Monday, 29 June 2020

BLOG TOUR: The Curious Case of Faith & Grace - David B. Lyons


The damppebbles blog tours Blog Tour for The Curious Case of Faith & Grace by David B. Lyons is visiting my blog today and I'm releasing my review as part of the tour.  This is my first David B. Lyons book and it definitely won't be my last.  It's an absolute cracker!  Scroll down to read my review of this outstanding book.


Pretty... or pretty twisted?

ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO FAITH AND GRACE TIDDLE ARRIVED HOME FROM THEIR USUAL SATURDAY MORNING DANCE CLASS TO FIND BOTH OF THEIR PARENTS FACE DOWN IN POOLS OF BLOOD.

Five days later, the twins — only nine years old at the time — were arrested for the double homicide.

And now, twenty months on, the entire country awaits with bated breath as the jury are dismissed to deliberate their verdict on a case that has become a national phenomenon.

But if Lead Detective Denis Quayle — the man who knows the case better than anybody else — isn’t fully convinced of the twins’ guilt…

Can a twelve-person jury be?

GET READY TO EXPLORE…

THE CURIOUS CASE OF FAITH & GRACE


What did I think?

If you like thrillers set in the courtroom then The Curious Case of Faith & Grace is definitely the book for you.  I love virtually going to court so I was riveted from start to finish at the trial of 11 year old twins Faith & Grace Tiddle.  With a creepy cover that makes the twins from The Shining look like sweet little angels, David B. Lyons lets us examine the evidence to decide whether the Tiddle twins are angels or devils.

It seems inconceivable that two 9 year old twins could murder their parents and then calmly trot off to dance class, but this is what the prosecution would have us believe.  It is such a heinous crime that the case is being brought before Dublin's Criminal Court where a jury of 12 adults will deliberate the verdict.  With all but the lead detective on the case convinced of the twins' guilt, it should be an easy decision for the jurors to make...but one of them is being blackmailed.  If the twins are convicted her life will be destroyed.

What an excellent storyline; not only do you have the very intriguing murder case but the blackmailing of the juror took the story to another level.  I loved reading the deliberations of the jury and the counter-arguments that were being put forth to save the juror's own skin.  I really liked Detective Denis Quayle; he has his own personal problems but he never stopped believing in the twins and I loved how he fought to hold onto the case when a neighbouring station tried to take over.

With only two choices: guilty or not guilty, I must have changed my mind hundreds of times over the course of the book.  Creepy, chilling and compelling, The Curious Case of Faith & Grace is an outstanding novel that I won't forget in a hurry.  Very highly recommended.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:
Amazon UK
Amazon US




About the author:

David B. Lyons is an international bestselling author -- a writer of psychological thrillers.

He has reached No.1 in charts in Ireland, the UK, Canada and Australia.

David grew up in Dublin - the city his novels are set - but currently spends his time between Birmingham in the UK and the Irish capital. David is married to a Brummie, Kerry, and they have one daughter, Lola.

He has lectured in Creative Writing in colleges and universities in both Ireland and in the UK and coaches people how to write with free tutorials at TheOpenAuthor.com.

You can connect with David here:
Twitter: @TheOpenAuthor




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Saturday, 27 June 2020

BLOG TOUR: The Heatwave - Katerina Diamond


One summer. One stranger. One killer…

Two bad things happened that summer:
A stranger arrived. And the first girl disappeared.
 
In the wake of the crime that rocked her community, Felicity fled, knowing more than she let on.
 
But sixteen years later, her new life is shattered by the news that a second girl has gone missing in her hometown.
 
Now Felicity must go back, to face the truth about what happened all those years ago.
 
Only she holds the answers – and they’re more shocking than anyone could imagine.
 
The heatwave is back. And so is the killer.


What did I think?

I absolutely love Katerina Diamond's DS Imogen Grey series so I was very excited to read her new standalone novel, The Heatwave.  Stepping away from a police procedural into a psychological thriller, Katerina Diamond's slow burning thriller The Heatwave absolutely blew me away.  It is THE book to read this summer!

Felicity is a very intriguing main character; there's definitely a lot more going on under the surface than it first appears.  When she leaves her husband and family behind to return to her hometown in the wake of a missing teenager, you just know that this is not the reaction of a normal person.  As we delve into Felicity's teenage past and the summer when a stranger comes to town and a teenager goes missing, Katerina Diamond turns the temperature up to boiling point in this scorching novel.

There are so many twists and turns in The Heatwave that you think you know where the story is going and then Katerina Diamond plants a landmine and you're off on a completely different tangent.  With a dual timeline set in past and present, Felicity's friendship with Jasmine during the summer heatwave is the focus of the 'past' storyline.  With teenage hormones in full flow and temperatures rising, the mysterious Tim (Jasmine's parents' lodger) becomes the focus of the girls' attention and their friendship comes under pressure.  When a teenager goes missing, Felicity leaves her hometown and Jasmine behind.  So why on earth does a missing teenager 16 years later make Felicity go back?  

The Heatwave is a completely masterful novel showing that Katerina Diamond is at the top of her game.  She is such an accomplished and talented writer that I'm sure Katerina Diamond could turn her venomous pen to any genre.  Make sure to grab a copy of The Heatwave; you don't want to miss what is sure to be the hottest book of the year.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Thursday, 25 June 2020

Death of a Mermaid - Lesley Thomson


When Freddy Power was eighteen, her father threw her out. Her sin had been to fall in love with a woman. Freddy waited for two decades to be invited back into the family. The summons never came.

But now, in the wake of her parents' death, Freddy feels the call of home like a siren's song. The ferry from France emerging out of the mist. Fisherman unloading trawlers down at the harbour. Her childhood friends, Mags and Toni, walking on the cliffs at sunset.

Yet when she arrives in Newhaven, she finds that time has not stood still. After twenty-two years of silence, her brothers exclude her, and Mags and Toni feel like strangers. But then Mags goes missing, and old secrets – and old passions – are reignited. Freddy is determined to lead the hunt for the woman who was her first love. Even if it means confronting the past, and facing up to the truth about her family.


What did I think?

Death of a Mermaid is my first Lesley Thomson book and what a cracker it is!  Death comes to Newhaven, a channel ferry port in East Sussex, so put on your Sou'wester and travel to this south coast fishing town with Lesley Thomson.

A bone chilling prologue sets the scene for a very dark and menacing story that gripped me by the throat and refused to let go until I had turned the final page.  I almost forgot to breathe towards the end as I let out a shaky breath I didn't realise I had been holding.  That is how gripped by the story I was.  Lesley Thomson drew me in with her mesmerising words and captured me in her net, resigned to my fate of not being able to put the book down until this outstanding story had concluded.

Freddy Power as a schoolgirl was a member of a group called the Mermaids; a trio of friends who were obsessed with the film The Little Mermaid.  The group broke up suddenly when Freddy unexpectedly left home and lost contact with her friends and family.  When Freddy returns for a family funeral, it's not exactly a joyous reunion with fellow Mermaids, Mags and Toni, and even Freddy's brothers don't want her there.  When Mags goes missing, after a suspicious double death in the town, Freddy decides to stay in Newhaven rather than return to her controlling partner in Liverpool.  Freddy is determined to prise all of the secrets from the town's icy grip and she must confront her past before she can finally be free.

What a book!  The storyline is absolutely superb; it's tense, menacing and completely gripping.  I loved The Little Mermaid thread running through it, from ornaments in a fish tank to the disc in the dvd player; it oozed a sense of nostalgia that kept me anchored when my brain wanted to sail away on the story.  I love books filled with secrets and Death of a Mermaid has enough secrets to blow your socks off.

Death of a Mermaid is atmospheric, compelling and moving and I can't recommend it highly enough. 

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Tuesday, 23 June 2020

BLOG TOUR: I Know the Truth - M.A. Comley


From NY Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Justice series, M A Comley, who has sold over three million copies worldwide.


She escaped his clutches.

Now she hides under a new name.

For the past five years, Lucy has lived in fear of her past.

But all that changes when Matthew enters her life.

Is she able to trust another man after...

Should she listen to her head or her heart?

As she fights for her future, someone is lurking in the shadows with their own agenda.

And they will determine whether she lives or dies.  


What did I think?

I've had M.A. Comley on my radar for a while now but she's written so many amazing books that I didn't know where to start.  So with her latest novel , I Know the Truth, being a standalone psychological thriller I was very excited to get my hands on a copy.

Lucy is a great main character; she's very careful with money and men so it's quite out of character for her to meet a man on her night out with her best friend, Trisha.  There's something about Matthew that just clicks with Lucy, but she's understandably nervous about starting a new relationship.  Although I found it a bit odd that Lucy was so trusting of a man she had just met, especially with her history, Matthew puts her at ease and things go swimmingly until she meets his family.  If I was Lucy, I would have run a mile if my boyfriend had brought a member of his family on our second date, but Lucy thinks Matthew is worth it.  The story is written with so much menace, that I just hoped she was right.

The storyline is very intriguing and held my interest, although it did take me a few chapters to get into the rhythm of the book as the prose is quite heavily conversation based.  As the threats and danger increase, Lucy's fairytale turns into a nightmare.  Only Trisha knows Lucy's past so my mind was whirring nineteen to the dozen as I tried to work out who was threatening Lucy.  It was clearly someone who would go to any lengths to ruin Lucy's life and I had my suspicions who it was, but of course I was wrong!  

Fast-paced and fraught with danger, I Know the Truth is a pulse-rocketing psychological thriller.  I'm definitely going to be adding more M.A. Comley books to my ever-expanding TBR pile.

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

My rating:


Buy it from Amazon




About the author

M A Comley is a KINDLE UNLIMITED ALL-STAR author as well as being a New York Times, USA Today, Amazon Top 20 bestselling author, she has topped the book charts on iBooks as a top 5 bestselling and reached #2 bestselling author on Barnes and Noble. Over two and a half million copies sold world wide. She’s a British author who moved to France in 2002, and that’s when she turned her hobby into a career. 
When she’s not writing crime novels as well as caring for her elderly mother, she’s either reading or going on long walks with her rescue pup Labrador, Dex.
Here is a list of her books, Cruel Justice, Impeding Justice, Final Justice, Foul Justice, Guaranteed Justice, Ultimate Justice, Virtual Justice, Hostile Justice, Tortured Justice, Rough Justice, Dubious Justice, Calculated Justice, Twisted Justice, Prime Justice, Heroic Justice, Shameful Justice, Immoral Justice and Overdue Justice. There are several novellas and short stories in the series too.
No Right To Kill, Killer Blow, The Dead Can’t Speak, Deluded and The Murder Pact in the DI Sara Ramsey series. 
Her other successful series are: The DI Sally Parker thriller series, which includes WRONG PLACE, NO HIDING PLACE, COLD CASE, Deadly encounter and Lost Innocence
The DI Kayli Bright Trilogy – The Missing Children, Killer on the Run, Hidden Agenda, Murderous Betrayal and Dying Breath. 
The Hero series, TORN APART, END RESULT, IN PLAIN SIGHT, DOUBLE JEOPARDY and CRIMINAL ACTIONS.
There are three books in the Intention series, Sole Intention, Grave Intention and Devious Intention.
Plus a couple of standalone novels – EVIL IN DISGUISE and FOREVER WATCHING YOU.

She has also penned a cozy mystery Private Investigator series – Murder at the Wedding, Murder at the Hotel and Murder by the Sea.
As well as co-authoring the Deception Series co-authored by fellow NY Times bestselling author, Linda S Prather Clever Deception, Tragic Deception and Sinful Deception.

You can follow M A Comley via:-
Twitter: @ComleyMel




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Monday, 22 June 2020

The Constant Rabbit - Jasper Fforde


England, 2020.

There are 1.2 million human-sized rabbits living in the UK.

They can walk, talk and drive cars, the result of an Inexplicable Anthropomorphising Event fifty-five years ago.

And a family of rabbits is about to move into Much Hemlock, a cosy little village where life revolves around summer fetes, jam-making, gossipy corner stores, and the oh-so-important Best Kept Village awards.

No sooner have the rabbits arrived than the villagers decide they must depart. But Mrs Constance Rabbit is made of sterner stuff, and her family are behind her. Unusually, so are their neighbours, long-time residents Peter Knox and his daughter Pippa, who soon find that you can be a friend to rabbits or humans, but not both.

With a blossoming romance, acute cultural differences, enforced rehoming to a MegaWarren in Wales, and the full power of the ruling United Kingdom Anti Rabbit Party against them, Peter and Pippa are about to question everything they'd ever thought about their friends, their nation, and their species.

It'll take a rabbit to teach a human humanity . . .


What did I think?

I've been expanding my reading genres to include fantasy novels recently and Jasper Fforde's new standalone novel, The Constant Rabbit, caught my eye.  With his previous novels having humourous literary themed titles, I've wanted to read a Jasper Fforde novel for a while and The Constant Rabbit is a great introduction to the bestselling author.

You've got to expect the unexpected when giant rabbits (and a few other animals) are living and working among humans.  They may have human attributes, as in the ability to walk and talk, but they still have their animal instincts.  So putting a fox in charge of the Rabbit Compliance Taskforce is really just asking for trouble! 

Jasper Fforde's humour is evident throughout the novel, from laugh out loud funny to more subtle quips.  I particularly liked the Star Wars references and always find them a welcome addition to any novel.  I made a note when I was about a quarter of the way through the book: 'Animal Farm on crack'.  That pretty much sums it up and like Animal Farm, The Constant Rabbit does have some serious and thought-provoking issues at its heart.

When a rabbit family moves into the village of Much Hemlock, the villagers just want to get rid of them whatever the cost.  I was so mad that the rabbits weren't accepted in the village, simply because they were rabbits, giving a prejudice and discrimination slant to the story.  Written with such satirical humour, I guess it can be as light or as dark as you want it to be as I would never have imagined saying a novel about talking rabbits is very thought-provoking.

One thing that simultaneously amused and annoyed me were the footnotes.  When reading on kindle, the footnote wasn't always on the same page so I often missed the humour by reading the note a few pages after the point it referred to.  When the note did appear on the same page they were a brilliant addition to the story, but I don't think they really worked in kindle format.

The Constant Rabbit is witty, satirical, highly original and cleverly thought-provoking.  It encourages further discussion and consideration of how anyone 'different' is perceived and treated on sight without even getting to know them.  I'm so pleased that I have added fantasy to my reading genres as The Constant Rabbit is a gem (lettuce) of a book.  Well I had to get a rabbit pun in there somewhere!

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

My rating:


Buy it from Amazon

Saturday, 20 June 2020

BLOG TOUR: Up Close & Personal - Kathryn Freeman


For pure escapism and to take a break from reading crime and thriller novels, I always have time to read a Kathryn Freeman book.  I was so excited to get a spot on the Rachel's Random Resources blog tour for Kathryn Freeman's latest novel, Up Close & Personal, so scroll down to read my review.


British actor Zac Edwards is the latest heartthrob to hit the red carpets. Hot, talented and rich, he sends women wild…all except one.

Close protection officer Kat Parker hasn’t got time to play celebrity games. She has one job: to protect Zac from the stalker that seems to be dogging his every move.

Zac might get her hot under her very starched collar, but Kat’s a professional – and sleeping with Zac is no way part of her remit…


What did I think?

Kathryn Freeman always seems to be able to tap into our long forgotten memories of teenage (and not so much teenage) crushes, whether it's a sports star, a musician or, in this case, a movie star.  We've all dreamed of meeting our idol and having them fall madly in love with us, but as you grow older you realise that their public and private personas are very different.

Before Kat Parker literally bumps into movie star Zac Edwards, she had only ever seen him on the big screen.  Zac sounds even more attractive in person but he has attracted the attention of a stalker who seems to know his every move.  When the stalker finds out where Zac lives, the studio call in a personal protection company and Kat is assigned to be Zac's bodyguard.

Kat is naturally attracted to Zac but, aside from the fact that it would be unprofessional to fall for a client, she is deeply traumatised from her days in the army.  Zac is also afraid to get too close to anyone as he would very much like his dark and disturbing secret to remain hidden.  Battling their hearts and minds sets up Kat and Zac for a fabulous will they/won't they storyline.

I do love Kathryn Freeman's style of romance; the characters are very insecure despite the confidence they display to the outside world.  There are plenty of 'nearly' moments when their hearts rule their minds but neither character wants to give anything away.  It's almost as if they are holding onto the darkness in their pasts to inflict self-harm when they feel unworthy of being loved.

Due to the bodyguard and client setting, Kathryn Freeman injects a bit of danger and mystery into Up Close & Personal.  There are some heart in the mouth moments as it gets surprisingly dangerous at times.  I really enjoyed this mystery element around who was stalking Zac and why they were doing it; it certainly ramped up the pace of the story and it became quite a page turner in the end.

Up Close & Personal is a fabulous novel written in Kathryn Freeman's inimitable style but with a twist; it's not just heart-warming, it's also surprisingly thrilling.  An easy to read romance with a hint of danger, Up Close & Personal is pure escapism and I enjoyed every minute of it.

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

My rating:


Buy it from:
Amazon UK
Amazon US




About the author:

A former pharmacist, I’m now a medical writer who also writes romance. Some days a racing heart is a medical condition, others it’s the reaction to a hunky hero.

I’ve two sons and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), so any romance is all in my head. Then again, his unstinting support of my career change proves love isn't always about hearts and flowers - and heroes come in many disguises.

Social Media Links –




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Thursday, 18 June 2020

Singapore Killer (Ash Carter #5) - Murray Bailey


A helicopter crash and burned bodies.

A faceless corpse.

A mysterious town.

It's September 1953 and Ash Carter is drawn into a dark case from which there seems no escape.


What did I think?

Don't worry about picking up this Ash Carter thriller mid-series; although it's book 5, you can definitely read Singapore Killer as a standalone and not feel like you're missing something.  This is my first Ash Carter book and it definitely won't be my last; I absolutely loved it.

Singapore, even Asia, is a new literary location to me and I thoroughly enjoyed my virtual trip there.  I love how Murray Bailey brings the location to life and I felt that not just the location, but also the characters (especially Carter's receptionist, Madam Chau) were described very vividly.  I'm sure I'd get a steely glare from her for calling Madam Chau a receptionist; I certainly wouldn't like to get on the wrong side of her!  

There's a very intriguing helicopter crash at the beginning that hooked me like a greedy fish and I absolutely raced through the pages.  Main character Ash Carter reminded me of a cross between Andy McNab's Nick Stone and 24's Jack Bauer; Ash Carter is a brilliant investigator and fearless in the presence of danger.  Carter is on the trail of the mysterious BlackJack who is targeting and killing military personnel; the trail takes Carter undercover into a cult-like village where the danger levels (and my pulse) went off the scale.

I was surprised how quickly I read Singapore Killer, reading it cover to cover over a period of 24 hours; it just shows you how fast-paced and gripping the story is, without being too heavily military-based (which tends to bore me).  The book is quite unique in that it simultaneously ends on a reveal and a cliffhanger which left me not just thirsty, but positively parched for more!  While I wait for Ash Carter's story to continue, I'll content myself with catching up with Carter's past in the previous four novels.

Singapore Killer is a vivid and gripping thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to well beyond the finish, where I'll continue to perch until book 6 is released!

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Tuesday, 16 June 2020

The Puppet Show (Washington Poe #1) - M. W. Craven


A serial killer is burning people alive in the Lake District's prehistoric stone circles. He leaves no clues and the police are helpless. When his name is found carved into the charred remains of the third victim, disgraced detective Washington Poe is brought back from suspension and into an investigation he wants no part of . . .

Reluctantly partnered with the brilliant, but socially awkward, civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw, the mismatched pair uncover a trail that only he is meant to see. The elusive killer has a plan and for some reason Poe is part of it.

As the body count rises, Poe discovers he has far more invested in the case than he could have possibly imagined. And in a shocking finale that will shatter everything he's ever believed about himself, Poe will learn that there are things far worse than being burned alive...


What did I think?

I had heard so many people raving about The Puppet Show that I bought two copies; one for me and one for a gift.  I was so confident that it was going to be good that it's the first time a recipient has read the book before me.  Actually, 'good' isn't a word I'd use to describe The Puppet Show; it's far too mediocre.  Exceptional, outstanding and magnificent come closer to describing how completely brilliant it is.

I love how it's a DS Washington Poe book but it is his soon-to-be civilian partner, Tilly Bradshaw, we are introduced to first.  I've always been described as very literal so I loved Tilly right from the start; she even loves numbers as much as me!  Tilly takes literal to the extreme, however, but it just makes her more endearing.  It's absolute genius to pair her with Poe, a gruff Northerner who pushes (and oversteps) the boundaries to see justice served.  After stepping so far over the line he couldn't see it with binoculars, Poe finds himself brought back from suspension when a serial killer runs rampage in Cumbria.

Written in a refreshing no-nonsense way, M. W. Craven tells it like it is in this outstanding first instalment of the Washingon Poe series.  With his dogged determination and disregard for authority, you can't help but compare Washington Poe to Harry Bosch.  Poe is definitely someone that Bosch would like and admire, and Bosch could maybe even learn a thing or two from him.

This has to be one of the best starts to a series I have ever read and if the only way is up, then I can't wait to read more of the Washington Poe series.  Luckily, at the time of writing, I already have the next two instalments waiting impatiently on my Kindle.  Absolutely superb, The Puppet Show isn't just my book of the year, it's my book of the decade.  It's well deserving of a full 5 stars and then some.  So very highly recommended, it's a book that you won't be able to put down and a series to which you can't wait to return.

My rating:


Buy it from Amazon

Saturday, 6 June 2020

BLOG TOUR: I Made a Mistake - Jane Corry


IT STARTED WITH A KISS... AND ENDED WITH MURDER.

In Poppy Page's mind, there are two types of women in this world: those who are faithful to their husbands, and those who are not. Until now, Poppy has never questioned which she was.

But when handsome, charming Matthew Gordon walks back into her life after almost two decades, that changes. Poppy makes a single mistake - and that mistake will be far more dangerous than she could imagine.

Someone is going to pay for it with their life . . .


What did I think?

Oh wow; what a twisty little web you weave, Jane Corry!  I Made a Mistake captured me in its web from the very start with a brilliantly tense, breathtaking and claustrophobic prologue.  The tension and intrigue continued to mount as the story unfolded and, as my eyes widened in surprise at the end of chapter one, I can definitely say that this fantastic novel is astonishing.

The story is told from two perspectives with Poppy and her mother-in-law Betty having alternating chapters.  Both stories are so completely riveting that I found myself eager to get back to each one of them and I felt like I was in the speed reading Olympics as I raced through the pages as fast as I could.  I loved both characters' stories equally; Poppy trying to juggle family life and her own business and Betty's traditional 1960's marriage with her husband as the breadwinner.  I found it really interesting to compare and contrast marriages from different generations; with the focus very much on equality nowadays, it's shocking to think that we were ever so antiquated.

Without revealing any of the plot, other than what is already in the blurb, Poppy's marriage is put to the test when an old flame enters her life.  Whilst it might be easy to condemn Poppy's actions, there are mitigating factors and she more than pays for her mistake.  As the book title suggests, 'mistake' is a common theme in the book and consequently forgiveness and penance.  We humans do like to beat ourselves up for mistakes we make but we shouldn't keep paying for it for the rest of our lives!  

With a cleverly crafted and perfectly plotted storyline, I Made a Mistake took me in completely unexpected directions from start to finish; every single twist and turn surprised me.  I Made a Mistake is absolutely brilliant and I can't recommend it highly enough.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



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Friday, 5 June 2020

Stranger Still (Strange Series Book 3) - Marilyn Messik


Telepathy, along with sundry other odd abilities, have landed Stella more than once, in situations at best controversial, at worst life-threatening. But she’s always known; you have to fight your own corner as best you can, no point beating yourself up about it.

Now though, times have changed, different priorities. She’s married, with a baby on the way and a flourishing business. She simply has to deal with a couple of worrying issues and then all should be smooth sailing.

But, isn't it a fact; just when you think you’ve got all your ducks in a row, life can turn right around and bite you on the bottom?


What did I think?

I've really been enjoying the Strange Series so the third book, Stranger Still barely hit the doormat before I'd scooped it up and started reading.  I do think you have to read this series in sequential order as Stranger Still, although hugely entertaining in its own right, won't make as much sense as a standalone.  For anyone new to the series, or a refresher for established fans, Marilyn Messik has very kindly included a cast of characters at the beginning.  I love little extra touches like this.

So in this third outing, we find newly married main character Stella in grave danger in the prologue.  I wasn't too worried as there hasn't been a sticky situation she hasn't yet got herself out of, however, as I continued to read the tension and danger seemed to mount.  Just what has Stella got caught up in this time?  Whatever it is, it had my heart in my mouth at times.  I think that not only because I have read the earlier books but because Marilyn Messik has created such an unusual and unforgettable character in Stella, I feel as if I know Stella personally so I was really worried for her and her friends.  Especially as Stranger Still has a darker feel to it than the other books.

Not only are the characters unique, but Marilyn Messik's style of writing is one of a kind.  Marilyn has a wonderfully dry sense of humour that adds depth to her quirky characters and she also has a knack for finishing her chapters with oodles of suspense which ensure you need to read 'just one more chapter' until there are no more left. 

With the usual 'strange' cast of characters, Stranger Still is another brilliant instalment in the exceptional Strange Series.  I thought Stranger Still was the conclusion to a trilogy but I was delighted to read in the acknowledgements that there are more adventures to come.  Uniquely different and strange with a capital S, I've loved all three books and I heartily recommend this series.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon