Two Heads Are Better Than One

Lizzy Barber

Publication Date 13/5/25

Publisher: Datura Books

SYNOPSIS

Once, Beth was a different person, convinced she was living her dream life with the enigmatic wellness group, Elixir. But when that dream became a nightmare, she had no choice but to run, no matter what – or who – stood in her way. 

Ten years later, exhausted and struggling with the pressures of motherhood, she receives a mysterious letter bearing only the infinity symbol, and knows immediately it is from them.

The past she’d run from has finally caught up with her, and the secrets she’s tried so hard to hide will soon be uncovered. Can she finally escape them for good, or will her freedom pay the ultimate price? 

If wellness is the new religion, what happens when it’s taken too far?

MY REVIEW

I love a book about a cult I find them scarily fascinating, wondering just how people can be sucked in. Sadly it is usually people who are desperate for help and somewhere to feel they belong.

We find exactly how Beth was sucked in to Elixir, a wellness and self improvement group fronted by the enigmatic Tate who is extremely vocal in stating Elixir is not a cult and anyone who says it is will feel the weight of a hefty lawsuit. So yup that’s a cult then. 

Having moved to San Francisco, Beth bumps into Marissa, a glamorous and together woman, just how Beth would love to be. Initially Marissa convinces Beth to join a few wellness classes, but Beth soon becomes addicted to Elixir and the costly lifestyle.

Jump forward 10 years and Beth is now living in London with her husband and their baby. She has escaped the cult but is constantly looking over her shoulder in case they find her. She is befriended by Mia, another new mum but can she trust her? Can she trust anyone? Then she receives an invitation to an Elixir event and her world collapses.

This is truly an addictive rollercoaster of a page turner. It seamlessly moves between past and present as we find exactly how Beth was taken in, and how she saw Elixir and Tate for exactly who they are and escaped.

I felt so sorry for Beth being taken in by these people, and then again as a mother with all of a new mother’s insecurities and worries alongside the worry of being found. Her husband knows nothing of her past life and she wants to keep it that way, but the past is catching up with her.

Excellent book I had to finish in just a few sittings!

Huge thanks to Datura books for sending me an advance copy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lizzy Barber studied English at Corpus Christ College, Cambridge University. After ‘previous lives’ acting and working in film development, she is now the Head of Brand and Marketing for a restaurant group, working with her brother, a restaurateur. 

Her debut novel, MY NAME IS ANNA / A GIRL NAMED ANNA (US), is the winner of the Daily Mail First Novel Competition. OUT OF HER DEPTH was published in the UK and US in 2022 and was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick. TV & Film Rights have been optioned. NANNY WANTED was published in August 2023. BE MINE will be released in May 2025!

Lizzy lives in London with her husband, George, food writer and strategy consultant, their son, Marlowe and daughter, Juniper. 

Follow her on Instagram, Twitter/X and TikTok @bylizzybarber

Love Forever Lindisfarne

By Kimberley Adams

Publication Date: 26th June 2025

SYNOPSIS

Take a summer break to stunning Northumberland via the pages of this feel-good romantic comedy by award winning writer Kimberley Adams. Full of love and laughter, it will leave you yearning to visit this iconic location in person!

When a stranger appears in the middle of a very important celebration, no one can foresee the island connections that will later come to light. Kittiwake Penaluna is drawn to the island at a sad time in her life; she’s broken, but it doesn’t take long for the islanders to rally round and take her under their wing.

Ellie and Zen are busier than they’ve ever been, jumping from task to task with little time for themselves. Will they ever find a moment together away from all the drama that constantly follows them around the island?

The forthcoming arrival of nine new mini animals puts even more pressure on the islanders, but Bert is resolute, and it’s all hands to the pump to prepare for their arrival. The Mini-Fest fundraiser gets off to a great start, until a despised face from the past appears and throws everything into chaos.

Full of heart, Love Forever Lindisfarne is a story steeped in love and community. You’ll reunite with beloved characters who feel like old friends and meet a few lively newcomers with big personalities! Each page will pull you deeper into island life and leave you with a wide smile and a warm glow!

 

Praise for Kimberley Adams taken from Amazon reviews:

‘Kimberley’s books often feel more like a chat between friends than reading a book, she has the knack of making the reader feel they are part of the action and at the heart of the story.’ Ginger Book Geek Reviewer.

‘The characters just jump off the page and charm you and are so well drawn you can almost see them.’ Amazon customer.

‘I want to visit Lindisfarne even more after reading Kim’s books.’ June, Australia.

‘Thank you for writing such a beautiful love letter to Northumberland.’ Kindle Customer.

‘Witty, great storytelling and a wonderful mix of characters that keep you engaged and invested.’ Orapps.

 

Pre-order Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0F8MQM8VP

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F8MQM8VP

Author Bio

Kim writes heartwarming romantic comedies which are set in glorious Northumberland on the iconic Holy Island of Lindisfarne. Kim is an award-winning writer and her books are amongst the highest rated romcoms on Amazon. Kim’s beautiful book covers are bespoke artwork by a Northumbrian artist and a representation of a scene within the book!

FACEBOOK Kimberley Adams-Writer or Love Lindisfarne

X     kim_adamsWriter

INSTAGRAM  love_lindisfarne

 

Eleni Kyriacou

Publication Date: 8/5/25

Publisher: Aries / Head of Zeus

SYNOPSIS

PLAY THEIR GAME
Hollywood, 1953. Young actress Ginny Watkins is turning heads. Even the legendary – and married – actor Max Whitman can’t resist the allure of the hottest new starlet. He promises Ginny the world, in return for the right favour.

DO WHAT THEY SAY
London, 1954. Stella Hope, once the most famous actress in Hollywood, has been ousted to Ealing Studios after her divorce from the powerful Max. Just as she accepts her fate, she receives a letter, blackmailing her for a mistake she made many years ago.

OR THEY’LL BURY YOU
Two women on either side of stardom find themselves in the orbit of the same beguiling man. And one night, in the shadows of a glamorous Oscars afterparty, their lives are changed forever.

A Beautiful Way to Die delves into the decadence and depravity of the early film industry from Hollywood to London. Perfect for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and films like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Babylon.

REVIEW

When insecure but beloved ageing Hollywood actress Stella Hope, half of Hollywood’s Golden Couple, is sent to England on loan to star in a film she begins to receive blackmail letters. Devastated, she finds an unlikely friend and support in Maggie, her makeup artist. The two become inseparable but Maggie has a heartbreaking reason for befriending Stella.

A warts and all dive into life as a Hollywood actress. We see the glamour and the draw of Hollywood from the eyes of a young girl, Ginny, but also the dark underbelly of the movie industry in the 1950’s she is sucked into. Drugs just to function under the pressure, unwanted attention from men and an affair with a married actor. 

Well known names such as Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn pop up, and much of the story is based on true events and places which actually exist. We all know about the ‘casting couch’ and the antics of Harvey Weinstein. This book goes further and reveals the cover ups undertaken by ‘fixers’ in order to maintain the careers of the top talent, the favours and even murder.

There is an unknown narrator who pops up throughout the book. All we know is it is a woman who is locked up in a sanitarium. This could be any of the main characters and I had my money on nearly every one of them at some point. 

The author has undertaken plenty of research for this novel about the dark side of Hollywood and the dubious characters involved in the film business. 

I was completely drawn in to Stella and Ginny’s world and found myself reading well past my bedtime, it was so difficult to put down. 

Thank you Andrew at Head of Zeus for my spot on the tour and my stunning proof copy. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Eleni is the daughter of Greek Cypriot parents who travelled separately to the UK in the 1950s and met and married here. Today she is an award-winning journalist and editor and has always been fascinated by highlighting untold stories and exploring the tales of those who feel they don’t belong.

Michael Cordy

Publication Date: 8th May 2025

Publisher: Transworld / Bantam

SYNOPSIS

THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS JUST SAID GOODNIGHT

On the anniversary eve of the 9/11 terror attack, New York swelters under a heat dome of record temperatures. Even the global leaders assembled at the UN HQ are forced to admit that the climate crisis has reached boiling point and the world’s time is running out.

That same day, at precisely 5:25 p.m., everyone on Manhattan Island – every man, woman and child, including all the world leaders at the UN – falls unconscious. Everyone that is, except for Samantha Rossi, a single mother reeling from devastating personal news and Nick Lockwood, a wounded NYPD detective who wakes from a coma just as the City That Never Sleeps falls into one.

Rossi’s first concern is her daughter. Lockwood’s is his city. As night draws in, they must work together to unravel the mystery of what has happened and why. Each must decide how far they will go and what lines they will cross to save what matters most to them.

Manhattan Down is a pulse-pounding contemporary thriller which dares to imagine the unimaginable, a leaderless world being held to ransom by forces unknown for reasons unknown. The questions it asks are terrifying – and so are some of the answers.

MY REVIEW

Wow this is an incredibly vivid edge of the seat thriller, just crying out to be made into a film. 

Manhattan comes to a standstill at precisely 5.25pm on the anniversary eve of 9/11 as everyone falls unconscious at the exact same time. Cars crash. People drop to the ground in the streets. The description of people lying in the streets all over Manhattan and slouched over steering wheels and desks is quite disturbing. Then there are the ones who are ‘walkers’ and get up whilst still asleep, say a few words then fall asleep again. 

The world’s leaders are all together in the UN building, and just as most people, have succumbed to sleep. 

The group responsible, who call themselves The Deadly Sins, appear to be a handful of environmentalists who met on the dark web and have taken this drastic action to force the world to act now to save the planet. If their demands are not met, they will not wake the population of Manhattan and without water and in the sweltering heat, people will not live long. But is there more behind their plan? They certainly did not expect anyone being immune to the sleep, especially not a fearless New York cop with a score to settle and a cyber security expert who just wants to find her daughter. 

An absolute page turner. I read it over 2 days. It is definitely one of those ‘what if’ books which makes us really think and realise how our lives can change so quickly. 

I gasped out loud a few times and I shed a few tears at the end, the sign of an excellent book which had me completely immersed. Nick the cop was the outstanding character for me. 

Michael certainly has plenty of bestsellers under his belt. I will be reading his previous books that’s for sure, and fully expect Manhattan Down will be another bestseller for him.

My thanks as always to Sophie at Ransom PR for my spot on the tour.

BLOG TOUR

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Cordy is the bestselling author of 6 high concept thrillers, including the Sunday Times and international bestseller The Messiah Code, The Lucifer Code and the Sunday Times bestseller, The Miracle Strain. Having taken time off from writing novels to work in film, Michael Cordy is back with Manhattan Down. His novels have been translated into several languages and four have been sold to Hollywood. Michael lives in London with his wife and daughter.

Kate Storey

Publication Date: 10th April 2025

Publisher: Avon

SYNOPSIS

For three decades, Grace supported her husband Frank’s passion for books, despite not being a reader herself.

Since his passing, their shelves echo longingly, and Grace’s heartache has only grown.

When Grace’s grandson suggests joining Frank’s old book club to feel closer to him again, Grace reluctantly agrees. Yet, upon arrival, she discovers this isn’t a typical book club: here, members settle in for an hour of reading… in silence. Disappointed by the sparse attendance and confused by the lack of chatter, Grace flees. But when fellow member, Annie, convinces her to stay, Grace is determined to ensure that neither Frank – nor his beloved book club – are forgotten. And as she breathes new life into the group, Grace might just find this is where she truly belongs. Because this next chapter of life could just be the beginning of her story…

The perfect story for book lovers everywhere. Ideal for fans of Sally Page and Evie Woods.

MY REVIEW

A book about books. Doesn’t get much better than that for an immediate ‘I must read that‘ feeling! And that beautiful cover just drew me in.

With a heart wrenching beginning, Grace is reeling from the loss of her husband, Frank. Now she lives alone with his study full of his beloved books. Frank was a reader, something Grace never had time for. Frank set up a book club, something Grace had never shown any interest in. Grand wrote a journal which Grace begins to read and she is shocked by what he has kept from her.

Grace is persuaded to go along to the book club and meet Frank’s friends. The group are a strange mix and Grace feels a bit like a fish out of water but she soon begins to find close friendships amongst the handful of members.

This is a book with a big heart. A community feeling. Strangers who have come together through a common love of reading and now rely on the group like family. A beautiful storyline with lovable characters, and plenty of book recommendations too, many of which are now on my want to read list. And a cat. Love a cat!

There is also a strong focus on ADHD which I found very interesting as a few of my friends believe they have it.

All in all a gorgeous and engrossing read I couldn’t put down. 

Huge thanks to Becky Hunter and Avon for sending me a copy to review. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

In the author’s own words:

I’ve had a life-long obsession with books, studying English at university and going on to become an English teacher. With that background, it felt natural to me to write novels in different genres. 

I hope you enjoy my uplifting books about books, The Memory Library and The Forgotten Book Club, written as Kate Storey.

I write family dramas as Lisa Timoney, and The Daughter She Gave Away is available to preorder now.

If you like psychological thrillers with a twist, The Woman in Ward 9, written uder the name Naomi Williams might be for you.

I live in the London suburbs with my husband and daughters, popping home to my native Yorkshire whenever I get the chance.

You can find all my socials at lisatimoneywrites/KateStorey/NaomiWilliams

Rob Gittins

Publication date: 6th May 2025

Publisher: Hobeck

SYNOPSIS

Berlin. May 1945

A city without institutions in a continent that had become a wasteland

British prime minister, Winston Churchill, has a problem. One of the former Nazis now incarcerated in a camp is actually a British spy, Edward Kayne, who’d been planted at the heart of the Reich in Hitler’s Berlin Bunker. Kayne has intercepted a top-secret document that Churchill insists is vital to settling the peace. Kayne, and that document, must not fall into the wrong hands.

A bitterly disillusioned ex-army captain, Martin Geller is selected to journey into the heart of darkness and extract Kayne. But a carrot is dangled before him. His daughter, Zaya, had been abducted two years before and gifted to a high-ranking Nazi as part of the Lebensborn programme. Geller sets off on a two-pronged mission – to extract Kayne and to rescue Zaya.

Can Geller rescue his daughter from the gates of hell? And how does Geller reconcile the rescue of Kayne with his knowledge that by doing so he may be condemning the world to a new Armageddon?

MY REVIEW

This is a story of trying to survive against all the odds.

It definitely kept me on my toes keeping track of the British spies, Churchill’s plans, the German SS, Zaya the abducted child and the mother and father’s relentless search for her.

The author does not hold back when describing the horror of WW2. The camps, the evil SS, the murders.

Kayne, a British spy, holds a crucially important piece of information which must reach Churchill. Geller has the skills to get Kayne back to Britain, and at the same time he might just save his own young daughter too.

I found parts of the book to be rather harrowing, and I struggled to read some of the horrific descriptions, especially of children and babies being murdered. Very sadly this was the reality of life and death for so many people.

I did thoroughly enjoy the addictive plot and I also learned a great many facts along the way including how and why penicillin was pushed into production and used by the army, how pigeons and dogs did important work for the war, and how Anthony Eden was born just a few miles from where I live in County Durham where he returned after his son was killed. He was visited there by Churchill. I was fascinated to read more about the German ‘Race and Settlement’ office, and how they selected people for the Lebensborn breeding programme to produce a ‘perfect’ race. Zaya was abducted from her home in Tibet, having been checked and measured and found to be a prime example for the programme.

I can imagine many hours of research have gone into writing this book by an author who clearly has a huge amount of interest in WW2. 

There is so much to take in, I feel I should read the book again!

Thanks to Rebecca at Hobeck for my spot on the blog tour.

Rachel Wolf

Publication Date: 8/5/25

Publisher: Aries / Head of Zeus

SYNOPSIS

BE CAREFUL
Ellie has wanted to be an actor since she was a child so, when a role in a blockbuster film presents itself, she grabs it.

WHAT YOU
On the plane to Abu Dhabi to begin filming, Ellie overhears something she shouldn’t – two people discussing plans for murder.

WISH FOR
Unsure if it’s a misunderstanding, and not wanting to ruin her big break, Ellie remains quiet. Then ten members of the cast become nine…

Ellie needs to be careful – it’s more than just her career on the line.

Because she isn’t who she says she is.
And liars are always the prime suspect.

MY REVIEW

When Ellie and Phoebe meet on a short acting course, the fact they look scarily like twins brings them together and they are soon close friends, even sharing an apartment. When Phoebe falls ill and Ellie offers to take her place on a film to be shot in Abu Dhabi, it all seems like an easy swap. Phoebe will work at the diner Ellie works at. 

However, what appeared to be a simple off the cuff jokey remark by about taking Phoebe’s place whilst she gets well, soon turns out to be not quite as innocent as it first sounded.

A nightmare plane trip. A car accident. A murder. What has Ellie got herself into? What is really going on behind the doors of the famous actors and director in the luxurious Abu Dhabi hotel? 

Oh my goodness what a page turner this was! I was gripped immediately by the ‘now’ situation of a girl stranded in the desert. 

I enjoyed the way the book was written as we slowly find out the secrets which are being kept. We are taken back and forth to find out how and why Ellie was on the acting course and how she found herself stranded in the desert.

I can’t say any more about the brilliant storyline as this is a book you just have to read to appreciate the detailed planning and plotting which has gone into this very clever whodunnit mystery. Claustrophobic, atmospheric, a line up of dubious characters and I eagerly lapped up every twisty word. The perfect read for the hot weather.

Thanks to Sophie Ransom and Kelly Pike for my spot on the tour and for sending me a stunning ARC.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rachel Wolf is the author of the luxury thriller FIVE NIGHTS. Before writing, she worked in the travel industry, and FIVE NIGHTS takes inspiration from some of her travels. Thursday 20th June Rachel will be at Royston Library discussing crime writing with three other crime writers at 7pm. Or catch up on FIVE NIGHTS with Talk Radio Europe (TRETalkRadio) with Hannah Murray Lopez; with Sophie on Five Books blog; or with Danni on A Novel Evening; and BBC Radio Essex. Follow her on Twitter on RachelWolfWritr or Insta on RachelWolfAuthor

Jenni Keer

Publication Date: 27/4/25

Publisher: Boldwood Books

SYNOPSIS

On 15th April 1912, RMS Titanic sank and 1500 people lost their lives. But what if it had stayed afloat?

When the ill-fated maiden voyage of the Titanic leaves thirteen-year-old Olivia Davenport orphaned, she’s sent to live with her guardians, the Fairchilds, in their huge Jacobean mansion – Merriford Manor. But the Fairchilds have more to worry about than a grieving young girl – with war in Europe imminent and four sons to protect.

Olivia feels alone and friendless. That is, until she hears a voice from behind the wall in her tower bedroom. A voice from a man called Seth. At first she thinks he’s a ghost. But it soon becomes clear that he lives in an overlapping world that is just a shudder in time away from her own. A world where the Titanic never sank… And everything since has been just slightly… different.

All Olivia wants is to find a way into his reality. And not just to see the faces of her beloved parents once again. But also to meet Seth. Who might just be the love of her life…

An utterly unforgettable reading group historical novel, that is part romance, part gripping mystery, and part completely heartbreaking First World War historical fiction. Perfect for fans of Titanic, In Memoriam and Lucinda Riley.

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

MY REVIEW

I always enjoy a Jenni Keer book, and was very much looking forward to this new one. The Titanic sinking AND a parallel world where the Titanic did not sink. Let me at it!

Olivia misses out on her trip on the Titanic with her parents due to illness. After her parents are lost as the Titanic sinks, she is sent to live with her guardians and their sons. When she hears a voice through the bedroom wall she initially thinks it must be a ghost, but it soon becomes evident this is Seth the gardener from a parallel timeline. Where the Titanic did not sink. They begin a unique friendship and become close, but how can they ever have the proper relationship they yearn for? It seems impossible that they can ever be happy. Or does it? 

I enjoyed the comparisons between the people and events in the two worlds, as Olivia and Seth talked about what was happening in their own world. 

The book is heartbreaking in parts, as we feel the despair of mothers losing their sons to the war, and those men who return with life changing injuries.

Olivia is certainly a positive character, with hopes and dreams of an exciting life ahead. She tries to let her zest for life rub off on those less upbeat, starting with her guardians who appear unable to show affection.

Such a clever idea which must have taken a huge amount of plotting. This book is so many things rolled into one very atmospheric and addictive read; historical fiction, mystery, love story and a touch of the supernatural.

I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Thanks to Rachel for my spot on the tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jenni Keer lives in the glorious Suffolk countryside with her four grown up children, three demanding cats, but just the one husband. She is often frustrated by their inability to appreciate that when she’s staring into space, she’s actually working, and that watching television counts as research. Much younger in her head than she is on paper, she adores any excuse for fancy-dress and is part of a disco formation dance team.

Keer has written two contemporary rom coms and five quirky historicals, with two more due out in 2025.

The best-selling No. 23 Burlington Square (her 1920s sliding doors mystery) has now sold over 100,000 copies.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @jenni.keer

Twitter: @JenniKeer

Instagram: @JenniKeer

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/JenniKeerNews

Bookbub profile: @jennikeer

Julie Anderson

Publication date: 29/4/25

Publisher: Hobeck

SYNOPSIS

Summer 1948

London swelters amid post-war reconstruction, while continued rationing and the black-market fuel the rising crime wave. The empires of gangland bosses grow and thrive, protected by corruption and bribery.

During a party in Clapham a student nurse from the South London Hospital for Women and Children dies in a fall from a balcony. Is it an unfortunate accident as the local police believe? Or something more sinister?

The nurse’s friends ask a newly qualified female detective constable to investigate, a woman who is facing difficulties of her own. Before long all are drawn into the criminals’ deadly games, as gangsters jostle for territory and power. With the solution almost within grasp, their lives are threatened and one of them faces a dreadful fate.
Can the others find her before it’s too late?

And what is the truth about…

A Death in the Afternoon?

MY REVIEW

Having read all of Julie’s books so far, I was looking forward to her latest. Book 1 in this new series had me wanting to read more about these new characters, who already felt like friends.

This is book 2 in her new Clapham series and, although it can be read as a standalone, I would recommend reading book one first to get the background on the characters. And it is partly set in the deep tunnels beneath London which is so atmospheric.

I was really happy to meet Faye again, in this book having left her job in hospital admin to join the police following her actions in book 1.

As a new police officer, and a woman, she is not exactly welcomed with open arms into the position of Detective Constable, having been quickly promoted. Set just after WW2, misogyny is still an issue and Faye needs to work hard to try to gain the respect of her male colleagues. The book paints a vivid picture of life just after the war with the Windrush having brought people from the Caribbean who face hatred and racism and tend to keep to themselves. There are still rations in force and life is difficult but women are strong, having taken over many men’s jobs, and kept the country running, as the men went off to war.

Faye begins to investigate the death of a nurse who initially appeared to have accidentally fallen from a balcony, but as she progresses into her investigation, and also starts digging into the criminal gangs who run the underbelly of London, she finds her own life is in danger.

The book starts off at a leisurely pace as Faye finds her feet but towards the end the action really ramps up and I couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough!

Another addictive read from one of my auto read authors.

Huge thanks to Rebecca at Hobeck for my spot the tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julie Anderson is the CWA Dagger listed author of three Whitehall thrillers and a short series of historical adventure stories for young adults. Before becoming a crime fiction writer, she was a senior civil servant, working across a variety of departments and agencies, including the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Unlike her protagonists, however, she doesn’t know where (all) the bodies are buried.

​She writes crime fiction reviews for Time and Leisure Magazine and is a co-founder and Trustee of the Clapham Book Festival. 

She lives in south London where her latest crime fiction series is set, returning to her first love of writing historical fiction with The Midnight Man, published by Hobeck Press.

Jo Callaghan

Publication Date: 24/4/25 HB

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

SYNOPSIS

From the author of In the Blink of an Eye, the Sunday Times bestseller, winner of the CWA ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger and Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year.

DCS Kat Frank and AIDE Lock are back in a cutting-edge new thriller.

The truth will always come out, but at what cost?

Fresh from successfully closing their first live case, the Future Policing Unit are called in to investigate when a headless, handless body is found on a Warwickshire farm. But as they work to identify the victim and their killer, the discovery of a second body begins to spark fears that The Aston Strangler is back. And as the stakes rise for the team, so do the tensions brewing within it.

When DCS Kat Frank is accused of putting the wrong man behind bars all those years ago, AIDE Lock – the world’s first AI Detective – pursues the truth about what happened with relentless logic. But Kat is determined to keep the past buried, and when she becomes the target of a shadowy figure looking for revenge, Lock is torn between his evidence-based algorithms and the judgement of his partner, with explosive results.

 

When everything hangs in the balance, it will all come down to just how much an AI machine can learn, and what happens when they do . . .

MY REVIEW

Outstanding. I loved this novel so much it may just be my book of the year. An absolute must read, and for anyone who has not yet encountered this series they really need to be read in order to appreciate the characters personal lives and most importantly the development of Lock as he learns more and more and becomes more and more human like.

Jo has such a talent for writing hugely engaging characters and the whole story including Lock is completely believable. 

I absolutely love AIDE Lock, the prototype and experimental holographic AI assistant to DCS Kat Frank, who gets more human with each book as he spends time with Kat and learns how humans think, feel and interact. He now knows more about Kat than anyone which can give Kat pause for thought. Can we really ‘trust’ an AI as we can a human? I especially loved the suggestion he should try air kissing as he has no physical body which he then tries much to Kat’s horror! There are many moments such as this which gave me a giggle. Lock appears so human as we are reading and engrossed in the storyline, but then we are abruptly brought back to the fact he is not. 

Now he wants a body. And he may have just figured out a way to get one.

This is my favourite book in the series so far although I have loved all three. I really enjoy the partnership highlighting physical policing and the ‘gut feelings’ of humans compared with the strictly factual working of AI. The facts and figures crunching and research is completed almost instantly as Lock reads thousands of books on a subject when need be in a matter of seconds, all adding to his learning and his immediate ability to assist under pressure of time and human ability.

The parameters of AI instructions are evident. They must be given exact instructions. Such as finding how many dead bodies are buried in the vicinity. Lock reveals there are 128 corpses buried in the vicinity of a river. It is when Kat is horrified and then Lock breaks them down into dead fish species and just one human body I laughed out loud! 

After that ending I am now even more in two minds whether to be excited for this ever becoming a reality or absolutely terrified! All I can be 100% sure is I can’t wait for the next book in this series which may be the last, unless we can persuade Jo to carry on with these two amazing characters.

Huge thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for my spot on the blog tour. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jo Callaghan works as a senior strategist, carrying out research into the future impact of AI and geonomics on the workforce. After losing her husband to cancer in 2019, she started writing In the Blink of an Eye, her debut crime novel and the first in the Kat and Lock series, which explores learning to live with loss and what it means to be human. It was a BBC Two’s Between the Covers pick, as well as a Waterstones Thriller of the Month, and went on be a Sunday Times bestseller and 2024 winner of both the prestigious Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year and the CWA ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger awards. To date it has been published in over fifteen different countries. Jo lives with her two children in the Midlands, and loves connecting with readers on social media as @JoCallaghanKat. She is currently working on further novels in the series