Behind Closed Doors by Susan Lewis

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS by Susan Lewis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 382

Publisher - Arrow

Source - Bought

Blurb from Amazon

Don't miss this powerful and suspenseful novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author of One Minute Later.

When fourteen-year-old Sophie Monroe suddenly vanishes one night, it looks at first as though she’s run away from home.

Her computer and mobile phone have gone, and she’s taken a bag full of clothes.

As the police investigation unfolds a wealth of secrets from the surrounding community start coming to light. And it seems everyone has something to hide.

For Detective Sergeant Andrea Lawrence, the case is a painful reminder of the tragedy that tore her family apart over twenty years ago. She is convinced there is more to Sophie’s disappearance than teenage rebellion.

But is the past clouding her judgement, preventing her from seeing a truth that neither she, nor Sophie’s family, would ever want to face?


My Review

Sophie is fourteen, living in a caravan style holiday place, seeking attention from boys/men to make up for the lack of attention at home. After a huge row with her stepmom Sophie goes missing, initially felt to be one of her stunts but as time goes on it seems it may not just be a teen acting out, is Sophie in danger? D S Andrea Lawrence is on the case and maybe a little clouded due to having her own sister go missing years ago. Can she remain impartial to get to the bottom of it and find Sophie?

Set in a smallish town, holiday homes/caravans style setting where lots of people have many secrets as the case becomes serious and the cops start digging it seems everyone has something to hide. Focusing on some shady characters, offences relating to under age girls, cover ups, lies, secrets, families, family pressure. It is a melting pot of gossip, scandal and shocking people who seem more interested in their own issues than a young girl going missing.

I think Lewis does well to weave a web of characters, often shady or at least make you question them. Page turner, riveting especially from a nosey stance because you want to know what is going on, what they are hiding and most importantly where is Sophie and can we get her back safetly, 4/5.

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The Christie Affair by Nina De Gramont

Today is my stop on the blog tour for The Christie Affair by author Nina De Gramont, for my stop I have my review, non spoiler as always.

The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 5 days

Pages -

Publisher - Mantle

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads

Nina de Gramont's The Christie Affair is a beguiling novel of star-crossed lovers, heartbreak, revenge, and murder—and a brilliant re-imagination of one of the most talked-about unsolved mysteries of the twentieth century.

Every story has its secrets.
Every mystery has its motives.

“A long time ago, in another country, I nearly killed a woman. It’s a particular feeling, the urge to murder. It takes over your body so completely, it’s like a divine force, grabbing hold of your will, your limbs, your psyche. There’s a joy to it. In retrospect, it’s frightening, but I daresay in the moment it feels sweet. The way justice feels sweet.”

The greatest mystery wasn’t Agatha Christie’s disappearance in those eleven infamous days, it’s what she discovered.

London, 1925: In a world of townhomes and tennis matches, socialites and shooting parties, Miss Nan O’Dea became Archie Christie’s mistress, luring him away from his devoted and well-known wife, Agatha Christie.

The question is, why? Why destroy another woman’s marriage, why hatch a plot years in the making, and why murder? How was Nan O’Dea so intricately tied to those eleven mysterious days that Agatha Christie went missing?


My Review

Agatha Christie is a name pretty much everyone is familiar with. I have never read her books (I have one on my tbrm) but I do know she was an author and she went missing for eleven days. What happened in those days has been speculated on although Christie never (that I am aware of) divulged what happened in that time. In The Christie Affair the author creates a version of what happened, a look at the mistress and all told from the mistresses' POV.

Nancy Neele is not a name I knew as I said I don't really know much about Agatha Christie nor what prompted or speculation about why she bolted. The book is heavily centred on Nancy, she is telling the story and her story interlinks with Agatha's in a surprising turn of events.

We learn about Nancy's background, growing up and what ends up bringing her to her current position. I felt the book actually focused much more on Nancy's character, there is of course Agatha and Archie in the book but much more of Nancy than I expected. She is of course the centre factor for the break up of Agatha's marriage. Her own story is emotive and I found myself flipping between being sorry for her and annoyed at some of her choices.

There is no denying De Gramont has done a lot of research and reading in preparation for the re-imaging of what went down between these characters. Filling in gaps around events we know did happen. It is certainly interesting and I found myself putting it down to read up on the characters and events to see how much was true/fact. This was my first time reading this author, I would read her again. I intend to dig out my Christie book and maybe read up about the author and what has been written about her days gone missing, 4/5 for me this time. The book is out to buy/read now.

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Her Last Holiday by C L Taylor

Her Last Holiday by C.L. Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 400

Publisher - Avon books

Source - Netgalley/bought HB copy

Blurb from Goodreads

You come to the retreat to be healed. You don’t expect to die.



Two years ago, Fran’s sister Jenna disappeared on a wellness retreat in Gozo that went terribly wrong.


Tom Wade, the now infamous man behind Soul Shrink Retreats, has just been released from prison after serving his sentence for the deaths of two people. But he has never let on what happened to the third victim: Jenna.


Determined to find out the truth, Fran books herself onto his upcoming retreat – the first since his release – and finds herself face to face with the man who might hold the key to her sister’s disappearance. The only question is, will she escape the retreat alive? Or does someone out there want Jenna’s secrets to stay hidden?



The master of suspense is back. Prepare yourself for the latest heart-in-mouth rollercoaster ride from the Sunday Times bestseller.



My Review

Split between timelines, then and now and characters Fran (Jenna's sister), Jenna who never came home after going to a retreat a few years previous and Kate - wife of the guru of the retreat Tom who is being released from jail after the scandal at the last retreat. The retreat Jenna attended and never came home from. Kate is picking up the pieces, rebuilding her and Tom's life/business. Fran attends as Geraldine, desperate to find out what happened to her sister. As we flip past and present we follow Jenna's journey up until her disappearance, present is "Geraldine" struggling to get information in the new retreat under the watchful eye of Kate, ooft Kate!

These type of stories can go wrong, duo timelines, multiple narrative perspective but Taylor draws you in and envelopes the reader with each of the characters. What happened to Jenna? Will Fran get answers and finally have closure, is Tom really the bad guy?

Even the small bit characters in the retreat setting, Fran's mum, you want to know more about them, why is Fran they way she is. The chapters are short and keep you hooked, when one chapter ended I didn't want to flip either timeline or person, over and over, Taylor has a gift! I read this in almost one sitting, the end came swiftly and as with a fair few authors you are left wanting more. I have read all of Taylor's books and cannot wait for her next offering, 4/5 for me this time.

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The Other Emily by Dean Koontz

The Other Emily by Dean Koontz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 3 days

Pages - 352

Publisher - Thomas & Mercer

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

A decade ago, Emily Carlino vanished after her car broke down on a California highway. She was presumed to be one of serial killer Ronny Lee Jessup’s victims whose remains were never found.

Writer David Thorne still hasn’t recovered from losing the love of his life, or from the guilt of not being there to save her. Since then, he’s sought closure any way he can. He even visits regularly with Jessup in prison, desperate for answers about Emily’s final hours so he may finally lay her body to rest. Then David meets Maddison Sutton, beguiling, playful, and keenly aware of all David has lost. But what really takes his breath away is that everything about Maddison, down to her kisses, is just like Emily. As the fantastic becomes credible, David’s obsession grows, Maddison’s mysterious past deepens—and terror escalates.

Is she Emily? Or an irresistible dead ringer? Either way, the ultimate question is the same: What game is she playing? Whatever the risk in finding out, David’s willing to take it for this precious second chance. It’s been ten years since he’s felt this inspired, this hopeful, this much in love…and he’s afraid.



My Review

Author David Thorne has never gotten over the love, Emily, of his life disappearing. He returns to the same place to write his novels & visit a killer who he believes knows what happened to Emily. When he meets the beautiful and mysterious Maddison he can't believe his eyes, she is just like Emily. the more time he spends with her the more she seems like and reminds him of her but Emily would be ten years old and Maddison is like she was back then. What is going on? How can Maddison be so like Emily and can the serial killer Jessop give him any answers?

This book has a bit of everything in it, it is weird, there are doppelgangers, romance, relationships, chats with a serial killer.....David needs to know the truth but he is also loving Maddison being there, it is like having Emily back.

This book is a bit of a genre mash up we have fantasy mixed in with the usual suspects, some creepiness, violence and a bit of a love story. The reader goes on a journey with David desperate to find out what happened, despite having a chance of happiness - some questions just need to be answered. The serial killer is a wee bit different too from some of those we see in books, the guy is in jail, guilty but still has a bargaining chip & feeds on emotions of others. I would like to read more about him actually I would have liked to have . I think this will be a marmite book, I liked that it was different and a mesh of genres, I would have loved it to be thicker. More history on the characters, more backstory and I hope we see David in another story, 4/5 for me.

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The Forget-Me-Not Summer by Katie Flynn

The Forget-Me-Not Summer by Katie Flynn
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - on and off over 4 days

Pages - 432

Publisher - Century

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Liverpool 1936

Miranda and her mother, Arabella, live comfortably in a nice area. But when her mother tells her she can no longer afford their present lifestyle, they have a blazing row, and Miranda goes to bed angry and upset. When she wakes the next morning, however, her mother has disappeared.

She raises the alarm but everyone is baffled, and when searches fail to discover Arabella’s whereabouts, Miranda is forced to live with her Aunt Vi and cousin Beth, who resent her presence and treat her badly.

Miranda is miserable, but when she meets a neighbour, Steve, things begin to look up and Steve promises to help his new friend in her search, and does so until war intervenes…


My Review

We open the book with a young Miranda, her mother goes missing and life is her trying to adapt to the new situation she finds herself in, her family and her new friend Steve. The book moves along from the mystery of Miranda's mothers disappearance to Miranda as an adult, never giving up hope of finding her mother. Covering her life into adulthood we follow her personal relationships, work life and getting through the war and all that comes with it.

The first part of the story I liked, Miranda as a kid, the ?haunting of the house they come across and the story and friendships that follow. Then it skips more to adulthood and it just changed the tone of the story for me, it could have been two different stories to be honest. Things that happened in the first part of the story, characters, I would have liked to have stayed relevant in the time change but it focuses on Miranda, her journey at the point and Steve and his part.

Considering how it all starts and how the author decided to bring the ending about it just wasn't for me. The pace was ok, some bits I liked a lot more than others. A lot of the characters had questionable behaviour/characteristics and some you really warmed to. Really mixed and I am sure some folk will love it but overall I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to and I think had I got more depth for some of the characters and depth I would have really like this one. This was my first read of this author, I would read her again, just this one wasn't for me, 2.5/5.

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Anything for Her by G J Minett

Anything For Her by G.J. Minett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1.5 days

Pages - 368

Publisher - Zaffre

source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

You'd do anything for the one that got away . . . wouldn't you?

When Billy Orr returns home to spend time with his dying sister, he bumps into his ex-girlfriend Aimi, the love of his life. He might not have seen her in eleven years, but Billy's never forgotten her. He'd do anything for her then, and he'd do anything for her now.

When Aimi tells him that she wants to escape her abusive husband, Billy agrees to help her fake her own death. But is she still the Aimi that Billy remembers from all those years ago?

Once Aimi disappears, Billy has to face the possibility that perhaps she had different reasons for disappearing - reasons that might be more dangerous than she's led him to believe . . .

Sometimes trusting the one you love is the wrong thing to do.



My Review

Meet Billy Orr, heading home to spend time with his sister who is ill when he accidentally bumps into his first love Aimi. Aimi has never been far from his mind and Billy would do anything to help her, even though he hasn't seen or spoken to her in eleven years. When Aimi discloses she is in trouble Billy of course helps, a second chance with his Aimi and he doesn't give two hoots for what dangers could lie ahead.

Billy is a sweet but loner type character, we know he isn't your normal guy but we don't know why. The book flips between past and present and we get a better insight into Billy's past, his relationship with his sister and a bit more of why he is the way he is. As time passes with Aimi's plan, Billy has to deal with the aftermath and starts to question how much does he actually know Aimi.

It took me a wee bit to get into this book, we start with current day (2015), flip back to thirteen years prior to when Billy was a teenager and then duo location (2015-16) between Billy and Aimi. The chapters are well labelled so you can follow the story easily, there is a strong bond between Billy and his sister Mia and I liked how they were especially with what they had endured together already. Aimi I didn't like at all, pretty much from the beginning and Billy seems like such a wee chop you can't help but feel for him. You build a picture of who the main players are and go page to page trying to gauge exactly where the story is headed.

Once the story got about half way it really picked up and took a turn, I think you feel you are getting the jist of it when the rug is out from under you. I do love when a book gets you like that, 3.5/5 for me this time, this is my first time reading this author, I will check out the rest of their offerings.

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Death of an Actress by Antony M Brown

Death of an Actress: A true story of sex, lies and murder on the high seas by Antony M. Brown
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 300

Publisher - Mirror Books

Blurb from Goodreads

Published in time for the 70th anniversary of one of the most dramatic trials in British criminal history.

DEATH OF AN ACTRESS is the second in the Cold Case Jury Collection, a unique series of true crime titles. Each case study tells the story of an unsolved crime, or one in which the verdict is open to doubt. Fresh evidence is presented and the reader is invited to deliver their own verdict.

October 1947. A luxury liner steams over the equator off the coast of West Africa and a beautiful actress disappears from her cabin. Suspicion falls on a dashing deck steward with a reputation for entering the cabins of female passengers. When the liner docks at Southampton, the steward is questioned by police. Protesting his innocence, he makes an astonishing admission that shocks everyone, and is charged with murder. His trial at the historic Great Hall in Winchester draws the world's media. He is found guilty and sentenced to hang.

But was the verdict sound?

Many believe not.

Now for the first time, Antony M. Brown has secured unprecedented access to the police file, enabling the definitive story to be told. Included in the file are original court exhibits, including a hairbrush with strands of the actress's red hair. Could a personal effect left behind in her cabin provide clues to how she might have died? Take your seat on the Cold Case Jury...




Blurb from Goodreads

So I do read and watch true crime stuff and was surprised I had never heard of this, apparently it made the news at the time it all happenes. In the 1940s an actress went missing on a luxury liner where she was travelling as a first class passenger. Brown investigates, adds his own thoughts amongst that which he reports. Included in the book is a website you can visit after reading the book to cast your vote on what you think actually happened.

Without giving spoilers, Brown includes all the information that is public so by search you can quickly find the court ruling for this case. Brown also includes unseen evidence, information and statements that hadn't previously been released and how he came to have access to them.

Brown gives accounts of what could have happened given the information available, statements made by passengers, facts and speculation, all of which he highlights which is which. It is an interesting case, no doubt about it and raises questions to why things processed or where omitted in the investigation. Photographs are included in the book, verbatim statements/accounts and descriptions of the actresses quarters as well as a layout of the boat. This is the second book by this author in the cold case files, I enjoyed the writing, the subject matter and him giving thoughts on all possibilities rather than only his opinion on what happened. I also like the fact you can visit the website after, whilst I expected it to be more than what is offered I did find it a good wee add on. The chapters are relatively short which I always like however in this case even more so because when you finish a chapter you can put the book down to read up on that part/facts then go back to it. 3.5/5 stars for me this time, I liked it, this is my first dance with this author, it won't be my last, I have already looked into the first book in the series to buy! If you have read it, what do you think actually happened, which theory do you thinks better?

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Bring Me Back by B A Paris Blog Tour

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for the newest offering by B A Paris "Bring Me Back". Please check out the other blog tour stops on the poster as you find, generally, all stops offer different content.





I have to include a picture of the book itself, the page ridges were yellow and I think small touches like that, matching the ink on the cover just draws you immediately to it.





Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 384

Publisher - HQ

Source - Advanced Review Copy

Blurb from Goodreads

A young British couple are driving through France on holiday when they stop for gas. He runs in to pay, she stays in the car. When he returns her car door has been left open, but she's not inside. No one ever sees her again.

Ten years later he's engaged to be married; he's happy, and his past is only a tiny part his life now. Until he comes home from work and finds his new wife-to-be is sitting on their sofa. She's turning something over in her fingers, holding it up to the light. Something that would have no worth to anyone else, something only he and she would know about because his wife is the sister of his missing first love.

As more and more questions are raised, their marriage becomes strained. Has his first love somehow come back to him after all this time? Or is the person who took her playing games with his mind?



My Review

Lets kick it off by saying I have read the author's previous books and really enjoyed them. I think she had a unique voice in her writing that draws you in quickly. We meet Finn McQuaid, talking about the night his girlfriend disappeared 12 years ago and the statement he gave the poilce, admitting it was not quite the truth! What a way to open a book eh, I am super nosey so needed to know why wasn't it the truth, why did he lie or omit details and of course what happened to his girlfriend Layla. We flip to the present day, Finn has moved on and has a new partner that may raise a fair few eyebrows. We flip from present to past, back and forth getting an insight into Finn's world, what things were like in the before and now with the past catching up.

Paris creates a great suspense, thrilling atmosphere, teasing the readers with snippets of details and you know very quickly something isn't right, but what? The chapters are relatively short which is great for dipping in and out however, if like me, one chapters turns into ten you will just race through. I wouldn't advise reading this if you are just wanting one chapter before bed as you will have a late night for sure.

There are three main characters really, Ellen the new(ish) partner of Finn, Finn himself and Layla, despite being missing she is still very there especially in the then throwbacks. We learn the kind of man Finn is, what he has endured and how Layla going missing has shaped him as a man. The breakdown of characters psych as they experience what I can only describe as a type of cat and mouse game and how that impacts not only on them but their relationships and interactions to those around them.

As I said I do really enjoy Paris's writing, I do hope her next book is already being penned and we don't have to wait too long for it. All the books are standalone's and I think Paris is an author for watching, she creates characters that despite liking or hating them you are left wanting more and more. I really enjoyed this book, 4.5 out of 5 for me, if you like page turners and being kept on your toes I think you will love this!

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The Woman in the Wood by Lesley Pearse

The Woman in the Wood by Lesley Pearse
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - under 3 days on and off

Pages - 400

Publisher - Penguin

Blurb from Goodreads

Fifteen-year-old Maisy Mitcham and her twin brother Duncan lose their mother to an asylum one night in 1960.

The twins are sent to their grandmother's country house, Nightingales. Cold and distant, she leaves them to their own devices, to explore and to grow. That is until the day Duncan doesn't come home from the woods.

With their grandmother seeming to have little interest in her grandson's disappearance, and the police soon giving up hope, it is left to Maisy to discover the truth. And she will start with Grace Deville. A woman who lives alone in the wood, about whom rumours abound . . .




My Review

Maisy and Duncan Mitcham, fifteen years and and about to have their world turned upside down. They always knew their mother was unwell but to be removed from their home and both children sent to live with their elderly grand mother? With everything they know removed, a grand mother as cold as their father who just abandoned them, the twins get to know the people around them. They hear of the woman in the woods, Grace, anti social, withdrawn and down right rude the child are drawn to find out more. An unlikely friendship turns to suspicion when Duncan goes missing, no one seems as bothered as Maisy and Maisy will not settle until she finds out what happened to her brother even if it means bringing danger to herself.

Oh guys I do love Pearse, her books are often gentle with hard hitting topics dottered throughout, The Woman in the Wood is no different. We cover a range of life issues, mental health, family, relationships, abuse, disappearance, crime, the darker side of humanity and the old societal prejudices. A bit of a slow burner in the beginning to get to know the characters, the kids are pretty much the main characters and we see them learn to adapt with being abandoned by their father. When he does interact with them there is no affection and when we meet the grand mother we start to see why. A proud woman with no huge value on affection on children, little respect for their mother and rather set in her ways.

The book takes a dark turn when Duncan goes missing, there has been a spate of boy going missing and a killer is on the loose. Whilst Maisy is forced to move on she can never let go and braves approaching Grace, the woman from the woods for help. Grace is a fantastic character, excluded from society and in herself very guarded, through Maisy we start to see another side to this abrupt "weird" woman. Through their quest to find out what happened to Duncan, we see just how strong and loyal Grace is with a fierce streak, these two woman go on a mission that will change everything!

There are so many aspects of this book we could focus on, one thing I loved was just how strong the female characters were. Maisy, even at fifteen has a great sense of right and wrong and challenges things which for that time period (1960s) would raise an eyebrow let alone modern day. Grace is something else, having being hurt, judged and ostracized from her own people she still has righteousness and metal to make a stand when called upon. Whilst many aspects of this book are dark, and heinous there is so much that is beautiful. Strong women, the importance of relationships, the good of people, loyalty, friendship and things that take ordinary people and make them extraordinary. I could have read this in one sitting but work and life got in the way, 4/5 for me this time. I have many of this author still to read, I bought up quite a few after her last book so will certainly be reading her again. Pearse is one of those authors that has yet to disappoint, her writing just envelopes you and snares you into the story practically from the get go. Thanks to Netgalley for providing an arc of this book, The Woman in the Wood is now available to buy, let me know what you thought of it!

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His Other Life by Beth Thomas

His Other Life by Beth Thomas
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Avon

Blurb from Goodreads

He was hiding a terrible secret...

Grace’s new husband Adam seems like the perfect package. Good looking, great job, completely charming – almost too good to be true...

So when Adam suddenly disappears from Grace’s life, she is left bewildered and heartbroken. And with a lot of unanswered questions.

As she tries desperately to find him, Grace opens a Pandora’s Box of secrets and lies – and starts to learn that Adam wasn't so perfect after all.

What shameful secrets was her husband hiding? Is Grace in danger? And can she survive the truth? However terrible it may be..




My Review

I loved the blurb for this, it sounded like a great mystery and martial secrets. Grace and Adam seem to have everything on the surface, beautiful, job security and everyone likes them. But Adam disappears after a strange call and Grace is left wondering where Adam has gone, is he safe and who is Leon?

The story starts off good and draws you in, I know I really wanted to know what happened to Adam and who was the mysterious Leon. However, as the story goes on, the police become involved and we start to see exactly what Grace and Adams relationship was like I got really frustrated. Grace's character is so naive, irritating and innocent for being a married woman although we find out as the tale goes on how young she is. Some of the way the characters converse with each other irritated me, the best friend Ginger is so inappropriate and annoying considering what Grace is going through.

I think the problem for me was a lot of the actions and narrative grated on me or I had to suspend belief because I couldn't imagine adults behaving like that or talking the way they did considering the circumstances. An example of this would be jocular chat between two characters calling each other dog breath and slug head. I am very much in the minority I think though as so many people seemed to have loved it so definitely give it a bash yourself, you may love it, 2/5 for me though.

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The Missing by C L Taylor

The Missing by C.L. Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Avon

Blurb from Goodreads

You love your family. They make you feel safe. You trust them. Or do you…?

When fifteen-year-old Billy Wilkinson goes missing in the middle of the night, his mother, Claire Wilkinson, blames herself. She's not the only one. There isn't a single member of Billy's family that doesn't feel guilty. But the Wilkinson’s are so used to keeping secrets from one another that it isn't until six months later, after an appeal for information goes horribly wrong, that the truth begins to surface.

Claire is sure of two things – that Billy is still alive and that her friends and family had nothing to do with his disappearance.

A mother's instinct is never wrong. Or is it?


My Review

A family torn apart by the sudden disappearance of 15 year old Billy Wilkinson, son, friend, brother, loud, cheeky, just your normal 15 year old kid. There has been nothing for 6 months, now after a repeat appeal things go from bad to worse. The family is falling apart, Claire Wilkinson the mother is taking it hard, losing time and having blackouts and will stop at nothing to find out where her boy is. The family, as most do, have their own secrets and slowly things start to surface, the truth will always out but are the Wilkinson's ready for the truth and will any of it help to find Billy?

The book opens with an online interaction between Jackdaw44 and ICE9 on 5/2/15, we then visit 5/8/2015, 6 months after billy has disappeared and Claire is getting ready for the appeal. The chapters flip between online interactions with those two users whom you can only guess at their identities the more you see the chats. The rest of the story follows the family, Claire, her husband Mark, Jake who is Billy's brother and Jake's live-in girlfriend Kira, how they are coping or rather not. The stress proves too much for Claire who begins to lose time and have blackouts, coming to and not knowing where she is. Claire is our narrator and we experience a lot of the emotions and scenes through her eyes although she herself is not exactly reliable due to her bodies response to the stress she is under.

You are drawn immediately into a family in chaos, struggling to get through each day just trying to find their loved one. As the story progresses we learn more about the family members, their personalities and question almost every bit of information we are given. I really felt for Claire, the author does an amazing job of taking you through the emotional rollercoaster Claire is on, the desperate journey to find her son and learning some home truths along the way.

This book for me was about family dynamics, how the absence of one family member can impact on those desperate to find their loved one. The strain on relationships it can have and like all families, even the smallest of secrets examined and questioned in case it was a precursor for Billy disappearing. It was a page turner for me, I was desperate to find out where Billy was, what happened, who the online chatters where and some closure on all of the issues that are dottered throughout the story. Taylor does a great job to engage and entice the reader from pretty much the first chapter, 4/5 for me this time. I have read all of this authors work and look forward to her next, thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Live Wire by Harlan Coben

Live Wire by Harlan Coben
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 384

Publisher - Orion

Blurb from Goodreads

When former tennis star Suzze T and her rock star husband, Lex, encounter an anonymous Facebook post questioning the paternity of their unborn child, Lex runs off, and Suzze - at eight months pregnant - asks Myron to save her marriage, and perhaps her husband's life. But when he finds Lex, he also finds someone he wasn't looking for: his sister-in-law, Kitty, who along with Myron's brother abandoned the Bolitar family long ago.

As Myron races to locate his missing brother while their father clings to life, he must face the lies that led to the estrangement - including the ones told by Myron himself. If we thought we knew Myron Bolitar, Coben now proves we didn't. An electric, stay-up-all night thriller that unfolds at a breakneck pace, Live Wire proves that Harlan Coben still has the ability to shock us anew.


My review

I really like this series with Bolitar & Win, this is book 10 although I never read them in order and often just read them as I come across them. Suzze T was a tennis star, now married and heavily pregnant to Lex, rock star legend. When a post on Facebook shakes Suzze's world and her husband disappears she comes to Myron for help. Little does Myron know that digging in this particular case will stir up his own past and as usual, when people want things to remain a secret, danger ensues.

Bolitar is his usual cheeky self and displays the banter we have come to know and love from him over the series. His family life has, over the previous series flung up some questions and mysteries, some of these resurface in this tale. Whilst Myron tries to work out the mystery for Suzze, he has to delve into his own past and actions.

An easy to read book, as always I would have loved to see more of Win. Action, swearing, drugs, violence, family and relationships are just some of the themes covered in this book. If you liked the previous stories you will enjoy this one, 3/5 for me.

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Play Dead by Harlan Coben

Play Dead by Harlan Coben
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days

pages - 518

Publisher - Orion Books

Blurb From Goodreads

Ex-fashion model and successful business woman Laura Ayars' perfect world is shattered at a time which should have been the happiest of her life. On her honeymoon, her sports superstar husband goes for a swim - and never returns. But what has happened to David - is he really dead?

Whilst struggling to cope with her grief, Laura is plagued by questions and doubts. Was it an accident? Or suicide? Or some terrible, ill-judged hoax?

As events begin to unfold, Laura starts to uncover a conspiracy which reaches deep into the past, and is now slowly beginning to destroy everyone involved. Someone will do anything to keep Laura away from the awful truth - and she has no idea who she can trust .


My Review

Successful business woman and model Laura Ayars couldn't be happier, she is married to a basketball legend and they are on their honeymoon. However, David goes out for a swim and doesn't come back, is he really dead? Laura struggled to cope with her grief and enlists the help of Davids friend to dig and see did David really die. As more questions arise, secrets from the past are threatened to be uncovered and someone will stop at nothing to make sure that doesn't happen. Lives are at stake, people will die but will Laura ever find out the truth about what happened to her husband.

This book near got a two stars from me, when you get to the crux of the matter and start to discover what has actually transpired, you need to suspend belief. Whilst the boundaries of reality are pushed to breaking it is actually written well and easy to read. I found myself signing in exasperation at times whilst still wanting to carry on and find out what happened to the characters and why some people were acting so shifty.

Overall its an ok read, one maybe for on holiday where you don't have to put much effort into thinking about it. 3/5 for me this time, I have more Harlan Coben to read, more recent and very different to this which, he does admit isn't his best work and from decades ago but still worth a wee read I would say although don't judge his recent works on the strength of this one.

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