Juliet’s father dies and her stepmother gives her a cash settlement to leave home as soon as possible. She heads to London’s Theatre District to try to find the truth about her birth mother…
The Theatre of Glass and Shadows is a book with multiple layers set in an alternate universe in London.
Juliet is not held in high affection by her stepmother so, when her father dies, she is quickly paid off and forced to leave the family home. She follows her heart and the mystery of her mother to the Theatre District where actors have created a permanent Show. She is immersed in this new culture and finally feels like she belongs.
My sympathy was immediately with Juliet due to her troubled, unfortunate situation. She is let down by her family but this gives her the opportunity to find out the truth about her real mother. This aim gives her a purpose and determination although I couldn’t really understand the allure of the Show other than the family angle.
I found it a little tricky to engage with the setting as the action takes place in an alternate London. Dating the plot was also difficult as the scenario seemed to be more Victorian Gothic yet it is actually set in the 1950s. The descriptions are flowing and detailed, bringing the plot to life, but this does slow down the pace. I enjoyed the mystery about Juliet’s mother and how the truth is revealed.
The Theatre of Glass and Shadows is an intriguing mystery.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Sometimes the greatest spectacle hides the darkest secrets . . .
In an alternate London, the city’s Theatre District is a walled area south of the river where an immersive production – the Show – has been running for centuries, growing ever bigger, more sprawling and lavish. The Show is open to anyone who can afford a ticket but the District itself is a closed world; even the police have no jurisdiction within its walls.
Juliet’s mother died when she was a baby. Brought up by her emotionally distant father and even more distant stepmother, she has never felt wanted. It’s only when her father passes away that Juliet – now nineteen – learns her birth was registered in the District. Desperate to belong somewhere at last, she travels to London where she hopes to unearth the truth about her identity, her mother’s death and her father’s years of silence – and claim her birthright.
But in the District, there is only one central truth: the Show must go on. And in a world where illusions abound, and powerful men control the narrative, Juliet has no idea of just how far some will go to ensure certain stories are never told . . .
About the author
Anne is originally from the north-east, but somehow slid down the map and finished up in a small village near Bath, where she lives with her partner and three sons. She has an MA in English Language and Linguistics from Edinburgh University, and an MSt in Linguistics from Oxford University. During her postgraduate studies, she worked as an etymologist and proofreader for a dictionary, carrying out research at the Bodleian Library.
Armed with her linguistics-related degrees and work experience, Anne took the somewhat illogical next step and became a criminal lawyer. In 2011, after several years spent working in the London courts and police stations, Anne remembered that she’d actually planned to be a writer, and commenced work on her first novel. This was slightly unfortunate timing, given that she was right in the middle of relocating to Somerset with her family, who seemed to feel that a little less novel-writing and a little more packing might be warranted. They probably had a point.
Over the next couple of years Anne fitted writing work around her day job as a solicitor. Her writing has appeared in various newspapers, magazines and anthologies, and has won various awards.
In 2016, The Space Between the Stars was published by Pan Macmillan in the UK and Random House in the US. She wrote most of this novel while studying for a Creative Writing MA at Bath Spa University. Her second novel, The Theatre of Glass and Shadows, will be published in May 2024 by Bonnier.
Anne enjoys working with other writers, through editing, mentoring and teaching.
Emma wakes in hospital. Her eyes are bandaged, she can barely move, and her memory is missing. She is terrified that she will be attacked while vulnerable, even though she can’t remember who or why she has been injured…
The Hospital is a psychological thriller set in America.
Poor Emma. Her fear is palpable as she lies in a hospital bed, completely reliant on others as she has lost her sight and her memory and can barely move. I could imagine her panic so vividly as it is well described. The hospital staff offer to protect her but she doesn’t know who to trust or even if she can trust her own mind as memories begin to come back.
Most of the book is written from Emma’s first person perspective as she tries to make sense of her situation and injuries. Her memories gradually come back and she has a lot to process. There are also some chapters that show her stalker and this raises the tension as we know she is not imagining the danger she faces.
There is a great mystery surrounding the attack which is maintained. However, the plot moves very slowly and I felt frustrated by the repetitive scenes of her waking confused, feeling sorry for herself and then remembering something. I’m much too impatient!
The Hospital is an intense but slow burn psychological thriller that plays on fear and vulnerability.
Media Pack
Author: Leslie Wolfe
Book: The Hospital
Publication Day: May 24th 2024
Description:
When I wake up, I know three things. My name is Emma. Someone tried to kill me. And I can’t remember who.
When I blink, my eyelashes brush against scratchy cloth. My fingers twitch, numb and distant. In the distance, sirens wail. I’m in the hospital.
I should be safe here, but I know I’m not. The last thing I remember is running, seeing an arm raised to strike… Why would anyone want to kill me?
Desperately, I piece together my scattered memories. I’m standing with my husband on sugar-white sand, our rings glinting in the sunlight. I’ll get better, and I’ll go home to him, and he will protect me.
But when he visits, his new girlfriend is on his arm. He tells me we got divorced three years ago, and my world falls apart. What else have I forgotten?
The only way I can keep myself safe is to uncover the answers buried deep in my mind. But as I talk to my visitors—listening to the gentle tones of the doctors and nurses, grateful for the care of my friends and family—I start to see the lies that contradict what I remember of my life.
They say it’s just my broken memory. But I know the shocking truth: I can’t trust a word anyone says…
Author Bio:
Meet Leslie Wolfe, bestselling author and mastermind behind gripping thrillers that have won the hearts of over a million readers worldwide. She brings a fresh and invigorating touch to the thriller genre, crafting compelling narratives around unforgettable, powerhouse women. Her books are not only an adrenaline-packed ride, but they’re also sprinkled with psychological insights, offering readers an immersive, authentic experience that goes beyond conventional suspense.
You might know her from the Detective Kay Sharp series or have been hooked by Tess Winnett’s relentless pursuit of justice. Maybe you’ve followed the dynamic duo Baxter & Holt through the gritty streets of Las Vegas or plunged into political intrigue with Alex Hoffmann.
Recently, Leslie published The Girl You Killed, a psychological thriller that’s pure, unputdownable suspense. This standalone novel will have fans of The Undoing, The Silent Patient, and Little Fires Everywhere on the edge of their seats.
Whether you’re into the mind games of Criminal Minds, love crime thrillers like James Patterson’s, or enjoy the heart-pounding tension in Kendra Elliot and Robert Dugoni’s mysteries, Leslie’s got a thriller series for you. Fans of action-packed writers like Tom Clancy or Lee Child will find plenty to love in her Alex Hoffmann series.
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1941, Kate Arden has grown up in the English countryside but has always felt different to her brothers and sisters. She doesn’t want to be bound by patriarchal convention and is teased by flickering glimpses of a secret past that she only patrially remembers…
The Secret Daughter of Venice is an historical novel set in the UK and Italy during WW2.
Kate knows she is different and has always endured comments from the local villagers. She wants to find the truth about her past and believes there is a secret hidden in a bequested book, if only she could find it. Kate doesn’t want to settle down and become a wife. I really liked her modern outlook and this endeared her to me.
The book is written to show the experience of Kate and Sofia. The war has made Kate even more determined to follow her own dreams even if they are at odds with her family and social convention. Meanwhile, in Italy, Sofia is searching for her lost daughter…
Both women are strong, determined and passionate so I instantly liked them both. There are bucketfuls of emotion as well as historical and geographical detail to bring the characters, plot and setting to life. I felt invested in the characters and wanted them to find each other and peace (inner and world).
The Secret Daughter of Venice is an emotional and well researched historical novel.
Book blurb: The Secret Daughter of Venice
The paper is stiff and brittle with age as Kate unfolds it with trembling hands. She gasps at the pencil sketch of a rippling waterway, lined by tall buildings, curving towards the dome of a cathedral. She feels a connection deep in her heart. Venice.
England, 1941. When Kate Arden discovers a secret stash of drawings hidden in the pages of an old volume of poetry given to her as a baby, her breath catches. All her life, she has felt like an outsider in her aristocratic adoptive family, who refuse to answer any questions about her past. But the drawings spark a forgotten memory: a long journey by boat… warm arms that held her tight, and then let go.
Could these pictures unlock the secret of who she is? Why her mother left her? With war raging around the continent, she will brave everything to find out…
A gripping, emotional historical novel of love and art that will captivate fans of The Venice Sketchbook, The Woman on the Bridge and The Nightingale.
Purchase Links
Author Bio –
Juliet Greenwood is a historical novelist published by Storm Publishing. Her previous novel, The Last Train from Paris, was published to rave reviews and reached the top 100 kindle chart in the USA. She has long been inspired by the histories of the women in her family, and in particular with how strong-minded and independent women have overcome the limitations imposed on them by the constraints of their time, and the way generations of women hold families and communities together in times of crisis, including during WW2.
After graduating in English from Lancaster University and Kings College, London, Juliet worked on a variety of jobs to support her ambition to be a full-time writer. These ranged from running a craft stall at Covent Garden to running a small charity working with disadvantaged children, and collecting oral histories of traditional villages before they are lost forever. She finally achieved her dream of becoming a published author following a debilitating viral illness, with her first novel being a finalist for The People’s Book Prize and her first two novels reaching #4 and #5 in the UK Kindle store.
Juliet now lives in a traditional quarryman’s cottage in Snowdonia, North Wales, set between the mountains and the sea, with an overgrown garden (good for insects!) and a surprisingly successful grapevine. She can be found dog walking in all weathers working on the plot for her next novel, camera to hand.
Social Media Links –
BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/julietgreenwood.bsky.social
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Phoebe is a crime writer, always looking for new ways to kill off her characters. Her writing is paused as she helps her friend Juno look for a new home in the village. But both women are soon investigating a local murder…
The Art of Murder is the first book in the new Village Detectives series set in the fictional village of Inkbury in the UK.
Juno returns to the UK to help her mum move into a retirement home and meet the new love of her life. She is instantly mistrustful of her mother’s beau whose first 3 wives all died and she wants to protect her mum from the same fate. Juno and Phoebe witness a blazing row between a couple over dinner and one of them is found dead soon after.
There is a wonderful comedic tone to the style of writing which contrasts lightness against the murderous content. Juno was formerly a stand up comic while Phoebe is an author so both have a great turn of phrase. The interactions, banter and dialogue between the whole range of characters felt natural as well as showing affection and emotion. I did feel that the chapters were a little long but that is my personal preference for short chapters to increase the pace of the plot developments.
The Art of Murder is a fun start to a new series. I liked the friendships and relationships depicted in the book and look forward to seeing how they develop over the series.
The Art of Murder
Welcome to the beautiful English village of Inkbury. Tucked deep in the North Wessex Downs, its only claim to fame is the picturesque riverside that once appeared in a Richard Curtis movie. That is, until the murder…
Former stand-up comic Juno Mulligan has been suffering a serious sense-of-humour failure. Not only has she lost the love of her life, but she’s having to relocate to the (admittedly idyllic) village of Inkbury to watch out for her elderly mother, who she’s genuinely worried might be marrying a wife-killer.
She hopes that her old friend, disgraced-journalist-turned-novelist Phoebe Fredericks can help her crack the case of whether her mother’s perma-tanned, iceberg-smiled, three-times-a-widower fiancé is hiding a murderous past.
But before they have a chance, the local art dealer washes up distinctly dead in the village’s famous river. His lover is in the frame, but Juno and Phoebe suspect that there is a deeper secret… One that relates to Phoebe’s own past and Juno’s present.
Will the unofficial Village Detective Agency solve the mystery before the killer strikes again? In sleepy Inkbury, as they soon discover, living one’s best midlife can be murder.
Author Bio –
Fiona Walker is the million copy bestselling author of joyously funny romantic comedies. Most recently published by Head of Zeus, she will be turning to cozy crime for Boldwood. The first in her new Village Detectives series, The Art of Murder, will be published in May 2024.
Social Media Links –
Reclusive Christina is trying to build up her confidence after the end of a relationship. She joins a women’s only social group headed up by influencer Sorcha. Will she make friends and change her life for the better? Or will the past catch up with her…?
The Affair is a psychological thriller set in the UK.
The prologue starts off with a wild swimming incident between two characters and then the book goes back in the timeline to show how they get to that situation. Christina has been through a bad break up and her confidence is at rock bottom. She is almost obsessed with successful influencer Sorcha and decides to emulate her by joining her social group.
The book is written from Christina and Sorcha’s first person perspectives so that we can understand their emotions and actions. My sympathy was initially directed at Christina as she is so low emotionally and I could relate to her social anxiety. Her bravery in reaching out to an empowerment group was quite touching but there is also a slightly sinister overtone to her focus on Sorcha.
Initially it is quite a slow burn as we establish the scenario and main characters. There are hints about the link between the women in the first chapters but I liked the way we find out Sorcha’s awareness about a quarter of the way through the book. The style of writing was easy to read and the plot twists built the tension as the book progressed.
The Affair is an entertaining psychological thriller with two clearly defined female lead characters.
The Affair
Her heart is thumping now, only just distinguishable from the roar of the water and the wind. This is not safe. She is not safe…
She realises then, only one of them is coming back out alive.
She’s the person I want to be. Sorcha Hannon, survivor of a devastating affair. She’s found the healing and hope I desperately need to find for myself.
And now that Sorcha and I are friends, I am no longer alone. Instead of days hiding away from the world, I have someone to talk to. I feel as if I finally belong.
There’s just one small catch. Sorcha Hannon isn’t just a new friend to me, and she certainly isn’t a stranger. In fact, I know the ins and outs of her life, and her marriage, almost as well as she does. But if she finds out who I really am, I’ll lose everything. Then again, as Sorcha says, no one’s life is really as perfect as it seems… and I should have realised, I’m not the only one with secrets.
Author Bio –
Claire Allan is a bestselling author of psychological thrillers and, in the past, women’s fiction.
A former reporter with the Derry Journal, she published eight contemporary women’s fiction novels with Poolbeg Press in Ireland before becoming a full time author, and switching genre to ‘unleash her darker side’
Her first domestic noir novel, Her Name Was Rose was published by Avon/ HarperCollins in 2018 and was an instant bestseller in several countries. Claire’s novels have been translated into multiple languages.
Latterly. Claire worked as a story consultant on series one of the huge successful BBC drama series ‘Blue Lights’ with Two Cities Productions. She has also written a number of rom-coms under the pen-name Freya Kennedy, and supported Sunday Times Bestseller Serena Terry while she was writing her Mammy Banter titles.
In 2023 Claire signed a multi-book deal with Boldwood Books to write four thrillers as Claire Allan, and three rom-coms as Freya Kennedy, securing her publishing into 2026.
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