📖 Book Review ~ Our Last Wild Days by Anna Bailey

Penguin Random House/ Transworld
25 April 2025

My thanks to the publisher for my copy if this book to review

 

The Labasques aren’t like other families. Living in a shack out in the swamps, they scrape a living hunting down alligators and other animals just to get by. To the good people of Jacknife, Louisiana, they are trouble-makers, outcasts, the kind of people you wouldn’t want living on your doorstep. So when Cutter Labasque is found face down in the muddy swamp, no one seems to care, not even her two rough-cut brothers. The only person who questions the official verdict of suicide is Cutter’s childhood friend, Loyal May, who has just returned home to care for her ageing mother. Loyal left town at the age of 18, having betrayed Cutter. Now there may be no way to find forgiveness, but there may be restitution…

📖 My Review…

The Labasque siblings eke out a meagre living hunting alligators in the muddy swamps of Jacknife, Louisiana. Outcasts from the townsfolk, Dewall, Beau and Cutter live a lonely life, plagued by their own peculiar demons and always just on the edge of the law. When Cutter’s body is found in the swamp there is no-one to mourn her passing except her friend, Loyal May, who has recently returned to Jacknife to look after her aging mother and also to work on the local newspaper. 

This is a bleak and rather sad story which places small town America in the spotlight, revealing old hurts, misguided superstitions and downright hostility from those who should be trying to solve the mystery of Cutter’s untimely death. There’s an edgy creepiness to the story which I found quite unsettling and yet I couldn’t put the book down even though I jumped at shadows when reading long into the night. The author describes the town well, its place within the southern states and the townsfolk who would rather not admit that they should also take their share of blame. With clues sparse and no-one really trying too hard to discover what happened to Cutter, Loyal, using her journalistic skills, turns detective to piece together the last few days of Cutter’s sad and complicated life.

Rich in atmosphere, Our Last Wild Days is a slow and beautifully layered story which creeps under the surface of the skin, with characters who linger in the shadows of the swamps which surround Jacknife like a dirty blanket. It is a place which gives up its secrets ever so slowly but which is ultimately compelling, it is a story which is already firmly placed on my book of the year list for 2025.

About the Author

Anna Bailey is a Sunday Times bestselling author from Gloucestershire. Their debut novel, Tall Bones, inspired by their experiences living in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, was nominated for the Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year and Goldsboro Glass Bell awards, as well as the Prix Nouvelles Voix du Polar. Their short stories, based on their travels through rural America, have been dramatised for BBC Radio 4, including ‘Long Way to Come For a Sip of Water’, which was shortlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award. They live in Bordeaux with their wife.

📖 Book Review ~ The Trial by Jo Spain

Quercus
25 April 2024

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

2014, Dublin: at St Edmunds, an elite college on the outskirts of the city, twenty-year-old medical student Theo gets up one morning, leaving behind his sleeping girlfriend, Dani, and his studies - never to be seen again. With too many unanswered questions, Dani simply can't accept Theo's disappearance and reports him missing, even though no one else seems concerned, including Theo's father.

Ten years later, Dani returns to the college as a history professor. With her mother suffering from severe dementia, and her past at St Edmunds still haunting her, she's trying for a new start. But not all is as it seems behind the cloistered college walls - meanwhile, Dani is hiding secrets of her own.

📖 My Review..

It’s the start of another ordinary day at the prestigious college where Theo Laurent and his girlfriend Dani MacLochlainn are students. Leaving Dani sleeping Theo quietly gathers together his things and disappears from her life forever. Fast forward ten years and Dani has returned to St Edmunds as a history professor, and just as determined to discover what happened to Theo all those years ago. Dani soon discovers that there is more going on at St Edmunds than she could ever have imagined. Uncovering the mystery which surrounds the college and doing her investigation means that Dani interacts with those professors who were there in her student days and finds that not all of them are as they seem.

The Trial is a compelling thriller which had me turning the pages faster to see exactly what happened to Theo in 2014. The involvement of the college in some shady dealings of its own means that there is never a dull moment in the narrative. There are twists and turns aplenty and more than enough red herrings and nefarious characters to keep you guessing. 

Taut, tight and brilliantly imagined this is Jo Spain writing at her absolute best.

About the Author

Jo Spain is the author of the bestselling Inspector Tom Reynolds series and several international No. 1 bestselling standalone novels. Her first book, With Our Blessing, was a finalist in the 2015 Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller.

Jo, a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, writes TV screenplays full-time. Her first crime series was broadcast on RTE in 2018 and she's currently involved in a number of TV developments including adaptations of her own novels. In 2021, she co-wrote Harry Wild, starring Jane Seymour, with the Emmy award-winning David Logan (airing 2022).

Jo lives in Dublin with her husband and four young children. In her spare time (she has four children, there is no spare time really) she likes to read. Her favourite authors include Pierre Lemaitre, Jo Nesbo, Liane Moriarty, Fred Vargas and Jodi Picoult. She also watches TV obsessively.

Jo thinks up her plots on long runs in the woods. Her husband sleeps with one eye open.

X @SpainJoanne

@QuercusBooks

📖 Featured Book of the Month ~ What We Did in the Storm by Tina Baker

 

Viper/ Serpents Tail
15 February 2024

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

On the beautiful and windswept island of Tresco, two worlds live side by side. The wealthy visitors come by helicopter to stay at their lavish time-share properties. The estate staff travel by boat, and work all hours to keep them happy, to keep the money flowing in. But while the blue skies and savage waves make the island seem a wild paradise, under the surface the inhabitants are concealing more than they dare reveal. The truths about their marriages, their love affairs, and what they do in the darkness while their neighbours are sleeping. As black clouds come rolling in and a storm hits the island, truths and rumours begin to tumble out, wreaking terrible damage. In the midst of the tempest, two women are attacked and one goes missing. The secrets of this fragile community can no longer be hidden if it hopes to survive. The islanders must finally reveal what they did in the storm, no matter the cost.

📖 My Review…

 

The beautiful island of Tresco is the setting for this compelling mystery which looks at the dark underside of this idyllic island getaway. For those with money Tresco offers a sumptuous retreat from the humdrum of life and yet for those who eke out a living in the hospitality trade there is little rest from the demands of their jobs, pandering to the whims and fancies of those who have money to spend. However, all is not as it seems on the island and with simmering tensions bubbling it only takes one unusual event to alter the dynamic of the place and its people. When a vicious storm threatens the equilibrium of the island it would seem that unbearable tensions, already heightened, will soon start to spiral out of control.

Intricately plotted, with a strong set of characters, and oodles of tension this atmospheric thriller is a real page turner which keeps you guessing from start to finish. Filled with all the trademarks of this author’s fine story telling skills there is never a moment when the plot doesn’t draw you in and so many times I thought I had it all figured out only to find, in the end, that I was nowhere near. There are a few authors who get my pulse racing and Tina Baker is definitely up there with the best of them as each book she shares with us just gets better and better and What We Did in the Storm is no exception which is why I have no hesitation in making it my Featured Book of the Month for February.

What We Did in the Storm will be published on the 15th February 2024

Twitter @TinaBakerBooks #WhatWeDidInTheStorm

Website 

@ViperBooks

📖 Publication Day Book review ~ The Lies She Told by Lynda Renham

Bloodhound Books
5 July 2023

My thanks to the author for my copy of this book

A brutal attack in a quiet English village sets one police detective against another, in this thriller by the bestselling author of Remember Me.

In the quiet Cotswold village where DS Beth Harper has lived for most of her life, the crime rate is extremely low, and that’s how everyone likes it. Then, soon after her new boss, DI Tom Miller, arrives from London, a local schoolteacher is brutally attacked and left for dead in her home. The victim—a friend of Beth’s—remembers nothing.

Beth finds herself clashing with Tom and worrying that a recent tragedy will affect his judgement as a police officer. But there may be an even bigger question: Is it a burglary gone wrong that’s turned the village upside down—or could the violence be connected to something far more deadly?

📖 My Review.

It seems that nothing much happens in the sleepy Oxfordshire village of Stonesend until DI Tom Miller is transferred there and then, suddenly, things seem to go sharply wrong when Kate Marshal, a local school teacher is brutally attacked in her home. DS Beth Harper is at first resentful of the arrival of Tom Miller because as her senior officer he encroaches on what Beth considers to be her patch, especially as the Stonesend villagers are well known to her and the woman now fighting for her life is Beth's best friend.

Intelligently woven within the police investigation into Kate Marshall's attack is the story of Mae and Blanche Lethbridge, a mother and daughter who also live in Stonesend and who seem to have more than their share of troubles. Their individual stories become more and more fascinating as the mystery continues. 

Beautifully written, with fascinating characters who all seem to have something to hide, I raced through the story in quick time, eager to put together all the jigsaw puzzle pieces of this clever crime thriller. By the end of the story, I could quite easily see this developed into a crime series as I am sure there is more to explore in the relationship between DI Tom Miller and DS Beth Harper.

The cleverness of the plot, and the tense, and at times, quite shocking revelations certainly make The Lies She Told into an intriguing and tightly plotted mystery.

About the Author

Lynda Renham is author to many popular romantic comedy and gripping psychological thriller novels. She lives in Oxford, UK. She has appeared on BBC radio discussion programs and is a prolific blogger, Twitter and when not writing can usually be found wasting her time on Facebook.

Twitter @Lyndarenham #TheLiesSheTold

Blog

Amazon UK

@Bloodhoundbooks

 

📖 Book Review ~ Lake of Echoes by Liza Perrat

 

Perrat Publishing
28 June 2022

Sainte-Marie-du-Lac Series #1

My thanks to the author for my copy of this book

A vanished daughter. A failing marriage. A mother’s life in ruins.

1969. As France seethes in the wake of social unrest, eight-year-old Juliette is caught up in the turmoil of her parents’ fragmenting marriage.Unable to bear another argument, she flees her home.

Neighbours joining the search for Juliette are stunned that such a harrowing thing could happen in their tranquil lakeside village.

But this is nothing compared to her mother, Lea’s torment, imagining what has befallen her daughter. Léa, though, must remain strong to run her auberge and as the seasons pass with no news from the gendarmes, she is forced to accept she may never know her daughter’s fate.

Despite the villagers’ scepticism, Léa’s only hope remains with a clairvoyant who believes Juliette is alive.

But will mother and daughter ever be reunited?

📖 My Review...

In the summer of 1969, eight year old, Juliette Bellefontaine lives with her parents, Léa and Bruno, and her grandmère, Mamie Louise, at the Auberge de Léa which is situated near the atmospheric, Lac du Héron. This picturesque lake is a place of natural beauty however, it also has a brooding presence which is made all the more forbidding when Juliette goes missing after being upset by yet another noisy argument between her mother and father. Juliette's disappearance is quite out of character as she is normally a bright and sunny little girl, who enjoys playing with her friends, or running around with her dog, Belle, and yet with no real clues as to her whereabouts the local gendarmerie have to conclude that Juliette may well have been taken against her will. 

What then follows is a tense story of a mother's unwillingness to accept that she will never see her daughter again and of the effect that suspicion and mistrust has on a small community. This is a place where it would seem that whilst everyone knows each other's business there are still dangerous secrets deep in the heart of this rural community. The oppressive atmosphere of the late 1960s comes alive with a definite sense of foreboding which strikes right at the heart of the story and there is a sense of creeping unease which is skillfully handled by an author who knows just how to keep the suspense alive without ever compromising on the emotional pull of the story.

Beautifully written, rural France comes alive in the minutest detail and with an intricate and suspenseful mystery at its core, Lake of Echoes sees the successful start of a new historical mystery series by this talented writer.

🍷Best Read with..a slice of Mamie Louise's lemon chiffon pie

About the author

Liza grew up in Australia where she worked as a general nurse and a midwife. When she met her French husband on a Bangkok bus, she moved to France, where she has been living with her family for twenty-nine years, working as a medical translator and a novelist.

Several of her short stories have won awards, and been published in anthologies and small press magazines. Her articles on French culture are published in international magazines such as France Magazine, France Today and The Good Life France.

Sign up for Liza’s occasional newsletter about new book releases and receive a FREE copy of Friends & Other Strangers, her award-winning collection of Australian short stories.

If you enjoy Liza’s books, follow her on BOOKBUB

WEBSITE

BLOG

FACEBOOK

TWITTER @LizaPerrat

Universal Retail book link

Blog Tour ~ The Sound at the End by Kirsty Logan

Audible

13 January 2022

My thanks to Audible and Midas PR for the opportunity to listen to this audio recording
and for the invitation to the blog tour.

A chilling, immersive audio experience, The Sound at The End follows the eclectic crew of an Arctic research base and the newcomer who may uncover the secrets they’re each desperate to outrun, written by award-winning novelist Kirsty Logan and performed by a full cast.

On a near-abandoned research base in an Arctic ice field, a skeleton crew works to ensure the center doesn’t collapse amid treacherous storms. Officially, Trieste Grayling arrives in order to explore and film a sunken shipwreck for a documentary film; privately, she's working through a complicated grief. Trieste soon realizes she's not the only one who was attracted to this intense isolation in order to escape her ghosts.

Each of the crew members harbor dark secrets: Mal, the ever-competent medic conducting mysterious therapy sessions; Sweetie, the reclusive engineer with scarred hands; Thorsteinn, the aloof diver tender; Avelina, the temperamental base manager whose stories of home don't quite add up; Grace, an underwater welder and recovering addict; and Judd, the erratic former member of a ‘90s boy band. As they begin to reach breaking point, each one's hidden ghosts finally comes into the light.

My Review ..

The Sound at the End is a completely absorbing audio book experience with a chilling and haunting story at its heart. Atmospheric, and ice cold, the brooding nature of the Arctic ice field, the isolation of the near abandoned research station, complete with belligerent polar bears, comes to life in this Audible Original production. 

The mystery at the heart of the story is revealed gradually and once I got used to the different narrators, all of whom do a great job of bringing the characters to life, I found the rather claustrophobic effect of living life confined together in a small space really well done. 

The characters who make this such a compelling listen are all very complex which is certainly conveyed by the individual narrators in the tone of their voices and their unique mannerisms which make the whole experience so immersive. I found Trieste, she's the one we hear the most, to be an interesting mixture of naivety, and foolhardiness, especially in her interaction with the other characters who, it would seem, all have something to hide. 

I don't want to recount any of the specifics of story as I think this audio production is better listened to without any preconceived notion of where the story is heading. However, I will say that I found the story fascinating and the immersive nature of the background sounds add an absorbing dimension to the overall brooding nature of this haunting, and well crafted, thriller.

Narrated by : Lisa Carrucio Came, Alexiane Cazenave, Don Gilet, Laurel Kefkow, Freya Meva, Yasmin Mwanza, Clive Russell

Listening time :10 hrs 35 minutes.

About the Author

Twitter @kirstylogan

Website

@AudibleUK

@midaspr

📖 Blog Tour ~ Stolen by Tess Stimson

 

Thrilled to be part of this blog tour today

Harper Collins
5 August 2021

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book
and to rachel's Random Resources for the invitation to be part of the blog tour

You thought she was safe. You were wrong…

Alex knows her daughter would never wander off in a strange place. So when her three-year-old vanishes from an idyllic beach wedding, Alex immediately believes the worst.

The hunt for Lottie quickly becomes a world-wide search, but it’s not long before suspicion falls on her mother. Why wasn’t she watching Lottie?

Alex knows she’s not perfect, but she loves her child. And with all eyes on her, Alex fears they’ll never uncover the truth unless she takes matters into her own hands.

Who took Lottie Martini? And will she ever come home?

📖 My Thoughts..

I started reading Stolen with the intention of just reading a couple of chapters before bed, several chapters and more than half the book later, I had to drag myself away and head off for sleep which was broken with dreams of missing children.

Stolen starts with an harassed mother en-route to her friend's wedding in Florida where her three-year-old daughter is to be a flower girl  bridesmaid. To say that Lottie Martini is something of a handful is an understatement and it's clear from the start that this mother-daughter relationship is fraught with all sorts of deep rooted anxieties on both sides. When Lottie goes missing after the wedding Alex is frantic with worry over her little daughter but as time goes by, and frustrations and anxieties are cranked up to high, so we start on a start on a roller coaster of  a journey which, over time, only gets more, and more, complicated. 

The intriguing prologue which sets the scene so chillingly played on my mind throughout the story as I wondered, with good reason, just how we get to that place and all credit to the author for weaving a tale that is filled with so many twists and turns it made my head spin. It was interesting to see how the story unfolded by following Alex's interpretation of events alongside that of Quinn, an experienced journalist who has enough more than enough angst of her own to throw into the mix.

Stolen mirrors the story of other missing children of recent times, that of Madeleine McCann springs to mind, especially with the scrutiny which is placed on Alex and the unkind questioning about her parenting skills. Well written and unputdownable, Stolen works as an interesting look at the fickle nature of news reporting, the anguish of a mother who is vilified for her seeming neglect, and a small child who is caught up in the middle of a deadly game.

About the Author

Tess Stimson is the British author of ten novels, including top-ten bestseller The Adultery Club, and two non-fiction books, which between them have been translated into dozens of languages.

Her first "proper" job after graduating from St Hilda's College, Oxford (where she read English) was as a news trainee with ITN (Independent Television News). She reported and produced regional and world stories, travelling to hotspots and war-zones all over the globe.

In 2002, she was appointed Professor of Creative Writing at the University of South Florida and moved to the US. She now lives and works in Vermont with her husband, Erik, their three children, and (at the last count) two cats, three fish, one gerbil and a large number of bats in the attic.

Twitter @tessjstimson #Stolen #WhoTookLottie

Facebook

@AvonBooksUK

@rararesources

📖 Book Review ~ The Burning Girls by C J Tudor

 

Michael Joseph
21 January 2021

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

500 years ago: eight martyrs were burnt to death

30 years ago: two teenagers vanished without trace

Two months ago: the vicar committed suicide

Welcome to Chapel Croft.

For Rev Jack Brooks and teenage daughter Flo it's supposed to be a fresh start. New job, new home. But, as Jack knows, the past isn't easily forgotten.

And in a close-knit community where the residents seem as proud as they are haunted by Chapel Croft's history, Jack must tread carefully. Ancient superstitions as well as a mistrust of outsiders will be hard to overcome.

Yet right away Jack has more frightening concerns.

Why is Flo plagued by visions of burning girls?

Who's sending them sinister, threatening messages?

And why did no one mention that the last vicar killed himself?

Chapel Croft's secrets lie deep and dark as the tomb. Jack wouldn't touch them if not for Flo - anything to protect Flo.

But the past is catching up with Chapel Croft - and with Jack. For old ghosts with scores to settle will never rest...

📖 My Thoughts..

I always have a real sense of excitement when there is a new book out by this author as I know, from past experience, that she will never let me down and the story will be every bit as good as I want it to be. The Burning Girls is a story which is so fraught with danger and menace that just after reading a few pages I was already frightened of my own shadow!

Reverend Jack Brooks and teenage daughter Flo are sent to the tiny village of Chapel Croft to replace the last vicar who has died in tragic circumstances. Their arrival in the village is met with a great deal of mistrust and from the start it is obvious that the villagers are not going to give up their secrets easily. A series of events threaten not just Jack and Flo's safety but also their peace of mind and as tensions start to run high so danger is never far away.

This is one of those clever stories which is all to easy to spoil by giving away even a little snippet of something which later bears relevance so I won't do the author a disservice by recounting her clever plot. What I will say is that after reading all this author's books, and there are four, this one is my favourite, but then I've said that after each book, and that's just how good this writer is that after finishing you are always eager for more. 

The Burning Girls is not for the faint hearted and won't be everyone's choice but if you enjoy a deeply suspenseful novel with lots of genuinely creepy moments which make you jump at shadows and which give you a burning desire to sleep with the light on, then do give it a try. It's perfect escapism.

Note to self - don't go walking in the woods when you've just read a chapter of The Burning Girls..👻

About the Author

C. J. Tudor lives in Nottingham, England with her partner and three-year-old daughter.

Over the years she has worked as a copywriter, television presenter, voice over and dog-walker. She is now thrilled to be able to write full-time, and doesn’t miss chasing wet dogs through muddy fields all that much.

Twitter @cjtudor #TheBurningGirls

@MichaelJBooks

📖 Published in hardback 21 January 2020 📖

Amazon UK

📖 Publication Day Book Review ~ The Island by Ben McPherson

  

📖 On Publication Day 📖

Harper Collins UK
7 January 2021

My thanks to the publishers for my e-copy of this book

A shocking act of violence…

It should have been the safest place on earth. A summer camp for teens, on a beautiful island off the coast of Oslo. But what started out as a haven becomes hell on earth as two men start shooting.

A family torn apart…

With Norway in shock, the families gather, desperately hoping their children have survived. Some have their prayers answered. Some must confront their worst nightmare. But for one family, this is just the beginning…

A daughter gone missing…

Cal and Elsa’s daughter Licia was on the island that day. But the police can find no trace of her – dead or alive. Stuck in limbo, Cal and Elsa delve into their daughter’s life. The secrets they uncover are shocking. But they still don’t know – did Licia survive the shooting? Or is she gone forever?

📖 My thoughts..

Cal and Elsa’s worst fears are realised when a nightmare scenario takes place on an idyllic Norwegian island. Two gunmen start shooting indiscriminately at a group of teenagers who are attending a summer camp. In the aftermath of this appalling national tragedy, Cal and Elsa discover that their daughter, Licia, is not amongst the survivors. Gradually, over the course of the story, it becomes more and more clear that there are deadly secrets to be revealed about just what happened to Licia.

The powerful first chapter is dark and complex and sets the scene for a tense family drama. The author writes well, and keeps the suspense high, thus bringing to life a nightmare set of circumstances which reveal a family in chaos. There are so many secrets between them that the investigation becomes like slotting together a jigsaw puzzle as Cal and Elsa desperately try to piece together flimsy fragments of information about what could possibly have happened to their daughter on that ill-fated summer day.

The Island is an intelligent and thought provoking read which shows the deep cracks which can appear inside a family who, on the surface, seem to know everything about each other, and yet when it comes right down to it, they know absolutely nothing at all.

📖 About the Author 📖

Ben McPherson’s debut novel was the highly acclaimed A Line of Blood. He is a television producer and director, as well as a writer, and for more than ten years worked for the BBC, among other outlets. He is also an occasional columnist for Aftenposten, Norway’s leading quality daily, and lives in Oslo with his wife and two children.

Twitter @TheBenMcPherson #TheIsland

@HarperFiction

@fictionpubteam

📖 Featured Book ~ Liar by Lesley Pearse

🌠🌠 It's the beginning of the month and time for my featured book 🌠🌠

Michael Joseph
25 June 2020

My thanks to the publishers and ed public relations for my copy of this book

Amelia White dreamed of being a reporter, but the closest she'd come was selling advertising in the local paper. Until the fateful day she stumbles on a truly shocking scoop.

A murder victim, round the corner from her home.

When the police and reporters descend, Amelia is horrified at the assumptions made and lies soon to be spread about this poor young woman. Convincing her local paper to let her take up the story herself, Amelia is determined to protect the victim from these smears. But when another body is found, the police investigation stalls. Now, Amelia's own unfolding investigation may be the only chance of uncovering the truth, and stopping more killings.

If only she can work out who the liar is...

What did I think about it..

I love the anticipation of a new Lesley Pearse novel and Liar, her 28th novel, is every bit as good as I hoped it would be.

Amelia White works on the local paper and whilst she has ambitions to be a reporter her days are largely spent in selling advertising space to local businesses. That is until she discovers the body of a dead girl in a pile of rubbish and with an exclusive scoop on her hands, Amelia is encouraged, by her boss, to delve a little deeper. 

What then follows is a convoluted and complex murder/mystery which has more than enough twists and turns to keep the action exciting. And yet, the story is about so much more than a murder mystery, it’s also a close examination of what makes people act in the way that they do. Nature versus nurture, that's for us to discover in this intricate story of murder, mayhem and despair. Whilst I had very sympathy for Amelia and her search for truth and justice, it is the other fascinating characters who flit into and out of Amelia’s life which add interesting light and shade into what is a rather dark and dangerous story.

I’ve never yet read a Lesley Pearse novel that I didn’t enjoy. She has such an easy style of writing and delivers romance, crime and historical fiction with fine attention to detail, and with impeccable accuracy she always gets right into the very heart and soul of her lead characters.

Liar is this author writing at her most skillful, she brings the rather dreary 1970s to life in a thought provoking murder/ mystery which flits and flutters through some difficult scenes but which never fails to entertain on every level.

I'm delighted to have chosen Liar as my featured book of the month. It's published in hardback and eBook by Michael Joseph and is out now. 

***Lesley's first virtual event is taking place this week with Woman and Home's Book Club. Lesley will be discussing her new novel Liar as well as six books that are special to her and how they have had an impact on her life. The event is free and will take place over Zoom today Thursday July 2nd at 7:30pm. To join, you just need to register here

About the Author

©Charlotte Murphy

Lesley Pearse is a global No.1 bestseller with fans across the world and sales of over 10 million copies of her books to date. One of the nation’s best-loved storytellers, Lesley is a master of the gripping story line, always introducing her readers to characters that are impossible not to care about or forget. With a ‘Lesley Pearse’ book purchased every 4 minutes in the UK, there is no formula to her books or easily defined genre and, whether historical drama like her No.1 bestselling Belle trilogy or the emotionally powerful Trust Me based on the true-life scandal of British child migrants sent to Australia in the post-war period, she always engages the reader completely.You’ll Never See Me Again is Lesley’s 27th novel.

Lesley Pearse was told as a child that she had too much imagination for her own good. She left home at 15 and headed to London where she worked her way through many jobs – from corsetry sales in Cooks of St. Pauls (featured in Dead to Me), to musician’s muse (her second husband was a musician managed by Don Arden) to bunny girl to nanny; from gift shop owner to dressmaker – finally finding her true vocation when she became a published author age 49. Since then Lesley has become an internationally bestselling author, with over 10 million copies of her books sold worldwide. 

A true storyteller and a master of gripping storylines, there is no set formula for a Lesley Pearse novel although strong heroines and difficult circumstances are pervasive. Whether historical adventures such as Gypsy or Never Look Back or the passionately emotive Trust Me, Lesley is inspired by stories of courage and adversity and often gives voice to women lost in history and people damaged by their childhood experiences. She is passionate about her research and her stories have taken her far and wide; from Alaska to the Crimea. Lesley now lives in Torquay in Devon where she loves to spend time walking on the beach with her grandchildren and dogs. A fantastic speaker and committed and passionate fundraiser for the NSPCC, Lesley is a much sought-after guest at literary lunches, library events and festivals up and down the country.

Twitter @LesleyPearse #LoveLesley

@MichaelJBooks

@ed_pr

Amazon UK

Blog Tour ~ Red Desert by Paddy Magrane

Jaffareadstoo is excited to take part in this 
Audible Original Blog Tour

Audible Original
7 May 2020

My thanks to Audible and Midas PR for my Audible Original copy of Red Desert

Audible, the world’s leading provider of spoken-word entertainment, has secured worldwide English language audio rights to RED DESERT by Amazon Kindle #1 Bestselling author Paddy Magrane.

Released exclusively in audio on 7th May 2020, Red Desert is a white-knuckle suspense thriller set between London, Berlin and Iraq. Perfect listening for fans of Homeland, The Hurt Locker and American Sniper, Red Desert is available to here. Red Desert will be available for 1 credit to Audible members or priced at £14.99 for non-members

What's it all about..

Desperate to escape the past, Tom swaps a safe life in London for a spell in the desert of Iraq, providing therapy to the staff of an isolated oil concession. But his new job quickly becomes dangerous, especially when he starts to ask too many questions about a series of deaths. A lethal attack on the camp sends him back to the UK, but he’s determined to keep investigating. Iraq is coming home with him, in more ways than one.

What did I think about it..

Arriving at the isolated oil field in Iraq should have provided psychotherapist, Tom with  a more settled haven than the life he has left behind in London, but as Tom finds to his cost that not everyone at the oil camp wants him there. Drawing on his professional background doesn't really help Tom when a series of mysterious and unexplained deaths on the camp seem to escalate, with disastrous consequences for Tom and those around him. 

Inexorably Tom gets drawn further and further into a dark and deadly mystery will will see him in danger of his life on more than one occasion, and as a consequence, in the pursuit of justice, Tom will be forced to make some very tough decisions.

The author writes very well and brings a strong authentic feel to the story, particularly in the description of life in the Iraqi desert, the stultifying heat, the general air of mistrust between those who live on the camp, and the inherent and creeping sense of danger which seems to seep into the heat and dust of this arid landscape. There's plenty of excitement throughout, in fact, the tension is racked up to high for most of the novel, with some genuine thrilling moments, which had me literally unable to break away for fear of missing something vitally important to the outcome of the story. I enjoyed the different scenarios and moving between Iraq, London and Berlin guaranteed that there was always something different to absorb and consider.

I've listened to several Audible Originals and I am always drawn by the high standard of story telling, not just from the book itself, and it must be said that Red Desert had me on the edge of my seat on more than one occasion, but also by the high standard of narration, something which is so vitally important  in audio books. Many times I have given up on an audio book because the narration was a hindrance rather than a help, however, not so with Red Desert which is expertly narrated by Joe Jameson whose command of the story is exemplary. he brings each of the characters to life in a very special way.

Red Desert is a fast action, high octane suspense thriller which grabbed my attention from beginning to end.

About the Author

Paddy Magrane is a Psychotherapist, journalist and the Kindle #1 ranked thriller writer of The Sam Keddie thrillers. Born in the Middle East, Paddy then grew up on army bases in Germany, Northern Ireland and England. Paddy was an artist for ten years in the UK before working as a journalist for The Guardian, The Observer and The Telegraph. Paddy has travelled extensively, having visited Syria before the civil war and recently worked in Israel and the West Bank. In 2006, Paddy retrained as a psychotherapist and practices at home in rural Devon where he lives with his wife and two daughters.

Book Review ~ Her Last Secret by P L Kane

HQ Digital
January 2020

My thanks to the author for my ecopy of this book

Jordan Radcliffe is found stabbed to death.

Her boyfriend’s finger prints are on the knife and his clothes are covered in her blood.

Case closed… Or is it?

When Jordan’s estranged father Jake learns of his only daughter’s death, he is convinced that there is more to her murder than he is being told. But Jake hasn’t seen Jordan for over three years and, with secrets of her own, she was far from the child he abandoned all those years ago.

Jake’s ex-wife Jules, is reluctant to let him waltz back into her life. But with a question mark hanging over the case, Jake knows that he must piece together the fragments of evidence before it is too late.

Will he ever discover the truth?

What did I think about it..

The story gets off to a dramatic start with an opening chapter which sets the scene for what is to come in this cleverly thought out murder mystery.

It would seem almost from the beginning of the murder investigation that the perpetrator of Jordan Radcliffe's murder is pretty much decided, however, Jordan's father, Jake, is determined to leave nothing to chance as he searches for more evidence, determined to put right all the wrongs he feels he is responsible for in Jordan's short life.

Her Last Secret is not so much a police procedural although the investigation into Jordan's death certainly features but rather this is more about the guilt of those who are left behind who feel that they could have done more, been more, helped more and who in the face of such profound sadness feel that they only way to assuage their guilt is do everything possible to catch whoever is responsible.

There's so much to say about Her Last Secret but I don't want to give anything away as this is a story better read without any preconceived notions of where it is heading. Throughout the story there are varied plots twists, and more than enough excitement to keep you guessing. I especially enjoyed getting to know the main characters, particularly Jake, who is carrying more than his share of  angst, the reason for his particular sadness is revealed as the story progresses.

Well written with an ability to get right into the heart of the characters, particularly between family  members, Her Last Secret is a cleverly controlled murder mystery which will keep you guessing until the very last twist in the tale.

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Blog Tour ~ Woman in the Water by Katerina Diamond

Delighted to host today's stop on this exciting Blog Tour

Avon
11 November 2019

My thanks to the publisher for my ecopy of this book
and the invitation to be part of this blog tour

I’m alive. But I can’t be saved . . .

When a woman’s body is found submerged in icy water, police are shocked to find she is alive. But she won’t disclose her name, or what happened to her – even when a second body is discovered. And then she disappears from her hospital bed.

Detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey follow their only lead to the home of Reece Corrigan, and when his wife Angela walks in, they immediately recognise her. She’s the woman from the river, with her injuries carefully masked.

The more they dig into the couple, the less they understand about them.

Why have people in their past been hurt, or vanished?

And why doesn’t Angela want to be saved?

What did I think about it...

Well, this one gets off to a really dramatic start and the drama only increases as the story progresses. Detectives Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey find that no matter how close they get to solving this really complex case, the further they get from bringing the perpetrator to justice.

There's some very dark aspects to the story, and there's a particular twist half way through the book which shocked me completely, and which turned the atmosphere in the story from dark to darker in just a few tense pages. To be honest it upset me, but I can understand why the author chose to take the plot in this direction, and whilst it was shocking, it was handled in a realistic way, which I think did justice to a taboo topic. There is so much I want to say about the plot, and believe me, this one has so many complications, but no matter how hard I try to add any detail, to do so would really spoil the overall effect, as this story is best read with absolutely no idea of what's about to unfold.

As always the plot is driven by the partnership between Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey, who as well as being lead detectives on this complex case of murder and abduction, they are also intimately involved which, sort of, complicates how they work together in this story. They're a complex duo, each have their own problems which at times threaten to hinder the investigation and in this story their growing connection to each other is tested to the absolute limit.

Woman in the Water is filled with dark and twisty motives for murder, and the chief suspect, who is as slippery as an eel, takes great delight in keeping one step ahead of the investigative team. The story ends on something of a cliff hanger, so I'll look forward to seeing what happens next for Adrian Miles and Imogen Grey in book #7 😊

Woman in the Water is out now as an ebook and will be published by Avon in paperback on the 9 January 2020..

About the Author

Katerina Diamond was born in Weston in the seventies. She moved to Thessaloniki in Greece and attended Greek school where she learnt Greek in just 6 months. After her parents’ divorce, they relocated to Devon. After school, and working in her uncle’s fish and chip shop, she went (briefly) to university at Derby, where she met her husband and had two children. Katerina now lives in the East Kent Coast with her husband and children.

Twitter @TheVenomousPen #WomanInTheWater

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