Tag: Psychological Thriller

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.

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.

I love this author’s books, but I must admit that this particular story left me feeling a little bit off.

The plot starts relatively straightforward, but the reader soon gets hints that not everything is as it seems. There are allusions to an incident that happened before Darcy’s husband’s death, and it is a bit into the story before we find out how he died in the first place. There are enough veiled references that I was kept guessing that it might have been something nefarious. (Not saying if I was right or not).

I’m going to be brutally honest and say that there are so many twists and turns that I have typed and deleted multiple sentences of this review because they ultimately referenced events and could be considered spoilers. So, I’m going to go very broad.

Darcy has a touchy relationship with her in-laws, and they may or may not have her best interests in mind. She enters into a relationship with a doctor who may or may not be who he says he is. Even Darcy’s backstory and “truth” is up for guessing. There are family members, servants, and seemingly secondary characters who may or may not be important in the grander scheme of things.

I have several notes in the book that range from “no way!” to “WTAF?!?!?” That’s the type of roller coaster this book becomes about mid-way through. There were a few points where I had to stop reading just so my brain could keep up with the amount of information and “truth” that was coming out.

I will say that there were also a few moments where I thought the twists were more manipulative than practical. I appreciate a good “no way” moment, but I don’t like feeling that there was nothing more behind it than an “aha, gotcha!”

I did not guess most of the twists, so kudos to the author for keeping me on my toes. And the ending was just as twisted as the rest of the book, but it all made sense in the same odd way that the other plot points did. I liked it a lot and would recommend it, but I think I was not expecting it to be as absolutely crazy towns as it was. It was still an enjoyable, and very twisted, read.

Author Bio
Kim is the million-copy bestselling author of nine standalone psychological crime thrillers. SINGLE, her new thriller, is published November 2019.

Order of publication:
SAFE WITH ME (2016)
BLINK (2017)
LIAR (2017)
THE MISTAKE (2017)
THE VISITOR (2018)
THE SECRET (2018)
CLOSER (2018)
FINDING GRACE (2019)
THE SILENT ONES (2019)
SINGLE (2019)
THE APARTMENT – AN AUDIBLE ORIGINAL PRODUCTION (2019)

Her titles are published in eBook by Bookouture and in paperback by Sphere (UK) and Grand Central (USA).

For many years, Kim sent her work out to literary agents and collected an impressive stack of rejection slips. At the age of 40 she went back to Nottingham Trent University and now has an MA in Creative Writing.

Before graduating in 2012, she gained literary agent representation and a book deal. As Kim says, ‘it was a fairytale … at the end of a very long road!’

Kim is a full-time writer. She has one daughter, two stepsons and lives with her husband in Nottingham.

I have read a couple of this author’s books before and am often left wanting (The Girl from the Sea comes to mind). But I think she does a decent job of throwing red herrings into her plots, so I keep coming back for more. I am happy to say that I believe The Other Daughter is one of her best books yet.

The action takes place in the present time with a few “Then” flashback chapters interspersed. Everything is seamless, though, so it never feels like too much of a jolt to shift time frames. The chapters detailing past events add much to the current developments and even allow the reader to question what is happening in the present. I love it when an author can craft a plot in that manner.

The characters are realistic. I can see each of them being a real person, and all of their reactions appear to be genuine. That being said, however, I do think that the “big reveal” (while a shocker) seems a little far-fetched – but I am willing to give the author the benefit of the doubt that extensive research was completed to portray the character’s actions and reactions accurately. Regardless, it made for a real “WTH” moment and kept me engrossed in the story to the end.

If I had to pick on anything, I would say that things were tied up and explained a little too neatly. I did like the twists that the author threw in that propelled Rachel’s actions while making me question Rachel’s stability. That was a delicate balancing act. However, there was an answer for everything, and a little bit of messiness might have added to the realness of the story.

All in all, I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone who would enjoy a quick psych thriller.

The Other Daughter by Shalini Boland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This psychological thriller was a quick read that had me questioning the characters’ motives right up until the last page. I thought that the author did a good job of laying the groundwork for the reader to believe one thing while crafting a sub-story that was equally plausible. There were more than a few “Oh, no way” moments, and the big reveal did surprise me (that’s hard to do). For a more detailed review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a complimentary, pre-release, digital ARC of this book.

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Shalini Boland is the million-copy, USA-Today bestselling author of eight psychological thrillers: ‘THE GIRL FROM THE SEA’, ‘THE BEST FRIEND’, ‘THE MILLIONAIRE’S WIFE’ (optioned for TV by Legendary Studios), ‘THE SECRET MOTHER’, ‘THE CHILD NEXT DOOR’, ‘THE SILENT SISTER’, ‘THE PERFECT FAMILY’ and ‘THE MARRIAGE BETRAYAL’.

THE OTHER DAUGHTER comes out Nov 5th and is now available to preorder!

Her titles are published by Bookouture, Grand Central (USA) and Tantor.

Shalini lives by the sea in Dorset, England with her husband, two children and their cheeky terrier cross. Before kids, she was signed to Universal Music Publishing as a singer/songwriter, but now she spends her days writing psychological thrillers (in between school runs and sorting endless baskets of laundry). 

I will be blunt right from the start; this was not the type of psychological thriller I am used to reading. It ended up being quite engaging, but there were a few things that made it rough going in the start for me.

The first few chapters were told almost all in narrative, with Kat “remembering” events of the past. After finishing the book, I can see why the author chose to write it that way, but it took some getting used to in the beginning. I kept wanting the author to show me the action in a flashback instead of just telling me about it. Being inside a character’s head for that long became tedious.

(Of course, flashbacks are a much-used device, while effectively conveying someone’s thoughts can be more difficult, so I recognize the writing skill in this manner).

I also had a hard time connecting to Kat. She came across as a helicopter parent who over-reacted at everything, and frankly, she got on my nerves. Of course, there are revelations along the way that explain her behaviors, but that didn’t help me latch onto her to feel her concern through the first part of the story.

Fortunately, the interaction between characters picked up roughly half-way through, and the author did a great job throwing some twists into the plot, as well as allowing the reader to question the motives of particular characters, just as Kat was doing the same. There were more than a few “I did not see that coming” moments, especially in the latter part of the book, which made the second half a much more exciting read than the first half.

One other thing I must mention, and this has unfortunately become a common occurrence lately, there was yet another unnecessary barb at the current American president. I have mentioned it before, and I will call it out every time. If it doesn’t have a place in the plot, it doesn’t belong. It takes a reader right out of the story, and it garners the author no favor with many readers. I wish they would stop doing it.

Author Bio

Sue Watson was a TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked. 

USA Today bestselling author, Sue has written fifteen novels – many involving cake – which have been translated into several languages and involved tough ‘cake research.’ Sue is now exploring the darker side of life with her thrillers OUR LITTLE LIES, THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR and THE EMPTY NEST. Writing in this new genre doesn’t involve the deep research of baked goods and Sue’s hoping the change in direction will be reflected on the weighing scales.

Originally from Manchester, Sue now lives with her husband and teenage daughter in Worcestershire where much of her day is spent procrastinating, eating and watching ‘My 600lb Life,’ on the sofa.  

Some psychological thrillers are rollercoaster rides. They start slow and then pick up the pace, gradually turning into an exciting, page-turner of a read. Others are more like ivy. They creep and crawl, drawing readers in slowly with tendrils of information until they are completely entangled in the story. In My Mother’s Name belongs in the latter category, and it is one of the most stunning books I have read in a long time.

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When cleaning out her grandmother’s house, Adele finds a diary that belonged to her long-dead mother. What follows is Adele’s journey to discover the truth about her mother’s life as well as Adele’s history. As Adele visits the village of Reedstown and meets people who knew her mother as a teenager, Adele soon realizes that there is a lot more to her mother’s story than meets the eye.

The author does a fantastic job of keeping multiple character arcs moving forward while intertwining them with other characters’ stories. The writing styles also change: at times, the descriptions are very poetic and idyllic, while at others (specifically in diary entries and flashbacks) there is a rawness that comes across strongly. I also liked how the author used several innocuous things (a bird nesting in an attic, a smoky chimney, etc.) to illustrate how even minor events can have a significant impact on one’s life.

In the midst of it all, the character development is what struck me as the key to drawing me into the story. Each of the main characters (and even several of the secondary characters) are fully fleshed out and grow with the events of the plot. As more village secrets are revealed, I realized how my perception of the characters changed – but also how there were apparent signs in earlier events that hinted at each character’s role in the activities of 24 years prior.

I know that sounds a little muddled, but it actually isn’t within the course of the story. As I said, the author pulls the reader in slowly with the bits of information and then throws in twists that take the action in a different direction. In My Mother’s Name is certainly a page-turner, but not a high-velocity one. Be prepared to settle in for the long haul and allow the plot to wash over you as you follow Adele’s, and ultimately Marianne’s story. You will not be disappointed.

In My Mother’s Name by Laura Elliot
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am not usually one to agree with taglines or blurbs because they often feel over-the-top, but this is one case where I can wholeheartedly say that it is 100% accurate. This book was an addictive, emotional, page-turner of a psychological thriller (that’s a mouthful). The characters are real and well-developed, and the author does a superb job of bringing the village of Reedstown with all of its blemishes, secrets, and tainted history to life. Adele is a protagonist who is easy to support as she journeys into the past to find the truth about her mother’s life and death. In My Mother’s Name is one book you do not want to skip over. For a full review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read a complimentary pre-release, digital ARC of this book.

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Author Bio

Laura Elliot is an Irish novelist who writes psychological thrillers and lives in Dublin, Ireland. Her novels are: The Wife Before Me, Guilty, Sleep Sister, The Betrayal, Fragile Lies, Stolen Child and The Prodigal Sister. She has worked as a journalist and magazine editor. In My Mother’s Name is her latest novel published by Bookouture.

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