The Girl in The Red Coat by Kate Hamer Blog Tour

Welcome to 2016! and this is the first of what I hope to be many blog tours for this year!

Synopsis

Eight-year-old Carmel has always been different - sensitive, distracted, with an heartstopping tendency to go missing. Her mother Beth, newly single, worries about her daughter's strangeness, especially as she is trying to rebuild a life for the two of them on her own.

When she takes Carmel for an outing to a local festival, her worst fear is realised: Carmel disappears into the crowd. Unable to accept the possibility that her daughter might be gone for good, Beth embarks on a mission to find her. Meanwhile, Carmel begins an extraordinary and terrifying journey of her own. But do the real clues to Carmel's disappearance lie in the otherworldly qualities her mother had only begun to guess at?

Review

I always find books about missing children very disturbing, but this book is not like your run of the mill missing child novel.

Carmel is eight years old and has a habit of disappearing from her Mum, but soon turns up except for the time they go to a book festival and Beth's worst fears materialise, Carmel disappears.

The book then tells the story of what happens next with Carmel and the person who takes her, but also the story of Beth's journey in coming to terms with her daughter's disappearance. 

Carmel is a very independent child, who seems more mature than her eight years, but in other ways she shows some strange behaviour that her parents pick up on. Carmel is a dreamer and a bit too trustworthy, something that comes back to haunt her when she is taken away from her mother.

I was gripped from the start with this book and as much as I was a bit frustrated with Carmel being so dreamy, I couldn't help but like her. She was a kind girl who wanted to be friends with everyone, even to the person who took her, she believed they were doing it for the right reasons.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and thought it was a brilliant debut by Kate Hamer. If you want to know what happens in the end, I suggest you get yourself a copy!! The mark of a great author is when the ending leaves you wanting more and I certainly wanted that! I have a bit of a book hangover already and it's only the beginning of January!!

Thank you to Sophie Portas at Faber & Faber for sending me a copy to review.

Today, I am thrilled to host my first "Author Post" on my Blog. Cameron Bane is the author of Pitfall and he tells us a bit about himself and his writing space.

I have read some of the reviews on Amazon and Pitfall is certainly one to read! and also there is a chance to win a Kindle Fire if you leave a review on Amazon!

Cameron Bane’s Writing Space

From a young age the necessity of travel has always been a large part of my life. Therefore I’ve spent a lot of time on the road, in hotel lobbies, airport terminals, train stations, restaurants, and clubs. I’ve always enjoyed meeting people from different cultures and all walks of life. To quote Will Rogers, “I’ve never met a man I didn’t like.” Everything I’ve learned about them has become fodder for my writing. I’ve found inspiration from the South Seas to South America to Saudi Arabia, around the Caribbean, and in whistle stops large and small while driving across America. Mountains, oceans, lakes, waterfalls, forests, and wide open spaces have become equally conducive to creativity and true clarity of thought, but in the end, there’s always home sweet home.

I always keep several number two mechanical pencils—with good erasers—with me, as well as a smallish wire bound notebook and/or a thin, hardback, three-ring black binder filled with wide-ruled notebook paper. That way I can always jot down thoughts, notes, characters, their development, and plot lines as they come to me.

My maple-paneled office contains a U-shaped desk topped with a hutch that my wife gave me years ago as an anniversary gift. I’ll keep it forever. Decorating the walls are a crossed Army officer’s sword and scabbard mounted on a shield-shaped cherry wood plaque, and a large walnut framed original painting of two small fishing boats floating serenely in a calm harbor at sunset. My bookcases are filled with books, and many framed photos of my family of different colors, shapes, and sizes. One of my favorite things besides the family photos is an over six-foot-tall hand-carved Hawaiian monkey pod tri-fold screen. Memorabilia include a large green jade hand-carved mulga wood aboriginal adze, a hexagonal black marble paperweight, and many rocks, minerals, and seashells.

Against the wall is a Hobart M. Cable spinet piano, which I’ve had for many years. When I play it, it centers me. 

Author Bio

Cameron Bane is the nom de plume of a thriller novelist who has been writing professionally for more than a decade, with six novels commercially published. A business executive with a large company, he’s frequently circled the globe working with American military forces. He was born to a military family in the southern United States, and is an army veteran himself. Bane currently resides in the Midwest with his wife and family. He’s a member of the Authors Guild, and is a much-in-demand speaker and teacher, having taught fiction tracks for three years at a nationally ranked writers conference near Santa Fe, New Mexico.

PITFALL - First In The Suspense Thriller Series By Cameron Bane Featuring Former Army Ranger And Cop John Brenner

WildBlue Press is offering a free 8Gb, 7" Kindle Fire when you write the most helpful review on the Amazon sales page at http://wbp.bz/pitfallreviews or the review with the most likes on a Goodreads review at http://wbp.bz/pitfallgoodreads, whichever has the most before November 22nd.

After your review is posted please email the date, site and a link to it to info@wildbluepress.com.

Thank you to Lori at TNBBC Publicity for sending me a copy of the book and author post.

Rings of Smoke by Diane O'Toole Blog Tour

Erin Fallon is the eldest daughter of an Irish immigrant who took his family to a small town on the Lancashire/Cumbria border for what he believed to be a better life. It was what her mother wanted, but once she got it, it wasn't enough. She had to have more. Leonard Fitch is an eminent neurosurgeon. His mother was never satisfied either, and her constant demands led to his father being killed in a motor accident. Leonard loved his father; he was the only person to treat him with kindness and affection. He hated his mother but could never stand up to her. Tormented and ridiculed throughout his childhood, Leonard swore to exact revenge on womankind in general, but mothers in particular. At a secluded lodge in the depths of Bleazedale Forest, for four years he carries out the most abominable atrocities with impunity. He takes girls on their birthday and keeps them holed up for a full twelve months before killing them and sending their mothers a birthday card with a picture of their beloved little girl, dead and with their severed feet placed either side of their head.

Review

From the very first page, to the very last, this book gave me chills! It starts with the main character Leonard Fitch’s school days and the background as to possibly why he became a serial killer, but as the book goes on it reveals that the relationship with his mother also had a huge impact on his mental state.

The next part of the book tells us of the Fallon family. John Fallen gets a promotion at work and after being constantly nagged by his wife to move to a bigger house, they embark on a new life in a “better” area! But their daughter Erin is very unhappy about the move as she doesn’t want to leave her friends behind. All the while, watching her every move is Leonard Fitch…….

Leonard Fitch is a Neurosurgeon at the local hospital and all his colleagues are very wary of him and believes him to be odd, but because of his status they try to ignore him until one day his Secretary Carole tries to see what he is up to. I am a Medical Secretary and couldn’t imagine working for someone as odd as Leonard Fitch! He would scare the living daylights out of me to just look at him!!

After confiding in a colleague about Fitch’s behaviour, little does Carole know that another member of staff, Heather, has been earwigging. She then tells her boyfriend and they go on a hunt to find out what Fitch is really up to.

Although this book was very gruesome in parts, it also tells the story of families ripped apart by Fitch, the Fallon’s especially.

This is a fabulous story of love and hate and the author describes things in great detail. I had palpitations reading this book, it is such a page turner!! And as I said at the beginning of this review it is gripping from the first page to the very last. The last sentence is still haunting me (no peeking to the back of the book now!!) and I had to read the last two pages a couple of times because I just couldn’t believe what happened! A fantastic ending and I think there may be a sequel coming!!

Utterly brilliant and thank you to Diane O’Toole and Crime Book Club for sending me a copy to review.

River of Souls by Kate Rhodes

Jude Shelley, daughter of a prominent cabinet minister, had her whole life ahead of her until she was attacked and left to drown in the Thames. Miraculously, she survived. A year later, her family ask psychologist Alice Quentin to re-examine the case. 

But then an elderly priest is attacked in Battersea, his body washed up at Westminster Pier. An ancient glass bead is tied to his wrist. 

The river has always demanded sacrifices, and now it seems a killer believes it's calling out for more.

Alice is certain that Jude and her family are hiding something, but unless she can persuade them to share what they know, more victims will drown...

Review

This is the fourth book in the Alice Quentin series and I am such a fan of Kate Rhode's books that I eagerly await her next instalment every time! When this book was being published, Kate told me that she had mentioned me in the acknowledgements of River of Souls!! This absolutely made my day and I can honestly say, this has been the highlight of my blogging journey so far. I may not have my name in lights, but it's in a book!!

I love Alice, she is gutsy but also has a soft, vulnerable side to her. She treats everyone she sees with respect, but can also stick up for herself if backed into a corner! 

She is brought in to work with DCI Burns again and straight away the spark is there between them, although Burns is back with his wife "for the sake of the kids"! We all know how that one is going to end!

What I absolutely love about Kate's books is that they are all set in and around London. I know South London very well, having been born there and in every book in the Alice Quentin series Kate mentions places of historic interest that I knew nothing about and have had to Google it and have even visited one or two!! This book is full of interesting facts about the Thames which blend in with the story brilliantly.

If you like psychological thrillers you will love the Alice Quentin books I guarantee it! This book in my opinion is the most gruesome, but that only makes it more appealing! I can honestly say, I held my breath at some points in the book and could hear my heart racing.

This was the first book I chose to read when I went on holiday in August to Turkey and I had read over half of it on the plane!

Thank you so much to Kate Rhodes and Mulholland Books for sending me a copy of this book. I cannot wait for book 5 in this series as in my humble opinion, they are just getting better and better.

Just in case you didn't believe me!

* * * * * 

Today, I have great pleasure in revealing the cover for book number 2 in the George McKenzie series...........

I can't wait for the next instalment!

My sister's Secret by Tracy Buchanan Blog Tour 

Willow’s memories of her parents are sun-drenched and full of smiles, love and laughter. But a mysterious invitation to a photographic exhibition exposes a secret that’s been buried since a tragic accident years ago.

Willow is forced to question everything she knew about Charity, her late mother, and Hope, the aunt she’s lived with since she was a child.

How was the enigmatic photographer connected to Willow’s parents? Why will Hope not break her silence?

Willow cannot move forward in her life without answers. But who can she really trust? Because no one has been telling the truth for a very long time.

ADDICTIVE, GRIPPING and EMOTIONALLY POWERFUL, this is the perfect read for your summer holiday escape.

About the Author

Tracy Buchanan is a web journalist and producer who lives in Milton Keynes with her husband and daughter and their one-eyed Jack Russell. Tracy travelled extensively while working as a travel magazine editor, sating the wanderlust she developed while listening to her Sri Lankan grandparents' childhood stories - the same wanderlust that now inspires her writing.

Review

This is the first book of Tracy Buchanan's I have read. I do have The Atlas of Us on my TBR pile, but am embarrassed to say I haven't got around to reading it yet! so when I was asked to review My Sister's Secret for a Blog Tour I jumped at the chance. 

The cover straight away got me excited! I do love a good thriller and stories that get the pulse racing and this book doesn't disappoint.

It is the story of the lives of three sisters Faith, Hope and Charity! All have different personalities and different outlooks on life and as the book progresses secrets unravel and it is so clever how the characters weave in and out of each other's lives. Later on in the book Charity's daughter Willow tries to find out more about her parent's lives and the reasons why her aunt kept secrets.

I really don't want to give too much away, but I loved most of the characters (but the few that I didn't quite like were justified!!) and I thought the author described them brilliantly and how they all came together was really quite believable.

I am a bit of a slow reader, but I managed to finish this book in a couple of days it was that unputdownable! Definitely had a bit of a book hangover when I finished this one. Well done to the author and The Atlas of Us has just shot up my TBR pile!!

I found it quite difficult to write this review, as I didn't want to give too much away, but wanted to let you know what a great read it is!

Thank you to Avon Books for letting me review and be a part of the Blog Tour for this wonderful book.

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Why not enter Tracy Buchanan's Competition!

BritCrime Festival 11 - 13 July 2015

To celebrate the launch of BritCrime’s first free online crime fiction festival, 11-13 July, I have teamed up with BritCrime authors to give away one fabulous prize.

You could win a gift bundle of ten print books, including new releases by Colette McBeth and Sarah Hilary, and MJ McGrath’s Gold Dagger longlisted White Heat. This giveaway is open internationally. One lucky winner will win all ten books.

Please complete the entries in the Rafflecopter before midnight 10th July for a chance to win.

To learn more about the BritCrime festival, please visit http//britcrime.com and sign up to the newsletter. There will be giveaways and live Q&As with bestselling British crime fiction authors hosted on BritCrime’s Facebook page 11 & 12 July.

The Magpies + What You Wish For by Mark Edwards

No Other Darkness by Sarah Hilary

The Life I Left Behind + Precious Thing by Colette McBeth

White Heat by M J McGrath

Beyond the Rage by Michael J Malone

Follow the Leader + Watching Over You by Mel Sherratt

The Harbour Master by Daniel Pembrey

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This book post made my day.......

Yesterday I received in the post a copy of Kate Rhode's latest book in the Alice Quentin series which is due to be published on 18th June (my birthday!!). So can you imagine how delighted and overwhelmed I was to not only receive a copy hot off the press, but to find out that Kate has mentioned me on page 323 in her acknowledgements!! 

I love Kate Rhode's work and came across her books quite by accident when I was researching about the Crossbones Cemetery in South East London and by Googling the name I saw her first book in the series Crossbones Yard on Amazon and promptly bought it! From then on I have been hooked on her work and always eagerly await her new books. 

I constantly badger her on Twitter, asking when the next instalment is due (sorry Kate!) and have even made a few Twitter friends in the process!! 

Thank you Kate for writing such gripping, spine tingling novels that have me gripped from beginning to end and always leave me wanting more. I love them!

The Day We Disappeared by Lucy Robinson

Annie has a secret. But if she's not going to tell, we won't either. It's a heart-breaking secret she wishes she didn't have - yet Annie isn't broken, not quite yet. Especially now there's someone out there who seems determined to fix her.

Kate has run away. But she's not going to tell us why - that would defeat the point of running, wouldn't it? It's proving difficult to reinvent herself, however, with one person always on her mind.

Scratch beneath the surface and nobody is really who they seem. Even Annie and Kate, two old friends, aren't entirely sure who they are any more. Perhaps you can work it out, before their pasts catch up with them for good . . .

Review
I had heard so many great reviews of this book that I just had to buy a copy and find out what all the fuss was about! I wasn’t disappointed. The Prologue alone got my heart racing and “the twist” that everyone kept talking about was exceptional and I admit, I had to go back and re-read a few pages as I thought I had missed something!!

I am not going to delve into the storyline too much because I just don’t want to give any spoilers, but it tells the story of Annie who loses her Mum at such a young age and how she has to cope with that growing up and how her world changes when she meets Stephen Flint, who seems too good to be true………

Then there’s Kate who is running away to start a new life in a riding stables even though she doesn’t know the first thing about horses! As you read you just want to know why and what she is running away from and why she is so nervous and agitated all of the time.

The way the story comes together is just brilliant. I won’t say any more than that, other than you will only find out if you read it as I am giving nothing away!!

This is my first Lucy Robinson book but if this one was anything to go by, it certainly won’t be my last!!

*****

One week to go...............

The Lie by C L Taylor Book Launch Party

Last night I went to the wonderful new Harper Collins buildings in London Bridge for my very first "Official" book launch as a Book Blogger! It was to launch C L Taylor's 2nd thriller The Lie and I will be reviewing it on my blog on Friday 24th April 2015.

I was really excited (but also nervous) as I was going to meet several fellow bloggers for the first time even though I have had numerous conversations with them on Twitter! I needn't have worried though, as they were all really lovely and a couple in particular have been very helpful in giving me advice whilst getting my blog up and running and for that I am truly grateful.

The author, Cally Taylor, is absolutely delightful and I was captivated when she read an excerpt from The Lie. I absolutely loved her first thriller The Accident, so this one had a lot to live up to and it certainly didn't disappoint (I won't say any more, you will just have to read my review!!).

The new Harper Collins building is fab, with gorgeous views over London, but as someone who suffers from Vertigo, I couldn't go near the edge of the windows, but the views were magnificent all the same!!

Thank you to Avon Books and Cally Taylor for inviting me to the book launch. All I can say is you must read this book.......................and roll on thriller number 3!!!

Welcome to my very first Blog Tour...........

The Author

Marnie Riches grew up on a rough estate in Manchester, aptly within sight of the dreaming spires of Strangeways prison. Able to speak five different languages, she gained a Master’s degree in Modern & Medieval Dutch and German from Cambridge University. She has been a punk, a trainee rock star, a pretend artist, a property developer and professional fundraiser. In her spare time, she likes to run, mainly to offset the wine and fine food she consumes with great enthusiasm. Having authored the first six books of HarperCollins Children’s Time-Hunters series, she now writes crime thrillers for adults and contemporary women’s fiction. The first book in her gripping George McKenzie Series, “The Girl Who Wouldn’t Die” releases in digital format on 2 April 2015. 

The Girl Who Wouldn't Die ****

Review

I was very excited to be asked to host this review on my blog as this is my very first Blog Tour! I wasn't sure if this book was my kind of genre but I do like psychological thrillers so thought I would give it a go! I must admit that there were a lot of characters (some of them with Dutch/German names) and with the places in Holland as well, I did find there were a lot of words I couldn't pronounce and ended up calling them my own version of names! But I soon got to know who the main characters were. I wondered if I was going to get confused with George and Ella and what the link between them was, but was pleasantly surprised with the link between the two and thought it was a very clever twist! I come from South East London originally and where Ella "lived" wasn't a million miles from where I used to live so I could sympathise about her being street wise and the language she used!

Marnie describes places and people brilliantly and in great detail and even I, who likes to think I have a strong stomach, had to wince now and again when she described injuries to victims!

I did sometimes get confused with the names of particular cults/religious groups, but if you stick with it, it is a great story. Apart from the thriller aspect, it tells the story about family and friendships and impending relationships and who you can and cannot trust.

This is the first book in a series about George McKenzie and I must admit, I would really like to read the next instalment to see what happens to George! Let's hope I am lucky enough to be able to review book 2!!

****

Exclusive first look at "The Girl who Wouldn't Die"

I'm very excited to be chosen to show you the first look at the cover of "The Girl who Wouldn't Die" by Marnie Riches. Hopefully a blog tour to follow! but here is a synopsis of the book and more about the author:

The Girl Who Wouldn’t Die

HE’S WATCHING HER. SHE DOESN’T KNOW IT…YET

When a bomb explodes at the University of Amsterdam, aspiring criminologist Georgina McKenzie is asked by the police to help flush out the killer. But the bomb is part of a much bigger, more sinister plot that will have the entire city quaking in fear.

And the killer has a very special part for George to play…

A thrilling race against time with a heroine you’ll be rooting for, this book will keep you up all night!

Marnie Riches grew up on a rough estate in Manchester, aptly within sight of the dreaming spires of Strangeways prison. Able to speak five different languages, she gained a Master’s degree in Modern & Medieval Dutch and German from Cambridge University. She has been a punk, a trainee rock star, a pretend artist, a property developer and professional fundraiser. In her spare time, she likes to run, mainly to offset the wine and fine food she consumes with great enthusiasm.

The Girl on The Train by Paula Hawkins ****

The Girl on The Train by Paula Hawkins ****

About the author

Paula Hawkins worked as a journalist for fifteen years before turning her hand to fiction. Born and brought up in Zimbabwe, Paula moved to London in 1989 and has lived there ever since. The Girl on the Train is her first thriller.

Sypnosis

'Gripping, enthralling - a top-notch thriller and a compulsive read' S J WATSON, bestselling author of Before I Go To Sleep

Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. ‘Jess and Jason’, she calls them. Their life – as she sees it – is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough.

Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar.

Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train…

Review – No spoilers!!

After all the hype about this book I couldn’t wait to start it as have heard nothing but good reviews about it! It started off fine and I quickly got into it and read a quarter of the book in one go! It was after this that I found it to be a bit repetitive . The chapters go from one character to the other (Rachel being the main character, Anna and Megan). The chapters then go to the different characters but tell you the same story, therefore being quite repetitive and I found myself having to look several times to see which character I was reading about.

I found Rachel to be an interesting character. I actually felt sorry for her as she slipped into alcoholism due to the break up of her marriage and the effects this had on her day to day life. It was quite scary reading about how she had bouts of total blackness through drink and it was good how the author wrote about her trying (almost too hard at times) to remember things that had happened in the past.

I actually did read some of this book on the train and found several people looking at me whilst I was reading it! So I am glad I read it and can imagine it being a film (which I would definitely go and see!).

The ending was very good and found myself getting quite anxious to read the very last pages to find out what happened! All in all, a good thriller and would definitely read another book of Paula’s!!

"Daughter" by Jane Shemilt *****

About the Author

While working as a GP, Jane Shemilt completed a postgraduate diploma in Creative Writing at Bristol University and went on to study for the MA in Creative Writing at Bath Spa, gaining both with distinction. She was shortlisted for the Janklow and Nesbit award and the Lucy Cavendish fiction prize for Daughter, which is her first novel.

She and her husband, a Professor of Neurosurgery, have five children and live in Bristol.

Sypnosis

When a teenage girl goes missing her mother discovers she doesn't know her daughter as well as she thought in Jane Shemilt's haunting debut novel, Daughter.

This is Jane Shemilt’s debut novel and I must admit I do love a thriller and get quite apprehensive reading them sometimes!. My Son read this before Christmas 2014 and kept on at me to read it as we like to talk to each other about the books we have read! So I did as I was told and started reading it.

What I loved about it is that the Mum (Jenny) is a GP and the Dad (Ted) is a Neurosurgeon. Having worked in a hospital for a while and now in a GP surgery for many years I understood the terminology so therefore found it even more interesting! I also loved that it was mainly set in my beloved Dorset, especially Burton Bradstock, where I love to visit every year!

The characters are all very believable and the author describes them very well. Without giving the game away some are more likeable than others!!

Briefly the story is about a family whose daughter disappears and the effects the disappearance and aftermath have on each of them. The chapters flip back to the day she disappeared and a year later. It is very cleverly done and as the chapters are quite short, I kept reading “one more chapter”!

Naomi (daughter) is a very believable and “normal” teenage girl who has secrets from her Mum and it’s not until she disappears and her Mum (Jenny) finds her diary that she starts realising the extent of the secrets.

Jenny finally realises that she doesn’t really know any of her children as well as she thought she did, or her husband come to that!!

The ending is fabulous and keeps you guessing literally until the very last page! Also the ending (without giving too much away) left me with a few questions and it wasn’t until I digested the ending that I thought it was brilliantly clever and fantastically written.

Utterly compelling novel and really can’t wait for her next one, totally worth the 5 stars!