InkedBookReviews

Four suburban mothers and friends conspire to cover up a deadly crime in this heart-stopping novel of suspense in the tradition of Lisa Scottoline and Lisa Unger.

Alison, Julie, Sarah, Heather. Four friends living the suburban ideal. Their jobs are steady, their kids are healthy. They’re as beautiful as their houses. But each of them has a dirty little secret, and hidden behind the veneer of their perfect lives is a crime and a mystery that will consume them all.

Everything starts to unravel when Alison spots a nasty bruise on Heather’s wrist. She shares her suspicions with Julie and Sarah, compelling all three to investigate what looks like an increasingly violent marriage. As mysterious injuries and erratic behavior mount, Heather can no longer deny the abuse, but she refuses to leave her husband. Desperate to save her, Alison and the others dread the phone call telling them that she’s been killed. But when that call finally comes, it’s not Heather who’s dead. In a moment they’ll come to regret, the women must decide what lengths they’ll go to in order to help a friend.

Just Between Us is a thrilling glimpse into the underbelly of suburbia, where not all neighbors can be trusted, and even the closest friends keep dangerous secrets. You never really know what goes on in another person’s mind, or in their marriage.

My Review

“What if?”

A question that is human nature to ask, to think, normally followed by worrying, scary scenarios! And this is where this story begins, with Alison playing the “what-if” game. What if they hadn’t moved to Sewickley? What if she had never met Julie at preschool drop-off? If that hadn’t happened then the four women would likely to have never met and that one question that started it all would never have been asked “How did you get such a nasty bruise?”

Told from the four women’s points of view Alison is positive that Heather is being abused by her husband and raises her suspicions to the other women of their little group who remain unsure until things begin to escalate leaving no doubts. As Heather’s bruises and “accidents” become more serious they all become frightened for Heathers life, unless she left him the only other ending would be her husband ending her life.

As each woman lives in fear of receiving that phone call or that knock on the door informing them of Heather’s death, when it does come it is nothing like any of them had been expecting and changes all their lives in ways none had seen coming.

Heather isn’t the only member of their group that has been keeping secrets, they are all harbouring secrets that they would like to remain just that, a secret, but as things begin to spiral out of control secrets are dragged out into the light bringing suspicion and doubt with them.

How far you will go for those you love?

Brimming with suspense that increases with the plot twists it is a story of friendship, trust and loyalty asking the questions “How well do you really know those you love?” and “How far you would be prepared to go to protect those people?” This book will keep you turning pages to find out the answers to the main question, “What happens next?”

A really great read for fans of Liane Moriarty and B.A. Paris.

Grab your copy now from Amazon UK or Amazon.com Glass of wine optional 

Many thanks to the author Rebecca Drake, publishers St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest, independent review.

What an absolutely beautiful book, not only is the cover stunning but the story itself is as visually stunning as its exterior. From the exotic setting in Morocco to the fabled shores of the isle of Avalon the story is told in such splendid detail you can’t help being swept along throughout.

The characters are as colourful as their surroundings weaving together humans and mythical creatures alike all culminating in the quest to find the fabled Bird King.

I loved this book to the point I’m struggling to review it without spoilers and to do the story justice. If you enjoyed books such as Robert Dinsdale’s The Toymakers or Katherine Arden’s The Bear and The Nightingale then you won’t want to miss this one.

The Bird King will be published in the UK on March 12 2019 and can be pre-ordered now

A proper review to follow!

Thank you to G. Willow Wilson, the publishers Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved Otherworld and have been waiting impatiently for the second book of the series, OtherEarth to be released so when I was lucky enough to receive an early copy to review, I put the book I was reading to one side and jumped straight back into the AI Otherworld.

As much as I loved this book i felt it fell slightly short of its predecessor unfortunately. This book seems to be aimed a lot more towards the younger audience but don’t let that stop you reading it! It is still a great sci-fi fantasy read and a brilliant series. I will say however, if you haven’t had chance to read the first book in the series, OtherWorld, you really should before jumping in with this one! There is some back story but not enough to get the full enjoyment out of this one.

I’m not a gamer myself but I can see the draw of them and with the ever-expanding technological advances this won’t require to much of a step outside of reality. But thank god we aren’t at this stage and I hope we never will be! As much as i enjoy reading about it and having my imagination expanded in unexpected ways I have no desire to live in a world such as this one has become.

OtherEarth takes us back to where Otherworld rudely left us, Simon our unlikely, and at times unlikable hero is still searching for a way to bring the company down to stop the general population from being transported to OtherWorld. Now there are only a few disks remaining, but instead of being a good thing for the children that live there, Otherworld has become a rich mans hunting ground.

As Simon, Kat and Barusa try to save the children of Otherworld the company now have something new trialing. Something more realistic, and even more unsafe. As one situation looks like becoming resolved another supersedes it.

Ending on yet another nail biter of an ending, now the wait begins for OtherLife!!

OtherEarth will be published on 30 October 2018 in the UK and can be pre-ordered now.

A huge Thank You to Jason Segel & Kirsten Miller, the publishers Rock the Boat, Oneworld Publications and NetGalley for my advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

A RUTHLESS GANG LEADER. A DEADLY VENDETTA. KAREN ROSE RETURNS WITH THE BREAK-NECK FOLLOW-UP TO MONSTER IN THE CLOSET, AND THE SIXTH BOOK IN THE HEART-POUNDING BALTIMORE SERIES.

Gwyn Weaver is as resilient as anyone could be. Having survived an attempted murder, she has rebuilt her life and reclaimed her dignity and strength. She’s always known about her feelings for defence attorney Thomas Thorne, but as her friend and a colleague there could be no chance of anything more… or could there?

Thorne has known violence and pain all his life. He’s overcome the hardships that have been thrown at him thanks to his own steel, and the love of his loyal friends. Now he’s thinking it might finally be time to let his guard down, and allow himself to let in the woman he’s always admired from afar.

Then Thorne’s whole world is torn apart — he is found unconscious in his own bed, the lifeless body of a stranger lying next to him, her blood on his hands. Knowing Thorne could never have committed such a terrible crime, Gwyn and his friends rally round to clear his name.

But this is just the beginning — the beginning of a brutal campaign to destroy Thorne, and everything he holds dear…

My Review

I have read all of Karen Rose’s books and they always cause me sleepless nights and this one was no different. I just couldn’t make myself put the book down and stop reading!!

I was especially looking forward to this one as Thorne has always been one of my favourite characters throughout this series – he is my ideal man! Shame he’s not real This book is slightly different from the others as with this one we know who the bad guy is from the start almost, but there are still revelations to be had throughout the book and the reasons behind the “Why?” all fall into place and some of the reasons were unexpected!!

Told between Thorne, Gwyn and their tormentor Tavilla’s view really added depth to the characters and the storyline and they are all brilliant characters.

Tavilla is such a great bad guy – violent, psychopathic, and willing to go to any lengths to achieve his goal – destroy Thorne by going after everyone he loves and framing him for murder! Clever!!

Thorne’s friends and family all come together to clear his name putting themselves in danger to save him from himself as much as from Tavilla as well as protecting their own from becoming victims. This book brings back characters from previous books and its great to see how Clay and Taylor are getting along now they have been reunited as well as Daphne, Ford, J.D, Lucy and Stevie since we last saw them.

And of course, there is the romance element! The relationship between Thorne and Gywn gets taken to the next level, from friends and business partners to romance and some pretty steamy sex!! But both have their own demons and secrets that have an impact on both of them. It was about time these two got some luck in the love department!!

I hope there will be a continuation in this series but Karen Rose has a new book out on February 21, 2019 ( Yes I know – ages to wait!! ) Say You’re Sorry (The Sacramento Series Book 1) so it looks like we will be meeting new people with a new series.

If you are a fan of Karen Rose you are in for a real treat with this one and although I wouldn’t recommend reading this without reading the other books prior to this one but saying that, it will work as a stand alone novel. But if this is your first Karen Rose book, after reading it you will be desperate to read the rest!!

Absolutely compelling reading that you won’t want to put down!!

Death is Not Enough was published on 17 May 2018 in hardcover and digital format. The paperback edition is due to be published on 2 October 2018 in the UK

Say You’re Sorry can also be pre ordered now from Amazon UK

Thank you Netgalley and Headline for my advance copy of Death Is Not Enough.

I can honestly say that this book will be next years must read of 2019.

It has it all, what appears to be the perfect family, but in reality they are facing underlying stress, a mental ill wife, self-destructive teenage children, deteriorating marriage and of course, the move into The Murder House!

As with all books in this genre, things are never as they seem but sometimes, just sometimes, they are exactly that! I mean, who would expect The Murder House to be a perfect family home and a fresh start for them all? But can a house really have influence over the occupants and their actions? How much influence does our upbringing and past have on our futures?

Sarah, a once young colourful aspiring artist looking forwards to her future painting her way around the world. Her best friend and fellow aspiring artist Caroline, never a fan of Patrick but who has supported Sarah as best she can. Patrick, the older professional career and family man, who had an idyllic upbringing, brought up in a perfect house by the sea and who loves his wife and children. Joe their 17-year-old son, also a promising artist who has yet to find out Sarah is not his real mother and finally, Mia, the 15-year-old daughter who has always been a daddy’s girl.

All have their own story, their own problems that all culminate and come to a head inside the murder house!

Although Patrick is the only family member that wants the move and the fresh start the family all agree that they will try to make it work and to make the house perfect again just as it was when Patrick first lived there. It will be a monumental task for them all, the house has been neglected since the family before were all murdered in that house, damp patches and mould on the walls, rotting window frames, cold spots in certain parts of the house, not to mention the noises an old house can make don’t go anyway towards helping the new occupants to settle in to their new house.

Sarah becomes convinced someone is watching the house ever since they moved in, but is that just her imagination as Patrick suggests? And then what of the odd items left on the doorstep? A seashell? Living that close to the beach doesn’t sound that strange but then things begin to escalate as both Sarah and Patrick’s sanity and reality being to deteriorate.

Who’s perception is in fact reality and who’s is reality slipping away from them?

Will the house always be The Murder House or can it become the perfect family home they wish it to be?

With some plot twists to be expected and some that come as a shock, this is a psychological thriller not to be missed!

The Woman in the Dark will be published in the UK on 10 January 2019

A big thank you to Vanessa Savage, the publishers Little Brown Book Group and NetGalley for my advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

All thoughts and opinions are my own.