BLOG TOUR: Let's Make a Scene - Laura Wood

Their story might be scripted, but the chemistry is real...

When Cynthie Taylor gets her first real acting job, starring in a small British movie, she is over the moon. There is only one problem... Cynthie's arrogant and annoyingly handsome co-star Jack hates her, and the feeling is definitely mutual. While they may be at war behind the scenes, their on-screen chemistry is palpable, and the studio sees an opportunity – have the two young stars fake a romance that will charm fans and draw crowds.

Thirteen years later, Cynthie and Jack have successfully kept their promise to stay far away from one another, until a surprising offer comes to make a sequel to the cult classic that launched their careers. But there's a catch: they must also rekindle their pretend relationship...and this time there's a documentary crew following their every move.

Cynthie and Jack both desperately need this film to work, but can two ex-rivals ever really trust each other? And what happens when the roles they're playing start to feel all too real?

 

What did I think?

Oh my goodness, I absolutely LOVED Let's Make a Scene!  Although it is linked to Under Your Spell (that I haven't read yet), it is a completely standalone story and it's one that gets your pulse racing, your breath catching and (in my case) the tears falling.

I applaud Laura Wood for writing a dual timeline and dual point of view novel as it is flawlessly written.  It is told from the points of view of Cythie and Jack who met 13 years ago on the set of Cynthie's first film.  A lot of water has flowed under the bridge since and Cynthie's career took off at lightening speed but as the saying goes: "the higher you climb, the harder you fall" and a scandal sees Cynthie returning back to where it all began.

It is clear that Cynthie and Jack have History (with an intentional capital H) and I couldn't read fast enough to discover what went on 13 years ago that drove this clearly meant-to-be couple apart.  To save Cynthie's career she agrees to a fake relationship with Jack but the line between real and fake is very blurred.  There are so many heartbreaking misunderstandings and guarded feelings as the will they/won't they storyline plays out.

As it's set in the film industry, Laura Wood touches on the #MeToo movement in a sensitive, respectful and powerful way.  Friendship is another strong theme as Cynthie has an amazing friend support network.  The romance is exquisite though and if you thought The Notebook was a tearjerker, be prepared to reach for the tissues when reading Let's Make a Scene! 

Bursting with romance and sizzling with sexual tension, Let's Make a Scene is a compelling page-turner that had me on the edge of my seat as I prayed for a happily ever after for Cynthie and Jack.  You'll just have to read the book to find out whether I got my wish or not.

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

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Slipstream - Madge Maril

“Are you challenging me to win the Grand Prix for your hand, Graywood?”

“If you think winning would be a challenge, I guess not.”

He points at me, a real scowl on his lips. “Put your headphones on and sit where I can find you later, micetta. You’re about to watch the best race of your life.”

 

Lilah never imagined she’d be trading hard-hitting political documentaries for the roar of Formula One engines. Thanks to her boyfriend and co-owner of their film-making business, Max, she’s suddenly thrust into a world she can’t stand.

 

Her hopes sink even lower when she meets Arthur Bianco, an enigmatic reserve driver who flirts his way out of every media crisis. But when Max blindsides her by ending their relationship and stealing the company she built, the last person she expects to help her pick up the pieces is Arthur.

 

Reluctantly, they strike a truce: he’ll help her regain control of her documentary, and in return, she’ll film his epic racing comeback and earn him a spot with his former racing team.

 

The enemy of her enemy is a Formula One driver desperate to break free from his contract. But an unexpected speed bump forces Lilah and Arthur’s partnership to evolve into a fake relationship that feels all too real with sparks flying both on and off the track. Now it seems like her next big story might be more personal than she thought…

 

What did I think?

There are not enough romance books set in the world of Formula One so good on Madge Maril for writing such a fast-paced and pulse-pounding novel filled with action and romance.

Lilah Graywood's neurodiversity means that she prefers to stay hidden behind her camera while she films her subject.  That suits Max, her partner (both business and romantic), just fine as he pushes himself into the limelight as the face of Black & Graywood.  I loved Lilah immediately and at the same time detested Max with a passion.   That dirty rotten snake!

When Max ends their professional and private relationships, Arthur Bianco, the moody and flirty F1 driver who Lilah was filming, decides to keep the cameras rolling on one condition...Lilah is the one behind them.  Take that Max, you sneaky little cheater!  Which coincidentally is something I say when watching F1 in real life!

The romance between Lilah and Arthur starts out as fake in an attempt to release Arthur from his contract but it soon feels pretty real and it doesn't just get hot underneath Arthur's race suit.  There's a bit of steam but nothing cringeworthy and the up close and personal scenes are as well-written as the rest of the book.

Thrilling, entertaining and romantic, buckle up for the ride of your life in Slipstream.  It's a must-read for romance readers who are fans of F1.  I enjoyed every millisecond of it and highly recommend it.

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

My rating:

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Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: Sun Trap - Rachel Wolf

BE CAREFUL

Ellie has wanted to be an actor since she was a child so, when a role in a blockbuster film presents itself, she grabs it.

WHAT YOU

On the plane to Abu Dhabi to begin filming, Ellie overhears something she shouldn't - two people discussing plans for murder.

WISH FOR

Unsure if it's a misunderstanding, and not wanting to ruin her big break, Ellie remains quiet. Then ten members of the cast become nine...

Ellie needs to be careful - it's more than just her career on the line.

Because she isn't who she says she is.

And liars are always the prime suspect.

 

What did I think?

Sun Trap is a very addictive book set in the stifling desert heat of Abu Dhabi, where a movie is being filmed.  With a group of actors as the main characters, you are never sure who is being sincere and who is hiding something and this book is filled with secrets and lies.

Ellie and Phoebe look so much alike that people mistake them for twins, although they are not actually related.  Is it pure chance that the pair meet at an acting class or is something more sinister going on?  That's the hook that kept me riveted throughout the book as I wanted to know why they looked so similar that one could step into the other one's life.

It's like all of Ellie's dreams have come true when Phoebe is too sick to travel to Abu Dhabi for her debut acting role and Phoebe asks Ellie to take her place.  My spidey sense was tingling at this fortuitous coincidence that Ellie happened to be in the right place at the right time.  Although how right that place might be is thrown into doubt when the bodies start piling up...

The shocks and surprises keep on coming as the pages turn as fast as you can read them.  I was completely hooked and incredibly entertained throughout this wild rollercoaster ride of a book. 

Gripping, addictive and surprising, Sun Trap is a page-turning thriller that is well worth a read.  

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

My rating:

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The Dog Sitter Detective Plays Dead - Antony Johnston

Gwinny Tuffel is on location in the misty Yorkshire Dales filming a small part in Draculania, a genderswapped remake of Bram Stoker's classic tale, when life begins to imitate art a little too closely. One of the cast members is found dead inside a locked trailer, with a stake through their heart.

With a prima donna in the starring role, filming is already facing delays, while Gwinny is being run ragged by Lily, the Jack Russell terrier she's looking after for a friend in hospital. Against the backdrop of Hendale Hall with its own vampire legend, a flesh-and-blood killer has struck. Will Gwinny be able to find the murderer before the production or any further victims are cut?

 

What did I think?

The Dog Sitter Detective Plays Dead is book three in the Dog Sitter Detective series but it is the first one I have read and I absolutely loved it.

It's such a refreshing change to have an older protagonist and I loved Gwinny from the start, as well as Lily the Jack Russell who she is looking after for a friend.  Gwinny has returned to work as an actor to make ends meet after taking time out to look after her father but the filming of Draculania is brought to a standstill when one of the actors is murdered in a trailer with a door locked from the inside.

With all of the actors pointing their fingers at each other, the police have quite a job on their hands to find out what happened.  It was really funny to see them all blaming each other and of course the leading lady has to make it all about her.  Luckily, Gwinny has a bit of experience as an amateur detective but the leading lady thinks she can identify the murderer before Gwinny (and the police).

This was such a fun, easy read that I read in two sittings as I couldn't put it down.  I found it really easy to warm to the characters, despite not having read the earlier books.  I really loved how Antony Johnston captured the essence of a little Jack Russell and created the larger than life character of Lily.  If Gwinny hadn't been such a strong, loveable character I think Lily may have stolen the show for me.

The Dog Sitter Detective Plays Dead is a cracking locked room mystery and an absolute must-read for cosy mystery fans.  I don't know how this series had slipped under my radar but it's definitely got a new fan now.

Many thanks to Allison & Busby for sending me a gifted hardback to read and review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Bad Actors - Mark Pepper

Actor and fun, middle-aged psychopath Matt Spiller has finally made it to Hollywood. With a big movie under his belt, his life as a provincial English taxi driver is firmly in the past. As are the drug dealers he was forced to kill.

He’s landed the lead role in a TV series called Veteran Avenue, and he’s got a new girlfriend.

Life is improbably peachy.

Then people start arriving in LA.

His ex-wife is the least of his worries; she just wants to send him on a guilt trip.

His ex-agent, on the other hand, wants a chunk of his new-found wealth, and will use blackmail to get it, while a dogged detective wants to jail him for a spate of unsolved murders.

And when Spiller stumbles upon a secret that could destroy Hollywood, a hell of a lot of people want him dead.

 

What did I think?

I've thoroughly enjoyed all of Mark Pepper's novels and it feels like they were all leading up to the pinnacle of Bad Actors.  You can of course read Bad Actors as a standalone but you won't pick up the references to all of Mark Pepper's previous books and I absolutely loved how they were all woven into the fantastic plot.

It's the second book featuring Matt Spiller who we met in Man Down and the former British taxi driver is living it up in LA after starring in a major movie and then securing the lead role in a TV series.  Everything is going great but this is Matt Spiller we're talking about and when it goes wrong, it goes spectacularly wrong.

I really don't want to give away any of the plot so I'm saying no more about it but believe me when I say that this is a book you don't want to miss.  The whole book is outstanding from the amazing cover to the explosive plot and the characters that are so razor-sharp you need to wear gloves when reading about them.

Blisteringly fast-paced and incredibly gripping, if Bad Actors was any grittier it would be a tonne of grit.  Without doubt, it's all of the stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Bad Actors so it's an easy five stars from me.  One of the streaming services or a film producer seriously needs to pick up this book right now!  I don't often shout but I'm shouting now: DON'T MISS THIS BOOK!!!

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

My rating:

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Great Circle - Maggie Shipstead

 

I WAS BORN TO BE A WANDERER

From the night she is rescued as a baby out of the flames of a sinking ship; to the day she joins a pair of daredevil pilots looping and diving over the rugged forests of her childhood, to the thrill of flying Spitfires during the war, the life of Marian Graves has always been marked by a lust for freedom and danger.

In 1950, she embarks on the great circle flight, circumnavigating the globe. It is Marian's life dream and her final journey, before she disappears without a trace.

Half a century later, Hadley Baxter, a brilliant, troubled Hollywood starlet is irresistibly drawn to play Marian Graves, a role that will lead her to probe the deepest mysteries of the vanished pilot's life.

An enthralling journey over oceans and continents and a drama of exhilarating power, GREAT CIRCLE is perfect for book clubs and fans of William Boyd and Donna Tartt.

What did I think?

I had to stop and gather my thoughts before writing my review of Great Circle as it's quite a chunky book with a lot to take in.  It's quite dry in places, as historical fiction often is, but I think it is well worth persevering with if you find you're struggling.  With a wonderful map in the opening pages, this is the story of female pilot Marian Graves and her mysterious disappearance which later becomes the subject of a Hollywood movie.

Although it did manage to hold my interest throughout, the book has its peaks and troughs.  The beginning is breathtaking as we are introduced to Marian and her twin brother Jamie in incredibly difficult circumstances which sees them cruelly separated from their parents.  I enjoyed watching the twins growing up, or dragging themselves up as their uncle doesn't put himself out for them.  Marian and Jamie are perfect opposites: Marian is an adventurer and risk taker whilst Jamie is artistic and compassionate.

Hadley is the actress who has landed the role of Marian in a film and to be honest I found Hadley to be selfish and shallow, however, I think these characteristics could apply to many in the film industry as it's such a cutthroat business.  I never really warmed to Hadley despite seeing the seedier side of movie making and what she is forced to do to get a starring role.  It all felt rather flat and I didn't look forward to Hadley's chapters at all.  Talking of Hadley's chapters, hers are numbered whereas Marian's are not and I found that having several chapters between numbered chapters really interrupted my reading rhythm.  I am very particular about numbers so this was probably only annoying to me.

Marian's compulsion to fly is beautifully portrayed.  Needing to fly higher, faster and farther is a complete addiction for her; like an alcoholic needing just one more drink, Marian will never be able to slake her thirst for flying.  I don't think she was looking for fame, she really was born to be a wanderer.  Jamie's story is beautifully written too; he is definitely my favourite character and I experienced a wealth of emotions as his story played out.

Whilst Hadley brings authenticity to Marian's story, Marian is a fictional character but there are some real life heroines mentioned in the book.  I didn't realise that there were so many women pilots during WW2 as I raced off to google Jackie Cochran.  I love books that lead me to discover fascinating facts and I can't believe that I hadn't heard of Jacqueline Cochran before.

I could write so much more about the book as there is a lot covered but it's well worth discovering these elements for yourself.  Filled with adventure, Great Circle is an epic historical fiction novel spanning both decades and the globe.  I'm really glad that I read it.  

I received a gifted copy as part of a Tandem Collective Readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: How Love Actually Ruined Christmas (or Colourful Narcotics) - Gary Raymond

RARELY HAS THE POWER OF CINEMA BEEN FELT BY SO MANY, IN SUCH OPPOSING WAYS... 

"Love Actually dulls the critical senses, making those susceptible to its hallucinogenic powers think they've seen a funny, warm-hearted, romantic film about the many complex manifestations of love. Colourful Narcotics. A perfect description of a bafflingly popular film." 

By any reasonable measurement, Love Actually is a bad movie. There are plenty of bad movies out there, but what gets under Gary Raymond's skin here is that it seems to have tricked so many people into thinking it's a good movie. In this hilarious, scene-by-scene analysis of the Christmas monolith that is Love Actually, Gary Raymond takes us through a suffocating quagmire of badly drawn characters, nonsensical plotlines, and open bigotry, to a climax of ill-conceived schmaltz. 

How Love Actually Ruined Christmas (or Colourful Narcotics) is the definitive case against a terrible movie. With a foreword by Lisa Smithstead.

What did I think?

Having watched Love Actually many years ago and being completely underwhelmed, I was very intrigued by Gary Raymond's book: How Love Actually Ruined Christmas (or Colourful Narcotics).  The only thing I could remember about the film was Hugh Grant doing his crazy dad dancing so I decided to watch the movie before reading the book.  After watching the movie and scratching my head in confusion, Gary Raymond writing this book makes so much sense, a lot more than Richard Curtis' dreadful movie that's for sure.

Love Actually is not the first movie that springs to mind when I think of Christmas films, that's because it's the least Christmassy Christmas movie EVER.  You could ruin your Christmas just by watching it so read this book instead.  It's much funnier than the movie and points out a lot of the things that don't make sense in the film and there are a LOT of nonsensical things to point out!  As well as the things mentioned in the book, I was astounded that there would be a school play on Christmas Eve, days after schools have broken up for the holidays.  It also seems to be tradition in Love Actually to open your Christmas presents BEFORE Christmas Eve, whereby Karen discovers that Harry hasn't bought her the necklace that Mia is now wearing.  It's all very confusing when you try to make sense of it.

Gary Raymond's scene by scene analysis of Love Actually is absolutely hilarious.  You really don't realise how bad the film is until you strip it down to each painful (and sometimes pointless) scene.  I found myself laughing out loud, snorting and chortling my way through the book and I think it was made even funnier by the film being so fresh in my mind.  So very well written, the writing is fresh, insightful and witty making the whole book incredibly entertaining.

An anti-companion to the film, it's an eye-opening read and wouldn't look out of place on a film studies course.  It's a great book to discuss with others (of suitable age) who have read it and I'm still talking about it many days after reading the book.  If you love Love Actually then maybe this book isn't for you, but then again it might make you see the film in a different light.  For those of us bemused by the popularity of Love Actually, this is the book you've been looking for.

How Love Actually Ruined Christmas (or Colourful Narcotics) is the perfect gift for a film lover or someone with a good sense of humour.  If you're going to ask Santa for one book, make it this one; you could even copy the weird tradition from the film and open it on 23rd December.  I absolutely loved this book and wholeheartedly recommend it; it's an honest and hilarious analysis of a very strange and perplexing film.  An absolutely cracking five star read; I'll definitely be adding Gary Raymond's back catalogue to my wishlist.

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

My rating:

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Amazon UK

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Parthian Books

WHSmith

About the author:

Gary Raymond is a novelist, critic, editor, and broadcaster. He is presenter of The Review Show for BBC Radio Wales and editor of Wales Arts Review. He is a regular writer on film, music, literature, and theatre, and can often be heard on BBC Radio 3 and 4 as an arts commentator and reviewer. His novels include For Those Who Come After (Parthian, 2015), The Golden Orphans (Parthian, 2018), and the upcoming Angels of Cairo (Parthian, 2021). 

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GaryRaymond_ 

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

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BLOG TOUR: The Octopus - Tess Little

When Elspeth arrives at her ex-husband’s house in the LA hills for his 50th birthday party, she’s expecting a huge crowd for the famous film director. Instead, there are just seven other guests and Persephone, Richard’s pet octopus, watching over them from her tank.

Come morning, Richard is dead.

As the investigation uncovers bruising in Richard’s throat, each of the guests come under suspicion: the school friend, the studio producer, the actress, the actor, the new boyfriend, the cinematographer, the manager and the ex-wife, Elspeth herself.

In the weeks following the party, stories of Richard’s past surface, colliding with memories of their marriage, and Elspeth begins to question not just who killed Richard, but why these seven guests were invited, and what sort of man would want to trap this mysterious, intelligent creature.

From the LA hills to the Norfolk marshes, The Octopus is a stylish exploration of power: the power of memory, the power of perception, the power of one person over another. 

 

What did I think?

Set in three parts with no chapters, it takes a little while to get used to the format of The Octopus as it jumps between past and present with only a space between the paragraphs to warn the reader of a timeline change.  Both timelines are intriguing though, so I didn't mind the flicking between them as it felt like a memory being replayed in your mind and the talented writing of Tess Little pulls all of the little scenes together to produce the bigger picture.

Film director Richard Bryant is celebrating his 50th birthday and invites seven guests to his party.  Expecting a lavish affair, the guests are surprised to find they are so small in number.  Nobody is more surprised to be invited to this exclusive dinner party than Elspeth, Richard's ex-wife, especially when their daughter Lillie isn't among the guests.  Visiting Richard's home for the first time, Elspeth is mesmerised by the aquarium spanning two floors containing a giant Pacific octopus named Persephone.

I found the guests very interesting, most of them from the film industry and they are as superficial and self-centered as I imagined.  I thought it was really nice of Richard (how wrong I was) to serve dishes relating to all of his guests and they all had fun guessing which dish related to each person, apart from Elspeth's dish as she seemed to be invisible and they didn't even notice that she hadn't been matched to a dish.  I was so mad!  Clearly as the 'ex-wife', Elspeth is of no value to those in the film industry so it's like they don't even see her.

When Richard is found dead the next day, the police start an investigation into his death.  Was it an accident or was it murder?  As each guest comes under suspicion, we learn more about their relationship with Richard and we start to see what kind of a man he really was.  As Elspeth tries to piece together events from that night, she starts to doubt her memory as her past and present collide - this was very cleverly done and really has you thinking about the reliability of your own memories.  Elspeth also knows something that the police don't know: Persephone is quite an escape artist and makes a habit of escaping her tank each night.  Could the octopus have killed Richard?

With very clever plotting, intriguing characters and mesmerising writing, Tess Little has written an extraordinary whodunnit thriller that has the feel of a modern-day Agatha Christie novel.  The characters are all displayed before us as we search for clues as to who the murderer might be and I loved building up these pictures of Richard's life and his interaction with the others.  I also loved Persephone's story; it's very fascinating and so poignant that I had a little lump in my throat at the end.

Although she has previously written short stories, The Octopus is Tess Little's debut novel and it's so captivating that I found it very difficult to put down.  With this clever and compelling debut, Tess Little has proven herself to be a very talented writer; she is definitely one to watch.  

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

About the author:

Photo credit: Daniella-Shreir

Tess Little is a writer, historian, and Examination Fellow at All Souls College, University of Oxford, the entrance exam to which is deemed ‘the hardest exam in the world’ – questions have included ‘What is the use of magic?’ and ‘Improve the rules of any one sport’, though Tess answered a question on hip hop v. Eurovision. She is currently working towards her doctorate on the women’s liberation movement in the 1970s, having spent the last few years interviewing feminist activists and visiting archives across the UK, France, and the US. Her short stories and non-fiction have appeared in Words And Women: Two, The Mays Anthology, The White Review and on posters outside a London tube station. She was born in Norwich in 1992. The Octopus is her first novel.

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BLOG TOUR: A Wash of Black (DI Erika Piper Book 1) - Chris McDonald

It's a fabulous Red Dog Press blog tour today and not only do you get to read my review of this AWESOME book, but there's an amazing giveaway to win your very own signed copy (along with a tote bag and a bookmark).  Make sure to enter as this is one book you definitely do not want to miss!

IT'S NOT LIFE THAT IMITATES ART. IT'S DEATH.

Anna Symons. Famous. Talented. Dead.

The body of a famous actress is found mutilated on an ice rink in Manchester, recreating a scene from a blockbuster film she starred in years ago.

DI Erika Piper, having only recently returned to work after suffering a near-fatal attack herself, finds she must once again prove her worth as the hunt for the media-dubbed ‘Blood Ice Killer’ intensifies.

But when another body is found and, this time, the killer issues a personal threat, Erika must do more than put aside her demons to crack the case, or suffer the deadly consequences.

If you like Ian Rankin, Val McDermid and Cara Hunter, you will love this.

What did I think?

Wow, what a debut!  A Wash of Black is simply outstanding and there's a lot of buzz on social media about Chris McDonald's debut; so take my advice and believe the hype!  Even better, it's the first in an exciting new crime series and I, for one, can't wait for the next DI Erika Piper instalment.

Stronger than the World's Strongest Man, A Wash of Black has an amazing strong female lead in DI Erika Piper.  I love how we meet her on her return to work after a year off following a traumatic incident; a year off that she refers to as 'enforced', which immediately gives us a sense of her character.  Erika's incident has damaged her more deeply than she is willing to admit but she's a tough cookie and plans to get on with her life after cutting out the rot that has infected her.

The storyline itself is sublime and deserves a virtual round of applause; with jaw dropping, unprecedented crime scenes and grisly eye-popping murders, it's a crime reader's dream!  Set in Manchester, it's Northern crime with a hint of Hollywood and with murders literally out of the movies, it would be a travesty if this isn't picked up by Netflix.  I was completely hooked and had my eyes glued permanently to the page, unable to put it down for a second, until I had devoured every single perfectly crafted word.  

I think I was starting to get a little oversaturated and bored with crime writing but Chris McDonald has made me fall back in love with the genre with his perfectly plotted and highly original debut.  This is a cracking piece of crime fiction and I know I'm going to be recommending A Wash of Black for a long time to come.  Seriously, you really don't want to miss this one!

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

My rating:

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About the author:

Originally hailing from the north coast of Northern Ireland and now residing in South Manchester, Chris McDonald has always been a reader. At primary school, The Hardy Boys inspired his love of adventure, before his reading world was opened up by Chuck Palahniuk and the gritty world of crime.

He's a fan of 5-a-side football, has an eclectic taste in music ranging from Damien Rice to Slayer and loves dogs.

Twitter handles:

@RedDogTweets

@cmacwritescrime

Instagram handles:

@red_dog_press

@macreviewsbooks

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/reddogassociates

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Details: The prize is a signed Hardback edition of A Wash of Black, along with a Go Away I’m Reading Tote Bag and a Luxury Bookmark.

The giveaway runs from 28^th Jan to 11^th Feb, and we (Red Dog Press) will announce the randomly chosen winner on the evening of the 11^th Feb (GMT)

Routes to entry are all on the giveaway link, but basically, sign up to Red Dog Press Reader’s Club (which also gets you discounts in our store, a free eBook, and latest news from us), following us on twitter. Entrants who tweet our promo tweet get two bonus entries.

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BLOG BLITZ: Pressure - Betsy Reavley

When the submarine departed, none of the ten people on board knew it would turn into a nightmare.

Trapped on the sunken vessel on the bottom of the ocean and unable to escape, one of them is discovered dead. The tension escalates as the survivors realise there is a murderer among them, who is preparing to strike again and again…

With mounting desperation, people begin to turn on each other. While they struggle to identify who is responsible, each must contend with their own past, the claustrophobia and the secrets they are hiding.

But who is who?  And which of them will be next to die?

Below the surface, the pressure is building and time is running out…

'Betsy Reavley is back with a novel of such impact and power; nothing is clear, the tension so strong it holds you from the first page to the last. Pressure delivers on every level, leaving breathless readers in its wake.'  Bestselling author of Captor and 34 Days Anita Waller

What did I think?

Crikey!  I didn't think claustrophobia could be written so effectively into a book but my goodness, Betsy Reavley managed it in Pressure.  A super-fast paced thriller that I felt I had to read just as fast, as if my own reading-oxygen was in short supply.

I think it was a very novel idea to not just set the book on a submarine, but for the characters to be actors and film crew rather than sailors.  It added to the tension when things went wrong and the sub became trapped at the bottom of the sea because nobody knows how to fix it.  Add to the already tense mix that there's a killer on board and I could barely breathe with an equal mix of excitement and terror.  As characters begin to be killed off, I was both looking for the killer and wondering who would be next.  

With so many characters, books tend to get confusing and although I couldn't remember exactly who everybody was at times, some of the characters stuck in my mind due to the amazing back-stories that Betsy Reavley has created.  Everyone is on the submarine for a different reason, some to make a name for themselves and some to get revenge.  With so many reasons for a person to become unhinged, it makes Pressure totally unpredictable as even down to the last few chapters, I didn't know who to suspect.

Unusual and thrilling, Pressure kept me guessing right to the very end.  It certainly showed how appearances can be deceptive and the danger lurking beneath the masks that so many people wear.  Beneath the surface certainly has a double meaning in Pressure; beware what lies beneath...

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




About the author:

Author of The Quiet Ones, The Optician's Wife, Frailty, Carrion, Beneath the Watery Moon and the poetry collection The Worm in the Bottle. Betsy was born in Hammersmith, London.

As a child she moved around frequently with her family, spending time in London, Provence, Tuscany, Gloucestershire and Cambridgeshire.

She showed a flair for literature and writing from a young age and had a particular interest in poetry, of which she was a prolific consumer and producer.

In her early twenties she moved to Oxford, where she would eventually meet her husband. During her time in Oxford her interests turned from poetry to novels and she began to develop her own unique style of psychological thriller.

Betsy says "I believe people are at their most fascinating when they are faced by the dark side of life. This is what I like to write about."

Betsy Reavley currently lives in London, with her husband, 2 children, dog, cat and chickens.

You can follow her on Twitter @BetsyReavley

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