Book Review: The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

There are so many summaries of this newly released book, some of them are hella misleading.

In a large house in London's fashionable Chelsea, a baby is awake in her cot. Well-fed and cared for, she is happily waiting for someone to pick her up.

In the kitchen lie three decomposing corpses. Close to them is a hastily scrawled note.

They've been dead for several days.

Who has been looking after the baby?

And where did they go?

Two entangled families.
A house with the darkest of secrets.

This book follows Lisa Jewell's usual staple of the kids being the centre of what of the mystery but this time we have the kids as adults as well.

I'm not saying that all Lisa Jewell books are all the same, she definitely has a bag of tropes and themes that she goes back to. Incompetent adults are a common one and I guess this is similar to Then She Was Gone in some ways. Well, it shares the same trigger warnings.

Okay, one of the characters is gay. I can't actually remember Jewell having a Queer character before this book but I haven't read all of her works. It just raises the question can we have gay grey-characters when they are no other Queer characters in this book. Him being gay isn't a big deal and there are a lot of grey characters in this book. Except he is a POV character and he's the one we get the past events from through the book. He's probably messed up from the way he was raised, but a lot of his later actions don't have an excuse.

The mystery was okay. Things become obvious quickly and you know what's gonna happen as each piece is laid. It's not a bad thing. The cops do a very bad job of investigating, they missed some big evidence. I get the point was they didn't care but odd. They probably should have been more odd theories out on the internet about this case. At least a YouTube video.  Like things that were public knowledge were never connected.

Overall, I give this book 3.5 stars for Unsold Bags. I have read a lot of Lisa Jewell's books now and have reviewed them (to different acceptable levels). I enjoy her books but I guess they will just never be favourite of mine. The family nor the house was that interesting. There were a lot of interesting tangents but are not what the book is about.

Read: 18/5/2020 to 24/5/2020
Reviewed: 29/5/2020 - /05/2020
Medium: Audiobook
Narrator/s: Tamaryn Payne, Bea Holland, Dominic Thorburn
Published Date: 8th August 2019
Publisher: Random House Audiobooks
Source: Library
CW: Child Abuse; Grooming; pregnancy from abuse; sexual manipulation; Domestic Abuse; forced abortion; Miscarriage; stillbirth; animal abuse; murdered cat; cult; poisoning; violence; forced imprisonment;

Book Review: Watching You by Lisa Jewell

I started writing this at Christmas.

YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WATCHING

You’re back home after four years working abroad, a new husband in tow. 

You’re keen to find a place of your own. But for now you’re crashing in your big brother's spare bedroom. 

That's when you meet the man next door.

He’s the head teacher of the local high school. Twice your age. Extraordinarily attractive. You find yourself watching him. 
All the time. 

But you never dreamed that your innocent crush might become a deadly obsession. 

Or that someone is watching you.

This is the third novel by Lisa Jewell I have read and reviewed, Since She Been Gone is still pretty much my favourite but now I can see patterns in her works. Like Teenagers and Adults being on the same level, with kids tending to know more than adult characters. That's probably true of life as well.

There are a lot of unlikeable characters at play and people doing morally wrong things.

The setting of this book involves a group of rich people, living in fancy houses and lot of strained relationships.

There is Autism Rep in this book and makes me go okay. It's not terrible, maybe bad aspects to start
with, I wasn't sure where she was going with this character at the start. We do have a character that's probably socially stunted, perhaps more from the way he's being raised than being on the spectrum.  Jewell goes on that labels are a good thing so I can get behind it and the characters are involved with the plot. It's definitely on the better side of Autistic rep, and there's more than one character with it. It's more on the exampling side but makes sense with the plot.

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for Gate Locks. It's a decent thriller in a world with bloated failed shockers.

Read: 20/12/2019 to 22/12/2019
Reviewed: 26/12/2019 - 18/03/2020
Narrator/s: Gabrielle Glaister
Medium: Audiobook
Published Date: 12th July 2018
Publisher: Cornerstone Digital
Source: Library
Content Warning for Book: I'm not sure, but memory says: Death, Suicide,

Book Review: One Little Lie by Sam Carrington

Connie Summers is back, but she claiming she met you before.

My name is Alice. And my son is a murderer. Deborah's son was killed four years ago. Alice's son is in prison for committing that crime. Deborah would give anything to have her boy back, and Alice would do anything to right her son's wrongs. Driven by guilt and the need for redemption, Alice has started a support group for parents with troubled children. But as the network begins to grow, she soon finds out just how easy it is for one little lie to spiral out of control They call it mother's intuition, but can you ever really know your own child?"

This is the second book in the series, it says this no way directly, not in marketing or online, but the main character Loser McGree first appears in 'Bad Sister'. The author also considers these to be stand alones. Well, here to say that she is in fact wrong. I won't often to say that but if two books deal with the same characters that is in fact a series and not a stand-alone. Lying about it only makes the reader confused about why are there referencing things as though they've been explained in another book and then annoyed by having to track down that information yourself. Congrats, Carrington you wrote a series. You can't claim them as a stand-alone, especially when Thriller Series standard has already been established for the over hundred years now. Same characters, completely stand-alone cases. I can read any Sherlock Holmes story in any order but don't make it stand-alone.

