BLOG TOUR: Accidents Will Happen - Andrew J Field

 

Nothing is ever an accident — everything happens for a reason.

Did a talented classical violist jump or slip off a cliff?  An inquest delivers a verdict of death by accident, but two friends of Lisa Wright believe she leapt and want somebody to blame other than themselves. The antithesis of plot-driven suspense and resolution thrillers, Accidents is a noir exploration of guilt, bereavement and injustice.

What did I think?

Did she jump, did she fall or was she pushed?  That's the question I kept asking myself when reading Accidents Will Happen but in the end it doesn't really matter as either way a life has been lost. It's a short book at 124 pages but every single word has been carefully crafted by Andrew J Field into an intriguing, thought-provoking and poignant read.

Lisa Wright was on a run with her personal trainer, Mike Nicholls, when she ended up dead at the bottom of the cliffs in Berwick-upon-Tweed.  The book opens as the Northumberland coroner's court investigates whether Lisa's death was suicide or a tragic accident.  First on the stand is Mike and the reader is privy to his thoughts so we know he's not telling the whole truth...but what is he hiding and why?

I love the layout of the book that is set in two parts: 'On the record' and 'Off the record'.  On the record is set in court and takes us through the inquest into Lisa's death, whilst Off the record is where Mike and Lisa's friend Sally search for the truth about what really happened.  It's interesting that both of them want to absolve themselves of any blame in Lisa's death, which does make you wonder how much they did actually contribute to it.

The book is quite dark in places as Mike's mental health is explored and Lisa's historical abuse comes to light but it is very compulsive reading and I couldn't put it down.  Accidents Will Happen is the kind of book I would call a genre-buster as it refuses to be put in any one box, creating almost a genre of its own.  It's well worth a read and I plan to read it again to pick up all the nuances of Andrew J Field's impeccable writing.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

Hit the North

Amazon

About the author:

Andrew J Field lives with Catherine by the sea in Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northumberland, next to the docks, three bridges, and close to the Scottish border. He writes post-modern ironic noirish thrillers. Books include After the Bridge and All Down the Line. He is currently working on You Are One of Us, a Mott the Hoople tribute book. A member of the Society of Authors, he has a MA in novel writing from the University of Manchester. He also runs Hit the North ...and likes coffee, dry white wine and scoffing fish and chips overlooking the Tweed estuary. His latest novel is Accidents Will Happen, the antithesis of plot-driven suspense and resolution thrillers.

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JACK JORDAN BLOGATHON: Redemption

The third book of the Jack Jordan Blogathon is Redemption and it's another belter of a moral dilemma in this unmissable, unputdownable and unforgettable book.  

I am delighted to reshare my review for the Compulsive Readers blog tour.

Aaron Alexander has just been released from jail after serving eleven years for causing the death of Joshua Moore in a hit-and-run. Now a free man, all he wants to do is stay on the straight and narrow and leave his troubled past behind him.

But for Joshua’s mother Evelyn, eleven years in jail isn’t nearly enough. Consumed by grief and rage, she has been waiting for Aaron’s release, counting down the days until she can exact the revenge he deserves. And now that time has come.

But as Evelyn and her husband Tobias embark on a road trip to track Aaron down, they find themselves caught on two different sides of a gripping game of cat-and-mouse. Because Tobias knows what Evelyn is planning, and he will do anything to save her from herself.

Even if it means protecting the man who killed their son.

Locked in a collision course set in motion eleven years ago, Aaron, Evelyn and Tobias are about to find out whether the road they have chosen leads to redemption . . . or to retribution.

 

What did I think?

You'll always find me at the front of the queue when a new Jack Jordan book is released and I had very high expectations when I picked up Redemption.  Not only was I not disappointed, Jack Jordan saw my expectations and raised them to a whole new level.  WOW!  

Jack Jordan isn't called the Master of the Moral Dilemma for no reason and whilst there is an absolute belter of a moral dilemma in Redemption, there's also a thought-provoking twist that reminds us that there are two sides to every story.  But which side will each reader be on?  Team Evelyn or Team Aaron?

No parent would ever want to be in Evelyn and Tobias Moore's position; their beautiful 9-year-old son Joshua went off to camp and never returned after being killed in a hit-and-run.  Justice was served and the man who killed Joshua went to prison...but only for eleven years.  I could totally understand Evelyn's fury - Joshua's life was cruelly stolen and eleven years of prison is simply not enough for his killer to pay.  As soon as the sentence was delivered, Evelyn decided to make Aaron Alexander pay the ultimate price: a life for a life.

I couldn't help but feel sympathy for the Moores; their marriage has been under a considerable strain since Joshua's death as Evelyn single-mindedly planned her revenge.  Tobias has his own plan though: he wants to stop Evelyn from becoming a murderer and if that means protecting Aaron, then that's what he'll do.

Now this is where the story takes an unexpected turn as I was fully prepared to hate Aaron but peeling back the layers of his story broke my heart.  One tragic event changed the course of his life - he didn't plan to kill Joshua unlike Evelyn plans to kill Aaron.  The character of Aaron is so beautifully portrayed and I found his story incredibly poignant and emotional.  I will never forget him and the lessons his story taught me.

There appears to be no limit to Jack Jordan's talent and imagination so prepare for a long night of reading when you pick up Redemption as you won't be able to put it down.  Set out in sections representing the stages of grief, Redemption is an absolute masterpiece.  Once again, Jack Jordan scoops all the stars for his unmissable new book.

Unmissable, unputdownable and unforgettable - do not miss Redemption: one of the most eagerly anticipated books of the year and one that will not disappoint.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

Uk.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

Jack Jordan is the global bestselling author of Anything for Her, My Girl, A Woman Scorned, Before Her Eyes, and Night by Night and an Amazon No.1 bestseller in the UK, Canada, and Australia. After selling at auction in the UK and numerous foreign territories, Do No Harm is set to be the thriller of the summer in 2022. The idea for Do No Harm came to Jack after undergoing a minor medical procedure where he had to be sedated and trust strangers with his welfare. After the anaesthesia wore off, Jack began scribbling his notes, wondering to himself just how iron-clad a surgeon’s oath is, and what it would take to break it…

Follow Jack on social media:

Twitter: @JackJordanBooks

Instagram: @jackjordan_author

Facebook: @JackJordanOfficial

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Redemption - Jack Jordan

Aaron Alexander has just been released from jail after serving eleven years for causing the death of Joshua Moore in a hit-and-run. Now a free man, all he wants to do is stay on the straight and narrow and leave his troubled past behind him.

But for Joshua’s mother Evelyn, eleven years in jail isn’t nearly enough. Consumed by grief and rage, she has been waiting for Aaron’s release, counting down the days until she can exact the revenge he deserves. And now that time has come.

But as Evelyn and her husband Tobias embark on a road trip to track Aaron down, they find themselves caught on two different sides of a gripping game of cat-and-mouse. Because Tobias knows what Evelyn is planning, and he will do anything to save her from herself.

Even if it means protecting the man who killed their son.

Locked in a collision course set in motion eleven years ago, Aaron, Evelyn and Tobias are about to find out whether the road they have chosen leads to redemption . . . or to retribution.

 

What did I think?

You'll always find me at the front of the queue when a new Jack Jordan book is released and I had very high expectations when I picked up Redemption.  Not only was I not disappointed, Jack Jordan saw my expectations and raised them to a whole new level.  WOW!  

Jack Jordan isn't called the Master of the Moral Dilemma for no reason and whilst there is an absolute belter of a moral dilemma in Redemption, there's also a thought-provoking twist that reminds us that there are two sides to every story.  But which side will each reader be on?  Team Evelyn or Team Aaron?

