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:

Buy it from:

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: Guilty - Ruby Speechley

“You’re invited to my farewell party. I’ve got something to tell you before I die…”

Heather wants to leave this world with a clear conscience.

One confession. One secret. Two scores to settle.

Heather accepted the fate of her terminal diagnosis long ago, but now the time is nearing, she arranges a huge farewell party for her nearest and dearest.

She wants to say goodbye to everyone personally, but there’s another reason she wants the people in her life to gather.

She knows who killed young Simon Eyre all those years ago, and she needs to tell. The boy deserves justice.

But she doesn’t realise that by freeing her own inner demons, she’s unleashing much worse secrets, and putting everyone at risk…

 

What did I think?

I absolutely love a book filled with secrets so I couldn't put Guilty down once I picked it up.  There's a big whopper of a secret and a bucketful of smaller secrets and lies to be revealed so put on your virtual running shoes when you pick up this incredibly addictive book.

As awful as it is to die too soon, Heather has the chance to say goodbye to all of her family and friends when she receives her terminal diagnosis.  Heather doesn't just want to say goodbye though, she wants to confess...

To say things don't go to plan is a bit of an understatement and all of the added drama made my eyes zip down the page faster than they already were.  I'm surprised I didn't have a blister on my finger from turning the pages so fast!  I loved how just when I thought I had everything worked out, Ruby Speechley threw another spanner in the works.  Great stuff!

Addictive, entertaining and blisteringly fast-paced, Guilty may be my first Ruby Speechley book but it won't be my last.  I couldn't put it down and I loved every minute of it.  A recommended read but make sure you block out a few hours so you can read uninterrupted.

I rreceived 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/Guiltysocial

About the author:

Ruby Speechley is a bestselling psychological thriller writer, whose titles include Someone Else’s Baby. Previously published by Hera, she has been a journalist and worked in PR and lives in Cheshire.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063999185095 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rubyspeechley 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rubyjtspeechley/ 

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/RubySpeechleyNews

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ruby-speechley 

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BLOG TOUR: The Rising Tide (Vera Stanhope Book 10) - Ann Cleeves

Fifty years ago, a group of teenagers spent a weekend on Holy Island, forging a bond that has lasted a lifetime. Now, they still return every five years to celebrate their friendship, and remember the friend they lost to the rising waters of the causeway at the first reunion.

Now, when one of them is found hanged, Vera is called in. Learning that the dead man had recently been fired after misconduct allegations, Vera knows she must discover what the friends are hiding, and whether the events of many years before could have led to murder then, and now . . .

But with the tide rising, secrets long-hidden are finding their way to the surface, and Vera and the team may find themselves in more danger than they could have believed possible . . . 

 

What did I think?

The Rising Tide is the tenth book in the Vera Stanhope series but it's my first one and I LOVED IT!!!  I don't know how I've never read any of the Vera series before as I love books based in my native North East so I'm glad that I've finally got round to discovering it.  So, The Rising Tide can definitely be read as a standalone novel and it's got me hooked - I want more Vera!

The setting for this instalment is Holy Island (or Lindisfarne for people out of the area as it's pointed out in the book) and the remote Northumbrian island is described beautifully.  I've only been there twice but I could totally picture the causeway, castle and village from Ann Cleeves' vivid descriptions.

I've never watched Vera on TV but I'm aware of the character played by Brenda Blethyn so it was Brenda's Vera that I imagined.  However, even if I hadn't been aware of the show I would still have been able to imagine Vera as she virtually leaps out of the page with her scruffy clothes and battered old Land Rover.  All of the characters are portrayed vividly and I particularly liked the competition in Vera's team between Holly and Vera's clear favourite Joe.

The murder plot is stunning and completely unpredictable as everyone is a suspect.  I loved the reunion story about the group of school friends who visit Holy Island every five years, although their numbers are depleting.  Is there a killer in their midst?  Vera will find out, don't you worry about that.

I don't think I can even begin to tell you how much I enjoyed The Rising Tide.  It's certainly made me want to read all of the Vera books and to encourage a reader to discover an already well-established series is no mean feat.  There's not many books that make me gasp out loud these days, but Ann Cleeves managed to shock me into an audible gasp in The Rising Tide.  

Gripping, entertaining and atmospheric, The Rising Tide is sublimely plotted and flawlessly written.  Eh pet, it's great!  Divvent miss it like!

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

ANN CLEEVES is the author of more than thirty-five critically acclaimed novels, and in 2017 was awarded the highest accolade in crime writing, the CWA Diamond Dagger. She is the creator of popular detectives Vera Stanhope, Jimmy Perez and Matthew Venn, who can be found on television in ITV’s Vera, BBC One’s Shetland and ITV's The Long Call respectively. The TV series and the books they are based on have become international sensations, capturing the minds of millions worldwide. 2022 marks 30 years of publishing with Pan Macmillan.

Ann worked as a probation officer, bird observatory cook and auxiliary coastguard before she started writing. She is a member of ‘Murder Squad’, working with other British northern writers to promote crime fiction. Ann also spends her time advocating for reading to improve health and wellbeing and supporting access to books. In 2021 her Reading for Wellbeing project launched with local authorities across the North East. She lives in Northumberland where the Vera books are set. You can find Ann on Twitter and Facebook @AnnCleeves.

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BLOG TOUR: The Reunion - Polly Phillips

A chance to reconnect.

A chance to get revenge . . .

Emily Toller has tried to forget her time at university and the events that led to her suddenly leaving under a cloud. She has done everything she can to forget the shame and the trauma – and the people involved. She has tried to focus on the life she has built with her children and husband, Nick.

But events like that can’t just be forgotten. Not without someone answering for what they’ve done. 

When an invitation arrives to a University reunion, everything clicks into place. Emily has a plan.

Because if you can’t forget – why not get revenge?

 

What did I think?

The idea of a reunion of any kind sounds like a horror story to me but I do love a good revenge story so The Reunion by Polly Phillips appealed to me.  It's the first book by Polly Phillips that I have read and it certainly won't be my last.

It's impossible not to get hooked when you pick up this book as 'something' happened to Emily when she was a student at Cambridge University and I couldn't read fast enough to find out what.  Not only that, Emily is out to get revenge on those who wronged her and the public forum of a reunion is the perfect place.

It's difficult not to feel sorry for Emily; her life could have been so different if her time at Cambridge hadn't set her on a different path.  You could argue that things turned out well for her anyway as she's married to a successful man and she's a mother to twins, but Emily is haunted by the life she could have had.

The cliques and drunken tomfoolery at university set a backdrop for the past timeline in the novel and it's a stark reminder of the dangers of alcohol, particularly for young adults who are not used to drinking and don't know their limits.  The present is all about revenge though and Emily has designed a plan to get her own back...but even the best laid plans often go awry.

Very well written, gripping and totally addictive, The Reunion hooked me from the start and I couldn't put it down until all had been revealed.  A recommended holiday read.

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:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: Peanuts & Eggcups - Sara Mendes da Costa

I was really impressed with Sara Mendes da Costa's debut Peanuts & Eggcups so I was more than happy to join the Blog Tour and I have an amazing guest post from Sara.  Sara is the current voice of the BT Speaking Clock and when she's not telling us the time, she's writing her fabulous books.

You can read my review after Sara's guest post on her journey from voice artist to author and please do make sure to stop by the other blogs on the tour.

My journey from telemarketer to Voice Artist to Speaking Clock & to Author by Sara Mendes da Costa

Before I did what I do now, I ran my own little B2B telemarketing company – for my sins – and wow was I beginning to hate it! I had people in and out of my house (my office) every day. It was no longer a home, it was a business I slept in. And I had no space…I couldn’t breathe properly with the stress. I knew things needed to change – they had to change I was getting really ill and low – and one day I caught myself sitting on the sofa, clutching my knees and rocking back and forth, feeling like a caged animal. At that point at that very moment, I knew the time I had come; I had to do things differently, and I was the only one who could make that happen.

I called up my co-director Richard and said ‘Hey, you know you left your well-paid job in London in order to come and join my small set up…well, we need to talk!’ Luckily he was my best friend and understood that health and happiness came first and we needed to wind down the company. A couple of days later I called everyone off the phones and gave them the news, explaining I was gradually going to cease trading, that I didn’t want this anymore that it was making me ill and I wanted, I needed, to be creative. I gave them all three months’ notice and set about planning my future.

At that point I decided to seek the help and support of a wonderful life coach. Bit by bit she helped me to see who I was and what I wanted in life. I wanted to use my voice and I wanted to write. And she said, ‘You know what Sara, when you talk about being a writer, an author, you come alive!’ And I really heard that. So I made a plan. I was going to keep on a couple of telemarketing clients to keep the wolves from the door and I was going to do whatever I could to get myself into voiceover work – after all, with my telemarketing experience, I would be able to pick up the phone and clients would literally hear what I had to sell – my voice! But the driving force was writing. I wanted to eventually migrate from telemarketing to voiceover work and then voiceover work would (I hoped) continue to support me whilst I became a writer. And I’m happy to say that’s pretty much what happened.

I invested a lot of time (and a fair amount of money) building my voiceover business and luckily people started booking me, rebooking me and then recommending me. All the while I was single – six years single – and during that time I started writing in my spare time. That’s when I began really learning my craft and finding my voice. I travelled to Spain to write; first for a week and then for five weeks to write Peanuts & Eggcups. After the second trip, I came home and realised I’d literally galloped through the second half of the book and needed to do a lot of ‘filling in’ and to be honest, those five weeks in Spain, whilst amazing, were only the beginning of my writing journey. They gave me the head space to allow my ideas to really flow…but I was impatient to finish and I needed to properly apply myself and learn patience. Once home I got on with the voiceover career and continued writing – evenings and weekends. And I loved it. It was the one thing I did that I could lose myself in for hours without being aware of time. Eventually there came the hard part – finding an agent. As a writer, you need to get ready for rejections. Sometimes people get lucky with something that smacks an agent round the head and is just what they want at the right time but it’s tough when there are so many budding authors trying to get agents’ and publishers’ attention. So it took me a little while to get an agent. Then I got one who loved my work but then he became somewhat disillusioned with the changing ways of the industry so he changed direction and I moved on.

After a while, Derek, a previous telemarketing client, got in touch needing a voiceover artist. He worked just around the corner and came in for a cuppa. During that meeting in my kitchen, I talked about my novel and wonderfully Derek said he knew someone in the publishing industry. Well, it went from there really. He made an email introduction and the guy, John, got in touch. He wasn’t an agent but he knew an agent. I dropped my m/s round to John and he, in turn, passed it on to his contact Annette. I waited and I waited and I waited. Then I got a call from Derek who’d just come away from playing a round of golf with John who’d said that Annette had read my work and thought it was really, really good. Can you imagine how amazing that felt! Someone in the industry, a professional, loved my work! I was on cloud nine. Apparently she was going to call but I was to act surprised. I could do that! I would do whatever it took! So once again I waited and I waited…and I waited. But no call! In the end I wrote to Annette. She’d had other things going on in her life but said she’d like to meet. We met in Café Rouge in London’s Victoria Station and had a lovely lunch (with a fair amount of liquid!) got on really well, and it was all systems go! The whole process took a while but after a spell she set her new literary agency - A for Authors - and her colleague Bill joined her and together they took me on as their client. There was more writing, editing, rewriting, reading, editing etc. etc. …and then with a professional team involved and I was on my way.

So, after a lot of years and an awful lot of patience, here I am with Peanuts & Eggcups out there as my debut novel. It’s a wonderful, wonderful, feeling (scary too I must admit!) But I do feel pretty blessed. I’m still doing the voice work – I’ll likely do that for many years to come and there are two more novels on their way next year: Time and Time Again and Maggie Ever After - a sequel to Peanuts & Eggcups…plus a third novel in the planning stages called Accidentally Alice.

Looking back, it all seems like a bit of a dream. Sure, it has been hard work, but once I’d dumped the stuff I hated – and could breathe and be happy and healthy again – it was just about following my dreams and that can only be a good thing – for us all. I intend to follow my heart always now and happiness and freedom are key. So, the next step I hope will be to travel more and take my work with me. For me, not much would beat being up a mountain somewhere or looking out to sea or over a lake…or anywhere beautiful ….and dreaming and writing! So I’m going to set my mind to that focus, and see what unravels over the next decade 



A little bit about the book:

For Maggie Parsons there’s only ever been one man: the stunningly delicious Luke Henderson. Unfortunately, he left her, without explanation, after their ‘first night’ together …breaking her heart in the process.

Now ten years on, without any contact, he’s back and going to her school reunion. Great! And, to confuse matters…so is his suave, sexy, brother Tony who makes a major play for Maggie, then turns up with his insufferable - supposedly ex – fiancée!

Via the reunion, a black eye, getting the sack (as a result) a madcap girlie holiday and juggling her confused emotions around the two alluring brothers…Maggie starts to build a picture of what she really wants in life.

Trouble is, Maggie’s a pawn in a game she doesn’t even know she’s playing …and things are about to get a whole lot more complicated. 

What did I think?

At a hefty 727 pages long (10 hours on kindle) I felt a little daunted about tackling this book, but I needn't have worried.  The pages absolutely flew by as I read about Maggie's trials and tribulations and felt like I ended the book as one of her close friends. 

I think you could guess from its size that this isn't simply a no-brainer chick lit book and I really must raise my glass to Sara Mendes da Costa on her epic debut; she has really allowed the reader to fully immerse themselves in the book and be part of Maggie's story.  I absolutely loved the writing style and regularly laughed out loud at Maggie's escapades that sometimes resonated all too frighteningly well with me.

Maggie and Catherine have been best friends since school, together with Jenny and Pauline they form a close knit group of four.  As they arrange to meet up at their school reunion, Maggie is worried about bumping into her old flame (and Jenny's brother), Luke, so she contemplates missing the event.  As her friends talk her into going, she is disappointed to learn that Luke will not be there so in the spirit of having a good time she flirts with some old pals, including Luke's brother, Tony.  When things get a bit more serious with Tony, Maggie has to decide whether she really likes Tony or whether he simply reminds her of Luke.

Aside from Maggie's story, there are some excellent storylines for the other characters; Catherine is searching for true love and saving her virginity for 'The One'; Jenny has had an affair with a married man and has bowed out after the wife announced her pregnancy; and Pauline is stumping doctors with a mystery illness and has an unsympathetic husband who doesn't seem to be interested in her health.

As a debut, this is a really exceptional novel and I can't wait to see if we'll hear some more from this group of friends.  There are some absolutely hilarious moments that did literally have me laughing out loud.  I'm not going to spoil any of the book but I am still laughing thinking about Maggie at the dentist.  When the dentist announces that she needs four fillings and a crown, whilst all his tools are in her mouth, she answers with "Huck" and I almost choked.  Why do dentists ask questions when we can't move our mouths?  I also have to give a shout out to my football team, Sunderland, for getting a small mention.  Not in a hilarious way, surprisingly ;-)

This would be a great holiday read, keeping you entertained for hours as you soak up the sun.  Of course there are some predictable elements, but at that point we care so much about the characters that it's exactly what we want to read.  Peanuts & Eggcups is an absolutely delightful read and, despite its mammoth size, I didn't want it to finish.  

I received this e-book from Authoright in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

Available from Amazon UK

About Sara Mendes da Costa

Sara Mendes da Costa is the voice of the BT Speaking Clock; the fourth person to hold this prestigious title since 1936.

A successful, world-renowned voiceover artist, her dulcet tones are easily recognisable on television, radio, film and across countless media.

Never far from the press, she’s known for her appearances on BBC Breakfast, ITV This Morning, Children in Need, Wake up to Wogan and The Today Programme, and balances her prolific voiceover career with her passion and commitment as a novelist.

Peanuts & Eggcups, her debut novel - hotly anticipated by the industry - is “The perfect & highly addictive reading companion for women’s fiction fans”. `

A lover of laughter, creativity, great storytelling and a wee dram, Sara adores writing novels and seeks to entertain, uplift and inspire. 

Her upcoming novels: Time & Time Again & Maggie Ever After, are expected in 2017.

Visit: www.saramendesdacosta.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/speakingclock.saramendesdacosta

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Peanuts & Eggcups - Sara Mendes da Costa

For Maggie Parsons there’s only ever been one man: the stunningly delicious Luke Henderson. Unfortunately, he left her, without explanation, after their ‘first night’ together …breaking her heart in the process. 

Now ten years on, without any contact, he’s back and going to her school reunion. Great! And, to confuse matters…so is his suave, sexy, brother Tony who makes a major play for Maggie, then turns up with his insufferable - supposedly ex – fiancée! 

Via the reunion, a black eye, getting the sack (as a result) a madcap girlie holiday and juggling her confused emotions around the two alluring brothers…Maggie starts to build a picture of what she really wants in life. 

Trouble is, Maggie’s a pawn in a game she doesn’t even know she’s playing …and things are about to get a whole lot more complicated. 

What did I think?

At a hefty 727 pages long (10 hours on kindle) I felt a little daunted about tackling this book, but I needn't have worried.  The pages absolutely flew by as I read about Maggie's trials and tribulations and felt like I ended the book as one of her close friends. 

I think you could guess from its size that this isn't simply a no-brainer chick lit book and I really must raise my glass to Sara Mendes da Costa on her epic debut; she has really allowed the reader to fully immerse themselves in the book and be part of Maggie's story.  I absolutely loved the writing style and regularly laughed out loud at Maggie's escapades that sometimes resonated all too frighteningly well with me.

Maggie and Catherine have been best friends since school, together with Jenny and Pauline they form a close knit group of four.  As they arrange to meet up at their school reunion, Maggie is worried about bumping into her old flame (and Jenny's brother), Luke, so she contemplates missing the event.  As her friends talk her into going, she is disappointed to learn that Luke will not be there so in the spirit of having a good time she flirts with some old pals, including Luke's brother, Tony.  When things get a bit more serious with Tony, Maggie has to decide whether she really likes Tony or whether he simply reminds her of Luke.

Aside from Maggie's story, there are some excellent storylines for the other characters; Catherine is searching for true love and saving her virginity for 'The One'; Jenny has had an affair with a married man and has bowed out after the wife announced her pregnancy; and Pauline is stumping doctors with a mystery illness and has an unsympathetic husband who doesn't seem to be interested in her health.

As a debut, this is a really exceptional novel and I can't wait to see if we'll hear some more from this group of friends.  There are some absolutely hilarious moments that did literally have me laughing out loud.  I'm not going to spoil any of the book but I am still laughing thinking about Maggie at the dentist.  When the dentist announces that she needs four fillings and a crown, whilst all his tools are in her mouth, she answers with "Huck" and I almost choked.  Why do dentists ask questions when we can't move our mouths?  I also have to give a shout out to my football team, Sunderland, for getting a small mention.  Not in a hilarious way, surprisingly ;-)

This would be a great holiday read, keeping you entertained for hours as you soak up the sun.  Of course there are some predictable elements, but at that point we care so much about the characters that it's exactly what we want to read.  Peanuts & Eggcups is an absolutely delightful read and, despite its mammoth size, I didn't want it to finish.  

I received this e-book from Authoright in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

Available from Amazon UK