and some gentle birdwatching.

But trouble is just around the corner as the summer guests arrive.

For acting Police Chief Jo Thibodeau, summer brings its own problems – packed streets, bar brawls, petty theft. And now, a missing teenager down by the lake.

When their good friend becomes a prime suspect in the girl’s disappearance, Maggie and her Martini Club must put down their binoculars and roll up their sleeves. Leaving Jo to deal with not only a powerful family desperate for answers, but a meddlesome group of retirees.

Can Jo and the Martini Club find a way to work together, as they uncover one of the deadliest scandals their small town has ever seen?

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MY REVIEW:

It’s summertime in Purity and the summer guests have made their way to the seaside town to enjoy the peak season. One such summer guest is fifteen-year-old Zoe, who is visiting for the summer with her prominent family. When Zoe disappears the pressure is on for Police Jo Thibodeau to find Zoe and solve the crime quickly. But she isn’t the only one investigating. The Martini Club – a ‘book club’ of retired spies who live in the town – have been itching for another adventure. So when their good friend is arrested as the prime suspect, they start their own investigations, much to the annoyance of Ms. Thibodeau, who now must juggle the interfering pensioners alongside family pressure and her own investigation. And the stakes get even higher when evidence is found that seems to suggest Zoe’s disappearance could be linked to the most disturbing crime in Purity’s history. Can Jo and the Martini Club work together to find answers?

The Martini Club are back and I couldn’t be happier. I love this group of cocktail drinking former spies and couldn’t wait to follow them as they tried to solve another case. Entertaining, compulsive and suspenseful, Expertly written, cleverly choreographed, twisty and fast-paced, Tess Gerritsen knocked it out of the park once again with this sensational thriller. One of my favourite things about a series is returning to characters I know and love, and it was great to be back with Maggie, the Martini Club and other familiar characters. These characters are so much fun to read. And while The Martini Club may be pensioners, there’s no sign of them slowing down yet, and they jump at the chance for another case to solve. I enjoyed their banter with Jo and watching her trying to figure out a way to control these errant amateur sleuths. But they are a feisty and tenacious bunch, so the odds of stopping them weren’t in her favour. There is a great cast of supporting characters and some of them seem to be hiding dark secrets, including members of Zoe’s family. Her mother, Susan, is a prominent character and there were many heart-rending moments as we felt her heartache at her daughter’s disappearance. Then there is Reuben, the so-called ‘madman across the lake’. Why does he have a grudge against the family? And did he take Zoe in some twisted act of revenge?

Compulsive, suspenseful and totally entertaining, I loved being back with The Martini Club and can’t wait to see what they get up to next. A must-read for all thriller fans.

Rating: 🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Internationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was awarded her M.D.

 While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction and in 1987, her first novel, Call After Midnight, was published. It was just the first of 31 suspense novels that she’s written over a 36-year writing career.  She also wrote a screenplay, “Adrift,” which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.

Tess’s first medical thriller, Harvest, was released in hardcover in 1996, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her novels have hit bestseller lists ever since.  Among her titles are Gravity, The Surgeon, Vanish, The Bone Garden, and The Spy Coast. Her books have been translated into 40 languages, and more than 40 million copies have been sold around the world.

 She has won both the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon). Critics around the world have praised her novels as “Pulse-pounding fun” (Philadelphia Inquirer), “Scary and brilliant” (Toronto Globe and Mail), and “Polished, riveting prose” (Chicago Tribune). Publishers Weekly has dubbed her the “medical suspense queen” and Time Magazine named her novel The Surgeon one of the best mystery/thriller novels ever written.

Her series of novels featuring homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles inspired the hit TNT television series “Rizzoli & Isles,” starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander.  

She is also a filmmaker.  She and her son Josh produced a feature-length documentary, “Magnificent Beast,” about the ancient origins of the pig taboo. It aired on PBS channels around the country. Their previous film, “Island Zero”, was a feature-length horror movie that was released in 2018.

 She lives in Maine.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: Other People’s Houses (DC Morgan, Book 3) by Clare Mackintosh

Published February 27th, 2025 by Sphere
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Police Procedural, Crime Series

Welcome to my review for this tense and twisty thriller. Thank you to Sphere for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The stunning new thriller from the author who brought you the jaw-dropping twist of I Let You Go, the gasp-out-loud ending of Let Me Lie, and the loveable, unpredictable Ffion Morgan in The Last Party and A Game of Lies.

Even on the most desirable street, there’s a dark side . . .

The Hill is the kind of place everyone wants to live: luxurious, exclusive and safe. But now someone is breaking and entering these Cheshire homes one by one, and DS Leo Brady suspects the burglar is looking for something, or someone, in particular.

Over the border in Wales, DC Ffion Morgan recovers the body of an estate agent from the lake. There’s no love lost between Ffion and estate agents, but who hated this one enough to want her dead – and why?

As their cases collide, Ffion and Leo discover people will pay a high price to keep their secrets behind closed doors . . .

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MY REVIEW:

Tense, twisty and totally addictive, Other People’s Houses is another sensational thriller from Clare Mackintosh. The third book in her DC Morgan series sees Ffion Morgan investigating the murder of an estate agent found dead in a kayak. Meanwhile, Ffion’s boyfriend Leo Brady is investigating a spate of burglaries in one of Cheshire’s most desirable postcodes, The Hill. As the evidence points to connections in their cases, secrets are revealed that will show just how far some will go to keep their secrets hidden.

Clare Mackintosh has knocked it out of the park once again. Mackintosh has long been an auto-buy author for me and I’ve been a fan of this series ever since the first book, but I think this installment is my favourite yet. Skillfully written, intricately interwoven, pacy and full of twists, Mackintosh knows how to keep her reader hooked. Her previous employment as a Police Officer is evident in the small details and how expertly she writes the inner workings of a police investigation, pulling you in and making you feel like you’ve stepped inside a real investigation. Ffiion and Leo feel like old friends at this point and I love returning to them. I’m totally invested in their relationship. Her feistiness is so perfectly paired with his laid back personality and I can’t wait to see what’s next for them.

Not everything that glitters is gold, and we see the perfect example of that in this story. The luxury of the opulent homes on The Hill hides secrets, lies and deceptions that lead to the crimes now being investigated. But just how deep do these secrets and lies run? And how much darkness are they hiding? I loved this storyline and the authentic vibe this snobby community and its residents had but was unprepared for what would be revealed as Mackintosh carefully revealed her clues, some hidden in plain sight but misunderstood until later, keeping you guessing until the big reveal. And that ending! I was not prepared for all of those emotions. I’m going to need book four ASAP.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

With more than two million copies of her books sold worldwide, number one bestseller Clare Mackintosh is the multi-award-winning author of I Let You Go, which was a Sunday Times bestseller and the fastest-selling title by a new crime writer in 2015. It also won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year in 2016.

Both Clare’s second and third novels, I See You and Let Me Lie, were number one Sunday Times bestsellers. All three of her books were selected for the Richard & Judy Book Club. Clare’s latest novel, After the End, was published in June 2019 and spent seven weeks in the Sunday Times hardback bestseller chart.

Clare’s thriller, Hostage, was published in June 2021, and her latest thriller, The Last Party, which is the first in a new crime series, is published in August 2022.

Together, Clare’s books have been published in more than forty countries. Clare is patron of the Silver Star Society, a charity based at the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford, which supports parents experiencing high-risk or difficult pregnancies. She lives in North Wales with her husband and their three children.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: Son by Johana Gustawsson and Thomas Enger

Published March 27th, 2025 by Orenda
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Nordic Noir, Hardboiled Mystery, Women Sleuths, Crime Series, Police Procedurals

Welcome to my review for this sensational first installment in an exciting new series. Thank you to Orenda Books for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Psychologist and expert on body language and memory, Kari Voss investigates the murder of two teenaged girls in the small Norwegian town of Son, as suspicion is cast on multiple suspects. A mesmerisingly dark, twisty start to a nerve-shattering new series by two of the world’s finest crime writers…
 
‘Blown away by this cracking thriller and I was already loving it before they hit me with THAT ending. Bravo!’  Trevor Wood 
 
‘I absolutely loved this. A body language expert with grief of her own, a devastated community full of secrets, and a final sentence that leaves you reeling. Can’t wait for the next in the series’ Sam Holland
 
‘This is the perfect thriller’ Michael Wood
 
_______________________
 
Everyone here is lying…
 
Expert on body language and memory, and consultant to the Oslo Police, psychologist Kari Voss sleepwalks through her days, and, by night, continues the devastating search for her young son, who disappeared on his birthday, seven years earlier.
 
Still grieving for her dead husband, and trying to pull together the pieces of her life, she is thrust into a shocking local investigation, when two teenage girls are violently murdered in a family summer home in the nearby village of Son.
 
When a friend of the victims is charged with the barbaric killings, it seems the case is closed, but Kari is not convinced. Using her skills and working on instinct, she conducts her own enquiries, leading her to multiple suspects, including people who knew the dead girls well…
 
With the help of Chief Constable Ramona Norum, she discovers that no one – including the victims – are what they seem. And that there is a dark secret at the heart of Son village that could have implications not just for her own son’s disappearance, but Kari’s own life, too…
 
For fans of Harlan Coben, Lars Kepler, Jo Nesbo and Jorn Lier Horst … and The Mentalist

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MY REVIEW:

The first in an exciting new series, Son is a nerve-shredding thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. It introduces us to Kari Voss, a psychologist and expert in language and memory who is often referred to as a ‘human lie detector’. By day, Kari consults with the Oslo Police on cases, and by night, she searches for her son who disappeared on his 9th birthday seven years ago. When two teenage girls are brutally murdered and one of their friends is charged with the crime, Kari is pulled into the investigation. And while the police believe the case is closed, Kari believes the boy could be innocent. So, she starts her own investigation, leading her down a dangerous path that ultimately sees her past and present collide in unexpected ways. 

Johana Gustawsson and Thomas Enger are the writing duo I didn’t know I needed. A sinister storytelling dream team, together they have crafted a masterfully written thriller that is psychologically rich, unbearably tense, intricately interwoven and densely plotted. The story explores a number of topics: grief, trauma, secrets, lies, truth, suspicion, memory and true crime.  It is meticulously researched and I enjoyed learning more about how our bodies tell the truth even when we don’t, how our memory isn’t as reliable as we’d like to think and the double edged sword that our true crime fascination can be. It’s thought-provoking, action-packed and left me breathless. 

Nothing and no-one is what they seem in this book. Everyone has multiple layers and different sides to them and they choose which parts they show to whom. Gustawsson and Enger use this expertly, creating a layered narrative and characters by carefully showing the reader what they want them to see before slowly unveiling the truth piece by piece. It created heart-pounding tension that had me second guessing myself at every step. Even the book’s title has hidden meaning as it relates to both the disappearance of Kari’s son, and is also the name of the town where the teenagers are murdered.

Kari Voss is a compelling new protagonist who I loved reading. She’s intelligent, determined and strong, but also vulnerable, broken and flawed. My heart broke for her losing her husband, and I can’t imagine the pain of not knowing what happened to your child. I had so much admiration for how she got through each day and appreciated that the authors showed us her flaws too, allowing me to connect with her on a human level. The other characters were equally as well-written and I liked that we could never be completely sure who the bad guy was and there were many suspects for the crime. It kept the tension high while also keeping you guessing right up until the big reveal, which I was NOT ready for. 

Dark, suspenseful, hard-hitting  and totally addictive, this is a sensational start to a series that every thriller lover should have on their shelves. And that ending! I’m going to need book two ASAP.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

French Johana Gustawsson and Norwegian Thomas Enger are the international bestselling authors of the Roy & Castells and Henning Juul crime series respectively, published in more than 50 countries worldwide. SON, which kickstarts their new series set in Norway, is the first collaboration of the two former journalists. It stars social psychologist Dr. Kari Voss, a world-renowned expert in memory and body language, commonly known as ‘The human lie detector’. 

Johana Gustawsson:

Thomas Enger:

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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BLOG TOUR: Then She Vanished (Gina Harte 17) by Carla Kovach

Published March 12th, 2025 by Bookouture
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, Crime Series, Suspense, Noir Fiction

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this dark, gritty and addictive thriller. Thank you to Bookouture for the invitation to take part and for sending me an eBook in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

It’s dark as the young woman leaves work. Crossing the empty car park alone, she thinks about the warmth of her little house. But she doesn’t make it home that night. Or ever again…

Thirty years ago, Ruth Pritchard’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Elissa, went missing. Police were called, neighbours were interviewed, and even Ruth’s own husband was investigated, but the case went unsolved. Elissa disappeared forever.

Now, Ruth watches the local news and hears about another girl gone from the same streets where her beloved daughter was last seen, and her heart races. A distinctive red scarf was found at a crime scene, and she recognises it instantly. It belonged to Elissa.

After Ruth alerts the police, they rush to speak to her, but nobody answers the door. Her small home stands eerily quiet. Just like her daughter before her, Ruth has vanished into thin air.

Friends say that Ruth suspected someone close to home took Elissa. Others say she never trusted her husband again after he was questioned by police. Did she finally discover the truth behind her daughter’s disappearance? And will her friends and family ever see her again?

From bestselling author Carla Kovach, this absolutely unputdownable crime thriller is perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Cara Hunter and Clare Mackintosh.

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MY REVIEW:

Gina Harte and her team are back. And this time they are investigating a suicide that has links to a kidnapping thirty years ago. It opens with a chilling prologue and then the discovery of a man’s body in his car. The man has clearly taken his own life, but he has left an ominous note talking about a girl he’s tried to keep safe. With no real clues or idea who this girl is, the race is on for the team to identify their John Doe and the girl in the note and then find her before it’s too late. Alongside the case, Gina is going through a lot in her personal life as someone is threatening to expose the secret she’s kept hidden for decades. A secret that will end her career. Can she find the girl, solve the case and stop her secret from being revealed?

Tense, twisty and totally addictive, this heart-stopping thriller had me holding my breath as I read. It might be seventeen books in, but the Gina Harte Series keeps getting better with each installment. Carla Kovach is a thriller queen who delivers stories time and again that are well-written, cleverly plotted, dark, gritty, and nail-bitingly tense. The crimes explored in this series are always hard-hitting and can be difficult to read, but Kovach never makes them feel gratuitously violent and instead amplifies the voices of victims of crime, writing these stories in a way that is raw, honest, but also sensitive to what they have been through. 

Ms. Kovach fills her stories with characters that are flawed, relatable and morally complex, exploring how good people can do bad things and making you question what you might do in their shoes. Gina is a fantastic protagonist who is easy to root for, even if I don’t always agree with her. After reading this series for so long, Gina and team feel like old friends and I’m invested not only in the crimes they are solving, but their personal lives too, so I was on tenterhooks as someone threatened to destroy Gina’s life by exposing her secret. Can she keep flying so close to the sun without being burned? 

A riveting thriller that kept me guessing, this is another must-read thriller from Ms. Kovach.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT 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:

Amazon*
*This is an affiliate links

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

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Blog Tours Book Features Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Into Thin Air by Ørjan Karlsson

Published January 16th, 2025 by Orenda
Nordic Noir, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Hard-boiled, Mystery, Police Procedural, Crime Series

Today is my stop on the blog tour for the first in what promises to be a brilliant new series. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part in this tour, and to Orenda for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Chief Investigator of Nordland Police, Jakob Weber is drawn into a complex case when a teenaged girl goes missing in Northern Norway, and a second woman disappears from a remote island in similar circumstances … FIRST in a compelling, dark new Nordic Noir series.
 
‘This is first-class Nordic Noir from the real North, where danger lurks around every corner’ Gunnar Staalesen
 
‘Jakob Weber is a great protagonist, and the sense of place is phenomenal. The perfect start to a series destined for greatness’ Thomas Enger
 
_______
 
In Norway’s frozen north, it’s not just secrets that are buried…
 
When nineteen-year-old Iselin Hanssen disappears during a run in a popular hiking area in Bodø, Northern Norway, suspicion quickly falls on her boyfriend. For investigator Jakob Weber, the case seems clear-cut, almost unexceptional, even though there is some suggestion that Iselin lived parts of her life beneath the radar of both family and friends.
 
But events take a dramatic turn when another woman disappears in similar circumstances – this time on the island of Røst, miles off the Norwegian coast, in the wild ocean.
 
Rumours that a killer is on the loose begin to spread, terrifying the local population and leading to wild conspiracies. But then Jakob discovers that this isn’t the first time that young women have vanished without a trace in the region, and it becomes clear that someone is hiding something … and another murderous spree may have just begun…
 
For fans of Joe Pickett, Ragnar Jonasson and Jorn Lier Horst

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MY REVIEW:

There’s a new sinister storyteller on the block. Ørjan Karlsson is one to watch for anyone who enjoys their thrillers as dark as the starless sky. 

I always think there’s something so exciting about starting the first book in a new series as you aren’t only anticipating the book in your hands but all future books in this series, where the characters are like old friends you return to time and again. When the book is a Nordic Noir published by Orenda then your anticipation is even higher. But, as I expected, Into Thin Air did not disappoint. 

Chief Investigator of Norland Police, Jakob Weber, is drawn into what appears to be a clear-cut case when teenager Iselin Hanssen disappears during a run. Suspicion quickly falls on her boyfriend and it looks like this case will be tied up quickly. But things take a dramatic turn after another woman disappears in similar circumstances and rumours begin to spread about a serial killer being on the loose. Then, as Jakob investigates the increasingly complex case, he discovers that this isn’t the first time young women have vanished in the area. Could his cases be connected to these cold cases? And is he hunting for a serial killer who has been hiding in their midst for decades?

Chilling, addictive and suspenseful, this wild and crazy rollercoaster ride was a brilliant start to a new series. Exploring dark deeds, depravity and the murkiest depths of humanity, it had me hooked from its sinister prologue to its unforgettable finale. Skillfully written and cleverly choreographed, Karlsson kept me on my toes with an array of red herrings, twists and turns, and there are so many threads in this story that you could weave a jumper. A strong sense of place transported me to the icy and rugged Norwegian landscape, and provided a treacherous backdrop where danger lurks waiting to pounce. 

The story is told from multiple points of view as Karlsson introduces us to the varied cast of fascinating characters. While it never felt confusing, it did take me a while to get to grips with who each person was as Karlsson established the people we will meet time and again in this series. Our main protagonist, Jakob Weber, is a great central character, while his new partner, Noora Yun Sande, is a mysterious addition with a dark backstory that provides a lot of uncertainty and tension. Karlsson also includes the mysterious killer’s perspective; the odious, cruel and twisted character allowing the author to explore the depravity that can lurk inside humanity. 

A taut, tense and propulsive thriller, this was a fantastic start to a new series and I can’t wait for book two!

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ørjan N. Karlsson (b. 1970) grew up in Bodø. A sociologist by trade, he received officer training in the army and has taken part in overseas missions. He has worked in the Defence Ministry and is now a departmental manager in the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection. He has written a large number of thrillers, sci-fi novels and crime novels for adults. 

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024

BOOK REVIEW: How To Solve Your Own Murder (The Castle Knoll Files, 1) by Kristen Perrin

Published March 26th, 2024 by Quercus
Mystery, Thriller, Cozy Mystery, Crime Fiction, Crime Series, Women Sleuths

Welcome to my review of this captivating cosy whodunnit. Thank you to Quercus for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

FRANCES ALWAYS SAID SHE’D BE MURDERED.
SHE WAS RIGHT.

In 1965, Frances Adams was told by a fortune teller that one day she’d be murdered. Frances spent the next sixty years trying to prevent the crime that would be her eventual demise. Of course, no one took her seriously – until she was dead.

For Frances, being the village busybody was a form of insurance. She’d spent a lifetime compiling dirt on every person she met, just in case they might turn out to be her killer. In the heart of her sprawling country estate lies an eccentric library of detective work, where the right person could step in and use her findings to solve her murder.

When her great-niece Annie arrives from London and discovers that Frances’ worst fear has come true, Annie is thrust into her great-aunt’s last act of revenge against her sceptical friends and family. Frances’ will stipulates that the person who solves her murder will inherit her millions.

Can Annie unravel the mystery and find justice for Frances, or will digging up the past lead her into the path of the killer?

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MY REVIEW:

Frances always said she’d be murdered.

She was right.

In 1965, Frances Adams is told by a fortune teller that one day she will be murdered. She spends the next sixty years trying to prevent it. No one took her seriously and she spent her life ridiculed by everyone else living in the small village of Castle Knoll. 

Now, Frances is dead. Murdered. And her great-niece, Annie, finds herself pulled into her Aunts’ final act of revenge against the people who refused to believe her; a hunt for her killer that sees the person who solves the crime inherit Frances’ millions. Can she solve the crime? Or will the killer silence her first?

Fun, heartwarming, suspenseful and original, How To Solve Your Own Murder is a superb debut that radiates Christie vibes. I’m a big fan of the amateur sleuth, so a book with two of them sounded right up my street. Skillfully written, sharply observed, cleverly plotted, full of surprising twists, and inhabited by fascinating characters, Kristen Perrin’s first installment in the Castle Knoll series was impossible to put down. The story is told in dual timelines, the flashbacks being revealed through Frances’ diaries, and moves seamlessly between past and present to intricately weave this tangled web of secrets, lies, paranoia and murder. 

Set in the fictional village of Castle Knoll, which is inspired by the real village of Corfe, Dorset, which is one of my favourite places, the village and its fascinating characters are brought to life by Perrin’s evocative imagery and descriptions. Castle Knoll has that charming but claustrophobic vibe that is unique to small towns where everyone knows everyone. France’s place as the village’s crazy lady was set when she received the chilling fortune in her teens. Her obsession with solving and preventing the crime, and her habit of seeing clues everywhere, only solidified her strangeness in the minds of the other residents. 

Cosy, clever, witty and totally addictive, How To Solve Your Own Murder is an inventive whodunnit you don’t want to miss. I can’t wait to return to these characters in book two. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kristen Perrin is originally from Seattle, Washington, where she spent several years working as a bookseller before immigrating to the UK to do a Masters and PhD.

She loves working on projects that have a mystery at their heart, and splits her time writing cosy crime for adults and working on middle grade books that mix magic and adventure. Her children’s series, Attie and the Worldbreakers, is currently available in Dutch, German, and Polish.

She lives with her family in Surrey, where she can be found stomping in the mud with her two kids, collecting too many plants, and painting and sketching in her spare time.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan

Published September 5th, 2024 by Constable
Mystery, Crime Series, Thriller, Political Fiction

Welcome to my bookish thoughts on this cosy mystery. Thank you to Constable for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

How to put a positive spin on a murder mystery…

Meet our narrator: witty, nosy, a professional weaver of lies – aka ghostwriter for the rich
and famous – and now, lander of The Dream Assignment (that is, a politician’s tell-all
memoir).

Enter Dorothy Gibson: recently toppled Presidential C andidate, aka that woman, the most
talked-about person in the country right now… for all the wrong reasons.

Add — an invitation to the middle of nowhere, one well-heeled neighbour dying under
Suspicious C ircumstances, a secret investigation — and an unreasonably beautiful man.

The result — a story even our ghostwriter wasn’t expecting. And for once, it’s all hers…

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MY REVIEW:

An anonymous ghostwriter travels to Maine to ghostwrite the autobiography of Dorothy Gibson, the former senator that everyone is talking about following her recent loss in the Presidential race against a Donald Trump-esque opponent. Not long into the assignment, one of Dorothy’s neighbours is found dead in the bath. And while it is at first assumed to be suicide, evidence later points to murder prompting Dorothy and the ghostwriter to team up to try and solve the crime. 

Funny, bold, twisty and compelling, The Busy Body is an entertaining cosy mystery with retro vibes. Set in a large country house in winter, the book has a warm and festive atmosphere that I enjoyed. The anonymous ghostwriter narrates the story, recounting the events surrounding the murder and investigation and often breaking the fourth wall to talk directly to the reader. But the book’s greatest strength in my opinion is its characters.  There’s the sarcastic and gossipy ghostwriter, the smart and sassy former senator, a grumpy policeman, a hard-to-resist gorgeous bodyguard and an array of compelling background characters. There’s an abundance of motives and suspects, making it hard to predict where the story will go next and just who killed Dorothy’s neighbour. I was hooked and kept guessing right up until the big reveal. It feels like Kemper Donovan has set this book up to be the start of a new series and I hope it is as I can see a lot of potential for the ghostwriter to become embroiled in a lot of intriguing situations thanks to her job. 

A fun old-timey mystery perfect for anyone who likes detective stories, I highly recommend this book. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From Kemper’s website:
I’ve lived in Los Angeles for most of my adult life. Starting out, I worked at a wonderful company called Circle of Confusion (no, really) representing film/television screenwriters and comic books. My very first client wrote the screenplay for the feature film Hanna, released by Focus Features in 2011. (If you haven’t seen it, watch it; you won’t be sorry.) Before that I went to college at Stanford University (with apologies to the Bay Area, I am definitely more of a SoCal person), and law school at Harvard. Technically, I am a retired lawyer, which means I passed the New York Bar and then immediately switched my status to “retired” to avoid fees and continuing education requirements….

I began writing my first novel, The Decent Proposal, when I was still a manager. After an extremely long gestational period and an even longer process acquiring representation and then selling the book for publication, I turned to writing full-time. Around the same time, I also began a side project with my dear friend, Catherine Brobeck. Together we created the podcast All About Agatha, devoted to the one and only Agatha Christie. Tragically, Catherine passed away at the end of 2021, and I have continued on with the podcast solo. It was my work on All About Agatha that inspired me to write my own mystery series, which is currently being published by Kensington Books. 

I am married, and my husband and I have two daughters who keep us extremely busy. When I’m not with them, or chattering into a microphone, or staring at a laptop with my head in my hands, I enjoy doing things that have a more obvious/tangible/short-term payoff such as running and attempting to play the violin (emphasis on the attempt).

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Watesrtones* | Amazon*
*These are affiiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Yule Island by Johana Gustawsson

Published November 21st, 2024 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Noir Fiction, Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Suspense, Fairy Tale, Historical Mystery

Today is my stop on the blog tour to celebrate the paperback publication of this mesmerising gothic fiction. Thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orenda for the proof copy of the book.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

An art expert joins a detective to investigate a horrific murder on a Swedish island, leading them to a mystery rooted in Viking rites and Scandinavia’s deepest, darkest winter. The Queen of French Noir returns with a chilling, utterly captivating gothic thriller, based on a true story. FIRST in the The Lidingö Mysteries series.
 
‘Scarier than anything … a dark, dark slice of atmospheric Scandi Noir’ Heat
Heat magazine *Book of the Month*
 
‘The pace steadily accelerates as Gustawsson orchestrates her plot with breathless ingenuity. A successful page-turner from a rising star’ Financial Times

‘Gustawsson’s writing is so vivid, it’s electrifying’ Peter James
  
** Winner of the Livre de Poche Readers Crime of the Year and Cultura Ligue de l’Imaginaire Award**

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Don’t
 
Art expert Emma Lindahl is anxious when she’s asked to appraise the antiques and artefacts in the infamous manor house of one of Sweden’s wealthiest families, on the island of Storholmen, where a young woman was murdered nine years earlier, her killer never found. 
 
Emma must work alone, and with the Gussman family apparently avoiding her, she sees virtually no one in the house. Do they have something to hide?
 
Trust
 
As she goes about her painstaking work and one shocking discovery yields clues that lead to another, Emma becomes determined to uncover the secrets of the house and its occupants.
 
When the lifeless body of another young woman is found in the icy waters surrounding the island, Detective Karl Rosén arrives to investigate, and memories of his failure to solve the first case come rushing back. Could this young woman’s tragic death somehow hold the key?
 
Anyone
 
Battling her own demons, Emma joins forces with Karl to embark upon a chilling investigation, plunging them into horrifying secrets from the past – Viking rites and tainted love – and Scandinavia’s deepest, darkest winter…

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MY REVIEW:

OMG. My mind is completely blown and I’m still trying to pick my jaw up from the floor after reading this mesmerising gothic thriller. Darkly atmospheric, unsettling and original, this is one of the best books I’ve read this year.

Art expert Emma Lindahl has come to the manor house on the island of Storholmen to appraise the artwork belonging to the Gussman family. But that isn’t all this house is famous for. It is also the place where the infamous hanging girl was found nine years ago. A brutal murder that remains unsolved. And when the body of another young woman is found in the icy waters that surround the island, it looks like Detective Karl Rosen might have found a connection between the crimes. What follows is a breathtaking story of murder, dark secrets and Norse mythology that you won’t be able to put down.

You know when you pick up one of Johana Gustawsson’s books that you should expect the unexpected; a heart-stopping thrill-ride that you can’t put down. Yule Island is all that and more. From the moment I read the author’s note at the start I was in Gustawsson’s thrall, feeling like I’d actually stepped inside the book as I read in breathless anticipation. Expertly written and cleverly plotted, this is a masterclass in storytelling. I was blindsided as she pulled the rug from under me again and again, not giving me time to catch my breath before delivering yet another shocking revelation. As tension builds, Gustawsson intricately interweaves meticulously researched Norse mythology and Swedish history to keep you on the edge of your seat. ‘The Queen of French Noir’ is living up to her title and it’s easy to see why this book has already received so much acclaim.

Gothic fiction is one of my favourite genres and Gustawsson absolutely nailed the dark, gothic vibes of this story from the start: the cold weather, an isolated island shrouded in silence, an old, echoing manor house filled with mysterious residents and the trappings of faded opulence, the screams that can be heard randomly, and the haunting history of the hanging tree. Knowing that Storholmen is a real island and this is all based on a true story adds to the unease that permeates every page. This is one of those books that will have you looking for the monsters that lurk in the shadows and I loved every second.

Told from multiple points of view, the characters are fascinating, relatable and richly drawn. The two protagonists, Emma and Karl, are very different in terms of age, circumstance and perspective. I enjoyed their distinct voices and seeing the investigation from both a professional and lay perspective. But they have similarities too: both are intelligent, determined and have a sober air that surrounds them. I enjoyed how Gustawsson slowly teased their backstories, allowing us to feel invested in their lives and root for them before making us question everything as we wonder if they are unreliable after all. There was a third narrator, Viktoria, who was a housekeeper at the manor. Her chapters gave us a glimpse of life behind the closed doors of the manor and added to the mystery that surrounds it. The background characters are just as well written and I loved the sense of community that existed on the island and how they welcomed Emma into their midst when a lot of small communities will make outsiders feel like just that. But it did make me wonder about the killer as it surely had to be one of the three hundred residents on Storholmen. Could one of them really commit vicious crimes like these while looking their neighbours in the eye? Or was there another explanation?

Claustrophobic, eerie, sinister and unnerving, Yule Island is an absolute must-read. An outstanding Gothic thriller that is perfect for this time of year, I have no hesitation in highly recommending it.

Rating: ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born in Marseille, France, and with a degree in Political Science, Johana Gustawsson has worked as a journalist for the French and Spanish press and television. Her critically acclaimed Roy & Castells series (Block 46, Keeper and Blood Song) has won the Plume d’Argent, Balai de la découverte, Balai d’Or and Prix Marseillais du Polar awards, and is now published in twenty-three countries. The third in the series, Blood Song, was longlisted for the CWA International Dagger. A TV adaptation is currently underway in a French, Swedish and UK co-production. Johana lives in London with her Swedish husband, and three young sons, and is currently working on the book four in the Roy & Castells series. 

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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