No parent would ever want to be in Evelyn and Tobias Moore's position; their beautiful 9-year-old son Joshua went off to camp and never returned after being killed in a hit-and-run.  Justice was served and the man who killed Joshua went to prison...but only for eleven years.  I could totally understand Evelyn's fury - Joshua's life was cruelly stolen and eleven years of prison is simply not enough for his killer to pay.  As soon as the sentence was delivered, Evelyn decided to make Aaron Alexander pay the ultimate price: a life for a life.

I couldn't help but feel sympathy for the Moores; their marriage has been under a considerable strain since Joshua's death as Evelyn single-mindedly planned her revenge.  Tobias has his own plan though: he wants to stop Evelyn from becoming a murderer and if that means protecting Aaron, then that's what he'll do.

Now this is where the story takes an unexpected turn as I was fully prepared to hate Aaron but peeling back the layers of his story broke my heart.  One tragic event changed the course of his life - he didn't plan to kill Joshua unlike Evelyn plans to kill Aaron.  The character of Aaron is so beautifully portrayed and I found his story incredibly poignant and emotional.  I will never forget him and the lessons his story taught me.

There appears to be no limit to Jack Jordan's talent and imagination so prepare for a long night of reading when you pick up Redemption as you won't be able to put it down.  Set out in sections representing the stages of grief, Redemption is an absolute masterpiece.  Once again, Jack Jordan scoops all the stars for his unmissable new book.

Unmissable, unputdownable and unforgettable - do not miss Redemption: one of the most eagerly anticipated books of the year and one that will not disappoint.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

Uk.Bookshop.org

Amazon

The Pact - Sharon Bolton

A golden summer, and six talented friends are looking forward to the brightest of futures - until a daredevil game goes horribly wrong, and a woman and two children are killed.

18-year-old Megan takes the blame, leaving the others free to get on with their lives. In return, they each agree to a 'favour', payable on her release from prison.

Twenty years later Megan is free.

Let the games begin . . . 

What did I think?

What an absolute scorcher!  The Pact is so good I couldn't put it down and I devoured it in two sittings.  This is a great example of when friends become frenemies and I loved every single second of it.

Six friends have the world at their feet until a stupid dare has earthshattering consequences.  I was shocked and appalled as events played out and I couldn't believe that they were all willing to let one of their friends take the blame so they could get on with their lives, pretending nothing ever happened.  It really made my blood boil.  Megan has the foresight to get them all to sign a pact so she gets a favour from each of them when she is released from prison, but 20 years inside gives Megan plenty of time to think... and the others to forget.

The Pact has everything you want in a great thriller: revenge, secrets, unlikeable characters and a fast-paced twisty plot.  The plotting is stunning, the writing is flawless and the whole package is breathtaking.  It's one of those Pringles-type novels - once you open it you can't stop reading it, so make sure you block out a good chunk of time and find a comfortable seat when you pick up a copy of The Pact.

Sizzling with suspense and tension, The Pact is an outstanding thriller.  It's dark, twisty and completely compelling, I wholeheartedly recommend it.

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: A Sky Full of Stars - Dani Atkins

 

He'd have done everything differently if he'd known she'd be gone so soon...

When Lisa married Alex, she gave his life meaning. She was a professional astronomer: a stargazer. And when she gazed at Alex, she saw that behind his tough exterior was a man she could love.

Alex, Lisa and their young son Connor made a happy little universe. But when Lisa dies suddenly, their universe is destroyed. Alex is shattered by loss, and overwhelmed by the difficulties of being a single father to a six-year-old boy.

Then Alex meets four strangers. Two men and two women, who never met Lisa, but whose lives changed profoundly because she died. As Alex hears their stories, he begins to realise the world may not be as cruel and senseless as it seems. Perhaps, after all, the future is written in the stars...

What did I think?

Oh my goodness, this beautiful book should have waterproof pages as I blubbed all the way through it.  As I have previously read and loved one of Dani Atkins' books, I have to admit that I picked this book up without reading the synopsis as I just knew I'd love it...and I wasn't wrong!

So with the story being a complete mystery to me, I was hit with the massive shock of Lisa dying (this isn't a spoiler, it's in the blurb) and my emotions were really put through the wringer as I was powerless to prevent my tears from falling just a few chapters in...and they didn't stop until well after I'd turned the final page!  

I don't want to accidentally reveal any of the wonderful story so I'm going to keep my review purposefully brief, other than to say that the writing is stunning and the beautifully drawn characters really touched my heart.  I've made no secret of the fact that I cried throughout this book but it's not all tears of sadness, it's just so emotional and poignant.  That's why I chose to read the book based solely on it being a Dani Atkins novel as she's such a talented author and her books are completely unforgettable.

Hauntingly beautiful and incredibly emotional, it's all the stars for A Sky Full of Stars although it definitely deserves more than 5 stars.  I really can't recommend it highly enough but make sure you have your tissues handy when you read it.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon

iBooks

Bookshop.org

Waterstones

About the author:

Dani Atkins is an award-winning novelist. Her 2013 debut FRACTURED (published as THEN AND ALWAYS in North America) has been translated into seventeen languages and has sold more than half a million copies since first publication in the UK.

Dani is the author of five other bestselling novels (THE STORY OF US, OUR SONG, THIS LOVE, WHILE I WAS SLEEPING and A MILLION A DREAMS) and PERFECT STRANGERS, a standalone eBook novella. In 2018, THIS LOVE won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award at the RNA awards in London.

Dani lives in a small village in Hertfordshire with her husband, one Siamese cat and a very soppy Border Collie.

Follow Dani:

Twitter: @AtkinsDani

Facebook: www.facebook.com/daniatkinsauthor

Follow Aria:

Twitter: @Aria_Fiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Website: www.headofzeus.com

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BLOG TOUR: Mother - Laura Jarratt

 

Two Girls. One Chance.

When Lizzie's car crashes with her two daughters inside, she faces a terrible choice. And when she recovers from her injuries, she has to deal with the impact of that tragedy as well as the police investigation into it.

As Lizzie and her family struggle to come to terms with the events of that night, things take an even darker turn. Just what did happen on that remote country road? Who is responsible? And can the family get through this together...Or will the truth finally tear them apart?

A stunning, deeply emotional and beautifully realised cross between SOPHIE'S CHOICE and DAUGHTER.

What did I think?

Once I picked up Mother I couldn't put it down!  I was caught in its vice-like grip from the start and was only released (one numb bum later) when I turned the final page.  It is so compelling that you can't help but be drawn into the story and be affected by the disturbing events within.  My heart went out to every single character in the book and I wouldn't want to trade places with any of them.

Lizzie is faced with an unenviable dilemma when her car plunges into a lake with her two children in the backseat; she only has time to save one of her daughters.  We don't know which one she chose for a few chapters but you can't help wondering which one it is.  Dealing with both grief and guilt, Lizzie has a mountain of a recovery to climb and although she can't remember all of the details about the accident, something just doesn't add up.  The police seem to be blinkered in their investigation so Lizzie and her husband, Dan rack their brains to see who might want to take revenge on them.  As they are both barristers, they could have a long list!

There is so much to discover in this amazing book: which daughter survived, why Lizzie picked her and what really happened that night, to name but a few.  I devoured every single page as if I'd been starved of books and felt so many emotions as the story unfolded.  I was devastated, not just at the grief experienced from the death of a child but at the guilt each character felt: Dan thinks it wouldn't have happened if he had been there, Lizzie feels responsible for selecting a child to survive and one of her daughters has survivor's guilt.

Incredibly thought-provoking, completely devastating but terribly compelling, Mother really got under my skin as I lived and breathed with the characters.  This would be an amazing book for book groups as you can't help wondering what you would have done in the same terrible circumstances.  A wonderful book to remind you that time is so precious and to be grateful for every second you spend with your loved ones.

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: The Chalet - Catherine Cooper

 

Four friends. One luxury getaway. The perfect murder.

French Alps, 1998

Two young men ski into a blizzard… but only one returns.

20 years later

Four people connected to the missing man find themselves in that same resort. Each has a secret. Two may have blood on their hands. One is a killer-in-waiting.

Someone knows what really happened that day.

And somebody will pay.

What did I think?

I saw a lot of excitement on Twitter about Catherine Cooper's thriller debut, The Chalet, and having read it at breakneck speed I can confirm that the hype was right.  Set in a ski resort in the French Alps with a dual timeline, I was as riveted by the story of the skiing accident in 1998 as I was by the relationships of the two couples inhabiting a luxury chalet 20 years later.  

With more hooks than a fisherman's tackle box, The Chalet grabbed me in its chilly vice-like grip from the very start and I simply couldn't put it down, devouring every single word over a period of 24 hours.  There are so many secrets to be revealed in this brilliant thriller and Catherine Cooper's suspenseful writing allows the reader to gradually peel back the layers of every single character until only their true self is displayed.

I've never been skiing nor have I had any desire to, having fallen on ice and broken my coccyx when I was a teenager, but Catherine Cooper's beautiful words paint a picture of the ski resort that is positively breathtaking.  It sounds so picturesque that I found it easy to imagine and I marvelled at the way Catherine Cooper's vivid descriptions can make something as conventional as snow sound both serene and deadly.

I don't really want to talk about the characters for fear of inadvertently spoiling the story but they're all very intriguing and as the blurb says, each has a secret.  It's not just the snow that is chilling in The Chalet as somebody isn't who they seem and there is more about to surface than long buried secrets.

A fast-paced, intensely gripping and wonderfully chilling novel, The Chalet is absolutely brilliant and a definite must read this winter.  So wrap up warm, pour a glass (or cup) of your favourite tipple, and pick up a copy of The Chalet; you will not be disappointed.  A superb read and one I most definitely recommend.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

About the author:

I am a freelance journalist living in the South of France with my husband and two teenage children. We moved from London in 2009 so that the children could grow up bilingual and we could all ski more, and to enjoy a more relaxed pace of life.

I learned to ski on a school trip when I was 14 and have loved it ever since.

I'm an avid thriller reader and have been since I discovered Agatha Christie as a child.

The Chalet is my first published full-length novel, though I have also written several (unpublished) thrillers for teens and a (what used to be called) chick lit novel set in TV production.

Other than skiing and reading I love travel, rollercoaster, and I spend far too much time on social media. Some of my other favourite things include Alan Partridge, sparkly flip flops and salt and vinegar crisps.

You can follow me on Twitter @catherinecooper, Instagram @catherinecooperjournalist or Facebook @catherinecooperauthor

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BLOG TOUR: Where the Edge Is - Gráinne Murphy

 

As a sleepy town in rural Ireland starts to wake, a road subsides,trapping an early-morning bus and five passengers inside.  Rescue teams struggle and as two are eventually saved, the bus falls deeper into the hole.

Under the watchful eyes of the media, the lives of three people are teetering on the edge. And for those on the outside, from Nina, the reporter covering the story, to rescue liaison, Tim, and Richie, the driver pulled from the wreckage, each are made to look at themselves under the glare of the spotlight.

When their world crumbles beneath their feet, they are forced to choose between what they cling to and what they must let go of.

What did I think?

I have to start by saying that Where the Edge Is is so beautifully written that I was surprised to find that it is Gráinne Murphy's debut novel.  The emotive writing really drew me into the story and brought the characters' feelings to life.  I found it a very easy book to read and even though it wasn't as tense and gripping as I perhaps expected, it certainly held my interest.

