Book Synopsis:

Four strangers are missing. Left at their last-known locations are birthday cards that read:

YOUR GIFT IS THE GAME.
DARE TO PLAY?

The police aren’t worried – it’s just a game. But the families are frantic. As psychologist and private detective Dr Augusta Bloom delves into the lives of the missing people, she finds something that binds them all.

And that something makes them very dangerous indeed.

As more disappearances are reported and new birthday cards uncovered, Dr Bloom races to unravel the mystery and find the missing people.

But what if, this time, they are the ones she should fear?

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

My Review:

Gone was a fantastic, absorbing and original book from an exciting new author. The thing that I most liked about this book is that the reader gets to look inside the mind of a psychopath which I found very intriguing.

This book gripped me from the start with a really dramatic opening where we are introduced to the fascinating Seraphine. She was definitely a character that interested me as I was never sure if she was telling the truth or not which helped add an unpredictable edge to the story. I enjoyed learning more about her through her sessions with Dr Bloom as I got to learn more about her story and how it fits in with what’s been happening.

Dr Augusta Bloom was my favourite character by far as I was impressed by her determination to try and solve the case, despite not having to as she wasn’t a police officer. She’s obviously a very clever lady and I enjoyed reading about her psychology sessions and seeing how her mind works. Her friendship with her partner Marcus, an ex16 agent, was wonderful to read about, especially their interactions and how they compliment each other.

Overall I thought this was a chilling and fascinating read which I found hard to put down. It’s different from other psychological thrillers that I’ve read which made a nice change. I’m very excited to read more from her and the future and hope this isn’t the last we see of Augusta and Marcus.

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

About The Author:

Leona Deakin started her career as a psychologist with the West Yorkshire Police. She is now an occupational psychologist and lives with her family in Leeds. This is her debut thriller.

Book Synopsis:

Everyone’s welcome at The Afternoon Tea Club…

Marjorie, Stacy, Raymond and Dora each hold a different story to their chest – lost loves, abandoned dreams, crippling self-confidence issues, and simply feeling invisible. For each of them, the thought of letting those stories out is almost as terrifying as letting strangers in, and that makes for a very lonely life indeed.

But when these four strangers who have struggled to “fit in” end up on the same table for an event at their local community centre, little do they know that their lives are about to be entwined and changed forever because of an Afternoon Tea club.

Cue an unexpected journey of self-discovery, some unlikely new companions, and plenty of tea and biscuits along the way…

Heart-warming and poignant in equal measure, this is a story about loneliness, kindness, and the power of friendships that span generation, proving that the most simple of human connections unite us all. Perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village and The Keeper of Lost Things.

The Afternoon Tea Club is available in ebook now and paperback on the 3nd of April 2020. You can purchase or pre-order your copy using the link below.

My Review:

This was a heartwarming read which is perfect for escaping into. It covers quite a current problem of loneliness amongst older people which made it quite an emotion read at times as it seemed very real.

The characters were all wonderful, realistic creations and I enjoyed finding out more about them. I didn’t particularly warm to any of them at the begining but as I discover more about their back story I found myself growing fond of them. They are definitely an eclectic mix of people and it was interesting to see the many different reasons that they had seeked out the club for companionship. My favourites was Stacey the librarian whose love of cats has meant that she has ended up with 8 of them. I think I felt a bit of sympathy for her as she joined the club so she’d have someone to talk to other than the cats, which is similar to the reason I go to groups so I have someone other than the kids to talk to.

The book is written in a lovely easy style that has a great flow to it. This just draws the reader into the book and ensures that they get fully emersed into the story. There is some funny parts and wry humour which I enjoyed and helped give the story a lighter feel to it. I’m normally a bit wary when books are described as similar to Rachel Joyce’s books but in this case I think the comparison is justified as the style did remind me of those books.

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

About The Author:

Jane Gilley was born in Nottingham and now lives on the beautiful island of Jersey, with her husband, a rabbit and a Senegal parrot.
Following a career in Interior Design and after writing 6 children’s books, Jane now writes adult books full time.

Book Synopsis:

A secret that could kill her.

A truth no one believes…

Jenny Bowen is going home. Boarding the Caledonian Sleeper, all she wants to do is forget about her upcoming divorce and relax on the ten-hour journey through the night.

In her search for her cabin, Jenny helps a panicked woman with a young girl she assumes to be her daughter. Then she finds her compartment and falls straight to sleep.

Waking in the night, Jenny discovers the woman dead in her cabin … but there’s no sign of the little girl. The train company have no record of a child being booked on the train, and CCTV shows the dead woman boarding alone.

The police don’t believe Jenny, and soon she tries to put the incident out of her head and tells herself that everyone else is right: she must have imagined the little girl.

But deep down, she knows that isn’t the truth.

What She Saw Last Night is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy of both using the link below.

My Review:

I thought this was a very enjoyable, addictive thriller that I seriously couldn’t put down. I managed to read it in two days, which as a mum to three kids is no mean feat.

The characters in this where brilliant creations and very well developed. I really liked Jenny and felt sorry for her at times as her confusion was almost palpable at times. However I was very impressed with her determination to try and work out what was happening as I felt lesser people would probably have given up. This definitely made me warm to her as a character. I also liked the kindly policeman who gave the book a bit of a retro crime classic feel to the book which I enjoyed.

The author does a great job of setting the scene in the book and I felt I could imagine the train and the rugged Scottish countryside vividly, making me feel like I was actually there watching everything unfold. This helped put me in Jenny’s shoes so to speak and meant I could imagine how she might be feeling or more alert to possible danger so I felt more involved in the story.

The plot is very fast paced and hugely addictive as I felt I had to keep reading as I had to find out what was happening. There are lots of twists that kept me guessing, some of which took me completely by surprise which I always love. If you like fast paced, unusual thrillers then you’ll enjoy this book- though maybe don’t read it on a sleeper train!

Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Orion for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

About The Author:

Mason Cross is a British novelist whose debut novel The Killing Season was longlisted for the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Book of the Year 2015. His second novel, The Samaritan, also featuring his inimitable lead character Carter Blake, was selected as a Richard & Judy Book Club pick. Mason has written a number of short stories, including A Living, which was shortlisted for the Quick Reads ‘Get Britain Reading’ Award and ‘Expiry Date’, published in Ellery Queen. He lives near Glasgow with his wife and three children.
 
Mason’s latest novel Presumed Dead was longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize 2018, and is available to buy now.
 
To sign up for the Mason Cross Readers Club for updates and exclusive giveaways, go to masoncross.net/readers-club
 
Find out more at http://www.masoncross.net

Good morning everyone and happy weekend. Today I’m pleased to welcome back my lovely godson Robert to my blog and share his review of Wild Sky.

Before I share his review, here is a little bit about the book.

Book Synopsis:

After delivering the pearl, Finn and Aria thought life would return to normal.

But with the survival of the clans still in peril, they must continue their quest.

Can they find the next relic before the forces of evil?

Not everyone is who they appear to be

And time is running out …

Wild Sky us available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

Wild Sky, by Lexi Rees, is a book narrated by the main character, Finn. The genre is one of adventure, mystery and magic.
Finn, the protagonist, is a sea-tamer. He has powers to talk to sea animals and control the sea. His sister, Aria, is an air-rider and she has similar powers, only based around the air and sky. Together with their parents and Pippin, a friend who is young, unpredictable, and bouncy, they fight against the forces of Sir Waldred, an earth-wanderer who seeks to destroy he siblings’ magic.
The book is set in the past, and is mostly a realistic world, but with certain unusual, magical and surreal qualities. This kind of setting appeals because it takes what you know and puts a different and enticing spin on it all. Most of the sub-settings are also real or based on real places too, which gives a sense of relatability.
I think that this book and its predecessor should be aimed at people between the ages of 7 and 11. The book doesn’t feel complete in some places, as there are certain elements of the story that have omitted when I would have liked to see the writer go into more detail.
Compared to other books in the same and similar genres, it would be a contender for top spot. An author I could compare Lexi to would be Rick Riordan for their shared ability for description and action.
At times, the plot and other smaller details felt slightly confused, and I found myself having to look back in the book and really analysing the language to understand what is happening, why, and how. Also, at points in the story, random and unrelated comments are made which aren’t explained and aren’t completely necessary to the story or anything at all. If you can, I suggest that you read the first book in the series before Wild Sky, as it would help you to understand the plot more and how things came to be. As someone who has read both books, I think that the second is much better in my opinion.
Other things I liked about the book were the drawings. They felt more wholehearted than other illustrations in other books which gave the book a warm feel. I also liked the fact that the Lexi explains in the back of the book how some of the characters are based on real people which I found made me think about the characters on a more profound level. My favourite character is definitely Pippin, for her unpredictable nature and the fact that her presence in the book lightens the mood at times, and adds an essential token of humour to contrast the serious quest that the group are embarking on.
I would rate this book a 4 out of 5, a worthwhile read. Wild Sky is an engaging, relatable, and takes you on an emotional roller coaster that hooks you in to read on and on. A really great book.

Robert
Age 12

Thanks so much for this wonderful review Robert, I really appreciate it!

About The Author:

Lexi Rees was born in Scotland but now lives down south. She writes action-packed adventures brim full of witch-doctors, fortune-tellers, warriors and smugglers, combining elemental magic with hints of dystopia. She also writes fun activity books for children.

Her fantasy adventure, Eternal Seas, was awarded a “loved by” badge from LoveReading4Kids and is currently short-listed for a Chanticleer award. The sequel, Wild Sky, is available now.

She’s passionate about developing a love of reading and writing in children and, as well as her Creative Writing Skills workbook, she has an active programme of school visits and other events, is a Book PenPal for three primary schools, and runs a free online #kidsclub and newsletter which includes book recommendations and creative writing activities.

In her spare time, she’s a keen crafter and spends a considerable amount of time trying not to fall off horses or boats.

Book Synopsis:

Welcome to Fox Bay Hotel, where family fortunes rise and fall.

1920, Bristol. Helen Fox is happily married to the love of her life: charming, former playboy Harry. With their three children, glamorous lifestyle and extravagant parties, they have the perfect life. But after a tragic motorcycle accident, nothing will ever be the same…

Helen is forced to leave their home and move to the Fox family’s hotel on the Cornish coast – where she discovers her perfect life has been based on a lie.

Now Helen must find a way to build a new life for herself and her children with the help of a vivacious new friend, Leah Marshall.

But when the future of the hotel is threatened, Helen discovers that she hasn’t left her past behind after all, and unless she takes drastic action, she’s going to lose everything all over again…

A Cornish Inheritance is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

A Cornish Inheritance is a heartwarming, absorbing read which is the start of a fantastic new series.

The author does a great job of setting the scene so that the reader feels like they are transported to 1920’s Cornwall. I felt like I was actually there seeing all the coastal beauty and feeling the sun on my face. The 1920’s are one of my favourite periods so I really enjoyed all the little details about the time that the author includes too.

The characters are fantastic creations and I enjoyed following them throughout the book. Helen is a very strong, able women whose love for her children is very evident and touching to see. She really comes into her own when tragedy strikes though and it’s then that the reader gets to see what she’s made of. I was very impressed with how she dealt with everything that goes on and my affection for her grew as the story continued. Leah is an interesting characters who I wasn’t sure what her aim was or whose side she was on for most of the story. She keeps changing and shows different sides or her to different people which intrigued me but meant I couldn’t trust her.

There are lots of twists and turns in this book which kept me guessing as to how it would end. The story had a lovely flow to it which made it easy to read and I thought the ending was a great way to finish. I so enjoyed following the Fox family throughout the book and I look forward to reading more from this author, and this series, in the future.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Piatkus for my copy of this book. If you are looking for a fantastic new saga series I recommend this one!

About The Author:

Terri was born in Plymouth. At the age of 9 she moved with her family to Cornwall, to the village featured in Jamaica Inn — North Hill — where she discovered a love of writing that has stayed with her ever since. She also discovered apple-scrumping, and how to jump out of a hayloft without breaking any bones, but no-one’s ever offered to pay her for doing those.

Since publishing in paperback for the first time in 2002, Terri has appeared in both print and online fiction collections, and is proud to have contributed to the Shirley Jackson award-nominated hardback collection: Bound for Evil, by Dead Letter Press.

As a Hybrid author, her first commercially published novel was Maid of Oaklands Manor, published by Piatkus Entice.

Terri’s self-published Mythic Fiction series set in Cornwall, The Lynher Mill Chronicles, is now complete and available in paperback and e-book.

Terri also writes under the name T Nixon, and has contributed to anthologies under the names Terri Pine and Teresa Nixon. She is represented by the Kate Nash Literary Agency. She now lives in Plymouth with her youngest son, and works in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Plymouth University, where she is constantly baffled by the number of students who don’t possess pens. 

I’m delighted to be sharing an extract for Pushing Her Luck by the lovely B. R. Maycock today. Bernadette is a fellow blogger who I have always found to be very supportive so it’s nice to be at to support her back.

Before I share the extract here is a little bit about the book.

Book Synopsis:

Holly Caulfield has won the Irish National Lottery and sets in motion a plan to save the village of Abbeyglen. But who would have thought that giving money away could be so difficult?

With a resident’s association that’s clamouring for more and more money, an old lady who’s decided that a dream cruise is in her grasp and a couple who may not want that dream wedding after all, Holly’s finding it hard to keep it together!

With a new love interest and an ex-husband hot on her heels, it’s up to Holly to figure out what can truly make her happy.

Pushing Her Luck is available in ebook now. Purchase your copy using the link below.

Extract:

Emma put her arm around her. ‘You know what they say about thinking outside the box. You need to think about your box and what you’re going to do to fill it with. The world is your cake shop, Holly. Do something level headed and then follow it up with something mental. Get yourself together. I mean it. I’m only going to be at the shop every other weekend soon, I’m going back to college and working hard at my studies so I can have my own kickass vet’s practice. Last year I was top of my class and I’m going to be again this year so that someday I can live in a country mansion I’ve paid for myself. My life is going to be everything I dreamed of as a little girl, but with crazy foreign holidays and an excellent jeep added to all the horses and dogs I’m going to rescue. Just because I have fun and get drunk doesn’t mean I’m not serious about my future.’ She stopped. ‘Your dreams about Gordon Ramsey and Jamie Oliver and the other guy…’
‘Marco Pierre White,’ Holly said quickly, ‘and sometimes Nigella Lawson and Mary Berry are in there too. Oh and the last one had Donal Skeehan in it.’ She’d actually been very proud to see someone Irish rocking up on his bicycle beside all the greats.
It was basically the same dream every time except for the people in it. She couldn’t place where the idea had come from, no doubt from a book or a film, or maybe her imagination was that good. The cooks were always cycling alongside Holly, an expanse of sparkling bright-blue water either side of the strip of yellow shale and sand they traversed. They never slowed or reached their destination. Most of the time the pace was leisurely, although some of her companions found it more difficult than others, and had to work to keep up. All they spoke of was how Caulfield’s needed to be saved. The same conversation every time.
‘Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe they’re not telling you to forget about it. They could be telling you to take it. As in go get Holly’s Bakery.’ Emma rubbed her hands together. ‘I can see from the look on your face that my work here is done. I’ve planted the seed.’ She stood up. ‘You’re so welcome. Oh and any insults weren’t insults. You know you’re my only friend around here. Well, you’re the only girl around here that isn’t wrapped up in kids, not that I wouldn’t be friends with you if you had kids…’
Holly hugged her. ‘Thanks, I think. And if you need anything let me know.’
‘We can get our nails done or something. That’s all I want. Have a great time with it, and my lips are sealed. I won’t tell a soul, even if they try to break me to get to you.’
Holly grinned. ‘I’m not sure you’ll have too many people torturing you to try to get to me, but thanks again, I don’t know what I’d do without you.’
‘You can afford to do plenty now, and you don’t need to worry, I’m always at the end of a phone.’
Holly smiled gratefully then her brow furrowed as she had a thought. ‘By the way, you said something to Mrs Tait about rumours? Something about not worrying? What was that?’
‘Oh, someone was in this morning saying there’s one of those supermarket chains opening in Abbeyglen.’
Holly’s eyes widened. ‘What?! Where’s it going to be? I’ll bet it’s that old service station that closed down. Urgh! I can’t believe it.’
‘None of us can. Least of all Mrs Tait. It’s rattled her. When those places open, the local corner shop is always the first place to go, believe you me.’
Holly felt her stomach drop. ‘But…’
But Emma wasn’t listening. She hiccupped loudly. ‘I really had better go. Best of luck, Holly, have the most fabulous afternoon of your life!’
All talk of the supermarket was momentarily forgotten as Holly hugged her again and watched her trip as she walked out the door. ‘Emma, by any chance, do you need some help getting down the stairs?’
Emma whirled around. ‘Of course! You can’t give me champagne then leave me to navigate those monstrosities. Tsk!’
Holly grinned. ‘Actually, you were walking into the bathroom.’
Emma opened her mouth, then shut it again. ‘Right. Quick question. You don’t know if Mrs T’s ever fired anyone, do you?’

About The Author:

When B R Maycock (Berni to all you lovely people!)isn’t dreaming up vibrant leads for romantic comedies, she’s ingesting books for her blog (https://brmaycock.wordpress.com/), in particular chick lit (her first love!) books, romantic comedies and thrillers. She can also be found playing footie or watching Marvel, DC or Star Wars movies and cartoons in Co. Westmeath, Ireland with her brilliantly out there husband, Keith, and their four epic little men.
Her debut ‘It Started With A Snub’ and Christmas romantic comedy ‘Snowday’ are available now on Amazon, as is Pushing Her Luck, the first of a series about AbbeyGlen Village, whose luck is about to change …
She has one goal and that’s simply to make readers smile and/ or laugh (a splutter rates highest;)).
Connect with Bernadette
BRMaycock’s book Blog
Amazon Author.to/bernimaycock
Twitter (@BRMaycock)
Facebook
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Author links
Amazon
BRMaycock’s book blog
Twitter
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Book Synopsis:

Creepy, disturbing and genuinely thrilling, this is one page-turner you won’t be able to forget!

As one life ends
Louise Lovett’s death was a tragedy. But questions still swirl about exactly what happened to Louise that day. Did she fall … or was she pushed?

A new life starts
Helen Matthews’ donor heart saves her life. But as her new heart beats inside her, Helen feels the pull of its previous owner – despite what everyone is telling her, Helen is certain she has one final message to pass on.

And a dark obsession begins
As the lives of Helen and Louise become ever more entangled, Helen’s obsession gets increasingly out of control.  And the fragile new life she has built begins to fall apart…

After The Fall is available in ebook on the 13th December 2019 and in paperback on the 5th March 2020. You can pre-order your copy using the link below.

My Review:

Wow this was a very different, gripping thriller which I just couldn’t put down. This is going to be a hard book to review as I don’t want to give anything away!

I don’t think I’ve read many books where the main character is bipolar, so I enjoyed learning more about the condition and the unreliable slant it gives the story. Throughout the story the reader is never sure whether what Helen is experiencing is down to her condition or the skill she thinks she has to communicate with the dead. This provides a creepy, unsettling atmosphere to the book which I found fascinating. It’s definitely a book that gets into your head as I found myself thinking’s about it constantly and even dreamed about it once!

This book is very absorbing and I found it difficult to put down once I had started reading. The author slowly increases the tension as the story increases until it is almost unbearable – in a good way!The many twists and turns kept me firmly on my toes and I was unable to guess the last huge reveal which I always really enjoy. The ending was amazing and had me scrambling back through the pages to re-read certain sections.

Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and to One Chapter for my copy of this book via Netgalley. If you like unique, enthralling, creepy thrillers then I think you will enjoy this book.

About The Author:

J.S. Lark is a coffee, chocolate and red wine lover, and a late-night writer of compelling, passionate, and emotionally charged fiction.

Jane’s books may contain love, hate, violence, death, passion, a little swearing, but they always have an ending you are never going to forget…

Book Synopsis:

Where can a wanted man hide in a country full of returned war heroes?

It’s 1952 and Frank Danby has been looking over his shoulder for the last ten years, forced to lead an itinerant life, getting work wherever he can while trying to keep one step ahead of the police.

Returning to London, he finds a job in an East End pub, where he becomes entangled with Grace, the young and beautiful wife of the landlord. Then the law comes knocking. Facing a justice system prejudiced against him, Frank must find a way to escape the gallows.

Too Many Heroes is a gripping period thriller, exploring love, belonging and betrayal in a country still recovering from WW2. A must for fans of the post-war novels of Philip Kerr, Kate Atkinson and Sara Sheridan.

Too Many Heroes is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I thought this was a rich, satisfying novel that manages to successfully be both an historical and a romantic novel.

Firstly I thought the author does a great job of setting the scene in this book with 1950’s London brought vividly to life so I could almost smell the sights and sounds that are described. It is a time where the effects of the war are still being felt and helps provide an interesting backdrop to the story.

Frank was a great main character that I thought was wonderfully portrayed. He’s a man with a lot of secrets and, while they are ones that he probably should face up to, I did feel a lot of sympathy for him. I wanted to keep reading to find out how things would end up. Grace was another fantastic character who is an incredibly passionate and brave lady who I enjoyed learning more about. The story is told from both Frank and Grace’s point of view with the story moving seamlessly between the two which I found very intriguing.

This book had a fabulous plot which had a great pace to it and gripped me from the start with its dramatic opening. I’m not sure I would describe it as a thriller but it is a beautiful written, absorbing read which I found hard to put down. The ending was incredibly clever and I found myself completely wrong footed about how it was going to end up.

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

About The Book:

Jan Turk Petrie is a thriller writer based in the UK. A former English teacher with an MA in creative writing from the University of Gloucestershire, Jan has written numerous, prize-winning short stories.

Book Synopsis:

A client claiming she was murdered in a past life is a novel dilemma even for Vish Puri, India’s Most Private Investigator.

When a young woman comes forward claiming to be the reincarnation of Riya Kaur, a wife and mother who vanished during the bloody 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Puri is dismissive. He’s busy enough dealing with an irate matrimonial client whose daughter is complaining about her groom’s thunderous snoring. Puri’s indomitable Mummy-ji however is adamant the client is genuine. How else could she so accurately describe under hypnosis Riya Kaur’s life and final hours?

Driven by a sense of duty – the original case was his late father’s – Puri manages to acquire the police file only to find that someone powerful has orchestrated a cover-up. Forced into an alliance with his mother that tests his beliefs and high blood pressure as never before, it’s only by delving into the past the help of his reincarnated client that Puri can hope to unlock the truth.

The Case Of The Reincarnated Client is available in ebook and hardback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

The Case Of The Reincarnated Client is a funny, absorbing and easy read with some very memorable characters. The author manages to perfectly blend humour and some poignant moments together which makes for a fabulous story.

This books includes some very interesting information on Indian culture which I didn’t know much about before. The vivid descriptions of a busy, colourful India with all the traffic and its political system made me able to fully imagine it in my mind. There were some very emotional, poignant moments about all the poverty and cruelty there too however which did bring a tear to my eye. This isn’t ever overdone but just fits into the story which I thought was very clever.

The main character Vish is a very colourful, loveable character who I couldn’t help but like. He’s middle aged, overweight and has a wife who’s always nagging him about working too much. His mother is another fantastic creation as she’s a smart, determined women who has her son firmly under her thumb. I loved following her throughout the story and her many interactions with her son.

The plot is well constructed and delivers lots of unexpected twists that I didn’t see coming. Some of the story you have to take with a pinch of salt as they are perhaps a little absurd but that adds to the fun of the story and actually increased my enjoyment as it lead to some of the funniest moments in the book. This is the fifth book in the series but can easily be read as a standalone like I did. I’m now very excited to read more in this series.

Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random resources and to Severn House publishers for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

About The Author:

Tarquin Hall is a British author and journalist who has previously lived in the USA, Pakistan, India, Kenya and Turkey. He now divides his time between the UK and India, and is married to BBC reporter and presenter Anu Anand. He is the author of four previous Vish Puri mysteries.

Book Synopsis:

From the author of 2019’s biggest crime thriller debut, The Rumour, comes an addictive new novel . . .

It’s been 192 days, seven hours and fifteen minutes since her last drink. Now Astrid is trying to turn her life around.

Having reluctantly moved back in with her mother, in a quiet seaside town away from the temptations and painful memories of her life before, Astrid is focusing on her recovery. She’s going to meetings. Confessing her misdeeds. Making amends to those she’s wronged.

But someone knows exactly what Astrid is running from. And they won’t stop until she learns that some mistakes can’t be corrected.

Some mistakes, you have to pay for . . .

Who Did You Tell is available in ebook on the 5th December 2019 and in paperback on the 9th January 2020. You can pre-order your copy of both using the link below.

My Review:

I was a huge fan of this author’s first book so I was very excited to read more from her. I was definitely not disappointed as I thought this was a gripping and emotional read which dealt with quite a difficult topic.

Astrid was a very interesting main character which took me a while to like as she seemed very angry and prickly at the start. As the story continues and we get to know her more I warmed to her, especially as she seemed genuinely remorseful for all her past mistakes I found I wanted to keep reading as I wanted her to succeed.

The topic of alcoholism is discussed in this book in a sensitive and informative way which I found very interesting. I didn’t know much about the AA and the effects that alcoholism can have on a person and their families. This helped me understand Astrid more and some of the reasons why she acts like she does.

I thought this was an absorbing read which gripped me from the first chapter. The reader is aware from the start that there is something shady lurking in Astrid’s past and I enjoyed following her throughout the book to try and discover what it was. There are lots of secrets revealed and lots of twists that kept me guessing who was behind the notes. The ending was brilliant and took me completely by surprise despite having lots of theories. I liked how things ended up for Astrid and was sad to leave her behind.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Alison Barrow from Transworld for my copy of this book. If you’re a thriller fan I highly recommend this author!

About The Author:

Lesley Kara is an alumna of the Faber Academy ‘Writing a Novel’ course. She lives on the North Essex coast. She is the author of The Rumour, a Sunday Times Top 10 and Kindle No. 1 bestseller. Her second novel, Who Did You Tell?, is coming soon.

Author photo credit: Christian Davies Photography.