Kylie's bookshelf: read en-US Sat, 28 Sep 2024 13:32:13 -0700 60 Kylie's bookshelf: read 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Perfect Liars 41059430
For fans of The Girlfriend and Liane Moriarty as well as TV hits Doctor Foster and The Replacement.

Sixteen years ago, at an elite boarding school secluded in the English countryside, best friends Nancy, Georgia and Lila did something unspeakable.

Their secret forged an unbreakable bond between them, a bond of silence. But now, in their thirties, one of them wants to talk.

One word and everything could be their lives, their careers, their relationships. It's up to Georgia to call a crisis dinner. - she knows there's nothing that can't be resolved by three courses in her immaculate kitchen.

But the evening does not go as planned.

Three women walk in to the dinner, but only two will leave.

Murder isn't so difficult the second time around...

Gripping and unputdownable, Perfect Liars tells the story of a group of friends bound by their dark pasts and their desperate need to keep their secrets hidden from the world around them. How far would you go to protect the life you’ve built?]]>
343 Rebecca Reid 1473559812 Kylie 3
This is a story of three school friends, Nancy, Georgia and Lila. It's set both in the past during their school days and in the present, when they all get together at Georgia's house with their significant others for a dinner party. Yet they clearly don't like each other. Georgia and Nancy spend the whole evening sniping and trying to outdo each other, while Lila does what Lila does best, gets plastered. It soon becomes apparent that something from their past is holding the bond together, but what is it? What are they so afraid of that they don't want it to get out? Something really awful has obviously happened during their school days, and it's so terrifying to them that they will stay together through thick and thin to protect themselves, and the privileged lives they have built, from the consequences.

So we follow the story through the dinner party, and with flashbacks to their school days, where the terrible tale slowly unfolds. Unfortunately for me the back story lacked suspense and proved to be in parts predictable and in others had me rolling my eyes in disbelief. The redeeming feature of this book was the dinner party, and the interactions of the characters. It has far more substance as a social commentary than it does as a thriller. Too much alcohol, nasty women and their partners who have no idea about the hidden past all trying to score points against each other was far more entertaining than the poor attempt at psychological suspense. It was an easy, quick read, but didn't quite pull off what is was trying to do.

My thanks to NetGally and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
3.66 2018 Perfect Liars
author: Rebecca Reid
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2018/08/31
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: netgalley-2018, psychological-thriller
review:
"You do realize," he had said to her once, years ago, "that you are actually supposed to like your friends?"

This is a story of three school friends, Nancy, Georgia and Lila. It's set both in the past during their school days and in the present, when they all get together at Georgia's house with their significant others for a dinner party. Yet they clearly don't like each other. Georgia and Nancy spend the whole evening sniping and trying to outdo each other, while Lila does what Lila does best, gets plastered. It soon becomes apparent that something from their past is holding the bond together, but what is it? What are they so afraid of that they don't want it to get out? Something really awful has obviously happened during their school days, and it's so terrifying to them that they will stay together through thick and thin to protect themselves, and the privileged lives they have built, from the consequences.

So we follow the story through the dinner party, and with flashbacks to their school days, where the terrible tale slowly unfolds. Unfortunately for me the back story lacked suspense and proved to be in parts predictable and in others had me rolling my eyes in disbelief. The redeeming feature of this book was the dinner party, and the interactions of the characters. It has far more substance as a social commentary than it does as a thriller. Too much alcohol, nasty women and their partners who have no idea about the hidden past all trying to score points against each other was far more entertaining than the poor attempt at psychological suspense. It was an easy, quick read, but didn't quite pull off what is was trying to do.

My thanks to NetGally and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
]]>
<![CDATA[A Whisker in the Dark (Oyster Cove Guesthouse, #2)]]> 45446944
Discovering the 300-year-old skeleton of shipping tycoon Jedediah Biddeford in the ballroom wall is a big old hassle for Josie Waters, owner of the Oyster Cove Guesthouse. Especially when Biddeford’s descendants turn up, certain that a family legend about treasure buried nearby must be true.

Josie is too busy dreaming up the perfect cake for the Oyster Cove’s 250th anniversary celebration to worry about the Biddeford family – plus half the town – digging up her yard... until one of her guests is murdered in the guesthouse garden.

With worries that her guesthouse will get a reputation for being the kind of place you only leave in a body bag, Josie must put her detective skills to work to find the killer. Lucky for her, Nero and Marlowe and their gang of cat sleuths are also on the case.

From the old wharf, to the town common, to the guesthouse itself with its many nooks and crannies, the cats are sure to sniff out the killer… but can they help Josie stop the person behind the mysterious murder before they strike again?

A fantastic page-turner from a bestselling author, purrfeect for fans of Agatha Christie, Adele Abbott, cat lovers and everyone in between!

Readers absolutely love the Oyster Cove Guesthouse series!]]>
233 Leighann Dobbs 1838880542 Kylie 4 mystery-crime, netgalley-2019
This is the second in the Oyster Cove Guesthouse Mystery series, and it's just as good as the first. Reading this book I couldn't get the smile off my face, but why would I want to? A good, fun, quick read that all lovers of cozy mysteries (and cats!) will enjoy.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

Thank goodness the people of Oyster Cove have Nero and Marlowe, because without these feline sleuths all the wrong people would be arrested for murder! Nero and Marlowe are the resident cats (ahem, owners) of the Oyster Cove Guesthouse, and when yet another of the guests is murdered the intrepid cats and their band of ragtag friends are on the case. Which is just as well, as the local sheriff has no clue, and their owner (ahem, slave) is too stupid to figure out the clues without a little help.

This is the second in the Oyster Cove Guesthouse Mystery series, and it's just as good as the first. Reading this book I couldn't get the smile off my face, but why would I want to? A good, fun, quick read that all lovers of cozy mysteries (and cats!) will enjoy.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
4.30 2019 A Whisker in the Dark (Oyster Cove Guesthouse, #2)
author: Leighann Dobbs
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/07/18
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: mystery-crime, netgalley-2019
review:
Thank goodness the people of Oyster Cove have Nero and Marlowe, because without these feline sleuths all the wrong people would be arrested for murder! Nero and Marlowe are the resident cats (ahem, owners) of the Oyster Cove Guesthouse, and when yet another of the guests is murdered the intrepid cats and their band of ragtag friends are on the case. Which is just as well, as the local sheriff has no clue, and their owner (ahem, slave) is too stupid to figure out the clues without a little help.

This is the second in the Oyster Cove Guesthouse Mystery series, and it's just as good as the first. Reading this book I couldn't get the smile off my face, but why would I want to? A good, fun, quick read that all lovers of cozy mysteries (and cats!) will enjoy.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

Thank goodness the people of Oyster Cove have Nero and Marlowe, because without these feline sleuths all the wrong people would be arrested for murder! Nero and Marlowe are the resident cats (ahem, owners) of the Oyster Cove Guesthouse, and when yet another of the guests is murdered the intrepid cats and their band of ragtag friends are on the case. Which is just as well, as the local sheriff has no clue, and their owner (ahem, slave) is too stupid to figure out the clues without a little help.

This is the second in the Oyster Cove Guesthouse Mystery series, and it's just as good as the first. Reading this book I couldn't get the smile off my face, but why would I want to? A good, fun, quick read that all lovers of cozy mysteries (and cats!) will enjoy.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
]]>
<![CDATA[Darkness on the Fens (DI Nikki Galena, #10)]]> 52456853 A serial killer on a poisonous mission pushes Nikki and her team to their breaking point

Revellers are flocking into Greenborough for the yearly Dark Greenborough Festival, a three-day event celebrating local folklore, superstition and the darker side of life.

What the public doesn’t know is that there has been a warning sent to the police, saying that Greenborough will be a very dangerous place this year. The anonymous letter ends with the Latin phrase, Mors certa, hora incerta: Death is certain, the hour uncertain.

DI Nikki Galena and her team soon discover this is no hoax, as people start dying from what appears to be alcoholic poisoning. Things rapidly escalate, and as the deaths get more horrific, Nikki realises they have a serial killer in their midst.

A nightmare hunt for a killer during their busiest time of the year.]]>
344 Joy Ellis 178931142X Kylie 4 mystery-crime, netgalley-2019
Unfortunately this is only the start of the trouble. Things escalate, more people die and Nikki, Joseph and the team are under all sorts of pressure to catch a killer who is causing havoc with the festival.

There's just so much I like about this series. I love the characters and their ongoing developing stories. The often spooky fenland setting really sets the scene, though this book is mainly set in the town. The crimes themselves are always interesting reads, often leaving you guessing until late in the book. I really do recommend this series to all lovers of crime fiction.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

Gee I enjoy this series, it has everything you could want in a police procedural. This is the tenth installment of the Nikki Galena series, and the Dark Greenborough Festival is in town. All sorts of weirdos abound during this festival, dressing up is the norm and there's a plethora of spooky tours and goings on to choose from. So Nikki and her sidekicks have their work cut out for them when people start dying from some bootlegged alcohol.

Unfortunately this is only the start of the trouble. Things escalate, more people die and Nikki, Joseph and the team are under all sorts of pressure to catch a killer who is causing havoc with the festival.

There's just so much I like about this series. I love the characters and their ongoing developing stories. The often spooky fenland setting really sets the scene, though this book is mainly set in the town. The crimes themselves are always interesting reads, often leaving you guessing until late in the book. I really do recommend this series to all lovers of crime fiction.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
4.35 2019 Darkness on the Fens (DI Nikki Galena, #10)
author: Joy Ellis
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/07/15
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: mystery-crime, netgalley-2019
review:
Gee I enjoy this series, it has everything you could want in a police procedural. This is the tenth installment of the Nikki Galena series, and the Dark Greenborough Festival is in town. All sorts of weirdos abound during this festival, dressing up is the norm and there's a plethora of spooky tours and goings on to choose from. So Nikki and her sidekicks have their work cut out for them when people start dying from some bootlegged alcohol.

Unfortunately this is only the start of the trouble. Things escalate, more people die and Nikki, Joseph and the team are under all sorts of pressure to catch a killer who is causing havoc with the festival.

There's just so much I like about this series. I love the characters and their ongoing developing stories. The often spooky fenland setting really sets the scene, though this book is mainly set in the town. The crimes themselves are always interesting reads, often leaving you guessing until late in the book. I really do recommend this series to all lovers of crime fiction.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

Gee I enjoy this series, it has everything you could want in a police procedural. This is the tenth installment of the Nikki Galena series, and the Dark Greenborough Festival is in town. All sorts of weirdos abound during this festival, dressing up is the norm and there's a plethora of spooky tours and goings on to choose from. So Nikki and her sidekicks have their work cut out for them when people start dying from some bootlegged alcohol.

Unfortunately this is only the start of the trouble. Things escalate, more people die and Nikki, Joseph and the team are under all sorts of pressure to catch a killer who is causing havoc with the festival.

There's just so much I like about this series. I love the characters and their ongoing developing stories. The often spooky fenland setting really sets the scene, though this book is mainly set in the town. The crimes themselves are always interesting reads, often leaving you guessing until late in the book. I really do recommend this series to all lovers of crime fiction.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
]]>
<![CDATA[Murder on a Mississippi Steamboat]]> 52330390 FROM THE NINE-TIMES USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE MYSTIC NOTCH SERIES.

Nora elbowed her way up to the railing and looked down. The paddle wheel was making its last turn, dredging up a mass of turquoise chiffon made almost transparent by the water. A hand, its red lacquered fingernails a contrast to the pale white skin, stuck up from a bejeweled cuff…

A relaxing cruise down the Mississippi on the Miss Delta Belle steamboat turns to tragedy when celebrity Delilah Dove falls from the deck and is swallowed by the river faster than you can say ‘man overboard!’

It’s touted as a tragic accident, but guests Miss Nora Marsh and her wily great-aunt Julia know a murder when they see one. Can they get justice for Delilah and crack the case without alerting the murderer to their suspicions?

As Nora and Julia hunt for clues it emerges that nearly everyone had a reason to want Delilah dead. And that’s bad news for the two sleuths—who want to solve the case pronto, before Mississippi police chief and Aunt Julia’s nemesis Artemis Leonard comes on board at the next port to launch the official investigation. She’s not letting him get the credit if she can help it.

With multiple suspects and a series of mysterious thefts onboard—not to mention the distractingly handsome Max Lawton turning Nora’s head—this is shaping up to be one tough case to crack. What started as a gentle river voyage is far from plain sailing.

A fun and lively 1920s murder mystery from bestselling author Leighann Dobbs, perfect for fans of T E Kinsey and Lee Strauss.

Readers love Leighann
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This was soooooo good!… No doubt about this was one of THE best cozies out there. Such fun… I can honestly say I was totally stunned at whodunitI loved everything about this book.” 카지노싸이트 reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A very well-crafted enjoyable mystery with a pleasing conclusion. I love the (Agatha Christie) feel to the mystery with the treasure hunt and the two murders… Very well done.” NetGalley reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Oh, I loved this book. It was so much fun!… This book is precious and I loved reading every minute.” 카지노싸이트 Reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “If you're a cozy fan, then Leighann Dobbs is probably already on your radar. What I'm recommending is move her from your radar and into your reading shelf, because all of her mysteries are just so good!” 카지노싸이트 reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Just so good!… I really liked the mystery… A must read for cozy loversYou won't regret it! Five stars.” 카지노싸이트 Reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Just brilliant! Funny and wonderful, a fast paced, delightful read. I really enjoyed this book. Five well deserved stars. Highly recommended to everyone.]]>
190 Leighann Dobbs 1838886710 Kylie 3
There are several suspicious characters on board, and in true cozy style Julia and Nora suspect all of them at one stage or another. As quite a few passengers are hiding secrets Julia has her work cut out for her to get to the bottom of the mystery, but get there she does, with a final Agatha Christie style denouement.

Murder On A Mississippi Steamboat is a quick and easy read, and while I did enjoy it never did I find myself totally absorbed by it. With the exception of Julia the characters are forgettable, and the plot wasn't particularly gripping. So while this was an okay read on a quiet afternoon, I doubt I would read any follow up novel.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

I was happy to pick up a copy of this book, as I love the author's Oyster Cove Guesthouse series, however I didn't find this book nearly as engaging as that series. Set in 1926, mystery author Julia Marsh is on a four day cruise on a paddle steamer with her great-niece Nora when sometime during the night they are woken by screams. They rush out to find the steamboat's singer Delilah dead. At first everyone thinks it's an accident, however the wily Julia knows better, and implores the steamboat's owner to let her investigate.

There are several suspicious characters on board, and in true cozy style Julia and Nora suspect all of them at one stage or another. As quite a few passengers are hiding secrets Julia has her work cut out for her to get to the bottom of the mystery, but get there she does, with a final Agatha Christie style denouement.

Murder On A Mississippi Steamboat is a quick and easy read, and while I did enjoy it never did I find myself totally absorbed by it. With the exception of Julia the characters are forgettable, and the plot wasn't particularly gripping. So while this was an okay read on a quiet afternoon, I doubt I would read any follow up novel.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
4.04 2020 Murder on a Mississippi Steamboat
author: Leighann Dobbs
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/06/02
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: annual-challenges, historical-fiction, netgalley-2020, seasonal-challenges
review:
I was happy to pick up a copy of this book, as I love the author's Oyster Cove Guesthouse series, however I didn't find this book nearly as engaging as that series. Set in 1926, mystery author Julia Marsh is on a four day cruise on a paddle steamer with her great-niece Nora when sometime during the night they are woken by screams. They rush out to find the steamboat's singer Delilah dead. At first everyone thinks it's an accident, however the wily Julia knows better, and implores the steamboat's owner to let her investigate.

There are several suspicious characters on board, and in true cozy style Julia and Nora suspect all of them at one stage or another. As quite a few passengers are hiding secrets Julia has her work cut out for her to get to the bottom of the mystery, but get there she does, with a final Agatha Christie style denouement.

Murder On A Mississippi Steamboat is a quick and easy read, and while I did enjoy it never did I find myself totally absorbed by it. With the exception of Julia the characters are forgettable, and the plot wasn't particularly gripping. So while this was an okay read on a quiet afternoon, I doubt I would read any follow up novel.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

I was happy to pick up a copy of this book, as I love the author's Oyster Cove Guesthouse series, however I didn't find this book nearly as engaging as that series. Set in 1926, mystery author Julia Marsh is on a four day cruise on a paddle steamer with her great-niece Nora when sometime during the night they are woken by screams. They rush out to find the steamboat's singer Delilah dead. At first everyone thinks it's an accident, however the wily Julia knows better, and implores the steamboat's owner to let her investigate.

There are several suspicious characters on board, and in true cozy style Julia and Nora suspect all of them at one stage or another. As quite a few passengers are hiding secrets Julia has her work cut out for her to get to the bottom of the mystery, but get there she does, with a final Agatha Christie style denouement.

Murder On A Mississippi Steamboat is a quick and easy read, and while I did enjoy it never did I find myself totally absorbed by it. With the exception of Julia the characters are forgettable, and the plot wasn't particularly gripping. So while this was an okay read on a quiet afternoon, I doubt I would read any follow up novel.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
]]>
A Testament to Murder 43446513 Suspenseful from the first page to the last, A Testament to Murder is perfect for fans of And Then There Were None, Murder on the Orient Express, and Crooked House

A dying billionaire. Nine would-be heirs. But only one will take the prize...

At the lush Villa Calypso on the French Riviera, a dying billionaire launches a devious plan: at midnight each day he appoints a new heir to his vast fortune. If he dies within 24 hours, that person takes it all. If not, their chance is gone forever.

Yet these are no ordinary beneficiaries, these men who crossed him, women who deceived him, and distant relations intent on reclaiming the family fortune. All are determined to lend death a hand and outwit their rivals in pursuit of the prize.

As tensions mount with every passing second, retired Scotland Yard investigator Jasper must stay two steps ahead of every player if he hopes to prevent the billionaire’s devious game from becoming a testament to murder…]]>
221 Vivian Conroy Kylie 4
Next door neighbour Jasper, a former Inspector from Scotland Yard, is on hand to witness the following mayhem as the gathered frenemies all try to one up each other with their greed. Then a body is found, and Jasper then has to piece together what happened from the lies and cover ups from those with much to hide...and gain!

A book full of nasty characters, but you can't help but smile at their antics. I'm sure Jasper would have like to have locked them all up at one stage or other. All are self serving, and have trouble trying to hide it, and it lends an air of distrust between them all.

All in all this is a fun book, leading up to a final Agatha Christie-like denouement, which possibly went on a little too long, but I can honestly say I had no idea at all who the killer was, or the reasons for it. I believe it is to become a series, so I'll have to look out for the next installment. Recommended for lovers of Historical Mysteries.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

An intriguing mystery, set in the 1920s, with an interesting premise. Malcolm, a wealthy old man is dying, and with no immediate relatives he invites several distant relatives and former and current employees to his bedside at his Villa in the South of France. He then announces that he will change his will at midnight every night to a different inheritor, but not announce who it is, until the day he dies and the person listed inherits everything. So let the fun begin...

Next door neighbour Jasper, a former Inspector from Scotland Yard, is on hand to witness the following mayhem as the gathered frenemies all try to one up each other with their greed. Then a body is found, and Jasper then has to piece together what happened from the lies and cover ups from those with much to hide...and gain!

A book full of nasty characters, but you can't help but smile at their antics. I'm sure Jasper would have like to have locked them all up at one stage or other. All are self serving, and have trouble trying to hide it, and it lends an air of distrust between them all.

All in all this is a fun book, leading up to a final Agatha Christie-like denouement, which possibly went on a little too long, but I can honestly say I had no idea at all who the killer was, or the reasons for it. I believe it is to become a series, so I'll have to look out for the next installment. Recommended for lovers of Historical Mysteries.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
3.63 2019 A Testament to Murder
author: Vivian Conroy
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/02/13
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves: annual-challenges, monthly-challenges, historical-fiction, mystery-crime, netgalley-2019
review:
An intriguing mystery, set in the 1920s, with an interesting premise. Malcolm, a wealthy old man is dying, and with no immediate relatives he invites several distant relatives and former and current employees to his bedside at his Villa in the South of France. He then announces that he will change his will at midnight every night to a different inheritor, but not announce who it is, until the day he dies and the person listed inherits everything. So let the fun begin...

Next door neighbour Jasper, a former Inspector from Scotland Yard, is on hand to witness the following mayhem as the gathered frenemies all try to one up each other with their greed. Then a body is found, and Jasper then has to piece together what happened from the lies and cover ups from those with much to hide...and gain!

A book full of nasty characters, but you can't help but smile at their antics. I'm sure Jasper would have like to have locked them all up at one stage or other. All are self serving, and have trouble trying to hide it, and it lends an air of distrust between them all.

All in all this is a fun book, leading up to a final Agatha Christie-like denouement, which possibly went on a little too long, but I can honestly say I had no idea at all who the killer was, or the reasons for it. I believe it is to become a series, so I'll have to look out for the next installment. Recommended for lovers of Historical Mysteries.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

An intriguing mystery, set in the 1920s, with an interesting premise. Malcolm, a wealthy old man is dying, and with no immediate relatives he invites several distant relatives and former and current employees to his bedside at his Villa in the South of France. He then announces that he will change his will at midnight every night to a different inheritor, but not announce who it is, until the day he dies and the person listed inherits everything. So let the fun begin...

Next door neighbour Jasper, a former Inspector from Scotland Yard, is on hand to witness the following mayhem as the gathered frenemies all try to one up each other with their greed. Then a body is found, and Jasper then has to piece together what happened from the lies and cover ups from those with much to hide...and gain!

A book full of nasty characters, but you can't help but smile at their antics. I'm sure Jasper would have like to have locked them all up at one stage or other. All are self serving, and have trouble trying to hide it, and it lends an air of distrust between them all.

All in all this is a fun book, leading up to a final Agatha Christie-like denouement, which possibly went on a little too long, but I can honestly say I had no idea at all who the killer was, or the reasons for it. I believe it is to become a series, so I'll have to look out for the next installment. Recommended for lovers of Historical Mysteries.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
]]>
The Spite Game 42405639
Mercilessly bullied in high school, Ava knows she needs to put the past behind her and move on, but she can’t — not until she’s exacted precise, catastrophic revenge on the people who hurt her the most.

First, she watches Saanvi. Flawlessly chic and working hard at a top architectural firm, Saanvi has it all together on the surface. But everyone does bad things when they think no one is watching and Ava only wants what’s fair — to destroy Saanvi’s life the way her own was destroyed.

Next, she watches Cass. She’s there as Cass tries on wedding dresses, she’s there when Cass picks out a cake, she’s there when Cass betrays her fiancé. She’s the reason Cass’s entire future comes crashing down.

Finally, Ava watches Mel. Mel was always the ringleader and if anyone has to pay, it’s her. But one tiny slipup and Ava realises the Mel knows she’s being watched, and she’s ready to play Ava’s games to the bitter end.



PRAISE

'A story of high school grudges and revenge wrapped up as a crime thriller, Snoekstra's latest will appeal to fans of The Trap and Gone Girl.' - Books + Publishing

'The Spite Game by Anna Snoekstra is a clever, gripping tale of the demons that we carry throughout our lives, and the damage they can cause if we fail to let them go. ' - Better Reading]]>
319 Anna Snoekstra 1489270639 Kylie 4
I really enjoyed this book, coming fully invested in Ava's little games. It jumps around a bit, which can be a bit disconcerting, but this doesn't ultimately distract from overall gratification. It's not totally polished, but then, being from Ava's point of view it shouldn't be. She's a flawed character, not really likeable, but her story drags you in. If you like psychological dramas from an imperfect characters point of view, this book might suit you.

3.5 stars rounded up.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
3.82 2018 The Spite Game
author: Anna Snoekstra
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2018/10/28
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves: netgalley-2018, aussie-author, psychological-thriller, monthly-challenges
review:
Well, that was an interesting book! Ava was bullied in high school by her "friends" and slowly, over the years, she's determined to get revenge for herself, make them pay. It starts off with little things, just to throw them, but it starts to escalate into something a lot more. And then there's no going back...

I really enjoyed this book, coming fully invested in Ava's little games. It jumps around a bit, which can be a bit disconcerting, but this doesn't ultimately distract from overall gratification. It's not totally polished, but then, being from Ava's point of view it shouldn't be. She's a flawed character, not really likeable, but her story drags you in. If you like psychological dramas from an imperfect characters point of view, this book might suit you.

3.5 stars rounded up.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
]]>
Our Little Lies 41040396 How far would you go to protect your perfect life?

Marianne has a life others dream of. A beautiful townhouse on the best street in the neighbourhood. Three bright children who are her pride and joy.

Sometimes her past still hurts: losing her mother early, growing up in foster care. But her husband, Simon, is always there. A successful surgeon, he’s the envy of every woman they’ve ever met. Flowers, gifts, trips to France: nothing is too good for his family.

Then Simon says another woman’s name. The way he lingers on it, Caroline , gives Marianne a shudder of suspicion, but she knows it’s nothing – she can’t entertain this flash of paranoia.

In the old days, she’d have distracted herself by excelling at work, but Marianne left her glamorous career when she married. She’d speak to a friend, but she’s too busy with her children and besides, Simon doesn’t approve of the few she has left.

It’s almost by accident that Marianne starts to learn more about Caroline. But once started, she can’t stop, because what she finds makes her wonder: is the question she should be asking not ‘should she be jealous’, but... ‘should she be scared?’]]>
318 Sue Watson 1786817497 Kylie 3
I honestly found it hard to get into this book. The leadup, showing us how Simon was abusive, was too drawn out, ending up taking over half the book, and became rather monotonous and, well, boring. I ended up skimming through a lot of this part as it was just the same repetitive thing over and over. When things did finally get interesting the book improved, however I still found myself predicting the twists before they happened. It's not a bad book by any means, just a little too drawn out and predictable.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

An ok thriller that sees Marianne have a seemingly perfect life, gorgeous surgeon husband, 3 fantastic children and a beautiful house and lifestyle. However, behind closed doors Marianne's husband Simon is abusive. He is controlling, and he bullies and humiliates her. He's had her committed for her mental health previously, and loves nothing more than to make life a living hell for Marianne. Then one day Simon mentions a woman he works with, Caroline, and Marianne is suddenly convinced he's having an affair with this woman, after all he's done it before. Hasn't he?

I honestly found it hard to get into this book. The leadup, showing us how Simon was abusive, was too drawn out, ending up taking over half the book, and became rather monotonous and, well, boring. I ended up skimming through a lot of this part as it was just the same repetitive thing over and over. When things did finally get interesting the book improved, however I still found myself predicting the twists before they happened. It's not a bad book by any means, just a little too drawn out and predictable.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
3.73 2018 Our Little Lies
author: Sue Watson
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2018/10/09
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves: psychological-thriller, netgalley-2018, monthly-challenges
review:
An ok thriller that sees Marianne have a seemingly perfect life, gorgeous surgeon husband, 3 fantastic children and a beautiful house and lifestyle. However, behind closed doors Marianne's husband Simon is abusive. He is controlling, and he bullies and humiliates her. He's had her committed for her mental health previously, and loves nothing more than to make life a living hell for Marianne. Then one day Simon mentions a woman he works with, Caroline, and Marianne is suddenly convinced he's having an affair with this woman, after all he's done it before. Hasn't he?

I honestly found it hard to get into this book. The leadup, showing us how Simon was abusive, was too drawn out, ending up taking over half the book, and became rather monotonous and, well, boring. I ended up skimming through a lot of this part as it was just the same repetitive thing over and over. When things did finally get interesting the book improved, however I still found myself predicting the twists before they happened. It's not a bad book by any means, just a little too drawn out and predictable.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

An ok thriller that sees Marianne have a seemingly perfect life, gorgeous surgeon husband, 3 fantastic children and a beautiful house and lifestyle. However, behind closed doors Marianne's husband Simon is abusive. He is controlling, and he bullies and humiliates her. He's had her committed for her mental health previously, and loves nothing more than to make life a living hell for Marianne. Then one day Simon mentions a woman he works with, Caroline, and Marianne is suddenly convinced he's having an affair with this woman, after all he's done it before. Hasn't he?

I honestly found it hard to get into this book. The leadup, showing us how Simon was abusive, was too drawn out, ending up taking over half the book, and became rather monotonous and, well, boring. I ended up skimming through a lot of this part as it was just the same repetitive thing over and over. When things did finally get interesting the book improved, however I still found myself predicting the twists before they happened. It's not a bad book by any means, just a little too drawn out and predictable.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
]]>
Hangman (Timothy Blake, #1) 37547529
Enter Timothy Blake, codename Hangman. Blake is a genius, known for solving impossible cases. He's also a sociopath - the FBI's last resort.

But this time Blake might have met his match. The kidnapper is more cunning and ruthless than anyone he's faced before. And Blake has been assigned a new partner, a woman linked to the past he's so desperate to forget.

Timothy Blake has a secret, one so dark he will do anything to keep it hidden.

And he also has a price. Every time he saves a life, he takes one…

Already sold into five territories, Hangman is a mesmerising dissection of the criminal mind and a bulletproof thriller.]]>
384 Jack Heath 1760633879 Kylie 4
Timothy Blake is a consultant for the FBI in Houston, Texas. Smart and observant, he is an expert at finding kidnapped victims. This time he is called in after the kidnapping of a fourteen year old boy, but everything is not as it seems, and Timothy is pulled into a confusing web that even he gets lost in. And during it all Timothy is nursing a dark, dark secret...

Prepare yourselves for a rollercoaster ride like no other. Hangman is an amazing, original thriller, and Timothy Blake is like no other character you've ever met before. I could easily find myself addicted to this series. Highly recommended.]]>
3.89 2018 Hangman (Timothy Blake, #1)
author: Jack Heath
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2019/03/02
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves: annual-challenges, aussie-author, monthly-challenges, mystery-crime, seasonal-challenges
review:
OMG! What a cracker of a book.

Timothy Blake is a consultant for the FBI in Houston, Texas. Smart and observant, he is an expert at finding kidnapped victims. This time he is called in after the kidnapping of a fourteen year old boy, but everything is not as it seems, and Timothy is pulled into a confusing web that even he gets lost in. And during it all Timothy is nursing a dark, dark secret...

Prepare yourselves for a rollercoaster ride like no other. Hangman is an amazing, original thriller, and Timothy Blake is like no other character you've ever met before. I could easily find myself addicted to this series. Highly recommended.
]]>
The Lost Tomb 53111938 For eight hundred years, the Descendants have worked in secret, putting the pieces in place to fulfill the prophecy made by Genghis Khan on his deathbed—a unified empire spanning the entire globe.

Now they just need one more piece…

Head of an elite anti-terrorist unit, Major Noah Blakeley is hunting for the clandestine organization he believes to be at the center of a spate of seemingly random acts of terror. When his ex-wife is killed while on an archaeological expedition to Mongolia, closely followed by an attempt on his life, Noah finds himself hurled into a world where the lines between historical research and present-day terrorism are blurred. To discover the answers, Noah must trace his wife’s final footsteps and beyond.

But nothing and no one is what they seem, and as the puzzle pieces click into place, Noah finds himself embroiled in an ancient feud that threatens to change the world forever...

]]>
282 N.J. Croft 1640639160 Kylie 4
I really enjoyed this book, great characters, an interesting plot line, and a faction intent on taking over the world, what's not to like? With many twists and turns, this book will keep you glued to the pages, the hallmark of a good thriller. I'll be looking out for the next book in the series, and I have no hesitation in recommending it to lovers of adventure thrillers.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

An exciting adventure read, The Lost Tomb follows on from the prequel novella The Lost Spear. Terrorist hunter Major Noah Blakeley is shattered when notified of his ex-wife's death. An archaeologist, Eve was searching for the lost tomb of Genghis Khan when she died in a plane crash, and Noah is not convinced it was an accident. With the help of a computer expert that was on the case with Eve, Noah traces her route through Russia to Mongolia, looking for the people that murdered her. Noah finds that nothing is as it seems, and doesn't know who he can trust. As things escalate Noah finds her death is linked to terrorist activity, and something huge is about to go down.

I really enjoyed this book, great characters, an interesting plot line, and a faction intent on taking over the world, what's not to like? With many twists and turns, this book will keep you glued to the pages, the hallmark of a good thriller. I'll be looking out for the next book in the series, and I have no hesitation in recommending it to lovers of adventure thrillers.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
4.38 The Lost Tomb
author: N.J. Croft
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.38
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2020/03/22
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves: action-adventure, annual-challenges, netgalley-2020
review:
An exciting adventure read, The Lost Tomb follows on from the prequel novella The Lost Spear. Terrorist hunter Major Noah Blakeley is shattered when notified of his ex-wife's death. An archaeologist, Eve was searching for the lost tomb of Genghis Khan when she died in a plane crash, and Noah is not convinced it was an accident. With the help of a computer expert that was on the case with Eve, Noah traces her route through Russia to Mongolia, looking for the people that murdered her. Noah finds that nothing is as it seems, and doesn't know who he can trust. As things escalate Noah finds her death is linked to terrorist activity, and something huge is about to go down.

I really enjoyed this book, great characters, an interesting plot line, and a faction intent on taking over the world, what's not to like? With many twists and turns, this book will keep you glued to the pages, the hallmark of a good thriller. I'll be looking out for the next book in the series, and I have no hesitation in recommending it to lovers of adventure thrillers.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

An exciting adventure read, The Lost Tomb follows on from the prequel novella The Lost Spear. Terrorist hunter Major Noah Blakeley is shattered when notified of his ex-wife's death. An archaeologist, Eve was searching for the lost tomb of Genghis Khan when she died in a plane crash, and Noah is not convinced it was an accident. With the help of a computer expert that was on the case with Eve, Noah traces her route through Russia to Mongolia, looking for the people that murdered her. Noah finds that nothing is as it seems, and doesn't know who he can trust. As things escalate Noah finds her death is linked to terrorist activity, and something huge is about to go down.

I really enjoyed this book, great characters, an interesting plot line, and a faction intent on taking over the world, what's not to like? With many twists and turns, this book will keep you glued to the pages, the hallmark of a good thriller. I'll be looking out for the next book in the series, and I have no hesitation in recommending it to lovers of adventure thrillers.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
]]>
The Boy in the Photo 44779433 She becomes aware of the silence at the other end of the line. A prickling sensation crawls up her arms, her heart rate speeds up. ‘Found who?’ she asks, slowly, carefully, deliberately.
‘They found Daniel.’

Six years ago

Megan waits at the school gates for her six-year-old son, Daniel. As children come and go, the playground emptying, panic bubbles inside her. Daniel is nowhere to be found.

According to his teacher, Daniel’s father, Greg, has picked up his son. Except Greg and Megan are no longer together. After years of being controlled by her cruel husband, Megan has finally found the courage to divorce him. Hands trembling, she dials his number, but the line is dead.

Six years later

Megan is feeding baby daughter, Evie, when she gets the call she has dreamt about for years. Daniel has walked into a police station in a remote town just a few miles away. Her son is alive – and he’s coming home.

But their joyful family reunion does not go to plan. His room may have been frozen in time, with his Cookie Monster poster and stack of Lego under the bed, but Daniel is no longer the sweet little boy Megan remembers.

Cold and distant, Daniel is grieving the death of his father, blaming Megan for his loss and rejecting his family. And as Megan struggles to connect with the son she no longer recognises as her own, she begins to realise that Daniel has a secret. A secret that could destroy their family and put them in terrible danger.

A heartbreaking, emotional drama about a family in turmoil, with a jaw-dropping twist that will blow you away. Fans of Jodi Picoult, Liane Moriarty and Lisa Wingate – this moving and poignant novel is for you.]]>
334 Nicole Trope 1786818647 Kylie 3
Megan has been looking for her son Daniel ever since he wasn't there when she went to pick him up from school. There is no trace of him, or her ex-husband. Her media and online appeals have come to nothing. Then one day she gets the call, Daniel has been found. Her relief and excitement are soon tempered by the realisation that Daniel is no longer the happy child she once knew. He is traumatised and damaged, having been fed a pack of lies by her now deceased ex. Daniel is uncommunicative and distant, though he shows glimpses of the child he once was. She knows Daniel knows more about his fathers death than he is letting on, but doesn't realise that his secret could well destroy the whole family!

I did enjoy this book. It was quick and easy to read. However I really failed to connect fully with the characters, and found the plotline predictable. It was clear what was going on very early in the piece, and therefore there were no surprises in it for me. I like a thriller with twists and turns I don't see coming, and sadly, for me, that wasn't this book.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

What would you do if your abusive ex-husband stole your son? What if you couldn't find him for years? What do you do when suddenly, six years later, he turns up?

Megan has been looking for her son Daniel ever since he wasn't there when she went to pick him up from school. There is no trace of him, or her ex-husband. Her media and online appeals have come to nothing. Then one day she gets the call, Daniel has been found. Her relief and excitement are soon tempered by the realisation that Daniel is no longer the happy child she once knew. He is traumatised and damaged, having been fed a pack of lies by her now deceased ex. Daniel is uncommunicative and distant, though he shows glimpses of the child he once was. She knows Daniel knows more about his fathers death than he is letting on, but doesn't realise that his secret could well destroy the whole family!

I did enjoy this book. It was quick and easy to read. However I really failed to connect fully with the characters, and found the plotline predictable. It was clear what was going on very early in the piece, and therefore there were no surprises in it for me. I like a thriller with twists and turns I don't see coming, and sadly, for me, that wasn't this book.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
4.10 2019 The Boy in the Photo
author: Nicole Trope
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2019/06/29
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves: aussie-author, netgalley-2019, psychological-thriller, seasonal-challenges
review:
What would you do if your abusive ex-husband stole your son? What if you couldn't find him for years? What do you do when suddenly, six years later, he turns up?

Megan has been looking for her son Daniel ever since he wasn't there when she went to pick him up from school. There is no trace of him, or her ex-husband. Her media and online appeals have come to nothing. Then one day she gets the call, Daniel has been found. Her relief and excitement are soon tempered by the realisation that Daniel is no longer the happy child she once knew. He is traumatised and damaged, having been fed a pack of lies by her now deceased ex. Daniel is uncommunicative and distant, though he shows glimpses of the child he once was. She knows Daniel knows more about his fathers death than he is letting on, but doesn't realise that his secret could well destroy the whole family!

I did enjoy this book. It was quick and easy to read. However I really failed to connect fully with the characters, and found the plotline predictable. It was clear what was going on very early in the piece, and therefore there were no surprises in it for me. I like a thriller with twists and turns I don't see coming, and sadly, for me, that wasn't this book.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

What would you do if your abusive ex-husband stole your son? What if you couldn't find him for years? What do you do when suddenly, six years later, he turns up?

Megan has been looking for her son Daniel ever since he wasn't there when she went to pick him up from school. There is no trace of him, or her ex-husband. Her media and online appeals have come to nothing. Then one day she gets the call, Daniel has been found. Her relief and excitement are soon tempered by the realisation that Daniel is no longer the happy child she once knew. He is traumatised and damaged, having been fed a pack of lies by her now deceased ex. Daniel is uncommunicative and distant, though he shows glimpses of the child he once was. She knows Daniel knows more about his fathers death than he is letting on, but doesn't realise that his secret could well destroy the whole family!

I did enjoy this book. It was quick and easy to read. However I really failed to connect fully with the characters, and found the plotline predictable. It was clear what was going on very early in the piece, and therefore there were no surprises in it for me. I like a thriller with twists and turns I don't see coming, and sadly, for me, that wasn't this book.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
]]>
Under The Spanish Stars 28633292
But the mystery surrounding the painting deepens, reaching back in time to the war-torn Spain of the 1940s and Charlotte discovers her grandmother’s connection to the Spanish underground. Who is her grandmother, really? What is Mateo’s connection to her family history? And why is finding answers to a family mystery turning into a journey of self-discovery for Charlotte?

Weighed down by secrets, betrayals and shattered relationships, Charlotte finds herself questioning the true meaning of heritage, family and love.
]]>
324 Alli Sinclair 1760374180 Kylie 5
We have workaholic Charlotte travelling to Spain for her ailing grandmother to look into a painting that was given to her by her father. The painting was unsigned and her gran really wants to solve the mystery of it before she passes. In Spain Charlotte receives help from dashing guitarist Mateo, who introduces to the world of gypsies and flamenco. As the search for the answers to the mystery painting are revealed, Charlotte starts to uncover secrets from her grandmothers past, and ends up finding much more than she bargained for!

This book had me hooked from the start, staying up late into the night to finish it. Charlotte is a refreshing heroine, it was lovely to see the transformation as she realises her life could be so much richer, and I have a bit of a crush on Mateo. Though not my usual genre I'll definitely be reading more of Alli Sinclair's books. Highly recommended.]]>
4.18 Under The Spanish Stars
author: Alli Sinclair
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.18
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2018/07/28
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves: seasonal-challenges, aussie-author, contemporary-fiction
review:
I just loved this novel! It has everything you want in a book, mystery, enchanting setting, handsome stranger!

We have workaholic Charlotte travelling to Spain for her ailing grandmother to look into a painting that was given to her by her father. The painting was unsigned and her gran really wants to solve the mystery of it before she passes. In Spain Charlotte receives help from dashing guitarist Mateo, who introduces to the world of gypsies and flamenco. As the search for the answers to the mystery painting are revealed, Charlotte starts to uncover secrets from her grandmothers past, and ends up finding much more than she bargained for!

This book had me hooked from the start, staying up late into the night to finish it. Charlotte is a refreshing heroine, it was lovely to see the transformation as she realises her life could be so much richer, and I have a bit of a crush on Mateo. Though not my usual genre I'll definitely be reading more of Alli Sinclair's books. Highly recommended.
]]>
<![CDATA[A Purrfect Alibi (The Oyster Cove Guesthouse #3)]]> 51897302
When one of the mediums is found dead with an ominous note nearby, everything points to Jedediah’s ghost being the culprit. Suddenly, Josie finds that the fate of her guesthouse depends on not one murder but two, and she’s not going to rely on a crystal ball for answers. Despite the fact that cookbooks and candlesticks keep mysteriously falling off tables, Josie is sure there’s no such thing as ghosts. But guesthouse cats Nero and Marlowe know better…

Aided by her mom and eccentric family friend Millie, Josie sets out to prove the identity of the killer without summoning any spirits. Luckily Nero and Marlowe know the truth about ghosts, ghouls and things that go bump in the night and they are on the case! Can they make Josie realize she is scratching up the wrong tree before the killer strikes again?

From the bestselling author of the USA Today bestselling Mystic Notch series, purrfect for fans of Adele Abbott, cat lovers and anybody who loves to curl up with a page-turning cozy mystery.]]>
219 Leighann Dobbs 1838881050 Kylie 4
Nero and Marlowe have their work cut out for them this time, so along with their humans, they set about solving the murder in their own inimitable style.

A fabulous series, the Oyster Cove Guesthouse books never fail to entertain. Wonderful characters, a lighthearted manner, and of course, those marvellous cats, you can't help but feel swept along inside the tale. Highly recommended to all lovers of cosy mysteries.

My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

Another wonderful book in the Oyster Cove Guesthouse mystery series, A Purrfect Alibi sees our resident feline sleuths Nero and Marlowe solving the murder of a tarot card reader. Madam Zenda was staying at the guesthouse, along with several other psychics trying to contact the ghost of former guesthouse owner Jedediah Biddeford, when she was murdered. So who murdered her? Was it one of the other psychics? They all seem to be hiding secrets! Or was it the ghost of Jedediah himself?

Nero and Marlowe have their work cut out for them this time, so along with their humans, they set about solving the murder in their own inimitable style.

A fabulous series, the Oyster Cove Guesthouse books never fail to entertain. Wonderful characters, a lighthearted manner, and of course, those marvellous cats, you can't help but feel swept along inside the tale. Highly recommended to all lovers of cosy mysteries.

My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
4.39 2019 A Purrfect Alibi (The Oyster Cove Guesthouse #3)
author: Leighann Dobbs
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/09/10
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves: mystery-crime, netgalley-2019, monthly-challenges, seasonal-challenges
review:
Another wonderful book in the Oyster Cove Guesthouse mystery series, A Purrfect Alibi sees our resident feline sleuths Nero and Marlowe solving the murder of a tarot card reader. Madam Zenda was staying at the guesthouse, along with several other psychics trying to contact the ghost of former guesthouse owner Jedediah Biddeford, when she was murdered. So who murdered her? Was it one of the other psychics? They all seem to be hiding secrets! Or was it the ghost of Jedediah himself?

Nero and Marlowe have their work cut out for them this time, so along with their humans, they set about solving the murder in their own inimitable style.

A fabulous series, the Oyster Cove Guesthouse books never fail to entertain. Wonderful characters, a lighthearted manner, and of course, those marvellous cats, you can't help but feel swept along inside the tale. Highly recommended to all lovers of cosy mysteries.

My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

Another wonderful book in the Oyster Cove Guesthouse mystery series, A Purrfect Alibi sees our resident feline sleuths Nero and Marlowe solving the murder of a tarot card reader. Madam Zenda was staying at the guesthouse, along with several other psychics trying to contact the ghost of former guesthouse owner Jedediah Biddeford, when she was murdered. So who murdered her? Was it one of the other psychics? They all seem to be hiding secrets! Or was it the ghost of Jedediah himself?

Nero and Marlowe have their work cut out for them this time, so along with their humans, they set about solving the murder in their own inimitable style.

A fabulous series, the Oyster Cove Guesthouse books never fail to entertain. Wonderful characters, a lighthearted manner, and of course, those marvellous cats, you can't help but feel swept along inside the tale. Highly recommended to all lovers of cosy mysteries.

My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
]]>
<![CDATA[A Twist in the Tail (The Oyster Cove Guesthouse #1)]]> 44054797 FROM THE AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF THE USA TODAY BESTSELLING MYSTIC NOTCH SERIES…

‘Talk about inconvenient. Not only did I have a dilapidated mansion and no money to repair it with, two cats I had no idea how to care for and a room full of cranky guests waiting for their breakfast, I also had a dead body on my hands.’

Josie Waters has to admit she may have acted a bit hastily when she agreed to purchase the Oyster Cove Guesthouse – a charmingly gabled Victorian mansion on the breathtaking Maine coast – from elderly family friend Millie Sullivan. But Josie was desperate to flee Ohio and in particular her ex-husband, a chef who loved his job so much he left her for it. And anyway, how hard can running a guesthouse be?

The truth is, Oyster Cove Guesthouse is a mouldering money pit with falling-in roof and a cohort of regular guests who are as mischievous as a litter of kittens. And Millie keeps dropping by to dispense unasked-for advice. And Josie might have made a mistake in promising to adopt Oyster Cove’s two resident cats Nero and Marlowe, and treat them in the manner to which they’ve become accustomed. Josie has never had a cat before… let alone two feisty felines who think they own the place.

Ok, it’s not going well. At least it can’t get any worse, Josie thinks. Until her first guest ends up dead.

A joy to read, with a twist you’ll never guess! A page-turning new mystery series from a bestselling author, purrfect for murder mystery fans, cat lovers and everyone in between.

Readers can’t get enough of Leighann Dobbs!
⭐⭐⭐⿒A cozy reader can never go wrong with a Leighann Dobbs book! … The characters are fun and quirky. There are numerous feline sleuths… Move over Cat Who books there is another series to steal your thunder!’ 카지노싸이트 reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⿒Mystery, books, cats! Ups and downs, twists and turns make this a must read, especially if you love cats and books! Keep the series coming!’ 카지노싸이트 reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⿒I do love a good cozy mystery! I should add that is especially if they involve cats, and this one has a great band of cat characters I know I'll fall in love with… Five stars.’ 카지노싸이트 reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⿒Good read, fun and gripping excitement. I really enjoyed it. Recommended for light reading especially on a cozy, rainy day with your cat curled up beside you.’ 카지노싸이트 reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⿒This was such a fun book. I just loved all the characters, human and feline. It’s always a thrill when you find a story where you can picture yourself walking down the streets and fitting in with the characters... I will definitely be reading more of this series.’ 카지노싸이트 reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⿒Thoroughly enjoyable! A great cozy mystery… Can't wait to read the whole series! Highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys an intelligent story full of lively characters that you might like to have in your neighbourhood!’ 카지노싸이트 reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⿒Cats who are smarter than most of the people in the town was very entertaining.]]>
236 Leighann Dobbs 178681725X Kylie 4
I had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading this book. I loved the banter between the cats, as they try to convey their messages to their 'stupid' new owner. Add to the mix dying seagulls, jealous chefs and a hunky maintenance man, here we have all the ingredients for a lively cosy mystery. I can't wait for the rest of the series! Recommended for all lovers of whodunnits.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

This book is a lot of fun. We have recently divorced Josie who takes over a crumbling guest house in Oyster Cove, Maine. The house comes with two cats, resident sleuths Nero and Marlowe. Things start off well enough for Josie and her feline friends, then one morning she finds the body of one of her guests in an abandoned wing. With all the clues seeming to point to Josie, can Nero and Marlowe save their new servant before she is arrested for murder?

I had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading this book. I loved the banter between the cats, as they try to convey their messages to their 'stupid' new owner. Add to the mix dying seagulls, jealous chefs and a hunky maintenance man, here we have all the ingredients for a lively cosy mystery. I can't wait for the rest of the series! Recommended for all lovers of whodunnits.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
4.11 2019 A Twist in the Tail (The Oyster Cove Guesthouse #1)
author: Leighann Dobbs
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/05/11
date added: 2024/09/22
shelves: aai50b, annual-challenges, monthly-challenges, mystery-crime, netgalley-2019
review:
This book is a lot of fun. We have recently divorced Josie who takes over a crumbling guest house in Oyster Cove, Maine. The house comes with two cats, resident sleuths Nero and Marlowe. Things start off well enough for Josie and her feline friends, then one morning she finds the body of one of her guests in an abandoned wing. With all the clues seeming to point to Josie, can Nero and Marlowe save their new servant before she is arrested for murder?

I had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading this book. I loved the banter between the cats, as they try to convey their messages to their 'stupid' new owner. Add to the mix dying seagulls, jealous chefs and a hunky maintenance man, here we have all the ingredients for a lively cosy mystery. I can't wait for the rest of the series! Recommended for all lovers of whodunnits.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

This book is a lot of fun. We have recently divorced Josie who takes over a crumbling guest house in Oyster Cove, Maine. The house comes with two cats, resident sleuths Nero and Marlowe. Things start off well enough for Josie and her feline friends, then one morning she finds the body of one of her guests in an abandoned wing. With all the clues seeming to point to Josie, can Nero and Marlowe save their new servant before she is arrested for murder?

I had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading this book. I loved the banter between the cats, as they try to convey their messages to their 'stupid' new owner. Add to the mix dying seagulls, jealous chefs and a hunky maintenance man, here we have all the ingredients for a lively cosy mystery. I can't wait for the rest of the series! Recommended for all lovers of whodunnits.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
]]>
Only Daughter 43311243 The must-read psychological thriller for 2019.
In one moment, Kat Cavanaugh’s perfect world is shattered into tiny fragments. The flash of her daughter’s yellow dress, the blonde hair hanging across her precious face. Her own heart-broken sob…

Kat experiences every mother’s worst nightmare when her only child’s body is found lifeless in an overgrown, abandoned quarry.

Desperate to find out what happened, Kat questions those closest to her as she tries to piece together the last days of Grace’s life. But as a darker side to her little girl begins to unravel, Kat wonders if she ever really knew Grace.

As Kat is drawn into a twisted game of lies, is she also in terrible danger? And will she be able to unlock her daughter’s final shocking secret?

Even if the truth is unthinkable

This addictive and emotional psychological thriller from the million-copy-bestselling author of Silent Child will keep you gripped late into the night.]]>
341 Sarah A. Denzil 1786817101 Kylie 4
This is the story of Kat, wife, mother, sociopath. Her teenage daughter has just been found dead at the bottom of a quarry, and the police are calling it a suicide. Only Kat seems to think her daughter didn't kill herself, everyone else seems resigned to the fact. So Kat decides to investigate on her own, and finds her daughter wasn't who she thought she was. As she uncovers more and more of her daughter's life Kat realises there's far more to the story than even she thought, and finds herself face to face with her own demons.

I just love this author's books, so consistently good. I always know when I pick one up that I'm in for a ride, with some shocks on the way. Only Daughter certainly didn't disappoint and I'm keenly awaiting the next offering from Ms Denzil. Recommended.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

Wow, can't Sarah A. Denzil write a page turner! I couldn't put this one down until I was done.

This is the story of Kat, wife, mother, sociopath. Her teenage daughter has just been found dead at the bottom of a quarry, and the police are calling it a suicide. Only Kat seems to think her daughter didn't kill herself, everyone else seems resigned to the fact. So Kat decides to investigate on her own, and finds her daughter wasn't who she thought she was. As she uncovers more and more of her daughter's life Kat realises there's far more to the story than even she thought, and finds herself face to face with her own demons.

I just love this author's books, so consistently good. I always know when I pick one up that I'm in for a ride, with some shocks on the way. Only Daughter certainly didn't disappoint and I'm keenly awaiting the next offering from Ms Denzil. Recommended.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
4.09 2019 Only Daughter
author: Sarah A. Denzil
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/03/11
date added: 2024/09/21
shelves: annual-challenges, mystery-crime, netgalley-2019, psychological-thriller, seasonal-challenges
review:
Wow, can't Sarah A. Denzil write a page turner! I couldn't put this one down until I was done.

This is the story of Kat, wife, mother, sociopath. Her teenage daughter has just been found dead at the bottom of a quarry, and the police are calling it a suicide. Only Kat seems to think her daughter didn't kill herself, everyone else seems resigned to the fact. So Kat decides to investigate on her own, and finds her daughter wasn't who she thought she was. As she uncovers more and more of her daughter's life Kat realises there's far more to the story than even she thought, and finds herself face to face with her own demons.

I just love this author's books, so consistently good. I always know when I pick one up that I'm in for a ride, with some shocks on the way. Only Daughter certainly didn't disappoint and I'm keenly awaiting the next offering from Ms Denzil. Recommended.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Merged review:

Wow, can't Sarah A. Denzil write a page turner! I couldn't put this one down until I was done.

This is the story of Kat, wife, mother, sociopath. Her teenage daughter has just been found dead at the bottom of a quarry, and the police are calling it a suicide. Only Kat seems to think her daughter didn't kill herself, everyone else seems resigned to the fact. So Kat decides to investigate on her own, and finds her daughter wasn't who she thought she was. As she uncovers more and more of her daughter's life Kat realises there's far more to the story than even she thought, and finds herself face to face with her own demons.

I just love this author's books, so consistently good. I always know when I pick one up that I'm in for a ride, with some shocks on the way. Only Daughter certainly didn't disappoint and I'm keenly awaiting the next offering from Ms Denzil. Recommended.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
]]>
Matryoshka 42038638
Sara, a geneticist, also longs to know the identity of her father, and Helena won’t tell her. Now, estranged not only from her mother, but also from her husband, Sara raises her daughter, Ellie, with a central wish to spare her the same feeling of abandonment that she experienced as a child.
 
When Sara meets an Afghani refugee separated from his beloved wife and family, she decides to try to repair relations with Helena – but when a lie told by her grandmother years before begins to unravel, a darker truth than she could ever imagine is revealed.
 
Matryoshka is a haunting and beautifully written story about the power of maternal love, and the danger of secrets passed down through generations.
 ]]>
265 Katherine Johnson 1925384640 Kylie 3
I'm really not sure what to make of this book. It definitely raises some important issues, the wait time for visas for refugees and the public perceptions of them. Katherine Johnson has some salient points to make and some of the characters are well drawn, the friendship between Sara and Abdhul is particularly sympathetic. However other characters seemed stereotypical and the love interest was like a cardboard cut-out. I did start out invested in this story, but found my interest waning the further into it I got. It's not a bad book by any means, it just didn't hit the mark for me.

My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
3.54 2018 Matryoshka
author: Katherine Johnson
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.54
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2018/09/19
date added: 2024/09/20
shelves: aussie-author, contemporary-fiction, netgalley-2018, monthly-challenges, seasonal-challenges
review:
A thought-provoking novel that sees Sara, a geneticist, separate from her husband in Brisbane and move back to her childhood home in Hobart with her young daughter. Her grandmother, a Russian immigrant, has recently died and left her little cottage to her. Sara is estranged from her mother, a doctor in Sydney, and she doesn't even know who her father is. As Sara and young Ellie settle back into Tasmania Sara soon befriends a young Afghani refugee, Abdhul, who has arrived in Australia by boat, but has left his wife and children behind in Pakistan. There are two distinct story lines here, the plight of the refugees in this country and the story of Sara herself, her family and their secrets.

I'm really not sure what to make of this book. It definitely raises some important issues, the wait time for visas for refugees and the public perceptions of them. Katherine Johnson has some salient points to make and some of the characters are well drawn, the friendship between Sara and Abdhul is particularly sympathetic. However other characters seemed stereotypical and the love interest was like a cardboard cut-out. I did start out invested in this story, but found my interest waning the further into it I got. It's not a bad book by any means, it just didn't hit the mark for me.

My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
]]>
<![CDATA[Lonely Planet Everyday Adventures: 50 new ways to experience your hometown]]> 40667078
For each activity, we tell you what to bring and provide simple, easy-to-follow instructions to make it a success. You'll also find a case study from someone who's completed it, as well as surprising facts and anecdotes that shed light on the history and science behind each quirky quest.

Everyday Adventures is comprised of five themed

1. Follow Your

Urban Foraging Fly By Night Macro Lensing Food Quest Memory Lane 2. Social

Pint-Sized Tour Guide Social Media Slave Life Swap Bartender's Knock Trip Poker 3. Challenge

Airport Tourism Plastic Challenge Lend a Hand Locally Long-Haul Hitchhiking End of the Line 4. Cultural

Street Art Movie Magic Urban Zen Vintage Travel Literary Jaunt 5. Roll the

Hands of Fate Traveller's Roulette Life-Sized Monopoly Human Chess Out of Office About Lonely Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world's number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, on mobile, video and in 14 languages, 12 international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more.]]>
208 Lonely Planet 1787019705 Kylie 5 action-adventure, non-fiction
Merged review:

What a fun book! Everyday Adventures is a book full of adventures and challenges for you to explore your local area. Think being tourist in your own backyard. The challenges range from social, cultural and sensory adventures, with difficulty levels included. I'm looking forward to trying them out in my local area (be warned, those who know me on social media). Experiences such as "Pint Sized Tour Guide" where you have a child acting as your guide for the day, through "Urban Hike" and "Travellers Roulette" sound like a lot of fun, though there are some that I wont bother with (I don't really have any wish to organise a flash mob lol). So set out with an open mind and a sense of adventure, and you'll find places in your city/town that you didn't even know existed. I'm off to charge my camera...]]>
3.29 2018 Lonely Planet Everyday Adventures: 50 new ways to experience your hometown
author: Lonely Planet
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.29
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2018/11/14
date added: 2024/09/18
shelves: action-adventure, non-fiction
review:
What a fun book! Everyday Adventures is a book full of adventures and challenges for you to explore your local area. Think being tourist in your own backyard. The challenges range from social, cultural and sensory adventures, with difficulty levels included. I'm looking forward to trying them out in my local area (be warned, those who know me on social media). Experiences such as "Pint Sized Tour Guide" where you have a child acting as your guide for the day, through "Urban Hike" and "Travellers Roulette" sound like a lot of fun, though there are some that I wont bother with (I don't really have any wish to organise a flash mob lol). So set out with an open mind and a sense of adventure, and you'll find places in your city/town that you didn't even know existed. I'm off to charge my camera...

Merged review:

What a fun book! Everyday Adventures is a book full of adventures and challenges for you to explore your local area. Think being tourist in your own backyard. The challenges range from social, cultural and sensory adventures, with difficulty levels included. I'm looking forward to trying them out in my local area (be warned, those who know me on social media). Experiences such as "Pint Sized Tour Guide" where you have a child acting as your guide for the day, through "Urban Hike" and "Travellers Roulette" sound like a lot of fun, though there are some that I wont bother with (I don't really have any wish to organise a flash mob lol). So set out with an open mind and a sense of adventure, and you'll find places in your city/town that you didn't even know existed. I'm off to charge my camera...
]]>
Those People 46137530 From the internationally bestselling author of Our House, a new addictive novel of domestic suspense that dives into the world of suburban neighborhood drama and asks, "Could your neighbor make you angry enough to kill?"

Lowland Way is the epitome of the suburban dream. Every house and yard is carefully maintained for maximum curb appeal, and everyone knows one another and gets along. One homeowner, Sissy Watkins, runs a successful B and B from her house. Two brothers and their families live next door to each other. It's the picture-perfect neighborhood.

When Darren Booth and his girlfriend, Jodie, move in across from Sissy, it doesn't take long for them to begin making trouble. They're loud, rude, messy, and don't play by the community rules. They blast music at all hours and have started an unsightly renovation on their house. Before long, guests don't want to stay at Sissy's B and B, and everyone is fed up with the new neighbors.

An all-out war is brewing on Lowland Way. When a person is killed, accusations start flying. Someone is dead, and everyone has something to hide....]]>
364 Louise Candlish 1471168085 Kylie 3
The neighbours are up in arms. Complaints go unheeded, well in fact they just escalate the problem. The once well manicured street has turned to a pile of rubble, bringing the housing prices down. The neighbours unite against the Booths. Then a tragedy happens...

I did enjoy his psychological thriller, reading it in a day. It's full of unlikeable characters, both the Booths and the neighbours, though I'm sure that's intended. The conclusion was somewhat satisfying, but honestly I doubt I'll remember this book in a months time.

My thanks to Simon & Schuster Australia for an uncorrected proof to read and review. the opinions are entirely my own.]]>
3.37 2019 Those People
author: Louise Candlish
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.37
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2019/06/30
date added: 2024/08/08
shelves: arc, psychological-thriller, seasonal-challenges
review:
Lowland Way is a quiet, community minded street in South London. Until the Booth's move into number 1 that is. Playing loud music at all hours, noisy household renovations, not to mention the illegal car dealing business they are running from the house, taking up all the resident's parking spaces, the Booths are definitely not welcome in Lowland Way.

The neighbours are up in arms. Complaints go unheeded, well in fact they just escalate the problem. The once well manicured street has turned to a pile of rubble, bringing the housing prices down. The neighbours unite against the Booths. Then a tragedy happens...

I did enjoy his psychological thriller, reading it in a day. It's full of unlikeable characters, both the Booths and the neighbours, though I'm sure that's intended. The conclusion was somewhat satisfying, but honestly I doubt I'll remember this book in a months time.

My thanks to Simon & Schuster Australia for an uncorrected proof to read and review. the opinions are entirely my own.
]]>
<![CDATA[206 Bones (Temperance Brennan, #12)]]> 5957702 The #1 New York Times bestselling author and producer of the Fox television hit, Bones, returns with a spectacular new Tempe Brennan novel.

There are 206 bones in the human body. Forensic anthropologists know them intimately, can read in them stories of brief or long lives and use them to reconstruct every kind of violent end. 206 Bones opens with Tempe regaining consciousness and discovering that she is in some kind of very small, very dark, very cold enclosed space. She is bound, hands to feet. Who wants Tempe dead, or at least out of the way, and why? Tempe begins slowly to reconstruct...

Tempe and Lieutenant Ryan had accompanied the recently discovered remains of a missing heiress from Montreal to the Chicago morgue. Suddenly, Tempe was accused of mishandling the autopsy -- and the case. Someone made an incriminating phone call. Within hours, the one man with information about the call was dead. Back in Montreal, the corpse of a second elderly woman was found in the woods, and then a third.

Seamlessly weaving between Tempe's present-tense terror as she's held captive and her memory of the cases of these murdered women, Reichs conveys the incredible devastation that would occur if a forensic colleague sabotaged work in the lab. The chemistry between Tempe and Ryan intensifies as this complex, riveting tale unfolds. Reichs is writing at the top of her game.]]>
308 Kathy Reichs 0743294394 Kylie 4 3.94 2009 206 Bones (Temperance Brennan, #12)
author: Kathy Reichs
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves:
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[September 2018 Buzz Books Monthly]]> 41023701
Jude Deveraux breaks away from romance with her first mystery, A Willing Murder, while Lynne Hugo describes an older woman’s quirky path from heartbreak to hope in The Testament Of Harold's Wife.

New York Times bestselling author Sarah Pinborough’s psychological thriller is Cross Her Heart and a convention-defying novel by another bestselling writer, Walter Mosley, is John Woman.

Television and YA writer Rebecca Serle’s The Dinner List is an adult novel with tinges of magic realism.

Rounding out this monthly are two debuts: Imogen Hermes Gowar’s historical novel The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock, which has already been shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction. Stuart Turton’s The 7½ Deaths Of Evelyn Hardcastle is like Groundhog Day meets Life After Life.

Buzz Books Monthlies are your first and best place to turn for a real insider's taste of what to read next, and what the book world will be talking about next month. As always, you can check out our extensive preview of new books of interest coming to market in the month ahead.

We hope you enjoy the monthly Buzz Books—keep an eye out for October Buzz Books available in early September. Also, remember that our twice-a-year Buzz Books includes new books from big authors and breakout talents through exclusive and substantial pre-publication excerpts. Read more than 60 excerpts from the hottest books being published this season in Buzz Books 2018: Fall/Winter and Buzz Books 2018: Young Adult Fall/Winter. Plus Buzz Books 2018: Romance is now available.]]>
132 Publishers Lunch Kylie 5 netgalley-2018 Thanks to NetGalley and Publishers Lunch for the copy to review.]]> 4.67 September 2018 Buzz Books Monthly
author: Publishers Lunch
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.67
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2018/08/12
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: netgalley-2018
review:
What a wonderful collection of excerpts. There's a few of them I'll be adding to my TBR list.
Thanks to NetGalley and Publishers Lunch for the copy to review.
]]>
Parisian Dreams 34816837 When Australian Lily Johansson earns the opportunity to dance for the prestigious Bohème Ballet in Paris, she fulfils a lifelong dream and continues a family legacy — but it comes at a cost.

While Lily falls in love with the City of Light and her professional life catapults her into fame, her personal life suffers as the relationship with her fiancé deteriorates. On a stormy night, an argument sends Lily racing across the road and a speeding car tragically changes her life forever. Lily’s heart, once full of love and hope, is smashed to pieces and her career crumbles into a hopeless mess. Stumbling into a solitary future she’d never planned, Lily must learn to live with the grief of losing the man she loved and find her way in an unfamiliar world.

]]>
49 Alli Sinclair 1489247009 Kylie 4 I'm really looking forward to reading the main event now.]]> 3.97 Parisian Dreams
author: Alli Sinclair
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.97
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2019/06/26
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: aussie-author, contemporary-fiction, goodreads-summer-challenge-2019
review:
A teaser of a prequel to Beneath The Parisian Skies, we follow Lily as she leaves her home in Australia to go to Paris to dance. Her success, however, is having a negative effect on her relationship with Aiden, then there is a tragic accident.
I'm really looking forward to reading the main event now.
]]>
The Lost Spear (Lost #0.5) 50926162 Archaeologist Dr. Eve Blakeley has dedicated her life's work to finding Genghis Khan's final resting place. But first she'll have to find the Spirit Banner, Khan's lost spear, an eight-hundred-year-old weapon shrouded in as much mystery and lore as his lost tomb. The two are intertwined by centuries of secrets.

During her search through the mountains of Mongolia, she's joined by MI6 agent Zachary Martin, who is convinced that recent, seemingly random acts of terror around the globe are somehow connected to her.

But as they follow the clues to the spear, the line between her historical research and present-day terrorism blurs even more... Someone doesn't want her team to find the spear, and they'll do anything to keep the secrets of Genghis Khan buried forever.

]]>
131 N.J. Croft 1640639152 Kylie 3
This novella is the prequel to the Lost series, with book 1 The Lost Tomb soon to be released. A quick, fun read, I'll be looking forward to reading the next in the series soon.

Merged review:

An okay thriller about an archaeologist who travels to Mongolia to find the lost spear of Genghis Khan. Conspiracy theories, secret society's and danger abound, and Eve has to face her fears, and her enemies to locate the spear.

This novella is the prequel to the Lost series, with book 1 The Lost Tomb soon to be released. A quick, fun read, I'll be looking forward to reading the next in the series soon.]]>
3.91 The Lost Spear (Lost #0.5)
author: N.J. Croft
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.91
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2020/03/20
date added: 2024/07/22
shelves: action-adventure, annual-challenges, atwi80b-2020, thriller-suspense
review:
An okay thriller about an archaeologist who travels to Mongolia to find the lost spear of Genghis Khan. Conspiracy theories, secret society's and danger abound, and Eve has to face her fears, and her enemies to locate the spear.

This novella is the prequel to the Lost series, with book 1 The Lost Tomb soon to be released. A quick, fun read, I'll be looking forward to reading the next in the series soon.

Merged review:

An okay thriller about an archaeologist who travels to Mongolia to find the lost spear of Genghis Khan. Conspiracy theories, secret society's and danger abound, and Eve has to face her fears, and her enemies to locate the spear.

This novella is the prequel to the Lost series, with book 1 The Lost Tomb soon to be released. A quick, fun read, I'll be looking forward to reading the next in the series soon.
]]>
Killing Me Softly 58943288
Over a year later, Tracy’s sister, Sondra, still can’t come to grips with what happened. She throws herself into her work as a documentary filmmaker to try and forget the cruelty of her sister’s death. However, a chance encounter with a man from Tracy’s past rips the wound open and sends Sondra on a desperate search for answers about the secrets from her sister’s life that may have led to her death.

As Sondra struggles to uncover what happened to Tracy, she’s launched into a tangled web of deceit and danger that put her on a collision course with life and death…]]>
265 Bianca Sloane Kylie 4 psychological-thriller 4.07 2012 Killing Me Softly
author: Bianca Sloane
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2018/05/07
date added: 2024/06/29
shelves: psychological-thriller
review:
A good thriller which sees our protagonist Sondra grieving for her sister Tracey who was brutally murdered in a mugging gone wrong. Sondra is struggling to move on and decides to produce a documentary in Tracey's memory. While interviewing people close to her sister she finds that all was not as it seemed with Tracey's happy marriage, causing Sondra to delve deeper into Tracey's life. What she finds is not what she expects and leads to a trail of jealousy, deceit and obsession. I recommend this book to those who like a page turning novel with some unforeseeable twists along the way.
]]>
The Boy from the Woods 52278305 Thirty years ago, a child was found in the woods. He had been living a feral existence, with no memory of how he got there or even who he is. Everyone just calls him Wilde.

Now another child has gone missing – Naomi Pine – who may be playing some sort of disappearing game. No one seems concerned about her whereabouts, not even her father.

No one – except criminal attorney Hester Crimstein, whose grandson knows Naomi is being bullied badly at school and is concerned for her safety. Hester is determined to find Naomi so she calls Wilde – now ex-military and an expert in security issues – and asks him to track her down.

But even Wilde can’t find Naomi. One day passes, then another, then a third.

Four days later a finger shows up in the mail.

And Wilde knows that what may have started as a game has now spiralled into something far, far darker...]]>
384 Harlan Coben 1529123828 Kylie 3
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
3.90 2020 The Boy from the Woods
author: Harlan Coben
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/03/19
date added: 2023/12/22
shelves: aai50b, annual-challenges, mystery-crime, netgalley-2020, seasonal-challenges, thriller-suspense
review:
The Boy From The Woods is an ok thriller, but honestly I found it to be far from Harlan Coben's best. The premise is that a teenage girl goes missing, but instead of a book about searching for her, the plot turns all political, and I found it to be ho hum. The book is not without memorable characters, Hester and Wilde both deserving of further novels, but the bit players were boring, the action pretty much non-existent and I was never riveted in any way. It's a shame as I've always found Coben to be a must read, however this book misses the mark.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
]]>
Terminal (Virals, #5) 21973270 BOOKS Kathy Reichs Kylie 4 sci-fi-fantasy 4.33 2015 Terminal (Virals, #5)
author: Kathy Reichs
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2018/01/21
date added: 2023/08/03
shelves: sci-fi-fantasy
review:

]]>
<![CDATA[The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle]]> 37632716
But Evelyn will not die just once. Until Aiden – one of the guests summoned to Blackheath for the party – can solve her murder, the day will repeat itself, over and over again. Every time ending with the fateful pistol shot.

The only way to break this cycle is to identify the killer. But each time the day begins again, Aiden wakes in the body of a different guest. And someone is determined to prevent him ever escaping Blackheath...]]>
511 Stuart Turton 1408889544 Kylie 5
Stuart Turton has done a great job here in his debut novel. As I said the plot is very intricate, but it's never convoluted or confusing, though it may be if you read it over several sittings. My advice is to settle down and read it in a day or two, a big ask I know at over 500 pages, but it would definitely be worth it, just to keep things sharp in your mind. Having said that I found 'The Seven Deaths Of Evelyn Hardcastle' to be one of my best and most rewarding reads this year. Highly recommended.]]>
4.03 2018 The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
author: Stuart Turton
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2018/12/08
date added: 2023/06/16
shelves: mystery-crime, seasonal-challenges
review:
I really don't know how to write a review for this book. Not because I didn't like it, it was fantastic, but because the plot is so intricate and woven I don't want to give anything away. So let's just say it's the story of Aiden, who wakes with no memory at all, just the word 'Anna' on his lips. He finds he's in the middle of a forest, and then manages to stumble across a murder taking place. Aiden is then destined to relive the same day over and over again, until he can solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle.

Stuart Turton has done a great job here in his debut novel. As I said the plot is very intricate, but it's never convoluted or confusing, though it may be if you read it over several sittings. My advice is to settle down and read it in a day or two, a big ask I know at over 500 pages, but it would definitely be worth it, just to keep things sharp in your mind. Having said that I found 'The Seven Deaths Of Evelyn Hardcastle' to be one of my best and most rewarding reads this year. Highly recommended.
]]>
<![CDATA[Rumble (World Class Wrestling #2)]]> 45022876
He had me the moment he roared up on his bike and flashed his charismatic smile my way. I wanted to jump on, wrap my arms around him, and ride off into the sunset.

Then my brother introduced him as his friend and crushed my short lived happily ever after.

To make matters worse, we work together at World Class Wrestling and our storylines are intertwined. I have a strict rule I’ve always adhered to: never mix business with pleasure.

But with each moment we spend together, avoiding that carefully drawn line is becoming more difficult.

There’s an ongoing rumble between my heart and my head. Which one will win out in the end?

*can be read as a standalone*


]]>
195 Jacob Chance Kylie 0 4.56 Rumble (World Class Wrestling #2)
author: Jacob Chance
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.56
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2023/01/06
date added: 2023/01/06
shelves:
review:

]]>
The Apartment 53271238 It’s an opportunity she can’t refuse. The woman before her tried…

Freya Miller needs a miracle. In the fallout of her husband’s betrayal, she’s about to lose her family home, and with it the security she craves for her five-year-old daughter, Skye. Adrift and alone, she’s on the verge of despair until a chance meeting with the charismatic Dr Marsden changes everything. He’s seeking a new tenant for a shockingly affordable flat in a fashionable area of London.

Adder House sounds too good to be true… But Freya really can’t afford to be cynical, and Dr Marsden is adamant she and Skye will be a perfect fit with the other residents.

But Adder House has secrets. Even behind a locked front door, Freya feels as if she’s being watched: objects moving, unfamiliar smells, the blinking light of a concealed camera… and it’s not long before she begins to suspect that her dream home is hiding a nightmarish reality. Was it really chance that led her here—or something unthinkably dark?

As the truth about Adder House starts to unravel, can Freya and Skye get out—or will they be locked in forever?

Revised edition: This edition of The Apartment includes editorial revisions.

]]>
266 K.L. Slater 1542023920 Kylie 0 ku-maybe 3.76 2020 The Apartment
author: K.L. Slater
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/08/15
shelves: ku-maybe
review:

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<![CDATA[The Silent Sisters (Charles Jenkins, #3)]]> 57215646
After a harrowing escape from Russian agents on his last mission, Charles Jenkins thinks he’s finally done with the spy game. But then the final two of the seven sisters—American assets who have been deep undercover in Russia for decades—cut off all communication with their handlers. Are they in hiding after detecting surveillance? Or have they turned and become double agents? It’s Jenkins’s duty to find out, but he’s been added to a Russian kill list. It will require all of Jenkins’s knowledge of spycraft—and an array of disguises—to return to the country undetected.

But plans go awry his first night in Moscow when Jenkins gets involved in an altercation that ends in the death of the son of one of Russia’s most powerful organized crime leaders. Pursued by mafia henchmen, Russian agents, and a particularly dogged Moscow police detective, Jenkins is determined to track down the final two sisters and get them to America—or die trying. As various forces close in, Jenkins fears this time he might’ve pushed his luck too far.]]>
400 Robert Dugoni 1542008352 Kylie 4 4.54 2022 The Silent Sisters (Charles Jenkins, #3)
author: Robert Dugoni
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.54
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2022/03/04
date added: 2022/03/04
shelves:
review:

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Dark Shadows 52929254
The Victims...

Two suicides.
One horrifying accident.
Each involving a university student.
The police don't think it's a coincidence. They just can't prove it.

The Detective...

Fearing a possible cult is coercing innocent students, Detective Becky Harris is sent undercover to investigate. But after more tragic incidents occur, she suspects the connection between the victims is even more terrifying. And finding the evidence to prove it may cost Becky her whole career.

The Counsellor...

A distraught student turns to her counsellor Toni with a strange story to tell. But a tragic car accident prevents Toni from learning more. Convinced something sinister was going on in the young woman's life, Toni starts digging further, enlisting the help of her godfather, an ex-SAS operative. What they discover is a nightmare conspiracy. And someone operating in the dark shadows is deciding who lives and who dies.]]>
357 Sibel Hodge Kylie 4 4.34 2020 Dark Shadows
author: Sibel Hodge
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2022/03/01
date added: 2022/03/01
shelves:
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The Village 57795564 From the bestselling author of the DI Amy Winter series comes a thriller about a shocking disappearance—and the village that has conspired to keep the truth buried.

Ten years ago, the Harper family disappeared. Their deserted cottage was left with the water running, the television playing cartoons, the oven ready for baking. The doors were locked from the inside.

Overnight, the sleepy village of Nighbrook became notorious as the scene of the unsolved mystery of the decade, an epicentre for ghoulish media speculation.

For crime journalist Naomi, solving the case has turned into an obsession. So now, with Ivy Cottage finally listed for sale, it’s her chance to mount an investigation like no other. And her husband and stepdaughter don’t really need to know what happened in their new home… do they?

But Nighbrook isn’t quite the village she expected. No one wants to talk to her. No one will answer her questions. And as she becomes increasingly uneasy, it’s clear that the villagers are hiding something—that there is something very dark at the heart of this rural idyll. And the deeper she digs, the more it seems her investigation could be more dangerous than she ever imagined… In raking up the secrets of the past, has she made her own family the next target?]]>
304 Caroline Mitchell Kylie 3 4.05 2022 The Village
author: Caroline Mitchell
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2022/02/23
date added: 2022/02/23
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<![CDATA[The Only Cryptocurrency Investing Book You'll Ever Need: An Absolute Beginner's Guide to the Biggest "Millionaire Maker" Asset of 2022 and Beyond - Including ... from NFTs (Cryptocurrency for Beginners)]]> 60227146 Because while the crypto market increased 10x in the past year alone, this book will show you it’s not too late to invest in the #1 asset of the 2020s
What was once a fringe currency only used by a dark corner of the web… is now the fastest growing financial asset on Earth.

And this is just the beginning…

You see, we are still in just the 3nd inning of Crypto as a financial entity.

So while no financial vehicle is making people rich as quickly as Cryptocurrency…

Less than 8% of Americans and 3% of the worldwide population owns it!

But now, the major players are taking an interest.

Like the world’s #1 venture capital firm Andreesen Horowitz who just announced the largest crypto fund of all time.

Or BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager (with over $9.5 Trillion of Assets) who just invested over $40 Billion in the crypto markets

And CEO of Social Capital, Chamath Palihapitiya, who predicts Bitcoin will be worth $1 million within the next 15 years.

So even if you’ve been unconvinced thus far, this book will give you the straight facts on Crypto as a financial asset… without any of the hype or noise.

Here’s just a fraction of what you’ll discover inside this book

Better than Dubbed the “Holy Grail of cryptocurrencies” – this is the one type of coin every crypto investor needs to own3 giant red flags you need to watch out for when investing in altcoinsThe #1 coin to profit from the upcoming Web3 evolution
4 Easy ways to spot a cryptocurrency scamEthereum’s Co-Creator is  Since 2015, Ethereum has gone up a jaw-dropping 167,099%... But if you missed out, don’t kick yourself… because Ethereum’s co-creator just launched a new crypto -- and if you move fast you can still get in under $3.DeFi 2.0 and its impact on the crypto ecosystem, along with the coin which will be the face of this $800 Billion industry The Next $1 Trillion Dollar CoinThe 4 strongest altcoins to buy in 2022: Ignore the meme fad coins which are guaranteed to lose you money… these 4 all have strong fundamentals are potential 10x upside from their current market capA completely legal “backdoor” way to buy Bitcoin for 80c on the dollar. As a bonus you can even do this in your IRA accountPlus free video tutorials for safely buying and storing Bitcoin

This is not a 600 page theoretical book which you need a math degree to understand. Written in plain English and free from repetitive technical jargon. Every single piece of financial and technical terminology is clearly defined inside.

You’ll find easy-to-follow advice in how to buy and store coins yourself… without having to pay expensive fees to middlemen.

For everyone who feels frustrated after watching Bitcoin and other cryptos soar in price…


This is your chance to get in while the going is good...]]>
142 Freeman Publications Kylie 4 4.06 The Only Cryptocurrency Investing Book You'll Ever Need: An Absolute Beginner's Guide to the Biggest "Millionaire Maker" Asset of 2022 and Beyond - Including ... from NFTs (Cryptocurrency for Beginners)
author: Freeman Publications
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.06
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2022/02/11
date added: 2022/02/11
shelves:
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Th1rt3en (Eddie Flynn #4) 39863495 The serial killer isn't on trial.
He's on the jury.

It’s the murder trial of the century. And Joshua Kane has killed to get the best seat in the house – and to be sure the wrong man goes down for the crime. Because this time, the killer isn’t on trial. He’s on the jury.

But there’s someone on his tail. Former-conman-turned-criminal-defense-attorney Eddie Flynn doesn’t believe that his movie-star client killed two people. He suspects that the real killer is closer than they think – but who would guess just how close?]]>
325 Steve Cavanagh 1250297605 Kylie 5 mystery-crime, netgalley-2019
This is the fourth book in the Eddie Flynn series, though it's the first one I've read, and it works perfectly well as a standalone. Eddie, former conman turned lawyer, is asked to work on the case of Hollywood star Bobby Solomon, who is standing trial for murdering his wife and his head of security. Yet unbeknownst to Eddie there is a rogue juror. A serial killer, a chameleon, has infiltrated the jury process, and he's hell bent on making sure Bobby Solomon is found guilty.

I really don't want to say too much more about the plot, just that it's twisty and turny, and certainly has the wow-factor that a good legal thriller needs. Yet it's so much more than that. I really enjoyed the characters, as well as the action in and out of the courtroom and I'll certainly be on the lookout for more of Steve Cavanagh's work in the future. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
4.20 2018 Th1rt3en (Eddie Flynn #4)
author: Steve Cavanagh
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2019/08/13
date added: 2022/02/05
shelves: mystery-crime, netgalley-2019
review:
Wow, what a ride this was. I couldn't put it down and ended up reading it into the small hours! I picked this book up as I'd seen several good reviews of it from friends and I'm so glad I did.

This is the fourth book in the Eddie Flynn series, though it's the first one I've read, and it works perfectly well as a standalone. Eddie, former conman turned lawyer, is asked to work on the case of Hollywood star Bobby Solomon, who is standing trial for murdering his wife and his head of security. Yet unbeknownst to Eddie there is a rogue juror. A serial killer, a chameleon, has infiltrated the jury process, and he's hell bent on making sure Bobby Solomon is found guilty.

I really don't want to say too much more about the plot, just that it's twisty and turny, and certainly has the wow-factor that a good legal thriller needs. Yet it's so much more than that. I really enjoyed the characters, as well as the action in and out of the courtroom and I'll certainly be on the lookout for more of Steve Cavanagh's work in the future. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
]]>
I Know You 57060445 In this tense thriller from the bestselling author of What You Did and The Other Wife, a woman finds a dead body. Will she make the same mistake as last time?

Rachel lives a quiet life in the peaceful countryside, content with her perfect man and her lovely dog. But when she stumbles upon a body in the woods one day, all that shatters. She knows what she has to run. Don’t get accused of murder. But when this victim is identified as her boyfriend’s estranged wife, Rachel realises she’s already the prime suspect.

With mounting evidence against her, Rachel’s only hope is to keep her past well hidden. Because before she was Rachel, she was Casey, a young nanny trying to make it as an actress in Los Angeles—and when the family she worked for were brutally murdered, she narrowly escaped the death penalty. Now, she’ll do anything to save the life she’s spent years piecing back together.

But the police are closing in, and Rachel can’t help Was her discovery in the woods really just an awful coincidence, or is someone framing her for murder? Someone who knows who she is, and wants revenge…]]>
365 Claire McGowan Kylie 4 4.09 2021 I Know You
author: Claire McGowan
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2022/02/04
date added: 2022/02/04
shelves:
review:

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Her Perfect Family 55886430
It’s their daughter’s graduation and Rachel and Ed Hartley are expecting it to be one of their family’s happiest days. But when she stumbles and falls on stage during the ceremony, a beautiful moment turns to chaos: Gemma has been shot, and just like that, she’s fighting for her life.

