BLOGATHON: Before Her Eyes - Jack Jordan

She can't see the killer. But the killer can see her...

Naomi Hannah has been blind since birth, living her life in darkness. Trapped in her claustrophobic hometown, she’s finally reached her breaking point.

But everything changes when she stumbles across the body of a young woman who has been brutally murdered. Not only that, but Naomi senses she isn’t alone at the scene… Someone is there with her. The killer is watching.

Naomi may not be able to see their face, but she is the only person who can identify them.

As the police begin their hunt and more victims are discovered, Naomi is forced to answer the question on which her fate hangs: why did the killer let her live?

And in a town this small, the murderer may still be close. Perhaps even before her very eyes...

What did I think?

Jack is back in the most eagerly anticipated book of the year!  There's nothing unusual about booklovers getting excited about books, but a new Jack Jordan book seems to whip us up into a frenzy as we all clamour to get our names on this exclusive list of early readers.  I've been a huge fan of Jack Jordan since reading his outstanding debut, Anything for Her, and it's wonderful to follow the journey of this super-talented young author as he heads towards his destiny at the top of the bestseller chart.  

I don't know where Jack Jordan gets his ideas from but they're all such good ones and Before Her Eyes is an absolute cracker!  It sounds simple with a blind woman being pursued by a killer she can't see but the descriptions of smell, sounds and touch were so visual that I felt as if my own senses had been heightened to cope with Naomi's blindness.  Jack Jordan is always so attuned to his characters that he can replicate their thoughts and feelings in the reader, without us even realising it.  Whilst reading Before Her Eyes I found myself noticing smells and sounds more than usual as I tried to empathise with the darkness in which Naomi lived.  

Although Naomi is understandably a very flawed character, she is a lot tougher than she thinks.  Naomi will always have strong feelings towards her ex-husband, Dane, as he saw her at her worst and naturally, Naomi feels safe with him.  As a blind woman, there's one thing that her other senses can't compensate for and that is the looks of admiration that Naomi receives from lovely DS Marcus Campbell.  Now this really is love at first sight but unfortunately Naomi can't see it and my heart broke for Marcus as had to be content with admiring Naomi from afar.

The story of the killer terrorising Naomi's town reminded me of spiderweb cracks on a mirror; as you follow one line of enquiry and end up at a dead end, you have to return to the centre to see where the story leads you.  At the centre of this web is a cold case: that of young Hayley Miller whose body has never been found.  Marcus is convinced that this recent spate of killings is linked to the Hayley Miller case but his boss doesn't share the same thoughts.  Marcus does a bit of digging on his own and finds that the latest victims were investigating the Hayley Miller case so he seems to be on the right track but, with a killer determined to stop the truth getting out about Hayley Miller, nobody in this town is safe.

I can guarantee that you will be glued to every single page of Before Her Eyes.  I read it so fast that I feel like I need to read it again at a much slower pace to fully appreciate the glorious, visual scenes painted by Jack Jordan's powerful words.  An absolutely sublime piece of fiction that entertained, amazed and down-right thrilled every inch of me.  A* - you're top of the class again, Mr Jordan!

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon




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BLOG TOUR: Tangled Splinters (The Motivated Antics Series Book 1) - T. L. Hill

 

A cryptic killer. A deadly game. A truth buried so deep, it could destroy everything.

For decades, the Wood Riddle Killer has left a trail of bodies—each one a puzzle, each crime scene a taunt. Rosa Ryker, a newly appointed detective, is thrust into the case that has haunted seasoned FBI Special Agent Simon Pikes for years.

Simon is relentless, haunted by his past failures. Rosa is determined to prove herself. But as the riddles grow darker and the body count rises, the investigation turns into a twisted game—one where every misstep has fatal consequences.

With betrayals lurking in the shadows and secrets buried deep, trusting the wrong person could be deadly.

Tangled Splinters—the first book in The Motivated Antics Series—is a gripping psychological crime thriller packed with shocking twists, dark secrets, and an investigation that will push its detectives to the edge.

What did I think?

