Relax and Read Book Reviews

The Girl in the Painting - Renita D'Silva

11/5/2019

Book Description
India, 1926: Margaret is in love, with her new husband and her new home, a sprawling villa amidst beautiful rolling hills, the air filled with the soft scent of spices and hibiscus flowers. Yet she’s unwelcome with the locals and grows close to Archana, her maid, who reminds Margaret of the beloved sister she lost in the great war.

Overjoyed with her pregnancy, Margaret could stay forever, sipping tea, chatting with Archana, painting in the sun beside the stream full of water lilies. But when Archana finds herself in danger and Margaret makes the choice to save her, she doesn’t realise the devastating consequences that will tear her and Archana apart, destroy her marriage, and haunt her for the rest of her life...

England, 2000: Emma’s relationship is falling apart, and her beloved grandmother, Margaret, is dying. Margaret has one last request: find Archana. It’s the first time Emma has even heard the name, but desperate for an escape and to bring Margaret closure, she travels deep into the heart of the Indian hills, to a crumbling house overgrown with vines, searching for answers.

The more Emma learns, the more she sees of herself in her grandmother, and the stronger her need to uncover Margaret’s secret. But if she finds Archana and the truth is finally revealed – the story of a day spent painting by a stream, and a betrayal that tore three lives to pieces – can it help each woman find peace or are some rifts too deep to heal…?

5/5

"Life can change in an instant. It can turn you upside down, inside out."

Renita D'Silva's new book is a fantastic emotional journey spanning decades and continents. Warning: Make sure you have a packet of tissue in the vicinity... you'll need it!

The story is laid out in two time periods, the 1920s and the year 2000. Margaret and Archana, two women living on opposite sides of the world. Their lives couldn't be any more different and yet their paths will cross each other with tremendous, life-changing consequences.

In 2000, Margaret is an old frail lady living out her last days in a hospice in England. She has one last wish - the final request of a dying woman. She gives her granddaughter Emma the deeds of a house in India and a painting she had painted when she was young and asks her to travel to India and trace a woman named Archana. She wants Archana to forgive her for what she has done to her and for Archana to know that Margaret has forgiven her herself a long time ago. What has happened between these two women a very long time ago for them to need each other's forgiveness? What did they do? Emma is intrigued by this mystery. Her grandma has never mentioned any connection to India, she didn't like to talk about her past at all, and now all of a sudden she has been handed the keys to a mansion there. Emma wants to dig deep and grant her nana's last wish, but will she be able to accomplish her mission in time or is it already too late for Margaret to tie her last loose end?

No other author has the ability to evoke in me the kind of emotions the talented Renita D'Silva does with her books. She is one of my favourite authors and I have read and loved each and every one of her books. Her writing is just breathtaking, poetic, it's like music, and with each book she writes she succeeds in making me dream with my eyes open. As I'm reading one of her books, I can always almost see, feel, smell and hear everything she describes. I'm always impressed by her choice of words and swept away by her stories. She always takes me to India, a beautiful country I've never visited but at the same time feel I know well, thanks to her clear descriptions and crisp, melodic 'voice'.

'The Girl in the Painting' is a marvellous work of fiction as colourful as a rainbow and as delicious as the yummy Indian food described within its pages. It burns with desire, love and passion but make no mistake, it also harbours heartbreaking scenes of betrayal, scandal and shame, not to mention death. This book made me realise that nothing in life is safe or to be taken for granted, that everything can change in the blink of an eye. I also learned about a shocking Indian tradition that thankfully has now been banned and deemed unlawful. The author has once again created interesting lifelike characters that as a reader you can't not feel attracted to. By the end I felt as if I have known Margaret, Archana and Emma since forever and I found myself rejoicing, laughing and crying with them. Yes, I needed that packet of tissues!

A huge well done to the author for writing such a brilliant, mesmerising story and thanks to Bookouture for an ARC of this book which I voluntarily accepted to read and review. Highly, highly recommended!!

About the Author
Renita D'Silva loves stories, both reading and creating them. Her short stories have been published in 'The View from Here', 'Bartleby Snopes', 'this zine', 'Platinum Page', 'Paragraph Planet' among others and have been nominated for the 'Pushcart' prize and the 'Best of the Net' anthology. She is the author of 'Monsoon Memories','The Forgotten Daughter', 'The Stolen Girl', 'A Sister's Promise', 'A Mother's Secret', 'A Daughter's Courage', 'Beneath An Indian Sky', 'The Girl In The Painting'.

FB: https://www.facebook.com/RenitaDSilvaBooks

Twitter: @RenitaDSilva

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

Website: http://renitadsilva.com/

Email: Renitadsilvabooks@gmail.com

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Dead Memories - Angela Marsons

22/2/2019

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Book Description
She ruined their lives. Now they’re going to destroy hers.

‘Someone is recreating every traumatic point in your life. They are doing this to make you suffer, to make you hurt and the only possible end game can be death. Your death.’

On the fourth floor of Chaucer House, two teenagers are found chained to a radiator. The boy is dead but the girl is alive. For Detective Kim Stone every detail of the scene mirrors her own terrifying experience with her brother Mikey, when they lived in the same tower block thirty years ago.

When the bodies of a middle-aged couple are discovered in a burnt-out car, Kim can’t ignore the chilling similarity to the death of Erica and Keith – the only loving parents Kim had ever known.

Faced with a killer who is recreating traumatic events from her past, Kim must face the brutal truth that someone wants to hurt her in the worst way possible. Desperate to stay on the case, she is forced to work with profiler Alison Lowe who has been called in to observe and monitor Kim’s behaviour.

Kim has spent years catching dangerous criminals and protecting the innocent. But with a killer firmly fixed on destroying Kim, can she solve this complex case and save her own life or will she become the final victim?

The heart-stopping and totally addictive new crime thriller from multi-million copy number one bestseller Angela Marsons will have you completely hooked.

I took part in the blog tour of this book!

*****

In this tenth book in the series, Kim Stone is undoubtedly faced with the toughest case of her career. Some sicko has targeted her personally and seems intent on messing up with her head. A killer is recreating the most traumatic episodes of her life, leaving behind a trail of innocent victims and forcing Kim to relive the most horrific memories of her past. Whoever this is, their motive is to hurt Kim as much as possible and cause her the maximum psychological pain. Kim and her team find themselves on a race against time to solve the puzzle and identify this sick mind before more victims are made.

Due to the particular nature of the case, a temporary addition to the team is imposed upon Kim, a person she doesn't particularly like. This just adds to Kim's increasing frustration as the killer remains elusive. Who is this killer? Who hates her so much as to cause her this much pain? And how does this person know even the minute details surrounding Kim's traumatic childhood events?

The Kim Stone series is my all-time favourite. All books are brilliant, top-notch, with intriguing twisty plots and lifelike interesting characters, and I have enjoyed each and every one of them, but 'Dead Memories' must be among the best as here we have a killer who has identified and targeted Kim's Achille's heel. Will they succeed in breaking her? Kim has no other option but to play along with this individual's sick game.

Once I started reading it, I devoured this book in just a few sittings, and as the author slowly unfurled the intriguing plot, I was kept on my toes and completely immersed in the mystery of who was behind these murders, all the time looking out for the little clues the author plants here and there, trying to guess the killer's identity and following Kim as she tries to solve the puzzle.

The plot's pace is fast and the short-chapter style (my favourite style) makes this an even faster read. Many chapters end in nail-biting cliffhangers, and the many twists and turns and red herrings kept me interested in this very addictive read throughout. By the time I realised that the killer was closing in on Kim, I grew desperate to see if something awful would happen to my favourite detective. After what happened in the eighth book, I now know that I can expect anything from this author. The heart-stopping ending did just that - stopped my heart!!

'Dead Memories' is another absolutely fantastic addition to the series and I highly recommend it. Well done Angela Marsons. You did it again!!

With thanks to Bookouture for an ARC of this book through Netgalley and for inviting me to take part in the blog tour.

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 on pre-orders alone.

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The Murder of Harriet Monckton - Elizabeth Haynes

21/2/2019

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Book Description
From the award-winning and bestselling author of Into the Darkest Corner comes a delicious Victorian crime novel based on a true story that shocked and fascinated the nation.
On 7th November 1843, Harriet Monckton, 23 years old and a woman of respectable parentage and religious habits, is found murdered in the privy behind the chapel she regularly attended in Bromley, Kent.
The community is appalled by her death, apparently as a result of swallowing a fatal dose of prussic acid, and even more so when the surgeon reports that Harriet was around six months pregnant.
Drawing on the coroner’s reports and witness testimonies, Elizabeth Haynes builds a compelling picture of Harriet’s final hours through the eyes of those closest to her and the last people to see her alive. Her fellow teacher and companion, her would-be fiancé, her seducer, her former lover—all are suspects; each has a reason to want her dead.
Brimming with lust, mistrust and guilt, The Murder of Harriet Monckton is a masterclass of suspense from one of our greatest crime writers.

****

I love Victorian mysteries and have read a few over the years. I have also read and enjoyed a couple of books by Elizabeth Haynes, including the brilliant 'Into the Darkest Corner', so when I found out that her newest book was about a true crime story that took place in the 19th century, I didn't think twice to download and read it. The atmospheric, creepy cover was enough to draw me in.

Harriet Monckton, a young woman in her twenties, was murdered on the 6th of November 1843 in Bromley. Unfortunately, her murder was never solved. But the author, discovering this case and feeling 'a desperate sense of injustice' for Harriet, decided to tell us her story. Using dated English words and phrases and vivid descriptions of Bromley at the time, the author succeeded in taking me back in time to an era when women didn't have much say, where prominent men were looked at as faultless and when religion played a central role in everyone's life.

In the chilling prologue, the author sets the scene of the murder. We know that someone offers Harriet 'a solution to her problem' which she naively accepts, to only recognise the deception when it was too late. Who was this killer? Why did they do this to Harriet? What had Harriet done for this person to detest her so much? Or were they trying to cover their own wrongdoing by silencing Harriet?

I had the impression that this would be a police investigation, that the author would give us the sequence of events from the perspective of a detective or a constable, however as I began to read, I realised that the story is recounted from the point of view of the few people that were closest to Harriet Monckton. Real-life characters that lived in Bromley alongside her. Those that loved her, used her and abused her. Was it one of these who ended Harriet's life? A large chunk of the book is dedicated to the first and second inquests as the many possible witnesses were conveyed in front of the jury. I thought that this part was a little bit dragging as many witnesses had to be recalled a second time to tell their account. The later part of the book is then dedicated to Harriet's diary in which she pours out her heart, feelings and thoughts about the persons closest to her and on her predicament.

To say I 'enjoyed' reading this book would not be the correct term to use in this case, as the book is quite dark with the sad story of a murdered girl, but I was very much intrigued to see how the author would develop the story and if she would 'solve' Harriet's murder, and yes, by the end she gives us a very plausible, possible solution. Sadly, however, we may never know if she's right or wrong.

I had never heard of this case before, and I'm now so thankful to Elizabeth Haynes for writing this book. I'm not sure how much of it is true or fiction, but the author has done a lot of research, read the original coroner reports and stuck to the true facts as much as possible. Knowing that this girl was murdered in this horrific way and her body discarded like a sack of rubbish, and with no justice ever being served, had a deep impact on me. I experienced mixed feelings towards Harriet. Obviously I felt sorry for her, furious that someone stole her life so prematurely, but I also felt somewhat angry at her and frustrated, for being so naive and gullible and for letting certain people take control of her life. Mind you, I know, this was the 19th century and poor girls didn't have much say, especially when faced with certain prominent citizens. One particular character shocked and disgusted me and I hated them with a passion.

Like the author, I felt profoundly touched by this girl's sad short life and I now know that Harriet Monckton will stay with me for a very long time. I'm just sorry that the killer was never apprehended. I only wish that Harriet rests in peace knowing that Elizabeth Haynes has given her voice and made her story known.

Well done to the author. If you love Victorian mysteries based on true stories, you won't want to miss this book.

About the Author
Elizabeth Haynes worked for many years as a police analyst. Her debut novel, Into the Darkest Corner, won Amazon's Book of the Year in 2011 and Amazon's Rising Star Award for debut novels.

Elizabeth grew up in Sussex and studied English, German and Art History at Leicester University. She is currently taking a career break having worked for the past seven years as a police intelligence analyst. Elizabeth now lives in Kent with her husband and son, and writes in coffee shops and a shed-office which takes up most of the garden. She is a regular participant in, and a Municipal Liaison for, National Novel Writing Month - an annual challenge to write 50,000 words in the month of November.

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The Disappeared - Sibel Hodge

6/1/2019

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Book Description
The Widow. The Secret. The Liar. The Disappeared…

On a routine flight from Africa to England, Dr Mason Palmer is tragically killed when the light aircraft he’s travelling on crashes and disappears in dense bushland.

The Widow…
Ten months later, Nicole Palmer is still trying to block out the grief of her husband’s sudden death. Until one morning she receives a photo of Mason through the post, along with a cryptic message. A message only he could’ve written.

The Secret…
But when Nicole tries to find out if Mason is really alive and what actually happened to him in Africa, everyone she turns to for answers ends up dead.

Determined to find the truth, Nicole uncovers a conspiracy that spans the globe, and discovers there are powerful people who are prepared to kill to keep her silent.

Who’s lying? Who’s watching Nicole? And can she expose their murky secrets before they catch up with her?

*****

Over the last few years, author Sibel Hodge has written a number of brilliant, edge-of-your-seat suspenseful thrillers that keep the reader hooked from start to finish. 'The Disappeared' is no different. Actually, I think this is one of her best to date and I'm so glad to have picked up this book as my first one of 2019 as it has surely set me on the right mood and track for this year's reading.

"Mason Palmer didn't know he had less than two hours to live when he walked into the ramshackle building."

And this, the first sentence of the prologue, has sucked me up into a roller-coaster vortex from the get-go, and if it weren't for real life getting in the way, I would have devoured the whole book in a couple of sittings.

The suspense in this book starts high at the beginning of the story and remains high till the end. This has kept me intrigued and interested by the evolving story throughout... the plane crash, Nicole receiving the mysterious photograph (with a message only her husband could have written) ten months after he perished in the plane crash, chilling murder scenes, abductions, disappearances, corruption, organised crime, heartbreaking scenes, heart-pumping scenes, lies, secrets and much more. My blood pressure went through the roof and my heart just couldn't keep up with the adrenaline pumping through my veins!

The sense of danger in this book is almost tangible. It looms everywhere and all the time. I really feared for Nicole's life and a myriad questions invaded my mind. Is the photograph just an elaborate hoax to hurt her? Or is it genuine? Someone wants to seriously hurt Nicole and stop her in her quest to find the truth, but who are these people? What do they want? And why have they come after her now, ten months after her husband's death? And where is Mason? Is he dead or has he somehow miraculously survived the plane crash? But how can that be possible?

I really like this author's 'voice', her writing style, the way she develops the plot and portrays all those vivid scenes and life-like characters. I thought everything was very realistic. It's evident that the author has done extensive research, mostly on one shocking aspect of the plot I can't mention so as not to give away spoilers. And she has succeeded in making me feel all sorts of emotions: sadness, anger, fear, pity, joy etc. I was really satisfied by the whole plot and the beautiful ending.

Well, this electrifying book gets a resounding 5 stars from me as it's just brilliant and I really enjoyed every moment I passed engrossed in its lines. If I were to read it again, I would do so in a heartbeat without hesitation, and I highly recommend it.

With kudos and thanks to the author for an ARC of this book which I voluntarily accepted to read and review.

About the Author
Sibel Hodge is the author of the #1 Bestsellers Look Behind You, Untouchable, Duplicity, and Into the Darkness. Her books have sold over one million copies and are international bestsellers in the UK, USA, Australia, France, Canada and Germany. She writes in an eclectic mix of genres, and is a passionate human and animal rights advocate.

Her work has been nominated and shortlisted for numerous prizes, including the Harry Bowling Prize, the Yeovil Literary Prize, the Chapter One Promotions Novel Competition, The Romance Reviews’ prize for Best Novel with Romantic Elements and Indie Book Bargains’ Best Indie Book of 2012 in two categories. She was the winner of Best Children’s Book in the 2013 eFestival of Words; nominated for the 2015 BigAl’s Books and Pals Young Adult Readers’ Choice Award; winner of the Crime, Thrillers & Mystery Book from a Series Award in the SpaSpa Book Awards 2013; winner of the Readers’ Favorite Young Adult (Coming of Age) Honorable award in 2015; a New Adult finalist in the Oklahoma Romance Writers of America’s International Digital Awards 2015, 2017 International Thriller Writers Award finalist for Best E-book Original Novel, Honorable Mention Award Winner in the USA 2018 Reader's Choice Awards, and winner of the No 1 Best Thriller in the Top Shelf Magazine Indie Book Awards 2018! Her novella Trafficked: The Diary of a Sex Slave has been listed as one of the top forty books about human rights by Accredited Online Colleges.

For Sibel’s latest book releases, giveaways and gossip, sign up to her newsletter at www.sibelhodge.com/contact-followme.php.

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The Red Address Book - Sofia Lundberg

31/12/2018

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Book Description
A heartwarming debut about 96-year-old Doris, who writes down the memories of her eventful life as she pages through her decades-old address book. But the most profound moment of her life is still to come …
Meet Doris, a 96-year-old woman living alone in her Stockholm apartment. She has few visitors, but her weekly Skype calls with Jenny—her American grandniece, and her only relative—give her great joy and remind her of her own youth.

When Doris was a girl, she was given an address book by her father, and ever since she has carefully documented everyone she met and loved throughout the years. Looking through the little book now, Doris sees the many crossed-out names of people long gone and is struck by the urge to put pen to paper. In writing down the stories of her colourful past—working as a maid in Sweden, modelling in Paris during the 30s, fleeing to Manhattan at the dawn of the Second World War—can she help Jenny, haunted by a difficult childhood, to unlock the secrets of their family and finally look to the future? And whatever became of Allan, the love of Doris’s life?

****

I wanted to end 2018 with something different to what I usually read. So as soon as I read the blurb of 'The Red Address Book' I decided that this would be it. This is a work of fiction that sounds so real. It is the beautiful, heart-warming, emotional but also quite sad and nostalgic story of a lovely, talented and quick-witted old lady and the many memories that have shaped her long life.

Doris is just a few short years of being a centenarian, but even if she's frail and riddled with pains brought on by her old age, she still has her wits about her and remarkably, she still manages to live alone in a small apartment in Stockholm. Apart from the caregivers who visit her everyday, Doris's only contact with the outside world is with her great-niece Jenny who lives in America, through Skype on her laptop. Yes, Doris didn't let social media and technology intimidate her. Sadly, she has no other relatives living close by.

"Once upon a time I was very beautiful."

Among Doris's most precious possessions is an old address book. Over the years, in this book, Doris has recorded the name of every single person she had come across throughout her long life. Now, sadly, almost all names are crossed out and marked 'Dead'.

"There are certain memories you just can't forget. They linger and fester, occasionally bursting like a boil and causing pain, such terrible pain."

Doris doesn't want to take all her memories to the grave with her. She wants Jenny to know about all her many wonderful and painful experiences. So she starts to pick names from the address book and write down the many memories associated with those particular names.

Through her writing, Doris gives life again to the people that have left an impression on her in one way or another. With her, we relive Doris's life, her ordeals and heartbreaks, anguish and pains, but also her passion and love and happy times. From the time she was a young girl forced out of her home to start working, to the time she became the most beautiful, wanted model in Paris, then on to the time she escaped war and went to the States and then back again to her country, Sweden.

Since all my grandparents passed away before or just a few years after I was born, I have always been curious as to how life was back then, what they went through in their lives, how they managed to survive both wars. So, as I was reading this book, I imagined Doris was my grandmother telling me about her life, what she went through so many years ago, in her childhood and youth. About the heartache and suffering she had endured, about the all-consuming love she experienced. About the many people that have crossed paths with her throughout the years.

This book was originally written in Swedish, but it has been perfectly translated to English. It is not a fast read and thank goodness for that as I wanted to read it slowly so as to savour all Doris's adventures, both at glamorous and trying periods of her life. Each chapter starts in the present day with what Doris is doing and what happens to her presently. (This part made me feel so sorry for Doris as she tries to deal with the many challenges an old body presents). Then each chapter continues with a chunk of Doris's musings about some particular character from her past. I found myself laughing with Doris, feeling happy and sad with her, wondering what if... with her, and yes, by the end I ended up with my emotions all over the place, with a lump in my throat and with tears in my eyes. Tears of joy and sadness mixed together. Doris will stay with me for quite some time now.

The author has succeeded in transporting me back in time, to glamorous places such as pre-WW II Paris and to New York where Doris spent some years. The author's exquisite writing and vivid descriptions made me feel as if I was there and could clearly visualise everything.

Being a lover of historical fiction, I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it. With huge thanks to HarperCollins for a review copy of this book which I voluntarily accepted to read and review.

About the Author
Sofia Lundberg is a journalist and former magazine editor. Her debut novel, The Red Address Book, will be published in 32 territories worldwide. She lives in Stockholm with her son.

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Good Samaritans - Will Carver

26/12/2018

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Book Description
One crossed wire, three dead bodies and six bottles of bleach.

Seth Beauman can’t sleep. He stays up late, calling strangers from his phonebook, hoping to make a connection, while his wife, Maeve, sleeps upstairs. A crossed wire finds a suicidal Hadley Serf on the phone to Seth, thinking she is talking to The Samaritans
But a seemingly harmless, late-night hobby turns into something more for Seth and for Hadley, and soon their late-night talks are turning into day-time meet-ups. And then this dysfunctional love story turns into something altogether darker, when Seth brings Hadley home…
And someone is watching…
Dark, sexy, dangerous and wildly readable, Good Samaritans marks the scorching return of one of crime fiction’s most exceptional voices.

****

At the beginning of this review I want to say that this is a book like no other. It's a quite disturbing book that requires a strong stomach. One that you just have to read fast, at one go and with the lights on. It is addictive, dark, twisty, sexy and terrifying. A character-driven story full of lies, sex, secrets and bleach and with a number of shocking, sickening scenes.

"Hey, it's Seth. I can't sleep. Want to talk?"

Seth is an insomniac who spends his nights drinking coffees and phoning strangers. He dials random numbers hoping for some connection and warmth. One such call puts Seth through to Hadley Serf, a suicidal young woman who's trying to contact The Good Samaritans in the hope that someone would listen to her. Hadley doesn't realise that this is a case of a crossed wire and that Seth is not really one of the Good Samaritans. Seth doesn't tell her either and he just plays along. He's just happy to have someone to talk to, happy to listen to her as she pours her heart out. From just her voice, he's immediately attracted to Hadley even though he is aware that she's troubled and has never seen her. She too enjoys talking to him and they agree to call each other again. Soon Seth becomes obsessed with Hadley and the two decide to move things forward and meet in person. But that will set the scene to one of the darkest stories I've ever read. Is Hadley the girl Seth thinks she is? Is Seth really what Hadley imagines he is? And who else is aware of Seth's little transgression?

It's really very difficult to review this book without giving any spoilers away. I'll just say that I've never read anything similar. The story revolves around a number of pretty f****d up, unlikeable individuals. Characters I hope I never come across in real life. There's also a very creative killer in the mix, dumping bleached bodies around, as well as a troubled Detective Sergeant desperate to put an end to these murders.

Thanks to the author's original, fast writing style, I found myself immersed in the story from the very beginning, following these messed-up but very engaging characters, and I didn't come up for breath till the very end. The suspense in this book never lets go and there are quite a few WTF moments. I felt tense throughout and I ended up gnawing my fingernails to the quick.

The book includes a lot of hot and steamy sex scenes and references to sex, so if you don't like such scenes it's better if you don't read this book. Other scenes we come across can best be described as shocking and nauseating but this in no way means that this isn't a good book. On the contrary, I found it quite intriguing and I really enjoyed the author's writing style and 'voice'. He certainly didn't leave anything to the imagination, just went on and explicitly gave us every shocking minute detail.

So if you're in for a dark, tense story, are not squeamish, not easily upset or shocked and love explicit sex scenes, I highly recommend this book. I enjoyed reading it. I enjoyed the breathtaking suspense, the original plot and even the hot stuff. One thing is certain. After reading this book, you won't look at the bleach bottles in your cupboard under the sink the same way!

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Longstone - L J Ross

16/12/2018

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Book Description
Between the devil and the deep blue sea…

Viking treasure is discovered beneath the icy waters of the North Sea and local historian Doctor Anna Taylor is called in to help catalogue the most exciting hoard in living memory. But when a shipwreck diver washes up dead, she’s soon out of her depth. Luckily, she knows just the person to call…

When DCI Ryan arrives at the picturesque fishing town of Seahouses, he's faced with an impenetrable wall of secrets and lies. As he juggles marine archaeology and the cutthroat world of shipwreck diving, another murder blows the case wide open. To uncover the truth, Ryan must delve deeper into the hearts of those around him to find what lies beneath…

Murder and mystery are peppered with romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunnit set amidst the spectacular Northumbrian landscape.

*****

'Longstone' is book 10 in the astounding DCI Ryan series by the brilliant Louise Ross. This mystery series is absolutely one of the best out there and I highly recommend it to all lovers of crime fiction. Once again, in this book, the author has taken me to an enchanting spot in Northumberland, this time to one of the natural highlights of the Northumbrian coast - the Farne Islands.

The day after claiming to have made the discovery of a lifetime - the wreck of an ancient Viking longboat - the body of an expert marine archaeologist is found washed up on the rocks at the foot of Longstone lighthouse. Was it an unfortunate accident, a suicide possibly, or did someone hear of the discovery and wanted to keep the treasure for themselves? DCI Ryan and his team are called in to the village of Seahouses to start the investigation. They start from the family running the inn where the man had rented a room and it's soon apparent that not everything is as it seems. There are tensions and currents beneath the surface and echoes of an old mystery can be strongly felt. Ryan is aware that the small village is a magnet for many salvage divers and marine archaeologists, all keen to explore and loot the wreck, so he knows that the possible suspects may be numerous. When a brutal murder takes place soon after in the streets of Seahouses, Ryan must first determine whether the two deaths are connected or not in order to catch the killer.

Well, I really had a great time reading this book and I think Longstone is actually one of my favourites in the series so far. I absolutely loved the setting of the story and I could clearly visualise the small fishing village with its harbour, the rough seas around the islands, the seabed peppered with old shipwrecks, the islands home to many birds and seals, and the boats fighting the huge waves as they come crashing down on the rocks at the foot of the lighthouse. One thing I love in this series in general, apart from the beautiful, vividly described locations, is the author's ability of mixing and balancing drama, humour and romance throughout. In this book, the author gives us an interesting insight on what goes on in wreck salvage operations.

Thanks to her crisp, clear writing and the mystery she has so cleverly woven in the plot, the author kept me glued to my kindle, entertained and interested till the end. I felt especially intrigued by the family running 'The Cockle Inn'. All members of this family seem to be hiding secrets. As I was reading, I had countless questions in my mind and I was desperate to have them all answered. Mostly, I wanted to know who the killer was as I had a suspect in mind from the very beginning and I was curious to find out if I would be proved correct or not by the end. Well, I'm not saying anything more other than the author left me open-mouthed more than once by the time I read the last chapter. One shocking surprise after the other!

With a picturesque setting, fantastic lifelike, intriguing characters, a well-thought out plot and an engrossing mystery that keeps you guessing till the end, Longstone is an outstanding addition to the series and I highly recommend it. Fantastic book!! Well done to the author!

With thanks to the author for a review copy of the book which I voluntarily accepted to read and review.

About the Author
LJ Ross is the author of the international #1 bestselling series of DCI Ryan mystery novels. Her debut, Holy Island, was released in January 2015 and reached number one in the Amazon Kindle UK best sellers chart.

Since then, she has released a further seven full-length novels in the DCI Ryan Series, all of which have been top three bestsellers. Cragside, Dark Skies, Seven Bridges and The Hermitage (due for release 20 October 2018) were all #1 in the UK on pre-orders alone.

The novels are available to purchase in e-book, paperback and audiobook formats on the Amazon store, as well as in selected independent bookshops. Holy Island is also available in German translation.

Louise was born in Northumberland, England. She studied undergraduate and postgraduate Law at King's College, University of London and studied abroad in Paris and Florence. She spent much of her working life in London, where she was a regulatory lawyer for a number of years before taking the decision to change career and pursue her dream to write.

Now, she writes full time and lives with her husband and son in Northumberland. She enjoys reading all manner of books, travelling and spending time with family and friends.

If you would like to connect with LJ Ross, she would be very happy to hear from you:

https://www.facebook.com/LJRossAuthor
https://twitter.com/ljross_author
http://www.ljrossauthor.com
www.lovesuspense.com
lj_ross@outlook.com

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Toxic Justice - M.A. Comley

14/12/2018

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Book Description
When life gets tough...

Desperation seeps in.

When Jonathan Giles has nowhere left to turn in life, he commits suicide. How can a fifteen-year-old boy be driven to take such drastic action to solve his problems?

DI Lorne Warner is about to tackle the most heart-wrenching, nonsensical case of her career.

With the suicide statistics among teenagers rising on her patch, DCI Roberts asks Lorne to investigate the reasons behind the victims taking their own lives.

Will the shocking truth Lorne and her tenacious team uncover give the grieving families the justice they deserve?

*****

Can't believe this is the last book in the series!! I loved the Justice Series so much that I never thought this series would come to an end one day. And Lorne Warner goes out with a boom! What a book this is!! The author treats the subject of bullying, a horrific reality affecting all age groups and found everywhere, in schools and workplaces alike.

Lorne and her team, who usually investigate murders, are tasked by DCI Roberts to investigate a string of suicides among adolescents. He wants them to stop these suicides, if at all possible. Why are these kids, all seemingly coming from good families, killing themselves? What can Lorne do to stop these suicides? What part can schools play to prevent more deaths from taking place? Used to investigate murders, Lorne feels quite out of her depth with this case.

This is a book that kept me hooked from start to finish. To say I enjoyed it wouldn't be the right term to use in this case for obvious reasons, but the author did an outstanding job in keeping me engaged from start to finish. I was really curious to find what has been happening, if Lorne would be able to find out what was behind all those deaths. And that ending!! OMG!! I had my heart in my mouth!! No, Looorne!!!

Great book! I highly recommend this one and the whole series. Now I'm just so sad to see the end of this incredible series and I'm already missing the feisty Lorne Warner so much.

About the Author
New York Times, USA Today, Amazon Top 20 bestselling author, iBooks top 5 bestselling and #2 bestselling author on Barnes and Noble. Over one and a half million copies sold worldwide. I am a British author who moved to France in 2002, and that's when I turned my hobby into a career. When I'm not writing crime novels I'm either reading them or going on long walks with my rescue Labrador, Dex. I hope you enjoy reading my books, especially the Justice series.

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The Forgotten Daughter - Renita D'Silva

13/12/2018

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Book Description
‘You were adopted’.
Three simple words, in a letter accompanying her parents' will, tear Nisha’s carefully ordered world apart. Raised in England, by her caring but emotionally reserved parents, Nisha has never been one to take risks.

Now, with the scrawled address of an Indian convent begins a search for the mother and family she never knew and the awakening of childhood memories long forgotten.

The secrets, culture and people that Nisha discover will change her life forever. And, as her eyes are opened to a side of herself she didn’t know existed, Nisha realizes that she must also seek answers to the hardest question of all – why?

Weaving together the stories of Nisha, Shilpa and Devi, The Forgotten Daughter explores powerfully and poignantly the emotional themes of motherhood, loss and identity – ultimately asking the question of what you would do out of love for your children?

*****

I thought I've read and enjoyed all books written by the amazing Renita D'Silva, until I was browsing my kindle library and found this little gem among the many books waiting patiently for their turn to be read. Yes, Christmas has come earlier than usual for me this year. I felt happy as I knew that I was in for a treat, and in fact this was yet another mesmerising experience that I'll keep close to my heart for many years to come.

'The Forgotten Daughter' is a beautiful story about a family torn apart by tragic circumstances. After Nisha's parents die in a fatal car crash, she learns that she wasn't their natural daughter, she was adopted. A few lines in a letter left to her by her parents are enough to turn Nisha's life upside down. She realises that all that she thought she knew, all that she was told, was just a bunch of lies. Her whole life was nothing but one huge lie. All of a sudden, as her life begins to crumble, long forgotten snippets of memories, images and even smells start to invade her conscious mind and her dreams. What do these mean? From where are they coming? Who is she? Who are her real parents? Where are they? Are they still alive? And why did they give her away? She wants to know everything, she wants all these questions and many others answered.

Across the globe, in India, Devi is going through a very difficult time. Her mum is in hospital fighting for her life. Due to her rebellious nature, Devi's relationship with her mum has always been strained at best. Now, feeling terrible for how she has always behaved, she seeks comfort by reading her mother's diary, going back in time and getting to know the woman her mother was before she was born, learning about her father, whom she has never met. She thought she knew her mother, knew everything about her, but through her mother's written words, she begins to uncover unimaginable secrets. All of a sudden, her mother's behaviour, her suffocating love, words and actions begin to make sense and all the dots begin to be joined together to form a picture. She also finds it therapeutic writing letters to her mother. Letters in which she pours her heart out, telling her mother her own secrets, experiences and feelings in the hope that her mother will soon be able to read them. Will mother and daughter finally be able to understand each other? Will they have the chance to start anew?

Well, as I was expecting, thanks to her beautiful, evocative writing, the author took me on another emotional, heart-warming and tear-jerking journey spanning decades and continents. Ms Silva's magnificent descriptions are alive, stimulating the senses, making the reader feel, see, taste, smell and hear all that is taking place in the story. I could clearly visualise everything with my mind's eye. The chaos of the Indian cities, the women in the colourful saris, the buses full to bursting with passengers, the damp, intense heat, the sweat, the sweltering sun, the dry red mud, the palm fronds swaying in the breeze, the nuns' kind faces. It was as if I was there living it all, in the places she so skilfully describes, interacting with the lifelike characters. I don't like to use this term in my reviews but yes, I could not put this book down and as I was reading, my emotions were all over the place. I wanted to know how it will all end, what will happen to the three women. Will their dreams come true? There were times in which I wanted to cry, others in which I wanted to shout and throw the kindle against the wall at the injustice of it all. There were also lovely moments in which I wished I was really there, one of the characters.

Chapters are written from the point of views of the three women, Nisha, Devi and her mother Shilpa and by the end, I've come to love all three of them. All three women have gone through some challenging times in their lives and I wished I could give them a hug and help them in some way. I wished they were true characters and that I form part of their lives. I already miss them!

'The Forgotten Daughter' is a brilliant book and I really loved and enjoyed it. It has certainly given me a short break from the adrenaline-pumping thrillers I usually like to read. A huge well done to the author, Ms Renita D'Silva, who once again made me dream with my eyes open, imagining this beautiful exotic country that is India. A colourful country of extreme contrasts, of many languages, religions, diversities and delicious food.

This book is really a work of art, or should I say 'a work of heart' and I highly recommend it.

About the author
Renita D'Silva loves stories, both reading and creating them. Her short stories have been published in 'The View from Here', 'Bartleby Snopes', 'this zine', 'Platinum Page', 'Paragraph Planet' among others and have been nominated for the 'Pushcart' prize and the 'Best of the Net' anthology. She is the author of 'Monsoon Memories','The Forgotten Daughter', 'The Stolen Girl', 'A Sister's Promise', 'A Mother's Secret', 'A Daughter's Courage', 'Beneath An Indian Sky'.

FB: https://www.facebook.com/RenitaDSilvaBooks

Twitter: @RenitaDSilva

Website: http://renitadsilva.com/

Email: Renitadsilvabooks@gmail.com

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The Secret Life and Curious Death of Miss Jean Milne - Andrew Nicoll

2/12/2018

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Book Description
A woman murdered
A crime unsolved
A mystery that has lasted a century

The brutal murder of wealthy spinster Miss Jean Milne a hundred years ago shocked the country to its core. But for a century, the case has gone unsolved. Why was she tied up, tortured and brutally murdered? And who could have committed such a heinous crime?

To all appearances, Miss Jean Milne was the model of respectability, living a quiet life alone in her seaside mansion. But behind the façade, she had a secret life, her frequent trips to London masking a very different lifestyle. Now, using newly released evidence from police files and eyewitness testimony hidden for a century, Andrew Nicoll has brought the case back from the dead to reveal what really happened.

It's a shocking tale of class division, money, sex, lies, betrayal and murder. And, at last, after a hundred years, the curious death of Miss Jean Milne may finally have found a solution.

****

I love historical fiction and when I saw this book on Amazon, I was instantly attracted to the hauntingly beautiful cover depicting this mysterious lady going up the stairs, and I downloaded a copy. Now, years later, browsing through my library for something different to read, I came across this cover again and decided to finally give this book a go.

As I began to read, I immediately realised that I was reading a true story. This wasn't fiction at all, but a 100-year-old unsolved murder mystery. Miss Jean Milne, a wealthy spinster living alone in a huge mansion in Broughty Ferry (now a suburb of Dundee, Scotland), was found brutally murdered in the hall of her house in November 1912. Written from the pov of Sergeant John Fraser, one of the police officers investigating the case, this book takes out of mothballs and re-studies all the evidence gathered by the police at the time and the statements collected from the many witnesses who thought they've seen something on the night of the murder.

The author skilfully paints a rather vivid but at the same time bleak picture of life at the time. Thanks to his descriptions I really felt I went back in time by a century and could truly see Broughty Ferry, London and other places through the eyes of the various historical characters in the book. Andrew Nicoll spares no details in depicting the crime scene. We are told exactly how the poor woman was murdered, where she was found and in which position and from where the various items of evidence have been collected. It was as if I were there too, in the house, on the streets investigating. Some scenes are so well described in harrowing detail that I found myself wincing as I was reading, namely when the victim's body was removed from the crime scene and taken for the post-mortem. I have nightmares because of those scenes alone I can tell you. Yes, those images will remain with me for a long time, especially knowing that it was all for real, not just an invented story.

It seems that Miss Milne was a small, fragile lady who led and seemed to enjoy a solitary lifestyle with not even a maid or gardener ever setting foot in her huge house. She was a respectable lady devoted to church affairs. However she was known for her eccentric habits, pretending to be younger than she was and boasting of the various nice gentlemen she had some kind of intrigue going on with. She frequently left home for long periods of times, sometimes without telling anyone that she was leaving or where she was going. She loved to go to London, far away from the local gossip, where most probably she freely interacted with other strangers.

So, who could have killed Miss Milne? Was it one of these men she met in London and sometimes invited to her house? Or was it someone much closer to home? The case remains unsolved, and it's evident that, under the command of Chief Constable Sempill, even though extensive, the investigation left much to be desired, with important evidence not properly followed up or blithely overlooked. The author, however, seems to have made his own detection work and instead of ending the book with the murder unsolved, he has come up with, in my opinion, a very plausible but shocking solution. Could he be right? Could that really be the person who killed Jean Milne? Will we ever know the truth?

This was a great book that I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed reading and I highly recommend it.

About the Author
After a brief stint as a lumberjack, Andrew Nicoll has spent his working life as a newspaper journalist. His first novel, The Good Mayor, was an international bestseller. Andrew is married with three children.

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