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The Perfect Family by Shalini Boland
This book had me gripped from the very first chapter. A child going missing is a nightmare every parent dreads. It happens to Gemma at the start of The Perfect Family but thankfully quickly has a happy outcome.
Then other things start happening which put Gemma and her family at odds with their friends and family. Under pressure to act quickly, the family hire a nanny to reduce stress but more is caused…
This book was just brilliant. Gemma is a working mum who often feels pulled in all directions and I completely identify with that! The whole book just seems like it could be real, tapping into our fears about our own families.
The narrative is split between Gemma and Sadie the nanny. We can read how much Gemma is being affected by the things that are happening. We know that Sadie has an ulterior motive and at the beginning I was sympathetic towards her because I believed she was escaping an abusive relationship.
It is so difficult to know what to write because I really don’t want to have too many spoilers! Knowing Sadie’s inner thoughts leaves a feeling of anticipation and dread and the reader is invited to imagine how Gemma will react.
I got quite annoyed with Gemma’s husband Robert and this is a sign of how involved I became with the characters. Throughout the book, he insinuates that Gemma should be the one to work less and have more responsibility for the housework and childcare. His mother asks Gemma if he is feeling emasculated through his involvement in the household routine. Why??? He is being a good dad and should be proud of his wife and not concerned that she earns more than him!
The final chapters were excellent. I had my own theories about what was going on and I was partly right but the way it was written and concluded was excellent. I can’t wait to read more of Shalini’s books!
The Perfect Family by Shalini Boland
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‘Mummy, she’s gone…’
Gemma Ballantine is getting ready for work one morning when her eldest child comes running down the stairs, saying the words every mother dreads.
The front door is open. And her six-year-old daughter has disappeared. Frantic with fear, Gemma starts a nail-biting search for her little girl.
After what feels like forever, her mother-in-law Diane finds Katie wandering lost a few streets away. Relieved to have her youngest child back in her arms, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair, Gemma thinks the nightmare is over.
But then her perfect family starts to fall apart.
And she realises it’s only just beginning…
From the top ten bestselling author of The Secret Mother and The Child Next Door, this completely addictive psychological thriller of secrets, lies and betrayal will make you gasp out loud at the heart-stopping final twist. If you loved Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train and The Sister this book is for you.
About the author:
Shalini Boland is a USA Today bestselling author of psychological thrillers ‘THE GIRL FROM THE SEA’ (No 1, US Audible charts), ‘THE BEST FRIEND’ (No 2, US Audible charts), ‘THE MILLIONAIRE’S WIFE’ (No 9, UK Kindle charts), ‘THE SECRET MOTHER’ (No 2, US Kindle charts), THE CHILD NEXT DOOR (No 11, UK Kindle charts).
Shalini lives in Dorset, England with her husband, two children and their cheeky terrier cross. Before kids, she was signed to Universal Music Publishing as a singer/songwriter, but now she spends her days writing psychological thrillers (in between school runs and hanging out endless baskets of laundry).
Be the first to hear about her new releases here: http://eepurl.com/b4vb45
She is also the author of two bestselling Young Adult series as well as an atmospheric WWII novel with a time-travel twist.
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http://www.shaliniboland.co.uk
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Missing Lies by Chris Collett
Back in September I reviewed Buried Lies which I really enjoyed and now I have read the next book in the series featuring Tom Mariner.
In this book, Tom is working with a new team as his old colleagues are on maternity leave or have been seconded to another case.
Women are going missing and then their carefully washed clothes are being sent to the police. What connects them and how can the police prevent further victims being taken?
There are several strands to this book and it is not clear until right at the end how they link together. Millie and her new baby meet a troubled mum with a charming but possibly criminal husband. The new woman on Tom’s team is struggling to deal with the death of her police partner.
The early chapters describe a little girl trying to cope alone after her mother fails to return from work. It is really heart wrenching to read.
There are lots of red herrings in the book and just when the police are celebrating the conclusion of the case, Tom realises they have made a mistake and the killer is still at large…
Tom is a great main character and is dealing with issues in his private life which endears him to the reader. The plot flows well and kept me guessing right until the end.
Missing Lies (DI Mariner #7) by Chris Collett
Do you love gripping mysteries with great characters?
Discover Detective Tom Mariner in this mystery with a huge twist at the end.
‘Collett is a wonderful writer, subtle, clever, strong on atmosphere and character.’ Yorkshire Post
THIS IS A REVISED EDITION OF A BOOK FIRST PUBLISHED AS “DEAD OF NIGHT.”
18-year-old Grace Clifton vanishes on her way home from work.Amazingly, not a single witness comes forward. But Detective Tom Mariner suspects that she ran away from her overbearing and rich father.
A package arrives addressed to DI Mariner. It contains Grace’s clothes, neatly folded and cleaned.
Then another woman disappears. And a disturbing pattern begins to emerge.
Detective Mariner must track down a suspected serial killer in his toughest, and strangest, case yet, with a conclusion that will have you gasping.
Perfect for fans of Peter James, Ian Rankin and Peter Robinson. This is the seventh book in the DI MARINER SERIES, more books coming soon!
What people are saying about MISSING LIES
“A strong pace and multidimensional characters keep this British procedural moving briskly” (Library Journal)
“Cleverly plotted, with an unexpected shock ending, plenty of suspense, and a likably genuine cast of characters, this is a strong new entry in an increasingly popular police-procedural series.” (Booklist)
“Procedural fans are in for a really good time.” (Publishers Weekly)
THE SETTING
Birmingham is a city of stark contrasts with a rich cultural and historical heritage. Playing a key role in the industrial revolution, it helped shape the nation’s manufacturing industry
But with its many green spaces, Birmingham also borders on the beautiful countryside of Worcestershire and Warwickshire, is just a few miles from Stratford on Avon and a short drive from the wild country of mid-Wales.
Birmingham’s population is large and ethnically diverse, and while urban regeneration has forged a modern and culturally vibrant city, the decaying remnants of the industrial past and 1960s concrete jungle give it a unique and gritty character; the dark underbelly policed by DI Tom Mariner and his team.
THE DETECTIVE
Detective Inspector Tom Mariner is, on the surface, an average dedicated policeman, but his experiences as a younger man have given him an insight into life on the dark side, and a clear sense of right and wrong. Mariner has little interest in material things. He lives in a modest canal-side cottage, enjoys the occasional (real) beer and game of dominoes and drives an old car. He is most at home in the outdoors, with an OS map and a compass, and in times of crisis, will take off and walk for miles in any weather.
THIS IS A REVISED EDITION OF A BOOK FIRST PUBLISHED AS “DEAD OF NIGHT.”
DI MARINER SERIES
Book 1: Deadly Lies
Book 2: Innocent Lies
Book 3: Killer Lies
Book 4: Baby Lies
Book 5: Married Lies
Book 6: Buried Lies
Book 7: Missing Lies
CHRIS COLLETT – AUTHOR BIO
I was born and grew up in a Norfolk seaside town, almost as far east as it’s possible to go in England without falling into the North Sea. There I worked variously in a boarding house (now defunct) a local bakery (closed down) and a crisp factory (razed to the ground). I graduated in Liverpool, then for twenty-five years taught children and young people with learning disabilities, including autism, before going into higher education as a senior lecturer.
Mindful of its reputation, I moved somewhat reluctantly to Birmingham, where I met my husband, in 1981. But just a few years later DI Tom Mariner was created to police its mean streets, and these days I relish the vibrancy and rich social history of the city. After eight outings for Mariner, I still feel as if I’ve barely scratched the surface.
Recently retired from lecturing and I’m currently luxuriating in the time I now have to continue the Mariner series, alongside published short stories and academic works. In my spare time, among other things, I’m a manuscript assessor for the Crime Writers Association.
LINKS
Website: http://www.chriscollettcrime.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.collett.5477
Twitter: @crime_crow
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Promise Me by Jade Beer
This book really affected me and I sobbed for about 30 minutes when I finished it. It wasn’t that the ending was particularly sad but the book was so real and human that I felt I had gone on an emotional journey with the characters.
It wasn’t until I read the acknowledgments at the end of the book that I realised this was a sequel! It works so well as a stand alone book.
The narrative follows the story of bridal boutique owner Helen and her daughter Betsey, professional bridesmaid Nat and wannabe bride Jenny.
Helen helps other brides to find their perfect dress but the one person she wants to help won’t let her. Meanwhile, she has her own relationship developing but feels guilty about finding love again after the death of her husband.
Betsey is in denial about her wedding and, instead of asking her mum, has got Nat to organise parts of the wedding but will the big day go ahead or will an office romance change her life forever…
Jenny’s mum died when she was 16 but wrote letters to her daughter for the big events she anticipated. Jenny opens the letters during the book and they are just heartbreaking. She gets caught up in a lie when her colleague sees her trying on a wedding dress at Helen’s shop. The lie gets bigger and bigger until it threatens to destroy her whole career.
This book is so good and takes you through a whole range of emotions along with the characters. I can only imagine the devastation that Jenny goes through every day, the fear and guilt of Helen learning to love again, the frustration and annoyance at Betsey’s disinterested fiance, the hope that Nat will find fulfilment.
Promise Me by Jade Beer
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If you could wish one thing for your daughter, what would it be?
Jenny lost her beloved mother as a teenager, and was left devastated. As a parting gift she left her daughter a bundle of letters, one for each significant day of Jenny’s future. First date, first broken heart, graduation day… and one for the day Jenny meets the love of her life.
Her mother’s letters are everything to her, but how can Jenny ever become the confident, successful woman her mother wanted her to be when her heart is broken by her loss? When an unexpected meeting has Jenny mistaken for somebody she’s not, Jenny learns that sometimes pretending is the easiest way to tell the truth and that loving someone can mean letting them go…
An absolutely unforgettable book club read that will break your heart. If you love Jojo Moyes, Cecelia Ahern and Nancy Thayer you will love this unputdownable page-turner.
About me by Jade Beer:
Hello!
I’m Jade. I’m a novelist, mother to two young daughters and the editor of Conde Nast Brides.
I love writing about women and all the challenges we face in our daily lives. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some incredibly talented women throughout my career as a journalist and editor – ones who juggle the most all-encompassing careers with family and friendships and everything else that life throws at them. They often make it look so easy. But we all know it’s not. And that need to present one version of yourself to the world, while keeping the grittier, less polished reality under wraps, is a thread that runs strongly through my debut novel, The Almost Wife.
In my day job as the editor of Conde Nast Brides, I share my working life with editors of some of the glossiest, luxury brands in the world – Vogue, Tatler, Glamour – and I have the enormous priviledge of travelling the world and sitting front row at beautiful fashion shows and working with the world’s leading florists, cake makers and stylists. But I also take a daily peek into the lives of young women who are engulfed in one of the most exciting times of their lives – planning their wedding days. This, above everything else, is the really fun bit. Being on the front line if you like. Hearing their thoughts, fears, worries and ambitions for the future. This really powerful cocktail of glamour and reality dances across every page of The Almost Wife and is currently being poured into my second novel which is due out in October this year.
I’m not sure I could have written The Almost Wife without making it personal too, feeding some of my own quiet fears into the mix. I’ve sat in important meetings, dropping huge clangers that years later still make me cringe. I’ve got more than my fair share of self-doubt and suffer like many other women from the dreaded imposter syndrome. I worry constantly about my family. How much time I have left with them. Am I doing any of it right? Will I be riddled with regret in later years? Will my daughters be critical of the choices I made? Am I failing the people I love the most?
Although work places me full time in London, my heart is in the countryside where I live with my husband and our two daughters. The Cotswolds is where my husband and I used to spend romantic weekends plotting our future together long before children came along and is now where I watch them both run free, hoping I will keep them close for many years to come.
Take a peek inside my life on Instagram @jadebeerbrides https://twitter.com/JadeBRIDES
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Christmas at the Little Cottage on the Hill by Emma Davies
Less than 2 months until Christmas and I was put firmly in the festive mood with this book from Emma Davies. It is the fourth book in the Little Cottage series but I haven’t read any of the previous novels although this did not affect my enjoyment of this book which works as a stand alone novel.
The plot revolves around a wedding: will the snow cause problems for the happy couple? There is a strong community feeling from this book and the village life is central to the development of the plot and characters.
Into this community comes Ruby, a woman struggling to deal with the breakdown of her relationship and desperate to escape her past for the sake of her children. She strikes up a friendship with Angus but her own insecurities threaten to destroy their blossoming relationship…
The community embraces Ruby and get her involved in the wedding preparations. This gives her a purpose and inspires her to believe in herself and follow her dream.
This is a feel good book but it really struck a chord with me as a single mother trying to trust and love again so there is a deeper emotional side to the book that I wasn’t expecting.
Book information:
Christmas at the Little Cottage on the Hill (The Little Cottage Series Book 4) by Emma Davies
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One twinkling winter’s night, Ruby wakes her sleeping children and escapes for a new life in the countryside. It’s a choice that will change her life beyond all recognition…
Arriving at the cosy little rental cottage as the first snow begins to fall, Ruby doesn’t regret leaving her bully of a husband for a moment, but she does feel guilty about uprooting her kids so close to Christmas. She can only wish that one day soon her son will forgive her.
It’s not long before the family are settled in and drinking hot chocolate by the fire, the flames kept roaring by a neighbouring woodsman called Angus. As big as a tree, but as gentle as a dormouse, all Ruby’s instincts tell her to be wary of letting this gorgeous stranger get too close. Is that the first tingle of festive magic Ruby can feel? Or might it even be hope?
As Christmas day approaches and a blizzard sparks a power cut across the entire village, Ruby must force herself to believe in Christmas miracles again. Was she right to put her trust in Angus? With only flickering candles to guide her through the darkness, will she ever find her way back to the light?
Wrap yourself up in this utterly gorgeous festive romance, perfect for anyone who loves Heidi Swan, Jenny Colgan, Lucy Diamond – and Christmas!
About the author:
After a varied career, Emma Davies once worked for a design studio where she was asked to provide a fun and humorous (and not necessarily true) anecdote for their website. She wrote the following: ‘I am a bestselling novelist currently masquerading as a thirty something mother of three.’ Well the job in the design studio didn’t work out but she’s now a forty something mother of three and is happy to report the rest of her dream came true.
After many years as a finance manager she now writes full time, and is far happier playing with words than numbers. She lives with her husband, three children, and two guinea pigs in rural Shropshire where she writes in all the gaps in between real life. It’s a county she adores, her love of its beautiful people and landscapes providing endless inspiration for her books, and in fact the only thing that would make Shropshire more idyllic is if it were by the sea.
Pop over to her website www.emmadaviesauthor.com where, amongst other things, you can read about her passion for Pringles and singing loudly in the car. You can also wave to her on twitter @EmDaviesAuthor or find her on Facebook (a little too often than is good for her)
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