After The Crash by Michel Bussi

After the Crash by Michel Bussi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 386

Publisher - Weidenfeld & Nicolson

Blurb from Goodreads

On the night of 22 December 1980, a plane crashes on the Franco-Swiss border and is engulfed in flames. 168 out of 169 passengers are killed instantly. The miraculous sole survivor is a three-month-old baby girl. Two families, one rich, the other poor, step forward to claim her, sparking an investigation that will last for almost two decades. Is she Lyse-Rose or Emilie?

Eighteen years later, having failed to discover the truth, private detective Credule Grand-Duc plans to take his own life, but not before placing an account of his investigation in the girl's hands. But, as he sits at his desk about to pull the trigger, he uncovers a secret that changes everything - then is killed before he can breathe a word of it to anyone...



My Review

The opening chapter starts in 1980, on the flight that crashes, leaving one sole survivor and flips forward eighteen years later. Two families claim the child is theirs, a private investigator is hired and investigates the case for those eighteen years. An account, told by him Credule Grand-Duc and written down for the girl survivor. After all this time will the truth be revealed?

A tale that flips between present day and Grand-Duc's diary going back to when he was first hired and his findings and thoughts at the time. Secrets are at risk of being exposed, some people will go to any lengths to protect them, including murder. The child, now adult, has her eighteenth birthday and is on a mission of her own. Her brother and protector Marc is desperate to find her and stop her & some members of the family who lost out on the child just can't let go!

The story starts off really strong and reels you right in, we then meet the characters as the tale starts to play out. I found the diary by Grand-Duc quite hard going at times, not because of the content, rather because he gets quite long winded at parts and I got a tad bored by his ramblings. It takes a wee bit of time to figure out where the present day story is going and understand the behaviour of the girl as the narrative isn't blatant about what she is doing. Marc is as much in the dark as the reader which is a bit frustrating after a while. Throw into that we have someone prepared to kill to achieve their goal and their identity is not disclosed so you are playing detective for a while. A relatively good read, I like my ends tied up and for the most part I got that, I would have liked Grad-Duc's diary to be more to the point rather than his musings on certain accounts. 3/5 for me this time, I would read this author again, this book is available to buy in all formats.

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Every Fifteen Minutes by Lisa Scottoline

Every Fifteen Minutes by Lisa Scottoline
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days on and off

Pages - 496

Blurb from Goodreads


Psychologist Dr Eric Parrish is unwittingly under threat.

Recently separated from his wife, Eric is learning to become a single parent to his seven-year-old daughter, and life is far from straightforward.

Now Eric has a new patient who could be a severe danger to others. And he must make a decision that will leave deadly consequences in its wake.

The clock is ticking, and someone is hell bent on destroying Eric's practice, his family, his life.

But how can you defend yourself against an enemy you don't know?

And can you ever win a game you don't even know you are playing?



My Review

Dr Eric Parrish is a psychologist, life as he knows it is about to be turned up side down. Separated from his wife but living in hope they will get back together Eric doesn't realise how bad things are about to get. He is referred a troubled young man who fantasies about hurting the object of his affection, when his beloved grandmother dies Eric worries his fantasy may become a reality. In trying to protect his patient, Eric unwittingly puts his career on the line, his freedom and his chances of keeping his daughter in his life. Things go from bad to worse as someone wants Eric to pay and what is a little murder when it means getting what you want.

I really liked the introduction to this book. The first chapter is the sociopath talking to the reader, we hear from this individual every so often through the book. It drew me in immediately, then we meet Eric and find out what is going on in his life. To be honest, for me, it took almost 200 pages before anything really started happening. It was a big focus on Eric, his relationship breakdown with his estranged wife and actions he takes to fight for his daughter and work issues he is facing. When it eventually all kicks off everything happens really fast and there are a few twists along the way. A few I didn't see coming and even questioned if I missed anything as it seemed quite out of the blue.

An intriguing read with quite a bit of relationship angst, workplace issues and of course how far a doctor will go to protect his patients confidentiality. I would certainly read this author again, 3/5 for me, thanks to Bookbridgr for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

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The Dead Lands by Benjamin Percy

The Deadlands by Benjamin Percy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - on and off for 4 days

Publisher - Hodder & Stoughton

Pages - 416

Blurb from Goodreads

In Benjamin Percy's new thriller, a post-apocalyptic reimagining of the Lewis and Clark saga, a super flu and nuclear fallout have made a husk of the world we know. A few humans carry on, living in outposts such as the Sanctuary-the remains of St. Louis-a shielded community that owes its survival to its militant defense and fear-mongering leaders.

Then a rider comes from the wasteland beyond its walls. She reports on the outside world: west of the Cascades, rain falls, crops grow, civilization thrives. But there is danger too: the rising power of an army that pillages and enslaves every community they happen upon.

Against the wishes of the Sanctuary, a small group sets out in secrecy. Led by Lewis Meriweather and Mina Clark, they hope to expand their infant nation, and to reunite the States. But the Sanctuary will not allow them to escape without a fight.



My Review

A brutal opening, a woman in labour, her husband slaughtered and just after she gives birth she is dragged out and the child left alone on the bed. Chapter one takes us immediately inside the wall, guarded with knives and bows, there are no guns inside the wall, inside Sanctuary. Things of the world we know it is long gone, a museum holds items that once had value in the world. Since the super flu and nuclear fallout, humans are thin in number, mutants and the aftermath from both make it unsafe to be outside. Sanctuary is ruled by the new major, Thomas Lancer who pleases himself and cares not much about his people. His confident and childhood friend Lewis Meriweather is a master with creations and Thomas wants weapon to further his hold on his people. When a visitor comes from outside Sanctuary bringing hope that there is life outside of the wall, a small group led by Meriweather breaks out to what they hope is a better life, but is it?

Lewis has an inner power, he is intelligent and wants to believe Gawea, the outsider, that Aran Burr has sent her, can offer a new life and help him with his powers. The rest of his group want something better, freedom and follow him through danger to get it. The journey is dangerous, mutants will threaten their lives and the group will discover that Gawea may not have been 100 percent honest in what she claims.

The story is a post apocalyptic style story, it features friendship, love, betrayal, murder, loss, sex and violence to name a few of the themes. The story pulled me in to begin with and it takes you through an arduous journey for many of the characters. An interesting read although I would have enjoyed it more had there been a bit more story behind the powers, mutations, flu and construction of the Sanctuary. 3/5 for me this time, my first time reading this author, I would read this author again. Thanks so much to BookBridgr for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Tainted Love by Kimberley Chambers

Tainted Love by Kimberley Chambers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 1 day

Pages - 496

Publisher - Harper Collins

Blurb from Goodreads

Three Butlers.
Two weddings.
One funeral.

The explosive new novel from the Sunday Times #1 bestselling author Kimberley Chambers.

Nobody can hurt you like the ones you love…

Blood is thicker than water, love is stronger than hate – and that’s the problem. When your brother has betrayed you, there’s no coming back.

Vinny and Michael have always protected each other and provided for the family. Together they were formidable but business always stopped at the front door. Now someone has changed the rules – women and children are fair game and one of the Butlers is going to end up six feet under.

Little Vinny is battling not to follow in his father’s footsteps. Sweet Sammi-Lou has just vowed ‘til death do us part, but it’s only a matter of time before the truth comes out about the murder he committed.

Dark secrets are spiralling out of control and have the power to destroy them all for good. Is this the final nail in the Butler family coffin?



My Review

Oh. My. God.

I say this when I start a review for Chambers books, particularly with this series but, I always approach with caution. Mostly because I am a big believer in always being honest in my reviews and I have loved the series so much, you question if she will actually be able to keep the pace up. Really needn't have worried and wish I had started it as soon as it arrived on the doormat. Firstly, if you haven't read the previous three books in the Butler series, go and buy them now. You can read this one as a stand alone but you do yourself a huge disservice, there is so much history already passed to this point, you NEED to read it to experience the whole saga.

The Butlers are no strangers to weddings and funerals, this book is no different. The truth will always out and you cannot out run your past, a few of the family are about to experience this! When the book first opens, Queenie is preparing herself for what is coming and passes comment on the bad luck her family seems to have. We then tear off back a decade or two and pick up not too far off where we left book three.

Vinnie senior hasn't changed much despite his years, Vinnie junior is seemingly a changed man but somethings you just can't leave behind & Michael is about to be tested to the limit. The family is full of drama and very much live by the sword, die by the sword, the time has come for debts to be settled but who will pay?

Honestly guys I could go on all day about this book, I gasped out loud more than once, accompanied by the words "Oh My God" and just when I thought the big reveal had happened, Chambers pulled another belter out of the hat. She leaves the reader begging for more and doesn't disappoint, in fact I would go so far to say she has surpassed herself this time. Most definitely this will be one of my best reads of 2016 and I cannot wait to see what is in store for the characters next! 5/5 for me, Chambers is fast becoming one of the most recommended names I give to people who are fans of the crime genre, particularly gritty and or gangster. Thanks so much to Fliss and HarperCollins for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. You can buy your own copy for all good retailers from the 11th of February 2016, that is only 10 days from now you lucky ducks, available in e book or print format.

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When She Was Bad by Tammy Cohen

When She Was Bad by Tammy Cohen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Publisher - Black Swan

Pages - 384

Blurb from Goodreads

YOU SEE THE PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH EVERY DAY.

BUT WHAT CAN'T YOU SEE?

Amira, Sarah, Paula, Ewan and Charlie have worked together for years - they know how each one likes their coffee, whose love life is a mess, whose children keep them up at night. But their comfortable routine life is suddenly shattered when an aggressive new boss walks in ....

Now, there's something chilling in the air.

Who secretly hates everyone?

Who is tortured by their past?

Who is capable of murder?


My review

The book opens up with Dr Anne Cater, her friend has messaged her to turn on the news, there has been a brutal killing by a seemingly normal person, but Anne knows different! The chapters are headed with an individuals name, next is Paula, surround by her colleagues, discussing their previous boss Gill being sacked and what she should do about it. It is a relatively small office and soon we are introduced to each of the characters, Amira, Sarah, Chloe, Ewan & Charlie. A close group until Gill is fired and Rachel Masters takes over, driven, harsh, mean and will use what she needs to to get results. The chapters flip between the characters, the events that lead up to the murder and flipping back to Anne, a child psychologist called in to assess a particularly harrowing case. As the book progresses we see the two story lines come together to leave the reader shocked and wanting more!

Ooft you thought you worked in a bad environment? Imagine being close to your colleagues only to find all it takes is a new boss and people you thought were your friends ready to screw you over for a promotion! Ridicule you to gain favour with the bosses boss or just wanting your job. This is what we find in this tale, a breakdown of friendships, a murder has been committed and your guessing throughout who done it and why. The murder itself, when covered is quite gruesome, some of the details Dr Cater discloses during her observations of her case are quite horrific to read, more so because children are involved.

It is a fast paced tale, not very likable characters and yet you are compelled to watch their relationships break down devouring page by page to find what happens next. Cohen creates dark and twisted tales that leave your skin prickled and feeling creeped out at how one individual can wreck so much havoc. This is certainly one of my favourite tales by this author, 4/5 for me this time, When She Was Bad is out to buy from the 21st of April 2016. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Black Swan for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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The One I Love by Anna McPartlin

The One I Love by Anna McPartlin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 355

Publisher - Penguin

Blurb from Goodreads

LETTING GO FOR GOOD . . .

Once, Jane Moore and Alexandra Walsh were inseparable, sharing secrets and stolen candy, plotting their futures together. But when Jane became pregnant at seventeen, they drifted slowly apart. Jane has spent the years since raising her son, now seventeen himself, on her own, running a gallery, managing her sister’s art career, and looking after their volatile mother—all the while trying not to resent the limited choices life has given her.

Then a quirk of fate and a faulty elevator bring Jane into contact with Tom, Alexandra’s husband, who has some shocking news. Alexandra disappeared from a south Dublin suburb months ago, and Tom has been searching fruitlessly for her. Jane offers to help, as do the elevator’s other passengers—Jane’s brilliant but self-absorbed sister, Elle, and Leslie Sheehan, a reclusive web designer who’s ready to step back into the world again. And as Jane quickly realizes, Tom isn’t the only one among them who’s looking for something . . . or traveling toward unexpected revelations about love, life, and what it means to let go, in every sense.

In this insightful and irresistible novel, by turns profound, poignant, and laugh- out-loud funny, acclaimed Irish writer Anna McPartlin tells a story of friendship and love, of the families we are born into and the ones we create for ourselves, and of the hope and strength that remain when we fi nd the courage to leave the past behind at last.


My Review

Alexandra Walsh is missing, gone out to pick up tickets and then nothing, no contact, just gone. Jane Moore was once her best friend, but like a lot of friendships, life and events saw them separate. A chance meeting at a concert brings Alexandra's husband into contact with Jane, Jane's sister Elle & Leslie. After being trapped together in a lift, they decide they will help Tom to try and find Alexandra. Elle is a loose cannon, a liability but a fantastic artist who has many demons she needs to address. Leslie has lost so many of her family to cancer, she tested for the gene and has decided the best way to be safe is to keep a distance from people & family. This chance meeting will see them all come together and in helping Tom expose themselves to friendship and self exploration and personal growth.

There is a lot about this story I liked, when someone disappears you want to know what has happened. Relationships forming and learning more about the characters, some happiness, some sadness and some laughter in between. People coming together, growth of characters and vesting interest is always a great art created by some very talented authors. What didn't I like? There are themes of infidelity, some codes broken that as friends and or family you just wouldn't do, lines you do not cross. However, in saying that, it does happen and brings realism to the story, I still personally do not like it.

Yet another good tale by McPartlin, I enjoy meeting and following the characters she creates. I really wanted to know what happened to Alexandra and getting to know the characters followed secondary to that. Once the story got kick started, you find yourself being drawn in and not wanting to put the book down so you can find where their paths are going. 3/5 for me this time, I will continue to buy up this authors work although my favourite still remains, The Last Days Of Rabbit Hayes.

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No Way To Say Goodbye by Anna McPartlin

No Way to Say Goodbye by Anna McPartlin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 10 days on and off

Pages - 344

Publisher - Penguin Books

Blurb from Goodreads

You only get one second chance ...

Mary Mackey has endured so much loss in her twenty-nine years that people call her 'Mary of the Sorrows'. Mary has settled for a humdrum existence, a life lived apart from the crowd. That way she hopes to avoid further grief.

Her friends - Penny, Ivan and Adam - seem more together but they are just as damaged. Penny's loneliness, Ivan's cowardice and Adam's duplicity are all signs of lives going off the tracks.

When a mysterious American moves in beside Mary, her friends are intrigued but she tries to avoid him. Little can they guess that his wounds run at least as deep as theirs, and that his arrival in town will challenge each of them to face their demons. And it will force Mary to decide if she can take a chance on living again …



My Review

Mary, Penny, Ivan & Adam are our main characters, a close knit group. Mary has had her share of hurt and them some, Penny has a problem with alcohol but no one is calling her on it, Ivan has his own problems going on and Adam is married but in love and cheating with Penny. They all have things going on in their lives when Sam, an American with his own troubled past moves into the village.

This story is set in Kenmare, Ireland. It portrays a tale of sadness, friendship, hope, love, loss, relationships and a close knit community. Mary needs to learn to trust and allow people into her life, Sam is successful in the music world but running from his dark past. The two have a mutual attraction but both refusing to acknowledge it. There is so so much going on in this story including child abuse, drink driving and child death which some readers may find hard to read. Overall it is a story of multiple friendships, small town gossip and people trying to deal with their past whilst dealing with current demons and secrets.

McPartlin has a gift of writing a tale of relationships whilst infusing some humour, serious issues and bringing characters to life that are, some endearing and others loathsome. Whilst I did enjoy this one I don't think it has a patch on some of her other writing. 3/5 for me this time, I will be reading more by this author.

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