“Christmas Presents”–Review

Happy Holidays, bloggers! Whether you celebrate or not, I hope you all are enjoying this day. Only this morning did I finish reading Christmas Presents, by Lisa Unger. Here’s the description:

Years following a near-death experience, Madeline Martin is moving forward. She’s the owner of an indie bookshop, all the while caring for her father after he’d suffered a stroke. Christmas is approaching, and not only does it help keep her busy in her shop, but it’s also the time of year that she’s reminded of what happened all those years ago. Then in comes Harley Granger, a famous true crime writer and podcaster who’s been trying to convince her to tell her story. But she wants no part in it.

It all started when she’d met Evan Handy, the new, mysterious boy who came to her small town. Madeline was young, naive, and knew nothing. She was drawn to Evan, no matter how many times her father and her best friend, Badger, warned her to keep away from him. Surely, they were wrong about him?

Set in the present time, Evan Handy is in prison, convicted of murdering Madeline’s best friend and suspected of other disappearances. Since Handy has been in prison, though, other young women have disappeared, with the assumption that there might be a copycat or that the wrong man was put away. As the holidays get closer, Madeline no longer feels safe, and she and Badger have to work together to uncover what they may have missed during that tragic event years ago.

Awhile back, I’d read the author’s previous book, Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six. I wanted to like that book, but it seemed as if it had too many conflicts. When I saw the cover of Christmas Presents, I figured this one would do a good job. And it did. It was a good, suspenseful holiday read. I feel this book also is based more on the reality of what can happen when you fall hard for the wrong person. Sometimes we can’t help how we feel about someone, either. Madeline was young and, of course, it had taken her years to finally own up to past decisions. Throughout most of this book, I was thinking, “When your loved ones and best friends tell you hundreds of times that the new guy is scrum, listen to them!” Moral of the story’s conflict, in my opinion: the bad boy is going to ruin your life.

Good job to the author for this story. Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading and Happy Holidays!

About the author: Unger’s critically acclaimed novels have been featured on “Best Book” lists from the Today Show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Weekly, People, Amazon, Goodreads, L.A. Times, The Boston Globe, Sun Sentinel, Tampa Bay Times and many others. She has been nominated for, or won, numerous awards including the Strand Critics, Audie, Hammett, Macavity, ITW Thriller, and Goodreads Choice. In 2019, she received two Edgar Award nominations, an honor held by only a few authors, including Agatha Christie. Her short fiction has been anthologized in The Best American Mystery and Suspense, and her non-fiction has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, and Travel+Leisure. Lisa is the current co-President of the International Thriller Writers organization. She lives on the west coast of Florida with her family. For more info, click here.

“The Guest House”–Review

How far would you go to protect the ones you love?

After a long time of no results, Jamie and his wife, Victoria, are finally going to have a baby. During the last few weeks before the baby is due, they decide they’re going to go on a short holiday at a remote country guest house that’s miles away from the city. When they get there, they’re greeted by a nice, older couple, Barry and Fiona.

The next morning, Victoria decides to step outside for some fresh air. Yet she can’t, and neither can Jamie. The doors and windows are locked. Their cell phones and car keys are nowhere to be found, and Barry and Fiona aren’t in the house. Even though it’s too soon for the baby to arrive, Victoria feels her contractions kicking in. With both of them in panic mode, they wonder what Barry and Fiona’s intentions were when Jamie and Victoria arrived. At the same time, they know there’s no time to question anything. Victoria’s contractions are getting worse, and they have to escape fast.

This story alternates between Jamie and Victoria’s stay at the guest house to the present days after their stay. Following their stay at the guest house, Jamie and Victoria’s marriage is hanging on by a thread after losing their baby. Although they came home empty-handed, it’s still not over. But what happened with the baby?

Normally, I’m a slow reader, but I finished this book in a week. I enjoyed the tension, and I admired Jamie who was willing to put up a fight to save his family. Victoria, on the other hand, was all over the place, but that’s what made me want to know more. When I came across this book on Poisoned Pen Press’s Instagram account, I thought it looked creepy yet enjoyable, which it was. Honestly, I’ve never been to the mountains or the woods, but after reading this book, I think I’ll pass on isolated destinations. This is my first read by Robin Morgan-Bentley. Check it out if you’re in the mood for a domestic suspense novel. Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading!

About the author: Robin Morgan-Bentley was born and grew up in London. After studying Modern and Medieval Languages at Cambridge University, he went on to work for Google before moving to Audible, where he has been working since 2014.

His debut thriller, The Wreckage, was nominated for the CWA Dagger John Creasey New Blood Award, the CrimeFest Specsavers Debut Crime Award and Capital Crime’s Debut Book of the Year Award.

Robin lives in Buckinghamshire with his husband and son.

For more info on the author, click here.

“Strangers We Know”–Review

Good evening, fellow bloggers! I hope you’re enjoying some good reads. I was fortunate enough to receive an early copy of Strangers We Know from the author, herself, so I’d like to share my feedback.

After dealing with the frustrations of her unknown ailments, Ivy Hon starts some research on the possibility that whatever she has might come from her family’s history. But Ivy was adopted, so she knows so little about her biological family. Although she had been brought up by a decent, attentive family, Ivy has to know what’s going on. After doing a genetic test, she meets with an FBI agent who reveals that Ivy might be related to the Full Moon Killer, who has left residents of the Pacific Northwest terrified for years.

While finding it hard to believe, Ivy does research on the history of the Full Moon Killer. The information eventually leads to Ivy’s long-lost cousin, who lives in Rock Island, Washington. Then Ivy travels from San Francisco to Rock Island to meet this cousin, along with the Caine family. Ivy doesn’t want to believe she may be related to a serial killer, but any kind of information from the Caines may lead to answers for which she’s been searching. Yet some things seem a bit off, especially when it comes to questions she has about her birth parents. According to her family, Ivy’s biological mother suffered a tragic fate, while her father disappeared. The more information Ivy digs up, she can’t help feeling as if she’s being watched. Some things seem off with the Caines, yet Ivy wants to be wrong about her assumptions; the Caines may be all she has of finding answers, after all. But with the possibility that the Full Moon Killer is targeting people again, Ivy wonders if she’s next.

Thank you, again, to the author for this copy. I love a good suspense read. The backstory of Ivy’s biological mother, Tatum (that character shares my name), had my attention. I didn’t quite expect it to end the way it did—in fact, I don’t think I came close to guessing how it all would go down—but I can definitely recommend it for the suspense fan. Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading!

Strangers We Know will be available on May 1, 2022.

About the author:

Elle Marr strives to tell powerful and compelling stories of women who demonstrate resilience in the face of great obstacles. She is the author of thrillers, THE MISSING SISTER (2020), LIES WE BURY (2021), and STRANGERS WE KNOW (May 2022). 

THE MISSING SISTER was a #1 Amazon bestseller, #1 in the Kindle Store, an Amazon Charts bestseller, featured in Woman’s World, and named one of PopSugar’s “31 Thrillers of 2020.” LIES WE BURY earned a Kirkus starred review, was named one of The Nerd Daily’s Eagerly Anticipated Thrillers, and reached #1 in Serial Killer Fiction for four straight weeks. Publisher’s Weekly said, “Marr is a writer to watch.”

Originally from Sacramento, Elle Marr graduated from UC San Diego before moving to France, where she earned a master’s degree from the Sorbonne University in Paris.  When not working on her next book, she enjoys watching French Netflix shows with the subtitles off, in Oregon, where she lives with her family. For more info, click here.

“The Safe Place”–Review

No phones. No outsiders. No escape.

Emily Proudman is struggling to make ends meet, all the while trying to make her acting career take off. In one day, however, she not only loses her acting agent, but she gets fired from Proem Partners. To top it off, she’s on the verge of losing her apartment due to her being behind on her rent.

Just when she thinks all hope is lost, she meets Scott Denny, a successful CEO, who offers Emily an opportunity to get back on her feet: a summer job as a housekeeper on Scott’s remote, beautiful French estate. On her first day on the job, Emily meets Scott’s wife, Nina, and their young daughter, Aurelia.

While she quickly gets adjusted to the job and the perks of the estate, Emily can’t help noticing Nina and Aurelia’s odd behaviors and routines. Why won’t Aurelia speak? And what are Scott and Nina hiding? Perhaps the job was too good to be true.

While I liked the idea of this story and was looking forward to it, I felt that some important details were left out, but I won’t spoil it. Nina’s story caught my attention during the second half, but then the rest of the story wasn’t working for me. The ending also was rushed and really could have been better. I was hoping for some kind of surprise. No matter, feel free to check out the book; it’s now available. I’ll still be on the lookout for suspense thrillers. Happy reading!

About the author: Anna Downes was born and raised in Sheffield, UK, but now lives just north of Sydney, Australia, with her husband and two children. She worked as an actress before turning her attention to writing, and appeared in BBC TV shows, including EastEnders, Casualty, Holby City, and Dalziel and Pascoe, as well as a long-running stage production of The Dresser in London’s West End. She has degrees from both Manchester University (Drama) and RADA (Acting). She has been most recently published in the Zodiac Literary Review (US, 2017), shortlisted for the Sydney Writers’ Room Short Story Prize (2017), and longlisted for the Margaret River Short Story Competition (2018). The Safe Place was inspired by Anna’s experiences working as a live-in housekeeper on a remote French estate in 2009-10. Follow her on Twitter.

“The Silent Patient”–Review

Happy Monday, bloggers! I finally got around to reading one of the latest thrillers, so here it is:

Living in a beautiful home overlooking one of London’s most desirable areas, Alicia Berenson is a famous painter, married to an in-demand fashion photographer. With an important exhibition approaching, Alicia is on a deadline to have her work ready for the public eye. One evening, when her husband, Gabriel, comes home late from work, Alicia shoots him five times in the face. Ever since that evening, Alicia never spoke another word.

Following Gabriel’s death, Alicia is sentenced to the Grove, a psychiatric unit in Northern London. Unfortunately, even the best therapists can’t get her to speak. And that’s when criminal psychotherapist Theo Faber is granted the opportunity to work at the Grove, to get answers from Alicia. Getting her to speak, though, means that Theo has to go down a path he’s tried to bury for a long time. Still, he’s willing to do what it takes to get Alicia to confess the reason for her killing her husband. But will he be able to handle any surprise that’s going to be thrown at him? And will it all be worth it?

I’m glad I picked up this book. Now I know what other readers were talking about. It was filled with surprises and a crazy twist, toward the end. When I was reading toward the ending, this afternoon, I got a bit caught up in it that I almost missed my bus. I think that same thing did happen, long ago. Anyhow, the author did a great job with this story, so check it out. Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading!

About the author: Alex Michaelides was born in Cyprus to a Greek-Cypriot father and an English mother. He studied English literature at Cambridge University and got his MA in screenwriting at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. The Silent Patient is his first novel. Follow him on Twitter.

“The Whisper Man”–Review

If you leave a door half open, soon you’ll hear the whispers spoken. If you play outside alone, soon you won’t be going home…If you’re lonely, sad, and blue, the Whisper Man will come for you.

A year after his wife’s death, Tom Kennedy and his young son, Jake, decide that moving to a new home will mean a fresh start for them. So they move to their new home in Featherbank. It isn’t long, however, that Tom learns about his home’s disturbing past. A serial killer, Frank Carter, had abducted and killed five children 20 years ago. Until he was finally put behind bars, the media nicknamed him “The Whisper Man,” for he would lure his victims into his trap by whispering at their windows at night.

Although Carter is incarcerated, another young boy has disappeared. Because the boy’s disappearance bears a resemblance to Carter’s crimes, the police believe there’s an accomplice. Now detectives Amanda Beck and Pete Willis must find the boy before it’s too late, and in order to get more leads, Pete has to revisit the man who started it all: The Whisper Man.

While the search party continues, Jake starts behaving strangely, which causes concerns at his new school. At the same time, everything is overwhelming for Tom. He’s doing his best to raise his son all on his own, yet the two have been distant since Tom’s wife has been gone. And it all gets worse when Jake hears whispers outside his bedroom window…

Quite a creepy read, in my opinion. There were actually a few surprises in the characters’ stories, so I liked where it was going. Of course, I won’t spoil a thing, but you’ll see how it all comes together. This story is not only about catching a murderer, it’s a story of fatherhood, grief, loss, and doing what it takes to make things right. What I didn’t expect, though, was the way it ended. Again, no spoilers. But I’ll tell you it was a bit creepy. In fact, it was on my mind when I woke up in the middle of the night. I kid you not. So I suppose that’s my way of saying to check out this book, especially if you need a good thriller. Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading!

*I received this copy from Celadon Books, in exchange for an honest review.

*The Whisper Man will be available on August 20, 2019.

About the author: Alex North was born in Leeds, England, where he now lives with his wife and son. You can follow him on Twitter.

“The Shadow Writer”–Review

Every writer has a story. Some are deadlier than others.

After coping with a traumatic childhood, aspiring author Graye Templeton has done everything she could to bury the past, to never speak of it to anyone. Just by chance, she crosses paths with Laura West, a successful book blogger and wife of the acclaimed novelist, David West. Things seem to be going on the right path for Graye’s writing career when she becomes Laura’s new assistant. This is something Graye has hoped for, to finally have someone to help her on her path to publication.

During the whole process, however, Graye discovers that there’s more going on in the West household. Laura’s marriage isn’t as perfect as it appears. While David’s alcoholism and anger issues increase, Laura works hard to keep a straight face in the public eye.

But Laura isn’t the only one in possible danger. Someone else from Graye’s past often reappears. So what is this person’s motive? As Graye and Laura form a bond during their circumstances, more secrets unravel, leaving the two women to wonder who can be trusted. And will Graye’s past come back and destroy everything she’s worked for?

Many thanks to the author for providing me this copy in exchange for an honest review. I love a good suspense novel and this one had plenty of surprises and twists. I took quite a few guesses as to what would happen, but I don’t think I was close. But that’s what I love. For the suspense thriller enthusiast, check out this book. Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading!

About the author: Eliza Maxwell is the author of The Widow’s Watcher, The Unremembered Girl, The Grave Tender, and The Kinfolk. She writes fiction from her home in Texas, which she shares with her ever-patient husband, two impatient kids, a ridiculous English setter, and a bird named Sarah. An artist and writer, a dedicated introvert, and a British-cop-drama addict, she enjoys nothing more than sitting on the front porch with a good cup of coffee.

“The Moroccan Girl”–Review

Good evening, bloggers! It feels great to catch up with some new spy fiction. I’ve not read any for a while, after all. And this is my first time reading anything by Charles Cumming.

Every now and then, writers could use a little excitement, aside from living in fantasy worlds, right? Who knew such an opportunity would happen for author Kit Carradine? When MI6 agent, Robert Mantis, offers him an important assignment—to find a woman named Lara Bartok—while attending a literary festival in Morocco, Kit seizes the opportunity.

Yet something about the trip seems off. Why was it so important for Kit to track down this mystery woman? When he finally does find Lara Bartok, Kit learns she is a fugitive who was a part of Resurrection, a violent revolutionary movement targeting political figures from around the world. The longer he stays involved with Lara, Kit’s life is at stake. But he doesn’t want to abandon her. So they both are on a difficult mission to get Lara out of Morocco and to keep competing intelligence services in the dark.

I liked the whole idea of this story. An author-turned-spy running around the streets of Marrakech? Not bad. With the way it all happened for Kit, however, maybe it isn’t as exciting as a person would imagine. But that’s what made this story excellent. In fact, I hope to see Morocco, one day. I also liked that the ending has left me wondering what Kit plans to do next.

To all the spy fiction fans, I encourage you to check out this book. Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading!

*I received this copy from St. Martin’s Press, in exchange for an honest review. The Moroccan Girl will be available on February 12, 2019.

About the author: Charles Cumming is the author of the Alec Milius books and the Thomas Kell books, A Foreign Country, A Colder War, and A Divided Spy, as well as the New York Times bestselling thriller, The Trinity Six. He lives with his family in London. For more info, click here. You also can follow him on Twitter.

“The Exes’ Revenge”–Review

Good evening, bloggers! Happy Pub Day to Jo Jakeman’s The Exes’ Revenge. Here’s a quick description and my review.

There’s only so far a woman can bend before she breaks…

He made their lives a living hell. Now three women will get their revenge in this gripping and darkly satisfying debut thriller.

The story revolves around Imogen Rochester’s point-of-view and her marriage to Phillip. A marriage that’s been difficult for a long time. Phillip is manipulative, abusive, and he’s cheated on Imogen enough times. After years of a failed marriage, they both want out. All that’s needed to move on is for Phillip to sign the divorce papers; however, he’s making it a mission to make the divorce as difficult as possible.

To make matters worse, Phillip demands that Imogen and their son move out of the house by the end of the month. If she doesn’t, Phillip will sue her for sole custody. Imogen is furious, yet terrified. For years, Phillip has always been one step ahead of her. He’s always had power over her. She always had to be careful to not make him angry. But, now, she’s had enough. And that’s when she does the unthinkable.

While plotting to take Phillip down, Imogen never expected to come together with Phillip’s first wife, including his current live-in girlfriend—two women who’ve also been hurt by the same man. Despite their differences, the three women plot to make sure Phillip gets what is coming to him.

This book had a pretty good storyline. I do enjoy a domestic thriller every so often. Even in some scenes, Phillip nearly had me fooled, even though I was practically saying, “Don’t fall for it, don’t fall for it.” Although I didn’t really love the book, I still think it was pretty decent. I suppose I expected a little more toward the end, but I’ll still recommend this one, anyhow. Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading!

*I received this early copy from Berkley Publishing Group, in exchange for an honest review.

About the author: Jo is a writer based in Derbyshire. Her debut psychological thriller will be published in the UK as Sticks and Stones, by Harvill Secker (Penguin Random House) on 12 July 2018, and as The Exes’ Revenge, by Berkley in the USA on 11 September. For more info, click here. You can also follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

“Lies”–Review

What if you have the perfect life, the perfect wife, and the perfect child—then, in one moment, you discover nothing is as it seems? What if your whole life was based on lies?

Joe Lynch is driving home with his four-year-old son, William, when he suddenly spots his wife, Mel, driving on the same route for a work meeting. Then Joe has an idea for his son: why not surprise her at her destination? But what comes next changes everything for Joe when he sees Mel meeting with another man.

What makes the meeting all the more suspicious is that Joe recognizes the man. With a meeting that threatens to tear apart his family, Joe is willing to do what it takes to protect them. But his life is soon in danger when he is threatened by a more clever, cunning opponent who is out to destroy him. While Joe tries to get his life back, the enemy always seems to be one step ahead of him. As one lie and threat after another accumulates, Joe has to ask himself: can we ever really trust those closest to us?

I started reading this book a week ago. And, today, I was halfway into the book and just spent the day reading it til the end. That’s how good the book was. The ending shocked me and I enjoyed the suspense. The way it all happened, I definitely didn’t expect. If you’re looking for a good thriller, I recommend this one. Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading!

*I received this copy from St. Martin’s Press, in exchange for an honest review.

*Lies will be available on September 11, 2018.

About the author: T.M. Logan was born in Berkshire to an English father and a German mother. He studied at Queen Mary and Cardiff universities before becoming a national newspaper journalist. He currently works in communications and lives in Nottinghamshire with his wife and two children. Lies is his first novel. Check him out on Facebook, as well as Twitter.