New Release Archives

June 8, 2020June 3, 2020

Books On Tour (Review): The Golden Girl by Dana Perry

I enjoyed Jessie’s Tucker’s first outing, The Silent Victim, so I was very much looking forward to her next “story.” What I got was a mixed bag, but part of that is due to my particular background knowledge.

I still like the fact that Jessie is a reporter. It adds a different angle to the crime investigation she undertakes, which makes it more interesting at times. It certainly cuts down on a lot of police procedure descriptions that, while informative, can sometimes bog down a story.

With Jessie being a reporter, we also get treated to a unique set of characters. Her co-workers at the Tribune are quirky individuals; They are definitely a different breed. I liked the interplay between Jessie and her co-workers, especially some of the stories they told.

Jessie herself did not speak to me as much as she did in the first book. I actually thought she was a bit of a mess (but maybe that was by design). She mentioned her past quite a few times, which got repetitive, and her character seemed uneven. There was one exchange with a police officer that seemed totally out of character – almost like the scene was supposed to be someone else, and Jessie was thrown in, but the dialogue wasn’t changed. It was strange.

I’m not sure how I feel about her search for answers to her past amid everything else, so I will reserve judgment on that until the next book to see how it all pans out.

I also thought that while the author did a great job of weaving the plot threads together into a captivating story, the resolution was way too rushed. After all of the build-up and the clues that Jessie had uncovered, a lot was just exposition. The entire book wrapped up over the last 8-10%, instead of being plotted as part of the story. I think the revelations would have been more impactful. As it was, just about all of the big reveals felt contrived and caricature-ish.

Also, and this is just a totally personal thing for me, I thought the author missed the mark on the NYPD. The codes were wrong, some police procedures were inaccurate, and other stuff was just outright offensive (again TOTALLY personal perspective here). NYPD is unlike any other police force, with its own jargon, codes, and way of doing things that are uniquely New York.

If using the NYPD, there should have been more considerable attention to detail. Given the importance of one plot point, for example, it was jarring that OCCB and RICO were not even mentioned. Those should have been obvious references. And I’m not even going to get started on undercover work. It all could have worked better in a different or fictional department.

BUT, and I can’t stress this enough, anyone without ties to NYPD will probably have no problem with the things I mentioned above. It was still a decent story, Jessie is a protagonist worth rooting for, and is as intrepid as ever. I do look forward to her next investigation.

Author bio:
Dana Perry is a New York City author who writes mystery thrillers featuring newspaper reporter Jessie Tucker. Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanaPerryAuthor

June 8, 2020June 7, 2020

Books On Tour (Review): Gone in Seconds by Ed James

Picking up essentially where Tell Me Lies left off, the action in this book just keeps on rolling.

As in the first book of the Max Carter series, we start with a child abduction. If you read the first one, you know that makes sense because that’s Carter’s specialty. But it becomes apparent early on that there is much more going on than just that. There are nefarious characters, intricate connections, ulterior motives, and shady pasts (and presents) that need to be sorted out.

Fortunately, Carter is a hero who looks at the whole picture. Although there are times that he is on the wrong path, he is astute enough to realize it and change course accordingly. I like that he follows his instincts as much as the clues. I think his background (having been abducted by his father) sometimes gives him a different type of instinct.

**Amazon:** https://geni.us/B088FP74XHSocial
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**Kobo:** https://bit.ly/2WIxuqc
**Google:** https://bit.ly/2LmHoZi

As mentioned, there are a lot of mysterious connections and not everything is as it seems during the investigation. If you did not read the first book, you will definitely be missing some of them, and a few plot points may seem out of place (but they really aren’t).

I did find Carter’s relationship and interactions with his father to be somewhat jarring as they took me out of the main story. But I understand why they were important to the plot, because they gave more depth and insight into Carter’s reasonings and motivations.

There is an awful lot going on through the whole book, and there were a few times that I had to go back and make sure I knew what the connection or who the character was; and I read the first book. If you didn’t read it, I would highly recommend doing so, because it will make this one much clearer. And there is definitely a cliffhanger that indicates at least a third book in the series.

It’s a good one to get in on before the story gets more complicated, so start with Tell Me Lies and then move into this one for a strong hero and page-turning action.

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.

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

June 7, 2020June 7, 2020

Blog Tour (Review): Red Sky Over Hawaii

Considering the usual settings for historical fiction novels, this one stands apart as quite original. It brought up a lot of interesting points that I would be willing to bet that most people never think about.

Set in the immediate aftermath of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, we get the story of Lana, who is on a personal journey following a mysterious call from her father. The plot also uses a few flashbacks to the days immediately prior to the bombing to set the scene for the rest of the book.

Lana was a complicated character, because a lot of what she went through seemed almost more contemporary than what one would assume would have happened in the 1930s and 40s. Her past mistakes and decisions weigh heavily on her present situation, but she learns and grows through it all.

I thought the mixture of characters was also interesting. The interactions all seemed to be realistic, but again some of them seemed more modern than historical. I especially liked Coco. She absolutely made the book for me.

The underlying message of mysticism and how people should pay more attention to universal signs around them is manifested in Coco. As a child, she still holds childish beliefs, but she ultimately teaches Lana (and other adults around her) how important it is to have beliefs in the esoteric. This is an especially strong message as the world is quite literally falling apart around them.

I did like the setting, as it brought back many memories of visits to Hawaii when I was younger, especially camping trips in Kona. The nature of the Hawaiian people was apparent and reminded me of the people I had the pleasure of knowing there (Auntie especially…I could picture her in my mind).

The timing was important because of plot points. I would be willing to bet that some readers did not know that Italians and Germans were also rounded up in the immediate aftermath of Pearl Harbor.

I’ll never forget a WWII history class in college. I grew up in California, and I wrote a research paper about how the Italian fishing trade from Monterey Bay to the SF Bay Area was decimated when the federal government rounded up Italians. The instructor took issue with it, saying that he had never heard of it. I showed him all of my resources and references. He wrote me an apology letter and said he would be changing his lectures about the prisoner camps.

Anyway, it was an informative read, and I was taken in by the overall message of looking at the bigger picture and the signs that might be sent to help through the hard times. Good advice these days.

Facebook: @ackermanbooks Twitter: @AckermanBooks Instagram: @saraackermanbooks

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sara Ackerman is the USA Today bestselling author of The Lieutenant’s Nurse and Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers. Born and raised in Hawaii, she studied journalism and earned graduate degrees in psychology and Chinese medicine. She blames Hawaii for her addiction to writing, and sees no end to its untapped stories. When she’s not writing or teaching, you’ll find her in the mountains or in the ocean. She currently lives on the Big Island with her boyfriend and a houseful of bossy animals. Find out more about Sara and her books at www.ackermanbooks.com and follow her on Instagram @saraackermanbooks and on FB @ackermanbooks.

This review was the first of three on the 2020 Summer Reads Blog Tour for Historical Fiction. Be sure to check back here on 6/23 for The Black Swan of Paris and on 7/16 for The Woman Before Wallis!

June 5, 2020June 1, 2020

Books On Tour (Review): No Escape by Casey Kelleher

At times, this was a difficult book to read, not because it was bad, but because it was so good. Casey Kelleher certainly gives a new meaning to “gritty” in No Escape. From the prologue to the last pages, I was gripped by the stories of the characters. But trust me when I say that this is not for the faint of heart. Some of the action is, unfortunately, realistically brutal.

And to be clear, it’s unfortunate that the brutality is realistic. It is accurate to the lives of people who live in areas like Griffin Estate.

The author does a fantastic job of illustrating the book title via the character’s situations. For those who live at Griffin Estate, there is no way out. Shannon goes to school and works hard, but there’s rarely enough money to get by. Shannon’s brother Kian gets involved with Jax’s gang because he sees them making money and wants to help his family. They’re both in that situation because their mother is a drunk wastrel (who also hasn’t been able to escape her circumstances).

**Buy Link:** https://geni.us/B085S4G4WQSocial

Jax and his gang take advantage of Philip, who is on his own. Gary and his pals take advantage of Shannon’s mom, who is incapable of helping herself. Even Trainee Detective Constable Lucy Murphy tries to escape the memories of her childhood and doesn’t always succeed. And her grandmother has dementia, where she gets trapped in her mind.

Honestly, pretty much every character in this book is trapped in one way or another.

I thought the author also did an excellent job of weaving all of these individual stories together into one page-turner of a book. I don’t know that I can say that I enjoyed the plot, because it was dark and “joy” did not factor in too much.

But it held my attention, and I did like how the author laid out the connections. It was neat (for lack of a better term) to see how easily intertwined people in those situations could be.

Knowing how life can be in projects in the U.S., I got an absolute same feeling from the estate. In that regard, this book serves not only as a gritty crime thriller but as a pretty searing commentary on poverty and downtrodden populations as well.

If you’re looking for a pick-me-up, this isn’t it. But if you want something well-written and truthful, definitely give this one a look.

Author Bio

Born in Cuckfield, West Sussex, Casey Kelleher grew up as an avid reader and a huge fan of author Martina Cole.

Whilst working as a beauty therapist and bringing up her three children together with her husband, Casey penned her debut novel Rotten to the Core. Its success meant that she could give up her day job and concentrate on writing full time.

Website: www.caseykelleher.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/officialcaseykelleher
Blog: http://caseykelleher.wordpress.com
Twitter: @caseykelleher

June 3, 2020May 31, 2020

Books On Tour (Review): The Fallen Girls by Kathryn Casey

Hands down, one of the most unique settings for a crime thriller that I have ever read, this book had me enthralled from beginning to end.

Amazon: https://bit.ly/2zDKLbP Apple: https://apple.co/2AgcCic
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3c8HMWa Google: https://bit.ly/2THaEyb

I’m always excited to find a new crime series. Clara Jefferies is a detective to root for, not only because she is an intelligent investigator, but because she escaped a life that would have sent her in a completely different direction.

I thought the choice of a polygamist town was bold and fascinating. Making Elijah’s People a fundamentalist Mormon sect allowed the author to explore the nature of polygamy and all of the restrictions and rules that go along with it.

I found the perspective to be thought-provoking. On the one hand, there are aspects to that type of living that go against what is acceptable in society. On the other hand, there were times that they were quite sympathetic.

One such example is how the women and sister wives were left practically destitute when some of the men were arrested in previous years. It was a stark illustration not only of the rules they lived by but also how deep-rooted the beliefs were. Either the author has first-hand experience or did extensive research because the level of detail was incredible.

The author also did a great job of keeping the action moving even in times where not a lot was happening; the dialogue was crisp, and the interactions kept everything the investigation moving forward. I also thought that the chapters from Delilah’s point of view added to the mystery while also answering some questions.

I especially appreciated that the author kept me guessing until the very end. The clues weren’t exactly red herrings, but they were enough to keep me off-balance as to who the perpetrator was. Even beyond that, I liked how it ended. We have to wait for the next book to see what Clara’s final decision was, and I think that’s brilliant.

I look forward to reading Clara Jefferies’ investigations in many books to come!

Author Bio
A novelist and award-winning journalist, Kathryn Casey is the author of eleven highly acclaimed true crime books and the creator of the Sarah Armstrong mystery series. Library Journal picked THE KILLING STORM as one of the best mysteries of 2010. Her latest true crime, IN PLAIN SIGHT, investigates the Kaufman County prosecutor murders, a case that made worldwide headlines.

Casey has appeared on Oprah, 20/20, the Today Show, Good Morning America, the Biography Channel, Reelz, The Travel Network, Investigation Discovery, and many other venues. Ann Rule called Casey “one of the best in the true crime genre.”

**Website:** www.kathryncasey.com
**Facebook:** https://www.facebook.com/kathryn.casey.509
**Twitter:** @KathrynCasey

June 1, 2020May 30, 2020

Books On Tour (Review): Murder on a Mississippi Steamboat by Leighann Dobbs

I am a big fan of Agatha Christie. Her books are well-plotted, the characters are memorable, and the mysteries are unique. However, mysteries are tough to re-read. Honestly, once you know “whodunnit” you can only go back so many times to see what you missed before the story gets old.

I’m always looking for a new author who writes similar to Ms. Christie, and I couldn’t be happier than to have found Leighann Dobbs. I thoroughly enjoyed A Purr-fect Alibi and was excited for more to come. Her latest, Murder on a Mississippi Steamboat, does not disappoint. (I must point out, the two books are not in the same series. This new one is standalone).

I may have found a new favorite pair: Nora Marsh and her feisty great-aunt Julia are a fantastic duo.

Right off, I liked the setting. It reminded me of one of my favorite Christie’s Death On the Nile. The “single-set” of a steamboat allowed the author to be creative (there are only so many places to be on a ship). But that also helped keep the action tight; there were no rambling passages about travel.

I also like the era. Ms. Dobbs captured everything from the music to the lingo to the dress of the day. She created an atmosphere that just screamed “1920s” from head to toe.

As to the mystery itself, I wouldn’t be a good blogger if I gave it all away, would I? Suffice to say that the set-up is masterful because each of the characters is introduced naturally, and viewing them through the eyes of a murder novelist was unique. It felt like a “live” game of Clue.

It was also nice to be able to change it up and read a straightforward mystery instead of crime or psych one. To me, that change of pace is relaxing and feels like sitting down with a cat curled up next to me. I guess that’s why they are called “cozy mysteries,” though.

Fans of Agatha Christie, cozy mysteries, the 1920s, historical fiction (any or all of these!) will no doubt enjoy this book as much as I did.

Author Bio
USA Today bestselling author, Leighann Dobbs, discovered her passion for writing after a twenty year career as a software engineer. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband Bruce, their trusty Chihuahua mix Mojo and beautiful rescue cat, Kitty.

Her book “Dead Wrong” won the “Best Mystery Romance” award at the 2014 Indie Romance Convention.

Her book “Ghostly Paws” was the 2015 Chanticleer Mystery & Mayhem First Place category winner in the Animal Mystery category.

**Website:** http://www.leighanndobbs.com
**Facebook:** https://www.facebook.com/leighanndobbsbooks
**Twitter:** https://twitter.com/leighanndobbs

June 1, 2020May 31, 2020

Books On Tour (Review): Water’s Edge by Gregg Olsen

I really enjoyed the introduction to Detective Megan Carpenter in Snow Creek, so I was looking forward to her next investigation. I am thrilled to report that I was NOT disappointed!

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Megan has a tortured (quite literally) past, and it rears its head during investigations. This time, the investigation brings back even more memories due to the similarities in the victims. I’m not going to go into a lot of details about the crimes, because I don’t want to give too much away.

I did like how the investigation sort of went in reverse, as instead of victims increasing in real-time, they made connections to past crimes. That’s indicative of real police work; to be able to connect the dots to past events to predict who or what patters to look for future crimes.

Megan is one of my favorite female detectives (and there are a lot of them out there). Each of them is unique in their way, with diverse backstories that influence and motivate their decisions. But Megan takes the cake for a messed up early life and demons that continuously haunt her.

I particularly enjoy her one-line asides (an example is when she tells someone she is not lying, and then there is a line that is her thinking “I was lying”). This part of her personality comes through strongly. It also illustrates her sense of humor; as she states, dark humor is an officer’s way of releasing pressure when faced with pressure situations. This is 100% true and accurate to real life.

Her dark and sarcastic sense of humor is shaped by her past. We get that backstory via tapes of recordings made during counseling sessions when she was younger. Even though the background is detailed, it is a complicated past, and it drives Megan relentlessly, keeping her from feeling human. This is partly illustrated by her confused feelings toward Dan.

Even more so, we see it in her reluctance to work closely with Ronnie, a reserve deputy who is kind of thrown in as Megan’s partner. Megan works alone, and her comments about having to work with Ronnie are ascerbic…until she realizes that Ronnie is pretty darn good at the job.

I liked how Megan took a mentoring approach to work with Ronnie, encouraging her (even subconsciously) to be better and look closer at clues. I thought this was a good relationship that I hope continues.

The investigation kept me guessing right up until the big reveal (so kudos for that). There is still some unfinished business for Megan, and the arrival of an unexpected guest promises that there is still a long way for her to go. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Author Bio

A #1 New York Times, Amazon Charts, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, Olsen has written nine nonfiction books, seventeen novels, a novella, and contributed a short story to a collection edited by Lee Child.

The award-winning author has been a guest on dozens of national and local television shows, including educational programs for the History Channel, Learning Channel, and Discovery Channel.

The Deep Dark was named Idaho Book of the Year by the ILA and Starvation Heights was honored by Washington’s Secretary of State for the book’s contribution to Washington state history and culture.

Olsen, a Seattle native, lives in Olalla, Washington with his wife, twin daughters, three chickens, Milo (an obedience school dropout cocker) and Suri (a mini dachshund so spoiled she wears a sweater).

Website: https://www.greggolsen.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreggOlsenAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Gregg_Olsen

May 31, 2020May 30, 2020

Blog Tour (Review): The Guest by Cathryn Grant.

Every so often, I come across a book that has a lot of promise that I am excited to read, especially if I enjoyed a previous book by the author. I liked The Good Mother, so I figured that The Guest would be of those books.

I liked how the author set the stage. A stranger with a tenuous friendship with a relative is invited to stay with the family. What could possibly go wrong?

**Purchase Links:** Amazon UK-https://tinyurl.com/TheGuest-AmazonUK Amazon US-https://tinyurl.com/TheGuest-AmazonUS

There are also character tensions galore: husband and wife, stepson and husband, stepson and schoolmates. Everybody seems to have an issue with at least one other character. Things take a turn early when the son is questioned about a missing classmate. And then things got weird.

The stranger insinuates himself seamlessly into the lives of the family. Tensions between husband and wife continue; wife gets suspicious of the stranger even as she fights her attraction to him. There’s also bad news about the classmate. When it comes to light that the husband has been lying about something, all bets are off.

I think that is a problem that I had with this book. There was just way too much going on, and it all lacked focus. There were also a lot of details in odd places. I thought the descriptions of food were strange but enjoyed the perspectives on art. I just kept hoping that the seemingly disparate storylines would converge, and all make sense together.

I can’t stress enough; I liked the premise, and the storylines could have been woven into an amazing psychological thriller. The pieces were there, and it could have been so good. But it ultimately needed editing to keep things tight and cohesive. As it was, by the time I got to the epilogue, I wasn’t that surprised by what should have been a shocking reveal.

I would still recommend it because there were some entertaining aspects. But in the end, it felt rushed; if a little more time had been taken, it could have been so much more.

About Cathryn Grant

Cathryn Grant writes psychological thrillers, psychological suspense, and ghost stories. She’s the author of twenty-three novels.

She’s loved crime fiction all her life and is endlessly fascinated by the twists and turns, and the dark corners of the human mind.

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.

Cathryn is the author of The Good Neighbor and many other crime thrillers. THE GUEST will be her third novel published with Inkubator Books.

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

May 28, 2020May 27, 2020

Books On Tour (Review): Buried Angels by Patricia Gibney

Lottie Parker just keeps getting better. After some big revelations in book 7, I was wondering what could happen next.

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Kobo: https://bit.ly/2Xgk0C6 Google: https://bit.ly/2ZniMYG

Suffice to say that this is one of the most convoluted investigations that Lottie and her team has faced. There are old crimes, new crimes, a virtual spiderweb of characters…and somehow it all works as a cohesive and page-turning story.

One of the things this author excels at it introducing characters who seem to have no connection to each other and disparate lives or plot arcs. However, during the investigation, links are found. Sometimes the characters know about them and sometimes they’re surprised as well. And nobody is every superfluous, even seemingly secondary characters.

Ms. Gibney also does a fine job of plotting the suspense so that it ebbs and flows. Some crime novels build until a big reveal, and that’s just fine too. But Lottie’s investigations always seem to have more than a few “big” moments, and then the action continues until the next moment. I like that push and pull in a book because it keeps it from potentially being monotonous.

I will say that this plot had a few aspects that might be troubling to some readers. Aside from child victims, there’s also domestic abuse and neglect. Nothing is overly graphic but seemed natural to the characters. I thought they were vital to the story and, therefore, did not bother me, but more sensitive readers may have a different view.

As I said at the outset, at this point, the plots are more intricate, and Lottie still stays on top. I can’t wait to see what’s in store next.

Author Bio:
Patricia is the million-copy bestselling author of the DI Lottie Parker series. She yearned to be a writer after reading Enid Blyton and Carolyn Keene and even wanted to be Nancy Drew when she grew up. She has now grown up (she thinks) but the closest she’s come to Nancy Drew is writing crime!

In 2009, after her husband died, she retired from her job and started writing seriously. Fascinated by people and their quirky characteristics, she always carries a notebook to scribble down observations.

Patricia also loves to paint in watercolour and lives in the Irish midlands with her children.

Website: http://patriciagibney.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trisha460/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/trisha460

May 27, 2020May 26, 2020

What Only We Know by Catherine Hokin

Captivating. Compelling. Creative. Crushing.

Truly unforgettable.

This one will stay with me for a very long time.

I know that it is sort of backward to say that at the beginning of the review, but I can’t begin to explain how impactful this book was. The author has woven an incredible story that covers not one but two significant historical periods, and it is told with compassion and a deep understanding of humanity.

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3e1ofIy Apple: https://apple.co/3e28r8h
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2zWwXZK Google: https://bit.ly/36f8RWt

Right from the start in the prologue, set in 1971, it is apparent that there is a detailed story to be told. We then jump to Berlin, 1936. Anyone who knows even a little bit about history knows why this year is important, especially as it relates to WWII. The setting for Leise and Michael to have their first notable argument was also appropriate because it clearly outlined their perspectives.

I loved the unique setting of the fashion house, or salon, for the first part of the book. By utilizing a very international business, the author was able to highlight just how far-reaching the sanctions in Germany became, and how quickly they changed. I particularly liked the details, such as Paul urging Leise to identify the scents in the air. It was a moment of joy and beauty that belied the horrors growing in the city.

Once we meet Karen in the more contemporary timeline of 1971, the reader can start to draw some connections. However, the author does an admirable job of building Karen’s identity. I don’t want to give away plot points, but her experiences as an 11-year-old shape her reactions all the way to the very last pages.

It is difficult to put into words how well the author weaves both the WWII storyline and the 1970s storyline together. Suffice to say that in other books with dual storylines, I often find myself wanting to get back to one or the other. In this book, I was equally eager for both, especially later, when Karen was older.

Side note: her first entry into Berlin brought back strong memories. My parents and I went to Germany in 1983, and our experience going through Checkpoint Charlie was very similar to Karen’s. We were on a tour bus with a class of high school students, and their teachers had to reprimand them, reminding them of the rules for when the soldiers came on to check passports. It is a trip I will never forget, and Karen’s experience brought it all back.

But now, back to the review. By the time Kristallnacht occurs, Liese’s life turns upside down, inside out, and sideways. She is a formidable character, even as a teenager. I think that is what makes her character arc so compelling because, through her, we see how very simple it was for the Nazis to break even the strongest of people.

I appreciated that the author didn’t feel the need to wrap up people’s stories. Sometimes they just…disappeared. It was another stark reminder of how life was at that time. People came and went, and some were never to be seen again.

I’m starting to ramble now, and I’m not even halfway through the book! I will leave it that Liese’s life goes from bad to worse, and her actions suddenly become much more understandable. Karen also “grows up” when she finally realizes the truth of her mother’s story.

And that whole truth is about as gut-wrenching as anything I have ever read.

The reveal and reconciliation take place in the shadow of the Berlin Wall and stretches into 1989. Again, if you know anything about history, you see the significance. And this section of reconciliation was almost as powerful and moving as Liese’s story from WWII.

It’s a tremendous balancing act that the author accomplishes with aplomb. Straight to the top of my list for this year. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Author Bio
Catherine Hokin is a Glasgow-based author writing both long and short fiction. Her short stories have been placed in competition (including first prize in the 2019 Fiction 500 Short Story Competition) and published by iScot, Writers Forum and Myslexia. She blogs on the 22nd of each month as part of The History Girls collective.