Tag: thrillers

An MI6 operative is found dead, locked in a suitcase inside his own apartment. Despite an exhaustive search, no fingerprints are found at the scene. Emma Makepeace and her handler, Ripley, know an assassination when they see one, and such an obvious murder can mean only one thing: Someone is sending a message.

As she digs into his past, Emma discovers that the unfortunate spy had been investigating two Russian oligarchs based in London. He’d become obsessed with the idea that the two were spies, aided by a third man—whose identity he had yet to uncover. When he shared his findings within MI6 in the weeks before he died, the response came back fast and clear: Drop the investigation and move on. Had he uncovered a secret that cost him his life?

To pick up where he left off without ending up in a suitcase of her own, Emma goes undercover on one of the oligarch’s million-dollar yachts, scheduled to set sail from the Côte d’Azur to Monaco. Under other circumstances, this would be a dream vacation. But if Emma’s real identity gets discovered, it’s a death sentence.

As Emma’s work reveals secrets she’d be safer not knowing, the danger ratchets up. The killer may be closer to home than any of them imagined, and Emma won’t be safe until he—or she—is caught.

Ava Glass is a pseudonym for a former crime reporter and civil servant. Her time working for the government introduced her to the world of spies, and she’s been fascinated by them ever since. She lives and writes in the south of England.

My thoughts: another cracking adventure for operative Emma Makepeace. With echoes of a real case that made the papers, an MI6 agent is found dead, someone is sending a message and it’s up to Emma to find out who.

To this end, she’s off undercover on a glamorous yacht in Monaco. But all is not as it seems. The dead agent had secrets and so does the Russian agent Emma is following. If she’s found out, she’s dead. There’s limited contact with her bosses, she’s on her own on the ocean. Can she solve the case and stay alive?

Gripping and thrilling, twists and turns abound and Emma has to keep her wits about her on board the luxury yacht, not sure who to trust. Once again it’s up to her to save the day. I like Emma, although that isn’t her real name, and her personal life, in the form of her anxious mother, weighs heavily on her. She’s dedicated and careful, but I think she needs a real holiday.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

They thought John Beckett would be an easy target. They thought wrong.

Deep undercover as the right-hand man of a ruthless crime lord, secret service officer John Beckett’s mission suddenly takes a deadly turn. When a mysterious data leak puts his life on the line, he must make a choice that will change his life forever.

On the run and with danger tailing him, Beckett races against time to save his niece, Amber, from vicious kidnappers. But with deadly threats closing in, he comes to the startling revelation he can trust no one… not even his closest allies.

The streets of London become a battlefield as Beckett struggles to stay one step ahead of his enemies and protect Amber – all the while confronting the dark truth about The Consortium, a shadowy organization that will stop at nothing to maintain its grip on power.

Can Beckett save Amber and bring down those intent on destroying him? Or will he become the ultimate pawn in their deadly game? Only one thing is certain… danger lurks in every shadow and time is not on Beckett’s side.

Darkness On The Edge Of Town is a fast-paced thrill ride that’s perfect for fans of  David Baldacci, Lee Child, David Silva and Mark Dawson.

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Matthew Hattersley was born in Yorkshire, in the UK. Over the last twenty years he has toured Europe in a rock n roll band, trained as a professional actor and founded a theatre and media company.

He’s also had a lot of boring jobs to help sustain his creative endeavours.

Now we writes action thrillers and crime fiction. He is the author of the bestselling Acid Vanilla series and the upcoming John Beckett series.

He lives with his wife and daughter in Derbyshire, UK and is not too comfortable writing about himself in third person.

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My thoughts: from the very first pages I knew this was going to be a gripping, no holds bared thriller as British secret agent John Beckett has been doxxed and the criminals he’s undercover amongst discover the traitor in their midst.

As the bosses of various security agencies and the politicians scramble to uncover their mole and call their agents in, Beckett must rescue his only weakness – his niece, and get her and himself somewhere safe. The Consortium, the criminals he was investigating, will stop at nothing to find him, and kill him. He must do the same, knowingly risking the lives of his allies too.

Amber is an innocent in all this but must be as tough as her uncle to survive. Even Beckett’s old friend at the agency, Beaumont can’t be 100% trusted, he has bosses to answer to. So Beckett is on his own. As he races across London with Amber, forces close in on him, some supposedly friendly. Can they make it or will it end here?

Smart, gripping, full of twists and turns, politicking and shoot outs. A high octane start to what could be an excellent new series.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour

I thought he took my secret to the grave. But the truth can’t stay buried forever…

In the wake of my darling husband’s death, I am so lucky to have my three beautiful, grown-up daughters by my side at our holiday home in Scotland. We need some time together, to recover from the shock. But I also need to set some things straight about their beloved father…

I’ve always known this house was the perfect place to bury secrets – remote, isolated, surrounded by nothing but miles of dense forest.

But this time I’m not here to hide more of my lies. I’m here to expose one.

I promise everything I’ve ever done has been to protect my daughters. I just hope they understand that too…

By the end of the trip, nothing will ever be the same again. I knew revealing the truth about the inheritance would have consequences, but I could never have imagined we wouldn’t all survive it.

And now the truth is out, am I in danger too…?

A totally gripping psychological thriller from an Amazon No1. bestseller that will have your head spinning and your jaw on the floor with every twist. Fans of The Housemaid, Gone Girl and The Family Upstairs won’t be able to put this down!

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Samantha Hayes grew up in a creative family where her love of writing began as a child. Samantha has written eight thrillers in total, including the bestselling Until You’re Mine. The Independent said “fantastically written and very tense” while Good Housekeeping said “Her believable psychological thrillers are completely gripping.” Samantha’s books are published in 22 languages at the last count.

When not writing, Samantha loves to cook, go to the gym, see friends and drink nice wine. She is also studying for a degree in psychotherapy. She has three grown-up children and lives in Warwickshire.

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My thoughts: there are so many twists and turns in this book right from the start that my head was spinning, in the best way. This family has so many secrets and dodgy goings on that it’s a wonder they’re not all either in therapy or under arrest already. None of them are honest, including the teenagers, only little Charlie by dint of being a toddler, isn’t hiding anything.

Gathered at the family holiday home in Scotland, the Hunters are all about to learn some shocking truths, about the past, about the deceased patriarch (who sounds just awful) and about each other. It will tear some relationships apart and bring others closer. What a lovely holiday.

And it gets crazier as the week goes on, more secrets, more lies and is Kate ok? She doesn’t seem like herself but then again, everyone’s acting a bit suspiciously. A rainy clifftop confrontation brings everything to boiling point and someone loses their life. But can the Hunter family fix things and find a way to move on from the terrible truths they’ve finally told? Clever, gripping and full of shocking moments, this is an excellent thriller.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

Bob has sworn he’ll never kill again. But some promises are hard to keep.

Bob Singleton used to be a top CIA assassin. Now, scarred by his terrible past, he lives in a refrigerator box behind a dumpster in downtown Chicago.

He just wants to be left alone. But his past is coming back to haunt him, in the shape of a nurse and a teenage boy who desperately need his help.

They are being pursued by trained killers because they stumbled on a long-buried conspiracy, a secret that is tied to a failed mission in Bob’s military past.

 Now they need Bob to protect them. The old Bob, the one who fearlessly put his enemies in the ground.

Bob sees a chance to discover the truth about what happened all those years ago. Can he redeem himself, and honor the sacrifice of the men who died?

To do so, he must use the same deadly skills that made him a legend in his day. Skills he had sworn he would never use again….

Code Red — the first in a stunning new action thriller series. Perfect for fans of Jason Kasper, Jack Carr, and Lee Child.

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Ian Loome writes thrillers and mysteries. His books have been downloaded more than a half-million times on Amazon.com and have regularly featured on the Kindle best-seller lists for more than a decade. For 24 years, Ian was a multi-award-winning newspaper reporter, editor and columnist in Canada. When he’s not figuring out innovative ways to snuff his characters, he plays blues guitar and occasionally fronts bands. He lives in Sherwood Park, Alberta, with his partner Lori, a pugnacious bulldog named Ferdinand, a confused mostly Great Dane puppy named Ollie, and some cats for good measure.

This is his first action thriller with Inkubator Books.

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My thoughts: although I found it hard at first to take a hero called Bob seriously (I don’t really know why) this was a cracking thriller. A reluctant hero, Bob is dragged back into action after members of his old team are killed and a teenage boy comes looking for him. When a nurse is also put in the firing line, Bob drags all his old skills and knowledge to the surface. Life on the streets hasn’t let him get soft and he won’t allow any more innocents to die on his watch.

A blend of various action heroes, and a good dose of his own unique character, Bob is the only one who can fix this mess and put a stop to the deaths. He needs to identify the mole in the team, get some info from an old boss and sort out a few old vendettas, all while keeping teenager Nathan and nurse Dawn safe.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

He loves me. He trusts me. He shouldn’t.

Jay and I have only known each other a short while, but whenever I gaze into his deep green eyes I tell him he’s the one. His little house by the deep forest’s edge is perfect for the two of us – there’s no internet, no phone signal, and no neighbours. I’m about as far from my past as I could be. No one knows where we are, and I need to keep it that way.

He wants me to stay here where he can keep me safe from the outside world. I don’t question him, I won’t challenge him. I have him exactly where I want him. He has to think I’m the perfect girlfriend, far better than the one before. Because I know what he did.

All I have to do now is play my part and bide my time. So I tell myself Jay doesn’t have a clue who I really am. I’ve been so careful. Haven’t I?

A completely addictive psychological thriller packed with incredible twists you won’t see coming. Perfect for fans of The Housemaid, The Split, and The Serial Killer’s Wife.

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Hayley Smith is married with three children and lives in a north Derbyshire village. She has worked as a graphic designer, youth worker and musician, and has been involved for many years in organising music festivals and gigs. She studied English Language and Creative Writing with the Open University and is an avid reader of psychological fiction. Having a penchant for all things alternative, she often dips into the counter-culture scene for writing inspiration, producing quirky rough-edged characters and dark, unpredictable twists, turns and moral dilemmas.

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My thoughts: this was very clever, it took me a while to work out what was going on and which characters to be wary of. Lauren is an unreliable narrator, there are lost moments and she doesn’t explain everything, even to herself (and by extension, the reader) so it took me a little chunk of the book to trust her. And odd things would throw me, her relationship with her sister, her mentions of Martin, her parents. What had gone on there? Slowly it’s all revealed, why she happily moved in with Jay after only knowing him a few weeks, the strange interludes, the reason she’s so cautious around his friends.

This is a story with lots of layers, carefully peeled away as it goes on, as Lauren decorates the cottage and as she follows Jay around town, digging into his secrets.

It’s very well done, clever and compelling. There’s an air of menace, especially when Lauren provokes Jay and tries to get to the truth a bit too hard. The rustic cottage in the woods might not be a haven if she’s not careful.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

Our loved ones protect us. 

So what if you woke up one day to find yours gone? 

Your mum, your friends, your freedom – all gone. 

And the one person you trust may be hiding a terrible secret.  

Welcome to Arrietty’s life.

Abby Davies was born in Macclesfield in 1984. She grew up in Bedfordshire in a seventeenth century cottage near Flitton Moor and started writing ‘thrillers’ when she was seven years old.

After reading English Literature at Sheffield University and training to be an English teacher, she wrote novels in her free time.

She was shortlisted for the Mslexia Novel Competition in 2018 and longlisted for the Blue Pencil Agency First Novel Award in 2019. Her debut Mother Loves Me was published by HarperCollins in 2020. The Cult came out in 2021. Arrietty is her third novel. 

She lives in Wiltshire with her husband, daughter and two crazy cocker spaniels.

My thoughts: it takes a while to get into Arrietty’s world, things aren’t quite right. Her dad seems very angry, her mum’s missing and she doesn’t know why, she can’t remember things and her little brother is getting very upset.

As the story unfolds you won’t know who to trust, even Arrietty is questioning herself, can she be trusted when she can’t remember anything? What has happened to her family and why is her therapist Rose so friendly to her dad?

A strange and at times upsetting, disturbing story of mental health, reality, memory loss, grief and sadness. It becomes very hard to understand at times, like Arrietty we don’t know who to trust or what’s going on, I found myself as lost as she is, but it starts to come together before another shocking twist. Interesting and illustrated with Arrietty’s sketches.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.