Tag: Damp Pebbles

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Blog Tour w/ Review: Rage and Retribution by Lorraine Mace

Reading this book (the fourth in the DI Sterling series) was like coming into the fourth episode of crime procedural on television. The case itself is stand-alone, but you know you are missing some background to the main characters. Fortunately, the author does a great job of focusing on the matter at hand. And boy, is it a good one.

It hardly needs to be said that you can get plot points from blurbs and other reviews. Suffice to say that this story has everything you can want in a crime novel: blackmail, torture, revenge, vigilantism – it’s all there. The opening scene alone is not for the faint of heart.

I wouldn’t say that this is a page-turner as much as it is a steady investigation with lots of twists that seem natural to the arc of a story. I thought the author did an admirable job of relating accurate info in terms of the investigation.

I also liked the balance between Sterling’s homelife and job. The offer that gets thrown at him about midway through was realistic, and I appreciated how he didn’t let it overtake his focus but thought about it when he could. That may sound weird, but it just seemed very…human.

I will say that for some people, the topics addressed and the activities of some characters might be unsavory. They didn’t bother me, because I’ve read worse, but as I mentioned earlier, this gets gritty and dark in places.

As for me, I liked the characters, and the plot was engaging. I will definitely be looking for DI Sterling books in the future.

About Lorraine Mace

Born and raised in South East London, Lorraine lived and worked in South Africa, on the Island of Gozo and in France before settling on the Costa del Sol in Spain. She lives with her partner in a traditional Spanish village inland from the coast and enjoys sampling the regional dishes and ever-changing tapas in the local bars. Her knowledge of Spanish is expanding. To stop her waistline from doing the same, she runs five times a week. 

When not working on the D.I. Sterling series of crime novels, Lorraine is engaged in many writing-related activities. She is a columnist for both Writing Magazine and Writers’ Forum and is head judge for Writers’ Forum monthly fiction competitions. A tutor for Writers Bureau, she also runs her own private critique and author mentoring service.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lomace 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorraine.mace.52 
Website: www.lorrainemace.com 
Blog: http://thewritersabcchecklist.blogspot.com 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mace_lorraine/
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Blog Tour w/Review: Deadly Waters by OMJ Ryan

I loved the first book of this series (Deadly Silence), so I was very excited to see the next one. I was not disappointed.

The author wastes no time in getting right to the heart of the crime and ensuing investigation. I love that the characters are familiar enough that everything just flows. There is not a lot of time wasted in re-introduction and rehashing old plots.

I also enjoyed the setting. That is if a bunch of murders in canals can be considered enjoyable. But my family and I were in Manchester for a soccer trip two years ago, so some of the locations were familiar. Being able to picture certain places makes it easier to get into the story. The juxtaposition of the Christmas holidays and the gruesome murders made an interesting counterpoint to each other as well.

I thought that having a few chapters from the perpetrator’s point of view as a child was also interesting. It gave the story some depth, while even tempting the reader to feel sorry for the murderer. That’s a tricky line to walk, and the author does it well.

Honestly, I sometimes find crime thrillers challenging to review because I do not want to give away plot points in the investigation. Suffice to say that Jane and her team follow the clues and find their killer (that’s not a spoiler…what kind of murder mystery would it be if the murderer was not discovered?!?)

It’s another recommendation from me, and I hope to read many more of Jane’s investigations in the future!

About OMJ Ryan

Hailing from Yorkshire, OMJ Ryan worked in radio and entertainment for over twenty years, collaborating with household names and accumulating a host of international writing and radio awards.

In 2018 he followed his passion to become a full-time novelist, writing stories for people who devour exciting, fast-paced thrillers by the pool, on their commute – or those rare moments of downtime before bed. Owen’s mission is to entertain from the first page to the last. DEADLY WATERS will be his third novel published with Inkubator Books.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OMJRYAN1 @OMJRYAN1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OMJ-Ryan-2449880305025779/
Website: https://www.omjryan.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omjryan/
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Blog Tour w/Review: You Never Told Me by Sarah Jasmon

What a thought-provoking read. I can’t think of the last time a book took me on this type of journey.

We meet the main character, Charlie, in Thailand, as she is reeling from a shock that makes her question her decisions. Unfortunately for her, she soon gets a message from home that unexpectedly sends her back to England. Once this is all set up, the story switches gears as Charlie slowly uncovers unknown family secrets that have lasting repercussions.

That’s all you’re going to get from me in terms of plot information.

I completely identified with Charlie, especially at the beginning. Her wanderlust and desire to do something other than what she saw as the dull expectations of home. However, I think it was precisely this spirit that led her to her further explorations later in the book.

The author did an excellent job of weaving the family secrets into Charlie’s personal journey as well. She learned a lot about her mom but also about herself.

What I liked most about this book, however, was how leisurely the story unfolded. I felt like I floated through this story (not unlike the houseboat), which was a wonderful way to experience it, and allowed me to fully recognize (and feel) the emotions that Charlie was encountering.

The book does start a little bit slow, with some uncertainty as to where it is going. But stick with it, as a few chapters in you will be caught up in the story just as I was.

About Sarah Jasmon

Sarah Jasmon lives on a canal boat near Manchester with her children. She has had several short stories published, is curating a poetry anthology, and has recently graduated from the Creative Writing MA course at Manchester Metropolitan University. To find out more, visit www.sarahjasmon.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahontheboat
Website: https://sarahjasmon.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahontheboat/
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Blog Tour (Review): The Harlech Beach Killings by Simon McCleave

Book series are interesting to me. Individual books in a series can be read as standalones, as the author drops enough references to understand past events without having to read the previous books. Other series require full knowledge of earlier books to understand the current plot. The Harlech Beach Killings fell somewhere in the middle for me.

The story itself was stand alone, and it was a pretty good one. I liked how the investigation unfolded; it was natural and seemed true to real-life police work (i.e., following leads, making connections between victims and suspects, etc.) The focus of the investigation (murderous drug dealers) is always a timely one as well.

There were also a few twists along the way that propelled the narrative. I thought the author waited almost too long for one of them, as it was a good one, but came about very late in the story. That’s a risky maneuver, as it seemed a little contrived by that point. There were clues to it earlier, however, the reader just doesn’t know that they’re clues. (How’s that for cryptic?)

I also appreciated the two seemingly disparate investigators. Both Ruth and Nick had their personal demons to deal with as they pursued the case. But this is where the narrative faltered for me. Having both characters with such albatrosses (alcoholism and a missing person) seemed forced – almost like the author was trying to make them more interesting.

I didn’t think they both needed the embellishment. I will say, though, that everything I know about UK police work I know from reading novels. Someone with the severity of Nick’s issues would not last long on a force, or (at the very least) would be put on desk duty for repeated violations. Maybe it’s different in the UK? And I never quite got where Ruth’s personal life fed into her police work. I prefer it when the two have a bearing on each other, and I never got that feeling here.

I think that’s why this book was in between a “standalone” and a “must read in order” for me. Maybe if I had read the first book, I would have had a better grasp of Ruth, which might have improved my perspective.

Regardless, it was a good book. I’m just not sure that I got everything I could have out of it. My suggestion would be to read the first book before this one to avoid any confusion.

About Simon McCleave

Simon McCleave was born in South London.

When leaving University, Simon worked in television and film development. He was a Script Editor at the BBC, a producer at Channel 4 before working as a Story Analyst in Los Angeles. He worked on films such as ‘The Full Monty’ and television series such as ‘Our Friends In The North’. 

Simon then became a script writer for television and film. He wrote on series such as Silent Witness, Murder In Suburbia, Teachers, Attachments, The Bill, Eastenders and many more. His film, ‘Out of the Game’ for Channel 4 was critically acclaimed – ‘An unflinching portrayal of male friendship.’ (Time Out)

‘The Harlech Beach Killings’ is his second novel.

Simon lives in North Wales with his wife and two children.

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Blog Tour w/Review: Toxic Deception by K.C. Gillis

You probably could not pick a more timely subject than disease control and the reach of big pharma. With the coronavirus in the daily news and reports of the efforts to combat the spread of it, a medical thriller with those themes should be a no-brainer.

Toxic Deception has the premise locked in, and the parts of the novel that deal specifically with the spread of infectious diseases and the control that pharmaceutical companies exert are well-done. There is a lot of detail to be found from both the medical and business points of view, and this is where the novel is at its most interesting.

However, when the story follows the reporter who is investigating the latest possible subterfuge (due to an obituary taped on her door by an anonymous person), it becomes less exciting and more tedious.  

I did not think that Jordan was a likable character, and that’s tough when the main character turns a reader off. I felt that every time the narrative came from her point of view, it became about her. I would have preferred that there was more focus on her investigation.

I know that part of this stems from early in the book when Jordan opines that “the current presidential administration” releases a “constant stream of lies and misdirection….” The author tries to explain it away by also having Jordan hate all politicians, but the intent of the specifics are pretty clear.

I have said several times that commentary like this turns me off. If it is of no benefit to the plot or character development, it has no place in a fictional story. That being said, Jordan’s attitude is pretty crappy about a lot of things. She has obvious disdain for anyone who doesn’t help her, she apparently does not like anyone over 50 in the workforce, and all in all, she seemed way out of her league with this investigation. She was not a character I could get behind and root for success.

And that’s a shame because, as I mentioned at the top, the basic plot is timely and real. As I have written this review, there have been no fewer than six news reports covering different aspects of the coronavirus contagion. Coupled with the conspiracy theories regarding whether or not it is a bioweapon that was accidentally released, the time is ripe for this book. Too bad the main character wrecked it for me.

AUTHOR BIO

K.C. (Kevin) Gillis is the author of the Jordan Reed mystery series. Despite being a lifelong lover of stories and books, writing took a distant back seat as his professional career travelled through the Canadian Air Force, a decade as a chemist, followed by a long and continuing run in corporate America. With writing no longer in the back seat (but not quite yet in the front seat), Kevin has the initial novels (plus one novella) in the Jordan Reed series well under way. His personal interests focus on endurance and water sports, and obviously a lot of reading!. Having grown up in the Canadian Maritimes, he now lives in the US northeast.

He can be found online at www.kcgillis.com. You can connect with Kevin on Twitter at @kcgilliswriter, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kcgilliswriter and you can email him directly at kevin@kcgillis.com.

Information on all of his books can be found at kcgillis.com.

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Blog Tour w/Review: Going Rogue by Neil Lancaster

Holy heck, what an action-packed page-turner this one was!

From the opening scene, I could tell that this was a book that was going to pull no punches both in terms of subject matter and general action, and I was right. It did not let up from beginning to end.

I liked how the author wove different plotlines into a cohesive story. Every event fed into the greater narrative and made sense. The story seemed entirely plausible, especially in today’s world of political turmoil and shifting alliances.

I thought that the characters were well-developed also. I had a difficult time keeping everyone straight at first because there were a lot of players. Novak is a hero to get behind, even as he skirts the limits of legal and moral boundaries. I found that to be one of his most realistic traits because real life (especially in the situation he found himself in) sometimes requires ambiguity for survival.

The descriptions of post-event analysis, risk assessments, and other law-enforcement/military actions were accurate and well-described. I appreciate it when an author shows knowledge in an area beyond the “oh, this would be interesting, I’ll do a Google search” mentions. It was clear to me that this author knows his stuff and knows it well.

The timeliness of subject matter may be touchy for some people, and I did feel that there were a few times that the author veered into more opinionated territory that was not warranted by the plot (case in point: Muslims are not a race, they belong to a religion, so while starting a “race war” with Muslims is a prevalent talking point in some countries real life, it is not factual). Fortunately, moments like this were few and far between.

Going Rogue is the second in the Tom Novak series. While it is not necessary to have read the first one to understand and enjoy this one, there are a few returning characters and references to events from the previous book. I would recommend picking up Going Dark first if only to get in on Novak’s story from the very beginning.

About Neil Lancaster:

Neil was born in Liverpool in the 1960s. He recently left the Metropolitan Police where he served for over twenty-five years, predominantly as a detective, leading and conducting investigations into some of the most serious criminals across the UK and beyond.

Neil acted as a surveillance and covert policing specialist, using all types of techniques to arrest and prosecute drug dealers, human traffickers, fraudsters, and murderers. During his career, he successfully prosecuted several wealthy and corrupt members of the legal profession who were involved in organised immigration crime. These prosecutions led to jail sentences, multi-million pound asset confiscations and disbarments.

Since retiring from the Metropolitan Police, Neil has relocated to the Scottish Highlands with his wife and son, where he mixes freelance investigations with writing.

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Blog Tour w/Review: The Southern Belles by Katie Simpkins

Based on the description, I thought this book had an interesting concept. Not to mention that I have read a lot of crime and psych thrillers lately, so a novel about three sisters whose fates change and who have to figure out new lives sounded appealing.

While the premise remained interesting, the book as a whole did not live up to my expectations. I liked the set-up (a sick girl asks her grandmother to read her a story). It reminded me of The Princess Bride (one of my all-time favorites).

I also liked how each of the sisters had a distinct personality as well, with Livvy as the dreamer, Georgie as the fighter, and Evey as the practical one. These fit the stereotypes of where kids often fall in age-order (youngest to oldest). I thought the author did an admirable job of creating events in each girl’s life that illustrated their character traits.

In addition, I appreciated how each of the girls found their path in life and how each path differed, but how they all realized that money wasn’t everything. That was a good lesson that was well-illustrated.

However, there were times when I felt like the author did not know where to go with the story. The action flipped back and forth between each of the girls multiple times, making it sometimes challenging to keep up with who the focus was on at the time.

Some extra characters and events seemed to have no purpose other than to stretch the story. I understand that there had to be conflict along the way, but some things muddied the plot and were unnecessary to the general development.

The other thing that struck me right from the beginning was poor grammar in a few parts. It almost seemed as if an editor missed parts of the manuscript. For example, there was one section at the beginning written in the past perfect tense, which led to multiple uses of the word “had.” It was awkward and clunky…and the English teacher in me was dying inside.

There was a unique twist at the end that I guessed early on. But there were a lot of uneven parts which made it difficult for me to get through smoothly. Better editing and some tightening of the plot would improve this story significantly. As a whole, the book was just okay.

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Blog Tour w/Review: Truth Hurts by Rebecca Reid

If you read enough psychological thrillers, you get to a point where you can sometimes guess where a book is going. That’s no fault of an author – it’s just that you become able to catch some signs or hints of a character’s motivations.

That’s not the case with Truth Hurts by Rebecca Reid. While I was able to guess a few things, the overall plot kept me turning pages because I truly had no idea how everything was going to work out. And that’s just one of the things I enjoyed in this book.

The author laid the groundwork for Poppy’s character (with flaws and assets) right from the start which stayed the same throughout the book. That consistency added to the feeling of unease in later chapters. Poppy’s backstory is old in intermittent chapters simply labeled “Before.” I liked how there was no real timeframe given; the ambiguity added to later events as well.

As I have mentioned before, it is difficult to write reviews about psychological thrillers because I am not someone who gives away plot points, and in a well-written book (like this one) even the littlest mention of something could ruin it for another reader.

I will say, however, that I loved the author’s cleverness in having Poppy read Jane Eyre because that same vibe was prevalent for two-thirds of the book. There was a gothic feel (obviously intentional) which made Poppy’s suspicions seem more probable and kept me waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop.  

I did feel that there were some unanswered questions and a couple of loose ends that I would have liked to have seen resolved, but I did not see the end coming; it was a total jaw-dropper. Another psych thriller that you should take a look at, especially if you like claustrophobic, gothic novels.

AUTHOR BIO

Rebecca is the Digital Editor of Grazia. She has written for Marie Claire, the Guardian, the Saturday Telegraph, the Independent, Stylist, Glamour, the iPaper, the Guardian, Indy100, LOOK and the New Statesmen amongst others.

Rebecca is a regular contributor to Sky News and ITV’s This Morning as well as appearing on Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, LBC, BBC News 24 and the BBC World Service to discuss her work. 

She graduated from Royal Holloway’s Creative Writing MA in 2015 and Perfect Liars was her debut novel. 

Rebecca lives in North London with her husband.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RebeccaCNReid
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccacnreid/
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Blog Tour w/Review: You, Me, and the Movies by Fiona Collins

I cannot think of another way to describe this book other than cinematic.

Yes, movies and movie quotes are a significant part of the plot, but it is so much more than that.

Scene descriptions were incredibly detailed and created vivid pictures. Events had depth and everything had a purpose. The book as a whole was focused and entertaining.

And heartbreaking.

Confession: I had to re-read the last few chapters twice. The first time I could barely see the pages through my tears. There was so much emotion flowing through the pages that it just got to me.

More than that, however, was the empathy that I felt for Arden.

I don’t want to give the whole thing away because it unfolds beautifully, and readers should experience it on their own. But her realization that her best years might be behind her, and subsequent understanding that she might have the possibility of a better future was heartfelt, realistic, and infinitely relatable. ‘Nuff said on that before I start crying again.

I loved the unique perspective of this story – a history told through movies that were significant to the relationship. The quotes that Arden and Mac remember prove that memories stay with us even as our lives change. It is no surprise that movies guide Arden’s life, given her mother’s propensity for fantasy and image.

I could go on and on about all of the things I liked about this book, but I am honestly having a hard time finding the words because it was just so epically beautiful in every way.

Do yourself a favor and pick this one up right away.

About Fiona Collins

Fiona Collins grew up in an Essex village, and after stints in Hong Kong and London, returned to the Essex countryside where she lives with her husband and three children. She has a degree in Film and Literature and has had many former careers including TV presenting in Hong Kong, traffic and weather presenter for BBC local radio and film/TV extra. You can find her on Twitter @FionaJaneBooks.

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Blog Tour w/ Review: The Good Mother by Cathryn Grant

I always like a good plot that sneaks up on me, and The Good Mother fits the bill perfectly. What seemed like a study of suburban women and the packs that they form descended into a taut domestic thriller that explores the long-lasting effects of trauma.

I thought that the author did an excellent job of using the three women (Amy, Rachel, and Charlotte) to progress the character study. Amy, as the go-getter/Alpha, was the “Type A” mom that is familiar to many. Rachel, her supposed best friend, wanted to appease and be included. And Charlotte was the “New Mom in Town” who didn’t fit the suburban mom role.

I could find myself (at least a little bit) in each of these women, and I think that is why I enjoyed the book so much. My “allegiance” to the individuals ebbed and flowed with the story, which kept it interesting. I have been the new mom in town (although not a brazen or “artsy” as Charlotte), so I could relate to what she felt as she tried to fit in.

I least identified with Amy. I understood her desire to be the perfect mom (what mom doesn’t?) and connected with her drive to make sure that her family had everything they needed. However, her desire was more of an obsession, which was ultimately guided by childhood trauma. Her progression was the most interesting but the least relatable to me.

Rachel was the character I truly understood. She wanted to belong to the group and went along with everything, even when she thought it was wrong or didn’t want to take part. One incident with Amy stands out, as Rachel participated even as she knew she shouldn’t. I saw it as a turning point for her, as she realized that things were changing quickly and out of her control.

After all of the events of the book, I could also relate to Rachel’s feeling of wanting everything to be the way it was before. Whenever there is a monumental change, there is almost always the desire to return to what was normal (even if it actually wasn’t). That came across loud and clear to me.

I did especially like the way Amy and Charlotte’s plot lines interwove and eventually collided. I thought it was smart of the author to build the suspense – I honestly was not sure which way that was all going to go, but it was extremely satisfying.

Each mother in this story thought that they were doing what they could to be a good mother, and it was fascinating to see each of the approaches. It was also interesting to see the pitfalls and failures of each woman and where their choices could have been better. I could argue that this could be used as a cautionary tale as well as an entertaining novel.

This book started a little slow, but the tension built fast, and the author kept the pace moving. I would definitely recommend this book.

About Cathryn Grant

Cathryn is the author of the Alexandra Mallory Psychological Suspense series, Psychological Thrillers, Suburban Noir novels, The Haunted Ship Trilogy, and the Madison Keith Ghost Story series. THE GOOD MOTHER will be her second novel published with Inkubator Books.

Cathryn’s fiction has appeared in Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazines, The Shroud Quarterly Journal, and The Best of Every Day Fiction. When she’s not writing, Cathryn reads fiction, eavesdrops, and tries to play golf without hitting her ball into the sand or the water. She lives on the Central California coast with her husband and two cats. 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CathrynGrant
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CathrynGrant.Writer/
Website: https://www.cathryngrant.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cathryngrant_fiction/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cathryn-Grant/e/B004G1I484?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3&qid=1566901527&sr=8-3


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