Published November 6th, 2025 by Piranha Publishing Thriller, Crime Fiction, Romantic Suspense
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ABOUT THE BOOK:Ro
Power. Passion. Revenge. Nothing is off-limits in Falcon Bay.
From Sunday Times bestselling author Melanie Blake comes a gripping new chapter in the Falcon Bay series – where showbiz glamour collides with dark secrets, and women who’ve lost everything are ready to fight back.
On a private island off the coast of England, five powerful women sit in jail, awaiting trial for manslaughter: a world-famous soap star, an ambitious talent agent, a ruthless producer, a brilliant screenwriter and a cougar casting director.
The man who put them there, their long-term nemesis Jake Monroe, is cashing in – turning the island they once ruled into a twisted theme park crowned by the world’s tallest skyscraper. While the women plot revenge, old secrets that could change everything begin to surface.
The glossy veneer of their showbiz world was shattered when they were incarcerated and the rot beneath the red carpets and studio lights is beginning to show… and meanwhile, a journalist chasing the truth behind an American serial killer is uncovering stories that could destroy everything – and everyone.
As the body count climbs and the women’s trial date looms, Jake’s empire teeters. Because one thing is certain. Hell has no fury… like vengeful women.
If you love the glossy scandals of Jilly Cooper and Jackie Collins, the fast-paced suspense of Frieda McFadden, and the addictive twists of modern crime thrillers, Vengeful Women will keep you reading late into the night.
We’re back on St Augustine for the third instalment in the wonderfully over-the-top Falcon Bay series.
The story picks up a year after the events at the end of book two. Sheena, Helen, Catherine, Amanda and Farrah are all sitting in jail awaiting their trial for manslaughter after the death of their co-worker, Madeline Kane during a live episode of their show, Falcon Bay. Meanwhile, their nemesis, Jake Monroe, who is busy cashing in on the tragedy and turning St Augustine into a theme park where the world’s tallest skyscraper will be his crowning glory. The women plot revenge, but old secrets soon threaten to derail their plans. And someone else is exacting revenge; a serial killer in LA has a hit list of targets who wronged former Falcon Bay star Honey Hunter. A journalist is hot on the case and on the cusp on uncovering stories that could destroy all their lives.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. And this book has them in abundance. I loved the first two books in this series so I was very excited when I was offered the chance to step back into Falcon Bay. I had been wondering what was next after that cliffhanger at the end of book two and was thrilled to finally find out. It’s another story of love, lust, power, money, secrets and revenge. And it was totally worth the wait!
Tense, surprising and sexy, this enthralling story had me totally hooked. The book begins with a cast of the characters and a short blurb that tells us their story so far, which was really helpful for catching up on events. Melanie Blake once again showcases why she’s the heir to Jilly Cooper’s crown with this fun, sexy, fast-paced thriller that has tons of surprising twists, blood, backstabbing and blackmail along the way. And don’t think that the women being in jail will mean a lack of glamour and glitz, because there is still plenty on these pages. I loved being back in St Augustine and with these characters, especially the quintet of so-called ‘vengeful vipers’. They may be morally grey, but I love them and was rooting for them at *almost* every step. I also really enjoyed Tabitha’s character this time around, and Jake was as slimy and sleazy a villain as ever.
An outrageous and entertaining bonkbuster that feels as campy and dramatic as Dynasty, Vengeful Women is pure escapism. Highly recommended.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
Thank you to Tiger Team Creative for my invitation to take part in this blog tour and for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
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Q&A WITH MELANIE:
What’s your favourite place to sit and read?
I love to read in bed, with my dog on one side and a load of snacks on the other. My snack pile is made up of cans of ice-cold Coke and a bunch of crappy sweets – thank god I’ve got veneers!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Melanie Blake is the international bestselling author behind the sensational trilogy that began with Ruthless Women, the Sunday Times #4 bestseller that sold 250,000 copies in its first month. Along with its sequel, fellow bestseller Guilty Women, and her first novel The Thunder Girls, Melanie’s books have been translated into nine languages, and captivated more than a million readers worldwide.
Melanie’s stories are exhilarating rollercoaster rides packed with all the glamour, passion, and intrigue of her favourite novelist Jackie Collins. When Melanie was dubbed “the new queen of the bonkbuster” by the Sunday Times, and was later asked to write a foreword to a new edition of Jackie Collins, it was a dream come true.
Melanie has always blazed her own path, and last year she launched her own publishing company, Piranha, to ensure that this deluxe limited edition hardback of the thrilling finale to her celebrated trilogy, would meet her exacting standards and deliver an unmatched reading experience for her fans. She hopes you love reading it as much as she loved writing it.
Published January 14th, 2025 by Wildfire Thriller, Suspense, Romantic Suspense, Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance
Happy Publication Day to this crazy, twisted and addictive thriller. Thank you to Wildfire for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
A couple that kills together stays together. DISCOVER THE ADDICTIVE THRILLER READERS CAN’T STOP TALKING ABOUT
‘Sexy, stylish, thrilling. A razor-sharp tale of marriage and murder.’ CHRIS WHITAKER ‘Your sassy, twisted must-read of 2025’ JANICE HALLETT ‘If you liked Mr & Mrs Smith, you’ll love this’ CLARE MACKINTOSH ‘Darkly funny and clever’ KATY BRENT ‘Huge fun. You won’t put it down.’ HARRIET TYCE
Hazel and Fox are an ordinary married couple with a baby. Except for one small thing: they’re ex-serial killers.
They had it all. An enviable London lifestyle, five-star travels, and plenty of bad men to kill. Not many power couples know how to get away with murder.
Then Hazel fell pregnant and they gave it all up for life in the suburbs; dinner parties instead of body disposal.
But recently Hazel has started to feel that itch again. When she kills someone behind Fox’s back and brings the police to their door, she must do anything she can to protect her family.
This could save their marriage – unless it kills them first.
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MY REVIEW:
“I always knew our life together would involve bloodshed. I just never thought it would be ours.”
Hazel and Fox may seem like an ordinary married couple. But they have a secret: they are serial killers. Or at least they used to be. It’s been 1170 days since Haze’s last kill and she’s struggling to feel content in her life as a suburban wife and mum. She misses killing and is feeling that itch again. But she’s trying to be good, and even starts making mum friends to try and find a way to feel happy again. But when she kills someone behind Fox’s back, Haze must find a way to keep her secret while keeping her family safe. It’s the only way she can save her marriage. Or will it kill them first?
A heart-pounding thriller for anyone with a dark and twisted sense of humour, A Serial KIller’s Guide To Marriage is a sexy, sinister and addictive read. I adored this book. Perfect for fans of Sweetpea, Dexter or Why Women Kill, this was my first read of the year and the perfect way to start. This is a clear-your-schedule and lock-out-the-world kind of book that I devoured in almost one sitting.
Haze and Fox are fantastic characters that I loved reading and I was completely immersed in the lives of this toxic but compelling couple. Told from both points of view, we see how each of them are dealing with normal life following their vow to stop killing for the sake of their daughter. Fox seems to be managing best, happy to do what it takes to keep little Bibi safe. And while Haze fiercely loves her daughter, she’s bored by suburban life and longs for the heady days of killing. She is also resentful it has been for Fox to give it up, not realising he has his own struggles but has just found a healthier way to deal with it. In flashbacks, we see how they became killers and then a team, as well as getting a glimpse of their serial killer days. The characters and story are so well written with the reader really feeling Haze’s internal struggle in particular. I’d find myself feeling sorry for her before then remembering she wants to kill people for fun.
Darkly funny, bold and totally brilliant, this one is out today. Add it to your TBR now!
Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Asia Mackay is a Chinese Scottish author and mother of four based in London. Asia studied Anthropology at Durham University and began her career in television. She moved to China, presented and produced lifestyle programmes in Shanghai before returning to London where she worked for the likes of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, and subsequently completed a Faber Academy course. Her debut novel Killing It was the Runner Up in Richard and Judy’s Search for a Bestseller competition and Runner Up/ Exceptionally Recognised for the Comedy Women In Print prize.Both Killing It and its sequel The Nursery have been optioned for TV. Asia’s third book A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage will be out in January 2025 and has also been optioned for TV in a significant pre-empt.
Asia completed the Curtis Brown Creative Original TV Drama Serial course where she developed Another Life, a sci-fi thriller about a woman trialling a new virtual reality where she leads the exhilarating life as a fearless detective. A pilot she wrote for Sky Studios has recently been optioned and Asia will also be in the Writers Room and be an Executive Producer in the screen adaptations of her books.
Today I’m thrilled to be able to share with you the first chapter of Never Never. Thank you to HQ for allowing me to share this sneek peek with you all.
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1
Charlie
A crash. Books fall to the speckled linoleum floor. They skid a few feet, whirling in circles, and stop near feet. My feet. I don’t recognize the black sandals, or the red toenails, but they move when I tell them to, so they must be mine. Right?
A bell rings. Shrill.
I jump, my heart racing. My eyes move left to right as I scope out my environment, trying not to give myself away.
What kind of bell was that? Where am I?
Kids with backpacks walk briskly into the room, talking and laughing. A school bell. They slide into desks, their voices competing in volume. I see movement at my feet and jerk in surprise. Someone is bent over, gathering up books on the floor; a red-faced girl with glasses. Before she stands up, she looks at me with something like fear and then scurries off. People are laughing. When I look around I think they’re laughing at me, but it’s the girl with glasses they’re looking at.
