Book Synopsis:

The creepiest debut thriller you will read this year!

One little girl.
Mirabelle’s mother loves her. She’s her ‘little doll’. Mother dresses her, paints her face, and plaits her hair. But as Mirabelle grows, the dresses no longer fit quite as well, the face paint no longer looks quite so pretty. And Mother isn’t happy.
 
Two little girls.
On Mirabelle’s 13th birthday, Mother arrives home with a present – a new sister, 5-year-old Clarabelle, who Mother has rescued from the outside world.
 
But Mother only needs one.
As it dawns on Mirabelle that there is a new ‘little doll’ in her house, she also realizes that her life isn’t what she thought it was. And that dolls often end up on the scrap heap…

Mother Loves Me is available in ebook and paperback now for the amazing price if £2.99 and £2.50 respectively. Purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

This was a really gripping, chilling read which I found very hard to put down. I read this book in two days which is no mean feat when you have three kids.

The reader is aware from the start that there is something very wrong with Marabella’s home life. As we follow her around her everyday routine we are made aware of the locked and covered windows alongside Mother’s habit of painting Marabella’s face so she looks like a doll. This made me immediately alert and I found I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going on but also put the book down as I wasn’t completely sure I wanted to know.

Marabella is a very sympathetic character who I felt incredibly sorry for. It was utterly heartbreaking to see how much she had been manipulated and brainwashed by mother. My heart went out to her as she scrambled to try and please mother whilst not understanding what she was doing wrong. I just wanted to reach into the book and give her a hug. Mother was a very sinister character who has obviously had a lot of trauma in her past which slowly gets revealed as the book went on. I, unsurprisingly, hated her and hoped she’d get her just desserts.

The story is told from Marabella’s point of view with the reader getting to discover the truth about her situation and mother at the same time as she does. I thought this was very effective and made me feel more involved in the story. There were a few moments when I felt like screaming into the book as I thought the truth was obvious but Marabella hadn’t figured it out yet.

Overall I thought this a fast paced, gripping read which grabbed my attention from the first page. It really managed to get inside my head so that I started to feel everything the characters were feeling. The ending was amazing but a shocking one which took me completely by surprise. I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone!

Huge thanks to Jen Harlow for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Harper for my copy of this book via Netgalley. If you like chilling, dark and gripping thrillers then you need to read this book.

About The Author:

Abby Davies studied English Literature at the University of Sheffield, then went on to teach English. She lives in Wiltshire with her husband and daughter. Mother Loves Me is her first novel. 

@Abby13Richards

Book Synopsis:

In the terrace courtyard of the palazzo overlooking a sparkling bay, the scent of ripening lemons filled the air. His deep brown eyes gazed into hers with determination and longing. ‘Will you do it? Risk everything and join us?’

Twenty-one-year-old Imogen Fitzpatrick was raised in an English orphanage and never knew her parents. So when World War Two breaks out, she refuses to leave the life she’s worked so hard to build for herself, teaching English to little Marco and Eloisa in the beautiful Italian city of Naples. With their father Giancarlo away fighting for the fascists, there’s no one else to care for these lost children. Imogen’s dark hair and perfect Italian will protect her for now, but if anyone discovers her secret identity as an enemy of Italy, Marco and Eloisa will be left with no one.

As the shadows of bomber planes darken the azure-blue waters of the bay, the one person Imogen can depend on is Fabrizio, the children’s uncle. He’s never seen eye-to-eye with their father, and Imogen is forbidden to speak to him… but whenever they secretly meet in the lemon groves Imogen instantly feels safe. Fabrizio talks passionately of the resistenza, the underground group fighting the regime, and soon Imogen herself is involved – smuggling food along the rocky coast, and even supplying information on Giancarlo to help fight the Nazis and end this awful war.

But when Giancarlo suddenly returns, injured from the fighting, Imogen is shocked to find him much changed. Rather than the fascist sympathiser she knew and resented, she sees in Giancarlo a man who would do anything to protect his children and his beloved Italy. Was she wrong to expose him as a traitor?

Torn between two sides, Imogen’s own life is thrown into terrible danger when a child goes missing and her secret identity is exposed… did she put her trust in the wrong man? And is it too late to save herself, and the children from the horrors of war?

An absolutely stunning and evocative historical read about the bravery of ordinary people in dark times, that will sweep you away to the breath-taking coastline of Italy. Perfect for fans of The Nightingale, The Tuscan Child and All the Light We Cannot See.

Into The Burning Dawn is available in ebook now paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I absolutely loved this gripping and fascinating piece of historical fiction. I have enjoyed all of this author’s previous books and couldn’t wait to read this one.

Firstly the author does a great job of describing what life was like in Italy during world war two. It was definitely a very hard, frightening time with lots of hardships and living in constant fear that one if your loves one would be killed. It was interesting to learn more about what things were like and how similar it was to life in Germany.

The characters were all really well developed and very engaging. I loved how different they were to each other and how all of them brought something different to the story. Imogen was a very intriguing main character who I felt a lot of sympathy for and the difficult situation she finds herself in. I had a huge soft spot for Fabrizio who was very charming and seemed incredibly cool zooming about on his motorbike. I felt very connected to them all which meant I felt everything that happened to them as if it was happening to people I knew.

This was a really compelling read which gripped me from the start. I thought it was clever how the author weaved the romance into the story in a way that compliments the historical part of the book without taking anything away from the impact of what was happening. As it’s based in world war two it is very tense as you never know who is telling the truth and what will happen next. There are some very emotional scenes which were hard to read at times and I did have to put the book down at one point as it was getting too much for me. However it wasn’t overly graphic and it was in keeping with what would have happened during the war.

Huge thanks to Noelle for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book. If you’re a fan of well written historical fiction then you need to read this book!

About The Author:

Natalie is a RITA nominated, USA Today Bestselling author of six novels: The Dress Thief, The Milliner’s Secret (re-titled “The Girl who Dreamed of Paris”), The Wardrobe Mistress, Summer in the Vineyards, The Secret Vow and most recently, The Paris Girl. Look out for a heartwrenching WW2 inspired novel set in Italy, due out Autumn 2020. Visit her website at https://www.nataliemegevans.uk Natalie Meg Evans has had a varied career, first as an actor in London’s fringe theatre, then as a PR exec and company director and finally, dream achieved, as a full-time writer. She lives with two very lively dogs in rural mid Suffolk. Natalie has collected numerous awards for her writing including the UK’s Harry Bowling Prize (2012). The Dress Thief was nominated for a coveted RITA Award by Romance Writers of America and it won the Greek Public Book award for the best foreign novel; also, the UK’s Festival of Romance readers award (where readers rather than industry professionals select and judge). The Milliner’s Secret was shortlisted for the same award. Natalie was also nominated for the coveted Daphne du Maurier award and was named a finalist for a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart award. Natalie’s titles are available as Spoken Word. She loves to hear from readers.

Book Synopsis:

Tucked away amongst the winding, cobbled streets of Pengelly in Cornwall, the old stone cottage on Memory Lane is full of secrets. Brimming with trinkets and treasures, there are thousands of stories hidden within its walls.

Fifty-four-year-old Grace Clarke arrives in Pengelly determined to uncover the secrets of her past. Standing outside the little cottage, she feels sure that the answers she craves lie inside. The truth about her mysterious long-lost mother and the even more mysterious gifts she was born with…

The Cottage Of Curiosity is available in hardback and ebook now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

The Cottage Of Curiosity is an absolutely wonderful, heartwarming and uplifting read that I absolutely adored. It was the perfect book for curling up with and getting lost in on a cold rainy day!

I thought this was a beautiful story of friendship, new beginnings and finding yourself which I quickly got lost in. It was so nice to follow Grace on her journey of discovery and see her blossom in her new environment. I wasn’t too sure I liked her at the beginning as she seemed quite prickly but I warmed to her as the book went on. She changed so much and it was quite frankly a joy to see how she developed.

Pengelly sounds like an amazing place to live. Not only is it by the sea, a personal dream of mine is to live by the sea, but the community seemed like such an amazing and friendly one who just absorbed Grave into their lives. The fantastic descriptions of the area had me imagining the sand between my toes and I swear I heard waves crashing as I read. It’s definitely a place I’d love to visit in the future.

Grace’s unusual almost magical gift gives the story an original twist which I found very interesting. It was great to learn more about it and to see Grace finally come to accept it, even using it to her advantage at times which was nice to see.

The mystery surrounding Grace’s birth mum was cleverly done as I felt that the author slowly puts clues and insights about the mother’s life into the story in a realistic way which never seemed forced so the story felt more real. I really liked going on the journey alongside Grace, and I will be recommending this book to everyone!

Huge thanks to Jen Harlow for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Harper Collins for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

About The Author:

Celia Anderson lives slap bang in the middle of the Midlands and dreams of owning a cottage by the sea, or at the very least on a canal or river. She makes do with living next door to a pond full of ducks but often manages to sneak more impressive watery places into her writing. Celia loves walking, reading, having large bubbly baths, eating and drinking wine. Over the years, she has found that all of these activities bar the first may be done simultaneously, although this can be messy. Previously a teacher and assistant head, she now writes full time and keeps her feet on the ground by running children’s clubs that mainly involve drama and cake.
An enthusiastic member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Celia currently organises the judging for the Romantic Novel of the Year Awards. She spends far too much time on social media and dreams of one day being strong-minded enough to leave the house without her phone.

Margaret Mayhew was born in London and her earliest childhood memories were of the London Blitz. She began writing in her mid-thirties and had her first novel published in 1976. She is married to American aviation author, Philip Kaplan, and lives in Gloucestershire.

Book Synopsis:

Chicago, 1950.

Rosalind Porter has always defied expectations – in her work as a physicist on the Manhattan Project to design the atomic bomb, and in her passionate love affair with coworker Thomas Weaver.

Five years after the end of both, her guilt over the results of her work and her heartbreak over Weaver are intertwined. She has almost succeeded in resigning herself to a more conventional life . . .

Then Weaver gets back in touch. But so does the FBI.

Agent Charlie Szydlo wants Rosalind to spy on Weaver, whom the FBI suspects of selling nuclear secrets to Russia.

As Rosalind’s final assignment launches her on a dangerous mission to find the truth, she faces a heartbreaking choice . . .

Believe the man who taught her how to love?

Or trust the man who her love might save?

Atomic Love is available in ebook and hardback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

Atomic Love is a completely captivating, gripping read which I really enjoyed. It is part love story, part thriller which worked really well.

Firstly I loved the main character Rolalind who was such a strong, clever lady who had given up a lot for her beliefs. I found it interesting to learn more about her previous job and how she had become disillusioned as her work on nuclear power wasn’t being used the way she expected. I felt sad that she had to hide her intelligence from people and how hard she had to fight to find herself. All the characters feelings are well described in the book so the reader gets an insight into their inner most feelings which made me feel more connected to them and care about them more.

The author’s brilliantly descriptions makes 1950 America come to life and I found it very interesting to learn how much everything had changed. Some of the sexist attitudes towards woman made my blood boil and I felt sorry for Roz having to try so hard to prove herself.

I thought this was a well written, twisty read which kept me guessing how things would end up, particularly about the love triangle that develops. All of the characters seemed to have different loyalties so it was hard to know who to trust which kept me firmly absorbing into the book. The ending was very dramatic and satisfying which I always enjoy.

Huge thanks to Sriya from Michael St Joseph for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

About The Author:

Jennie Fields, who is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, lives in Nashville. Her most recent novel, The Age of Desire (Pamela Dorman Books/Viking, August 2012), was a New York Times Editor’s Choice and has just been optioned for film.

Book Synopsis:

Film star Amelie Hart is the darling of the silver screen, appearing on the front pages of every newspaper. But at the peak of her fame she throws it all away for a regular guy with an ordinary job. The gossip columns are aghast: what happened to the woman who turned heads wherever she went?

Any hope the furore will die down are crushed when Amelie’s boyfriend Dave is arrested on charges of child sexual abuse. Dave strongly asserts his innocence, and when Amelie refuses to denounce him, the press witch hunt quickly turns into physical violence, and she has to flee the country.

