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

The Surf House by Lucy Clarke

                                                           

Ebook:  392 pages                                                                                                

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Thriller, Mystery

Publisher: February 27th 2025, Harper Collins 

Source: NetGalley

First Sentence: In the sweltering, diesel-filmed heat, we drove down the clanking ramp of the car ferry, tyres hitting Moroccan concrete.

Review Quote: 'Escapist, thrilling, unforgettable’ GILLIAN McALLISTER

My Opinion:   

Lucy Clarke was inspired to write 'The Surf House' after falling in love with surfing in her thirties. Combining her passion with a wild surf filled destination in Morocco she had the setting for her ninth destination thriller.

'The Surf House' has a large cast of characters, many of them not particularly pleasant, which becomes more and more obvious throughout the novel. The main protagonist is Bea from whose perspective the story is mainly revealed. Bea finds herself in a difficult situation in Marrakech and a stranger Marnie steps in to help her. Marnie then offers her a place to stay whilst she recovers from the shock she has experienced. She soon discovers that whilst staying at the same place last year a young girl, Savannah had disappeared without trace. Being of a similar age and staying in the same room Bea takes it upon herself to investigate her disappearance. What a web of intrigue and corruption she finds herself mixed up in.

The wonderful descriptions of Morocco transport the reader to this magical sounding place as the tense storyline becomes evermore dramatic. A perfect choice for thriller fans and maybe surfers, certainly a great holiday read.

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

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

WISH YOU WERE HERE? THINK AGAIN…

High on the wave-pounded cliffs, far from the bustling souks of Marrakech, sits The Surf House.

A hidden gem on Morocco’s shores, the house is a sanctuary for the surfers, travellers and dreamers who wash in.

But the idyll is built on something rotten.

And when Bea arrives, relieved to find refuge after a dangerous encounter in a Marrakech alleyway, she soon gets caught in the swell of a deep, dark mystery.

Because another young woman went missing one year ago – and the last place she was sighted was The Surf House.

Previous Reviews: One of the Girls.   Last Seen   The Hike

Author Profile

          

Lucy Clarke, novelist, traveller and fresh air enthusiast is the author of eight destination thrillers. They include Waterstones Thriller of the Month, The Castaways, Richard and Judy Book Club pick, One of the Girls, and most recently, The Hike. Lucy's novels have sold over a million copies and are published in more than 25 territories worldwide.

Lucy's thriller, No Escape (also published as The Blue) has been released as a major international show for Paramount+. Set in the Philippines, the seven-part series is directed by Hans Herbot (The Serpent) and stars Abigail Lawrie and Rhianne Barreto as best friends Lana and Kitty.

The Castaways has also been adapted for screen and was The Guardian Pick of the Week. BAFTA award-winner Sheridan Smith stars as Lori, and Celine Buckens plays her sister, Erin. The five-part thriller is available to stream on Paramount+.

When Lucy isn't away on research trips (the real reason she loves being an author!), she can be found writing from a beach hut on the south coast of England. She lives with her husband and their two children.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites.

Goodreads Author Page   Facebook - Lucy Clarke    Instagram - Lucy Clarke Author

Official Author Website    Amazon Author Page

The Other Mrs Eden by Becky Alexander

 

                                           

 Ebook:    282 pages      

Genre: Domestic Drama, Contemporary Thriller, Fiction                                           

Publisher:   September 11th 2024 by Storm Publishing

Source:  NetGalley - My Kindle

First Sentence: 'She's a total bitch. Good luck.' I watched the woman march down the path towards the road, banging the gate behind her.

Review Quote: ‘Fascinating… a gripping story.’ Harriet Tyce, bestselling author of Blood Orange

My Opinion: 

Not the thriller I was expecting, but more of a domestic drama and the title disappointed me. It just does not make a good fit. The characters are not particularly likeable either but I am sure this was the authors intention. I kept reading though despite these minor irritations and am glad I did so.

The female protagonists are Kim, the would be actress who gets a job as PA to Jemima Eden a famous actress. Life is not as it seems on the surface for Jemima and her husband George as Kim discovers as she becomes more and more entrenched in the couples life.

The suspense kept me interested and the ending is a good and for me unexpected twist. Fans of domestic drama will enjoy this quick read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

I never imagined I'd be living in Jemima Eden's world. As her new assistant I'm suddenly part of a life I've only ever dreamed of. After years of barely scraping by, juggling temp jobs and failed auditions, it feels like my chance to finally be someone.

Author Profile:

 Photo Courtesy of Goodreads              

Becky Alexander is a non-fiction book editor by day and writes dark, twisty thrillers by night. Being more inclined to hiding behind a screen, Becky has always been fascinated by the psychology of actors - just why do they put themselves in the spotlight and face all that competition and rejection? To find out, Becky started acting classes and has recently taken part in her first play - which was as terrifying as expected. 

Becky is a Curtis Brown novel writing course alumni (course led by Charlotte Mendelson). Her first novel, Someone Like You, is about ambitious, driven women and what they will do to get success. Any resemblance to living people is purely intentional...                                               

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Amazon Author Page.    Goodreads Author Profile

The Dream Home by T.M. Logan

                                    

Hardback:  406 pages      

Genre:  Contemporary Thriller, Mystery, fiction, Crime, Suspense.                                         

Publisher: 2024 - Zaffre Publishing Group

Source:  Tywyn Public Library

First Sentence: It's towards the end of moving-in day that I find it.

Review Quote: 'Logan belongs in the top echelons of British thriller writers' Sunday Express

Setting:  Nottingham, England

My Opinion: 

Although I have been aware of the author T.M. Logan, thrillers are not my first choice of genre. No surprise then that this is the first of his novels that I have read, though hopefully it will not be the last.

'The Dream Home' is the story of Adam, his wife Jess and their three children as they gradually discover the sinister secrets connected to their new home. It is not just the house that is hiding secrets though and Adam finds that his consequent actions put the whole family in peril. A very dark story with so many menacing facts revealed as the novel progresses that I was kept unsuccessfully guessing right to the end!

Throughly enjoyed this tension packed thriller, which I highly recommend to fans of the genre.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

Their dream house will become a nightmare . . .

Adam and Jess move into a new house with their three young a rambling Victorian villa right at the very top of their price range. Before long Adam discovers a door hidden behind a fitted wardrobe, concealing a secret room . . .

Inside Adam discovers an array of forgotten items, among them a wallet, an antique watch and an old mobile phone. Jess thinks they should simply throw them away. But Adam resists. He is fascinated by these items and how they came to be inside the hidden room.

But like the house, Adam has his secrets too. And soon he will find himself setting in motion a series of events that will place his family in terrible danger . . .

Author Profile:                                                                                                

                                      

Bestselling author TM Logan was a national newspaper journalist before turning to novel-writing full time. His thrillers have sold more than two million copies in the UK and are published in translation in 22 countries around the world including France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, South Korea, Poland, Hungary, Serbia, Greece, Romania and the Netherlands.

He was born in Berkshire on the 19th of December 1975 and grew up in Reading, the youngest of three boys and a fully-fledged bookworm from a very young age. He read history at Westfield College, part of the University of London, and went on to do a postgrad at Cardiff University.

Wanting to write journalism seemed an obvious choice, and after five years as a reporter and then education correspondent on the Nottingham Evening Post he moved to London to work on the Daily Mail. The next move took him back to the East Midlands, where he worked for the University of Nottingham as a press officer, writing fiction in any spare time he could find. In January 2017 his first thriller was published. a few weeks later his current position as a deputy director in charge of the university’s communications team – was scrapped as part of a restructure. That was when he decided to take the plunge into writing full-time.

He lives in Nottinghamshire with his wife and two children, and writes in a cabin in the corner of his garden.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Goodreads Author Profile.    Amazon Author Page   Official Author Website

Twitter Profile.    Instagram Profile.   Facebook Profile

One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke

 

                                              

Hardback:  434 pages                                                                                                

Genre: Contemporary Fiction and Thriller

Publisher: Harper Collins 2022

Source: Tywyn Public Library

First Sentence: Later, we would all remember the hen weekend for one reason: because of what happened the night of the beach fire.

