Category: Thriller

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Fiction Thriller

Hollow Grave, Kate Webb

A chance discovery which presents new evidence into Nazma Kirmani’s disappearance. A prospecting archaeologist, Nazama went missing twenty one years earlier when a site was being excavated in the grounds of Trusloe Hall for a TV documentary.

The case was closed after Nazma presented herself at a police station back in 1999, but what does this new evidence suggest, and can DI Lockyer and DC Gemma Broad help find the truth for Nazma’s family whose lives have been in upheaval for more than two decades?

Hollow Grave is a cold case mystery – perfect for any fans of ITV’s ‘Unforgotten’. It is  the third installment of the DI Lockyer series, following ‘Stay Buried’, and ‘Laying Out The Bones’. Whilst it can be read as a standalone, I would recommend reading the books in order for extra depth. The character development over the trio of novels has been phenomenal and all three books have been compelling.

Hollow Grave goes above and beyond most mystery books, and does an outstanding job of highlighting so many other themes throughout the book, which is a testament to the author Kate Webb. In addition to themes of grief and inequalities which have been present throughout the predecessors, Hollow Grave also touches upon the subjects of loneliness, new parenthood racism, domestic abuse, power and control.

Once again I’m blown away at how Kate Webb manages to have so many different storylines and so many well developed complex characters, and yet somehow it all comes together.

Overall 5 stars… the countdown to book four is on.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for the ARC. Hollow Grave will be published on 13th March 2025.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

The Personal Assistant, Becki Willis

They say bad things come in threes, and for Lexi, that’s certainly true. After losing her phone, having her purse stolen, and getting fired, her life seems to be falling apart. But when she’s offered a lifeline – a job as a personal assistant to the millionaire businesswoman Mrs Lilian Sampson – things are looking up. However, it doesn’t take Lexi long to realise something isn’t quite right about Lilian or the company she inherited from her late husband. As the story unravels you’ll be kept on the edge of your seat.

The Personal Assistant is a fast paced psychological thriller, with suspense and intrigue. This was my first Becki Willis book, and I was hooked by her engaging writing style. The plot was innovative, with plenty going on, and I didn’t find it predictable at all. While I was initially taken aback by the secondary storyline (when you read it – you’ll know), it ended up adding another dimension the plot of which the psychology behind was intriguing.

The majority of the characters are well-developed, with Lexi standing out as a strong, likeable female protagonist. It’s easy to root for her as she navigates the twists which this book has to offer.  There were one or two secondary characters who I felt could have been fleshed out more to help us better understand them.

Overall, the twists throughout the novel keep you gripped, and the ending was completely unpredictable I didn’t see it coming and genuinely felt my jaw drop!  This is a perfect read for fans of psychological thrillers. 4/5 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Personal Assistant is out on the 24th September 2024.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

A Good Place To Hide A Body, Laura Marshall

For many women of Penny’s age, helping elderly parents is a natural part of life. But for Penny, things have taken a more serious turn.

One night, Penny receives a frantic call from her parents. No, they haven’t had a fall – they’ve killed someone, and his body is in the garden right next to the rose bushes!

Laura Marshall is an authors whose books I pick up without a second thought. They are always fast-paced, gripping, and consistently shocking. So, when I had the opportunity to read A Good Place to Hide A Body, I was thrilled to dive in.

First things first: you should never judge a book by its cover, but I have to admit I was drawn to the vibrant cover of this one (that green will look beautiful on the bookshelf!) The caption ‘Everyone is Capable of Murder. They just need to meet the right person’, promised a suspenseful journey and the book certainly delivered.  

The prologue introduces the main event, making it engaging from the very first page. Laura Marshall’s use of short chapters adds to the bris pace. One writing technique I’ve noticed across her works is how she portrays ordinary characters. By this I mean, we often expect perpetrators to stand out, but her characters could easily be you, or me, which adds an extra layer of suspense. I felt warm towards the main character in the book.

I really enjoyed the characterisation in the book. The characters were all quite stereotypical, but this added some humour to the story, and I felt warm towards the main character Penny. She faces so many relatable problems, such as caring for ageing parents, parenting teenagers, dealing with grief, juggling a full time job, divorce and co-parenting. I emphasised with her struggles and could truly feel the pressure she was under.

To summarise, Laura Marshall has crafted yet another page-turner with A Good Place To Hide A Body. It’s a compelling read that keeps you on the edge of your seat, if you’re a fan of suspenseful thrillers, this book is a must read. Five Stars.

With thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC. A Good Place To Hide A Body is out on the 4th July 2024.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

Laying Out The Bones, Kate Webb

Following flash floods, something sinister is brought to the ground’s surface; a human skeleton. Forensic tests soon reveal that the body belongs to Lee Geary, a man who went missing nine years earlier and the case is passed to DI Lockyer to solve.

As Lockyer digs into Geary’s past he unveils the fact that Geary was questioned during the same year he went missing in relation to another crime- the murder of Holly Gilbert.

Alongside DC Gemma Broad, Lockyer delves deeper and discovers a web of mysteries which he is left to untangle.

At last! The long awaited sequel to Stay Buried has arrived. Laying Out The Bones is the next in the DI Lockyer series. With such a high standard to follow I was relieved the second book in the series did disappoint!

Laying Out The Bones is another fast paced, multifaceted mystery about unsolved murders and buried secrets. The story spans over a long timeframe, and involves many characters with intertwining stories- the fact Kate Webb pulls this off is truly a testament to her writing skill. Very much like the first book – every character is well thought out, and despite there being so many you really gather an insight into each of their histories, struggles and motivations.

Similarly to its prequel the series continues to highlight themes surrounding inequalities, grief and injustice. I thought these were presented well and added substance to the story, evoking emotion beyond your typical crime mystery/thriller.

Overall, Laying Out The Bones is masterfully crafted, from compelling characters to intricate plot twists and with the book ending on a cliffhanger, I am very hopeful this is not the last of DI Lockyer. 5 stars.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

A Death at the Party, Amy Stuart

Nadine Walsh is hosting a party for her mother’s 60th birthday. As she prepares to welcome her guests, she appears distracted. Her husband is of little help, her teenage children are going through their own problems, and she has secrets of her own which threaten to destroy her perfect party.

By the end of the night, Nadine will be standing over a dead body in the basement, but how did it come to this and how far will Nadine go to keep her secrets buried?

A Death at the Party is a slow burning domestic thriller. Forget ‘whodunnit’. This is a ‘whydunnit’ and ‘whoisdun’, as the mystery surrounds which of the party attendees has met their demise, and why.

Some novels lose readers because they get off to a slow start. This is the complete opposite; Amy Stuart was not messing here as she starts with the ending.  Just reading those first few introductory pages had me gripped as I needed to know how we got there.  

Despite some flashbacks to past events which help us to understand the history of some of the characters, much of the book purely spans over the timeframe of just one day. Split into three parts; morning, afternoon and evening, with an undeniable amount of tension building throughout. Having a book written over such a short time span, and still managing to build the level of suspense which A Death at the Party does is a testament to the author.

I enjoyed the characters, particularly the main protagonist Nadine. She wasn’t overly likeable, but she was very real.  She came across as a good wife, mother, and daughter and yet she also made mistakes. Her suspicious nature added to the mystery for me, and many of her actions were unsurprising given what she had gone through as a child. In addition to Nadine, all the other characters were well thought out, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, and many of whom have their own secrets.

Themes in the book include loyalty, grief, and family secrets. There was also a clear gender divide in the book, there was a lot of focus on the complexities of the lives of women, with many of the males coming across as mistrustful and having inappropriate intentions, representing some of the inequalities we see in society.  Overall, the focus on family bonds was powerful, reminding us just how complex families can be and the lengths which people may go to protect their loved ones.

Overall a thoroughly engaging domestic thriller with compelling characters and a gripping plot.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

The Girl in the Dark, Deirdre Palmer

Ellen Randall, chilled by the January wind at a train station, spots a red scarf and is startled by the wearer’s identity. Three weeks later, a man explores an abandoned station, finding Ellen in distress. She confesses to having intentionally killed someone, surprising him with her confession.

The Girl in the Dark is a riveting psychological thriller with a brilliantly crafted plot that constantly challenges your assumptions. Just when you think you have it figured out, the story takes a thrilling twist.

Deirdre Palmer skillfully employs a multi-narrative approach, allowing readers to reach into the minds of various characters and experience the story from their unique experiences. The characters were well-rounded, some more flawed than others but the psychological exploration of their unique struggles added depth and intrigue to the story.

Profound themes are explored in this gripping tale. These include but are not limited to grief, the influence of memories on our thought process, the enduring impact of early life experience, while also shedding light on the poignant issues of suicide and loneliness.

The author’s post-epilogue reflection on the inspiration behind the story, especially the exploration of London’s secret underground locations, was a unique and intriguing addition to the book’s conclusion. It not only added a fresh perspective but also offered a fascinating glimpse into the history of London’s underground network. It’s clear that the author invested a substantial amount of research to craft this captivating tale.

Overall a gripping psychological thriller which I enjoyed from start to finish.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC. The Girl in the Dark is out now.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

The Lost Daughter, Jane Adams

Three years ago Ashley Summers watched the love of her life drop dead in a supermarket. She has no idea how to ever move on from this but then she meets Tim Bennett, who is kind and caring.

It all appears perfect, until one day Ashley is gone. The family turn to ex-detective Ray Flowers who quickly can confirm that Tim Bennett is not who he says he is – after all Tim Bennett is a good friend of his.

So who is Ashley’s boyfriend?

The Lost Daughter is book five in the Ray Flowers series. I personally have not read the first four, and whilst this didn’t hinder my experience, I think reading the others may have been beneficial in terms of understanding some of the characters a bit more.

The premise of the book starts with a missing woman but quickly develops to so much more than that! I thoroughly enjoyed the fast-paced nature of the book, there is a lot of action and many characters which meant the book had many layers too and kept it exciting. The only disappointing bit was the end felt a bit of anti-climax -having had so much action I expected something slightly more jaw-dropping.

Overall a fast paced, action thriller, four stars.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

Stay, Jane Bailey

Spending the summer travelling seemed like the perfect idea after flunking her exams, but when those closest to Caitlin betray her, she finds herself hitchhiking home alone, heartbroken and penniless.

A smiling family pull up on the roadside and offer her to stay with them for the night. One night soon turns into two and with the country being put into lockdown, it is impossible to turn down their offer to tutor their children, especially when they are so nice. It all seems perfect.

But then a member of the household warns Caitlin to leave, and then her phone suddenly goes missing, is this family perfect after all, but by the time she realises not all may be as it seems, it may be too difficult to leave.

Stay is a suspenseful psychological thriller which will have you turning the pages right until you reach the very end. The book is set around the Covid-19 lockdown which worked very well as it foreshadowed what it means to be trapped and added an extra layer of claustrophobia to the story.

The characters are depicted in believable way; Mimi and Marcus are manipulatively evil, Caitlin’s mother was motherly and warm and had put aside so much for her family and that is just touching the tip of the iceberg- Jane Bailey maintains this level of realistic characterisation through and through. Like many other readers was I screaming at Caitlin to not be so stupid? Absolutely yes! However, she was a naive nineteen year old in trouble so the storyline is absolutely plausible.

Overall a very startling read, I was totally engrossed.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

A Game of Lies, Clare Mackintosh

In the Welsh mountains, new reality series ‘Exposure’ is being filmed- but the seven reality show contestants have no idea what they truly signed up for. Once locked in the camp they discover they are competing to keep their secrets from being exposed live on air.

When one of the contestants escapes from the camp Detective Ffion Moran is called in but the stakes are raised when a murder- leaving the detective to uncover who’s secret was worth killing for?

A Game of Lies is the second book in the Ffion Morgan series. This time the plot surrounds a reality TV show which is very similar to I’m A Celebrity with the added twist of dark truths being exposed as people are eliminated. A Game of Lies could be read as a standalone book however I would suggest reading The Last Party if you want to fully understand the characters and their back stories- especially as Clare is a very thorough and detailed author.

In terms of characters, it was great to see how some of the characters and the relationships between them developed from the first novel- Ffion Morgan remains a strong protagonist! Equally it was interesting to meet some new faces – I was particularly interested in George, a new character who I believe we will be seeing and learning a lot more about in the next instalment.

As with all Clare Mackintosh books the detail is superb; the characters are multifaceted which makes them all the more interesting, the way Clare describes the scenes instantly bring the tight-knit community to life – despite me not knowing Wales very well, and despite being a work of fiction it brings to light some very real issues including the manipulation of the media, impacts of reality TV, misogyny, power and betrayal.

Whilst, A Game of Lies is a thriller, full of mystery and twists and turns, it also has an element of romance whilst Ffion’s attitude and Dave the Dog will have you laughing which make it a real all-rounder. All in all, 5 stars, already awaiting the sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. A Game of lies will be published on the 20th July.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

The Couple in the Photo, Helen Cooper

Lucy and Adam do everything with their closest family friends Cora and Scott. They’ve even bought a beach house together to enjoy summers with their kids.

One day a colleague passes around photographs of her honeymoon in the Maldives and Lucy is stunned to see Scott in one of them, his arm is around another woman.

If that isn’t bad enough, the news then breaks and the woman from the photograph has mysteriously vanished.

As Lucy looks for answers first her life begins to unravel around her, just how much can you trust your best friends?

The Couple in the Photo is a compelling thriller, which keeps you guessing all the way through.  Just when you thought you had guessed it another twist would happen and ultimately, I did not see the ending coming.

At the heart of the book are two families, what seems to be an idyllic friendship is actually a masterful construction of lies. The characterisation is mostly believable, and I really enjoyed the dynamics of friendship between the two couple as well as the dysfunction of it.

I enjoyed the fact that photographs were a continuous theme throughout the book – how one photo can unravel lies and/or how one photo can be edited to create a whole other narrative. I thought this focus was very thought-provoking.

Overall, 4 stars, a compelling thriller based on friendship and deceit and will keep you guessing until the very end.

The Couple in the Photo is out on the 22nd June.