The Bookseller by Valerie Keogh - #bookreview #blogtour

 

I adored my father. He was a tall, broad-shouldered man with work-callused hands, his round face perpetually tanned from days outside as a labourer on a building site. On minimum pay, to make a decent income, he needed to work long hours, often seven days a week...

***

The Blurb

A woman with a dark past...

Helen Appleby just wants a quiet life. Recently released from prison for the manslaughter of her partner, she's trying to forget her past mistakes – all of them - to rebuild her life and move on.

When she decides to open a bookshop, she’s certain this is the perfect new start. Here, amongst the quiet shelves of her shop and between the covers of her books, she can hide away from the real world and begin again. The world of books the perfect place to find happiness - even if it is all lies.

But the past can never stay hidden…

As she settles into life as an apparently timid bookseller, it seems that someone is determined to sabotage Helen's new life and ruin everything she's built.

But Helen has killed once before. And to protect her future, she could be willing to kill again...

Don't miss another page-turning, nail-biting read from the queen of psychological thrillers, Valerie Keogh! Perfect for fans of J.A. Baker, Keri Beevis and Nina Manning.

My Review

I am always excited when a new novel by Valerie Keogh comes along. I have read several and they never disappoint. This one was no exception. In fact, a Valerie Keogh novel set in a bookshop is dream reading material for me.

Full of suspense, the book had me gripped from the very first page to the last. 

The main character is Helen who has been recently released from prison for killing her partner, Toby. Her dream has always been to open a secondhand bookshop. Now that she has served her sentence, she embraces her dream and the opportunity for her to start afresh.

Helen was a fantastic character; full of hope for the future but her paranoia threatens it all. On several occasions I found myself questioning how reliable a narrator she was. Throughout the book we are told that there is something darker lurking from her past which is eventually revealed to the reader. I loved the way her character developed throughout the story and the author did a brilliant job in her portrayal of Helen.

The secondary characters each had a vital part to play in the story. As each one comes into her life, we see the potential motive that they might have to bring Helen's new life tumbling down around her ears. In all of Ms. Keogh's novels, she introduces a limited number of characters and therefore, they are well formed and have an significant part to play.

The plot is appropriately paced for it's genre. It was fast paced enough to make it a quick read but equally had enough going on in the plot to provide depth. I felt the ending was satisfying and I was pleased by the way the author concluded the book, particularly regarding Helen's self-awareness.

If you enjoy psychological suspense books with a darker edge, I guarantee that this one will keep you gripped. Another triumph of a book from Valerie Keogh and I hope you enjoy it every bit as much as I did.

My Other Reviews of Books by Valerie Keogh

The Wives

The Mother

The Mistress

The Nurse

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1805494508

Publisher:  Booldwood Books

Formats: e-book, audio, hardback and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages:  288 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

Valerie Keogh is the best-selling author of The Nurse. She lives in Wiltshire with her husband and a huge black cat, Fatty Arbuckle. She grew up reading Agatha Christie and initially wrote crime novels - she now writes psychological thrillers.

The Little Lies was shortlisted for the Crime Fiction Lovers Award 2021

Valerie has a BA in English and an MA in American Literature.

She is currently published with Boldwood Books.

You can also find Valerie at:

Facebook

Twitter / X

Instagram

Author Newsletter

(ARC and media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own?

Death of a Dancing Queen by Kimberly G. Giarrantano - #bookreview

 

Starla Wells lit a cigarette and slipped into the shadows. She pressed a spiked heel against the brick exterior of the building, and her bent knee revealed a slender thigh and a garter belt with a tiny dagger tucked underneath...

***

The Blurb

After her mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Billie Levine revamped her grandfather’s private investigation firm and set up shop in the corner booth of her favorite North Jersey deli hoping the free pickles and flexible hours would allow her to take care of her mom and pay the bills. So when Tommy Russo, a rich kid with a nasty drug habit, offers her a stack of cash to find his missing girlfriend, how can she refuse? At first, Billie thinks this will be easy earnings, but then her missing person's case turns into a murder investigation and Russo is the detective bureau’s number one suspect.

Suddenly Billie is embroiled in a deadly gang war that’s connected to the decades-old disappearance of a famous cabaret dancer with ties to both an infamous Jewish mob and a skinhead group. Toss in the reappearance of Billie’s hunky ex-boyfriend with his own rap sheet, and she is regretting every decision that got her to this point.

Becoming a P.I. was supposed to solve her problems. But if Billie doesn’t crack this case, the next body the police dredge out of the Hudson River will be hers. 

My Review

I have heard it said that this book is similar to Veronica Mars. I am not familiar with this television series so can not compare. What I can tell you is that this is a very good book and I enjoyed it immensely.

Billie Levine is an excellent character and highly likable. She is 25, feisty and has attitude. She is a Jewish Private Investigator who has taken the business over from her retired grandfather. She lives with him, her brother, David and her mother. Between them they are sharing the care of her mother who has Alzheimers. However, they are struggling but cannot afford to have her cared for in a dedicated facility. This aspect of the story was sad but I suspect that it is a situation which many readers will be familiar.

There is a great plot to this book too with a mystery that Billie is trying to solve.  She is trying to locate a missing young woman who is fascinated by true crime. In doing so, she also gets involved in investigating the murder of another young woman years before. The author brings both strands of this story together really well and I was completely gripped by it.

The story involves a Jewish gang and a skinhead Nazi mob. There was so much going on in this book that it made for fast paced and fascinating reading. It was definitely a book which made me play the 'just one more chapter' game which kept me up past my bedtime.

There were many secondary characters all of which were well portrayed. There were many but I did not get confused by them at any point as the author does a great job in bringing both characters and plot together.

I am thrilled that this is the first in a three book series. I am looking forward to spending more time with Billie.

 If you like the sound of this book you might also enjoy The Redeemer and The Associate both of which are by Victoria Goldman. The title links will take you to my reviews.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1915202420

Publisher:  Datura Books

Formats:  e-book, audio and paperback

No. of Pages:  344 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Bookshop.org

Datura Book Publications

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Waterstones

About the Author

Kimberly G. Giarratano is an author of mysteries for teens and adults. Her debut novel, Grunge Gods and Graveyards, won the 2015 Silver Falchion Award for Best YA at Killer Nashville. A former librarian, she is currently an instructor at a SUNY Orange County Community College and a reviewer for BookPage. She is also the chapter liaison for Sisters in Crime. 

Born in New York and raised in New Jersey, Kim and her husband moved to the Poconos to raise their three kids amid black bears and wild turkeys. While she doesn’t miss the Jersey traffic, she does miss a good bagel and lox.

You can also find Kimberley at:

Author Website

FaceBook

Instagram

BlueSky

(book and media courtesy of the publisher)

(all opinions are my own)

(bookshop.org affiliated)

Reading Round Up for February 2025

With February being the shortest month it seems to have passed by so quickly.

I don't know about you but I am longing for the spring to arrive now. In fact, as I sit writing this the sun is shining. It is still extremely cold though and there was a thick frost on the garden this morning.

I was unwell for part of February and had a whole week when I didn't blog. I am still playing catch up as some of the books that I read during that time did not get reviewed.

I hope that you all had a good February. What did you read?

My February Reads

My Heart is Hurting by S.E. Reed

This was a wonderful book that will have you reaching for the tissues. It was my favourite read of the month. You can find my review here.

The Sun's Shadow by Sejal Badani

This is a very heartfelt story which tugs at the heartstrings. It is well worth reading and you can find my review here.

The House of Echoes by Alexandra Walsh

I love a dual timeline novel. It provides me with the perfect reading combination - historical fiction and contemporary. You can find my review here.

The Housemate by Sarah Bailey

This was a fabulous book, and I read all of it's 476 pages in two sittings. If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

New Arrivals on West India Dock Road by Renita D'Silva

This was a lovely historical saga set in London's East End and was full of colour. You can find my review here.

The Midlife Trials of Annabeth Hope by Alice May

This is a fabulous rom-com of a book. You can find my review by clicking here.

The Contest by Jeff Macfee

This reminded me of The Hunger Games.

Fervour by Toby Lloyd

This was well written but I found it rather depressing.

Aristotle for Novelists by Douglas Vigliotti

I read this as part of a read-along. It was a fun book to read and I enjoyed it.

Mary I: Queen of Sorrows by Alison Weir

As always, the author wrote a cracking tale of Queen Mary I. I recommend all the books in this series.

Books I Am Partway Through

The Undesirables by Sarah Wise

The Bookseller by Valerie Keogh

Death of a Dancing Queen by Kimberley G. Giarratano

(all opinions are my own)

The Mid-Life Trials of Annabeth Hope by Alice May - #bookreview

 

Beth paused in the doorway of the counselling room. A waft of lavender air freshener caught in her throat. The cramped room with peeling paint couldn't be more tired. Yet it was a vast improvement on the waiting room, where the smell of damp and despair had seeped into her bones...

***

The Blurb

Two very different worlds are about to collide. 

Feisty country girl Annabeth Hope has sworn off men since her ex abandoned her. Juggling three resentful step-teens, a hyperactive toddler, a smallholding, and a herd of rescued llamas, she has her hands full. With the roof about to collapse on her crumbling New Forest home, she is desperate to find a way to hold her patchwork family together. The last thing she needs is an attractive distraction moving in next door. 

Burnt-out inner-city doctor Rick Mahon has left London and his medical career behind in a moment of professional crisis. A malpractice lawsuit is on the horizon, and the cancel culture mob are snapping at his heels. His plan to stay under the radar is thrown off course when he meets his new neighbour and sparks start to fly. 

Annabeth and Rick couldn't be more different, but maybe they hold the key to each other’s happiness…

My Review

This is a lovely rom-com novel that was a joy to read.

I was delighted to meet the author recently when she was leading an art workshop. I have previously read and reviewed her art book, How to Draw and Giraffe and you can find my review by clicking here.

The main character, Beth is struggling to make ends meet since her husband left her and abandoned his three teenage children and their young daughter. The teenagers are antagonistic and their rural house needs significant and expensive renovation work if they are to continue to live there.

The last thing that she is looking for is romance but when handsome doctor, Rick moves into the house next door there is an instant attraction between them. He is facing challenges of his own and has escaped London, and a whole load of problems to lie low in the countryside.

They are both fantastic characters and the author has done a great job in portraying them. Both of them are under extreme pressure. I loved Beth's character. She is a feisty character but who is feeling overwhelmed by her situation.  However,  she is also endlessly patient with her step-children who seem to think that everything is her fault. I loved these two differing sides to her character.

Rick, on the other hand, seems at a loss concerning what to do about his life. I enjoyed observing what a different character to Beth he was but also how they complemented each other so well. There is a will they/won't they thread running throughout and I was rooting for them all the way. 

The author has done a marvellous job with this book. She understands her characters very well and has written a believable and engaging plot. She also demonstrated the challenges of rural living and did not paint a picture postcard perspective that so many of us have of the countryside.

I loved her writing. It was easy and enjoyable to read and she is clearly a good storyteller. I am looking forward to reading more of her books. In fact, I am on the upcoming blog tour for her book, The Resistance Girls on 28th April so please keep an eye out for that.

In the meantime, I highly recommend this book which is ultimately full of hope and optimism. I am sure you will enjoy it every bit as much as I did.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1835740590

Publisher:  The Book Guild Ltd

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  352 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Bookshop.org

The Book Guild Publishing

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Waterstones

Blackwell's

About the Author

Alice G. May is a multi-tasking mother with four not-so-small children.

She is married to (probably) the most patient man on the planet and they live in what used to be a ramshackle old cottage in the New Forest.

Alice loves nothing more than to share her love of painting and writing with others.

In 2014, Alice's house started to fall down before her eyes.

What followed was an extraordinary journey that changed Alice's view of the world, and life in general, forever.

In 2016, following a 20 year career as a GP surgery manager, Alice changed direction to focus on writing and painting.

Inspired by true-life events ‘The House That Sat Down’ Trilogy wouldn’t leave her alone until it was written.

You can also find Alice at:

Author Website

Instagram

Twitter / X

BlueSky

YouTube

(book courtesy of the author)

(all media courtesy of her website)

(all opinions are my own)

(bookshop.org affiliated)

My Heart is Hurting by S. E. Reed - #bookreview #blogtour

 

My name is Jinny Buffett.

J-I-N-N-Y... not Jimmy and definitely not Jimmy Buffett.

Everyone in Hollywood knows who Jimmy Buffett is because of the huge, flashing neon signs and music blaring... That's where my Mama works every, single, stupid night for two reasons...

***

The Blurb

Jinny Buffett is lonely…

She’s never had the comfort of a white picket fence with a loving family. Her subsidized apartment in Hollywood Florida echoes with the void of her dead Daddy, and the nights drag long into twilight while her Mama works the block outside the Margaritaville resort.

It’s idealistic Ms. Fleming, who’s brave enough to come knocking first. She wants to see Jinny rise up and use her ace scores to escape the wheel of poverty, convincing Jinny to start a school book club, where she finds the friends and boyfriend she never knew she needed.

But when her Mama spirals out of control and threatens her entire existence, it’s Jinny’s Everglade ancestors who arrive in a mist of magic, bringing the swamp and hope with them.

My Review

There are very few books that have me reaching for the tissues but this one did. It was so moving and heartfelt and I was completely swept up in the issues of the main character.

Jinny, the main character has an old head on young shoulders. She is fifteen and lives with her chaotic mother who leaves her alone for weeks at a time. Jinny is lonely and desperately in need of help and guidance. However, she hides her situation from adults as she doesn't want to be taken into care if the authorities discovered that she is alone.

Whilst reading this book I felt that the author portrayed Jinny superbly. She seemed to completely inhabit her character, so when I read in the Afterword that much of Jinny's experience had been her own I was not at all surprised. However, she wrote in a way that allowed her readers to really get alongside her characters. I was almost experiencing Jinny's feelings and emotions with her, some of which resonated with me personally. There were a great cast of secondary characters, all of whom were there for Jinny and who were able to recognise issues in Jinny even though she was not revealing them.

The book is aimed at a young adult readership but it was a fantastic read for this not so young adult too! It oozed with authenticity whilst having an element of magical realism. Jinny takes comfort and courage from her deceased father's ghost and his family who she has never known. This elevated the book to another level. This book is so much more than the tale of a troubled teen.  I don't think I have ever found myself rooting for a character so much as I did with this one.

I had not come across this author before being offered the opportunity to read this book for the blog tour. I would love to read more of her work. Perhaps you have come across her before? Either way, I would highly recommend this book to you.

Book Details:

ISBN:  978 1958531259

Publisher:  Wild Ink Publishing

Formats:  e-book and paperback)

No. of Pages:  180 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Blackwell's

Waterstones

About the Author

S.E. Reed lives in the south and writes strange, haunting, real stories of people and places along old highways.

Winner of the 2024 Florida Book Awards and the 2024 Paterson Prize for Books for Young People.

Additionally, she's been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and won honorable mention twice in L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest.

You can also find her at:

www.writingwithreed.com

Twitter / X

BlueSky

My Heart is Hurting was the 14th place finalist in BBNYA 2024!

About BBNYA

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists (16 in 2024) and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads. 

(ARC and media courtesy of The Write Reads)

(all opinions are my own)