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Release date: February 7, 2017

Publisher: Bloodhound Books 

Genre: Crime Fiction 

Blurb: 

How can you make the right decisions if everything you’ve been told is a lie?

With absent parents and broken friends, twenty-one year old Ben is making choices, which are ruining his life. In jail, again, he and his cellmate, Jake, take a hostage in a futile gesture against a system they can’t control.

This powerful, beautifully written novel gives a vivid and realistic picture of those we send to prison.

Who would you rely on if you were locked up?

Do we ask the most from the ones who have the least?

Life is never easy when you are a boy inside.

Review: 

I’m delighted to be opening the blog tour for The Boy Inside today and want to wish Ross Greenwood a very happy publication day! 

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this book, but whatever I was anticipating, it wasn’t what I received. I don’t mean that in a negative way at all, this was just so highly different from any other crime novel that I have read before. It wasn’t typical in the sense that there was a case to be solved, or a detective to follow, or even a killer narrating, things that fans of this genre have seen before and even come to expect. Instead it was a dark and harrowing look into the life of a teenager who bounces in and out of the prison system and how this effects his fragile life in many ways. 

The book starts when Ben is about fifteen and his life is ok, not too bad at all. He’s an only child and his parents are still married, and though they may not be rolling in the dough, he’s taken well care of for the most part. When his dad gets cancer and passes away, his mom turns to alcohol and Ben finds that he mostly has to take care of himself. He meets Jake, another local teenager and before too long he’s dabbling in petty crimes, and actually enjoying himself. He has no idea at the time that this will be his fatal mistake. 

The book continues to follow Ben and Jake until Ben is twenty one as he gets locked up and released only to be picked up again as he can’t seem to keep his nose clean. His struggles were awful and heartbreaking and the worst part of all for me at least, was that this is an accurate reality for many young men. Ben didn’t have the necessary resources to stay out of prison even though he never wanted to be there. His mother was battling her own demons against alcohol and he was hanging around the wrong crowd so the odds were never in his favor. This was very gritty and dark, and as much as I was rooting for Ben, it really seemed like he never had a real chance at a normal, prison free life. 

If you’re looking for an entirely different type of book that is heavily character driven, you would enjoy this one. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Bloodhound Books for my review copy. 

About the Author: 

Ross was born in 1973 in Peterborough and lived there until he was twenty, attending The King’s School in the city. He then began a rather nomadic existence, living and working all over the country and various parts of the world.

He found himself returning to Peterborough many times over the years, usually when things had gone wrong. It was on one of these occasions that he met hs partner about a hundred metres from his back door whilst walking a dog. Two children swiftly followed. He’s still a little stunned by the pace of it now.

This book was started a long time ago but parenthood and then four years as a prison officer got in the way. Ironically it was the four a.m. feed which gave him the opportunity to finish the book as unable to get back to sleep, he completed it in the early morning hours.

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Release date: January 6, 2017

Publisher: Harper Impulse 

Genre: Psychological Thriller 

Blurb: 

From the bestselling author of The Girl Who Lied

Alice: Beautiful, kind, manipulative, liar.

Clare: Intelligent, loyal, paranoid, jealous.

Clare thinks Alice is a manipulative liar who is trying to steal her life.

Alice thinks Claire is jealous of her long-lost return and place in their family.

One of them is telling the truth. The other is a maniac.

Two sisters. One truth.

Review: 

I’m delighted to welcome you to my stop on the blog tour for Sister, Sister. 

Wow what a ride this book was! It had all the elements necessary to create a top notch psychological thriller; family secrets and betrayals, drama, intrigue, twists and turns galore, and a sense of paranoia throughout leaving you unsure who to trust. 

Clare and Alice are sisters who were separated when they were very young. For twenty years, Clare and her mother have tried to find Alice and reunite their family. Their dreams have finally come true and Alice is home at last. But the happy family reunion that Clare has always imagined isn’t the reality. Something is off with Alice, Clare can sense it, but no one believes her and labels her as jealous and insecure. Desperate to find out what’s really going on with her sister, she begins digging into Alice’s life but the consequences of these actions will be earth shattering for her. 

Clare narrates the entire story and at first, I really liked her and so wanted her to reconnect with Alice. As things progress Clare becomes paranoid and starts behaving erratically and I had no idea if I could believe what she said or not. Was she a completely unreliable narrator? Or were there parts of her story that were actually true? I love not being able to pinpoint who I can trust in a psychological thriller and I especially love the extra layer of tension and dread this tactic adds. 

There was a constant build up of the tension as Clare becomes more irrational the deeper she digs into her sisters past and everything comes to a head in an exciting conclusion that I didn’t even come close to guessing. I made several predictions while reading this and I was wrong about every single one. I love being dead wrong and that feeling of shock and awe happened to me more times than I can count here. This was a really strong psychological thriller that’s guaranteed to delight fans of the genre.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to Harper Impulse for my review copy. 

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Release date: January 16, 2017

Publisher: Bloodhound Books

Genre: Crime Fiction 

Blurb: 

An utterly gripping crime thriller from ‘a major new force in British crime fiction.’

Thirteen-month-old Lily Hamilton is abducted from Ayr beach in Scotland while her parents are just yards away.

Three days later the distraught father turns up at private investigator Charlie Cameron’s office. Mark Hamilton believes he knows who has stolen his daughter. And why.

Against his better judgment Charlie gets involved in the case and when more bodies are discovered the awful truth dawns: there is a serial killer whose work has gone undetected for decades.

Is baby Lily the latest victim of a madman?

For Charlie it’s too late, he can’t let go.

His demons won’t let him.

Games People Play is a stunning new crime thriller which will have you on the edge of your seat. It will appeal to fans of authors like; Lee Child, Peter May, Angela Marsons & Helen H Durrant.

Review: 

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Games People Play! 

This book opens with the abduction of baby Lily and my anxiety about what had happened to her and where she ended up never dissipated. Charlie Cameron is a PI in Glasgow and his speciality is finding missing people, but he doesn’t take cases where there is a child missing. Ever. Mark Hamilton is Lily’s father and when he begs Charlie for help, he can’t resist despite knowing that this is exactly the type of case he should steer clear of. As he begins to follow the very few leads given to him, Charlie battles demons from his past and the truth about the child’s abduction brings many surprising twists along the way. 

Besides the case of Lily, there is a serial killer who’s just been captured and his victims are all children. As the locations of their gravesites are shared, (maddeningly slowly) none of them are Lily. Mullen crafted a cunning killer with this character, one that made my skin crawl and sent cold chills up my spine. 

I loved that Charlie was a PI and not a cop, it brought a refreshing and unique perspective to the book. Though the story is full of a fantastic cast of characters I connected with Charlie the most. He’s complex, full of a variety of issues that really humanized him. The setting of Glasgow was beautiful and played nicely alongside the plot, which speaking of the plot, it was tense and tightly wound and ended up going in directions that I wasn’t expecting. 

I also have to mention Mullen’s use of humor, it was spot on and there were plenty of scenes with witty banter that made me chuckle. I can’t wait to see what happens to Charlie next, both personally and professionally and crime fiction fans looking for a fresh and engaging read need to grab this one ASAP. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Bloodhound Books for my review copy. 

About the Author: 

When he was ten, Owen Mullen won a short story competition and didn’t write anything else for almost forty years. In between he graduated from Strathclyde University with a Masters in Tourism and a degree in Marketing, moved to London and worked as a rock musician, session singer and songwriter, andhad a hit record in Japan with a band he refuses to name; on occasion he still performs. He returned to Scotland to run a management consultancy and a marketing agency. He is an Arsenal supporter and a serious foodie. A gregarious recluse, he and his wife, Christine, split their time between Glasgow – where the Charlie Cameron books are set – and their villa in the Greek Islands.

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Release date: January 15, 2017

Publisher: Orenda Books 

Genre: Crime Fiction 

Blurb: 

1955. Two young couples move to the uninhabited, isolated fjord of Hedinsfjörður. Their stay ends abruptly when one of the women meets her death in mysterious circumstances. The case is never solved. Fifty years later an old photograph comes to light, and it becomes clear that the couples may not have been alone on the fjord after all…

In nearby Siglufjörður, young policeman Ari Thór tries to piece together what really happened that fateful night, in a town where no one wants to know, where secrets are a way of life. He’s assisted by Ísrún, a news reporter in Reykjavik, who is investigating an increasingly chilling case of her own. Things take a sinister turn when a child goes missing in broad daylight. With a stalker on the loose, and the town of Siglufjörður in quarantine, the past might just come back to haunt them. 

Review: 

Welcome to my stop on the Rupture blog tour! 

I read Snowblind just a few days ago then immediately had to start Rupture to read more of Jonasson’s gorgeous writing and to find out more about the intriguing Ari Thor. There’s just something about him that’s captivating and leaves you wanting more. 

The residents of Siglufjörður are in a panic because a serious illness was brought to their community by an out of towner. When the man dies then someone else falls ill, they are quarantined and a bit of hysteria ensues. Ari Thor is one of the few people that still leaves his house as he has to work even though there isn’t much keeping him busy at the moment. When he’s approached by Hedinn, a man with some questions about an old and mysterious family photograph, he welcomes the distraction.  He enlists the help of Isrun, a news reporter who is juggling multiple stories. What they uncover is a dark family secret which some serious implications for the future.

There are a few storylines running alongside each other here. First, Ari Thor is digging into the old photo from the fifties that’s linked to a cold case that was apparently solved, but he’s not so sure, then Isrun is covering the kidnapping of a child, and finally a politicians son is run over and killed. When links are discovered it’s very clear that someone is hell bent on revenge, but who? And why? 

No one does atmospheric more beautifully than Jonasson, and one of my favorite scenes in Rupture was when Ari Thor and the local priest visit Hedinsfjörður to follow a lead about the photograph taken there. It’s completely uninhabited now and is totally dark and deserted when they visit. I’m not one to be afraid of the dark yet I found myself a bit panicky and anxious for them to hurry up and get out of there, it was very chilling and creepy. 

Jonasson’s writing style is very purposeful and totally unmatched by anyone else. Every single word has a meaning deeper than its literal definition, yet there is a simplicity and a quiet gentleness about it. Despite this elegant approach, he is still able to convey a quiet intensity that is more powerful than an in your face approach. He’s very cautious about what he reveals to the reader only letting you in on secrets when the timing is absolutely perfect. 

This is another classic murder mystery with an icy Icelandic twist, so very perfect for a winter read. As always, the characterization is deep, rich and complex which adds another layer to the story. I can’t say enough good things about this book or the author, just go ahead and read this series already. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the lovely Karen at Orenda Books for my review copy. 

About the Author: 

Ragnar Jonasson is the award winning author of the international bestselling Dark Iceland series.

His debut Snowblind, first in the Dark Iceland series, went to number one in the Amazon Kindle charts shortly after publication. The book was also a no. 1 Amazon Kindle bestseller in Australia.

The second book in the series, Nightblind, also became a no. 1 Amazon Kindle bestseller in Australia.

Ragnar is the winner of the Mörda Dead Good Reader Award 2016 for Nightblind.

The third book in the series is Blackout, published in the UK in 2016.

Snowblind was selected by The Independent as one of the best crime novels of 2015 in the UK and it has also been on best seller lists in France.

Rights to the Dark Iceland series have been sold to 14 countries.

TV rights to the series have been sold to production company On the Corner in the UK, producers of Academy Award winning documentary Amy.

Ragnar was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, where he works as a writer and a lawyer. He also teaches copyright law at Reykjavik University and has previously worked on radio and television, including as a TV-news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service.

Ragnar is a member of the UK Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) and recently set up the first overseas chapter of the CWA, in Reykjavik.

He is also the co-founder of the Reykjavik international crime writing festival Iceland Noir.

From the age of 17, Ragnar translated 14 Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic.

Ragnar has also had short stories published internationally, including in the distinguished Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine in the US, the first stories by an Icelandic author in that magazine.

He has appeared on festival panels worldwide, and lives in Reykjavik.