After a whirlwind romance and marriage within 6 months, Lulu still feels excited and happy with Nick. But he has never spoken about his past and his vanished family. Now she forces him to return to his childhood home and confront the truth…
The Stepson is a dual timeline psychological thriller, set in the present day and the 1990s. The book is written from two perspectives: Lulu in the present day and Maggie, Nick’s stepmother in the past.
Lulu is a psychologist and determined to help Nick through the pain of his past. He is charming and devoted but a different side is emerging as well. Their relationship struggles as he is over-anxious and controlling due to his fears which stem from the disappearance of his whole family two decades earlier.
In the 1990s timeline we see a different, teenaged, Nick through his stepmother’s eyes. He is cruel and dangerous. Maggie is quite an abrasive characters herself, with a criminal past. But even she fears Nick’s behaviour especially towards her newborn daughter.
The plot had me hooked as the two timelines reveal dangerous situations in both the past and present. It is easy to make guesses about how the plot will unravel but the twists and turns mean surprise developments occur.
The Stepson is an entertaining psychological thriller with strong narration in both timelines.
Book Blurb
He lost one family. Now he’s ready for another.
Psychotherapist Lulu is sure she’s the luckiest woman alive. She has a wonderful job and is married to the love of her life, Nick – who also happens to be ridiculously handsome and fabulously wealthy.
But now a shadow has fallen on her perfect life.
She can see that Nick is struggling with demons from his past. When he was sixteen his entire family disappeared without a trace and Nick has always insisted that his stepmother – whom he hated – was to blame, that she did something terrible to his beloved father and baby sister. And that trauma has left him feeling that anyone he loves is in danger, might vanish in a heartbeat.
So now he is obsessed with Lulu’s safety. He needs to know where she is 24/7, insists she carries a can of pepper spray, is constantly watching for any potential threats.
Lulu can see that this extreme anxiety is wearing Nick down. And as a therapist, she knows the only way to heal a trauma is to confront it. So she persuades him to return to the country house from which his family vanished.
But soon after they arrive in this sleepy rural community, another person disappears.
As Lulu is forced to question everything she knows about Nick and his missing family, dark secrets emerge from the past. The certainties of her old life fade away and are replaced by a horror she could never have imagined in her wildest nightmares.
The Stepson – the stunning psychological thriller perfect for fans of Teresa Driscoll, K L Slater, Daniel Hurst.
Author Bio
As a child, Jane spent a lot of time in elaborate Lego worlds populated by tiny plastic animals and people. Crime levels were high, especially after the Dragon brothers set themselves up as vets and started murdering the animals in their ‘care’. (They got away with it by propping the victims up with Plasticine and pretending they were still alive…)
As an adult, she is still playing in imaginary worlds and putting her characters through hell – but now she can call it ‘writing’ and convince herself that she is doing something sensible. In real life, she has a PhD in genetics and copy-edits scientific and medical journals.
Jane writes psychological thrillers. The Stepson will be her fourth novel published with Inkubator Books.
Follow her at:
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Special Constable Jane Bell is a witness to a stabbing in the street. She hears the girl’s last word: “Nate”. DI Steph Warwick is battling her own demons but is put in charge of the investigation as well as a separate murder case. As evidence mounts, the links between the cases seems to grow too…
Murder Across the Lines is the second book in the Warwick and Bell series. I have not read the first and there are some references to events which I believe occured in the previous book.
Jane and Steph have clashed horns in the past so are reluctant to work together on this latest case. Both are strong women with a determination to solve crimes and protect victims. However, their animosity towards each other often threatens to overwhelm them. It is easy to like both women despite their flaws and vulnerabilities.
The book is written in three timelines which gradually converge. We meet Nate, a young boy with a tragic homelife who becomes embroiled in drugs. Next is Steph in the recent past as she investigates a County Lines drugs related death. Finally, Jane in the present day witnesses the stabbing of a young girl.
The youth of Nate and the female stabbing victim is very emotive. I am aware of County Lines in our local area and it is something I worry about for my own children. The plot is therefore very current and topical. My heart ached for Nate’s unhappy childhood as it is written about so authentically.
Murder Across The Lines is a police procedural and crime novel with an emotional core. I thoroughly enjoyed it and want to catch up on the first book in the series. I have previously reviewed Murderous Secrets by Janice Frost.
MURDER ACROSS THE LINES a totally gripping crime thriller full of twists (Warwick & Bell Crime Mysteries Book 2)
A TOTALLY GRIPPING CRIME MYSTERY FROM BESTSELLING AUTHOR JANICE FROST.
At a busy crossing in Lincoln city centre a motorbike skids to a halt. A man in leathers jumps off the bike and grabs a young girl waiting at the lights.
He pushes her roughly aside, remounts the bike, and roars away.
The girl falls to the floor. She’s been stabbed.
Special Constable Jane Bell witnesses the whole thing. She cradles the girl and hears her last word: ‘Nate’.
Now Jane is a witness in DI Steph Warwick’s investigation into local drug-related murders — and the disappearance of a missing boy.
A twelve-year-old called Nate Price.
Jane and Steph had hoped their paths would not cross again. But now there’s a child in danger. The only question is . . . can they find him in time?
Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Ruth Rendell, Helen H. Durrant, Rachel McLean and Michael Hambling.
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE WARWICK & BELL SERIES:
“A truly fascinating and intriguing storyline.” Ray G.
“A great read that pulls you in right from the start. I couldn’t put it down and finished it within a few hours. Janice really knows how to write and pull you in.” Erin S.
“Well-written, fast and with a relevant plot line and interesting characters. Has the potential to be the start of a decent new crime series.” Donna B.
“Full of everything: twists, turns and dynamo . . . plenty of gripping moments . . . this book is tremendously written, right till the last page. I highly recommend it to readers.” Booklover Bev
“Have read other works by Janice Frost, she has a unique ability to give us the setting that draws the readers in. A new series and looking for more!” Ellen W.
“It’s a good mystery that I was fully immersed in and definitely recommend.” Hannelore C.
“For the first book in a new series, I’m excited to see where Frost takes it and would recommend to other readers who enjoy a detective ‘whodunnit’ book!” Rebecca P.
“Really enjoyed this book it was full of twists that kept me guessing and was a thrill ride. Had me hooked from page one and I read it in one sitting as I couldn’t put it down. Very good read, most enjoyable.” Dawn L.
“A good well-written, fast-paced thriller which held my interest throughout.” Carol D.
MEET THE DETECTIVES
Special Constable Jane Bell is forty-five, a widow of three years following the premature death of her husband, Sam. She has two grown-up children, Patrick and Norah, who are pursuing careers in London. After Sam’s death, Jane makes some changes to her life. She downsizes from their large family home in the country to a cottage in Lincoln.
DI Stephanie Warwick is thirty-five. She left school at eighteen and worked in a bank before joining the police force. She is haunted by her ex-boyfriend, Cal. He attempted to kill her twelve years ago, and murdered her best friend.
ALSO BY JANICE FROST
WARWICK & BELL SERIES
Book 1: MURDER AMONG FRIENDS
Book 2: MURDER ACROSS THE LINES
THE COMPLETE MERRY & NEAL MYSTERIES
1: DEAD SECRET
2: DARK SECRET
3: HER HUSBAND’S SECRET
4: THEIR FATAL SECRETS
5: DIRTY SECRETS
6: MURDEROUS SECRETS
STANDALONE NOVELS
THE WOMAN ON THE CLIFF
JANICE FROST
Janice was born and grew up in West Lothian, Scotland. After completing an English degree at St Andrew’s University, she moved to London where she lived for ten years doing an assortment of jobs. Her passions are reading, writing and walking in Scotland and the Lake District. She lives in Lincolnshire with her husband and two sons.
LINKS
Twitter: @Janice579021
Isobel Cosslett turns up on her mother’s doorstep fifteen years after walking away from her family. Now she is escaping an abusive relationshp and has nowhere left to turn. But Isobel is haunted by the past and now the present is dangerous too for her and her son….
Why She Left is a domestic drama novel with elements of psychological thriller.
The book is wirtten from two perspectives: Ruth in the first person and Isobel in the third person. I thought this was an interesting way round to have the narration as Isobel is more prominent so allowed more of a balance betweeen the two women.
Ruth is the headteacher of an exclusive London school which had been on her family for generations. Her daughter Isobel ran way 15 years earlier but is now forced to return to escape a violent lover. The women begin to rebuild a tentative relationship but a crisis occurs surrounding Isobel’s son Isaac which sets the women against each other.
Secrets form a major part of the plot and character development. Isobel has been severely affected by her past which she has kept hidden from everyone else. Now Isaac is keeping secrets and Ruth tells lies to maintain her family’s and school’s reputation. Can they rebuild their relationship again and what danger are they facing?
I had some sympathy for both Ruth and Isobel. They both act out of family loyalty and duty but the caring side of their natures have not been allowed to flourish except for with Isaac. Twists and revelations continue until right up to the end of the book, leaving both women shocked and confused as the truth is uncovered.
Why She Left is an intriguing book about the damage that lies and secrets can cause. I have previously reviewed A Mother’s Lie by Leah Mercer.
Why She Left
Leah Mercer
Out 13th December 2022
Book blurb
When I open the door and see her, my mind starts churning. Why are they here? What do they want? And why did my daughter leave in the first place? Am I finally, after all of these years, going to find out? I take a deep breath and usher them in…
Ruth has spent every day of the last fifteen years wondering why her daughter Isobel left. Walking around the school to which she has given her life, every child she sees reminds her of her family’s bright future which vanished in an instant.
So when Ruth opens the door to find Isobel and a teenage grandson she never knew existed, she feels a rush of relief. Despite the years of hurt she never stopped loving Isobel and wants to help rebuild her life. Enrolling her grandson at the school, Ruth wants to make sure they stay for good.
Isobel has spent her life running from a painful secret. A secret which could have destroyed her family. Now, as she flees a bad relationship, she knows that her childhood home is the only place where she can be safe.
But as Isobel looks at her son in his crisp new uniform, she is taken straight back to the reason she ran all those years ago. Soon it becomes clear that she is not the only one tormented by the past. Someone is prepared to destroy everything Ruth and Isobel hold dear. Can Isobel confront her darkest secret before it is too late?
From the bestselling author of Who We Were Before comes a powerful and emotional page-turner about devastating family secrets. Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Emily Bleeker and Imogen Clark.
About Leah Mercer
Leah Mercer was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the east coast of Canada. Her first ambition was to be a journalist, but after completing a master’s in journalism, she soon realised she preferred anything other than reporting the news. After trying her hand at public relations, teaching and recruitment in various countries around the world, she finally settled in London and returned to writing… fiction, this time. Her first two novels, Who We Were Before and The Man I Thought You Were, were shortlisted at the UK’s Romantic Novelists’ Association Awards. Leah loves books, running and visiting historic houses with her husband and their son.
Social media:
Denton Police Department’s press officer and girlfriend of detective Finn Mettner, Amber Watts has vanished. Her colleague and friend Detective Josie Quinn is called onto the case by an anxious Finn but when a body is discovered, it isn’t Amber…
The Drowning Girls is the 13th book to feature detective Josie Quinn and her team. I have previously reviewed Her Final Confession,The Bones She Buried, Cold Heart Creek, Find Her Alive, Save Her Soul, Hush Little Girl and Her Deadly Touch. There are references to events in previous books, specifically to Josie’s personal life and family.
Josie is still reeling from her grandmother’s death so now the disappearance of Amber feels especially emotional for her. She is forced to consider the possibility that Mettner may be involved due to his personal relationship with Amber and he isn’t helping himself by not following the rule book.
The whole book is written in the third person, mainly showing Josie’s perspective and actions. Some of the chapters feature Amber being treated brutally with the danger acute. This serves to increase the tension as we anticipate the danger she is in and worry for her welfare, whilst willing Josie on in her search.
The pace of the plot is fast and there are plenty of twists and turns to keep the readers guessing. I was not prepared for the revelations in the final chapters although I’m proud of myself for guessing one twist.
The Drowning Girls is an entertaining detective and crime thriller, a great addition to the series.
MEDIA PACK
Book: The Drowning Girls
Author: Lisa Regan
Pub Day: Dec 10th 2021
Buy Link:
About the Book:
In the thin glow of moonlight, a mess of auburn curls gleams against the rocks. Hands bound, the girl’s fragile body is limp and still. Seconds later, a wall of raging white water crashes down, swallowing her whole…
A knock on the door late in the evening can only mean trouble for Detective Josie Quinn, but fear chokes her at the news that the one of her own team is missing. No one has seen Denton PD’s beautiful Press Liaison Amber for days. Sweet-natured and totally dedicated to the job, she’d never let her colleagues down. A message scrawled on the frosted windscreen of Amber’s car leads Josie to a nearby dam. But the body they pull from the water is not Amber…
Josie won’t sleep until she finds a name for the innocent girl left to drown, and the meaning of the numbers scribbled in a tattered pink diary found on Amber’s desk. But when the trail leads her to a twisted truth about Amber’s family, Josie wonders if anyone really knew her at all?
Her team crumbling around her, Josie must stay strong and focused to get the job done. But as prime suspects start going missing, and rumors of an argument the night Amber disappeared surface, could one of her own staff be to blame?
Finding Amber alive is Josie’s only chance of knowing the truth and stopping a dangerous killer in their tracks. But as a blizzard closes in, how many more precious lives will be snatched before she can?
An absolutely astounding crime thriller that will keep you up all night and leave you sleeping with the lights on. This gripping rollercoaster ride, perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine, will have you TOTALLY HOOKED!
Author Bio and Social Media
Lisa Regan is an Amazon bestselling crime novelist. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University. She is a member of Sisters In Crime, Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. Lisa lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter.
My First Animal Moves is a new children’s book designed to encourage children to put down their screens, get active and have some fun. Children today live more sedentary lives than previous generations and this encourages them to reconnect with nature.
Exercise is well known for its mental wellbeing and physical health benefits so let’s get moving! The play therapist who visits the school where I work had actually recommended the Animal Moves card pack and we use it most days.
This is an introductory book to help parents get started on animal moves with their young children, however all ages groups will have fun trying to replicate the moves. There is additional advice for parents to help support them with making fitness fun. At the end of the book, the parents join in and the idea of having fun together is crucial for making physical activity the norm.
The star of the book for me is Lola the dog who tries the animal moves too! I loved the thought bubbles on each page and this was a really lovely element.
The pictures are bright and colourful with fun pictures of Nathan and sometimes Lola trying the animal moves. The accompanying text gives tips for completing the move. There is a diverse selection of animals included and a lot of thought has been given to creating a range of movements using different areas of the body. Some moves require strenghth, others use balance and others speed.
My First Animal Moves is a fun and engaging book that will make your children smile as they join in and have fun.
My First Animal Moves book blurb
Nathan loves to play, but he loves his video games more.
Can a trip to Animal Moves land convince him there’s more fun outdoors? Best-selling author and speaker Darryl Edwards has created this fun adventure inspired by his passion for encouraging kids to move in an ever-increasing sedentary environment.
MY FIRST ANIMAL MOVES
Discover the joys of animal moves with your little cubs in this first book of movement. Join Nathan and his cute, but sometimes lazy, dog as they crawl, jump and balance their way through the animal kingdom re-enacting moves designed to emphasise fun. It’s all in this exercise for kids book that focuses on family fun boredom busters.
HELPING KIDS MOVE AND GETTING KIDS OFF SCREENS THROUGH FUN ANIMAL PLAY
Do you want to make physical activity for kids fun?
Are you looking for ways to help your children develop strength, coordination and balance?
Do your children love learning about animals?
Are you worried about too much TV and screen time?
Do you want to teach young children about the importance of physical activity?
Would you like easy and fun fitness games to include in your day?
My First Animal Moves is your answer. Play along together, keeping everyone healthier and happier, promoting physical, mental and emotional well-being. You’ll all release more mood-enhancing hormones as a result, which help you feel good every day.
It’s written by professional movement coach and award-winning author Darryl Edwards who is best known for his groundbreaking TED Talk “Why working out isn’t working out“, viewed over a million times worldwide. My First Animal Moves distils the ideas in his bestselling Animal Moves book and Animal Moves Fitness Decks into a colourful picture book for children.
A Children’s Book to Encourage Kids and Their Guardians to Move More, Sit Less and Decrease Screen Time.
This unique story takes a different stance to many popular titles in this arena, with a fun activity that encourages children’s active play while aiming to get families moving and reading together. It takes the humour and colour in kids’ yoga books such as Breathe Like a Bear by Kira Willey, Yoga Bug by Sarah Jane Hinder, and You Are a Lion by Taeeun Yoo to a whole new energy level with active play for the entire family.
Get My First Animal Moves to help your family thrive through movement today.
Author Bio –
Darryl Edwards is a Movement Coach, author of the best-selling books “Animal Moves” and “My First Animal Moves”, and a thought leader in the area of creativity and innovation in fitness and health.
Darryl developed the Primal Play Method™ to inspire others to make physical activity fun while getting healthier and more robust in the process.
Giveaway to Win a Signed Copy of My First Animal Moves plus an Animal Moves Fitness Deck for juniors (UK Only)
*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
