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The Lost Boy – Rachel Amphlett

Run. Don’t look back.

When a young teenager is stabbed to death at a busy fairground, Detective Mark Turpin is assigned the task of finding the boy’s killer.

But this was no random murder.

Mark knows the victim, and the man who ordered his death.

As he sifts through the young victim’s final days, he uncovers a powerful crime syndicate that will do anything to protect its interests.

Then tragedy strikes, and suddenly Mark isn’t just trying to solve a murder – he’s fighting for his own survival.

My thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Blog Tours for the opportunity to join this leg of the tour for The Lost Boy. I received a pre-publication review copy of The Lost Boy.

The Lost Boy is all about a police investigation, it is the work, detail, the interviews and chasing down leads. Turpin and his colleagues are driven to find the killer of a young teenager who arrived in town and never had the chance to leave.

The book opens with an instruction…”Run.” Matthew Arkdale is scared, he is alone and he is desperately trying to keep hidden from someone that is chasing him. Matthew is at a fairground, trying to hide in the crowds and escape his pursuer but the man hunting him is relentless and isn’t giving up.

Sadly for young Matthew he is about to run out of options. A brief confrontation, a knife and the teenager becomes a victim of a deadly crime.

It isn’t long before Matthews body is discovered and for DS Mark Turpin, who had been attending the fair with his kids, it is the end of a fun evening and the start of an intense investigation which will see Mark and his loved ones put into terrible danger. You see, Mark recognises Matthew as their paths crossed in the past and he knows who wanted Matthew dead. Somewhere in the background is a ruthless criminal who puts his own interests ahead of everthing else and doesn’t think twice about ending a life to ensure his own ventures can continue.

From the moment Matthew Arkdale dies the story switches to Turpin and the police. It is their book now, the investigation is everything and the officers tasked with finding a murderer are our only focus. The murder of a child is a hugely challenging time for the police and Turpin and his colleagues are shown to struggle with their emotions while they conduct their investigations. It’s handled extremely effectively by Rachel Amphlett and raised my involvement in the story. Can we read too many crime novels (absolutely not) but we can be guilty of forgetting the consequence of each character’s death as we, as readers, become fixated on the lead characters and the solving of the crime. Keeping the emotion about the tragedy of a young life lost as a big issue for the investigative team was paramount to my enjoyment.

In terms of the investigation its-self, I was hooked. We learn every new discovery as the police do. We see interviews, we get new evidence and we even chase up the labs to get blood and chemical reviews back as quickly as possible. Readers get to feel they are part of the team. Total immersion in the invesigation and I loved that.

For Turpin, knowing the victim and the man who ordered Matthews death means he too is at risk. This is the third Mark Turpin book and in previous outings he gained minor celebrity status when journalists featured his involvement in a successful police operation. Now Turpin’s personal details are easily obtainable and when the wrong people know he is a father and can also work out where he lives it isn’t just Mark Turpin who is in danger, his children and his partner are too. The stakes are high and the price of failure even higher.

I flew through The Lost Boy in just a couple of sittings. Rachel Amphlett’s words flowed over me as I became engrossed in this murder story and I experienced that bite of disappointment when I reached the end of the story, knowing I could easily have read more.

The Lost Boy is available now in paperback and digital format and you can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B096SJBTPZ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1

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September 10

You Can Trust Me – Emma Rowley

You can trust me.

But can I trust you?

Olivia is the domestic goddess who has won millions of followers by sharing her picture-perfect life online. And now she’s releasing her tell-all autobiography. For professional ghostwriter Nicky it’s the biggest job of her career. But as she delves deeper into Olivia’s life, cracks begin to appear in the glamorous façade. From the strained relationship with her handsome husband, to murky details of a tragic family death in her childhood, the truth belies Olivia’s perfect public image. But why is Olivia so desperate to leave an old tragedy well alone? And how far will she go to keep Nicky from the truth?

My thanks to the publishers for my review copy and the opportunity to join the blog tour

Who doesn’t love a story about secrets? In You Can Trust Me there are plenty of secrets which ghostwriter, Nicky, is determined to uncover.

Nicky is recently single and struggling to meet the rent on the flat she shared with her ex. Now that he is out the picture the rent has become steeper than she can comfortably manage making it difficult for Nicky to turn down work.

As a ghostwriter Nicky has developed a good reputation with the agency who engages her services. Obviously her CV cannot list the titles she has written (all confidential) but the agency will send her projects to consider. When we first meet Nicky she is just wrapping up a book for a celebrity chef and making minor amendments to reflect the fact secrets from his private life have just been splashed over the newspapers in recent days. All part of the job!

The underwhelming prospect of a new project with a Coupon Lady from TV is all the reward Nicky faces. However an urgent request that she write a book for one of social media’s high profile influencers leaves Nicky little time to prepare or to take a breather from her last project. She needs to make a snap decision but the lure of working with the enigmatic and seemingly perfect Olivia is too good an opportunity to turn down. Nicky hurriedly packs and dashes to meet Olivia in her country home.

From the moment the two meet there seem to be problems. Olivia is secretive, withdrawn from the writing process, reluctant to engage too fully or share personal information. Nicky needs to get her to open up and share some personal details or she may find it impossible to write Olivia’s book for her.

Olivia’s reluctance is only half the problem as Nicky seems overwhelmed and awkward in the presence of her client. Misunderstandings and accidents around Olivia’s home leave Nicky feeling exasperated and on the back foot. Unable to draw out her client in conversation Nicky starts to snoop around her home and to ask questions about the family in the nearby village. Here she stumbles upon potential dynamite – Olivia’s family has a huge secret and if Nicky can get her to talk about it there will be fireworks ahead.

Emma Rowley has woven a clever tale here – there are lots of secrets in this book for Nicky to uncover and once you know what they are you realise you have spotted some secrets too – only you didn’t know it. Nicky’s awkward demeanour and frustrated attempts to do her job won me onto her side and I got frustrated with the cool attitude of Olivia. However something happens which makes you consider Olivia in a new light. Can she trust Nicky to write her story? Will Nicky get to the truth or will she accept what Olivia has told her? How far does a high profile influencer need to go to protect the pictue perfect world ahead has built up for herself?

Nicely paced, clever surprises dropped into the story and some well realised characters made this a fun read.

You Can Trust Me is published by Orion and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07C1ZMHXH/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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September 3

The Watcher – Kate Medina

If you see him it’s already too late…

‘A brilliant and believable female lead’ Good Housekeeping

Some secrets can’t be hidden.

The Fullers are the picture-perfect family, a wealthy couple with a grand home in the middle of remote woodland. But even they have something to hide – and it will prove fatal.

Some crimes can’t be forgotten.

Psychologist Dr Jessie Flynn and DI Marilyn Simmons arrive at the Fuller’s home to find a suburban nightmare. A crime scene more disturbing than anything they have ever encountered.

Some killers can’t be stopped.

Jessie knows that this is no random act of violence. And if she can’t unlock the motivation behind the crime and shine a light into this killer’s mind, the Fullers won’t be the only family to die…

I recieved a review copy from the publishers through Netgalley. My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the opportunity to join The Watcher Blog Tour

I hadn’t realised The Watcher was part of an ongoing series and that Dr Jessie Flynn had appeared in previous Kate Medina books. It certainly did not stop me enjoying The Watcher and it made me keen to go back and read the books which lead into this one. As a reader there is no better feeling than enjoying a book by a “new” author then learning the author in question actually has an established back catalogue for me to get stuck into.

The good news for new Kate Medina readers (like myself) and committed fans of Jessie Flynn and DI Simmons is that The Watcher is a terrific read which perfectly hit the balance of psychological thriller and strong police procedural. The murders in the book were twisted and nasty which is what I enjoy in crime stories and when I finally realised the driving force which prompted the murders I felt there was a very satisfying build up to the reveal.

I don’t want to encroach into spoiler territory but Jessie is asked to assist DI Simmons (Marilyn) when he is called to a double murder of a successful couple in their luxurious home. The attending police are deeply unsettled by the vicious nature of the attacks and Jessie is asked to share her thoughts on potential motives behind the sadistic attacks. Her initial conclusions are not entirely accurate and before long the killer strikes again to give further confusion to our investigators.

Kate Medina has done a wonderful job in pacing out The Watcher. It read so smoothly and I flew through the chapters as I always felt the story was enticing me to keep reading. There is a steady investigation progression, the threat of danger over some characters looms large and you want to know how that turns out. There is a fascinating side story around Jessie’s boyfriend and a problem he has been experiencing (something returning readers will very much appreciate) and I enjoyed the side story about the kennels – which you need to read to understand!

In brief, The Watcher was a hit with me. I want to read more in the series as I loved the characters. The book is deliciously dark, creepy when it matters and it gave me a fair chance at working out killer and motive (but I didn’t).

The Watcher is published by Harper Collins and is available in hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07DQ9T6HW/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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August 17

Ash Mountain – Helen Fitzgerald

Single-mother Fran returns to her sleepy hometown to care for her dying father when a devastating bush fire breaks out. A heartbreaking, nail-biting disaster-noir thriller from the bestselling author of The Cry and Worst Case Scenario.

Fran hates her hometown, and she thought she’d escaped. But her father is ill, and needs care. Her relationship is over, and she hates her dead-end job in the city, anyway.

She returns home to nurse her dying father, her distant teenage daughter in tow for the weekends. There, in the sleepy town of Ash Mountain, childhood memories prick at her fragile self-esteem, she falls in love for the first time, and her demanding dad tests her patience, all in the unbearable heat of an Australian summer. As past friendships and rivalries are renewed, and new ones forged, Fran’s tumultuous home life is the least of her worries, when old crimes rear their heads and a devastating bushfire ravages the town and all of its inhabitants…

Simultaneously a warm, darkly funny portrait of small-town life – and a woman and a land in crisis – and a shocking and truly distressing account of a catastrophic event that changes things forever, Ash Mountain is a heart-breaking slice of domestic noir, and a disturbing disaster thriller that you will never forget…

My thanks to Orenda Books for my review copy and to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the opportunity to join the Ash Mountain tour.

I make this point so frequently…stories set in small towns are the best for tales of secrets and surprises. This is very true for Helen Fitzgerald’s Ash Mountain – a small Australian town where our main protagonist Fran lives. What initially seemed to be a story about living and growing up in a small community evolved with a dark mystery lurking in the background. Oh and a fire. A huge fire.

Fran is caring for her elderly father, a teenage daughter and is boosted by having her son, Dante, around too. Fran became a mother at age 15; as she is in her 40’s now Dante is mid 20s and very popular around town. I got the feeling Fran is less popular than her son and enjoys the fact he is much loved within his community. Fran is charmingly nervous, insecure yet determined and independent – all the complex characteristics people have and they are briliantly utilised by the author who makes Fran one of the most believable characters I have encountered for many months.

Helen Fitzgerald tells Fran’s story in a fascinating chronology. Chapers go from today (the day of the fire), to last week (10 days before the fire) to 25 years ago when Fran was the awkward girl at school desperately trying to fit in. It keeps the narrative punchy and gives a great insight into why Fran acts as she does now, why her pregnancy is relevant to a secret kept for over 20 years and why small down enemies never let go of their childhood niggles. Characters in small towns linger for a long time, some people Fran would rather never meet again – some she feels she cannot do without. This is most acutely reflected in Fran’s father – dying a slow death with Fran caring for him. They are both scared by what the future may hold, neither admit it to each other and their buckle-down approach to getting on with things feels a mask for their impending seperation.

I haven’t mentioned the fire. Well I *have* mentioned it but not explained it. The book opens with a huge forest fire beating a fast path towards town. Everything is fleeing but not Fran, she is bunkered down and worrying if her father got clear, if her daughter was near or if she got away. Most chapters in the book are set in the days leading up to the fire. Some are many years earlier but every now and then we get a real-time chapter of Fran on the day of the fire and we are reminded that all the lives we have been reading about are all in grave peril from relentless flames.

It’s wonderful storytelling. Helen Fitzgerald has a wicked talent for capturing people and making you believe in them, root for them and cry with them. Ash Mountain is a bit of a departure from my regular crime thriller reads but it was a very welcome change. Now available in paperback if you had been hanging off on picking this up – now is the time.

Ash Mountain is published by Orenda Books and is available in paperback, audiobook and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ash-Mountain-Helen-FitzGerald-ebook/dp/B081S12YDL/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1597610021&refinements=p_27%3AHelen+FitzGerald&s=digital-text&sr=1-1&text=Helen+FitzGerald

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October 3

One By One – D. W. Gillespie

The Easton family has just moved into their new fixer-upper, a beautiful old house that they bought at a steal, and Alice, the youngest of the family, is excited to explore the strange, new place. Her excitement turns to growing dread as she discovers a picture hidden under the old wallpaper, a child’s drawing of a family just like hers.

Soon after, members of the family begin to disappear, each victim marked on the child’s drawing with a dark black X. It’s up to her to unlock the grim mystery of the house before she becomes the next victim.

My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for the chance to close out the One By One blog tour. I received a review copy from publishers, Flame Tree Press – my thanks to them too.

October does bring out my craving to read creepy books so huge thanks to Flame Tree Press for the opportunity to read DW Gillespie’s latest release – One By One. As you will have picked up from the blurb (above) this one sounded a proper chiller…new family move into big old house. Haunted? Unusual for sure and the child’s stick drawing of a family and their pet dog (uncovered by 10 year old Alice when she peeled away a strip of wallpaper) has a sinister element rather than the cute cheery image the picture *could* have had.

Alice is the main focus for One By One, indeed it is her story we share for the most part. Though for reasons which partly fall into the “spoiler” category there are some necessary parts of the story which are told through the eyes of another.

Alice, her parents and her elder brother, Dean, have moved into their new home. It has very unusual design features, quirky and peculiar interior planning and it really needs a lot of work done. A “fixer-upper” and a bargain…but bargains usually come with a story which Alice’s father seems happy to ignore. Soon after the family move into the house things begin to change and tempers become frayed.

Alice, as the youngest, is scared by the new house not helped by the “face” she saw at her window on the first night. Her imagination runs wild but as a natural daydreamer her parents are not listening to her worries. But they cannot ignore the reality of a death in the household and a large black cross painted over the corresponding figure from the child’s drawing of the family.

I don’t want to share too much more detail about events in One By One but for Alice the danger is very real. Her family are disappearing and more crosses are appearing on the picture – can Alice save herself?

Small cast of characters, isolated location and a child terrified and unsure who to trust. A tense chiller which I zipped through in two fully captivated sittings.

One By One is published by Flame Tree Press and is available in paperback and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Fiction-Without-Frontiers-ebook/dp/B07X3Q89JS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3ETV6WWVV5DDU&keywords=one+by+one+dw+gillespie&qid=1570124437&s=digital-text&sprefix=one+by+one+%2Cdigital-text%2C759&sr=1-1

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February 4

The Lost Man – Jane Harper

He had started to remove his clothes as logic had deserted him, and his skin was cracked. Whatever had been going through Cameron’s mind when he was alive, he didn’t look peaceful in death.

Two brothers meet at the remote border of their vast cattle properties under the unrelenting sun of the outback. In an isolated part of Australia, they are each other’s nearest neighbour, their homes hours apart.

They are at the stockman’s grave, a landmark so old that no one can remember who is buried there. But today, the scant shadow it casts was the last hope for their middle brother, Cameron. The Bright family’s quiet existence is thrown into grief and anguish.

Something had been troubling Cameron. Did he choose to walk to his death? Because if he didn’t, the isolation of the outback leaves few suspects…

My thanks to Caolinn at Little,Brown Group who provided me with a review copy through Netgalley so that I may join the blog tour.

If you pick up The Lost Man to read immediately after reading an action adventure thriller then you may feel that there is not too much going on in this book. Now, consider a painting. It may take the artist hours to pull together the features, the light and the subtle shades which will leave the end result as a beautifully depicted landscape, telling a story and capturing a moment in time. That is what Jane Harper does in The Lost Man. She builds up layers of story, shades of emotion and depth of characters – all set against a harsh backdrop of the Australian wilderness – and leaves the reader with a wonderfully told story where the lives of three brothers are laid out for inspection.

The Lost Man opens with a death. Cameron – the middle brother of three is found lying in the desert wilderness. It is Christmas time and the weather conditions are brutal hot sunshine – he has walked across a barren landscape and succumbed to the elements. However, when Cameron’s brothers trace his journey back to where he left his car they find it intact, fully operational and well stocked with survival provisions. So why has Cameron left the safety of his car and why did he not take any food or water?

It is a perplexing question and the surviving brothers can offer no immediate answers. However, the story unfolds and Jane Harper will peel back layers of the characters in her tale and secrets will out. The reader gets to understand the isolation these hardy souls have to endure as they farm the land and scratch out a living. Their lives have been closed books to other family members but the circumstances surrounding Cameron’s death will lead to conversations which would never have taken place being aired in front of unexpected audiences.

This is story telling of the highest order. I just wanted to keep reading as the author transported me to the other side of the world. The information you are craving is drip fed into the story and the pages begin to turn themselves. What a talent Jane Harper is – she will draw you into her world and you will not want to leave.

The Lost Man is available in Hardback, Digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Man-Jane-Harper-ebook/dp/B07DX23VP3/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1549238946&sr=8-1

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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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July 30

The Death of Mrs Westaway – Ruth Ware

When Harriet Westaway receives an unexpected letter telling her she’s inherited a substantial bequest from her Cornish grandmother, it seems like the answer to her prayers. She owes money to a loan shark and the threats are getting increasingly aggressive: she needs to get her hands on some cash fast.

There’s just one problem – Hal’s real grandparents died more than twenty years ago. The letter has been sent to the wrong person. But Hal knows that the cold-reading techniques she’s honed as a seaside fortune teller could help her con her way to getting the money. If anyone has the skills to turn up at a stranger’s funeral and claim a bequest they’re not entitled to, it’s her.

Hal makes a choice that will change her life for ever. But once she embarks on her deception, there is no going back. She must keep going or risk losing everything, even her life…

My thanks to the publishers for my review copy which I received through Netgalley.

The Death of Mrs Westaway is one of those reading gems where you can just give yourself over to the story. Ruth Ware will take you into the life of Harriet (Hal) Westaway and you will want to follow her and learn her fate.

Hal is living on a breadline. She is telling fortunes, reading tarot on the seaside pier and living in a small flat which she can ill afford. She has borrowed money from a local lone-shark and the interest is ramping up, so much soat someone has been sent to meet Hal to “encourage” her to pay up.

With things looking grim a ray of salvation lands on her doorstep. Hal has been identified as the beneficiary of her grandmother’s estate, she needs to go go Cornwall to claim her inheritance. Only problem…the deceased woman cannot be Hal’s grandmother so Hal should not be claiming any bequeathment.

Readers can follow Hal’s predicament and if you feel that the choices she makes are not appropriate then it creates a moral dilemma for the reader. As we see Hal’s choices start to generate problems she could not have foreseen will you find any empathy for her predicament?

A great story is guaranteed with Ruth Ware and The Death of Mrs Westaway is no exception. Definitely a book to seek out and I enjoyed it a lot.

The Death of Mrs Westaway is published by Vintage and is available in hardback, digital and audio format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Mrs-Westaway-Ruth-Ware-ebook/dp/B075MTRJ9C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1530549713&sr=8-1&keywords=the+death+of+mrs+westaway

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March 27

The Elf King – Lorraine Hellier

Lorraine Hellier’s children’s book The Elf King follows the story of a family of elves. Bay Leaf is the new Elf King. In this fantasy tale his sister, Sweet Pea, demonstrates her love and devotion for her brother.

In the story, the elves go on a perilous journey to the Mountain Shrine where Bay Leaf must take his ‘Oath of Allegiance’ to the ‘Moon Lake Elves’. An enchanted book offers advice and guidance from their ancestors and warns Sweet Pea to take care of her brother several times during the journey. Bay Leaf almost loses his life…Sweet Pea supports Bay Leaf throughout the journey, but will her interference bring resolution to Bay Leaf’s heartache on their return?

This traditional tale of love and loyalty will appeal to children aged between 7-9 that enjoy fantasy tales. Lorraine uses The Elf King to raise issues surrounding family loyalty and the importance of supporting each other in difficult times.

My thanks to Rachel and Rachel’s Random Resources for the chance to join this blog blitz

I have two mini-bookworms and story-time at bedtime has always been a very important part of our nightly routine. My eldest bookworm is devouring anything he can get his paws on (currently Calvin and Hobbes cartoons and some Magnus Chase thrillers). However, my youngest still enjoys being read a story of an evening and he often asks if he can help me write my blog. So when I was offered the chance to read Lorraine Hellier’s The Elf King I jumped at the opportunity to read a book with my son and get his contributions to the review.

First up, the Dad’s submission.

The Elf King was a great story to take my son through. A few adventures to Enid Blyton’s Faraway Tree have prepared him for reading fantasy novels so he had no trouble accepting the concept of Elves on a quest. We took on a chapter or two each night (depending on how tired he was) most chapters we comfortably read in 10 to 20 minutes, longer when we were chatting about the story as we went.

Together we joined Bay Leaf on a journey which should see him secure his legacy of head of his kinfolk. It was a journey traveled by his father and his father before him. Bay travels with his family and keeping him company is his sister Sweet Pea. Pea acts as the readers eyes for much of the book – she chats to the reserved Bay and draws out his secrets. And what a secret Bay Leaf has been keeping from his family. The unexpected death of his father thrusts Bay into a position he had not anticipated to find himself in so soon. It creates a very personal problem which he does not want to share. The trust and friendship of his sister will help Bay to find himself on his journey. The magic book they carry will help them both to find their way.

The Bookworm Boy

As we read I would ask about the story, what he thought of characters. Was Bay right to keep his secrets, what would we do with a magic book? It gave us some fun chats and helped my son to engage with the story.

When we finished I asked how he enjoyed it and I received a very positive response. He seemed to like Sweet Pea the best, I think Bay was a little too reserved at times (plus Pea carried the story). He has made his own magic book which seems to mirror some of the traits shown in the book carried by Sweet Pea.

We enjoyed our time reading The Elf King, it was a comforting story which he responded well to and he was disappointed when we reached the end of the tale.

The Elf King is published by Matador and is available in digital and paperback format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elf-King-Lorraine-Hellier/dp/1785898876/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522102649&sr=8-1&keywords=the+elf+king+lorraine+hellier

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March 20

Crook’s Hollow – Robert Parker

In the quiet village of Crook’s Hollow, almost exactly between Manchester and Liverpool, land and pride are king.

And now someone has just tried to kill Thor Loxley – but Thor has no clue as to why. As the estranged youngest of the omnipresent Loxley farming dynasty, all of whom view him as a traitorous turncoat, in a village where everybody knows everybody else’s business, life is hard enough.

But here, farmers do things the old way. You deal with problems on your own terms. You keep everything in house where possible. You avoid involving the authorities. With nobody to turn to, Thor sets out to uncover who wronged him. But with corrupt land developers circling, the rival Crook family seeking to unsettle the Loxley’s at every turn, his own family despising him, and jealous old acquaintances lurking, the mystery plunges ever deeper – and up floats more greed, betrayal, secrecy and blood than Thor could possibly imagine.

My thanks to Linda MacFadyen for my review copy

I jumped the gun on Crook’s Hollow and read it too early. It was sitting beside me and calling out to be read and I *knew* it was still 2 months until publication date and that I should really wait so I could review it “fresh” from finishing it…but I am weak dear reader, weak. I raced through Crook’s Hollow in two sittings and have had to sit on my hands for a few weeks and not share how much I enjoyed it until publication date loomed large.

Crook’s Hollow releases on 29 March 2018 and I recommend getting it ordered as soon as you can.

I have mentioned more than once that I love a small town story. Usually there are secrets to be uncovered but sometimes there are small town rivalries and feuding families and the town becomes a powder keg with the reader waiting for someone to light the fuse…that’s Crook’s Hollow.

There are secrets too. The biggest secret as far as Thor Loxley is concerned is that someone is trying to kill him and he has no idea who that someone may be. Now…had he given this problem any prior consideration I don’t believe that Thor would have said ANYONE would want to kill him, however, someone tried and now everyone in Crook’s Hollow is a suspect. Finding the responsible party is not going to be easy though. Thor cannot rely upon his family for help as he has alienated himself from their loving embrace. His best friend is a suspect so there is no help available there and as for his girlfriend, well they have to keep their relationship hush-hush…one of those secrets I spoke of earlier.

I really enjoyed following Thor’s story, the book had a claustrophobic feel and thinking back to when I read it I have a memory of dark rooms, shady places and the prevailing feeling of sinister overtones. It felt like I’d been drawn in to a tale spun by a story-teller as the listeners sat around a campfire on a dark night. This may sound a bit odd but Crook’s Hollow drew me in and the fondest memory I have of reading it is of a sinister darkness.

While Crook’s Hollow may not be the longest story you will read this month, there is a lot of story packed into this tale and Thor will face more than a couple of moments of peril to keep readers highly entertained. Robert Parker held my attention from page one and while my TBR pile is threatening to rage out of control it is not easy to command my full attention the way that Crook’s Hollow did.

Crooks Hollow is published by Black Rose Writing on 29 March 2018 and will be available in digital and paperback format – order your copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crooks-Hollow-Robert-Parker-ebook/dp/B078WDQV4X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518650638&sr=8-1&keywords=crook%27s+hollow

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