Ghost Girls and Rabbits - Cassondra Windwalker

Flush with the victory of winning the election as Alaska's first Athabaskan Senator, Noni Begay wakes to find herself buried alive. When her coffin lid opens, though, it's not to rescue but to six years of captivity, betrayed by the one person she trusted most. Escape will require not only all her strength but all the strength and stories of the ancestors she had until now imagined were only a useful device, an accessory she wore to win votes and social media followers.

Mary Nelson's only daughter, Ryska, went missing ten years ago, with no one but her mother to search for her. Having used up every favor and chit she has, Mary is willing to risk everything on one last ploy to save her daughter from the monsters-even if she has to become one herself.

A chilling psychological horror novel excoriating the epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls in North America, Ghost Girls and Rabbits is an unforgettable read perfect for fans of Scandinavian noir and literary horror, told by two fractured minds in the trappings of myths truer than mirrors.

What did I think?

I love reading Cassondra Windwalker's books as you just never know what to expect and Ghost Girls and Rabbits is no exceptions.  It was a bit like falling down the rabbit hole as I didn't know what on earth was going on at first but it all becomes clear as you read on.

Mary Nelson will do anything to keep her missing daughter's face at the front of people's minds and she has a very cunning plan to do just that when Senator Noni Begay goes missing.  It is no surprise that Mary's mental health has taken a beating and I'm surprised she managed to function as well as she did for so long.  

It's a very claustrophobic story that is beautifully written both from the captive and the captor's points of view.  The scenery also plays a part as it's set mainly in an isolated cabin in Alaska and the snow feels very menacing and traitorous as it shows up every footprint.  

Inspired by missing Alaskan native women, Ghost Girls and Rabbits is an incredibly poignant and powerful book.  Cassondra Windwalker's prose is lyrical and poetic as she takes the reader deep into the minds of her main characters.  It's an unforgettable and important book that I highly recommend.

Many thanks to the author for sending me a digital ARC to read and review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Stable (A Tyler Zahn Novel Book 1) - Cam Torrens

A kidnapper hiding in plain sight.

A rural town with tons of suspects.

From debut author Cam Torrens comes a gut-wrenching suspense novel based on an actual missing person case.

A 911 call sends Search & Rescue on a search for a missing girl in the Collegiate Peaks. They find a child…but not the one they seek.

Air Force pilot Tyler Zahn's life disintegrated when he lost his son. He discarded his family, his career, and his dignity, finding solace in apathy and beer. Eight years later, armed with new confidence, he invites his estranged daughter, Daria, to visit his Rocky Mountain home. Zahn tries too hard to mend their relationship, and as the tension between father and daughter increases, forgiveness seems out of reach. Especially when his Search & Rescue work pulls him away from Daria and she finds romance at the church camp next door.

But Zahn can't get the missing girl he found—and the one he can't find—out of his mind. Someone in this mountain valley is collecting children, and Zahn is gradually drawn into the case while still trying to break through to his daughter.

Then she disappears too.

What did I think?

Wow!  This book is absolutely fantastic!  It's outstanding books like Stable that make me feel very grateful to be a book blogger as I might never have discovered it otherwise.  I'm not sure how debut author Cam Torrens found me but I am delighted that he did.

I have to say that for a debut novel, the quality of writing is exceptional.  I was drawn straight into the story and it felt so realistic, probably because it is inspired by a real missing person case.  It always pulls at my heartstrings when children go missing as there is a lot of evil in the world so although it's distressing that the girls have been abducted, there is no gratuitous violence or graphic abuse in Stable.

Tyler Zahn is one heck of an interesting character and it was heartbreaking to see him try so hard to rebuild his relationship with his daughter, Daria.  Tyler missed so much of Daria's life when he was stuck in his own spiral of grief after his son died, but Daria lost her brother too.  Tyler wasn't there for Daria back then but when she is next to go missing, god help the person who has taken her as Tyler Zahn is coming for them.

