The Secretary by Renee Knight #book #review #TheSecretary @DoubledayUK

The Secretary by Renee Knight

Published by Doubleday UK (Penguin)

Publication Date: 21st February 2019 (hardback)

Psychological Thriller

Book Description:

Look around you. Who holds the most power in the room? Is it the one who speaks loudest, who looks the part, who has the most money, who commands the most respect?

Or perhaps it’s someone like Christine Butcher: a meek, overlooked figure, who silently bears witness as information is shared and secrets are whispered. Someone who quietly, perhaps even unwittingly, gathers together knowledge of the people she’s there to serve – the ones who don’t notice her, the ones who consider themselves to be important.

There’s a fine line between loyalty and obsession. And when someone like Christine Butcher is pushed to her limit, she might just become the most dangerous person in the room . . .

My Review:

Appleton's is one of the top 3 supermarket chain stores in the UK, led by the great Lord Appleton whose business ethic is that the farmers who provide his produce are to be valued and treated fairly. He knows that without them his stores will fail to be as well respected as they are. Sadly his daughter Mina is less bothered by this sense of responsibility and is as ruthless as they come.

Christine Butcher is excited to find herself in Mina's kitchen, being interviewed by the lady herself for the position of her PA. Christine is quickly drawn into the dream world of the Appleton's when she is offered the job and it's not long before she is going above and beyond the normal role of a secretary, regularly putting Mina's needs in front of those of her own family.

Christine's first inkling of just how ruthless and ambitious Mina can be comes when Lord Appleton is interviewed on live TV - Mina ensures the "latest" financial reports are handed to Lord Appleton moments before he is due in front of the cameras leaving him no time to go through the figures.  It's not long before the interviewing panel are undertaking a public humiliation of the businessman which proves to be the final nail in his business coffin as the board demand his removal from the company.

Christine knows in her heart that this has been a huge set up but as Mina's secretary does not feel it would be appropriate to voice her opinions.

An investigative journalist takes Mina to task for her business ethics in a national newspaper, resulting in Mina presenting a libel case against him for his allegations.  Still Christine holds her silence, despite having insider knowledge which could change the course of the trial.

Mina and Christine become a force to be reckoned with, each supporting the other to achieve their goals.  Mina's driver Dave Santini is also loyal to his employer and when it comes to the crunch all 3 of the end up in a court room together.

The book is written from Christine's perspective, justifying the role she played in Mina's running of Appleton's business and her feelings about the things she was asked to do.  The mist of loyalty finally clears and Christine realises just how much she and others have given up for Mina over the years with no respect given in return.  She knows all Mina's secrets, how she's used and abused her position regarding contracts with suppliers and other members of staff. Now the tables are turned Christine is determined to get justice for all those who Mina has wronged.  Will she now be able to use the knowledge she has of Mina's business practice to achieve her own personal goal? Has Mina really underestimated the power she has handed her secretary or does she have one final trick up her sleeve?  

The author has written some great characters, some genuinely good people with impeccable morals and on the flip side some nasty, really unlikeable souls too. The contrast between the two is written so well.  Christine is a character who gets drawn in by her desire to be outstanding at her job, she thrives on the reflected glory of being part of Mina's success. Sadly she loses sight of where the boundaries lie but it's not until she has to take a long hard look at the person she has become that she realises that she doesn't like what she sees. This book is an excellent study of human nature, which I really enjoyed.

The moral of the story: never push a loyal person to the point where they no longer care. 

About the Author:

Renée Knight worked as a documentary-maker for the BBC before turning to writing. She is a graduate of the Faber Academy ‘Writing a Novel’ course, and lives in London with her husband and two children. Her widely acclaimed debut novel, Disclaimer, was a Sunday Times No.1 bestseller. The Secretary is her second novel.

Very Nearly Dead by A K Reynolds @Bloodhoundbook #debut #VeryNearlyDead #BlogBlitz

Very Nearly Dead by A K Reynolds

Published by Bloodhound Books

Publication Date:

Genre: Thriller

Book Description:

My name is Jasmine Black, and I'm an ordinary woman apart from three things;
I'm hiding a terrible secret from my youth, my past is catching up with me and when it does, I'll be dead.

Jasmine Black, a 34 year old alcoholic, criminal lawyer, has a secret.

At the age of 16 she was in a gang of youths that committed a horrendous crime.  As members of the gang start being killed one by one, Jasmine fears for her life.

Desperate to uncover who is responsible for the murders, Jasmine starts to investigate.

But can she uncover the truth before it's too late?

