prettylittlewriter

Synopsis
 'When Korede's dinner is interrupted one night by a distress call from her sister, Ayoola, she knows what's expected of her: bleach, rubber gloves, nerves of steel and a strong stomach. This'll be the third boyfriend Ayoola's dispatched in, quote, self-defence and the third mess that her lethal little sibling has left Korede to clear away. She should probably go to the police for the good of the menfolk of Nigeria, but she loves her sister and, as they say, family always comes first. Until, that is, Ayoola starts dating the doctor where Korede works as a nurse. Korede's long been in love with him, and isn't prepared to see him wind up with a knife in his back: but to save one would mean sacrificing the other...'

I had a lot of empathy for Korede, especially when Ayoola seemed to show no remorse for what she'd done after each murder, and when she started having a relationship with the guy that Korede really liked, I was very concerned for her, as it was quite clear that he was going to be Ayoola's next target. 

The relationship between the two sisters was quite toxic at times, mainly stemming from Ayoola's selfishness, and what I can only describe as a fucked up past surrounding their father. 

I liked that the chapters were short and snappy, it kept me wanting to read on, and I ended up finishing the novel in just a few hours. 

There are some funny moments, Korede's dry humour and sarcasm keeping me entertained, and I liked her authority around the other members of staff at the hospital, it allowed for some funny scenes. I also liked her relationship with the coma patient (I've forgotten his name already, oops), and how she gave him strength to say no to his own family. 

The only thing I would say is that I would have liked to have seen a bit more growth with Korede's character. She did so much for everyone around her, and was constantly taken advantage of, so it would have been nice to see her put her foot down and say no herself for once, and to put herself first for a change. 

Overall though, a brilliant story, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

4.5/5 stars

 This book was an absolutely wild ride from start to finish.

Synopsis

Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died.
Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen's feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife's words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.'

Contender for the best book I've read in 2022 so far is Verity, a novel that I've heard so many incredible things about, but have only just gotten round to reading it for myself. 

Colleen grabs you from the very first line of the book, filling you with intrigue and hunger to devour the whole story in one sitting (which is what I did). 

The characters are brilliantly written, with Lowen being a very likeable character, who suffers with anxiety that surrounds her success as a writer. 

Jeremy is a very sweet and caring man, whom I found myself rooting for to be with Lowen throughout as he needed some comfort after everything he'd been through in just a few months. 

Verity is shown to be an absolutely vile person, and as Lowen slowly finds out, might be lying about everything. 

There are some pretty brutal moments to read that could be triggering to some as Lowen reads through Verity's manuscript, including child abuse, so don't pick this up if reading that kind of thing would affect you.

There are some incredible twists within this book, and the final one leaves you with a question unanswered, one that you are left to decide for yourself.

I really think this would be an absolutely epic movie, and could picture Lucy Hale or Ana de Armas as Lowen, and maybe Sandra Bullock as Verity? That would be pretty cool. 

An absolutely brilliant story, kept me on the edge of my seat and I will be recommending this to everyone that loves a thriller!

I will leave you with one question, are you Team Letter, or Team Manuscript?

5/5 stars

 Synopsis
'November 1924. The Endeavour sets sail to New York with 2,000 passengers - and a killer - on board . . .
When an elderly gentleman is found dead at the foot of a staircase, ship's officer Timothy Birch is ready to declare it a tragic accident. But James Temple, a strong-minded Scotland Yard inspector, is certain there is more to this misfortune than meets the eye.
Birch agrees to investigate, and the trail quickly leads to the theft of a priceless painting. Its very existence is known only to its owner . . . and the dead man.
With just days remaining until they reach New York, and even Temple's purpose on board the Endeavour proving increasingly suspicious, Birch's search for the culprit is fraught with danger.
And all the while, the passengers continue to roam the ship with a killer in their midst . . .'

A 'locked room' mystery, there's no escape for any of the characters (although Policeman Temple managed to hide from Birch quite well at times). 

There are some truly exquisite descriptions of the rooms on the boat, with the dining room being one of the main focuses of the novel due to an argument that takes place within it. 

I was very sympathetic for Birch throughout, having lost his daughter and his wife shunning him, it must have been very difficult for him to board the boat that he felt had lost him his family in the first place.

The story is a slow burn, but with enough intrigue that it kept you interested, and it finishes with a very clever plot twist. 

Definitely recommend this novel to any Agatha Christie fans, it reads quite similar to her books and it is a very typical murder mystery!

4/5 stars

 Synopsis
‘I have killed several people and yet I currently languish in jail for a murder I did not commit.
When I think about what I actually did, I feel somewhat sad that nobody will ever know about the complex operation that I undertook. Getting away with it is highly preferable, of course, but perhaps when I’m long gone, someone will open an old safe and find this confession. The public would reel. After all, almost nobody else in the world can possibly understand how someone, by the tender age of 28, can have calmly killed six members of her family. And then happily got on with the rest of her life, never to regret a thing.

When Grace Bernard discovers her absentee millionaire father has rejected her dying mother’s pleas for help, she vows revenge, and sets about to kill every member of his family. Readers have a front row seat as Grace picks off the family one by one. But then Grace is imprisoned for a murder she didn’t commit.’

 

This book was a strange one for me. I enjoyed the dark humour and the clever ways that Grace kills her family members, however, I did find that there was an awful lot of waffle within just for the sake of it. I couldn’t tell whether we were reading the internal monologue/thoughts of Grace, or whether we were reading her diary (turns out it was neither of those things). There was just an awful lot of extra detail that wasn’t required.

I felt like the author was trying to showcase that she is a strong feminist with a strong and empowered main character, however, there was A LOT of anti-feminist remarks within, with Grace often commenting on another female characters appearance in a belittling way. Overall I did like Grace as a character though, and her revenge story was a brilliant idea, I just don’t think it was particularly well executed.

The main reason I am giving this book a low rating is the ending. It was such a huge disappointment. I’ll admit I didn’t see it coming at all, but the surprise of it was ruined by the fact that it basically rendered Grace’s story pointless.

I was hoping for a lot more from this book given the hype, and was left feeling underwhelmed.

2.5/5 stars

I was lucky enough to receive not one, but two of Nicola's book from Faber and Faber (thank you!), and The Dead of Winter was the first one I picked up as I was reading it over the Christmas period!

Synopsis

'December 1938, and storm clouds hover once again over Europe. Josephine Tey and Archie Penrose gather with friends for a Cornish Christmas, but two strange and brutal deaths on St Michael's Mount - and the unexpected arrival of a world famous film star, in need of sanctuary - interrupt the festivities. Cut off by the sea and a relentless blizzard, the hunt for a murderer begins.'

I was hooked on this novel from start to finish. From the historical and geographical elements, an Agatha Christie vibe with dark and twisted secrets, it's the perfect crime thriller.

The first 'chapter' is pretty gruesome and upsetting, with murder-suicide involving children, I found it quite difficult to read. Then it skips ahead 18 years later, with the Detective who dealt with that terrible day, as a guest at St Michael's Mount for Christmas. 

I've been to St Michael's Mount myself, so it was thrilling to read a murder mystery set somewhere that I knew, and could picture quite easily! 

I hadn't previously read anything by Nicola, and I've started with a novel quite far into the series, however, it can definitely be read as a stand alone as I didn't find I was missing any information to enjoy the book. 

I also did not realise that the character of Marlene Dietrich was a real person! 

Without giving anything away, Upson throws you a few different suspects and plenty of twists and turns, that keep you guessing until the very end! 

I will definitely be reading more from her! I genuinely couldn't fault a thing!

5/5 stars

 A thrilling and encapsulating ride from start to finish. 

Synopsis

Nell has impressed me yet again. I’ve previously read The Silent Suspect, which is a book within a series, and really enjoyed it, and now Hide has become a firm favourite also!

One thing I absolutely love within Nell’s books is that she always includes a deaf character. I’ve learnt a lot from her through these characters, specifically in Hide around cochlear implants. Any diversity within a novel is brilliant in my opinion, and we certainly do need to see more of it!

Each chapter changes to a different character’s perspective, which I really enjoyed, as you find out their secrets through their thoughts and you are honestly kept guessing as to who the baddie might be throughout. Each night I kept telling myself ‘just one more chapter’ as they all ended on a cliff-hanger!

I also really loved the location that this was based in, a nature reserve, as I haven’t seen this done before! A lot of the time in these ‘trapped in one location’ novels, they are either in a cabin in the woods or on a mountain somewhere, so I thought this was brilliant!

The ending was a shocker to me, and really unexpected. I guessed a couple of things towards the end of the novel, but THAT revelation, really did surprise me!

I really liked the characters Emily and Kai, and was very shocked at the type of character Ben ended up being as I thought he was a sweetheart to start.

Overall, if you like cliff-hangers and an ‘on the edge of your seat’ read, I highly recommend!

4/5 stars

 Mr Osman has outdone himself with The Man Who Died Twice. I was thoroughly impressed with his debut novel, The Thursday Murder Club, as I thought it was an incredibly unique idea, with some very interesting characters. But dare I say it; his second novel is even better.

Synopsis

‘Elizabeth has received a letter from an old colleague, a man with whom she has a long history. He's made a big mistake, and he needs her help. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent mobster, and a very real threat to his life.

As bodies start piling up, Elizabeth enlists Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron in the hunt for a ruthless murderer. And if they find the diamonds too? Well, wouldn't that be a bonus?

But this time they are up against an enemy who wouldn't bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can The Thursday Murder Club find the killer (and the diamonds) before the killer finds them?’

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin UK for giving me the opportunity to read this novel before publication date (although my review is a few days later!).

After the first novel introduced us well to each of the eccentric and witty characters, we dive straight back into Coopers Chase from Joyce’s initial perspective, with a curious letter that Elizabeth has received from an old friend. Turns out, this old friend is actually an ex-husband, whom she used to work with at MI5, and he’s gotten himself into a spot of bother with some stolen diamonds.

The murder club springs into action, with some hilarious and remarkable scenarios along the way.

I absolutely adore each and every character in this novel (besides the obvious baddies). Joyce is sassy and a little self-absorbed, Elizabeth is badass, Ibrahim is a sweetheart that needs protecting, and Ron is a hardman, with an exterior of steel but a softie on the inside. Each of them are unique and cleverly written, and it genuinely feels like each character is speaking to you as a reader.

I also love the character of Bogdan, who drops everything to help our murder club out, and also to keep Elizabeth’s husband company.

You were kept in suspense throughout, with so many twists and turns that leave you guessing until the very end as to whodunit. The characters are also very unreliable due to the first person narrative, so you cannot be sure to believe them until it is proven to be true.

I cannot recommend this novel enough, there were so many laugh out loud moments, moments of heartbreak and anger, that helped me finish the book in just two days. I would even say you don’t necessarily need to read the first novel to enjoy it, but you do get a better sense of the characters by doing so.

Even though the scenarios within this novel are very wild and probably not something that would happen in real life (Would police officers really help elderly people frame someone for drug trafficking?), it doesn’t take away from any of the enjoyment of it. It is pure fictional hilarity.

I am looking forward to reading more from the Thursday Murder Club, and may they continue to be just as hilarious!

5/5 stars

ps. How STUNNING is this special edition with stencilled edges by Goldsboro?!

 This YA thriller had me hooked until the very end. 

Synopsis

First of all, thank you so much to Vesuvian Books and Black Crow PR for sending me this absolutely gorgeous ARC copy of the novel, with a matt finish that felt so soft to the touch, I think it is my favourite ARC I’ve ever received. It even has a stunning illustration for each chapter header, which I love.

Secondly, this is the first novel by Alexandrea Weis that I have read, and I can honestly say, it will not be my last. Her writing style is brilliant, she keeps you invested in each character and the story, with an increasing sense of danger as the novel progresses.

Think teen slasher set in an elite boarding school; a murder mystery filled with passion, drama and a whole lot of murder. If you know me at all, you’ll know how much I love a horror movie or crime/thriller novel.

The main character, Aubrey LaRoux, is a very likeable and relatable character. The bullying she endured during her school years, at the hands of one of the girls that previously went missing, resonated with me, and I really did feel for her immensely.

I felt pride in her ability to teach at the school, and the way she handled herself with the students, she really is a brilliantly well-developed character.

At one point in the novel, I did suspect that Aubrey could have been involved with the disappearances, but it soon became clear that she was as desperate to help figure out what had happened to the missing girls as the students were.

Aubrey is also not afraid to say what she really thinks most of the time, especially with Headmaster Probst, who runs the school in a way that Aubrey does not agree with. When the authorities start having to get involved with each new disappearance creating more danger, Probst no longer seems up to the job.

There was also a little bit of romance towards the end of the novel, with the introduction of Sherriff Mason, who is dreamy AF.  

The students that Aubrey teams up with, Lindsey’s friends, are your typical high school students, lots of drama revolving around them, with lots of secrets and lies. I do think that they each had their hearts in the right place however, as they all just wanted to find their friend, Lindsey.

Although I would characterise this novel as a YA one, there were some very gruesome parts throughout! I genuinely couldn’t believe how horrific some of the scenes played out, with one in particular involving a scythe; I think I’ve said enough!

I did have a slight inkling about the plot twists that happen towards the end of the novel, but it wasn’t a case of it being obvious in the writing, as Weis throws a couple of spanners in the works, and there were some parts that I did NOT expect at all.

All in all, I enjoyed this novel IMMENSELY, and I hope that Weis has a sequel lined up!

5/5 stars!

This psychological thriller keeps you guessing right until the very end. 

‘When Alicia Berenson commits the ultimate crime by shooting her husband in the head five times, she vows to be forever silent. Psychotherapist Theo Faber decides he is the one that can break her silence, so he takes a job at the mental health facility where she is located, and commits to getting a breakthrough.

Theo’s search for the truth threatens to consume him, and his true intentions become questionable.’

I was hooked on this book.

I have seen so many mixed reviews on this novel, so when I picked this up, I was nervous about how much I would enjoy it.

Theo is a likeable character, although his dedication to Alicia’s truth is quite strange to begin with, it seems he only has good intentions, and really does want to get Alicia talking again. You also feel incredibly sorry for him when you find out his wife is cheating on him, as it sends him spiralling further.

As we do not hear from Alicia herself until later in the novel, mainly through her diary entries, it is difficult to really gauge what kind of person she is, and whether she really did kill her husband.

I liked the aspect of the Greek tragedy play within it, Alcestis. It really adds to the narrative, and is a very clever way of eventually explaining why Alicia is staying silent.

Throughout the novel, there are other characters that you are thrown as a potential suspect in the murder of Alicia’s husband, Gabriel, or at least, one of the reasons for Alicia herself refusing to talk. You begin to wonder whether she did murder her husband, or if she is covering for someone else.

I thought it was very well written (ignoring the few spelling mistakes within), and had a clever plot, with an absolutely brilliant twist at the end!

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a shocking ending, and fans of psychological slow-burners.

4/5 stars

 I was recently accepted by Netgalley for an eARC of this novel, and it certainly did not disappoint!

'The DNA results are back. And there’s a serial killer in her family tree…

Liz Catalano is shocked when an ancestry kit reveals she’s adopted. But she could never have imagined connecting with her unknown family would plunge her into an FBI investigation of a notorious serial killer…

The Tri-State Killer has been abducting pairs of women for forty years, leaving no clues behind – only bodies.

Can Liz figure out who the killer in her new family is? And can she save his newest victims before it’s too late?'

The novel starts by diving straight into Liz finding out that she's adopted, via a DNA ancestry kit gifted to her by her cousin. After this revelation, she takes it upon herself to find her long lost paternal family, and discovers a Great Uncle and his wife only a couple of hours away.

What I really loved about this book is that there's no rambling or inconsequential writing, everything that you read is important to the novel; because of this, I was hooked. 

The fact that this book is written by co-authors is brilliant; you really cannot tell as all of the writing flows seamlessly. 

I also loved that after every chapter, you get a chapter with the victims of the Tri-State Killer. You read from their perspectives and get a glimpse into the man that Liz is related to. 

Without giving too much away, after Liz discovers that her 'Grand Uncle' could be the Tri-State Killer, it's a race against time for her to find out if he really is the man the FBI have been after for years, to not only rescue his current victims, but also to protect Liz as she herself could be in danger.

Knowing nothing about Steph and Nicole, I went into this book blind, unsure whether I would enjoy it. Turns out, they are both incredible writers, that have written an utterly brilliant story.

It is gripping, clever and has plenty of twists and turns!

4/5 stars