While Dave is locked up with the most depraved men in the country and Amelie is hiding on the continent, Damaris, the victim at the centre of the story, is isolated – a child trying to make sense of an adult world.

Breathtakingly brutal, dark and immensely moving, A Song of Isolation looks beneath the magpie glimmer of celebrity to uncover a sinister world dominated by greed and lies, and the unfathomable destruction of innocent lives … in an instant.

A Song Of Isolation is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I’ve been a huge fan of this author since his debut so I was very excited to learn that he had a new book out as I know they are always fantastic reads. This is going to be a hard book to review as I really don’t want to give anything away.

In this book the author takes the difficult subject of a child abuse case and gives the reader the opportunity to observe it from three different points of view which I thought was very interesting. The story is told by Dave, the accused, his girlfriend Amelia who is a former actress and the victim Damaris. I liked that the author didn’t try to overly sway the readers opinion about the characters so I didn’t find myself siding with any one of the characters which I found interesting as I thought I’d immediately be on the child’s side. That’s not to say I didn’t have a lot of sympathy for him – I did but I also felt empathy towards Amelia and Dave too.

I thought this story was very fast paced with lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. Some of the revelations where deeply shocking and made me wonder at the lengths done people would go to. The author also takes a swipe at the press and their need for juicy stories regardless if the heartbreak they can leave in their wake. This gave the book quite a modern, realistic feel to it and made me think I was actually following a case in real life.

Overall I would highly recommend this book to anyone who liked fast paced books that make you think. Im excited to see what this fantastic author comes up with next.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Orenda for my copy of this book. Just read it, you won’t regret it!

About The Author:

Michael J. Malone was born and brought up in the heart of Burns’ country, just a stone’s throw from the great man’s cottage in Ayr. Well, a stone thrown by a catapult, maybe. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. BLOOD TEARS, his debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize (judge:Alex Gray) from the Scottish Association of Writers and when it was published he added a “J” to his name to differentiate it from the work of his talented U.S. namesake. He can be found on twitter – @michaelJmalone1

Book Synopsis:

Step across the cobblestones, pull back the curtains and peek behind the doors in the second instalment of The Hope Street Series. Catch up with old friends and fall in love with new ones in a story of friendship, second chances and new beginnings.

Livvy has no choice but to return to Hope Street, the childhood home she left over twenty years ago. Along with her sixteen-year-old daughter, Pip, she turns up on the doorstep, hoping for forgiveness from her sister.

Hannah thought she’d never see Livvy again. She’s overwhelmed with emotion but locks away her real feelings. How could Livvy stay away without any contact? And why has she come back now?

It isn’t long before the charm of the market town of Somerley begins to work its magic. Hannah is opening a book shop in the square, adjoining The Coffee Stop, and Livvy’s offer to help out brings the sisters closer together.

But when someone from Livvy’s past arrives unannounced too, he threatens everything she’s built up since her return. Can Livvy convince her sister, and her new friends, that her intentions to return were good ones? Or will her dreams of settling down and being happy again become nothing but a closed book?

If you love an uplifting story, then Coming Home to Hope Street is the perfect feel-good read to curl up with. Ideal for fans of Hannah Ellis, Holly Martin and Emily Harvale.

Coming Home To Hope Street is available in ebook and paperback now. The ebook is currently only 99p. You can purchase your copy of both using the link below.

My Review:

I absolutely loved this wonderful, feel good read by one of favourite authors! Marcie’s books are great for curling up with after a hard day as you know you’ll be able to relax into the book and just enjoy the story.

Firstly I loved being back in Somerley which sounds like a fabulous place to live. I would love to live their myself as all the residents seem so nice and there is a great sense of community there which was lovely to read about. All the characters were very likeable ones who are easy to warm to. I really enjoyed getting to know them better and finding out a little about their lives.

The storyline was mainly a warm one with enough interesting things happening so that it kept my interest throughout. I liked that the author kept it realistic and that the ending wasn’t a sugary sweet one with everything tied up neatly in a bow.

This is the second book in the series and whilst it could be read as a standalone it probably is best to read them in order as I think you’d understand the characters more.

Huge thanks to Sarah from Books On The Bright side for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Hi, I’m Marcie Steele and I write down-to-earth stories about day-to-day people. I’ve written three novels in The Somerley Series and I’ve started a new series, the first book, The Man Across the Street, out now. The second book, Coming Home to Hope Street, will be published in September 2020. The series will be in six parts, featuring a main story per book from each of the six characters. Why not take a walk along Hope Street and fall in love with the women, the street and the sense of camaraderie? My books have sold over 300,000 copies. Coffee, cake and friendship are three of my favourite things. You’ll always find me writing in a cafe, people watching.

Book Synopsis:

Nefertiti:

A MISSING QUEEN. A DARK GAME OF POWER.

With her husband, Akhenaten, Nefertiti – the most powerful, charismatic and beautiful Queen of the ancient world – rules over an Empire at the peak of its glory and domination.

Together, they have built a magnificent new city in the desert on the banks of the Nile and are about to host kings, dignitaries and leaders from around the Empire for a vast festival to celebrate their triumph.

But suddenly, Nefertiti vanishes.

Rahotep – the youngest chief detective of the Thebes division- can see patterns where others cannot. His unusual talents earn him a summons to the royal court.

With ten days to find the Queen and return her in time for the festival, Rahotep knows that success will bring glory – but if he fails, he and his young family will die…

Rahotep’s adventure continue in Tutankhamun and Egypt: The Book of Chaos…

Tutankhamen

A KING IN DANGER. A BATTLE TO STAY ALIVE.

On the shadowy city streets the cryptically mutilated bodies of several young people are discovered. These brutal acts are destabilizing a ruthless regime already unstable thanks to corruption and the appalling divide between rich and poor.

Meanwhile, Tutankhamun, at 18, has inherited an empire that should be at the height of power and glory. But he faces only a Court full of conspiracies and plotting, and a bitter struggle for power.

And when his own security is threatened by an intruder in the palace, he needs an outsider he can trust to track down the traitor. Rahotep receives a mysterious invitation to the labyrinthine halls of the Royal Palace.

But what he discovers at the dark heart of power will put his life, and his family, in grave danger. . .

Rahotep’s adventures continue in Egypt: The Book of Chaos. Have you read Nefertiti, his first adventure?

Nefertiti and Tutankhamen is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I’m a huge fan of Wilbur Smith so when I saw this author being compared to him I was instantly intrigued. I was definitely not disappointed as I really enjoyed these two fast paced historical thrillers.

Firstly the author does a great job of setting the scene in these books and I felt completely transported to ancient Egypt so that I could feel the heat and smell all the amazing spices in the markets. I must confess I didn’t know much about Egyptian history before reading these book so I really enjoyed learning more about the pyramids and some of the Egyptian myths.

The mystery part of the stories was very cleverly done with both books starting slowly but gradually getting faster paced as the story continued. I especially liked how Nefertiti was based on a real life mystery as apparently no one is sure where they disappeared to.

Overall I really enjoyed these fantastic books and can’t wait to read more from the series. The author has written a very absorbing, completely intriguing read which I couldn’t put down. I’ll definitely be recommending him to other historical thriller readers.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Transworld for my copy of these books via Netgalley.

About The Author:

Nick Drake was born in 1961. He is a screenwriter and an award-winning poet. He has been Literary Associate at the National Theatre and worked with Nicholas Hytner and Nicholas Wright on the stage version of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy.

Book Synopsis:

The Monstrous Me series is a split perspective book looking at situations from another point of view to help children develop a sense of balance, roundedness and wellbeing. Readers can turn the story on its head and look at the very same situations from different angles. In this book, ‘My Daddy is a Monster’ an inquisitive little boy is convinced his dad is a monster. But, is he really? When we look through his daddy’s eyes, we see a very different story.

My Daddy’s A Monster is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

My daughter was a huge fan of My Mummy’s A Monster so I was very excited to learn that the author had written another book in the series. Once again this was a huge hit with my daughter and soon became a regular night time read. I think I actually know the book off by heart now as I have read it so many times.

As mentioned in the blurb the book is told from two perspectives one from the children and one from the parents which I think is a very clever idea. It helps children to understand why parents say no to things sometimes and why they react the way they do. My daughter often said to me whilst reading, ‘oh so that’s why we aren’t allowed to do that’, so the books message does get through!

The book is full of wonderful full page illustrations which are really bright and detailed. My daughter spent ages looking at them and enjoyed finding little details that she had missed previously. The one difference I found between this book and the previous one was there was a bit of naughty humour running through it which my daughter found hilarious, there was also some adult humour as there were a couple of times I found myself laughing whilst my daughter just looked at me confused.

Overall we absolutely loved this book and I would really recommend them as bedtime reading for children. My daughter has constantly requested it since we got our copy and has even slept with it under her pillow on a few occasions as she liked it so much.

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

About The Author:

Natalie Reeves Billing is a Liverpool lass with a dark sense of humour, which often spills onto the page. She loves to write spooky, fantastical stories for young audiences, and dabbles in poetry, contemporary fiction. Natalie spent most of her early career in the music industry as a performer and professional songwriter. This lead, almost inevitably, to storytelling. Natalie is an Arvon Foundation friend and is a student of the Golden Egg Academy. She is mentored under the Lloyds Bank SSE program, with her Bubs Literacy project. She is published in several anthologies with her poetry and flash fiction, including the Writing on the Wall, Read Now, Write Now, and is involved in several collaborations with fellow writers across poetry, song, and scriptwriting. Her new book, My Mummy is a Monster (part of the Monstrous Me collection) will be available in March 2020 and Carry Love in June 2020 Connect with Natalie on Twitter @BillingReeves.

Book Synopsis:

From the internationally bestselling author of The Secret Wife comes a tale of love, sacrifice and betrayal, available now.

Published in the US as Jackie and Maria.

JACKIE
When her first marriage ends in tragedy, Jackie Kennedy fears she’ll never love again. But all that changes when she encounters…

ARI
Successful and charming, Ari Onassis is a man who promises her the world. Yet soon after they marry, Jackie learns that his heart also belongs to another…

MARIA
A beautiful, famed singer, Maria Callas is in love with Jackie’s new husband – and she isn’t going to give up.

Little by little, Jackie and Maria’s lives begin to tangle in a dangerous web of secrets, scandal and lies. But with both women determined to make Ari theirs alone, the stakes are high. How far will they go for true love?

The Second Marriage is available in ebook and hardback now. The ebook is currently only 99p. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I’m a huge fan of this author’s books as I absolutely love the way she writes absorbing historical fiction. This story was no exception and I soon found myself drawn into the story and into the glamorous lives of the characters. The author’s vivid descriptions meant I was able to perfectly imagine the scenes and I often felt like I was actually there watching everything unfold.

The characters are real life historical characters who I loved following throughout the book. I knew a little about Jackie but Maria was a completely new character to me so I found it very interesting to find out more about her. I had expected to like one of them over the other, but I didn’t find that to be the case. Instead I felt like a neutral bystander as I thought both woman deserved happiness. It was quite shocking at times how both of them were used so I also felt a lot of sympathy for them. I really did not like Onassis however as he came across as quite an unfeeling, calculating man which I kept hoping the two woman would realise.

Overall I thought this was a very intriguing book which was the perfect blend of fact and fiction. The author lets the reader get to know her characters on quite a personal level so I felt very involved in the story and therefore more concerned about how it was all going to end. My only small gripe is that I wish the American title of the book, Jackie and Maria was also used over here as I feel it fits the book slightly better.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Avon for my copy of this book via Netgalley. If you’re a fan of well written, absorbing historical fiction then you need to read this book, and then go back and read the author’s back catalogue as it’s all amazing!

About The Author:

Gill Paul is an author of historical fiction, specialising in the twentieth century and often writing about the lives of real women. Her novels have topped bestseller lists in the US and Canada as well as the UK and have been translated into twenty languages. The Secret Wife has sold over half a million copies and is a book-club favourite worldwide.

She is also the author of several non-fiction books on historical subjects. She lives in London and swims year-round in a wild pond. The Second Marriage is her ninth novel.