Tag: September 2024

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

BOOK REVIEW: The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier

Published September 12th, 2024 by The Borough Press
Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Medical Ficiton, Domestic Ficiton, Coming-of-Age Story

Welcome to my review for this beautiful novel which I read with the Historical Fiction Book Club this month.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

FROM THE GLOBALLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING

Venice, 1486. Across the lagoon lies Murano. Time flows differently here – like the glass the island’s maestros spend their lives learning to handle.

Women are not meant to work with glass, but Orsola Rosso flouts convention to save her family from ruin. She works in secret, knowing her creations must be perfect to be accepted by men. But perfection may take a lifetime.

Skipping like a stone through the centuries, we follow Orsola as she hones her craft through war and plague, tragedy and triumph, love and loss.

The beads she creates will adorn the necks of empresses and courtesans from Paris to Vienna – but will she ever earn the respect of those closest to her?

Tracy Chevalier is a master of her own craft, and The Glassmaker is vivid, inventive, spellbinding: a virtuoso portrait of a woman, a family and a city that are as everlasting as their glass.

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MY REVIEW:

Venice in 1486. 14-year-old Orsola Rosso lives across the lagoon on Murano, a place where time flows differently – like the glass the island’s maestros spend their lives perfecting. But it is a man’s world, and after her father’s sudden death it is her brother, Marco, who takes his place. Meanwhile, Orsola learns to craft glass in secret, slowly penetrating glassmaking’s patriarchal world. The story then follows through the centuries, following Orsola and her family as they try to survive in an ever-changing world. 

Beautiful, immersive, moving and enthralling, The Glassmaker is a time-bending tour-de-force that sparkles as brightly as a Murano bead. Part historical fiction and part fable, Tracy Chevalier plays with the concept of time, bending all of the rules and creatively reshaping it to craft this imaginative story. Magnificently written, meticulously researched, cleverly choreographed, with evocative imagery and richly drawn characters, Chevalier showcases herself to be a maestra in her own field with this dazzling and unforgettable story. There is a strong sense of place, Chevalier capturing the beauty of Venice and Murano and the spirit of their inhabitants. Time moves differently on Murano – a hundred years can go by in the blink of an eye while the people who live here age only a few years. It’s a fascinating concept and I enjoyed how she used it to demonstrate how little life actually changes despite the passing of the years and discoveries that are made.

The story centres around the Rosso family, particularly Orsola Rosso, who is just a teenager when the story begins. Orsola is an unforgettable heroine. Talented, strong, resilient, determined and passionate, she challenges societal and gender norms to fulfil her dream of becoming a glassmaker and sustaining her family. But she is also a character who settles for less and endures hardships, often for the good of her family over her own desires, and I sometimes found it hard to understand why she would be so steadfast in some areas and capitulate in others. We follow the Rosso family through many years of historical and societal changes. They face wars, plagues, hunger, new technology and changes to the glass industry. We watch them fall in love, suffer heartbreak and grieve for people they’ve lost. I enjoyed  watching this family and witnessing how the individual members adapted to all of their challenges and changes. It created a strong bond, made me root for them and feel invested in their lives. And I was sad when I closed the book and left them behind.

A spectacular story that will stay with you long after reading, pick this up if you enjoyed How to Stop Time or The Time Traveler’s Wife.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tracy is the author of 11 novels, including the international bestseller GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING, which has sold over 5 million copies and been made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth. American by birth, British by geography, she lives in London and Dorset. Her latest novel, THE GLASSMAKER, is set in Venice and follows a family of glass masters over the course of 5 centuries.

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

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent

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

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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MY REVIEW:

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

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

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

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

‘Formidable’ Irish Times

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

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

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

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

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

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan

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

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

How to put a positive spin on a murder mystery…

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

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

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

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

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MY REVIEW:

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

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

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

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

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

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

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BUY THE BOOK:

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: The Unfinished Life of Eadie Browne by Freya North

Published September 12th, 2024 by Mountain Leopard Press
Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story

Welcome to my review for this magnificent and unforgettable story, which was one of our recent SquadPod Featured Books. Thanks to Mountain Leopard Press for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘You really must read this book. A rare and phenomenal life affirming read’ DINAH JEFFERIES

‘Get ready to fall in love with Eadie Browne, the eponymous and eccentric heroine of this tender-hearted, steeped-in-nostalgia story about chosen family’ RED

When your present meets your past, what do you take with you – and what do you leave behind?

