The Songbird Girls by Richard Parker {Book Blog Tour with Bookouture} Book Review

Series:	Standalone
Genre:	Suspense, Mystery
Publication Date:	December 19th 2018
Format:	Digital
Published By:	Bookouture
Goodreads:	The Songbird Girls on Goodreads
My Review Copy:	Thanks to Bookouture for my review copy

Where to get:

Her eyes were closed. From a distance, the blood around her neck might have looked like a necklace, but up close her body told a different tale. She had been murdered. A tiny songbird lay beside her, its neck broken�

Detective Tom Fabian's past is catching up with him. It has been years since the most high-profile case of his career � when his evidence put infamous serial killer Christopher Wisher behind bars forever. But when Wisher summons a reluctant Fabian to his prison cell to hand over a diary, he realizes that Wisher�s twisted games are far from over.

Shortly after Fabian�s visit, Wisher is found dead in his cell. And a few days later, the police locate a woman�s body bearing Wisher�s signature, a dead songbird. But the police never released this detail to the public� so who has Wisher been talking to?

Fabian is desperate to find the killer before another innocent life is taken. But as more bodies turn up, Fabian begins to realize that Wisher may have handed him the clues before he died. Is the twisted serial killer still pulling strings from beyond the grave�?

If you can�t get enough of crime thrillers by Adam Croft or Melinda Leigh, you will love The Songbird Girls.

                                

Three Words: Chilling, Hypnotic and Fascinating. 

Richard Parker DOES NOT disappoint with his second novel in the Tom Fabian detective series. If it is possible, this novel is even more exciting, intense and lets you into the mind of a serial killer. 

I can't lie, I was a bit fearful of picking this book up because it seemed like I wouldn't be sleeping anytime soon. However, once I got into the story, I just couldn't put it down till I finished it. It was such a page turner that I didn't sleep but not because I was terrified because I was so engrossed in the novel I couldn't let the mystery go till I finished.

Our serial killer Wisher is rotting away in prison when the story opens. He has a request though. He wants a meeting with the man that put him away, Tom Fabian. Tom is reluctant but pretty much pressured into going by his boss. Who knows Wisher could give them insight into their current case they are floundering on. Fabian meets with Wisher, but the only thing he is given is Wisher's diary. Fabian doesn't know what to think but reads a few passages as he can't resist. He quickly puts it behind him and focuses on his current case. 

Then Wisher kills himself in prison at the same time as Fabian hears his doorbell ring and a dead bird is left for him outside. This is Wisher's signature, and NO ONE knows about it. It wasn't released to the media. How could this be? If Wisher is dead who did this? Why is Wisher still trying to mess with Fabian even beyond the grave? These questions and more will pop into your head as you are reading. 

Richard Parker does a fantastic job at setting every scene and making his reader hold their breath while even more mysteries are revealing. His writing style is one that tells the story little by little, and he keeps the ending a secret. It is tough to know what will come next. 

Sound like a great mystery? It is! Pick up your copy today. This author is quickly becoming one to watch.  

About the Author

Richard Parker was formerly a TV scriptwriter, script editor, and producer before turning his hand to penning twisted stand-alone thrillers.

Author Social Media Links:

 Facebook  | Twitter  |  Website  |  Instagram

 

The Memory by Lucy Dawson {Book Blog Tour with Review}

Series:	Standalone
Genre:	Suspense, Mystery
Publication Date:	December 6th 2018
Format:	Digital
Published By:	Bookouture
Goodreads:	The Memory on Goodreads
My Review Copy:	Thanks to Kim Nash & Bookouture for my review copy

Where to get:

I look down at her, lying fast asleep � always my little girl, and so beautiful. She gives a low moan as her head turns restlessly on the pillow. It reminds me of the soft growl of a cornered animal. 

Where is my poor child? What is she dreaming?

People always notice my daughter, Isobel. How could they not? Incredibly beautiful... until she speaks.

An unsettling, little-girl voice, exactly like a child�s, but from the mouth of a full-grown woman.

Izzie might look grown-up, but inside she�s trapped. Caught in the day it happened � the day that broke her from within.

I know why my daughter is the way she is. There�s nothing I could have done to save her... is there?

                                

Are you looking for a gripping story that won't let you go? 

Are you a fan of thrillers, mysteries and shocking suspense? T

hen "The Memory" by Lucy Dawson IS for YOU!

Many years ago, a tragedy occurred and Eve moved her daughter away from everything they ever knew to start over. However, Izzy couldn't forget. Once she was a bright happy child. Now she was sullen and fearful of everything. She talked liked a child, even though she was fully grown. 

Isobel is a shocking character. She is one that is hard to figure out and just when you think you know what she'll do next, you find out how DEAD WRONG you are! Told is such a way that the reader can't possibly put this book down, the author's words are enthralling and intense to say the least. At times I would literally get chills from the roller coaster emotions. 

This is one book you have to pay attention to because when things are revealed they are done with such quiet precision that you might not notice them if you don't read every single word. Lucy Dawson gets in your head and plays with your emotions so skillfully you aren't sure what happened till you are like BAM now I get it. 

Do yourself a favor and pick up this fantastic thrill ride. I know you'll love it as much as I did. 

About the Author

I�ve been writing psychological suspense novels since 2008, when my first bestseller � His Other Lover � was published. I write full time (mostly on the playroom sofa) from my home in Devon, where I live with my husband and children. Before that, I used to edit a magazine for six to twelve year old girls for a living, making absolutely no use whatsoever of my psychology degree from Warwick University, but it was a lot of fun.

I'm addicted to writing about the extraordinary things that can happen to ordinary people - stories that jump in at the deep end, with a gasp. When readers take the time out to let me know they've stayed up all night because they couldn't put the book down, it makes my day.

I really enjoy catching up with readers and always reply to emails. You can reach me at lucy@lucydawsonbooks.com. I�m also on Twitter @lucydawsonbooks and have a Facebook page at lucydawsonbooks. Alternatively you can download a free short story of mine at www.lucydawsonbooks.com or if you want to look at a lot of pictures of the beach and books that I'm reading, find me on Instagram at lucydawsonbooks.

Author Social Media Links:

 Facebook  | Website  | Twitter

 

A Torch In His Heart by Anna Belfrage {Book Blog Tour with Review}

Series:	Standalone
Genre:	Suspense, Mystery
Publication Date:	September 1st 2018
Format:	Digital
Published By:	Troubadore Publishing LTD
Goodreads:	A Torch In His Heart on Goodreads
My Review Copy:	Thanks to Random Things Tour

Where to get:

In the long lost ancient past, two men fought over the girl with eyes like the Bosporus under a summer sky. It ended badly. She died. They died.

Since then, they have all tumbled through time, reborn over and over again. Now they are all here, in the same place, the same time and what began so long ago must finally come to an end.

Ask Helle Madsen what she thinks about reincarnation and she�ll laugh in your face. Besides, Helle has other stuff to handle, what with her new, exciting job in London and her drop-dead but seriously sinister boss, Sam Woolf. And then one day Jason Morris walks into her life and despite never having clapped eyes on him before, she recognizes him immediately. Very weird. Even more weird is the fact that Sam and Jason clearly hate each other�s guts. Helle�s life is about to become extremely complicated and far too exciting�

                                

I was completely blown away by Anna's new novel. The characters Helle and Jason had my heart from the very beginning. The heat the words ignite in the readers mind were intense and very realistic. Although the story was about reincarnation and following your soulmate through lifetime and lifetime,  I still felt very connected to the plot and the outcome right away. 

Helle Madsen comes to her new job in London ready to make an impression. Once Sam Woolf lays eyes on her, he immediately becomes gruff and scary. Helle gets afraid but quickly explains away their first meeting as a fluke. Then she meets Jason, the man she has been dreaming about since she could remember her dreams and although she doesn't get it, she knows she has met him before and she knows she loves him. When Jason tells her their story she is skeptical at best and they fight based on Helle not wanting to believe the preposterous events he describes from century's ago but still she can't stay away...... 

To say I was captivated by the words, love story, plot etc would not be enough. This book devoured me and wouldn't let go till I finished. Now I want the next book before I go insane. Pick up this book and other books by this author. Her writing is exquisite. 

About the Author

Had Anna been allowed to choose, she'd have become a professional time-traveler. As such a profession does not exist, she settled for second best and became a financial professional with two absorbing interests, namely history and writing. These days, Anna combines an exciting day-job with a large family and her writing endeavors. 

Her first series, The Graham Saga, is set in 17th century Scotland and Virginia/Maryland. It tells the story of Matthew and Alex, two people who should never have met - not when she was born three hundred years after him. With this heady blend of time-travel, romance, adventure, high drama and historical accuracy, Anna hopes to entertain and captivate, and is more than thrilled when readers tell her just how much they love her books and her characters. There are eight books in the series so far, but Anna is considering adding one or two more...

Presently, Anna is hard at work with her next project, a series set in the 1320s featuring Adam de Guirande, his wife Kit, and their adventures and misfortunes in connection with Roger Mortimer's rise to power. The King's Greatest Enemy is a series where passion and drama play out against a complex political situation, where today's traitor may be tomorrow's hero, and the Wheel of Fortune never stops rolling. 

Author Social Media Links:

 FACEBOOK  | GOODREADS  | TWITTER

 

Love You Gone by Rona Halsall {Book Blog Tour with Review}

Series:	Standalone
Genre:	Suspense, Mystery
Publication Date:	November 15th 2018
Format:	Digital
Published By:	Bookouture
Goodreads:	Love You Gone on Goodreads
My Review Copy:	Thanks to Bookouture

Where to get:

�Hello? Police? My husband and our children� they�re gone.�


When Mel arrives at the holiday cottage in the Lake District, she expects to find the heating on and her husband Luke and the two children waiting for her. Maybe a bottle of wine open�

Instead, there is just a note on the side, saying they�ve gone out for a walk.

But they aren�t back several hours later, and Mel knows something is wrong. Really wrong. When a search doesn�t find them, she has to confess to the police that her marriage isn�t all that it seems.

Even if that risks her own secrets being revealed�

An absolutely incredible, page-turning psychological thriller with a twist you won�t see coming, for fans of Gone Girl, Behind Closed Doors and Ruth Ware.

Love you gone was mind-blowing. Every single twist and turn had me completely baffled and I simply didn't see anything coming but yet bam there it was. This book was intense engrossing and fantastic. The story got started quickly and it was really hard to put the book down even between chapters. 

Mel arrives at the holiday cabin expecting to find her husband and two kids but instead finds a note saying they went for a hike and would be right back. Hours later they still haven't shown up so Mel decides to call the police. What ensues 

Any further information will surely ruin this incredibly thought out and intense story. This is a must-read. You will be thrown into the story immediately with no chance to catch your breath before the next shocking reveal.

About the Author

Rona's debut psychological thriller, Keep You Safe came out on 17th August and her second novel, Love You Gone is out now. 

Rona lives on the Isle of Man with her husband, two dogs and three guinea pigs. She has been a bookworm since she was a child and now she's actually creating stories of her own, which still feels like a dream come true. 

She is an outdoorsy person and loves stomping up a mountain, walking the coastal paths and exploring the wonderful beaches on the Island while she's plotting how to kill off her next victim. She also makes sure she deletes her Google history on a regular basis, because... well, you can't be too careful when you spend your life researching new and ingenious ways for people to die.

She has three children and two step-children who are now grown up and leading varied and interesting lives, which provides plenty of ideas for new stories!

Author Social Media Links:

 FACEBOOK  | GOODREADS  | TWITTER

 

Violet Ugly by J. Lynn Bailey {Book Blog Tour with Review & Giveaway}

It�s the blog tour for J. Lynn Bailey�s Violet Ugly. Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

 Sixteen years ago, Merit Young left Granite Harbor, Maine, for California in search of a future that didn�t involve Ryan Taylor. He�d left her in pieces on her bedroom floor, delivering a blow she couldn�t have expected. But, now, at the request of her brother, Eli, she must return and confront the demons of her past�Ryan included. After the loss they both suffered, she isn�t prepared to face him�especially considering he�s the only one who�s always been able to see right through her.

Ryan has lived his entire adult life in survival mode. Growing up with an abusive father has taught him to keep women at arm�s length, and that�s never been a problem. Until Merit�the only woman he�s ever loved�strides through his front door. He�s not sure how long she�s staying, but he knows it�ll be long enough to destroy what�s left of his heart.

To overcome their dark past, they�ll have to shed light on a reality that will most likely tear them apart. Merit has been hiding a heartbreaking decision from Ryan, and he�s been keeping lies of his own. Can two tortured souls heal after a lifetime of pain? Or will the hideous secrets of the past bury them both?  

Get Your Copy Today!

Give me a minute because I am still catching my breathe. This read have me all the feels from page one. I just finished it and I miss Ryan and Violet already. The characters grabbed my heart real quick and I'm finding it extremely hard to let them go.

Silence can be loud. It can crawl into the dark corners of a lit room and worsen, sitting where quiet secrets fester, spreading like weeds across issues in our own heads.

Nearly 20 years ago, Merit left her home town that she adored to run as far away from Ryan Taylor as she could. He was her childhood best friend until the one night he broke her heart. Now she avoids him at all costs until her brother Eli calls and begs her to come home to care for Ryan after a car accident. Merit agrees against her better judgement. She tells herself she'll be fine. After all she's an adult now and has made a life for herself without Ryan. So she says....

The moment the two see each other again it's obvious that they never stopped loving each other. If only there wasn't so much keeping them apart. 
Violet Ugly is a MUST READ in my book. Heartbreaking, angsty love and superb writing. What else can you ask for? 

Add On Goodreads!

    
About the Author: J. Lynn Bailey has loved to write since she learned to read, around the second grade. When she isn't running after her children, watching COPS, or on the hunt for her next Laffy Taffy joke, you can probably find her holed up in her writing room feverishly working on her next book. She lives in Northern California with her family.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | My Website

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The Soldier's Girl by Sharon Maas {Book Review}

Series:	Standalone
Genre:	War, Historical Fiction
Publication Date:	November 2nd 2018
Format:	Digital
Published By:	Bookouture
Goodreads:	The Soldier's Girl on Goodreads
My Review Copy:	Thanks to Bookouture

Where to get:

France 1944 and the streets are filled with swastikas. The story of a brave English girl behind enemy lines, a German soldier, and a terrible sacrifice�

When young English nurse Sibyl Lake is recruited as a spy to support the French resistance, she doesn�t realise the ultimate price she will end up paying. She arrives in Colmar, a French town surrounded by vineyards and swarming with German soldiers, but her fear is dampened by the joy of being reunited with her childhood sweetheart Jacques.

Sibyl�s arrival has not gone unnoticed by Commander Wolfgang von Haagan and she realises that letting him get closer is her best chance of learning enemy secrets. Yet despite her best intentions, Sibyl soon finds that betrayal does not come easy to her.

When Jacques finds that Sibyl is involved with the enemy, he is determined to prove himself to her with one last act of heroism. An act that will put all of their lives in terrible danger�

A beautifully written, heart-wrenching and unforgettable tale of love and loss in a time of war. Perfect for fans of The Letter by Kathryn Hughes and The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.

Three words: Gripping, heartbreaking and addictive. 

English girl Sibyl Lake arrives in Colmar, a small French town, surrounded by vineyards and swarming with German soldiers. Trained as a nurse, Sibyl has been recruited as a British Agent to support the French Resistance.

When Sibyl�s work leads her to her childhood sweetheart Jacques, she is overjoyed. But their happy reunion is short lived as it is not just Jacques� eye that Sibyl has caught �

Commander Wolfgang Von Haagan is very taken with the attractive English stranger, and Sibyl realizes that she can help her own country by listening to the secrets of this soldier�s heart. As she grows closer to Wolfgang she gets to know the man behind the uniform and despite her best intentions, soon she is caught in a terrible love triangle.

Sibyl is strong, independent and a great character that is caught between spying for her country and her love story. I loved the writing style and how the author portrays Sibyl. It was a nice change from some war books that depict women as docile.

I really enjoyed this read and would highly recommend it to historical fiction fans. 

About the Author

Sharon Maas was born in Georgetown, Guyana in 1951, and spent many childhood hours either curled up behind a novel or writing her own adventure stories. Sometimes she had adventures of her own, and found fifteen minutes of Guyanese fame for salvaging an old horse-drawn coach from a funeral parlor, fixing it up, painting it bright blue, and tearing around Georgetown with all her teenage friends. The coach ended up in a ditch, but thankfully neither teens nor horse were injured.

Boarding school in England tamed her somewhat; but after a few years as a reporter with the Guyana Graphic in Georgetown she plunged off to discover South America by the seat of her pants. She ended up in a Colombian jail, and that's a story for another day...

Sharon has lived in an Ashram in India and as a German Hausfrau--the latter giving her the time and the motivation to finally start writing seriously. Her first novel, Of Marriageable Age, was published by Harper Collins, London, in 1999 and reprinted as a digital edition in 2014. After working as a social worker in a German hospital she finally retired and now has time for her favorite pastimes: reading, writing, and travelling.

Author Social Media Links:

 FACEBOOK | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | GOODREADS  | TWITTER