The Narrator by K.L. Slater

 💥💥💥 Due to be published 06-Jan-2023 💥💥💥

Description from Goodreads:

"What if the chance of a perfect life… put your daughter in grave danger?

Being a single mother is tough, but I’d do anything for my little girl Scarlet. I’d given up on my career as a voice actor when the call came, but suddenly I was the new narrator for a secret book from bestselling author Philippa Roberts, who has been missing for eight months. It was a lifeline for me and my daughter.

I hated that it meant leaving Scarlet with my ex in his perfect new home with his perfect new girlfriend. But I knew it was the right thing to do.

But as I start reading Philippa’s new novel, I start to wonder if it’s no coincidence that I’ve been chosen to narrate it. There’s something hidden in the pages of this book, I’m sure of it. Some clue to Philippa’s disappearance. And I don’t feel safe. I think I’m being watched. My room has been searched.

And then my ex’s girlfriend calls in tears and everything starts to click together. If I don’t find answers fast, I’ll lose more than my second chance. I’ll lose my daughter."

📚📚📚📚📚📚

This is a twisty and intriguing thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Eve narrates books for a living and when a book surfaces from an author that disappeared months ago and Eve is asked to narrate it, she jumps at the chance.  Having received the book by email, Eve realises something's not quite right with it and so begins Eve's quest to find out just what happened to the missing author but what she finds, is far more than she expected.

With excellent characters, an enthralling plot and twists that surprise, this is a great book and Ms Slater is fast becoming one of my go-to authors.

A twisty, psychological thriller that I devoured in quick time and thanks must go to Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Narrator.

👇👇👇👇👇👇

Connect with the author:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

👀👀👀👀👀👀

Other books by K.L. Slater I have read and reviewed:

The Girlfriend

Her First Child by Sheryl Browne [Audiobook]

 

Narrated by Tamsin Kennard

Description from Goodreads:

"A perfect mother. A loving daughter. A secret that could destroy them both.

New mother Eve is overwhelmed with love for her baby son, Kai. As she swaddles him in a fluffy white blanket, she shudders at a memory of her own childhood. She hasn’t seen her heartless mother Lydia in years, and she hasn’t told a soul about what really happened the night her baby brother died in the squalid little house she grew up in…

When the phone rings in the dead of night, Eve’s heart pounds as she hears the voice at the other end. ‘Hello Mother’, she replies, an ice-cold chill creeping down her spine. She grips her son’s tiny frame close to her trembling chest as she reluctantly agrees to let her mother visit.

But when Eve has to make an emergency call from Kai’s bedroom early one morning, she curses herself for allowing her mother back into her perfect little family.

‘Kai was fine when I checked on him a few hours ago.’ Her mother says, breathlessly as she watches her daughter’s face change from fear to rage.

Why was Lydia in Kai’s bedroom during the night? And as Lydia pleads her innocence, could it be that she’s not the most dangerous mother in this family?"

🎧📚🎧📚🎧📚🎧

This is a suspense and intrigue filled book that kept my attention from the start with a narrator that was great and really brought the story and the characters to life.

With multiple characters and a story that is told over two timelines, this is a book that could easily get away from you but the author cleverly keeps you on track and on your toes.  

I have to admit that the characters aren't particularly likeable but they are very interesting and complex so I don't think it matters too much with this book and it adds to the intrigue and keeps you guessing to the end.

This is the first book by Sheryl Browne I have read and it certainly won't be the last and I want to thank Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen and share my thoughts of Her First Child.

👇👇👇👇👇👇

Connect with the author:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Still Standing (Matt Standing #3) by Stephen Leather

💥💥💥 Due to be published 05-Jan-2023 💥💥💥

Description from Goodreads:

"The SAS are used to deaths during combat - it goes with the turf.

But when one of their own is said to have committed suicide in Thailand, red flags are raised.

Pete Green wasn't the sort of soldier who would ever take his own life - and no one is more sure of that than his twin brother, Davie.

Davie is determined to fly to the Land Of Smiles to find out what really happened to his twin brother. But if he is going to find out the truth he'll need help - the sort of help only SAS Sergeant Matt Standing can provide.

But soon after they arrive they come under attack, leaving Standing to investigate on his own. There are clearly people who want to shut down all enquiries and Standing knows he will have to use all his SAS jungle skills to survive. This will be the toughest of assignments but nothing will come between him and the truth ..."

📚📚📚📚📚📚

Once again, Mr Leather treats us to a story full of action and intrigue from the start.  This might be the third in the Matt Standing series but can easily be read as a standalone so don't worry.

When Pete Green apparently commits suicide whilst taking a break in Thailand, his twin brother smells a rat; Matt agrees to accompany him to find out how Pete died and repatriate his body back to the UK.  On arrival, it quickly becomes apparent that things are definitely not what they seem and things quickly go downhill and it's going to take all Matt's SAS training and guile, as well as a little intel from a certain "Spider" back in the UK, to get out of the trouble he finds himself in.

Well written, fast paced with great characters and an excellent story, this is a great read that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to others and my thanks go to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of Still Standing.

👇👇👇👇👇👇

Connect with the author:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

👀👀👀👀👀👀

Other books by Stephen Leather I have read and reviewed:

Standing Alone (Matt Standing #2)

Slow Burn (Dan Shepherd #17)

Short Range (Dan Shepherd #16)

Penalties

Spider Shepherd: SAS The Sandpit

Natural Selection (A Spider Shepherd Short Story)

Devil's Chimney (Detective Rutherford Barnes #1) by Adam Lyndon

 

Description from Goodreads:

"On a wild and stormy night on England’s south coast, ambitious young police constables Rutherford Barnes and Harriet Holden are doing the rounds when they see a burglar fleeing the scene of the crime.

And it’s Harriet’s house. The ground floor is ransacked. Scrawled in red across one wall are the words: DEAD COPS SLEEP LONG.

Then a few days later, Harriet’s battered body is discovered in a shabby seafront hotel.

Newly promoted to Detective, Barnes vows to discover who killed his partner, and why.

Harriet had a dark secret. As Barnes uncovers a layer of corruption which threatens to expose people at the highest levels of the force, he has a terrible choice to make: justice for Harriet — or his career."

📚📚📚📚📚📚

A new series and author for me and one I enjoyed and look forward to reading more of in the future.

With a gritty plot and excellent and well developed characters, this is a great addition to the police procedural genre.   The pace is a little steady to begin with and it took me a while to get into it, but it certainly ramps up to what is a tense and very satisfying finish.

Thanks go to Joffe Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of Devil's Chimney.

The Vanishing of Margaret Small [Audiobook] by Neil Alexander

 

Narrated by Annie Aldington and Rachel Atkins

Description from Goodreads:

"Meet Margaret Small: 75, plain spoken and a Cilla Black super fan. Shortly after the death of her idol, Margaret begins receiving sums of money in the post, signed simply 'C'.

She is convinced it must be Cilla, but how can it be? To solve the mystery of her benefactor Margaret must go back in her memories almost 70 years, to the time when she was 'vanished' to a long-stay institution for children with learning disabilities."

🎧📚🎧📚🎧📚🎧

Oh my word!  This is a debut novel for Mr Alexander and what a debut it is.

I absolutely love Margaret ... what a likeable and strong character she is despite what she experienced in her young life.  She has every reason to dislike her fellow human beings but she is much better person than most ... she is kind, thoughtful and understanding.

The book is told in two timelines, the past and the present.

The present:  Margaret is 75 and living independently with the support of her excellent support worker Wayne.  Margaret loves Cilla Black and she likes nothing more than listening to Cilla's autobiography but when she starts receiving notes and gifts from someone who signs them with "C", Margaret thinks Cilla is back from the dead but it can't be so who is it?  The notes revive memories from Margaret's past.

The past:  Margaret's story starts at 7 years old when she is "vanished" into a long-stay institution called St Mary's where she lives for the majority of her life.  I won't say she is 'cared for' as what she endured is not care in any way, shape or form but Margaret endures it with innocent acceptance of knowing it's not right but being powerless to do anything about it.  There are scenes which broke my heart but others that also warmed it.

Both timelines are equally captivating and enthralling but the past had me in bits at times at the cruelties of how children and adults who are "different" were treated but through it all, was the voice of Margaret who I can only describe as being a beautiful person.

I listened to the audiobook and I can highly recommend it; the narrators are just brilliant particularly the voice of Margaret ... oh my, she was brought to life for me; it was like she was sitting right next to me telling me her story myself ... just brilliant.

Margaret is a fictional character however, her story is based on the experiences of 'real' people the author has met during his working life which makes this book even more powerful and I must thank Bonnier UK Audio, Embla Books and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of The Vanishing of Margaret Small.

👇👇👇👇👇👇

Connect with the author:

Twitter

The Charity Shop Detective Agency by Peter Boland

💥💥💥 due to be published 13-Dec-2022💥💥💥

Description from Goodreads:

"A serial killer is stalking the elderly of Southbourne. The only clue left behind is a domino in the hand of each victim — with a name scratched on the back.

Eighty-six-year-old Sarah Brown is found dead in her hallway one morning by her delivery man. She was stabbed in the back.

Fiona, Sue and Daisy, volunteers at the local charity shop, Dogs Need Nice Homes, can’t believe their favourite customer is dead. The ladies vow to bring the killer to justice.

With plenty of tea and cake along the way, and despite squabbles with their rivals, the Cats Alliance across the street, the Charity Shop Detective Agency is born.

Fans of The Thursday Murder Club, Janice Hallett, Simon Brett, Ian Moore and Sarah Yarwood-Lovett will adore this exciting new voice in cozy crime.

THE DETECTIVE

Level-headed Fiona has found a quiet sanctuary volunteering at the local charity shop, Dogs Need Nice Homes. And she’s found firm friendship with the strong-willed Partial Sue (she’s ever so partial to a cup of tea) and the kindly — and surprisingly tech-savvy — Daisy. Together, these ladies, with Simon Le Bon, Fiona’s scruffy haired terrier cross, investigate murders as the utterly charming Charity Shop Detective Agency."

📚📚📚📚📚📚

Every now and again I like to take a break from the usual hard-hitting, dark and gritty crime thrillers I usually read and immerse myself into something a little more sedate and The Charity Shop Detective Agency hit the spot perfectly.

I absolutely fell in love with the three main characters in this story - Fiona, Partial Sue and Daisy ... oh and not forgetting Simon Le Bon!  Despite being retired, they have the skills and insight needed to assist in bringing the perpetrator to justice.  There is a supporting cast of equally excellent characters that all added to and had their place within the story.

The plot is engaging and had some great twists and turns that kept me guessing and on my toes.  The pacing was perfect for me and felt right for the story. 

Highly recommended to those who enjoy a cozy mystery with believable characters and I can't wait for the next in the series ... sign me up!

Many thanks to Joffe Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Charity Shop Detective Agency.

👇👇👇👇👇👇

Connect with the author:

Twitter

Facebook

We Fly Beneath the Stars by Suzanne Kelman [Audiobook]

 🎤🎤 Narrated by Lauryn Allman 🎤🎤

 

Description from Goodreads:

"1942, Europe: Based on the true story of a female-only bomber battalion, this is a totally heartbreaking and unforgettable story about sacrifice, sisterhood and a love that transcends war.

When the love of Tasha’s life, Luca, joins the air force to fight against the evil Nazi invaders, she knows she has to follow her heart—and him—into battle. Headstrong, impulsive and a daredevil, she’s the perfect recruit.

Tasha’s sensible older sister Nadia plans only to stop Tasha’s madness and bring her home. But a chance encounter puts her in a plane, soaring above the clouds, and she also finds her calling.

Underestimated by their superiors, Nadia and her sister find themselves in airplanes barely fit to fly, being sent on perilous missions with little hope of return. But before long their battalion is being nicknamed ‘the Night Witches’ by the Nazis, their ownership of the skies second to none.

But danger is up in the storm clouds with them, and when both sisters are shot down behind Nazi enemy lines, and taken to a brutal prison camp, they expect to never see their beloved homeland again.

Until Tasha’s eyes meet across the wire fence with someone she never expected to see again: the love of her life, Luca.

But with love comes peril… Will one sister have to sacrifice everything to save the other?"

🎧📚🎧📚🎧📚🎧

This is one of those stories that grabs you and doesn't let go until the last word ... absolutely gripping, full of tension and courage ... and based on a true story.

The book follows the lives of Nadia and Tasha, sisters who join the Russian Airforce during World War II and who become fighter pilots in the much-feared by the Germans and all-female squadron known as "The Night Witches."

Given inferior equipment and less training than their male counterparts as well as having to put up with their harassment all whilst trying to stay alive and get back safely following their night sorties over the advancing German army; this is a story of tremendous bravery however it also a tale of sibling rivalry, love, loss and choices.

The narrator, Lauryn Allman, was excellent; her voice totally immersed me into the story; one of the best I have come across so far and my thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of We Fly Beneath the Stars.

👇👇👇👇👇👇

Connect with the author:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

A Child for the Reich by Andie Newton

 

Description from Publisher:

"Rumours of the Nazis coming for Czech children swept through the villages like a breeze through the trees, and the story was always the same…

They wanted our children to raise as their own.

Since her husband, Josef, joined the Czech resistance three years ago, Anna Dankova has done everything possible to keep her daughter, Ema, safe. But when blonde haired, blue-eyed Ema is ripped from her mother’s arms in the local marketplace by the dreaded Brown Sisters, nurses who were dedicated to Hitler’s cause, Anna is forced to go to new extremes to take back what the Nazis have stolen from her.

Going undercover as a devoted German subject eager to prove her worth to the Reich, the former actress takes on a role of a lifetime to find and save her daughter. But getting close to Ema is one thing. Convincing her that the Germans are lying when they claim Anna stole her from her true parents is another…"

📚📚📚📚📚📚

Inspired by a true story, this book is absolutely gripping and full of tension, heartbreak and the story of one woman's quest to find and rescue her daughter from the Nazi's Lebensborn programme.

Anna Dankova and her family live in Nazi-occupied Prague.  Her husband and brother-in-law have joined the Czech Resistance leaving them to try and raise their children with the ever present danger of the Nazi soldiers, the Gestapo and the much feared Brown Sisters; female nurses who were dedicated to the Nazi cause. They worked for the Nazi Welfare Organization and searched through villages and towns for Aryan-looking children.

Anna and her sister's children are blonde-haired and blue-eyed and their fears are only too real but they are powerless against the might of the Nazi regime and one day, Anna's daughter, Ema is literally ripped from her arms in broad daylight leaving Anna, understandably, distraught and determined to get her back whatever the risks before she is lost forever.

Anna uses all her skills, courage and guile to find her daughter, infiltrate the children's home where she has been placed to be indoctrinated into the German way and to figure out a way to get her out of there whilst under the ever present threat of exposure and certain death.

This is a story full of tension and heartbreak and one mother's determination to find her daughter no matter what and it was absolutely gripping and I have no hesitation recommending it to those of you who 'enjoy' reading historical fiction based on true stories and events.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of A Child for the Reich.

👇👇👇👇👇👇

Connect with the author:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Goodreads

Amazon