Beth

This book is worth the hype and definitely worth the read if you love thrillers. This was the best thriller development wise and twists and turns wise I have read in ages. So clever and so so good! Loved all elements of this book and loved the psychiatrist storyline and the client sessions and the killer profiling sections. I also loved the secrets and finding out who the serial killer was and all the reveals. This was just dark and juicy and completely my cup of tea.

This was a really fun thriller! People who are obsessed with true crime documentaries or podcasts would love this fast paced read! This story follows Elle who runs a true crime podcast of her own and likes to dig up cold cases and try to investigate into them, hoping to find new leads that will help uncover the killers. The latest focus of her podcast is the Countdown Killer and she becomes obsessed with trying to track him down when new murders start happening around her. But the the Countdown Killer has been inactive for 20 years so has he decided to start killing again or is it a new copy cat killer? This was written in a propulsive way and I found myself really enjoying sinking into the story. It's a really impressive debut and this is an author to watch. Thrillers fans check this book out!

Thanks to Text publishing, the author Amy Suiter Clarke and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was an enjoyable thriller. While I correctly guessed the twists early on in the novel, I think it plays around in a really fun way with the 1950s housewife genre. Set in Sunnylakes California, the story follows the disappearance of Joyce Haney, a popular housewife with the perfect husband and two beautiful daughters. But when Ruby, the family's ‘help' turns up to work one day to find a blood soaked kitchen, the two distressed girls inside the house but no sign of Joyce Haney the story takes a dark turn. Where is Joyce? What happened to her? A page turning thriller that will grip you until the end!

Thank you to the author Inga Vesper, Bonnier Books UK and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

A solid 4.5 thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. While it wasn't the most original domestic thriller in terms of plot arc, the introduction of the suspicious characters was done so skilfully that the last 10% of the book you were racing through to get to the end. Not necessarily for the whodunnit but for the howdunnit/whydunnit. But I like a why and how dunnit as much as a whodunnit so I found the narrative very compelling. Also the satisfying way the ending of the book stretched out, elevated this book into a 4.5. The book didn't succumb to the temptation to make the plot ending farcical. The questions I had accumulated over the story were answered at the end well and I love when a thriller gives me that.

This follow Helen who has been forced to take early maternity leave due to health complications and ends up making friends with another lady at her antenatal class called Rachel. She introduces her to her luxurious lifestyle in Greenwich where she lives with her architect husband. The husband Daniel owns his own architect firm alongside Helen's brother(it was Helens father's self made company before he died). But the more Rachel learns about Helen the more she digs deeper into Helen and her family. Then the more she encroaches on Helen perfect idyllic lifestyle whether Helen wants it or not. Eventually Helen will be confronted with family secrets through Rachel. The question is whether she is ready to face the dangerous consequences once the secrets are revealed?!

Thanks to Bloomsbury publishing, author Katherine Faulkner and Netgalley for a ebook arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5

This was a dark, messed up thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed reading! When Detective Inspector Grace Archer is made head of the latest investigation, she was certainly not bargaining on it dragging her tragic, traumatising childhood into the public spotlight. A killer who goes by the name @nonymous is publicly framing his murder victims as art installations around London. When Archer begins investigating it doesn't take long for the press to find out her real identity as a survivor of a child murderer and to splash her secrets all across the papers. Will Archer face her fears again when confronted with another harrowing murderer or will she let it all get the better of her?

This was an interesting premise for a thriller. I found death imitating art super morbid and creepy but a very strong angle to come at a thriller with. Archer was a fun protagonist to spend time with and I found her second in command Quinn very endearing and a good energy to balance the dynamic. This was written very well and structured competently. I would be very happy if he wrote more thrillers for Archer to take the lead in. She is a very nuanced well layered protagonist with much more to give us and I am hungry for more. If you enjoy thrillers/ police procedurals you should 100% be picking this one up!

Thanks to the author David Fennell,Bonnier Books UK and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5

I really loved the science fiction/ dystopian vibe this book created. As someone who only occasionally dips her toes into science fiction writing, this book was enthralling and unputdownable. I had to know what happened to Thea. I also found the world building, the remote island where the sleep experiment happens, the technology all very plausible and well constructed. I also loved the characters of Viv, Thea's mum and Ethan, Rory and Rosie.

The only criticism I have for the book is that the plot dragged along for the last quarter. From the lighthouse scene to the end the plot was lagging and there wasn't enough side plot to keep a reader interested until they made their escape. Then the last few chapters felt rushed and jarring in comparison. Throwing into the mix drones, fire and bloodshed. However, I think that the clunkiness with plot is to be expected with a debut author and so it isn't something I want to dwell heavily on.

I want to reinforce this is a very promising author. To convince a reader like myself to read more science fiction is a great compliment to the book. This novel was a really enjoyable read and I was happy with the plot points all the way along. I think it's more science fiction than thriller but the thriller elements were executed wonderfully too. A fast paced read that any adrenaline junky reader will love. I look forward to seeing what this author writes next.

Thanks to HQ, the author and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Between 2.5 and a 3. I was so hooked for 70% of the book. However the action scenes at the end were way too drawn out and dull for me. People running out of rounds of bullets and endless car racing and shootouts and people seeming to survive through close range bullet shots to the face. I was frustrated at the end by how many people seemed to come back from the dead or survive un survivable shots. The last 30% could have seriously been condensed and cut. I'm not a shoot out kind of girl, I find heavy action tedious. But I am excited now to read No Exit as this author can write a good thriller. Just her ending needed more work.

This was an immensely enjoyable, tightly woven story that connects and converges four main protagonists stories together in 1970s London. Freddie Selves, the theatre director of NMH, Vicky Tress, a policewoman embroiled in corruption in the CID, Hannah Strode, an ambitious young reporter trying to get the latest scoop on IRA activities and Callum Conlan, an Irish academic who finds himself an accessory to a crime through no fault of his own.

I loved how competently the author weaved all of these four narratives together and seamlessly connected the characters together in a way that didn't hinge on coincidence or implausibility. Each character was very multi faceted and layered well and I invested in each of their individual storylines. I enjoyed the evolution of Freddie from a panto villian to a more functioning human being. Vicky and Hannah were strong female characters who I found very endearing and Callum's story was the most rich in the exploration of Irish hostility in London in the wake of IRA bombings in London. I loved the descriptions of the 1970s and the commentary on Thatcher, union strikes, IRA bombings and corrupt police officers. This book was a pleasing novel and I would read anything else this author writes. If you enjoy novels set in the 1970s or are getting withdrawal symptoms from the finale of Line of Duty. I would strongly suggest this book and this author. You are in safe hands!

Thanks to Little, Brown, the author Anthony Quinn and Secret Readers for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was written in a really easy to read format and I found I could get into the story straight away. I managed to read this book throughout a full day so it was one you could get through very quickly and it is well paced although not brilliantly plotted.

This book defies genre definitions and while I usually enjoy books that can cross genre boundaries, I think this book was trying to be too many things. It follows Beth who finds out her now dead husband was having an affair with her yoga teaching next door neighbour Gina for a year. Two weeks before his death Beth kicks him out and he dies of a heart attack but then the police suspect his death might not have been as natural as first presumed.

In present day Beth has a flirty storyline with both Gino the next door neighbour's twin brother and the detective investigating her for possible murder. Gina is trying to become friends again with Beth but might be pregnant with Beth's dead husbands baby. Beth's kids have their own problems and Beth is thinking of selling the house and buying an arts studio. Phew! It was a lot going on!

I felt at times like I was reading different books within this novel as Beth's romance plot lines felt totally different than the murder mystery elements or the Gina / Beth frenemy dynamic that plays out in the story.

This will be a great escapism read for those that are fans of contemporary and women's fiction and it has a sharp bite of humour through it that I very much enjoyed. It also is a book about the positive power of female friendships and forgiveness. Topics not addressed in such a uplifting way in most popular fiction.

Thanks to the author Jennifer Snow, who also independently published this work and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

A solid 3.5 read. This book is so complex it is hard to describe the plot. It meanders between many different topics like loss, war and a relationship break down through the mind of Anya. However the strength of the novel is the way the atmosphere and energy of the protagonist is cultivated. Anya's anxiety and embarrassment and fear are palpable on the page and at many moments I felt it hard to read raw parts of the book. It reminded me all too well of the feelings of heartbreak,loss and the painful steps of separation after a break up. An author I most certainly need to dive into her back list.

3.5. This is a heartfelt story that celebrates small town living and the beauty of a thriving community and of flourishing lifelong friendships and familial relationships. Adrian Rizzo, raised in New York by her fitness entrepreneur mother returns back to her grandparents rural home in adulthood to support her grandparents. A thriving businesswoman herself, it seems like she will spin her new relocation into a new career angle and make lemonade from life's lemons. However she has never addressed a traumatic incident that happened in her childhood and when she receives threatening mail from an anonymous sender, she wonders whether her past is coming back to haunt her.

This book has a satisfying romantic subplot and also is a very positive and upbeat story with a compelling thriller plot line. I really enjoyed the interactions between Adrian and her grandfather and the romance between the two neighbouring dogs. A well plotted, sincere novel both compelling and compassionate.

Thanks to Little Brown UK, the author Nora Roberts and NetGalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/3 out of 5 stars. This book sounded like something I would really enjoy. However there were a few things that niggled me. The plot felt very all over the place. It would go at a snails pace for ages and then suddenly try to thrush the plot forward making for a reading experience similar to whiplash. I found the schools values and the threatening, coercive hold over Rose at the boarding school unbelievable and unrealistic for Scotland in the 1990s. I agree with a lot of reviews that say this book feels like it's set in the 1890s not the 1990s. Most characters were so wet and weedy they were infuriating and the dystopian elements felt stilted and artificial. I wasn't buying this book as a whole.

But I can't deny I loved the boarding school setting and the descriptions of rugged Scotland. I found the Greek history and myth sections really intriguing but the plot was too slow and cumbersome to get higher than a three star rating. Wynne is a very impressive writer and the author has strong potential. I certainly will be checking out anything else this author writes.

Thanks to the author Phoebe Wynne, Quercus books and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is one wild ride! I love that in around 300 pages this book can keep surprising you with twists and turns. I enjoyed the dark dystopian backdrop to this novel and I loved the use of language and memory as weapons of suppression. I really enjoyed the complex relationship between Julia and Winston and I felt it allowed the story to have a deeper layer of narrative. The only point in the book that I dragged myself through was the bit in the middle of the book when Winston is reading Goldsteins Book and the few pages of that is rather academic and stuffy and could have been condensed or revised in my opinion. Also the ending was slightly dragged out for me but I am not sure whether that's because I read the book fragmentarily throughout the week. Overall though I really loved the book. I think it has so much to say about the modern world we live in and I think it deserves multiple reads in one lifetime to fully glean out Orwell's genius. For now I am content giving it 4 out of 5 stars.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for a e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was quite slow paced considering the title and premise of this thriller. I think the first 60% could have been condensed as I felt we spent a lot of time with Beth talking to characters and doing the nursery run which was a little dull. Then the last 10% hit the reader with lots of twists but I felt the character of Beth was a little flat so considering we were meant to flip our opinions on her, I didn't feel the shock factor I have in other thrillers. The way the serial killer narrative progressed with Tom wasn't as explored as I would have liked. However it was a fun thriller and I read it super quickly. I am intrigued to carry on with the series and see how another perspective will enhance this story.

Wow. This book was steamy. I do not recommend reading this on public transport or around family members,or you might find yourself blushing into your jumper. Seriously spicy sex scenes of a graphic nature are depicted in this book. But if you let your freak flag fly every so often and you enjoy your romances super hot but with a developmental storyline and strong character development you will love this book!

This follows Violet, a millennial living in London, unhappy in her social media job. She has recently broken off her engagement and had a huge bust up with her best friend Nadia and is looking for purpose. All of her dreams look to be coming true when she bumps into Lottie at a works event who offers her a new job opportunity alongside her husband Simon.

But when Simon and Lottie introduce a sexual element to their somewhat hazy professional relationship with Violet, things start of passionate but soon start to turn a little bit muddled. It's then up to Violet to decide what does she really want? Is this opportunity to good to be true? Does she only deserve this kind of messy relationship?

I found this book had much more substance than a simple romance plot and while Violet infuriated me at points, her character development was dealt with well by the author. I think this author has a promising fiction career ahead of her and I would read any future fiction she chooses to write. A strong 3.5 star read.

Thanks to the author Daisy Buchanan, Little Brown UK and NetGalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a enjoyable domestic thriller with a sweeping and fun plot line. While this book had very well recognised thriller tropes and themes e.g the best friend/frenemy dynamic, cheating husbands and an unreliable narrator. I think this was written competently and I became very immersed in the thriller storyline. I didn't see the reveal coming which is always a pleasant surprise reading a thriller whodunnit.

This story follows the intense and pretty warped relationship between best friends Izzy and Bec. The prologue starts with a dead body at the foot of the stairs, before opening the novel with Bec's engagement and we are cast forth on the mystery/suspense from there.

I found the core cast of characters well fleshed out and flawed. Guiltily I also loved to hate the victim and did tend to side with her bestie! I just found the reveal a little too drawn out at the end. After the pivotal wrapping up event took place at around 70% into the book, the final reveal of who the murder was just took a little too long in my opinion.

But I was really pleased with the pacing of this thriller, the character development and the way the author comprised this plot. This is a very strong thriller writer and I eagerly await more from this author very soon.

Thanks to the author Polly Phillips, Simon and Schuster UK and NetGalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a provocative and racy look at the topic of Kink. I found all the expressions of kink and the spectrum of characters and their relationships to kink so refreshing and liberating. This is a bold collection with contributions from some world class writers such as Roxane Gay, Carmen Maria Machado and Brandon Taylor as well as the editors themselves. My only caveat is that there was too much spit play in some of the stories. But that is my personal preference as I have a very low squeamish tolerance for anything to do with spit!

But really this collection was so powerful. It was creative and uninhibited and really explored kink and it's misconceptions and it's cultural and social and psychological roots and it's many expressions some ugly, some passionate in such cutting edge, compelling short stories. I would recommend this to everyone. This is a collection that needs to be shared. We are living in 2021, we need to see this part of people's sense of self and identity represented in our literature.

Thank you to the editors R. O Kwon and Garth Greenwell, Simon & Schuster UK and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.5

This is a deliciously wicked gothic tale. Set in the late 1800s in Bath, this story follows Agnes Darken, a silhouette artist who finds herself embroiled in a murder mystery that scandalises the city. Everyone who seems to pose for one of Agnes's pieces starts to meet their untimely demise. Fearful that the murderer is trying to communicate with her, Agnes finds herself seeking answers from her dead relatives and former clients through the help of a medium, a 11 year old albino girl called Pearl.

This book packs a punch. A perfect read to be snuggled up with on the long cold nights of winter. It's atmospheric and ghostly and I love how the author plays around with big themes like loss and haunting's and seance's and the exploration of the afterlife in a gripping and propulsive way. It's creepy. It's gnarly. It's wonderful.

I can always rely on Laura Purcell to give me dark, twisty compelling reads to help me get through the bleak winter nights. I would highly recommend for people who enjoy reading gothic fiction.

Thanks to the author, Bloomsbury UK and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

There were a few clunky plot holes for me but I have forgiven this from the novel as it was such a fun and escapist read. This story follows DCI Kate Young, who is returning to work for the Staffordshire Police after taking some time off due to being first on scene to a traumatic murder spree on a train that left her devastated. Six months later and she thinks she's put the trauma behind her but ghosts from her past keep popping up. She is assigned to a case where victims seem to be murdered by enforced choking with an instrument and left tied up in their homes.

The further she dives into her new case the more the murder victims seem to connect to her past and the people in her life. Can she push through the pain of the past to find the answers? Who is killing these men and why?

Some bits of the novel (the structure) were organised in an over exaggerated fashion so that the plot twists were more than obvious by the time they were revealed. Also some red herrings were poorly executed and didn't work as they weren't convincing enough. That did irk me a little. But the set up of the murders was good and the links between the victims intriguing. I also enjoyed the switching of perspectives.

I am interested in seeing where this series goes as it left on a cliff hanger. I would like to see where the evolution and growth of the character of Kate Young goes.

Thank you to the author Carol Wyler, Thomas and Mercer and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

A 3.5 star read. This wasn't what I was expecting but I found the vignette style and the characters reflections and musings very intriguing. This story follows a female unnamed protagonist living in Italy who is reflecting on her life and her experiences. This story is constructed in the form of memories provided by the protagonist in a detached format. She tells the reader snippets of information or a series of anecdotes that help us build up a wider picture of the characters life.

This is not a plot heavy book, it's more a character study. This is also more a novella length than a full novel. This was translated by the author from Italian. The author wrote this story in Italian originally a few years ago.

I think it's a crisp and vibrant story with a similar style to popular fiction like Convenience Store Woman. I throughly enjoyed reading this story and found it was easy to fly through the pages as it's super short.

Thanks to the author Jhumpa Lahiri, Bloomsbury and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have just finished reading the historical note at the end of this book and I am astonished that this book is loosely based on a real voyage.

This story follows the journey of the Rajah,a Ship that sailed in the 1810s carrying hundreds of English female convicts to their new life in Tasmania. A group of 18 of those convicts selected by the Matron Kezia Hayter are invited to work on a coverlet that they will present to royalty when they dock in Tasmania. However when one of the lucky 18 is stabbed, the journey takes a sickening and dark turn.

This is historical fiction at its best. It's rooted in an actual factual voyage and some of the names of the characters are the same. But it also transcends the historical fiction genre with the who dunnit and why dunnit elements.

This novel is rich and expansive but not unnecessarily lengthy or stilted. I felt like this book gave me a lot as a reader and made me feel like I was viscerally in the story. The claustrophobia of the cabin, the smell of the lower decks, the tempestuous weather of the storms. I would highly recommend giving this book a go if your looking to pick up more historical fiction.

Thanks to the author Hope Adams, Penguin UK and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is an incredibly promising debut novel. I think if you love Sally Rooney's Normal People and compelling literary fiction, you will really enjoy this story. This story follows two young black artists, living in London and Dublin and documents the span of their relationship.

This book is understated and poetic and subtle. The language within this novel is stunning. While this book focuses on an intimate relationship between a man and a woman, this story is also a love letter to the black community. I loved the black cultural references of James Baldwin, Zadie Smith and Dizzee Rascal and how the author embeds these references into the character's very sense of self.

This book is especially poignant and powerful in this cultural moment with the Black Lives Matter movement in the UK and the US and the way this novel tackles the issue of police brutality was so raw and heartfelt. This story while slow in pace was constructed with care and deliberation and written with a great deal of talent. It is hard to clearly articulate this novel as it doesn't have a tangible plot but you can get lost in this world constructed by the words and the emotions evoked from the language.

If you are a reader who loves taking a deep dive into character's intimate relationships or you were really invested in Connell and Marianne's relationship in Normal People you must read this book!!

Thanks to the author Caleb Azumah Nelson, Penguin UK and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.