Schoolteacher Terry is caught in a dilemma when his daughter, Grace, breaks into a house with her delinquent boyfriend. A gun is fired and the boyfriend disappears. So starts the beginning of Terry’s nightmare.
In this story, he tries to juggle what to do for the best to save his daughter from being implicated or from carrying guilt for the rest of her life because of one reckless, adolescent act. Terry dives in and tries to help Grace. This is how he unwittingly gets involved in the criminal activities of local crime gangster, Vince Fleming. Grace’s mother, Cynthia, is a control freak – having being caught up in close-to-death encounters in a previous book which resulted in the loss of her own parents. This backstory is briefly introduced but it doesn’t get in the way. The backstory explains the dynamics between Terry, Cynthia and Grace. Cynthia is taking a break away from her family in a nearby rented flat and her new neighbours are going to become part of Terry’s problems. Cynthia has an interesting relationship with criminal Vince Fleming. He is an ex-boyfriend and he helped Cynthia in the past. One of Vince’s criminal operations is responsible for the situation Grace finds herself in with her missing (perhaps dead?) boyfriend. All of the characters are well written. One of my preferred was Vince. He’s got cancer and he’s failing in health. Circumstances conspire against him, his gang friends are deserting him, but he joins with Terry in trying to sort out the mess. This was a great story. The characters were believable and the crime elements very well handled. Whilst I am not against gore, I want to mention there was no gore or thriller element. A very enjoyable suspense mystery. 5 stars from me. Don't miss out on my book reviews follow my Facebook Author Page Facebook Author Page or follow me on Goodreads Goodreads
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Conway is on a one-woman crusade to root out the truth.
In this story, we're inside the head of Detective Antoinette Conway. Conway is a tough cookie and the only female on the Dublin murder squad. It starts out when Conway and her partner are assigned a young woman's murder. The obvious suspect is the boyfriend and that's the man the senior detectives on the Squad want to pursue. However, Conway and her partner have other suspicions. But they've got their work cut out because they're the newest on the squad. Gangland connections? Corruption within the murder squad? A vendetta to get Conway out? These are all thrown into the mix. What I enjoyed most was the attitude of Conway. At times she's paranoid. At other times, she spot on with her doubts and 'take no shit' temperament. I'm not sure I actually liked her, but I liked spending time with her because she was interesting. Her partner, Stephen Moran, was more soft and likeable. He's a diplomat. Moran could be one of the lads but he's loyal to Conway. Moran's easy going character definitely helps the story along. The plot delves deep into the murky waters of rivalry, deception, corruption and high stakes murder. It was intense being inside her head all the time. But the story stayed with me long after I finished the book. Conway made an impression! Montpellier is full of flowering laurier and it looks fantastic! This is a shot taken down the road from where I live. Alex and Carrie meet at a support group and they help each other by responding to what they each want in life – Alex wants a child to love and Carrie wants someone by her side whilst she is dying. But what do they really want from each other? That question forms the basis of the plot. There are plenty of lies in this story. There are also difficult issues of terminal cancer, eating disorders and domestic violence. Both of the women have a murky past they want to keep hidden. But what exactly are they lying to each other about, and why? The extent of the lies made both women a tad unlikeable. Our heart strings are pulled at the end for both of them but it didn’t do much to dilute my dislike, in particular of Alex. There are plenty of twists in this story and plenty of menace too. A solid psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the end. I’ve wanted to read a book by this author for a while, so when the opportunity came up on NetGalley, I took the chance. Thank you to the author, NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. This is my honest review. To celebrate 40 great reviews of my book, GOOD GIRL BAD GIRL on Amazon UK, I have a Free Giveaway running until 1st July over on my Facebook Author Page.
Prize is 25pound Amazon Gift Card OR your name as a character in my next crime thriller! It's easy to enter. All you have to do is whizz over to my Facebook Author page, like the Giveaway post and tag a friend. Here's a quick link to my Facebook Author Page and the Giveaway Good luck! The most compelling part was Eden’s desperation...
This book alternates two points of view. One of the two main characters is Jessica Sloane. Jessie’s mum has died and she’s plunged into terrible grief and insomnia. She then finds out her social security number is invalid and this starts a hunt for the truth about her ‘real’ identity. Jessie starts to question everything in the past. She also questions everything happening in the present since the insomnia is messing with her mind. The other woman in the story is Eden. Eden is driven almost crazy by her desire for a baby. She and her partner are trying all kinds of fertility treatments and nothing seems to be working. The most compelling part of the book for me was the exploration of Eden’s desperation. This felt very lifelike. She slips from being a stable woman into a person obsessed. There were creepy aspects to this and unsettling ones, as Eden explores how far she’s prepared to go to get what she wants. I found Jessica’s difficulties a tad less compelling. At first she got my sympathy, yet her crisis kept drinking in everyone and everything around her, and this started to feel a bit strained. At the end of the story, we will find out the why all of this happened but the understanding only comes at the very end. We have to wait until the second half of the book to find out how these stories are linked. We slowly unpick the reality from the nightmares and mind games. If I’m being honest, I have to say it lost my interest a bit somewhere in the second half. Nothing much new was happening and a plot that started out as a great idea didn’t deliver the full punch I’d expected it to. That said, it was still a good story. My thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of this book. This is my honest review. To celebrate 40 great reviews on Amazon UK, I have a Free Giveaway running until 1st July. Prize is 25pound Amazon Gift Card OR your name as a character in my next crime thriller. It's easy to enter. All you have to do is like a post and tag a friend. Entry page is here on my Facebook Author Page It’s a volatile mix and it’s going to end in murder. The question is – who? And then we must find out why?
This story follows the lives of a small group of Bristol residents. Joey (woman) has just come back from working in Ibiza and she's brought her new husband, Alfie, with her. They’ve no money and they’re looking for work. They stay at Joey’s brother’s house. Joey’ brother, Jack, is a successful heart surgeon and it seems he has everything – a sunny personality, money, a wife he adores and a baby on the way. Their next-door neighbours are head teacher Tom Fitzwilliam and his wife Nicola. Tom’s son, Freddie, has a habit of watching people through his digital binoculars and taking photographs of them. He likes to log the details of people’s lives - the times they leave, the route they take to work. He’s particularly interested in three girls from the local school. The story starts with a murder and, in the background of the story, we follow the police interviews of each of the suspects. Tom Fitzwilliam is the top suspect (but is he also the victim? We must wait until the end to find out). He’s suspected of having affairs with previous students of his schools. Joey is having second thoughts about her whirlwind marriage and falls headlong in lust with dashing headteacher Tom. She keeps encountering him, at first by chance and then deliberately, and it seems he feels the same way about her… It’s all a volatile mix and it’s going to end in murder. The question is – who? And then we must find out why? There's a knotted history between some of the characters that gradually unfolds as the story builds in tension. My favourite character was Jenna. Jenna is fifteen years old and living with her mother who has mental health issues. Jenna has her head screwed on and will prove key to the solving the whole tangled mess. All the characters were very well written – they had depth and interest and real life dilemmas and troubles which made them feel ‘real’. The plot pulled me in from the beginning and kept my interest to the end. This one is the real deal – a great page turner, with some creepy aspects and utterly absorbing at the same time. A very enjoyable read and highly recommended. Stop - Press I have a Free Giveaway running until 1st July - Prize is 25pound Amazon Gift Card OR your name as a character in my next crime thriller! Check it out on my blog or my Facebook Author Page GOOD GIRL BAD GIRL has 40 great reviews on Amazon UK. Yoo-hoo!
To celebrate I'm running a FREE Giveaway 😊 The Prize is either a 25 pound Amazon Gift Card OR your name as a character in my next crime thriller (Kal Medi Book 3) All you have to do is whizz over to my Facebook Author Page and like this post, comment on this post and tag a friend in your comment. The winner will be chosen randomly on 1st July at mid-day. Liking my page would be fab too! 🎈🎈 GOOD GIRL BAD GIRL The darkest crimes can't stay hidden forever A dead journalist? A dead matron at a children's home A young body washed up by the river And a crime so evil it defies belief. Only one person can nail the killer, and she's the daughter of a criminal... An Award winning crime thriller. GOOD GIRL BAD GIRL is a gripping, twisty thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. Here's the link to the Giveaway Entry Post https://www.facebook.com/AnnGirdharryAuthor/ Dead Cold by Louise Penny Definitely a top read. This is a really enjoyable, cozy mystery, starring the wonderful Inspector Armand Gamache.
In this second book in the series, Gamache and his team and called back to the small village of Three Pines to investigate the murder of CC Poitiers. It’s Christmas time in the quiet Quebec village and everyone is enjoying the festivities and an abundance of food and good will and neighbourly good deeds. The winter landscape plays an important part in the story as they cope with plummeting temperatures and outside conditions which threaten the life of the frail. We meet the eccentric and wonderfully portrayed characters we met in the first book, plus some newcomers including CC Poitiers, her shy husband and her nervous daughter. When CC Poitiers is murdered on the curling rink, one wintry morning, the whole village could have been a witness, yet they all claim to have seen nothing. The real stars of this book are the three Graces – three old women who have been friends forever and around whom this mystery seems to revolve. Everyone loves Gamache and is charmed by his calm temperament and determination to find the truth. However, there is a background mystery rumbling around, to do with an old case (the Arnot case) which keeps surfacing in this book but is never explained. Gamache is implicated and members of Gamache’s team are also implicated in this case, which involved corrupt officers. I expect more will be revealed in later books in this series. The quality of the writing is great, as is the atmosphere and the plot. (The only tiny thing which didn’t suit me were the massive amounts of food and drink which seemed to be in overabundant supply, and the author did rather go on about that aspect and the gourmet food on offer at the local brasserie – still, I know I am being picky when I point this out). To keep up to date with my book reviews remember to follow my Facebook Author Page :) Facebook Author Page Lucas has come to stay at a cottage in Wales where he joins fellow writers for a writing retreat.
Lucas is a horror writer and he’s searching for inspiration for this next best seller. The other guests at the house are a mixed bag with their own worries and emotional baggage. The host of the retreat centre is Julia. Julia lost her eight year old daughter, two years ago. The girl was presumed to have drowned in the local river, along with her father who dived in trying to save her. The body of the father was found but not that of the daughter, and, against all the evidence, Julia has clung to the belief that her daughter, Lily, is still alive. Lucas is attracted to Julia and a romance blossoms. He also becomes obsessed with Lily and he hires a private detective to dig around and find out more. He begins to question the police findings. He becomes suspicious of several members of the close-knit, local community, of which his own mother and father were a part. Lucas has suffered a loss himself, and this gets thrown into the mix. Strange things start to happen at the house – noises in the night, sounds of someone coming and going, ghostly singing. A couple of the other guests start cracking up. Lucas doesn’t believe in ghosts but the horror writer in him is hooked on the incidents and he begins to wonder what is real and what is imaginary. It’s all pretty spooking stuff. I thought the author did the supernatural element extremely well and we see how each guest is weakened by the weird events. (I think that’s all I can say about the story – if you want to find out more you’ll have to read it.) My favourite parts of the book were the first third, when we are getting to know the retreat group and the villagers, and the middle part where the spooky events really ratchet up. In summary – this book is a great mystery, supernatural suspense and the author has a lovely, fluid writing style. A highly enjoyable read. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. This is my honest review. To keep up to date with new book reviews - follow my Facebook Author Page or follow me on Goodreads We went to an historic, annual gathering of old sailing boats in Sete , just along the coast from Montpellier.
Here are some pictures of the galleons and the water ways. |
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