Buried in the Snow- Find me in the Dark (Detective Harlow Durant series Book 1) – ARC Book Review

Find Me in the Dark: Totally gripping and unputdownable serial killer fiction (Detective Harlow Durant Book 1) by [Dea Poirier]

My father’s path was one I never wanted to walk, but here I am, following drops of blood like a crumb trail left in the woods. I was born of murder, my life built on the bones of a prolific killer. And now, I must atone for sins that should not be mine to bear.

Detective Harlow Durant has spent a lifetime trying to escape the shadows of her tormented past. As the daughter of a convicted serial killer, Harlow was determined to turn her life around and is now the only female detective at the New York Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, bringing killers like her father to justice.

Upstate, in the small college town of Plattsburgh, the body of a young woman has been found inside a melting snowbank. Harlow and her partner Detective Lucas Park are immediately called in to investigate. Searching around the victim’s frozen body, they find a bracelet which identifies her as college student Alyssa Trent.

As Harlow and Lucas begin to gather evidence from the town’s shocked community, the snow continues to thaw and soon another two victims are discovered. With the body count rising fast it is clear that Harlow is hunting a serial killer. But what links these seemingly ordinary young women?

With a town living in fear and a killer at large, Harlow receives a chilling message from someone who knows her father’s case and knows the secret she has hidden from the bureau. Is she being warned off the case? And with a freak April snowstorm heading across the state, will Harlow risk everything to stop a killer dead in their tracks before they strike again?

From the bestselling author of Next Girl To Die comes a chilling and unputdownable crime thriller perfect for fans of Melinda Leigh, Kendra Elliot and Robert Dugoni’s Tracy Crosswhite series.

No. of pages:- 300 pages

Date published:- will be published on October 21st 2021

Publisher:- Bookouture

Genre:- Thriller

Rating:-

I am so happy and thrilled that over the months, I got a chance to start off the detective series and this book is one such book!

Serial Killers? If a book is about serial killers, then I’ll definitely read it. Detective Harlow Durant has a tumultuous past–her name was Harper Jane and she was the daughter of a well known serial killer back in Washington. When her father was caught Harper changed her name to Harlow. Many years later, she is working for New York Bureau of Crimes and moves to a small town in upstate New York to solve crimes. When a body of a computer science girl was found buried in the snow, Harlow along with her partner Lucas starts to investigate the case.

I actually enjoyed reading this book!!! Harlow is going to be one of my favorite detectives and from start to finish, I was so engrossed in the book that I didn’t even realize until I reach the end of the page that I have finished the book. What I really like in a good thriller is how fast paced the book is and this thriller lived up to my expectations. When Harlow and Lucas finds out that they are dealing with a serial killer, I was immediately hooked into the book, that I couldn’t even wait to find out who the serial killer is! It was all intense and action packed book! Another thing why this book stood out to me was, how Harlow faced so much discrimination particularly from male workers led by Officer Green and I like how the author made it realistic as possible. Kudos to that! And of course, when the serial killer is caught, you are all happy and that ending…wow I so cannot wait to read the second book of the series!!! I stayed up all night trying to read the book, literally glued to the page.

Anyway, a five star rating from me! A thrilling roller coaster ride, page turner, unputdownable, fast paced, twisted…all sums up to one good thriller book!

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

Dea Poirier

Author Dea (D.H) Poirier is the author of NEXT GIRL TO DIE, which hit #1 in the Amazon charts. She was raised in Edmond, Oklahoma, where she got her start writing in creative writing courses. She attended The University of Central Oklahoma for Computer Science and Political Science. Later, she spent time living on both coasts, and traveling the United States, before finally putting down roots in Central Florida. She now resides somewhere between Disney and the swamp. Follow her on twitter https://twitter.com/deapoirierbooks

The Magic Library – The Bookbinder’s Daughter – ARC Book Review

The Bookbinder's Daughter: An absolutely magical and gripping page-turner by [Jessica Thorne]

The song surrounded her now, the murmuring of the library insistent, and her foot took the first step on the winding stairs. She knew it wasn’t entirely a dream. It was the library calling her, its magic driving her.

When Sophie is offered a job at the Ayredale Library – the finest collection of rare books in the world, and the last place her bookbinder mother was seen when Sophie was just a teenager – she leaps at the chance. Will she finally discover what happened to the woman she’s always believed abandoned her?

Taking in the endless shelves of antique books, the soaring stained-glass windows, and the grand sweeping staircase, usually shy Sophie feels strangely at home, and is welcomed by her eccentric fellow binders. But why is the Keeper of the Library so reluctant to speak about Sophie’s mother? And why is Sophie the only person who can read the strange spells in the oldest books on display, written in a forgotten language nobody else understands?

The mysteries of the library only deepen when Sophie stumbles upon an elaborately carved door. The pattern exactly matches the pendant her mother left behind years ago, engraved with a delicate leaf. As the door swings open at her touch, Sophie gasps at the incredible sight: an enormous tree, impossibly growing higher than the library itself, its gently falling golden leaves somehow resembling the pages of a book. Amidst their rustling, Sophie hears a familiar whisper…

‘There you are, my Sophie. I knew you’d come back for me.’

An absolutely spellbinding read about long-hidden family secrets and the magic that lurks between the pages of every ancient book. Perfect for fans of The Ten Thousand Doors of January, The Night Circus and The Binding.

No. of pages:- 269 pages

Date published:- will be published on 20th September 2021

Publisher:- Bookouture

Genre:- Sci Fi/ Fantasy

Rating:- 3/5 stars

Except for Harry Potter (which I am an ardent fan of), I haven’t had much interest towards Sci-fi/Fantasy genre. But seeing the book cover of this book (which I thought was pretty) and decided to try out the new genre, I decided and requested for this ARC.

Sophie gets a job at the library where her mother used to be the bookbinder. As she arrives at the place, a magical tree inside the library, she can hear voices and she is the only one who seem to hear the voices.

Truth to be told, I must say, the plot was interesting. The writing was beautiful and the author did a good job of captivating the reader to the story, making the reader feel like they are inside that magical library. The characters are OK and I do like the chemistry between Will and Sophie, as Sophie try to remember the memories she had in that magical library. As this is the first time I am reading the book from this author, I actually got fascinated with the whole story. The ending was OK.

Overall, it was OK book but then me being not much of a fantasy and sci fi lover, I actually liked this book and looking forward to read more books from this author.

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

The Hidden Girl (Agent Tori Hunter Series Book 3) — ARC Book Review

The Hidden Girl: An absolutely gripping mystery thriller (Agent Tori Hunter Book 3) by [Roger Stelljes]

The lights of her parents’ cabin just visible through the woods, the girl carefully curls up amongst the reeds, her knees pulled tight to her chest. Terrified, the only sound she makes is the pounding of her heart, but she hears the stranger searching… if she keeps silent, will she be safe?

When Agent Tori Hunter is urgently calledto the murder scene of Dan and Heidi Newman, she finds their throats slit, and Dan tied up: forced to watch his wife lose her life. Tori’s first thought is for their seventeen-year-old daughter Cara who is nowhere to be found. Will this popular young girl be the next victim?

A broken bracelet is the one clue left at the scene, but the team are running in circles until Tori finally tracks down Cara hiding in the woods. Sobbing, the devastated girl says all she remembers is a flash of a man’s face as she was chased through the forest…

Desperate to find the monster behind this crime, Tori pieces together the broken chain: and it leads her to an elderly lady living alone nearby. When the woman won’t speak to police, Tori senses that although it means breaking all the rules, introducing Cara will show this lonely soul what’s at stake. And once inside her house, Cara gasps when she sees a framed photo on display. It’s the man who chased her…

But then another local couple is murdered in their isolated home, another husband forced to watch his worst nightmare unfold. As more couples lose their lives, can Tori keep Cara, her one witness, safe from this vicious killer? And can she track him down before more innocent families are torn apart?

An absolutely addictive and mind-blowing crime thriller that will have you glued to the pages through each and every twist, until the final shocking conclusion. Fans of Kendra Elliot, Robert Dugoni and Lisa Jackson won’t be able to put this down.

No. of pages:- 396 pages

Date published:- will be published on 7th October 2021

Publisher:- Bookouture

Genre:- Thriller

Rating:-

Agent Tori Hunter is back with another case!

In a cabin situated through the woods, a couple, Dan and Heidi Newman were found brutally murdered–Dan’s throat was slit and he was forced to watch his wife getting murdered. The only survivor was Dan’s teenage daughter, Cara who fled the scene and was chased by the two men–one big, one small. When Agent Tori was asked to investigate the crime scene, she found this very similar to another murder case that took place twenty four years ago, with her own father as the lead investigator. The problem was the one who was responsible for those murders is safely locked in jail, Then another family gets murdered and Tori must find the killers before it is too late.

From the first chapter to the end, I was literally hooked into this book! The Tori Hunter series gets better and better and I was not disappointed with this book. I stayed up all night, waiting to find out who the killer is and there were so much unexpected twists and turns, with the thriller being fast paced, which makes a plus sign in the book!. I couldn’t simply put this book down ! I felt like I am watching some action packed movie that had kept me at the edge of my seat. Not only that–I felt like I was in a roller coaster ride with this book! Couldn’t wait to read more books from this series and very much looking forward to it!

I also like the personal touch in the book–the relationship between Tori and Braddock, which I will always root for them besides the excitement of catching the killer. There were many suspects that I couldn’t even predict who is the actual killer–normally, I would suspect who would be the killer. But in this case, it was totally unexpected. And the other thing–there’s so much suspense in this book that will leave you hooked.

Overall, this was a twisted, thrilling ride, that will keep you hooked from the beginning to the end!

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Roger Stelljes

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Stuck in the library -The Night of Many Endings – ARC Book Review

I know I haven’t posted the blog for a couple of days so I am back!

The Night of Many Endings: A Novel by [Melissa Payne]

From Melissa Payne, bestselling author of Memories in the Drift, comes an emotionally rich, feel-good novel about hope, second chances, and seeing the world through someone else’s eyes.

Orphaned at a young age and witness to her brother’s decline into addiction, Nora Martinez has every excuse to question the fairness of life. Instead, the openhearted librarian in the small Colorado community of Silver Ridge sees only promise. She holds on to the hope that she’ll be reunited with her missing brother and does what she can at the town library. It’s her home away from home, but it’s also a sanctuary for others who, like her brother, could use a second chance.

There’s Marlene, an elderly loner who believes that, apart from her husband, there’s little good left in the world; Jasmine, a troubled teen; Lewis, a homeless man with lost hope and one last wish; and Vlado, the security guard who loves a good book and, from afar, Nora.

As a winter storm buries Silver Ridge, this collection of lonely hearts takes shelter in the library. They’ll discover more about each other, and themselves, than they ever knew—and Nora will be forced to question her brother’s disappearance in ways she never could have imagined. No matter how stranded in life they feel, this fateful night could be the new beginning they didn’t think was possible.

No. of pages:- 299 pages

Date published:- will be published on 19th October 2021

Publisher:- Lake Union Publishing

Genre:- Literary Fiction

Rating:- 3/5 stars

After reading Melissa Payne’s The Secrets of the Stones, I am excited to read this book. Secrets of the Stones captivated me so I had high hopes for this book as well.

Unfortunately, this book was simply OK to me.

Nora is working in the library and is struggling to deal with her brother’s sudden disappearance who is also a drug addict. When a snow storm hits the small town, she provides shelter for two people–Jasmine, a young girl and Lewis a drug addict along with Vlado and Marlene. The story is basically about these five people stuck in the library, learning about each other and how they all ended up becoming friends.

The thing I liked about this book is Payne’s style of writing. The vivid descriptions made the reader picture the vivid images in the reader’s mind which I enjoyed very much. However, the pace was slow and at times, it was a bit boring that I almost DNF the book. Each and every single character in the book–Nora, Marlene, Vlado, Lewis and Jasmine has flaws and some history with their family members that it was actually intriguing to read. Nonetheless, the ending was OK.

Overall, it was not really a bad book but it wasn’t as great as her book, The Secret of the Stones. Worth only thee stars.

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

Melissa Payne

As a middle child, Melissa Payne was born to tell stories. What started with blaming her brother for breaking the car window evolved to a graduate thesis that she desperately wishes she could rewrite to blogging on motherhood and marriage. Now she likes to create stories set in wild and beautiful places with characters in flawed and imperfect relationships, whether that’s between a mother and a daughter, friends or strangers. And imagining all of it with just a hint of the ethereal, a whisper of something beyond what we can see and a sense that it’s all for a purpose.

Hana Khan Carries on – Book Review

Hana Khan Carries On by [Uzma Jalaluddin]

From the author of Ayesha At Last comes a sparkling new rom-com for fans of You’ve Got Mail.

