Lease on Love by Falon Ballard #BookReview

Sadie’s looking for a fresh start. After missing out on an overdue promotion, she drunkenly re-opens a long-ignored dating app and, two days later, finds herself on a date with Jack. Except it isn’t a date.

Realizing that she mistakenly matched with Jack on a roommate-finding app, Sadie prepares to make a hasty exit, only to finally notice the gorgeous Brooklyn brownstone that Jack is advertising . . . and the unbelievably cheap rent.

Introverted Jack doesn’t know what to make of the talkative whirlwind in front of him. But he offers Sadie his spare bedroom while she gets back on her feet, and Sadie, recognizing that her dreams of starting her own florist business might now finally be possible, accepts.

As Sadie’s presence starts to turn the brownstone into a real home, and Jack learns to come out of his shell, they both begin to wonder if this accidental roommate arrangement is the best deal they ever made.

Lease on Love was an impulse purchase at a second hand book store. I hadn’t heard of this author yet so I always see that as a bit of a risk, but it certainly paid off. This novel was exactly what I wanted and needed: I fell into a warm bath of friendship and some wonderful slow burning romance. I was also quite happy to find that the male character doesn’t have a role rescuing the damsel in distress this time, it’s all in perfect balance.

Let’s just say that the way to a girl’s heart is a brownstone with a colorful front door, a spacious kitchen, a bedroom with its own big bathroom and not in the least a nice back yard. The cute nerdy guy wearing a Lord of the Ring’s t-shirt – totally not her type – is a nice bonus for Sadie and he’s renting out a room at a price she can’t resist. Sadie loves gardening and her green fingers play a big role throughout the story. Jack is of course the perfect guy, understanding, caring and attentive (and it’ll come as no surprise that he’s also a perfect lover, other authors should take note) although he does come with some baggage too.

Sadie wears her heart on her sleeve, she’s so outgoing and her coming into his life makes him feel alive again. But can these two really be together or is it not worth the risk? She could lose this perfect low-budget place to live, he could lose another person in his life…

Lease on Love was a delight to read and highly addictive. Sadie and her 3 best friends (Gemma, Harley and Nick) are just the best bunch and a group of friends you want to join as a reader. Sadie and Jack might seem quite different but are exactly what the other one needs in order to grow and heal from their traumatic childhoods, Sadie coming from a toxic family that left her with very low self-esteem and Jack still grieving. They are soooo good for each other. There is a bit of unnecessary conflict at the end of the novel that made me feel sad for them both and did feel somewhat of an exaggeration but it couldn’t be all smooth sailing, right?

I’m a little surprised this novel doesn’t get a higher score on Goodreads. I’m telling you they’re so off the mark! This is the type of romance novel that I love to read and it ticks all my boxes. There’s no hesitation here, I’m definitely adding this author’s other books to my readlist asap.

I bought a second hand copy of this novel. This is my honest opinion.

3096 Days by Natascha Kampusch #BookReview

On 2 March 1998 ten-year-old Natascha Kampusch was snatched off the street by a stranger and bundled into a white van. Hours later she found herself in a dark cellar, wrapped in a blanket. When she emerged eight years later, her childhood had gone.

In “3,096 Days” Natascha tells her incredible story for the first time: her difficult childhood, what exactly happened on the day of her abduction, her imprisonment in a five-square-metre dungeon, and the mental and physical abuse she suffered from her abductor, Wolfgang Priklopil.

“3,096 Days” is ultimately a story about the triumph of the human spirit. It describes how, in a situation of almost unbearable hopelessness, she slowly learned how to manipulate her captor. And how, against inconceivable odds, she managed to escape unbroken.

3096 days is another book that I’ve had for years but was a little scared to read. I knew only a few things about Natasha Kampush and that was only what had happened on the last day of her captivity. For all these years I had lived with the impression that she had had some freedom, she was outside after all. It’s really a very good thing that she had the courage to write this book and tell everyone what exactly she had to endure during these 8 long years.

However strange it sounds, Natasha doesn’t come across as a traumatized victim. She’s such a strong person, even at the tender age of 10 years, and I’m sure that’s what helped her get through this. I’m not sure I would have been able to if I were in her place.

She doesn’t talk about sexual abuse although I don’t doubt there was since he wanted to control her in every way possible. Her captor cut off all her hair, he gave her another name (she wasn’t allowed to mention her real name), he told her lies about the windows being booby-trapped and who he would kill if she escaped. The many ways he tries to demolish her identity are astounding but he was never able to break her completely.

He had many problems, was OCD and anorexic and she almost didn’t get any food at all while she had to cook all his meals. He would bring her video tapes or other things she asked for but while cooking, cleaning and helping him renovate the house he would accuse her of anything and everything and use a lot of violence against her.

Natasha also explains in the book why she can also mention some good things about him and doesn’t only see him as a monster. This view helped her to cope and survive while she was held. As she says it’s always in movies that everyone is 100% good or 100% bad. The media isn’t really happy with her viewpoint and even tries to tell her how she should feel and think but she doesn’t care, she doesn’t fold to others anymore, she does she and I love her for it.

I’m not going to lie, yes 3096 days is heavy stuff but it is told not coldly but with enough detachment to not let the reader feel utterly depressed. Natasha is so strong and I admire her resilience so much. I don’t regret reading her story at all, quite the opposite.

I’d rather not rate this book because it doesn’t feel right in a way but it’s also a five star read because she describes her situation and environment very well and the writing was very accessible.

I bought a second-hand copy of this novel. This is my honest opinion.

Every Move You Make by C.L. Taylor #BookReview

Alex, Lucy, River and Bridget.

Four people with one thing in common: they are all being stalked. Their lives are filled with daily terror. Always watching. Always waiting. And never knowing what – or who – is hiding in the shadows.

But this group of four used to be five, until the terrible day their friend Nat was followed home by her stalker…

Coming together for Nat’s funeral, they are handed a wreath saying RIP. However, this isn’t a wreath in memory of Nat – it’s for them, with a card dated in ten days’ time.

It’s a clear message: in ten days, one Jo them will die. And the only way to stop the killer is to get closer than they ever dared to their stalkers. The very people who want them dead…

/

This novel is so tense, I absolutely loved it. Being single isn’t so bad at all if you see what could happen to you.

Alex, Lucy, River and Bridget are the members of a WhatsApp group for people being stalked. Their life was already agony but now it seems that one of them receives the message they will be murdered, only it’s unclear who is targeted. And so the countdown from 10 days to 0 and the nail-biting starts (and the regular stalking continues).

Every Move You Make is a real page-turner. Some of them know their stalker really well, other stalkers remain invisible and I don’t know what’s worse. The only thing they can do to keep safe is balancing on a fine rope of both keeping track of their stalkers whereabouts and staying far away from them.

My  thoughts also wondered for a while why they simply didn’t go to the police but some of them have good reasons not to go to the police and one of them did actually report their stalker. It’s a fact that the police can’t do much, as usual, so it’s really up to them to find out who they should most be afraid of. The stalkers can’t know but they’re the ones who’ll be watched next. Now there’s a taste of your own medicine ha!

Every Move You Make kept me guessing throughout the novel. The scene at the bar made me even doubt characters I was rooting for until then. Who to trust, it’s certainly a difficult one this time, but I loved the twists and the fight or flight mode was brilliantly done.

I really liked the personal note the author included at the end of the novel, sharing her own story and what inspired her to write this novel. It’s horrible of course but at least one good thing came out of it because she delivered a very gripping novel. The only down part is that I‘m stuck with singing the title of this novel, every single time I see it. And then it feels like it just stops mid-sentence so I need to finish the sentence. Isn’t it a little twisted that it’s a song from The Police or am I completely paranoid after reading this? OK we’ll have that discussion another time.

I received a free ecopy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley to read and review. This is still my honest opinion.

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden #BookReview

“Welcome to the family,” Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I’ll soon learn that the Winchesters’ secrets are far more dangerous than my own…

Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.

I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.

I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.

But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.

They don’t know what I’m capable of…

/

I’m late to the party but I finally read my first Freida McFadden novel. I didn’t have high expectations really and at first I wondered what all the hype was about because I could see from a mile away what was going on with Nina, but oh boy I couldn’t be more wrong!

It was easy to sympathize with Millie, the new ‘housemaid’ of the Winchesters. Nina is kind one moment but the next she’s accusing Millie of stealing or some other bad thing. I felt my hatred for Nina growing and wasn’t it obvious that she’s not got all her ducks in a row? Millie doesn’t have a choice but to endure her mood swings and her forgetfulness because she needs that job. I can say that she didn’t feel nearly as frustrated as I did with her employer’s behavior. In all honesty, up until then I thought it was a good read even if it was a bit predictable, and I really didn’t get the hype.

This all changed in the second part of the novel where major, massive, enormous (you get it, right) twists and turns were starting to unfold. This part dives into Nina’s past and her character started to make so much more sense, which in turn made me feel apprehensive for Millie’s future… The scene with the hair pulling (if you read it you won’t have any problem remembering this) had my heart in a vice! I couldn’t believe it, I was horrified yet mesmerized and I couldn’t stop reading! I also suddenly had an idea what might be in store for Millie in the future and I wondered how there could be put a stop to it. The author just kept on giving these deliciously dark twists and I was hooked till the very end of it.

The Housemaid is a really great read (you certainly shouldn’t judge it by its cover like I did) and while it’s quite dark (I think someone could be sentenced for torture if you think about it) it is unforgettable and not one I want to forget. I love the psychological aspect of this novel and I’m happy I finally dove in and gave into the hype! This rollercoaster read should definitely be on your radar!

I bought an ecopy of this novel. This is my honest opinion.

The Au Pair by Emma Rous #BookReview

Seraphine Mayes and her brother Danny are the first set of twins to be born at Summerbourne House. But on the day they were born their mother threw herself to her death, their au pair fled, and the village thrilled with whispers of a stolen baby.

Now twenty-five, and mourning the recent death of her father, Seraphine uncovers a family photograph taken on the day the twins were born featuring both parents posing with just one baby. Seraphine soon becomes fixated with the notion that she and Danny might not be twins after all, that she wasn’t the baby born that day and that there was more to her mother’s death than she has ever been told…

Why did their beloved au pair flee that day?
Where is she now?
Does she hold the key to what really happened?

Is it too soon to have a first possible candidate for my top 10 list this year?

It all starts with a photograph Seraphine finds after her father’s death. In it, there’s a toddler and one baby in her mother’s arms. The photo was taken on the day she and her brother Danny were born, and it’s also the day her mother committed suicide. So what happened that day and why is there only one baby and not two in the photograph where she’s still posing so proudly?

The novel is told in alternate chapters by Seraphine looking for the truth and by Laura, the au pair who stayed with the family 25 years earlier. Soon enough though Seraphine receives threats, there’s someone who doesn’t want her to find out the truth? Who and why?

This novel is very very mysterious and it almost hurt thinking so much about what happened 25 years ago. My gut feeling was right about who was behind all the threats but there was a lot more that I wasn’t able to figure out. The author tried to shroud the mystery even more with added gossip about sprites which was all well and good but I didn’t let that stand in my way, the fact remained that there were too many babies and then not enough babies and the whole thing was just a very complicated puzzle. One that I loved to unravel of course. Even when I connected the right dots about the Mayes family, I still remained unsure who the baby in the picture was, Seraphine or Danny… I wasn’t let down in the end though and my twist-and-turn craving heart was more than satisfied with this read.

I really enjoyed the writing in The Au Pair and I definitely want to read this author’s next novel.

I bought a paperback copy of this novel. This is my honest opinion.

My 2023 AudioBookReviews

I listened to quite a few AudioBookReviews this year. For some reason I often find them harder to review (and to like) than paperbacks so I’ve decided to only give a rating in general and only give a more complete review of what I found the worst and the best audiobook that I listened to this year. Let’s see if I can surprise you…

The Prisoner by B.A. Paris :

False Witness by Karin Slaughter:

The Drift by CJ Tudor:

Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllistar:

At seventeen, Lenora Hope
Hung her sister with a rope

Now reduced to a schoolyard chant, the Hope family murders shocked the Maine coast one bloody night in 1929. While most people assume seventeen-year-old Lenora was responsible, the police were never able to prove it. Other than her denial after the killings, she has never spoken publicly about that night, nor has she set foot outside Hope’s End, the cliffside mansion where the massacre occurred.

Stabbed her father with a knife
Took her mother’s happy life

It’s now 1983, and home-health aide Kit McDeere arrives at a decaying Hope’s End to care for Lenora after her previous nurse fled in the middle of the night. In her seventies and confined to a wheelchair, Lenora was rendered mute by a series of strokes and can only communicate with Kit by tapping out sentences on an old typewriter. One night, Lenora uses it to make a tantalizing offer – I want to tell you everything.

“It wasn’t me,” Lenora said
But she’s the only one not dead

As Kit helps Lenora write about the events leading to the Hope family massacre, it becomes clear there’s more to the tale than people know. But when new details about her predecessor’s departure come to light, Kit starts to suspect Lenora might not be telling the complete truth – and that the seemingly harmless woman in her care could be far more dangerous than she first thought.

This is one of the most enjoyable audiobooks I listened to so far. It’s narrated by Dawn Harvey and Christine Lakin and I absolutely loved both voices (I only found out now that Christine – the younger voice – is actually kind of a celebrity and starred in a 90’s TV show called “Step By Step”).

Anyway The Only One Left is a story about Kit, a caregiver who doesn’t really have a choice but to accept a position at Hope’s End where she needs to take care of Lenora Hope, someone suspected of murdering her entire family. Kit isn’t without a mysterious past either because rumor has it she had a hand in helping her terminal mother die.

At seventeen, Lenora Hope
Hung her sister with a rope

Stabbed her father with a knife
Took her mother’s happy life

“It wasn’t me,” Lenora said
But she’s the only one not dead

The novel is very atmospheric and there are a lot of strange things happening in the crumbling manor but it can’t possibly be Lenora moving about, can it? But then who is keeping Lenora from telling Kit what happened on that fateful night, and why?

I couldn’t figure this one out AT ALL. Riley Sager is still at the top of his game with awesome twists and turns and I’m telling you, this mystery is a killer read! It’s amazing that he could surprise me so much with such a small setting and cast but my jaw practically dropped to the floor when reading this one. I’m afraid to say I already made my top 10 post this year but it really deserves a place among my most favorite reads this year.

Could you hate your neighbour enough to plot to kill him?

Until Darren Booth moves in at number 1, Lowland Way, the neighbourhood is a suburban paradise. But soon after his arrival, disputes over issues like loud music and parking rights escalate all too quickly to public rows and threats of violence.

Then, early one Saturday, a horrific crime shocks the street. As the police go house to house, the residents close ranks and everyone’s story is the same: Booth did it. But there’s a problem. The police don’t agree with them.

Since I loved The Only Suspect so much I thought I’d try one from the backlist as an audiobook. Those People centers around some fateful events and the people in the street of Lowland Way that could be responsible for it. Ant and Em, Finn and Tess, Ralph and Naomi, and Sissi across the street all have their reasons to hate their newest neighbours Darren Booth and Jodie -I-dont-even-know-her-surname. Booth is the neighbour from hell, playing loud music and keeping everyone awake next door, blocking the street with his many cars since he started to sell them from the house… The problems are numerous and they build up and up and there’s nothing they can do.. until one night the tables are turned. Who’s behind it though and will it have the desired effect?

Have you read Murder on the Orient Express? Well I advise you to do so beforehand because the author gives away the entire plottwist of Agatha Christie’s novel. I’m sorry but that’s so not done and totally unnecessary as well. She might throw the reader a line that this novel might be similar but it is not. There you go, you might as well know.

Those People wasn’t all that interesting, it was a bit too slow for my taste and I didn’t really care much about the people, except for Sissi who owns a b&b and suffers greatly from the attitude of the man living across the street. Her guests are leaving bad reviews so she might have no other choice then to close her business, if the site doesn’t make her already. I also found it not so easy to distinguish the who’s who of some of the characters, they didn’t really stand out so much individually.

The whodunnit was surprising and so was the victim in this story but the characters were not developed enough and it was not always easy to keep everyone apart. The case was intriguing but it was all a bit drawn out so since I don’t have a two and a half star graphic I’ll give it three stars. I can hardly believe it’s the same author who wrote this novel I absolutely loved (The Only Suspect), her writing seems to have grown massively. If it was the other way round I’d probably would have given up on her now but I know what she’s capable of so I do keep an eye out for future work!

The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker #BookReview

Calla Fletcher was two when her mother moved them both from the Alaskan wild to Toronto, leaving their extreme, rural lifestyle – and Calla’s father – behind.

But when Calla receives a call from her father with unexpected news, she makes the long trip back to the remote town where she was born.

There, she meets Jonah: a quiet, brooding, proud Alaskan pilot who is convinced that before long, he will be flying a pampered city girl back to where she belongs. And whilst he is probably right, Calla is determined to prove him wrong.

As time passes, Calla forms an undeniable bond with the burly pilot. But Calla is not in Alaska to stay, and Jonah will never leave.

It would be foolish of her to kindle a romance, to take the same path her parents tried – and failed at – years ago.

It’s a simple truth that turns out not to be so simple after all…

There’s one angry Alaskan ‘yeti’ in the story and one city girl ‘Barbie’ and when they are together it makes for very addictive reading (on a side note there’s also a very cute raccoon – officially not a pet as that’s forbidden 😉 – called Bandit).

I didn’t know much about Alaska other than that it’s cold so I wasn’t really jumping up and down for this setting but I quite enjoyed reading about it honestly (a dry community, mosquitos by the dozen and much more to find out). The place is a character on its own and I really felt how beautiful and quiet it was there. There’s a strong sense of community too so it’s easy to fall for the characters in this novel.

Jonah and Calla don’t start off on a good note and I could see how Calla must have seemed to Jonah when he first saw her but this enemies-to-lovers type of novel had the perfect pacing for me. Chapter 18 was one of my favorite chapters! I love it when telephone conversations are overheard and that the caller doesn’t find a hole to disappear into. There’s a lot of clarity suddenly for all parties even if it wasn’t meant to be overheard :-).

There was not only this verbally wonderful back and forth between them and some pranking going on, besides the good and fun there are definitely sad and poignant moments too. The storyline between Calla and her father was one that really packed a punch. Love hurts! I didn’t need a handkerchief this time but that’s not to say I didn’t feel for them.

I felt sad for Wren and Calla’s mom who fell in love and never out of love, but equally so for Simon who might have Calla’s mom as a partner but never fully, I felt for Agnes’ unrequited love, and then there was all this time lost between Calla and her father and of course I felt the clock ticking for Calla and Jonah and while she swore never to fall for a ‘sky cowboy’ it feels like hearts would be broken in the end (there are definitely hearts broken, more than a few and more than once).

I fell hard for The Simple Wild. It is a tribute to Alaska and much more of a bittersweet story than I was expecting. It has much more to offer than a slow burn romance although it really was a great bonus. Definitely recommended, she’s firmly on my readlist now!

I bought a second hand paperback copy of this novel. This is my honest opinion.

The Memory of Us by Dani Atkins #BookReview

A twist of fate. An unexpected love story…

If she had been found moments later, Amelia’s heart would have stopped and never recovered. Instead she was taken from the desolate beach to the nearest hospital just in time to save her life. When her sister Lexi arrives from New York, Amelia’s heart is beating, but the accident has implanted a series of false memories. These memories revolve around a man named Sam, and a perfect love story that never existed.

Determined to help her sister, Lexi enlists the help of Nick, a local vet who bears a striking resemblance to Sam. Together, Lexi and Nick recreate and photograph Amelia’s dream dates in the hopes of triggering her true memories.

But as love starts to stir between Lexi and Nick, they must navigate a complex web of emotions. How can Lexi fall for Amelia’s dream man without hurting her sister?

The Memory of Us is a faux-dating type of novel with a story angle I’ve not come across yet (and there’s a big chance you probably won’t have either). Given there are many many books of this type I definitely think this one stands out. The story is very emotional in the end. It’s more than a romance novel, it is just as much a story about family and the strong bond between sisters.

You might have to suspend some belief but if I could do it then I’m sure it won’t pose a problem for you either. See when Amelia is revived after a heart failure she remembers having a husband when there is none. Her sister Lexi then meets this non-existent husband because she recognized him from a picture her sister drew of him, and because the doctors told them to just go along with her sister’s idea for the time being she asks for this stranger’s help.

The story showed some holes because I can’t see how you can recreate an exact photo when someone describes a memory. And how to explain photos but no phone? You know what though, I happily went along with this too because the budding romance did feel very real and adorable and I was just happy to see it happen.

Nick is an amazing guy, good-looking and kind, he has a good sense of humor and a very big heart for animals. He’s the next book boyfriend and he’ll steal everyone’s heart. But that’s just the problem here… how can Lexi be with him if her sister thinks he’s her husband? Ah impossible love, there’s nothing like it.

Amelia and Lexi have more problems coming their way though and there are some tough choices throughout this story. There is a tangible sadness that seeps between these pages and it’s impossible to overcome. Amelia isn’t out of the woods and Lexi can’t just be happy go lucky with Nick any more. Things were changing for them and it made me quite emotional.

This isn’t just some lighthearted romance novel, there’s a lot of lovely tension building up but the last part of the novel is quite tragic and gut wrenching so you better be prepared. Is it possible to have a happy ending? I did have a bittersweet feeling in the end so it didn’t leave me wanting a different kind of ending, even if that was possible. I highly recommend reading this!

I received a free ecopy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley. This is my honest opinion.

The Boy Who Steals Houses by C.G. Drews #BookReview

Can two broken boys find their perfect home? By turns heartbreaking and heartwarming, this is a gorgeously told, powerful story.

Sam is only fifteen but he and his autistic older brother, Avery, have been abandoned by every relative he’s ever known. Now Sam’s trying to build a new life for them. He survives by breaking into empty houses when their owners are away, until one day he’s caught out when a family returns home. To his amazement this large, chaotic family takes him under their wing – each teenager assuming Sam is a friend of another sibling. Sam finds himself inextricably caught up in their life, and falling for the beautiful Moxie.

But Sam has a secret, and his past is about to catch up with him.

I read A Thousand Perfect Notes by C.G. Drews so I kind of expected this to be an emotional read too but I wasn’t entirely prepared for the amount of ugly tears I cried.

This novel is about a 15 year old boy Sam who is the only one who understands his autistic brother Avery’s needs. It is also about the wonderful De Lainey family, a chaotic, big and warm family. They had their own portion of tragedy in the past and Moxie especially took it quite hard when her mother passed away.

Sam and Avery are on their own and Sam’s used to stealing houses. All it means is that he breaks in to have a place to sleep and a place to call home for the night. One morning he wakes up and hears people in the house he thought was empty but with so many teenagers all over the place they don’t know he was there all night. He can get away but he can’t resist the pull of this welcoming family. The risk always lurks around the corner that he’ll be exposed though and not being welcome anymore would break his heart (and mine).

I was so afraid it would not equal A Thousand Perfect Notes but it does, it’s such a heartbreaking novel. Sam cares for Avery so much but there’s nobody to take care of him. I rooted for Sam, Avery and the others so much. These kids deserve happiness and someone who cares for them. They deserve food and a roof over their head. They deserve a home.

There are sad and tragic parts in the story but also laughter and love. The Boy Who Steals Houses is so worth the read! C.G. Drews is a fantastic author and I can only hope for another book to be published soon!

I bought a paperback copy of this novel (in 2020). This is my honest opinion.

The Accomplice by Steve Cavanagh #BookReview

THE MOST HATED WOMAN IN AMERICA

The Sandman killings have been solved. Daniel Miller murdered fourteen people before he vanished. His wife, Carrie, now faces trial as his accomplice. The FBI, the District Attorney, the media and everyone in America believe she knew and helped cover up her husband’s crimes.

THE LAWYER

Eddie Flynn won’t take a case unless his client is innocent. Now, he has to prove to a jury, and the entire world, that Carrie Miller was just another victim of the Sandman. She didn’t know her husband’s dark side and she had no part in the murders. But so far, Eddie and his team are the only ones who believe her.

THE FORMER FBI AGENT

Gabriel Lake used to be a federal agent, before someone tried to kill him. Now, he’s an investigator with a vendetta against the Sandman. He’s the only one who can catch him, because he believes that everything the FBI knows about serial killers is wrong.

THE KILLER

With his wife on trial, the Sandman is forced to come out of hiding to save her from a life sentence. He will kill to protect her and everyone involved in the case is a target.

Eddie Flynn is the best of the best and so is Steve Cavanagh, or the other way around 🙂. I already knew that but he proves it again in The Accomplice. It’s simple, if you want someone defending you, he’s the one you want, the one you need. That is if you’re innocent and you can convince Eddie that you are because he’ll only defend the innocent. I know for a lawyer he’s quite strange but we all want a good guy right and you can’t get one more pure than Eddie.

The situation for Carrie Miller looks hopeless but she has Eddie on her side. She was seen with her husband (the suspected Sandman) in front of a house, watching it, where two people were murdered later that night. So she’s suspected of aiding her husband, at least she must have known about his activities. It’s up to Eddie to prove she’s not a killer and that she didn’t know for sure Daniel was.

The courtroom is his playground again where he tries to find explanations for all the accusations she is facing and tear down the witness accounts and evidence. There is the fact that there was a little blood found on her sleeve for example. I loved Eddie’s creative mind (I don’t even care if it’s actually allowed in court) and how he can twist everything so that it all makes perfect sense and that he gets what he wants. There’s a restaurant scene which was magnificent, it killed two birds with one stone and plastered a huge smile on my face. Eddie is a creative guy, I can’t underline that enough :-). :-).

The author surprised me multiple times, even shocked me once in the beginning with one killing, and when Eddie’s team was targeted by The Sandman I really held my breath. There were some tense scenes and I knew by then what he was capable of so I wasn’t too sure someone would make it till the end. Even Eddie became emotional and his emotions rubbed off on me. I could only hope he was as good as I thought he was.

The Accomplice is book 7 of the series and is still going as strong as ever. If you’re into courtroom novels this is a must read. I loved everything about it. It has some unbelievable cliffhangers and I was very surprised with the twists at the end. I’d like to say it’s his best one yet but I want to say that every time so so it’s probably wisest to hold it in and simply state that I look forward to reading his next one!

I bought an ecopy of this novel (and it’s still 0.99p at the moment on Amazon). This is my honest opinion.