Happy Publication Day to Night, Forgotten, a new psychological thriller from Meghan Joyce Tozer!

About the book:
For fans of The Lovely Bones and The Push comes a deeply intense psychological thriller about a young woman who must cope with the aftermath of sexual assault.


When Julie’s idyllic, happy life is upended by a sexual assault that results in a pregnancy, she can’t cope with anything—not the baby, not her mother-in-law’s constant presence in her home, not even her husband’s concern. Her marriage is forever changed. Her life is unrecognizable. Her only option is to put the broken pieces of that awful night together and finally come to terms with what happened to her . . . and why.

320 pages
Release Date: November 1, 2022
Publisher: Wattpad Books


Available for purchase from Barnes & Noble, Indigo, Books-A-Million, Kobo, Apple, your favorite US indie bookseller, or your favorite Canadian indie bookseller.

About The Author

Meghan Joyce Tozer, a former lyric soprano and music historian, was born and raised outside Boston, Massachusetts. After graduating from Harvard University and earning a Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara, she moved to San Francisco’s East Bay where she lives among the redwoods with her husband, their two young children, and their dog. Using the pen name Emily Lindin, in 2013 Meghan founded The UnSlut Project, an online community where survivors of sexual abuse find solidarity through personal story sharing. She is the author of UnSlut: A Diary and a Memoir (Lerner, 2015), director of UnSlut: A Documentary Film (2016), and has been a featured guest on ABC with Katie Couric, CNN, Deutsche Welle, Radio Ireland, The Doctors, Al Jazeera America, and NPR's Here and Now.

Synopsis:
No strangers to evil, criminal profiler Reni Fisher and detective Daniel Ellis both still grapple with traumatizing pasts. It unites them. So has a crime they must solve before someone else dies.

At a campsite on California’s Pacific Crest Trail, a guide is murdered and three young hikers vanish without a trace. The only lead is a puzzle in itself: a video of the crime scene, looking eerily staged, uploaded to social media. The girl who posted it can’t be found. Is it a viral hoax gone unspeakably wrong, or is there something more sinister at play in the forest?

The case intensifies when one of the missing is found wandering down a dirt road, confused and afraid. As Reni and Daniel struggle to sort fact from fiction, a secret past collides with the present, threatening to sever their relationship. Are some truths too much to bear? Will this be the case that finally breaks them?

What really happened in the forest? Hidden crimes and secrets of the past converge in a riveting thriller by Anne Frasier, the New York Times bestselling author of Find Me.

Series: Inland Empire#2 
Publisher:Thomas & Mercer
Publication Date:July 27, 2021
286 pages
ISBN 9781542025560, 1542025567 
 Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense                             

My thoughts:
In Tell Me, Anne Frasier's gripping sequel to Find Me, we are back to the Mojave Desert and the Inland Empire area in Southern California. If you haven't read Find Me, but are planning to do it, you should start from it. Tell Me provides re-cap of the main points of the previous book, so it would definitely diminish the effect of the narrative.

Reni Fisher is a former FBI profiler, a recluse and an artist who lives in a desert cabin andisstiltrying to make sense of her father's horrifying legacy. Benjamin Fisher, the Inland Empire serial killer, murdered and buried tens of young women whom he lured to death by using his young, unsuspecting daughter Reni. Formany yearsReni refused to see her father. The only reason why she agrees to do it at the request of a young detective Daniel Ellis is that her father promises to reveal  the burial sites. There's nothingmoreReni would like than to give a sense of closure to the families of the victims. Daniel also was traumatised by the event of his childhood. His mother disappeared when he was eight and he has never stopped looking for her, suspecting she mighthave been a victim of the InlandEmpire killer.

Find me provides closure for one of the two  protagonists (I deliberately don't want to say who) and we know there is more to the story. The new case of three sixteen-year-old hikers who disappeared from a campsite on the Pacific Crest Trail is fascinating on its own. The girls were sent to a digital detox retreat by their parents and went on a three-day hike with an experienced guide. The dead body of the guide was later found lying in her tent by two passing hikers, one of whom posts a video on the social media. Some people suspect it's a hoax, but Daniel instinct tells him to check the story out and there isn't anyone he'd rather ask to help him than Reni.

Overall, I liked the plot, but there was so much going on, so many topics: social media, school shootings, PTSD,  incels (right, I had to look the word up), pressures of parenthood and others. It could have all falen apart, but for Anne Frasier's superb writing style-she really knows how to engage the reader with plenty of action and clever twists. Told in short, snappy chapters, the book is very easy to read.

Both Reni and Daniel are wonderful protagonists. Their empathy with the victims and perpetraitors alike (for Daniel there are no evil people, just terrible choices these people  made) helps them in their investigations. By the way, the sinister bird on the cover for both Find Meand Tell Me isn't just there to give the readers creeps. Reni used to be fascinated by birds as a child and drew them a lot. Her father taught her  to make her drawings as accurate as possible and this ability to focus on details is another factor (together with empathy) that makes Reni so good in her job of finding missing people.

The setting is one of the best features of these two books. Here we have hiking trails in addition to the desert and its healing powers. For Reni the barrenness of the dry season is temporary-she knows good months, full of magical flowers and amazing colours will come.

The ending was just perfect. With all the loose ends  tied up,  The Inland Empire series can end here, but we have two great protagonists who make a wonderful team and perhaps Anne Frasier will decide to give us another story- I'll be there for it!

Carrying Clover
Newly single Camille Robins luck is about to change as she embarks on a new chapter of her life, moving to the city near her best friend, Lizzie.

A chance meeting at Lou’s B&B, Camille meets George, a handsome man who sweeps her off her feet.

Can Lizzie forgive Camille for stealing her previous boyfriend, or will she seek revenge?

Camille can’t believe her luck! George can’t believe how perfect she is....

Was it a fate romance, or part of an evil plan?


A fresh new twist on a psychological thriller, fast-paced, clever, and thought provoking that will make you question who is the lucky one.

Luck, love, deceit, and heartbreak will keep you turning the page. And a breathtaking twist you won’t see coming, will stay with you long after you have finished reading.

Purchase Link
UK  / US

My thoughts:
Carrying Clover is a psychological thriller/ suspense set in Somerset and Bristol, UK. It is steady-paced, has a limited set of interesting characters and a well-thought-through plot.

The protagonist of the novel Camille has just come out of an abusive/controlling relationship. She is quite vulnerable, but her mental attitude is overwhelmingly positive-she is finally free to live her life the way she wants and this includes rebuilding her relationship with Lizzie, Camille's foster sister, and starting a new job in Bristol. While she is waiting for the keys to her perfect new flat (bought with her inheritance money), she checks into a B&B where she meets the sweet owner oftheB&B  Lou and baby Sophia. At 34, Camille can't wait to start her own family. There's only one more protagonist of this suspenseful read that is missing. Meet George, a determined sales rep from Bristol, who often stays at Lou's B&B and clearly doesn't waste his time charming the socks off Camille.

The story is mostly told in from Camille's POV , and I couldn't help wondering how naive and gullible she appeared...and then Bang! we get snippets from two other characters that give us an insight into their bitterness, obsession, and evil plans concerning Camille. Another thing worth mentioning is the present tense narrative. I know it isn't everyone's favourite, but here it definitely enhanced the writing and made it feel more atmospheric and more immediate. I felt anxiety building up in me and was afraid for poor Camille's life almost from the word go. Suspense with a capital letter!

Overall, it was an atmospheric read ( I wish I'd read it for my R.I.P. readathon), full of suspense and dark twists (sorry, can't say they were impossible to predict, but give me logical and foreshadowed over unpredictable any time).  Can't wait to read Lorey Durston's next novel!

Author Bio – Lorey Durston is an author of thriller and suspense novels. 
CARRYING CLOVER is her debut novel.
She is currently working on her next suspense novel to be released late 2021.
 
Social Media Links – Twitter https://twitter.com/DurstonLorey
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lorey-Durston-Author-101764481996748
Instagram: loreydurstonauthor 
​

When former FBI agent Cate Wilde moves back to Widow’s Island, she envisions a simpler life than the one she had in law enforcement. But Cate’s past has a habit of catching up with her. When she receives a mysterious package containing a child’s mandible, she finds herself thrust back into action.

The mandible leads Cate to an unsolved case she worked seven years ago—the kidnapping of a three-year-old girl. At the time, Cate suspected the girl was kidnapped by her overprotective father. But after they both vanished, the case went cold.

At the urging of the girl’s mother, Cate dives back into the case and learns her prime suspect may still be a threat. Armed with new clues and a fresh perspective, Cate must confront the possibility that the kidnapper is poised to strike again. But can she save his new child from the same fate before it’s too late?


Widow Island Series:

1 Close to the Bone
​2 A Bone to Pick
3 Whisper of Bones
​4 Bred in the Bone
5 Below the Bones
​6 A Broken Bone
​7 Buried Bones
​8 The Lost Bones

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour  For Paparazzzi,the second instalment in Jo Fenton's Becky White series.

Paparazzi
A stalker. A popstar’s family murdered. A terrified photographer.
 
It’s thirty years since Becky White joined the police. Now, six months after leaving the force, she is suffering from PTSD, when an old friend turns up with a tempting offer. 
 
Following the creation of The White Knight Detective Agency, their first client is a press photographer – a member of the Paparazzi – a young woman with a mysterious and troublesome stalker.
 
But as the case develops, Becky and Joanna find themselves embroiled in murder. When they are unable to prevent further deaths, their investigation takes them down an unexpected path.
 
But can they trust their instinct? And will they identify the killer in time to save a child’s life?
 
Paparazzi, the second instalment in the bestselling Becky White Thriller series. takes you on a journey into the deceptive world of superstars – and those who follow them! 
 
Purchase Links
UK / US

My thoughts:

This was my first book by Jo Fenton and I hadn't realised that this is the second book in a series featuring Becky White. Having said that, it didn't stop me from enjoying the book, following the events or seeing the main character development. It felt more like the beginning of a new series focussing on the White Knight Detective Agency (such a great name for this sort of business ).

The book starts with a bang. Becky drops a vase (remember how they all tell you a good book should show, not tell, here we see what Becky's PTSD means for her daily life) and there's a bang on the door. Enter Joanna Knight, Becky's friend from...about thirty years ago. Since they lost contact ages ago, Joanna hasn't been privy to all the changes in Becky's tormented life, including her leaving the police force. Joanna's life hasn't been all plain sailing either. Now she has a wonderful idea of setting up a detective agency. Despite a minor issue of Becky's husband having quite an extreme reaction to Joanna popping up on their doorstep and another minor issue of Becky still recovering from the traumatic events that happened six months before, the unlikely duo get their first client in no time at all. Both of them agree murder cases are for the police, but investigating a case of a photographer who feels she might be being stalked should be right up the White Knight street. As far as good intentions go, these don't work out at all, as no sooner have they taken the cases, dead bodies begin to pile up and Becky and Joanna need all their wits around them to figure out who the mysterious killer is.

 I'm really partial to books with protagonists who are slightly older (Becky and Joanna are about fifty) and I think its great that this underrepresented age category is featuring in more and more detective stories. Part of Becky's success as an investigator is her intuition based on her professional experience. She is also very perceptive and considerate and my heart went to her when I read how challenging daily life with PTSD is). I enjoyed getting to know the families of our protagonists and seeing how personal relationships influence investigative work.

This was a very quick read, easy to start and finish in one day, with short chapters and engaging writing style. I'd probably classify it as a cozy thriller or a good old whodunnit, although Becky's daughter Cheryl is dealing with a very modern issue and it was quite reassuring to see how Becky and her friend/ former colleague from the police quickly reacted to prevent further harm.
Jo Fenton's fans are going to be very happy with this second  book in the series and it's definitely not too late to start following Becky White and Joanna Knight's investigations.

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources, the publisher and the author for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Author Bio 

Jo Fenton grew up in Hertfordshire, UK. She devoured books from an early age, particularly enjoying adventure books, school stories and fantasy. She wanted to be a scientist from aged six after being given a wonderful book titled “Science Can Be Fun”. At eleven, she discovered Agatha Christie and Georgette Heyer, and now has an eclectic and much loved book collection cluttering her home office.
Jo combines an exciting career in Clinical Research with an equally exciting but very different career as a writer of psychological thrillers.
When not working, she runs (very slowly), and chats to lots of people. She lives in Manchester with her husband, two sons, a Corgi and a tankful of tropical fish. She is an active and enthusiastic member of two writing groups and a reading group.

Website www.jofenton137.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jofentonauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jl_fenton
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/jofenton137/

*Terms and Conditions –
Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

My thoughts:
Angela Marsons never disappoints!
I can't believe we are on Book 14 and I still can't get enough of this fascinating lead character and her team. I really enjoy unpredictable books and this one is in a league of its own!

Kim is stuck with her nemesis-local reporter Tracy Frost- for a whole day. Tracy's been promised she can follow Kim and her team wherever they go. Very soon Kim sees DCI Woodward's secret agenda. Kim's first stop is the family of  Trisha Morley who was abused and murdered by her husband. NickMorley had a stellar reputation and a PR team strong enough to put a lot of pressure on the jury. The first trial ended in a hung jury and it looks likely that Nick might walk free.The police have done everything possible. There's nothing they can do at this point to prevent the injustice. But Tracy can.

Then Kim's team gets called to a murder scene and what promised to be a slow day begins a frenetic hunt for a twisted serial killer who tortures his victims in horrendous ways. When Kim has to inform the family of the first victim of what happened and immediately senses that something is off in the way the wife and her sister react to the news. The next day they seem to have vanished into the thin air and it is up to Kim's team to trace their whereabouts using good old policework. Kim does discover the connection between the first victim and the second, but is sworn to secrecy and forced  to work with somebody who makes her reflect what it means to be a good police officer and sacrifice everything in order to do your job well.

Both plotlines are fascinating and full of their own twists. There was no way I could have guessed the ending! As usual there are thought-provoking themes- one of which is whether it is possible to completely disappear in our heavily-digitalised society, why someone might want to do that and what emotional cost it might have.

It was interesting to see the change in the way Tracy and Kim interact with each other- a different level of understanding and begrudging respect that is slowly built between these two strong and determined women. Kim's team is superb - Bryant, newly married (she won't let anyone forget it even for a minute) Stacey, Penn, Keats.

The book has Angela Marsons' trademark short and snappy chapters that keep you on the edge of your seat. The pace is perfect- you understand the urgency of stopping the killer (no, I didn't guess who it was) and the frustration of not being able to find or interpret the clues, the long hours and the breathless rush when the team finally get closer to solving thecase, hoping it isn't too late.

Another excellent addition to my favourite series of police procedurals.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

My thoughts:

Flesh and Blood is the fourth instalment in Caroline Mitchell's series of police  proceduralsfeaturing DI Amy Winter. If you have been following the series, you know quite a lot about Amy's family of origin and why her background makes her an outstanding police officer. If you are planning to start the series from this book, it is possible to read and enjoy it as a standalone.

DI Amy Winter and her team are enjoying a brief respite after their last case, when Donovan gets bad news from the police station in Clacton where he used to work before coming to the Met. One of his colleagues committed suicide by jumping off the pier. The weird thing is that she had called Donovan just a few minutes before it and left a voice message asking for his advice on a case.If only he'd answered his phone... A closer look at what has been happening in the area reveals a strange spate of suicides with victims apparently having nothing in common. Amy's super team decide to investigate what has really been going on in this seaside community and what mysterious case Carla had been looking into before her death.

One of the things I like so much about this series is the author's personal experience of a police officer which shines through in the level of realistic detail. Caroline Mitchell knows how to engage her reader with an interesting case, as well as giving us  a glimpse into what it's really like to do this job on a daily basis. The members of Amy's team are all strong characters with their own unique voices. I was particularly happy to get to know Molly and discover her secret. While Amy's horrific past is and always will be there in her life, she isn't defined by it, and we see how she is finally allowing herself to believe in the possibility of her own personal happiness. This case has less focus on Amy, although it turns  out to be quite personal for Donovan.

Caroline Mitchell masterfuly weaves together several threads and throws in a few red herrings to keep the reader guessing until the end. The pace is really good - the story isn't rushed at any point, but the chapters are quite snappy and leave you wanting to read more. The ending opens up new possibilities and new dilemmas Amy will have to face up in the next book.

A well-written, intriguing, and gripping read from page one to the last page, Flesh and Blood is a great addition to an excellent seriesand I can definitely recommend it to all the readers who enjoy the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Willow Weeps and I am absolutely delighted to host a Q and A session with Louise Worthington, the author of this moving psychological thriller/suspense.

1 What inspired you to write Willow Weeps? 

I listened to an audiobook called Doing Time: 25 Years of Prison Writing. I found many of the poems and the prose emotive and powerful, hard-hitting and without self-pity. It gave me the idea of creating a character called Lily Lessing who is a young offender and a gifted writer. Part of my research for the story involved visiting two local prisons- Shrewsbury prison, now a visitor attraction and Berwyn prison in North Wales. 
 
2 Can you explain the significance of the title? 

Towards the end of the novel, Willow’s journey is complete. She develops emotionally from the experiences which take place stemming from her relationship with Paul and his daughter, Evie-May. There is sadness along the way leading to a bitter-sweet ending!
‘Willow weeps, not for Paul, not for herself, or the woman who has been killed instantly. She weeps for her sister, Mandy, who has saved her life.’
            ‘I’m happy,’ Willow says with a sob. ‘There’s nothing wrong with me! I’m weeping with joy.

3 What influences your writing?

I studied literature at university and taught English to pupils aged 11-18 for a long time. Then I became interested in psychology and studied that. I enjoy walking and running, and it’s often outside, in woods or by water – canals and rivers, were I get the best ideas. I volunteer at a local dog sanctuary and it is often while I’m cycling there, or walking a dog through the woods, that I get an idea.
I went to the Crime Writers Festival in Bristol a few years ago where I met inspirational and aspiring writers and pitched to three agents. I read a lot – fiction and poetry, the odd non-fiction book- and of course the reviews I receive from readers of my novels are a great way to learn what I’m doing well and what I need to work on!

4 What else is in the pipeline?

Lots! The audiobook of Willow Weeps will come out in June 2021. The Entrepreneur, a psychological thriller, comes out this month which is a rather like Big Brother meets The Apprentice. Later this year the first in a series of psychological thrillers will be released – Dr. Glass. The female protagonist is a clinical psychologist.

5 What are you reading at the moment?

I’ve just finished reading My Dark Vanessa which is a really good book. It’s one of those reads which can’t be followed by anything else quite so dark in theme so I’ve put Sisters by Daisy Johnson, which I was reading, to one side for now. I’m reading Someone We Know by Shari Lapena which came from the disused telephone box in the village where books are exchanged. It’s a great lucky dip. Also, I’m reading The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell.
I subscribe to Audible and am currently listening to Dearly: Poems by Margaret Atwood narrated by the author. I tend to only read non-fiction if it’s about the craft of writing, but I do enjoy the odd memoir.
 
Author Links
Willow Weeps is available from Amazon as an eBook and paperback: HERE. Details of Louise Worthington’s other psychological fiction can be found on her website.

Follow Louise on Twitter @louiseworthing9
Instagram @louworthingtonwriter
Goodreads
Other novels by Louise Worthington:
Rachel’s Garden
Distorted Days
Rosie Shadow
The Entrepreneur

Thank you to Louise for her fascinating Q and A session! Hope you pick up and enjoy reading Willow Weeps, whether in its ebook, paperback (already available) or audiobook format (coming in June 2021)!

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for Kirsty Ferguson's new book Who Do You Trust?

Who Do You Trust?

A perfect sunny day, a family celebration, a heart-stopping hour that changes everything...
Dana has all she ever wanted – a husband she loves, her four-year-old daughter Kelsey who is the apple of her eye, and another baby on the way to complete her perfect family.

But then the worst fear that Dana has, comes true, and everything she thought she knew, she now starts to doubt. As her world comes crashing around her, who can Dana trust?  

Her husband Logan who seems to be getting worryingly close to Dana’s best friend Pippa?
Her new friend Melanie who has a sinister habit of turning up in the strangest places?
Her parents and her sister, who Dana knows are keeping a terrible secret from her?
Matt, who says he’s Dana’s friend, but sometimes she’s not so sure?
Or will Dana discover that it’s a dangerous mistake to trust anyone…

Join Kirsty Ferguson on this heart-stopping, plot-twisting, roller coaster read, perfect for fans of Shari Lapena and Adele Parks.  

Purchase Link -  https://amzn.to/3ojpSH4

My thoughts:

This isn't going to be an easy review to write without spolilers. If you've read the book, you must have noticed how carefully the blurb was worded to avoid giving away the most important content point.

Kirsty Ferguson is well-known for her gripping domestic noirs and dark topics. The premise in her newest bok is intriguing: who can you trust after a tragedy strikes and you both desperately need your family support and feel they are at least partially responsible for it?

Dana O'Connor is expecting her second child. Her husband Logan, her four-year-old daughter Kelsey and she are invited to a barbeque at her parents house. Her mother would like Dana and her younger sister Alesha try to mend their relationship, practically broken for good after Alesha said some very hurtful things to Dana three months before. We begin to see that Dana's life might not be as perfect as it seems at first glance. Then unimaginable tragedy happens and devastated Dana needs time and space to make sense of it and accept it. Twists keep coming right, left and center. First we find out what exactly was said three months before to ruin Dana and Alesha's sisterly bond. Then new people, Melanie and Matt, appear in Dana's life, while the old ties and friendships (her husband Logan and her best friend Pippa) seem to fade  or transform. The circumstances in which Dana becomes friends with Melanie and later Matt are understandable, but she is the only one who doesn't seem to see that it's too much too soon for them to really have her best interests at heart. The final twist will reveal it all!

There is a fairly large cast of characters, but they all have strong links to Dana, who is in the centre of the narration. Dana, in her own words, likes to please people. On several occasions, despite  feeling strongly about the issue at hand, she caves in, because it is easier to agree. There is a thin line between persuading somebody to do something and pushing them to do something they aren't ready or willing to do. It is up to the reader to draw their own conclusions whether the people around Dana are lacking understanding of the emotional side of the situation (they are also, tosome extent, dealing with the aftermath of the tragedy), are selfish, unsupportive, or even abusive. Personally, I would have appreciated a bit more depth to the characterization, as the book felt too plot-driven.

Altogether, it was a quick read with a very dark cental theme and lots of unexpected twists. I am a fan of domestic thrillers (if you've been following this blog for some time, you know how much I love Shari Lapena) and would like to read another book by this author.

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources, NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

If you are a kind of person who apprreciates content warnings / trigger warnings, please, highlight the following lines written in white:
Content warning: accidental death of a child
I am going to be absolutely honest and say that had I been given this content warning, I wouldn't have picked the book ,as this is the topic I tend to avoid. I understand that not everybody likes having content warnings and this way you can miss out on lots of great books, so Itried to do my best to keep my review spoiler free.

Author Bio:

Kirsty Ferguson is an Australian crime writer whose domestic noir stories centre around strong women and dark topical themes. Kirsty enjoys photography, visiting haunted buildings and spending time with her son. Her first book for Boldwood was Never Ever Tell published in June 2020.
 
Social Media Links –

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkirstyferguson/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kfergusonauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirstyfergusonauthor/
Newsletter Sign Up Link: https://bit.ly/KirstyFergusonNewsletter
Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kirsty-ferguson

Thank you for reading the post! Have a wonderful Monday and a great new week!

If you woud like to see what other bloggers thought of Kirsty Ferguson's book, here is the full blog tour schedule:

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for Diane Saxon's new police procedural The Ex, the latest addtion to her DS Jenna Morgan series.

The Ex

Sometimes your past just won't let go...

As a heat wave grips the country, DS Jenna Morgan is called to a domestic incident at the home of a young family in Ironbridge.
Pregnant Imelda Cheetham-Epstein has been found unconscious by her husband, Zak with serious head injuries.
When Jenna arrives on the scene, she discovers something even more disturbing – the couple's eleven-month-old son, Joshua, is missing and the race against time begins to find him.

Is this an accident or something more sinister?
Are the two incidents linked?

Or has something in the Cheetham-Epstein's past caught up with them?

Diane Saxon is back with a gripping new psychological crime novel, perfect for fans of Cara Hunter and Carol Wyer.


Goodreads

Purchase
Amazon

My thoughts:

The Ex is the fourth book in Diane Saxon's gripping series of police procedurals centered around DS Jenna Morgan, her family and her dedicated team. The book can be read as a standalone, but I am really glad to have discovered a new series to follow.

DS Jenna Morgan is called to a scene of what appears at first glance a domestic accident. Well-meaning, gossipy neighbours waiting outside have already informed her that the newly married couple living in the house are very much in love with each other and are expecting a baby. Imelda must have had a horrifying fall. While paramedics are doing their job to save the young woman's life, Jenna discovers that the couple's eleven-month-old toddler Joshua is missing and the race against the clock begins...

I must say I was a bit apprehensive after reading the first chapter told from the ex's perspective. I knew dark and disturbing things lay ahead as Emily was clearly delusional. I have to say that it isn't easy to portray a character like her and make the reader ask the same question Jenna asks herself: how could it happen that a person with this kind of issues fell through the cracks in the system?

Jenna herself is a terrific police officer and you will sympathise with her and admire her. She has a great team and knows she can rely on them at all times to help her do the basic polic work, something the public rarely sees, keen as we are to focus on the results. The book successfully strikes the balance between the personal and professional, the balance that makes or breaks any police procedural.

I liked the narrative structure: we get to see the events from Emily's POV and also have to solve the mysteryby following Jenna and her team, so the reader is always 'in the know' and yet, there are a few twists that may surprise you. For me, the best thing was the level of detail: Diana Saxon really doesn't tell you, she shows and lets you draw your own conclusions and process the complex feelings this book is bound to stir.

A well-written, fast-paced police procedural /psycholigical thriller, The Ex is a gripping, addictive read, which I can wholeheartedly recommend to all the lovers of the genre. My first book by Diane Saxon and I am hooked. Count me in for all future instalments in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books for the review copy. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.

Author Bio:

Diane Saxon previously wrote romantic fiction for the US market but has now turned to writing psychological crime. Find Her Alive was her first novel in this genre and introduced series character DS Jenna Morgan. She is married to a retired policeman and lives in Shropshire.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authordianesaxon
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diane_Saxon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianesaxonauthor/
Newsletter Sign Up Link: http://bit.ly/DianeSaxonNewsletter
Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/diane-saxon

Thank you for reading the post! Have a wonderful Sunday!

If you would like to find out what other bloggers thought of The Ex, here is the full blog tour schedule: