First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston #NetGalley @HeadlineFiction @ashley_elston #FirstLieWins

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

Published by Headline

Publication Date: 2nd January 2024

My thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read this book via NetGalley

Book Description:

Everything she is about to tell them is a lie...

Evie Porter has everything a girl could want: a doting boyfriend, a house with a picket fence, a fun group of friends.

The only catch: Evie Porter doesn't exist.

First comes the identity. Once she's given a name and location by her employer, she learns everything there is to know about the town and the people in it.

Then the mark: Ryan Sumner.

The last piece of the puzzle is the job. For Evie, this job feels different. Ryan has gotten under her skin and she's started to picture another kind of life for herself - one where her boss doesn't pull the strings. But Evie can't make any mistakes. Because the one thing she's worked her entire life to keep clean, the one identity she could always go back to - her real identity - just walked right into this town. A woman, who looks just like her, has stolen her name - and she wants more. As Evie's past begins to catch up with her, can she stay one step ahead to save her future?

My Thoughts:

Well, here's a twisty, turny novel if ever there was one. It's a tale of hidden identities - nobody is who you think they are - including the main character who is a master (or should that be mistress?) of disguises. Even she gets the shock of her life when, during her latest 'job' she is confronted by another woman who appears to have stolen her genuine identity. The plot thickens!

I defy anyone to work this book out before the end! Every time you think you've worked out who's a good guy and who's not, and who knows what about who, then bang! another plot twist. Questions abound from all angles - is Evie more at risk from her 'boss' or her latest target? Could they even be the same person? How far reaching are Mr Smith's contacts and how dangerous are they?

This is a book that kept me awake even when I was disciplined and went to bed instead of reading just one more chapter. The possibilities of who's who and what is going on keep the brain cells firing long after you've put the book down, and you'll be keen to pick it up again at the soonest opportunity.

Top notch plotting and smoke screening from a brilliant writer.

About the Author:

Ashley Elston lives in North Louisiana with her husband and three sons. She was a wedding and portrait photographer for ten years so most of her Saturday nights included eating cake, realizing no shoe is comfortable after standing for more than six hours and inevitably watching some groomsman do the alligator across the dance floor. Now, Ashley helps her husband run their small business and she writes as often as possible.

10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall @quicunquevult @sourcebooks #paperbackbooks #booktwt #MaterialWorld

10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall

Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca

Publication Date 17th October 2023

Book Description:

FAKE AMNESIA. REAL FEELINGS? REAL PROBLEMS.

Sam Becker loves-or, okay, likes-his job. Sure, managing a bed and bath retailer isn't exactly glamorous, but it's good work and he gets on well with the band of misfits who keep the store running. He could see himself being content here for the long haul. Too bad, then, that the owner is an infuriating git.

Jonathan Forest should never have hired Sam. It was a sentimental decision, and Jonathan didn't get where he is by following his heart. Determined to set things right, Jonathan orders Sam down to London for a difficult talk...only for a panicking Sam to trip, bump his head, and maybe accidentally imply he doesn't remember anything?

Faking amnesia seemed like a good idea when Sam was afraid he was getting sacked, but now he has to deal with the reality of Jonathan's guilt-as well as the unsettling fact that his surly boss might have a softer side to him. There's an unexpected freedom in getting a second shot at a first impression...but as Sam and Jonathan grow closer, can Sam really bring himself to tell the truth, or will their future be built entirely on one impulsive lie?

My Thoughts:

I bought this book purely because the first page had me chuckling out loud in the middle of my local Waterstones store, much to the embarrassment of my daughter. The sentence in particular that caught my eye: "It probably says good things about modern Britain - or maybe just about modern Liverpool - that when I was growing up, I got way less shit for being gay than I got for being named after a hobbit." - I mean, that's got to pique your interest, right?!

Sam's job is unfortunately far less interesting than his name, but the story that Alexis Hall has created about being in the employ of Jonathan Forest, aka His Royal Dickishness, had me chuckling along throughout its entirety. Where Sam has a serious lack of a support network in his life, Jonathan has more than enough unwanted familial attention, much to his annoyance. The balance is reset during a visit to Jonathan's "flagship" Croydon branch of Splashes & Snuggles with a misunderstanding which ends in a Nexa by MERLYN 8mm Sliding Door Shower enclosure. A visit to A&E and a journey to fetch Sam's rather quirkily featured cat, Gollum, mean that Sam and Jonathan - and indeed the whole of the Forest family - end up spending far more time together than any of them could have envisaged.

This is a book I would have loved to have closed the door, wrapped myself in a blanket, and immersed myself in from cover to cover. There are some deeper issues along the way, but these are handled without getting too heavy - the Liverpudlian humour lifts the whole story, and the outcome is spot on.  The characters are fabulous, from incompetent Brian and New Enthusiastic Chris at the Sheffield store, to Jonathan's nana Pauline and her new toyboy boyfriend Ralph , plus just about every member of the Forest clan. There's plenty going on in the run up to Christmas whilst Sam does his best to keep up with the fake amnesia condition which caused him to be there in the first place.

If you'd have told me that my first book of 2024 would have been a gay romance novel, I would have doubted you very much, but I'm so pleased it was as it has been a huge hit. I absolutely recommend you give Alexis Hall's novels a try if you haven't already. Writing humour is an art in itself and to keep it going through a whole (almost) 400 page novel is an exceptional talent. Thank you Mr Hall, you have a new fan right here.

About the Author:

Alexis Hall writes books in the southeast of England, where he lives entirely on a diet of tea and Jaffa Cakes. You can find him at http://www.quicunquevult.com, on Twitter @quicunquevult, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/quicunquevult/ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/quicunquevult. 

The Woman on the Ledge by Ruth Mancini #NetGalley @RuthMancini1 #TheWomanontheLedge #earc

 

The Woman On the Ledge by Ruth Mancini

Published by Penguin

Publication Date 4th January 2024

Book Description:

A woman falls to her death from a London bank's twenty-fifth-floor roof terrace.

You're arrested for her murder.

You tell the police that you only met the victim the previous night at your office party. She was threatening to jump from the roof, but you talked her down.

You've got nothing to do with this tragedy.
You're clearly being framed.

So why do the police keep picking holes in your story? Even your lawyer doesn't seem to believe you.

It soon becomes obvious that you're keeping secrets.

But who are you trying to protect? And why?

My Thoughts:

I love a book that gets stuck straight into the action, and this one certainly fits the bill on that score. The reader is introduced to Tate Kinsella as she is rudely awoken by the police who have come to arrest her for murder. She protests her innocence, but does admit that she was in the vicinity when a woman fell from the roof of the office block where she was working in London. And things get no clearer for a good chunk of the book until Tate finally confides in her lawyer, Sarah, as to what actually happened.

This story is a real page turner as the layers get peeled back far further than the initial introduction suggests. The tension between Tate and her lawyer is tangible - Tate's statement is full of holes which she seems reluctant to explain, which makes a tough job for the defence. Then, as the trust builds between the two women, facts are gradually disclosed out of the earshot of the detectives. The implications of what Sarah has been told completely change the view she has of the woman sitting in front of her. She just has to work out how she can use the law in their favour.

The knowledge the author has of the legal system shines through strongly and makes for an easy to read account of some sensitive issues, and a clever way to get justice in a case where outdated laws could have led to a very negative outcome. Only a lawyer could have plotted this book so well!

My thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read this book via NetGalley

About the Author:

RUTH MANCINI is a criminal defence lawyer and author. She continues to practise for a large criminal law firm with offices in London, conducting advocacy in the courts and defending people arrested at police stations. She also reviews trial files across the firm and juggles her legal work with writing crime and psychological fiction.

Ruth lives in Oxfordshire with her husband and two children.

She can be found on Twitter @RuthMancini1 and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ruth.mancini.author

2023 reflection

 

As the year draws to a close, I've had a bit of a mull over the books I've read in 2023. Goodreads tells me I've managed a total of 58 doses of fiction this year, and despite having one final book on the go as we approach New Year's Eve, I know that realistically I'm not going to complete it, so I'll wrap up at 58 - which, while it's not as many as previous years, I think is a decent tally. My love of reading has returned - it had become a bit of a chore when first setting up this blog page, and I had lost my way under the pressure of blog tours and deadlines. 

The reason I wanted to write this page in the first place was to share my passion for books, and share with others which authors and titles I enjoy. There are many others who can dedicate far more time than I can in promoting the newest releases and upcoming publications and, while I do love that side of it, the pressure alongside full-time work in the NHS is not sustainable for me personally. So 2023 has led me to return to mood reading - choosing the books which speak to me from the shelves of my local library and bookstores, the ones which have waited patiently on my own shelves at home for their turn in the spotlight.  There have been promotions for new releases which I have been privileged to be offered via Netgalley or direct from publishers/authors, but less so this year and I'm feeling far more comfortable with this. 

So, what hit the spot this year and which missed the target? 

Funnily enough, these were 2 books from the same author, Gillian McAllister. And maybe it was because I loved the one book so much that the later one just couldn't match it? I don't know. My stand-out book this year was Wrong Place, Wrong Time which impressed me so much due to the talent required to actually write it successfully. There were so many ways it could have gone horribly wrong but the author kept the plotting and detail so tight, it was a huge hit for me. The later publication of Just Another Missing Person didn't work anywhere near so well for me - but as you know, I don't like to slate a book just because I wasn't a fan so I'll spend no further time on that one.

Following closely in the success of this one, are 2 books by an author new to me this year, Jack Jordan. Both Do No Harm and Conviction were big hits for me and I have purchased another couple of books from his backlist, so they could feature in next year's reviews.

I don't often choose books which feature heavily on booktok as I haven't had much luck with them, but I have been pleasantly surprised by Freida McFadden's Housemaid series and have also added her to the 2024 s"potentials" list.

This year has been a good reading year, and I have lots more planned for 2024, but I'll keep that for another day. I'll gather my thoughts on what I think will be ones to watch out for and present to you a few titles I'm either planning to read or will be looking out for when they hit the shelves.

Have a fabulous New Year's celebrations, whether you choose to party or have a quiet one on the sofa with a good book.

 Thank you all for supporting me by reading my blog posts and reviews. I hope to see you all again next year!

The IT girl by Ruth Ware #paperbackbooks #TheITGirl @RuthWare @simonschusterUK

 The IT girl by Ruth Ware

Published by Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: 27th April 2023

Book Description:

Everyone wanted her life
Someone wanted her dead
It was Hannah who found April’s body ten years ago.
It was Hannah who didn’t question what she saw that day.
Did her testimony put an innocent man in prison?
She needs to know the truth.
Even if it means questioning her own friends.
Even if it means putting her own life at risk.
Because if the killer wasn’t a stranger, it's someone she knows . . . 

My Thoughts:

I have to admit, I do love a book with dual timelines which a good author can skilfully blend together in order to complete the final picture. Ruth Ware has done this perfectly with this book, having taken the reader off track spectacularly on more than one occasion. 

The setting is Pelham College, Oxford. The reader is presented with a core of main characters, as diverse as you could possibly expect; yes, they're all brilliant academics - they'd need to be in order to have been offered a place, it is Oxford University after all. Hannah has arrived, wide-eyed with imposter syndrome, the shining star of her local college. Her roommate is April Clarke-Cliveden, exactly the type of student many of us would expect to be on campus. Her boyfriend Will de Chastaigne is a regular visitor to their accommodation, but from what Hannah has heard through the bedroom wall, things aren't always 100% rosy between them. Then one night Hannah returns from the first night of April's drama production to find the door to their flat open, and April dead on the floor. 

Alongside this account of Hannah's uni days, we have a commentary of where she's at now: working at a bookshop in Edinburgh, married and pregnant; life is settled and she's happy with her lot. Her husband is attentive and doing well in his job. Then Hannah gets a phone call: the man who was jailed for April's murder is dead, which means an appeal against his conviction will no longer be investigated. She should be relieved that the whole experience can now be put to rest - but she feels uneasy. The news has opened up old wounds in her mind and sets her on track asking questions that some people are clearly uncomfortable with.

There are so many directions this book could head off in, and the author entertains us in all of them in Hannah's quest for the truth. I buddy read this one with my daughter and we certainly lined up a good few alternative suspects as we made our way through the pages, working through the possible means and motives for each character.

We loved this great whodunit, the truth was eked out until really quite late in the book although, as with all the good books of this genre, the very subtle clues are there when you apply hindsight. An easy to read style, I found this to be a much better book than the other of this author's work I'd read previously although not quite the full 5 stars - close, but not quite.

About the Author:

Ruth Ware worked as a waitress, a bookseller, a teacher of English as a foreign language, and a press officer before settling down as a full-time writer. She now lives with her family in Sussex, on the south coast of England. She is the #1 New York Times and Globe and Mail (Toronto) bestselling author of In a Dark, Dark Wood; The Woman in Cabin 10; The Lying Game; The Death of Mrs. Westaway; The Turn of the Key; One by One; The It Girl; and Zero Days. Visit her at RuthWare.com or follow her on Twitter @RuthWareWriter

Conviction by Jack Jordan #hardbackbook #signedbooks @JackJordanBooks @simonschuster #Conviction

 Conviction by Jack Jordan

Published by Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: 22nd June 2023

Book Description:

TO STEAL A MAN'S FREEDOM ALL IT TAKES IS . . . CONVICTION

Wade Darling stands accused of killing his wife and teenage children as they slept before burning the family home to the ground. 

 

When the case lands on barrister Neve Harper’s desk, she knows it could be the career making case she’s been waiting for. But only if she can prove Wade’s innocence. 

A matter of days before the case, as Neve is travelling home for the night, she is approached by a man. He tells her she must lose this case or the secret about her own husband’s disappearance will be revealed.

 

Failing that, he will kill everyone she cares about until she follows orders.

 

Neve must make a choice – betray every principle she has ever had by putting a potentially innocent man in prison, or risk putting those she loves in mortal danger.

My Thoughts:

Anyone who knows me, or has been reading my ramblings on this blog page, will know that I love a good legal thriller so I had this book on my radar long before publication and was gutted to have my request declined for a NetGalley copy earlier in the year. Never mind, this gave me an excuse to buy myself a shiny, signed copy during my trip to London in the summer (as if I need a reason!). 

The book is set in London (hence it being an ideal choice as a memento of my trip), with barrister Neve Harper thrilled at the opportunity to defend one of the nation's most prominent accused, Wade Darling. The case had initially been allocated to someone else, however an unfortunate incident on the Northern Line had led to the case needing a new defence barrister. It's not long before Neve realises that maybe there was more to that incident than people realised.

If you've read Jack's earlier book Do No Harm you will know how good he is at penning a decent blackmail thriller. If not, can I recommend that you grab yourselves a copy of both books? Once again the author puts the main character in an impossible situation - the tension levels crank up even higher in this book than in previous novels, which I wouldn't have said would be possible if you'd asked me before. I love how we follow Neve's thought processes on how she could potentially side-step the blackmailers' demands without any of the consequences - and how this works out for her. The writing is top notch, as we expect from Mr Jordan, and the final chapters are very, very clever.

Keep 'em coming Jack Jordan. I will be buying every one of them!

About The Author:

Jack Jordan is the global number one bestselling author of Anything for Her (2015), My Girl (2016), A Woman Scorned (2018), Before Her Eyes (2018) and Night by Night (2019).

His latest thriller, Do No Harm, was an instant Times bestseller and shortlisted for the Most Recommended Book in the DeadGood Reader Awards. Coined the thriller of the summer for 2022, it was described as “relentlessly tense” by Sunday Times Bestseller Lesley Kara, and “Chilling and perfectly paced” by New York Times Bestseller Sarah Pearse.

To find out more about Jack, enter numerous annual giveaways to win signed copies of his books, and be the first to hear of new book releases and news, follow him here:

Instagram: @JackJordan_author

TikTok: @jackjordan_author

Twitter: @JackJordanBooks

Facebook: JackJordanOfficial

Goodreads: JackJordanOfficial

Do No Harm by Jack Jordan #paperbackbook #libraryloan @JackJordanBooks @SimonBooks #DoNoHarm

 

Do No Harm by Jack Jordan

Published by Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: 30th March 2023

Book Description:

MY CHILD HAS BEEN TAKEN.
AND I’VE BEEN GIVEN A CHOICE . . .
KILL A PATIENT ON THE OPERATING TABLE
OR LOSE MY SON FOREVER.

The man lies on the table in front of me.
As a surgeon, it’s my job to save him.
As a mother, I know I must kill him.
You might think that I’m a monster.
But there really is only one choice.
I must get away with murder.
Or I will never see my son again.

I’VE SAVED MANY LIVES.
WOULD YOU TRUST ME WITH YOURS?

My Thoughts:

Do No Harm is my first experience of Jack Jordan's writing. And it won't be my last. That's not to say that I don't have my criticisms of the plot - I work in a hospital setting and some of the scenes are perhaps a little far-fetched. But this is the world of fiction! The stories wouldn't be as enjoyable if our authors didn't inject a few "flexible boundaries" would they? 

So, the concept of the book is that Anna, a highly esteemed cardiac surgeon with an exemplary record, is required by some decidedly unsavoury characters to ensure the non-survival of a high-profile patient during his heart surgery. This goes against everything she believes in - so to persuade her it's the right thing to do, the same band of characters has abducted her young son and murdered the pensioner neighbour of Anna's who was providing her childcare. In order for Zack's safe return, Anna must not only do what they ask but also make sure there are no suspicious circumstances. Just a statistical loss on the operating table. 

The author takes us on the rollercoaster ride that is Anna's life while she battles her demons - the plot gathering layers as each day passes. She doesn't know who she can trust as she tries to plan how on earth she can possibly do what they are asking of her, and every time she thinks she got things sorted, the goalposts move again.

The tension created by the author is excellent, and there were times when I literally held my breath through some of the scenes. Would Anna do what the kidnappers wanted? If so, would she get away with it? Then the aftermath: a hospital enquiry and a possible police intervention were all potential stumbling blocks to consider. Could she even trust them to return Zack if she did carry out their wishes? 

This book will certainly have your heart racing throughout, so much so you might need a cardiac specialist by the time you close the cover!  But would you trust Anna to be that professional after everything you've read about her?

About the Author:

Jack Jordan is the global bestselling author of Anything for Her, My Girl, A Woman Scorned, Before Her Eyes, Night by Night, Do No Harm and Conviction, and an Amazon No. 1 bestseller in the UK, Canada and Australia.Do No Harm was described as 'chilling' by Sarah Pearse, 'brilliant' by Lesley Kara and 'pulse-racing' by Louise Candlish. It was an instant Times bestseller on first publication and a Waterstones Thriller of the Month pick.