Tag: Medical Thriller

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SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: The Lying Guest by Mahi Cheshire

Published March 20th, 2025 by Harvill Secker
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Medical Thriller

Welcome to my review for this gripping thriller. Thank you Harvill Secker for sending me a copy in exchange in for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

You don’t know her, but she’s watching you…

Hardworking and overworked, Anika is a talented surgeon at a London hospital. It’s been some time since she’s had a decent night’s sleep, let alone a holiday. Not ideal for someone with parasomnia – a rare, often stress-induced, condition that causes sleepwalking blackouts.

When a patient dies on her operating table, important people start asking questions and the media turns against her with zeal. She quickly becomes a pariah at work. Shafted to endless night shifts and then on suspended leave.

It seems her only respite is to escape on a conveniently all-expenses-paid housesitting gig in Sri Lanka and keep a low profile until the drama passes, and the verdict on her case – and career as a surgeon – is decided.

Despite everything, she’s excited to visit the place she used to summer as a child. But what should be a restorative beach break is really a trip back into a murky, haunted past, which has been waiting for her all along.

Will she finally wake up to face her troubles? Or is she cursed to sleepwalk through life?

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MY REVIEW:

Talented surgeon Anika is overworked and overtired. It’s been a while since she last had a decent night’s sleep and the last thing she needs is an extra surgery when her night shift should be over. But there’s no one else and it is only a quick, routine procedure. But when her patient dies on the operating table, his prominent family accuses Anika of negligence. As the storm surrounding what happens grows and the hospital suspends her until an inquiry can be conducted.

Utterly devastated, Anika longs for an escape. So when an email lands in her inbox advertising a job caretaking a house in Sri Lanka, it seems she’s found the perfect solution. She’s excited to visit the place she was born and take a break. But she’s also nervous. Because Anika hasn’t returned since the night something terrible happened that she can’t fully remember sixteen years ago. Maybe this will finally give her the chance to finally lay her ghosts to rest. But soon, the holiday that she hoped would heal her turns into another nightmare she’s trying to escape…

Wow! What a rollercoaster this book was! Mysterious, tense and twisty, The Lying Guest certainly kept me on my toes. And that finale! Talk about heart-pounding. Anika is a compelling and likeable protagonist who was easy to root for. She has a rare condition called parasomnia, that can cause sleepwalking, sleep terrors and sleep paralysis and is made worse by things such as stress and sleep deprivation. Anika’s condition has been well managed since she took an experimental medication following the mysterious event that still haunts her. Because of this, Anika and the reader are never sure how reliable she is, adding to the tension and making me question everything. And while her housesitting gig should have been an easy job at a luxury house, she instead finds a dilapidated place with an unsettling atmosphere. Locals say the house is cursed and haunted, which Anika initially shrugs off but soon begins to question when unexplained things begin to happen. But could they be her parasomnia returning?

Eerie, gripping and layered, this is a must for any thriller lover.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mahi Cheshire was born in Sri Lanka and grew up in London. She works as a GP and has a degree in Psychology. She loves travelling, kundalini yoga and boxing, all of which provide inspiration for her writing. She lives in London with her husband and daughter.

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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

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025 Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books Squadpod Recommends

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: The Cure by Eve Smith

Published April 10th, 2025 by Orenda Books
Speculative Thriller, Medical Thriller, Dystopian Fiction

Today I’m finally sharing my review for this magnificent but terrifying thriller. Thank you Orenda Books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The discovery of an injection that wards off ageing is hijacked by ruthless men who hunger for immortality, with catastrophic consequences. Two women race against time to stop them, before it’s too late … a chilling, prescient, high-stakes speculative thriller by the bestselling author of One.
 
‘Another triumph of speculative fiction by Eve Smith … a brilliant concept, skilfully executed and disturbingly believable’ Guy Morpuss
 
‘Had me hooked from the opening chapter, right through to the brilliantly shocking ending … We should all be reading Eve’s cautionary tales’ Philippa East
 
‘Eve Smith has done it again! Thrilling, provocative and downright scary, The Cure is a powerfully clever novel, and Smith an author at the top of her game’ Russ Thomas

‘With compulsive plotting, crackling dialogue and a third-act twist that took my breath away, it cements Smith’s position as the queen of the speculative crime thriller’ David Goodman
 
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Living forever can be lethal…
 
Ruth is a law-abiding elder, working out her national service, but she has secrets.
 
Her tireless research into the disease that killed her young daughter had an unexpected outcome: the discovery of a vaccine against old age. Just one jab a year reverses your biological clock, guaranteeing a long, healthy life.
 
But Ruth’s cure was hijacked by her colleague, Erik Grundleger, who hungers for immortality, and the SuperJuve – a premium upgrade – was created, driving human lifespan to a new high. The wealthy elite who take it are dubbed Supers, and the population begins to skyrocket.
 
Then, a perilous side-effect of the SuperJuve emerges, with catastrophic consequences, and as the planet is threatened, the population rebels, and laws are passed to restore order: life ends at 120. Supers are tracked down by Omnicide investigators like Mara, and executed…
 
Mara has her own reasons for hunting Supers, and she forms an unlikely alliance with Ruth to find Grundleger.
 
But Grundleger has been working on something even more radical and is one step ahead, with a deadly surprise in store for them both…

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MY REVIEW:

Imagine a world where we all live a long, healthy life free from the complications of ageing. No more dementia, heart diseases, chronic pain or other ageing related conditions. Just a long life in our prime. It sounds like paradise. But would it be?

An incredible discovery means that people now live to 120 thanks to an annual anti-ageing injection. In this dystopian future, 115-year-old Ruth is an elder quietly working her mandatory national service and anticipating her transition day. But behind the unassuming facade are dark secrets she has hidden for decades. Years ago while she was trying to find a cure for the devastating illness that killed her young daughter, Ruth made a discovery that changed the world and led to the creation of ReJuve, the annual anti-ageing injection now widely used. But Ruth’s research was hijacked by her partner Erik Grundleger, a ruthless man on a quest for immortality who used it to create SuperJuve, a once in a lifetime injection for the wealthy elite, nicknamed Supers, who want to live forever. But that injection was outlawed when it was discovered that it led to psychosis. 

Mara is an investigator with Omnicide, a team who track down Supers and try to contain the catastrophic consequences of the side-effects. Known as The Blade, Mara has her own reasons for hunting Supers. And when an arrest leads to discovery that Grundleger, who has long been believed dead, may be alive, Mara forms an unlikely alliance with Ruth that leads the pair on a dangerous race against the clock to try and track down the man who started it all. 

Eve Smith has done it again. It’s been two weeks since I finished this book and I’m still reeling. Outstanding, original, though-provoking and terrifying, The Cure, is a riveting thriller that also serves as a cautionary tale, showing how in the wrong hands, something wonderful can be turned into a nightmare. I’ve been a huge fan of Eve’s books ever since her fantastic debut and this is her best yet. Masterfully written, meticulously researched, fast-paced, and full of surprising twists, Eve spins a chillingly believable tale that wrenched me out of my own reality and into the one she created. She also makes you think, forcing me to ponder important questions that I’d never considered before as she examines the problems of an ageing population, dwindling resources, the dilemma of lifespan versus healthspan, social healthcare and privilege. 

The two women at the centre of this story are fascinating characters and I loved reading them. They are very different but also quite similar, both of them being fierce and strong in their own way. Moving between narrators and timelines, we see their heart-rending backstories unfold and I was inspired by the way they have taken their pain and turned it into what motivates them in their chosen field.  I enjoyed watching them learn to work together and get to know each other and would love to see them reprise their investigative duo in another book. And we can’t talk about the characters without talking about the villain, Erik Grundleger. Brilliantly written, this odious and reprehensible man made my skin crawl and made me angry every time he was on the page.

Addictive, clever, suspenseful and unsettling, Eve had me hooked from start to finish with this magnificent thriller. It’s one not to be missed and I can’t wait for whatever she writes next.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Eve Smith writes speculative thrillers, mainly about the things that scare her. She attributes her love of all things dark and dystopian to a childhood watching Tales of the Unexpected and Edgar Allen Poe double bills.

Longlisted for the Not the Booker Prize and described by Waterstones as ‘an exciting new voice in crime fiction’, Eve’s debut novel, The Waiting Rooms, set in the aftermath of an antibiotic resistance crisis, was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize First Novel Award and was selected as a Book of the Month by Eric Brown in the Guardian, who compared her writing to Michael Crichton’s. It was followed by Off-Target, about a world where genetic engineering of children is routine, which was a Book of the Month in The Times. Her last thriller, One, set in a UK where a one-child policy is enforced, was a New Scientist pick and was longlisted for the British Science Fiction Association’s Best Novel Award.

Eve’s previous job at an environmental charity took her to research projects across Asia, Africa and the Americas, and she has an ongoing passion for wild creatures, wild science and far-flung places.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | 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 Uncategorised

BLOGATHON: Do No Harm by Jack Jordan

Published May 26th, 2022 by Simon & Schuster UK
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Medical Thriller, Medical Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Police Procedural

Today is the first instalment of the Jack Jordan Blogathon and I’m re-sharing my review for Do No Harm.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND WATERSTONES THRILLER OF THE MONTH

‘Chilling and perfectly paced, one to put on the very top of your TBR!’ Sarah Pearse
‘Thriller fans will be in heaven’ Louise Candlish

MY CHILD HAS BEEN TAKEN.
AND I’VE BEEN GIVEN A CHOICE . . .
KILL A PATIENT ON THE OPERATING TABLE
OR LOSE MY SON FOREVER.

The man lies on the table in front of me.
As a surgeon, it’s my job to save him.
As a mother, I know I must kill him.
You might think that I’m a monster.
But there really is only one choice.
I must get away with murder.
Or I will never see my son again.

I’VE SAVED MANY LIVES.
WOULD YOU TRUST ME WITH YOURS?

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MY REVIEW:

“Either I abide by my oath, and kill my son. 
Or I save Zack, and kill an innocent man.” 

Renowned cardiothoracic surgeon Anna Jones is being forced to make a horrendous choice: the life of her patient or the life of her son.  Eight-year-old Zack has been abducted and the kidnappers will only give him back if she kills a prestigious patient on the operating table and gets away with it.  As parents we always say we’d do anything for our children.  But does that include murder?

“We are all so blind, thinking that we know who we truly are. It is only pain like this that reveals what we are really capable of.” 

Do No Harm is a book that just screams ‘read me’. I mean, look at that cover!  And this nerve-shredding thriller was everything I hoped and more.  The premise is every parent’s worst nightmare, blurring the lines of morality as the author examines the question of just how far a parent would go to save their child.  It is an impossible dilemma, where whatever you choose you will lose, and the paralysing suspense and outright dread is omnipresent, making you feel everything Anna does.  It is unbearably tense at times, particularly in the operating room, as you are kept on a knife-edge, waiting to see what Anna will do and if Zack can be saved.  

