The Family at No. 12

by Anita Waller

Pub Date: 29 Nov 2022

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 23 Nov 2022

My Recommendation

 

Jannette lives alone and a recluse with several anxiety issues.  New day, a man comes to the house under the premises to board his dog at Jannette’s dog boarding house, when he brutally rapes her in the kitchen.  Janette hits the attacker over the head and kills him and puts him in the cellar.  Janette soon discovers she is pregnant and decides to keep this a secret.  When the baby is born, she feels no love and can’t even name the baby.  The baby is kept locked in their room almost as a prisoner.
Part 2 and 3 is told through from the now older baby’s side and how she is adjusting to her new life.  But there is a dark side to her.
Quite an unusual and graphic storyline, but so very intriguing.  There is more to the characters than first implied and gets quite dark in places.  I really enjoyed this and would like to read more by Anita Waller.

 

Into The Woods

by Lorraine Murphy

Pub Date: 21 Aug 2022

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 12 Nov 2022

My Recommendation

 

Karen is holding together a broken marriage, then one evening her deaf 8 year old daughter, Scarlett goes missing and her world collapses.  Karen fears Scarlett’s cochlear implant’s battery will soon run out and she will be plunged into silence as well as being lost.  They call the Garda and start looking closer at Scarlett’s drawing which shows her friend Hope, who Karen always thought was Scarlett’s twin who didn’t survive but now fear Scarlett has been kidnapped by this women who also features on cctv with Scarlett.
The clock is ticking and as time goes by, secrets begin to unravel and the reason for Scarlett’s disappearance becomes clear.  
A fast paced domestic thriller.  With self absorbed parents, Scarlett is a resilient, resourceful young lady.  An enjoyable read.

 

The Midwife

by Victoria Jenkins

Pub Date: 14 Nov 2022

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 12 Nov 2022

My Recommendation

 

Lauren is expecting her first baby and full of worries about it being still born.  She meets midwife, Jackie and fellow mum-to-be Amber at anti natal classes.  Both Lauren and Jackie hold their own secrets, with Jackie plotting her alternative motive for getting so close to Lauren.  
Told from both point of view, background details build up to reveal a past story which is pertinent to the current situation.
A gripping psychological thriller that draws you in wanting the know the truth behind Lauren and Jackie.   Highly recommended and looking forward to reading more from Victoria Jenkins.

 

The Other Girlfriend

by Alex Stone

Pub Date: 28 Jul 2022

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 12 Nov 2022

My Recommendation

 

Teen, Lizzie has a crush on her best friend, Tom.  But Tom has a girlfriend, Hannah and promises Lizzie he really wants her.  One weekend away with friends at Durdle Door, and drunken game of truth or dare leads to a fatal incident as Hannah plunges to her death.
10 years on, Lizzie, now Beth still can’t put the events of that weekend behind her and lives in her shell.  On evening, a knock at the door reveals Tom, who she has seen or heard from since that fateful night.  He presumptively, invites himself to stay and Beth can feel his power over her again. 
As the days goes on, Beth realises Tom is not the hero she always thought he was, coercing her into situations she doesn’t want to be in.  There is more to Tom and that night that she’s kept hidden all these years and now is time for the truth to shine.
A great psychological thriller, plenty of twists and likeable characters that will keep you wanting to read on.

 

The Guest House

by Robin Morgan-Bentley

Pub Date: 13 Sep 2022

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 9 Nov 2022

My Recommendation

 

What a book!  This psychological thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat, then pow, a corker of a twist.
With the birth of their first child immediately, Victoria and Jamie have last weekend away before the baby arrives.  The found a small countryside guesthouse which is quite remote.  Fiona and Barry give them a warm welcome, but in the morning Barry and Fiona are no where to be found, then Victoria goes into labour and they find the doors and windows are locked and Jamie’s car keys and their mobile phones are missing.  Panic sets in.  Jamie breaks a window and tries to seek help from a nearby property.  On route he sees Barry driving back to the guesthouse but doesn’t stop for him.  When Jamie finally arrives back, Victoria is screaming in labour, Fiona is in nursing scrubs and Barry has set up nursery furniture.  Something is very disturbing about this guesthouse and the owners.
When the baby arrives Fiona and Barry make an absurd proposal and everything escalates out of control and Victoria and Jamie resort to desperate measures to escape and keep their baby safe.
A story full of detail and explain the characters backgrounds well.  Plus the twist of the century.  My only grip was the very British setting, but constant use of American terminology not used in England - diapers, trunk, cash register etc. But no reason for this to deter from the plot.

 

6 Ripley Avenue

by Noelle Holten

Pub Date: 27 Sep 2022

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 9 Nov 2022

My Recommendation

 

6 Ripley House is an Approved Premises, housing several violent offenders released from prison on licence.  Told from multiple points of view, we discover a nasty piece of work, Danny Wells is brutally murdered.  Crime journalist Sloane, and nosy neighbour Helen try their best to get involved to find out who committed this crime.  
The book has such promise but a bit slow on delivery.

 

The Nurse's Secret

by Liz Lawler

Pub Date: 31 Oct 2022

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 9 Nov 2022

My Recommendation

 

Sarah is a nurse, when she gets no answer from her husband while on shift, she calls the police.  Soon the police arrive on ward to notify Sarah her husband has been discovered, dead, under suspicious circumstances.  The detective in question, is Nick, an ex-boyfriend, but neither of them admit this to anyone.  Sarah gone to stay with another nurse, Kathleen while the investigation takes place.  It seems Sarah is not the only one keeping secrets.  Slowly, very slowly we discover there is more to meet the eye with several of the characters.  
An enjoyable, but took a while to get going.  Overall, a good psychological thriller.