The Leaving Party by Lesley Sanderson

"Someone knows my secret. They’re in my home, they're at my party, and they’re making me pay for it."

Ava has received a black rose on an anniversary each year. We don’t know what happened

other than an accident. She is about to leave and begin a new life in New York with her

fiance Ben - the engagement being something she hasn’t told Lena about yet. Again on

the mat sits the box that holds another black rose. She doesn’t know who the sender is.

She just has to get through her leaving party and a meal the following evening then she

can escape. Alternate chapters take us back to 2205 with Ava, Lena, Gareth and other

friends- and how their relationships developed- or not. The current chapters are told

from either Lena or Ava’s point of view, each with their own secrets. A tension is built

between the pages. Who is sending the roses and why.? There are several suspects

and I kept alternating who I thought it was. I liked the concept however for me there

wasn’t quite enough tension/umph, something was unfortunately slightly lacking.

An enjoyable read however- just could do with a little more suspense.

 One to build on.

For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/

or follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog

Every year on the same day, on the anniversary, I receive a single black rose. Thirteen years of dark petals, jagged thorns, dredging up memories I’ve tried to forget…

I’ve packed up my life. All my belongings are carefully sealed in labelled boxes, my suitcases ready for my big move. I’m just days away from a new life abroad with my boyfriend, Ben.

No one knows the real reason I’m desperate to leave.

My best friend, Lena, is throwing me a leaving party. A celebration, to say goodbye. Champagne to toast my farewell. Speeches, full of fond memories.

No one knows what I’m running from.

Then another black rose appears, dragging up thirteen years of buried memories. My passport goes missing. The very people I am trying to escape from turn up to our house.

Someone knows what I did.

This party was meant to be the first night of the rest of my life – but now I don’t know if I’ll see tomorrow.

Someone knows my secret. They’re in my home, at my party, and they’re making me pay for it.

Psychological thrillers don’t get more addictive or gasp-worthy than this! Fans of K.L. Slater, The Girl on the Train and The Wife Between Us will love this unputdownable page-turner.  

Author Bio:

Lesley spends her days writing in coffee shops in Kings Cross where she lives and also works as a librarian in a multicultural school. She has lived and worked in Paris and speaks four languages. She attended the Curtis Brown Creative novel writing course in 2015/6, and in 2017 was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish fiction prize. Lesley discovered Patricia Highsmith as a teenager and has since been hooked on psychological thrillers. She is particularly interested in the psychology of female relationships.

www.lesleysanderson.com

https://www.facebook.com/lsandersonbooks/ https://www.instagram.com/lesleysandersonauthor/ https://twitter.com/lsandersonbooks

Buying Links:

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3aNeZXO

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2RuDpxD

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2O0iVdQ

Google Play: https://bit.ly/3aVn390

The Evil Beneath- AJ Waines- psychological thriller

Juliet is a psychoanalyst and has her private patients as well as working at an abortion

clinic. She dumped her boyfriend Andrew as “there were three of them in the

relationship” Whisky being the third partner. Twenty years ago Juliet and her family

lost her brother after a house fire and she has missed Luke ever since. She receives a

text from an unknown number telling her to be in a certain place at a certain time.

She arrives to find that a body has been found by one of the bridges over the river.

She later realises that the body is wearing her clothes- ones she took to a charity shop

. When more bodies and more connections are found Juliet wonders who on earth is

targeting her and why. Oooh!! I quickly got into this and wanted to devour it. There

is that skill of writing that gives the tension in the pages and a lead character that

you take to easily. That slightly sense of unease as you perhaps realise that your

world could be shaken, but no, this is a fiction read, but it sure makes you think!

A brilliant edge of your seat read. If you love psychological thrillers then this

could be for you.  

For more reviews please see my blog http:/

The Dead Trilogy- Andrew Barrett- Crime (Roger Conniston books 1-3)

“When fighting a killer becomes a battle for revenge”

£3.99 for all three books : https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B082GKGFD1/?fbclid=IwAR3CM50e6MgLJcyQ3WzY4srVZmu0Rdigb6sCW9d-rXV0GFlSrUhfos_BFGI
+

Bonus Material:

• An Introduction from Andrew Barrett
• Reasons and Methodology
• Character Biography
• Things of Note
• The Theme of Each Book
• A Detailed Synopsis of Each book
• A Long Time Dead – the earliest version, from October 2000. This is a link to your own downloadable ebook.

Book one: A Long Time Dead

A wonderful insight into SOCO/ CSI as we are now more familiar with from TV and film. We

learn of the acronyms and skills that are used to capture the evidence as the story unfolds.

This is the first in the series and the characters are getting established. A promotion is up

for grabs. Some are sure of getting it whilst others are quaking in their shoes- either

because they might get it or they might not. Personal issues arise in the midst of an

investigation which to me always give the characters more depth whatever the

“issue” might be. To have more than just “work” gives personality and insight into

how someone ticks and how they might deal with future situations. Roger is a

wonderful character as we learn of his life, his lives and his misdemeanours.

Whatever he is, he is tenacious and won’t see justice served the wrong way.

A very clever story, told in a brilliantly captivating way. Andy- this is one

wonderful story- thank you.

Book two: Stealing Edgar

Four men in a gang are trying to get away when they spot the boss arrive.

Three of them make good however one is not so lucky. The boss is now

beholden to the Russians as the next prize if huge- really huge and failure

only means death. The three remaining men have fleeced the Russian mafia

of one million pounds. Roger is wanting to resign his senior position as he

feels most uncomfortable in the role. When one of Roger’s police friends is killed

things just got personal and even more so as he suspects Weston is involved

somewhere along the line. As with all of Andy’s books this is cleverly put together.

A well thought out and researched plot that shows Andy’s own experience withi

n CSI. A sense of humour amongst such scenes I can imagine is a given and this

is well done throughout the books balanced with sensitivity at the situations

Roger finds himself in.

Book Three: No More Tears

Roger is now injured and a widower. After the death of his wife Yvonne from being

taken hostage by the gang. He is determined to finish this once and for all despite

technically being on sick and compassionate leave. He now has a new bossin Liz

Archer a woman driven by a path to the top and no one getting in her way.

Meanwhile Jess and Troff are on the run as well as without their leader. They need

to find the money from their last job as well as keeping themselves safe. There is a

wonderful camaraderie in these books. The teams have a bond which isn’t easily

broken when there is a cuckoo in the nest. Excellent descriptions of scenes without

being over the top or tedious as some books can be. A sense of humour runs

through these and is appropriate. I can imagine it is well needed to deal with

the reality of SOCO life. 

A wonderful trio of books ideal for any crime book fan. Being written from a SOCO

point of view I find them incredibly interesting giving a behind the scenes look at

the story. A brilliant read and highly entertaining

For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/

or follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog

When We Say Goodbye by Michelle Vernal - Familes/ bereavement

"Can you love when all seems lost?"

Ellie has just bought herself a house. Years ago it was her grandparents house and she

has happy memories there. It’s been a tough time of late as her partner Sam was

involved in a serious road traffic accident and is now laying in a coma with machines

doing most things for him. She needs a project to occupy her free time and take her

mind off things. The house had earthquake damage and with the help of her aunt

and uncle she has been able to buy it. A book about life and the traumas many of us

go through and how life does still go on, we just have to realise and acknowledge it

and get out there and live. “Just” not an easy thing to do at all. A book of hope

and an uplifting read to make you think about how precious now is. One life live it.

I was so moved my this I wanted to include it here:

They say memories are golden

well maybe that is true.

We never wanted memories,

We only wanted you.

A million times we needed you,

a million times we’ve cried.

If love alone could have saved you

you never would have died.

In life we loved you dearly,

In death we love you still.

In our hearts you hold a place

no one can ever fill.

If tears could build a stairway

and heartache make a lane,

We’d walk the path to heaven

to bring you back again.

(author unknown)

For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/

or follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog

When We Say Goodbye Can you love when all seems lost? Ellie Perkins life was right on track until her boyfriend Sam suffers a near-fatal car accident,
leaving him in a coma and all their future plans in limbo. Desperately in need of something to fix, Ellie has to find a project and when her grandparents
old house is put up for sale, she jumps at the chance. Because, like Ellie, the house is
broken. And if she can fix the house, then surely, it's just a matter of time before she and
Sam are back on their path to happily-ever-after... In life, when the worst happens how do you pick up the pieces? A heart-breaking story of love, loss and the path to forgiveness, perfect for fans of Faith
Hogan and Amanda Prowse. To be read with tissues Purchase Links: https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-We-Say-Goodbye-heartwarming-ebook/dp/B07VZMN73T https://www.amazon.com/when-we-say-goodbye-heartwarming-ebook/dp/B07VZMN73T https://books.apple.com/gb/book/when-we-say-goodbye/id1474917461 https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9781409195498&c=books https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/when-we-say-goodbye

