Original Sin by Tasmina Perry

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My Rating 5/5

Kat’s Review: In TP’s fourth book we delve into the present and past of the Asgill family. They own an International cosmetics company and Meredith Asgill the mother is determined to keep her children’s profiles as squeaky clean as possible. She meets Tess and Jemma who are publicists based in London who are ready to run a sensational story on the Asgill’s. Instead of running the story Meredith offers Tess the opportunity of a lifetime which is how Tess ends up working alongside this wealthy and powerful family. Life changes dramatically as Tess becomes embroiled into the Asgill’s lives.


Brooke Asgill is due to marry David Billington, an equally powerful and rich man. Liz Asgill is the elder sister who is fighting her corner for control of the family company. She believes that she has what it takes to make the brand successful once again with her at the helm. Her brother William is also fighting for control but mostly on behalf of his power crazy, social climbing wife. Lastly there is Sean Asgill who is the Playboy of the family. He never takes anything seriously and is mostly featured on the front of magazines with various women draped on his arm. When they all meet Tess everybody’s lives change dramatically. Who will take over the company, will Brooke marry David, and will any of their past secrets be kept at bay by Tess, or come out and potentially destroy the family’s reputation?

This story is full of twists and turns and I thoroughly enjoyed every chapter. Having read previous Tasmina Perry books I awaited this one with baited breath wondering and hoping that it would be as good as the last one, if not better. I had no need to worry. Tasmina Perry has produced what I think is her best novel so far. The story is compelling and full of drama, glamour, secrets and lies. What more could we ask for? I await her next book with very high expectations!

I, ALEX CROSS BY JAMES PATTERSON (ALEX CROSS #16)

My Review: 4/5

Alex Cross is a character that has been one of James Patterson’s longer running themes. He returns in this blockbuster along with a few familiar faces.

They are celebrating Alex’ birthday in the opening chapter, but as usual are interrupted with the phone call they always dread…Work! Alex and his long-time girlfriend Detective Briana Stone along with his kids Ali and Jannie (who live at home), and the ever faithful Nana are welcomed back. Nana and his children have been the one consistence in his life that has brought him stability, support and love, however his love for his job sometimes gets him putting his priorities the wrong way round. The call he receives becomes personal as Alex finds out that a killer has got to one of his own. His niece has been murdered and they want him in on the case. He throws himself into the case head first and discovers that this serial killer won’t be so easy to catch. This is no ordinary serial killer and Alex soon discovers that the whole case is wrapped up with some high rollers who are protected by those around them. That means breaking the rules and doing what needs to be done to catch the killer. Alex realises that to do his job he has to trust nobody and do things his own way.

I have on a few occasions’ mentioned that I was unsure what James Patterson was doing to quality of his own work, due to the sheer volume of novels he seems to produce or complete with a co-author. My opinion has been in the past that his novels (especially the Cross ones) seem to decline the more books he produces. This book showed me glimpses of some of the great work that he has produced in the past, however still left me undecided as to whether his work is back to its usual quality. His chapters are short and sharp but keep the pages turning. The story was a good one and flowed throughout, with the added bonus of ending the book on a great opening for the next one.

I did enjoy this and think it is better than his last Alex Cross Novel (Cross Country). However, although still an avid James Patterson fan I find that I am leaning towards his other follow on books with the lead character of Michael Bennett (e.g. Run for your life). I will continue to read James Patterson’s work and can only hope that the Alex Cross books continue to catch the audience. This book can be read as a standalone but I would advise that if you enjoy this, that you try some of his other earlier books.

SCARLET WOMAN BY JESSIE KEANE (ANNIE CARTER #3)

My Rating: 5/5

Jessie Keane has produced a series of books. They are all running along the crime/thriller end of the market with a strong female lead. We have yet to experience what else she has to bring.

This book is the follow up from book 1 (Dirty Game) and book 2 (Black Widow). Once again Annie Carter is back in London and trying to run her husbands business. It’s now the 70’s and her arch enemy’s the Delaney’s are still around and running the brothel that her good friend Dolly runs. When prostitutes start getting killed Annie gets involved, wanting to know who is involved. In doing that she gets herself caught up in the middle of a war and puts her own life at risk. One of close friend’s Chris Brown ends up being framed for the murders and Dolly want’s to do everything she can to clear his name. Not only does she have to find the culprit, but she is working against her own boys who don’t like answering to a woman. She is working at having to prove herself as the Boss and also manage looking after her business along with her young daughter Layla. When Constantine Barolli turns up it complicates the situation even further. He is a dangerous Mob Boss and Annie finds herself fighting off her real feelings for him in an attempt to keep her business at the top. Can she find the real killer before it is too late or will she end up having to identify another young girl?

This book was an absolute corker and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was well worth the wait for the final instalment in the Annie Carter books. I didn’t put this down once I’d started. The writing style and the fact that you know this is the conclusion keeps you turning page after page. The only negative is what to expect from Jessie Keane next. With her last three books being as good as they have been there are high expectations for the next one. I can’t wait!

Naked Truths by Jo Carnegie

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My Rating: 4/5

My Review– In this follow up to `Country Pursuits’ I was expecting another 5 star read. Although I enjoyed this book it wasn’t as good as the first one.

Once again we meet Caro and her new husband Benedict who move away from Churchminster back to London to be closer to Benedict’s work. They move to Montague Mews where they meet their new neighbours. Saffron is a young, hip and trendy socialite who lives with her Aunt Velda along with Stephen and Klaus who have a holiday home in Churchminster and the reclusive Rowena. We are also reintroduced to Harriett who also lived in Churchminster and is working at Soiree, a popular women’s magazine as a PA to Catherine Connor. Add into the mix Benedict’s sister Amelia who appears on their doorstep looking to stay for a while following her stint of living abroad. Both Catherine and Amelia are both hiding dark secrets which turn Montague Mews into a very interesting place to live. Caro finds it hard to adjust to living in London and spends most of her time ferrying her son Milo to and from Nursery and wondering just what is going on with their reclusive neighbour Rowena. Saffron is busy trying to carve out her career whilst fighting with her awful boss Annabel who is incredibly lazy. Harriet is thriving in her new job and is determined to find love in London. Catherine meanwhile is fighting to save the magazine from closure. With the pressures of deadlines from her Company Board she is thrown into turmoil when an old friend from her past turns up.

All in all the book was enjoyable but I couldn’t help feeling there was something missing. The characters were fantastic (as they were in the last book), and the storytelling good but I couldn’t help feeling there was maybe a bit too much going on to focus on any one particular character.

In Jo Carnegies last book we really got to know the characters involved an you could clearly follow each plot as they developed. This book can be read as a stand alone book but is a bit better when you have already read the first. I will definitely read and look forward to her next book and hope that maybe we get to find out a bit more about some of the individual characters

That Loving Feeling by Carole Matthews

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My Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: What can I say? I have to be totally honest and say that whilst reading this book I embarrassed myself on numerous occasions by actually laughing out loud whilst on the train. This book was an absolute joy to read. I am a huge fan of the series the Chocolate Lovers and found that I was comparing each book to that series. This book needed no comparison.

Juliet Joyce is a typical married mother of two. Her husband Rick along with their two children in their late teens Tom and Chloe, live in a regular close leading a very ordinary life. Juliet’s mother has recently moved in after deciding that upon reaching her 70s she was going to start living her life the way she wanted. Juliet works in the local library and the most excitement her life sees is what lies in store for her when she gets home with regards to what new and inventive ways her children have come up with top avoid cleaning their rooms, or god forbid, getting a job!

However, when her ex fiancé who jilted her at the alter, Steven Aubrey turns up, her life is thrown into the mixer. This along with the predicaments her husband manages to get himself into along with the behaviour of her kids, her party animal mother, and her father who has changed his life dramatically make for an absolutely explosive and hilarious story. Her marriage starts to teeter when Steven comes on the scene and she has to decide whether she wants to make a new life for herself or stick with what she already has.

This story was told with such humour that I was hooked from the first chapter. The characters are the most honest version of mixed up families I have read in a while and some of the one-liners that were told had tears running down my cheeks. I finished this book in a day and a half and haven’t laughed that much at a book in a long time. Thoroughly enjoyed every page and would highly recommend to anybody. The Chocolate Lovers series although still a firm favourite, doesn’t seem quite as important after reading this latest Carole Matthews books. A definite must have.

The Perfect Man by Sheila O’Flanagan

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My Rating: 4/5

My Review – This story starts by introducing us to Britt and Mia who are sisters. Sisters who are polar opposites and have been thrown together onboard a cruise ship, for two whole weeks. Britt used to be a lawyer handling divorce cases, which as a bitter and complete unromantic, suited her down to the ground. When her marriage broke up Britt turned to writing and surprisingly managed to churn out Ireland’s most romantic novel that was an instant hit. Being thrust into the limelight as the most unlikely romantic author, Britt has to attend a workshop onboard the ship giving talks on how to write your own romantic novel. Her agent has an unfortunate accident meaning her sister Mia is left to accompany her on the tour.

Mia has a young child and lives in Spain, following her own romantic troubles. The two sisters have never been that close and being thrown together for two weeks tests their limits and their relationship. The cruise ship starts the ball rolling for both of them in completely different directions as they meet Leo, the heartbroken widower who is struggling to move on with his life. Also onboard is the ships officer Steve who seems to take a shine to both sisters. They also meet Pippin, a glamorous wannabe model who is all blonde hair and gleaming teeth. The story throws all of them together and makes for some extremely surprising events. When the cruise ends they think that things will return to normal but as Britt end up having to remodel her house she decides to stay with Mia in Spain for a while which makes them both re-evaluate their life and choices.

When I first started reading it, unusually it took me three or four chapters to get into this, which had me worrying that; maybe she had lost her touch. Luckily I was wrong and by chapter 5, I was as usual engrossed with Sheila O’Flanagan’s latest book. As usual she has created a really strong storyline with characters that you will love. Definitely one to read!

Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo (Kate Burkholder #1)

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My Review: 5/5

Wow, what can I say? I picked up this book after reading the jacket info and let me tell you, it gives you no clue as to how good a read this book really is. The story is set in Painters Mill, a sleepy town which is both English and Amish. Kate Burkholder was born and raised Amish and then went against the grain and ended up as acting Police Chief in the same town that she was born and raised in. One night they get a call that is par for the course in a town like Painters Mill saying there are cows running loose. When one of Kate’s colleagues arrives he doesn’t find just loose cows on the road.

When Kate arrives on the scene she is greeted with a crime scene so horrific it will have the hairs on your arms standing on end. Kate isn’t sure whether she can deal with a case like this but vows to catch the killer. John Tomasetti is a cop that has had to deal with his own demons and he is drafted in to help with the case. When he meets Kate, he realises that not only is this case a reason to drag himself out of the hole he has been in the last year or so, but a time to delve into the troubled past of Kate Burkholder.

Together they work at not only solving the case and finding the killer, but dealing with their own secrets and troubled pasts. I can honestly say that I had no expectations for this book but was thoroughly engrossed (to the point that I missed my train stop because I was too busy finishing it). I loved the writing style and because of the Amish angle, found it quite a refreshing read as I haven’t read a book quite like this one before. The characters were good but maybe it would be nice to get more insight into Kate Burkholder but this still didn’t stop my enjoyment of the book. The last few chapters made for a fantastic ending too. Wonderful book and I look forward to the next one.

Fatal Legacy by Elizabeth Corley (Fenwick #2)

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My Rating: 4/5

We meet DCI Andrew Fenwick again who has featured in all of her books. This story is a complex case which involves the huge family run Wainwright business. Alan Wainwright, the owner of this empire is found dead and his death is ruled suicide. His only son is expecting to inherit his fortune but he, along with the rest of the Wainwright family are shocked, when half of his assets along with the company are left to Alan’s nephew Alex.

Alex is married to the elusive Sally who is certainly not popular with the family after a whirlwind romance and very quick wedding to Alex. When Fenwick initially looks at the case it seems that it is a simple case of family jealousy. When Graham starts investigating Alex’s wife, he doesn’t like what he finds. When a second Wainwright family member is found dead Fenwick smells the starting of a murder case. The only problem is that he has to prove it. He along with the trust sidekicks Cooper and Nightingale throw themselves into the case head first. The story takes a turn for the worse when Fenwick’s family are directly involved.

Unfortunately for me, I read Corley’s books in the wrong order and I think this has maybe had an impact on my opinion of this book. I enjoyed Requim Mass which was her first novel and felt that the storyline was the strongest thing. However, my second book was then Grave Doubts which I gave a 5 star to and I absolutely loved. In reading Fatal Legacy I was in fact going back one step. I felt that the characters were under-developed (which is maybe why I enjoyed Grave Doubts so much) and that we didn’t really get to know Fenwick, Cooper and Nightingale all that well.

Aside from the characters themselves, the storyline was great (as usual), if like I said before a little complex. The book is based largely around the financial aspects of the company and Fenwick working out if the case is as simple as `Murder for Money’. Corley’s descriptions of settings and scenarios are excellent and when you can feel the Detectives getting closer to the answers you can almost feel the tension rising in your body. In my (limited) opinion this makes for fantastic reading! Like her other books I felt I had to really involve myself in the story so I knew exactly who everybody was.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I would only give it 3.5 out of 5. The reason for this is that because I have read Grave Doubts (the follow up to this story); I know just how good her writing can be. I am now eagerly anticipating reading her latest book Innocent Blood. I think that with her development of the characters in the follow up book and her great storytelling her latest one should be an absolute corker.

Evil At Heart by Chelsea Cain (Sheridan & Lowell #3)

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My Review: 4/5

 Having never read Chelsea Cain I had not read the first and second instalment in the “Gretchen Lowell” series however this didn’t’ make the slightest bit of difference. There is enough history about the characters to be able to get a feel for the previous 2 books in this current story. Having said that I think I would like to go back and read the other two to get the bigger picture.

The story picks up with Archie Sheridan who is busy facing his own personal demons when Henry Sobol his old partner comes along and shatters his world with the news he has been hoping he won’t get. The serial killer who made Archie’s life hell and had escaped was not only on the run but was now back on the warpath and murdering once again.

Susan Ward is a journalist who found herself involved in the last case between Gretchen and Archie and finds herself once again embroiled into the dark world of murder. Between them they follow various murder victims to what they hope will be Gretchen’s hiding place. The murders themselves are quite gruesome in detail and not for the squeamish or faint hearted. WE learn quite a bit about Susan who is a fantastic character. She is a reporter/journalist who is quite feisty and tends to not listen when told she cannot do something. Her and Archie spend an awful lot of time together chasing demons and both getting caught out in situations they shouldn’t have been in, in the first place.

The finale of this book was great and without giving any spoilers Archie is faced head on with all his demons at once and by the final chapter I was already wondering when the next instalment is out. Although I wouldn’t rate this as one of my favourite crime thrillers I thought this was a fantastic read and would definitely recommend.

Requiem Mass by Elizabeth Corley (DCI Fenwick #1)

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My Rating: 4/5

We meet DCI Andrew Fenwick who is back to work following the break up of his marriage under awful circumstances. He is trying to manage his family on his own with the help of his mother when he goes back to work and is given the mundane task of desk duty. Before long he moves on to a new case which takes him away from the desk and straight into the firing line.

It involves five school friends who twenty years earlier were on a school trip when tragedy struck and one of those girls was killed in a freak accident. He has the help of WDC Louise Nightingale and Cooper who both prove to be valuable assets to the case. When Fenwick, Nightingale and Cooper realise that the women involved are now on a hit list they have to race against time to try and track down the man responsible before all of these women become victims.

Will they manage to do it or will Fenwick’s next call be a to attend a new murder scene? I enjoyed this book and felt that I got to know the characters Fenwick along with his two officers working on the case with him, Nightingale and Cooper. However if I am honest I struggled a couple of times where the book got quite detailed (hence the 4 star, although if I could it would have been 4.5 out of 5) but it didn’t deter me and I finished the book with a sense of satisfaction. Corley is very detailed in her descriptions of crime scened which both thrilled and scared me in equal measures. I am a fan of crime authors that use the same characters and create a series so I am pleases I have found a new author. I already have the next Corley/Fenwick book lined up which I have already started