The Stalker

by

Kate Rhodes

She thinks she understand stalkers. Until she becomes a target . . . 

Elly is an expert in stalking – an academic at Cambridge University and a popular media pundit. She knows the subject intimately: what motivates a stalker, how they behave, how to rehabilitate them.

But now it’s personal. Someone is following her, making silent phone calls and sending her ominous notes. The message is always the same – me or you.

Elly can’t trust anyone – not her family, her friends or her colleagues. She knows that her stalker must be someone close to her. And when they suddenly turn violent, she realizes she’s running out of time to find out who it is.

Because it looks like only one of them will survive.

REVIEW

Elly Shaw is a university professor who teaches psychology at Cambridge university. When she realises she herself is being stalked it is a matter of putting her own teachings into practice whilst keeping herself and her family safe.

She even starts to think it could be her husband Rafe after they separate when she finds out he is having an affair. 

Elly's son Jamie is determined to find out who it is, but he can be reckless and will think nothing of putting himself in danger trying to keep his mother safe. 

I am a huge fan of this author and couldn't wait to read this one. It has everything you need in a great thriller, good characters, suspense, chapters that are short and you just want to read "one more" before going to bed! 

Typically, I trusted no one and suspected everyone and I still got it wrong! Loved it and would thoroughly recommend.

** COVER REVEAL **

 Estella's Fury

by

Barbara Havelock

I’m SO excited to be taking part in the cover reveal for Estella’s Fury, the new dark, gothic historical thriller by Barbara Havelocke, @BarbaraCopperthwaite It’s the sequel to Estella’s Revenge, a twisted tale of dark deeds, which I loved when I reviewed it last year - and this sounds even better!

Daughter. Murderer. Saviour.

London, 1835.

To high society, Estella is the perfect lady. But her fair face hides dark secrets – what has she done with her husband? And will her past crimes come back to haunt her?

Desperate to escape her troubled life, she visits her friend, Lady Taykall. But when a servant girl disappears, Estella stumbles on a horrifying web of crimes and feels the old fire for vengeance burning inside her.

To mete out her own brand of dark justice she must risk everything.

Even if it means she cannot survive.

 Kitty's War

by

Eimear Lawlor

BLOG TOUR

Kilkenny, 1939. Ireland might be neutral, but Kitty Flynn is caught in her own war. Forced to give up her child at seventeen, she escaped to London in search of a fresh start.

However, in 1941, upon hearing that her brother, Anthony, who had been injured during the Spanish Civil War, is now gravely ill, Kitty must return home to care for him. In a time where food and medicine are scarce, Kitty is relieved to secure a nursing job - that is, until G2, the Irish Intelligence notices her proficiency in German.

G2 are determined to use Kitty's translation skills to extract information from the German internees at The Curragh Military Camp, even using Anthony as leverage.

Before she knows it, Kitty finds herself in the treacherous world of espionage. And soon Kitty must decide: will she sacrifice herself to save her brother?

REVIEW

Kitty (Kathleen) is on her way back to Ireland from London where she now lives to visit her brother who she has been told is very unwell. Her mother has recently died, but she is not grieving for her. Kitty is hoping her brother Anthony will be ok because she wants to get back to London as soon as she can to continue her new life, bombs or no bombs. 

When she gets home she realises nothing much has changed. Ireland is still full of dark secrets and family disputes. Kitty tiptoes around the people of her village, especially the Nun's who treated her so badly when she became pregnant and had to give up her baby. 

This is a story of love, loss, secrets and a few twists and turns along the way. A great read.

 Poor Girls

by

Clare Whitfield

We were never destined to have anything – so you know what we did?
We took it anyway.

1922. Twenty-year-old Eleanor Mackridge is horrified by the future mapped out for her – to serve the upper classes or find a man to marry (preferably kind). She ‘proved useful’ working in a munitions factory during the war – handling explosives – but now, society is returning to normal and women are being put back in their place.

But Eleanor has never paid attention to what society expects of her. When she crosses paths with a member of the notorious female-led gang the Forty Elephants, she is in awe of these bold women who wear diamonds and fur, drink champagne and gin, who take what they want without asking. Now, she sees a new future for herself: she can serve, marry – or steal.

After all, men will only let you down. Diamonds are forever.

REVIEW

I love reading about Alice Diamond and the Forty Thieves as I come from South East London, so I had to read this one. 

This story is about Eleanor Mackridge who is from Brighton and is smitten with a man from London and when she finds herself handling stolen jewels from him and has to transport them to London, she is drawn into the world of stealing from department stores as part of a girl gang and trying to make her fortune. 

Eleanor changes her name to Nell and when she meets the leader of the Forty Elephants, Alice Diamond, she is in awe of her and decides that she wants to be a part of that world.

Nell is put into a small gang (cell) and soon makes friends with the others and once she has been "trained" up there is no stopping her! but will her eagerness to make a fortune be her downfall?...

I really enjoyed this book, it was easy to read and liked the mix of characters.

 The Blackbirds of St Giles

by

Lila Cain

BLOG TOUR

It’s 1782, Daniel and his sister Pearl arrive in London with the world at their feet and their future assured. Having escaped a Jamaican sugar plantation, Daniel fought for the British in the American War of Independence and was rewarded with freedom and an inheritance.  

But the city is not a place for men like Daniel and he is callously tricked and finds himself, along with his sister Pearl, in the rookeries of St Giles – a warren of dark and menacing alleyways, filled with violence and poverty.  

The underworld labyrinth is run by Elias, a man whose cruelty knows no bounds. But under his dangerous rule is a brotherhood of Black men, the Blackbirds of St Giles, whose intention is to set their people free.  

Can Daniel use his strength, wit and the fellowship of the other Blackbirds to overthrow Elias and truly find the freedom he fought for…? 

REVIEW

After Daniel fought in the War of Independence for the British Army he is promised a better life in England and along with his sister Pearl, they board a ship to bring them to London as he has been promised an inheritance, but as soon as he meets his beneficiaries brother, he is tricked out of his inheritance and he and Pearl are sent to a place in called St Giles, where it is full of other people from Caribbean countries and outcasts who have also fallen on hard times. 

St Giles is run by an evil man by the name of Elias who sees Daniel as a way of making him money by being a fighter and sets out to train him up to fight whoever he can to earn him a fortune. 

Daniel and Pearl are taken under the wing of Jen, who Pearl instantly takes to, but Daniel is wary and feels she is using them to her advantage. 

Daniel does as he is told by Elias and trains hard, but Daniel is a strong character and even though he is way down on his luck, he is biding his time until he and the others in St Giles can find a way to bring Elias down. 

I knew I was going to love this book as soon as I saw the cover! I love stories about Victorian London and even though this one started in the plantations of Jamaica, the attention to detail in the writing was fabulous and I was totally absorbed.

I would thoroughly recommend this book. It is a hefty read, but worth it!

 Life Begins

by

Kate Eberlen

BLOG TOUR

Jessica and Robin have been best friends since university. For his fortieth birthday, she plans an elaborate surprise trip to Italy with his closest friends and family. Sometimes it feels like everyone knows how much she loves Robin... everyone except Robin himself.

Laura has two beautiful children, a stylish London home and a thriving career as a deputy headteacher. But she also has a secret. One she's been keeping for many years. And now it's time for the truth to come out.

Actor Robin is looking forward to being the centre of attention once more, as those he loves most come together for a week-long getaway. But as long-simmering desires rise to the surface and tensions reach breaking point, he begins to wonder...

Could life really begin again at forty?

Review

When Jessica's best friend Robin's 40th birthday looms, she decides to book a surprise trip to Italy in a gorgeous farmhouse surrounded by his closest family and friends and the most beautiful scenery you could imagine. What could possibly go wrong!

Robin's wife Laura is a Deputy Head Teacher and has a secret of her own, but surely his 40th birthday celebrations are not the right time to reveal all?

Jessica has a secret that she has been keeping for too many years in the fact that she is in love with Robin, but how can she possibly tell him that now after all this time?

Robin, can't wait for the celebrations to begin and is loving having his nearest and dearest around him, but even he has secrets that could turn everyone's lives upside down should the situation arise...

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story for all the secrets that were revealed!

 A good bunch of characters (some I liked more than others!). Would definitely recommend.

Ten year blogaversary

TEN YEAR BLOGAVERSARY!

10 years ago today my son helped me set up a blog so that I had a platform for people to read my book reviews and so, Boon’s Bookcase was born. 

I may not have a huge following or be known by many publishers, but I have made some great bookish friends both in person and virtually since 2015 and been to lots of book events and taken part in many blog tours/cover reveals and personal reviews. 

I have to say thank you to my friend Julie Williams, who reviews sometimes on the blog and has saved my bacon on more than one occasion when I haven’t had time to read and review for a blog tour! (She is a much faster reader than me!)

If you have visited my blog and read any of my reviews, thank you, I appreciate every single one of you. I  extremely proud of my little blog and long may it continue! 

Happy 10 year blogaversary to Boon’s Bookcase, here’s to many more!! 🥳🍾