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Release date: October 13, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture 

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:

There are some secrets you can never tell.

The last thing to go through Dominique Thomas’s head was the image of her teenage daughter’s face and her heart lifted. Then the shot rang out.

They were the perfect family. Successful businessman Ben Thomas and his wife Dominique live an enviable life, along with their beautiful children; teenager Ruby and quirky younger daughter, Mouse. 

But on Christmas Day the police are called to their London home, only to discover a horrific scene; the entire family lying lifeless, victims of an unknown assailant. 

But when Ruby’s diary is discovered, revealing her rage at the world around her, police are forced to look closer to home for the key to this tragedy.

Each family member harboured their own dark truths – but has keeping their secrets pushed Ruby to the edge of sanity? Or are there darker forces at work?

This dark, gripping psychological thriller will have you holding your breath until the very last page. Fans of Behind Closed Doors, Sometimes I Lie, and The Girl on the Train will be captivated. 

 I’m so excited to be one of the stops on the blog blitz for Her Last Secret today!

Review:

Right from the start of this one you already know something horrific has happened, but you don’t know the details, just that the Thomas family is shattered, and on Christmas Day of all days. This is told mostly through flashbacks starting about a week before Christmas, then there are a handful of chapters told from a police officers point of view when he arrives at the families home after tragedy strikes. Every single family member gets to tell their version of events and while most of them were pretty unlikable, I was still highly invested in their lives, and I did have a huge soft spot for Mouse, the youngest member of the family. She was such a dear, quirky little girl and I really wanted to take her away from the craziness of her family and keep her safe. 

This seemingly picture perfect family is anything but and they all have secrets they’re desperate to keep which made me suspicious and unsure of what exactly was going on. All of the characters are really well drawn and I really liked that Copperthwaite took the time to not only make these people come to life, but she gave them various problems and issues that were believable and really relevant today. 

This was a not one of those action packed, tense psychological thrillers but rather one that was character driven and relied on a simmering, more subtle tension that increased as you get closer to the end. The conclusion was shocking especially since you’re already acutely aware that something awful happened but there were still plenty of surprises that were unpredictable and I really couldn’t have guessed what truly happened in the end. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 
About the Author:

What people say about Barbara’s books:

“Will have you looking over your shoulder and under your bed… Original, gripping, with a deep psychological impact,” Sunday Mirror 

“Enthralling, tense and moving,” Real People magazine 

“Totally gripping, and scarily believable,” Bella magazine

Barbara is the author of psychological thrillers INVISIBLE and FLOWERS FOR THE DEAD. Both have been Amazon best sellers. She is also the author of THE DARKEST LIES, and her latest book HER LAST SECRET is out on 13 October.

Much of her success is thanks to her twenty-odd years’ experience as a national newspaper and magazine journalist. She’s interviewed the real victims of crime – and also those who have carried those crimes out. Thanks to people sharing their stories with her, she knows a lot about the emotional impact of violence and wrong-doing. That’s why her novels are dark, realistic and tackle not just the crime but its repercussions.

When not writing feverishly, she is often found hiding behind a camera, taking wildlife photographs. 

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Release date: October 6, 2017

Publisher: HQ Digital

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

All she wants for Christmas…

When talented artist Nee Sutherland returns to Butterfly Cove for her sister’s wedding, it’s only a matter of time before she has to face her own bridegroom – Luke Spenser – the man she impulsively married, then left in the middle of the night.

Nee hasn’t picked up her paintbrushes in months, a part of her is broken. She knows Luke might never forgive her, leaving him was the biggest mistake of her life – but could coming home for Christmas be the best decision she’s ever made?

Maybe all she needs is a little Christmas miracle…

A delightfully feel-good festive romance, perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley, Rachael Lucas and Hilary Boyd.

I’m absolutely delighted to be helping with the weekend blitz for Christmas at Butterfly Cove today!

Review:

This is the third and final book in a series, I read the second, Wedding Bells at Butterfly Cove and found it to be such a fun, engaging and lighthearted read. This book focuses on Nee, the first two focused on her sisters, Mia and Kiki and I was eager to learn more about her this time around. She made a brief appearance alongside her estranged husband, Luke in the previous book and it was clear they had some unresolved issues to work through…

One of my favorite things about this series and Bennett’s style is the heavy focus on strong family bonds and overall sense of hope and there was much of that here as well. These characters are all so lovely and sweet, I found myself really drawn to each and every one of them and was wishing I could meet them for real. Nee and Luke were adorable together even when they weren’t actually together and I couldn’t wait for them to both get it together and find their way to each other again. Checking in on the other couples was also a treat, Kiki and Aaron and Mia and Daniel were also endearing and oh so cute, I can’t get enough of these wonderful characters and their lives! 

This was a hopelessly romantic read as all three sisters are in love and there’s the added bonus of this being a Christmas read which always warms my heart. The setting of Butterfly Cove is charming, quaint and utterly delightful making this one cozy and sweet read that will definitely make you smile! 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher and Neverland BT for my review copy. 

About the Author:

Sarah Bennett has been reading for as long as she can remember. Raised in a family of bookworms, her love affair with books of all genres has culminated in the ultimate Happy Ever After – getting to write her own stories to share with others.

Born and raised in a military family, she is happily married to her own Officer (who is sometimes even A Gentleman). Home is wherever he lays his hat, and life has taught them both that the best family is the one you create from friends as well as relatives.

When not reading or writing, Sarah is a devotee of afternoon naps and sailing the high seas, but only on vessels large enough to accommodate a casino and a choice of restaurants.

Sarah is the author of the Butterfly Cove trilogy, published by HQ Digital UK. You can also look forward to a new series coming in 2018, set in the beautiful seaside town of Lavender Bay.

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Release date: October 12, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture 

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Blurb:

Escape to the cosy little village of Appledore for hot chocolate with extra marshmallows and a second chance at love. Will this Christmas prove that miracles really can happen?

A year after she separated from her husband, Gianni, on Christmas day, Chloe’s heart is finally on the mend as she unpacks the decorations for her first ever festive holiday alone. That is, until the phone rings…

It’s the manager of Gianni’s new seaside restaurant in Appledore, begging for Chloe’s help. Equally famous for his gold-leaf Christmas puddings and his explosive temper, Gianni has been really stirring up a sensation with the locals – and not in a good way! It’s the last thing she wants to do, but Chloe knows she is the only one that can help.

As pans fly and the temperature in the kitchen rises, Chloe’s calming influence and magic touch might just get critics back on side in time to save the restaurant from sinking like a sad soufflé. But as Chloe’s eyes meet Gianni’s as they tussle over a plate of turkey tartlets, could there also be a chance for new romance on the menu? 

A laugh-out-loud festive treat that will give you the tingle of freshly hung tinsel. Perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan, Abby Clements and Debbie Johnson.

I’m SO excited to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Snowflakes, Iced Cakes and Second Chances today!

Review: 

This is the third book in a series, I absolutely adored the first two, Ella’s Ice Cream Summer and Curves, Kisses and Chocolate Ice Cream and it felt so good to be back in Appledore! You definitely can read each book as a standalone, however there are reoccurring characters that are so fantastically funny you really should read each book. 

This is told solely from Chloe’s point of view and what a sweetheart she was. It’s been a year since her marriage broke up and she’s lonely and heartbroken but she’s really trying to move on. As she slowly revealed parts of her history with Gianni you find out they’ve dealt with some heartbreaking issues, I truly felt for her. While this still had Watson’s signature brand of wickedly fun humor there was a more melancholy feel to it, it was more emotional than her other books. 

I loved that Chloe crossed paths with some of my old favorites, especially Sue who was back with her inappropriately hilarious advice and god awful malapropisms. Gianni is from Italy and the way he mangled certain common expressions had me rolling with laughter. He’s very sweary and ass is one of his favorite words but he uses it in unusual ways, clown ass, holy ass for a few examples hahaha. He always pronounces beach like bitch leading to some very funny encounters.

This is full of Christmas magic and sparkly moments, all about second chances and starting fresh. Watson’s books never fail to leave me with a smile on my face and are the best way to spend a delightful afternoon. I do hope this isn’t the end of the series, I’ve come to love and adore Appledore and it’s residents.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

About the Author: 

Sue Watson was a journalist then a TV Producer at the BBC until she realised that instead of working, she could stay at home, make stuff up and sell it! 

So far Sue’s written ten books, and some have been translated into Italian and Portuguese (she’s big in Brazil!) Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her husband and teenage daughter in Worcestershire where her days are spent baking (and eating) lots of cake, while making big life decisions about whether to have Caramel Chew Chew or Salted Caramel ice cream while watching ‘The Biggest Loser USA,’ on TV. 

 

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Release date: September 12, 2017

Publisher: Orenda Books

Genre: Crime Fiction 

Blurb: 

After a messy divorce, attractive young mother Sonia is struggling to provide for herself and keep custody of her son. With her back to the wall, she resorts to smuggling cocaine into Iceland, and finds herself caught up in a ruthless criminal world. As she desperately looks for a way out of trouble, she must pit her wits against her nemesis, Bragi, a customs officer, whose years of experience frustrate her new and evermore daring strategies. Things become even more complicated when Sonia embarks on a relationship with a woman, Agla. Once a high-level bank executive, Agla is currently being prosecuted in the aftermath of the Icelandic financial crash. Set in a Reykjavík still covered in the dust of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption, and with a dark, fast-paced and chilling plot and intriguing characters, Snare is an outstandingly original and sexy Nordic crime thriller, from one of the most exciting new names in crime fiction.

I’m so pleased to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Snare today!

Review:

Snare is told via three separate points of view, that of Sonia, Bragi and Agla. All of their lives and stories merge at some point in really interesting ways and the cat and mouse game between Sonia and Bragi was unbelievably tense and exciting. My heart was in my throat for most of this book, as much as I shouldn’t have wanted Sonia to keep getting away with drug running I couldn’t help but sympathize with her and truly hoped she would find a safe way out. 

Sigurdardottir is a fantastic writer, the scenes where Sonia was in the airport were so well written I felt panicky and anxious myself. There was a dark desperation lingering throughout this one, a strong sense of urgency that worked so incredibly well alongside the chilly Icelandic setting. 

Snare was a highly original and tense read that I flew through, it gripped me immediately and caught me in its own unique snare, I read it in one breathless sitting. This was a different type of crime read, the type of book Orenda is known for, fresh, exhilarating and compelling. If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading anything by them before you should definitely check out their catalog or if all else fails start with this one, it’s outstanding. 

Quick side note, I just saw it’ll be the start of a new series and I couldn’t be more excited! 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 

About the Author:

Lilja Sigurðardóttir is an Icelandic crime-writer and playwright, born in 1972. She is the author of four crime novels, Steps (Spor), 2009, Forgiveness (Fyrirgefning), 2010, Snare (Gildran) 2015, Tangle (Netið) 2016 and Cage (Búrið) 2017.

Her debut stage-play Big Babies (Stóru Börnin) was staged in the winter of 2013-2014, became critically acclaimed and won the Icelandic Theatre Prize Gríman as “Best play of the year.”

Lilja´s latest book, Tangle, (Netið) was published in Iceland in October 2016 by Forlagid publishing. The rights to the novel have already been sold to France/Switzerland/Luxembourg/Canada (Éditions Métailié); World English (Orenda Books)

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Release date: September 26, 2017

Publisher: Atria Books

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb: 

“Where did they come from? Why did they fall? The question would be asked a thousand times…

Until, of course, more important question arose, at which time everyone promptly forgot that a thousand birds fell on the town of Mount Oanoke at all.”

In a quiet Pennsylvania town, a thousand dead starlings fall onto a high school baseball field, unleashing a horrifying and unexpected chain of events that will rock the close-knit community.

Beloved baseball coach and teacher Nate Winters and his wife, Alicia, are well respected throughout town. That is, until one of the many reporters investigating the bizarre bird phenomenon catches Nate embracing a wayward student, Lucia Hamm, in front of a sleazy motel. Lucia soon buoys the scandal by claiming that she and Nate are engaged in an affair, throwing the town into an uproar…and leaving Alicia to wonder if her husband has a second life.

And when Lucia suddenly disappears, the police only to have one suspect: Nate.

Nate’s coworker and sole supporter, Bridget Harris, Lucia’s creative writing teacher, is determined to prove his innocence. She has Lucia’s class journal, and while some of the entries appear particularly damning to Nate’s case, others just don’t add up. Bridget knows the key to Nate’s exoneration and the truth of Lucia’s disappearance lie within the walls of the school and in the pages of that journal.

Told from the alternating points of view of Alicia, Nate, Lucia, and Bridget, The Blackbird Season is a haunting, psychologically nuanced suspense, filled with Kate Moretti’s signature “chillingly satisfying” (Publishers Weekly) twists and turns. 

Review:

The Blackbird Season is one of those books that had me gripped from the first page, there was something mesmerizing about this one, I was completely caught up in the lives of the residents of Mount Oanoke, Pennsylvania. I was so curious about the starlings and wondered how this bizarre event would tie into the story, almost as much as I was wondering what happened to Lucia…

This is told from four different perspectives and shifts back and forth over a few weeks. I don’t think any of the lead characters are super likable and their reliability is questionable, but I found myself relating wholeheartedly to Alicia. Her five year old son is autistic and I found myself nodding my head vigorously anytime she talked about her hopes, fears and worries for her son. Being a special needs mom to a kiddo with autism is the biggest challenge (and biggest gift!) I’ve ever faced in my life and Moretti captured the constant daily struggles absolutely perfectly, a truly accurate portrayal, bravo! While I made have had the strongest connection with Alicia all of the characters are extremely well crafted with strong, distinct voices. 

The setting and overall mood is fantastic, there is a mystical, otherworldly vibe right from the start. There is an ominous feeling surrounding this bleak town creating an atmosphere that was haunting and even sinister at times. Mount Oanoke is a small town full of secrets and that will always grab my attention, and on top of that Moretti is a really outstanding writer. This has a slower pace with a steady buildup and while it doesn’t have many edge of your seat moments, the ending did ramp up the tension and intrigue, I was very engrossed.  The Blackbird Season is an intelligent mystery with an eerie energy, this would be a fun one to add to your October TBR, it’s totally perfect for a fall read.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 

About the Author: 

Kate Moretti is the New York Times bestselling author of The Vanishing Year, Thought I Knew You, and Binds That Tie. She lives in eastern Pennsylvania with her husband and kids. Find out more at katemoretti.com.

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Release date: October 5, 2017

Publisher: Bloodhound Books

Genre: Crime Fiction 

Blurb:

PI Vincent Delaney thought he was done with the NOPD until a string of seemingly unrelated child murders brings an unexpected invitation from the FBI, and his old boss. 

A serial killer is roaming the South, preying on children appearing in pageants, and the police want him to go undercover using his own family. Accepting would mean lying to people he loves and maybe even putting them in harm’s way. 

In Baton Rouge, a violent criminal has escaped and is seeking revenge for the brother Delaney shot dead. But Delaney isn’t going anywhere. He has unfinished business. Meanwhile, north of the French Quarter, shopkeepers are being extorted and ask for Delaney’s help. Extortion is a matter for the police. 

But what do you do when those responsible are the police? Delaney has his work cut out and he’ll be lucky if he makes it out of this alive…

I’m so excited to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Delaney, And So It Began today!

Review:

I’ve been a fan of Mullen’s Charlie Cameron series for awhile now and when I heard he was releasing the first book in a new series, I was thrilled! I love that it’s in a new location this time, NOLA and that once again it follows a PI that isn’t bound by the law. There’s something about a character that’s able to go rogue that really intrigues me. This is such a fantastic start to what I’m hoping is a long series!

Delaney has a really fascinating history, he was a detective but hasn’t been one for seven years. When the police and the FBI discover a serial killer is targeting young kids that enter beauty pageants Delaney is asked to consult on the case. The reasons behind his choice to quit working for the NOPD don’t become clear right away, there are flashbacks going back seven years that were tense and insightful. Delaney is just the type of lead character that appeals to me, he’s savvy and sharp but also has that great dry wit that’s a signature in Mullen’s books.

There is a lot going on here, Delaney is helping to track down the pageant killer but he also has two other cases ongoing. First, he’s hired by a group of locals that are being extorted by the cops and that is a huge can of worms in itself. Then, a madman from his past has escaped from police custody and is hell bent on revenge causing Delaney to always be looking over his shoulder. All of these separate plot threads made this an exciting read, there was never a dull moment. 

If you’re already a fan of Mullen you’ll love this one and if you haven’t read him before this is a great place to start. This is definitely his best book to date in my opinion, there is something about his style that I really enjoy.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

About the Author: 

OWEN MULLEN’S debut novel Games People Play has been long-listed for Bloody Scotland McIlvanney Crime Book Of The Year 2017

School was a waste of time for me. Or rather, I wasted time; my own and every teacher’s who tried to get me to work. It took twenty years to appreciate what they were telling me. Life has rules. They aren’t written down but they exist nevertheless. I got that. Eventually. But by then I was thirty five.

Along the way I missed an important clue. At ten I won a national primary schools short story competition – and didn’t write anything else for forty years.

SMART BOY WANTED APPLY WITHIN

As a teenager my big obsession was music. Early on I realised if I was successful I would probably be rich and famous and pull lots of girls. 

So how did that turn out? 

Well, you haven’t heard of me, have you? And this morning I caught myself worrying about the electricity bill. So the short answer is: one out of three ain’t bad. 

Running around the country in a Transit van with your mates is fun. It’s your very own gang. You against the world. Until you fall out and the dream lies bleeding on the dressing-room floor. 

When that happened I went to London [everybody from Scotland goes to London, it’s like first footing at New Year, or ten pints of lager and a vindaloo on a Friday night; a sacred tradition] and became a session singer. I also started gigging with different bands on the circuit. 

Back in Scotland – most of us come back with wild tales of great success, none of them true – I wondered what I should do with myself and didn’t have to wait long for the answer. Her name was Christine. We got married, I went to Strathclyde Uni and got a bunch of letters after my name, and toughing it out at Shotts Miner’s Welfare, or dodging flying beer cans at the Café Club in Baillieston, was in the past. The long hair was short now, I wore a suit and pretended to like people I didn’t like because we were ‘colleagues’.

After many adventures I started my own marketing and design business and did alright. Christine and I were very happy, we travelled all over the place; India, Brazil, Botswana, Nepal, Borneo, Japan. One day I suggested we move. To the Greek islands. So we did. We bought land and built a beautiful villa overlooking the Mediterranean. Then the pan global financial crash happened, years of fiscal carelessness finally caught up with Greece; the exchange rate dived and the cost of living in Paradise went through the roof. 

I had to do something. Then I remembered the short story competition. I had been good at writing, hadn’t I? 

I wrote another short story called The King Is Dead…the first thing I’d written since primary school. When I typed the last word [Christine taught me to type] I held the pages in my hand then started to read. An hour and a half, rooted to the chair unable to believe what was in front of my eyes. For four decades I had shunned a god given gift. And as I read I started to understand why. It was awful. Not just bad. Bloody terrible.

But I kept going.

And now, eight years and seven books later, three literary agents plus two I turned down [they were reading a different book] I am a writer. My books are on Amazon. People buy them and come back for more. 

One seasoned London agent has predicted I am destined to be ‘a major new force in British crime fiction.’

Yeah!

So is the moral: follow my example, find something you’re good at and stick with it. Hardly. I didn’t, did I? Do it your own way; it’s your life.

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