Welcome to No.12 rue des Amants

A beautiful old apartment block, far from the glittering lights of the Eiffel Tower and the bustling banks of the Seine.

Where nothing goes unseen, and everyone has a story to unlock.

The watchful concierge
The scorned lover
The prying journalist
The naïve student
The unwanted guest

There was a murder here last night.
A mystery lies behind the door of apartment three.

Who holds the key?

My Thoughts:

This was such a thrilling read, I have read one of Lucy’s books and really enjoyed it. So I was looking forward to reading this one and it didn’t disappoint. The story is set in an apartment in Paris, there are plenty of suspicious characters with their own stories to tell, but when something really bad happens there, who saw it and who did it? mysteries, lies and suspicions bring this cleverly thought out book to life. I didn’t know what I was going to come across and was shocked by the ending, each chapter leaves you wanting a little bit more and I couldn’t put the book down.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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Late summer, 1963

Fresh from London and a recent cookery course, Alexandra has always loved a challenge.

Which is why she now finds herself standing outside an imposing chateau in Provence.

Waiting for her inside is three silent, rather hostile children who are to be her charges for the next month.

They will soon be more friendly, she tells herself. All they need is some fun, good food and an English education.

Far more of a challenge though is their father – an impossibly good looking French count with whom she is rapidly falling in love . . .

My Thoughts:

I have not read many books by Katie but I thoroughly enjoyed this one, I felt as though it was an easy and fun read that had lots packed into it. The main character is called Alexandra who after finishing a cookery course heads to France where she finds a job being a nanny to three children, at first they are hostile to her but she soon gets them to open up to her and it was lovely to see that blossom. I liked how the book was written it had a chatty feel to it which I liked, I liked Alexandra, I felt as though she was a strong women that people could look up to. When the father returns to his children we then see romance sizzle between him and Alexandra and I was really hoping she would get her happy ever after as she is such a great nanny and person. I really enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more by Katie in the future.

I received an ARC for an honest review.

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1886, BANNIN BAY, AUSTRALIA.

The Brightwell family has sailed from England to make their new home in Western Australia. Ten-year-old Eliza knows little of what awaits them on these shores beyond shining pearls and shells like soup plates – the things her father has promised will make their fortune.

~~~

Ten years later and Charles Brightwell, now the bay’s most prolific pearler, goes missing from his ship while out at sea. Whispers from the townsfolk suggest mutiny and murder, but headstrong Eliza, convinced there is more to the story, refuses to believe her father is dead.

It falls to her to ask the questions no one else dares consider. But in a town teeming with corruption, prejudice and blackmail, Eliza soon learns that the truth can cost more than pearls, and she must decide just how much she is willing to pay – and how far she is willing to go – to find it . . .

My Thoughts:

I didn’t know much about this subject before reading this book, and I found it a real eye opener but an interesting and engaging one. It is set in 1886 in Australia and Eliza’s father who is well known and a very good Pearler, is coming back from sea but only for Eliza to realise he has gone missing. Eliza sets out on a journey to discover what really happened to her father. The cover of this book is absolutely stunning, it is like a pearl and beautifully iridescent, the story is a good one, it is gritty and raw and you wonder what lengths headstrong Eliza will go through to know the truth. I feel as though I learnt things I never knew about being a Pearler and what is involved so I think it is a very knowledgeable book, the author has clearly done a lot of research. I feel as though I will not forget this book in a hurry.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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‘On May 26, 2004, Jessie Germaine went to school as normal and cheered at the end of year rally. That evening, she rode her bike into the forest and disappeared…into thin air.’

Margo hasn’t been back to Lake Moss since her school friend went missing. But as she returns, running from a failed marriage, the news breaks. Her hometown’s swimming hole has been Jessie’s grave for fifteen years.

Digging out her old diary, and steeling herself to face unfriendly ghosts of the past, Margo sets out to help a documentary crew as they investigate the infamous case the police bungled.

In a town where everyone knows everyone – but they all have secrets – the killer is certain to be close to home…

My Thoughts:

I thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced thriller that has lots of twists and turns. It is written by two authors which is unique in itself but really works. The story is a great one with lots of tense parts and also parts that will make you on edge. I couldn’t read this one before bedtime as it is very dark and creepy, even the cover creeped me out a little. The twists just keep coming, I think half of this book I was left open mouthed thinking did I really just read that. It all comes to a close at a dramatic ending. I look forward to reading more books by these two authors.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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No one even knew they were together. Now one of them is dead.

56 DAYS AGO
Ciara and Oliver meet in a supermarket queue in Dublin and start dating the same week COVID-19 reaches Irish shores.

35 DAYS AGO
When lockdown threatens to keep them apart, Oliver suggests they move in together. Ciara sees a unique opportunity for a relationship to flourish without the scrutiny of family and friends. Oliver sees a chance to hide who – and what – he really is.

TODAY
Detectives arrive at Oliver’s apartment to discover a decomposing body inside.

Can they determine what really happened, or has lockdown created an opportunity for someone to commit the perfect crime?

My Thoughts:

This was a hard review to write as I get put of with books that involve the pandemic but this book interested me as the pandemic is not just casually thrown into the story, the story evolves around the pandemic. I found it interesting and I love the descriptions that Catherine the author uses, I felt as though I was seeing the pandemic through two new sets of eyes and it was eye opening to see their views on the whole thing. There is suspense, and a few twists to make the story more exciting, I found the characters were great and relatable, I liked them up until a certain point. I felt the ending was a good one too.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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One for sorrow, two for joy
Edinburgh is gripped by the greatest terror it has ever known. A lone bomber is targeting victims across the city and no one is safe.
 
Three for a girl, four for a boy
DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach face death every day – and not just the deaths of the people being taken hostage by the killer.
 
Five for silver, six for gold
When it becomes clear that with every tip-off they are walking into a trap designed to kill them too, Ava and Luc know that finding the truth could mean paying the ultimate price.
 
Seven for a secret never to be told…
But with the threat – and body count – rising daily, and no clue as to who’s behind it, neither Ava nor Luc know whether they will live long enough to tell the tale…

My Thoughts:

I have read every single one of Helen’s books and enjoyed them all. This one was just as brilliant maybe even better. I love following DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach’s lives and seeing what they get up to. I would say you really need to read all the other books to get a sense of each character and hear their back stories. Trust me as soon as you pick this book up, you will not want to put it down. It is a cracker of a read with twists and turns coming at you from every corner, you won’t know who to trust, or what is going to happen. The story had me from the first chapter and I managed to read it in a day. I think this is the best detective series I have ever read and I wonder where it will go from here on out. This series would be perfect for a TV series. I feel as though Ava and Luc are my friends and I was rooting for them to find the killer in their next investigation. Such a great story that I want to re read, just to get that feeling again.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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When Nadine Fitzmaurice, a manager in an insurance company, gets a distressed phone call from her eighteen-year-
old daughter, Becca, telling her she’s killed someone, Nadine’s life is turned upside down.

Now Becca is being held against her will and, determined to save her daughter, Nadine finds herself dragged into the
underworld of organised crime – and under the scrutiny of Detective Sergeant Wren Moore.

But the more Nadine gets sucked in by those holding Becca, elements of her past, and a ‘TRUTH or DARE’ game that went terribly wrong years before, come to the surface.
Eighteen years earlier, teenager, Evie Nolan went missing. She never came home.
One day Becca was there, and now she is gone too.
But can Nadine help her daughter before it’s too late?

My Thoughts:

I can’t believe I have never read any of Louise’s books before, this was a great story to get involved in. Once I had sat down with it, I found it very hard to get up as I just wanted to continue to read it. It was thrilling to the point where I told my husband to be quiet just so I could savour all the twists that came with this story that I will not forget. There are parts in the story that make you think what would I do in that situation and there are parts where it is very cleverly written with twists and turns where you least expect it. Now I need to go on a hunt and pick some more of Louise’s books up. This one was really good.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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No fingerprints. No weapon. No witnesses. Can DS Cross prove it was murder?

DS George Cross can be rude, difficult, and awkward with people. But his unfailing logic and dogged pursuit of the truth means his conviction rate is the best on the force. Now, this unusual detective is met with an even more unusual case.

When a young woman is found dead, the Bristol Crime Unit is quick to rule it a suicide: the woman had a long history of drug abuse. But her mother is convinced it was murder: her daughter had been clean for years and making strides in a new therapy programme.

As an outsider himself, DS Cross is drawn to cases involving the voiceless and the dispossessed. He is determined to defy his bosses and re-open the investigation, even if it costs him his career. Soon he is mired in a labyrinth of potential suspects, but can he solve the case before his superiors shut it down for good?

My Thoughts:

Even though this is book three in the DS Cross thriller series, they can be read as a stand alone but I will be reading the other ones. This one was brilliant and I really enjoyed it. It was full of suspense and intrigue that kept me on the edge of my seat. I didn’t know what was going to happen throughout the story and the ending surprised me. I found DS Cross a unique and interesting character who I didn’t warm to straight away but can see what a good detective he is. A great story to get involved in and I look forward to reading all of the other books in this series.

I received a ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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Some wars will be fought at home . . .

Two years into the Second World War, and German U-boats are frequently disrupting Britain’s supply of food. In an effort to help housewives with food rationing, a BBC radio program called The Kitchen Front launches a new cooking contest – and the grand prize is a job as the program’s first-ever female co-host.

For young widow Audrey winning the competition could be a chance to pay off her husband’s debts and keep a roof over her children’s heads. However, her estranged sister, Gwendoline, is equally set on success even if her own kitchen maid, Nell, is competing against her. And then there is Zelda, a London-trained chef desperate to succeed in a male-dominated profession – and harbouring a secret that will change everything…

My Thoughts:

This is my perfect read and I loved everything about it. Set in the Second World War which I find this time very interesting to learn about. Food rationing then was a big thing so to help housewife’s a BBC radio program has a cooking competition to win a job on a program called Kitchen Front as the first ever female co host. There are four women who all want to win and we hear about their back stories and why they want to win. There are an interesting mix of characters with all relatable issues. I found it interesting to learn about that time and learnt things I didn’t know. I like how the book is set out and there are recipes dotted through out. I felt it was such a good story and it was an absolute delight to read it.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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The curfew
Andy and Laura are good parents. They tell their son Connor that he can go out with friends to celebrate completing his exams, but he must be home by midnight.

The lie
When Connor misses his curfew, it sets off a series of events that will change the lives of five families forever.

The truth?
Because five teenagers went into the woods that night, but only four came out. And telling the truth might mean losing everything…

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

My Thoughts:

This is my first book by T.M. Logan and I enjoyed it but it didn’t blow me away unfortunately. I have read a few books now about teenagers or kids going into the woods and not all of them coming back out again and they just get a bit samey. However I liked how the book is broken down into the days and also some of the characters perspective, you can feel the tension of the parents wondering where their kids have gone. It is a believable story and every parent’s worse nightmare. You won’t believe the twist that arrives either.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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