Category: Book Review

BLOG TOUR – Betrayed by Casey Kelleher (Bryne #1)

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Synopsis: Jimmy Byrne is one of the biggest faces on the Soho scene. Equally feared and respected, he’s clawed his way to the top. Money is his game, and he’ll make it by any means necessary. 

When Jimmy sets his sights on shy young Colleen Walsh, she is quickly seduced by his sweet words and the life of luxury he offers her. But behind the diamonds and fur coats lies the reality of gangland violence – and by the time she realises the truth, she’s already in too deep. 

Like her father, Jimmy Byrne, Nancy Byrne is strong, opinionated – and ruthless. But when Jimmy is murdered. Nancy vows to find the killer and make them pay for their actions. 

Only the perpetrator is someone close to home. Someone she trusted. Someone who betrayed them all.

Blood is thicker than water – but Nancy is not afraid to spill some to get the truth.

Kat’s Rating: 4/5 Continue reading “BLOG TOUR – Betrayed by Casey Kelleher (Bryne #1)”

Secrets Of The Dead by Carol Wyer (Detective Robyn Carter #2)

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Synopsis: Three murders. Three innocent victims. What secrets did they share with their killer?

A bottle of bubble bath and colourful, plastic boats were scattered in small puddles on the floor. In the bathtub lay Linda Upton, fully-clothed, her lips a shade of blue, and her bloodshot eyes wide open.

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

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

Just when her leads have dried up, Robyn discovers an unsettling clue she thinks could unlock the case. But as she chases across the plush carpets and manicured lawns of the wealthy elite, honing in on the killer’s shocking motive, one of her own is put in terrible danger.

The press call him The Leopard for his stealth, speed and brutality. Can Robyn stop the most twisted killer of her career before it’s too late?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “Secrets Of The Dead by Carol Wyer (Detective Robyn Carter #2)”

Ella’s Ice Cream Summer by Sue Watson

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Synopsis: Ella’s life just hit rock-bottom, but can a summer by the sea mend her broken heart? When life gives you lemons… make ice-cream!

Life hasn’t always been easy for single mum Ella, but she has just hit an all-time low; she’s jobless, loveless, very nearly homeless and, to make matters worse, now the owner of a pocket-sized pooch with a better wardrobe than her.

Packing her bags (and a bigger one for the dog), Ella sets off for the seaside town of Appledore in Devon to re-live the magical summers of her youth and claim her portion of the family ice-cream business: a clapped-out ice-cream van and a complicated mess of secrets.

There she meets gorgeous and free-spirited solicitor, Ben, who sees things differently: with a little bit of TLC he has a plan to get the van – and Ella – back up and running in no time.

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I have been a huge Sue Watson fan for a long time now and once I had finished reading this book I actually pondered over exactly what it is about her books that make them so special. It comes down to the fundamentals, which for me is the characters. Yes she has amazing ability as a storyteller and creates wonderful tales that will keep you entertained, but what does she do differently that others maybe don’t? Characters….that’s what! All of Sue’s books have a wonderful laugh out loud quality to them but most of this is instilled in each character and none more so than this latest book Ella’s Ice Cream.

Ella is feeling like her life has stalled. She has two children ready to fly the nest on gap years and a seventy something Mother who seems more at ease with technology than she could ever be. Then there is the smarmy ex-husband Dick who is currently shacked up in Spain with his boss. When Ella discovers that her aunt has left her a share of her Ice Cream business down in Appledore she is taken aback. Appledore is a place that holds fond memories for her as a child, however a family rift stops her from delving too far into the past. Ella takes the bull by the horns and makes her way to Appledore against her Mothers wishes.

As much as I adored Ella, the star of the show for me was her mother Roberta! I literally fell in love with the Mother who is obsessed with Mob Wives and sexting! With Italian roots, some of the scenes that I read involving Roberta had me laughing out loud. I could literally picture some of the scenes unravelling in front of my very eyes and I felt like I was sitting on the beach at Appledore observing this crazily lovable family. The fact that there is another book coming made me jump for joy and I cannot wait to get started on it.

This book is an absolute corker and a joy to read from start to finish. Sue Watson has produced a wonderful book that I think everybody would enjoy. I cannot recommend this author highly enough and think that more people need to discover the pure joy of her books. An outstanding book that is an absolute must for your Summer Holidays!

BLOG TOUR: Dead Souls by Angie Marsons (Kim Stone #6)

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Synopsis: When a collection of human bones is unearthed during a routine archaeological dig, a Black Country field suddenly becomes a complex crime scene for Detective Kim Stone.

As the bones are sorted, it becomes clear that the grave contains more than one victim. The bodies hint at unimaginable horror, bearing the markings of bullet holes and animal traps.

Forced to work alongside Detective Travis, with whom she shares a troubled past, Kim begins to uncover a dark secretive relationship between the families who own the land in which the bodies were found. 

But while Kim is immersed in one of the most complicated investigations she’s ever led, her team are caught up in a spate of sickening hate crimes. Kim is close to revealing the truth behind the murders, yet soon finds one of her own is in jeopardy – and the clock is ticking. Can she solve the case and save them from grave danger – before it’s too late?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Continue reading “BLOG TOUR: Dead Souls by Angie Marsons (Kim Stone #6)”

BLOG TOUR: Sleep Tight by Caroline Mitchell (Ruby Preston #2)

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Synopsis: A killer stalks the streets of East London. All over the area, murdered young women are discovered, their bodies posed into disturbing recreations of fairy tale princesses.

Detective Ruby Preston is determined to hunt down the murderer who is using the women to realise his dark fantasies. But when body parts are found at the home of her lover, Nathan Crosby, Ruby is torn between her job and her heart. 

Convinced that he is being framed, Ruby must catch the killer before Nathan becomes the number one suspect. But as more victims are found, it becomes harder to prove his innocence.

As Ruby starts to close in on the twisted individual, can she stop him before he strikes again? And how well does she really know the man she loves?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “BLOG TOUR: Sleep Tight by Caroline Mitchell (Ruby Preston #2)”

BLOG TOUR – The Promise by Casey Kelleher

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Synopsis: Growing up in squalor with their drug-addicted prostitute mother, sisters Georgie and Marnie Parker have had to endure the very darkest side of life. When their mother is sentenced for brutally murdering a client, Georgie and Marnie’s already precarious lives are blown apart and they now share a terrible secret. Sent to a children’s home, the sisters hope this might finally be their safe haven after years of neglect. But they soon discover they’re in real danger.

Desperate to find a place of safety, Georgie and Marnie run for their lives, but end up in the hands of Delray Anderton. A violent London gangster and notorious pimp, Delray has big plans for beautiful teenager Georgie, seeing her as a chance to make some serious money. Fiercely protective of each other, Georgie and Marnie must escape the clutches of a man who will do anything to keep the sisters for himself. And, they must keep the promise they made to each other – no one can ever know the truth. 

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I love Casey’s books and her last one The Taken was an absolute belter of a book. Unfortunately as much as I enjoyed this latest release I couldn’t help thinking it wasn’t as good as the last book. Josie Parker is the mother of two young girls Georgie and Marnie Parker. Josie has spent her years selling her body and has ended up at the lower end of the market having abused drink and drugs. In all honesty the woman is a mess. Her two young children are forced to look after themselves and as such you can’t help but feel for these two poor defenceless children.

The story is a bit of a slow starter but there is a wide variety of characters to get your teeth into. Javine Turner is a young woman on the lookout for a wealth man and once she sets her sights on someone there is no getting away from her. Although on paper Javine is every mans worst nightmare she is a character I loved and was rooting for her throughout the book. Delray Anderton and his sidekick Lenny are known faces and are making their mark in London with their criminal activities. Both of them are brutal and fierce and widely feared.

When Josie is jailed for the murder of a man, Georgie and Marnie find themselves in their own fight for survival. The second half of the story was fast paced and the story was enthralling. However, I think the overlying reason this book wasn’t an entire success in my mind was that I had absolutely no sympathy for Josie. In fact I would go as far as to say I loathed the woman who was so selfish that her kids had to take care of themselves. By the time I had finished this I knew that it was a great read, and once again Casey Kelleher is firmly stamping her mark in this genre. However, it lacks the full rating down to my intense dislike of both Josie and Delray. That small issue aside this was another solid read and one that fans of Mandasue Heller and Martina Cole will love.

Continue reading “BLOG TOUR – The Promise by Casey Kelleher”

Backstabber by Kimberley Chambers (Butlers #5)

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Synopsis: If you don’t face your enemies – they’ll stab you in the back.

One of them has a gun to his head. Who will pull the trigger?

When king of the underworld Vinny Butler goes into business with respected villain Eddie Mitchell, it’s a match made in East End legend. Friends and family are treated like gold, enemies like rats – it’s the life.

Then mysterious packages arrive, dead creatures and threats. Someone is out for revenge. Who the enemy is, nobody knows, anyone could be taking a pop. The gypsies who cursed Eddie, ghosts from Vinny’s past, enemies needing revenge. Even their own flesh and blood? There are some people you should never cross, some who can’t forgive or forget.

Who is the backstabber?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Continue reading “Backstabber by Kimberley Chambers (Butlers #5)”

Death Trap by Anna Smith (Rosie Gilmour #8)

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Synopsis: A SADISTIC KILLER IS ON THE LOOSE IN GLASGOW. Thomas Boag escaped from his first court appearance facing charges on a brutal murder. He’s suspected in the disappearances of two other people. Now he’s out for revenge.

Rosie Gilmour, crime reporter, helped put Boag behind bars. It was her investigation that provided enough evidence to arrest him. Now she’s watching her back.

Rosie tries to distract herself with a new story: refugees trafficked into Glasgow and used as modern-day slaves – or worse. But this investigation soon leads her into dangerous territory as it takes her up against some of Glasgow’s nastiest characters, and all the while, somewhere out there, Boag is laying his trap…

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Continue reading “Death Trap by Anna Smith (Rosie Gilmour #8)”

Meet Me At Beachcomber Bay by Jill Mansell

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Synopsis: Love is in the air in St Carys, but you’d never know it – the people of this seaside town are very good at keeping secrets…

The man Clemency loves belongs to someone else. She has to hide her true feelings – but when she ropes in an unsuspecting friend to help, wires start to get crossed.

For the first time in Ronan’s life his charm has failed him in winning over the woman he wants. Loving her from afar appears to be his only option.

Belle seems to have the perfect boyfriend, but something isn’t quite right. And now a long-buried secret is slowly rising to the surface.

The truth has a funny way of revealing itself, and when it does St Carys will be a very different place indeed…

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I have been reading Jill Mansell for as long as she has been writing and her books rarely fail to hit the mark. This latest offering certainly ticks the boxes, but for me wasn’t quite as good as her last book. Clemency is a lovely character and the usual descriptive offerings of the seaside town St Cary’s make you want to visit. I especially liked her colleague and friend Ronan. Clemency’s sister Belle also makes an appearance with her new boyfriend Sam in tow. The story is set around the town and many additional characters make their appearances all of which form part of the overall story and add depth to it all. However, although I really liked everybody I didn’t love them and I’m not sure why? Having said that this was certainly a hugely enjoyable book, but it seemed the extra ‘Mansell Magic’ was missing for me in this book.

There are certain more serious elements touched on such as adoption, race and sexuality but all done in a way that is easy to read about and not made too depressing! I read this in two sittings and the writing is as flawless as ever, yet I am not a huge fan of the cover of this book. I’m not suggesting that it affects my review it’s just so unusual as I normally LOVE her covers but this one seems too boring? Overall this was an enjoyable read but for me I felt like a little something was missing, however Jill Mansell is producing first class books and I remain a lifelong fan!

Witness by Caroline Mitchell

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Synopsis: To Rebecca it was a brave decision that led to her freedom from domestic abuse. To Solomon it was the ultimate betrayal.

It’s been ten years since Rebecca’s testimony saw Solomon locked away. Enough time for the nightmares to recede, the nerves to relax; enough time to rebuild her life and put the past behind her.

Then one day a phone rings in her bedroom—but it’s not her phone. Solomon has been in her home, and has a very simple message for her: for each of the ten years he has spent in jail, Rebecca must witness a crime. And, to make matters worse, she has to choose the victims.

Fail to respond and you get hurt. Talk to police and you die. Ready to play? You have sixty seconds to decide… As the crimes grow more severe, the victims closer to home, Rebecca is forced to confront a past she had hoped was gone forever.

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: Rebecca has taken a brave decision and testified against her husband Solomon. With him safely tucked behind bars, she moves on with her life until ten years later when a phone rings in her bedroom. That phone call changes everything and her life and sanity are pushed to the edge. This is a departure for Caroline Mitchell as she normally writes paranormal thrillers so it was nice to see a slight change. The stand out thing for me was the gritty realism in terms of how you felt for the character Rebecca.

Domestic violence is not a nice thing and to manage to convey that all encompassing fear is no easy feat, however this author has done it with ease.

Rebecca finds herself in the middle of a sick and twisted game where she has to decided who the victim is of a chosen crime, and the worst part is that she has less than a minute to decide. As each threat is given you can almost feel the spiral for Rebecca as she battles to maintain her normal composure. It rapidly descends into a situation where even as a reader you are questioning her sanity. It’s extremely;y dark but exceptionally written in a way that draws you in and leaves you feeling anxious and bewildered. Maybe not the easiest reading subject but done in a way where the hackles on the back of your neck rise and you almost feel the tension, which  for me is an awesome experience as a reader.

The story is very fast paced but dark, terrifying and in short is the perfect psychological thriller. Mind games galore and a superbly written dialogue creates a need to turn pages faster than is possible. Although I absolutely love the other series Caroline Mitchell writes, for me this is her genre. She has created a genius book that had all the perfect ingredients and I sincerely hope we see more where this came from. Highly recommended by me!