Category Psychological Thriller

The Family Experiment by Johns Marrs @panmacmillan #NetGalley #dysotpian #thriller #bookreview

yvonnembee 4 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today of The Family Experiment by John Marrs. I do like this author’s books and this one is a fabulous speculative fiction that I adored.

My huge thanks to Pan Macmillan for accepting my request to read this title via NetGalley.

The world’s population is soaring, creating overcrowded cities and an economic crisis. And in the UK, breaking point has arrived. A growing number of people can no longer afford to start families let alone raise them.

But for those desperate to experience parenthood, there is an alternative. For a monthly subscription fee, clients can create a virtual child from scratch who they can access via the metaverse and a VR headset. To launch this new initiative, the company behind Virtual Children has created a reality tv show. It will follow ten couples as they raise a Virtual Child from birth to the age of eighteen but in a condensed nine-month time period. The prize: the right to keep their virtual child or risk it all for the chance of a real baby . . .

Set in the same universe as John Marrs’s bestselling novel The One and The Marriage Act, The Family Experiment is a dark and twisted thriller about the ultimate ‘tamagotchi’ – a virtual baby.

MY REVIEW

Having read, some but not all of this author’s previous books, I was eager to read this one. He does do speculative and dystopian fiction well, making you stop and think. This one is no exception.

What if you wanted to become a parent but cannot afford to? How about a virtual child who lives in the metaverse, it will grow and learn, and it can be designed to have certain characteristics or features. Think about those games we had a few years ago where you had to keep a virtual pet alive, similar to this scenario, but this virtual child becomes more like real life than real life does.

The author has taken the concept of living in a virtual world to the next stage, not just popping in a headset and spending a few hours touring but feeling, and experiencing being a parent. The author uses a competition that selects various people who want to be parents to participate in a game show. They are allowed to experience parenthood over nine months. At the end of this, the child will be 18 years old. The winner will have a few options to choose as their prize.

This speculation as to how people could and maybe would behave is insightful and gives some unexpected challenges and ideas as to how the virtual child is seen. Are they real? Well, they learn, or the program allows them to learn and take on their mannerisms, emotions and reactions so it gives the idea that they are real. In the virtual universe, they feel real as well. It is only when the parent steps away back into the real world that the realisation that the real world does not have the same appeal as the virtual.

Before you think that this could not happen, how many of you disappear for a couple of hours into your phone and do not realise how much time has elapsed? What about the gamers who will go several hours without taking a break from their game? Not as far-fetched as you first thought, is it? Even simpler is how many of us have been absorbed by reading a book, same thing when you think about it!!!

The author takes this concept of virtual children to a very good place, one that shows the good and the bad and the possible. There is more to this, if you have read any books by the author then you will know there is another plot in play and this one was amazing! Nope, not saying anything about it.

What I will say though is that the author creates a scenario that plays to the vulnerabilities of people, especially those who want a child in a world where it is too expensive, where the NHS does not fund and gives the real world a bleak outlook for his characters. He does this well and it is not so much about the areas that the characters live in, but more about how they feel about themselves.

This is a brilliant book and the story spans several genres, speculative fiction, fiction, contemporary, thriller and there is a psychological feel throughout as the story focuses on people and their actions and reactions. Brilliant story and one I would definitely recommend.

Many thanks for reading my post, a 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

yvonnembee Leave a comment

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 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

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.

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

Anna O by Matthew Blake @HarperCollinsUK #psychologicalthriller #crime #mystery #NetGalley #bookreview

yvonnembee 6 Comments

I am delighted to share my review of Anna O by Matthew Blake. This is a debut by the author and it was a brilliant psychological thriller.

My huge thanks to Harper Collins UK for granting my request to read this title via NetGalley.

THE WORLD WILL KNOW HER NAME

What if your nightmares weren’t really nightmares at all?

We spend an average of thirty-three years of our lives asleep. But what really happens, and what are we capable of, when we are sleeping?

Anna Ogilvy was a budding twenty-five-year-old writer with a bright future. Then, one night, she stabbed two people to death with no apparent motive—and she hasn’t woken up since. Dubbed “Sleeping Beauty” by the tabloids, Anna suffers from a rare psychosomatic disorder known to neurologists as “resignation syndrome.”

Dr. Benedict Prince is a forensic psychologist and an expert in the field of sleep-related homicides. His methods represent the last possible hope of solving the infamous “Anna O” case by waking Anna up so she can stand trial. But the doctor must be careful treating such a high-profile suspect—he’s got career secrets and a complicated personal life of his own.

As Anna shows the first signs of stirring, Benedict knows he must determine what really happened and whether Anna should be held responsible for her crimes.

Only Anna knows the truth about that night, but only Benedict knows how to discover it. And they’re both in danger from what they will discover.

MY REVIEW

This is a fabulously twisted and atmospheric psychological thriller. Anne O, the ‘O’ is for Ogilvy, her surname and ‘Oh my goodness’ and ‘Oh, I didn’t expect that!’.

Anna O is asleep, she has been for four years continuously and the trial is on hold until she wakes. The trial is for the murder she committed, or maybe committed. Nobody seems to know what happened until she wakes and the case can finally close.

This is a book that is slower-paced as such and very deep, looking into several people and their interactions with each other. It is one where I was never sure where the story was going, well I thought I did, but then other things began to emerge and throw me.

Anna is moved to a sleep clinic where she comes under the care of Dr Benedict PRince, he is a lecturer and a forensic psychologist and he is tasked with trying to find a way of waking Anna up. He sort of has a connection to this case as it was his ex-wife who originally attended the scene, she is in the police and was first on the scene.

The story emerges and there are sections from a notebook Anna has kept. This gives you an insight into what was going on in her life before the murders and her falling asleep. Around that there is the main story of Ben, how he is trying to wake her, some psychological profiles, mentions of different diagnoses and all-in-all quite a lot of information relevant to the story. I really enjoyed this and for me, it really added to the story as it sort of added credence to the character of Ben.

Anna O was a real person, a search on the internet will give you information about her ( I should mention that this case was not something that the author has referred to, just something I have come across).

I have, however, seen an article from the author who based this book on real-life events, one is of people committing murder while sleepwalking the other is his study of resignation syndrome, which is where people fall asleep for years with no medical reason. Putting these two concepts together and then researching to create such an enigmatic story makes for addictive reading.

By the end of the book I found myself completely turned around, and so very far from where I thought this would go. I for one completely enjoyed this and it is one for those who like twisted thriller with a strong psychological premise, some great research and one that makes you think. There were a couple of times when I paused to think about what had just happened, to process the next twist or to just wallow in the eureka moment only to have another eureka moment later on!

Addictive, brilliant and one I would definitely recommend.

About the Author…

After discovering that the average person spends thirty-three years of their life asleep, Matthew Blake felt the pull of a story. He began extensive research into sleep-related crimes and into the mystery illness known as resignation syndrome, research that sparked a thrilling question: if someone commits murder while sleepwalking, are they innocent or guilty? And so his novel Anna O was born.

Before writing fiction, Matthew worked as a researcher and speechwriter at the Palace of Westminster. He studied English at Durham University and Merton College, Oxford and now lives in London.

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

Dark in Different Ways by J.D. Patterson @_JD_Patterson @SpellBoundBks @Tr4cyF3nt0n #thriller #psychological #bookreview

yvonnembee

I am delighted to share my review today of Dark in Different Ways by J.D. Patterson. This is a fabulous thriller that is set mainly in Australia and the first for me to read anything by this author.

My huge thanks to Tracy at Compulsive Readers for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my copy of the book from the publisher – SpellBound Books.

There are dark secrets beneath the Australian sun…His troubled past behind him, Thom is happy living in Sydney with his lover, Craig and dreams of being a journalist.

When the death of a teenager causes a riot, Thom thinks he’s found his perfect story. But when he starts asking questions, he attracts the attention of Rob Morton, a corrupt detective with something to hide. Before long, he’s ensnared in a twisted game of cat-and-mouse with the psychopathic Morton, who will go to appalling lengths to stop him.

In mortal danger – and with his new life unravelling – Thom finds he can trust no-one. Not even himself. In a high-stakes world where he doesn’t belong, what can he do to survive?

Tense and atmospheric, Dark in Different Ways is a haunting odyssey through the murkier side of Sydney.

MY REVIEW

Thom moved to Australia to study journalism there. It was a way of escaping his past and giving himself some distance from the ideologies that initially got him into trouble in the UK. Now in Sydney, he is living with Craig and is doing well for himself. He comes across a story about the death of a teen involved in a riot. Thinking this could be something, Thom decides to follow it up and finds himself in a whole lot of trouble in a country that he is only just starting to understand.

This was such a good book and one that soon became one that I could not put down. A fabulous thriller that has a great psychological edge to it as there are so many mind games that the author has brought into this story. While it is the story of Thom and what he thinks is right, it is also about his naivety and, what some may call, his recklessness.

It is when he becomes the focus of Detective Rob Morton’s eye that things start to become more twisted, devious and dangerous. It makes for an addictive and adrenalin-fuelled read.

Thom is one of those characters who feels like he is doing the right thing when he decides to delve into the story of a dead teenager, but he doesn’t realise that there are so many things he just doesn’t understand. He thinks he is an adult but his 20-odd years haven’t really equipped him for what he finds himself in the middle of.

The author has done such a good job of giving Thom security with his partner Craig and in some ways, this makes him naive as Craig is a lot older and more worldly wise. It is a bit of an eye-opener when Thom starts to doubt what he knows and suddenly he finds himself, not the truthful wannabe-journalist, but someone who does not understand or see the bigger picture.

When he does start to learn what is going on, he realises the danger he is actually in.

This is a dark and brilliant psychological thriller that twists and weaves through Sydney. It is a brilliant book to introduce me to this author and I will be looking forward to reading a lot more. It is one I would definitely recommend.

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

The Actor by Chris MacDonald @MichaelJBooks #fiction #mystery #thriller #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review of The Actor by Chris MacDonald. This is a dark psychological thriller that delves into the method style of acting and has a mystery from the past.

My thanks to Penguin Random House and Michael Joseph Books for granting my request to read this title via NetGalley.

TO ACHIEVE GREATNESS, HE MUST SACRIFICE EVERYTHING…

Discover 2024’s most original new thriller, a story of glamour, secrets and obsession…

At long last, Adam Sealey has an Oscar within reach. Working with his controversial former mentor, Jonathan, he’s given the performance of a lifetime, and he almost believes it might be worth the cost.

Because Adam subscribes to “the method”. It’s the secret that the world’s greatest actors swear by – digging into their darkest, most personal traumas to bring a role to life.

And Adam’s greatest trauma is worse than most. Back in drama school, he had to choose between a girl he loved and the success he craved. What he did that night is his darkest secret.

And then he gets a message: someone knows. And if they tell, everything Adam’s worked for will come crashing down.

MY REVIEW

This is a very dark thriller, but not one that has a fast pace. It is an amble through the life of actor Adam Sealey. The story flicks back and forth between past and present and gradually fills in the answers to the questions that have been building.

Adam trained as a method actor, which involves getting into character and remaining in character, this is something his tutor Jonathan wants. To feel what the character feels and then express it to the audience so they believe the character and the actor are one person. This involves going deep into Adam’s self and exploring his fears and his emotions. This is something that involves laying yourself open, and being vulnerable and not everyone agrees with the extremes that Adam or some others will go.

The story goes back to when Adam was a student, learning the trade and the different styles of acting, movement and skills required to be an actor. It is through these sections that you realise and start to learn how destructive this style of acting can be. It does have tragic consequences.

The present-day is one that Adam is looking forward to, being short-listed for an Oscar is a dream and something that actors aspire to. This also involves more media coverage, interviews and appearances, one of which involves him going back to the college where he learnt his acting trade.

This is a thriller that gradually increases in tension and suspense. Having the answers slipped in over the course of the book makes the story intriguing. Trying to please his tutor and get some form of recognition from him involves Adam going to some interesting extremes and lengths. What makes this a psychological thriller is the way Adam is manipulated and it is this process that makes it such an intriguing and multilayered read.

The author does a fabulous job with Adam and shows the murky and vitriolic world behind the scenes and the glamour of the screen and its stars.

This is one for those who like a slower thriller and one that is very much character-led. A wonderful book with some disturbing scenes. It is one I would recommend reading.

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

The Woman on the Ledge by Ruth Mancini @centurybooksuk #NetGalley #thriller #mystery #bookreview

yvonnembee 5 Comments

I am delighted to share my review of The Woman on the Ledge by Ruth Mancini. This is a fabulous devious story with twists and shocks.

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

A woman falls to her death from a London bank’s twenty-fifth-floor roof terrace.

Tate Kinsella, a single out-of-work actor who’s been temping at the bank, is arrested for her murder.

Tate confesses to having been alone with the victim minutes before she died, but insists she had nothing to do with the tragedy.

She’s been framed, she tells her lawyer, who agrees to help prove her innocence.

But it soon becomes clear that Tate’s story is not wholly consistent, and that she may indeed be lying.

Whose secrets is she keeping? And why?

As the mystery unfolds it becomes apparent that the key to the truth lies in the past, and nothing about the woman on the ledge is as straightforward as it first appears.

Obsession. Intrigue. Revenge. The Woman on the Ledge is a psychological thriller and a powerful story of female friendship that won’t let you go until the final gripping page.

MY REVIEW

This is a fabulous thriller that had me hooked and I loved the numerous twists in it. As the synopsis tells you, an out-of-work actress is doing temping work at a bank when she is implicated in the death of a woman. The woman is identified as the wife of one of the bank’s workers. Why is Tate implicated, well she admitted to seeing the woman before she died!

The role of Tate was so good, that she was being blamed for something that was a coincidence of her being at the scene at around the same time as the death. The police believe that they have their woman and are looking to change Tate but she is adamant that she is innocent. Her life is thrown into turmoil as the police investigate.

As the story progresses as other voices are added into the story. The story also goes back and forth in time filling in the gaps, indicating other things happening in others’ lives. In the normal world, life still goes on, people still go to work and argue within their family units but Tate is not getting any of that. She is waiting on the investigation.

This back and forth does give more to the story than you first realise. When this starts to become apparent then things change. The whole idea I had around what the story was going to be was turned upside down and was brilliantly turned into something much more devious and twisted.

This is a brilliant book to read and it is one that starts off well and then the suspense just builds and builds. It meant that it became a book I really didn’t want to put down because the more I read the more I needed to know. So addictive and completely took me by surprise several times.

This is ideal for those who like a deeply twisted thriller and one that I would definitely recommend.

About the Author…

Ruth Mancini was born in south-west London and started her career as a marketing executive for a publisher before undertaking a post-graduate diploma in law and retraining as a solicitor. Ruth has spent the past twenty-five years in and out of courts and police stations, representing those accused of crimes. She still practises as a lawyer for a large criminal law firm with offices in London, conducting advocacy in the courts and defending people arrested at the police station. She also reviews trial files across the firm and juggles her legal work with writing crime and psychological fiction.

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