The Night Swim by Megan Goldin, Published by St. Martin’s Press @StMartinsPress @MacmillanUSA @megangoldin

August 16, 2020August 15, 2020 / Bookpreneur / 1 Comment

The Night Swim: A Novel by [Megan Goldin]

In The Night Swim, a new thriller from Megan Goldin, author of the “gripping and unforgettable” (Harlen Coben) The Escape Room, a true crime podcast host covering a controversial trial finds herself drawn deep into a small town’s dark past and a brutal crime that took place there years before.

Ever since her true-crime podcast became an overnight sensation and set an innocent man free, Rachel Krall has become a household name—and the last hope for people seeking justice. But she’s used to being recognized for her voice, not her face. Which makes it all the more unsettling when she finds a note on her car windshield, addressed to her, begging for help.

The new season of Rachel’s podcast has brought her to a small town being torn apart by a devastating rape trial. A local golden boy, a swimmer destined for Olympic greatness, has been accused of raping the beloved granddaughter of the police chief. Under pressure to make Season 3 a success, Rachel throws herself into her investigation—but the mysterious letters keep coming. Someone is following her, and she won’t stop until Rachel finds out what happened to her sister twenty-five years ago. Officially, Jenny Stills tragically drowned, but the letters insist she was murdered—and when Rachel starts asking questions, nobody in town wants to answer. The past and present start to collide as Rachel uncovers startling connections between the two cases—and a revelation that will change the course of the trial and the lives of everyone involved.

Electrifying and propulsive, The Night Swim asks: What is the price of a reputation? Can a small town ever right the wrongs of its past? And what really happened to Jenny?

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin is a first class read. Rachel Krall runs a true crime podcast, now in its third season. As an impartial observer, she takes viewers into the courtroom in real-time. Set in North Carolina’s coastal town of Neapolis, she follows the case of Scott Blair — an outstanding swimming star set for the Olympic team who allegedly raped a sixteen-year-old-girl. The victim has been prevented by the court to talk about the case and the bullying she suffers on social media will set your teeth on edge.

The narrative, which balances the past and present, is interwoven with letters from a woman recounting the events leading up to the death of her sister, Jenny, twenty-five years earlier. Letters left in prominent and personal places for only Rachel to find. Not only are they designed to provoke Rachel’s journalistic nature, but they bring to light moral issues disturbingly absent in such a heinous case. The more Rachel investigates, the more startling the parallels become. Especially because Jenny’s incident — said to be a tragic drowning — is slowly beginning to look more like murder. Some townsfolk insist Jenny was a down and out liar, although Hannah’s letters challenge that theory, making the reader root all the more for Jenny and for Rachel to dig deeper. As small town politics take control, you can’t help questioning who or what to believe.

The reliving of testimony on the witness stand is the part I found the most traumatic. As the defence continues to paint the victim known only as ‘K’ to be a liar and delves too deeply into every tiny detail, you know her life will never be the same. Whether or not the jury will be persuaded to believe her word against his remains to be seen. But you also know she is lamenting the day she ever met Scott. I know I would.

Having read The Escape Room, I knew Night Swim would be a smooth, twisty ride. Goldin writes poignantly and skilfully on the victimization of women in a rape trial. Warning to other abuse/rape survivors, the explicit content will leave you pretty raw. Goldin doesn’t sugar-coat any of the details of both these cases and for many this will not be a comfortable read. Sexual abuse and assaults that were once considered harmless are brought to the fore. None detract from the pacey and clever plot, and all controversial issues are delivered sensitively.

It’s an outstanding read, masterfully plotted with a unique premise. Will Rachel’s podcasts become a series? Who knows? I would definitely enjoy reading another of her cases.

Many thanks to author Megan Goldin, St. Martin’s Press/Macmillan and Netgalley for the privilege of reading this advance copy.

What everyone is saying:

Print Length: 348 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1250272777
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press (August 4, 2020)
Publication Date: August 4, 2020
Sold by: Macmillan
Language: English
ASIN: B0818N4HC8

About the Author:

Megan Goldin is the author of The Escape Room, a 2019 thriller that Lee Child called “one of my favorite books of the year” and Harlan Coben called “thrilling and unforgettable”. Megan’s new novel The Night Swim will be released in August 2020. Before becoming a novelist, Megan worked as a reporter covering the Middle East and Asia for the Reuters news agency, the Associate Press and the ABC as well as other news outlets.

Other books by Megan Goldin

When You Disappeared by John Marrs, published by Thomas & Mercer, @johnmarrs @AmazonPub #Blog #review

August 14, 2020August 11, 2020 / Bookpreneur / Leave a comment

After reading What Lies Between Us, I rushed to buy another John Marrs book. When You Disappeared is a story that will leave you on the edge of your seat, but it will also leave you emotionally drained. Published in 2017, it still holds up as one of the finest pieces of psychological thriller writing. It will stay with you long after you’ve read the last page.

Description:

US Link Here

All she wanted was the truth, but she’ll wish she never found out.

When Catherine wakes up alone one morning, she thinks her husband has gone for a run before work. But Simon never makes it to the office. His running shoes are by the front door. Nothing is missing—except him.

Catherine knows Simon must be in trouble. He wouldn’t just leave her. He wouldn’t leave the children.

But Simon knows the truth—about why he left and what he’s done. He knows things about his marriage that it would kill Catherine to find out. The memories she holds onto are lies.

While Catherine faces a dark new reality at home, Simon’s halfway around the world, alive and thriving. He’s doing whatever it takes to stay one step ahead of the truth.

But he can’t hide forever, and when he reappears twenty-five years later, Catherine will finally learn who he is.

And wish she’d stayed in the dark.

Print Length: 349 pages
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (July 13, 2017)
Publication Date: July 13, 2017
ASIN: B01MR4XQL6

I didn’t know what to expect when I read the description of this book, but I was gob-smacked by the unique way Marrs wove together two stories both present and past. I hated Simon from the beginning. Callous, narcissistic and driven to immense hatred by something that happened in the past, I was incensed by him abandoning his family. Why and what caused him to do such a despicable thing?

Twenty-five years ago, Catherine and her young children are abandoned by her husband. She is left to pick up the pieces and start all over again. But there is no body to bury and no closure, and as the in-laws begin to pick away at the marriage, and question if Catherine had any part in Simon’s disappearance, you feel her desperation and her loneliness. Instead of wallowing, she picks up the pieces and forges her own career while single-handedly bringing up her children. When you’re a single mother (like me) you know how hard this is. Marrs takes great care to show her failures and successes in a realistic and well-paced manner. I loved her story.

Meanwhile Simon contemplates ending his own life, and then decides instead to simply throw in the towel to a good career and marriage, and swan off to pastures new. He doesn’t look back. Much. His life takes on a grotesquely downward spiral as he travels abroad. A free spirit now, he has no direction, but there is a curiously OCD side to him, a strength of character that I found both fascinating and despicable. Each page brings you closer to finding out why Simon did what he did. You can’t help being completely invested in the characters because you know there is a huge chunk missing. We catch glimpses of a terrible mistake that had somehow impacted the relationship and brought it to its knees.

I did ask myself a question as I closed the book. What happened to the sons? The illnesses all round were sad, although I wondered if perhaps there were too many.

Although I felt terrible sadness for Simon’s story and his friendship with Doug, I wanted to stand up and scream. A life changing tragedy incurred by a simple lack of communication seemed so unnecessary, but when you consider why secrets weren’t divulged at that time, you can understand it more clearly. But the most unforgettable scene for me was the final admission. An innocent child which amounted to an act of unforgivable neglect. Yet Marrs still made me feel sorry for the villain when I shouldn’t have given a damn.

Trigger Alert: This is an unputdownable book for me, but the tragedy at the heart of it is so dark it may be a nightmare for some readers. Please read the reviews before diving in. Even so, I gave it a solid five stars because of the skillful formatting of the story and the twists and turns that leave you breathless.

What people are saying:

“A compelling dark read that gets you thinking.” 4/5, The Sun Newspaper.

“It’s crammed with twists and turns that’ll keep you guessing right until the very end.” 5/5 OK! Magazine.

“Looking for a thrilling read? Then look no further.” -TV Extra Magazine, Sunday Star Newspaper.

“A magnificent story, one that truly captivated from the start with its style and grace and ever so subtle disclosure of the ultimate history.” – littleebookreviews.com

“A story that left me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t put it down. You simply must read this book for yourself.” – Book Lover’s Attic.

“The story is masterfully told … the book is one that will stay with the reader for a long time. It is an extremely impressive first novel.” – Online Book Club

“There are many jaw-dropping moments. If you pick up this book, expect to be shocked! This is a book that firmly deserves to be defined as a page-turner.” – Cleopatra Loves Books. –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

About the Author:

John Marrs is an author and former journalist based in London and Northamptonshire. After spending his career interviewing celebrities from the worlds of television, film and music for numerous national newspapers and magazines, he is now a full-time author. What Lies Between Us is his seventh book. Follow him at http://www.johnmarrsauthor.co.uk, on Twitter @johnmarrs1, on Instagram @johnmarrs.author and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/johnmarrsauthor.

More Books by John Marrs

Hinton Hollow Death Trip by Will Carver, published by Orenda Books. @will_carver @OrendaBooks #blog #review @annecater

July 28, 2020July 9, 2020 / Bookpreneur / 2 Comments

Another exciting tale from a brilliant writer! A gripping read that explores the nature of evil and his relentless pursuit to stir the pot. While the small town of Hinton Hollow’s residents smolder with renewed passion, energy and vice, the story takes one twist after another until reality itself is called into question, and everything they knew about love and hope will change.

Book Description

Hinton Hollow Death Trip by [Will Carver]

Click here

Five days in the history of a small rural town, visited and infected by darkness, are recounted by Evil itself. A stunning high-concept thriller from the bestselling author of Good Samaritansand Nothing Important Happened Today.

It’s a small story. A small town with small lives that you would never have heard about if none of this had happened.

Hinton Hollow. Population 5,120.

Little Henry Wallace was eight years old and one hundred miles from home before anyone talked to him. His mother placed him on a train with a label around his neck, asking for him to be kept safe for a week, kept away from Hinton Hollow.

Because something was coming.

Narrated by Evil itself, Hinton Hollow Death Trip recounts five days in the history of this small rural town, when darkness paid a visit and infected its residents. A visit that made them act in unnatural ways. Prodding at their insecurities. Nudging at their secrets and desires. Coaxing out the malevolence suppressed within them. Showing their true selves.

Making them cheat.
Making them steal.
Making them kill.

Detective Sergeant Pace had returned to his childhood home. To escape the things he had done in the city. To go back to something simple. But he was not alone. Evil had a plan.

Hinton Hollow Death Trip follows Detective Sergeant Pace to his old stamping ground. He is hoping for peace. But peace is the last thing he is going to get. Something sinister follows him there, blowing in on an ill wind. And it’s here to stay.

This book, written from the perspective of Evil itself, is a dark, brooding tale that casts a malevolent pall around the residents of Hinton Hollow. A select group of people whose secrets are laid bare and whose lives are tossed into the air as if they were dice.

Evil is the game show host. He dishes out strife and turmoil at the drop of a hat. And he’s very good at it.

Little Henry Wallace, alone on the train, isn’t afraid. Like a good boy, he’s not to talk to anyone. The note around his neck says it all. Darren works in an abattoir but are his vile actions his own, or has evil whispered in his ear? Dorothy Reilly is eating her way to heart failure. It’s only a matter of time. The Hardings don’t interact, until Evil waves a hand. Why did Annie throw a brick through the florist window? The most frightening of these is the Brady family and the man with a gun.

DS Pace is apprehensive about returning to Hinton Hollow, and I don’t blame him. There’s a lot to greet him when he gets there. Will he return Maeve’s call? Or will she be permanently banished to voicemail? He can’t forget the people who jumped from Tower Bridge and he’s running with no idea Evil is right there with him, the invisible shadow behind him.

All the people who are affected by this blast of doom are somehow intertwined, from the flower arranger — who prepared the wreath for Oz’s father’s grave four years ago — to the unsuspecting Faith Brady where nothing important had happened that day. But it would, something so horrific and something you’d never imagine because Evil dances around them all.

To me this book has a Dekker-esque feel. I’m thinking of Showdown in his Paradise series and almost eerily reminiscent of Peretti’s This Present Darkness. Where it differs, is that Hinton Hollow Death Trip is psychological warfare rather than spiritual, and takes place in a secular, true-to-life setting. Strong, unforgettable characters and a carefully constructed plot make this the next HUGE bestseller in its genre. A wickedly smart page-turner that reveals the thin line between psychosis and insanity. It will keep you glued to its pages and guessing wrong until its breathless ending.

So many thanks to Karen Sullivan at Orenda Books, Will Carver and Anne Cater for allowing me the privilege of reading this book.

What other people are saying:

‘Carver as one of the most exciting authors in Britain. After this, he’ll have his own cult following’ Daily Express

‘Weirdly page-turning’ Sunday Times

‘Laying bare our 21st-century weaknesses and dilemmas, Carver has created a highly original state-of-the-nation novel’ Literary Review

‘Arguably the most original crime novel published this year’ Independent

‘At once fantastical and appallingly plausible; this mesmeric novel paints a thought-provoking if depressing picture of modern life’ Guardian

‘This book is most memorable for its unrepentant darkness’ Telegraph

‘Unlike anything else you’ll read this year’ Heat

‘Utterly mesmerising;’ Crime Monthly

About the Author:

BLOG TOUR: Nothing Important Happened Today by Will Carver - NB Will Carver lives in Reading, though his younger years were spent in various parts of West Germany. He is the author of four books in the JANUARY DAVID thriller series – GIRL 4 (UK: Arrow, 2011), THE TWO (UK: Arrow, 2012), DEAD SET (UK: Arrow, 2013) and THE KILLER INSIDE (UK: Arrow, 2013).

Carver likes to work his body as much as his mind and runs his own fitness and nutrition company, though he prefers to talk about his writing more than how he consumes adequate protein as a vegan.

‘I was blown away by this gripping book. I sense Carver will break out of genre boundaries and become a literary voice to be reckoned with.’ —Sarah Pinborough

‘There is a vivid – almost cinematic – quality to the writing. It is intense and makes for uncomfortable yet compulsive reading.’ — News of the World

Claire’s 10 FAVORITE books this year! #blog #review #books #simplythebest!

December 20, 2019December 13, 2019 / Bookpreneur / Leave a comment

WOW! What a fabulous reading year! Thanks to authors and publishers who have allowed me to not only read their fabulous books, but have provided an advance reader copy before publication. I can’t tell you how lucky I feel!

In this list you’ll find slick psychological thrillers, deliciously dark that keep you guessing until the end. Police procedurals with flawed but completely relatable characters and heartbreaking women’s fiction with resolutions and twists you don’t see coming. All of them exceptional. Un-put-downable. Highly addictive and superbly written.

This list is by no means complete. I had to pick out ten that stuck out in my mind and wouldn’t let go. But there are others I would have gladly added. So next year, instead of blogging in December, I’ll be blogging in June too!

Books and Descriptions:

Oh, I just finished The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor. WOW, bloody WOW! It blew my mind, and should also be added to this list. But there isn’t room, so I’ll cheat and add it here instead.

It was only meant to be a game . . . None of us ever agreed on the exact beginning. Was it when we started drawing the chalk figures, or when they started to appear on their own? Was it the terrible accident? Or when they found the first body? Print Length: 342 pages. Publisher: Penguin (11 Jan. 2018).

After The End by Clare Mackintosh – From New York Times bestselling author Clare Mackintosh comes a deeply moving and page-turning novel about an impossible choice—and the two paths fate could take. Print Length: 400 pages. Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons (June 25, 2019)

Violet by SJI Holliday – When two young women – strangers – end up sharing a cabin on the Trans-Siberian Express, a strange friendship develops, one that can only have one ending … a nerve-shattering psychological thriller from bestselling author SJI Holliday. Paperback: 276 pages. Publisher: Orenda Books (November 14, 2019)

The Marriage Trap by Sheryl Browne – My husband has been keeping secrets for a long time. He thinks I don’t know what he does outside of this house. But I know everything… Print Length: 300 pages. Publisher: Bookouture (July 30, 2019)

Nine Elms by Rober Bryndza – From the breakthrough international bestselling author of The Girl in the Ice, a breathtaking, page-turning novel about a disgraced female detective’s fight for redemption. And survival… Kate Marshall was a promising young police detective when she caught the notorious Nine Elms serial killer. But her greatest victory suddenly turned into a nightmare. Print Length: 392 pages. Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (December 1, 2019)

Our House by Louise Candlish – On a bright morning in the suburbs, a family moves into the house they’ve just bought on Trinity Avenue. Nothing strange about that. Except it’s your house. And you didn’t sell it. Print Length: 426 pages. Publisher: Berkley (August 7, 2018)

Cage by Lilja Sigurdardottir – The prison doors slam shut behind Agla when her sentence ends, but her lover Sonja is not there to meet her. As a group of foreign businessmen tries to draw Agla into an ingenious fraud that stretches from Iceland around the world, Agla and her former nemesis María find the stakes being raised at a terrifying speed. Print Length: 276 pages. Publisher: Orenda Books; None edition (August 17, 2019)

Dead Inside by Noelle Holten – The killer is just getting started… When three wife beaters are themselves found beaten to death, DC Maggie Jamieson knows she is facing her toughest case yet. Print Length: 293 pages. Publisher: One More Chapter (May 31, 2019)

Nothing Important Happened Today by Will Carver – When strangers take part in a series of group suicides, everything suggests that a cult is to blame. How do you stop a cult when nobody knows they are a member? Print Length: 276 pages. Publisher: Orenda Books (September 14, 2019)

Dead Memories by Angela Marsons – She ruined their lives. Now they’re going to destroy hers. ‘Someone is recreating every traumatic point in your life. They are doing this to make you suffer, to make you hurt and the only possible end game can be death. Your death.’ Print Length: 400 pages. Publisher: Bookouture (February 22, 2019).

I Will Make You Pay by Teresa Driscoll – Every Wednesday, like clockwork, the terror returns. It seems like an ordinary Wednesday, until the phone rings. A mysterious caller with a chilling threat. Journalist Alice Henderson hangs up, ready to dismiss it as a hoax against the newspaper. But the next Wednesday, the stalker makes another move—and it becomes clear that this is all about Alice. Print Length: 317 pages. Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (October 10, 2019)

My reviews on each of these amazing book are available on this blog under the book title. All of them are high star reads and highly recommended. I hope you enjoy them too!

Special thanks go to the Blog Tour Organizers, Sarah Hardy (@sarahhardy681) and Anne Cater, (@annecater) who have tirelessly and professionally given up their time to support writers, and @Netgalley for providing readers with a place to request copies to try out new authors.

Thank you!

And Happy Christmas to all.

Claire

Nothing Important Happened Today by Will Carver @OrendaBooks @will_carver #blog #review #Contemporary #Urban #Fiction

November 15, 2019 / Bookpreneur / Leave a comment

This HAS to be one of the most memorable books I’ve ever read. But it’s also one of the hardest. Extraordinarily well written and typical of the high standards we’ve come to expect from Orenda Books. I couldn’t wait to dive in and I don’t believe I came up for air until the very end.

Book description:

When strangers take part in a series of group suicides, everything suggests that a cult is to blame. But how do you stop a cult when no one knows they are members? A shocking, mesmerisingly original and pitch-black thriller from the critically acclaimed Will Carver.

Nine suicides
One Cult
No leader

Nine people arrive one night on Chelsea Bridge. They’ve never met. But at the same time, they run, and leap to their deaths. Each of them received a letter in the post that morning, a pre-written suicide note, and a page containing only four words: Nothing important happened today.

That is how they knew they had been chosen to become a part of The People Of Choice: A mysterious suicide cult whose members have no knowledge of one another.

Thirty-two people on that train witness the event. Two of them will be next. By the morning, People Of Choice are appearing around the globe: a decapitation in Germany, a public shooting at a university in Bordeaux; in Illinois, a sports team stands around the centre circle of the football pitch and pulls the trigger of the gun pressed to the temple of the person on their right. It becomes a movement.

Paperback: 276 pages

Publisher: Orenda Books (November 14, 2019)

ISBN-10: 1912374838

ISBN-13: 978-1912374830

Links US and UK

The saying ‘you never really know what goes on behind closed doors’ is true in the case of Nothing Important Happened Today by Will Carver. Because something very important did happen to 9 people, nine very unsuspecting, seemingly unhappy people but with one thing in common. A drive to end it all and in a way that will shock thousands.

What really happened forced me out one rainy day to a coffee shop, where I could read this book in the safety of a crowded room. To say the writing style is addictive would be an understatement. I had to know what happened at the end. It’s not often I find the subject matter of a tale unforgiving, and sometimes a little uncomfortable. But this is a train-wreck of a book where you can’t look away. One that talks of ‘nobodies’ — dissatisfied and directionless, all running away from something. Shockingly, even DS Pace is trying to escape from something, and what makes it psychologically realistic is that we all are. Let’s not forget, this is not Pace’s case. He is merely drawn to it — as I was drawn to him to solve these bizarre and chilling deaths.

The writing is tense, dark and broody, and whenever someone new comes on scene, there is a high probability he/she will buckle under this terrifying ‘thing’ that has blighted the 9. All over the world people have been selected, ripping themselves from their families and we are left wondering how children, husbands, wives and dogs will cope without them. How many more will die in horrific self-inflicted deaths and in public places to an audience of horrified onlookers? Because any one of them could be next.

But who is behind The People Of Choice? Or The People Of No Choice. And how are these victims linked?

This is one of the most twisted stories I’ve ever read and probably one of the darkest. Too many scenes to count that are heinously graphic, namely the car and the rope, although there are a few others that made me want to stop, drop and roll.

The thing about this book is that it’s memorable. The residue sits with you for days and you’ll go over it in your mind, especially the final words that bring a high-five moment at the end of a very depraved few hours of reading. Definitely one of a kind, brutal, thought provoking and with a pace that leaves you breathless.

A brilliantly, twisted story that will make your toes curl!

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for allowing me a place on this blog tour, Orenda Books and the lovely Will Carver for a copy of this brilliant book. Many apologies for missing my stop! But here it is.

About the Author

Will Carver is the international bestselling author of the January David series. He spent his early years in Germany, but returned to the UK at age eleven, when his sporting career took off. He turned down a professional rugby contract to study theatre and television at King Alfred’s, Winchester, where he set up a successful theatre company. He currently runs his own fitness and nutrition company, and lives in Reading with his two children. Good Samaritans was book of the year in Guardian, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Express, and hit number one on the ebook charts.

More books by Will Carver

Praise for his books:

‘Will Carver has taken the rules of a serial killer novel and ignored every single one of them … A twisted and twisty thriller. This book will mess with your head’ Michael Wood

‘A literary thriller with the darkest storyline and the most ingenious execution I’ve ever read. If you think you know what’s going on in this book, you’re wrong; and when it all unfolds, your jaw will drop. This book is incredible, and Will Carver one of a kind’ SJI Holliday

‘I’ve never read such an original, stunning, clever, literary thriller. I’m absolutely blown away. This deserves so much success’ Sarah Pinborough

‘Will Carver redefines crime fiction with a twisted slice of literary noir that breaks all the rules. This is a gloriously melancholy, twisted and twisty, with so much to say on modern lives it’ll stay with me for a very long time. Wow’ Tom Wood

‘It’s darkly twisted and deliciously distorted, shocking and completely mind warping!’ Book Obsessed

‘It’s beautifully written. The writing is staccato – quick, fast-paced and compelling’ Off-the-Shelf Books

‘This is stylish and extraordinary writing. It’s puzzling and perplexing but so damn good. There is something quite mesmerising about this story that defies genre and quite frankly, logic. Stunning … this will linger in my mind forever’ Random Things through My letterbox

Dead Memories by Angela Marsons (Detective Kim Stone Crime Thriller Book 10) @bookouture @LittleBrownUK

February 22, 2019February 20, 2019 / Bookpreneur / Leave a comment

I can’t tell you how much I enjoy reading all the Detective Kim Stone books. Each one keeps getting better and better, and all of them have been un-put-down-able police procedurals.

This story begins with the discovery of a young man and woman tied to a radiator in the same tower block DI Kim Stone was found when she was six. Is this a coincidence or something far more sinister? During the investigation, a second gruesome crime occurs—a copycat perhaps?—sent to torment Kim and throw her off her stroke. My review follows after a brief description of the book.

I was lucky to grab a copy of Angela Marson’s newest book Dead Memories—out on February 22, 2019—from Netgalley.

Book Description

She ruined their lives. Now they’re going to destroy hers.

‘Someone is recreating every traumatic point in your life. They are doing this to make you suffer, to make you hurt and the only possible end game can be death. Your death.’

On the fourth floor of Chaucer House, two teenagers are found chained to a radiator. The boy is dead but the girl is alive. For Detective Kim Stone every detail of the scene mirrors her own terrifying experience with her brother Mikey, when they lived in the same tower block thirty years ago.

When the bodies of a middle-aged couple are discovered in a burnt-out car, Kim can’t ignore the chilling similarity to the death of Erica and Keith – the only loving parents Kim had ever known.

Faced with a killer who is recreating traumatic events from her past, Kim must face the brutal truth that someone wants to hurt her in the worst way possible. Desperate to stay on the case, she is forced to work with profiler Alison Lowe who has been called in to observe and monitor Kim’s behaviour.

Kim has spent years catching dangerous criminals and protecting the innocent. But with a killer firmly fixed on destroying Kim, can she solve this complex case and save her own life or will she become the final victim?

The heart-stopping and totally addictive new crime thriller from multi-million copy number one bestseller Angela Marsons will have you completely hooked.

Buy Links: US: https://amzn.to/2SP8WfW UK: https://amzn.to/2U08Bn2

Read what everyone is saying about Dead Memories:

‘The book I’ve been waiting for without even knowing that I was… A great starting point for anyone new to the series… I couldn’t put the book down…It is completely addictive and easily my new favourite in this series, I have a feeling I’ve said that before, but what can I say Angela Marsons seems to outdo herself each and every time.’ Rachel’s Random Reads, 5 stars

‘As always, another brilliant book by Angela Marsons featuring Detective Kim Stone and her team… Fast-paced and dark it kept me gripped from the first page to the last. Utterly superb.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars

‘The author writes to such a consistently high level. Yet again, gripping plot line, strong characters and a well-paced story that builds to a crescendo. If you haven’t already tried this author do yourself a favour and start reading now.’ Worcester Source, 5 stars

I was thrilled to be approved by NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of Angela Marson’s latest book. The past ties in with the present in this one and Kim is faced with a decision. To either accept the truth or deny it.

A young couple found chained to a radiator bring back a host of memories, mirroring a dark time in Kim’s childhood. Although the case has startling similarities, it becomes very clear that someone wants her to relive the pain she once suffered, Kim is not unduly phased overall. The traumatic events of her childhood—a haunting theme throughout the series—has been summarized in this tenth instalment. But even though someone is ‘picking at the closed boxes in her mind,’ she is one of those exceptional people who takes strength in weakness. Tough, hard-wearing and deliciously assertive, she’s certainly not immune to emotion.

There are former felons stoking hatred from behind prison walls and other cases to be investigated. With seamlessly thick, complex plots and a crime team to die for, you can’t help loving these books for the way they’re written. I like Alison for her bottle, Woody, who appears to get more devious by the minute and, of course, tolerant and unflappable Bryant. With a cast of capable characters returning with every ‘episode’, the uber-sharp Kim Stone has to be one of the best detectives out there. A twisty, fast-paced plot stocked with red herrings, Marsons aficionados will be very happy to add this book to their bookshelves alongside other Kim Stone novels.

This is a story with superior twists and turns, and a cast of excellent suspects, designed to keep the reader on their toes right up until the final page. It’s a heart-stopping finale and goes to show how Marsons has become the Queen of Scream in her genre.

I do recommend reading these books in order to get the impact and flavor of Kim’s life, but each book is a stand-alone and you’ll definitely enjoy this one!

BIG thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. This is an honest review for a thoroughly enjoyable read.

About The Author

Angela Marsons is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of the DI Kim Stone series and her books have sold more than 3 million in 3 years.

She lives in the Black Country with her partner, their cheeky Golden Retriever and a swearing parrot.

She first discovered her love of writing at Junior School when actual lessons came second to watching other people and quietly making up her own stories about them. Her report card invariably read “Angela would do well if she minded her own business as well as she minds other people’s”.

After years of writing relationship based stories (The Forgotten Woman and Dear Mother) Angela turned to Crime, fictionally speaking of course, and developed a character that refused to go away.

She is signed to Bookouture.com for a total of 16 books in the Kim Stone series and her books have been translated into more than 27 languages.

Many of her books, including Blood Lines, Dead Souls, Broken Bones, Fatal Promise and Dead Memories reached the #1 spot on Amazon on pre-orders alone.

New Book News

December 23, 2017 / Bookpreneur / Leave a comment

thankyou

2017 has been a fabulous year with two books written in the Detective Temeke Crime Series. Dead Cold, available on Amazon, and Easy Prey, coming out in eBook on December 28.

Dead Cold, Book 4 in the series was one of my favorites to write. The case winds its way through New Mexico and Arizona as the police pursue a fugitive thought to have been involved in a murder. For those of you who know the area around Schnebly Hill road will appreciate these majestic views.

schnebly-hill-vista

Easy Prey, Book 5, is set in Albuquerque around the Rio Grande River and the general area known as the Bosque, a constructed wetland intended to replicate the natural wetlands that historically occupied the floodplain of the Rio Grande.

Easy Prey for newsletter

Short Description:

Something dark and brooding stalks the mysterious Bosque nature reserve. Bird watchers fall prey to the menace and thefts of rare falcons are on the rise. But it is the body of a murdered girl discovered on the banks of The Rio Grande River that eventually brings Detectives Temeke and Santiago onto the trail.

During a camping weekend, Jessie Bowman’s best friend, Bree, has disappeared. Guilt ridden, yet determined to do the right thing, she tracks the man she believes is responsible and begins to unravel a mystery that tests every ounce of her resilience. She has only two choices – fight or flight. And Jessie is done with running.

Now Detectives Temeke and Santiago must locate Jessie before the madman snares his final prey.

What people are saying:

‘Stibbe handles the latest mystery in the Detective Temeke series with the dexterity of a master falconer. The climax will swoop down and seize you when you least expect it, leaving you feeling as if you too have become ‘easy prey’. Dr Maurice Singleton, PhD in Narrative Theory, Author and Lecturer

WINNER NM AZ

AWARDS: Night Eyes, Book 2 of the Detective Temeke Series won the New Mexico/Arizona Book Award this year in the Crime Mystery Category. This is a big award, where books are read by publishers, librarians and bestselling authors. Thank you to all those who voted for this book!

SALES: During Christmas and the New Year, the first three books in the series have been discounted to 99p/99c. So click on the picture below to reserve your copy.

Thank you to all those who read and received Advance Reviewer Copies (ARCs) for Easy Prey and made helpful suggestions to the overall book. We are giving away free copies by mobi/ePub format in the New Year to all those who would like to review the book on Amazon and Goodreads.

Thank you to all my readers and for your wonderful reviews. Keep them coming!

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

New Book News

October 21, 2017 / Bookpreneur / Leave a comment

Absolutely delighted to be kicking off today with a brand new book, DEAD COLD, the fourth book in the Detective Temeke Crime series, and to let you know the book is already on pre-order on Amazon for the fantastic introductory price of only $1.99!

Huge thanks to all the lovely editors at Kingdom Writing Solutions and proofreader and editor Jeff Gardiner, and all those who gave me insight, suggestions, deletions and big high-fives! Thank you! I am thrilled to be sharing my new book with you today.

The truth is dead and buried. Or is it?

When two bodies are recovered from a house fire, Detective Temeke is called in to investigate what he believes is a routine case. The tragedy takes a more sinister turn when a post mortem reveals that one victim was beaten to death.

House owner Flynn McCann appears to have the perfect life, married to the woman he loves. His life is quiet – even ordinary. Until the fire reduces all he knows to ashes. Consumed with grief, and fleeing suspicion, he must unravel the events leading up to that terrible night to prove his innocence. But time is running out. As the dead prepare to reveal their secrets, he realizes his future is about to unfold in ways he could never have imagined.

In a house with a history of betrayal and revenge, how many lines is Temeke willing to cross to uncover the truth and bring in an elusive killer?

With taut and brooding prose, Dead Cold is a twisty new thriller from the author of The 9th Hour and Night Eyes.

What people are saying

“A crisp, confident and roundly satisfying novel, the characters simply sparkle with life. This is a meaty police procedural I couldn’t put down.” Jenny London, Ebony Press.

“Claire Stibbe has written another corker of a crime thriller that takes hold and won’t let go. Slick and exciting with tons of twists and turns, it kept me riveted until the end. I sincerely hope this series keeps on coming.” Celia Markham, Booksage.

“This is an addicting read. I rarely give a book a five star rating unless it consistently hits the bulls-eye. Dead Cold is all that and so much more.” Southwest Book Reviews

Pre-order now from Amazon UK

Pre-order now from Amazon US

Author Bio

Claire Stibbe is an award winning author of the Detective Temeke Crime series. She has been nominated as a finalist in the New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards for both 2016 and 2017, selected for the 2017 Kindle Book Review Awards, and shortlisted for New Mexico/Arizona eBook Award in 2017.

She is also a reporter for Stand True 4 Blue, which features a Nationwide Newsletter dedicated to law enforcement, a member and graduate of the Citizen Police & BSCO Sheriff’s Academy. A former journalist and magazine editor, she lives in Albuquerque with her husband and son.

Author social media links

Find out more about Claire at www.clairestibbe.com Twitter and Instagram @CMTStibbe

Review Tour – Cut.Print.Kill by Robert D. Kidera @Suspense Publishing #BookReview

September 2, 2017 / Bookpreneur / Leave a comment

I am pleased to welcome award-winning author Robert D. Kidera. Kidera’s debut novel Red Gold earned the Tony Hillerman Award as Best Fiction of 2015 at the New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards. It was also named as Best Mystery of 2015 and the best eBook of the year. Its sequel, Get Lost also was selected as Best Mystery of 2016 and Best eBook of 2016 at the NM/AZ Book Awards.

Cut.Print.Kill., the third Gabe McKenna mystery, is targeted for release on September 5, 2017 and all I can say is, you won’t want to miss this one!

Bob bigger

Buy Links 🇺🇸 http://amzn.to/2wtrwgY 🇬🇧 http://amzn.to/2wtwdr0

Book Description

Formats: Paperback, Kindle Edition, eBook, Audio

Print Length: 218 pages

Publisher: SUSPENSE PUBLISHING

“ ‘Cut.Print.Kill.,’ Robert Kidera’s third Gabe McKenna novel is tight, smart, lightning fast-paced and filled with surprises. Hard to believe that Kidera could top the first two books in the series, including the Tony Hillerman award-winning ‘Red Gold,’ but he has!”

—Paul D. Marks, Shamus Award-winning author of “White Heat”

There’s always room for one more lie…

Reeling from family betrayal and tragedy, Gabe McKenna charts a new course as historical consultant on a motion picture filming in New Mexico. Before you can say “Action!”, he is entangled in a web of illusion and deceit, where death plays a starring role. With the help of The Onion, a private investigator and long-time friend from New York, Gabe peels away layer after layer of dishonesty, battles brutal drug cartels, is accused of murder, and must unmask a mysterious, seductive woman to reveal the truth in a world full of lies.

About the Author

Bob

After an early fling in the motion picture industry and a long and successful career in academia, Kidera retired in 2010. With his desire to play major league baseball no longer a realistic dream, he chose to fulfill his other lifelong ambition and became a writer. He is a member of Southwest Writers, Sisters in Crime, and the International Thriller Writers organizations.

The author lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with his wife Annette and two cats, Otis and Woody. He has two daughters, a grandson and granddaughter.

Book-Review

A tale of comebacks, death threats and bitter rivalries in the dark heart of film, Cut. Print. Kill., the third book in the Gabe McKenna series, showcases Gabe McKenna at his unstoppable best. With its trademark blend of sharp wit, this book is yet another example of why Robert Kidera remains in the top ranks of New Mexico crime writers.

Kidera has successfully created his own brand of unforgettable fiction and Cut.Print.Kill. hits the canny nexus of mystery with its many twists and turns. The rare hypnotic pull and artful playfulness in his writing make these books hard to put down, not to mention a sweeping assortment of characters to season the plot. Gabe’s scathing dialogue is laugh-out-loud funny in places and the descriptions of Tony Fredericks had me chuckling. With its 30’s ‘black & white’ feel this book is sure to be a hit with Robert D. Kidera fans everywhere. Amazon 5* Review (Bookpreneur)

Public Appearances

Robert D. Kidera will be attending Bouchercon in Toronto next month.

Bouchercon

Other books by Robert D. Kidera

Bob Kidera books

Books are also available at

You can reach the author through his website: www.robertkiderabooks.com

Follow him on Twitter at: @RKidera

Why not check out his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bob.kidera.3

Review Tour – Mrs. Jones by B.A. Morton @Twisted Ink Publishing #BookReview

July 30, 2017July 30, 2017 / Bookpreneur / 2 Comments

I am pleased to welcome author B.A. Morton, writer of hard-boiled, crime and horror thrillers. Babs also writes historical fiction, in particular The Wildwood Chronicles set in medieval England. One of her many five star reviewers have been quoted as saying these are beautifully written historical novels with strong elements of romance, adventure, mystery, and fantasy.

She lives amidst the wonderful scenery of the Northumberland National Park, an inspirational backdrop for her historical fiction series. As a member of the Crime Writer’s Association and Crime Readers Association, it’s not hard to see why this versatile and canny writer of crime fiction won the Yeovil Literary Prize in 2011 for Mrs. Jones.

Mrs. Jones

Buy Links 🇺🇸️ http://amzn.to/2uGtgkk 🇬🇧️ http://amzn.to/2tNl9VL

Book Description

Formats: Paperback, Kindle Edition, eBook

Print Length: 341 pages

Publisher: TWISTED INK PUBLISHING

A British girl with a secret. A New York cop with a past. And a Mob that wants revenge.

When maverick New York detective, Tommy Connell, picks up a witness to murder, he finds himself with more than he bargained for.

Mysterious British girl, Lizzie Jones, is harboring a secret and both the Mob and the Feds are keen to know what it is.

Setting out to solve the puzzle Connell is inexplicably drawn back to his checkered past and the murder of his young son’s mother. With hired killers hot on their trail, Connell must protect Mrs. Jones and uncover the truth.

‘A fast paced roller-coaster of a ride’ ‘Twisty-turny romantic suspense’

Yeovil Literary Prize winner 2011

B.A. Morton

Book Review

Tracing a 911 call to Apartment 13A, Detective Connell investigates hit and run scene with a witness he’d rather like to know better. A witness who may just be a lot younger than her ID claims. Clever dialogue makes this opening scene a page-turner and just like Connell, I find anything odd intriguing. What he can’t figure out is why Mrs. Jones is living in this apartment. Why such a dangerous part of town? Connell is determined there is something she’s not telling him, something that sets the alarm bells ringing. And he’s determined to keep her close at hand. This case is not a straightforward one and, in many detective novels, they never are. But there’s a magic to this book that doesn’t let up and that’s what kept me reading until the end.

I want to know who Mrs. Jones is. Why she’s so vulnerable. And where is Mr. Jones? I like Connell . . . very much. There’s a unique stoicism to him that doesn’t fit the stereotype. His character is more realistic in my view, more to resonate with. In fact, there’s nothing to pigeon-hole these characters at all. What strikes me as unusual is Morton’s way of communicating their inner-workings. Effortless is the word, much like her other novels which portray unusual people in exceptional situations. There’s a sharp twist to these and a certain residue that sticks to the skin long after the last page. Five stars for a gripping, sensual ride. Straight to the point. No holds barred. (Bookpreneur 5* Review)

Other publications

Mrs. Jones would not be complete without the second in the series Molly Brown.

Molly Brown

Short description

A child to save – A killer to catch.

When a strange little girl disappears into the night and no one seems to care, Tommy Connell figures someone should take another look.

Watch out for more of Molly Brown on Amazon.

Amazon 5* Reviewer: The prose is crisp, transporting a reader through half the book in no time! But don’t go too fast. There are a myriad of details, clues and senses to enjoy, and characters to become attached to.

For a complete list of B.A. Morton’s books on Amazon take a look HERE

Why not visit B.A. Morton’s website HERE