Tag: mystery

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025 Squadpod Squadpod Book Club Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave

Published January 2nd, 2025 by Century
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Domestic Fiction

Welcome to my review of the first SquadPod Book Club pick of 2025. Thank you to Century for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

From the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller and Reese’s Book Club Pick The Last Thing He Told Me comes a riveting mystery wrapped in an epic love story . . .

‘An engrossing mystery and a story with emotional heft’ Shari Lapena

‘A master storyteller. You won’t want to miss this one’ Harlan Coben

‘The best mystery of the year‘ Jennifer Garner

_________

One beautiful Californian evening, a wealthy businessman falls to his death from his secluded cliff-top house onto the rocks below.

A tragic accident? Or murder?

Nora and her half-brother Sam suspect it may be the latter, and team up to uncover the truth of what really happened that night.

But their relationship has never been easy, and it is about to be tested to the limit as they start to question how well either of them really knew their elusive father.

Unravelling his mysterious past takes them back to a world they knew nothing about, to a tangled love affair and a web of relationships that other people would far rather stay buried…

Filled with passion, intrigue, lies, and dark, dark family secrets, The Night We Lost Him is a page turning mystery you won’t ever want to put down.

********

MY REVIEW:

On a beautiful California evening a wealthy businessman falls to his death from the secluded cliff-top garden of his home. But was it an accident or murder?

Tense, twisty and immersive, our first SquadPod Book Club pick of 2025 was a page-turner. I was intrigued from the riveting prologue and lost myself in this story of love, lust, secrets and lies. Well-written and compelling, I enjoyed Laura Dave’s unique blend of thriller, family drama and love story. From its riveting prologue she had me intrigued, and lost myself in this story of love, lust, secrets and lies, inhaling it and in just a few hours. 

The story is told in dual timelines, narrated by Nora in the present, as she and her half-brother, Sam, investigate what really happened the night their father died. The reluctance of those closest to him to talk to them only reinforces their suspicion that it wasn’t a tragic accident. But their rocky relationship is another obstacle they must overcome. Liam kept his different families separate so they have never been close and we see how this, as well as their different approaches to working, tests their relationship. But over time we see it bring them together as they get to know one another for the first time. 

While in the present we know Liam only through the eyes of others, he recites the past narrative, revealing to the reader the most important relationship in his life: a five-decades long clandestine relationship with a mystery love known only by an old nickname. It seemed obvious that his lover’s identity would lead us to the truth about his death. But who was she? I had a few different suspicions over the course of the book and did guess right, but not until only a couple of chapters before the big reveal. 

Dave expertly weaves the storylines together, filling them with red herrings and shocking twists that keep the reader on their toes. But something I particularly enjoyed was Dave’s honest but sensitive exploration of grief and the different ways it can affect us, which is explored mostly through Nora. There were a few times I found myself close to tears from the sheer depth of emotion on the pages. Highly recommended. 

Rated: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laura Dave is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told Me, Eight Hundred Grapes and other novels.

Her books have been published in thirty-eight languages and have been chosen by Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club, Indie Next, Book of the Month Club, The Richard and Judy Book Club, Best of Amazon, and Best of Apple Books. The Last Thing He Told Me was chosen as the Goodreads Mystery & Thriller of the Year for 2021. The Last Thing He Told Me is now a series on Apple TV+, co-created by Laura.

She resides in Santa Monica, California.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Into Thin Air by Ørjan Karlsson

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

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

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

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

********

MY REVIEW:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025

BOOK REVIEW: Death in the Arctic by Tom Hindle

Published January 16th, 2025 by Century
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Welcome to my review for this claustrophobic and nail-biting thriller. Thanks to Century for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

A frozen wilderness.


A killer in the skies.

When aspiring travel writer Chloé Campbell is invited aboard a luxury airship flying to the North Pole, she thinks she’s bagged the opportunity of a lifetime.

But she hasn’t had long to admire the dazzling icy views before a fellow passenger is found dead in their cabin.

Trapped at the top of the world, the group agrees a tragic accident has occurred. But as the hours tick by, fear turns to doubt.

It seems everyone’s a suspect.

And it isn’t long before the passengers begin to turn on each other . . .

********

MY REVIEW:

The Osprey is a luxury airship on its maiden voyage over the arctic. On board are eight passengers all personally invited by one of its owners, and eight of crew. When one of the passengers is found dead in their room, faulty equipment is blamed. But soon some of those on board the craft begin to wonder if it really was an accident. Could they be trapped on the airship with a killer?

Chaotic, claustrophobic, nail-bitingly tense, devilishly clever, and filled with twists and turns, Death in the Arctic is a unique locked-room mystery that will keep you guessing. Tom Hindle is an author who has been on my TBR for years, and I have each of his books, but this was my first time reading one of them. And he is worth the hype. Expertly written, skillfully plotted, intricately woven and fast-paced, Hindle has managed to merge cosy crime with heart-pounding suspense. I will definitely be prioritising his backlist after reading this.

The book is filled with a cast of compelling characters, each with rich and sometimes intertwining backstories that add to the intrigue and tension. There are unreliable narrators, people we can’t trust, secrets, lies and desperation, all merged together on one aircraft. And as suspicion swirls following the death of a passenger, things begin to boil over and the finger is pointed in various directions. The story is told from multiple points of view, seamlessly moving between the narrators and offering a glimpse inside their psyche. The main narrator was Chloe, a travel blogger whose place on board the ship offers her the chance to finally write for a travel magazine. It’s her big break. But instead of writing her article, she finds herself investigating a possible murder and trying to stay one step ahead of the killer. 

An original and riveting thriller that kept me on my toes, this is one not to be missed. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tom Hindle hails from Leeds and lives in Oxfordshire with his wife, a cat and two surprisingly cunning tortoises. He is the author of A Fatal Crossing, The Murder Game and Murder on Lake Garda – which were inspired by masters of the crime genre such as Agatha Christie and Anthony Horowitz.

Tom is hard at work on his next murder mystery.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025

BLOG TOUR: Your Child Next by M. J. Arlidge and Andy Maslen

Publisihed January 16th, 2025 by Orion
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Adventure Fiction

Happy Publication Day to this book. Today is my stop on the blog tour for this heart-pounding and thought-provoking thriller. Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orion for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

THEY’VE FAKED YOUR CHILD’S DEATH. AND IF YOU DON’T GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT, THEY’LL MAKE IT A REALITY.

Things have been difficult for Annie since her husband left; her teenage daughter, Isla, has become a ghost of her former self. Annie’s terrified that Isla might do something desperate, and she’ll lose her, too. So when Annie receives a video of herself crying at Isla’s funeral, her blood runs cold.

Confused and horrified, Annie races upstairs to check on Isla, who is alive and well. The video has been faked. But who sent it and what do they want?

One dark truth soon becomes clear: Annie is the latest in a string of parents being blackmailed, and Isla will be killed if Annie goes to the police or if she fails to give the sender what they want. Annie has a deadly choice: comply with the demands, or try to unmask the dangerous criminal.

Your Child Next is a thrilling and unputdownable novel that asks you how far you’d go to protect the ones you love. Perfect for fans of Harlan Coben and Steve Cavanagh.

********

MY REVIEW:

Fast-paced, intense, twisty and compelling, Your Child Next is a nerve-shredding thriller gleaming with malice that is guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat.

When Annie receives a disturbing email that has deep-faked her daughter’s death, she thinks it’s some kind of sick joke. But who would do such a thing? The answer soon becomes clear when she receives a call from someone claiming they are behind the video. They demand she pays them £1000 every month and if she doesn’t, or if she contacts the police, they will make the video a reality. Terrified and with no idea how she will meet their demands, Annie realises she has two choices: find a way to comply or unmask them.

M. J. Arlidge has been an auto-buy author for me for many years. His Helen Grace series is one of my favourites and he’s a thriller author I’ll always recommend. But this was my first time reading one of his co-authored books and I will admit I wondered if it would affect how much I enjoyed reading it. Especially as I’d never read anything by his co-author, Andy Maslen. But I needn’t have worried; this book was every bit as intricately woven, cleverly choreographed and skillfully layered as I’ve come to expect from Alridge. Dripping with suspense, it kept me guessing and I was hooked from the first page to its heart-stopping finale and devoured it in just two sittings. 

Told from multiple points of view, the book is filled with characters who are richly drawn, fascinating and flawed. Themes of mental health problems, grief, trauma and fear are examined through the characters. It also explores the pitfalls of social media, the dark underbelly of technology, and poses moral dilemmas, asking just how far you’d go to protect the ones you love. 

Sinister, chilling and utterly addictive, Your Child Next is a first-class thriller not to be missed. 

Out today. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

M. J. Arlidge

Matthew J. Arlidge has worked in television for the last twenty years, specialising in high-end drama production, including prime-time crime serials Silent Witness, Torn, The Little House and, most recently, the hit ITV show Innocent. In 2015 his audiobook exclusive Six Degrees of Assassination was a number-one bestseller. His debut thriller, Eeny Meeny, was the UK’s bestselling crime debut of 2014 and has been followed by ten more DI Helen Grace thrillers – all Sunday Times bestsellers. is an English author of crime novels, including the Helen Grace Series.

Andy Maslen

Andy Maslen writes thrillers across a number of genres: police procedurals, vigilante, psychological, suspense and horror. He spent 30 years in business before turning to writing full time. He is the creator of best-selling series featuring Gabriel Wolfe, Stella Cole and Inspector Ford, plus standalone novels and short stories. He lives in Wiltshire.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews

BLOG TOUR: Wife, Mother, Liar by Sue Watson

Published January 10th, 2025 by Bookouture
Psychological Fiction, Crime Thriller, Mystery, Thriller

Happy Publication Day to this dark, tense and unpredictable thriller. Thank you to Bookouture for the invitation to take part in the blog tour and for sending me a copy of the book.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

She’s perfect. Too perfect…

Wife: For twenty-five years, my husband and I have been the ideal couple. I’m shy, but he’s always been the life and soul of the party, a charmer, so I didn’t worry the first time I caught him a little too close to my best friend, Wendy.

Mother: Then our darling son says he’s taking Wendy’s daughter to prom, the girl I never trusted because she’s too much like her mother. As I snap photos of them, I have a smile plastered on my face, but inside my head I’m screaming at him to stay away from her.

Liar: As flashing lights slice the darkness around our home, my worst nightmare comes true with the shocking news that one of our children is dead. And I can tell my husband, my best friend are both lying about where they were. But none of their secrets compares to mine.

And nobody knows just how far I’d go to protect my family…

********

MY REVIEW:

Happy Publication Day to what I think is Sue Watson’s best book yet. 

Jill and Wendy have been best friends for 25 years. Ever since the day Jill and her husband, Tim, moved in next door to Wendy and her husband, Robert. They did everything together from being newlyweds to having babies and raising their children. Right up until the day their children went to prom together and one of them didn’t come home. Eighteen months later and the grieving mother is still searching for answers, unable to accept the official ruling of accidental death. She’s sure her best friend is lying to her about what happened that night, and this weekend she intends to get to the truth…

OMG. What a ride this was! Tense, twisty, surprising, and totally addictive, this is a thriller that will get your heart racing and make your jaw drop. It had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish as I tried to predict what would happen next. But Watson kept me on my toes with her expert writing that was filled with chilling tension, dark secrets and some really moving moments. There was no time to recover as she moved from one twist to another at breakneck speed and all I could do was enjoy the ride. It was impossible to put down, and I actually fell asleep reading it in the early hours and then picked it up as soon as I’d had my coffee the next morning. And that ending! I’m still reeling. 

Nothing and no-one is what they seem in this story. Especially not Jill and Wendy. From the start we know that both women are keeping secrets about the night Leo died, but we don’t know how much they know or if either of them was involved. We also don’t know if Leo’s death was murder like Jill believes or a tragic accident like the police ruled. Moving seamlessly between timelines, we see glimpses of their friendship and their lives in flashbacks, while in the present they reminisce about old times and try to avoid the elephant in the room. It soon becomes clear that this friendship has never been what it seemed and both women have ulterior motives for getting together this weekend. The tension was sky-high and it felt like no-one was going to get out of this unscathed. 

Dark, sinister and totally riveting, this is a must-read for any thriller lover.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sue Watson was a journalist on national magazines and newspapers before becoming a TV producer with the BBC.

Now a USA Today bestselling author, Sue explores the darker side of life, writing psychological thrillers with big twists.

Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her family in leafy Worcestershire where much of her day is spent writing and procrastinating. Her hobby is eating cake while watching diet and exercise programmes from the sofa, a skill she’s perfected after many years of practice.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

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

Categories
Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2023

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent

Published March 2nd, 2023 by Sandycove
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Psychologial Thriller

Welcome to my review of this dark, original and astonishing thriller. Thank you to Sandycover for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

**Selected for BBC 2 Between the Covers 2023**

**WINNER Crime Novel of the Year, Irish Book Awards 2023**

**SHORTLISTED for The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award**

**SHORTLISTED for the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award 2024**

Sally Diamond cannot understand why what she did was so strange. She was only doing what her father told her to do, to put him out with the rubbish when he died.

Now Sally is the centre of attention, not only from the hungry media and police detectives, but also a sinister voice from a past she cannot remember. As she begins to discover the horrors of her childhood, Sally steps into the world for the first time, making new friends and big decisions, and learning that people don’t always mean what they say.

But who is the man observing Sally from the other side of the world? And why does her neighbour seem to be obsessed with her? Sally’s trust issues are about to be severely challenged . . .

********

MY REVIEW:

When Sally Diamond’s father dies she does what he told her to do: put him out with the rubbish. Everyone seems to think what she did is strange and shocking but Sally can’t understand why. After all, she was only doing what he asked. Now, Sally is the centre of a media storm and police investigation. And a sinister voice from the past Sally doesn’t remember has appeared. It is among all of this chaos that Sally must step into the world for the first time, making friends, learning to make her own decisions and discovering the horrifying truth about her past. 

What a book! Dark, strange, tense and twisty, this was so freaking good. Expertly written, intricately plotted and perfectly paced, I was in Liz Nugent’s thrall from start to finish. But this isn’t an easy read. An intricate and layered story of family, abuse and self-discovery, Ms. Nugent puts us through the emotional wringer and takes us to some incredibly dark and twisted places. She also keeps us guessing, spinning the story on its head a number of times with surprising twists that I didn’t see coming. I was on the edge of my seat and devoured this book quickly. 

At the heart of the story is the eponymous Sally Diamond, a 42-year-old woman who has lived a reclusive life with her parents. Sally is one of the most unusual and unforgettable heroines I’ve read. And I loved her. Naive and quirky, she struggles to interact with others and has earned a reputation for being ‘strange’. Nugent expertly portrays her fractured vulnerability and as the horrifying truths of her past emerge, my heart broke for her. Sally faced a steep learning curve as she took control of her own life for the first time and learned to do the everyday tasks we do without thinking. Thankfully, she has help from some trusted people, such as her aunt, but it wasn’t easy, especially with the added pressure of public scrutiny, a police investigation, and the arrival of someone from a past she doesn’t remember. That’s a lot for even the most well adjusted person to deal with but I was rooting for Sally every step of the way. 

In part two of the story Peter, the stranger from her past, takes a more central role and the narration moves between the two characters. It is in this part of the story we also begin to understand more about what happened to both of them as children, see how they have been damaged by what they were put through, and how it still affects them even in adulthood. Peter is a difficult character to categorise as I felt for all he had been subjected to but also didn’t understand many of his actions, which often felt quite villainous. He is brilliantly written and a great reminder of the shades of grey that exist in us all. 

Original, sinister, surprising and endearing, this astonishing story is a must for any thriller lover. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

‘Truly excellent, beautifully written … strongly recommended’ Sophie Hannah

‘Gone Girl meets The Spinning Heart … a great cracking read … I couldn’t put it down’ Ryan Tubridy, RTÉ

‘The compulsion to continue reading never wanes and most impressively the ending doesn’t buckle under the weight of expectation … a persistently satisfying read’ Sunday Times

‘An ambitiously structured and compelling “whydunnit”‘ Daily Mail

‘Formidable’ Irish Times

Liz was born in Dublin in 1967, where she now lives. She has written successfully for soap opera, radio drama, television plays, short stories and animation for children.

Liz’s first novel Unravelling Oliver was published to critical and popular acclaim in March 2014. It quickly became a firm favourite with book clubs and reader’s groups. In November of that year, it went on to win the Ireland AM Crime Novel of the Year at the Bord Gais Energy Book Awards and was long listed for the International Dublin Literature Prize 2016. She was also the winner of the inaugural Jack Harte Bursary provided by the Irish Writers Centre and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Dec 2014. Her second novel, Lying in Wait, was published in July 2016 and went straight to number 1 where it remained for seven weeks. Liz won the Monaco Bursary from the Ireland Funds and was Writer in Residence at the Princess Grace Irish Library in Monaco in Sept/Oct 2016. In Nov 2016, Lying in Wait won the prestigious RTE Ryan Tubridy Listener’s Choice prize at the Irish Book Awards.

Aside from writing, Liz has led workshops in writing drama for broadcast, she has produced and managed literary salons and curated literary strands of Arts Festivals. She regularly does public interviews and panel discussions on all aspects of her writing.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024

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

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

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

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

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

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

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

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

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

********

MY REVIEW:

Frances always said she’d be murdered.

She was right.

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

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

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

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan

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

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

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

How to put a positive spin on a murder mystery…

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

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

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

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

********

MY REVIEW:

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

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

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

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

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

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

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
Audio Books book reviews Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: To Die For (Travis Devine, 3) by David Baldacci

Published November 7th, 2024 by Pan Macmillan
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Ficiton, Police Procedural, Political Thriller, Adventure Fiction

Welcome to my review for this tense thriller. Thank you Pan Macmillan for my copy.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The bodyguard becomes the hunted in To Die For, the electrifying third Travis Devine thriller from international no. 1 bestselling author David Baldacci, following The Edge and the runaway no. 1 bestseller The 6:20 Man.

