secrets Archives - The Quick and the Read

Book Review: ‘The Haven’ by Fiona Neill

I’ll admit the blurb pulled me into this one – a sixteen year-old girl waking up in the forest with no memory of what happened. She has a head injury and there doesn’t seem to be anyone around…except a police team who visit occasionally and seem terrible at solving things! What happened?!

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: ‘Shot with Crimson’ by Nicola Upson

This is a brilliant new instalment in Nicola Upson’s ‘Golden Age’ crime series featuring Josephine Tey as detective. It’s a genius idea to have an actual crime writer as a detective, something that Upson has sustained beautifully over 11 books – ‘Shot with Crimson’ being the latest.

I’ve followed this series from the start and was delighted to be granted a copy of ‘Shot with Crimson’ for review by NetGalley. As always, opinions are entirely my own.

Book Review: ‘Harlem After Midnight’ by Louise Hare

I loved ‘Miss Aldridge Regrets’, the first novel by Louise Hare to throw singer Lena Aldridge into a new role as detective on board a transatlantic liner bound for New York in 1936. This second book, ‘Harlem after Midnight’, picks up the story of Lena’s arrival in New York with new beau and ship-board musician Will Goodman.

Thanks to NetGalley for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Blog Tour: ‘The Turnglass’ by Gareth Rubin

Thanks to Random Things Tours for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of the novel for review. Opinions are entirely my own.

This book was published in hardback on 31st August 2023 by Simon and Schuster.

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: ‘Eye for an Eye’ by M. J. Arlidge

With many thanks to Compulsive Readers for inviting me on the blog tour for the new standalone M. J. Arlidge book.

Thanks too for my copy of the book for review – as always, opinions are entirely my own.

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: ‘No Life for a Lady’ by Hannah Dolby

I wasn’t sure what to expect of this book, but I’d heard about it on social media and figured it was time for a break from my usual diet of gruesome murder mysteries!

The story focuses on Violet Hamilton, a 28-year old woman living with her father in Hastings in 1896. Her father has ideas about marrying her off, but Violet is much more interested in what happened to her mother who vanished from Hastings Pier ten years before. An advert in the local paper leads her to engage the rather odd Frank Knight as private detective. However, it isn’t long before Violet becomes unhappy with Mr Knight’s methods and takes matters into her own hands – with the sometimes unwilling help of Benjamin, son of a detective but who would rather have a quiet life selling furniture.

Violet was an absolute star! I loved that she heartily resists marriage and follows her own path – I was really rooting for her to discover the truth about her mother. I liked that revelations about her mother started to open Violet’s mind to the ways of the world – she moves from naive to more knowing without losing any of her charm along the way.

What made this book a joy to read was the humour – Violet’s naivete was good source of comedy, but Dolby also has a sharp eye for situational comedy. Violet’s attempt to swap a footstall for some help from Benjamin was just lovely, as was the way that she engaged in a battle of wits with Mrs Monk. Her revelations about the mushrooms also made me laugh so much…best read it to see!

I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries – it’s quite a gentle investigation with some larger-than-life characters on the way. I wasn’t totally sold on all the elements of the ending, but I was certainly glad that we seem poised to get another instalment of Violet’s adventures.

Thanks to NetGalley for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Header photo by Joël Vogt on Unsplash

Book Review: ‘The Cruise’ by Catherine Cooper

Having read Cooper’s previous books – ‘The Chalet’ and ‘The Chateau’ – I knew what to expect. Glamorous settings, a small cast of seriously dodgy people and a twisty mystery that I wouldn’t be able to predict!

I wasn’t wrong!