My Friend's Husband by Rupa Mahadevan

 

Ebook:   336 pages                                                                         

Genre: Psychological Thriller, Crime Thriller, Mystery, 

Publisher:  June 11th  2026, Joffe Books,

Source:  NetGalley

First Sentences: Prologue: Caller: Help me ...please, someone.... They....I'm scared.....please please.....

Review Quote: ‘I really enjoyed this book. It had plenty of suspense and twists to keep you wanting to read on.’ Anita W.

My Opinion: 

'My Friend's Husband' is a dual timeline domestic thriller and the first book I have read by this author.

A young woman Roshni has been kidnapped and the story centres around the to main suspects, Clara, her friend and Roshni's husband Steve. The question is will Roshni be found alive or not?

A dark and intense story with plenty of betrayals and secrets that will appeal to fans of the genre.

Thanks to NetGalley, Joffe books and Rupa Mahadevan for the opportunity to read and review.

 

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

My best friend is missing. And the police think I did it. But her perfect husband is lying.

I’ve spent most of my life getting things wrong. Bad choices. Bad luck. Bad timing.

Roshni was my fresh start. She gave me a job. A room. A second chance.

Now she’s gone.

The day she vanished, she managed one desperate 999 call.
“Someone’s taken me. I’m in the boot of a car. Please—”

Then the line went dead.

I was the last person to see her alive. Now the police are closing in.

But they’re looking at the wrong suspect.

Because Steve — the devoted, devastated husband — isn’t who he claims to be.

A brilliantly twisty page-turner packed with nail-biting tension.

Author Profile:

                                         

                                          Photo and Bio Courtesy of Amazon 

Rupa Mahadevan is a passionate storyteller of character led and page turning thrillers that keep you guessing till the last chapter. Her books aim to be an alluring mixture of crime and culture.

She grew up on the south-eastern coast of India and has called the south-eastern coast of Scotland home for over fifteen years. she currently lives in Edinburgh with her husband and two children. When she is not grappling with Excel in her day job, she loves to read and dream up stories of her own.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Goodreads - Author Page.    Amazon Author Page

The Daughter by T. M.Logan

                                             

Hardback:  399 pages      

Genre:  Contemporary Psychological Thriller, Family Mystery,

Publisher: Zaffre, Bonnier Books UK. 2025

Source:  Tywyn Public Library

First Sentence: Ten weeks. It is the longest time we've ever been apart.

Review Quote: 'An excellent premise and explosively enjoyable finale' The Guardian

Setting:  England

My Opinion: In recent years I have found myself reading many more books in the thriller genre and T.M. Logan is definitely one of my go to authors. T.M Logan has told his readers that he often gets ideas for his books from real life scenarios. So it is no surprise that he had a what if moment whilst collecting his daughter after her first term away at university, which has eventually evolved into 'The Daughter'

A missing person! When Lauren turns up to collect her daughter, Evie from university for the Christmas break she is not there. Lauren and her son Lucas find their world unravelling around them as they battle to come to terms with Evie's disappearance. Determined to track her down, the twists, turns and dramas they encounter during their search for her make for an unpredictable read.

With a naturally flowing writing style and realistic characters I found this captivating. This novel was a great start to my 2026 reading and I recommend to all fans of the genre.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

Lauren can't wait to see her daughter again, to pick her up from university at the end of her first term. But when she arrives at her hall and knocks at room 309, a stranger opens the door.

For a few minutes, Lauren assumes she must have the wrong room, or the wrong floor. Maybe even the wrong building.

But she soon discovers the Evie's not there. She hasn't been there for weeks. So where is she? 

Following one family's desperate race against time as one terrifying moment unravels into a living nightmare, The Daughter is the unmissable new heart-in-mouth thriller from T.M. Logan.

Previous Review: The Dream Home

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

Eight Years of Lies by Lisa Hall

 

                                                   

Ebook:   301 pages

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Domestic Thriller,

Publisher: Joffe Books, 19th February 2025

Source:  NetGalley

First Sentences:  Prologue: It was just a normal day. Another boring, mundane day in our boring, mundane lives.

Review Quote: ‘A tense, pacy rollercoaster of a read, full of suspense, twists and dark intrigue. I was furiously turning the pages until the heart-stopping conclusion.’ A. A. CHAUDHURI, bestselling author

My Opinion: 

This is the second book I have read by Lisa Hall, having been previously been introduced to her writing by a Book Club Choice. I was apprehensive about doing so as I found the previous novel repetitive, unfortunately so was this one at times, but it did not spoil my enjoyment.

Claire has been happily married or so she thought to Tom for eight years. Then suddenly he just disappears without trace leaving her alone with their daughter wondering why. Her search for him is told by her but interspersed with chapters from an unknown person, which certainly adds to the intrigue. Claire soon discovers she does not know her husband all, as shocking discoveries unfold throughout the novel.

A very quick read for me, a contemporary psychological thriller full of lies and surprising twists. Far fetched maybe at times but then I read for escapism so went with the flow.

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

Précis Courtesy of Amazon: 

Was my marriage always built on lies? How could everything unravel so quickly?

My life wasn’t perfect — school runs, late meetings, family dinners — But we were happy.

Then a single Facebook post destroys it all: ‘PLEASE CAN ANYONE HELP ME? HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MAN? I am Lydia French. This is my husband and child — they have been missing for several months and I am desperate to find them.’

I look at the photo of a man and a little girl, smiling in the sun, and freeze. They’re not Lydia French’s husband and child. They’re mine.

I get a call from the school. Tom hasn’t picked up our daughter. He’s not answering his phone. His boss says he didn’t show up for work.

Nothing makes sense. Panic claws my chest as I piece together the fragments of my shattered reality.

The man I’ve lived with for the past eight years, the man I’ve made a home, a family, a life with, isn’t who I thought he was at all. The man I married has been lying to me . . . about everything.

Previous Review:  The Perfect Couple

Author Profile:         

Courtesy of Author Website

Lisa loves words, reading and everything there is to love about books. She has dreamed of being a writer since she was a little girl – either that or a librarian - and after years of talking about it, was finally brave enough to put pen to paper (and let people actually read it). Lisa lives in a small village in Kent, surrounded by her towering TBR pile, a rather large brood of children, dogs, chickens and ponies and her long-suffering husband. She is also rather partial to eating cheese and drinking wine.  (Taken from Author Website)

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

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Twitter - Lisa Hall Author

Amazon Author Page

The Hike by Lucy Clarke

                                            

Hardback:  376 pages                                                                                                

Genre: Contemporary Fiction and Thriller

Publisher: Harper Collins 2023

Source: Tywyn Public Library

First Sentence: Prologue: Her body lies broken on the mountainside.

Review Quote: ‘Lucy Clarke brilliantly transports readers. The chilling environment and the tense, unpredictable plot both sent shivers down my spine’ ADELE PARKS

Main Characters: Liz Wallace, Joni Gold, Helena Hall and Maggie Padden

Setting: Blafjell Mountain Region in Norway

My Opinion:   Blafjell Mountain and Svelte Trail in Norway.

Lucy Clarke is an author whose writing has grown on me, the more I read of writing, the more I seem to enjoy her novels. She writes destination thrillers and this time the setting is Norway.

Four young women Liz, Joni, Helena and Maggie have holidayed together for many years and this time the choice is Norway. The trip is to the Blafjell region of mountains where they plan to hike a circular trail from the Hiking Lodge/Hotel that will take them a few days so they will camp in the wild. As well as a physical journey for the four of them it will also be a personal journey testing their relationships. An adventure in the wilderness surrounded by the natural beauty of the Norwegian countryside, that turns into a nightmare as things start to go horribly wrong. 

Loved this and raced through it as I was hooked from page one. Recommended to mystery fans looking for a gripping plot with atmospheric descriptions of the surroundings.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

Wish you were here?
Think again . . .

Maggie, Liz, Helena & Joni. Old friends bound by history, adventures, old secrets.

And now, bound by murder.

They lace up their hiking boots for the adventure of a lifetime in the Norwegian wilderness: a place of towering mountains, glass-like lakes, log cabins and forests stolen from a fairytale.

It’s the perfect place to lose yourself – until a broken body is found at the bottom of a ravine.

Somewhere out there, someone knows exactly why a woman has died. And in this deep, dark wilderness, there’s a killer on the trail . . .

Previous Reviews: One of the Girls.   Last Seen

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 Family Lies by Angela Henry

 

                                             

Ebook:  317 pages Kindle Edition

Genre:  Psychological Thriller,

Publisher: Storm Publishing 22nd January  2025 

Source:  NetGalley 

First Sentences: The woman ran through the woods, oblivious to the branches that slapped her in the face and the roots she stumbled over.

Review Quote: Angela Henry is a brilliant storyteller. She is a marvel at making the reader feel the unease alongside the characters and with the drama and intrigue, this book is a wonderful way to lose a day reading!' Reader Review,

My Opinion: 

This novel first appealed to me, on discovering that like myself, libraries hold a special place in the author's heart. With the setting partly in a library how could I resist.

Sabrina Adams has just started a new job organising the family library on the private estate of a local businessman. She soon discovers that all is not as it seems on the surface in this house. The tension builds and none of the characters are to be believed, the story twists and turns with so many revelations as the web of lies unfolds.

An unpredictable read filled with secrets and deception. Recommended to fans of psychological thrillers and those that like to try and unravel a mystery. Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Angela Henry for the opportunity to read and review.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

Every family has secrets. The Dorseys bury theirs.

Sabrina Adams thought her luck had finally turned around when she was hired as a librarian for the wealthy Dorsey family. But as soon as she arrives at their elegant estate, she senses something is off. They have cameras everywhere. She’s banned from the third floor, and she spotted someone watching the house from the nearby woods. And why does the housekeeper, Mrs Manning, insist on so many rules?

Then police officers arrive at the door with questions about the disappearance of a local woman. Sabrina is shocked to learn her charming employer, Theo Dorsey, was the last person to see the missing woman alive. He insists he’s innocent. Despite her growing doubts, Sabrina keeps her head down because she desperately needs this job. But then Theo is linked to another woman’s death several years before. And after finding out no one has seen the Dorsey’s previous librarian in years, she has to ask herself... Who can I trust in this family? And will I be next?

A gripping and utterly compulsive psychological thriller that will delight fans of Verity, The Housemaid and anything by Lisa Jewell.

Author Profile:         

                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

                                              Courtesy of Author Website Profile

Angela Henry is the Amazon charts bestselling, award-winning author of six mysteries featuring nosy amateur sleuth Kendra Clayton, the Xavier Knight urban fantasy detective series, and thrillers The Paris Secret, The Perfect Affair, and Her Pretty Lies. She’s also the author of the middle-grade fantasy novel Labyrinth Societywritten under the pen-name Angie Kelly. 

Angela has been published by BET Books, Harlequin’s Carina Press, Kensington Publishing, and Kindle Press, before starting her own publishing imprint Boulevard West Press LLC. As well as managing her own imprint, she also writes for Storm Publishing.

When she’s not writing she loves to travel, is a connoisseur of B horror movies, and is a functioning anime addict. She lives in Ohio with her husband and their spoiled Chiweenie and is currently procrastinating on her next deadline.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Author Official Website.    Amazon Profile.    Goodreads Profile.   Facebook Profile

Twitter Profile

The Secret Inheritance by Rachel Lynch

                                  

Ebook:   357 pages Kindle edition

Genre:  Mystery Thriller, Psychological Thriller, 

Publisher: October 2024 by Storm Publishing

Source: My Kindle Library via NetGalley

First Sentences: 'It won't be long now,' the doctor whispered. Clara dipped a mouth-swab into a bowl of cold water and was reminded of giving out lollipops to the children when they were small.

Review Quote: ‘So many family, secrets, so many twists, and turns, I absolutely loved this book!’ Reader Review, 

My Opinion: 

To be completely honest, this is the first book I have read by this author, because until now the titles/genre haven't appealed to me. 'The Secret Inheritance' stood out as a departure from her Crime Series, as it is a stand alone psychological thriller. Having read the blurb I liked the sound of this novel and must say I was not disappointed.

The protagonists Hettie, Jamie and Rosie are estranged siblings, forced to spend time together at the family home, after the death of their father. After a miserable and traumatic childhood it soon appears that they are all seeking revenge on each other in dark and devious ways.

A country house setting in the English countryside with betrayal and tragedy, for the family has made for a very readable psychological thriller. Can certainly recommend this page turner to fans of the genre.

With thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishers and the author for the opportunity to read and review.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

The day her brother Christian died, Rosie Fitzherbert left her family home and never came back. Until now.

When her father dies, Rosie returns to Warbury House after decades away. To secure her share of the fortune, she must endure seven days with her estranged siblings, Hettie and James. But the sprawling estate holds more than money – it guards the truth about her brother’s tragic death.

As old wounds reopen, Rosie realises silence won't protect her anymore. With millions at stake and family secrets threatening to surface, can Rosie confront her past before it consumes her future? Rosie hasn't spoken in years. Will returning to Warbury House finally give her a voice?

Author Profile:         

                                                     

                                                    

                                                  Courtesy of Amazon Profile

Rachel Lynch grew up in Cumbria and regularly hiked the fells from a young age.

After studying history at the University of Lancaster, Rachel trained to become a teacher in London.

She began writing full time in 2016 and is represented by Peter Buckman of the Ampersand Agency.

Canelo signed the first three novels in the Kelly Porter series in 2018 and number 12 was published in 2024. 

Rachel lives near London with her husband and two children, and Poppy the terrier.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Amazon Author Profile.    Twitter Profile.   Goodreads Profile

The Forgetting by Hannah Beckerman

                                                   

Paperback:  331 pages                                                                                   

Genre:  Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Domestic Drama, Psychological Thriller. 

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing  April 2023

Source: Tywyn Public Library

Review Quote: “A compelling, claustrophobic story…I finished it in one huge gulp, excusing myself unilaterally from any family responsibilities I was so desperate to finish it.” ―The Observer

Favourite Quote: 'My parents always warned me: be careful who you have kids with. Mortgages, joint bank accounts, marriages - you can extricate yourself from all of it. But have a child with someone and you're linked to them for the rest of your life.'

First Sentences: When I open my eyes, nothing is familiar. Light falls in parallel strips across the ceiling. Square white tiles, puckered with small black holes, form neat grids. A metal railings above me, curved like the broad sweep of an arm.

My Opinion: 

This is the third book I have read by this author and I was looking forward to starting. Wow, once I did I raced through this story that makes for compulsive reading, I was hooked from the start.

Anna Bradshaw and Livvy Nicholson, the protagonists are two young women who are both in relationships where they feel trapped. We are told in the book blurb that their stories are going to collide, but how is that to be? Told from the points of view of both women the disturbing story unfolds.

Absolutely devoured this very moving and scarily realistic novel about coercive relationships and domestic violence. Highly recommend to all fans of the genre. 

Previous Review:  If Only I Could Tell You.  The Impossible Truths of Love

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

From the bestselling author of If Only I Could Tell You comes the story of two women feeling trapped and powerless. Can they find their way back to life?

When Anna Bradshaw wakes up in a hospital bed in London, she remembers nothing, not even her loving husband, Stephen. The doctors say her amnesia is to be expected, but Anna feels cut adrift from her entire life.

In Bristol, Livvy Nicholson is newly married to Dominic and eager to get back to work after six months’ maternity leave. But when Dominic’s estranged mother appears, making a series of unnerving claims, Livvy is sucked into a version of herself she doesn’t recognise.

A hundred miles apart, both women feel trapped and disorientated, and their stories are about to collide. Can they uncover the secret that connects them and reconstruct their fractured lives?

Author Profile and Photo From Amazon: 

           

Hannah Beckerman is a bestselling author and journalist whose novels have been translated into more than a dozen languages worldwide. She is a book critic and features writer for a range of publications including The Observer and the FT Weekend Magazine, and has appeared as a book pundit on BBC Radio 2 and Times Radio. She chairs literary events across the UK, interviewing authors and celebrities, and has judged numerous book prizes including the Costa Book Awards. Prior to writing her first novel, Hannah was a television producer and commissioning editor for the BBC, Channel 4 and the Discovery Channel, and for two years lived in Bangladesh, running a TV project for the BBC. She now lives in London where she writes full-time.

Her About Me on her Website makes an interesting read. 

Photograph and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Amazon Author Profile    Official Website - Hannah Beckerman.  Twitter Profile

Instagram Profile    Facebook Profile