Orenda Books – Page 3 – Grab This Book

The Courier – Kjell Ola Dahl

The international bestselling godfather of Nordic Noir takes on one of the most horrific periods of modern history, in a stunning standalone thriller

In 1942, Jewish courier Ester is betrayed, narrowly avoiding arrest by the Gestapo. In a great haste, she escapes to Sweden, saving herself. Her family in Oslo, however, is deported to Auschwitz. In Stockholm, Ester meets the resistance hero, Gerhard Falkum, who has left his little daughter and fled both the Germans and allegations that he murdered his wife, Åse, who helped Ester get to Sweden. Their burgeoning relationship ends abruptly when Falkum dies in a fire.

And yet, twenty-five years later, Falkum shows up in Oslo. He wants to reconnect with his daughter. But where has he been, and what is the real reason for his return? Ester stumbles across information that forces her to look closely at her past, and to revisit her war-time training to stay alive…

Written with Dahl’s trademark characterization and elegant plotting, The Courier sees the hugely respected godfather of Nordic Noir at his best, as he takes on one of the most horrific periods of modern history, in an exceptional, shocking thriller.

My thanks to Karen at Orenda Books for my review copy and to Anne Cater for the chance to join the blog tour.

I don’t read enough historical fiction – The Courier makes me believe I should be reading a lot more of it! In the past I have found many historical novels too slow and (for me) excessively detailed on the setting – to the detriment of the story. However, if I could guarantee future historical reads were even half as good as The Courier then I would certainly be reading more of them.

A spy thriller and a murder tale which is set partially during World War 2 but also in the 1960’s and in more modern times too. This is a grand tale which tells the story of Ester and Gerhard. Their paths cross in Oslo during the war. Ester is a young Jewish woman hiding from Nazi soldiers and working with the resistance. When the Gestapo get too close she is forced to go into hiding. She stays at the home of Gerhard and his wife but this will not be a long stay and something occurs which will define the path their lives will take (no spoilers).

We catch up with their story in the 1960’s where we find many of the characters in the novel are keeping secrets (perhaps not unexpectedly given events during the war). There is an investigation to be enjoyed and there are slow reveals which keep the reader guessing as to where the story may lead.

While the tale may not be a fast paced espionage thriller it is most certainly a well crafted character drama. Kjell Ola Dahl makes you care about his characters and you want to keep reading The Courier to find what happens to Ester et all.

Orenda Books consistently treat us to terrific, emotive and engaging stories The Courier is another triumph.

The Courier is published by Orenda Books and is available in paperback and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Courier-Kjell-Ola-Dahl-ebook/dp/B07KGLHC5X/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?crid=3FCX5SYMRSXXO&keywords=the+courier+kjell&qid=1552412473&s=gateway&sprefix=the+courier+k%2Caps%2C147&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

Follow the Blog Tour:

Category: Blog Tours, From The Bookshelf | Comments Off

February 13

Beton Rouge – Simone Buchholz

On a warm September morning, an unconscious man is found in a cage at the entrance to the offices of one of Germany’s biggest magazines. He’s soon identified as a manager of the company, and he’s been tortured. Three days later, another manager appears in a similar way.

Chastity Riley and her new colleague Ivo Stepanovic are tasked with uncovering the truth behind the attacks, an investigation that goes far beyond the revenge they first suspect … to the dubious past shared by both victims. Travelling to the south of Germany, they step into the hothouse world of boarding schools, where secrets are currency, and monsters are bred … monsters who will stop at nothing to protect themselves.

A smart, dark, probing thriller, full of all the hard-boiled poetry and acerbic wit of the very best noir, Beton Rouge is both a classic whodunit and a scintillating expose of society, by one of the most exciting names in crime fiction.

My thanks to Orenda Books who provided a copy of the book for review

Beton Rouge is the second novel to feature Chastity Riley. As I have not yet read the first book in the series (Blue Night) I can categorically confirm that Beton Rouge is a story you can read and enjoy without knowing what occurred in Blue Night. I can also confirm that I shall be looking to pick up Blue Night very soon as I thoroughly enjoyed Beton Rouge.

Told in a sequence of short, punchy chapters we join Chastity Riley – prosecutor – in an investigation into a humiliating and violent attack. The victim was locked in a cage having been tortured and, after his ordeal, the cage is left in a public place to be found. A few short days later the same fate befalls one of the man’s colleagues.

Chastity, partnered up with Ivo Stepanovic, discovers the two men were school friends. They, along with a third friend, were an inseparable trio who grew up together and began their careers together. Their reputation precedes them and it is clear the three are not well liked – stories from their school days recall a time when a 4th person was placed into their proximity and suffered as a consequence.

With two of the three colleagues suffering a brutal experience it is imperative Chastity gets the third man protected – will she be too late or are there darker forces at play?

Away from the investigation the reader also gets a close look at Chastity’s social life. She is not the poster child for domestic bliss. Lonely drinking, hooking up with random strangers, texting friends as a veiled call for company. She is an engaging character who is determined and gives as good as she gets so it makes for fun reading.

Beton Rouge was translated to English by Rachel Ward who has done a terrific job. The language in the story is lyrical or poetic at times, very descriptive and often emotive and this shines through in the story telling which gives Beton Rouge a unique and distinctive feel.

Another terrific release from Orenda Books who seem to have a magical ability to find compelling stories.

Beton Rouge is published by Orenda Books and is available in digital and paperback format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1?ie=UTF8&text=Simone+Buchholz&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Simone+Buchholz&sort=relevancerank

Category: Blog Tours, From The Bookshelf | Comments Off

December 31

City Without Stars – Tim Baker

Mexico – Ciudad Real is in crisis: the economy is in meltdown, a new war between rival cartels is erupting, and a serial killer is murdering hundreds of female workers.

Fuentes, the detective in charge of the investigation, suspects that most of his colleagues are on the payroll of his chief suspect, narco kingpin, El Santo. If he’s going to stop the killings, he has to convince fiery union activist, Pilar, to ignore all her instincts and work with him. But in a city eclipsed by murder, madness and magic, can she really afford to trust him?

Dark Pines – Will Dean

SEE NO EVIL

Eyes missing, two bodies lie deep in the forest near a remote Swedish town.

HEAR NO EVIL

Tuva Moodyson, a deaf reporter on a small-time local paper, is looking for the story that could make her career.

SPEAK NO EVIL

A web of secrets. And an unsolved murder from twenty years ago.

Can Tuva outwit the killer before she becomes the final victim? She’d like to think so. But first she must face her demons and venture far into the deep, dark woods if she wants to stand any chance of getting the hell out of small-time Gavrik.

The Darkness – Ragnar Jonasson

A young woman is found dead on a remote Icelandic beach.

She came looking for safety, but instead she found a watery grave.

A hasty police investigation determines her death as suicide . . .

When Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir of the Reykjavik police is forced into early retirement, she is told she can investigate one last cold case of her choice – and she knows which one.

What she discovers is far darker than suicide . . . And no one is telling Hulda the whole story.

When her own colleagues try to put the brakes on her investigation, Hulda has just days to discover the truth. A truth she will risk her own life to find.

The Lost Village – Neil Spring

The remote village of Imber – remote, lost and abandoned. The outside world hasn’t been let in since soldiers forced the inhabitants out, much to their contempt.

But now, a dark secret threatens all who venture near. Everyone is in danger, and only Harry Price can help. Reluctantly reunited with his former assistant Sarah Grey, he must unlock the mystery of Imber, and unsurface the secrets someone thought were long buried. But will Sarah’s involvement be the undoing of them both?

Thirteen – Steve Cavanagh

THE SERIAL KILLER ISN’T ON TRIAL.

HE’S ON THE JURY…

‘To your knowledge, is there anything that would preclude you from serving on this jury?’

Murder wasn’t the hard part. It was just the start of the game.

Joshua Kane has been preparing for this moment his whole life. He’s done it before. But this is the big one.

This is the murder trial of the century. And Kane has killed to get the best seat in the house.

But there’s someone on his tail. Someone who suspects that the killer isn’t the man on trial.

Kane knows time is running out – he just needs to get to the conviction without being discovered.

The Lingering – SJI Holliday

When Jack and Ali arrive, a chain of unexpected and unexplained events is set off, and it becomes clear that they are not all that they seem. As the residents become twitchy, and the villagers suspicious, events from the past come back to haunt them, and someone is seeking retribution…

The Hangman’s Hold – Michael Wood

There’s a killer in your house.
The Hangman waits in the darkness.

He knows your darkest secrets.
He’ll make you pay for all the crimes you have tried desperately to forget.

And he is closer than you think.
DCI Matilda Darke is running out of time. Fear is spreading throughout the city. As the body count rises, Matilda is targeted and her most trusted colleagues fall under suspicion. But can she keep those closest to her from harm? Or is it already too late?

The Janus Run – Douglas Skelton

When Coleman Lang finds his girlfriend Gina dead in his New York City apartment, he thinks nothing could be worse… until he becomes the prime suspect.

Desperate to uncover the truth and clear his name, Coleman hits the streets. But there’s a deranged Italian hitman, an intuitive cop, two US Marshals, and his ex-wife all on his tail. And trying to piece together Gina’s murky past without dredging up his own seems impossible. Worse, the closer he gets to Gina’s killer, the harder it is to evade the clutches of the mysterious organisation known only as Janus – from which he’d long since believed himself free.

Packed with plot twists, suspense and an explosive climax, The Janus Run is an edge-of-the-seat, breathtaking thriller – NYC noir at its finest.

The Puppet Show – M.W. Craven

A serial killer is burning people alive in the Lake District’s prehistoric stone circles. He leaves no clues and the police are helpless. When his name is found carved into the charred remains of the third victim, disgraced detective Washington Poe is brought back from suspension and into an investigation he wants no part of . . .

Reluctantly partnered with the brilliant, but socially awkward, civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw, the mismatched pair uncover a trail that only he is meant to see. The elusive killer has a plan and for some reason Poe is part of it.

As the body count rises, Poe discovers he has far more invested in the case than he could have possibly imagined. And in a shocking finale that will shatter everything he’s ever believed about himself, Poe will learn that there are things far worse than being burned alive …

The Dali Deception – Adam Maxwell

Five criminals. Two forgeries. And one masterpiece of a heist.

Violet Winters—a professional thief born of a good, honest thief-and-con-artist stock— has been offered the heist of a lifetime. Steal a priceless Salvador Dali from the security-obsessed chairman of the Kilchester Bank and replace it with a forgery.

The fact that the “painting” is a signed, blank canvas doesn’t matter. It’s the challenge that gives Violet that familiar, addicting rush of adrenaline. Her quarry rests in a converted underground Cold War bunker. One way in, one way out. No margin for error.

But the reason Violet fled Kilchester is waiting right where she left him—an ex-lover with a murderous method for dumping a girlfriend. If her heist is to be a success, there will have to be a reckoning, or everything could go spinning out of control.

Her team of talented misfits assembled, Violet sets out to re-stake her claim on her reputation, exorcise some demons, and claim the prize. That is, if her masterpiece of a plan isn’t derailed by a pissed-off crime boss—or betrayal from within her own ranks.

Category: 5* Reviews, From The Bookshelf | Comments Off

December 10

My Favourite Audiobooks – 2018

End of another year. As this is my blog I have decided that it is time for me to share my thoughts on my favourite audiobooks. The following ten titles are the stories I enjoyed listening to the most over the last 12 months – they are not shown in any order of preference.

Very few rules on this. If I listened to the book in the last 12 months it counts. If I started to listen to a story and jumped to a physical book to finish it quicker (this happened a couple of times) then it doesn’t count but those books will almost certainly feature in my Best Books of 2018 list!

On a final note an audiobook doesn’t just qualify on how good the story was but on production and narration too.

Hydra – Matt Weslowski

A family massacre. A deluded murderess. Five witnesses. Six stories. Which one is true?

One cold November night in 2014, in a small town in the north west of England, 21-year-old Arla Macleod bludgeoned her mother, father and younger sister to death with a hammer, in an unprovoked attack known as the Macleod Massacre. Now incarcerated at a medium-security mental-health institution, Arla will speak to no one but Scott King, an investigative journalist, whose Six Stories podcasts have become an internet sensation.
King finds himself immersed in an increasingly complex case, interviewing five witnesses and Arla herself, as he questions whether Arla’s responsibility for the massacre was a diminished as her legal team made out.
As he unpicks the stories, he finds himself thrust into a world of deadly forbidden ‘games’, online trolls, and the mysterious black-eyed kids, whose presence seems to extend far beyond the delusions of a murderess…

The Puppet Show – M.W. Craven

Welcome to the Puppet Show . . .

A serial killer is burning people alive in the Lake District’s prehistoric stone circles. He leaves no clues and the police are helpless.

When his name is found carved into the charred remains of the third victim, disgraced detective Washington Poe is brought back from suspension and into an investigation he wants no part of.

Come and Find Me – Sarah Hilary

On the surface, Lara Chorley and Ruth Hull have nothing in common, other than their infatuation with Michael Vokey. Each is writing to a sadistic inmate, sharing her secrets, whispering her worst fears, craving his attention.

DI Marnie Rome understands obsession. She’s finding it hard to give up her own addiction to a dangerous man: her foster brother, Stephen Keele. She wasn’t able to save her parents from Stephen. She lives with that guilt every day.

As the hunt for Vokey gathers pace, Marnie fears one of the women may have found him – and is about to pay the ultimate price.

The Old You – Louise Voss

Lynn Naismith gave up the job she loved when she married Ed, the love of her life, but it was worth it for the happy years they enjoyed together. Now, ten years on, Ed has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia, and things start to happen; things more sinister than missing keys and lost words. As some memories are forgotten, others, long buried, begin to surface … and Lynn’s perfect world begins to crumble.But is it Ed’s mind playing tricks, or hers…?

Slow Horses – Mick Herron

You don’t stop being a spook just because you’re no longer in the game.

Banished to Slough House from the ranks of achievers at Regent’s Park for various crimes of drugs and drunkenness, lechery and failure, politics and betrayal, Jackson Lamb’s misfit crew of highly trained joes don’t run ops, they push paper.

But not one of them joined the Intelligence Service to be a ‘slow horse’.

A boy is kidnapped and held hostage. His beheading is scheduled for live broadcast on the net.

And whatever the instructions of the Service, the slow horses aren’t going to just sit quiet and watch . . .

I Am Death – Chris Carter

Seven days after being abducted, the body of a twenty-year-old woman is found on a green patch of grass by the Los Angeles International Airport. She has been left with her limbs stretched out and spread apart, placing her in a five-point human star.

The autopsy reveals that she had been murdered in a most terrible way. But the surprises don’t end there.

Detective Robert Hunter, who leads LAPD’s Special Section, Ultra Violent Unit, is assigned the case. But almost immediately a second body turns up. Hunter knows he has to be quick.

Surrounded by new challenges as every day passes, Detective Hunter finds himself chasing a monster. A predator whose past hides a terrible secret, whose desire to hurt people and thirst for murder can never be quenched – for he is DEATH.

Rain Dogs – Adrian McKinty

It’s just the same things over and again for Sean Duffy. Riot duty. Heartbreak. Cases he can solve but never get to court. But what detective gets two locked room mysteries in one career?
When journalist Lily Bigelow is found dead in the courtyard of Carrickfergus castle, it looks like a suicide. But there are just a few things that bother Duffy enough to keep the case file open. Which is how he finds out that she was working on a devastating investigation of corruption and abuse at the highest levels of power in the UK and beyond.
And so Duffy has two impossible problems on his desk: who killed Lily Bigelow? And what were they trying to hide?

Bloody January – Alan Parks

When a teenage boy shoots a young woman dead in the middle of a busy Glasgow street and then commits suicide, Detective Harry McCoy is sure of one thing. It wasn’t a random act of violence.

With his new partner in tow, McCoy uses his underworld network to lead the investigation but soon runs up against a secret society led by Glasgow’s wealthiest family, the Dunlops.

McCoy’s boss doesn’t want him to investigate. The Dunlops seem untouchable. But McCoy has other ideas . . .

Scared To Death – Rachel Amphlett

When the body of a snatched schoolgirl is found in an abandoned biosciences building, the case is first treated as a kidnapping gone wrong.

But Detective Kay Hunter isn’t convinced, especially when a man is found dead with the ransom money still in his possession.

When a second schoolgirl is taken, Kay’s worst fears are realised.

With her career in jeopardy and desperate to conceal a disturbing secret, Kay’s hunt for the killer becomes a race against time before he claims another life.

For the killer, the game has only just begun…

The Dali Deception – Adam Maxwell

Category: Audiobook, From The Bookshelf | Comments Off

October 8

Palm Beach Finland – Antti Toumainen

Sex, lies and ill-fitting swimwear … Sun Protection Factor 100

Jan Nyman, the ace detective of the covert operations unit of the National Central Police, is sent to a sleepy seaside town to investigate a mysterious death. Nyman arrives in the town dominated by a bizarre holiday village – the ‘hottest beach in Finland’. The suspect: Olivia Koski, who has only recently returned to her old hometown. The mission: find out what happened, by any means necessary.

With a nod to Fargo, and dark noir, Palm Beach, Finland is both a page-turning thriller and a black comedy about lust for money, fleeing dreams and people struggling at turning points in their lives – chasing their fantasies regardless of reason.

My thanks to Orenda Books for my review copy and the chance to join the blog tour.

I have made this observation in the past…books set in small towns make for cracking stories. The character interactions which need to take place between a smaller cast in relatively few locations make for slick and engaging narrative.

Antti Tuomainen nails it in Palm Beach Finland. The cycle of characters, all trying to better their position in life, is terrifically presented. Dialogue is sharp and acerbic when it needs to be, dreamy and dozy when the inept enforcers are the focus and frustration is evident when nefarious plans come unstuck.

Loaded with dry humour I can see why the movie Fargo gets a namecheck in so many reviews. The comparison to the Academy Award winning film is apt but Toumainen makes Palm Beach Finland very much his own – it is just tricky finding a way to describe the clever and quirky tone of the story.

The blurb above outlines the story far better than I ever could. I just know that I really enjoyed reading about the characters who crossed paths at Palm Beach Finland.

There are murders, burglaries, arson and drug dealers but I can’t think of another crime novel quite like this one. Great fun!

Palm Beach Finland is published by Orenda Books and is available in digital and paperback format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Palm-Beach-Finland-Antti-Tuomainen-ebook/dp/B07DFQ2DVK/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1538939700&sr=1-1&keywords=palm+beach+finland

Category: Blog Tours, From The Bookshelf | Comments Off

October 5

Cover Reveal: Welcome To The Heady Heights – David F Ross

Another very special post today as I am delighted to host a cover reveal for Welcome To The Heady Heights by David F Ross which shall be published in March 2019 by Orenda Books.

First we have the blurb – so we can know what to expect then that cover in its full magnificence:

Welcome to the Heady Heights – David F Ross (March 2019)

Welcome to the Heady Heights …

It’s the year punk rock was born, Concorde entered commercial service and a tiny Romanian gymnast changed the sport forever.

Archie Blunt is a man with big ideas. He just needs a break for them to be realised. In a bizarre brush with the light-entertainment business, Archie unwittingly saves the life of the UK’s top showbiz star, Hank ‘Heady’ Hendricks’, and now dreams of hitting the big-time as a Popular Music Impresario. Seizing the initiative, he creates a new singing group with five unruly working-class kids from Glasgow’s East End. Together, they make the finals of a televised Saturday-night talent show, and before they know it, fame and fortune beckon for Archie and The High Five. But there’s a complication; a trail of irate Glaswegian bookies, corrupt politicians and a determined Scottish WPC known as The Tank are all on his tail…

A hilarious and poignant nod to the elusivity of stardom, in an age when making it’ was ‘having it all’, Welcome to the Heady Heights is also a dark, laugh-out-loud comedy, a heartwarming tribute to a bygone age and a delicious drama about desperate men, connected by secrets and lies, by accidents of time and, most of all, the city they live in.

Another fabulous Orenda cover and one that is guaranteed to catch your eyes when you see it in the wild.

Category: From The Bookshelf | Comments Off

September 20

After He Died – Michael J Malone

You need to know who your husband really was…

When Paula Gadd’s husband of almost thirty years dies, just days away from the seventh anniversary of their son, Christopher’s death, her world falls apart. Grieving and bereft, she is stunned when a young woman approaches her at the funeral service, and slips something into her pocket. A note suggesting that Paula’s husband was not all that he seemed…

When the two women eventually meet, a series of revelations challenges everything Paula thought they knew, and it becomes immediately clear that both women’s lives are in very real danger.

Both a dark, twisty slice of domestic noir and taut, explosive psychological thriller, After He Died is also a chilling reminder that the people we trust the most can harbour the deadliest secrets…

My thanks to Karen at Orenda Books for my review copy

After He Died – another brilliantly entertaining read from Michael J Malone. Imagine a life snuffed out too soon, a soul gone unexpectedly and where the deceased was spinning many plates and not sharing his plans with his nearest and dearest.

Imagine now a grieving widow mourning the loss of her one true love and that sense of regret that they had not tried hard enough to resolve small frictions in their relationship.

Now imagine the funeral where a stranger approaches you at your most vulnerable moment and suggests you didn’t really know the man you married, the man you are mourning, the man just put into the ground. Welcome to Paula Gadd’s world.

As Paula tries to understand who her husband really was and why parts of his life are unknown to her she will face the ultimate dilemma…who can she trust? Family and friends, even random strangers, will all give their opinions on Paula’s husband but they will try to protect her from unpleasant truths. Or are they purposefully lying and distorting events? Paula cannot know but she can see that more people are dying. That her house is not the safe fortress that she imagined or that she herself may not be in danger.

This is one of those stories where assumptions are dangerous, surprises keep coming and the characters spring from the pages as they are entirely believable and wonderfully defined.

If you enjoy a thriller which delivers twists and turns and icy chills then this is the giant slalom read for you. Cracking stuff from an author who knows how to hook his reader.

After He Died is published by Orenda Books and is available in digital format and paperback from 20 September 2018. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/After-He-Died-Michael-Malone-ebook/dp/B07DFPCLNK/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1537220938&sr=1-1

Category: Blog Tours | Comments Off

September 9

Overkill – Vanda Symon

When the body of a young mother is found washed up on the banks of the Mataura River, a small rural community is rocked by her tragic suicide. But all is not what it seems.

Sam Shephard, sole-charge police constable in Mataura, soon discovers the death was no suicide and has to face the realisation that there is a killer in town. To complicate the situation, the murdered woman was the wife of her former lover. When Sam finds herself on the list of suspects and suspended from duty, she must cast aside her personal feelings and take matters into her own hands.

To find the murderer … and clear her name.

My thanks to Orenda Books for my review copy and the chance to join the Overkill blog tour.

I read a lot of crime thrillers and this means I read many death scenes of incidental characters . Then I wait for the main protagonist to arrive and puzzle out who killed these incidental characters. The murder in the opening chapter of Overkill was one of the most distressing and upsetting I can recall.

I had no previous knowledge of the characters and didn’t know why the murder was happening but it troubled me. When a book opens with such a dynamic impact I know I will enjoy the next few hours I shall spend with it. And so it turned out to be the case.

Overkill is a terrific read. Lead character is Sam Shephard, local cop to a small New Zealand town. Everyone knows everyone else, nobody can believe a murderer could be in their midst but everyone will be suspicious of Sam if the victim is the wife of Sam’s ex.

Working to clear her name, find a killer and totally not to build bridges with a grieving widower who she may still be attracted to…Sam will face constant challenges to prevent the seemingly motiveless murder being investigated.

First Vanda Symon book I have read – on the strength of Overkill I sincerely hope it us not the last.

Overkill is published by Orenda Books and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Overkill-Sam-Shephard-Vanda-Symon-ebook/dp/B079YY122L/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536448567&sr=8-1&keywords=vanda+symon+overkill

Category: Blog Tours | Comments Off

July 22

The Lingering – SJI Holliday

Married couple Jack and Ali Gardiner move to a self-sufficient commune in the English Fens, desperate for fresh start. The local village is known for the witches who once resided there and Rosalind House, where the commune has been established, is a former psychiatric home, with a disturbing history.
When Jack and Ali arrive, a chain of unexpected and unexplained events is set off, and it becomes clear that they are not all that they seem. As the residents become twitchy, and the villagers suspicious, events from the past come back to haunt them, and someone is seeking retribution…

My thanks to Karen at Orenda Books for my review copy.

I spent most of my teen years pouring over all the ghost stories and horror books I could get my hands on but I do feel that there is currently a lack of good new ghostly tales for readers to enjoy. This is why, when I first heard that Susi Holliday was writing a spooky thriller, I was beyond excited and The Lingering instantly became my “most anticipated” book.

The wait was entirely worth it as there was no Lingering over this story. I was flicking pages so fast I am surprised the pages didn’t burst into flame.

The setting for The Lingering is a large creepy house which was once used as a psychiatric hospital. Within the house is a commune, the residents are odd collection of characters who live a seemingly simple and self-sufficient life. Into this mix come Ali and Jack Gardiner – they bring secrets and their past is a mystery but it is clear to the reader that the couple are trying to escape a troubled past and get a fresh start.

Jack and Ali discover that their new home is rumoured to be haunted and it is not long before Susi Holliday starts to unsettle the reader with odd occurrences and strange sightings. The constant ghostly undertone to the story is a joy and when chilling incidents arose I found myself drawing deeper back into my chair and scanning the dark corners of the room to ensure I really was alone.

As with all her previous books the characters in The Lingering are wonderfully defined so you will get drawn into the lives of Ali and Jack and also that of “Fairy” Angela (the resident self-appointed ghost hunter) and Smeaton, the commune leader. Strong characters give me much more of a personal investment into a story and this meant when unpleasant things started to happen I felt an anger/outrage and upset that I don’t normally expect to get from books.

The joy of The Lingering is that Susi Holiday sets up many mysteries throughout the story and it is the desire to uncover the truth which will keep you reading. Make no mistake this is a dark, dark story and there are some deeply unpleasant events to be uncovered but discovering these secrets is an absolute joy.

I am reluctant to share too much about what happens within Rosalind House and its occupants past and present. Suffice to say that The Lingering is a brilliantly chilling tale and that Susi Holliday is on top, top form delivering a story which feels like an instant classic

Get your copy ordered early for this one – dark as the blackest night and wonderfully disturbing. Captivating reading and a 5 star shoe-in.

The Lingering releases on digital format on 15 September 2018 with the paperback to follow in November (making it a perfect spooky Christmas gift idea). You can order copies here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lingering-SJI-Holliday-ebook/dp/B07DFVXVDX/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1532205577&sr=1-1&keywords=the+lingering

Category: 5* Reviews, From The Bookshelf | Comments Off

June 13

Cover Reveal: The Lingering – SJI Holliday

A very special post today as I get to share the first look at the cover for The Lingering by SJI Holliday.

You need to scroll down a little for this one as the book blurb comes first to set the scene. I promise though that those extra screen swipes or and clicks of the mouse make it totally worthwhile – this is a stunning cover.

Don’t stop reading once you reach the cover though as Susi has joined me to share her thoughts and tease some extra info about what you can expect from The Lingering.

The Lingering – SJI Holliday published by Orenda Books on 15 September 2018

Married couple Jack and Ali Gardiner move to a self-sufficient spiritual commune in the English Fens, desperate for fresh start. The local village is known for the witches who once resided there and Rosalind House, where the commune has been established, is a former psychiatric home, with a disturbing history.

At once an unnerving mystery, a chilling thriller and a dark and superbly wrought ghost story, The Lingering is an exceptionally plotted, terrifying and tantalisingly twisted novel by one of the most exciting authors in the genre.

My initial reaction was “ooft…that’s a belter” but I tried to sound a bit more professional when I caught up with Susi yesterday.

The cover of The Lingering is stunning – quite unlike any other that I can think of. Does seeing a cover for the first time change how you think about a forthcoming book, for example does it seem more real?

Yes! It makes it feel instantly more real and instantly more scary as then I start to think about what people will make of the cover and will they love it and then hate the book? Haha! Seriously – all of this is really exciting but always massively anxiety inducing. And thank you, it really is a stunning cover – I was blown away by it at first as it was so unusual – the inversion of the building and the odd feeling of looking up at it, and the tree, from somewhere very low – as if someone might be lying on the ground… *cough* no spoilers here. And the people on the roof! I love them so much.

The description is teasing witches and a ghost story, something of a change from what we may have seen from you before. Does the fact The Lingering appears to be a “chiller” reflect the type of story you enjoy reading?

Most definitely. My favourite ghost stories are The Woman in Black and The Lovely Bones and I have read some brilliant new ones lately, such as The Silent Companions. I think with my early short stories and then my first novel, Black Wood, there was a hint of horror, of something a touch unworldly, but then after that I seemed to veer down another path. That path was fun, but I felt it was time to go back to my roots. With The Lingering, I am back where I belong and I am excited to share this story with the world and hope they appreciate that I have always been a creepy little girl at heart 🙂

You can pre-order a copy of The Lingering here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lingering-SJI-Holliday-ebook/dp/B07DFVXVDX/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Category: From The Bookshelf | Comments Off