REVIEW: His & Hers by Alice Feeney

I'm pleased to share my review of the latest novel from Alice Feeney which I found to be an addictive, unpredictable, page-turner with a great unexpected end.

Many thanks to NetGalley and publisher HQ for giving me the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.

Expected: 28 May 2020

The blurb 
If there are two sides to every story, someone is always lying…

Jack: Three words to describe my wife: Beautiful. Ambitious. Unforgiving.
Anna: I only need one word to describe my husband: Liar.

When a woman is murdered in Blackdown village, newsreader Anna Andrews is reluctant to cover the case. Anna’s ex-husband, DCI Jack Harper, is suspicious of her involvement, until he becomes a suspect in his own murder investigation.

Someone is lying, and some secrets are worth killing to keep.

The Review
As the title implies this was written in my favourite style with chapters alternating between 'His and Hers' side of the story. 'His being DCI Jack Harper the police detective leading a murder investigation and 'hers' being Anna Andrews a news presenter covering the story - with both quickly realising that they knew the victim.

This was a real fast-paced, addictive, conundrum that kept me guessing from start to finish. I didn't guess the eventual identity of the killer, continually changing my mind with every twist and turn, and indeed every chapter as alternating between Jack and Anna's conflicting perspectives. I particularly loved the ending which apparently is a trademark of Alice Feeney but which having not read her before I was totally unprepared for. In explanation, you think it's all over when the author starts wrapping things up, having led you to a convincing conclusion, but then on the very last page she delivers a massive u-turn with one crazy last twist.

The author is also known for putting the psycho in psychological thriller - and this was no exception. Pretty much every character could be considered slightly psychotic or flawed, dysfunctional, dark and disturbing at the very least. Weirdly though, despite not being likeable, I still found myself rooting for some of the characters - and as such was really pleased with the unexpected swerve ending.

In terms of the plot itself there was quite a lot going on - and unnecessarily so in my opinion. There was obviously the murder investigation, which naturally was linked to a long buried but not forgotten secret, but there were also two other incidents. You could argue these added more intrigue, red herrings, etc and one perhaps did provide a bit of context but the other was really irrelevant and just devalued it a bit as I thought "really, all that happened to one person?' Just a warning too that there were some sensitive themes covered. I can't give specifics without spoiling the plot and it was nothing too disturbing but just a bit darker, gritted than some.

Overall an addictive, unpredictable, page-turner with a great unexpected ending - definitely worth a read.

The author
Follow @alicewriterland on Twitter or find out more at www.alicefeeney.com

REVIEW - All the Rage by Cara Hunter

Here's my review of the latest book in the DI Fawley series by author Cara Hunter. An exciting crime novel with lots to like but overall not for me as it wasn't quite what I was expecting.

Many thanks to NetGalley and publisher Penguin Books (UK) for giving me the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.

Expected: January 2020

The blurb 
A distressed teenage girl is found on the outskirts of Oxford. The story she tells is terrifying: grabbed off the street, a plastic bag forced over her head, then driven somewhere remote and subjected to an assault. DI Adam Fawley is doing the best he can to investigate, but the teenager refuses to press charges. All he can do is try to ignore the sickening feeling he's seen something like this before...

But when another girl goes missing, Fawley knows his time is running out. Because if he ignores the past any longer, this girl may not be coming back.

In my opinion
For me the distinction between a thriller and a crime novel is very ambiguous and perhaps subjective. This was cleverly constructed with lots of twists and turns, mystery and drama meaning it hits the definition of a thriller. So as a fan of thrillers I really enjoyed the complexity of the story and characters, the fast pace from the off, and the totally unexpected ending.

However, I felt it was more of a crime novel, following the police investigation into a potential sexual predator and serial killer abducting young women. That said I loved the detective aspect especially as the author intersperses the narrative with 'evidence' in the form of maps, court extracts, interviews with the suspects, text messages and social media exerts. There were lots of false leads, reluctant witnesses and partial forensics all of which highlighted the difficulties of actual police investigations. All-in-all I felt like a real-life detective myself trying to piece it all together.

What I didn't like - and generally don't like about crime novels - is the factual and procedural style of writing, meaning that whilst I enjoyed being involved as an amateur detective I didn't really emotionally engage with the book or characters. This wasn't helped by the fact that there were so many characters from a large police team plus their families to the victims and their family/friends as well as a wide variety of suspects, witnesses and alibis. There were literally too many people and back stories to connect with any one character to any great extent. It was also quite confusing in the beginning trying to keep track of so many people.

From the cover blurb I also hadn't realised the plot (or crime) involved implied sexual assault. I'm fine with murder, abduction, torture and even tongues being cut off (as in Deborah Masson's 'Hold Your Tongue') but I really don't like reading about crimes of a sexual nature and wouldn't have picked this up had I known.

The author writes in a very contemporary and unique style, sometimes in the first person and sometimes in the third person. The absence of any chapters is very unusual however. But that said the text is broken up into very short snippets meaning it's still very manageable and easy read - as well as really adding to the punchy fast paced feel throughout.

I enjoyed this book, especially the completely unexpected ending which provided a sad but believable reflection of a certain demographic of society. But, unfortunately for me it just wasn't what I thought it was going to be. Author Cara Hunter is widely regarded as one of the most exciting crime writers, so if crime's your thing then I have no doubt that you will love this. This is actually the latest in a series all featuring DI Fawley but it really won't matter if you haven't read any of the others.

The author
Follow @CaraHunterBooks on Twitter.

PREVIEW - Hold Your Tongue by Deborah Masson

I'm delighted to share my review of 'Hold Your Tongue' by Deborah Masson. This is not for the squeamish but it's really rather good - a great debut from an exciting new author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and publisher Random House UK for giving me the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.

Released: 20 November 2019 (ebook) and 26 December 2019 (paperback)

The blurb 
A brutal murder. A young woman’s body is discovered with horrifying injuries, a recent newspaper cutting pinned to her clothing.

A detective with everything to prove. This is her only chance to redeem herself.

A serial killer with nothing to lose. He’s waited years, and his reign of terror has only just begun . . .

In my opinion 
I was intrigued by the title, description and cover of Deborah Masson's debut novel but immediately thought I'd made a big mistake as this is quite violent and unnervingly descriptive from the very first page, making it quite uncomfortable reading in places. I'm not sure why it shocked me as the clue is very much in the title " Hold Your Tongue" referring to the serial killer removing his victims' tongues whilst they were still alive. Anyway I took a deep breath and carried on and am so glad I did as it turned out to be really rather good. 

I really enjoyed the style of writing which is short, snappy and to the point. It's really easy reading with the fairly short chapters continually tempting you to just read one more, particularly as the story starts quickening to its explosive ending. The narrative is principally the voice of the lead investigative detective, DI Eve Hunter, but interspersed with the odd chapter or section by the killer and other members of Eve's team which kept things varied and grabbed attention.

Following the police investigation is definitely my favourite style of crime writing as it provides a fascinating insight into police work. I always feel like I am a member of the team examining the evidence, looking for clues and trying to solve the crime alongside the characters. The best thing by far about this novel, however, was my total inability to guess the identity of the killer, due almost entirely to the author's clever misdirection throughout.

What's more Deborah Masson has a unique gift for characterisation. The four main characters, the police officers, are all flawed but still relatable and on the whole likeable. And, it's these flaws which make for such a captivating dynamic between the characters as they resent, distrust, dislike, compete and grieve with each other whilst trying to work together as a united front. Again it's the author's talent and incredible writing that enables you to put yourself in every character's shoes, understanding why they are and act the way they do - even the mentally disturbed killer.

A nice touch was that the book didn't end with the big reveal, instead it continued briefly exploring the aftermath of the case. We saw how the four main characters were coping and working towards putting their past and strained relationships behind them in order to move on as a supportive close-knit team.

Not for the squeamish but I really recommend this - a great debut from an exciting new author. I would've given it five stars except for the gruesomeness of the tongue scenes.

The author

Follow @deborah_masson on Twitter.

Book Review - Auntie Poldi and the Fruits of the Lord by Mario Giordano

The second book in the Auntie Poldi series, written by German author Mario Giordano.  Complete madness but underneath the chaos there's actually a good crime story. It's a good fun read with plenty to keep you guessing and laugh out loud but only if you can succumb to the madness.

Many thanks to The Bookbag for giving me the opportunity to read this book direct from the publishers.

First published in the UK: January 2018

Wine and murder - nothing is more likely to rouse Auntie Poldi's love of the chase. Still relishing the notoriety from her spectacular resolution of the Candela case, Poldi is alive to the faintest whiff of criminality. What to others might seem a series of misfortunes - the water supply cut off, a poisoned dog - is clearly, to Poldi, an escalation: the Mafia have had her in their sights ever since she solved Valentino's murder.

Poldi has tasted blood. No one is above suspicion. And trouble will surely follow...

My Review

How to describe this book - well for starters it's unlike anything I've ever read before. It's chaotic, mad, funny, fast-paced, confusing but once you get into it it's really good fun and totally enjoyable.

The confusing part is that the story is recounted by the main character's nephew who is staying with his Auntie Poldi and listening eagerly to the day's adventures over a glass of wine or two every evening. So because it's actually his story and he's a part-time author there's also exerts of the novel he's writing, not to mention the back story of his childhood and family. Then, add to that the fact that the family are German but living in Scilly, cue various accounts of Bavarian and Italian history, life and culture as well as literal language translations, and you're probably starting to see the problem.

As is the case with most crime stories there's also a plethora of characters to try and keep up with, all with little bit parts whose relevance only becomes clear later on. Consequently I found the first couple of chapters quite difficult and that, like amateur detective Auntie Poldi, I really needed my wits about me to make any sense of it. But, once you succumb to the madness of this book and not worry too much about trying to keep everyone and everything in order then it becomes a much easier read and by the end you realise you were pretty much in the loop all along anyway.

This book was hilarious, I mean the main character is a wig wearing, larger than life character. To add to the humour there's also fortune tellers, the mafia, German tourists called Doris, pick-locking padres (priest to you and me), a sad signora, naked Japanese spiritualists, volcanoes and so much more. To give you a flavour my favourite line was "A few moments later, like two Special Forces teams, four aunts, an uncle and a dog erupted from the front door of No. 29 Baronessa, piled into Poldi's old but overpowered Alfa and Uncle Martino's battered, asthmatic Fiat, and sped off towards Etna".

It has got to be said though that underneath all the madness there's actually a good crime story with believable motives of murder, greed, corruption and politics. It starts with a poisoned dog and cut off water supply, ie what to others might seem like a series of misfortunes but to Poldi is clearly the mafia. No one is above suspicion, she even places herself on the suspect list, and trouble follows as she leaps into action without thinking, leaving the real police cursing in her wake.

There's lots of twists and turns keeping you in suspense until the end but with enough clues throughout to keep you guessing - my money was on completely the wrong person. This is the second of Auntie Poldi's adventures but it won't make any difference to your enjoyment (or confusion) if you haven't read the first.

As I've already said this is unlike anything I've read before but overall I enjoyed it. My advice would be to stick with it if you're not sure at first and Auntie Poldi may well win you over like she did me.

Book Review - The Prime of Ms Dolly Greene by E V Harte

As a self-confessed chicklit fan, who's never read a crime novel before, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it....turns out I absolutely loved it! This book was definitely a real page-turner, with great characters and lots of twists and turns but at the same time light-hearted and funny. EV Harte is an author and tarot reader, and this is the first in her new tarot detective series.

Many thanks to The Bookbag for giving me the opportunity to read this book direct from the publishers.

First published in the UK: September 2017

In the heart of South West London, just a short stroll from the Thames, lies an enclosed and overgrown bike path and a single row of cottages. Foremost among Tinderbox Lane's hotchpotch of loyal residents is professional Tarot reader, Dolly Greene: divorced and permanently broke, she shares her tiny house with her 21-year-old daughter Pippa.

When, one stiflingly hot summer's day, Dolly reads the cards for the hedonistic Nikki, her usually professional patter is interrupted by a sudden vision - a flash of Nikki's face, covered in blood and bruises.

A few days later, when the body of a battered woman is washed up by Chiswick Bridge, Dolly is haunted by the belief that Nikki's time may have come . . . but can she be sure? And how far is Dolly prepared to go to act on her intuition?

My Review
I love reading full stop so I was excited to have the chance to read the first crime novel from established, well-regarded author Daisy Waugh, writing under a pseudonym. But, as a self-confessed chicklit fan, who's never read a crime novel before, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it....turns out I absolutely loved it!

I've always been put off thinking crime writing would be dark and gritty but this was the complete opposite. It was light-hearted and contemporary with one of the characters (or key witnesses) uploading pictures of the death scene to social media before a death was even confirmed. In fact the tone was very similar to my beloved romcoms, and surprisingly there was actually even a romance as well as a murder. The short chapters made it really easy to read – perfect for a quick five-minute sit-down.

Tinderbox Lane is a heart-warming community of seven teeny-tiny mews houses, located along a bike path in the 'depths of the depths' of outer Southwest London so hard to find that even 'Tesco who say Every Little Helps wouldn't deliver'. But, despite only having seven (eccentric) residents there are a lot of strange goings-on both real and seen in the tarot cards or visions by psychic Dolly Greene, who lives at number two. Smart, warm-hearted and extremely likeable character Dolly turns super sleuth but struggles to convince even her daughter, let alone the local police, that she's not insane.

All of the characters were so realistic and well described from flirtatious, belly-laughing neighbour Maurice to voluptuous Nikki with her turquoise nails and cheap gold bangles or even Professor Filthy that I could vividly picture them all and totally bought into their individual fates. They were also all cleverly and indirectly linked to each other, adding to the book's many twists and turns and subtle clues.

My only very slight criticism was that when the murder mystery was fully revealed the motives and conclusions were somewhat tame and fairly innocent (even for a girl who said she didn't want dark and sinister). But, I enjoyed the suspense and plot twists so much along the way that the ending was pretty inconsequential really in the grand scheme of things. This book was definitely a real page-turner, I just couldn't put it down and am so excited to hear that this was the first in a series featuring Dolly Greene because I literally cannot wait for the next one.

Follow author EV Harte on Twitter @dldwaugh or find out more at e-v-harte.