BOOK REVIEW THE GIRL WHO LEFT BY JENNY BLACKHURST

Twenty-five years ago, a local girl went missing. Now, another girl comes back…

When five-year-old Elsie Button was snatched from a garden in a sleepy town on the Welsh island of Anglesey, and a local man later confessed, it sent shockwaves through the tight-knit community. How could one of their own do such a thing? Especially when his own little girl was the same age – and the victim’s best friend.

Kathryn and her family left under the cloak of darkness one night, unable to bear the shame, and the anger of their neighbours. She hardly remembers that time. Now, she suffers the consequences of living under an assumed name, always looking over her shoulder. Her dad has not spoken a word to her since he went to prison. She is haunted by the question: why did he kill Elsie?

When another child is taken from the same garden, twenty-five years to the day of Elsie’s murder, Kathryn is determined that this time she’ll be on the right side. She’ll join the search and atone for her father’s deed, and maybe, just maybe, get the answers she wants. But she’s not prepared for the long memory of the locals, nor the risks of going back. Not everyone on the island wants the truth to come out, and they’ll go to extreme lengths to stop that from happening.

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. And apologies for the delay as I lost my ipad…

Anyway I inhaled half of this is one go… its so good!!

Been a big fan of her books for years so was excited to read this one.

Unpredictable ,tense and incredibly gripping.

Fantastic thriller that will have you hooked from start to finish desperate to know the truth.

Thought provoking and gets under your skin especially as a parent.

Published 30th June.

BOOK REVIEW THE SUMMER TRIP BY ISABELLE BROOM

What if your life worked out perfectly . . . for someone else?

It’s been 18 years since Ava spent the summer on the Greek island of Corfu, but she has never forgotten what happened during those months – or who she left behind.

Now single, estranged from her family, and preparing to wave her daughter off to university, Ava’s life seems a million miles away from the one she dreamed about as a teenager – a life now being lived by her sister instead.

When Ava decides to return to Corfu for the summer, she knows she must finally face the place and the people that broke her heart. But with old resentments festering, long-buried secrets lurking, and familiar feelings resurfacing, it looks set to be a holiday that will change all their lives forever. . .

I own all of her books, I don’t even need to know the title I’m buying it. Isabelle is the queen of escapism and we all need that.

It’s like going on a mini vacation because her writing is so evocative it takes you there. The last holiday I had abroad was corfu so it was a delight to be back there…such a beautiful island.

Another great book,  so relatable as a single mum especially of a daughter of uni age. The emotions and struggles of this role have been captured really well.

Life affirming and heartwarming whilst dealing with important issues. Family dramas , past love and future dreams are all exposed as this summer trip is set to be anything but peaceful…

Published 23rd June

BLOG TOUR WE ALL HAVE OUR SECRETS BY JANE CORRY

Two women are staying in Willowmead House.

One of them is running.
One of them is hiding.
Both of them are lying.

Emily made one bad decision, and now her career could be over. Her family home on the Cornish coast is the only place where she feels safe. But when she arrives, there’s a stranger living with her father. Emily doesn’t trust the beautiful young woman, convinced that she’s telling one lie after another. Soon, Emily becomes obsessed with finding out the truth…

But should some secrets stay buried forever

Firstly a big thank you for my copy and having Me on the blog your . I absolutely love Janes books and you know you’re always in for a treat!

Another great book that is set to be flying off the shelves this summer.

Lies ,secrets and family history are key themes . These are what Jane does best, finds a situation or a question and explores the effects they could gave on someone just like the reader .

Who is lying and who has something to gain?

Thought provoking and compelling. The reader is captivated from the very start.

Twists and turns pave the way as the truth is revealed. This is the perfect book to escape with . Unpredictable and addictive you will not want to put it down .

Do check out the other blogs taking part .

Published 23rd June

BLOG TOUR NOTE TO SELF BY ANNA BELL

It’s never too late to follow your heart.

One summer’s day seventeen years ago Edie and Joel meet.
Their connection is instant and a friendship is born, although Edie can’t help but wish for more. But just as she builds up the courage to lay her heart on the line, one night changes everything…

Edie’s moved on from the heartbreak of years ago. So the last thing she expects to receive on her thirty-fifth birthday is an email… from her eighteen-year-old self. As more emails arrive, she starts to remember what – or rather who – she left behind.

Following her own advice, Edie heads back to the place where it all began, and finds her path unexpectedly crossing with Joel’s once more. Could this finally be their chance at love? Or are some things better left in the past?

Firstly a big thank you to HQ for my copy and having Me on the blog tour. I love Annas books and my goodness it was what I needed.

I devoured this and it left me reminded of love and joy.

It is romantic ,funny and so life affirming. Swoonworthy !

Was a joy to read and discover where the emails would take her ..

It definitely got the 39 year old me reminiscing of a younger me where life in some areas was easier.

This is a beautiful book perfect for those holidays or just to escape with.

Published 23rd June and do check out the other blogs taking part in the tour.

BOOK REVIEW THE BINDING ROOM BY NADINE MATHESON

In this room, no one can hear you scream…

The Serial Crimes Unit are called in to investigate when a local pastor is found stabbed to death. As DI Henley assesses the crime scene, she discovers a hidden door that conceals a room set up for torture – and bound to the bed in the middle of the room is the body of a man.

When another body is found, also tied down, Henley realises there’s someone out there torturing innocent people and leaving them for dead. But why?

There’s nothing that connects the victims. They didn’t know each other. Their paths never crossed. But someone has targeted them, and it’s up to Henley and the SCU to stop them before they find another binding room…

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review. I loved her debut crime fiction which was book 1 in this series .

I still enjoy fact it is set very local to me , it certainly enhances the readers experience when they can picture the scene .

Gritty, gripping and packed with bloody crime scenes.

Had the pleasure of meeting Nadine last night … she is way too smiley to be creating these dark tales!

Fast paced ,thrilling and completely unpredictable.

It’s great to learn more about DI Henley in book 2 as we unravel the case and those working on it.

Her writing is fresh, exciting ,gritty and keeps you turning the pages.

Published 7th July and wish her every success with this release.

BOOK REVIEW THE FAMILY REMAINS BY LISA JEWELL

LONDON. Early morning, June 2019: on the foreshore of the river Thames, a bag of bones is discovered. Human bones.

DCI Samuel Owusu is called to the scene and quickly sends the bag for forensic examination. The bones are those of a young woman, killed by a blow to the head many years ago.

Also inside the bag is a trail of clues, in particular the seeds of a rare tree which lead DCI Owusu back to a mansion in Chelsea where, nearly thirty years previously, three people lay dead in a kitchen, and a baby waited upstairs for someone to pick her up.

The clues point forward too to a brother and sister in Chicago searching for the only person who can make sense of their pasts.

Four deaths. An unsolved mystery. A family whose secrets can’t stay buried for ever …

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. As a big Lisa Jewell fan this was a bloggers treat to recieve .

Amazing idea to write a sequel because the characters we meet in The family upstairs were way to enthralling and conplex to just be in one book!

This had me absolutely hooked from the very start and racing through the pages to uncover the truth.

Gripping and explores how these adults have been shaped from what happened in that house in their childhood. Fascinating insight into these minds as we follow them on their journeys.

Just as dark and claustrophobic and was a thrill to be back with these characters getting more answers. Or maybe more questions ??

Tense and unpredictable this is a fantastic book that is set to be another bestseller for Lisa.

Published 21st July

BOOK REVIEW THE LOVE OF MY LIFE BY ROSIE WALSH

I have held you every night for ten years and I didn’t even know your name. We have a child together. A dog, a house.

Who are you?

Emma loves her husband Leo and their young daughter Ruby: she’d do anything for them. But almost everything she’s told them about herself is a lie.

And she might just have got away with it, if it weren’t for her husband’s job. Leo is an obituary writer and Emma is a well-known marine biologist, so, when she suffers a serious illness, Leo copes by doing what he knows best – reading and writing about her life. But as he starts to unravel her past, he discovers the woman he loves doesn’t really exist. Even her name is fictitious.

When the very darkest moments of Emma’s past life finally emerge, she must somehow prove to Leo that she really is the woman he always thought she was . . .

But first, she must tell him about the love of her other life.

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. I absolutely adored her debut under this name which I read around time of a break up so I remember it well .

This is another fantastic book that I devoured in one day.

Thought provoking and cleverly written. The complexities of life and love are explored .

What do you do when you discover your love has been lying to you ,keeping a past life hidden away.

Unpredictable and compelling.

Beautifully captures the moral dilemmas adults can face . Incredibly emotive dealing with real issues .

I wish Rosie every success with this and can definitely see it flying off the shelves this summer

Published June 23rd

BOOK REVIEW THE SECRET VOICES BY MJ WHITE

They said they’d keep me safe.

They said, ‘It’s okay, Hannah. You know you can trust me.’

They lied.

When eight-year-old Hannah Perry goes missing in the small Suffolk village of St Just, the community is rocked. Heading up the investigation is Acting DS Rob Minshull, but he’s out of his depth in a case that seems to mirror the disappearance of a young boy, seven years ago. That search ended in unimaginable tragedy…and Minshull is praying that history won’t be repeated.

But with an investigation full of dead ends, and a kidnapper taunting the police with sinister deliveries of Hannah’s belongings and cryptic notes, the young girl’s life hangs perilously in danger.

Until Dr Cora Lael enters the picture. A psychologist with a unique ability, Cora’s rare gift allows her to sense emotions attached to discarded objects. When she is shown the first of Hannah’s belongings, she hears the child’s piercing scream.

With few leads on the case, could Cora prove Hannah’s only hope? And as time runs out, can they find Hannah before history repeats itself…?

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review. This is Mirandas first deep into the crime scene away from her bestselling romance novels so I was intrigued to see the transition.

A fantastic read ,clever concept with new fresh ideas . Fast paced with twists and turns . Chilling and unpredictable as the truth is revealed.

Every parents nightmare come true when a child goes missing . Evidently those close to home become suspected . The police do not want a repeat of a historic case of child abduction so they are willing to try something new. Will it work?

Really enjoyed it and look forward to book two in this series.

Published 28th April.

BOOK REVIEW TRULY DARKLY DEEPLY BY VICTORIA SELMAN

A mind-blowing, unputdownable serial killer thriller of a very different kind – perfect for all fans of Mindhunter and Girl A

Twelve-year-old Sophie and her mother, Amelia-Rose, move to London from Massachusetts where they meet the charismatic Matty Melgren, who quickly becomes an intrinsic part of their lives. But as the relationship between the two adults fractures, a serial killer begins targeting young women with a striking resemblance to Amelia-Rose.

When Matty is eventually sent down for multiple murder, questions remain as to his guilt — questions which ultimately destroy both women. Nearly twenty years later, Sophie receives a letter from Battlemouth Prison informing her Matty is dying and wants to meet. It looks like Sophie might finally get the answers she craves. But will the truth set her free — or bury her deeper?

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review.  I have heard so much love for this book so was excited to dig in .

I raced through this and loved it. Its deliciously dark and addictive as the truth is revealed chapter by chapter . Completely unpredictable and gripped me by the first page .

I can see this doing very well in summer 22 !

As someone who loves true crime books and documentaries as well asstudying psychology this ticked a few boxes for me. I felt the reader really got into the bones of this dysfunctional family . You would surely know if someone was a bad man as a kid …..right?? Maybe they have got it all wrong and he’s innocent?

This is a intense examination and insight into the lives of not just the victims but the family left behind to pick up the pieces when someone is sent to jail for heinous crimes. The impact it has on a child was excellently portrayed.

Incredibly clever and I wish her every success with this book .

Published 7th July

BOOK REVIEW WHAT HIS WIFE KNEW BY JO JAKEMAN

SORRY

The only word scribbled on a note from Beth’s husband before he disappeared.

The police believe that Oscar took his own life and this last apology was his way of saying goodbye to his wife. But Beth knows there is more to the story. As disturbing secrets about his life emerge, and the lies of those closest to her begin to unravel, she realises she never really knew her husband at all.

She wants to know what he was sorry for, and she’s going to find out… but someone doesn’t want her to discover the truth.

And they’ll do anything to stop her.

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review. I really enjoyed her previous books.

This is a twisty tale finding out your husbands true colours after he dies . What do you do when everything you thought you knew is a lie?

Fast paced ,gripping and a rollercoaster of a read.

Who is telling the truth? Packed with suspense from start to finish .

Published 17th February