Small Forgotten Moments by Annalisa Crawford @AnnalisaCrawf #LiteraryFiction #Psychological #RBRT

Posted in Book Review, Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction, Psychological by Cathy

Author: Annalisa Crawford

Due to be published: 31st August by Vine Leaves Press

Category: Contemporary Fiction, Psychological, Literary Fiction, Book Review

Is Zenna a muse, a sleep-deprived apparition, or something much more sinister?

Suffering long-term amnesia, artist Jo Mckye is ready to start a fresh, new project after the success of her debut exhibition. But the fictional subject of the collection, Zenna, won’t let go so easily. Infiltrating Jo’s dreams—and increasingly, her waking hours—Zenna is fast becoming a dangerous obsession.

Jo is confident the answers lie at her childhood home, an idyllic Cornish village on the south-east coast; she just doesn’t know why. Only when she walks into the sea and almost drowns does the past start to unravel.

Small Forgotten Moments tells the story of Jo McKye, in her own words, a talented and tortured artist living in London and about to have her first exhibition. Her paintings all feature a mysterious woman she’s named Zenna who invades her thoughts whether she is awake or asleep. Jo has no idea who the woman is, but feels compelled beyond any reason she can fathom to recreate her on each canvas, one after the other.

Continue reading →

15Jul2021

#ThrowbackThursday ~ Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter ~ #Psychological #Thriller How Well do You Know Those Closest to You.

Posted in Book Review, Crime, Fiction, Psychological, Suspense, Thriller, Throwback Thursday by Cathy

Pieces of Her is a dual timeline psychological thriller, set in the present day and the mid 80s. Each chapter’s heading is clear so the reader knows the exact sequence as the narrative weaves from one period to the other, exploring the mother/daughter relationship along the way.

throwbackthursday

My Thoughts

Three years ago thirty-one year old Andrea (Andy) left New York and returned home to help nurse her mother Laura, after a breast cancer diagnosis. Andy has no drive or ambition and no meaningful personal relationships to speak of. Her mother has made her life so agreeable that Andy doesn’t know how to begin to take control herself.

Continue reading →

10Jun2021

#ThrowbackThursday ~ Birthday Girl by Matthew Iden ~ Every Parent’s Nightmare #Psychological #Thriller

Posted in Crime, Mystery, Psychological, Thriller, Throwback Thursday by Cathy

Birthday Girl was published in 2018 by Thomas & Mercer.

My Thoughts

Since his daughter’s abduction and murder eight years ago, Elliott Nash has lived under a crushing cloud of guilt. His marriage failed, his brilliant career as a criminal psychologist is nothing but a memory, he’s homeless and lives on the streets. The only constants in his life are nightmares and pain. His natural drive to help people has diminished. That is, until he meets former addict Amy Scowcroft. Amy’s daughter, Lacey, has been missing for almost a year but Amy refuses to believe her daughter is dead. Getting nowhere with the investigation into Amy’s disappearance, the police have closed the case. Detective Dave Cargill, who works for the D.C. Metropolitan Child and Family Services, refers Amy to his old friend and former colleague, Elliott Nash.

Continue reading →

15Apr2021

#ThrowbackThursday ~ A Noise Downstairs by Linwood Barclay #PsychologicalThriller

Posted in Book Review, Mystery, Psychological, Thriller, Throwback Thursday, Uncategorized by Cathy

Paul Davis is on his way home late one night when he sees the car in front has a cracked tail light and is being driven erratically.

Realising it’s his colleague, Kenneth Hoffman, Paul decides to try to get Kenneth to stop, not sure if he’s drunk or looking for somewhere particular. Then Kenneth’s car pulls off onto the pavement. Paul pulls up behind him, ready to offer assistance, but instead makes a shocking discovery which earns him a blow to the head that nearly kills him.

Continue reading →

14Jan2021

#ThrowbackThursday ~ My Grandfather’s Eyes by B.A. Spicer #Psychological #Drama

Posted in Book Review, Drama, Psychological, Throwback Thursday by Cathy

The kindle edition of My Grandfather’s Eyes, a dark psychological drama, was published in 2013.

My Thoughts

Alex’s story is told, in the first person and present tense and draws the reader into her world of extremely well drawn and distinct, albeit not always likeable, characters that surround her. The narrative begins with the death of Alex’s grandfather, his funeral and the first signs that maybe something about this family is slightly skewed. The heated words Alex overhears exchanged between her mother and father later that night unnerve her although she’s not sure why.

Continue reading →

29Dec2020

The Shadow Man by @Helen_Fields #CrimeFiction #NetGalley #TheShadowMan #TuesdayBookBlog

Posted in Book Review, Crime, Murder, Police Procedural, Psychological by Cathy

Author: Helen Fields

Due to be published (Kindle, Audio and Paperback) February 2021

Category: Police Procedural, Crime Fiction, Psychological, Book Review

Elspeth, Meggy and Xavier are locked in a flat. They don’t know where they are, and they don’t know why they’re there. They only know that the shadow man has taken them, and he won’t let them go.

Desperate to escape, the three of them must find a way out of their living hell, even if it means uncovering a very dark truth.

Because the shadow man isn’t a nightmare. He’s all too real.

The Shadow Man is a collector of people, an abductor, watching his victims and planning while learning their routines, until it’s time to make his move. In the opening sequence his plan goes fatally wrong causing him to be careless with his next victim.

Continue reading →

23Dec2020

Grace & Serenity by @AnnalisaCrawf #ContemporaryFiction #Manipulation #Psychological #RBRT

Posted in Book Review, Contemporary Fiction, Psychological by Cathy

I reviewed Grace & Serenity back in July for the blog tour run by Rachel’s Random Resources and am reposting for Rosie Amber’s book review team.

My Thoughts

This was quite a dark, although sensitively addressed story, and one that emphasises how easily someone can get sucked in to situations they feel unable to control. Grace was just sixteen when she met Neil, and not much older when she became pregnant. Neil had charmed Grace from the beginning but she saw another side of him when she told him she was expecting their child. He didn’t want to know and made his feelings plain. This was the first sign of his true character and a precursor of what was to come.

Continue reading →

12Oct2020

#Spotlight Feature #Extract ~ Dear Child by Romy Hausmann #Psychological #Thriller @Flatironbooks

Posted in Blog Tour, Extract, Psychological, Spotlight, Thriller by Cathy

I’m delighted to be joining the blog tour for Dear Child, courtesy of Claire McLaughlin of Flatiron Books, with a spotlight post.

About the Book

In a windowless shack in the woods, Lena’s life and that of her two children follows the rules set by their captor, the father: Meals, bathroom visits, study time are strictly scheduled and meticulously observed. He protects his family from the dangers lurking in the outside world and makes sure that his children will always have a mother to look after them.

One day Lena manages to flee–but the nightmare continues. It seems as if her tormentor wants to get back what belongs to him. And then there is the question whether she really is the woman called “Lena,” who disappeared without a trace 14 years ago. The police and Lena’s family are all desperately trying to piece together a puzzle which doesn’t quite seem to fit.

Continue reading →

1Jul2020

The Team: A #psychological #thriller of wilderness survival by JL Raven #AudiobookReview #DebutNovel

Posted in Audiobook, Book Review, Mystery, Psychological, Survival, Thriller by Cathy

Author: JL Raven

Released on Audible: April 2020

Category: Psychological, Thriller, Survival, Audiobook Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The opportunity of a lifetime might get her killed.

When her boss comes down with a bout of food poisoning, lowly corporate accountant Lauren gets an offer she can’t refuse: Take his place at an exclusive team-building retreat with senior management.

The retreat is held at a remote lodge, and the rules are strict: No cell phones, no computers, and no contact with the outside world. Events take a sinister turn when a freak snowstorm leaves them trapped far from civilization…and Lauren discovers they aren’t alone in the wilderness.