Posted on July 29, 2025 by Chat About Books

The Torments (The Annie Jackson Mysteries Book 2) by Michael J. Malone @michaelJmalone1 @OrendaBooks

The Torments (The Annie Jackson Mysteries Book 2)

by Michael J. Malone

After reading and thoroughly enjoying The Murmurs (Book one in the Annie Jackson series) I couldn’t resist purchasing book two and bumping it to the top of my TBR list!

Annie is a very likeable character. One with a family curse I don’t envy her for. I’m not surprised she wants to hide away in her remote cottage where she gets some peace from everything.

However, when her adoptive mother begs for her help as her nephew has gone missing, she feels obliged to do whatever she can do to help although her visions don’t really work that way. With the help of her brother, Lewis, she leaves her sanctuary, unaware of the danger she’s about to be confronted with.

This is another fast paced, suspenseful novel which I found to be more than a little creepy. Some of the characters are certainly more than a little creepy! Again, I was completely invested from the very beginning. It was extremely difficult to put down. I would have happily read it in one sitting if I could have. I’m looking forward to book three, The Howling, but that isn’t being released until September. If you haven’t already, I recommend you catch up with the series in the meantime like I have. You won’t regret it!

** I purchased a paperback copy of The Torments on the 18^{th of} June 2025 **

Annie surged forward, but she was too slow, too late.

A hand came over and down, and she felt a sharp pain at the back of her neck.

Then all became smoke, and silence.

Hiding from the world in her little white cottage on the shores of a loch, Annie Jackson is fighting to come to terms with the world of the murmurs, a curse that has haunted female members of her family for centuries.

While she is within the ancient, heavy stone of the old dwelling, the voices merely buzz, but the moment she steps outside the door they clamour to torment her all over again, bringing with them shocking visions of imminent deaths.

Into this oasis comes her adoptive mother, Mandy McEvoy, begging for Annie’s help. Mandy’s nephew Damien has gone missing, after dropping off his four-year old son at his mother’s home.

Unable to refuse, but terrified to leave her sanctuary, Annie, with the help of her brother Lewis, is drawn in to a secretive, seductive world that will have her question everything she holds dear, while Lewis’ life may be changed forever…

The second book in the critically acclaimed Annie Jackson Mysteries series, The Torments is both a contemporary gothic thriller and a spellbinding mystery that deeps deep into a past that should, perhaps, remain undisturbed…

Treat yourself

I.C.Y.M.I

The Murmurs (The Annie Jackson Mysteries Book 1) by Michael J. Malone @michaelJmalone1 @OrendaBooks

Happy reading!

Posted on July 14, 2025 by Chat About Books

Happier Days by Marcie Steele @marcie_steele @writermels

Happier Days

by Marcie Steele

Well, if you’re looking for a beautifully written, feel-good story full of romance and gorgeous characters then look no further. Marcie Steele never fails to write characters who feel completely real. Characters who you find yourself rooting for 100%, praying for their happiness.

I knew I was going to love this book before I even started it, and I wasn’t wrong. There isn’t a single book written by Marcie/Mel that I haven’t adored.

I was completely captivated by Ava and Jack’s love story. They’ve both had their sad times, and grief never really leaves you, but in finding each other again they certainly can look forward to happier days!

Another gorgeous read! One I will happily recommend to anyone who will listen! 😊

** Many thanks to Marcie Steele for my kindle review copy. (Apologies for the delay in publishing my review.) Proud to be part of #TeamSherratt **

Some memories never fade – some hearts never stop hoping

When work as a photographer takes her back to a village she knows well, Ava isn’t expecting Jack to be as picture perfect as he is in her memories from all those years ago.

Set on the outskirts of Somerley, Sapphire Hotel is in need of a makeover. Its owners, Jack’s parents, are not keen on change after the death of his brother, but he encourages them to hire a PR company to boost trade. Whoever is sent to do the job will have their work cut out and, as project manager, will have to answer to him.

An untimely meeting has old friendships and emotions reawakened. Will Ava discover that true love isn’t a burden, but a wonderful thing? And will Jack find a way to let go of the past and risk his heart again?

Treat yourself….

Happy reading!

Posted on July 14, 2025 by Chat About Books · 2 Comments

The Man I Think I Know by Mike Gayle @mikegayle

The Man I Think I Know

by Mike Gayle

What a gorgeous story this is!

When we meet James, he is living with his parents who have been looking after him since his tragic “incident”. He is itching to get his independence back but his parents, and his sister, are naturally worried about him living on his own again.

When we meet Danny, he has no option but to take the first job he can find as he’s having his dole money stopped. He would never have expected to bump into an old school friend at such an establishment.

Two men living completely different lives, but with a similar past. The most unlikely of friends.

However, fate intervenes and what follows is such a beautifully written story of a friendship that blossoms through mutual respect and a mutual need for a new start in life.

I absolutely loved it! It’s heartfelt, emotional, funny, and inspiring. Sad at times but ultimately uplifting. I certainly had a smile on my face at the end.

This is my first ever Mike Gayle book, but it will not be my last. I have all his other books on my Amazon Wishlist now! 😊

Ever since The Incident, James DeWitt has stayed on the safe side.

He likes to know what happens next.

Danny Allen is not on the safe side. He is more past the point of no return.

The past is about to catch up with both of them in a way that which will change their lives forever, unexpectedly.

But redemption can come in the most unlikely ways.

Treat yourself….

Happy reading!

Posted on July 14, 2025July 13, 2025 by Chat About Books · 1 Comment

Borderline by Graeme Cumming @GraemeCumming63 #BookPromotion @BoBookPublicity

When the system isn’t working, work outside the system.

A search for a missing man thrusts Rand Scott into the dark realms of homelessness, drug dealing and sex clubs.

Kirsty Moore wants to find her brother Johnny, a one-time rock star.

The police also want him – for murder.

And there are others looking who don’t play nicely.

A simple job turns deadly as Rand uncovers a world where money talks louder than the screams of innocent bystanders.

Borderline

by Graeme Cumming

OUT NOW!

https://mybook.to/7xBagB

Reviews

“Thirty years ago the dominant voice in PI fiction was Robert B. Parker. His ‘Spenser’ novels are probably the best thing since sliced Chandler. Ever since I first read a Spenser novel I’ve wondered about an English Spenser to no particular conclusion, but in Graeme Cumming’s ‘Rand’ Scott (yes, that really is his name) I think we have a contender. Rand is the Spenser mix of borderline criminal and white knight, the hard-case with a heart of gold. That said, Cumming doesn’t pretend to copy Parker’s style, his voice is his own, his dialogue crisp, his sense of place superb … and he doesn’t give a flying F about food (sorry, Robert B.) Borderline is the first book in what I hope becomes a regular series.” – John Lawton, best-selling author of the Inspector Troy and the Joe Wilderness series

“Gritty, sharp-witted, and packing a serious emotional punch! And Rand is a hero worth turning the pages for.” – Lauren North, Author of CLICKBAIT & I’M HER MOTHER

“What an incredible novel. Cumming’s strong and authentic writing explores the murkiest worlds of covert policing in the most gripping and compelling way. Exquisitely plotted and expertly told.” – Graham Bartlett, former detective and Sunday Times bestselling author

“Rand Scott is a character I invested in, he is a man who is pretty complex, with hidden depths for sure. He surprised me at times as the story unfolded. A cracker of a thriller that has the perfect ingredients for a great read!! Gritty, dark and twists that are perfectly placed.” – Beyond the Books, Book Blogger

Posted on July 4, 2025July 31, 2024 by Chat About Books · 3 Comments

#FlashbackFriday July 2025

Hi, and welcome to my Flashback Friday feature!

On the first Friday of each month, I like to look back at the books I was reading the previous year during the same month.

Please do join in if you have the time, I’d love to see your posts 🙂

A big thank you to those who already join in regularly! x

Here are my reviews from July 2024 + a link to previous July FBFs….

Before I Let You In by Jenny Blackhurst @JennyBlackhurst

Beautiful and Terrible Things: A Novel by S.M. Stevens

A Window Breaks by C. M. Ewan

Unexpected Family For The Rebel Tycoon (Mills & Boon True Love) by Rachael Stewart @rach_b52

Take Down (Father Black series, book three) by Mick Williams @mickwilliamsau2

Wedding Belles at Rosa’s by Misha M Herwin @MishaHerwin

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger #Audible

When You Were Mine by Emma-Claire Wilson @ECWilsonWriter #BookReview #NetGalley

#FlashbackFriday July 2024

Happy reading!

Posted on June 27, 2025 by Chat About Books

Unspeakable Things by Jess Lourey @JessLourey

Unspeakable Things

by Jess Lourey

Unspeakable Things is a disturbing but engaging read. There’s a palpable tension throughout which made me feel very uneasy about the direction the story was going to take. I was gripped!

I worried about Cassie, her sister, and their mother, the whole way through. Her father is a very controlling and unpredictable character. He made my skin crawl, as did more than one of the other characters in this book. These are not nice people!

When local boys start going missing, I was dreading how things were going to go but I couldn’t stop reading. I needed to know.

I didn’t realise until now that this book is inspired by a true story. That makes it even more harrowing!

If you love a good psychological thriller than I’m sure you will love this one.

** According to Amazon I purchased the Kindle edition of Unspeakable Things on the 1^{st of} December 2019 **

Inspired by a terrifying true story from the author’s hometown, a heart-pounding novel of suspense about a small Minnesota community where nothing is as quiet—or as safe—as it seems.

Cassie McDowell’s life in 1980s Minnesota seems perfectly wholesome. She lives on a farm, loves school, and has a crush on the nicest boy in class. Yes, there are her parents’ strange parties and their parade of deviant guests, but she’s grown accustomed to them.

All that changes when someone comes hunting in Lilydale.

One by one, local boys go missing. One by one, they return changed—violent, moody, and withdrawn. What happened to them becomes the stuff of shocking rumors. The accusations of who’s responsible grow just as wild, and dangerous town secrets start to surface. Then Cassie’s own sister undergoes the dark change. If she is to survive, Cassie must find her way in an adult world where every sin is justified, and only the truth is unforgivable.

Happy reading!

Posted on June 24, 2025 by Chat About Books · 2 Comments

The Murmurs (The Annie Jackson Mysteries Book 1) by Michael J. Malone @michaelJmalone1 @OrendaBooks

The Murmurs (The Annie Jackson Mysteries Book 1)

by Michael J. Malone

I ordered a copy of The Murmurs after recently joining in with the cover reveal for book three in this series, The Howling, which will be released in September.

What a start to a series!

I became slightly obsessed with this book. It’s one of those you think about a lot when you’re not reading it and can’t wait to get back to.

Annie Jackson is a very likeable character, and I quickly found myself becoming increasingly concerned about her. Her premonitions are terrifying! Even more so for knowing that people think she is crazy when she tries to explain. I can’t even imagine where I would start to process these visions, let alone the family history that is unearthed as the story progresses. There are so many sad and shocking moments in this book I’d be surprised if anyone didn’t find it completely compelling!

A chilling tale I found extremely difficult to put down!

LOVED it!

I have already ordered book two and look forward to book three later in the year.

In the beginning there was fear.

White-hot, nerve-shredding fear.

Terrifying premonitions of deaths.

And then they started…

The Murmurs…

On the first morning of her new job at Heartfield House, a care home for the elderly, Annie Jackson wakens from a terrifying dream. And when she arrives at the home, she knows that the first old man she meets is going to die.

How she knows this is a terrifying mystery, but it is the start of horrifying premonitions … a rekindling of the curse that has trickled through generations of women in her family – a wicked gift known only as ‘the murmurs’…

With its reappearance comes an old, forgotten fear that is about to grip Annie Jackson.

And this time, it will never let go…

A compulsive gothic thriller and a spellbinding supernatural mystery about secrets and small communities, about faith, courage and self-preservation, The Murmurs is a startling and compulsive read from one of Scotland’s finest authors…

Treat yourself

Happy reading!

Posted on June 20, 2025June 19, 2025 by Chat About Books · 1 Comment

The Stranger in Room Six by Jane Corry @JaneCorryAuthor @VikingBooksUK

The Stranger in Room Six

by Jane Corry

The Stranger in Room Six is a captivating story told from the point of view of Belinda and Mabel. Two very different ladies, with a considerable age gap, who have led very different lives, but now find themselves becoming friends at Sunnyside Home for the Young at Heart. Neither knows of each other’s past, to begin with, until they agree to share their secrets with each other and promise to keep each other’s confidences. I thought this was a very clever way of revealing their pasts to the reader. I was as keen as they both were to learn the next chapter of each of their stories.

Belinda is trying to move on after serving a long prison sentence for murdering her husband. She’s not the murdering type you would imagine though. Far from it. I liked her and I really felt for her.

Mabel owns the home she lives in, inherited from her aunt. She lived there as a child where she got herself involved in things she never truly understood as a teenager, during the war. Things that leave her in danger now. I really liked Mabel too. She’s a fascinating lady with a fascinating and difficult past. I found her story particularly compelling.

I thoroughly enjoyed the ladies’ chats and discovering the truths they unravel between them. I found the fact that someone was watching them from room six very unsettling and I needed to know what they were up to, why, and if Belinda and Mabel remained safe in their beds. I was well and truly hooked!

An easy five stars for me, I loved it!

** I won a paperback copy of this book via a fellow bookstagrammer’s giveaway. After I’d read it, I was approached by the publisher to join in with the blog tour, which is why I haven’t posted my review before now **

You may not know the stranger in room six. But they know everything about you.

It’s been fifteen years since Belinda was convicted of her husband’s murder. Now, she’s ready for her life to begin again, and she’s set on that happening at Sunnyside Home for the Young at Heart.

The owner, Mabel, has spent her life here. First as an evacuee during the Blitz and now as the care home’s oldest resident, Mabel has held the secrets of this house for as long as she can remember. Secrets that could kill if in the wrong hands.

But history won’t stay hidden forever and someone is onto them both. Watching and listening from room number six, they’ll stop at nothing to find out the truth.

With a past this dark, is anyone as innocent as they seem?

Happy reading!

Many thanks to Viking Books for inviting me to join is with Jane Corry’s fabulous blog tour!

Posted on June 19, 2025 by Chat About Books · 1 Comment

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn

The Salt Path

by Raynor Winn

The Salt Path has been on my radar for ages, and I had to bump it to the top of my list in anticipation of seeing the film at the cinema. I’m so glad I finally got to read it! My Mum, and others at Book Club, have been going on about it since they read it years ago.

It absolutely deserves the recognition it has received. It’s such a fascinating, heart-wrenching, and inspiring story. I honestly can’t imagine how I would deal with the hand this couple were dealt. My heart went out to them, but I take my hat of to them at the same time.

It seems a bit harsh to say I thoroughly enjoyed their story. Probably better to say I am thoroughly inspired by their story. The pain, fatigue, hunger, and uncertainty they endure is just heart-breaking. Through it all though their love and devotion for each other shines through. Home really is where the heart is.

I did thoroughly enjoy some of the interesting people the meet along the way (especially turtle man. IYKYK!) and I was shocked by some of the negative attitudes they encounter. I was also surprised by how many people refer to them as old!! As a 47-year-old with a 50-year-old husband, I found this quite disconcerting. I’m sure we would be more then capable of walking the salt path. Not quite sure about the wild camping part or having no money for food, but I don’t think we’re ready for the scrap heap yet! Walking the salt path is now on my bucket list. Maybe if Steve retires at 55, we’ll give it a go, health permitting.

I have to say that as a Book Club we really enjoyed the film too. Six of us went together on Monday. Obviously, there is a lot of the book not included which many will no doubt say, but I always expect this otherwise these films would be about six hours long! I thought the film truly captured the essence of the story and I found it equally touching.

I’m looking forward to reading Raynor Winn’s other books, hopefully soon.

** I read the paperback edition of The Salt Path, borrowed from my Mum. Thanks Mum **

Just days after Raynor learns that Moth, her husband of 32 years, is terminally ill, their home is taken away and they lose their livelihood. With nothing left and little time, they make the brave and impulsive decision to walk the 630 miles of the sea-swept South West Coast Path, from Somerset to Dorset, via Devon and Cornwall.

Carrying only the essentials for survival on their backs, they live wild in the ancient, weathered landscape of cliffs, sea and sky. Yet through every step, every encounter and every test along the way, their walk becomes a remarkable journey.

The Salt Path is an honest and life-affirming true story of coming to terms with grief and the healing power of the natural world. Ultimately, it is a portrayal of home, and how it can be lost, rebuilt and rediscovered in the most unexpected ways.