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

 

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

 

Perfect Girls by Alison James {Book Blog Tour with Review}

Series:	Standalone
Genre:	Thriller, Mystery, Suspense
Publication Date:	September 18th 2018
Format:	Digital
Published By:	Bookouture
Goodreads:	Perfect Girls on Goodreads
My Review Copy:	Thanks to Bookouture

Where to get:

Phoebe. Tiffany. Melissa. They all made one little mistake...

When twenty-five-year-old Phoebe Stiles opens the door to her perfect apartment she doesn�t realise it�s the mistake that will kill her�

The body of the beautiful English girl is discovered months later - dumped behind the back of a department store. But who was the stranger she let into the safety of her home?

As Detective Rachel Prince pieces together the mystery surrounding Phoebe�s death, another young, blonde girl is found brutally murdered and abandoned in the grounds of an old theatre.

In the most dangerous case of her career, Rachel must track down the faceless individual to stop the body count rising. But to uncover the shocking truth, Rachel has to put herself at risk� can she catch the twisted killer, before they catch her?

A gripping page-turner that will have you completely hooked until the utterly jaw-dropping twist. Fans of Angela Marsons, Peter James and Karin Slaughter will love this crime series, featuring unforgettable Detective Rachel Prince.

Why readers are gripped by Perfect Girls:

�Hands down one of the best thrillers I�ve read all year! It was so full of mystery and suspense!! Lots of twists and turns! I loved it!!� Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

�Full of suspense, it was gritty and you didn�t know what was coming next� had a hard time putting it down and read late into the night and finished it in a day� you really don�t want to miss this one it�s one of my favourites so far of 2018!� Bonnie�s Book Talk, 5 stars

I could NOT put this book down for a single second without thinking about the mystery and what would happen next. I am so hooked on the detective Rachel Prince in this novel, I quickly went to buy the first two eBooks to read about more of her case work. The storyline, mystery and characters in this story just captivated me completely from beginning to end.

When twenty-five-year-old Phoebe Stiles opens the door to her perfect apartment she doesn�t realize it�s the mistake that will kill her�

The body of the beautiful English girl is discovered months later - dumped behind the back of a department store. But who was the stranger she let into the safety of her home?

As Detective Rachel Prince pieces together the mystery surrounding Phoebe�s death, another young, blonde girl is found brutally murdered and abandoned in the grounds of an old theatre.

In the most dangerous case of her career, Rachel must track down the faceless individual to stop the body count rising. But to uncover the shocking truth, Rachel has to put herself at risk� can she catch the twisted killer, before they catch her?

Rachel is a head strong detective that doesn't like hearing the word NO. She is tough and independent and is depicted as being able to handle herself. At the same time we see her vulnerability a few times which made me love her ever more.

I am completely hooked on this story and can't wait to read more from this author. A+ , five stars etc.

About the Author

I was born in the Cotswold's but spent most of my formative years abroad. I studied languages at Oxford, then became a journalist and author, returning to university after my two children to take a law degree. After a three-year stint as a criminal paralegal, I worked as a commercial copywriter and then a TV storyline, before coming full circle to write fiction again. 

Author Social Media Links:

 FACEBOOK | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | GOODREADS  | TWITTER

 

The Death & Life of Eleanor Parker by Kerry Wilkinson {Book Review}

Series:	Standalone
Genre:	Thriller, Mystery, Suspense
Publication Date:	July 26th 2018
Format:	Digital
Published By:	Amazon Digital Services
Website:	Kerry Wilkinson
	The Death and Life of Eleanor Parker on Goodreads
My Review Copy:	Thanks to Bookouture

Where to get:

AMAZON

�I will never forget the night I drowned��

A village with something to hide.

Seventeen-year-old Eleanor Parker wakes up cold and alone in the river that twists through her quiet village. She has no memory of how she got there. But she does know that another girl was drowned in the same river the summer before, held under the water by an unknown killer�

A community torn apart.

Eleanor is a normal, every day teenager. She argues with her mum, spends her days with her best friend, and is looking forward to a carefree summer of sunshine and music. Who would want to hurt her?

A shocking secret.

Determined to unlock the mystery of what really happened to her, Eleanor can't escape the feeling that something awful links her to the previous summer's murder. But will she find out the truth before it�s too late?

A gripping and extraordinary coming of age novel that will make you question everything and keep you guessing until the very end. Perfect for fans of We Were Liars, Looking for Alaska by John Green and hit TV show Riverdale

Three words: Captivating, Mysterious and Fantastically Told. 

The Death and Life of Eleanor Parker follows Eleanor as she tries to piece together the events of the previous evening, you see she wakes up after she's been drowned in the town river. Yup, you heard me correctly, Eleanor wakes up DEAD! As she begins to gather evidence on the previous nights events that lead her into the river, she realizes there are many suspects, even those closest to her. Eleanor ponders about her existence as an un-dead person through out the novel, which to me made me believe in the story even more. Sleep, hunger and human emotions are evading her, and her body is slowly disintegrating.
Finding her own killer becomes non-negotiable for Eleanor when another girl is taken, and her brother Oliver comes under suspicion.

I was so engrossed in this storyline, even when I wasn't reading the book I couldn't help to think about it. I couldn't wait to find out who really killed her! Kerry weaves the plot expertly and really engages the reader into the story. I felt for all the characters and their part of the plot. 

This story is YA mystery with a little paranormal thrown in. This is not my typical genre but I have no regrets giving it a try as I found out  it is important to "think outside the box". I will definitely be picking up more books by Kerry Wilkinson in the near future. 

About the Author

Kerry Wilkinson has had No.1 bestsellers in the UK, Canada, South Africa and Singapore, as well as top-five books in Australia. He has also written two top-20 thrillers in the United States.

As well as his million-selling Jessica Daniel series, Kerry has written the Silver Blackthorn trilogy - a fantasy-adventure serial for young adults - a second crime series featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter, plus numerous standalone novels. He has been published around the world in more than a dozen languages.

Originally from the county of Somerset, Kerry has spent far too long living in the north of England, picking up words like 'barm' and 'ginnel'.

When he's short of ideas, he rides his bike or bakes cakes. When he's not, he writes it all down.

Author Social Media Links:

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | 

The Perfect Friend by Barbara Copperthwaite {Book Review}

Series:	Standalone
Genre:	Thriller, Mystery, Suspense
Publication Date:	July 5th 2018
Format:	Digital
Published By:	Amazon Digital Services
Website:	Barbara Copperthwaite
	The Perfect Friend on Goodreads
My Review Copy:	Thanks to Bookouture

Where to get:

She�ll do anything for you�

My name is Alex, and my world has been shattered.
My husband has left me.
My children won�t speak to me.
My friend Carrie is the only person I have.
She�s the only one I can trust to keep all my secrets.
She�d never do anything to let me down.
Would she?

This dark, gripping psychological thriller will have you holding your breath until the very last page. Fans of Behind Closed Doors, Sometimes I Lie, and The Girl on the Train will be captivated.

Three words: Edge of your seat action, amazing twists and crazy ending.

Wow, just when I thought I had figured out what was going on in this story the author twisted everything around and left my head spinning. There are twists throughout which had me constantly second guessing myself. Then she leaves us with an epilogue which totally blew everything I had previously thought out of the water.

I could not keep up with all the twists and turns this story took. I found myself going back to read certain parts because I thought I missed something but no, Barbara is just that good of a story teller! I can't believe this is my first book by her. I will definitely be rectifying that soon!

The main character Alex is a very sweet lady who seems genuine and wants to help others even though she is facing major issues of her own. She befriends Carrie first out of a sense of guilt then comes to feel as if she is a mother like figure to her. Mysterious things start to happen and Alex starts questioning her own sanity, and I found myself questioning her sanity and those around her.

The story opens at a support group meeting, with Alex, a self-proclaimed liar, recovering anorexic and a 44 year old dressmaker, giving her version of her story. She looks to her best friend, Carrie - there for support for her cancer diagnosis, to see her reaction. From there, the lies build, cross, expand and convolute for the remainder of the book.

I love it when a book takes you completely by surprise and you have to rethink everything you have been led to believe. Some of the actions the characters took in their past made me want to slap them and say get a grip for goodness sake!

This is a book that is very hard to review without giving anything away, so I will just say if you are a fan of mess with your head, psychological thrillers, you have to read this one.

About the Author

Barbara is the Amazon and USA Today bestselling author of psychological thrillers INVISIBLE, FLOWERS FOR THE DEAD, THE DARKEST LIES, and HER LAST SECRET. Her latest book is THE PERFECT FRIEND.

More importantly, she loves cakes, wildlife photography and, last but definitely not least, her two dogs, Scamp and Buddy (who force her to throw tennis balls for them for hours). ??

Having spent over twenty years as a national newspaper and magazine journalist, Barbara has interviewed the real victims of crime - and also those who have carried those crimes out. She is fascinated by creating realistic, complex characters, and taking them apart before the readers' eyes in order to discover just how much it takes to push a person over a line.

When not writing feverishly, she is often found hiding behind a camera, taking wildlife photographs.

Author Social Media Links:

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | GOODREADS | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER