Stranded- Stuart James-psychological thriller
Laura, Ben and their daughter Milly are on the way to the airport for a
holiday when a man appears on the road to tell them that there is a tree
down and that they need to follow a diversion. A little while later they
draw up behind a coach on a single track lane. After waiting a while
and the coach not moving, Ben gets out to investigate. He finds injured
passengers tied up by their hands and feet and a very frightened driver
who tells him what has happened. He was instructed by a man to pick
these people up who then attacked them and took away some of the
passengers. Alternating sections give us the stories behind some of
those who were on the coach. The perpetrator has left a phone in the
coach to communicate with Ben and makes his demands to his “games' '
otherwise there will be fatal consequences. OMG!!! I raced through this,
there is very much a sense of unease and what on earth (ok that's the
polite version) is going on? The “caller” as he is known without giving
anything away is set on retribution but how does he know what has
been happening in all their lives and what ties them all together?
This is brilliantly written with the tension ever present. A gripping
read with a rather chilling theme. 5* from me.
For more reviews please see my blog
http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
or follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog
A family trapped. A psychopath on the loose. Let the game begin…
What could be more innocent than going on holiday?As a family drive along
a quiet country lane on their way to the airport, they meet a stranger standing
alone in the middle of the road.Steering them along another path, he tells the
driver, Ben, that a tree has fallen and there’s no way through.But as they make
their way along the diverted route, they come across a coach blocking the road.
Getting out of the car Ben goes to investigate and is horrified to find the
passengers tied to their seats.Then a discarded phone starts to ring…
If Ben calls the police, everyone on board will die.
Let the horrific game begin…
I have always loved scary stories, especially ones that shocked me, left me terrified, looking under my bed or in the wardrobe before going to sleep.
There was just a fantastic buzz whenever I watched or read something that took my breathe away.
I remember going to my nan’s house in Ireland as a youngster with my mother and sister, on the West Coast, staying in a cottage, surrounded by miles of fields and my family sitting around the table in the kitchen at night telling ghost stories. Going out and exploring derelict farmhouses in the middle of nowhere. I remember clearly the field at the end of the road was supposed to be haunted by headless nuns.
My cousins often remind me of the great times we had, frightening each other and running for our lives whenever we’d see something that didn’t look right.
This is why I love nothing more than to tell a story.
I started writing three years ago, penning The House On Rectory Lane which has just won The International Book Award in horror fiction. I got the idea from something that has often seemed scary to me. I know that a terrifying story has to be something that you’re frightened of doing, something that makes the hairs stand on the back of your neck, something that fills you with dread, yet also with excitement.
To me, the thought of going to a house in the middle of nowhere, upping and leaving a busy town and moving to the country is something that scares lots of people and me: the seclusion, the quiet, the darkness. That’s what inspired me to write my first novel.
My second thriller is called Turn The Other Way, which was a world wide number 1 best seller and stayed at number 1 for 19 weeks in the US.
I have multiple stories running, past and present. A family who want answers from the surgeon responsible for their daughter’s death. A young woman looking for her parents after they go missing from a party. A couple driving home and hearing screams for help from the back of the van in front of them. A serial killer on the loose in North London, dragging victims off the street.
I’m so grateful when people not only read my thrillers but also take the time to get in touch and leave a review. To me, that is the greatest feeling, hearing from people that have enjoyed my work. I know then that I’m doing something right.
My third thriller, Apartment Six, was published in January of this year and was a number 1 hot new release on Amazon for 4 weeks.
Stranded goes on pre-order Monday October 12th on Amazon and is released October 19th.
I’m 47, married and have two beautiful children. Currently, I’m a full-time plumber but would love nothing more than to make a living from my writing. I hope I write stories and people continue to enjoy them for years to come. That would be completely amazing and a dream come true.
Thanks so much for kicking off the blog tour today Nicki x
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