The Close by Jane Casey #bookreview #blogtour @JaneCaseyAuthor @fictionpubteam @RandomTTours

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the new Maeve Kerrigan thriller by Jane Casey, The Close. With thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

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At first glance, Jellicoe Close seems to be a perfect suburban street – well-kept houses with pristine lawns, neighbours chatting over garden fences, children playing together.

But there are dark secrets behind the neat front doors, hidden dangers that include a ruthless criminal who will stop at nothing.

It’s up to DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent to uncover the truth. Posing as a couple, they move into the Close, blurring the lines between professional and personal as never before.

And while Maeve and Josh try to gather the evidence they need, they have no idea of the danger they face – because someone in Jellicoe Close has murder on their mind.

MY THOUGHTS

I love Jane Casey’s Maeve Kerrigan series, which meant The Close, the latest book in the series, went straight to the top of my TBR pile. In this novel, Maeve is definitely out of her comfort zone, as she takes on an undercover role with her colleague, DI Josh Derwent.

Jane Casey always writes a compelling mystery, but for me, what made this book, was seeing the relationship between Josh and Maeve develop a little bit further, as, for a few weeks, they are living together in a picturesque country village, pretending to be a couple, while they are undercover. For fans of the series, you will know Maeve and Josh’s character’s well. They have always been friends throughout the series, but there is always a slight hint that perhaps there could be something more that might develop between them, and this is what makes this book so fascinating and so addictive.

Maeve is horrified at the prospect of spending time alone with Josh, but she agrees to take the job, even though another big investigation has just begun, following the murder of a young man, a surgeon, but Maeve still finds time to keep up to speed with the investigation while she is away. When they go undercover, they are there to investigate the residents of the village, while portraying to their new neighbours that they are dog sitting for a few weeks, while the dog’s owner is away on business. What I loved about this book, was the sexual tension that existed between Maeve and Josh, while they were living alone together. You can see that there is definitely chemistry between them, even though Maeve insists that she never has and never will have feelings for Josh.

Georgia is another character in the series who always never fails to make me laugh. I always find the conversations she has with Maeve, really entertaining to read, even when they are talking about work. Jane Casey always manages to slip in some light hearted humour into their dialogue.

Some of the residents of the village where Josh and Maeve move to are really creepy. I did get the sense that there were people hiding something here, and Jane Casey does a brilliant job in adding to the tension here, when it feels as though Maeve might be in danger.

Jane Casey really delves deep into her characters in The Close. It makes for a fascinating and a really entertaining read. If you haven’t yet read this series, then you are really missing out.

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication date: 2nd March 2023

Print length: 416 pages

The Close is available to buy:

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The Space Between Us by Doug Johnstone #bookreview #blogtour @doug_johnstone @OrendaBooks @RandomTTours

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the new novel by Doug Johnstone, The Space Between Us. With thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

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When three people suffer strokes after seeing dazzling lights over Edinburgh, then awake completely recovered, they’re convinced their ordeal is connected to the alien creature discovered on a nearby beach… an adrenaline-soaked, deeply humane, life-affirming first-contact novel from one of Scotland’s most revered authors.
 
Lennox is a troubled teenager with no family. Ava is eight months pregnant and fleeing her abusive husband. Heather is a grieving mother and cancer sufferer. They don’t know each other, but when a meteor streaks over Edinburgh, all three suffer instant, catastrophic strokes… 
 
…only to wake up the following day in hospital, miraculously recovered. 
 
When news reaches them of an octopus-like creature washed up on the shore near where the meteor came to earth, Lennox senses that some extra-terrestrial force is at play. With the help of Ava, Heather and a journalist, Ewan, he rescues the creature they call ‘Sandy’ and goes on the run. 
 
But they aren’t the only ones with an interest in the alien … close behind are Ava’s husband, the police and a government unit who wants to capture the creature, at all costs. And Sandy’s arrival may have implications beyond anything anyone could imagine…

MY THOUGHTS

I’m a big fan of Doug Johnstone’s writing, so when I heard that he was publishing a science fiction novel, I was very excited. There have been hints of Doug’s interest in space in his previous books, particularly in the Skelf series, and it’s a topic that I’ve always found fascinating. His latest book is The Space Between Us and it is an exciting, rollercoaster of a read that has made me desperate for the sequel.

The novel begins with a mysterious set of lights seen in the skies above Edinburgh, which may be the cause of three people, who don’t know each other, having strokes, and then miraculously recovering the next day, which baffles doctors. The sightings of the lights and the strokes, attracts media attention, especially when an alien-like octopus creature is found. The individuals are Lennox, Ava and Heather, and they soon find that they each have a special connection to the creature, they name Sandy. There is also Ewan, a journalist, who is desperate to get a good story, but he too finds himself caught up in Sandy’s fate. Their connection to Sandy makes them drop everything that is going on their lives right now, and fight to help the creature.

The four characters each go on an emotional journey in this novel. Ava is in a particularly perilous situation. She is pregnant and fleeing from her abusive husband, Michael, who always isn’t far behind them. Heather is suffering from cancer and she knows her time on this earth is near. Lennox is a teenager living in care. There is a particularly heart wrenching scene when we see him being targeted by bullies. It was fascinating watching them bond over the course of this novel. Even though they had never met before, it felt as though they had known each other for a long time. It does feel as though they become a family, united with one purpose. Doug Johnstone writes these characters really well, and I felt as though I was stepping into their lives as I was reading the book. They are crucial to this book, and I could see that this was far more than a typical Hollywood first-contact type story.

Of course, I wanted to learn about where Sandy had come from and what his reasons were for travelling to Earth. As he forms a bond with the group, he shares his thoughts with them, and they are able to understand him. As they head out on their journey to try and get Sandy to safety, and possibly to be reunited with others of his kind, they learn about where he has come from and why he has come to Earth. As I learned these details, this is what made me really excited to read book two.

The tension really picks up with the group being closely followed behind by the police as well as Heather’s husband. I was rooting for them all the way. The Space Between Us is brilliant, and unlike anything else I have read recently. I highly recommend it.  

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 2nd March 2023

Print length: 300 pages

The Space Between Us is available to buy:

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Twist of Fate by D.L. Mark #bookreview #blogtour @HoZ_Books @RandomTTours

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the new novel by D.L. Mark, Twist of Fate 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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She says he’s a victim. They say he’s a killer.

When an armed man massacres several people in central London, Claudine witnesses the whole thing. To her horror, one of the victims is her brother, Jethro.

Riven by grief, Claudine retreats to the family home in the Fens, which is where the police find her. She is left reeling when they tell her Jethro orchestrated the attack. Why would a gentle, if troubled, middle-aged man cause such bloodshed – and why would he include himself in the list of victims?

The truth could lie in Jethro’s research on a mediaeval cult. If Claudine can’t solve the mystery in time, more people will die… and the darkness will claim her too.

MY THOUGHTS

Twist of Fate is the first book by David Mark that I’ve read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It begins with a suspected terrorist attack in London, on Embankment Bridge, when several people are killed. The suspect throws himself off the bridge and into the Thames before he can be apprehended, or killed by the police. A man, Jethro, who stepped in to intervene, who sadly dies, is labelled as a hero, but as the police investigation into the attack continues, they find there is more here than what first meets the eye.

As the book gets going, we meet Claudine, Jethro’s sister, who is distraught after witnessing her brother’s death on Embankment Bridge from her office window. They haven’t had the easiest of relationships, particularly as Claudine has had to take charge of everything to do with family matters, and this makes her feel guilty, especially when she thinks that she could’ve done something to save her brother.

I really liked Claudine. I could feel the anguish that she was going through, which made me connect to her character. I absolutely loathed DS Billy Dean, who belittles Claudine when he is speaking to her, even though she is going through unimaginable trauma. He believes Claudine knows more about the alleged attack, and that she may somehow be involved, especially when the police begin to think that Jethro might be behind the attacks on the bridge. Billy is a very interesting character though, and I wanted to find out more about him, to understand why he was being like this.

I was fascinated by the supernatural element to this book, which darkens the plot, as the police look further into Jethro’s life and the people who he was involved with. David Mark does paint Jethro as a very caring individual, in ways how he is described, but there is also a more mysterious and darker side to him that adds to the tension. This part of the plot makes the book so intense, especially as Claudine starts looking for answers herself. I could sense that she was getting closer and closer to danger, and I had no idea how things would pan out. It was really intriguing when the plot delves into the historical elements of the novel.

I finished Twist of Fate in just a couple of sittings. It’s a really gripping read and I’ll definitely be reading more of David Mark’s novels in the future.

Publisher: Head of Zeus

Publication date: 2nd March 2023

Print length: 288 pages

Twist of Fate is available to buy:

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The Mother by T.M. Logan #bookreview #blogtour @TMLoganAuthor @ZaffreBooks @Tr4cyF3nt0n

On my blog today, I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for the new thriller by T.M. Logan, The Mother. With thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me to take part.

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Framed for murder. Now she’s free . . .

A woman attends a funeral, standing in the shadows and watching in agony as her sons grieve. But she is unable to comfort them – or reveal her secret.

A decade earlier, Heather gets her children ready for bed and awaits the return of her husband Liam, little realising that this is the last night they will spend together as a family. Because tomorrow she will be accused of Liam’s murder.

Ten years ago Heather lost everything. Now she will stop at nothing to clear her name – and to get her children back . . .

MY THOUGHTS

You can always be guaranteed that whenever you pick up a book by T.M. Logan, you won’t want to put it down. The Mother is his latest gripping thriller.

The story follows Heather as she is released from prison, after spending ten years inside after she was accused of murdering her husband, Liam, who was a Member of Parliament. Now Heather is fighting to prove her innocence, and she will stop at nothing to get the life she had with her children back, and unmask Liam’s true killer.

This book is a high octane intense ride and the tension increases as Heather fights to clear her name. You can clearly see that there is more here than what meets the eye and that someone is keeping secrets, making Heather look like the guilty party. I wanted to know why Liam was killed, and if there was anything that he was involved in, prior to his death, that might’ve been the reason behind his killing, and why someone would’ve wanted to cover it up and pin the blame on Heather. This really adds to the mystery and T.M. Logan keeps us guessing as to what the truth is.  

You can feel the heartache that Heather is feeling as she tries desperately to reconnect with her son’s when she comes out of prison, even though this is proving near but impossible. It is a real struggle for her to get people to listen to her and to prove that she had nothing to do with her husband’s death. I got the sense that she would do anything to prove this. It’s what really raises the stakes throughout the novel and someone is keen to stop Heather from pursuing the case any further and to just accept what has happened. I liked how T.M. Logan flicked between the past and the present. As we visit the past, we see what Heather has missed out on in the ten horrendous years she’s suffered in prison. T.M. Logan paints a clear picture of the life she once had with her boys and husband, and I was gripped to these scenes as I tried to work out what was really going on and who could really be behind the murder .

The finale is so tense as Heather gets closer to knowing what happened ten years previously. I was rooting for Heather all the way to get the answers she wanted. The Mother is an utterly compelling read and it is another winner from T.M. Logan.

Publisher: Zaffre

Publication date: 2nd March 2023

Print length: 432 pages

The Mother is available to buy:

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Gone by Ruby Speechley #bookreview #blogtour @rubyspeechley @BoldwoodBooks @rararesources

On my blog today, I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for the new novel by Ruby Speechley, Gone. With thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to take part.

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My son is missing, and everyone is lying to me.

Last night my son, Shay, sneaked out of the house and didn’t come home. He promised not to go to the illegal party in the woods. But someone’s been attacked and Shay has gone missing. The police want to know if he saw what happened. I’m worried he could be involved.

After all the trouble he’s been in lately, mixing with the wrong crowd, coming home beaten up and scared, I thought we’d put it all behind us. Trouble is, Shay resents me moving my new boyfriend into the family home. I found all sorts on his laptop, including a half-written email warning me not to trust David. What does he know that I don’t?

I’m beginning to fear for his safety. What is David hiding from me? Who have I let into our lives?

I don’t know who I can trust. Will I ever see my son alive again?

MY THOUGHTS

Gone is such a tense thriller by Ruby Speechley. This is a book that I did not want to put down, and I was desperate to find out what was going to happen. We meet Rachel, who is facing every parent’s worst nightmare, when her son Shay, is nowhere to be found. But what is even more disturbing, as the police become involved, it maybe the case that Shay himself could’ve been involved in a crime, an attack on a young girl, and this is something Rachel can’t believe her son is capable of.

This is a very dark book and the tension is there on every single page. I could feel the stress and anxiety that Rachel was feeling as she tried to get to the bottom of what had happened to her son, and as she gets closer to the truth, the book gets even darker. I thought it was really clever how Ruby Speechley put all the final pieces of the jigsaw together. There are some real bombshell moments as Rachel desperately searches for her son.  I could sense the time ticking down in the background, and Ruby Speechley makes it clear to the reader, that every passing hour means there’s less of a chance of Shay coming home alive.

I felt I couldn’t trust anyone who Rachel knew in her life, apart from her other son, who is desperate to have his brother back as well. This adds to the tension so well in the book, and it made me sure that there were people, who Rachel knew, who were keeping secrets from her. I felt really frustrated for her as I could see the pain she was going through and how desperate she was to have Shay home. The mystery of Shay’s disappearance and what he was involved in before he went missing kept me utterly gripped. This is definitely a book that will keep you reading well into the early hours of the morning.

Gone is definitely the type of book I would love to see as a television series. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication date: 21st February 2023

Print length: 296 pages

Gone is available to buy:

Amazon UK

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The Forcing by Paul E. Hardisty #bookreview #blogtour @Hardisty_Paul @OrendaBooks @RandomTTours

On my blog today, I’m taking part in the blog tour for the new novel by Paul E. Hardisty, The Forcing. With thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

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Civilisation is collapsing. Frustrated and angry after years of denial and inaction, a ‘government of youth’ has taken power in North America, and deemed all those older than a prescribed age responsible for the current state of the world, and decreed they should be ‘relocated’, their property and assets confiscated.

David Ashworth, known by his friends and students as Teacher, and his wife May, find themselves among the thousands being moved to ‘new accommodation’ in the abandoned southern deserts – thrown together with a wealthy industrialist and his wife, a high court lawyer, two recent immigrants to America, and a hospital worker. Together, they must come to terms with their new lives in a land rendered unrecognisable.

As the terrible truth of their situation is revealed, lured by rumours of a tropical sanctuary where they can live in peace, they plan a perilous escape. But the world outside is more dangerous than they could ever have imagined. And for those who survive, nothing will ever be the same again…

MY THOUGHTS

The Forcing is an epic novel by Paul E. Hardisty which paints a vivid portrayal of what could lie in humanity’s future, if we don’t save the planet. I’ve always enjoyed dystopian fiction, but I only really read it in my teens. When I read the blurb for this novel, it sounded right up my street. I can’t believe that this is the first book by Paul E. Hardisty that I’ve read.

In this novel, the younger generation have taken over the business of running the country, and the older generations are being punished for their crime of not taking the threat of the climate emergency seriously. The younger generation hold their parents and grandparents responsible for the destruction of the planet, and for destroying their futures, and so they treat them with disdain. As the novel opens, we meet David Ashworth, who prefers to go by the name of Teacher, which was his profession, before the government forced him out of his job. David enjoyed his job, and the young people he taught did look up to him. David finds himself, along with his wife, May, being forced to move from Canada, to what was once South America, and is forced to live with strangers, and there are strict rules they need to live by.

People who are forced to live together, don’t always get along, we see this in reality television shows, and you can begin to see tensions forming here, as David becomes accustomed to this new way of life. Tensions also begin to show between David and May, and it is clear to see that May no longer loves him, and is angry that she is in this situation. David is more concerned about his inaction over the years as the world descended into chaos. You can see how angry May is and this comes across so clearly in Paul’s writing. She certainly doesn’t come across of someone who is filled with remorse, like David is for the part they played.

I could sense the real fight for survival there was, and how dangerous it was for the character’s to even be out doing something so simple, like a morning run. The tension really heats up when David, and the people who he has since moved in with, decide to write their own destiny, by trying their hardest to escape the situation they are in. This is where the action really gets going in the novel. I had no idea what was going to happen to them. I could also sense that there was hope here as they strove to find something better, and I was rooting for David all the way, but this isn’t going to be a journey that is plain sailing.

As well as being a book written to entertain, The Forcing is also a book written to make you think about our future prospects on this planet, highlighting how important it is that we change things now for the better. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I can’t wait to read more of Paul E. Hardisty’s work. This is definitely a book that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 16th February 2023

Print length: 300 pages

The Forcing is available to buy:

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The Lonely Lake Killings by Wes Markin #bookreview #blogtour @BoldwoodBooks @rararesources

On my blog today, I’m taking part in the blog tour for the new novel by Wes Markin, The Lonley Lake Killings. With thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to take part.

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A lonely recluse. A missing girl and a community in fear.

When the body of a young local girl is found next to an isolated lake, the main suspect is the old recluse who has lived next to the lake for many years – especially when the young girl’s purse is found on the old man’s doorstep.

But DCI Emma Gardner and her partner DI Paul Riddick aren’t so sure. Why would the old hermit leave such an obvious clue? And who would want to set the old man up?

As they dig deeper into the murder they discover a community in fear, determined to keep hold of long buried secrets. And Riddick is convinced that his own dark past is somehow linked to this crime, too.

Gardner fears that she may never get the answers she needs, until a break leads her down a path she’d rather not face. One that runs directly to her own front door…

MY THOUGHTS

The Lonely Lake Killings is the second book in the Yorkshire murder series by Wes Markin, and the first book by Wes that I’ve read. Although it is the second book, I felt it could be easily read as a standalone, and I had no problem at all in getting into the story. Wes Markin has created a really intriguing mystery with the murder of a young girl, Tia Meadows, and there are plenty of interesting character’s who had me contemplating who could’ve killed her and why.

Wes Markin creates a fascinating backstory for the character’s, who are the central focus point in this book, and these backstories give the character’s all a potential motive for the murder of Tia, which creates a tense atmosphere. Tia appears to have been involved with a few people in the run up to her death, and this creates a lot of work for DCI Emma Gardener and DI Paul Riddick to sift through. Her father, a multi-millionaire, with a shady background, is distraught about her death. Wes Markin delves into his background as the plot of the novel progresses, and I found these scenes, especially as Wes explored his childhood, very intense.

It took me just a couple of sittings to finish this book. Rick has a very interesting and a heart-breaking backstory as well, and I felt I really connected to his character as I was reading. I could see how much pain he is still in from the horrific trauma he has suffered. I think this is where I may have benefited more from reading the previous book in the series, but Wes Markin does explain what happened to Rick very well for new readers.

There are some shocking reveals about Tia and her father, which deepen the mystery surrounding her death even further, which is part of what makes this story a real page-turner, and why I flew through it so quickly.

This is a series I’ll definitely be keen to return to.

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication date: 15th February 2023

Print length: 373 pages

The Lonely Lake Killings is available to buy:

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The Blood Line by Will Shindler #bookreview #blogtour @WillShindler @HodderBooks @AlainnaGeorgiou

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the new novel by Will Shindler, The Blood Line as part of the blog tour. With thanks to Alainna Georgiou for inviting me to take part.

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An ordinary day. An ordinary street. A gruesome delivery waiting on the doorstep that’s going to set off an spine-chilling chain of events…

Claire Beacham returns from a busy day at work to a parcel on her doorstep – no note, no label. As a politician, she’s used to being suspicious of anonymous hate mail but today she’s too tired to worry. She opens it, finding a gruesome surprise inside. A severed head falls to her kitchen floor; the rich, red drip of blood on her hands.

It is clear to Claire and those around her that this terrifying package is a message. But who sent it, and why?

It’s Claire’s first delivery – and won’t be her last.

DI Finn cannot enjoy the gentle return to his role in the Murder Investigation Team of the Metropolitan Police that he planned. Someone is targeting Claire and with every message comes another casualty. With the clock ticking, DI Finn and DC Mattie Paulsen must wade through the depths of the murky political sphere before the bodies start piling up.

MY THOUGHTS

Detective Alex Finn is back in Will Shindler’s latest book, The Blood Line. What I’ve come to expect from Will Shindler’s novels is an absolutely gripping opening, and he has delivered that again with this book. We see the murder of a young immigrant in the opening pages, which raises the questions, what has this man done to deserve this fate, who is the person who’s killed him? Then in another shocking twist, the man’s severed head is delivered to the house of MP Claire Beacham, who becomes the central focus point of the plot.

Will Shindler creates suspense really well in his book. I wanted to know what connection, if any, Claire Beacham had to the murdered man. Claire Beacham is just beginning to make a name for herself, due to her work supporting domestic abuse victims. Claire comes across as a character who will fight for you, if you came to her with a problem, so it was intriguing to see what she had done to make herself a target in this way, and this made her such a fascinating person to get to the bottom of. This novel explores some tough themes, which, sadly, have become a real reality in today’s world, particularly with recent news stories here in the UK.

As the investigation into the death of the young man, and any connection to Claire progresses, Will Shindler introduces us to some shady individuals, and one of them has Alex Finn in his sights. I won’t say much more here, but this was such a tense part of the story, as I wanted to know what this man wanted from Alex. You can quite clearly see how much danger Alex is in which adds to the tension, especially when he is unware of it.

I can’t end this review without briefly mentioning that ending. This book really has left me wondering what is to come for Alex and his team next. As things take a darker turn for Alex, it made me wonder what exactly was going to happen, and the final result is devastating.

The Blood Line is another excellent book in this series that continues to keep me invested. Crime fiction fans, you definitely need to be reading this series if you haven’t picked it up already.

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Publication date: 2nd February 2023

Print length: 357 pages

The Blood Line is available to buy:

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Expectant by Vanda Symon #bookreview #blogtour @vandasymon @OrendaBooks @RandomTTours

On my blog today, I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for the new novel by Vanda Symon, Expectant 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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The shocking murder of a heavily pregnant woman throws the New Zealand city of Dunedin into a tailspin, and the devastating crime feels uncomfortably close to home for Detective Sam Shephard as she counts down the days to her own maternity leave.

Confined to a desk job in the department, Sam must find the missing link between this brutal crime and a string of cases involving mothers and children in the past. As the pieces start to come together and the realisation dawns that the killer’s actions are escalating, drastic measures must be taken to prevent more tragedy.

For Sam, the case becomes personal, when it becomes increasingly clear that no one is safe and the clock is ticking…

The shocking murder of a heavily pregnant woman throws the New Zealand city of Dunedin into a tailspin, and the devastating crime feels uncomfortably close to home for Detective Sam Shephard as she counts down the days to her own maternity leave. 

Confined to a desk job in the department, Sam must find the missing link between this brutal crime and a string of cases involving mothers and children in the past. As the pieces start to come together and the realisation dawns that the killer’s actions are escalating, drastic measures must be taken to prevent more tragedy. 

For Sam, the case becomes personal, when it becomes increasingly clear that no one is safe and the clock is ticking… 

MY THOUGHTS

Vanda Symon knows how to write a gripping first chapter. Expectant is the latest book in her Detective Sam Shepherd series, and it is another belter of a crime novel. We are launched into the story with the discovery of a murdered woman by a group of teenagers, and even more horrifying, it soon becomes apparent that the woman was pregnant, and that her unborn child was taken from her.

This case hits very close to home for Sam. Sam, herself, is pregnant and just about to give birth. You know that the case of the murdered woman is going to become a very personal case for Sam. You can clearly see her determination to get to the bottom of this, and how frustrated she is, when her boss insists on taking her off the case, because she might be too emotionally close to the investigation. I wanted Sam to be the one to get to the bottom of things as I knew she would make sure that no stone would be left unturned, and I thought her boss was treating her very unfairly in this book, which made me want to yell at him in anger. But I was also worried that Sam might be putting herself and her unborn child in danger. There is still no understanding of what the motive is behind the killing of the young woman, and there is a sense of real threat that they may strike again, and this tension continues to build.

There is a real sense of foreboding throughout the novel as Sam and the team race to find the killer. As Sam and the team try and find a motive behind the killing of the woman, Sam looks into recent similar events to see if she can find a link. Although Expectant is a work of fiction, it is horrifying to think that there are cases, like what Vanda Symon describes in her book, that exist in real life. You can see the effect that learning about these cases has on Sam, as she prepares to give birth to her own child.

I was not expecting the revelations that came as Vanda Symon wrapped up the book. There are some heart-breaking reveals, that had me flying through the final chapters at top speed to see what the final outcome was going to be. I would have to say that Expectant is the best book in this series to date.

I can’t wait to see what’s next for Sam Shepherd. This series continues to go from strength to strength. I highly recommend Expectant.

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 16th February 2023

Print length: 320 pages

Expectant is available to buy:

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The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett #bookreview #blogtour @JaniceHallett @ViperBooks

On my blog today, I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for the new novel by Janice Hallett, The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels.

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Open the safe deposit box. Inside you will find research material for a true crime book. You must read the documents, then make a decision. Will you destroy them? Or will you take them to the police?

Everyone knows the sad story of the Alperton Angels: the cult who brainwashed a teenage girl and convinced her that her newborn baby was the anti-Christ. Believing they had a divine mission to kill the infant, they were only stopped when the girl came to her senses and called the police. The Angels committed suicide rather than stand trial, while mother and baby disappeared into the care system.

Nearly two decades later, true-crime author Amanda Bailey is writing a book on the Angels. The Alperton baby has turned eighteen and can finally be interviewed; if Amanda can find them, it will be the true-crime scoop of the year, and will save her flagging career. But rival author Oliver Menzies is just as smart, better connected, and is also on the baby’s trail.

As Amanda and Oliver are forced to collaborate, they realise that what everyone thinks they know about the Angels is wrong. The truth is something much darker and stranger than they’d ever imagined. And the story of the Alperton Angels is far from over..

After all, the devil is in the detail…

MY THOUGHTS

Whenever I hear that Janice Hallett has a new book coming out, I get really excited. When I read her debut novel, The Appeal, I knew then that she was a very unique writer. Her books are always so original, and Janice Hallett creates a truly immersive experience for the reader. Her latest book is The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels, which I believe will also appeal to fans of true crime. We are given an instruction at the start of the book. The pages we are about to read is the extensive research by bestselling true crime author, Amanda Bailey, on a horrific crime that took place more than a decade ago involving a cult known as the Alperton Angels. Once we have finished reading the book, we then must decide if the information inside should be made public.

What I love about Janice Hallett’s books is that she makes you feel as though you are reading about true events that have taken place. There is always a unique way in which she writes her books, either through email exchanges, texts, or through audio files. In this book, it is through the research that author, Amanda Bailey, has undertaken for her new book, about the chilling Alperton Angels case, that took place in 2003.

Amanda Bailey’s voice comes through so well in the emails and texts she is exchanging between different people. I could clearly see her enthusiasm for the topic she is researching, and she wants to make sure her new book is a success. But you can also feel the pressure she is under, especially from her agent, to get this right. There is already a buzz surrounding the book, as the Alperton Angels is quite famous and draws a lot of attention. But as Amanda begins to get closer to the truth about what happened, I began to feel fear for her. I was eager to know what was going to happen to her if she continued to probe deeper into the story. It made me wonder if she was putting herself more in danger as she continued to contact people who had a connection to the case she was investigating.

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is another top read by Janice Hallett which will thrill her fans. The mystery of the novel pulled me in and kept me hooked and Amanda Bailey kept me engaged throughout the book. A thoroughly entertaining read, I really enjoyed it. I can’t wait to see what Janice Hallett comes up with next.

Publisher: Viper Books

Publication date: 19th January 2023

Print length: 432 pages

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is available to buy:

Amazon UK Waterstones

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