Category: V

The Old You by Louise Voss @LouiseVoss1 @OrendaBooks #RandomThingsTours

On By Jen LucasIn Authors: V-Z, Blog Tour, Crime, Thrillers and Mystery, T, V4 Comments

Today it is my great pleasure to be taking part in the tour for The Old You by Louise Voss on its paperback publication day. Happy publication day Louise. My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part and to publishers Orenda Books for providing an advance copy for review. I was very lucky to hear Louise Voss read from the book at the Orenda Roadshow earlier in the year so I have been anticipating the book for some time. Let’s see what it’s all about shall we?

toyAbout the Book

Nail-bitingly modern domestic noir
A tense, Hitchcockian psychological thriller
Louise Voss returns with her darkest, most chilling, novel yet…

Lynn Naismith gave up the job she loved when she married Ed, the love of her life, but it was worth it for the happy years they enjoyed together. Now, ten years on, Ed has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia, and things start to happen; things more sinister than missing keys and lost words. As some memories are forgotten, others, long buried, begin to surface … and Lynn’s perfect world begins to crumble.

But is it Ed’s mind playing tricks, or hers…?

Continue reading “The Old You by Louise Voss @LouiseVoss1 @OrendaBooks #RandomThingsTours” →

Ten Year Stretch – 10 Years of CrimeFest. @CrimeFest @noexitpress

On By Jen LucasIn C, Crime, Thrillers and Mystery, T, V2 Comments

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A couple of years ago I saw a tweet from an author I followed about a literary festival devoted solely to the wonder that is crime fiction. Now I had never even considered attending anything of the like in the past, it really wasn’t in my make up to go and plonk myself in a group of strangers and I honestly had no idea what such a festival may be about. But it sounded intriguing, so intriguing that it seemed worth sacrificing a couple of days of my annual leave to find out what was what. Bear in mind this was before I had started blogging, I had little concept of the world of literature outside of the books themselves and this was going to be way outside of my comfort zone, especially as I had only been reading again in earnest for a couple of years. Continue reading “Ten Year Stretch – 10 Years of CrimeFest. @CrimeFest @noexitpress” →

Review: Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan @SVaughanAuthor @1stMondayCrime @simonschusterUK

On By Jen LucasIn A, Authors: V-Z, Crime, Thrillers and Mystery, V1 Comment

There are certain books which pique your interest from the moment you hear of them. I have to be honest, from the moment I got my mitts upon Anatomy of a Scandal at Harrogate last year, I was intrigued. Like most months though, I was also extremely busy so when I came home I filed it on my must read shelf (and by filed I mean, it was in a nice neat pile) to be read whenever I found a spare moment. Like most months, that moment never came.

When I catalogued my tbr books at Christmas it went from the ‘must read’ to the ‘must read as it’s now one of my biggest regrets not having done so earlier’ shelf. It is a book which I listed in my most anticipated reads of 2018 post just before New Year. It is a book which I have seen countless superb reviews for on social media. It is a book I really wanted to make time for. Granite Noir, or more specifically a six hour drive to Dundee for work as a precursor to GRanite Noir, gave me the excuse and the opportunity I was looking for. I downloaded the audio book (you didn’t think I would read and drive did you?) plugged in the iPhone and set on my way. And what a journey it was. But before I tell you what I thought, let’s see what the book is all about. Continue reading “Review: Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan @SVaughanAuthor @1stMondayCrime @simonschusterUK” →

#BlogTour: CWA Short Story Anthology – Mystery Tour by Various @OrendaBooks

On By Jen LucasIn Blog Tour, C, Crime, Thrillers and Mystery, V1 Comment

Today it is my absolute pleasure to be taking part in the blog tour for the CWA Short Story Anthology: Mystery Tour, published by Orenda Books. I’ll be sharing my thoughts on this wonderfully mixed collection of stories in just a moment, but first up, lets take a look at the official bookish bits.

CWAThe Official Book Blurb

Crime spreads across the globe in this new collection of short stories from the Crime Writer’s Association, as a conspiracy of prominent crime authors take you on a world mystery tour.

Highlights of the trip include a treacherous cruise to French Polynesia, a horrifying trek in South Africa, a murderous train-ride across Ukraine and a vengeful killing in Mumbai. But back home in the UK, life isn’t so easy either. Dead bodies turn up on the backstreets of Glasgow, crime writers turn words into deeds at literary events, and Lady Luck seems to guide the fate of a Twickenham hood.

Showcasing the range, breadth and vitality of the contemporary crime-fiction genre, these twenty-eight chilling and unputdownable stories will take you on a trip you’ll never forget.

Contributions from:
Ann Cleeves, C.L. Taylor, Susi Holliday, Martin Edwards, Anna Mazzola, Carol Anne Davis, Cath Staincliffe, Chris Simms, Christine Poulson, Ed James, Gordon Brown, J.M. Hewitt, Judith Cutler, Julia Crouch, Kate Ellis, Kate Rhodes, Martine Bailey, Michael Stanley, Maxim Jakubowski, Paul Charles, Paul Gitsham, Peter Lovesey, Ragnar Jónasson, Sarah Rayne, Shawn Reilly Simmons, Vaseem Khan, William Ryan and William Burton McCormick

Continue reading “#BlogTour: CWA Short Story Anthology – Mystery Tour by Various @OrendaBooks” →

Review: Bad Little Girl by Frances Vick (@Bookouture)

On By Jen LucasIn Authors: V-Z, B, Crime, Thrillers and Mystery, V5 Comments

33135273The Official Book Blurb

‘I’m not safe – you have to help me…’

Little Lorna Bell is from a notorious family on a rundown estate. Everyone thinks she’s a nasty piece of work. The schoolchildren call her a thief. But Lorna’s hair is matted, her shoes pinch her feet and school teacher Claire Penny can’t help herself; some kids just need a bit more support, a bit more love, than the rest.

As the bond between teacher and pupil grows stronger, Claire sees Lorna’s bruises, and digs to uncover the disturbing tale behind them. Heartbroken, Claire knows she has to act. She must make Lorna safe. Just when Claire thinks she has protected Lorna, a chance encounter brings enigmatic stranger Marianne Cairns into their lives. Marianne seems generous and kind but there is something about her story that doesn’t quite add up. Why does she feel so at home, and why is Lorna suddenly so unsettled?

Claire has risked everything to save Lorna. But what can save Claire from the shocking truth? Continue reading “Review: Bad Little Girl by Frances Vick (@Bookouture)” →