Tag: suspense

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2026

BOOK REVIEW: The Barbecue at Number 9 by Jennie Godfrey

Published February 12th, 2026 by Hutchinson Heinmann
Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Drama, Suspense, Literary Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

FROM THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE LIST OF SUSPICIOUS THINGS . . .
It’s the summer of 1985 and the residents of Delmont Close are preparing a neighbourhood barbecue to watch the biggest music event in history: Live Aid. A day like no other that will end having reached millions and changing the lives of all who attend.

House-proud Lydia Gordon, whose idols are Princess Di and Delia Smith, is determined to put on a show that will impress everyone – with her posh garden and state-of-the-art television, and her sweet husband and two children, Hanna and David.

But as the guests flood into number nine, so do all of the secrets that have been kept in the close.

Rita, a new neighbour from Australia, is hoping for a fresh start but harbours a shocking event in her past; Steve, a young Falklands veteran, battles his own demons; and Mr Wilson is surely too good-looking to ever be trusted.

But as the hours count down to the last performance of the night, it’s Lydia who faces the heart-breaking truth that her immaculate home and flawless family might not be so perfect after all.

And if each of their neighbours is guilty of hiding something, so are the Gordons at number nine …

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

Atmospheric, nostalgic, suspenseful and heartwarming, Jennie Godfrey had me in her thrall from the first page of this mesmerising story. This was such a ride. A story that offers us a glimpse into the complicated, layered and messy lives of the residents of one street, told over the course of one historic day.

We are transported back to the summer of 1985; a time when everyone was gearing up for the biggest event in music history: Live Aid. On Delmont Close, Lydia Gordon, the house-proud mother at number 9, decides this is the perfect opportunity to throw a barbecue for the neighbours. But what this Lady Di loving perfectionist doesn’t foresee, is that as the guests arrive they bring with them the secrets, lies and traumas they each have hidden. And then there’s the person that seems to be watching them. It’s the recipe for the perfect storm. And as the clock ticks down to the event’s finale, Lydia must confront the awful truth that her family aren’t as picture-perfect as she believed.

Jennie’s debut was one of my favourite books of 2024 so I had high hopes for this book. I wasn’t disappointed. Setting this story to a backdrop of Live Aid was a stroke of genius and I loved how Jennie used the concert as a countdown to the finale. As a child of the 80s I was here for all of the 80s nostalgia. It was a fun walk down memory lane merged with a mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat. I was hooked and devoured the book in just two sittings.

Skillfully written, expertly choreographed and perfectly paced, she has delivered another flawless tale. Jennie’s strength lies in how she takes the ordinary and mundane and makes it extraordinary. She writes people and situations we can all relate to and weaves in timely, important topics, making us feel every emotion alongside them while keeping us on the edge of our seats with anticipation. I liked these people and cared about them. I felt like they could be my friends or neighbours, making me feel even more invested in the story and what happened to them.

So, step back in time with this gripping and irresistible read.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you Hutchinson Heinmann for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jennie Godfrey was raised in West Yorkshire in a mill-working family and her debut novel, The List of Suspicious Things, was inspired by her childhood there in the 1970s. In 2020, Jennie gave up her corporate career to build a life around books. She is now a writer and part-time bookseller who lives, and writes, in the Somerset countryside.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The House We Grew Up In by Lisa Jewell

Published July 18th, 2013 by Cornerstone
Suspense, Domestic Fiction, Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Mystery

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

An unforgettable story about a family with a terrible secret. From the #1 bestselling author of The Family Upstairs and None of This is True comes a new edition of The House We Grew Up In, with a brand new introduction from Lisa Jewell!

‘Unputdownable’ RED
‘Simply stunning’ Daily Mail
‘Fantastically gripping’ HELLO!
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When a tragedy breaks a family apart, what can bring it back together?

The Birds seem to be the perfect family: mother, father, four children, a charming cottage in the country.

But one Easter weekend, something happens – something so unexpected, so devastating, that no one can bring themselves to talk about it.

The family shatters, seemingly for good.

Until, years later, they are forced to return to the house they grew up in, and to confront what really broke the family apart . . .

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

One of my 2026 goals is to read more of my TBR. Specifically, the backlist books by authors that have languished on my shelves for far too long. Lisa Jewell is one of my favourite thriller authors, but I’m ashamed to say I didn’t start reading her books until 2019, which means I have her huge backlist of books still to enjoy. So, when I was looking for a mood read I decided it was time to dive into that backlist, and finally read The House We Grew Up In.

The Birds seem like the perfect family: mum, dad, four children and a charming country cottage. But all of that changes one Easter weekend when tragedy strikes. And instead of coming together, it fractures them completely; each family member retreating into their own, private grief and torment over what happened. Now, the family is being forced back together for the first time in years after the death of matriarch Lorelei, and must confront the tragedy that tore them apart.

My heart is totally destroyed after this book. Compelling, tense and twisty, I was not prepared for the heartrending emotion that is woven into this story. I expected a fast-paced thriller and heart-stopping twists, but instead Lisa delivers a steadily paced, moving story where the twists are teased out slowly. It is expertly written, cleverly plotted and perfectly paced, moving seamlessly between dual timelines with extracts  from emails from Lorelei and her online sweetheart, Jim, peppered throughout. I was on tenterhooks from start to finish, eager to discover whatever dark secrets this family held.

So, let’s talk about the Birds. This is a very character-driven story so having captivating and richly drawn characters is vital. Obviously, we know Lisa writes fantastic characters, but her talent for writing characters really shines in this book. We get to know each member of the Bird family in detail over the course of the book, all of their imperfections and fears exposed as we peel away the fractured layers of this family. They are all complex, flawed, real. Lorelei isn’t your typical matriarch. She loves her children and being a mother, but she’s also very quirky. And after the tragedy she spirals, her ‘quirks’ of keeping objects because she feels they have sentimental value becoming a full-blown hoarding disorder that ends up with her house being uninhabitable. Each member of the family deals with both the tragedy and Lorelei in their own way, but it is eldest daughter, Megan, who challenges it most and I really felt for her. She was probably my favourite character and my heart hurt for all that she went through. 

A must-read for your TBR.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Jewell was born in London in 1968.

Her first novel, Ralph’s Party, was the best- selling debut novel of 1999. Since then she has written another twenty novels, most recently a number of dark psychological thrillers, including The Girls, Then She Was Gone, The Family Upstairs, The Family Remains and The Night She Disappeared, all of which were Richard & Judy Book Club picks.

Lisa is a New York Times and Sunday Times number one bestselling author who has been published worldwide in over thirty languages. She lives in north London with her husband and two daughters.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2026

BOOK REVIEW: Dead in the Water by John Marrs

Published January 20th, 2026 by Thomas & Mercer
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

From the multi-million copy bestselling author comes a chilling tale about life flashing before your eyes―including terrifying scenes you don’t remember.

When Damon survives a near-drowning, his life flashes before his eyes. Every memory is crystal clear―except one. A dead boy. A face he can’t place. A moment he doesn’t remember living. At first he tells himself it’s a trick of the mind. But everything else he saw was real. So why not this?

With his waking life stalked by the disturbing scene, confusion quickly turns to obsession. Desperate for answers, Damon digs into his fractured past, and becomes convinced that the only way to remember…is to die again. And again. And again. When he meets a perfect stranger who’s all too willing to help, the stage is set for his dice with death.

But if this is what it takes to uncover the truth, maybe some memories are better left buried…

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

John Marrs has been one of my favourite thriller authors ever since I read The One in 2018. I’ve read almost all of his books and each one is a riveting rollercoaster ride that keeps me on the edge of my seat. His latest offering, Dead in the Water, continues his perfect run, showcasing why he’s a thriller author I’ll always recommend.

When Damon survives almost drowning his life flashes before his eyes. One of the things he sees is a dead boy he doesn’t recognise but for some reason he thinks he killed him. He tells himself it was just a trick of the mind. But as he struggles to move past his near-death experience, he is haunted by what he saw. He doesn’t know if what he’s seeing is real or a fabrication of his imagination, and he worries he’s going mad. 

Damon begins to delve into his fractured past, sure that it is the only way to find out the truth. But the only way he can get there is to die again. So he enlists the help of a stranger who is willing to help. But is the stranger telling the truth about their motives? As he dies again and again, long-buried memories begin to resurface. But as more of those memories haunt him, Damon begins to wonder if some things are better left buried after all…

I love dark, twisty, nerve-shredding thrillers that you can’t put down. And John Marrs delivers again with this bingeable book. Starting out with a trademark chilling prologue that sets the scene for what is to come, John had me in his thrall from start to finish and I devoured it in under a day. The writing is razor sharp, the plot expertly choreographed and intricately woven, the twists surprising, and the characters richly drawn and fun to read. Damon is a likeable protagonist who is easy to root for, but there’s a sense of unreliability because of his hidden memories that adds to the suspense. I loved seeing the return of one of my favourite characters from one of John’s previous books. Don’t worry, I don’t give spoilers. But I will say that readers of his backlist are in for a real treat.

Thriller lovers, order this one now because it’s going to be one of your 2026 highlights. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

Thank you to John Marrs and Netgalley for sending me a copy of the audiobook, and to Tandem for my physical copy in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

John Marrs is an author and former journalist based in London and Northamptonshire. After spending his career interviewing celebrities from the worlds of television, film and music for numerous national newspapers and magazines, he is now a full-time author. His books include No1 bestseller and Netflix series The One, The Passengers, award winning What Lies Between Us and The Good Samaritan.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2026 Squadpod Squadpod Book Club Squadpod Featured Books

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK REVIEW: My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney

Published January 27th, 2026 by Pan Macmillan
Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Suspense

My Husband’s Wife was one of our SquadPod Featured Books in February.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Sunday Times bestselling author of Beautiful Ugly is back with a psychological masterpiece that will leave you questioning everything you know about love, identity and revenge.

Eden Fox, an artist on the brink of her big break, sets off for a run before her first exhibition. When she returns to the home she recently moved into – Spyglass, an enchanting old house in the pretty seaside village of Hope Falls – nothing is as it should be. Her key doesn’t fit. A woman, eerily similar to her, answers the door. And her husband insists that this stranger is his wife.

One house. One husband. Two women. Someone is lying.

Six months earlier, a reclusive Londoner named Birdy, reeling from a life-changing diagnosis, inherits Spyglass. This unexpected gift from a long-lost grandmother brings her to Hope Falls. But then Birdy stumbles upon a shadowy London clinic that claims to be able to predict a person’s date of death, including her own. Secrets start to unravel and, as the line between truth and lies blurs, Birdy feels compelled to right some old wrongs.

My Husband’s Wife weaves a tangled web of deception, obsession and mystery that will keep you guessing until the last page. Prepare yourself for the ultimate mind-bending marriage thriller and step inside Spyglass – if you dare – to experience a story where nothing is as it seems.

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

Alice Feeney has done it again! Heartsoppingly tense, unsettling, cryptic and immersive, My Husband’s Wife is an outstanding thriller and possibly her best book yet. 

It follows Eden Fox, who has recently moved to Spyglass, an enhancing old house in Hope Falls, Cornwall, with her husband, Harrison Woolf. They are hoping their move will be the fresh start they both need and it seems like life is starting to look up. But when she returns after her usual evening run nothing is as it should be. Her key doesn’t work and a woman who is eerily similar to her answers the door saying she lives there. Harrison insists the stranger is his wife and claims to have never seen Eden before. Eden desperately tries to prove her identity, sparking a chain of events that uncover long-buried secrets, deception and betrayal.

I always know when I pick up one of Alice’s books that I’m in for a treat. A thriller powerhouse, I know I’ll get an exquisitely written, twisty, layered and pacy thriller that will keep me on the edge of my seat. This was all that and more. It’s like Spaghetti Junction – the different storylines and threads interweave in unexpected ways, and it’s brimming with suspense, twists and turns. The narrative is told from multiple perspectives and moves seamlessly between timelines as Alice drops clues like breadcrumbs for us to follow. But nothing is what it seems in this book and everyone is possibly an unreliable narrator – keeping me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. And that final line! I can’t get it out of my head.

One of the things that Alice always does well is writing charismatic, flawed and relatable characters who are fun to read whether we like them or not. The abundance of unreliable narrators means there are no clear heroes or villains, ramping up the tension and making me second guess everything they said and did. My favourite character was Birdy, a reclusive woman from London who returns to Hope Falls following life-changing diagnosis and unexpected inheritance. Birdy was the comedic relief in the book and although we know there are things she’s hiding, I did feel like I could trust her more than a lot of the other characters.

A must read for anyone who loves clever and riveting thrillers.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

Thanks to Pan Macmillan and Bookbreak for sending me a proof copy of the book and to Libro.fm for providing me with a complimentary audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Alice Feeney is a New York Times million-copy bestselling author of novels including His & Hers, Sometimes I Lie, Rock Paper Scissors and Daisy Darker. Her books have been translated into over thirty-five languages, and have been optioned for major screen adaptations, with His & Hers currently in production for Netflix, produced by Jessica Chastain, and starring Tessa Thompson and Jon Bernthal.

Alice was a BBC journalist for fifteen years. Her seventh novel, Beautiful Ugly, will be published around the world in January 2025.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2026 Squadpod Squadpod Book Club Squadpod Featured Books Squadpod Recommends

SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: Room 706 by Ellie Levenson

Published January 15th, 2026 by Headline
Suspense, Thriller, Mystery, Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Nobody knows she’s checked into Room 706.

Caught in the wrong place at precisely the worst time, Kate must face the most confronting situation of her life – and discover what matters most – in this deeply suspenseful and thought-provoking novel.

If she knew it would end this way, would it ever have begun?

‘I devoured it… I haven’t stopped thinking about it’ Jennie Godfrey
‘An ending that demands to be talked about’ Erin Kelly
‘Poignant, heart-breaking and utterly human’ Joanna Cannon

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Kate stretches her legs and turns on the TV while James washes away the traces of their morning. She watches in horror at the unfolding news: the hotel they are staying in has been taken under siege.

She should be making her way home, working on appearing normal, getting ready to re-enter family life with her loving husband Vic and their two adored children. Instead, she is trapped somewhere she shouldn’t be, with a man she definitely doesn’t love.

How will she begin to tell Vic what she is doing here? If her body is found, will it give up the secret of what she’s been up to? She’s been so careful hiding the evidence of her affair: write nothing down, leave no trace. Will he begin to understand why?

For now, Kate can only hide, take a deep breath, and reflect on the series of choices she’s made that have brought her to this moment.

What will her marriage and her life look like, if she makes it out?

Discover the most gripping and original novel you’ll read this year, from an incredible new talent in fiction.

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

Multi-layered, tender, tense and claustrophobic, Room 706 is an explosive debut. Morally ambiguous and thought provoking it follows Kate, who has just enjoyed a day of illicit love-making with her lover, James. As he showers she turns on the TV in the hotel room and the news is reporting a story about a siege under way at a hotel. Horrorstruck, Kate realises it is their hotel. Now, instead of making her way home and collecting her children from school, she’s stuck in a hotel room with her lover. How will she explain this to her husband? And will they make it out of there alive?

How on earth is this a debut? Ellie Levenson writes like a seasoned veteran. Her storytelling is nuanced, raw and sensitive, her characters achingly human and flawed, her plot cleverly choreographed and tightly paced, and her twists surprising. I’ll admit that I went into this expecting a thriller, but while it is full of fear and tension, it isn’t a thriller. Levenson describes it as ‘fiction for the clever but tired woman’, which is the perfect description. I was in Ellie’s thrall, glued to the pages as we moved between events in the hotel room and flashbacks that tell the story of both of Kate’s relationships. And that ending! I almost threw the book across the room and can see why so many people are talking about it.

The moral ambiguity of this story is at the heart of its charm. Kate loves her husband and her affair is simply self-care for her. An escape from the monotony of marriage and motherhood. She recognises how wrong it is but also isn’t willing to give it up. And whatever your thoughts on the morality of her choices, it’s impossible not to like and root for this lady and feel sad for her as she’s trapped in a terrifying situation totally unsupported. Something I loved about Kate was how even when she’s fearing for her life she still worries  about things like the food shopping, buying her son a costume for school and uploading family photos to the cloud. It’s definitely what I could imagine myself doing in her situation. 

A riveting and unforgettable debut by an author who is one to watch, Room 706 is a must for your TBR. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank to Headline for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ellie Levenson has worked as a journalist, writer and lecturer for many years. 

Her freelance work as a feature writer and columnist saw articles published across national newspapers, consumer magazines and specialist publications, with a special focus on writing accessibly about politics, language and social issues. 

Ellie has extensive experience as a lecturer in journalism at Goldsmiths College, University of London, and has been a guest lecturer at many other institutions. She has also worked as an Adjunct Professor at the London programmes of Boston University and Syracuse University. She is completing a PGCHE and is interested to hear about any guest lecturing opportunities in journalism, ideas generation and creative writing. 

Before becoming a novelist, Ellie wrote non-fiction books for adults and non-fiction and picture books for children. These include Politics in 100 words (Quarto, 2020), Creativity and Feature Writing: How to get hundreds of new ideas every day (Routledge, 2015), The Election (Fisherton Press, 2015) and The Noughtie Girl’s Guide to Feminism (Oneworld, 2009).

Ellie lives with her husband and children in East London. (Up the O’s!)

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Into the Dark by Orjan Karlsson

Published January 15th, 2026 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Urban Fiction, Nordic Noir, Translated Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

In Norway’s far north, something unspeakable is surfacing…

When a mutilated body rises from the icy waters off the jetty in Kjerringøy, it shocks the quiet coastal village – and stirs something darker beneath. Not long after, a young woman is found dead in a drab Bodø apartment. Suicide, perhaps. Or something far more sinister. 

Detective Jakob Weber and former national investigator Noora Yun Sande are drawn into both cases. Then a hiker reports a terrifying encounter in the nearby wilderness: a solitary cabin … and a man without a face.

As the investigation deepens, the clues grow more disturbing – and the wild, wintry landscape closes in. Jakob is certain of one thing: if they don’t find the killer soon, he’ll strike again.

SECOND in the dark, addictive Nordic Noir series set in Norway’s unforgiving Arctic north.

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

The Kerringoy Women’s Naked Bathing Club are going for their monthly wild swim when a body rises from the depths of the icy sea. The discovery sends shockwaves through the quiet coastal village. But more shocks are to come and soon after the body of a young woman is found dead in an apartment in Bodo. At first it seems like a simple suicide, but soon it appears to be something far more sinister. Detectives Jakob Weber and Noora Yun Sande are called in to investigate both cases. As they do, the clues become increasingly disturbing. And the clock is ticking before their killer strikes again. Can they find them before they do?

