Family & Relationships

Blog Tour: Roses Are Red by Miranda Rijks

April 28, 2020 Yvonne 3 Comments

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.

53081760 - Blog Tour: Roses Are Red by Miranda Rijks

Roses Are Red by Miranda Rijks
Published by Inkubator Books on April 26th 2020
Genres: Psychological Thriller, Abuse, Grief
Pages: 286
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Publisher
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four stars - Blog Tour: Roses Are Red by Miranda Rijks

four stars - Blog Tour: Roses Are Red by Miranda Rijks

She wanted a second chance at happiness. She got a first-class ticket to hell.

Lydia Palmer seems to have it all - a thriving business, a beautiful house, a picture-perfect husband and two wonderful kids. But things are different behind closed doors - Lydia is desperately unhappy and wants a divorce. Then, shockingly, her husband Adam dies.

When her grief eases, Lydia starts online dating and almost immediately meets Patrick. Handsome, successful, loving, he’ll make the perfect second husband.

But is Patrick too good to be true? Can you really find prince charming online?

These are questions Lydia is forced to ask when her world begins to collapse. First, the police say Adam may have been murdered. Then her daughter turns against her, her business disintegrates…

Lydia is convinced that someone is trying to destroy her happiness. She’s wrong. They want so much more than that…

Roses are Red is a gripping psychological thriller that will keep you up until the early hours. Perfect for fans of K. L. Slater, Teresa Driscoll, and Andrew Hart.

We all want to think that money and wealth wouldn’t change the type of character that we would want ourselves to aspire to. Roses Are Red delves into the impact that emotional trauma can run rampant upon a vulnerable individual. Despite kindness and a gentle soul, there will always be someone lurking in the shadows, ready and willing to take advantage of a heart-breaking situation. Miranda Rijks has created a story that made me sick to the stomach and incandescent with rage. She laid the Easter eggs out to find and I put on my sherlock Holmes persona, ready to discover the truth.

Inkubator books just hit the nail on the head time and time again. I am a frequent reader of their publications and each and every time they kill me with their plot twists, broken characters and immersive narratives. I’m happy to report that Roses Are Red is no different.

Marriage can be bliss. It can also breed stresses routine. Lydia has known that her marriage to Adam has been over for years but only now are they talking about divorce. It’s not straightforward they have two children who could do without the upheaval at this point in their lives. Lydia is a shareholder in her business, there’s the house, shares, everything. A divorce would be especially messy. However, someone wishes Adam gone for other reasons. Can Lydia navigate the murky waters of Adam’s suspicious death and keep herself, the children and her business afloat? It is clear that Lydia becomes shrouded in a cloak of loneliness especially having spent years in a loveless marriage, can she move forward and share her wealth and big heart with the right person.

Lydia meets Patrick via online dating and its immediately obvious they are both what the other has been searching for. It moves forward at breakneck speed and they quickly become engaged. She has serious trust issues…again who wouldn’t after enduring the mistreatment that Adam had subjected her to. Patrick is everything that Adam was not. Quickly things take a downward turn. The business doesn’t seem as secure as it once was, and she has serious issues with her business partner. Strange phone calls in the middle of the night. Her children seem to becoming more and more detached from her. Can these events be linked to someone or is it just pure bad luck?

Miranda Rijks has taken us on a journey. We are given a snapshot into someone’s life. It isn’t domestic bliss, but it is far from boring either. It is everyday life, but the author has taken it and bent it completely out of shape until you cower and wonder just how a life can become so spiralled out of control. Lydia was a wonderful character but incredibly naïve. She was so desperate to regain that feeling of being needed and loved that she couldn’t distinguish the facts that were under her nose. Roses Are Red is a story of sadness and the author has ratcheted up the tension so far, you’re worried that a slight movement might cause it to snap. The pieces come together, and the climax makes the investment worth it.

Roses Are Red is pure escapism with utterly compelling characters and a plot that is born from a deep-seated sense of unease. It is sharp and atmospheric, and I blasted through it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Miranda Bio Pic - Blog Tour: Roses Are Red by Miranda Rijks

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

Miranda is the author of YOU ARE MINE and I WANT YOU GONE. ROSES ARE RED will be her seventh novel published with Inkubator Books.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MirandaRijks

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirandarijksauthor/

Review: The Dilemma by B.A. Paris

April 24, 2020 Yvonne Leave a Comment

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 dilemma by b a paris - Review: The Dilemma by B.A. Paris

The Dilemma by B A Paris
Published by HQ on January 1, 2020
ISBN: 9780008390754
Genres: Fiction, Thrillers, Suspense, Women, Psychological, Family & Relationships, Parenting, Parent & Adult Child, Friendship, General
Pages: 352
Format: eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
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four stars - Review: The Dilemma by B.A. Paris

The million-copy bestselling author returns with another breathtaking book... ‘A powerful, beautifully crafted story that ratchets up the tension with every page and packs a huge emotional punch’ TM Logan, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Holiday Knowing the truth will destroy her. Keeping it secret will destroy him.
It’s Livia’s 40th birthday and she’s having the party of a lifetime to make up for the wedding she never had. Everyone she loves will be there except her daughter Marnie, who’s studying abroad. But although Livia loves Marnie, she’s secretly glad she won’t be at the party. She needs to tell Adam something about their daughter but she’s waiting until the party is over so they can have this last happy time together.
Adam wants everything to be perfect for Livia so he’s secretly arranged for Marnie to come home and surprise her on her birthday. During the day, he hears some terrible news. He needs to tell Livia, because how can the party go on? But she’s so happy, so excited – and the guests are about to arrive.
The Dilemma – how far would you go to give someone you love a last few hours of happiness?
One day that will change a family forever, The Dilemma is the breathtaking, heartbreaking new novel from the million-copy-selling, Sunday Times bestseller, B A Paris.
Praise for The Dilemma:
‘A powerful, beautifully crafted story that ratchets up the tension with every page and packs a huge emotional punch’ TM Logan
‘A departure from B A Paris’s previous psycho-thrillers, this emotional story is gripping’ The Daily Mail
‘A heartbreaking page-turner that will have you up at night reading just one more chapter’ Catherine Steadman
‘A dark family drama ... builds a palpable wall of tension that leaves you desperate to find out what happens next’ The Sunday Mirror
‘A beautifully written story of love and loss which will stay with me’ Louise Jensen
‘What a book... utterly unputdownable!’ Sam King
‘A beautifully written novel that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page. B A Paris has a unique ability to get inside your head and stay there!’ HC Warner

The Dilemma. To tell someone something that will not only shatter one world, but many. What more could you possibly want in a psychological thriller? My attention was immediately stolen. I was hungering for the words contained in this explosive novel. I particularly enjoyed the element of older characters being in the forefront. There unique take on life, their emotions and their reactions when they are faced with the explosive ramifications that life can throw at you. I was deeply curious to see how the author would weave a highly addictive plot that would have me hooked by the end of the first chapter.

I cant applaud B.A. Paris enough for writing yet another compulsive psychological thriller. This book was refreshing and felt entirely unique. It gave me a propulsive look into a family’s life almost like looking at it through a microscope. Livia and Adam Hartwood tell their story over the course of a day, told over increments of an hour. They both have a dilemma. Both of them know something that will crush the other. If they divulge that secret, will they ever be the same again? Livia has experienced a traumatic childhood and no longer has contact with her parents much to her lifelong regret. Adam had a perfect childhood with supportive parents but has equally made mistakes that have impacted their family life, but will these secrets finally break them?

