I am absolutely OVER THE MOON to be joining in with Tanya Bullock’s The Lonely Hearts Crime Club blog tour!

Many thanks to Tanya and Stephanie @ Blackbird Books for the opportunity and for my ARC of this excellent book.

My review…..

First of all, I think The Lonely Hearts Crime Club is a fabulous title and I love the cover. Both compliment this story perfectly.

I was completely engrossed in this book from the very first short, but shocking, chapter. I defy anyone to read that opening chapter and not be instantly gripped!

I love that each chapter of this book is from the perspective of different lead characters. All are very unique, with very different stories. However, they all have one thing in common, they are all lonely and live in the same high rise building.

We meet Aggie first, but her introduction is quite devastating. She has been beaten up badly, in her own home, and left for dead. Who would be callous enough to do such a thing?

Ella is in her early twenties and is pregnant with her first child. She is new to the building and is trying to turn her life around after falling in with the wrong crowd in her teens. She is keen to get to know her neighbours, but doesn’t want to come across as desperate. She has no idea what she is about to find herself involved in.

Birdie is a very interesting character. In her early sixties and an aspiring actress, but with little success. She is pinning her hopes for the future on an upcoming audition which she is convinced she has in the bag. It is obvious from the beginning that she has some issues and you can’t help but feel sorry for her, but she’s a bit of mystery until much later on in the story.

Ethan is a film maker. When we first meet him he is attending a wedding as the one filming the happy occasion. He also has his secrets though and comes across as not overly likeable to begin with, but all becomes clear as his story progresses and he grew on me.

William is living by himself for the very first time. I really liked William. He’s autistic, so his mother is quite apprehensive about him living alone, but William is proud of his little flat and new found independence. He likes to people watch from his window and makes up stories about their lives. One particular story leads to a misunderstanding with the police though and could have caused a lot of trouble.

When Aggie’s attack is revealed, Ella, Ethan, William and a reluctant Birdie decide to do their own investigating and in doing so help each other to feel that little bit less lonely. The truth is a shock in the end though, I didn’t see that coming!

I really get on with Tanya Bullock’s writing. She has the knack for creating characters which I am instantly drawn to, whether likeable or not. This book is so uniquely intriguing. It’s short chapters heighten the suspense making it a fairly quick read as it’s REALLY hard to put down! It’s very cleverly written and I will be happy to recommend to all.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for my review copy.

An edgy mystery with a beating human heart

‘I didn’t see that ending coming AT ALL…!’ Between the Bookends

‘A fast but great read. The cast of characters form a group of misfits similar to those of The Breakfast Club or The Sandlot.‘ What Kel Reads

‘I absolutely did not see the ending coming!’ Goodreads

Will

YOU

work it out?
________________________

An elderly resident of an inner-city tower block is brutally attacked and left for dead.

Her neighbours, a pregnant alcoholic, a vulnerable youth, a failed actress and a cameraman with a dark secret are thrown together in their search for answers.

Misfits and loners, they are forced to confront uncomfortable realities about themselves and each other, as their investigation leads them towards the shocking finale.

‘A powerful, poignant story.’ Jane Hunt Writer Blog

‘Nice twist!’ The Dacian She-Wolf

‘A fun story with a good twist.’ Goodreads

‘I once lived in a tower block on an estate in Salford, and I could immediately visualise myself back there. Loved this book. A humbling read.’ Diane Chandler, author

‘A definite favourite. I will buy this book as gifts.’ Laura Prime

‘What an ending!’ Goodreads

‘Great job, I highly recommend.’ Between Dreams I Read

________________________

Praise for the award-winning film-maker Tanya Bullock’s first novel, That Special Someone, a heartwarming, witty story of a mother’s quest to help her learning-disabled daughter find love:

‘Local author’s debut novel manages to combine a sensitive subject with Black Country Humour.’ ‘Waterstones Loves’, Waterstones, Walsall

‘A wonderful, poignant and witty story about the life, loves and struggles of a young woman with learning difficulties.’ Jill Frasier, Founder and Director of healthcare charity, Kissing it Better

FINALIST 2016 PEOPLE’S BOOK PRIZE FOR FICTION/THE BERYL BAINBRIDGE FIRST TIME AUTHOR AWARD

About the author…..

Tanya Bullock is a college lecturer, writer and award-winning filmmaker. She lives in the UK with her husband and two young children. She has a passion for foreign culture and languages (inherited from her French mother) and, in her youth, travelled extensively throughout Australia, America, Asia and Europe. As a filmmaker, she has gained local recognition, including funding and regional television broadcast, through ITV’s First Cut scheme, two nominations for a Royal Television Society Midlands Award, and, in 2010, a Royal Television Society Award in the category of best promotional film. On maternity leave in 2011 and in need of a creative outlet, Tanya began to write That Special Someone, the story of a mother’s quest to help her learning-disabled daughter find love. It was a finalist for The People’s Book Prize and The Beryl Bainbridge First Time Author Award 2016. Her second novel, Homecoming, a love story with an unexpected twist, was published in 2016. The Lonely Hearts Crime Club is Tanya’s third novel. A psychological thriller with a shocking finale, it will be published in the spring of 2019. All Tanya’s novels are published by Blackbird Digital Books.