Detective Luka Jericho is called to an unexplained death and requires Dr Leah Wright to help calm a traumatised witness. She then speaks to another witness and is shocked to discover the woman had contacted her late husband about mysterious emails claiming to be from a killer…
Luka and Leah are both adapting to major life changes as a result of events in the previous book. Their families and personal lives feature heavily over the course of the book which allows the characters to seem more realistic. I really enjoyed the friendship and subplot of children Nate and Emily as they negotiate the changes to their lives too.
Trudy Orly is found dead after faling from a great height inside her apartment building. Her husband Walt and neighbour Risa, the main witnesses, both have significant medical needs which require the involvement of Leah in her new role attached to the police department.
The action and plot development are a little slow and a big twist which makes the case personal for Luka doesn’t happen until half way though. I had several ideas about the killer and how the cases might link: I do enjoy a book that makes you think!
The Drowned Woman is an enjoyable police thriller with great lead characters and I look forward to seeing how their professional relationship develops.
I have previously reviewed the first book in the series: The Next Widow.
CJ Lyons Media Kit:
Title: THE DROWNED WOMAN
Author: CJ Lyons
PUBLICATION DAY: Nov 10th 2020
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The Drowned Woman book description:
Her eyes fluttered open as the first splash of frigid water crashed through the open window beside her. She shook her head, startled to be awake—to be alive. She was in her car, in the river. She blinked, tried to focus. And then it came back to her. He’d tried to kill her…
One month since she lost her husband, Dr Leah Wright knows it’s time to return to her family home. Though the crime scene tape and blood stains are gone, she will never feel safe with her daughter there again. Receiving a call from Detective Luka Jericho to assist with a police investigation is a welcome distraction, until she sees the scene: a wife dead, another family ripped apart.
As Leah is the new head of the Crisis Intervention Center, Luka knows she can help him speak to the victim’s traumatized husband, who he suspects might have had something to do with his wife’s death. But when Leah interviews the woman who lives across the hall, they uncover evidence of a serial killer in their rural Pennsylvania town. The same person who claims responsibility for drowning Luka’s fiancée seventeen years ago…
With danger closer to home than ever before, Leah realises that to find the killer they may need to dig into Luka’s past. But the killer is already taunting Luka, promising to kill again. Is it already too late to save another innocent life?
Brilliantly suspenseful until the very last page, The Drowned Woman is perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter, Kendra Elliot and Tess Gerritsen. An addictive new thriller in the Jericho and Wright crime series from New York Times bestselling author CJ Lyons.
Author Bio:
As a pediatric ER doctor, New York Times and USA Today Bestseller CJ Lyons has lived the life she writes about in her cutting edge Thrillers with Heart.
CJ has been called a “master within the genre” (Pittsburgh Magazine) and her work has been praised as “breathtakingly fast-paced” and “riveting” (Publishers Weekly) with “characters with beating hearts and three dimensions” (Newsday).
Learn more about CJ’s Thrillers with Heart at www.CJLyons.net
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Sarah’s parents have recently died and her husband is divorcing her. She decides to embark on a trip to Paris to investigate the mystery behind her ancester Louisa’s death.
From A Paris Balcony is the third book in Ella Carey’s series which began with Paris Time Capsule and The House By The Lake. All three books are linked by the Parisian courtesan Marthe de Florian and her apartment.
This is a dual timeline book so we see Sarah in the present and Louisa in the past. Both women are likeable and their plotlines are engaging especially are they are connected.
Sarah surprises her friends by being spontaneous and travelling to Paris. There is a romantic spark between Sarah and Laurent as they share the de Florian apartment as she battles with her self esteem.
Louisa in the 1890s is a brilliant character. Determined to challenge society’s limits on women, she wants to support the Rights For Women movement. She meets the charming Henry Duval and he seems to share her values but once they marry she discovers his selfishness.
There is plenty of emotion in From A Paris Balcony. As my degree included Women’s Studies, I loved the feminism angle and felt that I understood Louisa’s angst at being constrained by an unfair society. I enjoyed the mystery of Louisa’s life and death which keeps the plot moving along as Sarah makes discoveries and we also see Louisa’s own perspective.
Book Description:
The small green chest was concealed at the back of her father’s wardrobe. Its hinges were made of brass that must once have shone, but now the surface was roughened and dull. As she opened the lock, there was only one thing inside: a letter, postmarked 1895, Paris.
England, 1895. Louisa West, a young beauty from Boston, looks like she has it all: a handsome husband, she is lady of Ashworth Manor and one day she’ll be a duchess. But in truth, her life is falling apart. Louisa’s honeymoon is barely over when her husband deserts her, leaving her devastated and alone. She flees to Paris, longing to escape her grief, but finds only tragedy…
Boston, 2015. Life hasn’t been kind to Sarah West. In one year, she has lost both her parents and her marriage. After her father’s death, Sarah is sorting through his belongings when she finds a letter about her mysterious ancestor, Louisa. There have always been whispers in the family about Louisa’s suicide—from a high balcony in Paris—but as Sarah reads, she starts to question everything she was told. Desperate to leave her broken heart behind, she books a trip to Paris to find out more…
When Sarah arrives in the city of lights, the cobbled streets of Montmartre and the river Seine at twilight make her heart sing. Then, on the bookshelf of a beautiful Paris apartment, hidden inside the yellowing pages of an old novel, she finds a note about Louisa which shatters Sarah’s understanding of her family’s past. Did Louisa really throw herself from a Paris balcony? And when Sarah uncovers the truth, will it change everything about her future?
An utterly captivating and emotional historical novel from bestselling author Ella Carey that will transport you to Paris at its most glamorous. From a Paris Balcony will have fans of Rhys Bowen, Fiona Valpy and My Name is Eva totally gripped!
Author Bio:
Ella Carey is the international bestselling author of The Things We Don’t Say, Secret Shores, From a Paris Balcony, The House by the Lake, and Paris Time Capsule. Her books have been published in over fourteen languages, in twelve countries, and have been shortlisted for ARRA awards. A Francophile who has long been fascinated by secret histories set in Europe’s entrancing past, Ella has degrees in music, nineteenth-century women’s fiction, and modern European history. She lives in Melbourne with her two children and two Italian greyhounds who are constantly mistaken for whippets.
Ella loves to connect with her readers regularly through her facebook page and on her website.
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Susanne’s son has gone to stay with his dad for the summer. Evie is mourning the death of her mother. Dale is strying to escape her ex. Together the women decide to treat themselves to a holiday in Tuscany, staying at a friend’s villa and keeping an eye on her godson Harry. But Susanne quickly falls into bed with Harry and her friends are worried. Is he as perfect as he seems?
The three main female characters are all very likeable and all have valid reasons for wanting some fun in the sun. As a mum with children speedily growing up, I could especially understand Susanne’s emotional reaction to her son’s growing independence.
Harry seems to be a pleasant enough chap but the book blurb makes readers anticipate that he is not the person he seems to be. The truth behind The Perfect Liar develops over the course of the book and I was expecting some of the twists but not all.
I found that some parts of the book duplicated things unnecessaily as we are shown the same scene from different viewpoints but this didn’t add much to the plot or character development. I did enjoy seeing things from the male perspective later in the book to gain an understanding of his motives and to contrast with the women’s viewpoints.
Overall, The Perfect Liar was an enjoyable read, more drama than thriller.
Media Pack
Author: Beverley Harvey
Book: The Perfect Liar
Publication Day: 06/11/20
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Description:
‘Are you sure he’s someone you can trust? We know nothing at all about him. Who is he, really?’
Susanne and her two best friends have been dreaming of a holiday. All of them need an escape. Especially Susanne, who is reeling from the news that her ex is getting remarried. They need the warm Tuscan sun, delicious Italian food and wine, and – most of all – the time to unwind with each other. What they get is Harry.
Handsome, charming and great company, Harry soon sweeps Susanne off her feet for a holiday fling. And why not? Except that everything he’s told them is a lie.
Who is the man they’ve let into their house – who Susanne has let into her bed? They have no idea what Harry is capable of – what he’s done to get this far, and what he’s prepared to do to ensure he gets his way.
By the time they find out, it will be too late to stop their dream holiday becoming a nightmare.
An utterly addictive, page-turning thriller with a jaw-dropping twist. If you loved The Girlfriend, The Holiday and Something in the Water, you’ll be completely gripped by The Perfect Liar.
Author Bio:
Throughout Beverley’s many years spent working in advertising and PR, she had always wanted to write fiction. In 2015 a creative writing course inspired her debut novel, Seeking Eden, which was published in 2017. The sequel, Eden Interrupted, soon followed. Beverley’s third novel – her first with Bookouture – fulfils a long-time goal to publish a psychological thriller.
Born in Yorkshire, and raised in Kent, Beverley currently lives in West Sussex with her partner and their adorable terrier. When not writing, you’ll find her reading, walking the dog or listening to rock music.
or follow Beverley on Twitter @BevHarvey_
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2004: Dick suffers a stroke but is desperately trying to communicate something to his daughter about the photo of a young woman that he has carried in his wallet for years. 1939: Ruby and other London children are evacuated to Devon. A friendship between Ruby and Stevie develops intolove over the 1940s but will they survive the war and get a happy ending?
I was immediately drawn into The Girl Without A Name. The description of Dick’s stroke felt very realistic and his attempts to communicate to his daughter Billie were heartbreaking. The mystery of the girl in the photo is introduced to further grab the reader’s imagination.
Then we are introduced to the past: WW2 is breaking out and children are being torn from their homes to find safety int he country. But some of the billets are not as pleasant as others. Ruby misses her mother desperately but she is not beaten like her friend Stevie who eventually runs away back to London, preferring the threat of bombs to the threats of a beating.
The descriptions of life during war time were authentic and unpleasant, especially Stevie’s experiences searching bombed properties in London and then later in post war Palestine. He suffers from PTSD which explains his actions later in the book as he attempts to forget the terrible things he saw.
We know that Ruby is not Billie’s mum or Stevie’s wife so are aware that something will drive the pair apart. I felt like I was emotionally preparing myself for their separation while also enjoying their gentle courtship. However, there are some unpleasant scenes and descriptions, and I found Stevie’s growing selfishness very sad to read even though I understood his PTSD was behind it.
It is not until the very end of the book that we discover the reason behind the title. I found myself feeling sad but content at the ending. The author’s note at the end informs readers of the basis for the novel: a real life mystery.
The Girl Without A Name is wonderfully written and evokes the time period really effectively, bringing the characters and events into life vividly. I felt a huge emotional investment in Ruby and Stevie’s relationship and loved reading their story.
I have previously reviewed other WW2 historical novels by Suzanne Goldring: Burning Island and My Name Is Eva.
The Girl Without A Name book description:
September 1940. As the bombs of the Blitz fall on London, Ruby and Stevie are falling in love. United by a shocking experience when they were evacuees, Ruby believes that she understands Stevie like nobody else can. But then Stevie is sent abroad into danger and as Ruby waits, desperately, for letters with foreign stamps that never come, she begins to fear that he is lost forever.
August 2004. Billie has rushed to her father Dick’s hospital bedside. A terrible stroke has robbed him of his speech, and he is a shell of the man he was before. But when Billie finds a crumpled black and white photo in his wallet of a smiling, dark-haired girl she doesn’t recognise, Dick frantically tries to talk. Billie knows that he is trying to tell her something important, and she must ask the questions her father cannot. All she has to go on is the name he is just able to mumble. Ruby.
Billie tracks down Ruby’s aunt, her only surviving relative, and learns that Ruby’s life contained great love, but also great tragedy. Billie is determined to find out what happened to this brave woman, last seen leaving her home for a secret weekend away. Why did nobody miss her? And how is she connected to Billie’s beloved father? Can Billie lay the ghosts of the past to rest, even if it means revealing the darkest secrets of her father’s life and breaking her own heart?
A completely compelling and heartbreaking read, this is the story of the courage of a young woman in wartime and another woman’s quest to right the injustices of history. Fans of The Letter and The Nightingale will be hooked on The Girl Without a Name.
Author Bio:
Following an eventful career as a public relations consultant, specialising in business and travel, Suzanne Goldring turned to writing the kind of novels she likes to read, about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. Whether she is working in her thatched cottage in Hampshire or her seaside home in North Cornwall, Suzanne finds inspiration in the secrets hidden by everyday life.
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Zoe Bloom went away to camp but sneaked away one night. She never returned. Her body was discovered and now her friends, family and others in the local community assess how they really felt about the beautiful but manipulative teenager.
We all make connections with people and present a certain image of ourelves to others and on social media. The Girl Who Never Came Home cleverly uses this concept to explore the complex relationships within families, friendship groups and online.
Zoe is a typical teenager. We see her through the perspectives of other characters including her mother Lydia and sister Jessie as well as her best friend Shayna and teacher Ms Fischer. These characters struggle to reconcile their grief and love with the reality of their experiences with Zoe.
The main characters have been hiding personal secrets or information about Zoe’s final hours. This leads to suspicious behaviour and maintains our interest as we want to discover which elements of the plot have relevance to Zoe’s death. There are short chapters from an unknown perspective that feel more malevolent and raise the anticipation.
I enjoyed the use of social media and our online presence in the plot. As a parent, this is something I am concerned about for my own children. I also felt particularly drawn to Lydia and Jessie’s viewpoints as their feelings are so well expressed even though it is not written in the first person (unlike Shayna and Ms Fischer’s chapters)
The Girl Who Never Came Home is an intriguing mystery with plenty of drama and emotion.
The Girl Who Never Came Home book description:
They find her just as the sun is beginning to rise in the early morning mist. They had begun at dawn, the group of searchers keen to get going. A missing child spurred everyone on. In the end, it was a flash of colour, a bright neon pink that caught her eye. They had been looking for pink.
Nothing tests your faith like being a mother. The first time your children walk to school alone, their first sleepover, when they finally fly the nest. As a parent, you have to believe that everything will be OK.
It’s why, when Lydia’s sixteen-year-old daughter Zoe goes on a school camping trip, she has no idea of the horrors that will unfold. It’s why, when Lydia gets a call saying that her daughter has disappeared, she refuses to give up.
As she searches the mountains, her voice hoarse from calling Zoe’s name, she imagines finding her. She envisions being flooded with relief as she throws her arms around her child, saying, ‘you gave us such a scare’. She pictures her precious girl safely tucked in bed that evening.
It’s why, when they find Zoe’s body, Lydia can barely believe it. It is unthinkable. Her little girl has gone.
Something terrible happened, she is sure of it. Something made Zoe get out of her sleeping bag in the middle of the night, walk out of the warmth and safety of the cabin, into the darkness of the mountains. Driven by the memory of her youngest child, Lydia needs to find out the truth. What kind of mother would she be if she didn’t?
A heartbreaking, redemptive and beautifully crafted novel which brings to life a mother’s worst nightmare, questioning how well we ever really know the people we love the most. Fans of Jodi Picoult, Kerry Fisher and Liane Moriarty will be blown away by this stirring, unforgettable tale.
Author Bio:
Nicole Trope went to university to study Law but realised the error of her ways when she did very badly on her first law essay because, as her professor pointed out, ‘It’s not meant to be a story.’
She studied teaching instead and used her holidays to work on her writing career and complete a Masters’ degree. In between raising three children, working for her husband and renovating houses, she has published six novels. She lives in Sydney, Australia.
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