Tag: Inkubator Books

The Second Wife by Miranda Rijks is a psych thriller that most delivers on an engaging plot.

That being said, the title does not really make sense in the greater scheme of the story. But I’ll get to that in a minute.

Mia is easy to like and root for. She appears to be honest and hardworking, and kind of ends up with a bad rap.

And that is all before the real twists start.

And then there is Brooke, who I found to be shallow, dishonest, vapid, and pretty unlikeable.

So, yeah, sides are easily drawn.

However, when the big turning point occurs, Brooke becomes a little more understandable and even a bit sympathetic.  But I think this was also in comparison to the other Featherstones who showed up.

Talk about characters with no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

Anyway, the action pretty much is in three acts: the build-up, the action, and the aftermath. There is a contained cast of characters, so there are no sneaky connections or “where did that person come from” moments, which I appreciate.

As events get spooky and even dangerous, the action takes on a little bit of an Agatha Christie feel. I think that is mostly because things get a bit complicated, and the twists start to appear more quickly.

There are some definite psych thriller head games. However, there are some moments that verge on melodrama and seem almost too over the top.

But the author still has a few good secrets that she holds onto until the very end, so it makes the entire story worthwhile.

Now, about the title though. I don’t feel like it did the story justice. Once you meet “the second wife” you expect the rest of the story to be about here, but that is not the case. She plays a big part in it, but she isn’t the focus.

It’s an odd choice.

Regardless, it’s a good read. I recommend this latest psych thriller from Miranda Rijks. You can also check out The New Neighbour. The review contains links to more of her books.

Author Bio 

Miranda Rijks is a writer of psychological thrillers and suspense novels. She has an eclectic background ranging from law to running a garden centre. She’s been writing all of her life and has a Masters in writing. A couple of years ago she decided to ditch the business plans and press releases and now she’s living the dream, writing suspense novels full time. She lives in Sussex, England with her Dutch husband, musician daughter and black Labrador.

Miranda is the author of psychological thrillers. This will be her fourteenth novel published with Inkubator Books.

The Tenant by Angela Lester is a psych thriller that will keep you guessing right up to the very end.

Yeah, I know that is a familiar refrain when it comes to psych thrillers, but in this case, it is actually true.

The author does a great job of building the plot from the ground up, giving the reader just enough information to keep going while also leaving enough doubt about the motives of the characters.

That might sound confusing, but it isn’t in actual practice in the story.

Kate is an interesting character. Her backstory is just questionable enough that when odd things start to occur, she appears to be an unreliable narrator.

Amy is…well, she’s Amy. I can’t say too much about her without giving major points of the story away. But again, here is where the author excels, because in spite of my initial feelings about her, I found myself questioning whether or not she might be the victim.

And you won’t find that answer here.

There are also some good red herrings along the way, which lend additional doubt to both Amy and Kate’s motivations.

There were a few times that I felt the story disconnected. Like a good plot point that makes sense but then kind of goes nowhere.

For example, without giving anything away, there were times that I wasn’t sure about Clara and Philip’s roles in the entire situation. I suppose that was by design as well. Because at one point, I wondered if they had something to do with everything that was going on.

Another example was when Kate was working in the library and saw a man sitting in a place where Philip sat. Then, a while later in the book, Clara is describing Philip at a point in his life. The description was very similar to the person Kate saw in the library.

Again, not sure if it was by design, but it would have been nice for that to have been explored more. Maybe calling Kate’s sanity into question?

But I suppose that was done enough. I did guess early about parts of the plot, and I kept hoping that the author would have a twist proving me wrong. She did, but not in the way I expected, so that was good.

All in all, I would say that The Tenant by Angela Lester was a definite solid psych thriller and it should go on your TBR list.  I look forward to reading more from her.

Author Bio 

Angela Lester loves writing psychological suspense that explores the dark side of human nature.

A philosophy graduate, she came over from Germany in 1991 and has lived in Cardiff ever since.  She plays the piano, sings in a choir, and loves walking in the great Welsh countryside. Her real passion is writing. She has written short stories and novels in German and English. The Tenant is her first published thriller.

This is the first psych thriller I have read by Lorna Dounaeva, but The Perfect Family was just good enough to make me want to come back for more.

It is an intriguing look at how far a person will go to protect their image…and their family. But it also is a searing look at how quickly that image can disappear.

Victoria is a character who is easy to dislike. She is too perfect, too driven, and too clueless about the realities surrounding her situation.

Even as her image is “perfect” (hence “the perfect family”), there are several things that she chooses to stick her head in the sand about.

Her teenage daughter is pulling away from her.

Her son is showing all signs of being on the spectrum.

And she and her husband are hiding a deep secret that she will do anything to keep hidden.

As I said, she is easy to dislike because she is of a single mind about the last one. At least, that’s how it seems.

I got most annoyed with her when it came to her son. I have dealt with parents like her more often than I care to admit, and they bug the heck out of me. It does a kid no good to be protected to the point of “there is nothing wrong with them” when acknowledging an issue can do the kid a world of good.

But that is my little soapbox moment.

I think the author uses that to show just how narrow Victoria’s thinking is. Not that she is narrow-minded, just doesn’t have a large vision.

Anyway, the story is told from three points of view: Victoria, Anna (her daughter), and diary entries from Joey. To me, the last point of view is the most telling, and I wish there had been more of it.

To be frank, this is a decent psych thriller with okay plot points and a questionable lead character…right up until the end.

The choices made by the author for the climax and aftermath are shocking (given everything that comes before) and will leave you wondering what just happened.

I think it’s part character redemption (but who?) and part “let’s take the reader for a real ride.” I’m good with that.

So, pick up The Perfect Family and you will find that Lorna Dounaeva has created a story proving that perfection only exists on the surface.

About the Author

Lorna Dounaeva has a Masters in European Studies and used to work at the Home Office before turning to crime fiction. She lives in Godalming, Surrey with her husband, three children, and a crafty cat. 

The Perfect Family is her second psychological thriller with Inkubator Books.

Website: https://www.lornadounaeva.com

The New Neighbour has a great premise and promising start. It doesn’t entirely deliver but is still a good read.

If you got through that sentence, and it makes sense, I’ll try to explain better.

The book starts with an incident in the past (just a few months prior) then jumps to the present day. The plot is linear and easy to follow and has good bones.  

With psychological thrillers, the devil is in the details. That is why The New Neighbour is tricky. There are a lot of details and not all of them are pertinent to the plot.

Green burials, autism, affairs, potential domestic abuse, secrets…there is just a lot going on.

Additionally, and not to give a major plot point away, there is an event that occurs roughly halfway through. It could definitely be considered a “twist,” but it sent the book in a totally different direction.

I feel there are two different stories, and the author couldn’t decide which one to actually write. So, they become one.

Again, without giving anything away, I kept expecting that twist to be the catalyst for more. And it was…just nowhere near in the way I thought it would be.

In retrospect, maybe that is all because I expected more out of the initial story. But because of the choices, it almost seems as if the first half was a waste of time because the pieces put in place are (for the most part) not followed through upon.

This is a twisty review, but I guess that’s what the book did to me. There is a hard time separating because it really does feel like two different stories to me.

I like where the author was going in the first half and would have been happy if that had panned out. I like the twists in the second half. There were enough that the story was redeemed.

I just wish that either one had been a complete story. I think it would have been more linear and there would have been more meat in the plot.

But that is all personal opinion. Other readers may have a completely different experience. That is why I ultimately recommend The New Neighbour.

Plus, I am a long-time fan, so I will always look forward to reading the next book from this author. Don’t believe me?

Check out these reviews as well: The Arrangement, Roses are Red, Deserve to Die, What She Knew, The Influencer, The Visitors, You Are Mine

Author Bio 

Miranda Rijks is a writer of psychological thrillers and suspense novels. She has an eclectic background ranging from law to running a garden centre. She’s been writing all of her life and has a Masters in writing. A couple of years ago she decided to ditch the business plans and press releases and now she’s living the dream, writing suspense novels full time. She lives in Sussex, England with her Dutch husband, musician daughter, and black Labrador.

Miranda is the author of psychological thrillers. This is her fourteenth novel with Inkubator Books.

The New Friends is an engaging thriller that serves as a cautionary tale: be careful of who you befriend – especially while on vacation.

While it is a good rule of thumb to follow, it feels like it is a little too simplistic in the telling of the actual story. In that regard, the first half is better than the second half.

The setup of the story is excellent. Jamie and Becky are “every people.” They work hard at their jobs, scrimp to save for a vacation, and make the best out of the situation they are in. In other words, relatable for many people.

Unfortunately for them, this also means that they are easily intrigued by what they want but can’t have.

Enter Phil and Mel.

You can guess the overall arc of the story from the blurb. But there are a few subtleties to mention as well.

Everybody wants something they don’t have in this book. Jamie wants a comfortable lifestyle where he doesn’t have to work as hard. Becky wants a family and stability. Mel wants friends. And Phil wants bigger marks.

In this regard, Phil and Jamie are very similar in their desires, as are Becky and Mel. It is interesting that the men seem to be more interested in the material while the women focus on the emotional/personal.

I did not put that together while reading, however. It only occurs to me as I am writing this review.

Another thing I am realizing is that there are many more parallels between the characters than I originally thought. Phil will stop at nothing to continue his con, but Mel also will stop at nothing (including sacrificing herself) to stop Phil.

Where everything is a little unclear is in the character motivations. I am still uncertain as to why Mel has an attack of conscience. Why now? Why this couple?

Jamie and Becky seem happy with their lives and give no indication of desiring more prior to meeting Phil and Mel, so Jamie’s insistence also seems to come from left field.

These are a few reasons that I think the first half is better than the second. The author seems to have given more thought to the build-up than to the aftermath.

The second half of the book is rushed, and nothing is fleshed out as well as in the first half. The moments that are supposed to be the most thrilling fall flat.

Actually, one of the most compelling scenes occurs without the reader seeing it at all. We only learn the details from what a character tells us. This is a huge misstep. Action should be in “real-time.”

It also all wraps up very quickly with (again) a narration of events instead of full scenes that the reader gets to experience.

Ultimately, this is repeated often enough that it became disappointing. It is also what kept The New Friends from being four stars or higher.

However, there are some good moments, and I still recommend The New Friends.

You can also check out The Passenger by this author.

Author Bio 

Daniel Hurst writes psychological thrillers and loves to tell tales about unusual things happening to normal people. He has written all his life, making the progression from handing scribbled stories to his parents as a boy to writing full length novels in his thirties. He lives in the North West of England and when he isn’t writing, he is usually watching a game of football in a pub where his wife can’t find him. Daniel writes psychological thrillers. The New Friends will be his fourth novel published with Inkubator Books.

The Stepson, a new psych thriller from Jane Renshaw, has a lot going for it, but there are a few things that almost derailed it for me.

Let’s start with the good.

I like how the author crafted the story. There are unreliable narrators, which makes it difficult to know who is telling the truth at any given time.

There are two timelines and each of them has a main narrator, although other characters chime in as well.

Maggie (in the past) is unreliable due to her personal history. Lulu (in the present) is similar. Although with Lulu, the reader gets that information more from Lulu’s own perceptions of herself than from actual occurrences.

And then there is Nick.

He is the center point of the entire novel, both past, and present. Is he a victim? Is he a brilliant sociopath? The reader is never quite sure.

The author does a good job, especially in the “past” scenes of sowing a seed of doubt. Is Maggie overreactive, or is Nick really creepy?

As events come to a head in both timelines, Nick’s character becomes much clearer. All questions are answered at the end.

I also think that the ending is very satisfying. Definitely one of the best ones I have read recently.

Now to the bad.  

It feels more like a first novel. I have read and liked stories from this author before (Watch Over Me, No Place Like Home, The Child Who Never Was). Unless this is a re-write/re-edit of an earlier novel, I know that is not the case.

But the writing is not sharp, and there are several areas that need editing. At times, the writing is very elementary – verging on lazy.

For example, there is excessive use of “wee” as an adjective (wee bastard, wee coffee shop, wee smile). At one point, I started counting the usage and gave up when I passed 100 after a few chapters.

I get that it is common usage, and establishes character, but this is excessive by any measure. And it is frankly annoying.

All of that being said, if a reader can get past the writing and focus on the story itself, they will find that The Stepson is a decent psych thriller with a satisfying ending.  

Author Bio 

As a child, Jane spent a lot of time in elaborate Lego worlds populated by tiny plastic animals and people. Crime levels were high, especially after the Dragon brothers set themselves up as vets and started murdering the animals in their ‘care’. (They got away with it by propping the victims up with Plasticine and pretending they were still alive…)

As an adult, she is still playing in imaginary worlds and putting her characters through hell – but now she can call it ‘writing’ and convince herself that she is doing something sensible. In real life, she has a PhD in genetics and copy-edits scientific and medical journals.Jane writes psychological thrillers. The Stepson will be her fourth novel published with Inkubator Books.