The Other Girlfriend - Alex Stone

 

She loves him…

Lizzie Green once loved Tom Murphy with a passion that bordered on obsession. All she wanted was his love to be returned. Then one night something terrible happened and Tom left Lizzie broken hearted. She swore she would never let him hurt her again….

She loves him not.

Now, ten years later, Tom turns up on Lizzie’s doorstep still as charming as ever. Lizzie knows he still has the power to break her heart and destroy her life again. But Lizzie can’t say no to him….

Can she?

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My Review:

An intense yet slow burn, psychological thriller that kept my attention throughout. Although I will admit I wasn’t surprised by anything it was still a fantastic read, I was intrigued to see how everything would play out.

I enjoyed learning more about the characters, especially Lizzie. Written in such a way we fully support her, sympathise with her but feel frustrated that she cannot see the blatantly obvious. She seems set to be taken in by the same person that was happy to destroy her (not that she could see that).

We are given alternating chapters between the present day and the past, which I loved as it fully explained how Lizzie had got to where she had and why, but also how the other people in her life had played a part.

Story involved some serious themes around mental health, that were touched on a lot. I think its important such issues are included in stories and I found it to tie in well with the story and why these characters would struggle, not just added for effect.

Good writing, interesting characters (your gut instinct on one will be spot on!) and a gripping story. I highly recommend.

Author Bio:

Alex Stone, originally an accountant from the West Midlands, is now a psychological suspense writer based in Dorset. This beautiful and dramatic coastline is the inspiration and setting for her novels. She was awarded the Katie Fforde Bursary in 2019 and her debut thriller The Perfect Daughter was published by  Boldwood in October 2021.

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The Wild Girls - Phoebe Morgan

FOUR FRIENDS.

A LUXURY RETREAT.
IT’S GOING TO BE MURDER.

In a luxury lodge on Botswana’s sun-soaked plains, four friends reunite for a birthday celebration…

THE BIRTHDAY GIRL
Has it all, but chose love over her friends…

THE TEACHER
Feels the walls of her flat and classroom closing in…

THE MOTHER
Loves her baby, but desperately needs a break…

THE INTROVERT
Yearns for adventure after suffering for too long…

Arriving at the safari lodge, a feeling of unease settles over them. There’s no sign of the party that was promised. There’s no phone signal. They’re alone, in the wild.

THE HUNT IS ON.

My Review:

The Wild Girls is a mystery thriller, set in Botswana, that carries a clear a sinister tone throughout. A group of four friends, that have drifted apart over the years, come together for a birthday party. Invited to an all-expenses paid weekend for Felicity’s birthday, Grace, Hannah and Alice head to the interestingly names Deception Valley Lodge in Botswana. Arriving to luxury, their every need looks to be catered for but where is the birthday girl? From start to finish you cannot shake the sinister feeling that all is not going to go well in and that the characters are in a lot of danger. It is very well written, especially the characters; they were totally relatable and each had their own insecurities or anxieties. The story went from the present day to their past and I found that this told the story well, we saw why each character was “flawed” and how they had all come to drift apart. As the drama unfolds, I was on the edge of my seat. Dark, intense and thrilling, Phoebe Morgan writes so well. I would’ve liked a bit more of Botswana included, such an exotic and out of the ordinary place to go – I felt it could have been celebrated some more. For fans of creepy, thrillers this is a must read. Available to purchase HERE

The Prized Girl - Amy K. Green

From debut author Amy K. Green comes a devastating tale of psychological suspense: a teen pageant queen is found murdered in a small New England town, and her sister’s search for answers unearths more than she bargained for.

Days after a young teenager named Jenny is found murdered, her small town grieves the loss alongside her picture-perfect parents. At first glance, Jenny’s tragic death appears clear-cut for investigators. In the murder of a former pageant queen from a safe and loving family, the most obvious suspect is a fan who got too close for comfort. But Jenny’s sarcastic, older half-sister Virginia isn’t so sure of his guilt and takes matters into her own hands to find the killer.

But for Jenny’s case and and Virginia’s investigation, there’s more to the story. Virginia, still living in town and haunted by her own troubled teenage years, suspects that a similar darkness lay beneath the sparkling veneer of Jenny’s life. Alternating between Jenny’s final days and Virginia’s determined search for the truth, the sisters’ dual narratives follow a harrowing trail of suspects, with surprising turns that race toward a shocking finale.From debut author Amy K. Green comes a devastating tale of psychological suspense: a teen pageant queen is found murdered in a small New England town, and her sister’s search for answers unearths more than she bargained for.

Days after a young teenager named Jenny is found murdered, her small town grieves the loss alongside her picture-perfect parents. At first glance, Jenny’s tragic death appears clear-cut for investigators. In the murder of a former pageant queen from a safe and loving family, the most obvious suspect is a fan who got too close for comfort. But Jenny’s sarcastic, older half-sister Virginia isn’t so sure of his guilt and takes matters into her own hands to find the killer.

But for Jenny’s case and and Virginia’s investigation, there’s more to the story. Virginia, still living in town and haunted by her own troubled teenage years, suspects that a similar darkness lay beneath the sparkling veneer of Jenny’s life. Alternating between Jenny’s final days and Virginia’s determined search for the truth, the sisters’ dual narratives follow a harrowing trail of suspects, with surprising turns that race toward a shocking finale.
From debut author Amy K. Green comes a devastating tale of psychological suspense: a teen pageant queen is found murdered in a small New England town, and her sister’s search for answers unearths more than she bargained for.

Days after a young teenager named Jenny is found murdered, her small town grieves the loss alongside her picture-perfect parents. At first glance, Jenny’s tragic death appears clear-cut for investigators. In the murder of a former pageant queen from a safe and loving family, the most obvious suspect is a fan who got too close for comfort. But Jenny’s sarcastic, older half-sister Virginia isn’t so sure of his guilt and takes matters into her own hands to find the killer.

But for Jenny’s case and Virginia’s investigation, there’s more to the story. Virginia, still living in town and haunted by her own troubled teenage years, suspects that a similar darkness lay beneath the sparkling veneer of Jenny’s life. Alternating between Jenny’s final days and Virginia’s determined search for the truth, the sisters’ dual narratives follow a harrowing trail of suspects, with surprising turns that race toward a shocking finale.

My Review:


A fantastic debut from Amy K. Green, I thoroughly enjoyed this tense, thrilling drama. I will look forward to what comes next from Green.


With the whole town morning local beauty queen, 16-year-old Jenny, we read on as her sister, haunted by her own childhood issues, seeks the truth about what happened.


 The story is told from both Jenny’s point of view and that of her much older sister, Virginia. We see that Jenny isn’t the happy, sweet and innocent girl people think she is whilst Virginia isn’t the selfish, loner we may have initially thought. The different perspectives help the story unfold in a brilliant way, and as we got further into the book, I realised there would be more twists and turns more than I thought would. 


The characters are not the most ‘likeable’ but I didn’t mind that at all with this book, in fact in was interesting to see the flaws or issues with each one. I did sympathise for some of them and it was clear to see they were only the way they were because of the actions and treatment from others. 


It is a real, interwoven, dark story that kept me gripped. It was very well written and paced nicely, not much given away too soon but just enough to keep me interested throughout.

The ending – oh the ending! Not at all what I expected, and if I’m honest still not entirely sure what I think but it was different. Also left me wondering if we would be seeing some more from this set of characters.


A book I will happily recommend to others. 


Thank you to HQ for a copy of this book to read and review honestly.  

The Other Mrs - Mary Kubica

Propulsive and addictive, The Other Mrs. is the twisty new psychological thriller from Mary Kubica, the New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl

She tried to run, but she can’t escape the other Mrs.

Sadie and Will Foust have only just moved their family from bustling Chicago to small-town Maine when their neighbour Morgan Baines is found dead in her home. The murder rocks their tiny coastal island, but no one is more shaken than Sadie.
But it’s not just Morgan’s death that has Sadie on edge. And as the eyes of suspicion turn toward the new family in town, Sadie is drawn deeper into the mystery of what really happened that dark and deadly night. But Sadie must be careful, for the more she discovers about Mrs. Baines, the more she begins to realize just how much she has to lose if the truth ever comes to light.

My Review:

A dark, atmospheric mood which is emphasised by the writer’s description of their location. The reminder of how isolated they are just adding to the tension throughout.

I have not had the pleasure of reading anything from this author before, I didn’t know what to expect but I can’t wait to read more.

The Other Wife teases with the gradual release of information, teasers that at first read may seem of no relevance but at the end make total sense, nothing feels too rushed and this adds to the drama.

We are taken through the story from various points of view by Sadie, Camille, who had the affair with Will, and a young girl called Mouse. It is unclear at first who the Mouse character is and I was confused trying to figure things out. I wanted to know, and this is what had me reading on with such enthusiasm.

I think the action really takes place in the second half of the book, the more I read the more I wanted to find out. I was on the edge of my seat and loved the twists thrown in as it neared its conclusion.

I enjoyed the characters, they are well written and interesting, I wouldn’t say they are likeable although my alliances changed throughout.

Dealing with some deep issues; death, grief, suicide – The Other Mrs is quite the roller coaster and I recommend this read for thriller fans.  

Available to purchase - here!