Bantam – Grab This Book

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

Category: Blog Tours, From The Bookshelf | Comments Off

October 6

Better Off Dead – Lee Child and Andrew Child

Reacher never backs down from a problem.

And he’s about to find a big one, on a deserted Arizona road, where a Jeep has crashed into the only tree for miles around. Under the merciless desert sun, nothing is as it seems.

Minutes later Reacher is heading into the nearby border town, a backwater that has seen better days. Next to him is Michaela Fenton, an army veteran turned FBI agent, who is trying to find her twin brother. He might have got mixed up with some dangerous people.

And Reacher might just need to pay them a visit.

Their leader has burrowed his influence deep into the town. Just to get in and meet the mysterious Dendoncker, Reacher is going to have to achieve the impossible.

To get answers will be even harder. There are people in this hostile, empty place who would rather die than reveal their secrets.

But then, if Reacher is coming after you, you might be better off dead.

My thanks to the publishers for the review copy I recieved through Netgalley.

The name’s Reacher. Jack Reacher.

I can’t quite picture Reacher introducing himself with the smooth confidence and utter self assurance of James Bond. Yet I read Better Off Dead in the week the new Bond film (No Time to Die) was just hitting cinemas and I was struck by some similarities between the Bond and Reacher franchises. 26 Reacher Books, 25 “official” Bond movies. One lead character who can accomplish pretty much anything he sets out to do, against all odds, surrounded by the corpses of his enemies and more often than not both guys get the girl too.

What the Bond fans have had many decades to come to terms with is that their leading man changes now and then (but he is still James Bond). Also changing is the feel of the franchise when the lead actor changes. Craig is action packed, Moore felt lighter in tone, Brosnan was dark and Connery retains the classic feel of the novels.

Reacher fans are now experiencing a subtle change in their leading man. Reacher is still Reacher but the voice has changed as Andrew Child takes over from brother Lee. For the casual reader the change will not be noticed, it has been a subtle transition and Reacher is Reacher, he gets the job done. But for the committed fans, the ones that read and re-read all the books, they will notice a new hand at the helm and this is their Live and Let Die – the second outing with a different “face” to the one they were so used to. But Live and Let Die was rather good so should we be too worried about background semantics? I guess that depends on whether you think James Bond and Jack Reacher should go on for ever or if the curtain should, one day, be allowed to fall.

But what of Better Off Dead? I enjoyed it a lot more than Reacher 25 (The Sentinel) as Better Off Dead felt distinctly more punchy. Which is to say Reacher seemed to punch lots more people. There is also a very real “big bad” enemy in the form of Dendonker – a man so feared by his own staff that they will take their own life rather than face his wrath.

It’s a very traditional Reacher opening. He is walking alone and spots a car which has hit a tree. He goes to investigate and to establish if the driver is okay; only to find himself looking down the barrel of a gun. This in itself is alarming but when the opening chapter had already hooked readers with a big fight sequence that ended with Reacher getting shot, this retrospective scene isn’t good news for our hero.

As you can see from the blurb, Reacher is on a rescue mission. A missing twin. This isn’t the first time Reacher finds himself in a small, seemingly quiet, town tasked with finding a missing man. The man he needs to find is probably dead but his sister implores Reacher to help track him down. The fact his disappearance may link to a possible terror threat is more than enough reason for Reacher to stick around and help.

Looking for leads in a quiet town where most people are unaware of the monster in their midst gives Reacher good cause to dig around. His attention isn’t welcomed and Dendonker sends his staff to handle the situation. This is always fun for a Child reader.

Reacher’s digging uncovers more questions than answers. Dendonker made money from selling airplane meals, his products go onto planes which fly around the world so when the idea and potential threat of terror attacks raises its head Reacher’s rescue mission takes on a whole new angle.

Reacher against the bad guys trying to stop their plans – it’s what we come back for time and time again.

If we consider Better Off Dead on a numbers basis (I hope Reacher would approve) I am sure tens of thousands of casual readers will be more than satisfied with this action thriller.

The smaller proportion of fanatic readers may miss the lack of Reacher analysing numbers, question the fact he makes frequent of use of mobile phones and there will be lots of small differences individual readers will feel changes “their” Reacher. But at the end of the day the big numbers will carry it. It happens with Bond, it happens with Spider-Man and it happens with our television soaps and drama shows. Writers change, the characters go on, some episodes land and pack a punch, some tick the box and move on. A new generation of fans will not flinch at two names on the cover of Better Off Dead and will soak up the excitement.

Reacher endures, Better Off Dead delivers the drama and excitement and we will be back for the next one because we are Jack Reacher fans.

Better off Dead will be published by Transworld on 26 October 2021 in Hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/better-off-dead/lee-child/andrew-child/2928377053321

Category: From The Bookshelf | Comments Off

April 27

Dead Woman Walking – Sharon Bolton

Just before dawn in the hills near the Scottish border, a man murders a young woman. At the same time, a hot-air balloon crashes out of the sky. There’s just one survivor.

She’s seen the killer’s face – but he’s also seen hers. And he won’t rest until he’s eliminated the only witness to his crime.

Alone, scared, trusting no one, she’s running to where she feels safe – but it could be the most dangerous place of all . . .

My thanks to Alison Barrow for my review copy and the chance to join the tour.

As a rule I prefer to read books which form part of an ongoing series rather than a stand-alone book, the familiarity of recurring characters I find appealing. However, there is one distinct advantage that a stand-alone book holds over books in a series – the author can do absolutely whatever they like to the characters with no concern over long term consequences. Just imagine if Colin Dexter had bumped off Lewis in the second Inspector Morse novel!

In Dead Woman Walking Sharon Bolton kills off around a dozen characters in the opening chapters, amongst the victims is the sister of her lead character. For the rest of the novel Jessica mourns the loss of her sister whilst also running for her life to escape from a killer. And because this is a stand alone thriller you don’t know if Jessica will actually survive and make it to the end of the book – the killer is a resourceful and ruthless type.

What makes Jessica’s loss more shocking and impactful for the reader is that Sharon Bolton makes very effective use of flashbacks throughout Dead Woman Walking to re-enforce the strong bond that Jessica shared with her sister Bella. The flashbacks serve a secondary purpose but there are elements of spoilers therein…so moving on….

The Killer. Introduced very early in the story and we get to know all about him and we follow his attempts to track down Jessica. She has seen his face. He has seen hers. She cannot be allowed to live so it is a Hunter Vs Prey scenario and it makes for compelling reading. I became totally caught up in Dead Woman Walking and found myself reading well into the night – the classic case of “just one more chapter”.

I can’t give away too much of the story as this is one which you have to discover for yourself. Suffice to say that this is a book you simply have to read. It is Hunter Vs Prey chase thriller with twists and shocks and some very, very clever bits which had me reeling. Bookish magnificence.

Dead Woman Walking is published by Bantam Press and is available in Hardback and Digital format.

You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dead-Woman-Walking-Sharon-Bolton/dp/0593076427/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Category: Blog Tours | Comments Off

July 21

Little Black Lies – Sharon Bolton

Admittedly, it wasn’t murder. A moment’s carelessness, a tragic accident – and two children are dead. Yours.

Living in a small island community, you can’t escape the woman who destroyed your life. Each chance encounter is an agonizing reminder of what you’ve lost – your family, your future, your sanity.

How long before revenge becomes irresistible?

With no reason to go on living, why shouldn’t you turn your darkest thoughts into deeds?

So now, what’s the worst thing you can do to your best friend?

My thanks to Alison at Transworld for my review copy.

It is three years since Catrin lost her two sons in a tragic accident which all but destroyed her life. Her childhood friend, Rachel, was responsible for the loss of the two young lives and Catrin has a burning hatred for her oldest friend that she cannot reconcile.

The story opens with Catrin’s narrative. We learn of her loss and the loneliness that she feels. Her empty house holds the memories/ghosts of her children and her ex-husband now starting a new life with his new wife and has a new young baby to care for. For Catrin her former friend and ex-husband are always nearby – living in a small Falklands community it is hard to escape their presence. You feel that Catrin is struggling to hold onto her sanity and every day is a challenge. We share her sleepless nights and mourn with her over the empty life she now leads.

When Catrin’s every waking moment is consumed with the loss of her sons it is further torment when a family visiting the island discover that their son has wandered off and cannot be found. An island-wide search party is formed to trace the missing boy. However, Catrin’s friends are concerned about how she may cope with the hunt for a missing child – particularly as this is not the first time a child has gone missing on the island.

The narrative follows Catrin to a critical point; she finally has an opportunity to extract revenge upon Rachel and the last of her mental defences appear to have been shattered as she has been forced to take an innocent life. Yet before we learn how Catrin reacts the narrative switches to a second player in the story.

Callum is an ex-soldier that fought in the Falklands conflict and now resides on the island. He suffers from PTSD and is prone to blackouts but he is resisting a return to Scotland and an escape from the memories of the fighting. We know that Callum is a friend of Catrin but as his narration picks up we also learn that Catrin has become a suspect over the disappearance of the missing child. Callum is convinced of Catrin’s innocence and through his viewpoint we are treated to a different view of Catrin and her unusual behaviour.

Callum’s perspective of Catrin and the events on the island leads the reader to question their understanding of what may be happening. Clever and twisty, however, not content with muddying the waters with Callum’s interpretation of events Sharon Bolton switches to a third narrator: Rachel.

Rachel is woman responsible for the death of Catrin’s children and the woman Catrin has vowed to kill. From the opening chapters we have seen Rachel painted as the villain of the piece so it is something of a shock to get her perspective of events too. Like Catrin and Callum, Rachel has some serious issues that she is struggling to contend with. We realise that each of our narrators are deeply flawed, highly paranoid and that their recounting of events simply cannot be trusted.

I cannot reveal too much more than I have already as to do so robs the reader of the majestic and complex web of Little Black Lies that Sharon Bolton has spun. Suffice to say the story climax was exhilarating and left me lost for words.

Little Black Lies is published by Bantam Press and is available in Hardback and digital formats.

Category: From The Bookshelf | Comments Off