Book Reviews
What The Nanny Said by Lara Finch
Following the death of her mother, Evie discovers that the woman who brought her up in Mexico wasn’t her real mother; her birth mother was murdered 20 years previously. The story is narrated in the past by Lucy, a vulnerable but privileged young mother, and Taylor her perfect nanny, with Evie narrating in the present. I loved this thriller. The...
The Couple Before Us by Daniel Hurst
Daniel always writes entertaining books that compel you to turn the pages quickly. This story is about pregnant Dionne, Christian and their son who move into a new house on a newly built estate, against Dionne’s better judgement. And then she finds a strange note and bizarre things start to happen. This book stretched credibility, and Dionne is a...
The Writer by Valerie Keogh
If you like unreliable narrators, this one is for you. Having said that, it takes a while to realise that Cara, the protagonist, is not to be trusted. Cara, a successful author, is under pressure to write her 30th book and when she receives a threatening note, she decides to turn fact into fiction. This is a suspenseful novel although I struggled...
Love You To Death by Anya Mora
This is a fast-paced book about Anna, whose husband died recently after an accidental fall in the mountains. Just a few months later she meets Parker, who seems to be the perfect man. Except nothing is as it seems. Items that belonged to Anna’s husband appear around the house. Who put them there? Who is trying to undermine her relationship with...
The School Gates by A A Chaudhuri
This is a very original concept, not least because the story is in part narrated by Lola, who we know very early on, is murdered. Narrated from multiple points of view, this is a school gates mystery, where all the characters have secrets, and few are likeable. As the book progresses, there are twists and turns aplenty and how and why the...
The Lucky Winners by K. L. Slater
Merri and Dev are down on their luck, struggling to make ends meet. And when they win a fabulous house along with a lump sum of cash, it seems all their problems might be solved. Except we learn early on that Merri has a past she hasn’t shared with Dev and that the publicity around their win is potentially hugely problematic. Set in the Lake...
The Wedding Vow by Dandy Smith
When Linden Lockwood is murdered in the beautiful home he shares with his wife Verity, their outwardly perfect life is shattered. And then Verity discovers that her husband was having an affair. She is determined to uncover who he was betraying her with and who killed him. Narrated from the perspective of Verity, the wife, and the other woman,...
I Know You Saw Her by Ann Girdharry
This was a creepy suspense novel that I raced through. Fiona is determined to find out what happened to her sister Amy who disappeared five years previously. When she assumes a new identity and takes a room in the boarding house where Amy lived, we're introduced to a cast of complex characters, all of whom are suspicious. This is a fast-paced,...
The Death Of Us by Abigail Dean
This is a remarkable book about Isabel and Edward who are survivors of a horrific attack and rape in their home in south London. It’s narrated from both of their perspectives and set across two timescales, from back when it happened, and today, during the court proceedings. I was utterly transfixed by the writing, the depth of the characters,...
Someone Like You by Elena Frost
Someone Like You is a deeply atmospheric book, full of interesting characters and plot twists. It left me feeling on edge, with my heart racing and needing to turn those pages faster and faster. Carey and her autistic son Riley have recently moved to Saltwick, a dilapidated lighthouse complex, where they hope to start a new life following Carey’s...