Blog Tours – Page 18 – Grab This Book

The Toy Thief – D W Gillespie

Jack didn’t know what to call the nameless, skeletal creature that slunk into her house in the dead of night, stealing the very things she loved the most. So she named him The Toy Thief…

There’s something in Jack’s past that she doesn’t want to face, an evil presence that forever changed the trajectory of her family. It all began when The Toy Thief appeared, a being drawn by goodness and innocence, eager to feed on everything Jack holds dear. What began as a mystery spirals out of control when her brother, Andy, is taken away in the night, and Jack must venture into the dark place where the toys go to get him back. But even if she finds him, will he ever be the same?

My thanks to Flame Tree Press for my review copy and to Anne Cater at Random Things for the chance to join the blog tour.

The latter part of 2018 has seen me reading more horror tales than I had anticipated. This is largely due to a wave of fantastic releases from Flame Tree Press – each book I read from their collection leaves me wishing another would not be too far away.

The Toy Thief sports a deliciously creepy cover and was a distinctly eery read.

This is Jack’s story, she is not the Toy Thief from the title but she is very much the star of the piece. Jack lives with her father and older brother – the family are ‘getting by’ but the loss of Jack’s mother (who died while giving birth to Jack) casts a long shadow over the family.

At age of 9 Jack becomes aware of a late night visitor to their home. A creepy encounter which Jack only became aware of due to a missing toy and a video camera accidentally left running.

The quest to find a missing toy and explain understand the images captured on camera will change Jack’s life (and the lives of her family) forever.

D.W. Gillespie gives us a tense take on innocence lost, unwordly terrors and family bonds. Another great find from Flame Tree Press.

The Toy Thief releases on October 18th and you can order your copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Toy-Thief-Fiction-Without-Frontiers/dp/1787580474/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538523279&sr=8-1&keywords=the+toy+thief

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October 3

Corruption – Elizabeth Ducie

Out of fear. Out of greed. Out of evil. Corruption springs from many roots.

Teenagers fall prey to a deadly new drug craze sweeping across Russia. Pharmaceuticals destined for Africa turn up on the backstreets of Moscow, St Petersburg and Vladivostok. Regulator Suzanne Jones and her sister, Charlie, fight to stop the pushers before more kids die.

But will their discoveries mean a friend goes to prison? And are they putting their loved ones in danger?

With old adversaries and surprising new allies, the Jones sisters face their toughest challenge to date.

The heart-stopping final episode in the Suzanne Jones series of thrillers set in the sometimes murky world of international pharmaceuticals

My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Reads for my review copy and the chance to join the blog tour.

It seems that Corruption is the third novel in the Suzanne Jones series. I had not realised that there had been two previous novels until I had finished reading the book so I can offer a firm assurance that you do not have to have read the first two books to enjoy (or keep up with) events in Corruption.

I started reading and had some initial concerns that I may not enjoy Corruption. The story is told from multiple viewpoints and I felt that we were flicking around a little too much and I struggled a little to follow events. However my concerns did not last long…after a short while the story settled into a more natural rhythm. Either I got more focused or the character introductions and scene setting needed to be quickly established to allow the story to flow.

Corruption is a cleverly plotted thriller with a satisfying number of twists and surprises which kept this reader engaged. Once or twice I thought I could tell where this story (which was riddled with lies, fraud and blackmail) was heading. Then a twist or unexpected event would change the course of the story and I was back to trying to second guess the author. I always enjoy when stories don’t pan out as I expect them to – keeps me reading!

The book has a pharmaceutical backdrop and, to my untrained eye, there was a pleasing level of authentic sounding information about the pharmaceutical industry. While I cannot know if it was accurate I certainly had no trouble believing what I was reading about practices within the industry and it allowed me to buy into the story.

An entertaining read. The characters were well defined with the bad guys very unlikable and our key players – the sisters – being given the opportunity to shine. A good balance of suspense and thrills and I can honestly say I did not foresee that ending!

Corruption is available in digital and paperback format and can be ordered here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Corruption-Suzanne-Jones-Elizabeth-Ducie/dp/0956950892/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1538430414&sr=8-1

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October 1

The Syndicate – Guy Bolton

The hotly anticipated sequel to The Pictures. Guy Bolton’s unforgettable 1930s Hollywood fixer Jonathan Craine is thrust into the dark underbelly of the LA mafia, only to discover more secrets and lies

June 1947

Eight years have passed since the events of The Pictures.

Jonathan Craine has left his old life in Hollywood behind him, content to live out his days on a farm in rural California with his teenage son.

But when infamous mobster and Las Vegas founder Bugsy Siegel is killed at his home in Beverly Hills, Craine is forced to face his past once again.

Summoned to Las Vegas to meet mob head Meyer Lansky, Craine is given the impossible task of finding Siegel’s murderers. He has no access to crime reports, no police contacts and no one to help in his investigation other than an ageing hit man and a female crime reporter with her own agenda. But Lanksy’s orders aren’t to be ignored; if Craine can’t find Siegel’s murderers in five days, he and his son will both be killed.

My thanks to Oneworld Publications for my review copy

Guy Bolton’s The Syndicate is a bit of a belter. I was drawn into the murky world of gangsters and their power plays from the very first pages as we “witness” infamous mob boss Bugsy Siegel being gunned down.

The shooting of one of America’s most notorious characters clearly created ripples at the time and another mob boss, Meyer Lanskey, wants to know who murdered Siegel. He summons Jonathan Craine to undertake the impossible mission of finding a murderer.

Working under extreme duress Craine is pulled from his quiet secluded life, he had been working on his farm, back to the metropolitan buzz of Hollywood and Las Vegas. He has worked these urban pastures in the past but time away from the cities must place him at a disadvantage as he tries to piece together clues which may lead him to identify a murderer.

Craine first appeared in The Pictures, a book I have not (yet) read but will certainly be hunting down after the huge blasts of enjoyment I experienced while reading The Syndicate. At no point did I feel that I wished I had read The Pictures before picking up The Syndicate – everything I needed to know was made clear without the presumption I knew the key players.

Guy Bolton does a fabulous job of building the environment and detail in The Syndicate which makes everything that occurs seem so vivid. I tend to jump between titles and read a couple of books at a time but The Syndicate held my attention and nothing else was getting a look-in until I had finished reading this one. I love when I get so caught up in a story – sign of a cracking read.

If you enjoy hard-boiled American crime thrillers then this book is perfect for you. Highly recommended.

The Syndicate is published by Oneworld Publications and is available in hardback and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Syndicate-Guy-Bolton-ebook/dp/B079ZV7YLJ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538342993&sr=8-1&keywords=guy+bolton

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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

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September 19

The Hangman’s Hold – Michael Wood

Your life is in his hands.

In the gripping new serial killer thriller from Michael Wood, Matilda Darke faces a vicious killer pursuing his own brand of lethal justice. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons and Helen Fields.

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?

Book 4 in the DCI Matilda Darke series and one of the few books I have been keeping an eye out for. Despite the volume of crime thrillers which are released each year – one or two crime series do stand out for me in the publication schedules and command urgent reading on release. Michael Wood’s Matilda Darke series is in my select band of “must read new books”.

A significant factor in my love of these stories is Darke herself. She is something of a car crash and carries more emotional baggage than most. Her back story has been well defined in the first three novels and returning readers will enjoy how the author builds on the past events to twist the knife in Matilda’s recovery progress. Fear not New Readers as everything you need to know is deftly explained by the author to ensure you can read The Hangman’s Hold as a stand-alone thriller (though you will want to go back and catch up on the earlier books).

Serial killer stories always fare well at Grab This Book as they are my favourite crime thrillers. Sit me down with a good serial killer tale and I will lose myself in a book for hours. The Hangman’s Hold is a good serial killer tale – a VERY good serial killer tale.

The clue is in the title so it is no great shock to find that the murderer leaves his victim hanging from a traditional hangman’s noose. He targets his victims to ensure the people he kills “deserve” to die – at least they do in his opinion and as the Hangman is delivering judgement on his victims there will be no leniency shown.

The reader gets a close look at the crimes and Michael Wood also ensures we see the impact the killers actions have on the families of the deceased. A very powerful and effective way of bringing us fully into Matilda’s world as she tries to find a way to prevent more deaths and catch the killer.

From very early in the story the actions of the murderer will strike close to Matilda and her friends. As events unfold Matilda becomes a target for the Hangman, he taunts her and the suggestion is made that the killer may be known to her – who can Matilda trust and could mistakes she has made in the past place her in danger today?

My anticipation for The Hangman’s Hold was entirely justified. I chewed this one up and immediately had the wistful realisation that there will not be another Matilda Darke novel for a wee while. These books are a treat – go read them.

The Hangman’s Hold is published by Killer Reads and is available in digital and paperback format. You can (and should) order a copy through this link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hangmans-Hold-gripping-thriller-Matilda-ebook/dp/B07CQ972JC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537218191&sr=8-1&keywords=the+hangmans+hold

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September 18

Hunter’s Revenge – Val Penny

Hunter by name – Hunter by nature: DI Hunter Wilson will not rest until his friend’s death is avenged.

DI Hunter Wilson is called to the scene of a murder. He is shocked to find the victim is his friend and colleague, George Reinbold.

Who would want to harm the quiet, old man? Why was a book worth £23,000 delivered to him that morning? Why is the security in George’s home so intense?

Hunter must investigate his friend’s past as well as the present to identify George’s killer.

When a new supply of cocaine from Peru floods HMP Edinburgh and the city, the courier leads Hunter to a criminal gang, but Hunter requires the help of his nemesis, the former Chief Constable, Sir Peter Myerscough, and local gangster, Ian Thomson, to make his case.

Hunter’s perseverance and patience are put to the test time after time in this taut crime thriller.

My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to join the blog tour.

Hunter’s Revenge is the second in The Edinburgh Crime Mysteries series and follows on from the events depicted in the first book: Hunter’s Chase. I came to Hunter’s Revenge without having first read Hunter’s Chase and I did feel that I would have benefited from reading the first book before tackling Hunter’s Revenge. While the author does explain the key details that a new reader will need to know to follow the friendships and dynamics, there were a few instances where I felt I had missed something or that I was reading a spoiler from the earlier book.

But that should not detract from the fun to be had with Hunter’s Revenge. A colleague of DI Hunter Wilson has been gunned down in his own home. The killer escaped undetected but the clinical efficiency which they displayed when committing the murder suggests a professional hit.

The background of the dead man is something of a mystery to the police, despite their long association with him and some digging into his past will be required. Readers get a head-start in this regard as the prologue takes us back to Eastern Europe some decades ago and a tragic accident which will define a life and end more than one.

This is a complex multi-layered tale and we get more to ponder than a single murder. Drugs are causing unwelcome problems in Edinburgh prison and the police will need to use all resource available to try to stem the influx of the produce.

The dynamic between the characters was pleasing and there was a good level of dark humour on display – something I find important in my Scottish crime fiction!

Good reading in Hunter’s Revenge and I enjoyed the time I spent with this one.

Hunter’s Revenge is published by Crooked Cat Books and is available in digital and paperback format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hunters-Revenge-Edinburgh-Crime-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B07DY8WHZQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1537120711&sr=1-1

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September 10

Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach – Ramsey Campbell

It’s Ray’s and Sandra’s first family holiday in Greece, on the island of Vasilema. The skies are cloudier than anywhere else in Greece, and they’re intrigued by local eccentricities―the lack of mirrors, the outsize beach umbrellas, the saint’s day celebrated with an odd nocturnal ritual.

Why are there islanders who seem to follow the family wherever they go? Why do Sandra and the teenage grandchildren have strangely similar dreams? Has Sandra been granted a wish she didn’t know she made?

Before their holiday is over, some of the family may learn too much about the secret that keeps the island alive.

My thanks to Flame Tree Press for my review copy and to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for the opportunity to join the blog tour for Thirteen Days By Sunset Beach

Greece is the setting for Thirteen Days By Sunset Beach and we are on holiday with a very English family. Ray and Sandra arrive at their chosen resort first – the rest of their family are due the next day.

As Sandra and Ray settle into their accommodation we note that their hosts are a little odd, possibly distracted. There are cryptic comments which Ray and Sandra do not seem to be picking up on, a lack of mirrors, the strange custom which requires their hosts to knock on doors twice and wait to be invited into the room.

Both have a restless first night and Sandra gets bitten on her neck – local bugs must be out in force. But these niggles are soon forgotten when the rest of their family arrive – kids and grandkids and all the fun they bring.

If I am being honest I felt sorry for Ray and Sandra – their family irritated the life out of me and their quiet holiday appears less-so when the family squabbles kicked off! But everyone is determined to enjoy their vacation and it is not long before they are venturing into the local town and meeting some of the residents.

Again the peculiar cryptic warnings are suggested. Some ignored, others dismissed as language or communication concerns. The reader knows strange things are afoot and the warnings of not venturing out at night, no mirrors in the rooms, bite marks on three of the family does seem to allude to a very familiar threat.

Ramsey Campbell is a master of horror fiction and you know that the story he will spin around Sandra, Ray and their extended family is not going to be one of a relaxing summer break. There is evil abroad and it is far from certain that the holidaymakers will survive unscathed.

Another strong addition to the Flame Tree Press collection who are bringing some cracking horror thrillers to our bookshelves.

Thirteen Days By Sunset Beach is published by Flame Tree Books and is available in paperback, audio and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thirteen-Sunset-Fiction-Without-Frontiers/dp/1787580326/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536528825&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=ramsay+campbell+sunset+beach

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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

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September 8

The Siren And The Spectre – Jonathan Janz

When David Caine, a celebrated skeptic of the supernatural, is invited by an old friend to spend a month in “the most haunted house in Virginia,” he believes the case will be like any other. But the Alexander House is different.

Built by a 1700s land baron to contain the madness and depravity of his eldest son, the house is plagued by shadows of the past and the lingering taint of bloodshed. David is haunted, as well. For twenty-two years ago, he turned away the woman he loved, and she took her life in sorrow.

And David suspects she’s followed him to the Alexander House.

My thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tour for the chance to join the blog tour and to Flame Tree Press for my review copy.

Over recent weeks I have been extremely fortunate to have enjoyed some of the new titles being published by Flame Tree Press. They are assembling a cracking collection of horror tales, each new read has left me unsettled and thoroughly entertained.

The Specter and the Siren is a haunted house story – there is more (much more) to it than that but events do centre around Alexander House and David Caine’s experiences while he stays in the house.

Caine is an author noted for his cynicism towards the supernatural and an old school friend invites him to live in Alexander House – an old property with a dubious past and the reputation for ghostly experiences. If he writes a book on his experiences then there is a hope the interest generated in Alexander House will turn the property into a money-spinner for his friend.

From the moment the reader is taken into the Alexander House there is a tangible sense of gloom and foreboding. Caine feels it too and we realise that despite not believing in the supernatural he does get nervous easily and is not enjoying the dark, creaking house. Things are about to get considerably more terrifying for Caine.

The house does not sit in isolation. Caine has a neighbour, a retired gentleman who enjoys fishing on the river (Alexander House sits on an isolated peninsula and is surrounded by water). Another neighbouring house shelters the most dysfunctional family I can recall. The parents are permanently drunk or stoned. Hard-core pornography streams constantly on their television and the mother, Honey, has insatiable desires – Caine being fresh meat. Her husband is a willing participant is violent physical abuse and their kids try to find a “normal” in this toxic environment.

These neighbours will both help and hinder Caine as he tries to adjust to his new living arrangements and he is going to need all the help he can get. Alexander House is not a happy residence and Caine is sitting in the heart of danger.

Jonathan Janz has delivered a truly unsettling read which horror fans will love. The history of Alexander House is horrific and it it not content to remain “history” – Caine and his friends are in more danger than they could possibly have realised.

Loved this – even though it freaked me out!

The Siren And The Spectre is published by Flame Tree Press and can be bought in paperback and digital format. A copy can be ordered here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Siren-Spectre-Fiction-Without-Frontiers-ebook/dp/B07GVQJHTX/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536399131&sr=8-1&keywords=the+siren+and+the+spectre

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September 5

Perfect Silence – Helen Fields

When silence falls, who will hear their cries?

The body of a young girl is found dumped on the roadside on the outskirts of Edinburgh. When pathologists examine the remains, they make a gruesome discovery: the silhouette of a doll carved in the victim’s skin.

DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach are struggling to find leads in the case, until a doll made of skin is found nestled beside an abandoned baby.

After another young woman is found butchered, Luc and Ava realise the babydoll killer is playing a horrifying game. And it’s only a matter of time before he strikes again. Can they stop another victim from being silenced forever – or is it already too late?

My thanks to Sabah at Avon Books for my review copy and the opportunity to join the blog tour.

Death, Taxes and a brilliant Luc Callanach book from Helen Fields…the certainties of life!

Perfect Silence was as dark, twisted and unflinching as I had hoped it would be. The “Perfect” series is very well named and Perfect Silence reaffirmed why these books are always the first series I will recommend when I am asked “What should I be reading?”

Dark days in Edinburgh when the body of a young woman is found on a roadside. Badly mutilated yet abandoned while she was still alive, the girl has had sections of her skin cut out of her abdomen – the missing skin forms the shape of a doll.

With no obvious clues (and no leads for the police to follow) a second woman disappears. Her young baby is found abandoned and inside the baby’s pram is a doll made from human skin.

Realising that time is against them Luc and Eva (along with the increasingly brilliant supporting characters) confront the possibility that a sadistic serial killer is operating in their city.

Ava’s attentions are divided by a spate of attacks on Edinburgh’s homeless drug users. A new variant of the drug Spice is debilitating users and turning them into shambling zombies, oblivious to their environment. Someone has been “branding” these catatonic users and slashing a deep cut into their cheek. As the victim count rises we see the damage increasing too.

Ava is under pressure from her boss to deliver results, not least because her boss feels Ava could threaten her position. No spoilers here but this storyline was a highlight of my reading year!

Everything was great in Perfect Silence. A really nasty murder spree. A strong and unpleasant second string of attacks. A squad room at Police Scotland of likeable and engaging characters and the wonderfully compelling writing of Helen Fields keeping the action going to the very last page.

I look forward to these books more than any other. If you are not already reading Helen Fields then I am sorry to say you are really missing out.

Perfect Silence is published by Avon Books and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfect-Silence-Callanach-Crime-Thriller-ebook/dp/B079KMDGDV/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536086379&sr=8-1&keywords=helen+fields

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