* * * * *

Some secrets are too dangerous to keep . . .

TWO SUSPICIOUS DEATHS

When Dwayne and Alice Odom are killed, the police report states clearly that it was a drug overdose. So why is their daughter, who was there when they died, claiming that’s not the truth?

ONE YOUNG SURVIVOR

Betsy Odom doesn’t trust the police but when she finds herself in the FBI’s custody after her parents’ deaths, she knows she has to be careful. Her uncle wants to adopt her and as he is a very rich and powerful man, she wants to let him. His criminal connections, however, mean the authorities aren’t so sure.

ONE MAN ON THE RUN

Enter Travis Devine. Trying to escape a skilled predator who wants him dead, Devine finds himself as Betsy’s bodyguard. But when an informant is found murdered, Devine knows this job is perhaps even more dangerous than the one he’s running from . . . and the true enemy may be on his side.

********

MY REVIEW:

Former Marine Travis Devine – now a bodyguard, fixer and investigator – becomes the prey in the third installment in this series. A threatening note in his pocket from the mysterious girl on the train is only the latest in the line of attempts to kill him. And finding out who she is isn’t the only thing on Devine’s mind. The Department of Justice has sent him to the West Coast to protect a young girl whose uncle is the defendant in a federal case. Young Betsy Odom’s parents died of a drug overdose in front of her. But she claims they were murdered. Can Travis keep Betsy safe, discover the truth and stop the woman determined to kill him.

Suspenseful, gripping and intriguing, this my first time reading a David Baldacci book and this series so it took me a bit of time to get to grips with the characters and story, but once I did I was hooked. I particularly enjoyed the parts from the perspective of the woman on the train and was on the edge of my seat until the very last page. A great addition to the TBR of anyone who loves a great thriller.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

David Baldacci has been writing since childhood, when his mother gave him a lined notebook in which to write down his stories. (Much later, when David thanked her for being the spark that ignited his writing career, she revealed that she’d given him the notebook to keep him quiet, “because every mom needs a break now and then.”)

David published his first novel, ABSOLUTE POWER, in 1996. The feature film adaptation followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 50 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers and several have been adapted for film and television. His novels have been translated into over 45 languages and sold in more than 80 countries, with 150 million copies sold worldwide. David has also published seven novels for younger readers.

David is also the cofounder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting literacy programs across the United States.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

Categories
Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: The Mistletoe Mystery (Molly the Maid, 3) by Nita Prose

Published October 10th, 2024 by Harper Fiction
Mystery, Domestic Fiction, Festive Fiction, Christmas Story, Holiday Fiction, Romance Novel

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

There’s a 5* Christmas mystery unfolding at The Regency Grand Hotel…

Full of charm and feel-good festive cheer, The Mistletoe Mystery short story is the perfect stocking-filler this Christmas!

____

It’s the Christmas countdown at the Regency Grand Hotel, and Molly the maid is polishing up her holiday list.

*Deck halls

*Dust off decorations

*Buy Secret Santa gift

*Solve mystery?

A festive plot throws Molly off-kilter. Why does her beau, Juan Manuel, keep disappearing? And why are the hotel corridors filled with whispers?

Someone is keeping a secret. And, as Molly discovers, the answers to the mystery lie in a most unexpected gift…

*Escape into the world of Molly the Maid in this delightful Christmas short story!*

********

MY REVIEW:

Molly the maid is one of my favourite characters and I’m a big fan of this series, so I was thrilled when this Christmas novella was announced. The story is set about a year after the events of book two as Molly is gearing up for her fifth Christmas with her hunky boyfriend, Juan. But her plans are thrown awry with a new mystery to solve: what is it that has everyone at the Regency Grand Hotel whispering in the hallways?

Warm, cosy and compelling, The Mistletoe Mystery was a delightful quick festive read. I loved the flashbacks to Molly’s childhood Christmases and seeing more of her memories of her grandmother. The answer to the mystery was obvious to me but I still enjoyed how it unraveled and watching Molly discover the truth for herself.

Charming and heartwarming, it was a joy to spend the festive season with Molly and her friends. This delightful festive novella is perfect for fans of the series.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nita Prose is the author of The Mystery Guest and The Maid, which has sold over 2 million copies worldwide and was published in more than forty countries. A #1 New York Times bestseller and a Good Morning America Book Club pick, The Maid won the Ned Kelly Award for In­ternational Crime Fiction, the Fingerprint Award for Debut Novel of the Year, the Anthony Award for Best First Novel, and the Barry Award for Best First Mys­tery, and was an Edgar Award finalist for Best Novel. 

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliohpiles xxx