Tag: Five stars

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

BLOGATHON: Conviction by Jack Jordan

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

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

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

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

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

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

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MY REVIEW:

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

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

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Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024

BOOK REVIEW: The Burial Plot by Elizabeth Macneal

Published June 6th, 2024 by Picador
Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Historical Romance

Welcome to my review of this outstanding gothic thriller. Thanks to Picador for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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BOOK DESCRIPTION:

The Burial Plot is a spellbinding historical Gothic thriller about murder and manipulation, set in Victorian London. From Elizabeth Macneal, the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Doll Factory.

London, 1839. With the cemeteries full and money to be made in death, tricksters Crawford and Bonnie survive on wicked schemes and ill-gotten coin. But one blistering evening, their fortunes flip. A man lies in a pool of blood at Bonnie’s feet and now she needs to disappear.

Crawford secures her a position as lady’s maid in a grand house on the Thames. As Bonnie comes to understand the family – the eccentric Mr Moncrieff, obsessively drawing mausoleums for his dead wife, and their peculiar daughter Cissie, scribbling imaginary love letters to herself – she begins to question what secrets are lying behind the house’s paper-thin walls and whether her own presence here was planned from the beginning.

Because Crawford is watching, and perhaps he is plotting his greatest trick yet . . .

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MY REVIEW:

As the nights darken I find myself drawn to darker books, particularly those with a gothic or supernatural element, so it felt like the perfect time to start this book. And it was. Darkly atmospheric, hypnotic and alluring, The Burial Plot is a gorgeous gothic thriller perfect for this time of year. It consumed me and I devoured it whole, enrapt by the story of murder, manipulation, secrets and betrayal. This is Elizabeth Macneal’s best book yet; a haunting tour-de-force that you won’t be able to put down.

It transports us to London, 1839, where we meet Bonnie, a young woman surviving on schemes and tricks she carries out under the guidance of her boyfriend, Crawford. But one night their tricks go too far and a man lies dead in a pool of blood. Bonnie needs to disappear. And, luckily, Crawford knows the perfect place. So, Bonnie travels to Endellion, a grand house on the Thames, to begin working as a Lady’s Maid. Endellion is inhabited by Aubrey Moncrieff, a strange man who spends his days obsessively drawing mausoleums for his dead wife, and his daughter, Cissie, who lives in a daydream scribbling imaginary love notes to herself. The late Mrs. Moncrieff died in mysterious circumstances, and it is soon clear that there are secrets hidden at Endellion. Secrets that some will kill to protect.…

It’s no secret that I’ve been a huge fan of Elizabeth Macneal ever since her debut and will buy anything she writes. Masterfully written, cleverly choreographed and intricately woven, I was bewitched from the start. Macneal’s meticulous research about the fascinating historical period and subject is expertly woven into the mystery, allowing her reader to lose themselves completely in the story. Dark, ominous, oppressive and foreboding vibes radiate from the pages and there’s a twisted game of cat and mouse being played between Bonnie and Crawford. Then there’s the overwhelming sense of claustrophobia that we feel as Bonnie wrestles with her conscience. She’s trapped. Imprisoned by not only her crime but by Crawford and the lies she’s already told. 

The book is filled with very real, vivid characters. The protagonist, Bonnie, is a complicated and flawed heroine, an anti-hero who wades in murky moral territory with all of her lies, schemes and plots. But despite this she’s very compelling, likeable and easy to root for. You want her to win despite all she does wrong and you get the sense that many of her erroneous deeds stem from her toxic and controlling relationship with Crawford. I really hated Crawford. He’s a mass of red flags from the beginning but has a charm to him that allows you to understand Bonnie’s attraction to him. And as we hear about Bonnie’s past, we understand she thinks he saved her when she needed it, never realising he was trapping her in a cycle of abuse from the start. The background characters are equally as richly drawn and compelling, with young Cissie stealing my heart. My heart broke for this young girl and all she’d gone through and I loved the bond that grew between her and Bonnie. 

Taut, twisty, unnerving and utterly breathtaking, The Burial Plot is a gothic masterpiece that demands to be read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. You can get 60 days listening free with this link*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Elizabeth Macneal was born in Scotland and now lives in East London. She is a writer and potter and works from a small studio at the bottom of her garden. The Doll Factory, Elizabeth’s debut novel, was a Sunday Times bestseller, has been translated into twenty-nine languages and has been optioned for a major television series. It won the Caledonia Novel Award in 2018, and was a No. 2 Sunday Times bestseller. In 2019, Elizabeth was chosen as one of The Observers ‘hottest-tipped debut novelists’. Her second novel, Circus of Wonders, was an immediate Sunday Times bestseller, hitting No. 4 after only a partial week of sales.

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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 Most Anticipated 2024 Squadpod Squadpod Book Club Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: Circus of Mirrors by Julie Owen Moylan

Published September 12th, 2024 by Michael Joseph
Historical Fiction, Domestic Fiction

Welcome to my bookish thoughts on Circus of Mirrors, which was the SquadPod Book Club pick this month. Thank you to Michael Joseph for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A Cabaret dancer falls in love as political tensions rise and the city becomes increasingly dangerous not only for herself, but also for her lover . . .


Perfect for fans of Cabaret and The Whalebone Theatre

‘Julie Owen Moylan writes about mid-20th century women like no-one else’ Laura Price

‘Sexy, electrically stylish, and beautiful – a gorgeous story about sisterhood, and a glamorous, evocative passport to a period we all long to get lost in’ Daisy Buchanan

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BERLIN, 1926: After the death of their parents, sisters Leni and Annette only have each other.
Desperate, but dreaming of better days, Leni finds work at a notorious cabaret: the Babylon Circus.

From the dancer’s barely-there costumes, to the glimmering mirrors that cover the walls, the Babylon Circus is where reality and fantasy merge. For Leni, it’s an overwhelming new world, and she’s happiest hiding in the shadows.

Until she meets the cabaret’s resident pianist, Paul. And so begins a tentative love affair that will play out over the next forty years.

But, in a city whose divisions will define a century, can a love born within the feverish walls of the Babylon Circus ever survive?

And can the bond between Leni and Annette – tugged in opposite directions of their own – also endure?

In Berlin, two sisters dared to dream of a better life – but where in this dark and dazzling city will they find their true home?

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MY REVIEW:

Sexy, stylish, dazzling and evocative, Circus of Mirrors is Julie Owen Moylan’s best book yet. Set in Berlin, the story begins in 1926 when nineteen-year-old Leni and her younger sister, Annette, are living on the street following the death of their parents. Desperate for a way to put a roof over their head, Leni finds a job at the Babylon Circus, a strange and intense place where fantasy blends with reality. And it is there that Leni meets Paul, the resident pianist, and begins an all-consuming romance. But, the course of true love doesn’t run smooth for these lovebirds, and we follow Leni and Annette as they – and their city – experience some of their most tumultuous years in a story of survival, strength, self-discovery, love, dreams and regret. 

I’ve been a fan of Julie’s book ever since her brilliant debut and her books are always a big event on the SquadPod’s calendar. So I was very excited when we were offered the chance to read Circus of Mirrors. Expertly written, intricately woven and perfectly paced, this book is flawlessly crafted and her meticulous research is evident on every page. Babylon Circus and the city of Berlin feel like characters in their own right and are brought to life in vivid technicolour. A city of conflict that is inextricably linked to much of twentieth century history, Berlin is made alive once again on these pages, making me feel like I’d stepped back in time. But that history is a mere backdrop as the lives of the characters take centre stage, Julie breathing life into them so evocatively that it felt like they were in the room with me. I was in her thrall as she wove her magnificent tale around me and I lost myself in it completely. 

One of my favourite things about Julie’s books is how she writes women who are flawed, complex, conflicted and nuanced. These women are recognisable and reliable, reflecting parts of ourselves back at us as we read. She makes us understand them and their actions, even when they aren’t likeable, and Annette was a great example of this. Rebellious, selfish and aggrieved at the things she’s lost or doesn’t have, Annette is someone it would be a nightmare to know in real life, but we can understand her feelings and behaviour because of the things she’s gone through. And in an exploration of how people can experience the same thing with different outcomes, Leni is the polar opposite of her sister. While Annette rebels, Leni is dutiful and responsible, giving up her own freedom to raise her young sister when their parents died and continuing a life of servitude over pursuing her own desires. It is these differences that slowly build a wall of resentment and misunderstanding between them that neither one can breach, though at times they do try. It was heartbreaking to read but wonderfully written. 

And I can’t review this book without talking about the romance between Leni and Paul. Their love story has to be one of my favourites I’ve ever read, primarily because it was so refreshing to see the good guy get the girl. I loved seeing him as the romantic lead instead of the more typical problematic male. Yes, Leni and Paul had their ups and downs, but the obstacles in their relationship come from outside forces and I was rooting for them at every step.

Enthralling, moving and simply unforgettable, this is a must for all your TBRs. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Julie Owen Moylan is the author of three novels: That Green Eyed Girl, 73 Dove Street and Circus of Mirrors.

Her debut novel That Green Eyed Girl was a Waterstones’ Welsh Book of the Month and the official runner up for the prestigious Paul Torday Memorial Prize. It was also shortlisted for Best Debut at the Fingerprint Awards and featured at the Hay Festival as one of its TEN AT TEN.

73 Dove Street was recently named as one of Waterstones’ Books of 2023 and a Daily Mail Historical Fiction Book of the Year.

As a filmmaker Julie won the Celtic Media Award for her graduation film “BabyCakes” before going on to win Best Short Film at the Swansea Film Festival.

Her writing and short stories have appeared in a variety of publications including Sunday Express, The Independent, New Welsh Review and Good Housekeeping.

She has a Masters in Filmmaking and an additional qualification in Creative Writing & English Literature. Julie is an alumna of the Faber Academy.

Circus of Mirrors will be published in Sept 2024

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Somewhere Beyond the Sea (Cerulean Chronicles 2) by TJ Klune

Published September 12th, 2024 by Tor UK
Fantasy Fiction, Romance Novel, Contemporary Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Gay Fiction, Fantasy Series

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this gorgeous and uplitfting cosy fantasy. Thank you to Stephen at Black Crow PR 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:

A magical house. A secret past. A summons that could change everything.

This is the hugely-anticipated sequel to TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea, a cosy-fantasy triumph and a New York Times bestseller.

Arthur Parnassus has built a good life on the ashes of a bad one. He’s headmaster at an orphanage for magical children, on a peculiar island, assisted by love-of-his-life Linus Baker. And together, they’ll do anything to protect their extraordinary and powerful charges.

However, when Arthur is forced to make a public statement about his dark past, he finds himself fighting for those under his care. It’s also a fight for the better future that all magical people deserve. Then when a new magical child joins their island home, Arthur knows they’ve reached breaking point. The child finds power in calling himself a monster, a name Arthur has tried so hard to banish to protect his children. Challenged from within and without, their volatile family might grow stronger. Or everything Arthur loves could fall apart.

Somewhere Beyond the Sea is a story of resistance, lovingly told, about the daunting experience of fighting for the life you want to live and doing the work to keep it.

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MY REVIEW:

“There is magic in the ordinary. Magic that has the power to change the world “

We’re back on  Marsyas Island with Linus, Arthur and their motley crew of magical children for the second book in the Cerulean Chronicles. This time the story is told from Arthur’s point of view, opening with a glimpse at the dark past he has risen from before picking up where the first book left off as him and Linus are settling into life as a family with their children, even adding to their brood when David, a young Yeti, moves into their home. But when Arthur is forced to make a public statement about his past, he and Linus find themselves fighting to protect the family they’ve created.

Heartwarming, uplifting, powerful and inspiring, once again TJ Klune has created a balm for the soul with this extraordinary tale. It was such a joy to be back in this captivating magical world with these wonderful characters. The real world around me disappeared as I lost myself in the one Klune has created, brought to life by his colourful, evocative storytelling. A story about love, inclusion, tolerance, self-worth and found family, Klune explores the topic of prejudice even further this time around and adds in the monsters that live inside all of us, asking whether it is ever okay to  proudly claim that side of us  or if it should be hidden. It’s powerful and thought-provoking, but wrapped up in a cosy and whimsical package that stops it from ever feeling heavy. 

