In the Deep by Loreth Anne White My rating: 5 of 5 stars Smart, compelling and flawlessly plotted, with red herrings sprinkled in like little dashes of chilli, In The Deep is seriously entertaining. And that ending! I’m still running it through my mind the next day! We start with a woman’s murder trial after…
Category: Book reviews
Book reviews
Welcome to my little book nook, where I keep my book reviews. I only review books that I rate 4* or 5*, because why would I waste time on books I don’t enjoy? Besides, my mama taught me, ‘If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothin’ at all’.
The Good Sister - Sally Hepworth
The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth My rating: 5 of 5 stars An enchanting, enthralling, and utterly beautiful women’s fiction novel with a twist of domestic suspense, The Good Sister is that rare story that manages to hit all the right buttons. Rose and Fern are fraternal twins who survived a traumatic childhood with a…
They Never Learn by Layne Fargo
They Never Learn by Layne Fargo My rating: 5 of 5 stars Holy hell this book was fun! Set within the old-boys-club world of academia, They Never Learn is unsettling, smart and absolutely riveting. Scarlett is an English professor who murders men who abuse and/or rape women for sport. But when the college decides to…
The Perfect Life by Nuala Ellwood
The Perfect Life by Nuala Ellwood A compelling, twisty psychological thriller in which a much-adored boyfriend gaslights a vulnerable, naïve woman, leading us to ask: does anyone really have a perfect life? Vanessa gets a thrill out of viewing houses she can’t afford. After her mother died when she was young, she’s longed desperately for…
A Million Reasons Why - Jessica Strawser
A Million Reasons Why: A Novel by Jessica Strawser My rating: 4 of 5 stars An emotional family drama, heavy on the drama. From heart attacks to secret children to surprise DNA test results to kidney transplants to past relationships to pregnancy stuff, there’s a lot going on. Well-developed characters and a lot to think…
Girls of Brackenhill by Kate Moretti
Girls of Brackenhill by Kate Moretti My rating: 5 of 5 stars A dark and beguiling gothic mystery with a touch of the supernatural, Girls of Brackenhill has everything you want in a story at this time of year: a creepy castle, long-buried secrets, mysterious townspeople, and a troubled woman who’s (literally and figuratively) haunted…
Loss Lake - Amber Cowie
Loss Lake by Amber Cowie My rating: 5 of 5 stars Wonderfully tense and gorgeously disturbing, Loss Lake is richly atmospheric, centering around a much-fabled monster-filled lake and a darkly twisted small town hiding big secrets. Hypnotic and irresistible, you won’t be able to look away. This beautiful, tautly written story is about love and…
A Stranger On The Beach - Michelle Campbell
A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell My rating: 5 of 5 stars A confidently written, utterly engrossing thriller, I literally couldn’t put it down and spent the whole day absorbed in this book. With a gorgeous beachfront setting, an intriguing plot, and characters I just couldn’t trust, this one had all the elements…
The Assistant - S.K. Tremayne
The Assistant by S.K. Tremayne My rating: 5 of 5 stars Wow! How did I miss this one last year? This book was incredible! Electric, riveting, and deliciously disturbing, The Assistant is a scarily believable story about the nature of modern technology and our reliance on virtual assistants, like Alexa or Siri. What happens when…
What Lies Between Us - John Marrs
What Lies Between Us by John Marrs This book is just bonkers crazy, with two of the most devious and conniving women I’ve read in a long time! Dark, demented and dysfunctional are my three top words to describe it, with a toxic mother-daughter relationship at its core. We open with Nina and Maggie having…
Long Bright River - Liz Moore
Long Bright River by Liz Moore My rating: 5 of 5 stars Profoundly moving and beautifully written, Long Bright River is a story about the bond of sisters, addiction, and what’s left in the wake of a shared tragedy. It’s a murder mystery, but one that is quieter, focusing more on the relationship of the…
Don't Look For Me - Wendy Walker
Don’t Look for Me by Wendy Walker My rating: 5 of 5 stars Electric and atmospheric, Don’t Look For Me is so much more than a cleverly-plotted, beautifully-written novel. This gorgeously layered thriller is riveting, haunting and emotional, following a family broken by tragedy and asking if redemption is ever an option when the unthinkable…