El lives a quiet life in London until a chance encounter leads her to discover a link between a hit reality TV show and her father’s death.
El realises she can orchestrate the perfect revenge but her pursuit soon turns to obsession and she doesn’t seem to know how to stop. Her drive for destruction means risking her life, and the lives of those closest to her…
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This is the story of a murderer. A stolen child. Revenge. This is the story of Ted, who lives with his daughter Lauren and his cat Olivia in an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street.
All these things are true. And yet some of them are lies.
You think you know what’s inside the last house on Needless Street. You think you’ve read this story before. But you’re wrong.
In the dark forest, at the end of Needless Street, something lies buried. But it’s not what you think…
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Sister Dear by Hannah Mary McKinnon was a sinister and twisted novel with a delicious dash of mystery, and a devilish threat, weaved right the way through, that of which was capable of destroying an entire history of truth unbeknownst to the unseeing Victoria, Eleanor’s half-sister who has no idea she exists.
I really enjoy a novel which explores the darker, deeper depths of family, and Sister Dear by Hannah Mary McKinnon certainly does that. Within this book, there are twists and turns around every corner, alongside plenty of secrets waiting to be unearthed. The tension was delicious in this story. From the moment Eleanor crosses paths with her extended family whom have no idea of her identity, I was waiting for the moment she’d be discovered by them and would ultimately be forced to reveal her truth and her link to them. Continue reading
The List by Carys Jones was a brilliantly dark and captivating novel by an author who certainly knows how to write a chilling story which gets beneath your skin and rattles your bones. I was intrigued by this novel from the moment I first saw it and really couldn’t wait to dive in. It sounded like just the type of novel I tend to enjoy, with a cover that captured my attention instantly and had me asking all sorts of questions. Although labelled a psychological thriller, The List had a certain ‘horror’ vibe to it, I felt, which tempted me even more.
In The List by Carys Jones, readers follow Beth Belmont as she struggles to come to terms with a terrifying and tragic past. Tormented by sweat-induced nightmares and terrifying memories, Beth is a troubled character who the author does a fantastic job of emotionally developing throughout the progression of this story. I was captivated by Beth, and so intrigued about the things she dreamt about. I was desperate to find out what exactly Beth was so troubled by, and I felt that Carys Jones captured this anxiety perfectly.
Beth’s story, and the tension surrounding it, really begins to pick up pace and rocket forward after the discovery of the list in the woods near her home where Beth takes her daily run. A list which is seemingly innocent at first, it’s only after Beth takes note of the list of names written on the piece of paper and spots her own name included that she begins to panic and wonder how she came to find it, after all. Now, not appearing so accidental, it’s a struggle for Beth not to lose her mind altogether in the mass of emotions and anxiety that swells, and for her to instead take the advice of her partner, Josh, and push it aside. After all, why would the list have anything at all to do with Beth? Her life is perfect and hides no secrets. Right?
The remainder of The List by Carys Jones proceeds to follow Beth as she sets out to discover the truth behind the creation of the list. In doing so, this means that Beth must face the truth of who she is and what happened all those years before. This element of mystery, of hidden identities, throughout the book certainly heightens the intrigue and ensures readers stick around, encouraged to see the big reveal. I really enjoyed the authors pacing of this book, much in keeping with many sharp and punchy thrillers of the same genre. I found myself flying through the pages because it was so easy to read and keep up with. The author ensured that there was always something to keep the reader on their toes, to keep their mind ticking over, and I certainly feel that my experience of reading this book was a positive and thoroughly enjoyable one. The author managed to successfully weave an insane amount of mystery and intrigue throughout this story and always kept me second-guessing any assumptions I may have made.
Another aspect of this story that I must mention is the structure. As the author tells Beth Belmont’s story, we’re also introduced to two more characters whose narrative we’re given an insight to, both of whom with identities we are not told of. This really heightened the suspense for me, and I loved the switching of narratives as the plot continued to unravel. I enjoyed being able to watch Beth’s movements from another angle and found the mystery surrounding who the other narratives belonged to absolutely and utterly compelling. It was such a clever and effective way to tell this story, allowing the reader such a wide angle of view. Carys Jones certainly maintained the suspense throughout and I couldn’t get through the pages quick enough. I loved the switching back and forth of time also, and being able to see what happened in the past gave the characters in the present such a colourful and believable background, bringing them even more to life. There were certain scenes within this story that felt a little brutal to me, and kudos to the author for writing them so brilliantly. It was so tense and cut like a knife, and I became obsessed with the list of names presented to Beth Belmont, almost as much as she herself was.
All in all, The List by Carys Jones was a terrifyingly twisted and devious story, with a sadistic game of cat and mouse at its core. Jones has written such an enjoyable yet dark and disturbing novel with a plethora of complex characters that drew me into the pages and refused to let me go. With such a compelling and addictive and, at times brutal, storyline, this was certainly a roller-coaster read with plenty to keep the readers’ mind ticking over and I loved every moment spent alongside Beth Belmont as she set out to discover the list and its creator.
With thanks to the publisher for the advanced reading copy of this book, that of which has no reflection on me giving a fair and honest review.
Read on to find out more about The List by Carys Jones.
Five names on a list. The first two are dead. The third is yours.
Beth Belmont runs every day, hard and fast on the trail near home. She knows every turn, every bump in the road. So when she spots something out of place – a slip of white paper at the base of a tree – she’s drawn to it.
On the paper are five names. The third is her own.
Beth can’t shake off the unease the list brings. Why is she on it? And what ties her to the other four strangers? Then she discovers that the first two names are both dead.
Is she next?
Delving into the past of the two dead strangers, the truth Beth finds will lead her headlong into her darkest, deadliest and most dangerous nightmares…
You can pre-order/purchase your copy of The List by Carys Jones here.
The House on Rectory Lane by Stuart James was a dark, chilling and deeply intriguing novel with a whole host of dastardly, devious characters, and plenty of twists and turns hiding behind every corner. I had this book on pre-order and couldn’t wait to read it once it had been delivered to my Kindle. I don’t know what it is about creepy, run-down old houses but they always pull me towards a story. Throw some strange new neighbours and dark secrets into the mix, and I’m usually sold. This is the first book by Stuart James that I’ve read, but I have got my eye on Apartment Six over on Amazon, so I’m sure I’ll be picking that one up at some point, too. Again, it has that chill to it that I find impossible to ignore and which I thoroughly enjoy reading. Continue reading
Lisa Hall is simply brilliant at writing a tension-fuelled, pulse-raising, suspicion-filled bomb-of-a-book, and ‘The Perfect Couple’, Lisa’s latest book, was no different. With a threat behind every turn of the page and a suspect behind every friendly face, I didn’t know who to trust, who to dislike, and who to point my finger at. I like to think that by the middle of a story, I’ve usually managed to get a handle on the characters and have got them figured out, but this book kept its secrets hidden very well.
‘The Perfect Couple’ follows Emily Belrose who is sick and tired of being jobless, with no routine to her life, and no regular income leaving her with little to do with her days, except lounge on the sofa with Mags, eat rubbish and watch constant TV. Emily is ready for a change, and it can’t come soon enough. So, when she spots the job advert for the position of live-in housekeeper in an impressive house in Somerville, Fox House, she jumps at the opportunity to get out and start earning an income for herself, and at the opportunity to not be under Mags’s watchful eye. Continue reading
The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine is a dark, twisted and delightfully slippery psychological thriller that will have your brain ticking over, trying to fit together the pieces of the jigsaw. Following the lives of two women, Piper and Joanna, readers are taken on a journey full of trickery and deceit, with secrets aplenty and suspicion hidden behind every turn of the page. Exciting, to say the least, with the ever-present sense of something more, something darker, on the cusp of being revealed, I was on the edge of my seat throughout my reading of The Wife Stalker and thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns delivered by the author. Continue reading
My oh my, what a thrill-ride of a read this was. It’s been a long time since I read one of Sue Watson’s books. Only a couple of pages into ‘The Sister-in-Law’, all of the reasons as to why I’ve always been such a huge fan of Watson’s work came flooding back to me. I loved this book. From first page to last, back to front, this was INCREDIBLY ADDICTIVE, SINISTER, CREEPY, DARK, COMPELLING, and DEEPLY, DEEPLY DEADLY.
In ‘The Sister-in-Law’ by Sue Watson, readers are whisked away to a stunning white-washed, charming villa on the Amalfi coast to spend two weeks alongside the Taylor family. Clare, who is a nurse, over-worked and desperate to fix her marriage with the eldest of the Taylor’s sons, Dan, is incredibly excited to be spending two weeks of uninterrupted time with her family beneath the Greek sun. The in-laws are there too, Joy and Bob, so it’s a real family get-together, a yearly tradition for the family, and a chance for Joy and Bob to spend some quality time with the grandchildren as well.
Once everyone is settled, there’s only one person left to arrive. The youngest of the Taylor sons, Jamie. A globetrotter and single, Jamie rarely stays in one place for long. He has nothing to tie him down and is adored immeasurably by his mother, not forgetting his nieces and nephews. Joy absolutely dotes on him, and when he finally arrives, she is over the moon to see him. Except, Jamie isn’t alone as everyone had expected him to be. The slim, stunning blonde that stands beside Jamie is introduced to the family as Ella. And she’s not just a friend or girlfriend that Jamie happened to meet whilst on his travels. Oh no. Jamie has married Ella, and now, she’s a Taylor, too.
Ella’s arrival in the beautiful and serene villa changes everything, and I absolutely loved watching as this strange change of circumstances took over the Taylor family. I also loved how the chilling atmosphere was so at odds with the gorgeous surroundings. It worked really well. Obviously unaware that Jamie had even met anyone special, never-mind married them, Joy is taken aback by this turn of events, and it quickly becomes clear that she’s not the only one. Ella’s unexpected arrival is like a tidal wave crashing down on Clare’s much-anticipated break with her family, and it isn’t long before the plot of this novel begins to take a strange and disturbing turn towards something much darker, and much more dangerous.
I was hooked. Hooked, I tell you. As soon as Ella arrived, Watson had me captivated as the plot progressed and with each new chapter, new tensions and shockwaves hit. It was riveting. I didn’t want to look away for a single second for fear of postponing some new and shocking revelation within the white-washed villa walls. Watson absolutely nailed the suspense in this story. There was so much mystery behind Ella, and Clare just couldn’t figure the woman out. It’s only when Ella begins picking at her, downright insulting Clare to her face, that she realises that something’s not quite right, and she sets out to discover who Ella truly is. In some of the scenes, I had to applaud Clare for her ability to not snap. She’s a much more patient woman than I could ever be in that situation, and as Ella only continued to become more and more brave with the comments she made, the sly remarks and threats when no one else could hear, the tension continued to climb and climb and I honestly didn’t know how much more I could take. It was highly-entertaining, but also so, so fascinating, watching as these two women, complete opposites of each other, came together under the same roof and circled each other. I just couldn’t understand what Ella’s issue was, but I was dying to find out.
Alongside the simmering suspense between Clare and Ella, there were also the issues regarding Clare and Dan’s marriage, and hints towards something else that had happened in Clare’s past. I really loved the detail Sue went into whenever Clare reminisced about her and Dan’s past together. This is one of the reasons I adore Sue’s writing so much. She manages to describe things so beautifully in only a few sentences, and this goes for everything within this story. The character’s personalities, their appearances, descriptions of the villa and the food that they prepare and eat. Watson’s turn of phrase is just so delicious and moreish, addictive and powerful, and I don’t think I’ll ever get my fill of it.
This book was absolutely fantastic. I loved every single page and found myself utterly devoted to Clare’s story and how it would all come to an end. I powered through the pages, desperate to reach the final conclusion, mind absolutely blown to smithereens from all that had happened in just two weeks. It was exciting, sharp, exquisitely-paced and superbly written. A thriller with all of those much-desired qualities, a cast of brilliantly-crafted characters and so much tension, I felt like I was going to burst at the seams. This was a pressure-cooker of a story, ready to blow at any given minute.
‘The Sister-in-Law’ by Sue Watson is being given a five out of five rating from me. With thanks to the publisher for the advance reading copy of this book, that of which has no reflection on my giving a fair and honest review.
THE WIFE: Clare is ready for a break. It’s been a tough year and now she wants to put her feet up. Arriving at the Italian villa for their summer holiday, she decides it’s high-time her husband and his family did some of the work. After all, her husband owes her.
THE HUSBAND: Even though Dan had his head turned by someone else, he’s realised the error of his ways. He’s here now, and he says it’s for keeps… Clare can trust him, can’t she? At least he’ll have his brother there, to keep him in line…
THE BROTHER: Jamie is the prodigal child, back in the family fold again after years of travelling abroad. But when he gets to the villa, he’s not alone. He’s brought a wife, someone none of them have met before.
THE SISTER-IN-LAW: Ella is everything Clare isn’t. Glamorous. Young. Influential. But she knows a secret about Clare. Something that has the power to break the whole family apart.
And there’s someone who will do whatever it takes to make sure that this deep secret never comes to the surface.
You can purchase your copy of ‘The Sister-in-Law’ by Sue Watson here.
Little Friends by Jane Shemilt is a brilliantly-executed, turbulent novel, one which turned out to be much darker and more emotionally fierce than I had originally anticipated. I haven’t read many of Shemilt’s novels before, but this has solidified her as an author who I’ll definitely be returning to. Incredibly addictive yet distressing at times, this is a fascinating novel which focuses on the children of a group of adults, who perhaps are not being watched as closely as they should be. With a certain sense of dread that positively drips from the pages, this novel swallowed me whole and spat me out at the end without apology. Shemilt touches upon many topics within Little Friends and provides the reader with a hefty amount of food for thought, including domestic abuse, grief and loss, and marital affairs. There’s plenty to ensure you keep turning the pages, which is exactly what I did. Shemilt had me hook, line and sinker with this one, I couldn’t put it down. Continue reading
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