#BookReview The Trap (Fällan) by Melanie Raabe (SWE/ENG)

The Trap by Melanie Raabe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Note (2/4-17): I've updated this review from 2016-07-05 with a Swedish review of the book!

SWEDISH REVIEW

Linda Conrads, 38, är en berömd och notoriskt tillbakadragen kriminalförfattare. För tolv år sedan blev hennes syster, Anna, brutalt mördad. Mördaren åkte aldrig fast, men Linda såg honom. Och nu har hon precis sett honom igen på TV.

Mannen är numera en känd reporter, och Linda vet att ingen kommer att tro henne om hon anklagar honom. Så hon gör det hon kan bäst: Hon skriver en ny thriller, om ett mord på en kvinna. Där gärningsmannen kommer undan. 

När boken publiceras ger Linda en enda intervju. I sitt eget hem. Till den enda person som vet mer om fallet än hon gör. Han vet vad som hände den där natten. Hon har skrivit en bok om det. Men när han ringer på Lindas dörrklocka vet ingen av dem hur det ska sluta...

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Melanie Raabe har verkligen lyckats skriva en bok där jag var inte säker på om huvudkaraktären, Linda Conrad, var helt galen, eller om hon hade rätt om att ha sett hennes systrar mördare på TV: n. Jag drogs in i historien redan från början och boken hålls mitt intresse upp ända fram till slutet. Vi får följa Linda historia, men också kapitel från hennes bok om mordet ingår i berättelsen. Och genom dessa kapitlel, får vi en bild av vad som hände 12 år tidigare.

Det var intressant att läsa om en karaktär som aldrig lämnar sitt hus som gör historien lite mer intim eftersom mycket av det som händer i boken utspelas inne i huset med få personer iblandade. Och som jag skrev ovan, att man inte vet om Linda var rätt eller om hon hade blivit galen och detta gjorde boken riktigt intressant att läsa eftersom man inte kunde vara säker på någonting.

Jag gillade boken jättemycket, den var välskriven, spännande och överraskande. Dock var jag var lite förvirrad varför hon hade så lite kontakt med sina föräldrar. Jag menar bara att hon inte kan lämna huset betyder inte att de inte kan besöka och jag aldrig känt att det förklarades varför de hade så lite kontakt. Men det är det enda som jag kände lite udda, resten av boken var riktigt bra!

Tack till Louise Bäckelin Förlag för recensionsexemplaret!

ENGLISH REVIEW

In this twisted debut thriller, a reclusive author sets the perfect trap for her sister's murderer--but is he really the killer?

For 11 years, the bestselling author Linda Conrads has mystified fans by never setting foot outside her home. Haunted by the unsolved murder of her younger sister--who she discovered in a pool of blood--and the face of the man she saw fleeing the scene, Linda's hermit existence helps her cope with debilitating anxiety. But the sanctity of her oasis is shattered when she sees her sister's murderer on television. Hobbled by years of isolation, Linda resolves to use the plot of her next novel to lay an irresistible trap for the man. As the plan is set in motion and the past comes rushing back, Linda's memories--and her very sanity--are called into question. Is this man a heartless killer or merely a helpless victim?

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I have to hand it to Melanie Raabe, she has really managed to write a book where I was not sure if Linda Conrad was utterly mad or if she was right about having seen her sisters killer on the TV. I was pulled into the story right from the start and the book kept my interest up. We get to follow Linda's story, but also chapters from her book about the murder are included in the story. And through the chapters, we get a picture of what happened 12 years before.

It was interesting to reading about a character that never leaves her house that makes the story a bit more intimate since most of the story takes place inside the house and with very few people. And, as I wrote above, one just couldn't know if Linda was right or if she had gone mad. And, that made the book really interesting to read since one could not be sure about anything.

I liked the book very much, it was well-written, exciting and surprising. I was a bit confused why she had so little contact with her parents. I mean just because she can't leave the house doesn't mean that they can't visit and I never felt that it was explained why they had so little contact. However, that's the only thing that I felt a bit odd, the rest of the book was really good!

I want to thank Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a free copy for an honest review! 

Burnt Paper Sky by Gilly Macmillan (SWE/ENG)

Burnt Paper Sky by Gilly Macmillan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

SWEDISH REVIEW

Under en söndagsutflykt i Leigh Woods strax utanför Bristol låter Rachel Jenner sin åttaårige son springa i förväg. Ben är utom synhåll bara en kort stund. Sen är han borta och Rachel befinner sig mitt i varje förälders värsta mardröm.

I media slår försvinnandet ner som en bomb. Några ödesdigra handlingar får både pressen och allmänheten att vända sig mot Rachel. Och samtidigt visar det sig att Rachels syster bär på fruktansvärda hemligheter.

Kriminalkommissarie James Clemo och hans kollega Emma Zhang arbetar intensivt med det prestigefyllda fallet. Men när ledtrådar slutar i återvändsgränder och lögner kommer fram i ljuset blir läget allt mer desperat för alla inblandade.

Rachel är pressad till bristningsgränsen av sorgen och den förkrossande oron över sin son, av trycket från polisutredningen och den hårt dömande allmänheten. Vem kan hon egentligen lita på? Och vem kan lita på henne?

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Bränd himmel är en nagelbitande thriller som tar upp ett ämne som nog de flesta av oss finner hjärtskärande hemskt, försvinnandet av ett barn. Rachael låter sin lilla son Ben springa i förväg i skogen till gungorna men när hon kommer fram är han inte där. Under resten av boken så får vi följa hur polisen gör allt för att finna pojken, hur rachel och hennes ex-man försöker hålla hoppet uppe att Ben fortfarande lever. Pressen och allmänheten som först är sympatiska vänder sig mot Rachel och hon får utstå trakasserier av människor som anser att hon ligger bakom allting eller som tycker att hon är en dålig mamma som inte höll koll på Ben. Inte nog med det, mörka familjehemligheter kommer fram...

Boken är fängslande och hemsk att läsa. Försvunna barn är ett jobbigt ämne och ju fler dagar som går desto mindre är chansen att ben hittas vid liv. Boken tar också oväntade vändningarna längs handlingens gång. Det enda med boken jag fann lite störande var Clemos terapimöten som dyker upp under bokens gång där han pratar om utredningen (som då är avslutad) pga. av att han mår dåligt och har panikångest och han har påtvingats terapi för att kunna fortsätta i tjänst. Annars var boken mycket bra!

Tack till Pocketförlaget för recensionsexemplaret!

ENGLISH REVIEW

Rachel Jenner turned her back for a moment. Now her eight-year-old son Ben is missing.

But what really happened that fateful afternoon?

Caught between her personal tragedy and a public who have turned against her, there is nobody left who Rachel can trust. But can the nation trust Rachel?

The clock is ticking to find Ben alive.

WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?

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Burnt Paper Sky is a nail-biting thriller that takes up a subject that probably most of us find heartbreakingly awful, the disappearance of a child. Rachael lets her little son Ben run ahead in the forest to the swings, but when she arrives, is he not there. We get follow during the rest of the book the police who are doing everything to find the boy, and how Rachel and her ex-husband are trying to keep the hope alive that Ben is still alive and well. The press and the public, which is first sympathetic turns on Rachel and she must endure the harassment of people who believe that she is behind everything, or thinks she is a bad mother who did not keep track of Ben. Not only that, dark family secrets will be revealed...

The book is fascinating and horrible to read. Missing children is a tough subject, and the more days that go by, the less the chance that the boy is found alive. The book also takes unexpected turns as the plot progresses. The only thing with the book I found a bit annoying was Clemo's therapy sessions that appear in the book where he talks about the investigation (which is then completed) due to that he feels bad and have panic attacks and he has been forced to attend the therapy to be able to continue to work. Other than that, the book was very good!

Thanks to Pocketförlaget for the review copy!

#BookReview The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena (SWE/ENG)

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

SWEDISH REVIEW

Anne och Marco Conti är ett par som tycks ha allt: ett kärleksfullt förhållande, ett vackert hem och en underbar bebis, Cora.

Nu säger deras granne att hon inte vill ha med deras sex månader gamla dotter på sin middagsbjudning. Inget personligt, hon står bara inte ut med gråten. Marco säger att det är okej. De bor ju trots allt bara i huset bredvid. De kommer att ha babyalarmet med sig och turas om att gå hem en gång i halvtimmen.

När Anne tittade till Cora för bara en stund sedan sov barnet djupt. Men nu, efter att hon rusat upp för trapporna i deras dödligt tysta hus, besannas hennes djupaste rädsla. Cora är borta!

Anne och Marco har aldrig tidigare behövt ringa polisen. Men nu är polisen i deras hem, i deras liv. Och vem vet vad de kommer att upptäcka där?

På andra sidan väggen är en psykologisk thriller som håller läsaren i ett järngrepp fram till sista sidan. En roman om svek, manipulation och dubbelspel – och om vad människor är kapabla till när de pressas till bristningsgränsen.

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Wow, vilken bok. Jag måste erkänna att jag inte trodde att boken skulle fängsla mig så mycket att jag i slutändan skulle ge den en 5:a. Jag hoppas att den den skulle vara underhållande, men jag trodde aldrig att den skulle vara så underhållande att den skulle vara svår at lägga ifrån sig på kvällen. En riktig blandvändare med andra ord! Jag svär, om jag inte hade haft jobb dagen efter jag började läsa boken så skulle jag nog läst klart den troligtvis samma kväll. 

Vad jag verkligen älskade med boken var känslan av att alla dolde något, och det visade sig vara korrekt. Även när händelser avslöjades som kanske inte alls var så överraskande så kände jag aldrig att det var för lätt, utan det var snarare så att jag hade en misstanke och när den visade sig vara rätt så var det med belåtenhet jag insåg att jag hade gissat rätt. Självklart var det händelser som jag absolut inte hade räknat med. Som det briljanta slutet. Wow!

Jag vill inte avslöja något av handlingen, men jag måste bara få säga att jag är verkligen imponerad över hur mänskliga karaktärerna i boken är. Lapena har verkligen lyckats med att skapa karaktärer som jag kunde känna sympati för (tja de flesta människor, de fanns några vidriga som jag inte gillade speciellt mycket eller kände sympati för). Genom att karaktärerna blev så levande så kändes handlingen verkligen levande. Jag drog in i berättelsen och sedan släppte den inte taget om mig.

På andra sidan väggen var en fantastisk läsupplevelse. Shari Lapena är ett namn jag bara måste lägga på minnet och jag ser fram emot att läsa framtida böcker av henne!

Tack till Modernista och Louise Bäckelin Förlag för recensionsexemplaret!

ENGLISH REVIEW

You never know what's happening on the other side of the wall.

Your neighbour told you that she didn't want your six-month-old daughter at the dinner party. Nothing personal, she just couldn't stand her crying.

Your husband said it would be fine. After all, you only live next door. You'll have the baby monitor and you'll take it in turns to go back every half hour.

Your daughter was sleeping when you checked on her last. But now, as you race up the stairs in your deathly quiet house, your worst fears are realized. She's gone.

You've never had to call the police before. But now they're in your home, and who knows what they'll find there.

What would you be capable of, when pushed past your limit?

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Wow, what a book. I have to admit that I did not think I would love it as much as I did. I was hoping to be entertained, but I never thought that I would find it so engrossing that it would be hard to put it down. I swear, if I hadn't had work the day after I started the book would I probably have read most of the book that evening that I started it.

What I really loved about the book was the sense that everyone is hiding something, and sure they did and even when things were revealed that perhaps was not so surprising did I never feel that it was too easy, it was more of a getting right when you are getting suspicious about something. Of course, there were events that I didn't expect at all. Like the brilliant ending. Wow.

I don't want to give the story away, all I want to say that I'm very impressed how Lapena managed to make the characters so real that I really could feel for them (well most of the people, some I did not like because they were quite frankly awful human beings). By making the characters feel alive did this story come alive. I was pulled into the story and it didn't let go for a minute.

The Couple Next Door was a fantastic reading experience. Shari Lapena is definitely a name that I need to keep track of for future books!

Thanks to Modernista and Louise Bäckelin Förlag for the review copy!

The Sister by Louise Jensen

The Sister by Louise Jensen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Grace hasn't been the same since the death of her best friend Charlie. She is haunted by Charlie's words, the last time she saw her, and in a bid for answers, opens an old memory box of Charlie's. It soon becomes clear there was a lot she didn't know about her best friend.

When Grace starts a campaign to find Charlie's father, Anna, a girl claiming to be Charlie's sister steps forward. For Grace, finding Anna is like finding a new family, and soon Anna has made herself very comfortable in Grace and boyfriend Dan's home.

But something isn't right. Things disappear, Dan's acting strangely and Grace is sure that someone is following her. Is it all in Grace's mind? Or as she gets closer to discovering the truth about both Charlie and Anna, is Grace in terrible danger?

There was nothing she could have done to save Charlie ...or was there?

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The Sister is one of those books that, despite being good I also want to slap some sense into some of the characters. Let's start with Grace, she's been in a funk since her best friend Charlie died. And, then she suddenly discovers that Charlie had a sister called Anna. But, at the same time, everything in her life starts to go wrong. It was kind of frustrating to read about how Grace life starts to fall apart and she still doesn't seem to grasp that the person most likely behind it all is living with her and Dan. I mean even Dan doesn't like Anna, actually, he is quite hostile towards her. And, one wonders why Grace boyfriend seems to have a grudge with Anna? There comes a moment when I want to slap Dan to towards the end. Then, we have person number three that I want to slap, Lexie, Charlie's mother. But, despite my hostility towards these three characters is the book very good and thrilling to read.

I did suspect the ending, something Charlie said in the beginning of the book, made the little gray cells work harder, so I was not surprised, rather more pleased that my suspicion turned out to be right.

I seem to be a bit harsh when it comes to this book. But, I did find it engrossing to read, sure the characters made me wanna scream now and then, but nevertheless, the book was pretty good. There isn't really a-who-is-behind-it-all-kind of a book, more why-is-the-person-doing-this kind of book. The ending was satisfying and I'm looking forward to reading more from Louise Jensen.

I want to thank Bookouture for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

My Husband's Son by Deborah O'Connor

My Husband's Son by Deborah O'Connor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Heidi and Jason aren't like other couples.

Six years ago, Heidi's daughter was murdered. A year later, Jason's son Barney disappeared. Their shared loss brought them together.

By chance, Heidi meets a boy she's certain is Barney.

But Jason is equally convinced it's not him.

Is Heidi mad? Or is Jason hiding something? And can their fragile marriage survive Heidi's newfound quest for the truth . . .

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I started to read this book this summer, but it just didn't work for me. I think it was mostly Heidi that just didn't rub me the right way, and the stupid things she did. I know that she is a damaged individual. Losing one's daughter, and in that way is, without a doubt, one of the worst things that could happen to someone. But, her obsession makes her do really irrational things, and I found myself more and more annoyed with her and lost interest in the book.

But, I gave the book another chance a couple of days ago, just to see if it would work better for me. I still found Heidi's action questionable, but the story felt better, this time, and I even started to enjoy reading the book. I particularly started to like the story when the truth about what really happened when Barney disappeared was revealed, or rather the events leading to the truth being revealed. And, this book has one of the biggest WTF ending ever. I can't say I like the ending, but it sure was surprising and very daring.

I'm glad I gave the book another chance, the characters in this book are complicated and flawed, and so very human. I may not like Heidi very much, but I can understand some of her actions, and other, well I'm not sure I could live with some of them...

I want to thank Bonnier Publishing for providing me with a free copy through Netgalley for an honest review!

S is for Stranger by Louise Stone

S is for Stranger by Louise Stone
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

There are two sides to every story.

But only one is true.

Sophie wished she’d paid more attention when her little daughter, Amy, caught sight of a stranger watching them. She only looked away for a second. But now Amy’s gone.

No one trusts an alcoholic. Even a sober one. The police are suspicious of Sophie’s tangled story and so is her ex-husband, Paul. Especially when new information emerges that changes everything.

But what if Sophie is telling the truth? What if her daughter really is missing? And what if that stranger at the fairground wasn’t really a stranger at all…

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S is for Stranger felt like just the right book for me. I love reading psychological thrillers that make you question everyone in the book and unexpected twists. However, this book just didn't do it for me. First, the big twist, in the end, was so obvious right from the start. Secondly, the plot just didn't make sense, there was one big inconsistency that made me wonder how on earth the editor could have missed that. I may spoiler the book a bit here so just jump to the next paragraph if you don't want to know. Here we go, Sophie's daughter is 8-year-old, she had her when she was at university, but that was 20 years ago? She kept on saying in the book that it was 20 years ago. Made no sense whatsoever...

But, the big problem for me was that the whole story just didn't make much sense, it started off interesting. Is she crazy or is it a conspiracy? Then, I started more and more to lean on one direction because it was so bloody easy to see where it all was leading. There is no twist to this story that is in any way surprising. The book is not totally bad, I liked the idea of the book. And, with a story that would have made more sense, and less inconsistency and a less obvious story could this book have been really good. Now, it just felt like a big mess.

I want to thank Carina for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review! 

The Devil's Work by Mark Edwards

The Devil's Work by Mark Edwards
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It was the job she had dreamed of since childhood. But on her very first day, when an unnerving encounter drags up memories Sophie Greenwood would rather forget, she wonders if she has made a mistake. A fatal mistake.

What is her ambitious young assistant really up to? And what exactly happened to Sophie’s predecessor? When her husband and daughter are pulled into the nightmare, Sophie is forced to confront the darkest secrets she has carried for years.

As her life begins to fall apart at work and at home, Sophie must race to uncover the truth about her new job…before it kills her.

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The Devil's Work is the first book I have read by Mark Edwards, and how I missed reading books by him before is beyond me. The Devil's Work is a haunting, heart-pounding, and very well-written thriller and I will try to write a spoiler free review since I don't want to give the plot, even for a second, away.

To be honest, there were moments in the book, when I did not think I would be able to continue reading the book. Not that the book was bad, more like I could picture how Sophie would slowly be destroyed at her new work. And it was agonizing to read how a childhood dream of working at her favorite publishing company was slowly turning into a nightmare instead. Either is someone out to get her, or she is just being paranoid. The thing is this is the kind of book where one starts to suspect pretty much everyone to being after Sophie if she is not just being too paranoid of course. But, the flashbacks to Sophie time at University points to something bad having happened back then, something that could be the reason for Sophie's life turning upside down?

I thought the twists in the book were clever and, despite moments in the book when Sophie annoyed me (for doing or failing to do things) was this book both engaging and so very, very tragic. My first thought was giving this book 4.5 stars, but looking back and reflecting on the story, and how tragic it was and engaging not to mention the fantastic twist towards the end of the book is sealing the deal: It's a 5-star book!

I want to thank Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a free copy through Netgalley for an honest review!

The Darkest Secret by Alex Marwood (SWE/ENG)

The Darkest Secret by Alex Marwood
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

SWEDISH REVIEW

När den treåriga flickan Coco – tvilling till identiska systern Ruby – försvinner under sin pappas femtioårsfest, väcker fallet en enorm uppståndelse i medierna. Flickans föräldrar är rika och har stort inflytande, liksom de vänner som samlats i det lyxiga sommarhuset vid havet.

Vad hände egentligen den där ödesdigra kvällen?

Handlingen sträcker sig över två helger. Den första är den då Coco försvinner. Den andra den då de mörkaste av hemligheter till sist ska komma att avslöjas…

Den mörkaste hemligheten är en tät och känsloladdad psykologisk thriller – omöjlig att lägga ifrån sig – av författaren till succén Onda flickor.

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Den mörkaste hemligheten är den första bok jag har läst av Alex Marwood och kommer inte vara den sista jag tar mig an. Jag älskar mörka psykologiska thrillers och handlingen i denna bok var intressant med en försvunnen liten flicka vars tvillingsyster 12 år senare frågar sin storasyster vad som egentligen hände när de tillsammans åker till deras pappas begravning.

Ja, vad hände egentligen med Coco? Blev hon kidnappad, försvann hon, eller ligger någon av gästerna i huset vid försvinnandet bakom det? Det är några av frågorna jag grubblade över medan jag läste boken. Det är en mörk bok, men inte så mörk som jag hade förväntat mig, mycket pga. av att människorna i boken är så avskyvärda att jag inte förvånades över avslöjanden som kom fram i boken. Boken verkligen kändes som om en studie i människors värsta beteende. Från de som var vidriga i sin hela personlighet till de som med ett falsk leende kunde ljuga och manipulera omgivningen. Kort sagt, jag blev inte så överraskad över vändningarna i storyn pga av att jag redan misstänkte att de flesta människorna i boken var genomruttna och kunde begå vilka som helst brott. De enda som vann sympati var systrarna Ruby och Milly samt Claire när man började känna henne lite mer.

En intressant bok som kändes lite ojämn, speciellt framåt halva boken när jag kände att skiftningarna mellan nutid och dåtid kändes lite segt. Men helt klart en läsvärd bok!

Tack till Modernista för recensionsexemplaret!

ENGLISH REVIEW

When identical twin Coco goes missing during a family celebration, there is a media frenzy. Her parents are rich and influential, as are the friends they were with at their holiday home by the sea.

But what really happened to Coco?

Over two intense weekends - the first when Coco goes missing and the second twelve years later at the funeral of her father - the darkest of secrets will gradually be revealed...

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The Darkest Secret is the first book I have read by Alex Marwood and it won't be the last. I love dark psychological thrillers and the book was interesting to read. A little girl goes missing and twelve years later her twin sister is questioning her older sister on the way to their father's funeral.

What really happened to Coco? Was she kidnapped, did she disappear or is someone among the guests in the house at the time behind it all? That's some of the questions I was wondering about as I read the book. It's a dark book, just not as dark as I excepted it to be. Most of the people in this book are so rotten that I just didn't get surprised by the revelations that were revealed as I read the book. It felt like reading a study on human behavior, and the worst kind. All from those that have a disgusting personality to those that with a false smile could lie and manipulate everyone around them. In short, I never really got surprised when the story took a twist because I already suspected that most of the people in the book were bad to the bone and could commit any kind of crimes. The only people I found some sympathy for was the sisters Ruby and Milly and later on Claire when one got to know her better.

It's an interesting book that felt a bit uneven to read, especially around half the book when I felt that shifts between past and present started to drag the story a bit. But it's definitely an interesting book to read!

Thanks to Modernista for the review copy!

The Fire Child by S.K. Tremayne

The Fire Child by S.K. Tremayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The chilling new psychological thriller by S. K. Tremayne, author of the Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller, THE ICE TWINS.

When Rachel marries dark, handsome David, everything seems to fall into place. Swept from single life in London to the beautiful Carnhallow House in Cornwall, she gains wealth, love, and an affectionate stepson, Jamie.

But then Jamie’s behaviour changes, and Rachel’s perfect life begins to unravel. He makes disturbing predictions, claiming to be haunted by the spectre of his late mother – David’s previous wife. Is this Jamie’s way of punishing Rachel, or is he far more traumatized than she thought?

As Rachel starts digging into the past, she begins to grow suspicious of her husband. Why is he so reluctant to discuss Jamie’s outbursts? And what exactly happened to cause his ex-wife’s untimely death, less than two years ago? As summer slips away and December looms, Rachel begins to fear there might be truth in Jamie’s words:

‘You will be dead by Christmas.’

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I was lucky enough to win a copy of this book. The Ice Twins was one of the best books I read last year and to say that I was eager to read this book is an understatement. I was a bit concerned that I had too high expectations since The Ice Twins blew me away, but I was soon relieved when the story hooked me. 

What I love about this book is that you just don't know if Rachel is crazy or just paranoid. She acts odd, but then again, so does her stepson Jamie. And, what about David's wife who died not long ago? Is she really a ghost in the house or is Jamie just a traumatized boy? And, what about David? Could he be behind his wife death? The story is strange and wonderful and I loved reading and wondering what the heck is going on? 

The story made me think of Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. Of course, no crazy housekeeper, but the dead wife and the gothic house, and a woman that marries an older man. Yup, that's what made me think of Rebecca.

Of course, it's hard not to compare this book to The Ice Twins and, despite how much I enjoyed this book it just wasn't as captivating as The Ice Twins and the ending was definite not as good. However, it's still a bloody good book and I recommend this book to anyone liking psychological thrillers.

Second Life by S.J. Watson (SWE/ENG)

Second Life by S.J. Watson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

SWEDISH REVIEW

Hur väl kan du egentligen någonsin lära känna en annan människa? Och hur långt skulle du gå för att få reda på sanningen om någon du älskar?

När Julias syster blir brutalt mördad blir hon fast besluten att ta reda på varför. Men hennes sökande utvecklas snabbt till en upptäcktsresa genom sina mörkaste inre lustar. När hon blir involverad i en relation på nätet med en farlig främling tappar hon bort sig själv… förlorar kontrollen… kanske kommer hon förlora allt. Hennes sökande efter svar kommer att äventyra hennes äktenskap, hennes familj… och hennes eget liv.

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Ett andra liv är en bok som är både intressant och frustrerade att läsa. Varför? För att redan från början så kände jag att denna bok kommer att ta vändningar som är nästan smärtsamt att läsa och jag hade rätt. Inte för att boken var dålig på något sätt. Det är en intressant berättelse om en kvinna vars liv är ställt på ända när hennes syster mördas och hon försöker finna vem som mördade henne. Upptäckten att hennes syster höll på med cybersex leder henne in i en mörk värld. 

Jag kände tidigt att Julia är en kvinna med ett mörkt förflutna, men sanningen kommer inte att avslöjas förän senare i boken. Hon är inte en olycklig kvinna, hon har ett bra familjeliv med sin man och son. Men man märker att Hugh, hennes man, inte är hennes livs kärlek även om hon älskar honom. Men så får hon reda på henne systers passion för träffa främmande män på nätet tack vare hennes systers rumskamrat Anna och snart så har hon tagit sig vatten över huvudet.

Jag kan inte säga att jag fullt ut gillade berättelsen, men det beror nog mycket på att jag ibland ville kliva in i boken och slå Julia i huvudet med boken varje gång hon fattade ett dumdristigt beslut. Men jag kan förstå att många av hennes beslut fattades pga av skuld och sorg. Den bästa biten av boken är framåt slutet när hon inser hur dum hon har varit. Det är då boken blir verkligen fängslade att läsa.Sista delen är verkligen nästan plågsamt spännande ändå fram till slutet som jag i en viss mån hatade. Jag har supersvårt med öppna slut, men trots det slutet så var det även spännande. Några av vändningarna mot slutet var jag inte alls förbered på, andra misstänkte jag. Men att avsluta boken på det sätt som Watson gjorde, tja nu när jag har lugnat ner mig kan jag se det briljanta med det!

Tack till Bazar Förlag för recensionexemplaret!

ENGLISH REVIEW

The sensational new psychological thriller from the bestselling author of Before I Go To Sleep.

She loves her husband. She's obsessed by a stranger.

She's a devoted mother. She's prepared to lose everything.

She knows what she's doing. She's out of control.

She's innocent. She's guilty as sin.

She's living two lives. She might lose both . . .

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This is the kind of book that is both interesting and pretty frustrating to read. Why? Because right from the start did I feel that this story will take turns that would be almost painful to read. And, I was right. Not that the story was bad, not at all. It's an interesting story about a woman whose life is turned upside down when her sister is murdered and she tries to find how who killed her. And, discovering that her sister used to have cybersex leads her into a dark world.

Early on you get a feeling that Julia has a dark past, but the full truth won't be revealed until later on. She is not an unhappy woman, she has a good family life with her husband and son. Although it seems that her husband Hugh is perhaps not the love of her life does she love him. But, soon she learns of her sister's passion for online affairs through her sister's roommate Anna. And, shortly she is in way over her head.   

I can't say that I fully enjoyed the story, I wished sometimes that I could step into the book and hit Julia in the head with the book and tell her to wise up, but I guess much of her decisions in born out of grief and guilt over her sister's murder.  I think the best part of the book comes when she realizes how stupid she has been, it's then the book really becomes thrilling to read. The last part is truly gripping to read, right up until the ending, which in a way I hated, but also was impressed over. I hate open ended endings, but the last part was also very surprising. Some twist did I not see coming, other did I suspect. But, to end the book the way Watson did. Well, now that I have calmed down can I see the brilliance of it!

Thanks to Bazar Förlag for the review copy!
   

#BookReview The Ice Twins by S.K. Tremayne @GrandCentralPub

The Ice Twins by S.K. Tremayne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One of Sarah's daughters died. But can she be sure which one?
A year after one of their identical twin daughters, Lydia, dies in an accident, Angus and Sarah Moorcroft move to the tiny Scottish island Angus inherited from his grandmother, hoping to put together the pieces of their shattered lives.

But when their surviving daughter, Kirstie, claims they have mistaken her identity--that she, in fact, is Lydia--their world comes crashing down once again.

As winter encroaches, Angus is forced to travel away from the island for work, Sarah is feeling isolated, and Kirstie (or is it Lydia?) is growing more disturbed. When a violent storm leaves Sarah and her daughter stranded, they are forced to confront what really happened on that fateful day.

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This is a truly intense psychological thriller; I was enthralled with the story from the beginning to the end and giving this book five stars was a very easy decision.

Angus and Sarah are trying really hard to pull their lives together and then having Kirstie claim that she is Lydia, that the daughter they thought had died was alive and vice-versa that is really making their life a hell in their new home and putting their already fragile marriage to the test.

What really happened the day their daughter died? They can't tell their daughter apart and the twins were wearing the same kind of clothing on the day one of them died.

This is a real page-turner, never a dull moment and the ending of the book, well I was afraid that S.K. Tremayne wouldn't be able to write a satisfying ending, but he did. This is without one of the best thrillers I have ever read and I recommended it strongly to anyone that likes psychological thrillers.

On a side note; I found out the real identity of S.K. Tremayne when I was writing this review. I actually though S.K. Tremayne was a woman, but it's Tom Knox, and he usually writes archaeological and religious thrillers. So, while I wait for S.K. Tremayne to publish a new book can I read Tom Knox's books and I love archaeological thrillers so it's a win-win.

I received this copy from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review!