Don't Believe A Word by Susan Lewis

                                              

Ebook:   480 pages 

Genre:  Contemporary Fiction,  Adult Fiction, Mystery 

Publisher:  HarperCollins (10 April 2025)

Source: My Kindle Library via NetGalley

First Sentences: "And you found this, where' Christy asked, looking up from the pages she'd just spent the past few minutes reading, pages that had taken her briefly to another world where clearly something wasn't right. She already wanted to know more.

Review Quote: ‘Drips with tension and suspicion.  Mind games, mystery and mayhem.’ Reader Review 

My Opinion: 

It is over twenty-five years ago that I first read a novel by Susan Lewis and I have continued to read her writing from time to time over the years. She is a prolific author, who writes across a broad range of genre, crime, thrillers, suspense and family drama. 

'Don't Believe A Word' sees the return of podcasters from Nothing to See Here, Christy and Connor and their team with another mystery for 'Hindsight' their podcast. This time the company has been approached by Sadie, a young woman who believes they may have the ingenuity to investigate who she really is!

Once again great character portrayal from Susan Lewis and a substantial read that will certainly keep you guessing. I am delighted that the author decided to feature these characters in a second novel and was also pleased to learn that a third story in the series Never Look Back is due to be published towards the end of this year.  The two novels published so far definitely stand alone however reading the series enhances the understanding of the relationships of the many characters.  Highly recommended to anyone that enjoys a good mystery.

Thanks to Net Galley, Harper Collins UK and the author for the opportunity to read and review.

Previous Review:  A Sicilian Affair.  Nothing to See Here

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

They raised me. Nurtured me. And lied about everything.

Sadie’s childhood has always been shrouded in mystery.

But there are three things she knows.

She was raised by two aunts.

She never knew her parents.

She is convinced she was stolen.

Cristy Ward, podcast host, is gripped by Sadie’s story. It’s perfect for her next true-crime investigation. Yet Sadie's aunt claims it’s all a fantasy.

As the evidence begins to stack up, and the lies fall apart, they all could be in a lot more danger than they thought…

Author Profile:         

                                                                         

                                      

                                                     Courtesy of Official Author Website 

I was born in 1956, in Bristol.  My father was a Welsh miner, a poet, an engineer and a thinker.  My mother was one of 13 children who, at 20, persuaded my father to spend his bonus on an engagement ring instead of a motorbike.  We were a normal, happy, nuclear family, living in a spanking new council house on the outskirts of town – my mother’s pride and joy.  But we were going to do better, my mother had made up her mind about that.  My father, an unabashed communist, was writing a book, I was signed up for ballet, elocution, piano and eventually a private boarding school, and my brother, (the real great love of my mother’s life) was going to succeed at everything he set his mind to.

The rest of this fascinating biography can be read on the authors  Official Author Website

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

 Official Author Website  Twitter Profile   Instagram Profile   Facebook Profile 

Amazon Profile    Goodreads Profile

What's Mine is Yours by Leah Mercer

                                                                         

                                              

                                                                        

 Ebook:   275 pages      

Genre: Contemporary Psychological Thriller, Fiction                                           

Publisher:   May 8th 2025 by Bookouture

Source:  NetGalley - My Kindle 

Review Quote: ‘W.O.W. what a read!!!! This had me up reading it till the early hours. Explosive.’ Goodreads Reviewer

First Sentences: The shrill cry cut into her, twisting through the gauzy fabric of her sleep. Ava sat up and rubbed her eyes in the dark room.

My Opinion: 

Leah Mercer, who also publishes as Talli Roland is an author I have been following since 2010 when she published her first novel.  I have said this before, but her writing seems to go from strength to strength. Once again she has wowed me with her latest addictive thriller. 

'What's Mine is Yours' is another gripping intense and clever thriller from this author. Ava and Emily are the protagonists and were once very close friends, but events in Ava's life meant they drifted apart. Emily is determined to win back her friendship and she stops at nothing to achieve her aim. The repercussions just don't seem to worry her even when secrets and danger come to light.

I have always enjoyed reading the work of Leah Mercer over the years and followed the development of her style with interest. Her recent psychological thrillers have all kept me riveted to the stories, so along with her earlier ones recommended for fans of the genre.

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Leah Mercer for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

She invited her into her home. She shouldn’t have…

It’s been a long time since my best friend Ava stopped speaking to me. But I knew I’d find a way back in. When I hear that her daughter won’t sleep at home because of a burglary on the street, I offer to swap houses for a while. Ava is so grateful. And now I’m staying in her family home, I finally understand why she’s been avoiding me… Ava isn’t as perfect as she makes out. She’s been hiding a big secret that could ruin her idyllic life. Only now, I know all about it…

I didn’t want to let Emily back into my life, but my daughter begged me to agree to the swap. I’ll do anything for my precious girl. As I lie in Emily’s bed in her cramped apartment, I fear what she’s up to inside my home. Has she looked through my belongings? Has she found the key to the locked room in my basement? And does she know the truth about what I did?

Two friends. Two secrets. Which one is telling a deadly lie, and which is in danger?

With a jaw-dropping twist, What’s Mine Is Yours is a truly addictive psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Sally Hepworth and Adele Parks.

Previous Reviews: 
The Playgroup.  
    
The Mother Next Door.  

The Summer Reunion  

Author Profile:                

                                                                                                                                    

                                           Courtesy of Goodreads

Leah, who was born in Halifax, Canada, can't remember a time when she didn't love writing. From creating fake newspapers to writing letters to the editor, scribbling something was always on the agenda. Even the rejections she received after completing her first novel at age 13 didn't dent her enthusiasm.

So it makes sense, then, that she pursued a career in anything but writing. Public relations, teaching, recruitment, editing medical journals -- even a stint painting houses -- until she finally succumbed once more to the lure of the blank page. 

When she's not being jumped on by her young son or burning supper while thinking of plot-lines, Leah can be found furiously tapping away on her laptop, trying not to check Twitter or Facebook. 

Leah also writes romantic comedies under the name Talli Roland. 

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Author -Official Website  Facebook Profile   Leah Mercer - Twitter Profile

Instagram Profile

The Fallen Woman by Fiona McIntosh

                                               

Ebook:  444 pages                                                                                 

Genre:  Historical Fiction, Historical Romance,

Publisher:  Storm Publishing (1 April 2025)

Source: NetGalley

Review Quote: ‘I loved this one from start to finish… heart-wrenching and heart-warming.’ Reader Review,

First Sentence: Jane Saville's gasp conveyed her shock as her mother's words landed like small blows.

Setting: Salisbury, England (United Kingdom)

My Opinion: 

Fiona McIntosh although born in the UK, now lives in Australia. She is a prolific author but this is the first time I have read any of her work.

'The Fallen Woman' of the novel's title is Jane Saville and it is thanks to her mother that she has gained this undeserving title. Jane is a talented botanical artist whose chance meeting with Guy Attwood a young man seeking an extinct apple, leads to love. Jane and Guy have a lot of problems to overcome before they find an amicable resolution.

A very enjoyable and easy read that kept me entertained on a recent flight. The style reminded me of the novels of Georgette Heyer whose stories I used to read and enjoy many years ago.  With thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the author for the opportunity to read and review this obviously well researched novel.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

In an ancient orchard, a fallen woman rises to claim her destiny

In the shadows of Edwardian society, talented botanical artist Jane Saville faces an impossible choice when her ruthless mother exiles her to the English countryside to protect another’s reputation. Forced to live in poverty and secrecy to shield her family from scandal, Jane’s world seems destined for darkness until she meets Guy Attwood.

Heir to an industrial fortune, Guy defies his family's ambitions, choosing instead to pursue his hunting England’s rarest apples for the Royal Kew Gardens. His quest to find an endangered species worthy of naming for the soon-to-be King George V leads him to a hidden orchard—and to Jane.

As their worlds intertwine beneath the ancient spires of Salisbury Cathedral, Jane dares to dream of a different future. But in a society ruled by duty and appearances, their blossoming friendship awakens dangerous jealousies. When treachery and misunderstanding threaten to tear them apart, it will take the innocent wisdom of a child to show Jane that her greatest strength lies not in conforming to society’s rules, but in daring to defy them.

Author Profile:

                                                    

In the authors own words from her website :

Just briefly

My pathway to writing novels began as a wordsmith in my daily work; first in corporate PR, and later in sales/marketing for the travel industry including 15 years running a travel magazine with my husband.

My first attempt at a manuscript won the notice of a global publisher and I’ve been writing novels ever since and across various genres. I am best known these days for my historical drama but also my crime series featuring Jack Hawksworth.

I have always travelled extensively, these days roaming the world for research, and while that makes me a bit of a gypsy, I’m happiest at our farm in South Australia with our three dogs, cat, and a lot of open space…and silence.

I host regular commercial fiction masterclasses for aspiring writers and our success rate has put us firmly into the sights of the major publishers.

Photograph and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites: 

Goodreads Profile.  Instagram  Official Author Website.  Amazon Profile

The Eights by Joanna Miller

 

                                                 

Ebook:  384 pages                                                                                 

Genre:  Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction 

Publisher: Penguin UK - Fig Tree

Source: NetGalley

Review Quote: ‘Entertaining and moving…I came to love these four women as though they were my sisters’ TRACY CHEVALIER

First Sentences: The square cap, made of wool, is an odd sort of thing. Floppy but pointed at four corners, there is no brim, just a thick felt band secured by a button on either side. Does the band go at the from or back? She has no idea.

Setting: Oxford, England (United Kingdom)

My Opinion: 

What a great debut novel from Joanna Miller, having spent time studying at Oxford University she certainly picked topic she could write about from experience. Although of course her protagonists are from a different era. The town and university certainly comes to life with her wonderful descriptions.

It is the early nineteen twenties and Theodora, Marianne, Beatrice and Ottoline are four of the first intake of women allowed to study for a full degree at Oxford University. These four young women find themselves all with rooms on Corridor Eight of St Hughs College and they soon become friends with the nickname 'The Eights.' As the novel progresses the reader learns about the backgrounds and the secrets they each have. With the many social expectations of the time the women find strength in one another, as they struggle with not only academia but also heartbreak. Despite so much against them they refuse to be beaten.

Having throughly enjoyed 'The Eights' I am hoping to be able to read more in the future from this author. This debut was such an emotive and compelling read, which I highly recommend.

Précis Courtesy of Amazon: 

They knew they were changing history. 

They didn’t know they would change each other. 

Oxford, 1920. For the first time in its 1000-year history, the world’s most famous university has admitted female students. Giddy with dreams of equality, education and emancipation, four young women move into neighbouring rooms on Corridor Eight. They have come here from all walks of life, and they are thrown into an unlikely, life-affirming friendship.

Dora was never meant to go to university, but, after losing both her brother and her fiancé on the battlefield, has arrived in their place. Beatrice, politically-minded daughter of a famous suffragette, sees Oxford as a chance to make her own way – and her own friends – for the first time. Socialite Otto fills her room with extravagant luxuries but fears they won’t be enough to distract her from her memories of the war years. And quiet, clever, Marianne, the daughter of a village vicar, arrives bearing a secret she must hide from everyone – even The Eights – if she is to succeed.

But Oxford’s dreaming spires cast a dark shadow: in 1920, misogyny is still rife, influenza is still a threat, and the ghosts of the Great War are still very real indeed. And as the group navigate this tumultuous moment in time, their friendship will become more important than ever.

Author Profile:

Joanna has always loved stories – even from an early age, when the Headteacher complained to her parents that she had read all the books in the school library. Joanna went on to study English at Exeter College, Oxford and later returned to the University to train as a teacher.

After ten years in education, she set up an award-winning poetry gift business. During this time, she wrote thousands of poems to order and her rhyming verse was filmed twice by the BBC.

Unable to resist the lure of the classroom, Joanna recently returned to Oxford University to study for a diploma in creative writing. THE EIGHTS is her debut novel and is inspired by her love of local history and historical fiction.

When Joanna is not writing, she is either walking her dog or working in the local bookshop. She lives with her husband and three children near the Grand Union Canal in Hertfordshire, UK. 

Photograph and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites: 

Official Author Website.   Goodreads - Joanna Miller.    Amazon - Joanna Miller.  Twitter Profile