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Collateral Damage: A Disappearing Inc. thriller by Mick Williams

Collateral Damage: A Disappearing Inc. thriller

by Mick Williams

Mick Williams has done it again! How he keeps coming up with such great story ideas I’ll never know. He’s one of the most versatile writers I know. Everything I have read of his has been brilliant so I knew this would be too.

This book begins with Jason, hiring Katy (along with her sister, and colleague, Marsha) to find his sister. I’m not sure I’d be as quick to hand over a chunk of money to a company I’d never heard of before, but he’s obviously desperate. When they start looking into this sister though it’s soon obvious that this isn’t a straightforward missing person’s case. Far from it! And Jason isn’t who he first appears to be.

There’s not much else I can say without spoiling it for you lovely people who haven’t had the pleasure of reading it yet, but I can tell you that this story has some kick@ss female characters!! Katy and Marsha are instantly likable. Ambra grew on me. Others not so much.

There are a few other interesting characters, maybe not so likeable, but interesting all the same and integral to the plot. A plot which is full of action, intrigue, fantastically choreographed fight scenes, and an explosive conclusion!

** Many thanks to Mick Williams for my advance review copy **

“Disappearing Inc. – do you want them lost or found?”

When private investigator Katy King agrees to help Jason Cooper locate his missing sister, the case seems simple—at first. But as dead ends pile up and Jason’s story unravels, Katy realizes she’s been pulled into a web of lies far darker than she imagined.

With no time to retreat, Katy finds herself hunted on two fronts: the head of an Albanian kill squad seeking revenge from a previous meeting, and a ruthless assassin determined to fulfill her deadly mission.

As these forces converge, Katy must unravel the truth behind Jason’s secrets while staying one step ahead of killers who won’t stop until she’s dead.

Treat yourself….

Happy reading!

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Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus 

Lessons in Chemistry

by Bonnie Garmus 

Elizabeth Zott is the most fabulous character! I thoroughly enjoyed her story.

She is a chemist, living and working in a male dominated world in the 1960s. The attitudes of some men towards women in the workplace during this time is quite revolting, although not entirely shocking. Elizabeth doesn’t suffer fools gladly though. As a result, her approach to life and work is often misunderstood, and is certainly not tolerated, by some. Her soulmate gets her though and their relationship is heart-warming. My heart broke for her when her life starts collapsing around her.

There are some other great characters throughout this story too. Six-Thirty is a favourite of mine, and I thought Harriet was hilarious. Mad is a little genius.

Lessons in Chemistry is a completely captivating story. It’s clever, funny, thought-provoking, heart-wrenching, and inspiring. I loved it!

Your ability to change everything – including yourself – starts here

Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, she would be the first to point out that there is no such thing.

But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute take a very unscientific view of equality.

Forced to leave her job at the institute, she soon finds herself the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show, Supper at Six.

But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook.

She’s daring them to change the status quo. One molecule at a time.
__________


A Book of the Year for:
Guardian, Times, Sunday Times, New York Times, Good Housekeeping, Woman & Home, Stylist, TLS Oprah Daily, Newsweek, Mail on Sunday, Entertainment Weekly, NPR, India Knight, Hay Festival, Waterstones, Amazon, Books are My Bag and many more!

Author of the Year at the British Book Awards
Winner of the Goodreads Choice Best Debut Novel Award
Winner of the Books are My Bag Reader’s Choice Award
Winner of the Books are My Bag Breakthrough Author Award
Shortlisted for the HWA Crown Award


Praise for Lessons in Chemistry:

‘Full of humour, heartbreak and characters who feel like real people’ Red Magazine

‘Thought-provoking and stylish‘ Guardian

‘Laugh-out-loud funny and brimming with life, generosity and courage’ Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

‘I loved Lessons in Chemistry and am devastated to have finished it!’ Nigella Lawson

‘A novel that sparks joy with every page’ Elizabeth Day, author of Magpie

‘Witty and sometimes hilarious … the Catch-22 of early feminism’ Stephen King

‘A beautiful, sharp, funny and dark modern classic. I adored it’ Chris Whitaker, author of We Begin at the End

Happy reading!

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Daisy’s War (A Family at War Book 1) by Roberta Grieve 

Daisy’s War (A Family at War Book 1)

by Roberta Grieve 

Daisy’s War was a lovely read!

Daisy is a very likeable character who is desperate to do her bit for the war effort, along with everyone else, so she finds herself a job in the NAAFI. It’s hard work, but she loves it (apart from her suspicions that someone might thieving from the stores).

Her childhood sweetheart, boy next door, Bob has been sent abroad, and she fears she may never see him again. She has promised to wait for him though, so when Lofty strolls into her life she tries her hardest to resist him. She is so determined to be true to her Bob and I thought that was so sweet. We can’t help who we fall for though and I really felt for her as she wrestled with her conflicted feelings. Bob and Lofty are both lovely characters too.

I can’t imagine living through a world war with air raid threats, rationing, and your whole life being turned upside down. I know how it feels to be left behind whilst someone you love is in a war zone for months at a time though as my husband was in the Army for 22 years. Even though he was never front line there was always that niggle of worry that each time he went away might be the last time I saw him alive. It’s difficult getting up each day and just carrying on as ‘normal’ but there was nothing else I could do. Especially with two small children. I found Daisy’s worry for the uncertainty of her future very relatable.

Daisy’s family and friends are a good bunch of characters too. Each adding their own depth to the story. I really enjoyed it and hope to read book two in the series before too long. I would have jumped straight into it, but I have other reading commitments right now.

If you love a historical romance, I think you’ll love this book.

** According to Amazon I purchased the kindle edition of this book on the 10th of July 2021 **

Daisy’s War is a historical romance set on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent during World War Two. Daisy is too young to join the WAAFs like her glamorous sister Sylvia and opts instead to work in the NAAFI which serves the sailors and soldiers stationed in the dockyard and garrison with snacks, cigarettes and toiletries. She has vowed to stay true to Bob, her childhood sweetheart. But Bob is serving overseas and she fears he will not return. Enter tall handsome soldier Christopher, known to his friends as Lofty.

Happy reading!

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In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware @RuthWareWriter

In a Dark, Dark Wood

by Ruth Ware 

Wow! This is quite a story!! It grabbed my attention from the very beginning and kept me intrigued throughout. I’m not sure I would have made the same decision as Nora; to go the hen weekend of a friend I hadn’t spoken to for ten years. Then again, I can see how curiosity might get the better of you and I understand her desire to make amends, especially as they were best friends back in the day. Also, she had the back up of another mutual friend who had been invited, so what could possibly go wrong!

OH. MY. GOODNESS!

As the story progressed, I really felt for Nora. I didn’t warm to Clare at all. She grated on me. There was something about her that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. The more I learned about her, the more I understood why. She is not a nice person. She didn’t deserve Nora’s friendship back in their school days, but I can understand why Nora was drawn to her.

Nina is an odd character too. I couldn’t make my mind up about her. I still can’t.

They’re an odd bunch of friends.

This is a fast-paced psychological thriller with short, sharp chapters, interesting if not entirely likeable characters, and an intriguing plot which kept me invested. It’s one of those books that I was thinking about when I wasn’t reading it and couldn’t wait to find out which direction it would go in. It made me question everything and everyone. It made me question what I would do in the same situation. I’m pretty sure my decisions would be quite different to those of these characters, but I’m quite boring. The drama that evolves throughout this book made for extremely tense, sad, shocking, and highly entertaining reading.

** I purchased a paperback copy of this book for the purposes of a buddy read with some of my lovely Bookstagram friends. Great choice, @_shannonslibrary_ **

Nora hasn’t seen Clare for ten years. Not since the day Nora walked out of her old life and never looked back.

Until, out of the blue, an invitation to Clare’s hen party arrives. A weekend in a remote cottage – the perfect opportunity for Nora to reconnect with her best friend, to put the past behind her.

But something goes wrong.

Happy reading!

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Deliver Her by Patricia Perry Donovan @PatPDonovan

Deliver Her

by Patricia Perry Donovan 

Deliver Her had waited patiently on my Kindle TBR list for quite some time so I was glad to finally read it. I can’t remember buying it, or who recommended it, but I really enjoyed it. I pretty much went in blind, so I didn’t have any expectations which I quite like sometimes.

This is a thriller/mystery, and it is full of suspense, but I would describe it more as a family saga.

Alex is a teenage girl, struggling with grief after losing her best friend in a car accident. She blames herself. She is starting to go off the rails and her mother, Meg, is understandably concerned and battling with how best to help her. A last straw sees Meg enrolling Alex into a boarding school and hiring a transporter company to take her there. This was all quite extreme to me. I can’t imagine sending my daughter off with strangers but then I can understand how some children push their parents to their absolute limits. I could feel Meg’s desperation although I didn’t agree with her not involving her husband in the decision.

Alex reacts as you would imagine and when the journey doesn’t go as planned the story takes a whole different direction. One I was not expecting!

There are some interesting characters in this book and much more going on than you think at the beginning. There are a lot of different relationships. The main character’s mother/daughter dynamic, husband/wife, sister/brother, sister/sister, as well as friendships old and new, secrets, lies, and new beginnings. I thought it was a great read!

** I purchased the Kindle edition of Deliver Her on 2nd April 2016. It is still available to buy. **

On the night of Alex Carmody’s sixteenth birthday, she and her best friend, Cass, are victims of a terrible car accident. Alex survives; Cass doesn’t. Consumed by grief, Alex starts cutting school and partying, growing increasingly detached. The future she’d planned with her friend is now meaningless to her.

Meg Carmody is heartbroken for her daughter, even as she’s desperate to get Alex’s life back on track. The Birches, a boarding school in New Hampshire, promises to do just that, yet Alex refuses to go. But when Meg finds a bag of pills hidden in the house, she makes a fateful call to a transporter whose company specializes in shuttling troubled teens to places like The Birches, under strict supervision. Meg knows Alex will feel betrayed—as will her estranged husband, who knows nothing of Meg’s plans for their daughter.

When the transport goes wrong—and Alex goes missing—Meg must face the consequences of her decision and her deception. But the hunt for Alex reveals that Meg is not the only one keeping secrets.

Happy reading!

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The Lost (Paula Maguire 1) by Claire McGowan @inkstainsclaire

The Lost (Paula Maguire 1)

by Claire McGowan 

Wow! What a brilliant start to a series. I have thoroughly enjoyed The Lost as part of a buddy read with some of my lovely Bookstagram friends. It isn’t a series I was aware of before so I’m glad it was brought to my attention.

Paula Maguire is a forensic psychologist from Northern Ireland but has been living in London for some years now. She has, however, been called back to her hometown to help with the investigations of two missing local girls. Have they simply run away? Could there be a serial killer on the loose? Are there any links to missing girls from years before who were never found? There are a lot of unanswered questions for the team to find answers to and fast.

This is a fast-paced police procedural featuring a forensic psychologist who sometimes ignores orders in her quest to find the truth. Paula Maguire is an interesting and likeable character who has her own backstory to tell. I like that we learn more about her past as the story progresses. I love her passion for her job and her determination to help these girls.

This is a story full of suspense and intriguing characters. It kept me guessing throughout and keen to find out how it was all going to end.

Shocking, heart-breaking, but brilliant!

I have already bought book 2!

** I bought the paperback edition of The Lost on the 27th of December for the purposes of our buddy read **

Not everyone who’s missing is lost

Hard-hitting and unputdownable, THE LOST follows Forensic psychologist Maguire back to her hometown in the search for two missing girls. This exhilarating introduction to the Paula Maguire series by Claire McGowan is sure to grip fans of Elly Griffiths and LJ Ross.

‘Claire McGowan is a knockout new talent’ – Lee Child

When two teenage girls go missing along the Irish border, forensic psychologist Paula Maguire has to return to the hometown she left years before. Swirling with rumour and secrets, the town is gripped by fear of a serial killer. But the truth could be even darker.

Not everyone who’s lost wants to be found

Surrounded by people and places she tried to forget, Paula digs into the cases as the truth twists further away. What’s the link with two other disappearances from 1985? And why does everything lead back to the town’s dark past- including the reasons her own mother went missing years before?

Nothing is what it seems

As the shocking truth is revealed, Paula learns that sometimes, it’s better not to find what you’ve lost…

What readers are saying about The Lost:

‘Well written and keeps you guessing. The best book I have read this year’

‘Fantastic read. Had me gripped from start to finish – I just couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended’

‘Compelling and thrilling. Claire McGowan has a clever ease of storytelling that draws you in and leaves you wanting more‘

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Paula-Maguire-gripping-explosive-ebook/dp/B00ABLJ37E/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1APRGMGZ48GCD&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.9dREvwA9ehKgTipkaz2N8yF_Up9D-5jvistfpMezPGV7qpaRkJQiPZvOA0lPOObHzeP47dTeAQl2lvAT8FoJnZFAaxnAKxJeeCLmQjJXIcjKb22P01IOqkpHlL-NtgMckL1PALmvOVprOaOsnyjL2_lHFwoWZzbK2koBnQSqcAJ1K4_wI5MxE_8-NQFVN_vpXD2VOGitYwR_lvGwRMUnefgUDQpVYGH7WD4Kb8CLhNQ._0gwxgGxfdlHE0n_kcjAnJISpRB1RoldAR6_l8ndu_M&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+lost+claire+mcgowan&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1736695571&sprefix=the+lost+clai%2Caps%2C204&sr=8-1

Happy reading!

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Christmas Every Day by Beth Moran 

Christmas Every Day

by Beth Moran 

Christmas Every Day is a fabulous festive read!

I immediately took to Jenny who I think is very brave to take on her late grandmother’s ramshackle (to put it mildly) cottage. I understand her need for a fresh start though and her determination to see it through.

I immediately took to Mack too, Jenny’s next-door neighbour, although he’s a grumpy so and so to begin with. We soon learn why.

These two have a lot going on, emotionally and otherwise, and I enjoyed how their relationship develops from neighbours barely tolerating each other to friends….

There is so much more going on throughout this story though….

Jenny’s job and the relationships she builds with the family she finds herself working for.

A local estate agent trying to bully her into selling the cottage.

The Book Club members are an interesting bunch. Lol!

The hunt for a famous local author who doesn’t seem to want to be found.

Jenny’s relationship with her mother.

Mack’s relationship struggles.

Some surprises along the way!

It all adds up to a brilliantly written story which had me hooked! I LOVED it!

** I borrowed Christmas Every Day from the Prime Reading Library **

When Jenny inherits her estranged grandmother’s cottage in Sherwood Forest, she has nothing to lose – no money, no job, no friends, no family to speak of, and zero self-respect. Things can only get better…

Her grumpy, but decidedly handsome new neighbour, Mack, has a habit of bestowing unsolicited good deeds on her. And when Jenny is welcomed into a rather unusual book club, life seems to finally be getting more interesting.

Instead of reading, the members pledge to complete individual challenges before Christmas: from finding new love, learning to bake, to completing a daredevil bucket list. Jenny can’t resist joining in, and soon a year of friendship and laughter, tears and regrets unfolds in the most unexpected ways.

Happy reading!

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Destiny Revealed: Wizard Twins (The Destiny Trilogy Series Book 1) by Cris Pasqueralle 

Destiny Revealed: Wizard Twins (The Destiny Trilogy Series Book 1) 

by Cris Pasqueralle 

Destiny Revealed begins with the thirteenth birthdays of Jack and Maddie. They aren’t your average teenagers though. They have no idea just how special they are. Their lives are turned upside down when their parents are kidnapped and taken to a different realm, and they discover it is their responsibility to rescue them as well as save all the realms!

I don’t read a lot of Fantasy or a lot of YA fiction, but I enjoyed this story. It was like a breath of fresh air with it being so different to what I generally read. A great start to a series. One I think will appeal to many readers, young or old!

** I purchased the kindle edition of this book on 19th April 2020 **

THE MAGIC BEGINS…
On the day of their thirteenth birthdays, twins Jack and Maddie Austin receive a special gift from their wizard relative Uncle Benny: two necklaces, along with a note shrouded in secrecy. The celebration is interrupted by three intruders, led by the evil being Tardon, who kidnaps the twin’s parents. Uncle Benny manages to escape with the twins and later, reveals the truth behind both their gifts and identities: that Jack and Maddie are powerful wizards from the magical realm. Now, faced with the decision of a lifetime, they must return to that realm, rescue their parents and save all the realms from imminent doom. Praise for Destiny Revealed: “Great fantasy fiction for young adults!” “A High Fantasy Quest not to be missed!”

Happy reading!

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Fight Back (Kerry Casey, Book 2) by Anna Smith

Fight Back (Kerry Casey, Book 2)

by Anna Smith

Having read, and thoroughly enjoyed, book one of this series, Blood Feud, I was very much looking forward to catching up with Kerry Casey and the gang again in Fight Back. They’re an interesting bunch and live lives so far removed from my own it makes it the perfect book to lose yourself in. I don’t think I’d ever sleep if I was involved in the sort of things these characters get up to, but I know very well these sorts of things go on in this world. Scary stuff! Kerry Casey is one tough lady though and she won’t be intimidated by anyone. However powerful they are, or think they are. Kerry is still determined to turn the “family business” into a legitimate one, but other people are determined to make this as difficult as possible for her. Of course, this makes for a more interesting story. One I very much enjoyed. I’m looking forward to reading book 3, hopefully soon.

** I purchased the paperback edition of Fight Back on the 14th of August 2024 **

Gangster Kerry Casey has fought her way to the top of the Glasgow crime scene. But can she stay there?

Kerry Casey is now a fully-fledged gangland boss. With her business partner Sharon and her wily lawyer Marty at her side, she is busy ridding her organisation of the drug-dealing, people-trafficking scum her dead brother Mickey got them involved with. But her great dream is still to take the Caseys straight.

Her plan to turn her organisation around hinges on building a property empire in Spain. But Kerry has some deadly rivals – in Glasgow, on the Costa del Sol, and even further afield. They will never believe she has what it takes to defend her turf, and they won’t rest until the Caseys are destroyed.

Treat yourself

Happy reading!

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The Berlin Agent (John Cook, Book 2) by Stephen Ronson @Stephen_Ronson #NetGalley

The Berlin Agent (John Cook, Book 2)

by Stephen Ronson 

Having read, and thoroughly enjoyed, The Last Line I was excited to receive an invite to read and review The Berlin Agent. (Apologies to the author and publisher for the delay.)

John Cook is a brilliant character. I think I said in my previous review that he is a bloke I would want on my side in any kind of crisis. I imagine he’s quite easy on the eye too!

During this book, Cook and Lady Margaret are tasked with fighting the Nazi’s as they land on British soil. Risking their own lives in the hope of protecting the country, and the people, they love.  A risky mission, but one which Cook accepts without question for his own safety.

This book is full of action and suspense. It even has a bit of romance, which I love!

A brilliantly written historical fiction novel. An excellent series so far. I look forward to book three!

** Many thanks to the author and publisher for my review copy via NetGalley **

A country at war. Bombers fill the skies. A parachute drops in the dead of night…

‘A gripping World War Two thriller that masterfully blends historical accuracy with intense action… Every shadow hides a potential threat, and the tension never lets up. A must read’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

England 1940: Paris has fallen to the Third Reich. Farmer John Cook and society heiress Lady Margaret are waiting for the day when German tanks roll across the green fields of their homes. Both are ready for the moment they will disappear into the woods and the fields to carry out their top-secret orders – to do whatever it takes to fight the Nazis once they arrive on British soil.

Their worst fears are realised when a parachutist drops from a German bomber during an air raid. Arriving at the scene, Cook finds the white silk hanging from a branch, and a mysterious crate containing a complex piece of machinery. The spy is nowhere to be found.

But at night, Cook and Margaret hear German voices in the darkness. Reports come in of others hearing similar things, and there are whispers of an agent from Berlin…

With enemies already hiding among them, how far will Cook and Margaret go to protect the country and the people they love?

An absolutely gripping WWII historical thriller that will leave you breathless. Perfect for fans of Robert Harris, Kate Quinn and Rory Clements.

Everyone is gripped by the John Cook novels:

‘Thrilling WWII set thriller that has heart-pounding action, but more importantly, a lot of heart… Completely gripping… A narrative that is as taut as piano wire!.. .Not to be missed if you enjoy action-packed historical thrillers’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘My God, this was great. It left me with a book hangover. I felt like I was there in 1940s England… I learned so much from this book… The writing is really 3D. You really feel like you’re there. It’s very immersive, and I love the witty humour. John Cook is a wonderful character’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘John Cook is the Jack Reacher of 1940’s Britain‘ Damien Lewis

‘A compelling read and felt as if I was actually back in 1939. A delicious group of main characters… Great read’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A brilliant noir thriller set in the darkest days of the Second World War‘ Stephen Leather

Treat yourself

I.C.Y.M.I

The Last Line by Stephen Ronson @Stephen_Ronson

Happy reading!