Tag: mystery

Categories
Audio Books Book Features Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: The Secrets We Hide by Karin Slaughter

Published June 18th, 2026 by Harper Fiction
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Psycological Thriller, Southern Fiction, Police Procedural

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Welcome to North Falls―a small town with big secrets.

The house at 1601 Iris Drive looks like any other in the quiet, residential street. But rumours are rife about the Vickery family – a couple in the midst of a volatile separation and a daughter with secrets of her own.

Then one afternoon gunshots ring out. Allison Vickery is found murdered in her own kitchen, her teenage daughter bleeding and left for dead. Her husband suspiciously absent.

Everyone in North Falls thinks they know what happened. Gossip and rumours spread like wildfire. But the truth is far more shocking than anyone could ever have imagined.

Secrets are everywhere in this small town. Everyone is hiding something. It’s up to Detective Emmy Clifton to uncover the truth, but the deeper she looks the darker it gets…

A gripping and twisty thriller, perfect or fans of Lisa Jewell, Andrea Mara and Shari Lapena

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

We’re back in North Falls for the second book in Karin Slaughter’s newest series. 

On her way home from her mother’s funeral, Detective Emmy Clifton hears shots ringing out from one of the houses. She and her sister, Jude, go to investigate and find Allison Vickery lying dead on her kitchen floor. Her teenage daughter Mandy is found bleeding and left for dead. Noticeably absent is Allison’s husband, Bill, who is a known domestic abuser. The case seems clear cut. But the truth will shock everyone…

Karin Slaughter never disappoints. When I pick up one of her books I know I’m getting a dark, tense and twisty thriller that will have me in a chokehold from start to finish. Her latest offering, The Secrets We Hide, further cements that reputation. Suspenseful, gritty, clever, immersive and propulsive, Karin delivers another page-turner that kept me on the edge of my seat. Karin explores some dark and important topics including the relationship between mothers and daughters, secrets, lies, coercive control and corruption. It is achingly human and brimming with emotion that will put you through the wringer alongside the characters. But I loved being back with them and in North Falls.  It is expertly written and impeccably crafted, and showcases why Karin has had such a long and successful career.

One of Karin’s greatest talents is writing about smalltown life and exploring the darkness that can lurk in its shadows. And that darkness is seeping from every pore of this book, reminding us that even the place we call home can be a place of danger and that things aren’t always what they appear to be on the surface. And because the story is set in such a small town, Emmy knows the victims and suspects and I found that because she was, I was even more invested in getting justice.

Action-packed and addictive, this is a must for any thriller lover.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you to Harper Fiction for sendind me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Karin Slaughter is one of the world’s most popular and acclaimed storytellers.

She is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty-five novels, including the Edgar nominated Cop Town and standalone novels Pretty Girls and False Witness. An international bestseller, Slaughter is published in 120 countries with more than 40 million copies sold across the globe. Pieces of Her, based on her novel, debuted at #1 worldwide on Netflix as an original series in 2022. Her bestselling thriller series, Will Trent, is now a television and streaming sensation in its 4th season. The Good Daughter will soon be a limited series starring Rose Byrne and Meghann Fahy, and further projects are currently in development for film/TV. Karin Slaughter is the founder of the Save the Libraries project—a nonprofit organization established to support libraries and library programming. A native of Georgia, she lives in Atlanta.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

This post contains affiliate links

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

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: The Bestseller by Jenny Knightsby

Published September 10th, 2026 by Mountain Leopard Press
Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

YOU TOLD HER YOUR DARKEST SECRETS.

NOW MILLIONS WILL READ THEM . . .

‘A gripping thriller that plumbs the dark depths of our closest relationships’ CLAIRE MCGOWAN

‘Brilliant and chilling . . . I tore through the pages’ – SARAH EASTER COLLINS

‘What a unique premise and so well executed. Tight plotting, and great characters. THE BESTSELLER is set to fly. I loved it!’ – LOUISE SWANSON

***

Therapist Helena Salve knows that client confidentiality is the number one unbreakable rule of her job. But the constant stories of coercive control and threat she hears from her client Belle about her dangerous husband have been wearing her down. One night over too many glasses of wine, she tells her best friend Tala everything that Belle has told her.

The problem is, Tala is a down-on-her-luck novelist who is looking for an idea for her new thriller.

Months later, Tala is excitedly telling Helena that her publisher is saying this is going to be her biggest book ever. The story is Belle’s story. Not only is Helena’s job on the line, but if Belle’s husband is as dangerous as she says, her life is too…

Why would Tala do this to Helena? She knows what’s at stake.

Your friends are meant to protect you… aren’t they?

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

Therapist Helena Salve knows client confidentiality is the most important rule in her profession. But, after a few too many glasses of wine, she finds herself telling her best friend Tala all about her new client Belle’s abusive relationship. A year later, struggling novelist Tala tells her she’s written her best thriller yet. One that her publishers are sure will send her into the stratosphere. But she’s being cagey about it and won’t say what it’s about. When she finally reads it, Helena is horrified to learn Tala has written Belle’s story. Now her job is at risk and she’s worried Belle’s dangerous husband will come after her. Why would her best friend do this to her?

A compelling, tense and twisty debut about love, friendship, coercive control, secrets and betrayal, The Bestseller is a page-turning debut. A thought-provoking read, it poses some important questions about human behaviour, morality and toxic relationships. Jenny Knight explores coercive control and toxic relationships throughout the story, writing with honesty but also compassion. She makes sure we understand why Belle might not be able to see that she’s being abused and is reluctant to leave, something I appreciate as a survivor. She also expertly showcases how kindness, charm and protection are used by abusers to explain away their control and make the victim feel loved. 

This is a book about relationships and at the heart of the story is the friendship between Helena and Tala. It’s a well-written relationship that is full of all the complexities and nuance that you’d expect from a decades-long friendship. They have a strong bond but there is something from their past they won’t ever discuss. Something that still haunts both of them decades later. Clues are dropped like breadcrumbs for us to follow, while a past timeline slowly reveals their secret and helps us to understand them and their friendship. 

I did guess most of the twists but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book as Jenny was skilled at making me second-guess my predictions. And that ending! Talk about leaving me reeling. 

A gripping debut that all thriller lovers should have on their TBR.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you Mountain Leopard Press for sening me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jenny Knightsby is a hospital doctor based in West London. The Bestseller was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize 2024 and is Knightsby’s debut novel.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

Categories
Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay

Published 1967 by Vintage
Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The classic, atmospheric Australian thriller about the mysterious disappearance of a group of young girls.

A cloudless summer day in the year nineteen hundred…

Everyone at Appleyard College for Young Ladies agreed it was just right for a picnic at Hanging Rock. After lunch, a group of three girls climbed into the blaze of the afternoon sun, pressing on through the scrub into the shadows of Hanging Rock. Further, higher, till at last they disappeared.

They never returned.

Is Picnic at Hanging Rock fact or fiction? Only you can truly decide.

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

Australia, 14th February 1900. On a sweltering summer’s day an idyllic picnic for the students at an exclusive ladies boarding school turns into a nightmare when three girls and their governess go missing at Hanging Rock. Eight days later, one of the girls is found, but she has no memories of what happened. The other two girls and their governess are never seen again. 

Atmospheric, mysterious, hypnotic and ambiguous, Picnic at Hanging Rock is a mesmerising story. This 1967 classic has been on my TBR for many years. I became fascinated with the story after seeing the movie as a teenager and for many years I believed it was based on a true story. When I learned that it was actually a work of fiction, I knew I needed to read it. This month I finally decided to pick it up and listened to it on audiobook, which was a great choice as not only did the Australian accent of the narrator make it feel authentic, but the pipe music between each chapter adds to the haunting and unsettling vibe. 

A sunny but sinister story, the book transports us back to 1900. A gorgeously gothic and melancholy Edwardian tale, Joan Lindsey’s evocative storytelling vividly sets the scene from the start. There is a hazy, dreamlike quality. A fever-dream where you are never quite sure what is real and what is fiction. I was enthralled and completely lost in the world Lindsay had created. It’s a story that captures the imagination. A puzzle steeped in the supernatural and unexplained that is waiting to be solved. But it ultimately remains without resolution. And that unending mystery is part of what makes this story so haunting and eerie.

Hanging Rock itself is an important part of this story, almost feeling like a character in its own right. An ancient place infused with mystery that is an indigenous sacred site, the book capitalises on that atmosphere to create a modern myth. It leaves us wondering if the rock really can devour people and make them vanish into thin air. And how did three people manage to disappear without a single trace? 

Beautiful, languorous, obscure and unnerving, this is a perfect summer read that will linger long after reading.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joan Lindsay was born Joan à Beckett Weigall in Melbourne, Australia, in 1896. She attended Clyde Girls Grammar School, the model for Appleyard College in Picnic at Hanging Rock, and the National Gallery of Victoria Art School, where she studied painting. On Valentine’s Day 1922 she married Daryl Lindsay in London. She chose Valentine’s Day 1900 as the setting for Picnic at Hanging Rock, her best-known work, which was first published in 1967 and is the basis for the 1975 film of the same name by Peter Weir. She died in Melbourne in 1984.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

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

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: The Spy and the Snake by M. J. Robotham

Published July 9th, 2026 by Aria Books
Suspense, Mystery, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Spy Fiction, Adventure Fiction, Romance Novel

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

THE NEW TRAILBLAZING NOVEL FROM INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR, MANDY ROBOTHAM

One mission. One fake husband. One very real problem.

Maggie Flynn has finally earned her place at of MI5-but with promotion comes paperwork. No more disguises, no more danger, just meetings, memos, and the quiet realisation that life feels a little too safe.

With her daughter away at university and her spirited mother pursuing her own adventures, Maggie’s days in London are starting to feel decidedly ordinary. So when the chance arises to return to the field, she doesn’t hesitate.

The assignment: fly to Budapest and pose as the wife of a notorious British defector in order to smuggle him back to the UK. It should be a straightforward operation. But Maggie Flynn has never done straightforward-and what’s waiting in Budapest is anything but routine.

As Cold War tensions simmer and shadows linger on every corner, Maggie finds herself navigating a city steeped in secrets-and drawn to a mysterious stranger who may endanger the mission. or steal her heart.

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

Maggie Flynn is back. The MI5 agent has spent the last three years playing housemaid and babysitter. But now her boss is offering her a chance to finally go into the field. They want her to go to Budapest to spring former-MI6 agent-turned-defector Fitzroy Carver out from behind the Iron Curtain and back to London. What’s more, this job is off the books. Meaning she would be totally alone with no-one to back her up if things go wrong. Maggie isn’t sure she’s ready. But with the encouragement of her friend, fellow spy Bea, she decides to do it. What follows is a tense, twisty and entertaining espionage caper that will keep you on your toes. 

M. J. Robotham’s books are always a real treat and I loved being back with Maggie. Intelligent, witty, intriguing and addictive, I was immediately transported back to the sixties and into Maggie’s world of spies and secrets. Skillfully written, cleverly plotted and well researched, Ms. Robotham knows how to keep her reader hooked and I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The story is rich in historic detail, nostalgia and counterintelligence that adds a layer of authenticity. Ms. Robotham manages to expertly make the story feel lighthearted whilst also making it nail-bitingly tense and addressing some darker themes such as war and grief. 

Maggie is a wonderful character. Fierce, smart, determined and upbeat, she is easy to like and root for at every turn. Isolated and unsure who to trust, Budapest is lonely for her, so I was extra thankful for my favourite Maggie character quirk: the cast of voices that talk to her in her head. Her banter with them is always fun to read and I love how they help her get out of scrapes, encourage her, or offer comfort when times are hard, which she certainly needed on this job. The other characters are just as richly drawn and compelling, and I had a real soft spot for cafe owner Zoltan, who was just a delight. However Fitzroy was a frustrating and difficult character, which I liked as it made things more interesting and added to the tension.

A delightful and intriguing mystery, I highly recommend this one. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thanks to Aria for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

M J Robotham saw herself as an aspiring author from childhood, but was waylaid by journalism, birth, children and life. After twenty years as a midwife and a Creative Writing MA, she is a full-time author, writing historical fiction as Mandy Robotham. She lives in Gloucestershire with her partner.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

*This post contains affiliate links

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: The Night Stairs by Erin Kelly

Publised July 9th, 2026 by Harvill Secker
Gothic Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Psychological Thriller

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Every school has its scandals. This one could be fatal.

‘Had me hooked from page one’ JENNIE GODFREY
‘Deliciously dark’ JANE FALLON
‘Relentlessly gripping…Original, atmospheric’ LUCY CLARKE

Centuries of tradition are coming to an end at St Cordula’s Catholic boarding school. Deputy Head, Fiona Fox, is about to preside over a controversial move to save it from ruin.

Legend has it that the ghost of fifteenth-century nun, Sister Matilda, will keep St Cordula’s safe. But only as long as the words ‘GOD FORGIVE ME’, scrawled by Matilda on a chapel staircase wall before she fell to her death, are repainted every year. The words have only been allowed to fade once, in 2002. Then, fits of vertigo spread through the pupils, and a second girl fell to her death on the night stairs.

Only three people know the truth of what happened on the night of the tragedy. Now the vertigo is back, and unless Fiona can stem the outbreak, St. Cordula’s darkest secret could claim another girl’s life…

The new thriller, with a jaw-dropping twist, from bestselling storyteller Erin Kelly

buy here

********

MY REVIEW:

“St Cordula’s has always been the kind of place that invites myth and lore. It is steeped in stories. 
Many of them are true.”

An all-girls boarding school in the North Yorkshire Moors, a chilling legend, a mysterious illness, dark secrets and a possible murder. Put them all together and you have the perfect recipe for a mesmerising and eerie gothic thriller. 

Darkly atmospheric, evocative, layered and suspenseful, this is a labyrinthine story of legend, faith, hysteria, secrets, obsession and betrayal. Though I own most of her books, this was actually my first time reading a story by Erin Kelly and I’m mad at myself for waiting so long. Exquisitely written and skillfully plotted, this book is a masterclass in pace, mystery and tension that held me in a chokehold from start to finish. I went back and forth between the physical book and audio, which I highly recommend as Bessie Carter really brings this story to life, ramping up the chilling atmosphere and keeping me on the edge of my seat as I listened. Intrigue and foreboding were scattered throughout the story and as we approached the finale the two timelines were expertly braided together, the tension building into a heart-pounding crescendo as I was hit with twist after twist before the big, final reveal that still has me reeling.

Told in dual timelines by multiple narrators, the book is filled with a cast of compelling and memorable characters. Teacher Fiona was someone I found easy to like and root for even though we know she has a dark secret. I enjoyed trying to predict what it was but am not ashamed to say that I failed and was completely shocked by the truth when all was finally revealed. Teenage girls obviously play a big part in this story and I liked that Erin perfectly captured the angst of being a teenage girl and the cattiness that can exist in an all-girls school, instantly transporting me to my own years at an all-girls secondary school and making me thankful it wasn’t an elite boarding school.

A chilling and twisty Gothic thriller, add this to your TBR now.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

Thanks Harvil Secker for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Erin Kelly is one of the most well respected and critically acclaimed voices in the crime-writing community. She is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Poison Tree, The Sick Rose, The Burning Air, The Ties That Bind, He Said / She Said, Stone Mothers (published in paperback as We Know You Know), Watch Her Fall, The Skeleton Key and Broadchurch: The Novel, inspired by the mega-hit TV series. In 2013, The Poison Tree became a major ITV drama and was a Richard & Judy Summer Read in 2011. Its sequel, The House of Mirrors, was published to rapturous reception in 2024.

He Said / She Said spent six weeks in the top 10 in both hardback and paperback, was longlisted for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award, and selected for both the Simon Mayo Radio 2 and Richard & Judy Book Clubs. Watch Her Fall was longlisted for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award in 2022 and Erin was nominated for the CWA’s Dagger in the Library. The Skeleton Key was the Waterstones Thriller of the Month in September 2023 and won the Genre-Busting Book of the Year category at the Capital Crime Fingerprint Awards 2023. It was a Sunday Times top 10 bestseller and a Times number one bestseller in paperback.

Erin has worked as a freelance journalist since 1998 and written for the Guardian, The Sunday Times, Daily Mail, New Statesman, Red, Elle and Cosmopolitan. She has also taught creative writing on the Curtis Brown Creative course. Born in London in 1976, she lives in north London with her husband and daughters. 

Her latest gothic thriller, The Night Stairs, is out now

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

Categories
Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2026

BOOK REVIEW: It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell

Published July 2nd, 2026 by Century
Thriller, Suspense, Mystery

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER

PREPARE TO BE HOOKED by the brand new thriller from Lisa Jewell, author of the Sunday Times bestselling novels None of This Is True and Don’t Let Him In.

‘A deliciously twisted gem of a thriller and her best yet’ CLAIRE DOUGLAS
‘A true masterpiece’ ANDREA MARA
‘Superbly written, entertaining and twisty’ LIZ NUGENT
‘Dark, intense, brilliant’ SHARI LAPENA
___________

It was the night she almost died.

Jane Trevally, newly divorced and feeling a little lost, agrees to accompany a man she doesn’t know to his house in the darkest corner of Hampstead Heath. She’s offered a drink, goes in, and then – a scream and the sound of something falling upstairs – Jane senses she’s in a bad place. She runs.

Twenty five years later, Jane finds herself outside the same house, this time to return a small white dog who’s been found near her home in the country; a dog whose owner has just been reported missing.

A fleeting glimpse of a haunted looking woman through the window sends Jane on a mission to uncover the house’s secrets – secrets more terrifying than she could have ever imagined, especially when she realises it could have been her. . .

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

If there is one thing I can rely on, it’s that Lisa Jewelll will always write a first-class thriller. And she’s done it again with her latest book. At its heart, this is the story of a missing woman. But it is also so much more: a story of a dysfunctional family, trauma, tragedy and dark, festering secrets. 

June, 2005. Newly divorced and feeling adrift, Jane Trevally agrees to go home with a man she meets on a night out. When she’s there he offers her a drink, but before she can take a sip she hears a scream. So Jane runs. Twenty-five years later, Jane has never forgotten the night she almost died. She never expected to be back at that house but after going to return a lost dog, she finds herself standing outside the same house that has haunted her nightmares. And, in an even stranger twist, the dog’s owner has just been reported missing. Jane can’t shake the feeling something sinister is going on inside that house. So she sets out  to find the missing woman and uncover the house’s secrets, unprepared for the dark depths that her investigation will take her. 

Deliciously dark, tense, unnerving and completely addictive, this book had me in a chokehold from start to finish. A shrewd and superb page-turning thriller, I stayed up until the early hours to finish this one as I had to know what dark secrets were being hidden. Lisa is a master of her craft and this story gives her the chance to flex her thriller-writer muscles perfectly. Masterfully written, expertly crafted and intricately interwoven, there’s a quietly chilling unease that bubbles under the surface and permeates every page. Meanwhile, she slowly unveils the layers of dark secrets and mystery with a tension that will keep you on the edge of your seat.. It is a masterpiece of malevolence and misdirection, the many twists subverting what I thought I knew. Labyrinthine, comprehensive and complex, there are many different strands, multiple characters and timelines, but it never gets confusing. Though I have no idea how she kept up with it all to write it. And that ending! I finished this book days ago and I haven’t stopped thinking about it. 

The story is told by multiple flawed, fractured and compelling characters. There are ones you’ll like, ones you’ll root for, ones you’ll feel sorry for, morally ambiguous ones you won’t know how to feel about and devilishly good villains you’ll hate or will make your skin crawl. There is one particular family that oozes darkness and dysfunction as their family ties are made monstrous and tangled. But all the characters are painfully human and show us the ripple effect of trauma and tragedy. I had a real soft spot for Jane and was rooting for her to solve the mystery. 

A heart-stopping thriller that will linger long after reading, this is a must-read for all thriller lovers.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

Thank you Century for sending me a proof copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Jewell was born in London in 1968.

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

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The Art of Getting Hammered by Joanna Wallace

Published August 6th, 2026 by Viper Books
Dark Comedy, Suspense, Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

* FROM THE AWARD WINNING AUTHOR OF YOU’D LOOK BETTER AS A GHOST *

‘The gold standard of twisted crime fiction’ – JANICE HALLETT
‘Dark humour at its absolute finest’ – J.M. HEWITT
‘Literature’s most relatable serial killer’ – JO FURNISS

MURDER IS HER MASTERPIECE.

What use is a part-time serial killer who doesn’t want to kill people? Once the terror of rude and irritating people everywhere, now Claire has lost her murderous mojo. Not even the overly chatty woman in the supermarket or the man who stole her neighbour’s dog can motivate her to get out the zip ties.

Then a lucky break and a new job in the local pub gives Claire the perfect target: someone is spiking drinks and causing mayhem. But as Claire closes in on the culprit, punters start dropping like flies – and for once she’s not the one doing the killing. Is someone else murdering on her patch? Claire has questions. And she’s not afraid to use her hammer to get answers…

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

“Nobody’s ordinary. Everyone’s got something interesting about them. Even if it’s just the part of themselves they try to hide.”

Artist and part-time serial killer Claire has lost her murderous mojo and is itching to get it back. But nothing is helping. Not until she takes a job at the local pub and notices suspicious activity: patrons are stumbling out drunker than they should be and the regulars appear to be dropping like flies. But Claire isn’t the one killing them. Is another killer operating on her patch? She needs answers. And she isn’t afraid to kill to get them…

Joanna Wallace is back with another gripping and brilliantly titled tale. With a name like that how could I not pick up this book? It holds so much promise. And, believe me, it delivered. Darkly funny, delightfully unhinged, tense and twisty, I devoured this addictive thriller in just two sittings. The writing is scalpel-sharp, hilarious and compelling, keeping me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. And though it’s a follow-up to You’d Look Better As A Ghost – and I’d recommend reading that because it’s absolutely brilliant – this can be read as a standalone. 

I love Claire. She is one of the best female serial killers in fiction today – think Rhiannon from Sweetpea with an artistic streak and an even stronger code for killing. Claire kills annoying people. But only when they appear as ghosts. And she hasn’t been seeing any ghosts recently, no matter how much people have wound her up. I loved this dilemma of a serial killer so restricted by her own code that she couldn’t murder the people she wanted to. I loved how she even considered a different rule so that she could start using her hammer again but that events came together for her ghostly apparitions to return so she could once again carry out her murderous exploits. The other characters are charismatic and memorable and I loved trying to figure out who the other killer might be. The chapters from the mysterious murderer’s point of view were fantastic, dropping little clues like breadcrumbs that I was absolutely terrible at following. And I loved that as it meant I was totally flawed when the big reveal happened.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you to Viper Books for the invitation to take part in the blog tour and for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joanna Wallace studied Law at Birmingham University before working as a commercial litigation solicitor in London. She now runs a family business and lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband, four children and dog. She was partly inspired to write You’d Look Better as a Ghost, her debut, following her father’s diagnosis of early onset dementia. Joanna’s second novel, The Dead Friend Project, was published by Viper in 2024.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews

BLOG BLAST: Dead Heat by Sabine Durrant

Published July 30th, 2026 by Penguin UK
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psycological Fiction

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Former journalist Matt Grimshaw’s life is at a low ebb. He’s been ‘let go’ by the paper where he’s worked for years, and his relationship with his long-term girlfriend has come unstuck.

So when an invitation arrives from his two closest friends, Celia and Adam Murphy, to join them at their house in Greece, he jumps at it.

It may be harsh and unwelcoming on the Mani Peninsula but Matt determines to stay there for the whole summer and to write his much put-off screen-play.

But then the Murphys plus children arrive, and a wealthy newcomer to the area starts throwing loud and lavish parties in his big house across the bay.

As the nights become hotter and the parties wilder, everyone’s motivations darken. Envy rises, resentments grow – until a terrible accident stops the summer in its tracks.

At least, it looks like an accident…

Set over one blazing Mediterranean summer, Sabine Durrant’s new thriller is tense, claustrophobic and utterly gripping.

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

After being dumped by both his long-term girlfriend and his job, former journalist Matt Grimshaw heads to Sparta to stay with his best friend, Adam, and his wife, Celia, to lick his wounds and begin work on his screenplay. But his idyllic summer in the sun takes a mysterious turn when he spots a missing poster for a man named Mark Ashley and gets talking to his worried sister. Matt feels sure there is something more to Mark’s disappearance. When he meets Rey, the wealthy newcomer to the island who Mark worked for, Matt gets a sense that he can’t be trusted. Could Rey know more about the disappearance than he’s letting on? Matt has to know, so he starts his own investigation, determined to uncover the truth about what happened to Mark. But is he prepared for the secrets he will uncover along the way?

Tense, twisty and claustrophobic, this is the perfect escapist summer thriller. Skillfully written and cleverly choreographed, Sabine Durrant tells the story so evocatively that I was transported to Sparta and could feel the sun beating down on me as I read. The tension builds slowly, and I’ll admit there were times at the beginning where my attention waned a little, but it soon picks up, surrounding us with a dark atmosphere that is nail-bitingly tense. I love a locked-room thriller, and as the story goes on the claustrophobia of being trapped on a small island while not knowing who you can trust was perfect, ramping up the suspense and keeping me on the edge of my seat as I waited to learn the truth.

Matt is a likeable narrator who is easy to root for. And I do enjoy an amateur detective so it was fun to get behind his investigation. I liked Celia but her Adam, her husband and Matt’s best friend, really gave me the ick. Like Matt, I didn’t get a good vibe from Rey but I also couldn’t predict what had actually happened and was kept guessing right up until the big reveal.

A scorching and suspenseful summer thriller, add this to your TBR now.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you to Compulsive Reads for the invitation to take Part in this blog blast and to Penguin UK for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sabine Durrant is a journalist and the author of the best-selling HAVING IT AND EATING IT and the CONNIE PICKLES series of children’s books. Her first psychological suspense novel, UNDER YOUR SKIN, was published by Hodder in the UK and Simon & Schuster in the US in 2014. Her second, REMEMBER ME THIS WAY, was also published by Hodder in the UK and Simon & Schuster in the US in 2015. Both novels have been translated into more than 12 languages. Her third novel, LIE WITH ME, a Richard & Judy pick and Sunday Times bestseller, was published in July 2016. TAKE ME IN was published by Mulholland Books in June 2018. FINDERS, KEEPERS was published by Hodder & Stoughton in July 2020.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

Categories
Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

Published July 9th, 2026 by Pan Macmillan
Thriller, Mystery, Domestic Fiction

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Mad Mabel was an instant New York Times bestseller and a No. 1 bestseller in Australia. Discover why readers across the globe have fallen for this twisty, surprising and charming novel.

‘Funny, twisty and suspenseful’ – Harlan Coben

‘A twisty page-turning triumph, packed with wit, warmth, nuance and mystery. Brilliant’ – Jane Harper

YOU CAN CHANGE
YOUR NAME.
BUT YOU CAN’T
CHANGE YOUR PAST . . .

Eighty-one-year-old Elsie Fitzpatrick lives a quiet life in the suburbs. Few would guess that Elsie, aside from being a curmudgeon who minds everyone else’s business, harbours a secret she’s worked hard to bury.

Because when it comes to murder, no one ever suspects little girls or old ladies. And Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick – once a little girl and now an old lady – has a strange history of people in her life coming to a foul end.

When an elderly neighbour is found dead, no one suspects a thing – until they uncover Elsie’s true identity: Mad Mabel, the youngest Australian in history to be convicted of murder, more than sixty years ago.

The police are asking questions. The media is circling. Has the past finally caught up with Mad Mabel? Or is it time for her to set the record straight?

buy here

********

MY REVIEW:

81-year-old Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is not someone who blends in with the crowd. At 6ft tall with broad shoulders, she’s used to standing out. And don’t mistake her for a sweet old lady. She’s more likely to call you ‘dipshit’ than ‘dear’. Elsie has lived on Kenny Lane for over sixty years. But she has a secret. As a child, Elsie was known as ‘Mad Mabel’ and became Australia’s most notorious child killer. And there were rumours it wasn’t the first time she’d killed. Now, after decades of keeping her dark past a secret, the truth threatens to be exposed after she finds her neighbour dead and is questioned by police. Maybe now is the time for Mabel to finally tell her side of the story. But is she mad? And is she guilty?

Two of my favourite tropes are anti-heroes and elderly protagonists, plus I’m a sucker for a story with black humour, so this book had my name written all over it. And it did not disappoint. Darkly funny, quirky, crazy, cryptic, tense and utterly compelling, I devoured it in two sittings. Expertly written, hilarious, cleverly plotted and filled with charismatic characters, this is the definition of an unputdownable page-turner. The story seems simple, but there is so much more to it. Layered, nuanced, warm and richly drawn, this is a twisty tale that will keep you guessing right up until the final page. Sally drips intrigue and foreboding like breadcrumbs for us to follow out of the woods and teases Mabel’s story, revealing pieces slowly in flashbacks to her childhood leading up to the murder. It is also more than a murder mystery. It’s a story about loneliness, identity, trauma, and the power of female friendship.

I love an unlikely heroine and an elderly protagonist, so I was excited to get to know Mabel. And this unforgettable woman is now one of my favourite characters of all time. Quirky, eccentric, feisty and secretive, she comes across as curmudgeonly at first but we soon learn there is more hiding beneath her spiky surface. Underneath her strong, no-nonsense veneer, there is a vulnerability from her past traumas that made me feel protective of this fabulous octogenarian. And it made me love her even more. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

Thank you to Bookbreak and Pan Macmillan for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sally Hepworth is the New York Times bestselling author of ten novels, most recently Mad Mabel. Sally’s novels have been called “darkly charming” and praised by authors Emily Giffin and Liane Moriarty as “totally absorbing” and “fiction at its finest.”

Sally’s novels have sold millions of copies worldwide and been translated into over 30 languages.

Sally lives in Melbourne, Australia with her family.

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

*This post contains affiliate links

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

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: Against the Tide by G. D. Wright

Published June 18th, 2026 by Avon Books
Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Psychological Ficiton, Police Procedural, Domestic Fiction

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

If the truth could destroy you, would you choose to know it?

DC Vinny Robson has spent his career seeking justice for others, but when an elderly couple are violently murdered in his hometown of Beachbrook, the investigation takes a devastating turn – one that cuts straight through his own family.

As Vinny dives deeper, the case becomes more than a pursuit of a killer – it’s a fight against the undertow of his own past. But in chasing the truth, will he finally find justice, or will he drown in the wreckage of everything he thought he knew?

Some truths should stay submerged. But once the tide turns, there’s no stopping what comes to light.

An emotional crime drama set on the south coast of England, perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter, Gillian McAllister and Ann Cleeves.

BUY HERE

********

MY REVIEW:

G. D. Wright never misses. He’s three for three on the tense and emotional thrillers that you can’t put down. And this is his best yet!

An elderly couple are brutally murdered in their home in Beachbrook and DC Vinny Robson is on the case. But the case soon takes an unexpected and devastating turn that could turn Vinny’s world upside down. Now, this is more than the hunt for a killer; it’s the pursuit of a truth and justice that he never knew he needed to find.

Suspenseful, gripping, twisty and totally unpredictable, this sensational thriller was impossible to put down. I’m a big fan of Gaz’s books so I was thrilled when I heard that the SquadPod had got his latest novel as one of their July reads. And he has knocked it out of the park once again. He lulls us into a false sense of security, starting slowly by introducing us to the characters and the story. But the pace soon picked up, and before long I was holding on tight for dear life with no idea what shocking revelation would hit next. Expertly written, cleverly choreographed and intricately interwoven, this is a complex thriller filled with twists you’ll never see coming and characters you’ll love. And that ending! I was not prepared and it will stay with me for a very long time.

Gaz is the King of the emotional thriller and this story had me fighting back tears quite a few times. Vinny’s mum has dementia in the story, something I know was inspired by a member of Gaz’s own family. And his experience of this terrible illness is evident in the care, sensitivity and honesty with which it was written. Another thing I love about Gaz’s books is the authenticity that shines through from his time as a Police Officer. Those small details really make a difference and allow you to have confidence in the accuracy of what you are reading.

A must-read for any thriller lover.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

Thank you Avon for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From his website: Hi, and thanks so much for visiting my website. My name is Gary (pen name G.D. Wright) and I live in Kent with my wife and two young children.

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

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

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

As a screenwriter, my feature film BREATHE DEEP is scheduled to shoot in September 2025.

I’m always up for chatting, so find me on my socials (below) and I’ll happily answer any questions you might have!

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

*This post contains affiliate links