#FridayFiveChallenge ~ Buy or Pass ~ The Cold Cold Sea by Linda Huber @LindaHuber19

Rosie Amber’s Friday Five Challenge, involves taking only five minutes to choose a book cover which appeals instantly. So take a few minutes, grab yourself a coffee…..and have a browse.

In today’s online shopping age, readers often base their buying decisions from small postage stamp size book covers (Thumb-nails), a quick glance at the book description and the review. How much time do they really spend making that buying decision?

AUTHORS – You often only have seconds to get a reader to buy your book, is your book cover and book bio up to it?

Rosie’s Friday Five Challenge is this….. IN ONLY FIVE MINUTES….

1) Go to any online book supplier,

2) Randomly choose a category,

3) Speed through the book covers, choose one which has instantly appealed to your eye,

4) Read the book Bio/ Description for this book, and any other details.

5) If there are reviews, check out a couple,

6) Make an instant decision, would you BUY or PASS?

When I’m stuck for a search topic I trawl my go to category, that being Crime/Mystery/Thriller. This cover stood out. I think it depicts the title very well with the black and white image of an empty beach and an angry-looking sky, creating a forbidding and unsettling atmosphere.

Amazon UK | Amazon US

And even better when I realised it was written by Linda Huber. I’ve been meaning to read one of her books for ages. The book was released in August of 2014 and has 118 reviews on Amazon UK with eighty-four 5*, twenty-six 4* reviews and an average rating of 4.6*. There are 26 reviews on Amazon US with an average of 4.5*.  The kindle editions are priced at £2.79/$5.99.

The book description reads

They stared at each other, and Maggie felt the tightness in her middle expand as it shifted, burning its way up – Painful sobs rose from her throat as Colin, his face expressionless now, reached for his mobile and dialled 999. When three-year-old Olivia disappears, her parents are overwhelmed with grief. Weeks go by and Olivia’s mother refuses to leave the cottage, staring out at the turbulent sea and praying it didn’t claim her precious daughter’s life. Not far away, another mother watches proudly as her daughter starts school. Jennifer has loved Hailey for five years, but the child is suddenly moody and difficult, and there’s a niggling worry of doubt that Jennifer cannot shake off. As she struggles to maintain control there are gaps in her story that even she can’t explain. Time is running out for Maggie at the cottage, and also for Jennifer and Hailey. No-one can underestimate a mother’s love for her child, and no-one can predict the lengths one will go to, to protect her family.

Due to the subject matter it is bound to be an emotional read, but several of the reviews I looked at remarked how well sensitive issues were dealt with. One reviewer who tragically could relate to the story from personal experience gave 4* and had this to say…I read this book as a mother who had a two year old child disappear 35 years ago. Presumed drowned! Still searching I found it to be believable. I felt for the abductors: the parents and the children. Cleverly written, covering or touching upon so many emotions. I wonder how it would feel to read a book like this without inside knowledge. I envy all that can. I found it helpful, a soul stroking, insightful book. Thank you for writing it.

A few of the only eight critical reviewers seemed to think the plot was too far fetched, but 110 against 8 is pretty good odds, I reckon.

Anyway, will I BUY or PASS? I think you’ve probably guessed it’s a BUY for me this week. Another to add to my ever-expanding to read list 🙂

If you’d like to enter next week’s challenge, and the more the merrier, check out Rosie’s blog to read about the Friday Five Challenge.

More Friday Five Challenge choices…

Rosie found a psychological thriller

Shelley choose a historical novel