Boys Who Hurt by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir #bookreview #blog tour @evaaegisdottir @OrendaBooks @RandomTTours

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the new novel in the Forbidden Iceland series, Boys Who Hurt by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir. With thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

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Fresh from maternity leave, Detective Elma finds herself confronted with a complex case, when a man is found murdered in a holiday cottage in the depths of the Icelandic countryside – the victim of a frenzied knife attack, with a shocking message scrawled on the wall above him.

At home with their baby daughter, Sævar is finding it hard to let go of work, until the chance discovery in a discarded box provides him with a distraction. Could the diary of a young boy, detailing the events of a long-ago summer have a bearing on Elma’s case?

Once again, the team at West Iceland CID have to contend with local secrets in the small town of Akranes, where someone has a vested interest in preventing the truth from coming to light. And Sævar has secrets of his own that threaten to destroy his and Elma’s newfound happiness.

MY THOUGHTS

Eva Björg Ægisdóttir is back with her latest book Boys Who Hurt and it is another fantastic addition in the brilliant Forbidden Iceland series which has definitely become one of my favourites in crime fiction. Detective Elma is returning to work after her maternity leave and as she is welcomed back by her team, the body of a man named Thorgeir is discovered, and this proves to be quite a complex case, especially as Thorgeir has been killed in such a brutal and shocking way. As Elma and her team investigate, it becomes clear that what has happened has links to events that happened in the Thorgeir’s past, but who would want him dead?

I really liked how Eva told part of the novel from the days leading up to the Thorgeir’s death. It adds a real sense of tension, as we know how his story is going to end, but I wanted to find out what was going on in his life beforehand, and Eva does an excellent job of delving into what his state of mind was like in the days leading up to his death. It was really fascinating and intriguing seeing the build-up, and Eva begins to paint a picture of what he was like as a person and there are certainly a few people who have strong opinions of him. As the police investigation also continues, we begin to find out just what sort of a man Thorgeir was, and there are some chilling revelations along the way, particularly in relation to events that took place at a Christian camp in the 1990s.

The book is really pacy and it grips you from the first page. I loved the short chapters as this, for me, really helped to add to the tension and it kept me turning the pages. I loved the scenes featuring Elma and her team as they try to advance the investigation, and seeing the scenes showing Elma as a new parent with her partner Sævar, but I also liked the scenes when Eva takes us back in time. I wanted to understand more about what had happened in the past at the camp and this creates a chilling atmosphere.

The characters in this book are so compelling and I read this book really fast. Eva does a brilliant job of making us want to find out more about her characters. Boys Who Hurt is a dark, and an utterly gripping read. I love this series and I can’t wait to see what Eva has in store for us next.

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 20th June 2024

Print length: 393 pages

Boys Who Hurt is available to buy:

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The Other Tenant by Lesley Kara #bookreview #blogtour @LesleyKara @RandomTTours

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on The Other Tenant by Lesley Kara. With thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

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Marlow has always lived in unusual places. But when she accepts a position as a live-in property guardian, she finds herself moving somewhere she swore she’d never return to.

Right from the start, she knows it’s a terrible mistake. The elegant Victorian school is due to be turned into luxury apartments, but its eerie, empty corridors are full of Marlow’s worst memories.

And now something sinister is happening on the site. One of the other tenants has disappeared without warning, and Marlow suspects that the nine other guardians know far more than they’re letting on. She’s determined to find out what happened to the missing woman – but which of these strangers can she trust?

And can she uncover the truth before her own past catches up with her?

MY THOUGHTS

The Other Tenant is a really chilling psychological thriller by Lesley Kara. The novel is set in a building that was once an old school and Marlow never thought she would step back in her old school building, when she accepts a vacancy as a property guardian. But there is an air of mystery about the place that is apparent right from the first few pages. There is a sense that people are creeping about the building, up to no good, and that there is something terrible going on here. What is even more concerning for Marlow is what happened to the person who previously stayed in her room? It appears as though the previous tenant has vanished off the face of the earth, and no one has a clue of what could’ve happened to her or where she went.

The building itself becomes a character in its own right and Lesley Kara has created an atmospheric and a haunting setting that really drew me in. Lesley Kara describes her setting so, so well and I really felt as though I was walking the corridors of the old school with the characters. I wanted to know what was going on here and it feels incredibly dangerous when Marlow starts trying to find the answers. The quest to get to the bottom of things really does become an obsession for Marlow, and there are people within the building, who have started to notice what she is up to. It feels as though that something dark and dangerous has been going on here for a long time. This is what really drives the tension throughout the story and it did feel as though Marlow was sailing closer and closer to danger.

There are some shocking twists as the real history of the building comes to light and it is clear to see the impact this has on Marlow, as events that took place in the past are revealed. Her emotions come through really well on the page. It wasn’t a revelation that I was expecting and it does make for a very dark ending.

Lesley Kara has crafted a really twisty and a chilling tale that I did not want to put down. The Other Tenant is a compelling psychological thriller that I definitely recommend.

Publisher: Bantam

Publication date: 25th April 2024

Print length: 352 pages

The Other Tenant is available to buy:

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Five Bad Deeds by Caz Frear #bookreview #blogtour @CazziF @RandomTTours @simonschusterUK

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the new novel by Caz Frear, Five Bad Deeds. With thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

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Ellen Walsh has done something very, very bad. If only she knew what it was . . .

Teacher, mother, wife, and all-around good citizen Ellen is juggling non-stop commitments, from raising a teen and two toddlers to job-hunting, to finally renovating her dream home, the Meadowhouse. Amidst the chaos, an ominous note arrives in the mail declaring:

SOONER OR LATER EVERYONE SITS DOWN TO A BANQUET OF CONSEQUENCES.

Why would someone send her this note? Ellen has no clue. She’s no angel – a white lie here and there, an occasional sharp tongue – but nothing to incur the wrath of an anonymous enemy.
Everyone around Ellen – her husband, her teenage daughter, her sister, her best friend, her neighbours – can guess why, though.  They all know from bitter experience that while Ellen’s intentions are always good, this ultimately counts for very little when you’ve (unintentionally?) blown up someone’s life.  Could the five bad deeds that come to haunt Ellen explain why things have gone so horribly wrong?

As she races to discover who’s set on destroying her life, Ellen receives more anonymous messages, each one more threatening than the last . . . and each hitting closer and closer to home and everything she cherishes.

MY THOUGHTS

I’m a big fan of Caz Frear’s writing and I’ve been desperate to read her new novel, Five Bad Deeds, which is Caz Frear’s first standalone psychological thriller. It begins with a really tense and intriguing opening where Caz Frear shows us a woman in prison. I immediately wanted to know what it was she had done to land herself in this position, especially as she has a family. Caz Frear gradually begins to reveal who this woman is, and what happened in the days, weeks, and months leading up to this moment, and it does make for a gripping read. Caz certainly takes her main character on an emotional and terrifying journey.

The characters in this book really do shine through on the page, and it’s the characters that really drive this story. I think Caz Frear did a brilliant job of bringing their voices through really strongly. It’s as we get to know the main character, Ellen, that the tension really begins to pick up, and very soon her life begins to spiral out of control, especially when Ellen realises she is being threatened. She has no idea who the person is who is trying to ruin her life, and this is what makes her position so terrifying. Her life, up until this point, has seemingly been perfect; she has everything she could wish for, so why would someone want to ruin it for her? And what secrets has Ellen been hiding that someone else is now threatening to expose?

I loved how Caz Frear gradually increased the tension in her writing and how she upped the stakes for Ellen as the plot develops, it seemed that wherever she turned to for help, she was constantly being met with more problems that made her situation even worse. I really did not know how Ellen was going to get out of the situation she was in and what action she would end up taking. That’s what makes this book so entertaining. She is someone who is pushed to breaking point and this is what makes her extremely unpredictable as she fights to gain control of her life. Like Ellen, I wanted to know the truth about what was going on and why she was being targeted this way.

Five Bad Deeds is another riveting read by Caz Frear. Once again Caz has created a brilliant cast of characters who will keep you utterly hooked. I really enjoyed this book; it really does keep you on the edge of your seat.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication date: 11th April 2024

Print length: 416 pages

Five Bad Deeds is available to buy:

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A Sicilian Affair by Susan Lewis #bookreview #blogtour @susanlewisbooks @fictionpubteam @RandomTTours

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the new thriller by Susan Lewis, A Sicilian Affair 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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A fresh start where no-one knows her name is exactly what Catie is looking for from her Sicilian escape.

When Catie meets handsome Giancarlo, she has stumbled across a love that could last forever… If only she can admit the truth about her past.

But the scars of betrayal from her broken marriage and fragile family are only part of the story.

Some secrets are too devastating to share…

MY THOUGHTS

A Sicilian Affair is the gripping new novel by Susan Lewis. It is quite different to the novels I usually read, but I really enjoyed it. We follow Catie MacAllister when she appears to be escaping from her home in the UK to Taormina in Italy. But it appears that Catie might be running from something she is keen not to confront. I immediately connected to Catie as we follow her, on her journey from the airport, to the beautiful Italian setting, which Susan Lewis draws on really well. I wanted to know what was behind her decision to travel here on her own, and what it was she was hoping to leave behind.

Things soon take an unexpected turn for Catie when she meets Giancarlo, who agrees to be her guide and takes her around several famous local sites. It helps that it is his hometown and he knows all the best kept secrets and places to visit. But during Catie’s time in Taormina, their growing friendship soon begins to blossom into something more, and Catie begins to open up to this man who has charmed her.

As Catie begins to tell her life story to Giancarlo, I wanted to know all the details. I loved how rich her life was on the page, and I especially liked the talent she has for music and her passion for it really shines through. I was fascinated by this part of her life as she tells it to Giancarlo. As Susan Lewis begins to reveal what happened to Catie in the run up to her trip to Taormina, there are some heartbreaking revelations about her past, and the emotions really do pour out in Susan Lewis’s writing. I really did feel for Catie as I was reading the past scenes. I also wanted to know how things were going to develop between Catie and Giancarlo. The chemistry that there was between them felt so real as I was reading it. I was really rooting for the two of them to get together.

A Sicilian Affair is an addictive, and a completely captivating read that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication date: 11th April 2024

Print length: 381 pages

A Sicilian Affair is available to purchase:

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Leave No Trace by Jo Callaghan #bookreview #blogtour @JoCallaghanKat @simonschusterUK @RandomTTours

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the brilliant new novel by Jo Callaghan, Leave No Trace 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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One detective driven by instinct, the other by logic.
It will take both to find a killer who knows the true meaning of fear . . .
 
When the body of a man is found crucified at the top of Mount Judd, AIDE Lock – the world’s first AI Detective – and DCS Kat Frank are thrust into the spotlight as they are given their first live case.
 
But with the discovery of another man’s body – also crucified – it appears that their killer is only just getting started. With the police warning local men to be vigilant, the Future Policing Unit is thrust into a hostile media frenzy as they desperately search for connections between the victims. But time is running out for them to join the dots and prevent another death.
 
For if Kat and Lock know anything, it’s that killers rarely stop – until they are made to.

MY THOUGHTS

Leave No Trace is the second book in Jo Callaghan’s original Kat and Lock series and Jo has written another belter of a crime novel. This book explores some really interesting topics, which I’m sure will provoke a lot of discussion among readers.

The book opens with a rather gruesome murder when the body of a man is discovered naked and attached to a cross in the middle of a field. It appears that he has been crucified. It is in the run up to Christmas, people want to be out having a good time and now the festivities are being spoilt with the threat of a serial killer on the loose. This is the second time Kat’s team are working with Lock, an AI Detective, who proved to be quite useful to the investigation in the previous book in this series. It is fascinating seeing Kat and Lock’s working relationship develop, and even though Lock is a robot, I still felt sorry for him, especially when Kat was quite harsh with him. Jo explores further here Lock’s attempts to explore human emotions and what drives us, and this comes through really well in Jo’s writing.

The story in this book is very intense and it kept me utterly gripped. I wanted to know who was behind the gruesome attacks. I loved the race against time element which upped the stakes for Kat and her team. They know they only have a limited time to catch the killer before they strike again, and they need to work out what the killer’s motive is and who, exactly, is at risk. They are also facing enormous pressure from their superiors.

I honestly could not believe it when the killer was unmasked. Jo Callaghan delivers an absolutely brilliant twist here which made a lot of sense, and it gave the book, I felt, a very satisfactory ending. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Leave No Trace and I flew through it. I can’t wait to see where Jo takes Lock and Kat next.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication date: 28th March 2024

Print length: 384 pages

Leave No Trace is available to buy:

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The Collapsing Wave by Doug Johnstone #bookreview #blogtour @doug_johnstone @OrendaBooks @RandomTTours

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

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Six months since the earth-shattering events of The Space Between Us, the revelatory hope of the aliens’ visit has turned to dust and the creatures have disappeared into the water off Scotland’s west coast.
 
Teenager Lennox and grieving mother Heather are being held in New Broom, a makeshift US military base, the subject of experiments, alongside the Enceladons who have been captured by the authorities.
 
Ava, who has given birth, is awaiting the jury verdict at her trial for the murder of her husband. And MI7 agent Oscar Fellowes, who has been sidelined by the US military, is beginning to think he might be on the wrong side of history.
 
When alien Sandy makes contact, Lennox and Heather make a plan to escape with Ava. All three of them are heading for a profound confrontation between the worst of humanity and a possible brighter future, as the stakes get higher for the alien Enceladons and the entire human race…

MY THOUGHTS

In The Collapsing Wave, Doug Johnstone hits the ground running, and following on from the events in the last book in the series, Lennox, Heather and Ava are in a desperate situation. In the previous book they made contact with Sandy, an alien creature from Saturn’s moon, Enceladus, which has a sub-surface ocean which has the perfect conditions for life to evolve. The Enceladon’s have fled their home world in search of refuge on Earth, only to find now, that they are being met with hostility and their future is now threatened.

This is far from just an ordinary science fiction novel. This is something that is always apparent with whatever genre Doug Johnstone is writing in, and it is always down to his well-rounded characters. Doug Johnstone writes characters with real emotional depth, and we see this in his characters here. You get the sense that there is a real fight about to happen here and that Lennox, Heather and Ava will do anything to help protect Sandy and the Enceladon’s from harm. Although the Enceladon’s are the ones who have come to Earth, Doug Johnstone portrays the human race as the real villains in this story, except those, like Lennox, Heather and Ava.

As Doug Johnstone explored in the last book, Ava, Lennox and Heather, each have their own backstory which helps us to connect to them. The three of them are suffering from their own emotional trauma, and Doug Johnstone makes their feelings feel so real in his writing. He has a real talent for making his character’s leap off the page, and it’s why I always fly through his books as I am always desperate to find out what is going to happen to them. I really liked their connection to Sandy and the Enceladon’s; I could see how much this connection means to them.

The pace does not let up at all throughout the book. I loved how Doug Johnstone kept upping the stakes by adding real threats of imminent danger. This is particularly shown in the scenes when Heather and Lennox are being held in an American military camp, which is also where they are holding captured Enceladon’s. Doug Johnstone does a brilliant job of making the reader feel emotionally connected to the Enceladon’s, particularly through what they are going through when they have been captured. There are some humans on the base who, it is quite clear to see, don’t care about them and about Ava, Lennox, or Heather at all, and this is what makes them so scary.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Collapsing Wave and I am now eagerly awaiting the third book in the series. If you haven’t started reading this series yet, I highly, highly recommend it. 

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 14th March 2024

Print length: 300 pages

The Collapsing Wave is available to buy:

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The Descent by Paul E Hardisty @Hardisty_Paul @OrendaBooks @RandomTTours

On my blog today, i’m sharing my thoughts on the new novel by Paul E Hardisty that The Descent. With thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part in the blog tour.

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A young man and his young family set out on a perilous voyage across a devastated planet to uncover the origin of the events that set the world on its course to disaster … The prescient, deeply shocking prequel to the bestselling, critically acclaimed Climate Emergency thriller, The Forcing.

Kweku Ashworth is a child of the cataclysm, born on a sailboat to parents fleeing the devastation in search for a refuge in the Southern Ocean. Growing up in a world forever changed, his only connection to the events that set the planet on its course to disaster were the stories his step-father, long-dead, recorded in his manuscript, The Forcing.

But there are huge gaps in the story that his mother, still alive but old and frail, steadfastly refuses to speak of, even thirty years later. When he discovers evidence that his mother has tried to cover up the truth, and then stumbles across an account by someone close to the men who forced the globe into a climate catastrophe, he knows that it is time to find out for himself.

Determined to learn what really happened during his mother`s escape from the concentration camp to which she and Kweku´s father were banished, and their subsequent journey halfway around the world, Kweku and his young family set out on a perilous voyage across a devastated planet. What they find will challenge not only their faith in humanity, but their ability to stay alive.

The Descent is the devastating, nerve-shattering prequel to the critically acclaimed thriller The Forcing, a story of survival, hope, and the power of the human spirit in a world torn apart by climate change.

MY THOUGHTS

The Descent is another powerful novel from Paul E Hardisty which needs to be on everyone’s TBR pile. Following on from the events recorded in the first book, The Forcing, we meet Kweku Ashworth whose stepfather recorded the events in the previous book. Now, Kweku is attempting to fill in the gaps in his stepfather’s work, by going on a dangerous mission across the world, and this isn’t the same world we are used to, but one that has been ravaged by climate change. There are only a handful of places left on Earth that remain habitable, and these areas have also gone through vast, radicle changes.

Paul E Hardisty’s description in this book, as it was in the last one is exceptional. He paints a vivid and a terrifying portrayal of what our world could become if we don’t take action now on climate change, and it has never been more important to make the changes to save our future. Our descendants will judge us for the decisions we make now.

What Paul shows us here in this book are the despicable and horrific actions the rich and powerful take to boost their profits. This is shown in scenes dating back to the 2020s when climate change statistics are being rubbished by those people, who are at the top of their game, and who could actually do something to help, but instead focus on themselves. You can quite clearly see how they do not care for human life and the planet as a whole. It was sickening reading these scenes and it would not surprise me in the slightest if something similar is actually happening in the world today. It makes me so angry when I think of these people described in Paul’s book, especially the man in charge known simply as ‘The Boss.’

The present day events in the book take place in the 2060s. These scenes are so vivid and so haunting. You can really see how society has broken down. Paul E Hardisty writes about a version of society that doesn’t seem too far from reality and this is what makes his books so scary. This version of what the world has become is the result of what takes place in the 2020s; it did seem to me, as I was reading, that this is a message to the reader saying that we need to take action now in this decade to prevent the worst effects of climate change.

Kweku’s journey throughout this book kept me hooked as the reader. I read The Descent really fast and finished it in just one day. I can’t recommend this book and the first book in this series highly enough.

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 29th February 2024

Print length: 399 pages

The Descent is available to buy:

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Death Flight by Sarah Sultoon #bookreview #blogtour @SultoonSarah @OrendaBooks @RandomTTours

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

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Cub reporter Jonny Murphy is in Buenos Aires interviewing families of victims of Argentina’s Dirty War, when a headless torso has washed up on a city beach, thrusting him into a shocking investigation…

Argentina. 1998. Human remains are found on a beach on the outskirts of Buenos Aires – a gruesome echo of when the tide brought home dozens of mutilated bodies thrown from planes during Argentina’s Dirty War. Flights of death, with passengers known as the Disappeared.

International Tribune reporter Jonny Murphy is in Buenos Aires interviewing families of the missing, desperate to keep their memory alive, when the corpse turns up. His investigations with his companion, freelance photographer Paloma Glenn, have barely started when Argentina’s simmering financial crisis explodes around them.

As the fabric of society starts to disintegrate and Argentine cities burn around them, Jonny and Paloma are suddenly thrust centre stage, fighting to secure both their jobs and their livelihoods.

But Jonny is also fighting something else, an echo from his own past that he’ll never shake, and as it catches up with him and Paloma, he must make choices that will endanger everything he knows…

MY THOUGHTS

If you love an action packed book, then you need to read Death Flight by Sarah Sultoon. I near enough read this book in one sitting. I’ve been a big fan of Sarah’s work for some time now, but her latest novel is her best yet. Sarah has a real talent of putting you firmly in the shoes of her characters and there is a real emotional hook to this book that really kept me invested in this story.

In her latest book, we meet reporter Jonny Murphy, and freelance reporter, Paloma, as they travel to Argentina. They’re investigating the Argentinean government and the military’s involvement in the disappearance of thousands of babies which took place in the 1970s and 1980s; the families of the stolen babies still have no idea what happened to their children. It is clear to see the anguish this has caused them. Sarah describes this so well in her book, I could really feel their desperation to get to the truth. This was something that I personally knew nothing about, and I always love how Sarah Sultoon manages to open my eyes to horrific events that have happened in the world. The action gets going right from the first chapter. There is tension on every page, especially as anger boils over in the local population. Jonny and Paloma feel it is their duty to get to the bottom of what has gone on. 

We have met Jonny before in a previous book by Sarah, The Dirt, which I also really enjoyed and Sarah does a brilliant job of delving even further into his character in this latest book. We learn a lot more about his backstory in Death Flight and Sarah brings it out in a very powerful way. I thought this especially, as well, when we learn more about Paloma, but I don’t want to give anything away here.

There is a very cinematic feeling to this book which I really liked. This is what makes this book so gripping and I really felt as though I was there amongst the action; this is one of Sarah Sultoon’s real talents. There are some jaw dropping reveals as we later find out more about Jonny and Paloma, this. Although the main characters in this book are journalists, it did almost feel like a spy novel as I was reading it.

If you love fast-paced and action-packed thrillers then I highly recommend Death Flight. It’ll definitely be one of my top reads of the year, I’m sure.

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 29th February 2024

Print length: 274 pages

Death Flight is available to buy:

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The Guests by Agnes Ravatn #bookreview #blogtour @OrendaBooks @RandomTTours

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

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It started with a lie…

Married couple Karin and Kai are looking for a pleasant escape from their busy lives, and reluctantly accept an offer to stay in a luxurious holiday home in the Norwegian fjords.

Instead of finding a relaxing retreat, however, their trip becomes a reminder of everything lacking in their own lives, and in a less-than-friendly meeting with their new neighbours, Karin tells a little white lie…

Against the backdrop of the glistening water and within the claustrophobic walls of the ultra-modern house, Karin´s insecurities blossom, and her lie grows ever bigger, entangling her and her husband in a nightmare spiral of deceits with absolutely no means of escape…

Simmering with suspense and dark humour, The Guests is a gripping psychological drama about envy and aspiration … and something more menacing, hiding just below that glittering surface…

MY THOUGHTS

Agnes Ravatn is such a unique storyteller and I’m always quickly hooked by her writing. Her latest book is an intriguing, and an utterly gripping novel called The Guests, where we meet Karin and Kai, a married couple looking for a short break. They choose to stay in a holiday home in the Norwegian fjords, and it is here that they meet their new neighbours. One of their new neighbours, Per, is also a well-known author.

Having been to the Norwegian fjords myself, I know how beautiful the scenery is and Agnes Ravatn does a brilliant job of bringing the setting to life in her writing. Karin is such a fascinating character. It is clear to see that she is a person with a lot of insecurities and she feels inferior to lots of people, and she feels that hasn’t done as much as she could with her life. So she lies about certain aspects of her life to make herself seem far much more interesting, but in doing so, this leads to some tricky situations.

I think one of the real strengths in Agnes’ writing is the dialogue between her characters. I was kept glued to the pages as I was reading the exchanges, particularly between Karin and Per. It is fascinating to see the effect this chance meeting Karin has with Per has on them both. You can see how well developed Karin is and Agnes Ravatn does a brilliant job of making her feel like a real person. There were times when I did feel sorry for Karin, because she always has to strive to be better than the person she is, but this is what makes this book such a fascinating and a brilliant story.

The Guests is quite a quick read, and I flew through it in just a couple of sittings, but it is such an accomplished novel and I’m sure the characters will make a strong impression on anyone who reads this book. Agnes Ravatn is such an exciting writer and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 18th January 2024

Print length: 276 pages

The Guests is available to buy:

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Halfway House by Helen Fitzgerald #bookreview #blogtour @fitzhelen @OrendaBooks @RandomTTours

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

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They’re the housemates from Hell…

When her disastrous Australian love affair ends, Lou O´Dowd heads to Edinburgh for a fresh start, moving in with her cousin, and preparing for the only job she can find … working at a halfway house for very high-risk offenders.

Two killers, a celebrity paedophile and a paranoid coke dealer – all out on parole and all sharing their outwardly elegant Edinburgh townhouse with rookie night-worker Lou…

And instead of finding some meaning and purpose to her life, she finds herself trapped in a terrifying game of cat and mouse where she stands to lose everything – including her life.

Slick, darkly funny and nerve-janglingly tense, Halfway House is both a breathtaking thriller and an unapologetic reminder never to corner a desperate woman…

MY THOUGHTS

It is always a real treat to read a new book by Helen Fitzgerald, and Helen has written another wild and a highly entertaining read in her new novel, Halfway House. You always know that you are going to be in for something special, when Helen releases a new novel. Her main protagonist, Lou, is one of the most memorable and original characters I’ve come across in a long while. I think she is a character, who might divide some readers, but she is what makes this book so unique, and I loved her voice, which comes through so strongly in Helen’s writing. Lou’s personality really does shine through on the page, and you really do feel as though you are viewing the world from Lou’s perspective.

Lou has made the decision to leave her native Australia, to travel to the UK, Edinburgh specifically, and gets a job at a halfway house for high-risk offenders. This is where a lot of the dark humour occurs, especially as she and her colleague check up on specific individuals, and this is what Helen Fitzgerald always excels at in her writing. Some of the individuals who Lou meets really are some disturbed individuals. The humour is part of what makes Helen’s characters, who they are, and it really does bring them to life on the page, they all feel like real people.

Lou is the kind of person who you might want to steer clear from, if you were to meet her in the street. Some of the decisions she makes are definitely questionable, but by the end of the book I was rooting for Lou, especially in the tense final showdown, which had me racing through the final chapters. Things really do go from bad to worse for Lou, and as I was reading, it was hard to see how she would get out of the situation she found herself in, and you can really see the desperate situation Lou is in. The final chapters really were intense. 

Halfway House is another highly entertaining read by Helen Fitzgerald that fans of her work will absolutely love. Lou is a character who you definitely won’t be forgetting about in a hurry. She is a character, who I think, will provoke a lot of discussion amongst readers. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I’m eager to see what Helen Fitzgerald comes up with next.

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 18th January 2024

Print length: 241 pages

Halfway House is available to buy:

Amazon UK Waterstones

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