#BlogTour Death of a Texan by Cat Hickey

 

It's my turn on the BlogTour Death of a Texan by Cat Hickey.

About the Author

Cat Hickey has a Master’s degree in Biology, and teaches Anatomy and Physiology at a university in Baltimore, MD, USA. She writes light-hearted mysteries and thrillers that are based, partly, on her extensive travels around the world. She is also an avid yogi who teaches aerial yoga and practices aerial circus arts, and spends the rest of her time with her three rescue animals, which consist of three cats and a horse. Follow @CatHickey4 on Twitter 

About the book

A grieving widow. A sketchy admirer. An adoring boyfriend. But one of them is up to no good.

Chloe's new life in Costa Rica seems perfect: her relationship with Mateo is heating up, and her career as a private investigator is off to a good start. She only wishes that her cases were more interesting than the lost dogs or cheating husbands she's been hired for so far…

She gets her wish when a dead body lands, almost literally, at her feet. Hired by the highly strung Elena Vargas to follow her husband, Victor, Chloe discovers that not only was he cheating on his wife – he's been murdered.

As Chloe delves deeper into the mystery surrounding Victor's death, she uncovers secret after secret. The danger becomes all too real when she narrows in on the killer's identity. Someone is following her everywhere, and threatening notes arrive on her doorstep.

As if that's not bad enough, her relationship with Mateo begins to unravel, and his coworker, Jaime, seems intent on convincing her that Mateo is a cheater. Desperately trying to figure out what's going on, Chloe becomes more and more enmeshed in a sordid world of lies, sex, and murder. Who can Chloe really trust? And can she catch the killer before she becomes the next victim?

Review

Since her decision to reboot her life, leave her manipulative ex behind, and carve out a career as a private detective for herself, Chloe is a lot happier. Running her own business and taking control of her love life is exactly what the doctor ordered. Well except for the niggles about not having anything more interesting to investigate than spouses with an affinity for playing away and the occasional lost cat.

When one of said spouses ends up dead Chloe lets herself be drawn into a dangerous situation yet again, something her boyfriend disagrees with.  In fact he disagrees with quite a lot, which makes Chloe wonder just how right they are for each other. Perhaps this new case will bring them closer together?

Mixed up in this cosy crime read is the realisation by the main character that her patterns are repetitive when it comes to relationships and that you have to take control of your own destiny. Also that sometimes it's better to give someone a second chance than to give up on them when they take a wrong turn in life. Based on the ending it's likely this will give readers a good example of the where the author wants to take the series next. 

It's an enjoyable crime read that veers from the cosy genre into the doesn't take itself too seriously realm.

Buy Death of a Texan at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : darkstroke books pub date 30 April 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Wild Girls by Phoebe Morgan

 It's my turn on the BlogTour The Wild Girls by Phoebe Morgan

About the Author

Phoebe Morgan is an author and senior commissioning editor. She studied English at Leeds University after growing up in the Suffolk countryside. She has previously worked as a journalist and now edits crime and women’s fiction for a publishing house during the day, and writes her own books in the evenings. The Doll House was her debut novel. It became a #1 iBooks bestseller and spent over 8 weeks in the Kindle top 100. Her new novel The Wild Girls is out now.

Follow @Phoebe_A_Morgan on Twitter, on Amazon, on Goodreads, Visit phoebemorganauthor.com

About the book

It’s been years since Grace, Felicity, Alice and Hannah were together – The Wild Girls, as they were once called, are no longer so wild. Alice has settled with a new baby and partner. Hannah is now a teacher. Grace has gone to ground. Only Felicity seems to have the same spark she once had.

And now Felicity has invited them all on the weekend of a lifetime – a mini-break in Botswana to celebrate her birthday, a chance to put that night two years ago behind them, when things went so very wrong between them, and their bomb-proof friendship was shattered for ever.

But on arriving at the luxury safari lodge, a feeling of unease settles on Grace, Hannah and Alice. Felicity isn’t there to meet them. There’s no sign of the party she promised. The awful phone signal means that they are on their own, in the wild…  It’s a weekend with a difference. But who is hunting who?

Review

This some kind of messed up - I tell ya. It's enough to put anyone off having friendships or friendship groups. Perhaps this group of women should consider going their separate ways, then again after they have their jolly weekend trip they may never see each other ever again.

Felicity has invited her three best friends to celebrate her birthday, who can say no to a trip to Botswana - all expenses paid. Hannah doesn't want to leave her young child and her husband, Alice can do with a break from her toxic relationship, and Grace is the mouse who goes along with what the others say.

Morgan does like a secret left hook, especially when you're not expecting it and it's completely out of the blue. You think you know who the bad guy is, but do you really? Or is it a case of everyone has their secrets and is willing to do anything to keep them buried?

It's a captivating psychological thriller with a bit of Bates Motel vibe. The hunted have no clue they are in the sights of a vengeful person with no remorse. It gives readers the perfect balance between crime read and psychological thriller, and why hanging onto old friendships like the old pair of jeans you fit in twenty years ago in the hopes you will eventually lose ten kilos you gained might not be the right thing to do.

Buy The Wild Girls at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : HQ pub date 15 April 2021. Buy at Amazon com. At Waterstones.

#BlogTour America's Daughter by Celeste De Blasis

It's my turn on the BlogTour America's Daughter by Celeste De Blasis.

About the Author

Millions of readers have fallen under the spell of the lush, enthralling and bestselling novels by Celeste De Blasis. Tales of adventure and romance set against the sweep of history—all are storytelling at its finest. After graduating from Pomona College, Celeste devoted her life to impeccable research and spellbinding writing.  A native Californian, Celeste grew up on the historic Kemper Campbell Ranch in the Mojave Desert, where she lived until her death in 2001. 

About the book

With Washington’s army, she joined America’s fight for independence…

1773. The night that Addie Valencourt sneaks out to witness the Boston Tea Party, she knows that her world is about to change forever. Soon, the love and security of her tight-knit family is torn apart by the fight for American independence.

When the British lay siege to Boston, Addie’s English-born father welcomes them into his home, while her childhood sweetheart Silas leaves to join General Washington. Addie is determined to follow him when she meets Scottish Highlander John Traverne. The frowning, dark-haired soldier is unlike anyone she has ever known, and he interests her more than he should. But any future with a man on the opposite side of this fight is impossible…

As the bitter war continues, Addie’s life becomes increasingly bound with the fate of America. When Silas is captured by the British, she risks all to search for him, but venturing into enemy territory brings her face to face with her Highlander again. Now Addie must make an impossible choice between what her heart is telling her, and protecting the secrets—and even the very lives—of the Patriots on the dangerous front line…

Review

This is the first book in the America's Daughter trilogy. It begins with a feeling of the volatility and frustration of that time period as our characters are placed in the middle of the events of The Boston Tea Party. The unrest in Addie's country culminates in a war to gain independence. A war that will change the face and future of America forever.

I really liked the way the author showed the divide in the family as if they were the two countries. The father, the patriarch is very much a loyalist to crown and old country, however his children are products of the country they were raised in. You can imagine the division - much like a North and South situation. The kind of division that breaks families apart forever.

If Celeste only knew this series would be published at a time during the 21st century when both political and mercantile protests would be mirrored to some extent again. Also at a time when a sense of country and identity is being questioned and also old toxic systems are being rebelled against. Setting a family saga during this period of unrest gives this historical read a multi-genre feel.

It may give readers a nostalgic vibe it's because this is very much a historical family saga of a few decades ago, but that doesn't take away from the fact it is both very much a de Blasis story and a good read.

Buy America's Daughter at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Bookouture pub date 27 April 2021. Buy at Amazon com. At Apple. Google.

#BlogTour Mirrorland by Carole Johnstone

It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Mirrorland by  Carole Johnstone.

About the Author

Carole Johnstone’s award-winning short fiction has been reprinted in many annual ‘Best of’ anthologies in the UK and US. She lives in Argyll & Bute, Scotland, with her husband. Mirrorland is her debut novel. 

Follow @C_L_Johnstone on Twitter, Visit carolejohnstone.com

About the book

No. 36 Westeryk Road, an imposing flat-stone house on the outskirts of Edinburgh. A house of curving shadows and crumbling grandeur. But it’s what lies under the house that is extraordinary – Mirrorland. A vivid make-believe world that twin sisters Cat and El created as children. A place of escape, but from what?

Now in her thirties, Cat receives the shocking news that her sister has disappeared. Forced to return to Edinburgh, Cat finds herself irresistibly drawn back into Mirrorland. Because El has a plan. She’s left behind a treasure hunt that will unearth  long-buried secrets…

Review

Cat and El were as close as siblings can be, until they weren't of course. They are the mirror images of each other and are used to surviving and living under extreme threat and stress - real or imagined that is the question. They created their own world to live in until a betrayal rips them apart.

Now El is missing presumed dead, but Cat is convinced her sister is alive and well somewhere. Not only that she is convinced El is playing one of her silly games, but also that she would know without a doubt if El were dead. Of course nobody believes her, they think it is just wishful thinking.

It's a dark domestic thriller mired in magical realism. A twisted tale of fantasy, deception and an element of something inexplicable. A world of pure imagination built to keep El and Cat safe.

What I absolutely loved about this read was the realistic aspect of the imaginary world. Johnstone describes each place with such vivid enthusiasm that the imagined becomes the lived and the real. The scene in Mirrorland (the place not the book) was so well written I could feel the threat and see the world they inhabited.

It was fascinating how the author wove in and out of multiple genres and look forward to more, especially if we get more magical realism.

Buy Mirrorland at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: The Borough Press pub date 1st April 2021 | Hardback | Ebook | Audio | £12.99. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Beyond This Broken Sky by Siobhan Curham

It's my turn on the BlogTour Beyond This Broken Sky by Siobhan Curham.

About the Author

Siobhan Curham is an award-winning author, ghost writer, editor and writing coach. She has also written for many newspapers, magazines and websites, including The Guardian, Breathe magazine, Cosmopolitan, Writers’ Forum, DatingAdvice.com, and Spirit & Destiny. 

Siobhan has been a guest on various radio and TV shows, including Woman’s Hour, BBC News, GMTV and BBC Breakfast. And she has spoken at businesses, schools, universities and literary festivals around the world, including the BBC, Hay Festival, Cheltenham Festival, Bath Festival, Ilkley Festival, London Book Fair and Sharjah Reading Festival.

Follow @siobhancurham on Twitter, on Instagram, on Facebook, Visit siobhancurham.com

About the book

1940, London: An unforgettable novel about the strength of the human spirit in the face of war and the remarkable women who put themselves in danger on the front lines during the Battle of Britain.

As a volunteer for the ambulance service, Ruby has the dangerous task of driving along pitch-dark roads during the blackout. With each survivor she pulls from the rubble, she is helping to fight back against the enemy bombers, who leave nothing but destruction in their wake.

Assigned to her crew is Joseph, who is unable to fight but will stop at nothing to save innocent lives. Because he is not in uniform, people treat him with suspicion and Ruby becomes determined to protect this brave, compassionate man who has rescued so many, and captured her heart. Even if it means making an unthinkable choice between saving her own life and risking everything for his…

2019: Recently divorced Edi feels lost and alone when she moves to London to start a new life. Until she makes a discovery, hidden beneath a loose floorboard in her attic, that reveals a secret about the people who lived there in the 1940s. As she gradually uncovers a wartime love story full of danger and betrayal, Edi becomes inspired by the heroism of one incredible woman and the legacy that can be left behind by a single act of courage…

A sweeping tale of bravery and self-sacrifice that shows that even in the midst of war, hope and love can bloom. Perfect for fans of The Alice Network, The Secret Messenger and The Lost Girls of Paris.

Review 

Although Edi is supposed to be the other main character in this dual timeline story, she actually becomes more of a narrator to the story of Ruby and her experiences during the war. Her own life has become a bit like a ship floating without an anchor, so it's no surprise that she slips quite easily into the mysteries of the past.

Her new flat opens the door to the story of privileged Ruby during World War 2, as she navigates the destruction and fear of London being the main bombing target of the Germans. At first she acts as if the war is more of an inconvenience to her lifestyle, but eventually it dawns on her that she is at a crossroads in her life and needs to do her part.

No matter what kind of national or international crisis is afoot it doesn't make the problems you had before disappear and it probably just enhances them. In wartime you have to make a choice between your morals, ethics and quite frankly survival. Which of those things is more important?

It's a compelling venture into historical war fiction. I actually liked the way this author drew the threads between past and present. It was done in a way that made it a story any person could have experienced, and I am sure quite a few of our descendants have stories they have kept locked away tightly for decades. It gave the entire story more of a realistic feel, which is something very specific to historical fiction anchored in traumatic historical facts.

Buy Beyond This Broken Sky at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Bookouture pub date 20 April 2021. Buy at Amazon com. At Hive. Apple. Kobo. Google.

#Blogtour Vanished by James Delargy

 It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour Vanished by James Delargy.

About the Author

James Delargy was born and raised in Ireland and lived in South Africa, Australia and Scotland, before ending up in semirural England where he now lives. He incorporates this diverse knowledge of towns, cities, landscape and culture picked up on his travels into his writing. His first novel, 55, was published in 2019 and has been sold to 21 territories to date. Vanished is his second novel. Find him on Twitter: @jdelargyauthor, Visit jamesdelargy.com

About the book

The Kane family, Lorcan, Naiyana and their young son, are desperate to move their young family far away from the hustle and bustle of modern city life in Perth. The abandoned town of Kallayee, an abandoned mining town in the Great Victoria Desert, seems like the perfect getaway: no one has lived there for decades. It will be peaceful. Quiet. Secure.

But life in Kallayee isn’t quite as straightforward as they hope. Lights flicker at night. There are noises in the earth, mysterious shadows and tracks in the dust as if their presence is breathing new life back into the long-dead town. Lorcan and Naiyana refuse to leave. No one can talk sense into them. And now, no one can talk to them at all. They’ve simply vanished.

Review

A young family has vanished. One day they were there and the next day everyone is more or less acting as if they were never there at all. Given where they were living it's perhaps not that much of a surprise. A ghost town that inspires fear, caution and paranoia. Who knows what evil forces are lurking in the dark, dusty corners. Has that evil swallowed them up?

Emmaline, who is unapologetically herself at all times, is determined to find out what happened to the small family. As the reader is narrated by Lorcan, Naiyana and the police, the idyllic picture of a family rebuilding their lives after a hard time starts to crumble with frightening velocity.

Both Lorcan and Naiyana have burnt their bridges and are on the run or hiding from people who are looking for vengeance. Unfortunately Lorcan thinks squatting in a ghost town is a brilliant idea for his family, which includes a young son. Really?

It reminded me of Jane Harper and Scrubland by Chris Hammer, and to a certain extent Mystery Road. A very distinctive voice and style that makes the surroundings, and the ensuing atmosphere, part of the character ensemble. 

It is a bit drawn out in the middle and given the excellent characters, especially Emmaline, there are some missed opportunities perhaps, however I really enjoyed it and wouldn't hesitate to pick up another book by this author. It's a great crime read.

Buy Vanished at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK Publishing 15th April 2021 | Hardback | £14.99. Buy at Hive.

#BlogTour Games People Play by Owen Mullen

It's my turn on the Blogtour Games People Play by Own Mullen.

About the Author

Owen Mullen is a highly regarded crime author who splits his time between Scotland and the island of Crete.  In his earlier life he lived in London and worked as a musician and session singer. He has now written seven books and his first gangland thriller for Boldwood, Family will be published in January 2021. Sign up to his newsletter here

Follow @OwenMullen6 on Twitter, on Instagram, on Facebook, on Youtube, Goodreads Author page, Bookbub page,

About the book

When a baby is stolen from a Scottish beach, private investigator Charlie Cameron reluctantly agrees to take the case.

While her parents are just yards away, thirteen-month-old Lily Hamilton is abducted from Ayr beach in Scotland. Three days later, her distraught father turns up at private investigator Charlie Cameron’s office. Mark Hamilton believes he knows who has taken his daughter. And why.

Against his better judgment, Charlie takes the case—and when bodies are discovered, he suspects this may not be an isolated crime. Is there a serial killer whose work has gone undetected for decades? Is baby Lily his latest victim? Charlie won’t be able to give up on this case. Memories and guilt from his childhood won’t let him…

Review

Private Investigator Charlie is reluctant to take on the case of a missing baby. It sails too close to the home of his nightmares and his feelings of despair and doubt. Choosing to help the parents of a young baby, an innocent child with not so innocent parents - it's a case that stirs up trouble and emotions.

Charlie Cameron is driven by his own baggage, the memories and flashbacks that dictate his emotional state of mind. This new case is too close to previous experiences, perhaps it's also the reason he can't let it be until he knows the truth.

The fact Charlie is unable to leave his own trauma in the past is very much what flavours the entire story. He is this straight talking PI and yet at the same time he is the child who wants to - needs to know the truth. The question is whether he will ever get a satisfactory answer.

I think truth is the commodity around which the story revolves. Different versions of it and yet also the one that is beyond the truth - that dangerous layer of thin ice between assuming and actually having your suspicions acknowledged is the basis of everything.

It's a slow burner written with a certain style and voice Mullen brings to the table. It gives readers the crime, mystery and also this snappy realistic vibe, and yet the emotional element is just as strong. This is the first in the series and hopefully one of many going forward. I also hope readers will finally get some answers about his sister, although a compelling drawn out cat and mouse game between the bad guy and Cameron would be equally as interesting.

Buy Games People Play at Amazon Uk or got to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Boldwood Books pub date 20 April 2021. Buy at Amazon com. 

#BlogTour Prisoner by Ross Greenwood

 

It's my turn on the BlogTour Prisoner by Ross Greenwood and it's also Publication Day!

About the Author

Ross Greenwood is the author of six crime thrillers. Before becoming a full-time writer he was most recently a prison officer and so worked everyday with murderers, rapists and thieves for four years. He lives in Peterborough and his first title for Boldwood – the beginning of a series – The Snow Killer was published in November 2019. 

Follow @greenwoodross on Twitter, on Facebook, on Bookbub, on Goodreads, on Amazon, 

About the book

Behind bars, the rules are different…Prison Officer Jim Dalton is used to walking the landings on the male side of HMP Peterborough. It’s a dangerous place, fuelled by testosterone-driven violence, but he’s done the job for a long time. He understands the unwritten rules, and he has the prisoners’ respect. 

When a relative is sent to the jail, Dalton is transferred to the female side of the prison. His next shift is so easy, he can’t believe that the officers over there get paid the same wages. He sleeps well for the first time in years.

But when he is assigned to the young offenders’ wing, dealing with female prisoners no longer seems so simple.  As every day passes, and he gets to know the women better, he is slowly drawn in to new temptations, new traps and a new nightmare. One which could destroy everything.

Taking a break from his bestselling DI Barton series, Ross Greenwood returns with this shocking, page-turning and utterly compelling glimpse behind the bars of a women’s prison. From a man who walked the landings himself…

Review

Jim Dalton is an experienced prison officer, who knows instinctively when the atmosphere changes in his section. He knows the nuances of the dangerous men, the fear of the newbies and the unpredictability of the addicts.

When he is moved to the women's side of the prison he finds himself having to navigate different waters and in doing so makes the kind of mistakes that can cost a man his career. The vulnerability and fragility of the women blinds him to the crimes they have committed and how ruthless they can be.

I really enjoyed the window into the world of a prison officer. I think the majority of readers have a certain image of life as a prison officer, as the granddaughter of a screw then governor who taught me plenty about the job, I know there are many misconceptions about the role. This story does a lot to give a clearer picture of what it is really like for a prison officer.

The strain it puts on their mental, physical health and the way the pressures can have a direct impact on family and their personal lives - all of those things tend to happen in silence or just out of earshot of the general public.

After The Soul Killer this is a breathe of fresh air and a clear indication of what the author is capable of. It's pithy, precise, rooted in fact and it keeps the reader engaged. I would say the last third of the book wasn't as tight as the rest, however overall it was a really good read. This book is the kind that keeps readers coming back for more.

Looks like Greenwood is just getting started, clearly stories with a more urban gritty feel are more up his alley.

Buy Prisoner at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Boldwood Books; pub date 22 April 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#Review Both of You by Adele Parks

Another fantastic read from Adele Parks coming end of May 2021!

About the Author

Adele Parks was born in Teesside, North-east England. her first novel, Playing Away, was published in 2000 and since then she's had eighteen international bestsellers. She's been an Ambassador for The Reading Agency and a judge for the Costa and is a keen supporter of The National Literary Trust. She's lived in Italy, Botswana and London, and is now settled in Guildford, Surrey, with her husband and son.

Follow @adeleparks @HQStories on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit adeleparks.com

About the book

Leigh Fletcher: happily married stepmum to two gorgeous boys goes missing on Monday. Her husband Mark says he knows nothing of her whereabouts. She simply went to work and just never came home. Their family is shattered.

Kai Janssen: married to wealthy Dutch businessman, Daan, vanishes the same week. Kai left their luxurious penthouse and glamourous world without a backward glance. She seemingly evaporated into thin air. Daan is distraught.

DC Clements knows that people disappear all the time – far too frequently. Most run away from things, some run towards, others are taken but find their way back. A sad few never return. These two women are from very different worlds, their disappearances are unlikely to be connected. And yet, at a gut level, the DC believes they are.

How could these women walk away from their families, husbands and homes willingly? Clements is determined to unearth the truth, no matter how shocking and devastating it may be.

Review

It's going to be a bit of task to review the way I would like to without giving the plot away, but hey ho I'm going to try because its such an interesting premise. 

Two women, completely different women, disappear without a trace. The only thing they have in common is the fact they are gone and they vanished around the same time. The reader gets a glimpse of one in captivity - the other fate unknown. Meanwhile the outside world thinks they have gone because they are disgruntled and unhappy with their lives. No one is really looking that hard. Their husbands aren't looking at all. Who wants to hurt Leigh or Kai? 

The juxtaposition of the two women who have nothing in common is the most intriguing element of the read. Leigh the loving wife who has become the caring stepmother. She is chaotic, frustrated with dealing with an ungrateful teenager and often wonders why she is still with her husband

Kudos to Parks she is getting better with each book, which is quite a feat seeing as she has already written some humdingers. Also for the clever double entendre in regards to the book title. This does not disappoint and has her trademark depth and moral conundrum written all over it and of course it's a great read.

Buy Both of You at Amazon Uk o go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com. At Hive.

#BlogTour The Source by Sarah Sultoon

It really is a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour for The Source by Sarah Sultoon. 

'A hugely anticipated debut thriller from former CNN international news executive Sarah Sultoon. Inspired by Sarah’s own time in the newsroom, The Source follows a young TV journalist who is forced to revisit her past when she’s thrust into a sex-trafficking investigation in her hometown. TV rights have already been sold to Lime Pictures, with Jo Spain writing the screenplay.'

 About the Author

Sarah Sultoon is a journalist and writer whose work as an international news executive at CNN has taken her all over the world, from the seats of power in both Westminster and Washington to the frontlines of Iraq and Afghanistan. She has extensive experience in conflict zones, winning three Peabody awards for her work on the war in Syria, an Emmy for her contribution to the coverage of Europe’s migrant crisis in 2015, and a number of Royal Television Society gongs.

As passionate about fiction as nonfiction, she recently completed a Masters of Studies in Creative Writing at the University of Cambridge, adding to an undergraduate language degree in French and Spanish, and Masters of Philosophy in History, Film and Television. When not reading or writing she can usually be found somewhere outside, either running, swimming or throwing a ball for her three children and dog while she imagines what might happen if…

Follow @SultoonSarah on Twitter

About the book

1996. Essex. Thirteen-year-old schoolgirl Carly lives in a disenfranchised town dominated by a military base, struggling to care for her baby sister while her mum sleeps off another binge. When her squaddie brother brings food and treats, and offers an exclusive invitation to army parties, things start to look a little less bleak…

2006. London. Junior TV newsroom journalist Marie has spent six months exposing a gang of sex traffickers, but everything is derailed when New Scotland Yard announces the re-opening of Operation Andromeda, the notorious investigation into allegations of sex abuse at an army base a decade earlier.

As the lives of these two characters intertwine around a single, defining event, a series of utterly chilling experiences is revealed, sparking a nail-biting race to find the truth… and justice.

A tense, startling and unforgettable thriller, The Source is a story about survival, about hopes and dreams, about power, abuse and resilience.

Review

Carly is a thirteen-year-old who has become the substitute mommy to her baby sister, because her mother is a lush and her older brother doesn't care enough to help. He is too invested in his military career, to the point of being willing to do anything to keep his position.

Carly, who is overwhelmed and vulnerable, is slowly drawn into situations that seem innocent on the surface and yet are far more insidious than she realises. All Carly really cares about is keeping her sister alive and safe, which is her Achilles heel.

In the present we meet journalist Marie, who has spent a lot of time investigating a sex trafficking ring.  The two characters have more in common than they realise. One driven by trauma and fear, and the other by the need to save victims.

I am always cautious when a book gets a lot of hype and I like to find out for myself if it lives up to it - well it does and did. It's a cracking read. As readers pivot from past to present and back, from Marie and Carly and back again, you just can't help but become invested in their stories.

It's simultaneously a deeply disturbing image of our society, how the vulnerable are targeted and become invisible victims. Their perpetrators hide in plain sight and are often never brought to justice. Unfortunately this story isn't fiction drawn out of thin air - for the majority it is truth and features one of the most despicable, prevalent and profitable crimes the modern world faces.

Kudos to Sultoon for the absolutely engaging, heart wrenching and brutally honest read.

Buy The Source at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Orenda: pub date 15 April 2021. Paperback Original - £8.99. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Orenda.

#BlogTour The Hard Way by Duncan Brockwell

 

It's Publication Day and the time to kick off the BlogTour The Hard Way by Duncan Brockwell.

About the Author

Duncan Brockwell is a full-time dental technician from West Sussex. Having completed his course at Lambeth College in 2018, he started writing in his spare time. An avid gardener and part-time mixologist, he loves nothing more than relaxing at home with his wife, Beks and pure white rescue cat, Milly. 

Since Duncan started writing in 2018, he has written thirteen novels, nine of which have been, or are in the process of being published. Unlike a lot of authors, Duncan feels he is a hobby writer, toiling away on his purple couch in front of the TV in the evenings and weekends. He wants nothing more than for readers to enjoy his various offerings, ranging from romantic comedy (under pseudonym Katie Simpkins) to hardcore blood and guts horror and everything in between (Under either DC Brockwell or Duncan Brockwell). Follow him at:

Follow @dcbrockwell1 on Twitter, Facebook: DC Brockwell Author, Instagram: @dcbrockwell

About the book

When intruders enter a radio station and kill a famed presenter it sets in motion a chain of events that will push the Metropolitan Police to their limits.

Officers Hayes and Miller are on the trail of a suspect and when Eric Helsey is detained, the police realise they have arrested the wrong man. As the case grows more complicated with each revelation, and the body count rises, they find themselves investigating a series of crimes all of which may be linked.

But what ties the murder of the radio host with a Turkish casino owner and the killing of two employees at a valve factory? Hayes and Miller find themselves in a race against time to get to the truth before more people are hurt…

Review

A triple homicide has DI Amanda Hayes and DS Rachel Miller flummoxed at first. The victims don't seem to come with clear motives. It looks like a hit, but then there are certain details of the crime scene that suggest a different kind of perpetrator. A more nefarious kind of killer.

The victims aren't all exactly squeaky clean either, so the question is where do you start searching if your haystack comes with more needles than hay in the first place? What eventually becomes clear is that Hayes and Miller have been tasked with solving a crime that opens the doors to violence, brutality, betrayal and having to watch their six.

Here and there it could do with a bit of a nip, tuck and tighten, and perhaps in future a read through for repetitive phrases or perhaps better use of synonyms. Other than that it's a crime read with a bite and two strong female leads, which is always a good thing.

It's a contemporary crime read, a gritty urban story with a organised crime vibe with a bit of a Line of Duty feel to it. You just don't know who you can trust and the duo better be prepared to fight fire with fire or one of them might just end up a statistic.

It's fast-paced, brutal and unforgiving at times. 

Buy The Hard Way at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Bloodhound Books - pub date 19 April 2021. Buy at Amazon com. At Hive.

#BlogTour The Therapist by B. A. Paris

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Therapist by B. A. Paris.

About the Author

B A Paris is the internationally bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors, The Breakdown, Bring Me Back and The Dilemma. Having sold over a million copies in the UK alone, she is a New York Times bestseller as well as a Sunday Times bestseller. Her books have been translated into 40 languages. Having lived in France for many years, she and her husband recently moved back to the UK. Her fifth novel, The Therapist is out now.

Follow @BAParisAuthor on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon,

About the book 

When Alice and Leo move into a newly renovated house in The Circle, a gated community of exclusive houses, it is everything they’ve dreamed of. But appearances can be deceptive…

As Alice is getting to know her neighbours, she discovers a devastating secret about her new home, and begins to feel a strong connection with Nina, the therapist who lived there before.

Alice becomes obsessed with trying to piece together what happened two years before. But no one wants to talk about it. Her neighbors are keeping secrets and things are not as perfect as they seem…

Review

Alice and Leo are just settling into their new refurbished home, which is in a gated community - it gives them both a sense of security. Leo is a bit cautious about getting to know their neighbours, but Alice is trying hard to get to know them. Everyone seems happy to meet her barring certain people who appear to dislike her intensely for no reason.

She has no idea that she has landed in the middle of a mystery that everyone seems to be involved in. It makes her quite paranoid, but it isn't paranoia when someone is actually out to get you or are they? She becomes obsessed with the woman who lived in her house before her. Alice had a sister called Nina and this woman is called Nina, and Alice obsesses about anyone with the same name. 

Err yeh that bit of the premise wasn't what I would call unrealistic per se, because it would bring back memories and flashbacks, however the way it was delivered was. The dialogue and telling everyone who would listen about the Nina name thing was over the top and superfluous.

I personally didn't think this was as well put together as prior books by Paris. It lacked her usual flair and specific voice. The premise was okay, however it all came together well towards the end. It's a dark domestic thriller that plays upon the issues of trust in a relationship and how a lack of it causes an instability in a relationship, which is combined with a creepy murder mystery.

Buy The Therapist at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : HQ pub date 15 April 2021. Buy at Amazon com. At Hive.

#BlogTour Bad Day in Minsk by Jonathan Pinnock

 It's my turn on the BlogTour Bad Day in Minsk by Jonathan Pinnock.

About the Author

Jonathan Pinnock is the author of Mrs Darcy versus the Aliens, the Scott Prize-winning short story collection Dot Dash, the memoir Take it Cool and the poetry collection Love and Loss and Other Important Stuff.  

Follow @jonpinnock on Twitter, Visit jonathanpinnock.com

About the book

Tom Winscombe is having a bad day. Trapped at the top of the tallest building in Minsk while a lethal battle between several mafia factions plays out beneath him, he contemplates the sequence of events that brought him here, starting with the botched raid on a secretive think tank and ending up in the middle of the Chernobyl exclusion zone.

More importantly, he wonders how he's going to get out of this alive when the one person who can help is currently not speaking to him.  Join Tom and a cast of disreputable and downright dangerous characters in this witty thriller set in a murky world of murder, mystery and complex equations.

Review

This is the fourth book in the Mathematical Mystery series. It can be read as a standalone novel, although I can imagine readers wanting to read the other books in the series after reading this one.

The Vavasor papers are at the heart of this mystery, their journey and the mystery of their alleged existence and whereabouts also features previously in the series. The papers are also an object of contention when it comes to Tom and Dorothy. He doesn't understand her professional obsession with them and she is annoyed by his irreverent attitude towards the Vavasor papers.

The unskilled asset is once again thrown into the deep end of undercover work as he stumbles through one awkward situation after the other to find the papers. If Tom were an on-screen character he would probably be described as slapstick and this is very much a comedy of errors. Where something can go wrong - it does. 

Despite it being a mathematical mystery the read isn't bogged down by anything complex, luckily for me, and is more of a cosy mystery full of humour. I do think that's important to note, although the author mentions it himself, that it's supposed to fun escapism, which it absolutely is. The mathematical element is like the snarky intellectual cherry on top of the sundae.

Buy Bad Day in Minsk at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Farrago pub date 8 April 2021. Buy at Amazon com. At Hive.

#BlogBlitz Willow Weeps by Louise Worthington

It's my turn on the BlogBlitz Willow Weeps by Louise Worthington.

About the Author

Born in Cheshire, England, Louise studied literature at the University of Essex. As a teenager she read until the small hours, enjoying the darker worlds conjured by Stephen King and Daphne du Maurier.

Louise is the author of the bestseller, Rachel's Garden, another psychological thriller and Distorted Days which Kirkus Review described as 'a formidable work.'  Her chilling blend of the lyrical and the dark is the most gripping in her thrillers and horror.

Follow @louiseworthing9 on Twitter, on Facebook, on Amazon, on Goodreads, Visit louiseworthington.co.uk, 

About the book

A secret is a lie in the making. A charming divorcee and his young daughter. The promise of a new life – together as a family, in an apartment in a historic building.  A fresh start – or the key to a nightmare?Who will Willow believe – a young offender, or the love of her life?

Page-turning and emotional, Willow Weeps is the gripping new thriller from the author of Rachel’s Garden and The Entrepreneur. 

Review

Willow seems to have a life on the brink of being almost perfect until she decides to move in with her boyfriend. Then her life is filled with messages, warnings from behind the veil - from her sister. Her dead sister. 

It's very much a story told by an unreliable narrator. There are many times when both the reader and Willow isn't aware how much she is actually experiencing and how much of it is imagined or a result of her internal narrative. 

Clearly I've been doing life wrong if being a mature woman, and being able to notice said maturity in myself, is equal to being a bit of a sociopath. Willow really isn't your average kind of character, although if you asked her she would be the first to deny any fault of hers, but secretly she would admire herself for being such a successful psycho.

This was a bit of a too many cooks in the kitchen kind of thing. Too many threads, many superfluous, and not enough of them coming together in a way that made sense from a story perspective. At times there seemed to be too many sub-plots and not enough focus on a main thread.

At the same time I wonder if perhaps Willow is a character the reader may misinterpret or rather interpret depending on how they read her. For me she was someone who was the danger, as opposed to her sensing some external danger courtesy of her dead sister. That's perhaps what was missing though, the conviction of writing a flawed main character and accepting she isn't just the protagonist, but also the antagonist of the story.

Buy Willow Weeps at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Red Escape Publishing pub date March 31, 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour The Rapunzel Act by Abi Silver

It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Rapunzel Act by Abi Silver.

 About the Author

Abi Silver is an author and lawyer who grew up in Leeds in a traditional Jewish family. Watching Granada TV's 'Crown Court' in between lessons led her to study  Law at Girton College, Cambridge. Abi then worked in London at international law firm, Allen & Overy and at RPC, before spending five years in Israel, where her husband, Daniel, was posted. 

During her time there, alongside raising her three young sons, Abi completed an MBA by distance learning, learned Hebrew and pottery on the wheel and began to write fiction, usually late at night. On returning to the UK, she went back to law before quitting a permanent position in 2015 when she decided to try her hand at writing again which led to publication of The Pinocchio Brief. Based in Radlett, Hertfordshire, Abi works part-time as a legal consultant and author.

Follow @abisilver16 on Twitter, Visit abisilver.co.uk

About the book

When Breakfast TV host and nation's darling, Rosie Harper, is found brutally murdered at home suspicion falls o her spouse, formerly international football start, Danny 'walks on water' Mallard, now living out of the public eye as a trans woman, Debbie. Not only must Debbie challenge the hard evidence against her, including the blood-drenched glove at the scene of the crime, she must also contend with the nation's prejudices, as the trial is broadcast live, turning it into a public spectacle.

For someone trying to live their life without judgement, it might just be too much to bear. Legal duo Judith Burton an Constance Lamb are subjected to unyielding scrutiny as they strive to defend their most famous client yet.

Review

When Debbie's ex-wife is killed she doesn't expect to have all the fingers pointing at her and more importantly how guilty she makes herself look with her initial gut reactions to the news. legal team Lamb and Burton are put under a microscope when they decide to represent Debbie. It's fair to say they are shocked by the reactions to their client.

It's good to see some diversity in fiction, but perhaps more so when it comes to LGBTQ plots. Debbie is not only a transgender character, she also represents the fears of many transphobes, because before she transitioned she was a sport hero worshipped by many in a sport which is the definition of male stereotypes. Football hero - national treasure. How can the embodiment of masculinity and testosterone suddenly be a woman?

The author delves into these misconceptions and the way society seems to believe they own their celebrities and sport idols, and of course that means they also have the right to question Debbie's existence. It's easy to crucify what you neither understand or are willing to accept.

Anyone else get  O.J. Simpson crime vibes? Chased through the streets by the police, the nations favourite sport star and a glove at the scene of the crime. Combining that with an interesting transgender character, and the misconceptions and transphobia that go along with it unfortunately, and you have a compelling courtroom and crime read.

Buy The Rapunzel Act at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Lightning Books: pub date 15 April 2021 - Paperback Original - £8.99. Buy at Amazon com. At Hive.