Two Heads Are Better Than One

Simon Kernick

Publication Date: 9/11/23

Publisher: Headline

SYNOPSIS

A COP NEEDS TO CRACK A DEADLY CASE
He’s a detective hunting cold-blooded killers, but does he know more than he admits?

A MOTHER HAS TO SAVE HER DAUGHTER
She’s a lawyer who must defend a murderer – but how far will she go to protect her only child?

A COUPLE WILL COMMIT THE PERFECT CRIME
They have a plan – but can they trust each other with their lives?

THREE STORIES. TWO DAYS. DOES ONE SECRET CONNECT THEM ALL?
THE FIRST 48 HOURS…MAY ALSO BE THEIR LAST.

MY REVIEW

Another cracking crime thriller from Simon Kernick.

We can identify three threads to this story.

Delvina, one of ‘The Vanishers’ who works with her under the thumb husband and his cousin to kidnap for ransom.

Becca. Lawyer who has got some pretty nasty criminals off in her time and now needs one of the worst to help her find her kidnapped daughter.

Fish. Policeman and criminal. Part of the team tracking down the kidnappers, but also part of the kidnapping team.

A clever twist on the standard police v criminals thriller which is fast paced and kept me wondering if or when Fish would be found out by his colleagues.

Some rather nasty characters are encountered in this one, mostly with their own agendas and all hiding something from each other whilst playing it straight.

As the story progressed as told from the three points of view, it was interesting to know what was going on in each of their minds and what they were planning.

A thoroughly engrossing thriller which I devoured.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Simon Kernick is one of Britain’s most exciting thriller writers. He arrived on the crime writing scene with his highly acclaimed debut novel The Business of Dying, the story of a corrupt cop moonlighting as a hitman. Simon’s big breakthrough came with his novel Relentlesswhich was the biggest selling thriller of 2007. His most recent crime thrillers include Siege, Ultimatum, Stay Alive and The Final Minute. He is also the author of the bestselling three-part serial thrillers Dead Man’s Gift and One By One.

Simon talks both on and off the record to members of the Counter Terrorism Command and the Serious and Organised Crime Agency, so he gets to hear first hand what actually happens in the dark and murky underbelly of UK crime.

Hilly Barmby

Publication Date: 14/11/23

Publisher: Hobeck Books

SYNOPSIS

A mystery woman enters Lily’s life

At the launch for her latest children’s book, a member of the audience asks Lily for a strange inscription in her copy of the book. Why does this unnerve her?

Is Jack the answer to Lily’s prayers?

Later, while celebrating in a local bar, Lily, and best friend Alice, spot the same woman. Her name is Rose. Putting aside earlier unease, a new friendship between the three is formed. Rose offers to help Lily re-enter the dating scene after a bad breakup and they come across Jack, Mr Perfect on paper. Lily quickly falls for handsome Jack. Is he too good to be true?

The past is the past, or is it?

Soon after the pair start dating, bizarre things start to occur to Lily; things are moved or they go missing, and, what’s worse, her precious artwork is damaged. Who did this to her? Surely it can’t have been her new boyfriend, her new friend Rose, or her oldest friend Alice, even if they all have a motive? Perhaps Lily did this all herself. Who can she trust? Can she trust herself? Or has a ghost from Lily’s past come back to haunt her?

MY REVIEW

What a wonderfully dark psychological thriller.

I enjoyed getting to know Lily, and following her work as a children’s book illustrator as I love drawing too.

This is Lily’s story. Told over two timelines of two disastrous Christmases. And two disastrous relationships.

When she leaves her cheating ex behind in Brighton and moves to London with her best friend, she finds it hard to trust anyone until she meets Jack on a dating app. He seems to be her perfect man and they soon develop a close relationship. But we know early on something is not quite right about Jack.

There is another dark character in the story too. Rose. She edges her way into Lily and Alice’s close friendship, but can they trust her?

The tension builds and builds then what an explosion towards the end of the book! An absolutely satisfactory conclusion.

Many thanks to Rebecca Hobeck Books for my spot on the blog tour.

BLOG TOUR HOSTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

At the age of seventeen, having been told by her English Literature teacher to sit on her hands in lessons, as she spoke more eloquently with them than actual words, Hilly decided to prove her wrong. It started with a bout of terrible poetry and has finally culminated in the publication of her first novel. She is also a painter and ceramicist, and has a lady-shed in the middle of an organic fruit farm on a mountainside in southern Spain. She lives with her musician partner and two rescue dogs.

M.G. Leonard

Publication date: 2/11/23

Publisher: MacMillan Children’s Books

My Rating: ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️❄️

SYNOPSIS

The Ice Children is an exciting, modern, magical mystery adventure inspired by classic fairy tale ‘The Snow Queen’. Gorgeous coloured endpapers, and black-and-white illustrations throughout by Penny Neville-Lee, this hardback would make a perfect Christmas gift for boys and girls of 8-12.

At the stroke of midnight on the dawn of December, five-year-old Finn Albedo is found frozen in the city park standing on a pedestal of ice. His heart is beating, he is smiling serenely, but no one can wake him.

Finn’s big sister, Bianca, suspects that the beautiful sparkling book Finn got from the library has something to do with it, but the book has vanished. Does the tall mysterious stranger who first discovered Finn know more than they will admit?

Each day, more children are found frozen and Bianca realizes she’s running out of time. Her quest to discover the truth and rescue her little brother hurls her into a fantastical winter wonderland, full of beauty and danger, where all is not as it seems.

Can Bianca save her brother and the other Ice Children before they are forever lost?

MY REVIEW

The author has very cleverly talked about climate change for younger children to grasp, woven into a mesmerising fairy tale. There is also a very strong theme of family and friends.

It reminded me of so many wonderful stories I have read as a child, and read to my own children. The Snow Queen being the obvious one but also The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Frozen and the Rainbow Magic series. All the stories children love to read.

In this beautifully written, and illustrated, fairy tale, 11 year old Bianca takes it upon herself to discover how and why her younger brother has turned into an ice statue in the park. Yet his heart is still beating. Believing a shiny book he read the night he changed is to blame, she tried telling the adults who of course don’t listen to her.

She follows a strange man with a top hat who is hanging around her brother and discovers a little of what is going on and why more and more children are turning up as ice statues. Putting herself in immense danger, she follows her brother to another world inhabited by The Snow Queen and Jack Frost.

The book may just plant a seed which will see children to go on to study climate change and help find solutions. It certainly stresses the children are the future and together they can make a change.

A beautiful book both outside and inside. I was entranced throughout, picturing the story as events unfolded. I would love to see it made into a film.

I would highly recommend this for children around 8-12 years old, as well as adults!

I’m very thankful to Srionti at Macmillan Children’s books for sending me a copy to read and review.

About the author

M. G. Leonard has made up stories ever since she was a little girl. Back then, adults called them lies or tall tales, so she didn’t think to write them down. Now, she makes up stories about beetles, birds, trains or anything that sparks her imagination. Her books have been translated into over forty languages and won many awards. She is the vice president of the insect charity Buglife, and a founding author of Authors4Oceans. She lives in England, by the sea, with her husband, two sons, a fat cat called Kasper, a dog called Nell, and a variety of exotic beetles.

Alexandra Benedict

Publication Date: 10 November 2022 HB 28/9/23 PB

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

My Review : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SYNOPSIS

CAN YOU SOLVE THE CASE?
Eighteen passengers. Seven stops. One killer.
In the early hours of Christmas Eve, the sleeper train to the Highlands is derailed. along with the Festive plans of its travellers. With the train stuck in snow in the middle of nowhere, a killer stalks its carriages, picking off passengers one by one. Those who sleep on the sleeper train may never wake again.
Can former Met detective Roz Parker find the killer before they kill again?

MY REVIEW

I very much enjoyed this Christie-esque murder mystery. Set on a sleeper train which is derailed in the snow. Then the murders begin.

A corker of a locked room mystery – within a locked room!

I’m a huge fan of Murder on the Orient Express so I loved the cold, snowy, remote setting of this Murder mystery.

Roz, a recently (early) retired police officer, just happens to be on the sleeper train heading to see her daughter who has gone into labour scarily early. I liked Roz immediately. She has a terrible secret she has never shared which has ruined her life.

Meg, the famous Instagrammer / tik tokker with her constant need to post details of her life for her thousands of followers including providing live feeds. I felt so sorry for her. The pressure to perform for this audience of strangers. The controlling, bullying boyfriend. I was willing her to walk away from him. And the pressure of social media.

The supporting characters play interesting parts too, and I just adored Mary and her hilarious outspokenness.

The author has cleverly written anagrams into the book, as well as quiz questions. If you enjoy this sort of thing you will enjoy finding the answers.

There is a theme of rape, sexual assault and coercive behaviour throughout the book which the author has warned about at the beginning, and I was sad to read she has written this book with her own experience.

I will be definitely be reading the author’s new book which is out now, The Christmas Jigsaw Murders.

Thank you Anne at Random Things Tours for my spot on the blog tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alexandra (AK) Benedict is a best-selling, award-winning writer of short stories, novels and scripts. Educated at Cambridge, Sussex, and Clown School, Alexandra has been a indie-rock singer, an actor, RLF Fellow, and a composer for film and TV as well as teaching and running the prestigious MA in Crime Thrillers at City University. She is now a full-time writer and creative coach.
Her most recent novel, under the name Alexandra Benedict, was the bestselling The Christmas Murder Game. She is currently writing another Christmas mystery, a high-concept thriller and TV scripts. Alexandra lives on the south coast of England with writer, Guy Adams, their daughter, Verity, and dog, Dame Margaret Rutherford.

Jenny Bayliss

Publication Date: 9th November 2023

Publisher: Pan

SYNOPSIS

A December to Remember follows the three North sisters who rekindle their broken relationship in the wake of their father’s death.

Wildly different half-sisters Maggie, Simone and Star have hardly seen each other since their idyllic summers spent in the charming village of Rowan Thorp, the home of their eccentric father, Augustus. Known for the fruitful ways in which he and his bustling curiosity shop kept the towns tongues wagging and ladies swooning, Augustus was loved by all and known by none, not even his daughters.

Now, years later, the three estranged women are unexpectedly reunited at the reading of Augustus’s will. Maggie, Simone and Star are shocked to find out that Augustus has engineered a series of hoops through which the three women must jump to unlock their inheritance – the last thing any of them want to do. But each sister desperately needs the money, and they are in no position to rebel against their father’s final wishes.

Spending the winter months at Rowan Thorp stirs up feelings with forgotten flames, and makes the sisters confront the lives they’ve left behind. As old wounds resurface and long-buried secrets come to light, the sisters must learn to work together if they hope to succeed. Sometimes the only way to move forward is to go back to where it all began . . .

MY REVIEW

A truly gorgeous read.

It is not a traditional ‘Christmas’ read, but concentrates on celebrating the winter solstice.

After their father dies at a ripe old age, in his beloved camper van, the three sisters are brought together for the reading of his unusual will. Augustus – known locally as The Wizard of Rowan Tree Woods – has been quite a free spirit in his lifetime, and his daughters are all results of his affairs with three different women. He didn’t spend much time with his daughters when they were growing up other than every summer they would stay with him at his shop and huge forest garden and be proper sisters.

The years have separated them and beyond the grave, Augustus has set a plan in motion to bring them back together. If they can meet the unusual tasks in his will they will inherit his full estate. If not, it goes to charities.

This was initially quite a challenging read as there are a lot of characters to get to know very early on, but once I had written them all down and they fell into place I was hooked on the story and couldn’t put it down.

Star was my favourite of the sisters. She was such a lovely character right from the beginning with a warm heart and a selfless nature. I hoped there would be a spark for her with the sexy Sotheby’s valuer who arrives to assess the stock in the curio shop Augustus left behind.

The sisters have all had difficulties in their lives, and sadly not been close enough to support each other when they were needed.

I read a lot of the story through tears! It is rather an emotional one, but in a good way! There is plenty of humour too, so many quick one liners to giggle at. I think my favourite was the devil on the shoulder. I laughed out loud at that! You’ll know what I mean when you read it.

I loved the idea of the village all coming together to rekindle the annual celebration of the winter solstice. What a lovely supportive community.

I absolutely loved this book and thanks again to Chloe at Pan for my gorgeous finished copy of the book (I’d love that cover picture on my Christmas cards!) and my spot on the blog tour.

Julie Hankey

Publication Date: 9/11/23

Publisher: Icon Books

SYNOPSIS

The love story of Zippa and Tony is nothing without the context of the Second World War.

The war introduced them – they met as blackout wardens in London. It gave them darkened streets to wander in, hand in hand, then, by sending Tony away to officer training camps, it sharpened their hunger for each other, casting a glow over his comings and goings. It turned them into schemers and wanglers against fate and army regulations. It pressed them into marriage, and when the war decided to deploy him to North Africa, it whispered the urgent question of a baby. To which Tony, thinking of the war, replied maybe not; and Zippa, thinking of the war, said yes.

In spite of themselves, the war experience was changing them both, and yet both were hanging on, looking back, suspended in memory and time, and living from letter to letter.

Decades later, their daughter Julie discovered their letters, and piecing them together began to create a portrait of her parents and their relationship that was completely unfamiliar to her. Vivid, honest and completely absorbing, Damn This War! is a true insight into a wartime love story.

MY REVIEW

This is just one of I expect many thousands of similar stories of couples being separated by war. The descriptions and candid writing made the war feel very real and brought home how hard life was during the war, and afterwards.

I enjoyed the way the story was told through the snippets from the letters and through their daughter filling in the blanks with her own research and suppositions. It didn’t feel overly intrusive as the complete letters are not included. It was lovely to see photos of the couple and their children dotted through the pages.

In the letters Tony and Zippa write about their day to day lives, and it begins to becomes apparent how they are changing during the years they are apart, and wonder what they want from life and their futures after the war.

I enjoyed this book, with its very real insight into the war years, and after, for an ordinary couple.

Many thanks to Rhiannon at Icon Books for sending me a proof to read and review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julie Hankey is the author of A Passion for Egypt and Kisses and Ink, books that draw on private letters and wider research to bring the past to life.
FOR ALL PUBLICITY ENQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT RHIANNON MORRIS AT: RHIANNON.

Little Duck Pond Cafe

Rosie Green

Publication Date: 30/9/23

My rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SYNOPSIS
Autumn is here and the Little Duck Pond Café crew are looking forward to spending a relaxing week in the country. That’s the theory, anyway. Because when they arrive, they quickly become immersed in village life after a power cut, only to find themselves spooked at every turn by mysterious goings-on, all of which seem to be connected to the creepy old house next-door. Is someone playing scary Hallowe’en tricks on them? Or is there something rather more sinister
afoot…?

Purchase Link – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C6B1Y1KW

MY REVIEW

You just can’t beat Rosie’s Little Duck Pond novellas for an uplifting and engrossing read, which can be read in one cosy sitting.

I enjoyed meeting some of the Little Duck Pond characters again, but this time the girls are on a break. They have rented a cottage on the outskirts of a sleepy village, with a cemetery and a reputed haunted house next door! And they are staying over Halloween!

Things begin to get spooky as figures are seen in the garden and strange things happen at the house next door, where they have befriended the occupant who is currently living in the house alone. Or so she thinks 🤔 Is the house haunted or is there another explanation for the strange goings on?

We get to know a little of what is going on in the girls’ lives and we also meet some new characters who live in the village.

As always, a pleasure to read another book in this series and as always, I’m looking forward to the next one which will be all about Christmas.

Thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the blog tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rosie has been scribbling stories ever since she was little. Back then, they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by ‘the baddies’. Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger involved at all – unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love.

Rosie’s Little Duck Pond Cafe series of novellas is centred around life in a village cafe and each book can be read as a stand-alone story. 

Look out for ‘A Winter Wonderland’ for Christmas 2023.

Follow Rosie on Twitter – https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green88

Simon Scarrow

Publication Date: 9/11/23 HB 28/3/24 PB

Publisher: Headline

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SYNOPSIS

An epic military adventure novel pits Roman army heroes Macro and Cato against Boudica: the terrifying Queen of the Britons. From bestselling Simon Scarrow, author of Death to the Emperor and The Honour of Rome

1st-century Britannia is the setting for an epic and action-packed novel of tribal uprisings, battles to the death and unmatched courage in the Roman army ranks.

The 22nd Eagles of the Empire novel.

Two heroes of the Roman army – Prefect Cato and Centurion Macro, now battle-scarred veterans, tough and resilient – lead their best men into the midst of an enemy both fearless and resourceful. Far from Rome in cold, rainy, unwelcoming Britannia, the soldiers need all their training to stand strong and undaunted as constant attacks challenge morale. And a leader like no other sends fear through the ranks: Boudica.

A stunning and unforgettable story of warfare, courage and sacrifice as brave men face an enemy who will fight to the death to free her people from the rule of the Empire!

MY REVIEW

This is book 22 in the series but it’s the first I have read. It is easily read as a stand alone, but I will absolutely be going back and reading the others as this was OUTSTANDING!! What a talented writer. I couldn’t put it down.

I didn’t realise just how much I was going to enjoy this book, but I love to read outside my usual genres and this is why I do! I find something different that I enjoy immensely. I had read one of Simon’s books, so I did know the writing was going to be very good.

Full of non stop action and vicious battles, and it all leads to the final nail biting heart pounding battle with Queen Boudica’s rebel army.

The story revolves around two main characters; Cato who is leader of one of the Roman army cohorts, and Macro his not quite ‘retired’ army friend. There is a list of characters at the beginning of the book and although there are a lot of names I didn’t need to refer back once as I got to know them all quite easily.

The Roman army are made aware of Boudica leading a rebellion, where thousands of rebels are joining her to rid the country of the invading Romans.

But can Boudica win against the Roman army which is much smaller in number but trained like a well oiled machine.

I was fascinated to read the way the Roman army worked and pulled together to form ‘wedges’ and almost impenetrable walls of shields. Some of the fighting, well actually all of it, is quite gruesome but that’s war.

Can’t wait for the next one in the series now!

Huge thanks to Sophie and Poppy at Ransom PR for inviting me onto the tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Simon Scarrow is a Sunday Times No. 1 bestselling author. After a childhood spent travelling the world, he pursued his great love of history as a teacher, before becoming a full-time writer. His Roman soldier heroes Cato and Macro made their debut in 2000 in UNDER THE EAGLE, and have subsequently appeared in many bestsellers in the Eagles of the Empire series, including CENTURION, INVICTUS and DAY OF THE CAESARS.

Simon Scarrow is also the author of a quartet of novels about the lives of the Duke of Wellington and Napoleon Bonaparte, YOUNG BLOODS, THE GENERALS, FIRE AND SWORD and THE FIELDS OF DEATH; a novel about the 1565 Siege of Malta, SWORD & SCIMITAR; HEARTS OF STONE, set in Greece during the Second World War; and PLAYING WITH DEATH, a contemporary thriller written with Lee Francis. He also wrote the novels ARENA and INVADER with T. J. Andrews.

For exciting news, extracts and exclusive content from Simon visit http://www.simonscarrow.co.uk, follow him on Twitter @SimonScarrow or like his author page on Facebook/OfficialSimonScarrow.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Simon has booked in various events – Waterstones Colchester (16th November), Waterstones St Albans (30th November) and Jarrolds (24th November). The links below will take you to the events to enable you to purchase tickets.

https://www.waterstones.com/events/simon-scarrow-talk-and-book-signing/st-albans

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-evening-with-simon-scarrow-waterstones-colchester-tickets-735335507297

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/in-conversation-with-simon-scarrow-tickets-739330125307?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Jenni Keer

Publication Date: 31/10/23

Publisher: Boldwood Books

My Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️

SYNOPSIS

London, 1927: One house. Three lives. A decision that will change everything. A powerful, unique timeslip story, perfect for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, The Miniaturist, and Lucinda Riley.
On the morning of Friday 5th August, 1927, Miss Agnes Humphries – the landlady of the attractive, if-slightly-shabby, white-fronted townhouse at Number 23 Burlington Square – has a decision to make.
The rooms of the second floor lie empty, since poor Mr Blandford’s unfortunate demise, God rest his soul. And Agnes must make up her mind as to who will be her new lodger… Will it be her spirited, young niece Clara, who drifts through the glamorous world of London’s Bright Young Things?
Or Stephen, the sensible, church-going, respectable banker who seems just be too good to be true?
Or the timid war widow named Mercy, who is clearly running from something – or someone…?
Agnes must choose between them. But what will her decision lead to? One of the choices could result in scandal, one in devastation, and one could even lead to happiness. If only she gets it right…
As all three lodgers enter Number 23, in alternate timelines, relationships are formed and destroyed, feathers are ruffled, and secrets are exposed. Three different choices. Three very different paths. And Agnes is to discover that nobody – including herself – is quite who they seem…

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/burlingtonsqsocial

MY REVIEW

This is definitely going to be one of my top books of the year.

I couldn’t tear myself away from the stories.

I enjoyed all three ‘what if’ storylines, I just love a ‘sliding doors’ story.

‘One simple decision can have so many ripples’

As we follow Agnes as she carefully chooses each of three possible tenants for her spare room, we learn about them but we also learn a little about Agnes in each story. Why she never married. Why she feels she can never leave this house with all of its sentimental clutter. I completely get her! Her few tenants are like a family and it was heartwarming to see them pull together to help each other in times of need.

There are also some secrets and some lies.

And tears.

Definitely one which is going to stay with me and having read an ebook for the blog tour, I’m going to buy the paperback for my forever shelf.

Thank you Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the tour for this gorgeous book.

BLOG TOUR HOSTS

AUTHOR BIO

Jenni Keer is the well-reviewed author of historical romances, often with a mystery at their heart. Most recently published by Headline and shortlisted for the 2023 RNA Historical Romantic Novel of the Year, her first book with Boldwood The House on Burlington Square will be released in October 2023.

Social Media Links –
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenni.keer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniKeer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennikeer/
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/JenniKeerNews
Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jenni-keer

Alex Pine

Publication Date: 26/10/23

Publisher: Avon

SYNOPSIS

This Christmas, the hunters become the hunted…

When four trail hunters go missing in the fells of Cumbria on Christmas Eve, the race is on to find them before nightfall – when the temperature plummets.

After hours of searching, the first body is found… Not frozen in the snow, but brutally murdered and bearing a warning: the real hunt has begun.

As a snowstorm descends, three lives hang in the balance. But can the killer be caught before the trail goes cold?

From the master of Christmas crime comes a thriller that will chill you to the bone this Winter, perfect for fans of James Patterson, Clare Mackintosh and anyone who prefers their mince pies with a side of murder.

MY REVIEW

It’s coming up to Christmas which means another book in the brilliant DCI James Walker series.

This is book four in the series, and this time we see newly promoted DCI Walker and his very able team investigating four men who are missing after they headed off on a hike in heavy snow in the Lake District.

But were they just hiking? They have a history of fox hunting and it appears they take no notice of the legal ban. A very touchy subject the author is not shy at exploring.

The heavy snowfall hampers the search efforts, but eventually one of the dogs is found hiding, cold, and covered in blood.

The search and rescue mission turns into a murder investigation after a photograph of one of the men is emailed to various news outlets. He is dead.

This perfectly paced police procedural is a gripping read, and very atmospheric. I had to read most if it wearing my gilet as all the talk of snow was making me cold! We are immersed into the investigation with all of its problems and setbacks, secrets and lies, and with DCI Walker having to deal with the pressures of the press and social media.

I really like DCI James Walker as a protagonist. A dedicated policeman with a supportive and understanding wife and a young daughter. Will he ever tell his wife about the new job he has been offered?

An enjoyable read with a plot that is easy to follow and just enough characters to keep you guessing but not so many you lose track of who is who.

Thanks to Avon Books for my early copy of the book.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alex Pine is the pseudonym of a bestselling author who has also written books under the names Jaime Raven, James Raven and JP Carter. He was born and raised on a council estate in South London and left school at sixteen. Before long, he embarked on a career in journalism, which took him all over the world – many of the stories he covered were crime-related. He then became a television producer and for a number of years was director of a major UK news division and co-owned a TV production company. He now splits his time between homes in Hampshire and Spain with his wife.