Tag Random Things Tours

Dry Lands by Elizabeth Anne Martins @flametreepress @RandmTTours #dystopian #postapocalyptic #bookreview

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I am delighted to be opening the Blog Tour and share my review today of Dry Lands by Elizabeth Anne Martins. This is a fabulous story set in a world where sea levels have risen dramatically and a mother is trying to survive.

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 the publisher Flame Tree Press.

After a cataclysmic flood submerges half the world underwater, cannibalistic gangs and corrupt encampments become a constant threat to the remaining dry lands. Liv and her precocious three-year-old son Milo are some of the lucky ones who have survived.

With the company of a lonely horse seeking a loving home, Liv is determined to protect Milo from the encampments, even if it means destroying what little is left of civilization. Amidst it all, she learns to embrace love and her own worth. Dry Lands is a gripping journey showcasing the resilience of humanity, parenthood, and the sacrifices we make for our children.

MY REVIEW

The cover is just perfect for this book!

We live in a world that is changing, so when I saw this book I was definitely intrigued. Sea levels are rising, a shift in the Earth is causing changes and there is a race to keep on the dry lands of the country. This is a story that is set in the US and follows a woman and her son who are making a journey to a place of refuge with one of her relations.

The story of Liv shows how far a mother will go to make sure her son can survive. Her husband Filipe was a survivalist and had things stored and stocked up, but this does not count for anything as things suddenly change. It is Liv who has to make the decisions for the survival of herself and her son Milo, he is three and still needs a lot of her time and patience. The author does an amazing job of showing this woman living on the edge, trying to hold everything together and still be a good mother.

Walking miles is not something that Liv can do continually, and it is a horse that becomes her companion for a while. Mosey is a lifeline for Liv and Milo, it allows them to travel quicker so they can move closer to their destination.

While they travel they are aware of marauders, cannibals and of being picked up and taken to encampments. All of the scenarios that a mother and son want and need to stay away from. Again the author does a great job of showing the dangers and how Liv can explain it to Milo so he will understand.

The landscape has a bleak and barran feel to it and the few characters that there are in this story are great. It definitely has an apocalyptic feel to it, but having an end destination gives a sense of hope to the story. There are dangers and situations in the book that you would expect in a story of this sort and they are well worked.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it is character-led and is very addictive. It is a slower book as such, but it is filled with details and thoughts from the characters. A brilliant book to read and one I would definitely recommend.

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

DRY LANDS – Blog Tour

14 May My And My Books @yvonnembee
15 May Runalong The Shelves @runalongwomble
16 May Cats Books And Yoga @catsbooksandyoga
17 May Jo Scho Reads @jo_scho_reads
20 May Curling Up With A Coffee and a Kindle @CurlingUpWithaC
21 May Worm Talk Book Club @worm_talk_book_club
24 May Salbo Reads @salboreads

Many thanks for reading my spot, 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.

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

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

yvonnembee 5 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today of Leave No Trace by Jo Callaghan. This is the 2nd book in the Kat & Locke series and it is a fabulous series that mixes technology with police procedural and the mix is just brilliant.

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 the publisher Simon & Schuster UK.

DCS Kat Frank and AIDE Lock return in the provocative new thriller from the author of In the Blink of an Eye.

One detective driven by instinct, the other by logic.
It will take both to find a killer who knows the true meaning of fear . . .

When the body of a man is found crucified at the top of Mount Judd, AIDE Lock – the world’s first AI Detective – and DCS Kat Frank are thrust into the spotlight as they are given their first live case.

But with the discovery of another man’s body – also crucified – it appears that their killer is only just getting started. With the police warning local men to be vigilant, the Future Policing Unit is thrust into a hostile media frenzy as they desperately search for connections between the victims. But time is running out for them to join the dots and prevent another death.

MY REVIEW

After reading the author’s previous book, In the Blink of an Eye, I was eager to read the next book to see if it would be as thrilling as the first one, I have to say it was and I enjoyed this one just as much as the first.

Kat & Lock are two very different entities. DCS Kat Frank is in charge of the team, one of which is AIDE Lock, an artificial intelligence detective. While he is not able to perform some of the things that a human would, he can also do things a lot quicker when it comes to processing and searching databases and tech that is involved with running a case.

The author did a great job with the first book and gave some different perspectives and opinions, this book also follows those and also, more importantly, adds more to this. The idea of Lock working alongside a team of detectives as they investigate a crime is for the system to learn and adapt. Lock can be seen via a holographic projection.

The discovery of a body on the top of a mount that has been crucified is bad enough, but there are more details to add. These make the case unique and when another body is discovered some think there may be a link, but not everyone shares this view.

Being introduced to the team in the first book was good and the author has fleshed her characters out more, which sounds a little odd when one of them has no flesh as they are a hologram! However, she has added more details and given the reader a chance to get to know them and this is building a great sense of camaraderie between them.

There is a sense of time being important because Lock is being brought into an active case. He is also being seen by the general public properly so not only do the police force have to make sure things are done quickly, the politicians want a quick wrap-up to show that this way of investigating can be beneficial. There is no pushing Kat or the team into making a quick decision though, all things have to line up.

So with a mix of instincts and logic, this book provides two approaches to a crime and the investigation. Mixing crime fiction with a slight sci-fi feel but not one that is full of techno-speak so it makes for seamless reading.

I am loving this series and if you are looking for something with a twist as well as being an excellent crime thriller then this is a series you may well be interested in. It is a cracking read and one that I would definitely recommend.

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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.

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Beirut Station by Paul Vidich @paulvidich @noexitpress @RandomTTours #thriller #espionage #crime #bookreview

yvonnembee 4 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today of Beirut Station by Paul Vidich. This is a first for me by this author and it was a wonderful crime thriller story.

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 the publisher – No Exit Press.

A stunning new espionage novel by a master of the genre, Beirut Station follows a young female CIA officer whose mission to assassinate a high-level, Hezbollah terrorist reveals a dark truth that puts her life at risk.

Lebanon, 2006.

The Israel-Hezbollah war is tearing Beirut apart: bombs are raining down, residents are scrambling to evacuate, and the country is on the brink of chaos.

In the midst of this turmoil, the CIA and Mossad are targeting a reclusive Hezbollah terrorist, Najib Qassem. Najib is believed to be planning the assassination of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who is coming to Beirut in ten days to broker a cease-fire. The spy agencies are running out of time to eliminate the threat.

They turn to a young Lebanese-American CIA agent. Analise comes up with the perfect plan: she has befriended Qassem’s grandson as his English tutor, and will use this friendship to locate the terrorist and take him out. As the plan is put into action, though, Analise begins to suspect that Mossad has a motive of its own: exploiting the war’s chaos to eliminate a generation of Lebanese political leaders.

She alerts the agency but their response is for her to drop it. Annalise is now the target and there is no one she can trust: not the CIA, not Mossad, and not the Lebanese government. And the one person she might have to trust—a reporter for the New York Times—might not be who he says he is…

A tightly-wound international thriller, Beirut Station is Paul Vidich’s best novel to date.

MY REVIEW

This is the first time I have read a book by this author and thoroughly enjoyed it. Set in Beirut it is told from the perspective of Analise, she is a CIA agent who has a Lebanese and US background, fluent in languages and is working as a NOC.

Analise is a cold character and as such she keeps her feelings very much to herself, this also makes sense as her character would not be one who would let others know what she was thinking. The story’s timing is when President Bush is in power and Condoleezza Rice is the American Secretary of State. There is trouble in Beirut with Hezbollah, Mossad and CIA interference. I am aware of things occurring at this time in world history but I have never felt I have a very good understanding of the politics of the time, or at this time for that matter. This means I am reading the story as a story and not a representation of the facts at the time, the author does admit that this is a fictional work with some facts.

The story is one of cat and mouse and it oozes danger and tension across the pages. There is the obvious danger from being spies in a foreign country and then there is the danger from corruption with the government agencies. I do love a bit of double-crossing, moles and dodgy deals and this book has its fair share of them. With a Times reporter trying to score his story, a terrorist trying to kill an American politician and loads in between there is a lot of action to the story. The pacing of the story for the most part is fairly fast, there are times when it does slow and it gives the reader a chance for a quick breather before undercover meetings are once again set up.

There are times when the story does get quite complex as there are a reasonable amount of characters to recall and trying to remember which side they are supposed to be on can be a bit challenging, especially when they seem to change sides or don’t have an obvious side!

This is a thriller and crime story that has terrorism, explosions, corruption and espionage in it. I did get to like the character of Analise and what she was going through as part of her role. There is more to her than the cold calculating person I thought she originally was.

Great story and characters, ideal for fans of crime thrillers and one I would happily recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Paul Vidich has had a distinguished career in music and media. Most recently, he
served as Special Advisor to AOL and was Executive Vice President at the
Warner Music Group, in charge of technology and global strategy. He serves on
the Board of Directors of Poets & Writers and The New School for Social
Research. A founder and publisher of the Storyville App, Vidich is also an award-winning author of short fiction. His novels, An Honorable Man, The Good Assassin,
The Coldest Warrior and The Mercenary, are available from No Exit Press.

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

The Weatherman by Royston Reeves @royston_reeves @RandomTTours #psychological #thriller #crime @noexitpress #bookreview

yvonnembee 1 Comment

I am delighted to share my review today for a fabulously tense story. The Weatherman by Royston Reeves is one that you should take a look at if you like psychological crime thriller books.

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 No Exit Press publishers.

‘I’m going to tell you about the worst thing that ever happened to me.’

Will’s a nice guy. So when he takes a shortcut to the tube station after a few beers with his mates from work, he steps out of the way of the fellow who’s staggering towards him. But he – deliberately – moves back into his path. They knock each other as they pass.

Moments later one man is dead and another’s life is changed forever. Or is it? There are no CCTV cameras. There was no one else in the out-of-the-way alley. Maybe the world doesn’t have to end for Will after all.

But there’s always someone watching . . . and Will’s life is about to implode.

MY REVIEW

So, as the synopsis tells you, Will leaves the pub, bumps into a man and the man falls and dies. Instead of phoning the police, he decides to go home and say nothing. There is surely no way the police will be aware of what happened. He is right the police don’t really but someone is arrested and then Will is full of dread as things begin to unfold.

This was a great read, initially, I thought it was a bit slow and it did take a while before the major twists and turns started to build up the intensity of this story. But, my goodness, the author went full throttle with his story when it did.

Will is introduced as are his friends, the police detectives and another character. The synopsis does state that there is always someone watching and this watcher has a huge amount of tension and drama to add. It makes Will question himself and tests him to the limit. What will he do to protect himself and can he?

Will is a likeable character and he does come across as being down to earth. But this one event changes him, he becomes reclusive and withdraws. Past things are mentioned about his mental state and this works well within the story as it gives credence to how Will deals with things.

It is a scenario that you would think would never happen to you. What would you do? Will makes the wrong decision, but that does not mean that everyone will make the right decision. When faced with a scenario you like to think you would do the right thing. In this story though, Will goes further than just trying to evade what has happened and things start to become more twisted. The police are doing their job but there are some things that just don’t quite fit.

This is a tense story and one that gradually added more twists the more I read. It started as a slow burner for me but one that got under my skin so that I could not put it down. A fabulous story that became a one-sitting read and would appeal to fans of psychological thrillers and crime. I would definitely recommend it.

About the Author

Royston Reeves is a psychological thriller writer from Essex, England. After
spending years in advertising writing TV scripts, newspaper ads and billboards,
Royston’s first novel, The Weatherman, will be published in November 2023.
Reeves is the Head of Strategy for JOE Media and he currently lives in the Kent
countryside with his wife, Carly, and daughter, Hunter-Rose.

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Private Inquiries: The Secret History of Female Sleuths by Caitlin Davies @CaitlinDavies2 @RandomTTours @TheHistoryPress #truecrime #nonfiction #bookreview

yvonnembee 4 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for a fabulous non-fiction book. Private Inquiries: The Secret Life of Female Sleuths is the second book I have read by this author.

My huge thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for arranging my copy of this book from the publisher The HistoryPress.

The female private detective has been a staple of popular culture for over 150 years, from Victorian lady sleuths to ‘busy-body spinsters’ and gun-toting modern Pls. But what about the real-life women behind these fictional tales – what crimes did they solve, and where are their stories?

Dismissed as ‘Mrs Sherlock Holmes’ or amateurish Miss Marples, mocked as private dicks or honey trappers, they have been investigating crime since the mid-nineteenth century – theft, fraud, burglary, missing persons, blackmail, drugs, robbery, romance scams, industrial espionage, and murder.

In Private Inquiries, Caitlin Davies traces the history of the UK’s female investigators, uncovering the truth about their lives and careers from the 1850s to the present day.

Women like Victorian private inquiry agent Antonia Moser, the first woman to open her own agency; Annette Kerner, who ran the Mayfair Detective Agency on Baker Street in the 1940s; and Liverpool sleuth Zen Scott-Archer, who became the first woman president of the World Association of Detectives.

Caitlin also follows in the footsteps of her subjects, undertaking a professional qualification to become a Private Investigator, and meeting modern Pls to find out the reality behind the fictional image.

Female investigators are on the rise in the UK – and despite the industry’s sleazy reputation, nearly a third of new trainees are women. After a century of undercover work, it’s time to reveal the secrets of their trailblazing forebears.

MY REVIEW

This book is a fabulous read and it delves into the lives of female private investigators. Very little is really known about them, and to be fair, very little is mentioned about their male counterparts. The author decides to take a course to find out about what is entailed, she also tries to shadow someone and soon discovers it is not as easy as she thought it would be.

What makes someone decide to be a PI, well for some, in the early days it was to earn money and it gave them a chance to prove that they could look after themselves. For those in service as maids, cleaners and the like it was easier as they are unremarkable, not noticed and are generally not seen. This appearance, or rather the lack of appearance gave women the upper edge as they were able to go into people’s rooms to tidy and clean, make beds, snoop through any papers, and maybe drill a couple of discrete spy holes while they do the dusting.

In the early days, there was no register or any sort of control over the role of PI’s, they came and went and some were scammers, others blackmailers and there were the odd few who set people up. For the most part, a PI was utilised for discovering affairs so that a divorce could be obtained as well as many other things.

Over the years the role of PI has changed and there are protocols and laws in place that are adhered to. These are there to protect both the PI and the client. As times have changed so have their roles, not just tracing people who are lost, but also serving papers, finding lost relatives and also to look into cold cases.

The author looks at different women over the decades up to today. This is an area most of don’t really think about and if we think of PIs we think of the fictional ones. As a reader, I can name several investigators from fiction but I could not name a single real-life one.

This is where the author takes the reader on a journey through the history books, newspapers, footage, and interviews to help discover more. From the earliest known female investigators who worked for others to those who decided to work for themselves. This book charts the various activities employed, the way things have changed, the laws and also the lives of the women.

This is a wonderful book and if you are a fan of true crime then this one would probably appeal. It is one I would definitely recommend.

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The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin @MadelineMMartin @RandomTTours @Harpers360UK #historicalfiction #history #WWII #bookreview

yvonnembee 3 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin. This is a stunning story of friendship, a love of reading and doing what you can in the face of danger and death. Set in Poland during WWII.

My huge thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for my copy of the book from the publisher, Harpers 360 UK.

A heartwarming story about the power of books to bring us together, inspired by the true story of the underground library in WWII Warsaw, by the New York Times bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London.

All her life, Zofia has found comfort in two things during times of hardship: books and her best friend, Janina. But no one could have imagined the horrors of the Nazi occupation in Warsaw. As the bombs rain down and Hitler’s forces loot and destroy the city, Zofia finds that now books are also in need of saving.

With the death count rising and persecution intensifying, Zofia jumps to action to save her friend and salvage whatever books she can from the wreckage, hiding them away, and even starting a clandestine book club. She and her dearest friend never surrender their love of reading, even when Janina is forced into the newly formed ghetto.

But the closer Warsaw creeps toward liberation, the more dangerous life becomes for the women and their families—and escape may not be possible for everyone. As the destruction rages around them, Zofia must fight to save her friend and preserve her culture and community using the only weapon they have left—literature.

MY REVIEW

This is a stunning book to read and one that shows how determination and something like a book can lift a person’s spirit. It is set in Poland during the invasion of Hitler in WWII. Zofia is the main character and she is a reader, a lover of books and as the invasion comes she works in the library. She is involved with removing books from the shelves that do not fit with Hitler’s idea of what a good book should be. The desecration of manuscripts, fiction and non-fiction books, textbooks, artefacts and other things that did not fit with his ideology were destroyed.

The story is one that revolves around books and also people. Books are a great way to escape real life and these became a lifeline for some who had everything taken from them. With little food, if any, not always anywhere to live, and no escape from the ghettos, forced labour or concentration camps, books were a valued commodity. A book could remove the reader for a short time and give them something else to focus on if for only a few moments.

Zofia’s best friend is Janina, a Jewish girl, they have grown up together and share a love of books and have their own book club prior to the invasion. When Janina and her family are forced into one of the ghettos, Zofia tries hard to keep in touch with her friend.

These two girls and their love of books is something that is shared by many others. They put their lives in danger by lending banned books out to readers, and start to amass their own collections. It is a life-threatening thing to possess a banned book, but it also leads both girls on to something far more dangerous.

If you are thinking that a book is just paper with words, then you would be wrong. I had been aware of books being important to people during WWII and so when I saw this one I knew that there would be some truths behind it. The author does mention this at the end of this book and it makes for interesting and sombre reading.

The story of Zofia and Janina is one that shows how people had to adapt to this new threat. Standing up to it was not an option if you wanted to live. Being angry at the new regime was something that could not be shown. But having something as simple as a book could give a reprieve and also a sense of hope. The way books were kept from destruction was a way of revolting against Hitler and also gave people the hope that these books would then once again be back where they belonged, in a Polish library.

the story tells of the brave people who fought in the Polish underground, and how Girl Guides and Scouts did their part to help with what they could, putting themselves at risk and in danger.

This is a story of how people fought back. A story of friendship and determination while putting their own lives at risk and that of their families to do what is right. A stunning story from start to finish and if you are a fan of historical fiction in Europe then this is a book to have a look at. It is one I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Madeline Martin is a New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author of historical fiction and historical romance with books that have been translated into over twenty-five different languages.

She lives in sunny Florida with her two daughters (known collectively as the minions), two incredibly spoiled cats and a man so wonderful he’s been dubbed Mr. Awesome. She is a die-hard history lover who will happily lose herself in research any day. When she’s not writing, researching or ‘moming’, you can find her spending time with her family at Disney or sneaking a couple spoonfuls of Nutella while laughing over cat videos. She also loves research and travel, attributing her fascination with history to having spent most of her childhood as an Army brat in Germany.

Check out her website for book club visits, reader guides for her historical fiction, upcoming events, book news and more: WEBSITE

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The Murmurs by Michael J Malone @michaeljmalone1 @OrendaBooks @RandomTTours #crime #suspense #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for The Murmurs by Michael J. Malone. This is the story of a woman who has lost part of her memory and is trying to understand her past and why she senses certain things. This is the first book in the series and I am really looking forward to what the author has for Annie in the future.

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

A young woman starts experiencing terrifying premonitions of people dying, as it becomes clear that a family curse known only as The Murmurs has begun, and a long-forgotten crime is about to be unearthed…

On the first morning of her new job at Heartfield House, a care home for the elderly, Annie Jackson wakens from a terrifying dream. And when she arrives at the home, she knows that the first old man she meets is going to die.

How she knows this is a terrifying mystery, but it is the start of horrifying premonitions … a rekindling of the curse that has trickled through generations of women in her family – a wicked gift known only as ‘the murmurs’…

With its reappearance comes an old, forgotten fear that is about to grip Annie Jackson.

And this time, it will never let go…

A compulsive gothic thriller and a spellbinding supernatural mystery about secrets and small communities, about faith, courage and self-preservation, The Murmurs is a startling and compulsive read from one of Scotland’s finest authors.

MY REVIEW

When Annie Jackson is asked about her past, she is unable to answer as she only knows what she has been told. This is since the accident in which her mother died and Annie was found washed up on the shores of a Loch. Her brother is a valuable part of her life and is able to answer most of her questions. The ones he can’t answer though are the ones that come from her ability to know when someone is due to die. She calls it the murmurs. Her family and her ancestors called it the family curse!


Having a brother and other people to give Annie guidance and help is great, but there is a time when she is going to have to confront her past head-on. The thing is, well is she strong enough?

From the very start, I knew I was going to adore this book. It was so annoying that I had such a busy week at work and I could not sit and read it cover to cover as I am sure I would have done given the chance.

The story is that of the family and is told from their individual perspectives and of others who are involved in the story. It is a brilliant format for this type of story as you really get inside the heads of the characters, but that doesn’t mean that you are any closer to understanding how things are going to occur or what is coming.

Given that Annie has this ability to see the future of some, there is a controversial twist. Her mother was a devout Christian woman and there are references to events in the past when ancestors were driven out of the small community they lived in. Having this back and forth between characters and timelines is great as the author is able to leave little nuggets of information that gradually build up over the course of the story.

The author has brought a sense of dread and suspicion to the forefront of his story. Annie is not quite sure who to trust and this works so well for her character. Being reliant on others for information is one thing, but are they telling the truth?

This was also quite an emotional story and one that had me hoping that things would turn out well for Annie just because I thought she deserved to have good things. Her character is one that I really liked, at times full of confidence and at others doubting herself and those around her. Not understanding some of her memories but knowing they are important somehow was great and added another layer of suspense.

This for me was a superb gothic horror-style story but set in the present day. It was atmospheric and there are some wonderfully creepy moments. The characters have a good array of backgrounds and add doubt and suspicion.

If you are a fan of suspense-filled gothic horror stories then you really do need to look at this one. When I say horror I don’t mean the old blood, guts and chainsaw type but the psychological sort and it has been done brilliantly. Great story and characters and one I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the
heart of Burns’ country. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines
throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood
Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association
of Writers. His dark psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and
is currently in production for the screen, and five powerful standalone thrillers followed
suit. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a
bookseller. Michael lives in Ayr, where he also works as a hypnotherapist.

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The F-Word Reality Shopw by Chris Westlake @ChrisWestlake2 @RandomTTours #thriller #fiction #suspense #bookreview

yvonnembee 4 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for The F-Word Reality Show by Chris Westlake. This is the second book I have read by this author and he certainly knows how to twist his psychological thriller stories.

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

Andrew Macintosh is one of fifty seemingly random individuals offered the opportunity to appear in a reality show, to be aired to millions of viewers across the world. There is only one the contestants must not – under any circumstances – tell anyone where they are going.

Before entering the show, each contestant chooses their F-Word reward for Fame, Fortune or Freedom. Transported to a giant glass hall in the middle of nowhere, guards patrol the hall and cameras watch their every move. There is nowhere to hide.

As the days pass and the events unfold, Andrew discovers that not only is he fighting for his freedom, but he is fighting to stay alive. The choice is brutally straightforward… Andrew must kill, or be killed.

The F-Word Reality Show is a compelling thriller that will leave you wondering whether the cameras watching your every move are your best friend or your worst enemy.

MY REVIEW

This is a story of two parts, one is of Andrew and his life prior to The F-Word Reality Show and the other part is his participation in the show. Just to clarify, the F-Word is not what you think it is! The reality show offers its winning contestant three choices – Fame, Fortune and Freedom. Only one out of the fifty can win, the others are eliminated and you can tell no one you are part of the show.

This is a slow burner and it took me a while to get going with it. It was around the mid-30 % of the book when things start to step up and you realise that this is not quite what you think it is.

The story alternates between Andrew’s story, the past and the present. It is not completely clear as to why he was chosen to take part, but by the end, it is revealed shockingly. Not what I was expecting at all.

This is a mad version of a reality show that has been taken to an extreme level, it is set in 2024 and there are mentions of Covid and people are waiting for a vaccine, hence the freedom option. It gives the winner the freedom to go to a covid free country.

This is one that I really enjoyed, it didn’t immediately grab me. It grew on me and then I found I could not put it down. In some ways, it reminds me of a study of people in extreme situations and how they react.

The show is bizarre and while it sounds like a good idea, there are some rather nasty developments. Andrew does become friendly with some of the others and they form a small group that supports each other. Andrew learns more about the lives of these people.

This is a thriller but one that is quite subtle. Once I got into the story and things began to open up and I realised what things were all about I find it very addictive reading. There is a psychological aspect to this and again this is not obvious at the beginning.

A mix of contemporary fiction, psychological thriller and suspense and there is a mysterious element to it as you wonder and try to work out where the author is going to take you. It is one I would happily recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chris’s page-turning novels will make you doubt what happens next, but leave you in no doubt that you sure as hell want to find out. His thrillers toy with your mind and play with your emotions.
Chris has published five novels, including three thrillers. His latest novel, THE F-WORD REALITY SHOW, is a compelling thriller which will leave you wondering whether the cameras that follow your every move are your best friend or your worst enemy.


30 DAYS IN JUNE is a serial killer thriller, and I AM HERE TO KILL YOU is a psychological thriller, with a key focus on cults, the power of manipulation, and brainwashing.


After completing a Creative Writing course in 2010, Chris Westlake’s short story, Welsh Lessons, was awarded 1st place in the Global Short Story Award (not bad for the first writing competition he had entered). He followed this up with 1st place in the Stringybark Erotic Fiction Award and 2nd place in the HASSRA Literary Award.
Chris is determined to write many, many more novels – his main regret is that he didn’t start writing earlier. He is always looking to make his next novel even better than the last. He is continuously experimenting with different styles, different genres.


You can discover more about Chris on his website

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