Tag: Psychological Thriller

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

BLOG TOUR: Small Fires by Ronnie Turner

Published February 27th, 2025 by Orenda Books
Gothic Fiction, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Horror Fiction, Crime Fiction, Noir Fiction, Supernatural Fiction

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for the haunting and hypnotic Small Fires. 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:

Suspected of murdering their parents, sisters Lily and Della flee to a strange, unnamed island in Scotland, and their arrival puts in motion a horrifying series of events… Literary suspense meets folk horror in 2025’s most original, mesmerising modern gothic masterpiece…

‘A deeply unsettling and thought-provoking tale of survival and storytelling, mixing elements of gothic and folk horror with literary suspense. Beautifully woven and eerily atmospheric’ Anna Mazzola
 
‘Rarely will you meet a story as unsettling, nor one as bewitchingly told. With its roots snaking into folk horror, Small Fires plays with the contemporary gothic vibe reminiscent of Midsommar and The Wicker Man … I challenge you to pick it up and when you do, to put it down’ Janice Hallett
 
‘Ronnie Turner has a way of weaving words into a spell – the darkest of spells. Mesmerising, sinister … this modern folklore gothic will chill you to the bone’ Essie Fox
 
‘Crackles with menace and authenticity. Kept me up late and crept into my dreams’ Sarah Hilary
 
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Evil runs through this cursed island
And these wicked sisters are about to make it burn…

When sisters Lily and Della Pedley are persecuted for the shocking murder of their parents, they flee from their home in Cornwall to a remote and unnamed island in Scotland – an island known for its strange happenings, but far away from the whispers and prying eyes of strangers.
 
Lily is terrified of what her sister will might do next, and she soon realises that they have arrived at a place where nothing is as it seems. A bitterness runs through the land like poison, and the stories told by the islanders seem to be far more than folklore.
 
Della settles in too easily, the island folk drawn to her strangeness, but Lily is plagued by odd and unsettling dreams, and as an annual festival draws nigh, she discovers that she has far more to fear than she could ever have imagined. Or does she…?
 
Chilling, atmospheric and utterly hypnotic, Small Fires is a contemporary gothic novel that examines possession, generational trauma, female rage, and the perilous bonds of family – an unsettling reminder that the stories we tell can be deadly…

Midsommar meets Midnight Mass in a folk horror, modern gothic masterpiece.

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MY REVIEW:

“They say the Devil came here. He fell to the earth long ago and he never left.”

Murderesses. Witches. Pariahs. These are the names that were used to describe Lily and Della Pedley. Suspected of murdering their parents, their gruesome history precedes them everywhere they go. Even on an isolated and unnamed Scottish Island where the Devil is said to have fallen and made his home beneath the soil. As the sisters try to start anew on the island, whispers and judgement surround them as they unknowingly set in motion a nightmarish chain of events. 

Atmospheric, haunting and hypnotic, Small Fires reads like a dark and twisted fairytale. Mired in darkness from its opening pages, malevolence drips from every word of this magnificent gothic mystery. A masterful sinister storyteller, Ronnie Turner merges gorgeous literary fiction with nail-biting horror and suspense to create her own unique fiction recipe. Her choreography is exquisite; a sense of dread permeating the pages as she hides the poison in plain sight, coiled like a viper waiting to strike. She is adept at putting her reader off-kilter with red herrings until she’s ready to floor you with one of her shocking revelations. Elements of Scottish and Cornish folklore are woven throughout as Turner explores the role stories play in our lives, asking how they inspire and shape us, and how they shape our perception of others. She also explores themes of identity, examining how each of us can have many different identities, some that are thrust upon us and others we might hide behind. 

Told by multiple characters in dual timelines, the story is filled with richly drawn characters who are also deeply unnerving. At the heart of the story is sisters Lily and Della, one bitter and one sweet, with a harrowing and notorious past. Though part of their story is known, there is a lot of mystery that surrounds them. Our other narrator is Silas, a strange and curious individual with an equally mysterious history. Flashbacks allow us glimpses inside the pasts of all three characters, slowly revealing disturbing truths that they’ve tried to keep hidden. And then there was the island itself, which felt alive and like a character in its own right thanks to the myths and folklore about the devil dwelling below ground that surround it. 

A dark and unsettling gothic thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish, Small Fires is a must read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ronnie Turner grew up in Cornwall, the youngest in a large family. At an early age, she discovered a love of literature. She now works as a Senior Waterstones Bookseller and barista. Ronnie lives in the South West with her family and three dogs. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and taking long walks on the coast.

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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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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025 Readalong

READALONG REVIEW: You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego

Published February 13th, 2025 by Bantam Press
Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Women Sleuths

Welcome to my review for this nerve-shredding debut. Thank you to Bantam Press for the invitation to take part in the readalong and for sending me a proof copy of the book.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘When you trap a group of mystery authors on a secluded island, the result is wickedly delightful mayhem! It’s Agatha Christie on steroids‘ ― Tess Gerritsen
‘You’ll trip over the twists in this sneaky, snaky mystery‘ – A.J. Finn
‘Glass Onion meets Cluedo in this intricate and clever thriller‘ ― Catherine Cooper

Six thriller authors. One writing retreat.
You’d die to be on the guest list . . .

The Host
Legendary mystery author J. R. Alastor’s books are sold all over the world, but no one knows his real name. After years hiding in the shadows, he has sent out six invitations to an exclusive murder mystery retreat on his private island.

The Assistant
Mila del Angél has been hired to ensure the week runs smoothly. She has yearned for revenge on a ghost from her past for years – and this could be her chance to get it.

The Players
The six bestselling thriller writers accept their invitations without question – it’s an opportunity any author would kill for.

The Game
What should have been a week of trope-filled games takes a sinister turn when one guest is found dead, and the others find themselves in the midst of a nightmare drawn from Alastor’s dark imagination. They may have written thrillers – but now they and Mila must survive one…

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MY REVIEW:

Six thriller authors are invited to a secluded island for a writing retreat hosted by enigmatic mystery author J. R. Alastor. His assistant, Mila, has been hired to ensure that the week goes off without a hitch. But Mila has plans of her own to avenge a wrong done to her many years ago. The week starts off as planned, but things take a sinister turn when one of the guests goes missing and the writers find themselves trapped inside a nightmare darker than any thriller they could have written…  

As a bibliophile whose favourite thriller trope is locked-room or claustrophobic mysteries, this book felt like it was written for me. I loved the idea of thriller writers being caught up in a real life whodunnit and fighting for survival as they try to unmask the killer. Masterfully written, cleverly choreographed, intricately woven and filled with nerve-shredding tension, the foreboding dripped like blood from every page. When I started I was taking part in a readalong but soon found myself so completely hooked that I threw the reading schedule out of the window and devoured it in just a few hours, on the edge of my seat as my heart raced. Richly drawn, complex and flawed, the characters leaped from the pages and my mind whirred with some wild theories and suspicions, but they were nothing compared to what actually took place in this jaw-dropping whodunnit. 

Suspenseful, chilling and utterly mesmerising, this is a book all thriller lovers need on their TBR. Ande Pliego has showcased herself as a writer to watch with this magnificent debut, and I will be pre-ordering whatever she writes next. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ande Pliego began writing stories when she discovered she could actually wield her overactive imagination for good. A lover of stories with teeth, she writes books involving mind games, dark humor, general murder and mayhem, and most importantly, finding the hope in the dark.

When not reading or writing, she can usually be found dabbling in art, scheming up her next trip, or making constant expeditions to the library. Born in Florida, raised in France, and having left footprints all over the globe, Ande is settled in the Pacific Northwest, USA, with her craftsman husband and little son.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

Published January 30th, 2025 by Pan Macmillan
Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Domestic Fiction

Welcome to my review of this unsettling thriller, which was one of our SquadPod Featured Books in January. I also read this as part of a Bookbreak readalong. Thank you Pan Macmillan and Bookbreak for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘I was consumed by this book, it’s her best ever, a work of genius’ – Lisa Jewell

‘Brilliant and chilling, with an inspired setting, characters that jump off the page and twists to give you whiplash. I loved every word’ – Claire Douglas

The million-copy bestselling author of His and Hers, Alice Feeney, returns with a gripping and deliciously dark thriller about marriage . . . and revenge.

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Author Grady Green is having the worst best day of his life.

Grady calls his wife as she’s driving home to share some exciting news. He hears Abby slam on the brakes, get out of the car, then nothing. When he eventually finds her car by a cliff edge, the headlights are on, the driver door is open, her phone is still there . . . but his wife has disappeared.

A year later, Grady is still overcome with grief and desperate to know what happened to Abby. He can’t sleep, and he can’t write, so he travels to a tiny Scottish island to try to get his life back on track. Then he sees the impossible: a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife.

Wives think their husbands will change, but they don’t.
Husbands think their wives won’t change, but they do.

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MY REVIEW:

“The world is beautiful ugly, relationships are beautiful ugly, love is beautiful ugly. Understanding that makes life easier to live with.”

What should have been the best day of author Grady Green’s life turns into his worst day when his wife Abby disappears the same day he discovers he’s a New York Times bestseller. A year later, Grady travels to a remote Scottish Island with just 25 inhabitants, where he hopes he can write his next book and start to move on. But before he’s even got on the island he sees a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife. On the island things get even stranger: he keeps seeing the woman and even hears his missing wife’s voice on the telephone. And then there’s the odd behaviour of the island’s residents. What secrets are they keeping? And do they hold the key to uncovering the truth about Abby’s disappearance?

Dark, atmospheric, eerie and addictive, Beautiful Ugly is another first-class thriller from the pen of Alice Feeney. Opening with Abby’s disappearance, Feeney sets the sinister tone from the start. Skillfully written, cleverly plotted and heart-poundingly tense, Feeney knows how to hold the reader in her thrall; jaw-dropping twists keeping me on the edge of my seat and keeping me guessing until the very last page.

The Isle of Amberley is a beautiful, peaceful and idyllic place that has an undercurrent of danger. The residents are secretive and strange, and from the start there is an unwelcoming and unsettling atmosphere. Evocative imagery brings it to life in vivid detail and it felt like the island was a character in its own right, even mirroring the humans in this story who may have been ordinary on the surface, but sinister underneath and all of them seem to be unreliable narrators, including Grady and Abby. Every chapter had me questioning what I was being told and not knowing who I could trust. I had no idea how much of Grady’s story was real, how much might be lies, or how much was in his mind. All is revealed slowly, past and present merging together to unveil the shocking truth. And I didn’t see it coming.

I highly recommend this unsettling and compelling thriller.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Alice Feeney is a New York Times million-copy bestselling author. Her books have been translated into over thirty-five languages, and have been optioned for major screen adaptations. Including Rock Paper Scissors, which is being made into a TV series by the producer of The Crown. Alice was a BBC journalist for fifteen years, and now lives in Devon with her family. Good Bad Girl is her sixth novel.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025 Readalong

BOOK REVIEW: Witchcraft For Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

Published January 16th, 2025 by Tor
Horror Fiction, Gothic Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Dark Fantasy, Supernatural Ficiton, Paranormal Fiction

Welcome to my review for this unsettling and unforgettable read. Thank you to Tor and Bookbreak for my place on the readalong and for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A twisted Southern Gothic horror the New York Times bestselling author of How to Sell a Haunted House and The Final Girl Support Group.

‘I did an evil thing to be put in here, and I’m going to have to do an evil thing to get out.’

They call them wayward girls. Loose girls. Girls who grew up too fast. And they’re sent to the Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, give them up for adoption, and most important of all, to forget any of it ever happened.

Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at the home in the sweltering summer of 1970, pregnant, terrified and alone. There, she meets a dozen other girls in the same predicament. Rose, a hippie who insists she’s going to keep her baby and escape to a commune. Zinnia, a budding musician who plans to marry her baby’s father. And Holly, barely fourteen, mute and pregnant by no-one-knows-who.

Every moment of their waking day is strictly controlled by adults who claim they know what’s best for them. Then Fern meets a librarian who gives her an occult book about witchcraft, and power is in the hands of the girls for the first time in their lives. But power can destroy as easily as it creates, and it’s never given freely. There’s always a price to be paid . . . and it’s usually paid in blood.

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MY REVIEW:

“Sit. Listen. I need you to understand what they did to us when we were girls.”

Unsettling, uncomfortable and deeply relevant, Witchcraft For Wayward Girls is a beguiling novel that will stay with you long after reading. For this may be a tale filled with hexes and conjuring, but the real horror lies in the brutal reality of these girls’ lives and the injustices they are subjected to, rather than the paranormal. 

The story takes place in the sweltering summer of 1970 when fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida. Wellwood is a house for those they call wayward girls. For fast girls. For unwed mothers. At Wellwood, Fern meets girls from all walks of life, all in the same shameful position, who are there to live out the days of their pregnancy before surrendering their babies for adoption and then returning home to forget it ever happened. Every minute detail of the girls’ lives is strictly controlled: from the food they eat to how they spend their time. The adults tell them it is what’s best for them. Then she meets a librarian, Miss Parcae, who gives her a book about witchcraft. For the first time, the girls have power in their own hands. But there is a price that must be paid for that power. A price that is far steeper than any of them ever imagined. 

A master of his craft, Grady Hendrix expertly merges powerful storytelling, heart-stopping tension and chilling horror to create a masterpiece that was so good I read it twice this month. This is a dark read like no other. A book that will haunt you, consume you and then spit you out when it’s done. I admit, I went into this expecting a typical horror read and was totally unprepared for the beautifully tragic story I got instead. It is a story full of dread, heartache, trauma, rage and power that had me on the edge of my seat listening with bated breath. The richly drawn characters were compelling and I was quickly invested in the lives of these young girls. Holly’s story in particular stood out and filled me with so much rage that I wanted to get revenge on her behalf. 

I’d heard about the terrible homes for unwed mothers but this book conveys the atrocities that took place inside them with devastatingly evocative detail like I’ve never read before. These girls had no agency whatsoever and every facet of their life and day was tightly controlled. Even knowledge about their own bodies. These girls were kept in the dark about what would happen during labour, leading to some of the most distressing scenes I’ve ever read. I wanted to scream as the staff who should help and heal became sadistic and cold towards these terrified young girls. How could they be so cruel?

Dark, menacing, unapologetic and unforgettable, I can’t recommend this book highly enough. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

New York Times bestselling author Grady Hendrix makes up lies and sells them to people. His novels include HORRORSTÖR about a haunted IKEA, MY BEST FRIEND’S EXORCISM, which is basically “Beaches” meets “The Exorcist”, WE SOLD OUR SOULS, a heavy metal horror epic, THE SOUTHERN BOOK CLUB’S GUIDE TO SLAYING VAMPIRES, and THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP, coming on July 13, 2021. He’s also the author of PAPERBACKS FROM HELL, an award-winning history of the horror paperback boom of the Seventies and Eighties. He wrote the screenplay for, MOHAWK, a horror flick about the War of 1812, and SATANIC PANIC about a pizza delivery woman fighting rich Satanists.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Geneva by Richard Armitage

Published October 12th, 2023 by Faber & Faber
Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Fiction

Welcome to my review of this sesnational debut. Thank you to Faber & Faber for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Nobel Prize-winning scientist Sarah Collier has started to show the same tell-tale signs of Alzheimer’s disease as her father: memory loss, even blackouts. So she is reluctant to accept the invitation to be the guest of honour at a prestigious biotech conference – until her husband Daniel, a neuroscientist, persuades her that the publicity storm will be worth it. The technology being unveiled at this conference could revolutionise medicine forever. More than that, it could save Sarah’s life.

In Geneva, the couple are feted as stars – at least, Sarah is. But behind the five-star luxury, investors are circling, controversial blogger Terri Landau is all over the story, and Sarah’s symptoms are getting worse. As events begin to spiral out of control, Sarah can’t be sure who to trust – including herself.

‘SENSATIONAL.’ Clare Mackintosh

‘I RACED THROUGH IT.’ Lucy Foley

‘OUTSTANDING.’ Harlan Coben

‘HEART-POUNDING.’ Lucy Clarke, author of The Hike

‘IMMENSELY READABLE.’ Sarah Hilary, author of Fragile

‘HIGHLY ADDICTIVE.’ Alice Feeney, author of Daisy Darker

‘STUNNING.’ Helen Fields, author of The Institution

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MY REVIEW:

Gripping, intense, suspenseful and surprising, Geneva is a high octane thrill ride where no-one is what they seem and you don’t know who to trust. 

The story follows Sarah Collier, a nobel-prize winning scientist and her husband, Daniel, who is also a neuroscientist. Sarah has been invited to be the guest of honour at a prestigious biotech conference but she’s reluctant to accept as she has recently been showing signs of Alzheimer’s disease, the same illness that affected her father. But Daniel persuades her to go, reminding her that the technology being unveiled at the conference could revolutionise medicine and maybe even save her life. So, the couple head to snowy Geneva and are treated to five-star luxury. But while they are there Sarah’s symptoms worsen, events spiral out of control, and a controversial blogger is covering the story, leaving Sarah unsure if she can trust even herself. 

Fast-paced, heart-poundingly tense, and cleverly choreographed, with this sensational debut, Richard Armitage showcases himself as a thriller writer to watch. He drew me into the story from the start, balancing the tension and heavy science with lighter moments perfectly and keeping you on your toes with an electrifying game of cat and mouse and twists I never saw coming. Armitage’s evocative imagery and attention to detail really set the scene, and combined with narration by the author himself, brings the story to life so vividly it feels like you’re there. 

An exhilarating and unpredictable thriller not to be missed, I can’t wait for the TV adaptation and whatever Armitage writes next. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Richard Armitage is a multi-award winning stage and screen actor. Armitage is best known for his role of Thorin Oakenshield in Peter Jackson’s trilogy of ‘The Hobbit’. On Film Armitage starred in ‘Into the Storm’ ‘Alice Through The Looking Glass’ ‘Captain America, the First Avenger’ ‘Oceans 8’. Independent features include ‘The Lodge’ ‘My Zoe’ ‘Brain on Fire’ and ‘Pilgrimage’. On TV, Guy of Gisborne in ‘Robin Hood’, Daniel Miller in Epix ‘Berlin Station’, ‘John Porter’ in Sky’s Strike Back, Francis Dolerhyde in NBC’s Hannibal, Lucas North in ‘Spooks’ and John Thornton in ‘North and South’ both for the BBC. He also voices Trevor Belmont in the Netflix series ‘Castlevania’, Devereaux in their upcoming animated ‘Tomb Raider’ and Logan in Marvel’s ‘Wolverine’ podcast.

Recent TV adaptations for Netflix include Ray Levine in ‘Stay Close’ and Adam Price in ‘The Stranger’ both written by Harlan Coben. He recently played William Farrow in “Obsession” also for Netflix based on the novel ‘Damage’ by Josephine Hart.

The ‘Jackman and Evans’ crime series by Joy Ellis and ‘The Taking of Annie Thorne’ by CJ Tudor both available on Audible, are currently in development for TV adaptation from his production company White Boar Films alongside The Imaginarium and Sprout Productions/ Night Train.

