The Children on the Train by Anna Stuart

Description from Goodreads:

"November 1938, Germany. Grete guides two small children onto the train. Placing her arms protectively around their shoulders, she prays the journey is uneventful because she must get six-year-old Adele and eight-year-old Rosa out of Germany…

Grete always longed to be a mother, but it never happened for her so, as the clouds of war gather over Europe, she’s devoting her time to helping Jewish children escape the Nazis. She remembers the face of every single child she’s taken on trains to freedom in the Netherlands. The danger increases with each trip, but, today, she has to get her best friend’s children to safety, because they are closest thing she has to family.

But at the border, the train screeches to a halt and she hears the shout of a Nazi guard. Then the sound of boots coming towards their carriage. When the door bursts open, she draws herself up tall, and prepares to face the interrogation she knows will come. With shaking hands, she passes over Rosa and Adele’s tattered papers and hopes they aren’t scrutinised too closely.

Grete is ready to do whatever it takes to keep her small charges safe…"

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An incredible story that blew me away  Having previously read and thoroughly enjoyed The Midwife of Auschwitz by Anna Stuart, I couldn't wait to pick up her latest release. Safe to say, she has done it again! This was an emotional, gripping and moving story that pulled me in right from the very first page.  

What really stood out for me was the unbelievable bravery of Grete and Helena, and the constant danger they put themselves in every single day. Before reading this, I had never heard of Geertruida "Truus" Wijsmuller-Meijer (Grete), which I think is a total scandal. This lady should be just as famous as Sir Nicholas Winton, and someone needs to make a film about her! The sheer peril she put herself in to escort children across borders and stand up to Nazi officials took my breath away. She was such a practical, no-nonsense matriarch who used her sheer tenacity and gift of words to save lives.  

Helena was another absolutely amazing character who completely stole my heart. Facing growing persecution in Germany while trying to keep her family safe, her inner strength was unbelievable. It was so heartbreaking to see her accompany children on the train transports, knowing she had to keep returning to Nazi Germany time and again for fear of jeopardising the whole operation and putting her own family in increasing danger. 

It's a heavy subject, but Anna Stuart brings so much warmth and humanity to the story that you just can't put it down.  Although this is a work of fiction, Truus and many of the events and experiences depicted are based on real life, which makes the whole reading experience even more poignant. 

If you enjoy historical fiction that packs an emotional punch and highlights true unsung heroes, I can't recommend this enough. 

A huge thank you to Anna Stuart, the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy to read and share my honest thoughts. 

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You Never Said Goodbye by Luca Veste

Description from Goodreads:

"A DEVOTED MOTHER

Sam Cooper has a happy life: a good job, a blossoming relationship. Yet, there's something he can never forget - the image seared into his mind of his mother, Laurie, dying when he was a child. His father allowed his grief to tear them apart and Sam hasn't seen him in years.

A LOVING WIFE

Until an unexpected call from Firwood hospital, asking Sam to come home, puts in motion a chain of devastating events. On his deathbed, Sam's father makes a shocking confession.

A LIAR?

Who was Laurie Cooper? It's clear that everything Sam thought he knew about his mother was wrong. And now he's determined to find out exactly what she did and why - whatever the cost.

What happens if you discover you've been lied to by your own family for twenty-five years?

Sam Cooper is about to find out."

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A fast paced chase with an interesting premise but too many gaps

This is another book that has been sitting patiently on my to-be-read pile since 2022 and I have finally got round to reading it now! 

The story kicks off with Sam, whose life is completely upended when his wife is murdered and he becomes the prime suspect. To make things even crazier, he discovers that his mother – who he thought died in a car crash when he was a child – might actually still be alive. He ends up going on the run across America to find out the truth while fleeing the police and some very dangerous people.

It starts off with a massive bang and the initial hook is fantastic. The pacing is incredibly fast and it genuinely feels like a frantic high-stakes chase movie. If you want something action-packed that keeps moving from city to city, the momentum here definitely delivers on that front.

However, as the chase went on, I struggled a bit with the plausibility of it all. Sam manages to pull off some unbelievable escapes, and a lot of the plot relies on huge coincidences that stretched my layout of belief a bit too far. Some of the twists toward the end felt quite convoluted and I was left with a few too many unanswered questions about how everything connected. It is a decent, fast-paced thriller if you can switch your brain off and just enjoy the ride, but it did not quite hit the mark for me.

A big thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts.

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One of Us is Guilty (Eddie Flynn #10) by Steve Cavanagh

🔥🔥🔥 On Sale: 30 July 2026 🔥🔥🔥

Description from Goodreads:

"A PERFECT COUPLE.

BUT ONE OF THEM IS A KILLER. WHICH ONE?

Patrick Vanderpool, son of a billionaire media mogul, is destined for power. But the affair he's having could ruin everything.

Vanessa Vanderpool, married to one of America's most influential men, has her own ambitions. But the affair he's having could ruin everything.

When the other woman is found brutally murdered, there are only two suspects...

One of them is guilty. But which one?

Conman turned defence lawyer Eddie Flynn must risk his life to find out..."

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Another absolute masterclass

Steve Cavanagh has done it again!

I have been following the Eddie Flynn series for a while, and reaching book ten in a series can sometimes feel like a risk, but this one completely delivers. If you have read any of the previous books, you will know Eddie is one of the most compelling protagonists around and his latest outing is right up there with his  best. If you haven't, give your head a wobble and put that right by getting one now! You don't have to start at the beginning as each one works well as a standalone – however, I would recommend it for the character history and development.

The setup for this one is brilliant and gets moving straight away. Patrick Vanderpool – the ambitious son of a (horrible) media mogul – is having an affair with a woman named Molly Green. His wife Vanessa follows him to Molly's apartment not best pleased as you can imagine. When Molly is brutally murdered inside, both husband and wife are left standing as the main suspects. They both had access, they both had a strong motive and they both have massive secrets to hide. Eddie Flynn is tasked with defending Vanessa but in doing so, he puts himself, his friends and his family in the firing line although, in truth, he doesn't have much of a choice.

What I love about Steve Cavanagh's writing is how seamlessly he blends legal courtroom maneuvering with fast, clever con-man tricks. The pacing is relentless from the start, with short chapters that make it far too easy to keep reading just one more. The Vanderpool family dynamic is brilliantly sinister, and Eddie's team are fantastic and brilliantly loyal.

If you enjoy high-octane legal thrillers or just an incredibly fun crime series, this is a must-read. Eddie and his team remain absolute favourites of mine and I cannot wait to see what comes next. 

A huge thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this, the latest in what is an excellent series.

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A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

Description from Goodreads:

"When Chloe Davis was twelve, six teenage girls went missing in her small Louisiana town. By the end of the summer, her own father had confessed to the crimes and was put away for life, leaving Chloe and the rest of her family to grapple with the truth and try to move forward while dealing with the aftermath.

Now twenty years later, Chloe is a psychologist in Baton Rouge and getting ready for her wedding. While she finally has a fragile grasp on the happiness she’s worked so hard to achieve, she sometimes feels as out of control of her own life as the troubled teens who are her patients. So when a local teenage girl goes missing, and then another, that terrifying summer comes crashing back. Is she paranoid, seeing parallels from her past that aren't actually there, or for the second time in her life, is Chloe about to unmask a killer?"

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A slow burning thriller that relies heavily on a familiar formula

This one has been sitting patiently on my to-be-read pile since 2022 and I have only just got round to reading it now!

The story introduces us to Chloe, whose father confessed to murdering several teenage girls when she was a child. Twenty years later, she is working as a psychologist when local girls start disappearing again, triggering all her old trauma and paranoia. It is a really interesting premise that hooks you early on, especially exploring the psychological impact of her past.

The atmosphere is quite thick and moody, which fits the Southern gothic setting well. Chloe is a deeply flawed and anxious narrator, which adds to the tension because you are never entirely sure if what she is seeing is real or just fueled by her past trauma and medication. The pacing does drag quite a bit in the middle section though. It felt like a lot of time was spent inside Chloe's head repeating the same doubts, which slowed down the momentum of the mystery.

My main issue was that the plot felt a bit predictable if you read a lot of psychological thrillers. A few of the twists were easy to spot ahead of time, and the final resolution wrapped up a bit too conveniently. It is a decent debut mystery that keeps you turning pages, but it just lacked that extra spark to make it stand out from the crowd.

A big thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts.

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One Dark Summer by Sarah Hornsley [Audiobook]

🎙🎙🎙 Narrated by Daphne Kouma 🎙🎙🎙

Description from Goodreads:

"Lily has spent her whole life not knowing the truth.

Now, one island will change everything.

When she was four years old, Lily's mother, Penny, walked out the family home and never returned. Growing up, Lily tried to block out the pain of betrayal. But years later, when Lily learns her mum's family used to own a holiday home on Osea Island, she can't resist booking a last-minute trip, hoping to finally find a connection to her mother.

But Osea is no ordinary place. Tidal and remote, it keeps its secrets close.

As Lily begins to peel back layers of the past, she uncovers a web of silence, betrayal, and pain stretching back twenty-five years. The island holds the truth of what really happened to Penny and why she never made it back home.

But some secrets aren't buried in the past. Nor are they still on the island. Some are closer than Lily ever imagined."

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An intriguing premise on Osea Island 

When I heard about the setup for this one, featuring a remote, tidal island and a cold case disappearance, I was definitely intrigued. The story centres on Lily, whose mother Penny vanished when Lily was only four years old. Years down the line, Lily finds out her mother's family owned a holiday home over on Osea Island, so she decides to go there to figure out what actually happened.

While the premise sets up an interesting family mystery, the plot itself did not fully hit the mark for me. There are plenty of twists, lies and family secrets dropped along the way, but a few of the developments felt a bit forced and I struggled to get invested in the characters. 

The real highlight here was the audiobook narrator. She was fantastic and brought so much life to the story, keeping the momentum going even through the parts where the plot slowed down and, to be honest, this felt quite often for me. Her delivery made the characters far more engaging, and I am really glad I chose to listen to this rather than reading a physical copy.

If you are looking for a light coastal thriller to pass the time, this is an okay listen, mainly thanks to the great performance by the narrator.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for enabling me to listen and share my honest thoughts.

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