Tangled Splinters is the first book in The Motivated Antics series and I am on tenterhooks for the next book after that jaw-dropping ending that made me want MORE!  My mind is still whirring, wondering if I have interpreted it right or wrong so the next book can't come quick enough.

I loved Rosa Ryker from the start whose promotion to detective didn't go down too well with her colleagues.  Rosa is an asset to a case the FBI are involved in as she sees connections and interprets clues that others can't see.  Special Agent Simon Pikes is well-named as S.Pikes as he is very spiky and prickly but for good reason; the Wood Riddle Killer case isn't just his job to solve, it's personal.

Both Rosa and Simon both carry a lot of baggage and heartbreaking back stories so it's natural that they would be drawn to each other and their attraction is only a small part of the plot because this case serial killer case is BIG.  As grisly as some of the scenes are, I loved the lighthearted moments mainly due to Rosa being so clumsy and ending up sprawled on the floor.  T. L. Hill has found the perfect balance between light and dark to produce a memorable psychological thriller book.

With a blisteringly fast pace and an incredibly intriguing plot, Tangled Splinters is impossible to put down and even more impossible to predict.  I was hooked from the start and can't wait for more of the series to be published.  It's definitely worth adding this one to your TBR, thriller fans.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the Love Books Tours Virtual Book Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: Choppiness on High Seas - Arvind Wadhera

Being born into poverty and hardship in 1930s London, Matthew’s life was one of relentless struggle. One inadvertent act in defence of his mother would haunt his conscience forever.

Matthew’s journey takes him from the poverty of a cold stone granary to the opulence of Mayfair and Kensington Gardens, where he starts a family of his own. Despite working his way to the top of the business world, he remains an outsider to London’s elite. He then realises that same elite has an ugly underbelly. High society was a hot bed of depravity.

Will he correct society’s wrongs? Will the man who never succumbed to expectations be able to challenge his own destiny or will he simply accept the futility of it all?

 

What did I think?

Choppiness on High Seas is a very thought-provoking rags to riches story that is both uplifting and heartbreaking.

Gail Stephens has a very hard life, living in poverty as a single mother but she brings up her son well and is determined that he will have a better life than she did.  Matthew knows that he has his mother to thank for his strength and determination and he is forever grateful to her for giving him the foundation to become a successful businessman.

It reads very much like a family saga as the Stephens family progress through the years from 1930s to the new millennium.  As the book title suggests, life isn't plain sailing for the family and there are many heartbreaking moments along the way as Matthew rises through the ranks.

The portrayal of 1930s poverty is very sobering and it did make me wonder whether it is much different today.  It is very true that money can't buy everything and Matthew finds this out the hard way, despite his good deeds and attempts to make the world a better place for the impoverished.  Matthew is haunted by a desperate act from his past and it's almost like karma wants payback with interest.

Choppiness on High Seas is an entertaining family saga that takes the reader on a rollercoaster of emotions as we follow the Stephens' dynasty over the decades.  I think it would be a great TV drama series if it ever gets picked up by one of the streaming services.

I received a gifted paperback from Literally PR to read and review for the Online Book Review Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: Six Tails at Midnight (The No. 2 Feline Detective Agency, book 15) - Mandy Morton

Hettie, Tilly, Bruiser and the Butter sisters set out across the snowy fens to spend Christmas at The Fishgutter’s Arms. Snowed in with no hope of rescue, they find themselves sharing Christmas with some unwanted guests.

Will the ghosts of Christmas Past wreak vengeance on the present? Can our feline detectives dig themselves out of a spooky festive fiasco? And will the sausage rolls and sherry last until midnight?

Jump on board for a cat-a-strophic sleigh ride into a snow drift full of Christmas spirits.

What did I think?

Six Tails at Midnight is the fifteenth book in No. 2 Feline Detective Agency series but it's the first book in the series that I've read so it can definitely be read as a standalone.  It's a short book with 109 pages so it's easy to read in one sitting and perfect for re-reading over the festive period (which I plan to do).

The cat characters are well-developed and although it's the first time I have met them, I took to them straight away.  It is very amusing to see place names, sayings and even author names given a feline twist and I laughed out loud on many occasions.

The storyline is fun and spooky, kind of like A Christmas Carol with cats.  I loved everything about it from the fabulous cover of the pocket-sized hardback to the fabulous characters and the vividly described scenery.

Six Tails at Midnight is a spooky festive tale that is incredibly entertaining and witty.  I will definitely be looking to read the earlier books in the series and can't wait to meet my new feline friends again.

I received a gifted hardback to read and review for the Random Things Tours blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

Mandy Morton began her professional life as a musician. More recently, she has worked as an arts journalist for national and local radio. She lives with her partner in Cambridge and Cornwall, where there is always a place for a long-haired tabby cat. Mandy is available for interviews and events.

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BLOG TOUR: In the Name of the Reich - Ian M. WIlliamson

London, 1969. Great Britain has flourished under National Socialist rule since its integration into the Third Reich after the Second Great War – a war Great Britain lost – and the nation is at peace.

Or so it seems.

A psychedelic drug named Yonder has taken the working class population by storm, and has become a figurehead for a “silent protest” against the Nationalist Socialist regime. It is now the single greatest threat to social order, and must be stopped.

British-born Detective Sergeant John Highsmith – an officer in the Metropolitan Police’s Drug Enforcement Squad – is a member of the Task Force dedicated to achieving just this. But the job is not so straightforward, and when John is confronted with violence, torture, and death, only his stead-fast loyalty to National Socialism will protect him as he puts his life on the line – in the name of the Reich.

A harrowing tale of what might have been, In the Name of the Reich examines how Nazi rule would have warped British society and a young man raised under it. It is uncompromising in its depiction, and aims to revolutionise this genre of fiction.

 

What did I think?

I didn't write a single note in my reading journal when I was reading In the Name of the Reich because I couldn't put it down!  I had to double check that it's a debut novel as the writing is so accomplished and it's absolutely fantastic from start to finish, with a breathtaking conclusion that deserves a chef's kiss.  

The alternative history feels so realistic; it doesn't read like a 'what might have been' it's more of a 'this is what is actually happening in an alternate reality'.  To cope with the National Socialists ruling the country, the British people are turning to a drug called Yonder to escape from their grim reality.  As with all drugs though, Yonder has a darker side and the police need to find the source to prevent the flow of it into Britain.

DS John Highsmith is about to become a father for the first time but his investigation into Yonder puts him in increasing danger.  John is a bit like a cat with nine lives as he has so many near misses that had me on the edge of my seat.  Just how long will his luck last?

Highly original and scarily realistic, In the Name of the Reich is a magnificent debut novel from Ian M. Williamson.  With a razor-sharp, compelling plot and blistering pacing, it is unmissable, unforgettable and unputdownable.  I will be raving about this book for a very long time and I can't recommend it highly enough.  A well-deserved five stars.  Wunderbar!

I received a gifted paperback for the Love Books Tours virtual book tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Troubador Publishing

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

Ian M. Williamson graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2015 after studying History and Hispanic Studies, where his historical interests were based largely in 20th century world politics. These studies fostered a lifelong intrigue in what might have been, and provided an insightful basis for his work on an alternate history narrative.

Website: www.ianmwilliamson.co.uk

Instagram: @ianmwilliamson

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BLOG TOUR: Fatal Shot (DC Mel Cotton Crime Series Book 6) - Brian Price

Pleasure or murder?

Was journalist Jenny Pike seeking extreme pleasure or was she murdered? Mexton police and her partner are suspicious. Things just don’t add up. Who would want Jenny killed and why? If she was murdered, then why was there no trace of the killer?

Deadly weapons

A mystery gunman is injured as his weapon blows up in his face. Someone is making blank weapons lethal. Mexton police are baffled. Meanwhile, a ruthless gangster is after a stolen laptop, and he will stop at nothing to get it back. What is on that laptop?

A dangerous turf war

Soon Mexton is in turmoil with illegal firearms, a vengeful crime boss and an impossible crime to solve. A turf war between drug dealers looms and the police seem powerless to stop it. Can DC Mel Cotton and her colleagues solve the riddles facing them without getting killed? Can a lethal conflict be prevented, before someone gets seriously hurt? 

What did I think?

After the tantalising cliffhanger in book 5, Fatal Image, I couldn't wait for the next instalment in the DC Mel Cotton Crime Series and once again Brian Price delivers a cracking page-turning thriller. Whilst you could read it as a standalone, it works much better when read as part of the series and I highly recommend every single book so far.

There's a lot for Mel and her team to investigate after the accidental death of journalist Jenny Pike doesn't quite add up and gun violence ramps up on the streets of Mexton.  I was completely riveted by both storylines, despite Jenny being someone I have loved to hate in the previous books.

As always with a Brian Price book, the police procedural side of the plot is incredibly authentic and I felt as if I was part of the investigation devouring every word as I followed the clues to the dramatic and satisfying conclusion.  I love Brian's epilogues that read like a 'where are they now' and I have to remind myself that I am reading fiction.

With short and punchy chapters and carefully crafted words, I flew through Fatal Shot and even though it had a satisfying ending, I am like Oliver Twist and still want more!  Long may this fantastic series continue.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Hobeck Books

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: Escape to the Northern Lights - Carrie Walker

Packed with humour, romance and a love affair with nature, Escape to the Northern Lights is a story of transformation, second chances and finding home in the most unexpected places.

High-powered lawyer Sara thought she had life figured out – until her whirlwind marriage ends in divorce, her dream promotion slips away and a burnout diagnosis forces her to take a break.

Desperate for a reset, she books a four-week spa retreat in Norway, imagining a luxurious escape. Instead, she finds herself in the rugged wilderness of Firefly Forest, knee-deep in reindeer droppings and stuck with an annoyingly bohemian – and ridiculously attractive – outdoorsman, Henrik.

What starts as a nightmare turns into a journey of self-discovery as Sara swaps designer heels for bare feet, legal briefs for tree-hugging, and fleeting flings for something far deeper...

 

What did I think?

Escape to the Northern Lights is Carrie Walker's third book but the first of hers that I have read and I loved it.  There's may be a lot of snow in the book but the wonderfully romantic storyline is sure to melt even the coldest heart.

In the midst of a relatively amicable divorce, Sara has her work/life balance firmly weighted towards the work end of the scale as she works every hour she can in an attempt to be made partner in a law firm.  It's like a carrot on a stick being dangled in front of her as the firm squeezes out every last drop of productivity before telling Sara that there's no promotion this year.  It's no surprise that Sara ends up in hospital and is finally forced to take leave from work.

It is so funny when Sara drunkenly books what she thinks is a luxurious spa retreat but it turns out to be a vegan, wellness cabin in the woods of Norway with no mobile phone signal.  When she realises her mistake she is determined to leave but Firefly Forest weaves its magic and changes Sara's life for the better.

I adored the description of Firefly Forest and Carrie Walker's beautiful writing effortlessly conjured a vivid picture in my head.  I also loved that the description of Sara's first aurora sighting was very realistic, but no less magical.  The attraction between Sara and Henrik is enough to make the snow melt and their blossoming romance seems to be going well until Mark, Sara's ex, turns up like a pantomime villain to throw a few spanners in the works.

Filled with humour, drama and romance, Escape to the Northern Lights is a beautiful book that warmed my heart and reminded me to stop now and again to look up at the sky; you never know when Lady Aurora will start dancing.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the blog tour ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Purchase link: https://amzn.eu/d/5U4BLAz

About the author:

Carrie Walker is a Brummie born rom-com lover with a lifelong passion for travel. She has lived in a ski resort, by a beach, in the country and the city, and travelled solo through Asia, South America and Europe. Her own love life was more com than rom until she met her husband a few years ago and settled down with him and her dog Ziggy in a small pub-filled village in Essex. 

Social Media Links – 

https://www.carriewalker.co.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/carriewalkerauthor

https://x.com/carriewauthor 

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