Tag: mystery

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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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

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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
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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

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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.

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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.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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Blog Tours book reviews

BLOG BLAST: Dead Heat by Sabine Durrant

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

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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

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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.

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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.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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BOOK REVIEW: Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

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

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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

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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.

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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.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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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

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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

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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.

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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!

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

BOOK REVIEW: The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson

Published July 10th, 2025 by Mantle
Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Historical Mystery, Suspense, Historical Romance

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. Click here to listen free for 45 days*

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

One of The Telegraph‘s greatest books of 2025

London, 1749

Hannah Cole’s world shatters following her husband’s brutal murder. Her confectionary shop, the Punchbowl and Pineapple, teeters on the brink of ruin. Just as she uncovers a hidden fortune―money her husband secretly possessed―a new nightmare begins.

Magistrate Henry Fielding, the renowned author, suspects illicit gains. To save her inheritance, her shop, and her very reputation, Hannah must delve into her late husband’s secret life. But as she unearths a labyrinth of lies and deceit, she finds herself entangled in a battle of wits far more dangerous than she could ever have imagined.

From Sunday Times bestselling author Laura Shepherd-Robinson comes a twisty, immersive thriller where the truth is a luxury Hannah Cole can’t afford, and every secret is a step closer to her own undoing.

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

London, 1749. Following her husband’s brutal murder, Hannah Cole is left to run their confectionery  shop, the Punchbowl and Pineapple, alone but she is teetering on the brink of ruin. Then she discovers her husband, Jonas, had a secret hidden fortune and she thinks that finally her problems could be over. But they are in fact just beginning. Magistrate Henry Fielding has questions about how Jonas died and suspects the fortune was gained by illicit means forcing Hannah to delve into her husband’s secret life and step into a dangerous world in order to save her shop, her inheritance and her reputation. 

Darkly atmospheric, mysterious, seductive, tense and addictive, The Art of a Lie is a mesmerising tale you’ll not be able to put down. Set to a backdrop of the blazing summer sun, this labyrinthine tale of skullduggery, deception, lies and murder will have you glued to the pages. Exquisitely written, cleverly choreographed and full of shocking twists, it showcases why Laura Shepherd-Robinson is one of my auto-buy authors. She gets better with each book and this one is without a doubt her best yet. Laura’s meticulous research is evident on every page, taking me back to her event about the book last year when she talked about all the research she’d done for the book, including the Georgian art of ice-cream making as Hannah introduces the British public to this tasty dessert. Just be prepared to crave some yourself when reading. 

And though this is a Georgian murder-mystery, it is also much more nuanced and complex. We learn the truth about Jonas’ murder early on and you will find yourself rooting for the crime not to be solved. It has some elements of an unhealthy love story but most of all this is a story about the art of telling lies; lies for survival, lies for profit and lies for love. The characters are flawed but likeable and compelling, and you will root for them despite all their schemes and deception. I didn’t want them to be brought to justice and behind them every step of the way.

A must-read for anyone who loves historical mysteries. Just make sure you’ve got some ice-cream in the freezer!

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

Thanks to Bookbeat and Mantle for sending me a proof copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laura Shepherd-Robinson is the award-winning, Sunday Times and USA Today bestselling author of four historical novels. Her books have been featured on BBC 2’s Between the Covers and Radio 4’s Front Row and Open Book. Her fourth novel, The Art of a Lie, will be published in Summer 2025.

Laura was born in Bristol in 1976. She has a BSc in Politics from the University of Bristol and an MSc in Political Theory from the London School of Economics. She worked in politics for nearly twenty years before re-entering normal life to complete an MA in Creative Writing at City University. She lives in London with her husband, Adrian.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: Five by Ilona Bannister

Published May 5th, 2026 by Juniper
Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Mystery, Literary Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Five passengers. Five minutes until the next train … five minutes until someone dies.

‘Will have you glued to the page … guaranteed to shock and entertain’The Times

‘Ridiculously good … darkly thrilling and unforgettable’ Chris Whitaker

* * * *

Someone will die here this morning, at this suburban train station. It will happen in the next five minutes when the 7:06 to London Victoria arrives.

Take note of their positions. The child, the mother, the businessman, the old woman and the gambler.

One of them will die despite your attachment to them. There is probably one you want to get rid of. You don’t have to admit who. But perhaps you should ask yourself why.

The train has stopped.

Someone is dead.

Was it who you chose?

It wasn’t your fault …

So why, dear reader, do you feel so guilty?

Five stories. Five minutes until a life ends. Unfolding in real time, FIVE doesn’t just tell a story; it provokes, unsettles, and lingers. By weaving together the stories of those complex, flawed lives, Bannister creates a tapestry of human struggle, resilience, and hope. FIVE offers no easy answers, but rather a nuanced exploration of the human condition in all its messy complexity.

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

Five passengers are waiting for a train. Five minutes until it arrives…five minutes until one of them dies.

Atmospheric, intense, propulsive and gripping, this heart-stopping debut asks you to become the detective and try to predict which passenger will die. Most books will give you time to get to know the characters and grow attached to them before ticking down the clock to one’s impending doom. But in this book Ilona Bannister does things differently and starts the countdown on the first page. It means the tension is sky high and the reader is kept on the edge of their seat from the first page. And as the clock ticks down, we get to know the five passengers: mother Emma and her son, Gideon, businessman Liam, old Mrs Worth and gambler Sonny. Interspersed with events at the station are the character’s stories that allow us to learn their histories and what brought them to the station today. Skillfully written, razor-sharp, deftly plotted and fizzing with tension I was in Ilona’s thrall from start to finish. And as the jaw-dropping revelations kept coming I still couldn’t predict who would live and who would die.

The five passengers are an eclectic cast of characters who are all broken in some way. Each of them have said and done horrible or even despicable things and their histories are filled with tragedies that make every character a candidate for death. None of them are particularly likeable, but some are more unlikeable than the others. – Liam, I’m looking at you. To be honest, I felt like they all deserved to die in some way and it was more a case of ranking whose death felt most justified than wishing any of them would survive. Yes, even the child. But while I didn’t particularly like them, I was still very invested in them and their stories; each of them kept me glued to the pages of their chapters. This is a testament to the excellence of Ilona’s writing which was acutely observed, achingly human and emotionally resonant.

A jaw-dropping, darkly funny and urgent ticking-clock of tension, this is a must for all thriller lovers.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ilona Bannister was a dual qualified US attorney and UK immigration solicitor before she started writing fiction. Her first novel, When I Ran Away, was developed on Faber Academy’s Work in Progress course. Ilona’s experiences as a mother, lawyer, and an American transplant in Britain are reflected in her novels. Although she will always be a New Yorker at heart, Ilona’s home is in London with her husband and young sons.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Categories
Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: Darling Bud by C. J. Skuse

Published June 4th, 2026 by HQ
Dark Comdey, Suspense, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Psychological Thriller

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. Click here to listen free for 45 days*

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The brand-new gripping dark comedy thriller from the world of the Sweetpea series – Now a major TV series on Sky Atlantic, starring Ella Purnell!

Murder can be a family business …

Even wallflowers have to bloom.

Sixteen-year-old Ivy is your average teenager. She’s annoyed by the scratchy labels on her school uniform, old men who wolf-whistle, and her mother the serial killer.

But is murder in her roots?

Ivy was raised far away from the shadows of Rhiannon Lewis, the Sweetpea killer, but when the local predator – better known as Ivy’s football coach – is found dead, could it be that she has discovered a taste for blood?

As suspicion grows deeper, Ivy’s only way out is to get some motherly advice. But when the internet’s unlikeliest vigilantes determine that Ivy must be punished for her mother’s crimes, she must decide whether to control the rage burning inside her.

Or to unleash her thorns…

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

Move over Sweetpea; there’s a new flower in bloom and she’s ready to take centre stage.

It’s no secret that Sweetpea is my favourite series of all time and I was bereft when it was over. But C. J. Skuse did hint that she *might* write a book from the perspective of Ivy, Rhiannon’s daughter. I’m thrilled to say not only has she done it, but it’s bloody brilliant. I finished this book a few days ago and I haven’t been able to pick up anything else as I’m still reeling. That ending!! How could you end the book there?! My jaw is still on the floor and I need the rest of the story right now! 

Darkly funny, sassy, compelling and emotional, this book had me in a chokehold from the first page to the last. As the story is from a new character’s perspective, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But thankfully this book has everything I’ve come to love about the Sweetpea series and more: the humour is black as ink, there is bloody murder, complex characters and heaps of emotion. Expertly written, intricately interwoven and perfectly plotted, it showcases why C.J. is one of my favourite authors.  It’s also a masterclass in ambiguity, making you torn between rooting for wickedness and knowing murder is wrong. 

When we meet Ivy things aren’t going well. Not only is she an angst-ridden sixteen-year-old, but her adoptive mum is dying and she’s under suspicion after the pervy football coach at her school was found murdered. Everyone seems to think murder runs in the blood and she’s just like her biological mother – serial killer Rhiannon Lewis. But Ivy maintains her innocence. So, with nowhere else to turn, she reaches out to Rhiannon for advice and goes down the rabbit hole of her mother’s crimes. Meanwhile, there is a creepy man who follows her everywhere, she’s arguing with her girlfriend, and she’s facing being left with no-one once her adoptive mother dies. It’s an emotional rollercoaster and C.J. took me along for every bump of the ride. 

I loved Ivy. She is such a great character who was easy to like and root for despite and I was with her on every step of her escapades. She might have spiky edges, but at heart Ivy is a vulnerable teenager who is trying to find her place in the world. She acts out but all she wants is a family and a place to belong. She’s also trying to escape the shadow that her birth mother has cast over her life, no mean feat when everyone knows who she is, what she did, and she’s about to give a live TV interview from jail about her crimes. I also loved being back with Rhiannon and seeing some new sides to her in addition to the ones we know and love. No one writes a complex anti-hero like C. J.

Read it now!

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

C.J. Skuse is the bestselling author of the Sweetpea series (2017–2024), along with six other novels spanning both young adult and adult crime fiction. She holds First-Class degrees in Creative Writing and Writing for Young People and earned a PhD by Publication from the University of Gloucestershire in 2025. Her work has received multiple accolades, including the Dumfries and Burgh Book Award and the Jean Monnet University Student Literary Prize in France. She has also been shortlisted for the Lancashire Book of the Year, the BookTrust Best Book Award, and longlisted for the Branford Boase.  Skuse was credited by The Guardian with pioneering the ‘YA antiheroine’ trend following the publication of her debut novel Pretty Bad Things. Her adult debut Sweetpea was a flagship title in the rise of ‘Sassy Noir’ – a crime fiction subgenre defined by confident, darkly complex female protagonists, often serial killers, and infused with biting social satire.

Sweetpea was optioned for television by See-Saw Films in 2017 and premiered on Sky Atlantic on October 10, 2024 starring Ella Purnell. A second series is currently in production.

Skuse now writes full-time and lives in South West England.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxxx

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Blog Tours book reviews

BLOG TOUR: The People Next Door by Carla Kovach

Published June 2nd, 2026 by Bookouture
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Noir Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Romance Novel

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Dear Neighbour. I know who you are. I know what you did…

After that summer, I swore I’d never come back to Clover Lane. But when my aunt left us her house, I couldn’t say no. The last in a neat row of houses with white fences and countryside views, it was the life I’d always dreamed of for my family. They deserved it, even if I didn’t.

As the last boxes are unpacked and neighbours drop by to welcome us, I see the sparkle back in my daughter Morgan’s eyes and know we’re safe. I won’t ever let her near the woods where my best friend went missing, but welcome gifts and a coffee date with my neighbours have me feeling like we belong here. But then the first letter arrives, and my perfect new life shatters…

Suddenly, I notice curtains twitch as I unload the car and I find myself looking over my shoulder every time I leave the house. When more letters arrive and rumours poison the street, I start double-locking the doors at night. How much do I really know about the people next door? Are my children safe? Is there anyone I can trust?

Someone in this close-knit community thinks they know what happened that summer. I know they’re wrong, but my worst fear is realised when the last letter drops: Morgan is missing…

If you loved reading The Housemaid, The Perfect Marriage and The Girl on the Train, you will devour this absolutely jaw-dropping psychological thriller from Carla Kovach.

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

The woods that surround Clover Lane are the place Gemma’s nightmare’s started. And after the terrible events one summer when she was a teenager, she vowed she’d never go back. But when her aunt dies and leaves them her house she doesn’t feel she has any other choice. So, Gemma returns to the picturesque street with her family, warning her teenage daughter to never go into the woods. But just as they are trying to settle in, the neighbours start receiving nasty notes and Gemma is the prime suspect. She finds herself looking over her shoulder, double-locking the door and second guessing everything. Including the one neighbour who is willing to give her a chance. And there is someone who thinks they know what happened that summer. And they will go to dangerous lengths to prove it…

Carla Kovach never disappoints. Heart-poundingly tense, twisty, mysterious and addictive, this riveting thriller had me on the edge-of-my seat from start to finish. Expertly written and cleverly choreographed, Carla held me in her thrall as she delivered shocking twists, clever red herrings and dark secrets. It is a book full of questions with multiple mysteries that run parallel to one another. And every time a question is answered or a mystery seems to be solved, more appear, keeping you guessing until the very last page. It is a clever and intricately woven web that Carla skillfully spins around her reader. And that explosive double bluff ending! What a finale! My heart raced and my jaw hit the floor as everything was finally revealed. I’m still not over it. 

Carla is great at writing characters you aren’t sure if you can trust, and this book was filled with them. Every single one is flawed and unreliable, even protagonist Gemma. I was pulled into the crazy lives of the people on this street and while I didn’t think Gemma was behind the poisoned pen letters, I couldn’t figure out her secret and wanted answers about what really happened that summer. I also wanted the real author of the letters to be unmasked but loved how there were so many suspects. It was really hard to pinpoint just one person I thought was behind it all, and no-one was free of my suspicion. 

A twist-filled rollercoaster ride that will keep you on your toes, this is a must for thriller lovers.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you to Bookotoure for the invitation to take part on the tour and the copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Carla has been writing seriously since her mid-thirties. She started by writing stage plays which led to her producing and directing her own full length piece of theatre. After that, she decided to write films and books where she began by self-publishing. In the past, she has acted in a few indie films and has also co-owned a photography and video production company.

Right now, she is a full time crime and thriller author living in Worcester with her husband, Nigel and Poppy the cat.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx