The Commuter by Emma Curtis #NetGalley #TheCommuter @emmacurtisbooks @AtlanticBooks

 

The Commuter by Emma Curtis

Published by Atlantic Books

Publication Date: 10th October 2024

My thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read this digital proof ahead of publication.

Book Description:

I used to dread rush hour. Now I live for it...

Rachel wakes from a coma to discover her controlling husband has been killed, and the police suspect her of involvement.

But all Rachel can recall from the last few weeks are tantalising flashes of a fellow commuter. A man whose name she doesn't know.

A man who has disappeared without a trace.

Now Rachel is a wealthy widow and the vultures are circling, wanting her in prison for murder, or failing that ... dead.

 Can Rachel discover the truth in time to save herself?

My Thoughts:

This is a book of two only slightly different timelines: Rachel is the main character and is married to Anthony who is much older than she is, with an adult daughter, Caroline who he dotes upon. She basically coasts through life doing whatever she wants, with daddy's backing and protection. Everything is fine until Rachel starts to put her foot down and suggests that Caroline starts taking responsibility for her actions. The other side of the story finds Rachel in hospital following an incident which Rachel can't recall. Her memory of events during the days running up to waking up in her hospital bed very slowly return to her over a course of many months, the most shocking being the fact that Anthony died suddenly and that Rachel feels that she is somehow implicated.

In the earlier timeline we also have a mysterious gentleman who Rachel meets during a power failure on the underground during her commute. Who is this man? And why does it feel as if he can answer some of the many questions Rachel has about what happened during her lost days?

I did find the timelines a little confusing in this book, and really needed to concentrate on what was happening when. There was lots going on, and plenty to keep your attention focused on the different characters. I found Caroline to be rather obnoxious and spoiled, and really wanted Anthony to take his rose-tinted specs off and realise just how much damage he was doing with his responses to her actions. Where she was concerned I was totally on Rachels's side - but the background to the relationship between the two women is also understandable to a point, however Caroline is a bit old to be playing the wronged daughter card in my opinion. 

If you want a fast paced, entertaining thriller this will tick all the boxes for you. The author has a very engaging writing style that will have you turning the pages and possibly missing your stop on your own commute as you get well and truly drawn in to the crazy world that Rachel finds herself in after what should have just been an ordinary tube journey.

About the Author:

Emma Curtis was born in Brighton and now lives in London with her husband. After raising two children and working various jobs, her fascination with the darker side of domestic life inspired her to write her acclaimed psychological suspense thrillers One Little Mistake, When I Find You, The Night You Left, Keep Her Quiet and Invite Me In. Find her on Twitter: @emmacurtisbooks

One of Us Is Dead by Peter James @panmacmillan @peterjamesuk#NetGalley #OneOfUsIsDead #bookreview

 

One of Us Is Dead by Peter James

Published by PanMacMillan

Publication Date: 24th September 2024

Happy publication day to Peter James! My thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read this book via the NetGalley platform.

Book Description:

Hunting him would be murder . . .

When James Taylor arrives late for a funeral, he has to stand at the back of the small church. But as the service progresses, Taylor notices a man six rows in front of him. At first he thinks he must be mistaken, but the more he looks at him, the more convinced Taylor becomes that this is his old schoolfriend, Rufus Rorke.

Except it couldn’t be him, could it? Because two years ago, Taylor attended Rufus Rorke’s funeral. He even delivered Rufus’s eulogy. . .

On the other side of Brighton at Police HQ, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace has been alerted to a number of suspicious deaths that he can’t get out of his mind. But how are they linked? And how could they possibly be connected to Rufus Rorke?

Roy Grace is about to find out just how dangerous a dead man can be . . .

My Thoughts:

The first book in the 'Dead' series, Dead Simple, was the one that got me started with police procedurals and thriller books, the grittier side of fiction after many years of reading either horror stories or "fluff" (aka chick-lit). Regular readers of my blog will know that I only occasionally dip back into the lighter side of fiction as a palette cleanser these days so I'd say Mr James has been substantially influencial when it comes to my reading tastes.

This, the 20th instalment in the 'Dead' series, I am delighted to say is equally as good - if not better - than that first instalment all those years ago. Few series manage to last the test of time but this one just keeps on giving and feels like it still has plenty more to offer.

This book starts with a funeral service. It's for the second of a group of school friends who branded themselves the Three Musketeers back in the day. Barnie sadly passed away after a mix up with some mushrooms he was cooking for his culinary blog. The last of the trio, James Taylor, is in attendance to pay his respects despite not having been close to Barnie for a good while. He is however shocked when he becomes convinced one of the other mourners at the church that day is the other member of their crew, Rufus Rourke. But it can't possibly be, because James read his eulogy after his tragic passing two years previously. It soon transpires that James isn't the only one who believes that Rufus is alive and well, living and "working" in the vicinity of their old stomping ground near Brighton.

Peter James has as skilfully as always interwoven the current storyline among the backstory of the team of detectives investigating the potential re-emergence of Rufus. The politically incorrect, but somehow loveable rogue, Norman Potting makes a predictable reappearance in the team, as well as Roy Grace's reliable sidekick Branson. Roy's slimy adversary Cassian Pewe also gets a chapter but I was pleased that this part of the story didn't take up too many pages whilst not being forgotten about.

Huge kudos to Peter James for keeping the momentum going - at no point have I ever felt it was time to close the series down. The characters have continued to grow and develop without ever getting tired or boring. The cases they investigate are relevant to today's society and the forensics and other investigative tools have moved with the times as the books have been released. The detail in the scenes building to the climax of this story is exemplary, and had my heart racing at one particular point. Just how many bodies would Roy and the team be visiting at the mortuary as part of this investigation??

How does Peter James keep up the quality of this series? Who knows? 5 stars once again, sir.

About the Author:

Peter James is a UK No.1 bestselling author, best known for his Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series, now a hit ITV drama starring John Simm as the troubled Brighton copper.

Much loved by crime and thriller fans for his fast-paced page-turners full of unexpected plot twists, sinister characters, and accurate portrayal of modern day policing, he has won over 40 awards for his work including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award and Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger. In 2024, it was announced that he is the creator of Her Majesty Queen Camilla's favourite fictional detective.

To date, Peter has written an impressive total of 20 Sunday Times No. 1s, sold over 21 million copies worldwide and been translated into 38 languages. His books are also often adapted for the stage, with his six stage shows grossing over £17 million at the box office – the most recent being Wish You Were Dead.

The Co-Worker by Freida McFadden #paperbackbook @Freida_McFadden #TheCoWorker

 

The Co-Worker by Freida McFadden

Published by Poisoned Pen Press

Publication Date: 28th November 2023

Book Description:

Two women. An office filled with secrets. One terrible crime that can't be taken back.

Dawn Schiff is strange.

At least, everyone thinks so at Vixed, the nutritional supplement company where Dawn works as an accountant. She never says the right thing. She has no friends. And she is always at her desk at precisely 8:45 a.m.

So when Dawn doesn't show up to the office one morning, her coworker Natalie Farrell―beautiful, popular, top sales rep five years running―is surprised. Then she receives an unsettling, anonymous phone call that changes everything...

It turns out Dawn wasn't just an awkward outsider―she was being targeted by someone close. And now Natalie is irrevocably tied to Dawn as she finds herself caught in a twisted game of cat and mouse that leaves her wondering: who's the real victim?

But one thing is incredibly clear: somebody hated Dawn Schiff.

My Thoughts:

I have been sucked into the crazy world of Freida McFadden! I'm not usually a jump on the bandwagon type of person, but Freida's writing is just so easy to read, flowing, and guaranteed to blindside you with her plot twists. 

This time the reader is introduced to the offices of Vixed, a dietary supplement sales company where Natalie is the top dog sales person. Glamorous and successful, and a generally nice person, newbie member of staff, accountant Dawn feels drawn to Natalie and makes efforts to become friends - especially as she occupies the cubicle next door in the office. Unfortunately for Dawn, most people (not just at her workplace, but going all the way back to her childhood) think she's a little odd. She has an obsession with turtles, and loves to share her encyclopaedic knowledge of them with anyone who will listen. Sadly for her very few people are interested, and this leads to some snarky comments behind her back.

But just because she's a quirky character, doesn't mean she is prepared to take the sneers and snippy comments lying down. It soon becomes obvious that Dawn has hidden strengths. Without giving too much of the plot away, Dawn doesn't show up for work one morning and a concerned Natalie goes to her home to check she's ok. Things take the strangest turn from here, and Natalie finds herself very much under the scrutiny of the local police department.

I've seen a lot of comments on social media where people think they've sussed the whole plot within a couple of chapters. No. No - you really haven't. Freida McFadden's trademark is crazy plot twists, yet despite how crazy they are, they work so well! She will have you second, third and fourth guessing yourself as you progress through the book - and even then you will end up on the wrong track about something or someone. There aren't a huge number of characters in this book, but every single one plays their part to perfection.

I loved Dawn's weirdness and how this fitted into the storyline. The big reveal at the end I felt was quite clever. As always I am not going to give any spoilers, but if anyone who has read the book wants to discuss the various plotlines please drop me a message. I'd love to compare notes!

About the Author:

#1 New York Times, Amazon Charts, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Sunday Times, and Publisher's Weekly bestselling author Freida McFadden is a practicing physician specializing in brain injury who has penned multiple bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humor novels. Freida’s work has been selected as one of Amazon Editors’ best books of the year, she is the winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for best paperback, and she is a Goodreads Choice Award winner. Her novels have been translated into 40 languages.

​ Freida lives with her family and black cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe.

Never Lie by Freida McFadden @PPPress @Freida_McFadden #NeverLie #Bookreview

 

Never Lie by Freida McFadden

Publication Date: 5th December 2023

Published by Poisoned Pen Press

Book Description:

Sometimes the truth kills…

Newlyweds Tricia and Ethan are searching for the house of their dreams. They think they've found it when they visit the remote manor that once belonged to Dr. Adrienne Hale, a renowned psychiatrist who vanished without a trace years ago. But when a violent winter storm traps them at the estate, the house begins to lose its appeal.

Stuck inside and growing restless, Tricia stumbles on a collection of audio transcripts from Dr. Hale's sessions with patients. As Tricia listens to the cassette tapes, she learns about the terrifying chain of events leading up to the doctor's mysterious disappearance.

With each tape, another shocking piece of the puzzle falls into place, and a web of lies slowly unravels. But by the time Tricia reaches the final cassette, the one that reveals the entire horrifying story, it will be too late…

My Thoughts:

Well, what can you say about any Freida McFadden book? You think you have it all figured out just a few chapters in.... WRONG! You will rarely work out the conclusion of one her books accurately. The red herrings this author can chuck in the mix of any one of her books will be sufficient to lead you down totally the wrong track. This one is no different.

Tricia and Ethan are all loved up, Ethan looking to buy them their perfect forever home. He's led them to a remote house, in the depths of nowhere which is going for a song due to the fact that its previous tenant, a renowned psychiatrist and well-known author, disappeared in mysterious circumstances. They arrive in a bleak snowstorm with no sign of the real estate agent who is meant to be showing them around. With few other options but to access the property with a poorly hidden key, they are forced to stay put until the roads can be cleared and Ethan's BMW can cope with the conditions. Tricia finds the house creepy, and has zero intentions of ever buying this property; she just has to keep Ethan sweet until they can get the heck out of there.

With hidden rooms and bumps in the night, there are plenty of mysterious goings on to keep your pulse racing. Tricia is convinced there is someone else in the house but a thorough search by Ethan resulting in the lack of any physical presence dispels her theory. The sprawling property gives Tricia plenty of time to explore while Ethan works away in one of the rooms on his laptop and her discoveries give the reader plenty of food for thought, with the potential to make up a multitude of possible theories as to what is going on, and what could have happened to the missing psychiatrist.

Some great plot twists will have your jaw on the floor as ever with Freida's writing and I can pretty much guarantee that none of your theories will be close to the reality of the storyline. The author has such a flowing style that you fly through the book and at under 300 pages long it won't take you long to spin through this one. Great if you want a quick read but with a gritty enough plot to keep you engaged.

About the Author:

#1 New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Sunday Times internationally bestselling author Freida McFadden is a practicing physician specializing in brain injury. Freida is the winner of both the International Thriller Writer Award for Best Paperback Original and the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Thriller. Her novels have been translated into more than forty languages. Freida lives with her family and black cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean.

One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware @simonschuster @RuthWareWriter #OnePerfectCouple #bookreview

 

One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware

Publication Date: 18th July 2024

Published by Simon & Schuster

Book Description:

Five beautiful couples.
One deadly game.
Who will escape alive?

Lyla Santiago has spent months working on a research project that could be the key to getting a permanent job in her field.
So, she can’t really drop everything to go to a desert island with her actor boyfriend Nico to film One Perfect Couple, a new reality TV show that Nico is sure will lead to his big break – can she?
 
Two weeks later, Lyla finds herself boarding a boat to an isolated luxury resort in the Indian Ocean.
 
The rules of the game are simple. Ten strangers have to survive together on the island - and the last couple standing scoops the prize.
There will be sun, sea, laughs and plenty of flirting.
What could possibly go wrong?

But when a huge tropical storm cuts them off from everything, the group must band together. 
As tensions run high and fresh water runs low, Lyla realises that someone is playing this game for real – and they'll stop at nothing to win.
 
Ten might have arrived, but who will survive to the end?

My Thoughts:

I reserved this title from my local library, unsure whether I am really the target audience as I don't watch much TV at all, let alone reality shows like Love Island and all the different variants of. But this one felt suitably within my favoured genre whilst pushing the boundaries just a tiny bit. I've enjoyed this author's previous work, so I gave it a go.

The reader is introduced to the narrator of the book Lyla, as she faces a difficult time in her professional life - she's a research scientist who has discovered that the project she is working on is a bit of a non-starter and she won't be able to bring a big, splashy reveal to her managers as the data does not prove the theory they had set out to. She's looking at having her employment terminated within weeks, so when boyfriend and budding actor/wannabe celebrity Nico brings the idea of participating in a reality TV show to her, despite her gut instinct to run a mile, she decides what the heck? Let's do it to try and boost Nico's career. A decision which comes back to haunt her, big style!

Alarm bells ring for Lyla right from the moment she's introduced to those making the show. Something feels off but she can't put her finger on it significantly enough to persuade Nico that this is a bad idea. So off they fly towards a beautiful Indonesian island to meet the other contestants, all beautiful, stereotypical characters from the type of reality show Lyla has seen before. She doesn't fit  with them in any way, but finds an equal amongst them who feels exactly how she does, and is also only there for their partner. Can they become allies and get themselves voted off, leaving those who really want to be there to fight it out for the winner's crown or will any allegiance ultimately become her downfall?

The arrival of a vicious storm during the night changes the whole scenario of their stay on the island. Some of the accommodation is destroyed, the electricity generators are knocked out of service and most scarily of all, not everyone has survived the night. The dynamic of the group has changed and the whole thing takes on a 'Lord of the Flies' feel to it. It's survival of the fittest, but it's time for Lyla to decide whether to risk bonding with other contestants or whether she's better off on her own.

Personally, I enjoyed this book more than I expected to however for me the ending was decidedly weak. I know the author needed to wrap things up to a conclusion, but after all that our contestants had gone through the climax felt rushed and a little sketchy in comparison with the main body of the book. It's hard to say too much as I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone, even to the point of who was lost to the storm. I suppose people find hidden depths to their abilities in desperate situations but some things which transpired did push the boundaries of credibility just a touch.

My opinion? Give it a try. If you like a reality show it will probably appeal in a stronger vein than it did for me, but if not then you will most likely find there are better options to keep you glued to the pages.

About the Author:

Ruth Ware is an international number one bestseller. Her thrillers 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 and The It Girl have appeared on bestseller lists around the world, including the Sunday Times and New York Times, and she is published in more than 40 languages. She lives on the south coast of England, with her family.

Our Holiday by Louise Candlish #paperbackbook #bookreview @louise_candlish

 

Our Holiday by Louise Candlish

Published by HQ

Publication Date: 4th July 2024

Book Description:

Charlotte and Perry long for summers at Cliff View, their gorgeous holiday home overlooking the turquoise waters of Pine Ridge. And now that city friends Amy and Linus have bought a property nearby, they plan lazy weeks of sun, sea and sipping rosé on Charlotte’s summerhouse veranda.

But there’s trouble in paradise…

A rising tide of resentment towards second-home owners is heading their way and small acts of criminal damage are escalating into something more menacing. By the end of the summer, families and friendships will be torn apart and Pine Ridge will be known for more than its sun-drenched beaches.

It will be known for murder…

My Thoughts:

I think most people, if they were really honest with themselves, would love to own a bolthole by the coast - especially when it's in a location as gorgeous as the Jurassic coast in the south of England. The fictional village of Pine Ridge is one of those places but with the divide between rich and poor widening,  resentment is building between the locals who cannot afford even the most basic of accommodation in the area, and the second home owners who rarely use their holiday homes except in the height of the season leaving them standing empty for months on end. This has led to a protest group being set up named NJFA (Not Just For August) - think of the 'Just Stop Oil' protestors and apply their methods to a local area where tourists flock. 

I found this book to be quite thought-provoking, and could see valid points made by both sides of the argument regarding second homes. Fortunately the storyline didn't get too preachy despite some strong opinions and dubious means of expression by certain characters. Boundaries between the locals and the younger generation of visitors blur as the book progresses, leading to the ultimate tragedy which features in the prologue. It soon becomes clear that someone was in the wrong place at the wrong time - but who they were and how it all came about is far from evident.

Between the over-privileged families who own the second homes and the struggling locals just making a stand to be able to live in the area they grew up, there are some interesting (and some quite obnoxious) characters. But would any of them deliberately want to take a life? The local detectives who are faced with sorting out the ensuing chaos certainly have a tricky task on their hands. 

This book proved to be an interesting study of human behaviour and a great whodunnit all rolled into one. The setting is so beautiful that you can understand why people want to live there, whatever their personal circumstances. The perfect book to pop in your luggage for your staycation.

About the Author:

Louise Candlish is the bestselling author of 16 novels and her books are published all over the world. Her book Our House was adapted into a major four-part ITV drama and won the 2019 British Book Awards Crime and Thriller Book of the Year.

She lives in a South London neighbourhood not unlike the one in her books, with her husband, daughter (when she's not at uni), and a fox-red Labrador called Bertie who is the apple of her eye.

For more book news (and doting pictures of Bertie, regularly updated!), catch her on Twitter @louise_candlish, on Instagram @louisecandlish or facebook.com/LouiseCandlishAuthor.

First Wife's Shadow by Adele Parks #librarybook @adeleparks #bookreview #firstwifesshadow @HQstories

 

First Wife's Shadow by Adele Parks

Published by HQ

Publication Date: 4th July 2024

Book Description:

HIS FIRST WIFE DIED. NOW THERE'S A VACANCY…

When Emma meets Matthew, a kind, handsome widower, he seems to be just what she needs.

Yet as their relationship moves fast, Emma’s friends worry Emma might be exploited. She’s a rich woman after all.

Emma doesn’t care Matthew has no money. But as the memory of his perfect first wife hangs over them, Emma does have one tiny doubt.

If Matthew’s wife hadn’t died, he wouldn’t be with her. And Emma wonders if she’s second best. Can she ever fill the dead woman’s shoes?

As jealousy and suspicion blossom between Emma and Matthew, events take a darker, dangerous turn.

Suddenly Emma doesn’t know who she can trust. Her friends? Her husband? Or even herself…?

My Thoughts:

The prologue to this book tells us that someone involved in the story dies. We know not who or why. All we do know is that they took their last breath crushed between a car and a tree. An unfortunate accident or a deliberate act? Ultimately a jury will need to decide.

Emma is a wealthy lady, CEO of a world leading company in the renewable energy field. Matthew is a freelance photographer, a recent widower trying to find a way forward after losing his wife. Well, that's what he tells Emma when they meet at conference where Emma is the speaker. But there's a lot more to Matthew than meets the eye, a fact that Emma's best friend Heidi intuits quite early on.

The story is split into two parts, the first is from Emma's point of view then on the turn of a page a new voice takes over and, in my opinion, that's where the book really begins to earn its stripes. Emma's narration of things really just sets the scene and I was just starting to feel like I was losing interest when this new voice stepped in, the action began to happen and didn't let up right through to the end.

This book certainly had me asking myself how I would react in the circumstances Emma and Matthew found themselves, but I suppose one never knows until you're faced with them. Another thing I realised is that none of us really know each other's history and very much take people at face value, a dangerous thing to do, as those involved in this story find out!

The characters are all excellent (the nice ones and the nasties) - I loved Emma's friendship group of Heidi and Gina with their associated families - they all have plenty of depth and background to them. The descriptions of Emma's home are gorgeous and I had no problem picturing the scenes set there in my head especially when events took a darker turn and the house and its woodland setting just seemed to add to the sinister atmosphere. There are clues to the overall story right the way through and while I managed to pick up on a few of them, others managed to elude me.

My recommendation is that you work your way through the first half and the second part will reward you in spades.

About the Author:

Adele Parks MBE was born in North Yorkshire. She is the author of 23 bestselling novels including the Sunday Times Number One bestsellers Lies Lies Lies and Just My Luck. Over five million UK editions of her work have been sold and her books have been translated into 31 different languages. Adele's novel The Image of You has just been released as a major motion movied and she has several other titles optioned and in development including One Last Secret and Both of You. She is an ambassador of the National Literacy Trust and the Reading Agency: two charities that promote literacy in the UK. Adele has lived in Botswana, Italy and London and is now settled in Guildford, Surrey. In 2022 she was awarded an MBE for her services to literature.

Find Adele on X @adeleparks, Instagram @adele_parks, Facebook @OfficialAdeleParks, TikTok @Adeleparksauthor or visit www.adeleparks.com.