prdgreads

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.

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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!

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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.

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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!

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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!

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Today I am on the tour for Those Who Dwell In Darkness by Steve McHugh, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part & thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 358

Synopsis: Vampires and humans live side by side thanks to an uneasy peace maintained by the Assembly. As an Arbiter for the powerful organization, Miles Watson is authorized to act as judge, jury, and executioner for anyone—living or undead—who breaks the law. But now Miles is up against a threat more sinister than anything he’s seen in his centuries as a vampire.

A criminal network in London is offering wealthy humans the chance to become vampires without the Assembly’s consent. When the process goes disastrously wrong, the Boss wants to eliminate any trace of the fiasco. But a rogue enforcer refuses to play along, and trouble quickly escalates out of anyone’s control.

As Miles sets off searching for the illegal vampires, he finds himself on the trail of a monstrous serial killer. The twisty investigation takes him from London’s deadly underworld to the rural backwaters of the Pacific Northwest—where an even more devious criminal enterprise threatens all of vampire-kind . . .

About The Author:

Steve is a bestselling author of Urban Fantasy. His book, Scorched Shadows, was shortlisted for a Gemmell Award for best novel.

Steve was born in a small village called Mexborough, South Yorkshire, but now lives with his wife and three young daughters in Southampton.

If you like the sound of this it can be bought here! – it will be available on the 19th December.

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Today I am on the tour for The Waitress by Emily Shiner, 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: 234

Synopsis: Anne Marie would love a son who is kind, respectful, obedient. But she’s got Dave.

Anne Marie’s life isn’t easy. She’s a single mom in a dead-end waitressing job with a beater car and bills to pay. Adding to the pressure, her teenage son, Dave, is out of control, and no matter what she does, Anne Marie can’t seem to get through to him.

Then, out of the blue, Dave completely changes. He’s kind, he’s thoughtful, he helps out around the house and looks after his mom. Anne Marie can’t believe her luck.

Until she discovers the reason for her son’s sudden transformation – he’s done something really awful and he’s terrified he’ll be caught. Even worse, someone out there knows about it and they’re blackmailing him.

Anne Marie is desperate to protect her son and knows she has to somehow stop the blackmailer. But how?

As she considers her choices, Anne Marie realizes she may be taking the first steps on a path that will lead her straight to the gates of hell.

How far is she willing to go to save her only child?

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: oh my word Emily has done it again and officially made it on to my autoread author list!

This one had me tied in knots the whole way through, which is a strange feeling because we knew the one of the culprits from quite early on, but obviously that’s only half the story.

Anne-Marie is a main character that you want the best for, you can tell she’s not had the easiest life & unfortunately her son Dave does absolutely nothing to make it any easier for her, he defies her at every turn and pushes both her and the boundaries to the very edge every day.. until one day he does a complete 180.. little does she know their lives are about to change forever!

Emily just has an incredible skill when it comes to writing stories that just completely mess with your head, she leads you in one direction lulls you into a false sense of security and then pulls the rug from your feet leaving you reeling and not knowing which way is up.

I think this one might be her best one yet!

If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers then I highly recommend this one! 😍

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Today I am on the tour for Be More Octopus by Suzanne Lissaman, 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: 343

Synopsis: Is hitting a handsome professor with a vacuum cleaner a good way to start a new relationship? Em doesn’t think so. But she’s not looking for a new man, or is she?

When Em discovers that her fiancé’s having an affair, she leaves her stressful call centre job, packs up her paints and easel and moves to the coast to build a better life on her own. But her new life becomes more complicated when a charming professor, Jack Carver, arrives for a holiday. Who’s he avoiding? And what do Jack and Em have in common?

Set in Birmingham, London and the fictional town of Dashford in North Devon, ‘Be More Octopus’ is an entertaining, friends-to-lovers romantic comedy following the twists and turns of Em and Jack’s love lives with lots of ‘will they, won’t they?’ moments.

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: this one was a real breath of fresh air, it’s light hearted and effortlessly funny, I found myself actually laughing more than once and then looking around to make sure there was no one looking at me 🤣

Em finds out her fiancé is cheating on her and moves back in with her dad temporarily, made even more temporary when she discovers his lifestyle is now vastly different to when her mum was alive!

Em is an artist, so when she takes a job in North Devon, she can’t help but feel like this would be the best place to get back to her painting too.

The last thing she expects is to fall in love, but when she hits someone with a hoover, she just can’t help herself.

Obviously things never run smoothly in a rom-com & there were plenty of bumps in the road, but the constant push and pull between kept me intrigued and invested.

Im trying to be careful not to give anything away, but I 100% recommend picking this one up.

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Today I am on the tour for Our Darkest Hour by Gabriella E. Mari, thank you to Write Reads Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 510

Synopsis: ‘Our Darkest Hour’ is a gay love story centered around paranormal investigations. It features ghosts, demons, and one psychic who is slowly but surely coming to terms with his powers… and the feelings he develops for one of his colleagues.


Coming into his psychic powers by accident, Adrian Sinclair finds he has the ability to see and communicate with spirits yet zero understanding of how anything works. So when the YouTube-famous Crossroads Paranormal Research Society offers to take him under their wing, he knows he is in no position to refuse.

As Adrian learns what it means to be a paranormal investigator and how to navigate his newfound online celebrity status, he discovers that psychics are quitting en masse, and there are only vague rumors as to why…

… until something beyond his reach starts stalking him.

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: this one was a lot of fun, part romance, part paranormal, with a great group of friends that genuinely had each others backs throughout.

The group of lads went to various places to communicate with spirits & exorcise demons and the like, which is how they originally meet Adrian, he’s a psychic just coming into his abilities & doesn’t quite understand what’s going on or how it all works.

Although I did feel this story was a bit too long and we didn’t get enough of the CPRS side of things, the parts we did get were brilliant, eery & chilling with just enough drama and suspense to keep you hooked.

The romance in the book was very slow burn, but once it going it was pretty spicy & I loved it.

I really enjoyed this one and can’t wait to see what comes next!

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