Although the bus accident happens at the start of the book, Gráinne Murphy focuses on the characters around the scene rather than the people inside the bus.  This might come as a surprise to readers who are expecting a survival story of characters whose lives are passing before their eyes as the bus plunges deeper into the earth.  It is a survival story in a way as two of the main characters, Nina and Tim, find a way to live each day after a devastating event tore them apart.

Nina is the reporter on the scene and Tim is the firefighter liaison; they used to be married so it's difficult for them to be in such close quarters, especially when it opens up old wounds.  I found Nina and Tim's story extremely heartbreaking but I loved how Gráinne Murphy showed things both from a male and female perspective.  I don't really want to say what happened to them as it's a bit of a spoiler but I've never considered how hard it must be for a man to take a back seat and hover on the periphery in certain situations.

When two survivors are pulled out of the bus, people are more suspicious than joyous as one of them is Muslim.  I loved the character of Alina; it felt like she wasn't Muslim enough for her family and not Irish enough for everyone else.  Her husband really annoyed me though, especially when he kept trying to speak for her and if I thought he was annoying, his mother was even more so.  I was so mad that Alina's faith made people suspicious of the other survivor, bus driver Richie, and he was hailed as a hero by some people but vilified by others.

Gráinne Murphy really knows how people tick and Where the Edge Is completely captures the many foibles of human nature; it's a very character driven story and the bus crash kind of lingers in the background as the main story plays out on the page.  Thought-provoking and emotive in a way I didn't expect, Where the Edge Is is a superb debut from a very talented new writer.  

 

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

About the author:

Gráinne grew up in rural west Cork, Ireland. At university she studied Applied Psychology and forensic research. In 2011 she moved with her family to Brussels for 5 years. She has now returned to West Cork, working as a self-employed language editor specialising in human rights and environmental issues.

Twitter: @GraMurphy

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My One True North - Milly Johnson

Laurie and Pete should never have met.

But fate has pushed them together for a reason.

Six months ago, on the same night, Laurie and Pete both lost their partners.

Struggling to manage the grief, they join the same counselling group – and meet each other.

From their sadness, Pete and Laurie find happiness growing and they sense a fresh new beginning. 

Except, the more they talk, the more they begin to spot the strange parallels in their stories.

Then Pete discovers a truth that changes everything.

But, as surely as a compass points north, some people cannot be kept apart.

My One True North is a story of friendship and what love means, of secrets uncovered, teashops on corners and the northern lights.

What did I think?

I'm finding it very hard to believe that this is my first Milly Johnson book, but according to my records it does seem to be.  Although I may have arrived late at the Milly Johnson party, I have certainly made a grand entrance arriving with My One True North.  What an amazing, emotional and heartwarming book this is; I have never laughed and cried so much with one book, it should come with a pack of tissues attached.  I feel like I hopped aboard the crying train when I picked up My One True North, travelling through tears of sadness, pain of heartbreak, despair of misunderstandings and peals of laughter.  

What I loved most about Milly Johnson's writing is how she takes a serious subject such as grief and spins it on its head, without belittling the subject at all; from being lost in the sea of despair to soaring hope from seeing a lifeboat appearing on the horizon.  After they both lose their partners, Laurie and Pete meet at a lovely little counselling group in a teashop.  Over tea and the most amazing sounding cakes (I was actually drooling over the butterscotch cake), the newcomers are drawn to each other and find that talking to each other and learning to laugh again is the best therapy.  

I'm trying to say very little about the plot which had me gasping in shock one minute and snorting with laughter the next, so I'll just say a little bit about the two main characters who are both grieving after the sudden loss of their partners.  Pete is a firefighter and I loved reading about his work, especially rescuing local bad boy, Juice, from his various hilarious scrapes.   Laurie is a solicitor who has most of her time taken up with lawsuits against hysterically funny errors printed in the local paper.  Honestly, the newspaper excerpts had me in kinks; I was giggling and chuckling for ages after reading each one. 