Review Quote: ‘An addictive sun-soaked thriller’MARIE CLAIRE

Main Characters: Lexi, Robyn, Fen, Bella, Ana and Eleanor

Setting: The fictional island of Legos in Greece.

My Opinion:  

Lucy Clarke writes destination thrillers and this time the setting is the fictional Greek island of Aegos. Right from the very first page the reader is made aware that there is going to be a murder. This keeps the tension utmost throughout the novel and definitely kept me guessing!

A hen party is taking place and each of the six protagonists, Lexi, Robyn, Fen, Bella, Ana and Eleanor take turns in narrating. Everyone is on edge and hiding secrets which are gradually revealed as events escalate over the weekend.

Transport yourself to Greece, with sunshine, secrets and complex relationships plus a murder with this engrossing read.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

A twisty psychological thriller from internationally-bestselling author Lucy Clarke, One of the Girls is the delicious story of a bachelorette trip on a stunning Greek island... that ends in murder.

It was supposed to be the perfect weekend away. Six very different women travel to a sun-soaked Greek island for a bachelorette trip, to celebrate Lexi’s upcoming wedding. From the glorious ocean views to the quaint tavernas and whitewashed streets, the vacation seems too good to be true. But dangerous undercurrents run beneath the sunset swims and midnight cocktails – because each of the women is hiding a secret. Someone is determined to make sure that Lexi’s marriage never happens – and that one of them doesn’t leave the island alive.

Gripping, twisty, and full of sun-soaked suspense, this timely thriller examines the joys of female friendship…as well as the deadly consequences when a relationship goes wrong.


Author Profile

          

Lucy Clarke, novelist, traveller and fresh air enthusiast is the author of eight destination thrillers. They include Waterstones Thriller of the Month, The Castaways, Richard and Judy Book Club pick, One of the Girls, and most recently, The Hike. Lucy's novels have sold over a million copies and are published in more than 25 territories worldwide.

Lucy's thriller, No Escape (also published as The Blue) has been released as a major international show for Paramount+. Set in the Philippines, the seven-part series is directed by Hans Herbot (The Serpent) and stars Abigail Lawrie and Rhianne Barreto as best friends Lana and Kitty.

The Castaways has also been adapted for screen and was The Guardian Pick of the Week. BAFTA award-winner Sheridan Smith stars as Lori, and Celine Buckens plays her sister, Erin. The five-part thriller is available to stream on Paramount+.

When Lucy isn't away on research trips (the real reason she loves being an author!), she can be found writing from a beach hut on the south coast of England. She lives with her husband and their two children.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites.

Goodreads Author Page   Facebook - Lucy Clarke    Instagram - Lucy Clarke Author

Official Author Website    Amazon Author Page

The New Wife by JP Delaney

                                             

Hardback:  343 pages                                                                                 

Genre:  Mystery, Thriller, Psychological Fiction

Publisher:  Quercus, July 2023

Source:  Tywyn Public Library

Review Quote: Like Daphne du Maurier he sustains the ambiguity deftly and deliciously - whenever a resolution looks imminent, a new development preserves the enigma ― Sunday Times

Favourite Quote: Did any of us speak a word that day that was true, I now wonder? Perhaps those few words that weren't in English might have been the cold unvarnished truth - a brief instruction to the older woman on how she should respond.

First Sentences:  In rural parts of Mallora, you still come across clusters of carob trees surrounded by high nets, open to the sky. These are es trampes, the songbird traps.

Setting: Mallorca

My Opinion:  First discovered this author thanks to his earlier novel  Playing Nice  being selected as a Richard and Judy Bookclub choice. Since then he has been on the list of authors I select when in the mood for a psychological thriller.

Finn and Jess have just learnt that their father has died in Mallorca.  He has lived there for many years and the farmhouse he lives in with his third wife, is his children's inheritance. Between them they decide that Finn should travel to Mallorca to take control of the situation. It does not work out as simply as the siblings had hoped though. Who is telling lies and who is telling the truth about the situation?

Unpredictable as just when you feel you have worked out what is happening, along comes another twist! If you enjoy being kept guessing then this is definitely one for you. 

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

When Finn Hensen gets a call from his sister Jess to say their father has died, neither is heartbroken. Their parents divorced many years ago, after which their father, Jimmy, continued to live a bohemian lifestyle in sun-soaked Mallorca, while his family returned to the UK.

Ownership of his home, a beautiful but dilapidated farmhouse in the mountains, now passes to Finn and his sister. The only problem is that Jimmy recently remarried for the third time, and his new wife, Ruensa, is still living there.

The pair agree that Finn should go to Mallorca and tactfully take possession of their inheritance. When he arrives, however, Finn is surprised to find that Finca Siquia has been completely transformed into a chic Mediterranean bolthole by Ruensa - along with her twenty-seven-year-old daughter, Roze. The Spanish police, meanwhile, are asking awkward questions about Jimmy's death . . . Are Ruensa and Roze the helpless victims of circumstance? Or will they stop at nothing to get Finca Siquia for themselves?

Previous Reviews: Playing Nice   My Darling Daughter

Author Profile : 

                                               

                                                      Courtesy of Author Website

JP Delaney is a British writer of psychological suspense. His novel THE GIRL BEFORE was an instant New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller which sold over a million copies in 40 countries. It was adapted by him for the BBC and HBO Max in 2021. His second thriller, BELIEVE ME, was also an international and Sunday Times bestseller, as were his subsequent books THE PERFECT WIFE and PLAYING NICE. His fifth psychological thriller, MY DARLING DAUGHTER, was published in 2022.

JP Delaney has previously written bestselling fiction under other names. The Carnivia Trilogy, a series of three standalone but interlinked thrillers set in present-day Venice and written under the name Jonathan Holt, was published in more than 20 countries. 

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites.

Author Official Website   Amazon Author Page            

The Mother Next Door by Leah Mercer

                                                 

Ebook:  255 pages      

Genre: Contemporary Thriller,Fiction                                           

Publisher:  February 27, 2023 by Bookouture

Source: My Kindle

First Sentences: The river pulled at the shape floating in its waters, playfully passing it from one wave to the next, completely oblivious to the panic and fear of the women watching from the bank.

Review Quote: ‘My Gosh! You just never know what you will find when you go back to your childhood home… Wow!… I was absolutely 100% positive that I had figured out the story and then??? NO! There are so many secrets… Hang on folks! This is so well done and anyone who adores a good thriller will truly want to grab this novel!’ Goodreads reviewer⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Setting: England

My Opinion:  A great plot, how well does one really know your friends and neighbours?!  This was a gripping read as the three main protagonists, Fiona, Alison and Jasmine each tell the story from their own point of view as their joint nightmare unfolds.

Recommended if you enjoy a suspenseful thriller with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

I glance over at Lou’s house as I pull onto my drive, surprised that it is still in darkness. Lou and the kids should have been home from school long ago. I should be preparing a delicious meal for my children as they tell me about their day. But Lou’s car is nowhere to be seen…

The night is drawing in and Lou has still not returned. I try not to panic, but deep down I know something is wrong. Lou is the most dependable friend. Our children are at the same school. We always help each other out, and she cares for my two like only a mother can.

As a storm rages outside and local news reports tell everyone to stay indoors, a feeling of deep dread starts to swell. Then the call comes. The police have found Lou’s car, with my children’s schoolbags still inside along with Lou’s phone. But they are nowhere to be seen.

Clutching my husband’s hands, willing our children to be found safe and sound, I try to silence the voice inside my head. I’ve not been honest. I’m being punished for what happened all those years ago.

And then I get Lou’s message and I know that if I want to see my children again, I need to tell the truth to everyone I love.

What I don’t yet know is that Lou has been keeping her own dark secret. And once the storm passes, nothing will ever be the same again.

Author Profile:                

                                                                                   

                                           Courtesy of Authors Website

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