Dark, suspenseful, unnerving and addictive, the second installment in the Arctic Mysteries series is every bit as bingeable as the first. Ørjan Karlsson shows no signs of second-book syndrome here, delivering another skillfully written thriller that is cleverly plotted and keeps the reader on their toes. I was hooked and would find myself thinking about the story whenever I wasn’t reading. I couldn’t wait to get back to it and find out what would happen next. There are multiple narrators and threads to this story but Karlsson avoids it getting confusing, shifting seamlessly between them and intricately weaving the threads together in surprising ways. 

I loved being back with Jakob and Noora, two charismatic characters who are very easy to root for. When we meet them this time around Jakob is still grieving the loss of his wife, Lise, while trying to learn to navigate his new relationship and being a guardian for his half-brother. Meanwhile, Noora is recovering from the hip injury she sustained and trying to prove she’s fit enough to be back at work. These personal struggles are woven into the story, providing obstacles to their investigations that they must overcome. The other characters are just as well written and compelling and I liked that Karlsson gave us a number of suspects for both cases. I thought I had it completely sussed but he pulled a blinder, leaving me completely shook by the reveal. 

Sinister, forbidding and unsettling, this is a must for fans of darker thrillers or Nordic Noir. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part in this blog tour, and to Orenda Books for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest reivew.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ørjan Karlsson grew up in Bodø, a town north of the Arctic Circle. He holds a master’s degree in sociology and received officer training in the army. He has participated in international missions for the EU, UN and NATO, and has worked for the Norwegian Ministry of Defence and the Directorate for Civil Protection. Ørjan has written a large number of thrillers, sci-fi novels and crime novels for adults, including an acclaimed thriller series featuring Major Frank Halvorsen and Lieutenant Ida Vinterdal of the Norwegian special forces. Into Thin Air, his sixteenth novel, began the Arctic Mysteries series and was first published in English, to much acclaim, in 2024.

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ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR:

Ian Giles has a PhD in Scandinavian literature from the University of Edinburgh. Past translations include novels by crime and thriller luminaries such as Arne Dahl, Carin Gerhardsen, Michael Katz Krefeld, David Lagercrantz, Camilla Läckberg and Gustaf Skördeman. His translation of Andreas Norman’s Into a Raging Blaze was shortlisted for the 2015 CWA International Dagger.

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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

BLOG BLAST: A Woman Scorned by Jack Jordan

Published June 5th, 2025 by Simon & Schuster UK
Thriller, Crime Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Domestic Fiction, Romantic Suspense

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Are you afraid? You should be.

The husband: in over his head with no way of knowing the truth.
The mistress: blinded by love, betrayed by her family…
The neighbour: will stop at nothing to protect the life he has fought to create.
The wife: a woman bent on revenge, but how far is she willing to go…?

Dark as night, this is a brilliantly plotted, gripping short story from the bestselling author Jack Jordan.

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

I think anyone who has been cheated on can relate to wanting to get revenge. Most of us don’t act on those fantasies, but when Amber discovers her husband, Richard, is having an affair, she doesn’t just fantasise about vengeance, she makes it a reality. 

Tense, twisty and totally addictive, A Woman Scorned plays out over the course of a day, telling the story from multiple perspectives to slowly unveil a story of seduction, secrets, lies, deceit, schemes and murder. 

Jack Jordan has done it again. This gripping thriller packs a punch from the first page, taking us on a fast-paced thrill ride that had me hanging on for dear life. Well written, cleverly plotted and intricately interwoven, I was glued to the pages and devoured this book in just a few hours. Jack’s decision to tell the same story from different perspectives was skillfully executed and I loved trying to predict what would happen next, being surprised time and again as the truth unfurled piece by piece.

The characters are charismatic and compelling, but mostly unlikeable and unreliable.. And that’s obviously deliberate on Jordan’s part. He pulls it off with finesse, writing despicable characters that I loved reading but would hate to meet in real life. The only exception was Neena, who I had a lot of sympathy for. Amber is possibly one of the best unlikeable characters I’ve read. She was so awful but also captivating and it felt quite cathartic to live out my revenge fantasies through her.

