Today is my stop on the blog tour for Safe House by Jo Jakeman! Thanks so much to Mia for organising the tour, don’t forget to take a look at the rest of the stops too!

Charlie just wants to be forgotten but everyone else wants to know her story...

The morning after a terrible storm, a woman turns up in a remote Cornish village. She has bought the crumbling cottage that has lain empty for over a decade, and she’s going to make it her home. She calls herself Charlie, but it’s a name she’s only had for a few days. She keeps herself to herself, reluctant to integrate with the locals. Because Charlie has a secret.
Charlie was in prison for providing a false alibi for a murderer. But Lee Fisher wasn’t a murderer to her; he was the man she loved. Convinced of his innocence, Charlie said she was with him the night a young woman was killed. That lie cost her everything. And now she has the chance to start again. But someone is watching her, waiting for her, wondering if she’s really paid the price for what she did.

I’ve got to admit, when I got the email inviting me to this blog tour and saw that the author was Jo Jakeman I immediately said yes, without even reading the synopsis! The thing is, since I read Sticks and Stones last year, Jo Jakeman has been at the top of my list of authors you can rely on for an amazing read. I find her writing totally hypnotising and Safe House only strengthened this notion.
Charlie was a really enjoyable character to read and she took me on such a journey throughout the book - I went from emotional to suspicious and then absolutely everything in between. Jakeman had me questioning all of the characters wondering whether they were who they said they were and I’m certain that if she’d wanted me to be, I would’ve been suspicious of the dogs too!
The structure worked really well for me, initially it took a little bit of concentration to to keep up with the different names and who was who, but once I got that bit sorted, it really kept the pages turning and was a great way of building up the tension and gradually feeding pieces of information through.
While the fact that I’m going to enjoy a Jo Jakeman book is predictable, the story certainly isn’t! Safe House managed to surprise me when I was least expecting it (which I suppose is the only time you can be surprised really!!) and after I managed to get my breath back from the shocking finale, I was left thoroughly satisfied.
Safe House has it all really, great twists, plenty of action and suspense and an extremely satisfying conclusion - definitely one of my favourite books this year so far.
Overall, I’m giving Safe House 5 out of 5 and adding it to my five star favourites shelf. It’s hypnotising, pacey and stunningly addictive. Jo Jakeman is definitely one of my favourite authors and her next book can’t come soon enough!!

Today is my stop on the blog tour for In the Absence of Miracles by Michael J. Malone! Thanks so much to Anne for organising the tour and don’t forget to take a look at the rest of the stops!

John Docherty’s mother has just been taken into a nursing home. Following a massive stroke, she’s unlikely to be able to live independently again. With no other option than to sell the family home, John sets about packing up everything in the house. In sifting through the detritus of his family’s past he’s forced to revisit, and revise his childhood.
In a box, in the attic, he finds undeniable truth that he had a brother who disappeared when he himself was only a toddler. A brother no one ever mentioned. A brother he knew absolutely nothing about. A discovery that sets John on a journey from which he may never recover. For sometimes in that space where memory should reside there is nothing but silence, smoke and ash.
And in the absence of truth, in the absence of a miracle, we turn to prayer. And to violence...

Having never had the chance to read one of Malone’s books before, I was unsure of what to expect going in. What I ended up experiencing with In the Absence of Miracles though, was one hell of a powerful read. One that I know I’m going to have to be careful to review in order to avoid spoiling any of its impact. (So this may end up being a slightly shorter review)
In John Docherty, Malone has created an incredible character who draws you straight into his story, making you truly feel his emotions alongside him. The author managed to make me care about Docherty and all of the characters so, so much, which is why it had so much of a powerful impact when the truth finally came to light. It also made the issues raised within the book even more shocking. These issues are really emotionally harrowing to read, yet they’re handled so sensitively. Thoughts of the book and it’s contents stayed with me long after I’d finished reading.
Overall, I’m giving In the Absence of Miracles 5 out of 5 and adding it to my five star favourites shelf! It’s captivating, heartbreaking and sensitively written. I can’t wait to read more from Michael J. Malone.

Every Monday, 49-year-old Ellie looks after her grandson Josh. She loves him more than anyone else in the world. The only thing that can mar her happiness is her husband's affair. But he swears it's over now, and Ellie has decided to be thankful for what she's got.
Then one day, while she's looking after Josh, her husband gets a call from that woman. And just for a moment, Ellie takes her eyes off her grandson. What happens next will change her life forever.
Because Ellie is hiding something in her past.
And what looks like an accident could start to look like murder...

For me, Jane Corry is one of those authors where you can pick up any of their books and be guaranteed a cracking read. I can always be confident that I’m going to enjoy Corry’s books and reading I Looked Away just reinforced that confidence even more!
I actually gasped audibly when I reached the twist because I’d become so totally wrapped up in the book.
The layout and pace were perfect and the topics of homelessness and family were really well handled and explored. While not strictly part of the book, I thought that Corry’s letter to the reader at the end was so interesting and helped me to process and understand what I’d been reading more deeply.
I feel like I’ve said this a lot lately, but it’s because I’ve had the privilege of reading the work of such talented authors - the way that Corry made me feel things so strongly during the book was absolutely masterful and so deftly done. She had me in the palm of her hand the whole time and I felt emotions so strongly, especially when reading about the injustices faced by one of the characters.
I simply LOVED the ending, it was absolutely perfect for me. Once again it was emotional, but it was also when one of my favourite parts of the book occurred and I felt a surge of happiness. (When you read it you’ll know exactly what I mean!)
I really could go on and on about this book, but I think the best thing I could do is just to tell you to go out and get yourself a copy!
Overall, I’m giving I Looked Away 5 out of 5 and adding it to my five star favourites shelf! It’s addictive, pacy and totally enthralling. Bring on the next book! (And the next, and the next and the next!!)

Jane Corry is a writer and journalist (Daily Telegraph and women's magazines) who worked for three years as the writer in residence of a high security prison for men. This experience helped inspire her Sunday Times bestsellers 'My Husband's Wife', 'Blood Sisters' and 'The Dead Ex'. She also writes short stories as well as a weekly digital column about being a granny for My Weekly. Jane speaks at literary festivals all over the world. Many of her ideas strike during morning dog-jogs along the beach followed by a dip in the sea - no matter how cold it is!


Jane's brand-new thriller 'I Looked Away' is published on 27th June 2019 by Penguin Viking.


You can find Jane on Twitter at @JaneCorryAuthor and on Facebook at JaneCorryAuthor as well as Instagram.

Today is my stop on the blog tour for The Whisper Man by Alex North! Thanks so much to Jenny for organising the tour and don’t forget to check out the rest of the stops!

Still devastated after the loss of his wife, Tom Kennedy and his young son Jake move to the sleepy village of Featherbank, looking for a much-needed fresh start.
But Featherbank has a dark past. Fifteen years ago, a twisted serial killer abducted and murdered five young boys.
Until he was finally caught, the killer was known as 'The Whisper Man'.
Of course, an old crime need not trouble Tom and Jake as they try to settle in to their new home.
Except that now another boy has gone missing. And then Jake begins acting strangely.

If you leave a door half open, soon you’ll hear the whispers spoken...
I absolutely had to start my review with the rhyme because for me, the rhyme itself tells you everything you need to know about what to expect from The Whisper Man. It’s creepy and haunting but also very intriguing and you won’t be able to get it out of your head!
This book had me completely mesmerised the whole way through and the tension was palpable the entire time, gradually increasing even when I thought I couldn’t be any closer to the edge of my seat without falling off!
I loved the extra layers to the story, such as the exploration of grief and loss, as well as father-son relationships. The way these more emotional elements are balanced alongside the sinister and spine-chilling side of the plot so effortlessly, was essential for me in making The Whisper Man the well-rounded and accomplished novel that it is.
I found myself never wanting to put the book down, and when I did have to, all I could think about was reading it again. It truly is an unforgettable read, don’t be surprised if you see this book in my list of favourite books of the year for 2019!
Overall I’m giving The Whisper Man 5 out of 5 and adding it to my five star favourites shelf! It’s chilling, powerful and absolutely masterfully written. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, but a word of warning if you decide to give it a try... you won’t leave your doors unlocked ever again!

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Without a Trace by Carissa Ann Lynch! Thanks so much to Anne for organising the tour and don't forget to check out the rest of the stops!

Lily’s gone.
Someone took her.
Unless she was she never there…

A little girl has gone missing.
Lily was last seen being tucked into bed by her adoring mother, Nova. But the next morning, the bed is empty except for a creepy toy rabbit.
Has Nova’s abusive ex stolen his “little bunny” back for good?
At first, Officer Ellie James assumes this is a clear custody battle. Until she discovers that there are no pictures of the girl and her drawers are full of unused toys and brand new clothes that have never been worn…
Is Ellie searching for a missing child who doesn’t actually exist?

All it took was a few pages and I knew I was going to love Without a Trace. While a plot around a missing child isn’t new, the way it was approached felt fresh and not like things I’ve read before.
The characters were all well written and the layout of varying perspectives for each chapter really helped to get insights into them. At the start of each chapter it was really clear who was speaking and I didn’t find myself confused or lost at all. I enjoyed reading every single perspective, but I felt that Officer Ellie James’ was the one that I enjoyed most because I felt as though I was learning everything alongside Ellie, and the author made me doubt and question everything in these chapters.
The book was entertaining and had me riveted from the beginning right until the shocking end. I did guess one twist, but if anything, I was more pleased to find out that I had it right! I didn’t come anywhere close to guessing any of the intricate details that made up pieces of the main puzzle though and I really enjoyed the journey to seeing everything come together.
Being vague so that I don’t give too much of the plot away, the themes explored were so important and were handled extremely well by Lynch, with the final few chapters providing plenty to think about.
I’m giving Without a Trace 5 out of 5 and adding it to my five-star favourites shelf! It’s fast-paced, suspenseful and twisty. I really couldn’t fault it!

Carissa Ann Lynch is the USA Today bestselling author of My Sister is Missing, Flocksdales Files trilogy, Horror High series, Searching for Sullivan, Shades and Shadows, Midnight Moss, This Is Not About Love, 13 anthology, Twisted anthology and Without A Trace.
She resides in Floyds Knobs, Indiana with her family and collection of books. With a background in psychology and corrections, she’s always been a little obsessed with the darker areas of the human mind.
 
Website : http://www.carissaannlynchnovels.com/
Twitter : @carissaannlynch