Tag: thrillers

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Blog Tour: Fan Mail – Joseph Lewis

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One Sentence Pitch:
Fan Mail is a multi-layered coming-of-age story about a family of adopted brothers, embedded in a gripping thriller that will keep the reader guessing who is behind the letters and the car bomb, and fearing one or more of the boys may die before the culprit is found.


Short Blurb:
A car bomb, threatening letters, and a heart attack cause the once tight-knit and supportive family of adoptive brothers to turn on each other. Can Detectives Graff, O’Connor and Eiselmann solve who
is behind it before the family is torn apart? Before anyone is seriously injured? Before one or more of the boys die?


Long Blurb:
A barrage of threatening letters, a car bomb, and a heart attack rip apart what was once a close-knit family of adopted brothers. Randy and Bobby, along with fellow band member and best friend,
Danny, receive fan mail that turns menacing. They ignore it, but to their detriment. The sender turns up the heat. Violence upends their world. It rocks the relationship between the boys and ripples
through their family, nearly killing their dad. As these boys turn on each other, adopted brother Brian flashes back to that event in Arizona where he nearly lost his life saving his brothers. The scars on his face and arms healed, but not his heart. Would he once again have to put himself in harm’s way to save them? And if faced with that choice, will he?

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After having been in education for forty-six years as a teacher, coach, counselor and administrator, Joseph Lewis has semi-retired and now works part-time as an online learning facilitator. He uses his psychology and counseling background to craft thriller/crime/detective mysteries, and has taken creative writing and screen writing courses at UCLA and USC.
Lewis has published eight books, all available on Amazon and each to excellent reviews: Taking Lives (May 2021) the prequel to the Lives Trilogy; Stolen Lives (May 2021) Book One of the Lives Trilogy is
a BestThrillers 1st Place Award Winner for Crime Fiction, and a Literary Titan Gold Book Award Winner; Shattered Lives (May 2021) Book Two of the Trilogy; and Splintered Lives (May 2021) Book Three of the Trilogy (May 2021); Caught in a Web (April 2018), which was a PenCraft Literary Award Winner for Crime Fiction and named “One of the Best Crime Fiction Thrillers of 2018!” by Best Thrillers; Spiral Into Darkness (January 2019), which was named a Recommended Read by Author’s
Favorites; Betrayed November 2020 is a Top Shelf Award 1st Place Fiction-Mystery; Top Shelf Award Runner-Up Fiction-Crime; PenCraft Award 1st Place Winner, Maxy Award Runner-Up for Mystery-Suspense, a Literary Titan Silver Book Award Winner, and a Reader’s Favorite 5 Star Rating Winner; Blaze In, Blaze Out January 2022 has already won a Literary Titan Gold Book Award, A Reader’s Favorite Recommended Read, and was an Editor’s Pick by BestThrillers.com . Lewis has another thriller-crime-mystery, Fan Mail hitting the market March 30, 2023.

Born and raised in Wisconsin, Lewis has been happily married to his wife, Kim. Together they have three wonderful children: Wil (deceased July 2014), Hannah, and Emily. He and his wife now reside in Virginia.


Author Website Twitter Facebook Amazon Blog

My thoughts: a book about a band of brothers,biological, step, adopted, and found family. A book about a stalker and the band they’re obsessed with, a book about an escalating crime, a book more than anything about family, the ties that bind and when they can stretch and break.

Brian is the brother the others turn to in a crisis, but he’s struggling at the moment with his own issues, their dad’s heart attack making things more complicated. Can the boys turn to him now? They don’t want to put each other in danger but the stalker sending letters to the band that several of the brothers are in, are escalating and the police seem unsure what to do next.

The pressure on these young men is intense, can their family hold it together?

In this intense thriller, with a mysterious and increasingly dangerous stalker, lives are on the line. The detectives are close to the family but not to catching the letter writer and there are plenty of twists and turns that hold them back. The pace is quick and there’s a lot of detail to hold on (could I have Danny’s eidetic memory please) but the writing keeps you there and in the end, while I couldn’t remember how all the boys were connected, it didn’t matter, and they learned to lean into each other when needed.

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

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Cover Reveal: Synth – P.J. Marie

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We’re thrilled to share the cover of Synth, the start of a brand-new series called The Reborn by P.J. Marie! Preorder a copy today!

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Synth (The Reborn #1)

Expected Publication Date: July 11th, 2023

Genre: Dark Suspense/ Urban Fantasy

A rookie detective and a case that could redefine history… Some truths are hard to swallow.

Vampire—a taboo slur from childhood tales, reserved for degenerate Reborn and outcasts of society.

Dedicated officer of the law Valya Gorski strives to be an example of perfection within the Carneth Police Department. Granted the rare opportunity to join the Detective Unit, Gorski is determined to prove her worth. But when she is partnered with a ruthless senior detective known for pushing the limits and ruining his partners’ careers, what Gorski uncovers shakes her to the core.

Her first investigation brings her face to face with a human—and he’s nothing like the ones at the farm. He’s taller. Smarter. Stronger. Angry. And more capable than Gorski could have ever imagined.

Confronted with the horrifying reality of how her society sustains itself, Gorski’s sense of duty and morality collide. As she races to determine who can be trusted, she must make an impossible decision: uphold the law or pursue a truth that leaves her wondering if her own people, the Reborn, are closer to the monsters from childhood folktales than she realized.

Unravel the truth in a world of deception with Synth, the dark detective novel with an imaginative fantasy twist. From the author that brought you the dystopian adventure Veles comes a page-turning tale of crime, romance, and betrayal that will leave you craving more!

Preorder Here

About the Author

Author_Picture

Engineer by trade, P. J. Marie has always been a storyteller at heart. Inspired by the captivating tales that her Ukrainian grandfather used to tell about settling the Canadian prairies, P. J. has always looked at life through a narrative lens.

An avid creator, P. J. loves the design process from start to finish and is always working on projects that meld the structured world of engineering with her creative passions. Whether through world-building, crafting cosplays, or building custom bookshelves for her ever-growing collection of novels, manga, and terrible monster movies, P. J. is always working on something.

In her spare time, she enjoys collecting new skills, drinking copious amounts of tea, and spending time with her family and adorable doggo.

P.J. Marie | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

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Blog Tour: Do No Harm – Jack Jordan

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MY CHILD HAS BEEN TAKEN.
AND I’VE BEEN GIVEN A CHOICE . . .
KILL A PATIENT ON THE OPERATING TABLE
OR LOSE MY SON FOREVER.

The man lies on the table in front of me.
As a surgeon, it’s my job to save him.
As a mother, I know I must kill him.
You might think that I’m a monster.
But there really is only one choice.
I must get away with murder.
Or I will never see my son again.

I’VE SAVED MANY LIVES.
WOULD YOU TRUST ME WITH YOURS?

My thoughts: I don’t have kids but I do know a fair few mums and I completely understand how dedicated and how much they love their children.

I don’t know however if they’d actually be able to kill for them as Anna is blackmailed into doing here. The people who took her little boy will kill him if the local MP makes it off her table. Doctors pledge to do no harm, but mothers will say they’d do anything for their child.

This is such a delicious and chilling set up and Anna can’t just leave it there. Especially when she doesn’t get her terrified son back straight away. Something else is in play here and it’s only by following every tiny lead (and dodgy nurse Margot) that she can finally get Zack back.

The cops are on the case so she also needs to throw them off the scent, survive a review at work, and keep her ex-husband from finding anything out. Easy peasy. Not like it’s oh, open heart surgery or anything.

I was totally hooked, the way the story plays out, the alternating viewpoints from Anna and Margot, as they’re pulled into a deadly world of crime and politics, it’s dark and clever and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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

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Blog Tour: Got Trouble – Dave Dobson

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GotTrouble copy

Welcome to the book tour for Got Trouble by Dave Dobson! Read on for more details and an exclusive excerpt!

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Got Trouble

Publication Date: January 3rd, 2023

Genre: Thriller

Trouble can find you anywhere

When your day starts at 11 pm, it’s a long way to sunrise. Glynnis Cary is stuck working as a night manager at the Gas-O-Mart. Her husband Keith’s idea of romance is buying her grocery store flowers, usually only when he comes home drunk. Her son is in trouble at school, skipping out with his girlfriend, and keeping secrets. Big secrets, ones that may turn out to be both lucrative and felonious. Keith’s bumbling unexpectedly makes Glynnis the target of multiple murderous enemies and a lot of bullets. Way more bullets than is reasonable. On the run with a new friend, one whose life she’s just inadvertently destroyed, Glynnis has to rely on her gut, her grit, and her ability to spin big lies to find a way to survive.

Got Trouble is a new novel of suspense, thrills, humor, and one woman’s attempt to just have something go right. For once. For crying out loud.

Content warnings: Coarse language, some gun violence

Add to Goodreads

Her breath was still coming fast. She tried to calm herself down, but that was nearly impossible. Her rear right window was a web of silver-green cracks. There was a jagged hole in the lower back corner, framed with a splash of radial lines and white fragments. She had no idea where the bullet landed. Or where the other one that had hit the car had struck. Or if it had hit anything important. The car had shown no ill effects in driving, and the gas tank hadn’t exploded. Or whatever it should do. She suddenly felt the need to look down at herself. Her breath sped up again. She’d heard of people not realizing they were shot. But she seemed to be unharmed. She lifted her sweatshirt, looking for blood, and felt all over her arms and back, but she seemed to be whole. She realized she wasn’t wearing her seat belt, and she felt guilty. Then she felt like that was stupid, because taking the time to buckle in would have gotten her shot and killed. Then she felt like THAT was stupid, because if she ever had needed a seat belt, it was when she was flying out of a parking lot in a hail of gunfire.

Available on Amazon

About the Author

DaveDobson

A native of Ames, Iowa, Dave loves writing, reading, boardgames, computer games, improv comedy, pizza, barbarian movies, and the cheaper end of the Taco Bell menu. Also, his wife and kids.

In addition to his novels, Dave is the author of Snood, Snoodoku, Snood Towers, and other computer games. Dave first published Snood in 1996, and it became one of the most popular shareware games of the early Internet. His most recent project (other than writing) is Doctor Esker’s Notebook, a puzzle card game in the spirit of escape rooms.

Dave taught geology, environmental studies, and computer programming at Guilford College for 24 years, and he does improv comedy every week at the Idiot Box in Greensboro, North Carolina. He’s also played the world’s largest tuba in concert. Not that that is relevant, but it’s still kinda cool.

Dave Dobson | Instagram | Twitter |Facebook

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Publication Day Blitz: The Rebirth – V.P. Evans

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Happy publication day to author V.P. Evans! To celebrate the release, The Rebirth will be ONLY $0.99 for a limited time!

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The Rebirth

Publication Date: March 16th, 2023

Genre: Suspense/ Thriller

A night where everything begins . . . and everything ends.

For the past decade, police homicide consultant Mark Gilliam has been wasting his life with corpses, drugs, and alcohol. Things weren’t always like this. Ten years ago, he was a soldier, a husband, a . . . father. But it’s what he deserves. He couldn’t protect his son from the monsters that took him away.

For the past decade, Jason Roneros has been living a reclusive life, forced to spend the rest of his days in isolation. Things weren’t always like this. Ten years ago, he was a well-respected author, a fighter, a . . . dreamer. But it’s what he deserves. He trusted these monsters.

For the past decade, Mark and Jason haven’t seen each other.
But everything is about to change . . .

A murder brings them together one night, trapping them in the streets of Chicago in search of redemption down a cryptic path that could unlock the darkest scandal in history. As the path unrolls secrets buried in great works of art and philosophical writings, the shadiest aspects of the human soul come to the surface. Soon, the two men realize that those hunting them, closing in with each passing minute, are equally dangerous as the ghosts of the past . . .

***Mature Content***

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt

Jason seemed so changed from the last time they’d met: his skin was yellow, as if forgotten by the coltish tickle of life. His face appeared exhausted, as if feckless to carry the striking features of the past. Two brusque lines around his mouth resembled deep snicks. Fitful creases whipped his forehead. His white, medium-length hair was combed back, just as it had been ten years ago, though a receding hairline now marked his forehead. His skeletal hands seemed incapable of keeping the watch fastened on his wrist, while his legs were so bony they seemed likely to break. Although Jason, like Oscar, was in his mid-sixties, he looked at least a decade older.

“There’s no time left.”

His voice remained rich, though. It still carried the slight British accent from his days in Oxford.

A mild shaking started traversing Oscar’s body. He put his glasses on the newspaper and stood, using the desk for support. “You need to leave.” He struggled to sound calm. “They were clear, Jason. We cannot be together. The deal—”

“The deal doesn’t exist anymore.” Jason scratched at his neck, above the collar of his white shirt, where an already reddened patch of eczema had become even more inflamed. “Dermot Walsh is dead.”

“What? How do you know—?”

“He told me himself. A few minutes ago. Texted me, pointing out his killers.”

“Murdered?” Oscar soughed, terrified by the ensuing sentence.

“By them,” Jason added, confirming Oscar’s dread. “The Imperatores are already after me.”

“Jesus.” The Imperatores. That name. Saliva filled Oscar’s mouth, choking him. “After all these years … now? Why? We had a damned agreement!” He slammed his hands on the desk, trying in vain to expel the fear inside him. His palms burned from the hit.

“To stop me,” Jason said, his words faint yet filling the huge office.

Available on Amazon

About the Author

V.P. Evans is the pen name of an average (and perhaps boring) guy who seems desperate to disappear into lands far away. You would probably find him lost in a secluded village in Estonia, wandering among the wild islands of the Azores, or backpacking across vague paths in Asia. And sometimes, as the fading lights and the thick darkness of this mysterious cosmos unfold before him, he has an idea and writes it down.

V.P. Evans

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Book Review: The Chase – Ava Glass

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MOVE FAST. STAY DARK.

These are the instructions sent to new operative Emma Makepeace.

She’s been assigned to track down a man wanted by the Russians and bring him into MI5.

It should be easy. But the Russians have eyes everywhere.

Emma knows that if spotted she and her target will be killed.

What follows is a perilous chase through London’s night-time streets.

But in a city full of cameras, where can you hide?

AVA GLASS is 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 in the south of England.

My thoughts: this is a fast paced, high octane thriller as Emma Makepeace, who works for The Agency (which is neither MI5 or MI6) escorts the son of a Russian scientist on Putin’s hitlist through London to safety. London famously has an insane number of CCTV cameras and Emma and Michael must try to stay out of sight of them, the Russians seem to have control of them and Emma’s boss Ripley has disappeared. She can’t trust anyone else, the clock is ticking, and the enemy are on her heels. She’ll need to rely on her own cunning and training to survive.

I was hooked, this is not a book to read leisurely, you’re sucked in and I could not put it down. I know the streets they were racing through, along Regent’s Canal and trying to get across to Vauxhall and the famous MI6 building. I recognised so many of the places they passed through and I could easily imagine how hard it would be to keep hidden in a city that swarms with people all day but empties out very suddenly at night, leaving you exposed. I can’t wait to see what adventures Emma has next.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for reviewing it but all opinions remain my own.

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Cover Reveal: The Magic Man – LaShane Arnett

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We’re thrilled to share the horrifying but beautiful cover of The Magic Man, the next novel in The Sadie Reed Stories! Preorder today!

themagicmancover2

The Magic Man (The Sadie Reed Stories #2)

Expected Publication Date: March 20th, 2023

Genre: Paranormal Thriller/ Dark Fiction

NATURE vs. NURTURE

THE MAGIC MAN:

From the time he was little he knew he was different. He enjoyed pain. Inflicting it. Seeing it swim through the eyes of others. His mother suspected what he was, a sociopath, like his father. He loved hurting animals and never smiled. She did everything in her power to instill goodness in him. But would nurturing him with goodness be enough, when at his core he was pure evil? Only time would tell. Or, would time help him see that if he gave in to his true nature, he would grow to be something more powerful than even he knew possible?

THE PAIN EATER:

It’s been two years since Sadie found one of the Magic Man’s victims, Maxine Powell. With her growing abilities and her dad’s notes she believes finding the missing women is her destiny. When her health takes a dark turn, Adrian and Lupita urge her to take a step back. She reluctantly agrees. But after she starts receiving mental messages from one of the victim’s six-year-old son, she questions whether her hiatus is a good idea. If she answers his call will she find one more victim, or move closer to becoming a victim herself?

Preorder Here!

About the Author

Author Pic

LaShane Arnett is an African American poet and author living in Southern California with her husband of thirty+ years. She is the creator of Arnett Publications and the author of The Sadie Reed Series. The first book in the series, The Pain Eater, is highly recommended for anyone who loves Paranormal Thrillers.

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Blog Tour: Shadowed Seats – Marguerite Ashton

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Welcome to the tour for YA Suspense novella, Shadowed Seats by Marguerite Ashton! Read on for more!

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Shadowed Seats

Genre: Young Adult/ Mystery/ Thriller/ Novella

Length: 63 Pages

Oliana knows that every family has a secret, but she never expected hers to come from the grave.

High school senior Oliana Mercer dreams of attending the prestigious Reyersen Drama Academy and pursuing her acting career. But when tragedy strikes, Oliana discovers secrets hidden from her by her adopted parents, dimming the lights on her perfect world. As the sins of the past surface, Oliana finds herself caught up in a tug-of-war between two families while the love for her boyfriend is tested. Determined to find some form of happiness in life, Oliana becomes student director in the high school’s senior play. When her best friend, Devin Worthy, dies during dress rehearsal, Oliana is re-cast as the lead. Everyone thinks the death was a suicide, except Oliana, whose search for clues may be enough motive for the killer to murder again.

Free for Kindle Unlimited!

About the Author

author

When Marguerite Ashton was in her twenties, she took up acting but realized she preferred to work behind the camera, writing crime fiction. A few years later, she married an IT Geek and settled down with her role as wife, mom, and writer!

Her blog, Criminal Lines: Settled Writer Past 40 is her outlet while building dollhouses and plotting out her next book.

Marguerite lives in Wisconsin and enjoys RVing.

Marguerite Ashton

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Blog Tour: The Wilderness Retreat – Jennifer Moore

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As Bella drops her son off at university, she’s devastated. It’s been the two of them ever since Asher was born. The only thing helping her through is an upcoming week-long wilderness retreat in Sweden, a surprise gift from her sister and Asher.

The lodge is modern and luxurious – but the surrounding forest is foreboding. Named Dead Man’s Forest after the legend of a local bandit left to die inside a wooden coffin, there are rumours that, on quiet nights, you can still hear the scratching of his fingernails against the lid.

When someone begins leaving unsettling notes, and a figure from her past comes back to haunt her, Bella’s unease grows. This certainly isn’t the restful retreat she signed up for. And when another guest suddenly disappears, Bella fears she might not make it home alive…

Don’t miss this gripping psychological thriller about a blissful holiday that turns into a nightmare, perfect for fans of The Sanatorium and The Guest List.

My thoughts: Bella is slowly being driven mad, except no one believes her. Trapped in a Swedish forest with a group of strangers, menaced by things that no one else seems to be aware of, worried they think she’s a drunk and increasingly isolated, all she wants to do is go home.

But as the trip continues and other guests get dragged into the dangerous game someone is playing, can Bella outwit the person behind it all and get home to her beloved son before it’s too late?

Tense and sinister, this is yet another reason not to go on weird retreat trips with strangers, the middle of nowhere isn’t safe! I felt for Bella, she was entirely innocent and the reason she was being targeted was not her fault. She didn’t deserve any of this horror. Luckily she was both smarter and more capable than her nemesis realised.

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

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Blog Tour: The Forcing – Paul E. Hardistry

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Civilisation is collapsing… Frustrated and angry after years of denial and inaction, in a last-ditch attempt to stave off disaster, a government of youth has taken power in North America, and a policy of institutionalised ageism has been introduced. All those older than the prescribed age are deemed responsible for the current state of the world, and are to be ‘relocated’, their property and assets confiscated. David Ashworth, known by his friends and students as Teacher, and his wife May, find themselves among the thousands being moved to ‘new accommodation’ in the abandoned southern deserts – thrown together with a wealthy industrialist and his wife, a high court lawyer, two recent immigrants to America, and a hospital worker. Together, they must come to terms with their new lives in a land rendered unrecognisable. As the terrible truth of their situation is revealed, lured by rumours of a tropical sanctuary where they can live in peace, they plan a perilous escape. But the world outside is more dangerous than they could ever have imagined. And for those who survive, nothing will ever be the same again…

Canadian Paul Hardisty has spent twenty-five years working all over the world as an environmental scientist and freelance journalist. He has roughnecked on oil rigs in Texas, explored for gold in the Arctic, mapped geology in Eastern Turkey (where he was befriended by PKK rebels), and rehabilitated water wells in the wilds of Africa. He was in Ethiopia in 1991 as the Mengistu regime fell, survived a bomb blast in a café in Sana’a in 1993, and was one of the last Westerners out of Yemen at the outbreak of the 1994 civil war. In 2022 he criss-crossed Ukraine reporting on the Russian invasion. Paul is a university professor and CEO of the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). The four novels in his Claymore Straker series, The Abrupt Physics of Dying, The Evolution of Fear, Reconciliation for the Dead and Absolution, all received great critical acclaim and The Abrupt Physics of Dying was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger and a Telegraph Book of the Year. Paul drew on his own experiences to write Turbulent Wake, an extraordinary departure from his high-octane, thought-provoking thrillers. Paul is a keen outdoorsman, a conservation volunteer, and lives in Western Australia.

My thoughts: this was really interesting, climate crisis fiction is increasingly becoming a genre all of its own and the ideas being put forward about the fate of our precious little planet are powerful and often quite distressing.

In this, people are sent away to alternative housing when they reach a certain age. Teacher is now at that point – and younger than I am, so I’d be gone already.

What he and wife Meg (who I found very hard to like) find is not a quiet, pleasant place, but akin to a work camp, described by some as a concentration camp, although maybe not as horrific as the ones we would most commonly think of from the Holocaust.

The residents have to share flats with strangers, are given poor rations and made to work in reclamation plants. Each generation is blaming the one before it. Even Teacher’s son, who works for the government, blames them, the phrase “you will never be forgiven” gets used by several characters.

Teacher escapes the camp and heads south, towards the equator, where things are rumoured to be better. His adventures getting to Belize are shocking and his resilience and determined nature are all that keep him alive. He refuses to always see the worst in others and protects Francoise as best he can as they, and Argent (a super wealthy creep) run from survivalists, religious nutcases and the future.

Interspersed with entries in Teacher’s future journal from, I think, Australia, which show us an alternative way of living in the world post climate apocalypse, the story is a gripping, harrowing, thrill ride.

As someone who cares deeply about the planet, about the damage we’ve done as poor caretakers, and who does what she can for the environment, this was a difficult read. But it needed to be, too many are complacent and think that they personally can’t do anything. And that’s the point – instead of going “what am I supposed to do?” and not holding to account big corporations or governments, we, like Teacher and his friends, are sleepwalking into a grim future. Books like this aim to shake us awake.

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