Year: 2015

The Wronged by Kimberley Chambers (Butlers #3)

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My Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: When the going gets tough, the Butlers get even… ‘Murdered in 1980 she was, bless her. Now I’ll tell you the story of everything that’s happened since…’ No parent should ever have to bury their child, but God knows the Butlers have buried more than their fair share. Now, Vinny and Michael are planning the downfall of all who’ve wronged them. The Butlers don’t forgive or forget, and they take their secrets to the grave. As yet more tragic events rip the family apart, loyalties are on a knife edge. Times are changing in the East End, and the brothers who have always stuck together are at each other’s throats. As the old saying goes – you keep your friends close, and your enemies closer… But you keep your family right where you can see them. Continue reading “The Wronged by Kimberley Chambers (Butlers #3)”

My Husband Next Door by Catherine Alliott

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Synopsis: Separated in every way but distance, Sebastian resides in an outhouse across the lawn from his ex-wife Ella’s ramshackle farmhouse. With a home crowded by hostile teenaged children and gender-confused chickens, Ella finds comfort in the company of the very charming gardener, Ludo. Then Sebastian decides to move on, catching Ella horribly unawares. 

How much longer can she hide from what really destroyed her marriage… and the secret she continues to keep?

Kat’s Rating: 3/5

Kat’s Review: I’ve been reading Catherine Alliott’s books for many years and was looking forward to starting this one. However, for some reason by the time I had finished the book I just thought it was okay, just that…okay. Ella and her artist husband Sebastian separated and the end result is now two lazy teenage children and Sebastian living in an outhouse on the farm. This means that Ella is left with holiday guests to look after, the children to wait on hand and foot, and to add to the mix her Mother comes to stay after herself experiencing marital difficulties.

Ella was a nice enough character and the storyline trundled along, but it was lacking that normal sparkle that her books have, such as ‘A Rural Affair’. We also meet Ginnie who is Ella’s sister and although her life looks to be perfect, it may just be that appearances are deceptive. On the whole the book is certainly readable, no doubt about that, but I just felt like I was waiting for something else to happen. It seemed to be middle of the road and the attempts at secrets and character changes just seemed stilted and forced.

I was disappointed but only because I have previously really enjoyed some of her books. It certainly wasn’t a bad read; it just wasn’t what I expected. I will look forward to the next one and hope that Catherine Alliott returns to that magic sparkle that her books normally have.

Only The Brave by Mel Sherratt (Allie Shenton #3)

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Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: When one of the notorious Johnson brothers is murdered and a bag of money goes missing, a deadly game of cat and mouse is set in motion. DS Allie Shenton and her team are called in to catch the killer, but the suspects are double-crossing each other and Allie has little time to untangle the web of lies. As she delves deeper into the case, things take a personal turn when Allie realises she is being stalked by the very same person who attacked her sister seventeen years ago and left her for dead.

*Please note that due to this book being part of a series, if you haven’t read the previous books and plan on doing so then don’t continue to read the review as it will inevitably contain spoilers*

Kat’s Review: I was so excited to get an early copy of the new Mel Sherratt, and especially pleased that it was another ‘Allie Shenton’ book. Taunting The Dead and Follow My Leader are books 1 and 2 respectively and I would strongly recommend you read the books in order. Allie is back and facing the worst possible scenario in her personal life. Her sister was attached 17 years prior and life has never been the same for her since. It seems that now, the person who attacked her sister is now targeting Allie. In addition to this the body of Jordan Johnson is found and typically it seems he has links to Terry Ryder (featured in previous book).

The big difference in this latest book is Allie herself. She seemed somehow more vulnerable than usual and maybe not as strong as in previous books (which isn’t always a bad thing). On the other side of the fence we meet all the neighbours living in the flats where Jordan’s body was found. It seems before long that there are numerous candidates and it seems there is more double-crossing going on than you can shake a stick at. The endless list of people who could be potential suspects are brilliant and I could picture each and every one of them. The other difference with this book is that it’s set over 24 hours so the chapters are started with the relevant time frame. I’m not that much of a fan of short time span books but this one worked well and had loads of pace and momentum.

Overall this was pretty much packed with all sorts of goings on and kept my interest right the way through. There are two storylines running throughout and for once this book finishes on something of a complete note. Hopefully this means that Allie will return fighting fit for another book and another new case. There is only one small thing that I consider a negative in this and previous books and that is Allie’s husband Mark. He doesn’t seem that prominent and to be honest would prefer that she got rid of him. I haven’t really felt like I connected with him as a character and he seems far too boring for her. The danger element of a man (such as in the last book) worked like a charm in my eyes. This is just a personal opinion but one that bugs me. Aside from the extremely boring husband another cracker for Mel Sherratt!

THE MOURNER BY SUSAN WILKINS (KAZ PHELPS #2)

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Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: If she can’t get justice, will she settle for vengeance? Kaz Phelps has escaped her brother and her criminal past to become an anonymous art student in Glasgow. But can life under the witness protection scheme ever give her the freedom she craves? Banged up and brooding, Joey Phelps faces thirty years behind bars. Still, with cash and connections on the outside, can an overstretched prison system really contain him? Helen Warner, once Kaz’s lawyer and lover, is a rising star in Parliament. But has she made the kind of enemies who have no regard for the democratic process, or even the law? Ousted from the police and paralysed by tragic personal loss, Nicci Armstrong is in danger of going under. Can a job she doesn’t want with a private security firm help her to put her life back on track? A murder dressed up as suicide and corruption that goes to the heart of government unite ex-cop and ex-con in a deadly quest to learn the truth. What they discover proves what both have always known – villainy is rife on both sides of the law.

My Review: I was really pleased that I had the second book by Susan Wilkins as I have only recently finished the first. I wanted to know what happened with Kaz and Nicci. Kaz Phelps is currently living in Glasgow under a different name. She was the one that helped put her brother Joey behind bars. However, when she hears news that Helen Warner, her one time lover and her lawyer had been found dead the first thing she did was return to London. We also catch up with Nicci Armstrong, the one-time copper who has suffered extreme personal tragedy. She is now working with one of her old colleagues in private security.

I was shocked with the opening of the story even though the synopsis makes it clear that Helenr Warner is the victim. I liked Helen and was sad to see her leave the story. However when Kaz decides to approach Helen’s long term partner Julia things get very interesting. As for Nicci, well she is just a fantastic character to read about. Sadly in the beginning we se her struggle as she is trying to remain working to stop herself from travelling down a grieving path which probably involves a lot of drinking. It makes you really root for her as she is fundamentally a good person who is struggling to come to terms with what has happened to her.

In the meantime, Kaz seems to be getting herself more and more involved and before long she crosses paths with people that work for Joey. The Joey element of the story was done really well and I was totally engrossed from start to finish. It felt like even as just the reader, you were taking part on the journey to get to the truth and you second guess every single person! There was so much going on that you didn’t know where each thread was taking you, but there are no un-necessary complications, just plenty of action and drama. Susan Wilkins certainly has that flair for writing, which I guess is why she is such a successful script writer! However, its more than that, she has slotted into this part of the genre, that gritty and realistic type book that grabs you at page one and refuses to put you down until the end.

I was surprised by the ending, but the end result was that if book 3 was ready and waiting I would have moved straight on to it, so I guess the desired result was met. If you haven’t read Susan Wilkins, take a look at her first book and I will guarantee you want to read the second. Can’t wait to see what she produces next!

The Cake Shop in The Garden by Carole Matthews

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My Star Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: Fay Merryweather runs her cake shop from her beautiful garden. She whips up airy sponges and scrumptious scones, while her customers enjoy the lovely blossoms and gorgeous blooms. Looking after the cake shop, the garden and her cantankerous mother means Fay is always busy but she accepts her responsibilities because if she doesn’t do all this, who will? Then Danny Wilde walks into her life and makes Fay question every decision she’s ever made. When a sudden tragedy strikes, Fay’s entire world is thrown off balance even further and she doesn’t know which way to turn. Can Fay find the strength to make a life-changing decision – even if it means giving up the thing she loves the most? Life, love and family are about to collide in The Cake Shop in the Garden. Continue reading “The Cake Shop in The Garden by Carole Matthews”

Rose Petal Beach by Dorothy Koomson

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Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Availability: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle, Audio, Nook and Kobo

Synopsis: Every love story has a dangerous twist. Tamia Challey is horrified when her husband, Scott, is accused of something terrible – but when she discovers who his accuser is, everything goes into freefall. Backed into a corner and unsure what to think, Tamia is forced to choose who she instinctively believes. But this choice has dire consequences for all concerned, especially when matters take a tragic turn. Then a stranger arrives in town to sprinkle rose petals in the sea in memory of her lost loved one. This stranger carries with her shocking truths that will change the lives of everyone she meets, and will once again force Tamia to make some devastating choices… Continue reading “Rose Petal Beach by Dorothy Koomson”

Lifeless by Mark Billingham (Tom Thorne #5)

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Kat’s Rating: 3/5

Availability: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle, Audio, Nook and Kobo

*Please note if you plan on reading the series in order, then do not continue reading this review as it will inevitably contain spoilers*

Synopsis: To his friends, his foes and even to himself it looks as though Tom Thorne’s career is on the skids. On his last case he had seriously over-stepped the mark, and now gardening leave has been suggested and all he has to tend is a window box. So when it appears someone is targeting London’s homeless community it seems perfectly natural for Thorne to take a step nearer to the gutter and go undercover amongst them. He blends into the sometimes invisible community easily – too easily perhaps – but the information he gleans quickly proves that this is no random killer, it is someone with a very distinct purpose and a very specific list of victims and only the team supporting Thorne from the outside don’t have the key to motive or identity. Then somehow the fact that a policeman is working undercover becomes public.

My Review: I like Tom Thorne, really I do…but for some reason this latest instalment was slow going. The premise sounded pretty good, but with the recent loss of his Dad, it seems Tom is somewhat on the edge. He is on Gardening leave, but when the opportunity comes up to go undercover within the London homeless community he can’t resist. The writing is fabulous and to be honest this book made me realise just how bad the homeless situation in this country really is. From that perspective Billingham has done a stellar job, however when it comes to Thorne, by the end all I wanted to do was slap him around the chops and tell him to get a grip.

The crux of this latest book is that it seems a killer is targeting homeless people. With the homeless community closing ranks Tom Thorne elects to become ‘homeless’ and befriend some of the people on the street with the hope of getting clues on what people know and have seen. I really like recurring characters and Tom’s colleague Dave Holland is no exception. It seems that even Holland is becoming tired of Thorne’s transformation. The story rumbled along and there were moments that the suspense ratcheted up, but then it seemed to die off and I didn’t feel the same oomph that I did when I read his first book Sleepyhead.

Overall, this latest instalment was a decent read, but certainly not enough to grab me by the short and curlies! I love the characters and MB’s writing is great, I just felt like this book lacked its normal magic, so I will hope that the next book recaptures that by the bucketload.

THE INFORMANT BY SUSAN WILKINS (KAZ PHELPS #1)

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Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audio, Kobo, Nook

Synopsis: As a drug-fuelled teenage tearaway, Kaz Phelps took the rap for her little brother Joey over a bungled armed robbery and went to jail.

Six years later she’s released on licence. Clean and sober, and driven by a secret passion for her lawyer, Helen, Kaz wants to escape the violence and abuse of her Essex gangster family. Joey is a charming, calculating and cold psychopath. He worships the ground Kaz walks on and he’s desperate to get her back in the family firm. All Kaz wants is a fresh start and to put the past behind her. When Joey murders an undercover cop, DS Nicci Armstrong is determined to put him behind bars. What she doesn’t realize is that her efforts are being sabotaged by one of their own and the Met is being challenged at the highest level. The final test for Kaz comes when her cousin, Sean, gets out of jail. He is a vicious, old-school thug and wants to show Kaz who is boss. Kaz may be tough enough to face down any man, but is she strong enough to turn her back on her family and go straight?

My Review: I was looking forward to this and had seen some pretty good reviews for it. The synopsis sounded very readable and I was pleased that I finally got around to it. First off it’s very readable, now I know that sounds like a silly thing to say but you know what I mean. The writing flows well and the book can be picked up and read with no effort. Realising that Susan Wilkins has moved from the world of script writing is no surprise. Kaz is the main character followed by her brother Joey. It seems Joey has been running the business while Kaz has spent a good few years in prison, for a crime her brother committed.

Kaz and Joey are complete opposites and it was easy to like Kaz as you see her struggle to get to grips with life on the outside. What makes it worse is that she wants to go straight, and Joey seems set on becoming more dangerous than he already is. I liked the copper Nicci Armstrong and thought her and Mal Bradley worked well together. There were a few threads going on within the story but each one held my interest. There was quite a lot of action and the story flowed well, held my interest and kept me reading, which I think I did in just a few sittings, and in a day and a half.

It has been left in such a way that the follow up is something you want to read but I still felt it had been wrapped up well enough and there was no major cliff-hanger. I was very pleased to realise that the second book by Susan Wilkins is out in May 2015 entitled The Mourner. It’s one that I think will be making it to my Kindle sooner rather than later. Certainly a cracking debut and an author I will be looking out for in the future

Pieces of You by Ella Harper

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Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Available: Kindle, Paperback, Kobo, Nook

Synopsis: The perfect marriage. A devastating secret.  An impossible choice. Lucy was always sure of one thing – her future with husband and soulmate Luke. But after eight long, heart-breaking years trying to have a baby, that future is crumbling before her eyes. When a terrible accident puts Luke into a coma, Lucy is forced to reassess everything she thought she wanted. Then Stella arrives. A woman Lucy’s never met, but with a secret that will change her world forever.

My Review: I am a Sasha Wagstaff fan, and for those that don’t know Ella Harper is a pseudonym used by her for the release of this book. The characters are extremely likeable and Lucy and Luke are who the story centres around. They seem to have it all and as the story progresses we are taken back chapter by chapter to how and when they met. When we read about them in the current day, although their love for each other is blindingly obvious, Lucy’s need for a baby seems to be overshadowing everything. The premise is probably a familiar one with thousand across the world knowing just what Lucy is going through.

However, Lucy’s life becomes ten times worse when her paramedic Husband Luke is involved in an accident and lays in a coma. This is the catalyst for Lucy’s world to start crumbling. In addition to Lucy the other characters are their friends Dee and Dan, as well as Luke’s Mother Patricia, his sister Nell and brother Ade. There weren’t any characters I disliked and I thought they all brought something to the story.

The one thing I will say is that this isn’t exactly the most uplifting book you will read, it’s gritty and real and some people will say at times extremely upsetting. All of that aside, this was still a book I really didn’t want to put down and to be honest thought it was an extremely readable book that caught me hook line and sinker. Sasha Wagstaff it seems will now be getting herself a whole new bunch of fans with this type of book and I am really looking forward to what she has out next.

The Lie by C L Taylor

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Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Available: Released 23 April 2015 – Kindle, Paperback, Kobo, Nook

Synopsis: This was no accident…Haunting, compelling, this psychological thriller will have you hooked. Perfect for fans of Gone Girl and Daughter. I know your name’s not really Jane Hughes . . .Jane Hughes has a loving partner, a job in an animal sanctuary and a tiny cottage in rural Wales. She’s happier than she’s ever been but her life is a lie. Jane Hughes does not really exist. Five years earlier Jane and her then best friends went on holiday but what should have been the trip of a lifetime rapidly descended into a nightmare that claimed the lives of two of the women. Jane has tried to put the past behind her but someone knows the truth about what happened. Someone who won’t stop until they’ve destroyed Jane and everything she loves . . Continue reading “The Lie by C L Taylor”