No Escape by Casey Kelleher #BookReview @CaseyKelleher @bookouture

Today I’m thrilled to be sharing my review of No Escape by Casey Kelleher, read on for my thoughts…..

The one place she never wanted to go back to. The one place she can’t escape.

When she was just five years old, Lucy Murphy witnessed her mother’s brutal murder in their home on London’s notorious Griffin Estate. The case was never solved. Now a newly qualified police officer, Lucy has been given her first job: she’s going back to the Griffin Estate.

She is there to protect the estate’s vulnerable residents, including Shannon and Kian Winters, two kids struggling to deal with their alcoholic mother. Fifteen-year-old Shannon is working every spare hour to keep a roof over their heads, but thirteen-year-old Kian has fallen under the sway of gang leader Jax Priestly. And now Jax has plans for Shannon too…

As Lucy gets to know Kian and Shannon she becomes determined not to let the two teenagers become Jax’s victims. But time is running out. Jax is out of control, and the gang’s violent reprisals are escalating. Can Lucy face down her own demons in time to prevent a tragedy? As a child, she already witnessed the murder of one innocent person. It will take all her courage and training to stop another.

Casey Kelleher is one author whose books I turn to when I’m looking for my ‘grit lit fix’ I’m a huge fan of stories that delve into the murky world of crime. For me personally this type of book has to have an engrossing story line that features violence, feuds, and family. Even better if it’s a tale of survival against the odds. Guess what? No Escape the latest book by the author has it all, and so much more to offer. No Escape is set on the notorious Griffin Estate where crime and violence are very much part of the residents every day life. The plot follows the life’s of Detective Lucy Murphy,  Fifteen-year-old Shannon and her thirteen-year-old brother Kian.

The author has created some remarkable characters. My heart went out to Shannon and Kian, the responsibilities they have forced upon them through living with an alcoholic mum, mean they’ve had to grow up fast. The lack of parental supervision means Kian is the ideal candidate to be recruited by wannabe gangster Jax and the Griffin boys. Newly qualified police officer, Lucy Murphy is another character who I warmed to, despite witnessing her mothers horrific murder at five years old, she doesn’t come across as a victim, quite the opposite, as she’s determined to make a difference to the life’s of kids like Shannon and Kian. There is also a superb supporting cast, some I grew to loathe, but there were others that pulled on the heartstrings, offering hope in the most depressing circumstances.

Casey Kelleher takes the readers into the seedy and murky world of the criminals at work on the Griffin Estate it’s not pretty, it’s violent, grubby and sometimes very disturbing, the scenes, the violence, the gangs that prey on the vulnerable residents of the estate give this book an authentic feel to the read. The author draws you into this world; you feel the fear and emotions of the residents, experience their frustrations and pain, the Estate comes alive thanks to the authors descriptive writing. I really enjoyed No Escape with its vibrant characters and gritty, authentic plot. Casey Kelleher’s writing goes from strength to strength and I’m keeping everything crossed this is the first book in a series featuring Lucy Murphy and the Estate.  Highly recommended

• Print Length: 288 pages
• Publisher: Bookouture (2 Jun. 2020)

Buying links:  Amazon UK 🇬🇧    Amazon USA 🇺🇸

My thanks to the publishers for my ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

The Curator by M.W. Craven #Review @MWCravenUK @BethWright26 @TheCrimeVault #TheCurator #TeamPoe #TeamTilly

Today I’m thrilled to be sharing my review for The Curator by M.W. Craven the third book in the Washington Poe series, and one of my most anticipated reads of 2020.

It’s Christmas and a serial killer is leaving displayed body parts all over Cumbria. A strange message is left at each scene: #BSC6

Called in to investigate, the National Crime Agency’s Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw are faced with a case that makes no sense. Why were some victims anaesthetised, while others died in appalling agony? Why is their only suspect denying what they can irrefutably prove but admitting to things they weren’t even aware of? And why did the victims all take the same two weeks off work three years earlier?

And when a disgraced FBI agent gets in touch things take an even darker turn. Because she doesn’t think Poe is dealing with a serial killer at all; she thinks he’s dealing with someone far, far worse – a man who calls himself the Curator.

 And nothing will ever be the same again . . ..

Woohoo Poe and Tilly are back in one of my most anticipated reads of 2020, The Curator. This has to be one of my favourite British crime series EVER! The Curator opens with a macabre murder scene, it’s gruesome and shocking, but the perfect opening to what I think is the best book in the series so far. Don’t get me wrong each book has been a fantastic read, but the authors writing goes from strength to strength. The plot lines are a work of a genius, they lure you in and keep you gripped until the very last sentence of this compelling series.

Called in to investigate, the National Crime Agency’s Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw are faced with their most challenging case yet, it’s one that throws up more questions than answers, more suspects than victims. Why is a serial killer is leaving displayed body parts all over Cumbria? Why were some victims anaesthetised, while others died in appalling agony? The investigation is such a complex one, that it tests Poe and Tilly investigation skills to the limit. I could rattle on all day about the plot, but in doing so I would giveaway spoilers, so all I will say it’s a cracking plot, modern and fast paced, and seriously twisted! 

The Curator like every other book in this series is as much about the characters as the plot. The relationship between the dynamic duo Poe and Tilly is stronger than ever, their unique personalities compliment each other perfectly. Poe is complex, charismatic, whereas the wonderful Tilly is naïve, painfully honest and just as complex. The dialogue between the couple is endearing, charming and funny, but it’s these moments that add light to the darkness of the plot. They are both such fabulous depicted, compelling characters they are one of the reasons this series is a must read for me.

M. W. Craven has written another fabulous addition to this series, throughout The Curator the plot is complex, clever and engrossing, just as you think the dynamic duo have the serial killer in their grips, the author throws in a twist that propels the story in a very different direction. One of the things I enjoy the most in a crime thriller is when the author can write a story that not only keeps you engrossed but one that also keeps you constantly guessing, never revealing too much in one go to spoil the read. For me this crime series has it all brilliant  characters, exceptional writing, twisted plots, gory crime scenes, and the most evil killers. The Curator is now firmly my favourite book in the series until the next book anyway! Highly Recommend.

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Constable (4 Jun. 2020)

Buying links:   Amazon UK 🇬🇧     Amazon USA 🇺🇸

My thanks to the publishers and the author for my ARC in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

About the author

M. W. Craven was born in Carlisle but grew up in Newcastle, running away to join the army at the tender age of sixteen. He spent the next ten years travelling the world having fun, leaving in 1995 to complete a degree in social work with specialisms in criminology and substance misuse. Thirty-one years after leaving Cumbria, he returned to take up a probation officer position in Whitehaven, eventually working his way up to chief officer grade. Sixteen years later he took the plunge, accepted redundancy and became a full-time author. He now has entirely different motivations for trying to get inside the minds of criminals . . .

The Puppet Show, the first in a two-book deal he signed with the Little, Brown imprint, Constable in 2017, was released to critical acclaim in hardback in 2018. It has been sold in numerous foreign territories and the production company Studio Lambert, creators of the award-winning Three Girls, have optioned it for TV. The sequel, Black Summer, follows in June 2019.

M. W. Craven is married and lives in Carlisle with his wife, Joanne. When he isn’t out with his springer spaniel, or talking nonsense in the pub, he can be found at punk gigs and writing festivals up and down the country.

Website: mwcraven.com
Twitter: @MWCravenUK

 

Other books in the series

The Last One To See Her by a Mark Tilbury #BookReview #BlogTour @MTilburyAuthor

Today I’m thrilled to be on the blog tour for The Last One To See Her by Mark Tilbury, one of the authors I turn to when I’m looking for a dark twisted read.

Don’t forget to check out my partner in crime (excuse the pun!) review the awesome Linda Hill at https://lindasbookbag.com/

Before you read my review here’s the book description….

He says he is innocent. So why did he lie?

Mathew Hillock was the last person to see eleven-year-old Jodie Willis alive. When her dead body turns up four days later in his garden shed, the police think he’s guilty of her murder. So do most people in the town. But there’s no DNA evidence to link him to the crime.

Battling the weight of public opinion and mental illness due to a childhood head trauma, he sinks into a deep depression.

Can Mathew do what the police failed to do and find evidence linking the real killer to the crime?

The Last One to See Her is a terrifying story of what happens when you’re accused of a crime and no one believes you are innocent.

I’ve long been a fan of Mark Tilbury’s writing, he’s an author whose books I always look forward to. The Last One To See Her is the latest offering from Tilbury took me by surprise, in the best possible way might I add! The author is best known for writing books that veer towards the dark side, and this book is as dark as the night sky, but what I wasn’t expecting was the heart-rending, gut punching, all too human characters that make this book such a fascinating read .Mathew Hillock has learning difficulties caused by a head trauma as a child, here’s a character who I immediately warmed to, in fact it’s fair to say at times I had to swallow the lump in my throat! He’s a gentle giant, naïve, vulnerable, and doesn’t see the world the same as others, when he’s stressed he has blank episodes, and retreats to his ‘cave’ a safe haven that’s free of danger and evil.

Unfortunately for Matthew he was the last person to see eleven-year-old Jodie Willis alive, and it’s not long before he becomes the main suspect in the case. Matthew begins to question if he could be in some way connected to the crime, as when he has his ‘blackouts’ has has no recollection of them. Tilbury gives a distressing insight into Matthew’s world and how frightening life is for him once he becomes the main suspect in the case. Matthews naivety, his relationships with his older brother Gareth, Tortilla (his pet Tortoise) and his grandfather, plus his gentle humour, add a well needed dose of warmth to this dark tale. To balance the ‘good’ characters, the author has created some real sick ones, they will make your skin crawl, and your blood boil, it’s a case of good versus evil!

At first I thought The Last One To See Her would be a straight forward Psychological thriller, but we’re talking Mark Tilbury here! and it isn’t long before the plot moves to the dark, gritty side, one that fans of this author have come to love and enjoy. This has to be my favourite book by the author, it has all the elements I enjoy in a thriller, an excellent plot, strongly depicted characters, tension, scenes that shock, gut punching ones where you really feel for the main character, and a hell of a twist.  An excellent read that I would highly recommend to crime thriller lovers.

• Print Length: 266 pages
• Publisher: Tilbury Publishing (4 Jun. 2020)

Buying link:  Amazon UK 🇬🇧

Mark lives in a small village in the lovely county of Cumbria, although his books are set in Oxfordshire where he was born and raised.

After being widowed and raising his two daughters, Mark finally took the plunge and self-published two books on Amazon, The Revelation Room and The Eyes of the Accused.

He’s always had a keen interest in writing, and is extremely proud to have had seven novels published by Bloodhound Books. His latest novel, The Last One To See Her will be published 4th June 2020.

When he’s not writing, Mark can be found playing guitar, reading and walking.

Mark Tilbury – Author of dark psychological thrillers.

Website: http://www.marktilbury.com

E-mail newsletter subscription: http://eepurl.com/bNSvJn

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

Twitter: @MTilburyAuthor

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/marktilbury

My thanks to the author for my ARC in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

Follow the blog tour……

The book review café book of the month **May 2020**

Today it’s the first day of June, is it just me? I’m finding all the days, weeks and months are blurring into one! Lockdown and the Corona Virus in general has affected my reading, I’m struggling to read one book a week! I’m finding I’m getting distracted easily.

I hope you are all reading more than me, it’s such a strange time for us all. I’m struggling with not seeing and spending time with my family, as we’re all close. We FaceTime and message each other constantly but it’s not the same but I’m sure most of you can relate to this. I haven’t posted much to my blog the last couple of months, but I have numerous reviews to publish in June, and some of those books have made for a cracking read.

As normal I am digressing from the original point of this post…...my book of the month, this one will definitely be on my top reads of the year, so without further ado and no more ramblings my book for this month is…….

What Lies Between Us by John Marrs

When they are  finished, Nina helps Maggie back to her room in the attic, and into the heavy chain that keeps her there. Because Maggie has done things to Nina that can’t ever be forgiven, and now she is paying the price.

But there are many things about the past that Nina doesn’t know, and Maggie is going to keep it that way—even if it kills her.

Because in this house, the truth is more dangerous than lies.

OMFG’  what have I just finished reading? Only one of the most twisted books I’ve had the pleasure to read. What Lies Between Us by John Marrs is an incredible, intense read, the plot, the twists, the characters, the writing, all blend to create the perfect read for psychological thriller lovers. If you don’t believe me, then perhaps knowing that THE Renee Zellweger’s Big Picture Co/MGM TV have purchased the television rights, will convince you that this book is a ‘MUST’ read. You can read my full review here….What Lies Between Us  

Books I’m hoping to read in June

I’m hoping to read the following books in a June, some are ARC’s others are from my own personal bookshelf.  This list may change or I may just manage to stick to my list and read them all, concentration permitting 😂😂

Binge worthy television

I may not have reading much, but I have been binge watching some series, which I really enjoyed

Non book related

I have noticed since the lockdown not only have I been buying more books than usual, and I have also been buying a lot more bits and bobs for the home on line.
I treated myself to some Becky Bettesworth  prints for my back room. I love these quote prints and they do some lovely prints of Cornwall and other UK holiday spots, if you fancy checking them out follow the link above. Please note this is not an affiliated link.

Killing Mind by Angela Marsons #Review @WriteAngie @bookouture #KillingMind #KimStone **Blog tour**

Today I’m thrilled to be sharing my review for Killing Mind by Angela Marsons. If you follow my blog you will know I’m a huge fan of the Kim Stone series, and couldn’t wait to read this one, did it live up to my expectations? read on for my thoughts, but first the book description….

It had seemed so simple. Get in, get the information, get out. But now they were getting inside her mind and she didn’t know how to stop them…

When Detective Kim Stone is called to the home of Samantha Brown, she finds the young woman lying in bed with her throat cut and a knife in her hand. With no sign of forced entry or struggle, Kim rules her death a tragic suicide.

But a visit to Samantha’s parents rings alarm bells for Kim – there’s something they’re not telling her. And, when she spots a clue in a photograph, Kim realises she’s made a huge mistake. Samantha didn’t take her own life, she was murdered.

Then a young man’s body is found in a local lake with his throat cut and Kim makes a link between the victim and Samantha. They both spent time at Unity Farm, a retreat for people seeking an alternative way of life.

Beneath the retreat’s cosy façade, Kim and her team uncover a sinister community preying on the emotionally vulnerable.

Sending one of her own undercover into Unity Farm is high risk but it’s Kim’s only hope if she is to catch a killer – someone Kim is convinced the victims knew and trusted.

With Bryant distracted by the emergence of a harrowing case close to his heart, and an undercover officer in way over her head, Kim’s neck is on the line like never before. Can she protect those closest to her before another life is taken?

Woohoo Angela Marsons is back with yet another cracking read!  It’s a rare author who makes the twelfth book as exciting and compelling as the first book in a series. I’m not certain how Angela Marsons manages it but Killing Mind the latest book in the Kim Stone set, is just as impressive, riveting, and exciting as every other book in this much-loved series.  Another thing that’s worth a mention is the fact the author never fails to deliver a gripping storyline for each and every one of her books, they’re always original and well researched .

Kim Stone is called to what appears to be a routine suicide, but something  doesn’t entirely add up. It soon becomes evident to Kim and her team that the suicide was staged to cover up a murder, and that at every turn leads back to Unity Farm, a retreat for people seeking an alternative way of life. As Kim digs deeper into the Farm, she realises she is looking into a Cult, a subject she knows very little about. Cults are something that have always fascinated me, especially the psychology behind what attracts people to cults. Angela Marsons gives the reader a realistic, spine chilling insight into the world of Cults, the members who prey on peoples’s weaknesses and vulnerabilities and how they manipulate, compliment and flatter victims to reel them in. The author has the extraordinary ability to turn a crime thriller into something more, she’s able to give her victims and their families a voice, she highlights the effects a cult can have on Family members, loved ones and friends, when they lose someone to a cult.

It’s great that the author has brought Tiffany (AKA Tink) back, I love her character, she has a certain innocence about her, that makes her very likeable, as more of her backstory is revealed, I really felt for her. Team member Bryant has a side story of his own in Killing Mind, which adds another yet another layer of intrigue to the story. Kim is as difficult as always, but underneath that cold, brittle exterior is the Kim fans of this series have come to love.

The cult gives the plot a dark and sinister tone that continues to thread its way through the plot, and when one of Kim’s team whose working under cover is placed in danger, a palatable sense of dread fills the pages. There are moments in this book I found gut wrenching, not something you would expect in a crime thriller, but that’s the beauty of the authors writing she never fails to surprise the reader. Once again Angela Marsons has written a taut, fast-paced crime thriller, it’s a cliche but I really ‘couldn’t turn the pages fast enough’ as the body count rises and the investigation intensifies. If you consider yourself a crime thriller lover then this book, hell the whole series is unmissable.

Print Length: 367 pages

• Publisher: Bookouture (13 May 2020)

Buying links:

Amazon: https://bit.ly/2SXw61I

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2WMR6cK

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2WPhm67

Google Play: https://bit.ly/3bpFNMH

My thanks to Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

About the author

 

Angela Marsons is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of the DI Kim Stone series and her books have sold more than 3 million in 3 years.

She lives in the Black Country with her partner, their cheeky Golden Retriever and a swearing parrot.

She first discovered her love of writing at Junior School when actual lessons came second to watching other people and quietly making up her own stories about them. Her report card invariably read “Angela would do well if she minded her own business as well as she minds other people’s”.

After years of writing relationship based stories (The Forgotten Woman and Dear Mother) Angela turned to Crime, fictionally speaking of course, and developed a character that refused to go away.

She is signed to Bookouture.com for a total of 16 books in the Kim Stone series and her books have been translated into more than 27 languages.

Many of her books, including Blood Lines, Dead Souls, Broken Bones, Fatal Promise and Dead Memories reached the #1 spot on Amazon pre-order alone.

http://angelamarsons-books.com/

https://www.facebook.com/AngelaMarsonsAuthor/

https://twitter.com/WriteAngie

Other books in the Kim Stone series

**First Blood is the prequel to the Kim Stone series**

Follow the blog tour…..

What Lies Between Us by John Marrs #BookReview @AmazonPub @Johnmarrs1 #BookHangoverAward

Today I’m sharing my review for What Lies Between Us by John Marrs, this has been one of my most anticipated reads for 2020, did it live up to my expectations? Read on for my thoughts…..

Nina can never forgive Maggie for what she did. And she can never let her leave.

They say every house has its secrets, and the house that Maggie and Nina have shared for so long is no different. Except that these secrets are not buried in the past.

Every other night, Maggie and Nina have dinner together. When they are finished, Nina helps Maggie back to her room in the attic, and into the heavy chain that keeps her there. Because Maggie has done things to Nina that can’t ever be forgiven, and now she is paying the price.

But there are many things about the past that Nina doesn’t know, and Maggie is going to keep it that way—even if it kills her.

Because in this house, the truth is more dangerous than lies.

‘OMFG’  what have I just finished reading? Only one of the most twisted books I’ve had the pleasure to read. What Lies Between Us by John Marrs is an incredible, intense read, the plot, the twists, the characters, the writing, all blend to create the perfect read for psychological thriller lovers. If you don’t believe me, then perhaps knowing that THE Renee Zellweger’s Big Picture Co/MGM TV have purchased the television rights, will convince you that this book is a ‘MUST’ read.

What Lies Between Us is one of those that the less you know the more thrilling the read and please if you are thinking of checking out reviews for this book tread carefully as so many of them describe one of the big ‘reveals’. What Lies Between Us tells the story of two women, Maggie and Nina, who live together. Many would  consider that normal, but their relationship is anything but! Maggie is kept in chains, imprisoned in the attic, by Nina. What has Maggie done to Nina to deserve such treatment? What secrets is Maggie desperate to hide? What’s the connection between the two?

I found The complex relationship between Nina and Maggie fascinating, the bitterness and resentment between the pair is palatable throughout. I found I couldn’t flick the pages on my kindle fast enough as their story unfolded, there were so many emotions that spilled from the pages, anger, fear, guilt, and disgust. The author has created characters with their own unique voice; he discloses Maggie and Nina’s story in such away your sympathies constantly waiver between both characters, Amid the horror and the abuse, there are tender moments that offer glimmers of hope that their toxic relationship can be repaired. I must admit I had a love/hate relationship with both women, throughout What Lies Between Us depending on which part of the book I was reading.

The beauty of this book is the way John Marr’s tantalises the reader with details about both women’s life’s, never revealing too much, but just enough to tease you.  The author’s twisted imagination allows you to be privy to the two women’s disturbed minds, it’s bone chilling, and creepy, but it also makes for an exciting read. The tension never waivers, the horror of the story ebbs and flows, and the plot is perfectly executed. Up until now The One has always been my favourite book by John Marrs but I’m not sorry to say What Lies Between Us has just taken its place. Is it a book I would recommend? You bet! This has to be one of my favourite reads this year.

And yes in case you hadn’t already guessed I’m giving What Lies Between Us my shiny Book hangover award, It’s given to a book I feel is particularly outstanding, a book that covers every aspect of what I look for in a read, an original  plot, great characters and a storyline that draws me in from the first page and keeps me in its grips until I reach the very last page.

• Paperback: 379 pages
• Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (15 May 2020)

Buying links: Amazon UK 🇬🇧   Amazon USA 🇺🇸

My thanks to the publishers for my ARC in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

The book review café book of the month for **March 2020**

I normally post my book of the month at the beginning of each month, but unfortunately I’m a bit late with this post, but as the old saying goes “better late than never”. I hope you are all keeping safe and well, along with your family, loved ones and friends.

The reason I haven’t been around for a while is I have been really worried about Mr book review café aka Andy, he got tested through work for the Corona virus and unfortunately the test came back positive, so as you can imagine first came the shock and then the worry! He’s doing fine and due to be retested later this week, but the most worrying thing about it all is that this virus is the silent killer, my husband has had no symptoms apart from a loss of sense of taste and smell, no cough, no temp so he had no idea he had it, so it doesn’t take much imagination to see how easily it’s spread.

As usual I’m digressing here, and now to the point of this post, my book of the month for March 2020. I read some cracking books in March, but if I’m honest the book I’ve chosen was always going to be a contender for my book of the month, and it’s already one of my top reads of the year so far.

How do I choose my book of the month?

I choose a book I feel is particularly outstanding, a book that covers every aspect of what I look for in a read, an original  plot, great characters and a storyline that draws me in from the first page and keeps me in its grips until I reach the very last page. So without further ado here’s my book of the month for March….

The Memory Wood by Sam Llyod

I expected The Memory Wood to be a disturbing read, after all the plot is based on a child’s abduction,  what I wasn’t expecting was a read that was harrowing, and ultimately heartbreaking, I must admit I finished this book with a lump the size of a golf ball in my throat. Sam Lloyd has written a book that’s compelling, and one of the most original books I’ve read in a long time. Highly recommended. You can read my full review here….The Memory Wood by Sam Lloyd

Highly recommended

You can read my full  reviews here…….

Killing Pretties by Rob Ashman #BookReview @RobAshmanAuthor @BOTBSPublicity #BlogTour 

The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel #BookReview @amyengle @niamh_anderson @HodderFiction #AuthorInterview #BlogTour

Mr Nice by John Nicholl #Review @nicholl06 #MrNice

Dead Wrong by Noelle Holten #BookReview @nholten40 #BlogTour @KillerReads @0neMoreChapter @BOTBSPublicity @HarperCollins #MustReads

Books I’m hoping to read this month

God knows! I’m really struggling to concentrate at the moment, so I really could be reading anything or nothing! But here’s some of the potential books that I hope to read this month.

 

 

 

 

 

The Memory Wood by Sam Lloyd #BookReview @samlloydwrites @TransworldBooks #BookHangoverAward

Today I’m sharing my thoughts on The Memory Wood, it’s the debut novel from Sam Lloyd, but first here’s the book description.

Elijah has lived in the Memory Wood for as long as he can remember. It’s the only home he’s ever known.

Elissa has only just arrived. And she’ll do everything she can to escape.

When Elijah stumbles across thirteen-year-old Elissa, in the woods where her abductor is hiding her, he refuses to alert the police. Because in his twelve years, Elijah has never had a proper friend. And he doesn’t want Elissa to leave.

Not only that, Elijah knows how this can end. After all, Elissa isn’t the first girl he’s found inside the Memory Wood.

As her abductor’s behaviour grows more erratic, Elissa realises that outwitting strange, lonely Elijah is her only hope of survival. Their cat-and-mouse game of deception and betrayal will determine both their fates, and whether either of them will ever leave the Memory Wood . . .

When I read a book it normally falls into two categories, books I’ve really enjoyed, and then there’s the rare gem, it’s a book that finds its way into my my heart, a book that lingers in my thoughts long after I’ve reached the last page, a book that evokes many emotions, The Memory Wood is one such book. The debut novel from Sam Lloyd is a book that I would describe as ‘creepily atmospheric, unforgettable, a horrifying account of child abduction. Beautifully told, the author has written a book that reads like the darkest fairytale, where monsters roam the woods, and evil lurks. This isn’t your ‘run of the mill’ child abduction story by any means there’s so much more to the plot than you can ever imagine. 

The story is mostly told from three perspectives, Elissa an abducted 13 year old, who finds herself shackled, abused, neglected and held captive in the ‘gingerbread house’ a deserted cottage in the woods. Elijah, a boy who finds Elissa in the cellar, he’s her only hope for survival, but is he trustworthy, or is there something far more sinister at play? Then there’s Mairead a detective, whose determined to bring Elissa home, but to what cost? The characters are so well drawn they leap from the pages. The relationship between Elissa and Elijah captivated me, on one hand you have Elissa brave, defiant, clever and  resourceful and then you have Elijah, who appears immature, and naive, their friendship is one built on mistrust and deception. 

The authors vivid descriptors bring the The Memory Wood and the gingerbread house to life, creating an atmosphere that’s both sinister and ominous. I swear I could smell the damp cloying earth, feel the dark and the cold, and sense the evil and dark aura that surrounds her abductor. At first I made assumptions about Elissa’s captor, but any such thoughts were soon turned on there head, as the author deftly reveals more details, each turn is more twisted, and shocking in its delivery.  I expected The Memory Wood to be a disturbing read, after all the plot is based on a child’s abduction,  what I wasn’t expecting was a read that was harrowing, and ultimately heartbreaking, I must admit I finished this book with a lump the size of a golf ball in my throat. Sam Lloyd has written a book that’s compelling, and one of the most original books I’ve read in a long time. Highly recommended.

And yes in case you hadn’t already guessed I’m giving The Memory Wood my shiny Book hangover award, It’s given to a book I feel is particularly outstanding, a book that covers every aspect of what I look for in a read, an original  plot, great characters and a storyline that draws me in from the first page and keeps me in its grips until I reach the very last page.

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Bantam Press (20 Feb. 2020)

Buying link: Amazon UK 🇬🇧

Please note this book was bought by myself, and not given to me by the publishers.

Killing Pretties by Rob Ashman #BookReview @RobAshmanAuthor @BOTBSPublicity #BlogTour

Today I’m thrilled to be one of the bloggers taking part in Killing Pretties by Rob Ashman blog tour. If you are a fan of the authors this is probably his darkest book yet, and you are going to love it. If Rob Ashman is a new author to you and you enjoy a dark gritty crime thriller then look no further.  Before I share my review here’s the book description…..

Detective Sergeant Khenan Malice is a rubbish ex-husband, a crap father but a damned good detective. It’s a shame he spoils his only redeeming quality by being a bent copper.

Detective Kelly Pietersen joins the team to help find a missing woman. But Kelly has a secret…

Damien Kaplan is a leading criminal barrister and a keen amateur potter. He also happens to be a serial killer with a chilling approach to creating his art. He’s married to Elsa, though she considers him more of a possession than a husband. She controls those around her using sex and procures men and women for her husband to play with but only after she’s finished with them first.

Killing Pretties is his passion, having sex with them is hers. It is difficult to say which one is worse.

The missing woman brings all four crashing together – an incendiary mix that doesn’t end well.

’OMFG’ God The ‘king’ of twisted crime thrillers is back! Rob Ashman is one of my ‘turn to authors’ when I’m looking to read a dark crime thriller and Killing Pretties is unquestionably his darkest book yet! The authors latest heart thumping crime thriller has all the elements I enjoy, a protagonist whose beyond twisted, gory crime scenes, a tense plot, and a style of writing that is sharp and to the point. The authors draws the reader in with a shocking opening chapter, that’s full of promise and sets the dark tone of the book. The good news is this is a brand new series featuring DS Malice, so there’s no backlog of books to catch up on. 

There’s no need for me to give a recap on the plot, as the book description pretty much covers it, so let’s move on to the characters, starting with Detective Sergeant Khenan Malice. I have a feeling Malice is a character reader’s will have a love hate relationship with,  he wouldn’t win a father or husband of the year award, he’s considered to be a good Detective but he’s also bent. Normally in a crime thriller Detectives are sterotyped, ‘the conventional good guys’, so it makes a change to have a character who will freely cross the line, it means that Malice is unreliable, and unpredictable. 

The author takes a bold step and reveals the serial killer Damien Kaplan from the off, and ‘oh my giddy aunt’ twisted doesn’t even cover it! Sick, depraved, and warped spring to mind. Kaplan is enigma on one hand he’s smart, funny, clever and  sought after crime barrister, and then there’s the dark side of his character. He has a disturbing relationship with his wife Elsa, let’s just say it’s a ‘match made in hell’, a relationship that reminded me of the infamous Rose and Fred West, spine chilling to say the least! The nature of this book made for an uncomfortable read, and yet at the same time I read on with morbid curiosity, I’m a sucker for a well depicted serial killer! Killing Pretties is fast-paced, gruesome, and shocking, there are so many ‘OMFG’ moments that I’m sure I read most of the book with my mouth open! 

Thank god for Rob Ashman’s twisted imagination, he has such a vivid and dare I say fertile imagination I do wonder how he manages to sleep at night!  No one can ever say his books are ‘boring’ that’s for sure! This isn’t a book that I would recommend to those of a nervous disposition, as there are sexual scenes (although not in the romantic sense) included. But if you aren’t averse to a dark crime thriller with blood and guts, and you enjoy a dark, twisted read then it’s one I would happily encourage you to buy.

• Print Length: 292 pages
• Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.

Buying link: Amazon UK 🇬🇧

My thanks to a Rob Ashman and Sarah Hardy for an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

About the author

Rob is married to Karen with two grown up daughters. He is originally from South Wales and after moving around with work settled in North Lincolnshire where he’s spent the last twenty-two years.
Like all good welsh valley boys Rob worked for the National Coal Board after leaving school at sixteen and went to University at the tender age of twenty-three when the pit closures began to bite. Since then he’s worked in a variety of manufacturing and consulting roles both in the UK and abroad.

It took Rob twenty-four years to write his first book. He only became serious about writing it when his dad got cancer. It was an aggressive illness and Rob gave up work for three months to look after him and his mum. Writing Those That Remain became his coping mechanism. After he wrote the book his family encouraged him to continue, so not being one for half measures, Rob got himself made redundant, went self-employed so he could devote more time to writing and four years later the Mechanic Trilogy was the result. 

Rob published Those That Remain, In Your Name and Pay the Penance with Bloodhound Books and has since written the DI Rosalind Kray series. These are Faceless, This Little Piggy, Suspended Retribution and Jaded which are also published by Bloodhound.

His latest work sees the introduction of a new set of characters – DS Khenan Malice and DC Kelly Pietersen. The first book in the series is titled Killing Pretties and the second is Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Lies. Both books will be published this year.

When he is not writing, Rob is a frustrated chef with a liking for beer and prosecco, and is known for occasional outbreaks of dancing.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rob-Ashman-Author-1428800800468097/

Website: http://robashman.com/

Twitter: @RobAshmanAuthor

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Sarah Hardy

Book On The Bright Side Publicity & Promo

Twitter: @BOTBSPublicity

Facebook: Book On The Bright Side

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The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel #BookReview @amyengle @niamh_anderson @HodderFiction #AuthorInterview #BlogTour

Today I’m thrilled to be on the blog tour for The Familiar Dark by Amy Engle. If you enjoyed the authors debut novel The Ronake Girls, then you definitely need to read this one. I’m also sharing an author interview that Amy kindly agreed too.

Read on for my thoughts, but first the book description.

‘In other places, the murder of two little girls would have blanketed the entire town in horror. Here, it was just another bad day.’

Eve Taggert’s life has been spent steadily climbing away from her roots. Her mother, a hard and cruel woman who dragged her up in a rundown trailer park, was not who she wanted to be to her own daughter, Junie.

But 12-year old Junie is now dead. Found next to the body of her best friend in the park of their small, broken town. Eve has nothing left but who she used to be.

Despite the corrupt police force that patrol her dirt-poor town deep in the Missouri Ozarks, Eve is going to find what happened to her daughter. Even if it means using her own mother’s cruel brand of strength to unearth secrets that don’t want to be discovered and face truths it might be better not to know.

Everyone is a suspect.

Everyone has something to hide.

And someone will answer for her daughter’s murder.

From the bestselling author of The Roanoke Girls, The Familiar Dark is a spellbinding story about the bonds of family as well as a story about how even the darkest and most terrifying of places can provide the comfort of home. The Familiar Dark will blow you away.

The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel opens with an unusual start to this harrowing tale, it begins at ‘the end’, it’s a powerful and haunting start to the book, and leaves the reader in no doubt that it will not be a ‘happy ever after’ kind of read. The authors poetic prose seem almost at odds with this stark plot, that features drug abuse, rural town poverty and abuse, and yet the two blend perfectly together creating a spellbinding story about the complexities of family relationships, and how even the most dysfunctional families can pull together in the face of adversary.

Set in the small rundown down town of Barren Springs in the Missouri Ozarks, tells the heartbreaking and brutal story of Eve, a young mother whose daughter is one of two 12-year-old girls found murdered in the towns dilapidated park.  The only way Eve can stop herself drowning in grief is to seek vengeance for her daughter’s Junie’s murder, a path that leads Eve to the town’s seedy criminal underbelly. A path that will open up old childhood wounds, as Eva’s own traumatic past comes back to haunt her. Eve’s relationship with her mother is based on neglect and abuse, she’s always been determined  to become her mother’s daughter, but without Junie, and with vengeance firmly on her mind, Eve finds that she is more like her mother than she cares to admit. 

The author vividly describes the experience of growing up in Barren Springs, a dirt poor town, where people live in trailers, patched up with tape, it’s town people are mostly drug addicts, and people live hand to mouth, living for their next fix of crystal meths and heroin. The town is as much a character as Eve. The town feels claustrophobic, seedy, and unclean, it’s a town everyone wants to escape from, but poverty and addiction keeps them in its clutches, it’s a place where the life is sucked out of you. Eve is a character that immediately finds her way into your heart, as her grief takes her through a spectrum of emotions, you feel her anger, and her pain, and her need for vengeance, these emotions are raw and intense, The relationship between Eve and her mother is a difficult one, and yet a bond is created through grief and wanting to do the right thing in the most appalling situation.

Despite its subject matter this book has a hidden depth, it explores the complexities of relationships, and dysfunctional families with sensitivity and incredible insight. Amy Engel’s visceral style of writing makes each of her novels memorable, The Familiar Dark and Eva’s tragic tale will stay in my thoughts for a long time to come. If you are looking for the ‘usual whodunnit’  then this may not be the book for you. If you enjoy a book that is very much character driven, with a dark heart then look no further. Highly recommend.

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (31 Mar. 2020)

Buying links:  Amazon UK 🇬🇧    Amazon US 🇺🇸

Hi Amy I’m thrilled to welcome you to the book review café. The Familiar Dark revolves around such a difficult subject matter – a mother grieving for her daughter, lost in the worst of circumstances. As a mother yourself, how did you find the writing process? 

I had a hard time writing this book, I’m not going to lie. My daughter is only a few years older than Junie and there were times I had to walk away from the book for hours or even days at a time. It was incredibly stressful and painful to put myself in the shoes of Eve and imagine the aftermath of losing a child, especially in such a brutal and senseless way. 

As a former criminal defence attorney from a small town, how much of what you write comes from what you have lived?

I’m actually not from a small town; I was born in Lawrence, Kansas, but lived the vast majority of my childhood and adult life in cities. But my mom was from a very small town in Kansas and her grandparents lived there until I was in college, so I spent a lot of time in that environment and it served as fodder for my previous nove, The Roanoke Girls. The Missouri Ozarks, the setting of The Familiar Dark, is also a place I’ve spent a lot of time. It’s important to me that my books be set in places I know well. I like the settings to feel almost like another character in the story. I want readers to really be able to picture the environment, even if it’s someplace they’ve never visited.

The Familiar Dark is your second adult novel, coming after your bestselling The Roanoke Girls and fantastic young adult series The Book of Ivy. Did you prefer the writing process for young adult or adult fiction?

For me, the writing process wasn’t that different between genres. I always start with characters, and that doesn’t change whether I’m writing for adults or young adults. I do think, however, that adult novels allow for a little more exploration of the dark side of life, which seems to be my wheelhouse. 

Who is your favourite author?

Stephen King, hands down. And I love Tana French, as well. And Dennis Lehane. This list could go on forever.

What are your future writing plans?

I’m working on a new novel right now. It’s dark psychological suspense set in rural Kansas and involves a woman who is serving a life sentence for the murders of her entire family when she was a teenager. 

About the author

Amy Engel is a former criminal defence attorney living in Missouri with her family. Her debut adult novel, The Roanoke Girls, was a #1 ebook bestseller, a Richard and Judy book club pick and has sold 100,000 copies across formats to date. The Familiar Dark is her second adult novel.

My thanks to the publishers for my ARC in exchange for an unbiased and honest review, and my thanks to the author for her interview.

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