BLOG TOUR: Matching The Evidence by Graham Smith

Synopsis: Carlisle United are playing Millwall and the Major Crimes Team are assigned to crowd control as punishment for their renegade ways. Typically, DI Harry Evans has other ideas and tries to thwart the local firm’s plans to teach Millwall’s notorious Bushwhackers an unforgettable lesson. Meanwhile an undercover cop is travelling north with some of the Millwall contingent. His mission is to identify the ringleaders and gather evidence against them. Three illegal immigrants have been transported to Carlisle and are about to meet their new employers. Nothing is as it seems for Evans and his Major Crimes Team as they battle to avoid a bloodbath while also uncovering a far more heinous crime. 

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: This novella picks up where Snatched From Home ended as we catch up with DI Harry Evans. I’m not that much of a fan of shorter books but this one delivered enough to whet my appetite and make me want to read the next one.  DI Harry Evans and his team are made to cover crowd control at a football match between Carlisle United and Millwall as punishment for not obeying the rules in their last case. At first glance it seems a simple request and one that shouldn’t cause too much drama. However, Evans soon realises that a simple football fight may well be cover for something else going on.

The first chapter in and the pace is fast and frenzied and stays that way for the duration. In the middle of Evans and his team chasing down football thugs an undercover copper is travelling with some of the Millwall boys to try and gather evidence against them. While all this is going on it soon becomes apparent that Harry’s prediction is right and there are much bigger crime figures at play. This book was a short read but a great one, and is certainly a good read for somebody wanting to get a feel for the sort of books Graham Smith writes. This was a great read and I can’t wait to read the next book!

Blog Tour: All Fall Down by Tom Bale

223x346

Synopsis: It should have been an idyllic day for the Turner family – until a dying man, beaten beyond all recognition, arrives at their home, uttering the words, HELP ME. 

Rob and Wendy Turner and their children try to explain away the horrific scene as being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but in the days that follow their lives are threatened in ways they could never imagine. 

The family is unaware that they are being watched by someone with their own terrifying agenda, who will stop at nothing to fulfil their own twisted desires. 

But when hidden secrets come rushing to the surface, it’s clear not everything is as it seems in this happy family. Are the Turners a victim of circumstance – or does the key to their fate lie closer to home? 

Forced to fight for everything they hold dear, can they save themselves before time runs out – or will their act of compassion see them paying the ultimate price…? 

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I thoroughly enjoyed Tom Bales last book and was looking forward to this one after reading the synopsis. It took me a few chapters to get into the story but thankfully the pace notched from 0 to 100 in a matter of pages and pretty much stayed there the whole time. A normal family having a BBQ, and all it took was for a man to stumble through their back gate, beaten and dying and that was the beginning of the end for the Turner family.

Rob and Wendy along with their three children  become the targets in a bizarre and terrifying twist of fate, or is it? There’s something intricately clever with Bale’s writing and he managed to pack in plenty of heart in mouth moments. The story races along and gains even more momentum as the family starts to crumble under the pressure of their situation. The family know they are being watched, and little by little their own secrets are revealed.

Just when I wondered why the story was slowing, I realised it was just a reprieve before the author plunges you into new depths of horror for this relatively normal family. The second half of the book is pretty heart pounding and the terror jumps up another notch for the Turner family. I think I managed to read the second half of the book in one sitting and my heart was definitely pounding.

I think Tom Bale has a definite strength with turning the ordinary into somebody’s worst nightmare. This latest instalment had everything the last book had and certainly kept me turning the pages. Why the 4 stars and not the 5 then? Well in all honesty the only thing that didn’t sit right with me was the ending. Somehow, it didn’t fit as well as what I had expected it to and I felt like I didn’t get the closure you normally get with the end of these sorts of books. Maybe that was his intention, but it put a bit of a dampener on it for me. Aside from that I can see Tom Bale rising in popularity and gaining a whole new army of fans with this latest release, He is certainly a ‘go-to’ author for me now and I can’t wait to see what he produces next.

Hide and Seek by M J Arlidge (Helen Grace #6)

51tm82DeH0L._SL250_

Synopsis: AFTER Little Boy Blue FIND OUT WHAT AWAITS DI HELEN GRACE IN THE SIXTH THRILLER BY BESTSELLING AUTHOR M. J. ARLIDGE

Kat’s Rating: 6/5…oh no I can’t do that so 5/5 will have to suffice!


**NOTE – Do NOT read this review if you are planning on reading the series in order (which you really should) or are not up to date as this will inevitably contain spoilers!!!***

Kat’s Review: Oh my goodness, I literally do NOT know where to start. I think the first thing I need to point out is that although some people will say this can be read as a stand alone I COMPLETELY DISAGREE! You really do need the previous book and in my opinion the whole series to really feel the impact of this latest release.  We rejoin Helen Grace, except this time she is behind bars and awaiting her trial in Holloway Prison for murders that she didn’t commit. That’s the first thing that set my teeth on edge, it almost gave me a bad taste in my mouth…but in a good way if you know what I mean.

I was just gobsmacked, here she is the leading character and formidable DI Helen Grace and she is living alongside some of those she has put behind bars herself. The whole setting is enough to make you squirm with the feeling of hopelessness at Helen’s situation. However nothing is as easy or straightforward as that where Helen is concerned and being in prison only highlights that. Helen’s stay is far from easy and we see her battle to just stay alive as there are plenty of people who would like to finish her once and for all.

Thankfully there is one person left batting for Helen and that’s her colleague Charlie Brooks. While Helen is trying to stay alive Charlie is desperately trying to find the proof that Helen is innocent. Meanwhile a grisly murder happens within Holloway and it’s definitely on the inside. With so much going on there is no time for the reader to do anything (such as work or other important things) other than turn the pages. This was so well written I could almost feel myself getting claustrophobic from the time inside those prison walls. The ante is upped as more and more story threads are pulled at and there is no let up in this until the very last page.

Relentless in pace and a real nail biter, M J Arlidge has outdone himself with this terrifying and gripping book. I certainly didn’t want to put it down and think fans will be delighted with this latest instalment. My only question now is…”what next for Helen Grace?”. Whatever comes next whether it be more of Helen or a new character I will be itching to read it as M J Arlidge has just shot to the top of my ‘Must Read’ authors. An outstanding book, and an amazing series that I really think if you haven’t already you should read!

RETURN TO THE LITTLE FRENCH GUESTHOUSE BY HELEN POLLARD

Synopsis: When Emmy Jamieson leaves her life behind and moves to La Cour des Roses, a gorgeous guesthouse amidst vineyards in France, everything is resting on her success as the new guesthouse manager. 

Looming in the calendar is the biggest booking ever, when the entire eccentric, demanding Thomson family will descend for a golden wedding anniversary. With airbeds on the floor and caravans in the garden, La Cour des Roses will be bursting at the seams.

Emmy knows she’s up to the challenge, especially with the support of the gorgeous Alain, the half-French, half-English, caramel-eyed accountant. But she hadn’t counted on a naked, sleepwalking travel blogger, or the return of owner Rupert’s venomous ex-wife Gloria.

Gloria has a few things to say about Emmy’s new role, Rupert’s finances, and the unsuspecting Alain, which send everybody reeling. Just when Emmy can see a future for herself of endless sunshine, true love and laughter, are her dreams about to be ripped at the seams?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 

*** If you are planning on reading the first book please don’t read my review as it will inevitably contain spoilers ***

Kat’s Review. It’s official….Helen Pollard can do NO wrong. I read her book The Little French Guesthouse and fell in love. I fell in love with France, with the Guesthouse and with all of the characters. In the return to La Cour des Roses with this next book I have fallen in love all over again. Emmy Jamieson has packed up her bags and made the permanent move to France. Following her boyfriend Nathan cheating on her with the guesthouse owner Rupert’s wife Gloria, she is now moving in with Rupert at the Guesthouse and together they will build the business back up.

Emmy hadn’t planned on her beautiful French adventure starting off with seemingly everything going wrong. As the book picks up where the last one left off it feels like returning to your favourite holiday destination! Emmy soon realises that Gloria has left things in a right mess and with the upcoming arrival of the Thomson family which they knew nothing about she has her work cut out.

Rupert is slowly adjusting to life without Gloria and the addition of Emmy helps him along his way. He has faith in her along with a whole host of friends that make a welcome return. Rupert’s accountant Alain once again appears and it seems that Emmy may have met a man that is worth paying attention to. However, she hadn’t bargained on naked sleepwalking guests, or the return of Gloria,

I love how we see Emmy and Rupert try but struggle to get everything done in time for the Thomson’s arrival as well as seeing how all the additional friends help in their own way. Helen Pollard manages to sweep you along with all the excitement and the pitfalls of this beautiful guesthouse. Her writing is so easy to fall in with and I could almost imagine myself sipping coffee in their glorious gardens. There are some wonderful moments in this book and the characters are just people I want to read more about. This really is a wonderfully feel good read, and I absolutely cannot wait to return to the village and read more about everybody. I just hope I get what I wish for!

Out of Bounds by Val McDermid

61QAftQQ6hL._SL250_

Synopsis: ‘There were a lot of things that ran in families, but murder wasn’t one of them . . .’

When a teenage joyrider crashes a stolen car, a routine DNA test could be the key to unlocking the mystery of a twenty-year-old murder inquiry. Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie is an expert at solving the unsolvable. With each cold case closed, justice is served. So, finding the answer should be straightforward, but it’s as twisted as the DNA helix itself.

Meanwhile, Karen finds herself irresistibly drawn to another case, one that she has no business investigating. And as she pieces together decades-old evidence, Karen discovers the most dangerous kind of secrets. Secrets that someone is willing to kill for . . .

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 

*If you plan to read this series from book 1, please do not read the review as it will inevitably contain spoilers*

Kat’s Review: I realised late that this was part of the Karen Pirie series which I have only read one book of (book 3) but for people starting off at this point it makes no difference as there is enough background history with Karen that you don’t miss anything major. The first thing that struck me is how immediately I connected with Karen Pirie, certainly more than I did in book 3. She is working as part of the Historical Crimes Unit alongside her colleague Jason. When a joyriding teenager crashes his car, a routine DNA test shows something linked to a twenty year old case, so Karen and Jason immediately get digging.

In addition to Karen’s current enquiry her sleepless nights are seeing her up and wandering the streets in a bid to make herself tired. She is still struggling to come to terms with the death of her husband and partner Phil. Her late night walks to battle her insomnia leads us to another thread of the story which is just as absorbing as the first. Some of Karen’s friends are involved in the story line and they all added to the depth of this story. Karen also decides to do her own investigation on another case which is nothing to do with her. This has a two-fold effect of allowing her to sink her teeth into a mysterious case involving the death of 4 people in a suspected air plane bombing, as well as annoying her colleague who she doesn’t get along with Assistant Chief Constable Simon Lees . All of these threads combined seem like too much when read aloud, but in reality they have made for an outstanding book which had me thoroughly surrendered to my every  day tasks such as dinner!

Both Karen and Jason plough their all into both cases, which results on Karen putting herself into some precarious positions and although the threads run alongside each other they are easy to distinguish. What is strange about this book is that it’s not terribly fast paced, but it fits the book perfectly. The various threads of the story make for a compelling read, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Towards the end when I thought I had it all figured out, turned out I was wrong and when the pieces did fit into place I felt terribly stupid! An outstandingly good read which I would highly recommend.

The Darkest Secret by Alex Marwood

51qMqw4BKtL._SY346_ Synopsis: My goddaughter, Coco Jackson, disappeared from her family’s holiday home in Bournemouth on the night of Sunday/Monday August 29/30th, the bank holiday weekend just gone. Coco is three years old.  Then identical twin Coco goes missing during a family celebration, there is a media frenzy. Her parents are rich and influential, as are the friends they were with at their holiday home by the sea.  But what really happened to Coco?  Over two intense weekends – the first when Coco goes missing and the second twelve years later at the funeral of her father – the darkest of secrets will gradually be revealed…

Kat’s Review: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I was a little torn over this book, but eventually decided it was too good a read to mark as a ‘middle of the road’ 3/5. I am sure people will be wondering why, well essentially this is a dark book, and sometimes too much dark makes me so uncomfortable the reading isn’t as enjoyable. I think overall it’s balancing on that line but stayed just the right side for me. I have read Alex previous books and enjoyed them and the synopsis of this one certainly intrigued me. 

This book is based around the events of a tragic weekend in 2004 when 3 year old Coco goes missing, and then twelve years later at the funeral of Coco’s father Sean Jackson. The lead characters in this book are hideous and immensely unlikable. There are numerous characters, and they all seem to have their own selfish agendas and frankly I couldn’t warm to any of them. This is what I mean when I say the book is a little too dark, but a good kind of dark (if you know what I mean).

Continue reading “The Darkest Secret by Alex Marwood”

The Darkest Secret by Alex Marwood

51qMqw4BKtL._SY346_

Synopsis: My goddaughter, Coco Jackson, disappeared from her family’s holiday home in Bournemouth on the night of Sunday/Monday August 29/30th, the bank holiday weekend just gone. Coco is three years old.

Then identical twin Coco goes missing during a family celebration, there is a media frenzy. Her parents are rich and influential, as are the friends they were with at their holiday home by the sea.

But what really happened to Coco?

Over two intense weekends – the first when Coco goes missing and the second twelve years later at the funeral of her father – the darkest of secrets will gradually be revealed…

Kat’s Review: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I was a little torn over this book, but eventually decided it was too good a read to mark as a ‘middle of the road’ 3/5. I am sure people will be wondering why, well essentially this is a dark book, and sometimes too much dark makes me so uncomfortable the reading isn’t as enjoyable. I think overall it’s balancing on that line but stayed just the right side for me. I have read Alex previous books and enjoyed them and the synopsis of this one certainly intrigued me. 

This book is based around the events of a tragic weekend in 2004 when 3 year old Coco goes missing, and then twelve years later at the funeral of Coco’s father Sean Jackson. The lead characters in this book are hideous and immensely unlikable. There are numerous characters, and they all seem to have their own selfish agendas and frankly I couldn’t warm to any of them. This is what I mean when I say the book is a little too dark, but a good kind of dark (if you know what I mean).

The plot itself is cleverly constructed and the plot revealed in layers. We learn what happened to Coco in stages over the whole book and by the time most of the pieces are revealed things start to make sense. However, towards the end I had than sneaking suspicion that there would be no tidy and wrapped up neatly ending and I was right. On the one hand this really frustrated me and on the other I thought it was a brilliant way to end it. Overall a book that certainly won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, but was hugely enjoyable (if not a little difficult to read in places). I think Alex Marwood writes slightly out of the box and it’s quite refreshing to read something that isn’t the same as everything else. I have always had mixed feelings with all of her books but ultimately enjoy them and will look forward to her next release.

Kill Me Twice by Anna Smith (Rosie Gilmour #7)

51Supf+xKyL._UY250_

Synopsis: A beautiful model’s death uncovers an ugly conspiracy stretching all the way to Westminster in Rosie Gilmour’s darkest case to date. When rags-to-riches Scots supermodel Bella Mason plunges to her death from the roof of a glitzy Madrid hotel, everyone assumes it was suicide. Except that one person saw exactly what happened to Bella that night, and she definitely didn’t jump. But Millie Chambers has no one she can tell – alcoholic, depressed herself and now sectioned by her bullying politician husband, who would believe her? And that’s not all Millie knows. Being close to the heart of Westminster power can lead to discovering some awful secrets…

Back in Glasgow, Rosie’s research into Bella’s life leads to her brother, separated from her in care years before. Dan is now a homeless heroin addict and rent boy, but what he reveals about Bella’s early life is electrifying: organised sexual abuse in care homes across Glasgow. Bella had tracked him down so that they could tell the world their story. And now she’s dead.

As Rosie’s drive to expose the truth leads her closer to Millie and the shameful secrets she has kept for so many years, it becomes clear that what she’s about to discover could prove fatal: a web of sexual abuse linking powerful figures across the nation, and the rot at the very heart of the British Establishment…

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Continue reading “Kill Me Twice by Anna Smith (Rosie Gilmour #7)”

Strictly My Husband by Tracy Bloom

41tyUSP+cXL._SL250_

Synopsis: Laura loves it when Tom takes her for a late night tango around the kitchen after their friends have gone home and they’re avoiding the washing up. She can’t dance but who cares when no one is watching?

All that changes when Tom arrives on the doorstep with Carly, a professional dancer, and announces he’s offered her the spare room to rent while she performs in a show that Tom is directing.

An outraged Laura doesn’t feel like dancing with Tom anymore but Carly does. It only takes two to tango, and given Tom’s history who knows where it could end? Will Laura be the one left watching from the sidelines whilst Carly waltzes off with her husband’s heart?

Kat’s Rating: 3/5

Kat’s Review: I like Tracy Bloom books and although I have only rated this 3/5 it was still a good read. The problem I had with this book was Laura, the main character! Laura is married to the handsome Tom and her life is ticking along like normal. However, when Tom brings home a professional dancer Carly to rent their room things start to go rapidly downhill for Laura.

Laura and Tom are very readable and along with them we meet their married friends Jerry and Hannah as well as Tom’s brother Will. Jerry was without a doubt the star of the show for me and was hilarious, full of life and completely over the top. However, Laura just grated on me from start to finish. The woman never stopped moaning and to be honest I just didn’t like her. That’s my main reason for the 3 star rating. Laura, Tom, Carly, and the other characters were great. They were all easily read, humorous and swept the story along. However, every time Laura got on the phone to Hannah to moan I could almost feel the switch in my brain starting to turn off. 

Pushing that to one side, Tracy Bloom has a great balance between humour and storytelling and there is an easy flow to her books which makes them very readable. I feel like Jerry should make a return in future books as I would have loved to have read more about his adventures following the end of this book. Overall certainly not a bad read, but marred by my dislike for the main character.

THE LITTLE VILLAGE BAKERY BY TILLY TENNANT (HONEYBOURNE #1)

51glAA1X9KL._SL250_

Synopsis: Meet Millie. Heartbreak has forced her to make a new start and when she arrives at the old bakery in the little village of Honeybourne she is determined that this will be her home sweet home. Her imagination has been captured by the tumbledown bakery but with no running water and dust everywhere, her cosy idea of making cakes in a rural idyll quickly crumbles. 

Luckily the locals are a friendly bunch and step in to help Millie. One in particular, Dylan, a laid-back lothario, soon captures her attention. 

But just as Millie is beginning to settle in, an unexpected visitor from her past suddenly turns up determined to ruin everything for her. It’s time for Millie to face the skeletons in her closet if she’s going to live the dream of running her little village bakery, and her blossoming romance with Dylan. 

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: First off I love the cover for this book and having never read any of Tilly Tennant’s books I was looking forward to getting started. Right off the bat I liked Honeybourne. A small village where everybody knows everybody. Millie has turned up in Honeybourne having brought the old rundown bakery that has been standing unloved for many years. Millie is not an easy character to get to know and its clear from the outset that her past is whats made her run away and try to start afresh. However, the real reason behind it is kept cloaked in mystery until a long way into the book.

We also meet Jasmine, the pink haired jewellery maker along with her husband Rich and their triplets. They are instantly likeable along with Jasmines younger brother Dylan. Dylan is the laid back one who seemingly doesn’t have a care in the world. Additional characters include Millie’s neighbour Ruth, and Spencer an old friend of Dylan and Jasmine’s. The only niggle point for me in the story was that although Millie’s history was interesting it dragged out too long. Other than that the book, story and characters totally held me captive.

I fell in love with this village and it’s occupants and although the bakery itself is the starting point it isn’t necessarily the main focal point of the story. This was more getting to know the people involved. Millie’s past soon comes back top haunt her and before you know it everybody involved seems to have secret’s spilling out of their closet. The story was great and so enjoyable, and I really love the fact that the follow up books feature other characters within the village. Overall this was a thoroughly enjoyable read perfect for the summer. Luckily for me I have the next book lined up so I know which book will come next.