In 2022 he penned his debut crime thriller ‘Geneva’. It was an instant #1 bestseller for Audible and will be published by Faber&Faber (UK) and Pegasus (US)

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx

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

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: The Weekend Guests by Liza North

Published August 29th, 2024 by Constable
Suspense, Mystery, Thriller, Psychological Thriller

Welcome to my review for this unsettling and addictive thriller. Thank you to Cosntable for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

FIVE OLD FRIENDS.
A REUNION TO DIE FOR . . .

A weekend on the wild, beautiful Dorset coast. Seven adults, six kids. A nanny: the ultimate special treat.

It should be perfect: old friends, a stunning house, champagne and windswept beaches. But it isn’t.

Past grudges won’t rest. Secrets won’t stay put.

And by the end of the weekend, at least one of them will be dead.

Perfect for fans of THE HUNTING PARTY by Lucy Foley and ONE OF THE GIRLS by Lucy Clarke, this is a gripping locked-room thriller brimming with secrets and lies.

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MY REVIEW:

Five university friends reunite at the luxurious second home of two of their group on the Dorset coast. They bring their children and partners to the reunion which promises to be a fun-filled weekend of champagne, wind-swept beaches, and reminiscing about the old days. But trouble is ahead because they have been keeping a dark secret. Old resentments resurface, tensions rise, and by the end of the weekend, at least one of them will be dead…

What a book! Dark, eerie, nail-biting and addictive, The Weekend Guests is a first-class thriller with a cinematic edge. Liza North has an instant fan in this blogger and I will be reading anything else she writes. Opening with a chilling prologue that sets the tone for what’s to come, the book oozes a sinister and foreboding tension from beginning to end. The dark secret we know the friends have hidden for years only adds to that, a constant, malevolent presence that lingers over every page just waiting to be exposed. And I was in Ms. North’s thrall as she twisted the beauty of the Dorset coast into a suitably terrifying backdrop for this propulsive claustrophobic thriller. Skillfully written, cleverly plotted and fast-paced, this was a sensational introduction to Liza North’s writing. I devoured it greedily, forcing myself to put it down in the early hours when what I really wanted to do was keep reading to the end. 

The story is told in dual timelines by multiple narrators and moves seamlessly between them. Each of the characters are richly drawn, flawed and unlikeable. But there is one who stands out amongst them all: Darryl. Their neighbour and acquaintance from their time at university in Edinburgh. The flashbacks, which all take place during their time at university in 2001, are told through Darryl’s diary. And, boy, did this guy give me the creeps! Strange and unsettling, he made my flesh crawl and my unease turned to horror as the full truth about him was revealed. Darryl also added to the questions about the secret as now I not only wanted to know what the secret was, but how he was connected to it all. 

So, if you’re looking for a thriller that will have your heart pounding and keep you glued to the pages, then this book is for you.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Liza North is a writer, academic and former journalist. Her first Scottish-based psychological thriller, Obsessed, was published in 2023. Educated at Oxford University and University College London, she has written for the Financial Times and the Guardian, and spoken at literary and crime writing festivals including Bloody Scotland. A reluctant runner, insatiable reader and lover of fancy gin, she lives in Edinburgh with her husband and two daughters. 

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOGATHON: Redemption by Jack Jordan

Published June 20th, 2024 by Simon & Schuster UK
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Gay Fiction, Adventure Fiction

Today I’m sharing my review for Redemption, the latest bingeable thriller from the king of the moral dilemma. Thank you to Tracy at Compulsvie Readers Tours for the invitation to take part in the Blogathon, and to The Likely Suspects for my copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Aaron Alexander has just been released from jail after serving eleven years for causing the death of Joshua Moore in a hit-and-run. Now a free man, all he wants to do is stay on the straight and narrow and leave his troubled past behind him.

But for Joshua’s mother Evelyn, eleven years in jail isn’t nearly enough. Consumed by grief and rage, she has been waiting for Aaron’s release, counting down the days until she can exact the revenge he deserves. And now that time has come.

But as Evelyn and her husband Tobias embark on a road trip to track Aaron down, they find themselves caught on two different sides of a gripping game of cat-and-mouse. Because Tobias knows what Evelyn is planning, and he will do anything to save her from herself.

Even if it means protecting the man who killed their son.

Locked in a collision course set in motion eleven years ago, Aaron, Evelyn and Tobias are about to find out whether the road they have chosen leads to redemption . . . or to retribution.

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MY REVIEW:

“Maybe I am a monster, but I can’t stop now. Not now I’m so close. I could never live with myself if he walked free.”

Evelyn and Tobias Moore’s world is shattered when their son, Joshua, is killed in a hit and run. Now, Aaron Alexander – the man responsible – is being released after serving 11 years but for Joshua’s mother that isn’t justice. She wants revenge; and she’s been counting down the days until she can make that happen. Now, that time has finally come. But as Evelyn and Tobias embark on their journey, they are on two opposing sides: Evelyn dead set on revenge, while Tobias wants to save his wife from herself. Their road trip towards vengeance and murder quickly becomes a nail-biting game of cat and mouse. Can there be redemption?

“I’ve got to do what I was afraid to do before. I’ve got to try and stop her.” 

He’s done it again! Unbearably tense, twisty, unpredictable and heartfelt, Redemption is another five-star read from the King of dilemma thriller, Jack Jordan. A master-class in thriller writing, this book has it all: action, suspense, foreboding and violence, but also heart, grief, rage, bitterness and hope. The story is told in five parts that begin with flashbacks to Evelyn and Tobias’ life in happier times. These sections were so emotional, emphasising the magnitude of their loss and how much their lives have changed since Joshua’s death. There is such a stark contrast that I’d have believed you if you’d told me I was reading about two different couples. Jordan makes you feel ALL the feelings, expertly conveying the nuances of grief and how that can look different for everyone. I got book whiplash as I would be close to crying one moment and on the edge of my seat the next, holding on tight with the breakneck speed of the chase. 

“I didn’t realise how all-encompassing grief could be. How tyrannical the rage against injustice would be on my thinking…” 

Jordan’s characters are always nuanced, relatable and deeply human. One of the things I love most about his book is his expertise at writing anti-heroes you can’t help but root for. He weaves their anguish, pain, dilemmas and humanity into the narrative, highlighting all the shades of grey and making it possible to see yourself in their shoes. Evelyn and Aaron are perfect examples of this. Evelyn’s every word, thought and action is raw, sizzling with white-hot rage, resentment, hatred, bitterness, pain and grief.  She can’t see straight for the need for vengeance and her need to exact what she determines to be justice overwhelms everything else. And as a mother I could understand it. I’m not a vengeful person but I can’t imagine how I would cope in her position and I had a lot of empathy for her, even if I was rooting for Tobias to stop her before she went too far. Meanwhile, Aaron seems like the obvious villain of the story, yet Jordan makes him human with his tragic backstory and deep remorse. I ended up really liking him and rooting for him to survive. Then there is Tobias. Tobias is a broken man who not only lost his only child, but also his wife the night Joshua died. Jordan really makes you feel his heartache and loneliness. His dilemma is palpable as he is torn between helping Evelyn and saving her from herself, even if it means helping the man who killed his child. It was an impossible situation and I felt for him even more as he is thrown into becoming someone he doesn’t recognise in his quest to stop Evelyn. 

Intense, heart-rending and bingeable, Redemption is another unmissable thriller from Mr. Jordan. Read it now!

Rating: 🦂🦂🦂🦂🦂

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jack Jordan is the global number one bestselling author of Anything for Her (2015), My Girl (2016), A Woman Scorned (2018), Before Her Eyes (2018) and Night by Night (2019). His 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. The idea for Do No Harm came to Jack after undergoing a minor medical procedure where he had to be sedated and trust strangers with his welfare. After the anaesthesia wore off, Jack began scribbling his notes, wondering to himself just how iron-clad a surgeon’s oath is, and what it would take to break it…

Jack’s latest book, Conviction, was published in June 2023 and featured in Cosmopolitan’s ‘best new books out in June’ round-up, it was also chosen as one of the June featured books by Magic Radio’s Book Club and the audiobook was selected for Fingerprint Award at Capital Crime 2024.

His next book, Redemption, publishes this June.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

Categories
Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024 Squadpod Book Club Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: Every Move You Make by C. L. Taylor

Published September 12th, 2024 by Avon Books
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction

Welcome to my bookish thoughts on Every Move You Make. Thanks to Avon Books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘I absolutely loved it!’ Lisa Jewell

‘A compulsive page-turner you won’t be able to put down.’ Clare Mackintosh

‘Wow this was exceptional! Clever, original and filled with tension, this is a story I won’t ever forget. C.L. Taylor’s best yet.’ Claire Douglas

‘Clever, tense and satisfying.’ Andrea Mara

‘Spine-chilling at every turn! One of the best thrillers of the year.’ Jeffery Deaver

‘A tense, twisty thrill-ride of stalking, obsession and revenge.’ TM Logan

‘I absolutely love C.L. Taylor’s writing.’ Liz Nugent

‘I absolutely loved this book and finished it in one sitting…In true C.L. Taylor style, it’s delightfully twisty.’ Katy Brent

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Keep your friends close and your enemies closer…

Alexandra, Lucy, Bridget, River and Natalie. Five friends who wish they’d never met. Because the one thing they have in common is the worst thing in their lives: they are all being stalked.

When one of their group is murdered, days after their stalker is released from prison, time stands still for them all. They know their lives could end just as brutally at any moment – all it takes is for the people they fear the most to catch up with them.

When the group receive a threat that one of them will die in ten days’ time, the terror that stalks their daily lives becomes all-consuming. But they know they don’t want to be victims anymore – it’s time to turn the tables and finally get their revenge.

Because the only way to stop a stalker is to become one yourself…

The multimillion bestseller returns with her most propulsive and addictive book yet. A chilling and terrifyingly real thriller that will keep you up all night – and looking over your shoulder for days to come…

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MY REVIEW:

Alexandra, Lucy, Bridget, River and Natalie are five friends that wish they had never met. Because they met at a support group for people who are being stalked. And when one of their group is murdered just days after their stalker is released from prison, the others are left remembering that it could be them at any moment. 

When I pick up a C. L. Taylor book I know I’m getting a well-written, fast-paced and absorbing thriller. And that is exactly what I got with her latest book, Every Move You Make, which is one of our SquadPod Featured Books this month. Enthralling, sinister and suspenseful, Taylor held me in her thrall from the opening pages. Taylor has talked about this being a very personal book for her as she was stalked by an ex a number of years ago, and you really get the sense of that personal experience of how it feels to be stalked merging with her storytelling talents to create the palpable sense of terror that consumes the characters and radiates from the pages and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Alexandra, Lucy, Bridget, River and Natalie are part of a group on WhatsApp that is brilliantly named FYST (f*** you stalker t***s). The story is told through each of their eyes through their communications on the app and traditional narrative. These characters are recognisable, relatable and easy to root for, immediately gaining our sympathy as we know they have been subjected to a harrowing experience. But as we learn more, it seems like one of the group may not be who they claim to be, adding to the tension and making everyone a suspect. I love an unreliable narrator, so I particularly enjoyed this aspect of the book and went through a number of theories before the jaw-dropping truth was finally revealed.

Atmospheric, harrowing and unexpected, this heart-pounding thriller is a must-read. And don’t miss the heart-rending author’s note at the end.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

C.L. Taylor is an award winning Sunday Times bestselling author of ten gripping psychological thrillers including THE GUILTY COUPLE, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick for summer 2023 and SLEEP, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick for autumn 2019.

C.L. Taylor’s books have sold over two million copies in the UK alone, hit number one on Amazon Kindle, Audible, Kobo, iBooks and Google Play, and have been translated into over 30 languages and optioned for TV.

Her books are not a series and can be read in any order:
2014 – THE ACCIDENT / Before I Wake (U.S. title)
2015 – THE LIE
2016 – THE MISSING
2017 – THE ESCAPE
2018 – THE FEAR
2019 – SLEEP
2020 – STRANGERS
2021 – HER LAST HOLIDAY
2022 – THE GUILTY COUPLE
2024 – EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE

She has also written two Young Adult thrillers: THE TREATMENT and THE ISLAND.

Her crime short story collection, TELL THEM NO LIES, is published as Cally Taylor. She also has a women’s fiction story collection, SECRETS AND RAIN, under the same name.*

C.L. Taylor lives in Bristol in the UK with her partner and son.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2022

BLOGATHON: Cold Reckoning by Russ Thomas

Published May 12th, 2022 by Simon & Schuster UK
Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Noir Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Gay Fiction, Crime Series

Today is the third instalment of the Russ Thomas Blogathon and I’m thriller to be sharing my review for Cold Reckoning. Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours for the invitation to take part and to Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘A rollercoaster ride of a thriller . . . will keep you hanging on by your fingertips until the tense final moments’ PETER ROBINSON
_____________________________ 

THE DARKNESS FROM HIS PAST WILL FINALLY COME TO LIGHT

The death of DS Tyler’s father irrevocably changed his life. As a child, he believed Richard had killed himself but, as the years have passed, Tyler has grown convinced he was murdered.   

When a cold case lands on Tyler’s desk, there’s nothing immediately notable about it, apart from the link it has to his father. Richard was investigating the same case shortly before he died.
 
Finally, Tyler has a tangible link to the past, one that could give him the answers he has been looking for. And while there are dangerous people who will do anything to keep him quiet, he knows he has to keep digging.

Because you’d risk anything for your family – even your life.

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MY REVIEW:

A gunshot rings out at Damflask Reservoir on a cold winter morning. It leads to the discovery of a body that has a connection to the case Tyler’s father, Richard, was investigating before his death. Could this finally lead Tyler to the answers about his father’s death he’s been searching for all these years? As he digs deeper he must face those who will do anything to stop the truth from being revealed. But with all the clues seeming to say he’s on the right path, Tyler is determined nothing will stop him from finally learning what happened that day.

Gripping, tense and twisty, Russ Thomas has delivered another fantastic instalment in the DS Adam Tyler Series. Events pick up right after the cliffhanger at the end of book two, so I’d highly recommend you pick that one up first. This book felt more personal than ever with the search for Tyler’s godmother and mentor, DCI Diane Jordan, and a case that seems to be connected to Tyler’s father’s death. Since the start of this series there’s been a sense that his father’s death has overshadowed every facet of Tyler’s life so I was really rooting for him to find answers so he can finally move forward. But things obviously won’t be straight forward. Tyler is left not knowing who he can trust and there are some intense scenes as he tries to get to the truth. Meanwhile, the deeper he gets into the investigation, the more danger there is as those who know the truth try to stop it from coming to light. 

Fast-paced and intricately woven, the high-octane tension never drops for a moment, Thomas keeping you on the edge of your seat as he intricately weaves the threads together to a heart-pounding finale. A must for all thriller fans. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

RUSS THOMAS was born in Essex, raised in Berkshire and now lives in Sheffield. After a few ‘proper’ jobs (among them: pot-washer, optician’s receptionist, supermarket warehouse operative, call-centre telephonist, and storage salesman) he discovered the joys of bookselling, where he could talk to people about books all day. He released his debut novel, Firewatching, in 2020. Cold Reckoning is his third novel.

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews

BLOG TOUR: The Marriage Test by Ellie Monago

Published September 3rd, 2024 by Bookouture
Psychological Thriller

I am thrilled to be opening the blog tour for this heart-pounding thriller on its publication day. Thank you to Bookouture for the invitation to take part and for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

One tropical island. Four couples. They believe they’re on a TV show to save their marriages. But the people behind the cameras know all their secrets. They’re going to be revealed, one by one. Because everyone has something to hide…

An incredibly successful surgeon and her gorgeous partner enjoy a life of luxury. To get it, one of them had to hide a dark past…

A young couple are expecting their first child. Has one of them been unfaithful?

High school sweethearts, missing their two young children. But the suburban dream is becoming a nightmare…

A husband and wife running a successful business together. But with both their marriage and company failing, what is really happening behind closed doors?

But their secrets aren’t the only thing coming out under the bright lights. Because some of the people on this island have met before.

And one of them has a secret they’d kill to protect…

Who will pass the marriage test? And who will survive?

A completely binge-worthy, utterly twisted thriller that will have you turning the pages all night long! Perfect for fans of The Perfect Marriage, Freida McFaddenand The Girl in Seat 2A.

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MY REVIEW:

Four couples are on a tropical island to take part in a reality TV show and try to save their relationships. Each of the couples are hiding something. Things they don’t know the producers know and plan to reveal one by one. But one of the contestants is willing to do anything to protect their secret. Even kill. Who will survive the marriage test? And at what cost?

Heart-poundingly tense, twisty and addictive, The Marriage Test had me hooked. Moving between events on the island and police interviews with the producers, we know from the start that one of the contestants doesn’t leave the island alive, providing a sense of inherent danger. And there’s things simmering beneath the surface, dark secrets just waiting to boil over. Compelling, intricate and hard to predict, Ellie Monago has cunningly crafted this fast-paced thriller, barely giving you time to catch your breath from one twist before you’re hit with another one, exposing the truth behind so-called ‘Reality TV’ while asking how far we’re prepared to go to stop our darkest secrets from being revealed.

This is a story filled with flawed characters and unreliable narrators. They may say they’re here to save their relationships, but it is soon clear that all of the contestants have other motivations for appearing on the show, and they all have secrets they want to keep hidden, making it impossible to trust anything they say or that you think you know. I found myself particularly drawn to Lauren and Tatiana but there wasn’t one character I was rooting for and I didn’t really care if the couples stayed together. I was here for the drama and to try and solve a murder. The contestants quickly formed friendships, rivalries and even cross-couple flirtations. Meanwhile the producers and counsellors toy with them and begin revealing their secrets at the behest of Marla, the show’s executive producer. She was like an evil puppeteer pulling all the strings and watching things unravel with glee, seemingly not caring that she is messing with people’s lives. All she cares about is the ratings. But things unravel quickly, it’s the perfect recipe for murder and everyone has a motive. 

After the murder the contestants are not only trapped on an island with a killer, they are also terrified they might be next and have no idea who they can trust, the tension really heating up as speculation about the killer’s identity is rife. At this point they are also faced with discovering how they have been perceived on the show and the social media speculation about which one of them is the killer, leaving them trying to prove their innocence and protect their image whilst also trying to salvage their relationships. I was on tenterhooks and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, desperate to finally know the truth. 

Jaw-dropping, riveting and suspenseful, this is a must-read for all thriller lovers.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ellie Monago is the pen name of an acclaimed novelist and practicing therapist. She’s also a wife and mother, and when you add it all up, she doesn’t wind up with much time for hobbies. But she’s an avid tennis fan, a passionate reader of both fiction and nonfiction—especially memoir (nothing’s as juicy as the truth!)—and she relishes a good craft cocktail.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Amazon*
*this is an affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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