Hidden Lies by Rachel Ryan

Description from Goodreads:

"All children have imaginary friends. It's perfectly normal.

But when Georgina's young son Cody tells her about his 'New Granny', a mysterious friend from the park, the words send shivers down her spine. Georgina's beloved mother died only months ago.

Her husband Bren is certain the woman is an invention, Cody's way of grieving for his grandmother, but there's something in the way Cody talks about his new friend that feels so real.

Is someone out there, watching Georgina's family from the shadows?

Is Cody's imaginary friend not so imaginary after all?"

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An eerie setup that slightly loses its way

This one has been waiting patiently on my to-be-read pile for quite some time, so I was glad to finally get round to reading it! 

The story follows Georgina, her husband Bren and their young son Cody. Things seem quiet enough until seven-year-old Cody starts talking about a new imaginary friend he calls "New Granny". Having recently lost her own mother, Rose, Georgina finds this unsettling, but Bren brushes it off as Cody's normal way of coping with grief. However, as Cody reveals details and brings home sweets from this mysterious figure, Georgina begins to suspect that "New Granny" isn't an imaginary friend at all, but a real person lurking in the shadows.

The initial setup is brilliantly unsettling. Rachel Ryan creates a really eerie atmosphere early on, and I was genuinely hooked by the mystery of whether Cody was making it all up or if someone was actively watching the family. The psychological tension surrounding motherhood, grief and paranoia made for a gripping first half.

However, as the book progressed into the second half, it started to drag a bit for me. The story shifted quite heavily onto Georgina and Bren's troubled marriage, and the constant lack of communication and arguments between them grew repetitive after a while. It felt like the main mystery took a back seat, which slowed down the momentum. When the final reveals came, they felt a bit rushed and convoluted compared to the brilliant build up.

It’s still an atmospheric, easy read with a great initial hook, but it didn't quite live up to its full potential for me.

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

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Silent Hunt (A Joe Clayton Thriller #3) by Tom Bale

Description from Goodreads:

"We all bear the wounds of our past…

Joe Clayton, now Cooper, lives a quiet, solitary life as a groundsman on a grand Sussex estate. Still hiding his secret former life as an undercover cop; still hunted by a ruthless crime family who have put a price on his head.

But Joe’s peaceful existence is shattered when he spots intruders breaking into the house next door. His mind instantly goes to Gemma Granger, the young woman house-sitting while the owners are away. Joe has made a rare connection with Gemma, and he is furious to discover that she has been dragged into a violent revenge plot, involving the homeowners' runaway son and a vicious criminal gang.

When Gemma is snatched by the gang, Joe must step out of the shadows, track the kidnappers, and rely on the deadly skills he tried so hard to leave behind. But playing the hero means risking his hard-won cover, exposing him to the merciless enemies who will stop at nothing to see him dead."

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A great thriller 

Having never read anything by Tom Bale before I ended up inadvertently dropping into this series at book three. I was a bit apprehensive at first about being late to the party but it works surprisingly well as a standalone. While I obviously missed some of the back story the author provides enough detail to fill in the missing pieces and bring you up to speed.

I absolutely loved the character of Joe Clayton and the dynamic he has with Celia, his employer, and Gemma. The plot itself is brilliant keeping you guessing as to how it's all going to play out. It moves at a good pace with plenty of action and scenes of peril where you're holding your breath for the characters.

Everything builds up to a satisfying conclusion while leaving things on a cliffhanger for the next and final book in the series. I'm definitely hooked now and can't wait to see how it all ends.

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

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It Runs in the Family (Iris Gardner Mystery #1) by Denise Grover Swank [Audiobook]

🎙🎙🎙 Narrated by Piper Goodeve 🎙🎙🎙

Description from Goodreads:

"Seeing the future is a questionable gift. Seeing your own murder? That’s a problem.

Iris Gardner has been dealing with psychic visions her whole life—a “gift” from the father she never met and a burden her chaotic Texas family loves to exploit. Working the graveyard shift at a Stop-n-Go in Chaffney, Texas, helps keep her away from most of the drama.

Until she sees herself dead.

When a dangerous stranger walks into her store, he triggers a vision of her own murder while her cousin Selena pleads for Iris’ life. But when the Iris tries to warn Selena, she discovers the

Selena is missing.

Iris has changed the future before, but she's never had to prevent her own murder. With a family who treats her visions like a party trick, rumors of a cartel moving into town, and a man who’s a little too interested in her, Iris must figure out who wants her dead—and why—before her vision becomes reality.

Because in her family, trouble doesn't just run in their blood. It runs them down."

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A great start to a new series

I haven't read or listened to anything by Denise Grover Swank before so I didn't really know what to expect when picking up It Runs in the Family, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

It is a great story with a clever concept and I really liked how it all played out. The characters are brilliant, especially Iris and her chaotic family. The narrator is spot on and really brings everyone to life and making this an easy listen.

While it was a little slow in the middle, overall it had a good pace that kept me hooked. I listened to it in my car and there were times when I was genuinely hoping for a traffic jam just so I could listen for a bit longer.

I am pleased it's the first in a series because I was left wondering what had happened to one of the characters, so hopefully they will be making an appearance in the future.

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

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Under the Cover of Darkness (The County Cork Killings #3) by Michelle Dunne

🔥🔥🔥 Publication due 28 October 2026 🔥🔥🔥

Description from Goodreads:

"Recruit. Soldier. Instructor. Peacekeeper… Killer.

Corporal Lindsey Ryan knew that her UN peacekeeping tour in South Lebanon would test her limits, but she never expected to become someone else entirely.

When Lindsey stumbles upon her superior, Sergeant Leo Horgan, brutally assaulting a local Lebanese woman, a split-second decision leaves him bleeding to death on a shop floor. Desperate to protect Aleena from her fiercely abusive husband and to save her own career, Lindsey and Aleena work together to ensure they can both walk away free – and alive.

But there’s a bigger picture that they know nothing about and now someone in her camp knows exactly what she did. Someone far more dangerous than she ever could have imagined.

Lindsey finds herself tormented by anonymous blackmail notes issuing terrifying ultimatums while living the reality of daily mortar attacks, enemy sabotage and the devasting loss of her brothers-in-arms…

Forced into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse, not knowing who to trust, Lindsey has the fight of her life on her hands, in a war that the rest of the world knows nothing about."

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A tense thriller

Having read a few of Michelle Dunne's books before, I've been really looking forward to diving into this third instalment. It takes us back in time to Lindsey Ryan's earlier days serving as a UN peacekeeper in South Lebanon and it proves to be a powerful and gripping read.

The story kicks off with a massive turning point when Lindsey witnesses her superior officer committing a horrific crime and makes a split-second decision that changes everything. Rather than a traditional whodunnit murder mystery, the real tension comes from the aftermath. Lindsey and the local woman she protected try to cover their tracks, but someone in the camp finds out the truth. Soon Lindsey is dealing with anonymous blackmail notes alongside the daily reality of mortar attacks and enemy sabotage.

I really liked how the book captures the psychological weight of military life. It blends quieter moments of downtime with sudden bursts of terror and high-stakes action. It's definitely not a light or easy read because it deals with some very heavy themes and toxic situations, but that realism makes it so compelling. Lindsey is a fantastic character with a real conscience, and watching her navigate such an impossible moral dilemma kept me hooked from start to finish.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this great addition to the series.

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The Measure by Nikki Erlick

Description from Goodreads:

"It seems like any other day. You wake up, drink a cup of coffee, and head out.

But today, when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. The contents of this mysterious box tells you the exact number of years you will live.

From suburban doorsteps to desert tents, every person on every continent receives the same box. In an instant, the world is thrust into a collective frenzy. Where did these boxes come from? What do they mean? Is there truth to what they promise?

As society comes together and pulls apart, everyone faces the same shocking choice: Do they wish to know how long they’ll live? And, if so, what will they do with that knowledge?"

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A thought-provoking premise that slightly missed the mark for me

I’ve had this one sitting on my ever increasing to-be-read pile since 2022, so I was really looking forward to finally diving into it. The concept behind the story is undeniably brilliant. One morning, every person aged twenty-two and over wakes up to find a small wooden box on their doorstep. Inside is a single string, and the length of that string reveals exactly how long you have left to live. It’s such an intriguing setup, and it immediately makes you wonder what you’d do in that situation. Would you open the box or leave it sealed?

The story follows an ensemble cast of characters as humanity grapples with the aftermath of these mysterious arrivals. Nikki Erlick does a great job exploring the societal fallout and the prejudices that quickly form between those with short strings and those with long ones. The political and ethical dilemmas raised throughout the book are genuinely fascinating to think about, and it definitely gets your mind racing about destiny, choices, and human nature.

However, whilst the premise had me completely hooked at first, the execution felt a bit lacking in places. With so many character perspectives to jump between, I struggled to build a strong connection with any of them. Just as I was getting invested in one storyline, we’d jump to someone else, which made the pacing feel a little slow and fractured in the middle. I also felt like the story played it slightly too safe towards the end rather than fully leaning into the emotional chaos of its concept.

It’s still an enjoyable read with plenty of great book club discussion potential, even if it didn't quite live up to its massive potential for me.

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

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