Recent BIG publication day - do you fancy any of these as your next read?

 

Thursday 19th June saw a load of new releases on the shelves of our bookstores. All sorts of subjects, well known authors and new names for us to explore. Here's just a taster with some of the ones which have pinged my radar. Do you see anything you fancy picking up?

First up, a trusty favourite author of mine, Kia Abdullah with her latest book 

What Happens in the Dark.

Description:

Lily and Safa were best friends growing up. Now, Lily is the nation’s favourite breakfast TV presenter and Safa, once a renowned journalist, is reeling from a recent fall from grace.

When news breaks about suspicious bruises on Lily’s body, Safa attempts to rekindle their old friendship. But Lily claims the bruises are nothing to worry about.

And then one night the police are called to Lily’s home. Lily is strangely calm – and a body lies dead at her feet.

Lily pleads not guilty, and then says nothing more. Driven by her desire to give a voice to all victims, Safa begins her own investigation into what happened that night.

But Safa is not prepared for what her quest for justice will uncover.

Next up, another personal favourite, the third of Rob Rinder's series of books set in the world of law and barristers 

The Protest

A world-famous artist. A fatal brush with death.

At a star-studded opening night for the Royal Academy’s celebration of renowned artist Max Bruce, someone is hiding a dark secret.

As the night reaches its climax and Max addresses his admirers, the occasion takes a shocking turn when a protester runs from the crowd and sprays the artist with blue paint.

Max collapses and it soon turns out that the paint was laced with cyanide. Someone has been plotting to kill him.

All evidence points to the protestor – and newly qualified barrister Adam Green is assigned the impossible task of their defence.

But could there be others who wanted Max dead?

Emily Edwards is back with another thought-provoking story which sounds perfect for book clubs

Private Lives

In the sleepy seaside sleepy town of Waverly, Rosie and Seb Kent are happily married. Now that Seb has achieved his dream of becoming headmaster of the local school, their lives couldn't be any better.

Then Abi arrives.

Abi, a young, single mother, has come to Waverly for a fresh start. She plans to reinvent herself and give her children a new life.

Then she sees Seb.

As their complicated hidden past threatens to destroy them both, they try their hardest to keep it contained. But in a small town, secrets don’t stay hidden for long and soon, what should be their private business becomes a very public scandal. How far will everyone – them, their families and the whole community – go to protect everything they hold dearest?

This debut from SM Govett brings us a psychological thriller which has grabbed my attention:

Believe

Natalie has spent ten years trying to get over the twin set of events which changed her life forever.

The first: the moment her boss assaulted her. The second: the moment the jury declared him innocent - and her, a liar.

The memories continue to haunt Natalie, and in her attempts to block out the past, she often wakes up with no recollection of where she’s been – or what she’s done.

So when her husband, Ryan, gets accused of the same crime, Natalie comes perilously close to the edge.

Natalie wants to believe him. But when the body of the young woman who made the accusation is found in the woods near their house, Ryan becomes a prime suspect, and Natalie realises she can't trust anyone - herself included...