#BlogTour #Review Five Bloody Hearts by Joy Ellis @JoffeBooks

Title: Five Bloody Hearts (Matt Ballard 2) by Joy Ellis

Publisher: Joffe Books

Date Published: 10^th February 2019

Genre: Police Procedural

Description:

From multiple #1 best-selling author Joy Ellis, comes a mystery that will have you glued from first page to last, with a truly shocking conclusion. A killer mystery to make your heart race this Valentine’s.

DETECTIVE MATT BALLARD’S LAST CASE MIGHT BE THE ONE THAT FINALLY BREAKS HIM.

Grace Repton, a beautiful older woman, walks into the police station to tell Matt she has information that could stop a murder. Her fiancé, the infamous serial killer Jeremy Reader, has told her that he has a disciple who is going to kill using Reader’s horrific methods.

Reader murdered five women and was finally brought to justice by Detective Ballard. Reader is safely imprisoned in a high security prison, and claiming to be a reformed man who wants to help the police.

But can Matt believe the serial killer or his peculiar wife to be?

And the Fenland police also have another investigation on their hands. A Lithuanian migrant worker is found dead on the fens. There is no ID on him, but he has a Tree of Life tattoo. The third body to be found with this distinctive tattoo. Is this gang war or something even more sinister?

CAN YOU TRUST A KILLER TO HELP STOP A KILLER?

The police are stretched to breaking point with multiple copycat murders. And Matt and his girlfriend Liz will fight for everything they care about in a heart-stopping conclusion that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Perfect for fans of Rachel Abbott, Robert Bryndza, Mel Sherratt, Angela Marsons, Colin Dexter, or Ruth Rendell.

The Setting
England’s rural fenland is a strange place, with its never-ending fields, winding tracks, and long straight droves (the old livestock routes) that lead to nowhere. The lonely lanes are flanked either side by deep drainage ditches and are, for a good part of the year, filled with tall, whispering reeds. Closer to the Wash, high seabanks form a barrier between river and marsh, and the richly fertile soil of the drained land. But when the mists come down, as they so often do, perspective is destroyed and all sense of direction lost, and then the fens become a rather frightening place of mystery and danger. Somewhere that you do not want to be at night.

ALSO BY JOY ELLIS
THE BEST-SELLING NIKKI GALENA SERIES
Book 1: CRIME ON THE FENS
Book 2: SHADOW OVER THE FENS
Book 3: HUNTED ON THE FENS
Book 4: KILLER ON THE FENS
Book 5: STALKER ON THE FENS
Book 6: CAPTIVE ON THE FENS
Book 7: BURIED ON THE FENS
Book 8: THIEVES ON THE FENS
Book 9: FIRE ON THE FENS

JACKMAN & EVANS
Book 1: THE MURDERER’S SON
Book 2: THEIR LOST DAUGHTERS
Book 3: THE FOURTH FRIEND
Book 4: THE GUILTY ONES
Book 5: THE STOLEN BOYS

DETECTIVE MATT BALLARD
Book 1: BEWARE THE PAST
Book 2: FIVE BLOODY HEARTS

STANDALONES
GUIDE STAR

Review:

So this is the second in the Matt Ballard series, (you can read my review of the first Beware the Past here) and while it does work as a standalone, I would suggest you start with the first book.

Matt is on the verge of retirement when two cases pop up. The first a series of murders of young Lithuanian migrant workers all with the same tattoo. The second involves a woman named Grace Repton, who says she in love with serial killer Jeremy Reader and they’re about to get married. She claims to have knowledge of a man named Alex who says he wants to carry on killing in Jeremy’s name. Already a colleague down, as DS Liz Haynes is still recovering from their last case, the team is stretched to breaking point, why they manage to solve the cases before another person loses their life?

This is another clever and captivating police procedural from Joy Ellis!

I very much enjoyed the first one of this series, which incidentally was my first ever Joy Ellis book, so I was so happy that she decided to carry on this series.

I love a literary serial killer but Jeremy Reader is different from the rest. He claims to be remorseful for what he did but can Matt Ballard, the person who arrest him, completely trust that he’s telling the truth?

I can say to much more in case of spoilers, but I did think the conclusion, while satisfying, I thought it relied a little too much on coincidences but of course that’s just my opinion.

Overall Five Bloody Hearts is an addictive and enthralling read that will have you hooked from that very first chapter. I hope this not the last we’ve seen of Matt Ballard!

About The Author:

UK #1 Best Seller with THEIR LOST DAUGHTERS and THE FOURTH FRIEND

1 million books sold and rising!

“I was born in Kent but spent most of my working life in London and Surrey. I was an apprentice florist to Constance Spry Ltd, a prestigious Mayfair shop that throughout the sixties and seventies teemed with both royalty and ‘real’ celebrities. What an eye-opener for a working-class kid from the Garden of England! I swore then, probably whilst I was scrubbing the floor or making the tea, that I would have a shop of my own one day. It took until the early eighties, but I did it. Sadly the recession wiped us out, and I embarked on a series of weird and wonderful jobs; the last one being a bookshop manager. Surrounded by books all day, getting to order whatever you liked, and being paid for it! Oh bliss!

And now I live in a village in the Lincolnshire Fens with my partner, Jacqueline, and our two second generation Springer spaniels. I had been writing mysteries for years but never had the time to take it seriously. Now I can, and as my partner is a highly decorated retired police officer; my choice of genre was suddenly clear. I have set my crime thrillers here in the misty fens because I sincerely love the remoteness and airy beauty of the marshlands. This area is steeped in superstitions and lends itself so well to murder!”

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#BlogTour #Review Sorry Not Sorry by Sophie Ranald @SophieRanald @bookouture

Title: Sorry Not Sorry by Sophie Ranald

Publisher: Bookouture

Date Published: 13^th February 2018

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Description:

A fabulously feel-good novel that will make you laugh till you cry and leave you living life to the full, margarita in hand!

Is this all there is? I scraped the last dregs of Caramel Chew Chew ice cream out of the bottom of the tub with my finger and licked it. It left a sticky smear on my phone’s screen when I typed into Google, “How to find love, sex and happiness.”

Charlotte has always been a good girl. But being good is getting boring…

She’s not just stuck in a rut – she’s buried in it up to her chin. The only company she has in bed is the back catalogue of Netflix and falling in love feels like the stuff of fairy tales. So when she stumbles across a popular podcast, ‘Sorry Not Sorry’, which challenges women to embrace their inner bad girl, she jumps at the chance to shake things up.

Old Charlotte would never ask for a stranger’s number, go on a blind date or buy lacy lingerie… But New Charlotte is waving goodbye to her comfort zone (with a side order of margaritas). And it turns out that good things happen to bad girls…

If you’re a fan of romantic comedies by Sophie Kinsella, Lindsey Kelk or Matt Dunn, and love TV shows like Girls, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Jane the Virgin, you won’t be able to put down this hilarious read!

You Can Buy Your Copy Here:

Amazon: http://geni.us/B07KKJVBLTSocial

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2Swginz

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2TxfmfT

Googleplay: http://ow.ly/75i330nB33M

Review:

I want to thank Noelle Holten for inviting me on this tour and Bookouture for providing me with a copy of the book via NetGalley.

Charlotte is feeling lost. Her best friend Maddy is moving out, getting married leaving her to cope with new flat mates and the fact she’s been single for a long time. One night she discovers a podcast Sorry Not Sorry which claims if you follow her tips and release your inner bad girl, you just might meet the man of your dreams…

Sorry Not Sorry is about when you’re stuck in a rut, take your life back and living it to the fullest, you never know what might happen!

It’s quite a quick and easy read with well rounded yet flawed characters and a good dose of drama.

I felt very sorry for Charlotte throughout the book. Trying to keep on top of her demanding job, help organise her friend’s wedding with constant put downs from Maddy’s sister in law to be, and biggest bitch in the world, Bianca and find the man of her dreams. Phew, it’s a bit of a whirlwind for her!

I have to be honest I didn’t quite laugh out loud at this, don’t get me wrong there were a few amusing scenes but I felt it was a little more serious than I would have liked. Also it took me a while to really connect with Charlotte because she is just so different from me but of course that’s just my opinion.

