The Women Are Not Fine: The Dark History of a Poisonous Sisterhood - Hope Reese

Abusive husbands. Desperate women. Poisonous solutions.

At the turn of the 20th century, the women of Nagyrév, Hungary, were in trouble. Their stories were hauntingly similar: husbands who drank, who beat them, who made their lives unbearable.

The village midwife - their confidante - offered an answer: arsenic. Soon, women began slipping poison into their husbands' brandy, porridge, and stews. Over the next twenty years, the quiet village became the epicentre of one of the deadliest series of poisonings in modern history.

In The Women Are Not Fine, journalist Hope Reese pieces together archival newspapers, court documents, police records and more to uncover the truth behind this extraordinary case. Her findings serve as a stark warning: when women are pushed to the brink, the consequences can reverberate through history.

What did I think?

The Women Are Not Fine is the true story of a number of women from a small village in Hungary who fought back in the deadliest way.   I had never heard of this famous case, a case I'm sure the patriarchy don't want us to know about in case we get ideas, so it was a complete eye-opener for me.

Hope Reese gathers all of the evidence in one concise and informative account of what really happened.  It is very well written and easy to follow, despite a lot of the names being very similar, as each woman's story is the same: in fear for their lives, they must either kill or be killed. 

Whilst the abusive husbands are naturally painted in a bad light, there are heartbreaking reasons for their actions and unfortunately history never seems to learn from this.  It's interesting that the village midwife is at the heart of the scandal and if it was an earlier period of history she would have been branded as a witch.  Whether she was a witch or a saviour, the relief for the abused women was short-lived as the consequences of their actions catch up with them.

I loved poring over the documents and photographs that are included in the book; it really brings the true story to life and reminds us that these were real women and these poisonings actually happened.  I'm so pleased that Hope Reese has written the book as it's a story that shouldn't be forgotten and I only wish that we could learn from our mistakes when it comes to mental health and domestic abuse.

Fascinating, informative and poignant, The Women Are Not Fine is a moving and thought-provoking account of the Angel Makers of Nagyrév.  Are they criminals or victims?  Read the book and decide for yourself.

I received a gifted paperback from the author and publisher and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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 Last Thing to Burn - Will Dean

 

He is her husband. She is his captive.

Her husband calls her Jane. That is not her name.

She lives in a small farm cottage, surrounded by vast, open fields. Everywhere she looks, there is space. But she is trapped. No one knows how she got to the UK: no one knows she is there. Visitors rarely come to the farm; if they do, she is never seen.

Her husband records her every movement during the day. If he doesn't like what he sees, she is punished.

For a long time, escape seemed impossible. But now, something has changed. She has a reason to live and a reason to fight. Now, she is watching him, and waiting ...

What did I think?

I've heard nothing but good things about Will Dean books, namely the Tuva Moodyson series, so when I saw that his new book was a standalone thriller I decided that the time was right to see what all the fuss was about.  The Last Thing to Burn is a hard-hitting book dealing with human trafficking so it's not easy to read at times but oh my word, it's absolutely brilliant.

Will Dean really manages to portray Thanh Dao's every emotion as we read about her being held captive by farmer Lenn.  I refuse to call her Jane as that isn't her name, which Thanh Dao keeps reminding us.  Thanh Dao holds on tightly to her identity through her meagre possessions that Lenn burns one by one in the Rayburn stove every time he perceives that she has stepped out of line.  Lenn watches Thanh Dao's every move through video cameras set up in the house so she really can't do anything without Lenn seeing.

Thanh Dao and her sister Kim-Ly were brought to the UK from Vietnam in a shipping container but their dreams of a better life were shattered when Thanh Dao was sold to Lenn.  Kim-Ly is working in a nail bar in Manchester to pay back the cost of their passage and Thanh Dao is warned that if she tries to escape, Kim-Ly will be sent back to Vietnam with the full debt to repay.  What a predicament to be in; Thanh Dao is desperate to be free of Lenn but her love for her sister is the only thing that keeps her going.

Thanh Dao has to clean, cook and lie back and think of Vietnam so it felt like I had stepped back into a different century; back to a time when a woman's place was in the kitchen.  Lenn is an absolutely odious man, treating Thanh Dao like a slave which of course is what she is.  Some of the things he does and says had my mouth gaping in shock and horror, he really is very selfish and doesn't have a caring bone in his body.  No wonder he had to buy a 'wife'.  There's certainly no fear of Thanh Dao suffering from Stockholm Syndrome!

As Thanh Dao's hatred for Lenn intensifies, and circumstances change, she becomes braver and starts planning her escape.  The tension is ramped up to fever pitch and I thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest; it felt like there was a string on a fret board being tightened and tightened until it reached breaking point.  Even my reading pace increased as if any extra seconds I could give Thanh Dao would help.  As I raced towards the conclusion, I was totally floored by another twist in the tale - to say I gasped out loud is an understatement.

The Last Thing to Burn is a heart-pounding thriller that is as taut as a bowstring.  Filled with tension and suspense, this is a dark and disturbing novel that is difficult to put down because Thanh Dao's story completely draws you in.  It's horrific and shocking but incredibly powerful, evoking so many emotions in me (especially negative emotions towards Lenn, admittedly).  Human trafficking is a difficult subject to read about but full marks to Will Dean for drawing attention to the plight of so many women who leave their home country in search of a better life, only to find themselves enslaved.

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

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: One White Lie - Leah Konen

Imagine you've finally escaped the worst relationship of your life with only a black eye.

Imagine your new next-door neighbours are the friends you so desperately needed.

Imagine they're in trouble. That someone is threatening their livelihoods - and even their lives.

Imagine your ex is coming for you.

If you just needed to tell one small lie to make all these problems disappear, you'd do it . . . wouldn't you?

It's only one small lie, until someone turns up dead . . .

What did I think?

I thought One White Lie was going to be a slow burning psychological thriller at first but when I finished the first quarter of the book I just couldn't put it down.  This superb thriller from Leah Konen is like a river through a canyon, twisting and turning as it takes the reader in completely unexpected directions. 

I was drawn into Lucy's story immediately as she escapes an abusive relationship with a black eye and her dog, Dusty.  Giving the impression that she is off to Seattle, she leaves Brooklyn and heads upstate to Woodstock to start her new life.  Lucy is befriended by her new neighbours, John and Vera, but with vicious rumours circulating about John's fidelity their marriage may not be as happy as it seems.  The couple have a plan to escape it all and Lucy doesn't hesitate to offer her assistance but even the best laid plans often go awry.

As Lucy shares some of the stories of the abuse that was inflicted by her partner Davis, you realise just how cunning (and crazy) some people are.  Davis seems to be the master of mind games as he did little things to pay Lucy back for insignificant insults.  Lucy didn't even realise he was doing it at first as his acts of revenge could be explained as accidents but her black eye is no accident.

John and Vera's relationship was interesting to read; I really couldn't decide whether I believed the rumours or not.  Their plan seemed very drastic and not exactly the actions of an innocent party but they must have been under quite a lot of stress when the community shunned them.  They certainly seemed to look for the answer to their problem at the bottom of several bottles of wine!

I really enjoyed One White Lie, it's gripping, addictive and very twisty.  The plot is perfectly crafted and I didn't work any of it out which meant I was surprised at every twist and turn.  One White Lie is an excellent psychological thriller and one I highly recommend.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: Idle Hands - Cassondra Windwalker

You can call me Ella. You generally assign me a whole host of other preposterous monikers. I think the least imaginative name I’ve heard is “the devil”, but I’ll answer to it if I must. 

After making the courageous decision to leave her abusive husband, Perdie and her three young children start over and finally find the safety and love they deserve. But years later, when tragedy strikes, Perdie is left wondering if the choice she made to leave has led them to this moment. 