Its finally the day that Livia has been preparing for for the best part of twenty years. It’s her fortieth birthday party, the day that has been arranged to make up for the wedding she didn’t get. It’s going to be a fantastical affair with everyone and their granny invited. Livia leaves for the day to treatments at the spa with her friends. Adam however, needs to get into town to pick up her birthday present. He discovers however news that could potentially rock their worlds. How can he possibly let the party go ahead now? B.A. Paris sent a wave of unfairness coming over me like a tsunami. How could this actually be a family’s reality?

This book made me feel things! I had moments of anxiousness, sadness, fear and sadness. I had so many questions and my brain seemed to be operating at over its capacity. A book that makes me ask questions turns it into mush – it was a glorious and exciting feeling!

Livia wants nothing more than to have all her family around her, but one key person isn’t able to make it, their daughter, Marni. Adam has a difficult past with his children – this is the part I loved. It made the dynamics of family life more realistic. Having children young for many people is no picnic. It can be fraught with hardship and conflicted feelings about the perceived life you have left behind. B.A. Paris has defined what real life looks like and hasn’t sugar coated it. It reads effortlessly and ramps up the drama into the top gear. Both Adam and Marni hatch up a plan for her to get there secretly, a birthday surprise for Livia. Will it all come together and be the day that she has been imagining forever?

The Dilemma is a twisted and utter compelling psychological thriller. Cunning and captivating a book that deserves the idiom – utterly unputdownable. Be ready to have our mind blown.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A1G5PCAU6L. US230 - Review: The Dilemma by B.A. Paris

B A Paris is the internationally bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors, The Breakdown, Bring Me Back and The Dilemma. Having sold over one million copies in the UK alone, she is a New York Times bestseller as well as Sunday Times bestseller and a number one bestseller on Amazon and iBooks. Her books have been translated into 39 languages. Having lived in France for many years, she and her husband recently moved back to the UK.
Her fifth novel is out in 2021

Follow B A on Twitter @BAParisAuthor

BA Paris

Audio Blog Tour: The Wreckage by Robin Morgan-Bentley

February 20, 2020 Yvonne Leave a Comment

The Wreckage by Robin Morgan-Bentley
Published by Orion Publishing Group on February 6, 2020
ISBN: 9781409194187
Genres: Family & Relationships, Abuse, Domestic Partner Abuse, Fiction, Thrillers, Crime, Psychological, Family Life, Marriage & Divorce
Pages: 304
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
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five stars - Audio Blog Tour: The Wreckage by Robin Morgan-Bentley

One fatal crash. Two colliding worlds. Three wrecked lives.
Ben is driving on the motorway, on his usual commute to the school where he works.
A day like any other...
Except for one man who, in a final despairing act, jumps in front of Ben's car, turning the teacher's world upside down in a single horrifying instant...
Wracked with guilt and desperate to clear his conscience, he develops a friendship with Alice, the dead man's wife, and her 7-year-old son Max.
But as he tries to escape the trauma of the wreckage, could he go too far in trying to make amends?
How would you cope, knowing you'd caused someone's death? And are the dynamics of this friendship exactly what they seem?

The Wreckage– it’s clear from the offset the tone this story is going to take. A car wreck. Speeding towards an end goal that destroys lives. Whiplash that leaves you feeling pained and distraught. It’s a real play on the title and the deeper meaning behind it is poetic brilliance. This book hits you in the feels like a ten-tonne truck to the chest. You need to escape from the wrecked car, you’re injured, your disorientated and you have to drag yourself to safety. It’s pitch black and your senses have left you. You need to stumble from one event to the other – this book is the direct correlation to this.

As a debut I didn’t know what to expect. Let me tell you this – rarely have I read such a fully immersive, compelling and eye popping read such as The Wreckage. Robin Morgan-Bentley knows just how to lead his readers down a maze, blindfolded and panicky. A Suicide. A Grieving family. A driver left with an incredible responsibility. A mysterious note.

In mere hours Alice’s world is turned upside down. A stay at home mother to her cherished son, Max. she loves a wine or two but tell me what mother doesn’t? Was she expecting the news on that fateful day? What would drive someone to make the decision to throw themselves in front of a moving car on the motorway? I was in my element reading the alternating POV’s in The Wreckage – both Alice’s and Ben’s narrative was emotive and heart-wrenching. It left me with an extreme sense of urgency and it was compelling to have the POV of someone that had been driving the car as opposed to the usual fallout from the victim’s family.

Both Alice and Ben were victims. It was as clear as the nose on your face. Ben really struggled with the feelings of guilt and seemed to only want to do right for his perceived wrong. Alice was left to raise an eight-year-old boy who had his father and her husband wrenched from their lives. There was secrets, lies and a sense of foreboding that kept creeping into my peripheral vision. They are both trying to navigate their own versions of the highway to hell.

I found Ben to be the more interesting character. The Inspectorates proclaimed country’s best school teacher. He has a solid routine that he sticks to, doesn’t drive recklessly, the patience of a saint – the accident hits him very hard. It is also the catalyst that sends him down a destructive and obsessive path. Imagine dominoes – once that first one gets sent on its way, there is no stopping the wave of destruction. This book gave me such an addictive need to find out what happens next – I raced to the finish. The author gave me such a need to work out why Ben, Alice and Adam behaved in the way they did.

In all honesty, I really struggled with Alice. Yes, she was struggling with the death of her husband, but she presented as a bit reckless and irresponsible. She seemed to be so focussed and lost in her own grief that she seemed to lose sight of the most important person – Max. she drank too much and couldn’t acknowledge help when offered. You can tell that her world has turned grey, but she has to be strong for her son. I think the author wrote the character in such a way that you feel conflicted in how she behaves and her motives. Is wrong vs. right so obvious in this story?

The Wreckage is a tightly weaved plot that could cut your oxygen. The story left me guessing right until the end. I doubted every character and felt conflicted around every corner. Be prepared to be catapulted onto a lake of ice, you will need to navigate the thin ice without falling into the cold depths below.

The audio was beautiful. It packed a powerful punch. It heightened the alarming amount of anticipation I was experiencing. It resonated with the fear, the grief, the panic. The Multiple authors hit that sweet spot. We were living the extremes of two forever changed characters and the loss the narrators catapulted into the story made it, in my opinion. The audiobook was inhaled in a matter of hours. It became a living, breathing entity.

Thanks to Alex @ Orion Books for a copy of the Audiobook for review purposes.

Blog Tour: 17 Church Row by James Carol

November 12, 2019 Yvonne Leave a Comment

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.

17 church row by james carol - Blog Tour: 17 Church Row by James Carol

17 Church Row by James Carol
Published by Bonnier Publishing Fiction on August 15, 2019
ISBN: 9781785768415
Genres: Fiction, Thrillers, Crime, Suspense, Psychological, General, Mystery & Detective, Traditional, Family Life, Family & Relationships
Pages: 400
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

four stars - Blog Tour: 17 Church Row by James Carol

For fans of J. P. Delaney's The Girl Before comes a thriller that makes us question the lengths we would go to, to keep our family safe.
Three years ago, Nikki and Ethan Rhodes suffered a devastating loss when their four-year-old daughter Grace was tragically killed in a road accident. Ethan, a radio personality, escapes into work, leaving Nikki to care for their remaining child, Bella, who hasn't spoken since that day.
Seeking a fresh start, the family moves into a revolutionary new house designed by renowned architect, Catriona Fisher. The house features a state-of-the-art security system, along with every amenity you could dream of.
For the Rhodes' this is a chance to finally pick up the pieces and get on with their lives in a place where they feel totally safe.
But what if 17 Church Row isn't the safe haven that they think it is?
Praise for James Carol:
'Chilling, scary and magnificent' Lee Child
'Will hook you from the very first page' Rachel Abbott
'Carol carves out his own menacing canvas with real panache' Independent
'Leaves you desperate for more' Daily Mail

Many Thanks to Tracy @ Compulsive Readers and the publisher for my spot on the blog tour and a copy of the book. My review is honest and unbiased.

Wow…this novel blew my tiny mind. The thriller genre is my favourite and sometimes they can get a little bit samey, but this renewed my love for the genre tenfold! The topic was scarily relevant to the times we now find ourselves living in and makes you think about just how easy it is to put things out there on the internet. It made me think and ponder just how much myself and my peers live our lives on the stage that is the internet. James Carol’s writing style was invigorating, and his narrative was just thrilling. I was hook, line and sinker from the first gripping page to very last. I was addicted, and the storyline portrayed the internet as a silent, insidious being. Always watching, note taking, a photographic memory. It never forgets.

I knew this book was going to deliver for me but at the same time it completely caught me off guard. I love a premise that is new and exciting. You knew it was going to be a ride, but the suspense narrative was proper edge of your seat stuff. The story had my attention, it never wavered for a moment. The suspense game was so strong, I held the book so tightly it’s a wonder it wasn’t damaged. Just how much information do we put online? Online banking, date of births, how many children we have, our mother’s maiden name, the first street/school we went to. The list goes on. The premise is simple and harrowing. How far would a parent be willing to go to protect their child? My advice to you is to get everything you need to be cosy – blanket, cuppa tea, biscuits. This book will chill you, bone deep. James Carol nailed this…it just WORKED. The narrative firmly placed me in the parent’s shoes, and it was haunting. I would do anything to protect my children but it’s all well and good until the device you rely on turns into the danger. Turns into everything you fear. The horror near stopped my heart.

17 church rows is a new start for Ethan and Nikki and their daughter, Bella. Nikki really broke my heart. Her ongoing struggle and grief would even melt an ice queens’ heart. I just wanted to reach into the book and give her a great big hug. Bellas twin sister, Grace died after being struck by a car. Her grief is strong and unyielding, she needs this new start. Bella has her own grief and it is manifesting in being mute. She won’t talk about the accident. She won’t talk at all. So, that leads us to the house. Its revolutionary. The security system is complex and unbreakable. Its teamed up with an A.I called Alice. She’s friendly…

This story was like sinking into the darkness, the pain and rawness made it hard to swim through it. The story held me captive until the very end. It was terrifying but as a thriller it satisfied my bookworm desires. It was a taut plotline that could snap at any time. It’s a compelling read that tells us all we need to know about human nature – their flaws, fears and a realness that strikes a chord.

James Carol was born in Scotland, where he spent his early years. He moved to England in the eighties and has lived there ever since. At various times he has worked as a guitarist, sound engineer, guitar tutor, journalist, and a horse riding instructor.

Broken Dolls, the first Jefferson Winter thriller, was published in 2014 and has sold a third of a million copies and been translated into twelve languages. This was followed by three other Jefferson Winter thrillers and a trilogy of novellas set during Winter’s FBI days.

James has also written three standalone thrillers. The first of these, The Killing Game was shortlisted for a CWA Ian Fleming Dagger award.

When he’s not writing, James can usually be found in his recording studio where he is currently writing and recording the first Dream Nation album.

James lives in Hertfordshire with his wife, two children, a dog and a horse.

Blog Tour: The Secrets He Kept by Jackie Walsh

November 8, 2019 Yvonne Leave a Comment

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 secrets he kept by jackie walsh - Blog Tour: The Secrets He Kept by Jackie Walsh

The Secrets He Kept by Jackie Walsh
Published by Hera books Ltd on November 6, 2019
ISBN: 9781912973200
Genres: Fiction, Thrillers, Domestic, Family & Relationships, Parenting, Fatherhood, Stepparenting, Suspense, Psychological, Travel, Europe, Ireland, Mystery & Detective, General
Pages: 281
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

four stars - Blog Tour: The Secrets He Kept by Jackie Walsh

‘will have you gripped from start to finish, so much so that you really don’t want to stop reading!’ (5 stars) Reader review
'I was hooked straight in from the first chapter and it really didn't let up. Fast paced and thrilling.’ (5 stars) Reader review
You know everything about your husband. Don’t you?
He loves you. He loves your children. He’d never put his family in danger.
One of these is a lie.
It started like any other day at the hairdressers where Sally works as a stylist... until her first client innocently shows her a family photograph; a photograph that causes Sally to collapse in shock.
In one moment, Sally discovers that Tom has been hiding an explosive secret – one that could tear apart the life they’ve built together. Faced with an impossible dilemma - search for the truth, or keep her contented life? – Sally is about to discover that even those closest to us have secrets... and that sometimes the truth is the last thing we want to hear.
A completely gripping, suspenseful psychological thriller that fans of T.M. Logan, My Lovely Wife and K.L. Slater won't be able to put down.
Readers can’t get enough of The Secrets He Kept:
‘I read this in one sitting, loved it!! Quickly paced, great story!! Kept me guessing to the very end!!’ (5 stars) Reader review
‘I loved, loved this book. It was engaging from the first page and kept me up half the night.’ Reader review
‘Every few chapters provide a new twist in this story, all ending with a very satisfying conclusion...I could not recommend this book more!’ (5 stars)
‘Wow, this was one gripping read!...A roller coaster of a read that thrills and excites.’ (5 stars) Reader review
‘a fast paced and twisty ride that kept me gripped from start to finish...kept me addicted till the very last page.’ Reader review
‘A fast paced, twisty domestic thriller...an engrossing read with a likable character and a host of thrilling twists and turns, enjoy!’ Reader review
‘I was intrigued by this book from the start... A highly recommended and enjoyable read’ Reader review
‘a very compelling thriller...I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy psychological thrillers.’ Reader review
‘The moment the first jaw-dropping bombshell landed in the first chapter, I was hooked... Clever cliff-hangers...and a twist you couldn't guess even if you tried. A gripping, hard-hitting read’ (5 stars) Reader review
‘a splendid thriller that will leave you guessing until the end...I would recommend this book to anyone who loves psychological thrillers.’ (5 stars) Reader review
‘What a brilliant fast paced book. I was guessing all the way through.’ (5 stars) Reader review
‘Fantastic read! Great plot that grabs you from the very beginning. A masterful story that keeps you endlessly intrigued...HIGHLY RECOMMEND!’ (5 stars) Reader review
‘A brilliant roller coaster of a read...full of twists and turns and I was gripped from the very first page’ Reader review
‘The characters were well drawn and the story flowed seamlessly. Highly recommended.’ (5 stars) Reader review
‘kept me fully engaged from beginning to end...a riveting and twisty tale that will have you racing to get to the bottom of it all.’ Reader review
‘The story is full of twists and turns and kept me hooked throughout...will have you flying through the chapters to see how it will all unravel.’ Reader review
‘loved all the twists and turns; kept me guessing! I really enjoyed this, read it in one sitting!’ (5 stars) Reader review

Thank you to Sarah from Books on the Brightside publicity and the publisher for my spot on the blog tour and the arc of the book. My review is unbiased and honest. Books in the Psychological Thriller genre are my absolute favourite and the secrets he kept was an instalove affair with the cover, its intriguing and atmospheric and it didn’t disappoint.

How can I put into words just how this book made me feel? Well the only way is, Alice falling into the rabbit hole. This analogy is I’m sure accurate for Sally who ends up having her world destroyed at its axis. At first glance Sally seems to have the perfect life but Sally is struggling in the aftermath of a revelation that leaves her reeling. The novel doesn’t do gentle, the tone is immediately felt, and its haunting. Sally is a hairdresser and during her usual uneventful day has a client that shows her the one thing that can decimate her perfect existence, a photograph of her husband and this girl’s boyfriend but also her husband’s son. He doesn’t have a son, does he? Sally can’t process, her mind is like mashed potato. Things don’t make sense…her husband wouldn’t keep secrets of this magnitude, would he? I really enjoy the spousal secret plotline, but this novel uses it in a powerful depiction.

Reading The secrets, he kept felt like being in a super busy train station. Everyone and everything was moving around me, but it was all a blur. My psyche knew that they were moving but I couldn’t bring myself to look up. It was engrossing. Why is Tom lying? Is he protecting something or someone? Does Sally really want to know, or is this secret better left buried? The chapters were dark and disturbing, and it just increased the secrecy and level of paranoia surrounding Sally. Jackie Walsh is a master of the creeping unrest, the suffocating feeling of complexity, as if everything isn’t as it should be. The lies stabbed at me, why couldn’t Tom share this secret with her. Could this discovery kill her also? Just what level of interference did Kenny have? I wanted to hug Sally, the impact of this upon her life was irreparable. Be fully prepared to shout at your book or throw it across the room like I did, seriously. Some of the turns that came up had me not believing what I was reading, poor Sally.

It’s been a while since I read a book that had me feeling anxious and worried for a character. I struggled with my feelings for Tom and Kenny, the way things played out made me dislike them for the way they treated Sally, it was incomprehensible. What could possible justify behaving like that towards someone that is on your team? There through the darkness and the light, your biggest advocate. The story was complex, and the final picture would manifest itself and leave Sally and myself reeling. The truth must have been festering within Sally’s mind, how, what, where and when must have turned into a poisoned wound within her mind. Pushing for the truth was bold, but what would she do when she got it?

The authors writing skill is transcendent. The character arcs were fulfilled and brought to fruition. She draws you in and the story delivers a hauntingly devastating tale of betrayal, secrecy and the pace will ensure you buckle your seatbelt because you are in for a hell of a ride!

Jackie Walsh lives in Dublin with her husband Paul and dog Layla. After years spent building her own business, she decided to take time out and pursue her interest in writing. With a lot to learn, she spent years attending classes and writing groups, going to festivals and launches, writing and rewriting, until eventually sending her words out into the world. Now she is thrilled to have landed a publisher. Especially Hera Books, a new company headed by two women who have years of experience and love a good story.

Jackie is a member of the Irish Writers Centre, The Irish Crime writers group and proof that perseverance can work.

Blog Tour: The Good Neighbor by Cathryn Grant

September 6, 2019 Yvonne 12 Comments

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.

48127656. SY475 - Blog Tour: The Good Neighbor by Cathryn Grant

The Good Neighbor by Cathryn Grant
Published by Inkubator Books on September 8th 2019
Genres: Crime, Domestic, Family & Relationships
Pages: 314
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

four stars - Blog Tour: The Good Neighbor by Cathryn Grant

Sometimes the past just won’t stay buried.

When 14 year old Brittany disappears one night, her parents are devastated, certain she has been taken.

They can’t bear to think about who has done this and what might be happening to their precious girl.

Even worse, the police seem to see them as suspects, implying that they may have had a part in their own daughter’s disappearance. Only their neighbor, Taylor, is a rock. She organizes search parties, feeds the volunteers, works night and day to help them find Brittany.

But as this affluent California community becomes focused on the hunt for the missing girl, it slowly becomes clear that her disappearance is linked to terrible secrets from the past.

Secrets that must be kept hidden at all costs….

The Good Neighbor is a gripping psychological thriller that twists and turns as it races towards its nerve-shredding climax. Perfect for fans of K. L. Slater, Teresa Driscoll and Mark Edwards.

Wow…

And you thought you had problems?

Insanity is only one tragedy away.

This is Cathryn Grant’s first book I have read and holy shit it packs a punch. This book is the tipping point for me to immediately add a few more of hers to my TBR (I seriously don’t need to be adding more but screw it…I can rest when I’m dead). I love the way she has weaved a chilling tale that in all honesty is completely believable. How real it was scared me acutely. I’m in awe how she used the enormity of a mother’s love and twisted and twisted and twisted until it became something else entirely. How far will a mother’s love go? Can you love someone too much?

It’s no secret that I love a psychological thriller, and this delivered, straight.to.the. door. The synopsis had me at the first sentence and I was already buckled in and ready for a tale of thrills, suspense and a secret that was better of buried, or was it? Can a good intention be done for the wrong reasons? Do we deserve to make decisions for vulnerable people no matter the consequence? This is what Cathryn Grant examines under the microscope.

The prologue is a shit your pants opener. It quite literally goes for the jugular. “There was so much blood.” This instantly had my attention and the author held it there for the entirety of the story. The story picks up in a privileged Californian community and you get a real feel of how secluded and out of the way they are. You also start to get little hints about how something is off – What’s the issue with Moira? Why is there something so off about the daughter, Brittany? From the offset the visual doesn’t match what they are being told. Warning bells are ringing, and they are deafening. The authors writing style had me captivated and I was on the edge of my seat awaiting the next twist to be revealed. The main characters are strong but with flaws but equally the supporting characters are just as relatable. They don’t suffer or stand in the shadow of the MC’s; they enrich the story and give it a 3D quality. Taylor is one of these characters – she is what I would hope humanity is all about. She has that never give up approach to life, she has hope and love and wants to see the best in people even it has a detrimental effect in her own life.

Moira was an odd character to me right from the bat. She behaved oddly, she had odd reactions to her neighbors and how she was with her daughter. Christ on a bike! I get the whole you want to protect your daughter from all the bad in the world, keep them from harm and keep them innocent for as long as possible but you really can’t wrap them in cotton wool! Children need to grow up, they need to be given the freedom to make their own mistakes, otherwise there is going to come a day when your child is going to turn against you for not allowing them to experience these things. She proclaims to the police that they were a happy family and that they never argue…the police are baffled. I’m baffled. What teenager doesn’t argue with their parents over this or that. They time and time again insist that Brittany isn’t like normal teenagers, she doesn’t argue over the rules, she doesn’t want what other teenagers battle over. Why is that exactly? Why is she so different? Moira and Alan are hiding something. They protest just a bit too much.

The novel is a swift descend into madness. Everything happens very quickly, and I read this book in two sittings (damn the need for sleep). Who is guilty of Brittany’s disappearance? It’s like whispers, over time they change, and the original is no longer the same. You can tell where its leading, but the journey shocks you all the same. There is a sinister figure in the corner and it’s never quite forgotten. The ending is off the charts, can a perceived good thing cover up a world of hurt or are you so broken that you can’t see past your reasoning and won’t let anyone stand in your way. No-one. Nothing.

The Good Neighbor packs a swift punch. You’ll stagger, you’ll trip and before you know it, you’re on your knees reeling from the truth. It’s addictive and terrifying as hell. A story so tragic you don’t know which way is good and bad. A toxic tale of motherly love.

Thanks to Emma @ Damppebbles for my spot on the blog tour and for the copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Meet The Author

Cathryn’s fiction has appeared in Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazines, The Shroud Quarterly Journal, and The Best of Every Day Fiction. Her story “I Was Young Once” received an honorable mention in the 2007 Zoetrope Fiction contest.

She’s the author of the Alexandra Mallory Psychological Suspense series, Psychological Thrillers, Suburban Noir novels, The Haunted Ship Trilogy, and the Madison Keith Ghost Story series.

When she’s not writing, Cathryn reads fiction, eavesdrops, and tries to play golf without hitting her ball into the sand or the water. She lives on the Central California coast with her husband and two cats.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CathrynGrant

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CathrynGrant.Writer/

Website: https://www.cathryngrant.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cathryngrant_fiction/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cathryn-Grant/e/B004G1I484?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3&qid=1566901527&sr=8-3