July 2021 Wrap-Up

I’ve realised that I completely forgot to post a wrap-up for last month. July was a month I was really looking forward to as I attended the Theakston Crime Festival in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. It’s held every year in July at The Old Swan Hotel, where Agatha Christie reappeared after going missing for several days. I was keeping everything crossed that it would go ahead as it it was cancelled in 2020 due to the Pandemic. It did feel surreal to be heading up there and seeing friends, some, who I haven’t seen for two years.

I got the train from Kings Cross to Harrogate on Thursday, 22nd July and sitting opposite me was crime writer Susi Holliday, who I chatted to for most of the journey which made the time fly by. The festival was a lot quieter this year, but I did like that, as it meant I got to chat to people who I would never normally have the time or chance to chat to. It was also great getting the chance to meet new people. I have already booked my hotel for the festival in July 2022, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed it will be back to normal next year.

Me with Joy Kluver, Noelle Holten, J.M. Hewitt and Sarah Hardy

I’m still working on the book I started at the beginning of the year. It’s now quite different to what it was when I first started it back in January but it’s finally shaping into something I’m quite pleased with. There’s still quite a bit of work to do on it but I think it’s heading in the right direction.

I have now so far read 98 books towards my Goodreads challenge of 100 books by the end of 2021.

I took part in 8 blog tours this month. I have listed the links below in case you missed any.

The Lost Girls by Heather Young

Far From the Tree by Rob Parker

Girls Who Lie by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir

I Know What I Saw by Imran Mahmood

Her Sister’s Secret by S.E. Lynes

The Beresford by Will Carver

Dead Secret by Noelle Holten

Broken Girls by Joy Kluver

I have four blog tours coming up in August, The Face at the Window by Ruby Speechley on the 1st August, Invite Me In by Emma Curtis on the 3rd, Mother Loves Me by Abby Davies on the 20th and Lost Angels by Stacy Green on the 27th August.

What are you reading at the moment? I’m currently reading The Heights by Louise Candlish which I’m really enjoying. Let me know in the comments.

Broken Girls by Joy Kluver #booksontour @JoyKluver @bookouture

On my blog today, I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for Broken Girls by Joy Kluver. With thanks to Noelle Holten from Bookouture for inviting me to take part.

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Brambles catch her dress, scratch her legs, pierce her feet. To escape, she’d had no option but to go barefoot. They’d been laughing together a few minutes before, but things can change in the blink of an eye…

The woman is dark-haired and young, judging by the short red dress. Any other signs of her identity have been erased during her long wait to be found, but it’s clear she was strangled: this was a passionate and personal murder.

D.I. Bernadette Noel knows that every second counts if she is to catch this killer, but she has no leads – until the discovery that the dead woman’s rings match a stolen property report, and the rings’ owner mentions Rosa, her missing nanny.

Just when Bernie and her team think they’re getting somewhere, a shocking discovery about Rosa – and the news that another young girl has been abducted – changes everything the team thought they knew about the case.

Laura is only twelve, and her parents are beside themselves with worry – but Bernie has an additional fear. Laura’s home is right next to the woods where their murder victim was found: are the cases connected?

When Bernie notices similarities between descriptions of the man last seen with Rosa and someone Laura was messaging online, these fears grow stronger. But they still have no clear leads as to the identity of the culprit.

With few options left, and time running out, she makes a desperate plan to trap the predator. But any mistakes will mean another innocent life lost…

MY THOUGHTS

I loved Joy Kluver’s debut novel, Last Seen when I read it earlier in the year, but I think Broken Girls, the second book in the series, is even better. This is a solid police procedural, and I read it in a few greedy gulps, desperate to know what was going on and who the killer was. It gets a very easy five stars from me.

Detective Bernadette Noel is back, and this time she is investigating a horrific murder. A young woman’s body has been found, but it is impossible to identify her. Bernie and her team have very few things to go on, and as the investigation progresses, they come up with a possible identity. But this case is far more complex than they first thought.

Joy Kluver has brilliantly weaved together a very twisty case for Bernie to get to grips with. You can see how desperate she is to get to the bottom of what has happened and to make sure that this young woman gets justice. She is very moved by what has happened to the young woman and she is absolutely determined to get to the bottom of it. Although I think it always helps to read earlier books in a series, it’s possible to read this book as a standalone. I think Bernie is definitely growing as a character. She is very likeable, and I was rooting for her to get to the bottom of things.

The case is very complex, and I had no idea who the culprit was and what had happened to the young woman who was found. I thought that Joy Kluver built on the setting really well, and I loved the detail she put into her book. She brings it to life really well, and I loved the extra detail that was added, particularly the ghost story, which gave me goosebumps as I was reading it.

Broken Girls is an excellent addition to this series, and I’m really looking forward to the third book. Joy Kluver is fast becoming a favourite new author of mine. If you haven’t yet started this series, then you really need to. Top stuff!

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication date: 27th July 2021

Print length: 350 pages

Broken Girls is available to buy:

Amazon UK

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Mimic by Daniel Cole #bookreview

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the new standalone novel by Daniel Cole, Mimic.

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1989
DS Benjamin Chambers and DC Adam Winter are on the trail of a twisted serial killer with a passion for recreating the world’s greatest works of art through the bodies of his victims. But after Chambers almost loses his life, the case goes cold – their killer lying dormant, his collection unfinished.

1996
Jordan Marshall has excelled within the Metropolitan Police Service, fuelled by a loss that defined her teenage years. Obsessed, she manages to obtain new evidence, convincing both Chambers and Winter to revisit the case. However, their resurrected investigation brings about a fresh reign of terror, the team treading a fine line between police officers and vigilantes in their pursuit of a monster far more dangerous and intelligent than any of them had anticipated…

MY THOUGHTS

I loved Daniel Cole’s Ragdoll series, and I was very excited to see that he had a new standalone novel coming out. His latest book, Mimic, is a very creative serial killer thriller, and I loved the characters. In 1989, Detective Benjamin Chambers was hunting for a sadistic serial killer trying to recreate his victims as great works of art from around the world. The killer is never found. Now seven years later, they are on the hunt for the same killer again. It seems that Daniel Cole is not short of brilliant ideas for macabre serial killings.

This is an exhilarating read. Daniel Cole always keeps the tension turning up a notch, and I loved his new cast of characters. I loved the dialogue between them, which was witty and very engaging, particularly between Chambers and Winters. I’d love to see them both return in future books. I think creating engaging characters is one of Daniel Cole’s strongest writing skills. I loved Fawkes and Baxter in his Ragdoll novels, and I loved Chambers and Winters.

In the scenes set in the 90s, I liked that Winters is no longer a police officer but works as a security guard in Sainsbury’s. It was interesting to see how he and Chambers worked together, particularly as Winters is no longer a serving police officer.

The case they are investigating is quite complex, and it has been on their minds for seven years. Daniel Cole presents us with a very intriguing serial killer. It made me want to find out more about why they were killing their victims in the way they were. It made me ask the question, what had happened in their life to make them like this.

It seems to be a battle for Chambers and Winters to get the rest of the Met Police on board with them. It made me wonder if they would continue to search for them on their own. Also, if they would be willing to put themselves close to danger to bring the right person to justice. The tension gets really high in the final chapters as they try, and I had no idea how things were going to pan out for them or if they were going to succeed in bringing the killer to justice.

If you love high octane crime thrillers, then Mimic is the book for you. Daniel Cole has done an outstanding job in creating a new cast of characters who you’ll be rooting for from the beginning. This is highly entertaining crime fiction. I loved it! I can’t wait to see what Daniel Cole has in store for us next.

Publisher: Trapeze

Publication date: 15th July 2021 (kindle) 19th August 2021 (hardcover)

Print length: 368 pages

Mimic is available to buy:

Amazon UK Kobo Waterstones

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides #bookreview

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the new novel by Alex Michaelides, The Maidens.

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Edward Fosca is a murderer. Of this Mariana is certain. But Fosca is untouchable. A handsome and charismatic Greek tragedy professor at Cambridge University, Fosca is adored by staff and students alike – particularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens.

Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated on The Maidens when one member, a friend of Mariana’s niece Zoe, is found murdered in Cambridge.

Mariana, who was once herself a student at the university, quickly suspects that behind the idyllic beauty of the spires and turrets, and beneath the ancient traditions, lies something sinister. And she becomes convinced that, despite his alibi, Edward Fosca is guilty of the murder. But why would the professor target one of his students? And why does he keep returning to the rites of Persephone, the maiden, and her journey to the underworld?

When another body is found, Mariana’s obsession with proving Fosca’s guilt spirals out of control, threatening to destroy her credibility as well as her closest relationships. But Mariana is determined to stop this killer, even if it costs her everything – including her own life.

MY THOUGHTS

I was a huge fan of the first book by Alex Michaelides, so I couldn’t wait to see what he would come up with next. The Maidens is very immersive, it isn’t quite as tense as The Silent Patient, but it is very intriguing. If you love Greek mythology mixed with a good thriller, you’ll enjoy this book.

I thought Alex Michaelides brought the setting of Cambridge and the University to life. The writing made me feel as though I was walking the streets with Mariana. A killer is on the loose, and Mariana is desperate to protect her niece, Zoe. But Mariana soon becomes embroiled in the mystery, and she soon becomes aware of a mysterious group of very exclusive students at the University known as The Maidens.

I loved the Greek mythology peppered throughout this book. I’ve always been fascinated by Ancient Greek legends. This made The Maidens all the more intriguing for me. It created a very mysterious atmosphere as I wondered if the Greek myths would provide clues as to who the killer was. It did create a more ominous tone to the book as well.

I felt that the novel did start quite slow, but it gradually gathered pace as Marianna begins to investigate what is happening at Cambridge further. I was getting nervous about the danger Marianna was putting herself in as she continued to look for evidence. She believes she knows who the killer is, and she is determined to find the evidence to prove her theory.

Alex Michaelides creates a very mysterious atmosphere in this book, particularly, as I said earlier, around the Greek myths. It’s what drew me into the story. I thought the group of students known as The Maidens group was very sinister, and I wanted to find out more about them. It did have the feeling of a cult as they were appeared to be cut off from everyone else. It made me want to find out more about the professor who created the group in the first place and what his reasons for creating the group were in the first place. He comes across as a very controlling individual, and he did make me feel very uncomfortable. This is especially as the people who have been found dead are his students. It is clear that the group he is the leader of will do anything for him and that they will always have his back.

I thought this was a very immersive read, and I really liked the premise and the atmosphere. I liked the twist towards the end as Alex Michaelides revealed who was behind the murders. I thought it fitted in with the story very well, and I liked how it was done. I would definitely recommend The Maidens.

Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson

Publication date: 10th June 2021

Print length: 284 pages

The Maidens is available to buy:

Amazon UK Kobo Waterstones

Dead Secret by Noelle Holten #bookreview #blogtour @nholten40 @0neMoreChapter_ @BOTBSPublicity

On my blog today, I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for the new novel in the DC Maggie Jamieson series by Noelle Holten, Dead Secret. With thanks to Sarah Hardy from Books on the Bright Side Publicity for inviting me to take part.

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Psychopaths can take root in the unlikeliest soil…

DC Maggie Jamieson crosses paths once again with Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood when a domestic violence survivor stumbles into her new refuge, unable to speak, desperate for help.

Then another case hits Maggie’s desk. A young man has been murdered, and a curious constellation of black dots has been inked onto his cheek.

That’s when DCI Hastings goes missing and Maggie uncovers a shocking connection that turns the case on its head.

Every family may hide secrets, but not every family buries them…

MY THOUGHTS

Dead Secret is the latest book in the DC Maggie Jamieson series by Noelle Holten, and I think it is my favourite book in the series to date. This is a series that keeps getting better and better, and in Noelle’s true style, she has left the book on another cliff-hanger. I now need the next book in this series ASAP.

Maggie finds herself involved in a complex, high profile investigation when her boss, DCI Hastings, disappears. His family are also missing, and it is feared that he has done something terrible to them. It’s really hard for the police to come to terms with this, and it causes a lot of tension within the force. They’re not quite sure how best to proceed with these revelations.

This book is really fast-paced. Dead Secret also sees the return of Lucy Sherwood, who appeared in the first book in the series. She is in the process of opening a women’s refuge centre. Although the centre isn’t officially open yet, she finds herself looking after a young woman in desperate need of help. I was really intrigued by this strand of the story, and I wanted to know what this woman had gone through.

Noelle Holten kept me utterly gripped as the investigation into what happened to the Hastings family proceeded. Noelle is a writer who knows how to plant red herrings, and she knows how to write a good twist. It’s what, I’m sure, keeps her readers coming back to her books. The revelations which come at the end of Dead Secret are hard-hitting and I did not expect them at all.

What I thought Noelle Holten developed really well in this book was Maggie’s relationship with reporter Julie. There is still some frostiness between them, but I am interested to see how things for them will progress from here. It’s hard to believe that we’re already on book four. I am absolutely loving this series, and I can’t wait to read the next book.

Noelle Holten is a brilliant writer. I highly, highly recommend her books.

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication date: 23rd April 2021 (kindle) 22nd July 2021 (paperback)

Print length: 448 pages

Dead Secret is available to buy:

Amazon UK Kobo Waterstones

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The Beresford by Will Carver #bookreview #blogtour @will_carver @OrendaBooks @RandomTTours

I’m delighted to be sharing my thoughts on The Beresford by Will Carver on my blog today as part of the blog tour. With thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

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Just outside the city – any city, every city – is a grand, spacious but affordable apartment building called The Beresford.

There’s a routine at The Beresford.

For Mrs May, every day’s the same: a cup of cold, black coffee in the morning, pruning roses, checking on her tenants, wine, prayer and an afternoon nap. She never leaves the building.

Abe Schwartz also lives at The Beresford. His housemate, Sythe, no longer does. Because Abe just killed him. 

In exactly sixty seconds, Blair Conroy will ring the doorbell to her new home and Abe will answer the door. They will become friends. Perhaps lovers.

And, when the time comes for one of them to die, as is always the case at The Beresford, there will be sixty seconds to move the body before the next unknowing soul arrives at the door.

Because nothing changes at The Beresford, until the doorbell rings…

MY THOUGHTS

I’m a huge, huge Will Carver fan, and I couldn’t wait to start reading The Beresford. I’m certain I’ve found my favourite book of the year. This is such an original, chilling and compelling read. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again, no writer writes quite like Will Carver does.

The setting in this book, The Beresford, a block of apartments, becomes a character in its own right. The building is owned by a strange character, Mrs May, and we get to know the other residents who live there. The building comes with its own dark tales, which will chill you to the core. Abe, an artist, is one of the blocks most fascinating tenants. He is a very messed up person, but he is also someone who I did feel sorry for. He is desperate to be loved by someone, and as Abe says, he wants other people to look at his life and want what he’s got. But there is a very dark side to Abe. And this is what makes him such a compelling and terrifying character.

Will Carver’s writing propels you into the story, and his unique writing style kept me turning the pages faster and faster. There are short and snappy chapters and the dark, wildly entertaining plot kept me gripped.

I’ve mentioned Abe’s character in this review, but Mrs May is another person who I really wanted to get to the bottom of. From the beginning, we can see that she is a very religious person. Mrs May is a person who has suffered from trauma in her life. Her husband passed away several years earlier. But she is a much more complicated character, and I thought this was very clever.

The direction this book took completely took me by surprise. At first, I was thinking, what on earth is going on here? But this was in a good way. My eyes were kept glued to the whole book, but the final chapters kept me really gripped. I wanted to understand what was going on and who these people really were. It is so, so well done. I think many people may form different opinions when they get to the end of this book, but I absolutely loved it. 

If you’re a fan of Will Carver’s books, then you will love The Beresford. It is so good. Highly, highly recommended!

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 22nd May 2021 (kindle) 22nd July 2021 (paperback)

Print length: 276 pages

The Beresford is available to buy:

Amazon UK Kobo Waterstones

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Dead Ground by M.W. Craven #bookreview

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the brilliant new novel in the Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw series, Dead Ground.

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Detective Sergeant Washington Poe is in court, fighting eviction from his beloved and isolated croft, when he is summoned to a backstreet brothel in Carlisle where a man has been beaten to death with a baseball bat. Poe is confused – he hunts serial killers and this appears to be a straightforward murder-by-pimp – but his attendance was requested personally, by the kind of people who prefer to remain in the shadows.

As Poe and the socially awkward programmer Tilly Bradshaw delve deeper into the case, they are faced with seemingly unanswerable questions: despite being heavily vetted for a high-profile job, why does nothing in the victim’s background check out? Why was a small ornament left at the murder scene – and why did someone on the investigation team steal it? And what is the connection to a flawlessly executed bank heist three years earlier, a heist where nothing was taken . . .

MY THOUGHTS

I love, love this series. Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw are such brilliant characters. They always stay with me long after I have turned the last page. I came to this series quite late, having only got round to it last year, and I am so pleased that I finally did. As I have done with Dead Ground, I’ll now be making sure that each new book in the series goes straight to the top of my TBR pile.

The cases which Washington and Tilly are investigating are always very complex, and their most recent case is definitely a tough one. M. W. Craven is a writer who knows how to hook the reader very early on. The book begins with a very intriguing set-up when we see a group of men wearing the masks of well-known celebrities entering a vault at a bank. Soon, one of them will be dead. But is there a connection to a murder that takes place in the present? A man’s body is found not far from a Brothel. It appears his killer beat him to death with a baseball bat. And what is the significance of a ceramic rat found at the scene?

This is the case which Washington Poe finds himself is tasked with solving. But this isn’t his usual bag; it seems at first to be pretty straightforward. But this time, he is involved in a case that could have disastrous consequences for the government and the country. But Poe only cares about getting to the truth. The war in Afghanistan plays a role in this story, and I thought this part of the plot was really intriguing. I thought how M.W. Craven weaved this part of the plot into the story was done very well.

What I love about this series is the humour that M.W. Craven manages to write into his books. His books are always about very dark crimes, but Tilly and Poe absolutely make this series for me. Their dialogue is brilliant, and it always draws me into the story. They are great friends, and they will always have each other’s back. They are two of the most memorable and fascinating characters in crime fiction.

M.W. Craven continues to increase the tension, particularly as Poe and Tilly get closer to working out what is going on here. There are a few people who want them to stay silent and not continue with the investigation. This makes the book very tense as Poe and Tilly try to get to the bottom of things before they become the target.

I am loving this series, and I can’t wait to see where M.W. Craven takes Poe and Tilly next. Dead Ground is a fantastic, fast paced thriller. Roll on book five!

Publisher: Constable

Publication date: 3rd June 2021

Print length: 448 pages

Dead Ground is available to buy:

Amazon UK Kobo Waterstones

Her Sister’s Secret by S.E. Lynes #bookreview #booksontour @SELynesAuthor @bookouture

On my blog today, I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for the new novel by S.E. Lynes, Her Sister’s Secret.

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Why would you pretend your life is a dream when you’re living a nightmare?

Annie and Dom lead perfect lives in a lovely cottage in a quiet village by the sea, with flowers at the front gate and an apple tree in the garden. Everyone knows them: generous, loving Dom, creative, joyful Annie.

But their neighbours don’t see Annie as she sits waiting for Dom well into the night. They don’t see her smiling through her tears. They don’t know what the perfect couple are hiding.

They just hear the sirens that break the silence of the night and see the flames that rise against the dark sky.

And the morning after, what everyone wants to know is – which one was to blame?

MY THOUGHTS

I’ve only recently discovered S.E. Lyne’s books, and I loved her latest, Her Sister’s Secret. This is an intense psychological thriller, and the plot and the characters kept me utterly gripped. This book is a rollercoaster of a read.

S.E. Lynes begins her book with a shocking opening when Isla receives devastating news from her nephew, Callum. Her sister Annie and her husband Dominic have been killed in a house fire. But she knows she has to be strong for her nephew. He’s lost his mother. She has to be there for him.

There are some shocking twists and turns in this book. It is more of a slow burner, but the tension gradually gathers pace and S.E. Lyne’s writing pulls you into the story. I had to know what really happened on the night of the fire. The person who I felt for the most as I was reading was Isla. She has no idea how to cope with what has happened. Her whole world has just come apart, and she doesn’t know who she can trust. It made for really tense reading as she tried to come to terms with what was happening, particularly as the police investigation uncovers who might have started the fire.

It’s really hard to talk more about the plot without giving it away. I had no idea what had happened the night of the fire, and I didn’t know whose testimony to believe. I became more intrigued as S.E. Lynes began to peel back Annie’s relationship with her husband in the flashback scenes. I wanted to know more about her marriage, and I wanted to understand if this had anything to do with the fire.  

But as I thought everything had come together, S.E. Lynes begins to ratchet up the tension again. My perceptions of the characters kept changing as I was reading this novel; like Isla, I didn’t know who I could trust. And especially in those final scenes, I became really worried that something terrible was going to happen. It makes for a nail biting finale.

Her Sister’s Secret is the second book by S.E. Lynes, which I’ve read, and I think I’ve definitely found a new favourite author. Another excellent book by S.E. Lynes.

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication date: 13th July 2021

Print length: 299 pages

Her Sister’s Secret is available to buy:

Amazon UK

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Camp Death by Jim Ody and Ouija by Zoe-Lee O’Farrell cover reveal @Jim_Ody_Author @zooloo2008 @QuestionPress

I’m delighted to be taking part in the cover reveal for the debut novel by Zoe-Lee O’Farrell, Ouija on my blog today and Camp Death by Jim Ody. But first, before I reveal the covers, let’s take a look at what the books are about.

Camp Death

The place had a gruesome past that nobody wanted to talk about…

Camp Deathe is now a great place to spend the summer. Ritchie soon finds a group of outsiders like himself. Teenagers who ignore the organised activities, and bunk off in the old abandoned cabins deep in the woods. The cabins that have a history.

The campfire monster stories were meant to just scare them. Nobody expected them to come true. Then one of the teenagers disappears in the middle of the night.

Something is watching them. It hides in the woods and hunts at night.

Ritchie will have to uncover the secrets of the camp, and understand his own problems in order to survive.

Ouija

The only thing for certain is the deaths were no accident.

Rayner High School once a prestigious school stands in ruins after such a terrible event.

A year later, a group of friends return to the abandoned school and their nightmare begins.


Something wants to get out and won’t take NO for an answer…

Ouija is Book 2 in a new series brought to you by Question Mark Horror. For fans of Point Horror, Christopher Pike & Nicholas Pine.

Now for the all important covers!

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Both books are available to pre-order now. They will be released on the 30th August 2021.

The Dinner Guest by B P Walter #bookreview

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the gripping new novel by B P Walter, The Dinner Guest.

BLURB

Four people walked into the dining room that night. One would never leave.

Matthew: the perfect husband.

Titus: the perfect son.

Charlie: the perfect illusion.

Rachel: the perfect stranger.

Charlie didn’t want her at the book club. Matthew wouldn’t listen.

And that’s how Charlie finds himself slumped beside his husband’s body, their son sitting silently at the dinner table, while Rachel calls 999, the bloody knife still gripped in her hand.

MY THOUGHTS

I’ve been meaning to try B P Walter’s books for a while now, and I’m so pleased I’ve finally got round to reading one. The Dinner Guest is a taut psychological thriller with characters who will get under your skin. There is a real Agatha Christie vibe to this book. I loved trying to work out what had happened on the night the story focuses on, and B P Walter’s writing drew me into the story from the very first page.

We are presented with a shocking opening line that sets the story off with a bang. Charlie’s husband, Matthew, has been killed. We also know who killed him, one of their guests, Rachel. I loved the way how B P Walter opened this book; it immediately captured my attention. I wanted to understand more about what had happened.

None of the characters in The Dinner Guest are particularly likeable. I found I struggled to feel any sympathy for them in the wake of Matthew’s murder. After the shocking opening scene, B P Walter gradually begins to peel back the layer. We begin to understand what was happening in the characters’ lives in the run up to the event. I liked how this was done. I particularly wanted to know more about Rachel, who suddenly appeared in their lives when she joins Charlie and Matthew’s book club. This is held at Charlie and Matthew’s posh home in Kensington. She is a very mysterious character, and we hear from both her and Charlie’s point of view as the novel progresses. I wanted to know what her motive was for killing Mathew if she was the killer. I wanted to know more about who she was.

Although we have a confession of what happened the night of the murder and a suspect in custody, what really happened isn’t quite clear. This makes the story so tense as I had no idea who could potentially be behind the murder. I couldn’t trust any of the characters, and I felt they were all hiding from something. It made me watch what they were doing that little more closely as I tried to think about what the real story was here.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Dinner Guest. It’s entertaining and very gripping. I have seen that the film rights to the book have been snapped up, and I can’t wait to see how it translates to screen. This is a thoroughly enjoyable murder mystery novel. I highly recommend it.

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication date: 1st April 2021

Print length: 416 pages

The Dinner Guest is available to buy:

Amazon UK Kobo Waterstones