Overall Sorry Not Sorry is a fun, flirty read with plenty of mayhem, drama and some steamy moments too!

Author Bio:

Sophie Ranald is the youngest of five sisters. She was born in Zimbabwe and lived in South Africa until an acute case of itchy feet brought her to London in her mid-20s. As an editor for a customer publishing agency, Sophie developed her fiction-writing skills describing holidays to places she’d never visited. In 2011, she decided to disregard all the good advice given to aspiring novelists and attempt to write full-time. After one false start, It Would Be Wrong to Steal My Sister’s Boyfriend (Wouldn’t It?) seemed to write itself. Her second, third and fourth novels followed, and The Truth About Gemma Grey was released in summer 2017. Sophie also writes for magazines and online about food, fashion, finance and running. She lives in south-east London with her amazing partner Hopi and Purrs, their adorable little cat.

To find out about Sophie’s forthcoming releases and get access to free books and special offers, sign up to her newsletter at sophieranald.com

Author Social Media Links:

Website: sophieranald.com

Twitter: @SophieRanald

https://twitter.com/SophieRanald

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SophieRanald.

#BlogTour #Review Russian Roulette by Keith Nixon @knntom @BOTBSPublicity

Title: Russian Roulette by Keith Nixon

Date Published: 4^th May 2018

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Description:

A reluctant investigator, a sordid English seaside town, a criminal underbelly.

Trouble has a habit of seeking out Konstantin, whether he wants it or not. Starting from the moment he arrives in the seedy seaside town of Margate where he’s supposed to be in hiding from his ex-employers. All Konstantin wants is to keep his head down and be left alone. But it’s not to be. People have their problems and Konstantin can’t help but get involved.

Konstantin has to overcome the drug dealer, the loan shark and a Liverpudlian gangster. Then there’s the so-called good guys, the councilors and lawyers who are worse than the criminals. Enter Fidelity Brown, aka Plastic Fantastic, a dominatrix who has her own mélange of secrets and lies, and nightclub owner Ken who’s connected to all the wrong people. Both help Konstantin solve the cases dropped on his doorstep.

Cue deception, murder, mayhem as the Russian settles into his new life. Margate will never be the same again. And neither will Konstantin…

Meet the enigmatic Konstantin, a man with a dark history and darker future in the start of a unique crime thriller series laced with a healthy dose of black humour. Pick up Russian Roulette to find out what all the fuss is about.

Review:

I want to thank Sarah Hardy at Books On The Bright Side Publicity for inviting me on this blog tour.

So this is the first in the Konstantin series, and my first book by Keith Nixon. I was a little hesitant at first, an ex KGB agent living in Margate, who has runs ins with a Liverpudlian gangster and a dominatrix didn’t quite seem up my alley but I’m glad I took a chance.

If you’re tired of the same old mystery/thrillers and you’re looking for something a bit different then I’d highly recommend this book!

Russian Roulette is a fast paced and fascinating crime novel, focusing on the underbelly of society. It is also told in a unique way, through interlocking short stories and short chapters that will have you flying through those pages.

I love Konstantin. He’s a big burly Russian who tends to make his own rules and enjoys a good fight but he’s also got a moral compass, helping out anyone in need and defending those who need it.

Keith Nixon also thankfully manages to avoid many Liverpudlian stereotypes which I really appreciated.

Overall Russian Roulette is a quirky crime novel incorporating black humour with a weird and wonderful cast of characters.

Author Bio:

Keith Nixon is a British born writer of crime and historical fiction novels. Originally, he trained as a chemist, but Keith is now in a senior sales role for a high-tech business. Keith currently lives with his family in the North West of England.

Readers can connect with Keith on various social media platforms:

Web: http://www.keithnixon.co.uk

Twitter: @knntom
Facebook: Keithnixonauthor
Blog: www.keithnixon.co.uk/blog

#Review The Last by Hanna Jameson #Dytopian #Mystery #NetGalley

Title: The Last by Hanna Jameson

Publisher: Viking

Date Published: 31^st January 2019

Genre: Dystopian/Mystery

Description:

BREAKING: Nuclear weapon detonates over Washington

Historian Jon Keller is on a trip to Switzerland when the world ends. As the lights go out on civilisation, he wishes he had a way of knowing whether his wife, Nadia, and their two daughters are still alive. More than anything, Jon wishes he hadn’t ignored Nadia’s last message.

Twenty people remain in Jon’s hotel. Far from the nearest city and walled in by towering trees, they wait, they survive.

Then one day, the body of a young girl is found. It’s clear she has been murdered. Which means that someone in the hotel is a killer.

As paranoia descends, Jon decides to investigate. But how far is he willing to go in pursuit of justice? And what kind of justice can he hope for, when society as he knows it no longer exists?

Review:

Jon Keller is at a conference in Switzerland at L’Hotel Sixième when the world ends. He is just trying to survive in this strange land but he comes across the body of a young girl, he’s convinced someone in the hotel is the killer.

So I have mixed feelings about this book, which is making writing this review quite hard but I’ll try my best!

The characterisation is really strong, with each character different and unique, if not all that likeable.

We see the whole story through Jon’s diary. He claims that he’s writing it down for historical purposes but like when he starts investigating the little girls death it’s more about keeping his sanity than anything else.

The hotel is almost like a character itself. A blood soaked history, with murders, suicides, even a serial killer stayed there once! I feel that this could have been played with a little more, really amping up the horror factor.

I have to be honest as a piece of dystopian fiction it’s great, as a mystery, which is what I expected it to be from the blurb…not so much. I almost DNF at 40%, but I kept on just because I really wanted to find out what happened to the little girl, yet in the ending for me, felt a little lacklustre.

I’d recommend this to people who love a realistic dystopian novel with complex and intriguing characters.

About The Author: (Taken from Goodreads)

Hanna Jameson’s fourth novel, part murder mystery and part post-apocalyptic thriller – THE LAST – is out early 2019, with Viking UK and Simon & Schuster – Atria Books US. The Last is the story of an American academic searching for the truth about a girl who has been murdered in his Swiss hotel in the aftermath of a nuclear war that has destroyed most of the Western world.

Jameson had written the first draft of her debut, award-nominated novel – SOMETHING YOU ARE – at just seventeen. Something You Are and two further novels in the series – GIRL SEVEN and ROAD KILL – are available now in the UK, Germany, Japan, and the Netherlands.

She lives in London currently, and is working on screenwriting projects. She likes whiskey, history, and emotionally taxing TV shows.

#BlogTour #Review You Belong To Me by Mark Tilbury @Bloodhoundbook @MTilburyAuthor

Title: You Belong To Me by Mark Tilbury

Publisher: Bloodhound Books

Date Published: 4^th February 2019

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Description:

Can two wrongs ever make a right?

The police never found fifteen-year-old Ellie Hutton. She vanished ten years ago after walking home from school along a disused railway track. But Danny Sheppard knows exactly what happened to her. She is dead and buried in a field near Lassiter’s Brook.

Now Cassie Rafferty has gone missing. Same age. Similar circumstances. And Danny also knows what has happened to her.

Can Danny fight his demons and tell the truth this time?

Or will history repeat itself and leave another innocent girl dead?

Review:

I want to thank Bloodhound Books for my copy of this novel and Emma Welton for inviting me on the blog tour.

So I read Mark Tilbury’s previous stand alone novel The key to death’s door (you can read my review here), which I enjoyed so I thought I’d give this one a go.

Four friends come together after not seeing each other for nine years. Josh is an alcoholic, Rob is suicidal, Kieran is a self harmer and Danny is an insomniac. What happened nine years ago that effected them so badly and what does it have to do with missing girl Cassie Rafferty?

In the genre of psychological thrillers there are so many female driven stories, which I do enjoy, but it’s a nice surprise when something a bit different comes along like You belong to me.

This a really dark and disturbing read at times but it’s written so well, with such realistic characters that I personally couldn’t put it down.

I felt very sorry for Danny, in both the past and present. He had to grow up with out his dad after he was murdered, his mother falling apart then on top of that his brother Callum is a complete and utter psychopath intent on making his and his friends lives a living hell.

I will warn you there are some scenes of bullying that are quite uncomfortable to read because Mr Tilbury never makes it easy on his characters and shows the darker side of human nature up close and personal.

I did have a few minor quibbles. I felt that the victims Cassie and Ellie got a little forgotten in the overall story and there were times were it felt more like a novel about friendship than a psychological thriller but of course that’s just my opinion.

A highly suspenseful story of friendship and fractured lives that will make you wonder, do two wrongs really make a right?

About the Author:

Mark lives in a small village in the lovely county of Cumbria, although his books are set in Oxfordshire where he was born and raised.

After serving in the Royal Navy and raising his two daughters after being widowed, Mark finally took the plunge and self-published two books on Amazon, The Revelation Room and The Eyes of the Accused.

He’s always had a keen interest in writing, and is extremely proud to have had six novels published by Bloodhound Books, including his most recent release, You Belong To Me.

When he’s not writing, Mark can be found trying and failing to master blues guitar, and taking walks around the beautiful county of Cumbria.

Social Media Links:
Author website: http://www.marktilbury.com

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mark-Tilbury/e/B00X7R10I4/

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/marktilburyauthor/

Twitter handle: https://twitter.com/MTilburyAuthor @MTilburyAuthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marktilburyauthor/ @marktilburyauthor

Happy Publication Day! Remember Me by D.E White @DEWhiteAuthor @HQDigitalUK

Happy Publication Day to D.E White!!

Title: Remember Me by D.E White

Publisher: HQ Digital

Date Published: 6^th February 2019

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Description:

Fifteen years ago Ellen Smith vanished from the woods near her small Welsh village. Never to be seen again.

Eight people were in the woods that night: eight splintered lives, eight people hiding a terrible secret. But who can remember the truth?

Now, Ellen’s best friend, Detective Ava Cole is all grown up back in the village where it all began, and everyone is asking the same question.

What really happened to Ellen?

Filled with shocking discoveries and traumatic memories this fast paced thriller is perfect for fans of Friend Request and Close to Home.

Review:

So I’m already a huge fan of this author’s Ruby Baker series, which is written under the name Daisy White, so I jumped at the chance to read Remember Me.

Of late, I’ve been falling out of love with the whole psychological thriller thing but then Remember Me came along to remind me why I love this genre!

I really warmed to Ava, she’s strong, independent but she’s not perfect, making mistakes that she deeply regrets. As a teenager, suffering from post natal depression and stuck in a doomed relationship she abandons her young son to go back to America. She rises through the ranks of the police becoming a detective. Only when her ex husband Paul is diagnosed with terminal cancer, he asks her to return to Wales. She sees this as a chance to reconnect with her son but it brings bad memories of her missing friend Ellen and a trauma she’d rather forget.

Things get much worse when she arrives in Wales, with someone is waging a campaign of intimidation against Ava. Who is out to get her?

This is a lot grittier than I’m used to from this author with a lot darker themes, like toxic relationships, abuse and depression but I absolutely loved it!

I also liked the addition of the threatening and cryptic messages written in Welsh, then translated into English, I don’t know why but I felt it added to that air of menace about them.

I will say it is a little slow burn at the beginning. Also I did have an inkling early on who the baddie of the book might be but with all the secrets and lies, it ended up being a whole lot more complicated than just a simple ‘this person is evil and that’s why the do what they do’.

Overall Remember Me is a dark, gritty, well written psychological thriller with intriguing characters and a gripping story line.

About The Author:

D E White started writing fifteen years ago, scribbling ideas on napkins at work on the night shift. After various jobs, including working as cabin crew, in a hospital, a supermarket, and as a 999 call handler for the ambulance service, she began writing full time in 2018.

She is a multi-award winning entrepreneur, and was part of a small business delegation speaking at Number 10, Downing Street in 2015.

Having spent a lot of time travelling the world, she now lives with her husband and two sons on the south coast of the UK, with a growing assortment of animals and several stick insects.

Remember Me is her debut psychological thriller.

Visit D E White at daisywhiteauthor.co.uk

 

#BlogTour #Review Stalker by Lars Kepler @AAKnopf @crimebythebook

Title: Stalker by Lars Kepler

Date Published: 5^th February 2019

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Description:

The internationally bestselling authors of The Sandman and The Hypnotist return with a terrifying new thriller: Detective Joona Linna–recently returned from compassionate leave–reunites with hypnotist Erik Maria Bark in a search for a seemingly unassailable sadistic killer.

The Swedish National Crime Unit receives a video of a young woman in her home, clearly unaware that she’s being watched. Soon after the tape is received, the woman’s body is found horrifically mutilated. With the arrival of the next, similar video, the police understand that the killer is toying with them, warning of a new victim, knowing there’s nothing they can do. Detective Margot Silverman is put in charge of the investigation, and soon asks Detective Joona Linna for help. Linna, in turn, recruits Erik Maria Bark, the hypnotist and expert in trauma, with whom Linna’s worked before. Bark is leery of forcing people to give up their secrets. But this time, Bark is the one hiding things.

Years before, he had put a man away for an eerily similar crime, and now he’s beginning to think that an innocent man may be behind bars–and a serial killer still on the loose. . .

Early Praise for STALKER:

“The reveal of the stalker’s identity is a genuine gut-punch. . . . Kepler (the pen name for the husband-and-wife writing team of Alexander and Alexandra Ahndoril) does a masterly job of elevating the serial killer thriller beyond genre clichés and tropes.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Kepler delivers a page-turning hunt for an expertly camouflaged killer that draws shocking connections between the hallowed halls of the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm’s prostitution and drug scene, and Sweden’s rural churches. The author’s dark, complex procedurals are must-reads for readers drawn to Stieg Larsson, Mons Kallentoft, and Michael Connelly.” –Booklist (starred review)

“An intricate plot and escalating tension set the stage for this tense, clever, pulse-pounding thriller. A must for fans of Stieg Larsson.” —J.D. Barker, international best-selling author of The Fourth Monkey

“Dark, complex, and chillingly intelligent, Stalker hooks you on page one and never relents. Lars Kepler’s vivid, visceral thriller had me holding my breath to the last page.” —Meg Gardiner, Edgar-winning author of UNSUB and Into the Black Nowhere

Review:

I want to thank Abby Endler at Knopf Publicity for my copy of this fantastic book.

So I haven’t actually read any of the previous books in this series, even though I think I own one or two (naughty I know) but for me it worked perfectly well as standalone.

Joona Lima is no longer a policeman, and a shadow of his former self but he can’t resist when Detective Margot Silverman asks him to help with a case.

A video of a young woman, unaware she is being watched, is sent anonymously to the Swedish National Crime Unit. They are written off as nothing, until the woman in the video is found dead, brutally murdered in her own home.

The case gets personal when evidence points to Joona’s friend, Erik Maria Bark. Will he catch the killer before the police catch up with Erik?

Wow, I don’t know where to start with this book, it’s gripping, gory and utterly addictive!

Stalker is over five hundred pages, but it didn’t feel like it was that long with short chapters and a rapid pace had me flying through those pages.

Fair warning, do not read this book at night, especially if you’re a bit of a scaredy cat like me! After reading the scene where a woman is being stalked in her own home by an unknown person, I ended up going round my house checking all the doors and windows were locked.

Joona is really going through it in this book. His health is worsening, he’s still suffering from an old injury and is convinced he’s done with being in the policeman. But he can’t resist a case and you see as the book goes along, he’s the kind of person who seems to need police work, as it lights a fire under him.

My heart was in my mouth for most of the ending and I was very surprised by who the killer was, which for me is a rarity.

The book is quite gritty with a lot of twisted and unnerving characters. There’s also sex, drug and extreme violence, so if you’re a fan of more light hearted crime fiction, it may not be for you.

My only issue was I don’t know if this is because it’s translated or it’s just the way the authors write but it took me a little getting used to the blunt style of writing.

I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys gritty and violent serial killer thrillers.

About Lars Kepler:

LARS KEPLER is the pseudonym of the critically acclaimed husband and wife team Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril and Alexander Ahndoril. Their number one internationally bestselling Joona Linna series has sold more than twelve million copies in forty languages. The Ahndorils were both established writers before they adopted the pen name Lars Kepler and have each published several acclaimed novels. They live in Stockholm, Sweden. Translated by Neil Smith.

Author Website: http://larskepler.com/

Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/larskepler/

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larskepler/