The Dowager’s Grand Triumph by Susanne Dunlap / #Spotlight #BookTour @rararesources

On door elsinDunlap SusanneEen reactie plaatsen
Caroline, Dowager Marchioness of Lewiston, has long since made peace with the life she was given: a grand title, a comfortable house, and a heart carefully trained not to want what it cannot have.
Then Thomas Ashcombe returns.
 
Years ago, Thomas was the man she loved—and lost. Now he is a wealthy merchant newly arrived from India, bringing with him not only a fortune, but a daughter, Anjali, whose place in English society is as uncertain as her father’s safety. Thomas has come home with dangerous evidence of corruption connected to the East India Company, and powerful men will do anything to silence him.
 
When Thomas is falsely imprisoned under suspicion of treason, Caroline must decide whether she is willing to risk her reputation, her family, and her carefully ordered world for the man she never forgot.
Sir Julian Meredith has always preferred legal arguments to drawing-room conversation. Awkward, red-haired, and far too honest for his own comfort, he is no one’s idea of a romantic hero—least of all his own. But when Anjali Ashcombe’s courage draws him into a web of secrets, forged loyalties, and political danger, Julian discovers that love may require a bravery no courtroom ever demanded of him.
 
As Caroline and Thomas fight for a second chance, and Julian and Anjali reach for a future neither of them expected, one question remains: can love survive when truth itself has become a crime?

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About the author

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Susanne-Emily-Dunlap/author/B001IXOGJO?

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Book Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dowagers-Grand-Triumph-unexpected-Double-Dilemma-ebook/dp/B0H1HJDHBD/

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Don’t Look Away by Rachel Abbott / #Review @bookouture @RachelAbbott

On door elsinAbbott RachelEen reactie plaatsen

Stephanie King #3

From the moment I open my eyes, I know. Her bed is made, the wardrobe empty.
There was something she wanted to tell me, but I didn’t listen.
Now she’s gone.

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Review

What would you do if your sister suddenly disappeared? Would you leave everything to the police, or would you do everything yourself to find her? Over time, would you try to move on, or would your search never truly stop?

The book is actually divided into two intertwined parts. On one hand, there is the story of Nancy, who is still struggling with unresolved trauma and guilt from her past. At the center of this story is her sister Lola, whose fate remains unknown to her. Nancy recounts what happened roughly 11 years ago.

In the present, we meet Nancy again. She is now, perhaps even more than before, determined to uncover the truth. Of course, you have to be prepared for anything, because far more may surface than you expect.

Stephanie King, who was also part of the police team back then, is called in again. She is equally determined to find the answers.

I found Nancy to be a very likable character. She immediately took a place in my heart, and I kept my fingers crossed for her the entire time.

It’s clear that something is going on with Lola, but what exactly remains unknown, although I had a strong suspicion. This also explains her behavior, and I felt sympathy for her. I admit that some of her actions were questionable, but I could understand why she didn’t resist — she was backed into a corner.

A series also means that the recurring characters evolve in their personal lives. While they were once navigating turbulent waters, they now seem to be moving toward calmer seas.

Did I figure out a few things? Yes. Did that bother me? Not at all. I found the book engaging until the very end and thoroughly enjoyed it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you.

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About the author

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Rachel-Abbott/author/B0068FBVCW?

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Book Link

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BHGZ3J4J/

Lakeview House by Helen Phifer / #Review @bookouture @helenphifer1

On door elsinPhifer HelenEen reactie plaatsen

Icy water laps against the wooden jetty. But the girl doesn’t notice the cold as she slips slowly under the freezing surface…

Running from a devastating relationship that almost cost her everything, Maddy Hart impulsively accepts a job as a live-in caretaker at imposing Lakeview House. She has no memories of having visited the crumbling mansion on the banks of Lake Thirlmere before, but when she arrives, something about the house feels familiar…

The more time Maddy spends in the house, the more unsettled she feels. Why does the local story about the last woman who lived here, who drowned on her wedding day, chill Maddy to the bone? By day, she clears out the dusty rooms, but in the dead of night it’s hard to explain away the eerie noises or crackly radio she hears hours after she turned it off. Slowly, Maddy begins to fear that her worst nightmare is coming true, has her past caught up with her…?

When a soaking wet wedding dress is left on Maddy’s doorstep she feels completely trapped. It is her exact measurements. Is her ex trying to send her a message? Or has Maddy’s digging uncovered an even deadlier secret? Will this perfect escape become the perfect trap?

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Review

Wow, this was asupurb book and I loved it from the first until the last letter. 

I adored the creepy atmosphere the author created and I admired Maddy for her bravery. I would never ever have done what she did. 

I kept wrecking my brain trying to decipher this mystery but I could not find the answer at all. I had one name in my head, but somehow I was not really convinced. 

But wow, dear author, how you had me fooled. It was simply brilliant and I could not believe my eyes when I read who this despicable person was.

I did have a favorite person and it was Alfie without a doubt. I would have taken him home with me if I could have.

A wonderful, wonderful book that I won’t easily forget. Excellent story. 5 stars, of course.

Thank you

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About the author

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Helen-Phifer/author/B00F1AYWFI?

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Book Link

The Armchair Detectives On Holiday by Matt Dunn / #Review #BooksOnTour @bookouture @mattdunnwrites

On door elsinDunn MattEen reactie plaatsen

Martin and Albie are jetting off for some sun and sangria. But they didn’t bank on finding a body on the beach…

Fresh from their last case at Twilight Lodge, Martin and Albie reward themselves with a relaxing trip to the sun-soaked island of Menorca.

But when they head down to breakfast one morning, they happen upon a panicked husband reporting his wife, bestselling author Karen Squires, missing. Soon afterwards they’re shocked to discover Karen’s body on the beach.

Local police call it a tragic accident: one look at the broken safety fence on the cliffs above suggests Karen fell. But the victim’s perfectly-manicured nails tells Martin that this was no accident. She was pushed.

Back at the hotel, the duo discover that Karen was running a retreat for writers, all of whom seem shocked by her untimely passing. But which one of them may have had a motive for murder? Was a fellow writer jealous of her success? Did her devoted husband feel sidelined?

As they hunt for clues, they realise that the answer may be found in one of Karen’s bestsellers and luckily for them, Albie’s girlfriend, Barbara, is her number one fan. A killer is hiding in plain sight. But to get to them, can they separate the fact from the fiction before it’s too late?

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Review

In the first book of this series, Martin and Albie went all out to catch a killer. They did it in such a way that had me laughing out loud, and I can’t help but give them a special place in my heart.

An extra fun detail was that this comedic duo wasn’t going to stop at just one adventure, but first they were ready for a week of well-deserved rest.

So we find them on a sunny Spanish island in book two, joined by Martin’s daughter — and of course, sniffer dog Custard is along for the ride. Time to relax and enjoy…

But it doesn’t take long before the two men put their detective hats back on and, in their own typical way, start piecing together a puzzle to solve the mystery.

Once again, there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments thanks to the comical situations they find themselves in and the clever wordplay throughout.

Combined with a story full of twists and revealed secrets, this makes for a very enjoyable cozy mystery.

It had been quite a while since I last read a book in this genre, even though these kinds of stories are actually great fun. This series reminded me that humor and mystery can definitely go hand in hand.

For me personally, this book was just a little less funny than the first one, which is why I’m giving it 4.5 stars.

Thank you

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About the author

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Matt-Dunn/author/B003ZY26PK?

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Book Link

https://geni.us/B0FT5HS5DPsocial

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Their Burning Graves by Helen Phifer / #Review @bookouture @helenphifer1

On door elsinPhifer HelenEen reactie plaatsen

Detective Morgan Brookes #8

They are picture perfect. A young, happy family sat around the kitchen table. But no one moves as wisps of smoke filter into the room and the house becomes a burning grave around them…

When reports come in of a family trapped in a burning house, Detective Morgan Brookes rushes to the scene. But as soon as she enters the ruined home, she is devastated by what she finds. Tied to the kitchen table, Sally and David Lawson, and their young son, had no chance of escaping the flames and the smoke…

Neighbours all agree the Lawsons were the perfect family, and CCTV shows nothing suspicious. Morgan’s only clue is the silver crucifix necklace around Sally’s neck. Because according to friends, she wasn’t religious. Was someone passing divine judgement on this mother and her family?

Focusing on Sally’s last steps, Morgan gets the breakthrough she needs – just days ago Sally had confided in a friend that she felt someone was watching her. And when Morgan finds photos of Sally on her neighbour Luke’s phone, all the pieces slot together.

Only then another local woman reports feeling watched. Nothing seems to link her to Luke, but Morgan can’t ignore it. Could the killer still be out there? Going deeper into Sally’s past and uncovering the killer’s motivations is her only chance to save more innocent lives, but can she solve the twisted puzzle in time?

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Review

When you are a huge fan of a series, you want to read all he books, but sometimes you have to skip one due to lack of time. And you more or less forget about it, until you start cleaning up your TBR list and you do a happy dance because you find it hidden there. 🙂

When you sit back and open the book, BANG. It grips you and makes the chills running down your spine. 

The opening scene sets a powerful tone and it remains that way throughout the story. The crime that is committed is extremely brutal and very unsettling and you just cannot put the book away. You are glued to the pages whether you like it or not. And I liked it without any doubt.

Morgan Brookes is a very likable character. She combines determination with empathy and you are always on her side even though sometimes I feel like telling her to think about her own safety before she dives in.  The pacing is perfect and you keep on turning those pages because the suspense is killing you.. .

Little by little we uncover the identity of  the villain and their motivations. 

Fast-paced, full of emotions and utterly gripping, this book deserves 5 stars.

Thank you

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About the author

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Helen-Phifer/author/B00F1AYWFI?

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Book Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Their-Burning-Graves-heart-stopping-addictive-ebook/dp/B0BH52VYK9/

 

My Best Friend’s Secret by Danielle Ramsay / #Review @BoldwoodBooks @danielleramsay2

On door elsinRamsay DanielleEen reactie plaatsen

It was their dark secret. For twenty-two years, they kept it buried. Their actions went unpunished.

Time hasn’t healed my wounds, though. Instead, they’ve festered. Shamed, scarred and shunned, I watched, waited and plotted how to shatter their enviable lives.

Now, finally, they will suffer as I did at their cruel hands that fateful night.

Time’s up.

I am here for you, Dr Claudia Harper. But first, you’ll witness your childhood friends, one by one, beg for mercy. And I’ve saved the best til last, so watch your back; I’m closer than you think.

I’m here to expose your best friend’s secret. The one you’ve all kept hidden…

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Review

A title with the word “secret” in it always grabs my attention immediately. Especially when it’s about something your best friend has been hiding from you. That makes it even more intriguing, doesn’t it?

The blurb doesn’t reveal much, but it’s certainly appealing and intriguing enough. I love short back-cover summaries—it’s so much more fun to discover the story in the book instead of being given a handful of red flags before you’ve even started reading. So yes, I was really looking forward to diving into this one.

Did I get a good story? Absolutely.
Was it a bang–boom, high-impact story from the start? No, not at all. For me it was a slow starter, something I’m generally not a big fan of, but sometimes it’s necessary to create atmosphere and set the scene. In this case, I found it a bit repetitive at certain moments, but the ending more than made up for that when the truth finally came out.

I found the story emotional and at times very moving. It broke my heart to see how cruel some people can be—and how much they can actually enjoy that cruelty.

I understand that people want justice, or “revenge” as they often call it, but their way of going about it is definitely not the right one. It is, however, the perfect recipe for a thriller. 🙂

Claudia, our main character, takes it upon herself to reveal everything, and she is the axis around which the whole story turns…

I admit that the repetition annoyed me at times, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that I’m happy to give this book 4.5 stars.

Thank you.

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About the author 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Danielle-Ramsay/author/B005KRGW6E?

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Book Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Friends-Secret-addictive-psychological-ebook/dp/B0C7G7VZN5/

The Soho Killer by Biba Pearce / #Review @JoffeBooks

On door elsinPearce BibaEen reactie plaatsen

Detective Rob Miller Mysteries Book 6

A serial killer who dumps the victims’ bodies in Soho Square. A sleepless detective thwarted by his box-ticking boss.

Detective Rob Miller thinks he’s seen it all, but this murder scene takes his breath away.

The victim is bound and gagged, with whip marks on his back. The location is one of the busiest squares in London. The cause of death appears to be strangulation.

Murder or a game gone wrong?

The prime suspect is the victim’s partner. Under pressure from his superiors, Rob makes an arrest despite his doubts.

But another body is found: bound, gagged and dumped in the middle of central London. Again, there are no witnesses.

Now Rob’s on the hunt for a serial killer with a fetish — and a talent for staying invisible.

Then the killer makes it personal . . .

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Review

This is my first book by this author. I also did not immediately realize that it was book 6 of a series when I started reading it. I know that it is difficult for some not to start with Book 1, but it does not bother me. It is of course true that you cannot follow the storyline of the main character, but you still have the murder case that you can enjoy.

It was a fun experience to meet Rob Miller. He is an interesting character who takes his job seriously and is always alert. He must not only focus on tracking down a ruthless murderer, but also has to deal with bureaucracy, which certainly does not make things any easier.

The killer is very clever and therefore ensures that the police have a hard time discovering the connections between the incidents.

the story exudes an intense atmosphere. This is reinforced by the smooth writing style and the smooth tempo.

I could not have predicted the outcome. It was only at the last minute that I discovered the name of the perpetrator. 5 stars

Thank you

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About the author

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Biba-Pearce/author/B095XF1MX3?

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Book Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/absolutely-gripping-mystery-Detective-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0BK262LBH/

The Edge by Lucy Goacher / #Review #Thomas&Mercer @goachwriter

On door elsinGoacher LucyEen reactie plaatsen

Sometimes it’s easier to believe the lie. But is the truth right in front of you?

Everyone says Poppy jumped. My beautiful, creative sister, with her paint-splattered dresses and sunshine smile, took her own life. And I think they’re right. Until the day I get a call from a man with a very similar story.

Everyone says his sister jumped too. But he has proof that she was pushed. And if she was, I have to ask myself: could the same thing have happened to Poppy? In the moments before she died, was she really calling me to say goodbye, or was she calling for my help? Was she really alone on that cliff edge?

When Poppy’s friends tell me she had a serious boyfriend, I feel like I’m losing my grip on reality. If they were so madly in love, wouldn’t she have told me? Wouldn’t there be pictures of them together? And when I find the silver heart necklace he gave her, I feel sick. It’s the same silver heart another murdered girl was given in the weeks before she died.

This can’t be a coincidence. Either I’ve lost my mind, or the man my darling sister loved killed her. And if he could charm his way into her life so easily, what’s to say he’s not already in mine?

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Review

When you get the terrible news that your sister has died, your world is standing still. According to the authorities, it is suicide and although you can hardly believe this, you have to accept it. Until a few months later you meet someone who disproves the whole story and urges you to find out what really happened.

The deeper Clem digs, the more sinister it becomes. There is a sequence of shocking revelations and twists.

The book caught my attention from the first page and I couldn’t possibly put it away. I think I suspected all male characters, but I couldn’t decide who was the real culprit. The author keeps the suspense high until the last minute. I can assure you that I was completely speechless.

The story is written in such a way that you feel Clem’s fear and hopelessness. The writing style is compelling and creates the perfect atmosphere and you get the right amount of information about the different characters.

In other words, this is a poignant, exciting and emotional thriller that I really enjoyed. 5 stars.

Thank you

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About the author

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Lucy-Goacher/author/B0B786PMC4?

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Book Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Edge-Lucy-Goacher-ebook/dp/B09W29BJMH/

21 Willow Lane by Keri Beevis / #Read

On door elsinBeevis KeriEen reactie plaatsen

Some friendships – and secrets – should stay buried forever…

Everyone said a change of scenery would help after my divorce. That’s how I found my perfect little cottage on Willow Lane, in the postcard-pretty Norfolk village of Blakeney. Number 21 was meant to be my fresh start.

Then I met Hope Andrews. Hope is Blakeney’s unspoken secret.

Twenty years ago, three teenagers went into the woods. One was found dead. One vanished without a trace. Hope was the only one who came home.

I didn’t plan to get close to her. I was new to Willow Lane. And we both seemed to need a friend.

As Hope begins to confide in me, her fear that her attacker never left the area appears to feel real, and as strange things start happening at Number 21, those fears become my nightmare.

Now I’m looking over my shoulder. Someone here knows the truth about what happened in those woods and I’m starting to realise Willow Lane isn’t the safe haven I was searching for.

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Rating

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About the author

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Keri-Beevis/author/B00BNUIZJE?

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Book Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/21-Willow-Lane-psychological-thriller-ebook/dp/B0F4WF7DJD/

The Wolf at the Door by Kate Wiley / #Read

On door elsinWiley KateEen reactie plaatsen

 Margot Phalen FBI Book 2

When seven skeletons are unearthed along the Appalachian Trail, FBI Special Agent Margot Phalen thinks she already knows who put them there.

Margot knows how predators hunt. As the daughter of one of America’s most notorious serial killers, she’s turned her dark past into a weapon, becoming the Bureau’s expert at getting inside the minds of monsters.

Wyatt Holmes has been behind bars for a decade, convicted of hunting hikers like animals through the Tennessee wilderness. He claims wolves led him to his prey. Everyone thinks he’s insane and surely responsible for the newly discovered skeletons—until the bodies start telling a different story. The burial patterns are wrong. The timeline doesn’t fit.

And as Margot ventures deeper into the wilderness where Holmes once stalked hikers, she discovers a horrifying truth: someone else is out there.

This time, she isn’t the only one hunting—in fact, she’s become the target.

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Rating

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About the author

https://stormpublishing.co/portfolio/kate-wiley/?portfolioCats=74

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Book Link