Book After Book

Publication: 23rd July 2020 – Zaffre

Four victims.
Killer caught.
Case closed . . . Or is it?

Christopher Masters, known as ‘The Roommate Killer’, strangled three women over a two-week period in a London house in November 2012. Holly Kemp, his fourth victim, was never found.

Until now.

Her remains have been unearthed in a field in Cambridgeshire and DC Cat Kinsella and the Major Investigation Team are called in. But immediately there are questions surrounding the manner of her death. And with Masters now dead, no one to answer them.

Did someone get it wrong all those years ago? And if so, who killed Holly Kemp?

Amazon.co.uk: https://amzn.to/3gl7l99

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Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Shed No Tears, the gripping new novel by Cat Kinsella.

I don’t know how to start my review, so I’ll just say… I LOVED IT!!! Actually, I love the entire series. I love the characters, I love the suspenseful plots, and I love the writing. I am completely drawn to the stories and I only emerge from the book once I finish reading.

In Shed No Tears, DC Cat Kinsella and her colleagues are called to investigate the discovery of a body in a field in Cambridgeshire: Holly Kemp went missing six years earlier and everyone thought she had been victim of the Roommate Killer, Christopher Masters, who then died in prison. However, the evidence cast doubt about whether Holly Kemp was indeed a victim of the Roommate Killer and, as Kinsella investigates, she uncovers secrets and lies that she didn’t see coming.

Cat Kinsella is a fantastic character and she develops well in this third novel. The story is told from her point of view and she feels authentic and relatable. She is funny, smart, she has flaws and makes mistakes and she is hiding secrets that, if they ever came out, could ruin her career and her relationship with her boyfriend. Cat Kinsella is my favourite character, but I also really like her colleagues as they form a well-put together team of detectives. I enjoy reading their humorous banter, their sense of camredie, and, especially I like Kinsella’s close relationship with her partner DS Luigi Parnell.

I love police procedural and I think that this series by Caz Frear is one of the best out there and definitely one of my favourites. Shed No Tears has a twisty and immersive plot that comes to life thanks to the author brilliant and captivating writing and I can’t get enough of this series!

A huge thank you to Tracy Fenton and Zaffre for inviting me to join the blog tour and providing me with a copy of the novel.

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Follow the rest of the blog tour:

Caz Frear grew up in Coventry and spent her teenage years dreaming of moving to London and writing a novel. After fulfilling her first dream, it wasn’t until she moved back to Coventry thirteen years later that the writing dream finally came true.
She has a first-class degree in History & Politics, which she’s put to enormous use over the years by working as a waitress, shop assistant, retail merchandiser and, for the past twelve years, a headhunter.
When she’s not agonising over snappy dialogue or incisive prose, she can be found shouting at the TV when Arsenal are playing or holding court in the pub on topics she knows nothing about.

Publication: 23rd July 2020 – Simon & Schuster UK

A serial killer will stop at nothing…

The Killer
His most valuable possession has been stolen.
Now he must retrieve it, at any cost.

The Girl
Angela Wood wanted to teach the man a lesson. It was a
bag, just like all the others. But when she opens it, the
worst nightmare of her life begins.

The Detective
A journal ends up at Robert Hunter’s desk. It soon
becomes clear that there is a serial killer on the loose.
And if he can’t stop him in time, more people will die.

If you have read it
You must die

Amazon.co.uk: https://amzn.to/3ehx1BY

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Delighted to welcome you on my stop for the brand new novel by Chris Carter, Written In Blood.

It is Christmas time in Los Angeles. The streets are full of people shopping and, among them, there is Angela Wood, a professional pickpocket. After a successful afternoon stealing other people’s wallet, Angela is relaxing in a bar. At a table next to her, a man is looking at his phone, a bag at his feet. When Angela takes his bag, she finds a diary and, as she flips through it, she quickly realizes that she stole from the wrong man because the diary belongs to a prolific serial killer who describes in details each of the murders he has committed. When LAPD detectives Hunter and Garcia get their hands on the diary, they know they must find the killer before he kills again.

WOW!!! What a rollercoaster of a read this was! The murders are quite violent and graphic and they are not for the weak of hearts. The more detective Hunter reads the killer’s diary, the more gruesome the murders become, the more I had goosebumps, and I loved it. Told from different perspectives, the plot is dark and twisty and the tension is so high that I was always on the edge of my seat.

I love the character of detective Robert Hunter. Such an interesting and complex character. The more I learn about him, the more I like him and I really enjoy his relationship with his partner Carlos Garcia. I found Angela Wood relatable, authentic, and likable and I felt for her, while the killer was complex and multi-layered, a cleverly-crafted and brilliant villain for the story.

Written In Blood is another action-packed and intense addiction to the Robert Hunter series written in a unique and beautiful style and full of twists and disturbing murders that will keep you on your toes. I can’t recommend this novel enough!

A huge thank you to Anne Cater and Simon & Schuster UK for inviting me to join the blog tour and providing me with a copy of the novel.

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Born in Brazil of Italian origin, Chris Carter studied psychology and criminal behaviour at the University of Michigan. As a member of the Michigan State District Attorney’s Criminal Psychology team, he interviewed and studied many criminals, including serial and multiple homicide offenders with life imprisonment convictions. He now lives in London.

Visit his website www.chriscarterbooks.com

Publication: 23rd July 2020 – Transworld

All Marnie wants is somewhere to call home. Mourning lost years spent in a marriage that has finally come to an end, she needs a fresh start and time to heal. Things she hopes to find in the rural west Lancashire village her mother always told her about.

With nothing but her two green thumbs, Marnie takes a job as a gardener, which comes with a little cottage to make her own. The garden is beautiful – filled with roses, lavender and honeysuckle – and only a little rough around the edges. Which is more than can be said for her next-door-neighbour, Ned Mars.

Marnie remembers Ned from her school days but he’s far from the untroubled man she once knew. A recent relationship has left him with a heart as bruised as her own.

Can a summer spent gardening help them heal and recapture the forgotten dreams they’ve let get away?

Amazon.co.uk: https://amzn.to/2CjvCxs

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I am delighted to kick off the blog tour for The Garden of Forgotten Wishes by Trisha Ashley.

Five years ago, Marnie run to France to escape her controlling and manipulative husband. Now he’s finally signed the divorce paper and she is free to go back home to England. With a new job, a new flat that comes with an intruding cat and possible new friends, Marnie is looking forward to a fresh start. She moves to Jericho’s End to help restore the gardens of Old Grace Hall. Jericho’s End is also the place of origin of her mother, the place her mother had warned to stay away from, so Marnie hopes to find answers about her mother’s mysterious past.

Marnie is a fantastic character. She is very realistic and I really felt for her as she still struggles with the scars from her past. For her Jericho’s End represents a refuge, a place that will give her a new beginning, but also the truth about her mother’s past and the reason behind her sudden departure from the village.  

If you love gardening, you are going to adore The Garden of Forgotten Wishes. It’s so full of detailed and rich descriptions of the beautiful gardens at Old Grace Hall that I could practically picture them in my head. And, if you love ice-cream, there are just as many detailed and rich descriptions of mouth-watering homemade ice-cream.

I love Trisha Ashley’s novels. They are uplifting, engaging, and beautifully descriptive and they never disappoint. In The Garden of Forgotten Wishes there is romance, friendship, family drama and it will completely capture you. If this is not enough to encourage you read it, then don’t miss the amazing recipes at the end of the book.

A huge thank you to Anne Cater and Transworld for inviting me to join the blog tour and provide me with a copy of the novel.

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Trisha Ashley’s Sunday Times bestselling novels have twice been shortlisted for the Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance, and Every Woman for Herself was nominated by readers as one of the top three romantic novels of the last fifty years.
Trisha lives in North Wales. For more information about her please visit http://www.trishaashley.com, her Facebook page www.facebook.com/TrishaAshleyBooks or follow her on Twitter @trishaashley.

Publication: 7th July 2020 – Graydon House

Marie Langham is distraught when her childhood friend, Nina, is diagnosed with a terminal illness. Before Nina passes away, she asks Marie to look out for her family—her son, daughter, and husband, Stuart. Marie would do anything for Nina, so of course she agrees.

Following Nina’s death, Marie gradually finds herself drawn into her friend’s life—her family, her large house in the countryside. But when Camilla, a mutual friend from their old art-college days, suddenly reappears, Marie begins to suspect that she has a hidden agenda. Then, Marie discovers that Nina had long suppressed secrets about a holiday in Ibiza the women took ten years previously, when Marie’s then-boyfriend went missing after a tragic accident and was later found dead.

Marie used to envy Nina’s beautiful life, but now the cards are up in the air and she begins to realize that nothing is what it seemed. As long-buried secrets start surfacing, Marie must figure out what’s true and who she can trust before the consequences of Nina’s dark secrets destroy her.

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Last year, I read many raving reviews for The Perfect Girlfriend, the debut novel by Karen Hamilton, but somehow I never got around to read it. When I was offered the chance to read her new novel, The Last Wife (with just as many raving reviews), I thought I’d finally see what everyone is raving about and now I get it. I loved The Last Wife. It is a psychological thriller about obsession, lies, and secrets with unlikable characters and many twists and, even when I wasn’t reading it, I wasn’t thinking about it, eager to go back to read and see how it ended.

The story is told from the point of view of Marie. Marie made a promise to her best friend Nina: she would take care of her family. When Nina passes away, to everyone’s surprise and displeasure, Marie moves in to live with Nina’s husband and two children to help them out during this difficult time. But Marie has her own agenda and when she starts to find out things about Marie she didn’t know about, her loyalty to her best friend is tested.

As I mentioned, I didn’t like the characters of the story, especially Marie. She is a very complex character to describe: multi-layered, intriguing, and dark, the more I read about her, the more I didn’t like her. However, the more I learned about her past, the better I understood her and, sometimes, I sympathized with her (but never liked her). Every other character in the story seems to hide a secret and, as they unravel, the twists just kept coming.

No love for the characters, but so much love for the story. Addictive, twisty, intense, The Last Wife completely captured my attention. I wanted to discover more about Nina. Is she really the perfect wife, mother, friend that everyone knew? I wanted to see how deep Marie could get entangled inside Nina’s family. Why is she so eager to move in with Nina’s family? What is she planning? Was their friendship as close as she described?

Would I recommend The Last Wife? 100% yes! It is the perfect read for all lovers of psychological thriller out there and, while I am already waiting for the author’s next novel, I am finally going to read her debut novel!

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Karen Hamilton spent her childhood in Angola, Zimbabwe, Belgium and Italy and worked as a flight attendant for many years. Karen is a recent graduate of the Faber Academy and, having now put down roots in Hampshire to raise her young family with her husband, she satisfies her wanderlust by exploring the world through her writing. She is also the author of the international bestseller The Perfect Girlfriend.

Publication: 25th June 2020 – Orbit

A sweeping tale of revolution and wonder in a world not quite like our own, A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians is a genre-defying story of magic, war, and the struggle for freedom.

It is the Age of Enlightenment — of new and magical political movements, from the necromancer Robespierre calling for revolution in France to the weather mage Toussaint L’Ouverture leading the slaves of Haiti in their fight for freedom, to the bold new Prime Minister William Pitt weighing the legalization of magic amongst commoners in Britain and abolition throughout its colonies overseas.

But amidst all of the upheaval of the enlightened world, there is an unknown force inciting all of human civilisation into violent conflict. And it will require the combined efforts of revolutionaries, magicians, and abolitionists to unmask this hidden enemy before the whole world falls to chaos.

Amazon.co.uk: https://amzn.to/38bGgCc

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I loved The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep, H. G. Parry’s debut novel, so when I saw that she had a new book coming out, I knew I had to read it and I wasn’t disappointed. A Declaration of Rights of Magicians is a unique and very-well written novel where fantasy and historical fiction perfectly blend together.

Set in late 18th century, the story features a world where there is magic and it is strictly controlled. In France, we are in the middle of the French revolution and the beginning of the Reign of Terror of Maximilien Robespierre. In England, Prime Minister William Pitt tries to convince the House of Commons to abolish slave trade while looking with worry at the situation in France. In Haiti, slaves fight for their freedom.

The story features real-life historical characters that everyone who studied history in school is familiar with. Maximilien Robespierre, George Danton, William Pitt are names that have made history and I remember them from my school days. The author did an amazing job recreating them on the pages of her novel. They are so well-crafted and drawn that they came to life under the author’s pen. I wanted them to succeed, I wanted to slap them when they were made wrong choices, and I felt sorry for them. 

A Declaration of The Rights of Magicians is an epic story of magic and politics full of political intrigue, idealism, people who want to change the world, humor, and darkness. I really enjoyed reading A Declaration of The Rights of Magicians, but I won’t lie, it is a big book, more than 500 pages, and there are moments when the narrative dulls and slows down. I am a fast reader and yet it took me longer than I expected to finish it, but despite this, I still loved the story and the characters and I heard there is a sequel planned for publication next year that I am not going to miss.

A huge thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the novel.

Pubblication: 9th July 2020 – Hodder & Stoughton

Brilliantly creepy and completely absorbing, Finders, Keepers follows the growing obsession between two neighbours and shines a ruthless spotlight on the vanities of modern middleclass urbanites.

Ailsa Tilson moves with her husband and children to Trinity Fields in search of the new. New project – a house to renovate. New people – no links to the past. New friends – especially her next-door neighbour, the lonely Verity, who needs her help.
Verity has lived in Trinity Fields all her life. She’s always resisted change. Her home and belongings are a shield, a defence to keep the outside world at bay. But something about the Tilsons piques her interest. Just as her ivy creeps through the shared garden fence, so Verity will work her way into the Tilson family.

And once they realise how formidable she can be, it might well be too late.

Amazon.co.uk: https://amzn.to/38mG6rS

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Good morning and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Finders, Keepers, the new novel by Sabine Durrant.

Let me start by saying that this is my first novel by Sabine Durrant, but I think Finders, Keepers is a good starting point to discover this author because I fell in love with her captivating writing style and her intriguing plot and I am already trying to decide which of her other books read next.

The story starts with the protagonist, Verity, deciding to write down how she came to be involved with the Tilson family starting from the day they moved in next-door. Right from the beginning, Verity is drawn to Ailsa Tilson, her husband Tom, and their three children, especially their son Max, who she starts tutoring in English. Soon, both Verity and Ailsa get more and more entangled in each other lives and they form a kind of friendship. However, each of them has their own secrets to protect and, one day, tragedy strikes.

I devoured this novel. First of all, the characters are brilliant. They are multi-layered and full of secrets and I can’t say I really liked any of them. We see these characters through Verity’s descriptions of them, so how much can we trust what she says? Verity is a very complex characters. The story is told from her perspective and the author takes you right into her head. I found fascinating and intriguing reading Verity’s thoughts, her fears and her hopes, and the secrets that she slowly decides to unravel kept me glued to the page. There’s something about Verity that gave me the chills, although there were a few times that I felt sorry for her. Her friendship with Ailsa is beneficial for both, but also an unlikely friendship. They are two completely different characters and you will find this mirrored simply in the way they each dress or the way they keep their house: Verity’s second-hand clothes and house full of things and memorabilia don’t match with Ailsa’s expensive dresses and spartan house. And yet these two different women spend more and more time together, telling each other secrets and depending on each other.

Finders, Keepers is a dark, chilling, slow-burning tale of obsession, of manipulation, of secrets that will capture from the very first page and won’t let you go until you reach the last pages where the unexpected ending will take you completely by surprise.

A huge thank you to Jenny and Hodder & Stoughton for inviting me to join the blog tour and providing me with a copy of the novel.

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Follow the rest of the blog tour:

Sabine Durrant is the author of four psychological thrillers, Under Your Skin, Remember Me This Way, Lie With Me, a Richard & Judy Bookclub selection and Sunday Times paperback bestseller, and Take Me In. Her previous novels are Having It and Eating It and The Great Indoors, and two books for teenage girls, Cross Your Heart, Connie Pickles and Ooh La La! Connie Pickles. She is a former features editor of the Guardian and a former literary editor at the Sunday Times, and her writing has appeared in many national newspapers and magazines.
She lives in south London with her partner and their three children.

Publication: 9th July 2020 – Michael Joseph

The victim was his friend. So was the murderer.

Twenty-five years ago, troubled teenager Charlie Crabtree committed a shocking and unprovoked murder.

For Paul Adams, it’s a day he’ll never forget. He’s never forgiven himself for his part in what happened to his friend and classmate. He’s never gone back home.

But when his elderly mother has a fall, it’s finally time to stop running.

It’s not long before things start to go wrong. A copycat killer has struck, bringing back painful memories. Paul’s mother insists there’s something in the house.

And someone is following him.

Which reminds him of the most unsettling thing about that awful day twenty-five years ago.

It wasn’t just the murder.

It was the fact that afterwards, Charlie Crabtree was never seen again…

Amazon.co.uk: https://amzn.to/3ifyJ9Y

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One of my favourite novels last year was The Whisper Man, the debut novel by Alex North, so I have been really looking forward to reading his second book, The Shadow Friend, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Twenty-five years ago, the small village of Gritten was shocked by the horrific murder of a high-school student and Paul Adams, shocked and feeling guilty about the tragedy, swore he would never return home until, one day, he receives a call that informs him that his mother is dying in hospital so he has no choice but to go back and face the past. Many miles away, in the village of Featherbank, detective Amanda Beck is investigating another gruesome murder of a student. Is this connected to what happened in Gritten all those years ago?

The story is very well-written and addictive. It has supernatural elements that perfectly fits with the dark and creepy atmosphere. The tension is always high so that I was on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading and it’s full of surprising twists, especially one that make me jump from the couch and yell “WHAT???”.  The story is set in Featherbank with the reader is already familiar with if they’ve read The Whisper Man, but mostly in Gritten which the author describes as occupied by run-down houses, industrial estates, and neglected neighbourhoods and with a dull and gray air that made me feel claustrophobic.

The Shadow Friend is told from the points of views of the two protagonists. Paul and Amanda are very intricate and well-developed characters. I loved reading Paul’s flashbacks of his teen years, how he took care of his friends and wasn’t afraid to stand up to bullies and take action. Adult Paul was also an interesting and realistic character and I really felt for him. Amanda also feels authentic and relatable and I really liked her.

Alex North is a brilliant author. He creates unforgettable and chilling plots that makes it nearly impossible to put the book down. Like The Whisper Man last year, The Shadow Friend is one of my favourite books of 2020 and I am already looking forward to reading book number 3!!!

A huge thank you to Michael Joseph and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the novel.

 

Publication: 7th July 2020 – Hodder & Stoughton

There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away from everyone, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story.

As the day of her twin brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she’s willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison.

Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and who she is becoming . . . human or demon. Princess or monster.

Amazon.co.uk: https://amzn.to/2Boe16S

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Girl, Serpent, Thorn is getting a lot of raving reviews and there is a reason for that. A captivating story mixing fairy tales, magical creatures, and Persian culture with well-developed characters and a fantastic world-building.

Soraya is a princess, but she is a princess with a curse. Her body is full of poison that can kill at the touch so she is kept isolated from everyone. Feeling alone and rejected from her family, Soraya tries to put an end to her curse, but the consequences are worse than she imagined…

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a compelling story of diversity and acceptance and also a story of self-discovery as Soraya’s search for normalcy and inclusion leads her to question who she is and who she wants to be. Soraya and the other main characters are deeply flawed and they make many mistakes that make them more human. Even the villain of the story, who makes horrible things, has its own humanity and the more you find out about him, the more you get to understand him and feel (a bit) sorry for him. I liked how the characters develop as the story progresses and they try to correct their mistakes, especially Soraya, whose choice at the end of the book I found perfect, emotional, and very well-thought.

Of course, there is romance, but not the usual love story you would expect. I won’t say much about it to not spoil it, but it’s full of surprises that you won’t see coming and it splendidly grows throughout the story.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a beautiful and addictive novel. It’s just a bit more of 300 pages, but a lot happens in those pages and you won’t regret reading it.

A huge thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the novel.

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Melissa Bashardoust received her degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley, where she rediscovered her love for creative writing, children’s literature, and fairy tales and their retellings. She currently lives in Southern California with a cat named Alice and more copies of Jane Eyre than she probably needs. Melissa is the author of Girls Made of Snow and Glass and Girl, Serpent, Thorn.

 

Publication: 2nd July 2020 – Corvus

Everyone knows the story of the girl from Widow Hills.

When Arden Maynor was six years old, she was swept away in terrifying storm and went missing for days. Against all odds, she was found alive, clinging to a storm drain. A living miracle. Arden’s mother wrote a book, and fame followed. But so did fans, creeps and stalkers. It was all too much, and as soon as she was old enough, Arden changed her name and left Widow Hills behind.

Now, a young woman living hundreds of miles away, Arden is known as Olivia. With the twentieth anniversary of her rescue looming, media interest in the girl who survived is increasing. Where is she now? The stress brings back the night terrors of Olivia’s youth. Often, she finds herself out of bed in the middle of the night, sometimes outside her home, even streets away. Then one evening she jolts awake in her yard, with the corpse of a man at her feet.

The girl from Widow Hills is about to become the centre of the story, once again.

Amazon.co.uk: https://amzn.to/2YdEL39

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Happy Sunday and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Girl From Widow Hills, the suspenseful new novel by Megan Miranda.

Meet Olivia. In her twenties, she is an hospital administrator in North Carolina. She lives in a semi-isolated house outside of town, next to a neighbour who constantly checks on her and keeps a shotgun ready to scare away intruders. She has a few friends who she keeps at a distance and don’t know anything about her past and she is estranged from her mother who exploited on a childhood trauma to earn money. Who is really Olivia? Her real name is Arden Maynor and she is remembered as the six-year-old child who went missing for three days and miraculously was found alive. She changed her name to keep away journalists, stalkers, fans, and her mother, but it seems that her past is catching up with her…

An unreliable and paranoiac protagonist who suffers from memory loss is my favourite kind of character when it comes to psychological thriller and Megan Miranda did an amazing job in creating the character of Arden/Olivia. Her childhood trauma, sleepwalking, her complicated relationship with her mother, the fear to be recognized… who wouldn’t be paranoiac? She may have committed a crime, but she has no recollection of the time. Since she doubts herself and she can’t trust herself, I didn’t trust her either and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time as Olivia tries to figure out what happened.

The isolated house miles away from population gave the story a claustrophobic atmosphere that at times gave me goosebumps (and made me check the locks twice at night before going to bed). The ending was AMAZING! I really didn’t see it coming and made me gasp in surprise.

Megan Miranda is definitely on my list of favourite authors and I always look forward to reading her latest novel. Do not miss this twisty and chilling read!

A huge thank you to Anne Cater and Corvus for inviting me to join the blog tour and providing me with a copy of the novel.

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Follow the rest of the blog tour:

 

Megan Miranda is the author of All The Missing Girls, The Perfect Stranger, and The Last House Guest, which was the August 2019 Reese’s Book Club x Hello Sunshine pick. She grew up in New Jersey, graduated from MIT, and lives in North Carolina with her husband and two children. Follow @MeganLMiranda on Twitter and Instagram, or @AuthorMeganMiranda on Facebook.

Publication: 9th July 2020 – Michael Joseph

Welcome to The Close – a beautiful street of mansions, where gorgeous Stella is the indisputable Queen Bee . . .

It is here that Laura, seeking peace and privacy after her marriage falls apart, rents a tiny studio. Unfortunately, her arrival upsets suspicious Stella – who fears Laura has designs on her fiancé, Al.

When Laura stumbles on the big secret Al is hiding, suddenly Stella’s perfectly controlled world, not to mention Laura’s future, are threatened.

Taking a chance on beating Al at his own twisted game, these two former strangers are fast becoming best friends.

But has Laura forgotten that revenge never comes without a sting in the tail?

Amazon.co.uk: https://amzn.to/2Vt4nae

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Queen Bee is Jane Fallon’s brand new novel and its protagonist is Laura, a woman looking for a place to live after the unexpected divorce from her husband. She finds a studio in The Close, a posh neighbourhood of well-to-do families in which the husbands have important and well-paid jobs while the wives spend their days socialising, shopping, and having cosmetic procedures. And the queen and king of The Close are Stella and her soon-to-be husband Al. Stella’s disliking for Laura is clear from the very beginning, but things take a turn for the worst when Stella starts to wrongly suspect that Laura is interested in Al. In her eagerness to prove Stella wrong, Laura stumbles on a secret that could destroy Stella, but, instead, it leads to an unexpected alliance between the two women.

I really enjoy Jane Fallon’s novels because the protagonists are always women seeking revenge – usually against men who wronged them – and they are so good at getting it and very inventive. Her books are fun to read and Queen Bee is an entertaining and engrossing addition to her already fantastic list of novels. The characters are vividly drawn – I could picture the trophy wives in my head -, some are likable, some not so much, but I loved the protagonist, Laura, who I found authentic, honest, and relatable.

Queen Bee is another enjoyable and refreshing read from Jane Fallon and I am already looking forward to next year for her next novel. Highly recommended!!!

A huge thank you to Michael Joseph and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the novel.