Review: Snakes and Ladders by Victoria Selman

April 5, 2020

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

snakes and ladders by victoria selman - Review: Snakes and Ladders by Victoria Selman

Snakes and Ladders by Victoria Selman
Published by THOMAS & MERCER on December 17, 2019
ISBN: 9781542008792
Genres: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Police Procedural, Thrillers, Crime, Psychological
Pages: 384
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

five stars - Review: Snakes and Ladders by Victoria Selman

Psycho meets The Silence of the Lambs
One killer on the loose. Another setting the rules. A profiler caught in the middle.
A serial killer is terrorising London, removing a body part from each victim and leaving in its place a single pink rose.
Dr Vernon Sange, a multiple murderer awaiting extradition, seems to know the culprit's identity--but he'll only talk to profiler Ziba MacKenzie, the woman responsible for putting him away. Though there's something he wants in return from her. And time is running out.
With one killer whispering in her ear and another running rings around the police, Ziba must play a game in which only her opponent knows the rules, and the forfeit is death.

Wow…Snakes and Ladders was the dog’s testicles for sure! Billed as psycho meets Silence of the lambs, never was I going to refuse a match up like that! Although this book is one that you should go completely blind into. It was very Silence of the lambs, but it far exceeded my expectations. Do you want a book that will give you blunt force trauma by its sheer brilliant narrative and its impending threat that just constantly lurks around every corner. If you only read one crime series this year, make it this one!

Victoria Selman translates such equivocal storytelling onto the page with such ease. She gives the reader a snapshot of her powerful imagination. Snakes and Ladders is essentially a power to be reckoned with. She pushes us to our emotional limits, squeezes us to accept humanities flaws and highlights society’s cracks.

Snakes and Ladders will hook you immediately. The setting, the storytelling and the characterisation will do a blinder on you! I do love a good crime fiction novel but very few have been able to suck me into the storyline quite like this. Add in the intensity of two serial killers and the flawed character of a highly successful criminal profiler and it eagerly ticks all the boxes for a hugely addictive crime novel. All it takes is one taste of the story buried underneath and you will be gone.

Snakes and Ladders is one of those books that are so incredibly difficult to review. The story is so intelligent and compelling, but I don’t want to give anything away that may spoil the story. Ziba Mackenzie is an extremely strong protagonist. I think ultimately this is the reason I loved the story so much. The flowed around her, she strengthened it, but she had her flaws and for that, she was relatable – we can all see parts of ourselves within her character. Her personality felt like an echo resonating out with the pages. Her role within the investigation was as a freelance criminal profiler. I enjoyed this angle and it made an intriguing change from the usual detective or police viewpoint. She delved into the investigation with vigour and I was intrigued about the personal connection she seemed to have with one of the serial killers, Vernon Sange. He’s still behind bars but somehow, he’s still able to pull the shots. He’s intimidating and creepily intelligent. He’s for sure a dead ringer for Hannibal Lector. He gave me chills!

Our other serial killer, The Pink Rose Killer is the focus of this investigation, but it is no less devastating. How does Vernon Sange know so much about him? Are they in contact? Will he give a name? can they stop him before he claims his next victim? We get insight into the killers past with flashback chapters and it really nails home just how much the past can have a firm grip on our present and future.

Snakes and Ladders has cemented Victoria Selman as an exciting crime writer to watch. Twist follows twist at such a breakneck speed. Cancel all your plans. Turn your phone off, lock the doors and get comfy…you won’t be going anywhere until the final page is closed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

victoria selman picture 3 - Review: Snakes and Ladders by Victoria Selman

Victoria’s first novel, BLOOD FOR BLOOD, was shortlisted for the 2017 Debut Dagger Award and is a Kindle #1 bestseller. Her second novel, NOTHING TO LOSE went straight to #22 on the Kindle Movers & Shakers chart when it was published in March.

She has written for The Daily Express, Ham & High and Independent newspapers and in 2013 she won the Full Stop Short Story Prize.

She also co-hosts the true crime podcast, CRIME GIRL GANG in which three crime writers examine real life cold cases then solve them from a fictional perspective: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/crime-girl-gang/id1447814645?mt=2 …

If you’d like to get in touch please use Twitter @VictoriaSelman

Review: The Argument by Victoria Jenkins

March 31, 2020

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

the argument by victoria jenkins - Review: The Argument by Victoria Jenkins

The Argument by Victoria Jenkins
Published by Bookouture on December 10, 2019
ISBN: 9781838880897
Genres: Fiction, Thrillers, Suspense, Psychological, General
Pages: 247
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

four stars - Review: The Argument by Victoria Jenkins

‘OMG!!!!! This book is in my top 10 for 2019.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I raced through it, often with my heart in my throat!’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Wow! So not what I was expecting. But in the best way possible!’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It happens to every mother. One day, the daughter whose whole world you once were, becomes someone you barely know. And you don’t know the secrets she’s hiding…

One night, 15-year-old Olivia comes home late from a party she was strictly forbidden from going to, and she and her mother, Hannah, start arguing. Soon Olivia speaks the words that every parent has heard from their teenage child:

‘I hate you. You’ve ruined my life. And I’m never speaking to you again.’

Olivia has never been an easy child, a sharp contrast to her easy-going, happy-go-lucky little sister. But Hannah thinks Olivia’s outburst is the end of a normal family argument. In fact, it’s only the beginning of a nightmare…

After one day of silence, Hannah thinks Olivia is taking a teenage sulk too far. After two days, she starts to feel anxious that something more serious could be going on. After a week, when her daughter still hasn’t spoken, Hannah knows that Olivia is hiding a bigger darkness – something that could threaten to tear their precious family apart…

The Argument is an unputdownable psychological thriller that asks how far we can push our families before they finally break. Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, The Woman in the Window, and The Silent Patient.

Readers are loving The Argument

‘It got me from page one and I couldn't stop reading ‘til I found out how it would end.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars

‘I got so totally engrossed… I read it in under a day... A brilliant psychological thriller.’ NetGalley Reviewer

‘The TWIST (and I write that in caps that incredible of a twist it was) made my jaw hit the floor when it happened... I couldn't put it down...’ Goodreads Reviewer

‘Fantastic… so well written and emotional... I would highly, highly recommend this book.’ NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars

‘From the first page, I was swept right in… I read late into the night. So many twists that I never saw coming… highly recommend.’ NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars

‘Am still in shock after reading this… brilliant… a must read.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars

‘Usually I can see twists coming… But this book. Oh man. I had no idea this was going to happen, I did not see it coming.’ Goodreads Reviewer

‘Never saw that twist coming.’ Goodreads Reviewer

‘A devastatingly good book… if this doesn’t leave you shuddering nothing will. Brilliantly well done.’ NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars

I absolutely adore stories focussed on relationships between teenage children and their parents. I love the nature of how both in the real world and in fiction they can turn into big sticky messes. There is no guidebook on how to navigate the murky waters of parenthood, but I would live in hope that we would all fare better than the events that take place in The Argument. The mother/daughter relationship is one that often falls foul to the trappings of clashing personalities and this story is no different. Be prepared to hear the painful ticking of the clock in the silence of everything that is left unsaid.

In a quiet cul-de-sac a mother and daughter are engaged in the battle of hormones. The daughter thinking, she knows best and the mother enforcing her will with drastic consequences. Olivia sneaks out to a party that she has been emphatically banned from. Her parents, Hannah and Michael do not want her there under any circumstances. Olivia is fifteen and looking through an objective microscope, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out what could happen…a teenager going missing. Rape. Drug misuse. Alcohol abuse. The list is endless. Olivia finally arrives home and an argument ensues. Hannah is angry, and Olivia professes that she has ruined her life and refuses to speak to her again. Seems very like teenage behaviour, right? However, it is at this point my eyes and my brain cant compute. Something doesn’t add up with Hannah, my senses are on red alert.

Olivia sticks to her guns. She indeed doesn’t speak to her parents for several days. You know there isn’t something quite right about the dynamics between Olivia and her parents and conversely between Rosie, her sister and her parents. It’s clear as day that she gets treated differently and a knot forms in the pit of my stomach. The untold narrative between Hannah and Michael, the silent looks passed between them. What aren’t they saying? Why are they so quick to pass the blame to their eldest daughter when things start to go disastrously wrong?

My tongue was itching to scream the answers into Olivia’s ear. She was on the right track she just had to hunt harder and take decisive action before it was too late. Could a diary give her all the answers she has ever needed? Could it explain why she has always felt different…never quite fitting in. As a mother of three (boys I might add) this was a narrative that was difficult to both digest and understand. Being a mother of teenagers is a difficult road to travel but ultimately, we have to give them the freedom to make their own mistakes. We need to be their beacon of trust and love. The one constant that will have them returning to you. I count myself lucky that I seem to have found a workable balance.

Just when you think you have the story worked out in The Argument, along comes a bomb to blow your thoughts into space. So many details unravelled to turn my brain into soup. I was confused by the actions of certain characters. I revelled in the confusion, I was completely here for it. Trust in the author she will deliver you safely to the final page but not without a rollercoaster ride of emotions. We are engulfed in a fog of toxicity, but it will clear and bring us the light once more. Everything we learn leads in multiple different directions but it all has a purpose. Victoria Jenkins is the spider spinning her web and the reader is the unwitting fly tempted by the thread.

The Argument is a book that the term edge of your seat was invented for. The edge of my seat is worn out – I spent most of the novel on it! Victoria Jenkins grabbed me by the throat and refused to let go until the final page had been put to rest.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

1053000 - Review: The Argument by Victoria Jenkins

Victoria Jenkins is a Welsh author who has made a name for herself writing the highly popular Detective King and Lane series of novels. The first novel in the series was “The Girls In The Water” that Jenkins first published in 2017, to much critical acclaim and popularity among crime fiction fans.
The series of novels features Detective Constable Chloe Lane and Detective Inspector Alex King, who are the lead investigative characters that solve some mysterious murders in their hometown.

Jenkins lives with her husband and daughter in South Wales, where her series of crime novels featuring Detectives King and Lane is based.

Victoria Jenkins

Blog Tour: Mine by Clare Empson

March 31, 2020

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

mine by clare empson - Blog Tour: Mine by Clare Empson

Mine by Clare Empson
Published by Orion Publishing Group on August 22, 2019
ISBN: 9781409177777
Genres: Fiction, Thrillers, Crime, Psychological
Pages: 352
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

four stars - Blog Tour: Mine by Clare Empson

'A beautifully told stroy about the raw pain and ecstasy of motherhood. I loved it.' Jane Corry
'I adored this powerful, emotive and sensitively written story about love and loss/' Louise Jensen
'Haunting and heart-rending ... a beautifully told story' Victoria Selman

'Who am I? Why am I here? Why did my mother give me away?'
On the surface, Luke and his girlfriend Hannah seem to have a perfect life. He's an A&R man, she's an arts correspondent and they are devoted to their new-born son Samuel.
But beneath the gloss Luke has always felt like an outsider. So when he finds his birth mother Alice, the instant connection with her is a little like falling in love.
When Hannah goes back to work, Luke asks Alice to look after their son. But Alice - fuelled with grief from when her baby was taken from her 27 years ago - starts to fall in love with Samuel. And Luke won't settle for his mother pushing him aside once again...
* * * * *
Why real readers love this emotionally gripping story by the author of HIM:

'Read it, read it, read it. One of my books of the year, without a doubt.' Goodreads reviewer
'Beautiful, haunting, emotional, and totally addictive.' Goodreads reviewer
'A realistic, character driven, highly-emotional and addictive read.' Goodreads reviewer
'Be warned: this novel will take over your life while you are reading it.' Goodreads reviewer

Mine deals with sensitive issues and really breathes life into the saying that your past is never really in your past. We are all a result of our upbringings. Memories. The laughter. Endless tears. It is all an echo that rings in the lost memories of our childhood. It is useless to try and outrun the fears that revisiting the past can open back up. You can lace up those trainers and try to get ahead of it, but it’s going to catch up with you eventually.

Mine is the story of Luke and his wife, Hannah. Together they have a son, Samuel. The novel examines the reawakening that occurs in Luke. The birth of his son has brought old scars back into the Frey. His past ghosts now inhabit his consciousness. He believed that he had moved on but now he is wrecked with thoughts about his birth mother. Every shadow and corner brings him back full circle – wondering about where he came from. It makes you wonder about the other side of the coin – how does the parent, especially the mother, move on from such an action? He meets his mother, Alice, now aged 47. A very attractive woman by all means who gave Luke up when he was only a few weeks old. She was an aspiring artist and now paints portraits of pets. Was it really worth it? Luke doesn’t gain much of a reason for why he was given up for adoption.

Mine certainly has a raw undercurrent of a melancholy tune. It is sadness for years lost. For an emptiness. The writing was magnetic. I was pulled towards it from the very first page. It was addictive and squeezed at my heart, especially as a mother. I don’t think I would have every fully moved on from that.

Alice was a deeply frustrating character for me. She was given the opportunity that doesn’t always come knocking for birth parents. He she has her baby boy back in front of her and she doesn’t grasp on to him with both hands. He represents a new life. A renewed future. A second chance. Instead he is greeted with this cold, standoffish persona. She never lets him in and I just want to grab her and shake her, make her realise just what an opportunity she has. As the story progresses we are afforded the details of why and you slowly come around to the idea that yes maybe she had her reasons, maybe even sympathise with her.

The story moves forward with Hannah returning to work. Try as they might, they cannot find a suitable Au Pair to look after their son. After seeing Alice bond with Samuel, it is suggested that this could be a perfect solution. Luke watches and becomes jealous of the relationship between his son and his mother. Can he really trust her with his son? Just how much does he know about her? It is clear to the eye that his issues with abandonment run very deep, he is unsettled but just can’t shake off the feeling.

Mine is successfully layered this novel with the coldness and fear of what abandonment can result in. Clare Empson has created a menacing atmosphere with darkly compelling characters that take up space in your head.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

clare4 - Blog Tour: Mine by Clare Empson

Clare Empson worked as a staff writer on national newspapers covering everything from collapsing merchant banks to tea with the late Barbara Cartland (everything pink including the cakes). Eight years ago, she moved to the West Country and founded the arts and lifestyle blog countrycalling.co.uk.

The idyllic setting inspired her first novel, which reveals the darker side of paradise. Clare lives on the Wiltshire/Dorset border with her husband and three children.

Clare Empson

Blog Tour: The Sleeping Season by Kelly Creighton

March 30, 2020

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

49119162. SY475 - Blog Tour: The Sleeping Season by Kelly Creighton

The Sleeping Season by Kelly Creighton
Published by Friday Press on January 23, 2020
ISBN: 9781708710927
Genres: Mysteries & Detective Stories
Pages: 276
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four stars - Blog Tour: The Sleeping Season by Kelly Creighton

four stars - Blog Tour: The Sleeping Season by Kelly Creighton

Someone going missing is not an event in their life but an indicator of a problem. Detective Inspector Harriet Sloane is plagued by nightmares while someone from her past watches from a distance. In East Belfast, local four-year-old River, vanishes from his room. Sloane must put her own demons to bed and find the boy. Before it's too late.' Creighton has a poet's eye for imagery and a novelist's understanding of the value of a good plot.' - The Irish Times 'A writer to reckon with.' - The Irish Examiner 'A novel of style and verve. The Sleeping Season is unapologetically feminist.' - Sharon Dempsey

The Sleeping Season really breathes life into the idiom that you end up taking your work home with you.

This brand-new crime fiction series focuses on the disappearance of a 4-year-old boy, River, who has mysteriously disappeared from his bedroom despite the fact that there is no sign of any forced entry, however, his jacket also appears to be missing. The case is wrought with missing information and hindered by the attitude of an ubiquitous mother. Its apparent this case will test both DI Harriet Sloane and DI Diane Linsky’s skillset. It is an emotionally draining case to work. I was very wary of River’s mum, as a mother, her reactions emitted a reaction of me rolling my eyes.

Amazing…simply amazing. Kelly Creighton knows just how to prepare and ministate each word until they develop a life of their own. They walk straight off the page and grip a hold of you and refuse to let go until it has your full attention!

The Sleeping Season keeps the danger hidden. It is full of misdirection from multiple sides. The author has an uncanny way of making you feel like your being battered by a storm. The frustration and emotion felt by our protagonists was very real and raw and I wanted to scream right alongside them. The Sleeping Season gave me a serious feeling of uneasiness but to an extent where I couldn’t put my finger on what was unsettling me. Kelly Creighton had me fully immersed and invested in the novel – the successful resolution to this case was of the paramount importance to me and I was not putting that book down until I got the answers to my questions.

I found a lot of the characters to particularly unlikeable. They all seemed to be unreliable narrators and that includes DI Harriet Sloane. It emerges that she has a rather difficult relationship with her own family and appears standoffish and cold. This story is one of realisation for her. It opens her eyes to the difficulty and the complexity of families. We discover more about her backstory and it is both a revelation and heart wrenching. It explains so much towards her personal ideals on relationships and marriage and also her hesitation about motherhood.

The Sleeping season is an imperfectly perfect take on societal standpoint on women’s roles and behaviour. A slow-burn that ignites and consumes by the turning of the final page. Captivating and I inhaled this book.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelly Creighton was born in Belfast and now lives in Newtownards, Co. Down with her three dogs, two daughters, two sons and one husband. She facilitates creative writing workshops for community groups and schools, and mentors new writers.

Author of THE BONES OF IT, BANK HOLIDAY HURRICANE, THREE PRIMES, she writes crime fiction and literary fiction. Currently Kelly is working on a detective series set in East Belfast, and a couple of standalone books.

Kelly Creighton

Review: The Girls in the Lake (Beth Adams #2) by Helen Phifer

March 23, 2020

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

the girls in the lake by helen phifer - Review: The Girls in the Lake (Beth Adams #2) by Helen Phifer

The Girls in the Lake by Helen Phifer
Published by Bookouture on December 9, 2019
ISBN: 9781786819253
Genres: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Police Procedural, General, Thrillers, Medical, Crime, Suspense, Traditional, Women Sleuths, Romance, Psychological, Small Town & Rural, Private Investigators, Hard-Boiled, Noir, Amateur Sleuth
Pages: 291
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

three stars - Review: The Girls in the Lake (Beth Adams #2) by Helen Phifer

Peering over the side of the boat, the glare of early morning sun catches on something pale in the inky water. The boy’s curious fingertips break the surface, pulling up a tangle of long blonde hair from the reeds below…

The discovery of a girl floating face down in Lake Windermere, her naked skin almost translucent in the freezing water, looks like yet another tragic teen suicide. But the victim’s lack of clothes make Forensic Pathologist Beth Adams want to investigate further. Anything to distract her from the arrival of her abusive ex-boyfriend’s body on the mortuary table that morning.

With witnesses keeping tight-lipped and any clues washed away by the tides, it’s up to Beth to find the evidence her team needs. But then another girl is found in the lake, this time still clinging to life. She tells them she was at a party on a boat, and that she was pushed…

As more bodies surface, tiny traces of boat paint lead Beth to a tragic accident involving a group of school children years ago, and the feeling that the killer might be closer than anyone could ever have imaged. But with her personal life spinning out of control, can she persuade her team before another life is lost?

An absolutely unputdownable serial killer thriller that will have you sleeping with the lights on. Fans of Patricia Gibney, LJ Ross and Angela Marsons will have to hold on tight for this nail-biting rollercoaster ride!

Readers love The Girls in the Lake:
‘Brilliant… keeps you on the edge of your seat right until the last chapter...loving this series and the characters in it.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Plenty of twists… I didn’t want to put it down… suspenseful and riveting, you will want time to read it in one sitting.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Hooked from the beginning and it kept me engaged until the very last page.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Full of twists… full of tension… several times I caught myself holding my breath.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Another thrilling, tightly plotted addition to this already fabulous series...I loved this book…fast paced, realistic… plenty of action, mystery and suspects. Definitely comes highly recommended and deserves all of 5 stars.’ Netgalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘I thoroughly enjoyed… an engrossing tale… I don’t know where the time went, one minute I started to read and a few hours later I was finishing.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘A humdinger of a crime thriller that grabs you and draws you in from the brilliantly written and powerful opening scene to the nail-biting, butt-clenching finale.’ Netgalley reviewer, 5 stars

The water is beautiful. The water will also pull you under into its murky depths without a care or a thought about race, gender or social standing. If you don’t grant it the respect it so deserves it will unleash its power and it isn’t a battle you are going to win. The Girls in the Lake is a steady paced police procedural which picks up a few weeks after book 1. I felt that the first half of the novel was slower paced but it took off like a rocket in the second half.

The story is centred around the main character, Dr Beth Adams, a forensic pathologist. She has had an extremely tough life, having been subjected to a traumatic abusive relationship for the past seven years. Fast forward and she has marginally moved forward happy in the knowledge that her ex is in prison but still frozen in the past and being haunted by the effects that relationship has instilled in her. She is now living with DS Josh Walker. Life is good but usually when its that good something comes along and has a habit of turning it on its end. Cue, two dead bodies turning up in lake Windemere and the onslaught of the impending investigation.

Things get even more personal with a third girl being pushed into the water from a troublesome party boat…are the three women connected or was its mere accidents?

I really liked the character of Beth. Although she often participated in the sport of self-depreciation, she was an extremely strong character. She knew her worth and knew what she needed to do to move forward and boy did she go out and do it. She is one hell of a woman! I think to a certain extent she is struggling with the possibility of suffering from PTSD and seeks solace in the bottle more than she should but again we all have our crutches to bear. She navigates the murky waters of following her gut instinct and at points I thought that she was more on the ball as a detective than the actual police were.

The girls in the lake was a haven for geeks like me. I really enjoyed reading about the science behind the pathology of Beth’s work and the other forensic anomalies that popped in her freelance investigating. Call me a weirdo but I love what killed someone and the science that backs it all up even more.

I was mildly frustrated with the avoidable spat that occurred between Beth and Josh. In any relationship, trust and communication is paramount and their issue just seemed like a non-issue. Beth seemed to go a little off the deep end without having any proof and it did feel a little at odds with the character that I had been becoming acquainted to previously. But, overall, The Girls in the Lake was an enjoyable reading experience and I would like to give the first book a go.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

download - Review: The Girls in the Lake (Beth Adams #2) by Helen Phifer

Helen Phifer is the #1 Bestselling crime and horror novelist of the Annie Graham and Lucy Harwin series. Helen lives in a small town called Barrow-in-Furness with her husband and five children. She has lived in the same town since she was born. Surrounded by miles of coastline and not too far away from the beautiful Lake District. She has always loved writing and reading since the days she learnt how to in infant school. loves reading books that make the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and make her afraid to go to the toilet, alone in the middle of the night. is eternally grateful to Stephen King, Dean Koontz, James Herbert and Graham Masterton for scaring her senseless in her teenage years. Unable to find enough of the scary stories she loves to read, she decided to write her own.

Her debut novel The Ghost House was released October 2013 and introduced readers to police officer Annie Graham. It went on to be an Amazon #1 bestseller in Canada. It reached #1 on the Amazon Contemporary Horror Charts in both the UK and the US, pushing her idol Stephen King off his #1 spot many times.

She was thrilled when the second book in the series The Secrets of the Shadows managed to push The Ghost House off its #1 spot even if it was a little surreal. This was followed by The Forgotten Cottage, The Lake House, The Girls in the Woods and The Face Behind the Mask.

The Good Sisters is a standalone old, fashioned horror story which Helen admits scared her so much when she was writing it that she couldn’t write once it got dark. Set in an abandoned convent it will definitely give you the chills.

March 2017 saw the publication of Dark House, a gripping psychological thriller which introduced readers to the dangerous world of Detective Inspector Lucy Harwin. Dying Breath and Last Light are books two and three in that series.

The Haunting on West 10th Street is a supernatural thriller set on the streets of New York.

The Girl in the Grave featuring Forensic Pathologist Beth Adams is released 16th July 2019.

Helen Phifer

Blog Tour: Deadly Waters by OMJ Ryan

March 18, 2020

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

2019 1396 OMJ Ryan b03 scaled - Blog Tour: Deadly Waters by OMJ Ryan

Deadly Waters by OMJ Ryan
Series: A Detective Jane Phillips Novel
Published by Inkubator Books on 15th March 2020
Genres: Mysteries & Detective Stories
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five stars - Blog Tour: Deadly Waters by OMJ Ryan

five stars - Blog Tour: Deadly Waters by OMJ Ryan

Several young women have recently drowned in Manchester’s vast network of canals. A coincidence? Or something more sinister?

When star detective DCI Jane Phillips begins to investigate, her finely tuned instinct tells her these are no accidents. And when she discovers that each of the drowned women has a mysterious circular bruise on the back of her neck, Phillips is sure of it -- she’s up against a very clever serial killer.

But how are the victims being chosen? And who will be next?

With the body count rising, Phillips and her team find themselves in a fight to the death with a shadowy figure who always seems to be one step ahead.

Can Phillips stop the killer before the next victim dies? Or will she herself become an offering to Manchester’s deadly waters?

Deadly Waters was another home run for OMJ Ryan and the Detective Jane Phillips series. I had serious cover love the first time I laid eyes on its opening. It was ominous, it was secretive, and it forewarned of the threatening shadows that lurked beneath the surface. It’s the kind of story that will become etched into your mind and you can’t put the book down until that last page has been devoured. OMJ Ryan is a master storyteller that envelops you in atmospheric brilliance and a complexity that will literally tie you up in knots. His brilliance is his readers weakness and Deadly Waters did not disappoint.

If I found writing a review for Deadly Silence hard to write, then Deadly Waters has proven even harder to pen words to. This isn’t just another police procedural – it is an experience. Set in Manchester, we meet once again the incredibly robust, Jane Phillips. This can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading Deadly Waters as part of an incredibly raw and gritty crime series. With each indelible journey with this series we are treated to the characters becoming more at one with themselves. They become meatier, more fleshed out. Reading this book is like meeting a close friend after some time – you fall into relaxed camaraderie but there’s always something ebbing like an undercurrent.

OMJ Ryan has fast become a favourite author, his ability to set the tone of novel is second to none. There is no beating around the bush, he hits you with that block of wood until you start paying attention.

So, the book is focussed on something I am deathly afraid of…drowning. The fear of being plunged down into the murky depths, your last droplet of air being expunged from your body, your throat and chest burning with your physical need to breathe. What must someone think in those last moments? See, this is what this author is just sublime at making your brain go into overdrive, he kick starts your imagination and you either chase after it or get left behind.

DCI Jane Phillips and DI Jones are called to investigate the apparent drowning in a Manchester canal. From the outset it seems like there isn’t much to investigate as all the evidence points to accidental drowning. That is * cue dramatic music* until a second body is recovered in similar circumstances – more importantly with the same circular shaped bruise on the back of their necks. Is this a targeted murder? If so, then why choose two young heroin addicted prostitutes with young children at home?

Jane and her team are under an increasingly huge amount of pressure to get this one tied up. Jane prides herself on doing the job well and exact will never allow her superiors to lead her down the wrong path…she has a strong gut instinct. Often, I felt like I was lost in a forest with this story – you know that feeling you get when because of the location you aren’t too sure whether you heard leaves and twigs being crunched underfoot? Are your eyes playing tricks on you or was that really a shadow up ahead? OMJ Ryan loves to use the misdirection tactic in his playbook and it was delivered with such perfection.

Deadly Waters is another stellar addition to the Jane Phillips series. A story that shines with tension, narrative mastery and so tightly plotted that you would mistake it for cutting your oxygen. A strong, new powerful voice in British Crime Fiction.

Thanks to Emma @ Damppebbles book tours for my spot on the blog tour.

Review of Deadly Silence

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

OMJ Ryan - Blog Tour: Deadly Waters by 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.

Social Media:

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/

Blog Tour: Dead Wrong by Noelle Holton

March 18, 2020

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

45174405. SY475 - Blog Tour: Dead Wrong by Noelle Holton

Dead Wrong by Noelle Holton
Series: DC Maggie Jamieson
Published by One More Chapter on 14th March 2020
Genres: Mysteries & Detective Stories
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four stars - Blog Tour: Dead Wrong by Noelle Holton

four stars - Blog Tour: Dead Wrong by Noelle Holton

The serial killer is behind bars. But the murders are just beginning…

DC Maggie Jamieson's past comes back to haunt her in this dark and gripping serial killer thriller.

Three missing women running out of time…

They were abducted years ago. Notorious serial killer Bill Raven admitted to killing them and was sentenced to life.

The case was closed – at least DC Maggie Jamieson thought it was…

But now one of them has been found, dismembered and dumped in a bin bag in town.

Forensics reveal that she died just two days ago, when Raven was behind bars, so Maggie has a second killer to find.

Because even if the other missing women are still alive, one thing’s for certain: they don’t have long left to live…

Dead wrong is a white-knuckle ride of epic proportions. Noelle Holton is a master weaver of societal and conscientious topics that will leave an imprint etched upon the brain which will leave us stagnated into constantly thinking about the story. It’s a story that opens up that never-ending conundrum of why people act and behave in the way that they do. It’s a rash that can never be satisfied, unfortunately it’s these types of moral questions that make the world go round and Noelle Holton makes it spin all that faster.

The second instalment in the DC Maggie Jamieson series, which can be read as a standalone but if you are able to, you should read Dead Inside. Both books are so raw and gritty and will give you the full immersive experience of Noelle’s writing. Maggie is a character that we all wish was us. Strong, competent and an extraordinaire at daily ass kicking’s in her job. Maggie is dealing with some prickly work colleagues but the undefinable will to do justice is her driving force. It’s truly admirable. I imagine second guessing is loud voice trying to make itself heard, but Maggie pushes it further back and is confident in her ability to do the best job possible.

In Dead Wrong we are centred around the story of Bill Raven. Previously convicted serial killer who quite obviously hungers for the limelight. He brags about his revolting exploits during confession. I can only imagine just how damaging that would potentially be for the families involved. Its an exceptional examination of how serial killers or psychopaths behave. Their absolute disregard of how to treat others in a socially acceptable society, how they have such utter disregard for other human beings’ feelings and it highlights just how dangerous they are to society. Things are about to go crap to the fan when Bill Raven decides to appeal his sentence citing a psychotic break and being under the influence of illicit substances. Was it an unlawful imprisonment or is he crazier than everyone thought? What implications is this going to have for DC Maggie Jamieson’s career?

Maggie ends up being vilified in the media for putting an innocent man behind bars…well why wouldn’t she? No bodies have been recovered and at best it seems like the investigation only coughed up circumstantial evidence. It did remind of a scene from silence of the lambs. He is a dead ringer for Hannibal lector with his creepy demeanour and leering attitude. Maggie is working against the clock to determine who the killer is. Noelle Holton pushes us down the rabbit hole, we try to grab a hold of something but nothing tangible manifests itself. We just have to keep pushing forward, grasping those clues and getting through the maze that is Dead Wrong.

Dead Wrong is bleeding in authenticity. It’s raw, gritty and utterly compulsive. It developed a life of its own, reached out and grabbed me by the throat – it didn’t let go until the very last page.

Thanks to Sarah @ Books On The Bright Side for my spot on the blog tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

unnamed 1024x1024 - Blog Tour: Dead Wrong by Noelle Holton

Noelle Holten is an award-winning blogger at www.crimebookjunkie.co.uk. She is the PR & Social Media Manager for Bookouture, a leading digital publisher in the UK, and was a regular reviewer on the Two Crime Writers and a Microphone podcast. Noelle worked as a Senior Probation Officer for eighteen years, covering a variety of cases including those involving serious domestic abuse. She has three Hons BA’s – Philosophy, Sociology (Crime & Deviance) and Community Justice – and a Masters in Criminology. Noelle’s hobbies include reading, attending as many book festivals as she can afford and sharing the booklove via her blog.
Dead Inside is her debut novel with One More Chapter/Harper Collins UK and the start of a new series featuring DC Maggie Jamieson.

Connect with Noelle on Social Media here:
Twitter: (@nholten40) https://twitter.com/nholten40
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noelleholtenauthor/
Blog FB page: https://www.facebook.com/crimebookjunkie/
Instagram: @crimebookjunkie
Website: https://www.crimebookjunkie.co.uk
Bookbub Author page : https://bit.ly/2LkT4LB

Review: Docile by K.M. Szpara

March 16, 2020

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.

docile by k m szpara - Review: Docile by K.M. Szpara

Docile by K.M. Szpara
Published by Tor Publishing on March 3, 2020
ISBN: 9781250216144
Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, Hard Science Fiction, LGBT, Gay
Pages: 480
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

four stars - Review: Docile by K.M. Szpara

K. M. Szpara's Docile is a science fiction parable about love and sex, wealth and debt, abuse and power, a challenging tour de force that at turns seduces and startles.
There is no consent under capitalism.
To be a Docile is to be kept, body and soul, for the uses of the owner of your contract. To be a Docile is to forget, to disappear, to hide inside your body from the horrors of your service. To be a Docile is to sell yourself to pay your parents' debts and buy your children's future.
Elisha Wilder’s family has been ruined by debt, handed down to them from previous generations. His mother never recovered from the Dociline she took during her term as a Docile, so when Elisha decides to try and erase the family’s debt himself, he swears he will never take the drug that took his mother from him.
Too bad his contract has been purchased by Alexander Bishop III, whose ultra-rich family is the brains (and money) behind Dociline and the entire Office of Debt Resolution. When Elisha refuses Dociline, Alex refuses to believe that his family’s crowning achievement could have any negative side effects—and is determined to turn Elisha into the perfect Docile without it.
Content warning: Docile contains forthright depictions and discussions of rape and sexual abuse.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Wow, if Docile has afforded me one thing – its that I am eternally grateful for how my life is (even with the current health crisis.) Docile has nailed it home just how easily the world and humanity can sink into the depths of depravity and self-indulgent when capitalism rules with an iron fist. It is a stark reminder of just what I don’t want life to be like. If you’ve ever wondered what life would be like if you were able to do as you wished, then read Docile – it’s a shocking portrayal of the rich getting richer and the poor becoming more objectified and more desperate.

The novel tackles many themes through many different objective angles. A dystopian Maryland. Bankruptcy. Generational debt. Social gaps becoming colossal. Contractual partnerships. Questionable medication. Beware a medication that turns you into a docile quite literally. It might all seem like a comfortable life so long as you can get on board with the idea that you are allowing your partner (more like an owner) to do with you as you wish. Everything is controlled from your diet to your exercise regime to the way you wear your hair. With wealth beguiles power and with poverty relents every freedom you ever had.

Elisha Wilder’s family have crippling debt – think in the millions. There is no tangible way out…but one. Elisha volunteers to enrol in the docile programme to protect his sister from that fate. He knows that his life as he knew it was over but never in his wildest imagination did, he think that Alex Bishop III of Bishop Laboratories would choose him as a partner. The very same family that developed the Dociline formula. The formula that makes a wilful and independent individual into a compliant docile – one that will happily do as they are told without complaint or hesitation. Just as Elisha didn’t expect being partnered with Alex, Alex also didn’t expect what he got in meek Elisha.

Docile is seriously creepy and darker than a black hole. K.M. Szpara has erected a winding staircase of deceit. Just when we think we have gotten to grips with the events that take place, the stairs change shape and we collapse. It trips us up, leaves us postrate and pleading for help. He seems to take pleasure in blindfolding the reader and leading them down a winding maze – our senses are on high alert. Our sensibilities for knowing what is morally reprehensible in a modern society left me deeply unseated and I was very uncomfortable reading certain scenes. Let’s make it clear – you are MEANT to be uncomfortable – this isn’t a lovely visit with your grandmother this is akin to be smacked around the head until you forget which way is up and, in this case,, who knows?

There is a serious rape scene that is disturbing but paramount to the story. It could trigger certain emotions in some readers so just to be wary of it. The book is very hot is one of the best representations of LGBTQ+ that I have had the pleasure of reading. It has achieved more in this book than I have experienced in all the LGBTQ+ books I’ve read. It doesn’t fade into the background, it is strikingly brilliant, I have never read anything like it, and I think I might be hard pushed to find anything again like it.

Docile brings to the table a new formula for dystopian fiction. An immersive storyline takes the old and makes it new. K.M. Szpara takes character development and uses it to enrich the worldbuilding. A breath of fresh air in a well-worn genre!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

K.M. Szpara is a queer and trans author who lives in Baltimore, MD, with a tiny dog. Kellan always has a good manicure, likes whiskey cocktails, and thinks pants are overrated. His debut alt-/near-future novel, DOCILE (March 3, 2020; Tor.com Publishing), explores the snowballing debt crisis, consent, and privilege, and can be described as “really gay”.

His novelette, “Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time,” was nominated for the Hugo and Nebula Awards and Long-Listed for the Tiptree. Like Kellan, the protagonist is a gay trans man. Unlike Kellan, he’s bitten by a Daddy vampire with an Ikea fetish. More of Kellan’s fiction can be found in venues such as Uncanny, Lightspeed, and Shimmer. So far, all of it contains sex, which he insists is both about feelings, characters and social dynamics, but also, definitely, butts.

Kellan has a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School, which he totally uses at his day job as a paralegal. He is a graduate of the Viable Paradise workshop and the editor of Transcendent: The Year’s Best Transgender Speculate Fiction (Lethe Press), which received a starred review in Publishers Weekly. You can find him socializing into the night at literary conventions, chatting in two hundred eighty characters or fewer on Twitter at @KMSzpara, or in print as K.M. Szpara.

K.M. Szpara

Blog Tour: Endless Silent Scream (DI Bliss #6) by Tony J. Forder

March 13, 2020

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

50256734. SY475 - Blog Tour: Endless Silent Scream (DI Bliss #6) by Tony J. Forder

Endless Silent Scream by Tony J. Forder
Published by Spare Nib Books on March 9th 2020
Genres: Crime, Mysteries & Detective Stories, Mystery & Detective, Police Procedural
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four stars - Blog Tour: Endless Silent Scream (DI Bliss #6) by Tony J. Forder

four stars - Blog Tour: Endless Silent Scream (DI Bliss #6) by Tony J. Forder

He saved her life once. Can he do it again?

When DI Bliss prevents fifteen-year-old Molly from jumping off the roof of a tall building, he has no idea how deeply she will impact on his life. After learning that the girl is a drugs courier, Bliss realises she is in great danger. As he struggles to have Molly relocated, a local drug dealer and an enforcer sent by the supplier, have other plans for her.

After the remains of a freelance journalist are discovered, an old flame comes back into Bliss’s life. With the clock ticking down, he realises it’s only a matter of time before reports emerge linking the murdered journalist with the police, putting added pressure on the Major Crimes team to find the killer – even if it’s one of their own.

With Bliss torn between the two investigations, he becomes increasingly desperate to move Molly to safety before she can be silenced. But with his focus on saving the girl for a second time, Bliss is blinded to other dangers…

I want to make one thing crystal clear…Endless Silent Scream is the very first book that I have read penned by the incredibly talented Tony J. Forder. Upon finishing this one, I immediately added the other five books to my tbr. This book can easily be read as a standalone and I certainly didn’t feel that I missed huge chunks of backstory. This author has a new fan – his writing is akin to being blindfolded and thrown into an icy lake and being left to tread the icy depths alone. It’s in equal measures terrifying but also thrilling and you best be prepared for the ride of your life.

The synopsis instantly drew me in. it was a difficult topic with that was dealt with the utmost dignity and respect. His characters are edgy and relatable and its most definitely inspiration from everyday life. These are people you would meet on the street, they seep in compassion, the indominable urge to do right and they all seem to have a personal history that makes them carry out the job over and above the call of duty. They say that when you join the police force you become married to it, the characters in Endless Silent Scream are no exception.

A girl on a roof threatening to jump. A thrilling starting point to our novel and the first point of contact with DI Bliss. It sets the scene perfectly. The eeriness of someone having reached the end of their rope, someone feeling so bleak that they see no way out, really struck a chord…an emotional one. The descriptions of the grey buildings and the weather matched the mood of the opening chapter resolutely. Stand back and allow the wind and rain to whip through your hair but beware of the precipice you are standing on – one wrong move could end your existence. Tony J. Forder’s unique narrative style ensured that I would stay rooted to the spot and swallowed into his immersive way of storytelling. DI Bliss treats the girl like the daughter he never had…although quite obviously worried about her mental state he tackles it in the best way possible. The only way. Banter. Still giving her anonymity. Her own will. She isn’t railroaded. This event has affected DI Bliss in more ways than he bargained for and he must see it to completion.

One point about this story I loved was the team. The author injected a realistic sense of camaraderie but also with those sticky prickly colleagues. Everywhere has them! The truth of the matter is, when push comes to shove, they all work together bypassing those office politics that I absolutely hate! DI Bliss is our hero and although he was soft to the suicidal girl, he has a tough outer shell when needed. The perfect characteristics for a police officer. His one liners and banter and had audible giggles escaping and that kept him endearing in through-out. I did however, wonder how he got through some events in his past – my eyes were in sharp focus and searching for my own clues!

The speed and pace of this novel was like a bullet. You had to be careful to dodge those speeding impacts, but you still wanted to race to the finish to determine the secrets from the lies and I can hand on heart say that the ending was super satisfying. The emotion broke free from the pages and grabbed me by the throat. A book so incredibly well written.

Endless Silent Scream took me on a twisty and emotional journey that left me vulnerable and wrought – a rare gem that stands out with its beautiful writing and mesmerising narrative. Compelling and utterly immersive.

Thanks to Sarah @ Books On The Brightside for spot on the blog tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

cropped 1 - Blog Tour: Endless Silent Scream (DI Bliss #6) by Tony J. Forder

Tony J Forder is the author of the bestselling crime thriller series featuring detectives Jimmy Bliss and Penny Chandler. The first four books, Bad to the Bone, The Scent of Guilt, If Fear Wins, and The Reach of Shadows, were joined by The Death of Justice, on 9 September 2019. Book number six, Endless Silent Scream, will be published on 9 March 2020.

Tony’s dark, psychological crime thriller, Degrees of Darkness, featuring ex-detective Frank Rogers, was also published by Bloodhound Books. This is a stand-alone serial-killer novel. Scream Blue Murder, an action-adventure thriller, was published in November 2017, and received praise from many, including fellow authors Mason Cross, Matt Hilton and Anita Waller. The sequel, Cold Winter Sun, was published in November 2018.

Tony lives with his wife in Peterborough, UK, and is now a full-time author. He is currently editing a new novel, and has also started on Bliss #7, Slow Slicing.

Links

Website: https://www.tonyjforder.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonyjforder/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TonyJForder @TonyJForder

Amazon Author: https://www.amazon.co.uk/l/B01N4BPT65

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16166122.Tony_J_Forder

Fantastic Fiction: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/f/tony-j-forder/

Tony can also be found on Instagram.

Blog Tour: Mexico Street (Chas Riley #8) by Simone Buchholz

March 11, 2020

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

mexico street by simone buchholz - Blog Tour: Mexico Street (Chas Riley #8) by Simone Buchholz

Mexico Street by Simone Buchholz
Published by Orenda Books on March 5, 2020
ISBN: 9781913193157
Genres: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, International Mystery & Crime
Pages: 276
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

four stars - Blog Tour: Mexico Street (Chas Riley #8) by Simone Buchholz

Night after night, cars are set alight across the German city of Hamburg, with no obvious pattern, no explanation and no suspect. Until, one night, on Mexico Street, a ghetto of high-rise blocks in the north of the city, a Fiat is torched. Only this car isn't empty. The body of Nouri Saroukhan--prodigal son of the Bremen clan--is soon discovered, and the case becomes a homicide. Public prosecutor Chastity Riley is handed the investigation, which takes her deep into a criminal underground that snakes beneath the whole of Germany. And as details of Nouri's background, including an illicit relationship with the mysterious Aliza, emerge, it becomes clear that these are not random attacks, and there are more on the cards.

Mexico Street, where the atmosphere is buzzing and the air is smoking, quite literally! It reminds me of a slogan that should be on the city’s signs. The title hides the depravity and the greed that is Hamburg’s underbelly. It’s a novel that packs a seriously kilter throwing punch. Gangster families. Strong women. Forbidden love. it investigates the complexities of whether good truly dominates over evil or whether that is just a fabricated construct to give us hope. Be prepared to freshen up those pearly whites because this is a novel with bite!

We open with a bang or more accurately a scorch. There’s a car on fire in Mexico Street. There’s a man still in it, threatening to be burned alive. The fire brigade arrives, the man is taken to hospital with smoke inhalation. It said he comes from the crime family, Saroukhan from Bremen. His death is neither a shock nor does it unsettle them, he has been dead to them for several years. Just how bad does it need to be for an entire family to disown their son? Their reaction and the lives this family leads had me entirely curious about the sanctity of family in their eyes. We are immediately catapulted into the brutality and the mistreatment of the woman. If we can say a woman is the nurturer in a family, then the men of this story are the destructors.

The ones trying to decode this crime are an elite team. We have our unlikely heroine, Chastity Riley, the state prosecutor. She can throw punches like the big boys and break barriers with her iron will. She’s flawed just like the rest of us. Cracking complicated crimes seem like a piece of cake to her but relationships seem unattainable, shrouded in smoke, not quite trusting herself to let go and be herself. She was a galaxy away from what I expected going into this book, but she was so imperfectly perfect she was a character I was straight behind, ready to take any insight she felt confident giving out. Somethings don’t add up in her initial estimations. Who was the redhead woman they saw running away from the scene of the crime, an innocent bystander or the culprit? *Enter twilight show theme music*

Simone Buchholz is an entirely new author for me and wow I was equal parts amazed and perplexed not only by her ability to weave a raw and gritty crime narrative but her writing is tack sharp with large doses of tension thrown into the mix with a threatening shadow that creeps into every aspect of the investigation. It’s dark, it’s dangerous and it will delight all crime fans. This is a complicated story of family and the saying especially rings true in this tale – “you can’t pick your family.”

Mexico Street is highly compelling and brought me straight upright and reminded why I love crime fiction. It brought us a wealth of details and sucked me into a black hole of twisty thriller-ness!!

Thank you to Anne Cater @ Random Things tours for my spot on the blog tour. Big Thanks also to Rachel Ward on the translation without whom, i would never have read this absolute gem!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Simone Buchholz was born in Hanau in 1972. At university, she studied Philosophy and Literature, worked as a waitress and a columnist, and trained to be a journalist at the prestigious Henri-Nannen-School in Hamburg. In 2016, Simone Buchholz was awarded the Crime Cologne Award as well as runner-up in the German Crime Fiction Prize for Blue Night, which was number one on the KrimiZEIT Best of Crime List for months. She lives in Sankt Pauli, in the heart of Hamburg, with her husband and son.

Simone Buchholz