Category Domestic Thriller

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

yvonnembee 3 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for Gone by Ruby Speechley.

My huge thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this brilliant book from the publisher Boldwood Books.

Gone
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. The 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?


Purchase Link – HERE

MY REVIEW

This is a fast-paced domestic thriller as a mother tries to find out where her son is. Things don’t look good for Shay, he had been grounded but had attended a party in the woods. He hasn’t come home and a girl has been attacked.

From the outset of the story, I was aware that the dynamics in this family are a little strained. Rachel is separated from her husband and the father of her two sons Shay and Josh. She has been in a relationship with David, and Shay seems to be struggling because his mum has moved on.

It makes sense for this teen to attend the party, his previous behaviour sort of gives him that rebellious streak. However, Rachel cannot believe her son would be responsible for hurting anyone, but as he isn’t around to ask and she can’t get hold of him it makes it difficult. It is then that another parent realises her son has disappeared as well that the tension gets incredibly serious.

I did enjoy this story, it was an interesting one because this style usually has more of a police procedural approach or presence. The author has focused more on Rachel and how she is dealing with her son missing, another son who is worried, a partner who doesn’t seem to be aware of the bond of a parent with their child and then she still has to deal with her ex.

With quite a lot going on I am making this sound as if it is going to be a confusing read, but it really isn’t. The flow of the story from Rachel’s perspective keeps the concerns and actions in a proper sense of order.

What I thought was going to happen didn’t, that threw me and the route the author did take was a brilliant move. Things are hinted at but nothing is really definitive. Suspicions, theories and the what if’s are running riot as you would expect, but there are certain things that are cleverly held back.

I really enjoyed this one and if you like a domestic thriller then I do think this is one you should keep your eye out for. I would happily recommend this book and I am going to have a look at other books by this author as well.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ruby Speechley is a bestselling psychological thriller writer, whose titles include Someone Else’s Baby. Previously published by Hera, she has been a journalist and worked in PR and lives in Cheshire.


Social Media Links – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram – Bookbub

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The Hike by Susi Holliday @SJIHolliday @AmazonPub @RandomTTours #mystery #thriller #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for The Hike by Susi Holliday. This is a fab mystery thriller that had me hooked from the first few pages.

My huge thanks to Tracey and Anne for arranging my spot on the Blog Tour and for my e-copy of this book.

Four hikers enter the mountains. Only two return. But is it tragedy? Or treachery?

When sisters Cat and Ginny travel with their husbands to the idyllic Swiss Alps for a hiking holiday, it’s not just a chance to take in the stunning scenery. It’s an opportunity to reconnect with each other after years of drifting apart—and patch up marriages that are straining at the seams.

As they head into the mountains, morale is high, but as the terrain turns treacherous, cracks in the relationships start to show. With worrying signs that someone might be following them, the sun begins to set and exhaustion kicks in. Suddenly, lost high on a terrifying ridge, tensions spill over—with disastrous consequences.

When only two of the four hikers make it down from the mountain, the police press them for their story—but soon become suspicious when their accounts just don’t add up.

What really happened up on that ridge? Who are the survivors? And what secrets are they trying to hide?

MY REVIEW

What a wonderful setting for a story about two couples trying to sort out their problems while on a hiking holiday in the Swiss Alps. Cat and Ginny are sisters and not so close and their respective husbands Tristan and Ollie are not known to get on that well either.

This story is set more from the viewpoint of Cat, organising is what she does best and her job as an events organiser helps. Ginny is a social media influencer so a lot of time is taken up with the setting and taking the “perfect” photo. Tristan had to work from home during lockdown rather than in the city and Paul has been dealing with stress.

Rather than just dealing with this story as a couples holiday, the author has focused on them as individuals as well. This is great for building up the bigger picture of their characteristics and their traits. But when you have been concealing your true thoughts and opinions for so long, it is difficult to allow anyone else to see the real you!

This is a story that starts with a prologue, and it is fabulous when you then start the story. It gives some really tantalising glimpses into the story that then follows. This story is one that had me hooked, it twisted and weaved around and the author just dropped a few crumbs along the way to steer the path. She has very cleverly allowed information to drip into the story with a glance or barbed comment from a character, it makes the reader’s mind work over time. Well, it did mine as I tried to work out how this was going to resolve itself and who did what and why.

This is a tense mystery thriller that had me on the edge, just as the characters had to occasionally edge along the mountain path. Taut and dramatic with an addictive tale. Full of suspense and a whole lotta guesswork from me. I didn’t work it out until the author allowed me to see the wider scenario.

Fabulous and intriguing. A one-sitting read for me and it is one I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Also writes under the name S.J.I. Holliday.

Susi (S.J.I.) Holliday grew up near Edinburgh and spent many years working in her family’s newsagent and pub before studying microbiology and statistics at university. She has worked as a statistician in the pharmaceutical industry for 20 years, but it was on a 6-month round-the-world-trip that she took with her husband several years ago that she rediscovered her passion for writing.

You can find out more at www.sjiholliday.com, or on Twitter and Facebook @SJIHolliday.

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The Last Thing To Burn by Will Dean #20booksofsummer #crime #thriller #mystery #bookreview

yvonnembee 5 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for The Last Thing To Burn by Will Dean. I have read some of this authors books and they have been great, this one is very different and fabulous reading.

This is 13/20 of the #20booksofsummer reading challenge.

A dark and brilliant new standalone thriller from a rising star in the crime genre.

He is her husband. She is his captive.

Her husband calls her Jane. That is not her name.

She lives in a small farm cottage, surrounded by vast, open fields. Everywhere she looks, there is space. But she is trapped. No one knows how she got to the UK: no one knows she is there. Visitors rarely come to the farm; if they do, she is never seen.

Her husband records her every movement during the day. If he doesn’t like what he sees, she is punished.

For a long time, escape seemed impossible. But now, something has changed. She has a reason to live and a reason to fight. Now, she is watching him and waiting …

MY REVIEW

I bought this book when it came out last year after reading many great reviews. I have finally now read it and Oh my goodness! What a story this is!

It is set mainly within the isolated farmhouse on The Fens, and as I know the Fens I can see how and why this setting works so well. The Fens are flat, they can be desolate, but they are also ideal for hiding out of the way.

The story focuses on Jane, a woman who lives in the farmhouse. There is a reason she is there and there is a reason she tries her hardest to keep her head down, prepare the meals, clean the house and do all that is required of her.

The synopsis does not give away much, but what it does give is a terrible sense of fear and atmosphere. The author has done such a wonderful job of making Jane a character that the reader can care about, as I was reading this story I wanted her to escape to get away from her life. Knowing the reasons why she remains is heartbreaking though.

When there is a change at the cottage things do appear to get slightly better, if that’s possible, but better for one doesn’t mean better for all. Jane has to change her focus and needs to know how far she will risk things.

This is such a wonderful story but one that is also an incredibly heartbreaking read. It isn’t a story I want to say I enjoyed due to the horrific situation and circumstances, but it is a very addictive one. I needed to know what happened to Jane and get the answers to all the questions I had.

This is a brutal, dark story but one that shows how circumstances can change and how events can shape your life. This is a story that will get under your skin and one that I would definitely recommend.

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We All Have Our Secrets by Jane Corry @PenguinUKBooks #NetGalley #contemporaryfiction #psychological #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for We All Have Our Secrets by Jane Corry. I really enjoy this author’s books and this latest one is fabulously addictive and has some wonderful dilemmas that would make for great book club questions.

I received my e-copy of this book from the publisher – Penguin UK that I requested via NetGalley.

Emily made a mistake, a mistake midwifes can’t afford to make. Escaping to her dad’s home in Devon to regroup and check in on him – his dementia has been worsening, and her guilt along with it – she is surprised when a beautiful stranger answers the door. Francoise is her dad’s new carer, but Emily’s father seems to have deteriorated under her care.

Emily doesn’t trust Francoise – but she doesn’t trust herself either. Each has a secret. And one of them will kill to keep it . . .

A suspenseful, darkly emotive domestic thriller from the Sunday Times bestseller about what happens when family ties are pushed to breaking point. 

MY REVIEW

I have read all of this author’s books and I have always enjoyed the unexpected twists that she adds to her stories. This latest book I think may be the most twisted one yet!

Emily has returned to her family home in Cornwall. She is a midwife and there has been a mistake, taking a break at her home and catching up with her elderly father. She is surprised when she is greeted by a young woman. Things have changed since her last visit and it is with the suspicion that she tries to work out why this young French woman is a carer for Harold, her dad.

Francoise is a caring woman and has experience looking after the elderly. She is used to their mood swings and has learnt to be patient with them. She soon realised that Emily doesn’t seem to like her and is on her case.

This was a fabulous read and it is one that does at times flit back from present-day to 1945, this fills.in gaps in Harold’s life while continuing in the present time. The story also alternates between Emily and Francoise. This is a great way of seeing different sides to the women and seeing things from their perspective. Do I g this means the author can sow seeds of doubt for the reader. As I thought one thing, the author successfully turned things on their head and I found myself reevaluating, this is where the twists become more evident and sneaky.

The author does a very good job of going through the various aspects of midwifery and also adult care while weaving in her story of the past and the present. The levels of suspicion increase throughout the story and kept drawing me further and further in. No one is quite what they seem and so the title is very appropriate, yes we all have secrets but some are of can have serious repercussions.

This is a fabulous story and became a one-sitting read for me. It has a good psychological angle as well as mysteries. There is also a nice bit of romance running through this story and again it has roots in the past, with more secrets that are to be revealed. I really enjoyed this and would definitely recommend it.

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The Haven by Amanda Jennings @HQStories #psychologicalthriller #NetGalley #bookreview

yvonnembee 3 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for The Haven by Amanda Jennings. This is a fabulously addictive psychological thriller.

My huge thanks to HQ Stories for granting my request to read this book via NetGalley.

Two decades ago, Tara and Kit leave everything behind to join a group living in a tumbledown farm on a glorious expanse of Bodmin Moor, Cornwall. For Kit, it’s a chance to break away from his wealthy family and the soulless upbringing he loathes so much; for Tara, the chance to give their young daughter Skye everything she never had – a childhood full of nature and freedom. Breathtakingly beautiful and remote, Winterfall Farm provides them all with an idyllic home, a new family and the opportunity to work and live off the land. At first, it seems too good to be true.

But as the seasons change, the behaviour of Winterfall’s charismatic leader, Jeremy, becomes increasingly erratic. Rules and discipline are imposed. The outside world seems increasingly further away, and as new faces arrive at the farm, tensions rise with devastating consequences…

The Haven is a compelling new novel from Amanda Jennings, author of The Cliff House. 

MY REVIEW

What an addictive read The Haven was. It really didn’t feel like 400 pages! The synopsis lays out the basics very well for the story. A couple leaves the rat race and try to live off-grid. Tara, Kit their 6-year-old daughter Skye and good friend Jeremy buy an old farm on Bodmin Moor. Along with a few others with a similar ethic, they start their own commune of sorts. Trying to create their own utopia in Cornwall.

This was such a fabulous story to disappear into and the beginning of the book introduced me to the characters. Then the author delved into their lives and how they decide to make the move to the tranquil Cornish landscape. Leaving behind luxuries that many of us see as necessities.

While many of us may love the idea of living off-grid, I also know that it would be a very real struggle. Having lived a week without a washing machine or vacuum because they have broken, not having heating in the middle of the winter is tough. I live in Cornwall and I know first-hand how bitter the winds can be, how driving the rain can be and how exposed you are to the elements. Bodmin Moor is definitely exposed and it is also beautiful.

I think the author has done such a wonderful job building up this idyllic sounding community. People with similar views want to create something ethical, environmental and most of all free from politics, bureaucracy and rules. The thing is that when people get together, they bring their own shared beliefs but they also bring opinions. For Tara and Kit, their daughter is the only youngster in the group, they are the only parents. They have their own ideas as to what is best for Skye.

Things seem fine until Jeremy brings in another person to the farm. She is an important character and one that comes with her own past. The decision for her to live at the farm divides opinion. This character along with Tara are two of the narrators of the story. Their voices are used to give their perspective of what is happening and it gives insight into their thoughts and feelings. The is a third voice, Kit’s, but this is told in the third person point of view. Kit keeps his feeling close to his chest and this makes for a good balance of opinions.

I adored how things started so well but then the author gradually started to incorporate cracks. She then widens these cracks and soon things start to turn. Views and opinions become more challenging and there are some serious consequences. I also loved how the ending of this story fell.

This is a fabulous read, it is a thriller that gradually increases the suspicions and doubt. As a reader it is good to see things from a distance, it felt as if I was seeing a larger picture while the characters were more tunnel-visioned. This made for an exciting reading experience. There are some shocks and some twists.

This is one that readers of contemporary fiction, thrillers and psychological thriller genres. I thought it was excellent right from the start to the finish and I would definitely recommend it.

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The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen @greerkh @sarahpekkanen @panmacmillan @RandomTTours #psychologicalthriller #domesticthriller #bookreview

yvonnembee 5 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. This is a fabulous psychological thriller that is twisted and full of secrets. This writing duo definitely do make a Golden Couple!

My huge thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for my spot on the Blog Tour and for the e-copy of this book from Pan MacMillan.

If Avery Chambers can’t fix you in ten sessions, she won’t take you on as a client. She helps people overcome everything, from domineering parents to assault. Her successes almost help her absorb the emptiness she feels since her husband’s death.


Marissa and Mathew Bishop seem like the golden couple until Marissa cheats. She wants to repair things, both because she loves her husband and for the sake of their 8-year-old son. After a friend forwards an article about Avery, Marissa takes a chance on this maverick therapist, who lost her license due to controversial methods. When the Bishops glide through Avery’s door and Marissa reveals her infidelity, all three are set on a collision course. Because the biggest secrets in the room are still hidden, and it’s no longer simply a marriage that’s in danger.

MY REVIEW

I have just read the synopsis for this book and it reminded me what a concise and interesting one it is. It is definitely what attracted me to this book. It implies secrets, not just from the couple but also from the maverick therapist that they go to see. Why would a couple who appear to be a perfect match, or “Golden Couple” need to see a therapist and why choose one that has lost her license?

I really don’t know who to start with for this review, the Bishops or the Therapist. The therapist is Avery Chambers, and yes she does have secrets, she lives alone and she checks around her very carefully. All the why’s will soon become apparent as the story progresses.

The Bishops, Marissa and Matthew have a son. Both parents work, have an affluent lifestyle, they need to have money to pay the fee to see Avery. Their lifestyle is almost choreographed into things that are “Instgramable”, you know the perfectly decorated house with the right decor. Always dressed smartly and holiday in the best locations. So, what is their secret, who has the secret, and are they willing to let their secret be known?

This was a fabulous read and a first for me from this writing duo. This is a domestic thriller that had me hooked. The authors started the story calmly, made the introductions and then came the first meeting for the Bishops and Avery.

From this point on the pacing gradually picks up, details are given and hints of the past are teasingly dropped onto the pages. I soon started to see the dynamics between this golden couple, Matthew so busy with work, meetings and trips with Marissa being the home organiser and also running her own shop, although she does have help from Polly in the shop. A non-stop world of family, business and travel doesn’t always leave much time for husband and wife time.

I really like the character of Avery, she comes across as being a no-nonsense woman, she doesn’t beat around the bush and wants to get to the bottom of the secrets. She is strong enough in herself to decide which people she will take on, it is almost like people have to pass her interview for her to then see them. She has her own treatment plan, 10 steps that are guaranteed to work!

There are some other players who have smaller roles, and rather than spoil it I will leave them to introduce themselves. Let’s see if you work out the liars from the truth-tellers, the cheaters from the good’uns. I thought I had people sussed! That’s all I am saying about me and my pathetic theories.

This is a tense and tight thriller, it is brilliantly paced and it added an exciting addictiveness to it. I needed to know all the details, the juicy bits, the why’s and wherefores. The author’s collaboration is fabulous and the story flows s well. There is some back and forth between characters and also timelines, this fills in details and makes for some incredible jaw-dropping moments. I didn’t see the final few chapters coming, that caught me on the hop.

If you are a fan of a domestic thriller that is tense and teasingly addictive then you really do need to pick up The Golden Couple. It is a cracking read and one I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUHTORS

Greer Hendricks spent two decades as an editor. Prior to her tenure in book
publishing, she earned her Master’s in journalism from Columbia University. Her
writing has appeared in the New York Times, Allure and Publishers Weekly. Greer
lives in Manhattan with her husband and two children.


Sarah Pekkanen is the internationally and USA Today bestselling author of eight
solo novels. A former investigative journalist and feature writer, she has published
her work in The Washington Post, USA Today, and many other publications. She is
the mother of three sons and lives just outside Washington, D.C.


Together, they have written the New York Times bestselling novels The Wife
Between Us, An Anonymous Girl, and You Are Not Alone. The Golden Couple is their
fourth novel.

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The Curfew by T.M. Logan @TMLoganAuthor @Tr4cyF3nt0n @ZaffreBooks #crime #mystery #thriller #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for The Curfew by T.M. Logan. If you have read any of this authors books before then you are in for a treat, this one is brilliant!

My huge thanks to Tracy at Compulsive Readers for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my hardback copy from the publisher Zaffre Books

I should have known something was wrong.
I should have sensed it. Felt it in the air, like the build-up of pressure before a thunderstorm, that heavy, loaded calm.

The curfew
Andy and Laura are good parents. They tell their son Connor that he can go out with friends to celebrate completing his exams, but he must be home by midnight.

The lie
When Connor misses his curfew, it sets off a series of events that will change the lives of five families forever.

The truth?
Because five teenagers went into the woods that night, but only four came out. And telling the truth might mean losing everything…

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? 

MY REVIEW

The synopsis for The Curfew is so tantalising and it nicely sets the mood for what is to follow. Right from the outset, this book has a tense atmospheric edge to it, the further I read the more I needed to know what exactly happened the night five teens went into the woods and only four returned!

This was an addictive read and once I read over two sittings, I got a real sense of mistrust as I read, this gave such a tense feel to the overall story. When a teen doesn’t come home parents are obviously worried, phone calls to known friends and other parents soon ensue.

The police are obviously called and this begins the nightmare for several people. How far would you go to protect your own child, would you lie for them, would you omit important details, would you look for your own answers? Well of course you would, and more. This is what makes this book so addictive, tiptoeing over the line to protect your own is something most parents would do.

The crime, well it isn’t straightforward as such. There is no sign of the missing teen, there are however rumours. Deep down you know you don’t want to believe them, but it makes you wonder! It challenges the perceptions you have of your own family and your friends. Who to trust, who can be trusted and more importantly how will this all end!

The over-lying atmosphere for this book is amazing, it oozes suspicion from the first pages and the author ramps it up. It makes this book quite a fast-paced and edgy read. As I read I just didn’t know who to trust, I knew in my heart who I thought I could, but, there was always the element of doubt. This gives such a great psychological edge to the story and all the time I was on edge for some of the characters.

The characters are a mix of parents, teens and family members. This is a community where the teens all know each other, they know each other’s secrets and they see what happens. How do you convince a teen to tell the truth when they could be implicating their friends or disappointing their own parents, or landing themselves in real life-changing trouble?

There are so many dilemmas in this story and I think it would make for a fabulous Book Club read. I also think this would make an amazing thriller film as the author really does bring the eerie and spooky woodland setting into an unsettling and vivid image through the pages.

If you are a fan of this author’s previous books then I think you are going to love this one. This is definitely one for fans of suspense-filled, atmospherically charged, crime thriller and mystery read. A brilliant read from start to finish, with several unexpected twists and a great read. It is one I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

T.M. Logan is a Sunday Times bestseller whose thrillers have sold more than 1 million copies in the UK and are published in 18 countries around the world. The Holiday was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick and will soon be a major TV drama. Formerly a national newspaper journalist, he now writes full time and lives in Nottinghamshire with his wife and two children. Follow him on Twitter @TMLoganAuthorFollow him on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram

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If She Wakes by Erik Therme @ErikTherme @ZooloosBT #crime #mystery #domesticthriller #psychologicalthriller #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for If She Wakes by Erik Therme. This is the second book in the Harlow series and it works as a standalone very well indeed.

My huge thanks to Zoe at Zooloos Book Tours for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this fabulous mystery, crime, thriller story.

Who do you trust when everyone is lying?


My name is Tess Parker.
Two days ago, I was in a car accident with my sister-in-law, Torrie. Before she slipped into a coma, she asked my husband and me to care for her four-month-old son, Levi.


Yesterday, a woman claiming to be Torrie’s estranged sister knocked on our door. But Torrie has no siblings . . . or so she said. She and my brother were only together a short time before he left, and Torrie has clearly been keeping secrets.


Today, another of Torrie’s “sisters” has come to town. Both say the other is lying about who they are.


Neither of them is telling the truth.
Both of them want Levi.

MY REVIEW

This is my first time reading this author and what a really good twisted crime, thriller mystery this book was. It also had a very good psychological edge to it.

The life of Tess hasn’t been the happiest, it has left her mentally and emotionally scarred. She has the support of her husband, and together they are existing in their marriage. When an accident leaves Tess’s sister in law in hospital it is down to Tess and her husband Josh to look after 4-month-old Levi until Torrie is able to leave the hospital.

This started well and the author quickly engaged me with a pretty fast-paced story. What appeared to be a simple story of an accident soon developed into something more twisted. The story of Tess is gradually incorporated into the story and it was definitely needed to explain her state of mind and also the dynamics of her relationship with Josh, Torrie and also baby Levi.

Tess comes across as quite emotionless but as I learnt more about her I realised why. It gave reason to her cold attitude and also to her mental health. This story does touch onto the mental health side of things in various forms and the author has done a wonderful job with this. It gives the overall story a psychological edge to it that makes for a gripping read. It also added several twists, some I saw coming but others I didn’t expect at all.

This is a fast-paced story, it is intriguing and one that I read in one sitting. I was able to see a different side to several of the characters and for some it made me change my view of them. Not everyone is as you think they are.

This is one for those who like a twisted crime thriller and mystery read. It is one I would recommend reading and I look forward to reading more by this author. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Erik Therme has thrashed in garage bands, inadvertently harboured runaways, and met Darth Vader. When he’s not at his computer, he can be found cheering on his youngest daughter’s volleyball team or watching horror movies with his oldest. He currently resides in Iowa City, Iowa—one of only twenty-eight places in the world that UNESCO has certified as a City of Literature. Join Erik’s mailing list to be notified of new releases and author giveaways – HERE

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Remember My Name by Sam Blake @samblakebooks @RandomTTours @CorvusBooks #psychologicalthriller #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for Remember My Name by Sam Blake. This is my first time reading this author and I adored this devious psychological thriller.

My huge thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this fabulous book.

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


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


But what Brioni uncovers goes beyond simple infidelity. Because Laurence Howard is also in bed with some very dangerous people. Bribery and blackmail are the least of his worries as someone comes after the women in his life – someone who is out to destroy Laurence and his empire, whatever the cost.
And Cressida and her teenage daughter could soon be collateral damage if she and Brioni don’t act fast.

PURCHASE LINK – AMAZON UK

MY REVIEW

This is the first time I have read anything by this author so I am pleased to see that there are more books for me to catch up on.

Who would have thought that overhearing part of your husbands’ phone conversation could have such disastrous consequences? Cressida Howard certainly never thought this when she decides it was time to hire someone to see exactly what her husband is up to.

This is a book that I really needed to keep my concentration on as firstly I got to know quite a few characters and the part they have in the story. Then with the ever twisting and evolving plot that seemed to throw up more doubts and questions the further it went. The plot seems quite basic, the wife overhears another woman on her husband’s phone and takes action, but the author has far more levels to her story than the first impression implies.

This is a psychological thriller that is set in Ireland, in a world of high earners and entrepreneurs. What sounds like a fabulous work arrangement is starting to sour. Pressure to join in with another company adds to the risks and there are some topical real-life new links that appear.

This is a good read and one that I found quite addictive, it had many twists and on the whole, I never saw most of them. This felt like a slower-paced book but then as things became established it gradually picked up speed. I found myself avidly turning the pages over the last half of the story to get the connections and the answers.

It is one for those who like devious psychological thrillers and it is one I would recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sam Blake has been writing fiction since her husband set sail across the Atlantic for eight weeks and she had an idea for a book. Her debut novel, Little Bones, was No 1 in Ireland for four weeks and was nominated for Irish Crime Novel of the Year. Her standalone psychological thriller, Keep Your Eyes On Me, went straight to No 1 and its follow-up, The Dark Room was an Eason Ireland No 1 for three weeks. Sam is originally from St. Albans in Hertfordshire but has lived at the foot of the Wicklow mountains for more years than she lived in the UK.


Follow her on TWITTER. Visit her WEBSITE for news and events and get a bonus free short story in audio & text when you subscribe to her newsletter.

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My Wife Jodie by V.A. Rudys #domesticthriller #20booksofsummer #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

Today I am delighted to share my review for My Wife Jodie by V.A. Rudys. I requested this book to review via Amazon Vine after seeing the rather creepy cover!

This is 14/20 in my #20booksofsummer reading challenge.

Ethan Page had it all: a respectable job, loving friends, and a beautiful apartment – the envy of all his friends. He was madly in love with his wife, Jodie – until he discovered the power she possessed beyond all comprehension, and the price she demanded for engineering his perfect life.

Paperback, 1st Edition, 384 pages Published July 16th 2021 by Blinkenlight – Purchase Link – HERE

MY REVIEW…

There is a very short synopsis for this book, but combined with the cover image, it provides a very intriguing glimpse into the story. It caught my attention and took me on a route that I really never expected to be on.

Ethan and Jodie Page, a great couple, good life, a nice house, plenty of money and get along wonderfully. That is until the smallest and least significant thing happens.

This is going to be such a hard one to review as I am not able to give the main crux or twist of this story away. It is however a brilliant one. I did initially have my misgivings about it when it came up in the story, but I went with it and my goodness did the author do a great job with this.

The synopsis does suggest that there is some sort of control over the life the Page’s lives. It isn’t until further on in the story that you begin to fully realise the full extent and also how it impacts their marriage. The author explores how a marriage can be controlled and in this one, it is not the usual way. Bringing in a sense of mistrust and cajoling you can see why things start to deteriorate.

In some ways, this is an exploration into marriages, relationships, manipulation, trying to do the right thing, believing in people but eventually, it does come down to the level of trust. It definitely has a psychological edge to it giving it a thriller and suspense feel.

This is a domestic thriller that has a huge twist, not the usual one and it took me by surprise. Vague review I know, but if you get the chance grab a copy of this if you are a fan of this type of genre. I adored this book and I would definitely recommend it. 

About the Author…

V. A. Rudys is a writer, and author of the new novel My Wife Jodie. Rudys was brought up in a creative environment with art being a very important part of life. For most of his career Rudys worked as a video editor engaging viewers visually, and now he’s exploring the world of visual thrillers. Originally from Lithuania, Rudys lives in London. He also struggles with dyslexia, but believes that no one should be discouraged from being able to write. 

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx