If They Knew by Sophie Flynn

What would you hide to get everything you ever wanted?

After years of infertility and heartbreak, Hannah and Charlie are finally going to get their dream family. Two-year-old Isabelle is a week away from being theirs; they just have to get through the final adoption approval process.

But when a global popstar is found murdered at the celebrity members’ club in their sleepy Oxfordshire village, Hannah fears her past is finally catching up with her. Exposing the truth could see her lose everything… her husband, Isabelle – perhaps even her life.

But Hannah doesn’t realise that Charlie has his own secrets, and, in trying to save her, has put them more at risk than she ever thought possible. As the couple get drawn in further to the murky world of celebrity and murder, they soon find themselves caught in a nightmare, forced to make terrible choices.

How many bad things will a good person do to hold onto what they love?

Publishing 17th November by Hera Books

Well Sophie has come along again, straightened the crown and reminded us why she is so fantastic. I have to add, for such a lovely human this lady can really delve into the depths of darkness and take the reader on a journey.

This is a book that has really touched a part of me- the adoption element hits raw and hidden parts of me. This alone has made this an emotional read for me. Izzy’s little story is just magic and really gives me hope. The meeting between Hannah, Charlie and Izzy is one that has broken my heart, but also one that will stay with me.

Hannah and Charlie are just a little bit lush! As a reader, I’ve wanted to give them a big cwtch as we discover the journey they’ve been on. As a follower of Sophie’s, I feel this is so personal and brave to put amongst the pages. This is something I admire and appreciate- it’s real life and completely relatable.

As the plot unfolds, it becomes clear Hannah has a secret. I definitely couldn’t predict what this was going to be. The desperation to protect this secret becomes an addiction. The book becomes completely impossible to put down.

Jesse and Owen are minor characters, although play a big part in this one. Sophie has created characters that will give you bad vibes without them being at the forefront- another talent of hers. As events have unfolded and others have been introduced, I have found myself completely speechless.

I have read all of Sophie’s books (all magnificent) but I think this is definitely a favourite. If They Knew is honest, relatable and compelling. The plot unfolds perfectly and there is so many aspects which could be discussed with this one. It’s been an absolute delight to follow (social media stalk and harass) Sophie on her journey from debut author to a queen of the genre. I can safely say I don’t even need to read a synopsis to know I’ll be reading a complete and utter gem.

This book is a must read! It truly is a book worthy of all the stars. Sophie is definitely one to watch out for.

Red as Blood

When entrepreneur Flosi arrives home for dinner one night, he discovers that his house has been ransacked, and his wife Gudrun missing. A letter on the kitchen table confirms that she has been kidnapped. If Flosi doesn’t agree to pay an enormous ransom, Gudrun will be killed.

Forbidden from contacting the police, he gets in touch with Áróra, who specialises in finding hidden assets, and she, alongside her detective friend Daniel, try to get to the bottom of the case without anyone catching on.

Meanwhile, Áróra and Daniel continue the puzzling, devastating search for Áróra’s sister Ísafold, who disappeared without trace. As fog descends, in a cold and rainy Icelandic autumn, the investigation becomes increasingly dangerous, and confusing.

Chilling, twisty and unbearably tense, Red as Blood is the second instalment in the riveting, addictive An Áróra Investigation series, and everything is at stake…

Lilja is a truly amazing author. Every book always delivers, just when you think she can’t get better… another gem is released.

I have been transported to the setting by this gem, Lilja is able to make the reader feel and sense the setting perfectly. I have sensed the autumn/winter vibes perfectly.

This is creepy and emotional to read. I have loved Àróra. She is so likeable and relatable, I really feel she has become a character I have adored reading these books.

I feel as though Lilja has taken me on an emotional rollercoaster with this book. The mystery and suspense throughout us been unpredictable. You cannot predict anything with this book. I also couldn’t work out who could be trusted with this book. I love that Lilja makes you so suspicious with the plot and characters.

For me, Lilja is a must read author. Every book is a gem and gets better and better. I can safely say this is a book, I will be recommending to everyone. This is a fantastic read from beginning to end. I have devoured this with one regret, I can’t experience this as a first time read again.

This is a book worthy of all the stars. A superb read from an Orenda gem.

On the First Day of Christmas

A gorgeous new festive read from the Kindle #1 bestselling author of The Ladies’ Midnight Swimming Club

This Christmas, everything will change…

When Liv Latimer says goodbye to her fellow nurses and finishes work for the holidays, she’s looking forward to a Christmas to remember with her boyfriend Eddie.

But as she leaves the hospital, tragedy strikes and Liv is faced with a choice. Will she ignore her instincts and go home as planned? Or will she stay, and potentially change the course of her life as she knows it?

Whatever choice she makes, Liv is about to discover that fate finds a way…

From the bestselling Irish author of The Ladies’ Midnight Swimming Club, comes an emotional and uplifting festive story about love, family and how a split second decision can change your life.

Faith Hogan is just wonderful, an absolute treasure who always delivers with each new book she writes. This has been no different, I have adored On the First Day of Christmas and can safely say that this is one of my favourite books yet.

Liv’s story is one which is told in two perspectives within this one. This has really made this unique to anything I’ve read previously. This is one that will really pull you in and steal your heart.

There are a number of wonderful characters in the pages of this one. Different aspects will touch different emotions and Hogan will really make you feel as you read this one .

This is interesting and thought provoking to read. I found myself pulled in and unwilling to put this one down. Hogan is a gem and this is another treasure.

An absolute recommendation from me.

The Three Loves of Sebastian Cooper

New from the NUMBER ONE bestselling author of The Note.

As friends and family gather for the funeral of charming and charismatic Seb Cooper, three women sit in the congregation, mourning his loss.

First there is Clair, Seb’s wife and partner of twenty years, and mother of his two children. Furious at Seb for dying and leaving their children without a father, Clair isn’t sure of her place, and has been left baffled and bemused by the conflicting stories of Seb’s last days.

Then there’s Desiree, the woman Seb left Clair for. Heartbroken, self-conscious, and wondering if she made a mistake coming today.

And the third and noisiest mourner of all is Noemie – Seb’s lover and the last woman to see him alive. 

Three women who loved Seb in their own different ways.

Three women whose lives have now changed forever.

But only one woman knows what really happened at the end…and only one truly had his heart…

Bestseller Zoë Folbigg returns with a utterly compelling and page-turning tale of love, betrayal, family and unlikely friendships. Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Celeste Ng and JoJo Moyes.

This is a unique and beautiful read that really gives you an opportunity to think about the people who have an impact on your life.

Folbigg has created some beautiful characters in this one. All likeable and realistic. Folbigg has pulled me in quickly and made it completely impossible to put this down.

I have devoured this book in just one sitting. It’s unique and completely original. This has definitely made me want to read more by Folbigg.

This is a book that really will make a massive impact on the reader. This is powerful and emotive. I have devoured page after page craving more and more.

This is a gem. I have adored everything about this one. This is a book worthy of all the stars.

Silent Angel

I’m so thrilled to be on the blog tour for one of my favourite Bookouture authors.

The girl’s head is bent as if in prayer, her hands bound tightly together at the wrist. Her bare feet are still against the cold sand, the last thing she ever felt before she breathed her last…

When the body of a teenage girl is found in Rydal Falls’ churchyard, Detective Morgan Brookes abandons her own birthday to attend the scene. In the dim evening light, Morgan can just make out the girl wrapped in a pristine white sheet and is certain she’s been left here for them to find.

The autopsy identifies the girl as sixteen-year-old Shea Wilkinson, and Morgan’s heart cracks with sorrow. The beautiful teenager has been missing for weeks, could she have been suffering all this time? When she learns the sand on Shea’s feet is from a nearby island, Morgan leaves immediately, determined to find the killer’s hiding place and stop them in their tracks.

But scouring the windswept beach, Morgan can’t find any sign that Shea was ever there. And then her phone rings with devastating news. Another girl has gone missing, a young nurse called Milly with the same blonde hair and blue eyes as Shea.

Morgan won’t rest until she has returned the kind, cheerful girl to her distraught parents. But Milly was last seen chatting to one of Morgan’s colleagues on the force… Refusing to think the worst, can she trace the clues and get inside the mind of the most cunning killer of her career, before another innocent life is lost?

An absolutely addictive page-turner! Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Lisa Regan and Rachel Abbott.

My Bookish Thoughts

I love love love Helen Phifer. I have to say Helen is an author that never disappoints and every book gets better and better.

I adore Morgan, as a reader of the series- we’ve been on a rollercoaster together. Morgan is likeable, realistic and an independent, fiery female character. We also get to revisit Ben (who has a small part of my heart).

Silent Angel is a book that will capture your attention and pull you in completely. I have been held hostage by this book. It’s not unusual for me to devour a book by Helen in one sitting, yet I think I hit a new record with this one.

The discovery of a body in a churchyard starts off our journey through this gem. I have to admit, I was convinced I knew who was guilty so have been pleasantly shocked at how this has played out.

As well as having the serious element of young girls going missing, there has been a scene with Ben, Morgan and the cat which has made me laugh out loud. I have loved it because it adds a sense of normality to the pages.

Whilst I adore the team, I have to admit I have taken a dislike to Morgan’s big boss! I just don’t know what his problem is and hopefully we will get to find out.

Silent Angel is perfectly paced. You are given enough clues to try to predict where this may go. I have been transported to the pages once again and always love a Morgan Brooke’s adventure.

Another absolute gem and one that I will be highly recommending to everyone.

Thief

Family first. Family last. The Glass family always…

Charley Glass arrived in her family’s lives like the hurricane she’d escaped. But she hadn’t run far enough: the ruthless Giordano family are on her tail and want two things – her life, and the return of the property she stole from them. No matter how many bodies stack up.

After years of hoping, Charley finally has the family she’s always wanted, but now she’s going to have to tell them the real reason she came looking for them. There is only one way she’s going to stay alive, and that is to employ the muscle of the notorious Glass Family.

The head of the family, Luke, isn’t sure they’re strong enough to take on one of New Orleans’ biggest crime gangs. But he’d put his life on the line to protect the empire they’ve built – even if they’ll have to take on an enemy hurting enough to cross an ocean for revenge.

Page-turning, gritty, and utterly compelling, Thief is Owen Mullen’s best book yet. Perfect for fans of Martina Cole, Kimberley Chambers and Mandasue Heller.

I adore this series, this has been a perfect opportunity to revisit familiar characters and catch up with what they’ve been up to. Thief is another fantastic instalment and an addition to a great series.

Mullen has done it again , this is addictive and gripping. Definitely a book which pulls you in and becomes impossible to put down. Charley has run away, but this use where this starts to unravel.

I have been transported by the plot, felt like I’ve known the setting and been completely caught up in the pages of this one.

Mullen has this one in the bag. This is a brilliant addition to the series. I have found this an addictive and gripping book. Mullen kept me hostage throughout.

This is a must read.

Dreams Come True at Glendale Hall

Lorna is following her dreams. But can she follow her heart?

Lorna Ferguson has dreamt of opening her own bed and breakfast in the village of Glendale for as long as she’d pictured falling in love. While her love life remains frankly hopeless, Lorna is determined to secure Dove House – the home she imagined living in as a child – to start this new venture with her family.

Along with brother Adam, Lorna starts restoring the house to its Art Deco glory, but faced with a whole host of renovation problems and their money fast running out, they worry that Dove House will never be ready to open in the New Year.

When a mystery man turns up, needing to fulfil a promise he made to his dying father and find the object he left at Dove House many years ago, Lorna’s heart goes out to him. But what they find there is going to change both of their lives forever.

Facing problems at every turn, and distracted by her heart, Lorna is going to need all the magic that her beloved Glendale can supply to make all her dreams come true…

An uplifting, inspirational and romantic read that will warm your heart. Fans of Jenny Colgan and Heidi Swain will love this.

Returning to Glendale Hall has been joyous, it’s definitely like returning to a familiar setting and friends that have been made along the way.

Walters has allowed us to return to one of my favourite settings. I have loved the journey through this one with Lorna and Adam. This is perfectly paced and a great read from beginning to end.

This is a book that pulled me in quickly and was impossible to put down from the beginning. This has been an addictive read which I have devoured in just one sitting.

I have adored the setting. The characters add an element of fun and relatability to this one. I really can’t say anything negative about this one.

Victoria Walters is brilliant and this is another gem for the collection.

Just Date and See

Billie is looking forward to a quiet, man-free Christmas. It’s just a shame her family doesn’t feel the same way…

With a house full of unexpected (and unwanted) guests, Billie needs to find the perfect escape to get away from the chaos.

So when her dating app recommends a week of singles nights in her area, Billie decides that braving these events has to be better than making conversation with her dad’s new wife, dealing with her mum’s mid-life crisis or witnessing her sister flirting with her insufferably arrogant next-door neighbour.

While this is definitely not the festive season she had planned, between disco bowling and boozy bingo, little does Billie know that she may find love this year after all – she’ll just have to date and see…

Fall in love with the perfect laugh-out-loud festive read from top 10 bestseller Portia MacIntosh.

Portia is a gem, an author who always delivers and never disappoints. I adore all of Portia’ books and this is definitely going on the favourites list.

I can always rely on Portia to give me a laugh as I read and this book has been no different. I have adored Billie? She is a character who has felt like a good friend and it has been fabulous to follow the journey through this one.

This is a book that has definitely got me in the mood for Christmas and I am so ready to put up my Christmas tree. This is the perfect amount of Christmas and romance all rolled into one beautiful package.

I have read all of Portia’s books and this is one of my absolute favourites. I’m sure Portia gets better and better with every book. This is one that I have devoured in just one sitting and found impossible to put down. Another Gem from our Queen of Romance.

The New Couple

The perfect marriage. The perfect house. The perfect secret…

As I step through the cherry-red door of my new home, I know I should feel like the luckiest woman alive. I have a handsome husband, a beautiful daughter and now the house of my dreams. And to everyone else my life looks perfect…

When the neighbours stop by to welcome us, I tell them my name is Stephanie Hamlin and, under the watchful gaze of my husband Richard, I introduce him and our curly haired little girl Poppy. I smile as wide as I can and desperately hope I can fit in to this exclusive place with its pretty communal gardens. Because I’ve risked everything to be here.

Behind closed doors I try to relax, to unwind in the huge clawfoot bath and forget about my complicated past. It’s hard being the new couple on the street when you’ve got secrets.

Because the truth is, my charming husband isn’t really my husband.

And I’m not Stephanie Hamlin…

An absolutely gripping psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the last page. If you love Behind Closed Doors, My Lovely Wife and The Perfect Couple, you’ll be hooked.

I have loved loved loved this book. It’s one of those reads that will pull you in quickly and hold you hostage until the very last page. This is my first read by this author but definitely won’t be the last.

Stephanie is an interesting character and one that I have felt uneasy about throughout. The author really has you questioning her character throughout the story.

This is a book that is well written, I have felt as though I have been watching this one play out. The characters have felt familiar and the setting has been clear. The tension and suspense throughout this have kept me on edge.

I found myself torn between wanting to race through and devour each page to wanting to savour every last moment of this one.

This is a superb read. I am so excited to read more by this author following this book. This is definitely a book I will recommend to other readers,

Case Files Podcast by Rachel Amphlett

Crime fiction author Rachel Amphlett has created a plot twist for mystery fans – a short story podcast.

Inspired by research from Bookwire that revealed Gen Z enjoys listening to crime stories as much as reading them, Rachel headed to the recording studio.

If you love audio drama or true crime podcasts, then Case Files: Short Crime Fiction Stories is just for you. With each episode of the series less than an hour, you can grab a crime fiction fix over lunch, while walking the dog, or in the gym. Season one will see a new story released each week from September 26 to October 31 and a second season is in production.

Rachel said: “True crime podcasts are popular, you’ve got scripted audio drama like radio plays, and you’ve got some people who take their audiobooks and serialise them. But as far as I can find, there are no crime fiction or murder mystery publishers regularly sharing new stories by their authors on podcasts. 

“This got me thinking about whether I could reach a new demographic of readers through a different worldwide audience and nurture them into readers of my audiobooks, my ebooks, or my print books. It’s providing a connection between a podcast audience and an audiobook audience.”

Case Files: Short Crime Fiction Stories is available on all major podcast apps including Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. For episode updates go to www.shortcrimestories.com.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/37azQCNLhDfQxq87teZma4

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/f5b8268a-96ff-461e-90d9-73ea5999bf44/case-files-short-crime-fiction-stories

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/case-files-short-crime-fiction-stories/id1643538895

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5hY2FzdC5jb20vcHVibGljL3Nob3dzL2Nhc2UtZmlsZXMtc2hvcnQtY3JpbWUtZmljdGlvbi1zdG9yaWVz

My Thoughts

I love anything true crime. I have been both excited and fortunate enough to hear the introduction of this one. I absolutely cannot wait to delve deeper into this.

The introduction of this hooked me. I cannot wait to delve deeper into this podcast. I can sense that this is going to be a fascinating and interesting addition to the world of podcasts.

This is one I absolutely recommend checking out!