Blog Blitz - Over My Shoulder - Patricia Dixon

I'm thrilled to one of today's stops on the blog blitz for Over My Shoulder  by Patricia Dixon. I originally read and reviewed this book last year which has now been given a brand new shiny cover.

Over My Shoulder is a dark and deeply disturbing story about domestic abuse which won't be for everyone, but it's one that I couldn't get enough of so I'm not sure what that says about me!

What starts out as a seemingly hearts and flowers tale of girl meets boy quickly descends into a gripping and thought-provoking one of manipulation that took me on an unforgettable journey.

Freya is an average girl working and living in Manchester in the 1990's. She enjoys her job, has friends and is happy with her boyfriend Kane comes into her work one day and Freya takes a real shine to him, he's good looking, attentive and owns his own business. So when Kane starts to engineer ways for their paths to cross Freya soon dumps her boyfriend and starts spending time with Kane.

What Freya doesn't know about Kane is that he has a dark, manipulative side and its not long before she starts to notice this, little comments about her physical appearance, what she's wearing and what she's eating. It's clear that Freya isn't happy but is she brave or strong enough to leave Kane?

Patricia Dixon has taken a difficult subject and constructed a hard hitting but totally believable tale that's written with empathy. I was rooting for Freya and hoping that she could get away from Kane and his unscrupulous ways. He is the embodiment of evil and I can honestly say that I despised him with a passion which is a credit to Patricia's writing as it takes a lot for me to truly loathe a character. This is an atmospheric book and one that had my heart racing at times as I became more and more horrified at the depths that Kane would go to to control Freya. There's no graphic descriptions of violence but the threat is there and knowing that this is a situation that affects many women (and men) makes it more horrifying.

Over My Shoulder is a captivating novel and one that I would highly recommend to all fans of psychological and domestic noir thrillers.

                                                    Author bio

Photo courtesy of Patricia Dixon

Patricia Dixon was born in Manchester where she still lives with her husband. They have two grown up children and one grandson, plus the company of a lazy bulldog. 

Ignoring her high school reports and possibly sound advice from teachers, Patricia shunned the world of academia and instead, stubbornly pursued a career in fashion. Once the sparkle of London life wore off she returned north and embarked on a new adventure, that of motherhood. 

Now, almost thirty years later she has acquiesced to the wise words of her elders and turned her hand to writing. Patricia has written five novels set in the Loire and then, in complete contrast, a much darker story of psychological suspense.

She is currently writing her next book, a murderous tale set in the sixties and if she’s not at her desk Patricia loves to read historical fiction or attempts recipes that look great on television but not necessarily her plate. And when the penny jar is full she cashes in her coins and heads to France, the lure of red wine and escapism equalled only by the pursuance of her dream job, writing for a living.

You can find out more about Patricia, her books and connect with her using the links below:

Twitter
Facebook
Amazon

 You can follow the rest of the blog blitz with these wonderful blogs:

The Rave - Nicky Black

The Rave is a brutal and accurate portrayal of life in the late 1980's which makes for an addictive read.

It's said that life up north is grim and that's exactly how it's portrayed in The Rave. With high unemployment, drugs, dodgy dealing and raves - The Valley Park Estate has a diverse community of characters.

Tommy Collins certainly hasn't had it easy, but he's one of the few who is looking to better himself, earn himself some money and get away from the estate with his wife and young daughter. Organising raves is the way forward in Tommy's eyes but there's always going to be someone else who wants a piece of the action and has ulterior motives for wanting to be involved.

DCI Peach is a single parent to Sally and when he finds himself praying for his daughter's life he holds Tommy personally responsible and is hell-bent on making him pay for what he's sure is Tommy's fault.

Paul Smart is the top-dog on the estate and everyone knows that you don't mess with him so why does Tommy get involved way over his head with this despicable character?

This isn't a depressing and bleak tale though, far from it. It's a fascinating glimpse into life during a challenging era that took me through a whole host of emotions. Nicky Black has a wonderful way with words and it almost felt like I was watching a fly on the wall documentary, following the lives of the residents of the estate, experiencing the highs, as well as the lows, but unable to look away when the going got tough.

The Rave is a gritty read that pulls no punches and had me completely hooked from the first page.

With kind thanks to author NIcky Black for the review copy.

#BlogTour - The Promise - Michelle Vernal

I'm delighted to be one of today's stop on the blog tour for The Promise by Michelle Vernal. Despite having never read anything by this author before, as soon as I read the blurb I knew that it sounded like a book that I would enjoy, I just didn't realise how much.

Isabel Stark is back-packing in New Zealand when she witnesses a car accident. Before the car's only occupant, Ginny Havelock, takes her last breath she makes Isabel promise to pass on a message to someone she refers to only as Constance. Feeling a sense of duty along with a mild dose of curiosity, Isabel attends Ginny's funeral before heading back home to the UK.

Once she's home, she can't get Ginny and the promise she made her out of her head so she decides to see if she can track down Constance. She knows that it's a long shot but she's determined to try so, armed with the information she gleaned at Ginny's funeral, she head's off to the Isle of Wight.

Isabel's journey to find Constance is a beautifully written and touching tale that slips back in time to a love story set in World War Two cleverly combined with Isabel's own journey of self-discovery. The author did a brilliant job of highlighting how lonely the elderly can be and how easily this problem can be resolved with a little companionship and care. I think Constance was my favourite character overall, she was vibrant and forthright despite having a very sad tale to tell.

I fell in love with the characters in this wonderful book, they were written so well that they felt real and I was totally invested in their story. I'm a huge fan of dual-time novels and this one was exceptional. I've been to the Isle of Wight a few times over the years and the descriptions of the island transported me right back there, complete with the smell of the sea air.

The Promise is an uplifting and touching story that I didn't want to end and I will definitely be hunting down Michelle Vernal's other books to read in the future.


                                                         Author bio

Photo courtesy of Michelle Vernal

Michelle Vernal is a Harper Collins author who loves a happy ending. She lives with her husband, their two boys and a needy three-legged black cat in Christchurch, New Zealand. She’s partial to a glass of wine, loves a cheese scone and has recently taken up yoga—a sight to behold indeed. She is a freelance writer for a Canterbury lifestyle magazine who is currently working on her seventh novel. Michelle’s a firm believer in happy endings, and all of her stories are written with humour and warmth.

You can find out more about Michelle, her books and connect with her using the links below:

Website

Amazon

Facebook

Twitter

You can also check out the other fantastic blogs on the tour

With kind thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for my review copy and my slot on the blog tour.

Blog Blitz - The Stranger Within - Tara Lyons

I'm delighted to be one of several blogs kicking off the blog blitz for The Stranger Within by Tara Lyons on publication day.

I love DI Denis Hamilton and I was really looking forward to hooking up with him again in this, the fourth book in a series that just gets better and better with each book.

A face from Hamilton's past is back and this time the case forces him to examine parts of his life that he would rather forget. The pressure is really ramped up when one of his colleagues is kidnapped and he's told he has just twenty-four hours to find them but with a list of multiple places to look will he find the right place before time runs out?

It's abundantly clear that the author has thoroughly researched the mental health issues raised in the book and she deals with them with such an understanding that I felt a genuine empathy for the killer. I know that there's never  a good reason to kill someone, but as I read the flashback parts of the story I could see just why things turned out the way they did.

I really enjoyed finding out more about Hamilton as well. He's a character who has his own demons but he battles through and is always focused on his job, sometimes to the detriment of his wife and although they speak, it never seems to be about the important stuff.

The Stranger Within is a breathtakingly tense and fast paced thriller that left me feeling like I'd lost a friend as I read the final words. Although it's book four of a series, I think that it could easily be read as a stand-alone but you'd be missing out on some amazing books, so I would definitely add the previous three little beauties to your TBR. *Whispers: You can buy all three in a box set here* I won't tell anyone, I promise!  😉



                                                           Author bio

Photo courtesy of Tara Lyons

Tara is a crime/psychological thriller author from London, UK. Turning 30 in 2015 propelled her to fulfil her lifelong dream of becoming a writer. She studied English Literature at Brunel University and was an Assistant Editor for an in-house magazine for eight years. 

In the Shadows is the author's solo debut novel published in March 2016, which later went on to be republished by Bloodhound Books after signing a contract with them in 2017. She has also co-written with New York Times bestselling author, M.A Comley - The Caller and Web of Deceit.

When she's not writing, Tara can be found at a local soft-play activity centre, bowling alley, trampoline park or cinema with her young, energetic son. 

You can follow the rest of the Blog Blitz with these fantastic blogs.

With kind thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for my review copy.