A 6 week old baby is kidnapped from his wealthy family: can FBI agent Max Carter return the boy safely? What is the motive for the abduction: the intricate family relationships or a dodgy financial deal?
I’ll be completely honest: Gone In Seconds book took me a while to get into. There are lots of links to the previous book in the series which I have not read and I felt this detracted from the plot of this novel. If you have read the previous book, then I’m sure the continuation of the plotline would be much more enjoyable.
About a third of the way in, I was hooked as the abduction plot takes on a personal edge. The characters seemed to develop especially Carter and the kidnapper (no spoilers from me!) The sympathy of the reader is inspired by these two characters which gives the plot a greater depth than appeared at the start of the book.
I liked Carter’s character: he is determined and dedicated. But he also has issues with his father who abducted him as a child which had led him into this FBI specialty.
The action is fast paced and delivered in short chapters to move the plot along quickly. The revelations are chilling and shocking, made even more so by the personal connections between the characters. The ending was extremely dramatic with the resolution of the kidnappping as well as tying up loose ends from book one. Meanwhile, the epilogue sets up Carter’s next dilemma…
Overll this was an enjoyable crime thriller but I would recommend reading the first in the series before reading Gone In Seconds.
Media Kit:
Title: Gone in Seconds
Publication Day – Ebook: June 12th 2020 / PB out now!
Author: Ed James
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Description:
A baby missing. A family in pieces. A shocking secret that can’t be told.
Landon and Jennifer Bartlett have everything—money, influence and a picture-perfect family. But it means nothing when their lives are torn apart the day someone breaks into their plush mansion and takes their newborn child right from his cot.
FBI Agent Max Carter investigates child abduction cases. He has a reputation for working all hours to find every missing child on his watch—after all, he was once one himself. When he visits the Bartletts’ sprawling home in an exclusive estate in the suburbs of Seattle, he’s immediately suspicious of Landon Bartlett and his brother.
As Carter delves deeper into the lives of the brothers, he finds a web of dubious business deals and lies that could cost the Bartlett’s their entire family fortune. And it’s clear they will do anything to keep their secrets—but would they withhold vital information that could lead him to baby Ky’s kidnapper?
As Carter begins a cat-and-mouse game with the kidnapper, he receives some startling news from home, which stops him in his tracks. And when a young woman is spotted boarding a bus out of town with a baby fitting Ky’s description, he must decide whether to risk everything to find the missing child or save his own family.
Fans of Kendra Elliot, Melinda Leigh and Robert Dugoni will love this heart-pumping, pulse-racing crime thriller from bestselling author Ed James.
Author Bio:
Ed James is the author of multiple series of crime novels.
The bestselling DI Simon Fenchurch series is set in East London and published by Thomas & Mercer.
The self-published Scott Cullen series of Scottish police procedurals features a young Edinburgh Detective Constable investigating crimes from the bottom rung of the career ladder he’s desperate to climb. The first book, “Ghost in the Machine”, has been downloaded over 400,000 times, hitting both the Amazon UK & US top five.
The Craig Hunter books is a sister series to the Cullen novels, with a PTSD-suffering ex-squaddie now working as a cop investigating sexual abuse cases. With lots of slapstick and banter.
Ed lives in East Lothian, Scotland and writes full-time, but used to work in IT project management, where he filled his weekly commute to London by literally writing on planes, trains and automobiles.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Beth’s partner leaves her after she discovers he has been having an affair. A therapist who can’t make her own relationship work, while Danielle and her husband need marriage counselling and have booked in with Beth . Both women are haunted by the past but who is manipulating who?
The deterioration of Beth’s personal and professional life is gradual over the course of the book as she becomes determined to undermine Danielle.
I Know Your Secret is a clever psychological thriller told from the perspective of the two women with each taking a chapter in turn. There are plenty of opportunities for us as readers to guess about the motives of the characters which help to engage with the book. The use of the two first person narratives is a really effective way of getting us sympathetic to both women despite their unpleasant behaviour.
The ending has plenty of surprises as the full extent of the connection between the two women is revealed right at the end with shocking twists for both Beth and Danielle. The past is key to understanding the events of the book and clues are divulged by each woman slowly to offer a teaser for the reader.
I liked the way that Ruth Heald has used common life experiences to create an inticate plot that involves love, loss, family and mental health. This is a very human book, if that makes sense: Beth and Danielle are both believable and realistic characters which makes it easier to feel a connection with them. The psychological thriller element of the book develops the tension between the characters and we are drawn in to the story, making assumptions about what will happen next before revealing the truth.
Book Description:
You’re not who you say you are. Neither is she.
She thinks she knows me.
She believes my marriage is falling apart at the seams, that my husband can barely look me in the eyes. She thinks I’m desperate for a baby, that my longing for a family keeps me up at night. As much as I hate to admit it, all of this is true.
