Book Review: The Night Before by Wendy Walker

Description:

Twelve hours earlier, she was...

Hopeful.

Excited.

Safe.

Now she's gone.

Review: 5 Stars

What a book! A game of cat and mouse brilliantly written. Full of suspense and twists. The narration is well paced and you truly can’t pick sides in this book. You can’t be sure who to trust and can’t identify who is lying. This is a must read and a book that I’d pre-order in a heartbeat. 

The description gives away precious little. The book is about Laura who returns to her home town after many year, goes on a date and disappears. Her sister Rosie starts looking for her with the help of her husband Joe and childhood friend Gabe. We also know that Laura has a murky past where her teenage boyfriend was murdered and people in her hometown believed she was the murderer. 

The story is told in 3 different time periods, starting 3 months before, the day of the date and present day. Each is interesting enough that when you move between the times you want to keep reading since each of them has something interesting to offer. The suspense keeps you on edge and the heavy dose of psychology only adds to the myriad insights in to the mind of Laura. Then book is a taut dark thriller and at times it makes breathing physically difficult! Both sisters are shown battling with themselves and the intensity of their emotions is disturbing to say the least. 

The twists are surprising and hard to guess I think at some point in the book I just didn’t want to try and guess anymore because I felt like no matter what I guessed I’d be wrong. The writing is powerful, that the characters are flawed yet relatable adds a lot of credibility to Wendy Walker. My only complaint is that the book has a bit of a slow start. But you can’t escape it. If you decide to DNF it and move on, chances are you won’t be able to. The plot, the dialogue, and the characters will keep playing on your mind and you will rush back to this book. 

Ideally you want to read this book in one long session because it’s going to occupy your mind whether you are reading it or not. 

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Pres for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley, #TheNightBefore

Book Review: Envy by Amanda Robson

Description:

She wants your life – and she’ll do anything to get it…Erica has always wanted to be exactly like her neighbour, Faye: beautiful, thin, and a mother. But Faye’s life isn’t as perfect as it seems – she has a terrible secret, and slowly but surely, it is threatening to destroy her and everything she holds dear. When Faye’s daughter Tamsin goes missing after school, the police turn to Erica. But is Erica the only one who has been enviously watching Faye? Or is there another threat hiding in the shadows…?

Review: 2.5 Stars

I’m really hoping that with this book done I’m at the end of a triad of books I haven’t liked. 

This was an average, predictable and banal read. The plot by itself is nothing very unique. The characters are all unlikable. The ending is disappointing. 

When you first start reading this book you think there are 2 narrators but as you read further you realize that there are more! Each narrator unfortunately had a very similar voice and you had different people’s commentary in another person’s narration, making it hard to remember whose narration you are reading! However the chapters are short enough to go through them fairly quickly.  All the narrators are unreliable but the fact that you can’t empathize with even one of them makes this book difficult to enjoy. 

About the plot, well to sum it up: Erica stalks Faye, wants to be like her, then sees that Faye is far from perfect, keeps stalking her, craziness ensues, we find another sinister stalker who knows what Faye is up to, more madness, ends unrealistically. 

I did like the author’s writing style but all in all this was something I was tempted to quit reading multiple times. I didn’t simply because it was quick enough to get through. 

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley, #Envy

Book Review: The Perfect Wife by J.P. Delaney

Description:

Abbie awakens in a daze with no memory of who she is or how she landed in this unsettling condition. The man by her side claims to be her husband. He's an icon of the tech world, the founder of a lucrative robotics company. He tells Abbie that she is a gifted artist, an avid surfer, a loving mother to their young son, and the perfect wife. He says she had a terrible accident five years ago, and that, through a huge technological breakthrough, she has been brought back from the abyss. She is a miracle of science. But as Abbie pieces together memories of her marriage, she begins questioning her husband's motives--and his version of events. Can she trust him when he says he wants them to be together forever? And what really happened to Abbie half a decade ago?

Review: 3.5 Stars

Disclaimer: this rating is based on me treating this book as sci-fi and not a thriller. 

I’ve read other books by this author and liked them so when I saw this one I was really hopeful. However this one was not for me. This book is a mix of sci-if and thriller genre and somehow it just doesn’t blend too well for me. I almost gave up since sci-fi isn’t  my preferred genre but carried on due to the fact that it was authored by J.P. Delaney. 

Overall its not a bad book. It’s in the wrong genre maybe, or maybe I’m not ‘with’ the times to enjoy this genre amalgamation much.  In the day of Black Mirror I do think this book will have many fans. 

But it wasn’t a book I’d recommend to someone looking for a thriller. A robot for a wife? Dominating much? I’m all for artificial intelligence and the self learning abilities of Abbie the bot were interesting. The robot’s learning of human Abbie’s secrets was very unique and added some mystery to the plot overall. It was suspenseful but again I had a hard time reading a thriller where the premise was completely unreal, for now. 

Tim was not likable at all and there is no plausible reason why the human Abbie was with him to begin with. The character development in this book was sub par, I had higher expectations on that front from J.P. Delaney. The ending did not leave me satisfied and only reinforced my reluctance to read to sci-fi.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley, #ThePerfectWife

Book Review: Dear Wife by Kimberly Belle

Description:

Beth Murphy is on the run…For nearly a year, Beth has been planning for this day. A day some people might call any other Wednesday, but Beth prefers to see it as her new beginning—one with a new look, new name and new city. Beth has given her plan significant thought, because one small slip and her violent husband will find her.

Sabine Hardison is missing…A couple hundred miles away, Jeffrey returns home from a work trip to find his wife, Sabine, is missing. Wherever she is, she’s taken almost nothing with her. Her abandoned car is the only evidence the police have, and all signs point to foul play.

As the police search for leads, the case becomes more and more convoluted. Sabine’s carefully laid plans for her future indicate trouble at home, and a husband who would be better off with her gone. The detective on the case will stop at nothing to find out what happened and bring this missing woman home. Where is Sabine? And who is Beth? The only thing that’s certain is that someone is lying and the truth won’t stay buried for long.

Review: 5 Stars

The plot of this book starts right from the first word. It engages the reader quickly and keeps up the pace. The narration alternates initially between Beth and Jeffery and both have a very distinct voice. Both the plot lines are equally interesting and you become eager to find out where this is headed. You know instantly that this is a domestic noir and you can only imagine the depth of the domestic violence to come if the book starts with 2 women disappearing. 

The plot flows very smoothly and you can’t help but wonder how these 2 couples are connected. Each character is very well developed and adds to the thick plot. Even the most careful reader will be surprised with the plot twist at the end. 

The multiple points of view help keep the narration fresh and intriguing. You do at times believe that you have figured this out but the twist in the tale is surprising and dark. This is a hard to put down book. It’s filled with tension and keeps you biting your nails all along. It’s a twisty novel that has many many surprises and revelations all along. It keeps you guessing and guessing wrong at that. While reading this book I was completely trapped in it. It made me forget everything around me and pulling myself away to even grab a bite was the hardest thing to do. I racked my brain to try and figure out the missing pieces, to assess who Beth and Sabine were, if and how they were connected and it ended up making my mind even murkier. The sudden subtle revelation that creeped up on me around the 70% mark in the book actually gave me goosebumps! I don’t want to say too much about the book and give something away inadvertently, so I’ll say this much, don’t try to ‘figure’ the plot. Read it, absorb and enjoy the dark twisted path Kimberly Belle has laid for you. 

This is the first book I’ve read by Kimberly Belle and for sure won’t be the last! This is an author to watch out for. Her writing is easy to read and leaves you with many thoughts to chew on. This book is the work of amazingly talented author and I can’t wait to read more by her. 

This is one of the must reads of 2019 and I highly recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley and HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishingfor giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley, #DearWife

Book Review: The Girl Across The Street by Vikki Patis

Description:

You’re hiding a secret that only she can see.

Her name is Beth. She came into my life when I needed her the most. We lead very different lives, but she’s the only person who understands me. She was the only other witness to the terrible accident on the street between our homes. The only person who saw the cracks in my perfect life before I had the chance to cover them up. It’s been so long since I’ve had a friend. Someone to talk to, to listen to, to laugh and dream with.

Beth would never do anything to hurt me.

She only wants what’s best for me, for my marriage. Doesn’t she?

Review: 2.5 Stars

This one is a hell of slow burn, yet a quick read. The plot keeps getting thicker but nothing is happening! There is a lot of suspense and drama, and the plot seems like a domestic noir. It’s interesting and you want to find out more but even by 50% you have no idea what is going on or where this is headed. You can certainly make some guesses but there’s hardly any basis to what you are guessing.  Beth alludes to ‘knowing’ Jake in her narrations but we don’t know how. Why Isla is married to Jake is beyond me. Her narration portrays him as a controlling, judgmental and maybe even slightly abusive husband. There are enough red flags there to make you wonder what is making her stay married to Jake. Same is the case with Beth and Kyle. No apparent reason for them to be together except habit. 

The thing with a slow burn is that once it’s all heated up it starts to boil over pretty quickly and a lot of things happen rapidly. Yet the mystery remains and the pieces don’t fall in to place very quickly. Hiren how little movement there is in the plot the reader can easily guess what’s going on, there is enough confusion there to not be 100% certain right till the end but most readers of this genre will have figured it out. The last 15% of the book is where everything comes to head and you know what’s going on and how accurate your guess was. 

Overall this isn’t a book I highly recommend. It’s pretty boiler plate and there is nothing that particularly stands out. It’s an average read. 

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley, #TheGirlAcrossTheStreet

Book Review: The Housewife by Valerie Keogh

Description:

“There’s no place like home” – that’s what I tell myself as I pull another flawless meal from the oven. This perfect house on a quiet street was supposed to be my sanctuary, a place to recover. But everything changed the moment I saw that woman in the charity shop. She triggered something dark, buried deep within my memory…Now I’ve started forgetting small things, like locking the front door. And bigger things, like remembering to pick my little girl up from nursery. I feel terrified every time I pass through a particular spot in our living room. And sometimes, when I’m alone, I’m sure I can hear a baby crying…I think the woman in the shop knows what happened to me. But if I can’t trust myself to believe she’s real, who will?

Review: 3.5 Stars

This is an engrossing book. It’s is a little slow and repetitive in the beginning but yet  the need to keep reading and trying to understand what happened is unavoidable. Diane’s past is very mysterious, you keep reading more and yet have no idea what happened to Diane and how she ended up in the clinic. It is a dark psychological mystery that you simply can’t put down. 

I enjoyed this book but I have serious issues with the lead character Diane. I don’t understand the irresponsible behavior shown by Diane; she’s just out of a clinic, has no idea how she ended up there, feels like she’s losing her grip on sanity and yet she’ll take more sleeping pills and painkillers than she should and she’ll mix them with alcohol too! It makes no sense to me to see someone desperate to find their truth yet so reckless with medication knowing fully well that it makes it harder for them to be alert and aware. Her behavior made me actually like her less instead of making me feel sympathetic to her. Also hard for me to swallow was how she hid things from her husband and how instead of being honest or even confrontational about the distance Paul put between them she chose to ignore it or play along so to say.  She decides to put her trust in Anne but not once does she actually look her up on the internet to find out more about her especially when she says she’s an author of 8 books! She registers that Anne must be successful only when she sees her house. All of this behavior is beyond the realm of reality for me. I found that I was getting more and more annoyed by Diane as the plot moved along. Kudos to the author for creating an unlikable yet vulnerable character. 

At the climax I did feel sympathy for Diane and I truly felt bad for her. The epilogue was a good way to leave the book almost hanging and a perfect segue to a sequel perhaps.  

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley, #TheHousewife

Also shared on: https://romasharma.blogspot.com

Book Review: All the Little Lies by Chris Curran

Description:

After a lifetime of secrets how far would you go for the truth? Your whole life has been a lie…One email is all it takes to turn Eve’s world upside down. It contains a picture of her true birth mother, Stella, and proves that Eve’s entire life with her adoptive parents has been a lie. Now she must unravel the mystery of Stella’s dark past. But what Eve finds will force her to take enormous risks, which put her – and her new-born baby – in immediate danger…

Review: 3.5 Stars

This was an enjoyable read overall. The book is presented by 2 narrators, Eve and Stella. I like how well paced the story was and even better was the fact that the pacing in Stella’s and Eve’s narration matched each other. I did find that the voice of Eve and Stella is almost identical, given that they are two different narrators I would have liked it better if there was a more significant difference in the 2 voices. By the time I reached half way I had a good idea what happened in the past and where this was headed, but I’m happy to report that I was only partially right. I could figure out Ben, Pamela and Simon’s story but Maggie and Stella’s story was twisty. It was a suspenseful read and a good page turner at that. It’s the kind of book that you should start when you time on hand since it is difficult to put down and forget about it. It stays on your mind for a long time after you put it down. 

I couldn’t understand all the secrecy from Eve’s parents initially and that only added to the suspense. It is clear that Eve wants the truth, and no matter how murky it is, how about you treat her like an adult and give it to her. I was a little annoyed by Eve’s attitude with her parents and how she was handling the whole situation but it is hard to judge how a person should react when faced with such situations. 

The title of the book is apt, after a long time I’ve come across a title that matches the plot so well. The number of lies in this book makes you question what you believe. I think it was bad judgement on everyone’s part to lie and it left me wondering what would have happened had people not lied so much?!

Thank you NetGalley, Harper Impulse, and Killer Reads books for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley, #AllTheLittleLies

Book Review: You Belong To Me by Mark Tilbury

Description:

Can two wrongs ever make a right?

The police never found fifteen-year-old Ellie Hutton. She vanished ten years ago after walking home from school along a disused railway track. But Danny Sheppard knows exactly what happened to her. She is dead and buried in a field near Lassiter’s Brook. Now Cassie Rafferty has gone missing. Same age. Similar circumstances. And Danny also knows what has happened to her. Can Danny fight his demons and tell the truth this time? Or will history repeat itself and leave another innocent girl dead? 

Review: 4 Stars

This is a fast paced, interesting thriller. We know from the synopsis what happened to Ellie but we don’t know how does it connect to Cassie. The writing is superb and the editing is at its best! This book does not have an ounce of flab to it. It’s crisp and to the point. 

The story is based on a really dark personality. The pure evil nature of Callum makes me shudder. His mere presence makes the ambience seem darker and murkier. The impact his evil behavior has on so many lives is truly devastating. The choices the boys make as teenagers and as grown adults are questionable. What bothered me about the book was how oblivious the parents were to what was happening to their kids. I find it hard to believe that parents can be this blind to such severe trauma. This premise makes this an extremely dark read. If there were fifty share of dark, rest assured this is the darkest there is. 

The ending has a nice twist to it. It made me sad to read it because it really shows how one dark shadow can ruin everything it touches. The characters are well developed and I appreciate how the author has taken the time to build the characters based on what they went through. The books starts off as suspenseful and gets even more so till such time that we go in to the flashback of what actually happened. The story builds well on how much bullying can impact a child’s life. 

The writing style and plot remind me a lot of Stephen King’s style and I’ll definitely read more by this author. 

Thank you NetGalley and Bloodhound books for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley, #YouBelongToMe

Book Review: Do No Harm by L.V. Hay

Description:

After leaving her marriage to jealous, possessive oncologist Maxwell, Lily and her six-year-old son have a second chance at happiness with teacher Sebastian. Kind but vulnerable, Sebastian is the polar opposite of Maxwell, and the perfect match for Lily. After a whirlwind romance, they marry, and that’s when things start to go wrong. Maxwell returns to the scene, determined to win back his family, and events soon spiral out of control. Lily and Sebastian find themselves not only fighting for their relationship, but also their lives. 

Review: 4 Stars

This book is engaging, absorbing and crisp. The author manages to tell a gripping tale succinctly. I can’t appreciate enough how the author had managed to keep this book short yet delivers many twists without leaving gaping plot holes. 

Do No Harm is a domestic noir and leads you down a dark twisted path. Having read many books in this genre, I had a good guess at what was going on. I had my suspicions early on and while they were not 100% correct they were fairly close. When I started reading the diary entires and messages initially I thought I knew who was writing them and who was being addressed, but there were many small details in there that threw me off and made me second guess myself. The plot truly makes you wonder and reconsider what you think you know of the human psyche. 

As a reader it present you with a well rounded view of what is going on but you can clearly see that the couple of question do not have this benefit. Their life is unraveling and there is not much they can do about it. It goes on to show you how dangerous an obsession can become and how the lines of loyalty are blurred when someone gets obsessed. The multiple POVs makes you wonder what is going on and you begin to suspect every single character. You try and deduce who is trying to split this couple up and everyone is a suspect. The relationship almost seems doomed from get go and while you want the couple to make better choices you can completely understand why they don’t. It’s very realistic. 

The book is unsettling and taut psychological thriller. The ending has a good twist but it made me sad. Highly recommend this fast paced, hard to put down, mess with your head thriller. 

Thank you NetGalley, Trafalgar Square Publishing and Orenda Books for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley, #DoNoHarm

Book Review: She’s Mine by Claire S. Lewis

Description:

She was never mine to lose...When Scarlett falls asleep on a Caribbean beach she awakes to her worst nightmare – Katie is gone. With all fingers pointed to her Scarlett must risk everything to clear her name. As Scarlett begins to unravel the complicated past of Katie's mother she begins to think there's more to Katie's disappearance than meets the eye. But who would want to steal a child? And how did no-one see anything on the small island? Time is running out and Scarlett is certain of only one thing – she didn't kill Katie. Did she?

Review: 3 Stars

The plot of this book starts right away and you find yourself turning pages quickly. Damien seems slimy to start with. The initial impressions are lasting and it seems strange how Scarlett takes many liberties with Christina. I find it hard to believe that an employer would so easily let an employee use her belongings and have access to her phone. The other thing that caught my attention was Christina asking Scarlett to drink one cocktail and ‘live a little’. If a child’s nanny is refusing a drink, as a parent why would anyone insist they have one?! Struck me as odd. And then suddenly you get thrown in to 1997 via a photograph and learn about Lara and Gabrielle. This just adds to the mystery because you have no idea who Lara is or who Gabriel is and how they are connected to Scarlett or Christina or Damien for that matter. As the story moves along the readers get introduced to more photos and glimpses in to Lara and Gabrielle’s relationship. That is an interesting dynamic to read about and you wonder where these 2 stories are heading, wonder how they are going to some how collide in to one another and create a train wreck you can’t turn your eyes away from. Additionally there are many strange and surprising tidbits in Scarlett’s narration that continue to keep the reader riveted.  The way the story is told made me want to draw parallels between Lara and Christina all along. There was a sudden spark in my brain when I read Katie’s full name. There are many instances that allude to Lara’s and Gabrielle’s connection and by the 50% mark I was convinced I had it figured out. By 55% I was sure of who must’ve taken Katie but the how and the suspense of will she come back kept me going. While I was sympathetic to Lara in the beginning as the plot unveiled I felt like Lara made some very poor choices too. She had shades of Gabrielle in her who may have been psychotic but Lara herself did not uphold a very high moral code. Scarlett is a painted as a confusing character too and it is unclear what her role actually is, if any, in the abduction. While this was an enjoyable read it was predictable post the 50% mark. The twist at the end too was predictable. Given that everything Is pretty much clear half way through the book, I would have found it more enjoyable if the second half was shorter and crisper. But then this is a debut novel so we have to cut the author some slack with the editing. 

The writing style was engaging and I would definitely read more books by this author. 

For fans of the genre this will be like just another thriller that they can figure out pretty quickly. 

Thank you NetGalley and Aria for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley, #ShesMine

Book Review: The Couple by Sarah Mitchell

Description:

Following a whirlwind four-month romance, lawyer Claire and hotel entrepreneur Angus are engaged to be married. Happy and successful, and ready to start their new life together, Claire and Angus find what they believe to be the perfect home. But when Claire meets Mark, the man selling them the house, he looks eerily familiar. He looks exactly like the man she loved five years ago, the man she couldn’t bear to lose. As Claire finds herself irresistibly drawn to Mark and crosses lines she never thought she’d cross, Angus’ behaviour becomes increasingly suspicious. Soon Claire doesn’t know whether she can trust Mark, Angus… or even herself.

Review: 3 Stars

Whatever you think you know...you are wrong. This is what the book cover says and that is the truth! I’m very conflicted about this book. I think the plot has a couple of surprising twists at the end but unfortunately I do not think they are executed very well. Instead of surprising you they confuse you, make you re-read and wonder if you misunderstood. Chapter 24 conflicts everything we’ve read before. I don’t know if it’s a mistake or a twist to be honest. What makes me believe that it’s a twist is that it has been alluded a couple of times in the book that Claire maybe uncomfortable with her brother’s wife’s pregnancy. Why would that be the case if Chapter 24 is a mistake and not a twist? Also the ending, where we read what Claire thinks when she sees Jamie makes me feel like chapter 24 is the twist. However, the conversation in chapter 8 contradicts the twist in chapter 24 or maybe this is a smokescreen to confuse the reader. I think the conversation in chapter 8 or Claire’s interactions with her family could have been written so as to not conflict with the twist- the execution of the twist made me rate the book lower than I would have otherwise. 

In terms of writing style, there are too many unnecessary adjectives that don’t really help build a better picture. The character development is not great. We don’t really know if Angus is a bad guy or not. He seems controlling but there isn’t enough about Angus’ character for the reader to make up their mind about him. Their whirlwind romance is not well described. Mark is shady from the start. I don’t understand why Claire has to lie to Angus when she goes to meet Mark to buy the antique mirror (another unexplained gap). Claire’s character too is all gray, you don’t know if she’s reliable or not. Some information about her cases keep dropping in but they do not add much to the plot, they don’t even help the reader build a better image of Claire. 

Overall the characters of this plot are not likeable, in fact they are easily forgettable. When I stopped reading for a few hours and returned to this book it took me a few mins to recollect and relate to the characters agin. Picking up where I left off from was not easy because I did not feel very involved in the book. 

My final gripe is with the title- nothing in this book focuses on one couple, it’s Claire’s story with 3 different men in her life so I don’t think the title is apt. 

I’ve truly struggled with rating this book. I like the twist but when I think back it does nothing for the plot. Is it surprising- yes, but does it change anything - Nope! 

I’ve been generous with my rating because the concept was a good one, there was a lot of potential in it but it certainly needed better execution. When I started this book I was hopeful and I’d love to rate it higher but after a lot of consideration I do not think that I could justify it if I rated this any higher than a 3. 

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley, #TheCouple

Book Review: The Suspect by Fiona Barton

Description:

When two eighteen-year-old girls go missing in Thailand, their families are thrust into the international spotlight: desperate, bereft, and frantic with worry. What were the girls up to before they disappeared? Journalist Kate Waters always does everything she can to be first to the story, first with the exclusive, first to discover the truth— this time is no exception. But she can’t help but think of her own son, whom she hasn’t seen in two years, since he left home to go travelling.  As the case of the missing girls unfolds, they will all find that even this far away, danger can lie closer to home than you might think…

Review: 3 Stars

I picked this book up thinking it was a stand alone but it was actually the 3rd book in a series. Now I haven’t read the previous 2 so I was less invested in Kate as the reporter. The premise was interesting enough but the writing style wasn’t for me. The book is definitely longer than it should be and it especially feel this way right around the middle since nothing is really happening. It’s tempting to stop reading at this point. The story is a little sad no doubt but is a good one all the same. The beginning is interesting enough and the climax is good too. The story is fairly predictable but there are some very good surprises in there. 

The writing style is good and I’d definitely read more by this author. The characters are well defined and you can feel for them. I do not know how correct her account of Thailand is, but I’ll treat it as fictional and that makes it ok for me. 

My quibble with this book is how Alex and Rosie do not get along at all. I mean why would you go on a trip that too overseas with someone you don’t really get along with? They keep arguing all through the book and that was annoying. I also do not think that the detective’s side story added much to the plot overall. 

For those that are fond of procedural Detective stories, this will probably deserve a higher rating. 

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley, #TheSuspect

Book Review: The Couple on Cedar Close by Anna-Lou Weatherley

Description:

One sunny August afternoon, the residents of Cedar Close throw their annual summer barbecue. Children play in the cherry-tree lined street, tables are laden with food, and the wine is flowing. For Laurie Mills, it’s her first time meeting the neighbours. And it’s the first time she discovers her husband Robert is having an affair. Cedar Close has always been a nice place to live – a quiet suburban street where everyone looks out for one another and bad things don’t happen. Until late one evening, when Robert Mills is found dead in his bedroom. Downstairs, in their beautiful kitchen, his wife Laurie sits alone in the dark with her head in her hands. She can’t remember the last few hours, but she knows she didn’t kill Robert. The trouble is, no-one believes her…

Review: 3 Stars

She did it, she didn’t do it...the reader is left oscillating between these two in the beginning. But as you read through it seems evident that she’s being set up. Early on in the plot as Laurie is preparing for the dinner with Robert, the narration makes it sound like she wants to kill him, phrases such as these “tonight she’s going to make sure that this will never happen”, “looks beautiful, one last meal”, “till death do us part, she says quietly...” when read in context make the reader believe she wants to kill him and not reconcile with him. But then as you read more you realize that while she said wanted him back, she actually wanted to be free of him but she never wanted him dead!

Monica seems to be standing by her friend Laurie, helping her even, but she gives off a strong frenemy vibe that makes you wonder where she actually stands. If you are an avid thriller reader, you have suspected this pretty early on and then about halfway through the book the author reveals the connections between Monica, Robert and Laurie. At this point you wonder what more can this story offer, you know the links and all that’s left is figuring out the logistics. And that’s exactly what happens. The book that starts off as a psychological thriller in the beginning turns in to a police procedural after that. There are no twists that surprise the reader and the rest of the book just focuses on the how.  The blurb touts this as the next Gone Girl and that it is definitely not! 

The side plot about Lucy, Dan, Fi and Delaney is interesting and while it does not add to the main plot it certainly does not distract either. Makes it more interesting to see other characters growing and developing.

The book is a tad longer than I would’ve liked, a little crisper editing would have made it more entertaining. 

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley, #TheCoupleOnCedarClose

Book Review: Watching You by Lisa Jewell

Description:

Melville Heights is one of the nicest neighborhoods in Bristol, England; home to doctors and lawyers and old-money academics. It’s not the sort of place where people are brutally murdered in their own kitchens. But it is the sort of place where everyone has a secret. And everyone is watching you. As the headmaster credited with turning around the local school, Tom Fitzwilliam is beloved by one and all—including Joey Mullen, his new neighbor, who quickly develops an intense infatuation with this thoroughly charming yet unavailable man. Joey thinks her crush is a secret, but Tom’s teenaged son Freddie—a prodigy with aspirations of becoming a spy for MI5—excels in observing people and has witnessed Joey behaving strangely around his father. One of Tom’s students, Jenna Tripp, also lives on the same street, and she’s not convinced her teacher is as squeaky clean as he seems. For one thing, he has taken a particular liking to her best friend and fellow classmate, and Jenna’s mother—whose mental health has admittedly been deteriorating in recent years—is convinced that Mr. Fitzwilliam is stalking her. Meanwhile, twenty years earlier, a schoolgirl writes in her diary, charting her doomed obsession with a handsome young English teacher named Mr. Fitzwilliam…

Review: 5 Stars

Brilliant does not begin to cover it! Overall this an amazing read that you must have on your reading list.Lisa Jewell knows how to spin a web and knows exactly how to trap you in that web. 

The writing style is very detailed and helps you “see” the places being described. It’s almost like you are a spectator in the plot and not a reader of a book. Ms. Jewell defines her characters so well that you can form an image of them in your head, they come alive in your mind. It’s like Tom, Joey, Jenna etc. are all your neighbors and you know exactly how they look and act!

What I loved about her writing is that it makes you forget where you are, you get so lost that when you stop reading and lift your head, it takes you a few blinks to realize that you aren’t in Bristol, you are a real person and not an imaginary character in this book- it is that engrossing. The multiple points of view make it interesting and engaging.

The plot, while slow to start, is interesting from the very beginning. They mystery develops well and leaves you wanting more. As you read along you will wonder about how many people are actually ‘watching’ the people of Melville? Is Jenna’s mom crazy or is there a cause for her paranoid behavior? Who is Tom Fitzwilliam really? Why is someone interested in hacking a child’s computer? The goings on in this little town are strange and the people are stranger, and yet they pull you in, like quicksand. By the end of part one you are just left with so much information yet with so many questions that all you want to do is read on. This is a book that is truly hard to put down. 

As you read further along you begin to question your own assessment of each character and you can see the slow shift in your opinion of them as you’ve been reading, much like how your perception of an individual could gradually change with time.  Soon you are unsure who the real victim is and who is the predator. You begin to question if you’ve been too hasty to judge or have you just been a victim of misinformation. It makes you think long and hard about where this plot is actually headed and what roles do each character truly play. To write a book this mysteriously and intriguing is not an easy job but Ms. Jewell does it with a flair. The climax is a little sad and leaves you on a low but it is the only way this story could have ended. All loose ends are tied up well and there is no more mystery left.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley, #WatchingYou

Book Review: The Second Wife by Sheryl Browne

Description

She made her bed. You’ll lie in it.

Rebecca only wanted to help out – to be kind. Richard seemed so alone after his wife, Nicole, died, and Rebecca wanted to make sure he knew he had someone to rely on.

But now she’s in Nicole’s immaculate house. Drinking from her favourite crystal wine glass. Keeping shoes in her orderly closet. Comforting her sweet and grieving step-daughter. It feels like Rebecca is living another woman’s life.

And as she gets to know the neighbours, Rebecca hears stories that make her wonder: was free-spirited Nicole happy in this perfect life, or did she feel trapped? Did she feel, as Rebecca is beginning to, that something wasn’t quite right?

Review : 4 Stars

Something fishy is going on for sure, you can smell it right from the start! Everything seems normal but it isn’t. We have Nicole’s narration of the past and Rebecca’s narration of the present and they both seem to be building up for a collision! The past is just an year ago so it’s all very relevant and easy to keep the track of. The book is fast paced and enjoyable. It’s hard to put down because things are moving quickly and you want to find out as much as you can, as soon as you can. I finished this book in a day! There a number of twists and turns that keep you on your toes. The plot is enjoyable and the writing even more so. 

My only complaint is about the constant use of the words ‘the misogynist’ to refer to Nicole’s ex, that was annoying. I mean the point that he was misogynistic has been made clear fairly early on so he could just be referred to as her ex.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley, #TheSecondWife

Book Review: Once A Liar by A.F.Brady

Description: In this electrifying psychological thriller, a high-powered sociopath meets his reckoning when he’s accused of the brutal murder of his mistress. Did he kill Charlie Doyle? And if he didn’t…who did? Peter Caine, a cutthroat Manhattan defense attorney, worked ruthlessly to become the best at his job. On the surface, he is charming and handsome, but inside he is cold and heartless. He fights without remorse to acquit murderers, pedophiles and rapists. When Charlie Doyle, the daughter of the Manhattan DA—and Peter’s former lover—is murdered, Peter’s world is quickly sent into a tailspin. He becomes the prime suspect as the DA, a professional enemy of Peter’s, embarks on a witch hunt to avenge his daughter’s death, stopping at nothing to ensure Peter is found guilty of the murder. In the challenge of his career and his life, Peter races against the clock to prove his innocence. As the evidence mounts against him, he’s forced to begin unraveling his own dark web of lies and confront the sins of his past. But the truth of who killed Charlie Doyle is more twisted and sinister than anyone could have imagined…

Review: 3.5 Stars This is a hard book to rate. It does extremely well in some areas and not so much in others. It is the kind of book that is fascinating yet not too hard to put down. It starts at a good pace and is engrossing but then it quickly slows its pace and that does not help, also I did figure it out so that made it slightly predictable. The timeline of Peter’s life is a little messy so it takes effort to keep track of it. Other than that it’s fantastic. Peter is evil, unreliable, and cruel. He is a high functioning sociopath in my opinion. He has so many multiple facets to his personality that it is exhausting to read his story. There is so much fabrication and pretense with this character that it is hard to know what is the truth! I did not quite understand why any of the women in his life put up with him, he has no redeeming qualities in my opinion. He fits the image of a greedy, cunning and mean-spirited DA completely. This is a disturbing novel and I rate it a 4 only because of how much it made me feel!

Thank you NetGalley and HARLEQUIN for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley, #OnceALiar

Book Review: The Good Friend by Jo Baldwin

Description:

Heavenly Creatures meets The Hand That Rocks the Cradle in this exciting debut novel about friendship, love and jealousy. Once upon a time they were best friends. So when Jenny moved to Australia to focus on her swimming career, she not only lost Kath, but her soul-mate Tom. It was for the best. Or so they said. Now, eight years later, Jenny seeks out her childhood friend and heads to rural France where Kath has settled. At first, the women fall back into a close relationship, but before long strange and malicious behaviour leads Jenny to realise the truth: that Kath has played a clever game all along to manipulate and control those around her. And Jenny is her biggest victim. Set against the glorious backdrop of the Languedoc lavender fields, The Good Friend is a beautifully written psychological drama about love, lies and a dangerous obsession. Because once the truth is revealed, there’s no going back . . .

Review: 3 stars

This book was an average read. The plot had a lot more potential and I had much higher expectations. I think the publishers should not have classified this as a mystery/thriller. If it was classified as Drama or Women’s fiction then I would have probably rated it better. The book starts off pretty slowly and it take a lot to not just put it down and move on. But about 50% in it picks up pace and a lot of emotional baggage starts to come up. This book is more about jealousy, lies and tragedy than about twists. Unfortunately for me, I could not relate to the characters and the overt description of France did not do much for me either.

Thank you NetGalley and RedDoor books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! 

#NetGalley #TheGoodFriend

Book Review: Her One Mistake by Heidi Perks

Description
It all started at the school fair…Charlotte was supposed to be looking after the children, and she swears she was. She only took her eyes off of them for one second. But when her three kids are all safe and sound at the school fair, and Alice, her best friend Harriet’s daughter, is nowhere to be found, Charlotte panics. Frantically searching everywhere, Charlotte knows she must find the courage to tell Harriet that her beloved only child is missing. And admit that she has only herself to blame. Harriet, devastated by this unthinkable, unbearable loss, can no longer bring herself to speak to Charlotte again, much less trust her. Now more isolated than ever and struggling to keep her marriage afloat, Harriet believes nothing and no one. But as the police bear down on both women trying to piece together the puzzle of what happened to this little girl, dark secrets begin to surface—and Harriet discovers that confiding in Charlotte again may be the only thing that will reunite her with her daughter....

Review: 5 stars
The book is described very aptly as suspenseful, compulsively readable, and darkly twisted psychological thriller. It is not as simple as it seems based on the description. It is so much more. The book is a lovely description of relationships and the small things that can build or break them. It has the whodunit factor, the psychological thriller bits, the domestic drama angle as well as a whole mysterious angle. You will guess things many times while reading this book and more often than not you will be wrong! This book consumes you, it plays with you and is hard to put down. The author almost taunts you in to guessing things and then goes on to show you how twisted the plot actually is.
The ending was unpredictable and I loved it. The alternating before and current points of view work well for the plot and make it more engrossing. The pressure that the characters feel is relate-able based on all the police questioning. The characters are brilliantly developed and easy incite a strong emotion for. Highly recommend this book!
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! 
#NetGalley #HerOneMistake

Book Review: The Liar’s Wife by Samantha Hayes

Description

Loving husband? Or total stranger? 

When Ella wakes up in a hospital following a hit-and-run incident, she is scared and confused. Close to tears, her eyes fall on a get-well-soon card on the window sill and the nurse reassures her that her loving husband will be back soon...But Ella has never been married. In fact, she has lived alone her whole adult life; working hard, rarely socialising, quietly harbouring a terrible secret from her past. Fear sweeps through Ella when she instantly recognises the man who enters the ward. He is not her husband, but she knows that she must do as he says and play the part of dutiful wife. What choice does she have? He was there the night of the fire, he knows her secret too… 

Review : 4 Stars

This books is very well written. It is interesting but seems pretty straightforward because it’s a slow burn. The plot moves between the present and the pst and told from Ella’s point of view. Given that it is slow moving it does take some effort to keep at it. The premise of the book is a standard domestic thriller cliche but still the writing is good enough to keep reading. And that keeping at it is rewarded with a great twist in the end! Not predictable at all. 

In terms of character development I thought Ms. Hayes did an excellent job. Ella, Zach, Meggie are all well sketched out. Harry’s character is a little elusive and as Ella’s brother I think it warranted a little more insight or background. I liked the thought process of Ms. Hayes behind how  the child was named by Jacob and by Ella herself. It is such small details that make you want to keep reading because you can see the spark that are in the author’s mind. I did find a few loopholes in the plot and found it hard to believe that Ella didn’t try to escape or get help even with a room full of her neighbors, one of whose husband is a detective!!! That was a hard pill to swallow but as the plot unfolds and we learn more about their past and you can emphasize with why Ella is so afraid of Jacob. It does not explain everything away but it does serve to add pause to the readers logical thought and forces the reader to re-consider things more emotionally. 

All in all it’s a good read and the ending is truly rewarding! 

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley, #TheLiarsWife

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Book Review: The Perfect Family by Shalini Boland

Description

‘Mummy, she’s gone…’ Gemma Ballantine is getting ready for work one morning when her eldest child comes running down the stairs, saying the words every mother dreads. The front door is open. And her six-year-old daughter has disappeared. Frantic with fear, Gemma starts a nail-biting search for her little girl. After what feels like forever, her mother-in-law Diane finds Katie wandering lost a few streets away. Relieved to have her youngest child back in her arms, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair, Gemma thinks the nightmare is over.

But then her perfect family starts to fall apart. And she realises it’s only just beginning

Review: 3.5 Stars

Shalini Boland has a way with words. Her books are always interesting and make you want to keep reading. Like her other work, this one too is intriguing. In the beginning you don’t know who the second narrator is. You can’t figure out what she wants or how she is connected to Gemma. As we move along it becomes clear who this person is. What remains a mystery is the WHY. There are 2 possible people responsible for what Sadie is doing. Trying to figure out which one is the most fun part of this book. As you continue to read you pretty much guess who. But the reveal before the epilogues made me feel like I got it wrong. This was great because it made me feel like the book was not predictable. The only part I could not believe there was Sadie’s choice to share information. That convinced me that the real culprit is the one I was guessing all along. The epilogue explains everything nicely but leaves it slightly open since you do not know for sure what will happen in a few months. It’s difficult to review this books without revealing everything. I’d recommend that even if it’s a tad bit predictable, read it all the same. The writing is lovely, the characters are relatable, the plot twists are fun, all in all it’s an enjoyable book for sure.

 Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley, #ThePerfectFamily

Also shared on: https://romasharma.blogspot.com

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