The Game by Scott Kershaw

 

Five ordinary people receive a strange text message informing them that the person they love the most has been kidnapped, the only way they can ensure their safe release is to play the game. Unfortunately there is no explanation as to what the game is and there can only be one winner. Contacting the police or telling anyone will result in the death of their loved one.

The story begins very quickly, introducing the five characters who are selected to play "The Game". The people are total strangers, spread across America and Europe. Initially only the first character is threatened but as the story progresses and we learn more about each person, their threats are gradually unveiled.

The idea of having to do whatever a stranger says to save a loved one really taps into your primal fear, you can almost feel the panic each character must feel. Technology and social media are heavily featured, making you realise how easy it must be to track people and find out about their background. Since technology is used within the story to spy on the characters it makes the reader feel like a voyeur.

I did expect more action as "The Game" developed, however the lack of action meant that we could see the tensions that arose when the five characters were forced to work together, knowing that they had all been told that there could only be one winner. Could they trust each other?

The timeline isn't linear so the reader is kept in suspense until the very end, there are no clues to what "The Game" is and what the outcome will be. 

The Game by Scott Kershaw will be published on 12th May 2022 in hardback and ebook format. My thanks to NetGalley and HQ for a review copy.

The People Next Door by Tony Parsons

 

Following a home invasion Lana and Roman Wade leave London and set up home in the countryside. With friendly neighbours and an idyllic setting everything seems perfect until Lana discovers that a murder/suicide took place in their new home. Lana is convinced that something sinister is happening among her neighbours.

The opening chapter is terrifying and really grips the reader. The thought that intruders have broken into your home during the night fills you with dread. The author does not go into graphic detail, leaving that for the reader to imagine.

Following the disturbing opening we then move to Lana and Roman moving into their new home. The descriptions of the rural setting, the beautiful houses and the friendly neighbours make this seem like an idyllic place for anyone to set up home and make a fresh start.

Affluence is on display, from the top of the range cars to the swimming pools in the gardens. When Lana and Roman meet two other couples who live nearby they discover that the wives have given up successful careers to become homemakers. This, along with the beautiful setting, gave me a sense of "Stepford Wives" and had me wondering what secrets were lurking under the glossy veneer.

While Roman settles well into his new surroundings, Lana becomes ever more doubtful that things are as perfect as they seem. This brings tension between the couple and we are given subtle hints as to what happened during the home invasion in the opening chapter. 

As secrets are revealed we discover the truth behind what brought the couple to their new home, along with the terrifying situation they have put themselves in.

The People Next Door by Tony Parsons will be published on 31st March 2022 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My tanks to NetGalley and Century Books UK for a review copy.

Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold

 

Twenty years ago Ben Harper's older brother was brutally murdered by two classmates. Years later Ben's mother committed suicide. On the 10th anniversary of his mothers suicide Ben's boss at an online news website encourages him to write an article documenting his side of the story. Ben is initially reluctant to dredge up the past but when the police turn up to ask Ben about a murder miles away it raises questions about the original murder.

This debut novel from Robert Gold had me gripped from the start. A double murder followed by a suicide had me wondering what had happened and intrigued to know more.

Ben is a sympathetic character, you can really feel his turmoil at having to relive the past. As the story develops we understand the devastation his family and friends went through 20 years previously. The unanswered questions following his mothers unexpected suicide have haunted Ben for 10 years.

The setting of the small town of Haddley, a close knit community, offers a range of characters. Characters who've grown up together, suffered the same shock and supported each other. As Ben investigates events of the past it's like layers of an onion being peeled away and secrets are discovered. The main question though is who is willing to commit murder to keep their secret hidden.

Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold will be published on 3rd March 2022 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown UK for a review copy.

Local Gone Missing by Fiona Barton

Elise King is a police officer on convalescent leave from work. When a resident of the small seaside town of Ebbing goes missing Elise starts to investigate and uncovers a web of deceit involving a con-man that goes back 20 years.

Initially I found this book to have a slow start. A wide range of characters are involved and the connections between them took time to introduce. Once the introductions are through the tension really begins to increase and I was intrigued to discover what had happened.

The main characters are really well defined. You can really feel Elise's frustration at not being on active duty. Elise and her neighbour Ronnie make a great double act as they hunt for clues.

Charlie Perry is the local who has gone missing. We see glimpses of his life and he elicits the readers sympathy because of his home life and his daughter, who he cares deeply for. As the story progresses we begin to realise that everything may not be as it seems regarding Charlie.

Dee Eastwood is the local cleaner, along with a variety of other jobs. Dee is down trodden, simply doing what she can to make ends meet and ensure that her young son is happy and safe. Because of her lowly position in society people completely forget she's there. This means Dee knows lots of people's secrets. 

As the story unfolds we find out that there may be more than one person who wants to harm Charlie, particularly as his shady past becomes clear. Does Dee hold the answer to what has happened?

Local Gone Missing by Fiona Barton will be published on 9th June 2022 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Transworld Books for a review copy.

 

The People On Platform 5 by Clare Pooley

 

Everyday the same people do the morning and evening commute. Even though they see the same faces each day, no-one speaks. Until one day when one of the commuters starts to choke, this is the ice breaker and from that point on the small group involved in saving the commuters life strike up an unlikely friendship.

I loved this book, really felt as if I was one of the small group of friends and became fully involved in their lives. Being from the north, where we know each others life story within 20 minutes of meeting a stranger, the thought of not speaking to the same people you commute with each day seems really strange. 

There is a wonderful mix of characters, someone for most people to identify with. The main character is Iona, eccentric, stubborn and forthright. Iona is a magazine therapist (DO NOT call her an agony aunt) but at 57 her colleagues consider her a dinosaur. What her colleagues don't realise is that she was an influencer decades before social media existed.

Emmie works in advertising, she loves her job but wants to do something more rewarding than simply sell toothpaste. Sanjay is a nurse who moved from A&E to Oncology because he wanted to connect more with his patients. Sanjay has adored Emmie from afar for months but isn't brave enough to ask her out.

Piers is an arrogant city trader, he hates his job but has a lifestyle he has to maintain for his family. Martha is an awkward school girl, struggling on the fringes of the in-crowd at school. Things become even worse for her when she does something really stupid.

Each of our characters is dealing with problems; school, work, relationships. As individuals these problems are huge, but when they begin to share their concerns they are met with support and solutions. 

Yes all the problems are tied up neatly, but that is what you want from a feel good novel. I'd love to re-visit the characters in a couple of years time to see how their lives develop.

The People On Platform 5 by Clare Pooley will be published on 26th May 2022. My thanks to NetGalley and Transworld Books for a review copy.

The Match by Harlan Coben

 

Following the events in The Boy From The Woods Wilde decides to investigate the DNA match he got to see if he can find out about his family. When he finally tracks down the mysterious PB he discovers he's missing, possibly as a result of online trolls. The more Wilde digs, the murkier things get.

I found the theme's of this novel really engrossing. The use of social media, reality TV and the internet is something we all interact with to some degree. The vast majority of people will engage with these mediums in a lighthearted way but The Match really does illustrate the darker side.

We are inundated by reality TV programs. The Match shows the positive side (instant fame, rewards, entertainment, etc) but deals far more with the negatives. We discover how viewers and contestants are manipulated. "Winners" then have the pressure to keep their fans entertained, to the point of sharing every moment of their life.

Coupled with reality TV is the use of social media. Reality TV stars relentlessly use social media to promote their brand, gaining millions of adoring fans. Unfortunately a fall from grace then leads to a backlash with trolls hounding those they once adored. Anonymity for the trolls make it difficult for people to fight back.

The Match finally answers the questions from The Boy From The Woods regarding Wilde's family. The hunt for answers isn't easy, there are plenty of twists. The ending is satisfying, neatly rounding off Wilde's story, however having grown to like the characters of Wilde, Hester, Laila, Matthew and Rola I would like to read more of their adventures.

The Match by Harlan Coben will be published on 17th March 2022. My thanks to NetGalley and Century Books for a review copy.

The Boy From The Woods by Harlan Coben

In 1986 a young boy, approximately 6 years old, is discovered surviving in the woods. No-one knows where he came from or how long he has survived alone. Thirty four years later the boy, Wilde, lives in the community that found him. Wilde manages to straddle modern society with his desire for solitude and living off the grid. Surviving in the wild, along with military training, give him skills that are useful as a private investigator. Skills that he has to put to use when a high school student goes missing.

Harlan Coben is the master of suspense. His novels grip you from the start, move with pace and are full of twists. The Boy From The Woods is no different. The preface gives the story of Wilde being discovered living alone in the woods, this really grabs the readers attention, making you want to find out more about this situation. Coben then leaves you dangling by jumping forward in time to the story of the missing student.

Wilde is a mysterious character. As the story develops we find out little snippets about his past, however you constantly want to know more. Having been found as a young boy Wilde has acclimatised to modern society but is much more at home living a solitary life in the woods. The skills that he picked up as a child have been honed over time to make him an expert in tracking and evasion.

The story of the missing student initially seems run of the mill, however we know that with Harlan Coben nothing is ever that simple and suddenly we have kidnap, blackmail, secret recordings, murder and a presidential candidate all thrown into the mix.

Wilde is supported by Hester Crimstein, a famous lawyer. At a couple of points throughout the story Crimstein makes reference to a couple of friends. Fans of Coben will immediately identify those friends as Windsor Horne Lockwood and Myron Bolitar, after all, who else says "Articulate" when they answer the phone.

Having received a copy of The Match to review, I was surprised to discover it was the second book in a series, hence my reading The Boy From The Woods. I hope that The Match answers some of the many unanswered questions regarding Wilde's background.

 

January 2022 Reads

 

Quality over quantity is definitely the theme for my January reads. Thoroughly enjoyed each book to the point where I was disappointed that they ended. A couple of the books were not from my preferred genre of thrillers so that also made a pleasant change. Since I enjoyed each book it's difficult to pick favourites, however the ones that really stood out for me are:

Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus is full of wonderful characters, particularly the heroine, and a story about empowerment, all set against a backdrop of 1960's America. Even though the story is set 60 years ago there are lots of messages for society today.

You are immediately grabbed by Insomnia from Sarah Pinborough. Full of twists, the story shows how quickly life can unravel, particularly when we try to hide secrets. 

My absolute favourite this month has been A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe. This is the type of book that you want to recommend to absolutely everyone you speak to. Moments of joy counter-balanced with times of unspeakable despair. The reader is completely invested in the endearing characters and the way in which they strive for inner peace.

My thanks to NetGalley for making some of these books available in proof form ahead of their publication date. Dates to watch for are:

Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough, published 31st March 2022

Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, published 5th April 2022

Into The Dark by Fiona Cummins, published 14th April 2022

The Echo Man by Sam Holland, published 14th April 2022

The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett

 

When an old iPhone is analysed almost 200 voice recordings are discovered. The recordings relay how ex-prisoner Steve Smith is determined to solve The Twyford Code. The code is linked to a series of children's books from the 30's and 40's. Steve found a copy of one of the books when he was fourteen and as a result his English teacher, Miss Iles, mysteriously disappeared. The voice recordings reveal the lengths Steve goes to in order to solve the code and find out exactly what happened to Miss Iles.

The Twyford Code is such a fun read, even better than Hallett's first novel The Appeal. The nature of the audio transcripts immediately draw you in. Short and snappy but with the air of listening in to someone else's private conversations. The information hidden in the code is "at best sensitive and at worst dangerous, to this very day". There are lots of suggestions as to what the code could lead to, from untold wealth to time portals. 

Conspiracy theories abound and you are never quite sure who to trust. Characters disappear and re-appear with regularity, along with mysterious villains dressed in black. You do begin to wonder if everything is real.

The story is very reminiscent of children's books such as The Famous Five and The Secret Seven. The nostalgia factor really adds to the enjoyment, keeping the reader moving forward wanting to know if the code is going to be solved. Counter-balanced to this are the snippets we get of Steve's background. His dysfunctional family and how he came to be involved with organised crime.

With a fitting conclusion that explains everything to the reader Janice Hallett must be congratulated for such a well structured mystery that keeps the reader on their toes throughout.