My One True North is such an emotional rollercoaster; it's laugh out loud funny, heartachingly poignant and completely perfect.  I guess I could describe this book very much like life: filled with love, laughter, joy and sadness.  Who would have thought a novel predominantly about grief would have provoked so many emotions?  Like the sun coming out on a rainy day, I went from barely able to contain my tears as blow after blow struck my heart to grinning through my tears as my heart burst with hope and joy.  

An absolutely gorgeous story of love, loss and laughter with a twist of fate.  Who needs antidepressants when you've got Milly Johnson?  My One True North is guaranteed to make you smile and what a wonderful gift for Milly Johnson to give her readers.  A definite 5 stars and I can't recommend it highly enough, so much so that I plan to read it again and again to reexperience the magic!  

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

BLOG BLITZ: Dying To Tell - Keri Beevis

As the only survivor of a horrific car crash, Lila Amberson believes she is on the road to recovery after she is released from the hospital. Her memories of the accident are blurred though and a series of unsettling incidents leave her fearing for her safety. Does she have survivor's guilt or is something more sinister at play?

Jack Foley is reeling from the shock of losing his sister in the crash and when he first meets Lila, he lashes out, blaming her for Stephanie's death. But when Lila gives him a locket that she believes belonged to his sister, it presents more questions than answers.

As Lila and Jack work together to find out what really happened on the night of the accident, they are unaware that someone is watching them closely. Someone who has much to lose if the truth comes out, and someone who is prepared to do everything necessary to ensure all loose ends are taken care of.


What did I think?

Woah!  My creep-o-meter went into total overdrive whilst reading Dying To Tell by Keri Beevis.  There are one or two characters who literally made my skin crawl and it's not that they were particularly unpleasant, but rather that they seemed to have a touch of menace and deeply buried secrets about them.  To get this feeling from an author's writing is one of the magical things I love about reading!  Keri Beevis has written a number of books but this is the first one I have read; it definitely won't be my last!

Lila is a brilliant character with an intriguing story.  We've all been on bad dates but Lila's must be the worst when she is involved in a fatal two car collision.  Lila can't remember exactly what happened in the crash but she is drawn to the funeral of the driver of the other car, Stephanie.  Sparks fly when she meets Stephanie's half-brother, Jack; sparks of anger at first but most definitely sparks of electricity as the pair are helplessly attracted to each other.  I loved this part of the story as Lila is very vulnerable and opens her heart to Jack but suffers the same insecurities as we all do in a new relationship.

There's definitely more to the crash than meets the eye and I thought I had it all worked out but I was only a teeny tiny bit right.  Bravo Keri Beevis!  I gave Keri a virtual standing ovation when I was proved mostly-wrong and my eyes raced ahead of my brain in an attempt to devour every word on the page at record speed.

Reading Dying To Tell has definitely piqued my interest in other books written by Keri Beevis.  Whereas Dying To Tell is set in Norwich, her previous books are set in America but judging by the 5 star reviews they are just as brilliant.  Keri Beevis is a new author to add to my favourites list and Dying To Tell is a book I'll be raving about for quite some time.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




About the author:

Keri Beevis wrote her first novel at age twenty, but it was a further twenty years before she was published after entering the Rethink Press New Novels Competition 2012. Her entry, Dead Letter Day, was a winner, earning her a publishing contract, and the book proved to be a minor hit, leading to a sequel, Dead Write. However it was Keri's third novel, standalone mystery thriller The Darkness Beneath that gained her the most success, along with many new fans, both in the UK and the USA.

Born in the village of Old Catton, less than a mile from where Anna Sewell was living when she wrote Black Beauty, Keri had a passion for reading and writing from a young age, though her tastes veered more to the macabre. 

Today she still lives in Norwich, along with her two naughty kitties, Ellie and Lola, and a plentiful supply of red wine (her writing fuel), where she writes a comedic lifestyle column for a local magazine. She loves Hitchcock movies, exploring creepy places, and gets extremely competitive in local pub quizzes. She is also a self-confessed klutz.

