The Wrong Sister by Claire Douglas

 

                                              

Audio: 8hrs  58m

Narrator:  Eleanor Tomlinson

Genre:   Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Audible, Audiobook,

Publisher: Penguin Audio 2024

Source:  Purchased from Audible

First Sentence:  I've been watching you for a while now.    

Review Quote: 'Outstanding. A terrific family drama' Sunday Times

Literary awards:  British Book Award Nominee for Crime and Thriller (2025)

My Opinion:  

As an introduction to Claire Douglas I decided to listen to 'The Wrong Sister' by Clare Douglas via my Audible Subscription.

Two sisters, Tasha and Alice who lead very different lifestyles. Tasha is married to Aaron and they have young twin daughters, in contrast her sister is a career girl with no children and a luxury lifestyle. Tasha and Aaron swap places with Alice and her husband Kyle, holidaying in the couples Venice apartment while they move into the family home to care for the twins. The unthinkable happens when Kyle is attacked and murdered in Tasha and Aaron's home. Is this tragic event connected to another one, involving the family thirty years ago though?

Well worth reading or listening to as the narrator, Eleanor Tomlinson, successfully brings the characters to life in this fast paced story.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

A heart-stopping story of family, trust and betrayal.

You’ve known her all your life . . .

Or have you?

Tasha and sister Alice look alike, but couldn’t be more different.

Yet each trusts the other with her life.

So when Tasha is in need of a holiday, Alice offers to stay at home with the kids.

Tasha knows they’re in safe hands.

She couldn’t be more wrong.

The phone call from home is unexpected.

Alice and her husband, Kyle, have been attacked. Alice is in intensive care. Kyle is dead.

Then the note arrives, addressed to Tasha:

Author Profile

                                                                             

                                                                                                                                                             

Courtesy of  Amazon

Claire Douglas is the Sunday Times number one bestselling author of eight stand alone novels: The Sisters (2015), Local Girl Missing (2016), Last Seen Alive (2017), Do Not Disturb (2018), Then She Vanishes (2019) and Just Like The Other Girls (2020). Her seventh, The Couple At No 9 (2021) was an Amazon number one bestseller, a number three Sunday Times bestseller and most recently hit number one on Germany's Der Spiegel paperback bestsellers chart. The Girls Who Disappeared was a Richard and Judy book club pick for Autumn 2022 and was an instant number one Sunday Times bestseller. Her books have sold over a million copies in the UK and have been published worldwide. 

Her most recent, before this one, The Woman Who Lied was published in 2023.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Amazon Profile.  Goodreads Profile.  Instagram Profile.  Facebook Profile

The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey

                                                 

Audio: 10 hrs  57 m

Narrators:  Joanne Froggart, Mark Noble, Asif Kahn, Gemma Whelan and Simon Harvey.

Genre:   Fiction, Mystery

Publisher: Penguin Audio Feb 2024

Source:  Purchased from Audible

First Sentence:  It would be easy to say that it all started with the murders, but actually it began when Margaret thatcher became prime minister.

Review Quote: A touching paean to lost innocence and the comfort of friendships, its dark undertow leavened by stout Yorkshire humour ― The Times

Literary awards:

British Book Award Nominee for Debut Fiction (2025)

Setting:  Yorkshire, England, 1979

My Opinion:  

'The List of Suspicious Things' is the very successful debut for Jennie Godfrey whose childhood was spent growing up in the seventies in Yorkshire.  It is therefore interesting but not surprising that the infamous Yorkshire Ripper was the inspiration for this novel.  I am very late to the party, possibly because it is in my Audible collection and I have still not got into the habit of regular listening.

The protagonist is Mavis, known as Miv, an eleven year old girl. Growing up in the shadow of the seemingly ever present unsolved murder cases she with the help of her best friend Sharon decides they can help solve the case. Their adventures and investigations introduce the reader to many characters along the way. The emphasis of the whole story is on the importance of family life, friendship and community spirit.

At times a heart wrenching read, this novel sensitively covers dreadful events and is well worth reading or listening to.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

"We'll make a list. A list of all the people and things we see that are suspicious. And then . . . we'll investigate them."

Twelve-year-old Miv is panicking. Life has been complicated since her mom got sick, and now her dad is talking about wanting to move their family away from the town Miv has lived in her whole life—because of the murders. Young women are dying, everyone is afraid, and no one knows who the culprit might be.

But as far as Miv is concerned, leaving Yorkshire and her best friend Sharon simply isn't an option, no matter the dangers lurking round their way; or the strangeness at home that started the day Miv's mum stopped talking. Perhaps if she could solve the case of the disappearing women, they could stay after all?

So, Miv and Sharon decide to make a a list of all the suspicious people and things on their street. People they know. People they don't. But their search for the truth reveals more secrets in their neighborhood, within their families—and between each other—than they ever thought possible. What if the real mystery Miv needs to solve is the one that lies much closer to home?

Author Profile

                                                      

                                                                                                                                                             

                                                            Courtesy of Google

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Amazon Author Page.   Goodreads Author Page.   Instagram Profile

We Solve Murders (#1 in series) by Richard Osman

 

                                                      

Audiobook:  10 hours  33 minutes

Narrator: Nicola Walker

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Humour, Crime

Publisher: Penguin Audio September 2024

Source:  Audible Membership

First Sentence:  It had finally happened. 

Review Quote: ''The thing that shines through in Osman’s writing is that he really likes people and revels in all their foibles and eccentricities. All of which makes for a delightful read – and another little slice of warmth in time for autumn' THE OBSERVER

My Opinion:

As a fan of  'The Thursday Murder Club' series despite it not being a favourite genre I decided to listen to the first book in Richard Osman's new series 'We Solve Murders' via my Audible Membership.

The protagonists of this series are Amy Wheeler and her father-in-law Steve Wheeler. They are joined by a vast cast of characters, good and bad amongst them. Amy is currently working as a security officer for a famous novelist, when chaos kicks off with Amy discovering she has not only become a target for a hit man but that there is a murder that needs solving.

Unfortunately this novel has not given me the same vibes as 'The Thursday Murder Club' so doubt I will be reading/listening to any more adventures of the Wheeler duo. Don't get me wrong the characterisation and humour are as appealing as all the author's writing, this one just did not get me excited. It took me weeks to listen to the full book which is not a good sign, just lack of enthusiasm.  Still I can recommend to true fans of the genre and those who enjoy humour in a thriller.

My Reviews 

The Thursday Murder Club   The Man Who Died Twice. The Bullet That Missed

The Last Devil To Die

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favorite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now.

Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay still long enough for habits or routines. She’s currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D’Antonio alive. Which was meant to be an easy job...

Then a dead body, a bag of money, and a killer with their sights on Amy have her sending an SOS to the only person she trusts. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a lethal enemy?

Author Profile:         

Courtesy of  Goodreads

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Richard Osman was born in Billericay, Essex, England on  November 28, 1970. He is now well known as an author, producer and television presenter. The Thursday Murder Club was his first novel. He is well known for TV shows including Pointless and Richard Osman’s House of Games. As the creative director of Endemol UK, Richard has worked as an executive producer on numerous shows including Deal Or No Deal and 8 Out of 10 Cats. He is also a regular on panel and game shows such as Have I Got News For You, Would I Lie To You and Taskmaster.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Amazon Author Page   Goodreads Author Profile  Twitter - Richard Osman

None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

 

                                           

Audible: 10hrs 30m  390 pages  

Genre: Mystery,Thriller, Audiobook, Contemporary Psychological Thriller,                                              

Publisher: August 8, 2023 by Simon & Schuster Audio

Source: Audible Membership

Literary awards

British Book Award for Crime and Thriller and for Audiobook: Fiction (2024), Audie Award Nominee for Audio Drama and Thriller/Suspense (2024), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Mystery/Thriller (2023), Book of the Month Book of the Year Award Nominee (2023), Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Nominee for (shortlist) (2024)

First Sentences: Stumbling from the cool of the air-conditioned hotel foyer into the steamy white heat of the night does nothing to sober him up.

Review Quote: 'Shocking and creepy and glorious' Nicola Walker-Actress

My Opinion: I have been a fan of Lisa Jewell's writing for a number of years now, having previously read at least seven of her novels. 'None Of This Is True' was a new departure for me as I 'listened' on Audible. I did enjoy the experience, especially as this disturbing story with so many dysfunctional characters was partly read by an actress I love, Nicola Walker.

The protagonists Alix Summer and Josie Fair first meet on their Birthday which happens to not only be on the same day but the same year 'Birthday Twins.' Alix has her own podcast and intrigued by Josie she agrees to feature her in one when Josie presents the idea to her. Little did she realise at the time just how much this decision would impact her life in such a disturbing way.

A contemporary psychological thriller that will have you hooked, listen or read if you enjoy this genre.

Links to Previous Reviews:  Then She Was Gone  Watching You  The House We Grew Up In. The Family Upstairs  The Night She Disappeared  The Family Remains

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins.

A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.

Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home.

But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.

Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?

Author Profile:

Lisa Jewell is an internationally bestselling author of successful  novels, including, Then She Was Gone, I Found You, The Girls in the Garden, and The House We Grew Up In. Her debut novel in 1998 Ralph’s Party, was an instant bestseller. In total, her novels have sold over 2 million copies across the English speaking world. Her work has also been translated into sixteen languages. Lisa lives in London with her husband and their two daughters.

For more biographical information check out her Goodreads Profile


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

Amazon Author Page    Lisa Jewell - Official Facebook Page     Wikipedia - Lisa Jewell

Twitter Profile    Goodreads Author Profile