Lynne LeGrow Follow

As the first of a new series, "River Bodies" is a perfect blend of crime fiction and romantic suspense novel. The pacing was 'spot on', and the descriptions well rendered.

The characters were all fully fleshed out making it easy for the reader to be empathetic to their situations. Even the villain of the piece was a person you couldn't help but sympathize with. I love that in a book - giving you the perspectives of all sides.

Becca's first love, detective Parker Reed, was everything one could hope for in a romantic interest, and as a policeman.

Becca Kingsley and her faithful German Shepherd dog Romy, along with detective Parker Reed, were protagonists that I would like to read more of. I am now eagerly looking forward to reading the next books in the Northampton series entitled "Cold Woods" and "Spring Girls". Two more titles for my exploding TBR.

This is a crime novel but also a character study. It is a story of familial relationships, betrayals, regret, loyalty, repressed memories, and moral dilemmas. Overall, an easy, enjoyable read that I can highly recommend!

Firstly, what a fantastic title! It fits the novel so well on two levels. Jenna's stalker is always "One Step Behind" her, Jenna is valiantly trying to maintain a work/life balance and she is always "One Step Behind".

Jenna's oath as a medical professional to 'do no harm' is put to the ultimate test with a moral dilemma that rocks her world.

This is a domestic thriller, and one that I'll remember for quite some time. The reason is the vivid imagery of the descriptions, and the plot twist that I really didn't see coming. Yes, I had my suspicions about part of the twist, and I was correct... yet, the second part of the twist was a jaw-dropping moment.

The characters were vivid, realistic, and relatable. The story was compelling and caused me to almost feel Jenna's fear, exhaustion, and insecurities.

I highly recommend this thriller to fans of the genre and am eager to read more of this author's work.

An intricately plotted story of how one moment of thoughtlessness can lead to tragedy that impacts upon countless people, “Little Black Lies” is filled with a pervading sense of loss. There are many surprises in store for the reader. With solid, empathetic characters and jaw-dropping plot revelations, it is a novel that will be appreciated by anyone who admires crime fiction with a psychological bent. It contains all of the elements of a great thriller: betrayal, secrecy, passion, despair, fear – and Sharon Bolton uses these elements in a seamless way that grabs you and won’t let go until the very, very end. Wow!

The dual timelines were inextricably linked in a fashion that was believable and interesting. I was consumed by the story of the Magdalene girls and although it was difficult to read of their plight, it was a part of history that shouldn’t be forgotten. I learned that the Magdalene Institution was not only in Ireland, but in Glasgow, Scotland as well.

The series protagonist, Oonagh O’Neil, was a character that I immediately bonded with. For some reason she put me in mind of Susie Steiner’s character, Manon Bradshaw. From me, that is high praise indeed.

This well written crime novel touches on some difficult themes of domestic abuse, self-harm, journalistic ethics, and the corruption within the Catholic Church.

Highly recommended to those who enjoy well written crime fiction with a hefty dose of history thrown in for good measure. This was an impressive series debut!

At the risk of sounding gushy, I think Belinda Bauer is brilliant. She writes of serious crimes yet includes enough humour to lighten the narrative. Her characters are fully-rounded and memorable (at times lovable). This wonderful thriller, which begins and ends on the hard shoulder of the M5 motorway was a delight to read. This title will without doubt be included in my list of favourite reads of 2018. Highly recommended!

What a joyful experience it was reading this well-rendered story. Both of the female protagonists were such interesting characters and I was wondering all the while just how the two tales would converge.

The remote locale and island setting made the book a very atmospheric read. That coupled with the well-developed plot and empathetic characters assured that it will be one of my favourite novels read this year.

If I had to find one fault with it is that the ending seemed to come on suddenly, yet, having said that, the ending did tie up all loose ends and left the reader with a satisfactory feeling.

Long held secrets, forbidden love, and a modern woman’s tale, this novel, with its dual timeline, will appeal greatly to fans of such authors as Kate Morton, Rosamund Pilcher, Harriet Evans, and the like.

Highly recommended!

As the characters’ stories converge, your heart will be broken – and then made whole.

The medical scenes in the novel are written realistically and with compassion as befitting an expert in the field.

The eloquence of the writing throughout the novel ensures that I will follow this author’s work avidly.

This novel is at once compelling historical fiction, a testament to love, a treatise on belief and doubt, a story of loneliness and loss, and a foray into reincarnation. Powerful, amazing, literary fiction. Highly recommended. All the STARS!

A fast-paced read with an atmospheric setting, this one will have you feverishly turning pages. Written from three different points of view, HIS, HERS, and the KILLERS, the reader is continuously suspecting both him and her of being the killer, then you read on and suspect someone else, then a little later… someone else, etc. etc…

While reading this novel, I at no time knew who the killer was. Though… I have to admit that at one point or other I suspected each and every main character in the book. AND.. the author managed to surprise me when the killer was finally revealed. To surprise a jaded old thriller reader like me deserves kudos. Well done Alice Feeney!

I highly recommend this crime thriller to fans who appreciate books which are full of labyrinthine twists, endless red herrings, and, at the end of the day, an ending which both surprises and makes perfect sense.

Although this is indeed a dark and gritty crime novel, I also found it to be heartbreaking in equal measure. Tyler and his little sister, Bean were such sympathetic characters that you couldn’t help but constantly wish that they could be removed from their disadvantaged environment and given the safety and security that they deserve.

Tyler adores his little sister and he not only provides for her, he tries to shield her from the ugliness and danger inherent in their environment.

The book is set in an Edinburgh that won’t be depicted on the tourist brochures. An Edinburgh riddled by crime and poverty which emphasizes the yawning divide between the social classes.

The character of Flick stood out in the book much like her car did in the seedier parts of Edinburgh. Altruistic, kind, and empathetic, Flick was a gem in Tyler’s life. In fact, besides his little sister Bean, she was the only good thing in Tyler’s desperate, grim, and bleak existence.

I loved Tyler. He was a truly good person born into one of the most dysfunctional families I’ve ever read about. Throughout, no matter what he did or was forced to do, I was rooting for him to endure and escape his horrible life.

This is a novel that I’ll remember for quite some time. One that will stand out in my memory years from now.

Written with skill, excellent characterization, and a firmly depicted sense of place, this crime novel is highly recommended by me.

The two women in this saga were both strong and resilient. They had many things in common despite their sixty+ year age difference.

The house, Chynalls, (Cornish for ‘the house on the cliff’), was almost a character unto itself. Imagine it, on a cliff overlooking a Cornish beach, complete with secret tunnels, and a colorful and precarious history. When reading this book, one can’t help but think of Daphne Du Maurier’s “Rebecca”. The setting coupled with the one of the protagonist’s names – how could you not?

The story set during the war years was vividly rendered and well researched. The present day story was also quite compelling, including themes of family secrets, blackmail, and elder abuse.

The ending wrapped up the book perfectly. Poignant and hopeful in equal measure.

To be honest, anytime a novel is set in Cornwall it grabs my attention. It seems so idyllic. This time round I thoroughly enjoyed my visit there via the pages of “The Sea Gate” and can highly recommend it to readers who enjoy the work of Rosamund Pilcher, Kate Morton, Harriet Evans, and the like.

Loved it! Every minute of it! A sure contender for my 2020 Top Reads list.

"The House of Whispers" aka "Bone China" was told via dual timelines forty years apart. Set on a Cornish cliffside, the book was atmospheric and foreboding. In the earlier timeline, Miss Louise Pinecroft was surrounded by an obsessed father, terminally ill convicts, and unsettling domestic staff. The remote setting added greatly to the feeling of pervading unease. In the later timeline, Louise Pinecroft is in her sixties, mostly mute and suffered from a stroke. Both timelines have elements of superstition and the supernatural, and are connected in a devastating way.

Recommended to those who cherish spine-chilling historical fiction, though if you are superstitious, I'd give this one a miss...

I found that, despite by very best efforts I could not care about the protagonist or her plight in this surreal environment with these odd and suspect people. In fact, while reading, I found I could hardly wait to leave "Catherine House" with its brilliant though seriously messed up residents. Reality - a bizarre concept here... the whole thing was like a waking nightmare.

Recommended to readers who enjoy a touch of science fiction laced with creepy and other-worldly situations and environments. I can honestly say that I will never read anything else by this author. Sadly, this book was not for me.