Tales From The Coffee Pot by Jim Ody

Welcome to my stop on the opening day of the blog tour for Tales From The Coffee Pot by Jim Ody, my second read in a row from Question Mark Press after last week's Ouija. Jim is a new author to me but based on this collection of short stories I'm sure I'll be reading more from him. I'm fact, I'm reviewing A Lifetime Ago next month. But back to this month and to Tales From The Coffee Pot! Many thanks to Zoé-Lee O'Farrell at Zooloo's Book Tours for the invitation and to the publisher for my review copy.

The Blurb

For the first time, the best of Jim Ody’s published short stories are together in one anthology, which also includes four previously unreleased ones. Twelve twisted tales that touch on psychological/thriller, horror and YA, including: A detective sent to a travelling circus to find a missing boy; A guy with a mysterious trunk must meet a stranger at a motel to survive; A doll turns up and becomes a little girl’s best friend. Then things turn strange; A surprise birthday party is memorable, if only the birthday boy survives; and a group of orphans find the world is about to end…

1 The Reveal
2 A Moth in The Jar
3 The I-Scream Van
4 Teaching Tom
5 Boat Trip
6 The Trunk
7 The Day
8 A Doll Named Sasha
9 Surprise Party
10: The Orphans
11 Hide & Seek
12 Virgin Women From Outta Space


Purchase Links

Amazon UK 
Amazon US 

My Review

With a title like Tales From The Coffee Pot you could be forgiven for thinking this is a collection full of light hearted tales, the sort swapped around the water cooler at work. But look again at the strap line - the coffee in Jim's pot is blacker than night.

Tales From The Coffee Pot contains 12 short stories of varying lengths, often several chapters, interspersed throughout with short pieces of flash fiction and poetry. The first tale, The Reveal, about a private investigator looking for a missing youth was an uncomfortable and disconcerting read - I thought I was reading one thing and then it turned into a whole other thing, which completely threw me, as, of course, it was designed to do. And it was a good indicator of what was to come as all the stories, pretty much, did that to me.

The standouts for me were The I-Scream Van where children are going missing and rumours abound of a ghostly ice cream van, A Doll Named Sasha, because dolls with porcelain faces freak me out anyway, Hide & Seek about three friends playing a game in the woods at night - it broke my heart, and Virgin Women From Outta Space, a sci-fi tale, much lighter in tone than the rest of the collection (although Teaching Tom is also quite light) and lots of fun. I should also mention The Trunk, where a man is tasked with guarding a mysterious trunk - again it went on a completely unexpected direction.

There were a couple of zombie-esque stories that weren't for me - well written and cleverly done, but zombies just aren't my thing. And whilst I loved the concept of Surprise Party, it was a bit much for me.

The pieces of flash fiction and poetry also included follow the general dark mood of the main collection and many of them are really quite sad. From those, I loved It Only, about being lost in a book, was shocked by Sometimes It's Not Enough and wanted to know more in Burning Desire.

Tales From The Coffee Pot is a strong collection of original, quirky, entertaining, dark and twisted tales. Ody successfully toys with our emotions and takes us places where we never expected to go, knocks us off balance and makes us question ourselves and what we just read. Thoroughly enjoyed it.


The Author

Jim writes dark psychological/thrillers, Horror and YA books that have endings you won’t see coming, and favours stories packed with wit. He has written over a dozen novels and many more short-stories spanning many genres. 

Jim has a very strange sense of humour and is often considered a little odd.  When not writing he will be found playing the drums, watching football and eating chocolate. He lives with his long-suffering wife, three beautiful children and two indignant cats in Swindon, Wiltshire UK.

Author Social Media Links

Facebook 
Instagram 
Twitter 

Ouija by Zoé-Lee O'Farrell

I realise I've been quiet of late - sorry, just life and stuff, you know how it goes sometimes. But I'm back today for my stop on the Question Mark Horror tour for Camp Death by Jim Ody and Ouija by Zoé-Lee O'Farrell, which is what I'm reviewing here. I don't tend to read horror, or YA but I've got to know Zoé a little over the last wee while and couldn't miss out on a chance to review her debut novel! 

The Blurb

The only thing for certain is the deaths were no accident.

Rayner High School once a prestigious school stands in ruins after such a terrible event.

A year later, a group of friends return to the abandoned school and their nightmare begins.

Something wants to get out and won’t take NO for an answer…

Ouija is Book 2 in a new series brought to you by Question Mark Horror. For fans of Point Horror, Christopher Pike & Nicholas Pine.

Purchase Links

Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0997CPK3J/

Amazon US - https://www.amazon.com/Ouija-Zo%C3%A9-Lee-OFarrell-ebook/dp/B0997CPK3J

 

My Review

I am such a wuss. As mentioned above, I don't tend to read horror books because they scare the bejeezus out of me. Seriously, I'm spooked by the smallest thing. So I was slightly hesitant going into Ouija. It's a slim volume, coming in at just over 150 pages, and took me a couple of hours to read. I foolishly started it lying in my bed at night. I got to, I think, 17% of the way through when I knew I needed to read the rest in the daytime. Wuss. 

The book opens with an horrific, and graphic, scene in a high school - one of those scenes when you forget to breathe. We then jump forward twelve months and meet a group of six teenage friends who decide to visit the now abandoned school at night. With a ouija board. Almost immediately things begin to get dark. And seriously creepy. 

There is a lot going on in these 150 odd pages. We jump between the present day and the terrible events of a year previously so little by little we start to understand what might have happened then and now. It's fair to say the teenagers open a Pandora's Box of nightmares which will affect them for the rest of their lives. O'Farrell is not scared to be explicit with the horror aspect of the story and fair packs a punch. But there is plenty of subtlety too - the relationships between the teenagers are handled well. 

I had my heart in my mouth from that terrifying opening scene right up until the frightening and heartbreaking final scenes. I'm not going to tell you what happens in between, that's for you to discover, if you're brave enough! I will say though that it's a warning that we really shouldn't mess with what we don't understand. And I'll never look at porcelain dolls the same way again! A great debut novel from O'Farrell. 
 

The Author

Zoé O’Farrell grew up in Watford but left the town life to live by the sea down at the White Cliffs of Dover. She spends her days working with numbers before escaping in the evening to the world of words and movies. Her go-to relaxation is watching a scary movie or reading a terrifying book!

She is a book blogger and tour organiser just to keep her extra busy. When she is not reading or writing, you can usually find her watching Watford FC or at a gig. Failing that she can be found rolling her eyes at her husband as he acts the same age as her spitfire of a Mini-Me whilst separating her two cats.

Ouija is her debut novel.


Author Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zoelee.anthony
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zooloosbookdiary/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/zooloo2008
Website: https://zooloosbookdiary.co.uk/


Check out Book 1 in the series, Camp Death by Jim Ody

Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Camp-Death-Question-Mark-Horror-ebook/dp/B0999JVT1F

Amazon US - https://www.amazon.com/Camp-Death-Question-Mark-Horror-ebook/dp/B0999JVT1F/

Looking For Lulu by Carl Granger

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Looking For Lulu by Carl Granger. Thanks to Heather Fitt at Overview Media for my invitation.

For today's stop I was asked to do an author spotlight. But it turns out that the author is a top secret international man of mystery! So here is the little I'm allowed to tell you - any more and I'd have to kill you!


The Author

Carl Granger is an investigative journalist with a military background. When not working he writes from his small, isolated cottage in the wilds of the East Midlands, where he lives alone with a one- eyed cat called Crippin.

I can tell you a bit about his new book, Looking for Lulu, though.

The Blurb

You could be sitting next to him in a pub. You’d never notice him. But he would see you.

None of his victims had ever noticed him, sitting there, glancing occasionally at them. Even if they had, they would have seen no cause for alarm.

Bland. Uninteresting. A civil servant going home to his equally bland wife and children at the end of another working day.
Anonymous. Invisible. Faceless.

That’s what they had all thought. But they were all wrong.
Now only the ever-growing spinney of trees bears testimony that they had once existed.

Is hard-bitten ex-Military Police captain, Detective Inspector Oscar Smith up to the task of tracking him down?

And as you turn the pages to meet the killer, will you ever find sleep again?

***** One of the darkest stories I have ever read ..pitch dark storytelling
***** What an astonishing first thriller!
***** It's weird and gory, but keeps you wanting more
***** OMFG this book….where do I begin! It is dark and disturbing and will most certainly make you squirm.

I know, like me, many of the regular visitors to this blog like their crime on the darker side. If so, this may be one for you. Enjoy! 

The Great Silence (The Skelfs Book 3) by Doug Johnstone

I have loved this series about the Skelf women, funeral directors and private investigators. I know it was originally planned as a trilogy, and this is the third book...but I remain hopeful of more. In the meantime, welcome to my review of The Great Silence by Doug Johnstone for my stop on the blog tour. Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me and to Orenda Books for my review copy. Will definitely be buying myself a paperback copy to complete my collection.

The Blurb

Keeping on top of the family funeral directors’ and private investigation businesses is no easy task for the Skelf women, and when matriarch Dorothy discovers a human foot while walking the dog, a perplexing case presents itself.

Daughter Jenny and grand-daughter Hannah have their hands full too: the mysterious circumstances of a dying woman have led them into an unexpected family drama, Hannah’s new astrophysicist colleague claims he’s receiving messages from outer space, and the Skelfs’ teenaged lodger has a devastating experience.

Nothing is clear as the women are immersed ever deeper in their most challenging cases yet. But when the daughter of Jenny’s violent and fugitive ex-husband goes missing without trace and a wild animal is spotted roaming Edinburgh’s parks, real danger presents itself, and all three Skelfs are in peril.

Taut, dark, warmly funny and unafraid to ask big questions – of us all – The Great Silence is the much-anticipated third instalment in the addictive, unforgettable Skelfs series.

The Great Silence is published by Orenda Books. It came out as an eBook on 19th June 2021 and will be released in paperback on 19th August 2021.

My Review

Oh, where to start?! OK, I'll start with the simple stuff! As mentioned above The Great Silence is the third in the series about the Skelf women following A Dark Matter and The Big Chill. The Great Silence works well as a standalone but there are events that refer back to the previous books so you might want to check those out first. And it's such a great series you'll being doing yourself a massive favour! 

For those of you unfamiliar with the series, it features three generations of Skelf women who run a funeral directors and private investigators from matriarch Dorothy's kitchen table. They do take 'regular' cases but they also take on investigations they feel drawn to. As is the case with Dorothy and the human foot she finds. Granddaughter Hannah is the least involved in the businesses as she is a student but even she finds her own case after meeting the tutor for her forthcoming astrophysics PHD studies. 

Dorothy is fabulous. In her early 70s, she is feeling her age. But she's not your typical OAP. Aside from the unusual businesses she runs, she also drums and listens to music by bands with terrifying names. In other words, she's way more hip than me! And she has found a little bit of romance with long time friend Thomas. At one point, the number of women living in Dorothy's house swells to five, and she loves it. Johnstone describes her thoughts, worries and hopes so clearly, so vividly, it's wonderful. And through Dorothy, he gives us a beautiful description of love. 

Some of the minor characters come into the spotlight more in this book. My heart ached for Indy, Hannah's girlfriend in large parts of this book, and swelled with happiness for her at others. Teenager Abi, staying on the sofa bed in Dorothy's studio, sees and learns things no child should experience. And even shy, quiet employee Archie has his moment here. 

There are multiple storylines running through the book, all of which are fascinating. There are moments of tension, particularly towards the end, but each thread has an emotional core. Johnstone has the talent to take a crime story and make it so much more. And be in no doubt, more than one crime features in this book. But he manages to tug at our heartstrings, pull us in and ask us the big questions. This could be a sombre book, given the subject matter, and there are moments of real sadness and heartbreak. But this is a joyful book, full of characters you will care about. Really care about. 

Yes, The Big Silence is a crime story. But it is so much more. It talks about love, loss, family, grief, determination, sadness, hope and resilience. It's beautifully written and populated by a large cast of fully formed characters, some of whom will break your heart, at the centre of which are Dorothy, Jenny and Hannah, strong, independent women. If this is the end of the series, I'm sad, but what a glorious journey it's been. I'm sure this will be amongst my favourite books of the year and I can't wait to see what Johnstone brings us next. 

The Author

Photo by Duncan McGlynn

Doug Johnstone is the author of twelve previous novels, most recently The Big Chill (2020). Several of his books have been bestsellers and three, A Dark Matter (2020), Breakers (2019) and The Jump (2015), were shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year. He’s taught creative writing and been writer in residence at various institutions over the last decade – including at a funeral parlour ahead of writing A Dark Matter – and has been an arts journalist for over twenty years. Doug is a songwriter and musician with five albums and three solo EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, a band of crime writers. He’s also player-manager of the Scotland Writers Football Club. He lives in Edinburgh. Follow Doug on Twitter @doug_johnstone and visit his website: dougjohnstone.com.

Cave Diver by Jake Avila

Today is my stop on the blog tour for action thriller Cave Diver by Jake Avila. Many thanks to Tracy Fenton at Compulsive Readers for the invitation and to the publishers for my review copy.

The Blurb

'Breathtakingly researched, brilliantly executed.' Wilbur Smith

A high-octane, fast-paced novel from a new voice in adventure writing and the winner of a Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize. For fans of Clive Cussler.

Acclaimed explorer Rob Nash has lost his way. Grieving the death of his wife, and blaming himself, he sees no reason to carry on. But when his 'Uncle' Frank Douglas offers him the chance to lead a cave diving expedition in the jungles of Papua, Nash can see some light at the end of the tunnel.

But the expedition might not be what it seems. With a decades old Japanese submarine buried deep in a cavern, and a team hell-bent on unleashing the treasures it hides, Nash finds himself on a ship heading for danger. With a lethal band of criminals on board, who will stop at nothing to get the gold, Nash is fighting for his life. Whilst battling his own demons, can he forgive himself for the wrongs of his past - and survive the perils of the deep?

Cave Diver was published by Zaffre on 5th August 2021.

My Review

Diver Rob Nash has lost interest in pretty much everything since the death of his wife, for which he blames himself. He's lost out on work, lost money and neglected the house and bills. But devastating news close to home finally starts to pull him out of his self despair & when old family friend Frank Douglas visits with details of a proposed job including a trip Nash has always wanted to make and very generous pay, Nash sets aside his suspicions, takes the job and heads off to Papua New Guinea for what he hopes will be the dive of his life. However, he soon begins to realise the documentary he's been hired to work on is not quite what it seems...

Avila writes Nash as a broken man, it comes off the page. We can see the defeat in his eyes, feel his emptiness, his loss. But at the same time I wanted to shake him, to wake him up, tell him life is worth living, lol. He is clearly a good man, though, and time and time again we see him do the right thing, stand up for his friends, fight for the crew. But he is not the only gutsy character we see in this book - 'Uncle' Frank and Mia also deserve a mention. The loyalties of the crew, drawn from the local population, are a little more ambitious as they have much to fear from the Suyanto family who have chartered the boat to make their documentary. And also Jaap Boerman - oh, I really didn't like him! But he's brilliantly written. 

I was fascinated by the Pidgin language used by the Papua New Guinea natives which makes up some of the dialogue in the book. I could mostly follow it, worked out the rest and felt it kept things interesting. I loved the scene setting - the rivers, the lush, exotic countryside, the scary wildlife, conditions on the boat. Much of the story is set on the boat or under water, making it feel very claustrophobic, adding to the tension, magnifying the feeling of dread. There is quite a lot of technical five stuff which Avila has clearly researched well but I must admit to skipping the occasional bit. 

The plot line is part mystery, part treasure hunt, part road movie (on a river, but you get my drift), part thriller. I loved the mix of nationalities that make up the cast and how they all related to each other. I loved that I got a glimpse of completely different cultures. 

Cave Diver is an atmospheric, claustrophobic thriller. It's about evil, greed, murder, despair, redemption, hope and love. It's action packed and, once it gets going, moves along at a cracking pace and has some great characters. It's the first action thriller I've read set in the murky world of rivers and lakes and I really enjoyed it. 


The Author

Jake Avila is a full-time writer with a BA in Writing and Information Technology. He has a background in freelance journalism writing on politics, culture, technology, and sport, and taught secondary English for ten years. In 2019, he won the Adventure Writer's Competition Clive Cussler Grandmaster Award for Cave Diver and then went on to win the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize for the same book in 2020.

A Rattle of Bones by Douglas Skelton

I shared a little bit of my love for this book last month but today is the publication day for A Rattle of Bones by Douglas Skelton so please indulge me whilst I rave about it some more! Thanks again to Douglas for my early review copy and happy publication day!  I've now bought my own paperback copy when they hit the shops a little early. 

 

The Blurb

In 1752, Seamus a’Ghlynne, James of the Glen, was executed for the murder of government man Colin Campbell. He was almost certainly innocent.

When banners are placed at his gravesite claiming that his namesake, James Stewart, is innocent of murder, reporter Rebecca Connolly smells a story. The young Stewart has been in prison for ten years for the brutal murder of his lover, lawyer and politician Murdo Maxwell, in his Appin home. Rebecca soon discovers that Maxwell believed he was being followed prior to his murder and his phones were tapped.

Why is a Glasgow crime boss so interested in the case? As Rebecca keeps digging, she finds herself in the sights of Inverness crime matriarch Mo Burke, who wants payback for the damage caused to her family in a previous case.

Set against the stunning backdrop of the Scottish Highlands, A Rattle of Bones is a tale of injustice and mystery, and the echo of the past in the present.

A Rattle of Bones is published by Polygon is out in eBook and paperback today and in audio on September 1st 2021. It is available for pre-order now from Bookshop.org, Waterstones, Amazon or your preferred bookseller.

Look how gorgeous it is! My copy, bought from one of my favourite bookshops, PrintPoint in Rothesay, on the beautiful Isle of Bute. 

My Review

A Rattle of Bones is the third Rebecca Connolly book (after Thunder Bay and The Blood is Still). If you haven't read the first two, don't panic, you will still enjoy this because it works perfectly as a standalone. Skelton provides all the background you need without overdoing it and boring readers of the series. But if you get the chance, do check out the first two as I believe you will have a richer reading experience here if you've started at the beginning. 

Rebecca Connolly is tired. She's been through a lot and is emotionally battered and bruised but she's not going to let that stop her doing her job. Looking for a story and wanting to uncover the truth, she investigates the case of James Stewart who is in prison for murder,  but who some believe was wrongly imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. But Rebecca is not the only person interested in the story, and there are a couple of people interested in Rebecca herself...

Skelton's characterisation is right on point, for the whole cast. This is an  author who knows people, and who pays attention to the small details which make it all feel more real - facial expressions, posture, nervous habits. It's  great to see a story populated by strong women, not least Rebecca herself, of course. She's gutsy, determined and not easily cowed. Afua Stewart was another standout for me, elegant and poised. I was pleased to see returning characters from the previous books - Elsbeth and Mo Burke rate a mention. Two brilliantly written women from different sides of the law.  There are some smashing, colourful new characters too as we meet guys from the Glasgow and Inverness underworld, amongst others.

The writing is lyrical in places, the subject matter serious but there are dashes of dark humour shot through the story. As well as being a tale of injustice this is also a love letter to the often breathtaking, yet sometimes harsh, Scottish landscape. The first chapter is hauntingly beautiful, I defy you not to shiver. 

A Rattle of Bones is a story of murder, wrongdoing, truth seeking and love. It's beautifully written, very atmospheric, weaving Scottish history in with the criminal underworld of today. Skelton has, as always, delivered a well developed plot and a satisfying denouement with a red herring or two thrown in along the way. I devoured it in two days and think it might be my favourite of the series yet. It will be amongst my books of the year. If you haven't read anything by Douglas Skelton I would urge you to do so, and this series is a great place to start. 


The Author

Douglas Skelton has published 12 non fiction books, ten crime thrillers and an e-novella. He has been a bank clerk, tax officer, shelf stacker, meat porter, taxi driver (for two days), wine waiter (for two hours), reporter, investigator and editor.

His first thriller Blood City was published in 2013. The gritty thriller was the first in a quartet set on the tough streets of Glasgow from 1980 onwards. It was followed by Crow Bait, Devil's Knock and finally Open Wounds, which was longlisted for the first McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year in 2016.

His two Dominic Queste thrillers, The Dead Don't Boogie and Tag - You're Dead lightened the tone but didn't skimp on thrills.

He followed this with his New York-set chase thriller The Janus Run in 2018.

Thunder Bay, a dark and atmospheric tale of secrets, lies and murder on a Scottish island, was published to great acclaim by Polygon in 2019. It was longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for 2019. The second in the series, The Blood is Still, came out in March 2020. A Rattle of Bones is the third in the Rebecca Connolly series. Death Insurance, an e-novella featuring Rebecca, written with Morgan Cry, was published in July 2020

Douglas is often recruited by documentary makers to contribute to true crime shows on TV and radio and is a regular on the crime writing festival circuit.

He takes part in comedy shows with other crime writers. To date he has written three Carry on Sleuthing plays in which he also appears along with Caro Ramsay, Michael J Malone, Theresa Talbot, Pat Young and Lucy Cameron, with occasional guests Alex Gray, Lin Anderson and Neil Broadfoot.

