Nicki's book blog

If Fear Wins- Tony J Forder 5* Crime DI Bliss is back! A body has been found by two rather lax security guards. It appears that this has been a rather unusual type of murder and one that the team would not wish to see again for  a very long time. A young airman has gone AWOL from the local airbase with no apparent reason. Could the two be connected? One of bliss’s ex flames also has an issue and Bliss wants to help but it is outside of his jurisdiction. Threads that weave and keep you interested the whole way through. Tony has a way with characters that brings them to life on the pages. Bliss is one of those characters that you either love or hate, warts and all. He has a sense of humour- not always appreciated by some , a tenacious attitude to his work and his team love him at the helm even if sometimes they don’t quite know what to make of him. This is a book that you can sit down with and be sure of a good read, an excellent, very cleverly thought out

Hi, I am Jennifer Gilmour and I am an advocate for women in abusive relationships, I am an author and a mum of three. I have personally experienced domestic abuse and wanted to bring awareness to what happens behind closed doors.  A bit about my journey: My debut novel, ‘Isolation Junction’ was published in 2016 which follows the story of Rose who is trying to flee her abusive partner. The book is based on true events of my own and has been fictionalised.  Since this publication I have continued to be an advocate for those in abusive relationships through my blog posts, radio interviews and Twitter feed. My second publication was released in October 2017; I put together stories told to me by survivors of domestic abuse. In this way, I hope to give a voice to their experiences and to raise awareness of the types of unacceptable behaviour which fall into the category of domestic abuse. Thankfully the law has changed to incorporate this kind of insidious behaviour but

The Good Mother- Karen Osman 4* Caroline has a husband and daughter living at home. Unknown to them she is writing to a prison inmate(as part of a rehab programme) who is serving time for murder. Alison is at University and has fallen for one of her lecturers. However certain things about him don’t quite add up. Kate is a wife and mother and to escape her tedium she has started a creative writing course- which brings her out of her shell more than she ever thought. Three women, three lives and three secrets- a good recipe for an intriguing read. I took to this early on and to each of the main characters which to me always helps. Each chapter deals with a different woman and how their lives are changing. You wonder how this can come together and it may just surprise you. A clever plot an interesting read. For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/ or follow me on Twitter @nickijmurphy1

Summer at The Little Duck Pond Café- Rosie Green Jaz Winters stuck a pin in a map and fled to the village of Sunnybrook, looking for a  brand new life – and after a rocky start, it’s beginning to look as if she made the right decision. Her blossoming friendship with Ellie and Fen has seen her through some dark times, and she’s managed to land two jobs – waitress at The Little Duck Pond  Café and working as a weekend tour guide at Brambleberry Manor, the country house that’s been in Fen’s family for generations. Sure, life isn’t totally perfect. There’s the irritating know-it-all guy who keeps popping up on her manor tours, for a start. He seems determined to get under Jaz’s skin whether she likes it or not. But she supposes it’s a small price to pay for the relative peace she’s found, living in Sunnybrook. But just as Jaz is beginning to think rosier times are on the horizon, a shock encounter looks set to shatter her fragile happiness. Will sh

Amy Cole Has Lost Her Mind- Elizabeth McGivern 5* Amy is a mother of two boys Arthur and Adam and wife to Ben. She feels at times that she has three children to deal with as Ben is seen as the “fun”parent whilst she is left to deal with the rest- the bad stuff, the mess and the “proper” parenting in her own way. Amy is also a realist as refuses to wrap her children in cotton wool. When she goes to the S.M.U.G nursery group (don’t ask!!) she is horrified when she is almost thrown out but she does meet a like minded friend. I don’t usually read parent/children centric books but because Amy is so grounded I found myself smiling and even laughing at this one. Someone who deals with what life throws at us in their own way- not always as others think we should. We are all human -something that can be forgotten by others when we are trudging through stressful times. For parents and non parents. This book was a breath of fresh air. A real feelgood, laugh out lou

Murder never Retires- Faith Martin - DI Hillary Greene is back, or rather should I say Hillary is as she has now retired. Well, sort of. Having spent 18 months on the Mollern she is tempted back to work in the Crime review team as a civilian consultant,  looking at old cases. Hillary being famed for her detective work is soon given a twenty year old murder to look at and along with a new, small team she is soon back at what she is good at. She has a secret admirer- one who is breaking into her locker to take mementos. Who is stalking her and why? Can she revive her old work ethic and find what a previous investigation couldn’t- who killed a mother with a rolling pin in her own home, leaving no clues behind? Faith as ever writes an easy read which you always feel comfortable with. Characters that you take to (or not!) and nothing to put you off your dinner. An excellent plot, a wonderful read. For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk

Lead me home- CS Savage- 5* OMG! Prepare for the ride!!  Clancy is an overworked Psychiatrist working in the community. H er daughter Rowan  has a rather wayward boyfriend and of course won’t be told anything by her mother and although she is aware of him being abusive she doesn’t want to be on her own.  A stalker is on the prowl. Who is he watching and why? Clancy is worried about a couple of her patients, one is hearing voices and another thinks they are being watched. Is it real or is it her illness? This book grabs you from the start. I took to Clancy early on and felt for her being pulled in every direction. CS Savage’s background shows in this well researched book. Rather dark at times, rather sinister and eerily chilling. Occasional chapters give the perpetrators perspective which leaves you a little cold to say the least. If you love psychological thrill