Author: Patricegotting

Today I am on the tour for The Phantom Child by A J Wills, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 316

Synopsis: With cracks beginning to show in her marriage, Karina thinks a short break to a luxury villa in Turkey with her husband, Ronan, and their four-year-old son, Jacob, is just what the family needs.

It’ll be a chance to relax, enjoy some good food, and more importantly to reconnect with the people she loves the most.

But on their first morning, Karina is startled to discover she’s slept in late and not been woken by Jacob.

He’s an early riser who always comes into their bed pestering them to make him breakfast.

So where is he? A needle of fear spikes through Karina’s veins.

She rushes to his room, but his bed is empty and he’s nowhere to be found in the villa.

But when she wakes Ronan, frantic with worry, and tells him their son is missing, he stares at her blankly.

He says he has no idea what she’s talking about. They don’t have any children, and he’s certainly never heard of a boy called Jacob…

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: I am genuinely still in awe of what this book did, I can’t even tell you the amount of times I was shocked!

We open to Karina waking up and realising her 4 year old son Jacob had gone missing, but everyone is telling her she didn’t have a child, that she’s imagined the whole thing.. but surely she can’t have imagined the last 4 years of her life.. can she?

She slowly starts to rebuild her life, leaves her husband, gets a new job and a great friend… and then she receives an email that turns her life upside down and had her questioning everything again…

It’s fast paced, it’s proper heart in your mouth stuff, I even shouted “no fucking way” at one point and had to explain to my stepmum what I’d just read because I was so shocked I just needed to let it out!

I found myself turning the pages so fast, but also not wanting the story to end..

If you can deal with the difficult subject matter you definitely need to had this one to your TBR, it’s one hell of a wild ride and I promise you won’t be disappointed!

🐧🩷

Today I am on the tour for A Soul For A Soul by Carol Wyer, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos a book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 381

Synopsis: The syndicate have taken everything from her. It’s time to take them down—or die trying.

DCI Kate Young never meant to shoot Superintendent John Dickson at the reservoir that night—even if, as a scheming corrupt cop and head of the shady syndicate, he probably had it coming. But now Kate has photographic evidence that someone else knows her terrible secret…

Tormented by guilt and the voices of the dead, Kate is desperate to unmask the rest of the corrupt officers before her own sins catch up with her. When DI Harriet Khatri, awaiting trial for the murder of Kate’s mentor, claims she was framed by Dickson’s syndicate, Kate reluctantly agrees to help in the hope of finding answers.

Meanwhile, DI Emma Donaldson finds herself on the hunt for a double murderer—a man who incapacitates his victims with a powerful narcotic called Devil’s Breath. Desperate to measure up to her role-model boss, Emma finds herself hurled into the deep end in more ways than one…

While Kate’s grip on reality wavers and the syndicate closes in, and with the mystery killer taking a special interest in Emma, could this be the case that defeats both detectives?

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: this is book 5 in the Detective Kate Young series, this one felt very different to the others as Kate had been promoted to DCI, she’s no longer on the front line so to speak, she now has to delegate to both Emma and Morgan, she finds this frustrating as she likes to be in the thick of things, but it does give her more time to look for evidence to bring down the syndicate..

I really enjoyed this one, it had all the twists of previous book with an added layer of suspense and fear because you’re constantly wondering if this will be when all Kates secrets come to light.. whilst really hoping not at the same time.

Even whilst Kate is alone, she’s never really alone as she always has the voice of John Dickson in her head, he’s definitely a part of her past that won’t leave her alone, constantly goading and scaring her, but then we also have the voice of William in the party, always the voice of reason and mentor in life. He continues to be that for her her in death.

I can’t help but feel like this might be the end of the Kate Young series, the book had a kind of finality to it that the others didn’t! – I won’t lie there will be a part of me that will be heartbroken if it is.

I would 100% recommend this book to all fans of crime books and police procedurals, however you will need to start from the beginning of the series, it’s a wild ride but totally worth it!

🐧🩷

Today I am on the tour for Search Party by Hannah Richell, thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the publisher and the author for my copy.

Pages: 395

Synopsis: Five old friends.
One glamping weekend.
A storm that will change everything.

Max and Annie Kingsley have left the London rat race to set up a glamping site in the wilds of Cornwall. They invite old university friends – TV star Dominic, doctor and new mum Kira, and free-spirited Jim and Suze – and their children for a trial weekend but the reunion quickly veers off-course.
First, there’s The Incident around the campfire on the first night. The following afternoon, a storm quickly develops off the rugged North Coast. When one of their group goes missing, all hell breaks loose. And as the winds batter the bell-tents, emotions run high and tension mounts for all the characters.
Who is lying in hospital, who has gone missing and who is the body on the beach below the cliffs . . .?

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: I think it’s fair to say that this book has convinced me that I never want to go glamping.

What started off as a group of friends supporting the possible new business venture of others turned out to be everyone’s worst nightmare when kids start to go missing & someone ends up dead!

Told from various perspectives across different timelines which is always my favourite when it comes to a mystery thriller because it gives you a well rounded look at everything/everyone whilst also leaving you with questions to be answered.

The suspense and the atmosphere in this book were palpable, you could literally feel it oozing through the pages, it had my heart racing, I was holding my breath and biting my lip constantly throughout!

Absolutely brilliant book and I cannot wait to see what Hannah comes up with next.

🐧🩷

Today I am on the tour for Merciless Waters by Rae Knowles, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 125

Synopsis: Aboard the ship Scylla, there is no future or past. Jaq, her fickle lover Lily, and their all-female crew exist in an endless present. It’s better this way. At least it keeps Lily by Jaq’s side, where she belongs. But the meddling gods care little for Jaq’s longing, and despite her protective rituals, their punishmentarrives all the same:

A man, adrift on the open ocean. Delivered to snatch Lily from Jaq’s arms forever.

Jaq knows what to do. She’s lost Lily before. Her lover will return-when this interloper, this distraction, is snuffed out. But Jaq’s murderous schemes may not be enough. The intruder’s presence infects her crew with a plague her spells cannot cure: memory. And as the women recall how they came to Scylla, their minds bend one by one towards revenge.

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: this one is really hard to review because it’s so short and I don’t want to give anything away.

It’s weird, it’s wonderful, it’s dark and strangely compelling I found myself unable to put it down until it was finished!

Let’s just say you don’t want to find yourself aboard the ship Scylla, especially if you’re a male, it throws everything off balance and they won’t stop until you’re gone..

It’s totally gruesome yet completely romantic at the same time 😅 add the beautiful cover to the mix and I would say this is definitely one that needs to be added to your tbr!

I am aware that this review is short and sweet, but so is the book. Just go read it, I promise you won’t be disappointed.

🐧🩷

Today I am on the tour for Halfway House by a Helen Fitzgerald, thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 300

Synopsis: They’re the housemates from Hell…

When her disastrous Australian love affair ends, Lou O’Dowd heads to Edinburgh for a fresh start, moving in with her cousin, and preparing for the only job she can find … working at a halfway house for very high-risk offenders.

Two killers, a celebrity paedophile and a paranoid coke dealer – all out on parole and all sharing their outwardly elegant Edinburgh townhouse with rookie night-worker Lou…

And instead of finding some meaning and purpose to her life, she finds herself trapped in a terrifying game of cat and mouse where she stands to lose everything – including her life.

Slick, darkly funny and nerve-janglingly tense, Halfway House is both a breathtaking thriller and an unapologetic reminder never to corner a desperate woman…

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: I have to be completely honest, this one was a bit hit or miss for me to begin with. Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed the book but the story itself confused me, it’s marketed as a darkly funny and tense thriller. But the first half felt like a contemporary comedy book.

Lou’s life in Australia has fallen apart so she moves to Edinburgh to live with her cousin and start a new life.. what she doesn’t find out until she gets there is that her cousin takes in a lot of waifs and strays so she’s constantly sharing the place with a variety of different characters, some likeable & some not so much & then she finds Tim and thinks he just may be the love of her life and all seems perfect until she starts her new job as the nighttime supervisor of a halfway house full of high risk male offenders.. one or two she might even recognise!

Once Lou starts her job that’s when the book becomes a real page turner, at times you’re left not knowing which way is up & who you can trust, at times I could see Lou making a choice and found myself shaking my head and her and wanting to shout at my kindle 🤣

Now that I’ve finished it I can see how effective the first half of the book is at lulling you into a false sense of security! – thoroughly enjoyed it and was on the edge of my seat by the end!

Today I am on the tour for Manky Business by Ewan Fraser, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 252

Synopsis: Tanya Johnson had it all. Looks. Charm. A pure heart.

Until that night she was found dead in a port building. 

Will her murder bring a corrupt Edinburgh city councillor’s manky business to light?

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧.5

My Thoughts: this one felt like a comfort read, which is a really strange thing to say about a crime novel, but the writing was just easy and flowed so nicely 🤣

That doesn’t by any stretch of the imagination that the story was easy going because it wasn’t, in places it was actually quite brutal.

I did find myself smiling at Angus’s constant inner monologue, because in a way it lightened the story a little

The pace of the story was varied, it started off slow and then increased as the book went on, almost like it didn’t want to give too much away too quickly, which make think that this may be the start to a new series & definitely one I would be interested in continuing because I liked the characters a lot!

If you’re a fan of a book that has the feel of a police procedural that deals with heavy topics and is full of secrets then this is definitely one I would recommend.

🐧🩷

Today I am on the tour for If I Can’t Have You by G.M. Lawrence, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 324

Synopsis: Freya hopes there’s one man she never sees again. Her husband.

Freya has recently escaped from her violent and abusive husband, Liam, and has moved to the city where she is fighting to build a new life for herself.

But she knows in her heart that Liam won’t give up so easily, that he’ll do everything in his power to find her and bring her back.

Determined to stay hidden, Freya keeps a very low profile. But then she notices a young woman, Ava, who seems to be caught up in an abusive relationship. Knowing only too well the kind of anguish Ava may be enduring, Freya decides to get involved and save Ava from her partner, Elliot.

But when Freya calls the police, she inadvertently reveals her whereabouts to Liam who soon comes to see her. He seems a different man, contrite, tender, full of apologies. But is it all an act?

And Freya has other problems – Elliot isn’t pleased that she interfered in his relationship and is becoming ever more menacing.

Caught between these two terrifying men, can Freya confront her past and hold onto the future she’s fought so hard to create?

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: G.M. Lawrence has done it again & created a thriller full of suspense and twists, whilst also being laced with reality, it’s really scary how the story is a way of life for some people.

I found myself almost reluctant to turn the pages because the story broke my heart and I almost felt that if I didn’t turn the page the bad things wouldn’t happen 🤣

I was urging Freya on to escape, sometimes even out loud as if she wasn’t a fictional character and my encouragement could make the slightest bit of difference!

The book is full of shocking moments that will have your heart in your throat and you holding your breath.

Luckily for Freya she had the best sister and brother in law that were constantly in her corner which helped to make the story a little lighter.

If you’re a fan of a psychological thriller then get this one added to your TBR!

🐧🩷

Today I am on the tour for The Guests by Agnes Ratvatn, thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 187

Synopsis: It started with a lie…

Married couple Karin and Kai are looking for a pleasant escape from their busy lives, and reluctantly accept an offer to stay in a luxurious holiday home in the Norwegian fjords. 

Instead of finding a relaxing retreat, however, their trip becomes a reminder of everything lacking in their own lives, and in a less-than-friendly meeting with their new neighbours, Karin tells a little white lie…

Against the backdrop of the glistening water and within the claustrophobic walls of the ultra-modern house, Karin´s insecurities blossom, and her lie grows ever bigger, entangling her and her husband in a nightmare spiral of deceits with absolutely no means of escape…

Simmering with suspense and dark humour, The Guests is a gripping psychological drama about envy and aspiration … and something more menacing, hiding just below that glittering surface…

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: this is a really hard story to review, because in reality not a lot happens, but yet it’s dark and has you utterly compelled throughout.

It’s a brilliant depiction of far down the rabbit hole one seemingly small lie can lead you, Karin and Kai thought it would be nice to be pretend to be different people for a few days, as it turns out, being yourself isn’t all that bad in the end 🤣

It’s a really short book so I don’t want to say too much, but the writing style had me captivated, Agnes just has a way with words that despite there not being a lot of action, you’re still turning the pages to find out just how far everyone will go to keep their secrets hidden.

A story that had me thinking about it for a long time after finishing it.. the end is left open-ended which at first really annoyed me 😅 but now looking back maybe Agnes wanted us to create our own ending?

One I would absolutely recommend adding to your tbr if you’re a fan of psychological suspense.

🐧🩷

Today I am on the tour for Make Her Pay by Miranda Rijks, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 282

Synopsis: Leonie has the perfect life. Someone wants to take it away.

Leonie is living her best life. Still in her twenties, she’s beautiful, successful and has just met Markus, the man of her dreams.

But Leonie has a secret. Ten years ago, she was involved in an accident in which another driver died. Leonie shouldn’t have been behind the wheel that night – no license, no insurance – so she fled the scene. And ever since, she’s been struggling to deal with the terrible guilt.

Now, as her wedding to Markus draws near, it seems someone is out to get her. It’s little things at first – botched work appointments, a cancelled bridal dress – but it soon escalates into a terrifying campaign which threatens her business, her family and even her life.

Leonie, caught up in a relentless nightmare, has no idea why anyone would set out to destroy her. Until she realizes there’s a link to the accident that happened all those years ago.

Someone knows what she did. Someone is determined to make her pay.

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: here we are again with another 5 star rating for a psychological thriller, I feel like I’ve been spoilt this year, although it’s slightly worrying that the authors are getting more and more twisted 🤣

We all know that I am a massive fan of Miranda’s writing, but this one felt like it did something different, it turned everything on its head, we learn pretty quickly that Leonie has done something she shouldn’t have done & it’s been kept quiet for years, but even though she was the ‘bad guy’ I found myself rooting for her, in a way I understood her need for freedom, her parents, her dad especially is over beating & made me feel uncomfortable as a reader.

The revenge plot was one that was decades in the making and very cleverly done, I didn’t work it out and when the reveal was made I’m not kidding when. I tell you my jaw dropped!

The storyline is beyond crazy but boy does it work, it’s chilling, engaging and bloody impossible to put down, it’s one of those stories that you want to finish, whilst also not wanting it to end and being a little bit scared to see how far the author will go!

I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

🐧🩷

Today I am on the tour for The Hollow Husband by Cole Baxter, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 309

Synopsis: Stella has finally met her dream man. But is David too good to be true?

Stella Greene has finally met her dream man. David is wealthy, successful, polished, and seductive. He’s got her back when an angry ex comes to call. He shares her taste in everything from wine to music. Her parents love him.

The couple are thrilled when Stella falls pregnant. David has always been attentive, but now that Stella is carrying his child, he becomes downright controlling. He claims he’s only worried about her and the baby. But Stella becomes fearful. How well does she really know her husband?

Meanwhile, there’s a serial killer loose in their small resort town, murdering young, attractive men. A fan of true crime stories, Stella takes a keen interest in the killings and soon finds herself drawn into a darker world than she ever imagined.

When men linked to Stella are the next victims, she begins to fear that someone close to her might be the killer. Could it be her beloved husband?

Her doubts only grow when she sees a sketch of the killer. He looks a lot like David.

Shocked and disbelieving, she hides her fears from David. As she goes hunting for the truth, she begins to suspect David more and more. Will Stella’s worst fears be realized? Is she married to a serial killer and carrying his child?

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: I feel like I’m handing out 5 stars like sweets for inkubators psychological thrillers this year, but wow!!

Coles books are always addictive and twisty, but this one dialled it up by 1000.

My favourite of his by far, so much so that I’m struggling to put my thoughts into words.

We’re following Stella, who is a true crime addict and likes to solve crimes with her dad and has a stronger stomach than most which we learn on more than one occasion.. she makes it her mission to help solve the case when a bunch of men are turning up dead, all having one thing in common, they’re all young and attractive.. the murders are brutal.. but Cole’s descriptions made them worse, I could really picture it in my head 😅

The minute I thought i must be close to working it out, there was another thing to throw you off course, I absolutely devoured this and I’m excited & also a little bit scared to see what what Cole comes up with next!

🐧🩷