Published by Bloodhound
Publication Date 19th October 2020
Genre: Psychological Thriller
My thanks to Sarah Hardy of Book on the Bright Side Publicity for the opportunity to be part of this blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
Book Description:
What could be more innocent than going on holiday?
As a family drive along a quiet country lane on their way to the airport, they meet a stranger standing alone in the middle of the road.
Steering them along another path, he tells the driver, Ben, that a tree has fallen and there's no way through.
But as they make their way along the diverted route, they come across a coach blocking the road.
Getting out of the car Ben goes to investigate and is horrified to find the passengers tied to their seats.
Then a discarded phone starts to ring…
If Ben calls the police, everyone on board will die.
The caller is about to start the horrific game...
My Thoughts:
I have been eagerly awaiting the publication of Stuart's next book (I may even be guilty of pestering him on the odd occasion prior to the release of the date as to when it would be coming out - sorry Stuart!). When I read that his previous novel The House on Rectory Lane was the winner of a rather prestigious award this only added to my excitement and anticipation because you just KNOW it's not going to disappoint. And here it is: The Stranded.
Having been walloped by a nasty eye infection and a cold at the same time I have been wallowing in self-pity on my sofa for a few days. What better companion in this situation than a Stuart James thriller? I mean, you read it with one eye shut in fear of what you're going to read next anyway so once I could physically focus I got stuck in. And I read the whole thing in one sitting!
Ben, Laura and daughter Millie are heading to Gatwick for a well-earned holiday to Barcelona. Ben hates motorways after getting stuck in a huge tailback for hours so makes the decision to take the A roads - the scenic route - to the airport. Oh what a fateful decision that is. It's not long before a shady figure in a hi-vis jacket is directing them down a side road due to a fallen tree blocking the main road.
That is just the start of their problems, as they encounter a broken down coach blocking the diversion route. Ben goes to the vehicle to see if he can assist the driver only to find the passengers bound to their seats with fear in their eyes.
The story continues at a roaring pace with the hi-vis man (aka the caller) issuing instructions to the family and the passengers via an ancient mobile phone. He's playing horrific games with them, his justification being that the passengers have sinned and they all need to pay for what they've done. We find out each of the passengers alleged crimes as they are given the chance to admit what they have done, the ripple effect of their actions making more and bigger waves as their confessions are made.
Having got a feel for the type of family Ben, Laura and Millie are, the fact that they stopped to help in the first place rather than turning and running to the airport when they had the chance, meant that the conclusion of the book was even more unexpected. They're not the same type of people as those cherry-picked to be passengers on Henry Mitchell's coach from hell but I suppose the trauma they experienced will change how you see life. Even so Stuart James concludes things with his signature shock scenario which left me reeling open-mouthed, and I can guarantee that you definitely will not guess how the story ends. Supremely well-plotted throughout, I am never disappointed with this author's work which always leaves me champing for the next book.
Yet another edge of the seat thriller from Stuart - I would love to see his work televised, I think it would work so well!
About the Author:
I have always loved scary stories, especially ones that shocked me, left me terrified, looking under my bed or in the wardrobe before going to sleep.
There was just a fantastic buzz whenever I watched or read something that took my breathe away.
I remember going to my nan’s house in Ireland as a youngster with my mother and sister, on the West Coast, staying in a cottage, surrounded by miles of fields and my family sitting around the table in the kitchen at night telling ghost stories. Going out and exploring derelict farmhouses in the middle of nowhere. I remember clearly the field at the end of the road was supposed to be haunted by headless nuns.
My cousins often remind me of the great times we had, frightening each other and running for our lives whenever we’d see something that didn’t look right.
This is why I love nothing more than to tell a story.
I started writing three years ago, penning The House On Rectory Lane which has just won The International Book Award in horror fiction. I got the idea from something that has often seemed scary to me. I know that a terrifying story has to be something that you’re frightened of doing, something that makes the hairs stand on the back of your neck, something that fills you with dread, yet also with excitement.
To me, the thought of going to a house in the middle of nowhere, upping and leaving a busy town and moving to the country is something that scares lots of people and me: the seclusion, the quiet, the darkness. That’s what inspired me to write my first novel.
My second thriller is called Turn The Other Way, which was a world wide number 1 best seller and stayed at number 1 for 19 weeks in the US.
I have multiple stories running, past and present. A family who want answers from the surgeon responsible for their daughter’s death. A young woman looking for her parents after they go missing from a party. A couple driving home and hearing screams for help from the back of the van in front of them. A serial killer on the loose in North London, dragging victims off the street.
I’m so grateful when people not only read my thrillers but also take the time to get in touch and leave a review. To me, that is the greatest feeling, hearing from people that have enjoyed my work. I know then that I’m doing something right.
My third thriller, Apartment Six, was published in January of this year and was a number 1 hot new release on Amazon for 4 weeks.
Stranded goes on pre-order Monday October 12th on Amazon and is released October 19th.
I’m 47, married and have two beautiful children. Currently, I’m a full-time plumber but would love nothing more than to make a living from my writing. I hope I write stories and people continue to enjoy them for years to come. That would be completely amazing and a dream come true.
Social Media:
Website: stuartjamesthrillers.com
Twitter: @StuartJames73
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stuartjamesauthor/
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