#Review By Lou of The Last Train Home by Sherry Hostler A Psychological Thriller of a Train Ride You Would Want To Book. @SherryHostler @adropofshery @RandomTTours #Christmas #Trains #PsychologicalThriller #TheLastTrainHome

The Last Train Home
By Sherry Hostler

review by Louise Cannon

Trains are great to travel on, but what happens on this last train home is not anywhere near what you’d expect or normally experience in this high octane, breath-taking psychological Christmas thriller. It’s a train you wouldn’t want to miss, but goes to places you wouldn’t expect. This is no ordinary train…
Check out my full review for the Random T. Tours blog tour below, after the blurb.

Blurb

Where am I?

How did I get here?

These are the questions that Molly asks when she wakes up in unfamiliar clothes on a dark, empty train docked in the middle of nowhere. She has no memory of how she got there, no means of escape, and worst of all, she isn’t sure if she’s alone.

Molly must confront the ghosts of her past, and find her voice, to make sure she has a future.

Christmas. A time for peace and goodwill. Well, that depends if you’ve been naughty or nice.

Review

The Last Train that should get you home is a clever premise. This isn’t like Murder on The Orient Express or any other train based stories I’ve come across. The protagonist, Molly doesn’t know how she got onto the train when she wakes up, so the panic and tension gives an immediate hit to the psyche. Instantly, there are more questions than answers, until you delve deeper in and fully join the ride.
The train also comes to life, or rather someone does as a message comes across the tannoy…
The train isn’t just the physical vehicle, but also cleverly represents the train of life. There is the present predicament she is in. playing with her mind a bit, but also her past that, a bit like Scrooge, she has to confront, although they are rather different from that Dickens’ character.
There are some rather deep, dark themes within the book that are thought-provoking as well as making this a terrific psychological thriller that twists and turns, with some side stories interweaving throughout. It’s very much about joining the dots, uncovering clues and piecing together the carriages of her life train to find out more about her present and if she has a future. The characters met along the way are fascinating. Some are good, others are definitely not. All are written in a way that you want to know every one of them and how they link to Molly.
The ending is breathtakingly unpredictable!

For not your average last train home after a Christmas party, this psychological thriller is for you.

Scottish Book Trust Starts New Book Subscription Service and Review of By Denise Mina @scottishbktrust @MinaDenise20861 @LoveBooksTours #BlogTour

Review and short intro written by
Louise Cannon,
Info in bold written by Book Trust Scotland Please note, I am not affiliated to any organisation or subscription service.

Scottish Book Trust starts book subscription service offering books in many genres and more…

It is the end of Bookweek Scotland and I have something special to present you from Scottish Book Trust on the Love Books Tours blog tour.
A new service from them as well as book review of what arrived as a surprise.

I was fortunate to receive one of these coveted books as a surprise from Scottish Book Trust. It was beautifully wrapped and inside was a top Scottish author’s book. In my parcel, it was by Denise Mina. Check out more about the subscription service and then my review of the book.

Get your next great read delivered to your door, chosen by one of Scotland’s best-loved authors.

Scottish Book Trust’s new monthly book subscriptions are the perfect gift for avid readers, getting out of a reading slump, or to kick start your reading journey. Your subscription also supports our vital work changing lives with reading and writing.

Have you ever wondered what your favourite authors read? To create our book subscriptions, we asked experts and best-selling authors to curate a selection of books they love around a theme. Every month, your beautifully wrapped mystery book will be delivered to you, along with exclusive postcards from the curator, book recommendations from our expert team and more. Join us today!

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Review of Conviction
By Denise Mina

Anna finds out one normal morning that her husband is upping and leaving her for her best friend and taking their two daughters. She becomes involved in a true crime podcast and realises she recognises the name of one of the victims. She is certain she can throw herself into the case and figure out what truly happened.

Anna is a fascinating character in terms of personality, what she was and who she has become. When past and present collide, this is when her character gets really interesting and you get a real feel and understanding of her.

The case itself takes her (and readers) on quite an adventure, starting in the north east of Scotland and travelling across seas. It is far from plain sailing. Along the way, there are gangsters, betrayals and more that she has to deal with.

If you like a crime looking at social media and a gutsy narrator, excellent writing that turns you into the curious reader who wants to keep turning those pages, it’s the book for you. I certainly highly recommend it.

#Review of The Lines by Matt Brolly @MattBrollyUK #TheLines #CrimeFiction #Thriller #BlogTour

The Lines
By Matt Brolly

A little later than I had planned to publish this review due to a big family health situation, here is my review on the Zooloo blog tour of Matt Brolly’s latest thriller book, The Lines. It’s deep and atmospheric with fascinating character situations. Find out more below…

DS Liam Kilshaw was a former marine who almost died on a mission gone wrong. It’s an interesting and somewhat scary look into when missions do go wrong and the aftermath and how some, like DS Liam Kilshaw try to cope with PTSD. He sits at juxtapositions in personality. He has inner strength and enough within him to keep moving forwards as much as work and trying to solve crimes is concerned, yet there is also a fragility and vulnerability about him. The way he’s portrayed makes him an interesting character to delve into. He’s quite timely when men’s mental health is making waves in conversations.

The more than just highlighting of county lines is powerful and reminds, even though little to nothing is said in the news anymore about what is a very real concern that such activities still go on.

DS Kilshaw has a lot of work on his hands around the brooding Cornish coast. There’s the body of a young man floating in the water, but isn’t merely a tragic drowning, but is murder and the body of a young woman is also found. He reckons there could be a link between them both with county lines drugs gangs.
It soon becomes apparent he doesn’t know who he can trust, not even the water as crime solving and his memories collide.

The book is rather atmospheric, raw in parts and truly hooks you in. It’s a crime fiction book you wouldn’t want to miss out on.

#Review of The Nancys And The Case of the Missing Necklace by R.W.R. McDonald @OrendaBooks @RandomTTours #TheNancys

The Nancys and the Case of the Missing Necklace
By R.W.R McDonald

Review by Louise Cannon

Today I am on the Random T. Tour and Orenda Books blog tour with a review of The Nancys with a review. It’s a book to treat the young adult/teen in your life, perhaps for Christmas.

Nancy Drew, I loved reading about her mysteries when I was a teen. It’s one of the series that got me into liking crime fiction, that’s carried on into adulthood. This sort of brings it back to life, in a sense, but respectfully without re-writing them. This series is with a whole new character who discovers Nancy Drew’s mysteries. It’s a delightful way to introduce one character from the past that can still be read to another in present times. The representation of this merge feels significant and shows teens that they too can read books that perhaps their parents read and enjoy them as well as follow a new character all at once.
This time with 11 year old Tippy Chan who lives in a quiet part of New Zealand. She’s discovered her uncle’s old Nancy Drew books and can’t get enough of them. She’s so taken by her that she wants to be just like her newly discovered idol. The moment arrives when she discovers her teacher, dead beside Riverstone’s only traffic light. This sparks off the detective club, she affectionately calls The Nancys. Her mum isn’t exactly happy about it and between that and a wrongful arrest, all seems as thought lots is conspiring against its formation.

Tippy herself has a lot of imagination and lots of motivation about her, a bit like Nancy Drew. Eleven year olds, perhaps not to form a crime solving group, could find inspiring, that they can do more than just talk about something, but actually follow through with friends. Tippy may be the character to draw out something positive.

The book is charming, humorous and mysterious. Tippy herself is honest, bright, super observant and has a wit about her. She’s also dealing with grief as she’s lost her dad. This is handled sensitively and also, rather heart-warmingly, shows how escaping into books and also drawing some inspiration from them can bring about a bit of healing as well as remembering that bringing friends together can be positive too. It’s quite a meaningful book where its themes are concerned.

The mystery itself is one that teens can delve into and have fun trying to solve alongside Tippy and her crew of Nancys.

Readers also see Uncle Pike. He’s flamboyant and quite quirky. He’s also a hairdresser to the stars. He brings a different side to Tippy’s family, which is both fun and interesting. There’s also the rather cynical Melanie who is a neighbour. It brings Tippy’s outer world together and some fascinating conversations as well as those with The Nancys.

#Review by Lou of The Christmas Retreat by Trisha Ashley @trishaashley @RandomTTours #Christmas #TheChristmasRetreat

The Christmas Retreat
By Trisha Ashley

Christmas is coming and the books are hotting up! The Christmas Countdown is On! It’s time to retreat from the cold weather and dark nights and get cosy with Trisha Ashley’s new Christmas book.
Check out my review and the blurb below, thanks to Random T. Tours and Bantam for the book in-exchange of an honest review.

Blurb

Ginny Spain usually loves Christmas: wrapping up warm by a cosy fire, putting twinkling lights on the tree… But after breaking up with her ex, her festive spirit has deserted her. This year, she plans to hide away and spend the holiday alone.

Her formidable mother, Evie, has other ideas. Dragging Ginny out of isolation, Evie takes her to an artist and writers retreat at Triskelion, a remote old house in the tiny coastal village of Little Star, determined to uncover the secrets of an ancestor who once lived there.

Triskelion is now home to rugged Rhys Tarn and his ten-year-old daughter – and Ginny is in for a shock when she discovers Rhys and her share an unexpected connection.

Review

For those who have broken up with someone not before Christmas and for good reason, this one may be relatable. Ginny Spain just isn’t feeling the sparkle of Christmas like she normally does and has a desire to hide away. Instantly there’s a desire to feel compassion for her.
Evie, her determined mother who you wouldn’t say no to, is in a sense her saviour and gets her to go to a writers and artists retreat. It’s still isolated, but Ginny isn’t in complete isolation as she imagined her holiday to be. She’s plunged into a community of people who just may become new friends.

There’s much to uncover, including some histories and secrets which makes the book compelling in a beautiful setting.

Triskelion is a heart-warming place with various traditions to get involved with that are beautifully written that brings the spark of Christmas energy.

The Christmas Retreat is a lovely book that makes being invested in the characters effortless and brings a bit of Christmas sparkle alongside their complex lives.

#Review by Lou of The Winter Job by Antti Tuomainen @antti_tuomainen @OrendaBooks #TheWinterJob #ScandiNoir #Christmas #ChristmasRead

The Winter Job
By Antti Tuomainen

Review by Louise Cannon

Winter is upon us and the temperature is dropping, at least where I am, it’s a bit chilly, bordering on a bitterness in the air. There can be dark humour in these darker nights and it comes in the form of The Winter Job. A great Road Trip and Crime Christmas Read.

Antti Tuomainen is an interesting Scandi-Noir author and brings surprising twists and turns. If you know Scandi-Noir, it’s often quite dark in the themes and what happens. Antti Tuomainen cleverly turns some of this on its head. I first read The Rabbit Factor trilogy and saw this and he has written others that are stand-alone books, but this is the author who makes me want to read this genre. So, what did I think of this latest book that was a surprise gift left at Bloody Scotland Festival for me by Orenda Books? Find out below…

Review

There’s a Christmas promise to fulfil, a fabulous road trip which brings some unexpected people into the journey along the way, some with friendship, others with danger and there is a death.

There’s an important Christmas mission to avoid disappointment on Christmas Day. Ilmari has a piano to pick up for his daughter. There’s an important agreement to be made and he needs it for his daughter in 6 days time. It shouldn’t be too hard, but there is some poor driving and the transportation of something unexpected that defies the anything like any type of normal things that get moved. There are also suspicious businessmen along the way.

The Winter Job is not your usual Scandi-Noir nor your usual Christmas book. It’s quirky, it’s full of humour combined with dangerous twists. The big question is, will the piano get to where it needs to be in time?

For fun this Christmas with a crime theme, The Winter Job by Antti Tuomainen is a great treat for readers either for yourself or a present for someone.