Hana Khan’s family-run halal restaurant is on its last legs. So when a flashy competitor gets ready to open nearby, bringing their inevitable closure even closer, she turns to her anonymously-hosted podcast, and her lively and long-lasting relationship with one of her listeners, for advice.

But a hate-motivated attack on their neighbourhood complicates the situation further, as does Hana’s growing attraction for Aydin, the young owner of the rival business. Who might not be a complete stranger after all…

A charmingly refreshing and modern love story, Uzma Jalaluddin’s tale is humorously warm and filled with gorgeous characters you won’t be able to forget. Now in development for film with Mindy Kaling and Amazon Studios.

No. of pages:- 325 pages

Date published:- April 1st 2021

Publisher:- Corvus

Genre:- Literary Fiction

Rating:-

Hana Khan is twenty four years old, Indian-Canadian Muslim girl, interning at a broadcasting firm, runs her own podcast under a false name and her family is running a halal restaurant known as Three Sisters Biriyani Putine. But now, her family run business seems to be failing and on the verge of close down, when a competitor moves into the same neighborhood, opening a Halal restaurant. Aydin Shah is good looking, handsome and rich and Hana has to hate him…but what will happen if she falls for the enemy?

I must say, I really like the whole plot. The story is told mainly from Hana’s perspective. Being the daughter of Indian immigrants AND being a Muslim made Hana face many challenges in life. The story gets more and more complicated when her cousin Rashid along with her aunt Khawkab Kala known as Billi to Hana–Billi’s own tale as a runaway bride, the attack and Islamophobia that Hana and Rashid and Aydin faced (which is realistic) and how the whole community in Golden Crescent acted together and stood against racism was so good and realistic that I actually felt like I was also a part of that community.

The characters in this story are all likable. Besides Hana who I found as a courageous and brave woman, I found Rashid’s character quite funny and likable and I grew towards Khawkab Kala and Aydin. I found out that this book will be made into a movie that I can actually visualize young version Ranveer Singh as Rashid and Madhuri Dixit as Khawkab Kala (Hana and Aydin I am not sure but I think Anushka Sharma would be a perfect choice for Hana).

17 Times You Fell In Love With Ranveer Singh In "Dil Dhadakne Do" | Ranveer singh, Celebs, I love him

In fact, movie aside, other than Aydin’s father and the random racist dudes, all the characters in this book are likable and I felt like I was friends with each of these characters.

I must praise the author for addressing the Islamophobia very well, which sadly many Muslims living in western countries still face today. It felt scary and too realistic that these things happen still in this world. I do like how the author, despite the story being a work of fiction made the story as realistic as possible with the events.

Besides those things, I must say, the author’s writing style was truly engaging and since I listened to the audiobook, I would say the narrator did a good job as well. This is the first time I have read from this author and I am looking forward to read more of her books!

Overall, this is a funny, romantic story filled with rivalry and family drama that you will not want to put this book down! Worth five stars!

Uzma Jalaluddin

I am the author of AYESHA AT LAST, a Pride and Prejudice retelling set in a close knit Toronto Muslim community. My second novel, HANA KHAN CARRIES ON, out Spring 2021, is inspired by “You’ve Got Mail” and set in rival halal restaurants. I also write a funny parenting column for The Toronto Star, and my byline has appeared in The Atlantic. I live near Toronto with my husband and children. Learn more at http://www.uzmajalaluddin.com.

A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow – Book Review

A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by [Laura Taylor Namey]

Love & Gelato meets Don’t Date Rosa Santos in this charming, heartfelt story following a Miami girl who unexpectedly finds love—and herself—in a small English town.

For Lila Reyes, a summer in England was never part of the plan. The plan was 1) take over her abuela’s role as head baker at their panadería, 2) move in with her best friend after graduation, and 3) live happily ever after with her boyfriend. But then the Trifecta happened, and everything—including Lila herself—fell apart.

Worried about Lila’s mental health, her parents make a new plan for her: Spend three months with family friends in Winchester, England, to relax and reset. But with the lack of sun, a grumpy inn cook, and a small town lacking Miami flavor (both in food and otherwise), what would be a dream trip for some feels more like a nightmare to Lila…until she meets Orion Maxwell.

A teashop clerk with troubles of his own, Orion is determined to help Lila out of her funk, and appoints himself as her personal tour guide. From Winchester’s drama-filled music scene to the sweeping English countryside, it isn’t long before Lila is not only charmed by Orion, but England itself. Soon a new future is beginning to form in Lila’s mind—one that would mean leaving everything she ever planned behind.

No. of pages:- 319 pages

Date published:- November 10th 2020

Genre:- YA

Rating:-

Anyone cares about scones or tea? Or with a slight tint of Cuban flavor in it? Well, this book is just for you!

Meet Lila, who moves to England from Miami after her abrupt break up with her boyfriend Andreas, her Abeula’s (grandmother’s) death and her best friend Stephanie leaving to Ghana. Lila’s passion is to bake and cook and while helping with the inn by working in the kitchen making Cuban break and meal. While in the kitchen, she meets Orion, a British boy and initially they become friends and soon turned into something more romantic.

So let’s start with the ones I like about the book

–The description of the Cuban food, desserts, breads all made me feel hungry towards the end of the book!

–Like the budding romance and friendship between Lila and Orion.

–I like how Lila slowly adjusted herself to the life in England, getting used to the British slang and the life in the countryside.

–The ending was really cure

–The writing was good and I leaned so much about Cuban food and some Spanish words.

Now the things I didn’t like about the book.

–The book started slow making it a little boring initially at first.

Overall, surprising, I actually enjoyed reading this book–though the book started slow, the book eventually developed by the middle of the book.

Worth four stars!

Laura Taylor Namey

Laura is a Cuban-American Californian who can be found haunting her favorite coffee shops, drooling over leather jackets, and wishing she was in London or Paris. She lives in San Diego with her husband, two superstar children, and her beloved miniature schnauzer/muse.

The Girl Across the Wire Fence – ARC Book Review

The Girl Across the Wire Fence: Completely unforgettable World War Two historical fiction based on a true story by [Imogen Matthews]

1944, Amersfoort Concentration Camp, Holland. Based on a true story, the unforgettable tale of two young lovers who risked everything to keep hope alive in the very depths of hell.

On a cold, dark day in a tiny Dutch village, Saskia and her boyfriend Frans watch as Nazi soldiers force thousands of prisoners towards Amersfoort Concentration Camp. Their hearts break as they see the desperate faces of innocent men and women and realise that the war is closer to them than it’s ever been before…

Saskia’s father’s shop is raided when the guards suspect that he is Jewish, and Frans is soon forced to enter the concentration camp every day to collect scraps of food as it’s the only way to feed the animals on his family’s farm. But despite the growing fear the couple feel, when a prisoner begs Frans to send a letter to his beloved reassuring her he is alive, they know they must risk everything to help him. They smuggle his letter out, right under the noses of the Nazis. And eventually they ferry hundreds of messages for prisoners, bringing them hope in the darkest moments of their lives.

But every letter Frans gets out of the camp puts him in even more danger.

And every reply Saskia manages to collect is a risk.

And then Saskia is led into Kamp Amersfoort and is forced to wear a yellow star.

Inside, she cannot ignore the pain of the other prisoners, and Frans knows she will be putting herself in more danger to help them – attracting the attention of the guards. The couple know they must act. Everyone says it’s impossible to escape the camp, but it’s the only option they have left. Their love has kept them together but is it enough to help them survive?

No. of pages- 240 pages

Date published:- will be published on 15th September 2021

Genre:- Historical Fiction

Rating:-

Many Holocaust books are based on true stories and this book is one of those stories–based in a Dutch concentration camp during the Nazi rule in Netherlands. This is a story between two lovers–whose life changed when the Nazis marched into Netherlands.

What makes this story truly a gem to read?

–This story is indeed a truly heartbreaking and emotional read. There were some tear jerking moments in the book and not only that–the love story between Saskia and Frans is so emotional and cute.
–The writing was intense and the author did a good job making the reader glued to the story and making the reader feel like they are a part of this ordeal.
–The fact that this book is based on the true story makes this book more precious and as usual, you wouldn’t believe that such brutality existed during that time–particularly the treatment towards the Jews.
–The story is told from the perspectives of Franz, Saskia and Theo. Franz visits the the concentration camp with the intention of feeding the cattle at the camp and gets involved in passing the letters between Theo and another girl named Anneliese.
–This is really a touching story–beware some parts will make you cry!

Overall, this is an emotional read, page turner and unputdownable that will make you cry till the end!

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Imogen Matthews

Imogen Matthews writes novels based on untold stories about Holland during the German occupation in World War 2. Some stories she discovered by chance, others are based on her Dutch mother’s own experiences of hardship and survival during the Hunger Winter of 1944-45.

Her first novel, The Hidden Village, is set in the Veluwe woods, a beautiful part of Holland that Imogen has visited frequently over the past 30 years. It was in these woods that she discovered the story of the real hidden village which provided shelter in underground huts for Jews during WW2. Imogen retells the story of the hidden village with characters drawn from real life and from her imagination.

Within weeks of publication in 2017, The Hidden Village became an international bestseller, ranking highly in Amazon’s most-read book lists.

Launching on December 6, 2019: the sequel, Hidden in the Shadows, has the pace of a thriller yet is also a love story about two young people who are brutally torn apart and must find a way to be together against all odds.

Imogen lives in the University town of Oxford and likes to write outside, hidden away in the beautiful gardens of Oxford colleges or in a secluded spot at Waterperry gardens.

The Hidden Village and Hidden in the Shadows are published by Amsterdam Publishers, based in the Netherlands.
THe Hidden Village audiobook was recorded by BAFTA-nominated actor Liam Gerrard, and produced by New York based Essential Audiobooks.

First Girl to Die (Detective Morgan Brooke Series Book 4) – ARC Book Review

First Girl to Die: A completely gripping crime thriller (Detective Morgan Brookes Book 4) by [Helen Phifer]

Morgan shudders as she leans out of the window and takes in the familiar blonde curls and clear blue eyes of the fallen girl below. She knows this woman, and she realises with sickening certainty that her friend is now gone forever…

When Detective Morgan Brookes is called to the scene of a suicide, she’s devastated to recognise the young teacher sprawled out on the grass like a broken doll. She hasn’t seen Brittany for years. Not since the tragic death of Morgan’s high-school boyfriend ripped their friendship group apart. But when witnesses describe Brittany’s erratic behaviour and jumbled speech that morning, Morgan is convinced the fearless, life-loving girl she once knew didn’t jump of her own accord.

Traces of poison found in Brittany’s blood prove Morgan’s theory right, but no one can find the source. Then Morgan uncovers a distinctive jar in Brittany’s home filled with toxic herbs, and the sight of it turns her blood to ice. She has a jar just like it, a handmade gift from her aunt. Is this a coincidence, a set-up, or could the only person she’s ever trusted with her damaged past be capable of murder?

Then another woman from Morgan’s past is found, close to the scene of that fatal teenage party. Has Morgan been looking at this all wrong? Are these deaths connected to that deadly night? And how could someone from her own family possibly be involved?

With her aunt’s freedom and more innocent lives at stake, Morgan must dig deep into her painful memories for answers. Who else was there that night, and what exactly did they see? She must stop this twisted killer before any more of her old friends become new victims – but at what cost?

No. of pages:- 207 pages

Date published:- will be published on October 11th 2021

Publisher:- Bookouture

Genre:- Thriller

Rating:-

Wow! Just wow! I was patiently waiting for the Morgan Brooke series to come out soon and finally it came and boy, I was not disappointed at all!

Though I did not leave a favorable review on Book 3, I must say, Book 4 is so much better that I enjoyed it so much!

Detective Morgan Brooke was called to a school where her old friend from school, Britanny, after taking in the herbal tea and apparently muttering to herself jumps out of the window, dead. A few days later, Sienna, another friend of Morgan from school was found naked inside a cave in the woods, with no recollection of how she ended up naked in a cave although she too had taken the herbal tea as well. All these herbal teas are purchased from Morgan’s aunt Ettie who becomes the viable suspect. But Morgan believes that these things are connected to an incident that happened many years which involved the death of a student…

From the first chapter to the end was intense and intriguing that I was literally hooked from the beginning to the end.. This was actually an unusual homicide case and I couldn’t help wondering–is Ettie Morgan’s aunt the killer? Or is someone else responsible? And for what??? This book is such a page turner filled with unexpected twists and turns and the ending was a OMG moment!!! There were some funny parts in the book which was laughable and Morgan Brookes has become a favorite female protagonist in my book.

So I’ll summarize the whole book in one go

–intriguing, intense and a complete page turner
–fast paced, twisty with unexpected turns–a plus sign for a good thriller
–You’ll soon learn to love Morgan Brooke and her partner Ben (not love partner, work partner)
–AND love the plot

Overall, I give this book five stars!

Note:- If you really want to read this book, do you have to read book 1. I think I’ll recommend reading book 1 before jumping directly to book 4.

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

Helen Phifer

Helen Phifer is the #1 Bestselling crime and horror novelist of the Annie Graham, Lucy Harwin and Beth Adams series. Helen lives in a small town in Cumbria. Surrounded by miles of coastline and only a short drive from the beautiful Lake District. She has always loved writing and reading since the days she learnt how to in infant school. She loves reading books that make the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and make her afraid to go to the toilet, alone in the middle of the night. She is eternally grateful to Stephen King, Dean Koontz, James Herbert and Graham Masterton for scaring her senseless in her teenage years. Unable to find enough of the scary stories she loves to read, she decided to write her own.

Her debut novel The Ghost House was released October 2013 and introduced readers to police officer Annie Graham. It went on to be an Amazon #1 bestseller in Canada. It reached #1 on the Amazon Contemporary Horror Charts in both the UK and the US, pushing her idol Stephen King off his #1 spot many times. She was thrilled when the second book in the series The Secrets of the Shadows managed to push The Ghost House off its #1 spot even if it was a little surreal. This was followed by The Forgotten Cottage, The Lake House, The Girls in the Woods and The Face Behind the Mask.

The Good Sisters is a standalone old, fashioned horror story which Helen admits scared her so much when she was writing it that she couldn’t write once it got dark. Set in an abandoned convent it will definitely give you the chills.

March 2017 saw the publication of Dark House, a gripping psychological thriller which introduced readers to the dangerous world of Detective Inspector Lucy Harwin. This was followed by Dying Breath and Last Light.

The Haunting on West Tenth Street is a supernatural thriller set on the streets of New York and features Homicide Detective Maria Miller.

Her brand new series featuring Forensic Pathologist Beth Adams is published July 16th 2019

The Courier – ARC Book Review

The Courier: The most gripping, page-turning psychological suspense of 2021 by [Holly Down]

A clever concept that has you gripped until the last page’ Hattie Brett, Grazia

She sees much more than you think . . .

Five years ago, Laurel Lovejoy had it all. The high-powered city job, the loving husband, the perfect daughter. Now, she is forty and alone, and working for a courier service. But she has discovered that being a delivery driver comes with a superpower: it makes her invisible. People accept her presence without question. They go about their lives, unaware of just how much she sees – how much she knows.

Laurel is particularly fascinated by the residents of Paradise Found, an exclusive gated cul-de-sac. She sometimes even finds her way there when she’s not working, using her days off to soak up as much information about the inhabitants and their lives as she can. Everyone needs a hobby.

Then one day Laurel sees something in one of the houses – something that blows her whole world apart, and will have devastating consequences for everyone involved . . .

No. of pages:- 320 pages

Date published:- will be published on 30th September 2021

Publisher:- Hodder and Stoughton

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Rating:- 2.5 / 5 stars

OK….I am having mixed feelings about the book.

Five years ago, Laurel had a steady, high paid job. But an incident changed Laurel’s life–she lost both her husband and her daughter and now, she is working as a delivery person in a firm called Zippi. She then gets a chance to deliver parcels in a wealthy neighborhood and meets a man named Patrick. Then the story starts from here.

I feel there are more negative things about this book than positive things. Too much of repetition which seemed unnecessary to me in some parts, making this book boring and repetitive. The characters were flawed and I didn’t really like Laurel’s character much. Though there were some twists and turns, that were in most unexpected, the ending left me a bit confused. I thought, in my opinion, the ending was a bit sloppy, as if the author hurriedly finished off the book with this abrupt ending.

I feel in my opinion the plot was good. But the too much repetition of words made the whole story a bit boring with a sloppy ending made me not enjoy this book much. Worth only 2.5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Holly Down

Holly was born in Hull and studied PPE at New College, Oxford. In 2016 she took part in City University’s Novel Studio. Her debut novel, The Courier, is published by Hodder & Stoughton in September 2021. She lives in north London with her husband and two children.

Holly is represented by Daisy Parente of Lutyens & Rubinstein.