BLOG TOUR: How to Slay on Holiday - Sarah Bonner

You’d kill for a holiday like this one…

Chloe and her husband Scott are holidaying with their families on the beautiful Greek island of Mykonos. But Chloe has a secret... She has hired a hitman to kill Scott when they return home. This week, her plan is to pretend to be such a happy wife that no suspicion can possibly fall on her after the murder.

But she's reckoning without Scott’s meddlesome sister, Tori, plus the rivalries and demands of both families. Can she deal with them all while keeping her murderous intentions hidden?

Then Chloe wakes up in their villa covered in blood, next to a dead body, with no memory of the previous night. Panic ensues as she tries to piece together what happened - and just who else on this holiday might be a secret killer...

Fans of Katy Brent, Bella Mackie and Julie Mae Cohen won't be able to resist this twisty, darkly funny crime thriller.

 

What did I think?

OMG I loved this book! It's the first book by Sarah Bonner that I have read but I will definitely be reading more of her books now that I have read this cracking thriller.

I loved Chloe, even though she has planned the murder of her husband down to every last detail...or so she thinks.  Of course, it goes slightly wrong and that's when the dark humour ramps up several notches.  

I'm keeping my review purposefully brief so I don't inadvertently give away any of the plot that would spoil it for others but I absolutely loved it.  I did work out some of the twists but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book one iota.  

Incredibly entertaining and highly addictive, How to Slay on Holiday is a fun, slightly gory and sharp darkly comic thriller.  I thought it was brilliant and I think it would be a great holiday read.

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

My rating:

Purchase link: https://mybook.to/howtoslayonholiday

About the author:

Sarah Bonner is the author of several bestselling psychological thrillers.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Sarah-Bonner-Author/61559588900774/ 

Twitter: @sarahbonner101

Instagram: @sarahbonner101

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/SarahBonnerNews

Bookbub profile: @SarahBonner

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BLOG TOUR: While We're Young - K.L. Walther

A whirlwind romance inspired by Ferris Bueller’s Day Off about four friends whose hearts are broken and mended over the course of an epic senior skip day—from the bestselling author of The Summer of Broken Rules!

Grace, Isa, and Everett used to be an inseparable trio before their love lives became a tangled mess. For starters, Grace is secretly in love with Everett, who used to go out with Isa before breaking her heart in the infamous Freshman Year Fracture. And, oh yeah, no one knows that Isa has been hanging out with James, Grace’s brother—and if Grace finds out, it could ruin their friendship.

With graduation fast approaching, Grace decides an unsanctioned senior skip day in Philadelphia might be just what they need to fix things. All she has to do is convince Isa to help her kidnap Everett and outmaneuver James, who’s certain his sister is up to something.

In an epic day that includes racing up the famous Rocky steps, taste-testing Philly's finest cheesesteaks, and even crashing a wedding, their secrets are bound to collide. But can their hearts withstand the wreckage?

 

What did I think?

As soon as I saw that While We're Young was inspired by Ferris Bueller's Day Off I just had to read it and I was not disappointed; it was everything I expected it to be and more.  It may be a YA book but adults will love it too.

Anyone who has seen the film will notice some similar scenes and the scattering of references that pay homage to the John Hughes classic.  I absolutely loved these little nods to one of my favourite films but there is so much more to this wonderful book.

The characters are so well developed they almost pop out from the page and they all have their own little hangups and characteristics that really endeared them to me.  Grace is the main character but I also loved her brother James and her two best friends Isa and Everett who haven't been speaking to each other since they dated and broke up.  Grace sees an opportunity to bring her little friendship group back together again but it will involve them all bunking off school.

Incredibly entertaining, sweet and heartwarming, While We're Young is so much fun to read and it left me with a great big smile on my face.  I definitely plan to read it again to relive the fun, high jinks and emotion that delighted me from start to finish.  

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

K.L. Walther was born and raised in the rolling hills of Bucks County, Pennsylvania surrounded by family, dogs, and books. Her childhood was spent traveling the northeastern seaboard to play ice hockey. She attended a boarding school in New Jersey and went on to earn a B.A. in English from the University of Virginia. She is happiest on the beach with a book, cheering for the New York Rangers, or enjoying a rom-com while digging into a big bowl of popcorn and M&Ms. And listening to Taylor Swift on repeat, of course. 

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BLOG TOUR: The Formula - Joshua Robinson & Jonathan Clegg

F1 is now the fastest growing sport in the world; the full story of its unbelievable rise is a riveting saga only hinted at by the likes of Drive to Survive. In this book - the first, definitive account of how F1 came to achieve total global fandom - Wall Street Journal reporters Joshua Robinson and Jonathan Clegg take us inside a world full of racing obsessives, glamorous settings, petrolheads, engineering geniuses, dashing racers and bitter rivalries.

The story of F1's world dominance is one of near-constant transformation and experimentation. This is a sport where the only way to win championships is to land a series of technical moon shots - and then do it all over again. With fast cars, big money, beautiful people, and glamorous locations from Monaco to Melbourne, The Formula tells the full, epic story of the sport. Starting in 1950s Britain, where six years of wartime engineering laid the foundations for a new type of motorcar racing; to the first global star partnership of Senna and Ecclestone; Spygate; Crashgate and its transition into an entertainment juggernaut. Bringing unique insight and access to F1's most storied teams and personalities - from Ferrari to Lewis Hamilton to Christian Horner and Daniel Ricciardo -The Formula offers a riveting portrait of the drivers, corporations, cars, rivalries, and audacious gambles that have shaped the sport for half a century.

The end result is a high-octane history of how modern F1 racing came to be - the first book to tell the story of the outrageous successes and spectacular crashes that led F1 to this extraordinary yet precarious moment. More than just a sports story, it is the tale of a commercial empire, one built in the 20th century, rendered almost obsolete in the early 21st, and re-emerged world-dominant today; a disrupter that claimed its place in the crowded sports marketplace through cash, personality, and a new understanding of what a sport needs to be in the age of wall-to-wall entertainment.

 

What did I think?

As a longstanding fan of F1 I was very excited to read The Formula by Josuhua Robinson and Jonathan Clegg and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  This is a must-read for every fan of F1 that delves behind the scenes at the business-end of F1 and explains how its star has continued to rise over the years. 

Pretty much everything is covered in this fabulous book: THAT race in Abu Dhabi 2021, the McLaren Ferrari spygate controversy, Bruno Senna's calculated crash that put his teammate on the podium and a glimpse into the running of the sport.  I was never a fan of Bernie Ecclestone but I have to admire him for everything he did to get F1 on our TV and he epitomises our local phrase: 'shy bairns get nowt' and Bernie is anything but shy!

Reading this book is like revealing the inner workings of your favourite watch that you have been wearing for years; I thought I knew it well as I have been a fan of the sport for over 30 years but there was so much I didn't know.  I really enjoyed reading about the business side of F1 and as a wise man (Sir Lewis Hamilton, no less) once said "cash is king".

One minor niggle I have is that Jules Bianchi is referred to as 'a driver' when referring to his fatal crash in 2014 that resulted in the introduction of the driver halo and I think he deserves to be named and remembered.  Other than that though, I don't think there was a word out of place and a lot of ground is covered in this concise yet comprehensive book.

Well written, entertaining and informative, The Formula is an outstanding book that reminded me of the highs and lows over the years and gave me an unexpectedly eye-opening insight into F1.  A highly recommend read and one not to be missed for F1 fans.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the authors:

Joshua Robinson is the European sports correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, and has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post and Sports Illustrated.

Jonathan Clegg is an editor for The Wall Street Journal, his work has also appeared in the Daily Telegraph, the Independent, and FourFourTwo magazine.

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BLOG TOUR: Little Red Death - A. K. Benedict

ONCE UPON A TIME LIKE YOU'VE NEVER READ IT BEFORE . . .

 

DI Lyla Rondell is on the case of a lifetime. Tasked with investigating a series of perplexing deaths, the only lead she has is that each appears to be based on a different classic fairy tale. Far from the stuff of bedtime stories, the press is having a field day with what they have named the Grimm Ripper Murders.

 

But as the bodies stack up, Lyla’s whole world is about to flip on its head. Because the killer’s bloody trail stretches deep into her own origin story, and when she discovers the truth, nothing will ever be the same again.

 

Faced with the fact that everything she knows is fiction, Lyla will have to take a little creative license of her own if she’s going to turn the final page on the killings . . . 

 

What did I think?

Little Red Death is described as "A mind-bending murder mystery like nothing you've read before".  Well consider my mind well and truly bent - I didn't know whether I was coming or going!

I love fairy tale retellings so I wanted to read this book as soon as I heard about it and it's a clever idea, although it sometimes felt a bit too clever for me.  I didn't particularly like any of the characters, although there is a very good reason for that (no spoilers here through).  One of the characters is an author who is forced to write dark fairy tales for the Grimm Ripper to bring to life and I rather enjoyed the book within a book part of the story.

There are some dark and gory scenes to shock and delight the reader and they are very vividly described.  I sometimes struggled a little with the descriptive writing as I just didn't get some of the analogies but they were quite entertaining. 

Little Red Death is an entertaining read that is imaginative and very dark.  I think it might appeal more to fantasy readers than crime thriller fans but give it a read and make your own mind up.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

A. K. (ALEXANDRA) BENEDICT is a best-selling, award-winning writer of short stories, novels and scripts.  Educated at Cambridge, Sussex and Clown School, she has been an indie-rock singer, an actor, RLF Fellow,  and a composer for film and TV, as well as teaching and running the prestigious MA in Crime Thrillers at City University. She is now a full-time writer and creative coach. 

As A. K. Benedict, she writes acclaimed short stories, high-concept novels and award-winning audio drama  for Big Finish, Audible UK, Audible US and BBC Sounds, among others. She won the Scribe Award for her  Doctor Who radio drama, The Calendar Man, and was shortlisted for the eDunnit Novel Award for The Beauty of Murder and the BBC Audio Drama Podcast Award for Children of the Stones. As Alexandra Benedict she writes puzzle-filled Christmas mysteries, of which The Christmas Murder Game and Murder on the Christmas Express were both bestsellers and The Christmas Murder Game was longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger. Her most recent festive thriller, The Christmas Jigsaw Murders, was published in 2023. 

She lives on the south coast of England with writer Guy Adams, their daughter, Verity, and dog, Dame Margaret Rutherford. 

Follow her on X @ak_benedict and Instagram @a.k.benedict.

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BLOG TOUR: You Are Fatally Invited - Ande Pliego

Six thriller authors. One writing retreat.

You’d die to be on the guest list . . .

The Host

Legendary mystery author J. R. Alastor’s books are sold all over the world, but no one knows his real name. After years hiding in the shadows, he has sent out six invitations to an exclusive murder mystery retreat on his private island.

The Assistant

Mila del Angél has been hired to ensure the week runs smoothly. She has yearned for revenge on a ghost from her past for years – and this could be her chance to get it.

The Players

The six bestselling thriller writers accept their invitations without question – it’s an opportunity any author would kill for.

The Game

What should have been a week of trope-filled games takes a sinister turn when one guest is found dead, and the others find themselves in the midst of a nightmare drawn from Alastor’s dark imagination. They may have written thrillers – but now they and Mila must survive one...

 

What did I think?

This book is SO good; I absolutely LOVED it and I had to double check that it is actually a debut novel.  Wow!  Just wow!  Ande Pliego is certainly one to watch after leaving me stunned with her wonderful debut novel, You Are Fatally Invited.

With a mystery host, a group of authors and a handful of staff on a private island, it should be pretty easy to work out who the murder is when the body count starts rising...shouldn't it?  Nope!  I was completely blindsided and totally shocked so I have to say "well played, Ande Pliego!" 

The plot is pinsharp and the writing is so vividly descriptive it's lke watching a Netflix series and while I'm on the subject, I really wouldn't be surprised to see this one snapped up for TV, if it hasn't already.

It's grisly at times but constantly gripping and my eyes were on stalks as they raced down the page, devouring every single perfectly crafted word.  If I was a thriller author, THIS is the book I would wish I had written.  An easy five stars from me for this unmissable debut and the must-read thriller of the year.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

ANDE PLIEGO began writing stories when she discovered she could actually wield her overactive imagination for good. 

A lover of stories with teeth, she writes books involving mind games, dark humour, general murder and mayhem, characters pushed to the edge of themselves, and most importantly, finding the hope in the dark. 

When not reading or writing, she can usually be found dabbling in art, scheming up her next trip, or making constant expeditions to the library. 

Born in Florida, raised in France, and having left footprints all over the globe, Ande is settled in the Pacific Northwest, USA, with her craftsman husband and little son.

Ande’s Social Media

Twitter: https://x.com/andepliegowrite

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andepliegowrites/

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BLOG TOUR: Marshal of Snowdonia Paperback – Simon McCleave

Living and working in Snowdonia was always retired detective Frank Marshal's dream. Until a phone call asking for his help turns it into his worst nightmare.

Retired detective Frank Marshal lives in a remote part of Snowdonia with his wife Rachel who is suffering from dementia. Working as a park ranger, Frank gets a phone call from close friend Annie, a retired judge. Her sister Meg has gone missing from a local caravan park and she needs his help to find her.

As Frank and Annie start to unravel the dark secrets of Meg's life, it seems at first that her disappearance might be linked to her nephew and a drug deal gone wrong. In a shocking twist, their investigation leads them to a series of murders in North Wales from the 1990s and a possible miscarriage of justice.

Can Frank and Annie uncover the sinister truth so they find her sister in time to save her? Or will a brutal serial killer add Meg to his list of victims?

Marshal of Snowdonia is the first book in the Frank Marshal Crime Thriller series from multi-million bestselling author Simon McCleave. If you like dark thrillers, psychologically complex characters and shocking twits, then you'll love Simon McCleave's pulse-pounding new novel.

What did I think?

Marshal of Snowdonia is the first book in a new series from crime thriller author Simon McCleave and what an absolute belter it is - I  raced through it and couldn't put it down.  It's the first book by Simon McCleave that I have read and it has certainly whetted my appetite to read more of his books.

Once a detective, always a detective - that's how I see Frank Marshal.  Frank may have retired but he doesn't hesitate to do a little investigating of his own when his friend's sister goes missing.  Annie is close to her sister Meg but there's a lot about her life that she doesn't know.  Uncovering Meg's secrets leads Frank and Annie into a web of danger and sheds new light on a series of murders that the police thought were solved.

This book is so good and I loved everything about it.  The plotting is exquisite as the story twists and turns to shock, surprise and delight the reader.  The character development is breathtaking as I really felt as if I got to know Frank throughout the course of the book, making me look forward to his next adventure.

Unpredicatable and unputdownable, Marshal of Snowdonia is an outstanding crime thriller novel and an electrifying start to an exciting new series.  Very highly recommended.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: Same Time Next Week - Milly Johnson

Welcome to Spring Hill, home to a square of independent shops and cafes, a thriving local community and nearby the newest venture, Ray’s Diner. Here a group of women meet once a week over a cup of something warming.

 

Amanda is primary carer to her elderly mother and one of the only women in a male-dominated company. Used to being second-best all her life, is this her time to finally break ranks and shine?

 

Sky works at the repair shop, patching up old teddy bears, and their owners’ hearts. But her heart beats for the one man who is strictly off-limits.

 

Mel has been a loyal and loving wife to Steve for thirty years. Then when he goes to his old school reunion, life as she knows it will never be the same again.

 

Erin is trying to get over a traumatic loss where her guilt weighs more than her grief. Can she find the first step to healing lies in sharing an hour with strangers once a week? 

 

Astrid is feeling in need of a change and a challenge. But when a fantastic opportunity presents itself, who is around to convince her she is worthy enough to take the risk?

 

Can these women find the answers to their worries, acceptance, courage, support here? Join them at the same time next week to find out…

 

What did I think?

Milly Johnson is one of my favourite authors and her new book, Same Time Next Week, is a fabulous as the author herself.  I could never pick a favourite Milly Johnson book as I love them all but Same Time Next Week would be a definite contender.

There are a lot of characters to get to know and you certainly do get to know them throughout the book.  I loved them all as I laughed, cried and fist-bumped the air with them.  I was totally invested in their lives and I am missing them so much I want to read the book all over again right now.

It's so good to have older protagonists who are coping with changes in their bodies and their lives.  Milly tells it like it is and she is so right about the whatdoyoucallit...the menowhatsit thingy.  I thought it was just me who forgot words and left sentences unfinished.  I really must thank Milly for making me feel not quite so abnormal.

This book has everything: lots of drama, bucketfuls of emotion and a huge heart.  It's like a soap opera in a book and I didn't want it to end.  An easy five stars for another outstanding Milly Johnson book and a very highly recommended read.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: Blood Spots (Steph Grant Murder Mystery Series Book 5) - Lin Le Versha

Lin Le Versha is a writer not to be missed, the brilliant new talent on the British crime writing scene. Each dark murder mystery in her fabulous crime series will keep you guessing until the very end when the final shocking twist is revealed. If you love Rachel McLean's Dorset Crime series and Ann Cleeves's Shetland series, then you are going to adore Lin Le Versha.

Summer 1989

Their post-show party stretched into the early hours. As the flames of their beach fire danced, the young cast and crew of a brilliant production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream all hope they’ll be propelled to fame and theatrical fortune. But jealousy and betrayal simmer behind their smiles …

Summer 2019

Former police officer Steph Grant is a reluctant volunteer. Stage-managing the new production of Brecht’s Mother Courage within the ruins of Covehithe Church in Suffolk is not her idea of fun, not when the director is the county’s resident drama queen, Beverly Elkin. But there is the excitement of the return of Hollywood and West End star, Jessica Marlowe, to her hometown to consider, thirty years after she made her name at the same venue.

Old jealousies never die

The production does not run smoothly. The show’s star and director can’t agree on anything. Jessica’s return stirs old memories too, sharpened when a body, hidden for thirty years, is exposed by a cliff fall. And Steph’s life is also turned upside down. Her partner, DCI Philip Hale, is acting oddly. He’s distant, irritable, and appears to be hiding something. Can Steph ensure the show goes on – both on stage and at home?

Steph Grant returns in Blood Spots, fifth book in the thrilling Suffolk murders series by Lin Le Versha.

 

What did I think?

Blood Spots is the fifth book in the Steph Grant Murder Mystery series and it's an absolute cracker that I couldn't put down.  I think you could read it as a standalone although it is so much better when read as part of the series.

I loved catching up with Steph Grant, her partner DCI Hale and Derek the dog again.  These fabulous main characters are so strong that I could enjoy reading a book about them simply going about their daily lives but there is of course a murder to solve for Steph and Hale.

The amateur theatre setting is wonderful and it adds extra drama to the plot, especially when emotions run high and tempers are frayed among the cast and crew.  Steph has been roped in to help with the production and it's well outside her comfort zone but it helps to keep her mind off the apparent cracks that are appearing in her relationship.  

Lin Le Versha creates larger than life characters that virtually pop out from the page and the past and present double mystery kept me turning the pages as fast as I possibly could.  I love having no idea whodunnit and Lin always keeps me guessing until the big reveal.

Filled with mystery, suspense and drama, Blood Spots is a superb crime thriller that is impossible to predict and difficult to put down.  This series is already brilliant but it just keeps on getting better and better.  Very highly recommended.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

Hobeck

Amazon

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(Don't) Call Mum - Matt Wesolowski

HE ALWAYS COMES FOR YOU…

Leo is just trying to catch his train back home to the village of Malacstone in North East England. But there’s disorder at the station, and when a loud young man heading for London boards the train accidentally, a usually easy journey descends into darkness and chaos. The train soon breaks down in the middle of nowhere, and as night falls, something...or someone steps out of the distance. Is it a man or something far more sinister?

When one of the passengers goes missing, Leo fears that a folkloric tale whispered to him in childhood might be the culprit.

(Don’t) Call Mum blends Matt Wesolowski’s trademark voice of mystery, folklore and humour in this heart-racing tale.

 

What did I think?

The North East's very own Prince of Darkness is back and Matt Wesolowski's new book, (Don't) Call Mum, is darker than ever.  It certainly gave me the creeps and sent shivers down my spine.

Leo is one of a handful of passengers who boards a late night train from York to Northumberland.  There may only be a couple of passengers but, just like real life, there's always one annoying one who talks loudly on their mobile phone and Annoying Angus seats himself in the same carriage.  It soon becomes clear that Angus has got on the wrong train and that's when things start to get really weird.  Eeeeeek! 

Matt Wesolowski's vivid writing perfectly encapsulates the bleak Northumbrian contryside as the train rattles through the villages, taking the few passengers further away from civilisation.  Northumberland is rife with folklore and Matt weaves some dark and spine-chilling tales through his perfectly crafted prose.  

(Don’t) Call Mum is a dark and creepy novella that simmers with tension and brims with malice.  It's a quick read but I wouldn't want to read it on the train!

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

Forum Books

Amazon

BLOG TOUR: Presumed Guilty - Scott Turow

In a sequel to Presumed Innocent, the book that redefined the legal thriller, judge and lawyer Rusty Sabich returns to the courtroom to defend his step-son against a racially-charged murder indictment as the boy’s life – and perhaps Rusty’s last chance at happiness – hang in the balance.

Rusty is a retired judge attempting a third act in life with a loving soon-to-be wife, Bea, with whom he shares both a restful home on an idyllic lake in the rural Midwest and a plaintive hope that this marriage will be his best, and his last. But the peace that’s taken Rusty so long to find evaporates when Bea’s young adult son, Aaron, living under their supervision while on probation for drug possession, disappears. If Aaron doesn’t return soon, he will be sent back to jail.

Aaron eventually turns up with a vague story about a camping trip with his troubled girlfriend, Mae, that ended in a fight and a long hitchhike home. Days later, when she still hasn’t returned, suspicion falls on Aaron, and when Mae is subsequently discovered dead, Aaron is arrested and set for trial on charges of first degree murder.

Faced with few choices and even fewer hopes, Bea begs Rusty to return to court one last time, to defend her son and to save their last best hope for happiness. For Rusty, the question is not whether to defend Aaron, or whether the boy is in fact innocent – it’s whether the system to which he has devoted his life can ever provide true justice for those who are presumed guilty.

 

What did I think?

I read Presumed Innocent many years ago so I was very excited to read Scott Turow's sequel, Presumed Guilty and I was not disappointed.  It's a real page-turner that transports the reader to an American courtroom as the life of a young man is held in the balance.

Rusty Sabich is now in his seventies and living in Skageon County with his fiancée Bea and her son Aaron.  Aaron has been in trouble with the law before but he appeared to be doing well until he was accused of murdering his girlfriend Mae Potter.  The Potter family have influence in Skageon so Aaron is presumed guilty from the start.

Rusty was a prosecutor before he became a judge so the last thing he expected was for his fiancée to ask him to defend her son in court.  Defense is a whole different ball game and it's one that Rusty needs to learn how to play very quickly if he is to prove Aaron's innocence.

The book is set out in four parts which follows the course of the trial.  Part one, Gone, has quite a gentle pacing as it introduces the characters and sets the scene of the crime.  The pacing picks up massively once you get to court in parts two to four: Prosecution, The Defense and Judgement.  It is just like being in court as Scott Turow paints such a vivid picture with his wonderfully descriptive writing.  

The US justice system is complex but, as with any legal system, the defendent's guilt must be proven beyond reasonable doubt by the prosecution.  Rusty knows how the prosecution works so it was brilliant to see him pick holes in their case.  Rusty is as sharp as ever and he puts on a very entertaining show that kept me so riveted that I couldn't put the book down.

Gripping, suspenseful and incredibly clever, Presumed Guilty is an absolute masterpiece.  It's a page-turning legal thriller that gets a firm hold on you and refuses to let go.  This is a sequel that was well worth waiting for.  Bravo, Mr Turow!

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: A Secret in the Family - Nancy Revell

1945, Sunderland. Ida Boulter makes the heart-wrenching decision to leave her five children behind as she escapes her husband and moves to London to start afresh with the love of her life.

1953, County Durham. Ida’s children have since built a new life in the beautiful home of Cuthford Manor – looked after by their eldest sibling Angie and her husband.

But their world is about to be rocked once again when their mother turns up out of the blue for the first time in eight years.

She has come back bearing a secret she can no longer keep from her family.

Will telling the truth cause more harm than good?

Only their love for one another will carry them through the turbulent times ahead.

 

What did I think?

It took me far too long to discover the books of local author Nancy Revell, but better late than never, and I have recently completed my Shipyard Girls collection after absolutely loving The Widow's Choice.  A Secret in the Family is the sequel to The Widow's Choice but it can definitely be read as a standalone, so don't be afraid to jump into the series if you're just discovering it now.

Young Ida dreams of a life on the stage but, like most working class women in Sunderland, she finds herself looking after a brood of children whilst her husband Fred spends his hard-earned wages from the pit down the pub.  It's no wonder that Ida's head is turned by Carl but when their affair is discovered she has a difficult choice to make: leave her children and start a new life or take the inevitable beating from Fred.  

Having read The Widow's Choice, I saw Ida in a bad light as I couldn't understand how she could leave her children but there are always two sides to every story and this is Ida's.  How my heart went out to her both in the past and the present and I was so pleased that she found happiness with Carl.

I really enjoyed catching up with Angie and her siblings again.  Angie has suffered her own heartbreak in the past but she has been given a second chance at love with Stanislaw, however, she is still not allowing herself to be truly happy.  When Ida returns, it's quite a shock for the siblings and some forgive her quicker than others.  There is so much emotion in this book that I couldn't hold back my tears at the end, so I would advise have a tissue handy when you're reading it.

Emotional, heartwarming and captivating, Nancy Revell brings the past to life in her wonderful new book, A Secret in the Family.  From County Durham to London, I felt like I was walking in the characters' shoes and experienced not just the sights and sounds but their emotions too.  I wouldn't hesitate to recommend A Secret in the Family and I adored every single beautifully written word.  An easy five stars!

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

Nancy Revell is the author of 12 titles in the bestselling Shipyard Girls series, which tells the story of a group of women who work in a Sunderland shipyard during WWII. Her books have sold more than half a million copies, across all editions, with the last book in the Shipyard Girl series a No.2 Sunday Times Bestseller. 

Before that, she was a journalist who worked for all the national newspapers, providing them with hard- hitting news stories and in-depth features. She also wrote inspirational true-life stories for just about every woman’s magazine in the country. 

Nancy was born and brought up in the North East of England and now lives in Oxfordshire with her husband, Paul.

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