Summer at the Ice Cream Café by Jo Thomas Blogger Day Review

A dream home
Beca Valentino is ready to escape the city. When she sees the perfect house for sale in her hometown, it seems like fate. Is this her chance to build the foster family she dreams of, on the beautiful Pembrokeshire coast?

A big mistake?
Returning home isn’t as easy as she thought, however. Her family’s beloved ice cream café is gone – turned into a soulless wine bar by her hateful ex-boyfriend. Reconnecting with her oldest friend, fisherman Griff, isn’t straightforward either. And when, instead of the children she expected to take in, two wary teenage boys appear on her doorstep, Beca fears she’s made a terrible mistake.

A recipe for change
But an old family recipe book is just the inspiration she needs. Soon, with a little help from friends old and new, Beca is selling mouth-watering homemade gelato from a pop-up café on the beach.

Then disaster strikes. Will the Valentino family legacy be lost forever? Or can Beca create a new recipe for happiness?

I can’t believe it’s 10 years since The Oyster Catcher was published and Jo Thomas became my go to author for romance. I have travelled with her heroines to find the men of their dreams and enjoyed every single journey. But having a huge passion for ice cream meant that her latest book, Summer at the Ice Cream Cafe, was always going to become a personal favourite.

Beca returns to her home town years after leaving under a cloud. And whilst some things have stayed the same, others things have changed drastically including her relationship with her oldest friend and her family’s gelato business. And it was this aspect of the plot that I found most interesting as I became completely involved in the process of making gelato. Beca was such a relatable and likeable character that I was rooting for her from very early on to get the life she deserved and the new start she worked so hard to achieve.

This is the perfect summer sun lounger read. It was so deliciously enjoyable and engaging throughout and I guarantee you will be craving an ice cream at some point whilst reading this! The beautiful setting helped to create the perfect backdrop to this story of family and belonging making it a top read for summer 2023.

Jo Thomas worked for many years as a reporter and producer, including time at Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and Radio 2’s The Steve Wright Show.


Jo’s debut novel, The Oyster Catcher, was a runaway bestseller and won both the RNA Joan Hessayon Award and the Festival of Romance Best eBook Award. Her recent book Escape to the French Farmhouse was a #1 bestselling eBook and in every one of her novels Jo loves to explore new countries and discover the food produced there, both of which she thoroughly enjoys researching. Jo lives in Pembrokeshire with her husband and three children, where cooking and gathering around the kitchen table are a hugely important and fun part of their family life.

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Tails of Two Spaniels by Heather Peck #blogtourreview @RandomTTours

Springer Spaniel Patch has four puppies on the farm where she lives with Marigold the House Cow, Gertie Goose, Sally-for-short the Sow, and lots of worried woollies. But the puppies can’t stay forever and they have a lot to learn.

A story of the antics of puppies, told from the puppies’ perspective and brought to life by charming illustrations. For animal lovers aged 6-9.

Tails of Two Spaniels is a sweetly crafted children’s book that took me back to a more innocent time in children’s fiction. It had the old fashioned animal story vibe that I remember from my own youth when I used to devour books especially those about animals. So I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the springer spaniel pups that starred in this adorable tale. The pups are born at a farm to their mum Patch but when they come to be rehomed, two of them are lucky enough to go together and that’s when their adventures really start!

Once I’d finished Tails of Two Spaniels I passed the book onto my 9 year old granddaughter who absolutely loved it too and says she can’t wait to read more about how the pups settle into their new lives in the future. A lovely book with beautiful illustrations that complement the story perfectly.

My Word Against His by Lauren North #blogtourreview @bookouture

My future hangs in the balance. They’re questioning both of us and every word I say matters. I need to be careful – it’s my word against his, and I can’t afford to lose…

Thirteen years ago. Teenager Lucie babysits our little son Henry. She’s like the daughter I never had. And she believes we’re the perfect family – just me, my husband and Henry.

But Lucie doesn’t really know what’s happening behind closed doors. Until one night, she sees something so awful she leaves. And my family is never the same again…

Now, Lucie has reached out, desperate for my help. It’s been thirteen years of silence, but I would recognise her voice anywhere. She’s back: and so are the secrets she took with her.

What did she see that night? And does she know my side of the story, or only his?

I hope she knows what she’s doing. Because there is no line I won’t cross to protect the ones I love – or the secrets I’ve worked so hard to hide…

I’m a big fan of Lauren Norths twisty psychological thrillers and she’s certainly hit the mark again here with My Word Against His. It’s full of very unlikeable characters but you can’t help but become invested in their story…

Celia hasn’t heard from Lucie for thirteen years but suddenly she receives a call for help out of the blue. Lucie used to babysit Celia’s son Henry after she was taken under her wing by the careers advisor when they met at school. But there was something very disturbing about the home Celia lived in with her family and one night Lucie sees and hears something so terrible she leaves the house never to contact Celia again…until now. But Sam is about to throw a bit of a spanner in the works! Who is telling the truth and what secrets has Celia been keeping from her past?

The story unfolds over two timelines describing the meeting between Celia and Lucie and how that relationship develops and then implodes after an unexpected encounter with Celias husband. There are also some text conversations and missed call alerts throughout and we are unaware of the connection between these conversations and the storyline that’s being played out. So there are plenty of shocking moments and clever twists along the way!

My Word Against His is a gripping psychological thriller that skips along merrily, leading the reader along a path that often changes direction unexpectedly. The ending felt a little rushed but it was a cracker and left me feeling very satisfied! Very clever especially that final sentence!

My Word Against His was published by Bookouture on 25th May 2023.

Lauren writes psychological suspense novels that delve into the darker side of relationships and families. She has a lifelong passion for writing, reading, and all things books. Lauren’s love of psychological suspense has grown since childhood and her dark imagination of always wondering what’s the worst thing that could happen in every situation.

Lauren studied psychology before moving to London where she lived and worked for many years. She now lives with her family in the Suffolk countryside. Readers can follow Lauren on Twitter @Lauren_C_North, Instagram @Lauren_C_North and Facebook @LaurenNorthAuthor

Love & Other Human Errors by Bethany Clift Paperback Publication Day!

An unforgettable story about love in all its chaotic glory from the author of Last One At The Party

A book synopsis is fundamentally ridiculous. How can I possibly convey, in only 100 words, the events of the past year and their impact on my perfectly ordered existence?

It is insufficient space to accurately detail how I was blackmailed into demonstrating my flawless algorithm to find a soulmate, despite having no desire for one.

In my former life I avoided trivial human connections. I was alone, accomplished and brilliant.

Unfortunately, that solitary and driven woman no longer exists.

My name is Indiana Dylan and this is the extraordinary account of how I fell in love.

There: 100 words exactly.

Regular visitors to my reviews will know that one of my favourite books EVER is Last One At the Party and I recommend it to everyone! As soon as I had finished it i automatically preordered Love and Other Human Errors but I was a little worried! As much as I had adored Bethany Clifts debut, i could see that this one was quite different! But I needn’t have worried but this was just as good if not better and I now have TWO books to badger everyone into reading!

It’s impossible for me to describe the storyline any better than the blurb above and to be honest I do think that you need to go into this book with an open mind…and an open heart although be prepared to let it fill up with the kind of emotion that physically hurts! Bethany Clift write so beautifully that you really come to care about all of her characters and become completely obsessed by what happens to them. I don’t know how she does it but they somehow become such a huge part of your life whilst you are reading this book-Indiana, Jack, Peggy, Frank and Alan are all just so perfectly drawn with the most stunning prose that, for me, they WERE real! And I miss them!

Bethany Clift made me laugh but she also made me sob my eyes out and become an emotional mess! There are very few authors out there who can make me feel like this but when they do I become a lifelong fan! In fact I’m so jealous of anyone coming to Love and Other Human Errors for the first time and I know that if you love this then you will also want to read Last One at the Party-and vice versa! So PLEASE read this book-you won’t regret it!

Out in paperback today!

Bethany Clift is a graduate of the Northern Film School, the producer of low-budget British horror film Heretic, and the Director of her own production company, Saber Productions. Last One At The Party is her debut novel.

Bethany suffers from itchy feet. She travelled extensively when she was younger and once drove round America for a year, camping and living in her car because she couldn’t afford motels. Her itchy feet mean that, since leaving her childhood home, she has moved house a lot. She once moved house four times in a year. Bethany has now settled in Milton Keynes with her husband and two children and, luckily, she is a big fan of roundabouts. 

Bethany has enjoyed many different careers including hairdresser, florist, karaoke bar singer, pork pie maker, barman, jeweller, fruit and veg seller, librarian and a season as an Elf. Bethany has spent the last eleven years working for the NHS and is a huge advocate for the organisation and the world-renowned service it provides.

Bethany is the producer of the low-budget horror movie, Heretic. Bethany produced the entire movie for less than £18k and secured it a UK cinema and DVD release earning the movie the number 3 spot in the DVD charts on the weekend of its release. Bethany was also the Production Manager for the 16-day film shoot for the movie and she did this six-weeks after giving birth to her first child and whilst still breast-feeding and surviving on about three hours sleep a night. She credits watching the Great British Bake Off as the reason for keeping her sanity, and her marriage, during those sixteen days.

Bethany loves reading and watching sci-fi; listening to American country and blues music; dancing to Northern Soul or old-school Hip-Hop and eating, well, pretty much anything. The movie WALL-E makes her cry, and her family and friends make her happy.

The Birthday Reunion by Claire Seeber @bookouture

Today I’m taking part in the blog tour for The Birthday Reunion by Claire Seeber and sharing the prologue with you all! Many thanks to Jess at Bookouture for my invite onto the tour.

Four friends. One dream getaway. But who will make it out alive?

When the gold-rimmed invitations arrive through the doors of best friends Simone, Hannah and Vicky they’re instantly taken aback. Their ex-friend Jodie is inviting them to a lavish Mediterranean villa to celebrate her birthday. They haven’t spoken in years since she betrayed them in the worst way. So how did they make the guest list?

They all have their reasons for saying yes. Stay-at-home mum Simone had her dream job snatched away. Hannah lost the love of her life. Café-owner Vicky wants the chance to help a wronged friend. Is the reunion a chance to confront Jodie and the past once and for all?

Arriving at a villa that looks straight out of a movie set, the friends relax by the sumptuous pool as they wait for the other guests to arrive. But as the chilled wine is poured and the three friends reminisce, they see Jodie walking towards them with a look of shock on her face.

Because Jodie didn’t invite them here.

But by the end of the weekend it will become clear who did. Someone else has a reason for revenge. Who will make it out alive?

Prologue

Best friends forever, or so I thought. That’s how it was meant to be.

 

When we first met, we promised to have each other’s backs – not stab each other in the back.

 

But on this sweltering Mediterranean morning, trying frantically to catch my breath under the purest, bluest sky; fighting to balance on the rocks I’ve just clambered up so desperately, my sweaty feet and hands scratched and bleeding, it’s clear that someone didn’t get the memo.

 

The view across golden sands and turquoise sea might be as gorgeous as Vogue’s travel pages, but the ruined thing on the edge of the water makes my stomach heave.

 

Less than fifty metres away, sprawled in the middle of this tropical beauty spot, motionless as a floppy giant starfish, gentle waves lapping at the upturned soles, is a body.

 

By the looks of it, a very dead one, face down in the hot sand, ugly and destroyed, a thick black knife handle protruding from its spine like a bulging shark fin.

 

And even as I try to process the nightmare I’m gazing at, the sun beating its burning rays on the frazzling skin, my stomach churning with nausea; as I just about manage to contain my first retch, I think – there’s something wrong with the picture, fresh corpse or not.

 

I just can’t quite work out what. Yet.

 

But I will. I have to.

 

Before it gets us all.

 

 

Police is my frantic thought as I start to scramble the other way down the rocks.

We need the police immediately; we need official help – but we can’t get off the bloody island. We can’t even call for help, as we can’t make our phones work; they haven’t worked for days.

 

We’re almost at the stage of using smoke signals. Literally – a bonfire was lit last night in desperation, to no avail.

 

Unless one of us swims to the mainland – and no one has dared even suggest it after the boating disaster – we are well and truly trapped.

 

And as the corpse gently sizzles in the heat and I scrape my grazed knees on the rocks again as I try to get away, that book I read at school, Lord of the Flies, floods my head – the mad chaos of it, the frantic fight for survival – and the image of a human head pinioned on a stick blurs into my imagination.

 

Fighting nausea, I hear a sob.

 

It takes me a few seconds to realise it’s my own.

 

Over the rocks now, I begin to run, and all I can do is pray it’s towards safety this time.

To safety – and not straight into the arms of the killer.

Claire Seeber is the author of bestselling psychological thrillers that shine a light onto the simmering resentments and past secrets that exist amongst seemingly ordinary lives. She has been published in more than twelve different languages and is CWA Dagger-nominated.

She started her professional life as a (bad) actress and went on to become a documentary maker, before becoming a newspaper feature writer. When she had her first baby in 2004, Claire started writing psychological thrillers and now also works as a psychotherapist

Isaac and The Egg by Bobby Palmer #blogtour review @RandomTTours

Heartbreaking and heart-stealing, this bestselling modern-day fable is an unforgettable novel about sorrow, joy, friendship and love.
When Isaac Addy walks into the woods on the worst day of his life and finds something extraordinary there, he already knows he’s going to take it home.
A grieving Isaac and his curious new friend are unlikely companions. They don’t even speak the same language. But their chance encounter will transform Isaac’s life in ways he cannot yet imagine.
And maybe he will finally be able to tell the truth.
Sometimes, to get out of the woods, you have to go into them. Isaac and the Egg is one of the most hopeful, honest and wildly imaginative novels you will ever read.

Issac and The Egg was on my radar for a while before I picked up a copy to read for the blog tour so a huge thank you to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the tour. This spurred me on to pick up a book that I was a little bit nervous to read because I knew it was a book about grief and that’s a subject that if handled well can make me incredibly emotional! And Issac and The Egg is written just so beautifully that my heart was ripped out of chest, ripped into tiny pieces and then superglued back together again and this means it will never be the same again!! This is a powerfully affecting story, moving and gut wrenchingly sad but with a unique twist that made me laugh as well as cry.

Now you will probably never have read a book about an egg before (and I doubt you ever will again!) but it’s not as mad as it first sounds! When Issac finds the egg in the woods, he takes it home. There they begin a sort of friendship that defies all expectations and leads to some unimaginable truths…

Isaac and The Egg is a very special book indeed especially considering it’s a debut novel! It’s one that has certainly left its mark on me as it’s one of the most powerful, moving and unique books that I’ve ever encountered. The characters are developed so beautifully that even though you think you know the outcome, you are never quite sure-rather like life itself sometimes. To quote our late Queen “grief is the price you pay for love” but it’s a pain that pales in comparison to never having experienced love so I did empathise totally with Isaac as his story unfolded. What I hadn’t expected was to have such strong feelings towards Egg-what a wonderfully written compelling character he is. Every interaction Isaac and Egg have is perfectly pitched with such strong emotions radiating from their respective worlds.

I can highly recommend this brilliant book-it’s one I will never forget and know I Will recommend to others. I just loved it!

Bobby Palmer is a freelance journalist who writes for publications including Time Out, GQ, Men’s Health and Cosmopolitan. Isaac and the Egg is his debut novel.

The Silent Midwinter by Jamie-Lee Brooke #blogtour #review

Kate processes the mail day in, day out at StandingtonPrison. With her home life turning stale, she spends her days obsessing over the correspondence between an inmate and his girlfriend. Who is sexy Anna West and what does she see in a cold-blooded killer? 

Kate also suspects her husband of having an affair. Harper, her stepdaughter, is full of teenage angst and resentment towards her. Her other stepdaughter, seven-year-old Felicity, has selective mutism, brought on by the trauma following her mother’s death. 

One risky move follows another as Kate delves deeper and deeper into Anna West’s life. She’s not prepared for the danger she stumbles into – danger that will threaten her whole family as they are swept into a web of secrets and lies.

Just how far will Kate go to save her family? 

The Silent Midwinter is an edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller with a shocking twist that will floor you.

As you have probably noticed I am not taking part in as many blog tours this year. This doesn’t mean I’m not reading though but it has to be a VERY special book to tempt me into the blogosphere nowadays. I actually met the author of this book in Harrogate last year at the Theakstons Crime Festival and she told me a little bit about her upcoming novel. Someone who had already read an early copy told me it would be right up my street as it had (in their opinion) an unguessable twist! Well, that sold me straight away so when the lovely Zoe from Zooloosbooktours asked me whether I wanted to take part in the blog tour for The Silent Midwinter, my reply was a great, big YES PLEASE! So thank you Zoe and Brooke for inviting me onto the blog tour and my copy of The Silent Midwinter.

The Silent Midwinter has such a unique premise that it grabbed my attention immediately and you’ll see why when you read the jaw dropping first page! Kate has the job of checking and censoring the Mail coming into prison-not the sort of job that would appeal to me but Kate enjoys it and it keeps her mind off the problems at home. Her husband seems distracted, her teenage stepdaughter is doing a fine job of being a teenager and the youngest member of the family doesn’t speak to anyone. So I could totally understand why Kate becomes slightly obsessed by one of the prisoners and his gorgeous girlfriend especially after reading their very explicit correspondence! But she doesn’t leave her interest at the door when she leaves work and THAT’S when the trouble starts…

I can’t begin to tell you how much I adored this book! IT’S BOOKS LIKE THIS THAT MAKE ME LOVE READING SO MUCH! It was shocking, addictive and completely unexpected! I love to read psychological thrillers that surprise and delight me with their cleverly crafted characters and storylines and The Silent Midwinter is up there with the best in the genre. Dark and disturbing, I wanted to read it with my eyes closed at times as the full extent of the horrific events unfolded. This is definitely a book for you if you love the darker side of the psychological thriller genre and it has been of the best books of 2023 so far for me-yes, it’s that good! Just brilliant from start to finish!

Jamie-Lee Brooke is the pen name of Brooke Venables who lives with her twin sons in the Worcestershire area. She is an author of both horror and thrillers and works as a dental nurse which gives her plenty of scope to imagine putting people in uncomfortable situations. She loves her job and takes great satisfaction in helping people to smile. 

Jamie-Lee’s biggest achievement to date is graduating after studying with the Open University for six years, achieving a BA Honours in Humanities with classical studies and creative writing. It was no mean feat whilst working and being a mum to twins who both have autism and learning difficulties.

The Mother by T.M. Logan

Today I’m absolutely thrilled to be on the blog tour for The Mother by T.M. Logan. Many thanks to Tracy Fenton for my invite into the tour and the publisher for my review copy of the book. The Mother is out tomorrow!

Framed for murder. Now she’s free . . .

A woman attends a funeral, standing in the shadows and watching in agony as her sons grieve. But she is unable to comfort them – or reveal her secret.

A decade earlier, Heather gets her children ready for bed and awaits the return of her husband Liam, little realising that this is the last night they will spend together as a family. Because tomorrow she will be accused of Liam’s murder.

Ten years ago Heather lost everything. Now she will stop at nothing to clear her name – and to get her children back . . .

T.M. Logan is one of my “must buy” authors where I know I’m going to love his books and often preorder without even knowing what his next book is even going to be about! But The Mother is, in my opinion, his best book so far! I absolutely inhaled every single word as I sat and read it from cover to cover in one afternoon. He is the king of the adrenaline fuelled thriller so strap yourself in for the rush before you pick it up!

I’m obsessed by true crime especially miscarriages of justice and so The Mother grabbed me from the very start. A woman is watching her own funeral…how has this happened and what happened in the months leading up to the murder of Heathers husband? Her release from prison is the catalyst for a rollercoaster of emotions as she fights to find out the truth about what happened the night Liam was murdered.

T.M. Logan has delivered his best plot line so far and I was constantly second guessing myself but not for one second did I expect the outcome I raced towards. The Mother is a heartbreaking read at times-Heather is never going to get back the time she has lost with her sons-but it’s also an intriguing look at what happens to ex offenders with a well researched storyline. It’s a gripping read and one I’m very happy to recommend!

TM Logan’s thrillers have sold more than two million copies in the UK and are translated into 22 other languages for publication around the world.

His latest novel, THE CURFEW, follows the events of a hot midsummer’s night, when five teenagers go up to the woods to celebrate the end of exams, and only four come out… 

THE HOLIDAY was a Richard & Judy Book Club pick and spent ten weeks in the Sunday Times paperback top ten. It has since won a Nielsen Bestseller Award and been made into a four-part TV drama with Jill Halfpenny for Channel 5 (currently available on Netflix UK).

His 2023 thriller, THE MOTHER, is now available to pre-order and his other books are THE CATCH, TRUST ME, LIES and 29 SECONDS.

For exclusive writing, new releases and a FREE deleted scene from Tim, sign up to the Readers’ Club: http://www.TMLogan.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @TMLoganAuthor, find him on Facebook at /TMLoganAuthor, on Instagram @TMLoganAuthor

A former national newspaper journalist, Tim lives in Nottinghamshire with his family and writes in a cabin at the bottom of his garden.

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett @ViperBooks

Open the safe deposit box.
Inside you will find research material for a true crime book.
You must read the documents, then make a decision.
Will you destroy them? Or will you take them to the police?

Everyone knows the sad story of the Alperton Angels: the cult who brainwashed a teenage girl and convinced her that her newborn baby was the anti-Christ. Believing they had a divine mission to kill the infant, they were only stopped when the girl came to her senses and called the police. The Angels committed suicide rather than stand trial, while mother and baby disappeared into the care system.

Nearly two decades later, true-crime author Amanda Bailey is writing a book on the Angels. The Alperton baby has turned eighteen and can finally be interviewed; if Amanda can find them, it will be the true-crime scoop of the year, and will save her flagging career. But rival author Oliver Menzies is just as smart, better connected, and is also on the baby’s trail.

As Amanda and Oliver are forced to collaborate, they realise that what everyone thinks they know about the Angels is wrong. The truth is something much darker and stranger than they’d ever imagined. And the story of the Alperton Angels is far from over.

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is Janice Halletts third novel and my favourite so far! I am a really fast reader but when it comes to this author I have to slow way down as I worry I will miss something and so I have to concentrate really hard. Her books are unlike anything else you will ever read and have a style all of their own-you must give her books a try if you’ve not read them before! You can thank me later!

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels has an intriguing storyline that gripped me as soon as I started reading it. For newer readers it may take a while to get used to the narrative as it is told in a selection of different media in the form of emails, diaries, letters and transcripts. But this is where Janice Hallett comes into her own because she does this so well that you forget this isn’t a “traditionally written” novel! I don’t know how she does it but she’s able to bring her characters to life brilliantly without the usual descriptive language and using only their interactions to develop relationships that spring off the page. We get so much information but we are never quite sure what is relevant to the plot as we are drip fed clues and red herrings until the final few pages when everything suddenly becomes apparent.

This is such a brilliant piece of writing with incredibly clever plotting and I absolutely adored reading every single detail! Janice Hallett has ripped up the rule book for writers and created a complex and unique novel that works perfectly. One of the best books I’ve read this year!

Janice Hallett is a former magazine editor, award-winning journalist and government communications writer. She wrote articles and speeches for, among others, the Cabinet Office, Home Office and Department for International Development. Her enthusiasm for travel has taken her around the world several times, from Madagascar to the Galapagos, Guatemala to Zimbabwe, Japan, Russia and South Korea. A playwright and screenwriter, she penned the feminist Shakespearean stage comedy NetherBard and co-wrote the feature film Retreat, a psychological thriller starring Cillian Murphy, Thandiwe Newton and Jamie Bell. The Appeal is her first novel, and The Twyford Code her second.

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger #blogtour #review

Today I’m thrilled to be taking part in the blog tour for Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger.

Three couples rent a luxury cabin in the woods for a weekend getaway to die for in this atmospheric and gripping locked-room thriller by New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger.

What could be more restful, more restorative, than a weekend getaway with family and friends? Especially in an isolated luxury cabin in the woods, complete with spectacular views, a hot tub and a personal chef. The reviews are stellar.

But a deadly storm is brewing. The owner seems just a little too present. The chef reveals that the beautiful house has a spine-tingling history. And the guests have their own complicated pasts, with secrets that run blood deep. The perfect weekend is about to turn into a nightmare.

I love a Lisa Unger book so I was thrilled to get a copy to read of her latest novel to read for the blog tour. Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six has a very creepy premise that seems to be a rather popular premise at the moment so I knew it needed to work well to grab my attention-and thankfully it did!

This has so many ingredients that combine to make a decent psychological thriller. There’s a large cast of unlikeable characters, an intensely complex storyline and a big mystery that is worth killing to keep secret, all set within a cabin in the middle of nowhere with a storm on the way! There were lots of different threads weaving together so I was never quite sure which was the one I needed to keep a closer eye on! But from the beginning I knew that the DNA tests the family all received for Christmas presents was the key to unlock the secrets being hidden.

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six is enough to put you off renting a cosy and remote getaway cottage for your next holiday but if you do, this may not be the best book to take with you! I really enjoyed the twists and turn and even though it’s not my favourite Lisa Unger book, I did enjoy it’s dark themes and unsettling moments.

Lisa Unger is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of twenty novels, including SECLUDED CABIN SLEEPS SIX, LAST GIRL GHOSTED, and CONFESSIONS ON THE 7:45 — now in development at Netflix, starring Jessica Alba. With books published in thirty-three languages and millions of copies sold worldwide, she is regarded as a master of suspense.

Unger’s critically acclaimed novels have been featured on “Best Book” lists from the Today Show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Weekly, People, Amazon, Goodreads, L.A. Times, The Boston Globe, Sun Sentinel, Tampa Bay Times and many others. She has been nominated for, or won, numerous awards including the Strand Critics, Audie, Hammett, Macavity, ITW Thriller, and Goodreads Choice. In 2019, she received two Edgar Award nominations, an honor held by only a few authors, including Agatha Christie. Her short fiction has been anthologized in The Best American Mystery and Suspense, and her non-fiction has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, and Travel+Leisure. Lisa is the current co-President of the International Thriller Writers organization. She lives on the west coast of Florida with her family.