A riveting thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this is a must for all thriller fans.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers for the invitation to take part in this blog blast and to Simon & Schuster UK for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

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

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: The Christmas Magpie by Mark Edwards

Published November 13th, 2025 by Michael Joseph
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Holiday Ficiton, Festive Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A chilling standalone thriller for the holiday season, set in the world of the million-copy bestselling The Magpies

‘Dark, twisted, chilling and utterly unputdownable’ CLAIRE DOUGLAS

It’s Noel and Dani’s first Christmas in their new home and they want everything to be perfect – lavish presents, a beautiful tree and outdoor decorations to join in with the festivities in this welcoming community.

But they quickly wonder if this street is as perfect as it appears.

First, there are the unwelcome presents left anonymously on their doorstep.

Then they are sure someone is watching them…

And why are the neighbours all obsessed with a notorious killer who is housed at the nearby women’s prison?

After tragedy strikes at a Christmas party, Noel and Dani try to find out who is targeting them – but, in this case, it might be safer not to know . . .

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

Noel and Dani have recently moved into Nightingale Crescent, a quiet suburban street in a welcoming community where all the neighbours look out for one another. It’s early December and they are getting ready to celebrate their first Christmas as husband and wife. Noel is sure this will be the best Christmas ever. But then the first unwelcome gift from ‘Secret Santa’ arrives, and then they get the feeling that someone is watching them. As more strange and sinister gifts arrive, Noel and Dani are determined to get to the bottom of who is behind them. 

Meanwhile, infamous serial killer Lucy Newton is housed at Franklin Grove, the open women’s prison nearby. She misses causing havoc but knows this place is better than any other prison she’s been in. When the creative writing teacher asks Lucy to write an adaptation of A Christmas Carol for her fellow inmates to perform this festive season, Lucy is surprised but agrees. However, she has secret plans in store to put on a performance that no-one is expecting…

Tense, twisty, addictive and witty, I flew through this chilling festive thriller. I’ve been a huge fan of Mark Edwards’ books for years. He’s the  King of stories that turn the ordinary into our worst nightmares and never fails to keep me on the edge of my seat until the last page. The Magpies series are some of my favourites of his books so I was excited to learn there was not only a new instalment, but one set at Christmas because I love a good festive thriller. So my expectations were high for this book. And it didn’t disappoint, delivering the heart-stopping suspense, clever red herrings and shocking twists that I’ve come to expect from Mark’s stories. It’s skillfully written and choreographed, intricately interweaving all of the storylines and creating an array of suspects so it is hard to predict. He kept me guessing and I didn’t suspect the real culprit until only moments before the big reveal, which I absolutely loved. 

Lucy Newton is one of my favourite villains and I was so happy to be back with her again. She’s cold, calculated and an absolute psycho. Someone I’d hate to run into but love to read. I also liked that this time around she also had a mystery to solve, with Secret Santa also sending her Christmas cards telling her they admired her and were causing chaos in her honour. And for every antagonist we need protagonists, which is where Noel and Dani come in. They were likeable, compelling, easy to root for and could be any one of our neighbours. That familiarity adds to the tension and horror as things progress as you really feel like it could be happening to anyone. And that ending! All I’m going to say is I loved it…

A heart-pounding festive thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, I can’t recommend this highly enough. And don’t worry if you’ve not read the other books because this can easily be read as a standalone.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mark Edwards writes books in which scary things happen to ordinary people, the best known of which are The Magpies series, Follow You Home and Here To Stay. His novels have sold over 5 million copies and topped the bestseller lists numerous times. His latest novel, The Wasp Trap, was published in 2025. The New York Times said, “Moves with increasingly head-spinning velocity as the secrets come spilling out.”

Mark lives in the West Midlands, England, with his wife, their children, two cats and a golden retriever. No pets are ever harmed in Mark’s novels. That’s a guarantee.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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BOOK REVIEW: Blackwater by Sarah Sultoon

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

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

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

‘A powerhouse writer’ Jo Spain

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

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

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They feared the machines. 

They should have feared the people…

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

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

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

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

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

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Thanks for reaading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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

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BOOK REVIEW: Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

Published January 30th, 2025 by Michael Joseph
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psycological Thriller, Domestic Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

It’s Camilla’s first day back at work, her daughter’s first day at nursery.
But husband Luke is nowhere to be seen. The only trace of him is an unfinished note. Camilla tries to put it out of her mind; there must be a rational explanation.
At work, there are welcomes back, and too many distractions.
Then it starts.
Breaking news: there’s a hostage situation developing in London.
The police arrive: Luke is caught up in it.
But he isn’t a hostage. Luke – doting father, successful writer, enthusiastic runner and eternal optimist – is the gunman.
What Camilla does next is crucial. Because only she knows what the note he left behind says, and the clues it might hold . . .

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

It’s Cam’s first day back at work after nine months of maternity leave and her daughter Polly’s first day at nursery. She is frustrated to find her husband, Luke, has left her to do it all alone. Then she finds a note from Luke that reads, “It’s been so lovely with you both”.  She’s confused but drops Polly off and heads to work, trying to distract herself from the uneasy feeling in her stomach. A few hours later there is a breaking news story about a siege where a man has taken three people hostage. The police arrive and tell her that the man responsible is Luke. A hostage negotiator, Niall, is called and they desperately try to stop the siege, but things soon take an even darker turn…

Gillian McAllister is the Queen of the moral dilemma thriller. Her books always make you think about what you would do in the character’s shoes and she has a flair for writing character-driven stories that pack a suspenseful punch. Gillian’s skillful storytelling and expert choreography had me in her thrall. This book is a masterclass in suspense; beautifully written but with a sharp edge and a sense of dread that keeps you on tenterhooks as you read. But what really sets this, and all of Gillian’s books apart is their emotional depth. This isn’t just a thriller, it’s a story that asks if we can ever truly know someone and an exploration of love, family and loss.

The story is told by Cam and Niall, who offer us two very different perspectives. Cam’s narration is an emotionally-fraught rollercoaster ride where her fear, devastation, grief and confusion leap from the pages. She’s got so many questions and no answers, making it even harder to move on from that day. Meanwhile, Niall is haunted by the events of that day. He’s an expert at talking down hostage-takers but he has so many questions about what happened. I had the same questions: what was the catalyst for the siege? What secrets was Luke hiding? And who were the bad guys in this story? But Gillian kept her cards to her vest, revealing very little until the finale, which made the payoff that much sweeter when the truth was finally unveiled.

Intriguing, tense, complex, emotional and twisty, Famous Last Words is a must-read for any thriller lover.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From Amazon:
Hello there!

As you find me, it’s winter 2025 and my new novel is Famous Last Words, a thriller with a marriage at its centre. It asks the question: what would you do if your husband is caught up in a siege in central London? Only, the police tell you he isn’t one of the hostages: he is the gunman… I hope you like the answer!

As to me, otherwise, I am the author of these novels:

Everything But The Truth (2017)

Anything You Do Say (2018) called The Choice in America

No Further Questions (2018) called The Good Sister in America

The Evidence Against You (2019)

How To Disappear (2020)

That Night (2021)

Wrong Place Wrong Time (2022)

Just Another Missing Person (2023)

Famous Last Words (2025)

My most popular novel is probably Wrong Place Wrong Time, which was selected for the Radio 2 book club and was the Reese’s Book Club August ’22 pick. It debuted at number 4 on the Sunday Times Bestseller List and number 2 on the New York Times Bestseller List.

When not writing (which is basically never), I can be found walking my dog Wendy and parenting my small toddler. The best moments of my day always are the first sip of my coffee, the moment I step into the bath at night, and my son telling me he loves me. And that rare thing that happens only once a year – a novel idea.

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Tbanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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