The Quickening Rhiannon Ward

Seance and secrets set the scene for this story

Spooky happenings, seance and eerie atmosphere - it was enough to get me excited about this gothic novel. But my curiosity also stemmed from the fact that this was Derbyshire crime novelist Sarah Ward's debut in the gothic novel genre.

The Story:

Set in the 1920s, pregnant photographer Louisa has been commissioned to take pictures of the contents of Clewer Hall before they are auctioned. Louisa needs the money and agrees to stay at the Hall to complete the assignment. Upon arrival, she learns about a seance that is being recreated to replicate the one held there years ago. Louisa finds herself tangled in it and soon finds that this job is much more than she bargained for .

What I liked:

"January mornings are worst times to greet the living when you'd rather be amongst the departed."

• I loved the angle of the story, how it introduces the main character and then zooms in on the setting. The atmospheric feel of Clewer Hall a country house shutting down for good ends up taking sinister hues by the end of the chapter. It really set the tone for what was to come ahead

• Louisa the protagnist is a strong character and her backstory justifies her actions. It was interesting to watch her connect with the members of Clewer Hall. The class divide is portrayed well in their interactions.  

• Despite a small drag in the middle, once the seance scene is unravelled, the repercussions sweep the reader in a roller coaster ride till the end.   

• Particularly enjoyed reading about the photography in the 1920s. Sarah uses her research well to explain the elaborate process using glass plates and chemicals which seems quite alien when compared to a snappy "click" on our phones today! 

• The use of historical elements lend authenticity to the narrative and meeting Arthur Conan Doyle as a character. It syncs with his real life reputation which for me was a nice touch. 

Loved this period story which had a contemporary echo. It is well structured and flows well. I found myself racing to the killer end, caught up with story and intrigued to know Louisa's fate. 

From crime thrillers to gothic novels, Sarah Ward's writing keeps me enthralled. Recommended read.

Trust me - T.M Logan

Pacy, action packed read

What if you are on the train and someone hands you a baby to hold for a bit. Sounds routine but the same premise in Logan’s hands, turns into a crazy rollercoaster ride in his latest book, Trust Me.

Having read Holiday, I love his style and the way his stories pull you in and keep you there till you find out what it is all about. That is what happens with this book as well.

Gist:

Ellen is travelling on train and finds herself opposite a young mother holding a beautiful baby opposite her. She agrees to look after her for minutes while the mum sorts herself out only to realise, she is left alone with the baby and a note that says,

“Please protect Mia. Don’t Trust anyone, Don’t trust police.”

This triggers off a series of events that Ellen has no time to fathom before realising that her life and the baby’s are at stake. Ellen has no choice but to catch scraps of information thrown at her and assembled before it is too late for her to act.

My review:

• It is a fast-paced thriller, that leaves you no time to breathe as events collide into one another, a layered story that slowly unveils itself.

• Love the title. Trust is such a loaded word and the story is so much in sync with the current times.

• It is a plot-driven story, where the events propel the story forward but the characters - Ellen, Dominic, Leon, Gilbourne, Holt are well well rounded too, their backstories justifying their actions, which in turn makes for a great reading experience.

• A high octane read for those who love thriller/race against time/who dunnit reads or boxsets.