Five Things I Love About You by Clare Swatman

 

After an accident while cycling to work, Miranda begins to dream about the man she almost collided with. Convinced he's the man of her dreams, despite knowing very little about him, she uproots herself and moves 300 miles in the hope of tracking him down.

I tend not to read much romantic fiction. I don't mind a romantic element in uplifting fiction, but as a genre, it's not something I gravitate towards. There was just something about the blurb for  Five Things I Love About You from Clare Swatman that caught my attention and I'm so glad it did, I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in Miranda's world.

Miranda is approaching the end of her 40s, her children have flown the nest and she's single following an amicable divorce. Life is ticking along until disaster strikes. Cycling to work she narrowly misses colliding with a man and ends up in hospital with concussion. Her recollection of the accident is hazy but when she starts having amorous dreams about the stranger she almost crashed into she's convinced that fate had a hand in the accident.

Problems with work give Miranda the opportunity to do something drastic, so she rents out her London home and moves to Newcastle for six months in the hope she'll be able to track down her mystery man. I became completely wrapped up in Miranda's life; her worry that she was making a mistake, her apprehension in moving to a city where she knew no one and her excitement at the new possibilities that opened up for her.

Early on in her relocation Miranda is befriended by a stranger, Matt, who offers to help her find her bearings in the city and with her search. Matt is a wonderful character, a lovely example of the type of open, warm and welcoming residents of the North-East. I think it was the North-East setting that really made the story for me as I recognised lots of the places mentioned in the book, along with the biting wind that seems to be ever-present along the North-East coast.

As Miranda continues her search, her friendship with Matt grows stronger and stronger. It's pretty obvious to her friends, and the reader, that Matt has feelings for Miranda. It's glaringly obvious where the story is heading but the course of true love never did run smooth so there are some complications to overcome first. The biggest complication of all is when she finds her mystery man. Is the man in her dreams the man of her dreams?

If you enjoy romantic fiction, love books and like dogs then this is the perfect read. I had a massive grin on my face when I read the final page.

Five Things I Love About You by Clare Swatman will be published on 24th April 2025 in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for a review copy.

Author Details

Clare Swatman is the author of nine women's fiction novels. Her latest, Last Christmas, is a sliding doors love story set in New York and London in the early 2000s. Her next book, Five Things I Love About You, is out on 24 April 2025.

She also writes psychological thrillers under the name CL Swatman. Her debut thriller, No Son of Mine, was released worldwide on 21st December 2024, and her second will be released in September 2025.

Clare lives in Hertfordshire in the UK with her husband and two boys. Even the cat is male, which means she's destined to be outnumbered forever.

The Cornish Castle Murder by Fiona Leitch

 

Jodie 'Nosey' Parker and her fiance Nathan are about to tie the knot. Family and friends are gathered at a country house hotel in preparation when a dead body is discovered. Despite having other things to worry about, Jodie can't avoid getting involved in the investigation.

The Cornish Castle Murder by Fiona Leitch is book 8 in the Nosey Parker Mystery series and is a great addition. Fans of the series will have grown to love the characters and seen the relationship between Jodie and Nathan develop. Finally, they are about to get married and have hired a "castle" for the big event, an exclusive country house hotel, for the wedding.

With friends arriving from other parts of the country, and abroad, the couple decide to hold their stag and hen do's at the hotel before the wedding. There's tension between Nathan's old colleagues from Liverpool and his current ones from Cornwall with things reaching a head when the hens invade the stag do and discover that risque waitresses have been hired. 

The following morning the body of one of the waitresses is discovered in the lake on the hotel grounds. Suspicion for her murder falls firstly on her boyfriend and then on one of the wedding party. Although it would seem that Nathan, and Jodie, are ideally placed to investigate the murder they are sidelined. Not only is Nathan on leave, there is also a conflict of interest. DI Diana Mackintosh of Exeter Police, and an old colleague of Jodie's from when she worked in the Met, is tasked with the investigation.

Despite numerous warnings to leave the investigation alone, Jodie can't help but search for answers herself. Being at the scene seems to give Jodie the upper hand as she's able to scrutinise lots of different elements involved in the case such as CCTV and the hotel layout, and surreptitiously question staff.

All of the normal humorous elements are present in the book. Jodie's mother, Shirley, is as embarrassing as ever and seems to have found an ally in the form of Nathan's mother. There is much eye-rolling from Daisy, Jodie's daughter, at the escapades of all the adults.

This is one of those cosy crime books that has you rapidly turning the pages, wanting to see how everything pieces together after they stumble from one clue to the next, sometimes through ridiculous situations.

The Cornish Castle Murder by Fiona Leitch will be published on 29th April 2025 in ebook and audio format, with the paperback following on 8th May 2025.

Author Details

Fiona Leitch is a writer with a chequered past. She’s written for football and motoring magazines, DJ’ed at illegal raves and is a stalwart of the low budget TV commercial, even appearing as the Australasian face of a cleaning product called ‘Sod Off’. After living in London and Cornwall she’s finally settled in sunny New Zealand, where she enjoys scaring her cats by trying out dialogue on them. She spends her days dreaming of retiring to a crumbling Venetian palazzo, walking on the windswept beaches of West Auckland, and writing funny, flawed but awesome female characters.

Her debut novel ‘Dead in Venice’ was published by Audible in 2018 as one of their Crime Grant finalists. Fiona also writes screenplays and was a finalist in the Athena Film Festival Writers Lab, co-run by Meryl Streep’s IRIS company.

Work Trip by Chloe Ford (Audiobook)

 

An unexpected turn of events on a work team-building trip forces mortal enemies to have to work together.

Work Trip by Chloe Ford is an enemies-to-lovers romance. Fliss, head of marketing at the Star Agency, is fiercely ambitious. She works long hours in the hope that she'll be the next in line for a much-coveted promotion. Unfortunately, there's competition for the promotion in the form of James Boatmen, head of sales. The animosity between the pair is never far from the surface, particularly when they are in meetings.

When the boss of the company decides to hold a team-building week in Scotland, Fliss hopes that she'll be able to impress him enough to give her the edge over Gloatman (the name she uses to refer to her nemesis) in the race for the promotion.

From the outset, things seem strange. No one else from the company turns up for the flight to Scotland. It's easy to feel Fliss's apprehension, wondering if she's missed an important message or got dates wrong. Events turn even more peculiar when she arrives at the designated hotel to find Gloatman had traveled with their boss on the company jet.

The team building exercise reaches peak preposterousness when the pair are dumped in the middle of the Scottish Highlands with a tent and minimal supplies, along with the instructions that they need to overcome their competitiveness and co-operate in order to proceed to the next step in their career.

Neither of the pair is prepared, or experienced, for what is to follow. After constant sniping at each other, they relent and realise that they will have to trust each other and work together if they are to get home. As you would anticipate, the pair slowly begin to get to know each other, realising that they have preconceived ideas. In particular, Fliss realises that Gloatman isn't as self-absorbed as she initially thought as he shows her a lot of support as they deal with disaster after disaster.

By the conclusion and the safe return to work, the big question is will the pair be able to remain professional, or has the work dynamic changed forever? The promotion of one of the pair is also a catalyst for a significant and unexpected development.

Work Trip by Chloe Ford will be published on 24th April 2025 in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Aria for a review copy.

Author Details

Chloe Ford grew up in rural Sussex but is now based in South Gloucestershire. She has an affinity with all things country, from riding horses to muddy walks. Her love for writing began at secondary school when her English teacher would set a writing task for the whole hour. An avid reader, she started sneaking Mills & Boon books out from under her mum’s bed as a teenager and hasn’t stopped devouring romance books ever since.

Murder On Line One by Jeremy Vine (Audiobook)

 

Radio host Edward Temmis has been off work since tragedy struck his family. When the granddaughter of one of his listeners approaches him asking for his help in investigating her grandmother's death Edward finds it difficult to refuse, leading to shocking findings.

The opening chapter of Murder On Line One by Jeremy Vine is an intriguing one with Edward Temmis, a local radio talk show host approaching a boy's football match and cheering on his son. Mystery surrounds why he is avoiding all of the other parents - and then the chapter ends with a sucker punch.

We learn that Edward has been off work for almost a year and in that time new management has made a clean sweep of all the older presenters, with Edward quickly following. While at his new job in the local garden centre Edward is approached by a young woman asking him to help her look into her grandmother's death. Stevie is convinced that her grandmother was murdered and it is connected to Edward's radio show. Edward doesn't see how the death and his show can be linked but agrees to help.

The investigation surrounding the death takes Edward down a number of different avenues, some of which are dead ends. Not only does he come across some red herrings but there is also someone actively conspiring against him discovering answers. I thoroughly enjoyed the direction the story took once it was clear what crime had taken place.

When the villain is finally uncovered the author takes the opportunity to add another layer, or two, to the story, making the conclusion even more unexpected and exciting. Overall, what started out as a slow burner turned into a gripping thriller once it got into its stride. It's also difficult to categorise this, my initial thoughts had it down as cosy crime but some of the elements are a bit grisly.

Murder On Line One by Jeremy Vine will be published on 24th April 2025 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK  Audio for a review copy.

Author Details

Jeremy Vine is a journalist and broadcaster who reaches an audience of millions per week. He hosts a daily breakfast show on Channel 5 and a peak lunchtime slot on BBC Radio 2, presenting news, views, interviews and popular guests on Britain’s most listened-to radio news programme. He has previously hosted Eggheads and presents the general election infographics. He lives in London with his wife and two daughters. In his spare time, he rides a penny farthing.

The Secret Room by Jane Casey

 

Ilaria Cavendish was seen walking into a hotel room alone, minutes later she was found dead. The only person seen entering, and leaving, the room was a waiter who would not have had time to murder Ilaria. The murder investigation team are puzzled as to how the murder was committed.

This review is a completely spoiler-free zone. 

In preparation for reading the much anticipated The Secret Room by Jane Casey, I reread the epilogue of the previous book in the series, A Stranger In The Family. I didn't really need a reminder, a year ago when I read the book I was left stunned and speechless by the final few words, words that were seared into my brain. Just like all the other fans of the Maeve Kerrigan series I wanted answers.

Jane Casey finally provides answers but she certainly makes the reader wait. The book opens with Ilaria Cavendish arriving at an exclusive hotel in London and checking in for her regular weekly liaison with her lover. We then jump to the murder investigation team who have been assigned the case. At this point I felt a little confused, wondering if there had been a time-slip or if I'd missed a short story linking the previous book and this one. That wasn't the case, it was simply the author teasing the reader, something that continues throughout the novel.

As the team tries to fathom out how a murder could have taken place in a locked room in a hotel with CCTV cameras everywhere Maeve is distracted by events closer to home, events which are shocking and disturbing. 

It's not until chapter eleven that fans finally begin to get answers. From this point on you are simply a whirlwind of emotions. I felt devastated as I read and frightened as to the turn of events. This feeling of dread continues throughout the remainder of the book, there were points where I was left holding my breath, praying for the best but expecting the worst. As a huge fan of the series I was frantically turning the pages to find out what was happening but at the same time wanting to slow down my reading so I didn't finish the book too quickly.

By the conclusion I was drained emotionally but author Jane Casey couldn't resist teasing the reader yet again. I was close to tears by the end.

The Secret Room by Jane Casey will be published on 24th April 2025 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for a review copy.

Author Details

Jane Casey is a bestselling crime writer who was born and brought up in Dublin. A former editor, she has written fourteen crime novels for adults (including eleven in the Maeve Kerrigan series) and three for teenagers (the Jess Tennant series). Her books have been international bestsellers, critically acclaimed for their realism and accuracy. The Maeve Kerrigan series has been nominated for many awards: in 2015 Jane won the Mary Higgins Clark Award for The Stranger You Know and Irish Crime Novel of the Year for After the Fire. In 2019, Cruel Acts was chosen as Irish Crime Novel of the Year at the Irish Book Awards. It was a Sunday Times bestseller. Stand-alone novel The Killing Kind was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick in 2021, and is currently being filmed for television. Jane lives in southwest London with her husband, who is a criminal barrister, and their two children.

#BlogTour Where The Light Is Hottest by Catherine Yardley

 

About The Book

Natasha Jones has everything - a successful acting career, an Oscar, a wonderful husband and beautiful kids. But what does she have to go through to get there? From humble beginnings in a small town, Natasha's path to stardom is paved with setbacks, heartaches and moments of doubt.

In the glittering world of fame and fortune, where dreams are spun from starlight and ambition fuels the relentless pursuit of success, one woman's journey stands testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Beneath the facade lies a story of unwavering determination and unyielding courage.

Where The Light Is Hottest is a gripping tale of ambition, perseverance and the enduring power of hope. Through Natasha's journey, we are reminded that the road to success is rarely smooth, but for those who dare to chase their dreams, the rewards are beyond measure.

My Review

I am delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for Where The Light Is Hottest by Catherine Yardley. This is a warts-and-all story of the struggle for fame, and the battle to keep it once it's achieved.

Actress Natasha Jones has it all, a loving husband, a wonderful family, a beautiful home and an Oscar. She's at the pinnacle of her career. The problem is that once you reach the top there is only one way to go and that is down. Having won an Oscar, Natasha assumed she'd be fighting off directors and producers, but instead, her life seems to be falling apart.

The narrative alternates between Natasha's battle to remain relevant and successful alongside the story of her early days when her dream was to become a famous actress. We follow Natasha from her roots in Glasgow to an impoverished life in London since the acting world is London-centric. London is expensive so Natasha has to take on three jobs simply to survive. Audition after audition becomes the norm, competing against similar women, just to get noticed, to get her first step on the ladder.

Natasha has principles, unfortunately being new to acting she has to compromise these if she wants to work. Once she makes it she's determined that she'll never give up those principles ever again. I liked Natasha's strength and sympathised with the situation she was placed in early in her career. If anything this made her more determined never to concede ever again and moulded her ambition in the future.

Alongside the struggle for work, we get glimpses of Natasha's life after she becomes famous. We see that much of it is gloss and doesn't reflect reality. The press is constantly on the prowl, looking for ways to bring down those they've placed on a pedestal. Friends can't always be trusted. And it's hard work, always having to look immaculate, stay slim, don't react, all while working fourteen-hour days.

There are references to the recent #MeToo movement. Real names aren't mentioned, the characters are more of an amalgamation of real people. You begin to realise how difficult it is to find work for up-and-coming actors. As Natasha realises, the real power in the industry lies in the hands of producers and directors, who are predominantly male, this becomes the catalyst for her career choices in the future.

Where The Light Is Hottest by Catherine Yardley is available in paperback and ebook format. My thanks to Pegasus Publishing and Rachel's Random Resources for a review copy.

Purchase Link - https://tinyurl.com/Where-The-Light-is-Hottest

Author Details

Catherine Yardley is the author of Ember and Where The Light is Hottest. She’s also the editor-in-chief of Frost Magazine and a freelance writer who's featured in The Bookseller, Mslexia, Metro, Huffpost, Writing Magazine and Writers’ and Artists’ amongst others. She lives in London with her husband and children. 

The Margaret Code by Richard Hooton

 

When a neighbour is murdered elderly Margaret Winterbottom, along with her grandson, decides to investigate. Margaret's memory may be failing but she's convinced she knows something that can help her solve the murder - if only she could remember what it is.

I love books featuring aging protagonists and in The Margaret Code author Richard Hooton has created a classic. I just wanted to scoop Margaret up and protect her. Widow Margaret is eighty-nine and fiercely independent, she has lived in the same house for sixty years. The vast majority of her neighbours have lived in their homes for quite a long time too. Everyone seems to know everybody else's business, although some people are a little too nosey.

The murder of long-time neighbour and friend Barbara is a shock to Margaret and when the police appear to be clueless she decides to find the murderer herself. She remembers talking to Barbara the day she was murdered and can recall a fragment of a conversation she had with her that she's convinced is a vital clue, unfortunately, her "senior moments" are becoming more frequent, hampering her from pinpointing exactly what the clue means.

To the reader, it's obvious that Margaret is in the early stages of Alzheimer's. Some of the situations she found herself involved in because of the disease are heartbreaking. We also get a glimpse of the emotional pressure that is placed on families. There are little hints as to Margaret's background. I guessed pretty early on what the background was, although I didn't figure out how it fitted into the plot, and knowing her background makes Margaret's illness even more poignant and cruel.

Refusing to accept defeat, and ably assisted by a grandson who is equally determined, Margaret works her way through a suspect list that involves neigbours, local youths and the window cleaner. If only she could remember her conversation with Barbara! When the puzzle pieces finally fall into place Margaret finds herself in danger but still refuses to give in.

The Margaret Code by Richard Hooton will be published on 10th April 2025 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Sphere for a review copy. 

Author Details

After winning numerous prizes for his short fiction, Richard Hooton’s debut novel THE MARGARET CODE will be published on 10 April 2025. The voice-led whodunnit follows eighty-nine-year-old Margaret whose failing memory holds the key to the murder investigation taking place on her street.Inspired by Richard’s relationship with his grandmother, THE MARGARET CODE combines a twisty, compelling crime plot with an emotive study of illness and its effect on family relationships, alongside an intriguing historical connection.Richard was born and brought up in Nottinghamshire and now lives in Greater Manchester. He studied English Literature at the University of Wolverhampton before becoming a journalist and then going on to work in communications.His short stories and flash fiction have won awards in various competitions and been published in several anthologies.

The Death Of Us by Abigail Dean

 

The South London Invader terrorised the capital for years. Having finally been caught his victims have an opportunity to tell him, in court, of the impact they have had on their lives. As a result, one couple, Isabel and Edward, are forced to revisit the fateful event.

The Death Of Us from Abigail Dean is a powerful piece of writing. For me, what makes this so strong is what isn't written. The South London Invader is a serial murderer and rapist who targeted couples. The author has avoided including graphic details, her focus remains on the emotions and actions of the victims. As a reader I could feel myself tensing up, holding my breath and my heart pounding, terrified for the victims as their ordeal takes place. Less is more certainly works in this book.

While a terrible series of crimes is at the heart of this story, this book isn't about those crimes. The focus is on the relationship between Isabel and Edward. We meet the couple as university students who have been set up on a blind date. The start of their relationship is a little uncertain but it soon becomes clear that they are perfect for each other. I loved watching their relationship grow and flourish. Edward is strong, reliable and certain of his future, Isabel is a little more emotionally unstable, but the pair work, they bring out the best in each other.

It is ten years into the relationship that the attack takes place. This becomes a watershed moment; where does a relationship go after such a traumatic event? How is an individual supposed to behave? We see how the personalities of Isabel and Edward change. Edward throws himself into his work, refusing all opportunities to discuss his feelings. Isabel becomes the stronger of the pair. Having always wanted to be a writer she uses this as a means of giving voice to her anger. What the couple can't do is talk to each other about the attack and this is what causes the relationship to fracture.

Isabel's narrative is in the form of a victim personal statement, or impact statement, which outlines the evolution of the couple's relationship. I found myself being swept up, completely involved in the life they were forging to then be sucker-punched as the narrative pivoted and she addressed a question to her attacker, reminding you of the atrocious crimes committed.

