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Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Perfect Betrayal in Books
May 22, 2019
'I THOUGHT SHE WAS OUR FRIEND. I THOUGHT SHE WAS TRYING TO HELP US.'
After the sudden death of her husband, Tess is drowning in grief. All she has left is her son, Jamie, and she'll do anything to protect him - but she's struggling to cope.
When grief counselor Shelley knocks on their door, everything changes. Shelley is beautiful, confident and takes control when Tess can't bear to face the outside world.
But when questions arise over her husband's death and strange things start to happen, Tess begins to suspect that Shelley may have an ulterior motive. Tess knows she must do everything she can to keep Jamie safe - but who can she trust?
***
WOW!!! What a fantastic book!!!
I am struggling with what to write as I will not give any of the plot away to you!
This was a really interesting read for me , I really thought I knew what was happening , and then wow what a twist at the end .
This book slowly builds to a great ending. Hard to say anymore without giving things away. The story is mainly from Tess points of view in terms of flashbacks to the past 2 months and occasional points of view of Ian and Shelley.
The characters are so well written and you just find yourself right there with them seeing what they see.
The plot was phenomenal.
The ending ... wow did not see that coming!
If I could give more than 5 stars I would!!!
Highly highly recommend!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC in return for an honest review .
After the sudden death of her husband, Tess is drowning in grief. All she has left is her son, Jamie, and she'll do anything to protect him - but she's struggling to cope.
When grief counselor Shelley knocks on their door, everything changes. Shelley is beautiful, confident and takes control when Tess can't bear to face the outside world.
But when questions arise over her husband's death and strange things start to happen, Tess begins to suspect that Shelley may have an ulterior motive. Tess knows she must do everything she can to keep Jamie safe - but who can she trust?
***
WOW!!! What a fantastic book!!!
I am struggling with what to write as I will not give any of the plot away to you!
This was a really interesting read for me , I really thought I knew what was happening , and then wow what a twist at the end .
This book slowly builds to a great ending. Hard to say anymore without giving things away. The story is mainly from Tess points of view in terms of flashbacks to the past 2 months and occasional points of view of Ian and Shelley.
The characters are so well written and you just find yourself right there with them seeing what they see.
The plot was phenomenal.
The ending ... wow did not see that coming!
If I could give more than 5 stars I would!!!
Highly highly recommend!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC in return for an honest review .
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated Say You're Sorry (Romantic Suspense, #22; Sacramento, #1) in Books
May 22, 2019
When a serial killer targets Daisy Dawson, he doesn't expect her to fight back. But she does, and she manages to grab the locket he wears around his neck during the struggle. This locket connects to a cult that Agent Gideon Reynolds of the FBI escaped when he was only 13 years old. He is driven to find that cult and expose them, saving the women and children from their psychotic leader's tyranny. This serial killer is Gideon's one tangible connection to the cult. He's assigned to Daisy to protect her from the killer and hopefully draw him out. Daisy and Gideon have undeniable chemistry, and Gideon quickly realizes that Daisy isn't as helpless as he thought she was...
Karen Rose is one of my favorite authors and I just loved this book like all her others!
I just enjoyed this book so much. The author once again has outdone herself on creating a new set of characters and bringing in a couple of old favorites.
Gideon and Daisy are great together and I just love the chemistry and humor that they have with each other.
The twist and turns are just perfect and the suspense had me on the edge of my seat! Once I started this I could not put it down at all. If you have never read a Karen Rose novel now is the perfect time to do so.
I truly can't wait for the continuation of this series!
HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!
Thank you to Netgalley, Headline and author Karen Rose for sending me the digital ARC of this book in return for my honest review.
Karen Rose is one of my favorite authors and I just loved this book like all her others!
I just enjoyed this book so much. The author once again has outdone herself on creating a new set of characters and bringing in a couple of old favorites.
Gideon and Daisy are great together and I just love the chemistry and humor that they have with each other.
The twist and turns are just perfect and the suspense had me on the edge of my seat! Once I started this I could not put it down at all. If you have never read a Karen Rose novel now is the perfect time to do so.
I truly can't wait for the continuation of this series!
HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!
Thank you to Netgalley, Headline and author Karen Rose for sending me the digital ARC of this book in return for my honest review.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated Your Deepest Fear in Books
May 22, 2019
'Sara! Remember! Victoria and Albert. All I can say. They're here. They're-'
These are the last words Sara Prior will ever hear from her husband.
As DS Nathan Cody struggles to make sense of the enigmatic message and solve the brutal murder, it soon becomes clear that Sara is no ordinary bereaved wife. Taking the investigation into her own hands, Sara is drawn into a world of violence that will lead her in a direction she would never have suspected.
For Cody, meanwhile, things are about to get personal in the darkest and most twisted ways imaginable . . .
This is the fourth Nathan Cody book. However, everything you need to know about Codys background is nicely covered in Your Deepest Fear so there is no chance you will fail to understand the significance of some of the bigger moments in this book.
This is a brilliant dark and twisted novel. It has short chapters which makes it a fast paced read and keeps the suspense built up.
Our lead is again Nathan Cody who is back after having being on forced leave due to mental anxiety/demons he is battling from the previous case. Still not being able to be full active duty he finds himself drawn into another investigation which will have him facing his demons.
Wow the twists and turns just keep the suspense ratcheted up and glued to the edge reading non stop.
A MUST READ, an easy five stars and so Highly Recommended.
I would like to thank the author, Bonnier Zaffre and Netgalley for the ARC. This is my honest voluntary review.
These are the last words Sara Prior will ever hear from her husband.
As DS Nathan Cody struggles to make sense of the enigmatic message and solve the brutal murder, it soon becomes clear that Sara is no ordinary bereaved wife. Taking the investigation into her own hands, Sara is drawn into a world of violence that will lead her in a direction she would never have suspected.
For Cody, meanwhile, things are about to get personal in the darkest and most twisted ways imaginable . . .
This is the fourth Nathan Cody book. However, everything you need to know about Codys background is nicely covered in Your Deepest Fear so there is no chance you will fail to understand the significance of some of the bigger moments in this book.
This is a brilliant dark and twisted novel. It has short chapters which makes it a fast paced read and keeps the suspense built up.
Our lead is again Nathan Cody who is back after having being on forced leave due to mental anxiety/demons he is battling from the previous case. Still not being able to be full active duty he finds himself drawn into another investigation which will have him facing his demons.
Wow the twists and turns just keep the suspense ratcheted up and glued to the edge reading non stop.
A MUST READ, an easy five stars and so Highly Recommended.
I would like to thank the author, Bonnier Zaffre and Netgalley for the ARC. This is my honest voluntary review.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated Black Wolf (Natalya Ivanova Thriller #2) in Books
May 22, 2019
A young woman is found dead on the outskirts of St Petersburg on a freezing January morning. There are no signs of injury, and heavy snowfall has buried all trace of an attacker.
Captain Natalya Ivanova's investigation quickly links the victim to the Decembrists, an anti-Putin dissident group whose acts of civil disobedience have caught the eye of the authorities. And Natalya soon realises she is not the only one interested in the case, as government security services wade in and shut down her investigation almost before it has begun.
Before long, state media are spreading smear stories about the dead woman, and Natalya suspects the authorities have something to hide. When a second rebel activist goes missing, she is forced to go undercover to expose the truth. But the stakes are higher than ever before. Not only could her pursuit of the murderer destroy her career, but her family ties to one of the victims threaten to tear her personal life apart.
A captivating, pacy thriller that plunges right into the beating heart of Putin's Russia.
Black Wolf is the second thriller in the Captain Natalya Ivanova series based in St Petersburg, Russia.
This sequel to Abson's debut thriller, Motherland, again features Captain Natalya Ivanova of St Petersburg's Serious Crimes Unit.
This is police procedural novel that is filled with drama, suspense, police and political corruption and lots of drinking.
The story has lots of twists and turns to keep you gripped.
The characters are well established and strong lead female also.
Well written story which I enjoyed.
Recommend reading.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers' for the ARC. This is my honest voluntary review.
Captain Natalya Ivanova's investigation quickly links the victim to the Decembrists, an anti-Putin dissident group whose acts of civil disobedience have caught the eye of the authorities. And Natalya soon realises she is not the only one interested in the case, as government security services wade in and shut down her investigation almost before it has begun.
Before long, state media are spreading smear stories about the dead woman, and Natalya suspects the authorities have something to hide. When a second rebel activist goes missing, she is forced to go undercover to expose the truth. But the stakes are higher than ever before. Not only could her pursuit of the murderer destroy her career, but her family ties to one of the victims threaten to tear her personal life apart.
A captivating, pacy thriller that plunges right into the beating heart of Putin's Russia.
Black Wolf is the second thriller in the Captain Natalya Ivanova series based in St Petersburg, Russia.
This sequel to Abson's debut thriller, Motherland, again features Captain Natalya Ivanova of St Petersburg's Serious Crimes Unit.
This is police procedural novel that is filled with drama, suspense, police and political corruption and lots of drinking.
The story has lots of twists and turns to keep you gripped.
The characters are well established and strong lead female also.
Well written story which I enjoyed.
Recommend reading.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers' for the ARC. This is my honest voluntary review.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Greenway (Mike Croft, #1) in Books
May 22, 2019
AUGUST 1975: Cassie Malthams life changes forever one scorching day. She and her twelve-year-old cousin Suzie take a shortcut through the Greenway, an ancient pathway steeped in Norfolk legend. Somewhere along this path Suzie simply vanishes . . .
TWENTY YEARS LATER: Cassie is still tormented by nightmares, parts of her memory completely erased. With her husband Fergus and friends Anna and Simon, she returns to Norfolk, determined to confront her fears and solve a mystery that wont let her rest.
Then another young girl goes missing at the entrance to the Greenway, and Cassie is pushed once more into the darkest recesses of her mind.
John Tynan, the retired detective whod been in charge of Suzies case, is still haunted by her disappearance. He offers his help to Detective Inspector Mike Croft who is leading the increasingly frantic search for the missing child. Has evil returned? And what really happened all those years ago and who can be believed?
First time for me reading this author and it wont be last. The Greenway is a kind of pathway that connects two large empty fields.
This is a gripping mystery story.
A genuinely scary, psychological thriller.
I enjoyed the twists and turns in the plot. I enjoyed the story and the building of the characters.
This book was published originally in 1995, and is now being repackaged and republished now.
Very enjoyable and I am pleased to see there are another three Mike Croft books already published.
Recommend reading!
I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Jane Adams for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
TWENTY YEARS LATER: Cassie is still tormented by nightmares, parts of her memory completely erased. With her husband Fergus and friends Anna and Simon, she returns to Norfolk, determined to confront her fears and solve a mystery that wont let her rest.
Then another young girl goes missing at the entrance to the Greenway, and Cassie is pushed once more into the darkest recesses of her mind.
John Tynan, the retired detective whod been in charge of Suzies case, is still haunted by her disappearance. He offers his help to Detective Inspector Mike Croft who is leading the increasingly frantic search for the missing child. Has evil returned? And what really happened all those years ago and who can be believed?
First time for me reading this author and it wont be last. The Greenway is a kind of pathway that connects two large empty fields.
This is a gripping mystery story.
A genuinely scary, psychological thriller.
I enjoyed the twists and turns in the plot. I enjoyed the story and the building of the characters.
This book was published originally in 1995, and is now being repackaged and republished now.
Very enjoyable and I am pleased to see there are another three Mike Croft books already published.
Recommend reading!
I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Jane Adams for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated Don't Even Breathe in Books
May 22, 2019
From the bestselling author of Crash comes a riveting thriller rife with murder, misdirection, and ghosts from the past.
Florida homicide detective Maggie Novak has seen hundreds of brutal murder cases, but when she is called out to investigate the charred remains of a young woman, in what appears to be a Halloween prank gone wrong, she is confronted with a twenty-year-old secret. The body is formally identified as that of school counselor Dana Cullen, but a distinguishing mark makes Maggie look again. She believes it is the body of her school friend Rita, who perished in a fire twenty years ago.
Maggies hunt for the truth behind the murder takes her back to a cruel high school trick shes desperate to forget. And when another body turns up, Maggie realizes she too may be the target of a sinister plot creeping toward its final act.
Maggie needs emotional distance to do her job, but shes so close to this case that she cant even breathe. Will Maggie be able to uncover the truth of who wanted Rita dead? Or will her past mistakes catch up with her first?
Don't Even Breathe is a great thriller with lots of twists.
You are thrown straight into action from the beginning.
Lots of suspense and twists that keep you gripped until those final pages.
Love the new characters and can't wait to see how they develop and evolve.
Looking forward to more of this series.
Recommend reading.
I would like to thank the author, Amazon Publishing UK and Netgalley for the ARC.
Florida homicide detective Maggie Novak has seen hundreds of brutal murder cases, but when she is called out to investigate the charred remains of a young woman, in what appears to be a Halloween prank gone wrong, she is confronted with a twenty-year-old secret. The body is formally identified as that of school counselor Dana Cullen, but a distinguishing mark makes Maggie look again. She believes it is the body of her school friend Rita, who perished in a fire twenty years ago.
Maggies hunt for the truth behind the murder takes her back to a cruel high school trick shes desperate to forget. And when another body turns up, Maggie realizes she too may be the target of a sinister plot creeping toward its final act.
Maggie needs emotional distance to do her job, but shes so close to this case that she cant even breathe. Will Maggie be able to uncover the truth of who wanted Rita dead? Or will her past mistakes catch up with her first?
Don't Even Breathe is a great thriller with lots of twists.
You are thrown straight into action from the beginning.
Lots of suspense and twists that keep you gripped until those final pages.
Love the new characters and can't wait to see how they develop and evolve.
Looking forward to more of this series.
Recommend reading.
I would like to thank the author, Amazon Publishing UK and Netgalley for the ARC.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Second House from the Corner in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Felicia Lyons seems to have it all - three healthy children, a loving husband, and a busy life juggling the occasional acting gig and stay-at-home motherhood. She's come a long way since a troubled childhood in Philly. Still, Felicia can't help but dreaming of getting away from it all sometimes. Then, suddenly, a blast from her past appears, threatening to upend the life Felicia has so carefully created for herself. Will Felicia be able to save her family and marriage?
This was an interesting and well-written book. Honestly, it was almost too stressful for me to read, which reduced its enjoyment level for me at times. However, it certainly doesn't diminish the writing or the quality of the book - if anything, it was so well-constructed that it made me tense! Felicia is an excellent portrayal of a stressed mother. So often, it seems like books actually gloss over the difficulty of juggling motherhood and life. It will hit home with many parents.
For me, this book rests on some crazy premises - if Felicia and her husband had just *talked* in the beginning, we wouldn't have gone on this whole journey. Still, Johnson does a good job of explaining her Felicia's background, giving us insight into why she's become the person she is today. She's a well-developed and real character, albeit slightly frustrating at times! The ancillary characters are fun and real, especially her grandmother.
Overall, a good read, though just 3/3.5 stars for me personally, because it stressed me out!
(Note: I received an ARC from Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)
This was an interesting and well-written book. Honestly, it was almost too stressful for me to read, which reduced its enjoyment level for me at times. However, it certainly doesn't diminish the writing or the quality of the book - if anything, it was so well-constructed that it made me tense! Felicia is an excellent portrayal of a stressed mother. So often, it seems like books actually gloss over the difficulty of juggling motherhood and life. It will hit home with many parents.
For me, this book rests on some crazy premises - if Felicia and her husband had just *talked* in the beginning, we wouldn't have gone on this whole journey. Still, Johnson does a good job of explaining her Felicia's background, giving us insight into why she's become the person she is today. She's a well-developed and real character, albeit slightly frustrating at times! The ancillary characters are fun and real, especially her grandmother.
Overall, a good read, though just 3/3.5 stars for me personally, because it stressed me out!
(Note: I received an ARC from Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Day Of The Accident in Books
Dec 6, 2018
Full review can be found on my blog: www.diaryofdifference.com
When Maggie wakes up from a coma, her whole life has changed. The nurse tells her that she has been in an accident, her little daughter is dead, and her husband sold the house and left her.
Maggie doesn’t remember a thing.
With no home, no family, and no memory, she has to find a way and discover what happened that day.
A thriller that will uncover the greatest of secrets everyone could have. A nail-biter, this one, I tell you.
The character of Maggie was so well formed, that love between a mother and her little daughter is expressed in such a lovely and caring way. A book that will be definitely hard to read for all the parents out there, but a very good one.
I especially loved the part with the letters – it was such a unique way to present …
… present what?
I am not telling you. Go and read it, duhh!
The scenes are so vivid and realistic and the little Virginia Woolf Easter eggs thrown across the pages of this book were so precious. Thrilling story and plot that keeps you on your toes. I haven’t read anything this good in a while!
If you are looking for a book to keep you up at night – this is the one.
If you are looking for the great plot twist – there isn’t only one plot twist…
I highly recommend it to all of the mystery lovers that are reading my review.
A masterpiece.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK, for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
When Maggie wakes up from a coma, her whole life has changed. The nurse tells her that she has been in an accident, her little daughter is dead, and her husband sold the house and left her.
Maggie doesn’t remember a thing.
With no home, no family, and no memory, she has to find a way and discover what happened that day.
A thriller that will uncover the greatest of secrets everyone could have. A nail-biter, this one, I tell you.
The character of Maggie was so well formed, that love between a mother and her little daughter is expressed in such a lovely and caring way. A book that will be definitely hard to read for all the parents out there, but a very good one.
I especially loved the part with the letters – it was such a unique way to present …
… present what?
I am not telling you. Go and read it, duhh!
The scenes are so vivid and realistic and the little Virginia Woolf Easter eggs thrown across the pages of this book were so precious. Thrilling story and plot that keeps you on your toes. I haven’t read anything this good in a while!
If you are looking for a book to keep you up at night – this is the one.
