BLOG TOUR: Festival Days (The Clapham Trilogy book 3) - Julie Anderson

May 1951

Celebration is in the air with the Festival of Britain and for the first time in years the mood is one of hope rather than hurt.

For Detective Constable Faye Smith, London is not as safe as it seems. The criminal underworld is gaining strength, enjoying a lively existence below the surface. Then two bodies are found in the war-time shelters, a man and a woman. Who are they?

What’s their story? Why were they murdered and how did they end up in the shelters?

Meanwhile, Ellie Peveril is busy with a celebration of a different kind. Ellie does all she can to support her friend but has her own worries, with ex-fiancé Patrick Havistock looming in the shadows. Faye, keen to unravel the mystery of the double murder, finds herself tangled up in crimes that stretch far beyond a simple killing.

Faye and Ellie must face their toughest case yet as their lives change, irrevocably, for the future.

What did I think?

Festival Days is the third and final book in The Clapham Trilogy and it's a real firecracker.  I only joined the series at book two so I enjoyed catching up with DC Faye Smith again but you can definitely read it as a standalone and still enjoy it.

Set in 1951, Faye is a woman in a man's world and it's unheard of to have a woman on the force in the 1950s but her colleagues are more accepting of her now.  Faye's latest case that this book centres around is quite tricky as it looks like a gangland execution so she needs all the help she can get.  

Faye's friend Ellie should be looking forward to her wedding day but she is convinced her ex-fiancé will turn up to ruin her day.  Even with all her own worries, she finds a way to help Faye but it puts her in grave danger.  What a wonderful friendship they have!  It makes me quite sad that this is a trilogy and not a long-running series as I could read more about these amazing characters.

Incredibly atmospheric, gripping and tense, Festival Days is a fantastic conclusion to an outstanding trilogy.  Whilst I'm sad it has come to an end, it does give me the opportunity to read book one for the first time and experience the trilogy in its entirety.  This is a highly recommended read that is sure to pick up new fans to the series.

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: No Safe Place To Hide (The Philippines Thrillers Book 1) - Murray Bailey

A gripping noir thriller that exposes the dark heart of a nation in turmoil.

Journalist Martin Gillie has vanished, and his wife wants him found. It seems like a straightforward case for newly arrived Ash Carter. But in post-war Philippines, nothing is ever straightforward.

Carter follows a trail that leads from the smoky boxing rings of Manila to the rebel-haunted provinces. And as Carter digs, with each uncovered clue, the stakes rise higher. The police can't be trusted. The military has its own agenda.

Carter begins to wonder: Is Martin Gillie hiding from something—or someone? And if Carter finds him, will either of them live to tell the story?

 

What did I think?

If you haven't read any of Murray Bailey's Ash Carter Singapore series then you've missed out on some cracking thrillers BUT No Safe Place to Hide is a new spin-off series set in the Philippines that is going to result in a new legion of fans discovering Ash Carter.  You definitely don't need to have read any of the previous Ash Carter books to enjoy No Safe Place to Hide as it's absolutely brilliant.

Set in the 1950s it's like a full-colour step back in time as the story unfolds.  Ash Carter can't help getting himself into trouble but he's so quick-witted and clever that there's almost no situation he can't escape from.  He's supposed to have left the country but he ends up investigating a missing journalist and getting tangled up in political corruption.  The danger signs were flashing in front of my eyes and I had no idea who Ash could trust.

There is lots of action and plenty of shocks and surprises in this atmospheric, gripping and fast-paced thriller.  I couldn't put it down and I can't wait for the next book in the series.  Very highly recommended.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

Waterstones

Amazon

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Diva - Daisy Goodwin

In the glittering and ruthlessly competitive world of opera, Maria Callas is known simply as la divina: the divine one. With her glorious voice, instinctive flair for the dramatic and striking beauty, she's the toast of the grandest opera houses in the world. Yet her fame has been hard won: raised in Nazi-occupied Greece by a mother who mercilessly exploited her, Maria learned early in life how to protect herself.

When she meets the fabulously rich shipping magnate, Aristotle Onassis, her isolation melts away. For the first time in her life, she believes she's found a man who sees the woman rather than the legendary soprano. Desperately in love, Onassis introduces her to a life of unbelievable luxury, mixing with celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.

And then, suddenly, it's over. The international press announce that Onassis will marry the most famous woman in the world, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, leaving Maria to pick up the pieces.

 

What did I think?

Diva by Daisy Goodwin is a fabulous reimagining of the life of Maria Callas, that is based on her true story.  I love books that send me off to Google to find out more information and Diva certainly did that.  I listened to Maria's singing and got goosebumps - she really did have the voice of an angel and is well-named 'la divina'.

I didn't know a lot about Maria Callas before picking up Diva, but I certainly know a lot more now.  I had no idea that she dated Aristotle Onassis before he dropped Maria like a stone to marry Jackie Kennedy.  I felt really sorry for her early years, living in the shadow of her older sister and not getting any affection from her mother, it perhaps explains why she left her husband to be with Onassis who showered her with gifts and attention.

It also made me really appreciate the life of an artist, especially one with a divine voice, as they don't know how long their voice will last after all the strain they put it through.  Maria's singing teacher used a great analogy: imagine your voice is a purse of golden coins but you don't know how many it holds so you need to spend them wisely before there are none left.

Daisy Goodwin really brings the 50s/60s eras to life as Maria rubs shoulders with stars and royalty.  Maria herself is drawn so beautifully that she virtually leaps out from the pages and her life resembles an opera with an abundance of drama, passion and tragedy.

Filled with glitz and glamour, Diva is a wonderful glimpse into the life of Maria Callas, the world's greatest diva.  It's an unforgettable story that is both inspirational and heartbreaking.

I received a gifted paperback for the Tandem Collective readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

The Twenty-One Year Contract - L. B. Griffin

Kathleen Gray -- talented, a little wild, at times rebellious, but always popular -- has a fun, easy life in rural Somerset, with a doting family. Suddenly, they are gone, everything is changed, and she has only Uncle Jack. Try as he might, he cannot be father and mother to her -- he has a business to run and his own life to manage. Kathleen takes a chance and becomes Kate Westfield, fending for herself in London, with a new life built on her hopes and dreams and new friends. She could hardly have imagined that one of those friends has a shoebox full of answers.

 

What did I think?

Having read and adored Secrets, Shame, and a Shoebox, I couldn't wait to read the sequel, The Twenty-One Year Contract and I am delighted to say that it is just as outstanding as its predecessor.

Whilst it is a sequel, it can definitely be read as a standalone but for anyone who has read Secrets, Shame, and a Shoebox, it's like seeing that novel in high definition as I saw some of that story from another angle.  This book concentrates on Kathleen's story from her tragic beginnings to her later success and friendship with Harriet, a character I remember fondly from the previous book.

The writing is sublime; L.B. Griffin doesn't just write with her heart, she writes with her heart and soul.  You can't help but be drawn into Kathleen and Harriet's stories as they ebb and flow and eventually intertwine.  The characters are so well developed that they leap out from the page and I feel like I know them and consider them friends.  So much so that I'm not ashamed to admit that I shed a tear or two at the end.

With an exquisite storyline, I devoured every single page and I'm not mentioning any plot details at all as it is sure to spoil it for other readers and I really do urge you to discover L.B. Griffin's novels for yourself.  The Twenty One Year Contract is described as a sequel but it is so much more than that as it accompanies and enhances Secrets, Shame, and a Shoebox.

The Twenty-One Year Contract is a genre busting novel that will appeal to so many readers; it's historical, family saga, women's fiction, mystery and contemporary.  It's poignant, hopeful, heartwarming and utterly breathtaking.  So very highly recommended.

Many thanks to L.B. Griffin for sending me an ARC to read and review; all opinions are my own.

My rating:

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Secrets, Shame, and a Shoebox - L. B. Griffin

 

When Harriet Laws loses her grandmother and her job, her happy life in London seems over. Alone, grief-stricken and penniless, she thinks wildly of ending it all. Fate steps in as Tom Fletcher saves her, gives her hope, and guides her to new employment. He takes her to dinner, and she finds him attractive. He's older, but she doesn't mind. Does he? 

Tom, a quiet, hardworking man, is unsure of Harriet's feelings, but he's also very busy building his business interests. So it's no wonder a suave, sophisticated fellow walks off with Harriet right under Tom's nose. 

What follows, no one could have predicted, as Harriet not only loses contact with all her friends but must again fight for her very life...will she ever see Tom again?

What did I think?

Oh I really enjoyed this wonderful book.  What a fabulous debut from L.B. Griffin!  When I first started reading, I thought it was going to be a soap opera style piece of women's fiction but it is so multi-layered that it burst out of every genre box I tried to put it in.  

I loved the main character of Harriet, she's loving and intelligent but very naïve which sees her being taken advantage of in her work and love life.  I felt so sorry for her when she loses her grandmother and her job in quick succession (and in such devious circumstances regarding the latter), but events lead her into the path of love interest Tom.

Harriet and Tom seem so perfectly matched but Tom thinks he's too old for Harriet and that she can't possibly be interested in him, so the pair remain friends.  Meanwhile, someone else has their eye on Harriet (and he always gets what he wants) so before she knows it, Harriet's life changes once more but it's not for the better...

There's so much going on in this novel that I found it an absolute joy to read, although it does take a darker turn which had me feverishly turning pages as the pacing unexpectedly ramped up.  There's also an air of mystery surrounding Harriet's beginnings and an intriguing painting left to her by her grandmother, and there are hints and clues to gather along the way, although the mystery is not revealed so we must wait for the sequel to continue this fabulous story.  I didn't feel cheated at all by this, just more eager to read the next book!

Incredibly well-written, Secrets, Shame, and a Shoebox is a magnificent debut from L. B. Griffin.  It's a poignant, disturbing and heartwarming page-turner that has left me chomping at the bit to continue Harriet's story.

I received a gifted digital ARC from the author and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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The Long Way Home - Fanny Blake

A family secret, a mysterious legacy, and a journey that will change everything…

 

When Isla, a 65-year-old grandmother, is left nothing but an old painting in her mother’s will, while her sisters and aunt inherit the estate, she is devastated. Close to retirement, getting ready to live on her own terms, the last thing she expects at this time of her life is such turmoil. So, to find an explanation for her mother’s rejection, she embarks on a road-trip.

 

But, right at the last moment, she’s forced to take her sullen – and, in her view, impossible – 14-year-old granddaughter Charlie with her. Cramped together in Isla’s car with her smelly old dog, these ill-assorted travelling companions set off to uncover some shattering and life-changing family truths at the same time as learning to love each other…

 

The Long Way Home is set in the UK and 1950s Paris where the story really begins, spanning four generations of women and the secrets that get passed down through them.

 

What did I think?

It's actually really refreshing to read a novel with an older protagonist as it just shows that it doesn't matter what age you are, you are still faced with the same problems and suffer the same insecurities.  In 65-year-old Isla's case, just because you're older doesn't mean you're wiser and it's no surprise that Isla is thrown into a tizz when she is treated differently to her sisters in their mother's will.

Isla has always had a strained relationship with her mother but that doesn't explain why her two sisters and her aunt should inherit her mother's house when all she has been left is a painting.  As you would expect, there are one or two arguments among the siblings so Isla decides to take a trip back home to Scotland to patch up the relationship between her sisters and hopefully get to the bottom of the mystery of her inheritance.  

Unfortunately, Isla has to take an unwilling companion with her in the form of her 14-year-old granddaughter Charlie.  A typical teenager, Charlie is glued to her phone and barely says a positive word, making the trip more of a chore than a pleasure.  As the trip progresses it was lovely to see Isla and Charlie's relationship grow and it felt like Charlie unfurled like a flower with just a little bit of nurturing and some TLC.  That is until Isla's new boyfriend turned up to upset the balance.

I really liked Isla but I cringed at some of the decisions she made, although it's understandable with so much going on in her life.  I also loved May's story set in 1950s Paris and thought I had it all worked out but I was delighted to find that I was completely wrong.  Fanny Blake's wonderfully vivid writing brings her characters to life and I felt like I was drinking coffee in the cafés of Paris and actually sitting in the car with Isla, Charlie and stinky Jock.  

Beautifully heartwarming, captivating and intriguing, The Long Way Home is a fabulous summer read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

BLOG TOUR: Singapore Fire (An Ash Carter Mystery-Thriller Book 6) - Murray Bailey

The Endgame.

Once again caught between the government and the criminal gangs, it's time for Carter to choose.

Escape now or stand and fight?

What did I think?

I jumped into the Ash Carter thriller series at book 5 (Singapore Killer) and absolutely loved it, proving that each novel can be read as a standalone.  The same can indeed be said for book 6, Singapore Fire,  which is the final instalment in the series.  Whilst I delighted in catching up with some old characters, I certainly wouldn't have lost any enjoyment in the novel if I hadn't read any of the previous books.

Ash Carter is a private investigator in 1950s Singapore.  Being ex-army, he has great rapport with local police and has useful contacts in the military.  When he starts investigating Andrew Yipp, a businessman and head of a secret society, Carter has a slight conflict of interest: he's in love with Yipp's niece, Su Ling.  Yipp also has his eye on Carter and both men are willing to fight to the death, but neither man wants Su Ling caught in the crossfire.  With Carter and Su Ling planning to flee Singapore, will Carter choose love over getting his man?

So I thought I had the ending of Singapore Fire all worked out then BAM!, Murray Bailey totally took the rug out from under me!  It actually couldn't have been a better conclusion but I really didn't see it coming at all.  My lips are sealed so I don't spoil it for others but take my word for it, it is jaw-droppingly good.

I should also mention that there are elements of grooming, child abuse and rape in the novel that make for slightly uncomfortable reading.  It's not particularly graphic but rape is never pleasant reading.  I just think that perhaps a trigger warning might be useful for some readers to be made aware of this in advance.

Blisteringly fast paced and atmospheric, with a plot that sizzles like a stick of dynamite, Singapore Fire is a stunning conclusion to the Ash Carter series.  If you read Singapore Fire as a standalone, you will definitely want to read all the earlier books in the series.  Gripping, breathtaking and heartpoundingly thrilling, Singapore Fire is well worthy of 5 stars.

Many thanks to the author for providing a copy of his book for me to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: All the Lonely People - Mike Gayle

Hubert Bird is not alone in being alone.

He just needs to realise it.

In weekly phone calls to his daughter in Australia, widower Hubert Bird paints a picture of the perfect retirement, packed with fun, friendship and fulfilment.

But Hubert Bird is lying.

The truth is day after day drags by without him seeing a single soul.

Until, that is, he receives some good news - good news that in one way turns out to be the worst news ever, news that will force him out again, into a world he has long since turned his back on.

Now Hubert faces a seemingly impossible task: to make his real life resemble his fake life before the truth comes out.

Along the way Hubert stumbles across a second chance at love, renews a cherished friendship and finds himself roped into an audacious community scheme that seeks to end loneliness once and for all . . .

Life is certainly beginning to happen to Hubert Bird. But with the origin of his earlier isolation always lurking in the shadows will he ever get to live the life he's pretended to have for so long?

From bestselling author Mike Gayle, All the Lonely People is by turns a funny and moving meditation on love, race, old age and friendship that will not only charm and uplift, but also remind you of the power of ordinary people to make an extraordinary difference.

What did I think?

What a lovely story; anyone who doesn't love Hubert Bird must have a heart of stone.  Although I experienced a range of emotions whilst reading All the Lonely People, I read most of it with a smile on my face.  Hubert is a fantastic character and he really doesn't know how special he is; he truly is one in a million.

With his daughter in Australia and his son who knows where, widower Hubert thinks he's quite content being alone.  All he wants is a quiet life with his adopted cat but to stop his daughter Rose from worrying about him he pretends to attend an over 60's group at the local community centre.  Every week when she calls home, Hubert regales Rose with stories of his new found (imaginary) friends when all the time he has never left the house.  It started out as just a little lie with the best intentions but when Rose calls to say she is coming home, Hubert has to find some real friends pretty sharpish.

As we follow Hubert's attempts to make friends, we are also given flashbacks to the 1950's when he was a young man starting a new life in England, leaving his friends and family back home in Jamaica.  The racism is blatant in the 1950's and 60's and it's so sad to read what people had to put up with simply because of the colour of their skin.  On the positive side, it's heartening to see how far we've come in a relatively short space of time, although there's still a long way to go yet.

I loved the community spirit in the book and the knowledge that friends can be any age, colour or sex.  Hubert meeting his new neighbour, young single mother Ashleigh, is the catalyst that starts a chain reaction which ensures that Hubert's life will never be the same again.  As the pair become friends they embark on a campaign to end loneliness in the town of Bromley, but as their fame grows Hubert worries that the lies he has told Rose will be exposed before he has the chance to explain to her face to face.

I laughed and cried, I was shocked and surprised but I loved every minute of All the Lonely People.  It's beautifully heartwarming and exudes charm from every page.  Completely captivating, All the Lonely People is a very special book and one I won't forget in a hurry.  I cannot recommended it highly enough.

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

My rating:

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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

BLOG TOUR: Blood on the Tyne: Body Parts - Colin Garrow

I always get a thrill when I read books set in my native North East so I jumped at the chance to take part in the damppebbles blog tour for Blood on the Tyne: Body Parts by Colin Garrow.  I am releasing my review as part of the blog tour so scroll down to read what I thought.

Newcastle, 1955. A death in the family brings nightclub singer Rosie Robson home to Newcastle, but her planned return to London hits a snag after she agrees to perform with her old band. Learning the group’s previous singer left after an argument, Rosie begins to wonder if there might be a sinister reason behind the young woman’s disappearance. Uncovering the first in a series of grisly murders, Rosie decides to investigate, but in doing so, finds her own name has been added to the killer’s list…

Blood on the Tyne: Body Parts is book #1 in the Rosie Robson Murder Mystery series.

What did I think?

I love reading books set in the North East of England so I couldn't wait to dive into Blood on the Tyne: Body Parts that is set in Newcastle.  Colin Garrow brings the story to life by choosing to write his characters' speech in a Geordie dialect; although it's not easy to read, it works really well and gives some authenticity to the story.  I have to say that sometimes I struggled with the dialect and I'm fluent in Geordie, so it might be difficult for people outside the region to understand, however, Colin Garrow has preempted this by including a few handy Geordie translations at the end of the book.

Chapter 1 starts with a gripping in-built prologue where a body is found thereby immediately hooking the reader like a hungry fish, but we then roll back 4 days to Rosie's return to Newcastle from London for a family funeral.  I love how not only the scene is set but the time period of 1955 is planted firmly in the reader's mind with Rosie returning home the day that Ruth Ellis, the last woman in the UK to be executed, was hanged.

Rosie's nightmares begin, both literally and figuratively, in Newcastle.  Sleeping in her old bedroom results in a recurring disturbing dream but she keeps waking up before the conclusion.  Something happened in her past that her psyche had buried but being in the same place it happened has brought it to the fore.  Rosie doesn't have time to dwell on it too much as she's talked into helping out her old band when their lead singer goes missing.  Julie isn't the only singer to go missing though and it looks like Rosie's real nightmare is about to begin when she becomes the next target.

Although Rosie is in danger, she can't help but investigate the other disappearances like an amateur sleuth.  With links to the pub and club scene, people will talk to Rosie rather than the police but Inspector Walton is quite happy for Rosie to run a parallel investigation and the pair end up helping each other out.  I loved the dynamic between Rosie and Walton and I do hope that this is not the last we'll see of this pairing.

Blood on the Tyne: Body Parts is a gripping and authentic North East murder mystery.  The scene setting, both time and place, is excellent and I felt as if I was walking in Rosie's footsteps.  I really enjoyed this first book in the Rosie Robson series and can't wait for the next book.  In my native lingo: Aye, it's canny good like. Howay man wi' the next 'un!

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

My rating:

Buy it from:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Smashwords





About the author:

True-born Geordie Colin Garrow grew up in a former mining town in Northumberland and has worked in a plethora of professions including taxi driver, antiques dealer, drama facilitator, theatre director and fish processor, and has occasionally masqueraded as a pirate. Colin has published three stage plays, six adventures for middle grade readers, two books of short stories, the Watson Letters series and the Terry Bell Mysteries. His short stories have appeared in several literary mags, including: SN Review, Flash Fiction Magazine, The Grind, A3 Review, Inkapture and Scribble Magazine. These days he lives in a humble cottage in North East Scotland where he writes novels, stories. poems and the occasional song.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/colingarrow

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colingarrowthewriter/

Website (adults): https://colingarrow.org/

Website (childrens): https://colingarrowbooks.com/

Website (The Watson Letters): https://thewatsonletters.com/

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

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/colingarrow

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B014Z5DZD4

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A Life Between Us - Louise Walters

Tina Thornton's twin sister Meg died in a childhood accident, but for almost forty years Tina has secretly blamed herself for her sister's death. During a visit to her aging Uncle Edward and his sister Lucia, who both harbour dark secrets of their own, Tina makes a discovery that forces her to finally question her memories of the day her sister died. Who, if anyone, did kill Meg?

As Tina finds the courage to face the past, she unravels the tangled family mysteries of her estranged parents, her beautiful French Aunt Simone, the fading, compassionate Uncle Edward, and above all, the cold, bitter Aunt Lucia, whose spectral presence casts a long shadow over them all. 

A Life Between Us is a beautifully evocative story of a family torn apart at the seams, which will appeal to readers who enjoy family sagas and modern-day mysteries.

What did I think?

This was a very intriguing book that looked very innocent from the cover but contained a darkness inside that I could never have imagined.  It's a past and present story whereby we learn of Tina and her Aunt Lucia's stories.  Both as heartbreaking and painful as the other but for very different reasons.

Tina blames herself for the death of her twin sister, Meg.  She cannot let go of her sister and hears her voice clearly when she regularly visits her grave.  Tina is so engrossed at Meg's graveside that she doesn't notice the mysterious woman in the green coat who seems to be taking an interest in her.  Who is this woman and why is she interested in Tina?

Lucia is Tina's bitter old Aunt and it is no surprise to learn that she was horrid as a child.  She doesn't forgive her little brother William for being born on her darling brother Edward's birthday.  Poor little William suffers at the sneaky hands of Lucia and when big brother Edward finds out what is going on, he takes a softly softly approach with Lucia when she really could have done with a clip around the earhole.

The stories intertwine nicely as Tina talks about Meg in therapy and flashbacks show us Lucia's life as she grows up.  Lucia grows up a little too quickly and as she plays with fire she does indeed get burnt.  I found some of these scenes hard to read but that just shows the depth of emotion that was present in the writing.

A very well-written and addictive book, A Life Between Us surprised me at every turn.  I found myself engrossed equally in both stories, which is rather unusual for me as I usually prefer one timeline over another.  It is shocking at times but compassionately so, ensuring that the reader is made aware of the butterfly effect of one badly made decision.  

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

My rating:

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The Last Night - Cesca Major

In a quiet coastal village, Irina spends her days restoring furniture, passing the time in peace and hiding away from the world. A family secret, long held and never discussed, casts a dark shadow and Irina chooses to withdraw into her work. When an antique bureau is sent to her workshop, the owner anonymous, Irina senses a history to the object that makes her uneasy. As Irina begins to investigate the origins of the piece, she unearths the secrets it holds within...

Decades earlier in the 1950s, another young woman kept secrets. Her name was Abigail. Over the course of one summer, she fell in love, and dreamed of the future. But Abigail could not know that a catastrophe loomed, and this event would change the course of many lives for ever...

What did I think?

The Last Night is an absolutely breathtaking novel by Cesca Major, I have goosebumps just thinking about it to write my review.  It starts in 1952 with quite a disturbing scene when a young girl finds a body in the sea.  All I could think about at first is whose body is it and how did it get there, but Cesca Major very cleverly distracted me with such interesting stories of two vibrant main characters.

Told from a few different viewpoints, the main characters being Irina in the present day of 2016 and Abigail in the past of 1952.  The two become linked in a most intriguing way when Irina receives an old bureau to restore.  With locked drawers and hidden compartments, Irina strives to unearth the secrets held within.  Some items appear strange and worthless but they clearly meant a lot to the owner of the bureau for the items to be hidden and kept safe.  Items that we keep to remind us of a treasured memory are so very priceless and irreplaceable, making them worth more than gold.

Irina is such an interesting woman.  We learn early on that she has some terrible scarring on her face but it is not until near the end of the book that we find out what happened to cause this.  Her guilt and fear cause her to push away her loved ones but it is to her ex, Andrew, that she turns when she tries to uncover the secrets of the bureau and things start to go bump in the night.

It is these strange, ghostly and unexplainable incidents that compel Irina to follow the clues from the hidden treasure.  So she visits Lynmouth and hears the story of Abigail, a young woman from the 1950s.  Abigail had to leave Bristol and her best friend, Mary, when her mother died and was living up the hill in Lynton with her sister, Connie, and her creepy husband, Larry.  The tension in the house was palpable at times and the air with thick with the underlying threat that Abigail wasn't exactly safe when she was alone with Larry. When Abigail becomes close to local lad, Richard, my heart was singing as the buds of young love started to bloom.  But disaster was just around the corner...

Told with such breathtaking vividness, and based on true events, The Last Night is written so beautifully that it broke my heart in two. The powerful emotional writing had me struggling to contain my fear and my tears as I raced through the pages of this amazing book. With such stunning narrative, Cesca Major has ensured that events of that night, the last night, will never be forgotten.  There's not a word out of place in this fabulous five star read and it's a book I know that I will remember for many years to come.

I chose to read an ARC of The Last Night and this is my honest opinion.

My rating:

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Her Turn to Cry - Chris Curran

Twelve years ago Joycie Todd’s mother abandoned her. But what if she never really left? A tautly written psychological suspense novel, perfect for fans of B.A. Paris and Alex Lake.

London, 1965. Top model Joycie Todd lives a glittering life with photographer Marcus Blake. But her childhood tells a different story…

When she was eleven, Joycie’s mother disappeared. Run away with another man, so everyone says. But Joycie can’t forget the thumps she heard in the night, or the bloodstained rug hidden under the bed. A rug that was gone the next day.

Twelve years later, Joycie has left her past behind. But when an old friend dies, Joycie is left a letter beseeching her to find out the truth. Unable to keep the door locked any longer, Joycie sets out to discover why her mother left her – if she ever really did.

As she travels to the shabby seaside towns of her childhood, Joycie soon finds that it’s not just her mother who vanished all those years ago. Joycie knows the disappearances are connected, she just doesn’t know how. But there’s someone out there who does – and they will do anything to keep it buried.

What did I think?

This was a really enjoyable, well-written novel and I'm not sure what genre I would put it in; it is so multi-faceted.  I didn't find it as gripping as I expected but it was certainly an addictive read as the story slowly unfolds and Joycie uncovers all of her family secrets.

In 1965, Joycie appears to have it all - she's a well known model, living with her photographer boyfriend, Marcus.  Behind the scenes though, Joycie is a damaged individual, scarred by events that happened over 12 years ago.  Joycie is part of a theatre family in the 1950's.  Her Dad, Charlie Todd, and obnoxious Sid Sergeant are a popular theatre act who have no end of admirers waiting at the stage door.  When Joycie's Mum suddenly disappears, the rumour mill claims that she has run away with one of her many fancy-men. Joycie isn't so sure as none of her Mum's clothes have been taken and she found a bloodstained rug hidden under the bed...or did she imagine it as the next day it had gone?

Without giving away any of the story, I found it really interesting and disturbing to see how events from Joycie's childhood had moulded her into the person she has become.  From reading her story, it's no surprise to see that she hides behind the facade of model 'Orchid'. To the outside world, Orchid is confident and beautiful but behind closed doors Joycie is afraid to let Marcus get close to her.  I felt as if she was a cracked vase that had been superglued together but at risk of being broken into a million pieces if she's hugged too hard.

Joycie does turn out to be tougher that I thought as she uncovers all of the skeletons in her family's closet.  Skeletons that Chris Curran has revealed with tact and sensitivity, whilst being true to the era when such skeletons, through fear, remained firmly in the closet.

Her Turn to Cry is a very addictive read; the thread throughout the story is the disappearance of Joycie's Mum but there's so much more going on.  I felt that stones were being overturned that could have absolutely anything underneath them and as the story went on, I felt Joycie getting stronger and really evolving into the woman she was always destined to be.

I received this e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

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