PI Matthew Hill is one of the first on the scene. A cryptic message Gemma received earlier in the day suggests someone close to her was about to be exposed. But who? As Matthew starts to investigate, he finds more and more layers obscuring the truth. He even begins to suspect the Hartleys are hiding something big—from him and from each other.

While Gemma lies in hospital in a coma, her would-be killer is still out there. Can Matthew unravel the family’s secrets before the attacker strikes again?]]>
330 Teresa Driscoll 1542028744 Kylie 4 4.00 2021 Her Perfect Family
author: Teresa Driscoll
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2022/01/28
date added: 2022/01/28
shelves:
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What You Did 44107392 It was supposed to be the perfect reunion: six university friends together again after twenty years. Host Ali finally has the life she always wanted, a career she can be proud of and a wonderful family with her college boyfriend, now husband. But that night her best friend makes an accusation so shocking that nothing will ever be the same again.

When Karen staggers in from the garden, bleeding and traumatised, she claims that she has been assaulted—by Ali’s husband, Mike. Ali must make a split-second decision: who should she believe? Her horrified husband, or her best friend? With Mike offering a very different version of events, Ali knows one of them is lying—but which? And why?

When the ensuing chaos forces her to re-examine the golden era the group shared at university, Ali realises there are darker memories too. Memories that have lain dormant for decades. Memories someone would kill to protect.

]]>
282 Claire McGowan 1542091349 Kylie 4 4.00 2019 What You Did
author: Claire McGowan
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2022/01/21
date added: 2022/01/21
shelves:
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Thief River Falls 43708240 Harrowing loss, psychological trauma, and a deadly mystery test the human will to survive in this electrifying novel from award-winning author Brian Freeman.

Lisa Power is a tortured ghost of her former self. The author of a bestselling thriller called Thief River Falls, named after her rural Minnesota hometown, Lisa is secluded in her remote house as she struggles with the loss of her entire family: a series of tragedies she calls the “Dark Star.”

Then a nameless runaway boy shows up at her door with a terrifying story: he’s just escaped death after witnessing a brutal murder—a crime the police want to cover up. Obsessed with the boy’s safety, Lisa resolves to expose this crime, but powerful men in Thief River Falls are desperate to get the boy back, and now they want her too.

Lisa and her young visitor have nowhere to go as the trap closes around them. Still under the strange, unforgiving threat of the Dark Star, Lisa must find a way to save them both, or they’ll become the victims of another shocking tragedy she can’t foresee]]>
314 Brian Freeman 1542093376 Kylie 5 3.98 2020 Thief River Falls
author: Brian Freeman
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2022/01/08
date added: 2022/01/08
shelves:
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<![CDATA[Shattered Spear (Matt Drake #29)]]> 59686878 Team SPEAR: shattered, captured and interrogated.
Five nuclear weapons across the globe, primed to explode.

When Kenzie’s name appears on a list of the world’s top black marketeers, the SPEAR team are targeted by a group of vicious, beautiful assassins who possess skills on a par with their own. Drake and his team are seized and taken to far-flung reaches of America and Europe to be interrogated and tortured for a wealthy madman’s viewing pleasure.

With the frantic global search on for five stolen nuclear weapons, it’s up to Matt Drake and his team to escape their tormentors and find the nukes before they are detonated. Their leads are slim, their resources limited, and the seconds are ticking down to zero; but they’ll only be able to unmask and stop their ultimate enemy if they can find the final bomb threatening Dubai and one of its famous Palm Islands.

Join Matt Drake in his most dangerous mission yet.]]>
297 David Leadbeater Kylie 4 4.55 Shattered Spear (Matt Drake #29)
author: David Leadbeater
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.55
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2022/01/06
date added: 2022/01/06
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[Their Last Breath (A Detective Carter Thriller)]]> 45676147 Detective Carter knows all about torture—but he’s never known a case as dark as this one.

The Six…

An abandoned building goes up in flames. Six women are chained inside and left to die—the truth is left to burn with them. Only one piece of evidence remains, but will it be enough to find their killer?

The Detective…

Retired detective Warren Carter has been suffocated by grief for his wife and is looking for a new start. But when he gets a call that cuts to the heart of the force, investigating a corrupt police officer, he has to accept. This time, though, he’s going to have to face his demons and work out who to trust when the truth is guarded by his own colleagues.

The Bad Cop…

It was supposed to be the perfect they knew the system well enough to beat it and get away with murder. But they didn’t know Detective Carter, and how far a man will go when he has nothing left to lose…

Their Last Breath is the gripping new thriller perfect for fans of Line of Duty, from the bestselling author of Duplicity and Into The Darkness.]]>
423 Sibel Hodge 1542014093 Kylie 4 4.41 2019 Their Last Breath (A Detective Carter Thriller)
author: Sibel Hodge
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/12/25
date added: 2021/12/25
shelves:
review:

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Reinvent Yourself 33638850 429 James Altucher Kylie 4 3.82 2017 Reinvent Yourself
author: James Altucher
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2021/12/17
date added: 2021/12/17
shelves:
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Into the Darkness 37643954 The Missing…

In a hidden basement, eighteen-year-old Toni is held captive and no one can hear her screams. She’s been abducted after investigating unspeakable things in the darkest corners of the Internet.

The Vigilante…

Fearing the worst, Toni’s mother turns to ex-SAS operative Mitchell to help find her missing daughter. And when Mitchell discovers Toni’s fate rests in the hands of pure evil, he races against the clock to find Toni and bring her out alive. But even that might not be enough to save her.

The Detective…

DS Warren Carter is looking forward to a new job and a simpler life. But when he’s called in to investigate the brutal murder of a seemingly normal couple, he becomes entangled in lives that are anything but simple. And as he digs deeper, he uncovers a crime more twisted than he could ever have imagined.

Into the Darkness is the chilling new thriller from the bestselling author of Duplicity and Beneath the Surface.]]>
296 Sibel Hodge 1503960501 Kylie 4 4.33 2018 Into the Darkness
author: Sibel Hodge
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2021/12/16
date added: 2021/12/16
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[The Night Thief (Jackman & Evans #8)]]> 59127664
He takes one thing. A photo of their child.

A thief on a power trip or something even darker and more sinister?

Detectives Jackman and Evans find themselves on the hunt for a highly unusual burglar who seemingly only steals photographs. But then, late one night, an elderly woman falls to her death after seeing someone in her home.

Did she really fall, or was she murdered?

And just how many mysterious intruders are there on the Fens?

With the body count rising, Jackman and Evans have their work cut out for them to track down the night thief — before it’s too late.]]>
370 Joy Ellis 1789317916 Kylie 4 4.31 2021 The Night Thief (Jackman & Evans #8)
author: Joy Ellis
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/12/11
date added: 2021/12/11
shelves:
review:

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Beneath the Surface 34330659 Dean Hudson didn’t look evil ... so what could drive an ordinary boy to kill?

When the teenage son of Holly Gold’s school friend brutally murders his parents before killing himself, her sleepy home town is rocked by the sudden tragedy.

Appalled, Holly investigates. What could have caused the happy-go-lucky boy she remembers to commit such a heinous crime? When another teen commits suicide, she uncovers a horrifying link between the recent deaths and a dark conspiracy to hide the truth.

But someone doesn’t want Holly asking questions and, as she hunts for evidence to prove her theory, she’s dragged into a nightmare that threatens her life and her sanity. Then tragedy strikes again - and this time it’s closer to home ...]]>
338 Sibel Hodge 1477828850 Kylie 4 4.18 2017 Beneath the Surface
author: Sibel Hodge
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2021/12/09
date added: 2021/12/09
shelves:
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<![CDATA[Bedlam (Alexander Gregory Thrillers, #3)]]> 53510813 In a world gone mad, who can you trust?

Fresh from a high-profile case in the Paris fashion world, elite forensic psychologist and criminal profiler Dr Alexander Gregory receives a call from the FBI. The wife of a notorious criminal has been admitted to a private psychiatric hospital and can no longer testify in his upcoming trial. Without her, their case will collapse but, amidst reports that the staff are as unpredictable as their patients, who can the police trust?

In desperation, they turn to an outsider and now Gregory must find the courage to step inside the fortified walls of Buchanan Hospital to uncover the truth. The question is, will he ever be the same again?

Murder and mystery are peppered with dark humour in this fast-paced thriller set amidst the spectacular Catskill Forest.]]>
291 L.J. Ross Kylie 3 4.36 2020 Bedlam (Alexander Gregory Thrillers, #3)
author: L.J. Ross
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2021/12/03
date added: 2021/12/03
shelves:
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<![CDATA[The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy (The Marquess House Saga #2)]]> 44574320 A timeshift conspiracy thriller that will shock you to your core! Perfect for fans of Dan Brown, Philippa Gregory, Kate Mosse and Tom Harper.

Was Elizabeth I really the last Tudor princess…?

Nonsuch Palace, England, 1586

Elizabeth I has been queen for 28 years. She has survived hundreds of plots against her but now she faces the revelation of a secret she thought would remain hidden forever…

Elizabeth is not the last of the Tudor line — there are two more legitimate heirs to her crown.

Her sworn enemy, Philip II, King of Spain, has discovered the secret and thinks he can control the missing princess as his puppet queen.

Can Elizabeth maintain control over her throne? And what happened to the lost Tudor heirs?

Castle Jerusalem, Andorra, 2018

Dr Perdita Rivers and her twin sister Piper are safely hidden in Andorra.

Despite their narrow escape from those pursuing them, Perdita is determined to continue her grandmother’s legacy by uncovering her ground-breaking research into the English royal bloodline.

But she soon realises that nothing about the Tudor era was as it seemed. And now the national identity of Great Britain must be called into question.

With their enemies still tracking them and the lives of those they love in deadly risk, Perdita and Piper must succeed in exposing the secrets of history or there is no hope of them escaping alive...

THE ELIZABETH TUDOR CONSPIRACY is the second book in the Marquess House trilogy, a dual timeline conspiracy thriller with an ingenious twist on a well-known period of Tudor history.]]>
434 Alexandra Walsh 1913028488 Kylie 4 4.26 2019 The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy (The Marquess House Saga #2)
author: Alexandra Walsh
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/11/16
date added: 2021/11/16
shelves:
review:

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The Good Samaritan 35451741 She’s a friendly voice on the phone. But can you trust her?

The people who call End of the Line need hope. They need reassurance that life is worth living. But some are unlucky enough to get through to Laura. Laura doesn’t want them to hope. She wants them to die.

Laura hasn’t had it easy: she’s survived sickness and a difficult marriage only to find herself heading for forty, unsettled and angry. She doesn’t love talking to people worse off than she is. She craves it.

But now someone’s on to her—Ryan, whose world falls apart when his pregnant wife ends her life, hand in hand with a stranger. Who was this man, and why did they choose to die together?

The sinister truth is within Ryan’s grasp, but he has no idea of the desperate lengths Laura will go to…

Because the best thing about being a Good Samaritan is that you can get away with murder.]]>
390 John Marrs Kylie 4 4.00 2017 The Good Samaritan
author: John Marrs
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2021/11/10
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[Hysteria (Alexander Gregory Thrillers, #2)]]> 48760299 In a beautiful world, murder is always ugly…

Recently returned from his last case in Ireland, elite forensic psychologist and criminal profiler Dr Alexander Gregory receives a call from the French police that he can’t ignore. It’s Paris fashion week and some of the world’s most beautiful women are turning up dead, their faces slashed in a series of frenzied attacks while the world’s press looks on.

Amidst the carnage, one victim has survived but she’s too traumatised to talk. Without her help, the police are powerless to stop the killer before he strikes again – can Gregory unlock the secrets of her mind, before it’s too late?

Murder and mystery are peppered with dark humour in this fast-paced thriller set amidst the spectacular Parisian landscape.]]>
232 L.J. Ross Kylie 3 4.18 2019 Hysteria (Alexander Gregory Thrillers, #2)
author: L.J. Ross
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2021/10/17
date added: 2021/10/17
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[Impostor (Alexander Gregory Thrillers, #1)]]> 51815833 There’s a killer inside all of us…

After an elite criminal profiling unit is shut down amidst a storm of scandal and mismanagement, only one person emerges unscathed. Forensic psychologist Doctor Alexander Gregory has a reputation for being able to step inside the darkest minds to uncover whatever secrets lie hidden there and, soon enough, he finds himself drawn into the murky world of murder investigation.

In the beautiful hills of County Mayo, Ireland, a killer is on the loose. Panic has a stranglehold on its rural community and the Garda are running out of time. Gregory has sworn to follow a quiet life but, when the call comes, can he refuse to help their desperate search for justice?

Murder and mystery are peppered with dark humour in this fast-paced thriller set amidst the spectacular Irish landscape.]]>
311 L.J. Ross Kylie 4 4.29 2019 Impostor (Alexander Gregory Thrillers, #1)
author: L.J. Ross
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/12
date added: 2021/10/12
shelves:
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<![CDATA[The Catherine Howard Conspiracy (The Marquess House Saga #1)]]> 43455344
What secrets were covered up at the court of Henry VIII…?

Whitehall Palace, England, 1539

When Catherine Howard arrives at the court of King Henry VIII to be a maid of honour in the household of the new queen, Anne of Cleves, she has no idea of the fate that awaits her.

Catching the king’s fancy, she finds herself caught up in her uncle’s ambition to get a Howard heir to the throne.

Terrified by the ageing king after the fate that befell her cousin, Anne Boleyn, Catherine begins to fear for her life…

Pembrokeshire, Wales, 2018

Dr Perdita Rivers receives news of the death of her estranged grandmother, renowned Tudor historian Mary Fitzroy. Mary inexplicably cut all contact with Perdita and her twin sister, Piper, but she has left them Marquess House, her vast estate in Pembrokeshire.

Perdita sets out to unravel their grandmother’s motives for abandoning them, and is drawn into the mystery of an ancient document in the archives of Marquess House, a collection of letters and diaries claiming the records of Catherine Howard’s execution were falsified…

What truths are hiding in Marquess House? What really happened to Catherine Howard?

And how was Perdita’s grandmother connected to it all?

THE CATHERINE HOWARD CONSPIRACY is the first book in the Marquess House saga, a dual timeline conspiracy thriller with an ingenious twist on a well-known period of Tudor history.

THE MARQUESS HOUSE SAGA
BOOK The Catherine Howard Conspiracy
BOOK The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy
BOOK The Arbella Stuart Conspiracy
BOOK The Jane Seymour Conspiracy]]>
500 Alexandra Walsh 1913028240 Kylie 5 4.30 2019 The Catherine Howard Conspiracy (The Marquess House Saga #1)
author: Alexandra Walsh
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2021/10/03
date added: 2021/10/03
shelves:
review:

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Poison Orchids 55508465
Young backpackers Gemma and Hayley arrive at a remote mango farm, out of money and desperate for work. The farm's owner, Tate Llewellyn, welcomes them in with open arms. An enigmatic, wealthy chemist, Tate spends his days running his hobby farm and cultivating rare orchids in his greenhouse.

The weeks go on, a blur of fruit-picking with the other international backpackers, parties, campfires and wading beneath waterfalls in the nearby hot springs. Tate calls the girls his orchids...his pretty orchids...

Until the night the girls find themselves on a dark highway, bruised and bloodied.

How did paradise turn so ugly?

Senior Detective Bronwen McKay and psychologist Megan Arlotti question the terrified girls. But Hayley and Gemma are telling two very different stories of what happened to them over the past three months.

Which story is the truth and what are the girls covering up?]]>
404 Sarah A. Denzil Kylie 4 4.09 2019 Poison Orchids
author: Sarah A. Denzil
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/09/17
date added: 2021/09/17
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The Penmaker's Wife 45313386 In Victorian England, a mother is on the run from her past—and the truth about what she did.

Birmingham, 1880. Angelica Chastain has fled from London with her young son, William. She promises him a better life, far away from the terrors they left behind.

Securing a job as a governess, Angelica captures the attention of wealthy widower Stanley Hampton. Soon they marry and the successful future Angelica envisaged for William starts to fall into place.

But the past will not let Angelica go. As the people in her husband’s circle, once captivated by her charm, begin to question her motives, it becomes clear that forgetting where she came from—and who she ran from—is impossible.

When tragedy threatens to expose her and destroy everything she’s built for herself and William, how far will she go to keep her secrets safe? And when does the love for one’s child tip over into dangerous obsession?

Alias Grace meets Peaky Blinders in this tale of obsession, ambition and murder in Victorian England.]]>
257 Steve Robinson 1542006260 Kylie 0 to-read 3.84 2019 The Penmaker's Wife
author: Steve Robinson
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2019
rating: 0
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date added: 2021/09/11
shelves: to-read
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The Hollows 55935696
With his marriage over and his career in freefall, journalist Tom decides to reconnect with his fourteen-year-old daughter, Frankie. Desperate to spend precious time together now that they live an ocean apart, he brings her to Hollow Falls, a cabin resort deep in the woods of Maine.

From the outset there’s something a little eerie about the place—strange whispers in the trees, windchimes echoing through the forest—but when Tom meets true-crime podcasters David and Connie, he receives a chilling warning. Hollow Falls has a gruesome history: twenty years ago this week, a double slaying shut down the resort. The crime was never solved, and now the woods are overrun with murder-obsessed tourists looking to mark the grim anniversary.

It’s clear that there’s something deeply disturbing going on at Hollow Falls. And as Tom’s dream trip turns into a nightmare, he and Frankie are faced with a choice: uncover the truth, or get out while they still can.]]>
335 Mark Edwards 1542026814 Kylie 0 to-read 3.88 2021 The Hollows
author: Mark Edwards
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2021
rating: 0
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date added: 2021/09/11
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<![CDATA[Inexpressible Island (End of Forever Saga, 3)]]> 44557676 The third and final novel in Paullina Simons’ unforgettable End of Forever saga concludes Julian and Josephine’s heartbreaking love story that has spanned lifetimes.

They were ready for anything…except the end.

Julian has lost everything he ever loved and is almost out of time. His life and death struggle against fate offers him one last chance to do the impossible and save the woman to whom he is inextricably bound.

Together, Julian and Josephine wage war against a relentless dark force that threatens to destroy them. The fight will take everything they are and everything they have, as they try once more to give each other back their unfinished lives.

As time runs out for the star-crossed lovers, Julian learns that fate has one cruel trick in store for them—and even a man who has lost everything…

…still has something left to lose.

 

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448 Paullina Simons 0062098195 Kylie 0 to-read 3.99 2019 Inexpressible Island (End of Forever Saga, 3)
author: Paullina Simons
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2019
rating: 0
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date added: 2021/09/11
shelves: to-read
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<![CDATA[The Other Side of Dawn (Tomorrow, #7)]]> 71867
Since their town was invaded by enemy soldiers and transformed into a war zone, Ellie and her four surviving friends have been fighting for their lives. One year later, a resolution may finally be in sight. But as enemy forces close in on her hideout, Ellie discovers that the final battle may be the most dangerous yet. And not every soldier is fated to see the end of every conflict.

There are no more hiding places left in this exhilarating conclusion to Ellie's struggle for freedom, dignity, and, above all else, a sense of peace.]]>
336 John Marsden 0439858054 Kylie 0 to-read 4.21 1999 The Other Side of Dawn (Tomorrow, #7)
author: John Marsden
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.21
book published: 1999
rating: 0
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date added: 2021/09/11
shelves: to-read
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The Guest List 51933429
On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.

But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.

And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?]]>
330 Lucy Foley Kylie 0 to-read 3.64 2020 The Guest List
author: Lucy Foley
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/09/11
shelves: to-read
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<![CDATA[Devil's Junction (Matt Drake #25)]]> 53314334 239 David Leadbeater Kylie 4 4.59 Devil's Junction (Matt Drake #25)
author: David Leadbeater
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.59
book published:
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2021/09/11
shelves:
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<![CDATA[The Patient Man (DI Jackman & DS Evans, #6)]]> 49960779 Jackman and Evans’ most dangerous enemy is back to finish things off

The domestic bliss of Detective Inspector Rowan Jackman> of Fenland Constabulary doesn’t last long. His nemesis, serial killer Alistair Ashcroft, is back in town and ready to tidy up unfinished business.

Ashcroft sends a sinister text to DS Marie Evans. His opening move in what will prove to be a lethal game of cat-and-mouse. Yet for all his taunts, where is he? In a county crawling with police on the lookout for him, Ashcroft is nowhere to be found.

Everyone Jackman cares about is in danger

Alongside the hunt for Ashcroft, normal police work must continue. The separate thefts of guns, six pigs, a thoroughbred stallion and some oil lead Jackman’s crew to the notorious Lorimer family, ruled over on their farm by the fearsome matriarch Rachel.

Meanwhile, a seemingly routine break-in at the home of gun-club owner Kenneth Harcourt quickly becomes more complicated when the man long held responsible for having killed Harcourt’s young daughter in a hit-and-run is shot dead in a carpark — by a sniper.

A killer is on the loose in the quiet streets of Saltern-le-Fen and he isn’t going to stop at claiming one life. But why is he focusing on young Kevin, so close to promotion to detective?

A lethal game with a very patient man

And the sniper, like Ashcroft, takes to taunting the police: they’ll never catch him, they need to respect him, they shouldn’t be side-tracked looking for their old adversary. In a stunning conclusion, Jackman and Evans race against time to catch the sniper and track down their deadly adversary.

Full of twists and turns, this is a crime thriller that will keep you turning the pages until the shocking ending. Set in the atmospheric Lincolnshire Fens whose towns and isolated villages hide many dark secrets.

Can they finally stop Alistair Ashcroft?
]]>
Joy Ellis Kylie 4 4.07 2020 The Patient Man (DI Jackman & DS Evans, #6)
author: Joy Ellis
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2021/09/11
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<![CDATA[Burning For Revenge (Tomorrow, #5)]]> 71869
The journey to Stratton isn't an easy trip, especially when the enemy's headquarters lie somewhere along the way. And that's exactly where Ellie and her friends unwittingly find themselves. With only five of them against hundreds of armed soldiers, escape seems like a suicide mission. But Stratton is where Ellie's grandmother lives, so the journey must be made -- even though the odds aren't good.
Ellie must summon all of her courage and guerrilla instincts to survive the latest high-stakes installment of the action-packed Tomorrow series.]]>
261 John Marsden 0439858038 Kylie 4 4.18 1997 Burning For Revenge (Tomorrow, #5)
author: John Marsden
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.18
book published: 1997
rating: 4
read at:
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<![CDATA[A Beggar's Kingdom (End of Forever, #2)]]> 43180083
Sometimes a second chance is your only hope.

Is there a fate beyond the fates? Julian has failed Josephine once. Despite grave danger and impossible odds, he is determined to do the unimaginable and try again to save the woman he loves.

What follows is a love story like no other as the doomed lovers embark on an incredible adventure across time and space. Racing through history and against the merciless clock, they face countless dangers and deadly enemies.

Living amid beauty and ecstasy, bloodshed and betrayal, each time they court and cheat death brings Julian and Josephine closer to an unthinkable sacrifice and a confrontation with the harshest master of all...destiny.

Don't miss The Tiger Catcher, the stunning first End of Forever novel!]]>
656 Paullina Simons Kylie 4 3.73 2019 A Beggar's Kingdom (End of Forever, #2)
author: Paullina Simons
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2021/09/11
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Five Bloody Hearts 43886393
Grace Repton, a beautiful older woman, walks into the police station to tell Matt she has information that could stop a murder. Her fiancé, the infamous serial killer Jeremy Reader, has told her that he has a disciple who is going to kill using Reader’s horrific methods.

Reader murdered five women and was finally brought to justice by Detective Ballard. Reader is safely imprisoned in a high security prison, and claiming to be a reformed man who wants to help the police.

But can Matt believe the serial killer or his peculiar wife to be? Can the love of a good woman really change a serial killer?

And the Fenland police also have another investigation on their hands. A Lithuanian migrant worker is found dead on the fens. There is no ID on him, but he has a Tree of Life tattoo. The third body to be found with this distinctive tattoo. Is this gang war or something even more sinister?

CAN YOU TRUST A KILLER TO HELP STOP A KILLER?

The police are stretched to breaking point with multiple copycat murders. And Matt and his girlfriend Liz will fight for everything they care about in a heart-stopping conclusion that will have you on the edge of your seat.]]>
Joy Ellis Kylie 3 4.08 2019 Five Bloody Hearts
author: Joy Ellis
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2021/09/11
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The Night Olivia Fell 40964815 In the vein of Big Little Lies and Reconstructing Amelia comes an emotionally charged domestic suspense novel about a mother unraveling the truth behind how her daughter became brain dead. And pregnant.

A search for the truth. A lifetime of lies.

In the small hours of the morning, Abi Knight is startled awake by the phone call no mother ever wants to her teenage daughter Olivia has fallen off a bridge. Not only is Olivia brain dead, she’s pregnant and must remain on life support to keep her baby alive. And then Abi sees the angry bruises circling Olivia’s wrists.

When the police unexpectedly rule Olivia’s fall an accident, Abi decides to find out what really happened that night. Heartbroken and grieving, she unravels the threads of her daughter’s life. Was Olivia’s fall an accident? Or something far more sinister?

Christina McDonald weaves a suspenseful and heartwrenching tale of hidden relationships, devastating lies, and the power of a mother’s love. With flashbacks of Olivia’s own resolve to uncover family secrets, this taut and emotional novel how well do you know your children? And how well do they know you?]]>
368 Christina McDonald Kylie 3 3.95 2019 The Night Olivia Fell
author: Christina McDonald
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2021/09/11
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<![CDATA[The Illuminati Endgame (The Relic Hunters #7)]]> 58938161
Chasing the Illuminati across the globe, the Relic Hunters fight to prevent an apocalyptic change in the world order. From Loch Ness and Canada to Hawaii and Stonehenge, the battle lines are drawn and crossed, obliterated by the relentless onslaught of the Illuminati who will stop at nothing to reap their promised rewards at the final sanctum: the mysterious Hades.

With some of their team abducted and forced to take part in a terrible ceremony, carrying injury and animosity, the Relic Hunters confront the Illuminati and their army of Hoods and fanatical followers for the final time. Life as we know it hangs in the balance.

In what may be the last fight of their lives, the stakes could not be higher as the world awaits its fate. . .]]>
239 David Leadbeater Kylie 3 4.59 2021 The Illuminati Endgame (The Relic Hunters #7)
author: David Leadbeater
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.59
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2021/09/11
date added: 2021/09/11
shelves:
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A French Pirouette 24242099
Parisian prima ballerina Suzette knows it’s time to hang up her pointe shoes before her next injury ruins her ankles for good. But dancing is all she’s ever known and she’s terrified of who she’ll be after that final curtain falls.

Meanwhile, lonely Londoner Libby is pouring her life savings into buying an auberge that she and her late husband had loved visiting on holiday. It’s a huge risk that could leave her broke…as well as broken-hearted.

And then there’s Brigitte who’s retired to the village for a slower pace of life, but who dreads seeing someone else run her beloved auberge.

Three fresh starts… one unforgettable summer!

Readers LOVE A French Pirouette!‘I was hooked from the opening pages, transported into a different little world… A simply gorgeous read all about healing, starting over, putting away the past and moving forward. And I loved every single moment.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘For the price of this book, I got an all-inclusive trip to Brittany, and the great thing was, I didn't even have to pack a bag, cancel the milk, or get someone in to feed the cat! Encore s'il vous plait!!!!!’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This is the first book I have read of Jennifer Bohnet and it will not be the last, it captivates you in the first chapter, you want to to know more… It is a brilliant story and one that I could not put down until I had finished it. Now going to order another Jennifer Bohnet book!’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This book will be the perfect summer holiday accompaniment. It made me smile, cry and gave me that warm and squishy feeling inside. I couldn’t really ask for more…’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐]]>
360 Jennifer Bohnet 1474028284 Kylie 3 4.43 2015 A French Pirouette
author: Jennifer Bohnet
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2021/08/28
date added: 2021/08/28
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The One 33287119 How far would you go to find THE ONE?

One simple mouth swab is all it takes.

One tiny DNA test to find your perfect partner - the one you're genetically made for.

A decade after scientists discover everyone has a gene they share with just one person, millions have taken the test, desperate to find true love.

Now, five more people take the test. But even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking - and deadlier - than others...

A psychological thriller with a difference, this is a truly unique novel which is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.

(Note: Previously published as A Thousand Small Explosions)]]>
386 John Marrs Kylie 5 4.14 2016 The One
author: John Marrs
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2021/08/27
date added: 2021/08/27
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<![CDATA[The Girl in the Painting (Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery #8)]]> 56380062
When Tayte learns that the theft is connected with a recent murder, he's right to be wary, but solving crimes through genealogical research is what he does best. He quickly becomes intrigued by the girl in the painting and agrees to help. What became of her? Who stole the painting, and why would they kill for it all these years later?

As Tayte and Nat go in search of the answers, can they solve the mystery and bring the murderer to justice? Or will they become the killer's next victims?]]>
132 Steve Robinson Kylie 3 4.25 2021 The Girl in the Painting (Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery #8)
author: Steve Robinson
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2021/08/22
date added: 2021/08/22
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Guide Star 34948917 emotional and gripping fiction full of twists about people fighting back against what life throws at them? Then try this book by a #1 best-selling author now. You won't want to put it down.

WHO DO YOU TURN TO WHEN LIFE GOES WRONG? WHO IS YOUR GUIDE STAR?

Stella won’t give up, but she doesn’t know how to go on.

Stella North, a rising star in the police, has her life torn apart by a gunman’s bullets. She has often faced danger, but these injuries mean she must give up the job she loves. Her grandmother Beth is her rock. And Beth is no ordinary woman. At seventy, she runs marathons and has a past that Stella knows very little about.

Beth calls in her friend Michael to help with Stella’s recovery. But this man means a lot more to Beth than she reveals. And Stella’s ex-husband Edward and old police partner Robbie want to help, but Stella puts up emotional barriers, and they have problems of their own. Her old friends from her days of Urbex (exploring old abandoned buildings) offer a glimmer of hope for the future.

Will Stella find the strength to overcome the challenges of her new life, and will her grandmother at last resolve the deep emotional turmoil of her past?
]]>
271 Joy Ellis 1912106531 Kylie 4 4.32 2017 Guide Star
author: Joy Ellis
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2021/08/14
date added: 2021/08/14
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<![CDATA[The Cove (Summer Suspense Mysteries, #1)]]> 58200493
Gabrielle Adams has it all – brains, beauty, a handsome fiancé, and a dream job in publishing. Until, one day, everything changes.

The ‘Underground Killer’ takes his victims when they least expect it: standing on the edge of a busy Tube platform, as they wait for a train to arrive through the murky underground tunnels of London.

Gabrielle soon learns that being a survivor is harder than being a victim, and she struggles to return to her old life. Desperate to break free from the endless nightmares, she snatches up an opportunity to run a tiny bookshop in a picturesque cove in rural Cornwall.

She thinks she’s found the perfect escape, but has she swapped one nightmare for another?

Suspense and mystery are peppered with romance and humour in this fast-paced thriller, set amidst the spectacular Cornish landscape.]]>
197 L.J. Ross Kylie 3 4.06 2021 The Cove (Summer Suspense Mysteries, #1)
author: L.J. Ross
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2021/08/07
date added: 2021/08/07
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<![CDATA[A Villa in Sicily: Olive Oil and Murder (A Cats and Dogs Cozy Mystery #1)]]> 56100651
Audrey Smart, 34, is a brilliant vet—yet fed up by her demanding clients who think they know more than her and who don’t care about their animals. Burnt-out with the endless hours, she wonders if the time has come for a new direction. And when her 15th year high school reunion (and her hopes for re-sparking on old flame) end in disaster, Audrey knows the time has come to make a change.

When Audrey sees an ad for a $1 home in Sicily, it captivates her. The only catch is that the house requires renovation, something she knows little about. She wonders if it could be real—and if she may really be crazy enough to go for it.

Can Audrey create a life and career—and the home of her dreams—in a beautiful Sicilian village? And perhaps even find love while she’s there?

Or will an unexpected death—one that only she can solve—put an end to all of her plans?

Are some dreams too good to be true?

A laugh-out-loud cozy packed with mystery, intrigue, renovation, animals, food, wine—and of course, love—A VILLA IN SICILY will capture your heart and keep you glued to the very last page.]]>
191 Fiona Grace Kylie 3 3.96 2020 A Villa in Sicily: Olive Oil and Murder (A Cats and Dogs Cozy Mystery #1)
author: Fiona Grace
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2021/07/14
date added: 2021/07/14
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These Tangled Vines 55929774 From the USA Today bestselling author of A Curve in the Road comes a sweeping and captivating tale of one woman’s journey to the lush vineyards of Tuscany—and into the mysteries of a tragic family secret.

If Fiona has learned anything in life, it’s how to keep a secret—even from the father who raised her. She is the only person who knows about her late mother’s affair in Tuscany thirty years earlier, and she intends to keep it that way…until a lawyer calls with shocking her biological father has died and left her an incredible inheritance—along with two half siblings.

Fiona travels to Italy, where the family is shocked to learn of her existence and desperate to contest her share of the will. While the mystery of her mother’s affair is slowly unraveled, Fiona must navigate through tricky family relationships and tense sibling rivalries. Fiona both fears and embraces her new destiny as she searches for the truth about the fateful summer her mother spent in Italy and the father she never knew.

Spilling over with the sumptuous flavors and romance of Tuscany, These Tangled Vines takes readers on a breathtaking journey of love, secrets, sacrifice, courage—and most importantly, the true meaning of family.]]>
302 Julianne MacLean 1542025389 Kylie 3 4.27 2021 These Tangled Vines
author: Julianne MacLean
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2021/07/13
date added: 2021/07/13
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<![CDATA[Beyond the Point (DI Nick Dixon, #9)]]> 42801355
When the body of a young woman is found on the building site of a nuclear power station, work grinds to a halt. The body bears all the hallmarks of yet another random murder at the hands of the escaped killer. Then Dixon finds a motive.

Fighting for his place on the Major Investigation Team, he soon uncovers a family’s desperate search for the truth, exposing a web of corruption and death that will shake the billion pound construction project to its very foundations. But who can be trusted when so much money is at stake?

Can Dixon find the killer under intense pressure from the top of government? And, can he do it before anyone else has to die?]]>
361 Damien Boyd 1542093287 Kylie 3 4.50 2019 Beyond the Point (DI Nick Dixon, #9)
author: Damien Boyd
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2021/07/09
date added: 2021/07/09
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<![CDATA[Tooting Moon (Dusty Kent Mysteries, #5)]]> 55885168 A Dusty Kent mystery by an Amazon Best Selling author!

In one of Brigid George’s most ingenious mysteries, Dusty Kent must expose a killer of women.

Beautiful Tiri Welsh and her husband Blake Montgomery were iconic Hollywood stars adored by millions around the world. All that changed one dark night in the Indian Ocean, when Tiri drowned under mysterious circumstances. The truth behind her death was never uncovered.

For seventeen years, Tiri’s sister fought tirelessly to expose Montgomery as his wife’s murderer. Finally, she turns to Dusty Kent

Dusty travels to Broome, Western Australia where the actor now lives aboard his private yacht. She is immediately suspicious of Blake Montgomery, suspecting his urbane charm hides a sinister side. However, to get to the truth, Tiri’s is not the only mysterious death Dusty will need to solve.

Tooting Moon is the fifth book in this Australian murder mysteries. The novel is written by JB Rowley, author of Amazon best seller Whisper My Secret, under the pen name Brigid George.]]>
230 Brigid George Kylie 4 4.18 2020 Tooting Moon (Dusty Kent Mysteries, #5)
author: Brigid George
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/07/09
date added: 2021/07/09
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Those Who Disappeared 53937997 It’s been thirty years since his father went missing. Now there’s a body, can he finally find out why?

When a man’s body is discovered in a Swiss glacier thirty years after he went missing, his son, Foster Treherne, hopes he’ll finally have closure on what happened to the father he never met. But then the autopsy reveals signs of a struggle, and what was assumed to be a tragic accident suddenly looks more sinister.

Foster tracks down his father’s old friends, but when he starts to ask questions it becomes clear that there’s something they don’t want to tell him. While some are evasive, others seem to wish the body had never been found. What exactly is their connection to each other, and why are they so reluctant to discuss the day his father disappeared? Who are they trying to protect?

If he wants to uncover what really happened, Foster must follow the trail of secrets and lies—no matter how devastating the consequences, and what they might reveal about his father. Because the truth can only stay buried for so long…]]>
232 Kevin Wignall 1542023467 Kylie 4 4.04 2021 Those Who Disappeared
author: Kevin Wignall
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/07/01
date added: 2021/07/01
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<![CDATA[A Conspiracy of Bones (Temperance Brennan, #19)]]> 50552307 #1 New York Times bestselling author Kathy Reichs returns with a new riveting novel featuring her vastly popular character forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan, who must use all her tradecraft to discover the identity of a faceless corpse, its connection to a decade-old missing child case, and why the dead man had her cell phone number.

It’s sweltering in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Temperance Brennan, still recovering from neurosurgery following an aneurysm, is battling nightmares, migraines, and what she thinks might be hallucinations when she receives a series of mysterious text messages, each containing a new picture of a corpse that is missing its face and hands. Immediately, she’s anxious to know who the dead man is, and why the images were sent to her.

An identified corpse soon turns up, only partly answering her questions.

To win answers to the others, including the man’s identity, she must go rogue, working mostly outside the system. That’s because Tempe’s new boss holds a fierce grudge against her and is determined to keep her out of the case. Tempe bulls forward anyway, even as she begins questioning her instincts. But the clues she discovers are disturbing and confusing. Was the faceless man a spy? A trafficker? A target for assassination by the government? And why was he carrying the name of a child missing for almost a decade?

With help from a number of law enforcement associates including her Montreal beau Andrew Ryan and the always-ready-with-a-smart-quip, ex-homicide investigator Skinny Slidell, and utilizing new cutting-edge forensic methods, Tempe draws closer to the astonishing truth.

But the more she uncovers, the darker and more twisted the picture becomes...]]>
336 Kathy Reichs 1760853984 Kylie 4
The body has been found in the woods, partially eaten by feral hogs, making ID difficult. As Tempe and Slidell start to investigate they are drawn into a world of conspiracies, missing children and underground bunkers. Who is the dead man? Is he a spy? Or something else? And who was the man loitering outside Tempe's house? Tempe is her usual dog with a bone self, and will not give up until she has answers, no matter where she ends up to get them. And end up in peril she does, again, in true Tempe fashion.

I really enjoyed this book, I love the ongoing characters, the banter, and the plot's continue to excite the reader. Kathy Reichs is the master of the cliffhanger chapter endings, making you read "just one chapter more" long into the night. The plot in this one did get slightly convoluted at points, but it was a mild irritation. All in all another great read, and I can't wait to see what Tempe gets herself into next.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
3.75 2020 A Conspiracy of Bones (Temperance Brennan, #19)
author: Kathy Reichs
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/03/06
date added: 2021/06/27
shelves: annual-challenges, monthly-challenges, mystery-crime, netgalley-2020, seasonal-challenges
review:
I've been waiting a long time for this book, and I'm pleased to say I wasn't disappointed. In this book Tempe is on the outer with her new boss, and not being asked to consult on cases. So when she gets sent pictures of a corpse from an anonymous source she immediately is on the case, much to her bosses ire.

The body has been found in the woods, partially eaten by feral hogs, making ID difficult. As Tempe and Slidell start to investigate they are drawn into a world of conspiracies, missing children and underground bunkers. Who is the dead man? Is he a spy? Or something else? And who was the man loitering outside Tempe's house? Tempe is her usual dog with a bone self, and will not give up until she has answers, no matter where she ends up to get them. And end up in peril she does, again, in true Tempe fashion.

I really enjoyed this book, I love the ongoing characters, the banter, and the plot's continue to excite the reader. Kathy Reichs is the master of the cliffhanger chapter endings, making you read "just one chapter more" long into the night. The plot in this one did get slightly convoluted at points, but it was a mild irritation. All in all another great read, and I can't wait to see what Tempe gets herself into next.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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<![CDATA[Last of the Magpies (Magpies, #3)]]> 44293818 The chilling conclusion to the #1 bestseller The Magpies.

Winner of the Most Elusive Villain award at the Dead Good Readers Awards 2019

Twelve months ago, Jamie Knight walked straight into Lucy Newton’s trap. Both Jamie and his ex-wife Kirsty barely survived. Now, with the police investigation into Lucy’s disappearance going nowhere, Jamie teams up with a true crime podcaster to track down his nemesis.

But can Jamie persuade Kirsty to help? Can Kirsty forgive him for his past mistakes? And who, if anyone, will survive the final showdown? Featuring extracts from Lucy’s secret memoir, Last of the Magpies brings the trilogy to a shocking conclusion.]]>
121 Mark Edwards 154201588X Kylie 3 4.13 2019 Last of the Magpies (Magpies, #3)
author: Mark Edwards
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2021/06/01
date added: 2021/06/01
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[The Rock (DCI Ryan Mysteries, #18)]]> 56757201
With one already dead and more human cargo missing from the wreckage, Ryan and his team race to find the remaining souls — before it’s too late, and their investigation turns to murder. As they uncover the seedy underbelly of Tyneside, cold and calculated opportunism clashes with the rock-hard arm of the Law, but there’s one thing that proves stronger than stone…


The human spirit.]]>
384 L.J. Ross Kylie 3 4.53 2021 The Rock (DCI Ryan Mysteries, #18)
author: L.J. Ross
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.53
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2021/05/28
date added: 2021/05/28
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[Heads or Tails (DI Nick Dixon, #7)]]> 34611617 The highly anticipated seventh novel in the bestselling DI Nick Dixon Crime Series.

A man has been mutilated and left to drown on the incoming tide, handcuffed in his van. With the murder bearing a striking resemblance to a string of sadistic killings carried out with surgical precision in 1990s gangland Manchester, it can mean only one the killer is back.

Transferred to the Major Investigation Team, DI Nick Dixon is assigned a new partner and sent to Manchester. Meanwhile, the gruesome murders in Somerset continue.

Convinced of a connection with the unsolved gangland killings, and with the odds stacked against him, Dixon takes the ultimate gamble, determined to bring the killer to justice before it’s too late.

But is it the same killer? If so, why has he resurfaced now? And how many more must die?]]>
370 Damien Boyd 1542096618 Kylie 3 4.46 2017 Heads or Tails (DI Nick Dixon, #7)
author: Damien Boyd
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2021/05/27
date added: 2021/05/27
shelves:
review:

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Infinite 49118403 From bestselling author Brian Freeman comes an explosive new psychological thriller that pushes the limits of reality as we know it.

One rainy night, the unthinkable Dylan Moran’s car plunges off the road into a raging river, his beautiful wife drowning as he struggles to shore.

In the aftermath, through his grief, Dylan experiences sudden, strange wherever he goes, he’s haunted by glimpses of himself. Dylan initially chalks it up to trauma, but that changes when he runs into a psychiatrist who claims he’s her patient. She says he has been undergoing a unique hypnotherapy treatment built on the idea that with every choice, he creates an infinite number of parallel universes.

Now those parallel universes are unlocked—and Dylan’s doppelgänger has staked a claim to his world. Can Dylan use these alternate realities to get a second chance at the life that was stolen from him? Or will he lose himself…to himself?]]>
328 Brian Freeman 1542023882 Kylie 5 4.04 2021 Infinite
author: Brian Freeman
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/05/13
date added: 2021/05/13
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[The Bronze Horseman (The Bronze Horseman, #1)]]> 41014505 From Book 1:

The golden skies, the translucent twilight, the white nights, all hold the promise of youth, of love, of eternal renewal. The war has not yet touched this city of fallen grandeur, or the lives of two sisters, Tatiana and Dasha Metanova, who share a single room in a cramped apartment with their brother and parents. Their world is turned upside down when Hitler's armies attack Russia and begin their unstoppable blitz to Leningrad.

Yet there is light in the darkness. Tatiana meets Alexander, a brave young officer in the Red Army. Strong and self-confident, yet guarding a mysterious and troubled past, he is drawn to Tatiana—and she to him. Starvation, desperation, and fear soon grip their city during the terrible winter of the merciless German siege. Tatiana and Alexander's impossible love threatens to tear the Metanova family apart and expose the dangerous secret Alexander so carefully protects—a secret as devastating as the war itself—as the lovers are swept up in the brutal tides that will change the world and their lives forever.

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912 Paullina Simons Kylie 5 4.17 2000 The Bronze Horseman (The Bronze Horseman, #1)
author: Paullina Simons
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2000
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2020/12/12
shelves:
review:

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Little Girls Tell Tales 51380142
2004: Rosalie is walking through the wild wetland behind her mother’s home on the isolated Isle of Man when she stumbles across a body. Having strayed from the path and lost her brother, Dallin, it’s hours before she’s discovered, shaken and exhausted. With a reputation for telling stories, not many believe the little girl’s tale of the body in the marsh.

2019: Dallin, estranged from his family, returns unannounced with a woman named Cora by his side. Cora’s sister went missing fifteen years ago and she believes Rosalie was the one who found her. As dangerous secrets are unearthed, Cora and Rosalie start asking questions about a girl who some would rather keep buried…

An atmospheric crime novel, perfect for fans of Cara Hunter and Erin Kinsley.]]>
265 Rachel Bennett 0008333297 Kylie 3
Fast forward fifteen years and we find Rosalie living the life of a recluse in her childhood home after the death of her wife. Then her estranged brother Dallin reappears, with a friend, Cora, in tow. Cora thinks the skeleton Rosalie found may have been her sister, who went missing twenty years ago. As the two women set out to find the truth they discover that the truth may not want to be found, and someone is willing to go to great measures to stop them.

I found Little Girls Tell Tales to be a relatively easy book to read, though it did get bogged down at times. The characters were okay, though not truly memorable, yet the setting on the curraghs and around the Isle Of Man was interesting and intriguing. I certainly didn't know there is feral wallabies that make their home in the curraghs! The plot was enjoyable enough, though it could have been made a bit creepier, but it's a novel that worth a read, maybe on a rainy day.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
3.51 2020 Little Girls Tell Tales
author: Rachel Bennett
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/05/13
date added: 2020/11/17
shelves: annual-challenges, atwi80b-2020, monthly-challenges, mystery-crime, netgalley-2020
review:
As a child Rosalie got lost on the curraghs near her home on the Isle Of Man. While wandering the marshes trying to find her way home she stumbles across a skeleton. When she finally finds her way out a police search is conducted for the bones, but nothing is found.

Fast forward fifteen years and we find Rosalie living the life of a recluse in her childhood home after the death of her wife. Then her estranged brother Dallin reappears, with a friend, Cora, in tow. Cora thinks the skeleton Rosalie found may have been her sister, who went missing twenty years ago. As the two women set out to find the truth they discover that the truth may not want to be found, and someone is willing to go to great measures to stop them.

I found Little Girls Tell Tales to be a relatively easy book to read, though it did get bogged down at times. The characters were okay, though not truly memorable, yet the setting on the curraghs and around the Isle Of Man was interesting and intriguing. I certainly didn't know there is feral wallabies that make their home in the curraghs! The plot was enjoyable enough, though it could have been made a bit creepier, but it's a novel that worth a read, maybe on a rainy day.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
]]>
<![CDATA[Death Sentence (DI Nick Dixon, #6)]]> 30073557 The highly anticipated new book in the bestselling DI Nick Dixon Crime Series.

The body of an elderly man is found in an abandoned World War Two pillbox beside the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal. With no obvious motive and no credible suspect, DI Nick Dixon starts digging into the victim’s past.

The more he digs, the deeper Dixon is drawn into a case that takes him from the cave systems beneath rural Somerset to the heart of government, and threatens to expose a military cover-up at the highest level.

Blocked by a wall of silence, Dixon must unravel a dangerous conspiracy before the killer strikes again.]]>
353 Damien Boyd 1503994708 Kylie 4 mystery-crime, audio 4.34 2016 Death Sentence (DI Nick Dixon, #6)
author: Damien Boyd
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2020/10/07
date added: 2020/10/17
shelves: mystery-crime, audio
review:
This series is getting better and better as it goes along. In this worthy instalment Nick and his team are investigating the murder of a Falklands War veteran, and they find that things go deeper than they originally thought. With excellent characters and plot development, I recommend this book to all lovers of crime novels and police procedurals.
]]>
<![CDATA[The Sound of Rain (Nicole Foster Thriller, #1)]]> 31304213
As Nicole obsesses over the old facts, she realizes everything about that case felt a disinterested mom, a suicidal pedophile, and too many questions left unanswered. When the little girl’s grieving father begs Nicole for help, she’s drawn back into the investigation…and given one shot at redemption.

But the deeper Nicole digs, the more evil she uncovers, including betrayals that hit painfully close to home. Will a shocking discovery be the key to finally getting justice for Kelsey and resurrecting her own life?]]>
350 Gregg Olsen 1503996972 Kylie 3 mystery-crime, audio 4.16 2016 The Sound of Rain (Nicole Foster Thriller, #1)
author: Gregg Olsen
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2020/10/14
date added: 2020/10/17
shelves: mystery-crime, audio
review:
An interesting enough, if not particularly believable, crime novel that sees down and out detective Nicole Foster kicked off the force. Haunted by the case of the unsolved murder of a little girl, Nicole starts to investigate again, only to find that the clues lead her painfully close to home. I did find Nicole to be an annoying character, and though the ending was unexpected it was not really strong. This book is okay, but I doubt I'll be tempted to read the rest of the series.
]]>
Zambezi 20620240 A heart-racing thriller from the master of adventure. New novel Vendetta out soon.

Paradise is about to erupt

News of the death of a research assistant, killed by a man-eating lion in Zimbabwe, reaches those closes to her. Jed Banks, a Special Forces soldier serving in Afghanistan; Professor Christine Wallis in South Africa; and Hassan bin Zayid, a hotel magnate in Zambia. The victim was respectively their daughter, protegee and lover.
Driven to find out what exactly happened, Jed, accompanied by Christine, travels to the banks of the Zambezi to investigate. Not only does Jed learn some shocking truths about the daughter he thought he knew, he begins to suspect Christine is withholding crucial information.

Meanwhile, Hassan's grief is dangerously volatile...

Fans of David Baldacci, Wilbur Smith and Ken Follett will love Tony Park.



PRAISE FOR TONY

"Gripping action thrillers...never disappoints as a storyteller" Daily Telegraph

"Tony Park is a master storyteller. I love his work." Deon Meyer

"Park once again shows why he is one of Australia's preeminent thriller writers. Cleverly utilising multiple timelines to tell an outstanding story across Africa's history, this is an amazing novel. Highly recommended." Canberra Weekly

"Australian author Park knows his subject intimately" The Guardian

"Australian author Park, who spends much of his time living in South Africa, writes in the vein of Wilbur Smith and Bryce Courtenay, with a deep love for the African bush and wildlife." Sunday Age]]>
0 Tony Park 0330404431 Kylie 4
While I found this book well-plotted and hard to put down, I really didn't connect with any of the characters, finding them unlikeable for the most part. While this didn't detract from the book it did rankle a bit. However this wont stop me looking out for more of Tony Park's work, and I have no hesitation in recommending this book to all lovers of action-adventure.]]>
4.00 Zambezi
author: Tony Park
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2020/04/30
date added: 2020/09/18
shelves: action-adventure, annual-challenges, atwi80b-2020, aussie-author, thriller-suspense
review:
An enjoyable action adventure novel, we have bereaved father Jed, a special forces soldier, travelling to Zimbabwe after the death of his daughter Miranda, who was studying lions in the bush. Desperate for answers, Jed meets up with Miranda's boss Chris, who seems to have her own agenda. As Jed gets closer to finding out what happened to Miranda, he finds he has more questions than answers. What is Chris hiding? Where is Miranda's mysterious lover? What really happened that day in the bush? Jed is in for some answers that will shock him to the core.

While I found this book well-plotted and hard to put down, I really didn't connect with any of the characters, finding them unlikeable for the most part. While this didn't detract from the book it did rankle a bit. However this wont stop me looking out for more of Tony Park's work, and I have no hesitation in recommending this book to all lovers of action-adventure.
]]>
<![CDATA[Dead Level (DI Nick Dixon, #5)]]> 26890707
With the by-election campaign about to start in earnest, and the festive season in full swing, torrential rain brings with it flood warnings on the Somerset Levels.

Suspended on full pay and transferred to the cold case unit, Detective Inspector Nick Dixon is languishing on the sidelines as the investigation into Elizabeth Perry’s murder unravels and the floodwaters rise.

Returning to duty, Dixon is convinced that the answer lies hidden in Tom Perry’s political life, but why was Elizabeth the target and not her husband? The more Dixon uncovers, the further he is from finding the truth…

Dead Level is the fifth novel in Damien Boyd’s addictive DI Nick Dixon Crime Series.]]>
370 Damien Boyd Kylie 4 audio, mystery-crime
This series is going from strength to strength, I really like the characters and I'm enjoying the ever more complex plots. I have no hesitation in recommending them to lovers of mysteries and police procedurals.]]>
4.40 2016 Dead Level (DI Nick Dixon, #5)
author: Damien Boyd
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2020/08/27
date added: 2020/08/30
shelves: audio, mystery-crime
review:
Another enjoyable entry in the DI Nick Dixon series. This time Nick is investigating the murder of the wife of a parliamentary candidate, but why was Elizabeth Perry targeted, and not her husband Tom? Nick is convinced the answer is somewhere in the background of Tom's political life, but the more he searches for answers, the more confused he becomes. With election campaigns in full swing, Christmas drawing ever closer, and a rising river ready to burst it's banks, Nick finds himself struggling to solve the case and find the answers to the complex case.

This series is going from strength to strength, I really like the characters and I'm enjoying the ever more complex plots. I have no hesitation in recommending them to lovers of mysteries and police procedurals.
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Island of Secrets 53095622 SHORTLISTED FOR THE CAPITAL CRIME AWARDS MYSTERY BOOK OF THE YEAR


Beneath the beauty of Havana, she will find a bed of lies...

'Transports us to another time and place. I loved it' PRIMA MAGAZINE

'Iris is a heroine you'll absolutely root for in this escapist tale of murder, intrigue and romance' RED MAGAZINE

London 1957: Iris Bailey is bored to death of working in the typing pool and living with her parents in Hemel Hempstead. A gifted portraitist with a talent for sketching party guests, she dreams of becoming an artist. So she can't believe her luck when socialite Nell Hardman invites her to Havana to draw at the wedding of her Hollywood director father.

Far from home, she quickly realizes the cocktails, tropical scents and azure skies mask a darker reality. As Cuba teeters on the edge of revolution and Iris's heart melts for troubled photographer Joe, she discovers someone in the charismatic Hardman family is hiding a terrible secret. Can she uncover the ugly truth behind the glamour and the dazzle before all their lives are torn apart?
______________________________


OUTSTANDING PRAISE FOR RACHEL RHYS:

'Intoxicating' SANTA MONTEFIORE
'Tantalising' DINAH JEFFRIES
'Heart-pounding' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
'Transporting' SUNDAY TIMES
'A fabulous summer read' DAILY EXPRESS

READERS ADORE RACHEL RHYS:

'I absolutely adore Rachel Rhys' books, historical mystery with so much added glitz and glamour'
'Unputdownable. Wonderful characterization and very well researched'
'A captivating and fascinating read'
'Recommended for anyone who loves historical fiction with a bit of mystery and a dash of romance'
'Oh my goodness, I absolutely adored this book!']]>
368 Rachel Rhys 1784164895 Kylie 4
I did really enjoy this book, it has it all. Scandal, political intrigue, secrets, betrayals and a touch of romance. Put all this in the sultry setting of Cuba and you have a bombshell of a book. Rachel Rhys sucks the reader in from the first page, and you soon find yourself unable to put the book down. I recommend this book to all lovers of historical mysteries and exotic settings.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
3.55 2020 Island of Secrets
author: Rachel Rhys
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/08/10
date added: 2020/08/30
shelves: atwi80b-2020, historical-fiction, mystery-crime, netgalley-2020
review:
An intriguing historic mystery that sees young artist Iris travel to Havana, Cuba, to draw guests at a society wedding. Everything is not as idyllic as it first seems however. Cuba itself is on the brink of revolution, and then there is the enduring mystery behind the death of the bride's mother. As Iris is drawn in to the secret web of lies and deception, she finds that not everything is straight forward, and some one in the family she is becoming close to is hiding a very dark secret. Iris soon finds her life is at stake, and wonders if she'll ever make it out of Cuba at all.

I did really enjoy this book, it has it all. Scandal, political intrigue, secrets, betrayals and a touch of romance. Put all this in the sultry setting of Cuba and you have a bombshell of a book. Rachel Rhys sucks the reader in from the first page, and you soon find yourself unable to put the book down. I recommend this book to all lovers of historical mysteries and exotic settings.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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Swansong (DI Nick Dixon, #4) 24582946 Isobel Swan, a sixth form student, has been murdered. First, her ring finger is severed, then her throat is cut.

With the investigation going nowhere fast, Detective Inspector Nick Dixon is sent undercover as a trainee teacher into Isobel’s boarding school.

But to find the killer, he must first confront his inner demons and lay to rest the ghosts lurking in his own past. If he can…

As Dixon digs deeper, the stakes have never been higher and a murder has never felt so personal.

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289 Damien Boyd 1477878602 Kylie 4
I found this book more fleshed out than the previous books in the series, and much better for it. We learn more about Nick and his background, what makes him tick. This series is getting better and more enjoyable the more I read it. Recommended for crime and mystery lovers everywhere.]]>
4.42 2015 Swansong (DI Nick Dixon, #4)
author: Damien Boyd
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2020/06/17
date added: 2020/06/19
shelves: annual-challenges, mystery-crime, seasonal-challenges, audio
review:
I really enjoyed Swansong, I must say it's the best in the Nick Dixon series so far. Nick goes undercover as a teacher at a school where a girl has been murdered. The investigation takes Nick to uncover deep memories of another case, and another girl. As the stakes rise Nick finds himself more and more desperate for an outcome, because this time, for Nick, it's personal.

I found this book more fleshed out than the previous books in the series, and much better for it. We learn more about Nick and his background, what makes him tick. This series is getting better and more enjoyable the more I read it. Recommended for crime and mystery lovers everywhere.
]]>
Nightingale House 53305205 For fans of Stephen King, Mark Edwards and The Haunting of Hill House comes a dark tale of a mysterious house haunted by tragedy.

The Nightingale House is a new beginning for widower Daniel Price and his young daughter Caitlyn. After months of grief, this will be the place where they start their life as a family of two.

But something is wrong—Daniel can’t settle. There’s an odd, cold feeling in the master bedroom, and a mysterious dripping noise that seems to move from room to room. Whispers of I can’t sleep echo through the corridors, long into the night.

And then Daniel uncovers the chilling story of the family who lived in the house years before, of betrayal, tragedy, and murder. Could the Nightingale House be not the home Daniel dreamed of for his daughter—but a place that will bring their worst nightmares to life?]]>
384 Steve Frech 0008372187 Kylie 4
Deliciously creepy, Nightingale House will keep you up until all hours. It is quick and easy to read, and it's one of those books where you just have to read one more chapter. I recommend this book to all lovers of mysteries and things that go bump in the night.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
3.94 2017 Nightingale House
author: Steve Frech
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2020/06/16
date added: 2020/06/19
shelves: annual-challenges, mystery-crime, netgalley-2020, thriller-suspense, seasonal-challenges
review:
I love reading books set in old houses or hotels, so of course I had to read this one. Daniel Price, along with his daughter Caitlyn move to Nightingale House in Maine after the death of his wife in a car accident. Soon after strange things start happening. Daniel keeps hearing a dripping sound, but can't find the source of it while Caitlyn finds an imaginary friend that only she can see. Then the whispers start, "I can't sleep" and Daniel starts to have terrifying, and incredibly realistic nightmares...

Deliciously creepy, Nightingale House will keep you up until all hours. It is quick and easy to read, and it's one of those books where you just have to read one more chapter. I recommend this book to all lovers of mysteries and things that go bump in the night.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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Cactus Jack 52756974 Brad Smith “rivals Elmore Leonard at his best” (Publishers Weekly). His latest novel, for fans of Richard Russo and Jane Smiley, is a terrific novel about a thirty-something single woman, the untried colt she inherits, a horse crazy little girl, and their band of misfits and has-beens who stick it to the establishment in the cutthroat world of horse racing.

Billie Masterson is a thirty-something chronic underachiever, drowning herself in alcohol and bad relationships in Ohio. She hasn’t been home to the family’s broken-down thoroughbred farm in Kentucky since college. Her mother committed suicide when Billie was a teen and she blames her father, Will Masterson. When Will drops dead while working on the farm, Billie returns to rural Kentucky for the funeral, intending only to pay her respects before high-tailing it back to Ohio. However, she’s informed by her father’s lawyer, the garrulous David Mountain Clay, that she now owns the farm…and all the debt that goes with it. Determined to sell everything, settle the debts and get out of town, Billie discovers that her father’s colt, a horse named Cactus Jack, is the object of obsession for billionaire Reese Ryker, the louche scion of a department store dynasty and now owner of Double R Racing, one of the top thoroughbred stables in the world. Billie is willing to sell everything to Ryker—until she realizes that he’s an entitled misogynist and a not-so-subtle racist. Against her better judgment, she decides to keep the farm and the untested horse. To do that she needs to race the animal—and beat Ryker at his own game. Assisted by a team of misfits, including a washed-up trainer with whom she has a bit too much history, the horse-crazy little girl next door, and her father’s ex-girlfriend, Billie and Cactus Jack take the track by a storm.
 ]]>
312 Brad Smith 1950691454 Kylie 3
So Billie and her horse, along with a cast of odd bods, take on the establishment, with no money and very little hope. Will Cactus Jack rise to the occasion? Or will Ryker get his way and claim the horse? With everything against them our crew are determined to rise to the top.

I found Cactus Jack to be a classic rags to riches horse racing novel. It is enjoyable enough, even if some of the scenarios seem implausible, and most of the characters cliched. I found it to be easy and quick to read, and did find myself invested in Cactus Jack and his racing career. Lovers of horses and sports will enjoy this book.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
3.97 2020 Cactus Jack
author: Brad Smith
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/06/13
date added: 2020/06/19
shelves: aai50b, annual-challenges, contemporary-fiction, equestrian, netgalley-2020
review:
Billie Masterson is a down on her luck waitress with a drop kick boyfriend, when she learns of the death of her estranged father. Inheriting his run down Kentucky horse farm, and the debts with it, Billie's first instinct is to sell everything. When billionaire businessman Reese Ryker offers her a good price she almost takes it, then she learns of Ryker's obsession with her father's unraced colt, Cactus Jack.

So Billie and her horse, along with a cast of odd bods, take on the establishment, with no money and very little hope. Will Cactus Jack rise to the occasion? Or will Ryker get his way and claim the horse? With everything against them our crew are determined to rise to the top.

I found Cactus Jack to be a classic rags to riches horse racing novel. It is enjoyable enough, even if some of the scenarios seem implausible, and most of the characters cliched. I found it to be easy and quick to read, and did find myself invested in Cactus Jack and his racing career. Lovers of horses and sports will enjoy this book.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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All of Us 48637766 All of Us is a riveting thriller with six compelling protagonists--who all share one body. Though legally she is Carolyn Grand, in practice she is Martha, a homemaker who cooks and cleans for her "family," Victoria, a put-together people person, Serena, a free spirit, Kirk, a heterosexual man, Eleni, a promiscuous risk-taker, and Tina, a manifestation of what is left of Carolyn after years of childhood sexual abuse. As they jockey for control of their body, all the personalities also work together to avoid being committed to a psychiatric facility. But Carolyn's tenuous normal is shattered when Hank Grand, the man who abused her and leased her out to pedophiles, is released from prison. Soon he begins stalking her, bringing back painful memories for all of the personalities.

When Hank is murdered in a seedy hotel room, Carolyn is immediately a prime suspect. But the man has other shady dealings, and the burden of proof weighs heavy on the police--especially when, propelled by demons of his own, one of the detectives assigned to the case finds his way into Carolyn's very solitary life.

The police and the reader are left wondering: are any of Carolyn's personalities capable of murder? A deeply suspenseful novel, with a truly unique cast of characters.]]>
208 A.F. Carter 080214943X Kylie 4
When Carolyn's father is finally let out of prison after serving a lengthy sentence for her abuse, he comes looking for her. When he is found murdered in a hotel room Carolyn is immediately the prime, but not only, suspect. Police soon have the hard task of figuring out whether one of Carolyn's personalities murdered her father, hampered by personalities that "did not exist" at the time of the murder. So, did one of the six murder their father? Or was it someone else on the periphery?

A quick and easy read, All Of Us is an interesting look into the mind of fragmented personalities. Each chapter is told by a different personality, but the reader is never confused as to which is which, and we come to know each personality well. An original take on the who dunnit, which I have no hesitation in recommending to all lovers of the genre.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
3.52 All of Us
author: A.F. Carter
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.52
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2020/06/10
date added: 2020/06/19
shelves: annual-challenges, mystery-crime, netgalley-2020, thriller-suspense, seasonal-challenges
review:
An intriguing thriller, it tells the story of Carolyn Grand, who, after years of childhood sexual abuse, ceased to exist. Now her psyche is made up of fragmented personalities, six of them sharing Carolyn's mind. While the personalities are all aware of each other, and sometimes are there at the same time, at other times only one of them is in control of the body, and the others "don't exist".

When Carolyn's father is finally let out of prison after serving a lengthy sentence for her abuse, he comes looking for her. When he is found murdered in a hotel room Carolyn is immediately the prime, but not only, suspect. Police soon have the hard task of figuring out whether one of Carolyn's personalities murdered her father, hampered by personalities that "did not exist" at the time of the murder. So, did one of the six murder their father? Or was it someone else on the periphery?

A quick and easy read, All Of Us is an interesting look into the mind of fragmented personalities. Each chapter is told by a different personality, but the reader is never confused as to which is which, and we come to know each personality well. An original take on the who dunnit, which I have no hesitation in recommending to all lovers of the genre.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
]]>
In the Barren Ground 29243822
Rookie cop Tana Larsson doesn’t mind the dark and quiet. Five months pregnant and hoping to escape the mistakes of her past, she takes a post in Twin Rivers, population 320. Maybe here she can find peace and community for her child.

But with her superior out of commission, Tana becomes the sole police officer in 17,500 square miles. One bitter night, she gets a call about the fatal wolf mauling of two students, and the only way to reach the remote scene is to enlist the help of the arrogant, irritatingly handsome Cameron “Crash” O’Halloran, a local bush pilot with a shady reputation for smuggling and a past cloaked in shadow.

When the macabre scene they uncover suggests violence much more sinister than animal, Tana must trust Crash if she wants to protect the town—and herself—from the evil that lurks in the frozen dark.

IN THE BARREN GROUND, a dark, atmospheric romance and police procedural with gothic/horror overtones set in a remote fly-in community just south of the arctic circle ...]]>
396 Loreth Anne White 1503991210 Kylie 4
In The Barren Ground is a highly enjoyable novel with wonderful, quirky characters, intriguing plot and a wonderful sense of place. The wilds of Canada and it's people really come to life on the page. With a plethora of possible suspects, this novel is one to become engrossed in, so set aside a few hours and enjoy the ride. I recommend this book to all lovers of mysteries and wild places.]]>
4.28 2016 In the Barren Ground
author: Loreth Anne White
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2020/06/09
date added: 2020/06/19
shelves: annual-challenges, audio, mystery-crime, seasonal-challenges, atwi80b-2020, monthly-challenges
review:
Rookie cop Tana Larsson, trying to escape from a murky past, is posted to the town of Twin Rivers, population 320. However she soon finds the wilds of northern Canada are anything but quiet. When she hears of a pair of students that have been mauled by wolves on an expedition nearby, she has a feeling that the wolves didn't kill the students. However proving it is a different matter, with harsh terrain, winter storms setting in and superstitious locals she soon finds herself and the town cut off from the world, with a possible killer lurking amongst them.

In The Barren Ground is a highly enjoyable novel with wonderful, quirky characters, intriguing plot and a wonderful sense of place. The wilds of Canada and it's people really come to life on the page. With a plethora of possible suspects, this novel is one to become engrossed in, so set aside a few hours and enjoy the ride. I recommend this book to all lovers of mysteries and wild places.
]]>
The Long Shadow 52730936 Write down something about yourself, as a mother, that worries you.

Psychologist Isabel Harris has come to the outback town of Riley because her husband Dean is assessing the hospital—the hub of the community—with a view to closing it down. Isabel, mostly occupied with her toddler, will run a mother–baby therapy group. But on the first day she gets an anonymous note from one of the mothers:

The baby killer is going to strike again. Soon.

Then a series of small harassments begins.

Is it an attempt to warn Dean off? Or could the threat be serious? A child was murdered in Riley once before.

As Isabel discovers more about the mothers in her group, she begins to believe the twenty-five-year-old mystery of a baby’s death may be the key to preventing another tragedy.]]>
318 Anne Buist 1922268704 Kylie 4
Psychologist Issy, with toddler Noah in tow, starts up a woman's group for new mothers, and soon finds it's not just the hospital situation that's causing a simmering tension in the town. Someone has sent an anonymous letter to the police that a baby killer is going to strike soon. And it's not the first time they have killed...

With intriguing, yet mostly unlikeable characters, and a plot driven with local tensions, I found The Long Shadow to be a mostly absorbing read. I did find it bogged down a bit during the group therapy sessions, but soon picked up as it wound up all the threads in an excellent ending. A worthwhile read for all lovers of psychological dramas and small town secrets.

My thanks to Text Publishing for an uncorrected copy to read and review. The opinions are entirely my own.]]>
3.42 2020 The Long Shadow
author: Anne Buist
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.42
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/06/07
date added: 2020/06/16
shelves: annual-challenges, arc, aussie-author, psychological-thriller, monthly-challenges, seasonal-challenges
review:
When Isabel and Dean Harris move to Riley for Dean's work, Isabel gets the feeling the town doesn't want them there. Dean is investigating the finances of the local hospital, and the viability of keeping it open. With jobs in the balance, the local's livelihoods are being threatened, and they soon let their anger at the situation shine through.

Psychologist Issy, with toddler Noah in tow, starts up a woman's group for new mothers, and soon finds it's not just the hospital situation that's causing a simmering tension in the town. Someone has sent an anonymous letter to the police that a baby killer is going to strike soon. And it's not the first time they have killed...

With intriguing, yet mostly unlikeable characters, and a plot driven with local tensions, I found The Long Shadow to be a mostly absorbing read. I did find it bogged down a bit during the group therapy sessions, but soon picked up as it wound up all the threads in an excellent ending. A worthwhile read for all lovers of psychological dramas and small town secrets.

My thanks to Text Publishing for an uncorrected copy to read and review. The opinions are entirely my own.
]]>
<![CDATA[Turned to Stone (Jaime Azcárate)]]> 25217752


With nowhere else to turn, Jaime reaches out to the only person in the world who can help: Paloma Blasco, the ex-girlfriend with whom he authored an article on the priceless statue. The pair must put their differences aside as they travel from Greece to Sardinia to find the Medusa—before the curse claims another victim.]]>
370 Jorge Magano 1503946347 Kylie 2
I could write more, however this book tends to ramble on a bit. Full of unnecessary scenes and in dire need of a good editor, I often found myself tuning out while reading it. As I couldn't have been bothered to go back to re-read I probably missed a great chunk of it. So while the premise was good, the book didn't quite pull it off.]]>
3.62 2014 Turned to Stone (Jaime Azcárate)
author: Jorge Magano
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2014
rating: 2
read at: 2020/05/29
date added: 2020/06/12
shelves: annual-challenges, audio, atwi80b-2020, mystery-crime
review:
After a priceless statue of Medusa goes missing from a museum, journalist and art historian Jaime Azcarate is called in to help locate it. Jaime, along with his ex-girlfriend Paloma, once co-authored a report on the statue, and authorities looking for any help they can, put Jaime on the case. Reluctantly forced to contact Paloma for her help, Jaime soon finds himself in dire peril.

I could write more, however this book tends to ramble on a bit. Full of unnecessary scenes and in dire need of a good editor, I often found myself tuning out while reading it. As I couldn't have been bothered to go back to re-read I probably missed a great chunk of it. So while the premise was good, the book didn't quite pull it off.
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<![CDATA[Joel Meyerowitz: How I Make Photographs]]> 51208731
The series begins with Joel Meyerowitz, who will teach you, among other essentials: How to use a camera to reclaim the streets as your own, why you need to watch the world always with a sense of possibility, how to set your subjects at ease, and the importance of being playful and of finding a lens that suits your personality.]]>
128 Joel Meyerowitz 1786275805 Kylie 4 netgalley-2020, non-fiction
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.]]>
4.23 2001 Joel Meyerowitz: How I Make Photographs
author: Joel Meyerowitz
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2001
rating: 4
read at: 2020/05/27
date added: 2020/06/10
shelves: netgalley-2020, non-fiction
review:
The first of the Masters Of Photography series, in this book award winning photographer Joel Meyerowitz gives his tips on the rewarding art of street photography. Covering subjects such as composition, lens choice and how to put your subject at ease, Meyerowitz tells us what to look out for while out and about with our cameras. Packed with stunning images from the streets, this book is an inspiration to any photographers, no matter which genre they prefer. I'm now looking forward to venturing out this weekend, camera in tow, to put some of these tips into practice.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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In Darkness Visible 52832585
In Sydney, Anna Rosen, a freelance journalist, is emailed photos of a man she knows to be dead - gunned down in a brutal ambush in Bosnia over a decade ago. A man she'd once loved but who had betrayed her. Is it possible that the photos really are of Marin Katich? And if so, what the hell had happened in 1992?

From Croatia to The Hague to Bosnia and Herzegovina to Sydney, Anna and Marin's intertwined history fuels her determination to tear apart, piece by piece, his secrets, while continuing to keep her own.

In a dangerous pursuit of justice and revenge, navigating the murky world of national and international secret agencies and those who would still be warlords, Anna fights for what she believes in and for those she loves.]]>
468 Tony Jones 1760295019 Kylie 4
Sydney journalist Anna Rosen gets an email from a friend and colleague in the Netherlands, containing photos of a man she had once loved and now believed to be dead. Marin Katich has been incarcerated for war crimes, and Anna finds her self on a plane to see him with her own eyes.

Look I could describe the plot to you, but we'd be here all day. Let's just say In Darkness Visible is an intriguing follow up to Tony Jones' previous book The Twentieth Man. We learn more of Anna and Marin's complex relationship, and what caused Marin's downward spiral to the killer he became. This book is not always an easy read, but I urge anyone who loves a good complex thriller to pick it up and give it a go. You'll be glad you did.

My thanks to Allen & Unwin for an uncorrected proof to read and review. The opinions are entirely my own.]]>
3.88 2019 In Darkness Visible
author: Tony Jones
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/05/25
date added: 2020/06/08
shelves: annual-challenges, arc, atwi80b-2020, aussie-author, monthly-challenges, thriller-suspense
review:
This is a book I've had sitting on my shelf for a while, daunted by the size of it, yet telling myself I must get to it soon. I'm so glad I finally did!

Sydney journalist Anna Rosen gets an email from a friend and colleague in the Netherlands, containing photos of a man she had once loved and now believed to be dead. Marin Katich has been incarcerated for war crimes, and Anna finds her self on a plane to see him with her own eyes.

Look I could describe the plot to you, but we'd be here all day. Let's just say In Darkness Visible is an intriguing follow up to Tony Jones' previous book The Twentieth Man. We learn more of Anna and Marin's complex relationship, and what caused Marin's downward spiral to the killer he became. This book is not always an easy read, but I urge anyone who loves a good complex thriller to pick it up and give it a go. You'll be glad you did.

My thanks to Allen & Unwin for an uncorrected proof to read and review. The opinions are entirely my own.
]]>
<![CDATA[Vanished (Callahan & McLane, #1)]]> 20438825 From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Kendra Elliot.

When an eleven-year-old is abducted on her way to school, the FBI doesn’t waste a moment, sending agents to scour the area and embedding Special Agent Ava McLane with the distraught family. In the eye of the storm is local detective Mason Callahan, whose life is crumbling to pieces—he’s related to the victim, and his longtime confidential informant has just been murdered.

Both he and Agent McLane hole up in the victim’s family home. Every second counts in a kidnapping case, and the stakes keep rising the longer the girl is missing. As Ava and Mason struggle to hold the family together in their darkest hour, the two investigators find themselves drawn to each other.

2015 Overall Daphne du Maurier Award Winner]]>
337 Kendra Elliot Kylie 4
As Mason and Ava hunt for the girl strange things start to happen to family members, with belongings going missing, and as time passes the hope of finding the girl gets dimmer. With Mason battling on two fronts, and things becoming dire, he also finds himself being drawn to Ava. Yet who is behind the kidnapping? Why would anyone target this girl? And who did kill the informant if it wasn't Mason? To find the answers Mason and Ava have to dig deep.

An enjoyable book, Vanished has believable, realistic characters and a plausible plotline. Kendra Elliot has woven a tale that will sneak up and grab you, not letting go until the final, satisfying conclusion. This is the first of the author's books I have read, but will happily keep my eye out for her other works in the future.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.]]>
4.21 2014 Vanished (Callahan & McLane, #1)
author: Kendra Elliot
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2020/05/19
date added: 2020/06/06
shelves: annual-challenges, audio, mystery-crime, monthly-challenges
review:
When an eleven year old girl goes missing on her way to school family member Mason Callahan, a local detective, is immediately called. With the help of Special Agent Ava McLane of the FBI, Mason is determined to find the girl, however his professionalism is being compromised with the murder of one of his informants... and all the evidence points to Mason.

As Mason and Ava hunt for the girl strange things start to happen to family members, with belongings going missing, and as time passes the hope of finding the girl gets dimmer. With Mason battling on two fronts, and things becoming dire, he also finds himself being drawn to Ava. Yet who is behind the kidnapping? Why would anyone target this girl? And who did kill the informant if it wasn't Mason? To find the answers Mason and Ava have to dig deep.

An enjoyable book, Vanished has believable, realistic characters and a plausible plotline. Kendra Elliot has woven a tale that will sneak up and grab you, not letting go until the final, satisfying conclusion. This is the first of the author's books I have read, but will happily keep my eye out for her other works in the future.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
]]>
Find Me (Inland Empire, #1) 49884715 New York Times bestselling author Anne Frasier.

Convicted serial killer Benjamin Fisher has finally offered to lead San Bernardino detective Daniel Ellis to the isolated graves of his victims. One catch: he’ll only do it if FBI profiler Reni Fisher, his estranged daughter, accompanies them. As hard as it is to exhume her traumatic childhood, Reni can’t say no. She still feels complicit in her father’s crimes.

Perfect to play a lost little girl, Reni was the bait to lure unsuspecting women to their deaths. It’s time for closure. For her. For the families. And for Daniel. He shares Reni’s obsession with the past. Ever since he was a boy, he’s been convinced that his mother was one of Fisher’s victims.

A five-hundred-mile road trip lies ahead. Thirty years of bad memories are flooding back. A master manipulator has gained their trust. For Reni and Daniel, this isn’t the end of a nightmare. It’s only the beginning.]]>
282 Anne Frasier Kylie 0 ku-maybe 4.24 2020 Find Me (Inland Empire, #1)
author: Anne Frasier
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/06/06
shelves: ku-maybe
review:

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<![CDATA[The Gathering Murders (Inspector Torquil McKinnon, #1)]]> 37398655
The annual West Uist literary festival – The Gathering – always attracts the best in the business. But with the tiny Scottish Hebridean island population suddenly doubling, the local police force is stretched to breaking point. And this year they have to deal with more than just drunken fights and rowdy behaviour…

Ranald Buchanan, the local poet, is found dead, with his head brutally caved in, and Inspector Torquil McKinnon is brought into investigate. Did Ranald trip and fall, as suggested? Or is something more sinister happening?

Before Torquil can find out more, another victim is found. The island is on lockdown. There is a serial killer in their midst. And this time the victim is someone very close to him.

Now finding justice is personal. Torquil is out for revenge.

Can he solve the mystery before the killer strikes again? Or will more bodies fall victim to The Gathering Murders?]]>
352 Keith Moray 1912546043 Kylie 0 ku-maybe 3.88 2006 The Gathering Murders (Inspector Torquil McKinnon, #1)
author: Keith Moray
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/06/06
shelves: ku-maybe
review:

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What We Forgot to Bury 52950729 Truth and deceit blur as one woman's desperation twists into another’s desire for revenge in this mind-bending psychological novel.

Charlotte Coburn has a tragically dark past. But she’s safe now. She lives in a gated community, protected from danger. When teenager Elle knocks at her door looking for shelter during a particularly severe storm, the woman can’t help but think how lucky Elle’s been to have found someone as friendly as her. Except Elle chose her door on purpose…

She knows all about Charlotte’s secrets because they ruined her family and her life. And it is time that everyone else knew. But Charlotte’s past has left a dark void in her life, so she is concocting her own vicious plan, convinced that Elle can help fill that void.

As events unfold, the truth unravels and pulls both women into a dangerous game that will leave you wondering, Who’s the villain?

]]>
439 Marin Montgomery 1542017637 Kylie 0 ku-maybe 3.85 2020 What We Forgot to Bury
author: Marin Montgomery
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/06/03
shelves: ku-maybe
review:

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<![CDATA[CHICK FLICKED TO ... TALLINN: History repeats itself for Chloe in Estonia]]> 44564209 89 Rochelle London Kylie 2 2.00 CHICK FLICKED TO ... TALLINN: History repeats itself for Chloe in Estonia
author: Rochelle London
name: Kylie
average rating: 2.00
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2020/05/17
date added: 2020/06/01
shelves: annual-challenges, atwi80b-2020, contemporary-fiction
review:
I read this book as I needed a bit of light fluff, but this was too fluffy for me. Chloe is a photographer who is sent on assignment to Estonia for a shoot. Everything that could possibly go wrong did, and she gets promoted! Plus she has a habit of running into her ex boyfriends, and shagging them. Don't bother with this one, there's much better chick lit around.
]]>
<![CDATA[Darkness, Be My Friend (Tomorrow, #4)]]> 71870
Five months into World War III, Ellie and her four remaining friends have barely escaped the Australian town of Wirrawee with their lives and their sanity intact.
But as the next step becomes clear, they realize they must once again sacrifice their hard-won comfort and safety. A group of soldiers has recruited the kids to guide the way to the Wirrawee air base.
What could possibly motivate Ellie and her friends to return? This risky sabotage mission may be their only hope of rescuing their families, too.]]>
259 John Marsden 043985802X Kylie 4
This is such a good series, written for young adults, but with an appeal that crosses generations. Powerful characters, an excellent setting and astounding, action packed plotlines mark this series, one I have no hesitation in recommending to everyone, not just lovers of dystopian fiction.]]>
4.11 1996 Darkness, Be My Friend (Tomorrow, #4)
author: John Marsden
name: Kylie
average rating: 4.11
book published: 1996
rating: 4
read at: 2020/05/16
date added: 2020/05/29
shelves: action-adventure, annual-challenges, aussie-author, monthly-challenges
review:
Another wonderful entry in John Marsden's award winning Tomorrow series. In Darkness, Be My Friend, Ellie and her friends find themselves back in Hell, against their wishes. When something goes wrong they make their way to Wirrawee, looking for their allies. What they find is danger around every corner, so, against the odds, they embark on their most daring mission yet.

This is such a good series, written for young adults, but with an appeal that crosses generations. Powerful characters, an excellent setting and astounding, action packed plotlines mark this series, one I have no hesitation in recommending to everyone, not just lovers of dystopian fiction.
]]>
On Your Doorstep 40866321
It's every mother's worst nightmare . . .

Carla Kelly wakes to find her two-day-old baby’s cot cold and empty.

Her daughter has been taken.

Desperate and at breaking point, Carla launches a fierce national campaign to find her baby – but the trail runs cold.

Then she receives an intriguing letter, offering support from a surprising quarter. But it leads Carla into a chain of events that exposes shocking secrets from her past. Someone is out to seek their cold-blooded revenge.

And it will bring Carla unknowingly closer to the stolen daughter she has sworn she will do anything to get back …]]>
513 Laura Elliot Kylie 0 ku-maybe 3.70 2010 On Your Doorstep
author: Laura Elliot
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/05/27
shelves: ku-maybe
review:

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What You Wish For 22588481
Her besotted boyfriend, newspaper photographer Richard Thompson, vows to find her, convinced that Marie's unusual beliefs hold the key.

But a shocking discovery makes him question if he ever really knew his girlfriend. And when people around him start to die, Richard is plunged into terrible danger.

Drawn into the world of a sinister cult and the darkest corners of the Internet, Richard finds himself increasingly out of his depth as he discovers just how far people will go to protect what they believe in...

Revised This edition of What You Wish For includes editorial revisions.]]>
271 Mark Edwards 1477875557 Kylie 3
Richard is left reeling when his girlfriend Marie disappears one day. Looking for her, and searching for answers, he delves into the world of alien abduction. Has Marie been abducted? Or has she simply left him?

If aliens and abductions are your thing I'd invite you to read this book. If not, I'll let you make up your own mind as to whether to read it or not, but honestly Mark Edwards has written much better books than this.]]>
3.54 2014 What You Wish For
author: Mark Edwards
name: Kylie
average rating: 3.54
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2020/05/08
date added: 2020/05/24
shelves: annual-challenges, audio, monthly-challenges, psychological-thriller
review:
Hmmmm, definately not one of Mark Edwards best. While this tale of alien cuts was ok, it certainly wasn't gripping, edge of your seat stuff like some of Edwards other works.

Richard is left reeling when his girlfriend Marie disappears one day. Looking for her, and searching for answers, he delves into the world of alien abduction. Has Marie been abducted? Or has she simply left him?

If aliens and abductions are your thing I'd invite you to read this book. If not, I'll let you make up your own mind as to whether to read it or not, but honestly Mark Edwards has written much better books than this.
]]>