Tag: Psychological Thriller

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOGATHON: Firewatching by Russ Thomas

Published February 20th, 2020 by Simon & Schuster UK
Mystery, Thriller, Police Procedural, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, LGBT Fiction, Gay Fiction, Crime Series

Today I’m delighted to be taking part in the first of four Russ Thomas Blogathon posts and am sharing my review for his outstanding debut thriller, Firewatching, which was one of my favourite reads of 2020. 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:

ONE WRONG MOVE
A body is found bricked into the walls of a house. From the state of the hands, it’s clear the dead man was buried alive. Soon, the victim is linked to an old missing person’s case and DS Adam Tyler is called.

WILL IGNITE
As the sole representative of South Yorkshire’s Cold Case Review Unit, Tyler recognises his role for what it is – a means of keeping him out of the way following an ‘incident’. When this case falls in his lap, he grabs the opportunity to fix his stagnating career.

THE CITY
And then Tyler discovers he has a connection to the case that hopelessly compromises him. He makes the snap decision not to tell his superiors, certain that he and only he can solve the crime. But now Tyler must move carefully to find out the truth, without destroying the case or himself.

Meanwhile, someone in the city knows exactly what happened to the body. Someone who is watching Adam closely. Someone with an unhealthy affinity with fire . . .

A taut investigative thriller bursting with character and tension, introducing an enigmatic, fresh lead detective unlike any you have met before – Detective Sergeant Adam Tyler – for fans of Adrian McKinty, Tana French, Steve Cavanagh and Sharon Bolton. 

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MY REVIEW:

DS Adam Tyler is called to the discovery of a body that was buried alive by being bricked into the wall of a house. The house’s owner, Graham Cartwright, had vanished six years ago amid high-profile scandals. Solving this case could be Adam’s way to salvage his career so he’s determined to be on the case. But he doesn’t work well with others, so this also becomes his chance to prove to his boss that he can be a team player. As he investigates alongside old-school copper DI Jim Doggett, the original investigator in the disappearance, and Amina Rabbani, a young police officer who sees the case as her chance to finally make it into CID, it soon becomes clear that there are people who’ve been keeping secrets that they want to remain hidden and that this will be a more complex case than they first thought. And as his professional and private life seep together, Adam finds himself in a fight not only for his career, but also his life. 

Heart-pounding, intense, and addictive, this debut left me trying to catch my breath when I read upon its release in February 2020. I love a good crime series and don’t get to read many books set in my hometown, so seeing that this new series was set in Sheffield was definitely part of the attraction for me. But while reading about familiar places was fun and helped me feel a greater connection to the story, it was Russ Thomas’ magnificent storytelling that made this series become one of my favourites, just as I predicted it would be at the time. I was hooked from the first page and putty in the palm of his hands as he spun his intricate and twisted tale. I read every spare minute, unable to put it down as I tried in vain to predict what would happen next. 

Part of the genius of this book is that everyone is a suspect. I literally had all but about three characters on my suspect list at one point or another, including the protagonist. You don’t know what to think, who to trust and where it is going next, leaving you on the edge of your seat as your mind fizzes with questions and suspicion. The vast array of characters are all fleshed out and vivid, each illuminating the story in their own unique way. I liked that Tyler wasn’t beloved by everyone or a team player. His battle to be treated like the other male officers because of his sexuality and the trauma of his father’s suicide gives him not only the spikiness that was fun to read, but also made me feel warmth towards him for those struggles. I enjoyed his banter with the other officers and how they reluctantly worked together to solve the case. Real life means having to work with people you can’t stand sometimes and the author certainly used that to his advantage in this book. 

One of my favourite parts of this book was the inclusion of the blog posts by the arsonist. They were mysterious, bizarre, creepy and fascinating. You got a real sense of how twisted and traumatised this person was and they increased the foreboding atmosphere that hung in the air. In the beginning they read like stories but slowly the readers see that there is more to them and realise how sick and twisted the writer is. But their identity remains a mystery, known only by the name The Firewatcher, remaining in the shadows until the tense finale. I loved being in the dark as much as the investigating officers and honestly couldn’t pinpoint a clear suspect. I was completely blindsided by the big reveal.

Firewatching is an outstanding, atmospheric, claustrophobic and surprising debut. It has everything you want in a great thriller and leaves you wanting more, just as a good series should. It is a must-read for anyone who enjoys this genre. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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. Firewatching is his debut novel.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part and keep an eye out for more reviews coming next month.

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Blog Tours book reviews

BLOG TOUR: The Taken Child by Maria Frankland

Published June 25th, 2024 by Bookouture
Thriller, Psychological Thriller

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this dark, twisty and unpredictable thriller. Thank you to Bookouture for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

As I race towards the lake, Toby’s life unfolds before me, from the day he entered this world to his first day at school. Please let me find him. I’ll do anything. But my sweet little boy is nowhere to be seen.

It kills me that the only way I can spend proper time with my son Toby is by helping out at his school camp. I sit under the emerald green pine trees and Toby’s little face lights up as he runs past me, joining the other chattering, happy children around us. Then I see my ex, David, glaring at me and my heart sinks. He may have full custody, but he’d love nothing more than for me to disappear. Forever.

As the excitement of the first day at this isolated camp dies down, I cherish the long goodnight hug I get to give to my beautiful little boy. I’d do anything to get Toby back.

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MY REVIEW:

A school residential turns into a nightmare in this suspenseful, gripping and forbidding thriller. It jumps straight into the action with a chilling prologue that hints at what’s to come: someone is dead and one of the children, Toby, is missing. But how did a school trip go so wrong? Moving between narrators and timelines, Maria Frankland skillfully tells the story. And it’s one hell of a bumpy ride filled with secrets, lies, jealousy, animosity and suspicion. She also knows how to keep her readers guessing, giving little away and keeping her cards close to the vest as we try to guess who is the murderer in their midst and who is their victim? And what about Toby? Will he be found safe? Pacy, unpredictable and filled with red herrings, she keeps us guessing; pulling the rug from under me with another twist every time I thought I had things figured out. It was addictive and I was so desperate for answers that I devoured the book in two sittings. But one of the most intriguing aspects of the book were the sentences in bold italics at the end of every chapter. The author of these dark, menacing, and moving sentences is a mystery, adding to the tension as I tried to guess not only who wrote them, but also who they were written to. 

Frankland has filled the pages with a varied and compelling cast of characters. Their histories are complicated, intricate and hostile, leading to an atmosphere ripe with bitterness and tension. Each of the women who narrate the story were flawed and complex characters that might not always be likeable, but nevertheless had some quality that made me root for them at times. David was another story. He gave me the ick from the start and seemed to always be at the centre of conflicts. They were all potential suspects and victims and I could imagine any one of them killing for one reason or another. I loved this uncertainty as it added to the tension and kept me on the edge of my seat until the last pages. 

Riveting, twisty and unpredictable, this is a must-read for any thriller lover.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Maria Frankland has a dubious internet search history and a very worried mother-in-law. However, neither of these things can stop her writing gripping psychological thrillers in which you’ll never find a happy-ever-after.

Her novels are mostly set in Yorkshire where you’ll hear the accent through all her characters. These are people you could live next door to, or closer still… don’t say you haven’t been warned.

Maria’s novels are fast-paced, down to earth and realistic. You never know what’s around the corner…

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BUY THE BOOK:

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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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Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

Audiobook Review: How To Kill Men and Get Away with It by Katy Brent

Published February 16th 2023 by HQ
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Dark Comedy, Contemporary Romance

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Meet Kitty Collins.

FRIEND. LOVER. KILLER.

He was following me. That guy from the nightclub who wouldn’t leave me alone.

I hadn’t intended to kill him of course. But I wasn’t displeased when I did and, despite the mess I made, I appeared to get away with it.

That’s where my addiction started…

I’ve got a taste for revenge and quite frankly, I’m killing it.

A deliciously dark, hilariously twisted story about friendship, love, and murder. Fans of My Sister the Serial Killer, How to Kill Your Family and Killing Eve will love this wickedly clever novel!

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MY REVIEW:

“The men I kill deserve it. Every single last little bit of it…”

Influencer Kitty Collins is followed home from a night out by the man who wouldn’t leave her alone in the night club. When he attacks her she accidentally kills him and, to her surprise, seems to get away with it. That night is the start of Kitty’s addiction. She has a taste for revenge. And she knows how to get away with murder…

A deliciously dark, twisted, witty and addictive story of friendship, love, life and murder, How To Kill Men and Get Away With It is an intoxicating mix of Dexter, Sweetpea and How To Kill Your Family. I devoured this in just a few hours, hooked from the first page and unable to stop once I’d started listening. The ink-black humour had me laughing out loud and there is an added layer of mystery to the story thanks to Kitty’s stalker and I enjoyed trying to guess who they might be, going through a number of suspects before ultimately deciding on my prediction.

I loved Kitty’s snarky, warped and fiery character. She’s someone I think all women will relate to on some level with her frustration of how some men treat women without any comeback. And while I’d obviously never kill anyone, I did enjoy living vicariously through Kitty as she took revenge on men for their predatory behaviour. Kitty’s relationship with her friends are a big part of the story and I enjoyed seeing this side to her, as well as the dilemmas it raised as she tries to keep her murderous activities secret. I also really enjoyed seeing her vulnerable and kind of insecure side to her when she met and fell for Charlie. Despite it all, I was rooting for her to find a happy ending rather than living her life alone wreaking revenge. 

Darkly funny, compelling and unflinching, this fast-paced thriller is one not to be missed.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. Click here to get 2 months listening for free*

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Katy is an author and award-winning journalist from the UK. She has worked on newspapers, magazines and websites since 2005, writing about popular culture. How To Kill Men and Get Away With It 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 xxx

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Blog Tours book reviews

BLOG TOUR: The Cuckoo by Camilla Läckberg

Published May 23rd, 2024 by Hemlock Press
Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Police Procedural, Crime Series

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this dark, tense and unflinching scandi noir. Thank you to Libby at Harper Fiction 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:

Detective Patrik Hedström and Erica Falck are back, in an irresistible Scandi crime thriller for fans of Jo Nesbo and Lars Kepler.

A community torn apart

As a heavy mist rolls into the Swedish coastal town of Fjällbacka, shocking violence shakes the small community to its core. Rolf Stenklo, a famous photographer, is found murdered in his gallery. Two days later, a brutal tragedy on a private island leaves the prestigious Bauer family devastated.

A town full of secrets

With his boss acting strangely, Detective Patrik Hedström is left to lead the investigation. Tensions rise threatening cracks in the team of officers at Tanumshede police station and pressure mounts as the press demand answers.

A reckoning in blood

In pursuit of inspiration for her next true-crime book, Patrik’s wife Erica Falck leaves behind their three children and travels to Stockholm to research the unsolved decades-old murder of a figure from Rolf’s past. As Erica searches for the truth, she realizes that her mystery is connected to Patrik’s case. These threads from the past are woven into the present and old sins leave behind long shadows.

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MY REVIEW:

The Swedish Coastal town of Fjällbacka is rocked to its core by the murder of Rolf Stenklo, the famous photographer. They are still reeling when just two days later another brutal tragedy shakes them further when three members of the prestigious Bauer family are found slain on a private island. Patrik Hedström is called in to head up the investigations and under pressure to get answers quickly. Meanwhile, Patrik’s wife. Erica, has found inspiration for her next true-crime book and is investigating the decades-old murder of someone from Rolf’s past. As she digs further it becomes clear that the two cases are connected and the past comes back to haunt those who hoped their secrets were buried forever. 

The Cuckoo is the eleventh book in the Patrik Hedström and Erica Falck series, but it was my introduction to both the series and its author, Camilla Läckberg. I am a big fan of Scandi Noir so I have no idea how I’ve gone so long without reading this author. Dark, sinister, tense and filled with shocking twists, this kept me on the edge of my seat. Told from multiple points of view, it moved seamlessly between dual timelines to reveal an intricately woven story of secrets, murder and revenge. This isn’t a book for the faint of heart. There are some brutal and grisly crime scenes, though it is never graphic. Läckberg addresses timely topics, featuring a transgender woman and her unsolved murder in the past thread. This was handled sensitively but honestly and it felt like she’d done a lot of research to get things right. While I enjoyed both threads of the story, I’ll admit the past thread was the one I found most compelling. I was captivated by Lola and her daughter, Petite, and desperate to know what happened to them. In the present, I became more invested as the kill count increased and it became obvious someone was out for revenge. But why? And who could it be? I loved that I found this so hard to predict, with the last third being particularly twisty and surprising. And that ending! I’m still reeling. 

Patrik Hedström and Erica Falck are great protagonists and I liked that Erica was a writer rather than another police officer, giving an added intrigue to the story. They are likeable, relatable and easy to root for, though I’ll admit to having a particular affinity with Erica thanks to our love of true crime. There is a large cast of characters who are all richly drawn and fascinating, but it took me a little time to get them straight. That being said, it wasn’t a problem reading this as a standalone as Läckberg succinctly catches the reader up on any relevant information. 

Suspenseful, ominous and unflinching, this fast-paced scandi noir is a must for anyone who enjoys a dark thriller. I will definitely be reading more from Ms. Läckberg.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Camilla Läckberg is one of the world’s most popular crime authors. She debuted in 2003 with The Ice Princess and has since published another ten novels in the popular Fjällbacka Series. With her new suspense series about entrepreneur Faye Adelheim Camilla took yet another step in her authorship. Today her books have sold more than 35 million copies and can be read in over 60 countries. She has also written short stories, novellas, children’s fiction, movie scripts and song lyrics.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
*These links 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 Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Leave No Trace (Kat and Lock, Book 2) by Jo Callaghan

Published March 28th, 2024 by Simon & Schuster UK
Psychological Thriller, Science Fiction, Book Series

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this riveting and nerve-shredding thriller. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part, and to Simon and Schuster UK for the proof copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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SYNOPSIS:

DCS Kat Frank and AIDE Lock return in the provocative new thriller from the author of In the Blink of an Eye.

‘A smart, agile, immaculately plotted and moving thriller that is unswervingly gripping and scary, and at the same time beautifully tender and humane’ NICCI FRENCH 
‘Chilled me to the bone and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Callaghan writes with such intelligence; interspersing humour with moments of utter heartbreak’ NIKKI SMITH
 
One detective driven by instinct, the other by logic.
It will take both to find a killer who knows the true meaning of fear . . .
 
When the body of a man is found crucified at the top of Mount Judd, AIDE Lock – the world’s first AI Detective – and DCS Kat Frank are thrust into the spotlight as they are given their first live case.
 
But with the discovery of another man’s body – also crucified – it appears that their killer is only just getting started. With the police warning local men to be vigilant, the Future Policing Unit is thrust into a hostile media frenzy as they desperately search for connections between the victims. But time is running out for them to join the dots and prevent another death.
 
For if Kat and Lock know anything, it’s that killers rarely stop – until they are made to.

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MY REVIEW:

DCS Kat Frank and AIDE Lock are back thrust into the spotlight when they finally get to investigate their first live case in the second instalment of this gripping crime series. The pair are called to an unusual crime scene where a man has been found crucified at the top of Mount Judd. And when the body of a second man is found crucified it seems that their killer is just beginning. Local men are warned to stay vigilant as the Future Policing Unit face a race against the clock to find and stop the culprit before they kill again. 

Compelling, tense and surprising, I couldn’t put this one down. This time around the duo find themselves embroiled in a case that makes national headlines, putting them under even greater pressure. While the first book focused more on the sci-fi aspect of an AI detective, this time around there is less sci-fi and more crime, allowing Jo Callaghan to showcase herself as a crime writer to watch. I enjoyed the darker tone she took this time around and this is exactly the kind of twisted thriller that sings to me. After enjoying the audiobook last time I decided to listen again and loved it. I particularly enjoyed how the killer’s pov is told in an echoey way that is so eerie it sent chills down my spine every time I heard it. Even just thinking about it is making me shiver. 

I loved being back with the Future Policing Unit. Kat and Lock are a unique and fascinating detective team and I loved their banter and camaraderie, which has grown since their rocky start in the first book. But it is only their second case and they are still learning how to work together, something that can be tricky when one of them is driven by instinct and the other by logic. I like how well they balance each other out; one’s weaknesses being the other’s strengths, and how they both were learning to be better officers by including some of each other’s methods. I also really liked that Lock is no longer treated as a perfect detective. We see some of his limitations and flaws, which kind of humanises the AI detective a little. It certainly made me warm to him more this time around. 

Riveting, pacy, and filled with nerve-shredding tension, Leave No Trace is an action-packed thriller that will keep you on your toes. Now I just have to wait impatiently for book three. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. You can listen, too, with 2 months free listening with my affiliate link. Click here*

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Jo Callaghan works fulltime as a senior strategist, where she has carried out research into the future impact of AI and genomics on the workforce.She was a student of the Writers’ Academy Course (Penguin Random House), was long listed for the Myslexia Novel Writing Competition and Bath Novel Competition. After losing her husband to cancer in 2019 when she was just forty-nine, she started writing IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE, her debut crime novel. Published to critical-acclaim, it selected by Val McDermid for her New Blood panel of the best debuts of 2023 and for BBC Two’s Between the Covers Book Club. TV rights were sold in a major acquisition.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | 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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BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Bride and Groom by Rona Halsall

Published April 5th, 2024 by Bookouture
Psychlogical Thriller

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this ominous and compelling thriller. Thank you to Bookouture for the invitation to take part and the proof copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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SYNOPSIS:

Walking down the aisle in the packed church, sunlight glints off my ivory silk gown. This should be the happiest day of my life. But as I carefully lift my veil and greet my husband-to-be, my heart is pounding with fear. Does someone out there know what we’ve done?

Ethan gently squeezes my hand as he slides the golden ring onto my finger. But I know we aren’t worthy of happiness.

As I look down at my wedding ring, in a blistering flash, I suddenly remember another piece of that pitch-black, rainy night… but I try to focus on Ethan’s gorgeous blue eyes. I know exactly what he’s thinking. We can never tell.

All our family, friends and loved ones smile as they watch Ethan and I promise to be together until death us do part. But only we know what that really means…

Because we have already killed someone.

My dear, sweet new husband isn’t quite all he seems…

But then again, neither am I.

An incredibly addictive psychological thriller that will keep you up all night, gasping at the truly mind-blowing twists! A completely unputdownable, edge-of-your seat page-turner for fans of The Perfect Marriage, Freida McFadden and Shari Lapena.

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MY REVIEW:

When Nicci and Ethan make their vows to one another on their wedding day, only they know the real meaning and weight behind them. Underneath her smile, Nicci’s heart is pounding with fear because she and Ethan have just vowed to never reveal that they were responsible for the hit and run that took a man’s life. But Nicci can’t shake her guilt. Or the worry that someone else might know their secret. And she’s beginning to wonder if her new husband is who she thinks he is…

Well, Rona Halsall did it again. She jumps straight into the intense action and a feeling of foreboding hovered over every page of this story. I will confess that I thought I had this all figured out and it seemed like it was a predictable read. I should have known better. Ms. Halsall pulled me in hook, line and sinker, and just as I totally relaxed in the knowledge that I knew where this was heading…Bam! I’m smacked in the face by a delicious curveball that changed everything I thought I knew and reminded me why she’s the queen of misdirection. Rona, I am sorry I ever doubted you. From that moment on it was a tense rollercoaster ride where I held on for dear life as she took me from one shocking revelation to another. 

There are some deep topics explored in the story such as toxic relationships, coercive control, and, of course, moral dilemmas. And this story provided one of the biggest moral dilemmas Ms. Halsall has written yet: should Nicci confess that she and Ethan were responsible for the hit and run that night to ease her torment, or should she keep her vow of silence? Halsall expertly wrote Nicci’s internal torture over her dilemma and I felt everything alongside her at every turn. A people pleaser who struggles with anxiety, Nicci was easy to relate to and I was cheering her on as she found her inner strength as the story went on. But this is a dual narrative and Ethan’s voice was very different. Just as brilliantly written, I loathed this manipulative man. He was a great, but stark, contrast to Nicci and as his secrets were slowly revealed he got more and more chilling. 

So if you want a compelling, unpredictable and ominous thriller, this is the book for you.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Rona is the #1 Best Selling author of psychological thrillers published by Boldwood and Bookouture. She loves to turn domestic storylines on their head to keep her readers guessing what the heck is going on.

Her 2023 release, THE BIGAMIST, has been short-listed for the International Writers Awards 2024, for Best Original E-Book, which is probably the peak of her writing career to date!

She has been a bit of a nomad during her adult life, moving around the north of England, before settling in Snowdonia, North Wales where she brought up her family while working as a business mentor. She lived on the Isle of Man with her husband and mad little Border Collie, Maid, for several years before returning to Wales. Recently, she has recruited a new member to the writing team – a Romanian rescue dog called Evie.

She is an outdoorsy person, who loves nothing better than stomping up a mountain, walking coastal paths and beaches and wadering round forests and woodlands while she’s plotting her next book. She has three children and two step-children who are all grown up and leading varied and interesting lives, which provides plenty of material for new stories.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Amazon*
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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

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

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Blog Tours book reviews

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: The Playgroup by Leah Mercer

Published March 21st, 2024 by Bookouture
Thriller, Suspense, Psychologial Thriller, Mystery

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this gripping psychological thriller. Thank you to Bookouture for the invitation to take part and gifted proof copy.

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SYNOPSIS:

Breath catches in my throat and terror grips me as my daughter’s favourite jumper slides into focus. Time slows. Helpless, I watch my precious little girl run into the road. Screeching tyres slice through the quiet afternoon. Days from now, my friends will say the worst day of my life was all my fault…

A bright and welcoming haven, the playgroup sits at the heart of the town, tucked away inside a red-brick building. The Nest should have been the safest place for my rosy-cheeked, pink-obsessed daughter, Florence. Run by mothers like me, I trusted my newfound friends – Alice, Beth and Georgie – to take care of my child. But now my choice has left Florence fighting for her life.

My heart pounds thinking about what I will tell my husband, James. He stayed with me through the darkest times, and I thought some space would bring us closer. But as I watch our little girl sleeping in a hospital bed, I know our relationship may never recover from this.

How can I tell James what really happened if I don’t know myself? I can’t shake the feeling the other mothers are lying to me; they know I’d never let Florence leave the nursery by herself. We’ve all got dangerous secrets we want to protect, but if they expose mine, will anyone, including my husband, believe me when I say I didn’t harm my daughter?

A completely gripping psychological suspense about the dark price of protecting your family, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Adele Parks and Sally Hepworth.

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MY REVIEW:

Lenore is finally starting to feel more herself after months of crippling postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter, Florence. But her husband, James, still doesn’t seem to trust her with their child, so she decides to take some time away by herself with Florence so they can both learn to trust her as a mother again so she moves to a house in Mappelstow, just outside London. In the heart of this town sits The Nest, a playgroup run by a co-operative of the town’s parents which seems like the ideal place for not only her daughter to socialise, but for Lenore to begin working again. Lenore soon settles in and begins to see the other women working there as her friends. Until that terrible day.

Lenore stands helpless, paralysed by horror as her little girl runs into the road. Tyres screech and Lenore’s scream pierces the air as she races to her daughter’s side. Little Florence is alive, but only just, and is rushed into hospital. Lenore and her husband, James, begin a vigil by the unconscious little girl’s bedside hoping for a miracle. But their nightmare gets even darker when the other women tell Lenore the accident was her fault. Could they be right? Could her PPD have clouded her mind and she really put her child in danger? Lenore is sure it wasn’t her fault. But why would her friends lie? What might they be hiding?

Tense, twisty and surprising, Leah Mercer had me in the palm of her hand as I devoured this book in just 24 hours. Narrated by Lenore, Alice, Georgie, and Beth, this is a story where everyone has something to hide. It explores topics such as postpartum depression, drug addiction, chronic illness, and coercive control, spinning a twisted web of secrets and lies that is cleverly woven together. Fast-paced and addictive, I could never be sure of the truth and when the truth was revealed it left me speechless. I did not see that coming! 

A suspenseful and surprising thriller, I’d highly recommend The Playgroup to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Leah can’t remember a time when she didn’t love writing. From creating fake newspapers to writing letters to the editor, scribbling something was always on the agenda. Even the rejections she received after completing her first novel at age 13 didn’t dent her enthusiasm.

So it makes sense, then, that she pursued a career in anything but writing. Public relations, teaching, recruitment, editing medical journals — even a stint painting houses — until she finally succumbed once more to the lure of the blank page. 

Whe she’s not being jumped on by her young son or burning supper while thinking of plotlines, Leah can be found furiously tapping away on her laptop, trying not to check Twitter or Facebook. 

Leah also writes romantic comedies under the name Talli Roland.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

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SQUADPOD REVIEWS: The Murder After The Night Before by Katy Brent

Published February 1st, 2024 by HQ
Mystery, Dark Comedy, Satire, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Contemporary Romance, Adventure Ficiton

Today I’m sharing my review for the fierce and funny The Murder After The Night Before, which is one of the Squadpods Featured Books in February. Thank you HQ for my gifted copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

From the author of How to Kill Men and Get Away With It, don’t miss this wickedly witty and utterly addictive novel, perfect for fans of Bella Mackie, Dawn O’Porter and Killing Eve.

Something bad happened last night.

I’ve woken up with the hangover from hell, a stranger in my bed, and I’ve gone viral for the worst reasons.

But I can’t remember a thing…

My best friend Posey is dead. The police think it was a tragic accident. I know she was murdered.

There’s only one thing stopping me from dying of shame. I need to find a killer.

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MY REVIEW:

Molly wakes up with the hangover from hell, no memories of the night before, a stranger in her bed, and has gone viral for all the wrong reasons. And it only gets worse when her best mate and flatmate Posey is found dead. The police write it off as a tragic accident, but Molly is sure Posey was murdered and sets out to find proof. The problem is, she still can’t remember what happened the night before.

This book was quite the ride! As a fan of dark comedy thrillers such as Sweetpea and  Over My Dead Body I knew I was going to love this one. But what I didn’t expect was to devour it so quickly, how timely it would be, or how Katy Brent would leave my jaw on the floor with her unexpected twists. Opening with Molly waking up after the night she can’t remember, it jumps straight into the action and never lets go, taking the reader along for the ride beside Molly as she tries to piece together what happened the night before and who killed her best friend. It feels claustrophobic, like the walls are closing in on Molly and her world keeps shrinking as she’s increasingly alone and scared to leave the house, and there’s a climate of distrust and suspicion lingers over every page as Molly tries to figure out who she can trust. 

Brent explores some sensitive and timely topics in the book, using black humour throughout to lighten the mood. This is a story that will make you feel every emotion: heartache, rage, fear, joy, laughter. But it is never heavy or bleak and instead makes you feel the many emotions those topics should make you feel. These topics are explored alongside the mystery of Posey’s death, something that I think helps alleviate some of the weightiness of the topics. I liked that Brent included excerpts of some of the tweets surrounding both Molly’s viral incident and Posey’s death at the beginning of each chapter as it felt like I was reading a true story rather than fiction. I was completely invested in both storylines and read on tenterhooks as I tried to figure out what had really happened. 

Molly is a fantastic protagonist. She’s feisty, chaotic, volatile, sloppy and destructive. Quite frankly, this girl is a hot mess. But behind her brittle and spiky veneer is a damaged, fearful young woman who is all alone and I wanted to hug her and tell her it would be ok. She is also the epitome of an unreliable narrator as she can’t even trust her own memories, something that made her even more likeable to me as you know she’s not deliberately being duplicitous. I loved this character and was rooting for her at every step. 

Fast-paced, fierce, darkly funny, and unflinching, this addictive thriller is a must-read. Just make sure you clear your schedule before you start. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Katy is an author and award-winning journalist from the UK. She has worked on newspapers, magazines and websites since 2005, writing about popular culture. How To Kill Men and Get Away With It is her first novel.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

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SQUADPOD REVIEWS: First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

Published January 2nd, 2024 by Headline
Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Mystery, Horror Thriller

Welcome to my review for the mind-blowing First Lie Wins. Thank you to Caitlin at Headline for the gifted proof in exchange for an honest review.

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SYNOPSIS:

You meet a stranger at a party. She looks like you. Even has your name. What does she want? And how far would you go to protect it?

‘The best cat and mouse suspense I’ve read. I’m still breathless’ LISA GARDNER
‘I devoured it. Absolutely brilliant’ HEIDI PERKS
‘Unexpected and pacy. A brilliant central character’ HARRIET TYCE
‘A clever, high-stakes now-you-see-me-now-you-don’t thriller’ A J FINN
‘An absolute CRACKER of a book’ RACHEL ABBOTT

** MAJOR TV SERIES OF FIRST LIE WINS IN DEVELOPMENT **

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Everything she is about to tell them is a lie…

Evie Porter has everything a girl could want: a doting boyfriend, a house with a picket fence, a fun group of friends.

The only catch: Evie Porter doesn’t exist.

First comes the identity. Once she’s given a name and location by her employer, she learns everything there is to know about the town and the people in it.

Then the mark: Ryan Sumner.

The last piece of the puzzle is the job. For Evie, this job feels different. Ryan has gotten under her skin and she’s started to picture another kind of life for herself – one where her boss doesn’t pull the strings.
But Evie can’t make any mistakes. Because the one thing she’s worked her entire life to keep clean, the one identity she could always go back to – her real identity – just walked right into this town. A woman, who looks just like her, has stolen her name – and she wants more. As Evie’s past begins to catch up with her, can she stay one step ahead to save her future?

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MY REVIEW:

“There’s an old saying: The first lie wins. It’s not referring to the little white kind that tumble out with little to no thought; it refers to the big one. The one that changes the game. The one that is deliberate. The lie that sets the stage for everything that comes after it. And once the lie is told, it’s what most people believe to be true.”

2024 is shaping up to be the year for first-class thrillers. And this one is another corker. A propulsive game of cat and mouse that packs a suspenseful punch, First Lie Wins is a mind-blowing thriller you need on your TBR.

Evie Porter seems to have it all: the doting boyfriend, the nice house, fancy friends and tickets to the best events in town. But things aren’t what they seem and Evie Porter doesn’t actually exist. Her identity has been created for her by her mysterious boss, Mr. Smith, her boyfriend, Ryan, is her mark and she will shed this life and identity as soon as her job is complete. But when she meets a woman who looks just like her that is claiming to have her real identity she starts to suspect that this job isn’t like the others and she could be in real danger. It is soon apparent that while Evie is playing her game, others are playing theirs. Is she prepared? And can she stay one step ahead and uncover the truth before it’s too late?

When the Squadpod were offered the chance to read First Lie Wins I was excited as this sounded right up my street. But when I heard that it had been chosen as Reese’s Book Club pick for this month I knew I was in for a real treat. Expertly written, fast-paced, cleverly plotted and unpredictable, Ashley Elston has shown she’s a talent to watch with this outstanding debut. A thriller lover’s dream, it is one of those books that grabs you by the throat and throws you to the floor when it’s done with you. I devoured this one quickly, Elston holding me in her thrall until the final page.

“I should have seen this coming. 
It’s been a long time since I’ve been blindsided.”

I love a book that gives up its secrets slowly, and this one does just that. We know from the start that there is much more to Evie than meets the eye. We know she’s keeping secrets and telling Ryan and his friends strategic lies that are part of something much bigger but have no idea who she really is or exactly what she’s hiding. Despite her morally grey character, I couldn’t help but root for Evie, something that was helped by her backstory, which humanises her; revealing a soft and broken side to the strong and unflinching woman she is today. After Evie meets the woman using her real name we discover she isn’t the only one with secrets and I loved trying to figure out which of the other characters were genuine and who was part of the complex web of lies Mr. Smith had spun. Elston gives up her secrets piece by piece, teasing us with intriguing flashbacks, little breadcrumbs of information and surprising curveballs that slowly unveil the truth. And when it was revealed I was left reeling and in awe at how cleverly this was written. 

Jaw-dropping, unexpected and consuming, First Lie Wins is a sensational thriller that you don’t want to miss. Highly recommended.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Ashley Elston is the author of several novels, including THE RULES FOR DISAPPEARING (a finalist in the Best Young Adult Novel category of the International Thriller Awards) and 10 BLIND DATES. Her work has been translated into 23 languages. She graduated with a Liberal Arts degree from Louisiana State University in Shreveport. Ashley worked for many years as a wedding photographer before turning her hand to writing. Ashley lives in Louisiana with her husband and three sons.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxxx

*These are affiliate links

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024 Squadpod Squadpod Reviews

SQUADPOD REVIEWS: One of the Good Guys by Araminta Hall

Published January 4th, 2024 by Pan Macmillan
Suspense, Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction

Welcome to my review of One of the Good Guys, the unsettling new thriller from Araminta Hall which was my first Squadpod Reviews read of the year. Thank you to Pan Macmillan for the proof copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

‘Araminta is one of the most daring and intriguing writers working today. This is a resonant, razor-laced and dangerously glittering novel’ Gillian Flynn

‘An absolutely thrilling tale, full of breathless cliffside terror and fresh feminist theory masked in tight, propulsive mystery. I devoured this book’ Lisa Taddeo

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If most men say they’re one of the good guys, then why are so many women afraid to walk alone at night?

Cole is the perfect husband: a romantic, supportive of his wife, Mel’s career, keen to be a hands-on dad, not a big drinker. A good guy.

So when Mel leaves him, he’s floored. She was lucky to be with a man like him.

Craving solitude, he accepts a job on the coast and quickly settles into his new life where he meets reclusive artist Lennie.

Lennie has made the same move for similar reasons. She is living in a crumbling cottage on the edge of a nearby cliff. It’s an undeniably scary location, but sometimes you have to face your fears to get past them.

As their relationship develops, two young women go missing while on a walk protesting gendered violence, right by where Cole and Lennie live. Finding themselves at the heart of a police investigation and media frenzy, it soon becomes clear that they don’t know each other very well at all.

This is what happens when women have had enough . . .

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MY REVIEW:

“Sometimes I wonder if that’s all life is, especially when you’re a woman, continuously running from fear until it finally overtakes you.”

Deeply unsettling but totally brilliant, One of the Good Guys is a book that demands to be read. Desperation, depravity, danger, dark deeds and disturbed relationships saturate the page of this powerful and all-too familiar tale. This was an amazing start to my 2024 reading and fantastic first Squadpod pick for the year.

Cole has moved to the countryside for a fresh start after the end of his marriage and it’s here that he meets Lennie, an artist who has also recently moved to the area. The pair begin what he hopes is the start of a much healthier relationship, but things aren’t what they seem…

This is one of those books where it’s best to go in blind and just enjoy the ride, so I’ll not say any more about the plot. But I will say you should prepare yourself for a journey to some bleak and troubling places.

“I felt ridiculous, but also a little angry. I was being driven to behave in a stupid, reckless way because my wife had a vendetta against me. Or maybe against men in general. I don’t know any more. Maybe all women hated all men. Maybe they had good reason? At that moment nothing seemed clear.
And I know, historically, it’s been hard to be a woman, but, my God, it’s hard to be a man right now.”

Timely, thought-provoking and relatable, this is a book that will spark conversation and become the latest topic around the water cooler at work or over coffee with friends. Armainta Hall is not holding back, taking us to some of the darkest parts of the human psyche in this unnerving and uncomfortable tale. It feels like she’s talking directly to you and you will see yourself or someone  you know on these pages. It’s hard-hitting and may be triggering for some readers. I admit that it felt like I was reading my own first (abusive) marriage play out on the pages, but I found it relatable and representative of a truth that needs to be addressed, rather than triggering. But there is also a unique beauty to this book that lies in it being a cunningly crafted and expertly written illusion where Hall uses smoke and mirrors to put the reader off kilter and hold them in her thrall. Masterfully written, the complex layers are intricately woven and every detail is carefully and cleverly choreographed, drip-feeding us information before pulling the rug from under us. Bravo, Ms. Hall. Bravo. 

I love an unreliable narrator and I didn’t trust any of the characters on these pages. From the start there was a feeling that something was not quite right and I was suspicious despite the fact that Cole was saying all the right things. Foreboding permeated the pages, and as the story went on there were little things that didn’t sit right or add up to me that contributed to the feeling. It felt like there was something much darker lurking under the surface waiting to emerge. It was chilling. As was the voyeuristic atmosphere that lingers over much of the story and adds to the feeling of malevolence and unease.

Darkly atmospheric, unsettling and addictive, One of the Good Guys is the kind of ink-black thriller I adore. Don’t miss the book everyone will be talking about this year. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Araminta Hall has worked as a writer, journalist and teacher. Her first novel, Everything & Nothing, was published in 2011 and became a Richard & Judy read that year. Her second, Dot, was published in 2013.

She teaches creative writing at New Writing South in Brighton, where she lives with her husband and three children. She is the great niece of Dodie Smith and great granddaughter of Lawrence Beesley, who survived the Titanic and wrote a bestselling account of the tragedy in the book, The Loss of the SS Titanic.

Our Kind of Cruelty, was published by Penguin Random House in 2018. It is a deeply unsettling thriller of a love story, in which a secret game between lovers has deadly consequences…

Her book, Perfect Strangers, was published in August 2020 by Orion. The hardback and US edition (FSG) were published as Imperfect Women.

Her novel, Hidden Depths, was published by Orion in March 2022.

Her new novel, One of the Good Guys, will be published by Zando in the US, and Macmillan in the UK in February 2024.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

*These linsk are affiliate links