Category Archives: Suspense

Everyone in the Group Chat Dies – L.M. Chilton – Review

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Today I’m reviewing Everyone in the Group Chat Dies by L.M. Chilton

Here’s the blurb

Kirby Cornell needs a break from everything:
– Her crumbling flat in the sleepy town of Crowhurst (famous for its award-winning sausage rolls and a second-rate serial killer from the 90s).
– Her dead-end job.
– Her sleazy landlord.
– Her slobbish housemates.
– And, most of all, the terrible thing they did.

Luckily, that hasn’t caught up with her just yet. Until a new message on their old group chat pops up:

Everyone in the group chat will die.

It’s the first text her ex-flatmate and social-media sleuth Esme has sent for ages, but that’s not the really weird thing.

The really weird thing is, Esme died twelve months ago…

Review

After reading the authors previous novel, Don’t Swipe Right and loving it I just couldn’t wait to get stuck into this one!

Kirby Cornell and her friends live in a little town called Crowhurst, they share a flat, their lives, and a group chat.

The only thing exciting about Crowhusrt is that it’s famous for being the home of a serial killer!

One day there’s a knock at the door.. one of their roommates has given his key to a girl named Esme.. She’s there looking for a story.. she’s one of these internet sleuths.. and she thinks there’s more to the Crowhurst killer than first thought..

Esme is like a breath of fresh air for Kirby… Kirby is stuck in a rut and meeting Esme, and what happens next to Esme lights a fire under her..

We jump around the timeline from then, to present time.. a strange message is received the group chat that makes Kirby’s blood go cold.. it’s a message from Esme.. but Esme’s dead right?

Kirby heads back to Crowhurst to find out who is sending these messages.. one of the other flatmates must know something..

There’s hidden secrets.. truths that none of the flatmates want getting out but the reader is kept guessing while Kirby tries to figures things out.

I won’t spoil the twists but there’s a few.. they are clever.. and the truth about the Crowhurst killer, now that was smart from the author.. kept me intrigued right up till the last page!

The story is very clever in that it explores something that is much more common nowadays.. internet sleuths.. the decline in the standard news outlets in favour of social networks and how we get our information these days.. it makes you think about how we digest news and how easy it can be to be manipulated.

There’s not much time to develop the characters… read the book you’ll soon see why ha but the information given is spot on.. little titbits thrown in there to make the story pop and to tie things together.

The plot is where this one shines. It moves at a decent pace and keeps you on edge not knowing what will happen next, or truly who is behind everything.

Flow wise the story was perfect for my kind of reading. It’s effortless to devour this one but has natural points where you can put it down (when you have to, not because you want to ha) and come back later… but that’s the thing.. this one kept me coming back for more,

Overall a smart offering from the author and I’m so glad to see a new book is planned for next year. So far the author has shown me they can write clever stories of a serious nature but in a fun and gripping way.

Easy 5* nothing I’d change with this one… just a bloody good read!

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon… let me know what you think of the book!

BLOG TOUR – I Will Find You by Jessica Huntley

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Today is my stop on the blog tour for I Will Find You by Jessica Huntley!

Here’s the blurb

Annalise saved them from certain death. But she does want something in return…

Bonnie and her husband Steffan are hiking in the beautiful Swiss Alps when they are caught in a freak snowstorm. Fearing they may not survive, the couple are overjoyed when they stumble across an isolated cabin occupied by a lone woman, Annalise.

But their joy soon turns to unease as they realise that Annalise may have a sinister agenda.

And she’s not the only one with something to hide. Trapped together in a nightmarish pressure cooker, the cracks in Bonnie’s marriage start to show as she discovers that Steffan has been leading a secret life.

All the while Annalise becomes more and more menacing. What does she want from them? And what is she willing to do to get it?

Bound ever tighter in a horrifying web, Bonnie is finally forced to confront one terrifying truth – someone is going to die on this mountain.

Review

This is my second foray into the authors works and I already knew I’d love this one.. I just didn’t know how much!

I Will Find You is told form the point of view of two characters, Bonnie and Annalise. What I immediately loved is the authors suspenseful style of storytelling.. the plot is never drawn out too much, rather twisted and engrossing as it plays out… it gives you instant tingles as you know something isn’t right.. but you don’t know what.

The majority of the story focuses around a trip to the Swiss Alps, as Bonnie and her husband Steffan set out on a trek that will push them both to the limits.

Things take a turn when a storm hits forcing them to seek refuge in a remote cabin where they meet Annalise.

The characters compete for the readers attention as the author moves the point of view from now, to explore the past and what brings them to this moment.. the great thing is neither overshadow the other… they both just demand that attention with their own tales.. you are sucked in.. so moving from one to the next while you enjoy the chapter you can’t wait to get back and see where the previous will take you.. but then you are sucked into to that perspective… ahhh you’re honestly just hooked easily making it an easy read too as it just flows effortlessly.

I’ll try to keep this spoiler free but there’s so many creepy vibes that come off multiple characters.. Bonnie has her own trauma but there’s more to her being in the alps than we know.. Steffan.. he’s a dark horse.. you always feel there’s something you don’t quite understand.. hidden just under the surface.. and Annalise.. how did she end up here and why…

The plot is captivating and deliberately full of suspense and I just bloody loved it.. I never felt I quite knew who was good or bad.. each have their own darkness and it was just simply enthralling.

The first 20% of the book is pure build-up which then dials up a notch when they arrive in the cabin..Bonnie feels the creepiness as soon as the door closes but is she going mad? is Annalise just a lonely old woman?

There’s a subtle message through the tale as it develops.. don’t judge a book by it’s cover.. either that or everyone has skeletons in the closet..

The author got the setting prefect to as it added a claustrophobic feel that ramps up the building tension.

There’s so much more to the story than the synopsis suggests.. trust me..it goes way further and those twists are perfectly timed and hit just the right notes.

Jessica Huntley is the queen of the suspenseful thriller for sure!

A heart pounding 5*

My thanks go to the author, publisher and Zoé @ Zooloo’s Book Tours for having me on the tour!

Who is Jessica Huntley?

Jessica Huntley is an author of dark and twisty psychological thrillers, which often focus on mental health topics and delve deep into the minds of her characters.

She has a varied career background, having joined the Army as an Intelligence Analyst, then left to become a Personal Trainer.

She is now living her life-long dream of writing from the comfort of her home, while looking after her young son and her disabled black Labrador. She enjoys keeping fit and drinking wine (not at the same time).

Where can you find them?

Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/jessica.reading.writing
Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/jessica_reading_writing
X (formerly Twitter)https://twitter.com/jess_read_write
Websitehttp://www.jessicahuntleyauthor.com

Book Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/236600768-i-will-find-you

Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/willfindyou-zbt

Why not follow the tour?

Death Row (Alibis collection) by Freida McFadden – REVIEW

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Today I’m reviewing Death Row (Alibis collection) by Freida McFadden.

Here’s the blurb

With all hope of an appeal fading away, the fate of a condemned murderess takes a shocking turn in a breathtaking short story by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Housemaid.

Talia Kemper is on death row for murdering her husband. She had an alibi and no known motive, yet Talia’s unwavering protestations of innocence have always been ignored. Then one day in the visiting area, she sees a recognizable stranger she’s certain is her husband. It turns out the man she’s been convicted of killing may not be dead after all. But as the days tick away toward Talia’s execution, what will it take for her to be believed?

Review.

Freida McFadden is a name many book readers will have heard of I’m sure. It feels like Freida has been rather prolific since I read “The Housemaid”. I’ll be honest I can’t keep pace ha ha so there’s a few on my TBR list but when I spotted Death Row it seemed exactly what I needed! A quick, exciting read. My concentration levels haven’t been the best of late so just needed a change in pace and something to hook me in.

Well Death Row certainly did that!

Talia is on death row for murder..Talia’s husband the victim. The issue is Talia says she’s innocent!

We learn about Talia’s life, or lack of, on death row and as Talia dreams the reader is transported into Talia’s past.. the run up to where we are now.

The more we find out the less things add up.

It looks like Talia wants to have the perfect life.. like we all do.. and for the most part she’s got it. That is until one day she notices what she’s missing. Her husband.. he’s working too hard.. late nights and not enough emotional connection between the two and this is where things spiral… alone with her thoughts Talia’s imagination runs wild.

Back in present day Talia tries to keep her mind busy but when her latest appeal is rejected she can’t help but loose focus..and that’s when she spots him.. a man who looks just like her husband, and he’s here visiting another inmate.. but it can’t be.. he’s dead.. isn’t he?

This is where the book heats up and no spoilers from me but it’s where I felt there’s little hints to direct the reader throughout that start to add up now, while I felt I knew what was coming.. you really never know when that oomph will be.. it’s the suspense..

When the twist hits its a clever and emotional scene wrapping the story up nicely.

Being billed as a short read at approx. 103 minutes there’s loads packed in. It’s the subtle details added in.. the noises..the smells for example, that really make it come alive and intrigue the reader.

It’s a really great story for fans of the author and the genre but more so this is ideal for newbies too.. plenty to get stuck into and shows you just what to expect from Freida McFadden!

Easy 5* read and what’s even better to know is this is the first in a series of short tales, with each instalment from a different author. Very interested in seeing how this. The rest are already up for pre-order too.

To find out more about Death Row head to Goodreads or Amazon.

BLOG TOUR – The Vanishing of Class 3B by Jackie Kable

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Today I’m glad to be taking part in the blog tour for the newly released, The Vanishing of Class 3B by Jackie Kabler!

Here’s the blurb.

One spring morning, a bus full of children and their teachers from a Cotswolds primary school head off on a much-anticipated day trip.

But as night falls and the well-heeled parents – one or two of them famous, as well as wealthy – wait at the school to collect their weary offspring, it soon becomes clear that something has gone very wrong.

The children and their teachers simply do not come back.

What’s happened doesn’t seem possible.

How can an entire class of children simply vanish?

Review

What a riveting thriller. How could so many children and adults just disappear.. did they have an accident.. or is something more sinister afoot.

These kind of chilling events aren’t common but would be any parents worse nightmare.

What I particularly liked is that the story plays on your emotions. the unknown. We’ve all sat there a some point and have over-thought a situation and the worst possible outcome and this book plays nicely into this fear.

There’s quote a few twists and misdirection to keep you on your toes but as time goes by things start to heat up as revelations are revealed, all this is setup quickly but plays on throughout, smouldering all the way until the truth is revealed right at the end.

With a plot like this I feel it’s hard to really develop the characters as motivations can be hidden but the author did a great job of setting the scenes and injecting detail just when you needed it.

Overall The Vanishing of Class 3B is packed full of suspense and misdirection, leading to an enthralling read.

4/5 Stars.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

My thanks go to Jackie Kabler, One More Chapter and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I only accept ARCs to aid timely reviews but I’ve already grabbed myself a kindle copy.. at only 99p it was a steal!

Have I tempted you? If so why not enter the giveaway to win a signed copy? Enter below 🙂

Giveaway to Win a Signed Copy of The Vanishing of Class 3B (Open to UK Only)

Why not follow the tour?

Author Bio – Jackie Kabler is an Amazon number one and USA Today bestselling author of psychological thrillers, including The Perfect Couple, Am I Guilty?, The Happy Family and The Murder List. Her novels have sold nearly a million copies around the world and have been translated into eight languages. Previously she worked as a newspaper reporter and then in television news for twenty years, including nearly a decade on GMTV. She later appeared on BBC and ITV news, presented a property show for Sky, hosted sports shows on Setanta Sports News and worked as a media trainer for the Armed Forces. She now combines writing with working as a presenter on shopping channel QVC. Jackie lives in Gloucestershire with her husband.

Social Media Links –

Twitter @jackiekabler

Instagram @officialjackiekabler

The Rain by B.B Thomas – Audiobook Review

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Today I’m reviewing The Rain by B.B Thomas. An Audible Original Narrated by: Tom Petty, Catrin Walker-Booth, Katy Sobey

Here’s the blurb

A taut psychological thriller that will keep listeners guessing all the way to the end….

Rob and Emma have made a fresh start, moving away from London and back to her hometown. With their baby daughter Sophie, their family is complete.

Until one night, Rob arrives home from a late shift to find baby Sophie crying and on her own. Frantically, he searches the house and surroundings, but Emma has disappeared without a trace.

Rob is distraught. Emma couldn’t abandon their child – could she?

As rumours spread around the village, Rob uncovers secrets about Emma’s past life that shake his foundations about the woman he thought he married.

And when suspicion is cast on him, he must take desperate action to find out what happened to Emma. The question is, does he know his wife well enough to uncover the truth?

Review

Wow!

The Rain follows Rob, Emma and their little girl Sophie.

One night when Rob arrives home to find Sophie crying and Emma missing he fears the worst.. why would she leave Sophie like this… why would she not talk to him.

When the police arrive to help find his missing wife there’s speculation maybe Emma has just runaway, unhappy with her life… but Rob can’t accept that.

I’m trying to keep this spoiler free so let’s just say an event occurs that will shake Rob to the core.

Rob spirals and starts to look deeper into his wife’s past..there’s a secret she was running from but why? And what’s it got to do with her disappearance? Why now?

As Rob tries to come to terms with recent events and taking care of his daughter he builds a great friendship with Emma’s parents and together it seems like Rob might be able to move on a little..and he even starts to make a new friend…

But soon suspicion lands on him for Emma’s disappearance and with the police scrutinising his every move some of the things he’s done don’t look good… but things aren’t right..things have been twisted..but by who? And why? It’s not looking good for Rob.

The last few chapters are a chilling ride for the reader as the author puts the pieces together for Rob and the truth revealed.

When it comes to the plot I frigging loved this, very tense and chilling with twists along the way. Towards the end you are just waiting for that truth to be revealed and it’s very much the WOW moment but if I’m honest the whole story was a WOW moment for me.

I quite enjoy and audible book but truth be told my mind wanders a lot if I’m not reading a physical book so an author actually needs to work hard to grab my attention and this story certainly did, couldn’t put it down and it even led me to enjoy some of the housework like ironing and cleaning as it was the perfect time to put the headphones in and shut off from life for a little ha.

Narration wise I felt it worked so well. There was emotion and depth to the voices which perfectly suited the tail and it certainly added to the tense theme of the tale.

Very much a 5* from me and highly recommended to anyone who enjoys an audible tale.

To find out more head to Audible, Amazon or Goodreads.

The Forbidden Zone by Tom Trott

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Today I’m going to be reviewing The Forbidden Zone by Tom Trott.

Here is the blurb –

Genre – Supernatural/Paranormal Suspense

Every summer camp has its campfire stories, and that’s all they are: stories. But not here.

On the surface, Boys Club Camp is just like every other British summer camp: strict officers, woodland games, and night-time pranks. But Tommy remembers that summer in ’97, the year he turned thirteen, when he was the only one plagued with those little niggling questions: Why does the sound of howling cut through the cold night air? Why are the officers so obsessed with the legacy of Boys Club’s long-dead founder? Why aren’t boys allowed in the east woods?

A scream heard in the night led Tommy and his friends on a journey of discovery, to solve a mystery a hundred years in the making: what is the real purpose of Boys Club? The answer could only be found in the dark heart of the woods: the Forbidden Zone. Now an adult, Tommy needs to understand what they found there. It is his last hope of saving their lives.

Review

The Forbidden Zoneis the retelling of events that transpired when Tommy attended Boys Club Camp in 97.

Things start as you’d expect as the boy’s setup camp, dig trenches and such. We get to know the boys and the officers a little better.

Tommy been coming to camp for a while now and he’s kind of outgrown it. I actually quite liked Tommy. He knows where his strengths and weaknesses are and from my own experience as a boy scout the author showed how difficult it can be for a young boy in an environment when you need to show physical skill when your talents lay elsewhere. It’s hard to feel like one of the group at times.

Side note, I still remember my first day at camp.. slipping on a cow pat as soon as I got off the bus…not my finest moment I must say.

I loved how the author described the different camp events such as tent inspection which I recall myself very well and the frustration your tent mates would have if you let the side down. All  these little events add some depth to the character of Tommy, you like him and things progress fairly ok for him, at times it actually seems like this year is going to be his best yet, but that vibe never leaves you.. it’s the suspense as you know at any moment something has to happen right?

Well the title says it all. The Forbidden Zone is an area near camp out of bounds to the boys but there’s some troubling events connected to the area that are quite unexplainable at first.

It’s all about the build-up here as Tommy discusses his worries with his friends at camp and they agree to keep an eye on things. Things start to get creepy to say the least, officers are taken ill, friends start to act strange, and this is where things really get interesting as the author adds the supernatural edge to the tale.

Character development and plot flowed nicely together. When you look back you can see just how much time is given to the character development and it pays off as you feel a kind of personal connection with the boys. Tommy wants you to learn how he became the man he is.

I really don’t want to spoil the ending at all but its rather good I must admit. The history of Boys Club merges with the present and causes one hell of a headache for Tommy that he will never forget…Well he might forget..as the supernatural events progress there’s every chance Tommy may loose himself..it’s a rather confusing mad dash for the Tommy at the end, and you feel this confusion with him..who can be trusted? And what can he do to stop this evil from ever hurting anyone else?

I very much recommend the book, but maybe not if you are planning to go camping..

4/5 Stars!

To find out more head to Goodreads or on Amazon!

My thanks go to the author for supplying a review copy, I’m glad to say I purchased my own also. I pride myself on doing fair honest reviews and I put my money where my mouth is 🙂

The Bone Collector (Lincoln Rhyme #1) by Jeffery Deaver – Review

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Today I’m going to review The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver.

Here’s the blurb –

Genre – Crime/Thriller
Pages – 480
Rating 4/5 Stars

New York City is thrown into chaos by the assaults of the Bone Collector, a serial kidnapper and killer who gives the police a chance to save his victims from death by leaving obscure clues. The cops go to Lincoln Rhyme, an ex-NYPD forensics expert left paralysed after an accident on the job. Rhyme reluctantly postpones his ambitions towards suicide and puts together a forensic investigation team, enlisting as his eyes and ears young police officer Amelia Sachs.

Rhyme digs deep into the only world he has left – his astonishing mind – and slowly begins to narrow the noose around the Bone Collector. But the kidnapper is narrowing his own noose – around Lincoln Rhyme

Review –

Does the book sound familiar? It may well do..like me you’ve probably seen the movie adaptation staring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie.

I loved the movie so happily picked this book up while hunting in the local charity shops. I quite like the idea of comparing to see where the movie producers have altered the plot to make up my mind as to which is better, book or film.

Let’s focus on the book..what’s it about? Well Lincoln Rhyme is a famous criminalist but he’s a quadriplegic, bed-bound and has a negative outlook on life right now.

Just when he needs it an intriguing case pops up. While he might not be able to be there physically he’s still the best man for the job..add to the equation the best woman for the job Amelia Sachs and you’ve got one hell of a team.

I’ll be honest though..to start with it doesn’t seem like these two will hit it off..they are both stuck in their own worlds a little so find it hard to see things from a different perspective. Given a little time they find their way a little and the bonds between them start to grow. I can easily see them becoming a formidable duo.

There’s a lot to Lincoln and you get quite an insight to the mans mind…not everything you’ll like, sometimes you just want to slap him to tell him to get a grip but then remember it’s just a story and that would be impossible to do.

The plot is quite gripping as it’s a race against time to stop a murderer before any more bodies turn up. What the author gets spot on is the build up…it’s intense.

Overall I enjoyed the book although Lincoln is a hard man to love. The best news for me is that there’s plenty more tales from the author to get tucked into. That’s the issue with watching films over reading books..sometimes you miss the fact there’s a book already out there and more to read, I’ll start to make up for that today!

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

Somewhere in the Shallow Sea by Dennis Macaraeg – Review

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Title – Somewhere in the Shallow Sea: A Novel of Suspense
Author – Dennis Macaraeg
Genre – Thriller
Length – 229 Pages
Publication – Oct 2015
My Rating –3/5 Stars

Synopsis

To save the life of his friend, a marine biologist must deliver the scientific compound he invented to kidnappers hiding deep within the jungles of the Philippines. Unexpectedly paired with his ex-lover for the mission, it’s a bit more than he signed up for.

Review

So what is the book about I hear you ask?

Well the book follows Danny a scientist, his friend Blake has been kidnapped and he has the compound the kidnappers are after. Danny, with the help of some friends and an ex-lover sets out to save  Blake.

The plot was good with a few twists thrown in although I did feel events happened a little too easy at times.. just when Danny thinks all hope is gone an acquaintance of a friend can help. Nothing so bad as to ruin the plot but I would have enjoyed seeing Danny struggle a bit more for leads.

The writing was good, fast paced and easy to follow with a great amount of knowledge added by the author to set the scene. This really did help me imagine the locations described which sound lovely but at the same time dangerous.

Towards the end of the tale the plot picks up a notch and I really enjoyed the ending.

I liked the characters although with such an action packed tale it was hard to get to know them. The romance in this book didn’t feel forced, which suits my tastes. There was a natural progression to it which made it more believable and if you’ve read my reviews you’ll know I don’t do romance ha

Overall this is a good book, think spy thriller without the good guy having any skills or tech support.

The author shows great imagination with his plot and it was really great to see how well this story mixed with the descriptive text of the tale. I definitely think there has to be more to come from this author so I’ll keep an eye out for what’s next!

To find out more head to Amazon or Goodreads.

Daddy Dearest by Paul Southern – Review

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Title – Daddy Dearest
Author – Paul Southern
Genre – Thriller/Suspense
Length –   245 Pages
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

An estranged father’s weekend with his beloved five-year-old daughter turns into a nightmare when she gets into the lift of a city centre tower block and goes down without him. She vanishes without a trace. It sets off a race against time, and a nationwide manhunt, to find her. As the police investigation closes in, suspicion falls on those closest to her – with devastating consequences. Daddy Dearest is a terrifying story of love, obsession and psychological meltdown.

‘My daughter has always had a thing about lifts. There’s something about the thrill of pressing a button and seeing the lift doors close which excites her imagination. It terrifies me. Every time she walks in, I imagine it’s the last time I’ll see her. What if she hits the button before I get there? What if the lift doors close and I can’t get her out? It drives me nuts. There are eight floors in the Sears building, nine if you count the basement, and the lift is fast: more like a fairground ride, really. It does top to bottom in twelve seconds. I’ve timed it. Taking the stairs, I’ve done it in forty-two. That leaves a gap of thirty seconds. You’d be surprised what can happen in that time. I was.’ 

Review

This is a very psychological tale told from the viewpoint of the dad when his daughter goes missing after getting in a lift

I never give away spoilers but I can say for certain this is has a very clever plotline with some very interesting developments that happen throughout the course of the book

There is a underlying tone of love to the tale and I think the author did a great job in making the reader understand the motives behind certain actions.

Emotion played a big part in the tale and the emotion made the tale real for me

For me the best thing about the book had to be the storyline itself. After reading one chapter Paul Southern hooked me in enough that I had to keep reading to see how the story would finish

Overall I felt this was a very well planned and written, raw and real. The storyline is so smart I could easily envisage this one being made into a TV programme.

I very much enjoyed the book and I’ll be looking out for the author’s next release

I really do wish I could give you more to go on but if I say anything else it would give the whole plot away.

My advice is that if you enjoy psychological thrillers or mysteries then you’ll enjoy this one

My thanks go to the author for the chance to read/review his work

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com