The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell

 

Filming of the latest season of the hugely successful baking competition "Bake Week" is taking place in rural Vermont. As a storm sets in the contestants and hosts are left isolated at Grafton Manor, the location for the show. When a dead body is discovered, the question is who is the murderer?

The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell exceeded my expectations. I really enjoy a cozy crime mystery, and this certainly falls into that genre, but I found the style and writing elevated this to something more.

The opening chapter sets the scene. Grafton Manor, home of the show's host, Betsy Martin, is set in rural Vermont. Betsy is very protective of her home and insists that during filming the only people that can stay in the house are the hosts and the contestants. With a storm raging outside the producer of the show contacts Betsy, asking her to check that the tent where they film the show is secure. It's at this point that a dead body is discovered. In terms of mystery, this opening has everything going for it; a group of strangers, isolation, a huge mansion and a dead body.

The story then jumps back four weeks and we are introduced to the six contestants taking part in the competition. We learn a little about the backgrounds of this very diverse group and the build-up to the start of the competition. Short chapters jump between each of the contestants and the show hosts, Betsy and Archie. The constantly changing narrative gives the story its pace and regularly leaves the reader hanging on a snippet of information as we switch from one character to the next. The more we learn about each character, the more questions that arise. It's obvious that some are hiding secrets.

I must admit that I've never seen a single episode of GBBO, it's just never appealed to me, however, after reading The Golden Spoon I think I might just give it a try. The descriptions of the baking that takes place are mouth-watering. When some of the bakes go disastrously wrong you begin to wonder if a contestant is trying to sabotage the competition or is someone meddling to improve the show's ratings. 

The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell will be published on 14th September 2023 in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph publishers for a review copy.

An Escape To Remember by T. A Williams (Audiobook)

 

Reeling from finding her boyfriend in bed with another woman, Louise takes the opportunity her job offers to head to Italy. Working as a trouble-shooter for a luxury hotel chain, Louise finds herself at the Grand Hotel del Montferato, a rundown hotel with lots of potential.

An Escape To Remember by T. A. Williams is the middle book in the author's Love From Italy series. Reading through the blurb for each book in the series it would appear that the only thing that connects the books is the Italian setting so it is perfectly ok to read these as standalone books.

If you are looking for a nice, gentle romance then this is ideal. Things go pretty much as you would expect, with one or two slight snags in the way. Louise is a career-minded young woman who loves her job, a job that she's very good at. Thankfully her job gives her the chance to run away when she finds her boyfriend with another woman. It is a relief to see the "running away from it all" aspect being a realistic part of the story.

Swearing herself off from romance, we immediately see a range of possible suitors appear for Louise. Firstly, her rich, suave, slightly older boss seems to be dropping hints that he's interested. Arriving at the hotel she meets the former owner, a brooding Italian who has never recovered from the death of his fiance. An old flame, the man she thought was the love of her life but deserted her ten years ago turns up asking for another chance. Things are then made even more complicated when her most recent boyfriend also turns up unexpectedly.

The twists and turns of who Louise will end up with don't offer any real surprises. What makes this a lovely story to listen to is the setting. The Italian countryside sounds beautiful and the people warm and welcoming. The descriptions of the food and wine will have you salivating and your stomach rumbling. As I listened along I felt I could close my eyes and imagine relaxing in warm sunshine after a delicious meal.

An Escape To Remember by T. A. Williams will be published as an audiobook on 10th August 2023. The paperback and ebook are available now. My thanks to NetGalley and Saga Egmont Audio for a review copy.

Kill For Me Kill For You by Steve Cavanagh

 

Amanda White is grieving the loss of her child and husband. Her young daughter was abducted and murdered, feeling responsible her husband committed suicide. Although the police are convinced they know who is responsible, there is insufficient evidence to convict. Amanda is determined to kill the man responsible but is unable to get close enough to him. At a support group for the bereaved, she meets another mother who offers to carry out the murder if Amanda will do the same for her.

Fans of Steve Cavanagh's Eddie Flynn series will know that the author produces gripping, easily read thrillers full of twists; his last book in the series, The Accomplice is a perfect example of this. Knowing this you have a pretty good idea of what to expect from a standalone thriller and Kill For Me Kill For You ticks all the boxes - and more.

The author doesn't shy away from gritty descriptions, however, I felt that the tone of this novel was a lot darker than usual. Some of the details are quite graphic, but it's the mental anguish we learn about that makes this a more somber outing.

There are twists galore. Steve Cavanagh is masterful in the way these are delivered. Just when you think you've figured out what is happening, he delivers another. The pace at which twists appear leaves you reeling and you feel as if you are strapped to a roller-coaster. I really don't want to add much more as that would be edging into spoiler territory. Just know, if you enjoy twisty thrillers then this is the book for you.

The Good Daughter by Laure Van Rensburg

 

When a fire kills a pastor and his wife suspicion falls on their teenage daughter who survived. Abigail has no memory of the three weeks leading up to the fire. As Abigail struggles to remember what happened she begins to question her whole life.

I thoroughly enjoyed Laure Van Rensburg's debut novel, Nobody But Us, last year and was really happy to be given access to a review copy of her new novel, The Good Daughter. The style of the two novels is similar, the reader is unsettled and unable to get a clear understanding of exactly what happened because of the constantly switching narrative. In the first novel Van Rensburg kept switching between the protagonists, this time round we switch time frames.

As the novel opens we learn that there has been a fire on the grounds of a conservative church group. There is evidence that the victims were killed before the fire started so suspicion falls on the daughter, Abigail, who survived. The story then jumps back five weeks and we learn that Abigail started talking to a podcaster who is investigating the church community.

From this point on the story switches between events after the fire and the five weeks leading up to the fire. Early on in the novel we learn that the church community is more like a cult, one in which women are seen as homemakers and mothers and that the outside world is corrupt. As time moves on we see how extreme the members of this group are and the lengths that some of them will go to in order to protect their way of life.

The events leading up to the fire show how Abigail is questioning not only the life she currently lives but also the memories she has as a child before joining the community and being brainwashed. Abigail happily accepted her role within the community, striving to be a "good daughter", never questioning that she would become a wife and mother when her parents decided the time was right. As memories are stirred she questions if everything the church leaders, particularly her father, say is right.

When you first start reading there is an intense feeling, almost claustrophobic. This is reinforced by the almost closed community and the southern setting. As we move through the story the tension builds and you can feel the panic rising in Abigail as she begins to distrust not only those around her but her own memories. There are even times were she feels as if she is going mad because she starts to see things.

The conclusion isn't shocking, enough hints are dropped in the run up to it, however it is satisfying. The novel left me with a feeling of anger more than anything, anger because religion is used by immoral people to control others.

The Good Daughter by Laure Van Rensburg will be published on 3rd August 2023 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph books for a review copy.

The Silent Man by David Fennell

 

A sadistic killer is on the loose in London. In the dead of night, he suffocates his victims by wrapping duct tape around their heads. DI Grace Archer and her team need to track down the killer before he claims any more victims.

The Silent Man by David Fennell is book 3 in the DI Grace Archer series. Fans of the series will enjoy this outing just as much as they did the previous two, however, the author certainly puts your emotions through the wringer this time around.

If all you are interested in is a serial killer thriller then The Silent Man will do the job but if you really want to see how the story-line has developed I implore you to read the previous two books in the series,  The Art Of Death and See No Evil, to gain a greater understanding of the dynamics.

The story picks up shortly after the second book in the series. During the night a killer enters the home of a father and his young son. The intruder immobilises the adult, wraps his head in duct tape and draws a face on the duct tape. The child is left unharmed. The police are puzzled, the only possible motive seems to be jealousy from his ex-wife's new boyfriend. When a second murder takes place under very similar circumstances the police realise they have a serial killer to contend with.

It's the mundane, everyday situations that quickly turn to terror that grip you at the beginning of the novel. It is frightening when you realise how easy it could be for someone to gain entry to your home. 

For me, however, the hunt for the serial killer is not the main part of the story. DI Grace Archer is still dealing with the vendetta against her and her family by Frankie White, the local crime lord. White was responsible for the death of Grace's father and now White blames Grace for the death of his grandson. 

No one close to Grace is safe from harm. There are some extremely tense moments. At one point I was so shocked and numb by the turn of events I wasn't sure if I could read on. I'm really not sure how it's possible to read while covering your eyes!

There are some lighter moments in the story. Trying to hide out from White and his gang leads to Grace staying in her partner's flat. This results in a group of old women becoming lookouts and bodyguards. Their actions and conversations will make you chuckle.

As the serial killer is tracked down there are some more tense moments and we gain an understanding of his motives. All the threads seem to be neatly tied up but author David Fennell can't resist one final gut-wrenching moment.

The Silent Man by David Fennell will be published on 31st August 2023 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for a review copy.

 

The Lie Maker by Linwood Barclay

 

Struggling writer Jack Givins is approached by the US Marshall Service to create back stories for criminals entering the witness protection scheme. At the same time, there are a number of unexplained deaths in the city. Is there a connection to Jack's background?

I remember reading and enjoying some of Linwood Barclay's early novels. I've no idea why I stopped reading them. I'm pleased to say that The Lie Maker has put this author firmly back on my radar.

Jack Givins is a struggling author. He's had two books published, although they didn't set the best-seller chart alight. Unfortunately, his third novel was turned down by publishers. To make ends meet he works as a journalist. Turning up for the first day of his new job, he learns that the position no longer exists. To make matters even worse, his car bursts into flames. When his agent approaches him with a mystery job offer, Jack is skeptical. The job offer is to work for the US Marshall Service writing new backgrounds for the individuals entering the witness protection scheme and pays very well.

I loved the irony here as early on we are given a glimpse of Jack's childhood, when his father abandoned the family to enter witness protection. Although the Marshall Service did a background check on him, this was obviously something they missed, either because they didn't go back far enough or because he changed his surname when his mother re-married. Jack doesn't see any reason to enlighten them, particularly when he's in dire need of the money they offer.

As Jack is starting his new job there are a couple of unexplained deaths. Apart from the manner of the deaths, there seems to be no connection between the two people. Jack's girlfriend, Lana, is a journalist and decides to delve deeper into the deaths, convinced there is a connection.

The more involved Jack becomes, and the deeper Lana digs, we slowly realise that everything is connected to Jack and his father. We are given a glimpse into what led to Jack's father entering witness protection. Deciding to be honest with his boss at the US Marshall Service, he hopes that they will be able to put him in touch with his father. However, his father has disappeared. 

We see a race against time to track down Jack's father and danger from an unexpected source. I enjoyed the way in which all of the different elements of the plot came together in the end.

The Lie Maker by Linwood Barclay will be published on 31st August 2023 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and HQ for a review copy.

The Chain by Adrian McKinty (Audiobook)

 

Rachel is on her way to a doctor's appointment when she receives a disturbing call from a mysterious woman. The woman informs her that she has kidnapped her daughter, Kylie, and unless she follows a strict set of rules her daughter will be killed. One of the rules is that she must kidnap another child.

From the very opening, The Chain by Adrian McKinty is full of tension. You are immediately gripped by the kidnapping of Kylie. The narrator, January Lavoy, conveys both the lack of experience of the kidnappers and the terror they are feeling. When the kidnappers contact Rachel to explain the situation the shock factor is taken to another level. Rachel is told that she is now part of "The Chain" and that to ensure the safe release of her daughter she must pay a ransom and kidnap another child to replace her daughter on "The Chain". 

Rachel is initially skeptical, however, the kidnappers provide sufficient evidence to convince her they have Kylie. They also tell Rachel that if she tries to contact the police, her daughter will be killed. Rachel still has some doubts. It is made very clear that once you are on "The Chain", you are there for good, should someone further down the line break the rules, the consequences could impact on you. All of this adds to the suspense.

This is really about the lengths a parent will go to in order to protect their child. We see how determined and resourceful Rachel is. Alongside this, she also has to struggle with the anguish of knowing that she is about to put another family through the horror she is currently experiencing.

Social media plays an important part in the story-line. In her quest to find a suitable child to kidnap, Rachel uses social media to find appropriate children and discovers how some families give out a vast amount of information regarding their day-to-day lives and schedules. This really should make some people think about how much information they share.

The pace of the story never lets up for a moment. I particularly enjoyed the sections where we learned about the inception of "The Chain", these really did add an extra dimension to the story and made for an enthralling and frantic conclusion.