The Stranger in the Room by Luca Veste #NetGalley #TheStrangerintheRoom @LucaVeste @HodderBooks

 

The Stranger in the Room by Luca Veste

Published by Hodder & Stoughton

Publication Date: 16th January 2025

My thanks to the publisher who approved my request to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for an unbiased review

Book Description:

A STRING OF MURDERS. AND THE PERSON WHO LINKS THEM ALL IS . . . YOUR DAUGHTER.

Alison Lennon receives the worst news a parent can expect - her son, Ben, has been killed, in what looks at first like a random attack on a dark street in the middle of the night. Only, she knows that he isn't the first victim.

Mia Johnstone has just turned eighteen. Ready for the next phase of her life, she should be looking forward to university, studying, partying. Instead, she's thinking about how her boyfriend Ben is the third person close to her to have died.

Alison believes that Mia killed her son.

Mia needs people to stop calling her a killer.

And someone is desperate for the truth to never come out . . .

My Thoughts:

I discovered this author's books approximately 10 years ago now, and devoured the Detective Murphy & Rossi series. His subsequent books haven't grabbed me quite so much, but this one felt like a move back to those early crime detective tales so suited me very well.

The story covers the emotions felt by the family of teenage murder victim Ben Lennon who was killed a short distance from his home after an evening with friends. A recent split from girlfriend Mia is front and centre in mum Alison's mind, especially as the young girl was featured in local rumours surrounding two previous killings in the preceding months - but why aren't the police investigating her? In Alison's mind it's obvious they need to be arresting her as prime suspect, so when this doesn't figure as even a strong line of questioning Alison decides to take things into her own hands.

The reader is privy to insights from various characters some of which help clarify events, others purely following the rumours that are rife in the local area. The growing rift between Ben's parents is explored and the extra strain Ben's death puts on this fractured relationship does nothing to bring the two of them together. Ben's sister is very much left to deal with her grief alone as the parents battle rages on. But they would do well to take some time to listen to their daughter, because siblings often know far more about each other's lives than the parents would ever imagine.

The whole book felt very real, the emotions raw, and frustrations with how long the police were taking to make any progress came across strongly - and how the different individuals coped with the whole situation was extremely well delivered.

I feel the author has returned to what he writes best with this book. More of the same please, Mr Veste!

About the Author:

Luca Veste is a writer of Italian and Liverpudlian heritage, married with two young daughters, and one of nine children. He studied psychology and criminology at university in Liverpool. He is the author of the Murphy and Rossi series, which includes DEAD GONE, THE DYING PLACE, BLOODSTREAM, and THEN SHE WAS GONE.

Part psychological thriller, part police procedural, his books follow the detective pairing of DI David Murphy and DS Laura Rossi. The novels are set in Liverpool, bringing the city to life in a dark and terrifying manner...with just a splash of Scouse humour.

A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage by Asia Mackay #NetGalley #ASerialKillersGuidetoMarriage @abmackster @Wildfirebks

A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage by Asia Nackay

Published by Headline (Wildfire)

Publication Date: 14th January 2025

My thanks to the publisher for allowing me access to this book via NetGalley ahead of publication. My thoughts and opinions are my own and are unbiased.

Book Description:

Hazel and Fox are an ordinary married couple with a baby. Except for one small thing: they're ex-serial killers.

They had it all. An enviable London lifestyle, five-star travels, and plenty of bad men to kill. Not many power couples know how to get away with murder.

Then Hazel fell pregnant and they gave it all up for life in the suburbs; dinner parties instead of body disposal.

But recently Hazel has started to feel that itch again. When she kills someone behind Fox's back and brings the police to their door, she must do anything she can to protect her family.

This could save their marriage - unless it kills them first.

My Thoughts:

It was an unusual way to meet your future spouse: two killers, one unsuspecting victim and a dark alleyway. Hazel and Fox definitely had one thing in common when their worlds collided and they realised that they were made for each other: a passion for ridding the world of bad people. 

Fox's history in the US caused his parents to ship him off to Europe to make a fresh start and forget about the life he was escaping. As long as he kept his nose clean and didn't bring his parents squeaky clean image as corporate megastars into disrepute, they would say nothing. Hazel's background was far less glamorous: an addict for a mum left her in social services care, shipped from one foster family to the next and nobody giving a damn about her unless she was prepared to be the victim of their depraved fantasies. Haze was nobody's victim, and found her own ways to protect herself and those who found themselves in her position in life.

So, the serial killer dream team was formed: Haze and Fox against the world! Until they discovered they were to become parents. They agreed that things had to change and their jetset lifestyle whizzing around the posh playgrounds of Europe seeking their next victim had to stop. And so it did, until Haze felt that familiar yearning and by pure chance she found herself in the position of having gone against everything they'd agreed. With a dead body at her feet and nobody to help "cleanse" the scene of her involvement, can Haze get away with her first solo kill in years?

I really didn't like Haze in the first few chapters of this book. Her disdain of everything a "normal" family life comprises, her swift shift into boredom in everyday parenting situations (softplay, mother and toddler groups and the standard mix of new parents and their offspring) I found her criticisms quite patronising. But as the pages moved on, I began to understand her as she worked hard to fit into a mould she wasn't designed for.

The story takes an interesting change of direction when Haze realises she's made an unlikely friend at one of the parenting groups she's taken to frequenting. A friendship which she quickly realises could be her downfall - the other mum is a police detective, currently on maternity leave and under investigation herself for her involvement with a disgraced police officer. Things get even worse when she discovers the amount of effort her friend has been putting in to proving her detective skills, despite being on leave. This woman is getting dangerously close to Haze and Fox's truth. 

The characters are an interesting mix in this book, and the challenges of being a new parent are explored. I think a lot of new mums would be able to relate to the feelings Haze goes through, especially when parenthood has arrived unplanned. The guilt at not feeling like an instinctive mum, not having the knowledge which seems to come naturally to all the other mums - before realising that actually, we're all just winging it! I found all this to be quite relatable (fortunately I've never felt the urge to kill someone to distract those thoughts, just for the record!). 

Probably my only criticism of this book is that I would have liked to hear a stronger voice from Fox throughout the book. We do hear his views but I kind of lost his side of things as Haze's point of view takes the dominant line until later on in the story.

Overall I found this to be a quirky read, something different to the regular serial killer themed books we find on our shelves, and I have to say I love the ending. How can Haze and Fox keep their marriage alive when unaliving people is what keeps them together?

About the Author:

Asia studied Anthropology at Durham University, after which she started a career in television. She presented and produced lifestyle programmes in Shanghai before moving back to London, where she worked for Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman as Project Manager on their round the world motorbike documentaries.

She started writing Killing It on maternity leave and undertook a Faber Academy course to help her finish it. Asia lives in London with her husband, four young children and two dogs. Killing It is her first novel and was the Runner Up in Richard and Judy's Search for a Bestseller competition 2017.

Wife Mother Liar by Sue Watson @NetGalley #WifeMotherLiar @Bookouture @suewatsonwriter

 

Wife Mother Liar by Sue Watson

Published by Bookouture

Publication Date: 10th January 2025

My thanks to the publisher for allowing me access to this book ahead of publication via NetGalley

Book Description:

Someone is lying. Someone knows the truth. Someone is going to pay...

Wife: I couldn’t be prouder of my charming husband and quiet and kind son. I’ve poured everything into my little family, so I choose to ignore my husband’s late-night phone calls and wandering eye. I won’t let anything ruin my perfect life…

Mother: I tried so hard to have a baby, so when my precious little boy was born, I vowed to do anything to protect him. Now a teenager, he’s making his own decisions, like getting close to my best friend Jill’s daughter. Looking smart in a brand-new navy suit, I watch as he leaves for prom with her. I may be smiling, but inside my head I’m screaming at him to stay away from her…

Liar: Hours later, as flashing police lights slice the darkness around my house, my worst nightmare becomes a reality, and my perfect world comes crashing down. Can I trust anyone at all? My husband hasn’t been truthful, my best friend has been hiding something from me, and my son isn’t as innocent as I thought. But none of their secrets compares to the one I’ve been keeping…

It started with a lie. It will end in murder…

My Thoughts:

Jill and Wendy probably would never have become friends if they didn't happen to be next door neighbours. Jill is quite straight-laced and principled, Wendy is a fun loving party girl who people instinctively warm to. Jill would love to be like Wendy in many ways, despite her not approving of how she runs her household or parents her children. Their husbands, Tim and Robert, are also very different beings. Tim loves a pint and a party, much like Wendy, whereas Robert is a doctor with Medicines Sans Frontieres and travels all over the world, rarely at home to support Wendy in bringing up their 3 children.

Sadly Jill lost her son Leo at 16 years of age on the night of his high school prom. Ever since that night Jill has endeavoured to find out who was responsible for his death - she doesn't believe it was an accident as decided by the authorities at the time. And, as Leo attended prom with Wendy's daughter Olivia, she is convinced the Jones family know more than they're letting on. But there again she's aggressively questioned many people in her quest to find out more so they shouldn't take it personally should they?

The bulk of this book takes place in Wales, at a remote cottage near where Leo went on a stargazing trip with his schoolmates. Jill wants to feel close to him, and invites Wendy along to try to heal the rift which has formed between them since Leo's death. The atmosphere is understandably strained as the two women clumsily try to get back what they've lost in their friendship. What follows is a rollercoaster of emotions as twenty years of friendship, jealousies and mistrust between the women come to a head.

I never expected some of the bombshells which were eventually dropped as the ladies came clean about some of the feelings they had experienced and events which had happened which the other was unaware of. As they say, you never do really know someone completely.

Although the story slows in places and not all the attempted red herrings are particularly strong or relevant in the grand scheme of things, I found this to be an engaging read and my heart broke for poor Leo on what should have been a much happier experience of his school leavers' prom.

Families, eh? you can't choose 'em!

About the Author:

Sue Watson was a TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.

Now a USA Today bestselling author, Sue has sold almost 2 million books and explores the darker side of life, writing psychological thrillers with big twists. Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her family in leafy Worcestershire where much of her day is spent writing – and procrastinating. Her hobby is eating cake while watching diet and exercise programmes from the sofa, a skill she’s perfected after many years of practice.

The Perfect Boyfriend by SE Lynes #NetGalley #ThePerfectBoyfriend #bookreview @Bookouture

 

The Perfect Boyfriend by SE Lynes

Published by Bookouture

Publication Date: 6th January 2025

My thanks to the publishing team at Bookouture for providing an early copy of this book. My review is entirely my own opinion and unbiased.

Book Description:

Perfect boyfriend. Perfect liar. Perfect killer?

Her

I am on my way home, thinking only of the quiet, happy evening to come, when I see something completely impossible, and my heart stops dead. I would recognise those gorgeous pale blue eyes anywhere. It’s him. The high-school boyfriend I adored… Until the day he vanished without a trace.

I run towards him, my pulse racing. He turns, politely, a puzzled look on that familiar face. ‘I’m sorry,’ he says. ‘Do I know you?’

I need answers. I’m certain he’s lying. I just have to prove it.

Him

Of course you recognised me. Always so keen, always trying to do right by everyone.

It’s typical of my bad luck that we happened to run into each other.

I left this place for a reason – one you never knew. And now I’m back, I have plans.

And I’m afraid, my dear, that you’re getting in my way…

My Thoughts:

I think every girl meets someone, usually during their late teens, who they think is "The One". The perfect boyfriend - the one who can do no wrong in their eyes. Then the inevitable split happens, girl is devastated, boy disappears into the ether, and life carries on. This book epitomises this scenario - only this time the boy comes back to his old stomping ground. Or so Kirsty thinks. But she's 8 months pregnant, hormones raging...could she be mistaken? Especially as he denies knowing her.

This book is written in a style that I love: two different points of view, one knowing the answers to everything the other is desperately seeking. Early on it's not clear whether the man working at the hospital where Kirsty is a midwife actually is Hughie, the love of Kirsty's teenage life. Then we gradually hear more from Dr Sefton and all becomes clear.

The majority of the book is taken up with Kirsty's battle to convince her friends, colleagues and family that this guy is not who he appears to be. He's been very clever at building his shiny, new professional life but Kirsty is determined to work out how he's managed to be so convincing. However when her investigations start to have deadly consequences the pressure is on for her to find that vital evidence.

I felt the writing reflected the way Kirsty's mind must have been going round in circles, proving then disproving her ever-more crazy theories. The way her friends and family dismissed her, just putting things down to her raging hormones, had me frustrated let alone her! The tension builds steadily towards the end of the book and I was on the edge of my seat (and screaming at Kirsty not to put herself and her unborn baby at risk) in the final few chapters.

Some of the twists are far more subtle than the main focus of the story, which I found made the whole thing a much more wholesome experience. I personally found this to be a gripping page turner of a book and would definitely recommend it especially to read on a cold, dark winter's evening for added atmosphere.

About the Author:

S. E. Lynes is the #1 Amazon best selling author of THE HOUSEWARMING, and 'intelligent and haunting' psychological thrillers, VALENTINA, MOTHER, THE PACT, THE PROPOSAL, THE WOMEN, THE LIES WE HIDE, CAN YOU SEE HER? and HER SISTER'S SECRET
Formerly a BBC producer, after gaining an MA in Creative Writing, she became a Creative Writing Tutor at Richmond Adult Community College and now combines writing, mentoring and lecturing. She has also published three children's books in Italy.