Tropical Girl Reads

A Good Place to Hide the Body – ARC Book Review

Title:- A Good Place to Hide A Body

Author:- Laura Marshall

Date published:- will be published on 4th July 2024

No. of pages:- 320 pages

Genre;- Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4.5/5

‘Can you come round?’ Dad says tremulously.
‘Of course. Are you OK? Is it Mum?’
‘No!’ He almost shouts it. ‘Just come quickly. The garden…the…body… we need you, Penny.’
For women of Penny’s generation, being on hand for elderly parents is just part of life. But for Penny, things have become a little more serious…

When she receives a frantic phone call from her parents one night, with express instructions NOT to call the police, Penny rushes over at once. But they haven’t had a fall. They haven’t forgotten their computer passwords. They’ve killed someone. And his body is lying in the garden, right next to the rose bushes.
Everyone is capable of murder. They just need to meet the right person.

This is the third book I have read of Laura Marshall and I have to say, I enjoyed this more than I did with her other two books!

This book is slightly different from the books I have read from the same author before. Penny is taking care of her elderly parents…her elderly parents decided to rent out their basement and soon they find a tenant named Cooper. But Cooper has a dark history which involved the fact that he was released from prison on drug charges. Penny’s parents believe that Cooper is stealing and damaging their property. One night, Penny gets a frantic call from her parents, asking her to come over immediately. When Penny did, she finds a damaged rose garden and the body of Cooper lying on the ground, dead. Then comes the story of how Penny helped her parents find a good place to hide the body and at the same time dealing with the consequences.

This book is fast paced and I really like the writing style of the book. I think things got interesting towards the middle of the book and I have to say, I found some parts in the book a little funny and hilarious to read, particularly when Penny and her father are trying to find a place to hide the body. I also like Sissy, Penny’s mother as well and found her character to be funny and witty. This book also makes you think twice about renting a tenant a spare room as this is what the whole story is about–money issues, renting a part of your house, turns out the tenant is bad and then drama. I really love the drama behind the book and overall, I actually enjoyed the book. If you are looking for binge read, check this book out, worth 4.5 stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Laura Marshall is the bestselling author of four psychological thrillers. Her debut novel, Friend Request, was a Kindle No.1 and Sunday Times bestseller, with over half a million copies sold in the UK. Laura’s books have sold in twenty-four territories around the globe.

She grew up in Wiltshire, studied English at the University of Sussex and currently lives in Kent with her family.

For more information visit Laura’s website www.lauramarshall.co.uk or find her at www.facebook.com/lauramarshallauthor or on Twitter @laurajm8.

Poison Memories (Detective Morgan Brookes series Book 12) – ARC Book Review

Title:- Poison Memories

Author:- Helen Phifer

Date published:- July 2nd 2024

No. of pages:- 317 pages

Genre:- Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

Wind howls against the bolted front door, but the woman can still hear footsteps approaching. He has come for her. The memory of what she did still haunts her, and she knows she deserves to die…

Arriving at High Wraith cottage, Detective Morgan Brookes joins her horrified team, who have found a woman’s body chained and dangling from the gnarled branch of an old oak tree. It’s a race against time to preserve any evidence as heavy rain destroys the scene, but they’ve already identified the victim as a woman who once tried to kill her own family.

Twenty years ago, Margery Lancaster went to prison for poisoning her husband and infant son. They both survived, and Morgan must treat the pair as her first suspects. But before she has a chance to get to work, Margery’s ex-husband is brutally murdered, and Morgan’s heart thumps as she sees his hands tied with silver chains that match those found on Margery’s body. Then his son, now a local doctor, arrives at the station to be interviewed. Morgan watches in despair as he drops to the floor and falls into a coma.

With almost all of the forensic evidence washed away by the storm, and no family left to interview, Morgan’s last hope is tracking the two chains to a local hardware store. But the killer is already closing in on his final victim. Is it already too late for Morgan to stop him, or will she uncover the terrible secrets this family are hiding in time to save another life?

A heart-racing, edge-of-your-seat thriller for fans of Lisa Regan, Melinda Leigh and Rachel McLean. Will have your heart pounding as you reach the final, breathtaking twist.

This is the book 12 of Detective Morgan Brookes series. And you don’t really have to start reading from the first book of the series although it is recommended if you haven’t read Detective Morgan Brookes series yet.

Detective Morgan Brookes is called to the scene where a dead body of a woman was lying in a muddy pool with a tree branch, indicating that she was hanged. The woman’s name was Margery Lancaster and she was accused of poisoning both her husband and her child. She was sent to prison but was released later and both her ex-husband and the child survived. Detective Morgan Brookes believed that either the husband or the son might be behind Margery’s death but then the ex-husband was also killed in the similar fashion and Detective Morgan Brooke must solve the case before it is too late.

This was a good thriller and an interesting plot line. There were some funny parts in the book and I like the fact that Morgan Brooke is a crime fanatic and loves reading about true crime, particularly on Ted Bundy (?). I like the twists and turns and I liked the unexpected ending towards the end. This is also quiet an unputdownable thriller that I couldn’t wait to see what the ending was going to be. Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading the series and cannot wait to see what her next crime adventure is going to be–worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion.

Throne of Glass (Book 1) – Book Review

Title:- Throne of Glass

Author:- Sarah J Maas

Date published:- August 7th 2012

No. of pages:- 406 pages

Genre:- Fantasy/Romance/Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

n a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king’s champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass—and it’s there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena’s fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

I have become obsessed with Sarah J Maas’ books lately and through the internet, I heard that Throne of Glass series is her best series–better than ACOTAR series that I actually love. So I thought I will start with the first book of the series…and I have to say, Throne of Glass is definitely better than ACOTAR series in my opinion.

Calaena Sardothien is an assassin and a prisoner working in salt mines with brutal hard working conditions. When she is approached by the Crown Prince Dorian to compete for King’s Champion thus gaining her freedom, Calaena couldn’t really believe her luck. As she prepares to face off the competitors who are all men and hardcore criminals, there’s an evil lurking around the castle, killing each of the champions and Calaena must survive the competition so she could finally gain her freedom.

I actually like the pacing of the story more than in the ACOTAR series. Sometimes in the ACOTAR series, there are some boring parts but in this book, it was interesting from the start to finish that I simply couldn’t put the book down. I actually liked the part where some mysterious creature is killing the champions one by one and Calaena is determined to find out who is responsible for releasing the creature.

I actually cannot wait to devour the rest of the series–cannot wait to read what Calaena’s fate is going to be next.

I am sure most of you all have read this series already but for ones who haven’t yet, I highly recommend to try out Throne of Glass series–worth a whopping five stars!

Sarah J. Maas is the #1 bestselling author of the Throne of Glass, Court of Thorns and Roses, and Crescent City series. Her books have sold millions of copies and are published in thirty-eight languages. She lives in New York City with her family.

Love Letters to a Serial Killer – ARC Book Review

Title:- Love Letters to a Serial Killer

Author:- Tasha Coryell

Date published:- will be published on 4th July 2024

No. of pages:- 320 pages

Genre:- Romance/Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 3/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3/5

An aimless young woman starts writing to an accused serial killer while he awaits trial and then, once he’s acquitted, decides to move in with him and take the investigation into her own hands in this dark and irresistibly compelling debut thriller.

Recently ghosted and sick of watching her friends fade into the suburbs, thirty-something Hannah finds community in a true-crime forum that’s on a mission to solve the murders of four women in Atlanta. After William, a handsome lawyer, is arrested for the killings, Hannah begins writing him letters. It’s the perfect outlet for her pent-up frustration and rage. The exercise empowers her, and even feels healthy at first.

Until William writes back.

Hannah’s interest in the case goes from curiosity to obsession, leaving space for nothing else as her life implodes around her. After she loses her job, she heads to Georgia to attend the trial and befriends other true-crime junkies like herself. When a fifth woman is discovered murdered, the jury has no choice but to find William not guilty, and Hannah is the first person he calls upon his release. The two of them quickly fall into a routine of domestic bliss.

Well, as blissful as one can feel while secretly investigating their partner for serial murder…

Until William writes back.

Well, as blissful as one can feel while secretly investigating their partner for serial murder…

The Perfect Nurse – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Perfect Nurse

Author:- Daniel Hurst

Date published:- will be published on 1st July 2024

No. of pages:- 302 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating;- 4/5

‘My name is Darcy, I’m your nurse and I’m here to help you.’ I repeat the words I’ve said so many times. Except this time, I don’t mean it…

If you saw me walking down the street, you’d think I was pretty ordinary – I wear the typical crisp, white nursing uniform, my hands are scrubbed clean and you’d have no reason to believe I was anything other than a good citizen. A good nurse.

But looks can be deceiving. You shouldn’t trust me – because I don’t even know if I can trust myself.

Now I stare at the reflection in the mirror – dark smudges under my eyes and blood on my hands – listening for the sound of police sirens.

Because the truth is I had to do something terrible. I broke all the rules a nurse should follow. I wanted someone gone so badly. And now they’re dead because of me.

I’m looking over my shoulder everywhere I go because I’m sure someone knows my secret. Then when my home is broken into I know one simple truth: this isn’t over yet…

It’s only the beginning.

The police are the least of my worries now. But to save myself, am I going to have to kill again?

The Perfect Nurse is another psychological thriller by Daniel Hurst that will keep you up all night.

Darcy is a nurse working for a private company. She and a fellow nurse, Pippa are assigned to a house owned by Adrian and his wife Scarlett. Adrian was a former medical director and Scarlett was a former nurse. Scarlett had recently fell down and knocked her head on the countertop, causing Adrian to seek nurse attention on Scarlett. As Darcy starts working for the couple, she realizes that the couple are hiding a secret. Darcy also has a trouble time sleeping as she believes that someone was stalking her and is entering into her house while she was sleeping…

This was actually a good thriller. It was a page turning thriller and also quiet unputdownable too. There were some twists and turns along the way, the greatest twist was revealed by the end of the book. The twist at that ending was unexpected which I like in a psychological thriller as it wasn’t very predictable as I thought it was going to be. However, the only problem I had was how unrealistic the whole thriller was but despite that, I actually enjoyed reading this book and couldn’t actually put the book down. In fact, there is a second book coming out soon which I cannot wait to read as I am waiting to see what is going to happen next to Darcy in the end!

This was a good thriller but having read The Family Trip by the same author, I would say this wasn’t as great as the Family Trip. Nonetheless, this was a fast paced thriller that will actually keep you up all night–worth four stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Blood Orange – Book Review

Title:- Blood Orange

Author:- Harriet Tyce

Date published:- January 10th 2019

No. of pages:- 353 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller/Domestic Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3.5/5

Alison has it all. A doting husband, adorable daughter, and a career on the rise – she’s just been given her first murder case to defend. But all is never as it seems…

Just one more night. Then I’ll end it.

Alison drinks too much. She’s neglecting her family. And she’s having an affair with a colleague whose taste for pushing boundaries may be more than she can handle.

I did it. I killed him. I should be locked up.

Alison’s client doesn’t deny that she stabbed her husband – she wants to plead guilty. And yet something about her story is deeply amiss. Saving this woman may be the first step to Alison saving herself.

I’m watching you. I know what you’re doing.

But someone knows Alison’s secrets. Someone who wants to make her pay for what she’s done, and who won’t stop until she’s lost everything….

Alison is a successful barrister and seemingly have a happy married life. But Alison have a problem–she drinks too much, she is having an affair and her married life is not as happy as it seems. Her husband, Carl seems to distrust her in taking care of their daughter, Matilda. Alison is then given a murder case for the first time–a woman named Madeline has been accused of brutally stabbing her husband to death.

The story itself is well written and fast paced. I quiet liked the plot and I thought the story itself was a good domestic thriller. The story itself was also entertaining and I like the author’s style of writing. My main bad thing about the book was, I didn’t really like any characters in the book. I am wondering if it was author’s intention for the reader to hate the characters but I didn’t like any of the characters at all–not even Alison, who I actually found as selfish character. Also, many of these characters are unreliable characters as well. Other than that, I liked the story as a whole and I am actually enjoyed reading this book. Cannot wait to read more books by this author. Worth four stars in my opinion.

Butcher and Blackbird – Book Review

Title:- Butcher and Blackbird

Author:- Brynne Weaver

Date published:- August 15th 2023

No. of pages;- 360 pages

Genre:- Comedy/Romance/Thriller/Horror

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

Every serial killer needs a friend.
Every game must have a winner.

When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, the two find something elusive—the friendship of a like-minded, pitch-black soul. From small town West Virginia to upscale California, from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country. But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love. Can Rowan and Sloane dig themselves out of a game of graves? Or have they finally met their match?

Butcher & Blackbird is the first book in the Ruinous Love Dark Romance trilogy of interconnected stand-alone dark romantic comedies. This dual POV novel ends on a HEA.

Trigger Warings:- Hard sex, cannibalism,

This has been in my TBR for a while and finally I decided to read the book, because this book seemed to be popular among Instagram and Tiktok.

If you are faint-hearted, sensitive to blood, torture and cannibalism, then DO NOT read this book as it contains R-rated stuff.

Two serial killers, Sloane and Rowan meet by chance. They are both serial killers–well they kill other serial killers. They start a game on their own, competing who will kill the most dangerous serial killer across the country from California, West Virginia to Boston. And as their friendship develops, some more develops between the two.

The story is told in Sloane and Rowan’s POV. Of course, about 80% of the book consists of disturbing materials and if you have a heart to read them, then you can go ahead and read the book. There were some funny parts in the book that will make you laugh out loud, but I actually like the chemistry between Sloane and Rowan. I do like how they teamed together to catch the serial killers and kill them together–this was actually in my opinion a unique plot. There were two chapters that covered the spicier scenes (if you are someone who liked to read smut scenes). But most of all, I do understand the hype towards this book as I mentioned a unique plot. This is the first book of the trilogy of ruinous love story and already I have the second book in the series.

And of course, there is a cliffhanger in the end, meaning that you will eventually find out what is going to happen in the next book.

Overall, this book worth four stars.

Just the Nicest Family – Blog Tour

Title:- Just the Nicest Family

Author:- Alison James

Date published:- 19th June 2024

No. of pages;- 330 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

They seem like the perfect family. But their secrets are about to come out…

I push open the door to the beautiful French villa and my clever, handsome husband and adorable wide-eyed children follow me inside, taking in the breath-taking view. This should be a blissful summer break, filled with sun, swimming and relaxation but the truth is very different.

Because my husband has just revealed the real reason we’re here.

When our friends staying at the sprawling villa greet us on the sun-soaked terrace, I smile brightly and attempt to calm my nerves. If I can just behave normally, everything will be fine. But if any one of the people sitting around the clear, blue pool discovers the truth my whole world could be shattered.

So I have to pretend we’re the perfect family and I’m the perfect wife – all the while knowing that our lies could destroy us.

If our secrets begin to unravel, how far will my husband and I go to protect them? And will two weeks in the sun end in murder…?

Just the Nicest Family is not a family drama but a psychological thriller with a murder as the backdrop of the story.

Tim Cutler has a struggling veterinarian business when he gets a big business deal and he and his wife is invited to a two week vacation in France. Tim invites a couple that Louise has no idea. However, while on vacation, a woman was murdered. No one knows the victim except Tim who seemed to be knowing the victim. Tim eventually gets arrested. Who committed the murder and what is the connection between the victim and Tim?

This was a fast paced and page turning thriller. The pacing is also good and I like how I was actually hooked into the story, wanting to know what is going to happen next. You get to know different characters and I also like the author’s style of writing. The ending was unpredictable and I think the ending was great. Overall this was a great page turning thriller and worth five stars.

Alison James was born in the Cotswolds but spent most of her formative years abroad. She studied languages at Oxford, then became a journalist and author, returning to university after her two children to take a law degree. After a three-year stint as a criminal paralegal, she worked as a commercial copywriter and then a TV storyliner, before coming full circle to write fiction again.

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Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0D2HRFXXKsocial

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This is Why We Lied – ARC Book Review

Title:- This is Why We Lied

Author:- Karen Slaughter

Date published:- will be published on 20th June 2024

No. of pages:- 464 pages

Genre:- Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

The next thrilling suspense featuring Will Trent and Sara Linton from Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author of Pretty Girls and After That Night!

Everyone here is a liar, but only one of us is a killer…

A secluded cabin retreat

For GBI investigator Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton, McAlpine Lodge seems like the ideal getaway to celebrate their honeymoon. Set on a gorgeous, off-the-grid mountaintop property, it’s the perfect place to unplug and reconnect. Until a bone-chilling scream cuts through the night.

A murderer in their midst

Mercy McAlpine, the manager of the Lodge, is dead. With a vicious storm raging and the one access road to the property washed out, the murderer must be someone on the mountain. But as Will and Sara investigate the McAlpine family and the other guests, they realize that everyone here is lying….Lying about their past. Lying to their family. Lying to themselves.

Who killed Mercy McAlpine?

It soon becomes clear that normal rules don’t apply at McAlpine Lodge, and Will and Sara are going to have to watch their step at every turn. Trapped on the resort, they must untangle a decades-old web of secrets to discover what happened to Mercy. And with the killer poised to strike again, the trip of a lifetime becomes a race against the clock…

I got an invitation to review this book and it was actually a privilege to get an invitation to read one of my favorite thriller author’s latest novels.–Karin Slaughter’s latest novel and Will Trent series Book 12.

Will and Sara go to a secluded cabin resort owned by a family McAlpine. The couple try to enjoy their small honeymoon retreat until Will comes across the Mercy McAlpine, the manager of the cabin fatally stabbed. Realizing that someone in the cabin is the murderer, Will calls his GBI team and sets to find the murderer. They find that Mercy has been living a life of hell and that most of her family members were treating her badly…and nearly everyone wanted Mercy dead.

This was a fast-paced thriller. Not only that, but it was also unputdownable and a page turner as well. As there are so many suspects in the book, we as readers have to guess which of them actually murdered Mercy brutally. The whole story was well written and knowing how the author leads the reader, I was instantly hooked into the story. I also like the fact that one of the suspects Dave who is Mercy’s husband is also grew up with Will in the orphanage that Dave still calls him by the nickname he had been given. The ending was completely unexpected. Even though this book was very long, I wasn’t bored at all and I actually enjoyed reading this thriller. And I cannot wait to read more of Will Trent’s series or Karin Slaughter’s next novel! Worth five stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Karin Slaughter is the author of more than twenty instant NEW YORK TIMES bestselling novels, including the Edgar–nominated COP TOWN and standalone novels THE GOOD DAUGHTER, PRETTY GIRLS, and GIRL, FORGOTTEN. She is published in 120 countries with more than 40 million copies sold across the globe. PIECES OF HER is a #1 Netflix original series starring Toni Collette. The Will Trent Series is on ABC (and streaming on Hulu in the U.S and Disney+ internationally). THE GOOD DAUGHTER and FALSE WITNESS are in development for film/tv. Slaughter is the founder of the Save the Libraries project—a nonprofit organization established to support libraries and library programming. A native of Georgia, she lives in Atlanta.

Facebook:Facebook.com/AuthorKarinSlaughter

Website: http://www.karinslaughter.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karinslaugh…

Dark Matter – Book Review

Title:- Dark Matter

Author:- Blake Crouch

Date published:- July 26th 2016

No. of pages:- 352 pages

Genre:- Thriller/Sci-Fi

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4.5/5

A mindbending, relentlessly surprising thriller from the author of the bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy.

Jason Dessen is walking home through the chilly Chicago streets one night, looking forward to a quiet evening in front of the fireplace with his wife, Daniela, and their son, Charlie—when his reality shatters.

“Are you happy with your life?”

Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious.

Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits.

Before a man Jason’s never met smiles down at him and says, “Welcome back, my friend.”

In this world he’s woken up to, Jason’s life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.

Is it this world or the other that’s the dream?

And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could’ve imagined—one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.

Dark Matter is a brilliantly plotted tale that is at once sweeping and intimate, mind-bendingly strange and profoundly human–a relentlessly surprising science-fiction thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we’ll go to claim the lives we dream of.

Usually I am not a Sci-fi fan but this book changed my opinion about Sci-fi in general.

Jason Dressen is a professor at a college in Chicago teaching Quantum Mechanics. He is having a happy married life with his wife Daniela and they have a fifteen year old son named Charlie. Daniela is an art instructor although she had dreams of becoming a renowned artist. Then one night, Jason meets his friend Ryan to celebrate one of Ryan’s achievements. On his way back home, Jason was abducted by a man and then he finds himself in another multiverse.

This was an engaging and unputdownable thriller. I couldn’t put the book down as I kept wondering if the real Jason will soon reunite with his family. The scientific aspect of the story was really interesting and I feel like I was watching an action thriller movie while reading this book. The writing was really great and engaging. The ending was completely unexpected and I thought the ending was really great.

This book has been turned into TV series but I haven’t watched the series yet and decided to read the book before watching the series. If you haven’t read the book, then I suggest you try this book out and guaranteed that it will keep you up all night. Worth 4.5 stars.

Blake Crouch is a bestselling novelist and screenwriter. He is the author of the forthcoming novel, Dark Matter, for which he is writing the screenplay for Sony Pictures. His international-bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy was adapted into a television series for FOX, executive produced by M. Night Shyamalan, that was Summer 2015’s #1 show. With Chad Hodge, Crouch also created Good Behavior, the TNT television show starring Michelle Dockery based on his Letty Dobesh novellas. He has written more than a dozen novels that have been translated into over thirty languages and his short fiction has appeared in numerous publications including Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. Crouch lives in Colorado with his family.