Uncategorized – mychestnutreadingtree

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.

The Housemaids Secret by Freida McFadden @bookouture

Today I’m thrilled to be taking part in the blog tour for The Housemaids Secret by Freida McFadden.

“Don’t go in the guest bedroom.” A shadow falls on Douglas Garrick’s face as he touches the door with his fingertips. “My wife… she’s very ill.” As he continues showing me their incredible penthouse apartment, I have a terrible feeling about the woman behind closed doors. But I can’t risk losing this job—not if I want to keep my darkest secret safe…

It’s hard to find an employer who doesn’t ask too many questions about my past. So I thank my lucky stars that the Garricks miraculously give me a job, cleaning their stunning penthouse with views across the city and preparing fancy meals in their shiny kitchen. I can work here for a while, stay quiet until I get what I want.

It’s almost perfect. But I still haven’t met Mrs Garrick, or seen inside the guest bedroom. I’m sure I hear her crying. I notice spots of blood around the neck of her white nightgowns when I’m doing laundry. And one day I can’t help but knock on the door. When it gently swings open, what I see inside changes everything…

That’s when I make a promise. After all, I’ve done this before. I can protect Mrs Garrick while keeping my own secrets locked up safe.

Douglas Garrick has done wrong. He is going to pay. It’s simply a question of how far I’m willing to go…

This absolutely explosive and shockingly twisty sequel to international bestseller The Housemaid will keep you racing through the pages late into the night. Anyone who loves The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose, The Woman in the Window and Gone Girl will be totally hooked! This book can also be enjoyed as a standalone.

OMG-what have I just read?!?! I adored The Housemaid but did wonder how the author would be able to write another book featuring Millie and for it still to shock but SHE DID IT!! 
The Housemaid's Secret is a twisty and thoroughly entertaining read that kept me guessing till the very last page! 

Millie is a brilliant character creation who definitely had more to give from her previous  appearance in The Housemaid so it was intriguing to see where she had taken her new found found “talents” after her last employment. Things have changed for her but not in a positive way. Sacked from her latest job, she manages to land on her feet again working in an upmarket penthouse for a very strange couple. Douglas and Wendy seem to live separate lives with Wendy sleeping in her room most days and Douglas advising Millie not to speak to his wife. But one day Millie defies her instructions and let’s her instincts run free to discover a shocking secret…

Nothing is as it seems here and it was so easy to just sit back and enjoy the ride with Millie! There were twists and turns galore and just when you think you’re done, another one comes along to slap you in the face! Just incredible! I didn’t think Freida McFadden could do it again but she pulled it up perfectly. 

Highly recommended!

#1 Amazon bestselling author Freida McFadden is a practicing physician specializing in brain injury who has penned multiple Kindle bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humor novels. She lives with her family and black cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe.

To hear Freida talk more about herself in the third person, visit her website:https://www.freidamcfadden.com/

Author social media

Twitter: @Freida_McFadden

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Freida-McFadden-Author-of-Psychological-Thrillers-and-Medical-Humor-400860063303345/

Instagram: @fizzziatrist

Newsletter sign up: https://www.bookouture.com/freida-mcfadden/

The Suspect by Kathryn Croft @bookouture

My family said he killed my mother. They lied…

I was just a little girl, fast asleep in my stroller, the day my mother was killed. I don’t remember anything about the sunny day that turned so dark.

She’d be so happy for me now, twenty years later, with my dream job as a photographer, and I’m sure she’d love my new boyfriend, Gabriel. But all my happiness vanishes in a heartbeat when the man from our past walks towards me, his eyes on me for just a fraction too long.

I recognise his face from the picture in the papers. He killed my mother.

I try to run but he wants me to listen. He says that he is innocent, and that my family have been lying to me for years.

My father and sister tell me to stay away. They remind me that because of him my mother never got to tuck me in at night or ease me through my first heartbreak. Gabriel says he could be dangerous. But when he is found dead, I am shaken to my core. Who needed to keep him quiet?

I won’t feel safe until I find out what he wanted to tell me. But when I find that my father has lied about the past and Gabriel has hidden photos of my mother under his bed, I realise I can’t trust anyone. I want the truth. But if I find it, will my life be in danger?

An absolutely addictive read that will have you racing through the pages and questioning everything you thought you knew about your family. Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, Lisa Jewell and Shari Lapena

Kathryn Croft can always be relied upon to deliver a gripping and twisty psychological thriller and The Suspect kept me turning the pages well into the night! 

Two year old Jess was present when her mother Lori was murdered but has no memory of that day. The prime suspect has always been identified as Nathaniel French but he has never been charge but when he approaches the now adult Jess he has a shocking confession…

The Suspect is a slow burner that kept me guessing which of the characters was lying to Jess and why. Just when I thought I had the answers,  another twist came along to keep me on my toes. 

I thoroughly enjoyed The Suspect and was thrilled to be able to read an early copy. Kathryn Croft made me work harder than usual for the payoff but that made the resolution even sweeter for me! An engrossing read from start to finish.

Kathryn is the bestselling author of ten psychological thrillers and to date she has sold over one million copies of her books. Her third book, The Girl With No Past spent over four weeks at number one in the Amazon UK chart, and she has also appeared on the Wall Street Journal’s bestsellers list.

Kathryn writes full time and is now hard at work on her next book.

After twelve years living in London, she now lives in Guildford, Surrey, the place she grew up, with her husband, two children and two crazy cats.

Remember Me by Lynda Renham @Lyndarenham

A young mother befriends a new neighbour—but soon finds her an unwelcome presence, in this psychological thriller with a powerful twist.

Sharni and her husband have just moved into 24 The Pines, and they appear to be ideal new neighbours to Clare and Chris. Sharni seems especially fond of Clare. She admires her and is always there to help, especially with childcare for Clare’s two-year-old son.

But Clare is starting to wonder whether Sharni just wants to be a good neighbour—or wants something more. Like Clare’s husband. Or her child. Or her life. And her anxiety starts to build every time Sharni comes near.

Is she just being overprotective, or are her worries justified? As Sharni’s influence touches everyone around her, Clare finds herself fighting for both her sanity and her family . . .

I loved Lynda Renham’s previous books which have been humorous women’s fiction so I was rather surprised, and incredibly intrigued, to find out that she had written Remember Me which is a psychological thriller! I loved the cover when I first saw it so I was very keen, but ever so slightly cautious, to start reading. Would Lynda be able to make a successful move over to the dark side? Well, I’m pleased to tell you that not only does she manage it very well indeed, this is also the book to pull me kicking and screaming from the reading slump I’ve been suffering from recently! It is BRILLIANT and I think Lynda has now found her niche in the very busy psychological suspense market, and I hope she stays there for the foreseeable future!

I think we have all met women like Sharni before, someone who seems to admire other women but shows it in a rather unorthodox way. Having moved in next door to Clare and Chris, with her husband Tom, Sharni starts showing an unhealthy interest in Clare’s life and starts copying her clothes, her home furnishings but worst of all trying to steal the affections of Clare’s son, Ben. Clare does have some sympathy for her new friend but when Sharni seems to be making moves on Chris, she decides its time to back off. But is it already too late?

This book really did have it all for me. It had the shocks and surprises, the twists, the unreliable narrator, the woman in peril, the unknown narrator and I loved every single page of it! I especially loved the “Single, White, Female” feel to it that built up to a powerful and dramatic finale. The way the plot gradually unfolded was so believable as Sharni gradually infiltrated Clare’s family, friends and workplace. Honestly, I just couldn’t put this book down! I have always loved Lynda’s writing style so it was wonderful to see that it translated well to a different genre for her. More please!

Lynda Renham is author to many popular romantic comedy and gripping psychological thriller novels. She lives in Oxford, UK. She has appeared on BBC radio discussion programs and is a prolific blogger, Twitter and when not writing can usually be found wasting her time on Facebook.

Lynda lives in Oxfordshire with her second husband and cat. Her web page: http://www.renham.co.uk and Twitter: @lyndarenham

The Resort by Sarah Goodwin #bookreview

Mila and her husband Ethan are on their way to her sister’s wedding at a luxurious ski resort. As they drive through the mountains, surrounded by snow covered forests, Mila feels like everything is finally going to plan.

When the car engine suddenly stops and won’t start again.

Stranded, with night closing in, they make their way on foot back to where they saw a sign for some cabins.

When they finally reach them, they find the windows boarded up and the buildings in disrepair. They have the eerie sense they shouldn’t be there.

With snow falling more heavily, they have no choice but to break into one to spend the night.

In the morning when Mila wakes, Ethan is gone.

Now she is all alone.

Or is she?

I thoroughly enjoyed Stranded by Sarah Goodwin so was looking forward to reading this! And OMG it was even BETTER than Stranded!! I was up till the early hours of this morning finishing this off as I just couldn’t put it down once I started it.

I actually don’t think I even read the blurb before I started reading as it quickly became obvious that this book wasn’t what I was expecting from the opening few pages. So that dealt me a few shocks from very early on. I was expecting the drama to start when Mila and Ethan arrived at her sisters wedding but it’s actually when they are on their way to the wedding that they become lost and end up in a small, inhabited area with some dilapidated buildings where they can take shelter from the snow and cold. But when Mila awakes the next morning her husband has disappeared. Without proper food and clothing Mila is forced to stay in the creepy cabin especially as she is convinced that there is someone or something out there…watching.

This is such a clever storyline that grips you immediately. I loved the flashbacks as well as the reader is given an insight into the relationship between the two sisters and why Mila is so determined to make her sisters wedding special. But the tension built up by the things that Mila finds whilst looking for Ethan is breathtaking! I thought I knew what was going on but I was pretty far off the mark!

The Resort is a brilliant page turner, gripping and shocking throughout. I absolutely loved it!

Sarah Goodwin is a novelist who grew up in rural Hertfordshire. She was raised on ‘The Good Life’ ‘Anne of Green Gables’ and ‘Little House on the Prairie’ by her parents, who turned a blind eye to her dabbling in herbal medicine, feminism, eco-warrior ideals and witchcraft. They were understandably unsurprised when she developed the lifetime ambition of building a hut in the woods and living there like a soothsayer.

Her second preferred career, was author.

At Bath Spa University Sarah studied for a BA in Creative Writing and self-published many novels across various genres, including YA magical realism, contemporary women’s fiction, romance and horror.

Sarah graduated in 2014 with an MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University. After writing several historical novels, she decided to return to her roots and write instead about the wild, the darkness and survival, which led to her coming up with the idea for ‘Stranded’ which would become her first professionally published novel.

Different Not Less by Chloé Hayden @RandomTTours

A neurodivergent’s guide to embracing your true self and finding your happily ever after
By Chloé Hayden
An empowering guide to celebrating and supporting neurodivergence from Netflix’s Heartbreak High star and disability advocate, Chloé Hayden.
Growing up, Chloé Hayden felt like she’d crash-landed on an alien planet where nothing made sense. Eye contact? Small talk? And why are you people so touch- oriented? None of it made sense.
Chloé desperately wished to be part of the fairytales she so dearly loved. A world in which the lead is considered a hero because of their differences, rather than excluded and pushed aside for them.
She moved between 10 schools in 8 years, struggling to become a person she believed society would accept. After years of being ‘weird, quirky, Chloé’ she was eventually diagnosed with autism and ADHD. It was only after a life-changing group of allies showed her that different did not mean less that she learned to celebrate her true voice and find her happily ever after.
Different, Not Less is a moving, at times funny story of how it feels to be neurodivergent as well as a practical guide, with insights on how autism and ADHD present differently in females, advice for living with meltdowns and shutdowns, tips for finding supportive relationships, communities and workplaces and much more.
Whether you’re neurodivergent or supporting those who are, Different, Not Less will inspire you to create a more inclusive world where everyone feels like they belong.

When I received the invite from Anne Cater for this blog tour I jumped straight away at the chance to take part as I had already preordered the book! Neurodiversity, especially in young adult girls is a subject that I am INCREDIBLY passionate about and to have a book like this published by someone who can give others a personal perspective is a HUGE deal for me. As some of you probably know, ADHD and autism are part of our everyday family life at home and also for me as part of my professional life so I knew I wanted to read and love this book which I am happy to report that I have!

Chloé comes across as such a likeable and empathetic person and it’s hard not to become emotionally involved with her journey so far and often I forgot whilst reading that she’s still only 25 years of age! But she has a maturity beyond her years as she uses her life experience so far to help others with a similar diagnosis to hers and for their friends and family members who want to understand how best to support them. Girls often present with very difficult traits and many of them aren’t the ones you would expect so Chloe goes through all of the symptoms she showed and ones she didn’t but that others may relate to.

Some of the subjects she discussed had trigger warnings attached so you can skip over these parts if you don’t want to trigger yourself, a brilliant idea that many readers will be thankful for. The honesty behind many of the subjects is so important and will be so well appreciated by readers struggling to make sense of their feelings and experiences in a world that doesn’t cater for neurodiversity. I brought the book to help myself and my family understand the world that our family member lives in and when they are a little older they will read it themselves (I’d say it’s suitable for older teens age 14+ due to subjects such as sexual assault but you know your child best ofcourse!)

I found Different Not Less a fascinating and helpful guide for everyone involved in the lives of those living everyday with neurodiversity. It’s funny, heartbreaking but unapologetic in its advice on supporting others to feel like they belong. An important, inspiring and influential insight that was a joy to discover and will hopefully go some way towards helping to create a more inclusive society. Highly recommended.

Chloé Hayden is an award-winning actor and disability advocate, motivational speaker and social media influencer. Whose story of being ‘different, not less’ has attracted a worldwide following. She is currently appearing in Heartbreak High, the Netflix remake of the iconic Australian series

The Engagement by Samantha Hayes #blogtour #bookouture

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Engagement by Samantha Hayes. Many thanks to Bookouture for my review copy of the book.

You thought you had escaped him. Until he proposed to your daughter.

‘There’s someone I want you to meet,’ Belle says, as a man draws up to her side. He’s tall with dark hair and stubble on his square jaw. He’s not exactly smiling, but the corner of his mouth curls upwards as he slides his hand around my daughter’s waist.

I grab my husband’s arm to steady myself, as the room spins around me.

I stare into the man’s eyes – jet black. Nothing and everything hidden behind them.

Fear prickles my skin as I remember what he did.

How I only just escaped.

All the lies I’ve had to tell since.

‘I want you to meet Jack,’ Belle says, brimming with excitement. ‘He’s my fiancé.’ She rests her head on his shoulder. ‘Isn’t it exciting? We’re engaged!’

Fear hammers in my chest. I have to stop this.

My daughter’s life is in danger, and it’s all because of me…

Samantha Hayes is one of my very favourite authors and a new book from her is the highlight of my year! So The Engagement was a highly anticipated book for me and thankfully lived up to my high expectations. Hannah is excited to welcome her daughter Belle back from a trip to France so that the family can celebrate her 18th birthday with her. But Belle brings a surprise of her own back to the UK-her new fiancé, Jack. From the start Hannah is shocked as Jack isn’t who he says he is and Hannah is forced to look back into her past to protect her family from the man she has been hiding from. But what secrets is Hannah hiding and how far will she go to make sure no one finds out? 
Told through two timelines and multiple viewpoints, The Engagement is an absolutely incredible tale of family life broken apart by an interloper who threatens everything Hannah holds dear. The characterisation was brilliant with all the characters inspiring a variety of emotions in me! Belle came across as spoilt and naive whereas Hannah was almost a female Liam Neeson who would do whatever it took to keep her family safe! Nothing would stop her!! 
I thought I had everything worked out and to an extent I did but there was such a clever twist at one point that I physically slapped my forehead that I hadn’t seen it coming! Very,VERY clever Ms Hayes!!!! So I absolutely loved The Engagement-it had the wow factor I had been expecting but with added depth that really drew me in. Highly recommended!

Samantha Hayes grew up in a creative family where her love of writing began as a child. Samantha has written eight thrillers in total, including the bestselling Until You’re Mine. The Independent said “fantastically written and very tense” while Good Housekeeping said “Her believable psychological thrillers are completely gripping.” Samantha’s books are published in 22 languages at the last count.

When not writing, Samantha loves to cook, go to the gym, see friends and drink nice wine. She is also studying for a degree in psychotherapy. She has three grown-up children and lives in Warwickshire.

https://www.samanthahayes.co.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaHayesAuthor/ https://www.instagram.com/samanthahayes.author/ https://twitter.com/samhayes