BLOG TOUR - The Mother Upstairs

DESCRIPTION:

Two women. Two explosive secrets. And both are worth killing for.

Mellie anxiously twists her wedding ring around her finger as she stares at the attic door. It’s the one place her mother-in-law could have hidden the secret that will undo her. Because all this time, Mellie has been lying to her dream husband about who she really is.

As she searches with shaking hands, she discovers something she never expected. Her mother-in-law has her own dark secret too. It’s been here in the attic the whole time. And it has the power to destroy everything.

As her mother-in-law climbs up the stairs, Mellie’s heart pounds as she realises her world is about to come crashing down. Both women have secrets worth killing for. But only one of them will make it out of this house alive.

An unputdownable and addictive thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Packed with twists, this psychological thriller is perfect for fans of Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid, The Girl on the Train and Colleen Hoover’s Verity.

BUY LINK:

• Amazon: https://geni.us/B0FQN7QZ7Lsocial

Title:  The Mother Upstairs

Author:  Becca Day

Publisher:  Bookouture

Genre:   Psychological Thriller

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   302

Date of Publication:   March 2, 2026

My Rating:   4 Stars

MY THOUGHTS:

The Mother Upstairs by Becca Day begins with what should be the start of wedded bliss. Henry and Mellie are newly married, and Mellie is looking forward to building their life together. There is one major complication, however. Henry is deeply devoted to his mother, Pauline, who suffered a stroke just as he and Mellie were married. Unable to bear the thought of placing her in a care facility, Henry brings Pauline to live with them.

Mellie has many plans for their future, including transforming the home where Henry grew up into something that truly feels like her own. But when it comes to Pauline, Mellie is uneasy. Despite Pauline’s inability to speak, walk, or even feed herself, Mellie regards her with a mix of contempt and suspicion. In fact, Mellie becomes convinced that Pauline’s condition may not be as severe as Henry believes.

There is another complication: Mellie herself is hiding secrets. As these slowly come to light, the story takes several surprising twists and turns. With Pauline living upstairs, even the normal pressures of a new marriage would be difficult to navigate. Yet Becca Day skillfully deepens the tension by presenting Mellie as an unreliable narrator, leaving readers questioning what is real and what is not.

The suspense remains taut throughout, making this a compelling and unsettling domestic thriller.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Becca Day lives in the middle of the woods in Surrey with her husband, two daughters and cocker spaniel. She studied acting at Guildford College and went on to start her own Murder Mystery theatre troupe. It was this move that inspired her love of crime fiction, and when she sold the company she threw herself head first into crime writing. The Girl Beyond The Gate was an instant Amazon bestseller and her exploration of the dark side of families has continued into the rest of her novels. Aside from writing, she is also Head of Membership & Marketing at leading literary consultancy Jericho Writers.

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AUDIOBOOK REVIEW - When Justice Comes

Title:  When Justice Comes

Authors:  Colleen Coble; Rick Acker

Publisher:   Thomas Nelson

Genre:   Christian Romantic Suspense 

Series:   Tupelo Grove #3

Format:   Audiobook ALC 

   and Kindle ARC

Narrator:  Karen Peakes

Length:  10 hrs 36 mins

No. of pages:    379
Date of Publication:  March 3, 2026

Rating:   5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

USA TODAY bestselling romantic suspense author Colleen Coble and Rick Acker deliver the final book in their beloved Tupelo Grove Hez and Savannah Webster have survived storms that would bury others without a love as strong as theirs--but can they withstand the final battle in the deadly Legare-Willard feud that threatens to sweep away everything they've fought for?

Hezekiah "Hez" Webster and his fiancé, Savannah, stand on the brink of a new life, but their dreams are haunted by specters of the past. Just as they're getting ready to adopt her nephew, two other petitioners also file for custody--both of whom only want Simon for their own gains.

Between the financial company that Hez outmaneuvered to save the university from ruin and the bad blood from the head of the Willard family, it's hard to say who wants them out of the way more. Hez and Savannah's quest for justice leads them through a labyrinth of family law, where loyalties are tested and trust is a dangerous luxury when every decision could be their last.

With the clock ticking, Hez and Savannah must confront the ghosts of their past and their deepest fears to secure a future for Simon. But with every secret revealed, the stakes grow higher. Can they build the family they've always dreamed of, or will their enemies succeed in tearing them apart forever?

The Tupelo Grove series reaches its breathtaking conclusion as an enemy's agenda for revenge runs darker than swamp water and justice remains as precarious as quicksand in this heart-pounding narrative that underscores the power of redemption and forgiveness.

Link to shop the series

MY THOUGHTS:

When Justice Comes by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker brings their riveting trilogy to a powerful conclusion. In this final installment, Hez and Savannah are engaged and preparing to remarry after the painful issues that led to their divorce. At the same time, they’re hoping to adopt Savannah’s nephew, Simon. This should all bring a fresh start for their rebuilt family.

But nothing comes easily. Their plans are threatened when they discover they aren’t the only ones seeking custody. Shockingly, the competing petitioners are members of a crime family. While they have managed to avoid prosecution for their wrongdoing, Hez and Savannah know exactly what these individuals are capable of, and they are determined to keep Simon safe.

The battle for custody proves far more complicated than they anticipated. Hez is still recovering from critical surgery, and the strain of the legal fight only adds to the pressure. To make matters worse, other relatives who should have Simon’s best interests at heart seem driven by motives of their own.

Hez and Savannah have fought hard to find their way back to each other, and everything they’ve rebuilt feels precariously close to unraveling. The story is intense and layered with drama, yet it also carries a sharp emotional edge that grounds the suspense in something deeply personal.

I’ve truly enjoyed spending time with Hez and Savannah throughout this series, watching them navigate faith, forgiveness, and second chances. Because of their complicated history and the ongoing storylines, this trilogy is best read in order for the full emotional impact.

Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and to NetGalley for this ARC for review  this is my honest opinion.  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Best-selling romantic suspense author Colleen Coble’s novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, the ACFW Carol Award, the Romance Writers of America RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has nearly 4 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana. Visit her website at www.colleencoble.com.

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Rick Acker writes high-octane suspense novels during breaks from his “real job” as a Supervising Deputy Attorney General in the California Department of Justice, which provides inspiration for his acclaimed legal thrillers. 

Rick has also teamed with award-winning romantic suspense author Colleen Coble to pen bestsellers such as I Think I Was Murdered and their Tupelo Grove series. Library Journal praises their “dynamic author partnership,” and predicts they “will continue to produce hits.” 

When Rick isn't writing or lawyering, you can usually find him with his wife Anette exploring in the hills east of San Francisco, watching a good movie together, or, of course, reading. You can visit him on the web at www.rickacker.com.

Review - A Ghastly Catastrophe

Title:   A Ghastly Catastrophe

Author:  Deanna Raybourn 

Series:  Veronica Speedwell #10
Publisher:  Berkley

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   336

Date of Publication:   March 3, 2025

My Rating:    5 Stars 

DESCRIPTION:

Veronica and Stoker are practically dying for a new adventure but when their wish is granted, they find themselves up against a secret society and a darkly seductive duo in this landmark historical mystery from beloved New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

When the corpse of an entitled young man is found entirely drained of blood in a carriage next to Highgate Cemetery, Veronica’s interest is piqued. And then a second victim is found, his death made to look like a suicide, and Veronica and her intrepid beau, Stoker, know the hunt is on. The two men share one link: they were both members of a society so secretive that only a singular mention of it can be found anywhere.

Thirsty for more clues, Veronica and Stoker hear that a young Roma boy may know more about their first victim, but the only way to the boy is through an old acquaintance of Stoker’s, Lady Julia Brisbane. Lady Julia and her dashing husband, Nicholas, occasionally track down murderers and are only too happy to help. But as it becomes clear the secret society is a dangerous sect looking to entice immortality seekers, Veronica and Stoker find themselves ensnared by a decidedly more sinister couple.

The professed leader of the society claims to be a creature of the night; his partner practices witchcraft and they both fancy themselves emissaries of the otherworldly. Just as Veronica and Stoker get closer to learning the true purpose of the society and unraveling this macabre mystery, another body turns up, and they quickly discover they’ve gone from being the hunters to the hunted.

Link to shop the series 

MY THOUGHTS:

 

Secret societies play an important role in the tenth book of the Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn, A Ghastly Catastrophe. Veronica and Stoker have shared some truly fabulous adventures over the years, and this latest case certainly qualifies.

When a man’s body is discovered near a cemetery, it is curious enough. However, the fact that his body is found drained of blood pushes the investigation into far more sinister territory. Whispers of vampirism begin to circulate, and it soon becomes apparent that something far more complex — and organized — may be at play.

When a second victim turns up under identical circumstances, Veronica and Stoker do what they do best: they investigate. Evidence begins to point toward a secret society, but there are other threads to follow as well, including inquiries involving a Romany group. With so many possibilities and mounting danger, they enlist the help of their friends Lady Julia Brisbane and her husband Nicholas. Both couples excel at uncovering murderers in even the most complicated situations, and these baffling deaths are no exception.

Secret societies are meant to remain hidden, and as Veronica and Stoker dig deeper, they place themselves in peril more than once. Adventure is nothing new to them, but with the possibility of something almost otherworldly involved, the risks feel especially heightened. Through it all, their bond continues to deepen, making them as delightful as ever in this engaging and consistently entertaining series.

Reviewer's note: This is a series that is best read in order.

Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A sixth-generation native Texan, New York Times bestselling author Deanna Raybourn grew up in San Antonio where she met her college sweetheart. She married him on her graduation day and went on to teach high school English and history. During summer vacation at the age of twenty-three, she wrote her first novel, and after three years as a teacher, Deanna left education to have a baby and pursue writing full-time. Fourteen years and many, many rejections after her first novel, she signed two three-book deals with MIRA Books.

Deanna’s debut novel, Silent in the Grave, published in January 2007. The first in the Silent series, the book introduces Lady Julia Grey, an aristocrat bent on investigating the mysterious death of her husband with the help of the enigmatic private enquiry agent Nicholas Brisbane. From the drawing rooms of the aristocracy to a Gypsy camp on Hampstead Heath, Silent in the Grave deftly captures the lush ambience of Victorian London.

The series continues with the second book, Silent in the Sanctuary (January 2008), a classic English country house murder mystery with a few twists and turns for Brisbane and Lady Julia along the way. Silent on the Moor (March 2009), set in a grim manor house on the Yorkshire moors, is the third adventure for Lady Julia and the mysterious Brisbane.

March 2010 saw a departure from the series with the release of The Dead Travel Fast, a mid-Victorian Gothic thriller that features novelist Theodora Lestrange as she leaves the safety and security of her Edinburgh home for the dark woods and haunted castles of Transylvania. Deanna turns once more to Lady Julia and her companions with Dark Road to Darjeeling (October 2010) which features an exotic setting in the foothills of the Himalayas and the introduction of an arch-villain. The fifth book in the series, The Dark Enquiry, follows the return of Lady Julia and Brisbane to London for their most puzzling adventure yet. The Dark Enquiry hit the New York Times Bestseller list the week before its official release in July 2011. The digital exclusive novella Silent Night, published in November 2012, is a bright Christmas adventure set in Julia’s ancestral home in the Sussex countryside.

Deanna’s next release, A Spear of Summer Grass (May 2013), chronicles the adventures of a scandalous flapper heroine in Africa and the lives she changes along the way. It is listed as one of Goodreads’ most highly anticipated books of 2013 and was preceded by Far in the Wilds, an exclusive digital prequel novella (March 2013). A Spear of Summer Grass received a starred review from Library Journal. Deanna carried on the theme of 1920s adventure with City of Jasmine (2014) and Night of a Thousand Stars (2014), but is delighted to return to Victorian London with the September 2015 hardcover release of A Curious Beginning, the first mystery featuring butterfly-hunting sleuth, Veronica Speedwell and her natural historian sidekick, Stoker. Veronica returned in 2017’s A Perilous Undertaking, and A Treacherous Curse, 2018. A Dangerous Collaboration was released in 2019, and book five, A Murderous Relation, is a March 2020 release.

Deanna’s novel Silent in the Grave won the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best First Mystery. The Lady Julia Grey series has been nominated for several other awards, including an Agatha, a Last Laugh, and two Dilys Winns. Dark Road to Darjeeling was also a finalist for the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Historical Mystery as well as a Romantic Reviews’ finalist for Best Book of 2010. A Treacherous Curse, the third Veronica Speedwell Mystery, was nominated for the 2019 Edgar Award for Best Novel.

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Review - Strangers in the Villa

Title:  Strangers in the Villa 

Author:  Robyn Harding

Publisher:   Grand Central Publishing

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   336

Date of Publication:   March 3, 2026

My Rating:   5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

From the international bestselling author of The Drowning Woman, a psychological thriller about a couple rocked by infidelity who moves to a villa in Spain’s Costa Brava to rebuild their relationship, only to welcome a pair of visitors who have no intention of leaving.

Sydney Lowe’s life in New York is shattered when her husband, Curtis, admits to a meaningless affair with a client. Begging for forgiveness and vowing to prove his devotion, Curtis suggests the couple retreat to a remote hilltop house in Spain to repair their marriage.

High above the Mediterranean, Sydney and Curtis are working on the isolated property and their relationship when a pair of Australian travelers turns up at their door in dire need of help. Lonely for companionship and desperate for free labor, Sydney and Curtis invite the attractive young couple to stay. But as the days pass, dark secrets come to light, the Lowes’ bond is tested, and not everyone will leave the villa alive.    

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Prepare to be surprised when you pick up Strangers in the Villa by Robyn Harding. From the very first pages, Harding draws readers into a marriage already fractured by betrayal and poised on the brink of something far more dangerous.

Sidney is still reeling from her husband Curtis’s affair. Once certain of his devotion, she now questions everything she thought she knew about him. In an attempt to salvage their relationship, the couple relocates to a small villa in Spain, hoping that distance from their old life in New York will offer a true second chance.

Their dream of starting a vineyard in the Mediterranean countryside represents more than a business venture, it is a chance for far more. They’re determined to rebuild not just their livelihood, but their marriage. The work is hard, but for a brief moment, it feels possible that they might actually pull it off.

Then Bianca and Damian arrive.

When the young Australian travelers break down near the villa, Sidney and Curtis extend simple hospitality. But from the outset, something feels off. Bianca and Damian aren’t quite as carefree—or as stranded—as they appear. It quickly becomes clear that they have their own agenda, and their presence begins to unsettle the fragile peace Sidney and Curtis are trying so desperately to construct.

Harding masterfully escalates the tension, layering suspicion upon suspicion as the pacing steadily intensifies. With shocking twists and mounting psychological pressure, Strangers in the Villa becomes a gripping tale of trust, deception, and the high cost of starting over. Once the pieces begin to fall into place, you won’t be able to look away.

Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robyn Harding is the bestselling author of several novels including The Haters, The Drowning Woman, The Perfect Family, The Arrangement, Her Pretty Face, and The Party, which was a finalist for the Arthur Ellis Award for best crime novel. Her novel, The Swap, debuted at #1 on the Globe and Mail and Toronto Star Canadian bestsellers lists. She is also the screenwriter and executive producer of the independent film, The Steps. She lives in Vancouver, BC, with her family and two cute but deadly rescue chihuahuas

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Review - A Stranger in the Family

Title:  A Stranger in the Family
Author: Diane Saxon
Publisher: Boldwood Books 
Genre: Psychological Thriller 
Format: Kindle ARC
No. of Pages: 278
Date of Publication: February 27, 2026
My Rating: 4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

The BRAND NEW pulse-pounding thriller from Diane Saxon, BESTSELLING author of The Quiet Wife 🩸📖 Just what is in the attic? 😱 I’ve just made the biggest mistake of my life.

As the last of my children leave home, I’ve persuaded my husband we should move house.

Clearing out thirty-odd years of rubbish is overwhelming, but nothing prepares me for what I find in my attic.

It’s a hint at a hidden horror. A box of secrets I only glimpsed, before I was disturbed.

And now it’s gone.

Someone in my home has removed it. Which means someone I love thinks I know their secret. A secret so dark, I refuse to contemplate it. Until I am forced to.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

In this chilling novel by Diane Saxon, Emma is packing up her house for a move she has genuinely been looking forward to. But everything she believes about her life is thrown out the window when she discovers a box buried deep in the attic. For years, women have been murdered, and something deep within Emma tells her that what she’s found is connected. It’s a horrifying realization — one that could detonate her long marriage to Ralph.

The story unfolds from multiple perspectives. One of them belongs to a lorry driver who accidentally kills a woman. Before long, it becomes disturbingly clear that these murders will continue over the course of years. Like me, if you’re trying to connect the dots between what Emma discovers and the chilling voice of the killer, your mind will likely go to the same place mine did — it would have to be Ralph, wouldn’t it?

Meanwhile, Emma’s personal life is unraveling in quieter but equally unsettling ways. As the mother of a married son and twin boys away at university, she begins to question how much of her life has truly been the idyllic existence she believed it to be.

Diane Saxon keeps the tension tight throughout — from the opening murder, to Emma’s discovery of the box, to the shifting dynamics within her family. I was completely drawn in and genuinely loved the twists. I will definitely be reading more from her in the future.

Many thanks to Boldwood Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Diane Saxon lives in the Shropshire countryside with her tall, dark, handsome husband. She has two gorgeous daughters, a Dalmatian, two cats, numerous rare breed chickens, and grandfurbabies too.

After working for years in a demanding job, Diane gave it up when her husband said, “Follow that dream.” She subsequently had 12 romances published for the U.S. market then turned to the dark side with her psychological thrillers published through Boldwood Books.

Nominated for the CWA Dagger in the Library Award 2024 and an International No 1 Amazon Bestseller, Diane never regrets living her second life.

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Review - What Happened to Nicci French

Title:  What Happened That Night 

Author:  Nicci French

Series:   Maud O’Connor Mysteries #3

Publisher:  William Morrow Paperbacks

Genre:   Psychological Thriller 

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   448

Date of Publication:  February 24, 2026

My Rating:   4 Stars

*First published April, 2025

DESCRIPTION:

From international bestselling master of suspense Nicci French comes a hair-raising locked-room thriller about a group of old university friends with a killer in their midst.

Old friends, new secrets, one deadly reunion.

Tyler Green, accused of murdering his friend Leo on a graduation trip in 1993, has just been released from a commuted life sentence. In the three decades since his trial Tyler has been adamant that he’s innocent, and now he’s determined to confront whoever allowed him to take the fall while they walked free.

On a warm June evening in London, Tyler summons eight of his university friends to reunite for the first time since that fateful night. With wine—and accusations— flowing liberally, the reunion descends into violent chaos, and one friend will end the night with their throat slit in the upstairs bedroom…the same way that Leo’s was in 1993.

When Detective Inspector Maud O’Connor gets called to investigate, she has her own doubts about Tyler’s guilt, despite what his old friends, the rest of the Metropolitan Police Force, and even the Home Secretary would like her to believe….

Tyler Green Will Never Be Free is perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and other pulse-pounding locked-room mysteries in the Agatha Christie tradition.

Link to shop this series

MY THOUGHTS:

After nearly three decades in prison, Tyler Green is finally free—at least from the confines of iron bars. He had been sentenced to life for the murder of one of his college friends. Throughout his imprisonment, Tyler maintained his innocence, and now he is determined to prove it. Back then, Tyler and his friends were gathered at a small party. Now, he is organizing a similar party, as he believes that only one of these “friends” could have committed the murder.

This is the third installment in the Maud O’Connor Mysteries series. Maud, a detective inspector, is known for her relentless pursuit of justice, not only for the victims but also for those unjustly accused. As she delves deeper into the initial crime, things take a turn for the worse. Tragically, one of her close friends is murdered in a manner eerily similar to the first victim. It becomes evident that someone is determined to prevent the case and its subsequent ruling from being altered. 

I have come to like Maud over the course of these books in this series. If anyone could put up a good fight for the underdog, it would definitely be Maud. With several POVs the story is narrated, leaving just about any of the group of friends easily possible to be guilty of the original murder - and the one that takes place during that reunion weekend.

Many thanks to William Morrow Paperbacks and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nicci Gerrard was born in June 1958 in Worcestershire. After graduating with a first class honours degree in English Literature from Oxford University, she began her first job, working with emotionally disturbed children in Sheffield. In that same year she married journalist Colin Hughes.

In the early eighties she taught English Literature in Sheffield, London and Los Angeles, but moved into publishing in 1985 with the launch of Women's Review, a magazine for women on art, literature and female issues.

In 1987 Nicci had a son, Edgar, followed by a daughter, Anna, in 1988, but a year later her marriage to Colin Hughes broke down.

In 1989 she became acting literary editor at the New Statesman, before moving to the Observer, where she was deputy literary editor for five years, and then a feature writer and executive editor.

It was while she was at the New Statesman that she met Sean French.

Sean French was born in May 1959 in Bristol, to a British father and Swedish mother. He too studied English Literature at Oxford University at the same time as Nicci, also graduating with a first class degree, but their paths didn't cross until 1990. In 1981 he won Vogue magazine's Writing Talent Contest, and from 1981 to 1986 he was their theatre critic. During that time he also worked at the Sunday Times as deputy literary editor and television critic, and was the film critic for Marie Claire and deputy editor of New Society.

Sean and Nicci were married in Hackney in October 1990. Their daughters, Hadley and Molly, were born in 1991 and 1993.

By the mid-nineties Sean had had two novels published, The Imaginary Monkey and The Dreamer of Dreams, as well as numerous non-fiction books, including biographies of Jane Fonda and Brigitte Bardot.

In 1995 Nicci and Sean began work on their first joint novel and adopted the pseudonym of Nicci French. The Memory Game was published to great acclaim in 1997 followed by The Safe House (1998), Killing Me Softly (1999), Beneath the Skin (2000), The Red Room (2001), Land of the Living (2002), Secret Smile (2003), Catch Me When I Fall (2005), Losing You (2006) and Until It's Over (2008). Their latest novel together is What To Do When Someone Dies (2009).

Nicci and Sean also continue to write separately. Nicci still works as a journalist for the Observer, covering high-profile trials including those of Fred and Rose West, and Ian Huntley and Maxine Carr. Novels include Things We Knew Were True (2003), Solace (2005) and The Moment You Were Gone (2007). Sean's last novel is Start From Here (2004).