My Sister's Secret by Tracy Buchanan

My Sister's Secret by Tracy Buchanan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 1 day

Pages - 339

Publisher - Avon

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Everything you’ve built your life on is a lie

Willow’s memories of her parents are sun-drenched and full of smiles, love and laughter. But a mysterious invitation to a photographic exhibition exposes a secret that’s been buried since a tragic accident years ago.

Willow is forced to question everything she knew about Charity, her late mother, and Hope, the aunt she’s lived with since she was a child.

How was the enigmatic photographer connected to Willow’s parents? Why will Hope not break her silence?

Willow cannot move forward in her life without answers. But who can she really trust? Because no one has been telling the truth for a very long time.

ADDICTIVE, GRIPPING and EMOTIONALLY POWERFUL, this is the perfect read for your summer holiday escape.



My Review

Willow is grown, has a job and is finally getting to visit the place her parents died, her fathers luxury cruise liner. Willow knows her parents loved each other, her relationship with her aunt Hope has always been difficult and now Willow has questions. Why does her aunt Hope evade questions about the past, why was she hiding an invitation for Willow to go to a photographers exhibition and can the photographer shed some light on her family history.

The book splits into two main timelines, the present with Willow and the past with Willow's mum Charity, her sisters and the love of her life. The four, three sisters and Charity's love interest are close until tragedy strikes and has long reach for all them all.

It is a story about love, family, relationships, secrets, betrayal, submerged forests, diving and dealing with the past. There were a few times I gasped because I hadn't seen something coming. It isn't a murder mystery or anything like that but I think if you have close relationships you will be drawn in quickly and the actions and behaviours of some of the characters will pack an emotive punch. A family drama well done and I loved the parts with the submerged forests, diving, visiting the sunken ship because this is something I will never do. I think an author shows their ability when they can transport you to something like that, when she was in the ship, despite it being a brief scene it was really well done. I felt a bit claustrophobic reading it and saw it with complete clarity, the wreck, the emotions Willow was feeling, fabulously created scene. This was my first time reading this author, it won't be my last 4/5 stars for me!

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No Turning Back by Tracy Buchanan

No Turning Back by Tracy Buchanan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 400

Publisher - Avon

Blurb from Goodreads

You’d kill to protect your child – wouldn’t you?

When radio presenter Anna Graves and her baby are attacked on the beach by a crazed teenager, Anna reacts instinctively to protect her daughter.

But her life falls apart when the schoolboy dies from his injuries. The police believe Anna’s story, until the autopsy results reveal something more sinister.

A frenzied media attack sends Anna into a spiral of self-doubt. Her precarious mental state is further threatened when she receives a chilling message from someone claiming to be the ‘Ophelia Killer’, responsible for a series of murders twenty years ago.

Is Anna as innocent as she claims? And is murder forgiveable, if committed to save your child’s life…?


My Review

Walking along with your child on the beach and out of nowhere a teenager attacks, self defence is a must but what happens when you accidentally kill the attacker? Social media goes wild and Anna finds herself and family being scrutinised, judged and dragged through the mill. If things aren't bad enough, Anna starts receiving messages from someone claiming to be the serial killer from decades ago who was never caught. The police aren't willing to listen and Anna finds herself under scrutiny from not only them, the press and the public but on the radar of a killer.

This is my first dance with this author and I have to say, from the opening chapter I was hooked. The prologue takes us to the killer and their first victim which in itself puts grabs your attention, then we flip to Anna, popular radio show host who finds herself on the beach and under attack with her daughter. The story follows her, the victims family and the small town reaction to a well loved radio host under the social media scrutiny after a horrendous event. How society as a whole judges her and how it impacts on her family, how people judge on what would you do, how you act and every other aspect of Anna's life.

I really enjoyed this multidimensional story, with a host of complexities ranging from relationships, friendships, secrets, motherhood, family, murder, societal values & judgements not to mention the whole cat and mouse aspect! A great introduction, for me, to this author, I will be seeking out more by this author, 4/5 for me. Thanks so much to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review, you can buy a copy now from all good retailers.

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