BOOK REVIEW MY BROTHER THE KILLER BY ALIX SHARKEY

At 8.00am on Monday 18th June 2001, Danielle Jones left home dressed in her school uniform – and promptly vanished.

The 15-year old’s body was never recovered, but Danielle’s parents soon learned that her ‘Uncle Stuart’, a close family friend, had concealed a decades-long history of sexual violence against teenage girls. Despite the absence of a body, Stuart Campbell was sentenced to life in prison for Danielle’s abduction and murder. But what set him on his path as a violent sexual predator? And how do you come to terms with his actions if he’s your own flesh and blood?

In My Brother the Killer, Stuart’s older brother Alix Sharkey chronicles the violent childhood and troubled teens that helped shape a bright and handsome little boy into one of Britain’s most notorious killers, and led to one of the UK’s most unusual murder trials. Sharkey also poses several terrifying questions: what happens when you discover a deadly sexual predator in your family? Is it possible to trace the root of his heinous crimes? And with the clock ticking towards his possible parole, can Stuart Campbell be convinced to reveal the location of Danielle’s remains?

A devastating hybrid of true crime and family memoir, My Brother the Killer examines the true cost of keeping dark family secrets.

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley.

I’m a big true crime fan and this mixed with a memoir was a fascinating harrowing yet insightful read .

Written with a mixture of diary entries , personal memories from their childhood and newspaper/Court details.

Incredibly thought provoking and a great read.

Published 22nd July

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BOOK REVIEW TRICK OR TREAT BY KATERINA DIAMOND

When six-year-old Marcus is taken from outside his house on Halloween it shakes his quiet neighbourhood to the core.

Everyone was ready for a night of trick-or-treating. Now the unthinkable has happened.

TRUTH OR LIES?

As Detective Imogen Grey arrives to question Marcus’s parents, they tell her there has been a mistake. Their son is just fine.

But if that’s true, where is Marcus?

INNOCENT OR GUILTY?

Imogen becomes locked in a race against time to find the missing child and uncover the truth. Can she discover what’s happened to Marcus before it’s too late?

Firstly a big thank you to the team at Avon for my copy to review on netgalley. I absolutely love Katerinas books so was delighted to be reading.

It’d been a busy time recently so this afternoon I sat and devoured this and I was not disappointed.

Fantastic plot and twisty as ever . Compelling and unpredictable.

Fast paced and a exciting exhilarating thriller .

Great to be back with these characters and to see them each stripped back to see their vulnerabilities and love for each other. Its thought provoking and deals with sensitive topics.

Highly recommend if you like your thrillers to grab you from the go!!

Published 14th October

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BOOK REVIEW THE ANNIVERSARY BY LAURA MARSHALL

Eleven murders. Twenty-five years ago.
Are some truths better left buried?

On 15th June 1994, Travis Green – husband, father, upstanding citizen – walked through the streets of Hartstead and killed eleven of his neighbours. The final victim was four-year-old Cassie Colman’s father.

As the twenty-five year anniversary approaches, Cassie would rather forget the past – even as her mother struggles to remember it at all. Then something hidden in her mother’s possessions suggests those eleven murders were not what everyone believes.

Once Cassie suspects she’s been lied to about the most important event of her life, she can’t stop digging up the past.

But someone will do anything to keep it buried .

Wow what a read ! I’ve loved her previous books so was excited to read this .

This has all the ingredients needed for a twisty psychological thriller.

How do you ever get over something so traumatic and life changing? And what do you do when a big anniversary of the event is getting nearer??

Who can Cassie trust ? Plus navigating her way as a new single mum and caring for her own mum life certainly feels full on .

Secrets,lies and the past are all in danger of being exposed but who is telling the truth.

A fantastic, exciting, dark and twisty read. Highly recommend if you love addictive unsettling books that leave you wanting more.

Published 5th August

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BOOK REVIEW MY MOTHER, MUNCHAUSEN’S AND ME

There was a time when I loved my mother. It’s shocking to imply that I stopped loving my mum because mothers always love their children and always do their best for them. Mothers are supposed to be good. But my mother wasn’t good.

Ten years ago, Helen Naylor discovered her mother, Elinor, had been faking debilitating illnesses for thirty years. After Elinor’s self-induced death, Helen found her diaries, which Elinor wrote daily for over fifty years. The diaries reveal not only the inner workings of Elinor’s twisted mind and self-delusion, but also shocking revelations about Helen’s childhood.

Everything Helen knew about herself and her upbringing was founded on a lie. The unexplained accidents and days spent entirely on her own as a little girl, imagining herself climbing into the loft and disappearing into a different world, tell a story of neglect. As a teenager, her mother’s advice to Helen on her body and mental health speaks of dangerous manipulation.

With Elinor’s behaviour becoming increasingly destructive, and Helen now herself a mother, she was left with a stark choice: to collude with Elinor’s lies or be accused of abandoning her.

My Mother, Munchausen’s and Me is a heart-breaking, honest and brave account of a daughter unravelling the truth about her mother and herself. It’s a story of a stolen childhood, mental illness, and the redemptive power of breaking a complex and toxic bond

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. This caught my eye on both a personal level and as a very slow memoir writer myself .

This was a fascinating insightful hard-hitting book . Powerfully honest ,raw and emotive .

Incredibly thought provoking and a heavy read , it must of been quite the journey to write and relive.

It shows great strength and courage to share her truth and it was a honour to read. I too had a complex childhood and relationship with a mother so I could relate in some parts .

I highly recommend this and it is published 25th November

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BOOK REVIEW THE LAST LIBRARY BY FREYA SAMPSON

You can tell a lot about a person from the library books they borrow

Library assistant June knows a lot about the regulars at Chalcot Library, yet they know very little about her. When her mum – the beloved local librarian – passed away eight years ago, June stepped into her shoes. But despite their shared love of books, shy June has never felt she can live up to the village’s memory of her mum. Instead, she’s retreated into herself and her memories, surviving on Chinese takeaways-for-one and rereading their favourite books at home.

When the library is threatened with closure, a ragtag band of eccentric locals establish the Friends of Chalcot Library campaign. There’s gentlemanly pensioner Stanley, who visits the library for the computers and the crosswords, cantankerous Mrs B, who is yet to find a book she approves of, and teenager Chantal, who just wants a quiet place to study away from home. But can they compel reclusive June to join their cause?

If June wants to save the library, she finally has to make some changes to her life: opening up her heart to friendship, opportunities and maybe even more . . .

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. What a fantastic debut and a must read for any bookworm .

I loved this gem of a story. Uplifting ,heartwarming and life affirming

There are great characters who each add their own piece of magic to the story.

What would you do if you was brave and bold enough? What’s been holding you back? This is explored in this book as June is faced with difficult and new challenges .

I highly recommend this and can’t wait to read more from Freya.

Published 2nd September

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