I have long been a fan of Jack Jordan and will automatically read and buy anything he writes.  His magnificent storytelling, perfect plotting and sizzling suspense always blow me away, and he is a must-read author for any thriller lover.  But with Do No Harm Jordan has taken things to another level, crafting a dynamic thriller that is now one of my favourites of all time. It would make a fantastic movie or TV show so I hope someone snaps it up soon.  The hype is real and this is going to be huge.

“I never used to think of myself as an angry person, but these men have clawed a rabid animal out of me. I want to kill them, slowly, painstakingly, until they are begging for their mothers.” 

One of my favourite things about this book is that it’s so intricate and multilayered.  As well as the moral dilemma there is a strong theme of motherhood woven into this book.  Through each of the three narrators we explore different stages of motherhood and opposing arguments to the dilemma, making you confront the many shades of grey and exposing the motivations and biases of each of the characters.  Each of them are deeply flawed and I liked that Jordan wasn’t scared to make even Anna unlikeable at times, instead focusing on making the characters complex, nuanced and layered.  And while they are all richly drawn and compelling, Anna is the one that stood out strongest to me.  I loved the dichotomy of her character: a Doctor who has taken the Hippocratic Oath and vowed to do no harm but also a mother who will do anything to keep her child safe.  It is the kind of agonising choice that you would never want to be faced with but is so fascinating to read.  

Nail-bitingly intense, and bingeable, Do No Harm is an absolute must-read.  Just make sure that when you pick it up you’ve got nothing else to do as it will hold you captive from the first page until the last. 

READ IT NOW. 

Rating: 💉💉💉💉💉

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jack Jordan is the global number one bestselling author of Anything for Her (2015), My Girl (2016), A Woman Scorned (2018), Before Her Eyes (2018) and Night by Night (2019).

His latest thriller, Do No Harm, was an instant Times bestseller and shortlisted for the Most Recommended Book in the DeadGood Reader Awards. Coined the thriller of the summer for 2022, it was described as “relentlessly tense” by Sunday Times Bestseller Lesley Kara, and “Chilling and perfectly paced” by New York Times Bestseller Sarah Pearse.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*these links 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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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024 Readalong Support Debuts Tandem Readalong

READALONG REVIEW: Anna O by Matthew Blake

Published February 1st, 2024 by Harper Collins UK
Crime Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Medical Thriller, Psychological Fiction, Psychological Thriller,

Welcome to my review for Anna O, the phenomenal thriller that is set to be everywhere in 2024. Thank you to the Tandem Collective for arranging the readalong and offering me a place, and Harper Collins UK for the proof copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

ANNA O – THE WORLD WILL KNOW HER NAME

‘Certain to be one of the year’s best thrillers’ LEE CHILD

‘Reads like a dream but unsettles like a nightmare’ A J FINN

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*The instant global phenomenon*

*Publishing in over 30 territories*

*The thriller that will wake up the nation*

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ANNA O HASN’T OPENED HER EYES FOR FOUR YEARS

Not since the night she was found in a deep sleep by the bodies of her best friends, suspected of a chilling double murder.

For Doctor Benedict Prince, a forensic psychologist on London’s Harley Street, waking Anna O could be career-defining. As an expert in sleep, he knows all about the darkest chambers of the mind; the secrets that lie buried in the subconscious.

As he begins Anna O’s treatment – studying his patient’s dreams, combing her memories, visiting the site where the horrors played out – he pulls on the thread of a much deeper, darker mystery.

Awakening Anna O isn’t the end of the story, it’s just the beginning.

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MY REVIEW:

“Anna O, Sleeping beauty, a figure of myth and reality.”

Anna O hasn’t opened her eyes since the night four years ago when her two best friends were found brutally murdered and she was discovered in a deep sleep. Anna is the only suspect but ever since the debate has raged: is she innocent or guilty? And was she sleeping or awake? Answers are needed and time is running out, so the Ministry of Justice charges Doctor Benedict Prince, a forensic psychologist and expert in sleep, with the task of finally waking Anna from her long sleep in order to get them. If he succeeds, his part in the Anna O case will be a defining moment in his career, but will his theory finally wake the woman her detractors call Sleeping Beauty? After all, waking Anna O isn’t the end of the story but the beginning… 

WHAT. A. BOOK! Quite simply, Anna O is a masterpiece. Sleeping Beauty meets The Silent Patient, this astonishing debut left my jaw on the floor. Deliciously dark, atmospheric and unnerving, this has bestseller and blockbuster movie written all over it. From the moment I first heard about Anna O I knew it was a book I needed to read so I jumped at the chance to take part in a 100-strong readalong organised by the Tandem Collective. Before reading we were asked to vote if we thought Anna was sleeping or awake. I voted for sleeping, but would I be proven right? Or was Anna actually awake that night?

There’s always a danger with a much-hyped novel that you will be disappointed, but this one exceeded all my high hopes. Matthew Blake writes like a veteran of the genre and I am still in awe that this is a debut novel. He expertly intertwines masterful storytelling, compelling characters and vivid imagery to create this tour-de-force. He then adds references to real crimes, Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, Shakesphere, Hitchcock, and real conditions such as resignation syndrome that all add that feeling of authenticity, making it feel like you’re reading a true crime novel rather than a work of fiction. It is a Russian doll of a mystery; the many layers and multiple mysteries all hidden inside one another and then slowly revealed alongside the cleverly placed red herrings that held me in his thrall and kept me guessing. The multiple points of view and timelines in mixed media heightened the tension as Blake drops clues like breadcrumbs for us to follow. I HAD to know the truth and confess that I raced ahead of the reading schedule, but I was unprepared for a twist so shocking it threw me to the ground, stamped on me and left me for dead followed swiftly by that unforgettable finale. I’m still reeling.

Dealing with both the aftermath and build-up to a brutal crime, the book explores the ripple effect violent crimes have on not just those who knew the victims, but those who knew the person accused of the crime. A beautiful woman accused of a brutal crime and an enigma because she has been sleeping since that night, Anna is the epitome of a ‘femme fatale’ and leads perfectly into Blake’s examination of our prejudices and preconceptions about those who kill. He also examines our fascination with true crime, asking what it is that makes a murder capture the public’s imagination and attain infamy. Most unsettling of all, he shifts the fabric of our reality and turns our dreams into nightmares as he explores the things we don’t remember from while we are sleeping and the darker side of the human psyche. 

Suspenseful, twisty, cryptic and unputdownable, this phenomenal debut is destined to be THE thriller of 2024. A must-read for your TBR next year, pre-order this now to discover if Anna is innocent or guilty. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

After discovering that the average person spends thirty-three years of their life asleep, Matthew Blake felt the pull of a story. He began extensive research into sleep-related crimes and into the mystery illness known as resignation syndrome, research that sparked a thrilling question: if someone commits murder while sleepwalking, are they innocent or guilty? And so his novel Anna O was born.

Before writing fiction, Matthew worked as a researcher and speechwriter at the Palace of Westminster. He studied English at Durham University and Merton College, Oxford and now lives in London.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

*All purchase links are affiliate links

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

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Bone China by Laura Purcell

Published September 19th, 2019 by Raven Books
Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror Fiction, Ghost Story, Medical Thriller, Romance

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SYNOPSIS:

A Daphne Du Maurier-esque chiller set on the mysterious Cornish coast, from the award-winning author of The Silent Companions.

‘Du Maurier-tastic’ GUARDIAN

‘Deliciously sinister’ HEAT

‘A clever, creepy read’ SUNDAY EXPRESS


Consumption has ravaged Louise Pinecroft’s family, leaving her and her father alone and heartbroken.

But Dr Pinecroft has plans for a revolutionary experiment: convinced that sea air will prove to be the cure his wife and children needed, he arranges to house a group of prisoners suffering from the same disease in the cliffs beneath his new Cornish home.

Forty years later, Hester Why arrives at Morvoren House to take up a position as nurse to the now partially paralysed and almost entirely mute Miss Pinecroft. Hester has fled to Cornwall to try and escape her past, but she soon discovers that her new home may be just as dangerous as her last.

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MY REVIEW:

Laura Purcell has done it again. Gloriously sinister, gothic and eerie, Bone China is an unsettling tale from the queen of the gothic mystery. The Cornish coast and Morvoren House provide a haunting backdrop that is the perfect setting for Purcell’s unmistakable chilling and malevolent gothic style. You feel yourself in the grip of a master storyteller as she pulls you into the world she created with her meticulous and darkly poetic prose, compelling characters and strong sense of place. Filled with folklore, mystery, suspicion and foreboding, there’s a lingering atmosphere of unease and the sense of dread deepens as Purcell expertly blurs the lines between reality, imagination and the supernatural. All of this merged with the expressive narration of the audiobook to create a truly visceral and immersive experience. 

Told in three timelines we follow Hester Why in the present as she arrives at Morvoren House to take up a position as Lady’s Maid and Nurse to Miss Pinecroft, the strange and reclusive Lady of the house. A second timeline flashes back to Ms. Why’s past and slowly reveals her secrets. Lastly, we go back forty years before Hester’s arrival at Morvoren House to follow the story of Miss Louise Pinecroft and her father, Dr. Ernest Pinecroft. The Pinecrofts have come to Morvoren to continue his quest to perfect his radical cure for consumption. Purcell seamlessly weaves the many threads together, holding me in her thrall and keeping me guessing right up until the end. 

Purcell’s research is detailed, delving into Cornish folklore and the origins of bone china, which are surprisingly morbid. Integral to the story are the unsettling local tales of changelings and faeries, seen as a serious matter at the time. Faeries were dark and dangerous creatures with limitless power and were blamed for everything and anything: pregnancy loss, stillbirth, disability, famine, mental illness, and sickness, such as tuberculosis which is a central part of the storyline. Then known as consumption, tuberculosis is the illness that shattered the Prichard family which has led Dr. Ernest Prichard to Morvoren House so he can perfect his innovative cure with the assistance of his daughter, Louise. It was hard to read about the barbaric ‘cures’ people were subjected to in the name of so-called modern medicine at that time knowing it was based in historical fact. 

The characters are intriguing and well-written. Purcell allows us greater insight into who many of them are by having them appear in multiple timelines so we really get to know them and their backstories. While the characters appear very different, they are all deeply flawed people who are consumed by guilt and inner turmoil. Hester is a secretive, impulsive and obsessive young woman who oozes desperation. We know she’s fleeing from a tragic event and is plagued not only by regret but also fear of being discovered. I found her intriguing but was frustrated she refused to learn from her past mistakes and kept going in circles. Miss Pinecroft is a much more sympathetic character with a moving backstory. But it takes some time to unravel that and in the present we see her as a feeble and mute old woman who is confined to her bed or the parlour. Flashbacks tell us the fascinating story of an intelligent and determined young woman who is working hard to overcome the tragedies she has lived through and help others through working with her father on his cure for consumption. But the character who stood out most for me was Creeda, Miss Pinecroft’s servant who has been at Morvoren house for many years. Creeda is well versed in folklore and wholeheartedly believes the stories are true. In her world there are faeries waiting to steal people and changelings live amongst us. Needless to say, she’s a strange character. She is also shrouded in mystery and seems to be at the centre of everything that happens at Morvoren House, adding to the overall feeling of unease that surrounds her. I loved that the more we learned about her tragic past the more unnerving she became and her backstory was one of my favourite storylines.

Darkly atmospheric, insidious, menacing and utterly magnificent, Bone China is a DuMarier-esque gothic novel that is one of Laura Purcell’s best books yet. Highly recommended, especially on audiobook. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Laura Purcell is a former bookseller living in Colchester, Essex with her husband and pet guinea pigs.

She began her career with two historical novels about the Hanoverian monarchs, Queen of Bedlam and Mistress of the Court before her break-out Gothic ghost story The Silent Companions.

The Silent Companions won the WHSmith Thumping Good Read Award in 2018 and was shortlisted for the Goldsboro Glass Bell. It was selected for both the Radio 2 Book Club and Zoe Ball’s ITV Book Club.

The Shape of Darkness won a Fingerprint Award for Historical Crime Book of the Year 2022 and was shortlisted for both an Edgar Award and a Dead Good Readers’ Award.

Laura’s short stories have been published in a number of collections including the Sunday Times best-selling The Haunting Season. She recently worked as lead writer on Roanoke Falls, a Realm podcast executive produced by John Carpenter and Sandy King Carpenter. It won a silver Signal Award for Best Scripted Fiction.

Please note that in the USA Laura is published by Penguin Books, where The Corset is titled The Poison Thread and Bone China is called The House of Whispers.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

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Thanks for reading Bibliiophiles xxxx

*These links are affiliate links

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Unnatural Death (Kay Scarpetta Book 27) by Patricia Cornwell

Published November 23rd, 2023 by Sphere
Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fition, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Women Sleuths, Medical Thriller, Crime Series

Today I’m delighted to be opening the blog tour for the riveting new instalment in the Kay Scarpetta series. Thank you to Midas PR and Sphere for the invitation to take part and gifted proof.

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SYNOPSIS:

THE BREATHTAKING NEW KAY SCARPETTA THRILLER FROM THE 120-MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER

Two mauled bodies in the woods. Two top secret autopsies. The most chilling case of Scarpetta’s career . . .

In this thrilling new instalment of the #1 bestselling series, chief medical examiner Dr Kay Scarpetta finds herself in a Northern Virginia wilderness examining the remains of two campers wanted by federal law enforcement.

The victims have been savaged beyond recognition, and other evidence is terrifying and baffling, including a larger-than-life footprint.

After one of the most frightening body retrievals of her career, Scarpetta must discover who would commit murders this brutal, and why.

‘A chilling, thrilling, macabre masterpiece. Unnatural Death is Patricia Cornwell at her mesmerising finest. The best just got better’
CHRIS WHITAKER, author of WE BEGIN AT THE END

‘Sinister, surprising and utterly unputdownable. Cornwell at her brilliant best’
M. J. ARLIDGE, author of EYE FOR AN EYE

‘Classic Cornwell with an up-to-the-minute twenty-first-century plot. An intoxicating blend that proves Scarpetta is still queen of the autopsy and Cornwell is still queen of crime fiction’
ANDREA MARA, author of NO ONE SAW A THING

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MY REVIEW:

The bodies of two campers are discovered in Buckingham Run, a remote part of the North Virginia wilderness. The victims have savagely mauled so viciously that they are unrecognisable and the rest of the evidence is bizarre, perplexing, and frightening. To make matters even more complicated, the victims were wanted by federal law enforcement, and Dr Kay Scarpetta and her team liaise with them as they investigate this baffling case. 

There’s no question that Patricia Cornwell is one of the queens of crime fiction or that her Kay Scarpetta series is incredible, so needless to say, I had high hopes for Unnatural Death and was excited to read it even though it has shamefully been a number of years since I last read one of her books. I was not disappointed. Timely, tense, mysterious, eerie, this gripping thriller was a brilliant return to this series for me. It was easy to read as a standalone, Ms. Cornwell catching the reader up on important facts about the characters and their histories succinctly so that you feel like you’ve never missed a thing. The plot is intriguing, with hints of mythology and something ‘other’ hovering ominously over the pages alongside the very human threat that is also present. Cornwell pulls no punches, diving headfirst into the action from the first page and not letting up until the last, keeping me guessing the whole time. This was a case where I truly had no idea where it was going and I enjoyed the ride with its many twists and turns. 

Kay Scarpetta is a likeable and charismatic character and makes a great narrator. She was likeable, easy to root for, and I loved her bold, tenacious and outgoing personality. There is a lot of great banter between her and the other characters, but I particularly enjoyed her relationship with her niece, Lucy. Lucy was my favourite character after Kay and they seem like real peas in a pod. I even think Lucy would make a great focus for another series – hint hint.

Unsettling, elusive, mysterious, and compelling, Unnatural Deaths is a riveting must-read for any self-respecting crime fan,

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

In 1990, Patricia Cornwell sold her first novel, Postmortem, while working at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond, Virginia. An auspicious debut, it went on to win the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity Awards as well as the French Prix du Roman d’Aventure prize—the first book ever to claim all these distinctions in a single year. Growing into an international phenomenon, the Scarpetta series won Cornwell the Sherlock Award for best detective created by an American author, the Gold Dagger Award, the RBA Thriller Award, and the Medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters for her contributions to literary and artistic development.