“Charlie!” someone calls. “Didn’t you see that?” And then, “Charlie…what’s your problem…hello…?”
My heart is beating fast, so fast.
Where is this? Why can’t I remember? “Charlie!” someone hisses. I look around. Who is Charlie? Which one is Charlie?
There are so many kids; blond hair, ratty hair, brown hair, glasses, no glasses…
A man walks in carrying a briefcase. He sets it on the desk.
The teacher. I am in a classroom, and that is the teacher. High school or college? I wonder.
I stand up suddenly. I’m in the wrong place. Everyone is sitting, but I’m standing…walking.
“Where are you going, Miss Wynwood?” The teacher is looking at me over the rim of his glasses as he riffles through a pile of papers. He slaps them down hard on the desk and I jump. I must be Miss Wynwood.
“She has cramps!” someone calls out. People snicker. I feel a chill creep up my back and crawl across the tops of my arms. They’re laughing at me, except I don’t know who these people are.
I hear a girl’s voice say, “Shut up, Michael.”
“I don’t know,” I say, hearing my voice for the first time. It’s too high. I clear my throat and try again. “I don’t know. I’m not supposed to be here.”
There is more laughing. I glance around at the posters on the wall, the faces of presidents animated with dates beneath them. History class? High school.
The man—the teacher—tilts his head to the side like I’ve said the dumbest thing. “And where else are you supposed to be on test day?”
“I… I don’t know.”
“Sit down,” he says. I don’t know where I’d go if I left. I turn around to go back. The girl with the glasses glances up at me as I pass her. She looks away almost as quickly.
As soon as I’m sitting, the teacher starts handing out
papers. He walks between desks, his voice a flat drone as he tells us what percentage of our final grade the test will be. When he reaches my desk he pauses, a deep crease between his eyebrows. “I don’t know what you’re trying to pull.” He presses the tip of a fat pointer finger on my desk.
“Whatever it is, I’m sick of it. One more stunt and I’m sending you to the principal’s office.” He slaps the test down in front of me and moves down the line.
I don’t nod, I don’t do anything. I’m trying to decide what to do. Announce to the whole room that I have no idea who and where I am—or pull him aside and tell him quietly. He said no more stunts. My eyes move to the paper in front of me. People are already bent over their tests, pencils scratching.
Fourth Period History Mr. Dulcott
There is a space for a name. I’m supposed to write my name, but I don’t know what my name is. Miss Wynwood, he called me.
Why don’t I recognize my own name? Or where I am?
Or what I am?
Every head is bent over their papers except mine. So I sit and stare, straight ahead. Mr. Dulcott glares at me from his desk. The longer I sit, the redder his face becomes.
Time passes and yet my world has stopped. Eventually, Mr. Dulcott stands up, his mouth open to say something to me when the bell rings. “Put your papers on my desk on the way out,” he says, his eyes still on my face. Everyone is filing out of the door. I stand up and follow them because I don’t know what else to do. I keep my eyes on the floor, but I can feel his rage. I don’t understand why he’s so angry with me. I am in a hallway now, lined on either side by blue lockers.
“Charlie!” someone calls. “Charlie, wait up!” A second later, an arm loops through mine. I expect it to be the girl with the glasses; I don’t know why. It’s not. But, I know now that I am Charlie. Charlie Wynwood. “You forgot your bag,” she says, handing over a white backpack. I take it from her, wondering if there’s a wallet with a driver’s license inside. She keeps her arm looped through mine as we walk. She’s shorter than me, with long, dark hair and dewy brown eyes that take up half her face. She is startling and beautiful.
“Why were you acting so weird in there?” she asks. “You knocked the shrimp’s books on the floor and then spaced out.”
I can smell her perfume; it’s familiar and too sweet, like a million flowers competing for attention. I think of the girl with the glasses, the look on her face as she bent to scoop up her books. If I did that, why don’t I remember?
“I—”
“It’s lunch, why are you walking that way?” She pulls me down a different corridor, past more students. They all look at me…little glances. I wonder if they know me, and why I don’t know me. I don’t know why I don’t tell her, tell Mr. Dulcott, grab someone random and tell them that I don’t know who or where I am. By the time I’m seriously entertaining the idea, we’re through a set of double doors in the cafeteria. Noise and color; bodies that all have a unique smell, bright fluorescent lights that make everything look ugly. Oh, God. I clutch at my shirt.
The girl on my arm is babbling. Andrew this, Marcy that. She likes Andrew and hates Marcy. I don’t know who either of them is. She corrals me to the food line. We get salad and Diet Cokes. Then we are sliding our trays on a table. There are already people sitting there: four boys, two girls. I realize we are completing a group with even numbers. All the girls are matched with a guy. Everyone looks up at me expectantly, like I’m supposed to say something, do something. The only place left to sit is next to a guy with dark hair. I sit slowly, both hands flat on the table. His eyes dart toward me and then he bends over his tray of food. I can see the finest beads of sweat on his forehead, just below his hairline.
“You two are so awkward sometimes,” says a new girl, blonde, across from me. She’s looking from me to the guy I’m sitting next to. He looks up from his macaroni and I realize he’s just moving things around on his plate. He hasn’t taken a bite, despite how busy he looks. He looks at me and I look at him, then we both look back at the blonde girl.
“Did something happen that we should know about?” she asks. “No,” we say in unison.
He’s my boyfriend. I know by the way they’re treating us. He suddenly smiles at me with his brilliantly white teeth and reaches to put an arm around my shoulders.
“We’re all good,” he says, squeezing my arm. I automatically stiffen, but when I see the six sets of eyes on my face, I lean in and play along. It’s frightening not knowing who you are—even more frightening thinking you’ll get it wrong. I’m scared now, really scared. It’s gone too far. If I say something now I’ll look…crazy. His affection seems to make everyone relax. Everyone except…him. They go back to talking, but all the words blend together: football, a party, more football. The guy sitting next to me laughs and joins in with their conversation, his arm never straying from my shoulders. They call him Silas. They call me Charlie. The dark-haired girl with the big eyes is Annika. I forget everyone else’s names in the noise.
Lunch is finally over and we all get up. I walk next to Silas, or rather he walks next to me. I have no idea where I’m going. Annika flanks my free side, winding her arms through mine and chatting about cheerleading practice. She’s making me feel claustrophobic. When we reach an annex in the hallway, I lean over and speak to her so only she can hear. “Can you walk me to my next class?” Her face becomes serious. She breaks away to say something to her boyfriend, and then our arms are looped again.
I turn to Silas. “Annika is going to walk me to my next class.”
“Okay,” he says. He looks relieved. “I’ll see you…later.” He heads off in the opposite direction.
Annika turns to me as soon as he’s out of sight. “Where’s he going?”
I shrug. “To class.”
She shakes her head like she’s confused. “I don’t get you guys. One day you’re all over each other, the next you’re acting like you can’t stand to be in the same room. You really need to make a decision about him, Charlie.”
She stops outside a doorway.
“This is me…” I say, to see if she’ll protest. She doesn’t. “Call me later,” she says. “I want to know about last night.”
I nod. When she disappears into the sea of faces, I step into the classroom. I don’t know where to sit, so I wander to the back row and slide into a seat by the window. I’m early, so I open my backpack. There’s a wallet wedged between a couple of notebooks and a makeup bag. I pull it out and flip it open to reveal a driver’s license with a picture of a beaming, dark-haired girl. Me.
Charlize Margaret Wynwood
2417 Holcourt Way
New Orleans, LA
I’m seventeen. My birthday is March twenty-first. I live in Louisiana. I study the picture in the top left corner and I don’t recognize the face. It’s my face, but I’ve never seen it. I’m…pretty. I only have twenty-eight dollars.
The seats are filling up. The one beside me stays empty, almost like everyone is too afraid to sit there. I’m in Spanish class. The teacher is pretty and young; her name is Mrs. Cardona. She doesn’t look at me like she hates me, like so many other people are looking at me. We start with tenses.
I have no past. I have no past.
Five minutes into class the door opens. Silas walks in, his eyes downcast. I think he’s here to tell me something, or to bring me something. I brace myself, ready to pretend, but Mrs. Cardona comments jokingly about his lateness. He takes the only available seat next to me and stares straight ahead. I stare at him. I don’t stop staring at him until finally, he turns his head to look at me. A line of sweat rolls down the side of his face.
His eyes are wide. Wide…just like mine.
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I don’t know about you guys, but that chapter has me needing to read the full story! If you want to pre-order the book, there are purchase links at the end of this post.
Let me know in the comments if this is one you’re planning to read.
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MEET THE AUTHORS:
Colleen Hoover
Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times and International bestselling author. Born in Sulphur Springs, Texas in 1979, she became a publishing phenomenon thanks to the rise in popularity of her books on soical media, particularly Tik Tok. She is the founder of The Bookworm Box, a non-profit book subscription service and bookstore in Sulphur Springs, Texas. Colleen lives in Texas with her husand and their three boys.
Tarryn Fisher is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of twelve novels. Born a sun hater, she currently makes her home in Seattle, Washington with her children, husband, and psychotic husky. Tarryn writes about villains.
Emma's Biblio Treasures 