Unreliable Narrator by Araminta Hall

 

Unreliable Narrator by Araminta Hall.

Published 5th March 2026 by Pan Macmillan.

From the cover of the book:

YOUR SECRETS AREN'T SAFE.

Ten years ago, Hope left Somerset with a fatal secret and a broken heart. She has spent a decade in the shadows, living a quiet life of penance to protect the man she once loved - the world-famous author Ambrose Glencourt.

YOUR LIFE IS NOT YOUR OWN.

Then, she opens his latest bestseller. To the world, it’s a brilliant work of fiction. To Hope, it’s a betrayal. Every private moment, every dark truth, and every ‘fatal disaster’ from that summer is laid bare on the page.

YOUR TRUTH IS A LIE.

But Ambrose has changed the ending. In his version of the story, Hope isn't the victim. She’s the villain.

Now, Hope must step out of the shadows to reclaim her narrative. But in a world of glamorous elites and whispered secrets, who will believe the word of an unreliable woman against the word of a literary icon?

Two narrators. One truth. And a secret worth killing for.

***********

Ten years ago, Hope spent a fateful summer working for famous author Ambrose (Rosie) Glencourt, as he was writing his bestseller The Ruined Girl. It was both the best and worst time of her life. Since then, she has been living an isolated life to protect him from the secret of how that summer ended in tragedy.

Rosie has now let it be known that he is writing a sequel, and this brings a host of memories rushing back for Hope. She has never read The Ruined Girl, but decides the time is nigh to pick it up. What she discovers sends her reeling. The Ruined Girl is obviously based on Hope's life, and the secrets she has been keeping are here for all to see.

It is time for Hope to step out of the shadows and reclaim her own story... 

The novel begins with Hope discovering that Rosie betrayed her by laying bare a twisted version of the events of that summer as the plot for The Ruined Girl - the book he was struggling to write in 2016. Through the pages of the journal Hope kept when she worked with Rosie, she takes us back in time to that heady summer, when she was overwhelmed by the stark difference in her own life and the bohemian existence of Rosie and his artist wife Delia.

Seduced by the ease. elegance, and shabby chic charm of their country estate Shadowlands, Hope becomes immersed in the glamour of their lives, falling for their sort-of-adopted son Tom. Negotiating an emotional minefield she has no idea how to traverse, desperate to fit in, and caught between simmering feelings for Tom, Rosie and Delia, the long-hot summer takes a dangerous turn (loved the metaphoric presence of the hornets nest in the cupboard). All Hope's dreams come crashing down in a moment of violence that she feels she must carry the guilt for.

As Hope's version of events ends, the sumptuous literary style morphs into an intriguing mix of psychological thriller and police procedural in the present. Typical of Araminta Hall, she now turns everything on its head. In order for Hope to reclaim her life she must attempt to prove her version of events is the truth, but battling against the prestige of the now lauded author and his wife is far from easy... and the full meaning of the title ' Unreliable Narrator' comes into its own!

The twists and turns come thick and fast in this second part of the book, and although not all the elements work as slickly as they could (the domestic abuse side-plot sits clumsily amongst all the other cleverly wielded threads) the direction the story takes here is edge-of-your-seat exciting.

Then, to top it all, Hall tugs on the meaty feminist themes to tie up the novel in the most glorious of endings, subverting the premise into one which will have you punching the air with glee. Absolute genius!

Packed with lovely themes about control, abuse, passion, dysfunction, and reclaiming your own narrative this is just as thought-provoking and addictive as I hoped it would be. For me, the best bits lie in the stonking literary delights of the coming-of-age first part of the book (more please Araminta Hall), but the whole thing is a delicious concoction. I swallowed it whole!

Unreliable Narrator is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Araminta Hall is a journalist and teacher. She is the author of five previous novels, including her first novel, Everything and Nothing, which was published in 2011 and became a Richard and Judy read that year. She is the great niece of Dodie Smith and the great granddaughter of Lawrence Beesley, who survived the Titanic and wrote a bestselling account of the tragedy in the book, The Loss of the SS Titanic.

She teaches creative writing at New Writing South Brighton, where she lives with her husband and three children.

Witch Trial by Harriet Tyce

 

Witch Trial by Harriet Tyce.

Published 26th February 2026 by Wildfire.

From the cover of the book:

When 18-year-old Christian Shaw is found dead in an Edinburgh park, the city reels - and the shock only deepens when police charge her best friends, Eliza Lawson and Isobel Smyth, with her murder.

As their trial begins and headlines scream for justice, rumours of bullying spiral into something darker: whispers of rituals, obsession, and a teenage pact gone wrong.

But then the girls take the stand - revealing a chilling defence no one saw coming - and the jury must question everything: the motives, the evidence, even their own judgement.

Who's telling the truth? Who can be trusted?

And what really happened to Christian Shaw?

Let the Witch Trial begin . . .

***********

When eighteen-year-old Christian Shaw's body is found in an Edinburgh park, ominously surrounded by crows and with a rictus grimace of terror on her face, a media frenzy ensues - made worse when her school friends Eliza Lawson and Isobel Smyth are charged with her murder.

The trial is now about to begin, and the country holds its breath for gory details of how and why Eliza and Isobel allegedly scared Christian to death through occult means, knowing she suffered from a dangerous heart condition.

As the prosecution begins its case, it becomes clear that the defence Eliza and Isobel will employ not only sets them at odds with each other, but relies on 'facts' which must surely be pure delusion. Who is telling the truth? The jury must decide...

The story unfurls from the point of view of heart surgeon Matthew Phillips, who has been called to serve on the jury for the sensational case (with additional snippets from the witnesses as they are called to testify). Through his eyes, the tense high court drama plays out, immersing you in his thoughts on the the accused, the defence and prosecution cases, the testimony of the witnesses, his fellow jurors, and some of the people who have come to view the proceedings. In parallel, Tyce treats you to an intriguing fly-on-the-wall view of Matthew's troubled personal life, and the fracturing of his mental health as he begins to question reality and his role in the case.

Tyce beautifully portrays the ever-changing landscape in the courtroom, keeping you on a knife-edge as prosecution and defence play their hands, and the jurors navigate the difficult process of coming to a majority verdict. The suspense is pitched to perfection, with cracking reveals timed to shift your perspective on what really happened, especially when it comes to the deliciously nostalgic dark vein of horror that runs through the whole story. And then, when you are good and disoriented, Tyce pulls a blinder in the final swathes of the novel (and pokes a little fun at herself too). 

Along the way, Tyce elegantly explores a wealth of themes to tweak your emotions and provoke your thoughts... perception, unorthodox beliefs, views on witchcraft (powerful echoes of witch trials through the ages), attitudes towards those who are a little different, mental health, and even the legal system itself. And there is a lot to reflect on when it comes to bullying, cruelty, jealousy, guilt, parent-child relationships, stress, and the complexities of female friendships.

I consumed it whole, unable to look away for a second. Absolute genius!

Witch Trial is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Wildfire for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Harriet Tyce grew up in Edinburgh and studied English at Oxford University before doing a law conversion course at City University. She practiced as a criminal barrister in London for nearly a decade, and subsequently completed an MA in Creative Writing/Crime Fiction at the University of East Anglia. She lives in north London.  

The Murder Pool (Stella Blomkvist Book Four) by Stella Blómkvist

 

The Murder Pool (Stella Blómkvist Book Four) by Stella Blómkvist.

Translated by Quentin Bates.

Published 5th March 2026 by Corylus Books.

From the cover of the book:

Sometimes murder runs in the family. Or does it?

When a well-known artist is found in Snorri's Pool with an axe buried deep in his chest, Stella Blómkvist is immediately thrown in at the deep end, brought in to defend the apparently harmless young man the police have in their sights as the killer.

The man's mother had spent time prison, convicted of the killing of a personal trainer, despite her protestations of innocence. Stella can't help being drawn into both the cold case and this fresh murder, with a trail of guilt that stretches half-way around the world.

As if she doesn't have enough to keep her busy, Stella's pursuing a political high-flyer suspected of being a serial rapist, and defending a senior police officer on corruption charges that have all the hallmarks of a vendetta. But the toughest challenges Stella faces are among her own loved ones…

With a razor-sharp tongue and a moral compass all of her own, Stella Blómkvist has a talent for attracting trouble. Her trademark explosive mix of murder, intrigue and surprise has made this of Iceland's best-loved crime series.

***********

With a lot on her mind, controversial Icelandic lawyer Stella Blómkvist goes for a night-time stroll, only to come across the body of a well-known artist in Snorri's Pool. It is immediately obvious that the man is dead, given the axe buried deep in his chest.

Already in the process of helping a woman prove her innocence over a conviction that had her imprisoned for the murder of her personal trainer lover years before, Stella now finds herself also defending the woman's young son - who the police believe is guilty of the brutal crime after acting as a model for the artist.

Meanwhile, Stella is also trying to bring down a powerful political advisor whose reign as a serial rapist has been allowed to continuing unchallenged, and defending a senior policeman from serious charges of bribery and collusion with the Icelandic criminal fraternity.

It is business as usual for Stella Blómkvist...

Stella Blómkvist, the ball-busting legal creation of the mysterious best-selling author of the same name, is back with her fourth gripping adventure, translated into English by Quentin Bates. And this time she has more on her drama-laden plate than ever.

Stella's new-found happiness with her wife, Rannveig, is clouded with worries, but the pressure of work is not about to let up for an instant. Stella finds herself in the midst of several tricky investigations at the same time, all of which have links with secrets and lies from the past - some of which touch Stella's own fiery encounters with very bad criminal types and the upper echelons of political and business circles.

The separate threads of murder, sexual misconduct, corruption, and revenge become increasingly tangled together, and Stella is off ruffling feathers; using her contacts to ferret out dirt; dropping hints into all the right ears; flying about in her silver merc; and using her forthright attitude to her advantage. The action comes thick and fast, punctuated by tense courtroom scenes, and there are many exciting twists and turns on the the way to hidden truths on several fronts.

Without a doubt, this is Stella's most complicated story to date. With so many parallel cases there is a lot to keep track of, particularly when it comes to remembering who's who in the rogues gallery. However, a Stella Blómkvist story is always a gritty fun-ride, with bags of suspense, and this is no exception. Stella's uncompromising attitude keeps you entertained throughout, and drives the plot onwards to satisfying conclusions (and intriguing moral dilemmas). I really enjoyed how many faces from the previous books made appearances, and Blómkvist makes excellent use of the echoing themes of dysfunctional families, ambition, sexual abuse, vendettas, and double-dealing.

A one-sitting read - superbly translated by Quentin Bates, as always. I am already looking forward to book five!

The Murder Pool is available to buy now in paperback and ebook formats.

Thank you to Corylus Books for sending me an ecopy of this book in return for an honest review, and to Ewa Sherman for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

With a devoted following in Iceland where the Stella Blómkvist books have been a bestselling series since their appearance in the 1990s, the books have been published under a pseudonym – and the author’s identity remains a firmly under wraps.

Who is behind Nordic Noir’s best-kept secret is a question that crops up regularly, but it looks like it’s going to remain a mystery...

About the translator:

Quentin Bates escaped English suburbia as a teenager, jumping at the chance of a gap year working in Iceland. For a variety of reasons, the gap year stretched to become a gap decade, during which time he went native in the north of Iceland, acquiring a new language, a new profession and a family…

He is the author of a series of crime novels set in present-day Iceland – and as a translator he has worked with some of Iceland’s coolest writers, including Lilja Sigurðardóttir, Sólveig Pálsdóttir, Stella Blómkvist, Einar Kárason, Ragnar Jónasson, Jónína Leósdóttir, Óskar Guðmundsson and more.

The Harvey Girl (The Harvey Girls Mysteries Book One) by Dana Stabenow

 

The Harvey Girl (The Harvey Girls Mysteries Book One) by Dana Stabenow.

Published 5th March 2026 by Aries.

From the cover of the book:

WELCOME TO THE GILDED AGE. WHERE NOT EVERYTHING GLITTERS.

1890. The New Mexico Territory is a lawless frontier where criminals steal money and land alike with impunity. Everyone wears a six-gun and is ready and willing to draw it.

In the new city of Montaña Roja, Fred Harvey's growing empire is threatened by the robberies plaguing his newest Harvey House restaurant. To get justice, he needs a skilled detective to go undercover and procure answers to questions the law will not ask.

The assignment falls to Clare Wright, a young Pinkerton agent. Disguised as one of Harvey's famous hostesses, Clare travels west where she risks being exposed at every step of her investigation. To get answers - and to get out alive - there are only two things she can trust: her instincts, and her derringer.

***********

1890. The New Mexico Territory is opening up fast. The march of civilisation is not far behind, but for now lawlessness is the name of the frontier game. Entrepreneur Fred Harvey is making the most of the opportunities offered in the Wild West by extending his chain of Harvey House restaurants into New Mexico, but frequent train robberies are threatening his empire. He needs someone to go undercover in his newest restaurant in Montaña Roja to put a stop to the thefts - especially now the culprits have upped their game to include murder.

Young Pinkerton agent Clare Wright is the perfect person for the job. Disguised as one of Harvey's famous hostesses, a Harvey Girl, she heads west to investigate - armed with her notebook and trusty derringer...

I am partial to a mystery set in the good old Wild West, so I was instantly attracted to this exciting novel from Dana Stabenow - especially as it is set in the intriguing Gilded Age (a term taken from a novel by Mark Twain, who makes an entertaining appearance).

Unfurling largely from the perspective of ingenious, kick-ass detective Clare, the story begins with her wrapping-up an investigation in Bienville, Mississippi (via a fascinating prologue about her origins, which becomes relevant later in the story). A meeting with a perplexed Fred Harvey and Clare's Pinkerton employers then sends her out west to New Mexico, for an incognito job that will test her sleuthing skills and her mettle to the max. 

Montaña Roja is a revelation for Clare. Awed by the scenery, shocked by the lack of competent law enforcement, and bemused by the shenanigans of the local business mogul and his cronies, she sets to work ferreting out those responsible for the daring railroad raids - even though she is exhausted by the amount of work expected of her as a Harvey Girl. With a little help from some strategically placed hired gun-types (famous faces amongst them), and the steadfast women in Montaña Roja, Clare's investigation produces surprising results that spark a highly enjoyable, fast-paced finale that channels the Wild West vibe to perfection.

Stabenow perfectly balances this gripping adventure on the knife-edge of a new territory teetering between lawlessness and civilisation. Boom town fever, and the spread of the railroad are opening up the west, and she does an excellent job of immersing you in all the contradictions of a town where killings happen openly in the streets, while robber barons build gaudy mansions funded by back-room deals, and ordinary citizens go about their lives. The plot blends western fun with a compelling crime story, and encompasses fascinating political, geographical and historical detail - much of which sent me down rabbit holes, especially about Fred Harvey and Harvey Girls, who I had not heard about before. 

I galloped (pun intended) through Clare's atmospheric escapade, and cannot wait for the next instalment of the series!

The Harvey Girl is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Aries for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Dana Stabenow was born in Anchorage, Alaska and raised on a 75-foot fishing tender. She knew there was a warmer, drier job out there somewhere and found it in writing. Her first book in the bestselling Kate Shugak series, A Cold Day for Murder, received an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America.

The Other Moctezuma Girls by Sofia Robleda

 

The Other Moctezuma Girls by Sofia Robleda.

Published 24th February 2026 by Amazon Crossing.

From the cover of the book:

In sixteenth-century Mexico, a fearless young woman strives to uncover the secrets her mother kept as the last Aztec empress in a sweeping historical epic by the author of Daughter of Fire.

Tenochtitlan, 1551. Thirty years after the Spanish Conquest destroyed everything she loved, the last Aztec empress has passed and left behind a pristine yet tenuous legacy for her children. As her last will and testament is read out, her daughter Isabel suspects that another account of her mother’s life may exist, hidden away, chapter by chapter, in the Valley of Mexico. Following each clue, Isabel is determined to find out who her mother really was and to discover the secrets she buried in order to survive.

Joined by her siblings and a handsome young cook named Juan, Isabel embarks on a perilous journey to piece together the past—a journey that will force the party to brave the brutal viceroyal court, face fearsome legends in mystical chinampas, and trek through desert, fire, and snow. As Isabel’s feelings for Juan grow, she confronts everything she thought she knew about her Spanish father, her empress mother, and herself.

 Facing everything from the tunnels of ancient pyramids to the summit of an active volcano, Isabel will meet every challenge to fulfil an epic quest for the truth.

***********

1551, Tenochtitlan, Mexico. Tecuichpoch, the last Aztec empress (known as Isabel Moctezuma), has died leaving behind a will that causes consternation amongst her children. Brothers and sisters have been set against each other over Tecuichpoch's wishes. And for her youngest daughters, Isabel and Catina, the retired life of nuns in a convent beckons.

But Isabel has other ideas. A stunning tapestry left behind by their beloved mother convinces Isabel that there is more to her life than she revealed. Fleeing the wrath of their embittered elder brothers, Isabel, Catina (who is deaf), their closest brother Nano, and a young Moorish cook named Juan, set off on a dangerous quest to discover the real story of the last Aztec empress.

Inspired by what little remains about the life of Tecuichpoch and her children, Sofia Robleda weaves an utterly absorbing adventure, set thirty years after the Spanish Conquest, that delves into the fascinating, and heart-wrenching history of sixteenth century Mexico. 

The story unfurls from the perspective of fiery Isabel, beginning with a gripping scene where the reading of Tecuichpoch's will sets the seeds for sibling discontent amongst her seven children. When their Spanish father Juan Cano heads to his mother country to attend to the endless political wrangling that has kept Tecuichpoch's empire intact, discontent spills over into shocking violence - spurring Isabel, Catina, and Nano to escape, with the threat of their older brothers' wrath constantly dogging their heels.

In the company of Juan, the handsome gentle cook (who has a sad story of his own to tell), the siblings find themselves in ever more perilous situations in locations related to Tecuichpoch's life, on a quest for a series of diaries she has left behind. Each diary tells them a little more about her history, from her childhood as the favourite daughter of Emperor Moctezuma, through to her experiences following the Spanish Conquest at the hands of infamous Conquistador Hernán Cortés and her six husbands. 

Robleda pitches this story beautifully, incorporating the kind of history that sends you down endless rabbit holes into a heart-pounding adventure at the side of the three siblings, Juan, and a host of unexpected allies. Each stage of the quest brings alive the life of suffering and sacrifice Tecuichpoch endured, explaining the decisions she made in order to survive the destruction of everything she knew when the Conquistadors arrived, and vividly juxtaposes aspects of pre-Hispanic old world with the new reality under cruel Spanish rule.

Along the way, the Isabel, Catina, and Nano learn things about themselves, their relationships with full and half-siblings, their father, the sides of their mother they never knew, and the history of their country. A slow-burn romance between Isabel and Juan intertwines all the fast-paced, mystery-laden loveliness, for top-notch emotional content too. 

I could not put this book down. The characters are wonderful, especially the fire-brand women who shine through the entire novel; the well-written, coming of age plot captures you completely; and Robleda's passion for Mexico in all its complexity sings out. I learned so much about the uncomfortable history of the Spanish Conquest, and the powerful legacy of pre-Hispanic culture. And all the little touches around Catina's deafness added an intriguing extra dimension.

The forewords about Mexica history, Nahuatl pronunciation, and inclusion of a handy Family Tree were so helpful before embarking on the story - and for fellow fans of such things, there is even a map to help you navigate the journey of Isabel and her companions!

Highly recommended to lovers of captivating historical fiction (with an undercurrent of magical realism and folklore) that opens your heart and mind to the past in the best way possible. I loved it from atmospheric beginning to the clever twist in the tail at the end!

I also recommend signing up to Sofia Robleda's newsletter via the link at the end of the book for some welcome bonus content.

The Other Moctezuma Girls is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Folk PR for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to join this blog tour.

About the author:

Sofia Robleda is a Mexican writer and author of Daughter of Fire. She spent her childhood and adolescence in Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore, and completed her undergraduate and doctorate degrees in psychology at the University of Queensland, Australia. She currently lives in the UK with her husband and son, and splits her time between writing, raising her son, and working as a psychologist, supporting people with brain injuries and neurological conditions.

A Cottage In The Country by Katie Fforde

 

A Cottage In The Country by Katie Fforde.

Published 12th February 2026 by Bloomsbury.

From the cover of the book:

She's found her dream home but can she make her dreams a reality?

Hattie finds other people their dream homes for a living.

Surely she, of all people, has the connections and the knowledge to find her own forever home? Instead, she baffles those closest to her by choosing to pack up and move every few months from one housesitting job to the next.

Of course, that's because she knows where she wants to live. It's a beautiful house owned by a lovely old woman who'd simply love for Hattie to have it.

But nothing is ever that simple.

There's Clive who refuses to listen to his great-aunt's wishes about her house. There's Luke, Hattie's oldest friend, who just wants to see her happy. And there's Hattie herself. It might take a difficult client, an awkward teenager and a couple of dogs to help her see what really makes a house a home.

***********

Hattie spends her days finding the perfect homes for her clients, and yet she has yet to buy one for herself - even though she knows exactly which one she would pick. Her dream home is owned by her elderly friend Mary, and although Mary would dearly love for Hattie to buy it, there is a stumbling block... Clive, Mary's penny-pinching great nephew, who refuses to consider his great-aunt's needs and wishes.

Meanwhile, Hattie flits from rented property to rented property, relying of her oldest friend, builder Luke, to come to her aid in an emergency. She sometimes thinks that she and Luke could be something more, but she is unwilling to spoil their friendship.

Then her sister asks Hattie if her son Xander can come and stay with her while she is away working in Switzerland. Hattie is unsure she is the right person to look after a teenager, but knows she will be able to rely on Luke's help. She does not realise that Xander's arrival will show her what makes a house a 'home'...

A Katie Fforde book is always balm for the soul, and this one turned out to be just the tonic I needed! I loved Hattie from the start. Her unconventional style, her kindness, her intuition, and her ability to see glimpses of the future for the people around her (inherited from her wild Irish granny) make her easy to take to your heart - but finding her own happiness proves to be a little more tricky.

As the story unfurls, Hattie's big heart and her insightful visions allow her to steer her friends and loved ones towards their perfect partners. This generally involves complicated, and highly entertaining matchmaking schemes. And yet she struggles to see where her own heart really lies, until the moment she realises who she wants has been there all along. Ahh. 

Fforde being Fforde, she handles all the messy business of friendship, family, and finding the perfect soul-mate to perfection. Lovely themes run through the threads of the story, touching on almost every character in the very likeable supporting cast (which includes Luke's adorable dogs Frank and Fearless); and there are even a couple of very creditable villains to loathe (looking at you Lance and Clive) who Fforde uses to explore controlling relationships, and those more concerned with a future inheritance rather than the well-being of an elderly relative (how I loved, and worried about, Mary). I really enjoyed all the house hunting in the beautiful Cotswolds too.

Tissues were required on more than one occasion when it came to the developments in Hattie's relationships with Xander and her hitherto spiky sister. And the slow-burn romance between Hattie and Luke is enchanting... more tissues required to mop up the tears when their happy ending eventually rolled around.

Possibly my favourite feel-good Fforde book yet. I adored it!

A Cottage in the Country is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Bloomsbury for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Katie Fforde lives in the beautiful Cotswold countryside with her family, and is a true country girl at heart. Each of her books explores a different profession or background and her research has helped her bring these to life. She's been a porter in an auction house, tried her hand at pottery, refurbished furniture, delved behind the scenes of a dating website, and she's even been on a Ray Mears survival course. She loves being a writer; to her there isn't a more satisfying and pleasing thing to do. She particularly enjoys writing love stories. She believes falling in love is the best thing in the world, and she wants all her characters to experience it, and her readers to share their stories.

Into The Midnight Wood by Alexandra McCollum

 

Into The Midnight Wood by Alexandra McCollum.

Published 22nd January 2026 by Viking.

From the cover of the book:

There are 100 things wrong with Meredith Schwarzwelder. At least.

#1 He has an absurd name.

#3 He's an irredeemable eccentric who flirts with everyone in his path.

#35 He cries at anything.

#50 He talks to mice, or imagines he does.

For David Carew, keeping track of these things is the only way he's managed to remain living with him for as long as he has.

But when magic starts to seep in from the Midnight Wood and a dark being emerges with a sinister plan involving Meredith, David decides that it’s time to leave the cottage, and his roommate, behind. Then Meredith’s brother gets engaged to the daughter of David’s boss, and he sees the perfect opportunity to advance his career and make his escape.

With wedding bells sounding and the dangers of the Midnight Wood encroaching, David realizes there’s much more hiding beneath the surface of his roommate’s seemingly carefree charm, and that perhaps his own exasperation carries more fondness than he’d like to admit.

There are 100 things wrong with Meredith Schwarzwelder. And David's starting to like them all...

***********

On the edge of Midnight Wood lies Midnight Cottage home to unlikely roommates David Carew, Meredith Schwarzwelder, a rhinestone bedecked Chihuahua called Bianca - and a varied selection of 'third' tenants who only stay fleetingly. The presence of enchanted flora and fauna on the doorstep of the cottage might be enough to scare their short-lived roommates away, but for David, the cause is mostly down to Meredith's chaotic life-style.

Keeping track of the ways in which Meredith infuriates him sustains David in his exasperated moments, and he has compiled a list of at least a hundred so far. It is a miracle he has managed to live with him in the same house for so long.

When the mood within the house takes a turn, driven by unsettling happenings in the wood, and the looming presence of a family wedding that has Meredith on edge, David decides it is time to make a move away from the cottage and his roommate. But as darkness creeps over them, he finds he cannot bring himself to leave. Perhaps the hundred reasons that Meredith vexes him, might actually be the reasons he wants to stay...

Through this whimsical tale McCollum weaves a heartfelt queer love story between two very different characters - sensible, down to earth accountant David, and his eccentric tattooist roommate Meredith. The story unfurls through the perspective of David, who has somehow lived with Meredith for several years, despite all the ways in which he drives him to distraction, and who introduces you to the very peculiar surroundings in which they live, and the wonderful cast of characters (of magical and non-magical kinds).

The list of one hundred ways that are particularly irksome to David drop steadily into the story to great comic effect as the roommates negotiate ever-changing fellow tenants; the disturbing chain of events within the wood that draw them into danger; and the relatable drama that arises around the impending wedding between Meredith's brother and the daughter of David's employer (who David is very keen to impress). Not to mention the absurd situations that arise from their interactions with their landlord Mr Bednarek; their near neighbour, the witch Mrs Jupiter; a band of disgruntled Neo-Nazis; and a whole host of creatures (wonderful and down-right scary) that reveal themselves over the course of the story.

I really enjoyed how McCollum spins such an immersive tale about a fairy tale world, and blends this so delightfully with oodles of lovely stuff about romance, being seen, identity, stereotypes, dysfunction, trauma, friendship, found family... and of course, queer love. Emotions run heart-stirringly high, and the transformation of the relationship between David and Meredith is powerfully poignant (expect spice!). Humour is used on point, and I adored the message of finding the courage to be true to yourself.

This charming story is beautifully written, and it made me laugh and cry on the way to its lovely sparkly ending.

Into the Midnight Wood is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Viking for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Alexandra McCollum grew up in rural northeast Ohio and now lives in Nevada with their husband and dog. Among other jobs, they’ve worked in a bakery in Austria, managed a coffee shop in Ohio, and taught high school in Las Vegas. When not writing, they can be found studying languages and exploring local coffeehouses in search of the perfect americano.

The Mark Of Eternity (The Egyptian Stones Book Two) by Murray Bailey

 

The Mark of Eternity (The Egyptian Stones Book Two) by Murray Bailey.

Published in paperback 21st February 2026 (ebook 6th March 2026).

From the cover of the book:

An ancient code. A deadly killer. A truth buried beneath the sands of time.

FBI Special Agent Charlie Rebb thought the Surgeon - a notorious serial killer - was a ghost from the past.
But when a new series of murders erupts, each marked with strange, arcane symbols, the trail leads Rebb across continents to Egypt... and to a chilling revelation: the Surgeon has returned, and this time, his killings follow a
pattern—one tied to a purpose more terrifying than anyone imagined.

Meanwhile, in Egypt, Alex MacLure has uncovered more encoded messages in ancient tablets. An ancient Egyptian was searching for a forgotten symbol. His name appears in a programme written by a brilliant AI student. The student reaches out with a wild theory - but before MacLure discovers the truth, he’s arrested for a murder he didn’t commit.

Thrown together by fate and hunted by forces beyond their understanding, Rebb and MacLure must unlock an ancient secret. They must stop the Surgeon before he unleashes a plan, millennia in the making.

***********

The dismembered body of a missing young man is found under a building housing a controversial new church in Atlanta, Georgia. Soon more bodies of young men are found, each tattooed with a strange symbol. FBI Special Agent Charlie Rebb fears that the notorious serial killer, the Surgeon, is back - but this time he seems to have an unknown purpose. A trail of clues takes Rebb to Egypt, where the Surgeon appears to be continuing his disturbing mission.

Meanwhile, Egyptologist Alex MacLure has been busy uncovering the secrets of the curious tablets he discovered during his earlier adventures in Egypt. The story he has been decoding takes an unexpected turn when the tablets tell of the search for a powerful ancient symbol. Unfortunately for MacLure, he is not the only one interested in what the symbol could mean, and when his name appears in an innovative AI programme he becomes a target.

When MacLure is framed for a murder he did not commit, he becomes a person of interest to the Egyptian police, and Rebb realises that his case might actually be related to her investigation into the Surgeon's dark purpose. Together they must find a way to stop the Surgeon, before he can bring about the fulfilment of a plan set in motion millennia ago...

This second book in the gripping Egyptian Stones series begins in good old American serial-killer-hunt country. An FBI investigation gets underway, with some great interactions between the federal agents and local police, via unsettling interviews with smarmy religious zealots and skin-crawling satanists. What they discover sends Special Agent Charlie Rebb off to exotic territory, in the heart of Egypt, where she has to negotiate a very different way of working - especially when it comes to how women in law enforcement are perceived.

Meanwhile, MacLure has been unearthing more discoveries in dusty tombs, and this time the 'truths' the tablets convey point to something far more incredible that tales of religious unorthodoxy. Soon, he and his journalist girlfriend (hello again, Rebecca) become embroiled in dangerous conspiracy theories, the Surgeon's search for a lost symbol that will unleash a long-held secret on the world, and the murky machinations of secret societies. 

The threads of Rebb and MacLure's sides of the story gradually draw together, setting them on a collision course with the Surgeon that requires all of MacLure's considerable intellectual skills to fathom out what the lost symbol actually is; what its rediscover might mean; and where the gripping climax of the story will play out (with very personal consequences for MacLure himself).

The action is relentless in this second adventure for MacLure, with full-on vibes of Dan Brown's Robert Langdon's stories, as Bailey's very likeable protagonist drives the twists and turns with his intellectual leaps forward. I thoroughly enjoyed the double act between Rebb (whose character develops nicely across the story) and MacLure, and there is a great supporting cast for the both - many of whom I would like to see again.

This was whip-smart, non-stop fun Murray Bailey style, full of fascinating detail about Egyptology, archaeology, mythology, religion, and symbolism that sent me down endless rabbit holes - and I suspect there is a lot more to come in book three... which I cannot wait to read!

The Mark of Eternity is available now in hardcover, paperback and ebook formats.

Thank you to Murray Bailey for sending me a ecopy of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to join this blog tour.

About the author:

Murray Bailey Is the author of the Ash Carter thrillers, inspired by his father's experience in the Royal Military Police in Singapore in the early 1950s. From the prequel series, based in Cyprus and Israel, The Prisoner of Acre won the 2025 Page Turner Award. A post-Singapore series is based in the Philippines. The Heretic Cypher is the first book of a trilogy featuring a young Robert Langdon-type character decrypting secret messages written by an ancient Egyptian.

Murray is well traveled, having worked in the US, South America and a number of European countries throughout his career as a management consultant. However he also managed to find the time to edit books, contribute to articles and act as a part-time magazine editor.

Murray was born in Manchester and now lives on the south coast of England with his family and two dogs, Teddy and Muffin.

Love And Other Brain Experiments by Hannah Brohm

 

Love And Other Brain Experiments by Hannah Brohm.

Published 12th February 2026 by Aria.

From the cover of the book:

Fake data is out of the question . . . but fake dating?

Neuroscientist Dr. Frances Silberstein has always had success on the brain. In grad school, she turned down a job - and her accomplished boyfriend - to forge her own academic path. Five years later, she's still single, hustling from project to project, and about to face her ex at a high-stakes conference - the same ex who once told her she'd never make it on her own.

When an argument with her meticulous and infuriatingly attractive rival Dr. Lewis North leads to a mistaken assumption that they're a couple, Frances accidentally confirms the misconception, inadvertently putting both their careers at stake. Forced to keep up appearances, Frances and Lewis know that for any scientist worth their salt, faking data is out of the question. But fake dating?

That might just be genius.

***********

Neuroscientist Dr. Frances Silberstein is determined to be a success in her field, but that elusive goal of tenure seems as far away as ever. Awaiting the result of yet another application for funding, she sets off to New York for a conference that might help her career along. The only problem is that it is being organised by her former boyfriend, Jacob, now an accomplished professor - the man she turned down years ago to forger her own path.... the man who said she would never make it on her own.

To say she is nervous would be an understatement, and when her anxiety transforms into a full-blown panic attack in the air, she is relieved to find a handsome fellow scientist on the flight who distracts her from her over-wrought state, only to find he is the man who launched his career using her research - her arch nemesis, Dr Lewis North.

Somehow, when they both arrive at the conference, Frances accidentally confirms the impression that she and Lewis are an item. To keep their professional reputations intact, they now have to pretend they are a couple for the entire two weeks...

Oh, how I adored this! Hannah Brohm weaves a delicious will-they-won't-they romance between Frances and Lewis that is full of fabulous tropes around enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, and forced proximity; and is packed with really insightful themes around the nature of academic research.

Frances and Lewis both come to this story with a lot of emotional baggage, not to mention a history of academic rivalry that began with Lewis acting so unprofessionally. As the conference progresses, Frances begins to see a different side to Lewis, and the competitive spark between them develops into attraction. But is it real or fake?

The irresistible chemistry between these two dominates as they get closer, and I was here for all the heat! Lashings of messy family stuff gets thrown up in the process, and they both learn things about themselves, and what they want, on the way to the sob-fest finale.

I am so impressed by how much Brohm explores about women in science, and the shifting global nature of the research community in this story, by touching on how the relentless pressure of results, publishing, peer-reviewing, obtaining funding, and doing good science affects both Frances and Lewis. The fine-line between rivalry and collaboration is examined so well, as well as the real danger of losing sight of the bigger picture, and the risk of burnout. This all adds to the tension between the two, professionally and romantically.

This has everything I want in a kick-ass romance: a smart story written with heart, humour, and HEAT; a great setting; and a stellar supporting cast (Brady was such fun). It gave me ALL the feels.

What a fabulous debut! More please Hannah Brohm!

Love and Other Brain Experiments is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Aria for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Hannah Brohm penned her first novel when she was a teen, and yes, it was about vampires.

Fascinated by the human mind, she studied psychology in university and graduated with a PhD in neuroscience. After years of investigating memory and emotion, she rediscovered her passion for storytelling and swapped writing articles about brain science for nerdy romance novels.

Born and raised in Germany, Hannah lived in the Netherlands and the US, before moving to London, where she now lives together with her husband and an ever-growing collection of books and hand-knit sweaters.

The First Time I Saw Him (Hannah Hall Book Two) by Laura Dave

 

The First Time I Saw Him (Hannah Hall Book Two) by Laura Dave.

Published 15th January 2026 by Penguin.

From the cover of the book:

HE DISAPPEARED. NOW HE’S BACK. AND THEY HAVE TO RUN.

Five years ago, Hannah’s husband Owen vanished without a trace, leaving Hannah and her stepdaughter Bailey to piece together a new life from the wreckage.

When Hannah spots Owen at her Los Angeles exhibition – silent, watching – she knows immediately that the danger they once escaped has found them again.

Then comes the message: 

‘GET OUT OF THE HOUSE. NOW’

Hannah and Bailey are forced to go on the run in a relentless race to keep their past from catching up with them, pursued by enemies they cannot see and haunted by questions that have never been answered.

Why has Owen returned? Who is hunting them?

And can they finally uncover the truth before it destroys them all?

***********

Five years ago, Hannah's husband Owen left for work one morning, and then disappeared - leaving behind a note asking her to protect his sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey. It took all of Hannah's resourcefulness to do it, but her efforts bought them the freedom to live their lives, even if it meant never seeing Owen again.

When Owen makes a surprising appearance at one of Hannah's exhibitions, she recognises him straightaway, even underneath his disguise. She is puzzled about what this might mean for her and Bailey... and then a message from Owen arrives telling her to "Get out of the house. Now!".

The moment Hannah feared has arrived. The agreement she hoped would keep them safe has been broken. She and Bailey must go on the run, and she has no idea what safety will cost this time.

In a brilliant twist, this gripping thriller begins with a prologue that repeats the closing chapter of the previous book, The Last Thing He Told Me - when Hannah spots a heavily disguised Owen in the crowd at her exhibition. Dave uses this emotionally-charged moment to kick off an action-packed sequel in which Hannah and Bailey are forced to flee for their lives, after a change in leadership amongst the crime family Owen betrayed. 

Hannah and Bailey are in danger of becoming collateral damage in a long-standing vendetta once again, even though they have been reconciled with Nicholas, Owen's former father-in-law. Despite the closeness that has grown between Nicholas and Bailey (a closeness that has encompassed Hannah too), Hannah has never allowed herself to relax. She has planned for this eventuality, but even Hannah's foresight did not allow her to predict the chain of events that will take them right into the jaws of danger.

Unlike the first book, which unfurled from Hannah's point of view alone, Dave mixes things up beautifully in this follow-up. Hannah's voice is now joined by Owen's, giving his side of the story around his disappearance, and where he has been in the intervening years; and by Nicholas' as he tells about the relationship between himself and Frank (the crime lord who changed the course of his career, and became his closest friend).

The threads of the story weave back and forth in time, segueing between edge-of-your-seat peril in the present for them all as they try to negotiate an exit strategy with some very bad people, and revelations about the past from Owen and Nicholas' history that drastically change your perspective on the things you think you know about how this whole situation came into being. 

The action is relentless, with delicious twists and turns around schemes made in the wings of Hannah and Bailey's lives, and stunning disclosures that blur the edges between friends and enemies. The story develops so cleverly as Hannah, Bailey, Owen and Nicholas risk everything in one final play to ensure Owen can return to his family. Inevitably, there is a cost to pay, but what this will be only becomes clear in the tense climax.

I absolutely inhaled this book, totally caught up in a story that combines great characters with a genuinely exciting plot. I really enjoyed the themes of family, friendship, guilt, and reconciliation that run through the novel too. What a cracking sequel!

The First Time I Saw Him is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Both Hannah Hall books have been adapted for Apple TV+, as The Last Thing He Told Me. 

Thank you to Penguin for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Laura Dave was born in New York City and grew up in Scarsdale, New York. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in English, and went on to gain an MFA from the University of Virginia's creative writing program. She was a Henry Hoyns Fellow and a recipient of the Tennessee Williams Scholarship.

She is the national and international bestselling author of Eight Hundred Grapes, London is the City in America, The Divorce Party, The First Husband, Hello, Sunshine, The Last Thing He Told Me, The Night We Lost Him, and The First Time I Saw Him. Her fiction and essays have appeared in The New York Times, Oprah Magazine, Glamour, Redbook, The Huffington Post and The New York Observer. In 2008, Cosmopolitan named her a 'Fun and Fearless Phenom of the Year'.

She is married to Oscar-winning screenwriter Josh Singer, with whom she resides in Los Angeles, California.

Catherine by Essie Fox

 

Catherine by Essie Fox.

Published 12th February 2026 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

With a nature as wild as the moors she loves to roam, Catherine Earnshaw grows up alongside Heathcliff, a foundling her father rescued from the streets of Liverpool. Their fierce, untamed bond deepens as they grow – until Mr Earnshaw’s death leaves Hindley, Catherine’s brutal brother, in control and Heathcliff reduced to servitude.

Desperate to protect him, Catherine turns to Edgar Linton, the handsome heir to Thrushcross Grange. She believes his wealth might free Heathcliff from cruelty – but her choice is fatally misunderstood, and their lives spiral into a storm of passion, jealousy and revenge.

Now, eighteen years later, Catherine rises from her grave to tell her story – and seek redemption.

Essie Fox’s Catherine reimagines Wuthering Heights with beauty and intensity – a haunting, atmospheric retelling that brings new life to a timeless classic and lays bare the dark heart of an immortal love.

***********

High on the moors, free-spirited Catherine Earnshaw loves to roam amongst the heather. When her father brings home the foundling, Heathcliff, Catherine feels an instant bond with him, and soon her solo ramblings become hours they spend lost in each other's company. The two grow-up to become inseparable - like two halves of the same person - but when Catherine's father dies, Heathcliff is reduced to the status of servant by her cruel brother, Hindley.

Catherine decides the only way to save Heathcliff and herself from Hindley's wrath is to appeal to handsome Edgar Linton, heir to nearby Thrushcross Grange, but Heathcliff misunderstands her motives, and runs away. Heartbroken, Catherine marries Edgar in Heathcliff's absence... only for him to return years later, as a successful man bent on revenging himself against Hindley and the Linton family. Tragedy ensues. Now, eighteen years later, Catherine has risen from her grave to see the consequences of Heathcliff's vendetta, to tell her own side of the story, and to find redemption.

I am not sure Wuthering Heights, the singular (in every meaning of the word) novel by Emily Bronte, is one that needs much of an introduction, especially given the current hype around the new adaptation starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. Catherine and Heathcliff's story is one which calls to many lovers of Gothic romance, but as much as I adore a bit of wind and wuthering, many of the novels written by the Bronte sisters, and Kate Bush's wonderfully nostalgic song, I have never really understood why it is lauded as a great romance.

Undoubtedly, it is has lashings of passion and yearning, and a wonderfully evocative setting, but the love story is so laced with toxicity, trauma, and tragedy through its themes of jealousy, betrayal, cruelty and revenge that I find the bitterness in it overwhelming. There is also something missing from the original, for me, and that is the voice of the one person who you need to make Emily Bronte's story more than a whole lot of angst-ridden shouting on the wild and windy moors - that of Catherine herself. So I am delighted the incredibly talented Essie Fox has taken it upon herself to right that wrong in this intriguing retelling, Catherine.

Fox's novel begins with Catherine rising from her grave, eighteen years after her untimely death, to tell her own side of the story. This fits beautifully with the unsettling parts of Emily Bronte's tale, where Catherine's ghost makes its presence felt, and sets the atmospheric tone for what follows.

Rather than hearing Catherine's tale at arm's length, Fox explores every aspect of her logic, her actions, and the unintended consequences of a situation that finds her caught between the different kinds of love she feels for Edgar and Heathcliff. We now feel the force of her feelings first-hand, especially during the essential parts of the story where she is teetering on the edge of womanhood, and making sense of marriage and motherhood. Fox goes 'beyond' Emily Bronte's chaste hints at intimacy too, so it is much more relatable for a modern audience, and hits just the right mark for those looking forward to Emerald Fennell's upcoming movie, which concerns itself with twisted love alone. Her ideas on Heathcliff's parentage also open up a whole new troubling can of worms!

Fox's Catherine is a woman with depth: one who has few choices, but makes the best of those open to her. I very much enjoyed this take on the original, where Catherine is often viewed as bringing about her own demise - stemming, I think, from the fact that Heathcliff gets far too much say on how things played out in Nelly's version. I also liked that Fox gives Catherine a chance to muse on the feelings she has for the daughter she never got to know, as she watches the turns of fate for the young cousins Cathy and Hareton (surely where the real romance and redemptive twist of fate actually lies, even if their close relationship is uncomfortable to modern eyes).

Just as I hoped, in Fox's hands Wuthering Heights becomes a more accessible story, with a leading female character made up of light and shade. Brava, Essie!

Catherine is available to buy now in beautiful hardcover, ebook and audio formats. You can support indie publishing by buying direct from Orenda Books HERE.

Thank you to Orenda Books for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review, and to Random Things Tours for inviting me to join this blog tour.

About the author:

Essie Fox is the Sunday Times bestselling author of seven historical novels, including The Somnambulist, shortlisted for the National Book Awards, and The Fascination, an instant Sunday Times bestseller. Her work has twice been selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month, most
recently for her gothic mystery Dangerous.

She appears regularly at literary festivals and cultural institutions and is the host of the podcast Talking the Gothic. She lives in Windsor.

Paper Sisters by Rachel Canwell

Paper Sisters by Rachel Canwell.

Published 12th February 2026 by Northodox Poress.

From the cover of the book:

Lincolnshire, 1914. As the First World War approaches, three women are living, trapped between the unforgiving marsh, the wide, relentless river, and the isolation of the fen.

Their lives are held fast by profound grief, haunted by the spectres of the past. Trapped by the looming presence and eerie stillness of a hospital that has never admitted a single patient.

Eleanor longs to escape. To make a life with the man she loves, leaving her sister, and all her ghosts behind. Clara's marriage is crumbling and violent and she yearns for peace and security for both herself and her innocent children. Meanwhile, Lily, a formidable force of will, stands resolute against the relentless tide of change. She will stop at nothing, no matter the devastating cost, to ensure that life, and her family, remain frozen in an unyielding embrace of the past.

The author, Rachel Canwell, grew up with the story of this forgotten hospital. Isolated, stocked weekly and cleaned daily but never admitting a single patient. The hospital was real, tended by her family for over sixty years and set against the ethereal beauty and loneliness of the Fens, is the inspiration for her novel.

***********

Lincolnshire, 1914. Three women, living on the edge of brooding marshland, are trapped by the consequences of loss. Eleanor and Lily are tied to an empty hospital on the 'wrong' side of the river that stands as a reminder of tragedy - Eleanor burdened with responsibilities, and Lily caught up in a world of grief. While Clara, married to their violent brother, longs for peace for herself and her children.

As war approaches, change beckons, but can they break free?

Inspired by the story of a forgotten hospital in the mysterious Fens, Rachel Canwell bases this incredible debut on her own family history. From her imagination springs three women bound together by the seemingly unbreakable ties of tragedy, grief, environment , and the strictures of the time in which they live - each of them outsiders in a community scarred by the disaster of 1894 that saw hopes and dreams disappear into The Wash, when the newly built port that offered them prosperity sank into the muddy waters. 

I was transfixed by theses women from the first page: Eleanor, left in charge of an empty hospital that stands as a reminder of what was lost, yearns to escape from the weight of her cares into the arms of a man who promises her love and security; Lily, the 'ghost at the window', stuck in a cycle of never-ending grief after the loss of her brother to the unforgiving marsh, doing whatever she can to keep Eleanor to herself; and Clara, their sister-in-law, crushed by the brutal beatings meted out by her husband, determined to withstand her lot for the protection of her children.

There seems no way these three can escape the fate that keeps them locked in their unhappiness, even if they wanted to, despite the fleeting pleasures they experience - for Eleanor and Clara at least, since Lily does not seem to want to recover from the loss that broke her. But when war comes, the story twists in unexpected ways, building into a breath-taking, storm-wrought climax that had my heart firmly lodged in my throat.

Through her characters Canwell delves with insight into so many wonderful facets of the lives of women impacted by the First World War. Eleanor and Clara, in particular, leap from the page in all the many glorious shades of living-breathing people, and Canwell explores so much about expectations placed on women through them. Lily is a more complicated character to warm to - her selfishness was a bitter pill to swallow, and even though her misdeeds come from a place of unfathomable sadness and her part in the story is intrinsic to its resolution, she wreaks such devastation on Eleanor and Clara through her manipulative ways. I adored Eleanor and Clara, especially Clara's formidable strength, and my emotions were well and truly put through the mill.

This is the kind of story that totally captivates you with its characters, thrums with atmospheric vibes of time and place, and leaves its mark upon your heart. Absolutely a must if you are engrossed by sensitive, well-written historical fiction set against the shadow of World War One.

Paper Sisters is available to buy now in paperback and ebook formats.

Thank you to Rachel Canwell for sending me an ecopy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Rachel Canwell is an author who, having grown up in the Fens, has lived and worked in Cumbria for over twenty years.

​Her short fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies. Her collection of flash fiction Oh I Do Like to Be was published in 2022 and her novella-in-flash Magpie Moon in 2023.

​Paper Sisters is her first novel.

The Last Thing He Told Me (Hannah Hall Book One) by Laura Dave

 

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave.

Published 13th April 2021 from Viper.

From the cover of the book:

IT WAS THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME: PROTECT HER

Before Owen Michaels disappears, he manages to smuggle a note to his new wife, Hannah: protect her. Hannah knows exactly who Owen needs her to protect - his teenage daughter, Bailey, who lost her mother tragically as a child. And who wants absolutely nothing to do with her new stepmother.

As her desperate calls to Owen go unanswered, his boss is arrested for fraud and the police start questioning her, Hannah realises that her husband isn't who he said he was. And that Bailey might hold the key to discovering Owen's true identity, and why he disappeared. Together they set out to discover the truth. But as they start putting together the pieces of Owen's past, they soon realise that their lives will never be the same again...

Now a major Apple TV+ series starring Jennifer Garner and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, discover the book that everyone is talking about...

***********

On the day Owen Michaels disappears, he sends his new wife Hannah a mysterious message asking her to protect his sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey. Then the news breaks that Owen's boss has been arrested, on suspicion of massive corporate fraud, and the police are looking for Owen.

Hannah has no idea where her husband has gone, her calls to him go unanswered, and she is at a loss about how to respond to the searching questions the police are asking her. But the one thing she is sure of is that she must do her best to carry out his request - even if Bailey wants nothing to do with her step-mother.

As Hannah's life comes crashing down, she decides to look into what Owen has been up to herself. She is shocked to discover that all he has told her about his past appears to be a lie. Who is this man she has married, and what is he really running from?

This gripping story unfolds through the perspective of Hannah, alternating between her desperate search for the truth in the present, and flashbacks to significant moments in her relationship with the man she knows as Owen Michaels. Hannah is determined to make sense of this mess, relying on what she feels she knows about the man she loves, rather than the ever growing number of lies that reveal themselves once she begins to question Owen's version of his past. She gradually realises that Bailey holds the key to finding out why Owen and his daughter are living under assumed identities, and the two of them embark on a cross-country journey that leads them into danger - caught between an F.B.I. investigation into fraud, the attentions of a US Marshall with unknown motives, long-held grudges on the part of some very bad people, and shocking information about who Owen and Bailey really are.

I loved how the gritty, and surprisingly emotional, threads of this story come together, twisting and turning as Hannah and Bailey follow a murky trail of clues drawn from Bailey's earliest memories and the nuggets of truth Hannah mines from her interactions with Owen. The relationship between Hannah and Bailey develops beautifully over the course of the story, as they both come to terms with the life-changing things they discover - the transformation from spiky hostility on Bailey's side to acceptance that she can rely on Hannah, and the strength Hannah finds from her own traumatic childhood, are especially heart-warming.

Dave's writing flows so well, and I enjoy how she explores some very knotty themes in her books, especially when it comes to family. Here she delves into abandonment, dysfunctional relationship dynamics, and the power of love to both blind you to the faults of your loved ones and cause you to take make of break decisions to ensure their safety. This all adds so much depth to the excellently wielded thriller elements.

I picked this one up ahead of reading the brand new sequel Dave has penned, The First Time I Saw Him - and I am so glad I did, because it establishes the unbreakable bond between Hannah, Owen and Bailey. And that killer last line! Right in the feels! I cannot wait to find out what happens next...

The Last Thing He Told Me is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

About the author:

Laura Dave was born in New York City and grew up in Scarsdale, New York. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in English, and went on to gain an MFA from the University of Virginia's creative writing program. She was a Henry Hoyns Fellow and a recipient of the Tennessee Williams Scholarship.

She is the national and international bestselling author of Eight Hundred Grapes, London is the City in America, The Divorce Party, The First Husband, Hello, Sunshine, The Last Thing He Told Me, The Night We Lost Him, and The First Time I Saw Him. Her fiction and essays have appeared in The New York Times, Oprah Magazine, Glamour, Redbook, The Huffington Post and The New York Observer. In 2008, Cosmopolitan named her a 'Fun and Fearless Phenom of the Year'.

She is married to Oscar-winning screenwriter Josh Singer, with whom she resides in Los Angeles, California.

Mrs McGinty's Dead by Agatha Christie

 

Mrs McGinty's Dead by Agatha Christie.

This edition published 18th July 2019 by Harper Collins.

Originally published 1952.

From the cover of the book:

An old widow is brutally killed in the parlour of her cottage…

‘Mrs McGinty’s dead!’

‘How did she die?’

‘Down on one knee, just like I!’

The old children’s game now seemed rather tasteless. The real Mrs McGinty was killed by a crushing blow to the back of the head and her pitifully small savings were stolen.

Suspicion falls immediately on her lodger, hard up and out of a job. Hercule Poirot has other ideas – unaware that his own life is now in great danger…

***********

The recent murder of an old char lady, Mrs McGinty, was not a case interesting enough to attract the attention of celebrated detective Hercule Poirot. However, his interest is piqued when Superintendent Spence of the Kilchester force confesses to him that he is not sure that the man who stands condemned of murder is actually guilty of the crime. Poirot pays a visit to Mrs McGinty's lodger, James Bentley, on death row. Although failing to find the man at all personable, he is intrigued enough to head to the quiet village of Broadhinny to look into the case.

He begins his investigation by visiting the employers of nosy Mrs McGinty to discover whether anyone else could have had a motive for killing her. His little grey cells are hampered by the uncomfortable surroundings he finds himself in as a paying guest of the chaotic Summerhayes family, but then he uncovers an important clue - Mrs McGinty had cut out an article from the racy Sunday Comet about murder cases from the past involving four different women. Was her interest in it the reason for her murder?

In a small village setting, that is usually more the province of Miss Marple, Christie has a lot of well-observed fun with Poirot amongst the 'very nice' people of Broadhinny in this mystery. And he has a helper in the delightful Ariadne Oliver, who is co-incidentally in the village working with the playwright Robin Upward on an adaptation of one of her novels - much to her frustration!

Christie uses four infamous historic crimes to muddy the waters in this story. As the layers of the complex mystery peel back under Poirot's razor-sharp gaze, intriguing motives for murder are explored by delving into the secrets, lies and potentially murderous backgrounds of the villagers, especially its female residents - with lashings of psychological depth, in the way Christie does so well. The red herrings keep you guessing right until the very moment of a final classic Poirot 'show-and-tell' in front of the suspects - when he ponders on lipstick, adoption, reputation, and the tempting charms of good old filthy lucre. Ah, so satisfying!

This month's #ReadChristie2026 prompt of Favourite Characters was always going to be a difficult choice when so many of them have a place in my affections, but this Poirot-Oliver partnership proved to be just the ticket. They are always great fun when they team up for some sleuthing, as their interactions are full of gentle humour.  In this instalment, Ariadne's frustration with Robin Upward's depiction of her problematic fictional detective, Sven Hjerson, and Poirot's obvious horror at the conditions he experiences as a guest of the Summerhayes family provide a goldmine of guffaws. Perfection!

I very much enjoyed revisiting this mystery via the audio book narrated by another of my favourites, good old Captain Hastings himself, Hugh Fraser.

Mrs McGinty's Dead is available to buy now in multiple formats.

About the author:

Agatha Christie is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in English with another billion in over 70 foreign languages. She is the most widely published author of all time and in any language, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. She is the author of 80 crime novels and short story collections, 20 plays, and six novels written under the name of Mary Westmacott.

The Hope (The Forcing Trilogy Book Three) by Paul E. Hardisty

 

The Hope (The Forcing Trilogy Book Three) by Paul E. Hardisty.

Published 29th January 2026 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

The year is 2082. Climate collapse, famine and war have left the world in ruins. In the shadow of the Alpha-Omega regime – descendants of the super-rich architects of disaster – sixteen-year-old Boo Ashworth and her uncle risk everything to save what’s left of human knowledge, hiding the last surviving books in a secret library beneath the streets of Hobart.

But Boo has a secret of her own: an astonishing ability to memorise entire texts with perfect recall. When the library is discovered and destroyed, she’s forced to flee – armed with nothing but the stories she carries in her mind, and a growing understanding of her family’s true past. 

Hunted and alone, and with the help of some unlikely allies, she must fight to save her loved ones – and bring hope to a broken world.

Spanning three generations before, during and after the fall, The Hope is the shattering conclusion to Paul E. Hardisty’s critically acclaimed climate-emergency trilogy – a devastating, visionary thriller that dares to imagine the possibility of redemption in the face of near-total collapse. In a dying world, it asks the most urgent question of all: what if there’s still time?

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2082. The impact of climate collapse, war and famine has left the planet in ruins. The last vestiges of humanity are struggling to survive, while the cruel Alpha-Omega (A-O) regime (descendants of the architects of the fall) rule like new-age kings behind the high walls of their realms.

In Hobart, Tasmania, sixteen-year-old Boo Ashworth works with her Uncle Kweku to build a secret library, hidden underground. Their aim is to save what is left of human knowledge, even though discovery means death. When disaster strikes, and the library is destroyed, Boo is suddenly alone. But all is not lost, for Boo has perfect recall, and within her mind the stories she and Kweku rescued remain alive. Hunted by the son of the Eminence who established his A-O kingdom in Tasmania, Boo needs allies to help her save her loved ones...

The final book of The Forcing trilogy has arrived! You must have read the first two instalments (The Forcing, and The Descent) of this incredibly prescient trilogy before reading this book, as each one is integral to the story as a whole.

Picking up the thread of the previous epic trials and tribulations of the Ashworth family, Kweku, his wife Julie, his son Leo, and his niece Becky (Boo) have settled in Hobart - and are amassing a secret library of precious books in a propaganda-rife world that bans knowledge of the past. They risk detection at any moment - not helped by strife within the family (particularly when it comes to restless Leo); and Julie's terminal illness, which means venturing into the A-O city for medicine.

Boo takes up the narrative for the first time in this series. She has already been through many traumas, after her rescue from the A-O as a child, and she is about to come into her own as a 'fire-brand'. I loved Boo from the moment she speaks. She is strong, smart, and resilient, loves books and knowledge, and has enormous courage - which she certainly needs in this story, when disaster takes her into the heart of the dangerous A-O regime.

Weaving in-between Boo's coming-of-age narrative, the familiar voice of Kweku takes us back in time to revisit the actions of a murky character we encountered in the first book - Lachie Ashworth, Kweku's older step-brother. Lachie, once President of the USA, and instrumental in many of the misguided actions that helped the world fall, is now keen to tell his story. Bringing Kweku to his haven in the Alps to act as his biographer, he gradually tells his shocking tale - going right back to the shift in power to the younger generation that saw his political star rise. In a stunning twist, Lachie's story also holds within it the seeds of hope for a broken world - which connects beautifully with Boo's part in the novel.

Alongside a superb Dystopian plot, carried by Boo, the Lachie-Kweku storyline fills-in so many gaps about how and why events played out. I really enjoyed how this added oodles of detail to what we already know from both The Forcing and The Descent, and am impressed by Hardisty's skill as a writer in bringing everything full circle when the intricate threads collide in a breath-taking finale. Echoing themes of power, betrayal, and sacrifice run riot; strong female characters abound; and the exploration of the importance of knowledge and the written word is wonderful - especially, I think, when is comes to the clever way he refers to the 'truth' fiction can convey.

Hardisty does just what great speculative fiction should do in this series, by provoking your thoughts, and raising awareness about where humanity is heading, at the same time as immersing you in a cracking story. The unflinching way he reflects the current state of the world in Lachie's testament is especially brutal and hard to read, but he does not misrepresent the title of this book in any way by calling it The Hope - if only people will listen to what he has to say. Absolutely required reading when it comes to the very best of the cli-fi genre.

The Hope is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats. You can help to support indie publishing by buying direct from Orenda Books HERE.

Thank you to Orenda Books for sending me a ecopy of this book in return for an honest review, and to Random Things Tours for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Canadian Paul E Hardisty has spent 25 years working all over the world as an engineer, hydrologist and environmental scientist. He has roughnecked on oil rigs in Texas, explored for gold in the Arctic, mapped geology in Eastern Turkey (where he was befriended by PKK rebels), and rehabilitated water wells in the wilds of Africa. He was in Ethiopia in 1991 as the Mengistu regime fell, and was bumped from one of the last flights out of Addis Ababa by bureaucrats and their families fleeing the rebels. In 1993 he survived a bomb blast in a café in Sana’a. Paul is a university professor and CEO of the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS).

Paul is a sailor, a private pilot, keen outdoorsman, conservation volunteer, and lives in Western Australia.