Five Bad Deeds - Caz Frear

I love psychological suspense books! If you do as well, you're going to want to pick up Caz Frear's new book - Five Bad Deeds. That cover drew me in before I even turned a page. A house burning down? Hmm...

The residents of Ellen's neighborhood are a friendly bunch, helping each other out with childcare, a friendly face, meals and so much more. 

Or so Ellen thought. She's confused when she receives a note telling her that "People have to learn there are consequences, Ellen. And I’m going to teach you that lesson. Right under your nose." Is it a joke? Who would do something like this?

And that's where things get going. We meet Ellen, her sister, her neighbors, her daughter and a few more - all through their own chapters. So, as readers we have access to that information and we're able to start putting the pieces together ahead of Ellen. But are we really putting them in the right places? 

Frear plays with the reader, providing clues, twists and turns along the garden path to the final whodunit it. One minute I thought I had the who, how and why, only to be proven wrong again the next minute. I love not being able to figure out the answers before the final pages.

Now, the characters. I admit it - although I thought I should like Ellen, I couldn't. Or most of the cast of characters for that matter. I'll let you find out why - but suffice to say - everyone has secrets. Even in the nicest neighborhoods. 

Frear has penned an excellent suspense book. If you too like this genre, Five Bad Deeds is a great choice. See for yourself - read an excerpt of Five Bad Deeds. 

The September House - Carissa Orlando

If it's got a spooky house on the cover, it's a book I'm going to pick up! The September House is Carissa Orlando's debut novel - and the there is indeed a spooky house involved.

"Maybe if the two of us had paid more attention to any of the horror movies we'd seen over the years we would have been aware..."

Margaret loves her beautiful old home, as did her husband Hal. But after three years of ......... Hal has left, and Margaret is left alone in the house with ....... The September House is one of those books where it's better to go in cold and be surprised with Orlando's take on haunted houses. I was caught off guard in the beginning, but started coming to terms with what I thought was going on. But dropped hints, references and details changed the direction I had thought that the plot would take. Nicely done! There's lots of action in The September House and the last few chapters are nail biters.

Margaret is an interesting protagonist - how much of her narrative is the truth? Or is it all in her head? Her daughter is well drawn as well, but she's the other side of the coin. She was obnoxious, pushy and rude. But she plays her part of the tale well.

A fresh take on a haunted house tale. Bravo Carissa Orlando! See for yourself - read an excerpt of The September House. 

"Carissa Orlando has a doctorate in clinical-community psychology and specializes in work with children and adolescents. In her “day job,” Carissa works to improve the quality of and access to mental health care for children  and  their families. Prior to her career in psychology, Carissa studied creative   writing in college and has written creatively in some form since she was a child. It was only a matter of time before Carissa, an avid horror fan for much of her life, merged her understanding of the human psyche and deep love for storytelling into a piece of fiction." 

Photo credit: Cameron Massey.

Blood Sugar - Sascha Rothchild

Blood Sugar is Sascha Rothchild's debut novel. 

The first chapter is a real 'gotcha'. Shocking and unexpected. And on the heels of that chapter, we meet Ruby...at the police station being questioned about a murder. Actually it's more than one...

And as she's being questioned she remembers and silently recounts her life. This was a great storytelling method, keeping me hooked with every revelation - and every murder.

What a complicated character Ruby is. She's kind, has friends, relationships and is a truly caring psychologist. I quite liked her. As the book progresses it's hard to reconcile this likeable persona with the crimes she is accused of. The focus of the book is Ruby herself.

Rothchild is also a Emmy-nominated screenwriter - and it shows in her writing. Her prose are smooth and make for addictive reading. Her plotting is very clever with twists that delighted me. I really enjoy twists you can't see coming.  See for yourself - read an excerpt of Blood Sugar.

Giveaway - The Invitation - Rachel Abbott

If you like psychological suspense reads, you're going to enter this giveaway for a copy of The Invitation by Rachel Abbott! 

What's it about? From Grand Central Publishing:

"That’s the thing about old friends, they never let you forget.

The first time Jemma and Matt were invited to Polskirrin — the palatial ocean-view home belonging to Matt’s old friend Lucas Jarrett — it was for an intimate wedding that ended in tragedy. Jemma will never forget the sight of the girl’s pale, doll-like body bobbing listlessly toward the rocky shore.

Now, exactly one year later, Jemma and her husband have reluctantly returned at Lucas’s request to honor an anniversary they would do anything to forget.

But what Lucas has in store for his guests is nothing like a candlelight vigil. Someone close remembers more from that night than they’ll admit to, and Lucas has devised a little game for them all to make them tell the truth.

At least Jemma knows that she and Matt weren’t involved in what happened to that young woman . . . or were they? Before you play a game with death, make sure you can pay the price. . .

From the three-million-copy bestselling author of Only the Innocent comes an absolutely gripping new psychological thriller. Perfect for fans of Something in the Water, The Woman in the Window and The Silent Patient." Read an excerpt of The Invitation.

And if you'd like to read The Invitation, enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Open to US and Canada, ends October 20/20.

"Rachel Abbott was born just outside Manchester, England, and spent most of her working life as the Managing Director of an interactive media company. After her company was sold in 2000, she fulfilled a lifelong ambition of buying and restoring a property in Italy. Rachel now lives in Alderney - a beautiful island off the coast of France - and spends a few months of each year in the Le Marche regions of Italy, where she devotes her time to her love of writing fiction." You can connect with Rachel on her website, like her on Facebook,  follow her on Twitter as well as on Instagram.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway