Book Synopsis:

Her eyes were closed. From a distance the blood around her neck might have looked like a necklace, but up close her body told a different tale. She had been murdered. A tiny songbird lay beside her, its neck broken…

Detective Tom Fabian’s past is catching up with him. It has been years since the most high-profile case of his career – when his evidence put infamous serial killer Christopher Wisher behind bars forever. But when Wisher summons a reluctant Fabian to his prison cell to hand over a diary, he realises that Wisher’s twisted games are far from over.

Shortly after Fabian’s visit, Wisher is found dead in his cell. And a few days later, the police find a woman’s body bearing Wisher’s signature, a dead songbird. But the police never released this detail to the public… so who has Wisher been talking to?

Fabian is desperate to find the killer before another innocent life is taken. But as more bodies turn up, Fabian begins to realise that Wisher may have handed him the clues before he died. Is the twisted serial killer still pulling the strings from beyond the grave…?

If you can’t get enough of crime thrillers by Adam Croft or Melinda Leigh, you will love The Songbird Girls.

The Songbird Girls is available now in ebook and paperback.  You can purchase a copy of both here.

My Review:

The Songbird Girls is another fantastic, gripping book from Richard Parker!

The reader is thrown straight into the action with a shocking first chapter which immediately got my heart racing.  I’ve always enjoyed thrillers about serial killers so this story intrigued me from the start.  Wisher is a fascinating character that made me uneasy from the moment he was introduced.  The descriptions of his manner during the investigation chilled me and I found I could imagine his stare very well.  He was a character that managed to get under my skin and one that invaded my dreams often whilst reading.

This is a very fast paced book with lots of action and intrigue that makes you want to keep reading.  The author manages to put a new twist on the classic serial killer story with the inclusion of Wisher’s diary which seems to be giving the police clues.  I thought this was exceptionally well done at and helped add to the tension as I tried to solve them along with the police.

I’ve read all of Richard’s books and he is one of my ‘go to’ crime writers when I want a gripping book.  His books have helped me through many a long night with sleepless babies! The Songbird Girls is the start of another fantastic series from him and I look forward to reading more from him, hopefully very soon!

Huge thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley and to Noelle for inviting me onto the blog tour.  If you like gripping and intriguing crime fiction then you’ll love this book!

About The Author:

Richard Parker was formerly a TV script writer, script editor and producer before turning his hand to penning twisted stand alone thrillers.

NEVER SAY GOODBYE is his seventh thriller novel and is the first in a new suspense series to feature D I Tom Fabian.

KEEP HER SAFE is his sixth stand alone novel and is out now from Bookouture/Hachette. Readers are already double locking their doors at night.

HIDE AND SEEK is his fifth book and was published August 2017 by Bookouture. Dare you meet Mr Whisper?

FOLLOW YOU was his fourth psychological thriller. Reviewers are saying it’s Bookouture’s darkest crime novel to date.

STALK ME was his third and rode high in the UK and US charts.

SCARE ME was his second. Hollywood movie rights have been acquired by major US studio, Relativity Media. Star of PRISON BREAK and screenwriter of dark horror thriller STOKER, Wentworth Miller, has written the big screen adaptation.

STOP ME, Richard’s darkly fiendish debut, was shortlisted for the John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger Award.

Book Synopsis:

It’s Christmas, and the Birch family is gathering for the first time in years.

Olivia, the eldest daughter, has returned from treating an epidemic abroad and must go into quarantine for seven days. Her mother has decided it’s the perfect opportunity to spend some ‘special time’ together. Her youngest sister wholeheartedly disagrees. Her father isn’t allowed an opinion.

When no one can leave the house, seven days for the Birches feels like an eternity.

Especially when they’re all harbouring secrets. One of whom is about to come knocking at their door…

Seven Days Of Us is available in ebook and paperback now.  The ebook is currently only 99 p but you can purchase a copy of both here.

My Review:

Seven Days Of Us is a heartwarming and hilarious read which manages to be quite emotional in places.

The author uses the familiar scenario of relatives having to spend Christmas together and manages to breathe new life into it with the interesting twist of inforced quarantine.  As much as we love our family too much time together can cause problems which is something everyone has probably experienced at some point.  This helps to add a bit of tension to the story as the reader is aware of the many different things that could go wrong and wondering which one will happen here.

The book is told in alternate chapters from different characters points of view with each chapter clearly marked so the reader knows who is narrating. This is definitely a dysfunctional and fractured family who are all hiding secrets from one another which was very interesting to see develop.  This was especially so when all the secrets start coming out as the multiple point of view makes for truly fascinating reading.

This story is quite well paced though there are a few slower moments in the book.  I found I actually really enjoyed this as it gave me a chance to get to know the different characters and the fractured family more so that I felt like I knew them personally.  My opinions about them changed a lot throughout the book as I went from not liking a lot of them at the beginning to growing very fond of them towards the end.  I was sad to finish the book and leave them all behind which is always a sign of a great read.

This is the author’s debut novel and I’m very excited to see what she writes next.  If you like books that lets you really get under the characters skin whilst making you laugh and cry then you’ll love this book!

Huge thanks to Beth from Little Brown for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Francesca Hornak is an author, journalist and former columnist for the Sunday Times Style magazine. Her debut novel Seven Days Of Us (Little, Brown) was longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize and has been sold in fourteen countries. Little Island Productions and Entertainment One have TV rights to the book. Francesca’s work has appeared in newspapers and magazines including The Sunday Times, The Economist, The Guardian, ES Magazine, Elle and Marie Claire. She is the author of two nonfiction books, History of the World in 100 Modern Objects: Middle Class Stuff (and Nonsense) and Worry with Mother. Follow her on Twitter at @FrancescaHornak

Book Synopsis:

Halley has been running from her problems for years.

On a courier trip to Tallfors, deep in Swedish Lapland, everything is going to plan. Halley has her bag, with two precious wedding rings inside for delivery… until she doesn’t.

The only way to save the wedding is to team up with mysterious reindeer herder Bjorn, the one person who can lead her across the snowy tundra to be reunited with her bag.

On a journey of a lifetime beneath the stars, with only the reindeer and a bad-tempered stranger for company beside the fire, Halley realises that she will need to confront her past heartaches in order to let the warmth of love in once more…

A Winter Beneath The Stars is available in ebook and paperback now.  The ebook is currently only £1.99 but you can purchase a copy of both here.

My Review:

A Winter Beneath The Stars is a wonderful Christmas read that would be perfect to enjoy under a warm blanket with a hot chocolate.

The author does a fantastic job of setting the scene for this book so the reader can really picture it in their mind.  I loved the snowy imagery which seemed almost magical at times.  I felt that I could almost feel the cold and had to snuggle under my blanket to keep warm.  I would love to visit Sweden in the near future and I’d especially like to go on a sleigh ride with some reindeers as that sounded lots of fun.

The main character, Halley grew on me throughout the book as she seemed quite smug at the beginning which I found a bit annoying.  As the story continues and she finds herself out of her comfort zone she grew on me as I felt she let everyone see who she really was.  I loved the descriptions of her job though which sounded very exciting and one IdI loveto have.

This is a book that is very easy to lose yourself in for hours as you soon get caught up in the story and the wonderful snowy world the author has created.  I absolutely adored the wonderful characters and wanted to keep reading to find out more about them.  The author injects a lot of humour into the story which made me laugh out loud at times.  I really enjoyed her fabulous descriptions of Halley trying to cope in the snow especially as they seemed very real and things I’d probably do in the same situation.

This is the second book that I’ve read by this author and I can’t wait to read more from her as her books are great escapism! If you like absorbing, magical books that you can cuddle up with this Christmas then you’ll love this book.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Becky from Headline for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Book Synopsis:

A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

LONGLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2018

‘The best novel published this year.’ Times

Connell and Marianne grow up in the same small town in rural Ireland. The similarities end there; they are from very different worlds. When they both earn places at Trinity College in Dublin, a connection that has grown between them lasts long into the following years.

This is an exquisite love story about how a person can change another person’s life – a simple yet profound realisation that unfolds beautifully over the course of the novel. It tells us how difficult it is to talk about how we feel and it tells us – blazingly – about cycles of domination, legitimacy and privilege. Alternating menace with overwhelming tenderness, Sally Rooney’s second novel breathes fiction with new life.

Normal People is available in ebook and hardback now.  You can purchase your copy here.

My Review:

Normal People is a fascinating book that manages to discuss a variety of intriguing themes whilst being hugely  readable!

At the centre of the book is this wonderful, intense relationship shared by the two main characters that starts in school and continues throughout their lives.  It was very interesting to read about how this relationship changed depending on where they were and who they were with.  They both share a unique connection and understanding with each other that never changes throughout the book.  It is this that helps them in the most difficult times of their lives.

There are quite a few interesting themes mentioned in the book including peer pressure, class and dominance in relationships which definetly gives the reader food for thought.  These are included in the story subtly and helps the reader gain more understanding of the characters.  It would also make this book a great book club read as I feel there would be lots to discuss.

This book has been shortlisted for many prestigious awards and it’s easy to see why as the book is very unique.  The author’s style of writing helps draw the reader in.  The book is told alternatively from Marianne and Connell’s point of view which enables the reader to be privy to the characters innermost thoughts so that we get to know them personally.  I soon fell in love with them both and wanted to keep reading to find out what happens to them.

I have to admit to being a little frustrated at the ending as it didn’t end as I hoped.  However I do feel the ending was appropriate for the story and if it had ended in a different way I think it would have taken something away from the book.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I look forward to reading her first book, Conversations With Friends, in the future as I’ve heard lots of good things about it.

I was lucky enough to borrow a copy of this from my local library and I will definitely be recommending this book to others! If you like unique love stories involving complex characters that makes you think, then you’ll love this book!

About This Author:

Book Synopsis:

Without a motive, how do you identify the killer?

Imagine a quaint little bookshop. Outside the snow is falling. Inside the shelves are stacked with books by authors waiting to be discovered. What could be better?

When Tilly Edgely lands a position working at Ashton’s bookshop in Cambridge she thinks she’s found her perfect job. But one winter’s morning, when she arrives to open up, she discovers the body of her boss suspended from the ceiling, hanging by a rope around his neck.

DCI Barrett and DI Palmer are called to the scene and quickly find themselves searching for a twisted killer whose identity and motive are nearly impossible to trace.

But just when they think they have the murderer in their sights, another body shows up throwing the case wide open…

Who is behind the killings and why?

The police have their work cut out and the key to unlocking the gruesome mystery might be found right under their nose.

But one thing is for certain, this killer will leave you hanging…

Murder In The Dark is available now in ebook and paperback.  The ebook is currently only 99p! Purchasing your copy of both here.

Extract:

Prologue

1.34am Friday 13th December.
The cold winter sunlight streamed in through the glass window, highlighting the polish on the brown leather shoes that were dangling in the air. Outside, the world was just going to sleep and the doors of Ashton’s Bookshop would remain closed until Matilda Edgely arrived to open them.
But while Matilda was at home, sleeping peacefully in her bed, she was blissfully unaware of the discovery she would make later that morning. Because inside Ashton’s, hanging from a rope that was attached to the rafters at the back of the shop, was the body of the shop owner, Dennis Wade.
And from a leather, high-back armchair the killer looked up at the victim, smiling.

About The Author:

Book Synopsis:

Accident or murder?

The first victim – a prominent local councillor, killed in a hit and run ‒ could be either, but the next bodies leave no doubt. A twisted killer is at large. And he’s not finished yet.

DC Beth Chamberlain, Family Liaison Officer, has to support the victims’ families, but before she can solve the crimes in the present, Beth needs to uncover the secrets of the past.

