My Review for One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke, read by Natalie Simpson and Sofia Zervudachi

Full of twists, turns, alcohol and sunshine, this thriller audiobook kept my anxieties high as I listened. Told in turn, from each character’s viewpoint, it didn’t take me long to work out who was who, and their relationship to Lexi, the bride-to-be on her hen weekend in Greece. We all knew someone would die. What I didn’t work out, though, was who that was going to be and what was going to happen. That came as a complete surprise. All six women had their secrets and, of course, during the trip, all the secrets were going to come out, one way or another.

Lucy writes with intrigue, and suspense and I adored listening to this. A Greek island, female friendships (or not), sunshine, good food and alcohol. What’s not to love? 

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK Audio for the opportunity to listen to and review a copy of One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke.

About the Book

It was supposed to be the perfect weekend away. Six very different women travel to a sun-soaked Greek island for a bachelorette trip, to celebrate Lexi’s upcoming wedding. From the glorious ocean views to the quaint tavernas and whitewashed streets, the vacation seems too good to be true. But dangerous undercurrents run beneath the sunset swims and midnight cocktails – because each of the women is hiding a secret. Someone is determined to make sure that Lexi’s marriage never happens – and that one of them doesn’t leave the island alive.

Gripping, twisty, and full of sun-soaked suspense, this timely thriller examines the joys of female friendship…as well as the deadly consequences when a relationship goes wrong.

About Lucy

Sunday Times bestseller Lucy Clarke is the author of eight destination thrillers. They include Waterstones Thriller of the Month, The Castaways, Richard and Judy Book Club pick, One of the Girls, and most recently, The Hike. Lucy's novels have sold over a million copies and are published in more than 25 territories worldwide.

Lucy's thriller, No Escape (also published as The Blue) has been released as a major international show for Paramount+. Set in the Philippines, the seven-part series is directed by Hans Herbot (The Serpent) and stars Abigail Lawrie and Rhianne Barreto as best friends Lana and Kitty.

The Castaways has also been adapted for screen and was The Guardian Pick of the Week. BAFTA award-winner Sheridan Smith stars as Lori, and Celine Buckens plays her sister, Erin. The five-part thriller is available to stream on Paramount+.

When Lucy isn't away on research trips (the real reason she loves being an author!), she can be found writing from a beach hut on the south coast of England. She lives with her husband and their two children.

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My Review for Retribution for the Fallen by Madeline Vaughn

I’ve been waiting to read this since Madeline announced when the last book in the Emily Fallon series was coming out! It’s definitely been worth the wait and we pick up exactly where we left Emily, Xander, Maverick and Uncle Paul in the second book - in the throes of trying to bring the head of the US Navy to justice. 

Once again, Madeline Vaughn has written a fast-paced story with an intriguing and thrilling plot. It gripped me from the start. There were loads of ‘WTF’ and ‘no-way’ moments and I was totally gobsmacked at how some things played out! No spoilers from me, but I really didn’t see what was going to happen and part of me thought a miracle might occur!

This definitely needs to be read as part of the series, so get out and there and buy all three now!

Once again, thank you to Madeline for including me in her ARC Street Team. I’m looking forward to the next book she writes.

About the Book

Her opposition's reach is unparalleled. Who will be left standing?

In the gripping finale of the Emily Fallon trilogy, we follow Emily as she embarks on her most important mission; taking down her biggest adversary yet. 

With each truth exposed, the danger mounts and Emily must answer her own questions.

Will she bring all the conspiracies and cavernous corridors of secrets to the surface? What is she willing to sacrifice for the retribution that’s owed for the fallen? Will this rival take Emily and her loved ones out before they can drag the dark soul of this enemy into the light? Will they fall victim to their wrath?

About Madeline

Madeline has always been passionate about writing and storytelling. She would describe herself as a curious author who loves exploring different themes and motifs. As part of her writing process, she loves to immerse myself into her projects—dive headfirst into the research, production, and fine-tuning of the stories that she feels are the most worthy of telling.​

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My Review for The Fury by Alex Michaelides

Although I have The Silent Patient on my bookshelf, it remains unread, and therefore this is my first venture into Alex Michaelides’ world.

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure about this one at the beginning. I don’t know how to describe the style of writing apart from that it’s narrated from the point of view of one of the characters. However, as I settled into the writing and read on, I understood more about what was happening and why it was being written such as it was, and I began to enjoy it - a lot.

The Fury is full of deception, lies and intrigue from beginning to end. I’m not sure I actually liked any of the characters very much, each having their own secrets and reasons for being who they want others to perceive them. Only an accomplished writer can portray their characters as such and hats off to Alex for achieving this.

I found the story to be full of twists and an ending I didn’t see coming. A Fury is a local Greek term for strong winds and storms and the fury in this case provided storms and an atmosphere in both plot and weather!

If you enjoy a story full of mystery, thrill and suspense, then I’d recommend that you read this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph at Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read and review The Fury by Alex Michaelides.

About the Book

This is a tale of murder.

Or maybe that’s not quite true. At its heart, it’s a love story, isn’t it?

Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex–movie star and one of the most famous women in the world. Every year, she invites her closest friends to escape the English weather and spend Easter on her idyllic private Greek island.

I tell you this because you may think you know this story. You probably read about it at the time ― it caused a real stir in the tabloids, if you remember. It had all the necessary ingredients for a press a celebrity; a private island cut off by the wind…and a murder.

We found ourselves trapped there overnight. Our old friendships concealed hatred and a desire for revenge. What followed was a game of cat and mouse ― a battle of wits, full of twists and turns, building to an unforgettable climax. The night ended in violence and death, as one of us was found murdered.

But who am I?

My name is Elliot Chase, and I’m going to tell you a story unlike any you’ve ever heard.

About Alex

Alex Michaelides was born and raised in Cyprus. He has an M.A. in English Literature from Trinity College, Cambridge University, and an M.A. in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. The Silent Patient was his first novel, debuting at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, and has sold more than 6.5 million copies worldwide. The rights have been sold in a record-breaking 51 countries, and the book has been optioned for film by Plan B. His second novel, The Maidens, was an instant New York Times bestseller and has been optioned for television by Miramax Television and Stone Village.

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My Review for The Perfect Parents by J.A. Baker

Full of twists and turns, and a million and one loop-the-loops, The Perfect Parents is a rollercoaster of a book with so many plot angles I didn’t see coming - and just a few that I did!

This was such a good read, and I devoured it in only a couple of days. There is so much I want to say, so much I want to tell you about, but that would just spoil it, so you will just have to trust me and read it yourself.

Written primarily from two viewpoints, that of Flo and Jess - two of the Hemsworth children, the story alternates from one to the other with the odd curveball thrown in every now and again. There are lots of secrets, and lots of hushed whispers and gossip throughout the village, but is there anyone at all that knows the whole truth? Maybe, or maybe not?

If you like a good thriller, that will keep you turning the pages and get your brain cells working overtime that I would recommend you go out and buy yourself a copy of The Perfect Parent.

Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review The Perfect Parents by J.A. Baker.

About the Book

Jackson and Lydia Hemsworth are pillars of the community, feted for having the perfect marriage and three wonderful children – Florence, Jessica and Ezra.

But appearances can be deceptive.

Because behind closed doors Jackson Hemsworth rules his family with cruelty and control. His marriage is a sham; his children for years have cowed in fear.

Until the day that Jackson and Lydia throw themselves off Newport Bridge in a joint suicide pact – the final cruel blow by Jackson to control his wife and torture his adult children.

As the Hemsworth siblings return to their family home, they must try to make sense of their parents’ last act. But there are many dark secrets waiting to be unearthed at Armett House.

Like, why are the townsfolk so suddenly hostile towards them? And who are the strangers who arrive at Armett House unannounced? And why has their mother’s body still not been found?

In the aftermath of their parents’ death, it becomes clear that something terrible is about to be exposed about the Hemsworths’ perfect parents.

A secret they may all wish had stayed hidden…

About Judith

Twice longlisted for The Guardian's Not the Booker Prize, J.A. BAKER was born and brought up in North East England and has had a love of language for as long as she can remember.

When she isn't writing, she enjoys reading many genres of books but especially enjoys psychological thrillers.

She has four grown-up children, three grandchildren and lives in a village near Darlington with her husband and Border Collie, Theo, who is quite possibly the naughtiest dog in the world.

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My Review for A Wartime Welcome From the Foyles Bookshop Girls by Elaine Roberts

I began reading this book without knowing it was the fourth in a series.  I don't think it matters though and I think they can all be read as a standalone.  Will I be reading the others? Absolutely! I loved it and the fact that Foyles bookshop is a real place, with seven shops throughout the UK is just brilliant. 

I loved Ellen and the friends she made at Foyles but I hated some of the characters she met working at the newspaper office. The author did a great job of helping us hate the villains and love Ellen and her friends and family. 

Even though it's wartime, these types of books always make me feel like curling up with a cuppa and immersing myself into the character's lives for a few hours. With a bit of mystery, lots of friendship and some great writing, I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review A Wartime Welcome From the Foyles Bookshop Girls by Elaine Roberts.

About the Book

London, 1918: the world is being torn apart by war, but for the girls of London’s Foyles bookshop, where there is friendship, there is hope… Perfect for fans of Rosie Clarke and Elaine Everest. 

Ellen Beckford and her sister Mary are living under their father’s shadow. Before their beloved mother died, they had dreamed of bright futures, but torn apart by grief, Harold Beckford barely lets his daughters out of his sight. Then Harold is injured during a break-in at his office at London’s docklands, and can no longer work. And with prices rising and food scarce, Ellen has no choice but to defy her father’s rules and seek employment. She finds a position at London’s renowned Foyles bookshop, and the other shop girls quickly take her under their wing. 

But there are dark times ahead. Ellen’s father is accused of gathering intelligence from the docklands for the enemy, and the police seem determined to see him shot for spying. With the help of her new friends, can Ellen clear her father’s name and save her family from destitution?

About Elaine

Elaine's dream was always to write for a living. She completed her first novel when she was in her twenties and received the first of many very nice rejections. Life then got in the way, until circumstances made her re-evaluate her life and pick up her dream again in 2010.

​Elaine joined a creative writing class, The Write Place, in 2012. Shortly afterwards, her first short story was published and she was thrilled when many more followed. Elaine finally started to believe in herself.

​As a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and The Society of Women Writers & Journalists, Elaine attends many conferences, workshops, seminars and wonderful parties. Meeting other writers gives her encouragement, finding that most face similar problems.

​Elaine has a patient husband, Dave, and five children who have flown the nest. Home is in Dartford, Kent and is always busy with children, grandchildren, grand dogs and cats visiting. Without her wonderful family, Elaine says that she knows the dream would never have been realised.

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My Review for Bone Lake by Stacy Green

When I first picked up Bone Lake by Stacy Green, I wasn’t aware that it was number eight in a series. I soon discovered that this absolutely doesn’t matter and can totally be read as a standalone novel. Nikki Hunt is an FBI agent and each book in the series covers different cases. Some references are made to what has happened previously, but nothing that means you need to read the others first.

I really enjoyed Bone Lake. It was incredibly fast-paced, and I could hardly keep up with what was happening, let alone who I thought the murderer might be! The author cleverly keeps you guessing, right up until the very end, and there were a few times I thought I’d worked it out, only to have something or someone else thrown into the mix!

If you enjoy a good thriller which will keep you on your toes, then I would definitely recommend Bone Lake. This is the first book I have read by this author, but I’d love to read more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review Bone Lake by Stacy Green.

About the Book

Broken flowers drift on the foggy surface of the water. All is quiet, until the squad of police cruisers race up to the grand house that stands alone on the lakeside. Two girls lie inside, their bodies broken and still forever…

When Special Agent Nikki Hunt is called to a home on Bone Lake, she is devastated to find blood all over the floor and two young women who clearly fought for their lives. But the viciousness of the scene isn’t the only thing that strikes Nikki. The house was the scene of another murder twenty years ago. The killer was never caught. Is this a terrible coincidence, or have they struck again?

Nikki’s team quickly identify the girls from their belongings in the bedrooms upstairs. They had a party the night they were killed, and Nikki realizes that one attendee, their friend Alexia , is missing…

Desperate to find Alexia, Nikki soon discovers that the only survivor of the original massacre, Matt Kline, still owns the house. She is instantly suspicious of him. But he claims he rents it out and hasn’t been there for years, and as Nikki looks into his dark eyes she sees her own terrible past.

With time running out, Nikki and her team dig into Alexia’s life, and find out she was fascinated with the original Bone Lake case. Amongst her things, they find notebook after notebook about serial killers. Then Nikki is shocked to learn that Alexia was having a relationship with Matt. Has Nikki make a terrible mistake trusting a fellow survivor? And can she get the truth out of him, and find Alexia alive, before it’s too late?

About Stacy

USA Today Bestselling author Stacy Green grew up watching crime shows with her parents, so her love of suspense and psychological thrillers is no surprise. The baby of a “yours, mine, and ours” family, Stacy grew up in southeastern Iowa where life was always a step slower and everyone knew each other’s name.

A natural introvert, Stacy turned to writing early on, compiling notebooks of stories. She read every mystery she could get her hands on, from Nancy Drew to Trixie Belden to Agatha Christie and more. It wasn’t until she read Anne Rice’s Interview With A Vampire that she realized how deeply she wanted to create her own literary world. A college professor changed her mind, however, and Stacy found herself in the magazine journalism program at Drake University.

After earning her degree in journalism and sociology, Stacy worked in advertising before becoming a stay-at-home mom to her miracle child. She rediscovered her love of writing and wrote several articles for a city magazine before penning her first novel. She shelved the long drama and began working on a suspense book set in Las Vegas, featuring a heroine on the edge of disaster, a tormented villain, and the city’s infamous storm drains that house hundreds of homeless. INTO THE DARK (newly republished as INTO THE DEVIL’S UNDERGROUND) was published by MuseItUp Publishing in 2012 and hailed by New York Times Bestselling Author Diane Capri as “captivating from the first page to the end.”

Her brief dip into the publishing world quickly taught Stacy she was better suited to pursue her dreams of Indie Publishing, and she partnered with a team of high quality designers and editors to produce her bestselling Delta Crossroads Series, followed by The Lucy Kendall Series.

Stacy is blessed to be a full-time writer and follower of her dreams, but when she’s not writing, she spends her time with her precocious daughter, supportive husband, and their three obnoxious but lovable canine children.

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My Review for Storm From Within by Madeline Vaughn

Another great read from Madeline Vaughn for the next book in the Emily Fallon series. Storm From Within continues the story of the dodgy US Navy guys who think they are above the law, not stopping to continue with their villainous ways and woe betide anyone who gets in their way. Unfortunately, Emily is already in their way....

I love Emily. She’s a feisty main character who won’t stop until her family is safe and the bad people are on their way to retribution. Plus, who can’t love a character that names their car Katniss - if you’ve read Hunger Games you’ll understand the Katniss thing!

Storm From Within is a quick, exciting and rollercoaster of a read and I can’t wait to read the next one.

Thank you to Madeline Vaughn for having me on her ARC Street Team. It’s been so much fun and I’m looking forward to doing it all again soon.

About the Book

Naval Engineer Emily Fallon is still working to uncover secrets surrounding her family, but now with a target on her back. As she gets closer to finding out the truth, she realizes she can't return to the only home she's ever known. 

Will she pull the correct thread to unravel the intricate web that has been woven? Will a sworn enemy now be one of her trusted teammates? Why is the person that loves her the most keeping secrets from her?

The clock is ticking. Is finding out the answers worth the price her loved ones will have to pay?

About Madeline

​I have always been passionate about writing and storytelling. I would describe myself as a curious author who loves exploring different themes and motifs. As part of my writing process, I love to immerse myself into my projects—dive headfirst into the research, production, and fine-tuning of the stories that I feel are the most worthy of telling.​Take a look through the site to find everything from my latest work to future projects.

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My Review for Death Before Dishonor by Madeline Vaughn

I really enjoyed this fast-paced military thriller and Emily, our protagonist, is a force to be reckoned with. Everything in this book surrounds the US Navy. Something has been going down and people have died, and now Emily and her friends and family need to find out what’s going on before worse happens.

Emily Fallon is very family-orientated, but she’s also a badass who will do almost anything to protect that family. She is very capable of looking after herself and I definitely wouldn’t want to cross her. Her enemies should be very afraid of her!

Right up until the end, I was questioning who the bad guys were. There were a lot of ‘Is it him’, and ‘actually no, it’s him’, moments and Vaughn kept the suspense going right the way through the book.

I am lucky enough to be on the Street Team for Madeline’s next book, Storm From Within, which is why I picked up this first one in the Emily Fallon series. I’ve already finished the next one and my review will be coming later this week.

If you enjoy a quick thriller with lots of twists and turns, then I’d recommend this new series.

About the Book 

Lieutenant Emily Fallon returns home from her recent at-sea deployment. All she wants before her next assignment is a little bit of R & R.

As soon as her boots hit the ground in Norfolk, VA, a series of events start to unfold. It is clear that someone is targeting her family.

Follow Emily through Norfolk, VA and the Outer Banks, NC as she tries to unravel the conspiracy that started long before she found out about it.

Will she be able to save her loved ones in time? Who will she be able to trust? She will quickly find out that prior events and people in her life are not truly what and who they seem to be.

About Madeline

​I have always been passionate about writing and storytelling. I would describe myself as a curious author who loves exploring different themes and motifs. As part of my writing process, I love to immerse myself into my projects—dive headfirst into the research, production, and fine-tuning of the stories that I feel are the most worthy of telling.​Take a look through the site to find everything from my latest work to future projects.

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My Review for Such A Loving Couple by Hayley Smith

Well, this was the second ****** up book in a row that I’ve read, with such a brilliant plot that I couldn’t put it down. I was desperate to just read and read and read so I could discover how everything would pan out.

It’s not often books cause me to talk out loud, but this one did. A lot! Usually in relation to Freddie, who was a complete cockwomble (Google that word if you don’t know what it means, it’s my word of the moment)! It was scary how he could just essentially kidnap someone and take them into his life - and never want to let them go!

Becka was a great main character as she slowly begins to piece her life back together after an accident left her with little memory of her life before. She and Grace were probably the only decent characters though, almost everyone else was messed up with a rotten core and a twisted agenda.

I haven’t read a Hayley Smith book before, but I’m now on the lookout for more. If a decent domestic thriller is your cup of tea, then I’d start pouring now! It’s definitely worth a read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review Such A Loving Couple by Hayley Smith.

About the Book

I blink open my eyes, taking in bright lights and a white room. A man smiles warmly at me from the end of my bed. ‘Honey, I’ve been so worried,’ he says gently. ‘Do you remember me? I’m your husband.’ My blood runs cold. I don’t know where I am, or who I am. All I know is I’ve never seen this man before…

As he packs my things, the nurses tell me Freddie hasn’t left my bedside since the accident I was in days ago. They tell me I’m lucky. We seem like the perfect couple, and together we’ll figure out what happened. So I go home to a beautiful house with a fancy marble kitchen and manicured garden that is supposedly ours. But deep down I know something isn’t right. Even though my memories are gone, this doesn’t feel like my life.

Slowly, flashes of memory come back. First the accident – the pouring rain, a swerving car, a sudden scream. Somebody whispering, ‘I’ll love you forever’. But most heartbreaking of all are the haunting memories of a blue-eyed little girl. Is she my little girl? Was she in the accident too? Or is she in terrible danger?

Freddie is determined to keep me safe and hide me from the world. But I can’t shake the feeling that we aren’t the loving couple he wants us to be, and that beyond this house a precious child needs me now more than ever. So why am I here? What does Freddie want? And how far will I have to go, to discover the truth?

An utterly gripping and page-turning psychological thriller filled with dark secrets and deadly obsessions. Perfect for fans of The Housemaid, The Family Upstairs, and The Serial Killer’s Wife.

About Hayley

Hayley Smith is married with three children and lives in a north Derbyshire village. She has worked as a graphic designer, youth worker and musician, and has been involved for many years in organising music festivals and gigs. She studied English Language and Creative Writing with the Open University and is an avid reader of psychological fiction. Having a penchant for all things alternative, she often dips into the counter-culture scene for writing inspiration, producing quirky rough-edged characters and dark, unpredictable twists, turns and moral dilemmas.

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My Review for The Rutland Connection by Michael Dane

What an amazing read this was! The Rutland Connection was absolutely brilliant and so cleverly written. I loved it from start to finish. It is predominantly told from three viewpoints, that of John Pyke - the dodgy drug dealer, and Bernard and Michael, grandfather and grandson.

A Customs and Excise team are in the throes of investigating John Pyke as a drug runner, along with his two idiot sidekicks who haven’t got a clue, and Pyke isn’t that much more savvy himself! Bernard and Michael decide that Pyke needs a bit of undercover help, but Frank McBride, head of the Customs and Excise team, is now flummoxed as to just how and why Pyke has suddenly become so professional.

Once the scene was set, I was hooked. I know they were essentially part of a drugs team, but I loved Michael and Bernard from the beginning. Bernard was clever and wily, and I definitely wanted to be a part of his gang! Dane wrote about his characters with passion and clarity and I was left in no doubt who was actually in charge!

I can’t tell you too much about the ending, but I guarantee that you won’t see it coming and that it will make you smile and want Bernard as your grandfather!

I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a crime-type thriller with lots going on. I can’t wait for the next book in the Frank McBride series.

Thank you to The Book Guild Ltd and Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review The Rutland Connection by Michael Dane.

About the Book

Lincoln 1997. Veteran customs investigator Frank McBride has been targeting gangs of drugs smugglers for decades. Taking out John Pyke’s team of Lincoln-based criminals is just another operation until suddenly things become interesting.

Why has Pyke’s team suddenly become so professional? How has it become so adept at evading surveillance? And who is the mysterious figure who is pulling the strings? McBride relishes having found a worthy opponent. But who is he? And what game is he playing?

Michael Butcher wants to know why his grandfather, a retired brigadier living in a tiny Rutland village, has decided to become an international trafficker in narcotics. Involving him in an elaborate game where the price of losing is life in prison.

McBride and the Brigadier become enmeshed in a private duel, but only one of them knows the rules of the game.

About Michael

Michael Dane spent over ten years as an officer in the Customs and Excise National Investigation Service investigating drug trafficking, VAT fraud and smuggling of all kinds. He later retrained as a lawyer and joined the private sector where he investigated fraud and corruption all over the world. He is retired and lives in the Vale of Belvoir.

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My Review for The Only One Left by Riley Sager

The Only One Left was chosen as our book club book for October, and the date which was set for the discussion was the same date as the murders took place at Hope Mansion...

This book has more twists and turns than the twistiest rollercoaster in the world! From about three-quarters of the way in, there were just more and more and more, and I didn’t see any of them coming! Nope! Not one!

The descriptions are vivid, and the atmosphere throughout is dark and tense. I could feel all the creaks of the house, and the crashing of the waves as they battered against the rocks below.

This is my first book by Riley Sager. I have heard so many good things about him that I was glad I had the opportunity to read this one. 

Yes, there were things that maybe shouldn’t have been possible, but none of these were things I thought too much about as I was reading. Go with the flow. Don’t worry too much about what might have happened in real life, and just lose yourself in the book. That’s what I did and lost myself for a good couple of days!

Thank you to #acrossthepondbookclub for choosing The Only One Left by Riley Sager as October’s book to read. 

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About the Book

At seventeen, Lenora Hope

Hung her sister with a rope

Now reduced to a schoolyard chant, the Hope family murders shocked the Maine coast one bloody night in 1929. While most people assume seventeen-year-old Lenora was responsible, the police were never able to prove it. Other than her denial after the killings, she has never spoken publicly about that night, nor has she set foot outside Hope’s End, the cliffside mansion where the massacre occurred.

Stabbed her father with a knife

Took her mother’s happy life

It’s now 1983, and home-health aide Kit McDeere arrives at a decaying Hope’s End to care for Lenora after her previous nurse fled in the middle of the night. In her seventies and confined to a wheelchair, Lenora was rendered mute by a series of strokes and can only communicate with Kit by tapping out sentences on an old typewriter. One night, Lenora uses it to make a tantalizing offer—I want to tell you everything.

“It wasn’t me,” Lenora said

But she’s the only one not dead

As Kit helps Lenora write about the events leading to the Hope family massacre, it becomes clear there’s more to the tale than people know. But when new details about her predecessor’s departure come to light, Kit starts to suspect Lenora might not be telling the complete truth—and that the seemingly harmless woman in her care could be far more dangerous than she first thought.

About Riley

Riley Sager is the New York Times bestselling author of seven novels, most recently Survive the Night and The House Across the Lake. His first novel, Final Girls, has been published in 30 countries and won the ITW Thriller Award for Best Hardcover Novel. His latest book, The Only One Left, will be published in 2023 by Dutton Books.

A native of Pennsylvania, he now lives in Princeton, New Jersey.

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My Review for No Reserve by Felix Francis

When I was a teenager, I devoured Dick Francis books like they were going out of fashion. As soon as a new one was published, I was there, at the library, getting my hands on it as soon as possible. Imagine, therefore, my delight when I discovered that his son, Felix Francis, was also writing books in a similar vein.

No Reserve is the first book written by Felix Francis that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Slow to begin with, as the scenes are set, it soon picks up pace and becomes an addictive crime thriller, set in the horse-racing world. 

Theo, our protagonist, is determined to discover just who is responsible for the crimes being committed, and he seemingly won’t stop at anything to bring about justice. 

All the characters are well-written and they establish themselves pretty quickly. Yes, there are some downright nasty pieces of work here, albeit making the story just that much better and I honestly didn’t work out who the villain was until the author told me!

If you loved Dick Francis, then I can guarantee you will love Felix Francis just as much. If you’ve never read either before and you like a fast-paced crime story, then why not give this a try? I, for one, will be at the starting gate for the author’s next novel.

Thank you to Zaffre Books for the opportunity to read and review a copy of No Reserve by Felix Francis.

About the Book

THE HIGHER THE STAKES, THE DEADLIER THE RISK . . .

Theo Jennings is a young auctioneer at the Thoroughbred sales ring in Newmarket. The October yearling sales are where the big money exchanges hands in frenzied millions of Guineas paid for horses that are as yet unnamed, untested, and have never taken a step on the track. It's the greatest gamble in all of horseracing, and one that can end in ruin.

Theo has just made the biggest sale of his life, when he overhears a secret conversation between the two bidders - can they really have colluded to fix the price of his big sale? When that same horse is found dead the next morning, he has no choice but to investigate, even against the wishes of his boss. But the more he uncovers, the less he can trust the people around him.

The higher the stakes, the greater the risk. And in the bloodstock game, the ultimate price can be murder . . .

About Felix

FELIX FRANCIS is Dick Francis’s younger son. Born in 1953, Felix studied Physics and Electronics at London University and then embarked upon a 17-year career teaching Advanced Level physics at three schools, the last seven as head of the science department at Bloxham School in Oxfordshire. After leaving teaching, Felix then became a businessman, spending 13 years as deputy chairman of World Challenge Expeditions Ltd, before starting his third career as an author.

As a child, Felix remembers that conversations around the Francis breakfast table were somewhat unconventional. “The production of a Dick Francis novel has always been a mixture of inspiration, perspiration and teamwork. The first one was published when I was nine, and I grew up in a house where talk would be about the damage a bullet might do to a man’s guts rather than the more mundane topics of everyday life”.

Over the next 40 years, Felix assisted Dick with both the research and the writing of many of his novels. They shared a love of racing and often worked together on plot and character details at Dick’s home in the Cayman Islands. This partnership allowed Dick to draw upon Felix’s knowledge and experience as a physics teacher and marksman in Twice Shy, and as an outdoorsman in Longshot.

With the publication of Under Orders in 2006, Felix took over the writing of the ‘Dick Francis’ novels from his father. This was followed by Dead Heat in 2007, Silks in 2008, and Even Money in 2009. Crossfire was the book Felix was working on when Dick died in February 2010, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of another in the Dick Francis brand. Since then there have been another twelve ‘Dick Francis’ novels, with Felix’s latest, No Reserve, published in September 2023.

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