It's not really Carrington's fault, this is clearly marketing ploy as Stand-Alone Thrillers are the rage right now. It's a bad one. It's marketing who should clarify that characters return, instead of the returning characters not even on the blurb, which odd and bad choice. Did no one but the author like these characters? Their editor had to, right?

This book has several POVs but mainly follows Alice and Loser McGree whose real name I can't remember. It's also not on the blurb making it so much harder to find out. Okay, I'm annoyed but not that annoyed really. Her actual name is Connie Summers, she a psychologist that dealt with convicted criminals but now is trying to build a practice with their victims instead. This somehow involves her investigating a case that has very little to do with her but She is the protagonist. Would this story work better without her? possibly. She the catalysis for a lot of things to happens so it makes sense that she there. She just the most blandest, unlikable character. Maybe if I had read the first book or had gone in knowing it was a sequel, then Connie would feel more like a person instead of a list of past plot points.

This also involves a character refuses to speak for years until Connie talks to him, because convenient. I sort of specialise in Silent characters, it is fine and not offensive in anyway. It's a character who has reason to be quiet.

This is an interesting idea, the plot works having several narrators but has several asinine moments, though it quite far in the book so would be a spoiler. There are ways that actually work successfully. The Twist is pretty good.

Overall, I give this 3/5 stars for Bad Phyocogist. All the characters are unlikable, which I'm fine with, their real sin is them being as interesting as a sack of potatoes that are starting to root. I haven't read 'Bad Sister' nor am I ever likely to, even being half intrigued by the plot. I wouldn't go out my way to or any future books in this series.

Read: 4/4/2019 to 9/4/2019
Finished Review: 19/2/2020
Narractor/s: Rachel Atkins
Published Date: 6/9/2018
Publisher: HarperCollins Audio Download
Source: Library
Content Warning for Book: Don't remember.

Book Review: The Pact by Amy Heydenrych

This book has discussions of potentially triggering things, This book is not descriptive (a few scenes of violence, not in great detail compared to other books), I will be discussing those things in this review. Highlight to reveal content warnings.
Content Warnings: sexual Assault mentioned; Sexual Harassment; Sexual Manipulation; Bullying, Adult bullying; Mild Violence; Murder; Death; Bloody Death, Bad B

What if a prank leads to nothing?

What if a prank leads to murder?

When Freya arrives at her dream job with the city's hottest start-up, she can't wait to begin a new and exciting life, including dating her new colleague Jay.

However, Nicole, Jay's ex and fellow employee, seems intent on making her life a misery. After a big deadline, where Nicole continually picks on her, Freya snaps and tells Jay about the bullying and together they concoct a revenge prank. The next morning, Nicole is found dead in her apartment . . .

Is this just a prank gone wrong? Or does Freya know someone who is capable of murder - and could she be next?

This book was not what I expected. I was really excited by the idea of a Pact, but it was not much of a pact. There's no real pact, I got so excited, but a pact takes at least two consenting adults. The title comes from different pacts, but it was let down. I got so excited for the title, it just wasn't what I was hoping for.  Now, that I've lowed your expectations now for a fair review. It's not the book's fault that I had hoped for something else.

There is a lot of characters introduced, some that have very little effect of the plot, so the emphasis seems obvious misdirect. We have two POV characters, Isla a crime Journalist and Freya a newly graduated Computer Programmer who has just got her dream job but things go wrong quickly when her boss decides to bully her over some guy. The POV jumps time a lot, everything is framed in terms of the murder which works pretty well.

Fun fact: Apparently, this book is set in the past. You see Freya is a Millennial at 22 but her thirty-something boss is not. Now there's some debate but that debate makes Freya Gen Z. Born between 1981 – 1996 is the given, some go straight to 1999, but someone whose Thirty is definitely Millennial. I don't how old Heydenrych but it makes me think she not Millennial because Millennials are very aware they are in their thirties now. We're so old. It was an odd line anyway. I get why it's there but doesn't fully work.

This book has a lot going on. The bullying in the work place, by someone who is senior to Freya if not her direct boss. Your boss bullying you in your dream job does seem like a nightmare. Bullying books usually lack stakes which obviously this one has stakes. It also deals with living with the trauma of sexual assault and the threat of sexual assault that women face in their daily lives.
Heyenrych talks about wanting to show the power and intensity of women friendships, but there's so much about being unminded by men that doesn't really feel like the focus. I feel like having both Isla and Freya have 50% doesn't work, I feel it has to one or the other. There's a lot of Heydenrych wants to say. Freya's friendships do not feel the focus. I wish they were, that was the sort of book I hoped this book to be.

The solution of this works fine, but one of the major leads up to giving the characters a solution feels very tacked on and unnecessary. I do have thoughts, but it feels too much of a spoiler to discuss it in a review. Maybe I add spoiler section on Goodreads.

Overall, I give this 3/5 stars for Lace Cuffles. I was slow getting into this book, I read several graphic novels and audiobooks during the time it took me to read it, then read the majority of it one day after reading 10 pages or so a day then with big breaks, so I know that can affect how a book reads. I would read Heydenrych again, which I think is the biggest sign of whether a book was worth reading.
Isla also has Attention Deficit Disorder, it is mention only once and see nothing in the text to support it but I don't have ADD so I might have missed things.

I got this book for review off NetGalley and it is being published by Zaffre on 28/11/2019.

Book Review: Remember Me by D.E.White

Ava Cole, wanting to stay in Wales like a adult and not a seventeen year old.

Fifteen years ago Ellen Smith vanished from the woods near her small Welsh village. Never to be seen again.

Eight people were in the woods that night: eight splintered lives, eight people hiding a terrible secret. But who can remember the truth?

Now, Ellen’s best friend, Detective Ava Cole is all grown up back in the village where it all began, and everyone is asking the same question.

What really happened to Ellen?

Filled with shocking discoveries and traumatic memories this fast paced thriller is perfect for fans of Friend Request and Close to Home.

A woman originally from the states, moved to Wales as a kid, had a baby and left him there, went back to the states, the kid's dad is dying so she goes back and deals with the terrible thing they did in the woods. Then plot happens.

Everyone has this shared secret, this secret is also used to threaten Ava Cole by a person who has this secret also, so Ava Cole justifying her shitty behaviour with this was kinda dumb. Maybe if this character was introduced as being more spiteful than sense. The thing is the more you know about this whole situation, the more you're like: "hur, well you really were all the place at 17, Cole". Her actions are explained by having postpartum depression and not having a support group. A much of bad parenting happens in this book.

This book has two narrators, one the antagonist in first person and close follow third person of Ava Cole wandering around Wales, I know it was a specific area of Wales but I have terrible memory, and this was library book I no longer have. This works well, it wasn't frustrating obvious who the unknown narrator was but also you're able figured it out.

The audio book has single voice actor, she does a decent job, especially when she has to do Welsh, American and Southern English because Southern English is obvious the standard narrator voice we all must adopt (okay, I get the choice of using newsreader voice over fun accents for the narrating parts but I will still make unhelpful digs about it).

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for Reality TV. This feels like a set up for a series with Ava Cole investigating, but decided to start with the middle book of the series, where MC goes back to their roots after their first big mystery. This does appear to be D.E.White debut, but it's just the debut of the pen name, she writes as Daisy White. Not sure what I think of this if it is a series, maybe I would read the next one if it is the start of a series.

Book Review: The Apple of My Eye by Claire Allan

Probably should question the note flung through your window.

Just how far is a mother willing to go?

When a mysterious note arrives for seven months pregnant nurse Eliana Hughes, she begins to doubt every aspect of her life – from her mixed feelings about motherhood to her marriage to Martin, who has become distant in recent months.

As the person behind the note escalates their campaign to out Eli’s husband as a cheat, she finds herself unable to trust even her own instincts, and as pressure builds, she makes a mistake that jeopardises her entire future.

Elsewhere, someone is watching. Someone who desperately wants a baby to call their own and will go to any lengths to become a mother – and stay a mother…



A lot of this book revolves these notes that just say stuff and Eli takes them as gospel without prove. She pregnant and therefore really vulnerable but she doesn't question them. Maybe if they relationship being in a bad place was established before the letters started arriving. Even with the slight Gaslighting she gets, I think it would worked better if the start of the trouble was dragged out more. This is on the short side for Thrillers, so maybe just little more time might have been better. I guess it's actually minor to the story.

The novel has three POVs first person narration, including the main character Eli and a mystery stalker. This works well for the story, I mean I knew what going going to happened by chapter three. I had doubts along the way that it was a red herring, but I knew it probably wasn't.

The plot worked well. It's a thriller so it's meant to have twists, they work fine. I never know what say about Twists because I always guess them. I'm more here for the execution.

The characters are okay, they their parts okay, it's hard not to get frustrated by Eli sometimes. Mostly never questioning the notes, especially when no one would have motive to send one of the notes if they were fully true.

I listened to this on Audiobook and the Irish accents were delightful in the way ya get sick of English being the standard for British books. Besides personal taste they were fine.

Overall, I gave this 4/5 stars for Baby Bumps. The story was pretty obvious for me, but I enjoy the process.

Book Review: Bad Girls with Perfect Faces by Lynn Weingarten

I didn't buy any nail polish off this book.

No one is good enough for Xavier. Not according to Sasha, his best friend. There's nothing Sasha wouldn't do to protect Xavier from getting hurt, especially by his cheating ex Ivy, who's suddenly slithered back into the picture. Worried that Xavier is ready to forgive and forget, Sasha decides to do a little catfishing. She poses as a hot guy online, to prove cheaters never change.

But Sasha's plan goes wrong fast, and soon the lies lead down a path from which there's no return . . .

This is my second encounter with Weingarten. I really liked Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls and was excited to immurge myself into her writing. This does have similar to that book, but I didn't like this one as much. I mean I did really like Suicide Notes.

The plot is okay, there were some twists attempts, but I wasn't the right type of invested to care. Half way point kinda lost me. It works well in theory, but also seem like quite a standard affair. The plot is bit reliant on the characters being idiots.

This is another friendship bordering on romance. It works well and funly tragic. The characters do a lot of dancing around each other. This is more relationship based than plot, as everything that happens due the character's relationships have with each other.

Overall, I give this book 3/5 stars for locked accounts. I had high hopes for this book and sadly it didn't meet them. It was still a decent read, and if you're looking for a YA thriller, give it ago.

I recieved this book for review off NetGalley and Electric Monkey, it came out on the 11th January 2018.

Book Review: The Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell

Wet suites are so in.

Imagine that you live on a picturesque communal garden square, an oasis in urban London where your children run free, in and out of other people's houses. You've known your neighbors for years and you trust them. Implicitly. You think your children are safe. But are they really? On a midsummer night, as a festive neighborhood party is taking place, preteen Pip discovers her thirteen-year-old sister Grace lying unconscious and bloody in a hidden corner of a lush rose garden. What really happened to her? And who is responsible?

This book is also known as just 'The Girls', that is a bit generic so probably why they changed between countries.  This is the second book I've read and reviewed by Lisa Jewell.

There was a lot of characters to keep up with; there being a gang of kids and their respective parents. The POV changes focus staying in third person with letters from Pip to her father mixed in.

The setting is a bit interesting as it takes place in a private park, which we rarely leave, that connect the flats to each other. Also a strong sense of community as lot of the characters have know each other for decades and from childhood. With strain of new comers adding a flare.

In the start it was a bit confusing when "the sisters" were being discussed as there are two lots of sisters. I don't know if this because I listened to the audiobook and I wasn't listening at the right speed for me. Another audiobooks note is that there's is reference to pictures, that do appear in the novel, which I acquired the ebook of to check these. The Map is the only one that usefully but you don't need them for the story so the audiobook is a fine way to consume this story.

There's was two mysteries under running this story and we only get underwhelming solutions. Lots of red herrings and suspects. Some of it was weird and like hur? It works through and was okay. I wasn't that invested in some of the characters but I did feel for Pip's mother coming into this environment. 

Overall, I give this book 3/5 stars for plastic bags. This was alright thriller and enjoyed listening to it.  I think I prefer Then She Was Gone better. But if you like Lisa Jewell's other works you should like this at least.

Book Review: The Ghost of Helen Addison by Charles E. McGarry

I can't be arsed to do an opening comment.

LEO MORGAN - connoisseur, private investigator, seer of visions - sets out from the splendid isolation of his Glasgow apartment to solve the homicide of a young woman at Loch Dhonn in Argyll. He arrives at a brooding, wintry landscape where he encounters a host of colourful characters, including the spectral murder victim himself. 

FRUSTRATED BY THE FORCES OF EVIL summoned up by the killer, Leo fails to make headway, and his pomposity and intemperance tests the patience of the police. Close to despair, he must draw on all of his powers to unmask the murderer before he himself becomes the next victim.

 This is a book I got from the library upon reconsigning it, it was an Halloween recommendation from them and I swear I also watched a video saying it was good but can't find it or remember who it was by.Also set in Scotland, therefore fun. Homophobic comments in the first 50 pages, therefore go away and die. Yeah, there's few issues with this book.

Funfact: It continues the accidental trend of me reading books during the time they set and this book is set between Janurary and whenever Ash Wednesday was. It changes. 

The plot is fine if not typical and cliché. It's the usual Satanism affair that adds nothing. Leo Morgan is a pretentious, hypocrite, catholic. I said his religion because he's goes on about it a lot. There's a thing about good and evil, with usual display of Satanism. Morgan is a psychic with confusing visions of the past.

This book is unenjoyablely male. All the woman are fuckable, victims or lesbians. Homophobic as hell. The only women that Leo doesn't fancy is describes as being masculine, that makes her lesbian and is terrible to her husband. Yeah she has a husband. Morgan also makes a gay friend, I would like Moran better if he was gay but he still unlikable dick who is obsessed with his own dick. He mentions his "Benjamin Franklin" three times. I don't why male writers put this shit in their books. Also it written in third person so it's the narrator that is talking about Morgan's penis, not Morgan himself making these observation. Why do I, the reader need to know that Leo Morgan has morning wood?

Morgan is described as being a good man by the ghost of the 20-something and tells him she would have sex with him if she was alive and single. What dumb bullshit. 

Like I said that book in third person, often with weird side comments which makes confusing whether it's Morgan thoughts or facts a.k.a. the lesbian comment. 

Overall, I give this book 3/5 stars for Idiot Barons. This is meant to be a start of series but I have too many issues to continues reading it. It just usual thriller with psychic detective thing going, no near the best one I've read. It bring nothing new to the table. The way talks about women puts me off and don't really care for another drunk older middle age man whose probably going to die alone. I guess if you're a older middle age man then you would love this book but if you're not and you hate all that shit then probably skip this one.

Book Review: Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

What a cheery way to spend Christmas Eve.

A MISSING GIRL. A BURIED SECRET.

She was fifteen, her mother's golden girl.
She had her whole life ahead of her.
And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone.

Ten years on, Laurel has never given up hope of finding Ellie. And then she meets a charming and charismatic stranger who sweeps her off her feet.

But what really takes her breath away is when she meets his nine-year-old daughter.

Because his daughter is the image of Ellie.

Now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back.

What really happened to Ellie? And who still has secrets to hide?

I don't actually have the summary that's convinced me to read this book because it was a paperback that I decided not to buy because the library had on ebook, meaning I read it shortly after discovering it, instead of the months/years it probably would have spent on my TBR if I had brought it.

Fun fact: This book ends on Christmas Eve and I finished reading it on Christmas Eve by pure coincident.

This book is told in a few point of views, but mainly from a third person narrator focus on Laurel in the present, with first person sprints. This works well for the most of the part.

The characters and the family dynamics are probably the best part of the novel. I felt for Laurel, despite her faults and wanted better for Ellie so that was job well done. It also explores the destruction of family from tragedy.

In terms of the plot, once of all the main players have been introduced, it pretty obvious what went down. There is an attempt to have a twist at the end, which is set up well, but I saw it coming across well. It pretty straight through mystery, when layout in paper with facts anyway.

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for unwanted Hamsters. This was an okay book to spend two days reads on the run up to Christmas. It could have took me one sitting but I had things to be doing surprisingly as an adult with two days of Christmas. It what I would consider a light read and would recommend to others that like murdery crime light reads.

Book Review: The Long Drop by Denise Mina

Murder and Glasgow go well together.

William Watt wants answers about his family's murder. Peter Manuel has them. But Peter Manuel is a liar. 

William Watt is an ordinary businessman, a fool, a social climber.

Peter Manuel is a famous Liar, a rapist, a criminal. He claims he can get hold of the gun used to murder Watt's Family. 

One December night in 1957, Watt meets Manuel in a Glasgow Bar to find out what he knows. 

I probably wouldn't be reviewing this book, if I wasn't doing the British Book Challenge which I see as reviewing every book by a British Author I read.

This book is weird fictionalised version of real event that happened. It weirdly formatted. I honestly don't how to review this or what to say about it.

This book is set in Glasgow, I listen to the Audiobook version, it was 7 hours long with a narrator with Scottish Accent, that did different types of Scottish Accents. That's the main reason I listened to it.

I looked up the real case when I read this book, but can no longer remember anything. I look up a lot a murder cases. It decent setting as well for a crime story as a lot shit was going down in Glasgow at this time.

Overall, I give this book 3/5 stars for police driving. If you're interested in Denise Mina, this is probably a bad place to start. It was written fine, but not much of a story really.

Book Review: Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

Why talk to your family about any of your personal issues?

In the last days before her death, Nel called her sister. Jules didn’t pick up the phone, ignoring her plea for help.

Now Nel is dead. They say she jumped. And Jules has been dragged back to the one place she hoped she had escaped for good, to care for the teenage girl her sister left behind.

But Jules is afraid. So afraid. Of her long-buried memories, of the old Mill House, of knowing that Nel would never have jumped.

And most of all she’s afraid of the water, and the place they call the Drowning Pool . . .

Paula Hawks has returned with about a pool, a drowning pool and the river that leads to the pool, the town next to the river, and I guess the people in the town. The follow-up to her popular debut, The Girl on the Train (reviewed). I am glad that this book wasn't titled The Girl in the Pool or do I immensely regret that it wasn't. It would probably be called The Girls of the Waters. Pool just sounds like holiday fun, rather than murder and death.

This novel is told in the point of view of a cast of  (over ten) characters. Jules, sister of dead Nel is probably the focus, but there is no clear protagonist. Most these characters are unlikable. All of them are, some of them are despicable. It was fine, but it was quite a detached affair. The pool was the focus, but also didn't feel like personification location. It was more just a lot of shit has gone down at this part of the river. It's conspiracy of a town, who cares about people's sad little lives and horrible personalities. There were attempts at redeeming, but I didn't care enough about these characters to care. Except for the few I wanted to die. This was more about the plots, which fine in a thriller especially when you are juggling so many characters to tell a story.

There are some similar plot motifs from Hawkins début, you argue repeating themes if you felt like it. There is several mysteries going on. The discovery of Nel's body in the river is the starting point, but its a track so we loop around a lot. Nel herself was interested in the drowning pool's history and mysteries, writing a book about them (which we do get excepts from), therefore pissing off the locals because everyone needs a motive. There is obvious red herring. There is some stuff in the plot that makes no sense, I mean people make no sense.

I now would like to randomly point out that a teacher having a relationship with a student is criminal offense under the The Sexual Offenses Act 2003 unless that student is 18 then it's a grey zone of probable firing (though can still be charged for). The teacher if caught would be put on the sex offender register. I can't imagine a way a teacher would not know that. (Once again if you're under 18 years old, don't trust people who are immediately interested in you sexually who are two years older than you. There is something wrong with them and I have not been proved wrong in this. Girls are not that maturer than boys, this is a myth that I won't get into a rant at the moment).

I listen to this on Audio book, with David Weyman, Imogen Church, Rachel Bavidge and Sophie Aldred. Like I said there is tons of character, so these actors just jump around a lot and characters have more than one voice actor, I guess the choice of having more than one came from them knowing it would make money and The Girl on the Train leading its self so well to having more than one voice actor and does gave the best distinction by actually having different voices to change to, especially as some characters are real minor and forgettable. They were all fine, we got a vast range of British Accents, though I did think Welsh which this book is definitely not set in Wales. It set in middle England or upper England. I don't know enough about English motorways or remembered the town's name to see if its a real place. Hours from New Castle or something. 

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for missing jewellery. This novel kept me interested is what I want from Mystery Thrillers. While different from her debut (which is should be), it is of the same level as her last novel. Once again if you like thrillers and the idea of this plot, gave it a go.

Book Review: Six Four by Hideo Yokoyama

I don't think the British police would care about a protest.

The Japanese crime sensation that sold a million copies in six days.
SIX FOUR.
THE NIGHTMARE NO PARENT COULD ENDURE.
THE CASE NO DETECTIVE COULD SOLVE.
THE TWIST NO READER COULD PREDICT.

For five days in January 1989, the parents of a seven-year-old Tokyo schoolgirl sat and listened to the demands of their daughter's kidnapper. They would never learn his identity. They would never see their daughter again.

For the fourteen years that followed, the Japanese public listened to the police's apologies. They would never forget the botched investigation that became known as 'Six Four'. They would never forgive the authorities their failure.

For one week in late 2002, the press officer attached to the police department in question confronted an anomaly in the case. He could never imagine what he would uncover. He would never have looked if he'd known what he would find.

This is a very slow book for something that comes technically under the thriller genre.

Our protagonist Mikami is an outsider, working in the hated media department in Administer, while having previously been a detective. Office Politics is big part of this book, with the police officers and Admin going up against each other. Mikami also has personal stuff that effects where he lies in this 'war' and this does goes in a circle while Mikami is trying to find out what they all up to, especially as he thinks its vital for him to know.

The mysteries presented are mostly solved, a big one is left to wonder about. I go on the pessimist side of what is hinted about the one that isn't.

The writing is odd sometimes, obviously this is a translation (translated by Jonathan Lloyd-Davies) so that might come from what is the usual in Japanese. Mikami just starts listing things, which is especially odd as this book is written in third person. This book is quite long and the plot drags on sometimes.  

They were some culture barriers in this book for me. A big early plot point is the Journalist threatening to put in a written compliant to the police and I honestly don't get why anyone would care as they were complaining about something Mikami was ordered to do. The police have no respect/like for the Journalist so why was a big deal if they complained. I know Japan does have a big thing about honour and shame so maybe because its a shamefully thing to happen, or the whole disconnect they have with their bosses. It doesn't really matter I guess if you understand why, it is important for plot reason and then what that leads to.

I listened to the audio book of this and I don't think I would recommended that. I didn't really like the actor's, Richard Burnip, voice. He also made the female character kinda whinny and didn't like a lot of the choices for the other characters either. I also found it confusing since I'm not familiar with Japanese names it was hard for me to remember character's by the sound of their names and would have been better reading it, but ar last I did not have the time to do that and got used to both these issues eventually.

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for Irritable Reporters. While I enjoyed this book, a lot things are left unresolved and everything that is resolved is done very quickly compared to the size of the rest of this book.

Discamilar: I listen to book on Audio book from the library, but I had also received a ebook version off it from NetGalley and Quercus Books when it came out in Hardback over here.

Book Review: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

I don't even like alcohol. The taste or the effect.

Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. ‘Jess and Jason’, she calls them. Their life – as she sees it – is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough.

Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar.

Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train…

Ar the awkward the experience of having a main character with the same name as you. Correct spelling and all. You probably heard about about this book by now, especially as the film adaptation is currently in theatres as I type. The big thing is this has been compared to is Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn which I have yet to read, I will compare it to this instead or I might just straight disagree. The question is does meet up to the hype. The answer is mostly 'Yes'.

The novel is mostly told from Rachel present POV with Megan POV of the past. Rachel is drunk often and has blackouts so we can't trust her narrative. Megan just leaves giant chunks out for no real reason other mystery and plot. 

The plot is mostly just Rachel stumbling around drunk. While not being a obvious, it's all very convenient. In terms of matching up all the narratives, they was a point that felt would have been better if we had gotten a vital piece of information in the other narrative and I would have changed them around personally, but each to their own and I'm clearly not a best selling author. I get what the Hawkins was going for but the solution didn't really work for me fully. I just don't buy it. The ending was rather meh.

The characters were okay. They all meant to be flawed and I think this is done in the realistic way. I've seen on Goodreads that a lot of people straight up hated them, but honesty, while they do unlikable and regrettable things I don't get the hate for all of them. I hated Anna, but pretty sure you're meant to. Rachel's ex-Husband Tom is totally unappealing and I don't get why anyone would want him, never mind two women.

I listened to the Audio book with Clare Corbett, India Fisher and Louise Brealey voice acting. I found them to be good and well casted. The only thing that was slightly off putting is when two of the voice actors did completely different interpretation of the same character, especially as I really liked the first one I was exposed to.

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for canned gin. I enjoyed listening to this novel. Definitely over hyped but also a decent Thriller novel so I would recommend it if that what you like to read. 

Book Review: Urban Legend by Helen Grant

Surprisingly reading a whole series based off the title of last book paid off.

A GROUP OF STORY-TELLERS DISAPPEARING ONE BY ONE.

A YOUNG WOMAN HAUNTED BY HER PAST.

A SERIAL KILLER WITH ONE TARGET HE IS DESPERATE TO HUNT DOWN.

 Veerle is trying to lie low, to live as 'normal' a life as she possibly can.

But when you've thwarted a serial killer, it's hard to do this.

ESPECIALLY WHEN HE WANTS REVENGE...

This is the final book in the Forbidden Space trilogy by Helen Grant. I have reviews of the other two books, Silent Saturday and Demons of Ghent if you're not familiar with the series.

This book is called Urban Legends and surprisingly has Urban Legends. The main reason I read this series is because I love Legends and ghost stories I picked up this book solely on this when I saw in the library and then I read the whole series. I really like the way these stories were incorporated into the novel and think think it worked really well. Urban legends are sprinkled through the main story, (my favourite is Angel Smile as its own thing while being based on a popular Legend. Also such a cute renaming).

The plot is involves abandoned buildings and more urban exploring. We have more interesting murders (be honest and admit that you rate fictional murders). I like the climax and the build up to it.

This book continues the romances from the two previous, but its quickly resolves if you're not about pointless love triangles (while on the real side of those situations, I'm just not about romances in general).

Overall, I give it 4/5 stars for lost flashlights. This was a good strong ending to the series and I'm glad that I read the whole series, just based on this book's title. I wish had written this review sooner after I finished reading the book, but Oh well. Time is fleeting thing that gets away from us all. Would had of have a better review though.

P.S. Nice final sentence. "They stood together and watched the coin rise and fall in the air, golden and glittering as it turned over and over in the light from the street lamps, and waited to see which way it would fall."

Book Review: 13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough

Because you should always trust a dog to be on time.

I was dead for 13 minutes.

I don't remember how I ended up in the icy water but I do know this - it wasn't an accident and I wasn't suicidal.

They say you should keep your friends close and your enemies closer, but when you're a teenage girl, it's hard to tell them apart. My friends love me, I'm sure of it. But that doesn't mean they didn't try to kill me. Does it?

This is an excellent physiological thriller that manages well to mess with you.

 The book is written in different forms, first person POVs, a diary, text messages and fun documents stolen from the police.This worked well with the mystery side of the novel and feeding us the information at satisfying rate with the characters.

The main characters ain't that likable. They're believable, except Becca's thoughts about her "Best Friend" are terrible and don't buy that they would be as close as they are in the novel. Besides that, it totally works with the rest of the story. 

The mystery side is done very well and you never get a clear solution right till the end. I think it gives a realistic way of discovery and doubts that mislead. 

Overall, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars for stage lights.This was a really great thriller and the clues were lay out got us to stick with the characters' thinking.

I got this for review off NetGalley and is being published by Gollancz on 18 February 2016.

Book Review: Demons of Ghent by Helen Grant

I would like to rate this series blurbs a 1 star due to them being highly misleading.

People are falling from the rooftops of Ghent. But did they throw themselves off - or did somebody push them?

Veerle has seen enough death to last a lifetime. But death isn't finished with Veerle just yet.

When people start to die in her new home town, some put it down to a spate of suicides. Some blame the legendary Demons of Ghent. Only Veerle suspects that something - somebody -has followed her to wreak his vengeance.

But she watched the hunter die, didn't she?

This is the second book in the Forbidden Spaces Trilogy, the first person being Silent Saturday. Beware that there will be spoilers for the first book so check out my review if you've not read it.

In this book, unsurprising the story is now set in the city of Ghent, instead of the Veerle's home village. We get new characters. We also get the creation of a love triangle. It is the more realistic type, that doesn't put Veerle in the best light. It felt a little for the sake of plot. I like the new guy, but why romance? Why not friendship? Instead of murder with a side of  meh drama.

We see more of Veerle's father Geert and his girlfriend. Pretty relations. Though, I'm surprised that Veerle didn't call him on his shit. His girlfriend doesn't feel like a real person. Terrible people exist, the lack of contract we get with her makes her feel unreal.

The plot is hinting at something weird. I feel like I can have no thoughts until I read the next and final book in the Trilogy. The mystery was okay. The climax was a bit er but did fit with the rest of the novel. I did enjoy how much Ghent was involved and acts as another character.

Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars for salty nails. This a mature crime YA novel set somewhere other than America or England so what's to love. Also swearing in Flemish. I am intrigued to see how this story wraps up.

Book Review: Silent Saturday by Helen Grant

This is one of those summaries that spoils something that isn't reveal till near the end of the book.

HE CALLS HIMSELF THE HUNTER.

He attacks without mercy, relishing the small details: the coughs, the gurgles, the stillborn screams...

SHE'S ADDICTED TO THE EXCITEMENT.

Veerle is part of a secret society that breaks into people's houses to spy on their lives. But she isn't new to danger. Ten years ago, she saw the hunter strike - and lived to tell the tale.

HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DIE IN PRISON.

But when other members of Veerle's society start to disappear, she begins to suspect her old foe may be targeting them. Now she'll have to face her own worst nightmare.

BUT HOW DO YOU FIGHT A DEAD MAN?

With magic.

This book took me a ridiculous long time to read due to life. Also slight reading stump in that made me jump therefore I feel like my review can't be fully unbias as things affected my reading of it. For example, despite interesting things going one I took massive breaks between some chapters and found it hard to keep reading at times despite wanting to know what was going on.

This book has an interesting setting as it's YA book set in Belgium, mostly the Flemish speaking part to be precise. It was written in English by a British writer who has lived in Belgium. Flemish(Belgian Dutch)/French words were scattered through out the book. Basically, this book teaches you how to swear in another language/s.

The plot revolves around a lot of coincidences with everyone from Veerle's past showing back up at the same time. The plot okay, but it does feel heavy towards the end. However, that might just be the disjointed way I read it. The plot was pretty easy to follow despite me picking the novel up and then abandoning it several times. The ending is a bit abundant, even for the start of a trilogy. It's cliffhanger of emotion.

Veerle's relationship with her mother done well. The mother is overprotected, but she not the overbearing straight up bad mothers you find in a lot YA books. It is the worst trope. The mother over protecting is exampled and grows with the situation. The characterization is done well overall.

The book is written in third person and switches focus on the characters, type to crime and thriller books.  I liked it and murder.

Overall, I give this book three out of five stars for rock shoes. It's start of trilogy (Forbidden Spaces) and I am keen to read the next one which is good considering I only pick up the first book because the last one is called Urban Legends. I will eventually review all of them. Hopefully soon as they have to go back to the library...several months ago.

Book Review: The Girl Who Wouldn't Die by Marnie Riches

The author asked me to do a Amazon review. She didn't know I read a review copy and that was weird.

HE’S WATCHING HER. SHE DOESN’T KNOW IT…YET

When a bomb explodes at the University of Amsterdam, aspiring criminologist Georgina McKenzie is asked by the police to help flush out the killer.

But the bomb is part of a much bigger, more sinister plot that will have the entire city quaking in fear.

And the killer has a very special part for George to play…

This is your basic Thriller, Crime book with some fun things thrown in such as being set in Amsterdam.

The title of this book is terrible and I'm not sure what it has to do with the book. The book it's self is much better.

The mystery side of this book was pretty basic. As soon as the character was introduced who was behind it, I knew it was him.

The romance in this book is just there and doesn't add anything to the story. I did root for it, but that might have been because the alternative option was far worse. It got a tad bit annoying.

Overall, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars for cardboard. Most of these stars came from enjoyment.

I got this book for review off Netgalley and from Maze.

Book Review: The Devil's Workshop by Alex Grecian

Why dig a tunnel when a train wouldn't fit?
 
April, 1890. London wakes to the shocking news of a mass prison escape. 

Walter Day and the Scotland Yard Murder Squad now face a desperate race against time: if they don't re-capture the four convicted murderers before night settles, they'll vanish into the dark alleys of the London's criminal underworld for ever.
And in the midst of this mayhem and fear, the city's worst nightmare is realised: Jack the Ripper haunts the streets of London once more . . .

This is the third book in the Scotland Yard Murder Squad series and I don't have reviews for either of the first ones. Except I enjoyed and liked both. I think you should probably read the other two first but I'm pretty sure it explains the references to the other two.

The characters are characters and they are consisted from their last show. Though, we didn't much good interrogation between the regulars. The new ones were alright. It's not a spoiler to say Jack the Ripper is in this book as it's on every blurb I've read for this book. It was handled okay but still there was something off about the portrayal. He's blandly crazed and the devil symbology felt too much at times. I mean someone straight up calls him the devil without knowing who he is and seeing him for the first time from a safe distance.

The ending of this book wasn't very satisfying but that might have been the point. The plot was quite interesting and sets up the next book.

Overall, I give this book 4 out of five stars for nails on Mantlepiece. Parts of this book were good, but I think Jack the Ripper should have been left out of the series. The characters in this series are obviously based on real people, but Jack the Ripper is overdone and murdered people. The plot would have been good without him and it now makes me slightly anxious about the next instalment of the book but I will still be reading it.

I got this book off Netgalley for review and it's published by Penguin.