Tag: thriller

Categories
book reviews Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: The Children of Eve (Charlie Parker,22) by John Connolly

Published May 8th, 2025 by Hodder & Stoughton
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Horror Fiction, Ghost Story, Hardboiled, Crime Series, Supernatural Fiction

Welcome to my review for this taut and twisty thriller. Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘Connolly grips like a vice and he’s an extraordinary storyteller’ Crime Time
‘One of the best thriller writers we have’ Harlan Coben

Wyatt Riggins, the boyfriend of rising Maine artist Zetta Nadeau, has gone missing, leaving behind a cell phone containing a single-word message: RUN.

Private investigator Charlie Parker is hired to find out why Riggins has fled, and from whom.

Parker discovers that Riggins, an ex-soldier, has been involved in the abduction of four children from Mexico: three girls and a boy, all belonging to the cartel boss Blas Urrea – except Urrea’s family is safe and well in Mexico, which means the abductees cannot be his children. Yet whoever they are, Urrea wants them back, and has dispatched his agents to secure them, even if it means butchering everyone who stands in their way.

One of those agents is Eugene Seeley, a clever, ruthless solver of other men’s problems. The other is an unknown woman.

Every child has a mother. Now Charlie Parker will face one unlike any other, and learn the terrifying truth about the Children of Eve.

********

MY REVIEW:

Crime thriller meets supernatural fiction with a side of Inca mythology in the latest Charlie Parker thriller. Parker is investigating the disappearance of Wyatt Riggins, the boyfriend of rising Maine artist Zetta Nadeau. Meanwhile, someone is torturing and murdering those involved in the illegal trade of goods from Mexico. When Parker finds links between the two, the race is on to find Riggins before it’s too late.

John Connolly is pretty much the only author my husband reads, so when the SquadPod were offered the chance to read the latest in his Charlie Parker series, The Children of Eve, I jumped at the chance. I was excited but also nervous. Would I feel lost starting a series so far in? And would I love this series as much as Mr. Bibliotreasures?

Exquisitely written, cleverly choreographed and filled with a large cast of richly drawn characters, it’s easy to see why John Connolly and the Parker series are so popular. He certainly has a new fan in this reader. Jumping into a series on book 22 isn’t ideal and, as expected, I didn’t really know what was going on to begin with. It took me a little bit of time to get into the book as I had to learn who the recurring characters were and forge a connection with them. But before long I was completely hooked. I particularly loved how Connolly merged supernatural and mythological elements with a complex and layered thriller. And that ending! Talk about making me want to come back for more!

Taut, tense and twisty, I highly recommend this one. Now I just need to find time to go back and read this series from the beginning.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1968 and have, at various points in his life, worked as a journalist, a barman, a local government official, a waiter and a “gofer” at Harrods department store in London. I studied English in Trinity College, Dublin and journalism at Dublin City University, subsequently spending five years working as a freelance journalist for The Irish Times newspaper, to which I continue to contribute, although not as often as I would like. I still try to interview a few authors every year, mainly writers whose work I like, although I’ve occasionally interviewed people for the paper simply because I thought they might be quirky or interesting. All of those interviews have been posted to my website, http://www.johnconnollybooks.com.

I was working as a journalist when I began work on my first novel. Like a lot of journalists, I think I entered the trade because I loved to write, and it was one of the few ways I thought I could be paid to do what I loved. But there is a difference between being a writer and a journalist, and I was certainly a poorer journalist than I am a writer (and I make no great claims for myself in either field.) I got quite frustrated with journalism, which probably gave me the impetus to start work on the novel. That book, Every Dead Thing, took about five years to write and was eventually published in 1999. It introduced the character of Charlie Parker, a former policeman hunting the killer of his wife and daughter. Dark Hollow, the second Parker novel, followed in 2000. The third Parker novel, The Killing Kind, was published in 2001, with The White Road following in 2002. In 2003, I published my fifth novel – and first stand-alone book – Bad Men. In 2004, Nocturnes, a collection of novellas and short stories, was added to the list, and 2005 marked the publication of the fifth Charlie Parker novel, The Black Angel. In 2006, The Book of Lost Things, my first non-mystery novel, was published.

Charlie Parker has since appeared in five additional novels: The Unquiet, The Reapers (where he plays a secondary role to his associates, Louis and Angel), The Lovers, The Whisperers, and The Burning Soul. The eleventh Charlie Parker novel, The Wrath of Angels, will be available in the UK in August 2012 and in the US in January 2013.

The Gates launched the Samuel Johnson series for younger readers in 2009, followed by Hell’s Bells (UK)/The Infernals (US) in 2011. A third Samuel Johnson novel should be finished in 2013.

I am also the co-editor, with fellow author Declan Burke, of Books to Die For, an anthology of essays from the world’s top crime writers in response to the question, “Which book should all lovers of crime fiction read before they die?” Books to Die For is available in the UK as of August 2012, and will be available in the US in October 2012.

I am based in Dublin but divide my time between my native city and the United States, where each of my novels has been set.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

*******

Thanks for reading, Bibliohphiles xxxx

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: Some of Us Are Liars by Fiona Cummins

Published June 19th, 2025 by Pan Macmillan
Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Police Procedural, Domestic Fiction

Welcome to my review for this sensational thriller. Thanks to Pan Macmillan for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

There’s your side. My side. And the truth.

Lisa Jewell meets Jodi Picoult in a story of betrayal and deception in the aftermath of family tragedy.

She must face justice. As her sister it kills me to say it. As his mother I demand it.

When Jen Miller entrusts her youngest child to the care of her beloved sisters, she has no idea of the devastating tragedy that is about to unfold.

To celebrate her sister’s wedding, global superstar Winter Kellaway throws the party of the decade at her luxurious beachside estate. The decorations are flawless. The champagne is on ice. The guests have arrived. But one misstep will have heartbreaking consequences that will rock this close-knit family to their core.

With her life in pieces, how can Jen ever begin to forgive?

Saul Anguish, a brilliant but tormented young detective, is called in to investigate and uncovers a long-buried and shocking family secret. As the trail takes a dramatic turn, they must now all face the truth that you can never truly leave the past behind . . .

********

MY REVIEW:

Jen Miller’s beloved son, Teddy, dies while in the care of the very people she should have been able to trust most. And now she needs justice for his death. Even if her sister is the one who has to pay. 

Told in multiple timelines by multiple narrators, there’s a lot going on in this book; there are long-buried family secrets, trauma, deception and betrayal. The story starts as Jen is getting ready for the first day of her sister’s trial and then jumps back to the days leading up to the tragedy, when the Kellaway sisters are coming together to celebrate her wedding. And when the worst happens, Detective Saul Anguish is called in to investigate, discovering secrets and lies that will change everything for this family once they are revealed. 

Holy twists, Batman! Nerve-shreddingly tense and full of unexpected twists, Some of Us Are Liars totally pulled me in and had me hooked. Exquisitely written, deftly plotted and cleverly interwoven, Fiona Cummins has crafted a sensational thriller. Intricate and complex, it had me on a knife-edge and I stayed up until the early hours to finish it as I knew there’d be no sleep for me without answers. But I was not prepared for those answers! Every time I thought I knew where it was going I’d be hit by another twist that took things in a new direction. My heart was pounding so much it felt like it was about to burst out of my chest. And that final twist! Wow. It is going to take me some time to get over that one. 

Richly drawn, compelling and memorable, I loved the characters in this book. I enjoyed the realistic sibling dynamics between the Kellaway sisters and felt most connected to Jen. Winter was fascinating as her celebrity life is so far removed from what most of us know and I felt for Alyssa as she tried to adjust to new motherhood. I hadn’t realised before starting this book that it was the third in a series featuring Detective Saul Anguish and Dr Clover March, AKA Blue. Saul is a tormented soul who has many secrets and I enjoyed reading a more complex detective. Meanwhile, Blue is trying to come to terms with trauma, something I could relate to that made me really feel for her. But despite all I’d missed, I never felt confused reading this as a standalone as Ms. Cummins succinctly catches the reader up on what happened in the previous books. But I definitely want to read the first two books as I want to get to know them both better, particularly after that heart-stopping cliffhanger that has me impatiently waiting for book four.

Dark, suspenseful, affecting and surprising, this first-class thriller is a must for your TBR. 


Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Fiona Cummins is an award-winning former journalist and a graduate of the Faber Academy Writing a Novel course. Rattle, her debut novel, was the subject of a huge international auction and has been translated into several languages. It received widespread critical acclaim from authors and reviewers. She has since written bestsellers The Collector, The Neighbour, When I Was Ten and Into the Dark in which she introduces DC Saul Anguish, a brilliant young detective with a dark past. Fiona lives with her family in Essex.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: A Beautiful Family by Jennifer Trevelyan

Published June 19th, 2025 by Mantle
Suspense, Thriller, Domestic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story

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

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘Extraordinary . . . I absolutely loved this page-turning family mystery’ – Liane Moriarty, bestselling author of Here One Moment

‘Riveting . . . [It] held me captive from the first page to the last’ – Hannah Kent, bestselling author of Devotion

Discover this breathtaking debut novel of family secrets and searing atmosphere set over one long, hot summer on the New Zealand coast.

In the past, we had always spent our summer holidays in remote places. That had always been my mother’s preference. This year was different . . .

As the long summer holiday stretches ahead, ten-year-old Alix wants to spend every second on the beach and in the water. But, with her parents unusually distracted and her older sister now more interested in boys, she finds herself alone.

Then she meets Kahu at the beach and he tells her about The Mystery. Two years ago, a girl went missing and none of the adults could find her. So the new friends decide to investigate – because people don’t just disappear.

But, as Alex and Kahu search for clues, they stumble upon secrets they wish they’d left uncovered. Is Alix’s holiday house as safe as it seems? And is her sister putting her trust in the wrong people?

Brilliantly page-turning and tensely atmospheric, A Beautiful Family will leave a lump in your throat and a hole in your heart.

********

MY REVIEW:

“We were not a proper family, I thought, hugging my knees. There was something wrong with us.”

New Zealand, 1985. The summer sun sizzles as Alix and her family arrive at the beach for their annual holiday. But this year is different from the others, and not only because this year her mum wanted to go somewhere where there are a lot of people. This year ten-year-old Alix feels alone. Her older sister, Vanessa, is a teenager who  is more interested in boys than her little sister, and her parents are distracted. If it wasn’t for her new friend, Kahu, she’d have no-one to hang out with this summer. And it is Kahu who tells Alix about The Mystery. Two years ago a girl named Charlotte went missing and has never been found. They decide to investigate and begin to look for clues. But they will soon uncover secrets that they wish they’d never found…

Atmospheric, immersive and intriguing, A Beautiful Family is a riveting debut. Blending historical fiction, mystery, family saga and coming-of-age story, Jennifer Trevelyan has crafted a gorgeous slice of life novel that delivers a strong emotional punch. Trevelyan’s storytelling is exquisite, achingly human, and so evocative that you can feel the heat of the sun on your skin, feel the sand in between your toes and smell the suncream. A nostalgic tale, there is an air of simpler times that I remember from my own childhood in that era. But there is also an unbearable sense of dread that lingers over every page, Trevelyan holding her reader captive by rationing the reveals and drip-feeding information piece by piece. I was in her thrall, on the edge of my seat and terrified for Alix. 

For such an emotional story you need a great protagonist. And Alix was just that. Likeable and easy to root for, she’s a typical kid of the 80s who enjoys listening to music on her walkman, playing outside with friends, and is excited about her annual summer holiday. Trevelyan expertly puts the reader in Alix’ shoes, conveying that sense of naivety and innocence that was more common back then.

While Alix may not understand a lot of what is happening around her, the reader does. And that sense of tragedy and danger that comes from the things we understand only adds to the tension. And whenever Alix felt those emotions she didn’t quite understand I wished I could reach into the book and explain what was going on and help her. But I was helpless, only able to read on tenterhooks as I waited to see what would happen. 

A magnificent debut that will leave you wanting more, this is the perfect summer read. Add it to your TBR now.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jennifer first worked as a wedding photographer and photographic printer before studying English Literature at Victoria University and travelling to London, where she worked in children’s publishing. After returning to her native New Zealand to raise a family and hone her DIY skills, Jennifer undertook an MA in Creative Writing at the International Institute of Modern Letters in 2022. Her debut novel, A Beautiful Family, is coming in 2025: 

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: Girl Falling by Hayley Scrivenor

Published June 5th 2025 by Pan Macmillan
Crime Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Lesbian Literature

Welcome to my review for this surprising thriller. Thank you to Pan Macmillan for sending me a copy of this in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘This is a double cross thriller, a cat and mouse chase, and a delectable story of when someone becomes obsessed’ – 5* Reader Review

‘This book kept me on the edge of my seat, and I couldn’t put it down’ – 5* Reader Review

Why would my best friend want to destroy my life? Girl Falling is an atmospheric, psychological mystery from the award-winning author of Dirt Town.

Finn and her closest friend Daphne grew up in the imposing shadow of Australia’s Blue Mountains. Their uneasy bond forged from both losing their sisters at a young age. Now in their twenties, Daphne is at university, while Finn remained in the mountains, falling in love with newcomer Magdu. A young woman with troubles of her own.

After tensions arise during Magdu and Daphne’s first meeting, Finn is looking forward to a day of rock climbing and bonding for the three women on the cliffs near their town. But nothing goes as planned, and in a horrific accident, Magdu falls to her death.

In the aftermath, the friends become the focus of a police investigation. Was it really an accident? Or did something far more sinister play out that day?

Bold, dramatic and utterly compelling, Girl Falling by Hayley Scrivenor forces us to confront the stories we tell ourselves about the people we love.

********

MY REVIEW:

Finn and her best friend Daphne forged a bond over their shared tragedies. Now in their twenties, Daphne is away at university, while Finn has remained in their hometown and has fallen in love with newcomer, Magdu. Finn is excited for her best friend and girlfriend to meet, but there is tension from their first meeting. So when Daphne suggests they all go climbing as a way to bond, Finn is excited. But things take a tragic turn when Magdu falls to her death. As the police investigate, they begin to question whether Magdu’s death was really an ,or something much more sinister…

Suspenseful, moving, compelling and surprising, Girl Falling is an unpredictable thriller that kept me on my toes. Skillfully written, intricately interwoven and cleverly plotted, this was my first time reading a book by Hayley Scrivenor, but it won’t be my last. Scrivener knows how to keep her readers on their toes, convincing you that you’ve got it all sussed only to pull the rug from under you. And that ending! Never in a million years would I have predicted what happened! It made me want to re-read the whole thing again just to see what clues I’d missed along the way. 

The story is told by Finn, with flashbacks that reveal the history of her friendship with Daphne, allowing the reader to slowly understand the dynamics of their relationship and why Finn feels in Daphne’s debt. And as the book starts with Finn asking why her best friend would want to destroy her life, it feels like I spent the story looking for clues of Daphne’s duplicity and their toxic friendship. And, I admit, that Daphne seemed more and more unhinged as the story went on. But, in the present, the police investigation gives us a reason to distrust both girls. I love an unreliable narrator so I loved that there were potentially two of them in this book. Is Finn telling the truth? Or Daphne? I was never quite sure and loved the extra tension it brought to the story never knowing who to trust. 

A shocking and surprising thriller with an ending you won’t forget, add this to your TBR now. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hayley Scrivenor is the author of DIRT TOWN, which published internationally in 2022 (published as DIRT CREEK in the U.S., where it was a USA TODAY bestseller) and quickly became a #1 Australian bestseller. The novel has been shortlisted for multiple national and international awards. In 2023, it won a Lambda Literary Award and General Fiction Book of the Year at the Australian Book Industry Awards. DIRT TOWN has been translated into several languages. GIRL FALLING, described as “a remarkable exercise in complex storytelling written in Scrivenor’s idiosyncratic, metaphorically vivid prose”, is her second novel.