Today, Cornwell’s novels and iconic characters are known around the world. Beyond the Scarpetta series, Cornwell has written the definitive nonfiction account of Jack the Ripper’s identity, cookbooks, a children’s book, a biography of Ruth Graham, and two other fictional series based on the characters Win Garano and Andy Brazil. While writing Quantum, Cornwell spent two years researching space, technology, and robotics at Captain Calli Chase’s home base, NASA’s Langley Research Center, and studied cutting-edge law enforcement and security techniques with the Secret Service, the US Air Force, NASA Protective Services, Scotland Yard, and Interpol.

Cornwell was born in Miami. She grew up in Montreat, North Carolina, and now lives and works in Boston and Los Angeles.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones*| Bookshop.org*| Amazon*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

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

*These links are purchase links

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Book Features book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2022

PAPERBACK PUBLICATION DAY REVIEW: Do No Harm by Jack Jordan

Published: March 30th, 2023
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Medical Thriller, Domestic Fiction, Political Thriller
Format: Paperback, Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover

Happy Paperback Publication Day to one of my favourite thrillers of 2023!

To celebrate, I’m sharing my review with you all again.

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SYNOPSIS:

‘Chilling and perfectly paced, one to put on the very top of your TBR!’ Sarah Pearse
‘Thriller fans will be in heaven’ Louise Candlish

MY CHILD HAS BEEN TAKEN.
AND I’VE BEEN GIVEN A CHOICE . . .
KILL A PATIENT ON THE OPERATING TABLE
OR LOSE MY SON FOREVER.

The man lies on the table in front of me.
As a surgeon, it’s my job to save him.
As a mother, I know I must kill him.
You might think that I’m a monster.
But there really is only one choice.
I must get away with murder.
Or I will never see my son again.

I’VE SAVED MANY LIVES.
WOULD YOU TRUST ME WITH YOURS?

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MY REVIEW:

“Either I abide by my oath, and kill my son. 
Or I save Zack, and kill an innocent man.” 

Renowned cardiothoracic surgeon Anna Jones is being forced to make a horrendous choice: the life of her patient or the life of her son.  Eight-year-old Zack has been abducted and the kidnappers will only give him back if she kills a prestigious patient on the operating table and gets away with it.  As parents we always say we’d do anything for our children.  But does that include murder?

“We are all so blind, thinking that we know who we truly are. It is only pain like this that reveals what we are really capable of.” 

Do No Harm is a book that just screams ‘read me’. I mean, look at that cover!  And this nerve-shredding thriller was everything I hoped and more.  The premise is every parent’s worst nightmare, blurring the lines of morality as the author examines the question of just how far a parent would go to save their child.  It is an impossible dilemma, where whatever you choose you will lose, and the paralysing suspense and outright dread is omnipresent, making you feel everything Anna does.  It is unbearably tense at times, particularly in the operating room, as you are kept on a knife-edge, waiting to see what Anna will do and if Zack can be saved.  

I have long been a fan of Jack Jordan and will automatically read and buy anything he writes.  His magnificent storytelling, perfect plotting and sizzling suspense always blow me away, and he is a must-read author for any thriller lover.  But with Do No Harm Jordan has taken things to another level, crafting a dynamic thriller that is now one of my favourites of all time. It would make a fantastic movie or TV show so I hope someone snaps it up soon.  The hype is real and this is going to be huge.

“I never used to think of myself as an angry person, but these men have clawed a rabid animal out of me. I want to kill them, slowly, painstakingly, until they are begging for their mothers.” 

One of my favourite things about this book is that it’s so intricate and multilayered.  As well as the moral dilemma there is a strong theme of motherhood woven into this book.  Through each of the three narrators we explore different stages of motherhood and opposing arguments to the dilemma, making you confront the many shades of grey and exposing the motivations and biases of each of the characters.  Each of them are deeply flawed and I liked that Jordan wasn’t scared to make even Anna unlikeable at times, instead focusing on making the characters complex, nuanced and layered.  And while they are all richly drawn and compelling, Anna is the one that stood out strongest to me.  I loved the dichotomy of her character: a Doctor who has taken the Hippocratic Oath and vowed to do no harm but also a mother who will do anything to keep her child safe.  It is the kind of agonising choice that you would never want to be faced with but is so fascinating to read.  

Nail-bitingly intense, and bingeable, Do No Harm is an absolute must-read.  Just make sure that when you pick it up you’ve got nothing else to do as it will hold you captive from the first page until the last. 

READ IT NOW. 

Rating: 💉💉💉💉💉

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Jack Jordan is the global number one bestselling author of Anything for Her (2015), My Girl (2016), A Woman Scorned (2018), Before Her Eyes (2018) and Night by Night (2019).

His latest thriller, Do No Harm, was an instant Times bestseller and shortlisted for the Most Recommended Book in the DeadGood Reader Awards. Coined the thriller of the summer for 2022, it was described as “relentlessly tense” by Sunday Times Bestseller Lesley Kara, and “Chilling and perfectly paced” by New York Times Bestseller Sarah Pearse.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones | Amazon | Bookshop.org

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

*All purchase links are affiliate links

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The Pain Tourist by Paul Cleave

Published: November 10th, 2022
Publisher: Orenda
Genre: Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Medical Thriller, Police Procedural
Format: Paperback, Kindle, Audiobook

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Pain Tourist. I’m so excited to finally share my review for this jaw-dropping thriller. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and Karen at Orenda Book for the gifted proof.

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SYNOPSIS:

A young man wakes from a coma to find himself targeted by the men who killed his parents, while someone is impersonating a notorious New Zealand serial killer … the latest chilling, nerve-shredding, twisty thriller from the author of The Quiet People…
 
‘Paul Cleave is an automatic must-read for me’ Lee Child
 
‘You can’t be a true fan of crime fiction if you’re not reading Cleave’s books’ Tom Wood

‘Uses words as lethal weapons’ New York Times

______________
 
James Garrett was critically injured when he was shot following his parents’ execution, and no one expected him to waken from a deep, traumatic coma. When he does, nine years later, Detective Inspector Rebecca Kent is tasked with closing the case that her now retired colleague, Theodore Tate, failed to solve all those years ago.
 
But between that, and hunting for Copy Joe – a murderer on a spree, who’s imitating Christchurch’s most notorious serial killer – she’s going to need Tate’s help … especially when they learn that James has lived out another life in his nine-year coma, and there are things he couldn’t possibly know, including the fact that Copy Joe isn’t the only serial killer in town…

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MY REVIEW:

“Pain tourists are who we get when the podcasts and true-crime novels and the documentaries aren’t enough. They wonder what it’s like being either killer or victim. They slake that curiosity by visiting places where the terrible things happened, and the next you know they’re going from ‘how did this happen?’ to ‘how can I make this happen?’ ” 

It’s been a few months since I read this book and I still can’t stop thinking about it.  A heart-pounding, jaw-dropping thrill ride that will blow your mind, this book is like nothing I’ve ever read before.  It is one of those books where you think you know where it’s going but you really have no clue, the many twists and turns giving me book whiplash. Complex and layered, author Paul Cleave slowly weaves the many threads together so that the full picture begins to take shape. And it looks nothing like you imagined. And that finale… I was holding my breath in anticipation and did NOT expect the turns it took. 

I was a big fan of Cleave’s last book, The Quiet People, and I feel like he gets better every time. Exquisitely written with gorgeous and evocative imagery, this book really showcases just how damn good he is. An ensemble cast thriller with multiple threads, it manages to avoid getting confusing. Each character is brilliantly written, compelling and memorable, and it felt like there were no real background characters. But it was James and the mysterious killer whose points of view I found most enthralling. The concept of James living an entire life in ‘coma world’ was genius, and the anguish and confusion he felt upon waking was heartbreaking. I loved how the author brought James’ coma world to life for the reader, making it feel as real to us as it did him. As for the killer, well, what can I say except that I’m a sucker for an insight into a dark and twisted mind. 

Imaginative, tense and moving, The Pain Tourist is an absolute triumph. It is one of those books you never want to end but you are also desperate for answers. One of my favourite books this year, if you haven’t read this author yet then do it now!

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Paul is an award winning author who often divides his time between his home city of Christchurch, New Zealand, where most of his novels are set, and Europe. He’s won the New Zealand Ngaio Marsh Award three times, the Saint-Maur book festival’s crime novel of the year award in France, and has been shortlisted for the Edgar and the Barry in the US and the Ned Kelly in Australia. HIs books have been translated into over twenty languages. He’s thrown his Frisbee in over forty countries, plays tennis badly, golf even worse, and has two cats – which is often two too many. The critically acclaimed The Quiet People was published in 2021, with The Pain Tourist to follow in 2022.

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BUY THE BOOK

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

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

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

*These links are affiliate links

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

Blog Tour: The Butcher and the Wren by Alaina Urquhart

Published: September 13th, 2022
Publisher: Michael Joseph
Genre: Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Medical Thriller, Police Procedural, Horror Fiction
Format: Hardcover, Kindle, Audiobook

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for the deliciously dark, menacing and eerie The Butcher and the Wren. Thank you to Michael Joseph for the invitation to take part and the gifted copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

THE CHILLING SERIAL KILLER THRILLER FROM THE CO-HOST OF CHART-TOPPING PODCAST MORBID

WREN WAS NEVER AFRAID OF THE DARK. UNTIL SHE LEARNED THAT SOME MONSTERS ARE REAL . . .
_________

In deep Louisiana, a serial killer with a taste for medical experimentation is completing his most ambitious project yet. The media call him ‘The Butcher’ – and, so far, he’s proved impossible to catch.

With her encyclopaedic knowledge of humanity’s darkest minds, and years of experience examining their victims, forensic pathologist Dr Wren Muller is the best there is. The longer the Butcher’s killing spree continues, the more determined she is to bring him to justice.

And yet, he continues to elude her.

As body after body piles up on Wren’s examination table, her obsession grows. Pressure to put an end to the slaughter mounts. And her enemy becomes more brazen.

How far is Wren willing to go to draw the Butcher into the light . . .?

An addictive read with straight-from-the-morgue details only an autopsy technician could provide, The Butcher and the Wren promises to ensnare all who enter.

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MY REVIEW:

Wren was never afraid of the dark.  Until she learned that some monsters are real…

The Butcher and the Wren is a dark, menacing and forbidding game of cat and mouse that will send shivers down your spine.  This is one of those books best read in the daytime because if you read it in the dark you will never close your eyes…

Forensic pathologist Dr Wren Muller is determined to bring the killer known as ‘The Bayou Butcher’ to justice.  But as the body count rises, she fears she is no closer to finding the brutal murderer with a penchant for experimenting on his victims.  Then one day she notices a clue that changes the game completely.  Now she knows who he is and she is willing to do whatever it takes to stop him. 

