Local Girl Missing by Claire Douglas

A thrilling tale set in an atmospherically and realistically described out-of-season seaside town, when Sophie's historic disappearance and presumed death is brought into the present with the discovery of a foot in a trainer matching that  she had been wearing when last seen.  Her school friend, Francesca, is asked back to the town by Sophie's brother Daniel, to try to find out just what happened.  Secrets are uncovered and it is hard to know who can be trusted.  The results are surprising and shocking and make a very enjoyable, chilling story.

Oldcliffe-on-Sea is a fictional town on the Somerset coast, but to anyone living in the area, it will be immediately identifiable and that added to my pleasure, but this book does not rely on local knowledge to work well.

The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen aged 83 and a quarter years old by Hendrik Groen

This is a delightful book, and Hendrik Groen is a delightful if occasionally curmudgeonly diarist: a lovely book to dip into over a series of days, as his account of his year in his care home is told. He gives his account with charm and humour, which he needs to survive the stultifying routine and company there. However, you cannot keep a good man down for long, and Hendrik and his small band of friends find new ways to make life bearable. There is plenty to make the reader smile, and food for thought in the issues it raises about the practice and politics of the care for the elderly, in any country, as well as the practice of making the most of what you've got whe you've got it . The book is a tragicomic treat and I would love to hear more from the wonderful Hendrik Groen.

Lie With Me by Sabine Durrant

Such an unusual thriller, set in London where the past catches up with has-been author, Paul, and an Ionian island, where he joins a group of old friends for a reunion holiday in the sun.  Paul is something of a fantasist and freeloader, who has spent a dissolute youth and whose drink-drenched memories of ever more youthful conquests are somewhat sketchy.  He has been basking in precocious literary success for a long time, and nothing written since has found favour with his publisher.  But will the exploiter be exploited?  Or can he turn the tables once again?  And has he at last found love?  Sabine Durrant manages to create a character in Paul who is much more engaging than he should be, and has written him into a compelling, suspenseful and dramatic tale in well described settings.  A jolly good read.

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

This book is such a killer chiller thriller. Every parent's nightmare is the disappearance of their baby, so when this happens to Anne and Marco while they are visiting their next door neighbours with the baby alarm as their babysitter suddenly has to let them down, it is all too easy to identify with their distress, panic and pain when, on one of their half-hourly checks, little Cora has gone from her cot. At six months old, she cannot have removed herself, so what has happened? Clearly someone has taken her, but who, and why? So the waiting game begins, and so does the guilt, and so does the uncovering of secrets. Anne is forced to consider just who would take her baby and why, and who she can trust. The police are involved - will they solve the mystery and return the baby home? This tale is gripping and compulsive reading, with so many twists and turns that it keeps the reader guessing most enjoyably, right to the shocking end. An excellent grip lit read.

Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty

Another stonker of a story from Liane Moriarty. She has the gift of creating believable, familiar, three dimensional characters and of taking a situation and minutely dissecting it with almost forensic detail, weaving its precursors and impact on those characters into a compelling, entertaining and darkly humourous psychological thriller. She teases the reader with possibilities and enthrals as the tale unfolds. A brilliant book.

Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent,

A monster lurks within these pages, nesting in buried secrets, watching and waiting.  Who it is and what monstrous actions they will cause is cleverly woven into this tale of two Irish families and how their lives become connected across the class divide  Tense and unsettling, a story of Laurence's childhood evolves into a powerful psychological thriller as the monster claims its victims.  Grip lit at its best!

The Beauty of the End, by Debbie Howells

A moving and powerful story of Noah's relationship with Grace, from adolescence, when he, an unpopular and bullied outsider, is smitten and besotted by the goddess he perceives her to be, to an excavation of secrets in a search for the truth as a desperate situation unfolds. What has Grace been hiding and what has been haunting her? What is his old school friend, Matt's, role in this? This is a taut and intelligently crafted story, a psychological thriller to keep the reader guessing, and a compelling read.

"Nina Is Not OK" by Shappi Khorsandi

An amazingly insightful book with a main character, Nina, who tore at my heartstrings.  Everything has gone wrong for poor Nina: her father died of alcoholic pancreatitis when she was little, her Mum has a new life with a new partner, and her beloved boyfriend Jamie has decided to take a gap year in Hong Kong before university, then dumps her long-distance when he meets someone else.  Like many young people, Nina likes a drink - or many, and it is starting to leave black holes in her memory and mess up her life.  This story depicts an avalanche of ill fortune and bad judgement but told in such a deft way that our sympathies are kept very much on Nina's side, as we learn how very badly people can behave.  Will Nina be the ultimate victim?  Or will she learn to live with herself and others, and take a different path?  I thought this story was brilliant and that it should be read by everyone.  It shows how damaging low self esteem can be and how it is possible to take a new direction in life.  With cyber-bullying and revenge porn such contemporary issues, it is highly relevant to growing up today and it is one I would want to share with my teenaged children,  It is a gem of a book.  Shappi Khorsandi has a magic muse.

All Is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker

A somewhat difficult book to read and to review, without giving too much away.  The book is set in small town America and opens with the story of a teenager going to her first house party, invited by her crush.  Things do not work out as anyone would have hoped, and there is an account of a harrowing, brutal rape which I found hard to read and almost gave up.  However, I persevered.  The victim, Jenny is given a drug treatment to erase the memories of this horrible attack, even though it will hinder police investigation of the crime, but it does not work well and memories begin to bubble up, causing much distress.

The next section is written like a case history, as a psychiatrist/psychotherapist gives his account of his treatment of Jenny and her family, and others who have suffered various trauma.  Having  worked in psychiatric and therapeutic settings, I felt very much at home with this, until events made me begin to question the professionalism and ethics of the psychiatrist.

The book throws up all sorts of questions and, as others have mentioned, would be rich pickings for a book club discussion: power in relationships, professional boundaries, the morality of removing troublesome memories of trauma as opposed to seeking to help trauma victims come to terms with what has happened to them and deal with triggers for PTSD are just some of them.  Also,  how far would you go to protect your child?

"Physician, heal thyself" seems pertinent, as does the famous Hippocratic oath, "First,  do no harm."  It is a thought provoking and good if (at times) difficult read.  My final summation was Macchiavelli meets Lolita.  It is a good psychological thriller that will keep the reader guessing.  It is powerful stuff.  You can buy yours in any good book store, or via this link.

 Wendy Walker has worked as an attorney specialising in family law. She lives in Connecticut where she is at work on her next novel.

Want to see what other reviewers have thought?  Here are the other stops on the blog tour:-

Crime on the Fens, by Joy Ellis

Crime on the Fens is an atmospheric book: fenland is described to great effect in this suspense-filled, enjoyable story.   If fiction is to be believed, to be maverick is a person specification for the post of Detective Inspector in the UK., and Nikki Galena certainly fits the (B)ill.   Life and work may have left her a damaged, brittle person, and her approach to work means she is on her last chance with the powers that be in Lincolnshire Police Force., but she has to investigate the case of a missing person with the help of her "dysfunctional" team and a new Detective Sergeant from another station.  Nikki has a personal history with the local underworld, and this may prove a help or a hindrance.  And, like us all, she has secrets.

Events unfold into a complex situation as it seems that someone may be fomenting war between local gangs, while someone else disappears...

 The main characters are developed into well-rounded, likeable people and I sincerely hope that this is just the beginning of our acquaintance with the CID at Woodborough Police Station.  A satisfying page-turner.

Blog Tour - The Killing Files by Nikki Owen

The Killing Files is an incredibly tense yet engaging thriller.  Maria Martinez is no ordinary protagonist: she is a highly trained plastic surgeon who has been convicted of and imprisoned for the murder of a priest, who has been described as paranoid and also has Aspergers Syndrome which  causes difficulties in dealing with emotions, anxiety and social situations.  She does not sound very likeable when described in this way,  and yet Nikki Owen has succeeded in writing her as a vulnerable and engaging character - I really felt for her throughout this book.

Having successfully appealed her murder conviction, she takes refuge in her native Spain until evidence strongly suggests that she is in danger.  She is concerned for the safety of her beloved family and the few friends she has found it so difficult to make.  Is she paranoid?  Is she being stalked?  And just what is The Project?  The construction of the plot is so clever, because the tension and suspense are maintained to the point that it is hard to stop reading and put the book down, and I found myself holding my breath and fearing for my blood pressure.  Maria's resourcefulness and longing for friendship are strong themes in this story and I am missing her now the story has concluded - but at least I can read the first volume of the trilogy, Subject 375, while waiting for the third part to become available.

As they say, "Just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you."  The Killing Files makes for great reading, especially for those who enjoy psychological thrillers.  I really enjoyed it.

For more information, the Amazon link is here.

Nikki Owen is an award-winning freelance writer and columnist currently based in Gloucestershire.
Previously, Nikki was a marketing consultant and University teaching fellow before turning to writing full time. As part of her degree, she studied at the acclaimed University of Salamanca – the same city where her protagonist of the Project trilogy, Dr Maria Martinez, hails from.

Find more reactions to The Killing Files by following its Blog Tour at the above stops, until 11th June 2016.

Burnt Paper Sky by Gilly MacMillan, Piatkus, 2015.

I've just reviewed Burnt Paper Sky over here.  It's a really good read, which was published last year and I borrowed from the library.

I'm enjoying the warmer weather and the sunshine, although the accompanying tree-pollen related hay fever is tedious.  The washing is blowing on the line and I will have to get it in shortly because it is, I suspect, barbecue time.

It is hard to believe that a week ago we were just back from a very chilly, snowy Lake District, where I had spent a few lovely days in Grasmere with some very special creative friends.  We are all determined to keep the creative vibe going on, but returning to the world of daily life and domestic routine makes that challenging.

New Blog for Books

I've got a new blog - Reading in the Magic Armchair - in which to write about my book adventures and travels.

 Hopefully I'll be returning to blogging on life in general here from time to time - books haven't altogether taken over my life (though some might argue with that!)  I hope to see you there as well as here.

The Bones of Grace by Tahmina Anam

An unusual, glorious tale of love, tragedy and adventure: a search for identity and meaning, and a rite of passage.  I loved the lyrical writing and the complex plot, set in the contrasting worlds of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Bangladesh.  Zubaida is an engaging heroine, seeking fulfilment through career (as a paleontologist) and relationships, and also seeking her roots, her place in the world, peace and grace,  This story also had me searching on the internet for the Glass Flowers of Harvard museum - well worth investigating and I would now love to see them.  This book, as exquisitely crafted as the flowers,  swept me up and delighted me.  Where we come from may shape us, but in the end we must take responsibility for our own destiny.

The Course of Love by Alain de Botton

Such an unusual novel: it reads rather like a single case study in social psychology or a fly on the wall television documentary, which sees a couple through stages in their relationship with a running commentary to consider what is going on at deeper levels.  It is wry, wise, funny and tender but also oddly objective and interpretative.  It is easy to forget that it is a novel.  It makes for interesting and entertaining reading.

The Missing Hours by Emma Kavanagh

The Missing Hours by Emma Kavanagh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book is just brilliant, beautifully written with intricate plot and very real characters. I am in awe of Emma Kavanagh's skill. The detectives are fully fleshed human beings, the conflicts between the job and their home lives being understandably and sympathetically described. The investigation of a missing mother turns into a complex case which turns as often as a mountain road and defies all guessing. A deliciously compelling read.

Hitman Anders and the meaning of it all by Jonas Jonasson

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A thoroughly charming, engaging, and genre-bending novel which mixes crime thriller with romance, comedy and a bit of light-hearted philosophy to result in a jolly good read.  The main characters are the recidivist Hitman Anders, a priest and a receptionist, and a cast of hoodlums and ne'er do wells.  Serving the masses and survival are the aims, as well as seeking the meaning of it all.  A mirthful Scandi noir and a truly enjoyable book.

If you liked Jonas Jonasson's previous books (The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared, The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden) you will be reassured to know that this story is as bonkers as those - all part of the charm. It made me think about morality, and it made me laugh out loud. 

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick

A truly charming tale of Arthur Pepper, who is numbed and shocked after the death of Miriam, his wife and the love of his life. A strict routine gives him the structure to go on, but it is a joyless existence.  A surprising find sets him on a journey which will allow him to make further discoveries and discover that his life is not over, that there is life after loss.  The plot is clever and this story is well told: a delight to read.

From Here to Home by Marie Bostwick

This story makes for satisfying reading.  The main characters are  strong and resourceful women and some unusual menfolk, and it is set mainly in the little town of Too Much, Texas, where there are lessons to be learned about the importance of doing what you love.  Horses and making patchwork quilts are central to this tale, as are family and romance.  It's  a really enjoyable book.

Girl in the Ice by Robert Bryndza

Such a thrilling thriller: tautly plotted, peopled by well-drawn and convincing characters, with suspense and suprises aplenty.  DCI Erica Foster may be on her first outing with Robert Bryndza, but she comes with a strong and tragic back story as well as a fine investigative instinct and good leadership skills.  Newly arrived in London, she hits the ground running when required to head up a politically sensitive murder enquiry.  The situation escalates and she faces incredible challenges from outside influences and interference, as well as personal danger.  As the cover says, it's a serial killer thriller, blessed with pace and fine writing.  I am so glad there is not long to wait before Erica is back in the incident room on a new case, she's a great character.