#BlogTour Not My Daughter by Suzy K. Quinn

Today it's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Not My Daughter by Suzy K. Quinn.

About the Author
Suzy K Quinn is a British fiction author, and writes in three different genres: psychological thriller, comedy and romance. She was first published by Hachette in 2010 with her debut novel Glass Geishas (now Night Girls), then self-published a romance series, the Ivy Lessons, which became an international bestseller and a #1 Kindle romance bestseller in the US and UK.

After her second daughter was born in 2013, she self-published the Bad Mother's Diary series, which also went on to become a #1 Kindle romantic comedy bestseller.

Suzy K Quinn's novels have been translated into 7 languages and her books have sold over ¾ million copies worldwide.

Suzy lives in Wivenhoe, Essex, with her husband Demi and two daughters, and travels to Mexico every year to write and study Mayan story telling. Suzy loves her family, friends and readers, but when pushed to add more to the list, she also loves travelling, food and alcohol.

Follow @SuzyKQuinn on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit suzykquinn.com, Buy Not My Daughter

About the book
I told my daughter a terrible lie…
Lorna never told her sixteen-year-old daughter the chilling truth about her real father. But one morning, she finds Liberty missing — and realizes the teenager has left to find the man she once fled from…

After sixteen years of protecting my daughter from the dark secret of her past, I wake one morning to find her room empty, rucksack gone. Most runaways return within 72 hours, but I’m not so sure. I think my daughter has gone to find her real father – the man I fled from years ago.

No one knows better than me that beneath his charm lies a monster. I escaped him once. But will she see him for what he really is? After all, blood is thicker than water…

Review
It's one thing to be trapped in a situation with someone who is an expert manipulator but it is quite another to be trapped in one with someone who is a global star.

Or is this really a case of fandom turned obsessive stalker? Lorna has built her entire life on a bed of lies, which is what makes her sensitive to any intrusion from the outside world. She keeps her daughter Liberty so isolated and caged that the teenager has started to rebel against the very strict rules her mother has put in place.

Little does Lorna know that Liberty is ten steps ahead of her mother when it comes to breaking free and finding out what Lorna has been hiding all these years. She is off to find the mysterious father her mother has kept her away from her entire life. A rock star, a living legend who lives in the middle of his own forest just a few miles away.

Quinn presents a not entirely uncommon situation - a he said she said dilemma. Is she an insane fan or is he a skilled manipulator? By putting the world of celebrity into the equation it amplifies the imbalance of power and the lack of support potential victims encounter.

Without drawing specific attention to it the author also shows the position of strength a powerful person can manipulate from. A platform can be used to influence fans and followers, which always puts the non-celebrity in a weaker position.

It's an emotional fast-paced read with a nice wicked twist at the end.

Buy Not My Daughter at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HQ; pub date 28 May 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

Read my review of Don't Tell Teacher by Suzy K. Quinn.

#BlogTour Don't Tell Teacher by Suzy K. Quinn

Today it's my turn on the Blogtour Don't Tell Teacher by Suzy K. Quinn. It's an intriguing psychological thriller with a doozy of a twist.

About the Author
Suzy K Quinn is a British fiction author, and writes in three different genres: psychological thriller, comedy and romance.

She was first published by Hachette in 2010 with her debut novel Glass Geishas (now Night Girls), then self-published a romance series, the Ivy Lessons, which became an international bestseller and a #1 Kindle romance bestseller in the US and UK.

After her second daughter was born in 2013, she self-published the Bad Mother's Diary series, which also went on to become a #1 Kindle romantic comedy bestseller.

Suzy K Quinn's novels have been translated into 7 languages and her books have sold over ¾ million copies worldwide.

Suzy lives in Wivenhoe, Essex, with her husband Demi and two daughters, and travels to Mexico every year to write and study Mayan story telling. Suzy loves her family, friends and readers, but when pushed to add more to the list, she also loves travelling, food and alcohol.

Follow @SuzyKQuinn on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit suzykquinn.com
Buy Don't Tell Teacher

About the book
School should have been the safest place…

For Lizzie Riley, switching her six-year-old son Tom to the local academy school marks a fresh start, post-divorce. With its excellent reputation, Lizzie knows it’ll be a safe space away from home.

But there's something strange happening at school. Parents are forbidden from entering the grounds, and there are bars across the classroom windows.

Why is Tom coming home exhausted, unable to remember his day? What are the strange marks on his arm? And why do the children seem afraid to talk?

Lizzie is descending into every parent’s worst nightmare: her little boy is in danger. But will she be able to protect him before it’s too late?

Review
Bites tongue. Tells brain not to let the cat out of the bag. What a deliciously twisted plot, my my my Suzy Q.

There are so many elements to this story and all of them are worthy of a natter. At the core of this psychological thriller is abuse. Abuse from every angle. Taking the overburdened system to task and showing the weaknesses of said system.

Lizzie and Tom live in constant fear of her ex. She keeps the both of them hidden away to stay safe, which doesn't appear to make a difference to her ex mother-in-law or her own mother for that matter. Her own mother is a sandwich short of a dramatic and narcissistic picnic.

If that wasn't enough to deal with, with the fact Tom has secured a place at a great school, is negated by the strange security procedures and the odd behaviour Tom has been showing lately.

Kate and Tessa are perfect examples of why social workers have a high rate of burnout. The responsibility of so many lives lays in their hands. One small mistake or oversight can lead to a fatal mistake. There aren't enough social workers to deal with the many children and young people in the system, and that's only counting the ones that they know about.

Kate finds it difficult to navigate the increasing pressure of such an important job. Her gut and professional decisions are often second guessed by Tessa, which makes it harder to help anyone. It's time she learnt to be assertive and to go with her gut feeling.

I was in two minds about the plot towards the end, perhaps because it felt like letting the majority of abusers go with a slap on the wrist. However on reflection I think it's important to shine on a light on these types of scenarios, I can't go into it in too much detail without giving away too much.

Kudos to Quinn for showing the inadequacies of the social care system, the loopholes children fall through and the pressure and danger both groups are subjected to. It's an intriguing psychological thriller with a doozy of a twist.

Buy Don't Tell Teacher at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HQ; 11 July 2019. Buy at Amazon com.