The Lies Within by Jane Isaac #bookreview #BlogTour

About The Lies Within

Be under no illusions by her kind face and eloquent manner… This woman is guilty of murder.

Grace Daniels is distraught after her daughter's body is found in a Leicestershire country lane. With her family falling apart and the investigation going nowhere, Grace's only solace is the re-emergence of Faye, an old friend who seems to understand her loss.

DI Will Jackman delves into the case, until a family tragedy and a figure from his past threaten to derail him.

When the police discover another victim, the spotlight falls on Grace. Can Jackman find the killer, before she is convicted of a crime she didn't commit?

A gripping thriller perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, S.J. Watson, B A Paris and Sophie Hannah

My review of The Lies Within

The Lies Within is the third instalment in the DI Will Jackman series. It is a fast paced thriller that gripped me from the very first page, and which knocked my breath away at the very end. Although this novel is part of a series, it works very well as a stand alone novel. This novel is very clever, it draws you in, and I couldn't help but become immersed in this fascinating story.

The novel begins in a court of law, as we watch Grace Daniels being accused of murder. We have no idea who this woman is, who she killed. or even if she is guilty, but this beginning made me want to find out those answers and to learn more about this seemingly normal everyday housewife and mother. The story then rewinds and shifts to that of a young woman, who is found murdered late one night in a Leicestershire country lane. The woman is Jo, Grace's daughter. Once again I wanhted to know what had happened to this young woman, what her story was and how the two storylines were connected.

The investigation into Jo's death is led by DI Will Jackman, a likeable man, a people person who has integrity and loyalty running through his veins. More importantly his gut instinct is never wrong, and he uses his gut in this case to find out what happened to Jo. Will is such a likeable character, you can't help but immediately warm and connect to him. His back story is also an interesting one, the wife who was involved in a car accident and who suffered a brain injury, resulting in 'locked in' syndrome, helps to shed insight into his beliefs and the way he behaves.

All of the characters in this novel are interesting. We have Faye, the long lost friend who becomes reacquainted with Grace after Jo's murder. Is this woman quite what she seems? While reading I wasn't quite sure if I could trust her, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. She made me feel uneasy, but I didn't know why. Then we have Lydia, Grace's other daughter, Jo's younger sister, who has her own story to tell. I felt so sorry for this young teenager, having to grieve  yet support her mother at the same time.

Ms Isaac wrtes so beautifully, she brings the chatacers to life and I couldn't help but empathise with them and what they were going through. This, teamed with the fast pace and gripping narrative leads to one fantastic and enjoyable  read. The Lies Within really is a cracking read, that will keep you guessing until the very end.

The Lies Within, published by Legend Press on May 2 can be found on Amazon here.

With thanks to Legend Press for the Advanced Reader Copy.

About the author

Jane Isaac lives with her husband, daughter and dog, Bollo, in rural Northamptonshire, UK. Her debut novel, An Unfamiliar Murder, introduces DCI Helen Lavery and was nominated as best mystery in the 'eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook awards 2013.'

The Truth Will Out, the second in the DCI Helen Lavery series, was nominated as 'Thriller of the Month - April 2014' by E-thriller.com and winner of 'Noveltunity book club selection - May 2014'.

In 2015 Jane embarked on a new series, featuring DI Will Jackman and set in Stratford upon Avon, with Before It's Too Late. The second in the series, Beneath The Ashes, will be published by Legend Press on 1st November 2016 with the 3rd, The Lies Within, to follow on 2nd May 2017.

Both DI Jackman and DCI Lavery will return again in the near future. Sign up to Jane's newsletter on her website at www.janeisaac.co.uk for details of new releases, events and giveaways.

The Escape by C L Taylor

About The Escape

When a stranger asks Jo Blackmore for a lift she says yes, then swiftly wishes she hadn't.
The stranger knows Jo's name, she knows her husband Max and she's got a glove belonging to Jo's two year old daughter Elise.

What begins with a subtle threat swiftly turns into a nightmare as the police, social services and even Jo's own husband turn against her.

No one believes that Elise is in danger. But Jo knows there's only one way to keep her child safe – RUN.

My review of The Escape

 

I have read several of C L Taylor's books, and so, was very excited when I got the opportunity to read and review her latest novel, The Escape. This is a thoroughly gripping, psychological thriller that deals with trust, deception and lies within a family. At the heart of this book is the question, who can you really trust?

 

The novel begins when Jo is approaching her car, on route to pick up her little girl from nursery. She is in the University car park when a stranger approaches her and asks for a lift. As soon as I read the dialogise between the two women, I knew that something was not right, and that this stranger, Paula, was not all that she seemed. Once in the car, she gives Jo a glove that belongs to her daughter, telling her that she knows Jo's husband, Max, and she makes a subtle threat, in telling Jo that he has something that she wants back. Jo is visibly shaken and the seed of doubt is planted.

 

We learn that Jo has suffered from depression and mental health issues following the loss of their baby son.  She is acrophobic and suffers from anxiety. It is these factors that go against Jo in the book, and have a devastating effect upon what happens to her and her daughter Izzy.

 

We read as Jo's normal family life begins to crumble around her. She is not sure if she can trust her husband, nor indeed if he is telling her the truth about Paula. Plunged into self doubt, Jo realises that the only person she can trust is her best friend and herself. The book is about being a mother, and the fact that you would do everything in your power to protect your child. The bond between Jo and her daughter is so clearly evident, and I never doubted her capacity to love and care for her child.

 

This book is a psychological thriller, as we question the characters we meet along the way, wondering who on earth we can trust. Who is telling the truth, and who wants secrets to be buried? As with all C L Taylor's books, we are kept in the dark until the very end when all of the loose ends are toed up.

 

I read this book very quickly, in a few short sittings, which is very unusual for me. I simply could not put it down, willing myself, to read 'just one more chapter'. I think that this was to do with the fact that Jo was all consuming. I wanted her to survive, to be believed, to live a happy life. By the end of the book I was firmly on her side and rooting for her to have the life that she truly deserved.

 

The Escape is about the need to escape from lies and deceit, and to find a life that is truly your own. Ultimately, it is about self discovery and believing in yourself.

 

The Escape is published by Avon on March 23 and can be found on Amazon here.

 

With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley who provided an Advanced Raeder Copy.

About the author

CL Taylor lives in Bristol with her partner and young son. She studied for a degree in Psychology at the University of Northumbria, Newcastle and has worked as a sales administrator, web developer, instructional designer and as the manager of a distance learning team at a London university. She now writes full time.

CL Taylor's first psychological thriller THE ACCIDENT was one of the top ten bestselling debut novels of 2014 according to The Bookseller. Her second and third novels, THE LIE and THE MISSING, were Sunday Times Bestsellers and #1 Amazon Kindle chart bestsellers. Her fourth pysychological thriller, THE ESCAPE, will be published on 23 March 2017. She is currently writing her first young adult thriller, THE TREATMENT, which will be published in September 2017.

Sign up to join the CL Taylor Book Club for access to news, updates and information that isn't available on the web, as well as exclusive newsletter-only competitions and giveaways and the books that CL Taylor thinks will be the next big thing:

http://www.callytaylor.co.uk/cltaylorbookclub.html

Little Girl Lost by Carol Wyer

About Little Girl Lost

Her breath rose and fell in fearful gasps but it was too late. She could already see what she dreaded most. The back seat was empty.Her little girl was gone.

Abigail lives the perfect life with her doting husband and adorable baby Izzy. But someone knows a secret about Abigail and they want the truth to be told.

When Izzy is snatched from a carpark, it becomes a case for Detective Robyn Carter. Someone has been sending threatening messages to Abigail from an anonymous number. What is Abigail hiding?

Robyn’s instincts tell her there’s a connection between Izzy’s abduction and two murders she is investigating. But the last time she acted on impulse her fiancé was killed. To break this case and earn her place back on the force, she must learn to trust herself again – and fast. Robyn is on the hunt for a ruthless serial killer. And unless she gets to the twisted individual in time a little girl will die …

Gripping, fast-paced and nail-bitingly tense, this serial killer thriller will chill you to the bone. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott and Karin Slaughter.

My Review of Little Girl Lost

     

Little Girl Lost is a detective story/fast paced thriller. We begin by reading about Alice, a little girl, who is only eight-years-old,  who lives in a big house with her mother, step dad Paul, and step siblings, Natasha and Lucas. We learn that her mother is engaged to Paul, a big movie actor and that Alice feels rejected and shunned due to this new relationship, as her mother seems to have no time to spend with her.  Her only true friend would seem to be that of her toy rabbit, Mr Big Ears. The prologue deals with a life changing event for Alice, that sets the tone and pace for the entire story. It deals with a sexual assault, upon Alice, and I did find this upsetting to read, as it was fairly graphic in its depiction. I will admit that I nearly gave up reading, but I wanted to give the book a chance, and I am so very glad that I did. This is by far the most graphic and disturbing part of the book, in my opinion at least.

I do feel that the subject matter of the book may not be to everyone's taste, as the novel is centred around child sexual abuse, and is greatly disturbing. But, I do feel that the author tackles this subject with great empathy, sensitivity and knowledge upon the subject. The events that take place are given context, they are not simply there as a 'shock factor', as they are integral to the plot.

So, Little Girl Lost is the first book in the Detective Inspector Robyn Carter series, and I found this character hugely compelling and likeable. Having suffered her own losses in life, she busies herself in her work and is dedicated and passionate.

We are also introduced to Abigail Thorne, and her husband Jackson, who have a little girl, Izzy. It is later on in the novel that they are then introduced to Robyn, as Izzy goes missing. At this point Robyn is investigating the disappearance of Lucas and is convinced that his case is linked to that of several murders that have taken place.

This novel took me a while to get into because of the varying points of view. We read Robyn's thoughts, as well as those of Abigail's and then of Alice, both past and present. However, once I was around a quarter of the way through, I quickly settled into the pace and way of storytelling and found the plot completely captivating. I was gripped until the very end, not knowing who was telling the truth and how all of these separate events were connected. It really is a very clever story.

Little Girl Lost, is a tough read, there is no denying this, simply because of the subject matter. It did however, keep me guessing and thoroughly entertained. I  look forward to reading the second novel in the Detective Inspector Robyn Carter series.

With thanks to the publisher, Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with an Advanced Reader Copy.

Little Girl Lost is available to buy from Amazon here.

About the author

Carol E. Wyer is an award-winning author whose humorous books take a light-hearted look at getting older and encourage others to age disgracefully. More recently she has chosen to write for the "dark side" and embarked on a series of thrillers, starting with the gripping best-seller, Little Girl Lost.

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

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 writes regularly for The Huffington Post.

Carol is a signed author with Bookouture and Delancey Press.

To learn more about Carol, go to www.carolewyer.co.uk or follow Carol on Twitter: @carolewyer. Carol blogs at www.facing50withhumour.com and www.grumpyoldmenopause.com

I Liked My Life by Abby Fabiaschi - Review

About - I Liked My Life

Maddy was a loving, devoted stay-at-home mother...until she committed suicide, which left her husband Brady and her teenage daughter Eve heartbroken and reeling, wondering how they can possibly continue without her. Maddy, however, isn’t quite done with them. In an attempt to fulfill her family’s needs, Maddy watches and meddles from beyond the grave, determined to find the perfect wife and mother to replace herself and heal her family. That’s when she finds Rory: a free-spirited schoolteacher, who Maddy maneuvers into Eve’s confidences, but who turns out to be harboring a tragedy of her own.

In a story both deeply moving and charming, with the domestic insight of Jodi Picoult, I Liked My Life from debut author Abby Fabiaschi is a mother’s final blessing for a family learning to live again.

My Review of I Liked My Life

 

I have no idea where to start in reviewing this book, other than to say that I completely adored this story. I'll try my very best to describe the essence of this book and what it means to me, without giving the plot away.  So let me start by writing about Maddy, one of the three characters who narrates the story. She is the mother of Eve and wife to Brady, and throughout the novel we learn of why she committed suicide. I found her to be very captivating and very easy to read. She reels you in with her scheming and the need to once again create the perfect family. She wants Brady and Eve to be happy without her, and so therefore she feels that she needs to find the perfect wife and mother replacements. Now, this whole being able to manipulate people from the grave is a very interesting concept and, it could have really been executed badly on the page. It could have been completely over sentimentalised, causing a chasm between the reader and character. But, this is not the case. The author has managed to pull off a believable and likeable mother figure who is not perfect and who simply wants the best for her loved ones who are left behind. She is startlingly real.

 

Then we have Brady, the grieving husband, and once again, the author has got this just right. We feel his anger and betrayal, because of the way in which Maddy died. Reading his words on the page, we come to realise that grieving for his wife is a difficult process for him, due to the way in which she died. He too is almost in limbo and needs to work out how to push forward. Of course he also has his teenage daughter to care for and all of the complexities that come with raising a teenager. The dialogue between them was some of the most real and frank discussions that I have ever read in a novel.

 

Eve is the daughter left behind, and she too learns how to grieve in her very own way. As well as having to deal with the loss of her mother, she has all of the normal teenage angst and troubles to deal with which make her life far from perfect. I really liked Eve and found her to be a young woman who simply wanted her mother back, to tell her that she was sorry for taking her for granted - my heart ached at her yearning for her mother and the fact that she would never have the chance to tell her how much she loved her.

 

I feel that the book's blurb does not do this book justice. This is a book about  family learning to live again, but it is so much more. It is a ghost story in a sense, that talks of all consuming love. But it is also a book that discusses the complexities of father and daughter relationships. That is what I truly feel is at the heart of this book, the daughter/father bond. It is a book about new beginnings - but also, it is a book about learning to heal from the past.

 

I Liked My Life is published by St. Martin's Press on 31st January 2017