The Cartography of What Remains (The Going Back Series Book 1) - Eva Schep

She can go back. Not in memory. In fact.

Since Tomas died, Lena has made her life small enough to survive. The chipped cup on the left side of the sink. The bread folded twice. The keys in the bowl by the door.

And one impossible thing her grief allows.

She can step into the kitchen they shared and stand in the fixed afternoon light — close enough to count the threads at his cuff — watching her younger self refuse the coffee, the bread, the man across the table.

She goes back to gather evidence. Of his care. Of her failures. Of the small, ordinary cruelties that filled the last rooms of a love before a phone call ended it.

But nothing there can be undone, and the past is not a photograph. Each return wears it thinner. The edges go first — the jars on the shelf, the calendar by the fridge, the street beyond the window — while the centre stays unbearably clear. She is spending the one thing she cannot bear to lose.

And the living are waiting: a stubborn downstairs neighbour, a colleague’s dry kindness, and Noor, who mends damaged things behind a blue door two streets away and asks Lena for nothing. They can be lost by neglect as easily as the dead are lost by too much remembering.

The Cartography of What Remains asks what it costs to stop going back — and stay in the room you are actually in.

The Going Back Series — Book One. Each book stands alone.

 

What did I think?

I don't read a lot of literary fiction but I do like to push my boundaries and Eva Schep's The Cartography of What Remains caught my eye at just the right time.

I didn't really know what was going on at first but what I did know was that Lena was grieving and she was lonely.  It really broke my heart to see her stepping back into the kitchen and reliving such painful memories.  It was a very powerful image as Lena physically steps back into her memories rather than remember moments in a more positive light as their sharp edges get rounded off over time.

It is very well written and gently paced so it's a book to savour rather than devour.  I didn't study English Literature at school but I think it would have been beneficial to do so in order to fully appreciate the nuances of the narrative.

I also found it quite thought-provoking and a sobering reminder that we only get one shot at life.  It's like that old saying that you should never go to bed on argument so I think what Eva Schep is trying to tell us is that we should treat each conversation as if it was our last or we will have guilt to cope with as well as grief.

The Cartography of What Remains is a poignant and profound novel that gave me with food for thought and reminded me that life is not a rehearsal.  

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

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BLOG TOUR: Ghost Notes (The Skelfs Book 7) - Doug Johnstone

The Skelf women have been keeping their heads down, running the family’s funeral directors and private investigation businesses. But when a woman collapses at her husband’s funeral and is saved by Dorothy, she finds herself drawn into the murky world of ‘grief tech’ – a booming new industry that creates digital avatars of the dead.

Jenny’s latest case – a simple blackmail job for an old school friend – quickly spirals into chaos as the woman’s tangled love life pulls Jenny towards dangerous old habits. 

Meanwhile, Hannah and her wife, Indy, are confronted by the unexpected arrival of Indy’s ex-boyfriend, claiming to be dying and eager for the Skelfs to arrange his funeral. But his arrival uncovers more ghosts from the past, and threatens to upend everything they’ve built.

As their cases collide and their personal lives spiral, the Skelfs face danger from all sides. How far will they go to protect one another, and what will it cost to finally silence the ghosts? 

Warm, tense and full of heart, Ghost Notes is another masterful instalment in Doug Johnstone’s award-winning, addictive Skelfs series, and the stakes are higher than ever…

 

What did I think?

Ghost Notes is The Skelfs book 7 and I just cannot get enough of this fabulous series.  I don't even read the blurb when a new instalment comes out as they are must-reads for me.  You could most definitely read Ghost Notes as a standalone but you really don't want to miss the earlier books in the series too,

The Skelf women work both separately and together as they are very busy running their funeral and private investigation businesses.  I just love catching up with Dorothy, Jenny and Hannah and I am so invested in their lives that it feels like meeting old friends.  There are several strands to the perfectly plotted storyline but it never gets confusing and it keeps the pace going at a rate of knots.

Combining mystery and intrigue with a hugely entertaining and thought-provoking story, I positively devoured this book as if I hadn't read a book for years.  I found it very thought-provoking as Doug Johnstone candidly explores how we deal with death and grief.  I just hope the avatars of the dead remain in the book and they don't make it out into the real world, although I also wouldn't be surprised if there's something like this already out there.  As comforting as it would be to have a digital version of your loved one, it also leaves bereaved people open to exploitation at their most vulnerable time.

Incredibly entertaining from start to finish, I couldn't read Ghost Notes fast enough and I'm still thinking about it long after turning the final page.  The Skelfs is one of my favourite series and I hope that it never ends...fast forward to 3026 and Digital Doug Johnstone releases book 1007 in the series!

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

My rating:

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Orenda Books

Amazon

About the author: 

Doug Johnstone is the author of twenty novels, many of which have been bestsellers. The Space Between Us was chosen for BBC Two’s Between the Covers, while Black Hearts was shortlisted  – and The Big Chill longlisted – for Theakston Crime Novel of the Year. Three of his books – A Dark Matter, Breakers and The Jump – have been shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize. Doug has taught creative writing or been writer in residence at universities, schools, writing retreats, festivals, prisons and a funeral home. He’s also been an arts journalist for 25 years. He is a songwriter and musician with six albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, a band of crime writers. He’s also co-founder of the Scotland Writers Football Club and lives in Edinburgh with his family. 

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BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: Where the Heart Meets the Sea - Kimbra Drake

An emotionally rich love story with themes of lost and found family in a stunning Norwegian island setting.

Twenty-nine-year-old Ella Nilsen has never known her parents—or even how her mother died. Raised by her emotionally distant Norwegian grandmother, Hilda, Ella has long accepted that the topic of her parents is off-limits. When Hilda passes away, Ella is shocked to find that her inheritance includes a summer cottage perched above the sea in a place called Lyngør, a remote island in Norway. To sell it, she’ll have to visit the cottage and take stock of what’s there—and maybe Lyngør holds the key to her mother’s mysterious passing, if she can get the locals to talk.

For as long as he can remember, Leif Arnesen, a thirty-four-year-old boatbuilder in Lyngør, has carried grief and shame from his father’s death, an accident that upended their small community. When Ella breezes into Lyngør looking for answers, her very presence stirs up old ghosts and earns her the villagers’ suspicions. As sparks begin to fly between Leif and Ella and their relationship blossoms quickly, everything Leif knows to be true threatens to capsize.

Perfect for fans of Jennifer Probst’s Our Italian Summer and set amid the rough and wild beauty of the Norwegian archipelagoes, Kimbra Drake’s Where the Heart Meets the Sea asks what happens when we’re forced to rewrite the stories that have defined our lives—and what we do with the next chapters.

 

What did I think?

Where the Heart Meets the Sea is a stunning novel that completely captivated me and swept me away to the Norwegian coast.  With an abundance of secrets, a dash of mystery and a heartwarming romance, this fabulous book really does have it all.

I loved the main characters of Ella and Leif.  Ella only planned a short visit to Lyngør to sell the cottage she inherited and to scatter her grandmother's ashes.  Boatbuilder Leif is drawn to Ella like a moth to a flame and their blossoming romance clearly upsets some of the locals.  With long buried secrets threatening to resurface, her visit to Lyngør makes Ella question everything she thought she knew about her mother and grandmother.

This is a real diamond of a novel; it is so multi-faceted that I'm surprised the pages didn't actually sparkle.  There is plenty of drama, lots of romance and jaw-dropping revelations to enthrall and entertain the reader from start to finish.  I loved it and couldn't put it down.

Atmospheric, emotional and uplifting, Where the Heart Meets the Sea is an unforgettable novel that charmed and delighted me.  A very highly recommended read.

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

My rating:

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UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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Hope There's Someone - Lee Stewart

In the decaying streets of Sunderland, twenty-one-year-old Chris Paige is barely holding on as guardian to his volatile, grieving thirteen-year-old-sister, Jess. When Jess vanishes one day, Chris's desperate hunt for answers unearths a devastating family truth - one that could destroy them both.

Raw, unflinching, and impossible to put down, Hope There's Someone is a gripping story of sibling loyalty, buried trauma, and how far one man will go to protect what little family he has left.

For fans of Shuggie Bain, Trainspotting, and This Is England. This is a raw and darkly funny portrait of grief, poverty, and lost potential in Modern Britain.

What did I think?

I always get a thrill out of seeing my local area in books and Lee Stewart’s fiction debut is set in Sunderland.  I wasn't really sure what to expect from the cover and the description but this is an absolutely cracking novel that's full of drama and it hooked me from the start.

I really felt for Chris who has given up has place at university to look after his sister when their mam dies.  Chris and Jess are both grieving but Chris is struggling to make ends meet and Jess, with her teenage mood swings, doesn't make life any easier for him.  Money has to come from somewhere and Chris inevitably gets tangled up with some dodgy characters.

The story took so many twists and turns as the past and present played out and I was completely riveted.  I have to admit that I made an assumption about their mam's cause of death but I couldn't have been more wrong.  Now that's what I call sharply plotted.  Well played, Mr Stewart!  Well played indeed.

Hope There's Someone is a dark and gritty novel that is filled with shocks and surprises.  It has a young protagonist that you instantly root for and I loved every minute of it.  Lee Stewart is one to watch and I'm going to be shouting about this book for a very long time.  An easy five stars for this unmissable and unforgettable crime thriller.

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

My rating:

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BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: Fifteen Minutes - Amanda Prowse

‘One last touch, one last word, one last I love you…’ Fifteen Minutes – the new novella from Amanda Prowse that will take you on the wildest emotional adventure.

It gets us all in the end, time.

What if I told you that time was not as unyielding as you might have believed? What if I told you it was in fact a fluid, bendable thing and that there are gaps in it, if you know where to look.

Interested? You should be.

What if I told you that the makers of time made a small error, an oversight if you will that allows us to give time back.

Fifteen minutes to be precise - gifted to the most deserving, where they get to spend precious time with someone they have lost.

A chance to right a wrong, ask that burning question or maybe just be held, one last time…

I guess the question is, who would you choose or more importantly when?

 

What did I think?

Amanda Prowse never fails to make me cry with her incredibly emotional novels and if I thought I was getting away with it by reading a novella, I was sorely mistaken.  Fifteen Minutes is packed with emotion and these beautiful stories of loss and grief are both poignant and uplifting.

It's such a lovely idea to be given the gift of a precious 15 minutes with a lost love one.  This is a gift that Chen gives to six unforgettable characters and I felt very honoured to share the experience with them.

Every single story gave me a lump in my throat and at least half of them made me cry.  I'm even getting a little tear in my eye just thinking about them now.  It's very thought-provoking and powerful as it made me think about all of the little moments that pass us by and, as we can't all meet Chen, you never know when you might get the chance to say 'I love you' again.

It's impossible to read Fifteen Minutes without considering with whom you would choose to spend a final 15 minutes, if you were given the chance, but it also reminds us to cherish the time we do have with our loved ones.  A very highly recommended read and an easy five stars for an unmissable and emotional Amanda Prowse novella.

I received a gifted paperback for the Love Books Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: The Boy in the Photo - Hilly Barmby

This unbelievably twisty read will have you glued to the pages late into the night. Anyone who loves Freida McFadden and Gillian Flynn won’t be able to put down The Boy in the Photo!

Kaz Emmerson, brother Mark and sister Livy are devastated after the death of their parents in a car crash. Surely it was just a terrible accident, wasn’t it?

After the funeral, the three try to rebuild their lives as best they can. Livy turns her focus on her husband and young son. Mark immerses himself in work and rebuilding his social life. Kaz escapes the pain with bestie Elise, taking off to Spain for a couple of weeks for sun, sand and sangria.

While on holiday, Kaz and Elise chance upon the mysterious and handsome Ryan. They both like him. As it turns out, he lives rather close to home and when they return to the UK they meet up. But who will he pick?

The three siblings gather with their family lawyer who leaves them with a deep sense of unease. What is he not telling them? Curious, Kaz ploughs into the family paperwork stored in the attic of their parents’ grand country home. After a shocking discovery, she is embroiled in a family mystery that threatens to unravel everything. Who exactly is the boy in the photo with their father? Why is there a man sneaking around their garden taking photos? When more horrifying things happen, who can they trust? Is there someone who will stop at nothing to destroy them?

 

What did I think?

Hilly Barmby is one of the authors whose books I read without looking at the blurb as I know I will enjoy the book and The Boy in the Photo is no exception.  It is so mysterious and intriguing that I couldn't put it down until all the secrets had been revealed.

After a devastating car crash in which their parents lost their lives, the three Emmerson siblings are dealing with their grief in their own way.  Kaz is more of a main character and a holiday with her best friend is just what she needed, especially when a handsome man catches her eye.  Kaz isn't sure whether Ryan likes her or her friend Elise and I wasn't sure about him at all, but then I'm naturally suspicious in books, especially those written by Hilly Barmby,

The will should be straightforward as there are only the three siblings...aren't there?  This is where the mystery surrounding the boy in the photo comes in and it's a great hook.  I was very intrigued and had to put on my virtual running shoes so I could race through the book as fast as possible to the breathtaking conclusion.

There are so many twists and turns in the book but it's not confusing or difficult to keep track of.  It's tense, suspenseful and twisty, which are all the hallmarks of a cracking psychological thriller.  Highly recommended.

I received a gifted paperback for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Hobeck Books

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: Blood Loss (Steph Grant Murder Mystery Series Book 6) - Lin Le Versha

Colleague of former detective Steph Grant at Oakwood Sixth Form College, Robin Hughes, is found dead in mysterious circumstances. The police initially conclude suicide. But who is ‘Kirsty’, the new love interest Robin met at a Grief Retreat weekend, and why has she completely vanished?

Steph and art teacher Caroline Jones, convinced that Robin was murdered, decide to do a bit of undercover sleuthing. Having suffered bereavement themselves, they join the next Grief Retreat weekend. They don’t tell anyone of their plans, not even Steph’s fiancé, DCI Philip Hale.

There they find Archie Denham, leader of the charity, oozing ex-military magnetism and charisma. All the other attendees seem to hang on his every word. But why, when Steph mentions Robin do they react so cagily, especially Archie?

Soon Steph and Caroline find themselves embroiled in a tangled web of deceit and lies much bigger than a spot of amateur sleuthing on a weekend away. Can they keep up the pretence without anyone getting hurt? And will they ever get to the bottom of what happened to Robin?

Blood Loss is the sixth thrilling book in the Steph Grant murder mystery series by the brilliant Lin Le Versha.

 

What did I think?

Blood Loss is the sixth instalment in the outstanding Steph Grant Murder Mystery series by Lin Le Versha and it can totally be read and enjoyed as a standalone.  The mystery is unique to this book and it's the main characters that link the whole series together.

Steph and Caroline has a vested interest in the latest mystery as their colleague appeared to take his own life after being scammed at a Grief Retreat weekend.  The pair go undercover to find out what's really going on at these weekends but things take a dramatic turn when there's another apparent suicide.  Just what the heck is going on?

The storyline is quite dark as the majority of the characters are grieving and it's so sad to think that nefarious people can use this fact for their own advantage.  There's a bit of lightness added by the amateur sleuthing, of Caroline at least as Steph used to be detective, that is very entertaining and amusing.

Fast-paced, riveting and unpredictable, Blood Loss is a superb mystery that captivated me from start to finish.  This whole series is outstanding and Blood Loss keeps the standard set at the highest level.  A highly recommended read.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Hobeck Books

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: Love, Grief & More Sex Than Pinot (Soho Summers Series Book 1) - Sacha Hughes

Soho’s life was perfect, until it wasn’t.

The youngest of three girls, growing up on the Essex coast, she had love and laughter… until her mum lost her battle with cancer.

At 24, grief hit hard. With pinot grigio as her go-to painkiller and the belief that only Mr Right can fix her broken heart, Soho dives headfirst into love’s messiest lessons.

With her recruitment career in London a comical shit-show, Soho’s nights with her five best friends, the Wino Worms, are fuelled by cocaine, cocktails, and chaos. Hundreds of men later, hope never lasts past hangovers and sunrise.

That is, until a disastrous bedroom incident sparks a painful journey of healing she’s been running from. But not for long! Enter Warren Williams: the irresistible Aussie with endless champagne and sweet nothings. Could he be the Mr Right she’s been chasing all along? She’s not ready… Or is she?

Full of heartbreak, hilarity, and a hint of redemption, Love, Grief & More Sex Than Pinot is a gloriously human, raw, and riotous journey through love, loss, and learning that the only person who can save you… is you.

 

What did I think?

Wow!  What an amazing debut novel from Sacha Hughes!  I expected to like Love, Grief & More Sex Than Pinot, which is why I chose to read it, but I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVED IT!!!

Soho Summers is such a realistic and relatable character.  The 28-year-old has been searching for her very own Mr Right but every one she picks turns out to be Mr Very Wrong.  Summer may laugh off all of her dating nightmares in front of her friends but it really stings when her friends return to their partners and Soho goes home alone to her cute cat Pickle.

When Soho's mother dies she spirals dangerously out of control with a cocktail of drink, drugs and sex but she continues to tell her friends and family that she's 'fine'.  Isn't that so true?  We use 'I'm fine' so often that it almost has the opposite meaning to what it should convey.  Now, I would like to say that I couldn't put this book down but I had to at the end of a couple of chapters to gather my emotions as it is heartbreaking reading at times.  Soho's grief is palpable and I just wanted to reach into the book and give her a massive hug.

I've seen readers talking about book hangovers before but I had never had one...until now.  I didn't want the book to end and I'm already looking forward to the next one.  There's a sneaky peak of book two in the back of the book and I don't usually read these excerpts but I just had to see what was next in store for Soho.  I can't wait for more!!

Entertaining, laugh out loud hilarious and incredibly poignant, Love, Grief & More Sex Than Pinot made me laugh and cry so have your hankies at the ready when you read it.  It's an unmissable and unforgettable emotional rollercoaster of a rom-com and an easy five stars.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the Online Book Review Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: The Strange Lives of Eleanor Teague - M K Hill

There's something wrong with Haddon Hall...

In 1876, Eleanor Teague lives in a lonely house far from the glamorous London Society she once knew. Confined to Haddon Hall by agoraphobia, bedevilled by nightmares of the death of her daughter, and haunted by the guilt of a terrible crime she committed, Eleanor depends on the household servants and on her husband Ezra, who is kind, patient… and controlling.

But when an apparition appears at her bedside, and mysterious voices urge her to find the 'Shadow House', she’s convinced an uncanny presence dwells within the walls of Haddon Hall, and that the staff are lying to her – they, in turn, fear she’s descending into madness.

As Eleanor’s world starts to fracture, the very foundations of Haddon Hall seem to shake. Why is the attic room locked? What is the Shadow House? Who is the strange woman in the woods?

The shocking truth will shatter everything Eleanor thought she knew about her life.

A haunting, high-concept thriller with a jaw-dropping twist, The Strange Lives of Eleanor Teague will enthral readers of John Marrs, Gillian McAllister and Stuart Turton. 

What did I think?

Wow!  What an absolute corker of a book!  It's not a spoiler to mention the jaw-dropping twist as it's stated in the blurb but it is MINDBLOWING!  

The main character of Eleanor Teague is complex and I really felt for her.  Not only is she grieving for her young daughter but she is filled with guilt over her death.  It's no wonder that she's frightened to leave the house.  Luckily for Eleanor, she lives in a large house with servants and her doting husband Ezra so she is well looked after...or so it would appear.

Mental health wasn't even considered in Victorian times so Eleanor is just seen as a weak and hysterical woman.  Haddon Hall is both her sanctuary and her prison and now it looks like it's haunted too.  Eleanor doesn't know what to believe or who to trust and the suspense and tension ramps up with every turn of the page.

Mind-bending, addictive and highly original, The Strange Lives of Eleanor Teague is completely unpredictable and incredibly suspenseful.  I was already hooked on the book when M K Hill delivered an ingenious twist that really pulled the rug out from beneath me and I take my hat off to you, sir!  The Strange Lives of Eleanor Teague is unmissable and highly recommended.

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

My rating:

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Waterstones

Amazon

About the author:

M.K. Hill was a journalist and an award-winning music radio producer before becoming a full-time writer. He's written the Sasha Dawson series - The Bad Place, The Woman In The Wood - and the Ray Drake series - The Two O'Clock Boy and It Was Her - as well as acclaimed psychological thriller One Bad Thing, and the espionage thriller Zero Kill. He lives in London.

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BLOG TOUR: Death at the Altar (Mary Shelley Investigations book 3) - Donna Gowland

The Shelleys are back with a new murder case! For fans of Mary Shelley, Daphne Du Maurier, Diane Setterfield and Laura Purcell.

With Percy under suspicion, can Mary find the real murderer in time…?

1815, London

When her infant daughter dies, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin is plunged into a deep depression.

And it doesn’t help that the father, and man who she loves, Percy Shelley, cannot commit to her as he already has an estranged wife.

When Mary receives an invitation to a wedding from a beloved school friend from her Dundee days, Percy thinks it would provide the perfect distraction.

But even away from London, they cannot escape people talking about their relationship.

And when the curate is shot dead at the end of the wedding, the locals turn on Percy.

Mary must find the true killer before their misguided suspicions become a witch hunt.

And as Mary has murder on the mind, her stepsister Claire sets her targets on someone else — Lord Byron…

DEATH AT THE ALTAR is the third book in the Mary Shelley Investigation series: thrilling Gothic murder mysteries with a tenacious literary heroine working as a female sleuth.

What did I think?

I am absolutely loving the Mary Shelley Investigations series, of which Death at the Altar is book three.  You can read each book as a standalone as there is a new mystery to solve but they are well worth reading in order to learn about Mary Shelley's life.

The mystery in this instalment is very intriguing and it becomes even more critical for Mary to solve the murder when Percy becomes one of the suspects.  As it says in the blurb, Mary is is devastated by the loss of her baby daughter and my heart really went out to her as Mary is still a teenager and Percy isn't much support with his flighty poetic nature.

There's quite a lot going on in the book to keep the reader entertained and I enjoyed the spotlight falling on Claire for a while.  I wasn't a big fan of Claire in the first two books as she seemed to set her sights on Percy but now she is obsessed with Lord Byron and she comes up with a cunning plan to capture the (already married) poet's heart.

Donna Gowland's writing is very evocative, atmospheric and immersive so I felt as if I was part of the story myself and the characters, being based on real people, are vividly brought to life.  I have really come to care about Mary Shelley (and Percy and Claire) and I have found myself reading more online about her life, although not too much as I don't want to spoil the story in any future books.

Entertaining, compelling and enlightening, Death at the Altar is both a gripping murder mystery and a fascinating glimpse into the life of Mary Shelley.  A highly recommended read in an extraordinary series.

I received a gifted paperback for the Love Books Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Waterstones

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BLOG TOUR: The Lost Detective - Elspeth Latimer

On a summer's day, a baby vanishes. The mystery is never solved, leaving a young mother lost in grief.

Twenty-one years later, ex-police detective Dan Hennessy is struggling with his own tragic loss, and when a neighbour disappears and a body turns up at the solar farm, he is desperate for answers.

The haunted landscape is keeping secrets, and there are dangers lurking in the Brecks.

Dan must find the truth.

Can he offer hope to the grieving mother, and also save himself? 

What did I think?

Wow!  The Lost Detective is one of the best debut novels I have ever read.  Do not miss this book, crime fiction fans!  

I had to double check that The Lost Detective is Elspeth Latimer's debut as her writing is so accomplished and the plot is so compelling that I read all but the last few chapters of this fantastic book in one sitting.  I only put it down to go to sleep and I couldn't wait to pick it up the next morning to read the stunning conclusion.

The prologue is haunting and heartbreaking; it is every mother's nightmare to lose their child and Alice has had to live for 21 years without knowing what happened to her six-week-old baby Felix. Dan Hennessy knows all about loss as his fiancée was tragically killed by one of his police colleagues and he lost his future as well as his career that day. 

There's a lot of mystery and intrigue as we read about various events and different characters but they all tie together perfectly into a satisfying and incredibly emotional conclusion.  I may have had something in my eye at the end...

Poignant, evocative and captivating, The Lost Detective is a breathtaking debut novel that is unpredictable and unmissable.  Elspeth Latimer is certainly one to watch based on the strength of this very highly recommended read.

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

My rating:

Purchase link: https://mybook.to/lostdetective-zbt

About the author:

Elspeth Latimer is an associate tutor on the prestigious University of East Anglia MA in Creative Writing Crime Fiction, and also the author of Writing the Detectives, an academic study of the protagonist in the contemporary crime fiction series, published by Cambridge University Press.

Connect with Elspeth:

Facebook: elspeth.latimer.7

Instagram: elspethlatimer16

Threads: @elspethlatimer16

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Scars of Silence - Johana Gustawsson, translated by David Warriner

When two teenagers are found brutally murdered on the island of Lidingö, dressed in white tunics and wearing crowns of candles, former French police officer Maïa Rehn joins local Commissioner Aleksander Storm to unravel a mystery with a shockingly dark heart. The highly anticipated sequel to the international bestselling gothic mystery, Yule Island.

___________

Twenty-three years ago, a young woman was murdered on the Swedish island of Lidingö.

The island has kept its silence.

Until now…

As autumn deepens into darkness in Lidingö, on the Stockholm archipelago, the island is plunged into chaos: in the space of a week, two teenaged boys are murdered. Their bodies are left deep in the forest, dressed in white tunics with crowns of candles on their heads, like offerings to Saint Lucia.

Maïa Rehn has fled Paris for Lidingö after a family tragedy. But when the murders shake the island community, the former police commissioner is drawn into the heart of the investigation, joining Commissioner Aleksander Storm to unravel a mystery as chilling as the Nordic winter.

As they dig deeper, it becomes clear that a wind of vengeance is blowing through the archipelago, unearthing secrets that are as scandalous as they are inhuman.

But what if the victims weren't who they seemed? What if those long silenced have finally found a way to strike back?

How far would they go to make their tormentors pay?

And you – how far would you go? 

What did I think?

Scars of Silence is the second book in the Lidingö Mysteries series, however, it can definitely be read as a standalone as I haven't read Yule Island but I was completely blown away by this breathtaking book.

What starts out as a murder mystery turns into something much darker and devastating.  I don't think I have made a note of so many quotes when reading a book.  Johana Gustawsson's eloquent words have been beautifully translated by David Warriner to stun and provoke the reader as the shocks and reveals just keep on coming.

I was completely mesmerised by the writing and hooked by the plot but I am pleased that I read Scars of Silence as part of a readalong as it gave me a chance to devour and digest the words I had read each day.  I even flicked back to revisit a few pages that were particularly affecting and memorable for me.  So, thank you to Orenda Books for inviting me to take part.

Both main characters have a lot going on in their personal life in addition to investigating a recent spate of murders that seem to be mirroring a convicted crime from the past.  My heart was breaking for Maïa as her tragic story was revealed and I didn't realise how much I had come to care about Aleksander until he experiences a devastating event in his own life.

Powerful, haunting and oh so very thought-provoking, Scars of Silence is an outstanding book that hooked me from the start and kept packing the punches in, leaving me completely devastated and stunned at the end.  I will definitely be adding Yule Island to my TBR and more than likely every other book that Johana Gustawsson has written.  

A very highly recommended read that is absolutely unmissable and completely unforgettable. 

I received a gifted paperback for the Orenda Books Readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Orenda Books

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon