The Last Housewife – Book Review

Title:- The Last Housewife

Author:- Ashley Winstead

Date published:- August 16th 2022

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

No. of pages:- 384 pages

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

From the author of the critically acclaimed In My Dreams I Hold a Knife comes a pitch-black thriller about a woman determined to destroy a powerful cult and avenge the deaths of the women taken in by it, no matter the cost.

While in college in upstate New York, Shay Evans and her best friends met a captivating man who seduced them with a web of lies about the way the world works, bringing them under his thrall. By senior year, Shay and her friend Laurel were the only ones who managed to escape. Now, eight years later, Shay’s built a new life in a tony Texas suburb. But when she hears the horrifying news of Laurel’s death—delivered, of all ways, by her favorite true-crime podcast crusader—she begins to suspect that the past she thought she buried is still very much alive, and the predators more dangerous than ever.

Recruiting the help of the podcast host, Shay goes back to the place she vowed never to return to in search of answers. As she follows the threads of her friend’s life, she’s pulled into a dark, seductive world, where wealth and privilege shield brutal philosophies that feel all too familiar. When Shay’s obsession with uncovering the truth becomes so consuming she can no longer separate her desire for justice from darker desires newly reawakened, she must confront the depths of her own complicity and conditioning.

But in a world built for men to rule it—both inside the cult and outside of it—is justice even possible, and if so, how far will Shay go to get it?

This was one of my most highly anticipated books and after I read Ashley Winstead’s debut book In My Dreams I hold a Knife, I have been anticipating for this one.

I am not sure whether I liked this book or not. Safe to say, I would say, I liked her debut book way better than this one.

Years ago when Shay was attending college in upstate New York, she and her friends Laurel and Clem met a charming man through their roommate. But their lives changed drastically and one of their friends died causing Laurel and Shay to leave behind the past and never turn back. Now Shay is married and is living in Texas when she listens to her favorite crime podcast. Through her favorite crime podcast, she finds out that her friend Laurel is dead. Now Shay along with Jamie who is running the podcast return back to New York as Shay realizes that the cult is getting dangerous with their game…

In the first half of the chapter, the story was interesting and intriguing and it was engaging. I do like the little snippets of the podcast, where we learned a bit about Shay’s life in college, how she met the man named “Don” and how hers and her friends’ lives changed after meeting Don. I do like the total secrecy of the cult atmosphere as well. I did enjoy up to the point when I came to the ending and I didn’t really like the ending much which lowered my five star rating to a four star rating overall. Regardless, I liked the author’s style of writing and I hoping to read more of her books!

Ashley Winstead’s 2021 breakout thriller, In My Dreams I Hold a Knife, was an Amazon Editor’s Best Thriller, an Apple Books Best Book of August, as well as a Library Journal, New York Times, CrimeReads, Parade, and Goodreads best or most anticipated thriller of the year. Her 2022 thriller, The Last Housewife, was a Library Reads pick, a Loan Star pick, an Amazon Editor’s Best Thriller, as well as a Cosmopolitan, Good Morning America, Good Housekeeping, Seattle Times, and Southern Review of Fiction best or most anticipated thriller of the year. Her 2022 romance debut, Fool Me Once, was an Amazon Editor’s Best Romance as well as a USA Today, PopSugar, New York Post, and Goodreads best or most anticipated romance of the year. Her work has been translated into more than a dozen languages and optioned for film/TV.

Graveyard of Lost Children – ARC Book Review

Title:- Graveyard of Lost Children

Author:- Katrina Monroe

Date published:- will be published on May 9th 2023

Publisher:- Poisoned Pen Press

No. of pages:- 368 pages

Genre:- Horror/ Thriller/LGBT

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3.5/5

Once she has her grip on you, she’ll never let you go.

At four months old, Olivia Dahl was almost murdered. Driven by haunting visions, her mother became obsessed with the idea that Olivia was a changeling, and that the only way to get her real baby back was to make a trade with the “dead women” living at the bottom of the well. Now Olivia is ready to give birth to a daughter of her own…and for the first time, she hears the women whispering.

Everyone tells Olivia she should be happy. She should be glowing, but the birth of her daughter only fills Olivia with dread. As Olivia’s body starts giving out, slowly deteriorating as the baby eats and eats and eats, she begins to fear that the baby isn’t her daughter at all and, despite her best efforts, history is repeating itself.

Soon images of a black-haired woman plague Olivia’s nightmares, drawing her back to the well that almost claimed her life―tying mother and daughter together in a desperate cycle of fear and violence that must be broken if Olivia has any hope of saving her child…or herself.

Baby Teeth meets The Invited in a haunting story of the sometimes-fragile connection between a woman’s sense of self and what it means to be a “good” mother.

This was a creepy and interesting read.

When Olivia Dahl was four months, she was nearly murdered by her own mother Shannon who was then sent to a mental facility. Now Olivia has become a mother herself to a baby daughter, Flora. Being a mother would have made Olivia feel happy and exhilarated but it feels completely opposite to Olivia. She fears that the baby isn’t hers and suddenly, she feels like history is repeating itself. Then Olivia was also haunted by a dark-haired woman tying her mother and Olivia together.

I do like the plot of the story. I also like how there’s a tinge of horror element in the book. The story divides between past and present–past told in Shannon, who is Olivia’s mother POV and present told in Olivia’s side so we can see both their thoughts and feelings. Did Shannon try to kill her own daughter because a certain dark haired woman told her to do? Is Olivia feel like history might repeat itself? The ending was OK to me but nonetheless, this was a good horror read–the middle of the story is where it became fast paced. In my opinion, reading Olivia’s part was interesting. Overall, if you like a thriller with a horror element in it, then try this book out. Worth 3.5 stars.

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

Katrina Monroe lives in Minnesota with her wife, two children, and Eddie, the ghost who haunts their bedroom closets.

The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency – Blog Tour

Title:- The Scottish Ladies’Detective Agency

Author:- Lydia Travers

Date published:- April 27th 2023

No. of pages:- 340 pages

Genre:- Historical fiction/Cozy Mystery

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

When Maud McIntyre sets up her own private detective agency, she never imagines her first case will involve murder… A mystery in the Highlands? The Scottish Ladies’ Detective Agency is on the case!

Edinburgh, 1911: When Maud McIntyre and her lady’s maid, Daisy, form a detective agency, they never dream their first case will take place at a glamorous house in the Scottish Highlands. But when the Duchess of Duddingston, concerned that a notorious jewellery thief will target her lavish weekend party, employs Maud to go undercover as a guest to find the culprit, the agency has its first case to solve…

Undercover with Daisy as her maid, Maud follows a trail of clues across the Duddingston House estate. And as she meets the weekend guests, she hopes one of them will reveal themselves as the jewellery thief. But when one of the house guests is discovered dead, Maud and Daisy realise they’re not only hunting precious gems, but a murderer…

As Maud and Daisy investigate, they realise that a connection in Edinburgh might hold a vital clue that will help them solve the case. Travelling back to the city, Maud hopes that what she and Daisy uncover will help them piece together the murder mystery at Duddingston House…

But when Maud receives a telephone call from the Duchess requesting urgent assistance, she realises that the murderer didn’t have just one victim in mind. Speeding down the drive to Duddingston House, Maud and Daisy hear gunshots ring out across the estate. Will they reach the Duchess in time to save her? And will they catch the murderer in the act?

This is a delightful read and the start of the new series.

Set in 1911 in Edinburgh, Maud McIntyre has opened up a new detective agency with her maid Daisy Cameron as they await for new customers. Their big break came they attended a house party organized by their first customer. As they are investigating a series of robberies of jewelry, soon they get embroiled into solving a murder mystery and Maud and her maid Daisy become busier than ever! This was beautifully written and it was quiet enjoyable as well. I do like the setting much as it was set in the 1910’s Scotland and it was a good job by the author to take us back to that era so we can experience what it was like.

The story was engaging and I was hooked into the story from the beginning till the end. I certainly enjoyed reading this book and since this is the first book of the series, I will be looking forward to read the next book in the series! Worth five stars!

Thank you Bookouture for inviting me to be part of the blog tour. Thanks Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Author Bio:

Lydia Travers was born in London.  She moved progressively north until settling with her husband in a village on the edge of the Scottish Highlands. She has raised children, bred dogs and kept chickens; and for as long as she can remember has written for pleasure. A former legal academic and practitioner with a PhD in criminology, she now runs self-catering holiday accommodation, sings in a local choir and is walked daily by the family dog.

Lydia also writes as Linda Tyler and her first novel under that name, Revenge of the Spanish Princess, won a 2018 Romance Writers of America competition for the beginning of an historical romance. Her second novel The Laird’s Secret was Commended in the 2021 Scottish Association of Writers’ Pitlochry Quaich competition for the beginning of a romantic novel. Mischief in Midlothian won the 2022 Scottish Association of Writers’ Constable Silver Stag trophy. She has had a number of short stories published in magazines, journals and anthologies in the UK, the USA and Australia.

https://www.facebook.com/LindaTylerAuthorScotland

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Lydia Travers here: https://www.bookouture.com/subscribe/lydia-travers

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0BT57ZCF5social

Audio:

UK: zpr.io/njjM8E4CGPCV
US: zpr.io/B6n6ugVAPE56

Listen to a sample here:

You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you’ll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

The Silent Wife – Book Review

Title:- The Silent Wife

Author:- Karin Slaughter

Date published:- August 4th 2020

No. of pages:- 496 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4.5/5

Investigating the killing of a prisoner during a riot inside a state penitentiary, GBI investigator Will Trent is confronted with disturbing information. One of the inmates claims that he is innocent of a brutal attack for which he has always been the prime suspect. The man insists that he was framed by a corrupt law enforcement team led by Jeffrey Tolliver and that the real culprit is still out there—a serial killer who has systematically been preying on women across the state for years. If Will reopens the investigation and implicates the dead police officer with a hero’s reputation of wrongdoing, the opportunistic convict is willing to provide the information GBI needs about the riot murder.

Only days ago, another young woman was viciously murdered in a state park in northern Georgia. Is it a fluke, or could there be a serial killer on the loose?

As Will Trent digs into both crimes it becomes clear that he must solve the cold case in order to find the answer. Yet nearly a decade has passed—time for memories to fade, witnesses to vanish, evidence to disappear, and lies to become truth. But Will can’t crack either mystery without the help of the one person he doesn’t want involved: his girlfriend and Jeffrey Tolliver’s widow, medical examiner Sara Linton.

Honestly, I have no idea how many Will Trent series I have read but I can say I didn’t read in any particular order and this may be my third or fourth book I read of Will Trent series and fifth book by Karin Slaughter.

A riot at a prison causes Will Trent and Faith to investigate the matter. But while investigating, an inmate confesses to Will and Faith that he had been framed for the murders of the girls by corrupted officials and that the real serial killer is still out there. Disturbed Will and Faith wanted to know if what the inmates claim was true. The case was once handled by Jeffrey Tolliver who was Sara Will’s girlfriend’s ex-husband.

The story was gripping, fast paced and quiet a page turner I really like the thrillers with a serial killer vibe in it and I saw many favorable reviews and I wasn’t surprised. I couldn’t literally put this book down! It was really good. The book goes back and forth between past and present–past when Jeffrey Tolliver was investigating the crimes before his death and present. As usual, I expected some disturbing scenes revealed in the book, which actually is no surprise in Karin Slaughter’s books. I would say this is one of the best books so far written by Karin Slaughter and I simply couldn’t put down the book (even though it was at times disturbing to read). I do enjoy reading Will Trent series and I do like the relationship issues that both Will and Sara are facing so we can take our mind away from the crime. Overall worth a whopping five stars!

Heaven – Book Review

Title:- Heaven

Author:- Mieko Kawakami

Translated by:- Sam Bett and David Boyd

Date published:- first published September 2nd 2009

May 25th 2021

No. of pages:- 192 pages

Genre:- Japanese literature/Fiction/YA

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

Hailed as a bold foray into new literary territory, Kawakami’s novel is told in the voice of a 14-year-old student who subjected to relentless torment for having a lazy eye. Instead of resisting, the boy chooses to suffer in complete resignation. The only person who understands what he is going through is a female classmate who suffers similar treatment at the hands of her tormentors.

These raw and realistic portrayals of bullying are counterbalanced by textured exposition of the philosophical and religious debates concerning violence to which the weak are subjected.

Kawakami’s simple yet profound new work stands as a dazzling testament to her literary talent. There can be little doubt that it has cemented her reputation as one of the most important young authors working to expand the boundaries of contemporary Japanese literature.

Lately I have been reading tons of Japanese and Korean literature and this book was one of them. I came across this book through Instagram and this book has some favorable reviews.

This is one of the books that will make you cry so much.

The story is set in middle school about a boy who has a lazy eye. He is being bullied relentlessly by his classmates. He then becomes friends with another girl, who is also being bullied by her own classmates and the two become friends. The story is mainly telling us about the impact of bullying one can have on another person and the friendship between the two bullied students.

The story was beautifully written and there are some heartbreaking moments in the book which will make you emotional. Also this is less than 200 pages so you can finish this book quickly.

If you are looking for a good Japanese fiction to read, I recommend this book. Worth five stars.

Mieko Kawakami (川上未映子, born in August 29, 1976) is a Japanese singer and writer from Osaka.

She was awarded the 138th Akutagawa Prize for promising new writers of serious fiction (2007) for her novel Chichi to Ran (乳と卵) (Breasts and Eggs).

Kawakami has released three albums and three singles as a singer.

Mastering the Art of French Murder – ARC Book Review

Title:- Mastering the Art of French Murder

Author:- Colleen Cambridge

Date published:- will be published on April 25th 2023

No. of pages:- 304 pages

Genre:- Historical Fiction/ Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

A new mystery set in post-WWII Paris and starring Julia Child’s (fictional) best friend, confidant, and fellow American.

As Paris rediscovers its joie de vivre, Tabitha Knight, recently arrived from Detroit for an extended stay with her French grandfather, is on her own journey of discovery. Paris isn’t just the City of Light; it’s the city of history, romance, stunning architecture . . . and food. Thanks to her neighbor and friend Julia Child, another ex-pat who’s fallen head over heels for Paris, Tabitha is learning how to cook for her Grandpère and Oncle Rafe.Between tutoring Americans in French, visiting the market, and eagerly sampling the results of Julia’s studies at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, Tabitha’s sojourn is proving thoroughly delightful. That is, until the cold December day they return to Julia’s building and learn that a body has been found in the cellar. Tabitha recognizes the victim as a woman she’d met only the night before, at a party given by Julia’s sister, Dort. The murder weapon found nearby is recognizable too—a knife from Julia’s kitchen.

Tabitha is eager to help the investigation, but is shocked when Inspector Merveille reveals that a note, in Tabitha’s handwriting, was found in the dead woman’s pocket. Is this murder a case of international intrigue, or something far more personal? From the shadows of the Tour Eiffel at midnight, to the tiny third-floor Child kitchen, to the grungy streets of Montmartre, Tabitha navigates through the city hoping to find the real killer before she or one of her friends ends up in prison . . . or worse.

The cover of the book was really pretty and I took a chance to read this book. And let me say, I also like the setting of the story as well. Historical fiction mingled with a backdrop of thriller is going to be my cup of tea!

Set in 1950’s, Tabitha Knight comes to Paris to live with her French grandfather. While in Paris, a woman was murdered in the kitchen of one of Tabitha’s friend Julia and soon, Tabitha is engrossed into solving the mystery and find the real culprit before the police arrest Julia’s sister.

As I mentioned earlier, I like the setting of the story, which is a plus sign to me. The 1950’s and French has just got out of Nazi occupation and WWII. I like the flow of the story and the writing which is a plus sign in my opinion. Though this wasn’t fast paced but slightly slow paced, this was a page turner and it was interesting to feel that you are in the era of 1950’s. Overall, the ending was OK and if this was a series, I couldn’t wait to read the next book in the series. The author was new to me so I am going to check out more of her books. Worth four stars!

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

Colleen Cambridge is the pen name of an award-winning USA Today and New York Times bestselling author.

Under several pseudonyms, she has written more than 36 books in a variety of genres and is always plotting her next murder—er, book.

The Woman in Carriage 3 – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Woman in Carriage 3

Author:- Alison James

Date published:- will be published on May 23rd 2023

Publisher:- Bookouture

No. of pages:- 286 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

An ordinary journey. A shocking secret. And the perfect murder…

Hattie travels on the 18:53 train home every night. She sits in the same seat, in the same carriage, and sees the same people. The unwritten rule is you don’t talk to your fellow passengers, but Hattie has been watching them all for months now to distract herself from her own troubles.

Then one night a commuter suddenly drops dead. And the terrible accident changes everything.

In the aftershock of the tragic death, the group of strangers huddled around the two tables in carriage 3 strike up a conversation. Boundaries are shattered, connections are made and Hattie becomes tangled up in the lives of her fellow passengers as they travel to and from London every day.

But Hattie has no idea what she’s letting herself in for. The ordinary people on her ordinary journey all have dangerous secrets. When another commuter is killed, Hattie suspects someone in carriage 3 is responsible. Who can she trust? And is the truth closer to home and more dangerous than she could have guessed?

If you are a fan of Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, then check out this book.

Hattie always take the 18:30 train and while on the train, she meets and befriends people on the carriage–Julian, Lewis, Bridget, Casper. The group always meet together for drinks or dinner and Hattie even soon starts developing a romantic feeling towards Casper. But things start to change when Julian suddenly dies in the carriage the police rule it out as homicide. Which one of them would have killed Julian and why? The story itself was unpredictable which makes this really good. The author has managed to captivate the reader from the first page and soon I was hooked into the story. There were some twists and turns in the book, the story itself was fast paced. Hattie wasn’t sure who could actually be responsible for the murder of Julian. And as we dwell deeper and deeper into the story, we couldn’t help guessing who would actually be the killer. The author has managed to bring the reader at the edge of the seat while reading the book and this book was quiet unputdownable as well! The ending felt like you are watching some movie that you couldn’t wait to find what is going to happen in the end.

So if you are looking for a fast paced thriller that will keep you hooked from the beginning till the end, and if you have read The Girl on the Train and liked it, then check out this book! Worth five stars!

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

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

Update in Life

Hi guys

I know I haven’t been very consistent with blogging. As many of you all know, I am busy with my studies so I haven’t able to post anything on blog as I am having projects and assignments due. However, I am done with some of them by May 2nd and have a two week vacation before I begin my next studies session.

However, I have finished some ARC reviews and some book reviews and I will post them as soon as I can!

Thanks and have a great day!

Samadhee

The Lie – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Lie

Author:- Kathryn Croft

Date published:- will be published on 20th April 2023

Publisher:- Bookouture

No. of pages:- 358 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

My son said he walked his girlfriend home. But now she is missing…

Our new home was meant to be a chance for us to start again, to make new friends and forget the past. And as I look around the barbeque we’ve thrown for our neighbours, I dare to dream that things will be all right. I watch my husband joking as he flips burgers and my daughter turning cartwheels on our sun-bleached lawn. And then my gaze falls on my son Jacob, and his new girlfriend Rose, in her light blue jeans and her green crop top. There is a worried expression clouding her beautiful eyes…

The next day I get a call from Rose’s mother that chills me to the bone. Rose never returned after our party.

I wake my still-sleeping son, who walked Rose home the night before, and beg him for answers. Jacob promises he saw Rose to her front door, and I know he would never lie.

But when the police find Rose’s house keys hidden in our garden and a witness claims to have seen them arguing in the street, everyone insists I can’t believe what Jacob is telling me.

I will do anything to protect my boy. But I need to find a way to make the questions stop. Because there’s something about our family that nobody can ever know. And as the search for Rose closes in, how can I keep him safe and keep our secrets hidden?

I actually enjoy reading Kathryn Croft’s books and this book is also an unputdownable thriller that will nearly give you chills.

The story begins with a barbecue party with Lucy inviting her friends in the new town they had moved in. But the next day, Rose, who is Lucy’s son’s girlfriend had gone missing and Jacob is the main suspect as there are witnesses claiming to see them arguing hours before Rose disappeared. But within a few days Rose’s body was found which implied that she was murdered. Did Jacob really kill Rose or is he really innocent as he claims? Meanwhile Rose’s mother Carrie is determined to prove that Jacob killed her daughter. The story is fast paced and told in three POVs–Lucy, Carrie and Rose. The story is fast paced and page turner and there were some twists and turns–all characters in the story are unreliable and all are lying to each other so who is actually telling the truth? The ending was a surprising twist.Overall if you are looking for a page turning unputdownable thriller, I recommend this book–worth four stars.

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

The Last Word – ARC Book

Title:- The Last Word

Author:- Taylor Adams

No. of pages:- 313 pages

Expected Publication:- 25th April 2023 US/ 18th May 2023 in UK

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

If you give this book a one-star review, you might end up dead.

Emma is house-sitting on the rainy Washington coast with only her golden retriever for company. She likes the isolation, the peace and quiet, and the opportunity to read.

But her latest pick, a poorly written and gruesome horror novel, is disappointing and Emma leaves a one-star review. A message dings back – the author, H.G. Kane, has replied and he’s furious. Emma brushes it off, until disturbing incidents start to occur. Scratches in the night. A figure crawling around in the shadows.

Kane has written sixteen other novels, all similarly sadistic tales of stalking and murder. He knows he’s a brilliant writer – he just needs to make Emma understand…

Expect the unexpected in this pulse-pounding novel of psychological suspense and terror from the critically acclaimed author of the TikTok sensation No Exit.

This book was really good that I was hooked from the beginning to the end!

This book relates to us all book reviewers. So you read a book that you feel do not deserve a five star. You try to be nice about it but then you are bluntly honest about the book you just read. That was the most horrible book you have ever read and then you give a one star review on Amazon. I am sure many of us reviewers would have given a one star reading or DNF at some point.
But the twist in the story is when the author of that book contacts you and demanding you to give a five star rating and changing the review on Amazon–that’s where the story starts getting tricky and that’s what happened to Emma Carpenter, the protagonist of the story.

Emma Carpenter lives alone with her dog Laika in a secluded house. She plays hangman with her neighbor. So after giving a negative review to a book, Emma comes face to face with the author, who is determined to get rid of Emma.

I enjoyed reading the author’s debut book No Exit which was really good, this book was equally thrilling as well. I feel like I was watching a horror movie scene while reading this book. I do like how there were excerpts from that book and how those excerpts were reacted in the overall story as well. It was slightly disturbing but abovel all, throughout the time I was reading the book, I was kept on the edge of the seat, waiting to see what the ending was going to be like. Wasn’t disappointed with the ending but overall, this was a unputdownable, fast paced thriller that will keep you up all night–worth five stars!

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

Taylor Adams is the author of several acclaimed thrillers including No Exit and Hairpin Bridge. No Exit has been published in 32 languages and was recently released by 20th Century Studios as a Hulu Original Film. Adams lives in Washington State.