BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: The Deadly Mooring (DCI Jack Mason Crime Thriller Series Book 8) - Michael K Foster

The deeper you dig, the deadlier the game ...

Deciding to put his past behind him, DCI Jack Mason is finding it difficult to conceal a secret from his partner. Sent to investigate a Tyne River cruiser fire, emergency services have unearthed charred remains. While authorities suspect arson, Mason holds a different view.

Caught in a web of deceit and brutal homicide, the one person who can help this seasoned detective lies gravely ill in hospital. Going it alone won’t be easy. This cunning predator, a master of disguise, has a long history of targeting law enforcement.

Will Mason trust his own instincts? And what secrets do people take to the grave?

Lives are at stake, and time is fast running out.

The Deadly Mooring is the eighth book in the DCI Jack Mason crime thriller series. If you like complex female protagonists, fast-paced action, and dark mysteries, then you will love Michael K. Foster’s latest novel. Fans of Peter James, Ian Rankin, J.R. Ellis, Frieda McFadden, and Alex Smith will not want to miss this book.

 

What did I think?

I've read the first five books in the DCI Jack Mason series so I've missed a couple as The Deadly Mooring is book eight.  You can definitely read it as a standalone though as it contains its own crime storyline but it's just the characters' personal lives that have moved on.

It's so sharply plotted and meticulously researched that i felt as if I was part of Mason's team as they simultaneously investigate a murder, a missing person and an art theft.  It sounds like there's a lot going on but the reader knows they are all linked together and I loved being privy to both the perpetrator's and the investigator's thoughts.

You may think from the cover that it is set in South Shields, but the characters don't set foot in the coastal town and it's mostly set upriver in Newcastle and Gateshead.  I do love books set in my local area as I feel like I'm walking in the characters' footsteps or sitting in the passenger seat of their vehicle.  

Whilst the crime part of the plot kept me riveted, I loved the developments in Mason's personal life and it was good to see profiler David Carlisle once again.  This really is a brilliant crime series and I am eager to not only read more but to catch up on the instalments that I have missed.

Incredibly fast-paced and completely compelling, The Deadly Mooring is a fantastic crime novel that I couldn't put down.  Very highly recommended. 

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the LBT Bookstagram Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Amazon

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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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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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The Perfect Lie - A. Barker

For years, Anna chased hope, desperate to outrun the lies she'd told herself.

Convinced her future can only be found in the past, she returns back to Brighton, where it all began.

She's older. Wiser. More determined.

Then she meets Patrick.

The man she should never have met.

The son of the only man she ever loved.

The son of the man she murdered over twenty years ago.

This fast-paced, twisted psychological novel will keep you hooked until the final, jaw-dropping twist.

Be prepared for a thrilling descent into the dark side of love with a story so unbelievable you will think it's actually true.

Perfect for fans of books by Freida McFadden, Claire Douglas and Lisa Jewell.

 

What did I think?

Well this book certainly kept me on my toes and on the edge of my seat!  The Perfect Lie is filled with so many lies and twists that I really didn't know what was going to happen next.

Anna is a character I loved to hate; she is completely deluded and she literally got away with murder.  When Anna returns to the scene of the crime many years later, she meets Patrick, the son of the man she killed, and it's not long before he is drawn into her dangerous web.  Is history about to repeat itself?

Eeeeeek!  I couldn't read this book fast enough to discover all of the secrets and lies buried within.  I'm keeping my review brief as I don't want to inadvertently release any spoilers but I will say that the plot is super-sharp and the pacing is blisteringly fast.

Impossible to put down and even more difficult to predict, The Perfect Lie is perhaps one of the most twisty books I have read for quite some time.  A very highly recommended and completely thrilling read. 

I received a digital ARC from the author and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: A Family Affair - Joy Wood

Odele Gardia . . . married to wealthy businessman Howard, is the hard-nosed matriarch of the family and will stop at nothing to achieve her goals. She’s ruthless in the boardroom and not afraid to lean on adversaries. 

Sebastian Gardia . . . Odele’s brother and business partner. His wife, Freya, reveals that she is pregnant with their first child.

Elliot . . . the prodigal son, is returning from America with his girlfriend, intending to propose to her.

Business is booming, her brother is going to become a father, and her son is coming home – it’s surely a time to celebrate. But Odele is hiding a huge secret and is constantly looking over her shoulder. If the secret came out, it would destroy the family.

Jimmy Alder . . . booted out of the police force, has been paid to spy on the family. The discovery he makes could have catastrophic consequences for them all.

A dysfunctional family, protectors of their power, wealth and each other, have no warning of the revelations about to erupt and the cost to their dynasty.

 

What did I think?

Oh my word, what an absolute belter of a book this is.  I couldn't put it down and loved every single minute of it.  The Gardia family make the Ewings look like a functional family and J.R. Ewing is a teddy bear compared to Odele Gardia.

Talk about a dysfunctional family - the Gardias are toxic.  Odele and Seb run a business together and whilst their business might be successful, their personal lives are about to implode.  I felt really sorry for their partners, especially Seb's wife Freya who should be on cloud nine after discovering that she is finally pregnant but her short-lived happiness is about to take a nosedive.

What a tangled web of secrets and lies Joy Wood has skilfully weaved for her readers.  There are so many secrets and reveals that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to discover them all.  A few I suspected but I was shocked and surprised by a lot of them.

Filled with secrets and lies, A Family Affair is a gripping, compelling and unputdownable novel.  It's the first book that I have read by Joy Wood and I will definitely be adding more of her books to my TBR based on the strength of A Family Affair.  Very highly recommended.

I received a gifted paperback from the author to read and review for the Rachel's Random Resources blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the author:

Joy Wood has worked as a nurse most of her adult life and turned to writing to ‘see if she could.’ Her earlier work was adult romance and intrigue, but more recently she has switched genres to crime with a romance element which has paid off. In May of 2025, Joy was the fortunate recipient of the RNA award in the crime fiction category for her book Whatever It Takes. Joy lives in the small but charming seaside town of Cleethorpes in North East Lincolnshire and her writing ideas come from watching the tide turn daily, of course with the obligatory ice-cream – someone has to support the local economy!

Social Media Links – 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/joywoodauthor

Website: www.joywoodauthor.wordpress.com

Email: joymarywood@yahoo.co.uk

X: @joywoodauthor

Instagram: @joywoodauthor

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The Water That May Come - Amy Lilwall

As rising seas threaten to engulf Britain, four lives are on the brink: Pinko, a privileged heir clinging to decadence; Jane, a working-class veterinary nurse racing to reunite her family; her pregnant teenage daughter Ashleigh, grappling with impending motherhood; and humble young artist Gavin. With sanctuary beckoning across the Channel, each faces impossible choices. Who will they save? What will they sacrifice?

A lyrical, thought-provoking novel which blurs borders and challenges notions of identity and belonging. In a future where we all may become refugees, it asks: how far would you go to stay afloat? 

What did I think?

I. Am. Broken.  What an outstanding novel!  I didn't expect The Water That May Come to break my heart as much as it did but it really affected me and I have to admit that I may have shed a tear or two.

The timeline in the book ebbs and flows like the tide as the past is gradually revealed.  It is so incredibly thought-provoking and really made me think about the consequences of your actions, however small, causing ripples across time.  It's very much a sliding doors moment where things could have been completely different if only...

It is so beautifully written by Amy Lilwall with tension and suspense of the possible flood weaving through the prose as people try to flee to safety.  The four main characters all have contrasting circumstances and views but they are linked together by fate.  It made me wonder what I would do in the same situation and also made me consider refugees of today who leave their homeland in search of a better and safer life.

I went into The Water That May Come expecting a speculative, dystopian cli-fi thriller but it is so much more than that.  My heart was pounding so much it's no wonder that it eventually broke and I was absolutely devastated at a particularly poignant moment.  I'm feeling upset just thinking about it now; thar's how much the beautiful, evocative writing affected me.

Unputdownable and unforgettable, The Water That May Come is one of the most addictive books I've read this year.  A very highly recommended and unmissable read.  An easy five stars!

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

My rating:

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Fly on the Wall Press (use code BOOKMAGNET10 for 10% off)

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Amazon

BLOG TOUR: Family Traits - Sarah Jones

Two families destroyed by the disappearance of a daughter and the suicide of a son.

Seventeen years ago, the Webster family found themselves in a nightmare when Chris Webster’s protégé, Sam Chappel, disappeared after the school summer ball. Just two weeks later, Chris’s son Jez committed suicide at the family holiday home. 

Now Chris Webster is dead, and vicious rumours are starting to circulate about his involvement in Sam’s disappearance.

Nat Morton, journalist with the local paper, has decided that Sam’s story is just what she needs to revive her ailing career. It just means ignoring any loyalty she may feel towards the Websters, who treated her as part of the family when she was growing up.

After the death of her father, Caro Webster is spending the summer at the ‘Beach Hut’, which has been left empty since the suicide of her brother there. She is distraught at the allegations against her beloved father - but far from laying the past to rest, she is discovering disturbing parts of a puzzle that she doesn’t want to piece together.

When Sam Chappell is finally found, the discovery changes everything they thought they knew. And someone is determined that the secrets of the past should stay buried.

 

What did I think?

WOW!  I could not put this book down.  I usually write notes as I'm reading but my notebook remained resolutely blank as I didn't want to tear my eyes away from the pages of this gripping book for a single second.

It's a lot darker than it looks from the cover and it is filled with secrets (my favourite type of book).  There's the mystery of a missing teenage girl, the suicide of a teenage boy, the parentage of Caro's son and a whole web of secrets and lies to uncover.  I'm going to keep my review brief so as not to inadvertently release any spoilers but suffice to say I was shocked, surprised and horrified.  Bravo, Sarah Jones!

I loved the friendship dynamic between Caro and Nat; Caro is so self-centred and I really didn't like her at all whereas Nat is thoughtful and friendly but she's a journalist so she's always on the lookout for a big scoop.  There's such a lot going on with the various threads of the storyline that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

Beautifully written and perfectly plotted, Family Traits is a compelling, intriguing and poignant psychological thriller.  With a book of this calibre, Sarah Jones is an author to watch and I can't wait to see what she writes next.  In the meantime, I'm adding her debut A False Reflection to my TBR.  A very highly recommended read and an easy five stars.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the Love Books Tours virtual book tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: One in a Million - Beverley Kendall

A fun, spicy romcom with the poignancy of Abby Jimenez and a modern twist on “surprise baby” for fans of Jasmine Guillory.

Megastar Whitney “Sahara” Richardson has everything planned - including when she’ll have kids. But a medical mix-up makes her the biological mother of a child she didn’t carry and whose father she’s never met. 

 

World-famous Whitney “Sahara” Richardson is at the top of her game. With four Grammys, an Oscar nod, and a half-billion-dollar clothing line, her career is skyrocketing. Even her headline-grabbing dating life is looking up. And if everything goes as planned, marriage and children are just a few years away. However, a mix-up at the fertility clinic where her eggs are stored puts the cart before the horse, and Sahara suddenly has a daughter... whose biological father is reluctant to share.

What did I think?

Having read Token last year (which gave readers a sneaky peek at One in a Million), I was like a cat on hot bricks as I patiently awaited Sahara's story.  I have to say that it was well worth the wait as I absolutely loved it.

Sahara is a global megastar but when the cameras stop rolling she becomes Whitney Richardson, a down-to-earth woman who might want children some day.  That day comes a lot sooner than she planned when the fertility clinic calls to admit to a terrible mistake: Whitney's egg has been mixed up with another woman's and there's now a mixed-race 6 month old little girl who is paying the consequences of this horrendous error. 

Holly Redmond demanded a DNA test when she suspected that baby Haylee wasn't her daughter...but to complicate matters further, the DNA test confirms that Holly's husband Myles is Haylee's father.  As soon as her suspicions are confirmed, Holly gives Myles an ultimatum: choose either her or Haylee.  Myles doesn't have to think twice so it's him and Haylee from now on...until Whitney asks to meet her.

Whoa the chemistry between Myles and Whitney almost causes sparks to fly off the page and the sexual tension crackles and fizzles until the inevitable conclusion.  I loved seeing how Miles and Whitney's relationship grew as well as witnessing Whitney's instant love for Haylee.  

Fun, emotional and a little bit steamy, One in a Million is a fresh and flirty romance with a lot of heart.  It's a bit like an adult fairy tale with a Wicked Witch, a Prince Charming and not one but two Princesses but you'll just have to read it for yourself to see if they all lived Happily Every After.

 

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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UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: SON (The Kari Voss Mysteries Book 1) - Thomas Enger & Johana Gustawsson

Psychologist and expert on body language and memory, Kari Voss investigates the murder of two teenaged girls in the small Norwegian town of Son, as suspicion is cast on multiple suspects. A mesmerisingly dark, twisty start to a nerve-shattering new series by two of the world's finest crime writers…

Everyone here is lying…

Expert on body language and memory, and consultant to the Oslo Police, psychologist Kari Voss sleepwalks through her days, and, by night, continues the devastating search for her young son, who disappeared on his birthday, seven years earlier.

Still grieving for her dead husband, and trying to pull together the pieces of her life, she is thrust into a shocking local investigation, when two teenage girls are violently murdered in a family summer home in the nearby village of Son.

When a friend of the victims is charged with the barbaric killings, it seems the case is closed, but Kari is not convinced. Using her skills and working on instinct, she conducts her own enquiries, leading her to multiple suspects, including people who knew the dead girls well…

With the help of Chief Constable Ramona Norum, she discovers that no one – including the victims – are what they seem. And that there is a dark secret at the heart of Son village that could have implications not just for her own son's disappearance, but Kari's own life, too…

 

What did I think?

WOW!  What have I just read?  A twisty, gripping masterpiece, that's what!  I know it says on the front that "Everyone here is lying" but I just didn't expect to have the rug pulled from under my feet to that extent.  Absolutely brilliant!  What a blistering start to an exciting new series!

I haven't read any books written by Thomas Enger or Johana Gustawsson but if their books are half as good as SON then I definitely want to read more from these two amazing authors.  The writing is seamless and if it didn't say so on the cover then you really wouldn't be able to tell that there are two authors.

Even the title is clever as Son is both a place in Norway and the mystery that haunts psychologist Kari Voss.  Kari's son Vetle disappeared on his ninth birthday and seven years have gone by without any clues as to what happened to him.  Kari is kept busy with her work as a reknowned psychologist and she is so successful at her job that she is known as 'The human lie detector'.  Her latest case is very disturbing as it involves some of Vetle's childhood friends and the police think they have caught the killer but Kari doesn't agree.

Oh I absolutely loved this amazing book.  I was hooked from the start by Vetle's shocking disappearance and really felt for young widow Kari as her world was shattered once again.  It just shows what a strong character she is that she can get up each day and continue with some semblance of a life.  I can't wait to read more of this series, especially with such a jaw-dropping cliffhanger at the end of the book.

Incredibly gripping and completely unmissable, SON is Nordic Noir at its very best.  I would give it more than 5 stars if I could - very 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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BLOG TOUR: The Black Loch - Peter May

THE RETURN OF FIN MACLEOD, PETER MAY'S MUCH-LOVED HERO OF THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING LEWIS TRILOGY.

A MURDER

The body of eighteen-year-old TV personality Caitlin is found abandoned on a remote beach at the head of An Loch Dubh - the Black Loch - on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis. A swimmer and canoeist, it is inconceivable that she could have drowned.

A SECRET

Fin Macleod left the island ten years earlier to escape its memories. When he learns that his married son Fionnlagh had been having a clandestine affair with the dead girl and is suspected of her murder, he and Marsaili return to try and clear his name.

A RECKONING

But nothing is as it seems, and the truth of the murder lies in a past that Fin would rather forget, and a tragedy at the cages of a salmon farm on East Loch Roag, where the tense climax of the story finds its resolution.

The Black Loch takes us on a journey through family ties, hidden relationships and unforgiving landscapes, where suspense, violent revenge and revelation converge in the shadow of the Black Loch.

 

What did I think?

I love Peter May books but I haven't read the The Lewis Trilogy (yet) so I can say for definite that you can read The Black Loch as a standalone as I absolutely loved it.

Fin Macleod could never have imagined that he would return to the Isle of Lewis under such disturbing circumstances: his son is suspected of murdering a young girl with whom he was having an affair.  A tangled web of deceit and lies leads Fin to unofficially investigate who really murdered Caitlin and he uncovers a link to a long buried secret in his own past.

There's a lot going on in the book and it's clear that Fin has a lot of history on the island but I didn't feel that I was at a disadvantage at all, having not read The Lewis Trilogy.  It has certainly made me want to read the trilogy as soon as possible to revisit these wonderfully drawn characters and the stunning setting.   

What I love about Peter May's books, apart from the fantastic storylines of course, is the level of research and highlighting of unexpectedly thought-provoking subjects.  My heart was breaking as I read about the salmon farm because this part of the story isn't fiction.  I do like to eat salmon but it's certainly made me think more about where it's come from.

Hugely atmospheric, impeccably researched and flawlessly written, The Black Loch is an outstanding twisty mystery that captivated me from start to finish.  Unputdownable and unmissable - very highly recommended.

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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UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: The Reunion - M. J. Arlidge and Steph Broadribb

A skull looks up at Jennie from the trench, but it's not the chalk-white bone and grimacing teeth that send her reeling. It's the heart-shaped gold pendant, its delicate chain snapped in two. The necklace Hannah never took off. It can't be Hannah. But it is.

When Jennie Whitmore arrives at her school reunion, she immediately regrets her decision. Why would she choose to surround herself with people who were never nice to her? Who still aren't, even now she's a police officer? The only person who truly looked out for her all those years ago was charming, beautiful Hannah. Until the day she disappeared.

Jennie is ready to finally put White Cross Academy behind her, the old school building demolished the morning after the party. But with the demolition comes a call: a teenage girl's remains have been found on the grounds.

The instant drop in Jennie's gut tells her that the remains might be Hannah's, but when she's called in to examine them, the truth becomes undeniable. Hannah didn't run away and abandon Jennie thirty years ago; in fact, she never left White Cross at all.

Suddenly, Jennie has a murder to solve. The murder of her best friend. But can she do so before her colleagues discover just how closely connected she is to the victim? Before a mystery stalker makes good on his threats to silence her for good?

The Reunion is a gripping mystery perfect for fans of THE SANATORIUM, Lucy Foley, and Ruth Kelly.

 

What did I think?

I love both M.J. Arlidge's and Steph Broadribb's books so it's a booklover's dream to see these two authors collaborate to create a bone-chilling thriller.  As if the thought of a school reunion isn't horrifying enough, the partygoers are about to sober up pretty quickly when a body is found buried within the school.

Jennie is hoping her old friend Hannah will turn up to the school reunion so she can finally understand why Hannah didn't turn up the night they planned to run away to London.  The explanation is hiding beneath her feet and it's the worst one that Jennie could have imagined: Hannah was murdered on that fateful night.  

This murder is personal so Jennie is determined to lead the case despite her conflict of interest, which she hides from her boss.  As she plays down her relationship with Hannah and starts investigating Hannah's last known movements, she starts to wonder whether they were even friends at all.

The writing is seamless and if there weren't two names on the cover, you would never guess that it had two authors.  The plot twists and turns like a slithering snake and just when you think you have it all worked out, the truth slithers out of your grasp again.  

Gripping, chilling and twisty, The Reunion is a brilliant thriller that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat from start to finish.  I would definitely recommend it but be prepared to be unable to put it down once you pick it up.

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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UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the authors:

M.J. Arlidge has worked in television for the last twenty years, specialising in high-end drama production, including prime-time crime serials Silent Witness, Torn, The Little House and, most recently, the hit ITV show Innocent. In 2015 his audiobook exclusive Six Degrees of Assassination was a number-one bestseller. His debut thriller, Eeny Meeny, was the UK's bestselling crime debut of 2014 and has been followed by ten more DI Helen Grace thrillers - all Sunday Times bestsellers.

Steph Broadribb was born in Birmingham and grew up in Buckinghamshire. Most of her working life has been spent between the UK and USA. As her alter ego - Crime Thriller Girl - she indulges her love of all things crime fiction by blogging at www.crimethrillergirl.com

Steph is an alumnus of the MA in Creative Writing (Crime Fiction) at City University London, and she trained as a bounty hunter in California. 

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BLOG TOUR: The Grass Widow - Vanessa Edwards

Ditched by her married lover Hugh on the day she was made redundant, Leonie plans to make life difficult for Hugh while she searches for a new job. She inveigles her way into his house as a cleaner, intending to plant fake clues to his new liaison for his wife Amanda to find. But instead she discovers real clues to Amanda’s secrets.

Meanwhile, fellow cleaners Brenda and Tina also have hidden agendas as they work: Brenda is counting on a spot of blackmail and Tina is looking for financial information to sell to her dodgy brother-in-law.

At the centre of this web is Amanda’s gardener Simon: handsome, ruthless and plausible, with a shady past and lofty ambitions.

A death in an apparent accident arouses Leonie’s suspicions. Can she put aside her animosity towards Amanda and use her impressive – if sometimes unorthodox – investigative skills to find the truth before someone else dies?

 

What did I think?

The Grass Widow is a book that is filled with secrets, blackmail and plans for revenge.  Nobody is who they seem and it it feels like everyone is being played; even the players are being played and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see who would be left standing at the end.

Leonie's life fell apart when her affair with a co-worker ended and she found herself single and out of work.  Leonie is not going to go down without a fight and plans to take Hugh down with her so she poses as a cleaner to get into his house and plant evidence of his infidelity for his wife Amanda to find.  Leonie's conscience gets the better of her when she starts to uncover Amanda's secrets and an unlikely alliance is formed.

Oh this book just keeps on revealing secrets with every turn of the page and the intricately woven plot keeps the reader on their toes.  There is so much going on with every character hiding something and the fast-paced storyline twisted and turned right up to the outstanding conclusion.

Gripping and suspenseful from start to finish, The Grass Widow is an intelligent and unpredictable novel that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

About the author:

Vanessa is a solicitor specialising in EU law who has worked in private practice in London and Brussels and for the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

After taking early retirement from the legal profession she turned her hand to fiction.

She lives in Hampstead and likes wine, walking and music of many sorts. And of course reading and writing.

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The Wreckage of Us - Dan Malakin

It's always the husband... Isn't it?

Astrid Webb is missing. The police have found her car crashed near the woods, the driver's door open, the seat spotted with blood. But there's no sign of Astrid herself, a sick woman who rarely left her house, who surely couldn't have left the scene of the accident without help.

Her husband Bryan is sure that she's alive - after all, this isn't the first time she's vanished, only to reappear without explanation. But as the days pass, Bryan starts to look like a suspect in his wife's disappearance, perhaps in her murder. Because Bryan isn't telling the police the whole truth. Not about Astrid's stalker, their broken-in back door, or the threatening messages she received. And it seems as if both Astrid and Bryan have something to hide.

Then a woman's body is found in the woods, her face terribly disfigured. By staying silent, is Bryan protecting Astrid, or protecting himself?

From the bestselling author of The Regret and The Box, this heart-pounding thriller is perfect for readers of Harlan Coben, Mark Billingham and Alex North.

 

What did I think?

Dan Malakin stole my weekend, in the very best way!  I picked up The Wreckage of Us on a Saturday afternoon, thinking it would take me a few days to read it, and I absolutely devoured it.  I would definitely have read it in one sitting if I'd picked it up earlier in the day - believe me, it really is THAT good.

The prologue is a massive hook that had me reaching for my virtual running shoes straight away as I knew I was going to race through the novel from the very first page.   Astrid Webb has gone missing and there's something not quite right about her ex-copper husband Bryan.  As the cover of the book says, "It's always the husband...isn't it?"

The razor-sharp plot completely blindsided me as the story twists and turns, with chapters told from five different points of view: Astrid, Bryan, a young girl called Celine, Detective Inspector Ronson who is leading the case and Zack, Astrid's friend.  I simply couldn't read fast enough to discover all of the secrets hidden within the pages of this outstanding book.

Dark, addictive and incredibly gripping, prepare to do nothing but read for the rest of the day when you pick up The Wreckage of Us.  It's an easy five stars from me and it's definitely one of my top books of the year.  Very highly recommended.

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

My rating:

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