And Then You Were Gone by Ivy Logan

January 6, 2025 By Leave a Comment


And Then You Were Gone by Ivy Logan
Publisher: Notion Press; 1st edition
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Young Adult (14-18)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

Nina, a popular fantasy author, maintains a reclusive existence. Aside from Nina’s work, her primary focus is her daughter, Sophie.

Incessant bullying at school and a public, mortifying falling out with another girl sparks a downward spiral in Sophie’s emotional state.

Nina watches helplessly as her daughter appears to be unable to move past this unfortunate event. Nina grows so consumed with Sophie’s suffering that she loses her desire to write. How does one help a teenage daughter in torment?

But then Nina has an idea—an unorthodox method to help her daughter. She is going to write a story—bringing in a special character into Sophie’s life. As the author, Nina can control the outcome of the story. Or can she?

As fiction and reality blur, Nina realizes that things have gotten out of hand. Is her story the blessing she hoped for or a curse she never expected?

“My beautiful girl, now gone – what if it’s forever?”

A unique and creative plot blurs the lines between fiction and reality. The narrative explores themes of bullying, family, and the power of storytelling. The book is primarily told through Sophie’s diary entries, spanning from ages 7 to 16, with her mother Nina providing responses.

Nina is a successful author of the Deadly Lives series. One diary entry that stands out to me is at the age of 10, Sophie asked her mother what would happen if Nina went to live in one of her books and why her mother needed to escape into a different world. As Sophie grows, her diary entries give us insight into her life, which is filled with both joy and the challenges of adolescence. She makes new friends, some of whom are not very nice. Sophie experiences bullying at school, but thankfully, she can express her feelings in her diary. Meanwhile, her mother worries and wants to help her.

The book clearly illustrates that Sophia has always had the love and support of her mother. Nina’s ex-husband, Sophie’s father, was an abusive figure who abandoned them before Sophie was born. As a result, Nina has become a fiercely protective mother, determined to shield Sophie from the bullying she experienced in high school. As a writer, Nina found solace in her words during her struggles with her ex-husband—could writing also help her daughter?

This story is thought-provoking and resonates strongly in today’s world. It beautifully depicts the powerful and emotional bond between mother and daughter, and the impact that adultescent bullying can have on an individual and family. Although this is a short read, it is artfully crafted. The desire to escape reality is something most of us readers think about. It’s pretty much why we read and/or write: to create a temporary world/moment of escape or entertainment from our current reality. For some, the mind is a powerful place; the stories we immerse ourselves in can both harm and protect us. While the book’s ending may leave some readers feeling unsettled, it conveys a hopeful message about the power of imagination and presents an optimistic conclusion that challenges society’s conventional views.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Murder On The Oxford Canal by Faith Martin

January 3, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Murder On The Oxford Canal by Faith Martin
Publisher: Joffe Books, London
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

MEET DI HILLARY GREENE, A POLICE WOMAN FIGHTING TO SAVE HER CAREER.

Not only has she lost her husband, but his actions have put her under investigation for corruption.

Then a bashed and broken body is found floating in the Oxford Canal. It looks like the victim fell off a boat, but Hillary is not so sure. Her investigation exposes a dark background to the death.

Can Hillary clear her name and get to the bottom of a fiendish conspiracy on the water?

DI Hillary Greene has lost her husband and her home, but she’s determined to cling to her police career. Under internal investigation to see if she was linked to her husband’s corruption, Hillary knows she has an uphill battle ahead of her. So she’s determined to give her best when she’s put in charge of a murder investigation into a dead body found floating in the Oxford Canal. Can Hillary clear her name and the case without any further damage?

This was a new to me author and series and I was delighted with how much I enjoyed it. Hillary is not a young woman – past forty – and having separated from her now-dead husband months ago having to reshuffle her entire life around what was proving to be a very acrimonious divorce as well as maintain her position as a DI as a woman in the local police force this main character had a number of differences to the usual British murder mystery books I enjoy but still was thoroughly relatable. I found myself quite invested in Hillary within the first few chapters and with a number of interesting – both good and bad – characters in the main cast I was pleasantly hooked quite early on in the story.

I also greatly enjoyed how the two main plotlines were written with equal weighting. The internal investigation into Hillary to find out if she knew of any corruption, but also the murder investigation. These two plots were separate but I thought the author did an admirable job of weaving them together in the storyline so neither one really overshadowed the other. I feel this also helped keep the pace of the story moving along at a good pace.

Like many British police procedural stories this isn’t an action-orientated story. Readers looking for thrills and a fast pace might not be satisfied here, but equally at no point did I feel this story was slow or dragged. I didn’t need to skip ahead to hurry things along so that was a pleasure too. For a first book in a series I enjoyed this and before the half way mark I had ordered the next two books to have ready.

With interesting characters, a relatable and enjoyably different main character and a solidly written murder mystery plot I found this a lovely book and am eager to continue in the series.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Hauntings and Hoarfrost by Rhonda Parrish (editor)

January 1, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Hauntings and Hoarfrost by Rhonda Parrish (editor)
Publisher: Tyche Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Holiday, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Wild storms, the sound of ice skates cutting across an empty pond and blankets of soft, white, beautiful death.

In the dark depths of winter, it is easy to become isolated as snow obscures landmarks and drifts create claustrophobic situations that can leave you huddled in your house, struggling to keep warm . . . and, perhaps, to ignore the message scrawled in the frost on the window.

Within these pages, you’ll discover eerie tales of long ago ghosts stretching frost-bitten fingers into the present, unexplained footprints in the snow, screaming madness, and icy cold sanity.

Editor Rhonda Parrish presents Hauntings and Hoarfrost, an anthology brimming with chilling stories and poems of the mysterious and uncanny for all lovers of horror, fantasy, and gothic.

Winter has many faces.

I adored the friendly ghosts in “And We All Come to the End, Around, Around” who all died in or near the same rustic cabin in different years. Finding the similarities between them was exciting due to the wide variety of eras they lived in and lifestyles they lived. I also enjoyed the plot twist later on that involved the ghosts deciding to band together and do something no one could ignore.

I was impressed with how many different approaches were included in this collection, from the kind and gentle tale I mentioned earlier to much darker and scarier interpretations of the theme. “Neither Rime Nor Reason” was one of these, and it followed a man named Donnan who walked into a deadly mountain range to try to save his foolish brother. The anger, confusion, and despair in this instalment made me curious to read more because every single character felt at least one – and usually more than one – of those emotions even if it wasn’t immediately noticeable to the reader. Peeling back those layers to try to figure out why everyone felt this was satisfying and made me want to learn more.

One of the worst things about winter is being deliriously sick and home alone during a blizzard. “Ice Lamp” explored the confusion and danger of that experience for a character who can’t quite tell which parts of their experience are memories of the past, distorted glimpses of their cold, damp cabin when viewed through the perspective of someone experiencing a serious illness, or vivid dreams that simply feel real. While I can’t provide any hints about which of these interpretations are correct, I felt like I was experiencing all of these possibilities alongside the protagonist as they struggled to figure out what to do next.

Hauntings and Hoarfrost was the perfect read for a cold, snowy day.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

No One Near by Rhys Dylan

December 30, 2024 By Leave a Comment


No One Near by Rhys Dylan
Publisher: Wyrmwood Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

What do you do when there is No One Near…

High in the Welsh hills, a honeymoon getaway takes a dark turn when a rotting corpse is discovered in the rental property’s bedroom.

In a dark, cold and damp December, DCI Evan Warlow and his team head out to investigate.

They find a victim who may not be as innocent as he first seems, and a rural community harbouring the worst kind of secrets.

When a second victim is attacked and a third goes missing, Evan knows he’s up against a rogue killer with a Christmas list of his own.

And it’s a deadly one.

Can he unmask the culprit before the season’s festivities turn into a bloodbath?

When newlyweds stumble upon a dead body in their rented cabin far away from everything, DCI Warlow and his team are called in to investigate. While the landlord initially looks like a pillar of the community Evan and his team barely scrape the surface back before they have exposed quite a few secrets and lies. What seems like a simple murder quickly gets complicated. Can the team sort everything out before someone else gets hurt?

I have been thoroughly enjoying this Welsh police procedural crime series. A little grittier than many British murder mysteries I feel this series should appeal to most mystery readers, but particularly those who like a little more edge to their mystery – like readers of Scandinavian noir and Scottish noir style stories. While this book is well into the series, I also feel readers should definitely be able to pick this up and thoroughly enjoy it without having read any of the previous stories. The team is quite close and long-standing so I feel they work very well together and have a good vibe going – but their interactions are well written and so I do feel new readers should be able to catch up quite quickly.

The place of the plot unfolding is definitely more of a small town style of mystery – not necessarily an action-orientated pace. I feel readers who want something fast moving or with more explosions/car chase style of action probably won’t find this pace really suits their tastes. But I did feel with a solid plot and a number of red herrings this was a thoroughly enjoyable and traditional style of “who dun it” and I really enjoyed following along with the team as they put everything together to solve the crime.

An enjoyable and well written Welsh police procedural I am loving this series and can recommend all the books including this one. I’m looking forward to the next in the series.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

Tales of the Forthcoming: An Anthology of Science-Fiction and Supernatural Short Stories by Steven Blows

December 20, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Tales of the Forthcoming: An Anthology of Science-Fiction and Supernatural Short Stories by Steven Blows
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Holiday, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

It is impossible for anyone to know what the future will bring or even what is lurking behind the next corner, but it is possible to wonder, to question, to imagine. Have you ever imagined?

Machines with science beyond compare, intergalactic relics possessing unlimited power, creatures of nightmares, troubling family dinners, and more are included in this enthralling anthology of the awe-inspiring, the wonderous and the bone-chilling. Examining topics of greed, love, and fate, there are stories designed to make your heart race, others designed to melt it.

Possible futures and the horrors of today, Tales of the Forthcoming is a collection of ten short stories like no other.
So make a cuppa, sit back, and forget the world for a short while as you dive into a world of make-believe where imagination rules.

Science can’t explain everything yet.

I was intrigued to discover what speculative fiction twist could be found while reading about someone taking their dog for a walk in “Mezameru.” It was such a routine but wholesome moment in life that I kept a close eye out for hints that would guide me in the right direction. What a fun way to expand the audience’s expectations of what might happen in this genre! This reminded me why I like science fiction so much.

Some of the stories in this collection would have been better if more details had been included in them, especially when it came to character and plot development. “Highway,” which followed a young man who planned to travel down an empty and eerie road in Australia in order to reach his brother who needed a temporary caregiver, was one of them. As much as I enjoyed the cashier’s stern warning to the protagonist to avoid that highway at all costs, I found myself wishing someone had better explained what sometimes happened on that road to people who were travelling alone. There were so many different possibilities and only scant evidence for any one of them being the most accurate one.

As someone who also struggles to enjoy Christmas,“Possibilities” grabbed my attention immediately. The protagonist’s long standing effort to make this holiday special for the people in his life who do look forward to it was an excellent testament to his kind and generous personality. I also enjoyed the twist later on as the family was decorating their home. What a thoughtful way to draw readers in and make them wonder what they’re currently overlooking in their own lives.

Tales of the Forthcoming: An Anthology of Science-Fiction and Supernatural Short Stories was a wild ride.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Book of Thunder and Lightning by Seb Duncan

December 19, 2024 By Leave a Comment


The Book of Thunder and Lightning by Seb Duncan
Publisher: Roundfire Books
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Historical, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A vigilante ghost stalks the East End of London… Before the lightning, he was just a boy, now he’s ready for revenge. The Book of Thunder and Lightning is a Gothic mashup of Oliver Twist and Top Boy, a love letter to London, wrapped up in a mind-bending ghost story. In 1888, unlucky Tom Baxter is thrown into a world of toxic masculinity, where his only weapon is his imagination. But at least he’s got his crew, a gang of misfits just like him, to back him up. As lightning stretches across time and space to a gritty 21st-century London, history is repeating itself. Tom has the chance to save his modern-day twin, with help from a reluctant hero, a posh girl from Chelsea, and a donkey called Dorris. His luck has to change sometime, right?

Life isn’t always fair.

Both of the settings involved characters who were not only participating in illegal activities but involving kids in their crimes as well. This was something I expected to find in the historical timeline but not so much in the contemporary one. Some of the most interesting scenes to me were the ones that explored what the kids thought about the secret errands they were sent on or the odd things the adults in their lives occasionally said or did. A child’s understanding of these things isn’t going to be the same as an adult’s, after all!

I struggled with the time jumps between the late 1800s and the modern era. It took quite a while for me to discover the connections between them, and while I found the conflict interesting there weren’t many detailed descriptions of the characters or settings to grab my attention in the meantime in the present day. I found myself wishing that these scenes were as easy to visualize as the ones set in and around 1888.

It was intriguing to learn how the afterlife worked in this universe. Instead of focusing on traditional options like heaven or hell, at least some of the dead could earn the opportunity to do things they genuinely wished to do. Although I can’t go into detail about what they did to earn those treats without giving away spoilers, I did enjoy learning about how that system worked and what the dead thought of it.

The Book of Thunder and Lightning made me smile.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Lines Of Inquiry by Rhys Dylan

December 18, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Lines Of Inquiry by Rhys Dylan
Publisher: Wyrmwood Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

One of our own…

DCI Evan Warlow believes that murder is a cardinal sin. Even when the victim is a drug dealing, money-laundering criminal. But when a police officer is shot in the same incident at a tranquil beach near Tenby in South Pembrokeshire… Suddenly it’s personal. What appears, on the surface, to be a falling out between partners in crime soon spirals into an operation involving gang warfare and a great deal of money.

But even Warlow is not prepared for what lurks beneath the surface of this most terrible of crimes. The truth, hidden under a tangled knot of lies, will lead him to a terrifying conclusion, and that most dangerous of beings; a killer with nothing left to lose.

Another fast paced, gripping police procedural that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

Two police officers are shot following up what at first appeared to be a minor phone call. DCI Evan Warlow and his team are called in to investigate and what superficially looks like a simple matter quickly becomes murky and intricate. Can Warlow and his team untangle what quickly becomes quite a dangerous situation?

I’ve been greatly enjoying this Welsh-based police procedural series and found this to be an excellent addition. While the team has quite a history of working together now and they’ve formed quite a solid routine and pattern I still definitely feel readers should be fine to pick this book up and read it without having read any of the previous history. The plot and workings between the team are quite clear and the depth of connection between them all is quite a pleasure to read to my mind.

I was interested that there were a few longer-running story arcs that popped up in this book and clearly there’s a thread with Molly – the daughter of one of the detectives – that progressed a nice amount in this book. I thought the author did a really good job balancing between the police procedural aspect to the case and the plotline of the murder mystery but also showing the private lives of the team and moving some of their emotional growth forward as well. I thought this showed a good balance and a lot of talent on the author’s part.

Readers looking for an action-orientated story or a faster moving pace might not find this quite fits the bill for them, but for readers who enjoy a solid murder mystery with quite a few roaming parts should find like I did that this is a well written and well-paced book with interesting characters and an enjoyable plot. A good book in an interesting series and I’m definitely looking forward to the next installment.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Deep Into That Darkness by M S Morris

December 17, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Deep Into That Darkness by M S Morris
Publisher: Landmark Media
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A cold case to solve. New truths to uncover. A killer to catch.
When the body of one of his own colleagues is found in Scarborough harbour, DCI Tom Raven throws himself into finding out what led to the young man’s death.

The killing shows similarities to the unsolved murder of the victim’s own mother. Might his off-the-books investigation into her case have got him into deep water? Or could his death be related to the attacks on women that are taking place at night? The dead man left a trail of cryptic clues to his final movements that might lead Raven to the truth.

Drawn into Scarborough’s shady night life in his quest to find the killer, Raven faces temptations of his own.

When the body of one of their own is found floating in Scarborough Harbour, DCI Raven and his team know they need to pull out all the stops. Fairly certain from the beginning this tragic death is linked to a cold case from almost a decade ago, DCI Raven knows reopening the case will open fresh wounds for a number of people. But links between the cold case and a recent spate of assaults is soon hard to ignore, and the more the team investigate the previous cases, the more questions they find unanswered. Can they solve this before it’s too late for another of their own?

I have been enjoying these Yorkshire British mysteries and found this to be a really good addition. I definitely feel these two authors are starting to hit their stride and I really enjoyed this story. I found the team is really beginning to pull together and work cohesively together, I thought the plot was complicated enough to keep me guessing well into the story – and I was thrilled when, for the first time so far, the ending of this book didn’t directly hint or lead into the next one. I found that very refreshing.

A well plotted British police procedural style of book, I thought this plot had enough hooks and twists it should appeal to a wide range of mystery readers. While seeming very simple at the beginning I enjoyed the fact there were layers and complications that made the mystery a lot deeper than I had originally expected. I also enjoyed that while there were parts of the story I easily guessed, other parts took me by surprise so I think this book certainly should keep many readers guessing well into the story.

With interesting characters, a great police team and plenty of plot this was a good book.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

A Christmas Storm by D. V. Stone

December 16, 2024 By Leave a Comment


A Christmas Storm by D. V. Stone
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Romance, Paranormal, Holiday, Inspirational, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

An early storm is brewing in Upstate New York, and military wife Lacey Prescott is caught unprepared when it turns into a blizzard. Defeated by her own lack of preparation and the recall of her husband’s Christmas holiday leave, her joy in the season is replaced by bitterness and anger.

In an unexpected turn of events, Lieutenant Matthew Prescott’s leave is reinstated. But the journey home is not an easy one since a Nor’easter stands between him and his family.

Amidst the storm’s fury, Lacey gets a glimpse of the past, present, and possible future, while Matt gets assistance from a mysterious stranger.

In a heartwarming story of determination, the resilience of the human spirit, and the unexpected kindness of strangers, the possibility of a Christmas reunion brings a sense of hope with a message of love and support from friends and family that embodies the true spirit of Christmas.

Everyone needs to slow down eventually.

Treating the weather almost like it was a character was a creative move that makes me want to read more from this author. Snow is beautiful, but blizzards can be deadly even for people who are experienced with them. I smiled and nodded along as the characters briefly discussed the things that can go wrong when the roads are treacherous for driving and a family hasn’t stocked up on food, fuel, and other supplies before the storm arrived. While the blizzard itself wasn’t sentient, its presence added plenty of conflict and tension to the storyline as Lacey and her loved ones tried to figure out how to best ride it out.

I would have liked to see more attention paid to developing the plot, especially since it was inspired by Dickens. The author could have done so much more with the intersection between Lacey’s stubborn personality and the blizzard that had her trapped at home. Some important plot points involving the dangers she faced were smoothed away when I thought they should have been explored in greater depth. I would have happily chosen a higher rating if the narrator had been willing to show more examples of the risks she took by not being prepared for this storm and not wanting to ask for help.

With that being said, I enjoyed the modern spin the author put on A Christmas Carol. It was updated nicely for the twenty-first century and included a protagonist that I found relatable and generally pretty likeable, too. Her flaws were realistic, especially considering the glimpses of her past that were shared with the audience that showed why she’d become such a fiercely independent adult. Honestly, I could see myself acting just like her if I’d had her childhood and young adulthood!

This is the third instalment of a series that does not need to be read in order.

A Christmas Storm was heartwarming.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Burial Circle by Kate Ellis

December 13, 2024 By Leave a Comment


The Burial Circle by Kate Ellis
Publisher: Piatkus
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

A skeleton discovered. A murder to be solved . . .

On a stormy night in December, a tree is blown down on an isolated Devon farm. When the fallen tree is dragged away, a rucksack is found caught amongst the roots – and next to it is a human skeleton.

The discovery of the body and the rucksack revives memories for DI Wesley Peterson. A young hitchhiker who went missing twelve years ago was last seen carrying a similar backpack. Suddenly a half-forgotten cold case has turned into a murder investigation.

Meanwhile, in the nearby village of Petherham, a man is found dead in suspicious circumstances whilst staying at a local guesthouse. Wesley’s friend, archaeologist Neil Watson, is studying Petherham’s ancient mill and uncovering the village’s sinister history. Could the string of mysterious deaths in Petherham over a hundred years ago be connected to the recent killings?

As Wesley digs deeper into the case, it seems that the dark whisperings of a Burial Circle in the village might not be merely legend after all . . .

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When a storm knocks down a tree an old red rucksack – and the bones of a young woman – are found. After confirming the remains belong to a missing young woman from 12 years ago Wesley is determined to find out what really happened to her. The case is complicated by Neil also uncovering more than they bargained for at Petherham’s old mill and when a man is then found dead at the mill linking the two cases together Neil and Wesley both need to find the answers they seek.

I have been thoroughly enjoying this British police procedural which is very effective at weaving together the current day murder plot and a historical murder/crime and reflecting the two off each other. While this book is well into the series, I do feel mystery readers can pick this book up and thoroughly enjoy it on its own merits. The team is very cohesive together and the long-standing friendship between Neil and Wesley are both quite well explained.

Readers looking for a high-action style of mystery or one with a relentless pace might find themselves disappointed. While I do feel the pace of the mystery and the various elements weaving together is well timed this is certainly more of a police procedural style of gradual unfolding and not a more action orientated breakneck speed. The historical plotline weaving around also might be seen by some as slowing the current day murder mystery, but I have to admit I enjoy these two elements being given equal attention and it’s one of the big things I thoroughly enjoy about this whole series. It sets this series apart from the many other British police procedural novels out there and adds another enjoyable element to the mix.

Mystery readers looking to try something new should find this an enjoyable and modern story with good characters and a different and compelling plotline.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
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