BLOG TOUR: Crow Moon (A Martha Strangeways Investigation Book 1) - Suzy Aspley

When the crow moon rises, the darkness is unleashed...

Martha Strangeways is struggling to find purpose in her life, after giving up her career as an investigative reporter when her young twins died in a house fire.

Overwhelmed by guilt and grief, her life changes when she stumbles across the body of a missing teenager – a tragedy that turns even more sinister when a poem about crows is discovered inked onto his back...

When another teenager goes missing in the remote landscape, Martha is drawn into the investigation, teaming up with DI Derek Summers, as malevolent rumours begin to spread and paranoia grows.

As darkness descends on the village of Strathbran, it soon becomes clear that no one is safe, including Martha...

 

What did I think?

What a cracking debut!  It's as haunting and creepy inside as it is out.  This is one book where I would say please DO judge this book by its cover: just look at that creepy hourglass of black sand turning into a murder of crows.  This is the first book in a new crime series starring investigative reporter Martha Strangeways and it's an absolute belter.

I loved Martha Strangeways; she has such a tragic backstory and, even though she's not currently working, she's a tenacious reporter.  Martha can't help but be drawn into the investigation after she finds the body of her son's friend and when another one of Dougie's schoolfriends goes missing it becomes very personal as every sign points to Dougie being next.

As well as the gripping present day storyline, the chapters are interspersed with excerpts from a Book of Shadows.  These excerpts are heartbreaking as they are written by a woman trapped in an abusive marriage with her young son.  Both timelines are linked by the 'Feannag Dhubh', a poem written about crows and a woman executed for being a witch.

The writing is sublime as Suzy Aspley's wonderful words paint a dark and dangerous landscape that I could easily visualise in my head.  There's a hint of the supernatural that sent shivers down my spine and I couldn't read fast enough to discover all of the secrets the book had in store for me.

Hauntingly atmospheric, tense and creepy, Crow Moon is an outstanding debut from an exciting new voice in crime fiction.  It's a fantastic start to a new series and I can't wait to read book two.  A 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:

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About the author:

Originally from the north-east of England, former journalist Suzy Aspley has lived in Scotland for almost thirty years. She writes crime and short stories, often inspired by the strange things she sees in the landscape around her. She won Bloody Scotland’s Pitch Perfect in 2019 with the original idea for her debut novel and was shortlisted for the Capital Crime New Voices Award. In 2020, she was mentored by Jo Dickinson as part of the Hachette future bookshelf initiative. Crow Moon was also longlisted for the Caledonia Novel Award. She’s currently working on the second book in the series, and when she’s not writing, she’s either got her nose buried in a book, or is outside with her dogs dreaming up more dark stories. She lives in Stirlingshire with her family.

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The Footage That Shook America (The America Trilogy Book 2) - David B. Lyons

Smile. You're on camera. Everywhere you go.

— A conwoman. A cop. A gentleman. A rebel. —

In a small suburb of Connecticut, and totally unaware of each other, four lives are about to collide.

But will their lives entangle before experienced cop, Nate Bennett, and rookie cop, Maggie Zucha, complete their investigation of tracking down footage that, if released, will shake America to its very core?

Their detective skills are put to the toughest test, but they'll need to be quick because they’re not the only ones searching for this story… and whoever finds it first will hold all the power.

...but just what is on that footage?

Will you see it coming?

The Footage That Shook America is the sequel to the controversial bestselling novel In The Middle of Middle America and is the second book of a trilogy based on the escapades of television news anchor Sarah-Jane Zdanski.

 

What did I think?

I read The Footage That Shook America a while ago but I've only just got round to posting my review as words completely failed me after I turned the final page - mind officially blown!  I was gripped from start to finish and I couldn't read fast enough to find out what the footage was, but that's not even the best part as there's so much more to this outstanding novel.

Love her or hate her, Sarah-Jane Zdanski once again takes centre stage in this second book in The America Trilogy.  We already know how ruthless she is and that's why she's such a successful news anchor.  The story is told from several different viewpoints and it's like gathering all the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, but the picture doesn't become clear until you have all the pieces.

It's impossible to predict and I was filled with rage and indignation as the story played out but oh how I enjoyed every single second of it.  The writing is as breathtaking as the plot and David B. Lyons has such an inimitable style that makes him one of my favourite and most recommended authors.

The Footage That Shook America is so exquisitely clever; David B. Lyons goes straight to the top of the class with five gold stars.  Very highly recommended.

My rating:

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In the Middle of Middle America - David B. Lyons

 

WHEN LIVES ENTANGLE, WEBS WILL WEAVE...

Time: September, 1997.

Place: Lebanon, Kansas—quite literally, as marked by a monument, the very middle of middle America.

A teacher. A soldier. An immigrant. A joker. A loner. A chancer. A carer.

A mosaic of seven regular townsfolk are going about their days, blissfully unaware their lives are about to interweave, interchange and interact; entangling into such a messy web that, together — and unbeknownst to them — their lives end up changing the face of America forevermore.

In the mold of movies such as Traffic, Magnolia & The Usual Suspects, In the Middle of Middle America follows multiple characters and allows the reader to become a fly on the wall to observe these seven lives entangling into such a mess that they ultimately lead the reader into a head-spinning twist.

What did I think?

OMG!  This may very well be one of the best books I have ever read.  Just scroll down to the bottom of my review and click the buy link now - you will not be disappointed.  For anyone still reading, I'll tell you why I loved this book so much.

With a number of character storylines to follow, it is indeed a tangled web that is woven by David B. Lyons in his latest novel, In the Middle of Middle America.  There may be a decent number of characters but it never gets confusing as each one is brought to life through the absolutely flawless writing and I really cared about each and every one of them.  Even the small town location of Lebanon, Kansas feels like almost a character in itself and there really is a monument there marking the very centre of America.

This book is so perfectly plotted that it will blow your mind.  I know I was left like a gaping fish out of water at the end, gasping for breath and flapping around in excitement as the magnitude of the absolute masterpiece I had just experienced finally hit me.  David B. Lyons is the Master of Misdirection and this is without doubt his magnum opus - it really is nothing short of a masterpiece.  Stand up and take a bow, Mr Lyons!  I certainly gave him a virtual round of applause at the end.

Five stars is not enough for In the Middle of Middle America; it's simply outstanding!  Honestly, I can't stop raving about this book - it's an absolute MUST READ!  It's a book I would like to read again, even though I now know the awesome twist, just to see how cleverly it is written.  David B. Lyons is such a talented wordsmith and coupled with his intricate plotting makes him one of the cleverest authors I've come across.

Easily my favourite book of 2021, In the Middle of Middle America is an outstanding small town mystery suspense that sure packs a big punch.  I challenge you to read a better book this year!  I don't just recommend it, I implore you to read it - I guarantee you won't regret it.  

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

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Where the Edge Is - Gráinne Murphy

 

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

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

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

What did I think?

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

My rating:

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About the author:

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

Twitter: @GraMurphy

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BLOG TOUR: The Hidden Wife - Amanda Reynolds

WHAT HAPPENED TO JULIA BLAKE?

She was young and beautiful, married to a famous author. They were celebrating their anniversary at their stunning country estate. So why did Julia Blake walk out of her perfect life, apparently leaving no trace?

Seren, a junior reporter for the local paper, can’t believe her luck when she lands an exclusive with Julia’s husband, Max. But as Seren spends more time at the couple’s remote mansion, probing ever deeper into the case, dark questions await. 

What was Julia really like, behind closed doors? Was her marriage to this brooding, secretive man as perfect as it seemed? And did she really mean to disappear that night - or was she murdered? 

What did I think?

I love a good hook at the start of a book and The Hidden Wife certainly has that.  Not only is the first page labelled 'Thirty-Three Hours Missing' but the opening paragraph left me breathless and thirsty for more.

Max Blake's beautiful wife, Julia, has gone missing but that's not the tastiest part of the worm wriggling on the hook.  Max is dishevelled and desperate as he paces his designer kitchen talking to DS Katie Ingles, but he is also lying.  See what I mean about a great hook?  Just what does he have to hide?  Would a man with something to hide invite a reporter to interview him?  It felt very cool and calculating of Max to request junior reporter, Seren, whose brother also went missing without trace, to interview him for an exclusive piece in The Herald.  Add to the mix that Seren's boss, Theo, was at Max's house the night Julia went missing and we have all the ingredients for a very tasty story. There are so many facets to this story that I had all sorts of crazy ideas floating around my head.  None of them were right, of course and I was completely fooled by Amanda Reynolds' dark and twisty imagination.

It's a very character driven storyline and although I was slightly disappointed that I felt rather ambivalent towards them, I do think that the characters are portrayed very well; from Max's almost bipolar moods to Seren's naivety and desperation to do a good job in the cutthroat world of journalism.  Not forgetting Max's strange and creepy PA, Miriam who always seemed to be hovering in the background keeping her ever-watchful eyes on Seren.  As Seren spends more time at Brooke House, I worried for her safety and that part of the story reminded me of Stephen King's Misery.  Just like Misery, I think The Hidden Wife would transfer beautifully to the screen as Amanda Reynold's words create their very own suspenseful soundtrack.

Ominous and suspenseful, there's so much going on in The Hidden Wife that it kept me guessing from start to finish, with much changing of my mind in between.  The only time I admit to being wrong is when I'm reading a book but The Hidden Wife is so cleverly plotted that I don't feel ashamed to say that I would never have guessed the full story of Julia Blake's disappearance, making it an enjoyable, suspenseful and surprisingly twisty read.

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

My rating:

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About the author:

Photo credit: David Churchill Photography

Amanda Reynolds lives in the Cotswolds with her family where she writes full-time. Her debut novel, Close To Me, is a #1 e-book best- seller. The Hidden Wife is her third book. 

Follow Amanda on Twitter: @AmandaReynoldsJ and visit her website amandareynoldsauthor.com

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BLOG TOUR: From Inside The House - WD Jackson-Smart

Two victims. Brutally murdered in their own home. Body parts taken.

D.I. Graves is back on the case to face his toughest challenge yet. A case with no motive and no suspect, nothing at all that could explain why someone would kill innocent people in such a way.

Then the next victims are discovered. Another pair of bodies. New body parts taken. Again in their own home.

Someone is breaking into houses across the city at night, leaving horror in their wake. It seems to Graves that this could be two serial killers, working together. But how are they choosing their victims? Is any house in London a target? Is anyone safe?

To make matters worse, a journalist is threatening to cause more harm than good with her obsessive push in covering the story to further her career, and someone is targeting Graves personally, seeking revenge against him in relation to an old case.

Can Graves keep himself safe long enough to stop the serial killers before they strike again?

What did I think?

From Inside The House is the second book in the DI Graves series and having read and loved the first book, The Demons Beneath, I couldn't wait to get stuck into this next instalment.  This story sees victims being killed in pairs and bodies left posed at crime scenes.  The police suspect two serial killers working together, rather intriguingly one is a psychopath and one is a sociopath.

You could read From Inside The House as a standalone but there is a continuation of a storyline from the first book, so I think it's better to read The Demons Beneath first to get the full story.  There are definitely enough details included to make sure that new readers aren't disadvantaged though and you could always read The Demons Beneath afterwards to fill in any blanks.

Graves is such a great name for a homicide detective, especially one who almost vomits at the sight of a dead body.  I love the dynamic he has with his partner, Charlie Palmer, which contrasts with the tenuous relationship he has with his sister.  Graves and his sister were close once until a series of events changed Graves' life forever.  His sister does make an appearance at the end which left me with baited breath for the next book!

Strangely enough, I really liked the annoying journalist character, Kelly Malone.  It just shows what a competitive business journalism is and perhaps explains why reporters do what they do in order to get a story.  Kelly even puts her life at risk to get a story just so she can get one over on her rival at the newspaper.  Obviously, I don't imagine such things happen in real life but reporters are like sharks and once they smell blood they can't do anything else but go in for the kill.

With murder scenes described in amazing detail, From Inside The House is flesh crawling in a gory way as opposed to the supernatural element that spooked me in The Demons Beneath.  As with many second novels in a series, it didn't quite manage to knock the first book off the top spot but I have a feeling that things are about to get really interesting for DI Graves.  From Inside The House is gritty, dark and gruesome and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for book 3.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



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Absolute Proof - Peter James

Investigative reporter Ross Hunter nearly didn’t answer the phone call that would change his life – and possibly the world – for ever.

‘I’d just like to assure you I’m not a nutcase, Mr Hunter. My name is Dr Harry F. Cook. I know this is going to sound strange, but I’ve recently been given absolute proof of God’s existence – and I’ve been advised there is a writer, a respected journalist called Ross Hunter, who could help me to get taken seriously.’

What would it take to prove the existence of God? And what would be the consequences?