My Review:

My thanks to Heather Fitt from Bloodhound Books for the opportunity to read and review this title which I very much enjoyed.
The past really is coming back to haunt the group of school friends from way back.  The date of the annual school reunion is coming up and the pressure is taking its toll on Jaz, a functioning alcoholic with a high powered job as a criminal lawyer whose job it is to defend those on the wrong side of the law - a position she has secretly held ever since her last year of school, which very much determined her choice of career.

The authors have really managed to weave the weight of the teenagers' crime into their adult lives, the effects have taken their toll on all of them in different ways but the one thing common amongst all of them is that they are all scared - so much so that not one of them has ever broken their silence. So what has changed to make someone want to dispose of all those involved?  Jaz doesn't immediately make the link between her hit and run incident and the past, probably as she is in a permanent fog of alcohol which takes the edge off her mental capacity. A state which is threatening her ability to hold down her job.

As Jaz meets up with her former classmates at the reunion and beyond, tragedy begins to strike at a rapidly increasing rate Jaz realises she needs to get sufficient grip on her alcohol intake to start asking questions and figuring things out. But just as she thinks she has it all worked out, the one person the group always saw as invincible is taken out of the equation and Jaz has to think fast to save the rest of them from a similar fate. The AA meetings are just going to have to take a back seat for a while.

The destructive effects of alcohol abuse are portrayed in scarily real terms and the tension cranks up steadily throughout the book which I felt was very well paced. Would the gang be found out - and would Jaz have to face her own music in regard to the hit and run? The climax to the story came quite quickly and concisely, however I found this fitted the story after nearly two decades of the perpetrators having waited for a knock at their doors. Whether justice is done... you will have to decide for yourself.

I'm not usually a fan of collaboration writing, but this is a resounding success and I will definitely be up for reading more of the Reynolds' work.


About the Author:

Andy and Kath Reynolds are a husband and wife writing team who use the pen name A K Reynolds. As Kath doesn’t care for publicity, only Andy is pictured on our website.

Kath provides the ideas for their stories and writes the introspective thoughts of their fictional characters. Andy does most of the plotting and writes the action scenes.

As to their backgrounds, Kath has worked in a women’s refuge and latterly as a consultant; Andy is a former lawyer.

Very Nearly Dead, a domestic noir thriller with a woman at its centre, is their debut novel. They plan to write many more.

Bloodline by Pamela Murray @Bloodhoundbook #BlogBlitz #Review

Bloodline by Pamela Murray

Published by Bloodhound Books

Publication Date:

Genre: Crime

Book Description:

When a young boy discovers a man’s body lying in a doorway, DI Burton and DS Fielding are called to the scene.

Believing the man was homeless, the police are shocked to discover the true identity of the victim; a Detective Constable from London who was working undercover.

But when the DNA from the victim is linked to a cold case Burton and Fielding find themselves looking into another unsolved murder.

And as the case unfolds, the detectives are faced with unpicking through a web of lies and deceit. But can they solve the murders before any more blood is spilt?

My Review:

My thanks to Heather Fitt from publisher Bloodhound Books for providing a review copy of this title which I devoured in 24 hours.  From the opening scenes set during the miners' strike in 1980's Northern England to the discovery of the body of a homeless man in a doorway over 30 years later I was quickly absorbed into the plotline of 'Bloodline'.  We don't know any names of those involved in these early chapters and this sets a great sense of mystery as the facts are delivered to the reader as the detectives solve each case and discover shocking links between the two.

The skill of the author gives nothing away too soon and I was impressed at how the key pieces of information were held back until the perfect moment in order to provide just the right amount of shock factor.  I felt the emotional side of the story was handled very well too, with long held secrets having to be brought to light in order to inform relatives of the deceased men of the facts of how the case was solved.
 
With the dangers of undercover police operations highlighted I was on tenterhooks through parts of the books as two police officers stepped up into far bigger undercover roles than even their superiors realised they would be taking on at the start of the case.  I also got a strong feeling of what a close community the police 'family' is as their investigation came to a conclusion, with everyone looking out for each other and going the extra mile to keep each other safe.

I absolutely loved this book and am keen to read a lot more of Pamela Murray's work.



About the Author:

Pamela Murray is from the North East of England, and has spent most of her life living in Boldon. She began writing at an early age when she and her school friend used to write stories for one another. The writing continued on and off over the years, but was only recently reignited when the same school friend introduced her to the local writers group she was in.

Pamela had intended to enter Journalism after leaving school but found herself going to work in a Public Library instead, and has always had more than a passing interest in books and literature.

When not writing, Pamela is passionate about Cinema and her three grandchildren. She has also appeared as a Supporting Artiste in two episodes of the hit TV crime series "Vera".

The Day We Meet Again by Miranda Dickinson #NetGalley #book #review @HQstories @wurdsmyth #TheDayWeMeet Again

The Day We Meet Again by Miranda Dickinson

Published by HQ

Publication date: 5th September 2019

Genre: Romance

Book Description:

Their love story started with goodbye…

‘We’ll meet again at St Pancras station, a year from today. If we’re meant to be together, we’ll both be there. If we’re not, it was never meant to be . . .’

Phoebe and Sam meet by chance at St Pancras station. Heading in opposite directions, both seeking their own adventures, meeting the love of their lives wasn’t part of the plan. So they make a promise: to meet again in the same place in twelve months' time if they still want to be together.

But is life ever as simple as that?

This is a story of what-ifs and maybes – and how one decision can change your life forever…

My Review:

I was delighted to be approved for a review copy of Miranda Dickinson's new novel The Day We Meet Again - I loved A Parcel for Anna Browne so was looking forward to a nice romance after a summer packed with crime novels and psychological thrillers.

Sam Mullins and Phoebe Jones are early 30's London residents, each looking for something in life: Sam is curious to find out more about his absent father who walked away from Sam and his brother when they were children. Phoebe is looking to find herself more than anything, she needs to prove to herself she can be brave and do something outside her comfort zone. This is how the two singletons come to meet on an early summer morning at St Pancras station, Sam heading north to Scotland and Phoebe off to Europe for the adventure of her lifetime travelling the continent.

But Fate has other ideas so when all trains grind to a halt due to an unknown security issue the two find themselves busy going nowhere for the foreseeable amidst the crowds of frustrated commuters by the Betjeman statue.  I loved their meeting, the instant click of attraction between two people who previously had no intention of looking for a partner. All too soon the trains are running again and it's time to go.

And that for me triggered what I was hoping was going to be the best bit of the book: descriptions of beautiful places across France and Italy (which there were a few, but I hoped for more). The scenes of the Scottish isles and mainland were excellently written as were the emotions the two were battling with but somehow I seemed to get a bit bogged down in the twelve months of the couple's separation.

Then all was redeemed with the last third of the book which came back to life again once Sam and Phoebe were back on English soil. As is the usual case things don't run smoothly in the course of their budding relationship and my hopes for them were raised and dashed in regular turns as we headed to the end of the book. 

Overall I adored Sam and Phoebe and their hotch potch group of friends, although my interest did dip in the middle a little. Still a very nice read though. 3.75 stars rounded to 4.

My thanks to publisher HQ (via NetGalley) for an early review copy of this book.

About the Author:

Miranda Dickinson has always had a head full of stories. Born in Wolverhampton, in The Black Country, West Midlands, she grew up in Kingswinford and dreamed of one day writing a book that would reach the heady heights of Kingswinford Library... Her first novel, Fairytale of New York (2009) was discovered on Authonomy.com - HarperCollins' site for unpublished authors. Within three weeks of its release, Fairytale of New York had entered the Sunday Times Top Ten Bestsellers List, where it remained for five weeks - making it the world's first crowd-sourced bestseller. The novel was also shortlisted for the RNA's Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2010 at the Pure Passion Awards.

Miranda is a six-times Sunday Times Bestseller, with Fairytale of New York, Welcome to My World, It Started With a Kiss, When I Fall in Love, Take a Look at Me Now, I'll Take New York, A Parcel for Anna Browne and Searching for a Silver Lining. Her Christmas novella, Christmas in St Ives, is a festive treat and also a prequel to her ninth novel, Somewhere Beyond the Sea. She is an international bestseller in four countries and her books have been translated into fifteen languages. To date, she has sold one million books worldwide.

The Fourth Victim by John Mead @rararesources @JohnMeadAuthor #BlogBlitz #Review

The Fourth Victim By John Mead

Published by Book Guild Publishing

Publication Date: 28th October 2018

Genre: Crime Thriller

256 pages

Book Description:

Three parks, three deaths, four victims, two grieving families, one murder enquiry team and an unknown number of killers. Can an answer be found?

Whitechapel is being gentrified, the many green spaces of the area, which typify London as a capital city, give the illusion of peace, tranquillity and clean air but are also places to find drug dealers, sexual encounters and murder.

Detective Sergeant Julie Lukula doesn't dislike Inspector Merry but he has hardly set the world of the Murder Investigation Team East alight. And, it looked as it the inspector was already putting the death of the young female jogger, found in the park with her head bashed in, down to a mugging `gone wrong'.

The victim deserved more. But the inspector isn't ruling anyone out; the evidence will, eventually, lead him to an answer...

My Review:

Once again Rachel Gilbey of Rachel's Random Resources has come up trumps with organising the blog blitz for John Mead's 'The FourthVictim'. I have read and reviewed John's previous novel 'The Hanging Women' so was delighted to be able to be part of this tour too.

The book starts shockingly with the murder of a young woman Lynsey Hensley in a London Park discovered by an elderly lady Essey Rawlinson who is on her way home from shopping, quietly mulling over life without husband Solomon who has recently passed away.  Next on the scene is a lovely young man who helps the shocked Essey, calling the police and making sure Essey is okay.
So far the book is a fairly standard police procedural, and I was settling in for a regular whodunit kind of tale.

Then as the crime gets somewhat shakily linked to other fatalities in the local area, and a psychologist/profiler gets brought in on the case I started to get confused.  The clinician in question seems to know a lot about certain individuals on the case - some police officers, some civilians.  I felt she was steering the investigation in a certain direction and in some situations even trying to confuse the detectives investigating the case. I became quite confused myself at one part of the story when multiple personality disorders were brought in as a possible explanation for things.

The author has clearly done a lot of research into the psychology of the murders featured.  I felt the book had a good strong start and a satisfying conclusion however I didn't find I warmed to the detectives involved and I tied myself in knots in the mid section of the story. I had hoped that Essey and her helper Mr Kingsley might have a bigger part in the story as a bit of a positive coming out of the horrible encounter they had gone through together - a new-found companionship for Essey in her time of loss - or maybe I'm just going soft in my old age!

My thanks again to Rachel Gilbey for the opportunity to review this book.

Buy your copy here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fourth-Victim-John-Mead/dp/1912575361/

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-fourth-victim/john-mead/9781912575367

https://wordery.com/the-fourth-victim-john-mead-9781912575367

https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/Fourth-Victim-by-John-Mead-author/9781912575367

About The Author:

John was born in the mid-fifties in Dagenham, London, on part of the largest council estate ever built, and was the first pupil from his local secondary modern school to attend university. He has now taken early retirement to write, having spent the first part of his life working in education and the public sector. He was the director of a college, a senior school inspector for a local authority, and was head of a unit for young people with physical and mental health needs. When he is not travelling, going to the theatre or the pub, he writes.

John is currently working on a trilogy of novels set in modern day London. These police procedurals examine the darker side of modern life in the East End of the city. 

Social Media Links –

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnMeadAuthor

Amazon author profile: https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B07B8SQ2ZH

Goodreads profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17891273.John_Mead

Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard #NetGalley #Book #Review @CorvusBooks @cathryanhoward

Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard

Published by Corvus

Publication Date 22nd August 2019

Genre: Thriller

Book Description:

Andrew, the manager of Shanamore Holiday Cottages, watches his only guest via a hidden camera in her room. One night the unthinkable happens: a shadowy figure emerges onscreen, kills her and destroys the camera. But who is the murderer? How did they know about the camera? And how will Andrew live with himself?

Natalie wishes she'd stayed at home as soon as she arrives in the wintry isolation of Shanamore. There's something creepy about the manager. She wants to leave, but she can't - not until she's found what she's looking for...

This is an explosive story about a murder caught on camera. You've already missed the start. To get the full picture you must rewind the tape and play it through to the end, no matter how shocking...

My Review:

The idea of starting a story with the crime then retracing what happened and who it involved is not a new one, but the way in which this book relates the tale is certainly different.  Set in Ireland it's the story of Natalie O'Connor, a social media influencer with a large following who announces she is going off line for a few days and that people shouldn't worry about her. She'll be back soon. But someone has other plans for her, the result of which are recorded by a hidden camera in the cottage she stays at.

There is only a relatively small cast of characters in this book, but even with just a few suspects to choose from the author still manages to keep us guessing as to who has committed the ultimate crime and whether anyone else is involved. The two main suspects are resident in the area surrounding Shanamore Cottages.   From their personalities one would say that either of them could be responsible: both loners, both rather odd individuals, one with a big secret. Or do they both? And why did Natalie's husband not report her missing sooner?

The descriptions of the out of season, secluded coastal region are excellent in creating a creepy atmosphere and the set up of the cluster of 6 cottages all overlooking one another just adds to the feeling of someone watching Natalie as she tries to find answers to the questions she came here for.

The story is extremely unsettling but addictive in its own way. It's a book I would have loved to be able to read in one sitting and certainly didn't end the way I expected.  Not one to read in the dark on your own!

About the Author:

CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1982. Her debut thriller, DISTRESS SIGNALS (2016), was an Irish Times and USA Today bestseller, and was shortlisted for both the Irish Crime Novel of the Year and the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger. Her second thriller, THE LIAR'S GIRL (2018) was nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Novel. She currently lives in Dublin, where she divides her time between the desk and the sofa.

Coming soon!

Reviews will be coming over the next couple of weeks for the following books - amongst others.