Review - Guess Who

Title:   Guess Who

Author:  Chris McGeorge

Genre:  Psychological Thriller

Publisher:   Hanover Square Press

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:  362

Date of Publication:  September 18, 2018

My Rating:  3 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

A debut thriller that offers a fresh, modern twist on the classic "locked room" mystery novel, for readers of Noah Hawley and Jeffery Deaver

The rules are simple.

But the game is not.

At eleven years old, Morgan Sheppard solved the murder of a teacher when everyone else believed it to be a suicide. The publicity surrounding the case laid the foundation for his reputation as a modern-day Sherlock Holmes. He parlayed that fame into a gig as TV’s “resident detective,” solving the more typical tawdry daytime talk show mysteries like “Who is the father?” and “Is he cheating?”

Until, that is, Sheppard wakes up handcuffed to a bed in an unfamiliar hotel room. Around him, five strangers are slowly waking up, as well. Soon they discover a corpse in the bathtub and Sheppard is challenged to put his deductive skills to the test. One of the people in the room is the killer. He has three hours to solve the murder. If he doesn’t find the killer, they all will die.

An ingenious, page-turning debut, Chris McGeorge’s Guess Who matches the high-wire plotting of classic “locked room” mysteries into the unstoppable pacing of the modern-day thriller. 

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

A murder puzzle. Three hours or they all die. Six people locked in a hotel room. Morgan Sheppard and five others, Alan, Mandy, Constance, Ryan and a young girl referred to as Headphones. These are all complete strangers to Morgan, the Resident Detective on a popular TV show, yet he has the unenviable task of solving the murder of a dead man in the bathroom before time runs out. 

It doesn’t take Sheppard long to discover that he is the real target. What’s more is that there appears to be no method of escape. Furthermore, if Sheppard does not correctly identify to murderer, the entire hotel is rigged with explosives. 

The story is told in two time frames, presently as Sheppard must interview each of the five others, and snippets of his past. During these snippets we learn how Sheppard became the man that he is. Everyone has their own suspicions, creating massive distrust and ultimate danger. 

While I was quite invested in the intrigue that was developed here, unfortunately things became a bit implausible, and this knocked things down for me. I do applaud the creativity that the author employed in this story, so I definitely was eager to identify the killer. If you enjoy Agatha Christie type novels, with edge of a thriller, then Guess Who might just appeal to you.

Many thanks to Hanover Square Press and to NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chris McGeorge has an MA in Creative Writing (Crime / Thriller) from City University London where he wrote his first crime novel Dead Room for this thesis. He constantly told stories from a young age, whether they took the form of comics, short stories or scripts.

He is a lover of Golden Age crime, like Christie and Conan Doyle, leading his crime stories to be a mix of the old and the contemporary. He likes weird and wonderful plots, with plenty of intrigue and twists. 

His often coherent ramblings about everything pop culture can be found on his blog Festival of Blood and occasionally he produces the Sarcasmicast podcast with a group of friends.

​Social Media / Website Links
Twitter: @crmcgeorge ​
http://​www.festivalofblood.wordpress.co.uk
http://www.dhhliteraryagency.com/chris-mcgeorge.html

Review - Star Spangled Murder

Title:  Star Spangled Murder

Author:  Leslie Meier 

Series:  Lucy Stone Mystery #11

Genre:  Cozy Mystery

Publisher:  Kensington Books

Format:  Kindle

No. of pages:  292

Published:  2004; 2005

My Rating:  4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Lucy Stone is in the doghouse--with her next-door neighbor, Mrs. Prudence Pratt. It seems that Kudo, the Stones' misbehaving mutt, has developed a taste for Mrs. Pratt's blue-ribbon winning chickens, as well an escape artist's talent for sneaking out. With the Fourth of July coming up, Lucy doesn't want to set off any more fireworks with the crabby Prudence. 

Another sign that the crazy days of summer are in full swing arrives when a group of naturists--a.k.a. nudists--descends on Tinker's Cove, skinny-dipping at the pond that borders Mrs. Pratt's property, giving her something else to complain about. Worse still, the local lobstermen are upset about poachers--and suspicion falls on Mrs. Pratt's husband and son. Then the July Fourth fireworks are canceled to protect a patch of extremely rare purple-spotted lichen, and Mrs Pratt is the victim of a hit and run.

Tinker's Cove is full of suspects, but none with so personal a motive as the Stones. Their feud with Mrs. Pratt has put them at risk of losing their freedom this Independence Day--unless Lucy can start things off with a bang by catching a red, white and blue killer. . .

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Mrs. Prudence Pratt is Lucy Stone’s nemesis. More accurately put, Mrs. Pratt is Kudo’s, the family’s dog, nemesis. Kudos keeps escaping and killing her blue-ribbon chickens. Before the Stone family can correct the matter, Mrs. Pratt will go to any means necessary to have the dog destroyed. As if enough isn’t going on in Tinker’s Cove, there are some trying to cancel the upcoming fireworks display and a colony of nudists, or more accurately referred to, naturists, have descended upon the local pond. 

Oh, and let’s not forget the serious concern that the lobster trade might be affected by poachers. As a part-time reporter, Lucy is trying to cover at least one of these stories...well, she would rather leave the naturists to her boss. 

Sort of a spoiler here...but each story in this cozy mystery series contains a murder...

Mrs. Pratt is dead. Her manner of death is beyond all doubt a murder. Since Lucy is concerned that the police are looking at her for it, she decides to check into it for herself. Will she be able to locate the murderer without bringing danger to herself?

For a relatively short book, the story is quite busy. There is the requisite family drama, the aforementioned murder, Lucy’s hectic job, and a bit more. This is a nice addition to the series that I have been enjoying thus far. This is a quick read, and despite some serious issues, it is rather light-hearted. 

Star Spangled Murder is book eleven in the series. The next book is New Year’s Eve Murder with twenty-five to-date. These are all delightful reads and I look forward to continuing. I encourage readers of this review to look at my other reviews from this series on this blog. Also, here is a link to her series in order: 
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/leslie-meier/.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I started writing in the late ‘80s when I was attending graduate classes at Bridgewater State College. I wanted to become certified to teach high school English and one of the required courses was Writing and the Teaching of Writing. My professor suggested that one of the papers I wrote for that course was good enough to be published and I sent it off to Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine’s Department of First Stories. I got $100 for the story and I’ve been writing ever since. The teaching, however, didn’t work out.

My books draw heavily on my experience as a mother of three and my work as a reporter for various weekly newspapers on Cape  . My heroine, Lucy Stone, is a reporter in the fictional town of Tinker’s Cove, Maine, where she lives in an old farmhouse (quite similar to mine on Cape Cod!) with her restoration carpenter husband Bill and four children. As the series has progressed the kids have grown older, roughly paralleling my own family. We seem to have reached a point beyond which Lucy cannot age–my editor seems to want her to remain forty-something forever, though I have to admit I personally am dying to write “Menopause is Murder!”

I usually write one Lucy Stone mystery every year and as you can tell, my editor likes me to feature the holidays in my books. Of course Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year and my newest mystery “Eggnog Murder,” is included in an anthology with two other Christmas novellas by Barbara Ross and Lee Hollis. I’ve long been a fan of the classic English country house mystery, and was a faithful watcher of “Downton Abbey,” so I couldn’t resist trying to write one. I think I succeeded rather well, if I do say so myself, with “British Manor Murder,” which came out in October, 2016.

My books are classified as “cozies” but a good friend insists they are really “comedies of manners” and I do enjoy expressing my view of contemporary American life.

Now that the kids are grown — we have five fabulous grandchildren — my husband and I are enjoying dividing our time between Braintree and Cape Cod, along with our cat, Sylvester.

Find Her:  Goodreads / Twitter / Web 

Review - Father’s Day Murder

Title:  Father's Day Murder

Author:  Leslie Meier 

Series:  Lucy Stone Mystery #10

Genre:  Cozy Mystery

Publisher:  Kensington Books

Format:  Kindle

No. of pages:  256

Published:  2003; 2004

My Rating:  4.Stars

DESCRIPTION:

When her part-time reporting gig gives Lucy the opportunity to attend a Boston newspaper conference, she looks forward to the vacation from domestic bliss. But upon leaving Tinker’s Cove, she quickly discovers that alone time can be kind of…lonely. And in between libel workshops and panel discussions, Lucy takes a guilt trip. She feels terrible that she won’t be home to help her husband celebrate Father’s Day.

But when Luther Read—head of a nearly bankrupt newspaper dynasty—suddenly drops dead, Lucy has other things to think about. Murder, for instance. She’s not buying the theory that Luther died of an asthma attack. The man just had too many enemies. Always the intrepid snoop, Lucy vows to investigate. But she can’t help wondering if her name will end up on a byline—or in an obit…

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Part-time reporter Lucy Stone is about to get a break from her family to attend a newspaper conference. Unfortunately, it is just before Father’s Day, so Lucy has some juggling to do. It’s not as fun as she imagines. She misses her family more than she thought she would, the panels are rather boring, and some of the other attendees really get on her nerves. 

Shockingly, Luther Read, owner of a virtually bankrupt newspaper suddenly dies, and the circumstances are quite suspicious, despite being first ruled an asthma attack. As a matter of fact, Luther had enemies, so there is more than one suspect.

Luther Read is no stranger to Lucy. His family has a second home in Lucy’s hometown of Tinker’s Cove. So, per usual, Lucy decides to investigate. All the while, Lucy gets to enjoy parts of Boston and even has time to shop for her family. Meanwhile, husband Bill works hard at running their household. 

As Lucy goes further in seeking out Luther’s murderer, she again places herself in harm’s way. This cozy mystery is fast-paced with Lucy being out of her element, while she excels at being an amateur detective. 

Father’s Day Murder is book ten in the series. The next book is Star Spangled Murder with twenty-five to-date. These are all delightful reads and I look forward to continuing. I encourage readers of this review to look at my other reviews from this series on this blog. Also, here is a link to her series in order: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/leslie-meier/.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I started writing in the late ‘80s when I was attending graduate classes at Bridgewater State College. I wanted to become certified to teach high school English and one of the required courses was Writing and the Teaching of Writing. My professor suggested that one of the papers I wrote for that course was good enough to be published and I sent it off to Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine’s Department of First Stories. I got $100 for the story and I’ve been writing ever since. The teaching, however, didn’t work out.

My books draw heavily on my experience as a mother of three and my work as a reporter for various weekly newspapers on Cape  . My heroine, Lucy Stone, is a reporter in the fictional town of Tinker’s Cove, Maine, where she lives in an old farmhouse (quite similar to mine on Cape Cod!) with her restoration carpenter husband Bill and four children. As the series has progressed the kids have grown older, roughly paralleling my own family. We seem to have reached a point beyond which Lucy cannot age–my editor seems to want her to remain forty-something forever, though I have to admit I personally am dying to write “Menopause is Murder!”

I usually write one Lucy Stone mystery every year and as you can tell, my editor likes me to feature the holidays in my books. Of course Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year and my newest mystery “Eggnog Murder,” is included in an anthology with two other Christmas novellas by Barbara Ross and Lee Hollis. I’ve long been a fan of the classic English country house mystery, and was a faithful watcher of “Downton Abbey,” so I couldn’t resist trying to write one. I think I succeeded rather well, if I do say so myself, with “British Manor Murder,” which came out in October, 2016.

My books are classified as “cozies” but a good friend insists they are really “comedies of manners” and I do enjoy expressing my view of contemporary American life.

Now that the kids are grown — we have five fabulous grandchildren — my husband and I are enjoying dividing our time between Braintree and Cape Cod, along with our cat, Sylvester.

Find Her:  Goodreads / Twitter / Web 

Review - Wyoming Christmas Quadruplets

Title:  Wyoming Christmas Quadruplets

Author:  Jill Kemerer

Series: Wyoming Cowboys #3

Genre:  Romance

Publisher:  Love Inspired

Format:  Kindle

No. of pages:  288

Published:  September 18, 2018

My Rating:  4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

A nanny at Christmastime…

Will she find love in this Wyoming Cowboys novel?

Six weeks on a ranch caring for quadruplets—aspiring nurse Ainsley Draper’s prepared for a busy Christmas. When the children’s handsome uncle opens the door, her task gets extra complicated. Marshall Graham is upholding his promise to look after his twin sister, the babies’ mom. But as family loyalty clashes with new love, will the perfect present include a future with Ainsley?

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Having just read a dark story filled with dangerous psychopaths, I thought I would settle my brain by reading a sweet romance. Um, things didn’t quite go as planned. This book is not a sweet, sappy romance as it deals with very serious issues like postpartum depression and codependency. 

In this exceptionally touching story, Marshall Graham has uprooted his life to help his twin sister Bella with her month-old quadruplets. Bella is experiencing serious issues and cannot care for the babies. Her husband Raleigh is keeping himself busy on the ranch he runs. He simply seems to have no idea what to do. Feeling incredibly responsible for his sister, Marshall has hired someone to assist him in caring for the babies.

Ainsley Draper is working on her nursing degree, and is waiting on word for a new job. She takes the temporary position of caring for the adorable set of quadruplets. When she knocks at their door, she stares up into the eyes of a drop-dead cowboy. Oh no. There is no way is she going to work with a man she is immediately attracted to. However, Ainsley quickly learns that Marshall is the Uncle. But, where are the parents?

Ever resourceful, Ainsley quickly assesses the situation by creating a marvelous system that shows immediate results. But, that is only the tip of the iceberg. Without even a moment to query her attraction to Marshall, Ainsley sees a great level of dysfunction in the household. She has deep concern for Belle and her disconnect from the babies. The father is notably absent, working very hard on the ranch, and Marshall is juggling everything, almost taking full responsibility. 

During her stay, Ainsley draws close to Marshall. They go beyond caring for the babies. They manage to share meals, and even have the opportunity to worship together. However, as mentioned at the beginning of this review, there are very serious issues going on, and raw experiences and feelings are explored throughout. 

Oh, was I brought to tears. In every romance there must be conflict. It is a necessary formula to make a story work. While as a reader I knew that things would eventually work out for Marshall and Ainsley, it seemed impossible on many levels. The moment that I realized how things would flow, my heart almost melted. But there were moments when I truly bawled. My emotions were a mix of sadness and joy. 

Wyoming Christmas Quadruplets is a warm holiday story where the author definitely was not afraid to touch on the aforementioned issues, as well as alcoholism and abuse. Jill Kemerer also brought in faith and hope. I was quite moved by this story and hope to acquire the first two books to read and to continue on with the series. 

Many thanks to Harlequin Love Inspired and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hello! I’m so glad you stopped by. I’m an author, wife, mom and avid reader. My mornings always include coffee, and the rest of my day wouldn’t be complete without chocolate, preferably M&Ms.

I grew up in the country in Michigan and now reside in a picturesque little town in Ohio. Our family has moved a lot over the years, and we realized we don’t mind living near a city, but we don’t want to live in one! My husband and I were high school sweethearts, and we have a daughter in college and a son in high school.

Nature inspires me. We’re blessed to live near beautiful parks, and if the weather cooperates, I take long walks outside. Some of my best plot twists pop into my head on these walks. Love when that happens!

My books contain a blend of love, humor, and faith. I adore romance! And I can’t help it–life makes me laugh. But what really defines me is my faith. I’m not perfect–never will be–and I am thankful I don’t have to be.

If you’re interested in hiring me for your freelance writing needs, go to my HIRE ME page. I look forward to talking to you.

I also speak to writers groups and women’s groups. Contact me if you’re interested.

web / blog / twitter / facebook / pinterest / instagram / linkdin

Review - Her Darkest Nightmare

Title:  Her Darkest Nightmare

Author:  Brenda Novak

Series!  The Evelyn Talbot Chronicles #1

Genre:  Mystery/Thriller

Publisher:  St. Martin's Paperbacks

Format:  Kindle

No. of pages:  431

Published:  August 30, 2016

My Rating:  4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

THE HUNT FOR A SERIAL KILLER

Evelyn Talbot knows that a psychopath can look perfectly normal. She was only sixteen when her own boyfriend Jasper imprisoned and tortured her—and left her for dead. Now an eminent psychiatrist who specializes in the criminal mind, Evelyn is the force behind Hanover House, a maximum-security facility located in a small Alaskan town. Her job puts her at odds with Sergeant Amarok, who is convinced that Hanover is a threat to his community…even as his attraction to beautiful Evelyn threatens to tear his world apart. 

BEGINS WITH AN ESCAPE FROM HER PAST

Then, just as the bitter Alaskan winter cuts both town and prison off from the outside world, the mutilated body of a local woman turns up. For Amarok, this is the final proof he needs: Hanover has to go. Evelyn, though, has reason to fear that the crime is a personal message to her—the first sign that the killer who haunts her dreams has found her again. . .and that the life she has so carefully rebuilt will never be the same…

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Well, Dr. Evelyn Talbot’s plans for Hanover House has come to fruition. When she approached the powers that be to build a special maximum-security facility in order to do exclusive studies on the psychopath prisoners who were to be transferred there, she met with stiff opposition.  Evelyn is a psychiatrist who excels in her knowledge of the insanely criminal minds. 

It has been a few months and, for the most part, things are coming along quite nicely. The only hitch in Evelyn’s life at this point is that her budding relationship with Sergeant Amarok has ended rather badly. There didn’t seem to be much hope in the beginning, as he was one of the most vocal opposers. But their break-up was for different reasons. 

Until now, the small Alaskan town had been spared of brutal violence. Shockingly, however, a mutilated body is discovered, thus setting everyone on edge. Could one of the prisoners have escaped? Did Evelyn bring this horror to this town? Speaking of horror, Evelyn was running away from it as well as staring it directly in the face. In the prequel of the series, Hanover House, as well as in this book, Evelyn’s incredibly tragic past is recounted. While she was a teen, she was kidnapped, imprisoned and tortured by her boyfriend for days. This is why Evelyn does what she does. She is determined to figure out why some people behave as they do.

Amarok quickly does whatever he can to protect Evelyn, and his town. The terror that is being confronted is at war with the feelings the two are desperately trying to fight. Is Evelyn still in danger from the man who hurt her twenty years ago, or is there someone in that close community committing these horrific acts?

This story is ripe with drama. There is the new danger facing the town. There is the dangerous element within the walls of the prison, and not necessarily just the prisoners! The all-consuming passion that Evelyn and Amarok are fighting, in large part due to their age difference, is mentioned numerous times...almost to the point of annoyance. 

This multi-layered story effectively deals with each issue. For those who enjoy a dark story, no worries there. Each chapter is preceded by a creepy quote from a real-life serial killer, thus setting the tone for the overall story. There is also a significant amount of gruesomeness. If you are a lover of romance, the relationship that evolves between Evelyn and Amarok is handled with patience. Then there is the edge-of-your-seat suspense flowing throughout the pages. I was kept guessing as to who the killer was. Definite shock therapy! Finally, the ending was absolutely bone-chilling. 

I have the next two books in the series, Hello Again and Face Off, but I need a break from the darkness. I am definitely anxious as to whether or not Evelyn’s darkest fears will be realized. 

My review of Hanover House can be found here,
 https://www.robinlovesreading.com/2018/10/review-hanover-house.html.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

It was a shocking experience that jump-started Brenda Novak’s bestselling author career.

“I caught my day-care provider drugging my children with cough syrup and Tylenol to get them to sleep while I was away,” Brenda says. “It was then that I decided that I needed to do something from home.”

However, writing was the last profession she expected to undertake. In fact, Brenda swears she didn’t have a creative bone in her body. In school, math and science were her best subjects, and when it came time to pick a major in college, she chose business.

Abandoning her academic scholarship to Brigham Young University at the age of 20 in order to get married and start a family, Brenda dabbled in commercial real estate, then became a loan officer.

“When I first got the idea to become a novelist, it took me five years to teach myself the craft and finish my first book,” Brenda admits. “I learned how to write by reading what others have written. The best advice for any would-be author: read, read, read….”

Brenda sold her first book, and the rest is history. Many of her novels have won or placed in contests such as the National Reader’s Choice, the Bookseller’s Best, the Write Touch, the Award of Excellence and the Beacon Award for Published Authors.

Brenda and her husband, Ted, live in Sacramento and are the proud parents of five children—three girls and two boys. When she’s not spending time with her family or writing, Brenda is usually raising money for diabetes research. Her youngest son, Thad, has diabetes, and Brenda is determined to help him and others like him. She also enjoys traveling, watching sporting events and biking — she rides an amazing 20 miles every day!

Contact her: 

Web - https://brendanovak.com/

Facebook - https://m.facebook.com/BrendaNovakAuthor

Twitter - https://m.facebook.com/BrendaNovakAuthor

BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/brenda-novak/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/authorbrendanovak/

BLOG BLITZ - Last Lullaby

Today is my stop on the Blog Blitz for Last Lullaby by Carol Wyer.

DESCRIPTION:

Charlotte’s baby is safe. But is she?

When the body of mother Charlotte Brannon is discovered by her husband Adam, in their bedroom, Detective Natalie Ward is first on the scene. The killer has left a chilling calling card: The word ‘Why?’ written on the wall in blood. 

As Natalie begins to delve deeper into the couple’s lives, she discovers that Adam has a dark past he’s been hiding and she’s sure that the Brannon’s teenage babysitter Inge has secrets of her own.

Then another mother is murdered on her doorstep in front of her young son, the word ‘why’ scrawled on the wall next to her. 

All the key suspects have alibis and with her own marriage hanging by a thread, Natalie is struggling to stay focused on cracking her toughest case yet.

When a young woman and her baby disappear, a member of Natalie’s own team is put in terrible danger. Can Natalie stop this twisted serial killer and save one of her own before more families are torn apart forever?

Gripping, fast-paced and nail-bitingly tense, this book will send shivers down your spine. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott and Karin Slaughter.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QgRkbJ
AppleBooks:  http://ow.ly/t3tl30mSeVP
Kobo: http://ow.ly/RJ4530mSeYz
Googleplay: http://ow.ly/O3Ho30mSf0U

MY REVIEW:

Title:  Last Lullaby 

Author:  Carol Wyer

Series:  Detective Natalie Ward Book #2

Genre:  Mystery/Thriller

Publisher:  Bookouture 

Format:  Kindle ARC

Date of Publication: December 7, 2018

My Rating:  5 Stars 

Adam Brannon, semi-pro boxer, is the number one suspect in the murder of his wife, Charlotte.  His story is that he found her brutally murdered in their bedroom while his six-month old son, Alfie, was screaming in his nursery. They had arrived home after celebrating her parents’ anniversary. His story is that sometime after they arrived home and after he dropped their babysitter off he discovered her body.

DI Natalie Ward is on a few days leave for much-needed time with her family. Her marriage may be in trouble so she really needs this time. However, she is called to the gruesome murder scene along with her team. When they arrive, many observations were made. First and foremost, blessedly, the baby was unharmed. Also, there was no evidence of a break-in and between pictures on the bedroom wall was one word: ‘why?’.

As always in murder investigations, those closest to the victim are under immediate suspicion. Aside from Adam, Natalie speaks to others in Charlotte’s life including the babysitter, as she apparently was the last to see her alive. Also, two men were seen fleeing from the scene and the detectives work very hard to identify them. Within a short period of time, quite a few facts are revealed about Charlotte’s and Adam's marriage and their lives. 

There was quite a bit of intrigue in this engaging story and I was caught up in the investigation. This was especially so when two further things were mentioned in the book. One, there was a mysterious individual in the story, but I will leave it at that. Second, there was another mother murdered, with very similar circumstances. 

Last Lullaby was ripe full of excellent character development, lots of twists and turns and a shocking conclusion. It is the second book in the Natalie Ward series. The first book was The Birthday, was a fabulous read. I daresay that this story is just as good, if not better. Although it does well as a stand-alone, I encourage readers to grab both of these stories, and everything else that Carol Wyer has penned. She is extremely talented and writes compelling stories. I very much look forward to continuing this series. 

Reviewer’s note:  This book is definitely worth five stars as it is extremely well-written and has a very strong plot, but I did want to mention that there is a prevalence of strong language. 

Many thanks to Carol Wyer and Bookouture for this ARC for review in exchange for an honest opinion. 

My review for The Birthday can be found here:  https://www.robinlovesreading.com/2018/09/blog-blitz-birthday.html.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Carol E. Wyer, who also writes as Carol Wyer, is an award-winning author and stand up comedian who writes feel-good comedies and gripping thrillers.

Her book, Grumpy Old Menopause, won The People's Book Prize Award for non-fiction 2015.

The DI Robyn Carter series has earned her acclaim as a crime writer and the first book in the series, Little Girl Lost, shot to the #2 best-selling spot on Kindle #9 best-selling audiobook on Audible, and was also a USA Today top 150 best-seller.

Carol has been interviewed on numerous radio shows discussing ''Irritable Male Syndrome' and 'Ageing Disgracefully' and on BBC Breakfast television. She has had articles published in national magazines 'Woman's Weekly' featured in 'Take A Break', 'Choice', 'Yours' and 'Woman's Own' magazines and the Huffington Post.

To learn more about Carol, go to www.carolwyer.co.uk or follow Carol on Twitter: @carolewyer. 

Carol also blogs at www.carolwyer.com.