Reputation by Sarah Vaughan #bookreview #blogtour @SVaughanAuthor @simonschusterUK @RandomTTours

On my blog today, I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for the new novel by Sarah Vaughan, Reputation. With thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

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Emma Webster is a respectable MP.
 
Emma Webster is a devoted mother.
 
Emma Webster is innocent of the murder of a tabloid journalist.
 
Emma Webster is a liar.
 
#Reputation: The story you tell about yourself. And the lies others choose to believe…

MY THOUGHTS

I’m a huge fan of Sarah Vaughan’s writing. Her latest novel, Reputation, explores the darker side of politics and what it is like for a woman to be in the public eye. She explores some tough themes in her latest book, which include trolling on social media and what you would do to protect someone you love. What it also highlights well is how someone’s reputation can take a lifetime to build and days to destroy, which is why the title of the novel is so perfect. It’s a novel which feels very current.

There are some very powerful scenes in Sarah’s book. We are introduced to MP Emma Webster who has recently appeared in a Guardian article, which has prompted some individuals online, to send her nasty and threatening messages on social media. What Sarah Vaughan highlights here is how scary it must be for people who are in the public eye. Particularly, on social media, people feel they can say anything about that person, without consequences. This is something, I feel, isn’t talked about enough and there needs to be something done to tackle and stop it. It is abhorrent that people can hide behind a computer screen, and think they can get away with anything they put on the web.

Sarah Vaughan also explores the relationship between Emma and her daughter which becomes an important part of this book. We see just how having a mother in the public eye affects her daughter and how scared she is about her mother becoming a target for trolls online and potentially, more dangerous people. The emotion comes across very strongly and Sarah Vaughan delves into Emma’s daughter’s feelings and fears.

I thought it was really interesting the direction in which Sarah Vaughan took this novel and it wasn’t the way in which I expected it to go. We know from the opening page that Emma Webster has done something terrible. I liked how Sarah gradually revealed what happened prior to this event taking place. The tension continued to tick up a notch and I had to know what was going to happen and how Emma would tackle the challenges that come up against her. It was very cleverly wrapped up and it has left me thinking what is happening in the character’s lives.

Since I read Anatomy of a Scandal, I knew then that Sarah Vaughan would become a must-read author for me. Reputation is a highly addictive and a very clever book. I highly recommend it!

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication day: 3rd March 2022

Print length: 480 pages

Reputation is available to buy:

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The Twins by L.V. Matthews #bookreview

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the gripping new novel by L.V. Matthews, The Twins.

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TWO SISTERS. AN INTENSE BOND. A BITTER RIVALRY.

Margo is a live-in nanny for an upper-class family. Cora is a penniless dancer on the cusp of a big break.

Total opposites, bound by the worst secret you can imagine.

And when it’s revealed, only one can survive.

But can there be a winner when a secret is so dark?

MY THOUGHTS

The Twins is an absorbing psychological thriller that is so cleverly put together. L.V. Matthews is a writer who knows how to deliver a twist, which I thought she delivered in such a unique way, especially as I’ve read a few thrillers featuring twins as main characters.

We meet twins Margo and Cora, who are both very different to each other, but they are both hiding something dark in their past which connects them both. It was so interesting getting to know Margo and Cora and seeing just how different they are. Many people have the perception that twins are so in synch, and some people even believe that twins have telepathic powers, but that certainly isn’t the case here. And what happened to their other sister, Annie?

There is a dark undertone which runs throughout the novel and it kept me guessing as to what had happened in Margo and Cora’s past. I wanted to know what had happened to their sister Annie and what secrets Margo and Cora were keeping. I thought Cora was particularly interesting. We can see that she is traumatised by something that happened in her childhood and this pushes her to do better at what she loves most, which is dancing. She is thrilled to land the lead role in a play, Mirror, Mirror, and I wanted to know why she was desperate to appear worthy of landing the role. Why was this play and this part so important to her?

The tension in the novel does not let up. As we get to know Cora and Margo further, a darker story begins to emerge that has plagued them both since childhood. As the plot begins to unfold further, I could feel the hurt that ran deep inside both of them, and it’s Cora who appears to be affected most by this. L.V. Matthews expertly weaves everything together and I was completely surprised by the direction in which she took the story, you can see just how much what happened has made Cora and Margo into the people they are today. I thought this was done very well. I really liked how L.V. Matthews wrapped everything up and it made it feel very satisfactory.

The Twins is a psychological thriller which to me felt really fresh. I was utterly gripped and I could not wait to see how the story would unfold. I can’t wait to read what L.V. Matthews writes next.

Publisher: Welbeck

Publication date: 17th February 2022

Print length: 326 pages

The Twins is available to buy:

Amazon UK

Breathless by Amy McCulloch #bookreview

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the gripping crime debut by Amy McCulloch, Breathless.

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When struggling journalist Cecily Wong is invited to join an expedition to climb one of the world’s tallest mountains, it seems like the chance of a lifetime.

She doesn’t realise how deadly the climb will be.

As their small team starts to climb, things start to go wrong. There’s a theft. Then an accident. Then a mysterious note, pinned to her tent: there’s a murderer on the mountain.

The higher they get, the more dangerous the climb becomes, and the more they need to trust one another.

And that’s when Cecily finds the first body . . .

MY THOUGHTS

Breathless is an intense and an utterly gripping debut thriller by Amy McCulloch. Amy is a writer who knows how to draw the reader into the setting. This book features a group of mountain climbers who are planning to tackle a formidable mountain and Amy McCulloch has definitely created a chilling setting.  It makes you feel as though you are there.

There is a foreboding atmosphere which Amy continues to build on as the novel progresses. As we get to know the group of climbers who are attempting to climb the mountain and Cecily Wong, a journalist who is joining them, the atmosphere becomes very chilling. You get the sense that they are all being watched and I had no idea what the reason for this was or who was watching them.

The mountain setting really provided a real sense of danger. Of course, there is the suspicion that someone is watching the group, whose intentions might not be honest, but there is also the added threat of the icy temperatures and the mountain.

When someone dies early on in the book, the tension really begins to heighten, especially among the members of the group. I had no idea who could have been behind the murder and my suspicions kept changing as the plot developed.

I really liked Cecily. She is determined to get an interview with mountain climber, Charles. She isn’t an experienced mountain climber, but she is determined to risk her own safety to get the interview.

As the tension heightens Cecily begins to discover clues as to who the murderer is. Amy McCulloch delivers a nail biting ending that really took me by surprise.

I really enjoyed Breathless. It is a highly entertaining read. Psychological thriller lovers you definitely need to add this book to your TBR pile. I highly recommend it!

Publisher: Michael Joseph

Publication date: 17th February 2022

Print length: 395 pages

Breathless by Amy McCulloch is available to buy:

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Off Target by Eve Smith #bookreview #blogtour @evecsmith @OrendaBooks @RandomTTours

On my blog today, I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for the gripping new novel by Eve Smith, Off Target. With thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

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A longed-for baby
An unthinkable decision
A deadly mistake

In an all-too-possible near future, when genetic engineering has become the norm for humans, not just crops, parents are prepared to take incalculable risks to ensure that their babies are perfect … altering genes that may cause illness, and more…

Susan has been trying for a baby for years, and when an impulsive one-night stand makes her dream come true, she’ll do anything to keep her daughter and ensure her husband doesn’t find out … including the unthinkable. She believes her secret is safe. For now.

But as governments embark on a perilous genetic arms race and children around the globe start experiencing a host of distressing symptoms – even taking their own lives – something truly horrendous is unleashed. Because those children have only one thing in common, and people are starting to ask questions…

Bestselling author of The Waiting Rooms, Eve Smith returns with an authentic, startlingly thought-provoking, disturbing blockbuster of a thriller that provides a chilling glimpse of a future that’s just one modification away…

MY THOUGHTS

I loved Eve Smith’s debut novel, The Waiting Rooms, and once again, she has explored a scarily realistic idea that doesn’t feel too far away in the future. Her latest novel is Off Target. In Eve’s version of reality, people are able to edit the genes of their unborn babies, which was specifically introduced to help prevent specific diseases. But people are now taking advantage of this science and are using it to create designer babies, and this sparks huge ethical questions about gene editing.

We meet Susan, who is facing an impossible dilemma when she becomes pregnant with her first child. She and her husband have been desperately trying for a baby, so she should be thrilled to learn the news that she’s pregnant. But Susan is sure that the baby isn’t her husband’s after mistakenly having a one night stand. But there are ways that she can get around this.

I loved the original spin that Eve Smith put on her idea. It’s what made this story so exciting, and so tense as it made me think that what she was planning to do would go horribly wrong. I’m sure this book will make many people wonder what they would do if they were in Susan’s position. What makes Eve’s idea so different as well is that she includes newspaper reports on different events, linked to the plot, happening around the world. You can see just how well Eve has researched this topic.

Following on from the drastic decision that Eve makes, we fast forward several years later, when her baby, Zurel, is now, almost, a grown adult. We can begin to see the consequences of the decision Susan took when she was pregnant, and we can see how Susan is plagued with guilt. But it is not clear if, what is now happening to Zurel is linked to what Susan did all those years ago. She is constantly living in fear, that someone will discover her secret, but she is also extremely worried about her daughter’s health and if she is to blame. The uncertainty about Zurel’s situation also drives the fear and the tension in Susan’s life. Zurel also has questions about what happened very early on in her life.

It was interesting to see the relationship between Susan and Zurel play out, now that Zurel is just about to reach adulthood. There is a lot of tension there and it made me wonder what would happen to their family if the truth about what Susan did came out. Eve Smith kept me utterly gripped as I waited to find out what was going to happen to them and how things would unfold.

I love books that blend genres and Eve Smith achieved that so well here. She has become a must-read author to me and I’m certain that I’ll read anything that she writes next. I highly recommend Off Target.

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 17th December 2021 (kindle) 17th February 2022 (paperback)

Print length: 300 pages

Off Target is available to buy:

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Grave’s End by William Shaw #bookreview

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on Grave’s End, the third book in William Shaw’s brilliant Alexandra Cupidi series.

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A BIZARRE DISCOVERY

An unidentified corpse is found in a freezer in the garage of an unoccupied house. DS Alexandra Cupidi is handed a case that is made even colder by no-one seeming to know or care whose body it is.

A HISTORIC CRIME

It becomes clear there is a connection between the crime and a skeleton uncovered underneath a housing development of Trevor Grey, a boy who went missing twenty five years earlier.

A BURIED LIFE

Digging deep into secrets that have long been concealed brings Cupidi to face a deadly conspiracy to hide these crimes. Her investigation is complicated by a secret liaison, a political cover-up and the underground life of Trevor Grey’s only friend.

MY THOUGHTS

I’m a huge fan of William Shaw’s Alexandra Cupidi series, and I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get round to reading, Grave’s End. With the discovery of a body in a freezer, at a luxury house currently on the market, an intense, complex investigation ensues, steeped in the world of environmental activism and politics. It is a really immersive read.

There is an entirely unique narrative in Grave’s End. Parts of the novel are told from the point of view of a badger, and this is how the novel opens. I must admit, when I first heard that this book was told partly from the point of view of a badger, it did put me off slightly, but William Shaw has absolutely nailed it. Putting the reader firmly into the badger’s mind set, also reminds us that this isn’t just our world, and that we have to look out for those who can’t make their voices heard. The inclusion of the badger’s narrative added to the atmosphere of the book, and it pulled me into the setting even more.

What I do find interesting in this series, is Alex’s relationship with her daughter, Zoe. Zoe has become an environmentalist, following her introduction to bird watching earlier on in the series. It is also still interesting to see Alex’s friendship with her former work colleague, William South. I’m always interested to see how he is getting on. I think it’ll really help for you to read The Birdwatcher by William Shaw, if you haven’t yet read the Alexandra Cupidi series, as you will have more of an understanding of William’s character and what he has been through. His history is what makes him so fascinating.  

The themes William Shaw explores in these books, such as environmental activism, really go well with the setting, and they add to the atmosphere and the tension in the novel.

I like Alex’s friendship with her colleague, Jill, in this book. Jill made me laugh a lot as I was reading the scenes when it’s the two of them talking, and the humour comes through so well in their dialogue. Jill is has been on a few tentative first dates, and this really made me interested in her character. I wanted to see how she was getting on, and I wanted her to find someone to be with. She comes across as a very down to earth character with her own set of problems, which I think a lot of readers can relate to.

William Shaw explores some very murky themes in this book. It is quite a complex read, and I liked how he pulled the different strands together, making things very clear as the final reveals came.

Grave’s End is a fantastic read, and I can’t wait to catch up with the character’s again in the next book.

Publisher: riverrun

Publication date: 14th May 2020

Print length: 480 pages

Grave’s End is available to buy:

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The House of Ashes by Stuart Neville #bookreview #blogtour @stuartneville @Tr4cyF3nt0n

On my blog today, I’m taking part in the blog tour for the new novel by Stuart Neville, The House of Ashes. With thanks to Tracy Fenton from Compulsive Readers for inviting me to take part.

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For Sara Keane, it was supposed to be a second chance. A new country. A new house. A new beginning with her husband Damien.

Then came the knock on the door.

Elderly Mary Jackson can’t understand why Sara and her husband are living in her home. She remembers the fire, and the house burning down. But she also remembers the children. The children who need her, whom she must protect.

‘The children will find you,’ she tells Sara, because Mary knows she needs help too. Sara soon becomes obsessed with what happened in that house nearly sixty years ago – the tragic, bloody night her husband never intended for her to discover. And Mary – silent for six decades – is finally ready to tell her story . . .

MY THOUGHTS

The House of Ashes is a tense, and a very dark read by Stuart Neville, which tells the story of a harrowing crime. There is such a creepy atmosphere in this book, which I thought Stuart brought to life very well, especially in the house, where the main events take place. I could feel the tension the characters were feeling and I could feel their fear. It makes for such a compelling read.

I loved how Stuart Neville opened the book, with tension right on the very opening page. I could sense this as Sara, one of the main characters, becomes acquainted with her new home. She feels that there is something not quite right about the place, but you can also see that there is tension in her relationship with her husband, Damian. When they receive an unexpected visitor, not long after they move in, Sara’s worst fears about her new home are confirmed.

I really wanted to get to the bottom of what had gone on in Sara’s new home in the past. You can really feel that there is a sense of evil about the place, and this adds to the tension. We also hear from the perspectives of the people who once lived there, and Stuart Neville creates a real sense of foreboding, especially when there were flashbacks to the past. The stories of the people who lived there before is what makes this books such a heart-breaking read. Stuart Neville also writes about some very evil people in this book, and whenever they featured, they made me feel angry. It’s what makes this book such a heart-breaking read as well.

This book is so cleverly woven and I became immersed in the different time periods the novel is set in. I really connected with Sara, and I was rooting for her from the first page. I really did not like her husband, Damian, and I didn’t get a very good vibe from him from the moment I met him. He made me feel really concerned for Sara, and it made me worry about what was going to happen to her.

The House of Ashes is such an absorbing read. If you enjoy reading crime novels with plenty of atmosphere and tension, then I highly recommend it.

Publisher: Zaffre

Publication date: 3rd February 2022

Print length: 305 pages

The House of Ashes is available to buy:

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Unhinged by Thomas Enger and Jorn Lier Horst #bookreview #blogtour @EngerThomas @LierHorst @OrendaBooks @RandomTTours

On my blog today, I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for the new novel by Thomas Enger and Jorn Lier Horst, Unhinged. With thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

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When police investigator Sofia Kovic uncovers a startling connection between several Oslo murder cases, she attempts to contact her closest superior, Alexander Blix before involving anyone else in the department. But before Blix has time to return her call, Kovic is shot and killed in her own home – execution style. And in the apartment below, Blix’s daughter Iselin narrowly escapes becoming the killer’s next victim.

Four days later, Blix and online crime journalist Emma Ramm are locked inside an interrogation room, facing the National Criminal Investigation Service. Blix has shot and killed a man, and Ramm saw it all happen.

As Iselin’s life hangs in the balance, under-fire Blix no longer knows who he can trust … and he’s not even certain that he’s killed the right man…

Two of Nordic Noir’s most brilliant writers return with the explosive, staggeringly accomplished, emotive third instalment in the international, bestselling Blix & Ramm series … and it will take your breath away.

MY THOUGHTS

Thomas Enger and Jorn Lier Horst have created one of my favourite series in the crime fiction genre. In Unhinged, the latest book in the Blix and Ramm series, Detective Alexander Blix is thrown head first into a tense, very personal investigation, when his daughter, Iselin becomes involved in a complex police investigation, following the shocking murder of a police officer.

What I love about these books, is that Enger and Horst always begin each novel with action, and the action in the book never lets up. The books are always so intense, and Unhinged takes the level of intensity, in Enger and Horst’s writing, up a notch. In the opening section of this book, Blix is being questioned by police officers about his actions in an investigation. I wanted to know what it was Blix had done to make the police want to question him.

Without trying to give too much of the plot away, this is also a book with a strong emotional core. The authors really do put their characters through a very difficult time, beginning with the murder of one of Blix’s work colleagues, Sofia Kovic, and the character’s emotions come through very strongly on the page. You can feel this right from page one, as Blix is trying to come to terms with what has already happened. I was rooting for Blix right the way through this book, to get the answers that he was seeking. There are some really shocking revelations as the plot progresses.

Right from the get-go, I wanted to find out more about the investigation, and if Sofia Kovic knew more about what they were investigating and if she potentially knew who was involved. Sofia is also a close friend of Blix’s friend, journalist Emma Ramm, who, like Blix, is heavily affected by her death. The plot is so well thought out, and Enger and Horst really do take you on a whirlwind of a ride, as Blix and Ramm try to work out who is behind the horrific events. You can see just how desperate for answers Blix is, and I wasn’t sure just how far he was willing to go to achieve his goal. It’s what makes this book such a tense read and I flew through it, as I was desperate to find out who was the person responsible.

This is the best book yet in this series. It has made me wonder how Blix and Ramm will progress from here, especially after everything that has happened in this book, it is clear that things will never be the same. Unhinged is an outstanding addition to this series. I was captivated right the way through. If you’re not yet reading these books, then you really need to.

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 17th December 2021 (kindle) 17th February 2022 (paperback)

Print length: 276 pages

Unhinged is available to buy:

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That Night by Gillian McAllister #bookreview

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the gripping new novel by Gillian McAlllister, That Night.

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What would you do to protect your family?

ANYTHING.

During a family holiday in Italy, you get an urgent call from your sister.

There’s been an accident: she hit a man with her car and he’s dead. She asks for your help.

She’d cover for you, so will you do the same for her?

But when the police come calling, the lies start . . .

And you each begin to doubt one another.

What really happened that night?

Who is lying to who?

MY THOUGHTS

I’m a huge fan of Gillian McAllister’s books, and I think her latest, That Night, is her darkest and most chilling story yet. I was gripped from the first page and I did not want to put it down. It examines just how far a person will go to protect someone who they love.

Gillian McAllister opens her latest book with a shocking opening, when Frannie hits a man with her car and kills him while on holiday in Italy. Right from the get-go the tension is there as Frannie struggles to come to terms with what has happened, and when she contacts her family for help, they face an impossible choice. I had to know if her brother and sister would help her cover up what had happened, and what this would do to their relationship.

I loved the way how Gillian McAllister drew us into her character’s lives. They are all well rounded, and the moral dilemma at the heart of this story adds real tension between them. There is a lot of emotion in this book as well, as they come to terms with what they have done, and they are constantly living in fear of their crime being discovered. It did make me wonder how they could go on to try and live a normal life after disposing of a body, while knowing, that out in the world somewhere, there would be people looking for that person.

This novel did make me wonder what I would do if I was in Joe, Frannie and Cathy’s situation. I’m sure many readers will be thinking the same. I don’t think I, personally, would be very comfortable with making the decision that Frannie’s siblings did.  

As she has done expertly in all of her books, Gillian McAllister delves into the lives of her characters and she brings them to life on the page. She really explores well how much of an impact the decision they made on the night of the accident has on them. It was really interesting to see how things would proceed for them all, and whose conscience would weigh the heaviest.

If you love character driven psychological thrillers, then I highly recommend That Night. Gillian McAllister is such a good writer, and you definitely need to read her books if you haven’t done so yet already.

Publisher: Penguin

Publication date: 8th July 2021

Print length: 448 pages

That Night is available to buy:

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One Bad Thing by M.K. Hill #bookreview #blogtour @markhillwriter @AriesFiction

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the gripping new thriller by M.K. Hill, One Bad Thing. With thanks to Sophie Ransom from Ransom PR for inviting me to take part.

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She thought she’d got away with it. She was wrong.

Hannah Godley is an agony aunt on a London radio show Queen of Hearts. She’s warm and empathetic; a good listener. Her catchphrase is: Be kind, always. But when a stranger phones in to tell a tragic story about her brother who killed himself after he was the victim of a terrible prank by two people, Hannah goes cold. Because she remembers Diane’s brother well. In fact, all these years later, he still haunts her dreams. All because of that one bad thing she did when she was young…

Is Diane just a sad, lonely woman looking for a friend, or does she know what Hannah did, and is looking for revenge? Because as Diane insinuates herself into her life and family, Hannah is going to discover that you can never truly escape that One Bad Thing you did – sooner or later, you’re going to have to pay the price…

MY THOUGHTS

I’m a huge fan of M.K. Hill’s writing, and I couldn’t wait to start reading One Bad Thing. There is a lot of mystery surrounding his characters in his latest book, which I loved trying to unravel. Set in the world of broadcasting, we meet Agony Aunt, Hannah, whose career is about to reach the next level, when she is invited to be part of a television show. But soon her world is about to come crashing down, when someone calls her on the show she presents, and makes a very serious threat. This is a threat that Hannah can’t ignore.

I loved how M.K. Hill constantly kept me thinking about his characters as I was reading this book. From the moment Hannah is threatened, I wanted to know what had happened in her past and what she was hiding. From the way how Hannah reacts to the call, it is clear that she carries a dark secret. Hannah is a character who I could never quite make my mind up about as I was reading. I liked her at the start of the book, and there were places where I did feel sorry for her, particularly when she was trying to build a better relationship with her parents. But my opinions of her began to change, as more about what happened in her younger days is revealed.

There are so many twists and turns as the book progresses, and the plot took me on a whirlwind of a ride. I could really feel the anxiety that Hannah was experiencing, as she tries to make sense of what is happening to her. Her mind is all over the place, and it is very clear to see just how frightened she is. It’s what makes this book so tense, and I really wanted to know what was going to happen to her.

The final revelations, when they came, were shocking but they made perfect sense and the ending felt very satisfactory. I had so many suspicions about many of the characters in this book which is what made it, for me, such an entertaining read. 

Psychological thriller lovers you do not want to miss this book. One Bad Thing is utterly gripping and I highly, highly recommend it!

Publisher: Head of Zeus

Publication date: 3rd February 2022

Print length: 355 pages

One Bad Thing is available to buy:

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First Monday Crime February @1stMondayCrime

On my blog today, I have all the details for you for this month’s First Monday Crime and the authors who will be appearing on the panel. First Monday Crime is taking place live on their Facebook page at 19.30 p.m. I’ll have all the details about how you can access the event at the end of this post. But first let’s take a look at the authors who’ll be apppearing.

Liz Nugent author of Our Little Cruelties

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Three brothers are at the funeral. One lies in the coffin.

Will, Brian and Luke grow up competing for their mother’s unequal love. As men, the competition continues – for status, money, fame, women …

They each betray each other, over and over, until one of them is dead.

But which brother killed him?

Jane Casey author of The Killing Kind

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Ingrid will never forget what John did.
The people he hurt. The way he lied about it so easily. The way she defended him.

Now he’s back.
He says a murderer is after her. He says only he can protect her.

Would you trust him?
The clock is ticking for Ingrid to decide. Because the killer is ready to strike…

Sam Blake author of Remember My Name

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If she’d turned off her phone, instead of listening in, perhaps no one would have died…

When Cressida Howard catches her entrepreneur husband playing away from home, she hires security expert Brioni O’Brien to get the evidence she needs for a speedy and financially rewarding divorce.

But what Brioni uncovers goes beyond simple infidelity. Because Laurence Howard is also in bed with some very dangerous people. Bribery and blackmail are the least of his worries as someone comes after the women in his life – someone who is out to destroy Laurence and his empire, whatever the cost.

And Cressida and her teenage daughter could soon be collateral damage, if she and Brioni don’t act fast.

W.C. Ryan author of The Winter Guest

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The drive leads past the gate house and through the trees towards the big house, visible through the winter-bared branches. Its windows stare down at Harkin and the sea beyond . . .

January 1921. Though the Great War is over, in Ireland a new, civil war is raging. The once-grand Kilcolgan House, a crumbling bastion shrouded in sea-mist, lies half empty and filled with ghosts – both real and imagined – the Prendevilles, the noble family within, co-existing only as the balance of their secrets is kept.

Then, when an IRA ambush goes terribly wrong, Maud Prendeville, eldest daughter of Lord Kilcolgan, is killed, leaving the family reeling. Yet the IRA column insist they left her alive, that someone else must have been responsible for her terrible fate. Captain Tom Harkin, an IRA intelligence officer and Maud’s former fiancé, is sent to investigate, becoming an unwelcome guest in this strange, gloomy household.

Working undercover, Harkin must delve into the house’s secrets – and discover where, in this fractured, embattled town, each family member’s allegiances truly lie. But Harkin too is haunted by the ghosts of the past and by his terrible experiences on the battlefields. Can he find out the truth about Maud’s death before the past – and his strange, unnerving surroundings – overwhelm him?

A haunting, atmospheric mystery set against the raw Irish landscape in a country divided, The Winter Guest is the perfect chilling read.

If you would like to watch the panel. All you have to do is click on the link below which will take you through to the First Monday Crime Facebook Page. The event starts at 19.30 p.m. on Monday, 7th February 2022. The panel is being moderated by publisher, Katherine Armstrong.

First Monday Crime