Tag: Political Thriller

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: Blackwater by Sarah Sultoon

Published December 4th, 2025 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Noir Fiction, Hardboiled, Political Thriller

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The world is counting down to the millennium – and to disaster. When a child’s body is found on a remote island east of London, journalist Jonny Murphy is sent to investigate. What he uncovers is more than a tragedy. It’s a warning. Something catastrophic is coming … and Jonny might be the only one who can stop it.

‘A propulsive, atmospheric thriller that ratchets up the tension with every page’ TM Logan

‘A powerhouse writer’ Jo Spain

‘Cleverly layered and beautifully atmospheric … Sarah Sultoon has become an auto-buy author for me’ Kia Abdullah

‘The clock ticks down towards a fantastic payoff … Abandoned islands, thrilling chases, investigative journalists – what more could you want?’ Holly Watt

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They feared the machines. 

They should have feared the people…

London, Christmas 1999. The world is on edge. With the new millennium just days away, fears of the Millennium Bug are spiralling – warnings of computer failures, market crashes, even global catastrophe. But fifty miles east, on the frozen Blackwater Island, a different kind of mystery unfolds. A child’s body is discovered on the bracken, untouched by footprints, with no sign of how he died. And no one has come forward to claim him.

At the International Tribune, reporter Jonny Murphy senses something is off. Police are appealing for relatives, not suspects. An anonymous call led officers to the scene, but no one knows who made it. While the world fixates on a digital apocalypse, Jonny sees the real disaster unfolding closer to home. With just twenty-hour hours before the century turns, he heads to Blackwater – driven by curiosity, desperation, and the sting of rejection from his colleague Paloma.

But Blackwater has secrets buried deep in the frozen ground. More victims – some dead, others still paying for past sins. And when Paloma catches up to him, they stumble onto something far bigger than either of them imagined. Something that could change everything. The millennium is coming. The clock is ticking. Can Jonny stop it? Should he?

And what if Y2K wasn’t a hoax, but a warning…?

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

Christmas, 1999. A young child’s body is discovered  in the black mud on Blackwater Island. The island is a protected nature reserve and is supposedly uninhabited. So how did the child get here? How did he die? And, most strangely, why has no one come forward to claim him? Suspicious of why the police are appealing for relatives but not suspects, journalist Jonny Murphy travels to Blackwater, a place mired in myth and legend, to investigate. He meets DC Gillian Peters, the only permanently placed officer in the area, who is overworked and understaffed. Residents talk about a ghost who haunts the island, which is a place mired in myth and legend. But Jonny’s investigations soon lead him to evidence of a much more human crime and to decades-old secrets that threaten to be exposed.

Suspenseful, sharp, intelligent and totally addictive, I flew through this heart-pounding thriller in just two sittings. It was impossible to put down as Sarah Sultoon once again delivered a skilfully written story of secrets, mystery and cover-ups. It jumps straight in with both feet and never misses a beat, taking you on a fast-paced rollercoaster ride full of crazy twists and surprising revelations. I loved that I never knew where it would go next and how Ms. Sultoon kept me on my toes until the last page.

The dawn of a new century and the millennium bug are as important to this story as the mystery of the little boy’s death. The two storylines are intricately interwoven, all the enigma of who the boy is and what happened to him merging with the chaos and fear that surrounds the impending turn of the millennium. Do you remember where you were on New Year’s Eve 1999 and the Y2K/millenium bug hysteria? I remember it all vividly. So, this was nostalgic for me, transporting me back to the craziness and uncertainty of what would happen when the clock struck midnight. Sultoon perfectly captures those feelings, creating a sense of foreboding that is palpable.

Sense of place is important to this story and Ms. Sultoon has created a place that is dark, mythical, mysterious, claustrophobic and vibrates with the secrets it’s keeping. It gave me chills and its strange and secretive residents only added to the eerie atmosphere it exuded. I’d not want to be there at night and my heart raced as Jonny and his colleague, Paloma, investigated. I was rooting for them, and Gillian, to solve the mystery and enjoyed reading them. I also enjoyed the background characters and loved that we were never sure who the villain was right up until the very end. 

