Sun Trap by Rachel Wolf

                                                    

Ebook: 311 pages

Genre: Thriller, Suspense, Mystery

Publisher:  Aria and Aries: Head of  Zeus 2 Sep 2025

Source:  NetGalley

First Sentence:  The sand has turned everything orange. I blink but it doesn't shift. It's like the world has been coated with paint.

Review Quote:  'Totally gripping.' HARRIET TYCE

My Opinion:  

‘Sun Trap’ is a destination thriller set in Abu Dhabi. The female protagonist is Ellie an aspiring actress, who via rather unconventional methods lands herself a minor role in a film on location there. Things start to go seriously wrong for her when deaths, in fact murders start happening. All the cast members and crew find themselves implicated in one way or another as the tangled storyline unfolds.

I was disappointed with this novel both with the vacuous characters and the lack of atmosphere as each unrealistic situation arose. A story with great potential which will appeal to many but sadly not for me.

My thanks to Head of Zeus, the author and NetGalley for an opportunity to read and review  'Sun Trap' in return for an honest review.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

BE CAREFUL
Ellie has wanted to be an actor since she was a child so, when a role in a blockbuster film presents itself, she grabs it.

WHAT YOU
On the plane to Abu Dhabi to begin filming, Ellie overhears something she shouldn't – two people discussing plans for murder.

WISH FOR
Unsure if it's a misunderstanding, and not wanting to ruin her big break, Ellie remains quiet. Then ten members of the cast become nine...

Ellie needs to be careful – it's more than just her career on the line.

Because she isn't who she says she is.
And liars are always the prime suspect.

Author Profile

                                                     

                                             

                                                            Courtesy of Amazon

Rachel Wolf is the author of luxury destination thrillers FIVE NIGHTS and SUN TRAP. Before writing, she worked in the travel industry, and her novels take inspiration from some of her travels.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Amazon Author Page.   Twitter Profile.   Instagram Profile

The French Affair by Theresa Howes

                                                 

Ebook: 362 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction, WWII,

Publisher: HQ Digital 2023

Source:  Amazon Purchase

First Sentence:  If the war had taught Iris anything, it was that it was easier to lie during the blackout than in the cold light of day, and so it was with good reason that she always insisted on meeting Guy Mason after dark.

Review Quote:  An exceptional tale, expertly crafted with endearing characters and an enthralling plot that will captivate readers.' NetGalley Reviewer,

My Opinion:  

This second novel by Theresa Howes was published back in 2023 and has been on My Kindle for two years. Far too long, but at last I have read!

Set during WWII the female protagonist Iris, who is French, has been working in London for the British Intelligence Service. Her current mission takes an unexpected turn and to complete it successfully she has to return to France. She bases herself in Dijon, which is under German occupation, where she has family connections.  With an extremely tense atmosphere in a town where everyone is under suspicion she does not have an easy task ahead of her.

Once again I found the author's style of writing appealing with a captivating storyline. Recommended to fans of the genre.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

A country at war. A dangerous secret. 

After a failed honey-trap mission for British Intelligence leads to the breakdown of her marriage, French journalist Iris escapes to Dijon, seeking refuge in the cottage of her beloved aunt, Eva. But Eva is gone, the streets are full of distrust, and Iris is soon followed by the very last man she wants to see – the British civil servant and traitor she was tasked with catching, now keen to rekindle their affair. 

Eva’s home used to be a comforting place, where the locals sought out Eva’s homemade tinctures and cures and gifted jars of fresh honey from the garden. Now it is a place of danger, where threats loom in every corner. And as Iris spends more time there, she discovers a secret that will change the way she sees her aunt forever – and the course of her own life too…

Previous Review:   The Secrets We Keep

Author Profile

                                                     

Theresa Howes grew up in Shropshire and has a background as an actor. Her historical fiction has been long-listed for the Mslexia Novel Award, The Bath Novel Award, The Caledonia Novel Award and the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize.

She lives in London with her husband and Claude, a larger than average cat. When she isn’t writing or reading, she enjoys seeing how many more plants she can cram into her tiny London garden, walking, and putting the world to rights over a gin and tonic.

Her debut novel, THE SECRETS WE KEEP was published in November 2022. Her second novel, THE FRENCH AFFAIR was published in December 2023. Her third novel, A MATTER OF PERSUASION, which is a Gilded Age retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, set in 1882 in New York and Rhode Island, was published in January 2025. 

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Authors Official Website.  Amazon Author Profile   Goodreads Author Profile

Twitter Profile

The Peak by Sam Guthrie

                                           

Ebook:   398 pages 

Genre: Contemporary Thriller, Political Thriller, Espionage

Publisher: July 1, 2025 by HarperCollins

Source: My Kindle Library via NetGalley

First Sentences:  So now I'll tell you what happened, as best I can. No spin. No agenda. If I get something wrong, it's not because I am being evasive or trying to protect Sebastian. It's simply because I don't understand what happened today either.

Setting: Hong Kong 

Review Quote: ‘[An] impressive first novel … illuminating and extremely alarming’ Literary Review

My Opinion: 

A debut novel from an Australian writer, that I knew nothing at all about when I was offered the opportunity to read. Given the Hong Kong connection I decided to give it a go.

Focused around two male protagonists, Charlie and his best friend and boss Sebastian, 'The Peak' is a tense story of long term comradeship and deception. Told against a background of politics at a time when the world is changing forever, it feels feasible and is chilling reading.

The Hong Kong element of this political thriller was particularly interesting as I know many of the places the author realistically describes. The Australian politics I had absolutely no understanding of, but that did not spoil my enjoyment of this fast paced thriller.  Definitely recommended to fans of the genre looking for a new author.

With thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins and the author for the opportunity to read and review.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

Sure to be THE debut thriller of 2025, The Peak is a nailbiting and unputdownable read, a powerfully taut, gripping and fast-moving international thriller that weaves a story of friendship, love and betrayal together with the ruthless geopolitics of China's rise, set in the last 24 hours of the world as we know it.

'Now I'll tell you what happened, as best I can. No spin. No agenda. If I get something wrong, it's not because I'm being evasive. It's simply because I'm still trying to understand what happened today ... It's to explain, as best I can, what Sebastian has done, and why tomorrow when you wake up, it will be the end of the world.'

Political hatchet man Charlie will do anything to protect Sebastian, government minister and his best friend since their brutal private school days. Rising to power and prominence through international diplomatic postings and then the rough and tumble of Australian politics, they are as close as brothers - or so Charlie thinks - while both keep the secret that lies at the very heart of their relationship - a secret that in one way or another will change the world.

But then a single phrase in Mandarin is spoken in Sebastian's ear and he does the unthinkable. As Charlie tries to piece it all together - from their youth spent in Hong Kong to the recent past in Beijing and Washington - things in the outside world start to fall apart too. Planes can't land, the phone lines go down and the power is out. Then the secret intelligence services comes knocking. Charlie wonders, what the hell did Sebastian do?

From the jostling streets of Hong Kong to Beijing's shadowy halls of power and the backstabbing Machiavellian workings of Parliament House in Canberra, The Peak is a powerful, propulsive and nailbitingly tense international thriller. Written with an extraordinary insider knowledge of China, the realities of global power and the inner dealings of the Australian Government, The Peak has the authenticity and moral complexity of a Le Carre novel and the narrative power of an Australian Robert Harris.

Author Profile:         

                                                                                        

                                                  Courtesy of  Amazon

Sam Guthrie writes international political thrillers based on his experience working at the nexus of business, politics, and international diplomacy. 

His character-driven fiction explores the human desires and frailties that shape world-altering events, drawing on an insider’s knowledge of the machinations of power, political intrigue, and the geostrategic challenges confronting the global order. 

Prior to publishing his first novel, The Peak, Sam had a twenty-five-year career in international relations serving as a trade envoy to China, an Asia Pacific corporate affairs adviser and political lobbyist and a senior government official.

He has worked extensively across Europe, the US and Asia, and has spent close to a decade living and working in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Prague. He has a master’s degree in international relations. 

Photographs, Trailer and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Amazon Author Page    Sam Guthrie Official Website.   Goodreads Profile

Paper Heart by Cecelia Ahern

                                                  

Ebook:  359 pages 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Irish Fiction, Romance,

Publisher: August 2025 by Harper Collins

Source: My Kindle Library via NetGalley

First Sentences: Life usually ticks along, consistent as a drip from a leaky tap, but today is different.

Setting: Ireland

Review Quote: An immersive, sometimes heartbreaking, yet ultimately uplifting rollercoaster read. Her best yet' Patricia Scanlan

My Opinion: 

Despite the fact that 'Paper Heart' is I think about the 20th novel published by Cecelia Ahern it is only the fifth I have read over a period of twenty years.

The protagonist Pip is thirty two years old and still living at home, with her parents and sixteen year old daughter. They are both controlled by Pip's parents, in particular her mother. Life at home is unimaginably stressful until Pip starts to question why she is living her life like this'

In conclusion I must honestly say that 'Paper Heart' disappointed me. Parts were enjoyable but I found the origami poems somewhat boring and the storyline generally was so depressing. Josephine, Pip's mother was an absolutely despicable character and it angered me that Pip took so many years to finally stand up to her. 

With thanks to the author, NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read and review.

Previous Reviews:   Thanks For the Memories   One Hundred Names.  Into The Storm

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

From the bestselling author of PS I Love You comes a story of finding yourself – and finding your way home.Pip’s world is small. But it’s about to become a whole lot bigger.

For years she’s tucked away her dreams, shrinking herself into the space left behind – like the delicate origami she creates alone in her room.

Then hope comes from an unlikely an astronomer from the local observatory. He teaches her to look up at the stars, and to see a world far bigger and more beautiful than she ever imagined.

And perhaps in that big, beautiful universe there’s someone waiting for her. If she can find the courage to open her heart.

Pip never stopped dreaming, but now it’s time for her to live – and maybe even to fall in love.

Author Profile:         

                                                     

                                                  Courtesy of Amazon

Cecelia Ahern was born in Dublin, where she also grew up on September 30th 1981. After completing a degree in Journalism and Media Communications, Cecelia wrote her first novel at 21 years old. Her debut novel, PS I Love You was published in January 2004, and was followed by Where Rainbows End (aka Love, Rosie) in November 2004. Both novels were adapted to films; PS I Love You starred Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler, and Love, Rosie starred Lily Collins and Sam Claflin.

Cecelia has published a novel every year since then and to date has published 18 novels; PS I Love You, Where Rainbows End, If You Could See Me Now, A Place Called Here, Thanks for the Memories, The Gift, The Book of Tomorrow, The Time of My Life, One Hundred Names, How To Fall in Love, The Year I Met You, The Marble Collector, Flawed, Perfect, Lyrebird, ROAR, Postscript and Freckles.

To date, Cecelia’s books have sold 25 million copies internationally, are published in over 40 countries, in 30 languages.

Photographs, Trailer and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Amazon Author Page.   Goodreads Author Profile.   Facebook - Cecelia Ahern

Cecelia Ahern - Author's Official Website   Twitter Profile

The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins

                                       

Hardback:  310 pages                                                                                                 
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
Publisher: Doubleday 2024
Source: Tywyn Public Library
First Sentences: The moon woke me, bright and close. It shed such a strange light over the sea, a dark kind of daylight, like looking at the negative of a photograph.
Review Quote: ‘Vivid, extremely tense, unnervingly unputdownable. This is a superb, powerful read.’ Independent
Main Characters: Vanessa Chapman, James "Beck" Becker, Grace Haswell, Sebastian Lennox, Julian Chapman, Sir Douglas Lennox, Lady Emmeline Lennox, Helena Fitzgerald, Graham Bryant, Nicholas Riley, Isobel Chapman
Setting: Scotland, Eris, Scotland (United Kingdom)

My Opinion: 

Having read all of Paula Hawkins novels so far I can safely say that I have enjoyed this one the most.

In 'The Blue Hour' we have a mystery revolving around deceased artist Vanessa Chapman. The puzzle is slowly revealed to us by her close friend Grace Haswell with the help of James Becker.  James works for the Fairburn Foundation where he is in charge of all the artworks by Vanessa that were donated to them on her death. It is a tense and atmospheric story, the latter mainly due to the remote setting of Vanessa Chapmans home being located on the island of Eris in Scotland, which is completely cut off from the mainland for many hours a day and hers is the only house on the island. The tension is because of the secrets that all the characters have and that are only slowly revealed to the reader.

A chilling and dark novel that in my opinion is well worth reading.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

Eris, an island with only one house, one inhabitant, one way out. Unreachable from the Scottish mainland for twelve hours each day.

Once home to Vanessa. A famous artist whose notoriously unfaithful husband disappeared twenty years ago.

Now home to Grace. A solitary creature of the tides, content in her own isolation.

But when a shocking discovery is made in an art gallery far away in London, a visitor comes calling.

And the secrets of Eris threaten to emerge . . .

Previous Reviews:  The Girl On the Train. Into the Water.  A Slow Fire Burning

Author Profile and Photo from Amazon

 

 Courtesy of Phoebe Grigor

PAULA HAWKINS worked as a journalist for fifteen years before writing her first novel. Born and brought up in Zimbabwe, Paula moved to London in 1989. Her first thriller, The Girl on the Train, has sold more than 23 million copies worldwide. Published in over fifty languages, it has been a Number 1 bestseller around the world and was a box office hit film starring Emily Blunt.

Paula's thrillers, Into the Water and A Slow Fire Burning, were also instant Number 1 bestsellers.

Photographs, Trailer and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites.

 Author Official Website    Paula Hawkins - Amazon Page

 Goodreads Author Profile.    

Hope Street by Mike Gayle

                                             

Hardback:  354 pages                                                                                                 
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton  2025
Source: Tywyn Public Library
First Sentences: Bernie McLaughlin made her way up the narrow flight of stairs, the treads squeaking and groaning with each step as she carried her son's morning mug of tea. She was so exhausted she felt more like eighty-four than sixty-four.
Review Quote: 'Moving, uplifting, unforgettable. Mike always writes from the heart and creates stories we fall in love with' Lisa Jewell
Main Characters: Connor McLaughlin and Lila Metcalf.
Setting: England
My Opinion: This is only the second book by this prolific author that I have read, although I have wanted to read more of his work since 2018 when I read the last one. Somehow I have missed out on doing so, a shame if they are as good a read as this one. 

Hope Street is a poignant story with characters that are so believable. Connor McLaughlin is the male protagonist and currently the only resident of Hope Street of the title. The street is due for redevelopment but Connor is refusing to move.  Lila Metcalfe becomes interested in Connor and the background to his refusal to move when she is sent to interview him, for her job as a local reporter. How she decides to help him is a story of friendship, sad yet heart-warming. 

A realistic storyline with wonderful cast of characters makes this novel a throughly enjoyable read that I throughly recommend.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

Lila Metcalfe is a trainee journalist in Derby and she's very used to being given the stories that no one else wants. So, when her editor tells her that the city's Cossington Park development is being held up by a solitary resident on Hope Street who is refusing to leave, she knows she is going to be the one sent to find out more. And that's how she meets Connor.

Twenty-something Connor is the sole resident of Hope Street and he is not at all what Lila is expecting. And he has a very clear reason not to move: he is waiting for his mum to come home.

Previous Review:  The Man I Think I know

Author Profile from Goodreads in his own words:

I was born in the 70s — the 70s were great. I would recommend them to anyone.

I was also born in Birmingham — in my humble opinion the greatest city in the world with the nicest people too.

I used to live in London — a great city too. But a bit on the pricey side.

I also used to live in Manchester — another great city (although technically I lived in Salford which is next door but that’s sort of splitting hairs).

Before I went to university I wanted to be a social worker — I have no idea why. It didn’t last long.

After I left university I wanted to write for the NME — I’ve always loved music but it was only when I went to uni that it started loving me back. I can’t play any instruments or sing so writing about music seemed to make sense.

My first paid writing gig was for a listings magazine in Birmingham — (Actually my first unpaid writing gig was an interview with Kitchens of Distinction for Salford Student Magazine. I can’t begin to tell you how terrible it was.)

I used to write a music fanzine — it was called Incredibly Inedible and I co-edited it with my mate Jackie. We typed up the first issue on my dad’s olde worlde typewriter and then literally cut and paste on to A4 sheets using scissors and glue. Over the three years of its existence we interviewed many bands and artists including: Smashing Pumpkins, The Cranberries, Pavement, Bill Hicks and Blur.

Photographs, Trailer and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites.

Author's Official Website.     Mike Gayle - Facebook Profile.    Instagram Profile

Goodreads - Author Profile      Mike Gayle - Amazon Author Page

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

Hardback:  416 pages      

Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense                                         

Publisher:  Harper Collins 2024

Source: Tywyn Public Library

First Sentences: It's opening night of The Manor, the new jewel of the Dorset coastline.

Review Quote: ‘A high octane tale’ DAILY TELEGRAPH

Literary Awards: 
Audie Award Nominee for Mystery (2025), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Mystery/Thriller (2024), She Reads Best of Award Nominee for Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense (2024)

Setting: Dorset, England

My Opinion: 

I first read one of Lucy Foley's novels in 2019 and this is now my fifth. Murder mysteries are not a favourite genre of mine but I enjoy her novels as I find the writing atmospheric with good characterisation.

'The Midnight Feast' is set in a luxury hotel during its opening weekend. The owner is Francesca who has inherited the house from her Grandfather. With the help of her husband Owen, the house has been renovated and turned into a well-being resort. Some of the locals are not happy about the development and remember only too well what happened there fifteen years ago. The story of events is told via dual timelines.

A slow burn of a story for me, apologies for the pun, not a spoiler, but there is a fire involved. It is not until the storyline is well evolved that the pace picks up.  Thriller fans will undoubtably enjoy this, I did but was not keen on the gothic folklore aspect.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads

In the shadows of an ancient wood, guests gather for the opening weekend of The Manor: a beautiful new countryside retreat.

But under the burning midsummer sun, darkness stirs. Old friends and enemies circulate among the guests. And the candles have barely been lit for a solstice supper when the body is found.

It all began with a secret, fifteen years ago. Now the past has crashed the party. And it’ll end in murder at…

Previous Review:  The Paris Apartment.  The Guest List

Author Profile:                

                                   

                                                      Courtesy of Goodreads

In her own words from her Goodreads Profile

Hello and welcome to my Goodreads page! I’m the author of the murder mystery thrillers The Midnight Feast, The Paris Apartment, The Guest List and The Hunting Party — as well as the historical novels The Book of Lost and Found, The Invitation and Last Letter from Istanbul. 

I came to writing through a love of reading — I previously worked with books as a fiction editor, a literary agent’s assistant, a bookseller and a literary scout! 

Inspired by trips to the West Country and local folklore I began plotting my latest novel, The Midnight Feast. A midsummer heatwave, a setting with a past, a reunion that takes a dark turn. And so The Midnight Feast came to life.

Thanks to brilliant readers around the world, my novels have sold over five million copies, and been translated into multiple languages. I’m also a No 1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller. A life-long Agatha Christie fan, I also contributed to Marple, a collection of short stories featuring the legendary detective.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Lucy Foley Author - Facebook.   Twitter - Lucy Foley.    Goodreads Profile

Amazon Profile

An Ideal Husband by Erica James

Hardback: 406 pages

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Family Saga, 

Publisher: Harper Collins 2024

Source:  Tywyn Library

First Sentence: It was a perfect March day and spring had arrived in all its glorious splendour. 

Setting: Suffolk, England

Review Quote: 'I love Erica James and her new book does not disappoint. She brings a real warmth to her characters and also a poignancy to her story telling. Highly recommend.' Netgalley Reviewer, 

My Opinion:  Erica James is one of my long time favourite authors for a guaranteed agreeable read. Once again she has not disappointed me.

'An Ideal Husband' is a contemporary family saga, covering a year in the life of the Langford family. A perfectly normal happy family, or so they thought until Kip Langford tells his wife Louisa that he is leaving her. The dynamics of the relationships within the family are full of emotion as they navigate a roller coaster of a year. What complicated individuals they all are and at times some of their behaviour feels unbelievable. Louisa in particular feels far too sympathetic and understanding of her husband's behaviour.  

Recommended to fans of contemporary escapism, remember that is what it is escapism and fiction which is why at times the reader may find it somewhat removed from the reality of such a situation!

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

The Langfords are a perfectly happy family. Louisa and Kip, happily married for nearly forty years, have raised their children and are now just settling into a new phase of life where they’ll have more time for themselves. Everything seems perfect. But then, one Boxing Day after a lovely family Christmas, Kip tells Louisa that their marriage is over. It’s not something Louisa saw coming. And what he tells her next is even more he’s fallen in love with their son’s ex-girlfriend, Zoe, the woman who broke Angus’ heart. So just like that, Louisa’s marriage is over… and her new life can begin. A gorgeous, gossipy family drama of a couple navigating a divorce, a woman on a journey of self-discovery, and an older man getting his just deserts.

Previous Reviews:  I have reviewed quite a few of her earlier novels on the blog. They are Tell It To The Skies,  It's The Little Things,   Hidden Talents, The Hidden Cottage, The Real Katie Lavender,  A Secret Garden Affair, Mothers and Daughters,  Letters From the Past,  Summer at the Lake,  Coming Home to Island House

Author Profile:         

                                       

Photo Courtesy of  Amazon

In the author's own words from her Amazon Profile.

Thank you so much for visiting my Amazon Author Page. My first novel - A Breath of Fresh Air - was published in 1996 and was selected by WH Smith as a finalist for their Fresh Talent promotion. Since then I have written many more novels, most of which have been bestsellers, including Gardens of Delight which won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award and features Lake Como, one of my favourite places to visit. My novel Summer at the Lake also features Lake Como and was a No.1 bestseller in Norway.

My twenty-fifth novel - A Secret Garden Affair - was published in the spring of 2023 and is my second book to be published by HQ Stories. Partially set in the summer of 1981 when Prince Charles and Lady Diana are about to marry, Libby discovers her fiancé has been cheating on her. Heartbroken, she flees London to go to Larkspur House in Suffolk to be with her great aunt Bess and the renown garden designer Elfrida Ambrose. As Libby tries to piece her life back together, Bess and Elfrida find themselves reliving the past with all its secrets and tragedies. 

My 26th novel - An Ideal Husband - is currently available in hardback and I hope you'll enjoy meeting the Langford family who have to face more than their fair share of trouble after Kip announces that he wants a divorce as he's been having an affair with their son's ex-girlfriend! The paperback will be published in November.

If you want to keep up with all my latest news, or simply get in touch to ask me a question about one of my books, you can find me online in all the usual places as well as my website.

Photographs, Trailer and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Erica James - Official Website.   Instagram - Erica James

Goodreads Author Profile  Erica James - Amazon Author Page.  Erica James - Facebook