Meanwhile, the killer has her in his sights…

‘Tense, dark and gritty: perfect combination.’ – Ian Patrick, author of Rubicon
The latest electrifying whodunnit from the bestselling author of After He’s Gone. If you’re a fan of Angela Marsons, Nicci French and Rachel Abbott, you won’t want to miss Presumed Guilty.

Presumed Guilty is available now in ebook and paperback now.  You can purchase your copy of both here.

My Review:

Presumed Guilty is a very gripping and intriguing crime novel that is another fantastic addition to the Beth Chamberlain series.

The thing that I most enjoyed about this book is that the focus is more on how the police solve the crime rather than lots of violence.  The reader is given a behind the scenes look at what goes into investigating a murder and the many people involved who aren’t normally given a mention.  I found this very interesting and it increased my enjoyment of the book as I had more understanding of the case.

I really liked the main character Beth, especially as she didn’t seem the stereotypical hard nosed police women you normal get in these books.  She is obviously a very clever and able police officer but has a caring side towards the people she comes in contact with which was great to read about.  I quick warming to her and found myself getting frustrated for her when she was held back from the case for various reasons.  I also wished that she had a happier personal life as she didn’t seem to have much going on apart from her work.

The book is very gripping from the start with a shocking hit and run that there is much more to then originally thought.  Throughout the book things quickly become murkier as some suspect actions from some of the suspects become known.  I really enjoyed this gradual revealing of all the different facts and angles involved.  It made for fascinating reading and made the book hard to put down. The ending was very intriguing and I look forward to reading more of this fabulous series soon.

This is the second book in the series and while I feel that it could be read as a standalone it would probably be beneficial to read the books in order as you’d have a greater understanding of the characters.

Huge thanks to the lovely Emma from Damp Pebbles Tours for inviting me onto the blog tour.

About The Author:

Book Synopsis:

The Forgotten Daughter by Mary Wood is the gripping first book in The Girls Who Went To War series.

From a tender age, Flora felt unloved and unwanted by her parents, but she finds safety in the arms of caring nanny Pru. But when Pru is cast out of the family home, under a shadow of secrets, and with a young baby boy of her own to care for, it shatters little Flora.

But over the years, Flora and Pru meet in secret – unbeknown to Flora’s parents. Pru becomes the mother to flora she never had, and Flora grows into a fine young woman. When Flora signs up to become a nurse with the St John’s ambulance, she begins to shape her life. But the drum of war beats loudly and Flora’s world is turned upside down when she receives a letter asking her to join the Red Cross in Belgium.

With the fate of the country in the balance, it’s a time for bravery. Flora’s determined to be the strong woman she was destined to be. But with horror, loss and heartache on her horizon – there’s a lot for young Flora to learn . . .

The Forgotten Daughter is an now in ebook and paperback.  You can purchase your copy of bank here.

My Review:

I’m such a huge fan of Mary’s so you can imagine my delight when I was asked to be a part of the blog tour for her latest book.  I was definetly not disappointed as The Forgotten Daughter is just fantastic!

I loved the main character Flora whose grit and determination to succeed despite her estrangement from her family was impressive to read about.  I found that I immediately warmed to her and found it heartbreaking that she was outcast from her family like she was.  How any mother could treat their daughter like that and not be proud of them is beyond me! Her relationship with her Pru was wonderful to read about and I loved the mutual affection that they felt for each other.  I was very glad that they had each other.

I hadn’t read many books regarding the start of world war one, especially those detailing life behind the trenches so I found the section describing this very interesting.  As usual Mary doesn’t hold back in her descriptions of the events that happened or could have happened there and there are some incredibly hard hitting passages relating to the horrendous experiences of the characters.  These were very shocking at times and I found I had a lump in my throat whilst reading about them.   I really wished I could jump into the book to help them.

This book is very gripping and I found myself quickly immersed in the book.   The action is quite fast paced and this helps make the book very difficult to put down.  I kept promising myself that I’d read only one more chapter before bed and looked up to find an hour, plus many chapters, had passed.  I think it’s the wonderful characters that Mary has created that also helps as I found I really cared for all of them and that I wanted to keep reading to find out what happens to them.

This is the first in an exciting new series from Mary Wood and I really look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series, hopefully really soon!

Huge thanks to Mary Wood for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Ellis from Pan Macmillan for my copy of this book.  If you like gripping, historical sagas with some unforgettable characters then you’ll love this book!

About The Author:

Book Synopsis:

A true-life drama of an intense battle for survival on the high seas. The Luckiest Thirteen is the story of an incredible two-day battle to save the super trawler St Finbarr, and of those who tried to rescue her heroic crew in surging, frozen seas. It was also a backdrop for the powerful stories of families ashore, dumbstruck by fear and grief, as well as a love story of a teenage deckhand and his girl that ended with a heart-rending twist. From her hi-tech hold to her modern wheelhouse she was every inch the super ship the great hope for the future built to save the fleet at a record-breaking price but a heart-breaking cost. On the thirteenth trip after her maiden voyage, the St Finbarr met with catastrophe off the Newfoundland coast. On Christmas Day 1966, twenty-five families in the northern English fishing port of Hull were thrown into a dreadful suspense not knowing if their loved ones were dead or alive after the disaster that befell The Perfect Trawler. This eboook edition closes with 34 dramatic and poignant photographs from the period. By the same author as the powerful THE HEADSCARF REVOLUTIONARIES.

The Luckiest Thirteen is available in ebook and hardback now.  You can purchase your copy of both here.

My Review:

The Luckiest Thirteen is a fascinating account of a real life maritime disaster that I’d not heard about before.

The thing that makes this book is that it’s told both from the point of view of those working on the ship and their loved ones left on shore.  This helps give the reader a more rounded view of what happened and makes for some very poignant reading when things start to go wrong. It must have been horrendous for the families waiting at home for news about what happened and I found myself tearing up at some of their stories.

This book is hard to define as it is an historical book but it is also quite gripping in places, particularly when the disaster starts to unfold.  I found myself holding my breath at times hoping that everyone would get out ok and feeling devastated when they didn’t.  Some of the heroics of the men on board were incredibly brave and it’s such a shame that more people don’t know about them.

The lead up to the disaster is very well done with little bits of historical facts and information about the characters being gradually revealed.  It is a bit slow to get going but the reader is soon absorbed in the story thanks to the time the author takes to build up the readers understanding of the characters.  I really felt I got to know them well throughout the book and wanted to keep reading to find out what happens to them all.

There are some fabulous black and white photos of the disaster and the people who were involved.  These were very poignant to look at but helped add to the story as it helped the reader of imagine the story clearly.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Book Synopsis:

Sometimes we’re more like our mothers than we think!

Glamorous lone parent, Stella wants nothing more than to impress her teenage daughter. She has spent her life shielding Tara from her religious upbringing and has never told Tara about her father. But when they move back to Belfast, hiding the past becomes tricky.

When Stella lands her dream job as fashion editor at a teen magazine, Tara thinks she will die of shame. Soon after, Tara starts a blog to pour out her teenage angst and begins working at a home for rescued animals run by the enigmatic Nora.

When Tara’s blog takes off, a rival magazine offers to publish it as a column, putting her in a difficult situation.

Will Tara risk hurting her mother in order to achieve her dream of being a writer?

Can three generations of one family, who struggle to understand each other, ever develop real bonds?

My Virtual Life is available now in ebook for the bargain price of 99p! You can purchase your copy here.

My Review:

My Virtual Life is a touching, modern story describing a mother and daughter relationship that’s lost its way a little bit.

The story is told alternatively by Stella the mother who reminded me of a cross between Patsy from Absolutely fabulous and Samantha from Sex In The City and her long suffering daughter Tara.  Tara is a bit of a loner who is highly embarrassed by her mother and her new job which involves trying to be cool.  The reader is given a fly on the wall glimpse into their relationship and their lives, where we are privy to their private thoughts.  It’s fair to say the mother-daughter relationship isn’t working when we first meet the characters with neither properly understanding the other.  It was very interesting to get to know the characters more and watch the relationship between them change as their roles shift.

My favourite character was Tara and I found it fascinating to find out more about what she was thinking, particularly as some of these thoughts have been highlighted in the media recently.  I found I felt very sorry for her and hoped that Stella would mend her ways so she could be a better mother to her.

The authors descriptions are utterly hilarious at times and I found myself laughing out loud at times.  This was particularly so when describing the results of Stella trying to fit into her new job.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author but I’d definitely like to read more from her in the future.  If you like touching stories that manage to make you laugh and cry then you’ll love this book.

Huge thanks to Emma from Bombshell books for my copy of this book via Netgalley and for inviting me onto this tour.

About The Author:

Book Synopsis:

Love can’t be defined by war…

Watching the Red Army withdraw from Ukraine in the face of Hitler’s relentless advance, Natasha Smirnova realises her life is about to change forever.

As Kiev is cast under the dark cloud of occupation, Natasha falls in love with Mark, a Hungarian soldier, enlisted against all his principles on the side of the Nazis.

But as Natasha fights to protect the friends and family she holds dear she must face up to the dark horrors of war and the pain of betrayal. Will the love she and Mark share be strong enough to overcome the forces which threaten to tear them apart?

The Story of Us is a powerful tale of love, loss, and the power of hope set in Kiev during the Second World War, perfect for fans of Kate Furnivall, Pam Jenoff and V. S. Alexander.

The Story Of Us is available now in ebook and paperback.  You can purchase your copy here.

My Review:

The Story Of Us is one of those books that gets under your skin and will stay with you for a long time after you’ve finished reading.  It’s a story of love, loss and hope that is an absolutely wonderful read.

The author does a fantastic job of setting the scene so that the reader really feels like they are in the Ukraine at the time of the nazi occupation.  I felt all of the characters fear, laughter and loss as if I was one of them.  It’s a part of the war that I hadn’t heard of before so I found it fascinating to learn more about it.  Some of the events described in the book are real ones and I spent time looking up more about them afterwards.  These were quite horrific and the author doesn’t hold back from describing them which made for very emotional reading.

The love affair between Natasha and Mark was lovely to read about.  I really enjoyed seeing it develop especially as it bought some much needed relief from the horrors of war.  It was great to see the hope it brought the characters, though I was always nervous that something would happen to destroy the relationship.

I’m a huge fan of historical fiction set in world war two and love learning about new parts of it.  This book enthralled me from the start with the wonderful characters and the authors attention to detail helping to keep my interest.  It’s incredibly gripping and I felt on the edge of my seat throughout much of it as I hoped that the characters would be ok.  Like with any book involving the Nazis, there is an air of unpredictability and this also keeps you firmly on your toes as you wonder what will happen.

This unbelievably is the author’s debut novel and I’m very excited to read more from her in the future.  If you like enthralling historical fiction that makes you cry and laugh then you’ll love this book.

Huge thanks to Izzy from HQ stories for my copy of this book via Netgalley and for inviting me onto the blog tour.

About The Author:

Lana Kortchik grew up in two opposite corners of the Soviet Union – the snow-white Siberian town of Tomsk and the golden-domed Ukrainian capital, Kiev. At the age of sixteen, she moved to Australia with her mother. Lana and her family live on the Central Coast of NSW, where it never snows and is always summer-warm, even in winter. She loves books, martial arts, the ocean and Napoleonic history. Her short stories have appeared in many magazines and anthologies. She was the winner of the Historical Novel Society Autumn 2012 Short Fiction competition and the runner-up of the 2013 Defenestrationism Short Story Contest. Her first novel, The Story of Us, will be published by HQ Digital/Harper Collins in December 2018. To find out more, please visit http://www.lanakortchik.com.

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lanakortchik
Twitter: @lanakortchik