Tag: #Bookouture

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Books On Tour (Review): Tell Me Lies by Ed James

I love a good story that makes me feel like I’m watching a tv show or movie, and this first book in a new crime thriller series is a perfect example.

Amazon: https://geni.us/B07ZJC71FCSocial
Apple: https://buff.ly/2JBFrYz
Kobo: https://buff.ly/2NbeXxL
Google: https://buff.ly/2Pj0Edm

I thought the author did an exceptional job of introducing the characters gradually. The descriptions weren’t just info dumps or exposition. In other words, I liked being able to figure out the motivations and backgrounds rather than just being told what they were.

I also appreciated that the action moved along swiftly. There were no long periods of introspection or self-evaluation. Every event or comment had a purpose and added to the story.

While I’m on the action aspect, I particularly liked that the points of view changed between the FBI agent  (Carter), the Senator (Holliday), and the kidnapper (Mason). I thought it was easy to follow and gave me clues to the bigger picture.

The plot itself is also timely; a senator’s kids are kidnapped. The kidnappers’ are looking for some “truth” from the senator (who obviously has something to hide), and the FBI agent in question is trying to find the children while figuring out what the senator knows (but isn’t telling). It all makes for some “Oh wow!” moments.

If this first book is any indication, Carter is a hero I can get behind, and I look forward to reading more of his cases in the future.

Author Bio

Ed James is the author of multiple series of crime novels.

The bestselling DI Simon Fenchurch series is set in East London and published by Thomas & Mercer.

The self-published Scott Cullen series of Scottish police procedurals features a young Edinburgh Detective Constable investigating crimes from the bottom rung of the career ladder he’s desperate to climb. The first book, “Ghost in the Machine”, has been downloaded over 400,000 times, hitting both the Amazon UK & US top five.

The Craig Hunter books is a sister series to the Cullen novels, with a PTSD-suffering ex-squaddie now working as a cop investigating sexual abuse cases. With lots of slapstick and banter.

Ed lives in East Lothian, Scotland and writes full-time, but used to work in IT project management, where he filled his weekly commute to London by literally writing on planes, trains and automobiles.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Mailing list — http://bit.ly/EJMail
Email — ed@edjames.co.uk
Twitter — http://www.twitter.com/edjamesauthor
Facebook — http://www.facebook.com/EdJamesAuthor

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Books On Tour (Review): The Fortunate Ones by Catherine Hokin

Gutwrenching, heartfelt, and well-researched, this novel was truly unputdownable. The usual themes of a plot set during WWII are all here, but there were a few new perspectives that had me thinking on a deeper level.

Amazon: https://bit.ly/38i4eL7
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3adhzG9
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Nv4e2k
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3afeENf

I found the early chapters of Felix’s life to be particularly interesting. When it comes to the Nazis and their ultimate goal, the details are often lost in the horror of the overall plan. I appreciated that the author took the time to describe the different ways that the SS identified people and how there was a hierarchy to which groups had “preferential” treatment.

What really struck me is the way people made excuses along the way. I am a history buff and have been to the camp at Dachau and am familiar with the way townspeople in the surrounding areas “ignored” the situation. I understand the power the Nazis had and how speaking out could bring their wrath down on a family.

However, the author laid it even barer: people knew even after the war was over and still chose to ignore the atrocities. The scenes surrounding the trials were exceptionally well-done. Kitty’s observation that people were not as concerned about what Germany did as they were about what Russia might do was especially thought-provoking.

The attitude of “let’s forget the past and focus on the future” disallowed justice for the millions who died. While the world was correct to worry about Russia, the Germans should not have been let off the hook so easily.

The author illustrated this with Felix’s determination to find the particular person he held responsible for his family’s situation. I won’t say any more than this, but I liked how the book elaborated on those officers who got away and what they did when they escaped. That’s also something that isn’t often covered in novels set during this time.

I also thought it was interesting how Inge and Felix’s lives paralleled each other (in a manner of speaking) and how they both were in untenable situations that caused them both to do what they had to keep going. Those small moments and little steps within a journey that propel a person forward are well-described for both characters.

There are a lot of lessons that can be learned from WWII, and this book does a fantastic job of enumerating several of them. The author vividly illustrates the many different types of losses suffered by the people of Germany. She also allows the reader to feel the determination to survive experienced by people who were caught in the Nazi trap, regardless of which “side” they were on.

I highly recommend this book, as it is a stark reminder of a period in history that should never be repeated.

Author Bio

I seem to have followed a rather meandering career, including marketing and teaching and politics (don’t try and join the dots), to get where I have always wanted to be, which is writing historical fiction. I am a story lover as well as a story writer and nothing fascinates me more than a strong female protagonist and a quest. Hopefully those are what you will encounter when you pick up my books.

I am from the North of England but now live very happily in Glasgow with my American husband. Both my children have left home (one to London and one to Berlin) which may explain why I am finally writing. If I’m not at my desk you’ll most probably find me in the cinema, or just follow the sound of very loud music.

I’d love to hear from you and there are lots of ways you can find me, so jump in via my website https://www.catherinehokin.com/ or on my Cat Hokin FB page or on twitter @cathokin

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Books On Tour (Review): The Stranger's Wife by Anna Lou Weatherley

I have mixed feelings about this book. By the end, I found myself asking what I had just read. It seemed (to me) that the author couldn’t decide whether to write a police procedural or a psych thriller. The result is a mash-up of the two.

Amazon: https://geni.us/B082VLSD3FSocial 
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2PC55j6
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2PYwGKl
Googleplay: http://bit.ly/2S4p7EB

That’s not to say that it was a bad book; I did enjoy it. It is quite apparent from the very beginning that there are secrets galore, although some of the secrets are more apparent than others. The author does an admirable job of unveiling them. Whether it was through the course of the investigation or other character confessions, it all seemed natural.

I think part of the issue that I had was that the chapters jumped back and forth between characters and time. I usually do not have problems when books do that; I’m good at following the thread, regardless. For some reason, however, I found myself getting confused with this plot. It could be that I was distracted (I didn’t feel like I was, but maybe). It just seemed as if some events didn’t fit into the story as well as others.

I also had a difficult time getting behind any of the characters. I didn’t get depth from any of them. Even the investigative squad, which I can usually relate to due to personal reasons, seemed shallow; I didn’t feel a cohesiveness.

In reading over this review, I realize that it seems as if I didn’t like the book – that’s not the case. As I mentioned, I did like it. It kept me engaged and turning pages. It just seemed to be disjointed in the actual telling of the story itself. I would still recommend it, but with the warning to pay close attention to the chapter headings, so you know when and who is telling the story.

Author Bio

Anna-Lou began her career as a dancer but a moped accident in Ibiza put paid to those aspirations and so she went back to her first and one true love – writing! She re-trained as a journalist, specialising mainly in women’s interest and celebrity, becoming the Editor of J-17 and Smash Hits as well as writing for a host of women’s magazines.

Anna-Lou has written three Adult Fiction titles – Vengeful Wives and Wicked Wives, both published by Avon in the UK and Bookouture in the US and Canada and Pleasure Island published by Bookouture.

To find out more about Anna’s novels, go to https://www.facebook.com/annalouweatherleyauthor/ or follow https://twitter.com/annaloulondon on Twitter.

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Books On Tour (Review): The Man She Married by Alison James

It’s difficult to classify this book into one genre. It starts as a psychological thriller but then morphs through two more sections that are very different from the initial story. This unique structure had me turning pages to figure out what the “real story” was.

AMZ: https://geni.us/B07ZFY1NVTSocial  
Apple Books: https://buff.ly/2BBTuss
Kobo: https://buff.ly/32GKe26
Googleplay: https://buff.ly/2P7tHjY

The first section was a little challenging to get through, only because it was blatantly apparent that there was something very wrong with Dom’s reactions. I felt that Alice was extraordinarily gullible, and I had a hard time feeling sympathetic towards her confusion and uncertainty.

To be fair, she did have a rocky romantic past, so I suppose that could have had something to do with her willingness to be swept away. I also think that her confusion in Part One was a good set up for later when she tries to unravel the whole mystery that has suddenly been sprung on her.

It was apparent that there was more to the story, and the reader gets the whole background in Part Two (which reminded me a little bit of “American Psycho” of the book. I thought this was effective, and it was different from the usual “alternating chapters” approach. Seeing the action through one character’s eyes and then the other’s provided added depth to the story.

I also liked how the story came full circle with a few different red herrings thrown in. The author paid close attention to detail, and everything dovetailed neatly. I did think that the epilogue was a little bit of a throwaway, as there was not a lot to add to the story, but I can see why the author felt it necessary to “wrap it up.”

Taken in sections, the book felt uneven at times. But put all together, it was a cohesive story that I enjoyed. I would certainly recommend this one to anyone looking for a different type of psych-thriller.

Author Bio

Born in the Cotswolds, Alison spent most of her formative years abroad. She studied languages at Oxford, then became a journalist and author, returning to university after her two children to take a law degree. After a three-year stint as a criminal paralegal, Alison worked as a commercial copywriter and then a TV storyliner, before coming full circle to write fiction again.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alison.james.90226628
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/AlisonJbooks
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Books On Tour (Review): Her Last Goodnight by Michael Scanlon

As this is the third book in the series, I was a little bit concerned (as I usually am when I start a series in the middle) that it could be an uphill battle. Sometimes authors include so much detail from previous installments; it makes coming in late challenging. I’m happy to say, however, that this is not so much the case with this book.

Beck was a tough character to get to know. Without a baseline, it was jarring to have his personal demons come to light in the face of the case at hand. And what a doozy that situation is. As always, I don’t give plot points away here, and you can read blurbs for the background. Suffice to say that I thought this was a unique plot with sympathetic victims and a twisted perpetrator.

In spite of Beck being a tough person to crack, I thought he was also realistic. Given what police see every day, it is often no wonder when they can’t cope. How Beck tries to deal is very familiar to those in law enforcement across the globe. I also appreciated that he had an astute eye for details and evidence. That made him more likable.

I enjoyed the setting of this story. The small Irish town was quaint and appealing while still being the center of a twisted case. The size also added to the claustrophobic feel. In small towns, everybody knows everybody else’s business but are often loathe to share it, even when it’s vital to a criminal case. This hampers the investigation while also providing urgency to Beck’s investigation.

Despite a slow start, this book did take off, and it was quite a read to the final pages. I grew to appreciate Beck more, and I look forward to reading the first two books, as well as any others to come.

Author Bio

Michael Scanlon is a civilian employee of the An Garda Siochana (the Irish police force), but a life threatening undiagnosed illness that struck while travelling in Spain in 2014 has rendered him on long term sick leave. He is married to Eileen and has a daughter, Sarah. He lives in the countryside outside the town of Ballina in County Mayo. The town has arguably the best salmon river in Europe, called the Moy.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MScanlonAuthor

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Books On Tour (Review): The Missing Letters of Mrs. Bright by Beth Miller

A (late) middle-aged woman married for 29 (not 30!) years decides to leave her empty nest and pursue…well, she’s not exactly sure at first. I’m pretty sure that the premise of this book is relatable to any woman who has been married for more than a decade or two.

Amazon: https://bit.ly/39xYAG1
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2MQs7km
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2rRQuag
Google Play:  https://bit.ly/2ZLpiGH

When Kay does something, she does it in a big way. She blindsides her husband, co-workers, and adult children with her decision. Some of them are more understanding than others. I could empathize with her for most of the book, but there were a few parts where she was downright unlikeable.

I related to her feeling of “the path not taken.” I think that is a common theme for women who have devoted their lives to their husbands and children, only to find their own interests have been pushed aside. Once “empty nest syndrome” sets in, there is more opportunity to think about what has been missed over the years.

What kept the story interesting, and ultimately saves Kay as a redeemable character, is that her memories of certain events and people are faulty, painted with a golden tinge of fond memories instead of stark reality. She also eventually finds out that real life bears little resemblance to the life she imagined might have happened.

There is a sub-plot with her daughter, Stella, who only recently moved out of the house. At times, it seemed like those parts didn’t fit into the narrative, but about halfway through it became apparent as to why Stella’s story was important to tell alongside of Kay’s

The letters mentioned in the title are between Kay and her friend Bear (it takes a while to discern who Bear is and the importance of the character). They serve as a “point/counterpoint” to Kay’s present story.

All in all, this was a well-crafted story that emphasized the importance of not losing oneself while also moving forward and not living in the past of “what could have been.” I very much enjoyed reading it and would recommend it.  

Author Bio

I have been told that I write like a tall blonde, so that’s how I’d like you to picture me.

I’ve published three novels, with one more about to be born, in January 2020. I’ve also published two non-fiction books. I work as a book coach and creative writing tutor.

Before writing books, I did a lot of different jobs. I worked in schools, shops, offices, hospitals, students’ unions, basements, from home, in my car, and up a tree. OK, not up a tree. I’ve been a sexual health trainer, a journalist, a psychology lecturer, a PhD student, a lousy alcohol counsellor, and an inept audio-typist. I sold pens, bread, and condoms. Not in the same shop. I taught parents how to tell if their teenagers are taking drugs (clue: they act like teenagers), and taught teenagers how to put on condoms (clue: there won’t really be a cucumber). I taught rabbis how to tell if their teenagers are druggedly putting condoms on cucumbers.

Throughout this, I always wrote, and always drank a lot of tea. I’m now pretty much unbeatable at drinking tea.

@drbethmiller  

https://www.bethmiller.co.uk/ 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beth-Miller/e/B00PWNOA2Y/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
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Books On Tour (Review): The Daughter's Promise by Sarah Clutton

After the pulse-pounding thriller I finished previously, I thought it would be nice to read something that was a bit simpler. I quickly found out, however, that there was an underlying current to this book that was almost as intriguing as the thriller.

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0821GP4C2
Apple Books: https://apple.co/35JyLjH
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2pZLWha
Googleplay: http://bit.ly/2KZIRVv

Plot points are described in the blurb found on multiple sites, which is sort of a pet peeve of mine. I know that blurbs are supposed to create buzz, but I don’t like it when so much of the plot is given away in them. If I know too much going in, I look for those points thereby possibly missing other important things.  

In this case (thankfully) I didn’t read the whole blurb before I read the book. I was able to enjoy the revelations of the book as they occurred, which I think is very important to how I view a book when I am finished.

I liked being able to understand each of the women as they were introduced and to follow them through the story. The message that secrets can destroy families was very clear and the plot points that illustrated that theme were organic and plausible.

I related to Willa very strongly. I am an adoptee and also know very little about my birth parents. The scene where she thinks about her medical history especially struck home, because I go through the same thing every time I go to the doctor. It is sometimes disheartening to have to say “I don’t know” to family medical histories, especially as I get older and certain diseases or problems can arise.

I thought the differences between Annabelle and Sylvia were very interesting. They were almost polar opposites, with each thinking they were happier than the other…when in reality neither was entirely satisfied (as evidenced by both of their actions).

This wasn’t a page-turner in a thriller sense, but it did keep me reading to get to the bottom of Lillian’s motivations. It was nicely crafted to wind its way through the different points of view to arrive at the resolution.  I would definitely recommend this book.

Author Bio

Sarah Clutton is an Australian author and former lawyer whose debut novel, Good Little Liars, mixes suspense and domestic drama with nuanced characters. Having majored in psychology in her original degree, Sarah is fascinated by people. How does the past shape us? Can we can learn empathy? What determines the outcomes when moral and legal boundaries collide?

Sarah’s work earned her the Dymocks/Fiona McIntosh Commercial Fiction Scholarship in 2018, a coveted national award run by one of Australia’s most successful commercial fiction authors and sponsored by Australia’s largest book chain. An alumna of the Australian Writers’ Centre novel writing course, and with a mostly-finished Master of Arts (Writing) that she has no interest in finishing because she prefers making stuff up, Sarah lives with her family in the very pretty tourist town of Bowral, near Sydney. She has lived all over Australia, and if she didn’t live in Bowral, she would live in Hobart, the most beautiful city she knows.

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/sarahcluttonauthor/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/sarahmclutton

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Books On Tour (Review): Winter Dark by Alex Callister

I’m not always a fan of action books because it sometimes seems like the author tries too hard. That is not the case with this new series by Alex Callister.

Amazon: https://geni.us/B07YX7P4V6Social
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/winter-dark
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=zPC0DwAAQBAJ
Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/book/winter-dark/id1482904710

The action starts from the beginning and doesn’t let up (for once, the tag line of “heart-pounding suspense” is truthful). 

I did find it difficult to sort out the characters at first. There seemed to be references that referred to prior events (but this is the first book). Eventually, however, it all became clear.

I loved that the protagonist was a young female. With all of the talk these days of female empowerment, it was refreshing (and sure as heck a lot better than the proposed new “female Bond.” But I digress).

I thought that Winter was an interesting character. I liked that she had a spotty background, but that she was smart as well as feisty. In fact, her intelligence (to me) is what made her stand out as a heroine to root for.

The concept of torture for the online masses is also timely. As people become more involved with virtual experiences, and with the lack of civility that seems to be tracking with the rise of social media, it is not too farfetched to believe that we will one day have these types of options, as distasteful as it is. Who knows, maybe it’s already occurring on the Dark Web.

Anyway, I thought it was a great book. It was exciting and read like a movie, which I appreciate because the action moved the plot along quickly. If you’re looking for a crime thriller that keeps you intrigued, look no further.

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Books on Tour (Review): The Argument

I am pretty sure that I have mentioned it before, but in my mind, there are different types of psychological thrillers. Mostly, however, they fit into two categories: the roller coaster and the drawn-out exploration. The Argument is squarely in the latter category.

Amazon: https://geni.us/B07YCPXL2FSocial
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2mUlIKN
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2lJrf74
Googleplay: http://bit.ly/2ljeMqo

I find books like this sometimes to be a difficult read. There is so much detail in the thought processes of the characters, little minutiae that needs to be read and processed. On the one hand, I appreciate the attention to details like this as it is apparent that the author has put a lot of thought into the characters’ motivations.

On the other hand, it can make for a plodding read and that can become tiresome.  That might not be the correct word, because the action is still ongoing, it’s just more in the characters’ thoughts instead of actual activity within the book.

Regardless, this is one of the better ones that I have read. At any given time, I felt for either Hannah or Olivia. There was the right balance of both of their points of view, and I found my belief in the individual points of view to change depending on the action. At first, I was not a fan of Olivia at all, but it became apparent there were a lot of underlying issues that were slowly revealed.

There were comments by characters that made me question their motivations, and all of the plot points (even seemingly unimportant ones) eventually added up to quite the finale. I think the author plotted and paced everything out perfectly.

I recommend this book, but make sure you read it when you can devote the time to appreciate every word; you don’t want to miss anything.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/victoriajenkinswriter/
Twitter:      @vicwritescrime
https://twitter.com/vicwritescrime

Victoria Jenkins lives with her husband and daughter in South Wales, where her series of crime novels featuring Detectives King and Lane is based. Her debut novel The Girls in the Water is an Amazon UK top 30 bestseller, and top 5 bestseller in the Amazon US chart.

Her first psychological thriller, The Divorce, was published in July 2019. The second, The Argument, publishes December 10th 2019.

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Books On Tour (Review): The Blossom Twins

Gutted.

There is no other way to describe how I felt by the end of this book.

I knew that something big was going to happen (based on reviews from earlier readers), so I tried to brace myself.

Didn’t help.

When last we saw Natalie, she had to make some crucial decisions regarding her family. There have long been issues with both of her children, mostly born from the fact that Natalie and her husband, David, have been on the outs for quite a while. This book continues with that conflict and everything comes to a head as significant decisions are made (can’t say more, ‘cuz it would give it away).

As always, Natalie has to work a case while her home life implodes. This one is especially chilling because young girls are being killed similarly to a killer from Natalie’s past. Now, I really can’t say much more, because this is one you have to read for yourself to get the impact. I don’t want to give ANYTHING away.

One of my favorite things about this author is her pacing. The reader gets to follow the investigation “in real-time,” which makes it more interesting. The reader also gets an added benefit of flashback chapters that give extra clues as to the identity of the murderer.

The way the investigation proceeds is easy to follow and dovetails perfectly with events in Natalie’s personal life. In this case, the two become inextricably twined in a way that both Natalie and the reader do not see coming. (Not going to lie, I had my suspicions regarding who the killer was, but still was shocked by the bigger picture).

By the end of the book, Natalie is at a crossroads in her life. Events have broken her. And I, for one, cannot wait to see what she does next. I say it every time – if you haven’t started reading the Natalie Ward series, you should start now, because they just keep getting better and better.

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