My Book Reviews

Category: Suspense

This category contains any posts published in reference to books of suspense genre.

  • The Memories We Bury by H.A. Leuschel

    The Memories We Bury by H.A. Leuschel

    The Memories We Bury

    The Memories We Bury by H.A. Leuschel
    Release: April 17th 2020
    Format: Ebook
    Publisher: EKT Selection Ltd
    Source: R&R Book Tours
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    An emotionally charged and captivating novel about the complexities of female friendship and motherhood.

    Lizzie Thomson has landed her first job as a music teacher, and has a whirlwind romance with Markus. The newlywed couple move into a beautiful new home in the outskirts of Edinburgh. Lizzie quickly befriends their neighbour Morag, an elderly, resourceful yet lonely widow, who’s own children rarely visit her. Moreover, everything seems perfect in Lizzie’s life until she finds out she is pregnant and her relationship with both Morag and Markus change beyond her control.

    Can Lizzie really trust Morag and why is Markus keeping secrets from her?

    In ‘The Memories We Bury’ the author explores the dangerous bonds we can create with strangers and how past memories can cast long shadows over the present.

    About the Author:The Memories We Bury

    Helene Andrea Leuschel gained a Master in Journalism & Communication, which led to a career in radio and television in Brussels, London and Edinburgh. She later acquired a Master in Philosophy, specializing in the study of the mind. Also, Helene has a particular interest in emotional, psychological and social well-being and this led her to write her first novel, Manipulated Lives, a fictional collection of five novellas, each highlighting the dangers of interacting with narcissists. She lives with her husband and two children in Portugal.

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    The Memories We Bury Review

    What a delightful, eerier, atmospheric story! It’s a simple, yet gripping psychological thriller about how someone you love and trust can manipulate your life.

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    The main highlight of the story is the two main characters, Lizzie and Morag. The author has written both of them in such a complex manner. However, my favorite character was Morag. Even though you know she how unpredictable she is, you still feel sorry for her at times. Moreover, the author keeps you second guessing as to whether she is trustworthy or not. At times, At times I believed Aileen’s side of the events, but at times, I also believed Morag’s version. Lizzie is also beautifully written. As an introvert and a bit of a pushover, I could relate to her. To be honest, it’s difficult standing up for what’s right when you have overbearing personalities controlling you. I loved how the author portrayed her. 

    However, the only criticism I have is I was expecting more twists and turns. I am not giving away spoilers, but I felt like the story-line resolved pretty early, and was expecting a shocking twist towards the end. I also felt like Markus was not clearly defined. He feels like a different character between beginning and end of the story, but no explanation provided on the change. Also, there are story-line with the mysterious letters and calls that Markus receives. Even though there is an explanation provided, it seemed weak and I still suspected him. Consequently, Markus and his story-line is pushed to the side and hardly seen in the second half. I wished we had resolution on his character as well.

    But, apart from that, this book was perfect! Overall, I would encourage anyone to read “The Memories we Bury” if you are looking for a nice psychological thriller.

    Giveaway:

    Enter the giveaway to win a digital copy of the book!

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    The Memories We Bury

    Today I am thrilled to share with you all, H.A. Leuschel’s latest novel, The Memories We Bury, “An emotionally charged and captivating novel about the complexities of female friendship and motherhood.”

    From June 29th to July 5th, you can purchase her book for ONLY $0.99 on Amazon! You can also try to win a digital copy of The Memories We Bury by entering the giveaway below!

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    June 29th

    Cocktails & Fairytales (Spotlight) https://www.facebook.com/CocktailsFairytales
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    June 30th

    Breakeven Books (Spotlight) https://breakevenbooks.com
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    Libroum in Sepiternum (Review) http://libroruminsempiternumhome.wordpress.com

    July 1st

    Meli’s Book Reviews (Review) https://melisbokreviews.wordpress.com/
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  • The Guest List by Lucy Foley

    The Guest List by Lucy Foley

    The Guest List

    The Guest List by Lucy Foley
    Release: June 2nd 2020
    Format: Ebook
    Publisher: William Morrow
    Source: Amazon

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    Set on a remote island off the Irish coast, this is one guest list no one would want to be on, just as no one would have wanted an invitation to the New Year’s Eve party in Foley’s previous novel, The Hunting Party . Lives unravel amid the revelry on an eerie and remote island as family and friends assemble for a glam wedding in an updated Murder on the Orient Express. Each of the principal characters has a reason to want one of their number dead, there are old secrets, and one of them is murdered.

    Lucy Foley studied English literature at Durham University and University College London and worked for several years as a fiction editor in the publishing industry. She is the author of The Book of Lost and Found and The Invitation. She lives in London.

    Instagram @lucyfoleyauthor
    Twitter: @lucyfoleytweets.

    Watch my video review:

    The Guest List Review:

    “The Guest List” is amazing and I love how the author wrote the story! She slowly sets the pace and introduces the characters, and then starts dropping so many twists and turns along the way. She beautifully links people who you thought would never be connected to each other. Somehow, she also gives valid motives for them to target and hate each other. Each character is a suspect for the events that take place in the island. As you start to learn more about them, surprisingly, even the innocent of them all has a violent side. Not only that, the event takes place near this cemetery, which makes the whole setting so atmospheric and creepy. At a certain point, you don’t even know if there are some supernatural elements that could be involved. It was indeed a delightful read.

    Click image to view on Instagram

    Moreover, the characters have history which they are not proud of, so there is never a dull moment. I honestly liked reading about all the characters, whether it be Hannah, Jules, Johnno, Olivia and Will. Moreover, the author keeps the story energetic by alternating the plot from various point of view of each different character in each chapter. Hence, the story never feels dull at any point. The villain is also someone that you love to hate because of the horrible things they do. After a point, you want to see revenge on this person like so many others at the event.

    Overall, this is a delightful murder mystery book and I enjoyed it a lot!

  • The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

    The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

    The Silent Patient

    The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
    Release: February 5th 2019
    Format: Ebook
    Publisher: Celadon Books
    Source: Amazon

    Synopsis:

    Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.

    Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

    Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him…

    My Video review:

    The Silent Patient Review:

    Easily one of the best psychological thrillers I have read, EVER! Watch my video review for the detailed review.

    Firstly, is this the author’s first novel? This is a surprising because the author has written the story brilliantly! He writes the plot in a very simple and direct manner. Hence, even someone who isn’t a frequent reader would enjoy it if they liked psychological thrillers. The story-line is gripping that gets you addicted to the story from page one. Moreover, each chapter is very small with just a few pages, so you don’t feel like the book is dragging. Also, the author has written the two characters so well. I loved the interactions between Alicia and Theo. Similarly, I liked some of the supporting characters as well, including Barbie. There are also many twists and turns that keeps you on your toes. Furthermore, let’s not forget the big twist in the end that completely threw me off!

    Overall, The Silent Patient is like a breath of fresh air to the genre and I loved every moment of it!

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  • Before She Was Helen by Caroline B. Cooney

    Before She Was Helen by Caroline B. Cooney

    before she was helen

    Before She Was Helen by Caroline B. Cooney
    Release: September 1st 2020 
    Format: Ebook
    Publisher: Groundwood Books
    Source: Netgalley

     

    Synopsis:

    Her life didn’t turn out the way she expected ― so she made herself a new one

    When Clemmie goes next door to check on her difficult and unlikeable neighbor Dom, he isn’t there. But something else is. Something stunning, beautiful and inexplicable. Clemmie photographs the wondrous object on her cell phone and makes the irrevocable error of forwarding it. As the picture swirls over the internet, Clemmie tries desperately to keep a grip on her own personal network of secrets. Can fifty years of careful hiding under names not her own be ruined by one careless picture?

    And although what Clemmie finds is a work of art, what the police find is a body. . . in a place where Clemmie wasn’t supposed to be, and where she left her fingerprints. Suddenly, the bland, quiet life Clemmie has built for herself in her sleepy South Carolina retirement community comes crashing down as her dark past surges into the present.

    Before She Was Helen Review:

    A BIG Thank You to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of “Before She Was Helen” for my review.

    I thought this book started off really well. I really enjoyed the parallel story-lines between the present and the past, and how a murder takes place in both. There are a lot of twists and turns so you really don’t know how things will turn out. I loved Clemmie as the main character, irrespective of how old or young she is. The plot and setting is also very unique and unlike anything I had read earlier. There was a lot of potential for this book being an amazing page turner. Moreover, I thought the author wrote Rudyard very well and was a terrifying negative character. He is truly insane and unpredictable, and I could sense Clemmie’s fear in confronting him.

    However, I felt solely disappointed after completing this book! I felt frustrated to see so many questions left open-ended. For example, I still don’t know who the Coglands are and why their apartment was empty. I also don’t know who and why placed the priceless dragon artifact there. Also, while I liked how the killer turned out to be someone whom I would have never expected, the reason behind their kill was convoluted and didn’t make much sense. There were also a lot of unnecessary dialogue with unwanted characters from the cul-de-sac which didn’t add anything to the plot. For example, pages wasted on dialogues from gossip women on what happened. The present day murder story-line turned out to be a complete disappointment. After a point, I was only looking forward to the flashbacks of Clemmie’s earlier days.

    Overall, I expected a more polished story. The only season I didn’t give it a negative rating is because I enjoyed the flashback story-line between Clemmie and Rudyard.

  • Tell Me Your Dreams by Sidney Sheldon

    Tell Me Your Dreams by Sidney Sheldon

    tell me your dreams

    Tell Me Your Dreams by Sidney Sheldon
    Release: August 1999
    Format: Paperback
    Publisher: Time Warner
    Source: Amazon

     


    Synopsis:

    She had read about stalkers, but they belonged in a different, faraway world. Moreover, she had no idea who it could be, who would want to harm her. She was trying desperately not to panic, but lately her sleep had been filled with nightmares, and she had awakened each morning with a feeling of impending doom.

    Thus begins Sidney Sheldon’s chilling new novel, Tell Me Your Dreams. Three beautiful young women are suspected of committing a series of brutal murders. The police make an arrest that leads to one of the most bizarre murder trials of the century. Based on actual events, Sheldon’s novel races from London to Rome to the city of Quebec to San Francisco, with a climax that will leave the reader stunned. 

    Video Review

    Tell me your dreams Review:

    Sidney Sheldon is famous for writing two types of novels. The first is the rags to riches story-line of betrayal and revenge around a strong female character. The second type is the political thrillers like Doomsday Conspiracy and Windmills of the Gods. When “Tell Me Your Dreams” released, he stepped away from the norm and went back to his roots with a psychological thriller (similar to “The Naked Face“) and this book was a big success!

    This is a story that you will never forget because it has a shocking twist in the middle that comes out of nowhere. Now as I re-read it, I wanted to see if there were any plot holes reading to the twist, and I could not find any. This time though, I enjoyed the trial scenes a lot because I wanted to see how David tries to save Ashley. You can also tell that the author has done his research on the topic mentioned.

    All the characters are interesting and dynamic, whether it is Ashley or Toni or Alette. David is wonderful as the main lead as he tries to save his career and reputation. The only character I did not like was the father figure. He turns out to be a devious character, but there is no justice for his wrongdoings. However, apart from that, I really enjoyed this book.

    While this may not be one of my top Sheldon novels, it is nevertheless very entertaining to read.

  • The Naked Face by Sidney Sheldon

    The Naked Face by Sidney Sheldon

    Naked Face Sidney Sheldon

    The Naked Face by Sidney Sheldon
    Release: 1970
    Format: Paperback
    Publisher: William Morrow & Company
    Source: Amazon

     


    Synopsis:

    Judd Stevens is a psychoanalyst faced with the most critical case of his life. If he does not penetrate the mind of a murderer he will find himself arrested for murder or murdered himself. 

    Two people closely involved with Dr. Stevens have already been killed. Is one of the doctor’s patients responsible? Someone overwhelmed by his problems? A neurotic driven by compulsion? A madman? 

    Before the murderer strikes again, Judd must strip away the mask of innocence the criminal wears, uncover the inner emotions, fears, and desires, to expose…The Naked Face

    Video Review

    Naked Face Review:

    Sidney Sheldon is my all-time favorite author who got me into reading. I am in a phase where I am re-reading all his novels, and thought I would start chronologically. “The Naked Face” is his debut novel that came out in 1970.

    Let me start by what I liked about the story. I thought the book was very suspenseful for the most part. Firstly, I liked Judd Stevens as the main character. You start to see the protagonist going crazy and suspecting all his patients as to who would want to kill him. Moreover, most of the characters/suspects are distinctive, mysterious and intriguing. Also, the author throws a lot of red herrings on some people that keeps you guessing as to who the villain would be. All in all, for the most part, this was actually a very decent suspense novel.

    However, sad to say, this book has not aged well at all. To begin with, the main problem with the story is on how the author says that homosexuality can be cured. It’s interesting to see how the mind-set behind gay people was back in that decade, but it just feels ridiculous reading it now. The first victim who dies is apparently a gay man who has been cured and is happy to be back with his wife again, which just sounds illogical. Secondly, I really did not like the ending. There are so many red herrings thrown in the story as to who the criminal could be. But, when it is revealed as to who is behind it all, it is so far-fetched and disappointing that came out of nowhere. Also, there are so many outdated phases like “groovy” and “rad” that make this book feel so old.

    Having said that though, I still really enjoyed reading this book. The book is relatively short and easy to read. Sidney shows his talents in this novel by his captivating characters and building the suspense perfectly. Overall, this is definitely NOT the best Sidney Sheldon novel in anyway, but is worth reading if you are a fan of the author and want to read his very first novel. I would give this book a rating of 3/5 stars.

    Purchase this book from: [Amazon]

  • Emergency Room by Caroline B. Cooney

    Emergency Room by Caroline B. Cooney

    Emergency

    Emergency Room by Caroline B. Cooney
    Release: July 1st 1997
    Format: Paperback
    Publisher: Scholastic
    Source: Amazon

     

     

    Synopsis:

    College freshmen Seth and Diana volunteer in an emergency room to learn how to save lives — and along the way, they learn to live

    Seth volunteers at City Hospital to get first-hand experience with emergency medicine — and get comfortable with blood and trauma before attending medical school, so he’ll have an edge over the competition. Diana volunteers in the inner-city ER to save the world, one patient at a time. If she gets to show up arrogant Seth too, so much the better. The one thing these two college freshmen share is a desire to be a part of the ER’s action. Tonight, hour by hour and minute by minute, they will get their wish as they confront a student with a gunshot wound, the victim of a gruesome motorcycle accident, and a kidnapping gone horribly awry. Their adrenaline-fueled night will alter the course of Seth and Diana’s lives — and the lives of everyone in the emergency room — forever.

    Emergency Room Review:

    I usually hate giving negative reviews because I know the time and effort spent in writing, publishing etc. is not easy. But as a reader, I have to say that I hated reading this book!

    Back in the day, I loved watching medical dramas like ER, and I feel like the author wanted to write a book reminiscent to it. In the beginning, the story has a lot of potential as there are multiple characters introduced and you wonder how it is all going to get connected.

    Unfortunately, the story goes all over the place and is a big disappointment. Firstly, multiple plots and characters are thrown in the story and no conclusion is provided for most of them. Sure, there are some high adrenaline scenes like when Dunk takes Roo’s baby hostage. But other than these short moments, nothing really happens that we don’t know about a hospital. Similarly, there are characters like Anna Maria who get a lot of focus, yet we don’t get to know what happens to them.

    The main characters Diane and Seth are also so clichéd and I didn’t like them much. They are completely superficial and want to become doctors, but are lazy to even be volunteers. Moreover, they don’t do anything for the most part and suddenly realize that being in the medical field is tough. Also, I did not understand why there was so much buildup in Diane trying to find out if Richard Searle is her father. What a surprise, even that plot did not have any positive outcome and leaves the reader hanging.

    The only character I was remotely interested in and felt bad for was Alec. I felt sorry for him and wished he was more prominent to the plot. His plot was somewhat standalone and not related to the drama of the hospital. Meggie, Barbie and all the other hospital staff are completely boring and forgettable. Overall, “Emergency Room” by Cooney is not worth reading even if you are a fan of medical drama.



  • The Twin by Natasha Preston

    The Twin by Natasha Preston

    The Twin by Natasha Preston
    Release: March 3rd 2020
    Format: Kindle
    Publisher: Delacorte Press
    Source: Amazon



    Synopsis:

    In this twisty psychological thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Cellar, Ivy finds out that her twin sister, Iris, is trying to push her out of her own life—and might be responsible for their mother’s death.

    After their parents divorced, 10-year-old twins Ivyand Iris were split up—Ivy lived with Dad, Iris with Mom. Now, after a tragic accident takes their mom’s life, the twins are reunited and Iris moves in with Ivy and their dad. Devastated over Mom’s death, Iris spends the first few weeks in almost total silence—the only person she will speak to is Emmy. Iris feels her life is over and she doesn’t know what to do. Emmy promises her twin that she can share her life now. After all, they’re sisters. Twins.

    It’s a promise that Iris takes seriously. And before long, Ivy’s friends, her life at school, and her boyfriend, Tyler, fall under Iris’s spell. Slowly, Ivy realizes she’s being pushed out of her own life. But she’s just being paranoid, right? And Mom’s accident was . . . just an accident. Right? It’s not like she—or Dad—or Tyler—are in any danger. 

    The Twin Review:

    I loved reading this book! It is always fun reading a story of good twin vs. the evil twin. It is one of those books that is somewhat predictable, but at the same time, it is so gripping that you want to keep reading. Iris is conniving, manipulative, and unpredictable, so you really don’t know how she is going to bring Ivy down. At times, I really felt annoyed at Ivy because she vows to get back at Iris at the end of each chapter, but then goes back to being her old scared self in the following chapter. There are many instances where Ivy could have easily taken town Iris, but she decides to take the high road and give Iris another chance to bring her down. So frankly, I liked Iris more as the main character because Ivy came off as the weaker emotional character.

    The supporting characters are there, but I didn’t find any of them to be very memorable, including Ty. In fact, the only thing which I found a bit unbelievable when reading this story was how Ivy’s friends and family easily turned away from her and took Iris’ side. I mean, they have known Ivy all her life, and should have given her the benefit of the doubt, rather than blindly believing Iris. But apart from that, I loved reading this book. The ending, especially was shocking as I did not expect the story to end like that! I am not going to give away spoilers, but the ending blew me away and made me feel frustrated but also satisfied in a strange way.

    Moreover, I also enjoyed the author’s style of writing. It reminded me a lot of the “Fear Street” books by R.L. Stine that I loved to read back in the day, albeit this was a more toned down version. The pacing is decent and atmospheric, and the author builds up the suspense smoothly. Overall, “The Twin” by Natasha Preston is a thrilling YA novel that I enjoyed reading.

  • The Girl in Room 105 by Chetan Bhagat

    The Girl in Room 105 by Chetan Bhagat

    105

    The Girl in Room 105 by Chetan Bhagat
    Release: October 9, 2018
    Format: Ebook
    Publisher: Westland
    Source: Amazon

    105



     

    Girl in Room 105 Synopsis:

    Hi, I’m Keshav, and my life is screwed. I hate my job and my girlfriend left me. Ah, the beautiful Zara. Zara is from Kashmir. She is a Muslim. And did I tell you my family is a bit, well, traditional? Anyway, leave that.

    Zara and I broke up four years ago. She moved on in life. I didn’t. I drank every night to forget her. Also I called, messaged, and stalked her on social media. She just ignored me.

    However, that night, on the eve of her birthday, Zara messaged me. She called me over, like old times, to her hostel room 105. I shouldn’t have gone, but I did… and my life changed forever.

    This is not a love story. It is an unlove story.

     

    Review:

    Watch my video review of The Girl in Room 105 by Chetan Bhagat!

    [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQz4pBJI1qg[/embedyt]

    Surprisingly, I really enjoyed reading this one. Firstly, it is a murder mystery, which is not something that Chetan Bhagat is known for. I think the author did a great job in the plot and the characters, and I was shocked with the twist in the end because I did not see that coming at all. In a lot of these murder mysteries, you keep guessing as to who could be the mastermind behind it all, but the author successfully shocks you in the end with something you wouldn’t have expected. So I really applaud him for writing a novel which is outside his comfort zone from romance and angst and trying something new. Secondly, the author has managed to nicely blend some humor and romance into the book, and I really thought Keshav’s friend Saurab was hilarious.

    Overall, Is this the Best Chetan Bhagat book I have read? Probably not because I did like a few others of his. Is this the best murder mystery every written? Probably not because I have read better. But having said that, this is a very interesting book to read, which held my interest and kept me guessing as to what could happen next and for that, I give this book 4/5 stars.

  • Witch by Christopher Pike

    Witch by Christopher Pike

    Witch

    Witch by Christopher Pike
    Release: December 1st 1990
    Format: Paperback
    Publisher: Pocket Books
    Source: Bookstore

    Witch



     

    Witch Synopsis:

    She Was A Good Witch. Julia is a young woman with extraordinary powers. She has the ability to heal people with her touch. Julia also knows things that are happening in far-off places when she looks in water that has sunlight shining on it. She comes from a tradition of witches — good witches. But before Julia’s mother died, she warned her daughter never to look in water that had moonlight shining on it.Unfortunately, almost by accident, Julia does. What she sees is a vision of the future, a scene in which a young man she doesn’t know is shot in a hold-up and dies in her arms.

    Only later, when Julia attends a football game at school, does she meet the young man.He is her girlfriend’s new boyfriend.Julia immediately falls for the guy, but it is an ill-fated love. He does not belong to her and he is supposed to die. Or does he have to die? Julia doesn’t know if her vision of the future is set, or if it can be changed. She doesn’t know why the gunman in her vision evokes such hatred in her, and why she feels she must destroy him at all costs. But using the supernatural powers at her command, and risking her own life plus the lives of her friends, Julia will find the answers to all these questions, at a terrible cost.

     

    Review:

    Watch my booktube review of “Witch” by Christopher Pike!

    [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9cqyPbNgtM[/embedyt]

    Firstly, I loved “Witch” by and it is one of my top three of Pike novels, along with “Whisper of Death” and “Road to nowhere”. I loved Julia and all the supporting characters like Amy, Scott, Jim and Randy. Furthermore, there’s a good blend of suspense and thriller elements, along with heart breaking emotional scenes. The characters are stereotypical, but are still fun to read. Probably the only thing that threw me off was the shift Julia’s love interest between Jim and Scott. Overall, I enjoyed reading “Witch”.