This question and its answer lie at the heart of Absolute Proof, an international thriller from bestselling author Peter James.

The false faith of a billionaire evangelist, the life’s work of a famous atheist, and the credibility of each of the world’s major religions are all under threat. If Ross Hunter can survive long enough to present the evidence . . .

What did I think?

As a lover of Egyptian history and mythology, I was immediately drawn to this book by the eye-catching hieroglyphs on the cover and I've also read a few of Peter James' Roy Grace series so I know that he is an excellent writer.  At over 500 pages, it's quite a chunky book with a complex plot and a lot of characters so it did take me longer than I expected to read it.

The whole premise of this book intrigued me: what would happen if proof of God's existence came to light and what lengths would some people  or organisations go to prevent this happening?  This is the question that Peter James explores in Absolute Proof which injects the thriller element into the story at just the right time to keep me interested.  As reporter Ross Hunter gathers the evidence to prove God's existence, it really did feel like there were lots of people out to stop him and I had no idea who he could trust.

I think I was a little guilty of my own hype as I expected to love this book but found it a little hard going in places, so I ended up liking but not loving it.  I'm glad I've read it but it's not a book I'd recommend and I think I'd rather stick with the amazing Roy Grace series.

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

My rating:

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BLOG BLITZ: The TV Detective - Simon Hall

Dan Groves is a television reporter newly assigned to the crime beat and not at all happy about it.

Dan knows next nothing about police work or how to report on it so when he persuades Detective Chief Inspector Adam Breen to allow him to shadow a high-profile murder inquiry it seems like the perfect solution though it soon becomes clear some members of the police force have no intention of playing nice with the new boy.

With his first case Dan is dropped in at the deep-end. A man is killed in a lay-by with a blast through the heart from a shotgun. The victim is a notorious local businessman, Edward Bray, a man with so many enemies there are almost too many suspects for the police to eliminate.

As tensions rise between Dan and the police he comes close to being thrown off the case until the detectives realise that far from being a liability, Dan might actually be the key to tempting the murderer into a trap.

The TV Detective is the first book in a classic crime series from Simon Hall, who until recently was the BBC Crime Correspondent for the Devon and Cornwall area.

What did I think?

As an introduction to a series, I think The TV Detective laid some good foundations for what is to follow.  It took me a little while to get into the book but, once I did, the story whizzed along at a fairly good pace and had a very satisfying conclusion.  Although it didn't quite have the 'wow-factor' for me, I found it very entertaining and something a bit different from a run-of-the-mill police investigation.

I really liked the character of journalist Dan; his best friend is his dog, Rutherford, and he's completely clueless where women are concerned.  Dan is partnered with DCI Adam Breen who wants the reporter tagging along like he wants a hole in the head.  I love prickly characters like Breen; he's a proper old-school detective with a spiky outer shell and a slightly soft middle if you burrow deep enough to find it.

Dan has quite the skill for getting people to talk, which makes him very useful to the investigation; people are more willing to speak to Dan than the police which makes Breen's feelings towards Dan start to thaw.  It's a very complex case as it's really hard to find the murderer when so many people wanted the victim, Edward Bray, dead.  With so many people under scrutiny, I was just waiting for the first person to crack...but there was still more to uncover about the events surrounding the murder of Edward Bray.

I'd definitely read more in the series as I think, with a bit more polishing, The TV Detective could become a highly entertaining series in the crime fiction genre.

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

My rating:

Buy The TV Detective direct from Fahrenheit Press: http://www.fahrenheit-press.com/books_the_tv_detective.html

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About the author:


Simon Hall is an author and journalist.

He has been a broadcaster for twenty five years, mostly as a BBC Television and Radio News Correspondent, covering some of the biggest stories Britain has seen.

His books - the tvdetective series - are about a television reporter who covers crimes and gets so involved in the cases he helps the police to solve them. Seven have been published.

Simon has also contributed articles and short stories to a range of newspapers and magazines, written plays, and even a pantomime.

Alongside his novels and stories, Simon is a tutor in media skills and creative writing, teaching at popular Writers’ Summer Schools such as Swanwick and Winchester, on cruise ships and overseas.

Simon has also become sought after as a speaker, appearing at a variety of prestigious literary festivals. His talks combine an insight into his writing work, along with some extraordinary anecdotes from the life of a television reporter, including the now notorious story of What to do when you really need a dead otter.

Now 49 years old, he began a broadcasting career as a DJ on the radio and in nightclubs, then moved into radio and TV news. He worked in Europe, London, Ireland, and the south west of England, before settling in Cambridge.

Simon is married to Jess, Director of Libraries at the University of Cambridge, and has an adopted daughter, Niamh. She’s an army officer, which makes her father both very proud and very nervous.

Simon lectures on careers in the media at Cambridge University, and in schools and colleges. Amongst his proudest achievements, he includes the number of young people he has helped into jobs in broadcasting, and aspiring writers into publication.

As for his likes, Simon lists beer – he judges at real ale festivals – cycling the countryside, solving cryptic crosswords, composing curious Tweets (find him @thetvdetective ) and studying pop lyrics.

For more on Simon, see his website – www.thetvdetective.com

Simon’s Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SimonHallNews

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Simon-Hall/e/B0034Q7NPC/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1523989492&sr=1-1

Website: www.thetvdetective.com

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Beneath the Surface - Sibel Hodge

Dean Hudson didn’t look evil…so what could drive an ordinary boy to kill?

When the teenage son of Holly Gold’s school friend brutally murders his parents before killing himself, her sleepy home town is rocked by the sudden tragedy.

Appalled, Holly investigates. What could have caused the happy-go-lucky boy she remembers to commit such a heinous crime? When another teen commits suicide, she uncovers a horrifying link between the recent deaths and a dark conspiracy to hide the truth.

But someone doesn’t want Holly asking questions and, as she hunts for evidence to prove her theory, she’s dragged into a nightmare that threatens her life and her sanity. Then tragedy strikes again—and this time it’s closer to home…

What did I think?

I can often be found browsing the 3 for £10 on Amazon, so when I saw a few bloggers reading Beneath the Surface it miraculously found its way into my basket.  Feeling a bit guilty about buying yet more books, I wrapped it up and gave it as a gift to my Mam ensuring that I would get it to read it too - RESULT!  There was method in my madness: my Mam has a medical background, having worked in various parts of the health service for all of her working life, so I knew she would appreciate this book.  She didn't just appreciate it, she LOVED it and plans to pass it on to family and friends.

Holly lost touch with her good friend, Jess, when Holly went to London to pursue her career in journalism.  When Holly finds herself back in her hometown, she thinks she has all the time in the world to reconnect with Jess, but then Jess and her husband are found murdered by their own son, Dean.  Nobody can understand what drove Dean to commit such an act, it seems so out of character for him.  So Holly starts to investigate but she doesn't realise how far this web reaches and that some people will do ANYTHING to stop the truth getting out.

Beneath the Surface is my first Sibel Hodge book but I will definitely be looking at her back catalogue.  I love books with even a grain of truth in them, and knowing a bit about pharmaceutical companies, I'm sure that Beneath the Surface has a whole bushel of truth in it.  We know there is big money in pharmaceuticals, and I'm not for one minute suggesting that companies would go to the extremes in Beneath the Surface, but when the board is pressurised into making profit, when do morals outweigh money?  

Beneath the Surface is a very clever thriller that leaves you with so much food for thought.  How many of us walk out of the doctors' surgery with that magical green slip in our hand?  It promises to make us feel better and we put 100% trust in the doctor who gave it to us, but we need to remember that our slip of green turns into another slip of green with the Queen's head on it once we 'cash it in'.  What many people don't realise is that incentives are offered for doctors to prescribe certain drugs.  What I didn't realise is that doctors could prescribe 'off-label' so that if a drug hasn't been recommended for a particular age group, they can legally prescribe it to this untested age group.

This book isn't necessarily about Prozac but I have heard about the effects of Prozac and find it amazing that a common side effect of anti-depressant drugs is suicidal thoughts.  Surely then, it is the wrong drug to administer to a person already depressed and considering suicide?  Then again, if the doctor gets an all-expenses trip to Barbados for prescribing the drug, why wouldn't they prescribe it to all and sundry?  I remember a few years ago when everyone seemed to come away from the doctors with a prescription for codeine.  Now we see news articles about the addictive nature of codeine and I wonder who should be held accountable.  The doctors for prescribing it or the pharmaceutical reps for 'pushing' it?

I've digressed from the book slightly, but you can see how thought-provoking I found Beneath the Surface to be.  It's a cracking thriller with that little bit extra that makes it a book I will definitely remember and continually recommend.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon