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Saturday, February 17, 2024

The Replacement

 The Replacement

The Lockwood Gate Thriller Series #1

Melinda Di Lorenzo



Reviewed by Helen


WOW this is a twisty thriller, what would you do to save your child and who do you trust? This is the first book I have read from this author but it won’t be the last.

Ari Strange has been through a lot, in the early stages of her pregnancy she loses her husband in a fiery car crash, two years on and her and her daughter, Lucy-Kate are doing well living in an apartment and she has a job, yes things are good, until they aren’t.

Ari is woken in the middle of the night by a strange sound and the cry of her daughter, when she gets up to go to her there is a strange woman covered in blood holding her daughter and she takes her precious Lucy-Kate, Ari is beside herself and runs out in the freezing cold after the woman, but when the police arrive they are accusing Ari of firstly not being Ari Strange but another woman and they are accusing her of kidnapping her own baby and no one will listen.

Ari’s grumpy neighbour, Denny is there and strangely he seems to be trying to help Ari and soon they are on the run together after nearly being shot, will Ari find her daughter before it is too late but can she trust Denny, is he somehow linked to Lucy-Kat’s kidnapping?

This is a fast paced and fabulous story, lots of twists and turns as Ari uncovers so many clues, it kept me on the edge of my seat and it was a one sitting read. I do highly recommend this one, I loved it and look forward to more in the series.

My thanks to the publisher Tule for my digital copy to read and review.

5 stars
February 15, 2024 by Tule Publishing


Monday, February 5, 2024

The Eleventh Floor

 The Eleventh Floor

Kylie Orr



Reviewed by Helen


I loved Kylie Orr’s debut book and have been eagerly awaiting her next one and wow I was pulled into this dark, gripping and compelling story, a story that I think should be told, it takes in the life of a young mother in a very happy marriage, but having a baby and sleepless nights and no time for herself takes its toll, when her husband Joe suggests she has a night to herself in a luxury hotel, Gracie says yes, but maybe she shouldn’t have.

Gracie Michaels arrives at the luxury hotel ready to rest, but maybe a bit of shopping and a drink at the bar first, it has been a while but when she is pulled into a conversation with a guy and one drink turns to two and the next thing she is waking up practically naked with a man in another hotel room, while trying to get way she sees something out of the window, something she wishes she had never seen.

Gracie leaves early and takes her time getting home to her husband and son, with many thoughts going through her mind, what will she do, if she says anything it will probably destroy her marriage, but what about what she saw is that person safe? So many questions, keeping everything to herself is best, but when the police are asking questions about a missing woman and Gracie is called in things heat up and then her son becomes ill and the truth must come out, will there ever be justice for what has happened?

I loved this twisty psychological drama, it is fast paced, and so edge of your seat suspense my heart was in my stomach with what Gracie was going through, and the decisions she made it is filled with intrigue and sadly things that happen too often, MS Orr has written this one with empathy and lots of research I would say, the characters are fabulous and come to life on the pages. I f you love a good twisty tale filled with lots of emotions then this is one to read, I do highly recommend it.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

5 stars
February 1, 2024 by HQ Fiction

Friday, February 2, 2024

The Young Widows

 The Young Widows

S J Short



Reviewed by Helen


This is a fabulous psychological thriller, four woman, all became widows in their twenties form a group and find themselves meeting once a week to share their grief and they become friends, close friends but is there more to this group than meets the eye, all are very different and from different backgrounds, is there a link, are there secrets?

Isabel haunted by her past when she lost her husband she is not sure that she can keep the secrets about her past for much longer.

Kylie, lost the husband she loved but a diary sees her lose trust in men and she spends her nights looking for fun but what will she find or what will find her?

Hannah she is new to the group and her grief is still new, will this open up wounds in the other widows?

Adriana is moving on but the closer she gets to her wedding the more she worries about her future with Grant, especially when she gets an anonymous email telling her to beware and get out while she can.

This is a twisty story all woman have secrets and are hiding something big but are they linked in some way, if so what could it be. They really do become great friend and show support and when all is reveled wow.

This was a great read that had me turning the pages and guessing till the end and what an explosive end, all woman are wonderful characters and I felt for them all, I do highly recommend this one and look forward to many more stories from S J Short.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my digital copy to read and review.

5 stars
February 1, 2024 by Avon

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

The Perfect Affair

 The Perfect Affair

Angela Henry



Reviewed by Helen


I was pulled into this one from the start, it is a suspenseful story with lots of twists and I never saw the ending coming the way it did, it did keep me guessing and changing my mind many times as the clues the clues were uncovered.

Aaron is happily married to Paige and they have eight year old twins Bailey and Bryce, Aaron is a professor at the university and Paige a nurse, when Aaron is given a promotion the pressure is on, he is spending more time at work and Paige already has a stressful job she can feel them drifting apart and when she turns up to a faculty mixer she knows that Aaron is having an affair, with a colleague Dr. Cara Morton and Cara seems to be flaunting that she is.

When Paige insists that he end it Aaron agrees and Paige believes him, they need to save their marriage for their family, but it appears that Aaron is not strong enough and soon there are accusations from Cara and it appears Aaron may lose his job, Paige stands by her husband but when Cara goes missing and Aaron becomes the prime suspect, can she trust him to be truthful, after all she also holds secrets that no one knows herself, will they come through unscathed, what secrets will be uncovered and will they ever discover what really happened?

Both Aaron and Paige are determined to get to the truth and do a bit of investigating themselves and what they discover is shocking.

I do highly recommend this one there are many fabulous characters, good and bad and it is sure to keep any mystery, thriller reader turning the pages as all is uncovered and reveled, with a twist.

My thanks to the publisher Storm and Netgalley for my digital copy to read and review.

4 stars
January 15, 2024 by Storm Publishing

Saturday, January 6, 2024

A Shadow at the Door

 A Shadow at the Door

Jo Dixon



Reviewed by Helen


WOW this one was a one sitting read, there was no way I was putting it down till I got to the end, I have been eagerly awaiting Jo Dixon’s next book since I read her debut last year which I loved so much and she has nailed it again with a book filled with mystery, tension and wonderful characters and Hobart Tasmania is great setting, come along for the ride I am sure you will love it as much as I did.

Former TV star Remi Lucan has made herself a good life in Hobart, renovating the house that means so much to her after everything that has happened to her, the vicious attack and her divorce from her husband, leaving her career and wifely duties behind has been good for her and her beautiful home is nearly finished, if only she had more money to do so.

Her ex-husband Simon is putting the pressure on her to sell the house and pay him back what she owes, but Remi is desperate to keep her house, so desperate that she takes in a couple of borders, an older woman Josephine and a young woman Emerson, this is hard for Remi but needs must, but when there are a few things happening that are causing even more problems for Remi Josephine and Emerson decide to do some investigating, could there be someone behind these incidents, is someone out to get Remi and if so who?

Remi has always had one close friend, Luke and he is there for her always and as things get worse he arrives in Hobart to help as well, but who is doing these things to Remi, are her new borders involved, it is her ex and his new wife, who and then things heat up, are lives now in danger, will they discover who is behind it before it is too late?

This book has many twists and turns, so many people who could be the culprit, but who? I was tossing around guesses in my mind at each turn of the page, so many wonderful characters in this one, good and bad. I loved Remi she stayed strong throughout all that is and has happened to her, I was cheering her on. This is one that I highly recommend truly if you love a good mystery, thriller one that will keep you guessing then read this one.

Jo Dixon is now one of my favourite authors and I will eagerly be awaiting her next book.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my digital copy to read and review.

5 stars
January 1, 2024 by HQ Fiction

Thursday, November 16, 2023

The Haven

 The Haven

Outer Banks Secrets #2

Nicola Marsh



Reviewed by Helen


This one had my mind going in different directions, this is another twisty tale of secrets and mystery that had me turning the pages to find out what happened, come along and meet Leah, John and Rylee and see if you can unravel the truth about The Haven.

Leah was a trust fund child but when she is pushed by her parents she rebels and moves to The Outer Banks and purchases a gothic mansion, and here she turns it into a house to help runaways and anyone in need, she soon is working at a nearby orchard and wellness centre Arcania and gets to know the other people who live and work there but Arcania, it appears is not a safe place to be.

As time goes by Leah takes on a young man John who has memory issues and she treats him like a son and he has a daughter Rylee who will always be her granddaughter and Rylee loves her grandmother but she also wants to find out what happened to her mother and spread her wings a bit, this leads her to Arcania where she meets Spencer who has worked there for many years and secrets start to unravel that could turn Rylee’s small family upside down.

I loved this one what a story, very twisty and atmospheric, dark times and some people who will do anything to keep their loved ones safe but is it the right way to go about it? You need to read this one I do highly recommend it and the first book in the series The Retreat

4 stars

October 31, 2023 by Parlance Press

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

An Honest Lie

 An Honest Lie

Tarryn Fisher



Reviewed by Helen


Rainy is an artist and is happily living at the top of Tiger Mountain with her partner Grant, she is content but keeps her disturbing past to herself, they belong to a group of friends who have happy hour and the woman seem to get on well, but when she is convinced to attend a girls weekend in Vegas Rainy is apprehensive to go back to her past.

The tension is high on this weekend and Rainy is sure that something is going on with Tara and Braithe and after a big night out and a visit to a physic that Rainy was not happy about Braithe does not return to the hotel and a when Rainy texts her asking for answers Rainy realizes that someone else has her phone.

A message lets her know that Braithe is being held by someone, someone who knows Rainy and all about her past and Rainy must rescue her friend, but before she follows the rules set, Rainy puts a few things in place and before long she is meeting with her past, danger abounds not only physical but mentally as well.

This was a slow moving book at first then things started to move faster and Rainy is forced to go back to her past and relive so much pain, I did enjoy it very much some twists and lots of things were explained, I was pulled in to this physiological thriller, the end was a fitting one in my opinion and very good, Rainy was a fabulous strong character and I liked her a lot and it is a book that I would recommend.

My thanks to Harlequin AU for my copy to read and review.

4 stars

April 26, 2022 by Graydon House