A clever and gripping thriller that will have you hooked, I highly recommend this one.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part in this blog tour and to Orenda for sending me a copy of the book in exchnage for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sarah Sultoon is an award-winning journalist and writer, whose work as an international news executive with CNN and for Channel 4 News has taken her all over the world, from the seats of power in both Westminster and Washington to the frontlines of Iraq and Afghanistan. Her debut thriller, The Source, was a Capital Crime Book Club pick, won the Crime Fiction Lover Best Debut Award, was nominated for the CWA’s New Blood Dagger, was a number one bestseller on Kindle and is currently in production with Lime Pictures. It was followed by the critically acclaimed The Shot, Dirt and Death Flight.

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Thanks for reaading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Kill Them With Kindness by Will Carver

Published June 19th, 2025 by Orenda Books
Crime Fiction, Psychological Ficiton, Medical Fiction, Political Thriller, Alternative History, Dystopian Fiction, Metaphisical Ficiton

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this thought-provoking and unforgettable thriller. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part, and to Orenda for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A Japanese scientist thwarts an international plot to release a deadly virus by mutating it to make people kinder, but something goes horribly wrong … A darkly funny, mind-blowing speculative thriller from the ‘most original writer in Britain’ (Daily Express)…

‘Utterly believable, dark and disturbing … one of my books of the year’ Trevor Wood
 
‘Brilliantly original … an alternative reality of the pandemic that’s both terrifyingly plausible, relevant and timely’ Sam Holland
 
‘His best yet. Carver just gets better and better’ S.J. Watson
 
 ‘Arguably the most original writer in Britain’ Daily Express
 
_________
 
Compassion may be humanity’s deadliest weapon…
 
The threat of nuclear war is no longer scary. This is much worse. It’s invisible. It works quickly.
 
And it’s coming.
 
The scourge has already infected and killed half the population in China and it is heading towards the UK. There is no time to escape. The British government sees no way out other than to distribute ‘Dignity Pills’ to its citizens: One last night with family or loved ones before going to sleep forever … together. Because the contagion will kill you and the horrifying news footage shows that it will be better to go quietly.
 
Dr Haruto Ikeda, a Japanese scientist working at a Chinese research facility, wants to save the world. He has discovered a way to mutate a virus. Instead of making people sick, instead of causing death, it’s going to make them… nice. Instead of attacking the lungs, it will work into the brain and increase the host’s ability to feel and show compassion. It will make people kind.
 
Ikeda’s quest is thoughtful and noble, and it just might work. Maybe humanity can be saved. Maybe it doesn’t have to be the end.
 
But kindness may also be the biggest killer of all…

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MY REVIEW:

Starting a new Will Carver book is always an event. You know that whatever you read will consume you and change you in some way from this point forward. A master of his craft, Carver has a style all his own that breaks the mould of what you expect in any genre. And once you’ve read one of his books you’ll be a fan for life and part of the #CarverCult. 

His latest offering, Kill Them With Kindness, starts as boldly as you’d expect from Carver, with the impending euthanasia of the whole country as they await a deadly gas that would wipe us out painfully. The story then jumps back to a year earlier, where we meet Dr Haruto Ikeda, a Japanese scientist who accidentally discovers a document containing a timeline for releasing the deadly virus he’s currently studying. It will be a global catastrophe. So, he takes it upon himself to stop it happening and mutates the virus to infect people with kindness instead of killing them. But is compassion the answer to the world’s problems? Or is it about to be the biggest killer of them all…

Thought-provoking, witty, quirky, original and captivating, Carver has crafted another unforgettable thriller filled with scathing social commentary and shrewd observations. I was hooked from the first lines, completely immersed in every word of this all-too-real story. It is clear to see where Carver has been inspired by real people and events, giving it a timely and realistic feel that makes what you’re reading all the more terrifying. Like it could actually happen. I felt like I’d stepped into an alternative history and not a story born of a man’s impressive imagination. Carver’s books are best discovered for yourself, so I don’t want to say any more about the plot, only that this is a book that everyone should read. 

Powerful, sharp, daring and uncompromising, this is another unmissable thriller from the incomparable Mr. Carver. Read it now! 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Will Carver is the international bestselling author of the JanuaryDavid series and the critically acclaimed, mind-blowingly original Detective Pace series that includes Good Samaritans (2018), Nothing Important Happened Today (2019) and Hinton Hollow Death Trip (2020), all of which were ebook bestsellers and selected as books of the year in the mainstream international press. Nothing Important Happened Today was longlisted for both the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award 2020 and the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award. Hinton Hollow Death Trip was longlisted for the Guardian’s Not the Booker Prize, and was followed by four standalone literary thrillers, The Beresford, Psychopaths Anonymous, The Daves Next Door and Suicide Thursday. Will spent his early years in Germany, but returned to the UK at age eleven, when his sporting career took off. He currently runs his own fitness and nutrition company, and lives in reading with his children.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

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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.

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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.

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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: ✮✮✮✮✰

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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.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

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

BLOGATHON: Conviction by Jack Jordan

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

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

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

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

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

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

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MY REVIEW:

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

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

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

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: The Comeback by Ella Berman

Published April 11th, 2024 by Aria
Psychological Fiction, Thriller, Literary Fiction, Legal Thriller, Political Thriller

Welcome to my review for this courageous and compelling thriller. This was one of our recent SquadPod Featured Books. Thank you to Aria for the gifted proof in exchange for an honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

They say she owes him everything.
Now she wants to burn it all to the ground.

Grace Turner was one movie away from Hollywood’s A-List. So no one understood why, at the height of her career and on the eve of her first Golden Globe nomination, she disappeared.

Now, one year later, Grace is back in Los Angeles and ready to reclaim her life on her own terms.

When Grace is asked to present a lifetime achievement award to director Able Yorke – the man who controlled her every move for eight years – she knows there’s only one way she’ll be free of the secret that’s already taken so much from her.

The Comeback is a moving and provocative story of justice – a true page-turner about a young woman finding the strength and power of her voice, from the author of Reese’s Book Club pick Before We Were Innocent.

‘Beautifully written and compulsively readable.At its core, this book is about redemption, grace, and pain.’ – Jenna Bush Hager

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MY REVIEW:

“Maybe their turn for winning is over, Grace. Maybe it’s our turn now.”

An empowering, courageous and thought-provoking story that reveals the darkness that lurks beneath the glamour and glitz of Hollywood, The Comeback is a story that demands to be read. The story is told by Grace, a young Hollywood starlet who was on the cusp of making the A-List when she suddenly disappeared. Now, after a year of isolation at her parents’ home in Anaheim, Grace has returned to L.A. and is slowly rebuilding her life on her own terms.  From the start there’s a sense of a secret hidden under the surface. A secret she doesn’t want to face. But she may not have a choice because just as she’s getting her life back on track she is asked to present a lifetime achievement award to her director Able Yorke. It seems perfect: the young actress honouring the man who discovered her and then mentored her for eight years. Suddenly Grace’s past demons are refusing to stay hidden and she must finally confront the things she’s been running from for so long. 

The #MeToo movement highlighting Hollywood’s culture of sexual abuse and rape is now well known, but this story was originally conceived a few months before it in early 2017 and published in the US in 2020. Since then we have heard countless stories of the horrendous abuse actors and actresses were subjected to by those in authority, including the recent documentary ‘Quiet on Set’ which focused on the terrible treatment of Hollywood’s child stars. Grace’s story of coercive control, isolation, fear, and abuse, parallels many of the stories we are now familiar with. But that doesn’t make it any less potent or heartrending. With beautiful, bleak and bold writing, Ella Berman has crafted an achingly authentic story that gets under your skin, exposing the steep price many have had to pay for fame and fortune while making us look at Hollywood and celebrity gossip through a new lens.

“The most vicious demons have always been my own, and I’ve never learned how to protect myself from them. I have tried to move quietly through the world, figuring that if I could just forget what happened, then I could move on, but maybe it doesn’t work like that.”

This story wouldn’t work without a well written central character and Bermann has got the ‘everyday girl plucked from obscurity’ down to a tee.  Fractured, flawed, vulnerable, and real, she is haunted by the trauma she’s been subjected to for eight years while everyone has told her how lucky she is. Her actions aren’t always right, but they are understandable, particularly as she confronts what she’s been through after burying it deep inside for so long. The other characters are equally as well-written and compelling and I liked how Berman illustrates the dysfunctional and transactional nature of the relationships in Grace’s life, highlighting the difficulty of maintaining healthy relationships when you work in Hollywood, and the problems that arise when trying to support someone through hardships such as addiction, trauma, and mental health issues. 

The other character who is vital to get right is the villain of the story and I felt like Berman skillfully captured Able York. Able is charismatic, charming, seductive, shrewd, and cunning. This man gave me chills. He cleverly calculates his moves and is a total slimeball underneath the ‘nice guy’ persona he portrays. He knows just how to isolate and intimidate his victims and you can understand how Grace fell for his act, especially when so young and naive. 

Melancholy, consuming, brutal and vivid, The Comeback is a timely story of bravery, strength, and the power of finding your voice. Highly recommended.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Ella Berman grew up in both London and Los Angeles and worked at Sony Music before starting the clothing brand London Loves LA. She lives in London with her husband, James, and their dog, Rocky. The Comeback is her first novel.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Dead Sweet by Katrin Juliusdottir

Published December 7th, 2023 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Hard-boiled Mystery, Noir Fiction, Political Thriller Translated Fiction

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for the first book in an exciting new series. Thank you to Orenda for the proof copy and Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part in the tour.

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SYNOPSIS:

When a celebrated government official is found dead after his surprise birthday party, a young police officer uncovers a terrifying world of financial crime, sinister cults and disturbing secret lives. Icelandic politician Katrín Júlíusdóttir’s award-winning debut – first in a breathtaking series…
 
**Winner of the Blackbird Award for Best Icelandic Crime Debut**  

‘A breathtaking political thriller from one of Iceland’s most exciting new voices’ Eva Björg Ægisdóttir

‘Katrín Júlíusdóttir skilfully weaves together intense family dynamics, dark pasts and criminal endeavours in this masterful narrative’ Lilja Sigurðardóttir
 
____________________
 
A murder is just the beginning…
 
When Óttar Karlsson, a wealthy and respected government official and businessman, is found murdered, after failing to turn up at his own surprise birthday party, the police are at a loss. It isn’t until young police officer Sigurdís finds a well-hidden safe in his impersonal luxury apartment that clues start emerging. 
 
As Óttar’s shady business dealings become clear, a second, unexpected line of enquiry emerges, when Sigurdís finds a US phone number in the safe, along with papers showing regular money transfers to an American account. Following the trail to Minnesota, trauma rooted in Sigurdís’s own childhood threatens to resurface and the investigation strikes chillingly close to home…
 
Atmospheric, deeply unsettling and full of breakneck twists and turns, Dead Sweet is a startling debut thriller that uncovers a terrifying world of financial crime, sinister cults and disturbing secret lives, and kicks off an addictive, mind-blowing new series.

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MY REVIEW:

“There’s a lesson to be learned: life’s not a game to be played.”

Unnerving, tense and twisty, Dead Sweet is a strong start to an exhilarating new Scandi Noir crime series. Debut author Katrín Júlíusdóttir takes us on a turbulent ride of buried secrets, double lives, criminal ventures and dark deeds that are finally uncovered. She introduces us to Sigurdis, a young police officer with a traumatic past, who is finally given the chance to sink her teeth into a major investigation when celebrated government official Óttar Karlsson is found murdered on the beach after failing to show up for his surprise 50th birthday party. The police are initially stumped as to who could have wanted to kill this well-liked man until Sigurdis discovers a safe hidden in Óttar’s luxury apartment that reveals he was not the man anyone thought he was. The signs all point to a financially motivated crime but Sigurdis isn’t convinced and her gut is telling her this was more personal. But can she prove it? 

My love for everything Orenda publishes is no secret, and their translated crime fiction are some of my favourite books, so I was very excited about this one. I might not need yet another crime series on my TBR, but I knew it would be a mistake not to read this book. And once again they’ve struck gold. After reading this it’s easy to see why it was the winner of the Blackbird Award for Best Icelandic Crime Debut and Katrín Júlíusdóttir is undoubtedly an author to watch. Cleverly plotted, sharply observed, and skillfully written, she intricately weaves together a plethora of narrators and threads perfectly. She keeps you guessing, sporadically including old diary entries from an unknown narrator that add to the dark undertones already running through the pages. I was on a knife-edge from the first page right up until the surprising conclusion. I don’t mind admitting that I did not get this one right at all!

“Ottar seemed to have the psychopaths knack of adapting himself to the people from whom he wanted something, showing interest and understanding until his prey believed that they had found a soul mate and placed complete trust in him.”

I love the added apprehension multiple narrators can bring to a book and the different voices telling this story put the tension through the roof. Ms. Júlíusdóttir has packed this book with an array of realistic and compelling characters and while it did take me some time to fully connect with some of them, it was never confusing. I liked that it was always clear that Sigurdis is our central character and I thought she was a great protagonist. She’s likeable and easy to root for and has a dark, traumatic and heartbreaking backstory that only strengthened the bond I felt with her.  While Sigurdis is probably our most frequent narrator, Óttar is only ever on the page as a memory or a victim, Júlíusdóttir manages to make him feel vivid and three dimensional. We feel his sinister presence polluting every page as his misdeeds haunt those he left behind and every time I thought I couldn’t like him any less there would be more revelations that made me dislike him even more. Júlíusdóttir writes these fractured and flawed characters with honesty and sensitivity, allowing us to understand some of their actions and comprehend the trauma and pain they are living with, while never allowing it to feel like their wrongdoings are excused. Her exploration of their dynamics also feels authentic and appreciated the accuracy and relatability with which she wrote these characters and storylines. 

Intelligent, suspenseful and totally gripping, Dead Sweet is a must read for any thriller-lover. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Katrín is a Policy advisor and author. She received the Blackbird Award, an Icelandic crime-writing prize, for her first novel, Sykur (en: Sugar) in 2020. Her debut novel was reviewed well by critics and hit the best-selling lists in the first weeks after publication.

She was the Managing Director of Finance Iceland from 2016-2022. She has a political background and was a member of Parliament from 2003 until 2016. The Minister of industry, energy and tourism from 2009-2012 and Minister of finance and economy from 2012-2013. She served as the Social Democratic Alliance’s vice-chair from 2013-2016.

Before she was elected to Parliament, Katrín was an advisor and project manager at a tech company and a senior buyer and CEO in the retail sector, as well as the Managing Director of a student union during her uni years. She worked from a young age in the fishing industry, as a store clerk and took nighttime shifts at a pizza place. She studied Anthropology and has an MBA from Reykjavík University.

She was raised in Kópavogur, about 15 minutes’ drive from downtown Reykjavík. She now lives in the neighbouring town of Garðabær with her family. She is married to author Bjarni M. Bjarnason, who encouraged her to start writing. They have four boys.

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MEET THE TRANSLATOR:

Quentin Bates escaped English suburbia as a teenager, jumping at the chance of a gap year working in Iceland. For a variety of reasons, the gap year stretched to become a gap decade, during which time he went native in the north of Iceland, acquiring a new language, a new profession as a seaman and a family, before decamping en masse for England. He worked as a truck driver, teacher, netmaker and trawlerman at various times before falling into journalism, largely by accident. He is the author of a series of crime novels set in present-day Iceland (Frozen Out, Cold Steal, Chilled to the Bone, Winterlude, Cold Comfort and Thin Ice) which have been published worldwide. He has translated all of Ragnar Jónasson’s Dark Iceland series.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading Bibliopiles xxx

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

*These links are affiliate links


 

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2023

BLOG TOUR: Conviction by Jack Jordan

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

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this heart-pounding thriller. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part, and to Simon & Schuster for my gifted proof copy.

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SYNOPSIS:

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

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

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

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

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MY REVIEW:

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Jack Jordan lives in East Anglia, England. He is an introvert disguised as an extrovert, an intelligent person who can say very unintelligent things, and a self-confessed bibliomaniac with more books than sense.

He is the global bestselling author of Anything for Her, My Girl, A Woman Scorned, Before Her Eyes, and Night by Night and an Amazon No.1 bestseller in the UK, Canada, and Australia. After selling at auction in the UK and numerous foreign territories, Do No Harm is which was the thriller of the summer in 2022. It has been described as “relentlessly tense” by Sunday Times Bestseller Lesley Kara, and “Chilling and perfectly paced” by New York Times Bestseller Sarah Pearse.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Amazon* | Bookshop.org*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

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

*These purchase links are affiliate links

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PAPERBACK PUBLICATION DAY REVIEW: Do No Harm by Jack Jordan

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

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

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

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SYNOPSIS:

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

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

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

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

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MY REVIEW:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

READ IT NOW. 

Rating: 💉💉💉💉💉

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

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

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

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones | Amazon | Bookshop.org

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

*All purchase links are affiliate links

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BLOG TOUR: Dirt by Sarah Sultoon

Published: Janaury 19th, 2023
Publisher: Orenda
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Political Thriller, Political Fiction, War Story
Format: Paperback, Kindle, Audiobook

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this compelling thriller. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part, and Karen at Orenda for the ARC.

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SYNOPSIS:

A compulsive, searing political thriller set on a kibbutz in Northern Israel, where the discovery of the body of an Israeli-Arab worker sets off a devastating chain of events…


‘A first-class political thriller’ Steve Cavanagh
 
‘A bitingly sharp, pacy thriller. Devilishly good. I inhaled it’ Freya Berry 
 
‘A powerful political thriller that brims with authentic detail. Clever, compulsive and achingly atmospheric’ Kia Abdullah 
 
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This is no utopia…

1996. Northern Israel. Lola leaves an unhappy home life in England for the fabled utopian life of a kibbutz, but this heavily guarded farming community on the Arab-Israeli border isn’t the idyll it seems, and tensions are festering.

Hundreds of miles away, in the Jerusalem offices of the International Tribune newspaper, all eyes are on Israel’s response to a spate of rocket attacks from Lebanon, until cub reporter Jonny Murphy gets a tip from a mysterious source that sends him straight into the danger zone.

When the body of an Arab worker is discovered in the dirt of the kibbutz chicken house, it triggers a series of events that puts Lola and the whole community in jeopardy, and Jonny begins to uncover a series of secrets that put everything at risk, as he begins to realise just how far some people will go to belong…

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MY REIVEW

“The body steamed gently in the heat as the birds pecked their way around it, the fetid smell of chicken feed mingling with the sulphurous whiff of smashed eggs. The pecking became indecorous as the hardest-working chicken, a champion amongst fowl, found an eyeball. Then another.”

When a thriller opens with lines like that you know you’re in for a great read. And Dirt did not disappoint. There is a sense of foreboding that hovers over the pages from the start, something ominous in the air that we are yet to discover. And there is a lot to discover in the complex, layered and twisty political thriller filled with secrets, tension and cover-ups.

1996 is a nostalgic year for me. I was 17-years-old and it was the year I felt I found a sense of freedom and adventure among my peers, so I instantly connected with Lola who is experiencing that on a much bigger scale in this story. Lola has left behind her unhappy home life in England for an adventure in Northern Israel alongside her Jewish best friend, Sam. The two are working as volunteers on a kibbutz, a fabled utopian farming community located on the Arab-Israeli border. There is a real sense of family living and working alongside these people every day. But when a body is found in the heavily guarded community all signs point to murder, and it seems Lola doesn’t know these people as well as she thought.

Meanwhile, our other narrator, Jonny, is hundreds of miles away in Jerusalem. Jonny has also come to the country to find himself, a quest to learn more about his heritage after his Jewish mother was disowned by her family for falling in love with his Irish father. A reporter for the International Tribune, a source alerts him to the body discovered on the kibbutz. Unable to resist the lure of a story, he travels there to investigate, not realising the dangerous chain of events he is about to ignite.

“You have no idea what you’ve stumbled into. Everyone thinks that it is simple – both sides hate the other and will fight to the death until one of them wins. Nothing’s ever that simple though is it?” 

Sarah Sultoon isn’t afraid to tackle a difficult subject. Her debut, The Source, was a hard-hitting read and this one is just as unflinching. Alongside her examination of the Arab-Israeli conflict is an exploration of identity that also touches on subjects such as prejudice and sexual assault. While there are occasional gruesome scenes, it is never graphic and she instead focuses on the emotions of the characters to tell her story, making the reader feel everything alongside Lola and Jonny. The writing is so evocative that I was transported and it was almost like I could feel the heat of the sun bearing down on me in the kibbutz or feel the terror as rockets flew overhead during an air raid. It gave me a real connection not only to the characters, but to the setting itself, something that is very important in this book.

A clever, intriguing and intricate thriller that I’d highly recommend.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sarah Sultoon is a journalist and writer, whose work as an international news executive at CNN has taken her all over the world, from the seats of power in both Westminster and Washington to the frontlines of Iraq and Afghanistan. She has extensive experience in conflict zones, winning three Peabody awards for her work on the war in Syria, an Emmy for her contribution to the coverage of Europe’s migrant crisis in 2015, and a number of Royal Television Society gongs. As passionate about fiction as nonfiction, she recently completed a Masters of Studies in Creative Writing at the University of Cambridge, adding to an undergraduate language degree in French and Spanish, and Masters of Philosophy in History, Film and Television. When not reading or writing she can usually be found somewhere outside, either running, swimming or throwing a ball for her three children and dog while she imagines what might happen if… Sarah lives in London with her family, and she’s currently working on her second thriller

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xx

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

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Reputation by Sarah Vaughan

Published: March 3rd 2022
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Genre: Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Domestic Fiction, Legal Thriller, Political Thriller
Format: Hardcover, Kindle, Audiobook

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this riveting novel. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and Simon & Schuster UK for the gifted ARC.

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SYNOPSIS:

From the bestselling author of Anatomy of a Scandal, soon to be a major Netflix series…
Reputation: it takes a lifetime to build and just one moment to destroy.
‘Sarah Vaughan has done it again. Superb’ Shari Lapena

Emma Webster is a respectable MP.

Emma Webster is a devoted mother.

Emma Webster is innocent of the murder of a tabloid journalist.

Emma Webster is a liar.

#Reputation: The story you tell about yourself. And the lies others choose to believe…

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MY REVIEW:

MP Emma Webster is riding high; her career is flourishing, she’s making changes to laws she’s passionate about, and she’s being interviewed and featured on the front cover of the Guardian Weekend magazine.  But then things start to fall apart and Emma soon finds her life is in tatters as she’s put on trial for a murder she says she didn’t commit.  But what is the truth?  Is Emma Webster a terrified woman who acted in self-defence, or is she a calculating killer erasing the threat to her reputation?

Tense, twisty and powerful, Reputation is a riveting blend of captivating whodunnit, gripping legal thriller and exploration of important social issues we face today.  This was my first time reading one of Sarah Vaughan’s books and my expectations were high after hearing high praise of her previous novels.  I was not disappointed.  From the opening pages there is a foreshadowing of something terrible occurring that turns Emma’s world upside down, adding an ominous atmosphere that looms over every word.  It had me on the edge of my seat as I waited for the full story to unfold, my heart pounding as it reached its dramatic crescendo.  While I did guess some of the twists, many of them surprised me, taking the plot and characters in directions I never saw coming.  Sharply written and intelligent, this is a thriller that keeps you guessing, makes you think and entertains you all in one fell swoop.  

The characters are compelling, flawed and relatable, with problems that are both recognisable and believable.  Emma was a great protagonist and I found her easy to root for at every step.  She is a nuanced character who is strong, fierce and capable but also scared and unsure.  I was never sure if she was guilty or not but could see how everything could have come together to create the perfect storm that led to murder.  But the character I was most drawn to was Flora, Emma’s fourteen-year-old daughter.  The author expertly puts the reader back into the psyche of a teenage girl as her isolation, fear and teenage angst leap from the page. I found her chapters heart-rending as a parent of teenagers; worrying what my children might be going through without me having any clue it’s happening.  It also transported me back to my own teenage years and that feeling of having nowhere to turn and being scared to talk to your parents when something is really wrong.  Emma and Flora’s experiences mirrored each other in many ways and I did enjoy seeing how it drew them closer together when they could have let it tear them further apart. 

Emma’s political career sees her being a voice for the voiceless as she fights against violence and threats towards women, particularly concentrating on the battle for new legislation around revenge porn.  It is a fight that makes her many enemies and she is subjected to the most vile threats and abuse every day.  Before reading this book I had no idea of the extent of the abuse that is part of the daily lives of women in the public eye, the fear they live with or the many safety measures they are forced to take each day.  I was shocked and appalled at what they are subjected to and can’t imagine needing water at public events in case acid is thrown in your face or being told to accept that threats of death and rape are part of the job you’ve chosen.  All of this leads into the other many timely and important themes explored in the book such as female empowerment and solidarity, how women are judged more harshly than their male counterparts, online bullying and the misogyny,  threats and violence that women endure and have grown to expect in their day to day lives.  Even the young aren’t immune, with pre-teens and teenagers using technology as a bullying tool.  While technology and social media can be a positive thing, when it’s used in this way it means that those who are targeted have no respite from the onslaught of abuse.  

Unsurprisingly, the topic of reputation is another theme that recurs throughout the book and the author explores the subject of our reputation versus our character.  Our reputations are built from the outside in but can be destroyed by those who don’t even know us in an instant.  Emma is someone who is very aware of her reputation and carefully cultivates it, particularly in relation to her job.  She has spent years building her reputation as a loving mother, no-nonsense MP and fierce warrior for female rights.  It’s who she is from the inside out.  So when it all comes crumbling down and her reputation is left in tatters, it shakes her to her core and Emma struggles with being portrayed as a person she doesn’t recognise.  It is her reputation, as well as her freedom, that she is fighting for in court.   

Bold, brilliant and intriguing, Reputation packs a punch.  This is a book you need to read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sarah Vaughan read English at Oxford and went on to become a journalist. After training at the Press Association, she spent eleven years at the Guardian as a news reporter and political correspondent before leaving to freelance and write fiction. Anatomy of a Scandal, her 3rd novel and her first courtroom drama/psychological thriller, combined these experiences and became an instant international bestseller, and Sunday Times top five bestseller. Translated into 22 languages, it was also a kindle number 1 bestseller, shortlisted for awards in the UK, France and Sweden, and filmed as a six-part Netflix mini-series, starring Sienna Miller, Michelle Dockery, and Rupert Friend. It will be transmitted in spring 2022.

Little Disasters has also been optioned for the screen, was a Waterstone’s thriller of the month, WH Smith paperback of the month, Kindle bestseller, and has been published in the US and various other countries. She is currently working on her fifth novel

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles ☺️ Emma xxx