📖 Blog Tour ~ The Ex-Husband by Karen Hamilton

 

Delighted to host a stop on this Blog Tour

Wildfire Books
19 August 2021

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book
and Rosie's invitation to the blog tour

Charlotte and Sam were partners. In life, and in crime. They never stole from anyone who couldn't afford it. Wealthy clients, luxury cruise ships. It was easy money, and harmless. At least, that's what Charlotte told herself, until the world caved in on her.

But now, years after she tried to put that past life behind her, it comes rushing back when her estranged ex-husband Sam suddenly goes missing - and someone threatens to expose what they did.

Desperate to escape whoever is tormenting her, Charlotte takes a job as events planner for an engagement party onboard a super yacht in the Caribbean. For a while, her plan seems to have worked, nothing but open ocean and clear skies ahead. Until it becomes clear that she's no longer a thousand miles away from harm.

Because whoever is behind it all is onboard too. And now there's nowhere left to run.

📖 My Thoughts..

What a roller coaster of a ride this turned out to be, especially as Charlotte and Sam seem, on the surface, to be the perfect couple. Only problem is, no-one is perfect, and pretty soon we start to see cracks developing in this relationship which definitely don't bode well for their future.

The opening of the novel, with its hint of intrigue, sets the scene, especially the back story of how Charlotte met Sam, their adventurous time working on luxury cruise ships together, and their rather unusual way of making a little extra on their trips from clients who have so much wealth they don't notice when some of it goes missing. However, nothing this good lasts forever, and Charlotte has a rude awakening which threatens her life in more ways than one.

What gradually emerges is a story of lies, deceit and danger which become all the more intriguing as we discover what's happening to Charlotte in the present, more about her relationship with her now ex-husband Sam, and her need to discover some vital truths about their past life together. Keeping the intrigue alive, the story flits between the events of the past and Charlotte's present time on board a luxury yacht in the Caribbean, where it would seem that there is someone on board who knows Charlotte's secrets.

Fast moving and pacy, with more than enough twists and turns to keep you guessing this intriguing story grips from the start and doesn't let go of your imagination until the dramatic ending which is every bit as good as I wanted it to be and which had me gasping out loud.

From its colourful cover, its intriguing plot and dangerous conclusion, The Ex-Husband is the perfect summer thriller especially if you find yourself reading it on board a luxury cruiser somewhere in the Caribbean 😊

About the Author

© Emma Moore

Karen Hamilton spent her childhood in Angola, Zimbabwe, Belgium and Italy and worked as a flight attendant for many years. Karen is a recent graduate of the Faber Academy and, having now put down roots in Hampshire to raise her young family with her husband, she satisfies her wanderlust by exploring the world through her writing.

Twitter @KJHAuthor #TheExHusband

@Wildfirebks

📖 Blog Tour ~ Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

  

 📖 Delighted to host today's stop on this blog tour 📖

Wildfire Books
29 April 2021

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book
and to RandomThings Tours for my invitation to the blog tour

As Princesses of Crete and daughters of the fearsome King Minos, Ariadne and her sister Phaedra grow up hearing the hoofbeats and bellows of the Minotaur echo from the Labyrinth beneath the palace. The Minotaur - Minos's greatest shame and Ariadne's brother - demands blood every year.

When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives in Crete as a sacrifice to the beast, Ariadne falls in love with him. But helping Theseus kill the monster means betraying her family and country, and Ariadne knows only too well that in a world ruled by mercurial gods - drawing their attention can cost you everything.

In a world where women are nothing more than the pawns of powerful men, will Ariadne's decision to betray Crete for Theseus ensure her happy ending? Or will she find herself sacrificed for her lover's ambition?

Ariadne gives a voice to the forgotten women of one of the most famous Greek myths, and speaks to their strength in the face of angry, petulant Gods. 

📖 My Thoughts..

What a fascinating story this turned out to be ! 

I started reading Ariadne with some trepidation as the ancient myths and legends of Greece are not something that I am overly familiar with and whilst I had a smattering of knowledge about King Minos of Crete and the legendary Minotaur, I had no idea of his creation as the son of Queen Pasiphaë, or his fate at the hands of Theseus of Athens.

Ariadne is the daughter of King Minos and is considered to be little more than a pawn in her father's ambition. When Theseus arrives as part of the annual consignment of sacrifice to the Minotaur everything about Ariadne and her world falls gloriously apart. Forced to flee, Ariadne is abandoned on the Greek island of Naxos where she comes into contact with the God Dionysus and the course of her life changes forever.

Making the ancient Greek world accessible in such an enjoyable way is no mean feat, and all credit to the author for making this story of Ariadne, Princess of Crete, into such a fascinating study between good and evil, love and loss, sibling rivalry and ultimately, male dominance in an Alpha male world. I especially enjoyed Ariadne's life on Naxos, her relationship with Dionysus is done in a thoughtful way, which brings the frenzied nature of this charismatic God of the harvest, wine-making and fertility to life in a vibrant and exciting way. It was interesting to discover the association of the Maenads, Dionysus' lady followers, who are often inspired into a state of ecstatic frenzy by Dionysus, hence the term frenzied Maenad.

The story of Ariadne is based on what is known in mythology about this classical princess and it rejuvenates the story for a new audience of readers to enjoy, and even if, like me, your knowledge of the ancient world of Gods and Goddesses is painfully lacking there is still much to enjoy in this fascinating journey into the myths and legends of Ancient Greece. 

About the Author 

Due to a lifelong fascination with Ancient Greek mythology, Jennifer Saint read Classical Studies at King’s College, London. She spent the next thirteen years as an English teacher, sharing a love of literature and creative writing with her students. ARIADNE is her first novel and she is working on another retelling of ancient myth for her second.

Twitter @jennysaint #Ariadne

@Wildfirebks @headlinepg

@RandomTTours

Review ~ The July Girls by Phoebe Locke

Wildfire
25 July 2019

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

Every year, on the same night in July, a woman is taken from the streets of London; snatched by a killer who moves through the city like a ghost. 

Addie has a secret. On the morning of her tenth birthday, four bombs were detonated across the capital. That night her dad came home covered in blood. She thought he was hurt in the attacks - but then her sister Jessie found a missing woman's purse hidden in his room. Jessie says they mustn't tell. She says there's nothing to worry about. But when she takes a job looking after the woman's baby daughter, Addie starts to realise that her big sister doesn't always tell her the whole story. And that the secrets they're keeping may start costing lives.

What did I think about it..

July is not a safe month in the city of London because for several years on the same date a woman has been taken by a perpetrator who leaves no clues and who despite the best efforts of the police has never been found.

Since her mum left home, Addie has been brought up by her dad and older sister, Jessie. Addie and Jessie are particularly close knit, as Jessie, in the absence of their mum has done everything for Addie, from making sure that she was clothed and fed, to arriving at school on time, however, everything changes when, on Addie's tenth birthday, their dad comes home covered in blood.

What then follows is a particularly tense thriller which grips from the very beginning and which leads you into some very dark places. It's not really about what is happening with the investigation into the missing girls, but of course, that's always there in the background, it's rather more about how living under an air of suspicion affects both Jessie and Addie as they try to move forward.

I remember being really impressed with this author's debut novel, The Tall Man which was published in 2018 and which captured my imagination, the story's delicious creepiness made me jump at shadows, so I was really excited to read this, her second novel. In my opinion, The July Girls feels an altogether different read, it's very, very polished, and is written with such confidence, that I was absolutely bowled over, not just by the strength of the story, but of the author's uncanny ability to get right into the heart of such a deeply complex mystery, and by allowing everything to feel so beautifully authentic.

I'm not going to spoil it by recounting much about the nitty-gritty of the story but if you like unputdownable mysteries which capture your attention from the very beginning then I'm sure you'll love it as much as I did.  I started reading The July Girls early on a sunny day in the garden and didn't look up, except for restorative cups of tea, until I had finished the story in one sitting. It's definitely one of my best reads of the summer, so far 💮

The July Girls is published by Wildfire Books on the 25th September 2019

About the Author

Phoebe Locke is the pseudonym of full-time writer Nicci Cloke. She previously worked at the Faber Academy, and hosted London literary salon Speakeasy. She lives and writes in Cambridgeshire. Phoebe Locke is the author of two psychological thrillers, THE TALL MAN, published 2018, and THE JULY GIRLS, out now.

Twitter @phoebe_locke #TheJulyGirls

@headlinepg

@Wildfirebks

Blog Tour ~ Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to host today's stop on the Blood Orange Blog Tour

Wildfire
21 February 2019

My thanks to the publishers and to Anne at Random Thing tours for my copy of the book
and the invitation to be part of the blog tour

Alison has it all. A doting husband, adorable daughter, and a career on the rise – she’s just been given her first murder case to defend. But all is never as it seems . . . 

Just one more night. Then I’ll end it. Alison drinks too much. She’s neglecting her family. And she’s having an affair with a colleague whose taste for pushing boundaries may be more than she can handle. 

I did it. I killed him. I should be locked up. 

Alison’s client doesn’t deny that she stabbed her husband – she wants to plead guilty. And yet something about her story is deeply amiss. Saving this woman may be the first step to Alison saving herself. 

I’m watching you. I know what you’re doing. 

But someone knows Alison’s secrets. Someone who wants to make her pay for what she’s done, and who won't stop until she's lost everything.

My thoughts..

Oh, what a tangled web we weave, and there is no more tangled a web than the one which weaves its way piece by jagged piece through Blood Orange. The story is dark and edgy, furiously explicit in terms of sexual content, and with some deeply disturbing psychological influences which are implicit right from the start, with a prologue, which, it must be said, chills to the bone.

The story opens as Alison, a talented barrister, is about to take the lead in her first murder defence, but in a world where stability and control matter, Alison isn’t the most steady of characters, she works hard, plays hard, drinks too much and doesn’t always realise when she is dangerously out of control. And yet, even though, you sense that she is teetering towards some inevitable disaster, there is always a compulsion to urge her on to greater transgressions, and in this respect Alison doesn’t let you down. I've never known anyone press so many self-destruct buttons!

There are several story strands, the cleverly constructed murder mystery, in which Alison is involved from a legal perspective, forms a small part of the story, however, it is in the toxic relationship Alison has with her husband Carl, and her work colleague, Patrick where the story really takes off in a whole different direction, and which, as the story progresses, leaves you reeling in disbelief.

Blood Orange is an absolutely gripping psychological thriller, utterly convincing both in terms of plot and malice, and is, without doubt, a stunning debut from an author who knows how to hold the reader in the palm of her hand, cranking up the tension to impossible heights, and never letting go of the action until the whole of the story is revealed in glorious detail.

About the Author

Harriet Tyce grew up in Edinburgh and studied English at Oxford University beforedoing a law conversion course at City University. She practised as a criminal barrister in Londonfor nearly a decade. She is currently doing a PhD in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia. She lives in north London. Blood Orange is her debut novel.

Blog Tour ~ The Unlikely Heroics of Sam Holloway by Rhys Thomas

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to be hosting today's stop on 

The Unlikely Heroics of Sam Holloway Blog Tour

Wildfire
9 August 2018

My thanks to the author, publishers and Random Things Tours for my copy of this book
and the invitation to be a part of the blog tour

What's it all about..

Sam Holloway has survived the worst that life can throw at you. But he’s not really living. His meticulous routines keep everything nice and safe - with just one exception...

Three nights a week, Sam dons his superhero costume and patrols the streets. It makes him feel invincible - but his unlikely heroics are getting him into some sticky, and increasingly dangerous, situations.

Then a girl comes into his life, and his ordered world is thrown into chaos ... and now Sam needs to decide whether he can be brave enough to finally take off the mask.

Both hilarious and heart-warming, this is a story about love, loneliness, grief, and the life-changing power of kindness.

My thoughts about it..

I'm sure that, if we look deep enough, there's a little bit of the super hero in all of us and as Sam Holloway proves sometimes you just have to get out there and defend those who can't always defend themselves. Sam's unlikely heroics are the stuff of dreams and as each of his Phantasm adventures gets underway I found that I was smiling, not just because he arms himself with a restorative cherry coke and a toffee crisp, incidentally, in my opinion, one of the best ever chocolate bars to be invented, but that he also succeeds against all odds. That his personal life is rather quiet and mundane only adds to his considerable charm and so when he meets the girl with red hair, you just hope that his life takes an altogether different turn.

I loved this book from start to finish. It's warm, it's witty and it's wise beyond measure but more importantly, it made me remember just how good a feel-good story can make you feel. However, don't be fooled into thinking that this is a quiet little story, it's not, as life has not always been plain sailing for Sam, he's had his share of bumps and knocks and yet, he keeps going, keeps on doing his best, showing a little kindness and standing up for those who can't stand up for themselves, and in the end that's what we should all be doing.

The Unlikely Heroics of Sam Holloway is suffused with gentle humour, it will make you smile, laugh out loud and even shed a little tear now and again, but throughout it all Sam's inherent goodness shines through like a beacon of hope.

I knew I was going to love Sam from page 5 when I read that he was a great believer in not rushing beans and observes that there is an art to everything in life, even beans. How true.

About the Author

Rhys Thomas lives in Cardiff with his long-term girlfriend and two cats, 

Henry VIII and Sheldon Tilllikum Cooper

Twitter @rhysthomashello #UnlikelyHeroics

@Wildfirebks

@headlinepg

#RandomThingsTours

Blog Tour ~ The Tall Man by Phoebe Locke

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to host today's stop on The Tall Man Blog Tour

Wildfire
14 June 2018

My thanks to the publishers and to Random Things Tours for my copy of this book
 and the invitation to be part of the blog tour

THE TALL MAN is a gripping blend of dark psychological suspense and spine-tingling chills that will  have you checking the corners of your room before bed. 

THE TALL MAN TAKES DAUGHTERS... 

SADIE 

Sadie Banner has been haunted by the Tall Man in the shadows since she was a child. Terrified by 

what he might make her do to her own baby daughter, she abandons her family. Sixteen years 

later she returns, but she can't escape the dark secrets of her past. 

AMBER 

Two years later a documentary film crew follows Amber Banner on a media tour of Los Angeles. 

Amber's just been acquitted of a murder charge - but who did she kill, and why?

Here's what I thought about it..

There's something deliciously creepy about The Tall Man and the author does a brilliant job of starting this uneasy feeling from the very start when we are allowed a glimpse into the troubled world of the Banner family. The story begins in 1990 when we are introduced to Sadie who as a young teenager is caught up in the legend of the tall man. That a gathering of teenagers should have such a devastating effect long into the future is what gives the story such a disturbing sense of foreshadowing.

And yet, regardless of what happened in the past, in many ways this is a very modern story especially when the narrative moves to 2018 as we follow a documentary team who are filming, Amber Banner, the teenage daughter of Sadie, who has become something of a celebrity in a world where cult status is a dominant force.

The legend of the tall man taps into urban mythology, that of a creepy individual who is waiting and watching. I think that every generation has its 'watchers', and that this terror is real and believable comes across so well and even, in the story, when time shifts forwards, and backwards, that sense of unease never really goes away. 

Well written,with a real sense of disquiet, my advice is to read The Tall Man quickly, preferably in daylight, and with a comforting drink close at hand. Reading long into the night, as I did, when the shadows creep and shift and bats flutter about your head is perhaps not to be advised, as it becomes all too easy then to jump at the slightest noise and even though you know it’s just a story, you really do have a sense that the tall man is always watching and waiting...

Perfect creepy reading for summer 👻

About the Author

PHOEBE LOCKE is the pseudonym of full-time writer Nicci Cloke. She previously worked at the Faber Academy, and hosted London literary salon Speakeasy. Nicci has had two literary novels published by Fourth Estate and Cape, and also writes YA for Hot Key Books. She lives and writes in London. THE TALL MAN is Phoebe Locke's debut thriller. 

Twitter @phoebe_locke #TheTallMan

@Wildfirebks

#RandomThingsTours