BLOG TOUR: The Last Party (DC Morgan Book 1) - Clare Mackintosh

On New Year's Eve, Rhys Lloyd has a house full of guests.

His lakeside holiday homes are a success, and he's generously invited the village to drink champagne with their wealthy new neighbours. This will be the party to end all parties.

But not everyone is there to celebrate. By midnight, Rhys will be floating dead in the freezing waters of the lake.

On New Year's Day, DC Ffion Morgan has a village full of suspects.

The tiny community is her home, so the suspects are her neighbours, friends and family - and Ffion has her own secrets to protect.

With a lie uncovered at every turn, soon the question isn't who wanted Rhys dead . . . but who finally killed him.

In a village with this many secrets, a murder is just the beginning. 

 

What did I think?

You're always guaranteed a good read with a Clare Mackintosh book and The Last Party is no exception.  It's the first in a new series and I'm already hooked as I love DC Ffion Morgan and the village of Cwm Coed on the Welsh/English border.

The traditional New Year's Day swim in the lake is disrupted when a body is found floating in it.  Not many tears are shed when it's revealed that the body is that of local celebrity Rhys Lloyd.  For starters, Rhys has brought the English to Cwm Coed with his controversial development The Shore on the English side of the lake.  The tension and distrust of strangers in a small village is beautifully portrayed and it makes every single one of the villagers a suspect.  

Ffion has her own demons to deal with and she wears her reputation of being a wild child like a badge of honour, although it has come at a very steep cost.  I love Ffion's personality, her flawed character and the way that she meets and interacts with Leo, her partner in this case, is just brilliant.  Cheshire police are involved as Rhys lived in England, but his body was found in Wales.  

There's just so much to enjoy and devour in this book.  Leo's personal and professional life is riveting with his ex-wife holding something over him and his boss being an absolute disgrace.  Ffion's covering something up and I was completely thrown off course and blindsided when that all got revealed.  As for who killed Rhys...well, you'll just have to read it and find out!

With a plot that would make Agatha Christie envious, Clare Mackintosh delivers once again in her stunning new novel The Last Party.  It's an absolutely stunning start to a new series and I am so excited to find out what's next in store for Ffion.  An easy five stars - 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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About the author:

Clare Mackintosh is the multi-award-winning author of five Sunday Times bestselling novels, including I Let You Go, which was the fastest selling debut thriller in the year it was released. Translated into forty languages, her books have sold more than two million copies worldwide, have been New York Times and international bestsellers and have spent a combined total of 64 weeks in the Sunday Times bestseller chart.

Clare spent twelve years in the police force, including time on CID, and as a public order commander. She left the police in 2011 to work as a freelance journalist and social media consultant and is the founder of the Chipping Norton Literary Festival. She now writes full time and lives in Wales with her husband and their three children.

www.claremackintosh.com / www.facebook.com/ClareMackWrites / @ClareMackint0sh

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BLOG TOUR: Quarter to Midnight - Karen Rose

Quarter to Midnight is the first thrilling novel in a brand new series by Sunday Times bestselling author Karen Rose, set in New Orleans.

Rocky Hebert walks into his death at quarter to midnight one New Orleans night.

His son Gabe cannot accept the official verdict of suicide and enlists the help of the Burke Broussard Private Investigation Agency to discover the real cause of death.

PI Molly Sutton knows what it's like to lose a father in tragic circumstances and will go to any lengths to crack the investigation, as she tries to fight off her growing feelings for Gabe.

They soon realise Rocky was working on an investigation of his own; one that threatened to expose the deep corruption going all the way to the top of the police department. And that the key to the puzzle lies with a young witness to a murder that happened years earlier: Xavier Morrow.

Just what did Rocky know? And who might have shut him up?

As they get closer and closer to the truth, they realise that the killer is not going to stop at Rocky. And that Xavier is in very real danger. Someone will go to any lengths to protect what he witnessed that night coming out...

 

What did I think?

It's been a while since I've read a Karen Rose book, and I had to do a few arm exercises before picking up this weighty 591 page book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Filled with mystery and suspense, it kept me on the edge of my seat and my eyes firmly glued to the page from start to finish.

I've read a few Karen Rose books and the covers are so dark and thriller-like that I often forget they are romantic suspense novels.  The romance is heartwarming and adds a layer of lightheartedness to an otherwise dark plotline.  I love the dark plot though, especially the mystery surrounding the murder during Hurricane Katrina that Rocky was investigating and ultimately got him killed.  

I loved all of the characters, especially PI Molly and chef Gabe who provide the romance element, but also Xavier and the colourful characters who make up his entourage.  Xavier is in great danger but whoever is targeting him has to get through his family and friends first, and one of them is carrying knitting needles!  With dangerous powerful men hiding in plain sight, you don't know who can be trusted.

Quarter to Midnight is sure to be another instant bestseller from Karen Rose.  It's fast-paced, gripping and so suspenseful that I couldn't read it fast enough.  An easy five stars and a highly recommended read.

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:

Karen Rose was introduced to suspense and horror at the tender age of eight when she accidentally read Poe's The Pit and The Pendulum and was afraid to go to sleep for years.  She now enjoys writing books that make other people afraid to go to sleep.

Karen lives in Florida with her family, their cat, Bella, and two dogs, Loki and Freya. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, and her new hobby - knitting.

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Vile Stars - Sera Milano

How can the things you love hurt so much?

 

17-year-old Luka isn’t looking for love. She’s trying to piece her life back together after a heartbreaking loss. But when she meets the gorgeous and charismatic Cosmo under a meteor shower at the Greenwich Observatory, it feels like destiny has played a hand. Surely theirs is a love written in the stars.

 

But Cosmo isn’t what he seems, using Luka's love for him to slowly take control of her life. As the pandemic starts to make headlines and lockdown sets in, she is trapped emotionally and physically in a coercive relationship. Luka’s friends and brother can see what’s happening, but struggle to reach her. Something will have to be sacrificed so Luka can set herself free – but what will be left of her when she does?

He tells me I’m the only one who can save him. But loving him is stealing the best of me.

 

What did I think?

Vile Stars is a YA novel but you don’t have to be a young adult to read it as my youth is long gone and I absolutely loved it.  

It’s written in the form of letters and a podcast with short paragraphs from different people’s perspectives.  It’s a very modern way to write and it gave the novel a depth I wasn’t expecting as it really feels as if the characters are talking to you.

It starts with a bang in chapter one and you just can’t get the haunting scene out of your mind.  So with the opening chapter in mind, you know how it’s going to end but you just can’t stop reading and hurtling at full speed towards that devastating conclusion.  Sera Milano has perfected the art of the hook as I was completely riveted from start to finish.

This is not a traditional love story; it’s dark and horrifying as Cosmo draws Luka into his web, gradually alienating her from her friends and family.  Luka’s friends never give up on her but Cosmo’s grip is firm and he chips away at Luka’s mind until she is a shadow of her former self.

The story is hard to read at times, although it’s never graphic, it’s more the level of mental abuse that Cosmo inflicts on Luka.  It’s frightening that people don’t see what is happening to them, as their partners are so crafty and conniving.  Cosmo is a vile character and if only one reader recognises their own mentally abusive and controlling partner in him, then Sera Milano’s work here is done.

Fresh, powerful and haunting, Vile Stars is a novel that will stay with me for a very long time.  I really can’t recommend it highly enough.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Confetti at the Hummingbird Hotel - Daisy James

Welcome back to the Hummingbird Hotel!

When Abbie Coleman is asked to organise a Dance & Desserts retreat for a group of exhausted schoolteachers, she decides to pull out all the stops. With line dancing, flamenco and the Charleston on the agenda, along with a whole host of delicious themed desserts, it’s her chance to prove to everyone that she has – at last – gained the skills needed to be an accomplished hotelier. This time she’s determined there will be no “unfortunate incidents” that make the Hummingbird Hotel look like Corfu’s Comedy Central.

With her big fat Greek wedding to the gorgeous Nikos Angelopoulos only three weeks away, will she finally be able to deliver a retreat without the habitual chaos and calamity the hotel has become famous for? Can she turn a clunky chicken dance into a classy Charleston and a boogie-woogie into a beautiful ballet? Or will she be boot scootin’ it back to London and life as a floundering florist?

Let Daisy James whisk you away to gorgeous Corfu with a feel-good holiday read filled with sun, sea and a sprinkle of romance. Perfect for fans of Mandy Baggot, Sue Roberts & Sandy Barker

 

What did I think?

Confetti at the Hummingbird Hotel is the sixth and final book in The Hummingbird Hotel series but you can definitely read it as a standalone.  Before jumping in at book six, I had only read the first book in the series so I was already familiar with the main characters, but enough of their background story is covered so that any new readers are not disadvantaged.

It was an absolute delight to escape to the Hummingbird Hotel once again.  This time, Abbie and her team are running a Dance & Desserts retreat for some school teachers.  The dancing and the desserts are described so exquisitely by Daisy James that I wanted to try the moves out for myself (and I always want to try the desserts).  It had my foot tapping and my stomach rumbling, that's for sure!  

There is some tension in the group of teachers and some mysterious goings-on but the very future of the Hummingbird Hotel is at stake unless Abbie can get to the bottom of it.  As if Abbie doesn't have enough on her plate, with her upcoming wedding to vineyard owner Nikos.  Abbie has so much going on and so many things going wrong that it's a wonder she doesn't feel dizzy, but with a little help from her friends I had every confidence that things would turn out alright in the end.  

Guaranteed to put a smile on your face, nothing makes me happier than reading a Daisy James book.  Filled with sunshine, smiles, delicious food and a sprinkling of lighthearted mystery, Confetti at the Hummingbird Hotel is pure escapism.  So, grab your sunglasses and head out into the garden with your kindle; you don't need your passport to escape to Corfu courtesy of Daisy James.

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:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the author:

Daisy James loves writing stories with strong heroines and swift-flowing plotlines. She especially likes to create sunshine-filled settings in exotic locations - the Caribbean, Tuscany, Cornwall, Provence - so she can spend her time envisioning her characters enjoying the fabulous scenery and sampling the local food and drink.

When not scribbling away in her peppermint-and-green summerhouse (garden shed), she spends her time sifting flour and sprinkling sugar and edible glitter. She loves gossiping with friends over a glass of something fizzy or indulging in a spot of afternoon tea - china plates and teacups are a must.

Daisy would love to hear from readers via her Facebook page or you can follow her on Twitter @daisyjamesbooks, or on Instagram @daisyjamesstories.

Social Media Links – 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009889775019

Twitter: https://twitter.com/daisyjamesbooks 

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

Website: https://daisyjames.co.uk/ 

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Ghosted - Emily Barr

Ariel's accidental meeting with a handsome stranger called Joe is completely perfect; they have a connection like she's never known before. They exchange numbers and agree to meet when he is back from a trip to France. But when Ariel messages him, the number Joe gave her is disconnected. He's ghosted her. She assumes she will never see him again.

Except she does. Again and again.

Ariel returns to the place she and Joe met, and is stunned to find him there, not in France as he said he'd be, and behaving as if he has no idea who she is.

It turns out that their first meeting has been life-changing for them both, actually it's even more than that for Joe. But what do you do when - with every day that passes - you're literally growing apart from the best person you've ever known . . . ?

 

What did I think?

Oh my goodness, this beautiful book almost broke me; it’s so emotional and I struggled to hold in my tears at the end.  It’s a highly original love story and a very intriguing mystery that ensures the reader can’t bear to tear their eyes away from the page. 

Officially a YA book, Ghosted can also be read and enjoyed by adults.  Although the characters are teenagers, their age becomes irrelevant as I was swept away with emotion due to the beautiful love story.  I absolutely adored Ariel and Joe, a couple who appear destined to be together despite the years that separate them.

It’s like a cross between Groundhog Day and Ghost as Ariel and Joe meet each other for the first time, over and over again.  Joe went missing before his school trip to France and nobody knows what happened to him.  Ariel is determined to solve the mystery of Joe’s disappearance but in doing so, she might lose him forever.

Ghosted is filled with so much emotion that it is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.  The romance and mystery together is a winning combination and I would absolutely love to see it made into a film.  It’s a book I would read again and I can easily see it becoming a favourite book of mine; one that I will return to again and again to experience the wonderful story within.

My rating:

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The Knock-Knock Man - Russell Mardell

Who is The Knock-Knock Man? A ghost, a killer, or the figment of a frightened boy’s imagination?

It is a question that continues to haunt disgraced New Salstone police officer, Ali Davenport, fifteen months after the devastating case that changed the course of her life. Now, after the death of her former colleague, Ernie, Ali has returned home to face a past that won’t stay buried.

Found in the disused office building where he worked as night security, Ernie’s death has been ruled as a suicide. But not everyone is convinced. Wild stories are circulating about a supernatural presence in the building, an entity that might have attacked Ernie that fateful night. With the sale of the building about to go through, Ali is hired by its owner to work Ernie’s remaining night shifts and debunk the potentially damaging story. An easy enough job, if you don’t believe in ghosts. But then Ali meets Will, a teenage ghost hunter who claims to have evidence on film…

Forming an unlikely partnership, Ali and Will soon fall headlong into a mystery that takes them through New Salstone’s macabre history and into Ali’s own dark past. As the pieces of the puzzle come together, Ali is forced to face the question of The Knock-Knock Man one last time. But what Ali doesn’t know is The Knock-Knock Man has already been watching her for a very long time…

 

What did I think?

I was drawn to The Knock-Knock Man as it sounded like something different to what I would usually read and I was not disappointed.  It's both chilling and thrilling from start to finish as a small town is haunted by the story of The Knock-Knock Man...is it a folk tale or is it real?

Weaving together two mysterious and intriguing storylines from the past and the present, The Knock-Knock Man is a real page-turner.  I love main character Ali and her nickname that fits her perfectly; she's not afraid to stand up to danger, although she is a little afraid of what she saw, or thinks she saw, in the past.  

The mysterious Knock-Knock Man totally creeped me out; I half expected to catch a glimpse of him at my own window, so this is definitely a book to read with the curtains closed.  As with any folk tales, local kids are both scared and intrigued by it and they are desperate to catch a glimpse of The Knock-Knock Man.  One young man claims to have caught him on camera but to see it is to believe it...and then you're admitting that The Knock-Knock man is real.

I really enjoyed this novel; it's definitely one I want to read again as I think I read it too quickly so I felt like I missed a few things.  That's not a criticism of the book at all, it's just so addictive that I couldn't read it fast enough. 

Part horror, part crime, completely creepy, The Knock-Knock Man is a highly original cross-genre novel that will appeal to so many readers.  Whether you read crime, thriller, supernatural or horror, I would highly recommend The Knock-Knock Man.

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

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Cold Cold Bones (Temperance Brennan Book 21) - Kathy Reichs

In a profession like this, you're bound to make enemies . . .

An eye . . .

 

It all starts when Dr Temperance Brennan finds a box on her porch. Inside is a fresh human eyeball with GPS coordinates etched into it. They lead her to a macabre discovery in a Benedictine Monastery, and soon after she discovers a mummified corpse in a state park.

 

. . . for an eye

 

There seems to be no pattern to these killings, except that each mimics a killing connected to something a younger Tempe experienced, or barely escaped. Someone is targeting her, and she needs to figure out why before they strike again.

 

And then her daughter Katy disappears.

 

Someone is playing a dangerous game with Tempe.

And they won’t stop until they have taken everything from her . . .

 

What did I think?

Although I have read a number of the Temperance Brennan books, I am way behind in the series but that didn't stop me enjoying the 21st book, Cold Cold Bones.  So I think you could definitely read it as a standalone if you're new to the series, but of course it will be better if you're already familiar with the characters and their idiosyncrasies.

Dr Temperance Brennan is a no-nonsense character who deals with cold, hard facts (and cold, cold bones) in her role as a forensic pathologist.  Tempe excels at everything she does, apart from perhaps motherhood as her relationship with her daughter Katy is slightly strained.  Katy has her own demons to deal with though, and as she's half Brennan it's in her DNA to be more logical than emotional.

It quickly becomes clear that this new case that Tempe is drawn into is personal and it's a race against time to stop the killer before Tempe loses everything she holds dear.  As the snow starts to fall, it creates an atmospheric and menacing setting that is both chilling and thrilling.

Cold Cold Bones is destined to be an immediate bestseller for the fabulous Kathy Reichs.  It has made me want to read the series from the start again so I can catch up with everything that's happened in Brennan's life since I last read a book in the Temperance Brennan series.  Fans of the series will love this instalment and it's sure to pick up some new fans too.

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

My rating:

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UK.Bookshop.org

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