Book After Book

Publication: 16th May 2019 – Orenda Books

Mary Shields is a moody, acerbic probation offer, dealing with some of Glasgow’s worst cases, and her job is on the line.

Imprisoned for murdering his wife, Liam Macdowall has published a series of letters to the dead woman, in a book that has made him an unlikely hero – a poster boy for Men’s Rights Activists.

Liam is released on licence into Mary’s care, but things are far from simple. Mary develops a poisonous obsession with Liam and his world, and when her son and Liam’s daughter form a relationship, Mary will stop at nothing to impose her own brand
of justice … with devastating consequences.

A heart-pounding, relentless and chilling psychological thriller, rich with deliciously dark and unapologetic humour, Worst Case Scenario is also a perceptive, tragic and hugely relevant book by one of the most exciting names in crime fiction.

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WORST CASE SCENARIO is my first novel by Helen Fitzgerald and I was amazed by how much I liked. When I first read the blurb, I thought it sounded intriguing and interesting, but I didn’t expect it to be so dark, suspenseful, shocking, and it took me by surprise page after page.

It is the story of Mary Shields, a middle-aged probation officer on her last days on the job. She deals with some of the worst and lowest of humanity and one of her last cases is Liam Macdowall a man who, years before, killed his wife and he is now being released after having published a book. The book is a collection of letters Liam wrote to this wife in prison and it’s an instant bestseller. Mary is convinced that Liam shouldn’t be released and she makes it her own personal mission to make life impossible for him. In the meantime, she has to deal with her other cases, a complicated relationship with her son who she tries to protect against his wishes, and the effects of menopause that created many entertaining and funny moments.

I loved the author’s dark humour, the captivating plot with an ending that was completely unexpected and twisty, the well-developed and corrupted characters, and the flawed, funny, and relatable protagonist. Helen Fitzgerald carefully and masterfully mixes suspense that slowly rises and humour that made me laugh out loud page after page.

Character-driven, remarkable, and addictive, WORST CASE SCENARIO will keep you glued to the pages and wishing for more and I’d like to thank Anne Cater and Orenda Books for inviting me to join the blog tour and providing me with a copy of this compelling novel.

Helen FitzGerald is the bestselling author of ten adult and young adult thrillers, including The Donor (2011) and The Cry (2013), which was longlisted for the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, and is now a major drama for BBC1. Helen worked as a criminal justice social worker for over fifteen years. She grew up in Victoria, Australia. She now lives in Glasgow with her husband.

THE SINGLE MUMS MOVE ON is the fantastic new novel by Janet Hoggarth and it’s published in eBook by Aria on 18th July 2019 and, today, I am super delighted today to reveal its cover.

Isn’t it beautiful???

Can neighbours become more than good friends…

After her husband left her, Ali and her daughter Grace enjoyed living in what became known as ‘the Single Mums’ Mansion’. However, with her best friends Amanda and Jacqui moving on, it’s time for Ali and Grace to make their own way. Thankfully, a chance conversation leads to them moving into the infamous South London gated community known only as ‘The Mews’.

In ‘The Mews’ everyone lives in each other’s pockets and curtain twitching is an Olympic sport. The neighbours are an eclectic bunch – from Nick the alleged spy, Carl the gorgeous but clearly troubled Idris Elba lookalike, to Debbie who is about to face the hardest fight of her life, and TV agent Samantha who is not as in control as she likes to pretend.

Each day brings another drama, but along with the tears, real friendships grow. And her neighbours’ problems might unlock the key to something Ali has yearned for all along…

Based on a true story – you’ll never be able to look at your neighbours quite the same way again… 

Perfect for fans of Marian Keyes, Mhairi McFarlane and Helen Fielding.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Janet Hoggarth has worked on a chicken farm, as a bookseller, children’s book editor and DJ with her best friend (under the name of Whitney and Britney). She has published several children’s books, the most recent ones written under the pseudonym of Jess Bright. Her first adult novel The Single Mums’ Mansion, a huge bestseller, was based on her experiences of living communally as a single parent.

Follow Janet:  

Twitter: @Janethauthor

Facebook: @JanetHoggarthAuthor

Pre-order links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2J3YhI1

iBooks: https://apple.co/2XYgIlB

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2J3YiM5

Google Play: https://bit.ly/2vtRDTC

 

Follow Aria

Website: www.ariafiction.com

Twitter: @aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

Publication: 16th May 2019 – Simon & Schuster UK

HOW DO YOU FIND WHERE YOU’RE GOING, IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU’RE FROM . . . 

Angie has always wanted to travel. But at twenty-seven, she has barely stepped outside the small mining town where she was born. Instead, she discovers the world through stories told to her by passing travellers, dreaming that one day she’ll see it all for herself.

When her grandmother passes away, leaving Angie with no remaining family, she is ready to start her own adventures. Then she finds a letter revealing the address of the father she never knew, and realises instantly where her journey must begin: Italy.
 
As Angie sets out to find the truth – about her family, her past and who she really is – will mysterious and reckless Italian Alessandro help guide the way?

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The month of May means nice weather, summer not far away, and the publication of a new novel by my all-time favourite Paige Toon. Her new novel features a fantastic and lovable protagonist, a handsome and dark bad boy, an engaging and emotional story, and beautiful and evocative settings that allow the reader to travel from the dry and remote Australian outback to the noisy Italian capital of Rome and to the suggestive Norwegian fjords.

Coober Pedy is a mining town in the Australian outback.  Angie, the protagonist of this novel, has lived here her whole life taking care of her grandmother and her neighbours. After her grandmother passes away, Angie is finally free to travel around the world as she’s always dreamed. And when she discovers more about her family and the father she never knew, she leaves her dugout and her remote hometown and travels to Rome where she meets Alessandro, Giulio, Cristina, Stefano, and more.

Paige Toon knows how to bring her characters to life and make them realistic and likable. It’s really easy to like Angie. She is funny and engaging, she is selfless, generous, honest, and relatable. She’s always put other people’s needs before hers and now she goes on a journey of discovery of herself and her origins that take her to Italy and Norway. Another character I liked is Alessandro. He is Angie’s guide when she arrives in Italy, helping her settling down and meeting the family she never knew she had. He is charming and handsome, but he is also mysterious and with a troubled past that complicates his relationship with Angie. The rest of the characters in the novel are all lovable and entertaining, from Angie’s neighbours and friends in Australia to her Italian new family and friends.

The author’s writing is detailed and accurate. Her descriptions of delicious Italian food made my mouth water and, as someone who works in Rome, I can tell you that her potrayal of Italian drivers is very true (and scary). Through Angie’s eyes, the reader goes on a fantastic journey exploring Rome, Tivoli, Pompeii, Venice, Bologna, Florence, and Norway.

IF YOU COULD GO ANYWHERE is a beautiful story of love, friendship, family, and forgiveness. It is addictive, romantic, and inspiring and I was completely engrossed in it and I fell in love with the characters which I really hope will feature in future novels.

Publication: 1st April 2019 – Bridle Path Press

Nurse Trudy Genova is making plans to take her relationship to NYPD detective Ned O’Malley to the next level, when she lands a gig as medical consultant on a film shoot at the famed Dakota apartment building in Manhattan, which John Lennon once called home. Then star Monica Kiley goes missing, a cast member turns up dead, and it appears Trudy might be next. Meanwhile Ned tackles a mysterious murder case in which the victim is burned beyond recognition. When his investigations lead him back to the Dakota, Trudy finds herself wondering: how can she fall in love if she can’t even survive?

Readers of Death Unscripted, the first book in the Trudy Genova Manhattan Mystery series, will find the same pleasures in this sequel: fast pacing, engaging characters, twists and turns on the way to a satisfying close. From the award-winning author of The Nora Tierney English Mysteries, this second series is a winner. Once again M.K. Graff reveals her talents in crafting this delightful mix of amateur sleuth and police procedural.

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I am delighted to kick off the blog tour for DEATH AT THE DAKOTA, the new book by M. K. Graff, the second novel in the Trudy Genova Manhattan Mystery. I’d like to thank Emma Welton for inviting me to join the blog tour and providing me with a copy of the book.

Trudy Genova is a nurse with the best job in the world: working on a TV set, taking care of the star Monica Kiley. On her personal life, Trudy’s relationship with NYPD detective Ned O’Malley is going well, even though work and family engagements make it difficult to spend time alone together.

When Ned calls her “Miss Marple”, he is not wrong as Trudy, against her wishes, finds herself involved in Monica’s sudden disappearance and a murder. With a few twists that took me by surprise, Trudy tries to find out the truth before it’s too late, even for her.

I loved the characters, all very engaging, especially Trudy who is smart, strong-willed, and entertaining and I look forward to reading more of her adventures. I also liked the character of Ned. He and Trudy are an adorable couple and I enjoyed reading about his strong relationship not only with Trudy, but with his partner Tony Borelli and with his family.

Set in the beautiful setting of the Dakota building in New York, famous for being the place of John Lennon’s murder, for its rich occupants, and the high security, DEATH AT THE DAKOTA is a fast-paced, fun, and engrossing novel. There are mysteries that keep the reader on edge, there is more than one romance to keep the reader entertained, and there are friendships and family ties that made me love this novel even more. I still haven’t had the pleasure to read Death Unscripted, the first book in this fantastic series, but I am definitely going to do it soon.

Marni Graff writes The Nora Tierney English Mysteries, featuring an American writer living in England with a nose for murder, and The Trudy Genova Manhattan Mysteries, based on Graff’s real work as a medical consultant for a movie studio. She is Managing Editor of Bridle Path Press, a member of Sisters in Crime, the NC Writers Network, and The International Association of Crime Writers, and writes crime book reviews at Auntie M Writes, www.auntiemwrites.com.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GraffMarni @GraffMarni

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bluevirginmysteries/

Website: https://auntiemwrites.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluevirgin.graff/

Purchase Links:

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Dakota-Manhattan-Mystery-Mysteries/dp/1732163049/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=death+at+the+dakota&qid=1556186378&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Death-Dakota-Manhattan-Mystery-Mysteries/dp/1732163049/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=death+at+the+dakota+m.k.+graff&qid=1556186480&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

BookDepository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Death-at-the-Dakota-M-K-Graff/9781732163041

GoogleBooks: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iKPXwQEACAAJ&dq=death+at+the+dakota+M.K.+Graff&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwitvJmV_-rhAhXLUBUIHTlyD10Q6AEIKjAA

Publication: 1st March 2019 (eBook); 2nd May 2019 (paperback) – Ebury

January 3rd
Jaffa Cakes – 7. Times I was forced to watch a small child do a dance involving a dusty piece of ribbon found under the sofa – 4. Inappropriate thoughts about Zac Efron – undisclosed. 

Single mum Frankie’s whole life revolves around her kids. But when your toddler has a more active social life, something has to change. Forget ‘me-time’, Frankie would settle for some adult conversation, and watching something other than the Disney channel. 

The local playgroup may be ruled by Instagram mums with perfect husbands but Frankie accidentally forms a splinter group of single parents. After all, Mummy really needs a playdate of her own. (Now pass the prosecco.)

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I am so delighted to welcome you on my stop for the blog tour for PLAYGROUPS & PROSECCO, the hilarious new novel by Jo Middleton, who you can find on her blog Slummy Single Mummy. I’d like to thank Ellie and Ebury for providing me with a copy of this engrossing novel and for letting me be part of the blog tour.

This book should come with a note on the front cover saying to not read in public places because it will make you laugh out loud and people around you will give you weird, this-woman-is-crazy looks. That’s what happened to me… PLAYGROUPS & PROSECCO is such a fun and entertaining book and I think I laughed almost every page.

It’s the story of Frankie, 37 years-old, recently divorced, two daughters (one is a teenager, the other is a toddler), a job (and a boss) she hates but that works around her daughters’ school hours, and a great love for Jaffa Cakes and Prosecco. In her diary, Frankie narrates a year of adventures, from facing the mommy mafia at the Busy Beavers playground to stalking the perfect mother with the perfect life on Instagram, from disastrous encounters with men on Tinder to awkward and embarrassing situations in public places, often caused by her three-year-old daughter Jess, she doesn’t leave anything out.

I think that my favourite character is Jess, Frankie’s toddler. She has a knack to say the wrong thing at the wrong time, to get her mother in humiliating situations, and to test her patience. There was a particular scene involving Jess, Frankie, and a fountain in the park that had me with tears in my eyes from laughing.

Frankie is a fantastic character that you can’t help but like. She is honest, funny, intelligent, and genuine and I loved how she develops throughout the book. Her stories are relatable and written in a natural and entertaining writing style that hold the reader’s attention page after page. I liked that the novel doesn’t focus much on Frankie’s love life (aside from her Tinder dates that made me doubt about the future of mankind) and more on her friendships (I liked Sierra, Lou, and their WIB WhatsApp group), her family, and her work life (her hate for her boss Steve was another motive for laugh).

PLAYGROUPS & PROSECCO is an uplifting, engaging, hilarious, and brilliantly-written novel, an absolute page-turner. I highly recommend it!!!

 

 

Publication: 26th April 2019 (eBook); 11th July 2019 (paperback) – HarperImpulse

Meet Rachel, the beautiful bride with BIG plans for the perfect day! The venue is a castle and the dress is designer.  It’s just a shame her husband is a rat.

Maddie and Sally have only one thing in common – they both love the same man!
 
Beth is a newly single mum with a mystery baby daddy.  Surely the father isn’t someone the girls all know?
 
And then there’s Jane, the glue holding them all together, but being dumped doesn’t make her the happiest bridesmaid…especially with gorgeous flatmate Freddie complicating things.

Will the bride say, ‘I Do!’?  Or will her bridesmaids save the day…and find love along the way?    

The most hilarious, feel-good rom com of the year!

Purchase Links: Amazon  iBooks  Waterstones and other good retailers  

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Zara Stoneley is back with a fantastic new novel, out today in eBook. Happy publication day and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for BRIDESMAIDS. Many thanks to Rachel, Rachel’s Random Resources, and Harper Impulse for inviting me to take part and for providing me with a copy of the novel.

Jane and Rachel have been best friends since childhood and when Rachel gets engaged and asks her to be one of her bridesmaid, Jane can’t say no, even if she doesn’t really like or trust the groom. Getting their high school gang back together for the wedding, Jane wants to make sure that everything goes smoothly so she has to make sure that Sally and Maddie don’t fight over the man they are both in love with, while trying to figure out who is the father of Beth’s baby. At the same time, she has to deal with her real and complicated feelings for her flatmate Freddie and screen the calls from her crazy boss.

Jane is such an engaging and funny character. Between dress fittings, hen parties, secrets, jealousy, suspicious fatherhood, and past and new loves, Jane gets herself in hilarious situations that made me laugh out loud page after page.

Once again, Zara Stoneley didn’t disappoint. BRIDESMAIDS is an absolute must-read, an heart-warming, refreshing, and hilarious novel about love and friendship with a beautiful and adorable cover and entertaining characters that you can’t help but adore.

Zara Stoneley is the USA Today bestselling author of The Wedding Date.

Born in a small village in the UK, she wanted to be a female James Herriot, a spy, or an author when she grew up. After many (many) years, and many different jobs, her dream of writing a bestseller came true.

She writes about friendship, dreams, love, and happy ever afters, and hopes that her tales make you laugh a lot, cry a little, and occasionally say ‘ahhh’.

Zara now lives in a Cheshire village with her family, a lively cockapoo called Harry, and a very bossy (and slightly evil) cat called Saffron.

Zara’s bestselling novels include ‘No One Cancels Christmas’, ‘The Wedding Date’, ‘The Holiday Swap’, ‘Summer with the Country Village Vet’, ‘Blackberry Picking at Jasmine Cottage’ and the popular Tippermere series – ‘Stable Mates’, ‘Country Affairs’ and ‘Country Rivals’.

Website: http://www.zarastoneley.com
Twitter: @ZaraStoneley
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ZaraStoneley

Instagram: zarastoneley

Publication: 25th April 2019 – Little, Brown UK

A stunning standalone novel from the multi-award-winning thriller author Chris Brookmyre about one family, two holidays, and a murder.

The Temple family seem to have it all: the former actress; the famous professor; their three successful grown-up children. Amanda, new to nannying, is working at a holiday villa neighbouring the Temple’s and is fascinated by them. But like any family, beneath the smiles and hugs there lurks far darker emotions.

Sixteen years earlier, little Niamh Temple died while they were on holiday in Portugal. Now, as Amanda joins the family for a reunion at their seaside villa, she begins to suspect one of them might be hiding something terrible…

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Happy publication day to Chris Brookmyre and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for his new terrific and engrossing novel, FALLEN ANGEL. I’d like to thank Caolinn Douglas, Grace Vincent, and Little, Brown UK for inviting me to join the blog tour and for providing me with a proof copy of a story that kept me completely captivated for two days.

I loved this novel, I really did. The plot is unpredictable, the characters are enigmatic, and the setting is so beautiful. With a clear and intelligent prose, Chris Brookmyre created a gripping and suspenseful story of a dysfunctional family and the dark and disturbing secrets of its members.

On the splendid setting of the Portuguese seaside, two families live side by side in their villas. One villa is the holiday home of the Temple family: the once-famous actress, the renowned well-known professor, and their three children. On the outside, they look like the perfect family, but there are secrets, resentment, rivalry, and a tragedy in the past that risk to come to light when the family reunites again to mourn one of their own. In the other villa, there is Amanda Coolidge, a young blogger, a future journalist spending her summer working as a babysitter for a family friend before going back to Canada to start college. She is intrigued by the family next door. It’s clear that there is not much love between some members of the Temple family and what really happened that summer in 2002 when a tragedy hit the family? The truth may be much more sinister than Amanda thinks…

The characters are not easy to like, but they are very intriguing and compelling. There are the three women of the Temple family: narcissistic Celia, the matriarch of the family, once a famous actress and now living in the shadow of her more famous husband; indulgent Marion who always put her family first; and ice-cold Ivy, the youngest daughter with a troubled past who changed her name to distance herself from her family.  And then there is Amanda. She is curious, investigative, and she wants to find out the truth about the Temple family, even if that may get her in danger. Using different timelines and different points of views, Chris Brookmyre slowly unravels the truth and keeps the tension always high.

FALLEN ANGEL is a superb, unpredictable, and compulsive novel, one of my favourite novels of the year, so much so that I am still thinking about it days after I finished reading it.

Chris Brookmyre was a journalist before becoming a full-time novelist with the publication of his award-winning debut Quite Ugly One Morning, which established him as one of Britain’s leading crime authors. His Jack Parlabane novels have sold more than two million copies in the UK alone, and Black Widow won both the McIlvanney Prize and the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year award.

I am so delighted to share with you the beautiful cover for a story of magic, war, and friendship. ODIN’S GAME is the new novel by Tim Hodkinson and it’s published by Aria on 20th June 2019.

Orkney, 931: A young woman flees her home to secure a life for her unborn child. Eighteen years later, a witch foretells that she must lose him once more.

The subject of a Viking prophecy, it is Einar’s destiny to leave Iceland and fight his father – of whom only only one will survive.

As the clouds of war gather, he will fight unimaginable foes, forge new friendships, and discover what it truly means to be a warrior.

Not everyone will survive, but who will conquer all?

 

About the author

Tim Hodkinson grew up in Northern Ireland where the rugged coast and call of the Atlantic ocean led to a lifelong fascination with vikings and a degree in Medieval English and Old Norse Literature. Apart from Old Norse sagas, Tim’s more recent writing heroes include Ben Kane, Giles Kristian, Bernard Cornwell, George RR Martin and Lee Child. After several years New Hampshire, USA, Tim has returned to Northern Ireland, where he lives with his wife and children.

Follow Tim:

Twitter: @TimHodkinson

Pre-order links:

 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Iu5hOT

iBooks: https://apple.co/2XtSz6x

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2VUn6Kb

Google Play: https://bit.ly/2DwpjEH

 

Follow Aria

Website: www.ariafiction.com

Twitter: @aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

Publication: 18th April 2019 – Trapeze Books

There’s a killer on the island – and someone knows who…

When human bones are found in a remote bay in the Channel Islands, DCI Michael Gilbert is plunged into an investigation to find out who they belong to. The remains are decades old – but after another body is discovered, the police realise they could be dealing with a serial killer.

Journalist Jennifer Dorey is desperate for answers, driven by a secret of her own – but it soon becomes clear that nobody on the island is quite what they seem. Will anyone tell the truth before it’s too late? Or will the killer on the island strike again…?

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I am so delighted to welcome you on my stop of the blog tour for DARK SKY ISLAND, the new novel by Lara Dearman. I’d like to thank Tracy Fenton for inviting me to join the blog tour and for introducing me to this captivating series.

Lara Dearman created a suspenseful and intelligent novel that keeps the reader completely engrossed with the beautiful evocative setting of the Channel Islands, multiple murders, and a smart and engaging protagonist. DARK SKY ISLAND is the second novel featuring crime reporter Jennifer Dorey. She works for The Guernsey News where she has to bear the jealousy of her colleagues while juggling a complicated and intimate relationship with her colleague Elliott. In DARK SKY ISLAND, Jennifer teams up again with DCI Michael Gilbert to investigate human bones found in a bay on Sark island, a man killed in his own home, an island full of secrets, and her father’s suspicious death.

Using different points of views and different timelines, Lara Dearman crafts a suspenseful story that keep the readers on their toes. The beautiful descriptions made me fall in love with the setting, so dark and atmospheric, and the small community of the island of Sark, full of suspicious characters and secrets, made the story suspenseful and sinister.

Jennifer Dorey and DCI Michael Gilbert make a fantastic and engaging investigative pair. Their investigation into the bones found on Sark and the murder of one of inhabitants of the island put both Jennifer and Michael in dangerous situations, but they are determined in finding out the truth, especially when things become more personal for Jennifer who is trying to figure out if her father’s death was really an accident.

Lara Dearman is a terrific author with a beautiful prose and DARK SKY ISLAND is a gripping and unpredictable crime novel so I am really looking forward to reading more novels featuring the likable and intelligent character of Jennifer Dorey.

Publication: 18th April 2019 – Michael Joseph

1952. Soviet troops control British streets. After the disastrous failure of D-Day, Britain is occupied by Nazi Germany, but is eventually liberated by Russian soldiers arriving from the east and Americans from the west. The two superpowers divide the nation between them, a wall running through London like a scar.

When Jane Cawson calls into her husband’s medical practice and detects the perfume worn by his former wife, Lorelei – star of propaganda films for the new Marxist regime – she fears what is between them. But when Jane rushes to confront them, she finds herself instead caught up in the glamorous actress’ death.

Nick is soon arrested for murder. Desperate to clear his name, Jane must risk the attention of the brutal secret police as she follows a trail of corruption right to the highest level of the state.

And she might find she never really knew her husband at all.

Set within the familiar streets of London, Rubin’s debut dystopian thriller dares to reimagine what 1950s Britain would have become under the iron rule of the Soviet Union.

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Happy Monday everyone and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for LIBERATION SQUARE, the brilliant debut novel by Gareth Rubin. I’d like to thank Jenny and Michael Joseph for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and providing me with a copy of this fantastic novel.

It’s the year 1952 and Europe is divided by a wall: Russian Comunism on the east side and American Capitalism on the west side. But the wall is not in Berlin, as it says on all the history books, because, in Gareth Rubin’s version of World War II, D-Day failed, Nazi Germany occupied England, and only the intervention of Russian and American troops brought the war to an end. While the royal family and Winston Churchill escaped to Scotland, a wall was erected in London dividing the capital and the nation between the Russian Republic of Great Britain on one side and the American Democratic United Kingdom on the other side.

With an atmosphere that reminded me of 1984 by George Orwell (who, by the way, makes a surprising small appearance), LIBERATION SQUARE kept me completely engrossed. The protagonist is Jane Cawson. Newly married to local GP Nick, when he is accused of the murder of his first wife Lorelei, Jane is sure he is innocent and, as she investigates on her own, she uncovers a web of lies and deceit that make her question not only the government, but also her marriage and her trust in her husband. At the beginning, Jane seems like any average woman until unexpected and exceptional circumstances turn her into a spy, a determined and fearless woman ready to do anything to find out the truth, including breaking into a house, impersonating someone one else, and sneaking into parties to mingle with very powerful people.

Very well-written and self-paced, LIBERATION SQUARE describes a scary and dark world where the government encourages procreation for the welfare of the nation, where opponents of the regime are sent to mental institutions to be reprogrammed, where people who try to escape to the other side of the wall are shot by the soldiers guarding it.

I loved how Gareth Rubin perfectly mixes crime, dystopian, spy thriller, and historical genres to create a remarkable and gripping novel that features a likable and strong heroine and a twisty and engaging plot that made it almost impossible to put the book down!

Gareth Rubin is an author and journalist who has written for many national newspapers. He lives in London; Liberation Square is his first novel.