Sublimely plotted and incredibly gripping with a blisteringly fast pace, Stable is one of the best thrillers I have read this year, and even more astonishing is the fact that it's a debut novel too.  Getting hooked on the storyline is one thing but getting hooked by a character is another and it doesn't happen often but I am doubly hooked.  I can't wait to read more Tyler Zahn novels and I can't recommend Stable highly enough.  Don't miss this one, thriller fans!

Many thanks to Cam Torrens for sending me a digital ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

My Brother's Keeper (DCI Rohan Roy Crime Thriller Book 1) - M.L. Rose

A missing child.

A killer on the loose.

A Detective with a deadly secret.

Detective Chief Inspector Rohan Roy is close to burning out. He works night and day in London to bring a human trafficking gang to justice, but when he unleashes his own particular brand of the law, his superiors take notice. He is ordered to take a sabbatical. To his horror, he is dispatched to Sheffield, a place he knows only vaguely. But this isn't any ordinary sabbatical. A child has gone missing in Sheffield, and the kidnapper has left a ransom note with a white Lily attached...

It seems the dreaded Lily Man is back, the brutal killer who took children, and sent white lilies to the parents. The Lily Man was never caught, and his victims were discovered dead.

But one victim, a seven year old boy called Robin Roy was never found. He was DCI Rohan Roy's brother. No one knows what happened to Robin. The guilt sticks to Roy like a second skin.

After twenty seven years, has the Lily Man returned?

Over the years, Roy has made a name for himself, tracking down child abductors. It's the only way he knows to atone for his guilt. Now, he must seize the chance for a final retribution. But nothing turns out to plan. Despite Roy and his new team's best efforts, there is no sign of the missing boy. Frictions spark up in the local community, and nothing is what it seems behind closed doors.

As the days slip by, Roy begins to fear the worst. Then another little boys disappears. Once again, a note and a white lily is left for the parents. The Lily Man strikes again, taunting Roy and his team.

Roy's sense of reality begins to unravel as the stress worsens. Will he catch the Lily Man before the town loses another child?

My Brother's Keeper is the riveting first book in the Rohan Roy Series. Written by the author of the Arla Baker Series, this gripping tale will keep you turning the pages late into the night. If you like deep secrets of the past, white knuckle plot twists with a sprinkling of humour and romance, you've come to the right place.

 

What did I think?

My Brother's Keeper is a very intriguing start to an exciting crime thriller series and it's a great contender for the Kindle Storyteller Award 2023.  I have to get one small niggle out of the way first though.  Whilst I really enjoyed the storyline and the tantalising thread that runs throughout that makes you want to read more of the series, it could do with a proofread as the errors were rather distracting.

I do love a flawed main character with secrets and DCI Rohan Roy certainly fits the bill.  Rohan blames himself for his brother Robin's disappearance 27 years ago when he was just a teenager.  It inspired him to join the force but the guilt and not knowing what happened to Robin have given him anger issues and he is sent to Sheffield to investigate a young boy's disappearance that bears a striking resemblance to his brother's cold case.  

I thought that I had worked out what was going on quite early on, but I am delighted to say that I was completely wrong.  I really like Rohan Roy, although I certainly wouldn't like to cross him, and I am keen to continue the series, especially the way that the book ends.  The ending is nicely done; it's not a massive cliffhanger that leaves you feeling unsatisfied as M.L. Rose finishes the main story nicely but leaves you wanting to know what happens next.   

Incredibly gripping, disturbing and fast paced, My Brother's Keeper is a riveting read and a tantalising start to an intriguing new series.

I received a copy to read and review for the Tandem Collective readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

BLOG TOUR: The Trap - Catherine Ryan Howard

We are told, aren’t we, not to accept lifts from strangers?

And yet that is exactly what she does.

Not only once, but time and again.  And at night.

It's the nightmare scenario that every girl is warned about, and she knows the dangers all too well - but what other choice does she have?

As they drive, she alternates between fear and relief - one moment thinking he is just a good man doing a good thing, the next convinced he's a monster. But when he delivers her safely to her destination, she realizes her fears were unfounded.