By the conclusion, I found myself close to tears. Long repressed emotions were brought to the surface for a number of characters, each of them dealing with those feelings in completely different ways, after all, human nature is unpredictable. This is a love story that will stay with me for a very long time. Quite possibly my book of the year.

The Death Of Us by Abigail Dean will be published on 10th April 2025 in hardback and ebook, the  audio version will be available on 27th March 2025. My thanks to NetGalley and Hemlock Press for a review copy.

Author Details

Abigail Dean was born in Manchester and grew up in the Peak District. Abigail has worked as a Waterstones bookseller and a lawyer. Her debut novel, Girl A, was a New York Times and Sunday Times top ten bestseller and a Kindle number 1 bestseller. The rights to Girl A have sold in 36 territories and a television series is being adapted with Sony.

The Maid's Secret by Nita Prose

 

When a fine arts and collectibles fair hosts an event at the Regency Grand Hotel Molly takes along some of her grandmother's prized possessions, little realising that her life could be about to change forever.

As a fan of Molly the Maid, I was over the moon to see that author Nita Prose was giving her a third outing in The Maid's Secret. Although there is a mystery element to the story, it doesn't play as big a part as it did in the first two books in the series The Maid (read my review here) and The Mystery Guest (read my review here).

Fans of the series will know that Molly was raised by her gran, a woman who had a huge influence on her life and made her the open, hard-working and honest person she is. Molly's gran was one of those people who didn't dwell on the past, she was firmly rooted in the present. A large part of The Maid's Secret reveals her gran's backstory in the form of diary entries, a diary she wrote for Molly. Through the diary we meet a young Flora Gray, born into a wealthy but loveless family. As a result, she is raised by her nanny and because of this she remains grounded, hoping to attend university and make something of her life.

Flora's diary entries are interspersed with current-day events in the hotel. During the fair, a valuable antique was unearthed and subsequently auctioned off in the hotel. The auction is to take place on live TV, hosted by celebrity auctioneers and puts Molly at the forefront of proceedings, not something she wants or likes. Somehow, the antique mysteriously disappears in front of everyone. The staff at the hotel like nothing better than a mystery to solve and we see many of the characters we have grown to love involved.

I found myself more absorbed by Flora's story than that of Molly, partly because she was pushing against expectations but also because I wanted to know how she met Molly's grandfather, Mr Preston. As both storylines approach the conclusion we discover that they are linked, but the important question is will there be a happy ending for Molly? I think fans will be satisfied with how things turn out.

The Maid's Secret by Nita Prose will be published on 10th April 2025 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for a review copy.

Author Details

Nita Prose is the author of the Molly the Maid series, including THE MISTLETOE MYSTERY, THE MYSTERY GUEST, and THE MAID, which has sold more than 2 million copies worldwide and was published in over forty countries. A #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestseller and a GOOD MORNING AMERICA Book Club Pick, THE MAID won the Ned Kelly Award for International Crime Fiction, the Fingerprint Award for Debut Novel of the Year, the Anthony Award for Best First Novel, and the Barry Award for Best First Mystery. THE MAID was also an Edgar Award finalist for Best Novel. Nita lives in Toronto, Canada, in a house that is moderately clean.

#BlogTour The Quiet Sister by Alex Stone

 

About The Book

To outsiders, twins Mia and Chloe have always been close, like good sisters should be. But in private their relationship is one of jealousy, resentment and bitterness.

Popular and attractive Mia is always the centre of attention, loved by all. Quiet and reserved, Chloe is overlooked and underestimated, and has tried to build a life away from Mia and her manipulation. Finally she is happy and content.

But then Mia returns and makes it clear that she wants to be part of her sister's life again, to have everything Chloe has...including her new fiance Scott.

Chloe can't allow Mia to ruin her life again. She's done this too many times in the past - always taking things that don't belong to her.

As old tensions, secrets and lies return, tragedy strikes. And one sister will use the opportunity to live the life she has always wanted...the life she has always deserved.

My Review

I am delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for The Quiet Sister by Alex Stone. The story opens with a devastating fire that takes the life of Mia, the only problem is that everyone assumes the body is that of Chloe, her identical twin, since the property belonged to Chloe and no one was aware Mia was there. Chloe had been out for the evening and only returned as her sister's body was being assessed by paramedics. In a split second, she made the decision not to make her presence known or the fact that the body has been wrongly identified. Instead, Chloe decides to head to Bournemouth where Mia has an apartment. The big question is why?

We slowly learn of the fractious relationship between Mia and Chloe. From childhood, their characters were vastly different. Mia was very outgoing, assertive, popular and successful, alongside being a master manipulator. Chloe was the complete opposite; quiet, empathetic and unassuming. Although Chloe is happy with her life she couldn't help but be envious of the lifestyle her sister had.

Secrets lie at the heart of the story. Both Chloe and Mia are hiding secrets. Sometimes the secrets are more like little white lies, at other times they are hiding actions done out of love, and at others for personal gain. Keeping secrets, both from the past and much more recently, all add to Chloe's low self-esteem and doubt. It is only the reappearance of an old face that allows her to reassess what she truly values, leading to a tense showdown.

The Quiet Sister by Alex Stone was published on 10th March 2025 in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for a review copy.

Author Details

Alex Stone is an accountant from the West Midlands, who uprooted her life to pursue her dream of living by the sea and becoming a writer. She is proof that if you stick at it, anything is possible, and is now a psychological thriller author based in Dorset. This beautiful and dramatic coast is the inspiration and setting for her novels.

Alex has a keen interest in psychology, and her novels examine how situations in the past can shape a person for the better and the worst.

Her debut novel, The Perfect Daughter, has been described as; 'cleverly written, powerful, shocking, and totally believable.'

The Secret Collector by Abigail Johnson

 

Alfred has always collected unusual objects but since the death of his wife five years ago it's become an obsession. Things are so out of hand that he can barely move in his own home. When a teenager vandalises Alfred's home his social worker and the justice system see the opportunity for the pair to work together and restore Alfred's home to normal.

The Secret Collector by Abigail Johnson is one of those stories that will tug at your heartstrings. It features characters at the opposite ends of the age spectrum, elderly Alfred and teenager Kian, who are forced to work together, a situation neither wants nor likes.

The book is set in 1999 and Alfred lives alone, his wife died five years before and he's estranged from his daughter. Alfred is a bit of a recluse, he doesn't want to get to know his neighbours, and his only interest is adding to his growing mountain of unusual objects. He collects things other people throw away, not because they're valuable but for their "beauty, uniqueness or even an imagined past". As soon as I started reading Abigail Johnson's description of Alfred my mind immediately thought of the 1999 TV series Life Of Grime and elderly Mr Trebus. 

Seventeen-year-old Kian is the other main character. He's been raised in care for most of his life but now lives alone while his young brother, Dan, remains in foster care. Kian has no job and no prospects, the only things he cares about are getting custody of Dan when he turns eighteen and getting drunk with his friends. It's following a drinking session that the lives of Kian and Alfred collide when Kian throws bricks through Alfred's window, causing Alfred to have a heart attack.

It is decided that restorative justice needs to happen, with Kian helping Alfred clear out the junk in his house. Alfred is opposed to this but realises it's the only way of getting the social worker who seems determined to consign him to a care home off his back. Neither of the pair is happy and a battle of wills ensues, it becomes an immovable object against an unstoppable force. As Kian moves stuff into a skip by day, Alfred moves them back into the property at night - and continues to add to the collection. You can really feel Kian's frustration with the situation.

Slowly the pair begin to chip away at each other's rough exterior, realising that they do have some things in common, but it is not an easy road, sometimes it's a case of one step forward then two steps back. Alfred is proud, self-reliant, wily and stubborn, whereas Kian is headstrong, impetuous and has low self-esteem. It is the fact that Kian knows if he doesn't complete his restorative justice programme he will end up in jail and that will put an end to his chances of becoming Dan's guardian that keeps the relationship alive.

The author doesn't shy away from some difficult topics, particularly the reality of siblings in care, and while the ending is uplifting Abigail Johnson avoids waving a magic wand, keeping the overall story grounded and realistic. 

The Secret Collector by Abigail Johnson will be published on 1st April 2025 in ebook format. The paperback and audio versions will be published on 10th April 2025. My thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for a review copy.

Author Details

Abigail Johnson wrote this novel while completing the Curtis Brown Creative three-month novel writing course, where she was tutored by author Laura Barnett. It was longlisted for the 2021 and 2022 Bath Novel Award. Her writing has also been longlisted for the Exeter Novel Award, shortlisted for the 2021 Edinburgh Flash Fiction Award and she was a Friday Night Live finalist at the Festival of Writing in 2017. She lives in Birmingham.

Burn After Reading by Catherine Ryan Howard

 

Five years on from her best-selling debut novel, writer Emily Joyce is struggling to even get started on her second book. When her publishers approach her to ghostwrite a memoir as a means of paying back her debut it looks like all of her problems have been solved until she discovers that Jack Smyth is the subject, the man everyone is convinced is guilty of murdering his wife.

Catherine Ryan Howard is one of those writers who ties your mind in knots, to the extent that once you've finished a book you want to go back to the beginning and spot all the little clues you missed the first time around. Burn After Reading didn't give me quite the same urge as the narrative reveals the hidden story bit by bit as we approach the conclusion.

The book opens with a foreword from the author, giving a brief explanation of how she comes up with some of her ideas. She then explains that O. J. Simpson had a book deal to write a confession, the story of how he committed the murders if he'd actually carried them out. All hypothetical obviously. Such a tantalising opening for a story.

As if the foreword wasn't enough to grab your attention, the terrifying first chapter grips you and doesn't let go. Things slow down a little then, just to give your heart a chance to return to normal, as we meet Emily. Given a two-book deal and a hefty advance on the basis of her first novel, she's struggled to even start the second book. A call from her publishers requesting a meeting fills her with apprehension as she's sure they'll ask for the advance to be returned, money she simply no longer has.

The publishers, however, suggest something different, they'd like her to ghostwrite a memoir of retired athlete Jack Smyth. Jack became famous as a professional cyclist and infamous following the suspicious death of his wife in a house fire eleven months earlier. Everyone is convinced Jack murdered his wife but he's never been charged. Jack wants to give his side of the story, even explain how he hypothetically carried out the murder, and then reveal it's all a work of fiction. Emily is nervous about the whole endeavor but understands it's her only way of clearing the debt she owes the publishers.

What follows is a multi-layered story that fills you with unease, unsure of who can be trusted, who is telling the truth, and what secrets are being hidden. The setting, a new town being constructed on the Florida coast, adds to the creepiness as it is isolated and has no residents, meaning that for a lot of the time Emily is alone with Jack. You constantly get a feeling of being watched, that someone is lurking and not knowing if they are friend or foe. As the tension builds, layers are peeled away and we slowly begin to glimpse the true, horrifying story.

Burn After Reading by Catherine Ryan Howard will be published on 10th April 2025 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Transworld Publishers for a review copy.

Author Details

Catherine Ryan Howard is the author of eight novels including the no. 1 bestsellers The Nothing Man, 56 Days and The Trap. Her work has been shortlisted for the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best Novel, the Crime Writers Association New Blood and Steel Daggers, and Irish Crime Fiction Book of the Year multiple times. The screen adaptation of her lockdown thriller, 56 Days, is currently in production and will debut on Amazon Prime Video this year. She lives in Dublin.