The Curfew by T. M. Logan

Andy Boyd wakes up in the middle of the night and just wants to satisfy himself that his teenage son, Connor, met his curfew. When he checks his son's room his mind is put at rest by the teenager sound asleep. The next morning everything is thrown into confusion when they discover the teenager trying to sneak out of the house is their nephew Zac and there's no sign of their son. Things then go from bad to worse when they discover that a group of teens, Zac and Connor included, went into the woods and one of the girls has disappeared. Suspicion falls on Connor.

This is a well-developed psychological thriller. The opening is slow and ominous, imparting a sense of dread. You are then immediately hit by a turn of events that has you questioning exactly what has happened.

You really get an understanding of the rising panic the parents feel as they try to understand what has happened and what lengths they will go to to protect their children. There is also the sense of frustration felt by the parents because their teenage son is secretive and refuses to explain what has happened. As parents Andy and Laura know their son is inherently good and honest, but they begin to have doubts.

As all evidence points towards Connor it is up to his father to investigate other possible options and get the police to realise that they are focusing on the wrong person.

The Curfew by T. M. Logan will be published in hardback, ebook and audio format on 17th March 2022. My thanks to NetGalley and Zaffre Books for a review copy.

 

Run Rose Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson

AnnieLee Keyes is a young, beautiful and talented country music singer. She's determined to make a name for herself so heads to Nashville looking for her big break. AnnieLee is broke so has to sleep rough, busk and beg at bars to perform. Luck is with AnnieLee when she's allowed to perform at The Cat's Paw. What AnnieLee doesn't realise is that the bar is owned by retired country music legend Ruthanna Ryder. It looks like AnnieLee's fortune is about to change when Ruthanna takes a shine to her, however she hasn't told people that she's on the run from a past that is determined to track her down.

Run Rose Run opens with a tense prologue that immediately grabs you, leaving you wondering where the story can go from such a definitive opening. The reader is then transported eleven months back in time to introduce our lead character, AnnieLee Keyes. We discover that AnnieLee will stop at nothing in her quest to perform.

Along the way Annielee meets retired music legend Ruthanna Ryder and session musician Ethan Blake. However things are not as simple as they seem, we soon discover that everyone is hiding secrets. I really wanted to be invested in the characters but felt that AnnieLee, Ruthanna and Ethan were all too similar - independent, tough, stubborn. As the story progresses each characters secret unfolds, however AnnieLee's was a bit too drawn out.

As a "rags to riches" story this works well, showing that fame doesn't come overnight. The story will appeal to true country music fans as there are lots of references to artists and songs but for the general reader these references add nothing to the story. The story contains a number of songs written for the novel and there will be an accompanying album of those songs.

Run Rose Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson will be published in hardback and ebook on 7th March 2022. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for a review copy.

 

Impossible by Sarah Lotz

When Bee receives a ranting email that obviously isn't meant for her she takes the time to reply to the sender, Nick, to let him know he's made a mistake. Bee and Nick then start to converse online and they have an instant rapport. As the conversations continue it's obvious that they are developing feelings for each other and finally agree to meet. Bee lives in London, Nick in Leeds, so they agree to meet under the clock at Euston Station ........ and that is where the problems begin.

I really enjoyed this story, although it is a romance it was different enough to grab my attention. Classifying it as romance really doesn't do the story justice and it's impossible to say more than that without giving too much away.

The characters of Bee and Nick are well developed. What really appealed to me about the characters is that they aren't young, attractive singletons bouncing from one failed relationship to another. Nick is mid-forties, a failed writer, failed teacher and in a marriage that is hanging on by the skin of its teeth. Bee has been scared by a failed relationship and really isn't ready to make the same mistake again.

There are a host of wonderful supporting characters to add richness to the story, from wacky neighbours to supportive friends. Rosie and Sausage the dogs steal the show though. 

The style, short emails sent between Bee and Nick, means that you are drawn into the story quickly and you are rooting for the romance to succeed against all the odds.

Impossible by Sarah Lotz will be published on 17th March 2022 in hardback, ebook and audio. My thanks to NetGalley and HarperFiction for a review copy.

 

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

 

Jess Hadley needs to escape her dead end job in Brighton. On a whim she heads off to Paris to stay with her half-brother Ben. When Jess gets to Paris her brother has disappeared. Things in Ben's apartment are just a little bit off kilter and the rest of the tenants in the apartment block are acting strangely. When Jess combines these with a voicemail from her brother she is convinced something sinister has happened to Ben and begins to investigate his disappearance. 

This is very much a mystery story. You feel as if you are completing a jigsaw by trying to piece together lots of tiny bits of information. We meet the tenants of the luxury apartment block, however they all have secrets. The building itself is also full of secrets with hidden staircases and locked attics. 

The description of the luxury apartment building initially makes you think of opulence but as the story progresses we begin to see the dark, seedy and sinister nature of the building. You get a claustrophobic feeling. This is in contrast to the descriptions of Paris where narrow alleyways lead to large open spaces, vibrant crowds and expensive shops.

All of your assumptions are turned on their head at the halfway mark and from that moment on it's a breathtaking ride until the finale. Lots of secrets are revealed after quite a bit of misdirection and a very satisfying ending.

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley will be published in hardback, ebook and audio format on 3rd March 2022. My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for a review copy.

You Never Said Goodbye by Luca Veste

Sam Cooper leads a normal life. He lives in London and works in an office. One evening he receives a phonecall from his father, the father he's been estranged from for eighteen years. As Sam rushes to his fathers side he is flooded by memories. Sam is reminded that twenty-five years earlier the family car crashed into a river and his mother and younger brother didn't survive. From that moment on Sam's father retreated into himself. 

When Sam gets to his father's side he discovers that his father has been brutally assaulted. With his dying breath he informs Sam that his mother is still alive. Full of doubt, Sam begins to investigate and uncovers the truth behind the accident and it's aftermath.

This is a roller coaster of a thriller that simply doesn't let up for a minute. The true definition of a page turner. The action begins in the UK but swiftly moves to America to allow for car chases and shootings.

Sam Cooper is a likeable character, he works in an office, he's not ex-military, secret service or a martial arts expert. It's because Sam is a normal person that makes him so likeable and you realise that he gets through a considerable number of situations by tenacity and sheer luck.

As the story progresses we are transported back almost 35 years to discover the origins of the villain and 25 years to understand why Sam believes his mother and brother died in a car crash. With lots of mis-direction the action doesn't let up until the final page.

You Never Said Goodbye by Luca Veste will be published on 17th February 2022 in hardback, ebook and audio. My thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Staughton for a review copy.

 

The Interview by C M Ewan

 

Kate Harding is recovering from a personal tragedy, as part of the healing process she feels the time is right to go for her dream job. The interview is to take place late on a Friday in a newly built office block in central London. The company Kate hopes to work for is cutting edge, so while the interview initially seems strange Kate was aware that it could involve unusual elements. After a while Kate realises the interview process has taken a turn for the worse and she is trapped.

This is an adrenaline fuelled story that you simply cannot put down. Imagine an escape room in book form and you begin to understand the tension. As Kate reels from one scenario to the next you are willing her to succeed, and at times close to shouting at her to try different things. Short chapters mean that the pace never lets up and you can feel the rising panic.

The Interview by C M Ewan will be published on 17th February 2022. My thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for a review copy

The Long Weekend by Gilly Macmillan

 

Jayne, Ruth and Emily are heading to a remote barn in Northumberland for a weekend away. They should have their husbands with them but at the last moment each of them was called away and promised to make the trip to the barn the following day. Once the women arrive at the farm responsible for running the barn they realise how isolated the place is. There's no direct road to the barn, the farmer has to drive them there in a four wheel drive. Phone reception is non-existent and there's no landline. Combined with this a storm is on the horizon.

When the women arrive at the barn they find a letter and gift addressed to them all.

The content of the letter causes a host of reactions from the women in their need to find out if it's content is real or a hoax and if their husbands are safe.

This is an extremely well written thriller which has you jumping to conclusions which then come crashing down as the story progresses. None of the three women are particularly likeable and as the story develops we discover that they all have secrets. Initially we are lead to believe that the women are friends, slowly we come to understand that they are friends simply because of their husbands life-long friendship.

The bleakness of the landscape, the remoteness of the barn and the encroaching storm, combined with some local folklore really add to the sense of menace. You can really feel the terror the women must feel, along with a complete sense of hopelessness.

My thanks to NetGalley and Century Books UK for a review copy. The Long Weekend by Gilly Macmillan will be published on 3rd February 2022 in hardback, ebook and audio.

November 2021 Reads

After 3 stellar months of reading my mojo finally packed its bag in November and left. I only managed to finish 8 books. It seems strange to say I only finished 8 books when early in 2021 I was lucky to complete 2 or 3 books each month. The number of books I managed had nothing to do with the quality of the books, I simply struggled to focus for any length of time. Fingers crossed things will get back to normal in December.

My favourite book of the month had to be Em & Me by Beth Morrey. I was over the moon when I got a review copy of this as I loved Beth's first novel Saving Missy. Em & Me is a life affirming tale of love, community and determination. If I had to pick a favourite between Beth Morrey's two novels it would have to be Saving Missy but it's a very close race.

Another standout this month was One For Sorrow by Helen Fields. Thrillers are my thing and this pulled no punches. Explosive from the start, with great characters. I just can't believe this is book 7 in a series I'd never heard of. The ending makes you scream out for more.

The other notable read in November was The Blood Tide by Neil Lancaster. This is the second book in the Max Craigie series. Where book 1 in the series was gritty and full of action this book focused more on the intelligence side of anti-corruption policing. An ideal read for the many fans of Line Of Duty.

All of the books in November were courtesy of NetGalley and various publishers:-

The Herd by Emily Edwards, published 3rd February 2022

Em & Me by Beth Morrey, published 3rd February 2022

One For Sorrow by Helen Fields, published 17th February 2022

The Blood Tide by Neil Lancaster, published 31st March 2022

The Patient by Jane Shemilt, published 28th April 2022

A Tidy Ending by Joanna Cannon, published 28th April 2022

No Less The Devil by Stuart MacBride, published 28th April 2022

The Measure by Nikki Erlick, published 7th July 2022