Book after Book

By Alice Feeney Published by HQ   Synopsis: Aimee Sinclair: the actress everyone thinks they know but can’t remember where from. But I know exactly who you are. I know what you’ve done. And I am watching you. When Aimee comes home and discovers her husband is missing, she doesn’t seem to know what to do or how to act. The police think she’s hiding something and they’re right, she is – but perhaps not what they thought. Aimee has a secret she’s never shared, and yet, she suspects that someone knows. As she struggles to keep her career and sanity intact, her past comes back to haunt her in ways more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. How did this book end up in my hands? I read a 10-part serialisation of the book via The Pigeonhole ahead of publication. Was it a page-turner? Yes, I am sure that had I had the physical copy of the book in my hands, I would have finished reading it in a couple of days. Did the book meet my expectations? It did in...

By Melanie Golding Published by HQ Synopsis: Lauren is alone on the maternity ward with her new-born twins when a terrifying encounter in the middle of the night leaves her convinced someone is trying to steal her children. Lauren, desperate with fear, locks herself and her sons in the bathroom until the police arrive to investigate. When DS Joanna Harper picks up the list of overnight incidents that have been reported, she expects the usual calls from drunks and wrong numbers. But then a report of an attempted abduction catches her eye. The only thing is that it was flagged as a false alarm just fifteen minutes later. Harper's superior officer tells her there's no case here, but Harper can’t let it go so she visits the hospital anyway. There's nothing on the CCTV. No one believes this woman was ever there. And yet, Lauren claims that she keeps seeing the woman and that her babies are in danger, and soon Harper is sucked into Lauren's spiral of fear. Bu...

By Seni Glaister Published by HQ   Synopsis: Baked, mashed, boiled or fried, Mr Doubler knows his potatoes. But the same can’t be said for people. Since he lost his wife, he’s been on his own at Mirth Farm – and that suits Doubler just fine. Crowds are for other people; the only company he needs are his potato plants and his housekeeper, Mrs Millwood, who visits every day. So when Mrs Millwood is taken ill, it ruins everything – and Mr Doubler begins to worry that he might have lost his way. But could the kindness of strangers be enough to bring him down from the hill? How did this book end up in my hands? I was part of the blog tour for this book at the beginning of the year and I received a copy in exchange of my honest opinion. Was it a page-turner? This is an extremely sweet book and I enjoyed taking my time to read it as it allowed me to get to know the characters better than if I had rushed through it, missing all their nuanced personality traits. Having read...

By Phoebe Morgan Published by HQ Synopsis: Perfect mother. Perfect wife. Jane Goodwin has spent years building her picture-perfect life in the quiet town of Ashdon. So when the girl next door, sixteen-year-old Clare Edwards, is found murdered, Jane knows she must first protect her family. Every marriage has a few white lies and hers is no exception. Jane’s worked hard to cover up her dark secret from all those years ago – and she’ll do anything to keep it hidden… How did this book end up in my hands? I have read this book via an online serialisation by The Pigeonhole . Was it a page-turner? Absolutely. Every day of the serialisation, I would eagerly wait for the daily instalment only for it to be over too quickly. I don’t think I’m a particularly fast reader but I couldn’t get enough of this novel! Having read the synopsis, did the book meet my expectations? The synopsis is adequately creepy but the novel itself is even more chilling. Expectations were...

By Robin Talley Published by HQ Synopsis: In 1955 eighteen-year-old Janet Jones must keep the love she shares with her best friend a secret. As in the age of McCarthyism to be gay is to sin. But when Janet discovers a series of books about women falling in love with other women, it awakens something in her. As she juggles a romance she must keep hidden and a new-found ambition to write and publish her own story, she risks exposing herself – and Marie – to a danger all too real. Sixty-two years later, Abby Cohen can’t stop thinking about her senior project – classic 1950s lesbian pulp fiction. She feels especially connected to one author, ‘Marian Love’, and becomes determined to track her down and discover her true identity. Is Abby prepared for what she will find? How did this book end up in my hands? I requested a review copy of this book as soon as I saw it in the HQ newsletter and my wish was granted. I am one lucky bookblogger! Was it a page-turner? It was at first and...

Welcome to my date on the Mr Doubler Begins Again blog tour! I am so happy to be part of this and to be able to introduce you all to this incredibly heart-warming and inspiring novel, which was published by HQ on January 24th. I will soon be sharing my thoughts more in depth in a separate review but today I have something special… a Q&A with the author herself, Seni Glaister ! Hi Seni! First of all, I would like to congratulate you on the publication of Mr Doubler Begins Again ! Can you please briefly tell us what it is about? A: Thank you!   The novel is the story of an isolated potato grower whose only real contact with the world is through his daily lunches with his housekeeper, Mrs Millwood. But it is only when she stops visiting that he realises how much he depends on her companionship. The novel explores themes of friendship, legacy, family and, yes, new beginnings. Did you have the plot entirely figured out when you started writing the book or did it take ...

By Vanessa Lafaye with Rebecca Mascull Published by HQ Synopsis: Orphans Clara and Jacob Marley live by their wits, scavenging for scraps in the poorest alleyways of London, in the shadow of the workhouse. Every night, Jake promises his little sister ‘tomorrow will be better’ and when the chance to escape poverty comes their way, he seizes it despite the terrible price. And so Jacob Marley is set on a path that leads to his infamous partnership with Ebenezer Scrooge. As Jacob builds a fortress of wealth to keep the world out, only Clara can warn him of the hideous fate that awaits him if he refuses to let love and kindness into his heart… How did this book end up in my hands? I received a gorgeous proof copy from the publisher in exchange of my honest opinion. And I am so glad I did. Was it a page-turner? With age, I have sadly lost the ability to stay up late with a book, no matter how much I am loving it. It was with great sadness that I put this novel down to sleep but ...

Written by Liam Callanan Published by HQ Synopsis: Twelve weeks before Leah Eady arrived in France, her husband disappeared. Early one morning, he walked out the door and never came back. All he left behind was a scrumpled note in a cereal box, leading her to the bustling streets of Paris. Once she arrives, she discovers a mysterious unfinished manuscript written by her husband, and set in the very same city. Hoping to uncover more clues, Leah takes over a crumbling bookshop with her two young daughters, only to realise that he might just be closer than any of them ever imagined… …but wha t if he doesn't want to be found? How did this book end up in my hands? This book ticked all the right boxes – great title, intriguing synopsis, gorgeous cover – so I requested an advance review copy from the publisher, which I was very lucky to receive. Was it a page-turner? It is a very Parisian book… a book that needs to be enjoyed like you would a tray of macarons . Slowly! When...

Publication day is here and all you have to do to be immediately transported to Paris via the pages of this book is visit a bookshop, whether online or offline... C ongratulations to author Liam Callanan on the publication of Paris by the Book - and a big thank you to his publisher, HQ , for bringing it to us Readers! For pictures of Paris that I've posted while reading this book, please feel free to browse my Twitter account! For my book review and other surprises, please check back in a few weeks...

Publication day is here and you can now find this atmospheric page-turner both in shops and online... Congratulations to author Amanda Jennings on the publication of her new book, The Cliff House ! I would also like to thank her publisher – HQ – for allowing me to read this dark drama ahead of publication. As ever, I feel extremely privileged! You can read my review of the book here – where you can also find out how to win a copy of this book. Plus, keep checking back as the author has kindly accepted to answer a few questions for my blog!

Written by Amanda Jennings Published by HQ Synopsis: Cornwall, summer of 1986. The Davenports, with their fast cars and glamorous clothes, living the dream in a breathtaking house overlooking the sea. If only… thinks sixteen-year-old Tamsyn, her binoculars trained on the perfect family in their perfect home. If only her life was as perfect as theirs. If only Edie Davenport would be her friend. If only she lived at The Cliff House… How did this book end up in my hands? As soon as I read the synopsis and I saw the cover of this book I requested a copy, which the publisher kindly sent me ahead of publication day. Was it a page-turner? This is one of those books where you know from the very beginning that something bad is going to happen but you just can’t tell what this is or when it is going to spring on you. The characters and relationships that connect them take a while to reach boiling point but when they do, they do so properly! Fast paced? No. Page-turner? Yes. ...

Hi Darren! First of all, I would like to congratulate you on the paperback publication of Our Little Secret . Can you please briefly tell us what it is about? A: Our Little Secret is about a man named Chris, who on the 5th of May is going to step out under a cargo train and take his life. Something has happened to him, something tragic, a secret he cannot share, and he feels this is the only solution to his grief. He has planned it to perfection but, minutes before, Sarah steps onto the platform and he cannot finish what he started. Leaving the station, he has to wait for another date that matters. So, consumed with the knowledge she has accidently saved a man, Sarah begins a journey to find him and save him again. But the more she finds out about Chris, the more dangerous it becomes, because some secrets are meant to stay buried. Did you have the plot entirely figured out when you started writing or did it develop before your eyes as the characters grew on the page and did so...

By Darren O'Sullivan Published by HQ Synopsis: Chris is ready to join his wife. He’s planned this moment for nearly a year. The date. The time. The train. But he hadn’t factored in Sarah. So when Sarah walks on to the platform and sees a man swaying at the edge she assumes he’s just had too much to drink. What she doesn’t expect is to stop a suicide. As Sarah becomes obsessed with discovering the secrets that Chris is clearly hiding, he becomes obsessed with stopping her, protecting her. But there are some secrets that are meant to stay buried… How did this book end up in my hands? I have received a copy of this book from the wonderful publicists at HQ in exchange of an honest review. They didn’t need to ask twice! Was it a page-turner? Yes, yes and yes. The book is completely addictive and it is wonderfully scattered with plot twists that leave you open-mouthed and hooked. Having read the synopsis, did the book meet my expectations? The book met...

Publication day is here and you can now find these gorgeous books both in shops and online... My heartfelt congratulations go to authors Cherry Radford , Darren O'Sullivan and Jessica J. Lee - not to forget the wonderful people at Urbane Publications , HQ and Virago who have made this all happen. Over the next few weeks I will be sharing interviews with the authors, thoughts about the books and much more so do keep checking back to see what I have in store for you!