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Release date: October 31, 2017

Publisher: Harper Collins

Genre: Historical Fiction

Blurb:

Something terrible happened here…Hollywood, 1975: Tragedy sends troubled film star Vivien Lockhart into the arms of Giovanni Moretti, and it seems her fortunes have finally changed. Until she meets his sister, and learns that her new husband’s past holds dark secrets. Tuscany, Present day: Everyone in London is searching for Lucy Whittaker – so Lucy needs to disappear. But her new home, the crumbling Castillo Barbarossa, is far from the secluded paradise it seemed. Across the decades, Vivien and Lucy find themselves trapped in the idyllic Italian villa. And if they are ever to truly escape its walls, they must first unearth its secrets…

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Silent Fountain. Check out TLC Book Tours for the full schedule.

Review:

I’m not exactly sure what I was expecting when I started reading The Silent Fountain but whatever I had been anticipating could in no way live up to my actual experience reading this little gem of a book. It had a little bit of everything and then some, there was suspense, tension, intrigue, scandal, romance all steeped in a dark and painful history. It was also extremely evocative and took me on quite an emotional journey that I won’t soon forget.

This is told using dual narratives, you have Lucy in the present day who is fleeing London after a troubled past to seek work in Tuscany and then there’s Vivien in the seventies who lived in the house where Lucy will be working. This was a very compelling read but I did find myself more drawn to Vivien’s sections, I think I was just more emotionally connected to her and fully invested in her story. The pacing was great, it flipped back and forth effortlessly until things almost merged together in a heartbreaking conclusion.

Fox is an amazing writer, her imagery was beautiful and I was swept away to Italy inside the walls of Barbarossa. She did an awesome job of constructing a haunting setting in the old, worn out mansion and I could easily imagine each and every scene I read. The stunning cover didn’t hurt either, I swear I kept staring at it time and time again! Fox has a new fan in me, I’ll definitely be following her closely, this was an excellent read.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for my review copy.

About the Author:

Victoria Fox is a bestselling author in the UK. She used to work in publishing and is now the author of six novels. The Silent Fountain is her breakout novel in North America. She divides her time between Bristol and London.

Connect with Victoria

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Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK
Release date: November 9, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture 

Genre: Psychological Thriller 

Blurb:

‘Are you my mummy?’

Tessa Markham returns home to find a child in her kitchen. He thinks she’s his mother. But Tessa doesn’t have any children. 

Not anymore.

She doesn’t know who the little boy is or how he got there. 

After contacting the police, Tessa is suspected of taking the mystery child. Her whole life is turned upside down. And then her husband reveals a secret of his own…

Tessa isn’t sure what to believe or who to trust. Because someone is lying. To find out who, she must confront her painful past. But is the truth more dangerous than Tessa realises? 

I’m SO excited to be one of the stops on the blog tour for The Secret Mother today!

Review:

I think it’s becoming more and more difficult to come up with a premise that instantly hooks the reader these days, especially in a psychological thriller but The Secret Mother instantaneously hooked me from the moment I finished the first chapter. Can you even imagine coming home one day to find a child that’s not yours just hanging out?! This is exactly what happens to Tessa and it’s all the more painful as her children have passed away, I swear this poor woman has been put through the wringer! I felt so awful for her, even when I wasn’t entirely sure if she was a totally reliable narrator…

I really don’t want to dive too deep into the plot because this is one hell of a tangled and twisted tale but I loved the way Boland created tension here, it was that awesome kind of mounting intensity and the scenes where Tessa was alone in her house while the press was waiting outside like a pack of vultures were so nailbitingly good! Tessa is relentless in her pursuit for the truth even when it seems like everyone around her thinks she’s crazy and clinging to the past and for the life of me I couldn’t decide if she was in fact sane or not. This was an excellent psychological thriller filled with uneasiness, doubt and a huge pack of lies, I loved it!

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

About the Author:

About the author: 

Shalini Boland lives in Dorset, England with her husband, two children and their cheeky terrier cross. Before kids, she was signed to Universal Music Publishing as a singer/songwriter, but now she spends her days writing psychological thrillers (in between school runs and hanging out endless baskets of laundry).
Shalini’s debut psychological thriller THE GIRL FROM THE SEA reached No 1 in the US Audible charts and No 7 in the UK Kindle charts. Her second thriller THE BEST FRIEND reached no 2 in the US Audible charts and No 10 in the Amazon UK Kindle charts. It also achieved number 1 in all its categories and was a Kindle All Star title for several months in a row. Shalini’s recent release THE MILLIONAIRE’S WIFE reached No 9 in the Kindle UK charts.
Be the first to hear about her new releases here: http://eepurl.com/b4vb45
Shalini is also the author of two bestselling Young Adult series as well as an atmospheric WWII novel with a time-travel twist.
http://www.facebook.com/ShaliniBolandAuthor

http://www.shaliniboland.co.uk

Goodreads|Amazon
Release date: November 16, 2017

Publisher: Saxon Publishing

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb: 

When a road traffic accident on a dark autumn night uncovers a disturbing conspiracy, Detective Sergeant Kay Hunter’s investigation exposes a ruthless serial killer exploiting vulnerable young women.

With her enemies unmasked and her career spiralling out of control, Kay’s determination to seek vengeance for the victims brings her dangerously close to those who want to silence her.

Undeterred, she uncovers the real reason behind a plot to destroy her career and sets in motion a terrifying chain of events.

Could Kay’s need for revenge be her undoing, or will she survive to see justice served?

I’m SO excited to be a stop on the blog tour for Hell to Pay today!

Review:

I’ve become a huge fan of this series over the past year, I loved Scared to Death, Will to Live and One to Watch and have been anxiously awaiting book four. That’s the thing with this series, each book may resolve a case but they always leave you wanting more! It’s also one of those series where the books get better with each installment and they all come highly recommended by me. 

One of the things that sets these books apart from its counterparts is that Amphlett always manages to come up with a fresh premise for each book. This time, Kay and team are called to assist with a car accident, which seems odd to them until they realize that there was a dead woman in the trunk of the car. (See, unique!) There is the perfect balance between Kay’s work life and her personal life, per usual you receive some answers to long awaited questions but you wind up with additional questions as well. As much as this frustrates me it does so in the best possible way and just makes me all the more eager to get my hands on the next book. 

Hell to Pay was another exciting read that gets your adrenaline going, the pacing is fast and furious and begins on page one and never ends. The chapters are short and flow together beautifully and before you know it you’re halfway through with no plans to stop until you’re done. Amphlett has most assuredly found her stride with this series and fans of dark, gritty police procedurals will love Kay, her team and the amazing writing.

Thanks to Emma Mitchell and the author for my review copy.

Overall rating: 5/5

About the Author: 

Rachel Amphlett is the bestselling author of the Dan Taylor espionage novels and the new Detective Kay Hunter crime thriller series, as well as a number of standalone crime thrillers.
Originally from the UK and currently based in Brisbane, Australia, Rachel’s novels appeal to a worldwide audience, and have been compared to Robert Ludlum, Lee Child and Michael Crichton.
She is a member of International Thriller Writers and the Crime Writers Association, with the Italian foreign rights for her debut novel, White Gold, being sold to Fanucci Editore’s TIMECrime imprint in 2014.
An advocate for knowledge within the publishing industry, Rachel is always happy to share her experiences to a wider audience through her blogging and speaking engagements.
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Goodreads|Amazon
Release date: November 2, 2017

Publisher: Tinder Press

Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction 

Blurb: 

In this riveting debut novel, See What I Have Done, Sarah Schmidt recasts one of the most fascinating murder cases of all time into an intimate story of a volatile household and a family devoid of love.

On the morning of August 4, 1892, Lizzie Borden calls out to her maid: Someone’s killed Father. The brutal ax-murder of Andrew and Abby Borden in their home in Fall River, Massachusetts, leaves little evidence and many unanswered questions. While neighbors struggle to understand why anyone would want to harm the respected Bordens, those close to the family have a different tale to tell–of a father with an explosive temper; a spiteful stepmother; and two spinster sisters, with a bond even stronger than blood, desperate for their independence.

As the police search for clues, Emma comforts an increasingly distraught Lizzie whose memories of that morning flash in scattered fragments. Had she been in the barn or the pear arbor to escape the stifling heat of the house? When did she last speak to her stepmother? Were they really gone and would everything be better now? Shifting among the perspectives of the unreliable Lizzie, her older sister Emma, the housemaid Bridget, and the enigmatic stranger Benjamin, the events of that fateful day are slowly revealed through a high-wire feat of storytelling. 

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for See What I Have Done!

Review:

I think most everyone is at least somewhat familiar with Lizzie Borden, we’ve all heard the rhyme about what she allegedly did but I for one didn’t know much beyond that. When the opportunity to read See What I Have Done came to me I couldn’t resist, I love the idea of a historical retelling with added embellishments and Schmidt told the story of the Borden family in a haunting and unforgettable manner.

This is told from four different viewpoints and flashes back from the day of the murders to different, critical time periods as well. Lizzie, her sister Emma, Bridget the maid and Benjamin an unknown stranger all lend their voice to the story and I loved the birds eye type view this gave the book. Each character has a wholly unique and strong voice, from Lizzie with her childlike singsong behavior to Bridget the frustrated Irish maid, they all had their own version of events and were all equally captivating to me. 

I honestly cannot believe that this is a debut, Schmidt’s writing style is SO gorgeous. That may seem strange given the subject matter of the book, but it really is beautiful, her descriptions are so vivid and yes, at times macabre but really well written. It was incredibly easy to conjure up a vision due to her prose, she truly brought this strange family to life in a dark, gloomy and unique way. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK
Release date: October 5, 2017

Publisher: Avon

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:
The gripping new thriller from the bestselling author of Saving Sophie.

Then

When flames rip through their family home, only teenager Stephanie and her younger brother escape unhurt. Brett always liked to play with fire, but now their dad is dead and someone has to pay the price.

Now

Psychologist Connie Summers wants to help Stephanie rebuild her life. She has a new name, a young son and everything to live for. But when Stephanie receives a letter from someone she’d hoped would never find her, Connie is forced to question what really happened that night. But some truths are better left alone . . .

Gripping, tense and impossible to put down, Bad Sister will have fans of Sue Fortin, B.A. Paris and Linda Green hooked until the final page. 

I’m thrilled to be the stop on the blog tour for Bad Sister today!

Review:

I loved the premise and structure for Bad Sister, alternating timelines always appeal to me and multiple narrators that are done well are fun and Carrington nailed both aspects. This was an extremely fast paced and edge of your seat type of read from an author I’ll definitely be keeping my eye on.

This is told from the perspectives of Connie, DI Wade and an unknown narrator from the past. The blend of these three narratives made this read part police procedural and part psychological thriller with a dash of something sinister as well, I loved the merging of genres and it was executed seamlessly. DI Wade first made her appearance in Carrington’s debut, Saving Sophie and it was fantastic learning a bit more about her this time around. Connie was the type of character that you’re not quite sure about, her history is sketchy and I often wondered exactly how reliable she was which really kept me on my toes.

The pacing was fast and furious and almost every chapter ended on a mini cliffhanger making it downright impossible to put it down. There were twists and turns galore and more shocking moments and surprises than I can count but at no point did I have anything figured out, I always had more questions than answers. When things all came together in the end I was ultimately satisfied, this was a highly entertaining and exciting read!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

About the Author:

Sam Carrington lives in Devon with her husband and three children. She worked for the NHS for fifteen years, during which time she qualified as a nurse. Following the completion of a psychology degree she went to work for the prison service as an Offending Behaviour Programme Facilitator. Her experiences within this field inspired her writing. She left the service to spend time with her family and to follow her dream of being a novelist. SAVING SOPHIE, her debut psychological thriller, published in September 2016. It became a Kindle eBook bestseller, with the paperback hitting The Bookseller Heatseeker chart at #8. Sam was named an Amazon Rising Star of 2016. Her next psychological thriller, BAD SISTER, publishes in October 2017 in ebook and December in paperback.

Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK
Release date: December 1, 2017

Publisher: Thomas and Mercer

Genre: Psychological Thriller 

Blurb: 

She’s a friendly voice on the phone. But can you trust her?

The people who call End of the Line need hope. They need reassurance that life is worth living. But some are unlucky enough to get through to Laura. Laura doesn’t want them to hope. She wants them to die.

Laura hasn’t had it easy: she’s survived sickness and a difficult marriage only to find herself heading for forty, unsettled and angry. She doesn’t love talking to people worse off than she is. She craves it.

But now someone’s on to her–Ryan, whose world falls apart when his pregnant wife ends her life, hand in hand with a stranger. Who was this man, and why did they choose to die together?

The sinister truth is within Ryan’s grasp, but he has no idea of the desperate lengths Laura will go to…

Because the best thing about being a Good Samaritan is that you can get away with murder.

I’m so excited to be one of the stops on the blog tour for The Good Samaritan today!

Review:

Oohh what a dark and oftentimes uncomfortable read this one was, but I really do love to be pushed to my limits while reading and I always appreciate reading about a new, fresh subject and The Good Samaritan most definitely provides all of the above. It’s also disturbing, dark and filled with characters that you will alternate between hating and even sympathizing with, but they are all highly complex and incredibly well drawn making for a truly enthralling read.

This is told via dual narratives, that of Laura a volunteer at a suicide hotline and Ryan, the husband of a woman who killed herself and who has his suspicions about Laura. The first half of the book is really laying the groundwork for what’s to come and while I was engaged, I wasn’t as drawn in as I ended up being later on. Then the second half begins and that’s when I was well and truly gripped, by this point I wasn’t putting my Kindle down for any reason as I just had to know how this dangerous game Laura was playing would end.

I don’t want to discuss the plot because this went in several directions that I wasn’t expecting and I don’t want to lead any future readers down a path too early, it’s best if you experience it all on your own. I do want to mention again that parts made me uneasy as reading about someone who actively encouraged others to kill themselves is not easy reading but it didn’t upset me to the point where I had to stop reading or anything, in fact it was quite the opposite and I was totally caught up in the twisty plot and finding out more about the deranged Laura and what motivated her. She simultaneously fascinated me and sickened me, I honestly couldn’t get enough of her! Fans of original stories about manipulation, obsession, lies and delusions will love this one!

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the author and Tracy Fenton for my review copy.

About the Author:

John Marrs is a freelance journalist based in London, England, who has spent the last 20 years interviewing celebrities from the world of television, film and music for national newspapers and magazines.

He has written for publications including The Guardian’s Guide and Guardian Online; OK! Magazine; Total Film; Empire; Q; GT; The Independent; Star; Reveal; Company; Daily Star and News of the World’s Sunday Magazine.
His debut novel The Wronged Sons, was released in 2013 and in May 2015, he released his second book, Welcome To Wherever You Are.
In May 2017 came his third book, The One. It was chosen as the book of the month for BBC Radio 2’s Book Club.
The Wronged Sons was re-edited and re-released in July 2017 under a new title, When You Disappeared.
And his fourth book, The Good Samaritan, is set for release in November 2017.

Goodreads|Amazon
Release date: November 1, 2017

Publisher: Orenda Books

Genre: Crime Fiction, Nordic Noir

Blurb:

Two days before Christmas, a young woman is found dead beneath the cliffs of the deserted village of Kálfshamarvík. Did she jump, or did something more sinister take place beneath the lighthouse and the abandoned old house on the remote rocky outcrop? With winter closing in and the snow falling relentlessly, Ari Thór Arason discovers that the victim’s mother and young sister also lost their lives in this same spot, twenty-five years earlier. As the dark history and its secrets of the village are unveiled, and the death toll begins to rise, the Siglufjordur detectives must race against the clock to find the killer, before another tragedy takes place.

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Whiteout!

Review:

I’ve become such a huge fan of this series though I haven’t read every book I did enjoy both Snowblind and Rupture. What makes these books different is that there’s a quiet quality to the mystery aspect, they don’t rely on cheap thrills and insane plot twists, rather they’re a classic whodunnit. That doesn’t mean that they’re predictable or boring at all, there is still an intensity to the story, it’s just more subtle and refined which always makes me feel like I’m reading a mature novel. 

It was a true pleasure to spend time with Ari again and there are things happening in his personal life that were very interesting and gave more insight into his character as well as that of his partner Kristin. The case him and Tomas are working is unusual and links back to years earlier and it also focuses on a group of people, some related to each other, some old friends. They live in an stark, isolated town with a very eerie feel that added so much tension. On top of that, it’s only a few days before Christmas and this added extra pressure to get the case solved quickly. There was a fairly small list of suspects but that didn’t stop me from being tricked, the outcome of the mystery definitely surprised me. 

No one does imagery as beautifully as Jonasson and Whiteout was no exception. There is always a strong sense of claustrophobia in his books and the weather always plays a huge role in the story taking on a life of its own. The writing is gorgeous, it’s hauntingly poetic and I always pause a few times while reading to let the words really sink in. This is my favorite in the series (that I’ve read) and I cannot wait to read more! 

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

About the Author:

Ragnar Jónasson is author of the international bestselling Dark Iceland series. His debut Snowblind went to number one in the kindle charts shortly after publication, and Nightblind, Blackout and Rupture soon followed suit, hitting the number one spot in five countries, and the series being sold in 18 countries and for TV. Ragnar was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, where he continues to work as a lawyer. From the age of 17, Ragnar translated 14 Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic. He has appeared on festival panels worldwide, and lives in Reykjavik with his wife and young daughters.

Goodreads|Amazon
Release date: October 17, 2017

Publisher: MIRA

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

Blurb: 

No one writes about friends, family and home better than Sherryl Woods. Told with warmth and humor, Lilac Lane is a brand-new story in her beloved Chesapeake Shores series, one readers all over the world have waited two years to read!

At the heart of Lilac Lane is Keira Malone, who raised her three children alone after her first marriage broke apart, and who, after years of guarding her heart, finally finds love again. But that love is short-lived when her fiancé suffers a fatal heart attack. Grieving and unsure of what’s next, Keira agrees to move from Dublin to Chesapeake Shores, Maryland, to spend time with her daughter, Moira, and her new granddaughter, Kate, as well as to help her son-in-law, Luke, with his Irish pub, O’Briens

Not wanting to live underfoot, she rents a charming cottage on Lilac Lane, replete with views of the ocean and her neighbor’s thriving garden–not to mention views of the neighbor himself. The neighbor is none other than Bryan Laramie, the brusque and moody chef at the pub, with whom Keira is constantly butting heads. But things get real when Bryan’s long-lost daughter, whom he hasn’t seen since she was a baby, shows up out of the blue. As Bryan and Keira each delve into their pasts, reopening wounds, the rest of the town is gearing up for the Fall Festival Irish Stew cook-off, and making no bones about whose side they’re on. It’s Kitchen Wars meets This is Your Life–a recipe for disaster…or a new take on love?

You won’t want to miss this epic return to Chesapeake Shores, a place we’re betting you’ll want to stay forever. 

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Lilac Lane. You can see the full schedule on TLC Book Tours.

Review: 

Right before I started reading this I realized that it’s the fourteenth book in a series so to say I was little apprehensive is fitting. That is a LONG history and I feared I would have trouble connecting with the characters or that I would be lost due to long running backstories. Thankfully, I had absolutely no issues at all and found myself immediately swept away to Chesapeake Shores and totally charmed by this quaint little town and it’s residents.

It looks like every book in this series follows a new couple, reminiscent of RaeAnne Thayne’s long running Haven Point series, and that made it extremely easy to follow along. Keira comes to town from Ireland at the urging of her daughter and helps out in the kitchen at Moira and Luke’s pub. Bryan is the head chef and him and Keira immediately have a love/hate relationship (mostly hate) but I love that cliched trope in a romance, the chemistry and the sparks flying is always hugely entertaining to me!

This was a sweet, clean romance heavy on the importance of strong family bonds and ties to a community. Slightly predictable but truly adorable I loved my time spent in Chesapeake Shores and I just realized there’s a TV series based on the books so guess what I’ll be bingeing ASAP?! If you like Nora Roberts or Fern Michaels you would love Woods. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for my review copy.

About the Author: 

With her roots firmly planted in the South, Sherryl Woods has written many of her more than 100 books in that distinctive setting, whether in her home state of Virginia, her adopted state, Florida, or her much-adored South Carolina. Sherryl is best known for her ability to creating endearing small town communities and families. She is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 75 romances for Silhouette Desire and Special Edition.

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