Blog tour: The Silent Twin by Caroline Mitchell

"Nine-year-old twins Abigail and Olivia vow never to be parted. But when Abigail goes missing from Blackwater Farm, DC Jennifer Knight must find her before it’s too late. 

Twin sister Olivia has been mute since Abigail’s disappearance. But when she whispers in Jennifer’s ear, Jennifer realises it is Abigail’s voice pleading to be found. 

A damp and decaying house set in acres of desolate scrubland, the farm is a place of secrets, old and new – and Jennifer must unravel them all in order to find the lost girl. But could Olivia’s bond with her twin hold the key to finding Abigail? And can Jennifer break through her silence in time to save her sister’s life?

My Review 

So you'll all know by now that I'm a HUGE fan of Caroline Mitchell. She writes addictive, gritty crime stories that have you on the edge of your seat. They also feature supernatural elements which, although not my usual choice in genre, work really well alongside the crime and mystery parts of these great stories. 

In The Silent Twin we are reunited with DC Jennifer Knight. She's now part of the Operation Moonlight - a secret section of the police that deal with cases which involve the supernatural. Her first case is high profile - a missing nine-year-old-twin.

From the very start I was hooked - the story is fast paced and most chapters end on such a cliffhanger you just can't wait to read the next page. The most interesting part of The Silent Twin was just how differently the family reacted to Abigail's disappearance. Jennifer Knight is assigned to be their family liaison officer, so as a reader we see first hand how they deal (or don't deal) with her sudden disappearance. Abigail's twin, Olivia, has been silent since she went missing, but Jennifer is able to communicate with Abigail through her, using her supernatural powers. Then there's the parents - Nick, who avoids Jennifer and seems to have a strange relationship with Olivia and the mum Joanne, who is far too cool, calm and collected considering her daughter is missing. 

It's hard to review this story without giving too much away, but the way that Caroline has structured it creates a gripping and massively entertaining crime story that will stay with me for some time. As usual, the balance of police investigation work and the supernatural is perfectly balanced - neither are overwhelming or boring and in fact are so realistic they draw you in further. 

This is the third book in the DC Jennifer Knight series and is absolutely brilliant. As I was writing this, I was trying to pick my favourite of the three to suggest, but I genuinely can't. They are all great and well worth a read. They can be read as stand alone stories, but I would definitely read all three if you can as they are brilliant! Caroline has released some exciting news this week about her upcoming novels and I cannot wait to read more from this super talented author. 

*A huge thank you to the publishers of The Silent Twin, Bookouture for an advance copy of the story in exchange for an honest review.

Book review: 24 Hours by Claire Seeber

"My best friend, Emily, is dead – killed last night in a hotel fire.

But it was meant to be me.

Now I have 24 hours to find my daughter.
Before he finds out I’m still alive.


24 Hours is a fast-paced, intelligent psychological thriller that will leave you breathless."

24 Hours is hands down one of the best thrillers I've read this year. It's fast paced, gripping and has you eager to find out what happened from the very first page. 

The story follows Laurie, who we meet in the aftermath of a large explosion at the hotel she's staying at, which kills her best friend Emily. However, Laurie fully believes that it wasn't an accident, and that it was meant to be her that was killed. Scared that someone wants to kill her, and possibly her daughter, she races off to find her daughter, Polly, who has been away on holiday with her Mum. 

24 Hours is split into two types of chapters - present day, with each chapter covering one hour within the 24 hour period after the fire, and the past,  which looks into Laurie's complex and rather dangerous relationship with her separated husband, Sid. I felt that the split chapters are what created such a gripping plot - most chapters in the present day were left on a cliffhanger which had you racing to find out more. 

In a weird way I enjoyed the flashbacks delving into her past- I say weird way as it's a difficult past she's experienced, with many dark times. We learn Laurie and Sid's relationship was toxic, she was constantly walking on eggshells as Sid could be violent or difficult, and even though they clearly have deep feelings for each other, they aren't right for each other. During these flashbacks we learn more about Laurie's friendship with Emily, her best friend, who supports her during difficult times and clearly dislikes Sid. We also meet Mal, a man who's son is in Polly's school, and who takes a liking to Laurie. At first, I was eager for them to get together, for Laurie to let her guard down and be with a man who seems kind and caring. However Mal's ex comes to stir up trouble- saying he gets too involved and becomes obsessed with the women he feels for. With any other story, I'd have thought this was a case of a woman scorned and not believe her for a second. However, because of the complexity of 24 hours and the way you never quite know what's happening, doubts niggled in my mind. Should Laurie trust him? Or could he have been behind the fire? I don't want to spoil it so I won't say any more, but it just shows how Claire Seeber has created a real psychological thriller where it's difficult to trust even the nicest of characters. 

Occasionally, I thought I knew what was going on and who was behind the fire and chasing Laurie, so I'd sit rather smugly thinking 'ha, nice try, but I've got this'..... only for something to happen that dispelled my idea and had me further questioning what on earth was going on. Serves me right for being smug I guess! Like Laurie, I was clueless throughout, but I certainly didn't trust any of the characters in the story. 

Claire Seeber is a truly talented author, this is the first book I've read by her, and it's introduced me to her fantastic writing style and ability to create suspense. From the offset you see the sheer terror and frantic worry that is hanging over Laurie, and her desperation to find her daughter safe. The emotions portrayed not only from Laurie, but throughout 24 hours, are complex and expertly crafted by Claire Seeber, and really show off her brilliance. 

All the characters in 24 Hours are complex and guarded, clearly hiding secrets and dealing with their feelings. Polly provides some light relief from heavy situations as well as Emily, who we see from the flashbacks was a caring and kind friend. The most complex character is Sid, who in his own messed up way really does seem to love Laurie, but he can't stop hurting her - emotionally and physically. I wanted to scream to Laurie to cut ties with him and stop going back to him as it was clearly not going to end well, especially when he gets a new girlfriend, young pop singer Jolie. Jolie acts care-free about Laurie and Poppy, but clearly isn't happy about Sid's inability to cut himself off from them. 

The whole of the story is leading up to a big climax, and the build-up towards it is incredible. I just couldn't put this book down, I read it over two days (if I hadn't been working it would have easily been in one sitting!) as it's just impossible to find a good point to put it down. I didn't guess the ending at all, it was a big shock to me and there's also a huge twist which shocked me too. 

Claire Seeber is brilliant, as is 24 hours. A gritty, thrilling read that has you hooked from the first page. I loved the complexity of the characters and their emotions and how difficult it was to work out what happened - there are so many twists and turns with this intricate plot that you never quite know where it's going to lead to next. A fantastic read that I'd highly recommend. 

*A big thank you to the publishers of 24 Hours, Bookouture, for a review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. 

Links: 

Buy the book 

Website

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Bookouture Xmas: One Wish in Manhattan, Mandy Baggot

Blurb: 

"Christmas: it’s the most wonderful time of the year … to fall in love

The temperature is dropping, snow is on its way and Hayley Walker is heading for New York with one wish … to start over.

With her daughter Angel, Hayley is ready for adventure. But there’s more to New York than twinkly lights and breathtaking skyscrapers. Angel has her own Christmas wish – to find her real dad.

While Hayley tries to fulfil her daughter’s wish, she crosses paths with billionaire Oliver Drummond. Restless and bored with fast living, there’s something intriguing about him that has Hayley hooked.

Can Hayley dare to think her own dreams might come true – could A New York Christmas turn into a New York Forever?

Travel to the Big Apple this Christmas and join Hayley and Oliver as they realise life isn’t just about filling the minutes … it’s about making every moment count."

I was first introduced to Mandy Baggot by reading Truly, Madly, Greekly over the Summer (you can read my review here). When I heard she had a Christmas story coming out, I couldn't wait to get my eager mitts on it, as I knew she would write something magical and festive. 

The story is told in a split viewpoint from the two main characters. The first is Hayley, who is taking her young Daughter Angel to New York for Christmas. Staying with her brother Daniel, she has kept the real reason behind the visit a secret... she wants to find Angel's dad, a man she had a one night stand with in New York ten years ago. We also follow billionaire New York business man Oliver Drummond, who is struggling with his health issues and worried they will result in a fatal heart attack like they did for his brother and Dad, who he is still grieving for. The worry is having an effect on the technology business he inherited from his father, and he struggles to lead the business to success. 

Firstly I loved the split viewpoint of the story. I always like it when you see things from both a man and woman's point of view, as the difference in thoughts is always really interesting. For the start of the story Hayley and Oliver are separate, but you just know that at some point they will cross paths and I was eager to find out what would happen and how they would connect (or not). Once they did, I liked that we got a sense of both their feelings of each other. 

Mandy has done an excellent at creating brilliant, likable characters that you really engage with from the beginning of the story. Oliver is a pretty complex character, portrayed by his colleagues as a ruthless businessman, caring only about profit and not much else. However when you delve into his feelings, you realise it's because he's still reeling from the loss of his brother and dad and is worried that he will be next to have a fatal heart attack. He acts like he has a death sentence and is constantly worried, partying away his troubles and doing anything he can to bury his fears. I actually warmed to him early on, knowing that deep down he was a lonely, confused man who had a big burden to bare. Hayley is also a great character- genuinely caring and funny. As well as trying to find Angel's father, she is worrying about money to support her and Angel as before their trip she quits her job at a dry cleaners. It's obvious from the start that she's really talented at fashion and design, and I was willing her on to follow her dreams and use her talents to create a life for her and Angel. Angel is a clever, loud girl who had me in stitches. She's a walking tour guide of facts, which she never keeps to herself and often shares loudly. 


One of my favourite aspects of the story was Hayley and Angels relationship, they get on so well and have a lovely bond. I also found Hayley and Oliver's interactions hilarious, the two of them seem to get on well and so easily, I loved watching their story unfold. 

Now, lets move on the the brilliant location of this book. As you can guess from the title, the story is set in New York (Manhattan), which creates a wintry, festive setting. There was so much attention to detail that I genuinely felt like I was there... Mandy well and truly transported me to the snowy streets of New York. 

The story isn't overly Christmassy, but does have that sparkle due to being set over the festive period. The location and time of year means there's elements of Christmas dotted throughout the story (roasted chestnuts, ice skating etc) but it wasn't so festive that I felt silly reading this in October, it was just the right amount and actually felt more wintery that Christmassy. 

Overall One Wish In Manhattan is a sparkly, festive story filled with family, friendship and romance.... the perfect story to curl up with during Christmas time. Mandy Baggot has done it again, creating an absorbing, lovely read that I thoroughly enjoyed. One of the main highlights? That despite being a festive read, it also delves into quite difficult and uneasy topics, while still maintaining that magical sparkle Mandy is skilled at creating.

*A big thank you to the publishers, Bookouture, for an advance copy of the story in exchange for an honest review. 

Links:

Buy the book

Website

Twitter 

 

Bookouture Xmas: Jenny Hale Q&A

As part of Bookouture Xmas, I'm delighted to welcome Jenny Hale to the blog to chat books, writing and Christmas. 
So grab a cuppa, put on some Christmas music and enjoy! 

1. Hi Jenny, a big welcome to Little Northern Soul! Can you tell us a little about your Christmas novel, Christmas Wishes & Mistletoe Kisses?
Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses is about single mother Abbey Fuller. She loves her family more than anything, but she’s had to put her dreams of being an interior designer on hold to raise her son Max. As a favor for a friend, she takes an interior design job where she meets Nick Sinclair. He needs his house decorated in time for his family’s festive visit – and money is no object. When Abbey pulls up to the huge Sinclair mansion, she has a feeling she might be out of her depth. And when she meets the gorgeous, brooding Nicholas Sinclair, she knows that she’s in real trouble… And so begins a little Christmas magic!

2. What was your favourite thing about writing a Christmas story?
Christmas is about family, love, and showing people we care about them—all the things that I like to put in my novels. There’s something so cozy about it, so romantic, that Christmas just fits for the type of story I like to write. It’s my favorite season.


3. How do you keep motivated to write a Christmas story when it's not Christmas time?
I don’t have any problem keeping motivated. Once I’m in my head, creating a story, the whole world outside fades away. I might put on Christmas music, but usually, I don’t need a thing.


4. In keeping with the Christmassy theme, how do you spend the festive season?
I spend it with my husband and my two boys. We make cookies for Santa and get up very early in the morning to find his loot. The rest of the day is spent lounging around the house.


5. You have such a wide range of brilliant stories - do you have a favourite?
My favorite used to be Love Me for Me. But that was until I wrote Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses. With this book, once I figured out who the characters were, I really connected with them and I could be a little more playful. I really enjoyed writing Nick and Abbey.


6. What was your journey to publication like? Any tips for aspiring authors?
I submitted stateside for a couple of years and I kept getting really good feedback so I continued to submit. I wondered what kind of feedback I’d get from the UK, so I submitted to Bookouture. I got a contract, and the rest is history.


7. Looking at your Twitter feed its clear you're busy - juggling a job, writing and raising a family! How do you find the time to write? Do you have a routine?
I don’t have a routine! (Eek!) Every day is different. I set a target of writing 1,000 words a day (or editing 4,000) and then it’s a mad scramble to reach that target. I rarely miss my goal.


8. When you're not busy doing all the above, how do you unwind and relax?
Writing is how I relax! (or reading) My favorite times are when the house is completely silent and I’m all by myself. The minute that happens (which is rare), I literally run for my computer.


9. What does it feel like to be a published author?
Surreal. I think the best way to capture the feeling is the thought that there’s a person somewhere, across the ocean from me, in another language, reading the words that were in my head, that I wrote while getting snack for my kids and doing laundry.


10. Do you have any plans for the next novel? Can you share anything about it?
It’s definitely at the beach—a summer book. I’m throwing around ideas at the moment. One idea has to do with a giant inn right on the water and sailboats…

That sounds fantastic, I can't wait to hear more! Thanks for coming on to the blog, Jenny. 

Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses is out now

Blurb:
An uplifting, beautiful story about never letting go of your dreams, the special magic of a family Christmas… and the rush of falling in love under the mistletoe. 

Single mother Abbey Fuller loves her family more than anything, and doesn’t regret for a moment having had to put her dreams of being an interior designer on hold. But with her son, Max, growing up, when a friend recommends her for a small design job she jumps at the chance. How hard can it be? 

Nick Sinclair needs his house decorated in time for his family’s festive visit – and money is no object. What he doesn’t need is to be distracted from his multi-million dollar business – even if it is Christmas. 

When Abbey pulls up to the huge Sinclair mansion, she has a feeling she might be out of her depth. And when she meets the gorgeous, brooding Nicholas Sinclair, she knows that she’s in real trouble… 
With the snow falling all around, can Abbey take the chance to make her dreams of being a designer come true? And can she help Nick to finally enjoy the magic of Christmas?