Eadie Browne is a quirky kid living in a small town where nothing much happens. Bullied at school, she muddles her way through the teenage years with best friends Celeste and Josh until University takes them their separate ways.

Arriving in Manchester as a student in the late 1980s, Eadie experiences a novel freedom and it’s intoxicating. As the city embraces the dizzying euphoria of Rave counterculture, Eadie is swept along, ignoring danger and reality. Until, one night, her past comes hurtling at her with consequences she could never have imagined.

Now, as the new millennium approaches, Eadie is thirty with a marriage in tatters, travelling back to the town of her birth for a funeral she can’t quite comprehend. As she journeys from the North to the South, from the present to the past, Eadie contemplates all that was then and all that is now – and the loose ends that must be tied before her future can unfold.

‘A delightful dose of nostalgia’ HEAT

‘A beautifully written tale about growing up, letting go and moving on’ SUN

‘A gorgeous, heartfelt, atmospheric novel by a wonderful storyteller’ LUCY ATKINS

‘A beautifully moving portrait of youth, friendship and love . . . I loved it’ MIKE GAYLE

‘Beautifully written, funny and wise . . . heart-breaking and heart-warming’ ALEXANDRA POTTER

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MY REVIEW:

Heartfelt, enthralling and unforgettable, The Unfinished Business of Eadie Browne is a gorgeous slice-of-life story that packs a strong emotional punch. Brimming with kindness, joy, friendship and self-discovery, it explores the defining moments in one young girl’s life and how they echo in her adult years, as well as the many ways we leave indelible imprints on each other’s lives. 

Some books arrive in your life at exactly the right time and change you forever. That is what this book did for me. Freya North had me in the palm of her hand from start to finish, immediately enthralling me with her beautiful, descriptive prose of this exquisitely written and insightful story. It resonated with me on a visceral level and in a way few books have done before. I make notes in my phone as I read to help me write my reviews and I found myself so lost in this story that I barely made any. I couldn’t put it down and devoured it in two sittings, staying up until the early hours until I’d finished and left me with one hell of a book hangover. 

I fell totally in love with the eponymous Eadie Browne, a quirky and eccentric child who seemed quite sad when we first met her. Eadie lives in a small town and spends her time with her only friends, who just happen to be the residents of the cemetery neighbouring her home. She’s teased mercilessly for this and other things at school and it was impossible not to feel for her. But Eadie also radiates an undeniable charm that makes you like her from the start. I felt like I really connected with young Eadie and I loved that the author has filled this book with not only a heroine who is recognisable, relatable and real, but a whole varied cast of characters who are too. I loved Eadie’s friendships with her best friends, Josh and Celeste. I loved watching them grow together, help each other, and how they were inseparable during their tumultuous teenage years. Other friendships I really enjoyed were Eadie’s friendships with the people who worked in the cemetery. These men were a real source of wisdom and comfort to her when she really needed them and I’m a sucker for a multi-generational friendship. 

The story takes a shift in tone when Eadie moves to Manchester for university. This part felt very emotional to me as my eldest and his girlfriend made the same move to the same city 14 months ago. When Eadie moves to Manchester it is overwhelming and she is back to being all alone and needing to make new connections, but she does settle and make new friends. And with those friends comes her introduction to the Rave scene that was sweeping the city in the late 1980s and they spend their nights dancing in an Ecstasy-induced haze. It is a time of euphoria, brightness and discovery. While it feels innocent to them, we know the danger they are in. A danger that Eadie becomes aware of when her past and present collide in a terrifying way one night, leading to a new exploration of trauma and PTSD, subjects that the author handles with both honesty and sensitivity. She brings that same talent to her writing in the ‘present’ part of the story, which takes place in 1999. Eadie is now thirty and married. But her marriage is strained and as she and her husband  make a pilgrimage back to her home town for a funeral. As she travels home, Eadie reflects on the past, how the events in her life have impacted her over the years and in the present, and asks herself if her marriage can be saved. 

Consuming, funny, heartwarming, moving and uplifting, this magnificent story is one that I will never forget. One of my favourite books this year, I can’t recommend it highly enough. 

 Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I am the author of 16 bestselling novels including my debut Sally (1996), Pillow Talk (2008 – winner of the RNA award) The Turning Point (2016), Richard & Judy Bookclub selection Little Wing (2022) and my newest, The Unfinished Business of Eadie Browne (2024) – my love letter to youth, to friendship, to growing up in the 1980s… and to Manchester!

A sense of place is central to my writing and previous novels have featured Derbyshire, Teesside, North Norfolk, the Scottish Highlands and Islands, Vermont, France and British Columbia. A passionate reader, I founded and ran the Hertford Children’s Book Festival, have judged the Costa Book Awards and am a patron of the Society of Women Writers & Journalists. I’m proud to be an Ambassador for Bowel Cancer UK and patron of Pointers In Need. I have degrees in Art History from the University of Manchester and the Courtauld Institute, London and love teaching at writing workshops. Currently, I’m trying to work out which novel to write next… as there are quite a few vying for my attention!

I love books. Books have defined and shaped all the key stages of my life. A A Milne taught me about rhyme – and reason; Barbara Sleigh fired my imagination and my playtimes with the Carbonel stories. Black Beauty was the first book that made me cry, while Ruby Ferguson’s Jill books transported the pony-mad girl in me away from the city.

In my teenage years, I found solace in Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye and Judy Blume’s novels, while To Kill A Mockingbird and Flowers for Algernon opened my eyes to justice, humanity and judging people. At University, I turned to Jilly Cooper for respite during exams and books by Jane Gardam and Barbara Trapido introduced me to characters whose shoes I wanted to step in to. I now host a series on Instagram called Wednesday Writers – a half-hour slot at lunchtime where I chat candidly with another author about how we write, why we write, where we write…and how we cope when we fear we can’t bloody write!

I grew up surrounded by books and loved weekly visits to the library to choose something new – or an outing to the bookshop to spend a book voucher! Whether my childhood home or student digs in Manchester or various flat-shares and then my own home, books have always filled my space. I don’t own an ebook reader – I’m happy to continue to decorate my home with my book collection. Every book I own is a treasured possession of mine, an essential part of my history. Every book I own, quite literally, tells a story.

Since 2009 I have lived on a small farm in East Hertfordshire with my family – my offspring Felix and Georgia, my dogs Milo and Bee, my horses Nathan and Jack and my sheeps Brontë, Emily, Eliza and Lovely. In my spare time, I enjoy ceramics classes (I’ve been going for years and basically make the same bowl over and over again, plus little porcelain sheep) or invariably I can be found in one saddle or other. I’ve ridden horses since I was little but I took up road biking after my back surgery in 2017 – and have become somewhat obsessed…

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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
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: One Bad Apple by Jo Jakeman

Published September 19th, 2024 by Constable
Crime Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Humorous Fiction

Welcome to my review of this witty and riveting thriller. Thanks to Constable for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

One murder. A school full of suspects…

‘I loved it! Throw a murder into the politics of the school gates and the parents WhatsApp groups and you have a witty, insightful and thoroughly entertaining murder mystery.’ Jo Callaghan, author of In the Blink of an Eye

‘Packed with explosive twists, this captivating murder mystery will keep you reading late into the night’ Womans Own

Welcome to Aberfal Boys High School. Independent jewel of academic and sporting excellence in the South-west — until the headmaster is murdered in his study. And now the Year Seven School Mums’ WhatsApp Group really do have something to talk about…

Clare Withoutani: OMG have you heard about Newhall?!!!
Becky Rupertsmum: Helen-Louise just texted. Can’t believe it.
Asha: Not heard anything. What’s happened?
Pam Geoffreysmum: What’s he done this time? They’re going co-ed, aren’t they? I knew this would happen.
Clare Withoutani: Can’t believe it, Becky. I’m in shock.
Pam Geoffreysmum: Are we going co-ed?
Becky Rupertsmum: No, Pam. Newhall died.
Pam Geoffreysmum: Oh GOD. Seriously??!! Can’t believe it. So sad. He’ll be such a loss to the school. The boys will be devastated. Will the school be offering grief counselling?
Rose Oliversmum: Anyone know what pages they’re meant to do for chemistry? Ollie’s homework diary says ‘do questions 1-4’ but no page numbers!

As the resulting police investigation reveals more and more of Aberfal’s long-hidden secrets the list of suspects who wanted the headmaster dead grows by the day. And far from being a glittering jewel of exclusivity and excellence, it would appear Aberfal Boys High School is rotten to its core…

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MY REVIEW:

“You can never tell which one’s the bad apple, can you?”

Aberfal High. A sort-after independent school for boys that offers only the highest quality education to the best students. It’s a school parents dream of sending their sons to. Until the day when their Headteacher is found murdered in his office. Rumours swirl and the Year Seven Mums’ WhatsApp Group is brimming with gossip and speculation. Who killed Mr. Newhall?

Tense, twisty and wickedly funny, One Bad Apple was a riveting thriller that exposes the dark secrets lurking in the halls of an eminent boys high school. Skillfully written, cleverly plotted, insightful and Jo Jakeman uses mixed media to tell the story from multiple points of view. The complex characters are ones we will all recognise, especially those of us who’ve braved the gauntlett of the school run and playground politics. Piece by piece she unveils the anxiety, secrets and tensions bubbling beneath the shiny veneer of the perfect lives of the teachers, parents and students of Aberfal High. I was in her thrall, devouring almost all of this book in just one sitting, unable to turn away from the drama and chaos that was unfolding. There was an abundance of suspects and my suspicion vacillated between a couple of them, but I was floored when all was revealed. I fell for all of the red herrings and am still trying to figure out how I missed the signs. Well played, Ms. Jakeman.

So, if you’re looking for an original, funny and riveting thriller that will keep you turning the pages, this is the book for you.

Rating: 🍎🍎🍎🍎

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jo was the winner of the prestigious Friday Night Live competition at York Festival of Writing.

Her debut psychological thriller was published in the UK as Sticks and Stones by Harvill Secker (Penguin Random House) and as The Exes’ Revenge in the USA and Canada. It was shortlisted for the Best Revenge Thriller at the Dead Good Reader Awards 2019.

Since then Jo has had two more books published by Harvill Secker (Safe House and What His Wife Knew) They have been translated into several languages.

One Bad Apple was released in September 2024.

​Jo lives in Cornwall with her family and is an avid wild swimmer, making the most of her home county.

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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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Audio Books book reviews

BOOK REVIEW: The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

Published July 4th, 2024 by The Borough Press
Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Psychological Ficiton, Domestic Fiction

Welcome to my review for this bingeable thriller. Thank you to The Borough Press for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
WINNER OF JIMMY FALLON’S SUMMER READS BOOK CLUB
SELECTED FOR BARACK OBAMA’S SUMMER 2024 READING LIST

‘I was totally gripped’ DOUGLAS STUART

‘Immersive and enthralling’ PAULA HAWKINS

___________

If you venture into those woods you’re still sure of a big surprise’ The Times

Some said it was tragic, what happened to the Van Laars.

Some said the family deserved it. That they never even thanked the searchers who stayed out for five nights in the freezing forest trying to help find their missing son.

Some said there was a reason it took the family so long to call for help. That they knew what happened to the boy.

Now, fifteen years later, the Van Laars’ teenage daughter has gone missing in the same wilderness as her brother. Some say the two disappearances aren’t connected.

Some say they are.

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MY REVIEW:

Some said it was tragic when the Van Laars’ son went missing. Others said the family deserve it. Rumours that they knew what really happened to him and that was why it took them so long to call for help are whispered alongside the grumbles that they didn’t even bother to thank those who spent five freezing nights searching for the boy. Now, fifteen years later, tragedy has struck again for the family. Their daughter, Barbara, has gone missing while at the camp held each summer on the family’s property. Some people think the two disappearances are connected. Others don’t. But what is the truth?

Dark, atmospheric, intriguing and suspenseful, The God of the Woods is a gripping thriller. In multiple timelines it tells the story of the disappearance of two children from the same family: Bear and Barbara Van Laars. Tightly plotted, complex and brimming with foreboding, the story moves seamlessly between timelines and narrators. It is a slow-burning thriller, building the tension piece by piece to keep the reader hooked. And when the full picture emerged it revealed something totally unexpected. 

The compelling characters each have an important role in the story that will lead us to the truth of the siblings’ fates and I enjoyed trying to guess what the next twist or clue would be. The ‘present day’ narrative is set in the 70s and this timeline merges with the summer camp setting to provide a nostalgic atmosphere that I loved. I was taken back to the heady days of being a teenager in a simpler time when you couldn’t just text someone to ask where they were or track their location by phone. 

Mysterious, twisty and alluring, I highly recommend this bingeable thriller. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

*I listened to this book on Bookbeat. Click here to get 60 days of listening for free with my affiliate link*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Liz Moore is the author of five novels: The Words of Every Song, Heft, The Unseen World, the New York Times-bestselling Long Bright River, and The God of the Woods. A winner of the 2014 Rome Prize in Literature, she lives in Philadelphia and teaches in the MFA program in Creative Writing at Temple University.

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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 Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker

Published September 5th, 2024 by Oneworld Publications
Suspense, Literary Fiction, Psychological Ficiton

Welcome to my review for this powerful thriller. Thank you to Oneworld for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘Darkly funny, heart-smashing, and absolutely unforgettable, Madwoman is a masterpiece.’ Rachel Yoder, author of Nightbitch 

CLOVE HAS SPENT YEARS BUILDING THE PERFECT LIFE. IT’S ABOUT TO COME CRASHING DOWN.

To the outside world, Clove has it all. But then a letter arrives from a women’s prison in California – a letter that threatens to expose the secrets of a past she has worked so hard to hide. Thanks to her lies, Clove has the life of her dreams, complete with a kind, reliable husband, two adorable children and a stable family home. 

So what, if silencing the memories of her own abusive childhood means racking up a little credit card debt or obsessing about her wellness routine? Nothing to see here. But secret past and insta-perfect present are about to collide thanks to her mother’s unwelcome return, and soon Clove becomes caught up in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the very people she thought she had outrun.

Brave, hilarious and full of surprising twists, Madwoman is a story about violence, recovery, and Clove’s refusal to be defined by her worst experiences.

‘A truly stunning read – this is my book of the year.’ Ella Berman

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MY REVIEW:

From the outside, Clove seems to have it all. But inside is a very different story. But then a letter arrives from a women’s prison that threatens to expose the past she’s carefully hidden for years. Is Clove about to lose everything?

Tense, haunting, darkly funny and unnerving, Madwoman is a page-turning psychological thriller that also explores domestic violence, trauma, healing and reinvention. Told in dual timelines, the Clove we meet in the present is a busy married mum of two who has it all from the outside. But inside her head is a mass of anxiety and fear that she is just trying to make it through each day without being overwhelmed by. She’s also juggling all the lies she’s told to reinvent herself and shed the past she feels so ashamed of. So, when the letter arrives that threatens everything, all of Clove’s emotions go into overdrive and she’s desperate to find a way not to be exposed. Nothing is worth sacrificing the idyllic existence she’s curated. Meanwhile, flashbacks reveal a dark tale of a child who witnessed her mother being abused by her father and lived in fear every day. But what still isn’t clear is why she fled and never spoke to her mother again the night her father died. That story takes longer to unveil, told piece by piece as the abuse escalates to what feels like its heartbreakingly inevitable conclusion.

As you can imagine, this is not an easy book to read. But Chelsea Bieker writes with compassion and you can feel how important this topic is to her and the care she’s taken to get it right. As a survivor of domestic abuse I felt every word of this book deep in my soul. I know that trauma that haunts you and how the memories never leave you alone for more than a moment before returning at the most unexpected times. And I’m familiar with the unwelcome shadow it casts over the better life you’ve built. So, although I was the abused mother rather than the child who witnessed it, I could relate to Clove in a very personal way that made me feel all the more invested in her story.

On the more positive side, Bieker also injects humour and hopefulness into the narrative alongside the darker aspects of the story. One of the ways she does this is by showing us that while we may be crushed and feel completely broken, there is a way to put ourselves back together stronger than ever. We just have to find it.

Clove’s past is vital in helping us to understand her. She’s a complex character consumed by anxiety. Everything and everyone is dangerous to her and she’s got her guard up at all times. While I understood her feelings and behaviours, there were times I found her refusal to deal with what happened in her past frustrating. I wanted to jump into the book and tell her that burying it never helps and that there are ways that would help her move forward. Despite what she goes through, Clove’s mother isn’t a very sympathetic character as we see her only through the scathing eyes of a daughter who feels she didn’t protect her. I understand Clove’s feelings and there were many times I wanted to rescue that little girl from her life. But I also know how hard it is to leave so I just felt a lot of heartache for her mother, too, and wanted to give her the strength she needed before it was too late, even though I knew it was impossible.

Intense, powerful, gritty and unpredictable, I highly recommend this brave and unforgettable thriller.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chelsea Bieker is the author of three books, most recently the novel Madwoman, a Book of the Month club pick the New York Times calls “brilliant in its depiction of the long shadows cast by domestic violence.” Her first novel, Godshot, a national indie bestseller, was longlisted for The Center For Fiction’s First Novel Prize and named a Barnes & Noble Pick of the Month. Her story collection, Heartbroke won the California Book Award and was a New York Times “Best California Book of 2022.” Her writing has appeared in The Paris Review, Marie Claire UK, People, The Cut, Wall Street Journal, and others. She is the recipient of a Rona Jaffe Writers’ Award, as well as residencies from MacDowell and Tin House. Raised in Hawai’i and California, she now lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and two children.

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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
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: Cougar Point (Detective Megan Carpenter Book 5) by Gregg Olsen

Published September 24th, 2024 by Bookouture
Mystery, Thriller, Police Procedural, Crime Fiction, Crime Series

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this dark, tense and addictive thriller. 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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BOOK DESCRIPTION:

She wakes to find herself alone in complete darkness. Fearing for her life, in that moment her only thought is for her beloved daughters. What will they think when they find out she’s missing? Then it hits her. She’s kept a secret hidden from her family for years. Is she about to pay for it with her life?

When Victoria Marsh disappears from her family’s exclusive resort in Cougar Point, Washington, her family is devastated. A charity worker and pillar of the local community, how could she just vanish without a trace?

Though not officially her case, Detective Megan Carpenter races to the scene for a very personal reason. Victoria is Ronnie’s mother and Megan will do anything to help her when she has sacrificed so much.

Together they build up a picture of the days before the disappearance but the only clue is a note with the words, “You promised” scrawled on it. It soon emerges that Victoria’s marriage was far from perfect and she had spent years running from a deadbeat brother. Could someone in Victoria’s family want her dead?

But when the body of another woman is found, Megan starts to link the cases. Both women had huge ransoms placed on them. Both families received chilling threats in the mail. And with one victim already dead, time is running out to find Victoria alive.

Local law enforcement warns Megan off the case but she’s certain that the disappearance is more than just bad blood. But with a potential serial killer on the loose, how much is Megan willing to risk? Worse still, could they be closer to her than she had ever imagined?

A completely gripping mystery thriller that will have you hooked to the very last page, from a number one, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestselling author. Perfect for fans of Robert Dugoni, Michael Connelly and James Patterson.

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MY REVIEW:

“If I’ve learned anything by being here, where secrets are abundant, it’s that secrets are deadly. Secrets can kill.” 

Dark, tense and twisty, Cougar Point is another gripping instalment in the Detective Megan Carpenter series. The stakes are higher than ever as Megan and her partner, Ronnie, investigate a very personal crime. Ronnie’is mother, Victoria, has disappeared from the family’s exclusive resort in Cougar Point, Washington, and they are unofficially on the case. But who could have taken her? As the pieces of the puzzle emerge, family secrets are revealed and it seems to lead to more questions than answers. And could there be a link to an old murder that happened in the area? The race is on to find out before it’s too late…

Gregg Olsen never disappoints and the fifth instalment in this series is every bit as fast-paced, grisly, and nail-bitingly tense as the previous books. Olsen holds his reader captive as he tells his story, moving seamlessly between current events, flashbacks to another crime, and narration from the victim. At first it wasn’t obvious how the flashbacks would merge with current events, but he slowly sprinkles breadcrumbs that lead you to the surprising answers. And while I enjoyed all three threads, it was the narration by Victoria as she’s being held by the kidnappers that captivated me most, her fear palpable and making my heart race. 

The characters are compelling and I enjoyed learning more about Ronnie’s family and background in this instalment. I love her and Megan as a team as they really compliment one another and I enjoyed seeing how they worked outside of their usual community and while juggling tricky family dynamics. And, speaking of families, a key theme of the book is dysfunctional families, which are explored not only in Megan’s murky past but also Ronnie’s estranged family. Olsen also explores how secrets can damage lives and relationships as the truths about the Marsh family are revealed. It heightened the tension in the story and kept me on my toes as I wondered what would be revealed next.

Suspenseful, addictive and hard-hitting, Cougar Point is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a darker thriller. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Gregg lives in rural Washington State (about a mile as the crow flies from Dr. Linda Burfield Hazzard’s infamous Starvation Heights sanitarium). His thriller, THE LAST THING SHE EVER DID was an Amazon Charts bestseller. LYING NEXT TO ME was a reader favorite, charting at No. 1 in the Kindle store and the bestseller’s list at the Washington Post. Gregg’s true crime book, IF YOU TELL, found a home on Amazon Charts for more than 140 weeks. In fact, it was the bestselling Kindle ebook of 2020 (and the second-bestselling of 2021). He’s been a guest on Dateline NBC, NPR, Good Morning America, The Early Show, FOX News, CNN, Anderson Cooper, Entertainment Tonight, Inside Edition, Extra, Access Hollywood, 20/20, Snapped, Deadly Women, William Shatner’s Aftermath, and A&E’s Biography. 

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BUY THE BOOK:

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.