If you are looking for the great plot twist – there isn’t only one plot twist…
I highly recommend it to all of the mystery lovers that are reading my review.
A masterpiece.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK, for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated Left Drowning (Left Drowning, #1) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
*I received this book via Net Galley as an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
This book was PHE-NOM-ENAL!!!! I couldn't put it down. It took me a bit to read because I was on vacation and was busy, but I loved this book and read it every chance I could. I actually finished it on the plane yesterday and the end had me in tears...I felt so bad for the poor guy sitting next to me.
Chris, Blythe, Sabin, Eric, Estelle, James, and Zach are absolutely amazing characters!!!! I couldn't get enough of them. The more of the book I read the more I felt like these characters were real people that I knew. I fell in love with them all! I cried for the Shepard kids, and I cried for Blythe and James and the shitty hands that were dealt to them all. These kids were so strong and persevered through so much!
The story was amazing, and the way their lives were so entwined even though they didn't know about it was absolutely amazing. I kind of figured out early on how their lives were entwined but I was still enthralled by the story and I couldn't wait to see it all unfold.
The author did an amazing story, and I felt she covered the subject of death, abuse, and relationships very well. The author eloquently covered these hard topics with grace and tact.
This is the first book of this authors that I have read, and I absolutely loved it! I can't wait to read more of her books!
This book was PHE-NOM-ENAL!!!! I couldn't put it down. It took me a bit to read because I was on vacation and was busy, but I loved this book and read it every chance I could. I actually finished it on the plane yesterday and the end had me in tears...I felt so bad for the poor guy sitting next to me.
Chris, Blythe, Sabin, Eric, Estelle, James, and Zach are absolutely amazing characters!!!! I couldn't get enough of them. The more of the book I read the more I felt like these characters were real people that I knew. I fell in love with them all! I cried for the Shepard kids, and I cried for Blythe and James and the shitty hands that were dealt to them all. These kids were so strong and persevered through so much!
The story was amazing, and the way their lives were so entwined even though they didn't know about it was absolutely amazing. I kind of figured out early on how their lives were entwined but I was still enthralled by the story and I couldn't wait to see it all unfold.
The author did an amazing story, and I felt she covered the subject of death, abuse, and relationships very well. The author eloquently covered these hard topics with grace and tact.
This is the first book of this authors that I have read, and I absolutely loved it! I can't wait to read more of her books!
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated Early Riser in Books
Aug 11, 2019
Slow plot compromises the book
I enjoyed the concept of this one and the world building. It was interesting and definitely something different.
Charlie is your lovable loser who doesn’t have much going for him but has this perfect opportunity to do better. Other characters make the story colorful and engaging (The Toccata/Aurora arc is amusing and fun to read). Each character has their own quirks and personality traits which makes the book develop a personality of its own.
The concept of people going into hibernation, and the viral dreams is interesting and makes the world unique and unbelievable but also fun to read. The world building itself in the novel is also interesting. I took a liking to the Villains and their stamp collecting, although they play a small part in the novel, think of them as elegant pirates with a penchant for stamps.
So although the characters and the setting is interesting, the plot itself falls flat and is very slow. There’s sporadic moments to carry the book along, but overall the book in its entirety is slow paced. It did feel a bit of a chore to read for the most part which is unfortunate as there the setting and the characters proved to be promising but the plot could have been better.
This was my first Jasper Fforde book, so I’m willing to give the other books a chance as I’m sure they’re better this one. It’s not that I didn’t like reading it, but it was the slow pace of the plot that nearly compromised my attention and rather affected my reading and enjoyment of the book.
Charlie is your lovable loser who doesn’t have much going for him but has this perfect opportunity to do better. Other characters make the story colorful and engaging (The Toccata/Aurora arc is amusing and fun to read). Each character has their own quirks and personality traits which makes the book develop a personality of its own.
The concept of people going into hibernation, and the viral dreams is interesting and makes the world unique and unbelievable but also fun to read. The world building itself in the novel is also interesting. I took a liking to the Villains and their stamp collecting, although they play a small part in the novel, think of them as elegant pirates with a penchant for stamps.
So although the characters and the setting is interesting, the plot itself falls flat and is very slow. There’s sporadic moments to carry the book along, but overall the book in its entirety is slow paced. It did feel a bit of a chore to read for the most part which is unfortunate as there the setting and the characters proved to be promising but the plot could have been better.
This was my first Jasper Fforde book, so I’m willing to give the other books a chance as I’m sure they’re better this one. It’s not that I didn’t like reading it, but it was the slow pace of the plot that nearly compromised my attention and rather affected my reading and enjoyment of the book.