Nicki's book blog

Dear Mr Videcette, I have a complaint to make. Make that several . I start your book and what happens? Real life disappears. You write with such vivid descriptions and enough “punch” to pull me into the storyline from the outset that everything around me ceases to exist. Jake is a character- a bit of a case in this one. His life before hand has fallen to pieces and so is he. And here is me having to read further to make sure that the poor bloke is alright. And then there is the main story line. Vehicles parked outside a nightclub being possible bombs and then linked to the Glasgow airport bombings. How can I sleep , eat. survive without knowing what is going to happen and is Jake going to be OK? You might have guessed by now that I have a bit of a “thing” for Jake. Well, he is a caring chap. One of those you know would do anything to help a friend, so the very least I can do for him is cover his back . By this I mean get to the back cover to make sure that he lives. Mark

Buried on the fens- Joy Ellis  4* Released 10th July DI Nikki Galena rather has her hands full. A body is found in a graveyard but not in the usual way. A woman has been murdered and it turns out that she has been keeping a secret as have a large number of women in the area. Could this be why they are being targeted? Old tales and more secrets amongst the villagers may be the key to one of the crimes but no-one wants to speak out as the fear is still there. This is one of those wonderful, comfortable, easy reads that you can sit with a coffee and enjoy. There are descriptions of murder and other things (It wouldn’t be a crime book otherwise and I won’t give anything away) but nothing too disturbing to spoil the flow. or to put you off your dinner. Characters that you warm to and know a little of their “outside” lives to make them come more to life. I love Joy’s writing style and this is my second of her books and won’t be the last. This is the seventh in the series but happily st

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No Exit-Taylor Adams- 5** One of the best books I have ever read********** You’re stuck in snow with strangers in a rest area when you think you saw a small hand appear from inside one of the vehicles in the car park but from behind bars within the car. That potentially means that someone with you has abducted a child. Darby finds herself wondering what to do. Has she imagined this? if not, then what? Wow! This book draws you in from the outset and keeps you there as Darby decides what her best plan of action is. I found myself holding my breath and wondering and waiting for the outcome. I felt nervous and found myself “there” as you do in a well written piece. I smiled and cried. A stunning, gripping thriller that would make an excellent film (even if I have to watch some of it from behind the sofa!) But don’t let this put you off- it’s just a few gory bits and “surprises”.  I won’t spoil anything but the ending blew me away. Stunning, simply stunning. One of the best books I ha

The Fourth Monkey- JD Barker-  5* One stunning read! We have all heard of the three wise monkeys- hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil. For those not in the know the fourth monkey is “Do no evil”.  A man is killed by a bus holding a small box. These boxes are symbolic of the the fourth monkey killer who has been killing young girls for the last 5 years. Could this be him and if so where is the latest victim? Why has she been chosen as the team now know that the others were chosen for a very specific reason? This is a brilliantly put together tale which inveigles you into the pages. and doesn’t let go. The story is told from two aspects- first that of the detectives and then the diary of 4MK which has been found with him. There is a brilliant camaraderie and sometimes humour amongst the detectives , needed when on an intense case such as this and is told incredibly well. Porter and his sidekicks come across as real life characters in this high powered plot. The diary part i

Don’t close your eyes- Holly Seddon 4* Sarah and Robin are twins with very different lives. We learn about each of them and the past in alternating chapters. What has happened to Robin to make her so withdrawn from the world outside her door? The “incident” with their parents maybe having long lasting effects on the both of them. Has Sarah had the perfect life since she went to the USA and married with children. This is an intriguing story, one which makes you think and reflect on childhood and how much that affects our adult lives. A well written tale of family and relationships, of “what if’s” and “if only’s” that we all maybe have. A dysfunctional family, in parts a dark tale. One that will have you thinking afterwards -I didn’t see that happening. A very interesting read to say the least! I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased

High Force- LJ Ross- 4* DCI Ryan has an adversary who has escaped from jail… via helicopter. A man who likes nothing more than to taunt Ryan and murder victims along the way. This time he has an usual guest- Denise who is a DI as his prisoner . Louise always writes so that you can picture the scenes as this series to me would make an excellent drama, albeit a little gory in parts. A lead that has  a personal life and background which gives him the character I love, and you get to know him and how he and his team work along the way. A well written book with a very likeable main character. An enjoyable read.I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased

Watching you- Gretta Mulrooney- 4* Thomas has started getting rather strange emails. Ones that are verging on being threatening. They started arriving almost two years to the day after his son was snatched from under his watch. His Grandfather Gabe is a character and a wealthy one at that, so employs Ty Swift a private investigator to find out more as the police are at a dead end. This is a very different story. Told from Swift’s perspective as well as the perpetrator, this is a mystery with a difference. We have no idea why Thomas and Gabe are being targeted or who it is likely to be. Swift has his own family issues and this provides a second background story line which I like as there is always more to the main character than just their “role”. A very descriptive engaging book that puts you right into the heart of the scene with a cleverly hidden perpetrator. I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

The Breakdown- B.A Paris-5** You know a book is going to be good when you just have to keep reading it and it gives that feeling of uncertainty- a feeling of insecurity because you empathise with the characters. Cass promises her husband that she won’t take the minor road home in the storm. Despite her best intentions and a lapse of concentration she does and almost grinds to a halt in the gathering water. She carries on with care and sees a car pulled over. She slows down to see if she can help but the driver doesn’t come out  and wave her down. When she sees the news the day after, she hears that the woman has been murdered and Cass starts to get rather paranoid about the whole thing. This is one brilliantly written book that encompasses you from the start. That feeling of being watched or something eerie about to happen is well portrayed and adds to that uncertain feeling as you read it. Can you become “addicted” to a book? Is there a term for it, because if there is I have

A Deadly game- Joanne Griffiths- 3* Girls are going missing in Aston, Birmingham. A man is playing a game with the police who have no leads as to who or why.  A woman is badly treated by her husband and fears the outcome when she again falls pregnant. This is  a well written book albeit with a fairly simplistic straightforward plot. Not always a bad thing, a nice easy detective read that you can digest without having to engage the grey matter too much. For me I like a little more of the background of the detectives to give them depth and a persona outside of the detective role.  A light enjoyable read. I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Clara in the middle- Lacey London 4* Clara is in a pickle. Her mother in law has outstayed her welcome staying with them and when her closest friend asks her a favour things are even worse. A lighthearted look at life with it’s up and downs. Of relationships and friendships. A delightful read for a summer’s day.

Beyond Evidence- Emma Clapperton 4*   Patrick works in a bar and gets on well with the manager Mark. What Mark doesn’t know is that Patrick is the director of a spiritualist church and has been getting messages about a spate of recent murders. Patrick’s fiancee Jodie is also involved and together they approach the police to try and help.  Think of “The Mentalist” (TV programme) and you have the gist. I liked the idea of this book, something that bit different. A protagonist that you can take to and feel for, whilst seeing the view of others is well portrayed and background to the characters that I feel always gives that bit more to the book to understand them and their actions. An usual story, an entertaining one with a twist that I won’t spoil but didn’t see coming at all. A very enjoyable read. I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

The Lucky Ones- Mark Edwards 5* Wow! A read to keep you between the pages and then throw you all over the place! Ben has separated from his wife and has taken his son Ollie to live where he grew up in Shropshire away from the hustle and bustle of their previous life in London. DI Imogen Evans has been put in charge of  a murder case that is not proving to be as straight forward as first thought when they gave it to her. Other murders start happening and she soon realises that there is a serial killer on the loose - one whose MO is far from the norm. This is a cleverly written book. Written in the first person for some of the chapters (Ben and the perpetrator) which gives it a more personal feel so that you warm to Ben whilst having that eerie feel about the killer. Life has thrown several curve balls to Ben- his marriage is history, his son is having issues and his mother is dying. I’m not giving anything away but the poor guy doesn’t really know which way is up especially as he

Forever is over- Calvin Wade 5* This is one of those stories that stays with you. If you enjoyed “Edward” and “Ove” then this may be your sort of story.The story of a group of youngsters mainly focussed around Richie his girlfriend Jemma and her sister Kelly. An emotional tale taking them from primary school through to married life. Characters that come to life through the pages with events that are traumatic for those involved and those around them. Some very wise words: “Its the weak that bully  because they’re scared. Something scares them, something they don’t know how to cope with. They lack the intellect to adapt so they resort to physical force. The physically weak though, may not be weak minded and they start thinking about things- about how in the end they will triumph over physical force”. Wow, I am reeling from  reading this. I knew how it was going to end and like all those good films it still made me cry but so worth it. A wonderful, brilliant book.

Wise words in my current reading: “Its the weak that bully.. because they’re scared. Something scares them, something they don’t know how to cope with. They lack the intellect to adapt so they resort to physical force. The physically weak though, may not be weak minded and they start thinking about things- about how in the end they will triumph over physical force”. Calvin Wade- Forever is over. Review coming soon

The Black Hornet- Rob Sinclair 4* I am not usually an espionage fan… at all. This book however has that certain extra quality.As well as the mexican standoff-guns blazing-drug cartel scenario ,this has that personal factor- a man on a mission to find his wife. His wife and he used to be part of the Joint intelligence agency. A life they thought they had put behind them. Ryker arrives home one day to find Lisa missing and he does all in his power and contacts to find her. This is a well written book that drags you in from the outset. There is action a plenty and grisly characters galore from the rough prisons of Mexico to dodgy congressmen and people who are not who or what they first appear. A clever twist that I didn’t see coming. A fast moving book for fans of spies and subterfuge. I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

The Summer House- Jenny Hale 5* An enjoyable summertime read. Callie and Olivia have bought a beach house that they are converting into a guesthouse. They have known each other since childhood and hence know each other inside out. When a chance meeting brings a possible romance or at least friendship with a local celebrity, life becomes rather more exciting. A little intrigue into the mix and this brings the perfect recipe for a light-hearted read. I am not into chick-lit/romance books but this had that little bit more with characters that I could relate to (within the realms of fiction)and a heartwarming story. Scenes well described and that ocean sound we have all dreamt of. Sometimes we all need a happy ending. I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Barking up the wrong bakery Stella St. Claire-4* Olivia has her own dog walking business and a boyfriend whom she loves. Her sister runs a bakery and wants them to buy with her the building she is currently renting. Her boyfriend is making moves on her and this is all getting a little much for Olivia when she finds her morning coffee stand person drowned in the coffee. As you can ascertain from the scenario this is a lighthearted “cozy” type mystery. Well written characters give this book a smile whilst holding a story -line. A great change from the heavier books out there. An entertaining read. I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Downward Dog- Samm Hodges, Phinheas Hodges 5* Love this- a perfect gift for any dog lover. Short neat poems (not quite haiku-maybe the canine version!) to bring a smile. Written as if by a dog with his loves, likes and dislikes for the world around him. I haven’t seen the TV series but after this may well go and have a look. For those of us who know our dogs talk to us and we talk to them back (what are we meant to do? Not answer?) A book to guarantee a smile. I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased

Daffodils- Alex Martin 4* Set in the early days of the first world war this tells the story of Katy and her life and loves. Of the hills and fresh air of home and her dreams through her reading. The harshness of the living conditions of the time and the lack of sanitation and things we all now take for granted. The journey through the war for Katy and her family and village and the traumas therein. I am not usually into historical novels but this one has a certain charm to it and the characters are well described. The conditions of the war and the thoughts of those at home and abroad are easily pictured bringing scenes and the book to life. A poignant tale for anyone who had family they remember at that time and maybe a tale we should all read to know that things were not always how they are now both the war aspect as well as general life. A thoroughly enjoyable read. I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Someone else’s life-Bradd Chambers-4*   James thinks that others have an easier life than him. They live in better houses and don’t have the stresses and strains of everyday life as he has. He teaches himself to escape his bedroom and scale up and down the wall and drainpipe to his secret world at night. A world where he is in control and can teach his school colleagues a thing or two. This is well written and may be we have all been there to a lesser degree. When we are up to our neck in something, looking at others and thinking that “they are OK, its alright for them. Their world/life/money/relationships etc are fine”.anything to be in someone else’s shoes- but little do we know what others are going through behind the mask and behind closed doors.  A world of young people finding and fighting things out for themselves, not trusting their parents or others who have been there before them. Who is the perpetrator and why does James always appear to be at the heart of the action?

The Perfect Wife- Louise Mullins 4* Annette had an “incident” many years ago which has transformed her life and the way that she thinks. Her husband Carl, she is convinced is having an affair with her best friend Janelle. This is a slightly disturbing read in that you are not sure what Annette says is true or in her mind. Written in the first person this is sensitively written with scenes some may find disturbing if they have ever been in similar situations. Tackling mental health and trauma’s is never easy and this deals with several of those issues. A book to remember.

Skin deep- Laura Wilkinson- 4* A former model is working towards her degree show in art. A subject her parents despise as “not being a proper subject”. Whilst there she forms an attachment to the son of some friends. Friends who are slightly dodgy to say the least but Cal she can’t help but love. Cal becomes Diana’s muse and all her work is inspired by him and his uniqueness. The characterisations in this are the mainstay of the book and done very eloquently. The beauty and the beast and how the world around them treats them. People do judge books by their covers and until they know what is beneath stare at the “un-ordinariness” of anyone who isn’t quite to the normal mould. A thought provoking, interesting powerful read. I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased