The Blurb:
When someone wants you dead, is there anywhere to hide?
Who can you really trust?
Beth couldn’t be happier. She is eight weeks pregnant and married to the man of her dreams. But after returning home from a celebratory meal, she finds a wreath from her sister’s grave hanging above the bed and a kitchen knife embedded in her pillow. There are no signs of a forced entry. Nothing is stolen. And no one other than the cleaner has a key to the house.
Then a campaign of terror begins. Beth becomes increasingly paranoid as it becomes clear that someone close to the family is behind these disturbing events.
But who would want Beth dead?
Does the past hold the clue?
And can Beth find the answer before it’s too late?
Torment is a story of misplaced loyalty, revenge and sacrifice.
Torment is published by Tilbury Publishing and you can buy it here.
My Review:
Well, this one was a slow burner....until it exploded!
Beth has a good life. Married to David, a part time job she loves, a nice home, and in the early stages of pregnancy. But it hasn't always been great. When she was a teenager, and supposed to be keeping an eye on her little sister, she stopped to talk to a boy, and Heidi stepped into the road, and died after being hit by a car. More recently, Beth has lost three previous babies early in the pregnancies, but is feeling more settled and optimistic this time around.
All that changes when she finds the wreath from Heidi's grave hanging over her bed, and a knife in her pillow. Understandably, Beth is horrified. The police are not very encouraging about the chances of solving the mystery and David seems keen to put it behind them. But it's not that simple, as more and more disturbing incidents happen and The couple are more deeply affected. Beth and David react differently to events and this causes a rift between them, so Beth turns to her friend Kim for support. Kim understands Beth, listens to her, and eventually moves in with her and David to both escape her abusive boyfriend and support Beth. But things don't settle down...
Beth is a likeable, sympathetic character. It's hard not to feel sorry for her after she has suffered miscarriages, and also carried years of guilt over her sister's death. And her initial reaction to the mysterious goings on around her is much the same as I imagine mine would be - terror, not feeling safe in her own home. I'm sure many of us would feel that. But I did find her quite naive in her dealings with Kim, and how trusting she is. Whilst the two women have struck up a friendship, Beth knows very little about Kim before inviting her to stay. But her isolation and desperation to have someone on her side is clear.
The majority of the story takes place in Beth's home giving the whole thing a claustrophobic feel, perfect for ramping up the tension. I spent the early part of the book wondering where things were heading, then wham! All the tension that had been bubbling blew up to give an explosive last third or so of the book. I certainly didn't foresee events turning out the way they did and thought the twist was original. A hugely enjoyable read.
The Author:
Mark lives in a small village in the lovely county of Cumbria, although his books are set in Oxfordshire where he was born and raised.
When someone wants you dead, is there anywhere to hide?
Who can you really trust?
Beth couldn’t be happier. She is eight weeks pregnant and married to the man of her dreams. But after returning home from a celebratory meal, she finds a wreath from her sister’s grave hanging above the bed and a kitchen knife embedded in her pillow. There are no signs of a forced entry. Nothing is stolen. And no one other than the cleaner has a key to the house.
Then a campaign of terror begins. Beth becomes increasingly paranoid as it becomes clear that someone close to the family is behind these disturbing events.
But who would want Beth dead?
Does the past hold the clue?
And can Beth find the answer before it’s too late?
Torment is a story of misplaced loyalty, revenge and sacrifice.
Torment is published by Tilbury Publishing and you can buy it here.
My Review:
Well, this one was a slow burner....until it exploded!
Beth has a good life. Married to David, a part time job she loves, a nice home, and in the early stages of pregnancy. But it hasn't always been great. When she was a teenager, and supposed to be keeping an eye on her little sister, she stopped to talk to a boy, and Heidi stepped into the road, and died after being hit by a car. More recently, Beth has lost three previous babies early in the pregnancies, but is feeling more settled and optimistic this time around.
All that changes when she finds the wreath from Heidi's grave hanging over her bed, and a knife in her pillow. Understandably, Beth is horrified. The police are not very encouraging about the chances of solving the mystery and David seems keen to put it behind them. But it's not that simple, as more and more disturbing incidents happen and The couple are more deeply affected. Beth and David react differently to events and this causes a rift between them, so Beth turns to her friend Kim for support. Kim understands Beth, listens to her, and eventually moves in with her and David to both escape her abusive boyfriend and support Beth. But things don't settle down...
Beth is a likeable, sympathetic character. It's hard not to feel sorry for her after she has suffered miscarriages, and also carried years of guilt over her sister's death. And her initial reaction to the mysterious goings on around her is much the same as I imagine mine would be - terror, not feeling safe in her own home. I'm sure many of us would feel that. But I did find her quite naive in her dealings with Kim, and how trusting she is. Whilst the two women have struck up a friendship, Beth knows very little about Kim before inviting her to stay. But her isolation and desperation to have someone on her side is clear.
The majority of the story takes place in Beth's home giving the whole thing a claustrophobic feel, perfect for ramping up the tension. I spent the early part of the book wondering where things were heading, then wham! All the tension that had been bubbling blew up to give an explosive last third or so of the book. I certainly didn't foresee events turning out the way they did and thought the twist was original. A hugely enjoyable read.
The Author:
Mark lives in a small village in the lovely county of Cumbria, although his books are set in Oxfordshire where he was born and raised.
After being widowed and raising his two daughters, Mark finally took the plunge and self-published two books on Amazon, The Revelation Room and The Eyes of the Accused.
He's always had a keen interest in writing, and is extremely proud to have had seven novels published by Bloodhound Books, including his most recent release, Torment.
When he's not writing, Mark can be found playing guitar, reading and walking. You can find out more about him by visiting his website, or by following him on Facebook and Twitter.
He's always had a keen interest in writing, and is extremely proud to have had seven novels published by Bloodhound Books, including his most recent release, Torment.
When he's not writing, Mark can be found playing guitar, reading and walking. You can find out more about him by visiting his website, or by following him on Facebook and Twitter.
No comments:
Post a Comment