The Stepmother by Shelia Bugler

                                                   

Ebook:  325 pages      

Genre:  Mystery, Thriller, Psychological Thriller     ,                                  

Publisher:  Hodder and Stoughton, September 24th 2026

Source: NetGalley

First Sentences: Prologue: Before: She shut the lid on the suitcase and zipped it up.

Review Quote: ‘'Gripping, emotionally charged thriller that hooks you from the very first page and refuses to let go... The pacing is sharp and addictive, with short, tense chapters that make it almost impossible to put down. Just when you think you have a grasp on what's happening, another twist pulls you deeper into the mystery' Reader Review 

My Opinion: 

Prior to reading this novel I had never heard of Shelia Bugler. It seems she is a fairly prolific writer within the crime genre, not a favourite genre of mine but I was drawn to it as it is more of a psychological thriller.

Sarah and Mike appear to be a happy enough couple with everything going for them. Until one day without warning Mike just disappears with the children into thin air. The police are unable to help as the couple are not married, as the children are not hers she has no rights. Sarah had never felt the need to make it official by adopting them during the last six years she had cared for them as her own. She now has to search for them herself and in her quest for the truth makes some surprising discoveries.

This story grabbed me from the start and it is a quick page turning read, with plenty of twists and turns. A novel in this genre with a good stepmother instead of a wicked one, is also a different angle for a change. An engaging read with interesting protagonists.

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

 

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

It is a day like any other when Sarah arrives at the school gate to pick up her two stepchildren, Izzy and Patrick.

But when the twins don't run out to meet her like normal, Sarah knows something must be wrong.

Sarah can't believe what she's hearing when the teacher informs her that their father, Mike, removed them from school earlier in the day. All of Sarah's calls to Mike go to voicemail.

Worse is to come when Sarah is told by police that as she and Mike are not legally married, and he is the children's father, there is nothing they or Sarah can do.

Then she receives a text message from Don't go home. It's not safe.

What has Mike been hiding? Where are their children? How can Sarah get her family back? Before it's too late... 

Author Profile: 

Courtesy of Amazon 

In her own words:

Hello. I'm an Irish crime writer who lives in the UK. I have written eleven novels so far. My twelfth book is a psychological thriller called The Wife, published by Hodder and Stoughton. It's out on 25 March 2027 and is available to pre-order now. I really hope you enjoy it!

I adore crime fiction and have never wanted to write anything else. I'd be delighted to share my recommendations with you and to hear yours too. If you'd like to contact me, you can do so over at my Facebook author page or on Instagram (I'm @sheilabsussex).

Photograph and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Amazon Author Profile.    Instagram Profile   Facebook Profile.   Goodreads Profile

It's Not What You Think by Clare Mackintosh

                                              

Hardback: 391 pages     

                                                                                           

Genre:  Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Psychological Thriller,

Publisher: Harper Collins 2026

Source:  Tywyn Public Library

First Sentences: The lights change from green to amber. Nadeeka hesitates for a heartbeat before pressing her foot flat against the accelerator.

Review Quote: 'Madly twisty and super pacy and so so clever' LISA JEWELL

My Opinion: 

Having only just discovered Clare Mackintosh's writing I will certainly try and read more of her novels in the future. This one kept me reading until 1am to finish it, I was so riveted to the story.

To start with 'It's Not What You Think' feels like it is going to be a typical murder mystery. The female protagonist Nadeeka is convinced her partner Jamie is having an affair. Rushing home to she thinks catch him in the act, she is mortified to find him dead! Of course this results in a murder investigation, but one that takes so many twists and turns. The novel certainly lives up to its title.

The topics covered in this addictive novel are particularly relevant to current affairs. At time quite scary but I urge you to read if you enjoy a good thriller, as it may well open your eyes. Certainly gives the reader plenty of food for thought.

 

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

He has a secret. She knows he's lying…

YOU THINK YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE

Nadeeka is certain Jamie is having an affair. She knows the tell-tale signs. She's been here before.

YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHO YOU CAN TRUST

When Jamie claims to be at work late, she knows he's lying. He's with another woman, and she's determined to catch him in the act.

YOU THINK YOU KNOW HOW THE STORY ENDS

But when Nadeeka arrives home to confront him, Jamie can't explain himself. The house has become a crime scene…Jamie is dead.

Author Profile:

                                              

                                                             Courtesy of Goodreads

The following is just a snippet from her Goodreads Profile

I love connecting with my readers, and there are plenty of ways you can get a sneak peek at what's going on behind the scenes. My Facebook group offers reading recommendations and exclusive extras to members (just search online for 'The Clare Mackintosh Book Club'), or if it's general chit chat you're after, please do follow me on Instagram, where I go to avoid writing, and to share snippets of my life in rural Wales, complete with three spaniels and Pete the goat. I'm also on TikTok, much to the dismay of my three teenagers...

* * *

With over three million copies of her books sold worldwide, number one bestseller Clare Mackintosh is the multi-award-winning author of I Let You Go, which was a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller and the fastest-selling title by a new crime writer in 2015. It also won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year in 2016. She has since written seven more bestselling novels. Together, her books have been translated into 40 languages and spent more than sixty-five weeks in The Sunday Times bestseller lists.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites.

Clare Mackintosh Official Website    Twitter Profile.   Goodreads Profile.   Facebook Profile

Instagram Profile

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

  

Hardback:  456 pages  

Genre: Mystery,Thriller, Contemporary Psychological Thriller,                                              

Publisher: Penguin Random House 2025

Source: Tywyn Public Library

First Sentences: The house is spectacular. A huge white stucco villa on three floors plus attic rooms, a direct view of the sea visible through tall windows that frame the vista at the back and the front.

Review Quote: 'Lisa Jewell is a STONE COLD GENIUS! Don't Let Him In is a PHENOMENAL achievement' MARIAN KEYES

My Opinion:

Over the years that I have been reading this genre Lisa Jewell has become one of my go to favourites. In my opinion she is the queen of the contemporary psychological thriller.

In ‘Don’t Let Him In’ we meet a man of many names, Nick Radcliffe being one of his many pseudonyms and it this persona that finally brings him down. The man is a chilling and frighteningly plausible character, whose behaviour will shock you. To quote, ’He’s the perfect man. It’s a perfect lie.’ The women he has tormented over the years always fall for his charms and welcome him with open arms. Until one day someone starts to question his motives and his creepy world starts to fall apart.

If you have experience of the (author’s words) 'terrible men in this world' of which sadly there are some, you might find this rather a raw read. Worth doing so as the author successfully explores the psychology of such men. Highly recommend this novel to fans of the 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,  None of This is True

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

He’s the perfect man. It’s a perfect lie.

Nina Swann is intrigued when she received a condolence card from Nick Radcliffe, an old friend of her late husband, who is looking to connect after her husband’s unexpected death. Nick is a man of substance and good taste. He has a smile that could melt the coldest heart and a knack for putting others at ease. But to Nina’s adult daughter, Ash, Nick seems too slick, too polished, too good to be true. Without telling her mother, Ash begins digging into Nick’s past. What she finds is more than unsettling…

Martha is a florist living in a neighboring town with her infant daughter and her devoted husband, Alistair. But lately, Alistair has been traveling more and more frequently for work, disappearing for days at a time. When Martha questions him about his frequent absences, he always has a legitimate explanation, but Martha can’t share the feeling that something isn’t right.

Nina, Martha, and Ash are on a collision course with a shocking truth that is far darker than anyone could have imagined. And all three are about to wish they had heeded the same warning: Don’t let him in. But the past won’t stay buried forever.

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

The Perfect Catch by Samantha Vérant

                                 

Ebook: 308 pages Kindle Edition

Genre: Contemporary Psychological Thriller, Romantic Thriller

Publisher:  January 27th 2026 by Storm Publishing

Source: NetGalley

First Sentence: I'm kicking through the junk he's left behind.

Review Quote: ‘This one pulls you in fast and keeps tightening the screws… Tense and addictive.’ Reader Review, 

My Opinion:

The author states in the notes at the end of the book that her inspiration for this novel comes from real life events. Firstly when she was conned out of money, which fortunately she got back and secondly when she learnt about the world of fashion whilst launching her own handbag line. Events that certainly gave her a brilliant framework for this mind-blowing story.

In 'The Perfect Catch' we have the two main characters, Lexi Marlowe and Christophe Montclair. The reader is taken on a fast paced suspenseful journey' We soon learn that Christophe is a con-man who manipulates rich women, he just may have picked the wrong one this time though.

A quick read full of twists and turns, recommended for thriller readers.

With thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the author for the opportunity to read and review.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

Lexi Marlowe has spent years building her fashion brand from nothing, while carefully guarding the secrets of her past.

Then she meets Christophe Montclair – charming, sophisticated and heir to a fortune, he sweeps her off her feet with glamorous parties and his endless high-society connections.

When he gets down on one knee, Lexi barely hears the alarm bells ringing in the back of her mind. Is he too good to be true, or is she simply in love?

Their honeymoon period is soon littered with red flags. Christophe won’t talk about his past, claiming he values his privacy. Tense phone calls leave him looking over his shoulder. Then the police turn up with questions about a murder…

Lexi’s new husband is hiding something big. But he isn’t the only one who married a stranger…

Author Profile:         

                                                          

                                                            Courtesy of  Goodreads

Samantha Vérant was born in the USA, she is a travel addict, a self-professed oenophile, and a determined, if occasionally unconventional, at-home French chef. Over the years, she’s visited many different countries, lived in many places, and worked many jobs— always on the search for the one thing that truly excited her. Then, one day, she found everything she’s been looking for: a passion for the written word and true love. Writing not only enabled her to open her heart, it led her to southwestern France, where she’s now married to a sexy French rocket scientist she met over twenty years ago, a stepmom to two incredible kids, and the adoptive mother to one ridiculously adorable Charteux cat. When she’s not trekking from Provence to the Pyrénées, tasting wine in American-sized glasses, or embracing her inner Julia Child while deliberating what constitutes the perfect boeuf bourguignon, Samantha is making her best effort to relearn those dreaded conjugations.

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

Goodreads-Author Profile  Amazon-Author Profile  Samantha Vérant Official Website

Five Days in Provence by Simon McCleave

                                          

Ebook: 290 pages                                                                                             
Genre: Contemporary Psychological Thriller, Thriller
Publisher:  27 June 2025 by Storm Publishing
Source: NetGalley
First Sentences: A shadowy figure emerges from a bank of acrid smoke. It looks other worldly. Ethereal. I can't see who it is yet.
Review Quote: ‘I devoured this book in one day.’ Reader Review, 

My Opinion: 

The first book I have read by this author and to be honest I am unsure what attracted me to read 'Five Days in Provence'. Possible the fact that the author lives in north Wales and the novel is set in beautiful Provence.

Five long term girl friends, now all approaching fifty have gathered together for a weekend of Birthday Celebrations. Things don't work out as planned as by the second day one of them has been murdered!

The portrayal of the women and their relationships with each other was not one I really enjoyed and from this aspect I was disappointed. The storyline did hold my interest though at times I did feel it was rather familiar to another novel I read. This happens of course and is not a criticism of the writer just muddled my brain. Anyway probably worth reading if you are an avid thriller fan. 

With thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Simon McCleave for the opportunity to read and review.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

Five lifelong friends gather at a picturesque farmhouse nestled amidst the lavender fields to celebrate a birthday, but beneath the sun-drenched skies of Provence, their dream escape will end in murder.

Steph spent months planning her perfect birthday celebration. Five days in an idyllic setting with her best friends. Long lazy lunches, crisp white wine by the pool and a climb up the beautiful Mont Ventoux. She couldn’t wait. They’ve been there for each other through the good times and the bad. This was the break everyone needed.

After their first night partying, they begin their hike. But as the lavender-scented air turns acrid from local wildfires, fierce winds whip up smoke – and tensions in the group. They become separated. Hours later, when the smoke clears, one of the friends lies dead on the mountainside.

As shadows lengthen across the limestone farmhouse, Steph’s birthday transforms into a nightmare of police questions. Now there are only four friends. And the way they avoid each other’s eyes suggests one unspeakable truth – the killer might be sitting around this kitchen table.

Author Profile:
                                                      

Simon McCleave is a multi million-selling crime novelist who lives in North Wales with his wife and two children.

Before he was an author, Simon worked as a script editor at the BBC and a producer at Channel 4 before working as a story analyst in Los Angeles. He then became a script writer, writing on series such as Silent Witness, The Bill, EastEnders and many more. His Channel 4 film Out of the Game was critically acclaimed and described as ‘an unflinching portrayal of male friendship’ by Time Out.

His first book, 'The Snowdonia Killings', was released in January 2020 and soon became an Amazon Bestseller, reaching No 1 in the UK Chart and selling over 400,000 copies. His twenty subsequent novels in the DI Ruth Hunter Snowdonia Series have all been Amazon bestsellers, with most of them hitting the top of the digital charts. He has sold over 3 million books to date. 

‘The Dark Tide’, Simon’s first book in an Anglesey based crime series for publishing giant Harper Collins (Avon), was a major hit in 2022, becoming the highest selling Waterstone’s Welsh Book of the Month ever. 

This year, Simon is releasing the first in a new series of books, ‘Marshal of Snowdonia’ with several more planned for 2025. 

Simon has also written a one-off psychological thriller, Last Night at Villa Lucia, for Storm Publishing, which was a major hit, The Times describing it as ‘…well above the usual seasonal villa thriller…’ with its ‘…empathetic portrayal of lives spent in the shadow of coercion and abuse.’ 

The Snowdonia based DI Ruth Hunter books are now set to be filmed as a major new television series, with shooting to begin in North Wales in 2025.

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

Goodreads Author Page     Amazon Author Profile.   Facebook Profile.  Twitter Profile

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

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