And her heart sinks. Because a monster is what she's looking for, to discover what happened to her missing sister.

She will try again tomorrow night. But will the man who took her sister take the bait?

What did I think?

Just reading the blurb of The Trap is enough to give me goose bumps.  This book is brilliantly written with chapters told from different points of view so you get to see inside the mind of a monster and it gave me chills on top of my goose bumps.

If I had a sister and she went missing, I know I would do everything I could to find her but I can't get past the 'Stranger Danger' motto that I still adhere to, even now that I'm in my forties.  It's a very brave and probably stupid thing to do to try to set a trap to catch an abductor but it does make for heart-pounding reading.

The Trap is so very cleverly written and I had the rug pulled out from under me as everything I thought I knew about the missing sister turned out to be wrong.  Yay!  Reading books is one time I'm more than happy to be wrong though, as it means the author has played a blinder.  So, well played Catherine Ryan Howard!

It's really interesting to read Catherine Ryan Howard's inspiration for the story in the Author's Note as I had completely forgotten that I saw missing posters when I was a child in the 1970s and I can even remember the girl's name on it.  That sort of thing stays with you and it's really sad to think that nobody ever knew what happened to their missing family member.

Clever, creepy and chilling, The Trap is a disturbing and intriguing novel that held my interest throughout and I really enjoyed it.  Catherine Ryan Howard's intelligent and crafty plot gave my brain a little workout, especially at the end where my initial 'huh?' was transformed into an 'oh!'.

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:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD is an internationally bestselling author from Cork, Ireland. Her work has been shortlisted for the CWA's John Creasey New Blood and Ian Fleming Steel Dagger awards, and in 2019 her novel THE LIAR'S GIRL was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Novel. THE NOTHING MAN was a no. 1 bestseller in her native Ireland. She currently lives in Dublin, where she divides her time between the desk and the sofa.

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: Local Girl Missing - J. A. Baker

Missing without trace...

When local woman Deborah goes missing, her colleagues Adrian, Yvonne and Merriel are all left in shock. Gossip around the office begins to swirl – what could have happened to Deborah? Is she dead or alive? And who could be responsible for her disappearance?

Everyone is terrified that they could be next…except the one person who has all the answers. The last person people expect.

Because Deborah is being held captive by a monster, a psychopath. But not a stranger… it’s someone she knows all too well…

What did I think?

I love J.A. Baker's books and Local Girl Missing is no exception.  It's so tense it's as taut as a bow string and I couldn't read it fast enough to discover who was behind Deborah's disappearance.

Deborah's colleagues are shocked and distressed when she disappears, but as worried as they are about Deborah, what shocks them just as much is that it could quite easily have been one of them instead.  J.A. Baker puts each of the characters under the microscope as the reader delves beneath their skin to see who they really are. 

Workplace rivalries and gossiping colleagues help to build up the tension as we get to know the characters and discover what each of them is hiding.  If you work full-time, you spend more of your awake time with your colleagues than your family but you never really get to know them.  We all have a work persona and it's only when you inadvertently let your guard down that your colleagues might catch a glimpse of the real you.

I can safely say that I did guess who the kidnapper was in Local Girl Missing but only because I suspected every single character at one time or another, so I would've been right at some point.  Without giving anything away, I really enjoyed discovering the motivation behind Deborah's abduction; even though it's pretty creepy to think that someone you know could be hiding a very dark secret behind their friendly face.

J.A. Baker's writing is exceptional as she builds up suspense and creates so much suspicion about every character.  The tension builds as the reader slowly peels away layer after layer of every character to see what's really underneath.

Tense, suspenseful and compelling, Local Girl Missing is another cracking J.A. Baker novel.  I really enjoyed the workplace setting and think J.A. Baker totally nailed it.  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

About the author:

J. A. Baker is a successful psychological thriller writer of numerous books, previously published by Bloodhound. Born and brought up in Middlesbrough, she still lives in the North East, which inspires the settings for her books. Her first title for Boldwood will be published in December 2022.

Social Media Links –

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thewriterjude

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

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-a-baker

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: Strange Tricks (The Essex Witch Museum Mysteries) - Syd Moore

 

Rosie Strange is back in the latest of the fabulously creepy Essex Witch Museum Mysteries

Secretly Rosie Strange has always thought herself a little bit more interesting than most people – the legacy her family has bequeathed her is definitely so, she’s long believed. But then life takes a peculiar turn when the Strange legacy turns out not just to be the Essex Witch Museum, but perhaps some otherworldly gifts that Rosie finds difficult to fathom. Meanwhile Sam Stone, Rosie’s curator, is oddly distracted as breadcrumb clues into what happened to his missing younger brother and other abducted boys from the past are poised to lead him and Rosie deep into a dark wood where there lurks something far scarier than Hansel and Gretel’s witch…

What did I think?

I'm really getting into the swing of audiobooks now and Strange Tricks from Isis Audio is the latest addition to my audiobook library.  Although I do already own Strange Magic and Strange Sight, Strange Tricks is my first virtual visit to the Essex Witch Museum and I have to say that it works absolutely brilliantly as a standalone, despite being book 6 in the series.  Listening to Strange Tricks has definitely made me want to pick up the earlier books as soon as I possibly can.

The audiobook is narrated by Julia Barrie but it really felt like I was listening to the main character, Rosie Strange herself.  Julia's narration is outstanding with a range of different voices and accents that kept me enthralled from start to finish.  Julia's warm, expressive and soothing voice actually reminded me of sitting down to story time in primary school but there was no subsequent nap time in this case as the storyline completely captivated me and I just had to keep listening to one more chapter.

I really liked the unusual setting of the Essex Witch Museum, owned by Rosie Strange, and the curious characters that Rosie comes into contact with.  I imagine quite a few of the characters have appeared in previous books but I didn't feel as if I was missing out on anything by jumping in mid-series.  It has made me want to find out more though, especially the will they/won't they relationship between Rosie and Sam.

The main plot follows the historical abduction of boys and the museum curator, Sam Stone has a personal interest as his younger brother went missing in unusual circumstances many years ago.  Whilst the majority of the plot is creepy and strange, Syd Moore adds some outstanding humour to create the perfect balance.  I don't think I'd been listening for long when I almost choked with laughter and this happened quite a few times.  Be careful if you listen to this audiobook in public as it is laugh out loud hilarious and gasp out loud creepy in places.

Mysterious, intriguing, humourous and highly entertaining, Strange Tricks is a fantastic audiobook and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.  I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end; both the writing and the narration are exceptional and it's another amazing production from Isis Audio.

I chose to listen to a audiobook ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

About the author:

Before embarking on a career in education, Syd worked extensively in the publishing industry, fronting Channel 4's book programme, Pulp. She was the founding editor of Level 4, an arts and culture magazine, and is co-creator of Super Strumps, the game that reclaims female stereotypes. Syd has also been a go go dancer, backing singer, subbuteo maker, children's entertainer and performance poet, She now works for Metal Culture, an arts organisation, promoting arts and cultural events and developing literature programmes. Syd is an out and proud Essex Girl and is lucky enough to live in that county where she spends her free time excavating old myths and listening out for things that go bump in the night.

About the narrator:

After graduating from Bristol University and joining The Bristol Old Vic Julia Barrie has worked extensively in Theatre; in rep, touring both nationally and internationally, as a member of the RSC, at the Old Vic and Royal Court and in the West End at The Duke of York’s and the Theatre Royal Haymarket. For BBC Radio she recorded Anthony Shaffer’s Widow’s Weeds and her TV and film credits include Prisoners’ Wives, The Commander, Doctors, Close Relations, Our Friends in the North, Out of Bounds, Ghost in the Machine and Five Greedy Bankers.

Follow the tour:

The Girl on the Platform - Bryony Pearce

 

A missing child. A single witness.

I am the girl on the platform.

When new mother Bridget catches her train home from London, she witnesses something terrible: a young girl is taken from the platform, right before her eyes. 

No one knows where I am.

But no one is reported missing and with Bridget the only witness, she is written off as an attention seeker. Nobody believes her – not even her own husband.

Can you find me? 

But Bridget knows what she saw, and becomes consumed with finding the little girl. Only she can save the child’s life… but could delving into the mystery cost Bridget her own?

A dark and absorbing thriller with the impact of memorable series like Broadchurch or The Missing, perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train and Erin Kinsley’s Found.

What did I think?

Wow!  What a brilliant debut from Bryony Pearce; I simply couldn't put it down and read it over a 24 hour period.  I have to admit that when I first saw the title I thought it was an attempt to piggyback on the success of The Girl on the Train (even the synopsis mentions it) but The Girl on the Platform is a fantastic book in its own right.  

Bridget has returned to work after her pregnancy, with her husband Tom being a stay at home Dad for baby Alice.  The pregnancy has left Bridget with a body she no longer recognises and vehemently despises which knocks her personal confidence.  As she travels home from work one evening on the train, she sees a young girl being bundled into a white van against her will.  Appealing to the other passengers to confirm what she saw, not one person can corroborate her story, leaving the police and her family questioning whether she really saw anything at all.

It's not surprising that nobody saw anything out of the train window; most people have their heads down engrossed in their various screens these days.  I really admired Bridget for not bowing to peer pressure and standing up for what she believed in, even though she was the only one.  I believed her completely at first but as the story progresses and Bridget is painted as as increasing unreliable character, I could feel doubt creeping into my mind over what Bridget saw that night.

So very addictive, it's impossible to put The Girl on the Platform down once you pick it up.  The plot is outstanding and even though I worked some of it out quite early on, I still absolutely loved it.  This is such an accomplished debut that I am already excited to see what Bryony Pearce writes next; remember that name as she is definitely one to watch.

Very highly recommended and undoubtedly a five star rating for this superb thriller.

My rating:

Buy it from

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

Found - Erin Kinsley

 

When 11 year old Evan vanishes without trace, his parents are plunged into their worst nightmare.

Especially as the police, under massive pressure, have no answers. But months later Evan is unexpectedly found, frightened and refusing to speak. His loving family realise life will never be the same again.

DI Naylor knows that unless those who took Evan are caught, other children are in danger. And with Evan silent, she must race against time to find those responsible...

A gripping, heart-wrenching thriller with the emotional power of series like BROADCHURCH and THE MISSING, this is the perfect read for fans of Cara Hunter, Heidi Perks, Claire Douglas, Fiona Barton, Susan Lewis and Nuala Ellwood.

What did I think?

What an intensely compelling book!  I picked up Found and couldn't put it down, almost finishing it in a day until sleep overcame me.  Erin Kinsley's brilliant debut novel is an incredibly gripping and highly addictive read.  I always get a thrill when my native North East is mentioned in books so I was delighted to find that one of the policeman was from Gateshead - you can always find a Geordie wherever you go!

It's a different take on a child abduction story as rather than focusing on the dark details of the child's imprisonment, the book is mainly set in the days and months following the return of Evan Ferrers, the abducted child.  Evan refuses to talk about his ordeal and I found my heart breaking for him; I don't know whether it's worse to actually know what he went through or whether it's worse to imagine it, but I could imagine the distress this caused his family.  I really feel like I got to know the Ferrers family over the course of the novel and I felt every emotion experienced by them as I was so emotionally invested in the story.

Found is a strange book to review as although a lot of the story is the police investigation into who took Evan, I felt that this was overshadowed by Evan's recovery with his family.  It's not that I wasn't interested in finding out who Evan's captor was, it's just that Erin Kinsley had written such emotive characters that I was more concerned with their wellbeing.

Found is a gripping abduction novel that tackles its dark subject matter so very sensitively, choosing to focus more on the positives which makes for a heartfelt story.  

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.bookshop.org

Amazon

The Shadow Man - Helen Fields

 

He collects his victims. But he doesn’t keep them safe.

Elspeth, Meggy and Xavier are locked in a flat. They don’t know where they are, and they don’t know why they’re there. They only know that the shadow man has taken them, and he won’t let them go.

 

Desperate to escape, the three of them must find a way out of their living hell, even if it means uncovering a very dark truth.

 

Because the shadow man isn’t a nightmare. He’s all too real.

 

And he’s watching.

What did I think?

I've bought Helen Fields' DI Callanach series over the years but I haven't had time to read any of them yet so I made sure that The Shadow Man, her new standalone thriller, didn't linger on my TBR pile for long.  It didn't linger in my hands long either as once I picked it up I couldn't put it down!

The character pairing of forensic psychologist Dr Connie Woolwine and DI Brodie Baarda is electric, not in a sexual chemistry kind of way but more the way they complement and challenge each other.  I loved Connie's sarcasm and wit above all but she also suffers from achromatopsia (an inability to see colours) which heightens her other senses and sometimes makes her actions look very weird.  It's absolute genius of Helen Fields to give Connie this condition; who best to seek out the shadow man than a woman who only sees light and dark?

Woolwine and Baarda are investigating a murder and a spate of abductions in Edinburgh.  In an unusual twist, the reader knows the identity of the perpetrator so there's no guessing whodunit or a big reveal involved, but surprisingly it doesn't make it any less gripping.  Fergus is the most chilling character I have come across in a long while; he is cold and emotionless as he collects his victims for his bizarre tableau.  He is so vividly described (with a rather amusing likeness to a character in a film) that it made my skin crawl whenever he appeared.  

Helen Fields sure does have a way with words; she not only creates exceptional characters and gripping storylines but she adds elements of dark, dry humour that makes her book stand out from the crowd.  The whole book is outstanding from beginning to end and I didn't want it to finish but I couldn't slow down my reading either...and so begins my addiction to Helen Fields' writing.  Luckily I have more of her books to keep me going!

Chilling, creepy and compelling, The Shadow Man will get under your skin and creep you out but you will not be able to tear your eyes away from the page.  Highly recommended reading, if you're brave enough.

I received an ARC from the publisher to read and review; all opinions are my own.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

BLOG TOUR: The Abduction (Kramer & Carver, Book 2) - A. A. Chaudhuri

The gripping sequel to Amazon bestselling thriller, The Scribe.

Kramer and Carver are back…

Madeline Kramer has finally got her life back on track at top City law firm Sullivan, Blake, Monroe. But when two armed, masked men burst into a conference room one lunchtime, kidnapping a trainee and a partner, Maddy’s life is plunged into disarray once more—particularly when charismatic DCI Jake Carver, who caught a heartless killer when they last met and with whom Maddy shared a mutual chemistry, is called to the scene.

Things become more complicated when a disturbing video reveals two more trainees have been taken. What initially appears as a random kidnapping for mercenary gain soon evolves into something far more complex, the horrifying events of thirty years ago motivating the abductors and having colossal implications for those in the present...

Against a backdrop of sleaze, sex, lies and murder in The Abduction, Maddy and Carver must work together to unravel the truth, and ensure that no crimes—past or present—are left unpunished.

What did I think?

I listened to The Abduction, the second book in the Kramer & Carver series, straight after I'd listened to the first book, The Scribe.  Although you could listen to The Abduction as a standalone, it does contain plot spoilers from The Scribe so I would advise that you listen to them in order.  They are both brilliant, so you will definitely want to listen to them both.

To try to put events from The Scribe behind her, Maddy Kramer has got a new job as an associate in a different London law firm.  It seems like her bad luck has followed her when three trainees and a partner are kidnapped in broad daylight and held to ransom.  Every cloud has a silver lining though and it brings DCI Carver back into her life.  

Kramer and Carver are such a great pairing; Carver is a natural investigator and Maddy is so nosy but she's as sharp as a tack.  I loved seeing how the characters developed and hearing their voices rather than reading about them really made me feel as if I know them.  There was definite chemistry between them last time but, with a seventeen year age gap, neither of them acted upon it.  Now that they are back in touch, we may finally get an answer to the question of will they/won't they?

I was completely intrigued and gripped by the thrilling and razor-sharp plot.  Nothing is as it seems and it contains more backstabbing and deception than an entire season of Dynasty.  Secrets and lies always make for a good story so I was on the edge of my (bicycle) seat and couldn't listen fast enough.  I listen to audiobooks while exercising and the fast pacing sure did make me pedal faster!

Once again, David Thorpe's narration is outstanding.  The narration is so good that the characters don't really need to be announced as I could recognise them by their voices.  David 'multi-voiced' Thorpe really brings not only the characters but the whole book to life and I'm not ashamed to admit that I found myself actually speaking out loud to the characters on more than one occasion.

The partnering of A. A. Chaudhuri's compelling writing and David Thorpe's expressive narration is as perfect as the Kramer and Carver pairing in the book.  Outstanding from beginning to end, The Abduction is thrilling, gripping and filled with deception.  I absolutely loved it and unreservedly recommend it.  5 huge stars!

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Follow the tour:

The Stolen Sisters - Louise Jensen

 

Sisterhood binds them. Trauma defines them. Will secrets tear them apart?

Leah’s perfect marriage isn’t what it seems but the biggest lie of all is that she’s learned to live with what happened all those years ago. Marie drinks a bit too much to help her forget. And Carly has never forgiven herself for not keeping them safe.

 

Twenty years ago The Sinclair Sisters were taken. But what came after their return was far worse. Can a family ever recover, especially when not everyone is telling the truth…?

What did I think?

Louise Jensen is a time thief!  She stole the hours out of my day when I was reading The Stolen Sisters and before I knew it day had turned to night!  With jawdropping cliffhangers at the end of every chapter it's IMPOSSIBLE to put this book down and I read just one more after one more after one more chapter until I'd devoured every single fantastic word that Louise Jensen had written.

13 year old Carly was looking after her 8 year old twin sisters, Marie and Leah, when they were abducted from the street outside their home.  The sisters may have returned physically unharmed after their ordeal but the mental scars run deep.  Each sister blames themselves for what happened, despite assurances from each other that none of them are to blame.  It's a difficult time for the sisters as the twenty year anniversary of their abduction approaches, but it's made even worse by the person responsible being released from prison.  

Blisteringly fast-paced, I absolutely tore through The Stolen Sisters at a rate of knots.  It feels like every character is hiding something so I wanted to uncover each one's story as fast as possible, as well as find out what happened twenty years ago.  As it says on the cover, the Sinclair family were torn apart by the abduction and it's heartbreaking to see the long term effects of this one terrible action.  

It's impossible to say that one of the sisters has been hit the hardest as they are all suffering terribly in their own way, however, I found Leah to be the most intriguing character.  Leah not only suffers from OCD and a fear of germs, but she has a condition called Fregoli Syndrome where she believes that she sees the face of the same person on different people.  Wow, this must be such a scary condition; just imagine that someone is out to get you and you see them everywhere you turn.  Nobody believes you are in danger from your persecutor as you suffer from this rare delusion so you're treated like the boy who cried wolf when you do voice your fears.  It's such an interesting and thought-provoking condition to give a character and it perfectly fits the storyline.

The Stolen Sisters is absolutely brilliant; it's a gripping, fast-paced page turner.  I've read quite a few of her novels and I think it's Louise Jensen's best book yet.  Set aside a couple of hours when you pick up this book as you will not be able to put it down.  It's a fantastic read and I can't recommend it highly enough.

I requested an ARC from NetGalley to read and review; all opinions are my own. 

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.bookshop.org

Amazon

Looking for Leo - J.A. Baker

 

One missing boy. Four possible suspects.

When young Leo disappears after leaving school, it sets a chain of events in motion that will change the lives of the residents of a quiet Yorkshire village forever.

Ashton returns home many years after committing a heinous crime as a child, and starts to teach an art class. Lynda, a stern secondary school teacher who unwillingly gave evidence against him, recognises her tutor as the troubled boy from all those years ago, bringing him the unwelcome attention he fears.

When Sarah, a bored housewife, hears about Ashton’s return, she convinces herself he is responsible for Leo’s disappearance and reports him to the police. 

Terrified, the boy remains locked in a soundproof room, growing ever more scared of his unpredictable captor.

But just who took Leo and why?

And will he be found before it’s too late?

What did I think?

Looking for Leo is J.A. Baker's tenth published novel since she burst onto the scene with her amazing debut novel, Undercurrent in 2017.  I just have to applaud such prolific writing and for all her novels to be completely different and still manage to shock and surprise the reader is nothing short of exceptional.  

With a storyline about the abduction of an 8 year old boy, Looking for Leo is filled to the brim with tension and suspense.  The suspects are set out before the reader like a game of Cluedo and I must have pointed my finger at all of them at one point or another but J.A. Baker still managed to surprise me.

The cover states that there are four possible suspects but the way that the story unfolds and the tension in the writing makes suspicion fall on everyone, so I had so many more characters in my sights.  I love the way that J.A. Baker writes; drawing the reader in various directions, making you focus on different characters and hiding so many red herrings.  It's so very gripping and intriguing and although I wouldn't say that this was a fast-paced book, it certainly had me hooked from the start.

With disturbing, jaw-dropping scenes that left me breathless, Looking for Leo is an absolutely outstanding novel from one of the best suspense authors around today.  Highly recommended reading.

I received an ARC from the author to read and review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Call Me Mummy - Tina Baker

 

THIS MOTHER'S DAY YOU WILL CALL HER MUMMY

Glamorous, beautiful Mummy has everything a woman could want. Except for a daughter of her very own. So when she sees Kim - heavily pregnant, glued to her phone and ignoring her eldest child in a busy shop - she does what anyone would do. She takes her. But foul-mouthed little Tonya is not the daughter that Mummy was hoping for.

As Tonya fiercely resists Mummy's attempts to make her into the perfect child, Kim is demonised by the media as a 'scummy mummy', who deserves to have her other children taken too. Haunted by memories of her own childhood and refusing to play by the media's rules, Kim begins to spiral, turning on those who love her.

Though they are worlds apart, Mummy and Kim have more in common than they could possibly imagine. But it is five-year-old Tonya who is caught in the middle...

CALL ME MUMMY. IT'LL BE BETTER IF YOU DO.

What did I think?

This book is absolutely outstanding; it's a highly original child abduction story and it had me completely gripped from start to finish.  I am completely gobsmacked that Call Me Mummy is Tina Baker's debut novel, it's so brilliantly written and has such a breathtaking plot that makes it very compulsive reading.  Honestly, you will not be able to put it down!

The storyline has three distinct voices and they all come across so clearly, it's almost like the reader can hear the characters' thoughts.  Mummy wants a child so badly that she snatches one while the mother is distracted, Kim is the distraught mother who shoulders the blame for losing her daughter and Tonya is the little girl taken from her family and thrust into the middle of this nightmare.

The three main characters are so vivid and multi-dimensional, they really struggled to stay on the page and I felt like I could have reached in and touched them (and I can just hear Tonya saying: “Get off me, you!”).  I adored Tonya, a five year old who is larger than life and such a feisty character.  I felt so sorry for Kim, who seemed to always find herself on the wrong side of public opinion and I got so mad at how people are quick to judge others, especially when they can hide behind their screen.  As for Mummy, she's like a simmering pot that is about to boil over.  As we get to know these characters, we see their worries, dreams and motivations and I love how Tina Baker gives us this 360 degree view.

Equal parts horrifying and mesmerising, Tina Baker's impressive debut is nothing short of exceptional; the writing is stunning, honest, provocative and often surprisingly witty.  Call Me Mummy is without doubt a five star read and I really can't recommend it highly enough - just buy it, you won't regret it.  To emulate a famous retailer renowned for quality: "This is not just a child abduction novel, this is a Tina Baker child abduction novel."  When other adjectives just won't do, I have to say it's fan-flipping-tastic!

I was gifted an ebook from the publisher, Viper Books, via NetGalley and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon UK