Tag Book Review

#TuesdayBookBlog ‘Mr Nobody’ by Catherine Steadman #Tanka @Audible #BookReview

LucciaGray 4 Comments

Mr Nobody

From the Blurb

When a man is found on a Norfolk beach, drifting in and out of consciousness, with no identification and unable to speak, interest in him is sparked immediately. From the hospital staff who find themselves inexplicably drawn to him, to international medical experts who are baffled by him, to the national press who call him Mr Nobody – everyone wants answers.

Who is this man? And what happened to him?

Neuropsychiatrist Dr Emma Lewis is asked to assess the patient. This is her field of expertise, this is the chance she’s been waiting for and this case could make her name known across the world. But therein lies the danger. Emma left this same small town in Norfolk 14 years ago and has taken great pains to cover all traces of her past since then.

But now something – or someone – is calling her back. And the more time she spends with her patient, the more alarmed she becomes.

Has she walked into danger?

*****

My Review and Haiku

I listened to, read, loved and reviewed Ms Steadman’s first novel, Something in the Water last year, so I was thrilled to be able to listen to and read her second novel, Mr. Nobody.

I’d describe Mr Nobody as a chilling psychological and medical thriller. It’s brilliant, enigmatic, disturbing, and a compelling read. It’s wonderfully written and well plotted, readers will never guess which way the plot will turn, and there are plenty of unexpected twists and turns. The whole novel works up to a heart stopping climax which is definitely not for faint hearted or sentimental readers.

I recommend the audiobook version, read by the author, a real treat!

I really can’t say any more than the blurb or there will be spoilers. Especially for lovers of unsettling and disquieting novels of psychological suspense.

Mr Nobody

He hides your secrets,
Beware Mr Nobody,
The man with no name,
He’s no one and everyone
That lurks deep in your nightmares.

****

Catherine Steadman

Catherine Steadman is an actress and writer based in North London, UK. She is best known for her role as Mabel Lane Fox in Downton Abbey and is currently filming on the new Starz television series ‘The Rook’. She grew up in the New Forest, UK, and lives with a small dog and an average sized man. Mr Nobody is her second novel.

Catherine Steadman on Amazon UK

Catherine Steadman on Amazon.com

 

#TuesdayBookBlog ‘Love Her or Lose Her’ by Tessa Bailey #Romance @Scribd #Audiobook #BookReview

LucciaGray Leave a comment

Today, after a few heart-pounding thrillers, I’m reviewing a sweet and steamy, second chance romance, Love Her or Lose Her, by Tessa Bailey.

Love Her or Lose Her: A Novel by [Bailey, Tessa]

From the Blurb

Rosie and Dominic Vega are the perfect couple: high school sweethearts, best friends, madly in love. Well, they used to be anyway. Now Rosie’s lucky to get a caveman grunt from the ex-soldier every time she walks in the door. Dom is faithful and a great provider, but the man she fell in love with ten years ago is nowhere to be found. When her girlfriends encourage Rosie to demand more out of life and pursue her dream of opening a restaurant, she decides to demand more out of love, too. Three words: marriage boot camp.

****

My Review

Love her or Lose Her is a sweet and steamy, second chance romance by Tessa Bailey.

It’s easy to fall in love with your High School sweetheart, marry and expect a happy ever after, but what happens when real life takes over dating and having fun? Can couples stay in love after marriage? What’s the secret to staying in love after years of marriage?

There is plenty of food for thought in this apparently light romance. Why do couples fall out of love? Why do some pull through, while others split up? It’s a complex question, and although this novel isn’t a deep, psychological or sociological analysis of love and marriage, it did make me wonder about why love doesn’t always last and how to decide if it was a mistake or whether it’s worth making the effort to pull through the rough patch.

Rosie and Dominic are a young married couple who has fallen out of love. Tessa thinks her high school sweetheart and husband doesn’t love her any more and she leaves him. There is no cheating and no third parties involved. They’re both unhappy because over the years they’ve given up their cherished hopes and dreams and they’re not communicating their feelings or needs.

Some of the best moments of the novel are the sessions with their unique and insightful marriage guidance councillor. It made me think I know a few couples who would benefit from his therapies! And it made me realise how vital it is for a couple to communicate their feelings and if they can’t, how important it is to get professional help, before deciding to break up.

A sweet, second chance romance. A nicely written and plotted romance with angst, humor and lots of food for thought.

 Especially for readers who are in a very romantic, feel good mood!

Scribd link to Love Her or Lose Her

****

Tessa Bailey

Tessa Bailey is the New York Times Bestselling Author of the Line of Duty Series. She lives in Long Island, New York with her husband and exuberant daughter. When she isn’t writing, eating cheese, listening to true crime podcasts or reading romance, Tessa enjoys a good argument and thirty-minute recipes.

Follow Tessa on twitter.

Tuesday

Photo taken on my morning walk, in Córdoba, 4th February, 2020

Check out my other reviews!

#TuesdayBookBlog ‘The Other People’ by @CJTudor #Suspense @Audible #BookReview

LucciaGray 4 Comments

Last year I read and reviewed The Taking of Annie Thorne, an engaging and bloodcurdling thriller. by C. J. Tudor. I was really looking forward to her most recent thriller, The Other People, published last month, and I was not disappointed. So, today I’d like to tell you about her newest chilling and suspenseful mystery, not for the faint hearted!

The Other People audiobook cover art

From the Blurb

Driving home one night,  Gabe sees a little girl’s face appear in the rear window. It’s his five-year-old daughter, Izzy.

He never sees her again.

Three years later, Gabe spends his days and nights travelling up and down the motorway, searching for the car that took his daughter, refusing to give up hope, even though most people believe that Izzy is dead.

Fran and her daughter, Alice, also put in a lot of miles on the motorway. Not searching. But running. Trying to keep one step ahead of the people who want to hurt them.

Because Fran knows the truth. She knows what really happened to Gabe’s daughter. She knows who is responsible. And she knows what they will do if they ever catch up with her and Alice . .

****

My Review

The Other People is a brilliantly executed and chilling thriller by C. J. Tudor.

Gabe’s wife and his daughter, Izzy, were murdered and buried, but he is convinced his daughter is alive, because he believes he saw her in someone’s car on the motorway, after she had supposedly been murdered. Nobody believes him, especially not the police or his wife’s parents, who are convinced he has lost his mind, but has he?

Gabe spends the following three years travelling up and down the motorway, looking for the car and Izzy.

The first half of the novel is slower, as all the players, who seem unrelated, are introduced. At first, I was wondering where the story was going, but it soon picks up, as Gabe discovers the lies and complex web he’s entangled in. Almost all the characters are hiding secrets and telling lies, and others are downright evil, but Gabe’s shocking past is the central piece of the puzzle.

The second half is fast paced and suspenseful and well worth the slow start, as everything starts to fall into place, but beware, there are more sinister characters and surprising events ahead. When I thought I knew where the story was going, there was another unexpected twist.

Especially for anyone who enjoys reading suspenseful thrillers with some chilling events and disquieting characters, and plenty of unnerving twists and turns.

I listened to the audiobook on Audible. Richard Armitage’s reading is brilliant, as always.

Audible link to The Other People

****

C. J. Tudor

C. J. Tudor was born in Salisbury and grew up in Nottingham, where she still lives with her partner and young daughter.

Follow her on twitter.

Tuesday

Photo taken on my morning walk, in Córdoba, 4th February, 2020

#TuesdayBookBlog ‘Loving Vengeance’ by @GeorgiaRoseBook #HeistCrime #BookReview

LucciaGray 10 Comments

Today I offer you a review of Loving Vengeance by Georgia Rose one of my favourite authors of contemporary romantic suspense.

Loving Vengeance (The Ross Duology Book 2) by [Rose, Georgia]

From the Blurb

A woman with a troubled past. A new love hanging in the balance. Will an unexpected visitor strengthen her resolve or destroy the life she’s trying to build?

Madeleine’s world, once so organised, is a mess. Suffering the fallout from the mistakes she made with Tag, she has no idea where she stands with Daniel. Are they only friends or is there still a chance for something more?

Enter James – cool, calm and calculated. A stranger, she thinks. But he knows her, and he comes with an opportunity she can’t refuse, involving an enemy she’d tried to forget. At first keen to return to her past, Madeleine soon realises it’s not only the gang that’s changed, and battles her own demons as well as an unpredictable villain.

Can Daniel step up when he’s needed? Or will it be James who rides in to the rescue? Because when things go badly for Madeleine, and all hope seems lost, there is only one who can save the day. And only one who can bring more to the task than merely himself.

****

My Review

Loving vengeance is the second book in the Ross Duology.

Although Loving Vengeance could be read as a standalone, I suggest reading Book 1, Parallel Lies, first. Here’s my review of Parallel Lies

This is the fifth book I’ve read by Georgia Rose, and in each one the writing gets better. It’s a compelling novel. Once you start reading Maddy’s story, the narrative grabs you and hooks you to the end!

l thoroughly enjoyed Loving Vengeance for several reasons, firstly because I had read book 1 in the series and I was wondering how Maddy’s complicated life would proceed. Both novels are set in a quaint, English village, Crowbridge, with its array of local characters, including crooks, bored housewives, mistresses, endearing old ladies, and even a writer, who often gather in the local pub. It was a pleasure to meet them again.

Secondly there is an intriguing plot including vengeance, robbery, organised crime and the low life of London, where Maddy was brought up.

Thirdly, there’s a romanic triangle in the story. Maddy is recovering from a traumatic event at the beginning of the novel (no spoilers here, you’ll have to read book one!), and she has a incipient, romantic relationship with Dan, who is helping her to overcome the trauma, but in steps a new and mysterious character, James, who shows an interest in her. Will she make the right choice?

Loving Vengeance is a page-turning novel, especially for anyone who enjoys reading well-written crime novels including romantic suspense and set in the UK.

Parallel Lies (The Ross Duology Book 1) by [Rose, Georgia]

****

Georgia Rose

Georgia Rose is a writer and the author of the romantic and suspenseful Grayson Trilogy books: A Single Step, Before the Dawn and Thicker than Water. A short story, The Joker, based on a favourite character from the series followed and is free to download from Amazon.

Her fourth novel, Parallel Lies, a standalone, encompasses crime along with Georgia’s usual blending of genre.

Following a long stint working in the law Georgia set up her own business providing administration services for other companies which she does to this day managing to entwine that work along with her writing.

Georgia’s background in countryside living, riding, instructing and working with horses has provided the knowledge needed for some of her storylines; the others are a product of her passion for people watching and her overactive imagination!

Her busy life is set in a tranquil part of rural Cambridgeshire in the UK where she lives with her much neglected husband and dog.

 

The Grayson Trilogy

Georgia’s Amazon UK link

Georgia’s Amazon.com link

 

#TuesdayBookBlog ‘The Runaway Wife’ by Dee Macdonald #Women’sFiction #BookReview

LucciaGray 2 Comments

Today I offer you a review of a hilarious, heart-warming novel about Connie, wife, mother, grandmother, extraordinaire, who at 66 has decided she’s had enough of them all and sets out on a journey of self-discovery!

The Runaway Wife: A laugh out loud feel good novel about second chances by [MacDonald, Dee]

From the Blurb

One evening in early August, while mashing the potatoes for dinner, Connie McColl decides she’s had enough…

Connie is tired of solving one family crisis after another – usually involving her unruly grandchildren – while her husband Roger spends all day at his beloved golf course. Surely it must be time for her to shake off her apron and start living again?

So Connie packs a bag, gets in her little green car and drives off…

As Connie journeys from England to Scotland on an unexpected adventure, she finally begins to rediscover herself. And she starts to wonder, will she ever be ready to return home? Or will this summer change her life forever?

****

My Review

There are so many reasons why I loved this book!

It’s hilarious, heart-warming (did I already say that? well that’s because it’s very-heartwarming, indeed!), optimistic, adventurous, interesting, realistic, romantic, sad, and ultimately uplifiting, because Connie reminds us that it’s never too late, for anything!

I’ve had a very eventful Christmas-New Year festivities. catering for my three children and four grandchildren has been fun, but exhausting, and although my husband, fortunately, is nothing like Roger, (and by the way, no-one’s husband should be anything like Roger), there were moments when I felt, just like Connie. I wanted to say, “Look, I’ve had enough of cooking, shopping, advising, counselling, being understanding, playing with the kids, babaysitting, and generally supporting everyone’s family! I want my own life back!”

Connie’s travels from Sussex to Inverness are such fun. I enjoyed all the different types of people she meets and the enriching and diverse awakenings she narrates.

She garners unforgettable experiences and meets some amazing people, who will help her understand her past and embrace her future with renewed optimism. In spite of the last, shocking encounter when she returns home, Connie can cope because she’s become stronger and more assertive than she’s ever been.

Especially for anyone who enjoys reading well-written, humorous, women’s fiction set in the UK. The Runaway Wife is a real gem! A different and exceptional novel.

I’ve discovered a new favourite author. Next on my list is her latest novel, The Silver Ladies of Penny Lane.

The Silver Ladies of Penny Lane: An absolutely hilarious feel good novel by [MacDonald, Dee]

****

Dee MacDonald

The Runaway Wife is Dee’s first (published) novel but in fact she wrote her very first book – at around seven years of age! This was a love story which she duly illustrated before sewing all the pages together up one side. Writing was what she ‘was good at’ in school and she won several essay competitions, but then life got in the way and she didn’t pick up a pen again until after retirement.

Dee left Scotland and headed for London at the beginning of the swinging sixties. After typing her way round the West End she became an air stewardess on long haul routes with BA (then BOAC) for eight years. After that she did market research at Heathrow for both the government statistics and for BA, she became a sales rep., and was the receptionist at the Thames Television Studios in Teddington when they had the franchise.

She then ran a small B&B for ten years in Cornwall, where she lives with her husband. Dee has one son and two grandsons who live locally.

Dee’s Amazon UK link

Dee’s Amazon.com link

#TuesdayBookBlog ‘Hold Me In The Dark’ by Helena Newbury #Romance #BookReview

LucciaGray 7 Comments

I’ve read, enjoyed and reviewed most of Helena Newbury’s books to date, so I’m pleased to be reviewing her latest novel, Hold Me In The Dark, published this week, and it’s already on the amazon bestseller list.

Hold Me in the Dark by [Newbury, Helena]

Helena Newbury has written another fabulous standalone, romantic suspense!

Sam Calahan is an FBI agent, who is pursuing a ruthless and disturbing serial killer. His victims have nothing in common and the crime scenes are covered with complex mathematical equations, written with the victims’ blood, no one in the FBI can solve.

Yolanda, a reclusive and eccentric mathematical genius, and hacker by trade, is the only person who can help unravel the case by solving the equations. As they work together, and close in on the murderer, both their lives will be in danger.

Ms Newbury has created another unlikely and compelling couple, who will gradually fall in love as they are faced with challenging external situations, as well as their own egos, complexes and personal differences.

There is plenty of suspense, with many twists in the plot, the most surprising one, regarding the motivations and identity of the killer, was shockingly unexpected.

Yolanda is an intelligent and independent woman who is coping with tortuous mental and physical issues, while Sam, an obsessive workaholic, is also suffering from his own remorse. Together they will solve the case and perhaps repair their tormented minds.

The author combines plot and characterization perfectly to create a fast paced novel with likeable and unique characters who encourage the reader to turn the pages to find out what will happen next.  

It was a treat to see the three-woman hacker and internet vigilante group, Sisters of Invidia, again, Lily and Bull and Gabriella and Alexei, who starred in previous novels (Texas Kissing and Kissing my Killer), were finally able to meet up in person.

I enjoyed the Manhattan setting, the sweet and then steamy romance, and the action packed and suspenseful final scenes.

Especially for lovers of romantic suspense with plenty of action, and of course, happy ever afters with larger than life main characters. A wintry treat at just over a dollar! (for a short time!)

****

Helena Newbury is the author of well-written romantic novels with plenty of suspense, some steamy scenes, engaging characters and captivating stories.

Here are my reviews of some of her other novels, including one of her most popular books, the medical thriller, Mount Mercy.

Mount Mercy by [Newbury, Helena]

Many of her novels, such as Kissing my Killer, one of my all-time favourites, are included in  Audible Escape.

Kissing My Killer audiobook cover art

#TuesdayBookBlog ‘The Escape’ by C. L. Taylor #BookReview #Thriller

LucciaGray

I don’t read paperbacks very often any more, because I read mostly on my kindle or audiobooks. I love my kindle app because I can read anywhere, anytime, with no hassle, and I love my audiobooks because I can cook, iron, or go for a walk while I read/listen.

Today, I’m reviewing one of the few paperbacks I’ve recently read, The Escape, by C. L. Taylor.

There it is above, sitting in front of the Christmas flower my son bought me a few days ago!

The Escape: The gripping, twisty thriller from the #1 bestseller by [Taylor, C.L.]

Blurb

When a stranger asks Jo Blackmore for a lift she says yes, then swiftly wishes she hadn’t.

The stranger knows Jo’s name, she knows her husband Max and she’s got a glove belonging to Jo’s two year old daughter Elise.

What begins with a subtle threat swiftly turns into a nightmare as the police, social services and even Jo’s own husband turn against her.

No one believes that Elise is in danger. But Jo knows there’s only one way to keep her child safe – RUN.

C.L. Taylor

CL Taylor lives in Bristol. She studied for a degree in Psychology at the University of Northumbria, Newcastle and has worked as a sales administrator, web developer, instructional designer and as the manager of a distance learning team at a London university. She now writes full time.

CL Taylor’s first psychological thriller BEFORE I WAKE (THE ACCIDENT in the UK) was one of the top ten bestselling debut novels of 2014 according to The Bookseller. Her second and third novels, THE LIE and THE MISSING, were Sunday Times Bestsellers and #1 Amazon Kindle chart bestsellers. THE ESCAPE was published in the UK in March 2017 and was also a Sunday Times Bestseller and won the Dead Good Books Hidden Depths award for Most Unreliable Narrator.

Since writing The Escape she has written The Missing, Fear and her latest novel Sleep, which have all been highly acclaimed.

My Review

It all starts when a stranger asks Jo for a lift. Jo is shocked to discover the woman knows all about her, her husband, Max, and her two year old daughter, whom she subtly threatens.

From then on her life becomes a nightmare, but nobody believes her, the police, social workers and her husband all think she’s either lying, exaggerating or unstable.

The story is told mainly from Jo’s first person point of view, so the reader feels Jo’s constant fear for her daughter’s safety, and sympathises with her as she has to deal with some complex mental issues, as well as protecting her daughter from the novel’s ‘villain’ who narrates some chapters. Other chapters are narrated by Max in the third person.

There are plenty of twists and turns, secrets, lies and betrayal, with lots of fast paced action leading to the final surprising twist.

A must read for anyone who, like me, enjoys fast paced and carefully plotted domestic thrillers, set in the UK.

*****

More reviews by Luccia here!