Book Synopsis:

He’s been looking in the windows again. Messing with cameras. Leaving notes.
Supposed to be a refuge. But death got inside.

When Katie Straw’s body is pulled from the waters of the local suicide spot, the police decide it’s an open-and-shut case. A standard-issue female suicide.

But the residents of Widringham women’s refuge where Katie worked don’t agree. They say it’s murder.

Will you listen to them?

An addictive literary page-turner about a crime as shocking as it is commonplace, KEEPER will leave you reeling long after the final page is turned.

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

My Review:

Keeper was an incredibly powerful, harrowing read which was hard to believe is a debut novel.

I found the storyline to be very intriguing and I soon found myself immersed into the story. The subject of domestic abuse is a difficult subject to write about it but the author manages to do it perfectly. There is a great balance in this book between the heartbreaking descriptions of what Katie goes through but also I felt a heartwarming message that it is possible to survive it. The descriptions were graphic at times but they did seem very realistic which made what happens even more hard hitting. It’s one of those books that I both wanted to continue reading as I wanted to find out what happens but also wanted to stop reading and curl into a ball as I wasn’t sure I did want to know how it would end.

The writing style is very fast paced and there is lots of tension throughout the book which is almost unbearable at times. It was quite eye-opening to read about everything that abuse victims go through and how the psychological effects of the abuse can take ages to fade. It is a story that will definitely stay with me and I think it will be a great book club read as there is lots to discuss.

Huge thanks to Ellie from Viking books for my copy of this book and for inviting me onto the blog tour.

About The Author:

Jessica Moor studied English at Cambridge before completing a Creative Writing MA at Manchester University. Prior to this she spent a year working in the violence against women and girls sector and this experience inspired her first novel, Keeper.

Book Synopsis:

What would you do if your best friend was about to risk everything?

In the North of England in1938, two ten-year-old girls, Lily Hetherington and Stella Marsden, form a close if unlikely friendship that endures despite their wartime experiences. After the war, the two women are working as nursing auxiliaries when Lily meets male nurse Will Bagshaw. Stella begins to hear sinister rumours about the man, but the besotted Lily won’t listen to a word said against him. Can Stella make her see sense before it’s too late?

Building to a tense, dramatic climax, this is a story of friendship, love, loyalty and the ultimate betrayal.

A must for fans of Daphne Du Maurier, Patricia Highsmith, James Neff and Lisa Gardner.

Towards The Vanishing Point is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I was a huge fan of this author’s first book so I was incredibly excited to find out that she had a new book out and to be invited onto the blog tour for it.

One of the things I love about this author is her amazing ability to set the scene in her books so that the author feel they are actually there. This was especially true in this book when the author includes little details such as the name of films and music that were popular during the war to help the reader vividly imagine the era. I liked how she manages to include some of the attitudes of the time tok especially towards unmarried woman which I thought was very clever as it never felt forced or like a tick box exercise like it does in some other books.

I thought this was a fast paced, gripping read which I absolutely flew through as I found it so enjoyable. It was great to be able to live the war years through the characters and see what it was like for the ordinary people who were left at home. I’m very excited to read more from this author in the future.

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

About The Author:

Jan Turk Petrie is a writer based in the Cotswolds area of England (UK) She is the author of the fast paced Nordic thriller series: the Eldísvík novels. All three of these gripping novels are set in 2068 in a fictional city state just below the artic circle. ‘Until The Ice Cracks’ – the first of the trilogy was published in July 2018. Volume Two – ‘No God for a Warrior’ was published in November 2018 The third and final volume – ‘Within Each Other’s Shadow’ was published in spring 2019 Jan’s stand-alone novel – ‘Too Many Heroes’ – is a post-war thriller set mainly in the East End of London. It was published in 2019. Her latest book: ‘Towards the Vanishing Point’ – is set in the north of England. Beginning in 1938, the story spans 20 years. It is due to be published in January 2020 A former English teacher with an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Gloucestershire, Jan has also written numerous, prize-winning short stories. You can contact her at: janturkpetrie.com Twitter handle: @TurkPetrie

Book Synopsis:

Millie didn’t get time to think, her screams loud and raw as she kicked and fought. She called out for Oscar, again and again, screaming for help.

But he never came.

It was the wedding of the year. Millie Beaumont marrying billionaire playboy Oscar Hayat, the eyes of the world watching.

But the dream turns into a nightmare when Millie and Oscar are brutally abducted while on honeymoon. Millie is killed, her body dumped in London. Oscar is still missing …

Enter DS Moomy Khan and DI Sarah Heaton – not your typical police officers. Moomy is running from her own troubled past, while Sarah is having to live with the hard choices she has made. Yet they will stop at nothing to find Millie’s murderers and track down Oscar. Only a family as high profile as the Hayats have enemies lurking in every corner – have they
taken the ultimate revenge, or is someone else behind the death and kidnapping?

And can Moomy and Sarah find Oscar – before time runs out and he suffers the same fate as his wife?

The first book in the gripping, fast-paced new Khan and Heaton crime series, The Unbroken will thrill fans of A.A. Dhand, Angela Marsons and Robert Bryndza.

The Unbroken is available in ebook now for the fantastic price of £1.99. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I’ve heard a lot about this author so I was very intrigued when I got invited onto the blog tour for this his latest book, especially as it is (I believe) his first crime fiction book.

The author introduces us to the privileged world of the super rich, a life that some of us are only able to dream of, which i found very interesting. The idea that some of the rules don’t apply to them is something I’ve long suspected so I enjoyed exploring it.

There were some fascinating, diverse characters in this book which gives the story an unique slant. I liked that the two main characters were practising Muslims but approached their religion in very different ways. DS Khan grew up in a traditional Muslim family but has spent most of her life rebelling against the expectations and limitations that the religion puts on her. DI Heston on the other hand recently converted though it isn’t immediately clear why which I found very intriguing. I enjoyed following both of them through the book and learnding more about their past lives, especially how it might effect things in the present.

Overall I thought this was a gripping, addictive book which was grest to get lost in for a few hours The author does a great job at telling the story and I found it hard to put the book down as there was always lots happening. I’m excited to read more from this series!

Huge thanks to Sarah Hardy from BOTBS publicity for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Hera for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

About The Author:

Alex Caan is a specialist in terrorism studies who has worked for a number of government organizations. Cut to the Bone is his first novel. He lives in England. To find out more check out Alex’s website at http://www.alexcaanauthor.com/

Book Synopsis:

The killer is just getting started…

When three wife beaters are themselves found beaten to death, DC Maggie Jamieson knows she is facing her toughest case yet.

The police suspect that Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood – who is connected to all three victims – is hiding a dark secret. Then a fourth domestic abuser is brutally murdered.

And he is Lucy’s husband.

Now the police are running out of time, but can Maggie really believe her friend Lucy is a cold-blooded killer?

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

My Review:

Dead Inside is a deeply moving, realistic read from a fantastic new author. I absolutely loved her first book so couldn’t wait to read more. I tend to like books with female detectives in it and therefore liked following strong, confident Maggie as she attempted to solve the case.

The author has taken the difficult subject of domestic abuse and managed to sensitively portray it. It seemed frightening realistic at times and I found myself feeling that everything was happening to me. The author manages to perfectly describe the fear and the power that someone can have over you which made for uncomfortable reading at times. My understanding is that the author has a personal experience of this which made the book more chilling for me as I realised this is what it’s actually like.

This book gripped me from the start with the wonderful writing style and fabulous storyline ensuring I was glued to the book. I so enjoyed reading about Maggie again and following her as she tried to solve her case. The style of the book reminded me of Sarah Hilary so if you enjoy those books I think you’ll ever this one.

Huge thanks to Sarah Hardy for inviting me onto the blog tour and to One Chapter for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

About The Author:

Noelle Holten is an award-winning blogger at http://www.crimebookjunkie.co.uk. She is the PR & Social Media Manager for Bookouture, a leading digital publisher in the UK, and a regular reviewer on the Two Crime Writers and a Microphone podcast. Noelle worked as a Senior Probation Officer for eighteen years, covering a variety of cases including those involving serious domestic abuse. She has three Hons BA’s – Philosophy, Sociology (Crime & Deviance) and Community Justice – and a Masters in Criminology. Noelle’s hobbies include reading, author-stalking and sharing the booklove via her blog. Dead Inside is her debut novel with One More Chapter/Harper Collins UK, an international kindle bestseller and the start of a new series featuring DC Maggie Jamieson. Connect with Noelle on Social Media here: Twitter: (@nholten40) https://twitter.com/nholten40 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noelleholtenauthor/ Blog FB page: https://www.facebook.com/crimebookjunkie/ Instagram: @crimebookjunkie

Book Synopsis:

The river can lead you home. Or it can take you under…

In their ramshackle Somerset home, its gardens running down to the river, the Sorrells have gathered for a last-minute wedding.

Lucy is desperate to reunite her fractured family. Eve is fighting to keep her perfect life together. Their mother, Kit, a famous author whose stories have run dry, still seethes with resentment towards her youngest child. And Margot, who left home eight years ago under a black cloud, is forced to come face to face with her darkness…

As the family come together for a week of celebration and confrontation, their relationships are stretched to breaking point. But can you ever heal the wounds of the past?

A spellbinding family drama about sisterhood, secrets and forgiveness – this is a truly unforgettable read.

The River Home is published in ebook and hardback tomorrow. You can pre-order your copy using the link below.

My Review:

The River Home is a beautiful, emotional read which will definitely stay with me for a long time.

At its heart it’s a real explanation of families and the complex relationships they contain. I always enjoy these kind of stories as they are ones that anyone can relate to, especially when it comes to the complicated feelings they can evoke. The author perfectly describes these and how they can be both our support network but also help mould us for future life – though not always in a good, positive way.

The characters were brilliant creations and ones that I felt I warmed to instantly. They were all very realistic characters who I felt I went on an incredible journey with. I laughed and cried alongside them which made for very emotional and powerful reading. The plot is well developed and swaps between the past and the present as we get a glimpse into the background of this family. There is definitely some history there with lots of hurt feelings and misunderstandings to pick through until we come to the heart of the problems. The ending had me feeling happy, sad and more than a little overwhelmed.

Huge thanks to Alainna from Orion for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Hannah Richell was born in Kent and spent her childhood years in Buckinghamshire and Canada. After graduating from the University of Nottingham she worked in the book publishing and film industries in both London and Sydney. She is a dual citizen of Great Britain and Australia and currently lives the South West of England with her family. Hannah is the author of international bestsellers Secrets of the Tides (published in the US as The House of Tides) and The Shadow Year. The Peacock Summer is her third novel. Her books have been translated into fourteen languages.

Twitter: @hannahrichell

Book Synopsis:

Sunderland, 1943: With the future of Britain uncertain, the shipyard girls fight to keep their lives on an even keel.

Head-welder Rosie is just about managing to keep her double life hidden from little sister Charlotte’s prying eyes. But Charlotte senses something is up and, with a secret this big, the truth is bound to come out.

After a whirlwind wedding, Polly must bid farewell to her sweetheart as he returns to the front line.

And there is something odd about yard manager Helen’s newest recruit Bel. But in resolving to uncover the truth, Helen might discover more than she bargained for…

Only by rallying together will the shipyard girls triumph.

Triumph Of The Shipyard Girls is published in ebook and paperback tomorrow. You can pre-order your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I’m such a huge fan of this fantastic series so you can imagine my excitement when I heard there was another book to enjoy.

As always I was immediately drawn into the story and really enjoyed catching up with all the girls again. I have always loved the way the author writes these book so that the reader feels like they are really there watching everything unfold. I love feeling like I’m one of the gang and that I know these girls personally as if we were real friends.

Rosie and Charlotte take centre stage again in this book which always means that the storyline is going to be interesting. I’ve slowly warmed to Charlotte over the last two books though she still upsets me sometimes with her attitude. It was interesting to learn more about Rosie and Hannah’s past and to find out the truth about Raymond.

This book also describes the awful situation in Sunderland during the war and all the destruction it took. It was quite heartbreaking to read about all that happened and how it affected everyone. This is the eighth book in the series and while it could perhaps be read as a standalone (as most things are explained), I think it is best read in order. If you are a fan of WW2 fiction or sagas then you’ll love this book.

Huge thanks to Rachel Kennedy from Arrow publishing for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

About The Author:

Nancy Revell is the author of the Shipyard Girls series, which is set in the north-east of England during World War II.

She is a former journalist who worked for all the national newspapers, providing them with hard-hitting news stories and in-depth features. Nancy also wrote amazing and inspirational true life stories for just about every woman’s magazine in the country.

When she first started writing the Shipyard Girls series, Nancy relocated back to her hometown of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, along with her husband, Paul, and their English bull mastiff, Rosie. They now live just a short walk away from the beautiful award-winning beaches of Roker and Seaburn, within a mile of where the books are set.

The subject is particularly close to Nancy’s heart as she comes from a long line of shipbuilders, who were well known in the area.

Book Synopsis:

A city in darkness. A building in lockdown. A score that can only be settled in blood…

Working off the books for FBI Special Agent Alex Monroe, Florida bounty-hunter Lori Anderson and her partner, JT, head to Chicago. Their mission: to entrap the head of the Cabressa crime family. The bait: a priceless chess set that Cabressa is determined to add to his collection.

An exclusive high-stakes poker game is arranged in the penthouse suite of one of the city’s tallest buildings, with Lori holding the cards in an agreed arrangement to hand over the pieces. But, as night falls and the game plays out, stakes rise and tempers flare.

When a power failure plunges the city into darkness, the building goes into lockdown. But this isn’t an ordinary blackout, and the men around the poker table aren’t all who they say they are. Hostages are taken, old scores resurface and the players start to die.

And that’s just the beginning…

Deep Dark Night is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below. They are also available in your local Asda or Tesco at the moment- pop one in your shopping 🙂

My Review:

Wow what a fabulous, entertaining and gripping read this was. I have enjoyed this series from the start, especially as it features Lori Anderson who is one of my all time favourite female protagonist. I have always liked how smart and clever she is which makes her hugely enjoyable to read about. She always seems a very real character as she isn’t always able to fool the bad guys.

This book features the manipulative and morally corrupt Agent Monroe who is a character I always love to hate. He has one final (so he says) case for her which puts Lori in one of the most intense, nail biting situations she’s been in yet. She ends up playing a very high stakes poker game in what is essentially a locked room which leads to some incredibly tense, exciting scenes which made the book very hard to put down. I found myself on the edge of my seat (my husband actually asked me if I was ok) as I read these scenes. It was incredibly exciting as I really didn’t know which way the book was going to go. This author is not afraid to out her characters in harm’s way so I definitely feared for her safety. I’m so excited to read more in this series.

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

About The Author:

Steph Broadribb was born in Birmingham and grew up in Buckinghamshire. Most of her working life has been spent between the UK and USA. As her alter ego – Crime Thriller Girl – she indulges her love of all things crime fiction by blogging at crimethrillergirl.com, where she interviews authors and reviews the latest releases. Steph is an alumni of the MA in Creative Writing (Crime Fiction) at City University London, and she trained as a bounty hunter in California. She lives in Buckinghamshire surrounded by horses, cows and chickens. Her debut thriller, Deep Down Dead, was shortlisted for the Dead Good Reader Awards in two categories, and hit number one on the UK and AU kindle charts.
My Little Eye, her first novel under her pseudonym Stephanie Marland was published by Trapeze Books in April 2018.
Follow Steph on Twitter @CrimeThrillGirl and on Facebook facebook.com/CrimeThrillerGirl or visit her website: crimerthrillergirl.com

Book Synopsis:

Black River is an electrifying return for relentless reporter Tuva Moodyson, from the author of Dark Pines and Red Snow.

FEAR                                                           

Tuva s been living clean in southern Sweden for four months when she receives horrifying news. Her best friend Tammy Yamnim has gone missing.

SECRETS

Racing back to Gavrik at the height of Midsommar, Tuva fears for Tammy s life. Who has taken her, and why? And who is sabotaging the small-town search efforts?

LIES

Surrounded by dark pine forest, the sinister residents of Snake River are suspicious of outsiders. Unfortunately, they also hold all the answers. On the shortest night of the year, Tuva must fight to save her friend. The only question is who will be there to save Tuva?

Black River 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 such a huge fan of this series which are always fantastic, addictive reads. I was a little worried at the end of the last book when Tuba moved away from quickly and slightly strange Gavrik so I was happy to see her back there even though it wasn’t for a happy reason.

I actually thought we’d seen all the strange characters we could in Gavrik but Snake River is somewhere that literally made my skin crawl when Tuva first visits it. The potential for strange and dodgy things to happen there is huge, especially some of the weird characters there. Sally, also known as The Breeder as she breeds snakes, was my favourite character from there as she made me smile but also shudder due to her strange quirks, especially the descriptions of the snake skin she glues to her nails.

The author does a great job of setting the scene in the book and I enjoyed being back in Gavrik. The small time claustrophobic atmosphere helped create a lot of the tension and mystery in the story as everyone knows each others business but no-one is willing to talk about it which made me suspicious of everyone. The midsummer madness was a fascinating addition to the plot as it brings with it a lot of problems that I hadn’t fully considered before, including insomnia which made for interesting character motivation and means the police don’t think take Alison’s disappearance seriously which I found very intriguing.

Once again the author has written a wonderful book that whilst not fast paced is very addictive and I found hard to put down. The author’s fantastic writing style just drew me into the book and made me feel that I was Tuva, experiencing everything from her point of view which I thought very clever. I’m very excited to read more from this series now, especially as the book ended on a clifthanger as such.

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

About The Author:

Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands and had lived in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. After studying Law at the LSE and working in London, he settled in rural Sweden where he built a house in a boggy clearing at the centre of a vast elk forest, and it’s from this base that he compulsively reads and writes. His debut novel, Dark Pines, was selected for Zoe Ball’s Book Club, shortlisted for the Guardian Not the Booker prize and named a Daily Telegraph Book of the Year. The second Tuva Moodyson mystery, Red Snow, was published in January 2019 and won Best Independent Voice at the Amazon Publishing Readers’ Awards, 2019.