Book Review: The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

by

Stuart Turton

This book is another that I had to buy after reading so many good things about it on Social media. As a massive fan of murder mysteries it did not take long for me to decide this. This book is Stuart Turton's debut novel so how this was going to read like I had no clue.

"WOW! A slick, wild, mind blowing, rollercoaster of a murder mystery"

Blurb:

Somebody's going to be murdered at the ball tonight. It won't appear to be a murder and so the murderer won't be caught. Rectify that injustice and I'll show you the way out....

It is meant to be a celebration but it ends in tragedy. As fireworks explode overhead, Evelyn Hardcastle, the young and beautiful daughter of the house, is killed.

But Evelyn will not die just once. Until Aiden - one of the guest summoned to Blackheath for the party - can solve her murder, the day will repeat itself, over and over again. Every time ending with that fateful pistol shot.

The only way to break this cycle is to identify her killer. But each time the day begins again, Aiden wakes in the body of a different guest. And someone is desperate to stop him ever escaping Blackheath....

Review:

Where do I start? This book was just WOW... I absolutely loved it. Murder mysteries are one of my favourite genre's to read and this one is up there as one of the best I have ever read. It is packed with twists and turns that keep you guessing (wrongly) all the way till the end. I don't want to sound like a lot of people that have reviewed this book, but it is so Agatha Christie.. Agatha Christie with access to a time machine I may add. It is set after the war so no modern technology for solving murders but with a sci-fi twist. The twist being that the day starts over again at the end of each day, with the main character waking up in the body of someone different every time. The one thing I really love about murder mysteries is that, yes, you are reading the book but you are also trying to solve the crime in your own head just like the characters are in the book. This book I kept having to set aside for a bit to try and think about it. If this was a puzzle this would be set to a hard level. This however does not mean if you are not as geeky as I am you will not love this book. If you are looking for something that is completely different and will blow your mind, this is the book for you. Did I get it right in the end? Nope... Nowhere near. 

The characters in this book were brilliantly written, ranging from upper class to working class, but when it comes to murder it does not matter what class you are. Another thing that was great about this book was the main character was 9 different characters (himself + 8 others) which meant you really got to learn quite a lot about so many of them. Each one picking up something different about the day and as the bodies keep turning up the more you could not trust any of them.

I scored this book a 5 out of 5.. An absolute brilliant read. As mentioned above this has moved up to near the top of my list of favourite books and I will definitely be reading this again some day. I can't wait to see what Stuart Turton will bring us next.

Have you read this book? what do you think? Do you agree with me or not? Let me know...

Speak soon,

CBailey31

Book Review: The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn

The Woman in the Window

by

A.J. Finn

This book was getting so much attention on social media, that when it came out I had to go and buy. I was really looking forward to reading this that it went straight to the top of my TBR pile. This was A.J. Finn's debut novel so as to how it was going to be written I had no clue.

" A great storyline which makes you wonder what goes on in your neighbours house"

Blurb:

It's been ten long months since Anna Fox last left her home. Ten months during which she has haunted the rooms of her old New York house like a ghost, lost in her memories, too terrified to step outside.

Anna's lifeline to the real world is her window, where she sits day after day, watching her neighbours. When the Russell's move in, Anna is instantly drawn to them. A picture-perfect family of three, they are an echo of the life that was once hers.

But one evening, a frenzied scream rips across the silence, and Anna witnesses something no one was supposed to see. Now she must do everything she can to uncover the truth about what really happened. But even if she does, will anyone believe her? And can she even trust herself?

Review:

I actually struggled to get into this book, I started to worry that it would be a big let down. I found it just a bit slow and nothing really happened for the first 70 pages or so. I am quite patient with most things in life including books that do not get me gripped. I mean I know a few people who would probably have given up on this one, but I have to finish the book even if it does not take my fancy.

Thankfully after the first 70 pages it started to get a bit exciting. The "frenzied scream" as described on the cover takes place and the story starts to flow so much quicker. Each chapter was left with questions that you needed answering and tempted you to carry on reading, even if you had other things to do. There was another little patch of where nothing happens about 3/4 of the way through the book but it was not as long as the start. The story then came to a crashing end with twists and turns that I did not see coming at all.  

The characters in the book were interesting to follow, Anna the main character had problems which were not only new to me but very interesting to read about. I felt for her not being able to go outside and put myself in her shoes to see what life would be like, like that. Anna was also the best nosey neighbour. Police sometimes say that a nosey neighbour is the police's best friend, but in this book, this what not the case. As the book went on you actually questioned whether you trusted her or not, or was she making everything up. All other characters in the book you could not trust at all. You knew someone was hiding something but had no clue which one. This I liked as it made the book so much more interesting.

Overall I did enjoy this book but I was not as happy as I was expecting to be. I think I preferred the storyline more to the actually book itself. The start and the bits in-between that were slow took a little of the enjoyment from it. I believe that they will be turning this book into a film and for once I think that this would really help my enjoyment of it. 

I scored this book a 3 out of 5. After checking Goodreads and other sites there is a lot of people who really loved it and there are so many 5 stars for this book. I may have to try it again some day to see if it was just me at that time. I would definitely read another A.J. Finn book though...

Have you read this book? what do you think? do you agree with me or not? let me know....

Speak soon,

CBailey31

#BlogTour Fault Lines by Doug Johnstone

#BlogTour

Fault Lines

by

Doug Johnstone

Hello and welcome to my stop on the #BlogTour for Doug Johnstone's Fault Lines.. Massive thanks goes to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for organising this tour and a huge thanks also goes to the author and Orenda Books for the copy to read and review.

"A thriller with twists and turns that keeps you guessing all the way through the book"

Blurb:

In a reimagined contemporary Edinburgh, where a tectonic fault has opened up to produce a new volcano in the Firth of Forth, and where tremors are an everyday occurrence, volcanologist Surtsey makes a shocking discovery.

On a clandestine trip to new volcanic island The Inch, to meet Tom, her lover and her boss, she finds his lifeless body, and makes the fatal decision to keep their affair, and her discovery, a secret.

Desperate to know how he died, but also terrified she'll be exposed, Surtsey's life quickly spirals into a nightmare when someone makes contact - someone who claims to know what she's done...

Review:

This was the first book that I read by Doug Johnstone so I went into this with an open mind. To start with, whilst reading what the book was about I thought what a cool idea it was to think that there was a volcano in Edinburgh. I also thought how on earth will this fit in, in a whodunit thriller and how will the author use it as part of the story line. Well, it did not take long to get to know Scotland's latest tourist attraction The Inch. From the very beginning you are there and boom!.. A dead body has been found. No scene setting, no back story just straight into the action. I really like books like this as you are already working your brain and preparing for the next information on the trail to find out how they have died.

Thinking about it, I don't know if I have ever read a book set in Edinburgh before, although I have been on a couple of occasions and always enjoyed it there. This was one thing I enjoyed as it was somewhere different than the usual UK hotspots.

The pages turned very fast as the story built, along with the short chapters it meant there were always plenty of  "just one more chapter" moments, even though your eyes were sore and you needed to sleep. The book itself was short compared with a lot of books but the pages were packed with twist after twist. If you don't always have time to read, this book will be perfect for you.

I really loved the characters in this book. Surtsey the main character was great to follow. Not only was her married lover dead but she was also, along with her sister having to deal with her mother, who has a terminal disease. I found this a sub plot in the book which was very sad but also very real. It shows that in life different people handle things like this in different ways.

I really enjoyed this book. It had everything a good thriller should have and this will definitely not be my last book I read by Doug Johnstone. If like me, you love thrillers I fully recommend giving this book a go you will not be disappointed.... Well I say that, but I think next time I go to Edinburgh I may be disappointed when there is no volcano for me to visit...

This book is out now on E-Book and published in Paperback on 22 May 2018..

About the Author:

Doug Johnstone is an author, journalist and musician based in Edinburgh. He's has eight novels published, most recently Crash Land. His previous novel, The Jump, was a finalist for the Mcllvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year. Doug is also a Royal Literary Fund Consultant Fellow. He's worked as an RLF Fellow at Queen Margaret University, taught creative writing at Strathclyde University and been Writer in Residence at Strathclyde University and William Purves Funeral Directors. He mentors and assesses manuscripts for The Literary Consultancy and regularly tutors at Moniack Mhor writing retreat. Doug has released seven albums in various bands, reviews books for the Big Issue, is a player-manager for Scotland Writers Football Club and has a PhD in Nuclear Physics..

#BlogTour The Old You by Louise Voss

#BlogTour

The Old You

by

Louise Voss

Hello and welcome to my stop on the #BlogTour for Louise Voss's The Old You. Massive thanks go to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours and the author Louise Voss for the copy of this book to review.

"A psychological thriller that sucks you in and does not let you go"

Blurb:

Lynn Naismith gave up the job she loved when she married Ed, the lover of her life, but it was worth it for the happy years they enjoyed together. Now, ten years on, Ed has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia, and things start to happen; things more sinister than lost keys and missing words. As some memories are forgotten, others, long buried begin to surface.... and Lynn's perfect world begins to crumble. But is it Ed's mind playing tricks or hers?....

Review:

Where do I start? When I receive a book to read and review I always secretly hope it is really good as I never want to have to write an ok or below par review. I went into this book with that same hope. The Old You was my first book that I have read by Louise Voss so I had to have an open mind about it. Thankfully it did not take me long to get stuck into this book and at a very early stage I knew this was going to be a cracking read.

Psychological thrillers are one of, if not my favourite genre's to read. I love how they play with your mind and you have to juggle the reading of the book whilst also playing detective in your head as you try and work out what has happened or who has done what. This book had everything for me. It had twists and turns everywhere and was probably one of the best psychological thrillers I have read in a few years. It was one of those books that you sit awake a night reading knowing you have to be up in 4/5 hours but you don't care. It kind of dares you to put it down. Each chapter, the words leapt off the pages leaving little hints that left you questioning what was coming next and made you change your mind from the previous chapter. The story built and built and you were that desperate to find out more that this was a very quick read. I am not the fastest of readers and even I read this over a long weekend. I was very happy with the whole storyline, I found it very originally and just when you think the book was coming to an end... BOOM! another twist...

The characters were really well written. I loved Lynn the main character who also played the part of the narrator. Originally you felt for her but you knew deep down she had some secrets of her own. The other characters played their part very well also. Each one of them you could not fully trust and they had you wondering what things were they hiding and maybe they might not be who they say they are.

Overall this book was fantastic. I really loved it and I will definitely read it again some day. This book will also not be my last that I read by Louise Voss. I love being introduced to new authors and I am really glad I had the opportunity to read one of her books.

If you love psychological thrillers, this book is a must. If you have never read one before I think you should give this one a go and maybe you might just fall in love with this genre. 

This book is out now on E-Book and published on paperback on 15 May 2018

About the Author:

Over her eighteen-year writing career, Louise Voss has had eleven novel published - five solo and six co-written with Mark Edwards: a combination of psychological thrillers, police procedurals and contemporary fiction - and sold over 350,000 books. Louise has an MA (Dist) in creative writing and also works as a literary consultant  and mentor for writers at www.thewritingcoach.co.uk. She lives in South-West London and is a proud member of two female crime writing collectives, The Slice Girls and Killer Women.