If she were given the opportunity to take it all back and stay, would she? 

In a frantic bid to protect her family, Perdie makes a deal to do just that. But in a world where the devil pulls the strings, can Perdie really change the past? 

Brimming with enlightened observations and brilliant voice, Idle Hands is a haunting examination of grief, resilience, and what we’d give to spend another moment with the ones we love.

What did I think?

Wow!  A million times WOW!  Idle Hands really has the WOW factor!  I actually exclaimed 'Wow!' out loud at the turning point in the book.  At 215 pages long it may be a small book but it packs a mighty punch and leaves a lasting impression, in fact I'd go so far as to say it's completely unforgettable.

Cassondra Windwalker has created an unforgettable voice in Ella, or the devil as she is more commonly known.  Ella is an observer of Perdie's life, just waiting for the moment to offer Perdie a deal she can't refuse.  Perdie has three children and an abusive husband; before she encounters Ella, she thinks the hardest decision she will ever make is whether or not to leave him.  Matt hasn't laid a hand on the children...yet.

To say any more would spoil the plot but oh my word this book is amazing!  Not only the thoughts that Ella shares with us, which are thought-provoking and eye-opening, but the sliding doors moment which is jaw-droppingly astounding.  You can't help but ask yourself what you would do in the same situation and I'm sure many of us would have done exactly the same as Perdie, especially when caught at just the right moment when your decision making is impaired.

Thought-provoking beyond measure, Idle Hands is the most unforgettable book I have ever read.  It's jaw-droppingly brilliant, completely unique and a masterclass in ingenuity.  A tour de force from Cassondra Windwalker that's not only highly recommended, but an absolute must read.

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

My rating:

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About the author:

Cassondra Windwalker grew up on plains and longed for mountains. Today she lives by the frozen sea. She earned a BA of Letters at the University of Oklahoma and pursued careers in bookselling and law enforcement before resigning her post to write full time. 

A poet, essayist, and novelist, her short-form work has appeared in numerous literary journals and art books. Her full-length books of poetry and prose are available in bookstores and online. She welcomes conversations with readers through her social media platforms and in the occasional coffee shop.

Follow Cassondra on Social Media:
Twitter: @WindwalkerWrite
Instagram: @CassondraWindwalker




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BLOG TOUR: His Wife's Secret: WHY IS SHE PUNISHING ME? - Susan Willis

Today I have a review of His Wife's Secret by Susan Willis for the Rachel's Random Resources Blog Tour.  There's a wonderful book trailer video that summarises the book perfectly and also shows our Angel of the North as part of the book is set under the shadow of the angel's wings in Gateshead.

Before you read my review, here's a little bit about the book:

When David meets old school-friend, Erin again he falls head over heels in love. He leaves his wife and their sixteen-year-old daughter to marry Erin. But, in a small village people have long memories and they move south for a fresh beginning. Erin’s behaviour starts to change in a very strange way and David wonders if she is punishing him for something he’s done?

What did I think?

Being a local author, Susan Willis has been on my radar for a while but Her Wife's Secret is the first of her books that I have read.  I love that this one is set in Kibblesworth, a little village near the Angel of the North.  It always thrills me to read places I know well in books and it encourages me to revisit them, especially as The Ravensworth Arms (mentioned in the book) is well overdue a visit from me.

I really wasn't sure about David Henderson at first; how he went from being a loving family man to having his head turned by flame-haired temptress, Erin.  Although his now ex-wife, Beth, seemed to forgive him, I was with his daughter, Sally, on this one and would have shunned Erin too.  Erin even encourages him to apply for a job in London which took him even further away from his daughter; Erin definitely wears the trousers in this relationship!

Unfortunately for David, London isn't the perfect new start he dreamed off when Erin discovers her mother's diary during the move and her mood changes dramatically.  David has no idea what is going on with Erin and he can't seem to do anything right.  I have to say that a little part of me thought he deserved it for leaving his family for Erin, as the grass isn't always greener on the other side.  I did start to feel sorry for David as Erin's anger issue exacerbated as nobody deserves to be treated that way.

His Wife's Secret is an interesting little domestic noir book; the fiery storyline keeps the pages turning and certainly offers some food for thought and warning signs to look out for.  

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

My rating:

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About the author:

Susan Willis is a published author of four novels and five novellas. She lives in Co-Durham surrounded by a big family and dear friends. Susan works as a food technologist developing new recipes and weaves the different aspects of her job into stories. 

Her last two novels are psychological suspense. Readers who have left reviews on amazon love the books because they are realistic with everyday people in situations that can happen. 

She has a collection of Fun-Size Tales of Love & Family which are available in Ebook and paperback. 

Susan is now writing Cozy Crime Short Reads and incorporating up to date issues of poor mental health in a kidnap scene, the perils of social media, and an intruder on Skype. Nest year she hopes to publish these stories into a collection.   

Social Media Links – 

https://twitter.com/SusanWillis69

https://www.instagram.com/susansuspenseauthor/

https://www.facebook.com/AUTHORsusanwillis 

https://www.susanwillis.co.uk/ 

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BLOG TOUR: The Sunday Girl - Pip Drysdale

The Girl on the Train meets Before I Go to Sleep in this chilling tale of love gone horribly wrong …

“Some love affairs change you forever. Someone comes into your orbit and swivels you on your axis, like the wind working on a rooftop weather vane. And when they leave, as the wind always does, you are different; you have a new direction. And it’s not always north.”

Any woman who’s ever been involved with a bad, bad man and been dumped will understand what it feels like to be broken, broken-hearted and bent on revenge.

Taylor Bishop is hurt, angry and wants to destroy Angus Hollingsworth in the way he destroyed her: ‘Insidiously. Irreparably. Like a puzzle he’d slowly dissembled … stolen a couple of pieces from, and then discarded, knowing that nobody would ever be able to put it back together ever again.’

So Taylor consults The Art of War and makes a plan. Then she takes the next irrevocable step – one that will change her life forever.

Things start to spiral out of her control – and The Sunday Girl becomes impossible to put down.

What did I think?

There was something about the cover of The Sunday Girl that made me desperate to read it; I think it's the way that parts of the picture are missing so I was intrigued to find the missing pieces and discover the whole story...and what a story it is!  I absolutely loved it; I picked it up one Saturday afternoon and 4 hours later I emerged from behind my book, blinking like a new born kitten as my eyes adjusted to the light.

I love a good revenge story but this is so much more than that; it's very cleverly plotted and the whole story is so finely balanced that it effortlessly swings one way and then the other, making my attempts at second guessing almost redundant.  I couldn't help myself trying to work out all of the what, when, where, how and who but I was enjoying the book so much that I ended up just buckling myself in and enjoying the ride. 

The main characters of Taylor and Angus are portrayed superbly; I couldn't help but detest Angus with every fibre of my being and I rooted for Taylor every step of the way.  Angus has just dumped Taylor but not content with just sticking the knife into her heart, he twists and twists until her already broken heart is shattered.  What Angus doesn't bargain on is Taylor piecing herself back together and transforming into a brand new Taylor; a transformation more akin to Anakin Skywalker becoming Darth Vader than a caterpillar turning into a fragile butterfly, thanks to tactics from Sun Tzu's The Art of War.  War has been declared between Taylor and Angus and there can be only one winner as love and hate collide in this gripping story.

I kept telling myself that I was going to read 'just one more chapter' but there are little ticking time bombs of intrigue placed at the end of many of the chapters, making the book impossible to put down.  With a strong domestic noir feel to the book, I can see why the publishers have said on the cover that this would appeal to fans of The Girl on the Train, however, I think it's even better than The Girl on the Train.  It's so outstanding that I actually had to double-check that it was a debut.

This is definitely a read-in-a-day kind of book, so make The Sunday Girl your Sunday book (I missed that opportunity by reading it on a Saturday).  Make sure you have a few hours spare as you really won't be able to put it down.  Fast-paced, gripping and filled to the brim with intrigue, it's a very accomplished debut and I can't wait to read what Pip Drysdale publishes next.  A highly recommended read and an easy 5 stars from me.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




About the author:

Pip Drysdale is a writer, actor and musician who grew up in Africa and Australia. At 20 she moved to New York to study acting, worked in indie films and off-off Broadway theatre, started writing songs and made four records. After graduating with a BA in English, Pip moved to London where she dated some interesting men and played shows across Europe. The Sunday Girl is her first novel and she is working on a second. She currently lives in Australia.

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BLOG TOUR: Dead Inside - Noelle Holten

‘Kept me hooked … excellent pace and a very satisfying ending’ Angela Marsons

‘An excellent read’ Martina Cole

'A brilliant debut – gritty, dark and chilling. Noelle Holten knows her stuff’ Mel Sherratt

A dark and gripping debut crime novel – the first in a stunning new series – from a huge new talent.

The killer is just getting started…

When three wife beaters are themselves found beaten to death, DC Maggie Jamieson knows she is facing her toughest case yet.

The police suspect that Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood – who is connected to all three victims – is hiding a dark secret. Then a fourth domestic abuser is brutally murdered.

And he is Lucy’s husband.

Now the police are running out of time, but can Maggie really believe her friend Lucy is a cold-blooded killer?

What did I think?

This is the kind of book that would make award winning blogger CrimeBookJunkie say 'holy flaming sh*tballs', however, Noelle won't be reviewing Dead Inside because she wrote it!  That's right, top blogger CrimeBookJunkie has turned into bestselling author Noelle Holten.  I can say bestselling with some degree of proof as Dead Inside was THE top selling book at Newcastle Noir 2019.  Luckily, I grabbed a copy on day one of the festival as I saw the pile rapidly depleting.

I've followed Noelle Holten on social media for quite some time and, having read her amazing book reviews, I knew I was in for a gripping and hugely entertaining story but to be honest, every single thing about Dead Inside exceeded my expectations.  The characters themselves are a who's who of the blogiverse, named after some of the best book bloggers out there, and the plot itself is simply stunning.  

I'm not giving away any of this amazing story, other than to talk a little bit about what is already in the blurb.  It is a story about domestic violence so it is sometimes difficult to read; as a former probation officer, and through her own personal experiences, Noelle has a gritty and no holds barred style of writing which adds to the authenticity of the story.  The domestic abuse gets turned on its head as the beaters become the beaten and, even though it's fiction, it's so realistic that I actually felt a little guilty enjoying the wife-beaters getting their comeuppance.

Dead Inside is a phenomenal debut and I was gripped from start to beyond the end as a little thread of intrigue is left dangling to lead us very nicely into book 2.  Dead Inside is definitely the book to read this year and I'm wishing the year away already as I can't wait for Dead Wrong, the next DC Maggie Jamieson instalment to be released in November 2019.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



About the author:

Noelle Holten is an award-winning blogger at www.crimebookjunkie.co.uk. She is the PR & Social Media Manager for Bookouture, a leading digital publisher in the UK, and a regular reviewer on the Two Crime Writers and a Microphone podcast. Noelle worked as a Senior Probation Officer for eighteen years, covering a variety of cases including those involving serious domestic abuse. She has three Hons BA’s – Philosophy, Sociology (Crime & Deviance) and Community Justice – and a Masters in Criminology. Noelle's hobbies include reading, author-stalking and sharing the booklove via her blog. 

Dead Inside is her debut novel with Killer Reads/Harper Collins UK and the start of a new series featuring DC Maggie Jamieson.

Links:

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

Twitter: (@nholten40) https://twitter.com/nholten40

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18489795.Noelle_Holten

Blog: https://www.crimebookjunkie.co.uk

Instagram: @crimebookjunkie  

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