He is also one quarter of Four Blokes in search of a Plot, along with Gordon Brown, Mark Leggatt and Neil Broadfoot. This is a fun show in which they invited the audience to give them a murder weapon and a protagonist. They then take it in turns to create a crime story (usually developing into something wild and wacky) while also answering audience queries about the craft.

His one man event, You the Jury, invites audiences to deliver verdicts on real life but heavily disguised cases from around the world. In 2019 the format was extended into a court drama, thanks to the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland, within Stirling Sheriff Court played to three sell-out houses during the Bloody Scotland festival. 

The Lies I Tell by Joel Hames

Today on my stop on the blog tour for The Lies I Tell by Joel Hames I'm resharing my review from last year, before Joel joined Spellbound Books. Many thanks to Zoé at Zooloo Book Tours for the invitation. 

The Blurb

SHE’S WATCHING YOU,
BUT WHO’S WATCHING HER?

From the bestselling author of Dead North, a tense, claustrophobic psychological thriller perfect for fans of Lucy Foley, Claire McGowan and Clare Mackintosh.

Meet Polly.
Meet Emily.
Meet Belinda.

They're all me.

My name is Lisa and I’m an identity thief. If I’m not inside your system stealing your money, I’ve probably already stolen it. I’m your friend. I’m a thief. I’m gone. I’m in control.

Only now, the tables have been turned. I’m in danger. My son is in danger. And I don’t know where that danger’s coming from.

Any friend.
Any enemy.
Any stranger.

Anyone from the past I’ve been trying to outrun for years.

NOBODY CAN BE TRUSTED.

The Lies I Tell is published by Spellbound Books.

Purchase Links

Amazon UK : https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08THZRDRW
Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/Lies-Tell-Know-Whos-Watching-ebook/dp/B08THZRDRW

My Review

The Lies I Tell focuses on single mother Lisa, who isn't only Lisa but a host of other people - mainly online but sometimes in person. In fact, she's not even Lisa. Being an identity thief is a complicated business! After preying on countless people, Lisa now finds herself a victim has she is targeted by an unknown person who seems to know her every secret, even the darkest ones. Lisa fears for herself, but mostly for young son Simon.

Being an identity thief looks exhausting! And incredibly complex. Lisa has so many balls to juggle at the same time, trying never to let one fall. And almost succeeding. Hames has clearly done his research into the kind of work required for this kind of scheme, all the magic techy stuff, as the details feel authentic.

I wanted to hate Lisa, but it was impossible to do anything but like her. I was rooting for her. Her story is told over a dual timeline, swapping between the present day (2016) and her growing up. The tales of her early childhood tugged at my heartstrings, and I felt so much for her as I watched her struggle, and these events shape her life. Now I thought I was someone who catastrophised, but I have nothing on Lisa! In every situation she finds herself, every single worst case scenario runs through her head. I can't imagine how wearing that is, but Hames describes it so well.

So many characters in this book are versions of Lisa herself I imagine the author had fun creating them. But I must mention Billy and Ida, two very different characters but both of whom I loved.

This is a very different cat and mouse chase as the hacker pursues Lisa and Simon, and Lisa tries to discover who it is that wants to do her harm. We see her vulnerabilities. Much of the action in this book is computer based but that doesn't stop it being exciting. The tension increases as Lisa and her tormentor edge closer together and towards a denouement which is exciting, shocking, sad and unexpectedly bloody.

The Lies I Tell is very apt for the current time when so many of us are active on social media and conduct much of our day to day business online. It's a warning for us to look at what we're doing, what information we share, who we let into our lives. It's a tense, exciting story, with an interesting, engaging central character, which I really enjoyed.


The Author

A Londoner in exile, Joel Hames lives in rural Lancashire with his wife and two daughters.

His works of fiction include the bestselling Sam Williams trilogy Dead North, No One Will Hear and The Cold Years, and the standalone psychological thriller The Lies I Tell.

When not writing or spending time with his family, Joel likes to eat, cook, play the piano, and make up excuses to avoid walking the dog. There’s the MMA thing, too, but he doesn’t like to show off.

You can find out more about Joel and sign up to his mailing list through social media or his very own website. The links are below.


Author Social Media Links

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/joelhamesauthor/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/joel_hames
Website: http://www.joelhamesauthor.com