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The Friend by Charlie Gallagher

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Thanks to Avon UK Publicity Team for sending me an E-ARC in exchange of a honest review. All views are my own.

https://www.avonbooks.co.uk/products/the-friend-9780008445515/

Rating: 5 out of 5.

What would you do if a stranger would present you with the opportunity to get revenge on the one person that ruined your life with no repercussion? Would you take the opportunity or would you question, why a stranger would give you this opportunity?

The Friend is a thrilling read, the start of a new series, in which themes of trust and the extent a person would go to obtain justice for their family collide. They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but honestly the cover is something that let me down when I first saw it. Usually the cover is the first thing that captures the attention of a reader. This cover didn’t capture my attention at all. It felt generic and found myself wondering after reading the book why wouldn’t something more pragmatic from the story wouldn’t be featured on the cover. I know that cover design isn’t in the control of the author but I think that the cover would have fitted the genre and the story more if something more simplistic (a good example would be the black folder that is prominent at each scene) would have been incorporated on the cover. I can’t help but feel that the cover was a miss.

Charlie Gallagher is a name everyone should remember; The Friend is an exciting start to a new series that feels both fresh and already well established.

The story line is linear in the story, which can very easily slip into the boring side especially in this day and age when everyone is looking for something new. However what Gallagher managed to do is hide the linear story line behind strong characters which step to the forefront of the story. The multiple POV’s which weren’t usually the standard protagonist POV’s allows the readers to experience the events of a twisted game played by a stranger through a new lens.

I mentioned that the characterization is strong in The Friend. And I stand by that. Gallagher manages to breathe a breath of fresh air into them by making them unexpected. DI Joel Norris is the perfect example for this. As a crime series reader, I got so used of seeing ‘the-broken-detective’ trope that when Gallagher actually brings to the forefront a DI that is married and has a somewhat functional relationship with his wife, it feels totally unexpected and enjoyable, giving room for the flawed characters to sit into the normal people that actually go through the horrendous experience of meeting and playing the revenge game.

What is the revenge game you ask? Well it’s actually such a simple idea but so effective. You get yourself a stranger that promises you justice with no repercussion what-so-ever. Then you get a choice. Will you take justice into your own two hands or will you let justice take it’s own course? I don’t want to give away to much of the plot in this review because the excellence of this novel sits in the plot.

Charlie Gallagher is a name everyone should remember; The Friend is an exciting start to a new start to a series that feels both fresh but also already well established. I haven’t gotten yet the chance to read the Maddie Ives series or the Langthorne series but if they are anything close to The Friend then I can’t wait to dive into them when I start to feel my Gallagher withdrawal kick in.

The Assistant by Kjell Ola Dahl

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Thank you to Karen Sullivan and Orenda Books Publicity Team for sending me a review copy of this book. All views are my own.

Rating: 5 out of 5.
https://orendabooks.co.uk/product/the-assistant

When I received this novel to review from Orenda Books, I can’t lie, I felt overwhelmed. Kjell Ola Dahl is one of the most prominent authors in Norway; his prose is one of the most engrossing and captivating. I was overwhelmed because on one hand big expectations and didn’t want that to deter my view of this author but on the other hand I knew that if I didn’t try I wouldn’t ever find out.

I am a huge fan of Nordic Noir and Dahl is considered the King, the Godfather, the OG. The Assistant is a reminder to those who have had any doubts of why Dahl holds that title. Intricately plotted, with characters that jump of the page and a very strong sense of place. Norway during the prohibition era and the period leading up to the second world war has never looked, smelled and tasted better.

Kjell Ola Dahl doesn’t write novels; he creates experiences by executing a strong sense of place of a spellbinding period that leaves its readers crave more.

The premise of the novel is what caught my attention from the get go. The idea of having former nemesis working together and seeing how their relationship evolved through the years was really thrilling. Structurally the novel jumps between two timelines which in itself at the moment seems to be an attractive tool to build up tension and revelations in crime and thriller novels. But what Dahl manages to create with the timeline is an immersive experience in two unique worlds that readers don’t often get time to enjoy. The historical elements seem conjured flawlessly and that is where Dahl shines. The immersive narrative and descriptions presented in a matter-of-factly way allows readers to create their own opinions on the action and characters. Due to this I found myself wishing that I wouldn’t ever finish this book, wanting to stay in the world that Dahl created and even explore it even more.

The two main characters of the book, Jack Rivers and Ludvig Paaske will be the main attraction to this novel. Being a more character driven novel, Rivers and Paaske are the backbone of this novel. I see Jack Rivers being an instant fan favourite but my heart belongs to Paaske. The way things end for Paaske really hurt me in my feelings.

The Assistant is a great reminder to everyone why Kjell Ola Dahl is the King of Nordic Noir. Kjell Ola Dahl doesn’t write novels; he creates experiences by executing a strong sense of place and characters that are easy to fall in love with by taking his readers through a spellbinding journey that leaves the reader craving for more.

Don Bartlett also deserves a lot of credit as without him this book wouldn’t have come to life on the English market. The translation is impeccable and feels natural for readers that have read before translated fiction. He manages to capture the Nordic feel of the novel brilliantly without sacrificing the narrative that Dahl infused in it.

Published by Orenda Books, The Assistant is available in e-book and will be coming out in May in paperback. I would strongly recommend this novel for lovers of historical fiction, character driven thrillers and amazing tension. This is also a great novel for writers who are wanting to understand effective tools and methods used in writing for sense of place and good direct characterization.

The Dinner Guest by B. P. Walter

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Thank you to One More Chapter Publicity Team for allowing me to read this book ahead of its publication in exchange for an honest review. All views are my own.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dinner-Guest-absolutely-psychological-breathtaking-ebook/dp/B08M2KTMR5

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

There are books that have a very strong sense of place…

There are books that have characters that you simply can’t stop loving them…

There are books that leave you wondering until the last page who the killer is…

Then there is The Dinner Guest by B P Walter that conveniently crosses off boxes in all the before mentioned categories. Throughout reading this book I couldn’t help to feel transported into a different world that looked and smelled and felt like a parallel universe to the Desperate Housewives universe, the characters were like-able enough for me to root for them and although I had a sneaking suspicion of who had committed the murder from the first few pages, the writing was good enough to put me off my trace.

B P Walter is a master at making his readers want more, teasing them with every piece of the brilliant puzzle he created.

Beyond the cover readers can expect a thrilling and twisted story. Walter uses two timelines through which he carries his readers. The structure of past present fits the story like a glove and doesn’t get to feel repetitive as the story evolves really quickly. Also another element that Walter is a master of, is making his readers wanting more, and then not give them to it. This is incorporated really well in the split timelines so much so that I didn’t know if I wanted necessarily to find out who the murderer was but more to find out how everything fits in together before the killer is revelead.

The story is mainly told out of the three main characters perspective. We follow Charlie, Matthew and Rachel through the events that lead up to the night were at the dinner party organised by Charlie and Matthew, Matthew ends up dead. I don’t want to spoil to much of the plot in my review however there are many twists and turns throughout the story that will keep you engaged and guessing who did it. My advice for readers going into this story? Don’t. Trust. Anyone.

Overall I think that B P Walter establishes himself as someone to look out for in the psychological thriller genre. He is a master of concocting plots then fragment them into a jigsaw puzzle and calculating where every piece should be dropped into the story.

The Dinner Guest comes out on the 1st of April and is an excellent read for anyone looking to escape the mundanity of lockdown life.

All The Little Things by Sarah Lawton

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Thank you to Canelo for providing me with an advance copy in exchange of an honest review.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/All-Little-Things-gripping-unforgettable-ebook/dp/B08L61YW7H

All The Little Things by Sarah Lawton one of the twisted books I read this year. Filled with suspense, this book promises you to grip you from the beginning and will keep you wanting to read more and more and more until you finish it and then realise that it’s over.

There were moments in this book where I had to stop and consider for a moment just what and how Lawton came up with the idea. However I liked the fact that she didn’t shy from the possibility of a mother and a daughter sharing a love interest.

Throughout the novel we follow Rachel (the mother) and Vivian (her daughter) and how the past is always there to remind you that what is gone is not forgotten.

All The Little Things is the type of novel that will leave you shocked and starring into the distance trying to wrap your mind around what you just read.

There were moments in the book where I couldn’t predict where the story would go. I think this was due to the two timelines between present and the past and my mind wanting answers too soon. However in the end when the two timelines connected I understood the structure choice and actually agreed with it. Certain premises have to have a certain structure. And in the case of All The Little Things it made sense to have the two timelines connecting towards the end.

Character wise, Lawton executes them flawlessly. In the beginning I often found myself being annoyed by Vivian’s actions but the more I thought about it, the more I understood that it was true to her character. Also the whole idea of a popularity contest–which in itself happens a lot when you are in high school–gave me a bit of a headache but once again, it didn’t bother me too much because it was softened due to understanding the character.

In the end I did foresee a reveal however it didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the story because the ending is just… mind blowing. In a sense I suspected that it had been a choice to take away from the surprise reveal and focus on the next big thing as it wouldn’t have been guessed.

Overall, All The Little Things is a perfect read for those who enjoy domestic thrillers with a twist. I enjoyed it a lot and in the end and found myself needing a moment after reading the book to assimilate what I had just read because as I said before Sarah Lawton doesn’t shy away from putting uncomfortable subjects to the forefront of the novel.

Best of February 2021

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Although February has long been and gone I wanted to still make a post about the best books that I’ve managed to read in February. However please bear in mind that although some full reviews might still be pending and will shortly appear on the blog, the criteria for me to include books in a “Best of” is that the books have been read in that particular month.

Without further ado, here are the top 3 books I’ve read in February.

3rd Place – Good Samaritans by Will Carver

Will Carver is one of the best Noir writers (if not the best Noir writers in the UK) and it’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of him and his writing.

Good Samaritans by Will Carver is plotted to perfection, the pacing is marvelous and the twists are at every corner. I gasped out loud when I read this book because it swallowed me whole and by the time I came out on the other side, I didn’t know what to do with myself.

Good Samaritans came out in 2018 published by Orenda Books and is really really worth checking out. This can be ordered wherever you shop for books.

Carver has also a new novel coming out this year with Orenda Books called The Beresford which I can’t wait to read before I get Will Carver Withdrawal.

2nd Place – The Friend by Charlie Gallagher

The Friend was the first book I read by Charlie Gallagher. Shame on me as he is a brilliant author who managed to grip me with this novel.

I’m not going to go into many details about the plot and characters because the novel is coming out very very soon and I can’t wait to be able to speak with people about the brilliance of this novel.

Gallagher will definitely be one of the authors I’m going to follow when it comes to Police Procedural novels.

The Friend comes out on 01/04/2021 from Avon Books and can be pre-ordered everywhere good books are sold.

1st Place – The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

Gosh, I loved this book. The way Catriona Ward writes just so enthralling and refreshing. The Last House on Needless Street is the type of book that you have to cancel your plans for the day and prepare yourself for a ride.

The multi-layered plot is brilliantly executed because there are red herrings peppered through it. Ward plays a fair game, giving you enough hints for you to be able to figure out the mystery at it’s heart but because her descriptions are so vivid I wasn’t able to guess in advance the plot twist.

I wouldn’t be surprised if The Last House on Needless Street will be considered the epitome of gothic and even psychological thrillers of this decade.

The Last House on Needless Street is out today, 18/03/2021 from Viper Books and can be bought everywhere good books are sold.

March has been as amazing as February so far and I have a few other highly anticipated reads lined up for this month which I know will give me trouble to make the Best of March. Nonetheless, keep on reading <3.

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

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Thank you to Viper Books for providing me with an advance copy in exchange of an honest review.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-House-Needless-Street-masterpiece/dp/1788166167

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Every once and again, I stumble on an amazing book that manages to enter my heart and never leave. The Last House on Needless Street is one of those books.

When I picked this up I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into. The fact that Stephen King had reviewed the booked as “haven’t read anything this exciting since Gone Girl” I had very high expectations. There aren’t that many books that would get that review by Stephen King let’s be honest. In fact is one of the few that I found that got such high praise from him.

I didn’t need much time to finish this book simply because it was so engrossing, striking the best balance between intrigue, descriptions and mystery in my opinion. Also the structure was flawless, never revealing too much.

Catriona Ward has probably executed what will be known as one of the best books of this decade.

The book begins with Ted who in the beginning we are being told that he’s done something despicable. The way Ward executes this is intriguing and peaks the interest of the reader in wanting to understand who this Ted character is and what he’s done. The set up in this book is amazing which in itself makes the book ten times better. If the set up had been a miss I think that the whole novel wouldn’t have worked.

We’re quickly introduced to a crime that sits at the center of this this story, other POVs that are either linked to Ted or the crime and I found myself guessing throughout the book how it would end. I can safely say, that the ending surprised me–having been unable to guess who had committed the crime–but I don’t know if it is because I was so enthralled and captivated by the vivid writing or whether it was due to the want and need for the story to continue.

The Last House on Needless Street is definitely a stand out to me when it comes to thriller novels this year simply because it’s written and executed so uniquely. I wouldn’t be surprised if this book will be considered as one of the best of the decade. Ward sets the bar for thrillers very high, and I could only wish to be able one day to be able to execute a novel at the level at which she is right now.

Simply a brilliant novel that needs to be read by everyone. You will not be disappointed. Catriona Ward is establishing herself with this novel as someone to watch out for.

Two Wrongs by Mel McGrath

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TRIGGER WARNING: THIS BOOK AND REVIEW DEALS WITH SUBJECTS CONCERNING SUICIDE AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE

An Arc was sent to us by the publisher in exchange for an honest review of this book. Thank you to HQ Publicity team for allowing us to read this and review it.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Two-Wrongs-Mel-McGrath/dp/0008336873

What would you do if you found out that after having a fight with your best friend she had attempted suicide? Would you try to convince yourself that there was more to her intention than the fight with you? Or would you blame yourself?

What if you were the mother of the daughter that is now battling with remorse? Would you try to understand what would go through your daughters mind? Or would you simply just trust the child you had brought up and hope that if she needed someone to talk to she would come to you?

What if you were the dean of the university and now you’re being faced with making the decision of whether to go public with the story or try to brush it under the carpet? Would you do what would be best for you in that situation? Or would you try to do what was right for the girl?

Two Wrongs by Mel McGrath is a captivating story about revenge, family and secrets. The story is told from three points of view and doesn’t shy away from hitting some very hard hitting subjects in my opinion. When I first found out that I was chosen to read this book, part of me was ecstatic. I hadn’t read anything by Mel McGrath. Something about discovering a new author always is exciting for me, especially if it isn’t an author I heard about before.

McGrath turns everything you thought you knew on it’s head by executing a masterful story about loss, revenge and family.

We follow the story being unravelled from the points of view of Nevis—a student at Avon University, Honor—Nevis’ adoptive mother and Cullen—the dean of the university at which Nevis attends. We are being transported straight in the heart of the story and the heavy subject which it surrounds: the suicide attempt of Nevis’ best friend.

As the story progresses and the story unravels in front of our eyes, I couldn’t help but appreciate how well the book deals in with the dynamic between Nevis and Honor. Nevis is aware of the fact that Honor isn’t her biological mother and Honor struggles with the truth of why Nevis’ mother committed suicide many years ago.

The pacing of the first half of the book I believe could have been improved. There was a lot of set up focused elements in the first half which made the book towards the end feel rushed. However, in hindsight I prefer the book this way rather than having a good pacing at the beginning of the book and a soggy middle. There were enough elements to keep my interest in the first half but do go in expecting the pay off to be really, really good.

The twists of the novel—which for obvious reasons I am not going to spoil—was predictable in my mind. There were so many elements foreshadowing the reveal of the twists that I absentmindedly made the connection before I actually got the pleasure of reading the reveal. Nonetheless a small part of me did a happy dance when I read that my anticipation was correct, but I also understand that there are a lot of people that are put off by this.

McGrath is definitely a writer to watch out for. This ambitious project has solidified her in my view as one of the upcoming authors in this genre.

The Conductors by Nicole Glover

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An Arc was sent to us by the publisher in exchange for an honest review of this book. Thank you to Del Rey Publicity team for allowing us to read this and review it.

Rating: 4 out of 5.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Conductors-Nicole-Glover/dp/1529102073/

I’m not going to lie, I was really excited about The Conductors. The premise was so intriguing to me and I thought that this has the potential to be an instant favourite for many people.

Pitched as “The Underground Railroad but with with magic” but with also some crimes solving added on top… who wouldn’t want to pick it up to give it a read?

There were several things I truly enjoyed about this novel but the truth is I think I might have spoiled the enjoyment of the book with the anticipation of it. I had very high expectations, so much so that once I had finished reading the book, I couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed.

Let me tell you why.

Nicole Glover breaks the stigma surrounding the blending of two well established genres with a solid attempt of marrying crime with fantasy.

The Conductors by Nicole Glover is an excellent crime novel. We follow the main character, Hetty Rhodes, a former conductor on the Underground Railroad who now uses her magic to solve crimes in her community in a post Civil War World. The set up, from the start, was engulfing. I like that the book didn’t shy away from touching on matters of race throughout the book especially for when the book is set. Glover done an excellent job at making me feel maybe an ounce of what black people are dealing with on a day to day basis through out the world, now.

Hetty is an excellent main character and Glover doesn’t shy away from giving her various hats to wear; from the investigator hat to the spouse hat, Hetty comes of as a complex, well fleshed and well thought out character. Most importantly to me, Hetty felt like a real human being and not a fiction character that had been developed for the benefit of the plot.

When the first body appeared in the novel, I’m not going to lie there was an element of confusion as to where the story would go. I was excited that Glover didn’t shy away from mixing two genres in her book but I also think that because of this, the book made me feel disappointed in the end.

The fantasy element of the novel were too sparse. I wanted the world building to be so much more than it actually was, to be explained the magic system and to understand why the classification between the two types of magical people in this world was important. I wanted so much to be rooting for the magical system, being an avid fan of magic in novels but it didn’t turn out to blend too well with the crime aspects of the novel; the magic being conveniently there to help further the investigations.

The Conductors is the first novel in a series and I’m keeping my eyes open for the continuation. I want to see if the second novel will go deeper in the magical elements, if the characters backgrounds and experiences will be further explored. However if you are a fan of crime novels but also like magical elements peppered through out the novel, then this book is for you.

In conclusion I would like however to congratulate Nicole Glover for trying to break the stigma that two genres can’t be blended as The Conductors is a solid novel that proves that sometimes, it’s good to have crime mixed in with mystery and crime.

The Conductors comes out tomorrow, 4th of March 2021 and I would encourage anyone to give this book a try. You never know what you might like unless you try.

If I Fall by Merilyn Davies

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An Arc was sent to us by the publisher in exchange for an honest review of this book. Thank you to Arrow Publicity team for allowing us to read this and review it.

Rating: 5 out of 5.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/If-I-Fall-Merilyn-Davies/dp/1787461564/

What would you do if you were invited to a reunion with your group of friends from university? Would you go without questioning who is actually inviting you? Or would you try to understand why the one person you don’t want to have come to the party has been invited?

This is how the story starts. Four friends with one terrible secret, reunited at a rooftop bar. But they weren’t the only ones that have been invited. The fifth person invited is the one that dies that night.

The story is told from two main point of views, Carla Brown—a crime analyst and DS Nell Jackson. I liked the fact that it wasn’t the typical police duo and that Davies included a crime analyst into the mix, which made the story refreshing to me. And of course, typical for me and the books I pick up to read, regardless sent by publishers or I buy myself, If I Fall is the second book in the series.

If I Fall is a strong contender to be one of my favourite crime novels of all time. Davies being one of the first writers threatening my Nesbo pedestal.

Although it was the second book in a series, If I Fall is executed masterfully, not giving too much away from the first novel in the series. Whether intentional or not, Davies manages to conjure a stand-alone feeling around the novel without pushing the readers into a corner for not picking up the series in order.

In itself the novel is dark. The themes and representation in this novel are stellar and for once I felt refreshed on the take Davies brings to the typical police procedural. I instantly fell in love with both Carla and DS Nell Jackson; both being very strong characters, which I think is needed for a long lasting series.

Davies doesn’t shy away to bring into the mix of themes that are being tackled throughout the novel religion and sexuality. Although it isn’t necessarily the first time it is being written about, I thoroughly enjoyed the authors point of view and how she represented the LGBTQIA+ community in the novel as well as diving deeper into the aspect of conversation therapy.

I was shocked when I finished the book at how enjoyable and unputdownable it was. It simply took me by surprise and am happy now to say that I have found my next best crime author. Davies is definitely an author to watch in the crime genre as she brings a refreshing take to the staple that has now become the police procedural, giving it a new air to breath. I can’t wait to read what she will publish next and will definitely check out her first novel in the Carla Brown and DS Nell Jackson series WHEN I LOST YOU.

Merilyn Davies is a stellar example that there is no genre that has been overdone, making her in my opinion a true contender to my personal all times favourite crime author Jo Nesbo.

Nothing Important Happened Today by Will Carver

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Rating: 5 out of 5.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nothing-Important-Happened-Today-Carver/dp/1912374838/

So just in case you are wondering, yes I’m a huge fan of Will Carver’s novels. I might start a fan club, raise a shrine for his books (kidding – or maybe not?).

This was my first ever book that I read by Will Carver. I didn’t know what to expect. I opened the book and was knocked off my feet and my head was spinning and then it was over. Just like that. It was over.

The premise was what attracted be to this book. “Nine suicides. One cult. No leader.” Enticing right? Well the way Carver manages to pull everything together in the book is mind blowing. I was in awe and after finishing it, I had to see if this was a one-off thing, where he manages to pull it off.

I’m happy to report now after finishing Good Samaritans that it isn’t. Carver is just that genius.

Another thing that drew my attention to Nothing Important Happened Today was that Carver doesn’t introduce Detective Sergeant Pace only after around 80 pages. But believe me when I tell you, that you won’t notice. The pace of the whole story is insane, the amount of set up Carver manages to cram into the first half of the book at first scared me. I thought that the pay off would definitely lack in punch but once again I was proved wrong.

Carver wraps you around his finger with real characters, amazing pacing and a good balance between set up and pay off.

The book opens with the suicide of nine people who jump at the same time from the Chelsea Bridge. There’s no indication that the nine people knew each other but they all have one thing in common. They all had received a letter that morning containing only four words. Nothing Important Happened Today.

I’ve mentioned in my review of Good Samaritans that Carver uses short and snappy chapters to make your heart beat in your chest and giving off the impression that everything happens at an insane speed. The same applies here, giving just enough information to paint a very vivid image in the readers mind. There are plentiful characters which each and every one seems fleshed out and well though out. The characters give the book almost as much life as the heart racing pacing.

There is just a certain magic (because I can’t exactly explain otherwise how) that Carver weaves into his books that wraps his readers around his finger by telling real but also frighteningly plausible stories with an amazing cast of characters, outstanding pacing and a good balance between set up in his first half of the novels and the pay off in his second half.