Hayley has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Wollongong and lives on Dharawal country, on the east coast of Australia.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: The Sunshine Man by Emma Stonex

Published May 1st, 2025 by Picador
Thriller, Psychological Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story

Welcome to my review for this magnificent thriller. Thank you to Bookbreak and Picador for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘The week I shot a man clean through the head began like any other . . .’

From Emma Stonex, the bestselling author of The Lamplighters, comes The Sunshine Man, a gripping revenge thriller that will leave you breathless.

‘A compelling tight thriller with heart’ *****
‘Hits you right between the eyes’ *****
‘Brilliantly written with twists and turns’ *****

In January 1989, Birdie wakes to the news she’s been waiting eighteen years to hear. Jimmy Maguire, the man who killed her sister, has been freed from jail. Birdie sends her kids to school and then leaves for London with a gun and a plan: to find Jimmy and make him pay.

But there’s another side to the story, and Birdie is about to enter a world of family lies, worn-out loyalties and long-buried betrayals . . .

A heart-stopping novel of shared pasts and a fury-fuelled present, The Sunshine Man is an addictive page-turner set against the sweeping hills of rural Devon, from bestselling author Emma Stonex.

********

MY REVIEW:

“The week I shot a man clean through the head began like any other…”

I don’t think it’s possible to read such a haunting opening line and not feel desperate to devour the rest of the book. I know I was powerless to resist, staying up until the wee hours in an anguished need to know the conclusion. Dark, unsettling, heart-stopping and thought-provoking, Emma Stonex had me in her thrall from the first page of this magnificent cat-and-mouse revenge thriller. 

The story opens with Bridget describing her ordinary morning with her family before she sets out to kill James Maguire, the man convicted of murdering her sister, Providence, eighteen years earlier. The juxtaposition between her mundane actions and her murderous plan is striking, creating an overwhelming sense of dread that increases with every step she takes. The story then moves between timelines and narrators, following James as he adjusts to life outside prison, and Bridget as she travels towards him…

Exquisitely written and expertly choreographed, Stonex shows no signs of the dreaded ‘sophomore syndrome’ with this superb story. An unforgettable tale of murder, vengeance, love, family and redemption, this isn’t for the faint heart.  Despite its sunny title, there are heavy topics on these pages, and while Stonex doesn’t shy away from their brutal truths, she also writes with compassion and sensitivity. It is powerful but also delicate, finding its strength in its layered gossamer threads. Stonex skillfully teases her reader by choosing not to reveal the full picture, exploring themes of memory, asking how much we can trust our recollections, and what we choose to forget; the truth lying in that space between what we know and what we think we do. 

It’s easy to root for Bridget. To feel her anger and understand her need for revenge, even if it isn’t something we would do ourselves. It is harder to root for James, and it is in him that Stonex forces us to confront the humanity and shades of grey that exist even in those we want to villainise. It would be easy if it was black and white, if he was evil and Bridget was good. But by hearing his story he becomes human, we gain compassion and it is hard to blindly hate him. Providence is brought to life in the flashbacks, making her feel as vivid and three-dimensional, allowing the reader to connect with her. It gives us an emotional response to her death, a desire to know the truth and a wish to see justice served. And as we finally approach the night of her murder, Stonex moves between flashbacks and current events, keeping me on the edge of my seat as I awaited the big reveal and Bridget’s moment of vengeance. There’s a rising sense of dread that gets under your skin and makes your heart race. I couldn’t have stopped reading at this point even if my house had been on fire. 

The Sunshine Man is a masterpiece. A moving, nerve-shredding and addictive thriller that is impossible to forget. Read it now!

Rating: ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️

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

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Emma Stonex was born in 1983 and grew up in Northamptonshire. After working in publishing for several years, she quit to pursue her dream of writing fiction. The Lamplighters was a Sunday Times bestseller and has been translated into more than twenty-five languages. She lives in the Southwest with her family.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: The School Gates by A. A. Chaudhuri

Publised June 5th, 2025 by Hera Books
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Ficiton, Noir Fiction, Urban Fiction, Domestic Fiction

Welcome to my review for this heart-stopping thriller. Thank you to Alex and Hera Books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

First comes gossip … then comes revenge

When single mum Lola Martinez’s son, Luca, starts school, she feels that she’ll never fit in with the yummy mummies in the playground. Confident, married to wealthy men, with ample free time, they are everything she isn’t.

However, Lola is invited into the inner circle, surrounded by seemingly friendly people, even if Lola’s silence about her child’s father puzzles them. Despite herself, Lola quickly becomes involved in playground politics, making as many enemies as friends.

But then Lola is brutally murdered, her death rocking the close-knit community. As the police investigate the case, they discover that Lola was hiding many secrets – as are the mums in her new social circle. But who had the most reason to kill her? And who else might unwittingly hold the answers to what happened that night?

An addictive psychological thriller with an end twist that will make you gasp, for fans of Lisa Jewell, T.M. Logan and Frieda McFadden. If you loved Big Little Lies, you’ll adore this.

********

MY REVIEW:

When her son, Luca, starts school, single mum, Lola, feels like she will never fit in with the other mums at the school gates. She’s nothing like these confident ‘yummy mummies’ with their perfect husbands, big houses and ample free time. Somehow, she’s invited into their inner circle, and at first they appear friendly.  But soon Lola finds herself embroiled in playground politics and her new friends become enemies. Then one night, on her way home from the annual parents Christmas party, Lola is brutally murdered and the police discover that Lola and her friends have been keeping secrets. Are these secrets the key to unmasking who killed Lola and why?

Anyone with kids knows the minefield that is the school gates, playground politics and mum friends. In her latest superb thriller, A. A. Chaudhuri takes that familiar everyday situation and turns it into a nightmare. Perfectly capturing the tricky dynamics of the playground and that group who rule the school, these women are instantly recognisable. And if you thought you disliked them before Lola died, that was nothing compared to how despicable and unlikeable they became after her death. I was raging at their attitudes and felt sure that at least one of them knew the truth about her murder. 

Masterfully written, psychologically rich and unbearably tense, this is a heart-stopping thriller. Alex just gets better with each book! I was in the palm of her hand as she spun the threads of this disturbing story to suspenseful perfection, cleverly concealing the truth in plain sight. The air was thick with secrets and a cloud of suspicion hung over everyone as the police tried to get to the truth about Lola’s murder. I held on for dear life, on the edge of my sea and turning the pages ferociously. And every time I thought I knew the full story…BAM! Another twist pulled the rug from under me and changed everything. And what twists they were! I don’t think I’ve ever felt so devastated and emotionally wrecked by a reveal as I did with this book. Alex, how could you do that to me?!

The story is told by two narrators in dual timelines. First we have Lola who narrates in the present on the night of her murder and then switches to telling  her story through flashbacks. A complicated character, Lola is a devoted single mum, has a lot of strength but she’s also a complete wreck. There’s a constant malevolent presence from the traumatic event in her past that’s left her living in fear and with a sense of isolation, even when she’s surrounded by people. She’s forced to keep what happened a secret in order to protect those she loves but is always looking over her shoulder. Her anxiety is palpable and the flashbacks are a ticking timebomb of sheer dread as they count down to her murder. Our other narrator, Detective Inspector John Banner, is a relatable and likeable character. You can feel the emotional toll the case is taking on him and his chapters are full of tension as he determinedly tries to solve the crime. 

Deliciously dark, jaw-droppingly tense and unputdownable, this is a must-read for any thriller fan.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A.A. Chaudhuri is a former City lawyer turned thriller writer, born and raised in Portsmouth, but who now lives in Surrey with her family. Once a highly ranked British junior tennis player, competing in the national championships and a member of the national squad, she went on to tour the women’s professional satellite circuit as a teenager and achieved a world ranking of 650.

THE SCRIBE and THE ABDUCTION, published by LUME BOOKS in July and December 2019, are her first crime book series, plunging readers into London’s glamorous legal world and featuring series’ heroine, Maddy Kramer, fiction’s first female City lawyer amateur sleuth, who teams up with charismatic DCI Jake Carver to solve a gruesome series of murders and a puzzling abduction. THE SCRIBE and THE ABDUCTION were published as audio books by Isis Audio on 1st January and 1st March 2021, both read by David Thorpe.

She has also contributed an original short story THE ENCOUNTER to crime anthology GIVEN IN EVIDENCE published by LUME BOOKS in May 2020, has written many articles and short stories for The Crime Writers’ Association.

Her first psychological thriller with HERA BOOKS, SHE’S MINE, was published in e-book, paperback and audio in August 2021, the second, THE LOYAL FRIEND, was published in all three formats in June 2022 and published in the USA by Canelo US on 20th June 2023. Her third, THE FINAL PARTY, was published on May 25th 2023. It was released in audiobook on 1st February 2024.

Her fourth psychological thriller – UNDER HER ROOF – was released in e-book, paperback and audio on 13th June 2024.

The Scribe, was re-published as THE LAWYER by Joffe Books on 7th October 2024 in e-book and paperback. The Abduction was re-published as THE PARTNER by Joffe Books on 24th February 2025 in e-book and paperback.

Alex’s fifth psychological thriller with Hera Books – THE SCHOOL GATES – will be released on 5th June 2025 in ebook and paperback.

Besides being an avid reader, she enjoys fitness, films, anything Italian and a good margarita!

All of Alex’s books have achieved bestseller status on Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Australia and Amazon Canada.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The Mistake by M. J. Arlidge and Lisa Hall

Published May 29th, 2025 by Orion
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Hardboiled

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this gripping thriller. Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orion for my copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In this family, everyone is telling lies.

Pete never wanted another child. Before baby Erin was born, they were happy. If Natalie hadn’t got pregnant, he would never have done what he did.

Natalie knows things have been difficult since the surprise arrival of Erin. Life with Pete and their two other children – Emily and Zadie – has been balancing on a knife-edge.

Now their home is full of guests at a party Natalie didn’t want to throw – and she’s about to reach breaking point.

But so is her family.

Because everyone has a secret that they’ve been hiding and when Erin suddenly disappears everyone becomes a suspect.

Surely no one here would want to harm their baby? But after the events of the party there are plenty of people who would want to hurt Natalie.

Including her husband…

********

MY REVIEW:

When Natalie unexpectedly becomes pregnant at almost forty, it isn’t exactly welcome news. Her eldest daughter, Emily, is about to leave for university, while her youngest, Zadie, is now eight. Life is comfortable and she and her husband Pete are full of dreams for their future when the nest is empty. Another child now would disrupt all their lives. Ultimately, Natalie decides to go ahead with the pregnancy. Erin arrives after a traumatic birth and is a difficult baby who screams incessantly and doesn’t sleep. Natalie is in a downward spiral and her days are spent trying to survive. Pete is never home and the older children are also struggling. This is a family at breaking point. It all comes to a head the night of Emily’s 18th birthday party, when all the secrets, lies and resentments finally boil over and little Erin disappears. But which of their closest family and friends took their daughter? And why?

M. J. Arlidge has long been one of my favourite thriller authors and I’ve been loving his Crime Writers Room collaborations, so I was excited to read this collaboration with Lisa Hall. As I hoped, it was another cracking thriller that I devoured in just a few hours. Expertly written and deftly choreographed, Arlidge and Hall have crafted a thriller that keeps you guessing from the first page to the last. The heart-stopping prologue reeled me in and I remained glued to the pages as the story  switched to a slower burn as we went back to the time where Natalie first found out she was pregnant. I was on the edge of my seat as tension escalated and suspicion swirled with multiple suspects in the frame when Erin went missing. I had my theories about who it was, but that did change a few times as Arlidge and Hall skillfully kept their identity hidden and created believable red herrings. 

The story is told from Natalie and Pete’s perspective, offering us an insight into their mindset and motivations, allowing us to understand their actions. While they were relatable characters, they weren’t always likeable and I often just wanted to shake them. I did have a lot of sympathy for Natalie, who showed signs of postnatal depression, but I’d want to hug her one minute and be frustrated with her the next. I wanted to tell her to reach out for help and just talk to her husband. Meanwhile, Pete was useless both practically and emotionally, but reading his perspective made me confront the shades of grey that led to his withdrawal from his family and other bad decisions. I still wanted to yell at him to help his wife though. And at both of them for refusing to see how their other children were struggling. 

The other characters are brilliantly written but Eve, Natalie’s best friend, is most memorable. Unnerving and manipulative, she gave me the ick from the start, and I didn’t like how she behaved around Natalie’s youngest kids. It was obvious that Natalie relied on her, but this girl was toxic and I was yelling at the pages for Natalie to cut her out of her life and talk to Pete instead. 

Suspenseful, dark, emotionally and totally addictive, The Mistake is a must-read for all thriller lovers. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

M.J. Arlidge has worked in television for the last 15 years, specialising in high end drama production. Arlidge has produced a number of prime-time crime serials for ITV In the last five years, and is currently working on a major adaptation of The Last of the Mohicans for the BBC.

Lisa loves words, reading and everything there is to love about books. She has dreamed of being a writer since she was a little girl – either that or a librarian – and after years of talking about it, was finally brave enough to put pen to paper (and let people actually read it). Lisa lives in a small village in Kent, surrounded by her towering TBR pile, a rather large brood of children, dogs, chickens and ponies and her long-suffering husband. She is also rather partial to eating cheese and drinking wine.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Squadpod Book Club Squadpod Featured Books Uncategorised

SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: Cat Fight by Kit Conway

Published May 15th, 2025 by Bantam
Mystery, Suspense, Thriller

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

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

A gripping and suspenseful debut, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Jane Fallon and Tiger King!

‘Original, sharp, clever, and wonderfully observed’ Andrea Mara, bestselling author of No One Saw a Thing
‘Twisty, sharp (clawed) and deliciously unhinged‘ Catherine Ryan Howard, bestselling author of 56 Days
‘FABULOUS . . . Desperate Housewives meets Tiger King meets Motherland‘ Sarah Turner, bestselling author of Stepping Up

When the peace shatters in suburbia, the claws come out . . .

Coralie King, Emma Brooks and Twig Dorsett are friends. Sort of. They’re neighbours on an exclusive Sevenoaks estate who get along. It’s convenient.

But one May bank holiday, Coralie’s husband insists he saw a panther on the bonnet of his car. And cracks between the elite of the Briar Heart Estate begin to emerge.

As the summer wears on and there are more sightings, the big cat frenzy reaches a fever pitch. Tensions between neighbours threaten to boil over. Everyone is watching their back. But is the real predator a seventy-kilo cat with razor-sharp claws? Or is the actual danger of a much more domestic variety?

********

MY REVIEW:

As soon as this stunning proof landed on my doorstep I couldn’t wait to read it. I mean, that cover just screams ‘read me’. Now, as Cat Fight is the SquadPod Book Club pick this month, it was finally time to dive in. And the claws are out in this suspenseful, twisty and humorous debut that follows the trials and tribulations of a suburban neighbourhood one summer. 

On a warm bank holiday evening, Emma, Twig, Coralie and their families are enjoying a get together in Coralie’s garden when the peace is shattered by a scream. Coralie’s husband, Adam, insists he saw a panther on the bonnet of his car. But no one else saw it. Rumours soon fly around their exclusive estate that there’s a panther stalking the neighbourhood. Further sightings are reported, turning the big cat mystery into a frenzy and tensions rise between the neighbours. But is the danger they face really coming from a big, wild cat? Or somewhere closer to home?

THIS is how you write a gripping summer read! It’s a story filled with drama, heartache, love, lust, grief, secrets, fights and (possibly) a big cat. Kit Conway’s writing and plotting is every bit as sharp as a panther’s claws, keeping me glued to the pages as I ferociously turned them. Drenched with the heat of summer and artfully foreshadowed, Conway dropped clues like breadcrumbs, keeping me guessing as I tried to predict what had really happened that crazy summer. But Conway shrewdly planted red herrings, making the book unpredictable, and almost all of my guesses were wrong. I didn’t see most of the twists coming and that jaw-dropping finale hit me like a bolt out of the blue. 

Emma, Twig and Coralie narrate the story, taking turns to share the events of that summer from their point of view. They are familiar but unlikeable and delightfully deranged characters, though my heart did go out to them at times, especially Twig. The women claim to be friends but frenemies would be more appropriate. And they were so much fun to read. The background characters were also richly drawn and I had a real soft spot for Twig’s son, Elwood.

A superb summer read that needs to be on everyone’s TBR.

Rating: 🐱🐱🐱🐱

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kit Conway lives in Kent with her husband and three sons. Prior to writing she worked as a corporate lawyer in London.
Cat Fight, her debut book club suspense novel, will be published by Transworld (UK) and Atria (US) in Summer 2025.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen

Published March 27th, 2025 by Bantam Press
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Crime Series, Cozy Mystery

I’m finally sharing my review for this fantastic thriller. Thank you to Alison at Bantam for sending me a copy of the book and a great event with the author back in March.

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Summer Guests is the exhilarating and gripping new thriller from Sunday Times bestselling author of The Spy Coast.

‘I love this new series . . . The Summer Guests is a cracker of a mystery! I couldn’t put it down.’
SHARI LAPENA

‘What a ride – The Summer Guests hooked me from the first explosive chapter. . . Immersive, compelling, utterly addictive – a masterclass in storytelling.’ ANDREA MARA

THE MARTINI CLUB ISN’T OPEN TO EVERYONE . . .

Maggie Bird’s ‘book group’ is an unusual one – a group of retired spies living an anonymous life in the seaside town of Purity. And this summer they plan little more than ‘reading’ (whilst sipping martinis), and some gentle birdwatching.

But trouble is just around the corner as the summer guests arrive.

For acting Police Chief Jo Thibodeau, summer brings its own problems – packed streets, bar brawls, petty theft. And now, a missing teenager down by the lake.

When their good friend becomes a prime suspect in the girl’s disappearance, Maggie and her Martini Club must put down their binoculars and roll up their sleeves. Leaving Jo to deal with not only a powerful family desperate for answers, but a meddlesome group of retirees.

Can Jo and the Martini Club find a way to work together, as they uncover one of the deadliest scandals their small town has ever seen?

********

MY REVIEW:

It’s summertime in Purity and the summer guests have made their way to the seaside town to enjoy the peak season. One such summer guest is fifteen-year-old Zoe, who is visiting for the summer with her prominent family. When Zoe disappears the pressure is on for Police Jo Thibodeau to find Zoe and solve the crime quickly. But she isn’t the only one investigating. The Martini Club – a ‘book club’ of retired spies who live in the town – have been itching for another adventure. So when their good friend is arrested as the prime suspect, they start their own investigations, much to the annoyance of Ms. Thibodeau, who now must juggle the interfering pensioners alongside family pressure and her own investigation. And the stakes get even higher when evidence is found that seems to suggest Zoe’s disappearance could be linked to the most disturbing crime in Purity’s history. Can Jo and the Martini Club work together to find answers?

The Martini Club are back and I couldn’t be happier. I love this group of cocktail drinking former spies and couldn’t wait to follow them as they tried to solve another case. Entertaining, compulsive and suspenseful, Expertly written, cleverly choreographed, twisty and fast-paced, Tess Gerritsen knocked it out of the park once again with this sensational thriller. One of my favourite things about a series is returning to characters I know and love, and it was great to be back with Maggie, the Martini Club and other familiar characters. These characters are so much fun to read. And while The Martini Club may be pensioners, there’s no sign of them slowing down yet, and they jump at the chance for another case to solve. I enjoyed their banter with Jo and watching her trying to figure out a way to control these errant amateur sleuths. But they are a feisty and tenacious bunch, so the odds of stopping them weren’t in her favour. There is a great cast of supporting characters and some of them seem to be hiding dark secrets, including members of Zoe’s family. Her mother, Susan, is a prominent character and there were many heart-rending moments as we felt her heartache at her daughter’s disappearance. Then there is Reuben, the so-called ‘madman across the lake’. Why does he have a grudge against the family? And did he take Zoe in some twisted act of revenge?

Compulsive, suspenseful and totally entertaining, I loved being back with The Martini Club and can’t wait to see what they get up to next. A must-read for all thriller fans.

Rating: 🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Internationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was awarded her M.D.

 While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction and in 1987, her first novel, Call After Midnight, was published. It was just the first of 31 suspense novels that she’s written over a 36-year writing career.  She also wrote a screenplay, “Adrift,” which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.

Tess’s first medical thriller, Harvest, was released in hardcover in 1996, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her novels have hit bestseller lists ever since.  Among her titles are Gravity, The Surgeon, Vanish, The Bone Garden, and The Spy Coast. Her books have been translated into 40 languages, and more than 40 million copies have been sold around the world.

 She has won both the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon). Critics around the world have praised her novels as “Pulse-pounding fun” (Philadelphia Inquirer), “Scary and brilliant” (Toronto Globe and Mail), and “Polished, riveting prose” (Chicago Tribune). Publishers Weekly has dubbed her the “medical suspense queen” and Time Magazine named her novel The Surgeon one of the best mystery/thriller novels ever written.

Her series of novels featuring homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles inspired the hit TNT television series “Rizzoli & Isles,” starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander.  

She is also a filmmaker.  She and her son Josh produced a feature-length documentary, “Magnificent Beast,” about the ancient origins of the pig taboo. It aired on PBS channels around the country. Their previous film, “Island Zero”, was a feature-length horror movie that was released in 2018.

 She lives in Maine.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
Uncategorised

BOOK REVIEW: The Butcher by Jennifer Hillier

Published July 15th, 2014 by Gallery Books
Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction

********

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In this “skillfully penned tale of murder and cover-up that will keep readers enthralled until the powerful finish” (Fresh Fiction), family secrets and a serial killer from the past converge in this electrifying thriller.

In 1985, Edward Shank famously gunned down the Beacon Hill Butcher, ending the serial killer’s reign of terror over the city of Seattle. But now in his eighties, Edward’s action-packed glory days are long behind him. The decorated former Seattle police chief has given up his high-maintenance Victorian home to his grandson Matt for a quiet life at the nearby Sweetbay Village Retirement Residence, where mac-n-cheese Wednesdays have become the highlight of his week.

Though it’s hard to watch his grandfather get older, Matt is thrilled to inherit the large house he grew up in. Already an accomplished chef with a popular restaurant and a TV show in the works, Matt’s dream life is finally within reach…until he discovers a crate buried in the backyard that holds a secret about his grandfather so terrible, it threatens to ruin all their lives if it ever gets out. Especially his girlfriend Sam’s, whose mother was killed when she was only two years old.

As Matt struggles with his dark family secret, Sam’s obsession with solving her mother’s murder continues to grow. A true crime writer now working on a book about the Butcher, Sam has always suspected her mother was one of his victims, even though she was killed two years after the Butcher was supposedly gunned down.

But when new victims begin to turn up, their murders eerily similar to the Butcher’s all those years ago, Sam realizes she might be right. The more she digs into the old murders, the more dangerous it gets…and the truth is closer to home than she ever could have imagined.

“A tense, suspenseful, thoroughly creepy thriller” (Booklist), The Butcher sinks its teeth in you from the very first page.

********

MY REVIEW:

Retired Seattle Police Chief Edward Shank is famous for gunning down The Beacon Hill Butcher in 1985 and ending the serial killer’s reign over the city. Now in his eighties, Edward decides the time has come to move to a retirement home and leave his Victorian house to his grandson, Matt, who is thrilled to inherit the house, having been raised there by his beloved grandparents after the death of his mother. An accomplished chef with his own popular restaurant and a TV show in the works, with the addition of the house Matt feels his dream is finally in his reach. But all that falls apart when he discovers a crate buried in the back garden that holds a dark family secret so explosive that it will ruin many lives if it is discovered, leaving Matt unsure whether to tell the truth or try to keep it hidden. 

As Matt struggles with this conflict, his  girlfriend Sam’s obsession with solving her mother’s murder grows. Sam has always suspected that her mother was one of The Beacon Hill Butcher’s victims, even though she was killed two years after the Butcher was killed. And when new victims killed in the same way as the Butcher’s victims emerge, it looks like she could be right afterall. But as she delves deeper into her search for the truth, Sam puts herself in greater danger, unaware just how close the truth actually lies…

Unsettling, eerie and addictive, this nerve-shredding thriller had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. Expertly written, defly plotted, fast-paced and packed with surprising twists, Jennifer Hiller showcases why she deserves her crown as the Queen of chilling thrillers. And this time she takes the traditional murder mystery format and turns it on its head, revealing some of the twists – including whodunnit – early on, but she keeps the tension taut and still packs in so much that keeps us guessing. She also explores a range of topics in the story, including the twisted mind of a killer, if behaviours can be inherited, and confronts the shades of grey that exist in all of us. 

Richly drawn and compelling, the characters leapt from the pages and pulled me into their stories. I may not have always liked them, but I was always fascinated by them and Hillier made them leap from the pages. I could feel  Matthew’s torment bleeding from the pages, Sam tugged at my heartstrings, while Edward was so dark, vile and unsettling that he made shivers run down my spine. 

A murderous, grisly and disturbing thriller, The Butcher is a must read for anyone who likes their thrillers dark and twisted. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

********

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jennifer Hillier imagines the worst about people and then writes about it. Born and raised in Toronto and a proud Canadian, she spent eight years in the Seattle area, which is where all her books are set.

She’s the USA Today, Globe and Mail, and Toronto Star bestselling author of THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK. Her six previous novels include LITTLE SECRETS, which was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the Anthony Award, and JAR OF HEARTS, which won the ITW Thriller Award for Best Hardcover Novel and was nominated for the Anthony and Macavity Awards.

Her latest book, THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK, is available now.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

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

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx