Tag: thrillers

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Cordial Convictions – Kateri Stanley

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The truth cannot be hidden.

Greg Weaving took a gun to his workplace and killed several of his colleagues, before turning the weapon on himself.

A year on, plagued by guilt and humiliation, Marcus Weaving has been nursing a serious case of amnesia at The Barbary hospital. His son’s crimes caused a ripple effect in the local community and the media pointed fingers in his direction. As a former mental health professional, how could he not know that his own flesh and blood was planning on committing
mass murder?

Determined to recover from his public scars and resume civilian life, Marcus is notably distracted by another patient at The Barbary. Lily is a traumatised young veteran suffering from depression and severe PTSD. She is just as intriguing as her beauty is unsettling for him.

Marcus observes questionable things happening at the hospital. Being a man of principle, he runs to the most logical possibilities, but even they are failing to alleviate his worries. Lily seems to be a conduit for these bizarre events and they are pulling at a familiar string in his
spirit.

What should he do? What does this all mean?

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Kateri Stanley is a dark fiction author. Her books include bestselling debut horror FORGIVE ME, fantasy thriller FROM THE DEEP and the soon-to-be-released, BITTERSWEET INJURIES. By day, she works for a charity supporting people in prison with debt and gambling issues. She lives with her partner and cat in the Midlands, UK.

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My thoughts: I read the first book in this series, Bittersweet Injuries, before I read this, and it does fill in the back story perfectly, and explain who everyone is, and what happened.

Cordial Convictions opens a year after the events of the previous book, with Marcus coming to the end of his stay in The Barbery, a mental health unit, after being found in a park with amnesia. He can’t remember what happened before his younger son Greg killed several colleagues and then himself. Wracked with guilt, Marcus has struggled to move past that point, wondering whether he could have prevented the deaths and saved his son.

He’s drawn to Lily, another patient, a former soldier with PTSD and strange dreams of events she can’t possibly have been present for.

There’s more to both of them, and a connection that’s much deeper than either of them can possibly know. When Lily begins to suffer strange incidents in the night, leaving her screaming and claiming evil visitors, Marcus is concerned, she seems so lucid, but this makes no sense.

Events are in motion that are much bigger than these two people but they may well be key in what comes next, Lily’s family are involved in an ancient and ongoing battle, and she was once one of their best.

Could her memories be the secret to saving the world?

Clever, twisting and complex fantasy writing, that reads like a thriller, with a love story at its heart. Book 3 is in the works, can’t wait!

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

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Blog Tour: Room 21 – Jessica Huntley

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They say blood is thicker than water. I say blood is just harder to wash off your hands.

My name’s Kimberley. I’m twenty-five. I have epilepsy, a seizure alert dog named Muffin, and a job I love as a senior housekeeper in one of London’s top hotels. I’m used to being invisible.
Overlooked. Safe.

But that was before Jennifer Clifton checked in. She’s rich, powerful, terrifyingly calm — and she asked for me by name.
She gives me my dream job, working in her exclusive hotel in the Scottish Highlands. It’s more money than I ever imagined.
There’s just one catch: Don’t open the door to Room 21.

How hard can that be? But something is wrong in this hotel. The guests are unsettling. The staff whisper behind closed
doors. And that room — the one I promised not to enter — calls to me.
I took the job for a better life. Now I’m trapped in a nightmare.

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Jessica Huntley is an author of dark and twisty psychological thrillers, which often focus on mental health topics and delve deep into the minds of her characters.
She has a varied career background, having joined the Army as an Intelligence Analyst, then left to become a Personal Trainer.
She is now living her life-long dream of writing from the comfort of her home, while looking after her young son and her disabled black Labrador. She enjoys keeping fit and drinking wine
(not at the same time).

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My thoughts: Kimberley had a rough start to her life, raised in care, diagnosed with epilepsy and asthma, not knowing anything about her biological family or where she came from. She works in a prestigious London hotel as a housekeeper, accompanied by Muffin, her seizure alert dog.

Offered a new opportunity in a very private hotel in the Scottish Highlands should be the chance of a lifetime – but it’s a hotel that caters to a very specific clientele, and not a nice one.

There are so many secrets and Kimberley must uncover them to get answers, to why she’s there, where she comes from and be prepared to change everything and fight back against the figures who’ve been controlling her life from the shadows.

Dark, twisted and shocking, this is not a book for the squeamish or faint hearted, but Kimberley is brave, unafraid and determined to get to the bottom of the secrets of Room 21. Thrilling stuff.

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

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Cover Reveal: The Brother – E.V. Seymour

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My partner’s brother has just snatched my baby.

I thought I was lucky before all this happened. I have a beautiful baby boy. A man I want to make a life with. A gorgeous cottage in the Cotswolds that we’re in the middle of doing up.
Life’s good.

Then Ben drops a bombshell. His brother Adam is coming to stay.
‘Promise me something,’ Ben says as he gazes into my eyes. ‘Don’t believe everything Adam tells you.’

Ben’s not home when Adam turns up, with his waif-like girlfriend — and a suitcase full of secrets.
He looks me up and down, his mouth quirking into an amused smile. ‘You must be Sophie.’
Deep in my bones, I know this man is dangerous.
He says he won’t stay long.
But the lies come quickly.

First his girlfriend disappears — and I think he’s done something very bad to her.
I should have listened to my instincts . . .

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Born in West Bromwich and with her family roots deep in the Black Country, Eve has spent much of her life ‘on the run’; she has probably lived in more houses in various parts of the country than most people eat dinners. Currently settled in Herefordshire with her husband, she
often has a houseful of offspring, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, partners and a growing tribe of little ones.
When not writing she can be found playing the piano, enjoying a glass of wine and/or reading, and has a particularly soft spot for historical and spy fiction.

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Cover Reveal: Room 21 – Jessica Huntley

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They say blood is thicker than water. I say blood is just harder to wash off your hands.

My name’s Kimberley. I’m twenty-five. I have epilepsy, a seizure alert dog named Muffin, and a job I love as a senior housekeeper in one of London’s top hotels. I’m used to being invisible.
Overlooked. Safe.

But that was before Jennifer Clifton checked in. She’s rich, powerful, terrifyingly calm — and she asked for me by name.
She gives me my dream job, working in her exclusive hotel in the Scottish Highlands. It’s more money than I ever imagined.
There’s just one catch: Don’t open the door to Room 21.
How hard can that be?

But something is wrong in this hotel. The guests are unsettling. The staff whisper behind closed doors. And that room — the one I promised not to enter — calls to me.
I took the job for a better life. Now I’m trapped in a nightmare.

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Purchase 


Jessica Huntley is an author of dark and twisty psychological thrillers, which often focus on mental health topics and delve deep into the minds of her characters.
She has a varied career background, having joined the Army as an Intelligence Analyst, then left to become a Personal Trainer.
She is now living her life-long dream of writing from the comfort of her home, while looking after her young son and her disabled black Labrador. She enjoys keeping fit and drinking wine (not at the same time).

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Blog Tour: Win or Die – Darren O’Sullivan

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One week. Nineteen thousand pounds. A dangerous game. Can she win or will she die?

Since their parents died, Cassie and Sam only have each other. And now Sam is in trouble.
Sam has got involved with the wrong guys and he owes them money. When he is found beaten and bloody, Cassie knows these people will stop at nothing.
Sam has one week to find nineteen thousand pounds.

There’s only one way to make that much money that fast: DareMe — a new social media craze that is sweeping the nation, where players film themselves completing reckless dares for money.
The only way Cassie can help Sam is to join the game.But the deeper Cassie gets into the dares, the more dangerous they become.
Soon, Cassie isn’t just playing for money, she’s playing for her life.

A breathless, nail-biting thriller, perfect for fans of John Marrs, Blake Crouch, Squid Game and Black Mirror

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Darren O’Sullivan is a bestselling author, screen writer and award-nominated theatre director.
His books have sold over 150,000 copies and been translated into German and Polish and sold into America, Canada and Australia. Two of his novels were selected for the prestigious Karin Slaughter Bookclub. Darren has also contributed a short story, The Big Burn Bookclub, to
EVERYDAY KINDNESS, a 2021 up-lit anthology with proceeds going to Shelter. Darren also writes under a pseudonym, B.B. Thomas. B.B’.s first book The Rain published in 2021 exclusively for Audible and was an editor’s choice.
His first novel, Our Little Secret, is optioned by Rollick Film, and he is credited as the writer/director of the feature film.

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My thoughts: While I don’t think I would have the guts to do what Cass does, risking everything undertaking dares on a social media app, even for my younger sister (sorry), you have to admire her determination and survival instincts, especially when things take a darker turn and her very life is at risk. All she wanted to do was get Sam out from under the terrible mistake he made, but now she’s being hunted across Peterborough and she has no real idea why.

Working out who to trust is impossible, even people who would otherwise never dream of harming another person could be willing for the life changing amount of money being offered. But what is it that the mystery man/woman behind this shocking dare really wants? Surely Cass’ death isn’t their end game.

Twisted, clever and with a protagonist I really rooted for, this will keep you hooked till the very last page.

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

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Blog Tour: Eva is Waiting – Romola Farr

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Following the death of her mother, Lily is sent to a remote girls’ boarding school, tearing her away from all the excitement of London in the Swingin’ Sixties. Bereft, she develops a relationship with Rainer, the husband of Sylvia, the headmistress.

One day, Bella, the school Collie, goes missing whilst playing on the shore below sheer cliffs. Despite a rising tide, Lily is determined to find the beautiful dog and discovers her trapped between rocks in
a cave. Deepening water swirls around them as her fingertips dig into the sand and touch the smooth surface of what she believes to be an animal skull. From that moment on, she is haunted by a young
girl pleading for help.

Lily speaks to her headmistress and learns that eleven years previously a pupil went missing. Eva was a refugee from Hungary, and it was assumed by the police that she had run away.
Forced to stay on at school during the Christmas holiday, Lily is caught between those who know what really happened and wish to silence her, and her determination to end Eva’s wait for justice.
But is history about to repeat itself?

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Romola Farr first trod the boards on the West End stage aged sixteen and continued to work for the next eighteen years in theatre, TV and film – and as a photographic model. A trip to Hollywood led to the sale of her first screenplay and a successful change of direction as a screenwriter and playwright.

Bridge To Eternity was her debut novel, and Breaking Through the Shadows and Where the Water Flows are standalone sequels. All are contemporary stories located in the fictional town of Hawksmead. Eva is Waiting is set in a remote girls’ boarding school in 1965.

Romola Farr is a nom de plume.

My thoughts: Lily has a terrible time of it at this horrific boarding school – already mourning her mother, her twin brother, resident at a nearby boys’ school, drowns, various adult men take advantage of her, a cruel and monstrous doctor forces unwanted examinations and drugs her, the headmistress is too distracted by her terrible marriage and the school’s financial issues to care about the single student at the school in the holidays, and there’s a conspiracy going on with links to the Second World War and the Cold War.

When Lily starts to be haunted by the ghost of a missing, and probably murdered, schoolgirl, who nobody really bothered to look for, things get even worse. Asking questions about Eva’s disappearance draws unwanted attention and makes her situation worse.

Cut off from anyone who might help her, Lily takes risks trying to escape from her school. But orders have been issued, her father is a diplomat in Moscow and his remaining child is leverage. Can Lily survive the threats against her and stop the conspiracy that threatens her and the school? Can she also get justice for Eva?

Shocking, dark and violent, this is basically the inverse of every boarding school story Enid Blyton ever wrote, replete with murder, anti-semitism, violence and cruelty. I liked it, but feel a bit like I really shouldn’t.

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

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Blog Tour: Violets are Blue – Miranda Rijks

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Her perfect home. Her perfect man. How wrong can she be?

After a bitter divorce, criminal solicitor Laila moves to idyllic Violet Lane, where she quickly falls for Max—her charming, piano-playing neighbour.
They begin a wildly passionate affair, and Laila feels she is really starting
to live again.

But the tranquility of this close-knit community is shattered when Jackie, a
young mother from across the street, goes missing. Her husband is the chief suspect and Laila agrees to act as his lawyer.

As she investigates Jackie’s disappearance, Laila discovers that this quiet street hides deadly secrets, and someone is watching her every move.
Anonymous threats pull her ever deeper into a twisted web of deception.
Meanwhile, her intense relationship with Max is starting to feel like a runaway train. And Laila begins to wonder if her gorgeous new man may have a hidden dark side.

She desperately needs to uncover the truth. And when she does, Laila realises that she’s put herself in terrible danger, and that she may lose everything – including her life.

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Miranda Rijks is a writer of fast-paced, twisty psychological thrillers many of which have been Amazon bestsellers. She has an eclectic background ranging from law to running a garden centre.
After surviving bone cancer, Miranda turned to writing and is now living
the dream, writing suspense novels full time.
She lives in West Sussex, England with her Dutch husband and two black Labradors and spends as much time as she can in the Swiss Alps.
This is her twenty-third psychological thriller with Inkubator Books.

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My thoughts: Laila moves into her new home after a bruising divorce, starting a new job at the same time. Her neighbours seem friendly and close knit, she hopes to get to know them a bit better. Then Max from next door starts his seduction plan, at first it’s mostly physical and she sees this as a release.

Then one of her neighbours is murdered, and the husband is the police’s number one suspect, Laila agrees to represent him, but he warns her off Max and it gets a bit awkward.

As Laila and Max get closer, she starts to wonder why he doesn’t share anything about his life before moving here eighteen months ago. As she looks into her new man, she starts to worry, is he dangerous?

There are lots of twists and turns in this, Laila never really knows who she can trust, everyone has their own agenda and underneath that friendly veneer, not so friendly neighbours lurk. For a smart woman, she doesn’t lead with her head, but her heart, and that’s a risky way to go.

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

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Blog Tour: The Woman on Platform 8 – M.A. Hunter

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I first saw her on the platform on my way home from work a few weeks ago. She had an aura about her that made people stop and stare. Then I saw her again. And again. Our twice weekly commute into London Waterloo insync. She was always so poised, so pretty, so perfect.
Everything I’m not.

In my head, her name’s Lucia, and she’s a glamorous catwalk model from Milan who commutes from Winchester to attend casting calls in the city. But this morning she’s late, barely making the train as
the doors close. She doesn’t take her usual seat, instead staying close to the doors…

Then it hits me – she looks terrified.
I feel compelled to help her, and against my better judgement I stand up and move towards her. It’s then the illusion crumbles. Her name’s not Lucia, but Allie. Not a model, but a woman in need of dire
help. She tells me she’s in danger, that she’s done something dreadful and I don’t know why I do it, but I promise to keep her safe.
But I shouldn’t make promises I know I can’t keep.

Because my life isn’t as picture perfect as I like to pretend, and I can’t stop wondering if maybe I’m not the only one pretending…

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M.A. Hunter is the author of psychological and crime thrillers, including The Boat Party, One Wrong Turn, and Every Step You Take. Born in the north-east of England, he now lives in Southampton
where many of his stories are set, allowing him to use his insider knowledge to deliver realistic and unsettling suspense on every page.
Away from writing, M.A. loves to read anything that will keep him awake at night. He’s also a passionate advocate for contemporary cinema and binge-watching the latest offerings from streaming services. He is married with a son and a daughter, and two dogs.
M.A. also writes under the name Stephen Edger.

Facebook: @AnAutieAuthor
Twitter: @AnAutieAuthor Instagram:@AnAutieAuthor
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My thoughts: when I used to commute across London for work, aiming to get the same train every day, I did sometimes recognise some of my fellow passengers (the 8am pigeon for example) but I never spoke to any of them. Unlike Jenna who offers assistance to a woman she recognises when she sees her in distress.

Unfortunately for Jenna, Allie isn’t the innocent victim she pretends to be, she’s a cuckoo in the nest. She uses Jenna’s fears, her struggles to read people (she’s autistic) and her family’s mental health issues (her mother is sadly very unwell) against her. Or is Jenna just paranoid?

This is a twisted psychological thriller, is Jenna the victim or the aggressor? Is Allie who she claims to be or there to destroy Jenna? As Allie seems to be taking over her life, can Jenna fight back or will she lose everything?

The twists are so good, you won’t see them coming. Promise. I gasped at the ending. So good.

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

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Blog Tour: The Last Mrs Sinclair – T.J. Emerson

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What would you give for the perfect life?

Leah Williams knows exactly what she wants from life – comfort, luxury and security. All the things she would have had if her childhood hadn’t been derailed by her father’s bad decisions. And then she meets Miles Sinclair. After the death of his wife last year, Miles is ready to start living his life again, and Leah knows just how to help him… what could be so wrong with that?

When Miles takes Leah to his chateau in the South of France, she’s excited to get a taste of the life she deserves, even if it means enduring the presence of Miles’ cousin Vivienne, who seems determined to insert the memory of his dead wife into every conversation.

But the Chateau Clairvallon has a history, not least as the place where the last Mrs Sinclair died. And as Leah discovers more about the accident that took her predecessor’s life, she begins to realise that the family she’s set her sights on isn’t quite what it seems.

What happened that summer?

Was it really an accident?

And is Leah in danger?

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Before writing fiction, TJ Emerson worked in theatre and community arts. As well as acting, she ran drama workshops in health care settings, focusing on adults with mental health issues. Her short stories have been widely published in anthologies and literary magazines, and her feature writing has appeared in Stella magazine, Woman’s Own and The Sydney Morning Herald. She has a PhD in Creative Writing from The University of Edinburgh and works as a literary consultant and writing
tutor. She is also the Creative Director of The Bridge Awards, a philanthropic organisation that provides micro-funding for the arts.

Facebook: @TJEmersonAuthor
Twitter: @TraceyJEmerson
Instagram: @tjemersonwrites

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My thoughts: This reminded me of two things – Robert Browning’s poem My Last Duchess, and Daphne DuMaurier’s Rebecca, with cousin Viv as Mrs Danvers.

Both concern themselves with the previous wife, her haunting the place or a subtle threat about what happens to unfortunate wives.

Indeed Leah does feel the presence of the previous Mrs Sinclair, Riley, but through her absence, no pictures, no one really talks about her. And there is something a bit sinister about being at the house where she died and not acknowledging that. Indeed, Miles seems reluctant to even admit she existed.

Leah isn’t in love, she just wants the wealthy lifestyle, the nice clothes, the lack of needing to work or worry about money. She doesn’t really care much about Miles. Unfortunately for her, there’s something else going on at this crumbling French chateau, with Miles’ possessive and unpleasant cousin Vivienne ever present.

Miles and Viv have a really strange, messed up relationship, and could do with being around each other less and some serious therapy. Instead they’re in the family holiday home, wrapped up in a warped scheme, that when it all unravels, is completely bonkers and aimed at entirely the wrong person. Leah might think she’s the player, but she’s been played.

Disturbing and claustrophobic, questions quickly arise about the death of the last Mrs Sinclair, and possibly a few other incidents from Miles and Viv’s pasts. These damaged and strange people are incredibly toxic and only the old housekeeper with dementia seems able to say that out loud. Compelling and creepy.

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

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Blog Tour: The Secretary – Deborah Lawrenson

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Moscow, 1958. At the height of the Cold War, MI6 secretary Lois Vale is on a deep cover mission to identify a diplomatic traitor. She can trust only one man: Johann, a German journalist also working
covertly for the British secret service. As the trail leads to Vienna and the Black Sea, Lois and Johann begin an affair but as love grows, so does the danger to Lois.

A tense Cold War spy story told from the perspective of a bright young working class woman recruited to MI6 at a time when men were in charge of making history and women were expendable.

Authentic and historical details are provided by the 1958 diary kept in Moscow by the author’s own mother, who worked for British intelligence.

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Deborah Lawrenson spent her childhood moving around the world with diplomatic service parents, from Kuwait to China, Belgium, Luxembourg and Singapore. She read English at Cambridge University and worked as a journalist in London. She has written eight novels and her writing is praised for its vivid sense of place.

The Art of Falling was a WHSmith Fresh Talent pick in 2005. The Lantern was
published to critical acclaim in the USA, chosen for the Channel4 TV Book Club in the UK and shortlisted for Romantic Novel of the Year 2012. Her novel 300 Days of Sun, set in Portugal, was selected as a Great Group Read for the WNBA National Reading Group Month in October 2016 in the USA. Her novels have been translated into twelve languages.

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Giveaway to Win 2 x Paperbacks of The Secretary by Deborah Lawrenson (Open to UK Only)

My thoughts: This was utterly gripping and really, really good. I’ve had a bit of a love of Russian history since my A Levels and a very memorable trip to the country (the hotel we stayed in is mentioned in the book!) and it was interesting to read something set during an infamous period of time  – when the Cambridge spy ring was being unmasked.

It was also really interesting to have the story from a female perspective, inspired by the author’s mother’s own role as a secretary at the British Embassy and as an MI6 operative. Most spy thrillers are full of gungho action and men who are either very dashing or the extreme opposite (like Jackson Lamb from Mick Herron’s Slough House series), they are very rarely female.

Lois is indeed a secretary, but she’s also under orders from MI6, and her job is a cover. She’s been sent to see if she can work out if anyone on the embassy staff might be passing information to the Russians. She’s been told not to trust anyone but German journalist (and fellow spy) Johann.

At times she feels completely out of her depth, and her very strange flatmate and colleague doesn’t help matters. There are important things to do, possible defectors to locate, Russian tails to shake off, and the very real possibility of romance.

Things do go somewhat awry, and far from anyone she can ask for advice, Lois has to essentially wing it. But can she do the job?

I really liked Lois, I liked her determination, the way she wanted to stay the course, even when things were going wrong all over the place. She’s level headed and practical, willing to improvise to get the job done. A really enjoyable, intelligent thriller.

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

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