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Sunday, 27 June 2021

Hostage by Clare Mackintosh

 


Description from Goodreads:

"You can save hundreds of lives.
Or the one that matters most . . .

The atmosphere on board the inaugural non-stop flight from London to Sydney is electric. Numerous celebrities are rumoured to be among the passengers in business class and journalists will be waiting on the ground to greet the plane.

Mina is one of a hand-picked team of flight attendants chosen for the landmark journey. She's trying to focus on the task in hand, and not worry about her troubled five-year-old daughter back at home with her husband. Or the cataclysmic problems in her marriage.

But the plane has barely taken off when Mina receives a chilling note from an anonymous passenger, someone intent on ensuring the plane never reaches its destination. Someone who needs Mina's assistance and who knows exactly how to make her comply.

It's twenty hours to landing.
A lot can happen in twenty hours . . ."

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You know sometimes when there is so much hype around a book and then you read it and it's a bit of a disappointment ... well, let me tell you that this is not one of them!

Oh my word.  What an absolutely corker of a read this is.  I know it's a clichΓ©, but this really is page-turning and difficult to put down.  It starts quite serenely but the sense of dread creeps up on you just as it does to Mina. 

There aren't enough superlatives to describe this book, just know that it's everything you would want in a thriller.   Excellent characters, relentless pacing, claustrophobic, nail-biting, gripping, tense, thrilling and that's just what's happening on the flight; I won't even start to go into what's going on at home!

As you have probably guessed, I thoroughly enjoyed this and would recommend to anyone who .... well anyone really!

Thanks must be given to Little, Brown Book Group and NetGalley for my copy in return for an unbiased and unedited review.

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Sunday, 20 June 2021

The Colours of Death by Patricia Marques

 


Description:

"The Murder
In the Gare do Oriente, a body sits, slumped, in a stationary train. A high-profile man appears to have died by throwing himself repeatedly against the glass. But according to witnesses, he may not have done this of his own accord.

The City
Lisbon 2021. A small percentage of the population are diagnosed as Gifted. Along with the power comes stigma and suspicion.

The Detective
In a prejudiced city, Gifted Inspector Isabel Reis is hiding her own secrets while putting her life on the line to stop an ingenious killer.

A violent and mysterious crime. Suspected Gifted involvement. A city baying for blood. And a killer who has only just begun . . ."

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This is not your usual crime fiction story but a mix of police procedural and science fiction.

I don't read a lot of supernatural books so this almost passed me by but I'm so glad I took a chance to read something a bit different because it's thoroughly absorbing and enjoyable.

With great characters that you quickly become invested in, well paced, a great setting and an intriguing and unique plot, this is a great book which I found entertaining and gripping.

This is, I believe, the start of a series and I for one am looking forward to seeing where it goes in the future.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley for inviting me to read and review The Colours of Death; this is no way affected or influenced my review in anyway.

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Sunday, 13 June 2021

The Serial Killer's Wife by Alice Hunter

 


Description from Goodreads:

"They’re saying he’s a monster. And they’re saying she knew.

Beth and Tom Hardcastle are the envy of their neighbourhood – they have the perfect marriage, the perfect house, the perfect family.

When the police knock on their door one evening, Beth panics. Tom should be back from work by now – what if he’s crashed his car? She fears the worst.

But the worst is beyond imagining.

As the interrogation begins, Beth will find herself questioning everything she believed about her husband.

They’re husband and wife – till death do them part"

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This isn't your usual 'serial killer' story; there isn't the plethora of bodies or frightening scenes of murder and mayhem but what it is is a surprisingly enthralling story that builds in tension and ends in an extremely, but strangely, satisfying way.

Alice Hunter has created a story that focusses on the wife of the suspected killer and I quickly became engrossed in her inner turmoil as to whether her husband was innocent or guilty, how she coped with the press intrusion, the fingers of suspicion pointing at her (surely she should have known or suspected something?) all whilst trying to look after her young daughter, Poppy, and run a business.

The short chapters helped the story to move quickly along and you soon find yourself passing a few hours before you know it.  The setting of a small village added to the claustrophobic feel to Beth's situation.  There are twists along the way and although I guessed most of them, I enjoyed watching how it played out and developed.

All in all, a pretty good book and an author I will look out for in the future.

Thank you must go to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.

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Sunday, 6 June 2021

The Killing Kind by Jane Casey

 


Description from Goodreads:

"He tells you you’re special

As a barrister, Ingrid Lewis is used to dealing with tricky clients, but no one has ever come close to John Webster. After Ingrid defended Webster against a stalking charge, he then turned on her – following her, ruining her relationship, even destroying her home.

He tells you he wants to protect you

Now, Ingrid believes she has finally escaped his clutches. But when one of her colleagues is run down on a busy London road, Ingrid is sure she was the intended victim. And then Webster shows up at her door…

But can you believe him?

Webster claims Ingrid is in danger – and that only he can protect her. Stalker or saviour? Murderer or protector? The clock is ticking for Ingrid to decide. Because the killer is ready to strike again. "

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Ooooo, this is good!

Jane Casey is one of my favourite authors and I love her Maeve Kerrigan series, so when I saw this, I couldn't click fast enough and I was not disappointed; this is a standalone but every bit as good.

This is absolutely gripping from start to finish; full of so much tension and a general creepiness that gets right in your head.  The characters are excellent and John Webster is a brilliant "baddie". 

This is one of those books when you think you've nailed it and then it kicks you in the teeth and you have to start guessing all over again ... I love it!!

Totally recommended to lovers of this genre.

Thank you to HarperCollinsUK/HarperFiction and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.


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Other books by Jane Casey I have read and reviewed: