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Ghost Story – Elisa Lodato

She came to write, but the island has its own story . . .

Off the windswept coast of Scotland lies Finish Island, rugged and remote. Once a home, it now stands abandoned, a place of dark history and deep memory, a place that holds its stories close. Unable to write since her daughter’s death, it’s here that Seren comes to work, hoping that the solitude and silence will inspire her next novel.

But the island holds memories of its own, restless and unwilling to stay buried. As unsettling occurrences become even more bizarre and frightening, Seren starts seeing uncanny resonances between her past and the island’s history. There is something on this island, something ancient and unforgiving. Will Seren discover its secrets, before it’s too late?

My thanks to the publisher, Manilla Press, for a review copy ahead of the Ghost Story blog tour and to Tracy Fenton of Compulsive Readers for the opportunity to join the tour.

Seren is in a bad place. Her debut book was published to great acclaim and she enjoyed a degree of success. However, against her better judgement and after a number of failed approaches the sequel fails to deliver and readers appear underwhelmed. For Seren this is of no real interest as she is mourning the loss of her young daughter. Wrapped in the tragedy of her personal loss she has no appetite or inclination to write.

When we meet Seren at the start of Ghost Story she has found herself in a lonely and somewhat desperate situation. Her house is being packed up, she is moving out and her ex is now with another woman who is pregnant with his baby. It appears to have been a naturally agreed parting of ways between Seren and Jamie and she is even on speaking terms with Jamie’s new wife, Claire. Though only just.

Seren is taking some control of her own future – she has agreed with her publisher to write a new book. The decision was entirely driven by the need for money but Seren does realise she needs to try to start afresh. During their negotiations around what book her publishers would like to see the idea of a ghost story is floated and Seren is won around and agrees to deliver what they need. To do so she decides she needs a change of location, a resettlement to a place of undisturbed peace and inspiration. The remote Scottish Island of Finish is where she picks. If isolation is desired then there can be no better place.

Seren would visit Finish Island as a child and rememebers the rugged, desolate landscape. There are no inhabitants any longer, a house is available to lease (through the Scottish National Trust) but it relies on a wind generator and facilities are basic at best. When she enquires about a lenghty lease there is a degree of shock as most visitors only look to spend one or two nights before they return to the comforts of civilisation. Seren does get her way in the end and we soon join her on the Scottish West Coast as she prepares to take up residence in her new home.

A troubled writer, grieving and alone on a remote island with a dark history of violence where nobody wants to live any longer. All the ingredients are in place for a tense read. And it is a tense read which Elisa Lodato delivers for the readers. But not the read I had been expecting and I don’t really feel I can explain why without straying too far into spoiler territory…tricky.

Seren is very much the focus of this story and the turmoil and baggage she brings with her will play a significant part in the telling of Ghost Story. Very near the start of the book the reader will get some insight into what may happen to Seren as she works on the manuscript but as you dig deeper into the story you will find there’s a lot more going on than you may have originally anticipated. It isn’t the chilling supernatural tale I had expected from the title but there are the twists and surprises I enjoy when I go into a new book “blind” and with no real insight as to what my be about to happen to the characters being introdduced.

One key part of my enjoyment of Ghost Story was the seeminly effortless flow of the chapters. Elisa Lodato has a style of writing which I could read all day long. There are some delightfully funny moments, particularly as Seren prepares to leave on her journey and is ticking off a few chores, doing some research and scratching the odd itch before she embarks. I felt the characters were seeded very well and their quirks and peculiarities made them interesting to follow which helped keep me reading. That said they also have some incredibly frustrating features and habits too – this isn’t a sugar-coated fluffy unicorn tale I am afraid and some dark and unsettling things are going to happen.

I can best summarise Ghost Story as an unexpected but engaging story (for me). The writing was terrific and the pacing kept me reading as I wanted to discover more about Seren and what may be about to occur. Definately one to consider as the darker evenings draw in and the autumnal chills draw us to creepy and disturbing stories.

Ghost Story publishes on 26 September 2024 and will be available in Hardcover, Digital and Audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/ghost-story/elisa-lodato/9781786583369

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April 26

Seven Days – Robert Rutherford

Your father is on death row. You have seven days to save him. But do you want to?
Alice knows her father is guilty of many things.
He’s guilty of abandoning her.
He’s guilty of being unfaithful to her mother.
But is he guilty of murder?

Now on Death Row, he has seven days to live.
Some people want him released.
Others will kill to keep him just where he is.
Alice has only one chance to save him. But should she?

I received a review copy from the publishers.

A story which starts in Florida and transports the reader back to 2011 and gives us a front row seat to a murder. It’s a strong start to what will become a terrific read! From the US East coast we then jump forward to current day and cross the ocean to the North East of England where we meet Alice – she’s going to be the focus of our attention for the next 400 pages.

Alice is heading to work in Newcastle, once a lawer in New York she’s relocated “home” and is practicing law in England. The readers are told it is Monday and this is Day One…Alice’s sister is waiting for her at work. It isn’t a planned visit but the news her sister (Fiona) brings will turn Alice’s life upside down. Fiona has been contacted by their stepmother – Alice and Fiona’s father is on death row in the United States for a murder in 2011. He has been told that his execution will take place in seven days time and Alice and Fiona’s stepmother has contacted his estranged daughters to let them know.

Jim Sharp maintains his innocence for the murder he’s been accused of. The jury didn’t believe him and even his lawyer isn’t trying to stop the planned execution. Alice turned her back on her father many years earlier and had no idea he had been arrested. She certainly didn’t expect to discover he was a murderer. There’s no love for her father from Alice but her stepmother has gone against Jim’s wishes and contacted his daughters to make them aware of his situation.

Almost against her will Alice finds herself on a telephone call with her father and something she learns during the call has her doubting elements of his conviction. A similar muder. In France. A second man convicted of a killing he maintains he did not commit. And in both cases the same arresting police officer.

With a seven day deadline hanging over their heads Alice begins to investigate the murder her father has been convicted of and starts asking questions which don’t previously appear to have been addressed. While the clock ticks down and various interested parties begin to slip out of the shadows, Robert Rutherford takes us on a tremenously entertaining journey to uncover the truth.

The problem I have with this review is how to share my thoughts without creeping too far into spoiler territory. This book was an absolute joy to read, the writing is slick, the pacing is spot on and each chapter is almost the perfect length to have you promising yourself there’s time for “just one more chapter”…till the next wee development or shock in the narrative. Seven Days is a story you just want to keep reading – that is never a bad thing.

Despite the week long countdown, Seven Days never felt like a race against time thriller. The countdown is always there; each chapter starts with the name of the day and how many more days there are remaining for Jim Sharp. But this isn’t a frenetic chase to a solution, there is deduction, interviews, meetings and discussions. Information is clarified, questions are raised and Alice will hunt down the answers – she’ll have help on her way but it’s her determination to get to the truth which drivers her on.

What particularly struck me was that Alice does not just turn her back on the years of hurt and anger she has felt towards her father. Despite the developments you feel that she may not always believe he could be innocent of the crimes he’s been charged with. The internal dilemma of the main character adds an extra dimension to the intensity of her investigation.

As should be clear, I had great fun reading Seven Days and would have no qualms recommending you add this to your TBR with all possible haste.

Seven Days is published by Hodder & Stoughton and is available now in hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/seven-days/robert-rutherford/9781399726399

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November 16

Murder at Holly House – Denzil Meyrick

A village of secrets. It’s December 1952, and a dead stranger has been found lodged up the chimney of Holly House in the remote town of Elderby. Is he a simple thief, or a would-be killer?

Either way, he wasn’t on anyone’s Christmas wish list. A mystery that can’t be solved, Inspector Frank Grasby is ordered to investigate. The victim of some unfortunate misunderstandings, he hopes this case will help clear his name.

But as is often the way for Grasby, things most certainly don’t go according to plan.

Soon blizzards hit the North York Moors, cutting off the village from help, and the local doctor’s husband is found murdered. Grasby begins to realise that everyone in Elderby is hiding something – and if he can’t uncover the truth soon, the whole country will pay a dreadful price.

I received a review copy from the publishers (and I bought myself a digital copy). I was invited to join the blog tour for Murder at Holly House by Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours

Murder at Holly House – a new Denzil Meyrick story releasing just in time for Christmas and if I could be so bold…a cracking gift idea for the crime fiction readers you may find yourself shopping for over the next few weeks. Its light and humorous tone make for hugely enjoyable reading (it did get a little darker as the tale progressed) and the array of quirky elements on display in a small Yorkshire village frequently made me chuckle.

The hero of the piece is Inspector Frank Grasby. He’s a somewhat hapless figure, a bit too self assured of his own skills but sometimes it seems he isn’t the quickest at picking up on the obvious facts right in front of him. Frank likes too many flutters on the horses but isn’t good at picking winners. He’s had his fair share of occupational mishaps too – the most recent being the loss of a number of thoroughbread horses which he allowed to escape, much to the chagrin of their owner. Frank is being exiled out of York to the small town of Elderby where he is being asked to investigate a series of small thefts which are vexing the local dignataries. He will find more than he bargained for – not least a dead body stuck in a chimney at the home of the local bigwig.

Frank will have help investigating this unusual death, the local force is staffed by an aging copper who suffers unfortunate bouts of narcolepsy and a young constable that seems incapable of making himself understood, despite the fact he’s speaking English. Frank’s most helpful aide will come from the young American intern Deedee (Miss Daisy Dean). Frank finds Deedee very pleasing to the eye and as they are both boarding at the same guest house Frank harbours fantasies of winning her affections. Unfortunately for Frank, Deedee seems to consider anyone over 35 to be ancient (Frank is 38) and she’s amusingly uninterested. As it is the early 1950s Frank isn’t particularly enlightened in how to deal with a young intelligent woman in the police force and will try to shelter her from the more gruesome elments of a murder investigation.

The character interactions in the book are a real triumph, players are unpredictable and often hopelessly clueless. The real fun begins when Frank realises he cannot know who to trust. In a small town there are alliances and friendships as well as common enemies, tough for a new bod to negotiate and when people are dying the natural inclination is not to be helpful.

It’s always nice to be able to write a review about a book I loved and which I believe would be equally loved by a large audience. Murder at Holly House is great storytelling, set in the 1950s for a nostalgic, historical mystery and written in a very readable flowing style which definitely hits the “one more chapter” vibe.

Get this book into your shopping baskets without delay – it’s a good’un.

Murder at Holly House is published by Transworld and is available in hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/murder-at-holly-house/denzil-meyrick/9781787637184

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September 29

You’d Look Better as a Ghost – Joanna Wallace

I have a gift. I see people as ghosts before they die.
Of course, it helps that I’m the one killing them.

The night after her father’s funeral, Claire meets Lucas in a bar. Lucas doesn’t know it, but it’s not a chance meeting. One thoughtless mistyped email has put him in the crosshairs of an extremely put-out serial killer. But even before they make eye contact, before Claire lets him buy her a drink, before she takes him home and carves him up into little pieces, something about that night is very wrong. Because someone is watching Claire. Someone who is about to discover her murderous little hobby.

The thing is, it’s not sensible to tangle with a part-time serial killer, even one who is distracted by attending a weekly bereavement support group and trying to get her art career off the ground. Claire will do anything to keep her secret hidden – not to mention the bodies buried in her garden. Let the games begin…

I received a review copy from the publishers via Netgalley. My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the opportunity to join the blog tour for You’d Look Better as a Ghost.

It doesn’t seem quite right to have a serial killer novel which also makes you laugh out loud. Yet here we are. You’d Look Better as a Ghost definitely had me laughing but there are also scenes which give you pause for thought, how we treat other people and how they treat us runs through the heart of this story and Joanna Wallace uses this to extremely efficient effect.

We meet Claire. She’s recently lost her father and is attending grief counselling but her group brings together a rather odd assortment of people. There’s an extremely angry Welshman, a furious note-taker, a “nice” lady who will be deeply offended by bad language (which is unfortunate given the presence of the Welshman) and there is Claire too – she’s a serial killer and the star of this book.

Claire sees the world as a slightly better place when some people who have done bad things are no longer in the world. So Claire may take mattes into her own hands an murder those bad people. Her garden is a busy old spot and inside her house there are some very unusual decorations.

Feeling slightly out of sorts while she grieves Claire decides she is going to murder someone who emailed her by mistake, apologised, but Claire didn’t think he looked sorry enough when she tracked him down.

Unfortunately for Claire she’s not as careful as normal and inadvertently kills a man who had his own criminal endeavours on the go and his partner in crime is going to find out what Claire knows about his disappearance.

In her grief therapy group Claire realises one of their number may not be quite what they appear but can she work out who’s keeping secrets before her own secrets are revealed?

I know we shouldn’t really be rooting for the killer in a crime novel but Joanna Wallace puts the reader on Claire’s side. We see young Claire, a young child, and how she thinks and behaves differently from the other kids around her. Then we get an insight into her home life and some insight into some of what may have shaped Claire’s formative years.

What I found most compelling was Joanna Wallace’s portrayal of vulnerability and how she plays on our perceptions of those vulnerabilities. I couldn’t possibly elaborate on that (spoilers) but when some plot threads were unraveled I was applauding the slick way I had been played.

I really enjoyed You’d Look Better as a Ghost, it’s clever, funny and unpredictable. I’d certainly welcome more stories like this and I’m crossing my fingers I’ll get my wish.

You’d Look Better as a Ghost is published by Viper Books and is available in hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BPN1KP22/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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September 5

The Trap – Catherine Ryan Howard

Stranded on a dark road in the middle of the night, a young woman accepts a lift from a passing stranger. It’s the nightmare scenario that every girl is warned about, and she knows the dangers all too well – but what other choice does she have?

As they drive, she alternates between fear and relief – one moment thinking he is just a good man doing a good thing, the next convinced he’s a monster. But when he delivers her safely to her destination, she realizes her fears were unfounded.

And her heart sinks. Because a monster is what she’s looking for.

She’ll try again tomorrow night. But will the man who took her sister take the bait?

–

Inspired by a series of still-unsolved disappearances, The Trap is the startlingly original new thriller from internationally bestselling author Catherine Ryan Howard.

My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the opportunity to join the tour for The Trap. I recieved a review copy from the publishers ahead of the blog tour.

Late at night on a dark country road, a woman is walking alone – she is heading home from a night out and her phone is dead. A stranger drives past and stops to offer her a lift. Every instinct screams at her not to get into the car – but she accepts the lift and risks putting herself in danger. It’s a tense situation and a terrific opening to The Trap – you can’t help but fear for the safety of this character who we’ve only just met and you’re braced for something awful to happen.

But what if the woman was actually looking to be picked up by a monster? What if events prior to that fateful meeting had led her to the point that placing herself in danger felt like the only option she had? This is where The Trap takes readers, into a story where Lucy feels lost, frustrated, forgotten, ignored and desperate. She’s furious that her sister is missing. There are other missing women in Ireland who, like Lucy’s sister, simply vanished leaving no trace other than a broken mobile phone – yet the Guard are not treating Lucy’s worry seriously and don’t want to commit to a full investigation or link the cases of the other missing women incase it sparks fear there is a predator abducting lone women.

Lucy goes out late at night to try to lure out the man she beleives took her sister from her. Her sister’s boyfriend, the Family Liaison Officer appointed to deal with Lucy and the families of other missing women are all trying to be supportive but Lucy can’t accept nothing is happening to bring her sister back to her.

It is an emotional and disturbing premise for a story and Catherine Ryan Howard has wonderfully captured the upset, anxiety and frustrations of her lead character. But she also shifts the narrative to show the readers what the officers in the Missing Person’s Team are doing to try and trace the women who have been reported missing. They have a suspect – a narcassistic man who was the partner of one of the missing women…he is far too slippery to let the police get too close though. Then there’s a breakthrough and a shock twist which may reveal the fate of the missing but how will the Guard change their approach and what impact may this have upon the families?

Most disturbingly is the fact we also get to see inside the mind of a predator. The man who explains how he came to be responsible for snatching women off the roads and why he does what he does. We learn of his background, the trigger steps in his “journey” and his acknowledgement that he is using true crime documenataries to learn what mistakes to avoid. Really chilling.

Weaving the narratives between victims, predator, investigators and the other supporting characters is extremely deftly done and the story zips along at good pace and with constant intrigue to keep the reader turning the pages. When unexpected events crop up they very much were unexpected – this book really didn’t go where I had anticipated and I enjoyed it all the more for the unpredictability of the plot.

I’ve enjoyed all the previous books Catherine Ryan Howard has written and it gave me particular delight when I reaslied there are nods (easter eggs) to earlier books in The Trap. The Jurrasic Park reference I was looking for was easy to spot, as it appeard about 8 pages after I remembered to look out for it, and there’s even a (sort-of) author cameo to enjoy too which cranked up my enjoyment levels even more. All these wee touches were very much appreciated by this reader and at no time did they take me out of the story – such was the focus I was giving Lucy’s plight.

This book was started and finished in a single day. I totally inhaled it, got completely caught up in the story of the missing women, the official response from the Missing Person’s team and the steps which Lucy was prepared to take to find her missing sister. I can honestly say we didn’t end up in a place I’d expected – once again Catherine Ryan Howard befuddled me and delivered a clever, clever mystey for me to enjoy.

This is going to be an easy book to recommend – I loved it and I can’t think of any reason why you wouldn’t love it too.

The Trap is available in Hardback, Digital and Audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-trap/catherine-ryan-howard/9781787636606

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June 2

To Die in June – Alan Parks

A woman enters a Glasgow police station to report her son missing, but no record can be found of the boy. When Detective Harry McCoy, seconded from the cop shop across town, discovers the family is part of the cultish Church of Christ’s Suffering, he suspects there is more to Michael’s disappearance than meets the eye.

Meanwhile reports arrive of a string of poisonings of down-and-outs across the city. The dead are men who few barely notice, let alone care about – but, as McCoy is painfully aware, among this desperate community is his own father.

Even as McCoy searches for the missing boy, he must conceal from his colleagues the real reason for his presence – to investigate corruption in the station. Some folk pray for justice. Detective Harry McCoy hasn’t got time to wait

I received a review copy from the publishers and was invited to join the blog tour by Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours.

It is time for my annual trip back to 1970’s Glasgow to reunite with Harry McCoy, Wattie, Stevie Cooper (McCoy’s oldest friend and one of Glasgow’s biggest gangsters) and Jumbo – Cooper’s garden-loving dogsbody. There are other characters I can expect to pop up as I dip back into the world Alan Parks has created (albeit that world is Glasgow of yester-year) but I always know these familiar faces will command my full attention until I reach the last page of the book. I seldom know when a new book is due out but I am always looking out for the next book by Alan Parks and I’ve never been disappointed with the stories he spins.

To Die in June is the sixth McCoy thriller and events are set during the heat of the 1975 summer. It begins with a missing child. A young boy is not in the family home when his mother comes down the stairs in the morning. She rushes to the police station, hysterical and demanding help. McCoy initiates an immediate search of the area but when he visits the family home to speak with the woman’s husband he is told there is no missing child. The search is called off and McCoy’s standing with his new colleagues at Possil police station dips even further than he could have anticipated.

Possil is McCoy and Wattie’s new home. There are changes taking place – Glasgow Police is becoming Strathclyde Police and while the transitions for the force are phasing in McCoy and the increasingly capable Wattie have been relocated. Their relationship with their new colleauges is fractious but for McCoy there is an opportunity to align himself with the other officers stationed at Possil but to do so will mean turning a blind eye to some of their activities and even applying a strong arm, when necessary, to get the outcomes needed. There will be a share of any spoils if he does and with his chaotic personal life seeming to take a turn for the better – McCoy is now in an unexpected relationship with one of Scotland’s leading actors and even McCoy is realising he needs to smarten up a little to be seen with her. This burgeoning relationship leads to some wonderful cameos, particularly early in the story when McCoy finds himself at a swanky Scottish Awards dinner.

But To Die in June isn’t all about sipping wine at posh functions. Out on the streets of Glasgow it looks like someone is giving the rough sleepers a toxic concoction to drink. At least that’s what McCoy believes. His colleagues are quick to point out that it is not unusual for the less fortunate citizens to start drinking anything they can get their hands on and early deaths are not uncommon given the toxins they regularly pour down their throats. Regular readers will know McCoy’s own father is one of the homeless souls and McCoy’s sensitivity to the plight of the homeless is not somthing his colleagues are quite so quick to give time to. But McCoy is concerned when his father’s drinking friends are telling him some of their number are dying after drinking a particularly toxic mixture. Wattie trys to convince McCoy he is reading too much into a few random deaths but McCoy isn’t so quickly convinced and the time he spends looking for a link between these deaths is putting a strain on his relationship with Wattie who is trying to cover the official investigations which the pair should be concentrating on.

As we have come to expect from Alan Parks there are critical events bubbling away and their importance may not always be apparent to the reader. Until suddently that subtle bubbling explodes into a very big deal and McCoy has a huge problem on his hands. That’s when you realise how smoothly Parks has sneaked some really important clues into the story, the very best sleight of hand, and McCoy’s life is in turmoil again. Alan Parks just keeps getting better and better – every new book feels more assured and that’s from a point where he was already setting a very high bar.

Glasgow never felt more unpredictable and it’s the dirty, rough city of old. There’s rival gangs buslting for superiority, gangsters trying to establish “legitimate” business interests, a religious group to be investigated (forcing McCoy to quash his natural distrust of all things faith-related), unhelpful and unethical police officers working to their own agenda. McCoy walks a dangerous path between these factions and he remains one of the very best protagonists in crime fiction at this time.

To Die In June is a five star read. The Harry McCoy series should be required reading for anyone calling themself a fan of Crime Fiction.

To Die in June is available in hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/to-die-in-june/alan-parks/9781805300786

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May 5

Moscow Exile – John Lawton

Charlotte is a British expatriate who has recently settled in Washington, D.C. with her second husband, but enviable dinner parties aren’t the only thing she is planning. Meanwhile, Charlie Leigh-Hunt has been posted to Washington as a replacement for Guy Burgess, last seen disappearing around the corner and into the Soviet Union. Charlie is surprised to cross paths with Charlotte, an old flame of his, who, thanks to her gossipy parties, has a packed pocketbook full of secrets she is eager to share.

Two decades later, in 1969, Joe Wilderness is stuck on the wrong side of the Iron Curtain, held captive by the KGB, a chip in a game way above his pay grade – but his old friends Frank and Eddie are going to try to spring him out of the toughest prison in the world. All roads lead back to Berlin, and to the famous Bridge of Spies…

My thanks to Ayo Onatade for the opportunity to join the blog tour for Moscow Exile.

My introduction to John Lawton’s books. First impressions of a new author are always important and I very much enjoyed the story and the style of the telling when I read Moscow Exile. The narrative zipped along and there always seemed to be something happening to push events forward. What I did find perplexing was when I looked at the blurb and found it was the fourth book in the Joe Wilderness series – I think I was around the half-way mark in the story before the lead character rocked up. Not that I was too conerned, I was enjoying the exploits of Charlotte Mawer-Churchill.

Charlotte,for me, was the vibrant and entertaining character I wanted to read about. We first join her in England in 1939 where she’s working in the background of parliament, helping her older husband steer his way through political waters and making a large contribution towards the thinking of government. During the course of the early war years she happens to cross paths with a dashing American, Mr Avery Shumacher. Charlotte didn’t mean to fall in love with Mr Schumacher but these things happen and her husband, recognising Charlotte needs to leave their marriage, helps co-ordinate a divorce. Charlotte Mawer-Churchill becomes Coky Shumacher and will be a post-war socialite hostess in Washington DC. She brings black musicians to play for the wealthy white families at her parties and ensures her home is a hub of engagement.

Washington is where the action is. Charlie Leigh-Hunt was living a life of fun in London, leaving a trail of one night stands in his wake until Burgess and McLean were discovered to be sharing information with the Russians. Their unexpected defection leads to Charlie being posted to Washington – get to America and report to Kim Philby – is the order he receives and before he can catch up on himself he is the sole agent in the American capital as Philby gets recalled to London. Charlie is the main man on the ground and the actions of his former colleagues have cast a shadow over the UK’s presence in Washington, he will have to do some serious damage limitation before he can even contemptate doing his job – if he knew what his job was supposed to be.

I really enjoyed the nuanced behavoiur of the central characters and their conversations are witty, serious and suitably cautious for a spy thriller. John Lawton slickly blends real people (I refer you to Philby and Burgess) with his fictional cast and it sells the perception of authenticity which great spy stories have.

Lawton’s lead character does make his appearance as the story develops – Joe Wilderness is in captivity, held by the enemy in foreign lands so there are plans afoot to get a rescue sorted. Charlies and Coky (she doesn’t like Charlie and Charlotte) will play a key role in the story and I easily felt myself slipping into their world as the story unfolded around me.

Returning readers will certainly have some advantage over new readers (like myself) as these are complex and well established players in a complicated diplomatic game which plays out over a number of countries. There are plenty of characters to keep track of, plots and situations which create dilemma and tension and the whole story is terrific fun to read. I enjoyed Moscow Exile, it reminded me I should be reading more spy thrillers – I always enjoy them but seldom get the oppotunity to get stuck into a new series. I’ll certainly be on the lookout for more books by this author.

Moscow Exile is published by Atlantic Books and you can order a copy of the book here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/moscow-exile/john-lawton/9781804710098

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April 27

The Monk – Tim Sullivan

To find a murderer, you need a motive . . .

THE DETECTIVE DS George Cross has always wondered why his mother left him when he was a child. Now she is back in his life, he suddenly has answers. But this unexpected reunion is not anything he’s used to dealing with. When a disturbing case lands on his desk, he is almost thankful for the return to normality.

THE QUESTION The body of a monk is found savagely beaten to death in a woodland near Bristol. Nothing is known about Brother Dominic’s past, which makes investigating difficult. How can Cross unpick a crime when they don’t know anything about the victim? And why would someone want to harm a monk?

THE PAST Discovering who Brother Dominic once was only makes the picture more puzzling. He was a much-loved and respected friend, brother, son – he had no enemies. Or, at least, none that are obvious. But looking into his past reveals that he was a very wealthy man, that he sacrificed it all for his faith. For a man who has nothing, it seems strange that greed could be the motive for his murder. But greed is a sin after all…

I recieved a review copy from the publisher. My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the opportunity to host this leg of the blog tour.

Tim Sullivan’s DC George Cross novels have been on my radar for some time. One of the best things about being a bookblogger is knowing every single day you will more than likely become aware of a new book which someone has loved. You mentally take note and vow to read said book. Then you realise there are simply not enough hours in the day to read all the books you want to read. But the regular and recurring praise for the George Cross thrillers were such that I was determined to find time to read them. And I am so glad I did!

First the housekeeping; The Monk is book five in the series and I haven’t read the previous four. There’s always going to be a different reading experience for returning readers than a new reader will encounter – characters are more familiar and those returning readers know various elements of their background. That said, I had no problems following events in The Monk and was comfortable with the characters and their dynamics within the story. If, like me, you are new to DS Cross you can dip into the series here and not feel lost.

And I do feel you should consider dipping in as The Monk was terrific, a murder mystery where the reader follows the investigation alongside the police. You will hear facts and learn of events at the same time as the police and that linear narrative was a real treat, I felt I was involved all the way through the process which is something of a rarity in my recent reads.

The police had been alerted to a missing Monk, he had not seen seen by his cloistered brethren for a few days. So when a dog walker finds a battered, bloody and very dead man wearing a monks robes it’s not too much of a stretch for them to identify the victim of this brutal crime.

The real challenges begin here for DS Cross and his colleagues. Who would want to kill a Monk? Why was this such a brutal crime? They head to his monestary to begin their investigation and learn more about how Brother Dominic lived his life before his shocking death. What they find is a quiet, popular man who kept his previous life, before the church, a secret from his brothers.

Secrets never stay secret for long in a murder investigation and Cross learns Brother Dominic was once a successful city banker, before the Financial Crisis of 2008. Did something happen all those years ago which had someone holding a grudge? More recently Brother Dominic had upset a high profile businessman when his expert valuation of a religious artefact priced the piece significantly below what had been paid for it. Could a wealthy and ruthless entrepreneur have arranged for the death of a Monk?

Discovering the truth was reading joy. I got wholly engrossed in the story and immediately vowed to catch up on the earlier George Cross books. Great fun – read it!

The Monk is available today and can be bought in hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-monk/tim-sullivan/9781804545607

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April 5

Murder Under The Tuscan Sun – Rachel Rhys

An isolated castle, a deadly crime. Is this real or a nightmare?

In a remote castle high up in the Tuscan hills secrets are simmering among its glamorous English residents:

The ailing gentleman art-dealer
His dazzling niece
Her handsome Fascist husband
Their neglected young daughter
The housekeeper who knows everything
and Connie, the English widow working for them.

Every night, Connie hears sinister noises and a terrible wailing inside the walls. Is she losing her grip on reality?

Or does someone in the castle want her gone?

I received a review copy from the publishers and was invited to join the blog tour by Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours.

I find myself reading another historical thriller. While I’d normally say this was most unlike me, it really isn’t at the moment – I have been loving the recent selection of books I’ve picked up which have transported me back in time and has allowed the respective authors to set their characters into some utterly fascinating locations. No surprises for guessing where the events of Murder Under the Tuscan Sun will play out – the lure of an Italian setting drew me to the title, the added bonus of seeing Rachel Rhys as the author convinced me this was a book I wanted to read. I was NOT disappointed with this decision.

Murder Under the Tuscan Sun (hereafter “Tuscan Sun”) very much benefits from the wonderful job Rachel Rhys has done in capturing the feel of the Tuscan castle and surrounding area where heiress beauty, Evelyn Manetti, and her handsome husband, Roberto, live. Into their grand residence where the Manetti’s live with Evelyn’s young daughter, her ailing uncle and the local woman that acts as their housekeeper arrives Connie Bowen.

Connie is approaching fifty years of age, she’s lost her husband after a largely loveless marriage and also lost her beloved daughter; so it’s just Connie and her son James. James does what he can to support his mother but her finances are tight and, to James’s horror, she has found a position in Italy where she will be a career/companion for Mr North – once a renowned art expert but now in poor health.

Connie helped treat soldiers who had been injured during the First World War, despite her lack of formal training she feels able to care for one individual and is thrilled to be offered the post. She makes plans to depart for Florence much to James’s horror.

On arrival at the Manetti’s beautiful home things seem ideal, a young besotted couple living in a beautiful corner of Italy and Evelyn is delighted Connie will be able to look after her uncle. But soon things start to sour. The Manetti’s relationship with Evelyn’s daughter is strained and distant. Mr North is an objectionable patient. Their beautiful home is dark and terrifying of an evening – stories of the ghost of a young girl who played violin can’t be forgotten when Connie hears violin music in the dead of night.

Connie continues to try to make the very best of her new role but it’s draining and challenging. Her hosts are an odd couple and Connie is horrified to discover Mr Manetti is a fascist and a prominent member of a right wing party. His treatment of his wife concerns Connie and how both Manetti’s treat their housekeeper also shocks her. Connie’s confidence starts to wane and the lack of trust and support she receives compounds this.

Tuscan Sun is very much Connie’s story and Rachel Rhys masterfully charts her concerns, frustrations and her slide into self-doubt. There are clearly many things amiss in this idyllic home but can Connie keep her wits about her to provide the care and support her patient needs and can she keep on the good side of her employers to ensure her employment does not end in disgrace or disaster?

This is a beautifully written story and a masterful depiction of human behaviours and emotion. There is a constant edge of unease and concern for Connie and much of what she is prepared to accept, in deference to her employers, and because of the conduct expected at that period in history, caused this reader some frustration. Kudos to Rachel Rhys here for getting me so invested in these characters.

Murder Under the Tuscan Sun, fabulous writing, claustrophobic thrills, brilliantly realised characters – great reading to be had here.

Murder Under the Tuscan Sun is available now in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/murder-under-the-tuscan-sun/rachel-rhys/9781529176575

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March 27

Her Deadly Game – Robert Dugoni

Keera Duggan was building a solid reputation as a Seattle prosecutor, until her romantic relationship with a senior colleague ended badly. For the competitive former chess prodigy, returning to her family’s failing criminal defense law firm to work for her father is the best shot she has. With the right moves, she hopes to restore the family’s reputation, her relationship with her father, and her career.

Keera’s chance to play in the big leagues comes when she’s retained by Vince LaRussa, an investment adviser accused of murdering his wealthy wife. There’s little hard evidence against him, but considering the couple’s impending and potentially nasty divorce, LaRussa faces life in prison. The prosecutor is equally challenging: Miller Ambrose, Keera’s former lover, who’s eager to destroy her in court on her first homicide defense.

As Keera and her team follow the evidence, they uncover a complicated and deadly game that’s more than Keera bargained for. When shocking information turns the case upside down, Keera must decide between her duty to her client, her family’s legacy, and her own future.

My thanks to Sophie Goodfellow at FMcM Associates for the opportunity to join the Blog Tour for Her Deadly Game and for the review copy I recieved to participate in the tour.

Her Deadly Game is one of the best books I have read for ages, I absolutly loved the mix of courtroom thriller and muder mystery. From the very early pages the reader is presented with a brutal murder, a vulnerable victim and what seems to be a clear-cut case for the police and the prosecution. But then the doubts and distractions creep in. There are strange elements at the murder scene which lead Defence Lawyer. Keera Duggan, to believe the case against her client – the victim’s husband – can be strongly contested. But if Vince LaRussa did not kill his wife, then who did?

There were so many elements to Her Deadly Game which I loved that I’m not sure where to start and I know I will not do the book justice.

I will start with Keera – a dogged warrior in the courtroom and daughter of a well known courtoom brawler – her father’s reputation as a fighter and the best man to have in your corner when the case is going against you is legendary. But Keera’s father has been battling an addition for too long and his reputation for hitting the bottle has cast something of a cloud over his status in the courtrooms. Keera has joined the family firm (against her will) after leaving the state prosecution service following a failed relationship with one of the lead prosecutors. He has engineered Keera’s caseload to be reduced to scaps and she knew his vindictive nature would mean her career would stall.

Next high point from Her Deadly Game was the crime. A woman home alone for the evening is shot in the back of the head. The police determined she had three visitors over the course of the evening. A family lawyer, her oldest friend then her husband returned home from a charity event. It was the victim’s husband (Vince) that found her body but the family lawyer and her friend both claim they left the house while Ann LaRussa was still alive. It appears Vince did kill his wife yet there is no evidence that would link him to the crime.

The crime scene has some random and unexplained things. Airconditioning turned off on one of the hottest days of the year. A broken glass on the floor, a strange mark on a kitchen appliance. Are any connected to the murder? If so then how? Puzzling out the crime scene will keep Keera distracted and frustrated but there’s a mysterious figure keen to help her enquiries (albeit indirectly).

Before an explanation can be found the prosecution decide to move for a fast trial and seek conviction of Vince LaRussa for the murder of his wife. Vince is determined to prove his innocence and feels stalling a trial would make him look guilty so a fast move to a courtroom drama happens.

The next great element of Her Deadly Game. I LOVE courtroom dramas when they are played out as well as this one. Keera is up against her former lover (extra edge) and neither side is willing to make concessions. The niggle continues into their trial and there are confrontations and mind games from both sides. The judge is notoriously strict so she isn’t entertaining the unpredictable displays from the legal teams. It all makes for cracking reading.

Suffice to say there were plenty of twists to the case, surprises in the ongoing investigations too and I found the story utterly compelling. The author sets up lots of questions as the story unfolds and the challenge for the reader is to try to work out where they may be heading. My curiosity was piqued very early on and until I reached the finale no other books were getting a look in – this was all I wanted to read!

I would be happy if I enjoyed all my books as much as I did this one

Her Deadly Game publishes in Hardback, digital and audiobook format on 28 March 2023. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09V575VRP/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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