Tag: suspense

The Interview – C. M. Ewan

~ Eden Haslam ~ Leave a comment

It’s 5 p.m. on a Friday.
You have been called to an interview for your dream job.
In a stunning office thirteen floors above the city below, you are all alone with the man interviewing you.
Everyone else has gone home for the weekend.
The interview gets more and more disturbing.
You’re feeling scared.
Your only way out is to answer a seemingly impossible question.
If you can’t . . . what happens next?

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Review: The synopsis for this book really drew me in, especially as someone who is fully aware of how scary interviews can be! And it did not disappoint. I loved that it took place in one building over a short period of time. This intensity allowed for a real sense of tension to be created and the short chapters kept up the pace of the story the whole time.

This story starts tense and grows increasingly sinister. I enjoyed the chapters from Joel’s perspective as it instantly raises questions. You know he is lying and that he is studying Kate but you do not know why. Despite this insight into Joel’s perspective, you remain as clueless as Kate and are therefore going on this journey with her, feeling her confusion and panic as the situation progresses.  

Continue reading “The Interview – C. M. Ewan” →

The Wildest Hunt – Jo Zebedee

~ Eden Haslam ~ 1 Comment

A long-dead child.

An artist who paints the fae.

An ancient estate on a blood-filled land.

The commission was close to Amelia’s dream: a cosy cottage in Donegal over Christmas and the chance to paint the beautiful Glenveagh estate. But when the weather closes in and the country shuts down, a ritual begins – one that traps Amelia in its circles of magic.

Stranded in a place where iron is power, her heart can no longer be trusted and the land itself is a weapon, Amelia’s survival depends on unravelling the truth of a decades-old death.

Even if it draws the same ancient danger to herself.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Review: Dangerous and magical, beautiful and spooky, this book and its creation of the liminal space between the real world and one of magic and fantasy is truly special. The setting is so well described, creating a real sense of atmosphere and making it easy to imagine while not feeling overly-descriptive. It manages to capture a real wintery sense without being cheesy and Christmassy which I loved at this time of year.

The short chapters were very effective, swapping the focus between different characters as the pieces of the story were gradually put together. This really helped build the suspense as the reader knew more than the characters and I was on edge wondering how things were going to play out. I found it interesting that, although secrets were central to this story, uncovering the truth was not the end-point. There was so much more in how past and present collided that uncovering the secrets only drew you further into the story rather than giving a sense of finality.

Continue reading “The Wildest Hunt – Jo Zebedee” →

Such a Quiet Place – Megan Miranda

~ Eden Haslam ~ Leave a comment

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Synopsis: 14 months ago Brandon and Fiona Truett died of carbon monoxide poisoning in their home. With the help of the community, it was easy to prove that Ruby was the culprit, sending her away to jail. However, after 14 months away, there are suggestions that evidence was tampered with and now Ruby has been released. And she has come back to Hollow’s Edge to make somebody pay.

As Ruby tries to clear her name, her old roommate Harper is trying to figure out what Ruby wants, and how far she will go to prove her innocence. The fragile peace of Hollow’s Edge is disrupted by Ruby’s reappearance and Harper feels once again that she is on the outside.

In a community as tight as this, secrets are inevitable. But when Harper begins to get threatening notes, it is clear someone knows more than they are letting on and everybody is a suspect.

Review: The plot of this book is so understated, but so well executed. As a reader you have this nervous energy as you are reading. The nature of Ruby’s return keeps you on edge even without lots of dramatic, overtly suspenseful things happening because she is so unpredictable and the author does such a good job of building a sense of dread throughout.

Continue reading “Such a Quiet Place – Megan Miranda” →

Confess to Me – Sharon Doering

~ Eden Haslam ~ Leave a comment

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Synopsis: Heather and her family (husband Trevor, daughter Emily, and stepson Sawyer) move back to Hunther, Wisconsin to be closer to Trevor’s ill mother. Both Trevor and Heather grew up in this small town and yet Heather has spent twenty years trying to escape it. Being in this town brings up a lot of bad memories for Heather and causes her to look more closely at things that happened in the past.

Small towns have secrets and Heather is determined to uncover Hunther’s. But with threats, lies and unreliable memories, it would be easier for Heather to leave the past behind her. Except everyone seems to know more about Heather and her family that she does. And with accusations flying around, Heather has to find out the truth about her upbringing and the death that surrounded her family.  

It’s not often that I struggle to get through a book, but unfortunately that was the case with this one. I didn’t think the mystery was very compelling and struggled to get excited as I was reading. I don’t know if that’s because of the family aspect which I cannot relate to, the fact that I didn’t have very strong feelings about any of the characters, or because of some overly graphic descriptions which brought me out of the story.

However, I did feel that the author did an excellent job portraying the claustrophobic nature of small-town communities. Everyone is involved in other people’s business with the characters being the perfect balance of nosy yet secretive.

Continue reading “Confess to Me – Sharon Doering” →

Deadly Obsession – OMJ Ryan

~ Eden Haslam ~ Leave a comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Synopsis: DCI Jane Phillips and her Major Crimes team are called in for the murder of a retired teacher in a care home. Not long after, more bodies turn up, each one completely different with nothing linking them together except for the fact that they all resemble murders by notorious serial killers. As the body count rises, the murders get progressively more violent but Jane and her team struggle to identify any suspects. Their opponent seems to always be one step ahead.

Review: I raced through this book, finding it extremely enjoyable and exciting. I was desperate to get to the ending to learn who the killer was and how everything was going to be resolved.

Even though I haven’t read the other books in the series this wasn’t off-putting, this book can easily be read as a standalone. If anything, I will now probably go back to read the other 4 books as this one was such a good read. I really liked DCI Phillips as a strong female lead and enjoyed the workplace dynamics with the other police officers and her boss. I felt that there was a good balance struck between getting to know the characters and the fast-paced murder investigation.

Continue reading “Deadly Obsession – OMJ Ryan” →

Black Widows – Cate Quinn

~ Eden Haslam ~ Leave a comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Synopsis: Black Widows follows the perspectives of three wives, all married to Blake who is found murdered on their land far from anywhere else. Being in a plural marriage means these women are on the edge of society, even within the Mormon community. They do not trust the police and certainly do not trust each other as it seems clear that one of them must have killed him.

Review: This was such an interesting and intriguing book, partly because of the murder but also because of the relationships that are created. I found the plural marriage dynamic extremely interesting. I was so curious about the relationship between the three wives, especially considering how different they all are, and enjoyed how this developed across the book. I did feel that the character of Emily was not as fully developed as the others, but overall, there was a good sense of each character’s distinct personality.

The mystery aspect of the plot was very well-done, helping to draw the story to a satisfying conclusion. There were so many twists and turns that constantly makes you second-guess who the murderer is. I think having the three perspectives of the three wives really beneficial in this aspect as you get to hear each of their suspicions about each other, thereby influencing your own opinion.

Continue reading “Black Widows – Cate Quinn” →

Death by Arrangement – Kathleen Torian Taylor

~ Eden Haslam ~ Leave a comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Sarah’s structured life as an accountant in downtown San Francisco is about to take a hard left. She knows all about deceit but not about how to trust again. For three years her love life revolved around a liar and a cheat. But now she yearns to become a torch singer. Sarah’s attracted to Jerard from Los Angeles. His strange scar and mysterious ways both entice and discourage her. A serial killer haunts the 24-hour news cycle, and when she comes face to face with his latest victim, fear and self-doubt creep in like uninvited guests. Once again, she questions her trust. Is Jerard “the one” or another mistake? An unexpected encounter thrusts her into darkness, and Sarah must use every ounce of strength in a battle for her life and dream of singing her song.

Review: From the very first page I was totally hooked. The tension builds steadily throughout making it so exciting to read. Getting the perspective of the murderer in the first chapter was really effective as it meant I was trying to figure out who the murderer could be as we met each of the different characters. I was so on edge, second-guessing everything that people were saying and doing, trying to figure out if they had a hidden agenda. And this really helps you feel some of the paranoia that Sarah has knowing there is a serial killer on the loose.

The book has such good detail and description, it really draws you in to Sarah’s life and her surroundings. I loved the humorous elements as they help lighten the feel of the book and, alongside the aspects of romance and friendship, help to make this book feel more than simply a murder mystery. Sarah felt so real and relatable, making her a great main character.

Continue reading “Death by Arrangement – Kathleen Torian Taylor” →

Little Bones – N.V. Peacock

~ Eden Haslam ~ Leave a comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Synopsis: Cherrie, daughter of notorious serial killer Mr Bones, is a mother and has moved on with her life, leaving the name Leigh-Ann Hendy far in the past. That is until a podcast reveals her true identity, suggesting she has something to do with recent disappearances of young boys. One of which is her own son Robin.

As Cherrie’s past catches up with her, she desperately tries to find her son whilst facing judgement and disapproval from those she loves. The only question is, is she the victim in this story or not?

Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping, addictive thriller. Yes, some of the characters were quite unlikable but I felt that it added to the story. A protagonist that you can fully support and root for is boring as no one is perfect. Considering the pressure that Cherrie is under, it is no surprise that she acts irrationally and loses her temper.

Continue reading “Little Bones – N.V. Peacock” →

The Island – C.L. Taylor

~ Eden Haslam ~ Leave a comment

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Synopsis: Whilst on a group holiday with their parents to Thailand, six teenagers – Jessie, Danny, Honor, Milo, Meg, and Jeffers – get stranded on an island after their guide has a stroke and dies. Over the next 6 days tensions rise as the phobias of each of the characters come true and the group turns on each other to try and figure out what is going on and who is to blame.

Review: This story helped remind me why I enjoy YA books so much. It was easy to read, fast-paced and completely gripping – I read the entire thing in one sitting because I was so desperate to see what was going to happen.

Continue reading “The Island – C.L. Taylor” →

Here to Stay – Mark Edwards

~ Eden Haslam ~ Leave a comment

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Synopsis: A story about the ultimate in-laws from hell, this book shows what can happen when your life spirals out of your control. Scientist Elliot gets caught up in a whirlwind romance with Gemma. It is not long before they are married and comfortably settled in his house. However, this comfortable life is wrenched from his grasp when Gemma asks if her family can come to stay.

Gemma’s parents and reclusive sister soon become increasingly comfortable in Elliot’s house. As two-weeks become more and more, it grows clear that they have no intention of leaving. If Elliot wants to take back his life, he has to better understand Gemma’s relationship with her parents, and why it is that they are so secretive about their past. However, uncovering these secrets come with a cost, and as the mysterious incidents grow more frequent and severe, he must decide how far he is willing to go to regain control of his life.

Review: This story was an exciting read, the writing style is highly effective and, boy, does it get under your skin. The actions of the in-laws were driving me mad with frustration and I could really sympathise with Elliot at times.

However, whilst the book was gripping and easy to read, there was too much time spent in the middle of the story building up tension but with nothing much actually happening. You knew it was building to something, but it felt like it took too long to get there. Having Elliot’s plans to regain control of his life get repeatedly thwarted started off as engaging but went on for so long with nothing else being learned that it eventually lost some of the impact.

Continue reading “Here to Stay – Mark Edwards” →