Blog Blitz - Cross Your Heart by Kierney Scott

Blinking her eyes open, she looks around the room, taking in the bed and the wardrobe full of clothes she’s never seen before. This isn’t her bedroom. Those aren’t her clothes. She begins to cry as she wonders if she’ll ever see her own home again.

Three young girls are missing. All of them cold cases. All of them forgotten. But when Detective Jess Bishop identifies a disturbing link between them, she’s determined to find out what happened, and fights to re-open their cases. 

At the scene of each abduction the kidnapper left a clue – a small bag of candy – in place of the missing child.

And then a fourth child is taken. Eight-year-old Ava is snatched from her hospital bed and when a bag of candy is found in her room, Jessica knows it’s the same kidnapper.

As the pressure to solve the case pushes Jess and her team to breaking point, Jess takes a personal risk she fears she’ll live to regret. But she has no choice.

Out of hospital, Ava can only get sicker: Jess is running out of time. Can she find Ava before it’s too late?

An absolutely gripping thriller that will have your pulse racing. Cross Your Heart is perfect for fans of Robert Dugoni, Karin Slaughter and Lisa Gardner. 

Cross Your Heart is the second instalment in the new series about Detective Jess Bishop. I really enjoyed the first book and have been looking forward to this second instalment.

Cross Your Heart follows Detective Jess Bishop as she investigates three cold cases which all concern the kidnapping of a child. While investigating the three cold cases another child goes missing, and there are similarities to the three cold cases.

Kierney Scott writes fantastic crime thrillers and Cross Your Heart is another fantastic read.  I have enjoyed learning more about Jess and the surrounding cast are all interesting characters. Jess has her own demons which continue to affect her during this book and I really enjoyed this part of the writing.  Kierney's writing style is brilliant and she captures the suspense and intrigue as the cases unfold. I had a few late nights while reading this book, just wanting to find out more before closing the book (which got harder and harder the further I got towards the end).

Another fantastic read. Thank you to Bookouture for the ARC in return for an honest review (Apologies it has been posted one day late, due to Broadband issues).

The Man I Think I Know by Mike Gayle

This is the stunning new novel from bestselling author Mike Gayle, for fans of The Keeper of Lost Things and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. A powerful and bittersweet story of an unexpected male friendship and an unlikely love story, a thought provoking storyline told with Mike's distinctive wit and insight, touching on issues which affect us all. This uplifting tale reminds us of the simple courage at the heart of every human being.

Ever since The Incident, James DeWitt has stayed on the safe side.

He likes to know what happens next.

Danny Allen is not on the safe side. He is more past the point of no return.

The past is about to catch up with both of them in a way that which will change their lives forever, unexpectedly.

But redemption can come in the most unlikely ways. 

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton General Division
ISBN: 9781473608986

Mike a fantastic author and I have enjoyed  reading all of his back catalogue. In The Man I Think I Know I think that Mike has developed his writing style and I was entranced in the book from the first chapter and I didn't want the book to end as I really liked the characters James and Danny.

I really liked Mike's style of writing and being introduced to the character through both James and Danny's eyes. I felt like a fly on the wall observing from within. I really enjoyed reading from the points of view of someone with a brain injury, a point of view that I don't think has been widely written from but is very insightful and well done.

The storyline is one which will tug the heart strings of many readers and I recommend it to all.You may want a box of tissues at times but as a whole the book is a great read and one which has a feel good factor for all concerned.

Thank you to the publishers, Hodder and Stoughton, for inviting me to take part in the is blog tour in return for an honest review.

Blog Blitz - The Last Thing I Saw by Alex Sinclair

A perfect family. A moment that will change everything.

Emma wakes up in hospital with no memories of the past 24 hours and no idea why she’s there. And her husband and son refuse to visit her.

As she frantically tries to piece together her memories to find out what happened, Emma is desperate to ensure her loved ones are safe. But all she can remember is the last thing she saw before she blacked out: a pair of cold, dark eyes…

An addictive and page-turning psychological thriller that will having you looking over your shoulder and checking the doors are locked. If you love B.A. Paris, Shari Lapena and K.L. Slater, The Last Thing I Saw is for you.

Previously published as Don’t Let Me Die. This edition contains significant editorial revisions.

'The Last Thing I Saw' is a fantastic read. The narrative is fast paced and draws the reader in from the first line and grips them tight, not loosening its hold until the very last line!! Alex Sinclair has an excellent writing style which is captivating, tension building and atmospheric all rolled into one and has produced a thriller which will remain in my mind for many weeks to come.

As a reader I was immediately nervous of how I would feel in Emma's place, stuck in a hospital bed and having no memory of the previous 24 hours. I felt the terror that Emma was enduring and had to carry on reading to unpick what had happened since.

This is a fantastic psychological thriller but ensure you have plenty of time to read the book before starting it as it is very difficult to put it down once started.

Thank you to Bookouture for sending me the book to review in return for an honest review.

Blog Blitz - The Next Girl by Carla Kovach

Today I am pleased to be a part of Bookouture's Blog Blitz to celebrate the publication of Carla Kovach's The Next Girl.

You thought he’d come to save you. You were wrong.

How can someone vanish without a single trace?

Deborah Jenkins pulls her coat around her for the short walk home in the pouring rain. But she never makes it home that night. And she is never seen again…
Four years later, an abandoned baby girl is found wrapped in dirty rags on a doorstep. An anonymous phone call urges the police to run a DNA test on the baby. But nobody is prepared for the results. 

The newborn belongs to Deborah. She’s still alive...







The Girl Next Door is Carla Kovach's first novel in her new DI Gina Harte crime series and I am already looking forward to the next one in the series. The Next Girl was fast paced, yet it was not rushed. There were two clear storylines to the plot: the police procedural storyline along with a plot line set four years previous when Deborah goes missing on her at home. 

Great crime series need a strong police lead and I really liked DI Gina Harte. She is a strong woman, who cares about her profession and gives the job her all as she strives to get justice and find out who committed the crime.  There is a tricky relationship between her and her daughter and this plays a part in the book - I look forward to reading more about Gina and learning more about this history.

I recommend this to any of my blog readers who are looking for a new series of books to try,DI Gina Harte is one to watch.

I have read that the author, Carla Kovach, lives in Redditch and as I grew up there I hope she has the opportunity to do local events in the Worcestershire area so I can chat with Carla about all things DI Gina Harte.

Thank you to the publishers, Bookouture, for inviting me to take part in this blog tour. 

Blog Tour - The Stranger by Kate Riordan

Cornwall, 1940. In the hushed hours of deepest night a young woman is found washed up on the rocks. Was it a tragic accident? Or should the residents of Penhallow have been more careful about whom they invited in? In the midst of war three women arrive seeking safety at Penhallow Hall. Each is looking to escape her past. But one of them is not there by choice. As the threat of invasion mounts and the nightly blackouts feel longer and longer, tensions between the close-knit residents rise until dark secrets start to surface. And no one can predict what their neighbour is capable of . . . In a house full of strangers, who do you trust? 

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd 
ISBN: 9780718188061 

The Stranger is a very different book to my recent reads and it made a nice change. Set in Cornwall during the 1940's it takes the reader back in time to a beautiful scenery and a slower pace of life. There is a haunting atmosphere as three women descend on Penhallow Hall as they seek safety. What follows is a beautiful story of their lives, as we, the readers, discover their reasons for fleeing to Penhallow Hall. The story switches between the past and present (1940's) and I soon became entranced in their world as I learnt more and more about the characters. 

With 2018 being the International Year of the Woman this is a great book to be read, with strong women being the focus of The Stranger and the story will remain with the reader long after the last page has been read. There is plenty of heartache and sadness in the book but the underlying message is definitely the strength of women

Thank you to the publishers, Penguin Books, for sending me the book to review. 

Blog Tour - The Fear by C L Taylor

Today I am really pleased to welcome C L Taylor to my blog to celebrate the publication of her extremely fantastic new release, The Fear.

 
Sometimes your first love won't let you go... 

When Lou Wandsworth ran away to France with her teacher Mike Hughes, she thought e was the love of her life. But Mike wasn't what he seemed and he left her life in pieces.

Now 32, Lou discovers that he is involved with teenager Chloe Meadows. Determined to make sure history doesn't repeat itself, she returns home to confront him for the damage he's caused.

But Mike is a predator of the worst kind, and as Lou tries to bring him to justice, it's clear that she could once again become his prey...

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The million copy Sunday Times bestseller returns with a gripping psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.

C L Taylor is one of my top three favourite authors. When I pick up one of her novels I know I am about to start a really good read, where I, as the reader, will be taken on a great ride where there is will be high drama, suspense and twists and turns that will throw me off the scent so many times and, usually, an ending which packs a punch and also throws in a sneaky curve ball right at the end and this ending was just that! I love the covers of her books, the darkness draws me in and the simple covers conveys the message that you are in for a great read.

C L Taylor was born in Worcestershire, where I also live, and I really enjoyed that the book was set in an area that I knew. It was great to be able to picture where the action was taking place and to follow the action as it happened.

The subject matter of The Fear is uncomfortable as an older man befriends a young girl, drawing her into an illicit relationship. It is uncomfortable to read, however it is also addictive as C L Taylor tells the story. The story swaps between two time lines which I really enjoyed as the effects of such a relationship is shown in both the past and present - as the girl who was historically groomed can never truly forget what happened.

I don't really want to tell my blog readers more about the storyline as I want them to read it and watch it unfold before their eyes, all I will say is that make sure you set aside a weekend to enjoy this book as it is truly addictive!

The publishers, Avon Books, have given me an extract to share with my blog readers .......

She moves closer. She has never run off without paying a bill in her life and she’s not about to do so now.

    Lou doesn’t so much as glance round as Wendy silently slips behind her and rests a quivering hand on the top of the glass cake display. Up close, Wendy is able to measure herself against the other woman. Louise Wandsworth is tall, at least five inches taller than her, and her hips – swimming in a too large skirt – are narrower than Wendy’s waist. There is mud on the heels of Lou’s shoes and the ends of her hair are split and tangled. The compulsion to reach into her bag and pull out a comb is almost more than Wendy can bear. She never leaves the house without checking that her shoes are clean and her hair is neat.

    ‘Order to go, please,’ Lou says as the café owner, a smiley woman about Wendy’s age in a blue and white striped apron, gives her a nod. ‘Black coffee, chicken roll and a fruit salad pot.’

    ‘Not stopping today?’

    ‘No, I need to prepare for a client meeting at three. Well, it’s more of a pitch for new business.’

    ‘Sounds important.’

    ‘It is. The boss wants me to bring in more money.’

    ‘Well, fingers crossed it goes well.’

    Wendy stands very still, her eyes fixed to the floor as the café owner bustles about, putting the order together, and Lou stands silently beside her, waiting. After an interminable five or six minutes, she hears the clink of money changing hands, the dry rustle of a paper bag being handed over and a soft, breathy ‘thank you’.

    ‘Yes?’ the café owner says. ‘Hello, yes. How can I help you?’

    Wendy tears her eyes away from the thin figure sprinting across the road and fixes the other woman with a big smile. She’s just had the most wonderful idea.

Thank you to the publishers, Avon Books, and C L Taylor, for inviting me to take part in the blog tour for this excellent book.