Author Bio – Michelle Vernal loves a happy ending. She lives with her husband and their two boys in
the beautiful and resilient city of Christchurch, New Zealand. She’s partial to a glass of
wine, loves a cheese scone, and has recently taken up yoga—a sight to behold indeed
. She writes books that she hopes make you feel you are curled up with your best friend
having a cosy chat. Social Media Links – https://www.michellevernalbooks.com/ https://www.facebook.com/michellevernalnovelist/ https://twitter.com/MichelleVernal

The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen by Cass Grafton and Ada Bright -

time travel/women’s fiction

“ Because a world without Mr Darcy? It's not worth living in!”

Rose lives in Bath and works for James letting properties. She is a huge Jane Austen

fan and her friend Morgan has come over from the states to enjoy the festival with

her. Rose keeps seeing a shy woman who is very often dressed in period costume

but reticent to engage in talk. She discovers that she lives in the flat above and

when one day the smoke alarm is going off incessantly Rose goes up to help and

discovers a room full of antiques and almost perfect copy writing of Austen herself.

She soon realises that this actually is Jane Austen and soon the pair are trapped in

the modern world due to a dog who has pinched the article that allowed Jane to

travel through time. The small issue is that Jane hasn’t yet written her famous

novel and so Mr Darcy doesn’t yet exist or anything relating to her famous works.

How can she get back and also restore Rose’s life to normal? a fun read that makes

you realise the effects one small change can make. Ripples on a pond.

Think “It’s a Wonderful life” (film ). A well researched very enjoyable, entertaining read. 

For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/

or follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog

The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen When a time travelling Jane Austen gets stuck in modern-day Bath it's up to avid Janeite Rose Wallace to save her… because she's the only one who knows that Jane exists! Rose Wallace’s world revolves around all things Austen, and with the annual festival in Bath

– and the arrival of dishy archaeologist, Dr Aiden Trevellyan – just around the corner,

all is well with the world… But then a mysterious woman who bears more than a passing resemblance to the great

author moves in upstairs, and things take a disastrous turn. Rose’s new neighbour is

 Jane Austen, whose time travel adventure has been sabotaged by a mischievous dog,

trapping her in the twenty-first century. Rose’s life is instantly changed – new home, new job, new friends – but she’s the only

one who seems to have noticed! To right the world around her, she will have to do

whatever it takes to help Jane get back home to write Rose’s beloved novels.

Because a world without Mr Darcy? It's not worth living in!

Purchase Links Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Particular-Charm-Miss-Jane-Austen-ebook/dp/B07P6VPMFZ Amazon.com - https://www.amazon.com/Particular-Charm-Miss-Jane-Austen-ebook/dp/B07P6VPMFZ Barnes & Noble (and Nook) https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-particular-charm-of-miss-jane-austen-ada-bright/1130732667?ean=9781788633697 Kobo https://www.kobo.com/ch/en/ebook/the-particular-charm-of-miss-jane-austen-1

Author Bios – Cass Grafton A proud bookworm since childhood, Cass writes the sort of stories she loves to read – heart-warming, character driven and strong on location. Having moved around extensively and

lived in three countries, she finds places inspiring and the setting of her novels often

becomes as much a part of the story as her characters. She has an over-active imagination, is prone to crying with happiness as much as she is

at sadness, but when it comes to her writing she leans heavily towards the upbeat and

insists on a happy ever after. As one of her favourite authors, Jane Austen, once

wrote, ‘let other pens dwell on guilt and misery’. Cass loves travelling, words, cats and wine, and enjoys them in any combination. She

currently splits her time between Switzerland, where she lives with her husband, and England, where she lives with her characters. Ada Bright Ada has lived all her life in Southern California, which makes her intolerant to any weather

above or below 72 degrees Fahrenheit. She grew up much more fond of reading than sports

or socializing and still tends to ignore everyone she loves, all her responsibilities and basic life

needs when she’s in the middle of a book. She is luckily married to a handsome and funny man who doesn’t mind that the laundry never gets put away and she has three amazing children. Ada spent over a decade as a photographer before dedicating herself to writing, though she still believes that life should be

documented well and often. There is nothing she loves more than a good, subtle love story whether it be in real life,

tv, movie, theatre or book form… well, except cake. She also really loves cake. Social Media Links – Our Blog: www.tabbycow.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/missyadabright https://www.facebook.com/cassie.grafton Twitter: @CassGrafton @missyadabright Instagram: @cassgraftonauthor @adacakes

The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen by Cass Grafton and Ada Bright -

Time travel/women’s fiction

“ Because a world without Mr Darcy? It's not worth living in!”

Rose lives in Bath and works for James letting properties. She is a huge Jane Austen fan

and her friend Morgan has come over from the states to enjoy the festival with her.

Rose keeps seeing a shy woman who is very often dressed in period costume but

reticent to engage in talk. She discovers that she lives in the flat above and when one

day the smoke alarm is going off incessantly Rose goes up to help and discovers a

room full of antiques and almost perfect copy writing of Austen herself. She soon

realises that this actually is Jane Austen and soon the pair are trapped in the modern

world due to a dog who has pinched the article that allowed Jane to travel through

time. The small issue is that Jane hasn’t yet written her famous novel and so Mr

Darcy doesn’t yet exist or anything relating to her famous works. How can she get

back and also restore Rose’s life to normal? a fun read that makes you realise the

effects one small change can make. Ripples on a pond. Think “It’s a Wonderful

life” (film ). A well researched very enjoyable, entertaining read. 

For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/

or follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog

The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen When a time travelling Jane Austen gets stuck in modern-day Bath it's up to avid Janeite Rose
Wallace to save her… because she's the only one who knows that Jane exists! Rose Wallace’s world revolves around all things Austen, and with the annual festival in Bath
– and the arrival of dishy archaeologist, Dr Aiden Trevellyan – just around the corner, all is
well with the world… But then a mysterious woman who bears more than a passing resemblance to the great
author moves in upstairs, and things take a disastrous turn. Rose’s new neighbour is Jane
Austen, whose time travel adventure has been sabotaged by a mischievous dog, trapping
her in the twenty-first century. Rose’s life is instantly changed – new home, new job, new friends – but she’s the only one
who seems to have noticed! To right the world around her, she will have to do whatever
it takes to help Jane get back home to write Rose’s beloved novels. Because a world
without Mr Darcy? It's not worth living in! Purchase Links Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Particular-Charm-Miss-Jane-Austen-ebook/dp
/B07P6VPMFZ Amazon.com - https://www.amazon.com/Particular-Charm-Miss-Jane-Austen-ebook/dp
/B07P6VPMFZ Barnes & Noble (and Nook) https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-particular-charm-of-miss-jane-austen-ada-
bright/1130732667?ean=9781788633697 Kobo https://www.kobo.com/ch/en/ebook/the-particular-charm-of-miss-jane-austen-1 Author Bios – Cass Grafton A proud bookworm since childhood, Cass writes the sort of stories she loves to read –
heart-warming, character driven and strong on location. Having moved around 
extensively and lived in three countries, she finds places inspiring and the setting of her
novels often becomes as much a part of the story as her characters. She has an over-active imagination, is prone to crying with happiness as much as she is
at sadness, but when it comes to her writing she leans heavily towards the upbeat and
insists on a happy ever after. As one of her favourite authors, Jane Austen, once wrote,
‘let other pens dwell on guilt and misery’. Cass loves travelling, words, cats and wine, and enjoys them in any combination. She
currently splits her time between Switzerland, where she lives with her husband, and
England, where she lives with her characters. Ada Bright Ada has lived all her life in Southern California, which makes her intolerant to any
weather above or below 72 degrees Fahrenheit. She grew up much more fond of reading
than sports or socializing and still tends to ignore everyone she loves, all her
responsibilities and basic life needs when she’s in the middle of a book. She is luckily married to a handsome and funny man who doesn’t mind that the laundry
never gets put away and she has three amazing children. Ada spent over a decade as
a photographer before dedicating herself to writing, though she still believes that life
should be documented well and often. There is nothing she loves more than a good, subtle love story whether it be in real
life, tv, movie, theatre or book form… well, except cake. She also really loves cake. Social Media Links – Our Blog: www.tabbycow.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/missyadabright https://www.facebook.com/cassie.grafton Twitter: @CassGrafton @missyadabright Instagram: @cassgraftonauthor @adacakes