Perfect Remains by Helen Fields ~ COVER REVEAL

On a remote Highland mountain, the body of Elaine Buxton is burning. All that will be left to identify the respected lawyer are her teeth and a fragment of clothing.

In the concealed back room of a house in Edinburgh, the real Elaine Buxton screams into the darkness.

Detective Inspector Luc Callanach has barely set foot in his new office when Elaine’s missing persons case is escalated to a murder investigation. Having left behind a promising career at Interpol, he’s eager to prove himself to his new team. But Edinburgh, he discovers, is a long way from Lyon, and Elaine’s killer has covered his tracks with meticulous care.

It’s not long before another successful woman is abducted from her doorstep, and Callanach finds himself in a race against the clock. Or so he believes … The real fate of the women will prove more twisted than he could have ever imagined.

Fans of Angela Marson, Mark Billingham and M. J. Aldridge will be gripped by this chilling journey into the mind of a troubled killer.

PUBLISHING: 26TH JANUARY 2017 

BLOG TOUR ~ The Taken by Casey Kelleher

Hi Everyone,

Today is my stop on the Blog Tour for The Taken by Casey Kelleher & I'd like to welcome Casey to my blog today where I review The Taken as part of the Blog Tour. I am thrilled be taking part in this wonderful Blog Tour and delighted to welcome author Casey to my blog with a review of The Taken and a BIG thanks to Kim Nash from Bookouture for allowing me this opportunity to take part with some other fab book bloggers too. You can find out who else is taking part in this fabulous Blog Tour below.

So without further ado, here it is................

With thanks to Bookouture, Kim Nash & Casey Kelleher I received an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.....

When you’ve lost everything, you’ll do anything to survive. 

When Saskia Frost’s dad dies her world is blown apart. Without any family, she’s on her own now and up to her eyeballs in her father’s debts. He owed a lot of money to some very dangerous men – Joshua and Vincent Harper.  She makes a deal with Joshua Harper and before long, aspiring ballerina Saskia finds herself lap-dancing in a London club to survive.  A club run by the infamous Harper brothers.  Saskia is now their property and they’re going to make her pay every penny of her father's debts back. 

Teenager Lena Cona has fled a cruel and controlling marriage in Albania. She arrives in England with her newborn daughter, desperately relying on strangers for help. But she soon learns that not everyone can be trusted as she finds herself caught in the clutches of Colin Jefferies, a twisted, evil individual obsessed by his own sinister secrets. As the sickening truth is revealed, Lena is forced to fight for her life - and her baby’s. 

When their worlds collide, Lena and Saskia form an unlikely friendship. But with the terrifying Harper brothers on their tail, as well as Lena’s vengeful and violent husband, can they escape with their lives? 

Well, what a book this was, I didn't just like it, I LOVED it and it definitely didn't disappoint. It had me gripped from the first few pages right through to the end, there were some great twists and turns and full of emotion in parts too. I even had to slow down reading it as I didn't want it to end. I know that his book will stick in my memory longer than most because of the subject matter. The story does cover alot of subjects and situations which we're all too familiar with on a daily basis, from human trafficking, drugs, alcohol, violence to rape, whether it's on the news or in the papers, this story was near enough to real life. I know that his book will stick in my memory longer than most because of the subject matter. It is a pretty gritty book and is no way sugar coated in any way with certain descriptions and there were parts I did squirm through due to the content so it's definitely not for the fainthearted but it is SO well written. I felt I was there with the characters at times and I wanted to kill one in particular and I'm sure a lot of readers will be the same. I first came across Casey last year when I read Bad Blood which is also brilliant so check that out too if you haven't already. I would definitely recommend this book too.  I am really looking forward to reading more books from Casey already (no pressure). 


The Taken is available on Kindle and is currently £1.99 at the time of publication of this review.

BLOG TOUR ~ All Fall Down by Cat Hogan Q&A

Hi Everyone,

Today is my stop on the Blog Tour for All Fall Down by Cat Hogan & I'd like to welcome Cat to my blog today where Cat has very kindly taken part in a Q&A for me as part of the Blog Tour. I was thrilled to be asked by Cat to take part along with some other fab book bloggers too.  You can find out who else is taking part in this fabulous Blog Tour below & you can also read my review for They All Fall Down at the end.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I always knew I was meant to write but it took me until two years ago to sit down and think about it seriously. I did a creative writing course, just to see if I could get the nuts and bolts of constructing a novel. I wanted to learn about the more technical stuff- the tools of the trade. Plot development, characterisation and the likes. I already had a story in my head and the characters would not go away. I was working part time and raising two children and although the creative writing course gave me a good grounding, the epiphany didn’t come until that October. I was at a friend’s book launch. Billy Roche and Eoin Colfer were on the panel and it was their passion about storytelling and writing that caused the penny to drop. I quit my job a month later, got started on the book and finished it a few months later. The gamble paid off! 

Inspiration for stories in general for me generally comes from a snippet of conversation or more prominently, song lyrics. I’m a huge music fan and always have been. I’m juggling two book ideas in my head at the moment ( apart from the one the Publisher is waiting on) and they have both come from songs. 

Can you share a little of your current work with us? 

Right at this moment, I am working on two. One is a follow up (of sorts) to They All Fall Down. I am wandering and hiding in the alleyways and the Souks of Marrakesh- up to all sorts of mischief. 

The other is another dark tale of mystery, madness and mayhem. We will just have to wait and see which one goes to print first!

It wasn’t by design I ended up writing dark fiction- I always thought I would be more light hearted. They All Fall Down got dark very quickly but I think I may have censored myself to a degree. I have unleashed the beast for the second and third book. Darker and more twisted but there’s a very slight chance there might be a bit of black comedy in there too- all will be revealed!

What books have most influenced your life? 

The Big Friendly Giant was my constant companion as a child and now as I read it regularly to my own boys, it never fails to transport me back to my childhood days. The BFG was responsible for my lifelong obsession with Roald Dahl- my first introduction to the author and to the wonderful work of Quentin Blake. This magical book has brought adventure to little boys and girls the world over. Sadly, the book was dedicated to his own little girl who died in the 60’s.

The Count of Monte Cristo- Alexander Dumas

This novel was possibly the first of the classics I read as a child/teenager. The story involves every element a good novel should have. Romance, hope, adventure, loyalty, betrayal, ugliness of human nature and justice- all revealed through characters and their true nature. A man is wrongfully imprisoned- he escapes, acquires a fortune and becomes hell bent on revenge- what’s not to love about that epic adventure. The language, the imagery and the overwhelming adventure makes it easy to see why this is an absolute classic and one I still have on my shelf. 

I could actually sit here all night and write about books that have shaped me and books I love. I am a complete book addict. I can’t stop buying them – paperbacks and books for Kindle. If I love a book on Kindle, I buy the physical copy to add to my collection. I love books. 

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts and Asylum by Patrick McGrath are two I tend to re-read time and again. Stephen King’s ‘On Writing’ is a masterpiece and I couldn’t live without Wally Lamb. Oh- Ken Follet deserves a mention too. I read for the love of a good story and great characters- that is my prime motivation. I’ve never read Ulysses but it makes no odds. I won’t pretend I’ve read it either ;) 

What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life? 

Time and balancing family was a challenge. I usually write in the mornings when my oldest is at school and the baby is in playschool. For the afternoon, I get back to being a mammy and all that it entails and when I’ve tucked them in bed- I get back to it. 

As regards research- I love it. I’m a bit of a nerd in that respect. I love learning anyway, especially about the mind and the human condition. When researching They All Fall Down, I read a lot of psychology books- just to understand sociopathy, psychopathy, different condition and how we are conditioned to react to situations, dependant of course on so many factors. Jon Ronsson is a very entertaining writer but my favourite research book so far has been ‘The Sociopath Next Door’ by Martha Stout. It will make the hairs rise on the back of your neck! 

The biggest challenge came for me a few months back. For one of the books on the back burner, I contacted the Irish Prison Service in the hope of organising a visit to Wheatfield Prison for research. They were incredibly obliging and I got the pass to go up. On the day, I had an Officer assigned to me. His job was to bring me around the prison- twice. Once as a visitor, and then as an inmate. It was a really interesting day and such an eye opener. It’s not an exercise I would necessarily like to repeat but the interviews with both the staff and the inmates were astounding. I should really write a blog about it! Of course it gets back to the nature/nurture debate and the idea that in some cases, less than you might think, you are dealing with actual sociopaths- another story for another day.

What was the hardest part of writing your book? 

The hardest part for me is time management. It has been a real whirl wind since They All Fall Down was published. It takes a lot of time and energy to promote a book and because it’s such a busy and competitive industry, you have to maintain visibility- while writing another one and raising a family. By day, I also run my own business from home- writing content and marketing material for business start ups. That has been shelved for now as I have a deadline ( nearly passed). Writing can be a lonely profession and like any industry, it has its share of politics as well. 

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

They are not new authors but I am captivated by both Donal Ryan and Liz Nugent. Liz is in a league of her own when it comes to writing dark fiction. Both of her novels are absolutely fantastic and no one comes close to her talent. She’s also a very lovely and down to earth person- that helps!

Donal Ryan is the master when it comes to weaving a story with beautiful prose. He captures the essence of rural life and characters we all know. Stunning writer… The Spinning Heart is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. 

All Fall Down Review

The Primrose Path by Rebecca Griffiths

With thanks to Rebecca Griffiths and Sphere, I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.........

Somebody's watching her. And they know she's alone..........

When Sarah D'Villez was nineteen, she was kidnapped and held hostage for eleven days but escaped her abductor.  The case became infamous with Sarah's face splashed across the front of every newspaper in the country.

Now, seventeen years later, that man is about to be released from prison. Fearful of the media storm that is sure to follow, Sarah (or Rachel as she's now known as) decides to disappear to rural Wales under a new identity, telling nobody where she's gone.

Settling into the small community she is now part of, Sarah soon realises that someone is watching her and this someone seems to know everything about her.............

I really, really enjoyed The Primrose Path and even though it started off well with a shocking first few pages but for me it slowed down for a little but this didn't withdraw my attention and I was gripped throughout and as I'm writing this review I think that this was Rebecca's plan to keep the reader on their toes.  There is quite a lot going on in this book with the plot lines all coming together as the story proceeds a bit like the way the layers are peeled away on an onion with secrets, lies and the twist that I didn't see coming.  The characters were well written and I didn't know who to trust either as I was reading it, some of them were creepy in their own way.  The descriptions of the countryside of Wales was spot on, seeing as I spent a bit of time in Wales as a kid I could feel that I was there at times looking out on the surrounding landscape.


This is Rebecca's debut novel and is available on Kindle and from all good bookstores and is currently £3.99 on Kindle at the time of publication of this review so grab it while you can, you won't be disappointed so don't say I never told you so.  The Primrose Path would be perfect for fans of I Let You Go and Apple Tree Yard.  I am looking forward to reading the next novel from Rebecca but no pressure.

The Deviants by C.J. Skuse

With huge thanks to Cara Frances and MIRA Books, I received an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.....

When you set out for revenge, dig two graves.....

Ella, Max, Corey, Fallon and Zane all grew up together in an sleepy English seaside town of Brynston, they were always known as the fearless five.  Keeping up to their nickname, they were the audacious, rowdy kids who lived for ghost stories and exploring the nearby islands off the coast.  But when Max’s beloved older sister Jessica is killed, the friendship seems to die with her.

Years later, only Max and Ella are in touch, still the best of friends and a couple since they were thirteen. Ella is training for the Commonwealth Games and Max’s dad even sponsors her training which means their lives are so intertwined.  But Ella is hiding things. Like why she hates going to Max’s house for Sunday dinner, and flinches whenever his family are near. Or the real reason she’s afraid to take her relationship with Max to the next level.

But when Corey who has always been the underdog of the group is bullied, the fearless five are brought back together again, teaming up to wreak havoc and revenge on those who have wronged them. But when the secrets they are keeping can no longer be kept quiet, will their fearlessness be enough to save them from themselves???

WOW, WOW, WOW!!!  What a book The Deviants was, I didn't just like this, I absolutely LOVED it.  I was hooked from the first page.  This is been marketed as a YA and I normally don't read YA but I'm so glad that I did read it as it was fantastic. There are layers of secrets exposed as the pages are turned.  I know that his book will stick in my memory longer than most because of the subject matter that was involved.  This story had it all from a little bit of humor, love, betrayal, a web of lies, protectiveness to more sensitive and hard-hitting issues like the lengths that some people will go to to cover up a family secret - I found I had a little tear in my eye at the end along with shedding a few along the way, so grab this book, curl up on the couch with a box of chocolates and prepare to have a few lump in your throat moments too. It will definitely not disappoint and I HIGHLY recommend it. I'm really looking forward to seeing what C.J. Skuse writes next but I will definitely be checking out her previous books.

The Deviants is available on Kindle and in all good bookstores from September 22nd and is £3.99 at the time of publication of this review so grab it while you can, you won't be disappointed so don't say I never told you so.

The Fallout by Margaret Scott

Thanks to Poolbeg, I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review......

Set in The International Financial Services Centre, Dublin, where the offices of the German Commercial Bank DKB are based but the dust of the banking crisis has barely set when two letters arrive and it tells the story of 4 women, Kate O'Brien, Mary Lawlor, Leona Blake and Olivia Sharpe and their daily struggles both inside the job and in their home lives.

Kate has recently comeback to work in the bank after taking a short career break to have her children.  She want's to just come in and do her job and go home with as little stress or drama as possible but is she going to get her wish or has she her own agenda??

Mary has worked at DKB for so long that she can see things that aren't going right, she's been here before and could the same things be about to happen again??  She is tired of been taken advantage of by everyone and it's got to stop.

Leona is in charge and has a job to do and will get it done no matter how and what the cost. She's not a very nice or popular person at times and to be honest she doesn't quite care. But as her whole life starts to collapse around her, will she finally realise that she might loose everything.

Olivia is a very timid person and has started to write things down.  She has been treated very badly in her time with the bank and now she has a chance to take control on things and get the justice she deserves but what has happened to her and will she get it??

I enjoyed The Fallout, it was very well researched, constructed and written.  I could relate to nearly every persons story in The Fallout as I worked in the Financial Services for years and I worked with every single one of these characters and at times I felt I was right there with them. I could feel the pressure of the financial services all over again as I was reading it, from thinking about the banking crisis, been on high alert as soon as you were told the "Bigwigs" were coming down from Head Office, the early starts and the late finishing, the way the staff were treated by customers and high ranked staff and management to the bullying, it was all there.
 
This is Margaret Scott's second novel and would be an ideal beach read for any upcoming holidays. It's currently £4.17 on Kindle at the time of publication of this review so grab it while you can, you won't be disappointed.

BLOG TOUR ~ All Fall Down by Tom Bale

Hi Everyone,

Today is my stop on the Blog Tour for all Fall Down which is Tom's second novel through publishers Bookouture. I am thrilled be taking part in this wonderful Blog Tour and delighted to welcome author Tom to my blog with a review of All Fall down and a BIG thanks to Kim Nash from Bookouture for allowing me this opportunity to take part with some other fab book bloggers too. You can find out who else is taking part in this fabulous Blog Tour below.

So without further ado, here it is................

With thanks to Bookouture, Kim Nash & Tom Bale I received an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.....

On what seems to be a normal and quiet Sunday afternoon, Rob and Wendy Turner and their family are having a BBQ when they start to hear knocking on their garden fence, as the knocks become louder, Rob decides to investigate only to discover a dying man, beaten beyond all recognition, arrives at their home, uttering the words, HELP ME. 

As Rob and Wendy Turner and their children try to explain the horrific scene to investigating officers as being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but in the days that follow they discover that their lives are going to be threatened in ways they could never imagine. They are also unaware that they are being watched by someone with their own terrifying agenda, who will stop at nothing to fulfill their own twisted desires. 

But when hidden secrets come rushing to the surface, it’s clear not everything is as it seems in this happy family. Are the Turners a victim of circumstance – or does the key to their fate lie closer to home? Can they save themselves before time runs out?


I didn't like this, I absolutely LOVED it. It was fantastic, full of thrills, spills, twists and turns. I didn't know who to trust as I was reading it. It was spine-chilling, pulse pounding, a heart thumping rollercoaster ride. As I said at the start that this is Tom's second novel, the first been See How They Run which I haven't got around to reading yet but I definitely will soon but I'm looking forward to seeing what's up next from Tom.

All Fall Down is currently £1.99 on Kindle along with See How They Run at the time of publication of this review so grab it while you can, you won't be disappointed so don't say I never told you so.