Audiobook review – The Little Sister

The Little Sister by Tracey Waples

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*** Audiobook ***

This was my first experience of a Tracey Waples story; it won’t be my last. With more twists than a helter-skelter, this was a most entertaining story to listen to. Soooo good!

Helen, grieving her husband’s untimely death, agrees to a holiday with her little sister, Mia. And why not? A change of scenery might do her the power of good. Until she wakes up with a splitting headache and a fuzzy memory of the previous evening. Given that Helen doesn’t drink, the reason for her headache is somewhat strange, but more bizarre is the later insinuation that not only had she been drunk, she’d driven them home that night too. As if that wasn’t bad enough, an accident occurred during that drive home and Helen looks to be guilty.

Yet, she really can’t remember anything, certainly not drinking alcohol. Her sister, Mia, however, confirms Helen was driving that night, and even if she can’t explain the drinking, Helen has to accept that she was responsible.
But, there’s something about Mia’s story that doesn’t add up. And those loose threads start to unravel. What is Mia hiding?

With many unexpected twists that will keep you enthralled, this story challenges the norm in regards to sibling relationships and pushes boundaries that you can’t believe. Clearly, not all sisters are “such devoted sisters” and in this case, one sister is definitely “doing things” for herself.

Great narration, easy to follow, and a superb plot. I’ll look out for more from this author.

As always,

Audiobook Review – Kill and Run by Lauren Carr

Kill and Run by Lauren Carr

Listening Length: 11 hours

Five women with seemingly nothing in common are found brutally murdered in a townhome outside Washington, DC. Among the many questions surrounding the massacre is what had brought these apparent strangers together only to be killed.

Taking on his first official murder case, Lieutenant Murphy Thornton, USN, believes that if he can uncover the thread connecting the victims, then he can find their murderer.

Before long, the case takes an unexpected turn when Murphy discovers that one of the victims has a connection to his stepmother, Homicide Detective Cameron Gates. One wintry night, over a dozen years before, her first husband, a Pennsylvania State trooper, had been run down while working a night shift on the turnpike.

In this first instalment of the Thorny Rose Mysteries, the Lovers in Crime join newlyweds Lieutenant Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday to sift through a web of lies and cover-ups. Together, can the detectives of the Thorny Rose uncover the truth without falling victim to a cunning killer?

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My thoughts

**Audiobook ** I received a free copy from the author for an honest review.

I previously listened to the second book in this series – A Fine Year to Murder (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show…) – and vowed then I’d check out book one. I’m so glad I did, but not because it filled any gaps rather simply because it was even more tense and dramatic and exciting… I could go on 🙂

So what did I like about it? Firstly, hats off to the narrator who made this such a great listening experience. Clear diction, perfect emotion, and superb character definition. Kudos to C.J. McAllister!
But, there’s the small matter of a great story too. Being familiar with Murphy and Jessica, it was easy to settle back and follow their journey. And what a journey it was.

Lieutenant Murphy Thornton takes on a case concerning the murder of five women in one house. Five women who share no common history except for one thing – they were joining forces to exact revenge on a man who raped them years before and got away with it every time. A man whose career in the military has seen him climb to the highest echelons of power, within breathing distance of The White House. Can it be possible that such a man could become the president’s advisor? They didn’t think he should be allowed such a privilege, yet someone else thinks differently and wants them out of the way so they cannot muddy the waters.

Murphy and Jessica (now a PI) and his father (Captain Josh Thornton) and new mother-in-law (Cameron Gates, also in law enforcement and with a personal interest in this case relating to her first husband) work together to find the murderer, not expecting the military connection at first, but then realising that greater forces are protecting the man at the centre of the case.
With fast-paced action (shootouts in a coffee shop, car chases – with potentially life-threatening consequences – and even a kidnapping), the story lurches from one drama to the next, making for a page-turning, hold your breath, kind of read. Interspersed with the action are lovely family scenes with the most incredible pets, and a subplot focusing on Izzy, the daughter of one of those five women.

It’s tense and heart-warming, and will raise all sorts of questions over the ability of those in power to control the outcome to their advantage. I’m so glad there are more in this series, and will be heading out to nab them right away.

As always,

Audiobook Review – A Fine Year for Murder by Lauren Carr

After ten months of marital bliss, Jessica Faraday and Murphy Thornton are still discovering and adjusting to their life together. Settled in their new home, everything appears to be perfect … except in the middle of the night when, in the darkest shadows of her subconscious, a deep secret from Jessica’s past creeps to the surface to make her strike out at Murphy.

When investigative journalist Dallas Walker tells the couple about her latest case, known as the Pine Bridge Massacre, they realize Jessica may have witnessed the murder of a family while visiting family at the winery near-by, and suppressed the memory.

Determined to uncover the truth and find justice for the murder victims, Jessica and Murphy return to the scene of the crime with Dallas Walker, a spunky bull-headed Texan. Can this family reunion bring closure for a community touched by tragedy or will this prickly get-together bring an end to the Thorny Rose couple?

My thoughts

A Fine Year for Murder by Lauren Carr

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I haven’t read the first in this series but I’m definitely going back to check it out even though this seems to stand alone.

Newly wed Jessica and Murphy have an unusual dilemma to solve: Jessica’s nightmares are causing her to hit, scratch and even bite him during her sleep – even on their honeymoon. The reason behind the nightmares relates to an incident Jessica witnessed several years before, the memories of which she has suppressed, though snippets of the incident – a murder – are coming back bit by bit.
After speaking to Dallas Walker, it seems that Jessica may have witnessed the Pine Bridge Massacre, a story Dallas (as an investigative reporter) is revisiting. They decide to return to the scene of the crime to see if, indeed, these memories of Jessica’s may hold the key to the mystery. Hopefully, if Jessica can get to the root of the problem causing her nightmares she will see an end to them too.
So, with Spencer (or is it Candy) the dog in tow, they head to Pine Ridge where very odd characters (I’m talking about you, cousin Celestino) and a haunting lady in white sees them dice with many dangers as they seek to solve the crime.
There are plenty of twists in this tale that throws the case up in the air several times and kept me listening long into the night. Another reason for my attentiveness has to be down to the great narrator who really brings everything to life and maintains a great pace of suspense and high stakes with some funny, light-hearted moments to balance things out.
A new-to-me author whose back catalogue I can’t wait to explore.

About the Author

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

As always,

Blog Tour – Under the Cloud (plus a giveaway – UK only)

Under The Cloud

They call themselves The Settlement Bureau. A faceless, soulless organization coercing Americans with threats to expose their improprieties and vulnerabilities. Inhumanely persistent, they’ve secretly driven hundreds of victims into bankruptcy, despair – and several even to suicide.

But when this organization tries to blackmail IT expert Terry Reynolds, they make a serious mistake. Terry is down on his luck. He is penniless, divorced and in a dead-end job. Yet, the abuse of his personal information stirs Terry out of his lethargy and he fights back. He embarks on a digital game of cat-and-mouse with the cold, calculating minds behind The Settlement Bureau – and in doing so, uncovers a sprawling criminal conspiracy.

Under The Cloud is a chillingly plausible new thriller by B.R. Erlank. With a plot ripped straight from the headlines, readers warn this book delivers a “roller coaster ride right up to the final pages.”

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3nH9JNa

Author Bio

Boris Erlank grew up in Southern Africa and Namibia. He has lived and worked in places as diverse as Luanda, Cape Town, Singapore and San Francisco. Boris recently gave up his job as Global Privacy Manager with a Fortune 100 company to focus on writing full-time.

He has an extensive background in IT, data privacy and cybersecurity, and has drawn on that experience to craft his latest novel, “Under the Cloud”.

Boris lives with his family and two dogs in the foothills of Mount Diablo, east of San Francisco. In his spare time, he likes to cycle, hike, sing in a choir, and listen to audiobooks.

Social Media Links

https://brerlank.wordpress.com

(2) Boris R Erlank | Facebook

(99+) Boris Erlank CIPM, CIPP/E, CIPP/US, FIP | LinkedIn

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*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter link below the above graphic.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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Blog Tour ‘n’ Book Review – The Santa Killer

The Santa Killer

The Santa Killer is coming to town…

One night less than two weeks before Christmas, a single mother is violently assaulted. It’s a brutal crime at the time of year when there should be goodwill to all. When DI Barton begins his investigation, he’s surprised to find the victim is a woman with nothing to hide and no reason for anyone to hurt her.

A few days later, the mother of the woman attacked rings the police station. Her granddaughter has drawn a shocking picture. It seems she was looking out of the window when her mother was attacked. And when her grandmother asks the young girl who the person with the weapon is, she whispers two words.

Bad Santa.

The rumours start spreading, and none of the city’s women feel safe – which one of them will be next?

He’s got a list. It’s quite precise. It won’t matter even if you’re nice.

https://amzn.to/3n7JMG5

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3n7JMG5

Author Bio

Ross Greenwood is the author of crime thrillers.

Before becoming a full-time writer he was most recently a prison officer and so worked everyday with murderers, rapists and thieves for four years.

He lives in Peterborough.

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RossGreenwoodAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/greenwoodross

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rossg555/

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/RossGreenwoodnews

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ross-greenwood

My Review

I haven’t read any of the previous books in this series but didn’t find it an issue at all, which considering this is book six goes to show how well the author presents his characters and their backstory.
A series of attacks on women points to a workplace issue, but the attacker is dressed as Santa which ties in with another investigation into threatening letters from Santa too. The letters suggest Santa has a list, but the attacks on these women skew the investigation.
DI Barton and his team have their hands full as the two Santa threads overlap, and just when they think they have the culprit there’s another twist to the tale.
Barton is a great character, and his home life features in this story as much as his working life. The blend is well done and highlights the stresses of his role and its impact on his family life.
For me, the story sagged in the middle with one of the threads, but it gathered pace for an ending that was well worth waiting for. 

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As always,

Blog Tour ‘n’ Book Review – The Lodger

The Lodger

She’s in your home…

Leigh Simons can’t say for sure what made her do it. A moment of madness, perhaps, but when the young, loud and gorgeous waitress at her favourite coffee shop reveals she is homeless, Leigh offers her the empty room in her house.

In your head…

Gina is the perfect lodger; Leigh, lonely and frustrated with her life, becomes infatuated with the woman – her boldness, her zeal. If only Leigh could be more like Gina…

And missing without trace.

So when Leigh returns from a work trip she’s shocked to find Gina missing. Where could the young woman have gone…and why?

Leigh fears that something terrible has happened – why else would Gina leave her?

But as she sets out to find her missing lodger, what Leigh discovers changes everything she knows about Gina….and her own life, too.

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3aPOkOg

Author Bio

Valerie Keogh is the internationally bestselling author of several psychological thrillers and crime series, most recently published by Bloodhound.

She originally comes from Dublin but now lives in Wiltshire and worked as a nurse for many years.

Her first thriller for Boldwood will be published in August 2022.

Social Media Links

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/2913036085376315

Twitterhttps://twitter.com/ValerieKeogh1

Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/valeriekeogh2/

Newsletter Sign Up:https://bit.ly/ValerieKeoghNews

Bookbub profile:https://www.bookbub.com/authors/valerie-keogh

My Review

The Lodger is a story that drags you into the plot, if only to scream and shout at the main character, Leigh, about so many things. She should have stood up to the creep at work and reported him sooner; she should have not let the boyfriend walk all over her …and she should never, never, never have taken in a lodger on a whim, no matter how kind of her it was to do so.

But that’s where we’re at now. Leigh has a lodger in Gina, a selfish boyfriend in Matt, and an anger management course to attend as a result of finally showing Bernard Ledbetter that his leery ways are not acceptable.
At this point, Gina seems to be the least of her problems. That is, until she returns from the anger management course to find Gina gone, clothes all packed up, and the briefest of notes saying, “I’m sorry.” Matt is in Salisbury where his teaching job is based, acting very oddly and cutting her phone calls short. So, Leigh returns to work to face Ledbetter, only to find he has not been in since she called him out, and everyone seems to have taken his side, blaming her for upsetting the ‘poor man’.
Is there any wonder she feels angry? She has so many unanswered questions: Why did Gina leave? Why is Matt being such a jerk? And why would anyone believe Ledbetter over her?

Things go from bad to worse when she hears movement in her house overnight, finds a disembodied hand in her garden, discovers Matt is lying to her about being at school, and questions are being raised about the missing Ledbetter.

So many twists, so many secrets … just when you believe one thing happened, along comes a swift change of direction to send you into another rabbit hole. If you don’t get giddy from all the twists, then are you even human? 😉

The Lodger is a fantastic thriller in the vein of “if it can go wrong, it will”. Leigh’s self-doubts and insecurities lead her to imagine all sorts of scenarios, and she feels that she’s being mocked for simply thinking those things could be possible. I think this phrase sums it up best:

Sometimes, the brain can overload, decide it’s not going to process anything else. And so it was with Leigh. This last week was the end of her capability.

Getting to the truth is complicated as there are so many layers to peel back, yet Leigh is left with a dilemma –to do the right thing or take the easy way out. Her decision might surprise you, but it will leave you believing in the ability to turn your life around … and if it means wearing more purple, then so be it.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and now I’ve learnt she has a vast back catalogue that I’m going to check out.

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Blog Tour ‘n’ Book Review – The Murder List

The Murder List

When Mary receives a blank diary as a present, she thinks nothing of it. Until she opens the diary, and sees it’s not blank after all…

1st January MURDER LISA, OXFORD
1st February MURDER JANE, BIRMINGHAM
1st March MURDER DAVID, CARDIFF
1st April MURDER MARY, CHELTENHAM

Is this some kind of sick joke? But…it’s the end of January now. And a woman named Lisa was murdered in Oxford on 1st January.

Does that mean there really is a killer out there, planning to commit a new murder on the first of each month? And is the Mary due to be killed on 1st April her?

The clock is ticking for Mary to uncover the truth, before she becomes the next victim on the killer’s list…

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Murder-List-incredible-psychological-bestselling-ebook/dp/B09KZ9FR2T

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Murder-List-incredible-psychological-bestselling-ebook/dp/B09KZ9FR2T

US – https://www.amazon.com/Murder-List-incredible-psychological-bestselling-ebook/dp/B09KZ9FR2T

Author Bio

Jackie Kabler is an internationally bestselling author of psychological thrillers including The Perfect Couple, Am I Guilty? and The Happy Family. She worked as a newspaper reporter and then in television news for twenty years, including nearly a decade on GMTV. She later appeared on BBC and ITV news, presented a property show for Sky, hosted sports shows on Setanta Sports News and worked as a media trainer for the Armed Forces. She now combines her crime writing with her job as a presenter on shopping channel QVC. Jackie lives in Gloucestershire with her husband.

Social Media Links

Twitter @jackiekabler

Instagram @officialjackiekabler

My Review

Mary Ellis is a journalist / crime writer who prefers to work from rented office space – The Hub – with other self employed people. Her father was a famous crime novelist who died in a house fire that also killed Mary’s best friend, and left Mary scarred both mentally and physically, although thanks to her grandmother she has received the best care to heal her wounds.
The story begins with the Christmas holidays about to begin and Mary is home with her best friend and housemate, Pete Chong. After New Year, Mary begins the task of clearing out things for the charity shop and finds an unopened gift she’d been given – a diary – which she assumes came from one of the publishing companies she works with. She looks for a sign as to who it is from and finds the disturbing reference to the murder of someone called Lisa in Oxford on Jan 1st. The date has already passed, and to make it more disturbing the TV news is covering the murder of a woman named Lisa on New Year’s Day in the city of Oxford. Further entries – each a month apart – suggest more victims, including one called Mary on Apr 1st in Cheltenham – where she now lives.
She has to tell the police. Will they take her seriously? Might they even suspect her?
Well, the answers are in the book …

The premise of this pulled me right in and it was compelling reading throughout.
What if Mary hadn’t read the diary before she planned to donate it to the charity shop? There were so many ways in which this story could have collapsed and not been as twisted or surprising as it was, yet the author had it all under control, even throwing out spurious red herrings like confetti. But, boy, was it engaging and hugely addictive. No wonder so many characters came under suspicion. As a reader, I formed an opinion early on, but my ideas were soon quashed when along came Mary’s big secret – could she really use it to thwart the killer come April 1st? It was difficult to imagine how that scene would unfurl, but it did … and it was completely out of the blue. Kudos to Ms Kabler for a fabulously suspenseful read.

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As always,

Book Tour – Future Skinny (plus giveaway)

Today is my stop on the Future Skinny tour! Check out this gripping psychological thriller and enter the giveaway for a chance to win one of five audio editions of the book!

Future Skinny Publication Date: May 24th, 2022

Genre: Psychological Thriller/ Suspense

TW: Body Dysmorphia/ Addiction

Casey Banks is a devoutly anorexic man who discovers he can see the future by binge-eating. His new plan? Perform visions for cash while staying thin by any means necessary. Reading futures proves to be lucrative, but when he ignores a vision of his girlfriend committing a grisly murder, it sets Casey on a dangerous path toward a destiny he’ll do anything to avoid.

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Excerpt

There he is.

The hotel room is dim, but Casey isn’t hard to find.

His body is a beacon of desperate protest underneath a forgiving silk tee. Bone thin. Skin bagging from every corner of his six-foot frame. A good guess would be one-hundred and twenty pounds. He has more hair, just not on his head. Fuzzy wisps of keratin on his arms and thick on the nape of his neck. Inky around the eyes, a dire pigmentation that frames the focus he is straining to hold on the stranger at the other end of the makeshift dining table.

Casey is binge-reading still, and by the look of him, he has been binge-reading far too often.

The spread between the two men is huge, was huge, most of the food has already been eaten.

The client’s eyes are wide but unmoved by the brittle hands Casey is using in lieu of utensils. The fingers clutching each next bite are topped with nail beds of blue. The knuckles on his index and middle are callused to the point of deformity. This client’s indifference is nothing new. Like all customers, he is there to hear his future. It has never mattered how the pig is slaughtered so long as the bacon tastes good.

Lylian is there too. She hasn’t left Casey yet, though their age difference looks as if it’s somehow doubled. Longer hair now, green eyes still bright, the only authentic shines in the room. Her arms are firmly folded atop a roadblock stance halfway between the client and the front door. At her size, her posture is hardly intimidating, but for someone so small, she can explode big.

The air stinks. It isn’t just the food. Beyond cooling grease and the chemically crafted scents of take-out littered about the table, the odors turn human quick. Inhale like you mean it and you can smell the sin. A half-century’s worth of intimacy baking in the manufactured heat of the room’s lone window unit.

The repugnant bouquet is married to the chomp, smack, and slurp of Casey’s consumption. He is eating hard. He is swallowing fast. Wet. In fact, everything feels wet. Rooms like this one have a squish to them that is everlasting. Stray spit won’t make much difference.

The bathroom door behind Casey is open. For now, the smell of upchuck is faint, maybe imagined. There is a beige sink, a matching toilet, and a poky little tub with a basin too small for anyone un-elfin. Any of the three are good for vomit. If Casey were to make sick prematurely, the carpet underfoot would hide it well: it’s a synthetic jumble of colors expertly designed to disappear manmade soils. Casey has a twenty-three-gallon Rubbermaid imitation at his side, just in case. Its corner-store price tag hasn’t been removed. Accidents happen. The only thing closer to Casey than this emergency bin are his and Lylian’s bug-out bags.

The client begins to fidget, he can’t keep his focus on the spectacle in front of him. He looks to the television, then to the table lamp, then back to the black screen of the TV. He actively works at fixating on anything that isn’t the redundancy of Casey eating and eating. There isn’t much to distract a person in this by-the-hour room. Perhaps inadvertently, he lands his gaze on the open black duffle at the end of the bed. The stacks of money define the bag’s canvas. The stranger’s attention sits on the opportunity, hanging there just long enough to visibly concern Lylian.

It starts with a twitch. Her arms uncross and she takes one step forward. Her eyes reach for Casey, but he is lost in his gorge, oblivious to Lylian’s subtle just-in-case preparations.

This client could be one of David’s thugs. Then again, any human being could: all ethnicities, a child, a senior citizen, religious or agnostic. David is an equal opportunity criminal, a true champion of diversity in the workplace.

Lylian puts a hand on the table lamp, wraps her fingers around its base. If this stranger decides to go rogue, she has all she needs to bash the back of his skull.

There is a mumble. It’s enough to break the client’s fixation on the bag of cash. He looks back to Casey, but Lylian remains committed.

“Did you say something’?” the client asks, the words passing through what is left of his jagged, flaxen teeth.

Casey struggles to form a comprehensible answer. His response works its way around the saliva-soaked mass he hasn’t stopped chewing. “How will the world know you?” he repeats.

“Are you askin’ me? You should be telling me.”

The loss of confidence in the client’s voice doesn’t go unnoticed by Lylian. Her grip tightens on the lamp’s base.

With his eyes shut tight, Casey goes adrift on his own question. He silently mouths it a few more times. Then, through quivering lips, he repeats it aloud, changing just the last word.

“How will the world know me?”

Available on Amazon

About the Author

Peter Rosch is what happens when a Polish drag-racing varsity bowler and a beautiful, but über paranoid, French Canadian Air Force brat get together on a disco dance floor in glorious Albuquerque, NM. An award-winning writer whose decades in advertising, music, and film introduced him to more than a few bad habits. He hopes it wasn’t for naught. Kirkus called his first novel, My Dead Friend Sarah, “a gripping story” in which “Rosch skillfully renders a unique story of a missing woman.”

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Not one but two cover reveals: What Lies Beneath & The Prodigal Mother

What Lies Beneath

Grieving father Joe Irons wants nothing but justice following daughter Lydia’s abduction and murder. But when police release prime suspect David Calderwood due to a lack of evidence, Joe feels compelled to act. In the dead of night he weighs up the moral implications of whether doing a bad thing for a good reason is justifiable. With Calderwood abducted and imprisoned in a cell beneath the stairs, Joe intends to obtain a confession no matter the cost.

When Joe learns that another child has been taken, he’s certain David is involved, and is in a race against time to break his prisoner, but wanting to hurt someone isn’t the same as physically doing it.

Invading David’s home, Joe begins to piece together how his captive thinks, picking up the investigation the police have left open. With a child’s life hanging in the balance, will Joe have what it takes to find the truth?

WHAT LIES BENEATH is an adrenaline-fuelled, high concept thriller that will appeal to fans of Adrian McKinty’s The Chain, and CJ Tudor’s The Other People.

What Lies Beneath

Pre-order Links 

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B0057HQTHE

US – https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B0057HQTHE 

Publication Date – 6^th June

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The Prodigal Mother

Five years ago, Abbie’s son Josh died during delivery. It’s taken this long for her and husband Mark to even think about trying to restart their family. Now eight months pregnant, Abbie won’t dare dream of a happy ending in case it is snatched away again.

When a stranger tells Abbie that Josh was switched at the hospital and is living under a new identity, Abbie desperately wants to believe it’s a second chance, but Mark isn’t as easily convinced, especially when the stranger’s mental health issues come to light. 

Abbie can’t find Josh without the stranger’s help, but she can’t risk the life of the child she is carrying. And she doesn’t know how far Josh’s new family will go to keep their secret buried.

Told at a breakneck pace, and with twists on every page THE PRODIGAL MOTHER is a gripping psychological suspense, perfect for fans of CL Taylor, Louise Jensen, and CJ Tudor.

The Prodigal Mother

Pre-order Links –

UK –  https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09VMB4H59/

US – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09VMB4H59/ 

Publication Date – 5^th September

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Author Bio

Stephen Edger is the Amazon bestselling author of psychological and crime thrillers, including Snatched, and the Kate Matthews series. Born in the north-east of England, he now lives in Southampton where most of his stories are set, allowing him to use his insider knowledge to deliver realistic and unsettling suspense on every page.

Away from writing, Stephen loves to read anything that will keep him awake at night. He’s also a passionate advocate for contemporary cinema and binge-watching the latest offerings from streaming services. He is married with a son and a daughter, and two dogs.

Social Media Links – www.facebook.com/AuthorStephenEdger 

https://twitter.com/StephenEdger

www.stephenedger.com 

As always,

Book Review – The Lucky Eight

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57883305-the-lucky-eight

When the plane crashed, 160 people perished. Now someone is killing off the survivors.

Five years ago, a horrific airline disaster made headlines around the world. On the anniversary of the fatal crash, a number of those who were spared gather to mark the occasion. By morning, Nick Gilbert, a celebrity chef and one of the party, lies dead. Detective Rachel Lewis leads the investigation and within days another survivor is stabbed to death. It seems certain that a killer is targeting the lucky eight.

Clodagh Kinsella recovered from the injuries she sustained in the crash, but lost her sister that day. The bereavement shared by Clodagh and her sister’s husband led them to a romance of their own. Yet lately, Clodagh knows something isn’t right. As the noose tightens on the group and Rachel comes across more questions than answers, it’s only a matter of time before Clodagh will have to face the consequences of a mistake she made before the plane went down…

A tense and gripping crime thriller, perfect for fans of Lesley Kara and Mari Hannah.

My Review

Can you imagine surviving a plan crash that has killed 160 people? Such is the position for the eight who do just that, and who are then dubbed “The Lucky Eight” from that point onwards. Each of them lost a loved one that day, as well as incurring life-changing injuries, if not physical then the mental and emotional strain would be immense. That crash changed their lives, and with it came a lot of guilt for having survived.

Each year, they gather together to honour those who died and to support each other going forward. It’s not been easy for any of them, but some are struggling more than others.

Clodagh Kinsella lost her sister that day, and also suffers from a lapse in memory of a few hours of that day, hours in which she feels instinctively that something important happened. Now, living with her sister’s husband, those niggles are more apparent than ever. It is she who finds the dead body of victim number one, a man who had texted her because he had something to tell her, and now she’ll never know what he had to say. Was it about those missing hours? Did he know something?

For someone supposedly called “lucky”, poor Clodagh would dispute that claim, especially when she finds a second body, also from a fellow survivor who had texted her with something important to tell her. Now both people who wanted to tell her something are dead, and she is reliving those moments over and over, catching mere glimpses of memory but, frustratedly, not enough to make any sense. Why were Nick and Tara killed? Will she be next? Or is she to blame? These are the questions that now haunt her as her relationship falls apart – as if she didn’t have enough to worry about.

Leading the investigation, and in charge of a major case for the first time, is Rachel Lewis. She doubts herself, and worries she’s not up to the job, despite her team having the utmost confidence in her. As she and her officers unravel the clues, they are led in many directions and under significant pressure to close the case. At one point, they seem to have the culprit in custody, but something doesn’t feel right about it. Rachel has to trust her instincts to catch the killer before another of The Lucky Eight becomes victim number three.

This is a page-turning read with many twists along the way. The main characters are well fleshed out and the reader gets to know them quite well and, in so doing, wants them to succeed. There’s one bugbear for me, and that is being told so many times that there’s “something important” for Clodagh to know, and then for that snippet of information to be unforthcoming at every opportunity – that felt a little convenient for the plot rather than a natural consequence of the story. Whether this annoying drip, drip of info made me purposely look elsewhere for the killer, I don’t know, but I did work it out early on.

Even so, it’s a well-paced read that quickly becomes hard to put down.

As always,