Category Mystery Thriller

The Shadow Key by Susan Stokes-Chapman @havillsecker #NetGalley #mystery #histfic #gothic #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today of The Shadow Key by Susan Stokes-Chapman. This is a fabulous eerie historical mystery that I adored.

My huge thanks to the publisher Harvill Secker for accepting my request to read this title via NetGalley.

Just look at this amazing cover 😍👇

There’s something mysterious about the village of Penhelyg. Will unlocking its truth bring light or darkness?

Meirionydd, 1783. Henry Talbot has been dismissed from his post at a prestigious London hospital. The only job he can find is as a physician in the backwaters of Wales where he can’t speak the language, belief in myth and magic is rife, and the villagers treat him with bewildering suspicion. When Henry discovers his predecessor died under mysterious circumstances, he is determined to find answers.

Linette Tresilian, the unconventional mistress of Plas Helyg, lives a lonely life. Her father is long dead, her mother haunted by demons which keep her locked away in her room, and her cousin treats her with cool disdain – she has had no choice but to become fiercely self-reliant.

Linette has always suspected something is not quite right in the village, but it is only through Henry’s investigations that the truth about those closest to her will come to light…a truth that will bind hers and Henry’s destinies together in ways neither thought possible.

MY REVIEW

If you are looking for a gothic-style mystery then this one may well interest you. Set in Wales, in 1783, Henry Talbot arrives in a small community to start work as the local doctor. He had worked in London and been successful and taught. There is a shadow over his head though and this has prevented him from finding work, so this one at the village of Meirionydd is ideal.

He arrives at a rather grand house, Plas Helyg, where he is due to meet the Lord of the manor, Julian. Also living there is Julian’s cousin, Linette, who manages the tenants and her mother who keeps to her rooms. The previous doctor was treating her, and this now falls to Henry Talbot.

Arriving in the area is not a welcoming endeavour for Henry, an Englishman arriving in a Welsh village where memories still remember past events. They are not friendly, ignore him, he is challenged and in general, made to feel very much like the outsider he is. Linette tries to calm the situation but even she has to admit there is something in the air that feels off.

This is such a twisted story and one that took routes that did not occur to me as I started reading the book. There are some great characters to get to know and to be honest, I was soon able to see why Henry felt like a leper. The author manages to create a wonderful air of distrust and this is something that continues throughout the book. It does have a gothic vibe to it and this adds to the general eerie feel of the story.

This is set in Wales, so there are some Welch words and phrases, these are explained through the story as Henry learns them, then so did I. Some of the names of the characters are ones that I have not come across before and the odd one I would not even attempt to try and say. This gives credence to the story and it also shows the differences between Henry Talbot and the working people of the village. There are English speakers, these tend to be the wealthy, rich, lords and the like. So, again it adds to the distrust shown to Henry.

If you are a fan of historical fiction then this is a book that you might want to have a look at. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I found it very addictive. It is at times creepy and eerie and also very mysterious as the threads are gradually unwound. I liked this a lot and I would definitely recommend it.

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

One of Us Knows by Alyssa Cole @alyssacolelit @RandomTTours @Harper360UK #mystery #thriller #bookreview

yvonnembee 3 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today of One of Us Knows by Alyssa Cole. This is an interesting mystery and thriller story about a woman with multiple personalities, it is one that I enjoyed.

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

From the critically acclaimed and New York Times bestselling author of When No One Is Watching comes a riveting thriller about the new caretaker of a historic estate who finds herself trapped on an island with a murderer—and the ghosts of her past.

Years after a breakdown and a diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder derailed her historical preservationist career, Kenetria Nash and her alters have been given a second chance they can’t refuse: a position as resident caretaker of a historic home. Having been dormant for years, Ken has no idea what led them to this isolated Hudson River island, but she’s determined not to ruin their opportunity.

Then a surprise visit from the home’s conservation trust just as a Nor’easter bears down on the island disrupts her newfound life, leaving Ken trapped with a group of possibly dangerous strangers—including the man who brought her life tumbling down years earlier. When he turns up dead, Ken is the prime suspect.

Caught in a web of secrets and in a race against time, Ken and her alters must band together to prove their innocence and discover the truth of Kavanaugh Island—and their own past—or they risk losing not only their future, but their life.

MY REVIEW

This was such an interesting read, it focuses on Ken and her others, the others being personalities that are part of her Dissociative Identity Disorder, often referred to as DID system. I have read books about characters having multiple identities but I think this is the first time I have read a book that has as many identities as Ken does.

Ken is such an interesting one to get to know as she has been dormant for 6 years, when she resurfaces and becomes the main identity she finds that one of her other personalities has set her up in a job as a caretaker on an island. In the past, the other personalities have been more aware of what has been happening, but this time they are at a bit of a loss. The journey to the island reveals a little of the history and when she finally arrives she is given a little more information.

This book took me a little while to get to grips with as there are several characters, many of which are Ken’s other identities. The author does make things clear as I was taken between identities and given more insight into this disorder. The mystery of the island is a dark one and does not become fully evident until a bit further into the story. This trickles through and gradually adds more mystery and at times more confusion.

The setting of the island is good because it gives that locked-in mystery touch, the island becomes isolated, there is no outside communication and there is a murder, so it does give you the right vibes. The way the murder is solved is given a twist because of Ken and her other identities. The stability of Ken’s mental health is something that the author uses to good effect, juggling identities, personalities, the stress of the island and trying to work out the answers adds a different twist to this genre.

This is an interesting and at times dark read. I enjoyed the identity disorder side of this book and I think I came away with a slightly better understanding of a disorder I haven’t really read much about. The mix of psychological and mystery with dashes of historical elements made for a story that felt different and it is one I would happily recommend.

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

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

The Last Guest House by Caroline Mitchell @emblabooks #thriller #mystery #netgalley #bookreview

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I am delighted to share my review of The Last Guest House by Caroline Mitchell. This is a fabulously dark and twisted thriller that I adored.

My huge thanks to Embla Books for accepting my request to read this book via NetGalley.

Guest House Rules

No smoking in the rooms.

No loud music.

No phones

No leaving your room after 9pm

DC Nicola McKenna is meant to be resting following her last case, so she lets her boyfriend to take her to the Isle of Skye for the weekend. But what’s meant to be a getaway to see the aurora borealis soon turns into a nightmare when they discover that their hotel has double booked.

In desperation, they check into the only hotel with rooms available nearby – The Loch House.

But from the moment they step foot in the guest house Nicola knows something is very wrong.

And as snow starts to fall, and night closes in, she begins to wonder if they will ever leave here alive…

The absolutely gripping, action-packed new thrilled from bestselling author Caroline Mitchell. Perfect for fans of The Sanatorium and The Hunting Party.

MY REVIEW

What a deliciously dark story this was, it has two different storylines and while I wasn’t sure how they would join, they were both interesting in their ways.

Alex, her son George and her partner Matt had not meant to be staying at the guest house they ended up in. It was a surprise that Matt had organised, everything that could go wrong did. Instead of a lovely warm hotel, they are in a dark, gloomy guest house where the owner has a series of rules. The owners are as creepy as their house. Other guests are staying and each of them is not exactly pleased with the rules, but as the snow is now coming down thick and fast they have no choice but to stay put and abide by the rules.

The author does such a good job of describing the house, and the owners and also giving a back story to this creepy house. It is the 10th anniversary of a murder and once those staying there find this out there is some tension and edginess. The author has created a locked room mystery within the house and the setting of the Isle of Skye adds even more remoteness to the scenario.

I did mention two storylines, one is the main bulk of the story and the focus with Alex trying to put things together and Matt getting annoyed that she cannot leave her “police head” on holiday mode. The other is a podcast, short sections that are dropped in between the main story. This one left me puzzled and it was not until much later in the book when it suddenly dawned on me what and how it was connected. It caught me completely unaware!

The author definitely knows how to gradually increase tension and suspicion and she does this with great effect with her characters. There is a sense of distrust and because each of the chapters is from the perspective of alternating people you are never quite sure who can be trusted. I do like this way of telling things as you get little snippets of a character’s darkest secrets or motives.

This is a wonderfully paced story that increases its pace and keeps me turning the pages. I wanted to know and found that the answers were gradually given but more questions arose. There is a dramatic conclusion and it was a satisfying one as well. Great for readers who like a tense, atmospheric, locked-room mystery and thriller story. Addictive and creepy and one I would definitely recommend.

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

The Intruders by Louise Jensen @HQstories #thriller #mystery #fiction #NetGalley #bookreview

yvonnembee

I am delighted to share my review today of The Intruders by Louise Jensen. This is a creepy story set in a manor house with dark secrets.

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

It should be the perfect a manor house available rent free in exchange for a bit of housesitting. But when Cass and James dig deeper, they find the place has been abandoned since a robbery left almost all the inhabitants dead almost thirty years ago. But they’ve got to save for a deposit somehow, so they move in, and things quickly take a strange turn. Objects disappear and turn up in odd places, the clock always stops at the same time, and the house is oppressive yet strangely familiar. Could it just be bad memories, or are the house’s secrets a little closer to home?

MY REVIEW

If you are looking for a story that has you with a feeling of dread and is eerily atmospheric, then this is one you should take a look at.

Cass and James have been given the opportunity to be caretakers of a manor house. A chance for them to save money so they can get a place of their own. The manor house they move into was the site of a murder several years ago. I am not sure if it is somewhere I would consider living, older large houses are creepy at the best of times! The author uses this sense to great effect with things moving or a sense of someone watching.

Cass and James are a new couple and have been together for 6 months, they do have that instant connection and feel comfortable in each other’s company. They have similarities in the way things have happened in their lives and it is this sense that links them.

The author has created two characters that have troubled pasts, this is something that comes up often in stories. Cass is more vulnerable as she has been overly protected during her growing up and James is a little more savvy I feel. They are not opposites and they do muddle along quite nicely as a couple.

As the title and synopsis suggest, there is more to this story than a couple living in a house. The first half of the book deal introduces the house, some of the past and the present. The second half completely turns things on their head! This, I will admit, did throw me initially and it took me a little while to get things right in my head. When things settled though, this story took on a route that I didn’t expect at all. It becomes very dark, evil and even more unsettling as the author brings in a sensitive subject.

I really enjoyed this story and the sense of dread is something that the author uses to great effect. The feeling that there is a secret waiting to be told felt like the tip of the iceberg. Many things were waiting to be revealed and this added to the tenseness of the story.

This is a great story and one that fans of darker crime and mystery books would probably enjoy, I did and I would definitely recommend it.

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

Crow Moon by Suzy Aspley @OrendaBooks #thriller #crime #debut #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today of Crow Moon by Suzy Aspley. When I saw this book a while ago I knew it was one I wanted to read so I pre-ordered the paperback. What a good decision that was as this is a wonderful, chilling and dark tale.

I also want to mention what an amazing cover this is ❤

A Martha Strangeways Mystery

Set in the fictional village of Strathbran (Glen of Ravens) in Stirlingshire, Scotland, an area steeped in folklore and impenetrable mists, Crow Moon features ex-journalist Martha Strangeways, who discarded her career when her young twins died in a fire. Stricken by guilt that she was not there to save them, Martha carries their remains in a matchbox and struggles to find purpose in her life … until she stumbles across the body of a teenager, strung up on a tree, with a poem about crows inked on his back. Martha is soon drawn into the investigation into his death, teaming up with DI Derek Summers when another teenager goes missing in the remote landscape. With a plot that becomes darker, ever-more paranoid and increasingly enthralling with each page, Crow Moon is also a moving tale of grief and an exploration of psychological damage.

MY REVIEW

This is a wonderfully atmospheric and eerie book. It has a fictional setting, but the author does a great job of describing it and the area, that she had me convinced it could be real!

The setting works so well for this story as the Crow Moon is on the 21st of March, it is the time of year when we are still in the cold of winter but seeing the dawn of spring. The days tend to be damp and overcast with foggy or misty layers. This time of year fits so well with the eerieness of the story and the folklore that has been woven in.

The main character is Martha, she had been a reporter but after her twins died she stepped away. Only when one of her son’s friends disappears does she become interested enough to start looking for her own clues. She thinks there is more to the disappearance, and her fear is palpable.

This is such a tense story that mixes the feel of a gothic thriller with a modern setting. The folklore is brought into play and a supernatural feel that sends shivers, the author uses this to great effect and it makes you wonder just how much truth there is behind the fiction!

The cast of characters is enough, for it was anyway. They had a role to play and there is an unknown character that appears in italics. I do love a mystery italicised cast member! The character of Martha has a fragility to her, but she is tough and when she believes in an idea she will follow it through. She does have the support of a DI Derek Summers, who is investigating the case and this makes for a great bit of teamwork, well when they share information that is.

While this is a story about death and grief it is also about moving on and taking a breath to make another step forward. Being stuck in a rut or routine, hiding away is all well and good, but sometimes you need something to steer you out. The author does this for Martha and as I got to know her I could see there is much more to learn.

This is the first book and one that lays down the basics of Martha, her family and those in her life. As the story progresses, the author takes darker and more mysterious turns adding a brilliant sense of nervous tension, with a sense of anxiety and stress as the story gains more intrigue.

If you are a fan of eerie thrillers then this is one for you, I adored the creepy feel and the psychological edge to this book. Brilliant debut novel and one I would definitely recommend.

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

The Escape Room by L.D. Smithson @LeonaDeakin1 @RandomTTOurs @TransworldBooks #mystery #thriller #psychologicalthriller #bookreivew

yvonnembee 8 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today of The Escape Room by L.D. Smithson. This is a brilliant locked-room mystery thriller that I absolutely adored. This author writes under another name and those books are also amazing 🙂 I didn’t know who the author was until I started to write up this post and I then discovered who it was!

My huge thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my copy of the book from Transworld Books Publishers.

Everything is a clue.
Eight strangers arrive at a remote sea fort off the coast of England. They are here to take part in The Fortress, a mysterious reality TV show in which contestants have to solve a series of complex puzzles. But this is no game, and the consequences of failure are more deadly than anyone anticipated.

No one leaves.
The show’s sinister purpose becomes clear when the first person is evicted from the competition. Instead of being sent home to their family, they are left to die inside a locked room.

The only way out is to win.
Under scrutiny from the watching public, the contestants soon turn one another. What are they willing to do for wealth and fame? How far will they go to survive? And who is behind it all? The only thing they know for certain is that if they want to escape, they need to win…

Are you ready to play?

MY REVIEW

This amazing book has you wondering who’s and what’s from start to finish. It is a locked room mystery and it was just brilliant.

Eight people are part of a game show, the set is off the coast and the idea is to solve puzzles to win and leave. There can be only one winner and the show is being televised. the contestants have been carefully selected and come with their own sense of identity. It doesn’t take long before tensions start to build and sides are formed.

I adored everything about this book, from the twist at the beginning and the ones that followed. When you think you have things sorted then another one comes along. It starts to make you wonder if up is up and down is down. The author has successfully brought out the best and the worst in his characters and within a locked room environment their true traits start to emerge.

From entering the venue and discovering what the puzzles entail, the truth of the game emerges. While I thought I started to understand it, well the author tweaked the rules and things started to change. From what I originally thought this book would be, to what it finally turned out to be was poles apart.

I am not a fan of reality TV and have not watched any of the shows apart from The Crystal Maze, which I adored, and that is about it. I have briefly glanced at some of the others but they have not held my interest. The game the author has created for his characters is something else though. If it was an actual reality televised show with real people, would I watch it… definitely not!!! Read the book and you will find out why.

This is a book that had me on tenterhooks all the way through. The characters are interesting and the end section of the book is just as twisted as the game section of the book.

If you are a fan of locked room, psychologically twisted mystery thrillers then this is a book you should be looking at reading. I adored it and would definitely recommend it.

About the Author…

L. D. Smithson was born in Staffordshire and now lives in Ilkley. She is an occupational psychologist and a crime writer who has published under another name.

Check out the other stops on the tour…

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

The Dream Home by T.M. Logan @TMLoganAuthor @ZaffreBooks @Tr4cyF3nt0n #suspense #thriller #bookreview

yvonnembee

I am delighted to share my review today of The Dream Home by T.M. Logan. I have several books by this author and he always has me hooked in his stories.

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

Their dream house will become a nightmare . . .

Adam and Jess move into a new house with their three young a rambling Victorian villa right at the very top of their price range. Before long Adam discovers a door hidden behind a fitted wardrobe, concealing a secret room . . .

Inside Adam discovers an array of forgotten items, among them a wallet, an antique watch and an old mobile phone. Jess thinks they should simply throw them away. But Adam resists. He is fascinated by these items and how they came to be inside the hidden room.

But like the house, Adam has his secrets too. And soon he will find himself setting in motion a series of events that will place his family in terrible danger . . .

MY REVIEW

People have pasts and secrets and sometimes those secrets are also concealed within the walls of a house. Some of the secrets are small and almost benign, but, just occasionally they are serious and dangerous. So when Adam and his family move into a house which is within their budget they are delighted. It does need work and there is plenty of room for them in this Victorian villa.

Adam discovers a room, that didn’t appear in the plans and it is well disguised, but he discovers that this room holds a secret. It will open a big can of worms that he did not expect!

This is a cleverly written book and one that starts well. The family are introduced and the scene is set. There are not many people in this book, mainly the family and just a handful of carefully selected others. Moving into a new house, working and renovating does not leave much time for meeting any neighbours properly.

the discovery of the hidden room opens up into something much more devious and dangerous. The threat to the family becomes very real and the author does this so well. It makes you doubt as to where this will go. The suspense is something that creeps in and as the story continues it becomes more threatening and the thriller element really kicks in.

This is a story that has many twists and turns, when another character is brought in I did not know if he was credible, dangerous or what they were. By this time in the story everyone became suspicious. I can say that I was never sure “who was it” in this book until it was dropped!

This is a brilliant story and one that is full of suspicion and threat. It is one for those who like thrillers that have a sinister edge to it that borders on being a psychological thriller. Twisted and devious and one I would definitely recommend.

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

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

Empire of The Damned Jay Kristoff #NetGalley #horror #fantasy #supernatural #vampires #bookreview

yvonnembee

I am delighted to share my review today for Empire of The Damned by Jay Kristoff. This is the second book in the series and it is another fabulous book. I would recommend reading the first book in this series. My full review of that book, Empire of The Vampire, can be read HERE

My thanks to Harper Voyager for my e-copy of this book via NetGalley.

Gabriel de León has saved the Holy Grail from death, but his chance to end the endless night is lost.

After turning his back on his Silversaint brothers once and for all, Gabriel and the Grail set out to learn the truth of how Daysdeath might finally be undone.

But the last Silversaint faces peril, within and without. Pursued by children of the Forever King, drawn into wars and webs centuries in the weaving, and ravaged by his own rising bloodlust, Gabriel may not survive to see the truth of the Grail revealed.

A truth that may be too awful for any to imagine.

MY REVIEW

This is the second book in the Empire of The Vampire series and I would recommend reading these in order as the first book gives a lot of background information.

In this second book, the story continues, well, Gabe’s recounting of his story continues. He is protecting The Grail and trying to find who can help unlock the secrets of how The Grail can end the darkness that hangs over the world the author has created. Gabe is a silversaint and is sworn to protect and kill vampires and their spawn. He is on the edge; if you have read the previous book, you will know how this makes him dangerous. He is still in control but there are other forces that are testing his resolve.

This is another brilliant installment in the series and once again the author has created a tense and atmospheric thrill to the book. While he continues the journey there are more things that are brought into the equation. There is The Grail and what people think is the right thing to do, will The Grail end the darkness and the vampires? It is still unclear, and there are only a couple of people alive who can potentially solve the mystery.

This is a fast-paced story and it never lets up, the chase is continuous and there is little respite for the characters. The danger lurks everywhere and the battles they have are ferocious. I adore how this is all brought together and the author has a brilliant way of creating some very vivid imagery.

This is a series that is a mix of horror and fantasy, mystery, suspense, action, danger and supernatural thriller. I adored this second book as much as the first and I cannot wait for the next one. I would definitely recommend it.

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

In the Blink of an Eye by Jo Callahan #fiction #crime #mystery #thriller #bookreview

yvonnembee 4 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today of In the Blink of an Eye by Jo Callahan. I had seen many great reviews about this book and finally bought myself a copy when it was released in paperback. It is a brilliant book and I can see why it has gone down so well with many fans. It is thought-provoking, to say the least!

In the Blink of An Eye by Jo Callaghan

In the UK, someone is reported missing every 90 seconds.
Just gone. Vanished. In the blink of an eye. 

DCS Kat Frank knows all about loss. A widowed single mother, Kat is a cop who trusts her instincts. Picked to lead a pilot programme that has her paired with AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity) Lock, Kat’s instincts come up against Lock’s logic. But when the two missing person’s cold cases they are reviewing suddenly become active, Lock is the only one who can help Kat when the case gets personal. 

AI versus human experience. 
Logic versus instinct.
With lives on the line can the pair work together before someone else becomes another statistic? 

In the Blink of an Eye is a dazzling debut from an exciting new voice that asks us what we think it means to be human. 

MY REVIEW

I have recently bought this book and I did wait until it came out in paperback. I have an advance copy of the next book I wanted to read, In the Blink of an Eye, to see if it was as good as people said. It definitely is and I am so eager to read the next one.

Kat is DCS Kat Frank and Lock is AIDE Lock, (Artificial intelligence detective entity). Kat has been asked to lead the pilot program for this new tech that will hopefully help the police and if all goes well to go further. Kat is very anti AI and the reason why is not known until much further into the book. Her reasons are justified when you do learn. Even though she is not a fan she does start to see that there are some advantages, but there is also a lot for Lock to learn. He may know the rulebook inside out but he does not know people.

The pilot is to look at some cold cases, there are several to choose from unfortunately and two cases are chosen. One is based on knowledge and the other on fact. given that the cases are cold, it comes as a surprise to find that these are not as cold as they think. Some shocking revelations and some real soul-searching for those involved in the cases.

There are two other detectives involved with this book, one meek and uncertain the other confident and I think you could call him a go-getter. They have their own stories and these also emerge I liked this as often you find that it is only the main characters that have details of their home lives revealed. I think because Kat’s side-kick is an AI rather than a person it does give the author the scope to include details of the other human members of the team.

The book is laid out in chapters and these do vary in length, but another voice is heard occasionally. I thought I was on the right path with who this voice is but I was completely wrong about the context. A fabulous revelation when it finally dawned on me!

This is a great story and one that would be brilliant for a book club discussion, there are things in the story that show prejudice and stereotyping but these views do differ as the story continues. Even though Lock is an AI he does have a good role in the story, and he does have some very awkward moments which does enamour him to the reader.

A story that mixes science and technology with good old-fashioned hunches and gut instincts. It is so well done and because of the mentions of the progress of AI in the news you can see this being a possibility. This then begs the question… will it happen and when!!!

This is one for fans of crime, thriller, and mystery books that have something different, it is a police procedural but it also looks into the lives of its main characters and how these could impact a case or are perceived. So, in some ways, it does have a psychological edge to it as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this book and it is one I would definitely recommend.

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

Stop at Nothing by Lucy Martin @lucymartinbooks #psychological #thriller #crime #bookreview

yvonnembee

I am delighted to share my review today of Stop at Nothing by Lucy Martin. I was very fortunate to win this and a further two books in this series after entering a competition on Karen’s fabulous Blog – My Reading Corner.

The chilling break out thriller, perfect for fans of Cara Hunter, Fiona Barton and Gillian Flynn.

How far would you go to get what you want?

Amie Slade’s sexual assault feels too close to home for DS Ronnie Delmar. Forced to face the demons of her past, she vows to protect the family at all costs.

But everyone’s got a secret in this leafy suburb and when a child goes missing and a woman’s body is found, it becomes clear that this perfect family hides a sinister reality.

Someone here will stop at nothing to win, but can Ronnie beat them to it?

MY REVIEW

This is the first book in the DS Ronnie DElmas series and what an amazing introduction this book is to Ronnie. The book focuses on the Slade family and in particular Amie Slade. She lives with her older brother Andrew, her mum and dad Maeve and Stuart. The family is broken with Maeve being obsessive about having an orderly and tidy house, Andrew is always in his room and getting ready to go to university and Stuart is about to drop a bombshell.

Amie is a young teen who has had trouble in past. She was the victim of sexual abuse and this is something that hangs over her constantly as you would expect. She moves schools and has only one friend.

Ronnie (Veronica) is a hard-working single mum and also a Detective Sergeant, she has split from her husband and has two children. She has a secret from her past. Her second in command so to speak is Baz, he is someone whom she is not totally sure about and when an accusation is made about Ronnie she is not sure who made it. Ronnie has some very close friends and she will rely on these as this complex case gradually unfolds.

What is the case? Well, that is not really revealed as such until much later when the body of a woman is discovered. The author cleverly lays out the story and gives a lot of information leading up to the discovery of the body which occurs when a child goes missing.

This story will have you second-guessing yourself, well it did me for sure. I like it when an author can twist me around like this. One moment feeling sorry then suspicious and then guilty for feeling suspicious. This is something that I love in a psychological thriller and this definitely has a psychological theme to it.

The story starts out well and there was something about it that just kept me hooked and I found myself just reading one more chapter, and another until I got to the end. There were many twists and revelations to be had.

Seeing this is the start of the series I am looking forward to getting to know Ronnie a bit more. She is definitely a female lead that I like. If you are a fan of very devious and twisted psychological crime thrillers then this is one that will keep you on your toes. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading the next book.

About the Author…

One-time reluctant lawyer, turned entrepreneur and novelist with a life-long passion for supporting women…

My first book was Make It Your Business, a business start-up guide for women co-authored with Bella Mehta in 2002, followed by The Childcare Bible in 2010 and then when I became a teacher, a series of modern language handbooks for my students. I am now working on a crime thriller series to be published by Welbeck in October 2021.

I grew up in Brussels and London, and have a first class degree in French and Russian from Wadham College, Oxford. I am a qualified solicitor, contributor to BBC Bitesize French and the founder of networking group Wimbledon Women in Business.

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