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The Creak on the Stairs – Eva Björg Ægisdóttir

When a woman’s body is discovered at a lighthouse in the Icelandic town of Akranes, investigators discover shocking secrets in her past. First in a disturbing, chillingly atmospheric new series.

When a body of a woman is discovered at a lighthouse in the Icelandic town of Akranes, it soon becomes clear that she’s no stranger to the area.

Chief Investigating Officer Elma, who has returned to Akranes following a failed relationship, and her collegues Sævar and Hörður, commence an uneasy investigation, which uncovers a shocking secret in the dead woman’s past that continues to reverberate in the present day …

But as Elma and her team make a series of discoveries, they bring to light a host of long-hidden crimes that shake the entire community. Sifting through the rubble of the townspeople’s shattered memories, they have to dodge increasingly serious threats, and find justice … before it’s too late.

My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the chance to host today’s leg of this tour.

The Creak on the Stairs comes with a sub heading on Amazon which states it is Book 1 in the Forbidden Iceland series. Initially I didn’t give this too much consideration, but on finishing The Creak on the Stairs I remembered the “Book 1” part and was hopeful we would return to these characters. More importantly was the “Forbidden” element of the sub title as “forbidden” conjured up the suggestion of more unsettling and unexpected stories – if they are anything like The Creak on the Stairs then they are stories which I shall very much look forward to.

Akranes is the setting for this book – a small Icelandic town of around 7,000 inhabitants. Big enough to merit a police force but still small enough to realise that most people know the majority of the townsfolk by sight and that everyone knows everyone else’s business. I always maintain that small town stories lead to the best opportunities for crime fiction as secrets are so much harder to keep and tend to impact so many more people when the secret gets out. This would very much appear to be the case in The Creak on the Stairs.

The story is driven (in present day) by police officer Elma. She has been working in Reykjavik but after her relationship ended she returned to Akranes where she had lived as a child. Elma was able to secure a role with the Akranes police department and is just settling into her role when a woman’s body is found in the water beside a lighthouse by two courting teens.

Initial investigation quickly establishes that the woman has been murdered and her body moved, no accurate crime scene and no.obvious clues.

The dead woman’s story is told retrospectively through a series of chapters set in the late 1980s and early 90s. We see Elisabet (the victim) enduring the tragedy of loss, the despair of neglect and then become victim to circumstance worse than being overlooked. Her childhood was a terrible ordeal and as we learn more about Elisabet through the book we see how her struggles shaped a cold and un-compassionate soul.

The present/past narrative works very well for this police procedural tale. The investigation progresses and Elma and her new partner Saevar are developing a good working relationship. The reader gets Elisabet’s childhood chapters to reveal a little more about characters that may become relevant to Elma and Saevar or to show some of the pain Elisabet endured which also has an influence on her subsequent murder.

There came a tipping point in the reading when all the clues and hints started to fall into place and the dark secrets got exposed. Those pages blurred for me as I practically inhaled the last sections of the book – everything came together so well. And that final reveal in the last chapter was devastating.

Today marks the end of the blog tour for A Creak on the Stairs and I have seen fellow bloggers wildly enthusing about this book all month. It’s easy to see why it has been gaining so much praise, it’s very, very good.

The Creak on the Stairs is published by Orrnda Books and is available in digital format with the paperback to follow later in the year. Order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Creak-Stairs-Forbidden-Iceland/dp/1913193047/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+creak+on+the+stairs&qid=1590825139&sprefix=the+creak+&sr=8-1

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May 19

The Goodbye Man – Jeffery Deaver

Say goodbye to your problems
In pursuit of two armed fugitives in the wilderness of Washington State, unique investigator Colter Shaw witnesses a shocking suicide. This leads him to the Foundation – a cult that promises to transform people’s lives. But is there more to it than meets the eye?

Say goodbye to your freedom
Shaw goes undercover to expose the Foundation’s real purpose. Before long he meets the charismatic leader Master Eli, a man who commands terrifying loyalty from his followers.

Say goodbye to your life
Something truly dark is going on beneath the surface of the idyllic community. And as Shaw peels back the layers of truth, he begins to see there is only one way to escape the Foundation … and the price for that freedom might well be your very life.

My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the chance to join this tour. I received text of the book from the publisher.

Colfer Shaw is a reward seeker who uses his considerable talents, intellect, athleticism, to undertake investigations or complete tasks which offer financial reward. He is not a private investigator who takes on clients for payment – Shaw finds the client.

In The Goodbye Man Shaw is on the trail of two young men who have gone on the run after an “incident” at a church. A cross has been burned in the churchyard and also firearms discharged at a staff member. Two men in their early 20’s appear to have been to blame, they are described as Nazi sympathizers and a reward has been offered if they can be found and prosecuted. Shaw is on hand.

Shaw speaks with the parents of both the suspects and the information he gleans does not fit the profile of Nazi supporters. But he has a lead to follow and sets off into the wilds on the trail of the suspects.

I had anticipated The Goodbye Man being a cat and mouse chase story with Shaw just missing his targets every step of the way. Not so. He finds them relatively quickly (he is a smart, smart operator). But during the apprehension of the two, one of the young men chooses to jump from a high ridge rather than face justice. During the aftermath of the incident Shaw becomes aware of a group who may have been involved in the man’s life – the Foundation.

They are a select group who take people in to hear the teachings of Master Eli. It is promised if you join the Foundation your life will never be the same again. Shaw decides to infiltrate the Foundation and get a closer look at how they operate.

No more spoilers in this review other than to confirm the Foundation are best described as a Cult and what Shaw discovers about them is chilling but makes for compulsive reading.

Jeffery Deaver has an amazing track record of penning gripping stories. The Goodbye Man adds to this in fine style. He captures the intensity of Shaw’s determination, the location feels remote and claustrophobic, the members of the Foundation are intense, alarming and Deaver’s description of their devotion and compliance with Master Eli was pitched perfectly.

Hugely engaging page-turner which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The Goodbye Man is published by Harper Collins and is available in Hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07Y4T316K/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1

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May 18

In Plain Sight – Marion Todd

A child’s life is at stake. Which of the residents of St Andrews is hiding something – and why?

When a baby girl is snatched from the crowd of spectators at a fun run, the local police have a major investigation on their hands. DI Clare Mackay and her team are in a race against the clock when they learn that the child has a potentially fatal medical condition.

As Clare investigates she realises this victim wasn’t selected at random. Someone knows who took the baby girl, and why. But will they reveal their secrets before it’s too late?

I was invited to join the blog tour of In Plain Sight by Tracy Fenton of Compulsive Readers.

When I completed my review of my favourite reads of 2019 I included Marion Todd’s See Them Run (the first Clare Mackay book) as the best debut I had read last year. I pre-ordered In Plain Sight as soon as I had finished See Them Run and when offered the chance to join the Blog Tour for In Plain Sight I leapt at the chance – this is a series which fans of police procedurals need to be reading.

Easy housekeeping first. In Plain Sight is the second Clare Mackay book, you can easily read it as a stand alone story. Clare left the police in Glasgow to move East and took up a role on the force at St Andrew’s. Anything else you need to know is deftly interwoven into the story by Marion Todd.

I consider myself fairly unflappable when I am reading. Having read numerous dark crime thrillers and grim horror tales for many, many years I find it quite easy to take on what I am reading without being upset by the content. However, In Plain Sight opens with the abduction of a baby from her pram and I found this more disturbing than many hack and slash horror tales. The prospect of a baby torn away from her parents chilled me and Kudos to the author here as the depiction of the aftermath and the reaction of the parents was brilliant.

Mackay and some of her colleagues were on the scene at the time. The abduction took place during a charity fun run and Clare was due to participate. The frenetic hunt for the baby, the hastily assembled (all hands on deck) squadron and the national appeals for help gives In Plain Sight an urgency which befits the need for a prompt resolution for this crime.

Clare and her colleagues have little to work on initially but the baby’s family may merit closer inspection. Her aunt has a history of drug abuse, the parents don’t seem to be coping (understandably) but is their behaviour suspicious?

A burglary at a chemist shop in nearby Dundee sees a rare drug stolen – one which is specifically needed by the missing baby. The search broadens and soon Clare has a murder to investigate which may be linked to the abduction…or is it? Are the police making links where there are none to be found? With the clock ticking and a baby missing everyone is under real pressure to get answers quickly.

I really enjoyed how Marion Todd executed In Plain Sight. A police procedural where the reader gets to experience the investigation in full. I shared the highs and lows of the case with Mackay and her colleagues and there was great character development built around the story too as we get to know Clare and her colleagues.

Two books into the series and the third on its way later this year. You don’t want to miss the boat with these books – really enjoyable and I don’t hesitate to recommend them.

In Plain Sight is published by Canelo and is available in digital download here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07ZGL6B1B/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1

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May 7

Who We Were – B.M. Carroll

A KILLER TWENTY-YEAR REUNION.
AND YOU’RE INVITED…

Twenty years after they went their separate ways, friends and enemies are coming together for their school reunion. Katy, who is desperate to show that she’s no longer the shy wallflower. Annabel, who ruled the school until a spectacular fall from grace. Zach, popular and cruel, but who says he’s a changed man. And Robbie, always the victim, who never stood a chance.

As the reunion nears, a terrible event that binds the group together will resurface. Because someone is still holding a grudge, and will stop at nothing to reveal their darkest secrets…

My thanks to the publishers who kindly provided a review copy of Who We Were through Netgalley.

School days. Did you love them? Hate them? Would you want to go back to a 20 year reunion and meet the kids you chummed with now that they have grown up?

In Who We Were BM Carroll poses that very question and gived her readers an intense look into the lives of a core of classmates who are all being invited to attend their 20 year reunion. For most it brings back some unhappy memories from a time they were carefree and less aware of how their actions may be impacting on others. Facing up to those younger versions of themselves will cause unease and disruption to their lives.

The focus is mainly on one group of friends. The cooler kids, the pretty one, the sports star, the class clown but there are also some of the misfits in the mix too…the kid with epilepsy and mental health issues, the nerdy girl who seems too nice to be in the coolest set.

It is Katy, the carrot-haired nerd who is driving the reunion. She is now a popular teacher and still in regular contact with a few of her school friends. Katy links the different family groups and her enthusiasm to reunite them keeps events rocking along for the first half of the book.

Other characters feature frequently with new chapters looking in on different family dramas. The author has captured all of their secret problems and tribulations really cleverly, enough that we know there are issues but in the main not too dramatic to have those dramas visible for outside parties to see.

The secrecy is important as a mysterious entity is sending spiteful emails to the schoolmates mocking their high school persona and how their lives turned out. They are using these secrets to expose inner fears or past trauma and upset the recipient.

Soon friends are drawing closer together but with a wariness and insecurity which suggests they don’t really trust their old friends. Someone has a grudge and as events unfold it seems the risk of harm is increasing. Notes left on pillows, homes violated and family members threatened…as we get deeper into the lives of these people we become more invested in rooting for their safety and more worried about which of the group may be looking to harm others.

By the time we reached the endgame I had suspected all the characters and I would point the finger of blame at someone new every three or four pages.

Who We Were is an engaging drama which I could easily envisage as a tv adaptation. The characters are well depicted, given a depth and reality which made me want to read more about them. Good fun was had with this book.

Who We Were is published by Viper Books and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B081759L4M/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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April 30

King of the Crows – Russell Day

“Ocean’s Eleven meets 28 Days Later.”

2028, eight years after a pandemic swept across Europe, the virus has been defeated and normal life has resumed.

Memories of The Lockdown have already become clouded by myths, rumour and conspiracy.

Books have been written, movies have been released and the names Robertson, Miller & Maccallan have slipped into legend.

Together they hauled The Crows, a ragged group of virus survivors, across the ruins of London. Kept them alive, kept them safe, kept them moving.

But not all myths are true and not all heroes are heroes.

Questions are starting to be asked about what really happened during those days when society crumbled and the capital city became a killing ground.

Finally the truth will be revealed.

I received a review copy from the publisher.

By the time you read this King of the Crows should be available to buy. Go get it. Right now. Is shall wait for you to come back before I continue. There is a handy purchase link at the foot of this review – got you covered.

Okay – have you bought your copy? Brilliant decision. The King of the Crows is likely to be the most memorable book I shall ever review here on Grab This Book. Well it’s a book about a global pandemic which I read during a global pandemic. If that’s not memorable then I am scared to know what could top it.

So you may be thinking that a book about a pandemic isn’t the story for you at the moment. That’s your choice obviously but if you are happy to accept that this is a work of fiction and isn’t meant to ever happen then sit down, strap in and get ready for an unforgettable ride.

A virus has spread across much of Europe. It started with cats (totally vindicating my abhorrence for the feline species) and it spread to humans. The author spends time showing how the early stages of infection were noticed by some of the key players in the story and it is soon very obvious that this virus is unforgiving and deadly. Those infected will keep functioning while their minds are destroyed – the virus keeps the body moving even when when it is badly deteriorated. The image I had throughout was of the zombies from the Resident Evil videogames.

In London there is a major tipping point in the attempts to combat the spread of infection. Troops open fire on a busy city bridge with the intent of stopping the infected crossing the Thames. Innocent and uninfected civilians die and those cutoff from ‘safety’ are forced to do whatever it takes to survive. With safety in numbers being key the story will track one group at a critical period in their travels around London.

The group in question have gained fame. After the viral outbreak society does return to a form of normal and a blockbuster movie was made (based upon the book written by one of the survivors). His name was Robertson and he became known as King of the Crows. I am not telling you why as that revelation is one of the many great elements of the book.

Robertson is one of the key characters the book will follow. Through London’s streets at the height of the crisis and in the future element of the story when the film has made him a celebrity but he is sitting in a police station being interviewed by two cops. They feel Robertson is a criminal but exactly what he has done is not immediately made clear. The interview scenes help link the action elements when the pandemic was at peak.

In addition to London we spend time in France. They had a worse infection than the UK and this element of the book tracks an American banker who gets stuck in a Parisian guest house as the city enters lockdown. Her flight to safety is very much a solo affair and has a different feel to the team efforts in London.

Also keeping the story flowing are urban dictionary explanations of new pandemic terminology. Chat room extracts where online debates rage about actual events which shaped the movie. These punctuate action sequences and allow us to keep abreast of events as scenes change and time passes.

The book is described as Oceans 11 meets 28 days later. It is not immediately obvious why those two films are singled out – all becomes clear. It’s wonderful to finally understand what has motivated some characters. The endgame blew my mind – did not expect what Russell Day meticulously plotted. So very good.

I remember last year when publishers Fahrenheit Press started to crow (sorry) about a manuscript they had received – Zombies and gangs and banks. They made it sound exciting, daring, like nothing you would get anywhere else but from Fahrenheit. It is all those things. You did buy your copy didn’t you? Good.

King of the Crows is published by Fahrenheit Press. It is available in limited edition hardback, paperback and digital format. As with all of Fahrenheit’s books, buying a physical copy will net you a free digital copy too. Order link here: https://fahrenheit-press.myshopify.com/collections/fahrenheit-press/products/king-of-the-crows-russell-day

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April 22

The Murder Game – Rachel Abbott

Eight Guests. One Killer. No Escape

A year ago today, we gathered for Lucas and Nina’s wedding at their glorious Cornish home overlooking the sea.

But no one was married that day.

Last year there were nine of us. Now there are eight. And Lucas has invited us back for a macabre anniversary.

Tonight, he’s planned a game for us: we each have a costume and a role to play. The game, he tells us, is about to begin.

What does Lucas want? What are we not being told? And how will this terrifying game end?

I received a review copy from the publishers. My thanks also to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the chance to join this tour.

Do you ever pick up a new book and not read the blurb on the cover? Perhaps for an author you always read so you don’t need to know what the story is about? I do it quite often, sometimes just so I go into a story with no idea what lies ahead. That’s what I did with The Murder Game. I knew Rachel Abbott’s reputation for writing clever thrillers and after I saw the splash “Eight Guests. One Killer. No Escape” I thought this sounded like a book for me. Naturally I assumed I would be reading about a secluded location where someone was picking off the guests one-by-one. Naturally I was totally wrong – well you know what they say about never assuming.

I got the remote location bit correct. A large luxury home down in Cornwall where, 12 months ago, a group of old friends gather with their plus-one to celebrate Lucas’s wedding. Lucas is the wealthy one and his friends are pegged as hangers-on. They seem to crave his attention and bask in his company. Though each are successful in their own right their successes pale against the wealth of Lucas and their childhood dependency upon his favour never fades.

Lucas welcomed his friends to his Cornish home but the gathering is strange for Jemma (our main narrator) she is one of the plus-one’s. Her husband Matt is a successful and respected surgeon but when he is back in Lucas’s home he seems nervous, secretive and is not taking time to explain to Jemma some of the important background she should know about his old friends. In particular there is a mystery surrounding Lucas’s sister Alex. She is a nervous, flighty and troubled girl. There is talk of an “incident” many years ago which left Alex broken and reclusive. At dinner on the first night Jemma tries to bring Alex into the conversation but she is quickly talked down by her husband and it is clear Alex is not a conversation topic.

We spend time getting to know Lucas and his guests and as the wedding draws closer Jemma becomes concerned about how Lucas and his old friends seem to be holding back secrets. She also becomes suspicious of her own husband’s affection for another guest. But on the day of the wedding tragedy strikes and one of the household is found dead after a terrible accident. The wedding doesn’t take place and Lucas appears broken.

Twelve months later Jemma and Matt’s marriage is on the rocks, events in Cornwall seem to have been a main factor in the decline in their relationship. The couple receive a letter from Lucas. He is inviting them back to his home on the anniversary of the tragic event of the previous year. Matt convinces Jemma they have to attend.

On arriving back at Lucas’s home Jemma finds all the guests from 12 months ago have been invited back. Lucas has decided everyone is to participate in his Murder Game. He believes one of his friends is a murderer and by making everyone play the game he will solve a year-long murder mystery.

So not a book about a killing spree but a clever psychological thriller where Jemma helps the reader navigate through a series of lies and secrets to determine if there really is a killer in their midst. Distrust and anger lead the way, suspicion leads to fear and Jemma becomes aware that revealing a killer may well put the other guests at risk – as she gets closer to the truth someone takes exception to the information she is uncovering. In a remote house with few potential witnesses Jemma is in real danger.

Clever and devious plotting, the clues are there for armchair sleuths to find and reading The Murder Game is time well spent.

The Murder Game is published by Wildfire and is available in Hardback, Digital and audiobook format and you can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07T5X5X68/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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April 17

The F*ck-It List – John Niven

You’re terminally ill.
Who do you kill?

Set in a near-future America, an America that has borne two terms of a Trump Presidency and is now in the first term of Donald’s daughter as president, Frank Brill, a retired small-town newspaper editor, lives in a world where the populist policies Trump is currently so keen to pursue have been a reality for some years and are getting even more extreme – an erosion of abortion rights, less and less gun control, xenophobic immigration policies.

Frank, a good man, has just been given a terminal diagnosis. Rather than compile a bucket list of all the things he’s ever wanted to do in his life, he instead has at the ready his ‘fuck-it list’. Because Frank has had to endure more than his fair share of personal misfortune. And he has the names of those who are to blame for all of the tragedies that have befallen him.

But eventually, as he becomes more accustomed to dishing out cold revenge and the stakes get higher and higher, and with a rogue county sheriff on his tail, there only remains one name left at the bottom of his fuck-it list.

My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things blog tours for the chance to join this blog tour. I received a review copy of The F*ck-it List through Netgalley.

Did you read the blurb for The F*ck-it List? Two terms of a Trump presidency and then he also managed to manoeuvre his daughter into the Whitehouse after his 8th year ended.

I found John Niven’s depiction of America under 10 years of “Family Trump” to be a deeply troubling place. But Niven made it all seem so plausible and “documents” the Trump Presidency. He explains how the Gun Lobby grew stronger, legislative changes gave voice and power to racist bigots and frankly the future American society is in a pretty unpleasant place.

That’s the background to The F*ck-it List which begins with Frank Brill meeting with his doctor to be told he only has a matter of months to live – cancer.

Frank accepts his time is limited but rather than brood on his situation he decides to take proactive approach to some of his unfinished business; there are scores to settle and balances to be corrected. Frank has had a good job as a newspaper editor and seems to hold a decent (liberal) attitude which means he is not comfortable in Trump’s America. Unfortunately for Frank his personal life has been a bumpy road with mistakes (his) and tragedy (which I found really upsetting to read). Frank wants to hold certain people to account as he believes they are responsible for some of those tragedies. A road-trip to murder awaits.

Despite my unease over the projected reality which John Niven has created I found myself really enjoying The F*ck-it List. Frank has clearly been dealt a few bad blows over his 60 years, does that merit the path of retribution he embarks upon? Possibly not but Niven has written Frank’s story so well that you feel his proposed victims may actually deserve their fate. The morality or appropriateness of his actions is something a book group could really get their teeth into and it would keep a philosophy class engaged for a few sessions too.

Once blood has been spilled there will inevitably be police interest and though he may not know it there is a cop on Frank’s trail. He makes the connections that others miss – but for *spoilers* reasons I am not dwelling too much on the reasons why this is. This sets us up for a fun cat and mouse adventure…Frank is unaware there is a “cat” on his tail but the cop is drawing closer to his prey and soon the two will come face to face. Frank has his own deadline to beat – his health is declining and he cannot rest until he has faced down all five names on his F*ck-it List.

Emotive, unsettling and very nicely pitched storytelling from John Niven – I really enjoyed this.

The F*ck It List is published by William Heinemann and is available in hardback, audiobook and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/John-Niven/e/B001JSC30W/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

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April 14

Power Play – Tony Kent

THE ENEMIES AREN’T AT THE GATE
THEY’RE ALREADY INSIDE

When a plane explodes over the Atlantic Ocean, killing hundreds of passengers, including controversial US presidential candidate Dale Victor, it appears to be a clear-cut case of terrorism. The suspect has even confessed to the bombing. But as criminal barrister Michael Devlin is about to discover, everything is not as it seems.

Also suspecting there are other forces at work, intelligence agent Joe Dempsey is driven to investigate. Who would have wanted Victor out of the way – and would commit mass murder to do it? As the evidence begins to mount, everything seems to point to the US government itself, all the way to the top. And now someone is determined to stop Dempsey and Devlin from discovering the truth. At any cost.

With countless more lives on the line, Dempsey must find a way to prove who’s pulling the strings, and free the White House from the deadly grip that has taken hold of power.

I received a review copy from the publisher. My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for inviting me to join the blog tour.

Tony Kent gives Power Play an explosive start (quite literally) which commands your immediate attention. He then spends the next 480 pages treating the reader to one of the best action adventure/political thrillers I have ever encountered. At a time I have been struggling to read and concentrate on any one title, Power Play arrived and nothing else has had a look in.

There is a large cast of characters so my normal approach of summarizing the story is not really an option – this is a story which is supported by the players. It is not easy to single out one or two names and try to explain their role as that only touches on small elements of a big adventure. Power Play is very much that, persons unknown have a vested interest in ensuring one narrative is kept secret. There is a second series of events which the opposing faction would like to know about but at the start of the book they don’t even know there is a secret to uncover. Watching two powerful forces trying to outmaneuver each other and gain control is wonderfully entertaining and Tony Kent pitches it perfectly.

The early chapters had me thinking “Hollywood Blockbuster”. The aforementioned explosive start, followed by an intense life-or-death chase scene. A covert special ops teams taking out a house full of bad guys and American agents conducting unauthorized activities on the streets of London. It was a reading rollercoaster with twists, turns and the story shooting me off in unexpected directions. The action was taking place in the US, in the UK and there was the real feeling this was going to be a “big” story – with The White House on the cover the suggestion is that we are looking at incidents which will have a global impact.

Soon I am thinking “not Hollywood” as a big blockbuster film would need to lose so much of the detail which makes Power Play so damned unputdownable. This is a grand story in terms of players and characters with key roles to play who drive the action and suspense. Power Play needs to be dramatized for television and played out over a number of episodes. This would allow the layers of intrigue Kent has built into the story to be given the chance to establish before Joe Dempsey (Intelligence agent) or Michael Devlin (barrister) can begin to unpick the lies behind the “official” sequence of events.

So many elements of the book just cannot be discussed as they would leave clues and spoilers. Frustrating from a review viewpoint as I’d love to champion some of my favourite elements. Suffice to say the author keeps a fast pace story zipping along by excellent use of tight and punchy chapters, numerous character viewpoints to keep events moving and the constant threat of discovery or exposure keeps the villains of the piece edgy and dangerous whilst keeping our heroes in regular peril (even if they don’t know it).

Power Play should appeal to fans of action thrillers and espionage thrillers. Although I mooted Hollywood adaptation or Television Dramatization for Power Play there is one golden rule which should be remembered…the book is ALWAYS better. This book needs to be read, you need Power Play in your life – you will not be disappointed.

Power Play is published by Elliott and Thompson and is available from 16 April in paperback, audio and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B081QYVHKD/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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April 13

Rules For Perfect Murders – Peter Swanson

If you want to get away with murder, play by the rules

A series of unsolved murders with one thing in common: each of the deaths bears an eerie resemblance to the crimes depicted in classic mystery novels.

The deaths lead FBI Agent Gwen Mulvey to mystery bookshop Old Devils. Owner Malcolm Kershaw had once posted online an article titled ‘My Eight Favourite Murders,’ and there seems to be a deadly link between the deaths and his list – which includes Agatha Christie’s The ABC Murders, Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train and Donna Tartt’s The Secret History.

Can the killer be stopped before all eight of these perfect murders have been re-enacted?

I received a review copy from the publishers via Netgalley.

On a quiet day in his second hand bookstore Malcolm “Mal” Kershaw is visited by an FBI Agent. Agent Gwen Mulvey is investigating a series of murders and wants to discuss her theory with Mal. Seeking outside help is not normal FBI practice but Gwen’s theory is not one which has been accepted by her colleagues so she has come to Mal to discuss her idea with the man responsible for creating a list of perfect murders.

Several years prior to events in the story, Mal was preparing a blog post which detailed eight “perfect” murders. These were eight deaths from crime fiction which Mal felt should have been unsolvable. He hardly remembers writing the list and seems to quite enjoy being reminded of the selection. However, FBI agents don’t travel miles to sleepy second hand bookshops to discuss crime novels and Mal realises that the FBI must have linked his blog post to an active investigation. Is he a suspect? Has he given a “playbook” to a murderer? Is Mal possibly in danger too?

The great thing about a Peter Swanson book is that nothing can be taken at face value. He writes wonderfully twisty stories which will have readers second-guessing and even third-guessing everything they believe they understand about the characters and their motives or objectives.

In a market where publishers proclaim a book has a “twist you won’t see coming” Faber and Faber do not need to go there with Swanson. Perhaps “nothing is as it seems” should promote his writing. As such this makes each of his books a joy to spend time with – Rules For Perfect Murders being a great addition to the library.

Some great nods to classic murder tales and lots of unexpected surprises makes this a highly recommended read.

Rules For Perfect Murders is published by Faber & Faber and is available in hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0821VC3P1/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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April 10

She Who Lies – Alex Kane

Blood is thicker than water, the family bond stronger than any other.

They think it’s all forgotten.

But I don’t forget.

The Laird-Shaw family live a life most only dream about. Self-made millionaires Gavin Shaw and Stevie Laird built their business from humble roots to global turnover, Stevie’s wife – and Gavin’s sister – Eva is never out of the style pages, while daughter Carla has used her huge following as an Instagram influencer to shine a spotlight on mental health issues.

But behind the glamour lies a web of lies; hidden secrets so explosive that they would bring this family dynasty crashing down. But someone out there knows the truth…and now they’re stepping out of the shadows to reveal the dark heart of the Laird-Shaw family. Because when the truth comes to light, there’s nowhere to hide…and all the money in the world can’t save this family from themselves.

My thanks to Sarah Hardy at Book on the Bright Side for the chance to join the blog tour

She Who Lies was a brilliant read – getting my wrap up in early as I like to leave no doubt over my enjoyment of a story which I got totally immersed in.

This is a story of family secrets, they always give great potential for unexpected revelations and spectacular fireworks when certain facts which were meant to be kept quiet suddenly gain exposure.

The family in She Who Lies are the Laird and Shaw families. Three generations of a Scottish family who have enjoyed fame and success for a number of years but behind the public facade life is not as rosy as they present to the world.

Gavin Shaw and Stevie Laird run a garden and landscape firm. They are both handsome and personable guys and early in their business venture they worked on a project for a client who was well connected to the Great and Good of society. Soon Stevie and Gavin are rubbing shoulders with film stars, minor royals and the richest in the land.

Gavin’s sister married Stevie before their rise to fame. Eve is the darling of the media and seems to act as the goto point for the media to get to the family. The reader sees how Eve is battling addictions and revelations in She Who Lies will push her to a breaking point. Eve is hooked on Stevie, their marriage is another dependency she feels she cannot do without. So if Stevie has been accused of infidelity how will Eve cope?

Eva and Stevies daughter, Carla, is an Instagram influencer and does lots of great charitable work. She has worked hard to promote good causes and is launching a mental health charity just as news breaks her father is cheating on her mother and her uncle has been accused of rape.

At the head of the family is the matriarch Brenda – Eva and Gavin’s mum. She will do whatever it takes to protect her family and is ruthless to the core. Eva and Brenda do not get on well as Eva believes her mother always favoured Gavin.

A family used to success and with a lifetime of secrets to cover up are about to be fully discussed and debated on the front page of the papers. How are they going to cope?

It should also be remembered – if there are accusations there are also accusers or victims. Their story shall also be told.

She Who Lies is narrated from several viewpoints which allows Alex Kane to share the fears and insecurities of each character as the story unfolds. She does this brilliantly and handles difficult situations with care while not undermining the effect and damage which is caused.

Powerful and compelling storytelling. This is very, very good.

She Who Lies is published by Hera Books and is available in digital format and can be ordered here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B085G7HWZ5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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