lies Archives - The Quick and the Read

Book Review: ‘Only If You’re Lucky’ by Stacy Willingham

I’ve loved Stacy Willingham’s previous books – all tightly plotted and packed with tension against the backdrop of the sizzling heat of the American South. Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of ‘Only If You’re Lucky’ in return for an honest review – opinions, as always, are my own.

This story centres on a group of four friends who meet at university in South Carolina. The main character, Margot, is fleeing from a tragic event in her personal life when she meets the charismatic and captivating Lucy. An invitation to share a student house follows and Margot, Lucy, Sloane and Nicole find themselves living together and next to a boys’ fraternity house. Before long, Margot’s past starts to surface in ways she never expected – and impacts on her current life and relationships. When events take a dark turn, Margot and her friends need to decide who to trust. But can they even trust each other?

Book Review: ‘The Good Liars’ by Anita Frank

Happy publication day to ‘The Good Liars’ – 17th August, 2023.

I loved the sound of this one – a 1920s tale of guilt and ghosts, mystery and murder. Thank you to the lovely people at HQ Stories for my review copy of this book.

This book centres on the Stilwell family of Darkacre Hall – Maurice, his wife Ida, his brother Leonard and long-time family friend Victor. When a policeman arrives at the house following up new information about the disappearance of a boy in 1914, the family (along with new servant, Sarah Hove) find themselves under scrutiny. Events conspire to make the meeting even more prolonged and intense, leading the family to re-evaluate the past and their relationships.

Blog Tour: ‘Between Us’ by Mhairi McFarlane

Today, I’m delighted to join the blog tour for Mhairi McFarlane’s latest romcom – thanks to Random Things Tours for inviting me to join the tour and for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: ‘The Cliff House’ by Chris Brookmyre

I started reading this book on Pigeonhole, a chunk at a time, released daily. This is definitely one you don’t want to read in small chunks – to keep up with everyone and to not constantly be on a cliffhanger, you need to devour this in one sitting! Thanks to NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: ‘It Ends at Midnight’ by Harriet Tyce

Thanks to Rosie at Headline for my copy of this tense thriller! As always, opinions are entirely my own.

I loved the premise for this book! A murder at midnight on Hogmanay in Edinburgh – we know there’s a body right from the start. But whose is it? And why has this New Year’s Eve party led to murder?

Blog Tour: ‘The Birdcage’ by Eve Chase

Thanks to Kallie at Penguin Michael Joseph for inviting me on the blog tour for ‘The Birdcage’ by Eve Chase. Thanks too for my review copy of the book – as always, opinions are entirely my own.

This book was published by Penguin Michael Joseph on 28th April, 2022 in hardback, ebook and audio formats.

Book Review: ‘Nobody But Us’ by Laure Van Rensburg

This is an intriguing idea for a thriller; a couple leave New York to go to a remote house for some romantic time together. However, the book opens a few days later with the police finding the house covered in blood and ransacked. Clearly, something violent and disturbing has happened within the walls of the modern holiday home…but what? This fills in the missing gaps of that story.

And it is quite a story.

Blog Tour: ‘We Are All Liars’ by Carys Jones

Thanks to NetGalley and Orion for my copy of this book for review and my place on the blog tour.

From the Publisher:

We’re best friends.
We trust each other.
But…

We are all liars.

Allie, Stacie, Diana, Emily and Gail have been by each other’s sides for as long as they can remember. The Fierce Five. Best friends forever. But growing up has meant growing apart. And little white lies have grown into devastating secrets.

When Gail invites the increasingly estranged friends to reunite at her Scottish cabin, it could be the opportunity to mend old wounds and heal the cracks in their friendship. But when a freak snowstorm rocks the cabin and one of the girls is found dead on the ice, their weekend away becomes a race against time – and each other – to get off the mountain alive.

Book Review: ‘Glide’ by Alison Jean Lester

I was contacted by the author to review this novel and she kindly provided my review copy – thank you to Alison Jean Lester for my book, ‘Glide’ coaster and postcard. This has not influenced my review – as always, opinions are my own.

I’ll admit I didn’t fully know what to expect from this novel. I knew it was a study of human relationships, had some psychological drama and also featured photographs alongside the text – all of which intrigued me!

‘Dog Rose Dirt’ by Jen Williams

As my lockdown experiences seem to mainly involve going through murder mysteries at the speed of light, I was very grateful to NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this before it comes out in July 2021 – as always. opinions are entirely my own.

This book opens with an ex-journalist, Heather Evans, returning to her childhood home after the suicide of her mother. While clearing out the house, she finds letters that make it obvious that her mother has been writing to a serial killer who has been in Belmarsh Prison for over 20 years, Michael Reave or ‘The Red Wolf’. As strange and creepy events occur to Heather, a murder victim is found with all the markings of a Red Wolf killing and Heather is forced to confront the truth about her mother’s past.