#TheBirthday by Carol Wyer #BookReview @carolewyer @Bookouture

 

Today I’m sharing my review for The Birthday by Carol Wyer, this is the first book in a new crime series and I have to say I think it has the makings of a cracking series. Read on for my thoughts but firstly the book description….

 

One hot summer’s afternoon, five-year-old Ava Sawyer went to a party. She never came home…

When five-year-old Ava Sawyer goes missing from a birthday party at a local garden centre, the police are bewildered by the lack of leads. That is until two years later, when Ava’s body is found and another little girl, Audrey Briggs, goes missing. Audrey also attended that party …

Leading the investigation is Detective Natalie Ward . A mother of two teenagers, this case chills her to the bone, and is a disturbing reminder of the last job she worked on. One that ended very badly.

Natalie soon discovers that Ava’s mother has some worrying gaps in her alibi and as she digs deeper, she’s sure Ava’s father is not telling the full story. And what did the owner of the garden centre Elsa see that day? Something that she’s not telling Natalie …

Just as Natalie is facing up to the grim possibility that Ava and Audrey were killed by someone close to home, another little girl from the party doesn’t come home from her ballet lesson. Can Natalie find a way to stop this killer before more innocent lives are taken?

I’m not sure about you but I can always tell how much I enjoy a book by how many excuses I come up with to get out of doing things just so I can carry on reading, I came up with a few ingenious ones whilst reading The Birthday by Carol Wyer let me tell you! This is the first book in a new crime series featuring Detective Natalie Ward. The story starts when five-year old Ava goes missing during a birthday party. Two years later, her body is found and Natalie Ward finds herself leading an investigation that is both disturbing and emotionally draining. Although subject isn’t an original one by any means, the author makes it her own with a nail biting story line.

Books that deal with the murder of children make for a disquieting read and I always find that there is a fine balance between writing a good story and writing one that sets out to shock the reader. I feel the author balanced an alarming subject by showing sensitivity when describing the crimes. Natalie Ward like all fictional detectives has her own fair share of problems some more intriguing than others, but never the less I’m excited to see how her character develops alongside the rest of her team. I do enjoy a book that features dual timelines especially when they move seamlessly between the two,  and I have to say the author has done a superb job, the book moves between the murder investigation and the disturbing and troubling story of a young boy. As to the “how or why” the two are connected, my lips are firmly sealed. 

The plot slows down by the half way mark, but this is where The Birthday gets very interesting to say the least, the ongoing police investigation is incredibly frustrating not only for Natalie but for the reader too, as you try to piece the clues together, the author’s throws in some very fishy red herrings, there are several suspects who raise suspicion and as a reader you are kept guessing as to who is responsible. There is nothing more satisfying than a crime thriller where the reader feels very much part of the investigation it adds to the overall tension and suspense. I really enjoyed The Birthday and if the first book is anything to go by this has the makings of a cracking series, well written and fraught with tension, it’s one I would highly recommend to crime thriller lovers.

• Print Length: 316 pages
• Publisher: Bookouture (27 Sept. 2018)

Links:  Amazon UK 🇬🇧   Amazon US 🇺🇸

The Fear by C.L. Taylor #BookReview #Mustreads2018 @AvonBooksUK @callytaylor

If you are looking for a dark and twisted thriller, I may just have the book for you. The Fear by C.L.Taylor was published by Avon on the 22nd March 2018, read on for my thoughts…

Book description

When Lou Wandsworth ran away to France with her teacher Mike Hughes, she thought he 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…

There are a handful of authors books I would happily pick up without reading the book description and C.L. Taylor is one of them, she has the ability to turn a well used subject in fiction and turn it into the most twisted and extraordinary tale. The Fear is no different, Shocking, compelling, fraught with tension and guaranteed to keep you turning the pages as if your life depended on it.

Anyone who is a parent with a teenage girl will immediately be struck by a sense of unease when they pick up this book as it deals with the uncomfortable subject of a grooming, although it’s very much part of the plot it never felt unjustified and the author shows a great deal of sympathy and understanding towards the victims. Told from three POV Lou, teenager Chloe and the mysterious Wendy the author has an uncanny knack of breathing life into her characters so much so you feel their emotions and their pain but most importantly they are very credible. Lou and Chloe both take the same path, and “fall in love” with a predator, they are each at different points in their life, and yet they still share so many of the same emotions guilt, hatred and fear to name but a few.

Another character who deserves a mention is Mike how I detested him, he literally made my skin crawl. Poor Lou and Chloe both starved of affection and desperate for attention as children made them the perfect “victims” for Mike. It makes you realise how driven and manipulating pedophiles are in their pursuit of their prey, and how vulnerable girls are drawn into harmful relationships. What made this book an original read were the different characters perspectives of their relationship with Mike and the exploration of the after-mass of such damaging relationships and the complex emotions involved.

The second half of the book takes an ominous turn and I’m sure some readers may find this part of the book “far fetched” I just thought “who knows what we would do if we found ourself in a similar dilemma” so I was happy to go along with the direction C.L. Taylor took The Fear. The telling of Lou and Chloe’s story is imaginative, compelling and shocking, it’s a story that those who enjoy a book with moral dilemmas will find thought provoking, but at the same time a highly engrossing read. Highly recommended.

Buying link:   Amazon UK 🇬🇧

Print Length: 400 pages

Publisher: Avon (22 Mar. 2018)

 

 

The Missing Girls by Carol Wyer #BookReview @carolewyer @Bookouture

Book description

One girl found dead. Another girl gone…

Long shadows danced on the tin walls. Inside the trunk lay Carrie Miller, wrapped in plastic, arms folded across her ribcage, lips sealed tight forever…

When, a girl’s body is found at a Midlands storage unit, it is too decomposed for Detective Robyn Carter to read the signs left by the killer.

No one knows the woman in blue who rented the unit; her hire van can’t be traced. But as the leads run dry another body is uncovered. This time the killer’s distinctive mark is plain to see, and matching scratches on the first victim’s skeleton make Robyn suspect she’s searching for a serial killer.

As Robyn closes in on the killer’s shocking hunting ground, another girl goes missing, and this time it’s someone close to her own heart.

Robyn can’t lose another loved one. Can she find the sickest individual she has ever faced, before it’s too late?

My review

I lost my reading mojo this week and picked up two books unfortunately neither of them gripped me and I put them to one side. So as I loved the previous two books in the Detective Robyn Carter series I decided to read The Missing Girls. Although I wasn’t even sure if Carol Wyer could help me find my missing mojo (huge apologies to the author for doubting her) but OMG after reading one very disturbing and chilling chapter I was hooked, so after I kicking myself a few times for not reading this book before now I literally dived in and I wouldn’t have put The Missing Girls down for love or money.

I’m not going to go to rehash the plot details as all you need to know is in the book description, but I will say it’s a hell of a read and a gripping one to boot.
Carol Wyer writes in such away you feel you are there amid the investigation from the pathologist investigation where you learn more about the forensics to DI Robyn Carter and her team piecing the pieces of an intricate puzzle together, you can’t but help but look for clues alongside the team. By becoming so involved in the plot I felt a sense of urgency to find the answers before another girl went missing.

DI Robyn Carter is part of the reason I love this series so much, unlike many fictionally Detectives she’s relatively normal and not your typical stereotype she’s not brash and reckless, doesn’t appear to personality problems, or constantly have issues with her superiors, but all the same she’s an intriguing character. Very much like a real life investigation The Missing Girls is fast paced, with plenty to keep the reader engaged. The chapters told from The Missing Girls sent shivers down my spine, there is a constant undertone of foreboding that radiates from these pages, you sense their fear, distress and confusion as their captor toils with them.

Carol Wyers writing goes from strength to strength as does the DI Robyn Carter series. So many crime book series start off so well, but loose there way after the first couple of books, but that’s not the case here in fact each book in this series leaves you desperate for more, especially this one but I’m not going to say why and spoil the read for others. The Missing Girls is a crime thriller that will keep you reading long into the night, as I pretty much found I just had to read “one my chapter” and a dozen chapters later I was still reading. It sounds cliched but this is undoubtedly the best book in the series yet, and a crime book/series I would highly recommend.

Buying links:  Amazon UK 🇬🇧     Amazon US 🇺🇸

Print Length: 392 pages

Publisher: Bookouture (14 Sept. 2017)

 

**Blog Tour** Secrets Of The Dead by Carol Wyer #BookReview @carolewyer @Bookouture

Today I’m thrilled to be one of the stops on The Secrets Of The Dead by Carol Wyer blog tour. Although this is the second book in the DI Robyn Carter series, it can easily be read as a standalone.

The Secrets Of The Dead is published by one of my favourite publishers Bookouture and it’s already been published so you don’t even have to wait to get your hands on a copy just pop over to Amazon and “click” but don’t forget to read my review first 😂

Book description

Three murders. Three innocent victims. What secrets did they share with their killer?
A bottle of bubble bath and colourful, plastic boats were scattered in small puddles on the floor. In the bathtub lay Linda Upton, fully-clothed, her lips a shade of blue, and her bloodshot eyes wide open.

When a young mother is found drowned in the bath, clutching a receipt saying ‘all debts paid’, Detective Robyn Carter knows it’s just the beginning of a harrowing case. She recognises the signs of a serial killer, and when a second victim with a receipt is found, her worst fears are confirmed.

With the local press whipping the public into a frenzy, Robyn is under pressure to solve the crime yesterday. But her team can’t find a link between the two bodies, and the cracks are starting to show.

Just when her leads have dried up, Robyn discovers an unsettling clue she thinks could unlock the case. But as she chases across the plush carpets and manicured lawns of the wealthy elite, honing in on the killer’s shocking motive, one of her own is put in terrible danger.
The press call him The Leopard for his stealth, speed and brutality. Can Robyn stop the most twisted killer of her career before it’s too late?

Carol Wyer is fast becoming one one of my “go to” crime authors when I need my crime fiction fix. Ever since I read her debut crime thriller Little Girl Lost  I’ve been eager to see what she would produce next, and I’m thrilled to report Secrets Of The Dead is even better than the first book in the Detective Robyn Carter series. This book can be read as a standalone but I would highly recommend you read both books in the series just because they are both so damn good.

Secrets Of The Dead reminded me very much of a classic whodunnit where the body count rises at an alarming rate and you are never quite sure who the next victims going to be. I’m not going to go into plot details as everything you need to know is in the book description, but I will say this book makes for a heart pounding read.

Detective Robyn Carter Is back she’s dogmatic, doesn’t listen to reason, she’s ballsy, daring and resourceful all the things you would expect from a fictional detective. As the case becomes more complex, and Robyn doesn’t appear to be getting any closer to catching the killer she begins to doubt her own ability to solve the case, which highlights the more sensitive side to her character.

As to the Killer I did feel some sympathy towards them, talk about damaged! They really did have major issues, especially as you learnt more about their reasons for killing, and how it all began. The author depicts how stalking and obsession can begin,  an innocent comment, a chance meeting can soon become something very dark and sinister. By dedicating chapters to the killer the author shows how an innocent first meeting can become an all consuming obsession, which made for a spine chilling read.

I do love Carol Wyer’s style of writing it’s sharp and to the point so from the opening chapter she grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let you out her clutches until the “heart in the mouth” last thrilling chapter. Although I wouldn’t consider Secrets Of The Dead to be a complex plot, there are enough thrills and chills to keep the most hardened crime thriller reading late in to the night.

Paperback: 314 pages

Publisher: Bookouture 30th May 2017

Amazon UK 🇬🇧      Amazon US 🇺🇸

As a child Carol Wyer was always moving, and relied on humour to fit in at new schools. A funny short story won her popularity, planting the seed of becoming a writer. Her career spans dry cleaning, running a language teaching company, and boxercise coaching. Now writing full-time, Carol has several books published by Safkhet and journalism in many magazines.

Carol won The People’s Book Prize Award for non-fiction (2015), and can sometimes be found performing her stand-up comedy routine Laugh While You Still Have Teeth.

Links:

http://www.carolewyer.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolEWyer

Twitter: @carolewyer

**Weekly Wrap Up**

Oh woe me 😢😢 I have read zilch this week! What sort of book blogger does that make me? I would say a pretty rubbish one. I have had a very stressful week, basically I started a new job I managed eight shifts and resigned! Never in my 33 years of working have I ever walked away from a job, I won’t go into details but it’s suffice to say it wasn’t for me! But on the upside I’ve got an interview on Monday for another job (I don’t hang about), so fingers crossed. Hopefully I will get to read at least one book next week or I will have to rename my blog The lots of books but no reviews café 

ARC’s I received this week

Despite not reading anything I still managed to find myself on the dreaded NetGalley and got improved for Four books 🙈🙈

 

Description
Lori Golden’s family have had more than their fair share of troubles. But through it all, Lori and her sister, Jessie, have always supported each other. Then Jessie is killed. And Lori’s world turns upside down.

Devastated, Lori struggles to cope with her loss, and to learn to live in a world without her bright, bubbly sister by her side. Around her, her already fractured family start to fall apart. And, as Lori and her mother try to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives, secrets long thought buried are coming painfully to light.

Faced with the unthinkable, Lori is forced to ask herself how well she really knows those who are left behind…

 

Description

DCI Matilda Darke is the perfect heroine’ Elly Griffiths The third book in Michael Wood’s darkly compelling crime series featuring DCI Matilda Darke. Perfect for fans of Stuart MacBride, Mark Billingham and Val McDermid. Feared by the people of Sheffield, Starling House is home to some of Britain’s deadliest teenagers, still too young for prison.

Now the building’s latest arrival, Ryan Asher, has been found brutally murdered – stabbed twelve times, left in a pool of blood. When DCI Matilda Darke and her team investigate, they uncover the secrets of a house tainted by evil. Kate Moloney, the prison’s manager, is falling apart, the security system has been sabotaged, and neither the staff nor the inmates can be trusted. There’s only one person Matilda believes is innocent, and he’s facing prison for the rest of his life. With time running out, she must solve the unsolvable to save a young man from his fate. And find a murderer in a house full of killers…

 

Description

The battle is on…

When gang leader Paddy O’Brien is stabbed in his brother’s famous nightclub, Manchester’s criminal underworld is shaken to the core. Tensions are running high, and as the body count begins to grow, the O’Brien family must face a tough decision – sell their side of the city to the infamous Boddlington gang or stick it out and risk losing their king.

But war comes easy to the bad boys, and they won’t go down without a fight. So begins a fierce battle for the South Side, with the leading Manchester gangsters taking the law into their own hands – but only the strongest will survive…

 

Description

A daughter’s secret. A mother’s betrayal.

Every mother knows never to let their child out of their sight. But Freya has been distracted recently, and now her teenage daughter, Zoe, is missing.

Freya knows that the only way to bring Zoe back is to tell the truth, but when your whole life is built on secrets and lies, the truth could destroy everything.

Surely there’s no harm in telling just one more little white lie?

Description

1970s London has stopped swinging, but it’s not staying still.

Babs thought she had all the world ahead of her. Then she got pregnant and the father did a runner.

Salvation comes in the form of a man who’ll look after her. Or so she thinks.

But Stan Miller is the devil in disguise…and over the next twenty years, Babs will have reason to regret she ever met him. Can she protect her family – or will he get the better of her?

BLOOD MOTHER is the second thrilling book in the Flesh and Blood series, capturing a world very different from today but where some things still hold true: be careful what you wish for, and watch out for who you trust…

Books I bought this week

I only bought one book this week and despite my long suffering husband Andy offering to buy me some books to cheer me up when we went shopping, I actually looked but didn’t buy any, see I do have some self control, by the way Andy bought me some flowers to cheer me up instead, it may sound corny but he really is the best husband, well he’s got to be he’s put up with me for 29 years 😂😂

 

Description

In the summer of 2006, Emma Price watched helplessly as her six-year-old son’s red coat was fished out of the River Ouse. It was the tragic story of the year – a little boy, Aiden, wandered away from school during a terrible flood, fell into the river, and drowned.

His body was never recovered.

Ten years later, Emma has finally rediscovered the joy in life. She’s married, pregnant, and in control again…

… until Aiden returns.

Too traumatized to speak, he raises endless questions and answers none. Only his body tells the story of his decade-long disappearance. The historic broken bones and injuries cast a mere glimpse into the horrors Aiden has experienced. Aiden never drowned. Aiden was taken.

As Emma attempts to reconnect with her now teenage son, she must unmask the monster who took him away from her. But who, in their tiny village, could be capable of such a crime?

It’s Aiden who has the answers, but he cannot tell the unspeakable.

This dark and disturbing psychological novel will appeal to fans of The Widow and The Butterfly Garden.

Last week on the book review café

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/01/29/blog-tour-behind-her-eyes-by-sarah-pinborough-authorinterview-review-sarahpinborough-wtfthatending/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/01/27/tattletale-by-sarah-j-naughton-review/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/01/26/topfivethursday-with-bookblogger-noelle-holten-aka-crimebookjunkie-eeeek/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/01/24/blog-tour-little-girl-missing-by-carol-wyer-bookouture-carolewyer/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/01/23/blink-by-k-l-slater-review-kimlslater-bookouture/

Next week on the book review café

The Breakdown by B A Paris review

My Book of the month

Don’t Look Behind You by Mel Sherratt blog tour

The Day That never Comes by Caimh McDonnell blog tour

**Weekly Wrap Up**

Oh dear oh dear! It’s been a shocking week for reading this week, I just managed to read one whole book, I’ve been so tired I’ve struggled to concentrate on anything 😢😢. Mind you it was a fab read and one I would highly recommend I won’t be sharing my review quite yet as I’m saving it for the blog tour early next month.

Books I Bought this week

 

The complete Fathers Of Lies series by S E England 

This series had been on my radar for ages but when I spotted fellow book blogger Sarah Hardy all the books in the series were on special offer for £3.00 how could I resist?

 

BOOK 1 – FATHER OF LIES

Ruby is the most violently disturbed patient ever admitted to Drummersgate Asylum, high on the bleak moors of northern England. With no improvement after two years, Dr. Jack McGowan finally decides to take a risk and hypnotises her. With terrifying consequences.
A horrific dark force is now unleashed on the entire medical team, as each in turn attempts to unlock Ruby’s shocking and sinister past. Who is this girl? And how did she manage to survive such unimaginable evil? Set in a desolate ex-mining village, where secrets are tightly kept and intruders hounded out, their questions soon lead to a haunted mill, the heart of darkness…and The Father of Lies.’

BOOK 2 – TANNERS DELL

Following the hypnosis of violently disturbed psychiatric patient, Ruby Dean, an unholy dark force was unleashed on the medical staff who tried to help her. Now only one of the original team remains – Ward Sister, Becky.
Despite her fiancé, D.I. Ross, being unconscious and many of her colleagues either dead or critically ill, Becky is determined to rescue Ruby’s twelve year old daughter from a similar fate to her mother. But no one asking questions in the desolate mining village Ruby descends from ever comes to a good end. And as the diabolical history of the area is gradually revealed, it seems the evil invoked is now both real and contagious.’

BOOK 3 – MAGDA

‘The dark and twisted community of Woodsend harbours a terrible secret – one tracing back to the age of the Elizabethan witch hunts, when many innocent women were persecuted and hanged.
But there is a far deeper vein of horror running through this village; an evil that once invoked has no intention of relinquishing its grip on the modern world. Rather it watches and waits with a focused intelligence, leaving Ward Sister, Becky, and Police Officer, Toby, constantly checking over their shoulders and jumping at shadows.
Just who invited in this malevolent presence? And is the demonic woman who possessed Magda back in the sixteenth century, the same one now gazing at Becky whenever she looks in the mirror?
You may need to sleep with the lights on after reading this…Are you ready to meet Magda in this final instalment to the trilogy? Are you sure?’

I also pre-ordered these two little beauty’s, I love both of these series so can’t wait to read them .

Right Behind You by Lisa Gardner

The Caller by Chris Carter 

ARC’s I received this week

I made the fatal mistake of browsing NetGalley OMG there are so many books that I soooo need to read! But I was pleased that I showed some constraint and only requested THREE books unfortunately or fortunately which ever way you choose to look at it, I got accepted for all of them 🙈 I think it’s safe to say my self imposed NetGalley ban has well and truly been broken.

Book description

Laura has it all. A successful career, a long marriage to a rich husband, and a twenty-three year-old son, Daniel, who is kind, handsome, and talented. Then Daniel meets Cherry. Cherry is young, beautiful and smart but she hasn’t had the same opportunities as Daniel. And she wants Laura’s life. Cherry comes to the family wide-eyed and wants to be welcomed with open arms, but Laura suspects she’s not all that she seems. When tragedy strikes, an unforgiveable lie is told. It is an act of desperation, but the fall-out will change their lives forever.

Book description

My name is Amber Reynolds. There are three things you should know about me:

1. I’m in a coma.
2. My husband doesn’t love me anymore.
3. Sometimes I lie.

Unnerving, twisted and utterly compelling, you won’t be able to put this new thriller down. Set to be the most talked about book in 2017, it’s perfect for fans of Behind Closed Doors, The Girl on the Train and The Widow.

 

Book description

When she was good, she was very, very good. When she was bad, she was deadly.

Rhiannon is your average girl next door, settled with her boyfriend and little dog…but she’s got a killer secret.

Although her childhood was haunted by a famous crime, Rhinannon’s life is normal now that her celebrity has dwindled. By day her job as an editorial assistant is demeaning and unsatisfying. By evening she dutifully listens to her friend’s plans for marriage and babies whilst secretly making a list……A kill list.

From the man on the Lidl checkout who always mishandles her apples, to the driver who cuts her off on her way to work, to the people who have got it coming, Rhiannon’s ready to get her revenge.

Because the girl everyone overlooks might be able to get away with murder…

So that’s eight books added to my TBR pile and one read, so if I want to get to my poor neglected TBR shelf, as all my old school reports always stated “I need to try harder” read faster or ban NetGalley? Watch this space.

Last week on the book review café

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/01/20/blog-tour-guestpost-by-cj-carver-author-of-tell-me-a-lie-c_j_carver/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/01/19/topfivethursday-with-bookblogger-lucy-v-hay-lucyvhayauthor/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/01/17/the-one-by-john-marrs-bookreview-johnmarrs1-eburypublishing/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2017/01/16/guest-post-by-j-m-richardson-author-of-the-barataria-key-jmrichardson1/

Next week on the book review café

Little Girl Lost by Carol Wyer blog tour

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough blog tour, I’m so excited for this one as I have an exclusive interview with the author herself and we’re talking about #WTFthat ending! But obviously no spoilers involved

#TopFiveThursday

Blink by K L Slater Review

TattleTale by Sarah J Naughton review

 

**Christmas with Bookouture** Carol Wyer @bookouture @caroleWyer

Today I’m so excited to introduce my brand new feature Christmas With Bookouture in the lead up to Christmas I will be posting Christmassy guest post’s from some of Bookoutures finest authors (no there’s not enough days to feature them all). I may even be able to share with you some very Christmassy photos from the authors personal collection eeeek how exciting is that? So without further ado I welcome Carol Wyer to the very festive book review café 🎄🎄🎄

Hi Carol, What is your favourite Christmas memory?

I was brought up in Germany which in my mind, is always synonymous with Christmas. We used to go to the Christmas markets, filled with music and conviviality, magical displays and and I can still smell the wonderful aromas that accompanied the memory.

Last year, I took Mr Grumpy to Cologne to the Christmas markets so he could experience what I call a “proper” Christmas experience, and he actually loved it. We visited all of the markets, drank Gluhwein, marvelled at the Christmas decorations and incredible displays, especially the one of penguins skiing on a mini ski slope, went ice skating and had a memorable time. I recommend it to anyone.

Where will you be spending Christmas?

This year we are hiding in south-west France. Mr Grumpy despises Christmas and moans about everything from the advertising in August, to the television programmes. It’s a battle every year with him. We no longer go for the British celebration as we have no family to spend Christmas with, so we are opting for a rented cottage with a log-fire, no television, no turkey or sprouts, no paper hats and we’ll head off to snow-capped mountains for a hot chocolate if we feel like it.

Do you have any Christmas traditions?

I used to love Christmas and we had a tradition that I started when my son was small. Each year, I would collect games, jokes and things that were themed or relevant to Grumpy and son, and make up boxes for the Christmas table instead of crackers. These were hand decorated with our names and inside there were several surprises.
We opened the boxes at the beginning of the meal and started with the jokes (several of them) then moved onto quizzes or puzzles, later in the meal. I usually found tiny presents to fit in each box, like a pedometer when my son was going through a fitness phase or small car keyring like his first car. We all loved the boxes more than the tree presents. I gave up the second year my son left home and didn’t want to spend Chrostmas with us any more. I still have one or two of the boxes though.

What was your best ever Christmas present?

Christmas has never been about big presents for our family. My son always got the biggest haul and I used to spoil Grumpy but one year he surprised me. He gave me box of pricey special teas (I only drink herbal or fruit teas.) In the evening, he asked if I fancied a teabag form the new box. When I opened the box it contained a gold bracelet. I have never been so surprised in my life.

What was your worst ever Christmas present?

My mother and father were champions at buying “silly” gifts. One year they bought me a fridge magnet of a chubby bear that said, ‘I’m not fat, I’m fluffy.’ I still don’t know why they bought it for me to this day.

Favourite Christmas tipple?

I’d like to say a snowball but they are too sweet for me. Champagne always does it for me and failing that a gluhwein. Nothing says festive more than a tasty tipple.

What are you hoping for this Christmas?

We don’t exchange gifts any more. We stopped when son left home. Instead we spend any money on going away.

Have you got a Christmas message you would like to share with readers and bloggers?

Make the most of your family and friends this year because they are what actually make Christmas.

Carol E. Wyer is an award-winning author whose humorous books take a light-hearted look at getting older and encourage others to age disgracefully. More recently she has chosen to write for the “dark side” and embarked on a series of thrillers, starting with the gripping Little Girl Lost which will be published by Bookouture on January 19th 2017.

Her book Grumpy Old Menopause won The People’s Book Prize Award for non-fiction 2015.

Carol has been interviewed on numerous radio shows discussing ‘Irritable Male Syndrome’ and ‘Ageing Disgracefully’ and on BBC Breakfast television. She has had articles published in national magazines ‘Woman’s Weekly’ featured in ‘Take A Break’, ‘Choice’, ‘Yours’ and ‘Woman’s Own’ magazines and writes regularly for The Huffington Post.
Carol is a signed author with Bookouture and Delancey Press.

To learn more about Carol, go to http://www.carolewyer.co.uk or follow Carol on Twitter: @carolewyer. Carol blogs at http://www.facing50withhumour.com and http://www.grumpyoldmenopause.com

Book description

A perfect family hiding disturbing secrets. A killer

who wants the truth to be told.

A teacher goes missing under suspicious circumstances.
A millionaire is murdered at a local reservoir.
For Detective Robyn Carter, there’s no obvious link
between the men. But as she starts to delve into the
cases, her investigations lead her to Abigail, perfect
wife and mother to beautiful little Izzy. What was
Abigail’s connection to the victims? And why is she
receiving threatening messages from an anonymous
number?

But as Robyn starts to inch closer to finding the killer,
Izzy is abducted.

Unless Robyn gets to the twisted individual in time, a little girl will die …

Gripping, fast paced and nailbitingly tense, this serial killer thriller will chill you to the bone. Perfect for fans of MJ Arlidge and Angela Marsons. Discover Carol Wyer’s new series today

Amazon UK

Other books published by Bookouture by Carol Wyer

Life Swap Amazon UK             Take A Chance On Me Amazon UK

My thanks to Carol Wyer for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer my questions and special thanks to Kim Nash for all her help in getting this feature off the ground 😘😘