Keri’s previous books have all been US based and she is looking forward to the release of her first UK based novel, which is set in her beautiful home county of Norfolk.

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BLOG BLITZ: One Perfect Witness - Pat Young

On a remote Scottish hillside, three paths meet. On each path, a boy, one carrying a gun.

When their paths cross, a shot is fired and a boy dies.

That leaves two - one killer and one perfect witness.

This killer will stop at nothing to make sure the witness says nothing. Difficult for most people, even for someone who's been guarding a secret of his own for five years.

What if the witness decides he's been silent too long? Sometimes even the unspeakable must be spoken, if we can find the words.

What did I think?

Pat Young is such a talented writer and I am pleased to say that I have read all three of her excellent books.  One Perfect Witness is her latest book and I have to say that it completely tugged on my heartstrings, often bringing tears to my eyes, as Charlie struggled to be noticed by his parents.

Charlie totally stole the show as the main character and you can't help but take this young lad to your heart.  Now twelve years old, he stopped talking when he was younger and nobody knows why.  He is tired of going unnoticed by his parents and he makes a rash decision to steal his father's gun that will have explosive consequences.  All of this happens in chapter 1 and with such an amazing jaw dropping ending to an opening chapter, I just had to read on.

Sebastien, meanwhile, is going on an adventure.  Swapping sunny Paris for a summer job in wet and windy Scotland, but his mother has a bad feeling about him leaving.  A mother's instinct is never wrong and my heart was breaking for Catherine as she tried to locate her son.  With someone now assuming Sebastien's identity, Catherine's emotions were put through the wringer as she went from worrying about her son's safety to elation that he was safe but too busy to call her.

Unfortunately, Charlie and Sebastien's paths were destined to cross, albeit briefly, which will change both of their lives forever.  Can Charlie ever speak the words that will take Sebastien home?

With an absolutely killer first chapter, One Perfect Witness hooked me from the start.  I was willing Charlie to find the strength to speak and put an end to the campaign of terror he was being subjected to.  There was a strong sense of family running through the story and I couldn't help but compare Charlie and Sebastien.  The love that Sebastien's family had for him was plain for all to see but Charlie felt like he was invisible and that absolutely broke my heart.

One Perfect Witness is another unforgettable book by Pat Young; it's a book that will simultaneously get your heart racing and breaking with the fast paced dysfunctional family storyline.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



About the author:

Pat Young grew up in the south west of Scotland where she still lives, sometimes. She often goes to the other extreme, the south west of France, in search of sunlight.

Pat never expected to be a writer. Then she found a discarded book with a wad of cash tucked in the flyleaf. ‘What if something awful happened to the person who lost this book?’ she thought, and she was off.

Pat knew nothing of writing, but she knew a thing or two about books, having studied English, French and German at Glasgow University. A passion for languages led to a career she loved and then a successful part-time business that allowed her some free-time, at last.

Pat had plans, none of which included sitting at her desk from daybreak till dusk. But some days she has to. Because there’s a story to be told. And when it’s done, she can go out to play. On zip-wires and abseil ropes, or just the tennis court.

Pat writes psychological thrillers. Her debut novel Till the Dust Settles, has been awarded the Scottish Association of Writers’ Constable Stag trophy. Following publication in July

2017 Pat was delighted to be chosen as an ‘emerging talent’ for Crime in the Spotlight and read from Till the Dust Settles to an audience at Bloody Scotland – another dream come true.

Published by Bloodhound Books, I Know Where You Live is the much-anticipated sequel to Pat’s gripping and unmissable debut thriller, Till the Dust Settles. It too is a psychological thriller with a skilfully told story that makes for an enjoyable stand alone read. It will hook you from the start.

One Perfect Witness, Pat’s third novel to be published, tells a completely new story. If, like Pat, you’re fascinated by what happens when someone disappears, you’ll enjoy this book of secrets, lies and deception.

Links:

Twitter: @py321_young 

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