BLOG TOUR: Traumata - Douglas Renwick

In Khuh Tabar, in foothills of the Hindu Kush, a young Englishwoman witnesses a war crime in which her loved-ones die. In 2020, she returns to England, bereaved and broken. When she discovers the identity of the man who murdered them, her grief turns to anger.

She seeks solace from an on-line bereavement support group. One of them advises her to kill the man. Should she honour the ancient code of the Pashtuns and avenge their deaths, risking a life sentence for murder, or abide by the laws of her homeland and live with her anger forever?

When the killer is found dead, the police question her. She turns to her father for help.

What did I think?

I was completely intrigued when I read the synopsis of Traumata; I expected an angry revenge killing thriller but I was completely wrong as Traumata is so much more involved than that.  I experienced a wealth of emotions, both with Melanie and her father, as the story past and present is revealed.

Dr Melanie Green is serving her country in Afghanistan when she finds herself stranded in a Pashtun village in the mountains.  When she is 'rescued' in a dramatic and devastating way, she returns to England, grieving and alone.  Seeing her 'rescuer', Mr Nasty, climbing the ranks of British politics, her anger intensifies and she turns to an online support group where she meets an American named Rand.  In a series of email exchanges (which are included in the book), Rand and Melanie explore ways to kill Mr Nasty.  When Mr Nasty is found dead in suspicious circumstances, just days after Melanie reports his war crimes, the police turn their attention to Melanie.

Melanie's father, Michael, is a doctor in Spain and he returns home to help Melanie when her case goes to court and her mental health comes under scrutiny.  This is the part I really enjoyed and loved the way it was written to include courtroom scenes, conversations with legal counsel and the hunt for evidence to help Melanie.  The legal system really is like a game; bluff as much as you can and don't reveal all your cards until you have to.  I found the whole case gripping and intense, which kept the pages turning effortlessly.

The feeling I got throughout the whole book is a father's love for his daughter.  Michael never once lost faith in Melanie and was prepared to go to the ends of the earth to help her case.  I think being a doctor conflicted a little with his role as a father as he did question Melanie's mental health on occasion, but he never failed to do his best for her.

Traumata turned out to be completely different to what I imagined, in a very good way.  Aside from the very emotional and devastating story of Melanie's past, I loved the email transcripts and the legal element of the story.  The courtroom scenes were so vivid, I could have been sat in the public gallery myself.  The strapline 'Dramatic, Different, Exciting and Sensitive' is absolutely perfect for Traumata; a legal thriller that has its roots in the British Army in Afghanistan.  

Traumata is explosive, intense, emotional and very compelling; I got so embroiled in the story I didn't even ask myself the most important question: did she do it?  For the answer to that, you'll just have to read it to find out!

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




About the author:

According to his British passport, Douglas Renwick's occupation for many years was 'Government Service'. This included spells in Libya, Malta, Cyprus, Ireland and Germany. He also worked at the Ministry of Defence in London, the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Powers in Europe in Belgium, the Pentagon in Washington DC, and White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

He has spent time in East Berlin, Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, Argentina, Egypt, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. He has jumped out of planes, swum across Valetta harbour, skied across the Alps and the Rockies, and been transferred by breeches buoy from one Royal Navy ship to another, at sea and under full steam. He has been down a coal-mine in Yorkshire, a salt-mine in Poland and a nuclear bunker in Essex.

Now a grandfather, retired and living in Kent, time allows him to commit some of his experiences to paper. He prefers writing fiction on the grounds that it is safer.

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Beast (Six Stories #4) - Matt Wesolowski

Continuing the unique, explosive Six Stories series, based around six podcasts comes a compulsive, taut and terrifying thriller, and a bleak and distressing look at modern society’s desperation for attention. Beast will unveil a darkness from which you may never return…

In the wake of the ‘Beast from the East’ cold snap that ravaged the UK in 2018, a grisly discovery was made in a ruin on the Northumbrian coast. Twenty-four-year-old vlogger, Elizabeth Barton, had been barricaded inside what locals refer to as ‘The Vampire Tower’, where she was later found frozen to death.  

Three young men, part of an alleged cult, were convicted of this terrible crime, which they described as a ‘prank gone wrong’. However, in the small town of Ergarth, questions have been raised about the nature of Elizabeth Barton’s death and whether the three convicted youths were even responsible. 

Elusive online journalist Scott King speaks to six witnesses – people who knew both the victim and the three killers – to peer beneath the surface of the case. He uncovers whispers of a shocking online craze that held the young of Ergarth in its thrall and drove them to escalate a series of pranks in the name of internet fame. He hears of an abattoir on the edge of town, which held more than simple slaughter behind its walls, and the tragic and chilling legend of the Ergarth Vampire… 

What did I think?

Oh my word, I LOVED THIS BOOK!  Yes, I'm shouting; I'd shout it from the rooftops if I wasn't afraid of ladders.  I have bought the previous books in the Six Stories series but prior to reading Beast, book 4, I had only read Six Stories, book 1.  You can definitely read Beast as a standalone but I know if this is your first introduction to Six Stories, you will definitely want more!  Unlike Oliver Twist, you can have more as you can pick up the previous books in the series: Six Stories, Hydra and Changeling.

Who will ever forget the 'Beast from the East'?  That horrific cold snap in 2018 that saw much of Britain buried in heavy snow.  Well, the village of Ergarth in Northumberland had already heard of the 'Beast from the East' but in another format: that of legendary vampire Vladlena who was brought from Siberia during the Crimean War and imprisoned in the Tankerville Tower in Ergarth.  The people of Ergarth don't talk about this legend and give the ruined tower a wide berth.

Local social media star, Elizabeth Barton, jumps at the chance to increase her followers by taking part in the Dead in Six Days challenge during the snowy winter of 2018.  Unfortunately for Elizabeth, the challenge culminates in her death in Ergarth's Vampire Tower and three local young men are tried and convicted of her murder.  Scott King chooses Elizabeth's story for his latest podcast when some graffiti in the town causes him to question what exactly happened to Elizabeth.  Six people are interviewed over six podcast episodes as Scott delves into the events leading up to Elizabeth's death.

Social media plays a huge part in Beast.  It just shows how much smoke and mirrors goes on in order to get the most 'likes' and 'follows'.  For some people, being popular is the only aspiration they have but it must be so tiresome to always put on a show.  As the interviews go on we see a completely different side to Elizabeth than the one painted on her social media.  I wondered who the real Elizabeth was and questioned whether she would even know the answer to that herself.  Her family certainly see different versions of her and it shows how often we only see what we want to see.

Beast is a total page-turner; I couldn't read it fast enough.  I'm actually glad I still have books 2 and 3 left to read so I can get another Scott King podcast hit as I really can't get enough of this awesome series.  Told via a series of podcasts, Beast is a mystery with a hint of the supernatural; it's spine-chilling, compelling and completely impossible to put down.  Keep 'em coming, Matt!

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




About the author:

Matt Wesolowski is an author from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in the UK. He is an English tutor for young people in care. Matt started his writing career in horror, and his short horror fiction has been published in numerous UK- an US-based anthologies such as Midnight Movie Creature, Selfies from the End of the World, Cold Iron and many more. His novella, The Black Land, a horror set on the Northumberland coast, was published in 2013. Matt was a winner of the Pitch Perfect competition at Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival in 2015. His debut thriller, Six Stories, was an Amazon bestseller in the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia, and a WHSmith Fresh Talent pick, and film rights were sold to a major Hollywood studio. A prequel, Hydra, was published in 2018 and became an international bestseller.

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Six Stories (Six Stories #1) - Matt Wesolowski

One body

Six stories

Which one is true?

1997. Scarclaw Fell. The body of teenager Tom Jeffries is found at an outward bound centre. Verdict? Misadventure. But not everyone is convinced. And the truth of what happened in the beautiful but eerie fell is locked in the memories of the tight-knit group of friends who embarked on that fateful trip, and the flimsy testimony of those living nearby.

2017. Enter elusive investigative journalist Scott King, whose podcast examinations of complicated cases have rivalled the success of Serial, with his concealed identity making him a cult internet figure. In a series of six interviews, King attempts to work out how the dynamics of a group of idle teenagers conspired with the sinister legends surrounding the fell to result in Jeffries’ mysterious death. And who’s to blame…

As every interview unveils a new revelation, you’ll be forced to work out for yourself how Tom Jeffries died, and who is telling the truth.

What did I think?

What an absolutely awesome book!  I actually read this a few months ago but felt so completely breathless, speechless and overawed that I couldn't write my review straight away.  Yes, it really is THAT good.  In fact the book is so good that I have bought it twice; firstly on ebook (just so I had a copy of the book that everyone was raving about) and then I bought a special signed edition because I prefer the feel of a physical book in my hand.

I did listen to a few episodes of the podcast Serial, which this book is based on, but I have to admit that I lost interest quickly, which is the complete opposite to Six Stories.  Again, possibly due to the fact that I connect more with words on paper.  I loved the highly original form the book takes, being that of transcripts of a podcast by Scott King.  Scott discusses the mysterious and unexplained death of 15 year old Tom Jeffries which happened 20 years ago and interviews six people over six episodes of his podcast.  As each person tells their side of the story, I found myself wondering who to believe and really enjoyed sifting through the evidence.

Tragedy strikes at the Scarclaw Fell Woodlands Centre when a group of teenage 'Rangers' visit there; with heightened teenage emotions and scaring each other with local legends, it's Tom who ends up as collateral damage.  Scott King interviews some of the people who were there, but just how reliable are, not just their memories but, they themselves?&nbsp Weaving in the chilling local legends of Nanna Wrack and The Beast of Belkeld, you would be forgiven for thinking that something supernatural was at play.  Perhaps there was?  It certainly sounds plausible or is it just a handy scapegoat?

Not only is there an intriguing mystery to solve in a very fresh and original format, but some of the prose used by Matt Wesolowski is simply breathtaking.  There is a sentence where he describes frost which I have to share as it is so stunning:

"Frost freezes on the edges of the leaves, the trees glisten in the moonlight, and their branches caress the frozen earth like the withered fingers of some long-dead corpse."

Wow!  Just wow!  It gives me goosebumps just reading it again, as if I was lying on the frosty ground myself.  Matt's words are both beautiful and chilling; completely spellbinding and spine-tingling.

At the time of writing, there are now 4 instalments of Six Stories (yay!) and I'm excited to discover what Scott King will investigate next.  Six Stories is an outstanding crime debut from local Newcastle author, Matt Wesolowski; it's fresh, original, creepy, mysterious and completely addictive.  I think it's perhaps the most original and unusual book I have ever read.&nbsp An absolute must-read and highly recommended.  Well worth every single one of the five stars I have awarded it.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

BLOG TOUR: His Wife's Secret: WHY IS SHE PUNISHING ME? - Susan Willis

Today I have a review of His Wife's Secret by Susan Willis for the Rachel's Random Resources Blog Tour.  There's a wonderful book trailer video that summarises the book perfectly and also shows our Angel of the North as part of the book is set under the shadow of the angel's wings in Gateshead.

Before you read my review, here's a little bit about the book:

When David meets old school-friend, Erin again he falls head over heels in love. He leaves his wife and their sixteen-year-old daughter to marry Erin. But, in a small village people have long memories and they move south for a fresh beginning. Erin’s behaviour starts to change in a very strange way and David wonders if she is punishing him for something he’s done?

What did I think?

Being a local author, Susan Willis has been on my radar for a while but Her Wife's Secret is the first of her books that I have read.  I love that this one is set in Kibblesworth, a little village near the Angel of the North.  It always thrills me to read places I know well in books and it encourages me to revisit them, especially as The Ravensworth Arms (mentioned in the book) is well overdue a visit from me.

I really wasn't sure about David Henderson at first; how he went from being a loving family man to having his head turned by flame-haired temptress, Erin.  Although his now ex-wife, Beth, seemed to forgive him, I was with his daughter, Sally, on this one and would have shunned Erin too.  Erin even encourages him to apply for a job in London which took him even further away from his daughter; Erin definitely wears the trousers in this relationship!

Unfortunately for David, London isn't the perfect new start he dreamed off when Erin discovers her mother's diary during the move and her mood changes dramatically.  David has no idea what is going on with Erin and he can't seem to do anything right.  I have to say that a little part of me thought he deserved it for leaving his family for Erin, as the grass isn't always greener on the other side.  I did start to feel sorry for David as Erin's anger issue exacerbated as nobody deserves to be treated that way.

His Wife's Secret is an interesting little domestic noir book; the fiery storyline keeps the pages turning and certainly offers some food for thought and warning signs to look out for.  

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




About the author:

Susan Willis is a published author of four novels and five novellas. She lives in Co-Durham surrounded by a big family and dear friends. Susan works as a food technologist developing new recipes and weaves the different aspects of her job into stories. 

Her last two novels are psychological suspense. Readers who have left reviews on amazon love the books because they are realistic with everyday people in situations that can happen. 

She has a collection of Fun-Size Tales of Love & Family which are available in Ebook and paperback. 

Susan is now writing Cozy Crime Short Reads and incorporating up to date issues of poor mental health in a kidnap scene, the perils of social media, and an intruder on Skype. Nest year she hopes to publish these stories into a collection.   

Social Media Links – 

https://twitter.com/SusanWillis69

https://www.instagram.com/susansuspenseauthor/

https://www.facebook.com/AUTHORsusanwillis 

https://www.susanwillis.co.uk/ 

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BLOG TOUR: The Liar's Daughter - Claire Allan

No one deserves to be taken before their time. Do they?

Joe McKee – pillar of the Derry community – is dead. As arrangements are made for the traditional Irish wake, friends and family are left reeling at how cancer could have taken this much-loved man so soon.

But grief is the last thing that Joe’s daughter Ciara and step-daughter Heidi feel. For they knew the real Joe – the man who was supposed to protect them and did anything but.

As the mourners gather, the police do too, with doubt being cast over whether Joe’s death was due to natural causes. Because the lies that Joe told won’t be taken to the grave after all – and the truth gives his daughters the best possible motive for killing him…

A gripping suspense novel about deadly secrets and lies. The perfect read for fans of Clare Mackintosh.

What did I think?

Oh this is a very disturbing and emotional book; I experienced a range of emotions whilst reading but mainly those in the anger and rage end of the spectrum.  Claire Allan tackles a difficult subject head-on as we see first hand the long term effects of Joe McKee's terrible actions.

From the start, we are warned not to feel sorry for Joe as the reader is told in Joe's own voice that he deserves the death sentence he has been handed through his cancer diagnosis.  He is released into the care of his step-daughter, Heidi, who clearly doesn't want anything to do with him but Joe's own daughter, Ciara, can't stand the sight of him either.  It's not hard to work out why his two daughters hate him but what really got to me was reading about their past and the devastation that Joe left in his wake.

My heart went out to both Heidi and Ciara.  Heidi for losing her mother at such a young age and being left with a virtual stranger to bring her up, and Ciara who idolised her father and was crushed when he left.  It's no surprise that Ciara was jealous of Heidi when they were children as, in her mind, Heidi had replaced her in Joe's affections.  Ciara's tormenting of Heidi was pretty despicable and I don't know how Heidi could even bear to be in the same room as her childhood bully; she's a better woman than I am, that's for sure.

Joe's death shouldn't come as a surprise but it would appear that someone in the house helped him on his way a little earlier than expected.  As the police are called in and the family line up like characters on a Cluedo board, each of them with motive, it is for the reader to work out 'whodunnit'.  

The Liar's Daughter is a disturbing portrayal of a family hiding the darkest of secrets.  With heightened emotions they turn on each other before realising that they are stronger together, and only by sharing their pain can they ever find some kind of peace.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



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BLOG TOUR: A Wash of Black (DI Erika Piper Book 1) - Chris McDonald

It's a fabulous Red Dog Press blog tour today and not only do you get to read my review of this AWESOME book, but there's an amazing giveaway to win your very own signed copy (along with a tote bag and a bookmark).  Make sure to enter as this is one book you definitely do not want to miss!

IT'S NOT LIFE THAT IMITATES ART. IT'S DEATH.

Anna Symons. Famous. Talented. Dead.

The body of a famous actress is found mutilated on an ice rink in Manchester, recreating a scene from a blockbuster film she starred in years ago.

DI Erika Piper, having only recently returned to work after suffering a near-fatal attack herself, finds she must once again prove her worth as the hunt for the media-dubbed ‘Blood Ice Killer’ intensifies.

But when another body is found and, this time, the killer issues a personal threat, Erika must do more than put aside her demons to crack the case, or suffer the deadly consequences.

If you like Ian Rankin, Val McDermid and Cara Hunter, you will love this.

What did I think?

Wow, what a debut!  A Wash of Black is simply outstanding and there's a lot of buzz on social media about Chris McDonald's debut; so take my advice and believe the hype!  Even better, it's the first in an exciting new crime series and I, for one, can't wait for the next DI Erika Piper instalment.

Stronger than the World's Strongest Man, A Wash of Black has an amazing strong female lead in DI Erika Piper.  I love how we meet her on her return to work after a year off following a traumatic incident; a year off that she refers to as 'enforced', which immediately gives us a sense of her character.  Erika's incident has damaged her more deeply than she is willing to admit but she's a tough cookie and plans to get on with her life after cutting out the rot that has infected her.

The storyline itself is sublime and deserves a virtual round of applause; with jaw dropping, unprecedented crime scenes and grisly eye-popping murders, it's a crime reader's dream!  Set in Manchester, it's Northern crime with a hint of Hollywood and with murders literally out of the movies, it would be a travesty if this isn't picked up by Netflix.  I was completely hooked and had my eyes glued permanently to the page, unable to put it down for a second, until I had devoured every single perfectly crafted word.  

I think I was starting to get a little oversaturated and bored with crime writing but Chris McDonald has made me fall back in love with the genre with his perfectly plotted and highly original debut.  This is a cracking piece of crime fiction and I know I'm going to be recommending A Wash of Black for a long time to come.  Seriously, you really don't want to miss this one!

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

My rating:

Buy direct from Red Dog Press
Buy it from Amazon




About the author:

Originally hailing from the north coast of Northern Ireland and now residing in South Manchester, Chris McDonald has always been a reader. At primary school, The Hardy Boys inspired his love of adventure, before his reading world was opened up by Chuck Palahniuk and the gritty world of crime.

He's a fan of 5-a-side football, has an eclectic taste in music ranging from Damien Rice to Slayer and loves dogs.

Twitter handles:

@RedDogTweets

@cmacwritescrime

Instagram handles:

@red_dog_press

@macreviewsbooks

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/reddogassociates

Rafflecopter Giveaway:

Details: The prize is a signed Hardback edition of A Wash of Black, along with a Go Away I’m Reading Tote Bag and a Luxury Bookmark.

The giveaway runs from 28^th Jan to 11^th Feb, and we (Red Dog Press) will announce the randomly chosen winner on the evening of the 11^th Feb (GMT)

Routes to entry are all on the giveaway link, but basically, sign up to Red Dog Press Reader’s Club (which also gets you discounts in our store, a free eBook, and latest news from us), following us on twitter. Entrants who tweet our promo tweet get two bonus entries.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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BLOG TOUR: The Home - Sarah Stovell

A dark and emotive thriller which shines a light on the troubling issue of children in care, The Home marks the return of Sarah Stovell, author of the 2017 international bestseller Exquisite.

When the body of pregnant, fifteen-year-old Hope Lacey is discovered in a churchyard on Christmas morning, the community is shocked, but unsurprised. For Hope lived in The Home, the residence of three young girls, whose violent and disturbing pasts have seen them cloistered away. 

As a police investigation gets underway, the lives of Hope, Lara and Annie are examined, and the staff who work at the home are interviewed, leading to shocking and distressing revelations … and clear evidence that someone is seeking revenge. 

A dark and devastating psychological thriller, The Home is also a heartbreaking and insightful portrayal of the underbelly of society, where children learn what they live … if they are allowed to live at all. 

What did I think?

It's a slight change to my 'I discovered this author at Newcastle Noir 2019' record, as I had already bought a signed copy of Sarah Stovell's debut, Exquisite, from the awesome Forum Books in Corbridge but of course I haven't read it yet (so many books so little time).  So The Home may be the first novel I've read by Sarah Stovell but it's definitely one I won't forget.

Despite not having a problem saying it with regards to crime thrillers, I feel a bit guilty saying that I enjoyed a book that's so dark and disturbing, but it's a whole different ball game when there are children involved.  Set in a children's home, it's inevitable that the characters will be damaged and disturbed; through the power of Sarah Stovell's writing I felt incredibly disturbed myself.  It's not all darkness, as where there is dark there is light, and I'm glad that Hope and Annie found each other and experienced the unconditional love they both missed out on in their childhood.  

To be able to write about such a dark subject matter with such beautiful words is an amazing feat in itself.  From the very first page, I was completely in awe of Sarah Stovell's writing and think I may have read the best line ever written in a book: "We were fragile like bombs."  It's giving me goosebumps just typing it here.  Those five little words set the tone of the book perfectly as we delve into the past of the three girls in The Home.

Although The Home is mostly set in The Lake District, Hope spent her brief childhood in North East England.  I always get a little kick out of reading local places I know in books and it was great to see Jesmond and Tynemouth getting a mention.  Hope's story is not for the faint-hearted and as much as it saddened me, it also angered me at the thought of what some unfortunate people have to do to survive.  It made me wonder: if you need to take drugs to escape your life, is it even worth surviving it at all?

Deeply disturbing, The Home is a powerful, haunting and completely unforgettable book.  The harrowing subject matter is portrayed so eloquently as to be shocking yet heartbreaking.  It's books like this that make me question whether 5 stars are even enough, but 5 stars is all I can give but it doesn't come close to showing how simply stunning this book is.  It's an absolute must-read and I can't recommend it highly enough.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




About the author:

Sarah Stovell was born in 1977 and spent most of her life in the Home Counties before a season working in a remote North Yorkshire youth hostel made her realise she was a northerner at heart. She now lives in Northumberland with her partner and two children and is a lecturer in Creative Writing at Lincoln University. Her debut psychological thriller, Exquisite, was called ‘the book of the summer’ by Sunday Times.

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