But it is the richly drawn and compelling characters that shine brightest for me. These characters may be magical beings and considered dangerous, particularly anti-christ, Lucy, but they are relatable and feel deeply  human. I love how Klune has used magical creatures as a metaphor for the LGBTQ community or anyone else who is different from the ‘norm’. Like Arthur and Linus, I feel protective of them and my heart was pounding as their future came under threat from the Department in Charge of Magical Youth – aka DICOMY. I was raging at the things their representatives said and the things they tried to do, but was cheering as Arthur, Linus, the children, and others on the island all stood against them. 

This series has become one of my favourites, so I am really hoping this isn’t the last we hear from these characters. And don’t miss reading the author’s note at the end. If the book doesn’t break you, then that will 😭😭 

Soulful, spellbinding and full of heart, Somewhere Beyond the Sea is uplit at its finest. A must-read for anyone who wants their day made brighter, add this, and the previous book, to your TBR now. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

TJ KLUNE is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling, Lambda Literary Award-winning author of The House in the Cerulean Sea, The Extraordinaries, and more. Being queer himself, Klune believes it’s important—now more than ever—to have accurate, positive queer representation in stories.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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.

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: The Torments (The Annie Jackson Mysteries, Volume 2) by Michael J. Malone

Published September 12th, 2024 by Orenda
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Gothic Fiction, Horror Fiction, Contemporary Horror, Hardboiled, Book Series

Happy publication day to this chilling gothic thriller and welcome to my stop on the blog tour. Thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and Orenda for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘A tense, creepy page-turner’ Ian Rankin, New Statesman
 
`Malone is the master of twists, turns and the unexpected´ Herald Scotland
 
_______
 
Annie surged forward, but she was too slow, too late.
A hand came over and down, and she felt a sharp pain at the back of her neck.
Then all became smoke, and silence.
 
Hiding from the world in her little white cottage on the shores of a loch, Annie Jackson is fighting to come to terms with the world of the murmurs, a curse that has haunted female members of her family for centuries.
 
While she is within the ancient, heavy stone of the old dwelling, the voices merely buzz, but the moment she steps outside the door they clamour to torment her all over again, bringing with them shocking visions of imminent deaths.
 
Into this oasis comes her adoptive mother, Mandy McEvoy, begging for Annie’s help. Mandy’s nephew Damien has gone missing, after dropping off his four-year old son at his mother’s home.
 
Unable to refuse, but terrified to leave her sanctuary, Annie, with the help of her brother Lewis, is drawn in to a secretive, seductive world that will have her question everything she holds dear, while Lewis’ life may be changed forever…
 
The second book in the critically acclaimed Annie Jackson Mysteries series, The Torments is both a contemporary gothic thriller and a spellbinding mystery that deeps deep into a past that should, perhaps, remain undisturbed…
 

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MY REVIEW:

He’s done it again. The second book in Michael J. Malone’s Annie Jackson mysteries is another eerie, haunting and compulsive journey into the unknown. This time Annie and her twin brother, Lewis, are drawn into investigating the disappearance of a family friend, leading them to a darker mystery and long-held secrets that are better left undisturbed….

This is a stay up all night and feel knackered the next day, but it’s totally worth it kind of a book. Malone is a masterful gothic storyteller and this one is deliciously dark, merging folklore and mystery with an unsettling but hypnotic atmosphere that kept me glued to the pages. Exquisitely written, intricately woven and cleverly choreographed, Malone toys with the reader, taking us down a road of misdirection and shocking twists. Other than a theme of the characters being tormented by forces that feel beyond their control, I had no idea how the two timelines or characters were connected or what would happen next and I devoured the book in one sitting, forcing myself to stay awake long into the early hours in my desperate need for answers.

The story is told in dual timelines: then and now. Both narratives are dripping with menace, foreboding, disquiet, mystery and intrigue, chilling me to the bone while keeping me on the edge of my seat. Annie narrates the present and follows as she and Lewis begin their hunt for their missing family friend. Annie is still trying to adjust to life with the murmurs, which remain unpredictable. All she can predict is for some reason they leave her alone when she’s home at her cottage, leading her to isolate herself a lot. I loved Annie’s relationship with her twin brother, Lewis, and think they make a great investigative duo. Meanwhile, the past timeline is narrated by Ben and Sylvia, two lost souls tormented by darkness and found by the wrong kind of people. They are children when their story begins, and I felt sorry for them at the start, but they made my skin crawl when they were adults. Malone has witten them cleverly, surprising me many times with their character arc, particularly  when all was finally revealed. 

Nerve-shredding, dark, twisting and unputdownable, this is a must for your spooky-season TBR. So, if like me you enjoy your thrillers with a slice of gothic, then this book and series is for you.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought upin the heart of Burns’ He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers. Other published work includes: Carnegie’s Call; A Taste for Malice; The Guillotine Choice; Beyond the Rage; The Bad Samaritan; and Dog Fight. His psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and the critically acclaimed House of Spines and After He Died soon followed suit. Since then, he’s written two further thought-provoking, exquisitely written psychological thrillers In the Absence of Miracles and A Song of Isolation, cementing his position as a key proponent of Tartan Noir and an undeniable talent. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller. Michael lives in Ayr.

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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 chcek out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the tour.

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

BLOG BLAST: The First Day of Spring by Nancy Tucker

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

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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MY REVIEW:

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

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

“I killed a little boy today.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

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

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book reviews

HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK CLUB: Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

Published August 30th, 2001 by Viking
Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Historical Romance

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of ‘March’ and ‘People of the Book’.

A young woman’s struggle to save her family and her soul during the extraordinary year of 1666, when plague suddenly struck a small Derbyshire village.

In 1666, plague swept through London, driving the King and his court to Oxford, and Samuel Pepys to Greenwich, in an attempt to escape contagion. The north of England remained untouched until, in a small community of leadminers and hill farmers, a bolt of cloth arrived from the capital. The tailor who cut the cloth had no way of knowing that the damp fabric carried with it bubonic infection.

So begins the Year of Wonders, in which a Pennine village of 350 souls confronts a scourge beyond remedy or understanding. Desperate, the villagers turn to sorcery, herb lore, and murderous witch-hunting. Then, led by a young and charismatic preacher, they elect to isolate themselves in a fatal quarantine. The story is told through the eyes of Anna Frith who, at only 18, must contend with the death of her family, the disintegration of her society, and the lure of a dangerous and illicit attraction.

Geraldine Brooks’s novel explores love and learning, fear and fanaticism, and the struggle of 17th century science and religion to deal with a seemingly diabolical pestilence. ‘Year of Wonders’ is also an eloquent memorial to the real-life Derbyshire villagers who chose to suffer alone during England’s last great plague.

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MY REVIEW:

“This plague will make heroes of us all, whether we will or no.”

I first read Year of Wonders about twenty years ago and it has stayed with me. It instantly became one of my all-time favourite books and I have recommended it to other readers many times over the years. So when the Historical Fiction Book Club picked it as their July read, I was excited to revisit this story. But would I love it as much this time around?

Spring, 1966. A bolt of infected fabric carries the plague from London to the quiet Derbyshire village of Eyam. As the plague starts to spread among them, the villagers isolate themselves to avoid spreading the infection further. A fateful decision that will see most of their small village wiped out by the disease. Year of Wonders tells the story of that fateful quarantine through the eyes of Anna, a young widowed mother, as she tries to save herself and her family. But, as the sickness skulks from household to household and the death tally rises and her community crumbles around her, Anna must confront loss, suspicion, and the temptation of an illicit attraction. 

“The plague had come upon us like a thief in the night, stealing our breath, our strength, our loves and lives.”

I’ve been fascinated with the history of Eyam ever since studying it and taking a trip there in primary school. I was fascinated by the idea that these people willingly quarantined themselves knowing it was a death sentence in order to save others. Living close to Eyam helped it feel more personal, too. So as soon as I saw the synopsis for this book I knew I had to read it. And going into this second time around it held the heavy expectations of being one of my favourite books. Did it live up to them? It certainly did! Atmospheric, haunting and alluring, it was every bit as mesmerising the second time around and I was lost for words when it was over.

“I fear the line between myself and madness is as fine these days as a cobweb, and I have seen what it means when a soul crosses over into that dim and wretched place.”

A few years ago, a Collins Modern Classic version of the book was released, and it certainly deserves that status. Exquisitely written, meticulously researched, and evocatively told, Geraldine Brooks transported me back to 17th Century Derbyshire threading gossamer layers of storylines together with a chorus of detailed characters to immerse me in the lives of these villagers. Their fierce resolve is palpable and I am in awe at their bravery and sacrifice. There is something so potent and intimately tragic about the characters going about their everyday lives or worrying about whether a love affair is appropriate juxtaposed with the extraordinary circumstances of a village quickly being wiped out by a deadly plague. A sense of creeping dread and unfolding horror that lingers on these pages and it’s a powerful and emotional read, filled with awful anticipation as we know their terrible fate but desperately hope that a different ending might await them. 

Harrowing, dark, disquieting, affecting and deeply human, Year of Wonders is an absolute masterpiece. Add this to your TBR now. And if you’ve already read it, then read it again because it is every bit as enthralling when re-read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Australian-born Geraldine Brooks is an author and journalist who grew up in the Western suburbs of Sydney, attending Bethlehem College Ashfield and the University of Sydney. She worked as a reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald for three years as a feature writer with a special interest in environmental issues.

In 1982 she won the Greg Shackleton Australian News Correspondents scholarship to the journalism master’s program at Columbia University in New York City. Later she worked forThe Wall Street Journal, where she covered crises in the the Middle East, Africa, and the Balkans. In 1990, with her husband Tony Horwitz, she won the Overseas Press Club Award for best coverage of the Gulf War. The following year they received a citation for excellence for their series, “War and Peace.”  In 2006 she was a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies at Harvard University. She returned to Harvard as a Visiting Lecturer in 2021.

She was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in fiction in 2006 for her novel March. Her novels People of the Book, Caleb’s Crossing and The Secret Chord all were New York Times Bestsellers. Her first novel, Year of Wonders is an an international bestseller, translated into more than 25 languages and currently optioned for a limited series by Olivia Coleman’s production company. She is also the author of the nonfiction works Nine Parts of Desire, Foreign Correspondence and The Idea of Home.

Brooks married fellow journalist and author Tony Horwitz in Tourette-sur-Loup France in 1984 and were together until his sudden death in 2019.  They have two sons, Nathaniel and Bizu, She now lives with a dog named Bear and a mare named Valentine by an old mill pond on Martha’s Vineyard and spends as much time as she can in Australia.  In 2016, she was named an Officer in the Order of Australia.

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024

BLOG TOUR: The Examiner by Janice Hallett

Published August 29th, 2024 by Viper Books
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this innovative, perplexing and addictive whodunnit. Thank you to Viper 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:

*** FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE APPEAL, THE TWYFORD CODE, THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE ALPERTON ANGELS AND THE CHRISTMAS APPEAL ***

‘An absolute original’ – MICK HERRON
‘Hallett at her very best’ – ELLY GRIFFITHS
‘A slice of genius’ – LOUISE CANDLISH

Six Students. One Murder. Your Time Starts Now…

The mature students of Royal Hastings University’s new art course have been trouble from day one. From acclaimed artist Alyson who seems oddly overqualified, to hapless Patrick who can barely operate design software, and city boy Cameron who blusters his way through assignments. Not to mention Jem, who’s a gifted young sculptor… but cross her at your peril.

The year-long course is blighted by students setting fire to one another’s artwork, a rumoured extra-marital affair and a disastrous road trip. But finally they are given their last assignment: to build an art installation for a local manufacturer. With six students who have nothing in common except their clashing personal agendas, what could possibly go wrong?

The answer is: murder. When the external examiner arrives to assess the students’ coursework, he becomes convinced that a student was killed on the course and that the others covered it up. But is he right? Only a close examination of the evidence will reveal the truth. Your time starts now…

‘Witty, creepy and oh-so-clever’ – TOM HINDLE
‘Fresh and infinitely intriguing’ – J.M. HALL
‘Witty, devious and outrageously brilliant’ – IAN MOORE

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MY REVIEW:

“What could have possibly gone wrong on an art course”

Original, ambitious, devilishly clever and addictive, the Queen of the epistolary novel is back with her twistiest and most perplexing whodunnit yet. 

The new art course at Royal Hastings University has been plagued with problems since day one. The six mature students on the course have clashed from the beginning, there’s rumours of an extra-marital affair, students setting fire to each other’s artwork, and a disastrous road trip. But they must somehow work together to create their final assignment: building an art installation for a local manufacturer. Surely they can overcome their differences and personal agendas to get the job done. After all, what could go wrong on an art course? The external examiner is convinced the answer is murder. He believes that one of the students was killed on the course and the others have covered it up. Surely he must be wrong? It’s time to examine the evidence and find out the truth…

A new Janice Hallet book always feels like an event so I was very excited to be invited on the blog tour and start reading. Expertly written, intricately plotted and acutely observed, this isn’t a book you read, but one you step into, inviting you to be part of it from the beginning by challenging the reader to solve the mystery alongside the examiner. The characters are richly drawn and fascinating, drawing you into the drama and conflict of the art course. I was completely immersed, living and breathing every moment alongside these characters and losing myself in the story so much that the world around me ceased to exist. I was ready to find a killer. Or so I thought…

Hallett is a master storyteller. When you pick up one of her books you know you are about to read an innovative, complex and sophisticated page-turner that will keep you guessing. She takes her readers on a labyrinthian journey that is impossible to predict, teasing us with misdirection and embedding clues into the story like breadcrumbs to follow. But they are hidden and we don’t see them until later when she hits us with a shocking twist, revealing the truth so that those little, innocuous things now suddenly have a greater meaning and things make sense. The puzzle begins to come together. I was in her thrall, on the edge of my seat from start to finish and so transfixed that I inhaled it in just two sittings. How on earth does she do it? I’d love to peek inside her brain and get a glimpse of her genius because I have no idea how she even begins creating something so clever and convoluted. I’m in awe. This is without a doubt my favourite of her books I’ve read so far and one of my top books this year. 

Creative, unique and immersive, The Examiner is an outstanding mystery that will make your head spin. Definitely one not to be missed. 

Rating: 🦂🦂🦂🦂🦂

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Janice Hallett is the author of three best-selling novels. Her debut, The Appeal, was awarded the CWA Debut Dagger of 2021 and was a Sunday Times’ Bestseller, Waterstones’ Thriller of the Month and Sunday Times’ Crime Book of the Month. Her second novel The Twyford Code was named Crime & Thriller Book of the Year in the British Book Awards 2023. It was also a Sunday Times’ Bestseller and a Financial Times book of the year. The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels was an instant Times and Sunday Times bestseller on its launch in January 2023 and a Richard & Judy Book Club pick.

The Christmas Appeal, a fast, fun and festive novella, was launched in October 2023. It was a Times and Sunday Times bestseller.

Her next novel is The Examiner, released on 29 August 2024.

Her first novel for children aged 8-12 is A Box Full of Murders, released in March 2025.

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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

BOOK REVIEW: The House of Fever by Polly Crosby

Published August 15th, 2024 by HQ
Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Romance Novel, Historical Mystery

Today I’m sharing my review for this haunting gothic hisotrical ficiton. Thank you to HQ for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘Simmering with secrets, this beguiling mystery is a dark delight’ Essie Fox, author of The Fascination

‘Builds an uneasy atmosphere that crept under my skin and kept me guessing until the end’ Hester Musson, author of The Beholders

Can she unlock the secrets of The House of Fever?

1935, Hedoné House, a luxurious sanatorium for the creative elite dedicated to the groundbreaking treatment of tuberculosis. As the doctor’s new wife, Agnes Templeton has pledged her life to a house of fever.

But Hedoné is no ordinary hospital. High society rubs shoulders with artists, poets and musicians. No expense is spared on the comfort of the guests, and champagne flows freely. It’s a world away from everything Agnes knows.

Her husband’s methods are unusual. There are whisperings about past patients and even a cure. Hedoné’s secrets draw Agnes in, revealing truths she could never anticipate, and soon she is caught between a past she is desperate to escape and a future she may forever regret.

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MY REVIEW:

“Something is rotten here. Very rotten indeed.” 

1935. Agnes Templeton arrives at Hedone House, a sanatorium that is to be her home after marrying the doctor who runs it. But this is not your average sanatorium. Picturesque and luxurious, there is no expense spared and the champagne flows as freely as the medication. It caters to the creative elite and specialises in groundbreaking treatment for tuberculosis. Before long, Agnes is hearing whispers about past patients, a possible cure and she discovers that the methods Dr Christian uses are as unusual as everything else about this place. And when shocking secrets uncover unforeseen truths, Agnes wonders if she can escape the house of fever before it’s too late…

Atmospheric, eerie, claustrophobic and beguiling, The House of Fever is a gorgeously gothic, Du Maurier-esque tale from storytelling extraordinaire Polly Crosby. Her hauntingly beautiful prose, compelling characters and multi-layered plot held me in her thrall. Ms. Crosby became an auto-buy author for me when I read her sensational debut, The Illustrated Child. She’s got even better with each book and The House of Fever is without a doubt her best yet. It is more complex and twisty than her previous books and I have no idea how she did it. I didn’t see the revelations coming and was blown away at how intricately she had woven the threads. Emotionally resonant, affecting and deeply human, I felt all the feelings while reading this book. I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end, totally consumed by this book to the point where I couldn’t even put it down while I ate. 

As someone with chronic illness I found it very relatable. Ms. Crosby writes with honesty and compassion, reminding us that these characters are more than their illness. They are people with fascinating personalities, with hopes, dreams and entire lives that are being snatched away by this disease. It made me feel seen and heard in a way that is rare for disabled people in the media and there were times it made me quite emotional. Ms. Crosby has talked about how she was inspired to write this book by her own experiences with chronic illness and I feel like that is evident in how well she writes this part of the story. 

“…all those names, all this death, threaded through with glitter and glamour, so intoxicating, so terribly, addictively compelling that you could do nothing but come back again and again.”

One of my favourite things about this book is the atmosphere of the sanatorium. Hedone House is a sanctuary and a place of acceptance where its guests can live some semblance of an ordinary life. Everyone has a body ravaged by the same sickness so there are no uncomfortable stares and they aren’t shunned for fear of infection. It gives them a chance to forget their uncertain futures and a hope that they might actually be cured. But, this utopia is brimming with secrets and has an undercurrent of something sinister that tells us all might not be as it seems at Hedone House. I love a good claustrophobic thriller; how a picturesque home or resort becomes terrifying when people begin to die and the only suspects are those surrounding you. No one is safe and you have no idea who to trust. And in this book the tension and fear are ramped up tenfold with the addition of debilitating chronic illness and people who are desperate for a cure. 

Evocative, dark, unnerving, poignant and totally mesmerising, The House of Fever is an absolute must-read and one of my top books this year. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Polly grew up on the Suffolk coast, and now lives in the heart of Norfolk with her husband and son, and her very loud and much loved rescue Oriental cat, Dali. She is passionate about nature, and her writing is very much inspired by the local landscape.

After a whirlwind of a year which saw Polly receive writing scholarships from both Curtis Brown Creative and The University of East Anglia’s MA in Creative Writing, she went on to be runner up in the Bridport Prize’s Peggy Chapman Andrews Award for a First Novel.

Polly’s debut novel, The Illustrated Child, was snapped up by HarperCollins HQ in the UK in a 48 hour pre-empt, and a few days later by HarperCollins Park Row Books in North America.

The House of Fever is her fourth novel.

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Categories
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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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx