Keep Her Sweet by Helen Fitzgerald #bookreview #blogtour @FitzHelen @OrendaBooks @RandomTTours

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

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Desperate to enjoy their empty nest, Penny and Andeep downsize to the countryside, to forage, upcycle and fall in love again, only to be joined by their two twenty-something daughters, Asha and Camille.

Living on top of each other in a tiny house, with no way to make money, tensions simmer, and as Penny and Andeep focus increasingly on themselves, the girls become isolated, argumentative and violent.

When Asha injures Camille, a family therapist is called in, but she shrugs off the escalating violence between the sisters as a classic case of sibling rivalry … and the stress of the family move. 

But this is not sibling rivalry. The sisters are in far too deep for that.

This is a murder, just waiting to happen…

Chilling, vicious and darkly funny, Keep Her Sweet is not just a tense, sinister psychological thriller, but a startling look at sister relationships and they bonds they share … or shatter.

MY THOUGHTS

If you enjoy a family drama, then Keep Her Sweet by Helen Fitzgerald should definitely be your next read. I’ve read Helen’s past two novels, and every time I’ve read something new by her, I’ve recognised her voice straight away, especially in the unique way she creates her characters. I think if you’d given me this book without telling me who it was by, I would have been able to guess that it was written by Helen from the first page.

In her latest psychological thriller, Helen Fitzgerald zooms in on one of the most dysfunctional families I’ve come across in crime fiction. We meet two sisters, Camille and Asha, and immediately we can see the tensions that there are between them. They’ve recently moved back in with their parents, Penny and Andeep, and right from the first few pages, I felt like I was a fly on the wall, listening in, waiting for something catastrophic to happen. It did feel as though the family were discovering more about each other for the first time, especially once a therapist gets involved.

All of Helen’s characters in this book are well rounded and I thought their individual personalities and backstories came through strongly on the page. They are people who you want to find out more about. Camille and Asha’s Dad, Andeep, is a disgraced comic, and his family are the ones who still have to put up with his jokes. The novel is also told from the point of view of their Mum, Penny, and Joy, The Therapist. I think I found the parts told from the therapist’s points of view the most intriguing. I thought it was interesting how Joy peered into the lives of Camille and Asha’s family. I immediately wanted to find out more about her right from the first line, “Unhappy families always cheered her up.” This had me hooked. What had happened to this family?

Asha and Camille’s relationship also kept me invested in the story. Helen Fitzgerald delves deep into their history, although we particularly see this from Camille’s point of view. I really like the scenes which were told through diary extracts as her voice came through really strongly. You can feel Camille’s emotions as she is describing events that have happened between her and Asha in the past. You can see clearly the rivalry that exists between them, especially from Camille’s view point. But you do also get a sense that Asha and Camille do care deeply about each other, particularly when Camille explores their past.

I really could not believe what I was reading as I reached the final closing chapters. It was such a dark and tense finale, and I’m sure I’ll be thinking about what happened at the end of this book for a long time. Helen Fitzgerald explores some tough themes in Keep Her Sweet that bring her characters to life in rich, vivid detail, and it makes for an absorbing and an utterly compelling read. Another excellent novel from Helen Fitzgerald.

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 26th May 2022

Print length: 222 pages

Keep Her Sweet is available to buy:

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The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley #bookreview #blogtour @lucyfoleytweets @fictionpubteam @RandomTTours

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

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Welcome to No.12 rue des Amants

A beautiful old apartment block, far from the glittering lights of the Eiffel Tower and the bustling banks of the Seine.

Where nothing goes unseen, and everyone has a story to unlock.

The watchful concierge
The scorned lover
The prying journalist
The naïve student
The unwanted guest

There was a murder here last night.
A mystery lies behind the door of apartment three.

Who holds the key?

MY THOUGHTS

The Paris Apartment is an intriguing mystery steeped in suspense, and it takes you right into the very heart of Paris, France. Paris is a city I’ve always wanted to visit from when I was very young, so I was more than intrigued, when I saw that Lucy Foley’s latest book would be set there.

The setting is a luxurious apartment block in Paris, and the story is told from various different viewpoints. We meet Jess who has travelled to Paris to see her brother, Ben, who lives in the block, but discovers that he is missing, and to her, it seems, under suspicious circumstances. But what has happened to Ben?

The mystery surrounding Ben’s disappearance was really intriguing. I felt that all the residents in the apartment block had something to hide, and I felt that one person, especially, had answers. As Jess tried to get to the truth of what happened to her brother, I felt that she was putting herself in danger, and that she would end up meeting the same fate. Like Jess, I wanted to know what happened to Ben, and what led up to his disappearance. I wanted her to get answers, especially as it seemed that someone in the building was trying to cover up what happened.

Lucy Foley creates a real sense of menace, especially as Jess begins to delve into the mystery. I really liked that we got to hear from the different characters. The person who intrigued me the most in this book was the concierge. I got the feeling that they knew the secrets of all the residents in the building, and that they could quite easily blackmail them, if they ever wanted to. This really added to the suspense.

There are some surprising reveals as Lucy Foley reveals the truth about what happened to Ben, and there is an intense finale as Jess realises the truth. I didn’t know what was going to happen to her and I was rooting for her to find out what happened.

Fans of Lucy Foley’s work will love The Paris Apartment. I was utterly gripped right the way through.

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication date: 3rd March 2022

Print length: 412 pages

The Paris Apartment is available to buy:

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

I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for the new novel by Vanda Symon, Faceless, on my blog today. With thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

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Worn down by a job he hates, and a stressful family life, middle-aged, middle-class Bradley picks up a teenage escort and commits an unspeakable crime. Now she’s tied up in his warehouse, and he doesn’t know what to do.

Max is homeless, eating from rubbish bins, sleeping rough and barely existing – known for cadging a cigarette from anyone passing, and occasionally even the footpath. Nobody really sees Max, but he has one friend, and she’s gone missing.

In order to find her, Max is going to have to call on some people from his past, and reopen wounds that have remained unhealed for a very long time, and the clock is ticking…

MY THOUGHTS

I love Vanda Symon’s writing and her latest novel, Faceless is another utterly gripping read. It’s Vanda’s first standalone and I raced through it in just two days. It is so good and there is real emotional depth to Vanda’s writing. I had to know what was going to happen. It’s a really powerful piece of writing that will make you root for the characters. 

Max is a character who’ll really pull at the heart strings. I really felt for him, especially as he tried to express his concerns to the police that his friend, Billy, a teenage escort is missing. You can see that apart from one police officer, he is struggling to make his voice heard to those who should be taking his concerns seriously. I could really feel his frustration and concern for his friend.

The tension in this book does not drop at all. Vanda Symon writes some intense scenes, especially those which feature Max’s friend Billy. Billy’s story is a heartbreaking one. She is still a teenager and it is heartbreaking that she has been forced to work as a prostitute on the streets. It seems that Max is the only one who cares for her and when she goes missing it becomes his determination to find her, even if no one else is prepared to listen. I really admired Max and he comes across as person who would be a good friend for anyone to have around. I was rooting for him all the way through the book and I wanted him to succeed in finding Billy.

Vanda writes some very tense scenes from Billy’s perspective. We know what has happened to her which is why I felt so frustrated when the majority of the police officers showed little or no interest in finding her, despite Max’s protests. I was so desperate for them to take Max seriously as I had no idea if Billy was going to survive. Vanda Symon creates a real sense of danger and this kept me utterly gripped to the book.

Vanda’s characters are so well developed. Their emotions come through so strongly on the page. You get a real sense of what drives them, especially with Max. This is a real page turner of a novel. It is so addictive and the short snappy chapters kept the pace flying forward.

Fans of Vanda Symon’s novels, you are in for a real treat. Faceless will keep you utterly gripped right the way through. I loved it!

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 17th January 2022 (kindle) 17th March 2022 (paperback)

Print length: 320 pages

Faceless is available to buy:

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The Killing Kind by Jane Casey #bookreview @JaneCaseyAuthor @RandomTTours

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the gripping new novel by Jane Casey, The Killing Kind 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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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…

MY THOUGHTS

I’m a huge fan of Jane Casey’s novels, especially her Maeve Kerrigan series, so I was intrigued to see that she had a new standalone out. The Killing Kind is such a tense read, and it gripped me right from the first page. The tension is there right from the get-go, and I did not want to put this book down.

Jane Casey’s new novel follows barrister, Ingrid Lewis, and Jane Casey takes Ingrid on a wild, rollercoaster of a ride. There is a shocking, tense opening which leads Ingrid to believe that someone is out to get her, and that her life is in danger. Being a barrister, it is clear that she may have made enemies in her career. From the moment Ingrid believes that her life is at risk, I wanted to find out who it was who could hold such a grudge against her. What had happened in her past to cause this?

What I thought was one of the most intriguing parts of this book, was Ingrid’s problems with a former client, John Webster. You can see just how scared Ingrid is of him, and she clearly thinks he’ll do anything to get what he wants. Jane Casey creates a real sense of danger around John, and it kept me turning the pages. I wanted to find out if he was the person responsible for what was happening to Ingrid in the present, and why he was doing this. What was his aim here? I could also never be quite sure what his motive was, and if we had discovered all there was to discover about him.

Jane Casey continues to turn the tension up a notch with sections told from unknown individuals, who know Ingrid, and who are planning something big and who, it appears, have knowledge of the events which have happened. I had no idea who these people were as I was reading and as their messages, concerning Ingrid grew more aggressive, I needed to know who they were and what Ingrid meant to them. It made the plot even more intriguing and it continued to create an unnerving atmosphere. It seemed that the people who were out to get Ingrid were willing to do anything to achieve their goal, no matter how many innocent people got in their way. On every page there is an imminent threat of danger.

I loved The Killing Kind, it’s pacy, addictive and I flew through it. If you’re a fan of Jane Casey’s books, you will love this, and if you haven’t read her books before, this is the perfect chance to try her writing. Her writing is always really authentic. You will not be disappointed!

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication date: 27th May 2021 (kindle & hardcover) 17th February 2022 (paperback)

Print length: 496 pages

The Killing Kind is available to buy:

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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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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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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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Demon by Matt Wesolowski #bookreview #blogtour @ConcreteKraken @OrendaBooks @RandomTTours

On my blog today, I’m delighted to be sharing my thoughts on the new novel by Matt Wesolowski, Demon as part of the blog tour. With thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

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In 1995, the picture-perfect village of Ussalthwaite was the site of one of the most heinous crimes imaginable, in a case that shocked the world.

Twelve-year-old Sidney Parsons was savagely murdered by two boys his own age. No reason was ever given for this terrible crime, and the ‘Demonic Duo’ who killed him were imprisoned until their release in 2002, when they were given new identities and lifetime anonymity.

Elusive online journalist Scott King investigates the lead-up and aftermath of the killing, uncovering dark stories of demonic possession, and encountering a village torn apart by this unspeakable act.

And, as episodes of his Six Stories podcast begin to air, and King himself becomes a target of media scrutiny and the public’s ire, it becomes clear that whatever drove those two boys to kill is still there, lurking, and the campaign of horror has just begun…

MY THOUGHTS

The Six Stories series by Matt Wesolowski continues to go from strength to strength. Demon is the latest addition to the series and if you love a good horror novel, mixed with crime, then you definitely need to read it. In the latest episode, presenter Scott King examines a horrific case which took place in 1995. I could see where some of the inspiration for this story comes from, especially the Jamie Bulger case here in the UK, and it’s what makes this novel all the more chilling and harrowing. It feels like this can happen and that’s what makes it so scary.

Once again, Scott King is taking a look into the supernatural as he tries to understand what happened in 1995, when a young boy is killed by two boys the same age as him. The village in which the crime took place is called Ussalthwaite and it is a village said to be haunted by an evil spirit. There are lots of different stories told by people over the years about this, and I wanted to know more about it. As locals described the events that led up to these hauntings, it did send a shiver up my spine.

I really liked how Matt Wesolowski blended the supernatural and the real world. The way how he describes the supernatural events leaves just enough room open to make you wonder what is really going on here. It doesn’t make you think straight away that this couldn’t happen. This is also what makes the stories that are told so terrifying.

As with the previous books in this series, we hear the story through six podcasts from the show Scott King hosts. This is what I really love about this series. We always have Scott King, who, in his world, has become quite famous, but with each new book, we hear from a cast of new characters as Scott King tries to uncover the real facts behind the case he is investigating. With each episode, you know you are getting closer to the truth and it makes me turn the pages faster as I want to know what really happened in the events Scott is investigating. It’s what makes these books so gripping and I always look forward to the next book in the series. It’s such a clever way of telling a story.

I feel Scott King’s character also continues to develop with each book. He examines quite a lot of dark stories and he really delves deep into the mind-set of the people who were involved. The end of each book does make me wonder what is going on inside his head and what case he will choose to investigate next.

I really enjoyed Demon, it is always a real treat to read a new Six Stories novel. I can’t wait to see where Matt Wesolowski takes the series next.

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 26th November 2021 (kindle) 20th January 2022 (paperback)

Print length: 320 pages

Demon is available to buy:

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Fall by West Camel #bookreview #blogtour @west_camel @OrendaBooks @RandomTTours

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

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Twins Aaron and Clive have been estranged for forty years. Aaron still lives in the empty, crumbling tower block on the riverside in Deptford where they grew up. Clive is a successful property developer, determined to turn the tower into luxury flats.

But Aaron is blocking the plan and their petty squabble becomes something much greater when two ghosts from the past – twins Annette and Christine – appear in the tower. At once, the desolate estate becomes a stage on which the events of one scorching summer are relived – a summer that shattered their lives, and changed everything forever…

Grim, evocative and exquisitely rendered, Fall is a story of friendship and family – of perception, fear and prejudice, the events that punctuate our journeys into adulthood, and the indelible scars they leave – a triumph of a novel that will affect you long after the final page has been turned.

MY THOUGHTS

West Camel is such a brilliant writer. I loved his debut novel and his latest book, Fall, is another brilliant, beautifully written piece of fiction. The prose is stunning and the characters are so well drawn. There is real magic in West Camel’s writing; it draws you into the worlds he creates and holds your attention.

We meet twin brothers, Aaron and Clive who both lived in the same apartment building in Deptford. It is their childhood home but both have different ideas for the future. The building is filled with ghosts from their path and this haunts them both. The brothers different ideas create a strain in their relationship. It also becomes apparent that there is a dark secret hidden in their past. I wanted to know more about this from very early on and I wanted to know what really went on between them. As the story unfolds West Camel begins to make clear why both brothers have a very different view of their home. And this is where the darker picture in the story begins to come clear.

The novel is told over a forty year period. In 1976 something horrific happened at the tower which has affected the lives of everyone who was there that night ever since.

All the characters came to life well. We also meet another set of twins Annette and Christine who lived in the tower block in the 70s. They were the towers first black residents and you can clearly see how many people in the building feel about this. They strike up a friendship with Aaron and Clive and I really enjoyed reading the scenes when they were together. The dialogue between them was really well done.

Zoë Goldsworthy is another interesting character. She designed the tower block and I loved that we got added bonus material in the book, drawings showing the building how Zoë imagined it. Zoë is a character who fascinated me from the moment we were introduced to her. I wanted to learn more about her background and what role she had in the story. 

There are some shocking final reveals as the full scope of the family tragedy becomes clear and West Camel reveals what really happened that fateful night that haunts Aaron and Clive’s memories. Fall is such a brilliant book and the title is perfect for it in so many ways. It is a multi-layered book that is so well written and thought out. West Camel is fast becoming a favourite writer of mine and I can’t wait to read what he writes next.

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 9th October 2021 (kindle) 9th December 2021 (paperback)

Print length: 276 pages

Fall is available to buy:

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Psychopaths Anonymous by Will Carver #bookreview #blogtour @will_carver @RandomTTours @OrendaBooks

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the brilliant new novel by Will Carver, Psychopaths Anonymous, 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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Maeve has everything. A high-powered job, a beautiful home, a string of uncomplicated one-night encounters. She’s also an addict: A functioning alcoholic with a dependence on sex and an insatiable appetite for killing men. 

When she can’t find a support group to share her obsession, she creates her own. And Psychopaths Anonymous is born. Friends of Maeve. 

Now in a serious relationship, Maeve wants to keep the group a secret. But not everyone in the group adheres to the rules, and when a reckless member raises suspicions with the police, Maeve’s drinking spirals out of control. 

She needs to stop killing. She needs to close the group. 

But Maeve can’t seem to quit the things that are bad for her, including her new man…

A scathing, violent and darkly funny book about love, connection, obsessions and sex – and the aspects of human nature we’d prefer to hide – Psychopaths Anonymous is also an electrifyingly original, unpredictable thriller that challenges virtually everything.

MY THOUGHTS

With each of Will Carver’s books, you know that you’ll get something a little bit different and a little bit mad each time. Psychopaths Anonymous, his latest offering is another stunning, brilliantly crafted novel. Maeve, the character at the heart of the novel is a very twisted individual; she’s also one of the most original characters I’ve come across in crime fiction for a while. If you’re looking for a very dark read, perfect for when the nights draw in then look no further than this book.

I think before you read this book, it does help to have read Will’s first book in this series, Good Samaritans, but it can easily be read as a standalone.

What I love about Will Carver’s books is that he always delves into the minds of his characters really well. There is a lot of heavy stuff going on inside Maeve’s head and this book is almost like a rich character study. We see the world through her eyes and Will Carver understands Maeve really well. She is very unpredictable; I got the feeling that she could snap at any moment and that no one around her was safe. This really drives the tension and it kept me turning the pages.

What this book will also have you doing is thinking about people in a different way. I loved the idea of the Psychopaths Anonymous meeting. It was a very chilling thought. It was interesting to see Maeve’s perspectives on the people in the group she has created. I’ve recently heard that one in one hundred people are psychopaths and this is portrayed very clearly in this book.

As well as an addiction to killing, Maeve also has an addiction to sex. Her relationship with Seth is very intriguing and it kept me on tenterhooks as I had no idea how Maeve was going to react next. This isn’t a very light book at all, so if you are a bit squeamish it may not be one for you. It is really chilling how she chooses her next victims; they could be anyone, perhaps just someone who she happens to randomly pass on the street. It’s what makes her such a frightening character as well.

So if you’re looking for a wild, entertaining, very dark read, then I highly recommend Psychopaths Anonymous. It might not be one that you want to read just before going to bed.

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 25th September 2021 (kindle) 25th November 2021 (paperback)

Print length: 276 pages

Psychopaths Anonymous is available to buy:

Amazon UK Waterstones