prdgreads

Today I’m on the tour for Hell Hath No Fury by Geoff Major 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: 393

Synopsis: They changed her life forever. Did they really think they could get away with it?

Evie Perry was a high-class escort whose way of life was abruptly and cruelly shattered by two drunken men. Stella Kendrick’s husband committed suicide and left her with a legal battle and a debt of £6m, but he leaves her a message with the names of three men on it. Daniella Maddox is a world-class barrister, assigned to an indefensible case for a corrupt client, but one she must win to save her own life. Unbeknownst to them, fate has woven their lives into a twisted web.

Detective Sergeant Alan Armitage is mystified when he attends the scene of a triple murder, but he is very quickly joined in his hunt for the killer by Detective Sergeant Steve Denton from The Met, and Detective Sergeant Bob Williams from North Yorkshire CID. Along with Detective Constable Rachael Jones, they have to uncover who the murderer is and why they are killing people across the country. Their task is made even more difficult because a criminal known to most simply as The Broker gets closer to banking millions every time his team commits another murder.

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: I have been eagerly awaiting the release of Geoffs next book since reading deadline as part of the blog tour in 2020 & let me tell you this one is absolutely worth the wait!

The tension is oozing from the page from the start and absolutely impossible to put down!

Twists and turns everywhere and absolutely full of red herrings, I thought I had it worked out multiple times just to be proved wrong at every turn.

We’re following a group of friends who have agreed to always be there for each other in whatever way any of them needs.. pooling resources and money where necessary.. one by one these friends and their families all turn up dead & seemingly the only thing linking the murders is the lottery ticket left in each of their mouths.

Full of secrets, lies and some badass female masterminds, this goes down as one of the most complex thrillers I’ve ever read but it honestly kept me on my toes throughout.

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Today I’m on the tour for Consuming Fire by Catherine Fearns, 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: 201

Synopsis: Liverpool is in the grip of an intense heatwave, and strange things are happening.

A woman dies in an apparent case of Spontaneous Human Combustion; a truck explodes on the dock road; the charred corpses of pets litter the city; forest fires ravage the pinewoods…and there are birds everywhere, silent flocks drawing in ominously.

Detective Inspector Darren Swift thinks there are connections, and his investigation delves into the worlds of football, nightclubs and organised crime. But is he imagining things?

Dr. Helen Hope doesn’t think so. And she believes the key lies in a mysterious seventeenth-century occult book which has gone missing from Liverpool Library.

In the blistering sequel to Reprobation, DI Swift is forced to confront some inconvenient ghosts from his past, as a terrifying shadow lies over his city’s future….

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: were back with DI Darren Swift as he’s thrown into another case which yet again is weird and seemingly has no explanation… spontaneous human combustion is just something you read about in novels isn’t it? Whilst he tries his hardest to find the rational explanation that must be there, no matter how deep it’s buried, more weird things keep happening.. with one link.. fire!

As more things come to light he realises there is only one person he knows with the expertise to help him wade his way through the confusion.. Dr Helen Hope.

I loved the fact that this one focussed more on Darren, his past and getting to know him better whilst Helen took more of a back seat!

I’ll be honest and say I missed Mikko though!

This one was just as eery and gripping as the first book, tied up some loose ends and left some looser than before!

Look out for my review of book 3 tomorrow!

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I’m hosting a spotlight for Virtual Strangers by Sam Canning today, I apologise to the author & the publisher for missing my spot, it wasn’t in my calendar! – I have started the book today and will have a review up for you ASAP.

Pages: 337

Synopsis: Do you believe in love at first type?

When Ada set up her own PR firm from a coffee shop, she didn’t expect to meet journalist Fraser. Also working there daily, he soon becomes a friend. Reporting on interesting things to do around Edinburgh, Fraser ropes Ada into accompanying him on his assignments.

As they work side-by-side Ada can’t help but notice how attractive Fraser is, and how well they get along. But, Ada has been chatting to a guy she met on an Agatha Christie fan fiction site, and she can’t stop wondering about him. His interests are the same as hers, and the anonymity helps them both be more honest and open. As Ada’s messages with the mystery man become deeper, she thinks she’s falling for him.

Ada is torn between Fraser and Myster-E – but can you have real feelings for someone when you’re virtual strangers?

About The Author:

Sam Canning is a Northern Irish born writer based in Edinburgh. Virtual Strangers is her debut novel. In her spare time, she can be found roaming the city to find the weirdest things she can and desperately trying to keep her one and only plant Stanley alive.

If you like the sound of this is can be bought here!

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Today I’m on the tour for Oscar Of The Bismarck by Frances Y Evan, 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.

Synopsis: Oscar the cat served on the German warship, Bismarck, as well as several British ships during World War II.
When the new battleship Bismarck is built, launched and commissioned, Oscar is there to witness it all. He is soon accepted by the crew and becomes the ship’s mascot as they embark on their mission.

Narrated from Oscar the cat’s point of view, he describes life at sea, the battles and the fate of his shipmates, as well as his own personal challenge to outwit, hunt and capture an elusive, sneaky, grey cat with little black ears!

A wonderfully emotional and uplifting story, told from a very different perspective!

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: this one was a lot of fun, as a cat owner myself I found myself reading Oscar’s story and looking at Bella 🤣 I weirdly enjoyed being in the mind of a cat!

Experiencing the war from the perspective of a cat was quite unsettling at times so to learn this was based on a real story was incredible and eye opening. And seeing the way having Oscar on the boat seemed to lift everyone’s spirits was heartwarming.

A short read but one that I thoroughly enjoyed and would urge everyone to pick it up ☺️ 🐈‍⬛

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Today I’m on the tour for Reprobation by Catherine Fearns, 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: 211

Synopsis: Are you one of the elect?

Dr. Helen Hope is a lecturer in eschatology – the study of death, judgement, and the destiny of humankind. She is also a Calvinist nun, her life devoted to atoning for a secret crime.

When a body is found crucified on a Liverpool beach, she forms an unlikely alliance with suspect Mikko Kristensen, lead guitarist in death metal band Total Depravity. Together, they go on the trail of a rogue geneticist who they believe holds the key – not just to the murder, but to something much darker.

Also on the trail is cynical Scouse detective Darren Swift. In his first murder case, he must confront his own lack of faith as a series of horrific crimes drag the city of two cathedrals to the gates of hell.

Science meets religious belief in this gripping murder mystery.

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: 2023 is obviously the year for me to discover brilliant new authors, who would have thought a nun and the star of a death metal band would work as a duo trying to get to the bottom of some weird goings on.

This really was bloody brilliant and another one that was impossible to put down.

I’m struggling to get my thoughts together because I don’t want to spoil anything, but this is more than just a crime story, it’s also about a woman figuring out her path in life & being torn for wanting different things than what’s expected of her.

There were moments where my heart was in my throat and I wanted to stop reading incase something awful happened to the characters I had grown to love.

I can’t wait to carry on with the series, look out for my reviews later in the week ☺️

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I was on the tour for this book earlier in January, but there was a delay in my review for personal reasons, thank you so much to Hannah ah Hygge book Tours and Brendan James for their understanding.

Synopsis: ‘Could there be a world of interest and adventure beyond the Midlands? A world of confidence and excitement? A better life – a better me?’ These are the questions Gerard Philey grapples with over New Year, 1995. Sitting in his rented Black Country room, reflecting on his thankless teaching job and miserable love life, he courageously decides to abandon his humdrum existence and embark on a quest for Euro-fulfilment, fun and fitness on the Continent.

After a shaky start in Brussels, events manoeuvre him to Amsterdam where chance encounters shift his world well and truly into fifth gear. He samples the trials and tribulations of new relationships, alongside managing an adult store in the city’s Red Light Area – on top of the challenges of fat-free living and international travel!

Through his bittersweet diary, we see how Gerard steers a laugh-out-loud course through farcical episodes and fanciful characters…and how entanglements from past and present draw him unwittingly into an underworld where events ultimately take their toll.

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: I’m not sure what I expected from this, I think I thought it was more of a memoir, so I was very pleasantly surprised when I realised it was a work of fiction.

Written in diary entries this was a like a blast from the past and took me right back to my teenage years of reading Adrian Mole books!

Gerard finds himself in some right predicaments, I found myself laughing, cringing and shaking my head at him multiple times.

A thoroughly enjoyable read that almost gave me the travelling bug.

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Today I’m on the tour for To Hel In A Houndcart by Jacqueline Lambert, thank you to Anne at Ranekm Things Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 340

Synopsis: “Go to Hel.”

The Polish local wasn’t being rude. She was describing Hel, Poland, well known for its fine beaches and windsurfing.

Ever since Jackie and Mark packed themselves and their four Cavapoo pups into their ‘hound cart’ (RV trailer) to tour Europe, they’ve learned lessons about overcoming obstacles – much more than they ever imagined.

Soon after they left, everything they knew about travelling changed.

COVID-19 stranded them in Italy, where they were forbidden to set foot outside their garden. Finally released from Italian lockdown, with borders closed and their own home rented out, they could not return to the UK. With only a rough idea where their wanderlust might take them, their adventures soon start stacking up. If you ever wanted to learn what full-time RV life is really like, this is the book for you.

From Italy to France, Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland, travel alongside our intrepid explorers as they navigate precipitous cliff-side roads, geopolitical unrest, and borders closing, with the spectre of COVID continually looming over them.

Will they go to Hel in a hound cart, or will that be what happens to their plans?

Although part of a series which is chronological in time, and follows the author since giving up work to travel, each book is a stand-alone adventure.

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: this book was just as great as the last one!

It’s funny, it’s informative and just a whole lot of fun.

I couldn’t wait to see what everyone got up to in this instalment of their adventure. We get to go on a journey all around Europe with a few furry friends & not have to leave the comfort of our own homes.

There is sarcasm and wit throughout some parts even had me laughing it loud at the book!

I also appreciated the parts that told us all about the various places that we were visiting, done in a way that you take information but it’s never dull or overwhelming.

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us, I can’t wait for the next instalment.

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Today I’m on the tour for Cut and Shut by Jonathan Peace, thank you to Rebecca at Hobeck Books for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the publisher and the author for my copy.

Pages 377

Synopsis: June, 1989

Tensions are high – tempers short
Following a stupid, drunken car theft, the tragic deaths of three local lads uncovers a powder keg of racial intolerance and bigotry.

A vicious attack
When two Muslim brothers are violently attacked, WDC Louise Miller sees her hometown with jaded eyes, shocked that so many of her colleagues are reluctant to get involved or help in any way those they once called neighbours.

A terrible truth
As she investigates, Louise, accompanied by WDC Hines and psychologist Karla Hayes, discovers links between the car theft and the assault but worse; the racial tensions that now threaten to tear the community apart, have masked an even darker crime – one that has gone long undiscovered, but will have devastating consequences.

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: this is book 3 in the Louise Miller crime series and this one was just as brilliant as the others. It does read as a stand alone but I would definitely recommend reading the first 2 ☺️

Jonathan has a way of pushing the boundaries of certain subjects to the point that you feel uncomfortable but in the best kind of way… yet again another book I couldn’t bring myself to put down and read it in one sitting.

The writing just draws you in completely, full of moments that will shock you to the core and just as you get used to that one he does it again!

Full of red herrings and twists and turns that at times I didn’t know which way was up!

It was lovely to be back with Miller, Hines and Manby & I’m eagerly awaiting book 4!

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Today I’m on the tour for Dancing With The Devil by Matthew Jones, thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 350

Synopsis: A wealthy oligarch, a failing business and a man who sacrificed everything for one final shot at freedom.

When Danny accepts a job from wealthy Conrad Szekely to spy on his business partner, Jerry, he finds himself with a world of trouble. Within days of Danny’s arrival, the business is destroyed in a catastrophic fire, which also claims Jerry’s life.

Torn between conflicting interests, Danny starts to suspect that Jerry’s business had been anything but straightforward, and finds himself trapped in a spiral of treachery and lies, which rapidly begins to degenerate into a cat and mouse chase across the fens.

With former allies turning violently against him, Danny tries to solve the mystery that surrounds Jerry’s death. But can Danny find the answers when those answers themselves prove lethal?

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧.5

My Thoughts: this one took me a while to work out what was going on, it started off very slow paced.

But once it gets going, the action doesn’t stop, it’s fast paced & exciting with a whole host of unreliable characters that provided us with twists and turns galore to keep us guessing and ensuring we kept turning the pages.

The story had hints of supernatural which added an element that you don’t often see in a thriller.

I’ll be honest and say this isn’t a book I would’ve picked up on my own, but it’s one that’s definitely worth the read.

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Today I’m on the tour for The Ideal Man by T.J. Emerson, thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 364

Synopsis: The Daughter.

My father is innocent. He’s spent almost four years behind bars, but now he’s getting out. I gave up everything to be there for him, just like he was always there for me. It’s all going to be worth it now.

The Girlfriend.

As soon as I opened the paper that day and saw that picture of Sandy, I didn’t care about the story surrounding it. There’s no way he hurt that girl. Now he’s out, we’ll get married and I’ll finally get to meet his daughter. There’ll be no more hiding our love.

The Other Woman.

No one knows what happened all those years ago, and the life I built depends on no one finding out. Now he’s getting out, my secrets may soon see the light. I can’t let that happen.

One Loves Him.

One Needs Him.

One Wants Him DEAD.

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: this one was brilliant, genuinely didn’t know which way this one was going to go!

Told from the perspective of 3 different women and I wanted to be on the side of all of them, but with them all having differing opinions that just wasn’t possible!

A very difficult subject matter that made it a very difficult read for me personally, but it was dealt with very sensitively.

I’ve never read a book from Tracy before, but I devoured this one, the intrigue was high, the pacing was perfect & I just loved every single one of the characters wholeheartedly which made the twists and turns even harder to interpret.

This is definitely another one that needs to be added to your TBR.

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