Four year old Mia Donovan is safe with her family, so why are there reports on social media that she is missing? Her mother Jessie is worried that her own past may put Mia in danger…
The Girl on the News is a mix of murder mystery, family drama and psychological thriller set in the UK.
Jessie is trying to put the past behind her. She is fiercely protective of her identity and is not on social media for her own protection as well as that of her family. Jessie is the new identity of Rosie McShane, a convicted child killer who murdered her best friend. But someone knows the truth and is ready to expose it to the public, putting Jessie and her family at risk.
It took me a little while to get into this book due to the frequent change in perspective, however I soon settled into the plot and was hooked. There is fantastic emotion in this book as Sadie and Heather deal with their mother’s age and illness as well as the historic murder. Meanwhile Jessie’s mum is very peculiar despite being sober for 6 months. Her attitutude and behaviour toward her daughter have always been awful. The interviews and diary entries are heartbreaking and Rosie seems so young and innocent that it is impossible to feel anything but sorrow at her unfortunate life before and after her best friend’s murder.
The tension is good and there are red herrings to make us suspect a variety of characters. It is clear that Rosie was innocent so who is the real killer? I was absolutely gripped by the plot and the character development. However, I had to suspend my disbelief as there was zero detail on why Rosie was convicted. There appeared to be no evidence whatsoever so I couldn’t understand why she was suspected let alone convicted. I found the ending a little disappointing as there wasn’t much explanation about how and why.
The Girl on the News is a tense and emotional book, full of drama and heartache.
MEDIA PACK
Book: The Girl on the News
Author: Elisabeth Carpenter
Pub Day: January 29th 2024
Buy Link(s):
About the Book:
My heart pounds as I take in the headline: ‘Missing girl believed kidnapped’. Underneath is a photo of my beautiful daughter Mia, her gap-toothed grin unmistakable. But Mia is safe beside me, snuggled up on the sofa. Why would someone pretend my child has been taken?
I thought my husband Mark and I had built a perfect new life with our precious daughter Mia. She is everything to us. I thought we were finally safe from my past. But I know Mia’s picture on the news means someone has uncovered who I really am…
They must know about the terrible accusations I faced. Those other missing little girls. I was only a child myself but no-one believed I was innocent. Not even my own family. It still haunts me, every day.
Then my worst nightmares come true. Mia is taken, snatched from the playground, and my world collapses.
My sweet daughter is in danger. Because whoever took those children years ago must still be out there. Why are they trying to destroy my life again? And if they knew where to find me, how to take my daughter – does that mean they are someone close to home?
I can’t trust anyone. But it’s not like last time. I’m not a child any longer. And I will do anything to get Mia back, before it’s too late…
An utterly shocking and page-turning psychological thriller perfect for fans of Shari Lapena, The Housemaid and All Her Fault.
Author Bio
Elisabeth Carpenter lives in Preston with her family. She completed a BA in English Literature and Language with the Open University in 2008.
Elisabeth was awarded a Northern Writers’ New Fiction award, and was long-listed for Yeovil Literary Prize (2015 and 2016) and the MsLexia Women’s Novel award (2015). She loves living in the north of England and sets most of her stories in the area, including the novel she is writing at the moment.
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DI Jack MacIntosh has a grisly case. Bodies are being discovered with their lips sewn together, but during the post mortem investigation the pathologist finds a severed rat’s head was placed inside the mouth before death. Meanwhile a journalist’s wife has been kidnapped and a ransom is demanded…
Three Broken Bodies is the fifth book in the revised and redeveloped DI MacIntosh series. There are follow on aspects to Jack’s personal life and the murder case that relates to his mother so there are spoilers.
Jack’s latest case is very unpleasant. I liked how the natural revulsion of the police characters is depicted, showing that exposure to such atrocities can still affect them emotionally. There is a gang element to the plot and the violence is as graphic as you might expect.
The book is written in the third person throughout to show the different layers to the plot. This allows us to see a variety of perspectives and feel the fear of the characters in danger. We witness the police investigation, gang members, potential victims, prison residents and a panicked husband of a kidnapped woman. There are lots of threads of plot which are woven together cleverly by the author.
Jack is a complex character and doesn’t always follow the rules. He works to his own code and keeps secrets from his friends and colleagues. His past plays a significant role in a number of the plot elements, for example his antagonistic relationship with the missing woman’s journalist husband and the murder of his mother.
Three Broken Bodies is a tense and enjoyable detective thriller with a fab lead character.
THREE BROKEN BODIES (Detective Jack Macintosh #5) by Michelle Kidd
MEET DETECTIVE JACK MACINTOSH IN THIS BRILLIANT CRIME SERIES.
An absolutely gripping crime thriller with a massive twist.
Detective Jack is called out to a body on the South Bank. The victim’s hands and feet are bound, her skin badly bruised, her lips crudely sewn shut.
Inside the dead woman’s mouth is the severed head of a rat.
This is the second body in two days.
The following night, a third body is discovered in a derelict brewery. The same bruising, the mouth sewn shut, a rat’s head. This time it’s a young man — and he’s been dead at least a week.
With no witnesses and no clues to who the victims are, Jack’s investigation is going nowhere.
Then he gets a call from journalist Jonathan Spearing. There’s no love lost between the two men — but now Jonathan needs Jack’s help. Katie Spearing is missing. She’s been gone for two days. And Jonathan just received a text: We have your wife.
Jack uncovers a connection between Katie Spearing and the three broken bodies. Now he’s in a desperate race against time.
Perfect for fans of Helen H. Durrant, Biba Pearce, Lynda La Plante, Angela Marsons and Rachel McLean.
READERS LOVE THE JACK MACINTOSH SERIES:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Truly gripping and suspenseful . . . keeps you guessing throughout.’ Bob
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Gripping and twisty. Couldn’t put it down.’ Sue W.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Full of unsuspected twists and turns . . . Incredibly fast-paced and puzzling.’ Nicola H.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Brilliant . . . This series gets better and better.’ Colin B.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A real page-turner.’ Lynda C.
THE DETECTIVE
Detective Inspector Jack MacIntosh is a dedicated police officer, the one person you would want to fight your corner. But he has been known to cross the line to get the job done. As a four-year-old boy he discovered his mother’s body swinging from a light fitting. Jack and his younger brother were taken into care — Jack did OK, his brother not so much. A bit of a loner, Jack has never married — although plenty of women would like to give it a shot. He lives in a charming mews cottage in central London. No one is quite sure how he can afford it on a detective’s salary.
MICHELLE KIDD
Michelle Kidd is a crime fiction author best known for the DI Jack MacIntosh and DI Nicki Hardcastle series. She qualified as a legal executive in the early 1990s, spending ten years practising civil and criminal litigation.
But the dream to write was never far from her mind and in 2008 she began writing the first book in what would later become the DI Jack MacIntosh series. Michelle now works full time for the NHS and lives in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. She enjoys reading, wine and cats — not necessarily in that order.
BOOKS BY MICHELLE KIDD:
DI JACK MACINTOSH SERIES:
Clem was born to dance and she desperately needs to get a scholarship at a prestigious ballet company to escape her bitter and cruel mother. But what sacrifices will she need to make in order to realise her dream?
The Dancer’s Promise is an historical family drama and love story set in 1936. There are few references to historical details and the characters and plot felt more modern.
Clem and Grace are sisters in London. Their mother has barely left her bed since her husband’s death but the arrival of a new neighbour spurs her on to matchmake for her beloved Grace to save the family from poverty. Clem knows that her sister isn’t suited to August and wants to claim him for herself to protect her sister from an unhappy marriage.
The book is written from Clem’s first person perspective. I really felt her frustration and hope as she dreams of freeing herself and her sister from their miserable home. Their mother is awful, emotionally abusive to her younger daughter which is quite unpleasant to witness.
I didn’t agree with all of Clem’s choices but I understood her desperation to escape her circumstances. The plot is engaging but it is perfectly clear from the beginning which couples should end up together. I liked the easy to read style of writing and Clem’s voice brings her story to life.
The Dancer’s Promise is an entertaining book about following your dream, finding love and acceptance.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
When their father loses their family fortune, and their mother locks herself away, sisters Grace and Clementine are left to raise themselves in a grand London house that is slowly falling apart around them.
Each of them is determined to one day restore their fortunes and their family name and make a promise to do just that.
Clementine dreams of being a star on stage, a celebrated ballerina who will tour the world, earning fame and fortune. She is adamant she won’t put her fate into a man’s hands but take charge of it herself.
Grace, in contrast, sees security in a good marriage. Their eligible new American neighbour, with wealth, charm and looks, seems like the perfect match.
But when Clementine falls unexpectedly in love, it throws both sisters’ lives into turmoil and forces each of them to ask if they are prepared to break their promise for a chance at true love…
About the Author
Olivia Horrox studied English Literature and Creative Writing at Bath Spa University, and wrote her dissertation on post-WW1 societal changes in The Great Gatsby which has inspired her own writing. She lives in London with her husband and a very cantankerous cat called Coco. Beautiful Little Fools was Olivia’s debut historical fiction novel, publishing September 2022.
1605, Bess discovers a shocking plot to kill the king but can she stop it? Present day, Isabella retreats to Crestwall Hall when her marriage ends. She finds a commonality with a woman from 4 centuries ago…
The Secrets of Crestwell Hall is a dual timeline historical novel set in England. The Gunpowder Plot provides the background to both narratives.
I love the Tudor era and this book is set just after Elizabeth I’s death as her successor James I reigns. His mother was Mary Queen of Scots so the Catholics thought he would be more sympathetic to their cause. However, their frustration about the king’s personal and political decisions led to the Gunpowder Plot.
Bess is struggling to cope with a new baby and a husband in the Tower for treason. She needs to protect herself and her family as best she can so is horrified to discover Catholic plotting close to home. Meanwhile in the present day Issy and her daughter are facing major upheaval and move in woth her aunt Thalia to restore Crestwell Hall to its former glory. Her ex husband isn’t making life easy so a treasure hunt gives her purpose and hope.
The pace is rather slow to begin with, especially in the 1605 plotline. I found it confusing and slow as all the family relationships are explained (it felt more suited to a non fiction book but quite unnecessary for fiction). The research is thorough and detailed. I liked the way that women in the seventeenth century as portrayed as having a subtle power despite the patriarchal control of men.
Due to my love of history, I was expecting to like the 1605 plotline more but I found the modern day plot more emotional and the characters seemed more human. I felt angry with Issy’s ex Keith: he seemed more of a villain that the plotters because his motivations were self serving rather than acting from conscience.
The Secrets of Crestwell Hall is a detailed historical novel alongside a more emotional present day plotline.
The Secrets of Crestwell Hall
‘A king adorns the throne… He has no subtlety, no grace but he does not deserve to die in the way that has been planned and this is why we shall stop them, our men, our kin and save us all.’
1605
Bess Throckmorton is well used to cunning plots and intrigues. With her husband Sir Walter Raleigh imprisoned in the Tower of London, and she and her family in a constant battle to outwit Robert Cecil, the most powerful man in the country who is determined to ruin her, Bess decides to retreat to her beloved home, Crestwell Hall. But there she is shocked to hear talk of a new plot to murder the king. So, unbeknownst to their menfolk, the wives of the plotters begin to work together to try to stop the impending disaster.
Present Day
Isabella Lacey and her daughter, Emily, are excited to be starting a new life at her aunt’s home, Crestwell Hall in Wiltshire. During renovations, Isabella discovers an ancient bible that once belonged to Bess Throckmorton, and to her astonishment finds that it doubled as a diary. As Isabella reads Bess’s story, a new version of the Gunpowder Plot begins to emerge – told by the women.
When Emily’s life is suddenly in terrible danger, Isabella understands the relentless fear felt by Bess, hundreds of years ago. And as the fateful date of 5th November draws ever closer, Bess and the plotters’ wives beg their husbands to stop before a chain of events is set into action that can only end one way…
Author Bio –
Alexandra Walsh is the bestselling author of dual timeline historical mysteries, previously published by Sapere. Her books range from the fifteenth century to the Victorian era and are inspired by the hidden voices of women that have been lost over the centuries. Formerly a journalist, writing for national newspapers, magazines and TV, her first book for Boldwood will be published in Spring 2023.
Social Media Links –
TRIGGER WARNING: fertility issues, references to trauma
Detective Josie Quinn has gone to a retreat to try to retune her body and brain. But she struggles to prevent her detective side coming to the fore, and has no choice but to lead an investigation when one of the other attendees is found dead in the snow…
Face Her Fear is the 19th book in the Josie Quinn detective series set in America. The usual location is not used and Josie does not have her team around her as she becomes snowed in at a mountain retreat.
I have somehow managed to miss the last book in the series so was surprised to find that Josie and her husband Noah have argued about a sensitive topic. There are no spoilers about past cases but the continuance of personal plotlines makes me feel that the series is best read in order.
Josie has been through an awful lot of trauma and is finally seeking help. But she has secretly got her phone and finds it difficult to switch off. There are mentions of other traumatic events that have led to the characters seeking emotional support. The unexpected death of a fellow guest is clearly a murder so Josie does what is necessary to preserve the evidence and seek the truth.
I liked the additional tension of the restricted location and suspect range. Plenty of the characters are acting suspiciously and Josie has to keep her wits about her as she investigates. The dynamic was different in this book and there was also the contrast with Noah’s attempts to reach the retreat and atone for their disagreement.
Face Her Fear was a strongly plotted detective thriller.
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Media Pack Info Sheet:
Title: FACE HER FEAR
Author: Lisa Regan
Publication Day: JANUARY 30th 2024
Buy Links :
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Description:
Blood roars in Josie’s ears as they circle the tree in the deep snow. A woman lies still on the freezing ground. The howling wind lifts the last of the snow clinging to her face, exposing her lovely features, frozen in forever sleep.
Detective Josie Quinn is still recovering from the killing of a beloved member of her team when she and her husband Noah receive yet more devastating news. Close to her breaking point, Josie heads to a specialist trauma retreat,set in an isolated group of log cabins in the mountains of Pennsylvania. But fear is not far behind her. Josie’s five fellow patients all seem to be hiding secrets darker than just the problems that brought them there and a storm is gathering, with thick snow coming down fast, isolating the cabins from the world below.
Then one morning, Meg Cleary disappears. Having spent years living in terror of a stalker, Meg had come to the retreat to try to piece her life back together. But now, her cabin is empty, no logs are burning in her fireplace, no tracks in the snow lead to or from her door. Quickly organizing a search, Josie’s worst fear is realized when she finds Meg’s body lying in the snow, the marks around her neck revealing that her death was no accident.
And this is no normal case, as Josie is stranded without her team, a phone signal or any legal authority to investigate. When she discovers that someone has placed hidden cameras inside the retreat buildings, Josie’s terror grows with the knowledge that the murderer is among them.
Then another patient goes missing. With their food supplies running low and no chance of escape, Josie knows that she is in the greatest danger of her life, and that she alone has a chance to identify the killer and save the rest of the group before it’s too late…
A totally compelling and unputdownable crime thriller that will have you turning the pages late into the night, from an Amazon, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine.
Author Bio:
Lisa Regan is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Detective Josie Quinn series. Lisa is a member of Sisters In Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of America. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University. She lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the U.S. with her husband, daughter, and Boston Terrier named Mr. Phillip.
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