She thinks I listen to her advice, that I care about her opinion. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Because she has no idea who I am. She has no clue that I know everything.
I know her secret. I know that she did the unforgivable. I know how many lives she ruined.
I know exactly what she did. And I’m here for her.
An utterly gripping, addictive and shocking read about the dark secrets we’re ashamed to admit, and the lengths people go to for revenge. Fans of K.L. Slater, My Lovely Wife and The Wife Between Us will be racing through the pages, gasping at the twists, and reeling from the explosive ending of this unmissable page-turner.
Author Bio:
Ruth Heald is a psychological thriller writer from a suburban Buckinghamshire town. She studied Economics at Oxford and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting.
Seeking a more creative environment, she found a role at the BBC and worked there for nine years before leaving to write full time. Ruth is fascinated by psychology and finding out what drives people to violence, destruction and revenge. She’s married with one daughter and her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary, domestic lives.
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Obituary writer Eve Mallow is setting up for the village fair when a murder happens right in front of her. Verity Nye was a high profile diver, engaged to Rupert Seagrave who is preparing to take over the family estate.
Who could have wanted Verity dead? Someone from her fiance’s family trying to protect the property, someone from her charity dive team or a secret from her past…?
Mystery at Seagrave Hall is the third book in the Eve Mallow series: I have previously reviewed Mystery on Hidden Lane and Mystery at Apple Tree Cottage. There are no spoilers about the previous books so this would work well as a standalone novel.
Eve continues to be a down to earth and likeable character. Firmly established in her new home and village, she is enjoying life away from her feckless ex, working in a tea room in between writing magazine articles. Once again her inquisitive skills are put to the test as she determines to write Verity’s obituary and solve her murder too.
Like a classic Sunday night murder drama series, there are plenty of suspects, motives, clues and misdirections to keep the plot entertaining. The setting of a traditional English village and country house feels comfortable and familiar, probably from my ill-spent youth reading Agatha Chrisite novels!
The mystery itself is sustained until the very end and I had no idea of the culprit or motive. Clare Chase’s style of writing is relaxed and pleasant despite the murderous plot!
Media Kit:
Title: Mystery at Seagrave Hall
Author: Clare Chase
Publication Day: June 11th 2020
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Description:
It’s Eve Mallow’s first visit to the local village fair. But amidst the booths, stalls, tables and tents lurks something darker… A mysterious fall means a new case for amateur detective Eve!
The charity fair at Seagrave Hall is a key date in the Saxford St Peter calendar – a chance for the villagers to nose around the house and grounds and cross paths with the rich and famous.
New resident Eve Mallow is particularly excited by this year’s special guest: the explorer Verity Nye, who is engaged to the heir to the Hall. Eve loves Verity’s determination, and she can’t wait to meet her.
But when they talk, Verity hints that she has something troubling on her mind. So after the festive mood is tragically interrupted by Verity’s fall from a third-floor window, Eve can’t be sure that it’s an appalling accident. Especially when one small boy claims he saw someone behind her…
Soon Eve finds herself tasked with writing Verity’s obituary. As she dusts off her notebook and begins her interviews alongside her trusted dachshund sidekick Gus she realises she has a fine array of suspects before her. Could it be a corrupt charity manager, the distraught fiancé, or jealous cousin Cora? And can Eve find out before her questions cause the killer to turn on her?
A charming and gripping page-turner, perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Agatha Christie and Betty Rowlands.
Author Bio:
Clare Chase writes women sleuth mysteries. After graduating from London University with a degree in English Literature, Clare moved to Cambridge and has lived there ever since. She’s fascinated by the city’s contrasts and contradictions, which feed into her writing. She’s worked in diverse settings – from the 800-year-old University to one of the local prisons – and lived everywhere from the house of a Lord to a slug-infested flat. The terrace she now occupies, with her husband and teenage children, presents a good happy medium.
As well as writing, Clare loves family time, art and architecture, cooking, and of course, reading other people’s books.
You can find Clare’s website and blog at www.clarechase.com
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Sydney and Nate had the perfect relationship and had planned out their future together. Until one day, Nate left Firefly Beach without a backwards glance. Sydney rebuilt her shattered heart but later returned to live in the old family home at Firefly Beach. Nate returns for his friend’s wedding and is eager to make amends. But has he left it too late and what is his connection to the redevelopment of the land that could result in Sydney’s family losing their home…
It is clear to us as readers that Sydney and Nate are perfect to each other and there must be some reasonable explanation for his behaviour in the past and present. However, I don’t blame Sydney for keeping him away, wanting to protect herself and her son from further heartbreak.
The House on Firefly Beach is the second in the series by Jenny Hale set at this location with the same background characters. This book works well on its own as it is a continuation of the story but with new lead characters to drive the plot forwards. If you have read the first book then you will get an update on that lead couple’s relationship.
Sydney and Nate are both likeable but their past keeps getting in the way of any future together. The trust between them has shattered and both of them are vulnerable to heartache. There is an important theme of appearances being deceptive and the danger of making assumptions about peple and their motives.
This is a feelgood book with a happy ending that ties up things nicely for all characters which leaves the reader with a warm and satisfied feeling.
Media Kit:
Title: The House on Firefly Beach
Publication Day – June 5th 2020
Author: Jenny Hale
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Description:
Nothing beats falling in love under the sun, with the sand beneath your feet. This gorgeous, feel-good, and heartwarming summer escape from the bestselling author of The Summer House is perfect for fans of Mary Alice Monroe, Susan Mallery and Nancy Thayer.
For Sydney Flynn, her treasured family home, Starlight Cottage, is her sanctuary. The house on the beach, surrounded by glittering turquoise waters, is the perfect place for her fresh start, piecing her life back together after it fell apart. That’s until her knees almost buckle at the sight of Nate Henderson.
As teenagers, Sydney and Nate spent their summers whispering sweet nothings and promising “forever” to each other. Sydney never imagined that her childhood sweetheart was going to break her heart, driving away from her and Firefly Beach, never looking back.
Now, when Sydney spots him at her sister’s wedding, their eyes meeting across the rows of guests, she barely recognizes him. The down-to-earth son of a fisherman, forever in beach t-shirts and flip flops, is replaced with a successful songwriter in a designer suit, a superstar in the country music scene. Yet despite everything, his dazzling blue eyes and easy smile stir up all the feelings she thought she’d left behind.
Nate is back to make it up to Sydney, but can she forgive him for all the heartbreak he caused? And it’s not only about her – Sydney is a single mother to Robby, her whole world, and she won’t let just anyone into their lives. Can she trust that Nate has really changed?
As if worrying about Nate wasn’t enough, a new development threatens Starlight Cottage, the safe haven that saved her when she had nothing else. Can Nate and Sydney overcome their past to save Firefly Beach and the house that holds so many memories for them? Or will the town they adore, and the love they have for one another, be lost forever?
Author Bio:
When I graduated college, one of my friends said, “Look out for this one; she’s going to be an author one day.” Despite being an avid reader and a natural storyteller, it wasn’t until that very moment that the idea of writing novels occurred to me.
Sometimes our friends can see the things that we can’t.
While I didn’t start straight away, that comment sowed a seed and several years, two children, and hundreds of thousands of words later, I completed a novel that I felt was worthy of publication. The result was Coming Home for Christmas, a heart-warming story about the magic of love at Christmas, and 2017 TV movie on The Hallmark Channel.
The rest is history.
When I’m not writing, I’m a mother of two boys and a wife to a very supportive husband.
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Reporter Jessie Tucker is The Golden Girl in the media following her involvement in a crime. Maura Walsh is The Golden Girl of the police department, daughter of a senior officer, but hiding a dark secret. One night Maura is murdered and Jessie is determined to uncover the truth.
This the second book to feature Jessie (see my review of The Silent Victim). She throws herself into Maura’s murder story with as much passion as she did the previous case that was so personal for her. The aftermath of her own attack continues to affect her physical health and the media coverage and publicity have given her a career boost.
There are plenty of plot twists as Jessie investigates: dirty cops, the mob, undercover cops, family secrets. The clues are hunted down and suspects interviewed by the intrepid reporter and she must sieve through the secrets, lies and misdirections to find the truth.
Jessie works so well as a lead character and her first person narrrative lets us see her perspective and motivations clearly. Her determination and single-mindedness make her unpopular with other characters but endear her to the reader. I had forgotten that author Dana Perry is a man as he writes a female lead with the intricacies of a woman’s mind very convincingly.
This book would work as a standalone if you haven’t read the first in the series as there is enough detail to catch the reader up but not enough to spoil it if you want to go back and read it.
Overall, The Golden Girl was a dramatic and enjoyable thriller novel with a convincing central character.
The Golden Girl book description:
Maura was perfect. A perfect liar.
One humid summer evening, Officer Maura Walsh is led to her table at a local restaurant – it’s a trendy place with cocktails on the menu, full of office workers leaning across the bar to flirt. She’s prettier than most of the women here, but everybody gives her a wide berth. She doesn’t eat or drink anything. She doesn’t meet anyone’s eye.
An hour later, Maura is dead. Her silky red hair swirls in the dirty puddles beneath her body. The dank walls of a forgotten alley are the last thing she ever saw. It took a long time for Maura to die, alone in the dark.
Somebody made sure she would have plenty of time to think about what she’d done.
This totally twisty and absolutely gripping read will keep you turning the pages late into the night. Perfect for fans of Willow Rose, Gregg Olsen and Lisa Jackson.
Author bio:
Dana Perry is a New York City author who writes mystery thrillers featuring newspaper reporter Jessie Tucker.
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