“Catch me if you can.” 

Alaina Urquhart wields a scalpel as sharp as her protagonist in this outstanding debut.  Intricately woven, tightly plotted, fast-paced and unbearably tense, it oozed fear from its every pore and had me on the edge of my seat with my heart racing.  Darkly atmospheric and cleverly written, the author uses the power of suggestion to make your imagination go wild, conjuring imagery more horrifying than graphic descriptions could ever portray, though there are some gruesome moments too.  I devoured it quickly, unable to turn away even though I desperately wanted to. 

 “The feeling in this place is dark and ominous, saturated with the evil that has touched it for so long.”

Not only has Urquhart written a chilling story, but she’s created a truly terrifying villain.  Jeremy is particularly frightening because he seems like he could be anyone you know.  He is completely sane and aware of his actions, meticulously plans his every move, and seems so normal that his victims willingly accompany  him to their doom.  He’s the monster that lurks in the shadows or under your bed while also being the person sitting next to you on the bus or who chats to you at a bar.  He is what we don’t want to believe evil is made of.  

Ominous, suspenseful and filled with jaw-dropping twists that will take you by surprise, this is a must-read for any thriller lover.  Urquhart is my new favourite sinister storyteller and I can’t wait to read what she writes next.  Hopefully it will include Wren as I’d love to see her featured in a series. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Amazon*| Bookshop.org*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles 😊 Emma xxx

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

*These purchase links are affiliate links

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The Guest House by Robin Morgan-Bentley

Published: June 23rd, 2022
Publisher: Orion
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Medical Thriller
Format: Hardcover, Kindle, Audiobook

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this tense and twisty thriller. Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours for the invitation to take part and Orion for the gifted copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE.
WHATEVER THE COST…

Jamie and Victoria are expecting their first baby.

With a few weeks to go, they head off for a final weekend break in a remote part of the North Pennines. The small and peaceful guesthouse is the ideal location to unwind together before becoming parents. Upon arrival, they are greeted by Barry and Fiona, the older couple who run the guesthouse. They cook them dinner and show them to their room before retreating to bed themselves.

The next morning, Jamie and Victoria wake to find the house deserted. Barry and Fiona are nowhere to be seen. All the doors are locked. Both their mobile phones and car keys have disappeared. Even though it’s a few weeks early, Victoria knows the contractions are starting.

The baby is coming, and there’s no way out.

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MY REVIEW:

“Every time, after each scan of the nursery, I find myself on the verge of surrender… My hand hovers over the nine.  Just press it three times, Jamie.  Take the risk.  Tell them what happened in the guest house.” 

The Guest House is a thriller that packs a punch from the start.  It opens with Jamie and Victoria enjoying a last weekend away in a remote guest house a few weeks before their longed for first baby arrives. But on their first night Victoria wakes up with labour pains and they find the guest house is deserted, the doors locked and their mobile phones and car keys missing.  Leaving us on tenterhooks, the story then jumps forward.  Jamie and Victoria are now home but we have no idea what happened that day at the guest house.  Is their baby ok?  Why is someone sending them anonymous veiled threats?  And what is the secret that they are so scared will be revealed?  

Robin Morgan-Bentley has done it again. Deceptively layered and complex, this perfectly executed psychological thriller takes you on a twist-filled rollercoaster ride that exceeded my already high expectations. It is deceptively layered and complex, a perfectly executed psychological thriller takes you on a twist-filled rollercoaster ride that I absolutely loved. The story moves between timelines as Jamie and Victoria tell their story piece by piece, slowly revealing the true horror of what happened that fateful day.  Drenched in atmosphere, sizzling with suspense and charged with adrenaline, the fear, heartache, guilt, regret and internal conflict leaps from the page and the scenes from the guest house are a ticking time bomb of sheer dread.  It is one of those books that you clear your schedule for and I devoured it in under a day. 

The characters are well written and intriguing, and I liked that both Jamie and Victoria narrated the story and that neither of them were what you’d typically expect.  Victoria isn’t the sweet, demure new mother that we typically see and I actually found her quite cold, hard to like and difficult to connect with.  On the other hand, Jamie is a very likeable, endearing character that I felt a strong connection with.  Another thing I liked about Jamie is the representation of disability.  As a disabled person it is great to see disability portrayed in such a realistic way, where it is simply part of his character and not a weakness or flaw.  It doesn’t stop him doing normal or even heroic things, in fact it makes him even more determined to protect his family.  I also liked that he was given the opportunity to address how other people’s perceptions and judgement make him feel, something I related to on a personal level.  We need more characters like Jamie in fiction so that those without experience of living with disability see us as we are, not simply a token character to be pitied or seen as a burden. 

Riveting, addictive and unbearably tense, this dark and twisted tale will have you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. A must read for  any thriller lover. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Robin Morgan-Bentley was born and grew up in London. After studying Modern and Medieval Languages at Cambridge University, he went on to work for Google before moving to Audible, where he has been working since 2014.

His debut thriller, The Wreckage, was nominated for the CWA Dagger John Creasey New Blood Award, the CrimeFest Specsavers Debut Crime Award and Capital Crime’s Debut Book of the Year Award. His next thriller, The Guest House, will be released in the UK in June 2022 and in the US in September 2022.

Robin lives in Buckinghamshire with his husband and son.

Website

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles 😊Emma xxx

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